made it

Well sports fans, it's been a while. I really meant to write something sooner, about what was going on in my life or whatever, but I was without internet at home since I moved house in early August, and also things were sort of unsure for a while, so I figured what was the point. In short: I had applied in April to work in Spain as an "English conversational assistant", and we were supposed to find out in June if we'd gotten a job. By July I hadn't heard anything, and my plans changed to staying in Toronto working at Cream or wherever else. My lease was up in August, so I found a one-bedroom near Danforth and Pape, which was nearer to work, and in an area of Toronto that I really liked, so I was pretty excited to stay. Of course, Spain being Spain, I found out about mid-July that I did indeed have a job as a conversational assistant, starting October 1st. Grrrrrreat.

When the letter arrived, Will was visiting and so he can attest to the great torment I experienced. I felt badly for my new landlord, whom I had told that I would be living in the apartment for at least a year, and I had a hard time changing my mentality from staying in Toronto with my friends and my great new place to getting all my shit together to get to Spain on time. Will was great encouragement in this regard, as was Ev - thank God for friends who know what's best for you, even when it's not best for them. It took me a week to wrap my head around it, then a few weeks more to get my papers in order for the visa application. In the meantime, I moved to the new place with fewer possessions and figured out how to distribute my things amongst my friends once it was time to leave. My visa came through mid-September, and I finally bought a flight to Barcelona just this past weekend. (Evan's magic fingers got me a good price. Thanks Evvy!)

It was a little stressful still, cleaning out the apartment and getting everything organized, while trying to spend as much time as possible with friends. Somehow a hundred things pop up when you plan on leaving - all the little things that needed doing for months suddenly need to be done now, plus suddenly you have to plan ahead and get a year-long supply of contacts or whatever. Quéeee rollo. Pero bueno, ya está.

I flew out Wednesday evening, arriving in Heathrow in the "morning", and getting to Barcelona at 12.30 on Thursday. I tried to drug myself with Gravol on the long flight, and it kind of worked, but it made me feel really weird, like I was itchy or something, but I wasn't. Next time I'll take four and hopefully not wake up for seven hours. But really you've only got four hours to sleep anyhow. Yada yada, you get your drink, then it's time for supper, and by the time you finish that it's 10pm. Snore snore snore. I drifted in and out, but I was in the fucking middle seat, so there's nowhere to lean your head. On the bright side, no complaints about my seatmates. Nice German man and some quiet Canadian guy. My German's suffered, as a side note.

I'm rambling. I got to Barcelona, where Inga and her boyfriend Isidro picked me up. After lunch at her place (mm.. love Inga's cooking always), we spent the rest of the day walking around Barcelona. It was neat-o, it's 'La Mercè' right now (whatever the hell that is) so there were random concerts all over and frighteningly large human figures in a parade. Got to bed for a hearty five or less hours sleep before getting up this morning to catch the train to Irún. So how's Irún? Well, I went out from the hostel to buy some groceries and was like... it looks like frigging Sunday around here. What day is it again? But then I remembered that it was siesta. So I'll try again in a little bit and see if it still looks like a dead zone. .... Probably. Who are we kidding here. I need to head over to San Sebastián or something for some real action.

Anyhoo, it's that exciting time again of tying up loose ends. Gotta find a place to live, get a bank card, a cell phone, and some other errands that I don't remember right now. So long, faithful readers (I realize that that 's' is highly optimistic on my part) and till next time in the "watch Laura pretend she speaks French" saga. Oh yeah, did I mention I'm supposed to be speaking French to these kiddies? *gags* Aaaaaadiós.

happy?

Things seem to be going well. . . I've been looking for a place to move to since my lease is up in August, and I decided that I wanted to live on the Danforth around Chester or Pape station.  My search commenced, I looked at a couple places, and before I could make up my mind at all about them, POOF! they were snatched up by someone else. Hmmm. I see the housing market moves fast around this Danforth place. Anyway, today I looked at one more place which the owner had been slow in getting back to me about, and... I don't want to get too excited before it's all wrapped up/I move in and discover the fatal flaw, but I am very pleased with it so far. It is much bigger than the other two places I looked at, for the same price, and furthermore is nicer. They just put in new flooring, the cabinets are new, they're replacing the carpet... no old-people carpet for me! I've realized I actually dislike carpet. Probably because I shed so much and also because I despise vacuuming.  The moral of the story is I need to go to the bank tomorrow and get those people some money, so the other prospective tenants bugger off. Do wish me luck. I'll be very happy to get this tied up.

My lovely Jocelyne came to visit me today and we had a wonderful long date. Jumped on the trampoline (told off tonight via paper slipped under the door from one of the girls upstairs... you're going to put up a tramp in the backyard, not use it, and be offended when someone takes advantage of it? Nigga please, as Yunior and Evan would both say.), picked raspberries from the bush, visited Vic College, had two crêpes each on Queen St (I do recommend Café Crêpe) and went down to see the colours change on the CN Tower. We finally walked down to the harbourfront and admired the marina and some crazy slopey dock - pictures will follow.

Other fun stuff in my life has included bird-sitting a cute Quaker parrot named Harry for Ryan and Teresa (I think he's still alive... at least, Teresa hasn't contacted me reporting his death) and playing with the lemurs at the Peterborough zoo. Reub was kind enough to pick me up from Yorkdale last Saturday and take me home with him, where we made delicious chili before checking out the lemurs/large frogs/mini-train ride/snakes at the zoo, gorging on pub food and trying not to fall asleep at the Dears concert, which was good, just very late. I'm also doing my best to plow through a few books, but now I'm up against completing War and Peace and those last few hundred pages are going to take me awhile unless I really gun it.  Actually, I went to the Toronto Reference Library today to take out some more books but as I learned, you can't actually take out the ones in the stacks. I guess that's why it's called the "reference" library. USELESS!! Oh I know, you can take stuff out from the browsery, but by the time I was refused my books it was too late and I had to meet Joce at Union.

All the useless information on the TTC going home tonight was about Michael Jackson's funeral. All of it. I've already started complaining about the calibre of the news on those stupid tv's, but this was impressive. I did like the bit about his golden coffin, but the quote they published from Nelson Mandela was not worthy of him. Something about him being the King of Pop. Reeeally...

Right, so I mentioned the death of Sammy in the previous post. He's been replaced by what looks like an identical twin, but without the tattoo. I managed to walk out of the Apple store without paying, so we'll see how long that lasts for. People either react to that piece of news like "sweet!" or "what, you're not going to give it back?".  Give it back, my ass... once again: "Nigga please!".  (Please don't consider that a racial slur, I'm just quoting from literature. That doesn't count, right?)

Well, time for bed, thanks for reading, chers Amit et Will. To the latter of you, I will see you very soon. Ohhhh.... yes.

right, so...

Right, so I've been meaning to post something for a while, if only to mark the small and wondrous change in my life that is the transition from the Masters to working.  This probably won't be too coherent; I haven't been this tired for quite some time. It's only 11pm but I've been getting up (or at least waking up) at 7.30 for a few days, regardless of whether I get to bed at 1am, 2... so I'm looking forward to sleep tonight. 8 hours whaaat! So I must be in bed by 11.30.

I left Ryan's early tonight... as per the use' (yooj - I really must find out how one spells the abbreviation for 'usual'. Anyone?) we had a potluck and played Taboo (ok, I've been there what twice now?).  It's great fun, I like hanging out and Ryan is good at guessing my Taboo clues. It seems that the tireder I get the better I am at the game, so I'm almost convinced I should stay and keep playing, but tonight I was starting to feel shaky and stuff.

Then I got home and realized that it FUCKING rained on my FUCKING clothes AGAIN, the ones I keep putting on the line (without clothespins) and that keep getting rained on, FUCK YOU rain. They get tossed off the line onto the dirty ground and then rained on, and it sucks. For some reason it made me really really angry, but I think I'm just beyond tired. But enough about that. It's sum-up time.

So, my last paper of my Spanish masters at the University of Toronto was due in on May 8, and as I was scheduled to be back home in Yellowknife at that point, I finished it in my new house and e-mailed it in.  Right, so, as a recap, the 'rents moved to the Northwest Territories this past November and were renting a house which I visited at Christmas; they have now purchased a home that is cute and backs onto a park for Bou to run around and terrorize people in. It's also near the lake we walked on at winter. In May when I was there there was still snow, but it wasn't -35 which was a nice change, and instead of 6 hours of twilight we got... oh I don't know, a lot of sunlight. Much longer hours than here.

So I spent a week in Yellowknife just chillaxing at home, which consists of watching movies, reading as much as I can, going outside with Bou and hanging out with the parents. Reub wasn't home the same time as me because he started work at the Peterborough zoo on May 1st I believe... man how cool is that? He works at a zoo! I've got to go visit. No wait, it's in Peterborough. Maybe not.

After Yellowknife I came back to Toronto for the May 2-4, that is, Victoria Day weekend, which I spent with Ben, Anna, and Evan at the cottage in Kettle Point. It was nice although too short; we didn't really get a chance to settle in, but then again it was probably a blessing considering we ran out of water the last day we were there and had to boil bottled water to do the dishes. What a cushy life we lead.

Then I really spent a week just doing nothing but keeping busy; I have yet to see the dentist, however... I'll try to get an appointment for the next couple days. I have no idea if that's doable. 

I got a job in a creamery/café type place that Danielle whom I know from school is opening up. I was soooo happy not to have to look for work, and I'm really looking forward to the job. I've only worked about 15 hours so far... actually probably less than that... since we're still working on opening. So I've made and painted furniture, cleaned and sanitized stuff, and today I painted a blackboard on the wall. That was fun. It looks pretty good.  So I'm planning on working there for the summer. I applied to be an "auxiliar de conversación" in Spain for next year, but of course the Spanish government is snail-slow in getting back to us. I say 'us' because Jocey and Brysey also applied and as far as I know they haven't heard anything. Maybe they're just lying to me, though.

I have ten minutes. So what else is new? I had delicious perogies in Roncesvalles with Jeannine and co. on Thursday night. I thankfully avoided the copious amount of vodka being passed around, although some of us weren't so lucky (*cough* Evan). Oh! and my iPod kicked the bucket. Oh, Sammy... it's hard to see you go. I got the sad iPod icon and was told by the Apple people that there was nothing they could do; it was simply his time. Isn't that bullshit? You spend x hundred dollars (I can't remember how much I paid for him now) on a beloved iPod and it's due to die in two-and-a-half years? I don't know about that. He always seemed a bit sickly, but nonetheless, he should've lasted longer, in my opinion. I bought a Shuffle coincidentally, which is great for running and moving around, but it just doesn't do the same thing for me that Sammy did. Where's the variety? Where's the option to choose?

The only other semi-interesting things in my life are that I'm reading a good book right now - A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving - and I kind of learned how to shoot a basketball correctly. I'm still working on it. Ok, it's time for bed now. Eventually hopefully I'll put something of merit on this blog - but oh, who are we kidding. I think only Inga reads it anyway. . ........ Inga?! hahah.

GOOD NIGHT

WINTER GO AWAY

Ok, so really now... why must God taunt us?  Snow at the beginning of April was exaggerated enough, but must we maintain 5 degree weather? My hands are starting to suffer! They're tired of being dry! I thought I'd be able to stop wearing a third layer, but nope! And Georgia is still suffering through the tempests out there in the backyard, while I neglect her and use my Metropass! 

I did go for an absolutely lovely run on Friday, however - that's maybe the most frustrating thing. I love running outside and I was finally able to do so, and then of course come back and spend some time on Map My Run (combining running AND maps!), but the goddamn cold is now back to thwarting my life.

Classes are over, which is awesome (and not awesome). Last class with Rupp was classic - or was it? I don't know, but our photo session à la grad student (Rupp included) and debriefing session brought sunshine into my life once more.

Here's to finishing the year without suicide! Hoo-Rah! 

light!

I love spring!! Yes I do complain that there's no real spring in Canada, and that it's so ugly with the dead grass and absence of leaves on the tree, but I do very much appreciate the greater quantities of light that we've been receiving these last few weeks.  Everyone knows that in the dead of winter here people get depressed from the lack of light, and it's crazy to see how measurable the change is when sunshine starts coming back.

It's still cold out, but somehow everything is different when you realize it's 6.30 pm and the room is still bright.  It's like even if I should be really stressed, I just can't stress with this beautiful sunshine.

I can't wait for summer.

whatevs!

I don't write often and I don't write about much. I know, I know. I think I'm the only one that reads this blog anyway so I just write things to entertain myself. But I know it's a vicious cycle, I don't write anything, there's no reason for anyone to read it, so I don't write anything, etc.

Of course, if I did anything of interest it would make more sense for me to write.

...

I just wanted to make clear that the title of my blog is NOT Vanessa Carlton-inspired.  I don't think she uses this exact phrase, but when it came time to pick a name, I just opened a book I was reading (Daniel Deronda, oh yes) and picked the first adequate phrase I saw. So there you have it.

I kinda want to recap my week, because it was a good one.  First I went out with Anna and Ben (Banna as they will soon be known, thanks to Sumeep) for St. Pattie's, at the Victory Café.  Always a good time with them, which was to be repeated later in the week at Friday night dinner and tax-filing time!  Nothing like pasta, fruit salad and the promise of cold hard cash to make for an enjoyable night. 

On Thursday I got to kick someone's ass at Rockband, both on the drums and guitar, before proceeding to (the?) Tranzac to drink red wine and scare away scuzzies... and oh yeah, watch Brenda's brother play the bass.  

Then Saturday it was nice to hang around the conference for a bit, before pizza and Taboo at Ryan and T(h)eresa's.  And NO I haven't dug myself out of the dark pit made up of my academic duties, but look at me! I'm in the library on a Sunday, listening to the guy in the carrel behind me snoring! 

Number of people in the reading room at Pratt - 17. Of that, number of Asians - 11. Not bad, not bad. People are friggin' dedicated.

I'm annoyed at three things, however: 

1. two of my favourite t-shirts have gone MIA, and as we all know, I pretty much own(ed) three t-shirts.  So I've been wearing the third all week, and will continue to do so until my new shipment from Threadless arrives. (Spring sale still on!)

2. the lack of internet service in my house. The network disappeared ya hace rato, but I survived on free networks, which have now also become unavailable to me.

3. that my card and/or the secret basement door refuses to let me into the basement to get to the Cueva. As a result, I am left without snacks and a comfy couch to read on.

So in case you're waiting for an update on my future, I don't have one. I still haven't looked for a job for the summer, and I don't know where I'm going to be next year. Yes, I would like to travel this summer, but I don't know when would be a good time to do it if I'm supposed to be working.  What the hell, maybe I'll just take the whole summer off and join Anna and Ben in Germany before skipping off to the Middle East.  No worries, right? As Sumeep would say, "yeeeeahhhhhhh."

lo que yo no entiendo

you can't hold it too tight

these matters of security

you don't have to be wound so tight, smoking on the balcony

but it's that sleaze in the park

you women, you have no self-control

the angels remark outside

you were known for insatiable needs

i don't know a thing

i've seen love, and i've followed the speeding of starlight

i've seen love, and i've followed the speeding of starswept night

yeah pace is the trick