You don't know how many songs you know are David Bowie

I don't have much to say. Here are some pictures of my nephew (pronounced 'nef-oo') in Nova Scotia:

This is Finnan baby on my knees. We had a fun time since he thinks his feet are hilarious, especially when you put them in his mouth. The shirt says "Bzzzzzy Lil {picture of a bee}". Don't worry, it took me a second too.

This is me and Finnan in the church basement. We're having a great time, hanging out, sleeping and so on. Sounds like what a good day should be.

(I never followed the blogging rules before, so yes, this is me with pictures of myself on my blog. I've been using my real name the whole time too.)

X-MEN!!! ?

So my brother has the X-men trilogy, and naturally I watched it. I want Jean’s hair from the last stand. Its fricken gorgeous.

I’m a huge mega Wolverine fan. Not Wolverine from the comic or the cartoon but the one from the movies. And don’t misread this as a crush on Hugh Jackman, it’s a crush on Wolverine played by Hugh Jackman. Completely different. And he's totally the main character, they list him first in the 'Cast' section of the creidts and everything (not to metion the rumour of the Wolverine movie, which I have mixed feelings about). The many sides of Hugh-verine:

In the Canadian Rockies and you don't want to mess with this Admantium, Wolverine.

In some cloudy, oddly lit alter existence but still fighting the good fight Wolverine.

Running in my spandex-rubber suit to check out that weird vent rattle Wolverine.

The "I care" Wolverine.

My jeans are possibly tighter than Halle Berry's Wolverine.

I know great hair Wolverine.

I'm a freak out on the bus

I’m here in Nova Scotia and I’ve been up for 19 hours, a little above average, but I guess not much. A little much considering its only midnight eastern standard time, but I got up at 5 am so whatever.

Thanks to my amazing roommate (who was compensated with weird Scandinavian beer) I got to the airport on time for my super short flight that was like an hour and fifteen minutes, once we go into the air.

Anyway, I have now met my nephew in person, and I think he likes me. Actually, I think he likes it when he is jiggled – as task easily performed by any half competent person – but I’ll pretend that its actually me he likes. He sure is a cutie. I totally imagined him (from the pictures I’ve seen previously) as bigger than he is. He’s actually super tiny, which pretty much makes sense for a 2 month old baby.

I’m going to kick back and hang out with the bro-bro, Fre-Fran and bib-baby for the next week, after which I will reread my paper with fresh eyes so I can see how awkward my sentence constructions really. When you’re so close and involved with a paper its so difficult to separate, and I always end up thinking, “Of course it makes sense! You [kindly proof reader/pyweon] don’t know anything.”

Right. I’m going to sleep now, it’s been a long but very worthwhile day.

Peace out.

Canoe Reeves

My paper is now at 22 pages and 6,000 words. To finish this draft all I have to do is write the introduction and conclusion, which I was told to write last in high school. But I usually never do, I always wrote the intro first, it helped me organize the paper in my head. And I always use 1.5 spacing too, but this time I left the margins at 1 inch instead of my usual 1.5 cm. Apparently with double spacing its already 30 pages, but we won’t let on that we know to my prof, no no no.

Have you had enough of hearing about my paper? Well, lucky for you I’m almost done. But it’s not actually due until January 4th, 2007, so there’s the possibility of research paper discussion until then. As I well confessed to my office mate that I’m obsessed with my paper, to which she replied “Yeah y’are” (or something to that effect). I love writing linguistics research papers… I guess that’s why I’m doing what I’m doing.

The semester is closing fast, I don’t feel like I’ve been here that long. I’m one third done my masters. Cool beans. I’m getting more used to Ottawa, which is still no Toronto, but I know more people better than when I first got here (obviously). I even went out for ‘drinks’ with some profs and other students. None of the students had anything alcoholic to drink because we have a syntax take home exam due today, but all the profs had beer. I know Dinah has experience drinking with her professors, but this is a new experience for me. It’s interesting to get to know them as social people instead of just as teachers. And it’s pretty awesome because the department here is very keen on hiring young, hip people so the three profs that came out were in the 28-32 year old range. Pretty fun.

Have you seen Proof? Good movie, math movie, therefore good. Redeems Gwyneth Paltrow from the worst movie ever – Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow – and I mean worst EVER. I expect more of Gwyneth now that’s she’s married to Chris Martin and has borne two of his children.

Mmmmmm, I have a roommate date with both my roommates tomorrow to go to Ahora and to eat awesome, cheap, authentic Mexican food. Chris has never been there so we’re making sure he get’s the full experience. Good times. Hurrah.

Today is a good day

This week has been a pretty feel good week. Maybe it’s the big fluffy snow that finally decided to show up, maybe it’s the little twinkling Christmas lights peeking out into the street, maybe it’s the peanut butter Kit-Kat bars I keep eating, or the Disney princess advent calendar I have… maybe. Or maybe it’s the fact that I don’t have any exams this year (other than a take home which doesn’t count since it’s not even during the exam period). Why is this year unlike any other year? Because I’m not super stressed out, studying for my nazi math class until 3 am in Burwash or writing my final Nishnaabemwin paper into the wee hours of the morning on the second floor of the most homely Robarts.

My mind and body are discussing the phenomena that is this December, unlike any other December since like Jr. High school. Maybe the week has been so good because I’ve been writing my person-case constraint/syntax paper and I’m loving it. I usually love my linguistics papers, which really helps because then I don’t hold back form throwing myself at it. Maybe it’s because I have syntax take home exam which doesn’t phase me at all even though I’m fairly sure “What did John think seemed to have really been said yesterday?” is ungrammatical.

Maybe it’s because I asked a professor to be my supervisor today and it went really well. I might even get to go on a Linguistics road trip! Hey-ya! Everything’s coming up Milhouse! (There won’t BE a home later.) I feel really good right now. I even got the beginnings of my PhD applications done this week, asking for reference letters and everything. This isn’t really that much of an accomplishment since I should have started all this in September but at least I didn’t leave it so long that my applications couldn’t get in by the due date.

Also I get to see beautiful nephew baby baby baby on Monday when I fly out to Nova Scotia. Pretty frickin exciting.

Some times I wonder if maybe I am just the teensy eensy tiniest little bit manic-depressive, not to any clinical or affecting degree. No, the reason I say this is because I regularly go through phases of proliferance and indolence (I wish Anna read my blog, she’s the only one who would get that). I have like 5 days of extreme focus where everything gets done really fast, efficiently and well and then I have an indeterminate amount of time where I can’t focus on anything at all. I’ve learned sometimes to not force myself to work during the wave crests of indolence because it’s a fruitless endeavour, I instead wait for the proliferant time to return and then everything is alright.

I think I tell you way too much about myself.
Did I mention that I can’t sit still?

Ymeh

Previous post wouldn't show up how I wanted. Now its decided to disappear. Maybe it will reappear at some point. Boo-urns.

Because I like you all so very much

Amusing exerpt from prof email:

Hi. A few of you have expressed interest in an optional additional homework assignment. Please let me know if you are interested and if there is a particular type of problem you woud particularly like to optionally solve.

Your Majesty

[[ Post thought better of and deleted. ]]

Here, have a picture instead: