The recent start to my job has brought on several changes to my daily schedule:
1) Getting up early in the morning – Although I don’t sleep really late, getting up before sunrise on a consistent basis is a drag. As a result, I’ve been sleeping in late on the weekends to make up the lost time
2) Formal attire daily – This is a mixed change. There are good aspects (dress pants are quite comfortable) and bad aspects (ties are the most uncomfortable and impractical piece of clothing I’ve ever had to wear)
3) Actual grown-up responsibility – Although this is technically a good thing, I miss the ability to live life more spontaneously (i.e. Weekends at Western)
4) Terrible security photos – I’ll scan it in sometime, but I definitely look like an ex-linebacker who was arrested at a formal dinner party.
5) Regular, consistent money coming in – Bi-weekly paychecks are great. It’s nice to be able to frivolously waste money on CDs and other stuff (speaking of which, the new Stars cd is difficult to find in stores)
6) Being disconnected from my friends – Probably the worst change. I’ll have to make a better effort to get together with them.
In terms of my work, I’ll learn from the example of my esteemed friend Kirsten Mibus, and not go into too many specifics. However, I’ll keep you updated on how it changes everything.
Um 14.34 Uhr am Samstagnachmittag geht in München eine der schwierigsten Phasen der CSU-Geschichte zu Ende. Mit mehr als 58 Prozent wurde der bisherige bayerische Wirtschaftsminister Erwin Huber im ersten Wahlgang zum neuen Vorsitzenden gewählt. Das Ende der Ära Stoiber, auf das nicht zuletzt Huber so lange gewartet hat, ist endgültig. Dennoch liegt eine gewisse Schwere über dem Geschehen – Befreiung und Aufbruch fühlen sich anders an.
Das liegt nicht zuletzt an der Bewerbungsrede des neuen Vorsitzenden, die der sich unter fortwährendem Recken der Hände Richtung Hallendecke in zwanzig Minuten abringt. Erwin Huber beteuert, wie gut die CSU dastehe, dass sie nicht neu erfunden werden müsse, sondern mit dem Bewährten fortfahren könne. An Stoiber richtet Huber fortwährend seinen Dank, etwa für das „hervorragende Fundament“, das der scheidende Vorsitzende der neuen Führung hinterlassen habe.
Sichtlich erleichtert tritt Huber nach der Wahl ans Mikrophon, und als wolle er sich für die Beteiligung am Sturz des Patriarchen entschuldigen, schlägt er diesen sogleich zum Ehrenvorsitzenden der CSU vor, dem ersten in der Parteigeschichte. Wenige Minuten später stimmt der Parteitag diesem Vorschlag zu, obwohl formal erst die Wahl der stellvertretenden Vorstandsmitglieder hätte beendet werden müssen.
The recent party moves in the Christian Social Union in Bavaria that were spurred by Mr. Stoiber’s retirement have created greater controversy than most political changes in Germany. Although Mr. Stoiber’s handpicked successors for both party leader (Erwin Huber) and interior minister (Günther Beckstein) were eventually elected by the party, there was much publicity (mostly of the negative sort) in the run-up to the vote.
I don’t want to go into specifics, as any news article can outline the controversies but it seems amusing that leather gloves used in S&M and illegitimate children are amongst the acts creating political headlines, but that those same charges will likely have no lingering effects long-term. Why cant Canadian politics have this kind of drama?
This upcoming week I have to take a trip for a team building exercise some distance away. Normally, I would be fairly indifferent to such an event. This trip, however, has managed to take place during an unfortunate period of sickness and infection. It is rather inconvenient to have to travel and take lots of medication and other medical items with you. Furthermore, I am, as a result of medication, going to feel terrible for the whole week. It’s unfortunate that things work out this way.
Sorry about the recent dead time on the blog. The start of work has been somewhat time consuming with high levels of paperwork, etc. Posting should be delayed next week as well, however, as I have to go on a retreat.
Last night, I went to a friendly between Canada and Costa Rica at BMO Field in Toronto. Although the stadium was around half-full, the atmosphere of the game was good. My friend Chris and I had tickets in the supporter’s section behind the south touchline. Our choice of seating was a wise one. We had an excellent sight lines in the park and were only about a dozen rows from the field. Sitting in the supporter’s section also helped add to the excitement surrounding the game. The crowd was raucous with almost frequent chanting and noisemaking. Furthermore, whenever the ball was in our end of the field, streamers were flying all over the section.
The atmosphere of the section, combined with several pints of Carlsberg throughout the match, led to a thoroughly enjoyable experience. It makes me want to see further national team matches when the opportunity presents itself.
One of the more unique music videos of all time, „Frontier Psychiatrist“ by The Avalanches holds up well over time. I first saw this when I was in high school and I found it original then, as I still find it now. What other music video has a turtle with the head of an old man?
My foot is still giving me problems and I start my new job in 2 weeks. I hope this issue resolves itself soon and doesn’t create disruptive health care concerns that would affect my job. I doubt that missing work when you start your job creates a favourable image.
On a different note, I am looking forward to seeing a Canada vs. Costa Rica football match next week. My friend got seats in the cheering section and we are expected to dress in red and white and bring streamers to the game. It should be a fun time.
Die Sozialdemokraten kommen laut Forsa wie im Juli auf acht Prozent. Die NPD legte dagegen von acht auf neun Prozent zu – was zwar im statistischen Schwankungsbereich liegt, aber einige Symbolkraft hat. Damit liegen die Rechtsextremen erstmals vor der SPD. Die CDU kommt auf 39 Prozent. 27 Prozent der Wähler würden sich für die Linke entscheiden, sieben Prozent für die FDP, fünf Prozent für die Grünen.
Die NPD bejubelte die Zahlen in einer Pressemitteilung als „wirklich sensationell“ und als Ergebnis dessen, „dass wir uns nicht an medialen Hetzkampagnen gegen unsere eigenen Landsleute wie in Mügeln beteiligen“, die „geradezu rassistisch“ seien: „Keine Angst, die nächsten Wahlen kommen bestimmt.“
This seems to indicate that the voters of Saxony are dissatisfied with their government as both left and right-wing parties gained at the expense of the traditional German parties. The sensational aspect of this story is that the National Democratic Party, the party most closely associated with extreme right-wing views, gained a higher percentage of the vote than the Social Democrats, the traditional moderate left party. It would be interesting to gain further insight into the social, environmental and economic conditions that would create such a result.
Seeing as I haven’t posted about music for a while, I thought I would comment on a song I have enjoyed recently. The song „Conscious Life For Coma Boy“ by the now-defunct Aereogramme was the second single of their second album „My Heart Has A Wish That You Would Not Go.“
Although the song is slightly formulaic in its approach (there are a couple Snow Patrolesque moments in the song), the song exhibits a „kaleidoscopic intensity that’s both exhilarating and enervating.“ It is a large step from their prior, more shoegazing material and, in my opinion, a positive one.
For lack of a better thing to write about, I’ll provide a brief travelogue of what I did on my vacation. Note that it will be written in the equivalent of a point form format.
Friday: Arrive in B.C. around 7 p.m., Pacific time. Go out for dinner and beer with my uncle.
Saturday: Hang out with my 17-year old cousin. Take a drive with my cousin to a really small farming community. Head back for a greasy lunch at Burger King. Help my uncle fix a broken pop machine. Relax with a few beers on the patio in the evening.
Sunday: Head out to the mall. Try to convince my cousin to ask this girl out. See my other 20 year old cousin. ATVing and driving around in an old Mazda pickup without a shirt because the A/C doesn’t work.
Monday: Beer and groceries run. Pick up some Chinese food for dinner. That smell is quite bad. Beers again while listening to my uncle complain about the aboriginals and some other people in my family.
Tuesday: A bit of a blur. Watched some movies with my cousin. Heard about her boyfriend. Went out for dinner. Had a very tasty Chicken Cordon Bleu.
Wednesday: Got giant plastic bull’s testicles for a practical joke. Went down the Trans Canada Highway to Salmon Arm. Had some delicious stakes. More beer on the patio. Getting hassled about my cousin’s female friends. Apparently, one of them has large boobs.
Thursday: Have about 4 teas. Listen to my uncle/cousins try to convince me to move out there. Consider getting a right-hand drive car (the type of cars they drive in Britain.) Head back home really late at night.
More information, provided it is appropriate and reasonable, can be provided upon request.
Verfasst von smellingsalts 
Verfasst von smellingsalts 
Verfasst von smellingsalts 
