re: tempus fugit....

hello lovers, friends, fans and foe,

wow, time flies, it's been quite sometime since i've posted anything, again, just wow, i hadn't realized it until i checked. this morning i woke up around 5 am and felt a real calm, a clarity i hadn't felt in some time. i think i've been going through a lot of horrible truths lately, or over the past few years. i'm smack dab in the middle of mid-life, 45 years old and it's been tough. locally i feel long in the tooth, younger bands feel i'm too old to jam with and older bands want to jam out classic tinged rock and so on. i feel some local people are resentful of my so called "success," as an artist, author, musician and filmmaker. i think in some ways, i too was resentful, because i felt so much more was being lost than gained. haha, life is a definite head trip.

i think i've been depressed off and on the past few years, probably starting back in 2010 when i really hit the road hard touring and working my ass off. everything i had been working towards for many, many years was finally coming to fruition and no one seemed to care. haha. oh well, i laboured through it,  put my head down and charged forward, slogging through it, the highs and the lows, and everything in between. being away from my kids for long periods of time is and will always be tough, friends come and go, life moves on and people live and people die.

i've been transitioning from road life to home life more and more and it's so challenging, you miss the road, the sights, the sounds, the smells, the people, the performances and the stages and so on. you can try really hard to remember things, and tell yourself, "i'll never forget this moment, this rush, the stage, the galleries, the walls you've painted on, the people you're hanging out with, the food you're eating, the smells, the streets, the faces and places," but eventually you do. haha. oh well, just gotta get out and try to get it all back again i guess?

then trying to find a way to make a living matching what you do on the road is next to impossible. you start to get gigs around town and people call you "art star," or "rock star," and accuse you of using your accomplishments or whatever to get gigs. which in some ways is true, it does get you gigs, but you worked hard for them in the first place. haha. then, there is the excesses of the road, they can become a burden as well, out on the road it's a lot of hard living and good times, people expect it and want it, so when you get off the road switching gears is a head trip. but it's necessary otherwise you'll burn out hard and partying and the lifestyle can kill you or destroy you and your creativity. a catch 22. haha. all to just live out your dreams, the many prices you pay for them and so on.

i guess it's all about really trying to find and maintain balance and sanity, eating healthy, working hard and being creative, pushing your boundaries. success is regional, there are definite advantages to living in larger urban centres where there is infrastructure for musicians, artists, authors and filmmakers. when you're out in the rural or rest of canada, it's a pretty tough slog. gear is expensive and hard to come by, printing out art and art supplies are expensive and i usually have to farm it out and do stuff online, venues and affordable, safe rehearsal space are next to impossible to get and so on.

so what am i really saying? i'm not sure, just sharing some truths and experiences i guess, i've had a lot more so called "success," than i ever thought would happen, but i still hunger for more. but time isn't always on a person's side, so i'd go for it while young, and if i didn't have the responsibilities i have now as an adult, life would be different. a lot of people helped me get to where i am today and i am so thankful to them, you know who you are, and i have also burned some bridges along the way, and that's life, we all make mistakes, the trick is not to repeat yourself on them. you gotta keep on moving forward.

last year, i also really started to feel my years of life on the road on my body, i started physically falling apart last year on the road, tooth problems last year in montreal and prince albert, saskatchewan, knee problems, sight problems and so on, there's still more to do, but i'm trying to learn from my mistakes and trying not to make the same ones repetitively. life is definitely short, when i was turning 30 i never, ever thought i'd be still in Kamloops, BC.

i thought i'd be famous by now, haha, silly me, living in montreal, or toronto or new york or paris or los angeles. and i've been to all those places, many times over the past 20 years, and have had a lot of fun and adventures chasing after my dreams, so i guess i'll close this post on a positive note, saying i feel pretty good today, better and not bitter, something i haven't felt in a while i think and i am indeed very, very grateful for the crazy ride it's been so far.......

in the meantime, check out some new art adventures i've been on and keep on keeping on everyone, it all gets better and better,

cheers,


chris bose.
ps: i'm still broke. haha. buy some art.

re: new video poem!!

hello friends, fans, foe and lovers,

i miss you, it's been too long already, even though it's been only a few days.....here's my new video poem for my new book "A moon made of copper," published by Kegedonce Press a couple months ago. It's on page 62, and it's called "Wake up."

Do watch the video and read the poem. I'm doing pretty much what i wanted with my life, but like anything, it comes with a price, but i'm fine with that and i no longer pine for the past like i once did. life is good my friends, live it well because we never know how long we've got. i vaguely remember writing this poem, it was about 4 years ago, and the video represents what my life has been like since my last book was published and some success with my art and stuff. my wish now is life to get crazier and to tour overseas with other secret projects i've got in the works.

i hope the best for you over the holidays with your friends, family and loved ones, i'll be working diligently on new stuff and will let you know more as i know more about it. haha.

until next time lovers,


chris bose. aka horatio cornblower.

re: day 3 song of the 5 day song challenge!!!

hello friends, fans, foe and lovers,

it's day 3 of the 5 day song challenge it's safe to say i'm kicking it's ass. haha. 

so, here's the 3rd song and video, and i don't really plan this out, it just comes together.

i woke up this morning at 5:30, made some tea and picked up a guitar and played this riff. it's an old one, i wrote it about 20 years ago, but it hasn't found a home yet. maybe now it has, it's kind of somber, kind of beautiful, kind of introspective and relaxing. when i added the video, i started dropping in travel stuff from across canada. being an artist/musician/author and filmmaker in a small town means you have to travel A LOT!!!

traveling takes it's toll, you miss loved ones, your home, your bed, and so on. but it is also awesome, and exciting, you meet new people, see new places, learn new things and it's good for the soul. it's a cruel catch 22. when you're on the road too long, you miss home and everything about it, but when you're home, after a few days you can start climbing the walls wanting to be back out on the road. perhaps they'll never reconcile themselves. haha, and i'm okay with that, i crave new adventures and stories, so i'm sure i'll never stop as long as i can. 

anyway, peace out, stay tuned for tomorrow's song and video!!

cheers,

cb

re: fragments in time......

Hello lovers,

hope the end of summer is treating you well, i'm enjoying the shift in the weather to the cooler temperatures these days, six weeks or so of 35c and up was getting a bit much. it was relentless and punishing towards the end of that stint. especially when traveling, it can make a trip that much more grueling. 

below are some fragments from the road, moments in time i would like to remember forever.

that's a great part of my job as an artist, i get to travel and see and do things usually only locals do, but all across the country. a person's fave pub, or swimming spot, or favourite hike, restaurant, book store, etc, etc.

until next time,

cb

a lot of traveling is also waiting. 

the above photo is the glamourous 

spot i waited to transfer buses to lytton.

i've sat in fancy airport lounges 

all over the world raiding booze fridges

before security catches me

but nothing gets more real

than being on the side of the road

it was blazing hot, behind a gas station i found shade 

and plucked away on my guitar

and sipped beer while

watching people bring their

travel dogs to the back to piss and shit

while i noodled away on the gitbox.

this was friends of mine attic space

it is exactly like my grandparents old attic

that has long since burned to the ground

so every morning when i woke up here

i was reminded of my childhood.

bittersweet memories.

this was again at my friends place

and i was sitting outside playing guitar

enjoying the cool mist of the water

and the sounds the drops made on that 

buddhist looking bell 

chiming away with the drops of water

it was peaceful and a great

way to wake up.

this was n'kemcin

where the waters meet

and not far from the spiritual heart

of our territory.

a very special place

and i woke up and walked here every morning

enjoying the sound of the rushing

waters and peaceful quiet.

Re: various positions

Hello lovers,

Various images from the road and some of my non-computer art. I feel it's important to get back to my roots as an artist and illustrator, as I've staring at computer screens a lot for the past six or so years....

Until next posting,

Cv

re: title required. or whatever.

hello lovers,

so, when you arrive at vancouver international airport, you are greeted by these beautiful panels. nice eh!? i don't know who did them, but i will find out!

sitting at the airport during layovers. 

inevitably, when you cross the country, you are going to get

layovers. with air canada, you're in vancouver

with westjet, you're in calgary.

i actually prefer westjet, the crews are nicer

the jets are bigger

and the trip is smoother.

downtown Sault Ste. Marie.

the view from the windsor hotel. 

reggie's place

a great dive kind of pub.

it reminds me a lot of the central pub

in kamloops.

re: real enough.....

the devil comes in many shapes.

hello friends, fans, foe, and lovers,

a friend of mine remarked that reading my blog that it seemed like hard times, but real times, and yes, i would have to agree. but it's not as bad as it seems, even during dry spells such as this, and really, i'm a working class artist, so what do i expect? haha! limo's and caviar? that'd be nice, but it ain't my reality right now! and despite being broke ass right now, i'm actually feeling pretty good. living a healthier lifestyle these days, getting exercise, quit smoking, quit drinking, don't do drugs, so life is fairly clean right now. my only weakness is deep fried peanut butter sandwiches at midnight, but shhh.....(kidding, that'd be a quick route to the grave!!)

anyways, one thing i've been thinking about, is that during these stretches between cheques, is wondering why i've got ideas galore when i'm on the road, i'll do this, and that, and the other thing, but as soon as i get back to kamloops, it's oblivion and all my dreams sort of crumble and fade away. when i'm away, i feel hope, but when i get back home, i'm faced with some reality i can't escape. or a nightmare i can't escape. i'll sort it out though, don't worry lovers.

hell, on days like that, i at least have a wealth of images and footage i've shot while traveling, that get me through these lean times, reminding me it won't last forever.

so, on that note, i'd like to say i'm heading back on the road for a couple weeks down to the Gulf Islands Film and Television School to mentor during the Aboriginal Media Intensive. It's my 3rd year in a row doing this gig, and it's got to be one of my favourites, because Galiano Island is like no other, a real beautiful place, and i get to work with Aboriginal youth from all over BC and this year, i heard from NWT!

there are lot of things going on, i'm actually finally working on a decent album of new roots metal type songs, heavy but with a groove, and there are nice acoustic flourishes, as well as cool beats and ambient noise happening......i was supposed to go Toronto after i was done at the Gulf Islands Film School, but i figured no, it just ain't the time, even though i would have been at the ImagineNative film festival, they're screening my "Jesus Coyote TeeVee," film, which would have been cool to see the crowd's reaction to that fucken film, but i don't have the cash for one, and i'll get there when the time is right. i spent a lot of time in Toronto last year, and don't mind not being there much this year. but next year i'll kick it's ass. you'll see.

in the meantime, check out the vids, and think about something positive to get you through the dark days of fall and winter,


cb
ps: if luongo screws it up again, he should be voted off of the island, and i mean turtle island. last season's stanley cup playoffs was a travesty! goal after goal going in! what the hell?!?!

re: salish sea.......

Salish Sea:

Down here

By the sea

Waiting for the sun

Slice across the horizon

Which is dull grey

Dark grey

And the cold bites

Into my hands

Into my mouth

Into my heart

As the waves lap

Along the shore

Thinking about last night

Another pub

In another town

Aimless faces

People with stories

People without stories

People just living

Paycheque to paycheque

Coasting along the current of life

Winding down their time

In a resort town by

The Salish Sea

And I can’t understand

Being that lost

Having no drive

No burning desire

To escape

To burn down

That hometown

And those people

And leave it all behind

Smoldering ruins

Running through the forest

At night

Beneath the stars

Driving down a highway

Looking up at the moon

Stereo blasting away

The cold wind on your face

The city behind in the

Rear view mirror

Getting smaller and smaller

Moving through the night

Towards the darkness

One more time

That’s the world for me

And I will do anything

I can

To continue moving

Towards the sun.

and on an unrelated note, this photo i took on my travels somewhere......

until next time kids,

cb