The white stuff is really coming down now. By the time it's done this afternoon, they are estimating between 10-15 inches of snow. It will definitely make for a fun walk home from school later. Good exercise for the heart, I suppose, assuming I don't drop dead from the hike first.
I have a midterm this afternoon (UOttawa has only closed for snow once in 28 years, so I won't hold my breath). It's International Human Rights. Interesting subject area, but I harbour major resistance to it. The pragmatist in me keeps wondering, and arguing, that it's all meaningless. Countries can sign on the UN Declaration of Human Rights and other conventions, but save for tiny inconsequential states, no consequence can ever fall on major countries if they violate any such conventions. There is really no enforcement. So what's the point? Anyway, I am interested to see how the test will transpire. There's so much stuff covered, and I'm not sure I remember that much of it....
For my demography course I have to do a research assignment on a territory of my choice. I decided to do Hong Kong, since I already did a paper on it last term regarding the protests. It's actually been quite enlightening. It's due April 1. Just finished a first draft of it the other day. Not sure how it will go. The requirement says 7-10 pages, excluding references and tables. Well, I am at 24, all inclusive. There must be 15 pages of text in it. I don't know how one can do a remotely satisfactory demographic study of a place with only 7-10 pages of text. Everyday I come up with more shit to throw in there. It's been a very educational experience, and I think I have learned a lot more about the demographic realities of Hong Kong, and how that ties in with social realities, etc. But it's been a bit of work. Must have spent three whole days on it.
Since I have another year before I am done with this degree, I have constantly thought about what to do next, as you know. I have now narrowed it down to two options. First, to pursue that Master's in Education as I mentioned before. Second, to do another undergrad degree, this time in social sciences. If I do that, it will be a minor in sociology, with a second minor in history, and a third minor in law. Sounds ambitious? A minor is 10 courses here. But by the time I am done with my current degree I will likely have completed maybe 6 in sociology and 6 in history, so I just need to do four more of each. Or something like that. And the minor in law would allow me to dabble in it without actually going to law school (the courses are actual law school classes, so it can be fun). Any thoughts?
I feel like I haven't studied enough for today's midterm. Trouble is I am so resisting the material that I can't seem to absorb the stuff. Maybe I will head to the gym earlier, and do some last minute refreshing before the midterm (it doesn't help that there's another class before the actual midterm).
Have a large striploin waiting for me in the fridge for after. Hope I will still have appetite for it then :)
Thursday 27 February 2020
Saturday 22 February 2020
Glad it's done
Today was LSAT day. Kind of silly for me to write the test, since it's rather unlikely that I would spend 20K a year on law school tuition for a hobby. Anyway, it was an interesting experience. Don't know how I did, but probably not that great. It's hard to do a test for several hours without a constant cup of coffee by my side. Oh well.
I was surprised that there were so few people writing the test. I counted only seven of us. When I first got to the test centre, I was shocked to see a huge crowd of people waiting. It turned out that there was a different test being done today (in a different room) at the same centre. When they called the LSAT people in, only seven were there. It's all electronic now. We were given tablets, so if I had only prepped using pencil and paper exercises, I'd be lost. Thankfully I read the instructions ahead of time, and at least did some practice on a computer.
Interesting that a lot of folks don't read the instructions before hand. Some brought water bottles in that were prohibited, so they had to leave them outside. Some signed their forms before the test, and so had to sign them again. Thankfully, because there were so few of us, it didn't take long to sort things out.
The scores won't come out for another month or so. In the meantime we're supposed to set up to do the writing portion (unmarked) using a computer. The requirements are insanely cumbersome, which makes me wonder why they don't just have us write the fucker at the test. Chances are I won't bother with that, since I am not applying to any schools. As long as I can find out how I did on the standardized part, and hopefully I accomplish my goals (i.e. to beat my son's score), I'm happy never to see LSAT again.
Wish me luck!
*************************************
So ends the LSAT chapter, I hope. Now I have to focus on regular school stuff. Like the midterm coming up this week, and the bunch of papers and projects that are coming up shortly after. Back to work, then!
I was surprised that there were so few people writing the test. I counted only seven of us. When I first got to the test centre, I was shocked to see a huge crowd of people waiting. It turned out that there was a different test being done today (in a different room) at the same centre. When they called the LSAT people in, only seven were there. It's all electronic now. We were given tablets, so if I had only prepped using pencil and paper exercises, I'd be lost. Thankfully I read the instructions ahead of time, and at least did some practice on a computer.
Interesting that a lot of folks don't read the instructions before hand. Some brought water bottles in that were prohibited, so they had to leave them outside. Some signed their forms before the test, and so had to sign them again. Thankfully, because there were so few of us, it didn't take long to sort things out.
The scores won't come out for another month or so. In the meantime we're supposed to set up to do the writing portion (unmarked) using a computer. The requirements are insanely cumbersome, which makes me wonder why they don't just have us write the fucker at the test. Chances are I won't bother with that, since I am not applying to any schools. As long as I can find out how I did on the standardized part, and hopefully I accomplish my goals (i.e. to beat my son's score), I'm happy never to see LSAT again.
Wish me luck!
*************************************
So ends the LSAT chapter, I hope. Now I have to focus on regular school stuff. Like the midterm coming up this week, and the bunch of papers and projects that are coming up shortly after. Back to work, then!
Saturday 15 February 2020
Hello Again
The other day as I was getting into the classroom, and girl followed me in, apparently wanting to speak with me. Turned out she thought I was the prof, and she wanted to ask if she could make an announcement to the class.
I guess the age shows, eh?
Damn it, I am just a fellow student!
*********************************************
This coronavirus thing is really serious business. How can you not feel bad for those who are caught in the middle, like the millions in those quarantined cities, or the thousands trapped on cruise ships? I am no medical scientist, but certainly there are parallels easily discerned between this and SARS.
Fifteen years ago some colleagues and I published two articles on SARS and how it was poorly managed. Ironically, one of them was titled "It Will Happen Again..." I wish we had been wrong. We articulated all the errors that were made in managing the crisis, and concluded that the same shit would hit the fan again because totalitarian governments never learn.
Guess what? I am actually very sad to say we were right.
***********************************************
This is reading week. The week after I have another midterm, and after that, a book review and another midterm. And after that, three term papers and a research project. Following that, final exams on the way. This has been one hell of a semester.
*********************************************
It's been bloody cold in Ottawa the last little while. Most nights it's been -25 not including the windchill. A couple of days ago, we had a windchill of -35. I tell you, that's when you realize nothing short of Canada Goose (and similar brands) is warm enough. Amazingly, life goes on, and some even bicycle to work and school. Let me tell ya, Ottawa folks are a very hardy type.
******************************************
Some of you may know about the debacle surrounding the oil pipelines in Canada. Anyway, some of these pipelines run on indigenous grounds. Here's the problem. Not that all the indigenous people are against it. Indeed, a lot of the tribes actually want the pipeline, because it means jobs etc. But there are also those who don't want it. So lately those who are against the pipelines have received sympathy action from other tribes in non-pipeline locations. For example, some are blocking train traffic in Ontario, bringing the rail system to a standstill.
What is the government to do? Ignorant people would jump on the indigenous bandwagon and decry colonialism etc. They ignore those indigenous groups who welcome the pipeline. Others want to send in the army and just clear away the protestors. They ignore those who have legitimate concerns. Continuing the standoff is not a solution either, because it has a major impact on the economy.
There are no simple solutions. Why does anyone want to be a political leader is beyond me. Well, some want personal glory and the trappings of position. But if one genuinely cares about the society, being a political leader is a sure-fire way to result in spontaneous combustion.
I say just nuke the world and start afresh.
I guess the age shows, eh?
Damn it, I am just a fellow student!
*********************************************
This coronavirus thing is really serious business. How can you not feel bad for those who are caught in the middle, like the millions in those quarantined cities, or the thousands trapped on cruise ships? I am no medical scientist, but certainly there are parallels easily discerned between this and SARS.
Fifteen years ago some colleagues and I published two articles on SARS and how it was poorly managed. Ironically, one of them was titled "It Will Happen Again..." I wish we had been wrong. We articulated all the errors that were made in managing the crisis, and concluded that the same shit would hit the fan again because totalitarian governments never learn.
Guess what? I am actually very sad to say we were right.
***********************************************
This is reading week. The week after I have another midterm, and after that, a book review and another midterm. And after that, three term papers and a research project. Following that, final exams on the way. This has been one hell of a semester.
*********************************************
It's been bloody cold in Ottawa the last little while. Most nights it's been -25 not including the windchill. A couple of days ago, we had a windchill of -35. I tell you, that's when you realize nothing short of Canada Goose (and similar brands) is warm enough. Amazingly, life goes on, and some even bicycle to work and school. Let me tell ya, Ottawa folks are a very hardy type.
******************************************
Some of you may know about the debacle surrounding the oil pipelines in Canada. Anyway, some of these pipelines run on indigenous grounds. Here's the problem. Not that all the indigenous people are against it. Indeed, a lot of the tribes actually want the pipeline, because it means jobs etc. But there are also those who don't want it. So lately those who are against the pipelines have received sympathy action from other tribes in non-pipeline locations. For example, some are blocking train traffic in Ontario, bringing the rail system to a standstill.
What is the government to do? Ignorant people would jump on the indigenous bandwagon and decry colonialism etc. They ignore those indigenous groups who welcome the pipeline. Others want to send in the army and just clear away the protestors. They ignore those who have legitimate concerns. Continuing the standoff is not a solution either, because it has a major impact on the economy.
There are no simple solutions. Why does anyone want to be a political leader is beyond me. Well, some want personal glory and the trappings of position. But if one genuinely cares about the society, being a political leader is a sure-fire way to result in spontaneous combustion.
I say just nuke the world and start afresh.
Tuesday 4 February 2020
In defence of Boomers: A need to debunk bullshit
There's been a lot of blame laid on baby boomers, about how they damaged the environment, how they screwed up the world, how they are a burden on society, and so on.
As a bona fide baby boomer, I feel I need to stand up for "my side" and debunk some of this bullshit.
First, a baby boomer is not just someone older than the millennials. The term refers to a specific generation of folks born between 1946 and 1964. So, for most of the millennials today, the term baby boomer refers not to their parents, but most likely their grandparents. Just to ensure we're talking about the same thing. I mean, recently, a friend's kid said to his mom, "OK, Boomer." Fuck. The mother was all of 40. Like fucking hell is she a boomer. If people don't know what they're saying, they should shut the fuck up. That's what I said to the kid.
I was never invited back.
Anyway, back to the story at hand.
We killed the environment. OK, like how? By being alive? Let's look at the facts. In college, I had two pairs of jeans for the entire four years. One coat. Maybe four or five t-shirts. One sweat shirt. Two pairs of shoes. OK, you get the picture. I had those garments for fucking YEARS! No fast fashion for me or any of my friends. We bought some item of clothing, and wore it for years. And they lasted. No landfill until the damn thing disintegrates. Let me be clear, I still have a t-shirt from college which I still wear. And college was 45 years ago.
Groceries? Man, who had money to buy all kinds of prepackaged shit? And back then, we didn't even have plastic grocery bags. Not in Canada anyway, not till the 80s. We had paper shopping bags. Try carrying that around in the winter.
Nor did we have a new iphone every year. In fact we had no cell phones. And none of us had bluetooth headphones, which invariably are packaged to death.
Starbucks did not exist then. So we didn't go around carrying cups of Starbucks that all end up in landfill and shit either. Just an example. In four years of college, I WALKED to school and back every fucking day. Except for the time when I sprained my ankle. Take that, kids.
Who contributes more to landfill? Me and my limited wardrobe and limited packing, or the younger folks who buy a hell lot more crap and more packaged crap? No seriously. So don't fucking blame us boomer for everything. We were merely living. And doing the same damage to the environment as kids are today. We had no fucking clamshell packages. We had no rubber yoga mats. We had so little STUFF that when we moved, we moved with two suitcases and a couple of boxes. Have you seen kids moving into their dorms today? Or how they just throw everything away when they move out? Don't fucking throw rocks when you yourself live in a glasshouse.
Wow, that feels so much better.
And, what else. Right, boomers are a burden? OK, how? I paid more taxes than most of the millenails have ever made in income. What did I ever do to burden them? And when I collect Canada Pension or Social Security, it's fucking money I PUT IN! Shit, I owe you fuck all! Get that? FUCK ALL. And you ain't never even been part of the SANDWICH generation. Shut the fuck up.
I worked 40 hours a week while doing an MBA full time. I didn't cry foul because I was poor. I just worked. And worked.
Boomers screwing up the world? If not for us hippies protesting this and that, how far do you think social justice would have gone? Young people think they are so cool because they are pissed about things. Well, tell that to the kids of my generation who got shot and killed at Kent State protesting the Vietnam War. Tell that to those who were freedom riders who risked their lives busing to the deep south to protest race inequality. Again, STFU.
The thing is, I don't think any millenials actually read my blog. So I am just pissing in the rain. But if you feel the way I do, forward this to some fucking millenials. Tell them Chunski says to fuck off and die. And don't be a burden to my generation.
Over and out.
As a bona fide baby boomer, I feel I need to stand up for "my side" and debunk some of this bullshit.
First, a baby boomer is not just someone older than the millennials. The term refers to a specific generation of folks born between 1946 and 1964. So, for most of the millennials today, the term baby boomer refers not to their parents, but most likely their grandparents. Just to ensure we're talking about the same thing. I mean, recently, a friend's kid said to his mom, "OK, Boomer." Fuck. The mother was all of 40. Like fucking hell is she a boomer. If people don't know what they're saying, they should shut the fuck up. That's what I said to the kid.
I was never invited back.
Anyway, back to the story at hand.
We killed the environment. OK, like how? By being alive? Let's look at the facts. In college, I had two pairs of jeans for the entire four years. One coat. Maybe four or five t-shirts. One sweat shirt. Two pairs of shoes. OK, you get the picture. I had those garments for fucking YEARS! No fast fashion for me or any of my friends. We bought some item of clothing, and wore it for years. And they lasted. No landfill until the damn thing disintegrates. Let me be clear, I still have a t-shirt from college which I still wear. And college was 45 years ago.
Groceries? Man, who had money to buy all kinds of prepackaged shit? And back then, we didn't even have plastic grocery bags. Not in Canada anyway, not till the 80s. We had paper shopping bags. Try carrying that around in the winter.
Nor did we have a new iphone every year. In fact we had no cell phones. And none of us had bluetooth headphones, which invariably are packaged to death.
Starbucks did not exist then. So we didn't go around carrying cups of Starbucks that all end up in landfill and shit either. Just an example. In four years of college, I WALKED to school and back every fucking day. Except for the time when I sprained my ankle. Take that, kids.
Who contributes more to landfill? Me and my limited wardrobe and limited packing, or the younger folks who buy a hell lot more crap and more packaged crap? No seriously. So don't fucking blame us boomer for everything. We were merely living. And doing the same damage to the environment as kids are today. We had no fucking clamshell packages. We had no rubber yoga mats. We had so little STUFF that when we moved, we moved with two suitcases and a couple of boxes. Have you seen kids moving into their dorms today? Or how they just throw everything away when they move out? Don't fucking throw rocks when you yourself live in a glasshouse.
Wow, that feels so much better.
And, what else. Right, boomers are a burden? OK, how? I paid more taxes than most of the millenails have ever made in income. What did I ever do to burden them? And when I collect Canada Pension or Social Security, it's fucking money I PUT IN! Shit, I owe you fuck all! Get that? FUCK ALL. And you ain't never even been part of the SANDWICH generation. Shut the fuck up.
I worked 40 hours a week while doing an MBA full time. I didn't cry foul because I was poor. I just worked. And worked.
Boomers screwing up the world? If not for us hippies protesting this and that, how far do you think social justice would have gone? Young people think they are so cool because they are pissed about things. Well, tell that to the kids of my generation who got shot and killed at Kent State protesting the Vietnam War. Tell that to those who were freedom riders who risked their lives busing to the deep south to protest race inequality. Again, STFU.
The thing is, I don't think any millenials actually read my blog. So I am just pissing in the rain. But if you feel the way I do, forward this to some fucking millenials. Tell them Chunski says to fuck off and die. And don't be a burden to my generation.
Over and out.
Monday 3 February 2020
Random Happenings
There isn't much new about my life in school, so I thought instead I'd talk about some of the things I've seen and heard in the last little while.
Recently I've noticed, around 1 pm, a guy who walks towards campus. I assume he's a student. But no matter what the weather (and thankfully it's been relatively mild, with temperatures seldom below -10) this man is in winter boots but just a t-shirt and shorts. No shit. Just t-shirt and shorts. Save for his boots, he could be walking around in the summer. Well, temperatures are expected to fall in a few days. I wonder if his attire will change then. I mean, hell, just because we have national health care...
************************
At the mission over the weekend, an interesting "conversation" took place. One of the volunteers, a small-build lady in her 60s, was about the take this bucket of raw turkey from a rack to put it on a table for the meat to be processed. The damn bucket weighed at least 30 pounds. No kidding. I said, "oh, let me help you." She was grateful for that. Anyway, behind me a guy said, "yeah, that's not a job for a woman."
At that point, another volunteer, a young woman, said to the guy, "what, you mean no woman can handle that?"
OK, I think that's when the guy should just back off. Instead, he said, "Nah, that's a man's job. Women shouldn't be doing that."
Well, you can imagine the rest of that conversation.
*************************
This class I'm in today, people have a tendency to come in late and leave early. The prof passes around a sheet so people can sign in, to show that they are present. I guess it'd be downright impossible for him to actually know who's there and who's not, since the class has 80 people in it. Anyway, he usually passes it around about 15 minutes into class. So people who leave early would have signed in already.
Well, today, he altered his routine. He waited and waited, until an hour has passed, before he passed the sheet around. I assume he hoped to catch those who leave early.
But I guess the students caught on too. No one, I mean NO ONE, left early. They waited and waited too. Once they have signed in, they started leaving. What can you do?
I'm glad I didn't teach in big schools. I don't think I would like it if I didn't know the students in my class.
**************************
I must confess, there are days when I seriously miss being in front of a class. I enjoyed my interactions with students (by and large). I really miss that. But having done that for over 20 years, it was time to move on. Time to do something different, to learn something new. And I'm so fortunate that I'm able to do just that. Still miss the classroom aspects of my former life, though. Dealing with colleagues and administration I can do without. But the students. Dear Reader, if you were one of them, you are missed.
***************************
My LSAT is set for Feb 22. Shit, I haven't touched the stuff since Christmas. My plan is to prep for it over reading week, though I also have to study for my midterms that come after. So chances are I will only get to do two or three practice tests. Well, too late to change the date now, so I'm stuck with it. Let's see how sucky the result will be.
****************************
Over 20 years teaching in the US, heavens know how much I paid into social security. A lot, is all I can say. So now it's time to get some back. Well, guess what, since I am not a citizen, but a greencard holder, I have to go in person to SSA to show them my greencard. Take a number and wait.
I didn't remember they made it this troublesome when they took my fucking money! Did I pay less into social security because I only had a green card? No. Did they want to see my green card before they took my money? No.
Sigh.
*******************************
I have three mini papers due this week. One is a book review due tomorrow. The other two are term paper proposals. WTF. I don't like this term paper proposal shit. Just making me do the work twice, is all. But...
Well, that's it for now, I guess. Till next time!
Recently I've noticed, around 1 pm, a guy who walks towards campus. I assume he's a student. But no matter what the weather (and thankfully it's been relatively mild, with temperatures seldom below -10) this man is in winter boots but just a t-shirt and shorts. No shit. Just t-shirt and shorts. Save for his boots, he could be walking around in the summer. Well, temperatures are expected to fall in a few days. I wonder if his attire will change then. I mean, hell, just because we have national health care...
************************
At the mission over the weekend, an interesting "conversation" took place. One of the volunteers, a small-build lady in her 60s, was about the take this bucket of raw turkey from a rack to put it on a table for the meat to be processed. The damn bucket weighed at least 30 pounds. No kidding. I said, "oh, let me help you." She was grateful for that. Anyway, behind me a guy said, "yeah, that's not a job for a woman."
At that point, another volunteer, a young woman, said to the guy, "what, you mean no woman can handle that?"
OK, I think that's when the guy should just back off. Instead, he said, "Nah, that's a man's job. Women shouldn't be doing that."
Well, you can imagine the rest of that conversation.
*************************
This class I'm in today, people have a tendency to come in late and leave early. The prof passes around a sheet so people can sign in, to show that they are present. I guess it'd be downright impossible for him to actually know who's there and who's not, since the class has 80 people in it. Anyway, he usually passes it around about 15 minutes into class. So people who leave early would have signed in already.
Well, today, he altered his routine. He waited and waited, until an hour has passed, before he passed the sheet around. I assume he hoped to catch those who leave early.
But I guess the students caught on too. No one, I mean NO ONE, left early. They waited and waited too. Once they have signed in, they started leaving. What can you do?
I'm glad I didn't teach in big schools. I don't think I would like it if I didn't know the students in my class.
**************************
I must confess, there are days when I seriously miss being in front of a class. I enjoyed my interactions with students (by and large). I really miss that. But having done that for over 20 years, it was time to move on. Time to do something different, to learn something new. And I'm so fortunate that I'm able to do just that. Still miss the classroom aspects of my former life, though. Dealing with colleagues and administration I can do without. But the students. Dear Reader, if you were one of them, you are missed.
***************************
My LSAT is set for Feb 22. Shit, I haven't touched the stuff since Christmas. My plan is to prep for it over reading week, though I also have to study for my midterms that come after. So chances are I will only get to do two or three practice tests. Well, too late to change the date now, so I'm stuck with it. Let's see how sucky the result will be.
****************************
Over 20 years teaching in the US, heavens know how much I paid into social security. A lot, is all I can say. So now it's time to get some back. Well, guess what, since I am not a citizen, but a greencard holder, I have to go in person to SSA to show them my greencard. Take a number and wait.
I didn't remember they made it this troublesome when they took my fucking money! Did I pay less into social security because I only had a green card? No. Did they want to see my green card before they took my money? No.
Sigh.
*******************************
I have three mini papers due this week. One is a book review due tomorrow. The other two are term paper proposals. WTF. I don't like this term paper proposal shit. Just making me do the work twice, is all. But...
Well, that's it for now, I guess. Till next time!
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