Miscellany.
It's so hot and sticky here. I'm so gross right now. Maybe it wouldn't seem hot to some of you, but I can take -40*c, okay?!?
***
I shouldn't have been so down on the Vice-Rector's party going into yesterday. He held a happy hour thing for certain among his employees yesterday with free food, free booze and door prizes. And it was weird hanging out at a bar on Crescent St. with people who're, for the most part, double my age, but the free stuff made it worthwhile. The door prizes were for $100 gift certificates to the University bookstore, and some free nights & dinners at the Omni Hotel, one of the more posh places in town.
I won one of the bookstore dealies. Kinda dull, but nice because it'll save rottenfruit some cash in the fall.
***
The debate the other night was pretty much useless. Well, I guess they both were (it and the French one the night before). The one line I really liked from the night was when Stephen Harper and Gilles Duceppe were talking about military funding, and how we're losing our control over the High North, because the military can't afford to patrol it. "I want to have a sovereign country!" Harper said, to which Duceppe of course replied, "So do I!"
Honestly though, it was a disappointment on the whole. I said to Elizabeth, why don't they give the moderator the power to cut people's microphones, when they keep talking when they're not supposed to? A letter in the paper this morning said as much, too.
I'm always disappointed when I actually sit down to watch democracy in action. I still enjoy it, but I'm always disappointed in the behaviour of our elected officials. They talk over each other, they take cheap shots, in the Commons, they shout each other down - almost to the extent where it sounds like they're booing one another. The Opposition'll ask a question during Question Period, and whoever's responsible for it from the Government will rise, to answer, and within five seconds, everyone on the other side of the floor will be shouting the person down. Well, why the fuck did you ask the question, morons? At least let the person answer. You'll get your rebuttal.
Friggin' morons. All of 'em.
***
Football season in this country started the same night as the English debate, and I'm pleased with that. Probably sacrilege to Americans, I know, but I like the CFL. The play isn't as high-quality as the NFL, but it's quainter, much less showy, and I can relate more to most of the players. They're good people, for the most part. Whatever happened to guys who score touchdowns and then simply hand the ball to the referee, anyway? You know, guys who do what they're paid to do? Still happens that way up here. :)
We're going to Ottawa in a few weeks, and Dad says he's going to get tickets for the game when I'm there. It's been years since I've seen a CFL game in person (since tickets in this town are next to impossible to come by), and Ottawa's got a fantastic stadium. Probably the second-nicest in the league. I'm looking forward to it.
***
Fuckin' umpires cost us one last night. They called an 11th inning foul ball a home run. Fewer than 4000 at the Stadium last night. Probably about 2000 by the time the game ended.
***
My uncle's getting better, my folks say. I got the impression that he's standing now on his own. He still won't be out of the hospital for almost a month, though.
Both of my parents are probably going to go to Keswick for a couple of weeks starting when he gets out. They'll help out. Do the housework that he used to do, help Aunt Sandra carry him in and out of the house when needed, and look after the place while she's at work. That's really sweet of them, isn't it?
***
Starting a new project at work dealing with nightclubs from Montreal's past, like pre-1970 or so. Interesting stuff - the most interesting work I've been given in a while. This town's always been a pretty swinging one, you know.
***
I shouldn't have been so down on the Vice-Rector's party going into yesterday. He held a happy hour thing for certain among his employees yesterday with free food, free booze and door prizes. And it was weird hanging out at a bar on Crescent St. with people who're, for the most part, double my age, but the free stuff made it worthwhile. The door prizes were for $100 gift certificates to the University bookstore, and some free nights & dinners at the Omni Hotel, one of the more posh places in town.
I won one of the bookstore dealies. Kinda dull, but nice because it'll save rottenfruit some cash in the fall.
***
The debate the other night was pretty much useless. Well, I guess they both were (it and the French one the night before). The one line I really liked from the night was when Stephen Harper and Gilles Duceppe were talking about military funding, and how we're losing our control over the High North, because the military can't afford to patrol it. "I want to have a sovereign country!" Harper said, to which Duceppe of course replied, "So do I!"
Honestly though, it was a disappointment on the whole. I said to Elizabeth, why don't they give the moderator the power to cut people's microphones, when they keep talking when they're not supposed to? A letter in the paper this morning said as much, too.
I'm always disappointed when I actually sit down to watch democracy in action. I still enjoy it, but I'm always disappointed in the behaviour of our elected officials. They talk over each other, they take cheap shots, in the Commons, they shout each other down - almost to the extent where it sounds like they're booing one another. The Opposition'll ask a question during Question Period, and whoever's responsible for it from the Government will rise, to answer, and within five seconds, everyone on the other side of the floor will be shouting the person down. Well, why the fuck did you ask the question, morons? At least let the person answer. You'll get your rebuttal.
Friggin' morons. All of 'em.
***
Football season in this country started the same night as the English debate, and I'm pleased with that. Probably sacrilege to Americans, I know, but I like the CFL. The play isn't as high-quality as the NFL, but it's quainter, much less showy, and I can relate more to most of the players. They're good people, for the most part. Whatever happened to guys who score touchdowns and then simply hand the ball to the referee, anyway? You know, guys who do what they're paid to do? Still happens that way up here. :)
We're going to Ottawa in a few weeks, and Dad says he's going to get tickets for the game when I'm there. It's been years since I've seen a CFL game in person (since tickets in this town are next to impossible to come by), and Ottawa's got a fantastic stadium. Probably the second-nicest in the league. I'm looking forward to it.
***
Fuckin' umpires cost us one last night. They called an 11th inning foul ball a home run. Fewer than 4000 at the Stadium last night. Probably about 2000 by the time the game ended.
***
My uncle's getting better, my folks say. I got the impression that he's standing now on his own. He still won't be out of the hospital for almost a month, though.
Both of my parents are probably going to go to Keswick for a couple of weeks starting when he gets out. They'll help out. Do the housework that he used to do, help Aunt Sandra carry him in and out of the house when needed, and look after the place while she's at work. That's really sweet of them, isn't it?
***
Starting a new project at work dealing with nightclubs from Montreal's past, like pre-1970 or so. Interesting stuff - the most interesting work I've been given in a while. This town's always been a pretty swinging one, you know.