On Bugs and Baldness
CD in Play: PJ Harvey, Peel Sessions
When I arrived here in Saskatoon two things were immediately impressed upon me. Firstly, this area receives much more sunlight than Vancouver does. Many Canadians (including not a few British Columbians living in enormous denial) are of the impression that British Columbia is the land of sunshine. In fact, the area I grew up in is classified as temperate rainforest, which means that it is quite rainy quite often therefore it is also quite grey. Saskatoon is classified as a dry-prairie/savanna biome averaging around 2,381 of sunshine a year. Secondly, Saskatoon has much more in the way of insects, especially small pesky insects. There are these flies out here, relatives of the fruit fly, that just swarm around and try to get in your eyes and ears, in your mouth and up your nose. They have done an excellent job of getting right up my nose. They also love to swarm and crawl around on top of my head.
Back in BC I was never given to wearing hats all that often. I did have a hat (and I still have it) that I liked wearing instead of a toque in winter time, but I really never took to wearing hats at any other time of the year. Part of it is because I am bald and just didn't want people to think I was compensating for a loss of hair, like so many men do. But being bald, a hat is a very good thing - especially here. I realised quite quickly that I was going to need a hat if I was going to live here. Burns, bites, sunstroke and skin cancer would be a drag.
I went to Hats and That in the Broadway area and bought a woolen Donegal style cap. (also called a Gatsby or newsboy cap) The cap has served me well and as of yesterday, I realised that I was taking it for granted. I left it in a co-worker's van at work yesterday (I worked for 13 hours at the Vans Warped Tour) and he left before I did. He is on holidays for two weeks, so I probably won't get my cap back until after that. No big deal, right? I can cope without it for two measly weeks, yeah? No. Not at all. As soon as I left the house bugs began landing and crawling all over my bald pate, driving me insane. (and yes, I do shower regularly) So it was off to Hats and That where I bought a lighter Kangol version of my cap. My sanity is safe for now - at least is on that front.
A note on baldness
It is interesting how people react to pictures of me with hair. Usually, they find it quite uncomplimentary on me, having only known or become accustomed to me being bald. My Dad has gone through the same thing when he has shaved off his beard. He finds people asking him when he is going to grow it back. (I also encountered this when I shaved off my goatee) I do miss my hair, but even I find pictures of myself with it a little odd.
When I arrived here in Saskatoon two things were immediately impressed upon me. Firstly, this area receives much more sunlight than Vancouver does. Many Canadians (including not a few British Columbians living in enormous denial) are of the impression that British Columbia is the land of sunshine. In fact, the area I grew up in is classified as temperate rainforest, which means that it is quite rainy quite often therefore it is also quite grey. Saskatoon is classified as a dry-prairie/savanna biome averaging around 2,381 of sunshine a year. Secondly, Saskatoon has much more in the way of insects, especially small pesky insects. There are these flies out here, relatives of the fruit fly, that just swarm around and try to get in your eyes and ears, in your mouth and up your nose. They have done an excellent job of getting right up my nose. They also love to swarm and crawl around on top of my head.
Back in BC I was never given to wearing hats all that often. I did have a hat (and I still have it) that I liked wearing instead of a toque in winter time, but I really never took to wearing hats at any other time of the year. Part of it is because I am bald and just didn't want people to think I was compensating for a loss of hair, like so many men do. But being bald, a hat is a very good thing - especially here. I realised quite quickly that I was going to need a hat if I was going to live here. Burns, bites, sunstroke and skin cancer would be a drag.
I went to Hats and That in the Broadway area and bought a woolen Donegal style cap. (also called a Gatsby or newsboy cap) The cap has served me well and as of yesterday, I realised that I was taking it for granted. I left it in a co-worker's van at work yesterday (I worked for 13 hours at the Vans Warped Tour) and he left before I did. He is on holidays for two weeks, so I probably won't get my cap back until after that. No big deal, right? I can cope without it for two measly weeks, yeah? No. Not at all. As soon as I left the house bugs began landing and crawling all over my bald pate, driving me insane. (and yes, I do shower regularly) So it was off to Hats and That where I bought a lighter Kangol version of my cap. My sanity is safe for now - at least is on that front.
A note on baldness
It is interesting how people react to pictures of me with hair. Usually, they find it quite uncomplimentary on me, having only known or become accustomed to me being bald. My Dad has gone through the same thing when he has shaved off his beard. He finds people asking him when he is going to grow it back. (I also encountered this when I shaved off my goatee) I do miss my hair, but even I find pictures of myself with it a little odd.
posted by Magnus at 01:37
3 Comments:
Well, Magnus, I will have you know that I am a member of the Hair Club for Men...
I should like a hat like that...
You do get used to the bugs...eventually.
It only took me 30 odd years or so. Dusk is the worst.
As for the hats, the no-name Donegal is a much better hat than the brand name Kangol.
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