The new MEC spring/summer catalogue is out. I was flipping through, looking at pictures, and thinking that it looked like they might have started using models and professional photographers to make their products look enticing, a la REI. I couldn’t tell for sure. Then I noticed that some of the pictures were taken by Mat Gunn, who I know (he helped drag my broken-bindinged ass down the phelix creek drainage). Then I realized that one of the pictures didn’t look like Theresa, it was was Theresa. I mentioned that to one of my housemates, and they pointed out that the full page picture on the cover was of my other housemate, Leilani, and was shot out behind our house. Ahem. Guess I was wrong about the professional models thing. Although some of the pictures, including the one of Leilani were shot by pro photographers. I’m not clear if they were shot with the intent of getting them into the MEC catalogue or not. I’m a little uneasy about that. MEC’s job is to meet our gear needs, not provoke them. The spectre of REI looms. Luckily, MEC retains a strong democratic culture and structure, and if bothers me I can just damn well do something about it.

Oh yeah, the shot on the current front page of the website is a different one of Lei.