Shout outs

These are shouts out to my friends everywhere. (I’m typing this on a French keyboard, so forgive me if some accidental accents show up. I think they should also provide character, and the word processor started me off my underlining every word that doesn’t also happen to be French also).

Shout out to Lila who finally put a new post on her blog and realized that the comments weren’t working before. Thanks for not believing me at the time.

Shout out to Laura who doesn’t have any time to write me a proper email and instead refers me to her blog. But its actually ok because she is having the time of her life in BC, so I’m happy for her and can’t wait to hear about it all, as well as when she is actually going to visit me.

Shout out to my brother and sister-in-law who are expecting my first niece/nephew in like a week (my guess is that the kid will steal all my thunder by being born on my birthday, but that can’t really be helped).

Shout out to Dinah who’s blog I read every chance I get and who I know sometimes writes things in her posts just to let me know she remembers all the good times we had. I miss you Dinah! And about the applying for grad school thing, I know EXACTLY how you feel.

Shout out to Sue who is always open to talking to me and who is currently making things happen in her life. Right Sue?

Shout out to Rachel who is rocking it up in her 4th year, I’m sad that I have seen so little of you this year, but I’ll hold it together.

Shout out to the rest of the Living Room, its not the same here without you.

Shout out to Ben and Marike. Because they are my friends. And shout out to Nicolene too, but I’m not expecting her to check my blog anytime soon.

Shout out to Megs in Alberta.

Shout out to Roz. Hahaha, you still have 2 year of undergrad left!

Shout out to Tala, my grad school buddy (who is at a different school). And Sara too, you get a shout out.

Shout out to Danny because he doesn’t get to shout out to my window instead of ringing the doorbell anymore.

Shout out to Pyweon, I’m sure you’re going crazy over some paper by now. Shout out to Amina, also, for getting our names mixed up and always bailing on me. Tell Barbara I say hi.

Shout out to my family in Ottawa, they take good care of me.

Shout out to my family at home, I know they will send me grocery money when I have zero dollars in the bank. Also its my mom’s birthday soon, shout out to that.

I know that can’t be all the shout outs, and I know that most of the aforementioned don’t take the time to check my blog, but I try.

Prewritten instead of paying attention in class

It’s a titration, you see. Coffee is bitter (or perhaps acidic) and you need to balance these factors with the cream and sugar. Too much cream and you don’t really have coffee anymore. Too much sugar and you’re drinking a sludge-like syrup at the bottom of the cup. But without enough cream or sugar the sting of the coffee irritates the back of your tongue and gives a strong bitter aftertaste. So it’s a matter of balance and titration, reaching the point where the strong roast turns into caffinating goodness. I maintain that it’s all my new roommate’s fault; she’s got me thinking about coffee everyday. I mean, I’m going to 2nd Cup and ordering Ethiopian Medium instead of a vanilla bean latter or a hot chocolate. This is madness.

I’ve been feeling happy about the sate of my life recently. Looking back at the summer and the craziness that was going on there, being back in school is a desirable outcome for this fall. I had offers and pleas from various constituents at the ol’ pension company to stay on for an extra 4 moths until I solidly figured out what to do next. I see this as a corporation trying to sink its claws into me before I could get away so they could gain another compliant and efficient worker to positively adjust the processing statistics and better their corporate reputation.

I did apply to humanitarian organizations: the UN’s World Food Programme Wycliffe Bible Translators, the Himalayan Trust Fund. I feel that work along those lines is definitely in the future for me, that volunteering and working with the world’s poor and isolated is something I was always meant to do. I was uneasy at first, thinking that doing my MA would postpone this work for an unknown amount of time. Now that I’ve started grad school it seems likely that more grad school will immediately follow until I’ve done it all. Now I don’t know when I’ll get back to the 3rd world, but I’m hoping that somehow my further education will open doors to get there. I’ll have to pick a relief work-appropriate language to study.

I don’t want to keep saying, “I’ll do it someday,” b/c then it might never happen. I think about the women I worked with in Kolkata, and even though they made a bigger difference to me than I did to them I can’t leave them forever.

But I do feel happy, at least today. I try not to be moody, but the poetic part of me feeds off quiet melancholy.

20x6

Ok, so I have to write this all down before I forget. I had an interesting dream last night, it involved one Stephen Colbert – don’t get ahead of me. So, for some reason he was one of the pastors of the church I went to ‘that day’ (I guess it was a Sunday) and his wife and family and everyone was there too. One of his friends had parked his car somewhere he wasn’t allowed to (like on a sidewalk) and Stephen offered to move it for him, and for some reason I also went to help move it.

Well, we get out to the car and it’s this amazingly beautiful light silver Mercedes Benz sports car (I’m sure my little brother could actually give me a model name that would sound convincing). So I try to touch the car, since it’s so beautiful, but I get chastised for smudging the wax or something. But then there’s a moment when I look at him and he looks at me and we jump into the car and go for a mega joy ride.

And then for some reason later we’re in buildings running around like we’re being chased, but we’re not. And I forget most of the details of that part, but we end up peeking over this stone, castle like wall over this courtyard and through a window where the church service is still taking place.

Stephen Colbert goes back inside to tell his friend he parked his car and to give back the keys and his wife comes out to peer over the wall with me. She seemed really cool. I think we giggled and talked for a while. Then I started to wake up and began to realize that, in fact, none of this was true. I was a little convinced that he was the pastor, and I had some way of rationalizing it too, but whatever.

Anyway, that’s my dream, maybe its weird, I just think it’s funny.

Now is the winter of your discontent!

Those of you who know me (I think everyone who reads my blog does know me, I don’t seem to be world renowned like Dinah) know that I have very pale skin. This causes me to burn (and no, tanning doesn’t work) in 10 minutes of direct sunlight and so I wear SPF 50 sunscreen (I would wear SPF 500 if I could find it). But something is changing, from all previous data it was inconclusive as to whether I had any melanin in my skin at all – I have been called an albino before (as well as no-hair, but that is semi-unrelated). But now, it seems that I do have melanin and even what I have is leaving me. Firstly, I have a white (not grey) streak of hair at the base of my neck; this is because the skin there has lost any memory of melanin. This has also happened in a spot on my right thumb and one of my knuckles. I am finding more and more white spots on my skin.

I fear I will turn completely pasty with no exaggeration of the lack of colour in my skin. I find more and more spots, on my hands especially, and soon I will not be translucent anymore, but fully transparent. And by the way, if you think I have a pen mark on the side of my chin, I don’t, you can just seen the vein through my skin. Not that it will be noticeable, just a slow cross-fading process from white to colourless void.

I don’t know what I’m trying to accomplish with this post, just wanted to tell you how I’m fading into spectral oblivion. Pasty is as pasty does.

In other news, I love my bike. Its actually my brother’s old bike, but its quality and rides real good. The seat is a little crappy, but maybe I’ll get my dad to help me fix that. I also love toe-clips (not actual clips, the ones you slide your sneakers into). They just make riding seem easier. I was thinking today how my brother would never let me touch his bike when he first got it (and pretty much until he gave it to me) but now its mine and I could add cotton-candy coloured streamers and daisy decals if I wanted. I won’t, though, I like the grayish matte colour it is, makes it blend in with the crappy bikes so its less of a target.

Ok, 4th longest post ever.

Passamaquoddy

If you ever go to Pizza Pizza (like walk-in/take-out) you have to put italiano seasoning on your slice, way better than dipping sauces.

Today I:
-ate cereal
-walked to school
-went to a class for 3 hours
-helped rearrange my new office
-got the best desk in the office by lottery
-got to know an office mate better
-shocked office mate with my age (apparently I’m young)
-went to the gym
-came to the library
-need to go home now

Just to clear things up

Ok people, some impressionist art has people in it. I’m trying to say that I prefer the stuff without people in it, is that so hard to accept? Pyweon, I know you like people art, we’ve been over this before. And Jonathan, I’m basing my like/better like of Dvorjak and Vivaldi based mostly on playing 2nd violin parts in orchestra. Maybe the cello in Dvorjak, or the overall output pleases you better, but I’m just saying. I’m allowed to just say on my blog!

And Dinah, Adrien and I, well, I first met him when I watched The Village, but there was no gorgeous-ity going on b/c his character is kinda weird and creepy in that one. I started crushing when I saw him in King Kong (he was pretty much the only thing that made the 3.5 hours bearable, did it really have to be that long?) But semi-recently I watched The Pianist, which he won the Oscar for. Not only was he gorgeous in that, but amazing in many other ways as well. As for Adam Brody, he’s cute, but not gorgeous, nice connection though.

Any more questions on past post content? I would be happy to clear things up/argue with you about it. Seriously, bring it on.

Rainy Days

You may have noticed that I have not been posting as often as in the summer. This is because I am no longer working at the pension company where I needed some distraction from the grey-space monotony and now I have a little more of a life during the day. That and I’m not sitting in front of a computer for 8 hours and so posting is more of an effort. Just to put that out there. Also, be prepared to hear a lot more about linguistics, since my entire life now revolves around the subject.

Hmmm, what to write about...

I love the group of 7. In general I’m not overawed by art with people in it. I like the impressionistic stuff, the contrast of colour and texture.

Dvorjak is a pretty ok guy, but I think I like Vivaldi better.

And Adrien Brody is absolutely gorgeous. Crooked nose just adds to it.

The Man of Metropolis Steals Our Hearts

I just want to say that I am really REALLY excited about my research assistantship. No no, I’m not going to be a TA (that would require better French faculties than I currently have, but hey, I’m working on it) I’m going to be an RA. Which stands for “Research Assistant.” But if you want to pretend that I’m a “Resident Assistant” you can do that, however you might experience blog content confusion in the future.

I’m going to be working on ‘bare nouns’ (I don’t know what they are yet either, perhaps nouns that don’t take articles/determiners) in Ojibwa. Sweet. Thank you 4th year field linguistics, not only were you a fantastic class but you have opened up the door for a form fitted research job which pays an exorbitant (but university standard) amount. I could get used to this grad student thing.

From what I understand I will (after a month or so) be working with language consultants! Isn’t that great? Yes, yes it is great. So, very, very excited. I am an excitable person, but recently it’s been more negative excitement so this clearly positive news is welcome.

P.S. I heart Sufjan Stevens. His music takes me back to when I was a kid and life had a lot fewer variables and complications. Not that such life is exempt from sorrow and diversity, its just comes out in a much more beautiful way.

Inappropriateness Warning

It gets better around minute 2.



I think its funny. Decide for yourself.
I'm still in love with Stephen Colbert.

I rock at Phonology

So I started classes today, and I’m taking an advanced seminar (one with mostly PhD students, that is) but I find the topic really interesting so I think I’ll be ok. Who doesn’t want to study person restrictions? No one I want to associate with…..

But now, I am going to have to say something. Please don’t read into it, but it must be said. U of T is actually good, in fact better than (most) other schools. I’m not saying this to be proud or snotty or to say that I am better because I went there. No, that is not the reason at all. Through my 3 years of undergrad at U of T (for those of you who don’t know I went to first year at a different university) I was a little bitter about the competitiveness of the downtown campus and all the bell curving (up and down) and adjustments. They make a test way too hard then change the marks. They make a test way too easy then you ain’t lookin so hot anymore.

But, I am so freaking well prepared for my masters, I can’t even tell you. I have covered almost all of what I will be doing in Phonology this semester and a lot of other people in the class do not seem ready at all. Its ok if they don’t like Phonology (but I can’t see why not) I just feel like I’ve been given an advantage. The courses I had to take and the level I was expected to perform at has nudged me up to this MA sphere, kinda like doing first year calculus in BC when I had already done OAC calc in grade 12.

It all seems quite amazing to me, but there appears to be a little merit to the craziness that is Canada’s largest university. So, all my U of T friends, if you happen to make it to the other side you’ll either be sailing through the beginnings of your grad studies or really upset that people in general are just idiots. Not that Toronto offers a lot of development for social skills, but whatever.

Anyway, I do rock at Phonology, I always have, but this is even sweeter because now I can feel good about those sleepless nights (and hours of fighting off the space out) for a little while.

Phenomenology

Just for future reference, my post titles don't always pertain to the post content. They're usually something that just popped into my head at some point in the day. This one, for example, is because I was talking to Eendy.

I don't actually have anything to say. But I hope I wasn't too harsh on the thesis thing, just trying to help the general populace understand the situation a little better.

I start classes tomorrow, all my classes are in the same room, so that should be easy. I hope my office is ready soon, I have random comics to put up.

Be here now

I'm realizing more and more that Ottawa is in no way Toronto. They are two completely different, separate things. Toronto is bigger, commerce based and is extrememly liberal in political and social thought/behaviour. Ottawa is smaller, goverment based and more old fashioned and "behind the times" in its thought. There's a less oppressive feeling here in the nation's capital as opposed to the province's. Its not just geographical and industrial differences that I'm noticing, there's definitely another feel or ambience about the whole palce. I don't know quite how to describe it.

I love linguistics, that's the main thing that makes me feel ok about being here right now. I'm just very overwhelmed.

Ok, and as an informative aside, please note the following: I do not need thesis suggestions. For those of you who have contributed, thank you for your consideration but know that I will not use any of your thesis topics nor anything closely related to them. Understand that I am doing a masters of THEORETICAL linguistics, and as a lay person to the field, you know nothing about it. Trust me. You may think you have an inkling, but it is incorrect. If you want to talk sociolinguistics, fine, or even language acquisition. But I am wholly convinced that when it comes to the Minimalist program or Optimality theory there is seriously nothing you can do to help me.

So, unless you have some sort of degree pertaining to the current theoretical field of linguistics I will not be able to make any use of your readily provided thesis ideas. Also, I think all the suggestions I've already heard have published papers on the topics already. Do a google search people. Its surprisingly handy.