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.
26 September 2009
22 September 2009
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.
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.
11 September 2009
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
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
08 September 2009
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.
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.
03 September 2009
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.
02 September 2009
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.
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.
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