4.26.2005,17:44
the graduate
having written my final exam today, I'm now done my degree. I still technically need the rubber-stamp approval of the UBC senate, but that's sort of like the stamp from the governor-general, all formality.
 
posted by sasha
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4.23.2005,09:40
foreign policy overload, domestic politics, what a load
enough. I don't care how phase iv of the softwood lumber dispute differed from the phases that came before. I don't care whether signing the Treaty of Versaille or the 1923 Halibut treaty with the US was our first act an an "independent" country. I don't care if we're considered a middle power, primary power... hell, we could be a pterodactyl power for all I care. I'm really frustrated by the extent to which we debate the minutiae of everything to the extent that it acts as a very effective decoy from getting anything done.

Take Lloyd Axworthy. I understand perfectly well that he was a human being not a saint, and it's true, he wasn't even THAT revolutionary, except for one thing: he was a guy who actually insisted on GETTING SOMETHING DONE. Maybe caring about people's rights and security is something we've done in Canada for quite some time, but we've been pretty short in the whole doing something to improve the situation end of things. But when Axworthy stood up and actually spoke loudly enough to make people listen and ACT ON IT, he gets accused of pulpit diplomacy. Yes, it's true, his policy didn't harp on the fact that in order to really put our money where our mouths are, well, we'd actually need some money to start with. No, instead, in an era of budget slashing HE KEPT TRYING TO DO THINGS ANYWAYS! That's right, the guy actually dared to try to make do with the resources at hand, and so he gets accused of pinchpenny diplomacy. These critics make me want to vomit. So what if someone's not perfect, why don't you shut up and try to DO something instead???

It's like the story about Canadian lobsters, how you don't have to bother putting those elastic bands around their claws to keep them from climbing out of the tank, because if any one Canadian lobster gets close enough to the top, all the others will drag him back down.

And just in case anyone's sitting around desperately waiting for my commentary on this whole debacle that is Gomery and our federal government, this is for you. Do I want an election now? Hell no. Get back to work you lazy parliamentarians, and spend your time debating something with slightly broader applications than your own worthiness. Do I want an election 30 day after the Gomery bru-ha-ha ends? Still hell no. Why? Because I'd have to choose between a giant douche and a turd sandwich (see Southpark) and I think this country deserves better than either. I actually believe Canada is a pretty special place with a pretty important role to play in the world, but our low national self-esteem levels sure do show up in our choice of the assholes we let shove their hands inside our nation and start yanking it around.

More local politics? But no one has even made it this far down the page... Fine, there is one more election looming I suppose. The problem here is that Gordon Campbell is literally the devil (no, he really is evil, we can e-mail debate this if you like, but I'm right) but I don't think this province is going to muster up even two brain cells to rub together and think about this election critically. So, sucking at the teat of Izzy Asper, I believe this province will re-elect GCam. Why? I don't know, maybe they actually like street people more than I thought and want to try to double their population in under four years again. The NDP seem to think this too, as evidenced by their own choice of leader. So I've given up. All I really care about is the electoral reform referendum. If you want reasons to support it, let me know. It is something this province and even this country need BADLY. Maybe I'll get around to doing a post on electoral reform soon. But my problem is thus: the candidate in my riding from my chosen party does not support electoral reform, which, as I've said, is all I really care about in this election, so I don't know if I can bring myself to vote for him.
 
posted by sasha
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4.21.2005,11:07
in sleep
I didn't set an alarm for this morning, which is always a bit dangerous, but I figured I deserved the sleep. Only I didn't expect it to go until 11. Today is pretentious semi-academic event day: a snooty "student leadership recognition reception" at the Sage Bistro, replete with senoir faculty, deans, and even the piper herself, and following that, the Poli Sci student association executive is having our collective grad photo taken.

At least Mom loaned me the perfect pair of shoes for all of this yesterday. When in doubt, footware. I almost can't belive how frequently footware passes between some of the women in my family... Katia, are you coming over to try on sandals soon?
 
posted by sasha
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4.20.2005,08:49
cells in the unwieldy, tragic brain of the machine of the city
Today is Irish lit exam day, where I try and pretend that ODing on angst can represent vertical character growth instead of warping the way I prehend until I want to beat everyone with a big snake. Oh dear, I don't think that was funny at all. I'll have to remember I'm not clever today. Desperately earnest is what my poor Irish lit prof likes best anyways. He's so one of those guys who married someone just a bit too good for him in his early twenties, and as she gradually found herself wanting to stab him in her sleep, she decided to leave him, and now she spends his life alone, nursing his wounds, and reflecting on a love that was just too good for this world. See, it makes you more insightful than anyone else, and thus you'll have a god-given right to condescend to undergrads until you die.

After my exam, tea with Mom and Chen and a walk on the beach, because today is beautiful (far too beautiful to really take any exam that seriously).
 
posted by sasha
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4.18.2005,17:39
one fine day
today sure is beautiful, spring in full kick. I spent the day on Bowen yesterday with a bunch of people from my aboriginal politics class, and it was so relaxing. Good food, good company, nice walk around a lake. Even getting out of town for a day is such a nice break. Now, however, it's back to reality and getting ready for finals. I'm just about to finally crack the books for my final on Wednesday, but it's only my Irish lit, so I'm not too worried. As long as I remember to create sufficient opportunities to use my prof's two favourite words -- memesis and prehension -- often enough I'll be fine.

Not bad, by the way, on the lyric game front folks, but your inability to identify a couple of gimmes (c'mon people, Zeppelin??) was a bit disapointing. Aside from that major hint, I'm going to leave the rest unanswered in hopes that somewhere out there someone still recognizes the Housemartins when they hear them...
 
posted by sasha
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4.15.2005,10:13
Lyric Game
Good idea Keri and Keith, this is clearly more fun than school work. Stolen directly from Keith, here's how the game works: if you can name the artist/song, post a reply with that artist and song; I'll cross it out and put your name (and link to blog if you have one) next to it. I'll start off easy. Where applicable, give-away names have been removed, and lyricless song have been avioded for obvious reasons. I've also avioded the improbably obscure, so google 'em and you suck.

1. I only watched her walk, but she saw it/I only heard her talk, but she saw it/I only touched her lips but she saw it/I only kissed her lips, but she saw it - Franz Ferdinand, Tell Her Tonight - Katrina

2. played guitar, jammin' good with Weird and Gilly,/The spiders from Mars, he played it left hand/But made it too far/Became the special man - David Bowie, Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars - Sho

3. Don’t turn your back on me baby/Don’t turn your back on me baby/Yes don’t turn your back on me baby/Stop messing ’round with your tricks - Santana, Black Magic Woman - Milan

4. Hello, hello. my name's terry and I’m a law abider/There’s nothing I like more than getting fired up on beer/And when the weekend's here I too exercise my right to get paralytic and fight - The Streets, The Irony of it All - Katrina

5. She had a broken bottle in the other hand/And she took them by surprise/When she took them by the throat/And said my friend you’re not allowed to vote - The Housemartins, The People Who Grinned Themselves to Death - Sho

6. Yeah, you got satin shoes/Yeah, you got plastic boots/Y'all got cocaine eyes - The Rolling Stones, Can't You Hear Me Knocking - Milan

7. Wealthy vampires with the cold hands of executioners execute executive decisions determined to destroy what one million women, children, and men

8. In a house by the tracks/I want, I want you back/In a dress that's faded black/I want you back, I want you back - Hawksley Workman, Striptease - Katrina

9. Hey Lady--you got the love I need/Maybe, more than enough./Oh Darling Darling Darling, walk a while with me - Led Zeppelin, Over the Hills and Far Away - Anonymous and Katrina

10. So, so you think you can tell Heaven from Hell,/blue skies from pain. - Pink Floyd, Wish You Were Here - Agent Jackson

11. Oh, come back, proud Canadians/To before you had TV,/No hockey night in Canada, There was no CBC - The Arrogant Worms, The War of 1812 - Milan

12. Oh, we shared some ideas/All obsessed with fame/Says we're all the same

13. (From the chorus this time, because it's old Cancon) - In secret we carry/A vision of grace thru' a prism of light/On the wings of a dance/we're moving thru' the moonlight/I heard you calling - The Parachute Club, At the Feet of the Moon - Sho

14. I was alone, I took a ride,/I didn't know what I would find there/Another road where maybe I could see another kind of mind there - The Beatles, Got to Get You into My Life - Katrina

15. watch the band through a bunch of dancers quickly, follow the unknown with something more familiar

16. Little by little the night turns around/Counting the leaves that tremble at dawn/Lotus's lean on each other in yearning - Pink Floyd, Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun - Milan

17. And when she passes, I smile - but she doesn't see - Astrud Gilberto, The Girl from Ipanema - Katrina

18. Too low to find my way/Too high to wonder why/I've touched this place before/Somewhere in another time/Now I can hear the sun/The clouds drifting through the blinds/A half a million thoughts/Are flowing through my mind - Theivery Corporation, Lebanese Blonde - Katrina

19. Andalusia with fields full of grain/I have to see you again and again - The Doors, Spanish Caravan - Milan

20. Mr. Nothing's got a lot/He's got a lot to say/He's good at being what he's not/Gives nothing away - Nikka Costa, Push and Pull - Anonymous
 
posted by sasha
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4.14.2005,09:14
Agiairini Beach, a much nicer place to go than Arts Advising to haggle over French credits

 
posted by sasha
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4.12.2005,17:56
progress?
1,124 words done my last paper, and it only has to be 2500-3000 words, although I pretty much always hit the high end, and this looks like it will be no exception. But at least I am done my methodology section, and boy-o is being dry as hell and describing research methods fun. Hmmm, does it worry you when I say things like that? It's sort of like suicide notes for social scientists.

I'm also working on coordinating a social event for my First Nations poli sci class. Our prof is having us all over to his place on Bowen Island (memories of Windsor House!)for a BBQ. In case you've ever wondered how complicated it could be to arrange to get 20 or 30 some odd people from various points around Vancouver onto one little and pseudo-inaccessible island at once, the answer is VERY. I have to go now, i have 3,000 e-mails to answer.
 
posted by sasha
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4.11.2005,11:19
Dr. Human Being
so after spending more than 26 hours in two days reading through thousands of pages of BC parliament debates, I found out that my professor is such a decent human being that he actually doesn't care in the slightest if I get my paper in on time. Instead of having to bust my ass and get it in for this afternoon, I'm going to be able to take my time, do a meticulous job, and hand it in towards the end of the week. Apartment cleaning, here I come. Oh yeah, and paper writing too, I suppose.
 
posted by sasha
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4.10.2005,10:13
Plant and friends
 
posted by sasha
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,10:09
not Geoff Plant
 
posted by sasha
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,09:55
parliamentary debates are dull
except for that one bit where that one guy accused Geoff Plant of having the manners of a ferret, that was actually pretty funny. But otherwise, thousands of pages and countless hours of dull politicking. Plant, for the record, is not nearly as cute as a ferret, but he is nonetheless a complete wiener.
 
posted by sasha
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4.08.2005,17:18
non-momentous momentous moments
Well, this sunny day in Arpil marks my last day of classes for my degree, so as of the hour I spent receiving my last lecture on Canadian foreign policy, which mercifully ended at 1:50 today, I am done my term, and thus degree. If only.

See, this is a non-momentous moment because the fact of the matter remians that I am blogging to put off starting on a paper I have due Monday (the last paper of my degree, might I add) which will require me to spend my entire weekend sifting through the past eight years of BC parliamentary debates. To further reduce any levels of momentousness which might otherwise be associated with this moment, I still have two final exams as well, which won't roll around until the 20th and 26th of this month. And just in case you still think you see a twinkle of the momentous left lying around here anywhere, may I remind you that my summer courses, needed not for my degree but rather for my entrance into the Secondary Education program next year, will begin on May 9th, a full 18 days before my actual graduation on the 27th. See? No moment.

That said, it is really nice to know I'm finally moving on and won't be getting lectured, at least for awhile. I'm always happy when classes are over, and I got my procession number for my graduation today. We all know how bureaucracy works, right? When they make you a number, that's when it's for real.

Off to work, since Ole Holsti's "Content Analysis for the Social Sciences and Humanities" (1969) doesn't seem to want to read itself (but then again, if that were me, I wouldn't want to read myself either).
 
posted by sasha
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4.04.2005,09:38
word ration
my paper is currently 4,136 words, and still going. it has to be finished within the next few hours so I can hand it in. It's a damned good thing there's no word-rationing going on, or there's no way I would've wasted several thousand on comparing the landmine campaign to the prosects of a campaign to restrict flows of small arms and light weapons. On the up side, I've read so much about arms trading now that I could probably get my hands on an M16 fater than you can say "Schwarzenegger." Yes, that was the up side, depressing, I know.
 
posted by sasha
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4.01.2005,08:54
Best Little Hostel in Greece -- Where I stayed in Paros, the town with the pretty waterfront.
 
posted by sasha
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,08:38
girl, 22, continues to complain about school work
I suppose it is possible for me to post without opening picassa, picking out a picture, and slapping on a caption, though a good picutre is, as they say, worth... yada yada yada. But that picture I posted yesterday is really where I'd like to be. It's of my favorite town I visited in Greece, and if anyone has any great ideas on how I could slip in a grad trip for even a week or so, I'd love to hear 'em (you know, if you can make that really awsome kind of paper airplane that flies like *forever* or whatever...).

Going to class this morning, then more paper writing. I'm even going to have to skip the PSSA (that's poli sci student assoc, which I've had the misfortune of trying to help run for the last year)Daily Show Beer Garden, which means not only incurring the wrath of my peers, but missing a rare opportunity to spend hours relaxing doing something I enjoy. But if I went, there'd be no way I'd still be able to squeeze in seeing my uncle and his family this weekend (they've just magically arrived in town with no notice in what is, for me, the worst possible week) and that would mean incurring the wrath of my family for all eternity, far worse than the wrath of my peers.

Primarily all this means is all work and no play, which makes sasha a very dull girl, so if you plan to see me when I finally finish these papers, you'd better be bringing the polish.
 
posted by sasha
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