Celebrity Sightings

Even though I live in Hollywood North these days, I had to leave Vancouver to get some celebrity sightings.
On my flight back to Philly two weeks ago, I had a layover in O'Hare. There I spotted Duff from Charm City Cakes, star of Ace of Cakes. He was just waiting for his next flight; some people recognized him but he's a little lover profile.
Then last week I was at John's company's Christmas dinner and spotted a woman who looked familiar. I kept glancing at her trying to figure out if she just looked a lot like Jennifer Love Hewitt or if it really was her. It was. She was there with her boyfriend Jamie Kennedy and his parents (they're from the area).
So that's who I've seen thus far. I'll be traveling some more in the next week and hitting up the L.A. area so maybe I'll see some other vaguely famous people.

Snow!

It snowed today! Real snow. Huge big flakes that accumulated, maybe a couple centimeters. Nothing extraordinary but it was exciting because I didn't expect any snow around here. Fortunately, it wasn't enough now to freak Vancouver out. And it didn't interrupt anyone's jogging routines. I walked down to Kits Beach and explored Kits Point a bit more than I had before. I went along the seawall a bit and found a totem pole. But then I started getting cold so I went back home. But it finally feels like a real winter! I just hope it doesn't snow on Wednesday when I'm flying home.

Canadian Secrets

Slowly but surely I'm finding out things about Canada that they've been keeping secret. Today's secret: Caesars.
Did you know Canada has a drink called a Caesar? And that it is unofficially the official cocktail of Canada? Yeah, neither did I.

A fellow grad student was making dinner plans yesterday and announced that he'd be having Caesars that night. I thought he was talking about Caesar salads and thought that sounded like a delightful idea. He was on the phone and asked his girlfriend if she had Worcestershire sauce and pickles, then said that he would get the vodka. So naturally, I thought they would be pairing their salads with Bloody Marys. Wrong. Then he mentioned clamato juice. Fortunately, I didn't say anything that would reveal I had no idea what was going on.
When I got home, I decided to do some research on this. A quick search revealed the best kept secret in Canadian drinking.
Wikipedia
other website
Now, this seems suspiciously similar to Bloody Marys but it should be noted that in regular speech it's not called a Bloody Caesar. You might hear it called that but obviously the person saying that is not Canadian. This drink was a revelation to me. Remember a couple years back when clamato juice came on the scene in the U.S.? Budweiser introduced the ill-conceived "Chelada" which has since disappeared. I think if that clamato/beer combo was done correctly, I could like it though. Anyway, apparently Mott's printed a Caesar recipe on the label of their clamato juice, hoping the Americans would catch on. Nope. Didn't work. And Canada kept their secret.
Now I'm telling you and you can impress your friends with your international drink knowledge. Also, at some point over Christmas break I will be concocting Caesars for anyone who wants to try them with me.

Edit: Just spotted a Caesar in a Molson Canadian 67 commercial. Non-Canadians would mistake it for a Bloody Mary. I know better now.

Last Day of Term

Today is officially the last day of classes for this term. Whew. Now I only have one more paper, one more exam (well make that two with German), and one Latin recitation. Ok, I can do that. By this time next week, I'll be finished with all my work. I've agreed to help a professor with the index for his forthcoming book but that'll probably be a project for over break. While I think things are in control, I don't quite believe. There's that nagging feeling that I'm forgetting about something else. I've written so many to-do lists over the past two weeks that I can't keep track of them. They're essentially saying the same things, I think. Anyway, soon I'll be done with my first term at grad school! I don't even care if I did well or not, I just want to have passed. I'll probably only work up the courage to check my grades right before next term starts.

But on the fun side of things, there's a Christmas party tomorrow night and we're going to do some crafts. That's the only fun thing I have planned for the next 12 days.

Low Productivity

Nice weekend but no productivity. This upcoming week is the last one of classes but that just means my papers are so much closer to being due! Ah!

I baked banana bread again and did laundry and went out for a friend's birthday. These are the times when I wish I worked 9-5 because then my weekend would've seemed productive and great rather than as an elaborate scheme to procrastinate.

Also, Google Wave. I'm trying to learn it. If you want an invite, let me know.

Happy Thanksgiving, America!

I am having a peculiar celebration of my own. BLTs and soup for dinner, followed by watching a hockey game. Typical Canadian Thursday.

In Class

I am teaching assistant for a class called "Theories of Myth". It's fascinating stuff to me so even though I'm not required to attend class, I still do. I'd even say it's my favorite class right now. Anyway, the students aren't aware that I'm the TA because all I really do is mark exams so to them, I look like just another student. This is fine with me.
Sitting in my usual spot in the back of the room, I get to observe a lot. The other day, I was fascinated by what one gentleman was doing on his computer. First, I should point out that his desktop is a picture of a barbell, you know, the big weightlifting kind. He spends a great deal of time on Facebook, most frequently he seems to be perusing the profile of girls. But today he out-did himself. I looked down at his screen and saw him looking up the lyrics to Jay-Z's "H to the Izzo". Good choice, sir, good choice.

My Bus Stop

Fall/winer has set in for Vancouver. It's cold (not snow and ice Iowa cold, but cold still) and some heavy storms have led to consistent rain over the past few days. Not just a regular on and off drizzle but heavy rain with strong winds too. Looks like it'll be this way for the next 4-5 months. It takes a little getting used to but with all the right gear, it's not so bad. The recent winds have been hard on the umbrellas though; everyone's been giving up and just relying on raincoats and hoods instead of umbrellas.
But the change in weather has made me notice some new things. The bust stop I frequent near my apartment to get to school is on a fairly busy corner of 4th in Kits. Standing here every morning, you get used to it. But the cold weather has brought something clearly to my attention. As I was huddled under my umbrella one early morning, I suddenly had the scent of fresh bread and pastries in my nostrils. After one whiff it was gone again into the cold air. Perked up by this, and fairly hungry, I realized something I already knew: my bus stop is directly across the street from a bakery. I go to this bakery all the time but somehow it seemed like a revelation that morning. Every time someone walks in or out, the doors swoosh open and let out the delicious air. It's just that now, it's making its way across the street to a cold, wet, and tired crowd over at the bus stop. It's wonderful and tortuous at the same time. The worst is when the busses are so crowded that two have to go by, fully packed, before one with space stops. Then I just stand there looking over at the bakery, thinking it offers a much more tempting option than a crowded bus.

Remembrance Day

Today is Remembrance Day here in Canada, known as Veterans Day in the U.S.A. It's the same holiday, celebrating the armed forces on the day of the armistice for World War I. In British Columbia, it is a statutory holiday which is lovely for me because that means I don't have classes, but I also appreciate that this puts this holiday on par with other holidays that everyone likes so much (I'm thinking Labor Day).
I've noticed a difference between Remembrance Day in Canada and Veterans Day in the U.S. For the past two weeks, people have been wearing poppies (I just tried to put a footnote about this, thanks, grad school) and there have been memorial commercials, I guess that's what they're called, on TV. As for those poppies. In 1915, a Canadian military physician wrote a poem called In Flanders Fields that commemorated the men who had died in war there. (I've included the poem at the end of this post.) The symbol of the poppy was picked up from it and became a national symbol. England, as well as other commonwealth countries, followed suit. I don't recall anything particularly significant about Veterans Day. The best I can do is some liturgy/memorial service held way back when I was in 4th grade, or thereabouts, because I did a reading and that's when I learned the word 'armistice'.
Anyway, it's nice to see a stronger presence about why we're celebrating the day and who we're honoring. Prince Charles and Camilla just did a tour of Canada so they had both Canadian and English versions of the poppy on their lapels. I think they participated in some memorial events as well. That was new for me, a lot of press coverage of the royals because indeed, Queen Elizabeth is sovereign and head of state in Canada. I didn't realize they were going to be hanging around (they were definitely right in my neighborhood!) otherwise I would've gone to catch a glimpse.
So, this is my cultural post of the month (maybe year?). Another little thing I appreciate about Canada.

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
-John McCrae (1915)

H1N1 at church

Maybe I'm reckless, but when I'm at church and it's the sign of peace, I'm going to shake your hand. People looked at me like I was crazy this past Sunday and gave me these weird little half-bows instead of a regular old handshake.
If you're that concerned, bring some hand sanitizer and douse yourself in it after you shake my hand. I wouldn't come to church and try to touch you if I had swine flu. I'm not that kind of person.

Black, Gold, and Red All Over

Happy Halloween! It's already been a good weekend and I haven't eaten any candy yet.
Last night, I went to the Museum of Vancouver where they've opened "Ravishing Beasts", an exhibit about taxidermy. It's is weirdly compelling and I certainly learned a lot about taxidermy. Even more than that one time when I sat next to a professional taxidermist on an airplane. So we checked that out and then the museum had a screening of Psycho. You know, taxidermy exhibit, Norman Bates is a taxidermist. It's connected. Plus Halloween. I was nervous because I get scared very easily and don't generally watch scary movies, but this was ok. I had seen Psycho before, in some distant past, and turns out it's not scary. So that was a fun, if unusual, way to spend a Friday night.
This morning, Iowa beat Indiana in a terrifying way: led by atrocious play by QB Stanzi and trailing Indiana the whole game until the 4th quarter. Then it was a completely different game, with 28 points for Iowa and a final score of 42-24. Given Iowa's ranking, it should have been easy (which begs the question, are the Hawkeyes overrated? begrudgingly, I'd say yes) but easy wins aren't available in Iowa City. Still, I'm sure the denizens of IC are happy, inebriated, and costumed in bad taste. Happy Halloween, Iowa City. I know this is your favorite night of the year.
And now this brings me to the Phillies. Game 3 of the World Series is tonight and they'll be in Philly. Mom and Dad are going to the game which I know is a far better way for them to spend the evening than waiting for a smattering of trick-or-treaters to show at the house. Because of my evening plans, I won't be able to watch the whole game but I'm supremely confident.
Fortunately, I'll be wearing red to show my support. Turns out I'm dressing up as a parrot for Halloween. Well, a parrot, or a macaw, or another generic red tropical bird. Whatever you'd like to call it. But I'll be in lots of red so maybe I should just wear my Phillies shirt too. Unfortunately, this would be lost on all these Canadians. Rest assured, if I were in Philly, I'd wear it.

Hawkeye in Canada

Hopefully everyone watched Iowa play Michigan State last night. A fairly boring game until the last couple minutes when my heart rate skyrocketed. Long story short, Iowa won on the last play of the game with a short touchdown pass. This makes the Hawkeyes 8-0 for this season, the first time in their entire history they've done it. Not to mention MSU has been dominating Iowa for the past few years so finally that ended. All around, it was an incredible win for Iowa. Not pretty, but certainly a win.
It's a little sad watching these games alone; I'd like there to be more Hawkeyes around. I'm sure my neighbors wondered what was going on because 1. they would have no idea what sports game someone would have been watching at that time and 2. there was only one person yelling/cursing/jumping. I am very confused as to why my basic cable package has the Big 10 network but I'll go with it. It was quite a relief when I found out I could watch most of the games. Now there are 4 games left and there's no guarantee about any of them but they will be exciting.

MidTerm Baking

It's already been a long week and there's still more to do. I had the best of intentions to get a lot of work done this afternoon but that simply didn't happen. Instead, I baked banana bread.
I like banana as much as anyone else but I always find that I have one more banana than I can eat before they start getting too ripe. But these are perfect for baking; I just put them in the freezer until I've collected three or four and then it's time to bake!
A recipe is included below but it's nothing special, just a simple one to throw together some afternoon. I will be enjoying a slice in just a couple minutes when it's cooled. And some tea. And some Phillies game. Not bad.
Also, I get to bake more next week. My graduate students of my department host a conference in the spring so we're having a bake sale to raise some money. I'm thinking chocolate chip cookies, though I may reprise this banana bread or even get some muffin tins and really go crazy. Baking is probably my favorite way to procrastinate. And also cleaning. Both very good.

Banana Bread
Ingredients
3 or 4 ripe bananas, smashed
1/3 cup melted butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). With a wooden spoon, mix butter into the mashed bananas in a large mixing bowl. Mix in the sugar, egg, and vanilla. Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the mixture and mix in. Add the flour last, mix. Pour mixture into a buttered 4x8 inch loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour. Cool on a rack. Remove from pan and slice to serve.

Oh hey, Grad School

This grad school thing doesn't agree with me. I'm in for two very long nights and 15 minutes of shameful embarrassment when I present my paper on Wednesday. And I know I did this to myself; just let me be miserable and complain for a minute.

Is there a way to audit your way through grad school?

Canadians celebrate Thanksgiving at the wrong time

Well the 2nd Monday in October is not the wrong time but it does mean November can be a long month of no holidays. Except Remembrance Day, we get that off but it's a Wednesday. Still, Thanksgiving on a Monday seems wacky to me. Overeat and then have to roll into work/school the next day? No thanks. Also that means it's harder for people to travel to be with family for the holiday. Though from what I've seen of the students around here, they'll form their own versions of family with each other and just do it that way.
I was not around to celebrate though; I traveled back to America to celebrate Columbus Day instead. It was a good time for me to go back and see John (my visit closely followed his birthday) and just catch up with people because I won't go back again until Christmas. It was a fun weekend, like stepping out of my life in Vancouver for a bit. It made returning to school and getting back into this routine very difficult though,
Cool, fall weather has set in around here. Not so many leaves to change color here so I'll miss that. But splashing through puddles in rainboots is quite fun. For now. But things are generally quiet around these parts. My building is being renovated so I can hear the workers' conversations every day. (Men are just as gossipy as women for the record.) Halloween plans are also in the works which will be a nice way to relax after a very busy week coming up.
Also, I got my British Columbia Medical Services Plan card today. I'm officially in the Canadian healthcare system. Maybe I should have them check out this potential ringworm. Gross, I know. But it's not a worm! Just a fungus.

23

Yep, I'm 23 now, big birthday day.

Not quite actually. Today wasn't much different from any other Wednesday and that's quite alright. I had class all morning, worked on a paper all afternoon, then more class and an exam this evening. A long day but fairly productive and honestly, I'm not much of a birthday person anyway. Got all the requisite calls from family and friends as well as the Facebook messages from everyone else. I suppose I should have gathered whichever Canucks I could and grabbed a drink tonight but I'm too tired. Nolan will be here this weekend so I can celebrate with him and then I'll be back in Philly the following weekend when John and I will celebrate our birthdays together. It's all fine with me because I'm not such a birthday person anyway.

Sometime this weekend, I will buy myself a birthday present though. Something useful but still fun. Rainboots? YES.

Other than that, not much going on around here. The semester is flying by; I'm turning in my first paper tomorrow and I realized that I have another two due in three weeks. Yikes. So crazy and I still have to figure out what classes I'm taking for next semester. This was supposed to be done over the summer when I registered for this semester. I didn't know that but I think it's ok.

IOWA

IOWA 21, PSU 10

It's good to be a Hawkeye. For whatever reason, Iowa can beat Penn State, doesn't matter what the odds are or what the experts say. Iowa beats Penn State. I'm very happy about this, though I do feel bad for all my friends and relatives who are Penn Staters.

I do believe I will start planning a trip to Iowa for this game next year.

First Day of Autumn

Today was the first day of autumn, and though Vancouver weather has cooled slightly, today was quite warm and sunny. Still, like it's written in lots of places (I think), the light chill of autumn is in the air. It's great. Until it starts raining.
School is going alright. This is only the third week of classes but I already have tons to do, mainly reading. I'm taking a Roman comedy class (Plautus), Roman Britain, and a pro-seminar which doesn't seem to have any topic in particular. We can do basically anything we want. Everything is interesting and I'm certainly learning a lot. Graduate school is certainly going to require self-discipline in terms of time management and pacing the work which is a change for me. I think that will be one of my biggest challenges. I've tried not to procrastinate but this first deadline for a paper has somehow crept up on me. I should be working on that now rather than writing this.
I'm also helping out with the graduate student conference that my department is putting on in May. You know, making posters, trying to fundraise, generally following orders. It's a good thing to do aside from my classes but keeps my connected with the department. Also, I can get to know the other students more. But the friend-making is going pretty well. I've been out with a few students a couple of times and so far people seem to like me. That's encouraging though I can certainly do more with this.
But tonight I'm making myself a real dinner, one of the finest ways to procrastinate. Oven-fried chicken (as suggested by John), broccoli, and bread with roasted garlic. Yep, I can cook.

Canadian slang

Keener: (Canadian slang, noun) Individual eager to demonstrate knowledge or participate enthusiastically in school, church, seminars, etc. Like nerd, geek, brown-noser, smartypants, etc. but with more emphasis on willingness and enthusiasm, and less on social inadequacy, sycophancy, or natural ability.

Sally's classmates thought she was a keener because she always put her hand up in Chemistry, but her friends knew she had a crush on Mr. Smith.

A: I finished all the homework for next week.
B: Don't be such a keener! You're making the rest of us look bad!


Courtesy of Urban Dictionary

Labour Day!

Yes, Canada celebrates Labour Day too. They just add an extra letter in there. Anyway, John was here for the long weekend so I did have company and didn't mope around the whole time. It rained pretty consistently on Saturday and Sunday though Monday cleared up a bit. While this foiled some of our more adventurous plans (Stanley Park, Lynn Canyon) we did get to see a lot of the city.
John loved Granville Island and the rumors about Go Fish were spot-on. The line-up's are long but worth the wait. We had a halibut sandwich on Saturday which was delicious and went back to try some fish and chips on Sunday. Also, delicious. They work directly with the local fishermen so the fish is always fresh and their specials changes with how the catches go. And it's situated right near the Wharf so you can see the water and lots of boats as you eat at one of the few little tables. Go Fish is really just a food stand so you'll have to brave the weather and the wait.
We did the Granville Island Brewery tour which so-so but we did get to try some of their brews which I quite like. Probably only a one time deal and mostly for tourists though I did like the idea proposed by one employee that people go get some food from Go Fish and bring it on back to the Taproom. I'd definitely do that. And of course the Granville Island Market is always a joy. For all you Philly folks, it's like a smaller version of Reading Terminal. With maybe more fish.
That night we went down the street to The Noodle Box which was exactly what we needed after a long day. It's easy and delicious and close to home. Then we went on a foray to the liquor store and John was appalled by the price of alcohol here in Canada. And it is expensive. I think it's the taxes that are levied but I'm not going to get into it. Just be prepared for that when you visit.
Sunday we woke up to more rain but set out for Stanley Park anyway. By the time we got downtown though, we bailed on that plan and instead explored the city. John had seen Anthony Bourdain visit a particular hot dog cart here in Vancouver so we found it also. Japa Dog is totally whacky as are the hot dogs. We tried two (the Terimayo and something else which I can't remember) and there were curious but good. The something else one had dried bonito flakes on it which was weird but also ok; still, I might not get that one again. But after our hot dog eating, we wandered our way over to Chinatown. It was pretty quiet down there though and I suspect that if anywhere is considered a bad place to be at night, it might be on the outskirts of Chinatown. More exploration of the area needs to be done, especially because Vancouver's Chinatown is the 2nd largest in North America (after San Francisco's). But quickly we wound up in Gastown which is the old, historical part of the city. It was cute with a farmer's market and lots of little shops. I can imagine it being quite picturesque during the winter time.
For dinner that night we went to Hell's Kitchen, sorry, no, not affiliated with Gordon Ramsay. Pizza and beers were on the menu for us and one pizza that was featured was delicious. It had a list of toppings that I can't remember but notably, peaches were on there. John hates peaches but liked this.
By Monday morning, the weather had cleared a bit. I took John to UBC so he could see campus and where I'll be spending most of my time. Then we came home and went to various markets to pick up ingredients for dinner. I'm lucky in that within 2 blocks of me, there is a butcher, a fish market, a produce market, several bakeries, and for good measure, a Safeway and a Whole Foods. John made a bouillabaisse for dinner which turned out well for his first attempt.
This morning we had to get up early so he could get to the airport and I could get to campus for my first day. Unfortunately, my first day was very anti-climatic as both my classes were cancelled and I couldn't get various other tasks done because of administrative slowness. But hopefully, tomorrow, with my one class, one meeting, and one department reception will go well. It's just too bad I couldn't use today to shake some of my nerves. Ah well. I'm sure I'll be longing for a quiet day like today within a couple weeks.

Sita Sings the Blues

Being here in Vancouver, I've had a lot of time to myself, especially in the evenings and at night. Without a TV, I've been left to explore the internet and the find various ways to watch television shows or movies online. Somewhere along my travels (in an airline magazine, I think) I read an article about a film called Sita Sings the Blues.
Created by Nina Paley, it's a mix of Paley's own story, the Indian epic the Ramayana, and the blues singing of Annette Hanshaw. Interestingly, Paley decided to make her film available to the world via the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike License. Thus, I was able to watch it here in Canada though most U.S. based television and film sites are blocked here. Her reasoning is clear about why she chose this avenue and I respect her for it. The story is a painful way for her though I suspect the making of the film, the catharsis of creating something new out of three wildly different things, was payment enough.
As for the film itself, I enjoyed it immensely. The visuals are colorful and captivating, as was the music of Annette Hanshaw. I'm not much of a blues connoisseur but the music is lovely. Perhaps more so because of the lyrics and the way Paley weaves them into her story and that of Sita and Rama. It's hard to explain but I wanted to write about it. Maybe it's old news and I'm late to the party but I don't care. I think more people should watch it. And not to be sexist, but I think women would understand it better than men.

Young Adult Literature

I won't claim to be an expert in literature for young adults or teens or tweens or whatever we're calling them now. It's over ten years since Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone was published and I was on that from the beginning. Courtesy of my mom, I got that book at Christmas time, slightly before the series exploded into popular culture. As usual, Debbie Grady knows what's going to the next big thing before everyone else. Well, that series was and is wonderful. It's true that the magic and Latin/Greek allusions captured me so I read all the books as they came out, even as I aged beyond the "recommended reading age". I know many others who did the same. I won't go into move reviews here because I'd rather focus on the books and I don't want to get into the over-exposure that has turned the HP series into something out of control (in my mind).
Well, this past weekend, I caught up with my Aunt Jeri who is a high school English teacher. Having taught various grades for the past 20 years and having five kids of her own, she knows a thing or two about books, especially books for young adults. She immediately told me about Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. It only took the tiniest blurb ("it's about these modern day kids who are the children of the Olympian gods") for me to know I had to read these books. I'm not even close to being ahead of the trend on this one; the last book has been published and the first movie is slated to be released next year. The kids have been raving about this series for some time but when would someone like me, someone with very little connection to coolest new things at elementary or middle schools, find out about these gems? Fortunately, I have people like Jeri to fill me in. I went out today and found the first book at the Education Library at UBC (education libraries have all the fun books). Granted, the reading level isn't very challenging but I know I'll finish the book today. It's just fun, and smart. For people who don't know much about mythology, it's still easy to read but it's vastly more rewarding if you do know the backgrounds of all the people and places mentioned. It's testing my knowledge too. For someone who knows a great deal about mythology, it can be a bit easy to guess what's going to happen next or figure out a character before they've been revealed in the plot. Fortunately, it doesn't take the fun out of it. So while I may have to analyze and dissect the meaning and values of myth during my day job as a grad student, you can bet I'm reading the young adult versions at home.

Post Wedding

Well, the big wedding weekend is over and most of the family is back in their respective locations. I'll be leaving later this evening so Mom and Dad can finally have a vacation.
It's a general consensus that this was on of the best weddings ever. It was entirely too much fun. The ceremony was beautiful, an incredible mixture of cultures and faith. We knew we were off to a good start with the baraat (groom's procession, when the groom's family presents him to the bride's family). In India this would mean going from the groom's village or home to the bride's parents but we were at a hotel so it was a bit shorter. Nevertheless, we certainly represented the Grady family well. There was a drummer (of course, now I can't remember the correct name) who led us in and Colin was a sight to behold. Dressed in his sherwani, he set the tone for us all and danced like we've never seen him dance (and probably will never see again). A group of his buddies also helped us dance him in and they were spectacular. Even Father Tim got really into it, pulling up his robes so he could jump and dance better. It was an unseasonably hot (VERY hot) day so everyone was sweaty. None more so Colin but my dad mopped his brow for him and Galen held a decorated umbrella over him. I don't think the Newport Marriott had seen something quite like this; we drew quite a crowd of onlookers. Especially after people realized that it was a white man dancing like a maniac in the middle of all this.
Once the barat was over, things calmed down a bit. The HIndu ceremony went on and it was great. Pandit Dilip Bhatt talked everyone through it so we could all understand and then Father Tim did the same with the Catholic ceremony. In the end, the similarities were more striking than the differences and Colin and Sarina were married. I cried a few times but never too much. just leaking tears.
The reception was tons of fun. People gave lovely toasts and some of Sarina's cousins did a dance performance and one of her friends sang a song. For me, Galen's and Nolan's speeches were the highlight though. They were perfect and completely in character for the both of them. After all that was over, the dancing began and didn't stop. Those Indians love to dance and turns out, all the rest of us can hold our own too. So we all danced well into the night until finally the lights were turned on. Slowly people drifted out though it was clear not many wanted the night to end. We all went to bed very late but very happy.
I don't think we could have asked for a better celebration. But now I have to go back to my real life where there's a lot less dancing. However, John will be out in Vancouver for Labour Day so I'll get to have two fun weekends in a row!

OC Wedding

The whole family is gathering here in Orange County for Colin's wedding. Nolan will be the last to arrive this afternoon and the weekend events really kick off with dinner and drinks here at our house tonight. Should be fun and I'm sure very busy. A lot of names to be remembered as we're all introduced to the extended Shah family.
Everything has gone smoothly so far, with the minor exception that my dress was accidentally left back in Pennsylvania. But Pete and Denise, family/work friends, retrieved it and are bringing it with them today. So as long as Nolan arrives, I think we'll be ok. I know I'm going to be crying the whole wedding; I can't help it because everything is just so beautiful. Colin looks great in his sherwani and of course, Sarina will be stunning in her outfit. It's hard to believe that Colin will be married after this weekend. I don't think much will actually change; he and Sarina have been together for a few years so it's not like we're not used to them as a couple. I guess we've all been anticipating this for awhile so now it seems unbelievable that it's already here. I kind of wish I were still in Philly so I could be around for this year while Colin and Sarina live there but I'll just have to lure them to Vancouver. I now Colin would love it there and I think Sarina could get on board too.
Anyway, the flight down to LA from YVR (Vancouver's airport code) is easy. Just 3 hours. Plus the Canada Line for the Skytrain makes my life so much easier. Getting to and from the airport is a dream now. The apartment is much improved with a loveseat and a scavenged desk and some lamps. More work to be done but at leas it looks like somebody lives there. When John rolls into town, I think I'll hang some pictures. Hopefully we can find some yard sales to go to though I don't know what it'll be like on Labour Day weekend.
More to come after the weekend festivities!

1 Week In

So I've been in Canada for a week and only one meltdown so far. While many factors went into said meltdown, not being able to get a couch was the catalyst. Twice I've tried to have couches delivered and neither fit. Not really a huge problem but it was right at the point when I was starting to get a little lonely and not having a couch seemed like a failure. I know it's not and I still don't have a couch but I'm feeling good. A little sunshine and some good deals at yard sales can do wonders for the soul. I also painted my living room a light blue which is lovely. Except I was a little lackluster in my application techniques so just don't look too closely at the walls when you come visit. Or just assume it was a look I was going for. So once I get a little furniture in here, I'll be on top of the world. I picked up a coffee table from a nearby alleyway so that's pleasing and free. I don't think I can rave about yard sales enough; they're the perfect places to pick up little odds and ends to make a place seem more like home. Also, I got a small shelving unit for closet for only two dollars (Canadian). Granted I looked a sight carrying/wheeling it 5 blocks back to my apartment but it's worth it.
Erin will be arriving here tomorrow afternoon to give me a hand with some of this moving thing. More than that though, I think I'l appreciate having some company and a buddy to do things with. I've managed alright on my own but it does get a little tiresome. So we'll get some much needed things around here (a sofa??) like lamps. Light would be good. Maybe we'll find some nice things for the walls too. I am going to show her my new favorite haunts (Salvation Army, alleyways) and we'll go father abroad to Richmond where all the big chain stores are. Thrilling, I know. And Costco. I think I really want to go there.
I also went to church this evening at St. Augustine's. It's only 4-5 blocks away and felt like a nice, comfortable place. As I've said in posts long ago, the ritual of a Catholic mass is reassuring and familiar when you're in a strange place. I didn't feel homesick there like I once did when I was first in Italy. I think going to mass is something I'll rededicate myself to. Maybe for the somewhat superficial reason of giving me something to do every week but it certainly feels nice to be part of a community.
So, all in all, after one week this place is feeling like home. I'm getting the hang of things around here and I've been happy for the majority of the time. Sure, a little lonely at times but it won't stay that way. Now I just have to get used to the seagulls that are always screaming outside my window.

Home, Sweet Canada

I'm a Canadian resident! Temporarily at least. I think my study permit says I have to depart by September 30, 2011. Ok, Canada. Got it. I've applied for the Medical Services Plan in British Columbia, have a bus pass, a student ID, bills, and a credit card application in the works.
Slowly I'm getting furniture in the apartment. A few stops and starts but by the end of the week, I should have a couch to go along with my bed and dining set. I also painted my bedroom yellow which was instantly uplifting and a big step to making this place feel like mine. I still have a lot to figure out but this is where my weekend hobby of yardsales will come in handy. I just love the deals!
I've been so busy that I hardly have time to miss people (but I do miss all of you) and so the whole "I just moved very far away and don't know anyone" thing hasn't hit. It will though, it will. It helps that in a week I'l be in California for Colin's wedding and then John's here for Labor Day. I know I'll be seeing lots of people soon so I don't have to be a mess yet.
So far, I'm feeling really comfortable here. I don't know any neighbors yet; this doesn't seem like that kind of building. But who knows. Once school starts, I'm sure I'll have my fill of people, especially after this weird kind of isolation I'm currently in. School will be a nice distraction though after I'm done with the apartment stuff.
I might paint my living room too. It's a big task but could be a happy improvement. Color suggestions? Something light and neutral but not pinkish. Dare I try a blue?
It's only 9:45 here but I might get in bed. Don't have much else to do. I'll take some pictures of the place soon so you can see it. I can't do it now though because it would be depressing for everyone to see it in this state.

WEEK OF AWESOME

Some of my friends here in Philadelphia and I decided to call the first week of August "The Week of Awesome". We determined that this would be a good opportunity for a lot of friendly activities because I would still be around, others would be finished with school/jobs, and still others would be home for short visits. And we did have a week of awesome activities. Here's a summary as I can recall.

Aug. 1-2: Ridiculous
Jamie, Meg, John and I went to Northern Liberties in Philly to a Bike Polo Fundraiser. Bike Polo is polo on a bike and the World Championships are being held Labor Day weekend. So the folks at this bike shop put on a party, $15 for a bottomless pint and free pizza. Also there was a raffle for all sorts of cycling items which Jamie and Megan won lots of. Sometime during the 4-5 hours we spent there getting progressively more tipsy, a plan was made. A plan to go to Atlantic City. So we made our way to 30th Street Station, ate some McDonald's because we were all being gross and then jumped on a NJ Transit train to AC. The cast of characters on the Saturday night train to AC are special and I'm sure we made quite an addition. Anyway, we got there and quickly found an Irish pub for some sustenance then, guided by Jamie's friend Brian, we went to a casino. John quickly separated from the group to gamble seriously while the rest of us had drinks and played some penny slots (unsuccessfully). Before we knew it, it was 4:30 in the morning and we decided to head back to the train station so we could get the 5:45 am train to Philly. While in the casino, none of us were tired (this we attributed to the crack that streams from casino lights) but the moment we sat down everyone was exhausted. We made quite an impression I'm sure as we slept on the train to Philly, sat on the platform floor to wait for the R5, and slept again all the way until Wynnewood. Then we walked back to my house and the rain started to pour down just as we turned into my street. John and I managed to get back to his apartment, were showered and in bed by 9 (this is Sunday morning now), and slept until 2. Needless to say, Week of Awesome events were postponed for the next 2 days as well recovered.

Aug. 5 : Phillies Game
By Wednesday, we felt well enough to be awesome again so Jamie, Meg, Audrey, Christine, Monica, and I all went to the Phillies game. We tailgated for a few hours and some Victory Golden Monkeys facilitated truth-telling. Also, Washers is a very difficult game. Finally we went into the stadium and ate lots of fries and stuff, watched little of the game (the Phillies won 7-0) and went back to my house. There I talked for an our about Jon and Kate Plus 8, much to Jamie and Megan's discomfort. They did manage to escape by midnight though.

Aug. 6: Mug Night
The next night we went to Erin Pub for Mug Night as we are wont to do. It was a good time that devolved into a dance party. Our group was the only group in the bar though as our dancing seemed to scare everyone else away. Perhaps the music selection wasn't varied enough for them. Anyway, everyone had fun and the fun continued at Audrey's house afterwards though John and I had to skip that because he needed to get home and go to bed so he would be able to go to work. He did manage to get to work on time, even a bit early!

Aug. 7: Shiny Shirt Night
And finally, Friday night. We decided that we should get dressed up in those bar shirts that we all have but never actually wear out. Unfortunately, most people didn't have bar shirts, were embarrassed by them, or had packed them and taken them to Vancouver already (me). Still, Megan looked very shiny in her shirt and I snagged a shirt from Erin and wore some obnoxious sparkly shoes Jamie bought. We went down to Fairmount and ended up at London Grill for awhile. We ate lots of bar food there and had delicious and girly drinks. Then we continued on to Urban Saloon where again, our night devolved into a dance party. While we weren't the only ones dancing, we were probably the most obnoxious, especially after we started requesting songs. Nevertheless, the night turned out pretty well. We were all fairly tired from the rest of the week so it wasn't quite going out with a bang, more like with an audible pop, but all fun.

And so Week of Awesome concluded. And it was awesome.

Fireworks

Every year Vancouver hosts the Celebration of Light, a 4 night "international pyro-musical fireworks competition". My arrival here on Wednesday coincided with the first night and tonight was another viewing. This performance was put on by South Africa while the one before was done by Canada. It's a big show and a lot of people go see it. The fireworks are shot from barges on the English Bay so the entire area around there is great for viewing. It doesn't get dark enough until about 9:30 here so the shows start at 10 but everyone is out. Most people bring picnics/chairs/blankets to the various public beaches and parks and make a jolly night of it. I'm no fireworks expert but I'd say these are some of the most intricate shows I've seen. And the music being simulcast is a lovely touch. I'd love to be on a boat for this thing next summer. It was pouring rain tonight but still the show went on. Mother Nature put on a competing show of thunder and lighting which may have been more interesting. A friendly guy from Orange County shared his umbrella with me and we had a nice chat. He had moved to Vancouver for a year so he could snowboard and go to Whistler a lot. Yep, ok. Anyway, it was nice to talk with someone. After the show I soggily made my way home so I could get in a nap before waking up at 4 to fly to Orange County for Sarina's bridal shower. Naturally, I'm not too sleepy so I figured I get this out before forcing myself to go to bed.

Welcome home! (Canadian version)

I arrived in Vancouver this past Wednesday and collected the keys to my apartment. It’s true. This post is being written from my apartment in Vancouver. The cable/internet guy was here Thursday morning so even though I’m sleeping on the floor, I feel like I’m settled. Not even close. But it is nice to be able to Skype with people in the evenings when I’m not out because I don’t know anybody here yet. But it feels good to be coming home (yes, home!) after each foray out to collect items for living.

I brought two giant, 50 lb. bags of stuff with me but that isn’t as much as you might think. It was all unpacked within an hour. And while the closet looks better with some clothes in it, the rest of the place is empty. With beige carpet and pinkish-beige walls and gross curtains. However, I measured all the rooms (that’s would be 3) so I can plan my furniture. The bedroom is only large enough for a bed and nightstand but that’s ok because the closet is big enough for all my clothes. And I did get some sheer, white curtains for the living room though I'll be needing some thicker ones as well. Turns out the building next to me has motion-sensor floodlights that are particularly well aimed into my windows. It was very startling the first night. I do plan on painting. It would've been nice to do that this week when I have nothing in the place but that may have been a bigger project that I was ready for.

Today I have a number of yard sales that I'm going to visit. It's a beautiful Saturday morning so everyone will be out; these Vancouver-ites love fresh air. And there are fireworks over English Bay tonight! There were fireworks my first night here as well, a lovely welcome to the neighborhood! Though I don't have a view out onto the bay, I can just walk out on the sidewalk and see quite well. The beach will be very crowded tonight but I may venture down there anyway. I'm just one person so I'm fairly certain I can find a little perch for myself. I'll try to take more pictures because I want to show everyone my new home! I'm no professional but I think you'll get the idea and be convinced you need to visit.

NYC

I spent the weekend in New York City to see my sister as well as Dan and Amy who were concluding an East Coast tour there. John and I drove up on Saturday, arriving in the early afternoon. After lunch with Caitlin, we headed into the city and walked around some because it takes me a bit to figure out my norths and souths at first. But we found our way to the Shake Shack in Madison Square so we could give it a try. Owned by Danny Meyer, whose Union Square Hospitality Group also employs Caitlin, it's rumored to have some of the best burgers in the city. Because it was a beautiful Saturday afternoon, the line was quite long but the "B-line" came in handy because we were able to get some drinks (it seemed quite odd that you could buy beers or an entire bottle of wine if you wanted) and hang out in line. The burgers are good, quite good. I decided that if the line wasn't long it would easily be the first place I'd go to get a burger. We didn't try any shakes or custard because we weren't that hungry but I'll assume everything there is good.

From there we proceeded to walk around some more, eventually ending up at a bar where we couldn't watch the Phillies but were forced to watch the Yankees and Mets instead. We stayed for quite a long time because the conversation was good and very revealing. It kind of felt like a first date because I learned so much about John. Finally we left that bar and stopped by a friend of John's. After a couple drinks with them, it was 11 PM so we decided to stop by and see Caitlin at her night job. She bakes overnight at Amy's Breads in Chelsea Market. Quite a floury spectacle there but it seemed like a fun place to work, certainly with some characters. Then we went home and fell asleep, exhausted, though John had to eat some cookies first.
The next morning we slept late and loitered around with Caitlin, enjoying coffee and cinnamon challah rolls she brought from work. Finally we got ourselves together and went back into the city.

We meandered in Times Square, a place I don't like very much. We stopped in the M&M store, the Hershey store, and promptly had to leave them because there were too many people. We went up to Columbus Circle and the Time Warner Building so John could see per se and of course, we had to go into the Samsung store. They have amazing TVs. A brief foray into Central Park and then we headed back downtown to meet Amy and Dan for dinner. It was so good to see them, though dinner was mediocre. John had to leave then but the rest of us wandered down into Chelsea and Greenwich Village. There we happened upon some sort of Irish pub and went in for drinks and to see the Cubs lose. It was a great place and the bartender (who was supremely bored) gave us a few rounds of shots to liven up the night. Then I went back to Jersey City while Dan and Amy went uptown.
Monday morning, I met them in line to try to get rush tickets to Next to Normal. No luck there but that left us with time to go back to downtown and to Strand's Bookstore. An amazing place that I wish I lived near. But it's good that I don't because I would fill my home with books unnecessarily. By this time it was midday and we were all very hungry. Fortunately the night before on our way to the bar we walked by a fish and chips place that was on Bobby Flay's Throwdown. So we went there and it was perfect. Delicious. A Salt and Battery, it's called. The British guy working there was also perfect. Unfortunately, I had to depart soon after so I could be back in Philly to take Nolan to the airport. So I rode the MegaBus back which was very convenient though very cold.
All in all, it was a pretty nice weekend. And it's always a treat to see some Iowans. Almost a relief too, an assurance that I actually did go to school and meet these people and become friends with them and that we still are friends. I'm going to try to go back to Iowa in the fall but that's very tentative. Anyway, it was nice but now I have to get back to figuring out how to move to Vancouver.

Crossword Puzzles

Finally, my name was an answer! Sunday, July 5, Philadelphia Inquirer.

7 letters: Anderson of "The X-Files"

New Home

Well, I successfully found an apartment in Vancouver. It took a couple of long days and maybe some lowering of expectations but everything was accomplished. I suppose it wasn't about lowering my expectations so much as reexamining my needs. Anyway, I feel a lot netter knowing I have a place and it's exactly in the neighborhood I wanted to be in. Plus it's only 4 blocks from the beach and beautiful views. The apartment itself isn't much to talk about; nothing charming or unique but I'll certainly do my best to make it a nice home for myself.
I still haven't decided on the exact date when I'll move. It depends on a number of other factors but it'll be sometime in the next six weeks. Although I have the apartment thing done, it just opens up a bunch of other things that I need to do. Figuring out packing/ furniture, getting water/cable/internet hooked up, filling out loan and visa form correctly. It gets a little overwhelming when I start thinking about it so I'll just focus on one thing at a time. Today that means laundry and catching up on emails. Then dealing with utilities.

And I'll leave you with a picture of my beach.

On TV

Here in Canada, I'm watching the Discovery Channel. They don't have the same programming as in the U.S. I mean, currently showing is "The Great Sperm Race".
Description provided by Discovery Channel Canada: For a human to be conceived, the nearly half-a-billion sperm a man ejaculates must embark on an extraordinary journey through a "giant" obstacle course; with the use of CGI and dramatic recreations we follow their harrowing journey towards the egg.
No joke, one of the expert scientists was just talking about how awesome it was for him to first see his own sperm in a microscope. Also, a re-creation of the 'great sperm race' using people as the sperm, the lady's inside area is now being described as an immense mountain range. This should be shown in sex-ed everywhere.

Great Sperm Race

Sighted

A lady pushing a duck in a stroller.

One of these:
In one of these:

A Movie About My Life

Someone has finally decided to immortalize my life on film. Having read the synopsis, I'd say it's fairly accurate. I'll let you know when the premiere is.

FINALSTORM

Back in Canada

Just got into Vancouver a few hours ago. This time I will sign a lease. Starting tomorrow morning, I will canvass the neighborhoods I want to live in and just view everything I can. Tonight I'm plotting out the exact areas; fortunately, they're using a grid pattern around here so that makes my planning purposes easy. I have one appointment on Wednesday and a few emails out about others. It's such a mental strain not knowing where I'm going to be in six weeks.
I think I'm staying in a shadier part of downtown this time. So I won't be going out late, not that I did before. Also, the entirety of Granville Street is ripped up and blocked off which screws up the bus routes. That made my trip from my airport a little squirrelly. This is a pretty boring post. Sorry, I don't much feel like writing now. Maybe the next few days will provide more interest.

Dinner Party

Last night I had a couple of the girls over for dinner, just a small get together mid-week. Jamie, Megan, and Emily all attended and I think it went over well. Jamie and I just made a quick dinner of Mediterranean couscous, spring mix salad, and a margherita pizza. Simple but good. I think we should probably do this kind of thing more often. It's a nice way to see people without the whole weekend going out thing. And we always just end up talking and gossiping anyway so why not do it over food? Plus we put the Phillies game on in the background so we could watch them lose to the Blue Jays. Therefore, I will invite everyone over again the week after next (I'm in Vancouver next week) and I will make something delicious and bit more difficult. I think this will be spectacular.

Crafty

I was cleaning out my room the other day and came across some crafting supplies from my youth. Bags of brightly colored loops and a metal peg loom. What? You don't know what I'm talking about. This is what I mean:

I think you can make lots of things with it. But I only make pot-holders. OK, so I don't think you can make lots of things. The pinnacle might be a bath mat but that's essentially a bunch of pot-holders tied together. I've made so many pot-holders with this thing. I know my mom has some (and she actually uses them sometimes, I know this because they have food stains on them) and maybe my sisters do too. I'm not sure about that though; I'll make some for them this week. I gave a couple to John because he has no pot-holders or oven mitts. He doesn't seem to use them though.
Anyway, the point is making these things is weirdly fun. Monotonous but a little bit creative. OK, not creative so much as constructive. I know it's not needlepoint or quilting or anything that requires skill but at least I'm making something. Perhaps one day I'll really learn how to sew or knit. That'll be in 50 years when I have absolutely nothing else to do.

In case you want to buy your own:

Panini Genius

Last night John and I made panini for dinner. The panino is a typical late night food here at the Grady house; even Galen and Nolan will go to the effort to make one for themselves as a quick snack. So there's always some kind of bread/cheese/meat combo around for panini. UNtil now I generally stuck with the typical mozzarella/tomato/basil/Italian meat version as seen below. This one has prosciutto.

But we decided to change it up a little last night so we made the usual kind, an apple/cheddar/grilled chicken version, and finally a raspberry/walnut/goat cheese/chicken version. This last one was highly successful. The apple & cheddar was good but I think I'd want to try a different kind of cheese with that. It veered a little too much to the low budget grilled cheese as it was. The raspberry/walnut/goat cheese was delicious though. I don't have a picture of it because we ate it too fast but next time I'll get one.
It's terribly easy to make though. A medium-thin layer of regular raspberry jam, crumbled goat cheese, crushed walnuts (pat them into the cheese so they stick, and then thin sliced grilled chicken. Throw it on the press and enjoy. The raspberry lends some sweetness and cuts the goat cheese flavor a bit. And the cheese is very smooth, contrasted with crunchy walnuts. John always needs protein in his meals so that's why the chicken was added and it worked. I meant to put some fresh spinach leaves on there too but the tasting audience was impatient so that will have to wait for next time.

Keeping House

Again, it's just me and McGriff here at the house. Colin and Nolan left today for California and Mom and Dad are in Virginia at one of Dad's conferences. It's just a short time I'll be in charge here; the parents will be back Wednesday. Still, I've already accomplished a number of things. I did a lot of laundry because I knew John wouldn't do his so I just took it and did it myself. His room will look much cleaner. Also, after he left for work this morning, I hung curtains in his bedroom; I used a power tool.

Besides that, I took on a different sort of project today. I have proclaimed before that I am good at growing flowers but that's all child's play. The real challenge is weeding large expanses of one's backyard. So I started doing that and it's tiresome. Mom had expressed a desire to have an area of the yard weeded before the party so I figured I should just do it because I have the time. I think I got about a quarter of the way through when I called it quits for the day. That means there's a lot left to do but that's ok. I just hope the weather permits outside work tomorrow. I must say, this work was satisfying in the 'rip things out and see an immediate difference' kind of way. Dad's favorite type of work. And it's kind of a variation on organization because I'm getting rid of junk and leaving orderly space.

Leave It Better Than You Found It

That old motto is surprisingly fulfilling. I'd heard it before from my Boy Scout brothers and elsewhere but never thought much about it. But lately I've been trying to organize, clean, and improve the places where I spend time. And it has been deeply satisfying. It's simple things really: hanging a mirror in the garage, framing a picture and hanging it, throwing out junk, organizing cabinets and drawers. But all of these things make life a little easier, neater, aesthetically appealing, and cater to my obsessive compulsive tendencies.

So the garage apartment will hopefully look a bit more home-y when I leave, various rooms in the house will be more organized and decorated, and some long neglected projects will be that much nearer to completion. I like it a lot. I've also found it's very nice "to nest" and create home-like spaces. I haven't ever done much in that way because I've always felt fairly transitory but it does make a big difference. So even if I'll only be somewhere for a year, I think I'll make the effort to create a home. It's weird to think about, though I'm glad I have this characteristic.

Vancouver 2.0

Just booked a trip to Vancouver for June 22-26. The sequel to my original Vancouver visit will feature: more apartment hunts, bus rides, getting my student id, harassing the financial aid office/international student office, more picture taking.

It's a relief to just know that the trip is booked and now I can tailor my internet research towards these specific dates. Hopefully the housing situation will be awesome... or at least not miserable.

After Memorial Day

Ok so now I can wear white shoes, right? I never did understand that rule but whatever.

John and I went to Wildwood for the weekend and stayed with his family. It was very nice and we had good weather. Unfortunately, we both got some sunburns so we only ended up on the beach for about 2 hours. Nonetheless, it was fun and the beach was still just a bit cold so I didn't feel like I was cheating myself. We played some wiffle-ball, went to the boardwalk but had to quickly leave because the Wildwood boardwalk is kind of atrocious, sat outside a lot, listened to some Irish music, and had a good time. Summary: it was a lovely weekend.

John is moving this upcoming weekend so a lot of time has been spent on this. Mainly counseling and advising and calming him as he gets all worked up. I'm (mostly) happy to help. Even though I think it's at the expense of the things I need to do. That's probably my fault though because I don't want to deal with everything so I'd rather focus on him. I will get it together somehow though. If I can complete my FAFSA this week, I'll feel much better. I hope.

Apartment hunt is till on. I am trying to participate in an aspirin research study which doesn't take the place of a job but will help the financial situation.

Post Birthday Post

Not my birthday, Grandpa King's 80th. Quite the bash, as some of you may be able to imagine. He and Carol were here for a few days; we all took in Erin's law school graduation on Sunday and then celebrated the birthday on Monday. The last few days before that were a scramble for me to pull together the genealogy project. I was happy with it though, as always, I thought it could look a bit more professional. But the hardest thing for me was to accept that fact that it can't ever really be done. There's always something to add as the family grows and all the while, one must continue researching all the generations that are long past. I liked it though and will certainly continue with it. Plus Grandpa loved it so that was really, really nice to see. And gratifying.

Updates on Vancouver: I thought I had locked in a deal with a girl to be her roommate and move into the vacancy left be her departing German exchange student friend. She called me and offered the place and we worked out some details. Then an hour later she emailed me and took back the offer because a friend of a friend turned up and wanted the place. That was really disappointing and frustrating. So I have to begin the apartment search all over again and plan another trip out there. I feel like I'm in the same place I was two months ago. No progress has been made at all.

I though I had a job set up at Flynn and O'Hara but that doesn't seem to to be happening either. So now I have to find a job again. Something I realize I could've easily done a year ago and I would be feeling much better now. At least financially. I know I messed up this year and that's terribly frustrating because it's something that can never be fixed. Just saying 'oh well' doesn't make it any better either.

But I guess I should focus on the summer job thing entirely now. Well, that and researching apartments, planning a trip to Vancouver, applying for loans, seeing my friends more, maintaining some sort of stable relationship with John, and enjoying the my last couple months here. Oh and not panicking about school. So that's what I'll be doing this week and probably the rest of the summer.

More on Vancouver

Let’s turn to how the people of Vancouver comport themselves. They are a courteous, polite and helpful group. I think this is best seen on public transportation, or at least busses because that’s all I rode. Upon boarding the bus, the driver will generally say hello or pleasantly respond to your hello, answer questions, and guide you safely to your destination. Your fellow passengers are also a delight. Those seats reserved for the elderly or disabled really are reserved for the elderly and disabled. Any passenger can and will sit in them but the moment someone steps on the bus who may want or require a seat, a few people will pop up and offer their seats. You’d expect a gentleman to do this but it everyone in Vancouver gets in on the courtesy thing. Schoolboys, college students (both fairly self-centered populations), and basically everyone. It’s nice to see and I can’t wait until I get to be elderly or disabled and get the good seats.
Continuing on the bus, I became familiar with another pleasant phenomenon. Upon disembarking, a great many people will call a quick “thanks” or thank you” to the driver. This is especially true if departing from the rear doors and it seemed markedly popular among young people, high school and college age. Lesson here: always be polite on the bus.
Vancouver, and I suspect other areas of Canada are similar, still retains some British characteristics, as I mentioned in an earlier post. I can’t give a full rundown because I have not been to the U.K., but my viewing of British television and movies assures me that I am correct. Also, Mom told me too. I found the turns-of-phrase to be the easiest British holdovers to identify. Notably, there’s the use of “cheers” to end conversations but particularly emails. Sometimes I could swear I heard a British person talking but really it was a curious Canadian accent. The art of the Canadian accent deserves it’s own extensive analysis, a task I will undertake after I have dwelled among them for a few weeks. I don’t think I can do it justice now.
However, Canada has asserted itself and departed from some British ways. In Vancouver, there are no queues nor are there lines, like one would find in its close neighbor U.S.A. Rather, there are line-ups. People will line up in a line-up. Signs will say, “Line-up forms here” and I heard people ask, “Is this the line-up?” A curious thing at first but not so strange really.

On People in Vancouver

After 5 days in Vancouver, I’m fairly certain I can summarize the entire city for you. A friendly city of 2 million, Vancouver is sometimes called Van, Vancity, or Terminal City. This last nickname was originally proposed as the city’s official name because it is the terminal for, well, everything, especially railroads if you’re a 19th century settler.
But the historical facts can be found in any travel guide. You’re here because you want my impressions and judgments. So here they are.
Vancouver is kind of like Philadelphia, just replace every African-American with an Asian-Canadian. Yep, lots of Asians. Makes sense and was expected though I never thought about what it would be like to not see other ethnicities. Everywhere there are white people and Asian people, but very few black or Indian or Middle Eastern. Maybe it’s kind of like being back at Iowa but with an extra splash of Asian grad students. There does seem to be a reasonable Hispanic population though and I saw a number of Mexican restaurants which was exciting for me and my Hispanic heritage. Also, trendy Asians.
Now, putting aside ethnicity, Vancouver-ites (maybe? I should look up what they’re actually called) are slim, athletic people. Not many overweight types to be seen. They all seem to love outdoor activities, from skiing to biking to hiking to beaching to Frisbee golf. This means I have to start doing all those things more, a lot more. Sometimes when they’re outside, they partake in less physical activities. I speak now of marijuana. While, contrary to popular belief, it is not legal, marijuana seems prevalent. I passed a number of coffee shops that wafted the scent of weed out onto the street and young people seem to enjoy the recreational drug frequently. I don’t think I’ll pick this activity up again. One summer in the Netherlands was sufficient.
Along with the outdoor enthusiasts, there is a sizable homeless population. Mostly harmless, though there is a small pocket in downtown that has a bad reputation. Like many other cities, Vancouver’s homeless are often mentally disabled or suffering from addictions. The main concern right now is what to do with them during the Olympics. Apparently Montreal shipped its homeless out on busses to other cities. Maybe Vancouver will do the same because how dare the homeless mar this global event’s image!

Empire

I think I just saw a Multi-Grain Cheerios commercial that had been dubbed over with British accents. It's exactly the same as the one I'm familiar with from the U.S. but I'm pretty sure that one was in American. Not so here in Canada. It was part of the British Empire so sure, why not dub things with British accents.

In Vancouver, BC, CA

Yes, I am currently in Canada. I will describe it all soon (my return to travel writing!) but for now I have to go look at some overpriced apartments. Just note that Vancouver is pretty awesome, even when it's raining.

Two Grand Slams!

Jamie, Megan, John and I went to the Phillies game last night. They were playing the Nationals and things looked a little grim at first. But, oh how the turntables...
Two grandslams put the Phillies in the lead and gave them the win. Very nice. Also, Dollar Dog Night (I ate two) was a success as always. An unfortunate circumstance marred the evening a bit though. The weather has been hot for the past few days which is in itself not a bad thing. But some drainage pipes in the ballpark were perhaps not working as they should so Section 313 kept getting whiffs of warm sewage. Unpleasant is how I'd describe it. Nevermind though. It was fun and the game was good.

Dodgeball: Our first game last week was outstanding! Well, I don't know about outstanding but we did win. I attribute this win, in part, to the fact that we were playing a team made up of all girls and one boy. I don't mean to be sexist but most of the girls couldn't throw the ball as hard so it was easier for our team to dodge and catch. I will include myself in the category of girls not able to throw the ball hard. Anyway, this week's game will be a little more difficult and will be down a player (male). Still, we have some serious weapons out there. My confidence is way up on this; it's not hard to play and it's fun. Although, embarrassingly, I tired very quickly and my legs were sore for much too long after the last game. Perhaps regular exercise would be beneficial.

Vancouver Visit

I finally booked my ticket for Vancouver. I'll be there for the first week of May. Boy, do I hate booking flights/hotels because it's expensive and a commitment. Not great. Still, I am excited to see the place where I will be living for the next two years. I am hoping I can meet some faculty and other grad students, figure out financial aid stuff, plan my registration, and hope of all hopes, find a place to live. Also, learn Canadian things like public transportation and moneys. (When I type moneys, it often comes out as monkeys. Reason why I should just use proper English.)

Other than that, life is inching along. Villanova classes are nearly over; I'll be taking my two exams next week before jetting off. I'm also going to a Phillies game, my first of the season, with Jamie and John. It's Dollar Dog Night and they're playing the Nationals. Cheap hot dogs and an ok chance of a win? Count me in.

I have an awesome thing in the works right now that I can't reveal to you yet. But you should be excited because it will change your life. It is allowing me to hone some skills that I don't really have but it'll be good. I should be able to reveal it to you within the next 3 weeks.

Things that aren't fun: finding a place to live in Vancouver, finding John a place to live in the Philadelphia metro area, fidning a low budget job when you're over-qualified.

Thing that are fun: sunshine, reading in the sunshine, naps.

Dodgeball

In a bold move, encouraged by Jamie, I joined a dodgeball team through the Philadelphia Sports Network. Jamie and a bunch of her friends were getting it together and they needed more ladies to meet the quota. So I said sure. Anyway, the league starts on Thursday and we have the first game. Naturally. Ah well, it's a social/recreational thing so hopefully nobody takes it too seriously. I know my team doesn't. It's every Thursday for six or eight weeks. I can't quite recall but I don't think we'll make the playoffs (unless all the teams make the playoffs) so our season will be shorter.

Now, I don't want to sound defeatist and like I have no faith in my team. But none of us have many skills, at least not that I'm aware. Team spirit? Yes, plenty of that. Not so many skills though. Our color is red though so I'll have to find some red socks and maybe shorts. Face-paint? Potentially. I think I'm the tallest person on the team though. Very nice.

Moral of the story: if you have some spare time on a Thursday night, come down to the 12th St. Gym, wear red, and cheer for my team, Balls to the Face. You'll make friends. Philadelphia Sports Network told me so.

Family Tree

I picked up the genealogy project again and have had great success. Using DAR tools, it's much easier to organize lineages but it doesn't leave much room for who these people were. Fortunately, census records have details about occupations and relocations and people connected to the family (i.e. workers who lived on the farms). A somehow related individual by the name of Wilbur L. King wrote a book over 50 years ago that deals with the original Kings (Konigs) who immigrated here which I ordered and should arrive in a few weeks. I hope that fills in the personal details of these names and can give some interesting facts about the family. I also think I'm going to order a copy of the most recent DAR application that names Jacob King as the patriot ancestor so I can use that in my application. It's the documentation portion that takes the most time. But at least I'm in Pennsylvania now and if a need arises to actually visit any archives, I can do so fairly easily. Mom has to decide on what kind of format she wants this to take though. Hopefully it'll be an informationally dense and interesting look at the King family.

Facebook

De-friending people on Facebook is my new hobby. I don't really want Facebook in my life but I feel like I can't get out entirely. So I'm gradually reducing use until it will simply be something that is around but doesn't actually affect my daily life. Sorry if I've offended you by not being your friend anymore, but chances are that if I have removed our "friendship" we never really were friends. I have no interest in knowing what you're doing and if you have an interest in what I'm doing, I am uncomfortable. So that's it, Facebook, you're not running my life anymore.

Spring already!

Well, technically it is spring and the sun is shining today, but it's a little cool for my tastes. Soon enough though. I've been busy with travel and friends recently. Amee and Christina were both in Philly last week. Christina had some schools to visit and Amee was spring-breaking with me. It was so good to see some Iowa folks, though a little odd to see them out of context. Still, it was a fun visit.



Then, because John had a couple of days between jobs, we went to Atlantic City and met up with Dan and Christina there. I had never been to AC nor have I ever gambled so it was an experience. I still haven't really gambled but I know how to play craps now. It was good to visit but I can firmly say that Atlantic City isn't really my place which leads me to believe Vegas really isn't my place. Good thing I have no plans to ever go there.

This week is calmer; just class and some chores. However, I leave on Friday for the Eta Sigma Phi Convention in Memphis. I'll be there until Sunday and I'll see some more Iowa kids as well as people we met at last year's convention. I'm kind of crashing the event with another girl but hey, they should be happy to have such enthusiastic kids around. Hopefully, I can figure out a way to see some of Memphis too. I can probably convince some kids to ditch. Otherwise I'm on my own.

As for Vancouver, I'm checking apartments every couple of days to see how the market is. It's a little expensive but oh well. The student visa thing will be a breeze because Americans and Canadians are practically the same people. I can just apply for it when I enter Canada. Very nice. I still don't know much about classes and I feel like I should have some paperwork to fill out but there's nothing that I can find. I want to visit in April/May so I can at least get eyes on the campus and some people I'll be seeing every day. I'll focus on that once I'm back from Memphis.

Spring Break

In Laguna Beach for spring break. It's obviously warmer here than in Philly but not sunny like I hoped. Maybe tomorrow. Mom and I flew out early to escape the snow storm which was a wise move. I have to figure out what to do with myself while I'm here. Sure, I have homework and can read but there's no Wii Fit which is my new favorite thing. Also I want it to be really warm and summery so I can go to the beach.

Anyway, I'm making John take me to the Flower Show when I get home. And hopefully his mom too so he can look like a thoughtful son and so I can meet her. We went to the Victory Brewing Co. this past weekend which was fun. Excellent beer and fun people around those parts. Next time I think we'll have to eat there too. I'm trying to make us do more fun things. I'm thinking some hikes, picnics, baseball games, Amish country, and who knows what else. It's going to be great.

West Coast Tour

Hells yeah, University of British Columbia. You want me too AND you'll give me moneys. The downside to this is now I have to make a decision.

I shall begin planing my west coast travels. Eugene, Vancouver, and Spokane while I'm at it.

Future

Good news. I was accepted into Oregon's Classics MA program. It's the first one I've heard from but I only needed to get into one school to have a future. So I have a future. I'm obviously excited and know I should go out and visit there. But I still have to wait on the others so I can have a better idea of what my options are. You can start researching Eugene, Oregon though to decide if you want to visit me there.

I feel like when I read other people's blogs they are full of current events, political/social commentary, and philosophical musings. I write about my plant. Should I change that? I suppose I could be less egocentric and actual write about things that are relevant to my life but also to society as a whole. But does Erin even want to read that? Ah well, perhaps I shall make a more concerted effort to comment on things outside myself. Perhaps I shall just continue doing what I'm doing because I am my most interesting subject.

Narcissus

Look at what I've nurtured! It even smells good too!

plants

I planted a narcissus a couple week ago and it's looking really good. My mom gave me the bulb for Christmas and I wasn't sure if I should be insulted that she gave me the narcissus while my sisters got lilies or orchids or something. But I'm pretty sure it wasn't a comment on my personality so I feel better about that.

And that plant that I've had for years and periodically (read: every month) let die is also doing well. It just bounces right back even if I forget to water it for months. But I haven't been forgetting so that's nice. I'm getting really good at nurturing plants.

Snow Day!

Snow days are much less exciting when you don't actually have anything that could get cancelled. Well, my one class today did get cancelled so that's a tiny something. I plan on doing pages upon pages of Latin but that is unlikely.

Well, I have my parts of my applications in but some people are being rather delinquent in their efforts. I don't know what else to do except keep telling them they need to do it. Some have been fantastic and did everything right away. But what else can I do? I can't get in unless they submit their recommendations. And deadlines have passed! My options are dwindling here. I mean, I know I'm not best friends with them and wasn't the best student, but how long can it really take to write a letter? You don't even have to write 6 different letters, just change some names here and there. So I'm getting worried but I don't want to be annoying. I guess this is one of those things that I have to be annoying about though.

John and I are going to Baltimore this weekend to visit his friends and watch the Super Bowl. We'll see how that goes. I've never really gone out with him and his friends because they are jackasses when they go out. I like to think he's grown up a little in the past few months but I don't know if that's true. It should be interesting.

And finally, I am donating blood tomorrow. I don't even know if they'll let me because of that anemia thing but I'm going to try. I don't need all my blood anyway.

MLK Day

Nice to have a day off after just one week of being back in semi-school. But what to do with so much free time? Good thing I have homework now. And I definitely have to go grocery shopping because 4 string cheeses and various condiments do not count as food. I should start pretending to be a real person. I might even work on my cooking skills. I could be good at it.
I realized I don't have much to say right now. Mom is in Laguna now so it's just me and Dad at home. Interesting. I will not practice my cooking skills on him because I am not an enabler.

Back to school

Classes at Villanova started today. I'm only taking 6 credits so that's easy; 1 class/day, 3 days/week. I had Latin today and it's a good thing I enrolled because there's only 5 kids in the class. I'm the oldest one there. Nice. But this means I'll always have to do my homework because the chances of being called on are VERY high. However, we're reading Cicero's In Catalinam first which I've already read twice. It'll be an easy transition back into school and the Nova way of doing Classics. Then the second half of the semester I can read something new. And no quizzes!

I liked being on campus even if the student body was vastly different (at least in looks) from Iowa. Upon first glance, I'm glad I didn't got there for undergrad but that'll probably change as I find out things to be jealous of. Tomorrow night I have a 3 hour night class which doesn't sound great. But maybe I won't mind that kind of class now that I don't have 4 others to take up my time.

This past weekend the American Philological Association and the American Institute of Archaeology had a joint conference in Philly. I went to two days of it and saw some folks that I know but mostly sat around and was intimidated by the level of scholarship. I don't know if I can do that but that's what people will be expecting of me in the not too distant future. Still, I heard some interesting stuff and I'm glad I went to least experience what those things are like. It's clear that this would bore the general population to death, almost literally. And I know that I'm still on the cooler side of Classics, not saying much there but I'll take it. Hopefully, I can go next year with some of my new Classics department. That'll be awesome, in a way.

2009

After a prolonged hiatus due to holidays/applications/temp job/laziness, I'm back. I'll recap the last 6-7 weeks by saying things were nice and busy. Lots of family, food, some friends, some drink. And lots of going to the post office. We spent New Year's in Laguna and went to the Rose Bowl. Iowa would've won. And now, I'm back in Philly and it's 2009.
I sent my last application off this morning and realized I may have put the wrong addresses on my transcript requests. Oops. Guess I won't be going to that school either. No matter. If at least two of my applications make it to their destinations complete, I think I stand a fair chance of actually going to grad school. I hope. I don't even care where I go. I just need to go. At least I'll be taking a class or two at Villanova and those start next week. At least, hopefully I'll be taking classes. I still need to register I think. I'm going to feel so old but I just want to do some homework.
Clearly, I need to actually do things and not just talk about them/write them on lists. But I'll be meeting Amy and Abi in New York later this week to see a show (Into the Heights or Billy Elliot) and watch Amy try on wedding dresses. YES! Then the APA/AIA conference will be in town and I'll have to try to be somewhat impressive around my former professors and probably future professors. That will be difficult. Busy week here.
Fortunately, I've got some good things coming my way. Namely, John has promised me up to three date nights. 1. because I finished my grad school applications 2. because he just wanted to take me out on a nice date and 3. because...I don't remember. I may have made that third one up. Still, fun. And ice-skating. We haven't done that yet. And Restaurant Week is later in January and apparently he's a big fan so I get to go with him. I sent out Christmas invoices so I should theoretically be replenishing my bank account (the likelihood of Galen paying up is very small though). Amee is going to visit in March, after I get my wisdom teeth out. I can also start planning some visits to grad school and Colin and Sarina's wedding will continue to be the only thing Colin talks about but it'll be so much fun when it actually happens.
hey-o 2009. Looking good.