Hey all. Today I thought I’d break from the usual hubbub to give a shout out and say good-bye to a friend of mine who’ll be leaving our little corner of the country. He has been here in the Victoria area for as long as I can recall, but alas, duty calls and he’s shipping off to Quebec today with his darling bride to live out the next three years. And so I, and many people besides, say so long, farewell, and hope to see you again soon to Master Seaman Chris Jenkins – member of the Royal Canadian Navy, black belt 2nd degree in Taekwon-Do, fan of sci-fi and zombie flicks, and my friend for the last three years.

After I moved to Victoria, I had to start over in more way than one. But one thing I could always count on was his smiling countenance and friendly behavior whenever it came time for Taekwon-Do class. And last night we got a chance to have a bit of a send off for him and it was quite nice. Some friends from Courtenay, whom we also know through TKD, were able to come out and we enjoyed some steaks, ribs, and other assorted treats at the local Keg steakhouse! A good evening characterized by good friends, good times, fun conversation, but it was also heartfelt because it was our last hullabaloo with the man before he would be leaving.

So in honor of Chris’ departure, which is frankly leaving a big hole in our lives (sorry, no guilt!) I’ve decided to get to back to reviewing some movies because I know he found these useful and told so. It’s one of the nicest things in the world when someone tells you that you’re work actually made an impact, or at least has proven worthwhile to them on more than one occasion. Which reminds me, I also need to get on that Generation Kill review which I promised I’d do some time ago. Good show, especially if you’re a military man (which he is!) I also vow to keep training with the Esquimalt folks and doing my best to provide some small measure of the ample guidance and leadership that you have over the years. I’d say Audrey is planning on picking up most of the slack but I don’t think she’s up to the challenge 😉

And last but not least, I wish him well on the long drive from this end of the country to the other. It’s long, scenic, and very interesting, but I’m sure you don’t need to hear that from me. Oh, and remember what I said about the beer! If there’s one thing I know from years of living next door to Quebec and multiple road trips into La Belle Provence, it’s that the craft brewing is virtually unparalleled! True, its a little different from what we are used to in BC or most other provinces, but it’s definitely worth it.

Mostly, I’d say it takes its cue from the very long and honored tradition of Belgian beer makers, most of it being bottle fermented, stronger, and relying on specialized yeast strains. And of course, they are fond of fruit beers, much like the folks in the Low Countries. I highly recommend anything by Unibroue, makers of fine Belgian-style beers, and Brasserie Du Temps, who also seem to be largely inspired by Belgian brewers. And if that style is not your thing, there’s always McAuslan; man, they make a good pale ale! And of course, you already know about the bagels, smoked meat and poutine, so I shant bother telling you about those. You know what yer doing!

Take care, brotha! And hope to see you again during family visits if you get the chance. Me and just about everyone else, of course. And when you’re three year stint is up, be sure to look us up and know that you’ll be welcome back in a heartbeat in whatever clubs we got going. Won’t be the same without you otherwise 😉