Permit me to apologize quickly for the scheduling problems that have cropped up in the last few days. While I would dearly like to spend time with all of my friends in Vancouver, limitations of time and communication capability have reduced the scope of what can be achieved. As it stands, I have visited Lonsdale, the UBC campus, downtown, and Commercial Drive on basically every day that I have been in Vancouver – averaging some ten bus journeys a day, criss-crossing the city.
Therefore, if I have been confusing or unavailable, please do not interpret it as any slight against you. This visit has been a marvelous opportunity to connect with family and friends and be reminded of the kind of deep networks that can surround you. While Oxford has much to recommend it, there is nothing to take the place of familial relations and ancient friendships.
PS. Anything that is not actually Vancouver centred is entirely on the back burner at the moment. Things like the final edit of the fish paper will just have to await my return to the city of spires.