Healthy like Dirt

Today I kindly asked The Flatmate to pick me up some coke (of the acola drinking persuation) and, because we are due to start an 8-week detox programme on Jan 1st (aren't we original), she flatly refused! When I pointed out that it is only December 30 and not indeed January 1st yet, she told me that I have to start now, so that it's not such a shock on January 1st. Since she owes me and a colleague a pint anyways, she offered to buy us (the colleague had now entered the discussion) a nice box of herbal tea at the health store down the road instead. So, I agreed and said that I wanted something revitalising (although, I don't think I actually used the word revitalising) since she was now disallowing me my little caffeine fix.

So, now I sit at my desk drinking Ginseng Vitality Ginseng Herbal Tea. After much deliberation, we decided that in actual fact, a blend of Siberian ginseng root, codonopsis root and panax ginseng root (80%), hisbiscus, cinnamon, licorice and cloves tastes like dirt. A good, healthy, zingy dirt though. A dirt one could grow to love. After further deliberation, however, we decided that what it actually tastes like is: when you go to those old, old, historical villages (like Upper Canada Village, if you're a Canadian reading this) and you enter the kitchen that smells of years of wood smoke, dried herbs, animal fur and old wooden furniture, well, if you could take a bite of the wall or table or something else that had absorbed the smell over the past 100-200 years or so, well, that's how this tea tastes. It's really quite good though, and I think that it will become my friend - especially during week 3, which is when caffeine goes out the window entirely.

On that note, my gym membership kicks in on January 1st. As of Jan 1st then, I have no excuse at all not to alternate my running with gym workouts, thereby losing my newfound bit of pudge. Especially since the clothes that I am wearing that I vowed I would not replace until I can fit into my old ones again are becoming thread bare!

And this brings me to my final dilemma of the day. I considered signing up to run the British 10K again this year, until I noticed that it's July 2nd. The day after Canada Day. What do I doooooo?

David Francey

It's a bone-chillingly cold and rainy day in London Town today, and despite aching (to my very core) to stay home, I had to come to work. I've been listening to David Francey CDs at work as I've been plugging away at budgets and other such things. His music is quintessentially Canadian, and in listening to him I can visualise myself lying on my parents couch under a blanket watching the snow falling outside and calling out "Mommy! Can you make me a cup of tea?" and my wonderful mommy coming to have a cup of tea with me (and my wonderful daddy coming to join us too - there are times when I think I might be a bit spoiled!) It makes me want to book a flight home - even if only for a weekend to say hello and have that said cup of tea with the Parental Unit.

Other times when I listen to David Francey I can imagine myself cruising down the 401 (for some reason I always imagine the incredibly boring stretch in between Kingston and Montreal, with a brief pause for excitement as we go through Lancaster) on a brilliantly sunny fall day, but today it's all about dreaming of being cozy on my parents couch instead of in the pouring rain in London.

Ah, God bless David Francey!

Blog Envy

I've been noticing some other great blogs that are out there...

Blog Envy is a painful thing. I'm finding it hard to come to terms with the fact that other people have more time (and computers and the internet at home) to spend on theirs. I have such dreams for this little blog. Someday, my friends, this blog too will be big and wonderful and featured on blogger.com's list of blogs they've noticed. I have to admit, they've been noticed for a reason, and I think a couple of them are pretty cool.

Check them out. This guy knows how to hyperlink galore... so cool...and I think I'm almost there... wait...yes, I am (check out my blog about McMaster...I hyperlinked McMaster after typing this)

http://whohastimeforthis.blogspot.com/

And this guy knows how to post video clips...

http://www.mloap.blogspot.com/

Hmmm...when I learn to do that you'll be able to see the documentaries that I made with Andrea in Canada in September...hours of fun!

My wonderful Alma Mater Strikes again!

I read in the Guardian yesterday that McMaster University (where I did my undergraduate degree) has announced that "2006 will be the year they unravel the full genetic code of the wolly mammoth which died out 10 000 years ago".

And you all wonder how it is that I'm so brilliant...

Here's the source for you unbelievers...

http://dailynews.mcmaster.ca/story.cfm?id=3734

And I agree with Dr. Poinar. Mitochondria are sooooo 1980s

My New Year's...Survival Strategy

I haven't committed to a new year's resolution this year, and instead have opted for a "I have to change something because I can't carry on like this" surival strategy. I have come to the realization over the past couple of months that I generally don't have it together as well as I used to. I have become very prone to letting little things (like calling the landlord to get the heating fixed, taking a little slip of paper to the bank, calling the milkman to set up my milk order and so on) slip and have started to live in a bit of a state of absent-minded disorientation state of disorganization. I used to be the person who would write people regularly, never forget a birthday and generally have all of my ducks in a row, but since moving (both over to the UK and more notably to the Parish Lockup) my ducks have become significantly more scattered, and it's really bothering me!

It might be because (as Katrin and I have been discussing a lot lately) being grown-up (I know I said last week I wasn't particularly grown-up, but today I feel so) involves having to also organize a lot of...crap...things that previously parents, siblings, University Residents Associations, etc used to take care of for us. But it's time I suck it up and stop pussy-footing around life! If I'm going to be an independent self-sufficient person it's high-time I take the bull by the horns and start behaving as one!

Therefore, today at lunch I will: go to the bank to drop off a little piece of paper I completed on the 22 of November, call the council (again) and tell them they really need to drop off our recycling box, call our landlords and ask them why our heating device can be heard from one end of the flat to the other, and oh...mail the Christmas cards I have sitting on my bedroom floor...

Yes, my friends, from now on I will be known as Joanna the Competent. Hear me rrooooooaaaaarrrrr!!

The new Joanna, perhaps? (I'm kidding!!!)

A Couple Little Bits

There have been a couple little things I keep meaning to put up, but keep forgetting to.

The first is this sign I saw on a trip to Poole I took with Karen and Janeen to visit Anna a few weeks ago. It seems that the council is trying hard to nip the Poole drinking-on-the-beach culture in the bud, but has resigned itself to the reality of its actually doing so...

Ah, bless...

The British Obsession

While reading BBC online today, I came to the realisation that along with football, cricket, "musn't grumble" and the weather, another key British obsession is the obesity problem in the USA. It seems that almost daily, there is a report about some aspect of the tubby American nation that generally goes along the lines of "many Americans are obese, they are starting to realise it's a problem, it's because they drive everywhere, and if we're not careful the same thing will start happening to innocent British children soon". It's interesting at a time when "American-style" cookies and muffins are starting to appear on grocery store shelves and plazas of big-box stores are starting to pop up everywhere Jamie Oliver and others are changing school lunches and highlighting the need for kids to have exercise to try to nip this in the bud. Every so often, a very curious British person will ask me if the Americans really are that big, and if Canadians are as well (I know I've gained a few pounds over the past few months, but I didn't know that now makes me an expert!) and why I think that problem exists.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4436638.stm

I think I've decided to monitor the BBC...I wonder if it might be that they report on this daily...

As for the extra little bit of me, I'm training for a 10K and have signed up with a gym to start in Jan, so that should all be taken care of shortly...

The bits that be falling into place...

On Friday I got home to receive an evelope that informed me that my social work registration application has been accepted, and that I am now a registered social worker in the UK! It was such a relief and will mean that I may have an easier shot at getting the work permit that is necessary to my staying beyond the end of May!

And then this morning I had my practical driving test and passed! Now I am a full-fledged British driver as opposed to one who had been skirting through on the tails of her Canadian license for probably a little longer than she should have been! Ohhhh...the streets of London will never be the same!

Ahhhhh...these had been the two things waking me up at night for so long and now they won't! I feel like things are really starting to come together, and that I'm starting to build a bit of a life for me and am the way to becoming a proper grown-up!

Actually, along those lines I had another "I'm becoming a grown-up" moment this weekend. I'm having people around on Christmas Day for dinner, and all of a sudden it occured to me that I'm hosting Christmas, and what an adult thing that is to be doing. I hadn't fully thought through what all of this means, and that for the first time, my mother won't be a) doing the turkey or b) in the kitchen on hand if I have any questions! I realized how fully unprepared I am - I need to get stuffing recipes and a meat thermometer and...Oh! A turkey. I have to think about what to feed people for breakfast should they crash over and bedding (or, more to the point, lack of) and how to entertain people! All of this is very exciting, but, it's a bit sad in a way too...I don't know if I want to be a grownup yet! Well, just wait until I get a gravy boat and matching dishes...then I'll know that I'm pretty much there, and I'll tell you how I'm feeling then...

Oh Christmas Tree!

Last night Lisa and I decorated my little Christmas Tree (and I learned that in England, they just chop the tops off trees, so that the tree can keep growing, whereas in Canada, we take the whole thing, baby!)

Here we are with my beautiful little tree! Oh yes, and a picture of Lisa that looks like a Victorian Christmas Card!

United Nations Relocation

It seems that before too long, I'll have had a representative from every member state of the United Nations vying to be Katrin's replacement in the Parish Lockup.

Last week we had a girl from somewhere in Eastern Europe (she was frightening though, we named her "The Dominatrix" and quickly decided that I couldn't live with her). Tomorrow we have a Spanish gentleman named Juan coming, and a Frenchmen has just expressed interest as well. Methinks I will become quite popular with my single female friends should either of them move in!

I wonder if I can arrange some of blog game whereby I put profiles of them on here, and you (my loyal readers) chose the person for me to live with!

Katrin and I went for a run this morning. Lots of work to do in the next eight weeks!

Here We Go Again!

I've decided to do another 10K in February. I'd really like to cut off a bit of time from my last one...but with much less training time...

Let the adventures begin!

Ice Bar

I've been so bad at updating lately that I'm not sure if this is still checked, but at least this amuses me, if no one else...

Last weekend my friend Drew took me to the "Absolut Ice Bar" (sponsored by, yes...the vodka people) for my birthday (a belated sort of deal) and it was fantastic! Here are some shots of me trapped in an ice vodka bottle, Drew, the fuzzy cape wonder and Drew and I looking very happy to be all wintered-out! The rest of the day was spent playing scrabble, monopoly and connect four in a pub that served Sleeman Honey Brown. It was an awesome afternoon/evening! I also witnesses my first bus fight (all verbal - phew!) whereby the Police were called. I was afraid that I'd have to use my newly acquired Sleeman Glass (I asked to have it - I didn't steal it) for defense purposes, but I (and several other people on the bus) were able to hop off unscathed. Anyways, mom, dad, it's all good, and London is safe!

Toronto and Good luck!

I spoke with a carer today whose son lives at Yonge and Eglinton. After speaking with her for a while she said she felt a special connection with me because I can imagine where her son lives, and there aren't many who can do that. And we shared a moment of sharing how wonderful Cinnabons are and how they make the subway there smell so nice!

A special note to my Fact-of-the-Day friend Nick who's off to Singapore for 18 months on Monday. Good luck Nick! I (and the people who I sometimes forward them to) look forward to more facts once you're established there.

Home Sweet Home...

I stayed home from work yesterday and as I was falling asleep on the couch in the afternoon (or maybe I had already fallen asleep, and I was dreaming - I'm not sure) I thought that I was lying on the couch in my parent's house sleeping and I thought I could hear my mother and CBC Radio in the background. I woke up feeling (well, first confused) all warm and fuzzy and a little bit homesick. And I had a dream about my (now deceased) cat Robbie last night too. He was sitting on my knee and I was making him dance (that was his favourite game - I just know it!) Oh, he was such a lovely, lovely cat! Sadly I don't have a picture of Robbie on my computer, but here's a winter view from the kitchen door over our backyard that my brother took last Christmas. There's nothing like a cozy day wintery day by the fire...especially one when it's snowing outside...the big fluffy snowflakes that settle all over you without melting and the kind of days where you come in with rosy cheeks and a cold nose but feel warm and toasty on the inside.

Well, it's off from work and into London weather (and should it be noted that weather was not actually invented in England, Nick) I go...

A sad, sad day for London

Today the London Racers announced that they are suspending all play for the 2005/06 season due to unsafe conditions at their venue - Lee Valley arena.

This is dreadful. The people at work have responded with “oh – that’s too bad” and carried on. They don’t get it. I’m so alone.

It’s a good thing I was planning on taking tomorrow off – I don’t think I’ll be able to get out of bed for grief.

I’m lost…

I suppose I’ll have to get a TV and that North American sports channel. This is God punishing me for turning my back on the Leafs and supporting another team. Oh….why does it have to end like this? And to think my only game this year resulted in a massive loss. Oh, my heart!

A moment of silence please......

I can't believe how utterly Canadian I feel in all of this!

www.londonracers.com if you want to read for yourself...

Here's a shot from my only game this year. Their horrible 6-2 loss against Cardiff. Even more tragically my camera batteries died a short second later, so this is the only shot I have of the game (until Ashley emails me the ones from her camera, that is). It's pretty rubbish because I thought I'd have plenty of time to take great ones over the course of the game. Although one can clearly see how much better the Cardiff arena is (you can compare with last January's posts...when I first went to the game and when life was perfect) and how it's glass is clearly shatter proof and how there are no bits sticking out of the boards to hurt the players. Well, maybe London will get a proper arena now...

But what will I do? What? What? What?

And now for my next act...

Ashley mentioned this to me yesterday, and it didn't take much to convince me...


Wuthering Hike - Haworth Hobble
Saturday 12th March 2005
31 miles traversing gritstone moors around Haworth, Todmorden and Hebden Bridge – 4,400 ft of ascent/descent maximum time allowed 12 hours Refreshments available en route with a meal at the finish
Start at 08-00 am. Entry fee: £18-00 per team or £10-00 solo, to cover administration, catering, transport, prizes and certificates.
Entry Form 2005 - giving route details and cut off times

How fantastically gruelling and painful does that look! It had better be one heck of a meal!

Going Postal!

Hi,

I have been very excited about telling everyone that Ashley and I are hoping to go on a Postbus trip this February.

Ironically, today is one of those days whereby I'm frustrated with humanity and when the clacking of people's keyboards was enough to make me scream, I started wondering if maybe I really am truly going postal...(although Trevor's trying to convince me that maybe I'm actually agoraphobic...)

Needless to say I'm leaving work now. I can't take another minute today!

One more thing...

Ashley and I are off to Cardiff to see Lauren (another Canadian) this weekend.

We're going to be taking in a London vs. Cardiff hockey game. HOW FUN!!!!

http://www.thecardiffdevils.com/

http://www.londonracers.com

I was about to say that clearly London is the better team, but let's be honest. They're probably all Canadian anyways...

Guy Fawkes night!

I had my first Guy Fawkes night on Saturday! Kate invited some of us around and was the perfect hostess (sadly, I didn't seem to get any shots of her). But here's Danni looking very celebratory indeed! Oh yes, and some random fireworks...

My mysterious condition...

Yesterday morning I mentioned to Katrin that my earlobe felt a bit warm. Today I woke up and it was a full two-times the size it normally is. I don't often wear earrings anymore (I lost the ones that were made of real materials that didn't irritate my ears) so I'm not too sure what's causing this, but I suppose I'll get concerned when it spreads to the rest of my face...

My Capable Parental Unit

I'd like to introduce my Parental Unit to my blog! My dad and I were on the phone last night, and he, having just been introduced to the world of high-speed internet, learned how to post messages to my blog. His debut can be found in "The Shopping List Compendium" post. This is my capable Parental Unit, with my also capable (although not online) grandmother when I was visiting in September. Aren't they lovely? :)

One of those moments...

I was fortunate enough to catch the last little bit of an awesome sunset out of my window last night. I've always loved our view, and this just solidified it even further. By time time I'd finished running around to find my camera it was almost over, but I managed to capture the last minute...

Unfortunately my dying window box obstructed the view a bit, and I suppose I could have hung my body out of the window, but that didn't occur to me at the time... Having said that, it's interesting to see that my little spruce is turning into a little Blue Spruce now (or is that a little Dying Spruce?)

Tri-Nations Cup

To send my brother out with a bang, we took him to one of the Tri-Nations (GB vs. NZ) games on Saturday. Great Britain lost, but it was still fun anyways...

Here are - Rich looking exasperated (as he did most of the game), Matt P looking very excited (as he did for most of the game...for no particular reason though...he's just a happy-sort of guy) and my brother and I looking like Canadian tourists at a rugby game...

Tower Bridge

I think that for as long as I live in London, I'll never tire of Tower Bridge at night.

Except that's not tower bridge. Oops...OK...take 2!

And how about some Tower of London Raven bum while we're at it?

Hmmmm....maybe photography lessons are in order! :)

Nose to Nose with Royalty

You know you work in England when you look for something under your desk and come nose to nose with Queen Anne.
How'd she get there?

Miserable, Rainy, Monday Morning

I made a mistake over the weekend. I saw the new (although now over a month old) Pride and Prejudice yesterday. It was really good, but really, is the main ingredient in any single girl's recipe for "I'm-going-go-die-an-old-maid" casserole.

That, combined with a rainy Monday morning, the realisation at the gym that I'm far more out of shape than I thought I was, and the non-arrival of an email I was quite hoping for over the weekend seems enough to send me back home to curl up and watch DVDs all day. Except I don't have a DVD Player. Or a TV for that matter. Damn.

In other news, my weekend was good (except for afore mentioned mistake of watching P&P which was good...too good really). Ashley and I stumbled upon a Tandoori place and decided to eat at it because it had a sign with the most complicated arrow to lead us down a dark alley way and around a corner to find it. We thought that anybody who put that much effort into the signage deserved a try, and it turned out to be a great find! Then yesterday Sandy and Janeen made a great find of a Japanese/Thai/Sushi place in China town. I went to St Paul's Cathedral for the first time and took my brother to see the Tower of London. Last night my brother assemebled an IKEA dresser for me, and tonight I will be able to go home and finally rearrange my room and get rid of the large suitcase that has been taking up a big spot on my floor, and the thought of that makes me feel very happy. So really, "cranky and pity-me" me should be a bit less cranky and pity me I suppose.

Count your blessings one by one...

Not Forgotten

Hi,

I've been quite busy at work where my only internet access is, so my poor blog has remain unupdated for a while!

I'm doing OK, and will try to remain to regular blogging activity in due course...

Watch this space!

My Last day...

Today is my last full day here, and I am sad to have to leave tomorrow.

It has been very cold and rainy here, and I am really hoping it clears up because I do not want to spend my last day of being in Canada indoors. A few of the trees across the street are turning a wonderful orange colour, so at least I have not missed the leaves turning entirely...

Hours of Name Fun

My brother showed me this website whereby you can type in names and see their popularity progressions from the 1890s to present day (well, the number of babies that were named that name per 1000) It is very interesting and very fun...who knew Desmond has had a resurgence of popularity!

The only thing is that it is based on American stats, so I am not entirely sure how applicable it is to the British audience among us...

http://babynamewizard.com/namevoyager/lnv0105.html

The Shopping List Compendium

I keep meaning to blog about this, but was just reminded by a program on CBC:

I heard this guy on BBC 4 - Home Truths a few weeks ago. He and another person were talking about their collection of shopping lists they find abandoned in grocery stores. I was fascinated a) because of my own collection of lists and b) because of my fascination with what other people buy at the grocery store...

http://www.redhotscott.co.uk/shoppinglists

It us pretty cool - I suggest you check it out!

Bonjour!

After a whirlwind two days in Campbellford (if C-ford could ever be described as a whirlwind) I am now in Sherbrooke, Quebec at the house of my brother, where keyboards do funny things like insert vowels with accents instead of certain punctuation marks (and silly people like me do not know how to turn the function off). Therefore, for the duration of this trip my blog will not have any question marks and apostrophes (which I guess also includes any possessives as well. Hmmmm....) Anyways, the trip here was lovely. I was packed into the back seat amongst golfclubs and raincoats and did nothing but sleep, read and do crossword puzzles for 8 hours. Somehow these trips make me feel more like I am 7 or 17, but that is OK...for a short time at least.
The only really disappointing thing about this trip has been that the leaves are still very much green here. Normally by this time of year the forests would be awash (hey, good word!) with colour, but apparently the really warm summer and fall here have delayed things considerably.

The weather today is supposed to be miserable, so I am hoping to spend the day indoors reading, with maybe a short trip out to the mall to pick up a CD or two I had been wantingn to get. AH - c (apostrophe) est la vie!

Four Strong Winds

CBC Radio has just reaired a program highlighting the 50 songs that Canadians have voted as the best Canadian songs. After sobbing through "If I had $1 000 000" and "Four Strong Winds" I decided that it was best I turn my mind from anticipatory homesick/I don't want to leavedness to my blog.

Here are shots from the last few days: Angela's baby, a trip to Centre Island with John yesterday, meeting up with Gary, Judy and Nelson, a wonderful sign on the island that encouraged people to walk on the grass, and a trip to the Steamwhistle Brewery with Andrew today.

Due to CBC's strike, BBC world service is currently on the air...oh - what an emotional radio rollercoaster this afternoon!!

The newest Canadian Documentary Maker

Thanks to my new digital camera, Andrea and I have made two documentaries today. The first is called "The Vermin of Queens Park" and the second is called "No sweet lovin' at the Green Mango" I wanted to try to put them up here, but haven't figured it out yet (if it's even possible). In other news I:

1. Changed my blog so that people don't have to register to make comments
2. I met Angela and Paul's lovely daughter, but also decided that it's horrible to only have a few hours to spend with people you could easily spend days with!
3. Changed my blog time zone to London time. I think it has messed up all previous posts, but we'll see. I am currently trying to upload today's photos to the computer...

Shooooow me the pictures!

For some reason, blogger has been anti-photo for the past couple of days...hmmmmm...

Just keep swimming! Just keep swimming! I'll try again. If successful, you'll see the Piccadilly Circus pub (as per previous entry) and a shot of St Andrew's Presbyterian Church with the CN Tower - me trying to be artsy, but not quite being there...

What I've (Re) Learned Take Two

Well, my whole first attempt at this post got lost in bloody cyberspace, so here I try again (albeit in shortened form)

1. I've come to realise that it's possible to feel quite at home here, thanks to the open-top double decker busses with "Trafalgar Square" and "Victoria Station" plastered all over them. I don't know why T-dot doesn't take pride in itself and get its own busses! Back off! Get your own busses!

2. It's also easy to feel at home with pubs of the likes of "Piccadilly Circus Pub" all over. Remind me why I paid a lot of money to come here again?

3. There is possibly not a more lovely breed of public employees than the TTC Streetcar and bus drivers. I'd forgotten what it's like to have a streetcar driver who says things like "hello, thank you, have a nice day" and announces where in the city we are. In addition, not only do they not drive off if you're a nano-second behind when they want to shut the door, but they will wait if they see you coming. All this, and they run very-much to schedule. London has a lot to learn!

4. Toronto is incredibly grid-like though...I'd forgotten about how boxy it is. I walked across Queens Park this morning, and giggled as I remembered how a large oval in the road used to make me nervous. If only I knew...

5. There's still nothing like a good cup of Tim's. Oh, I missed him!

Oh Canada!

I've arrived safely and have had a wonderful first weekend on holiday in Canada. I spent it up at Glen Mhor's 75th reunion and had a wonderful weekend of catching up, laughing, singing and dancing (yes, dancing) with some of my favourite people on earth at one of my favourite places on earth. A great (and beautiful) reintroduction into this great nation!

I'm with my best friend today and we have lots of exciting things planned. It's perfect weather and life is grand.

I made a comment about something I had done in England with some friends, and the response of my Canadian friends were "Oh no - you've managed to find friends who are as nutty as you are there". They seem to forget that they are all rather nutty themselves.

I'm hoping to buy a digital camera while I'm here, so I hope I'll have lots of pictures to post when I get back...

When I'm in my 40s

Just to say that when I'm in my forties, I hope I don't find myself heavily overweight at an internet cafe smoking, gambling online and drinking coffee...

We are "The Joneses"

When Katrin and I moved into The Parish Lockup, we put some potted plants on our lovely large kitchen table next to our lovely sunny kitchen window, which incidentally is about seven feet across from the neighbours lovely kitchen table and their lovely kitchen window.

Not too long after, we noticed vase of flowers at their table and thought (not seriously of course) "Ah-ha! We've inspired them!" Yesterday however, Katrin noticed the sudden arrival of several pots of flowers at their window, and it then occured to us "We are the Joneses". We think they must be nice people and we don't want to become all competitive, but we have plans for window boxes winter pansies. Bet they haven't even thought of winter pansies!

My Guardian Fruitfly

I just killed my Guardian Fruitfly.

There seemed to be a fruitfly that flew about me at work, and one that flew about me at home. Today I finally smushed it. Then I realised that perhaps it was a guardian fruitfly and I have just killed it. I feel terrible; sort of like how I felt when I killed Richard - the spider who lived in my closet when I lived in Hamilton. He would happily sit on my wall above my desk while I worked away in the evenings and then return (presumably to my closet) until the next night. Then one night I just reached up and smushed him too.

Maybe I have violence issues.

Mr Bird

I'm once again the guardian of Mr Bird. Just for a week this time. He loves me. I'm trying to teach him to say my name, but he just insists on being all snuggly instead. I wish I had a picture to post, but Rich has yet to give me one.

Wow...what a boring post this has been.

Congrats to any who have read it...

My friend the Hussy

My friend sent me the following update to demonstrate what I am (or am not) missing by not being in Canada. It really made me laugh, and I needed to share it...

you see, as boring elementary school teachers who don't have much excitement in their daily lives (other than, of course, the endless echoes of "he budded me", "she said the "s" word (stupid), "he showed me his penis" (i'm not kidding - this happens far too often in gr. 1!!), the girls from school and i have established "hussy nights". for these adventures (which, i'll be honest, have only taken place twice in the last year - too much excitement might send us over the edge), we meet at my house, have some drinks and appetizers and then have our handsome chauffeur (my husband) drive us to some downtown bar in the "Doug P." (the large, white 8 passenger wheelchair accessible van named afer its donor - because nothing screams "hussy" like a huge white van that beeps when it reverses). we then proceed to dance it up on the dance floor (always fun), have one more drink (if we're lucky enough to be able to face another drink - not that we are totally hammered by any means, just that we are old), and, by midnight (perhaps 1 o'clock if we are totally adventurous) have our chauffeur pick us up and take us home. it must also be noted that despite our best efforts to be "hussied up" (i.e. - a little make up, a strappy tank top, perhaps a skirt or maybe some heels), we spend most of the night commenting on how we look like we are wearing full body parkas compared to what the rest of the people at the bar are wearing!

Let's be honest...it sounds like great fun to me!

It all sounds so...Canadian

I was just listening to CBC news and thought to myself "He has a very strong Canadian accent". How will it be when I'm surrounded by them in a few short weeks?

I was listening to a BBC 4 documentary on accents/dialects last night (having no TV I feel very rustic...planning my evening around radio programs!). I think it may become my new big interest.

Mournful Strains of Neighbour Watching

Living about 7 feet across the alley-way from the neighbours has introduced us to the sport (game/pasttime) of neighbour watching. Last night Danni and Sarah joined K and I for dinner and we established that:

1. Half-naked man is actually quite well built, which is probably why he never seems to wear shirts. I would also think this demonstrates that he may be insecure, because any well-built man would clearly know that he need not walk around his house half-naked to demonstrate to his girlfriend just how well-built he is.

2. Ripply-Half-Naked-Man (as we've now renamed him) and Pretty Eastern European girl are actually a couple (we witnessed a little smooch and hug).

We should note that we don't make a point of peering into their window...we just don't think they realise that even with their blinds down we can still very clearly see in. I think that over time, once things like a TV, internet etc are acquired we'll spend more time in the lounge, and then we'll feel more productive and less nosey. But until then...

Last night Katrin heard the downstairs door next to us open, and then smelled cigarette smoke and heard some low whimpering and then some sniffs. She thinks that Violin-teacher downstairs may have been crying in her garden. How sad. And what a romantic thing for a violin teacher to do...cry in the garden...it's what symphonies are based upon.

Oh, and I heard yet more catfights. Apparently we live in the cat-hood. Waking up to these fights are becoming almost a nightly occurence...

Career Change?

This is one of those days whereby I wish that I worked with numbers or computers because they don't keep phoning because they need things, and they don't require that they be communicated with and you can just sit in your little corner and get on with work. On Saturday (at Rich's very fun birthday do) I met someone who used to trade fruit and vegetables for a living. I thought that was the most ridiculous sounding job at the time, but today, mixing with lettuce and cucumbers seems very appealing.

I've been coping with my anti-social feelings by doing my stats today.

I'm a friendy-auntie!

Congrats to Ange and Paul on their first little baby - Abigail Grace! I've known Ange since I was 7, and apart from all the aspects that actually go with having a baby, I feel like this is my first too! Ha ha! Isn't she adorable? She looks like a little marshmellow all wrapped up (that was my colleague Paulina's observation). I haven't put up the shot of Ange, Paul and Abigail because I thought Ange might be horrified at the thought of being on the net in her PJs, but rest assured that she looks lovely too, and they're a fabulous looking little family!!

And again...

Somebody else asked me yesterday if I'm Irish. I'm starting to feel self-conscious about the way I speak!

I played in a ball pool for an hour yesterday with a most lovely child. I think all adults should be required to do that once a month or so...it's good for the spirit, I think!

Welcome to the Parish Lockup!

Here's a photo of the new flat (we're the top floor) and our snazzy red kitchen...

We've finally figured out how to work our power shower and hot water supply (who knew that pulling a string hanging from the bathroom ceiling on a 45 degree angle towards the sink would make all the difference?) Funny British houses! We were discussing last night that we were almost as rustic as we could be: no shower, no hot water, no kettle (using the good ol' "boil the tea water in a saucepan" method), no television, no phone and Katrin's mobile wasn't even working! My cold morning bath was very invigorating!

We're currently campaigning to have our landlord pay for us to shampoo three years worth of cigarette smoke out of the carpets... Once we get some furniture we'll be laughing!

Bonjour Paris!

This trip's adventures included: a hotel neighbour who cleaned naked infront of her window in a 7 foot square courtyard (sorry - no photos of that one), Lisa and I trying to steal from the Louvre (we didn't get very far, as their coutyard art is very heavy and quite well fastened), Mark's amazing view, playing "spot-the-fake-gargoyle" (basically Lisa and I were mocking those who are fond of taking bad pictures of large buildings), and Pere Lachaise - the most amazing cemetary in the universe...it's so big it has streets and street signs! I saw: Chopin, Jim Morrison, Auguste Compte, Oscar Wilde, ohhhh...and a few others...don't remember who now!

Sweden!

It's been a long time coming, but here's Sweden (or at least Sweden according to Joanna): An authentic IKEA, a couple fascinating Swedish Slugs, and Patrik and I at the coast in Falkenburg!I sort of wish I'd taken a couple other photos...say of Monopol, but oh well...next time!

The Beginning of the End?

I opened up Explorer this morning, and to my horror, the CBC page (my automatic home page) was sporting *gasp* a VISA advert.

www.cbc.ca

Is this the beginning of the end of CBC?

Strength of a Bear!

My friend underwent some quite major surgery a couple of months ago. She's doing very well...mostly because she has the strength of a bear!

She's now walking on two feet again (with her crutches) and is doing very, very well!

Here's a picture of her very impressive scar.We know that everyone wants to see it! I should point out that due to its shape, the first several shots made it look like we were photographing her bum. We're quite sure this one makes it quite evident it's actually her hip, but I just wanted to clarify to ensure everyone knows that they do not need to notify blogger that I am showing dirty things on my blog...

Stay tuned for the matching one this time next year...

The Parish Lock-Up

Katrin and I will soon be heading off to hand in some paperwork for our new flat. In a whirlwind of activity after work on Friday we did as Londoners must do, and said "yes" to a fabulous little place back in our beloved Finchley (Central, this time) on the spot (talk about a rush of excitement). It's grand. On a road trip to St Albans on Saturday we passed through a village that still has its original Parish Lock-Up from circa 1700s. It's the place where they would stick rowdy people until morning. Not that we're especially rowdy, but we thought that would be a grand name for a flat to house riff-raff such as us.

Someday I'd like to open a pub of the same name...

My Quadruple-Barrelled Ethnicity

According to front page of The Times today:

"The government is proposing to rename ethnic minority groups along US lines in an attempt to strengthen and highlight their British roots. Minorities could be described as, for example "Asian-British" rather than simply "Asian" under proposals being considered by Hazel Blears, the Home Office Minister"

Does that mean I'm now (or somedday could be) "Irish-British-Canadian-British?" (Insert saracasm here)

Oh good grief...

A Day to Stay in Bed By...

First, the rest of my time in Sweden was incredible. Soooo relaxing, soooo good to see Patrik, Miriam and Sam again. Sooo much fun to have a 4.25 hour game of Monopol (it was the first time I've atually ever seen a game through to completion...having 5 people really makes it more exciting! I've also created a new component to the game in Sweden...I introduced the concept of "Landing Rights" into the property exchange negotiation, and I think the game will never be the same over there...sort of funny considering it was a spur-of-the-moment survival strategy on my part)

But then I had to come home. Today:

1. I found out I will need to move flats because my flatmate's American...friend/boy thingie is moving here
2. I got a £50 parking ticket because I was about 3 minutes late coming out of a presentation I had to do for work
3. My manager has resigned which really sucks because she was incredible. Ah, politics.

Well, that's life, I suppose. Some days you're the statue, some days you're the pigeon...today I'm definitely the pigeon.

On the other hand, I saved Mr. Bird's life yesterday. I hope he's OK. I've looked up bird diseases on the internet today, and I'm a bit concerned that it's serious, but I'll just say my prayers and hope for the best. Doo, doo, doo...

Oh, and I bought my very own mug for work today - it's from Sweden and has a moose on it. It makes me very happy!

Small clarification...

Because I can see where this is going to go if this is not stated upfront, I just wanted to clarify that "fem" and "sex" are the swedish words for five and six. You dirty minded people!

PS After almost a year of knowing each other, I'm for the first time listening to his band...absolutely incredible...talk about hidden talent/Mr. Modest boy!

voice of the "real swede"

Feels very good to have my dear canadian little big sister here... and to just have beaten her in monopoly... I don't know really what I shall write here but I feel like sayin something! Ett, två, tre - Imorgon skall det ske? Fyr, fem sex - Imorgon blir det spex? Sju, åtta, nio tio - Kanske gå på bio?

Hm? I say Goodnight!

Better than eating a swede...

Is being a Swede!

I have no idea if the swedes that you buy in stores are at all Swedish, but there you have it.

I love Sweden. It's just like Canada, except people speak slightly different, and there are funny keys like ä and å and ö on the keyboard. People hand in lost passports at the airport, and Swedish Monopol is just as fun as Monopoly...or maybe more so because you get to count out your spots in Swedish as you go by...

My vocab has expanded too. I've learned how to count to twelve, go to go and collect 4000:-, ask how much things - in particular umbrellas - are, how to alert people to the fact that somebody's not breathing or moving in the event of a bad accident, how to say the number 37, 450 and how to make plans for March 8th. Yes, I picked up a phrase book at the airport on my way out. As you can see it taught me many useful things!

Some of the sightseeing hightlights of the day were PATRIK!!!!, an authentic IKEA and a store that sells lots of Moose paraphenalia. We're going to go back there tomorrow (aren't we Pats?) It was pouring tonight, so we just stayed in and played Monopol (if you haven't picked up on that already). Such a lovely evening....the sort of unwind I needed!

Blog Change?

Over the last few weeks I've been feeling very nesty. You know, that feeling of settling in and starting to get comforable and wanting to spread out your stuff a bit, unpack, hang up some pictures and get a coat rack. I've been feeling nesty to the point of pausing in estate agents windows and thinking it's probably a good thing I've been spending my savings on travelling because if I had enough I might do something crazy like invest in property here, and that's quite a rash and permanent thing to do. I've eliminated all the usual suspects that might be causing this: No PMS, No breakups, haven't won the lottery, nobody's died, I haven't given birth to anything, I haven't eaten anything particularly unusual. I suppose I might just be getting to like it here.


I guess another sign is that while things are still new and exciting sometimes, I'm starting to find myself noticing less and less the big differences that come with moving to a new culture, and starting to notice more and more the smaller less obvious quirky things that provide amusement on a daily basis (like funny street signs, or watching the man who couldn't figure out how to access the public loos while I was stopped at a traffic light - the poor soul)

Anyways, all this to say, I think I might change the name of my blog from something that's less about discovering London (besides, I haven't seen a rat in ages) and more about me. I have a thought...that I think is worth a think at any rate...

Ahhh...young love!

I was just having a moment of staring out the windowness and I saw a teenage boy, accompanied by a teenage girl holding hands, walking his dog in the rain...

Awwwwwwwww...to be young again.

Soon I'll be at the age whereby romantic dog walks in the rain with someone I love will be complicated by rheumatism. That's OK though. In the next room there's a Mr Bird who loves me and that Rich isn't getting back.

One of my favourite things...

...is when, upon arriving at an airport terminal in a foreign country, I get a text on my mobile that says "Welcome to (insert name of foreign country here)"

In just for more sleeps my phone will be saying "Välkomnande till Sverige (Welcome to Sweden)!", and I will say to everyone I meet "Jag heter Joanna (my name is Joanna)! Jag ar Kanadeniska (I am Canadian)! Var ar kraftskiva (where is the crayfish party)"? As you can see Patrik taught me the essentials. Actually, to be honest, I'm not entirely sure if that's how you ask if that's where the crayfish party is. I've combined asking where the toilets are and the words for crayfish party to hopefully make sense. As long as I don't get confused and get crayfish in a toilet. Oh, and I had to look up "Welcome to Sweden" online. I've never had to welome anyone to Sweden in Swedish before and therefore it hasn't made it into my vocab yet!

I'm so excited! Svenka (and all my svenkar friends there), here I come (well, in four days...)

Oh, I wonder if I'll see an IKEA!

Revolutionizing the care industry?

Not that I think yahoo.com should be taken as the most reliable news source out there, but as this could possibly impact my career should I ever get into the care package management side of what I do...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20050721/lf_nm/tech_japan_robots_dc

The thing is...the people I support complain about trying to figure out mobile phones...how will the feel about these funny suits? And what about getting out of them if someone has to pee quickly?

Right of Passage to Being a Londoner

I got my first parking ticket today. The most annoying thing is that I got it at the post office trying to ship some giant packages to my friend in Germany who had too much stuff to take back with her on the plane (and as it turns out, I didn't have the address, so it wasn't even worth parking there!).

What a bloody waste of £40.00

Ah well...I suppose one parking ticket in 11 years isn't so bad. Oh, actually, this is my second...but Toronto's not an evil city like London is, and their parking tickets are only $20. What can I do but pay it like a good law-abiding citizen and not go out much over the next couple of weekends! Danni suggested I add a "contingency" section to my budget for occasions such as these...

Argh, argh and triple argh!

Extreme Makeover: Home Edition

Add me to the list of people who have cried at the end of an episode:

Hobbes
Sass
Fraggle

It was just so beautiful! Oh, I love happy endings!

Battle of the Bird

Mr. Bird and I reached a new understanding today. You see, he's lovely, but in a grumpy Cockatiel sort of way, and on my previous two visits, he has been anything but welcoming towards me. So, today I came to Rich's and let him out of his cage as per usual. I got sucked into an episode of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (which I will blog on in turn) and for the first 45 minutes that Mr. Bird was out of his cage he just sat and looked at me and did his grumpy bird-hissy thing at me whenever I tried to engage him in polite conversation. Well, not being one to lower myself to pleading with a bird to be my friend, and drawing on my social work training and how to draw boundaries with people (and I assumed it extended to stroppy Cockatiels) with naricissitic personality disorder, anti-social personality disorder and the likes, I decided to ignore him. Near the end of the show though, he started chirping and eventually came waddling over to my feet, and evetually started biting at my toes (which Rich has assured me is quite normal for him). "A-ha!" I thought - "'I've won! He caved first!" Then the show was over and it was time for me to go to the next room to work on my social work application. Not wanting to leave him out of the cage unattended however, I decided that I should put him back in (quite logical, yes?) However, he wouldn't have any of it, and was really quite rude to me - biting at me and flapping at me and just being a general tit about it. However, I didn't back down, kept sticking my finger under his feet and after a few tries, like a kid wearing down after a tantrum, he climbed on, biting and sqauking and flapping the whole time. It really reminded me of those kids who you see crying and screaming, but following their mother down the street because they know that they don't really have another option if they ever want to eat again. Anyways, then I gave his cheeks a little rub (he likes that) and put him back in his cage. Oops...I mean house...I put him back in his "house" But I won! He now knows who's in charge, and that I am one who must be obeyed. We're going to be good friends, Mr Bird and I. He was happily chirping away in his house when I was working in the next room (at least I hope that means he's happy) and I can see how birds can be endearing. I've never much cared for them myself (except wild ones. I love them to the point of waking up at unearthly hours of the morning and venturing out to hide in bushes with a pair of binoculars). Anyways, this particular one seems to be growing on me, to the point where I'm convinced that my fish at home were feeling a bit jealous when I said I was off to see him. I think I might even miss Mr Bird when this is all over...

Oh, I've also discovered that Mr Bird and I have similar musical tastes...smart lad!

Bye Rich!

Well my friend Rich is off to Peru for two weeks today (lucky boy) and I'll be responsible for maintaining the lives of his fish and Mr. Bird while he's gone. He'd better send me a postcard! :)

Please contact me if you know anything about emergency Cockateel resuscitation...I may need you...

Anna's gone back to Oz for 5 weeks too (although she doesn't read my blog to get a whole title). Hmmmm...I'll miss them both so much!

Danni's selective memory...

So the other night (well, maybe a few weeks ago now) I was at home making dinner and I got a phone call from Danni who said:

"I thought of you this evening" and I said "Oh, that's nice! Why?" and she went on to tell me that she was watching news coverage of an armed siege in North England (hmmm...seems like we've been having bad luck here as of late). She told me that she had known someone who was part of an armed siege and then, as she put it "I remembered it was actually me who was part of an armed siege when I lived in Toronto".

Apart from thinking it a very odd thing to forget, I thought it was odd altogether...especially to happen in Canada!

Basically when she was living in Toronto, she was waiting for a bus (or taxi - whichever came first) when suddenly a police man with a large....

...machine gun came to her (and the other few people waiting) and told them to come with him immediately. So, they went and hid behind a wall or a large bush or something and watched while he spoke into his radio thing and, when a girl tried to ask an innocent question (probably to the effects of "what is happening?" or "Will we die"?) he said "please be quiet. I need to concentrate". At least he said please!

Anyways, after a while he told them they could leave, but they should not stay in the area any longer than they had to be.

Long story made short: I thought it was very amusing that she had forgotten about this until now...

Move Over Coronation Street

I came across this on a BBC site. It has really made me laugh...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/spanish/soap/

I did it!

Well, I started and finished the London 10K on Sunday - it was truly an incredible experience (beyond words, really), and I think I'm hooked now. There's something amazing about the thumping of 19 000 pairs of feet on the road, and somehow running with 19 000 others is so much more fun! Anita and I made it a challenge to to pass all of the funny animals and characters along the way. We beat a polar bear, an ostrich, an emu, a dragon, Batman, Robin, some bare bottoms, some women with large breasts and lederhosen. Somehow we missed the giraffe though! Shoot! I did a better time than in training. Normally 8K has been taking me 1:03:00, but on Saturday I looked at my watch at the 8K mark and it had only been 53 minutes! I think that all of those hills I live near have paid off. Anita and I finished it together in 1:06:45 - not too shabby for a first time out, I think! Next time I do one though, I'll be finishing in an hour! I feel like a changed woman! I've only had one biscuit today...I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship!

Oscar Peterson

I saw Oscar Peterson in concert at Royal Albert Hall yesterday. One of the most amazing experiences of my life I think, and I don't think I'll ever get the chance to see him again.
Even playing with mainly his right hand, (as far as I can tell he uses his left mainly for chords since his stroke) he was incredible. It's the first time I've seen someone get a standing ovation just for walking on stage. Absoutely phenomenal and worth every penny I paid. What a man! He played a couple tributes to some of the greats who have passed away in the past few years, including a piece by his former bassist who died a few months ago - very touching! Ohhhhhh...I'd love to see it all again!

For those of you in Toronto, enjoy Live 8 there...I'd be there if I could!

For Uncle Bob

U Bob, if you still read this blog, this one's for you...it was sent to me by my (apparently very funny) friend Rich...


A history professor and a psychology professor are sitting outside at a nudist colony
History professor - "Have you read Marx?"
Psychology professor - "Yes, I think it's from the wicker chairs."

Oh - perhaps I should explain for those of you who are now questioning the folk I share genes with. U Bob is quite notorious in our family for emailing very funny jokes. He's neither a professor, nor a nudist...well, not that I know of anyway! ;)

Oh, and HAPPY CANADA DAY!!!! I think I'm going to the Canadian Pub in Central London today.

I'm all prepared for my run I think...apparently there's a brutal incline at Tower Bridge, but because I live in the land of inclines I hope I'll be all ready! Before Rich snitches on me, I have to confess I've maybe eaten more biscuits than I should have. But McVitie's chocolate digestives with caramel are to die for!

Our debut Ballet role...at Wimbledon

I received the following email from my friend Lisa, whom I had been discussing making a trip to Wimbledon with. It's one of those little typos in life that really made me laugh:

Having thought it was a fab idea to go to Wimbledon one night this week for returns, I’m now completely off the idea. I was watching on TV last night and they showed a shot of the queue for return tickets, and at 7.30 it was still at least 150 people long!

I don’t fancy trekking all the way to Wimbledon only to have to stand in line and then come home again without seeing any tennis.

Instead we must all remember to enter the ballet this autumn for next year!

(Note: incase you missed it, the last line should have read "ballot", not ballet.) Oh, bless her little cotton socks for making me laugh so! Oh, the idea of she and I prancing around stage in little ballet costumes!


This is Lisa attempting to plunge to her end in the Peak District over Easter this year. Fortunately I talked her out of it, and she's still around to do wonderful things such as be my 10K manager and plan future trips to Wimbledon...

Introducing my pet Llama!

This is my current wall paper. It was sent to me by Dave in Peru. It makes me smile every morning when I turn on my computer. Her name is Gramma Llama Ding-Dong. Everybody needs a Gramma Llama. Wow, it's wierd to be looking at the picture and the real thing at the same time...sort of stereo for the eyes. Or like when someone phones you and they're listening to the same radio program you are...

The teeny-weeny coffee truck

As per Matt And Clare and Rich's comments, here is the little coffee truck at East Finchley tube. One really needs to see it in real life though, to get a good perspective on how tiny it is! Many thanks to Matt for the shot!

Le pain dans la heiney (or a rough translation thereof)

This morning I took my visiting Canadian friend Ashley to my favourite little cramped cafe that makes amazing cheap chocolate croissants and cheap half-assed coffee on my way to work. The only thing is that since I last passed it (last week, I think) it has changed ownership and transformed itself into a "pattiserie". Now it's all fancy and thinks it can charge £1.20 for the formerly 70p croissants and hmmm...I don't remember how much the coffee was before, but it was £1.45 this morning. They don't even have chocolate croissants anymore. Now they're going the "le pain chocolate" route. Yeah, I'll give them a "pain" alright. Right in their heiney. I remember years ago my brother going on about how Second Cup had taken over the little coffee establishment at the university where he worked, and not quite getting it (how could anybody possibly say anything negative about Second Cup?). Now I get it. And I don't like it. Down with progress!

Worth a Laugh!

My friend Rich sent this to me just before I left for lunch:

A family of moles had been hibernating all winter. One beautiful spring morning, they woke up. The father mole stuck his head out of the hole and looked around.
Mother Mole!" he called back down the hole, "Come up here! I smell honey, fresh made honey!"
The mother mole ran up and squeezed in next to him.
"That's not honey, that's maple syrup! I smell maple syrup!"
The baby mole, still down in the hole, was sulking, complaining, "I can't smell anything down here but molasses".

Extreme Decadence?

I just wanted to share that I am sitting at my desk eating cherries and feeling very decadent. One of my colleagues had suggested that it would be much better were I being fed them by a muscular half-naked man with a winged-horse like it happens in the paintings. But then I pointed out that that would mean that I too, would probably be half-naked (or worse, more than half-naked) barely wrapped in a delicate cloth, and quite possibly surrounded by naked children. We decided it’s best to leave well-enough alone.




Me at work? How frightening!

10 KM from Death

I made a small change in one of my training routes yesterday morning, and it has made all the difference. As I said before I live in a hilly area and before, the first half was relatively flat-ish and the second half of my route was all downhill. So, yesterday morning I ran it in the opposite direction and had a long steady incline for the first 30 minutes or so, and then from pretty much flattened out again, but I thought I was going to die. I'm wanting to get this run over with so that I can know how I do, and then have something to work towards (i.e. beating my old time). Two of my friends and I are going to go down to the City on Saturday morning and run the race route (well, we may not run all of it, but we at least want to be familiar with it - even if we stop a bit early for a croissant...) Two weeks and two days to go...

Breaking the Law and the Big Mac Index

On Monday I found out I had inadvertently been driving around London for the past 7 months without having insurance on my car. I found out in a process of taking further steps towards becoming a responsible, self-managing adult. It's lucky that Monday was the day I decided to do that! It was quite a shock, but fortunately I had no accidents in those 7 months, and now the situation has been rectified, and I am a fully insured, responsible, law abiding citizen. I think I need to take a driving test to get a British driving license. Oh dear. It's like being 17 again (but with slightly more spending power) I'll keep you posted...

I have started reading the economist. The reason I bought it was because I met someone who does book reviews for it and thought it would be a neat thing to do (and thought I should read the ones they publish and see what they're like - you know, you have to understand the enemy and all that...) However, I think it might be a good thing for me to browse through on occasion. It's a whole world that I didn't even know existed. For example, once a year they publish something called (I think, I left it at home and will need to double check) the Big Mac Index. It's basically a run down of the world's currencies and their purchasing power parities in relation to how much a Big Mac would cost. I've found a link and will include it for your peruasal. I don't know if it will have any impact on my day to day life (especially since I don't buy Big Macs in England, let alone the rest of the world) but it's quite interesting to know that these sorts of things are out there. It can only help make me smarter - ha ha! Just think, 24 hours ago I had no clue what a purchasing power parity nor a Big Mac index was...

http://www.economist.com/markets/bigmac/displayStory.cfm?story_id=2708584

One of my extra-curriculars...

This is a photo taken at our April Concert. I'm in the second standing row 7th smudge from the right...