sidles back into room
I do feel as though I'm slinking back through the blog door after somewhat too-lengthy of an absence. I also feel as though I've been gently set back to earth after being picked up and tossed about by a particularly vigorous tornado. It's been hectic here at our place in Calgary and last night LJ and I finally slept in our own bed again after a month of matressing it in the office. His brother and sister have both been visiting, there was the Stampede, my birthday, I went to Vancouver for a few days, some friends from Taiwan were in Calgary...We did a lot of drinking and carousing and running around and it was lots of fun to see friends and family again but we are not as young as we once were and somewhere around last weekend LJ and I both hit burn-out. Anyway, all that partying didn't leave much time for blogging though there were several moments when I thought 'hmm, I should write about that'. Rather than write extensively on anything today, I'll just mention a few of those things that have lodged in my
mind and will try to recall those that slipped away at a later date.
First, I finally found the Dolly Parton autobiography that I'd been looking for in all of the used books stores around Calgary. And, joy of joys, I wangled a hardback copy for a mere $5! It's a quick, fun and (I thought) inspiring read. I know I've waxed lyrical about the joys of Dolly on other occassions and I'll do so briefly here again. Dolly Parton is one of the most unjudgemental, positive public figures I've ever had the pleasure to read about and listen to. I'll post some of my favourite quotes from the book when I get it back from the friend I've lent it to. Her music always raises my spirits and I had the same feeling of lightness when reading her life-story. It really was like sitting down and listening to the most lovely friend talking about herself, yet in a completely unselfobsessed way. Read it!
Sticking with the country music theme, we headed out to see our favourite local country singer again at the Bar Named Sue last week. I had just picked up a copy of Tim Hus's album Alberta Crude when I was in Vancouver (see I have been away for a long time!) the other week, and we've been singing 'One More Oil Boom Before I Die' ever since. It was the third time LJ and I had seen him perform at our favourite honky tonk bar and he (along with the Rocky Mountain Two) rocked the joint yet again. We also got to see the Smokin' 45's at The Castle pub the following night. Although they were in fine fettle, LJ and I were experiencing shut-down at that point and not even a vodka-red bull would rouse us. We went home early *hangs head*.
Finally, we have had some great parties and outings over the past few weeks but LJ and I are now getting down to business and getting on with getting on. Tomorrow we break for the border to sort out my student visa and hopefully next week I will be able to register for Uni. I can't wait. I can't wait to sign up to classes and find out what I'm going to be studying for my first year. Most PhD programs in North America seem to involve more of a taught element than they do in the UK and Ireland and while I'm a little nervous, I'm mostly really excited about experiencing a different education style. I'm actually looking forward to enjoying some classes and doing the paper-writing and exam taking thing before I get stuck into my thesis. It looks like it'll be a busy year (I'm going to be TAing a class aswell, and hopefully getting another part-time job of some description) but a really exciting and hopefully very productive one.
Anyway, I know there were a million (perhaps slight exaggeration) other things I wanted to write about but those thoughts appear to have snuck off somewhere right now. I'll content myself with saying - read Dolly's autobiography, listen to some Tim Hus, and yee-haw I'll be getting out of the house soon!
mind and will try to recall those that slipped away at a later date.
First, I finally found the Dolly Parton autobiography that I'd been looking for in all of the used books stores around Calgary. And, joy of joys, I wangled a hardback copy for a mere $5! It's a quick, fun and (I thought) inspiring read. I know I've waxed lyrical about the joys of Dolly on other occassions and I'll do so briefly here again. Dolly Parton is one of the most unjudgemental, positive public figures I've ever had the pleasure to read about and listen to. I'll post some of my favourite quotes from the book when I get it back from the friend I've lent it to. Her music always raises my spirits and I had the same feeling of lightness when reading her life-story. It really was like sitting down and listening to the most lovely friend talking about herself, yet in a completely unselfobsessed way. Read it!
Sticking with the country music theme, we headed out to see our favourite local country singer again at the Bar Named Sue last week. I had just picked up a copy of Tim Hus's album Alberta Crude when I was in Vancouver (see I have been away for a long time!) the other week, and we've been singing 'One More Oil Boom Before I Die' ever since. It was the third time LJ and I had seen him perform at our favourite honky tonk bar and he (along with the Rocky Mountain Two) rocked the joint yet again. We also got to see the Smokin' 45's at The Castle pub the following night. Although they were in fine fettle, LJ and I were experiencing shut-down at that point and not even a vodka-red bull would rouse us. We went home early *hangs head*.
Finally, we have had some great parties and outings over the past few weeks but LJ and I are now getting down to business and getting on with getting on. Tomorrow we break for the border to sort out my student visa and hopefully next week I will be able to register for Uni. I can't wait. I can't wait to sign up to classes and find out what I'm going to be studying for my first year. Most PhD programs in North America seem to involve more of a taught element than they do in the UK and Ireland and while I'm a little nervous, I'm mostly really excited about experiencing a different education style. I'm actually looking forward to enjoying some classes and doing the paper-writing and exam taking thing before I get stuck into my thesis. It looks like it'll be a busy year (I'm going to be TAing a class aswell, and hopefully getting another part-time job of some description) but a really exciting and hopefully very productive one.
Anyway, I know there were a million (perhaps slight exaggeration) other things I wanted to write about but those thoughts appear to have snuck off somewhere right now. I'll content myself with saying - read Dolly's autobiography, listen to some Tim Hus, and yee-haw I'll be getting out of the house soon!
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