Category: montreal

Categories
montreal news poetic

Second-hand blogger

You can say that someone or something is “going down”, and you can say that it’s “going up in smoke”, but nothing ever seems to “go down in smoke”. Which seems to me a great way to double your threat with little effort. Some camper keep fragging you? Griefer steal your earthworm munch? Save your other, small threats. Tell them they’re “going down in smoke”. That’ll put a shiver in their timbers, if they’ve got timbers to shiv.

But that’s all beside the point.
The point is: Montreal is going down in smoke, literally.

Categories
dance montreal personal school

Montreal swing

I continued to research graduate schools today for a glorious future of library employment. McGill in Montreal is still at the top of my list, followed in no particular order by: U. of Wisconsin, Madison; Simmons, in Boston; Southern Connecticut State University, in New Haven; U. of Washington, in Seattle; and U. of B.C., Vancouver. Aside from quality of the schools, and really they all seem pretty decent (if they suck they don’t last long), I’ve been focusing on location, and where I want to be. One of the main qualifiers is, you might have guessed, the hepness of the swing-dance scene. And so, in searching, I came across this, which seems very hep indeed. Moving to Montreal scares the shit out of me, but without even ever having been there, I’ve already started to really like the city. No matter what works out in the Fall, I’ve a feeling I’ll end up in Montreal regardless, one way or another.

Last night, abandoned by my usual swing cohorts, I drove up to Tacoma by myself, and had nothing less than a rockin’ good time. Taking smoke breaks alone wasn’t half as much fun, but I managed anyway. I worked on my blues styling a tiny bit (though I still feel woefully inadequate during slower songs), danced with three great dancers I’d never danced with before, chatted with some nice people and got an e-mail address (one step down from a phone #, sure, but hey) to see if some girls want to hook up at McCabe’s next Tuesday for some western swing dancing. As I was leaving, I asked Dave about blues dancing classes, of which I guess there is one (only one *sigh*) up at the Dance Underground next Friday. We’re also working on a new performance routine for V-day to “Tainted Love”, which should be smashing, simply smashing. I suspect we’ll be supposing to practice the performance next Friday, but I may sneak away anyway. I wanna learn me some blues.

On a juicier note, I’ve been getting some major vibe from a very dangerous girl on Tuesday nights. She portrays herself as a bit of a player, and though I’ve no doubt that she’s crafty, I still think she talks a bit bigger than she acts. Even so, she’d probably chew me up and spit me out, which remains tempting all the same. Tempting, but not likely. I wouldn’t mind but for a strange sense of morality that keeps getting in my way. Ah well, probably for the best.

Categories
cinema montreal work

The ne plus ultra of the blogging world

That is, perhaps, the weirdest expression that I had never, until now, heard. As far as I can tell, in literal translation, it’s like saying no one’s better. But I dunno, those French.

Good things have been happening. My interview on Monday kicked ass, and from what I can tell the people that interviewed me think that I kick ass, so I should finally have another job soon. In the land of health, I am feeling much improved. At my current job, I received a completely unexpected raise of 6%; I’m now making 34% more than I’ve ever made in a previous job (per hour, at least) and that makes me feel vaguely important. (It’s nice to have a feeling of financial progression, at least. It’s as though as I get older I become more valuable to the world. That’s a nice thought.) Other good things, in small arenas. I’ve been particularly enjoying the conversation and company of my friends, lately, both near and far. I feel like Emily and I are on the best terms yet since our break-up, and that the world, in general, is full of beautiful and interesting people.

An interesting note about my interview: the director of the Olympia Timberland Library, who was one of the two interviewers from Olympia (of 6, altogether) attended McGill University, my predetermined escape route to Montreal. She invited me to come down and talk to her about it sometime, which I plan to do soon. I’m excited to know what she thought about the school, and in general it seems like a positive omen.

Spider-Man 2 is now available on DVD, and my roommate Tim picked it up. Arrived home from dancing, we began to watch it last night (after I read Tim my previous, scathing review from having watched it in the theater.) My previous review stands.

Life is good. Today the sun shone,
and I wore the sunglasses of contentment.
A bagel and coffee at Otto’s to start the day,
like we used to do in years past.

Categories
love montreal personal

Kissed a girl and made her cry…

Monday night, I left a beautiful girl crying.

“I’ve been thinking about Montreal. If I end up going, I have to go alone. I need to leave my attachments and start fresh, to see who I am.”

I wasn’t sure how serious she had been about going with me; nor how serious she was about our relationship in general. Turns out she was quite serious about both. It made me realize that while I’ve become pretty good at protecting myself from getting hurt in these situations, I need to start paying more attention to how much I can hurt the other person. On the other hand, I’m sure this was the right decision; and in the end, perhaps the least painful one.

–

I high-tailed it up to Port Townsend to spend Thanksgiving with my mom and my step-dad. It’s good to get away from Oly for a few days, take a break and maybe get some reading done.

For grad school, I’ve decided to apply to five (or so) institutions in various places I think I’d like to live, away from everything I know. That way, if I don’t get accepted to Montreal, I will still be able to get away and explore; have an adventure of learning and self-discovery. [that sounds so trite] I’m bound to get accepted somewhere.

–

To everyone who reads this [and everyone else too]:
Happy Thanksgiving.

Focus on the good things in life…

…like pie.

Categories
art montreal music work

When a straight beats a flush

I came across this interesting link, somewhat circuitously today. It involves the Pacific Northwest, and this particular story is about Neah Bay and the Makah Tribe. My step-dad is Makah, and very active in Makah traditional and cultural life. He particularly does a lot of really beautiful copper-work, cut and painted to represent traditional and familial spirit and animal figures. The Makah are most known, recently, for the controversy revolving around their whaling, particularly their recent hunt in 1999. There are some beautiful pictures of Pacific coastline and local rainforest worth checking out. Washington State is chock-full of natural beauty. Go us.

Of other note, geographically, is this short article from The Boston Globe on Montreal, with focus on their pop music scene and its success in the U.S. (Whether that’s a recommendation or not, I don’t know — I’m not particularly fond of “popular” American music.) But it’s a neat, short blurb that ends in saying, “Montreal is an artist’s town.” Go them. (Still, the thought of being surrounded by three million people is a bit daunting to a country-grown boy like myself.) For further stories of Montreal interest…

–

The phone rang yesterday, and I, crotchety hermit that I am, let it ring through because I didn’t recognize the caller id number (that and I’m a lazy bastard; we really don’t get that many “courtesy calls” these days). It turned out to be the Public Library downtown, calling me about a “Library Aide” position for 15 hours a week. I’ve got to call them back when I get off work today, but this surely means an interview at least (because they send letters if they reject you; I’ve been collecting them), and hopefully a job of some sort for low pay and lost evenings. But hey! I can stop living off my damned credit card! Go me.

Time is short. Looking at the moment; it passes.
A quote to encourage ye, adventurers.

Make your choice, adventurous Stranger;
Strike the bell, and bide the danger,
Or wonder, till it drives you mad,
What would have followed if you had.

The Magician’s Nephew, C.S. Lewis

Categories
humor montreal personal poetic

You mount me so well…

Racy, I know, but I was referring to this.

So I’ve gotten all link-happy, and added quite a few. I seem to have the tendancy to enjoy reading the accounts of Americans in other countries. Should I read something into this? I don’t know. Perhaps proof that I need to move to Montreal, or perhaps just to Canada 2.0. Then I too can be an international blogger. And I can swear in Québécois: Tabarnak! Criss! Caliss! Okay, so I’m fairly limited so far … but I can work on it. Honestly, I don’t even swear very well in English. I generally just swear to add emphasis to a point I’m trying to make, which is really the most mild manner in which one can swear. I’m a failure at true vulgarity. But then, the best part about Québécois swearing is that the words themselves aren’t really vulgar, they’re mostly just adapted from common church words: i.e. Tabarnak just means Tabernacle. Nothing your mother will slap you for saying. In true French swearing, saying things like “Putains de merdes!” can get you into trouble, even in a loud bar … but then, it’s not very polite.

As for les jurés Americains, someone recently told me that the word “fuck” derived from the acronym, “For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge”; which I believed just long enough to tell someone else, and then I thought “…hold on a minute”. It just didn’t seem right. Another urban legend is that the word derives from the acronym, “Fornication Under Consent of the King”. Either explanation is rather enticing, but both are debunked here. Go figure.

Categories
montreal

Expatriating true patriots

Brendan linked to this story from Harper’s
on his blog, which I thought was amusing and interesting.
I particularly like France’s approach, and the idea of:
heckling the United States with authentic Gallic zeal.

There is certainly a moral quandary here;
something about quitting when the fight gets tough,
or when things aren’t going the way you want them to.
But if you respect America’s freedoms, you have to
also respect the freedom to leave.
Remember, the USA itself was founded by quitters;
they thought British rule was oppressive and didn’t
fit their ideals, and so they made a new start elsewhere.

Maybe I won’t go, and perhaps one day I’ll
start my own nation. But really, I’ve always wanted
to move to Montreal anyway (for pure and non-poli reasons)
and now just seems like the perfect opportunity.
I suppose I could even start to like hockey.

Categories
montreal personal

Comment dit-on “perdu” en japonais?

A man I don’t know named David sent an email out
in response to one that my friend Daniel sent.
(God, I feel like that needs a comma somewhere.)
Daniel, like many of us, pines for the lost hope
of a new president. David replied with some
good points, but item number four is my fave:

“Look on the bright side:

1. Even if this is the worst case scenario, you still have it better, on many levels, including politically, than many peoples at many times in history. A lot better.

2. At least it was a clean win this time, no recounts or litigation.

3. At least Bush won the popular vote too, so we don’t have to worry about the electoral college system.

4. If Bush hadn’t been re-elected then we might have to invest ourselves in serious political analysis. I much prefer sitting around and periodically saying that Bush is the biggest goddamn moron in history and he is going to destroy the whole world. It’s so easy, I don’t even have to get up, I could probably do it in the shower if I wanted…”

People are trying to make excuses: the election was fixed,
or the Illuminati controls the process anyway,
or Republicans used scare tactics and lies.
But the fact is, we live in a conservative country.
Social progress is a fluke; for every step forward we take
two back, and then act like we’re hot shit. Part
of the reason we liberals are what we are is from an
affinity with the idea of the “outsider”.
At least for me.
And we are: the outsiders, the radicals, the new wave.
We’re the minority, for now, with no question of miscounted
ballots or people being turned away at the polls.
Just remember, minority we may be …
but George W. will always be a damned monkey.

–

So, short of buying my tickets, I’ve got my escape
route all planned. If things go right, Montreal by
September of 2005. No joke. Here it is.
It’s even ALA-accredited, so won’t hurt my job search
should I return to the States. The only part that
worries me is how financial aid will work as an
international student. The tuition isn’t that much,
even internationally, but still far more than I can swing
without aid, grants, or scholarships. Time to start
researching that, I suppose.

I may even get to drag Theo along with me,
and possibly Alexis as well, and who knows who else.
Seriously though, it seems like the right move
at the right time. We’ll see how things feel next year,
but right now I’m verily psyched about it.

I started my day off with Chai Nog,
which makes the world a happier place.

Categories
book montreal personal

A great disturbance in the force…

… as though some fifty million voices shouted out
in terror, and suddenly, were silenced.

Disappointment’s branded into my skin,
seeps into my bones and would make me sick,
if I weren’t already. It may have been naive
(I’m known to be so), but I had a lot of hope
that this country knew better, that fear didn’t
rule us and that as a whole we were becoming a
more open and accepting society.
Sure, I set myself up for disappointment;
nothing was pointing to these things being true,
after all.

Even so, now I feel as though the country is
a stranger to me. I’m about as liberal as we come,
so how do I fit in now?

–

On a less grave note, events have seemingly
conspired against my participation in NaNoWriMo.
It was going to be tight on time in the first place,
but then I got sick, had job applications I needed
to fill out and books I needed to send off,
and my dad came to visit and is staying at my house.

So, unless I somehow decide to write a novel in the last
two weeks of November, I think I too might have
to concede, painful though it is. However, I’m going
to leave the “City of Familiar Light” blog up, and
hopefully will be able to chip away at it over time.
If not, well, I’ll write a novel when I’m good and ready.

–

Well, I’m off to explore the web, and see if I can find
any viable ways to move to Montreal.