Romancing a Fish

Found this on a blog at U of T, after a recent TED Talk at Hart House. I don't know much about it, but it sounds incredible.

Advent, Day 19: Transition

Tomorrow I'm off home for the holidays, which is very exciting. I've been having a relaxing few days here, but the way things have been going I'd be very bored if I didn't have something else to look forward to! Not to mention I can't wait to see my family and all my friends back home, bake and eat cookies, decorate the Christmas tree and maybe even the house, drink mulled wine with people, see my cats... oh, so many things!

The past few days, as I mentioned, have been slow indeed. Nicely slow, but I've been doing laundry, cleaning, packing... the stuff I'd rather ignore for a bit longer (always). I've neglected the advent calendar a bit, but not entirely, as you can see from the list of activities below.

[This photo is one I took at the Christmas Market last weekend.]


Day 16: With the purchases I made on Day 15, I made mulled wine and enjoyed a whole bottle (it reduces, not to worry... one bottle makes about 2 mugsfull). While drinking mulled wine, I listened to a whole host of Christmas songs, carols and ballads, and wrote about 15 holiday cards. Sadly, my handwriting was terrible... I blame it on the pen.

Day 17: I enjoyed a good swim with a good friend in the early afternoon, after which we visited a Jewish bakery, got yummy sweets and posted my Christmas cards. Taxes here are awful (13%!!) but since I spent more than $5 (about three times that in fact), my purchases were exempt from said tax, which saved me $2. :P Huzza!

Day 18: Yesterday I spent most of the day doing laundry and cleaning. In a fit of restlessness I decided to do some stretching and exercising, and am paying for yesterday's whimsy with a sore back today. Nothing Christmas-y except the fairy lights.

Day 19: My plan is to do nothing more taxing than listening to some Christmas music under my fairy lights and possibly find a holiday movie online.

Advent, Day 15: Unexpected Delights, Christmas and Otherwise

I had a wonderful day today. I traversed what feels like the entire city, getting on two streetcars and at least four subway trains, probably more. I have a new friend who's from Toronto, and she's been showing me all the neatest places to eat, shop, ice skate, and even get my hair cut!

We started out at Williams Sonoma, where I bought mulling spices. Then we went to La Bamboche, which has incredibly delicious desserts and quiche and coffee. We subway-ed down to Queen St, where we checked out my friend's favorite clothing store (with too many lovely clothes!), and walked around in that area, doing some shopping and browsing. We then headed over to Nathan Phillips Square, where we ice skated outdoors, under Christmas lights and hanging stars and a beautiful cityscape. I'll have to wander back one night and take photos, if I have time. On the way to dinner (a great Punjabi restaurant near Chester station) we stopped by the Bay to window-gaze, because they have such intricate dioramas of Christmas scenes with Santa and elves and 19th century characters. Also the poor little elves slaving away and Mrs. Claus serving her hubby, but who's complaining? Some photos of the windows can be seen here. While we ate, it started snowing, and I walked home in the crunchy, squeaky snow. Which oddly feels like walking on sand...

A very long, very pleasant afternoon and evening, all 'round.

Advent, Day 14 and Katharine Hepburn

Well, I don't have much to report, actually. Concerning getting in the holiday spirit, that is. Every night I turn on my Christmas lights, and every day when I go out I've been walking in snow (Toronto appears to be a good place to be if you want to enjoy a white Christmas). Every now and then I listen to a few Christmas carols and songs... Here's a breakdown:

• Day 11: The Christmas Market (so much fun, but not quite like the ones I went to in Italy), including mulled wine, loose-leaf tea, German sausages, a bells performance, Christmas lights and an enormous Christmas tree with ornaments the size of my head, and little wooden stalls full of treats and holiday decorations. 
• Day 12: Christmas lights and Holiday with Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant, which takes place over New Year's Eve (highly recommended). Hepburn is one of my favorite actresses (such style, talent and personality!) - here's an image of her in the black skirt and white shirt she wears so elegantly in the film.  
• Day 13: Christmas songs and lights (and Black Swan, which is incredible and very highly recommended, but not holiday-related.
• Day 14: Christmas songs, and I got a Christmas card! I have also resolved to send Christmas cards again this year. 

Well into my second year of my Paperless Advent Calendar of Events, I find I don't miss the paper at all. And I was never one to get advent calendars with chocolate in them (probably the 'rents thought sugar + kids + holiday = craziness and sugar/excitement highs), so I don't miss that either. Really, it's more fun to go and do Christmas-y things, than it is to fold back a small square of paper to reveal a story/picture/chocolate. 

The schedule for Day 15 includes ice skating and shopping for Christmas cards (not Green, I know, but there's no substitute), gifts and mulling spices + ball. 

Memories of Italy: Bolzano, Winter 2005

All this writing of and going to Christmas markets has brought to mind plenty of memories of Italy. I went to two Christmas markets while there, one at the very beginning of the season with my German friend Franzi, in Bologna, and one in the Trentino region of Italy. I took a train with a small bunch of other foreign students to a city called Bolzano, where the smallish Christmas Market is held in a piazza. It had snowed recently, which made it seem even more seasonal.

Somehow, a fellow student I didn't know very well, and I got behind the others, perhaps because we decided to start with some spiced white wine. She was hungry, so we got pretzels, too. We stood and enjoyed those for awhile, and when we wandered deeper into the piazza, stopped at another stall that sold mulled wine (the usual, red kind), to try that too. Then we got to the food stall, which sold polenta (there was this huge vat of the stuff, the woman standing over it and stirring it looked like a domestic, winter witch) and blue cheese, together - as well as German sausages. Yum. She got a sausage, I got the polenta. They spooned so much of it onto my plate, and it and the cheese was so rich, I couldn't finish it. Later we found the rest of our group, who'd seen everything else, the decorations and toys and incense and whatnot, and had stopped to see the musicians.

We ate (and drank) our way through the market. And it was excellent.

Doing some research for ITER today, I came across maps of Italy's regions, which is what brought this on. Here's Bolzano, and just south is the Veneto, which is where I studied and lived for four months. Bolzano is the one with the balloon, and Verona is almost directly south, in the foothills.

I think we went skiing once at Lago di Garda, but that's a story for another day...

Advent, Day 10

Wow. Ten days already! I just handed in my last assignment today! Woot woot!!

So this afternoon, after a nap, I'm going to brave the snow (yes, again) and cold to take a trip downtown to see the designer Christmas tree exhibit on at the Gardiner Museum. Some neat facts about going to the Gardiner, which I learned yesterday:

• It's open until 9pm on Fridays
• Post-secondary students are FREE on Tuesdays with ID
• 30 years of age and under FREE on Fridays after 4pm with ID (this is why we're going today)
• The museum focuses on ceramics, with Italian Renaissance ceramics (for example) and a research library for ceramic studies
• Chef Jamie Kennedy foodstuffs available at the restaurant, on Fridays from 11am - 9pm.
• There's also an exhibit on The Tsar's Cabinet, which looks intriguing and fascinating. Might try to take a peek at that tonight, too. 

Tomorrow, look for me at the Christmas Market in the Distillery district.

Advent: Day 9

Once again, I missed out on a few days. The first involved a poster presentation of a project with Yahoo Pipes - I think my group did well. Both days were also consumed by a final exam and a reluctant essay.

Last night, to avoid a three-day lapse, I watched Charlie Brown's Christmas. Spent a few years not liking it, but this time I really did - Charlie Brown has a great message about Christmas.




Up Ahead: While living in Italy, I had the opportunity to go to a couple of Christmas markets - one with a German flavor, one more Italian. Toronto's first European Christmas Market is happening now in the Distillery District, and I plan on going this weekend. Maybe more than once. I hope they have mulled wine and silly Christmas-themed trinkets to look at, and maybe buy! Click the links to find out more about what I'll be doing while there.


A video about German Christmas markets from the Toronto Market Website:

Here's another Green one!

Noticed this on the Facebook grapevine: stop wasting food.

These days, my fridge is pretty bare. That's a good thing, because I don't eat much compared to the cavernous interior of my fridge. Toronto composts, which is a really good thing - otherwise, I'd feel guiltier than I do, since I'm one of those who has eyes bigger than her stomach. Or so my dad always used to tell me.

Well, the link has some statistics and some ideas to help if you find yourself wasting food. Enjoy!

A Tale of Two Networking Opportunities

The first networking opportunity: Having volunteered at a CRRS (Center for Reformation and Renaissance Studies) conference on Book History and Print Culture back in October, I received an invitation to a gratitude reception that took place last week. I went alone, expecting to see a few people I knew, but also  knowing I'd have to make an effort to network and meet new people. I was welcomed by the people I knew, and introduced myself to a woman sitting alone on a couch - we chatted. I learned from one of the women I'd worked with at the conference that there is an opportunity coming up for interdisciplinary work with CRRS, with which I hope to get involved.

The second: A couple of months ago, new to Toronto, I came across the alumni club for my old university, and made up my mind to go to their next event, which was held last night. After much internal deliberation (The semester ends on Friday, and of course I have mountains of work) I decided not to back out in cowardly fashion. I expected a similar experience to the one I'd had earlier this week, but nothing could be further from reality. From the moment we walked in, we were welcomed, our names given, received and remembered, and everyone there made an effort to talk to the new people and find out who we were, etc... in short, they are wonderful people. I made two networking connections in addition to the social connections I hope to keep. I sincerely look forward to their next event, a Burns' Night celebration in January.

Advent: Day 5

I spent too much time being sociable this weekend. Went to a reception and a party on Thursday, and last night immensely enjoyed a wine and cheese with alumni from my undergraduate university in Toronto. This means I got much less work done than I planned, and that I've neglected my Advent Calendar.

Let's see. I spent a few minutes looking at my Christmas lights on the 2nd, listened to White Christmas with Bing Crosby on the 3rd, and failed entirely to do anything Christmas-y yesterday, which was taken up with being a grad student.

Here's the White Christmas version with Rosemary Clooney, who's a favorite of mine.

So I guess today I've watched a snippet of the movie White Christmas.

Advent: Day 1

It's that time of year again, already. The first of December and the beginning of the countdown to Christmas! Last year, I was working, so had "plenty of" time to do exciting holiday things, like go see the Botanical Gardens' holiday show with the trains and the elves and the mountains covered in snow and the trees and whatnot (go, if you're in DC. It's incredible!). This year, since I'm a graduate student, I have less time to think about exciting holiday things and events and such.

So I started off in small scale. Tonight I listened to "Riu riu chiu," which is, from what I understand, a Medieval Christmas carol, and is also a Spanish traditional song. I haven't Wikipedia'd or Googled it yet, so obviously I don't know for sure. The Google link is extra, just another source with similar information to what's on the Wikipedia page. In case you're really curious about the origins of the song.

Pie for Breakfast

I've been eating pumpkin pie for breakfast all weekend, and of course loving it, because isn't pie one of the best breakfasts ever? At least, that's how I feel about pie for breakfast. I lie and tell myself that because it has pumpkins, or apples, or peaches in it, it's healthy. This time it's pumpkin, and it's left over from Thanksgiving.


Being in Canada, and not having many American friends (they're probably off to places like Europe, if they study abroad, because who goes to Canada if they can help it, right?) I thought I'd miss out on Thanksgiving, my second favorite holiday. But I got lucky - I happened to run into another American, whose roommate is American, and so she invited me to their mini celebration dinner. 


The highlights: 


1. Nobody'd made cranberry sauce, so we had cranberries with vodka. In juice form. 


2. We had chicken, instead of turkey, because we're still students, no matter that we're graduate students, and turkeys are frozen and HUGE. What student has an oven that big? 


3. I drafted myself to make the pumpkin pie, because I love making and baking pies, and really they're the only kind I like to eat. Homemade pies, that is. I had this recipe that called for anise seeds in the crust to give it an "Italian" flavor, but naturally my small neighborhood grocery store didn't have anise seeds. My crust recipe yields enough for a bottom crust and a top crust, and I got the really large can of pumpkin, so I got two pies for the effort of one! Which is why I can have pie for breakfast this weekend. Turns out my pie was a big hit (it's all about the cream-instead-of-condensed-milk). 


4. I was tired, but not hungover, for my Friday morning class. 

Veronese Playlist

This playlist can, almost without fail, take me back to the good times in Verona in 2005. The most exciting (in every sense of the word) four months of my life.

Verona 2005 Playlist (created 2010)

Yahoo! Pipes!

If you look closely, you might find a new item on my page down at the bottom right, just above my usually-inane Tweets. Check it out!

One of the many things I thought I'd never do but find myself doing in this Masters of Information program, is designing/developing a Yahoo! Pipe. Turns out it's one thing I really enjoy. But I guess that's not surprising, given how much I enjoy other Web 2.0 apps like blogging, Twitter, Facebook, etc. If you're not familiar with the idea, it allows you to connect websites, images, RSS feeds, maps, and much more, in a mash-up format. Mine's a plain old list, right now. I'm still learning the basics, but have definitely enjoyed putting the first one together, which is mainly about fashion, one of my extracurricular interests.

So. Have a look at the Pipe, tell me what you think... especially if you know how to add the results of a Google image search!

Nap Time as Metaphor for Essay Writing

I'm currently working on a hypothetical response to a request for a proposal regarding a hypothetical oil spill off the coast of Newfoundland. My goal is to design and discuss implementation for an information system that facilitates communication and effective goal-achievement in the recovery efforts. It might be the most difficult paper I've written. It involves analyzing a case study; many many summaries; responding to specific requirements; justifying my choice of requirements to address and the order in which I've prioritized them; considering problems and guidelines for implementation of the information system; and drawing a model of the information system. Whew!

So, it's due tomorrow afternoon, and I still have two or four of those subjects to cover, the model to draw and discuss, and the usual editing, revising and proofreading.

This morning I've finally gone over my analysis, which is what the rest of the paper is actually based on. (The solution has to fix the stated problem, right?) So, briefly, I feel more comfortable about being able to answer all the sections appropriately and well.

Which brings me to the metaphor. I recall very well one particular nap time in elementary school, I believe it was first grade. Back then I hated nap time, like most kids (what was I thinking?), and usually spent at least part of it chatting to my next-mat neighbor. One day we had to take a memory test. My name was whispered, so I got up and walked outside to the little table by the door where the teacher told me a story, which I was supposed to repeat back to her. I failed. At the time, I couldn't remember why my teacher got so mad at me. She told me I could try again later, and even though I protested that I could do it then, I got sent back to my mat. The second time, I realized how easy the task actually was. All it required was my attention, and applying myself.

I realize now I've not been paying attention to the story I've been trying to tell, and that paying attention to it is all I really need to do to succeed. I guess I'll find out if this metaphor still holds when I get my assignment back in a few weeks. Here's hoping it does!

CRRS Conference: Rethinking Early Modern Print Culture

Just got home from the second round of a two-day annual conference (the title is in the title of this post, naturally) and of course find a cold apartment and nothing to bake! My strategy of cooking just to warm up my apartment won't work today, I guess.

But to get to the interesting part, I am so fortunate to have had the opportunity to go to this conference, because the department that puts it on is actually the Center for Reformation and Renaissance Studies, and no other conference in years past or future will have as much to do with my degree as this one did. An international conference, I briefly chatted with natives of France and Italy, and the keynote speaker works at Oxford. I went to some fascinating (and not-so-fascinating) panels, nodded off through a few of them, but took good notes in most, and helped arrange, clean up and register attendees. Also, I snagged lots of great scones and cookies. Not to mention I got a free book, with another potential one on the way. Depending on how many other volunteers want it.

Some of the topics included the economics of the European book trade in the early modern period, marginal notes in Renaissance texts, and collated volumes of plays by different authors.

I brought my books with me and did some reading today, which turned out to be a popular conversation-starter. Apparently two or three attendees have read the same texts, and freely gave me their opinions on them.

And now, after a very full Friday and Saturday, I have not gotten much reading done, have tons left to do, and am so knackered all I can think about is sleep.

Another Crazy Weekend and A New Drink Recipe

Last Saturday my cousin got married. The ceremony was lovely, the reception fun... and a good time was had by (well, me, at least).Not many people danced, and after the reception ended, the DJ thanked my sister and me for dancing, since we pretty much held up the dance floor. It must be awful to DJ an event at which nobody dances.

Attending the wedding involved some more crazy travels and much less sleep than I'm used to. I'm definitely ready for a boring weekend where I try to get up early and get my reading done! I flew out on Friday, and got back on Monday just in time to go directly to class, where I had to turn in an assignment. After I ate, and edited another assignment due that evening, I had another class and was feeling pretty ill, thanks to the dry, recycled air on the planes and the changing pressures during flight.

Since my siblings and I were all home at the same time for the wedding, we decided to have an impromptu Thanksgiving dinner, so we all got to eat some amazing food and share some good times with family and friends, even though it wasn't really Thanksgiving (Canadian OR American). I discovered my new favorite cocktail, which is called a Sporran Cooler (see the link for Wikipedia's definition, which matches up with my experience). For your future delectation, I will provide the recipe here:

Sporran Cooler:
2 1 msr Drambuie
1 msr fresh lemon juice
1 (approximate) tsp Grenadine
(Hefty) splash of Bitters
4 msr soda water

Msr = approximately 1 oz
(...) are peculiar to my own style of mixing.
It turns out this really pretty pink/peachy colored drink, fruity and honeyed with a bit of a tart kick.

I may have to stop by the liquor store tonight as well as the grocery store, given my nearly-empty "bar", which at the moment contains a half-bottle of Drambuie.

Well, the reading doesn't get done by osmosis, so I'd better get back to work. If you try the drink recipe, tell me what you think, and if you changed it up at all! I'd be interested to know others' takes on it.

Canadian Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving!

Weird, I know. It's Thanksgiving weekend in Canada, which is throwing off my internal timetable. I mean, I've only been in school for a month, and the weather's still at 70 degrees! (That's Fahrenheit - I think it's 20+ in Celsius, but I'm not sure.) Not to mention I've not seen a football game yet, there's no Macy's Parade, no Christmas sales starting on Tuesday (Christmas is still two and a half months away!)... It's not even almost the weekend - the weekend's almost over!

I just can't wrap my American head 'round it.

An American in Canada

Last week, sitting in my tutorial and listening to a presentation on an article about the Internet in Trinidad, I came to a sudden realization: I have never been as foreign as I am right now in my department.

The epiphany occurred as I puzzled out comments by two of the presenters. The Internet, to them, has an identity. Not just any identity, but an American one. "What?", I thought.

As soon as the presentation ended, I raised my hand to address one of the discussion questions, which regarded the identity of the Internet, and individuals' identification while using the internet. As I asked the question, "I don't know if I'm the only American here..." I scanned the room of twenty or so people, and got nothing. Nobody moved, nodded, shook their heads... only my professor chuckled.

Shocking. Even in Scotland, I couldn't attend any of my classes without at least being in the company of one other American. Here, the classes are completely dominated by Canadians (although I don't think I was the only foreigner in class that day).

I've never felt so foreign in my life, except perhaps when I was the only American in Italy on a European exchange program.

Trash in Toronto

I can't access the university website, so naturally, I'm not doing my homework.

After a long hiatus (how do you spell that?) from writing about what my blog is actually supposed to be about, I have another Greener Life post.

At home in the States, I thought my town was pretty avant garde for all the things they picked up in recycling bins. Books? Yep. Milk cartons? Totally. Newspapers, cardboard, tin cans? Of course!

Reality check. Toronto picks up your regular curbside trash, your regular curbside recycling... AND they pick up composting! It's taking me awhile to get used to putting my food scraps in a separate bag. Finally yesterday I got the little bin everybody uses. I feel so much... Greener ... than before.

So the deal is, they pick up trash and recycling on a bi-weekly (by that I mean once every other week) alternating basis. Compost, cleverly, they pick up every week.

They even have a "waste wizard" online to help out with the "what goes where" question.

I almost forgot: On the street, they even have separated bins for trash, different kinds of recycling, and often, special compartments for coffee cups! I challenge you to find another city that recycles coffee cups on the street. (Really, please share. Is it Canadian? Is it a west-coast mindset? A big city thing? I'm curious).

Whirlwind Weekend

Not literally. But figuratively.

I'm sitting on the train, window seat with enough foot room for a baby dinosaur, empty seat next to me and practically empty car. I've just plugged in to my headphones and iPod, and am listening to the great (I say great because I made it, of course) Official Toronto-Washington, DC playlist. I smile to myself and think, damn, it's good to be travelling...

Fast forward roughly 9 hours and I'm starting to feel the strain. Customs was a breeze (did you know they don't really care about food items? At least, tomatoes and almonds barely need mentioning), and now we're somewhere near New York and I'm either mentally reviewing the switch at Penn Station, or we've just passed it and I'm missing the empty seat next to me, my legs are restless and sore, and I can't sleep anymore.

And it just goes downhill from there. Fun, but a 17-hour train trip is, as you might expect, exhausting. Gives a person lots of time to study, and sleep, and eat candy. Way too much candy.

So we pull in to Union Station in DC at 2:30am, I practically leap off the train and hop in the car. Twenty minutes later, we're at an all-night McDonald's drive-thru (never as good as it seems) and then home, for four hours of sleep before I get up around 8.

We pick up the U-Haul, drive it home, pack it up, and three hours and change later are pulling out at noon-thirty. For the 12-hour ride back up north to Toronto. Got some more studying done, changed the radio a lot (who knew you had to bring your own CD player for a U-Haul truck? I didn't).

About midnight, we pull into the alley behind my new home. I'm persuasive enough that we unpack that night, then drop the truck off for the night at a nearby parking lot, and walk back to re-construct the bed. By about 4:30am (again) we finally get to sleep.

I wake up with a start and check my clock. It's NOON. I have class at 2. I freak out. Spend the rest of the afternoon and evening in classes, and then. Finally. It's over.

And I have a whole week to wait for the next weekend.

TIFF: Toronto International Film Festival. First Impressions

Well, if I was hoping to provide updates on events and happenings in Toronto, now that I'm here and not in Washington, D.C., I guess I haven't started out very well. It's a good idea, though - from a newcomer's point of view: Toronto.

To start, I arrived in Toronto for the third and last time (still without a semi-permanent residence or mailing address) just days before TIFF began. Lots of hype and celebrities and celebrity-watching... fortunately or unfortunately, I missed the crowds, the red carpet and the celebrities. I guess settling into school and a new city kept me busy enough. Not to mention the spiders.

To get back to the point, I did actually participate in TIFF, though not as fully as I might have hoped (I haven't decided yet, but I think next year if I can I'll be more involved). I went to see one of the shows. Meek's Cutoff was the movie I saw, by director Kelly Reichardt. It was the first I'd ever seen of her work, which is, according to a review I read, very emotionally involved.

Indeed, the plot focused mainly on the characters and the character interactions. Not a critical moviegoer (I like the ones with cars that blow up or have hoop skirts and cravats), I found the pace a little slow to be comfortable. It fit, it was good, but I definitely noticed the time passing.

The ending, well, I liked it. I thought it was fitting. And probably my favorite out of all the alternative endings I've imagined since the end of the film.

The audience was curiously involved - perhaps that's a festival thing? There was a live introduction by a TIFF employee/volunteer, who announced that sadly Kelly was unavailable - she'd had enough of the whirlwind tour of Venice and then Toronto. So no Q&A at the end of the film.

I didn't see a gala or premier event, and I didn't get to participate in a Q&A with the director, so I'm left with the feeling that instead of dipping my toes in the festival experience for an acceptable $20 purchase, I'd merely been to see an outrageously expensive, good film.

There's always next year.

Meeting My Advisor for the First Time

Toronto's advising program is great. They put every master's student (junior scholar) with an advisor whose interests match said student's interests.

My advisor is working, researching and teaching in my collaborative program subject area.

I sit down and we start chatting, and he keeps throwing out things about me that sound like they're from my application. So I notice he's done his homework (which is great, because I didn't), making it easier to converse and of course, draw me out on one of my favorite topics: me.

To wrap things up, I just want reiterate how much I really, really want to be studying this subject, so I suggest that he may remember in my application that I said this is one of the main reasons I decided to study at U of T. Without missing a single beat, he nods and says, "It was your first sentence."

I wanted to laugh. My first sentence? Seriously? Oh right, that's how desperate eager I was to get in. Sometimes I should give myself just a little more credit for, er, motivation.

Needless to say, I'm really looking forward to the program.

The Spider Dance

Before I get to the Spider Dance, to assist my brain in remembering what I did today, I'm going to spend some time re-capping. Briefly.

I had a very busy day. I got coffee; met my advisor (outlook great, says my Magic 8 Ball), told life story; went swimming at Hart House, which has a small pool in a room with an arched ceiling (managed four back-and-forth laps of the pool); ran late to the Inforum tour, the faculty space where I'll be spending most of my time; hung out with some new friends; went to dinner with same friends; ate chocolate cake; killed two spiders.

So, the Spider Dance. Involves pacing the floor, while glancing around the room in search of useful, long weapon. Preferably long-handled broom. Muttering, swearing, whimpering. There's that noise, the one that sounds like the teakettle when the water's hot. Next, move a chair to a spot below but not directly underneath Spider. Pace back and forth with weapon (plastic clothes hanger). Pose on chair with arm outstretched, holding weapon as close to spider as possible. Mime killing action. Here, some more moaning, then step down from the chair. Pace. Step up. Stretch arm toward spider. Shudder. Step down. Repeat. Find towel to go over end of hanger and prevent Spider from dropping and disappearing. Finally, whining, half-closed eyes in "flinching" face, stab upwards at Spider with weapon. Repeat. Repeat. Step down, get rid of Spider carcass. Shiver, pace.

Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwww.

P.S. The Spider Dance is usually performed in solitude (i.e. when there are no fearless non-Spider-hating killers or saviors to take care of it instead).

Day-to-Day Update: I've Landed in Toronto!

Contrary to what the title suggests, I drove to Toronto. Road trip! Love them. It took all day, and we stopped in Niagara Falls, Canada, before we found our bed and breakfast in downtown Toronto.

The past few days I've been apartment-hunting, walking, drinking coffee, taking the subway, meeting people, and going to orientations. I've also been doing all the important "administrative" things that are necessary for living in another country. And re-discovering the complications of being a foreign resident. Sigh.

I'm a little terrified of grad school. (Can one be a little terrified? Or, if terrified, is that only an extreme?) It all looks very exciting, but the responsibilities of being a "junior colleague" to my professors and advisors is intimidating.

This morning, I registered with my faculty, and while on the steps to the front door (which usually requires a university ID to enter), discovered I'd lost mine. Student ID, that is. After some desperate thinking, I figured I'd left it at the library yesterday afternoon. No coffee unless in spill-proof containers in the library, so I had to take one last gulp and pour the rest out before entering. Double sigh.

I believe I need a refill now, before I meet my advisor.

"I'm pretty good at drinking beer"

I like staying busy. I do. Most days.

This summer has been challenging, because although I've been tending bar regularly, which I love, I haven't always had a day job. In fact, weeks have gone by between assignments. So nothing much has happened yet, aside from two failed apartment-hunting missions in Toronto.

Except I've realized how much I adore sleeping in, hanging out, and not having responsibilities during the day. It's awkward, this two weeks working and four weeks not, because not enough "in-between jobs" time goes by for me to get seriously restless. Which would create a bonafide desire to go back to work. No, I generally have just enough time to start loving not having a day job, and then I get a call. "Would you like to work today/tomorrow/later this week?".

"Would you like to work today" is unbelievably difficult. First such call received this morning, much much too early. Then it's a wake up quickly, get directions and information, hop in the shower, grab some coffee and out the door without breakfast kind of morning. Followed by forgetting the directions, mentally plotting the map and hoping I got all the cardinal directions right.

The next time I have a day free, which will hopefully be Monday, I'm not going to waste it. No, I'm going to find something exciting to do. Something new. And outdoors. No more taking free time for granted. The Universe knows I'll have little enough of it once I start graduate school.

Wait, wait! Where are the Tokens?

We're on our way home last night after seeing a great (read: funny) stand-up comedy show. In the subway station, we get in line to ride the streetcar to our hostel.

Four minutes to go.

I discover I'm not holding a token in my hand, and can't recall putting it in my pockets. I start digging around in them, just in case. I look over, horrified. I lost my token! How am I going to get on the streetcar without payment?

He starts looking too, but can't find his either.

After several long seconds of searching,

"Oh yeah! We used them to get into the Metro station!"

Pause.

Then, "I wish we were drunk, and not sober. Then we'd have an excuse."

How To: Buy Flip Flops in Chinatown

Walking home through Chinatown, Toronto.

We're discussing the differences between Chinatown in Toronto and Chinatown in L.A. The main one being, the latter is no place to be at night. Whereas in the former, you can still buy flip flops after the sun goes down in the summer. On the sidewalk. For $4 Canadian.

Yes, we stopped by an array of flip flip flops, all plastic, in blues, browns and black. Tried many pairs on, for several minutes, in the middle of the sidewalk, by putting the foot down on the shoe, socks included.

Classy.

Toronto, Take 2: Finding a Place to Stay

So I'm back in Toronto - this time to work seriously and diligently on finding a place to live while I study here (note: so far, some very good-looking opportunities!)

No mishaps or adventures getting to the hostel, but once we got there... well, it was friendly, like Fodor's says, but Fodor's fails to mention the crookedness of all the walls and doors and moldings in the building - crookednesses that don't even have matching angles! Supposedly there are free pancake breakfasts, which is something to look forward to. Sleeping well will be a different matter unless the temperature falls sometime in the evening, as the room is stuffy, and the window very small.

Oh, hostels...

Before Summer Passes into Fall: Scrumptious Quinoa Salad Recipe

Quinoa Salad

Ingredients:
Quinoa
Lemon juice
Olive oil
Cucumber
Cherry (or other) tomatoes
Kalamata olives
Coriander (Cilantro)
Feta cheese

- Start with the above and add any others you like. For instance, I added red bell pepper this last time around.

1. Cook quinoa according to package directions (it's like couscous, only it takes a little longer)

Meanwhile:

2. Cut up cucumbers (I cut them into half moons; you can peel it if you like)
3. Cut cherry tomatoes in half (or larger tomatoes into roughly the same size as your cucumber moons)
4. Cut up any other veggies you're adding to the recipe.
5. Chop very roughly your coriander/cilantro. I usually try to cut the leaves in half and to leave off stems, because the stems are not fun to chew.
6. Pit and cut the olives (same size as your veggies). Do you know the trick of pushing down on the olive with your thumb till it splits? If not, try it. It's fun and easy.


Chill veggies, coriander and quinoa. You don't have to chill the veggies if you cut them when the quinoa is cold so you can just add them right away. Also, the salad might taste good hot, too, if you're impatient or hungry or short on time.

7. Sprinkle lemon juice and olive oil over the quinoa, and stir until you think it's mixed through.
8. Mix in the veggies and coriander.
9 Crumble the feta and mix that in, too.

To Remember: Autumn Visits Summer, June 2010

Yesterday was the first really hot day in the past week. Now the entire east coast is engaged in battle with a nearly record-breaking heat wave.

But four days ago (all timeframes and dates approximate), the mid-Atlantic region felt like Autumn had arrived early. Meaning I got even more restless, bored, irritable, and itchy to be outside. (Note: the downside to not having a day job is not necessarily having anything to do during the day. That, or I'm more lazy than adventurous.) Eventually, a few days later, I believe Thursday, I managed to get up early enough to drive to Great Falls Park and view the amazing falls from the three observation decks, and hike the River Trail. This trail is rocky, slightly hilly, and in places comes perilously close to the cliff edge. I witnessed a kayak practice, where kayakers crossed the river in the up- and downstream directions, caught a glimpse of climbers ascending the cliffside (shudder) and passed several groups of hikers, like me.

Great Falls passes ($5 for one private vehicle) last three days. Counting the day you pay for the pass, the first Park Ranger was careful to tell me. So two days later I went back, this time with the madre, and to hike a section of the Swamp Trail, which is more interesting, nature-wise, and quieter, people-wise, than the River Trail. Though more poorly marked. That day marked the return of summer heat and humidity.

This whole cool week, the breeze blew, mornings were chilly, the days full of sunshine, and nights downright cold. We left the windows open and my winter down comforter became a necessary comfort. The air even smelled like fall. I miss it already. I long for the apple cider, apple pie and pumpkins, the bright and deep color of the leaves, the scent of autumn, the crisp mornings and cool evenings, the light layers that make being outside comfortable. All the best holidays are in the fall, too. Halloween, Thanksgiving, and just into winter, Christmas. Hot chocolate, hot soups, baked squash and potatoes. Warm boots, that puff of cloud on the breath.

Fall has always meant new beginnings to me. I loved shopping for the First Day of School Outfit. The plastic smell of new school supplies. The excitement, that first day, of learning new things and getting back into the habit of organizing notes and binders and figuring out classes.

I don't want to miss what summer has to offer, but I can't help looking forward to September.

Blah, blah, I'm stressed, blah, blah blah.

Looks like I fell off the back of the wagon again. Or whatever the appropriate cliche is for forgetting to write (or just stopping, without the excuse of forgetting).

I've been collecting, printing, and filling out all sorts of paperwork to register for a Master's of Information Science. There have been deep ruts, large obstacles and plenty of hopeful rebounds. I don't want to delve into the details, but right now I'm feeling cautiously hopeful (again) that things will work out.

In one day and a few hours, I'll be on my way back to Toronto, this time with my brother, to visit, tour, remove some obstacles and fill in some ruts (or at least learn how), and search for a dwelling. I'm not sure which is more worrisome, as both of the last two activities are equally important to my future in that Canadian city. Meeting my brother on the plane will be fun. It's been seven years since I've traveled with anyone.

Today I learned that being anxious or feeling stressed about something decreases one's ability to concentrate - on anything but the cause of the anxiety and stress. Not that I needed to be told that. It's pretty self-evident about 9 months out of the year. But now I know there's research behind it that says that everybody else does it, too. Anyways, I'm trying to ACT, instead of THINK, about the stressers (stressors?) - Causes of stress - in my current situation. Hence the avoidance of details. I also read recently, and this has stuck with me so far, about the motto: "fix it." I.e. Just do it. (Side note: All of the above wisdom comes from Real Simple magazine, aside from the last sentence, which is quite obviously Nike's.)

I realize this is pretty much meaningless blather, but writing is cathartic, and I happened to have my computer on my lap instead of my journal, which I temporarily have no intention of locating.

Childhood Snapshot: Road Trip to Washington State

While I was in Toronto, I met a Canadian who wants to travel the States. He started asking me about all the places I'd been in the states, and a road trip my family took when I was a child came up. My dad loved road trips, and on summer vacations (he worked for the school) he would pack us all into the car to travel a route of his choosing. Usually we spent two weeks at it.

We drove to Nova Scotia; Jekyll Island, Georgia; Orlando, Florida (yes, and Disney World); and Washington State, where my dad's brother lives.

I remember being disappointed we weren't going to pass by the Grand Canyon and the point where four states meet. Instead, we took the northern route. In my conversation with the Canadian, I mentioned the national parks we went to. Only, I couldn't remember where they were, other than a vague, "Montana?"

Thinking about that today, I googled a map of the national parks to find out. Curiosity, and all that. What's fascinating is that on a map of the U.S. I can trace our general route by the national parks we visited. From Washington, D.C. through cow-and-corn country, via the Badlands in South Dakota with a stop at Mount Rushmore in the Black Hills, past the Little Bighorn Battlefield and Crazy Horse National Monument in eastern Montana, through Yellowstone in Wyoming on the border with Montana and Idaho, and to northern Montana and Glacier National Park.

I think it's possible we hit just about every national park in that part of the U.S. And after all that research and remembering, I want to go on a road trip again.

The Hunt for Djarum Specials, 6 June, 2010, Toronto

Mission: Buy two packs of Djarum Specials for U.S. residents.

Morning:
I walk past a Lotto Canada (Ontario?) Store, pause, turn back, look in, and because it reminds me of Italy's tabaccherie, I decide to make my first attempt. I go in.

I ask the little Asian lady behind the counter in the shoebox-sized store, Do you have cigarettes? (I have no idea where to buy cigarettes in Canada - they're not on display in drugstores. Hell, I don't even pay attention to where to buy them in the States!)

She says, yes. I ask, Cloves?

Again, the answer is yes.

Do you have Djyaroooom Specials?

She pulls out the Black, then one pack of Specials. I ask for one more, and she tells me she's only got the one; do I want one of the Blacks? I reply that they're for someone else, so I'd better just take the one.

She rings it up. I'm standing there with a $5 bill, ready to pay up. The till stops at $11.00. ELEVEN DOLLARS??

Good grief! I say. She chuckles, and asks if I want the receipt. I take it, and she jokes, show it to him. Meaning my friend back home.

So now I have one, but need two. One down, one to go, as they say.

Later that day...
I walk into another convenience store, this one larger.

Do you carry cigarettes? I ask again.

Yes.

Do you carry... Jiaarooom Specials?

He doesn't understand, so I try again. And then a third time. Finally, I say, Here: and pull out the pack I've already purchased.

He squints at it, and grumpily tells me no. I thank him and move on, thinking about airports and duty-free shops...

After Dinner, which I unwisely decided to make blueberry pancakes, I change course on a whim and walk up Yonge St, which is full of adult stores, run-down-looking restaurants and tacky souvenier stores, to see what I can find.

Lo and Behold! A couple blocks north, across the street, is a shop with a red lighted sign that reads, "TABAC". Thinking tabaccheria, again, I cross over to investigate.

There are big advertisements for cigars, so I ask just to be sure (yep, you guessed it!): Do you have cigarettes, too?

The very nice-looking man laughs and says, yes, that is why we're called a tabacco store... (well, sure, but whatever)

I explain about the prominently displayed cigar signs. He laughs again.

Do you have cloves? Is my next question.

We have Djaruhm Black and Djaruhm Special.

Oh, perfect! I say. One of the specials, please.

As he's getting it, I explain that this is going to make Johnny Appleseed* very happy, because apparently you can't get them in the States anymore.

He agrees and says you won't be able to get them in Canada for much longer - it's only a matter of time.

Oh? Why's that?

Legislation passed recently that prohibits all flavored tobacco products.

Light dawning, I ask, Because it makes them too appealing?

Because it makes them too appealing, he repeats.

I make a sympathetic face, until I realize Oh, wait! I don't smoke, so it doesn't bother me.

I can tell, I say, I'm going to be hunting more of these up every time I go home.

He chuckles, and says, well here's your first successful purchase.

I turn to leave.

And that, I realized as I walked away, was the first time I'd ever purchased cigarettes.



* Names have been altered to protect privacy.

My Favorite Tourist Activities

1. Eat local food (good local restaurants if not unique fare)

2. Drink local coffee

3. Read books/ buy books

4. Walk around (everywhere)

5. Visit historical places and buildings (Castles? Are there any castles?)

6. Museums

7. Outdoor activities (canoe, bike, hike, etc... but not rock climbing, no thanks!)

8. Relax

9. Watch people, look at how they dress

10. Drink local alcoholic beverages

Comments on Toronto, June 5

1. One of the first things to do today is get some fruit or fruit juice. Keep wasting my free breakfast on three carbs and a coffee (four free items included in room rates).

2. Today I think I'll move slowly.

3. I should stay out of the sun - I've been getting sunburned. Is that a good enough excuse to see a movie? (I tried the Hockey Hall of Fame but it's not $10, it's FIFTEEN!!)

4. I love raspberries, maybe more than any other fruit. But ask me again in peach season.

5. St. Lawrence Market is fun, and pretty cheap for two meals on vacation. (That's cheese, smoked lake trout, bread and raspberries. Yummmm)

6. I couldn't help myself - I bought two books.

7. I love Prince of Persia. I might buy it.

8. Today was nice, relaxing. I wanted to stay out of the sun and didn't want to pay for the Hockey Hall of Fame (see above) so I read, had coffee, and watched Prince of Persia instead. In the afternoon. By myself, again.

9. I'm tired of the touristy thing, and the walking thing, and am looking forward to being home, making money and planning my future.

10. Did I mention I love Prince of Persia?

Thoughts from Toronto

3 June 2010:

I love being in Toronto, vacationing by myself. Sure, it gets lonely sometimes, especially at dinner and in the evenings, when I (usually) have nothing to do. But I can visit the sites and places I want to, I can nap after lunch if I'm so inclined, and I can eat whatever for meals, including cheese with bread and apples at the hostel, or a slice of pizza by a fountain.

Vacation is always nice, because there are no immediate responsibilities. Except for catching the plane home, which I have struggled with before. It's not all idyllic for me this time, because I'm going to go home without a place to live in August, and I have other worries, but I have at least accomplished some things, and I know I like the city!! That's something.

I enjoy watching movies by myself, but it's even better to have someone to make faces and roll eyes at, and snort/giggle/gasp with.

Today I walked around the Annex, my preferred neighborhood for living, and a bit of Little Italy (which needs more exploring, I don't think I got to the heart of it) before my poor feet gave out. Then I came home, lunched, and napped. Ahh... Now I'm at the theater (my journal has that spelled - automatically - as theatre), waiting for Robin Hood to begin. With one other lady, also (so far) by herself.

I've just gotten back from the washroom and am now -- OH LOOK! It's starting!!

"Coming attractions are next. There is still time to visit the concession stand for refreshments." i.e. Spend your money here! Quick!!

That movie is So. Good.

Toronto List #2

1. Souvenir: Fake straw fedora, $10. Was I supposed to haggle.... ??

2. Longest Conversation: Stopped by two very chatty Save the Children employees in Kensington Market. Will never stop to listen to them again.

3. Love: The streetcars. So easy and so much fun to ride!

4. Hate: The rain. Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. Very glad I have my raincoat and sneakers.

5. Coffee Shop: The Green Grind, in Little Italy. Sustainable brews. Stopped in for a $2 double Americano, sat in a chair I want, was given part of the NYT by a fellow customer, and whiled away half an hour with the paper.

6. Worst Hot Chocolate: Coffee Zone, an emergency evening purchase that I regret.

7. Neatest Address: 859 1/2 Bathurst St.

8. Overheard on the Subway: "Toronto has two seasons: Winter, and Construction."

9. Latest and Greatest Book (and great for traveling and rainy evenings): Dracula, by Bram Stoker. No, it is NOT your typical stuffy classic. Instead, it's very well-written, very VERY suspenseful - and by that I mean, the author gives the reader tidbits of information that come into play later on, weaving the plot together... Did I mention it's creepy? It even gave me a bad dream. Delicious. And Riveting, in a page-turning way.

10. House-Hunting Status: Drawing a blank. I've decided this will be a vacation, as opposed to strictly house-hunting, which is pretty difficult when listings for August and September aren't up yet.

First Impressions of Toronto

A somewhat-chronological List:

1. Walking upwards of five hours cannot be called a "cure" for restlessness, as it comes with its own sensations of discomfort. Yet: I am not restless anymore, in fact I'm quite tired. Yesterday's resolution: Today I will take public transportation EVERYWHERE. I can't wait to try the streetcars!

2. I have not improved my eatery-locating skills in strange cities. Help! If you know any good cheap places to eat in Toronto, please comment.

3. Starbucks coffee should taste more like Second Cup Coffee. I have yet to try coffee and donuts at Tim Horton's. But I have plans to.

4. I like the Subway because it's easy to ride (buy a token, take it anywhere), it's roomy, and (so far) not crowded.

5. I don't like the Subway because it still costs $3 to go one stop, which would be heaven on poor abused feet, if I didn't feel the price was ridiculous.

6. I appear to be far enough south that summers are still uncomfortably warm hot.

7. Bloor St, although the site of many designer boutiques, juxtaposes those sleek trendy storefronts with ugly construction equipment.

8. The neighborhood I'm staying in is only slightly seedy.

9. People do speak a bit funny here, but it's not glaringly obvious.

10. Finally, the university campus is beautiful and I'm quite looking forward to studying here. Although I can't imagine I'll be so hard-up for a snack that I'd ever eat out of one of those hot dog stands that sit on St. George's waiting for starving studying students to get desperate.

11. I forgot to mention: I have a superb sense of direction when it comes to walking around cities. I successfully navigated shortcuts twice yesterday, and today located the correct cardinal direction to walk in when I couldn't immediately find the street I needed.

One for the Annals

Take note, Tacitus.

I woke up this morning thinking it was just another day. Hah.

I think I've mentioned before I'm a temporary employee at the moment. Currently working on a part-time assignment (and loving the hours!) at a condominium. Answering phones, emails, giving out parking passes, and the like. Not the most intellectually or mentally stimulating job ever. In fact, I'd place it near the top of the list of Un-Fun Jobs. However, it means a paycheck every week.

I'm filling in for the manager, who's on leave. With a small staff of two, this leaves me in charge, and the building engineer. Fine. He's helpful, and so far I haven't made many mistakes.

Add a long-standing argument between the absent manager and the present engineer, and I end up in the middle. Hello, awkward and uncomfortable! Good seeing you.

Throw into the mix a righteous headache, and you've got all the ingredients for a Bad Day.

So I called the temp company (my real, direct employer) to get some advice, sorted the problem, and marched off to the nearest 7-11 to buy some Excedrin. Where someone lets me in front of him in line, and the cashier mentions that I don't look good. As I take my money and turn to leave, he tells me he hopes I feel better.

How's that for an invitation to go home? Only, I have to stay an extra hour and a half this afternoon. I'd grimace, but that would hurt my head.

Staying on the Happy Side

I'm concentrating on Positive Thinking today. So I'm not going to mention the very Rude, indignant man who called this morning to ask about Flooring. Nor am I going to mention the virtual Peering-Over-My-Shoulder my supervisor is doing. I'm certainly not going to mention the Unpleasant Surprise I had this morning, or the fact that I've Lost my Sunglasses, apparently Permanently.

No, instead of discussing Unfortunate Happenings, I'm going to concentrate on the Happy Side of Life. Such as, working where I do now, in downtown Ballston, I have the opportunity to eat at the little Italian Food Cart Pupatella, which makes Excellent Neapolitan Pizza (the Best) and includes Eye Candy. Yumm. I ate the Whole pie, and don't feel overstuffed.

While Inspecting the Building, I got Coffee and watched about 15 minutes of the Caps' Practice. This, too, is a Pleasant Result of working where I do.

Lastly, I met the cutest little Pug today, name of Yoda. About the only Nice Customer today.

Mess and Biscuits

Yesterday, for some unexpected and inexplicable reason, I started to crave biscuits while watching Big Fish (honestly, biscuits don't play even a bit part in the movie). Having made them before, I figured, piece of cake. Only something went wrong. After sliding them in the oven on my admittedly dodgy baking tray, which only as two raised edges, I sat down with a glass of wine and pressed play on the movie, which I planned to watch for the ten minutes of baking time. Before half that time passed, I heard crackling and buzzing coming from the oven. The butter (all that yummy melty butter) was dripping off the edge to the bottom of the oven! The gas oven, I might add, with the fire at the bottom? Familiar? So I slid my other baking tray underneath it, which stopped the fizzing, but not the smoking. Oh, that smoke and heat. I spent the next hour off and on, fanning my smoke detector with a messenger bag, oven mitt (not the best tool) and kitchen towel. Opened my windows, turned on the fans, and still sniffed a bit of smoke this morning. To top it all off, I ended up with too-crispy biscuits.

Surprise!

I suppose I should have been worrying about not having a job after today, for an unspecified (yet likely short) amount of time. In reality, I got a call this afternoon, and already there's a position available. No! I mean, Yay!

Right. Instead of wondering about when I'd earn my next paycheck, I was planning my two free workdays. Fate moves in mysterious ways. I'm sure if I'd been worrying, nothing would have become available. Since I'd put together a mental list of everything I wanted to get done tomorrow and Friday, I get an opportunity.

I might complain, but I'm not one to close the door on opportunity (does anyone remember the Mr. Opportunity commercials for Toyota? "And I'm knocking!").

Does this qualify for an example of irony? If it's when the exact opposite of what you're expecting to happen, happens, I would say yes.

So I'm off to work again bright and early tomorrow. Sigh.

Speaking of...

Speaking of ... Driving, I'll be glad to give it up. Someone once made fun of me by guessing that I drive like a li'l ole granny, given I don't own a car and (used to) walk and Metro most places. Not so. Not so, at all. Tell you a secret: sometimes I'm a bit careless. I won't go into details, but that's one reason I'll be happy to be a pedestrian again.

Speaking of ... Work (to which I drive every day), tomorrow is my last day! To cover living expenses, etc., I signed on with a temp agency when I quit my job (I know, the economy, yada yada). My first placement, which has lasted the past six weeks, is about to end. I should be sad, or at least ... not looking forward to it, right? Because I'll stop getting those handy paychecks. But, between you and me, I can't help but be pleased. I mean, this means my mornings are mine again! That, in my opinion, is reason enough.

Speaking of ... Lack of Income, it's official (as soon as I pay my deposit): I'm on my way to the University of Toronto! Perhaps I'll keep record here of the process of making my way North. I'll try, at any rate.

Changes

I used to Metro to work. I even liked it, some days. Maybe even half the time. And I walked halfway. I enjoyed that walk, in every season but winter.

These days, things have changed. The only walk I have is the walk from my car to the building, and I don't use public transportation at all. I do get a pass onto the HOV lanes, because I drive a clean-fueled Civic Hybrid, but I hardly feel that's a really "green" activity, given I'm not actually carpooling.

The not-green advantages to driving to work:
I've learned how to parallel park, and pretty well, too. Something that needs to be self-taught around here, frustratingly - I know I for one didn't get tested on that before getting my license. The downside to this advantage? Nobody else knows how to, either. Advantage number two: the commute is much shorter, cut about in half. Thirdly, my route takes me down the GW Parkway, which is leafy and comes with a view of the river.

I soothe my conscience by remembering that I do drive a Hybrid, and that I won't be making this drive for much longer.

The Wearing of the Green

Better late than never, right?

Out to find a celebratory drink with a friend this past Wednesday after receiving the best.news.EVER, I encountered seas of green-clad people, lines at pubs and bars, and some already drunk individuals (pretty confident this was no later than 8:30pm). It occurred to me at this point to remember not only was it Wednesday ("hump day" in some vocabularies), it was also MARCH SEVENTEENTH. Duh.

Happy Belated St. Patrick's Day!

At another point during the evening I started to wonder how St. Patrick's Day, or rather St. Patrick's day in the United States, came to be what it is: "Saint Patrick's Day is one of the leading days for consumption of alcohol in the United States, and is typically one of the busiest days of the year for bars and restaurants (source)." Because to my knowledge the way we (I use the term loosely) celebrate the holiday is far removed from the observances that take place in its originating nation. We Americans like to wear green, and consume massive amounts of alcohol.

In light of this question, I have finally remembered to look it up. I was curious, but since I have the internet, unlike Hermione I did not go to the library.

Anyways. Here's the link to my first source.

The green wearing part is pretty easy to figure out. It started with "the wearing of the green", or wearing a shamrock pinned to one's clothing. This term might have caused confusion, leading to the wearing of the color green as opposed to the wearing of a green shamrock. These days, green in America, if it doesn't necessarily mean Ireland, has no trouble being associated with it. Not to mention, if you read the article, it was even worn by Irish soldiers in rebellion.

The drinking, I discovered, is a bit harder to pin down.

Interestingly, it appears that for some time in Ireland, the kinds of observances we have here and now were expressly forbidden: "O'Mara later introduced the law that required that pubs and bars be closed on 17 March after drinking got out of hand (see above link for source)". The necessity for this law suggests that drinking heavily in Ireland was also customary on St. Patrick's Day. This contrasts with its origins as a religious feast day and holy day. A few years back, National Geographic interviewed a U.S. resident, born to Irish parents in England, illustrating the differences between Irish and American customs.

So, the answer to the question, when did Americans start to celebrate St. Patrick's Day by getting pissed (trashed, wasted, three sheets to the wind.... pick your slang) is very difficult to find (i.e. I haven't, yet. Maybe I will have to go to the library, after all...). The answer to the question, why do Americans drink so heavily on St. Patrick's Day, well, that one's a little easier to guess at: perhaps we're a ways removed from the holiday's more religious origins. Or, it could be because we (again, used loosely) like drinking, and any excuse will do.

Resolutions and New Beginnings

For the past month, I have engineered more success in my "write more" goal than I would have expected a month ago, given my last post. The thing is, it's easier for me now to write in my journal at home than it is to remember to post on my blog during the average of two hours I spend at the library every other day.

Back at the end of January I quit my job - crazy, right, given the recession and economic downturn - but I hated it. Over the past month I have become my old self again, which is a much pleasanter self than the self I was working at my hated job. Right around the time I quit, at the beginning of February, I made some resolutions. I won't call them New Year's Resolutions, because I don't buy into the whole New Year thing. Never really have, except as an excuse to drink champagne. The ball drop does nothing for me, and I try to live with the philosophy that every day is a new day - why wait for the new year? Anyhow, as it happened, my life changed at the end of January, so what better time for resolutions?

Unfortunately I don't have them with me (they're in my journal, at home), but here are a few of the ones I can remember:

1. I'll laugh more. (So far, so good!)

2. I'll fake confidence until I feel confident. (This one is taking a little more work but I had at least one memorable, successful experience recently.)

3. I'll do one thing every week that scares me. (Really a Fail at this point, sadly.)

4. I'll write more. (Seen this one before.)

5. I should have added something about living a greener lifestyle, but I didn't - at least I have been doing so, even without a formalized resolution!

6. I will stop buying things on impulse. (A very important resolution, thank goodness I've been mostly successful so far.)

I must say, I never thought Santa Claus was such a heavy breather. He's sitting right next to me in the library, and it's very distracting!

No sign of little elves.

One month later, and I realize how dismally I've failed in my goals. The first, the experimental advent calendar, got to be too much halfway through December. Next year I'll have to scale it down. Maybe I'll listen to one Christmas song per day, or write one Christmas memory each day...

Random thought: My new favorite song is Nil Na La by Solas.

My other failed goal, is to practice writing. That's ultimately one of the reasons I started this blog, and one month without writing anything is a poor showing. "That's alright, nobody's perfect."

So if I were to offer any excuses for not writing, they would be grad school applications, krav maga, job-hunting and job stress. February 1 will see me with finished applications and no job. Absurdly, I'm quite happy about that. Perhaps I'll even write more.

I took my favorite boots to the cobbler today to have them re-heeled. They're Italian, and I've been walking on the wooden heel for months now, ever since the rubber layer rubbed away on the brick and pavement sidewalks of DC. The shop is this little whitewashed closet on the corner. One side is covered in rows of boots and leather shoes and military issue, and the little stool where the cobbler works can be seen through the big picture window facing the street. The other side holds a dry cleaners. No sign of little elves. Happily re-heeling is "greener" than throwing them away and replacing them. Cheaper, too. The heels are going to cost me $16.95, which I figure is a good deal, since the wood needs replacing as well. I hope they get polished.