I must say this year I am a lot more ambivalent. Only one course really excites me. The other four I'd say are "yeah, well, ok." I even changed some of my courses hoping to come up with more palatable combinations, but to no avail. Now in the second week of classes, I still haven't been able to get myself in gear.
Perhaps this is a case of sophomore slump. Who knows. How should I deal with it?
I have decided that I will try to write a term paper in the next couple of weeks. I also have a couple of term paper proposals I am supposed to do. I can do those instead. Perhaps some small measure of accomplishment will help pull me out of the slump. Stay tuned. I'll see if that works out.
Dropped out of a class last week, after the first session. It's the class on the foundations of liberalism and socialism. I like the subject, but I can't stand the prof. She tried too hard to be one of the students (who are mostly 19). And her assignments are way too kiddy for me. Perhaps because I am too old for that shit. I am jaded. But let me give you an example. One of the assignments to write a children's book, complete with illustrations, describing and explaining one of the theories in the class. Ok, a fucking children's book? What are we? In middle school? I think university should be more serious than that.
Anyhow, I dropped that, and picked up a 19th Century European history class. OK, don't you HATE profs whose lectures are straight from the book? Really. Assuming one reads the fucking book, why does one want to sit there and listen to someone going through that shit again? OK, I will continue to go to class, just in case I miss something, but I am starting to work on the term paper proposal (due Oct 2) and the paper itself (due in Nov) now. And reading ahead.
And this French class I'm taking. Some of you may know that I don't have much affection for France. And increasingly, Quebec's racist politics antagonize me so. My desire to learn the language is now solely driven by the challenge of learning a language. But my dislike of the source of this language is something I have to contend with. To worsen things, it's still a third year class (even though it's the third in the series) so it doesn't count towards my degree, though the grade will be included in computing my GPA. So in other words, if I don't get an A+ in the class, my GPA goes down. What a deal, eh?
Maybe I should take an Intro Marketing course for fun... (and flunk it, haha).
Food for thought.
Are there happier notes I can share with you?
Oh, I found out that at UOttawa, if you have laser toners to recycle, you can take it to any of the campus recycling stations and they will take care of it! Nice! I don't have to go find a Best Buy anymore.
Looks like summer is about over. While today it will still get up to 20 C (that's just under 70F), the balmy days of summer are probably gone for a while. Not that I really miss them that much. Certainly I don't look forward to the frigid cold, and all that ice, in the winter. More on that in a couple of months.
Till next time!
Wednesday, 11 September 2019
Wednesday, 4 September 2019
First day of classes
A brand new semester begins. I had two classes today. Both seemed okay. The first one was a course on the foundation of liberalism and socialism. The second is on political sociology. There ought be a fair bit of synergy in them.
You might have noticed that my interests go way beyond marketing, indeed business. I think the basic premise of human civilization is informed by things outside of business. What illuminates our systems of government, for example? What casts long shadows on how we see and negotiate our daily lives? If you were a former student, you may recall that I love bringing in things from other disciplines. We are humans, after all, and social animals. So I relish understanding and appreciating knowledge that speaks to the human condition.
But there's another reason for doing this wide-ranging academic exploration that I embark on. Only by learning what different perspectives REALLY say can I truly agree or disagree with them. One needs to be informed, in order (1) not to be duped by rumours and falsehoods, and (2) intelligently critique what the other party is saying.
Ok, so much for pontification. I must remind myself that I am no longer teaching. I am a student.
I have signed up for five classes this semester. Tomorrow I have a history class, which I really look forward to. I had that same prof last semester, and he was great. And after all, history is probably my favourite subject.
Still to come is a class on the Interdisciplinary study of the Arts, and the topic there is a critical analysis of popular culture. As long as they throw in some Stephen King and Meat Loaf, I'm happy. Let's hope they do!
And then there's a continuation of my French classes. I am not 100% sure about it. I did just fine in the first two, but you know, learning a language is hard. Especially when one is older. Besides, I have now exceeded my allowable 1000 (first year) courses. That means that while I can still take them, they don't count towards my degree, BUT the grade I get goes into calculating my GPA. In other words, if I don't get an A+, it will bring my GPA down! That's a bit of pressure, eh?
But why should GPA matter at this point?
Well, I have been thinking that I can graduate in May 2021. And then what? Probably not another BA. So I've been thinking about the possibility of law degree. Not that I plan to be Perry Mason or anything. But if I get in, and I finish, maybe I can do legal clinics and help the underprivileged, that sort of thing? Before my mind goes completely.
I've even signed up to do LSAT in Feb. Sounds like it could be fun!
Of course this may not happen. I may do poorly on LSAT (who knows, shit happens). My GPA may go down. They might look at my age and say WTF! So who knows. But it won't be for lack of trying.
The kicker, too, is that I plan to apply to only one school -- the one in Ottawa. So that narrows my opportunities quite considerably. Well, more on that later.
So, to the two or three people who actually read my blog, wish me luck!
You might have noticed that my interests go way beyond marketing, indeed business. I think the basic premise of human civilization is informed by things outside of business. What illuminates our systems of government, for example? What casts long shadows on how we see and negotiate our daily lives? If you were a former student, you may recall that I love bringing in things from other disciplines. We are humans, after all, and social animals. So I relish understanding and appreciating knowledge that speaks to the human condition.
But there's another reason for doing this wide-ranging academic exploration that I embark on. Only by learning what different perspectives REALLY say can I truly agree or disagree with them. One needs to be informed, in order (1) not to be duped by rumours and falsehoods, and (2) intelligently critique what the other party is saying.
Ok, so much for pontification. I must remind myself that I am no longer teaching. I am a student.
I have signed up for five classes this semester. Tomorrow I have a history class, which I really look forward to. I had that same prof last semester, and he was great. And after all, history is probably my favourite subject.
Still to come is a class on the Interdisciplinary study of the Arts, and the topic there is a critical analysis of popular culture. As long as they throw in some Stephen King and Meat Loaf, I'm happy. Let's hope they do!
And then there's a continuation of my French classes. I am not 100% sure about it. I did just fine in the first two, but you know, learning a language is hard. Especially when one is older. Besides, I have now exceeded my allowable 1000 (first year) courses. That means that while I can still take them, they don't count towards my degree, BUT the grade I get goes into calculating my GPA. In other words, if I don't get an A+, it will bring my GPA down! That's a bit of pressure, eh?
But why should GPA matter at this point?
Well, I have been thinking that I can graduate in May 2021. And then what? Probably not another BA. So I've been thinking about the possibility of law degree. Not that I plan to be Perry Mason or anything. But if I get in, and I finish, maybe I can do legal clinics and help the underprivileged, that sort of thing? Before my mind goes completely.
I've even signed up to do LSAT in Feb. Sounds like it could be fun!
Of course this may not happen. I may do poorly on LSAT (who knows, shit happens). My GPA may go down. They might look at my age and say WTF! So who knows. But it won't be for lack of trying.
The kicker, too, is that I plan to apply to only one school -- the one in Ottawa. So that narrows my opportunities quite considerably. Well, more on that later.
So, to the two or three people who actually read my blog, wish me luck!
Tuesday, 3 September 2019
Face it, we're scum
Not a day goes by without reading about yet another thing we regularly do that damages the environment. My take on it? Face it, people, we're scum. Go and off yourself now.
But wait, it's not that simple. This is a classic damned if you do, and damned if you don't kind of scenario. Let me elaborate.
You must have heard or read that any of the following is really bad for the environment.
1. Eat meat.
2. Use anything plastic and rubber.
3. Use anything leather.
4. Use anything with chemicals.
5. Wear anything that is not organically grown.
6. Drive.
7. Fly.
8. Doing laundry.
9. Flossing.
10. Throwing away ANYTHING.
And so on.
Okay, people. So I should not drink Diet Coke (heaven forbid!), fly to London, drive to work, use plastic bags, wear sneakers, wear leather shoes, eat steak....
What is it that people do that does NOT hurt the environment? So I don't use those plastic shopping bags from supermarkets. OK. Now I can't use them as garbage bags. I go BUY fucking garbage bags instead. How's that for helping the environment? Oh, would you like to reuse them too?
And if you ever use a condom... well, maybe you should just have babies galore. Oh wait, do you want to NOT use disposable diapers? Have you EVER tried to wash off all the shit? And how is that supposed to be good for the environment?
Walk to work and shit, shall we? Ah, do you walk bare foot? I bet you your precious shoes have rubber crap on them. Like the sole? Or maybe it's leather. That better? Hell, no. Bare foot it is then. Of course if you cut your foot and stuff, don't be using a bandaid. Guess what, it got PLASTIC!!!!
Ever been on a holiday? Do you just go to your backyard and sit there? No? Did you go to Europe? Asia? South America? The West Coast? Did you fucking walk there or swim? And if you did, did you do so in the nude? I don't think swimsuits are biodegradable. Nor are your shoes.
Oh you ride a bike then? To LA? Nah, just to work? Well, are your tires rubber? Is the bike made of recycled wood? And if you live in MD and work in PA, would you do the same?
Face it, everything we do hurts the environment. We are scum. The only way for humans to not hurt the environment is for humans to NOT exist. But don't be killing yourself now. Why?
Because death is very destructive to the environment too! Think methane. The decomposition. The ashes if you are cremated. The smog. The coffin if you're buried.
There's just no easy way out.
Does that mean we just go nuts and rush to kill the planet? No. But the nutcases who only whine and complain about EVERYBODY else is doing should take a look at their own lives. Don't be throwing rocks if you live in a glass house. And we all live in a fucking glass house. So just do things in moderation. And stop telling others how they should do what you do. No one died and made you god.
There, I feel so much better now.
But wait, it's not that simple. This is a classic damned if you do, and damned if you don't kind of scenario. Let me elaborate.
You must have heard or read that any of the following is really bad for the environment.
1. Eat meat.
2. Use anything plastic and rubber.
3. Use anything leather.
4. Use anything with chemicals.
5. Wear anything that is not organically grown.
6. Drive.
7. Fly.
8. Doing laundry.
9. Flossing.
10. Throwing away ANYTHING.
And so on.
Okay, people. So I should not drink Diet Coke (heaven forbid!), fly to London, drive to work, use plastic bags, wear sneakers, wear leather shoes, eat steak....
What is it that people do that does NOT hurt the environment? So I don't use those plastic shopping bags from supermarkets. OK. Now I can't use them as garbage bags. I go BUY fucking garbage bags instead. How's that for helping the environment? Oh, would you like to reuse them too?
And if you ever use a condom... well, maybe you should just have babies galore. Oh wait, do you want to NOT use disposable diapers? Have you EVER tried to wash off all the shit? And how is that supposed to be good for the environment?
Walk to work and shit, shall we? Ah, do you walk bare foot? I bet you your precious shoes have rubber crap on them. Like the sole? Or maybe it's leather. That better? Hell, no. Bare foot it is then. Of course if you cut your foot and stuff, don't be using a bandaid. Guess what, it got PLASTIC!!!!
Ever been on a holiday? Do you just go to your backyard and sit there? No? Did you go to Europe? Asia? South America? The West Coast? Did you fucking walk there or swim? And if you did, did you do so in the nude? I don't think swimsuits are biodegradable. Nor are your shoes.
Oh you ride a bike then? To LA? Nah, just to work? Well, are your tires rubber? Is the bike made of recycled wood? And if you live in MD and work in PA, would you do the same?
Face it, everything we do hurts the environment. We are scum. The only way for humans to not hurt the environment is for humans to NOT exist. But don't be killing yourself now. Why?
Because death is very destructive to the environment too! Think methane. The decomposition. The ashes if you are cremated. The smog. The coffin if you're buried.
There's just no easy way out.
Does that mean we just go nuts and rush to kill the planet? No. But the nutcases who only whine and complain about EVERYBODY else is doing should take a look at their own lives. Don't be throwing rocks if you live in a glass house. And we all live in a fucking glass house. So just do things in moderation. And stop telling others how they should do what you do. No one died and made you god.
There, I feel so much better now.
Friday, 30 August 2019
Freebies Galore
Went by campus today, and noticed a big crowd in the quad. Turned out it's the Campus Free Store doing a freebie event.
The Campus Free Store is run by the student union, and people can donate what they no longer want -- clothing, shoes, small appliances, books, and so on. And any U Ottawa student can get what they need for free from the Free Store. They have a retail site on campus, but today they are doing this open event under a great big tent, so ANYONE can just come and pick out stuff.
It's so good to see re-use and re-cycle put to good use.
Wonder if they have any free money available????
I do like U Ottawa a lot especially for sustainability efforts. I should check out their Food Bank as well. Maybe they have free NY Strip Steaks!!!!!
The Campus Free Store is run by the student union, and people can donate what they no longer want -- clothing, shoes, small appliances, books, and so on. And any U Ottawa student can get what they need for free from the Free Store. They have a retail site on campus, but today they are doing this open event under a great big tent, so ANYONE can just come and pick out stuff.
It's so good to see re-use and re-cycle put to good use.
Wonder if they have any free money available????
I do like U Ottawa a lot especially for sustainability efforts. I should check out their Food Bank as well. Maybe they have free NY Strip Steaks!!!!!
Saturday, 24 August 2019
Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more
Yet another semester is pressing to make its debut. Ten more days to go. How will it turn out?
Once more unto the breach, dear friends. So welcoming, so peaceful now. Just wait ten days, and all hell's gonna break loose.
This morning I passed by a privately-run off campus student housing complex. U Ottawa has gotten so big (over 50,000 now) that there aren't enough housing on campus. So a lot of private enterprise have set up shop to house the students. Some are converting old office buildings into 24-hour concierge setups. Like this one below:
Well, this building is still broadcasting Fall move-in. OK, school starts in 10 days. What do you think? Does it look like it will be ready by then? Don't hold your breath. If I were a student booked into this thing, I'd be really worried now. See all the scaffolding and shit?
And idiots out there still insist that private industry is ALWAYS more efficient. What can I say...
Once more unto the breach, dear friends. So welcoming, so peaceful now. Just wait ten days, and all hell's gonna break loose.
This morning I passed by a privately-run off campus student housing complex. U Ottawa has gotten so big (over 50,000 now) that there aren't enough housing on campus. So a lot of private enterprise have set up shop to house the students. Some are converting old office buildings into 24-hour concierge setups. Like this one below:
And idiots out there still insist that private industry is ALWAYS more efficient. What can I say...
Tuesday, 13 August 2019
Where have all the oysters gone?
They were here a minute ago!
Dinner at Supply & Demand, Wellington West, Ottawa
Dinner at Supply & Demand, Wellington West, Ottawa
Thursday, 8 August 2019
Is Summer Almost Over? Really?
It's that time of year again, when another school year lurks around the corner. In my previous life, I'd be prepping the cases for my "beloved" 416 (certainly much LOVED by my students), and finding strange videos to show my consumer behaviour students. Well, those days are long gone. Now I'm looking at another year of fun classes and term papers, of lectures and exams, of inane class discussion by my classmates, and TOTAL FREEDOM!!!!!
Time now to take stock of what I did this past summer. Apart from cutting the fucking grass, that is.
I read, of course. As most of you know, I enjoy reading. But I realize that I've scaled back my ambitious summer reading list, now that I have to read tons of stuff for school. Still, reading gives me immense pleasure. Let's see if I can recount my summer reading so far:
Strategies of Containment by Gaddis
The Cold War, a New History, by Gaddis
The Power of Babel, by McWhorter
Ancient Rome, by Baker
The Rise and Fall of the British Empire, by James
Words on the Move, by McWhorter
and now struggling through Kissinger's A World Restored (I say struggling, because it's pretty dense and quite a hard read. But very interesting).
Up next, Tyrant, by Greenblatt.
I also did a Harvardx online course on Hamlet's Ghost. So very illuminating! And now I'm working on one about Star Trek and its impact on science and technology. If you're wondering, these things are free and are available via Harvard https://www.edx.org/course Check it out!
OK, all work and no play is not good. So I also baked loaves of rye bread. Gotta be my favourite baking project. No machines either. People who use bread machines to make bread are not REAL bakers, haha.
Oh, almost forgot, I also finished a short story, submitted it, got rejected, and resubmitted elsewhere. Let's hope I have good news to share later on.
If you have been following the news, you'd know about the protests in Hong Kong. Whatever your political persuasion, you gotta give the protestors credit for having the courage to protest a dictatorship, especially while living in the shadow of a PLA (Communist Chinese Army) garrison stationed in your very city. As you know, I was born there, so while I have no allegiance to Hong Kong anymore, it was my place of birth. What I read dismays me, and I fear for the people there. We all know what dictatorships do when pressed against the wall. Read Tianenman Square from 30 years ago. It's a major surprise to myself that I am following the events there so closely. I have never done this before.
I'm not going to let political stuff get into my blog much, but I thought I'd share with you something that's dampening my summer mood. Alas, we are all prisoners of our geography.
One month (or so) to go before school starts. I can't wait!
Time now to take stock of what I did this past summer. Apart from cutting the fucking grass, that is.
I read, of course. As most of you know, I enjoy reading. But I realize that I've scaled back my ambitious summer reading list, now that I have to read tons of stuff for school. Still, reading gives me immense pleasure. Let's see if I can recount my summer reading so far:
Strategies of Containment by Gaddis
The Cold War, a New History, by Gaddis
The Power of Babel, by McWhorter
Ancient Rome, by Baker
The Rise and Fall of the British Empire, by James
Words on the Move, by McWhorter
and now struggling through Kissinger's A World Restored (I say struggling, because it's pretty dense and quite a hard read. But very interesting).
Up next, Tyrant, by Greenblatt.
I also did a Harvardx online course on Hamlet's Ghost. So very illuminating! And now I'm working on one about Star Trek and its impact on science and technology. If you're wondering, these things are free and are available via Harvard https://www.edx.org/course Check it out!
OK, all work and no play is not good. So I also baked loaves of rye bread. Gotta be my favourite baking project. No machines either. People who use bread machines to make bread are not REAL bakers, haha.
Oh, almost forgot, I also finished a short story, submitted it, got rejected, and resubmitted elsewhere. Let's hope I have good news to share later on.
If you have been following the news, you'd know about the protests in Hong Kong. Whatever your political persuasion, you gotta give the protestors credit for having the courage to protest a dictatorship, especially while living in the shadow of a PLA (Communist Chinese Army) garrison stationed in your very city. As you know, I was born there, so while I have no allegiance to Hong Kong anymore, it was my place of birth. What I read dismays me, and I fear for the people there. We all know what dictatorships do when pressed against the wall. Read Tianenman Square from 30 years ago. It's a major surprise to myself that I am following the events there so closely. I have never done this before.
I'm not going to let political stuff get into my blog much, but I thought I'd share with you something that's dampening my summer mood. Alas, we are all prisoners of our geography.
One month (or so) to go before school starts. I can't wait!
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