She blew my nose and then she blew my mind

D-day: Monday April 2nd, 9:30 am.

Now I'll never see heaven or home

It's 12:31 am and I just can't sleep. So here's a ton of useless information that no one will want to read:

Name: Mike
Brothers: 0
Sisters: 1
Eye color: Brown or hazel I suppose
Shoe size: 9
Height: 5'11"
What are you wearing right now?: track pants and a t-shirt
Where do you live? Winnipeg
Best place to go for a date: Beats me.
Favorites....
Number: 1 - it's the loneliest number
Boys Name: Don't have one
Girls Name: Any name I give here could be misinterpreted.
Drink: coffee, Diet Coke/Pepsi, and I'd never say no to a good stout or Brown ale
Month: May
Breakfast: coffee... sometimes food
Have You Ever...
Smoked: yes
Bungee jumped: so
Made yourself throw-up: Probably to fake sick. Nothing says "stay home" like barf
Gone skinny dipping: Yes
Loved someone so much it made you cry: All the time
Broken a bone: Maybe my pinky. I'm not sure
Played Truth or Dare: Yes, it was stupid.
Been in a police car: Should I have been?
Been on a plane: Yes
Came close to dying: Possibly
Been in a sauna: Yes
Been in a hot tub: Yes
Swam in the ocean: Yes, it was cold.
Fallen asleep in school: No. I'm afraid to sleep in public
Broken someone's heart: Stranger things have happened
Cried when someone died: Yep.
Cried in school: Maybe when I was really young.
Fell off your chair: Not lately.
Sat by the phone all night waiting for someone to call: Nope
Saved a IM conversation: No
Saved e-mails: Yes. I save a lot of emails. Why not?
Made out with just a friend: MMmm, yes.
Been cheated on: I think so.
What's your room like: Bedroom? Well it has a bed and videotapes.
What is beside you: A chair.
What is the last thing you ate: Gunn's Bagel
What kind of shampoo do you use: The kind in the shower.
Do You...
Believe in love at first sight: Oh, hell no.
Like picnics: they're all right.
Like school: Most of the time
Questions:
Who was the last person you called: My mom... she wasn't home.
Who was the last person you emailed: The Grad studies lady
Who was the last person you danced with: Rachel
Who makes you smile most: Lots of people make me smile.
Who...
Did you last yell at: I dunno.
Did you last go to a fair with: No one. I've never been to a fair.
Did you last sing a song with: Like as a duet? Dougie and I at a coffeehouse at WLU
Do you like filling these out?: Far too much.
Do you wear contact lenses or glasses: No
Do you like yourself: I have my moments.
Do you get along with your family: I suppose.
Final Questions:
What are you listening to right now: Tom Waits's Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers and Bastards disc 1; I also have the opera Siegfried on the go.
What did you do yesterday? Taught a class at 4... but no one had read the book
Where do you want to get married: If I have to get married again, Vegas
Good driver: Sure, why not?
Good singer: I don't know.
Diamond or pearl: I couldn't care less
Are you the oldest?: The oldest what?
Indoor or outdoor: indoor
Today did you...
Talk to someone you liked: Yes.
Buy something: Not a thing
Get sick: No
Sing: No
Talk to an ex: No
Miss someone: Yes
Last person who....
Was in your bed?: Me
Saw you cry: I'm crying now
You went to the movies with: Rachel
You went to the mall with: I have no idea.
Have you...
Been to California: No
Been to Mexico: No
Beeen to Africa: No
Random.....
Do you have a crush on someone: Probably
What books are you reading now: Name of the Rose, Possession, Dance to the music of Time
What's under your bed: Monsters
Favourite movie to watch: Casablanca
Piercing/Tattoos: 0/0
What are you most scared of right now: Cheryl
Do you have a job?: I have many.
Have you ever liked someone you didn't have a chance with?: Of course.
Has someone liked you, but didn't have a chance? if they did I didn't know about it
Have you ever played strip poker: Maybe
Random (or not so random)
Your Favorite Food: Spaghetti
Have you ever cried for no reason?: No
Are you too shy to ask someone out?: Yes
Popcorn?: Sure, thanks.
Favourite Flower?: Plastic
Have you ever fired a gun?: Yes
Do you like to travel by plane as opposed to car?: Depends on the distance.
How many pillows do you sleep with?: at least 2

I've fallen from grace for Lucinda

I'm going away this weekend. Actually, I leave tonight - right after class - so it's really more than a weekend. I need the break. I've brought my readers' reports with me so that I can process what my examiners will likely ask me in the oral defense.

Stayed late in Otterburne last night to catch the Providence full-length production, The Miracle Worker. Must say, I was quite impressed. And it was nice to have company on the long, dark drive home. Stupid night-time.

P.S. Tom Waits' Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers and Bastards is a phenomenal, epic work.

Now it's a peaceful oasis

Not much time to post, but I thought I'd let you all know that I've finally heard back from Grad Studies. My dissertation has been accepted to procede to the oral defense. The date is still being worked out, but it will be soon (everything needs to be in by April 4). While there may still be revisions required, it's almost over!

In the cold, cold night

Today has the potential to be an absolutely crap day.

I realize that most of my days have that potential, but there are a couple of factors that could increase the crap-odds. First of all, it's bloody cold outside. After some moderate, even enjoyably warm days, Winter-peg has entered what I can only assume is a new Ice Age. All the snow that had melted on the weekend has re-frozen and it's a virtual skating rink out there today. I fully expected to see a Zamboni on the road as I made my way to work.

Went to see Music and Lyrics yesterday. We had free passes and it was the only thing we could agree on. About the best thing I can say about it is, if you grew up in the 80s, the film gets 80s music videos spot on. The films opens with such a music video and it's brillant: white jeans, bad hair and inexplicitly bizarra dance moves. Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore have reasonably good chemistry and are both fine in their respective roles, but the plot is largely paint-by-numbers.

But if you fall you fall alone

It was 2:20 in the morning. I was lying in bed looking at my clock, knowing that I had to get up in a few short hours...

I was total and complete toast today. Seriously. I have no idea if anything I said in class any made sense. I kept talking and talking. I'm pretty sure what I said was all in English, but I might have slipped into utter gibberish at times, who knows?

At the break a student came to talk to me and I just couldn't function at all. I was distracted by my notes, the computer, an odd stain on the desk. I kept trying to end the conversation, but couldn't. When she finally left, I went to the faculty lounge and sat in a big comfy chair.

I met a girl down at the disco

Went to show last night. We almost never go to shows anymore, especially on a week night. Oh, the tolls of age. But this was a special occasion: our friend's band, The Marquis, was playing. They're really really good, sort of country-folk-rock (think Neil Young, Blue Rodeo). They play a combination of originals and covers - their banjo-infused version of The Black Eye Peas' "My Humps" must be heard to be believed.

Okay, question time for everyone (that includes lurkers!!!)

You've just found a magic mirror that knows all and will answer one question with complete honesty.

What do you ask it?

Found poem... on my door

Mike,
You smell,
I can smell
you from
here. Hee hee.
Well, I came
by to see you
and you
weren't here.
Boooo! Have
a nice day
anyway.
Roz

Now I'm not dumb, but I can't understand...

I stood next to the WORST transvestite EVER on the bus this afternoon. Now, if you're a dude and you want to dress up in women's clothing, by all means be my guest. But this guy wasn't even trying. His cheap wig was all crooked; one of his clip-on earrings was clipped really high on his lobe, the other almost off his lobe; and his lipstick looked like it had been applied by a drunken baboon. Show a little pride in your work, Ma'm.

I can't get used to this lifestyle

I wish, wish, wish that I had something interesting to write today. The truth is it was a painfully dull weekend. The only real highlight was making my friend Roz say bad words while we were playing Connect 4. That was pretty awesome.

Other than that, it was just a couple of DVDs (Flowers of St Francis and some episodes of "Freaks and Geeks"), some reading (finished the hilarious Ascent of Rum Doodle) and not much else. Now that I'm finished Rum Doodle, I'm going to start on A Question of Upbringing, the first novel in Anthony Powell's 12 novel cycle, Dance to the Music of Life. I read the first few pages this afternoon and it seems like it'll be an interesting read. It begins with the narrator reflecting on the past and memory, much like Marcel Proust begins Memories of Things Past. Powell was considered the greatest writer by several writers I think are pretty great (Evelyn Waugh for example).

EDIT:
I can't tell if my throbbing headache is from too much caffeine or not enough. Whatever the cause of this head splitting pain, the effect has been detrimental to my work this afternoon. All I want to do is shut off the florescent lights and place my head on my desk, like I was a child in school again. Regardless of this discomfort, the day's almost over. I suppose I can last a few minutes more.

Look at the stars, see how they shine for you

Blah, I went into Booth today. Originally, I had two meetings scheduled for today, but both were cancelled late last night. Unfortunately, when I left here yesterday, I didn't bring everything home with me (marking, a novel, some other stuff) so I kind of had to come in anyway.
I know I shouldn't have - should have stayed home, cleaned the house and watched the DVD of silent Lon Chaney movies I just rented - but in I came.

And since I've been here, I've had no less than 4 people say, "What are you doing here?" Clearly that's a sign I should have stayed home.

EDIT*
On the plus side, the cafeteria had poutine for lunch. That made it all worthwhile, folks. Mmmm, gravy and cheese.

Friday Ipod Random Ten
1) King of Pain: The Police
2) At Seventeen: Janis Ian - personally, I learned these truths at 12
3) Tango Til They're Sore: Tom Waits
4) Teardrop: Massive Attack
5) Place to Be: Nick Drake
6) It'll All Work Out: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers Better off with him than here with me
7) Smells Like Teen Spirit: Nirvana
8) Waterloo Sunset: The Kinks
9)Don't You Forget about Me: Simple Minds
10)Baba O'Reilly: The Who It's only a teenaged wasteland