I'm done!

I've finished the first semester of my Masters, and it feels GOOD. We had our last group project presentation today, and I handed in my 1300 take home. Which is AWESOME.

We finally got a menorah to go along with our tree.

I am 100% ready for a month off, a week of that which will be in Mexico.


But while I'm here, I love this city, even without snow, and when it's freezing.

Oh Christmas Tree.

I love Christmas. So much. I was raised pretty solidly worship at the altar of Santa, and to this day Christmas is about that. Hanukkah is about family, and togetherness, and meaning. Christmas is about family, togetherness, and presents. I love it. Having a tree, presents, seeing how thrilled kids are that Santa's come.


This was our tree.Look at this Tiny... cookie-man?
Oh! Hello Santa.And now this is our tree.

Pépé.

Pépé is 98, turning 99 in February. He has a nicer webcam then I do, and msn's with his son-in law every night. He speaks 4 languages, is a photographer, and edits his pictures on the computer. He feels it's much better then how he used to have to edit them.

Chalk is fun.

The bear you see is named Bearable. When I was a kid, my dad's job was bringing adopted children home. One year, at Christmas, we didn't think he'd make it home. He dropped the baby off in Dallas, Texas, and the family gave him this bear so he wouldn't have to spend the holidays alone, and so it would be bearable to him. He made it home.

Alpaca Monday

Loved, and were loved, and now we lie/ In Flanders fields.

I don't quite know what to say about Remembrance Day. It's a day of silence, reflection, respect and honour. My grandfather on my dad's side was in the Merchant Marines and the Legion was a huge part of his life - every Friday and Saturday was spent there. My mom's side lost everything in the war - their family, their homes and part of their souls. I remember my aunt Fanya showing me the numbers tattooed on her arm, and I remember her scaring me when she told me that I could never forget. I have several very dear friends who are in the army currently, one of whom has been on several tours of Afghanistan and I fully admit that even though we've lost touch I'm terrified every time I hear of another soldier dieing.

I don't care if you support the war, but you support the people who fought/fight/will fight/died in and lived through it.

These people are the heroes. They deserve our respect.

Georgian Bay

A few weeks ago Dad and I decided to take our annual trip a little bit north to see the leaves. And apparently a waterfall. And to steal apples - a yearly tradition. Why should road side fruit trees go to waste? And then Beau got attacked by a goat. Seriously. I have never seen an animal go after someone so vehemently.

Autumn's here

Southern Ontario in the fall is... gorgeous.
The great pumpkin sacrifice is in the early stages

The streams are icy cold
The leaves are coating the pathsWe went to Hoggs falls. We even found the damn place!


Me and pops.
Dad hiking up the trail to the falls.
Southern Ontario has its flaws.... but damn if the highlands aren't wonderful

Catnip and Fish chowdah.

My thanksgiving this year was not the normal gluttonous feast that thanksgiving normally is and... I kind of liked it. Sunday we had a delicious fish chowdah made with halibut and tonight we had a roast beef. Turns out the stress IS the best diet- I barely ate anything. Beau's dad also kills the vegetables dead, and soaks them in butter and garlic, so I don't feel the need to stuff myself because they aren't really vegetables anymore. Still good, just not vegetables.

In other news, I'm drinking peacetea. Blue Vervain, Lemon Balm, Catnip, Oat Straw, Red Bergamot, Chamomile, Hops, Motherwort, Valerian, Sweet Gale, Skullcap and St John's Wort all mixed together and drank it makes me feel like everything's alright and I can sleep. Which I basically haven't done in... a few days.

Goddamnit. I don't need to do this again.

The tea is good as a sedative, anti-depressant, sleeping aid and good for irritability and nervous exhaustion which basically sums up my life right now.

Algonquin Tea Company makes a ~very~ similar version to mine, and it's where I go when I can't mix it myself. Their site has a pretty good list of what each ingredient does.

I want to work in a ~book~ library

It's somewhat fascinating, our class seems to be in love with the holy concept of books - we were talking about digital librarianship, and "bookless" libraries and our whole class got up in arms. It's something of a discussion topic- what are libraries without books? I personally feel that times are a-changin and we have to change with the times. I don't believe fully in the concept of bookless libraries (really, just look at the 8 full bookshelves of books taking up my 750 sqf apt) but I do feel that there's a huge generational shift in the past 5 years. Kids don't read anymore. Plain and simple. If we want them to read, we have to put it in a framework they understand so if we make a library digital in part, then there's a better chance they'll come to love learning, and through that will hopefully see how wonderful books themselves are.

I don't feel books are an out-dated medium, I just feel that very harsh lines are drawn between the new digital era and the holy temple of books.