Gloryfades.org

Last night Gord and I went to see Pan’s Labyrinth (El Laberinto del Fauno) in Ancaster. We chose to see the 10:30 showing (which was the only one we could go to, actually) and after buying the tickets we realized just how late it would be. I was dead tired from working and Gord’s just old so it was sort of daunting to go see a movie at 10:30.

In any event, the film was really good. I haven’t seen anything in the theatres in awhile and I’m glad we chose this over Smokin’ Aces. Not only was the film not as packed as the latter would have been but it was probably worth the money, too. However, the film was rather violent, much moreso than I had expected it to be and that sort of put a damper on things. Once upon a time I would have been fine with watching people get shot and stabbed, etc. but nowadays I’m really squeamish with that sort of thing. I don’t really know why, either, but something obviously changed. I can’t even watch the surgery scenes in Nip/Tuck without involuntarily turning away. So, suffice it to say, I spent some parts of the film with my head tucked into Gord’s arm like a small child. That sucked because some of the more violent parts had dialogue in them too, which I wasn’t able to catch because the film is in Spanish and I couldn’t read the subtitles!

I guess that’s what I get for being a big pussy.

So what happens the day I decide I want to read Truman Capote’s book for the TBR Challenge? I have to return it to the library in three days, k-o-ing my chances of reading it. I could have powered through it if I wanted to and still returned it on time but I’ve got stuff I need to read for class. Oh wells, I guess I’ll just have to take it out again when I have more time.

Time is what I really need. I’ve written out my bus schedule on my dry-erase board so I don’t have to keep looking it up and it’s sort of depressing. I have to leave between 6:20 am and 8:40 am to get to classes on time during the week. That ain’t cool. However, I’m glad I have only one class on Thursdays. It makes the week marginally easier.

Man, I downloaded all of these old school metal rock songs for some inexplicable reason awhile ago. Iron Man by Ozzy Osbourne just started playing. I think I went crazy when I was on Limewire. I think I downloaded some Judas Priest as well. What the deuce?

Today and yesterday were both productive days. Yesterday I managed to haul ass to the library after my full day of classes and pick up some books for an essay I’m getting a head start on. The problem with writing an essay on the second Iraq War is finding objective material on the subject. McMaster has like seventy books on the subject but it’s tough when titles range from Failed States: The Abuse of Power and the Assault on Democracy to Bush in Babylon : the recolonisation of Iraq there’s not a lot of room for objectivity. I just need a coles notes version so I can start my research on some foundation, you know?

Today was also productive because I finally cleaned off my desk. Tada!

Okay, so it doesn’t look that much neater but it’s definitely better than before. Oh and that stack of books on the corner of the desk is my research material for the previously mentioned essay.

Anyway, it’s time for bed so I’m heading off. Good night, folks!

Life is moving along swimmingly. I’m getting back into the swing of things at school. Most of my days start at 8 or 9 in the morning which is hard to get used to following my break but I’m striving. With any luck I’ll do exceptionally well this semester (following last term’s trends) and life will look peachy keen for post-grad.

Anyway, I want to stop talking about school. School is not the only part of my life! Speaking of my real-life, I’ve added a link to the company of my brother-in-law’s brother to my website. It’s always nice to find other people that you know offline on the online world and I’ve heard that Insurcan is a really great service for life insurance in Canada, especially if you don’t want to deal with those nameless mega-corporations out there. So yeah, Insurcan is listed on the side of the page right above Google.

I want to talk books for a minute. I got the idea from a few friends on livejournal as well as this website to join the 2007 “To-Be-Read” Challenge!

I’m up to about 32 books on my to-be-read list which does not include the list of books I have on request at the library. In total we’re looking at around 73 books! That’s quite a list. If I can make a dent in that somehow I’ll totally go for it. So, the challenge is to choose twelve books from your to-be-read list and read one of them each month. Without further ado, here is my list:

1. Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
2. The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco
3. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
4. One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez
5. Absurdistan by Gary Shteyngart
6. The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz by Moredecai Richler
7. In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
8. Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand
9. A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers
10. I’m Not The New Me by Wendy McClure
11. The True Account by Howard Frank Mosher
12. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Honourable mentions: Don Quixote by Cervantes, Story of O by Pauline Réage, The Stranger by Albert Camus.

So I hope that will go well. I mean, it’s only 12 books. I’ve read more than that in the past six months so it should be quite easy.

Onto other news, a couple of days ago I came home to find some fun news waiting in my inbox. COTWWSB, that loveable group of weirdos and deviants, have bestowed upon me the presitgious Bonana Award!

It certainly made a rather tedious day end off on a high note so I thank you ladies and gents for the kind words and the spiffy award. Bono’s rep has increased tenfold in my books with this award (that and all that humanitarian stuff he does, I suppose …) and Bana’s just a swell guy too. You all rock!

I think it’s high time I finally wrote something down. Last week was stressful and it’s only promising to get worse, I fear. While I’m excited by the new semester I’m also sort of mind-boggled by how much work I have ahead of me. Everyone I’ve come into contact with for the past little while has already had their ear talked off regarding this but I’m still going to say it anyway - seven courses is a lot of work and I’m not sure whether I can handle all of this. Furthermore, OSAP fucking me over is also putting a bit of a damper on things. Normally, I’d have most of my books by now but I’ve only got two at the moment, one of which I still need to pay for. I’m trying to find a new job at school because the store is giving me one shift every two weeks which is frankly ridiculous. I’m relying heavily on my parents which I don’t like doing. I need money for books but I’m hesitant to say something because I feel guilty and … I don’t know, I just hate doing it. I feel like I’m stealing or something.

Ugh, I don’t honestly know why it’s making me depressed. It’s only a few more months and I will be done. I’ll finally get myself a full-time job and I’ll eventually pull myself out of this student-life mire that I’ve buried myself into these past four years. I tell you, getting an education really sucks!

What’s worse is that I’m also second-guessing my plans to leave university. Perhaps it’s just a silly mindfuck I’m playing on myself but I feel like these past four years have been … well, useless. I’m going to get out of university with a degree in Arts and Contemporary Studies with an emphasis in global studies (not even a proper major) and a minor in marketing and what will I do then? I could find myself doing data entry for the next two years in some corporate dungeon on Bay Street, wondering why I never chose to do something more. I chose global studies because I’m interested in international relations. Does the government even hire undergrads anymore? Is foreign service even an option when your degree is only slightly related to your dream job? Everyone says that you rarely find a job in the field that you studied. What if you want to, though?

It just feels like I’ve shot myself in the foot by not applying for grad school. Not that I could get in, that is. I mean, I’m just finally cleaning off the mess of my third year and I’ve barely been involved in anything at school. Plus, do I really want to spend another two years living at home? Not really. No, if I were even to think about a Masters it would definitely not be done from home. I am finished living here. I need to grow up and start doing things on my own.

I guess the bottom line is, I’m worried that I won’t be successful post-grad. I don’t want to have to live pay cheque to pay cheque because I didn’t go to business school or law school. So suffice it to say I am a little depressed over the impending future. I think I just need to go back to the Career Centre and really start looking at all of the possible career options I have.

A very belated Merry Christmas and happy New Year to everyone who celebrates out there! I - once again - forgot to update this blog along with my livejournal. Perhaps one of my new year’s resolutions should be to remember more often?

So I’ve had a lovely holiday. It’s not over but in a half week’s time I begin my final “official” semester at Ryerson (since I will be doing distance ed during the spring semester). I’m nervous because a lot of things are going to happen this year. Things will change, hopefully for the better, but you really can’t tell until you’re looking back at it. Whatever happens I hope I grow as a person, learn some interesting things and (could it be true?) move out finally!