Random Musings

On your next ferry trip between Swartz Bay and Tsawwassen, why reduce yourself to sitting with average joes, joe sixpacks, and mavericks such as myself when, for just $10, you can sit in the lap of luxury in the new exclusive Seawest lounge.

Nothing, I mean NOTHING, reaffirms your status as an upper class high rolling big spender like shelling out 10 dollars to be caged in a glass room away from weirdos like me.

Are you thirsty? We have all sorts of tasty drinks (non-alcoholic, selection is subject to what we have). Want some reading material? We’ve gotz a wide selection of magazines (second hand from our affliate medical offices) on hand for your amusement. Hungry? Ahem..well….you’ll have to get in line at White Spot like eveyone else. But…but….if it’s your birthday or something we can totally make our staff sing you a song.

As an added bonus, if you choose to stay with us while the ferry docks, walk-on passengers will line up outside our facility and gawk at you envy you.

Sidenote: as a patron of BC ferries for 2 decades, the improvement that I dearly yearned for was definitely a high-brow private lounge…..not for less delays/cancellations or a reduction in fares…..definitely a private lounge….well done BC Ferries!

With the C’s dropp’n outside, I’m finding was to amuse myself inside, and that means watching whatever DVD I can get my hands on.

One of the movies I watched that was hilarious, entertaining, and grossly underrated was House Bunny. Ana Faris (from Scary Movie) was, for a lack of a better word, awesome. The plot of the movie is thinner than a Melba toast – which incidentally is pretty much the only thing left in my kitchen…note to self go grocery shopping – but Ana made the movie work. Ana’s comedic timing was great, and there was never a dull moment. When Mrs. Hagstrom, the house mother from the evil Phi house, informs Ana that she has mistaken a sorority house for a brothel, Ana’s delivery of the line “Oh, I’m not looking to make soup” was priceless.  Hence, I highly recommend this movie and y’all should go watch it. (yeah…hence!)

One of the social misfits in the Zeta sorority was played by Rumor Willis, whom in real life is the offspring of Demi Moore and Bruce Willis. While she was good in her role as a nerdy social misfit, I couldn’t help but notice how she has quite a “jock-ish” demeaner and build, and that a great role for her would be kicking ass and taking names in Die Hard.  I could totally see her in some kind of action hero movie, I mean, that jawline was made for fighting crime.

Today, I saw “The Day the Earth Stood Still.” The plot of the movie revolves around a hostile alien invasion threatening to wipe out the human race. The only aspect of the movie that I mildly liked did not get on my nerves are the social commentaries: we should be more aware of the earth (global warming, endangered species, etc); and how, in a time of crisis Bush’s lack of leadership would mean he’d be useless and safely bunkered somewhere while Kathy Bates is left to “represent mankind” (direct quote from the movie). However, these messages were so blatantly obvious, a more subtle attempt of delivery would be for a monkey to spontaneously fall from the sky, land on and incessantly smack your head while waving banners containing the above messages.

The worst part of the movie is definitely that whiny, annoying little kid. While the first Star Wars had Jar Jar Binks to blame for its demise, this movie’s honor is bestowed upon little Jacob, who has some major daddy issues. While I’m not faulting little Jacob for having issues, I feel that if a hostile alien invasion is threatening to wipe out our existence, there may be higher priorities. For example, I am not a big fan of Mondays, but, if an alien attack were to occur on a Monday, I’d probably put my grievances aside, and focus on survival…and unlike little Jacob, I wouldn’t be overacting while doing so.

When the deadly alien locust finally descends upon, and ends little Jacob’s existence, I saw hope. I was fully aware there may be only 10 minutes left of the movie, but I thought at least there may be a part of the movie, albeit short, I may actually get to enjoy. Needless to say, I was more than a little disappointed when Keanu decided to revive Jacob.

I was just informed that the actor who plays little Jacob is the son of Will Smith. Well, if there is ever a better example of why nepotism is bad…..

Like most of you in Vancouver, I woke up to a beautiful snowy scenery. I stood there, in awe, taking in the sights, when something caught my gaze: deadly icicles.

The design of the Marine Drive buildings has these random slabs of concrete hanging on the sides of the building (see pictures). I couldn’t really zoom in very well with my camera phone, so the icicles may not be apparent, but take my word for it, these cement slabs are infested with icicles, and they are hanging perilously over pedestrian walkways.

Note to self: cut down on the loitering by the building

Views from my room window. It’s Saturday so the construction crews aren’t working today.

Most people are woken up by the sound of their alarm clocks, some by their spouse/partner/equivalent, and some even by the crowing of roosters – aka cocks (giggity!) – I, like many other residents of the Marine Drive Dorm, am woken up by the cacophony of construction sounds outside my bedroom window at 7:30am sharp every weekday morning. (see pic above)

Initially, I regarded this as a mild nuisance, but now I have become accustomed….even attached…to the construction noise that starts at 7:30am every weekday morning. While others may hear jackhammers, forklifts, etc., I have come to regard our 7:30am ritual as ubc housing’s way of gently nudging me to get out of bed, giving me a warm hug, and sending me off to start my day. I got so much done this semester, probably because I was encouraged to get out of bed so early.

This morning, like most weekends, the construction crews weren’t working. Perhaps out of habit, I woke up at 7:30 this morning to the eiree silence outside the building. I freaked out a bit initially, and I got to thinking: in an insane, weird, totally abnormal way, I am really going to miss the construction noise when they finish that building….

The first term is almost over, and I have one more final in a few days, so naturally, the most pressing thought on my mind is: can I pull off rainboots without committing social suicide??

Lets face it people, it rains a lot here. Puddles are a constant fixture on the walkways. As a person who is not from Vancouver, I’m finding ways to tweak my life to adapt to the rain. How unaccustomed to the rain I am, you ask? When that new “pond” formed on University Boulevard a few weeks back, I squealed/stared/pointed in amazement….while bystanders were shocked only by my reaction.

So, I ask: are rubber rainboots socially accepted for guys. I ask, ofcourse, because I’ve never outgrown the pimply/socially awkward kid I was in highschool. I’ve seen a lot of girls wear’em, but I have yet to come across any guys wearing’em. Everytime I accidentally step into a puddle with my converse, I dream about how dry and toasty my feet would be if I had been wearing rubber rainboots. And where would one go to get men’s rubber rainboots? I mean, I don’t want to spend close to a hundred bucks at MEC for a top-of-the-line fisherman rainboots.