Birthdays are fun, but the actual day is a bit of an out of body experience - you're the centre of attention and there is nothing you can really do. My 25th was extremely memorable for a number of reasons.
The first being that it was my second birthday away from home. I think it'll make all the subsequent birthdays at home all the better. I really miss spending the special day with family during thanksgiving, and with friends who have known me for a good six years. At the same time, it was nice to know people back home were thinking of me. It's always humbling to log on and see 100 facebook posts wishing me well, and messages from family back home. My parents sent me a very thoughtful gift for my birthday. My ipod had kicked out during the summer of traveling (I squeezed three and a half years out of it) so they replaced it with a new slick blue 5th Generation Nano which now features a great little video camera. I really feel that I have all I need, but the ipod is a nice luxury for jaunts about town and at the gym.
At the same time that I missed family and friends back home, my friends here in the UK gave me a smashing birthday celebration. On Thursday, Tory, Zoey, and I decked out the apartment with red and white paraphernalia and loaded the freezer with delicious eats for our guests. Everyone got into the Canadian theme. Bec whipped up a beautiful Canadian cake which was devoured once the clock struck midnight. Lotte and Tory entertained the group with a wonderful rendition of a Celine Dion hit before we hit the town. There were over twenty people in our small little posh pad, but it was such a great celebration. The party was one of the best our MAIPR group has had. Some of the new students attended, and it was nice for the groups to get to know each other further. As the time here at the program slowly winds down (I'm reminded of that with the passing of each week), the party was a reminder of all the fantastic connections made over the thirteen months spent together. I've made some really great friends from all different parts of the world.
My actual birthday on Friday was pretty low key. After a very late night on Thursday, and a long sleep in on Friday, Tory and I hit the town and got some great eats for the rest of the day. Birthdays are an excuse to relax, and after such a crazy night before, we just chilled out for the majority of the day. In the evening, Bec came over with some cake and we sat around with tea. Around 11, after a restful but fulfilling birthday, in the one hour before I wasn't the special centre of attention - the birthday surprise came. I received a welcome call from Emily. I thought it was really sweet of her to be calling from Portugal. I went into my room to chat and she asked how the day was. As I told her we weren't up to much that evening, a mysterious stranger banged on my bedroom window and yelled, "Rally back Doctor! Rally back!" Emily had come to Leamington to surprise me on my birthday. To say I was shocked was an understatement. From what I knew, Em had a full week left in Portugal and the arrival was absolutely impossible. It took a good fifteen minutes for the reality to sink in. At the same time that the party the evening before was memorable, on my actual birthday I was feeling homesick (maybe the most homesick I've felt while over here) and Emily's visit came at the perfect time. It joins the 23rd birthday celebrations as two of the most memorable birthday moments. The friendly face from home warmed my heart. I'll remember the surprise always.
So my whole weekend turned around. I went from planned homework to hosting my best friend here in Leam. We've had a wonderful weekend so far, and Em is here until Tuesday. I'm really thankful to spend time with her amidst all the dissertation work. I think it'll help me on the road to getting a draft together. Updates on our thanksgiving weekend in the next post.
Happy Holidays back home in Canada!
Doc's Prescription of the Day: Turkey, turkey, gobble, gobble, stuffing, and all that.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Wednesday, October 07, 2009
The Toast of Birthdays Past.doc
So I've polluted my itunes playlist with Celine Dion, Alanis Morisette, and Shania Twain. That's right. I've gone all this time without any of their sultry vocals (with good reason I would add). I'm swallowing my pride and downloading some of their greatest hits for our Canadian themed party tomorrow night. We're gearing up for some stellar Canadian birthday celebrations. I think it's a pretty funny theme, and come to think of it, it will without a doubt be the only time I can get away with a Canadian themed birthday, or a Canadian themed party for that matter. How weird would it be to do this kind of thing in Toronto? So I say let Celine, Alanis, and Shania come (they've been requested). They'll just have to live alongside my much more privileged Arcade Fire, Tragically Hip, Trews, and Hawksley. I haven't been taking many photos the past month so tomorrow's party will be an occasion to get a little snap happy. The new MAIPRS are joining us as well so we're expecting a group of about 25 - our posh little pad will be packed.
The dissertation work has stalled a bit since the London venture. This happened when I got through the last chapter. On one hand I'm really happy to have chugged through it, but on the other I have no idea where to start with the next one. I mean, I have a rough context and an artistic performance, but as far as starting with the blank screen, it just takes a few days to ease into it. Unfortunately, the few days spent 'easing' into it will ease right into birthday celebrations and derail the momentum. I've decided that's alright. Come the Sunday after my birthday I can get back on the wagon and power through. Thankfully, my growing works citing is hitting all of the performance studies big names so I think that's a decent sign. You must be strategic of course - a dash here, a dash there.
I've developed a wee addiction while living in Leamington. It's one I never thought I'd acquire. I'm addicted to the gym. Saying it like that may sound that I'm bragging about my devotion and dedication to a task some would choose a lobotomy over, but it's really true. I've become a convert. If I go a day without going, I feel a bit less than myself. I've only really taken a day off if I've gone to London, had a visitor, or the odd night we've got a big one planned. The days that are busy I've usually been able to squeeze it in early in the morning or late in the evening. It has also grown into a gym visit rather than just a pop in - I spend about two hours a day in there. It's not that I'm pounding the weights looking for a crazy 180 transformation (far from it). It's simply that it's a place in the city I want to be each day. The people are friendly, it feels good to get exercise, the water facilities truly live up to the 'spa' in the latter part of the city, and I feel like a million bucks walking out of that place. I've never been in better shape physically. And I've learned a lot more about fitness - it's like a full time job for some of these guys. I've been blazing my own trail and learning some of the rules as I go along, but to build real muscle it takes insane dedication to a demanding routine. That's not really the schedule I'm looking for, you also have to increase your calorie intake immensely. I've also read that you shouldn't mix cardio if you're trying to bulk up, and I like my cardio. I've gone from being able to jog on the treadmill from 10 to 20 to 30 minutes at 10km an hour. My goal before leaving Leam is to be able to hit 10km in 50 minutes. Bottom line, the steam room after a work out is my favourite spot in Leamington.
On the eve of the celebration of my 25th year (that is just as hard to type as it is to say out loud) I'm reminded of some great birthdays in the past few years.
The dissertation work has stalled a bit since the London venture. This happened when I got through the last chapter. On one hand I'm really happy to have chugged through it, but on the other I have no idea where to start with the next one. I mean, I have a rough context and an artistic performance, but as far as starting with the blank screen, it just takes a few days to ease into it. Unfortunately, the few days spent 'easing' into it will ease right into birthday celebrations and derail the momentum. I've decided that's alright. Come the Sunday after my birthday I can get back on the wagon and power through. Thankfully, my growing works citing is hitting all of the performance studies big names so I think that's a decent sign. You must be strategic of course - a dash here, a dash there.
I've developed a wee addiction while living in Leamington. It's one I never thought I'd acquire. I'm addicted to the gym. Saying it like that may sound that I'm bragging about my devotion and dedication to a task some would choose a lobotomy over, but it's really true. I've become a convert. If I go a day without going, I feel a bit less than myself. I've only really taken a day off if I've gone to London, had a visitor, or the odd night we've got a big one planned. The days that are busy I've usually been able to squeeze it in early in the morning or late in the evening. It has also grown into a gym visit rather than just a pop in - I spend about two hours a day in there. It's not that I'm pounding the weights looking for a crazy 180 transformation (far from it). It's simply that it's a place in the city I want to be each day. The people are friendly, it feels good to get exercise, the water facilities truly live up to the 'spa' in the latter part of the city, and I feel like a million bucks walking out of that place. I've never been in better shape physically. And I've learned a lot more about fitness - it's like a full time job for some of these guys. I've been blazing my own trail and learning some of the rules as I go along, but to build real muscle it takes insane dedication to a demanding routine. That's not really the schedule I'm looking for, you also have to increase your calorie intake immensely. I've also read that you shouldn't mix cardio if you're trying to bulk up, and I like my cardio. I've gone from being able to jog on the treadmill from 10 to 20 to 30 minutes at 10km an hour. My goal before leaving Leam is to be able to hit 10km in 50 minutes. Bottom line, the steam room after a work out is my favourite spot in Leamington.
On the eve of the celebration of my 25th year (that is just as hard to type as it is to say out loud) I'm reminded of some great birthdays in the past few years.
19th: Appropriately, I turned 19 in my first year of University. There's a fantastic photo of my floor from that year crowding in my room to sing me Happy Birthday before we all departed for Thanksgiving. I also received a very special pink birthday card by Meg and Emma who showed up in PJs and tams to celebrate. Emma drew the card and Meg has regretted giving her that job every since. I received the Thinker (my favourite statue) from my parents that year.
20th: This was a great celebration with some second year friends. I remember dinner and drinks with Meg, Emma, Colt, Devon, and Ryan at that swanky place on Wellington with great cocktails. I'm so old I don't even remember what it's called. We then went to Stages where I remember seeing Hinckster and meeting Bronwyn for the first time. It's always nice that my birthday falls on Thanksgiving, because I get to celebrate with family and friends.
21th: Third year was insanely busy, but I remember a cast celebration at Three Sisters when a cake was presented aptly during a rehearsal for the cast dinner scene. Unexpected, but a welcome surprise. We also went out on the town in Kingston before the annual Thanksgiving departure.
22nd: The timing of my birthday was not ideal this year. After celebrating with the family back in Thorold, I made my way to Kingston for rehearsals of Henry V. After loading into the car with Jono, Sasha, and Kat we suffered through a day of rehearsals on the Monday. Thankfully, the cast celebrated that evening with a joint Thanksgiving - Birthday party in my honour. That was a special year for a few reasons.
23rd: Before heading home for Thanksgiving this year, I was in rehearsals for Source of Gravity. Thinking I was heading home to a quiet night in with just Emily and Emma (with larger birthday plans for the evening), I opened the front door to over twenty-five friends who had convinced me they weren't around for a weekday celebration. It was like an out of body experience - a surprise birthday like that only comes around once, maybe twice, a lifetime.
24th: It was tough celebrating my birthday away from family and friends for the very first time, and with new friends I had only know for a month. But we had a great night at the Varsity - there were friends from over a dozen countries playing drinking games in my honour. How's that not great for new European experiences?
Wishing I could celebrate my quarter century with all of you back home, but I know that you'll be thinking about me on Friday. Miss you all.
Doc's Prescription of the Day: The office is closed in preparation for a landmark anniversary - get your prescriptions elsewhere. Open this Sunday!
Sunday, October 04, 2009
London Calling.doc
Since the last post I've had an extremely busy few days providing a nice break from the routine to which I have become so accustom. The reason for this shift was the arrival of the new MAIPR gang and a weekend jaunt to London to visit my friend Stuart from Queen's.
Wednesday and Thursday were productive, but fairly uneventful. I sat at the computer in the dining room for over a dozen hours over the two days working away at the dissertation. I wanted to hit a certain mark before the arrival of the weekend (and all kinds of distraction) so I stuck to the ambitious goal I had set for myself. The strategy paid off. I reached the goal by late Thursday afternoon and it meant that I could appreciate the extended weekend knowing I had worked tremendously to enjoy it. Instead of rejoicing on Thursday night, I went to my first spin class with Tory. It was quite an experience. I had heard the classes were challenging, but I figured it would be just an intense form of cycling. I was wrong. The increased tensions an simulated hills a part of the workout mean your thighs are getting a solid pounding. It was good to sweat though and I felt great after it was done.
Friday signaled the first ever official coming together of MAIPR Year 1 and 2. We were invited to a lunch at the Theatre Studies department were we reconnected telematically with the course. We we asked to introduce ourselves in cyberspace to Amsterdam and Finland looking on, and to the other new students at the Warwick location. Afterwards we dined on a great lunch spread and mingled with staff and new students. It looks like the social circle is expanding! Later that evening we invited the group out for a few pints in Leamington (a getting to know you type gathering). It was good to connect with everyone from our group again (the majority of which came out to meet the new students) and to be introduced to new peers also interested in theatre and the arts. I enjoy giving advice, so I was happy to be able to pass on information about the course and Amsterdam. From the pub we went to a club in the city called Mumbai Blue - it was a bit sketchy so we left early.
The next morning was Tory's 24th birthday! Because I had booked London for the weekend (since it was the only time I was able to go in the next while) I offered to make her a big Saturday morning breakfast. I awoke at 9am and made scrambled eggs, hashbrown potatoes, fried tomatoes, mushrooms, and rye toast. A nice English breakie. Tory, Lonneke (our Dutch friend who was staying at our place), and myself dined on the meal with tea and coffee. It was a great spread if I do say so. At 11am I bid the girls adieu and headed to the train station en route to London.
I arrived at 2pm and met Stuart at Paddington Station. Stuart and I are friends from Queen's. After uni he came over here to LSE (the London School of Economics) and has now been here for three years. He has a job that he enjoys that is based out of London, but which takes him around Europe on occasion. The last time I saw him was at his birthday party last December in the city. We dropped off my bag at his place in Westminister (he shares a great house with three other guys) and then went to Camden Market. Emily had recommended this to me a few weeks ago and we went there to browse on Saturday. Like Em said, it was a really cool market. It's inset in what seems to be old railway viaducts. I found out that it's built in the former Midland Railway stables and horse hospital which served the horses pulling barges along the adjoining canal. They had all kinds of antiques, bric-a-brac, and retro clothes. We sipped on coffees and wandered through the crowds. From there we went to Tottenham Court and did some window shopping - Stuart showed me some of his favourite places.
In the evening we went to Stuart's friends's Leigh's house to watch X factor Britain's biggest TV sensation. It was cheesy British TV at its best. We brought over salad and fresh bread to join takeout sushi for dinner. After not having a TV in Leamington it was nice to sit, chill, and socialize. Afterwards we went to a birthday party of a friend of Stuart's at The Edge in Soho and formed a larger group with some of his friends. We bar hopped to a late night place called Lo Profile before taking a night bus back to Westminister. It was a really fun night out, and it felt great to be back in a bigger city.
We slept in late this morning and then jumped on the tube to head out and about. We picked up a coffee and some breakfast at M&S and then made our way to Brick Lane for the Sunday Market. Talk about a cool vibe - East London definitely has it going on. We saw some really neat sights at the market and browsed a vintage furniture store and a few art galleries. We had two leisurely afternoon pints before I boarded my train at 3:30pm. The trip to London was a brief one, but it was good to see Stuart again. I know that I have yet another friend to go visit again in the city. As much as I like my routine in Leamington (see the last post), it was great to take a few days off from work. Back at the books tomorrow.
Doc's Prescription of the Day: London comes calling every once in a while - sometimes you have to pick up.
Wednesday and Thursday were productive, but fairly uneventful. I sat at the computer in the dining room for over a dozen hours over the two days working away at the dissertation. I wanted to hit a certain mark before the arrival of the weekend (and all kinds of distraction) so I stuck to the ambitious goal I had set for myself. The strategy paid off. I reached the goal by late Thursday afternoon and it meant that I could appreciate the extended weekend knowing I had worked tremendously to enjoy it. Instead of rejoicing on Thursday night, I went to my first spin class with Tory. It was quite an experience. I had heard the classes were challenging, but I figured it would be just an intense form of cycling. I was wrong. The increased tensions an simulated hills a part of the workout mean your thighs are getting a solid pounding. It was good to sweat though and I felt great after it was done.
Friday signaled the first ever official coming together of MAIPR Year 1 and 2. We were invited to a lunch at the Theatre Studies department were we reconnected telematically with the course. We we asked to introduce ourselves in cyberspace to Amsterdam and Finland looking on, and to the other new students at the Warwick location. Afterwards we dined on a great lunch spread and mingled with staff and new students. It looks like the social circle is expanding! Later that evening we invited the group out for a few pints in Leamington (a getting to know you type gathering). It was good to connect with everyone from our group again (the majority of which came out to meet the new students) and to be introduced to new peers also interested in theatre and the arts. I enjoy giving advice, so I was happy to be able to pass on information about the course and Amsterdam. From the pub we went to a club in the city called Mumbai Blue - it was a bit sketchy so we left early.
The next morning was Tory's 24th birthday! Because I had booked London for the weekend (since it was the only time I was able to go in the next while) I offered to make her a big Saturday morning breakfast. I awoke at 9am and made scrambled eggs, hashbrown potatoes, fried tomatoes, mushrooms, and rye toast. A nice English breakie. Tory, Lonneke (our Dutch friend who was staying at our place), and myself dined on the meal with tea and coffee. It was a great spread if I do say so. At 11am I bid the girls adieu and headed to the train station en route to London.
I arrived at 2pm and met Stuart at Paddington Station. Stuart and I are friends from Queen's. After uni he came over here to LSE (the London School of Economics) and has now been here for three years. He has a job that he enjoys that is based out of London, but which takes him around Europe on occasion. The last time I saw him was at his birthday party last December in the city. We dropped off my bag at his place in Westminister (he shares a great house with three other guys) and then went to Camden Market. Emily had recommended this to me a few weeks ago and we went there to browse on Saturday. Like Em said, it was a really cool market. It's inset in what seems to be old railway viaducts. I found out that it's built in the former Midland Railway stables and horse hospital which served the horses pulling barges along the adjoining canal. They had all kinds of antiques, bric-a-brac, and retro clothes. We sipped on coffees and wandered through the crowds. From there we went to Tottenham Court and did some window shopping - Stuart showed me some of his favourite places.
In the evening we went to Stuart's friends's Leigh's house to watch X factor Britain's biggest TV sensation. It was cheesy British TV at its best. We brought over salad and fresh bread to join takeout sushi for dinner. After not having a TV in Leamington it was nice to sit, chill, and socialize. Afterwards we went to a birthday party of a friend of Stuart's at The Edge in Soho and formed a larger group with some of his friends. We bar hopped to a late night place called Lo Profile before taking a night bus back to Westminister. It was a really fun night out, and it felt great to be back in a bigger city.
We slept in late this morning and then jumped on the tube to head out and about. We picked up a coffee and some breakfast at M&S and then made our way to Brick Lane for the Sunday Market. Talk about a cool vibe - East London definitely has it going on. We saw some really neat sights at the market and browsed a vintage furniture store and a few art galleries. We had two leisurely afternoon pints before I boarded my train at 3:30pm. The trip to London was a brief one, but it was good to see Stuart again. I know that I have yet another friend to go visit again in the city. As much as I like my routine in Leamington (see the last post), it was great to take a few days off from work. Back at the books tomorrow.
Doc's Prescription of the Day: London comes calling every once in a while - sometimes you have to pick up.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Routinizzle.doc
The routine is going great. From Monday to Friday I park myself in front of my laptop in the dining room, try to pound out the words, and hit the gym after exhausting quotations from Schechner and Butler and surfing the latest new posts on Facebook. It's unfortunate that Facebook is now more like Twitter - how can I not click on the link if it promises that there is one new post in my news feed? Obviously it's unimportant, but one must click it make sure.
The dissertation is going well. When I say it's going well I mean the word count is increasing. At this early stage I don't necessarily care if the connections and points are ground breaking, but rather that they are starting to be made. As I've said before, it's much easier to have a pile of crap and oodles of time to go back and revise it, than writing a 30 000 word dissertation in two months. I don't want to publish my word count since some of the MAIPRS visit this page (sorry guys). Things aren't competitive here but it's just something I want to keep to myself - people tend to freak out if the answer you give is more than them and if its less it bolsters their feeling of progress. I just don't care where anyone else is. It's like marks. I've always been one to keep them close to the cuff so the jockeying for position doesn't lead fellow students to judge and compare, but it's inevitable people always try to pry. Thankfully, I don't get satisfaction from knowing I "did better than you." It's the damn Humanities, everything is subjective. Long story short: if you're from home and want to know how I'm doing, ask me sometime. I'm climbing the mountain!
Friday night we had a party at Courtney and Jamal's. They have a really great place perfect for a gathering. It comes complete with a fantastic little outdoor patio. Both were happy to host in Leamington - Jamal was always ready to fill a glass and Courtney made cheesecake and biscuits for the occasion. We met one of the new MAIPR students who had arrived early, talked about how the work was going, and discussed post-program plans. Luckily, most are in the same boat once the program ends - a shrug of the shoulders is the usual response. We stayed at the house party late and by the time midnight rolled around I couldn't be bothered to head out on the town and pay the 5 pound cover to get into Smack. It's a pro and con of the regular gym going, but after a long day of research and then two hours at the gym I am unlikely to go out for a big night. On one hand I can save a lot of money that way, but on the other I've never been one to say no to a night on the town. It's a more mellow routine, but I most definitely prefer it.
The rest of the weekend was fairly low-key. I took Saturday off from research and slept in. I also started watching episodes of Glee which everyone has been talking about recently. I really enjoyed it - the series is officially added to the list of ones I'm currently following. Thank god for free online television. Sunday I completed some prep for IGLYO - the launch of the website we've been developing is slated for early next month. In the evening I went for two pints in town with a friend of mine I hadn't seen since Warwick autumn. It seems everyone is returning to Leamington for the start of the new school year.
Today Tory and I published plans for our birthday celebrations. We figured that two Canadians with birthdays within a week calls for a Canadian themed birthday celebration! We're having a gathering at ours on October 8 to celebrate (Tory's is on the 3rd and I'm on the 9th). For those without the benefit of facebook the event reads:
Doc's Prescription of the Day: I've discovered there are a lot of negative musings on the dulling effect of a routine. But I've found a lot of structure with one. I appreciate this courtesy of Ben Nicholas: “Most of life is routine - dull and grubby, but routine is the momentum that keeps a man going. If you wait for inspiration you'll be standing on the corner after the parade is a mile down the street.”
The dissertation is going well. When I say it's going well I mean the word count is increasing. At this early stage I don't necessarily care if the connections and points are ground breaking, but rather that they are starting to be made. As I've said before, it's much easier to have a pile of crap and oodles of time to go back and revise it, than writing a 30 000 word dissertation in two months. I don't want to publish my word count since some of the MAIPRS visit this page (sorry guys). Things aren't competitive here but it's just something I want to keep to myself - people tend to freak out if the answer you give is more than them and if its less it bolsters their feeling of progress. I just don't care where anyone else is. It's like marks. I've always been one to keep them close to the cuff so the jockeying for position doesn't lead fellow students to judge and compare, but it's inevitable people always try to pry. Thankfully, I don't get satisfaction from knowing I "did better than you." It's the damn Humanities, everything is subjective. Long story short: if you're from home and want to know how I'm doing, ask me sometime. I'm climbing the mountain!
Friday night we had a party at Courtney and Jamal's. They have a really great place perfect for a gathering. It comes complete with a fantastic little outdoor patio. Both were happy to host in Leamington - Jamal was always ready to fill a glass and Courtney made cheesecake and biscuits for the occasion. We met one of the new MAIPR students who had arrived early, talked about how the work was going, and discussed post-program plans. Luckily, most are in the same boat once the program ends - a shrug of the shoulders is the usual response. We stayed at the house party late and by the time midnight rolled around I couldn't be bothered to head out on the town and pay the 5 pound cover to get into Smack. It's a pro and con of the regular gym going, but after a long day of research and then two hours at the gym I am unlikely to go out for a big night. On one hand I can save a lot of money that way, but on the other I've never been one to say no to a night on the town. It's a more mellow routine, but I most definitely prefer it.
The rest of the weekend was fairly low-key. I took Saturday off from research and slept in. I also started watching episodes of Glee which everyone has been talking about recently. I really enjoyed it - the series is officially added to the list of ones I'm currently following. Thank god for free online television. Sunday I completed some prep for IGLYO - the launch of the website we've been developing is slated for early next month. In the evening I went for two pints in town with a friend of mine I hadn't seen since Warwick autumn. It seems everyone is returning to Leamington for the start of the new school year.
Today Tory and I published plans for our birthday celebrations. We figured that two Canadians with birthdays within a week calls for a Canadian themed birthday celebration! We're having a gathering at ours on October 8 to celebrate (Tory's is on the 3rd and I'm on the 9th). For those without the benefit of facebook the event reads:
It's sure to be a good time, and serves as a nice event to look forward to after an incredibly productive September. As the month comes to a close I can look back at subtle but really rewarding progress - a good handle on the thesis and 22 out of 27 days spent at the gym. Later this week we get to meet the rest of the new MAIPR contingent, and I'm heading to London on Saturday to visit my friend Stuart from Queen's.A night to celebrate Great Canadians, including: Celine Dion, Alanis Morisette, Mounties, Mike Myers, the cast of Degrassi High, the Toronto Maple Leafs, and of course - yours truly.Please come wearing red and white, or in your best 'Canadiana' costume! Lumberjacks, hockey players, and famous Canadian songstresses are welcome.The party will begin at ours at 7:30pm, then we'll head on out to the town. Please BYOB eh? We're polite, but not that polite.Canadian artist playlist on loop - send in your requests.
Doc's Prescription of the Day: I've discovered there are a lot of negative musings on the dulling effect of a routine. But I've found a lot of structure with one. I appreciate this courtesy of Ben Nicholas: “Most of life is routine - dull and grubby, but routine is the momentum that keeps a man going. If you wait for inspiration you'll be standing on the corner after the parade is a mile down the street.”
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Chez Nova Lodge.doc
As promised, the subject of today's post is Nova Lodge - my third home of the year. Someone asked me recently how dating has been in Europe and I had to lament that although I had been on a few here and there, it's tough to do when you know you'll only be spending a maximum of a few months living in one spot. Thankfully, Nova Lodge, like my unforgettable place in Amsterdam, is a true home where I feel comfortable and relaxed. It makes the transitory lifestyle easy to take.
We've had a few gatherings at this place already. Everyone seems to really like the furnishings - black leather couches, a faux fireplace, beige waffle carpet, and a beautiful dining room. It's not the type of Queen's house you'd throw a big jam in, but rather a swanky pregame place before hitting the town. We hosted a few friends the Saturday night Emily was in town and on Tuesday night we celebrated Jamal's return to the Spa with a few beers. We're planning to have a potluck in the upcoming weeks, and I'm sure once the group is ready to let off some steam this place will see some action. There's also an enormous backyard, at the centre of which is a gigantic tree that must be over eighty years old. It's the type of backyard you could throw a wedding in.
One of my favourite things to do in the new pad, after a day staring at the laptop waiting for inspiration and following two hours at the gym, is cooking up a really nice meal. The brand new oven and stove (gas operated) are brilliant for culinary delights and Em and I have both started experimenting this year. In the pictures below you will finally get to glimpse the "Rolly Polly" which Emily has been serving up in France for the year. She brought me two pastries for the new place and we put them to use when she visited - both times we made bacon, cheddar cheese, and rosemary pastries. They were to die for. In addition, I usually enjoy a grapefruit for breakfast, and most recently I cooked a full chicken in the oven. Tesco (the local grocery) had full chickens on for 2 pounds! I bought two and threw them in the freezer. If I ever see them on again I'm going to load up - I think they may be a good choice for Canadian thanksgiving in two weeks time.
WIthout further ado, the lodge and some eats:
Rolly Polly before Wrapping
Before 2
Rolly Polly After
Rolly Polly Dinner
Breakfast
Full Chicken
Full Chicken 2
Living Room
Fireplace
My Room
Suitcase Living no more
Mantel
Kitchen
Kitchen 2
Dining Room
Silent Discoers
The Infamous Beaded Wall
Morning Detox
Unfortunately, I took the photos in the evening so the quality isn't the best. And yes, to be clear, my bedroom is small. But for 225 pounds a month it's a steal. The girls and I have made the dining room our thesis desk.
This week has been up and down. On the down side, I've lost a little momentum of the past month, but I think that's to be expected. I just need to find a new angle to keep plugging away. It's not the word count or the length that scares me anymore, it's being able to have a coherent and convincing argument that lasts for the 120 pages. I know this is something that'll work itself out in revisions, but until I have some sort of product I won't know how it stands up - it's like I need the frame of the building before I can tell you if it'll be a Victorian, a semi, or a houseboat. Tomorrow I set firmer goals for the rest of September so that hopefully by month's end I'm in a position of strength.
On the up side, Tory returned back from Amsterdam so the household is complete! It's nice to have the three of us under one roof and most of the contingent back in Leamington. By all accounts we're operating really well as a unit - we spend time together working on the thesis, share the occasional meal, and talk about each other's day. I really enjoy living with others again - how I've missed it. Tory also joined the gym so I'll have a buddy to go with. We've already signed up for a spin class next week. Also next week we welcome the new MAIPR group to Warwick and take part in (yet another) Warwick-Amsterdam-Finland telematic conference. Should be jokes this time around.
Good Luck to Queen's University and the Kingston community who will not be hosting the annual homecoming festivities, but instead will be faced with the condensation of the yearly event in the form of unauthorized, unapologetic, and unwieldy partying. The Globe and Mail's coverage called Police ready for fall booze-up at Queen's is a bit laughable in building hype for the event - it's almost like they want to be the ones to predict something will go wrong: "see, that's what we insinuated would happen!" My favourite part is the unnecessary map outlining the Queen's ghetto - someone spent way too much time on this.
Doc's Prescription of the Day: Nothing is more important than having a home or a room that you call your own - I hope you're reading this from someplace comfortable.
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