2021 Off to Another Anemic Start

Well, folks, here's a warm welcome to a new year.  I can only hope that 2021 won't be a rerun of 2020, or worse.  If the last few days is another gauge, however, I'm not holding my breath.

Adjacent to Ontario, the province of Quebec has just announced a curfew starting tonight.  No one is allowed outside their homes after 8 pm.  There are exceptions, such as those going to and from work, essential workers, etc.  But strangely enough, as only Quebec could muster, homeless people are not exempt from the curfew.  If you need a second to digest this....  Anyway, just exactly what does the province expect the homeless to do?  Across the river from Ottawa, in Gatineau, Quebec, homeless shelters are running at 95% capacity already.  So, are they now going to ticket homeless people who violate the curfew?  But then, it is Quebec, and nothing they do surprises me, however moronic.

Here in Ontario, we continue with our current lockdown at least till end of January, although there are hints that the lockdown may be extended.  Not that it seriously disrupts life.  I mean, I don't typically go eat at restaurants anyway, nor do I enjoy shopping at stores.  And I can do without the gym.  Apart from that, one can still get groceries, see doctors, go to drugstores, get takeout and delivery (if so choose), and walk around town any time one chooses.  No haircuts or beauty salons, though, so I image a lot of bad hair days in the province which will continue...  But then it's winter, so everyone's going around in toques and such anyway.

It's been a VERY mild winter for Ottawa.  The coldest we have gotten so far was around -15.  Today is a balmy -8.  I'm not complaining.  And I'm sure real winter will come back with a vengeance.  But if I need more proof of climate change....  Even Ottawa's famous Rideau Canal, which typically becomes one giant skating rink in winter, and people could skate to work etc. (the skatable part usually covers some 5 miles distance), has not been open so far because the ice isn't thick enough.  Maybe soon we will be going out in shorts and t-shirts in winter!

School starts in a couple of days for me.  All online again.  This is the last semester for the degree I'm working on.  With all that's been happening, I find myself a bit less enthusiastic than usual.  With just two days to go, I still can't seem to get settled on my exact course schedule.  Kept changing my mind about this course and that.  It doesn't help that most profs haven't yet posted their syllabi, which would have been a great help in gauging whether a particular course is right for me.  I remember how I used to post my syllabi months ahead.  But I guess that's not common.

I'm still waiting to see if the application for the MA in Sociology gets accepted.  I have been admitted for another undergrad degree at UOttawa, this time in the social sciences.  So if I get into the MA, I will have to make up my mind.  Well, I'll deal with that when the time comes.

I hope, dear reader, that the new year finds you well and healthy.  I hope that this will be a much much much better year than last, for all of us.  If hope can influence reality, we will all be having a remarkable time in 2021.  Let's keep those positive vibes coming!

Meanwhile, stay positive, and stay healthy.  Remember, no matter how bad things are, they can always be worse.  

HAPPY NEW YEAR!