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Toronto is a busy city these days. Today was the inaugural opening of the Four Season's Centre for the Performing Arts. We finally have an opera house! So THAT'S what was missing!! Although I am lucky enough to have already been inside for a performance (it was a technical sound check but a full concert), tonight was the gala opening and there was a live telecast to Nathan Phillips Square across the street for all the commoners to watch what was going on as well. It was great. There were hundreds of people sitting out in the square in front of the big screen and clapping at the end of each song. The sky spit on us for a while but then ceased and just left us with a big rainbow to marvel at. I left before the end to wander home but apparently the performers came to do an encore for the crowd outside. BRAVA!!!! Why is it that anytime I post something on craigslist I am suddenly bombarded with strange replys from strange people? Is it craigslist that attracts them? Someone should do a study. So we are looking for a roommate to replace Robin at the end of the month so I posted and have already gotten some 'interesting' responses. Highly entertaining. One Czech couple who want to rent the room (despite the ad saying we are looking for a girl) even sent photos of themselves. The best was Rico! who said he looks kind of like a girl so is that close enough? And then he sent a link to his myspace profile. Sorry Rico. You are not woman enough. The best responses are the ones from people who only write "Sounds good. Call me." And then leave their phone number. Hmmm. No. Sorry, don't think so. Needless to say, I am sure Corinna and I will have an interesting time finding someone. Below is part of a letter from Rever who REALLY wanted to live with us (in AMERICA). Bless us, Amen. ...as matter of urgence,i'm looking for a comfortable space and I will be very
glad to have all this questions answered with out leaving a stone
unturned...I will like to make an advance payment ahead my arrival so that
you can be rest assured that this is real since I am not in the state
presently.i will be greatful to rent your place before i could get a
roommate/flat share to stay as roomie with me because i'm presently in
nedtherland and i will coming to america for a contract. kindly email me
directly.Thanks and have a good time.
Rever Willians,
Bless you Amen.
Flickr has been a good distraction for me. I have been categorizing all my photos and submitting them to different public flickr groups and getting a lot of attention to my photos. And I have found a lot of really fun photos for me to see too. I was always one of the few who actually enjoyed looking at other people's endless slideshows and photoalbums. Flickr is the perfect little window into other people's lives. I always wonder too what the people looking into my photos think of me! This photo here of me squishing the safari van has been viewed over 630 times! My camera seems to be working again. Time to start taking more photos!
This was a weekend that I was hoping to go away but because of the unemployment I stayed in town. It actually ended up being a fun weekend.
Saturday was a bbq at my old roommates' place. The drinks were flowing and the food was GOOD (despite the fact that Amie dropped my sausage on the ground). They invited their neighbor's to join in which included these 2 little Russian boys Luke and Leo. Leo is some kind of genius who is 8 and was talking about how he either wants to be a mathematician or an insectologist when he grows up. Then he started talking about ancient Egyptian society with us. We, meanwhile were completely drunk and having a hard time keeping up. Poor kid must have thought we were nuts. Later on we went indoors to enjoy some karaoke (I did a KILLER version of "She Blinded Me With Science") and more drinks/food.
On Sunday I spent the day studying and then walked back to their place to eat all the leftovers for dinner and we sat and watched our 2 favourite movies, "The Exorcist" and "Napolean Dynamite". I swear, I lived with those 2 girls for 3 years and I think for the rest of our lives it will always be like we are roommates.
Despite my better judgment I went with Amie downtown late Sunday night to meet up with 2 friends who we used to work with at Rainforest Cafe who were back in town for the weekend. I really didn't feel like going out but tried to stick with my philosophy from Kenya (and Denmark before it) that I should accept EVERY invitation. Why go to bed on time when you can go out and have fun (despite the huge zit on my chin). And it was a great time. I have forgotten how much fun those people are.
It's like the gym. You never want to go - but once you have been there you are so glad you went. It's worth the effort. I think that is always the key to having a good social life - you have to say go out even when you just feel like going home and sleeping.
On a downer note, my camera is not working well at all. I have vowed to take at least 2 good photos a week to publish on flickr or here but I will take photos and then they will say MEMORY CARD ERROR and they will all be gone. I have tried switching memory cards and it hasn't made a difference. This worries me. A shame because the World Cup here is crazy and I want to capture it all on film. Living on the border of Little Italy/Little Portugal with representation from all the Central and South American countries in the area - it has been a madhouse since Friday. I love it.
Like 10 years ago on Christina's birthday I decided to be daring and get her 2 books for her 16th or 17th birthday. One was "How to Seduce Any Man in the Zodiac" which I swear we read from cover to cover and yet I am sure it didn't manage to get us any action. The other was "The Illustrated Pocket Sex Guide" which I was so proud of myself for having gone to the bookstore to buy! It was meant as a joke gift but then Christina went and showed her parents what I got her! I was sure they were going to kill me but they didn't seem too bothered by it. What ever did become of that book Christina?
Her band, Chrissy & the Warbling Huckleberries are performing tonight in Sault Ste. Marie if anyone is in the area.
I feel like nothing I write is very exciting anymore. No stories about giraffes or jumping out of airplanes or cultural shocks. Yesterday I was trying to visualize the mall (the Sarit Centre) in as much detail as possible in my head. Sometimes I think I almost forget like I was ever away. I have to convince myself it happened. The worst thing is that when I was there I knew this would happen. I was trying to hold onto every second for as long as I could knowing it would be long gone once I was back in Canada. The experience stays with you but just in a photo album kind of way. Eventually you only retain the memories that you have photos of.
Think back to your childhood. Your first bunch of memories. Are they real memories or are they remembered because they are attached to a photo you have seen since then? If you can remember something that has no photographic evidence to remind you of it - then THAT is a real memory. Maybe it's just me.
I have been having the strangest dreams lately. One of which involved me going onto a space shuttle with friends in San Francisco and we were trying to take off (instead of down a runway we were going up a busy street) but there were trolleys and old men in Denver Bronco's jerseys in our way so by the time we took off we didn't have enough speed so we were tumbling down to crash and I kept thinking, "Don't be negative and assume it will crash, it might not..." and then it crashed and we all died. Then we all realized that we were still alive and nothing was damaged but we all knew we must have died because we crashed so we were sitting inside the space shuttle wondering if we were in heaven, purgatory or some alternate reality and wondering what was outside the shuttle door. Then I woke up.
One of my roommates is moving out because he doesn't get along with our landlady. I am realizing that there have been so many changes going on in the past 3 months that nothing really phases me anymore. Or maybe it just does subconsciously and that's why I am having crazy dreams of being in a shuttle crash. I guess I am in a kind of purgatory-like state right now where I am just waiting for something to happen. I feel like everything has been put on hold until I have a job.
I have been trying to eat healthier and work out more so of course I am noticing all the food-related articles and blogs lately. Doesnt' this sound good? Beer Battered Deep Fried Pepperoni Pizza. Mmmmmm.
In honour of it being a Monday and me not having much to post, here is a video that will change your life. I love it. I have sent it already to many people but must spread the good news & hot dancing to more of the world. I got the link from The Morning News, where I get lots of great links to great things. I recommend it, highly.
Happy Birthday shout out to Genny K! That photo is of me and Genny in Osaka. We went a little Japan photo booth crazy while we were there. We also became addicted to karaoke. And sushi. And spotting ferris wheels. But that is a whole other story. Hope you have a good day Genny!The weekend was pretty dreary here. I had an interview which I think I kind of blew (somewhat intentionally). I am really not sure what is going through my head at this point. I am so stressed about a bunch of things (jobs, living situation, people issues) and it is causing me to second guess myself and my decisions. I hate that. My solution is to wait it out and in the mean time drink more water and do more yoga. Looking for this photo I uploaded in my piles of old photos I am shocked to see all the crazy and fun things I have done so far in my life. I've been busy! Whew! Good thing I kept the journals & the photos to remind me of all I've done. My memory isn't what it used to be.
Crazy woman next door has taken to kissing her reflection in the garage door. Oy. I wish I knew Italian so I could understand what she was saying. It sounds like she is saying "Mamma, Mamma, Mamma". Maybe she thinks her mother is behind the glass. Strange.
I had a horrible sleep last night, tossing and turning and having nightmares about spiders. 2 clear reasons for this, no doubt:
1) I saw a big spider in my bathroom before bed and I didn't kill it.
2) I am stressed because my landlady is crazy and is kicking out my roommate for no good reason and I am not sure a) who will replace him, b) if there will be confusion over the last month's rent that I gave him because he used to pay the rent and act as a "middle man" in having to deal with her, 3) she is crazy and who knows if she will suddenly want to kick me out and 4) I don't have a job yet and thus can't really go looking for a new place just yet.
This week has been crazy with stress-inducing occurrences.
I have 2 more interviews in the next few days. So far, of all the interviews I have had, I only want one job. And I still haven't heard back from them. I live in hope.
Matt is still in Kenya for his last few days. He too has been having an interesting time. Here is a blurb from his last blog entry:
'The police showed up and took our info and acted all police-like. They were not willing to go into the tunnel to catch the thieves, it stank. The mob wasn't interested in their help anyway. The cops told us that the tunnel was very long and that they would go to the other end and see if they could see them. They instructed us to wait by the hole with the mob. They actually said 'if they come out let the mob take care of them, its easier that way' Read about his experiences with a lynch mob here.
Lynching is a very common method of punishment in Kenya. People are usually beaten to death by a huge mob which will include women and children participating in beating someone to death or throwing rocks at them. It is a crazy phenomenon. I guess it stems from lack of support by the police - frustration at high crime rates and little lawfulness. It still scares the crap out of me. Particularly when you think about someone like me getting mugged. I would lose about $150 and be pretty pissed (like Matt was). But when you think about being a part of someone's death just because they took some of your money - someone who took that money from you because even if they have a job, they aren't getting paid hardly anything at all, they have little to nothing. And desperate circumstances may have lead them to taking your stuff. I don't condone letting people off for robbing you. I just wish that the police in places like Kenya were more effective and did what they are supposed to do.
