Adventures in Definitely NOT Daily Life...
Since arriving in Chiang Mai, I've been trying to avoid mentioning the protests in Bangkok. I've been hearing about them, thinking about them and praying about them; however, this blog is generally about boring stuff I do during the day, not about events on the world's stage.
Yesterday, since I had a front row seat when the world's stage raised its curtain, I'll share my experience with you. It was an interesting day. I spent about an hour in the morning watching live breaking news as the military's armored vehicles broke through the Red Shirt barricades and started securing the protest area in Bangkok. I was hopeful that things might finally be resolved - or at least settled for a while.
Around 11am, I went to meet some friends for lunch down by the river. After lunch, I had some errands to run on the other side of the bridge. As I was crossing the bridge, things seemed...odd. My spidey senses were tingling, so instead of crossing the street where I had planned, I continued walking and thought I'd take a more circuitous route to my destination. Along the way, I ran into 2 other students in my program, and joined them on a short detour to the flower market (lovely!). About 20 minutes later, I turned back to finish my original errand, but when I got back to the bridge, police were setting up barricades, and protesters were burning a pile of tires in the middle of the bridge (where things had seemed odd to me earlier). I had my camera with me, but I didn't think about taking a picture, I just got in the first songtaew I could find and headed for home. By the time I got home, I heard that the major shopping centers in Chiang Mai were closing, a curfew had been ordered for the night, and a firetruck near the bridge was burning.
On another front, when I woke up yesterday morning, there was a tiny dead lizard in my bedroom being assaulted by ants. Instead of inviting a row of ants to invade my bedroom, I scooped him up in my dustpan and deposited him in the hall outside my door. When I left for lunch, the ants had already carried him (and his detached tail) 1/2 way up the wall to their 'home crack'. I DID take a video of that, which is why I had my camera with me to not take pictures of the tire fire with. (?) I remember thinking "They'll never fit him through that crack." 4 hours later, when I got home, it was just in time to see the ants execute a 3-point turn with the lizard and then disappear with him into the crack. Amazing little critters.
Now, having said all that, things in my out-of-the-way neighbourhood are quiet as usual, and if I hadn't have been on the bridge yesterday, I would have had no idea that something was awry. Even last night, the protesters ignored the curfew, and many banks and buildings in Chiang Mai were damaged - but I didn't hear or see a thing from this part of town. We'll see what happens over the next few days, but I still feel safe in this area.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Adventures in Daily Life...
I thought I'd take some pictures of my daily routine, before everything starts to look ... well, routine. I have class 4 mornings / week, so these are some pictures from what I do on schooldays.
When I leave my apartment, this is the road I walk down. The university is at the very end.
There is a baseball / cattle field on either side of the road.
As I get closer to the university, there's a cluster of snack carts and restaurants. Sometimes I get fresh fruit or an omelet here, and carry it to campus.
Just past the snack carts is the bridge that leads onto the campus:
I walk past green spaces and wet spaces before I get to my breakfast space.
I usually sit at a picnic table, enjoy the view, and either eat my fruit, omelet, or if I'm really hungry, pork & rice wrapped in a banana leaf:
After class, I have lunch with my friends from the Philippines. (One friend is missing, since she's taking the photo).
After lunch, I go home and rest. Sometimes, my mini lizard (who likes to play hide-and-seek) will have found a particularly clever place from which to surprise me.
After my heat-of-the-afternoon rest, I usually start my homework before heading out to find some dinner when it gets cooler.
There you have it. My daily routine.
I thought I'd take some pictures of my daily routine, before everything starts to look ... well, routine. I have class 4 mornings / week, so these are some pictures from what I do on schooldays.
When I leave my apartment, this is the road I walk down. The university is at the very end.
There is a baseball / cattle field on either side of the road.
As I get closer to the university, there's a cluster of snack carts and restaurants. Sometimes I get fresh fruit or an omelet here, and carry it to campus.
Just past the snack carts is the bridge that leads onto the campus:
I walk past green spaces and wet spaces before I get to my breakfast space.
I usually sit at a picnic table, enjoy the view, and either eat my fruit, omelet, or if I'm really hungry, pork & rice wrapped in a banana leaf:
After class, I have lunch with my friends from the Philippines. (One friend is missing, since she's taking the photo).
After lunch, I go home and rest. Sometimes, my mini lizard (who likes to play hide-and-seek) will have found a particularly clever place from which to surprise me.
After my heat-of-the-afternoon rest, I usually start my homework before heading out to find some dinner when it gets cooler. There you have it. My daily routine.
Friday, May 07, 2010
Adventures in Bare Digs...
Here are some pictures of my new apartment. As I mentioned earlier, it's bare, beige and bland. After I get a little bit of personality injected into it, I'll post some more pictures. For now though, this is what I'll be calling home:
This is the living room.
*Note how comfortable the park bench/church pew sofa looks! I'm getting a perkier sofabed delivered on Wednesday. You're welcome to come visit anytime after that.
The Pseudo-Kitchen
My blue tiled bathroom
The bright sunny bedroom, and view from my bedroom balcony
And finally, a quick shot from my daily walk to campus
Here are some pictures of my new apartment. As I mentioned earlier, it's bare, beige and bland. After I get a little bit of personality injected into it, I'll post some more pictures. For now though, this is what I'll be calling home:
This is the living room.
*Note how comfortable the park bench/church pew sofa looks! I'm getting a perkier sofabed delivered on Wednesday. You're welcome to come visit anytime after that. 
The Pseudo-Kitchen
My blue tiled bathroom
The bright sunny bedroom, and view from my bedroom balcony
And finally, a quick shot from my daily walk to campus
Monday, May 03, 2010
Adventures in Epic Battles
I've just been watching a battle between the cat and the lizard. Usually, the lizard stays up near the ceiling, and the cat chills out on the floor, and all they do is eye each other. A few moments ago, the lizard descended, and poor sot chose to descend into the cat's scratchin'n'relaxin' corner. Some sniffing, scuffling and scurrying ensued, and resulted in the lizard climbing 1/2 way back up the wall, and the cat jumping up on the dresser to staunchly defend her assets.
I've also been waging my own battles with illiteracy in restaurants. I have no cooking facilities in my apartment, so breakfast is usually fresh fruit from a vendor on my way to school, and lunch is always at the same eatery whose proprietress is always bang-on with her suggestions. That leaves me to fend for myself for dinner. Since I have yet to meet a Thai dish I don't like, it makes the random point-and-order method of choosing a meal relatively catastrophe free. I have run into a few problems along the way though. A few nights ago, I tried to order from a restaurant I've had good success with so far. Unfortunately, I pointed to something on the menu that was just underneath what I'd previously ordered. The man must have thought I had mis-pointed, and brought me what I had ordered (and enjoyed) the last time. Although it tasted great, there really is only so much stir-fried kale and crackly pork rinds on rice a person can handle in a week. My second mishap was this evening at a new restaurant. I thought I was just pointing to the menu and asking what things were...apparently the woman thought I was actually ordering more than one entree. I thought I was getting some sort of beef soup...which I did, along with a huge plate of curry fried rice, a chicken thigh, and some pickles. I ended up paying double what I expected to pay, but $1.80 for a dinner-for-two (even though it was just dinner for one), isn't a bad deal at all. At least now I know that the chicken and rice there is really good, while the beef soup is just pretty good.
Oh, the cat now has her back turned, and the lizard has taken this opportunity to creep over to the doorway and make mocking faces. I do believe the little fella is actually sticking out his tongue at the ferocious feline.
I've just been watching a battle between the cat and the lizard. Usually, the lizard stays up near the ceiling, and the cat chills out on the floor, and all they do is eye each other. A few moments ago, the lizard descended, and poor sot chose to descend into the cat's scratchin'n'relaxin' corner. Some sniffing, scuffling and scurrying ensued, and resulted in the lizard climbing 1/2 way back up the wall, and the cat jumping up on the dresser to staunchly defend her assets.
I've also been waging my own battles with illiteracy in restaurants. I have no cooking facilities in my apartment, so breakfast is usually fresh fruit from a vendor on my way to school, and lunch is always at the same eatery whose proprietress is always bang-on with her suggestions. That leaves me to fend for myself for dinner. Since I have yet to meet a Thai dish I don't like, it makes the random point-and-order method of choosing a meal relatively catastrophe free. I have run into a few problems along the way though. A few nights ago, I tried to order from a restaurant I've had good success with so far. Unfortunately, I pointed to something on the menu that was just underneath what I'd previously ordered. The man must have thought I had mis-pointed, and brought me what I had ordered (and enjoyed) the last time. Although it tasted great, there really is only so much stir-fried kale and crackly pork rinds on rice a person can handle in a week. My second mishap was this evening at a new restaurant. I thought I was just pointing to the menu and asking what things were...apparently the woman thought I was actually ordering more than one entree. I thought I was getting some sort of beef soup...which I did, along with a huge plate of curry fried rice, a chicken thigh, and some pickles. I ended up paying double what I expected to pay, but $1.80 for a dinner-for-two (even though it was just dinner for one), isn't a bad deal at all. At least now I know that the chicken and rice there is really good, while the beef soup is just pretty good.
Oh, the cat now has her back turned, and the lizard has taken this opportunity to creep over to the doorway and make mocking faces. I do believe the little fella is actually sticking out his tongue at the ferocious feline.
Friday, April 30, 2010
Adventures in Night Bazaars
Before I talk about my day, I thought I'd include some pictures of my modes of transportation in Chiang Mai. If I'm not walking, I'm most often taking a Seong Taew (Red Cab), a tuk tuk, or catching a ride on the back of a friend's motorbike (with a helmet, of course!)
Tonight, my friends and I took a Seong Taew to the Night Bazaar. We browsed through all the Thai touristy trinkets you can dream of, on a hot breezy night, surrounded by the sounds of chirping birds and geckos. In fact, I can hear a gecko now, but I'm not sure if s/he's in my apartment or on the outside of my screen door. I don't mind if s/he's inside though, since they are lovely harmless little things that eat bugs. Hooray for lizards!
Ah, I wasn't intending to type about lizards, I just got sidetracked. Back to the Bazaar: I was looking for some small table lamps to light up a dark corner of my apartment, and a skirt. (Students at the university here have to wear a uniform. Fortunately, grad students are exempt, but we are expected to wear skirts to class.) I found both...and spent a grand total of $12. I found a lot of other great things too, but I didn't buy 'em. I'm learning to shop from a list!
I'm finding it a little strange living on my own. I know that sounds odd, since I haven't had room mates for most of the last decade, but I've always had good friends close by. I spend a lot of time alone, but so far it hasn't bothered me. In some ways, it's good since it forces me to go out and do things in the community...and do my homework. I thought I would watch a lot of TV, especially before I got my computer, but the only English channels I get are Fox News and Aljazeera. So, I watch Fox for entertainment (it kind of gives me horror-movie chills), Aljazeera for news, and the French channel for documentaries (and a sitcom from Quebec that has French subtitles, so the rest of the francophone world can understand what they're saying!)
Bon Soir!
Before I talk about my day, I thought I'd include some pictures of my modes of transportation in Chiang Mai. If I'm not walking, I'm most often taking a Seong Taew (Red Cab), a tuk tuk, or catching a ride on the back of a friend's motorbike (with a helmet, of course!)
Tonight, my friends and I took a Seong Taew to the Night Bazaar. We browsed through all the Thai touristy trinkets you can dream of, on a hot breezy night, surrounded by the sounds of chirping birds and geckos. In fact, I can hear a gecko now, but I'm not sure if s/he's in my apartment or on the outside of my screen door. I don't mind if s/he's inside though, since they are lovely harmless little things that eat bugs. Hooray for lizards!
Ah, I wasn't intending to type about lizards, I just got sidetracked. Back to the Bazaar: I was looking for some small table lamps to light up a dark corner of my apartment, and a skirt. (Students at the university here have to wear a uniform. Fortunately, grad students are exempt, but we are expected to wear skirts to class.) I found both...and spent a grand total of $12. I found a lot of other great things too, but I didn't buy 'em. I'm learning to shop from a list!
I'm finding it a little strange living on my own. I know that sounds odd, since I haven't had room mates for most of the last decade, but I've always had good friends close by. I spend a lot of time alone, but so far it hasn't bothered me. In some ways, it's good since it forces me to go out and do things in the community...and do my homework. I thought I would watch a lot of TV, especially before I got my computer, but the only English channels I get are Fox News and Aljazeera. So, I watch Fox for entertainment (it kind of gives me horror-movie chills), Aljazeera for news, and the French channel for documentaries (and a sitcom from Quebec that has French subtitles, so the rest of the francophone world can understand what they're saying!)
Bon Soir!
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Adventures in Getting Settled
I can't believe that I'm already feeling at least slightly settled now! After my exciting arrival on the first night, the subsequent days have passed much more rationally! I'm sorry, there still aren't any pictures - but there will be soon, I promise. I did want to mention a few items of interest before I forget - or before they become normal, and therefore no longer interesting.
I've moved into my new apartment, and am starting to get settled in. It's awfully beige, but a little TLC in the decor department should help. It's also airy and bright, which is nice. My university is within walking distance, as is a Carrefour department store , so I've been there often. (Almost daily, actually, since it's where I need to go to catch transportation into the city proper.) One evening, I was shopping for a mop and bucket - so you can forget about images of me strolling through exotic markets buying teak and silk trinkets - and suddenly, things got very still. I looked up from the bucket I was examining, and realized everyone had frozen in their tracks. Then I remembered; every evening, the national anthem is played at 6pm. Everyone within earshot stops what they're doing, stands quietly while the anthem plays, then does a little bow at the end of the anthem and continues on their respective ways.
In the Carrefour complex, there is also a McDonald's...that has a Sweet Chili Sauce dispenser next to the Ketchup dispenser, AND a spinach pie on the menu instead of an apple pie. Oh, and their breakfast sandwiches come on hamburger buns, not English muffins. The tragic irony: Korea now stocks English muffins. Thailand does not. Happily, there are a ton of local eateries around, so McDonald's will never be high on my dining list. (I will get a spinach pie at some point when I have my camera with me though - purely for your benefit, dear reader). Local meals are absolutely delicious, and delightfully inexpensive (standard price for most meals is between 75 - 90 cents). The interesting thing about Thai cuisine is that it doesn't actually taste any better if you pay more for it. It's usually just ambiance and fancy decor you pay for at pricier places - the food's the same. Lately, I've taking to going to a nearby restaurant, pointing at some random item on the menu, and waiting to be surprised. Last night, I wound up with crackly pork and kale on rice: very tasty, not so healthy.
That's all for now. I'm sure there will be more later, along with some pictures.
I can't believe that I'm already feeling at least slightly settled now! After my exciting arrival on the first night, the subsequent days have passed much more rationally! I'm sorry, there still aren't any pictures - but there will be soon, I promise. I did want to mention a few items of interest before I forget - or before they become normal, and therefore no longer interesting.
I've moved into my new apartment, and am starting to get settled in. It's awfully beige, but a little TLC in the decor department should help. It's also airy and bright, which is nice. My university is within walking distance, as is a Carrefour department store , so I've been there often. (Almost daily, actually, since it's where I need to go to catch transportation into the city proper.) One evening, I was shopping for a mop and bucket - so you can forget about images of me strolling through exotic markets buying teak and silk trinkets - and suddenly, things got very still. I looked up from the bucket I was examining, and realized everyone had frozen in their tracks. Then I remembered; every evening, the national anthem is played at 6pm. Everyone within earshot stops what they're doing, stands quietly while the anthem plays, then does a little bow at the end of the anthem and continues on their respective ways.
In the Carrefour complex, there is also a McDonald's...that has a Sweet Chili Sauce dispenser next to the Ketchup dispenser, AND a spinach pie on the menu instead of an apple pie. Oh, and their breakfast sandwiches come on hamburger buns, not English muffins. The tragic irony: Korea now stocks English muffins. Thailand does not. Happily, there are a ton of local eateries around, so McDonald's will never be high on my dining list. (I will get a spinach pie at some point when I have my camera with me though - purely for your benefit, dear reader). Local meals are absolutely delicious, and delightfully inexpensive (standard price for most meals is between 75 - 90 cents). The interesting thing about Thai cuisine is that it doesn't actually taste any better if you pay more for it. It's usually just ambiance and fancy decor you pay for at pricier places - the food's the same. Lately, I've taking to going to a nearby restaurant, pointing at some random item on the menu, and waiting to be surprised. Last night, I wound up with crackly pork and kale on rice: very tasty, not so healthy.
That's all for now. I'm sure there will be more later, along with some pictures.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Adventures on My First Night in Chiang Mai...
For all those who have been wondering about my first night in Chiang Mai...here are the details!
Catticus did very well on the trains and flight - I was really impressed with her. She was pretty scared, but handled herself well.
It's funny - my biggest stresses came from worrying about what problems I could face before getting to Chiang Mai (Cat freaking out, cat being too heavy to take onboard, cat not having the right vaccines) and spent the entire, turbulent, unpleasant flight telling myself, "by 1am, you'll be tucked in bed and can start fresh tomorrow". HA!!! I really don't know if you want to know what I was doing at 1am!!
Our flight was late, Catticus had to clear customs, and then the customs officer and I had to run around the airport looking for change for 1000 bhat (the import fee was 100 bhat - about $3). By this time, it was 12:45, the airport officially closes at 11:30, and there was nobody from the guest house there to meet me. Since I was so much later than the other passengers, I guessed they had figured I wasn't on the plane and left. I called and called the number for the guest house, and there was no answer, so there I was with the customs officer and 4 immigration officers trying to figure out what to do with me. We tried calling taxis, and even tried the possibility of sharing a ride with the woman from the information desk. In the end (close your eyes for this part Mom, and thank you for praying hard!) one of the immigration officers dropped me off at the guest house...on his motorbike. There I was, exactly when I told myself I'd be safely tucked into bed, with one arm around an immigraion officer, trying to keep my luggage tag from flapping in his face, the other arm clinging to the cat carrier, as he got me safely (with 2 stops at police boxes to ask for directions) to my guest house. ... which, despite the e-mail confirmations, had forgotten I was coming. So, the security guard at the guest house stood outside the managers bedroom window calling softly and repeatedly until the manager woke up and let me into a room.
Today, I was thinking about the only people who go out in the mid-day sun: mad dogs, Englishmen...and people with no toilet paper. I went for a short walk around the neighbourhood looking for necessities, and since it's Songkran, young people and children constantly approached me with buckets of water, said, "I'm sorry," then poured the water all over me, smiled broadly, and wished me a Happy Songkran. It was actually very refreshing, and lots of fun. :-) However, after that, it was the heatesty heat of the afternoon, so I went back to my room, stuck a cold cloth on my head and slept for a few hours.
I'm meeting my faculty advisor's wife tomorrow morning, and she's going to show me around the university and the surrounding area.
For all those who have been wondering about my first night in Chiang Mai...here are the details!
Catticus did very well on the trains and flight - I was really impressed with her. She was pretty scared, but handled herself well.
It's funny - my biggest stresses came from worrying about what problems I could face before getting to Chiang Mai (Cat freaking out, cat being too heavy to take onboard, cat not having the right vaccines) and spent the entire, turbulent, unpleasant flight telling myself, "by 1am, you'll be tucked in bed and can start fresh tomorrow". HA!!! I really don't know if you want to know what I was doing at 1am!!
Our flight was late, Catticus had to clear customs, and then the customs officer and I had to run around the airport looking for change for 1000 bhat (the import fee was 100 bhat - about $3). By this time, it was 12:45, the airport officially closes at 11:30, and there was nobody from the guest house there to meet me. Since I was so much later than the other passengers, I guessed they had figured I wasn't on the plane and left. I called and called the number for the guest house, and there was no answer, so there I was with the customs officer and 4 immigration officers trying to figure out what to do with me. We tried calling taxis, and even tried the possibility of sharing a ride with the woman from the information desk. In the end (close your eyes for this part Mom, and thank you for praying hard!) one of the immigration officers dropped me off at the guest house...on his motorbike. There I was, exactly when I told myself I'd be safely tucked into bed, with one arm around an immigraion officer, trying to keep my luggage tag from flapping in his face, the other arm clinging to the cat carrier, as he got me safely (with 2 stops at police boxes to ask for directions) to my guest house. ... which, despite the e-mail confirmations, had forgotten I was coming. So, the security guard at the guest house stood outside the managers bedroom window calling softly and repeatedly until the manager woke up and let me into a room.
Today, I was thinking about the only people who go out in the mid-day sun: mad dogs, Englishmen...and people with no toilet paper. I went for a short walk around the neighbourhood looking for necessities, and since it's Songkran, young people and children constantly approached me with buckets of water, said, "I'm sorry," then poured the water all over me, smiled broadly, and wished me a Happy Songkran. It was actually very refreshing, and lots of fun. :-) However, after that, it was the heatesty heat of the afternoon, so I went back to my room, stuck a cold cloth on my head and slept for a few hours.
I'm meeting my faculty advisor's wife tomorrow morning, and she's going to show me around the university and the surrounding area.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Saturday, November 07, 2009
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Adventures in Doors and Open Windows...
I've often been bothered by the simplicity of the adage "When God closes a door, he opens a window." The well intentioned intoners of this missive usually neglect to mention that, continuing the analogy, in a house like mine, finding the window involves working ones way through the living room, kitchen and pantry, down the back stairs, over a pile of miscellaneous boxes, and through a few cobwebs before finding the window. It's not like a door gets closed in your face, and you turn around and think, "Oh, no problem, there's an open window on the other side of the room." Finding the window can be a rather arduous, messy, perilous, dusty adventure.
The real-world scenario that brought this to mind is the door I was heading for (starting my Master's degree next June) has closed (as of Monday, I'm now required to show proficiency in a 2nd language before I'm accepted, not before I graduate) and I'm not sure I'll fit through the doggy-door (I might be able to scrape together enough French before the program starts). Gracious, this analogy is getting tedious.
I'm not worried; just curious.
I've often been bothered by the simplicity of the adage "When God closes a door, he opens a window." The well intentioned intoners of this missive usually neglect to mention that, continuing the analogy, in a house like mine, finding the window involves working ones way through the living room, kitchen and pantry, down the back stairs, over a pile of miscellaneous boxes, and through a few cobwebs before finding the window. It's not like a door gets closed in your face, and you turn around and think, "Oh, no problem, there's an open window on the other side of the room." Finding the window can be a rather arduous, messy, perilous, dusty adventure.
The real-world scenario that brought this to mind is the door I was heading for (starting my Master's degree next June) has closed (as of Monday, I'm now required to show proficiency in a 2nd language before I'm accepted, not before I graduate) and I'm not sure I'll fit through the doggy-door (I might be able to scrape together enough French before the program starts). Gracious, this analogy is getting tedious.
I'm not worried; just curious.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Adventures in Odd Couples...
Years ago, when I was in high school, one of my friends told my about a little road-side sign in Southern Ontario advertising "Taxidermy & Cheese". It made me chuckle then, it makes me chuckle now. What an odd combination. This afternoon, my Mom forwarded me an e-mail involving taxidermy. It's been over a decade now that my neurons automatically attach 'and cheese' to any 'taxidermy' that finds itself in my head. What does your average person do whilst thinking about taxidermy and cheese, and has Google at their fingertips? I don't know about most people, but this person decided to see if her friend had been telling her a falsehood, and if not, to see if she could find photographic evidence of the sign. He didn't tell a falsehood, and I did find photographic evidence...but that's not all. I also discovered that as odd as the pairing is - it's not the only one!! Yes, that's right. There are more than one taxidermy & cheese combo shops in North America!!!!
Now, when I get a pedicure kit taped to my cream cheese, or a roll of paper towel taped to my tuna in the grocery store here, or find corn and potato wedges on my pizza, I have to remind myself that Korea doesn't have the monopoly on bizarre combinations.
Years ago, when I was in high school, one of my friends told my about a little road-side sign in Southern Ontario advertising "Taxidermy & Cheese". It made me chuckle then, it makes me chuckle now. What an odd combination. This afternoon, my Mom forwarded me an e-mail involving taxidermy. It's been over a decade now that my neurons automatically attach 'and cheese' to any 'taxidermy' that finds itself in my head. What does your average person do whilst thinking about taxidermy and cheese, and has Google at their fingertips? I don't know about most people, but this person decided to see if her friend had been telling her a falsehood, and if not, to see if she could find photographic evidence of the sign. He didn't tell a falsehood, and I did find photographic evidence...but that's not all. I also discovered that as odd as the pairing is - it's not the only one!! Yes, that's right. There are more than one taxidermy & cheese combo shops in North America!!!!
Now, when I get a pedicure kit taped to my cream cheese, or a roll of paper towel taped to my tuna in the grocery store here, or find corn and potato wedges on my pizza, I have to remind myself that Korea doesn't have the monopoly on bizarre combinations.Wednesday, August 05, 2009
Adventures in Ambiliances
When I was a kid, apparently I loved a show called "Emergency!". In the interests of proper blogging research, I've just watched the opening theme on YouTube, and must admit none of it looks familiar. Nonetheless, my Mom assures me that I loved it (when I was 3). I also had trouble saying the word Ambulance and it came out more like Ambiliance. I doubt I'm the only person to have had trouble with that pesky term.
I was thinking these things today as I was actually speeding through the streets of Daegu in an ambulance today. It wasn't an emergency; the orthopaedic clinic I've been going to doesn't have it's own MRI machine, so they sent me by ambulance to the nearest radiology clinic. We were speeding because ... well, because we're in Korea. The experience was (thankfully) nothing like TV. There were no IV lines, wires, syringes, oxygen masks or people shouting "We need 4ccs of Haloperidol - STAT!" There was just a bright orange stretcher, a lingering stale cigarette odor, and the driver and I singing along to ABBA videos on the dashboard TV monitor. Yes, you read that correctly. I spent my first ambulance ride singing Karaoke to Dancing Queen. Hopefully, my loved ones and I will all remain healthy enough for this to be my one and only ambulance memory. Bizarre as it is.
As for my test results, my MCL injury has healed well; however, my MCL treatment weakened my quad muscle. This teamed up with a tilted pelvis which is causing hypertension in my thigh muscle, which is pulling my kneecap out of place, which is causing chondromalacia, which is causing pain. It'll take 3-4 months of physio to be up to snuff again, but I was thrilled that the doctor has now taken the word 'surgery' out of his assessment.
You can dance, you can jive, having the time of your life....
When I was a kid, apparently I loved a show called "Emergency!". In the interests of proper blogging research, I've just watched the opening theme on YouTube, and must admit none of it looks familiar. Nonetheless, my Mom assures me that I loved it (when I was 3). I also had trouble saying the word Ambulance and it came out more like Ambiliance. I doubt I'm the only person to have had trouble with that pesky term.
I was thinking these things today as I was actually speeding through the streets of Daegu in an ambulance today. It wasn't an emergency; the orthopaedic clinic I've been going to doesn't have it's own MRI machine, so they sent me by ambulance to the nearest radiology clinic. We were speeding because ... well, because we're in Korea. The experience was (thankfully) nothing like TV. There were no IV lines, wires, syringes, oxygen masks or people shouting "We need 4ccs of Haloperidol - STAT!" There was just a bright orange stretcher, a lingering stale cigarette odor, and the driver and I singing along to ABBA videos on the dashboard TV monitor. Yes, you read that correctly. I spent my first ambulance ride singing Karaoke to Dancing Queen. Hopefully, my loved ones and I will all remain healthy enough for this to be my one and only ambulance memory. Bizarre as it is.
As for my test results, my MCL injury has healed well; however, my MCL treatment weakened my quad muscle. This teamed up with a tilted pelvis which is causing hypertension in my thigh muscle, which is pulling my kneecap out of place, which is causing chondromalacia, which is causing pain. It'll take 3-4 months of physio to be up to snuff again, but I was thrilled that the doctor has now taken the word 'surgery' out of his assessment.
You can dance, you can jive, having the time of your life....
Monday, June 01, 2009
Adventures in Popping in to Visit Long Lost Blogs...
Crreeeeeaaaakkkk. (Rusty door hinges objecting to being called into service.)
Thumpa Thumpa Thumpa. (Summer-lovin' flip flops wading through inches of dust.)
Hello?? Anybody home? (Me, calling out in a wee whisper.)
Silence.
jsadoifneroifj pikj osossdooooo (cat, walking across the keyboard.)
Stupid, interrupting, soft, furry cutesy snookums of an annoying cat. (Me, unwilling to commit to an opinion about Catticus.)
Silence.
Hmmmm. I wonder where they went? Where did my colony of tiny typing gnomes go? Apparently, as of September 29th, 2008 they were still here making people think that I was writing this drivel on my own. I admit I haven't checked in on them for a while, but since they're not too keen on human company, and are a self-sufficient lot, I figured they were still writing away. I admit they weren't the most industrious of typing gnome colonies. My friend Melanie has some top-notch gnomes who seem to post with stunning regularity. Mine spent most of their time sleeping on dust bunnies under my desk or trying to sneak servings of kimchi out of my fridge. Nothing puts you off your lunch faster than a half-frozen typing gnome passed out in your kimchi. Especially if he still has dust bunny residue all over his beard. Gross. Nonetheless, they did ocassionally manage to produce some sort of quasi-coherent paragraphs once in a while.
Hmmm. I wonder where they went. Well dear reader(s), until I manage to find another colony willing to work for ample quantities of dust and fermented cabbage, you'll either be stuck with my own ramblings or lengthy spells of nothin' at all.
Crreeeeeaaaakkkk. (Rusty door hinges objecting to being called into service.)
Thumpa Thumpa Thumpa. (Summer-lovin' flip flops wading through inches of dust.)
Hello?? Anybody home? (Me, calling out in a wee whisper.)
Silence.
jsadoifneroifj pikj osossdooooo (cat, walking across the keyboard.)
Stupid, interrupting, soft, furry cutesy snookums of an annoying cat. (Me, unwilling to commit to an opinion about Catticus.)
Silence.
Hmmmm. I wonder where they went? Where did my colony of tiny typing gnomes go? Apparently, as of September 29th, 2008 they were still here making people think that I was writing this drivel on my own. I admit I haven't checked in on them for a while, but since they're not too keen on human company, and are a self-sufficient lot, I figured they were still writing away. I admit they weren't the most industrious of typing gnome colonies. My friend Melanie has some top-notch gnomes who seem to post with stunning regularity. Mine spent most of their time sleeping on dust bunnies under my desk or trying to sneak servings of kimchi out of my fridge. Nothing puts you off your lunch faster than a half-frozen typing gnome passed out in your kimchi. Especially if he still has dust bunny residue all over his beard. Gross. Nonetheless, they did ocassionally manage to produce some sort of quasi-coherent paragraphs once in a while.
Hmmm. I wonder where they went. Well dear reader(s), until I manage to find another colony willing to work for ample quantities of dust and fermented cabbage, you'll either be stuck with my own ramblings or lengthy spells of nothin' at all.
Friday, September 26, 2008
Adventures in Punctuational Pet Peeves... (Part II)
After enjoying a lovely weekend, and breathing in the brisk September air, some of my tiradical tendencies have been whisked away like an autumn leaf. Nonetheless, I'm still going to wrap up my piece on the misuse of quotation marks. I'm sure both of my readers are thrilled.
For some unfortunate reason, a remarkably large segment of the population seems to think that quotation marks aren't just for indicating reported speech or sarcasm anymore. Somewhere along the line, this unassuming, straightforward and highly functional piece of punctuation has been stripped of it's crown of coherency and assigned to take over the roles of underlining, italicizing and large print to indicate emphasis. In a fit of indignation, I did a quick Google search looking for examples of misused quotation marks.
My search took me to the website www.quotation-marks.blogspot.com which, as Jennifer pointed out in her comments on my last post, is a fantastic site dedicated to the indignities the poor quotation marks have suffered over the years and across the globe. Diving into that site, I found my way to Jocelyn Noveck's article in the Washington Post on September 21, 2007. In that article, I discovered a fabulous quote that sums up my sentiments quite succinctly:
"I have a thing against overuse of quotations, period," says [Pat] Hoy,
director of the expository writing program at New York University. "Whether
in academic or bureaucratic writing, it's giving up responsibility for what
you're writing. It's a pushing aside of the responsibility to be the major
thinker in the piece."
Bravo, Pat Hoy, Bravo!! Take note BBC correspondents! I implore you to step up and take responsibility for your writing! Throw down your useless, deceptive, misleading, annoying, random inverted commas. Cast off the chains of wishy-washy, pudding-brained, over-punctuated, wimposity!! (I can still make up my own words, since I'm not being paid to be a leader in maintaining high standards in the written word.)
Whew, have you ever noticed that when you're on a roll, it's easier to write with an impassioned indignation that you don't really feel? In my head, when I see misused quotation marks, I think "Humph, that's irritating", but when I start writing, I suddenly find a dusty old soapbox to stand on, metaphorically shaking my fist at the sky.
After enjoying a lovely weekend, and breathing in the brisk September air, some of my tiradical tendencies have been whisked away like an autumn leaf. Nonetheless, I'm still going to wrap up my piece on the misuse of quotation marks. I'm sure both of my readers are thrilled.
For some unfortunate reason, a remarkably large segment of the population seems to think that quotation marks aren't just for indicating reported speech or sarcasm anymore. Somewhere along the line, this unassuming, straightforward and highly functional piece of punctuation has been stripped of it's crown of coherency and assigned to take over the roles of underlining, italicizing and large print to indicate emphasis. In a fit of indignation, I did a quick Google search looking for examples of misused quotation marks.
My search took me to the website www.quotation-marks.blogspot.com which, as Jennifer pointed out in her comments on my last post, is a fantastic site dedicated to the indignities the poor quotation marks have suffered over the years and across the globe. Diving into that site, I found my way to Jocelyn Noveck's article in the Washington Post on September 21, 2007. In that article, I discovered a fabulous quote that sums up my sentiments quite succinctly:
"I have a thing against overuse of quotations, period," says [Pat] Hoy,
director of the expository writing program at New York University. "Whether
in academic or bureaucratic writing, it's giving up responsibility for what
you're writing. It's a pushing aside of the responsibility to be the major
thinker in the piece."
Bravo, Pat Hoy, Bravo!! Take note BBC correspondents! I implore you to step up and take responsibility for your writing! Throw down your useless, deceptive, misleading, annoying, random inverted commas. Cast off the chains of wishy-washy, pudding-brained, over-punctuated, wimposity!! (I can still make up my own words, since I'm not being paid to be a leader in maintaining high standards in the written word.)
Whew, have you ever noticed that when you're on a roll, it's easier to write with an impassioned indignation that you don't really feel? In my head, when I see misused quotation marks, I think "Humph, that's irritating", but when I start writing, I suddenly find a dusty old soapbox to stand on, metaphorically shaking my fist at the sky.
Adventures in punctuational pet peeves... (Part I)
~Oh yes, hold on to your seat, this is going to be a 2 Part rant on punctuation. The fun never ends!!~
For quite some time now, I have cringed every time I've scanned the BBC headlines. Yes, much of the news is certainly cringe-worthy, but that's not what's been setting my teeth on edge. The overabundance of 'quotation marks' offsetting 'information' in the headlines is driving me bonkers. When not actually used for reporting the direct speech of a someone else, quotation marks have traditionally indicated sarcasm or fallacy, or innuendo. Take the following sentence as an example: Susan 'cooked' a really 'good' dinner last night. Reading this, I would expect that Susan didn't cook a thing. The dinner was actually take-out, and it was disgusting.
Brief tirade on the role of punctuation here, including a hastily conceived simile ...skip it if you're bored already....
I admit that despite my desire to see myself as progressive, and accepting of the fact that language changes and evolves, I drag my feet at changes to punctuation use. Punctuation is, and always has been, a way to keep sentences in order. Each little jot, tittle and squiggle performs a specific function (or funtions) to make things clear and comprehensible for the reader. To paraphrase Lynne Truss, author of Eats, Shoots and Leaves, if a sentence is a busy city street, punctuation is the traffic signs. Just as city planners don't go bananas and decide that perhaps a green light could also function as a yield sign, or a red light could serve double-duty as a U-turn signal, neither should punctuation marks be arbitrarily assigned new duties.
Now, back to my point...
What was it? Ah, yes, the BBC. Keeping in mind that quotation marks serve to indicate that the statement isn't really true, take a look at the following headlines from today:
- US Congress 'agrees bail-out deal' (and by 'agrees on a bail-out deal' we really mean it was a disagreement over a Happy Meal.)
- Records 'hurt' women's athletics (Hee hee, just joking. They've really helped quite a bit.)
- Finnish massacres 'may be linked' (Or, we could just be making it up, and there's no connection whatsoever.)
- Bush still 'hopeful' on Mid-East (and by 'hopeful' we really mean he's curled up in the fetal position rocking back and forth waiting for his term to finish as soon as humanly possible.)
- Modi 'cleared' over Gujarat riots (and by 'cleared' we mean he'll probably be spending 5 years in prison.)
Do you see how tossing quotation marks about willy-nilly can cause some major traffic jams on the highway of communication!? Some may argue that the quotation marks in the headlines are there because those words were actaully said by someone quoted in the article. No doubt! I have often said 'hopeful', 'cleared' and 'hurt'. A quotation mark around a single word is utterly useless as an indication of reported speech, and all it does is make me disbelieve the headline.
~Oh yes, hold on to your seat, this is going to be a 2 Part rant on punctuation. The fun never ends!!~
For quite some time now, I have cringed every time I've scanned the BBC headlines. Yes, much of the news is certainly cringe-worthy, but that's not what's been setting my teeth on edge. The overabundance of 'quotation marks' offsetting 'information' in the headlines is driving me bonkers. When not actually used for reporting the direct speech of a someone else, quotation marks have traditionally indicated sarcasm or fallacy, or innuendo. Take the following sentence as an example: Susan 'cooked' a really 'good' dinner last night. Reading this, I would expect that Susan didn't cook a thing. The dinner was actually take-out, and it was disgusting.
Brief tirade on the role of punctuation here, including a hastily conceived simile ...skip it if you're bored already....
I admit that despite my desire to see myself as progressive, and accepting of the fact that language changes and evolves, I drag my feet at changes to punctuation use. Punctuation is, and always has been, a way to keep sentences in order. Each little jot, tittle and squiggle performs a specific function (or funtions) to make things clear and comprehensible for the reader. To paraphrase Lynne Truss, author of Eats, Shoots and Leaves, if a sentence is a busy city street, punctuation is the traffic signs. Just as city planners don't go bananas and decide that perhaps a green light could also function as a yield sign, or a red light could serve double-duty as a U-turn signal, neither should punctuation marks be arbitrarily assigned new duties.
Now, back to my point...
What was it? Ah, yes, the BBC. Keeping in mind that quotation marks serve to indicate that the statement isn't really true, take a look at the following headlines from today:
- US Congress 'agrees bail-out deal' (and by 'agrees on a bail-out deal' we really mean it was a disagreement over a Happy Meal.)
- Records 'hurt' women's athletics (Hee hee, just joking. They've really helped quite a bit.)
- Finnish massacres 'may be linked' (Or, we could just be making it up, and there's no connection whatsoever.)
- Bush still 'hopeful' on Mid-East (and by 'hopeful' we really mean he's curled up in the fetal position rocking back and forth waiting for his term to finish as soon as humanly possible.)
- Modi 'cleared' over Gujarat riots (and by 'cleared' we mean he'll probably be spending 5 years in prison.)
Do you see how tossing quotation marks about willy-nilly can cause some major traffic jams on the highway of communication!? Some may argue that the quotation marks in the headlines are there because those words were actaully said by someone quoted in the article. No doubt! I have often said 'hopeful', 'cleared' and 'hurt'. A quotation mark around a single word is utterly useless as an indication of reported speech, and all it does is make me disbelieve the headline.
Monday, September 15, 2008
Adventures in an unexpected blink...
Yesterday was Chuseok - generally referred to as the Korean Thanksgiving. Traffic is usually utter mayhem the day before and the day after, as the entire country makes their way back to parents' or grandparents' homes. To be truthful, traffic in Korea usually has a twinge of mayhem in it anyway. Drivers are skillful, but often impatient and ... well... rude, by Canadian driving standards. Imagine my surprise while I was driving to church yesterday to recieve a 'courtesy blink' from another driver! A car came barelling up on my rear bumper at an alarming speed, so I squeezed myself in between two busses in the next lane to let him pass. Once he was passed, I pulled back out into my original lane. Imediately, the speedy car gave me a 2-flash 4-way flasher blink! It was a courtesy blink - the likes of which I've never seen in Korea before!!! I felt all warm and fuzzy inside.
Yesterday was Chuseok - generally referred to as the Korean Thanksgiving. Traffic is usually utter mayhem the day before and the day after, as the entire country makes their way back to parents' or grandparents' homes. To be truthful, traffic in Korea usually has a twinge of mayhem in it anyway. Drivers are skillful, but often impatient and ... well... rude, by Canadian driving standards. Imagine my surprise while I was driving to church yesterday to recieve a 'courtesy blink' from another driver! A car came barelling up on my rear bumper at an alarming speed, so I squeezed myself in between two busses in the next lane to let him pass. Once he was passed, I pulled back out into my original lane. Imediately, the speedy car gave me a 2-flash 4-way flasher blink! It was a courtesy blink - the likes of which I've never seen in Korea before!!! I felt all warm and fuzzy inside.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Adventures in Little House on the Prairie...
I'm now back in Korea after a lovely vacation, and should be back to my semi-regular musings soon. I thought I should take a moment though and wish Little House on the Prairie a happy 34th birthday! That's right - on September 11th, 1974, viewers were introduced to the TV versions of Ma, Pa, Laura and Mary Ingalls...and endured (ahem...loved) the sappy, drippy, wholesome storylines for many years.
I'm now back in Korea after a lovely vacation, and should be back to my semi-regular musings soon. I thought I should take a moment though and wish Little House on the Prairie a happy 34th birthday! That's right - on September 11th, 1974, viewers were introduced to the TV versions of Ma, Pa, Laura and Mary Ingalls...and endured (ahem...loved) the sappy, drippy, wholesome storylines for many years.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Adventures in T-shirts
Twice a semester, I'm expected to proctor student examinations. That means that I spend 4-5 hours on a Saturday strolling around an auditorium while my students write the midterms and finals. It's a long, boring day. To amuse myself, I read what's written on my students' T-shirts. Here's a sampling of what I read last Saturday:
- I love school
- I'm a tosser
- Delicious Litmus
- Thank you for getting naked
- Happy?
- I see dead people
- A cup of my mind colors
- Mockingbird wish me luck
- The sound of a kiss is not as loud as that of a cannon but it's echo lasts a great deal longer
I would love to know who makes these shirts, and whether or not the students know what they mean...half the time, I sure don't (or wish I didn't!)
Twice a semester, I'm expected to proctor student examinations. That means that I spend 4-5 hours on a Saturday strolling around an auditorium while my students write the midterms and finals. It's a long, boring day. To amuse myself, I read what's written on my students' T-shirts. Here's a sampling of what I read last Saturday:
- I love school
- I'm a tosser
- Delicious Litmus
- Thank you for getting naked
- Happy?
- I see dead people
- A cup of my mind colors
- Mockingbird wish me luck
- The sound of a kiss is not as loud as that of a cannon but it's echo lasts a great deal longer
I would love to know who makes these shirts, and whether or not the students know what they mean...half the time, I sure don't (or wish I didn't!)
Sunday, June 08, 2008
Adventures in Ssireum
Yesterday was the 33rd Gyeongsan JaIn Festival. As part of the festival, foreign women were invited to compete in a Ssireum wrestling tournament. Having never voluntarily competed in an athletic event, I don't know why I decided to sign up, but I did. I was expecting to eat sand in the first round and enjoy the rest of the festival from the benches. We had 1 hour of training/practice on Wednesday, then hopped on the bus on Saturday to go to the tournament.
In Ssireum, each match is determined by the winner of 2 out of 3 rounds. In order to win, you must throw your opponent to the ground, without your knees or hips touching the sand first. All this is done in ankle deep sand, and clutching your partner's satba or belt.
Somehow, I managed to win 2 of the 3 rounds in my first match. Apparently, I did the same in my 2nd match (time spent in the ring became increasingly blurry as I started getting tired and sore) and advanced to the semi-finals, where I was finally knocked out of the competition. I must say though, I'm glad I was beaten when I was. If I had won, the girl I'd have had to fight in the final was a bulldozer disguised as a woman.
Today, I'm sore and bruised (in places I hope to never be bruised again!!) but can admit I had a pretty good day - athletic event and all.
Yesterday was the 33rd Gyeongsan JaIn Festival. As part of the festival, foreign women were invited to compete in a Ssireum wrestling tournament. Having never voluntarily competed in an athletic event, I don't know why I decided to sign up, but I did. I was expecting to eat sand in the first round and enjoy the rest of the festival from the benches. We had 1 hour of training/practice on Wednesday, then hopped on the bus on Saturday to go to the tournament.
In Ssireum, each match is determined by the winner of 2 out of 3 rounds. In order to win, you must throw your opponent to the ground, without your knees or hips touching the sand first. All this is done in ankle deep sand, and clutching your partner's satba or belt.
Somehow, I managed to win 2 of the 3 rounds in my first match. Apparently, I did the same in my 2nd match (time spent in the ring became increasingly blurry as I started getting tired and sore) and advanced to the semi-finals, where I was finally knocked out of the competition. I must say though, I'm glad I was beaten when I was. If I had won, the girl I'd have had to fight in the final was a bulldozer disguised as a woman.
Today, I'm sore and bruised (in places I hope to never be bruised again!!) but can admit I had a pretty good day - athletic event and all.
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Adventures in Purple Party Poopers...
When my sister and I were young, we used to watch Battle of the Planets: a Japanese animated series. In one episode, I remember one of the characters calling Zoltar, the villain, a "Purple Party Pooper". Being 6 years old, I thought it was absolutely hilarious. Maybe it was because I heard someone say "poop" on TV. Still, to this day, I remember that line. (To think that that brain space could have been used to remember things like birthdays or multiplication tables.)
Even though it's painted in blue, white and red, today's "Purple Party Pooper of the Week" award goes to Montreal Mayor Gérald Tremblay. The mayor has chastised Montreal firefighters for painting their fire stations blue, white and red in support of the Canadiens as they head into the playoffs. The mayor seems to have confused team spirit, morale boosting, patriotic enthusiasm and artistic expression with vandalism and defacing public property. Now, I'm sure that according to the letter of the law, he's right. According to the same letter of the same law, he could also probably start hauling little kids in to the precinct for drawing hop-scotch boards on the sidewalks with chalk. The firemen used temporary water-based paint to show support for their home-town team playing Canada's favourite sport. Get a grip, Mr.Mayor!!
I'm not even a hockey fan, but I do recognize a giant Party Pooper when I see one!
When my sister and I were young, we used to watch Battle of the Planets: a Japanese animated series. In one episode, I remember one of the characters calling Zoltar, the villain, a "Purple Party Pooper". Being 6 years old, I thought it was absolutely hilarious. Maybe it was because I heard someone say "poop" on TV. Still, to this day, I remember that line. (To think that that brain space could have been used to remember things like birthdays or multiplication tables.)
Even though it's painted in blue, white and red, today's "Purple Party Pooper of the Week" award goes to Montreal Mayor Gérald Tremblay. The mayor has chastised Montreal firefighters for painting their fire stations blue, white and red in support of the Canadiens as they head into the playoffs. The mayor seems to have confused team spirit, morale boosting, patriotic enthusiasm and artistic expression with vandalism and defacing public property. Now, I'm sure that according to the letter of the law, he's right. According to the same letter of the same law, he could also probably start hauling little kids in to the precinct for drawing hop-scotch boards on the sidewalks with chalk. The firemen used temporary water-based paint to show support for their home-town team playing Canada's favourite sport. Get a grip, Mr.Mayor!!
I'm not even a hockey fan, but I do recognize a giant Party Pooper when I see one!
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