Weetniet

So after just over a week of ice that wasn't going anywhere, we've got another thick blanket of fresh snow today. And so much fog I think Pyramid Head's moved in across the road.

:D

 Seoul is not equipped to deal with snow. Not at all. 
Beijing shut down. Tokyo was prepared. That crazy little city in the middle - 'oh we'll be fine'. WRONG!!!!

Those of you who know my working conditions know that my school never shuts. NEVER. Unless ordered to by the government because they are paranoid that all foreigners are diseased SwineFlu infected persons. 

Then there was Monday. Snow day!!!! woohoooo. We still had our morning classes. but with some kids arriving 1.5hrs late because of the snow, they actually decided to cancel classes. This city was totally not ready for it. 21cm of snow in a few hours. Granted, they don't get that much snow here, so you wouldn't expect it to run as smoothly as say Finland, but still... The roads weren't salted. It's not occurred to anyone to put gravel on the footpaths (as my knee about that one... a week later and it still complains). As it is, they still haven't ploughed all the roads, they have left he outside lanes full of snow (which is fun watching cars trying to park - teeeheeehee). I have never seen Seoul with this much snow. It's more than they've had in the previous 3 years I think, and with the current record low temps it doesn't appear to be going anywhere. I really don't understand how this country can have tropical-like monsoonal summers, and Nordic like winters... It just doesn't make sense!!



And then topic #2
The disturbing essay. 
An essay I marked today has really disturbed me. In the essay, the student talks about drinking, drug use, playing with explosives and a few other disturbing things. Some of which I know are true (he was absent for a few weeks with burns to his face after playing with a few chemicals that don't mix well...). This was a little off-putting, but coming from this student, I wasn't too too concerned. Well, I was concerned a little, but this wasn't out of the ordinary for him. 

What really disturbs me was the paragraph before the essay started. The paragraph that was in microscopic font, so small that it looked like a line across half the page. I discovered it by accident. In the downloaded attachment, it was impossible to see. displayed as a googledocs doc though, it became clear. He talks of being beaten by his parents, of how he wants to kill them. Of how everyone hates him, and how he thinks he hates himself. 

I've tried reaching out to this kid before, and this makes me feel the need to do so again. I have told our schools manager about it, and I asked a fellow teacher (one with a pych degree) to look over it. All agree that it is disturbing. All except his other teacher. His other teacher that took over as Head Instructor when I stepped down at the beginning of the term to be a regular instructor. According to him, the kid is just looking for attention and we ignore it. I'm not sure what to make of this reaction. This instructor isn't the most emotionally equipped person, but still?

I for one, would much rather be proven wrong, and be made to look like a gullible fool by a student, than to be proven right having done nothing. 

I talked to the kid quietly in class and told him to call me if he ever needs to chat. Going by his reactions, he's not playing around, he seems to really want help. I'm not sure what else to do. I know his parents don't understand him, and I don't think he has may close friends. I sent him an email when I got home from work, just letting him know if he want to talk to let me know. I'm not sure what else to do, but I really worry about the kid. He said in his essay that he knows he's turned bad, and that he would like to return to the boy he used to be. What to do??

Dear J

You know... I thought I was ok with you, you were another one leaving, but I was cool with that. we laughed... I kept feelings controlled. awesome. 

You lay next to me. and like so many people said "I can't believe why you are still single. You are amazing, you are a fabulous guy"

I'm sorry, maybe I'm crazy, but given the situation, that suggests that maybe, just maybe you would have liked to rectify that if you were not leaving the country in another week or so. 

Yet, I'm surprised to find that you are now 'kinda dating' a boy here in Korea before you head back to uni in the states. I was surprised at how much that news hurt me. But I'm also confused. You think I'm fabulous, and can't understand why I'm single. You asked me why, when I am so funny and sweet, am I still single. Y'know something, I would love to know the answer to that question myself. And given what you said before, and what you just told me now, perhaps you can answer that. Why am I still single? Why do the people I like not reciprocate. 

As much as I have bitched about a certain scenario before, I was prepared for the bad timing this time round. I wasn't prepared for this... 

A glass of red and desperate housewives followed by some comedy in order. What a shitty way to end an otherwise FABULOUS day... 

Our wee break in the Gulf Islands continues to be lovely. Very wet, but lovely. Last night a colleague of querrelle  's and his wife had us over for dinner. Aside from a migraine, 'twas....lovely. 

Today was a sleepy lie-in, which will soon be followed by wandering and shopping. There is a Mark's Work Warehouse here on Salt Spring and we have a rule that Mark's must be shopped when encountered. Plus it's pretty mucky here and if there's a good deal to be had on muck-proof boots, they shall be gotted.

( Spoilers for The End of Time Part 2 )

Here we go! Everyone ready? *laughs*

See you when we've got a new Doctor ;)

Greetings from cold and rainy Salt Spring Island BC. Our cabin, however, is toasty warm from the wood-burning stove. The hot tub for 2 earlier was nice too. This is my kind of New Year's Eve: locked in from the loons and amateurs. I can smell the puke on the #5 bus if I try real hard.

2009 was...a year. Many great things, lots of good things, some challenges, no real heartaches. My new job continues to be a blessing. Our home continues to unfold. querrelle  is becoming more and more integrated into my family. I'm healthy. I have a nice home. I've got a friend who loves me, I like the colour of my...back hair?

2010 should be an exciting one. January means handing out thousands of uniforms 1 or 2 days a week. February means running with the torch, hosting Tommy and his ilk, and attending all sorts of Olympic events with good friends. March is the Paralympics. I've no frickin' idea about what comes next, except something of a crash. I've dreamt of attending an Olympics my entire life: I'm hosting them in my hometown!

Even after tough years--more about this when I post the essay I submitted for the torch relay contest--I've always had a sense of my life getting better overall and a sense of gratitude about how it unfolds. I've done poverty I've done relatively rich. Things are nice. Things are fun. Things, most things, aren't really necessary in a pinch.

I wish you all a safe, exciting, fulfilling and fun 2010!

DAMMIT LJ, WHY DO YOU KEEP SIGNING ME OUT EVEN THOUGH I ALWAYS TICK THE 'REMEMBER ME' BOX? THREE DAYS ON THE TROT NOW. SORT IT OUT!

So, where is the place to be for Hogmany this year, then?

In the run-up to the Olympics, UBC sez to Vanoc "dude, wanna use our Robson Square site for stuff?" And Vanoc sez "dude, that'd be awesome--what's the catch?" And UBC sez "no catch...but could you pay for us to fix the rink?" "Yeah, that's kewl." And then Vanoc, of course, goes and gets GE to pay for it.

Vancouver's winter climate is moderate. That's climatological speak for rain rather than snow. So keeping an outside ice rink is challenging. But they've done a lovely time with the facility.  Here's a wee filum:



 Good fun, but jaysus 'twas busy!

If you've not seen this elsewhere....


OK, so you're a high school guy whose sister rats out on you to the 'rents about beer hidden in your room. How do you get even? Scour sis's bedroom until you find something revenge-worthy.  Like this, which is probably easier to download and open/zoom in a graphics-friendly program:


Shame on her for ratting. Shame shame on him for snooping. Shame shame shame on her for keeping a list like this in a place that's discoverable.

And congratulations Katie--so long as you're using condoms and not letting them come inside you, ever.

 Install was a breeze; ditto setting up the extra remote thingie. Networking a bit touchy but all sorted. Played tennis and bowling in Wiii Sports.

This is gonna be fun!

 2000
I am in the 2nd year of my PhD. My work is garnering much positive attention and my fellowships pay me more than I ever made as a travel agent. Since I came in with 3 years of funding I'm hell bent on finishing in 3 years; getting a second fellowship means I can take up to 4 now. I'm teaching. I'm happy. En juillet je suis allé à Trois Pistoles, la plus plate ville du Québec. But I came home largely bilingual.

2001
Finish comps, get proposal approved, get ethics approval. Present at 2 conferences in the UK and one in Canada. Win prizes with 2 of the 3 papers. Give Paris another go and knowing the language helps a lot. Collect and analyze quantitative data for dissertation and start organizing the interview portion. My first one is scheduled for 11/9/01 11am: that morning a phone call from a friend has me turning on the TV just as one tower falls.  Spend several hours trying to find out who's alive and who's not. Did the interview anyway...what can you do? In November a plane nearly falls on my parents' house while I'm visiting.

2002
Receive a post-doctoral fellowship to go to Australia. Then find out my dissertation needs to be done by end of March instead of end of July. That means 8 weeks to finish it. Present at a conference in Barcelona and travel with toneyvr  throughout Spain and with the mob around Catalunya. Defend my dissertation in October, graduate in November, travel to Rarotonga with the Boyz en route to Australia.

2003
Post-doc in Oz goes well, but I find Sydney a tough place to live. Am counting the days until I can return home when I meet querrelle .  It's hawt, fun, and I figure out on the 2nd date he's The One. Travel back to Vancouver for a conference; move back in August because of Mum and research obligations. Howied at SYD saying goodbye to Him for 8 weeks. But was back in his arms in time for New Year's.

2004
Rough landing the first month as partners. Massive hunts man spider in the house scares us both nearly to death. I land a plum job at Sydney Uni. Go to India to recruit students. Ask Himself to marry me. Marry him. Aunt Ethna dies. toneyvr  comes for Xmas. Lots of quality time with mynumber1 . 

2005
Finally admit to querrelle  how unhappy I am in Australia; we agree to lodge his migration application. Travel to NY on short notice ostensibly to say goodbye to Ma. Who is still alive. querrelle' s papers take less than 4 months. We move to Vancouver in late August; whilst in Andorra visiting the in-laws, get news Brenda died.  Start new job at UBC (post-doc; organized online; yay having a strong reputation). Back teaching. 

2006
New job impeded by a harpee. querrelle  does Networking 101 and finds a brilliant job at a great company (he's still there). Am offered an assistant professorship at Alberta and turn it down ("Edmonton's not so bad"). We visit NZ and Oz for Christmas. Teaching is going OK; having a new subject to teach would be good. Successfully write my own grant for a self-funded post-doc, freeing me from the harpee. OMFG we buy a home! Mom in and out of hospital.

2007
New job going fine, but $ runs out on Halloween. Get a job at the Winter Olympics (Vanoc), a dream come true. Nanny's 100th in NY coincides with a very, very rough patch (meds and marriage). Puerto Vallarta for December. Mother-in-law dies on last day of holiday; poor querrelle  has to fly PV-SEA-YVR, then YVR-YYC-LHR-Gibraltar to help sort things. I fly to LHR later and it's Christmas in London. Which was wonderful, given the circumstances.

2008
Work the graveyard shift launching the volunteer recruitment process for Vancouver 2010. Super, super kewl. Aunt Una dies. Job begins to take over life. Nanny has to move to Pennsylvania and splits her time between my parents and uncle-and-aunt's place. Job becomes a nightmare. Nanny dies; the rancour begins, which stuns and saddens me to no end. Finally see the writing on the wall regarding Vanoc gig; start looking. Job opens up in the unit I had planned on targetting post-Games, and I get it. Caribbean cruise. Organize Olympic tickets for taxe29  and his ilk.

2009
Job is pretty much perfect: great people, fun work, toys galore, life/work balance. Spend a lot of time boarding and skiing and skating. Big White with the Vanockers (oh so that's what powder means!). Visit the 'rents over Easter long weekend. Visit again in June for their 50th. Land a motherload of awesome tickets for the Games! Asked to co-write and teach a new graduate course in educational technology. Pass my probation, but have to fight university central admin about probation end, salary rises. Job moves from annual to permanent. Attend conference in Athens; travel via Budapest, Zagreb and Belgrade. Start volunteering at the Games. Christmas at home with good friends.

So. Um. There I was, re-reading Cleo's Twilight recaps (CRAAAAAACK!) and I had an instance of Fridge Logic that might actually be an instance of Fridge Brilliance, and I am so not linking those because TV Tropes is the reason I'm (still) up at this hour anyway and --

What I was trying to say: Jacob went after Bella because he somehow semi-imprinted on The Egg That Would Some Day Be Renesmee, right? Except surely Nessie is made of both an egg and a sperm, so shouldn't he have also semi-imprinted on Edward? (Or, more hysterically accurately, on his balls?)

... I cannot possibly be the first person who's thought of this, people. Somebody reassure me that I'm not before I start writing fanfic, because that would require me to actually read the damn books, and no.

The last load of dishes is in the machine, the rooms are tidied, the feet are up and it'll be a Christmas miracle if I can keep my eyes open another hour.

querrelle  is a cruel and horrible man and a heathen. So no midnight prezzies and somehow he manages to sleep until like 09h. Doesn't he know he's making Christmas late???? Eventually he released me and a waft of tea roused him. We gave one another a range of fun stuff in one another's stockings, and a few other wee gifties. It was also a gorgeous day here in Vancouver so we got out of the house for a nice walk on the seawall and through Stanley Park.

And my goddaughter got me a gift: a lovely customized tree ornament and a "The Godfather" t-shirt. And she loved her gift. Schweet!

I rang Ma and Da and everyone was there except us, which I feel a bit guilty about (we've already been twice this year; it's about $1500 a trip). But everyone was in great spirits. riderofkarma and stoplabellingme are threatening to come out and see me run with the Torch. That'd be kewl!

Then there were chores: cleaning, laundry, and cooking for 7. V, A and A's mum R; B and D arrived after 16h for holiday cheer and a lamb roast. And OMFG did we ever nail the lamb roast: tender, fresh, flavourful (garlic and rosemary). We also served yorkshires, brussels, broccoli, carrots, parsnips and prawtees. And gravy. It was os-some. R brought trifle for dessert. 

Eventually folks toddled out just before 21h.  We'll awake to a tidy home and the makings of bubble-n-squeak. 

I hope everyone is safe and warm and loved tonight. <I>Shona nullaig duit</I>.

Happy Christmas everyone! 

This is too cute: VLC Media Player has a little seasonal easter egg...



The cone icon gets a Santa hat! Sweeeeeeeet!

And I guess that makes this a Christmas post. Have a good one, folks. :)