snow rage, pi(e) day, & therapeutic massage

Yahoo's article on snow rage caught my attention this morning. I know I've experienced snow despair this season, but it hasn't turned to rage yet.

More later, since I've got to go catch the bus downtown. I managed to stay on my feet yesterday, despite the slickness. I'm aiming for a repeat. However, I did succumb to the "cold" in that I called James from Baseline and asked him to have the truck waiting at Fallowfield when I arrived at 8pm. I feel compelled to put "cold" in quotation marks, since I mean relative cold, that is Ottawa cold as compared to Winnipeg cold. You have to visit or live here in winter to fully understand. Perhaps the best way to phrase it is that it's a nuanced cold.

I still mean to post an excerpt from Rita's Culinary Trickery. Maybe I'll squeeze it in when I get back. Stay tuned.


~ later that same day ~

I must add that it's Pi Day today. The company my husband works for was going to celebrate at 1:59 with slices of pie in the cafeteria/lunchroom. Nothing screams "geek" like celebrating pi day. Then again, as James is fond of repeating, "Any time's a good time for pie!" Reminds me of the "pie are round" joke: see this guy's blog (middle of first paragraph) for the joke (and a square pie). I'm convinced: I'm thinking I will pick up a peach/blueberry/raspberry pie for tonight.

I'm looking forward to the pie, but the absolute best thing about today is that I'm going for massage therapy at Spa Haven. I have procrastinated long enough; my neck, shoulders, & lower back are going to thank me for this.

#30: a fine mess/the world is charged with

a fine mess is a "creative art studio and supply shop" near our place. I haven't ever gone in, but I've always adored the name of the place, and I've been curious, especially since "Messy in March" appeared on the window. Now that I've visited their Web site, I'm even more intrigued.


What a huge difference a few days can make (in weather and attitude). We had a dusting of snow overnight, but all-in-all, today was a beautiful sunny day. Here are some of the highlights, first in images, then in text:

at the corner

crossing Chapman Mills

step by step

• It was garbage and recycle day. I've borrowed a page from Pollyanna: I look forward to garbage and recycle day, because then it won't come again for another week. I mean, is there anybody who likes seeing trash out by the curbside? Actually, today a lot of households displayed creativity in setting out their g&r in snowbanks. It feels good to get rid of the crap (seriously, I cleaned the litterbox yesterday); too bad the feeling is so ephemeral (a word I first learned from Mart Belden).
• Wednesday is the shortest day of my work week.
  
• I'd just missed the previous local bus at Fallowfield, so I took the next best thing, which means I enjoyed a short ride followed by a restorative 15-minute walk. The weather was mild and the sidewalk along Woodroffe was cleared--a definite bonus, because last time I walked there it wasn't cleared, and I had to walk on what should be a shoulder but isn't because everything's still under construction from the fall. I made it home today without even seeing the bus that would have dropped me off close to home. (It's a game.)
  
• My former colleague Gayle called me this afternoon. It's always fun to catch up.

As a consequence of all that glorious sunshine, the sidewalks and roads are either sloppy or slick. On my way to Shoppers this afternoon, my foot slipped and I ended up on both knees out in the middle of the street between our driveway and the neighboring one. I didn't get hurt and no vehicles were nearby, so all's well. As I was returning from Loeb, the fresh air and sunlight glinting from all angles made me almost giddy. The opening line of a poem which I studied in Professor Ronald J. "Rocky" Sanders's Victorian Literature class in the early '90s kept echoing in my head. I felt convinced its author was Gerard Manley Hopkins--but then I second-guessed myself: perhaps I was confusing Hopkins with George Meredith, another Victorian poet. But no, I consulted my Norton Anthology of Poetry, and lo and behold, it was indeed Hopkins. I can still trust my memory for some things. Anyway, I'll reproduce the sonnet, although nobody will ever adequately reproduce Rocky Sanders's voice, powerful, yet reverent, as he read it. The man definitely had a wrestler's build and gravelly tone, but there was no mistaking his love for the words.

God's Grandeur

The world is charged with the grandeur of God.
    It will flame out, like shining from shook foil;
    It gathers to a greatness, like the ooze of oil
Crushed.  Why do men then now not reck his rod?
Generations have trod, have trod, have trod;
    And all is seared with trade; bleared, smeared with toil;
    And wears man's smudge and shares man's smell: the soil
Is bare now, nor can foot feel, being shod.

And for all this, nature is never spent;
    There lives the dearest freshness deep down things;
And though the last lights off the black West went
    Oh, morning, at the brown brink eastward, springs--
Because the Holy Ghost over the bent
    World broods with warm breast and with ah! bright wings.

~ Gerard Manley Hopkins

#29: what a doll

Meet Inuit Barbie, designed by Canadian Christy Marcus, who is herself of Inuit heritage.

Although here she's pictured propped up by our decorative pillows on the bed, Inuit Barbie's usually prominently displayed on my dresser, so I catch a glimpse of her out of the corner of my eye each morning. James brought her back with him when he returned from his summer of working in the Arctic, 2006; she was my birthday gift. I was so impressed that he had remembered that I used to be into Barbies in a big way. (What a doll!)
I've always regretted that I didn't buy Barbie as Marilyn Monroe from Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. I suppose I could always invite myself over to friend Lisa's--she's got every Marilyn look-alike doll ever made, Barbies included.

#28: moment of inertia

Had I had the camera with me today, I would have tried to get a photo of the black squirrel that was cheerily jaunting about. I sincerely hope it was that squirrel or one of its little squirrel colleagues that I caught a glimpse of out of the corner of my eye on Friday: a blur of fur in motion, a momentary flash of dark on light from trash bin to the ground below the lecture auditorium's windowed hallway. At the time, I suspected it was a rat; I'm much, much happier thinking it's a cute squirrel fresh out of hibernation. So since I was camera-less and didn't want to try to point and shoot a laptop, you're getting yet another lab picture. (I know, I know, snow and labs, will they never cease? Have no fear: only another month of classes, and only another three labs.)

Physics Lab

Today's lab involved pendulums and moments of inertia. I actually enjoy interpreting for Physics labs. There's more interaction throughout the 3 hours, so I feel as though I'm earning my keep. No inertia for me today. Guess it didn't hurt that the usual lab demonstrator (a cocky 23- or 25-year-old) was away today and asked a pleasant, easy-on-the-eyes TA to fill in. I'm guessing the TA is in his late 20s, maybe early 30s; his hairline has begun to recede, and I noticed a few grays dotting the crown of his head. Apart from physical appearance, though, he exuded a maturity, a quiet confidence, that demo guy lacks. Demo guy is all bravado.

Anyway, I'm thinking that if a Faculty of Science wants to appeal to more students, it ought to consider makeovers for its labs. At least consider a paint job. (This from someone who doesn't relish painting herself.) Really, how dullsville is that nondescript yellow-green? It just screams "institution." The windows have potential, but I'd like to see the trim in a color that complements the countertops. At the very least, I'd like to see inspirational quotations stencilled on the walls. Something to convince me that it could be somebody's happy place.

#27: digging it

So while James was digging out our driveway for the better part of the weekend, I did my best to dig out from under all the paper I let accumulate on my desk. I managed to mail out two Xpresspost envelopes yesterday, and tomorrow I hope to send away my long overdue correspondence to our Compassion child (who has probably given up on me by now). To celebrate small victories, I bought a bag of Ruffles "Natural" chips. They sit next to the Tostitos organic blue corn tortilla chips we've come to know and love in the Organic section of our local grocery story.

By the way, we did manage to get to the one and only (purportedly) Mac store in Ottawa yesterday to get a new power adapter. Yay!

Late this afternoon, we took a little drive to the Chapman Mills Marketplace. I've been thinking of adding another cat perch, in an attempt--no doubt futile--to save the chairs, and to replace the one I ditched in Winnipeg. So when Darth was literally climbing the walls, that sealed the deal. Well, OK, really he was merely stretching tall and pawing at the patio windows, but nails on glass are about as annoying as nails on chalkboards. He appears to enjoy his new hideaway. I can't tell if Curli feels as attached to her new catnip-laced scratching board (another attempt--perhaps naively optimistic--to save the furniture).


And just for the record, more snow pictures. Why put us all through this misery? If this July is anything like last July, I'll be wishing for a snowbank to hurl myself into just to cool off. The next best thing to a snowbank will be revisiting these photos.

venturing to peer out an upstairs window

James estimates our snowbank now towers 5 ft. above his head. When I walked over to Loeb to buy the chips, I walked on the street, because there is no sidewalk to speak of: it's all blocked. Usually a smaller plow whips by to clear the sidewalk, and although one came by yesterday, it didn't make a pass today. Good luck if it tries tomorrow!

out & about

Strandherd (l) is a main road and gets plowed early on, but check out the traffic light (r): the crosswalk button's still clear, but how to get to it?

bus corridor (l) behind Strandherd Crossing &
parking lot near Rogers Video & Shoppers Drug Mart (r)

I did see a sign of spring today while we four-wheeled our way to the strip mall: a guy was out snowblowing in shorts.

#26: snow+bunny

I know spring is coming, despite all indications to the contrary: I've spotted the bunnies. Marshmallow bunnies. At WalMart.

Only after I'd bought them and eaten a few did I read the ingredients. A few weeks ago I finally paid attention to the fact that gelatin is the guck that results from boiled animal tissue; ever since then, I have felt motivated to read labels a little more closely. There go marshmallow rabbits, marshmallows, Rice Krispie squares made with marshmallows, and Jello, for sure. Bye-bye bunnies!

Now what's going to convince me that spring is close at hand? Certainly not the current climate. WARNING: More snow pictures.

©James Chychota, 2008
our driveway ~10 o'clock this morning
(James had to get a shot of his handiwork)

The snowplow ended up pushing the stuff on the street against the driveways of the folks who live opposite from us. This is the second time that's happened--James has been outside shovelling both times, so I imagine the driver has either (a) taken pity on him, or (b) figured he doesn't want to incur the wrath of such an imposing-looking guy. (And the UM Engineering jacket is imposing indeed.)

©James Chychota, 2008
down the street

a peek out the front door ~ 5 p.m.

Someday, probably near the end of May, when I'm outdoors taking in the mosquito-free evening air, I'll look back at this and laugh. At that time, it will seem like a distant dream. Right now, however, it's a nightmare.

#25: troublemakers

troublemaker #1

My power adapter decided for whatever reason that it wanted to take a permanent vacation.

troublemaker #2

Someone's been playing king of the castle on our hill and caused a mini-avalanche. (Sigh!) More snow to clean up. Guess it won't make that much difference, since the pretty flakes now falling are part and parcel of the additional 30-40 cm of snow we're expecting overnight. Good thing we've got 4-wheel drive. Hope we can get to that Mac store tomorrow: I really need power!

#24: bad habit

Never mind that I counted at least 15 books that I've bought and not yet read--and that was only in my SF section. ~ Conspicuous and unapologetic aside: Let me be clear on this point: it's SF, not sci-fi. That was the first of many lessons we learned in Dr. John Teunissen's Science Fiction seminar. I remember how I did not want to enroll in that seminar, but there were no other options to fit my schedule. Best course I never wanted to take!

The point is, I really didn't need to purchase any more books. Except that for my on-the-bus reading, I've begun a Fantasy (the F in SF&F) series called The Twelve Houses, and I enjoyed Mystic & Rider so much, I entered Chapters to purchase The Thirteenth House. Big mistake. Not reading this series--in fact, the characters are appealingly credible, for all their special abilities--but setting foot in a bookstore, any bookstore. Over here was Paul Quarrington's King Leary (I enjoyed his Whale Music many years ago), the "Canada Reads" pick; over there James K. Bartleman's Raisin Wine (I watched this former Ontario Lieutenant-Governor interviewed by George Stroumboulopoulos). Everywhere in-between there were other distracting titles. One such gem was the following:


I picked it up, began skimming through it, and thought, "For $5, it's probably worth it."
I'll post an excerpt here as soon as my Mac once again has a working power adapter.

#23: in transit

This morning's photos are brought to you by: the color "distressed bus-seat red"...

the back of the bus (#76) or "a bigger chair for two to curl up in"

view from Mackenzie King Bridge
Rideau Canal on left, Château Laurier in distance

...the letters S (for snowstorm), R, and C (for Rideau Canal)...and by the number 30 for the centimetres of snowfall forecast for Ottawa yesterday & today.

#22: experimenting

Chemistry Lab, section A

Every Tuesday afternoon, this is where you can find me. The lab is divided into 6 sections, each with about 3 rows of counters, and approx. 16 students per section, roughly 100 students in total. My role is to stay attentive, for at any moment I might need to capture for the client/student announcements made over the PA system, instructions given by the TA (Teaching Assistant), or questions posed by other students. I've usually finished editing the morning's classes by the time I arrive at the lab. I tell you, three hours of virtually no typing pass by very slowly indeed. Ah, well, I'm being paid--and there are only two more Chem labs to go!

I arrived a half hour early today so I could inconspicuously take a photo; that's why the chairs are still overturned on the counters. The large cabinet-like object against the wall is a fume hood; there are 4 fume hoods per section. Last week's lab required students to work with strong chemicals in the fume hoods, so as not to knock us all out or subject us to unintentional skin peels. I'm always a bit concerned: not so much for me, but for my laptop. Usually at some point during the lab one can hear glass shattering--someone dropping a flask, burette, or graduated cylinder. So far my student's group has had no such accidents (let's hope they continue on that positive streak), but I can't help fearing that my non-scientific presence is somehow working against them, for they've had less than stellar results at least three times.

How do I convey Greek symbols when typing for these science courses? Unfortunately, I never took any language course in Classics, so the first time a new symbol turns up, I guess at the English spelling of the Greek name, according to the prof's pronunciation. I indicate it's a symbol in brackets. Then once I'm home, I consult a site that lists the Greek alphabet. Using MSWord's "Insert/Symbol" menu and "AutoCorrect" features, I arrange it so that when I type the word delta, I'll get ∆; epsilon gives me ε, sigma is ∑ (uppercase) or σ (lowercase), tau is τ. Just a little prep is all it takes. Actually, I program shortcuts for many other words like stoichiometry, thermodynamic, and potentiometer. Anything to save keystrokes when I'm trying to keep up with people who speak 200 wpm. :)

#21: class

Thought you might like to see where I work. This is Colonel By B205, the classroom for Calculus II this term. All the courses I "computer interpret" for right now are science courses. I try to get to all the classes early so that I can stake out a spot near the front. You can see my coat and laptop bag, second row, far right.

students' view

In this class, I've also chosen my seat so that I can slip out the door easily at 11:15am on Monday. The student I work for gave me permission to do that, because this class ends at 11:20, and the following one begins at 11:30--right across campus, which takes about 15 minutes to walk. (Yes, it takes even me that long. I have slowed down a bit, but only because I'm weighed down by my laptop and everything-in-an-emergency backpack I carry with me.) The last few weeks I've worked smarter, not harder: I've caught a bus from the Campus stop to the Laurier stop, thereby saving myself 5-10 min.

instructor's perspective

I've noticed that many uOttawa buildings have motion-sensor lighting installed. It's rather neat: I entered B205 and there was light! and I saw! and it was good!

I took these photos with my Mac again, but I found the "flip this photo" feature in PhotoBooth before I imported them into iPhoto, so you're seeing things in exactly the same direction as I saw them--no imaginary inverting required.

#20: humid & catatonic

We bought a humidifier yesterday, which we hope will positively impact our hardwood floors. There are a few places where the edges have roughened up. It's a fine line: moisture in the air is good; moisture directly in contact with the floor is bad. That's why the humidifier is now installed in the kitchen. (Like I need one more item to maneuver around in there.) I'm still hoping to find a piece of furniture of some sort with drawers or doors to put against my non-cupboarded, angled wall. Either that, or I need to rearrange my cupboards' contents again to make room. I wish, wish, wish that everybody built corner cabinets on an angle, so that the corners were more accessible. I'm having trouble fitting everything in: strange, because I thought that with all the moving I've done, I'd gotten rid of many things. Apparently it's Ruan's Law (see #7 on linked page).

Our humidifer is a poser: with its high-tech buttons, it bears a striking resemblance to a computer case.

Speaking of posers...


...guess who was jealous of all the attention the humidifier received? They must've heard of all those fellow felines cropping up on others' blogs lately.

#19: flattery & flowers

"Imitation is the sincerest of flattery." ~ Charles Caleb Colton

In imitation of fellow bloggers' recent demonstrations of flower power – tulips here (Feb 24) and here (Feb 25), and what I think are snowdrops here (Feb 21) – here are my humble offerings. Hope you're duly flattered!


Truth is, they were on sale at Farm Boy, and I just couldn't resist a foretaste of spring. Am I ever glad I bought them, because they gave me something to snap today. The alternative would have been us shovelling the fresh snowfall to which we awoke, and I'm sure you're tired of all my whining and griping about precipitation (I know I sure am). So tulips it is. They haven't fully opened yet; I seem to have selected two bunches of late bloomers.