A visit from the mystical Thunderbird?

By Earl Maquinna Sutherland guest blogger, Vancouver, BC

About a week ago, I saw a huge bird flying way high over Vancouver. It was black, but it didn't look like an eagle or heron or any other bird I've ever seen before. It was hard to gauge how big it actually was, but I'd say quite a bit larger than a bald eagle, but smaller than a beaver aircraft. It never once flapped its wings, and I must have observed it for nearly two minutes. There was another witness, a Filipino woman. I pointed it out to her, and she commented it was the biggest eagle she had ever seen. It went into some clouds and we both lost sight of it and I haven't seen it since.

I thought it was spectacular, and am still convinced it wasn't a huge eagle. I would like to believe that I saw the mythical Thunderbird. I've googled unknown birds and the closest thing I came was these sightings of huge unknown birds in the Philippines. And, yes, the other witness was Filipino. Weird! (but true).

Some peeps around the world fear the Thunderbird, but we First Nations revere it. To witness it is supposed to be almost a spiritual experience.

p.s. I have a ghost story too. but later ;)

Blue Man Group Megastar World Tour hits Vancouver

"Scream if you're paying attention."

That message was broadcast in LED lights to the audience at the Blue Man concert last night at UBC's Thunderbird Arena. I took their photo, above, using my iPhone.

The three blue dudes shared the stage with four drummers, three electric guitarists, a keyboarding man singer, a powerful trip-hoppy woman singer, and others. It was as much theatre as it was music - and my 9-year-old son joined in with the rest of the audience who participated on queue. I thought he was going to lose his voice!

The storyline of the show explores what happens when the Blue Man orders a guidebook on how to become rock megastars. As the Blue Man's expressions shifted from confused to curious to nervous to mischievous, the audience was wild with laughter - screaming, stomping, jumping, and practising rock moves together. The guitarists hammed it up in full, rock guitar solo style. It's so amazing to watch how the Blue Man trio creates music - actual melodies - with their big, plastic pipes.

Here's what Blue Man member Wes Day told Canwest writer Graeme McRanor: "The best part of touring the world is getting to see it all and getting to meet amazing people and audiences," he said. "It's incredible to see how different we are, yet how universal our reactions can be to non-verbal humour." (Read full article.)