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Name: AKA
Home: Toronto, Ontario (in Australia until April 2009), Canada
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Changing the World
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5 Canada License.
Monday, February 13, 2006
That's my quote of the week. Well life. Besides Gandhi's "be the change you want to see in this world". I think that one is a close second now. I mean I don't feel very adultish. Except maybe when I'm at work and must tell someone twice my age that their spouse has cleaned out their account and maxed out all their credit facilities.
But for crying out loud I'm only now getting into Harry Potter (yes that's right), so from what angle would I seem like an adult to anyone?
But as much as I think it, I don't want anyone throwing it in my face that I don't know what I'm doing as another customer so subtly did this past weekend. That's when I get defensive (not to mention icy) and use my best grown-up attitude to tell them off in the most professional manner possible. Take that Mr. Mirza.
Yes, that's right - Harry Potter. Don't judge me, you'd like it to if you gave it a chance. I mean there's a reason people around the world of all ages go nuts over the books and movies. I started out by fluke. I was looking to download some audio books when I found the whole series so downloaded the first two. That's my new thing - downloading audio books for when I go to the gym, because though I also have my music, audio books are so much more interesting. And before you laugh at my selection, mind you, I also have "The life of Pi", Stephen Hawkings "Brief History of Time" and "The Art of War" alongside my Harry Potter collection. It never even occurred to me to get audio books. I'm always trying to squeeze in more books but never seem to have the time so this is a great alternative for me.
I've also gotten into collecting antique books (and by 'antiques' I don't mean the very first Harry Potter book). So far I've only gotten "War and Peace" (1st edition!) and "Crime and Punishment" (2nd edition...boo) but I'm off to a good start.
I've somewhat disappeared from the MSN scene. Why? I have no idea. I used to go on to do my chat thing pretty much all the time. But now a day I pop in sporadically, but then quickly sign out or go to "appear offline" mode. I think I'm in a hermit phase. I seem to hide out from a lot of people and have become very quiet. Though I just say I'm observing more. It's come to the point that my manager sat me down to talk to me to check if everything was ok because people have brought this to his attention.
6 months. What ever happened to having a full year before I had to leave for Michigan?! Now it's down to 6 months. And I am the furthest from being prepared that a person can get. I have to sort out my student loans (well I have to apply before I can sort), figure out courses, tutions, housing and above all figure out how I will survive without my family and friends. Everyone says it'll be good for me, to be on my own and be in law school, but seriously now - those people aren't going anywhere! It's just nerves, I know. I'll be fine. Unless I venture into the wrong part of town.
I'm getting more strangers talking to me than usual. Very odd. I think I've got some 'friendly stranger' vibe going on. Though it does have benefits. The other day a guy yelled at someone in a car that tried to take my place at a gas station. The car tried to pull in right after the person in front pulled out from the pump, though I'd already been waiting (77.5 cents/litre!). I didn't know the stranger had gotten mad at the other car. Just saw the spot-stealer slowly back out the way he came in so I could pull in. Only when I got out did he say "I made him back out - he was stealing your spot!". I said my thanks, and though it could've ended there, he proceeded to talk about people getting crazy once gas prices dropped a few pennies. I mumbled a response and returned my attention to my gas, when he attempted to make another comment as he was passing by to pay for his gas. Luckily I pay at the pump so didn't have to follow him in and so got into my car quickly and sped off.
But for crying out loud I'm only now getting into Harry Potter (yes that's right), so from what angle would I seem like an adult to anyone?
But as much as I think it, I don't want anyone throwing it in my face that I don't know what I'm doing as another customer so subtly did this past weekend. That's when I get defensive (not to mention icy) and use my best grown-up attitude to tell them off in the most professional manner possible. Take that Mr. Mirza.
Yes, that's right - Harry Potter. Don't judge me, you'd like it to if you gave it a chance. I mean there's a reason people around the world of all ages go nuts over the books and movies. I started out by fluke. I was looking to download some audio books when I found the whole series so downloaded the first two. That's my new thing - downloading audio books for when I go to the gym, because though I also have my music, audio books are so much more interesting. And before you laugh at my selection, mind you, I also have "The life of Pi", Stephen Hawkings "Brief History of Time" and "The Art of War" alongside my Harry Potter collection. It never even occurred to me to get audio books. I'm always trying to squeeze in more books but never seem to have the time so this is a great alternative for me.
I've also gotten into collecting antique books (and by 'antiques' I don't mean the very first Harry Potter book). So far I've only gotten "War and Peace" (1st edition!) and "Crime and Punishment" (2nd edition...boo) but I'm off to a good start.
I've somewhat disappeared from the MSN scene. Why? I have no idea. I used to go on to do my chat thing pretty much all the time. But now a day I pop in sporadically, but then quickly sign out or go to "appear offline" mode. I think I'm in a hermit phase. I seem to hide out from a lot of people and have become very quiet. Though I just say I'm observing more. It's come to the point that my manager sat me down to talk to me to check if everything was ok because people have brought this to his attention.
6 months. What ever happened to having a full year before I had to leave for Michigan?! Now it's down to 6 months. And I am the furthest from being prepared that a person can get. I have to sort out my student loans (well I have to apply before I can sort), figure out courses, tutions, housing and above all figure out how I will survive without my family and friends. Everyone says it'll be good for me, to be on my own and be in law school, but seriously now - those people aren't going anywhere! It's just nerves, I know. I'll be fine. Unless I venture into the wrong part of town.
I'm getting more strangers talking to me than usual. Very odd. I think I've got some 'friendly stranger' vibe going on. Though it does have benefits. The other day a guy yelled at someone in a car that tried to take my place at a gas station. The car tried to pull in right after the person in front pulled out from the pump, though I'd already been waiting (77.5 cents/litre!). I didn't know the stranger had gotten mad at the other car. Just saw the spot-stealer slowly back out the way he came in so I could pull in. Only when I got out did he say "I made him back out - he was stealing your spot!". I said my thanks, and though it could've ended there, he proceeded to talk about people getting crazy once gas prices dropped a few pennies. I mumbled a response and returned my attention to my gas, when he attempted to make another comment as he was passing by to pay for his gas. Luckily I pay at the pump so didn't have to follow him in and so got into my car quickly and sped off.
Monday, February 06, 2006
Read this.
Yes, you read right.
The Vancouver Olympic Organizing Committee (sadly, such a thing really does exist) has a budget of a mere $620 MILLION dollars for the 2010 Winter Olympic games. And the tragedy is that their venue costs have risen to $580Million.
Though I admit that the Olympics have never held my interest for very long, I never realized how much time and money goes into this event. Despite the great history behind the Olympics, I have never understood the unnecessary commotion surrounding these games.
Because after all, they are just games. And for those of us living in the First World spending this many millions on a series of sports seems like a worthy investment. But for the hundreds of millions of people drowning in poverty, hunger and disease coming at them from all angles such an amount of money isn't even feasible in their minds.
How exactly do we rationalize the Olympics - a supposed union of the world and culture, when a majority of our world is so stricken by pain. How exactly would you explain to one of these people that rather than increasing aid to African and Asian countries to help children receive food, shelter and vaccinations (money which we were told we cannot spare) we will be spending the money on curling, the biathlon, and speed skating.
It doesn't seem right. For the love of all that's holy - they're just SPORTS. Meaningless when considered how much more important a human life is.
I realize how much more money goes into other useless events, including other North American sports and movies and all other media and entertainement. But the Olympics are a worldwide phenomenon in which we all compete for bits of shiny medals and a licence to gloat for 4 years, and countries go out of their way to have this opportunity. I can understand why - presitge, tourism money, increase to the economy, attention are all just a few of the things the Olympics land a country.
It's just that a number like $620 million staggers me. I can't understand how and why we do this every 4 years. Why each time the Olympics come around we seem to spend more money in bringing more focus to the event. Vancouver is buzzing with excitement, and their turn to host is still 4 years away.
I don't even want to imagine the sum of money we as a world could have given to those who need it had the Olympics not even exisited to this magnitude. The whole thought of this possibility haunts me. I mean curling isn't even a real sport! Come on!
I don't think it may be necessary to get rid of the games altogether (though I wouldn't care if we did). But to control the expenses and maybe even share some of the profits with other countries would truly make it a worldwide event.
It's just one more of things that causes me so much fury but there's nothing more I can do than to sit down at my computer, my eyes burning from the lack of sleep over the last 3 days, and type out my streaming thoughts in a blur of words (my way of saying that if some of my sentences don't make sense, blame it on the fact that my head is falling from the sleepiness).
Yes, you read right.
The Vancouver Olympic Organizing Committee (sadly, such a thing really does exist) has a budget of a mere $620 MILLION dollars for the 2010 Winter Olympic games. And the tragedy is that their venue costs have risen to $580Million.
Though I admit that the Olympics have never held my interest for very long, I never realized how much time and money goes into this event. Despite the great history behind the Olympics, I have never understood the unnecessary commotion surrounding these games.
Because after all, they are just games. And for those of us living in the First World spending this many millions on a series of sports seems like a worthy investment. But for the hundreds of millions of people drowning in poverty, hunger and disease coming at them from all angles such an amount of money isn't even feasible in their minds.
How exactly do we rationalize the Olympics - a supposed union of the world and culture, when a majority of our world is so stricken by pain. How exactly would you explain to one of these people that rather than increasing aid to African and Asian countries to help children receive food, shelter and vaccinations (money which we were told we cannot spare) we will be spending the money on curling, the biathlon, and speed skating.
It doesn't seem right. For the love of all that's holy - they're just SPORTS. Meaningless when considered how much more important a human life is.
I realize how much more money goes into other useless events, including other North American sports and movies and all other media and entertainement. But the Olympics are a worldwide phenomenon in which we all compete for bits of shiny medals and a licence to gloat for 4 years, and countries go out of their way to have this opportunity. I can understand why - presitge, tourism money, increase to the economy, attention are all just a few of the things the Olympics land a country.
It's just that a number like $620 million staggers me. I can't understand how and why we do this every 4 years. Why each time the Olympics come around we seem to spend more money in bringing more focus to the event. Vancouver is buzzing with excitement, and their turn to host is still 4 years away.
I don't even want to imagine the sum of money we as a world could have given to those who need it had the Olympics not even exisited to this magnitude. The whole thought of this possibility haunts me. I mean curling isn't even a real sport! Come on!
I don't think it may be necessary to get rid of the games altogether (though I wouldn't care if we did). But to control the expenses and maybe even share some of the profits with other countries would truly make it a worldwide event.
It's just one more of things that causes me so much fury but there's nothing more I can do than to sit down at my computer, my eyes burning from the lack of sleep over the last 3 days, and type out my streaming thoughts in a blur of words (my way of saying that if some of my sentences don't make sense, blame it on the fact that my head is falling from the sleepiness).
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