I have an answer (that I found during my super productive today):
Go to Google and search for Images.
Type: cat wig
Press enter and enjoy:)
I think you will smile:)
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Monday, September 29, 2008
I believe it when I see it
Yesterday was awesome!
I replanted my plants. My zz-plant grew the pot broken, so I HAD to replant this one. And conveniently my dragontree almost died (well, the stem was rotten, so I cut the top off and put it into the vase), so I was able to take this pot for the zz-girl. And as I was already at it, I also replanted my tups-rohtliilia and cactus. I was good. ... to my plants.
And then I went and rented the movie from the library (they gave me a hard time that my student card was expired - c'mon, I'm almost out of here, save the plastic, but the smile and gentle apathy worked.
I got juice from the grocery store.
I made bread dough (pärmitainas. Kullionu - kas on tainas või taigen?).
Then Julia and Leslie came and we made "pirukad" with sauerkraut and hot dogs and apples. They turned out very tasty.
We watched a movie "Closely watched trains" (Czech movie from 1966, by the same author as for I served the king of England). It was different. I'm not entirely sure what is/was all the buzz around it. It's sort of claimed as THE movie of that time. As Leslie said, I was perfectly happy to miss parts of it due kitchen duties.
And then Today came.
I had big plans. To WRITE. But what I actually did...
I read all the blogs I follow. All of them.
I read all the news.
I wandered around some sites in internet.
I made a Calender for BMIGSA (that is actually needed)
I contacted Christmas ppl for BMIGSA (also useful)
And then I went to the lab. I needed to see one person, who was not there due moving. Ok. Tomorrow. And then we had a meeting at 5 pm. I thought that since I'm not organizing, I don't need to send out the reminder. And then I waited in the kitchen. And then we waited. 20 minutes we waited (and chatted) while expecting for the person in charge to appear. After that we went and found him from his lab, and had a short meeting, which was somewhat productive.
But I was really not impressed. What is it with people who promise (or organize a meeting) and then won't follow up? Why promise something, if you can't do it? What use are empty words? I guess at some times they could serve some purpose, but people remember the promises... Or maybe I am the rare mutant type, who does remember and expects that the words would become actions.
I guess I just need to learn. That some people can't be believed. Especially when there are two, three, four... unfilled promises. But how do you function with these people then?
Also - why do I care?
I replanted my plants. My zz-plant grew the pot broken, so I HAD to replant this one. And conveniently my dragontree almost died (well, the stem was rotten, so I cut the top off and put it into the vase), so I was able to take this pot for the zz-girl. And as I was already at it, I also replanted my tups-rohtliilia and cactus. I was good. ... to my plants.
And then I went and rented the movie from the library (they gave me a hard time that my student card was expired - c'mon, I'm almost out of here, save the plastic, but the smile and gentle apathy worked.
I got juice from the grocery store.
I made bread dough (pärmitainas. Kullionu - kas on tainas või taigen?).
Then Julia and Leslie came and we made "pirukad" with sauerkraut and hot dogs and apples. They turned out very tasty.
We watched a movie "Closely watched trains" (Czech movie from 1966, by the same author as for I served the king of England). It was different. I'm not entirely sure what is/was all the buzz around it. It's sort of claimed as THE movie of that time. As Leslie said, I was perfectly happy to miss parts of it due kitchen duties.
And then Today came.
I had big plans. To WRITE. But what I actually did...
I read all the blogs I follow. All of them.
I read all the news.
I wandered around some sites in internet.
I made a Calender for BMIGSA (that is actually needed)
I contacted Christmas ppl for BMIGSA (also useful)
And then I went to the lab. I needed to see one person, who was not there due moving. Ok. Tomorrow. And then we had a meeting at 5 pm. I thought that since I'm not organizing, I don't need to send out the reminder. And then I waited in the kitchen. And then we waited. 20 minutes we waited (and chatted) while expecting for the person in charge to appear. After that we went and found him from his lab, and had a short meeting, which was somewhat productive.
But I was really not impressed. What is it with people who promise (or organize a meeting) and then won't follow up? Why promise something, if you can't do it? What use are empty words? I guess at some times they could serve some purpose, but people remember the promises... Or maybe I am the rare mutant type, who does remember and expects that the words would become actions.
I guess I just need to learn. That some people can't be believed. Especially when there are two, three, four... unfilled promises. But how do you function with these people then?
Also - why do I care?
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Sweet and Spicy, just like She is,
He said to the waitress, when She couldn't decide on the sauce. It took Her a minute to realize, what was said. It was cute. And the sauce was a good one, too.
We (Nastja, Jason and I) went to the Works yesterday. Local burger restaurant. They have gazillion different toppings to burgers. And meat itself is huge and tasty. Of course, one could go for mushroom option, or veggie burger (but personally prefer meat). It was pretty delicious. But it was interesting to see, how in everything they had chosen the less healthy version. Like the milkshake was good tasting, but SO sweet, that my teeth threatened to fall out right on the spot. And the appetizers are all deep fried. And the coleslaw is the creamy one, not the one with oil. It was great though. As long as you won't visit it too often. I had the fried eggplant, avocado, salsa loco (who knew, it means spicy, if "loco" in spanish means "crazy":S) and feta cheese - tasty!
Today Ottawa estonians went to try some wine and eat deer meat products at the Domain du Cervin winery. I tagged along. It was very nice. And the wine was good too:) I have some "apperatif" at home now.
My evening was spent at the NAC. Adam (the "neuroscience" guy) invited me out to see/listen Mozart's Requiem. It was really, really nice! Great music! And the entire evening was time very nicely spent! He's leaving for China shortly, so I guess no other event before Halloween...
Before the NAC I also got an interesting phone call. I saw it was from Estonia. But it was late - at 6 pm here is 1 am there... Jaa, I said. Nothing... Alloo, alloo, I said. And the answer came.
Kullionu - arva, kes see oli?
There were Andro, Viki and Meelis.
They were in a pretty "happy" mood. So it was just a random chat (võiks vist isegi öelda, et väga iseloomulik Androlik-Vikilik vestlus stiil). But it felt good to be remembered. Nad teadsid päris palju meie elude hetke seisust. Ma olin päris üllatunud.
Our story with these guys goes way back. Way back, in grade 10 or 11 perhaps (?), Kullionu and I were at the club in Estonia (Las Vegas, I think?), and we met Andro and Viki. They had nowhere to stay, so they ended up staying at my place. And so our friendship started. They had business trips to Latvia at time to time, and stay stopped in Pärnu, and we hanged out and played pool. And the pair of tigers is from that time period. And visit to Tallinn, when we found the shoe from the pot. Good times...
We (Nastja, Jason and I) went to the Works yesterday. Local burger restaurant. They have gazillion different toppings to burgers. And meat itself is huge and tasty. Of course, one could go for mushroom option, or veggie burger (but personally prefer meat). It was pretty delicious. But it was interesting to see, how in everything they had chosen the less healthy version. Like the milkshake was good tasting, but SO sweet, that my teeth threatened to fall out right on the spot. And the appetizers are all deep fried. And the coleslaw is the creamy one, not the one with oil. It was great though. As long as you won't visit it too often. I had the fried eggplant, avocado, salsa loco (who knew, it means spicy, if "loco" in spanish means "crazy":S) and feta cheese - tasty!
Today Ottawa estonians went to try some wine and eat deer meat products at the Domain du Cervin winery. I tagged along. It was very nice. And the wine was good too:) I have some "apperatif" at home now.
My evening was spent at the NAC. Adam (the "neuroscience" guy) invited me out to see/listen Mozart's Requiem. It was really, really nice! Great music! And the entire evening was time very nicely spent! He's leaving for China shortly, so I guess no other event before Halloween...
Before the NAC I also got an interesting phone call. I saw it was from Estonia. But it was late - at 6 pm here is 1 am there... Jaa, I said. Nothing... Alloo, alloo, I said. And the answer came.
Kullionu - arva, kes see oli?
There were Andro, Viki and Meelis.
They were in a pretty "happy" mood. So it was just a random chat (võiks vist isegi öelda, et väga iseloomulik Androlik-Vikilik vestlus stiil). But it felt good to be remembered. Nad teadsid päris palju meie elude hetke seisust. Ma olin päris üllatunud.
Our story with these guys goes way back. Way back, in grade 10 or 11 perhaps (?), Kullionu and I were at the club in Estonia (Las Vegas, I think?), and we met Andro and Viki. They had nowhere to stay, so they ended up staying at my place. And so our friendship started. They had business trips to Latvia at time to time, and stay stopped in Pärnu, and we hanged out and played pool. And the pair of tigers is from that time period. And visit to Tallinn, when we found the shoe from the pot. Good times...
Friday, September 26, 2008
Julia is hero of the day
Julia defended her thesis today. And now she is Master Julia:)
I'm SOOOO happy for her!
It was interesting to attend the defense on a different topic. So far I have only seen the biochemistry and microbiology ones. They are all pretty similar. It was good to recognize one question that seems to be common, that "if you'd have to start all over, but having the knowledge you have, what would you do differently?". I better start preparing for it.
And then we went for the Mug of Knowledge at the Cafe Nostalgica. It's this ancient metal mug that has a bird and a deer on it, and it was found from the ground under the Cafe. The day you defend, you can go and have a free drink out of it.
It appeared to be busy afternoon - the mug was "busy" when we got there, and halfway through Julia's drink, another candidate arrived. But the day was nice - sunny and warm. Perfect day for being done with the university:)
(and the biggest joy in the world is to get people gifts. Especially when they like them:) I got Julia a pair of artsy Montreal-made butterfly earrings, and they looked just perfect on her. I'm so happy:)
I'm SOOOO happy for her!
It was interesting to attend the defense on a different topic. So far I have only seen the biochemistry and microbiology ones. They are all pretty similar. It was good to recognize one question that seems to be common, that "if you'd have to start all over, but having the knowledge you have, what would you do differently?". I better start preparing for it.
And then we went for the Mug of Knowledge at the Cafe Nostalgica. It's this ancient metal mug that has a bird and a deer on it, and it was found from the ground under the Cafe. The day you defend, you can go and have a free drink out of it.
It appeared to be busy afternoon - the mug was "busy" when we got there, and halfway through Julia's drink, another candidate arrived. But the day was nice - sunny and warm. Perfect day for being done with the university:)
(and the biggest joy in the world is to get people gifts. Especially when they like them:) I got Julia a pair of artsy Montreal-made butterfly earrings, and they looked just perfect on her. I'm so happy:)
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
my usual day
Monday
7.30 - Wake up, have tea and bread and call the fixing dude, so he could come and fix the fuses that I blew the night before. He comes at 8.30 AND fixes it. Welcome back, electricity.
9.30 - arrive at the lab and discover that the Campylobacter cells didn't grow...
10-12 - make new plans for tomorrow and prepare media and stuff
12-1 - attend the Work in Progress talks
1-1.30 - make BBQ poster and send it out
1.30-2.30 - serious talk with Fiona about paper and thesis writing. Setting some serious deadlines.
2.30 - active prep work for the next day
3.30-5 - writing time (I even opened the document)
5-5.30 - prep work in the lab (setting up Listeria experiment)
5.30 - meet Ali and Mike for volleyball
5.30-8 - have dinner and travel to volleyball place (which is at far-far-away)
8-10 - 2 games of volleyball (2 losses)
10.30 - home
10.30-1 - have tea, prep for teaching, brainwork on Christmas party planning
Tuesday
8 - wake up, have tea and bread
9 - pick up the Health Insurance document
9.15 - Teaching meeting (9.27 sneak out)
9.30 - meeting with the dietitian. She doesn't even have comments on my diet, and just "prescribes" me "meal replacements". I think I should seriously consider. I can have it as a shot.
10.15 - arrive at the lab
10.30 - the Campylobacter has grown, so I set up an experiment
11 - I keep reminding someone that the BBQ has to be set and ready to serve by 11.30 (which means they need to move NOW)
11.20 - go outside to help with the set up for the BBQ. Find the emptiness - like there's nothing going to happen. But - things will work out eventually. Having one charred burger (can't waste). Hanging out until 12.30
12.30 - cleaning up
1.00 - getting a BEAUTIFUL gift from Italy (Venezia) from Miss B. It makes my day!
1.00-1.20 chatting
1.20 - remembering the timepoint I had to take at 12.54. Action! The salad and stuff remains in the hallway
2- one timepoint done, but the next one needs prepping. Work, work, work.
3- salad is still in the hallway. Running like a squirrel in the wheel. Time point.
4- still crazy action. No time to go to the washroom.
4.30-5 a little time to breathe and have a piece of chocolate, 2 brownies and a cookie
5-timepoint
5.30 bus to downtown
5 - prep for TAing and TA until 9.30. Meet another TA. She asks about my background. Estonia, I say. Me too, she says. What??? And yes, she is. Her name is Katrin. Of course, when she introduced herself to me first, I thought it's "Khäthrin". But no. Katrin. She came here 5 years ago. I gotta find out more. Odd meetings sometimes.
9.45 - arrive home. remove shoes. sit. have tea. feels so amazing!
(I still need a plan for tomorrow, make and send out agenda for tomorrows councils meeting, plan Christmas party and there is always the writing... )
7.30 - Wake up, have tea and bread and call the fixing dude, so he could come and fix the fuses that I blew the night before. He comes at 8.30 AND fixes it. Welcome back, electricity.
9.30 - arrive at the lab and discover that the Campylobacter cells didn't grow...
10-12 - make new plans for tomorrow and prepare media and stuff
12-1 - attend the Work in Progress talks
1-1.30 - make BBQ poster and send it out
1.30-2.30 - serious talk with Fiona about paper and thesis writing. Setting some serious deadlines.
2.30 - active prep work for the next day
3.30-5 - writing time (I even opened the document)
5-5.30 - prep work in the lab (setting up Listeria experiment)
5.30 - meet Ali and Mike for volleyball
5.30-8 - have dinner and travel to volleyball place (which is at far-far-away)
8-10 - 2 games of volleyball (2 losses)
10.30 - home
10.30-1 - have tea, prep for teaching, brainwork on Christmas party planning
Tuesday
8 - wake up, have tea and bread
9 - pick up the Health Insurance document
9.15 - Teaching meeting (9.27 sneak out)
9.30 - meeting with the dietitian. She doesn't even have comments on my diet, and just "prescribes" me "meal replacements". I think I should seriously consider. I can have it as a shot.
10.15 - arrive at the lab
10.30 - the Campylobacter has grown, so I set up an experiment
11 - I keep reminding someone that the BBQ has to be set and ready to serve by 11.30 (which means they need to move NOW)
11.20 - go outside to help with the set up for the BBQ. Find the emptiness - like there's nothing going to happen. But - things will work out eventually. Having one charred burger (can't waste). Hanging out until 12.30
12.30 - cleaning up
1.00 - getting a BEAUTIFUL gift from Italy (Venezia) from Miss B. It makes my day!
1.00-1.20 chatting
1.20 - remembering the timepoint I had to take at 12.54. Action! The salad and stuff remains in the hallway
2- one timepoint done, but the next one needs prepping. Work, work, work.
3- salad is still in the hallway. Running like a squirrel in the wheel. Time point.
4- still crazy action. No time to go to the washroom.
4.30-5 a little time to breathe and have a piece of chocolate, 2 brownies and a cookie
5-timepoint
5.30 bus to downtown
5 - prep for TAing and TA until 9.30. Meet another TA. She asks about my background. Estonia, I say. Me too, she says. What??? And yes, she is. Her name is Katrin. Of course, when she introduced herself to me first, I thought it's "Khäthrin". But no. Katrin. She came here 5 years ago. I gotta find out more. Odd meetings sometimes.
9.45 - arrive home. remove shoes. sit. have tea. feels so amazing!
(I still need a plan for tomorrow, make and send out agenda for tomorrows councils meeting, plan Christmas party and there is always the writing... )
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Hundionu sings to you
Here is something cute (and absurd). Hundionu sings to you (and check out the dance rhythm). It should bring a smile:)
Kullionu - see laul ja tants on spetsiaalselt Sulle! Nägin seda, ja mõtlesin Sinu peale. Kas pole tabav?
Kullionu - see laul ja tants on spetsiaalselt Sulle! Nägin seda, ja mõtlesin Sinu peale. Kas pole tabav?
my grandwather was a blackjack
I had SO many potential plans for this weekend. I felt a little stressed even. 
Among the other things Ying (Leslies labs tech) had invited their lab members and Noel and Liz to his cottage. And I decided to leave the stress and all the other plans and tagged along with Leslie.
It was a super nice day. We did some canoeing, walked around in the wilderness, ate some wild (?) rasberries, had an amazing dinner with BBQ chicken and beef and salads.
At the BBQ I wanted to tell the others the story why I don't need tongs to remove hot items from the BBQ, because my grandfather was a blacksmith (In Estonia we have a saying that if youu grandfather was a balcksmith, then you are resistant to heat. And if the grandfather was making glass, then you are see through and you can stan
d in front of others). But for some reason I messed up "blacksmith" with "blackjack", and the entire story went "to the forest".
And then we played a game, where a person had to make the others guess the object/word by drawing it on the board with their eyes closed. Lots of fun. Even though we made it home at 10 instead of planned 6, it was a super nice day.
Friday: we (BMIGSA) threw our last BBQ. It was nice. The weather was perfect. But - we didn't get as many people as expected. So we ended up in 60 leftover burgers and 60 hotdogs and 30 veggie burgers... Plus bread and cookies and a ton of mustard. So we decided to return it, since the stress levels are getting higher and we don't have time. So the saga started close to 6 - we had to make it to Leslies, check the address, take the car, go to the lab, pack ALL the meat and bread (it was HEAVY!), carry it to the car, drive to the store, load it to the cart, stand in the lineup. And then, when they told us "black on white" that all this is going to garbage, we couldn't do it. We just couldn't throw out ALL this perfectly good food.
So we did all this backwards - took all the load back to the car, then the meat to the lab and the bread to Leslies freezer. And we need to throw one "post-last" BBQ. It is extra work, but at least we have made the world a little better place.
We got back to Leslies when it was close to 9. Since 4 was in down from Calgary, he came over, we had a bit wine and chatted to catch up. He has only been away for two month and a bit, but it seems that so much has happened in the meanwhile.
Wednesday and Thursday night I was volunteering for the animation film festival. The worst organized festival in my opinion. For the first night they had 8 volunteers to serve about 30 people (we were at the registration). Nobody gave proper training, everyone did things as they wished or knew the best. Also so many registrations were messed up (old company names on the name tags, no tickets etc). And we had no power to help them. And the person who was supposed to have power, she just didn't care. So - I don't recommend volunteering for them.
One funny coincidence was that one of the other guys volunteering was a biochem student.
Oh, and I also purchased a new Terry Prachett book - illustrated. There are some awesome dragons in there:)
Among the other things Ying (Leslies labs tech) had invited their lab members and Noel and Liz to his cottage. And I decided to leave the stress and all the other plans and tagged along with Leslie.It was a super nice day. We did some canoeing, walked around in the wilderness, ate some wild (?) rasberries, had an amazing dinner with BBQ chicken and beef and salads.
At the BBQ I wanted to tell the others the story why I don't need tongs to remove hot items from the BBQ, because my grandfather was a blacksmith (In Estonia we have a saying that if youu grandfather was a balcksmith, then you are resistant to heat. And if the grandfather was making glass, then you are see through and you can stan
d in front of others). But for some reason I messed up "blacksmith" with "blackjack", and the entire story went "to the forest".And then we played a game, where a person had to make the others guess the object/word by drawing it on the board with their eyes closed. Lots of fun. Even though we made it home at 10 instead of planned 6, it was a super nice day.
Friday: we (BMIGSA) threw our last BBQ. It was nice. The weather was perfect. But - we didn't get as many people as expected. So we ended up in 60 leftover burgers and 60 hotdogs and 30 veggie burgers... Plus bread and cookies and a ton of mustard. So we decided to return it, since the stress levels are getting higher and we don't have time. So the saga started close to 6 - we had to make it to Leslies, check the address, take the car, go to the lab, pack ALL the meat and bread (it was HEAVY!), carry it to the car, drive to the store, load it to the cart, stand in the lineup. And then, when they told us "black on white" that all this is going to garbage, we couldn't do it. We just couldn't throw out ALL this perfectly good food.
So we did all this backwards - took all the load back to the car, then the meat to the lab and the bread to Leslies freezer. And we need to throw one "post-last" BBQ. It is extra work, but at least we have made the world a little better place.
We got back to Leslies when it was close to 9. Since 4 was in down from Calgary, he came over, we had a bit wine and chatted to catch up. He has only been away for two month and a bit, but it seems that so much has happened in the meanwhile.
Wednesday and Thursday night I was volunteering for the animation film festival. The worst organized festival in my opinion. For the first night they had 8 volunteers to serve about 30 people (we were at the registration). Nobody gave proper training, everyone did things as they wished or knew the best. Also so many registrations were messed up (old company names on the name tags, no tickets etc). And we had no power to help them. And the person who was supposed to have power, she just didn't care. So - I don't recommend volunteering for them.
One funny coincidence was that one of the other guys volunteering was a biochem student.
Oh, and I also purchased a new Terry Prachett book - illustrated. There are some awesome dragons in there:)
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Silentium ad Figaro
We went to see the Le Nozze di Figaro by Mozart tonight. It was good:) A little too long, but I did enjoy it. What a life they had back then. But in a way 200 years have not changed much.
But before the opera:
- I was trying to buy the tickets, supposedly $15 dollars each, and almost charged my credit card with $2997.09 or something. Can you imagine? One thousand dollars for ONE ticket? What must come with it?? Anyway, it was some weird glitch in the system. An hour later it was ok, and I got my three $15 tickets. It's good to be a student. I really doubt that I would have gone to see it for $165 ticket.
- Julia had got an invitation to the Chinese Embassy for some reception (the invitation was for her supervisor, but somehow it made its way to her). So of course we had to go and crash the party. We got dressed (they had a dress code), and Julia borrowed my black skirt from highschool times (honestly, I have no idea, what does it do here). I thought she looked fabulous, but she didn't like the slit that went until the mid thigh. It was almost unnoticeable.
The party was good. Lots of very good food! Jellyfish was interesting. Salmon was amazing. The duck and several other meats were delicious. A dessert, a white ball of rice flour matter rolled in coconut and inside having some delic mixture of red bean paste and nuts, was AMAZING. Very tasty. And there was some good Chinese wine. The plums we took with us (why else did I take a purse?)
People were mostly men, mostly asian, mostly white collar-black suit.
One dude was funny, as he thought that there was not enough wine in one glass, and pooled the wine from three glasses together and then continued his evening.
The time flew so that we "woke up" at 7.30. The opera started at 8, and we were not too close, nor we had the tickets. With some difficulties we got a cab and made it on time.
Good day:)
But before the opera:
- I was trying to buy the tickets, supposedly $15 dollars each, and almost charged my credit card with $2997.09 or something. Can you imagine? One thousand dollars for ONE ticket? What must come with it?? Anyway, it was some weird glitch in the system. An hour later it was ok, and I got my three $15 tickets. It's good to be a student. I really doubt that I would have gone to see it for $165 ticket.
- Julia had got an invitation to the Chinese Embassy for some reception (the invitation was for her supervisor, but somehow it made its way to her). So of course we had to go and crash the party. We got dressed (they had a dress code), and Julia borrowed my black skirt from highschool times (honestly, I have no idea, what does it do here). I thought she looked fabulous, but she didn't like the slit that went until the mid thigh. It was almost unnoticeable.
The party was good. Lots of very good food! Jellyfish was interesting. Salmon was amazing. The duck and several other meats were delicious. A dessert, a white ball of rice flour matter rolled in coconut and inside having some delic mixture of red bean paste and nuts, was AMAZING. Very tasty. And there was some good Chinese wine. The plums we took with us (why else did I take a purse?)
People were mostly men, mostly asian, mostly white collar-black suit.
One dude was funny, as he thought that there was not enough wine in one glass, and pooled the wine from three glasses together and then continued his evening.
The time flew so that we "woke up" at 7.30. The opera started at 8, and we were not too close, nor we had the tickets. With some difficulties we got a cab and made it on time.
Good day:)
Sunday, September 14, 2008
TAing tales
I just organized stuff for TAing... I had to find my 16 students among 1966 students - that's the total number of students taking first year general chemistry. Crazy.
But I realized that one dude has been at this university longer than I have been. His student nr starts with 22, and mine starts with 35... Once I got to marking his quiz, I got the hint for why so long time here... He wrote: "we will be heating up crucibles inside an evaporating dish. Once done, we will be adding the dried and cooled crucible to a salt solution."
The experiment was about determination of the unknown salt based on the mass before and after heating (heating removes water, and you can figure the salts out). And the crucible and evaporating dish are the same thing (they look like a small bowl). And why on earth would one put the bowl into the salt solution? To make pickled bowls???
Wow.
I can see an interesting semester coming up with this dude.
Another story from the last year.
I was TAing the same lab. And I usually like to TA in the middle of the lab (it's a HUGE room, that can fit 200 students and 10 TAs at a time. In the middle is the staff room. The techs are there and there's food usually. So it's a good spot. And since there's the counter, I can still check on my students while having sweets:)
The students have to wear they goggles at all times. They get a warning, if they don't. And the second warning will finish the lab for them. Last year the tech was Dan, and he was pretty strict. He was also learning russian. We got along well - joked around and tried to speak in Russian. And then one day he comes around and tells me that one of my students took off his goggles, and I gotta warn him (otherwise if he would, then he would be out the lab). I asked him, which one. He said "Tsörnõi", which means "black" in Russian. And so I look. I look at all the guys, they all have black hair, and I ask "a kakoi?" (which one)? He looks at me like I'm crazy, and says that there's only one. I'm still confused. Everyone is black....
Well, he meant the skin color, and I had only one such guy.
Long wires sometimes...
But I realized that one dude has been at this university longer than I have been. His student nr starts with 22, and mine starts with 35... Once I got to marking his quiz, I got the hint for why so long time here... He wrote: "we will be heating up crucibles inside an evaporating dish. Once done, we will be adding the dried and cooled crucible to a salt solution."
The experiment was about determination of the unknown salt based on the mass before and after heating (heating removes water, and you can figure the salts out). And the crucible and evaporating dish are the same thing (they look like a small bowl). And why on earth would one put the bowl into the salt solution? To make pickled bowls???
Wow.
I can see an interesting semester coming up with this dude.
Another story from the last year.
I was TAing the same lab. And I usually like to TA in the middle of the lab (it's a HUGE room, that can fit 200 students and 10 TAs at a time. In the middle is the staff room. The techs are there and there's food usually. So it's a good spot. And since there's the counter, I can still check on my students while having sweets:)
The students have to wear they goggles at all times. They get a warning, if they don't. And the second warning will finish the lab for them. Last year the tech was Dan, and he was pretty strict. He was also learning russian. We got along well - joked around and tried to speak in Russian. And then one day he comes around and tells me that one of my students took off his goggles, and I gotta warn him (otherwise if he would, then he would be out the lab). I asked him, which one. He said "Tsörnõi", which means "black" in Russian. And so I look. I look at all the guys, they all have black hair, and I ask "a kakoi?" (which one)? He looks at me like I'm crazy, and says that there's only one. I'm still confused. Everyone is black....
Well, he meant the skin color, and I had only one such guy.
Long wires sometimes...
Weekend of Celebrations
As it was said on Friday, I needed a drink. And a drink I got. Plus about 10 more:) As the old estonians already said, that if to do something, then do it properly.
We had our Welcome Week Annual Pub Crawl nr 3. It was LOTS of FUN! There are pictures on Facebook. Some drama was also part of it. Apparently we were not welcome at one bar, because we talk and it's disrespectful to musicians. Wow! The bar tells you not to come in and not to speak. Ok then, we can leave. But I'm pretty sure musicians like people over the empty room, and they also know that they play in the bar, where people talk. So that was weird. But whatever.
We got 37 or so people coming out! When we started 3 years ago we had 17, I think. So doubling the numbers! Yay! Honestly, if we have had more, then it would have been hard to handle.
We played a game with maps and finding people who have travelled to different places in the world, and connect the dots to spell DNA. Amazingly, some people found it difficult.
On our way to the other bar we got pulled over by a bike cop, because Fab was drinking beer. Nicole was trying to save the situation saying that he doesn't know and he just arrived from Europe (Fab came 3 years ago). The cop was not impressed, threw out the beer and made Fab to take the glass back. And he never explained, what was done wrong. But he was nice enough not to fine us.
We had another game where people had to form "clubs" and do certain things (take a pic with a beautiful stranger, apply for job, get a stranger to buy you a drink, make an animal out of plant material etc). That was very popular and lots of fun!
The third game was about posing with scientific and non scientific props. Wow - some sweet pics game from there. Plus, throughout adding some pieces of clothing (pink hat, red boa, feather boa), some shirts went missing. So we have some partial nudity on some pics.
And then we DANCED! A lot! So much fun!
At 2 we headed out, and the main group of 10 people, ended up at Fabiens place. We drank more and just chatted and played didgradioo, and checked out pictures. Some people snoozed.
At 4 we headed home. On our way we got some free pizza from the pizza place, that was already closed, but I guess they had some leftovers in "garbage":D
Saturday was End of Summer Extravaganza Party at Nicole and Ryan's place. Thankfully I recovered by that time. It was a Cocktail party:) Very, very nice. Fabulous drinks, chill being, just chatting and playing guitar hero... Very nice evening:)
We had our Welcome Week Annual Pub Crawl nr 3. It was LOTS of FUN! There are pictures on Facebook. Some drama was also part of it. Apparently we were not welcome at one bar, because we talk and it's disrespectful to musicians. Wow! The bar tells you not to come in and not to speak. Ok then, we can leave. But I'm pretty sure musicians like people over the empty room, and they also know that they play in the bar, where people talk. So that was weird. But whatever.
We got 37 or so people coming out! When we started 3 years ago we had 17, I think. So doubling the numbers! Yay! Honestly, if we have had more, then it would have been hard to handle.
We played a game with maps and finding people who have travelled to different places in the world, and connect the dots to spell DNA. Amazingly, some people found it difficult.
On our way to the other bar we got pulled over by a bike cop, because Fab was drinking beer. Nicole was trying to save the situation saying that he doesn't know and he just arrived from Europe (Fab came 3 years ago). The cop was not impressed, threw out the beer and made Fab to take the glass back. And he never explained, what was done wrong. But he was nice enough not to fine us.
We had another game where people had to form "clubs" and do certain things (take a pic with a beautiful stranger, apply for job, get a stranger to buy you a drink, make an animal out of plant material etc). That was very popular and lots of fun!
The third game was about posing with scientific and non scientific props. Wow - some sweet pics game from there. Plus, throughout adding some pieces of clothing (pink hat, red boa, feather boa), some shirts went missing. So we have some partial nudity on some pics.
And then we DANCED! A lot! So much fun!
At 2 we headed out, and the main group of 10 people, ended up at Fabiens place. We drank more and just chatted and played didgradioo, and checked out pictures. Some people snoozed.
At 4 we headed home. On our way we got some free pizza from the pizza place, that was already closed, but I guess they had some leftovers in "garbage":D
Saturday was End of Summer Extravaganza Party at Nicole and Ryan's place. Thankfully I recovered by that time. It was a Cocktail party:) Very, very nice. Fabulous drinks, chill being, just chatting and playing guitar hero... Very nice evening:)
Friday, September 12, 2008
kilbiga aka TAC done and just a home run left
Whenever I have had big things happening (usually school), my Mum always asked me right after: Kilbiga või Kilbi peal (with the shield or on the shield)? It always got me confused, but the point is that winners come out of the battle with the shield and the losers need to be carried out on the shield.
So today - I am with the shield:)
The TAC (Thesis Advisory Committee) meeting went very well. I guided them smoothly through my five years of science travels and showed them specifically how ready I am to write up. When I was done, I showed them my graph of 2008 with the goal to submit by December again, and told them, that now it's up to them to decide. And they said "ok". No comments. Just good to go!
Sweet!!!
I should do a few small experiments on the side, but that's not crucial for my thesis. And they gave me tips how to get around the externals questions and how not to set myself a trap. My TAC members are good!
I feel GREAT! I definitely enjoyed this meeting (thank you, Sujeeve, for reminding me). I felt how I was in control and how I knew my stuff. I was also ready to fight, if needed.
I have learned a lot since my first TAC meeting (it was quite a disaster). Most important is the confidence. What a journey...
Life IS good:)
I'm off for dinner with Leslie and Julia (and she has her defence date set - so all around good day). And after that there's our Pub Crawl:) Drink... I need a drink:)
And tomorrow - I will start writing. Wait, let's make it Monday. I need to celebrate:)
So today - I am with the shield:)
The TAC (Thesis Advisory Committee) meeting went very well. I guided them smoothly through my five years of science travels and showed them specifically how ready I am to write up. When I was done, I showed them my graph of 2008 with the goal to submit by December again, and told them, that now it's up to them to decide. And they said "ok". No comments. Just good to go!
Sweet!!!
I should do a few small experiments on the side, but that's not crucial for my thesis. And they gave me tips how to get around the externals questions and how not to set myself a trap. My TAC members are good!
I feel GREAT! I definitely enjoyed this meeting (thank you, Sujeeve, for reminding me). I felt how I was in control and how I knew my stuff. I was also ready to fight, if needed.
I have learned a lot since my first TAC meeting (it was quite a disaster). Most important is the confidence. What a journey...
Life IS good:)
I'm off for dinner with Leslie and Julia (and she has her defence date set - so all around good day). And after that there's our Pub Crawl:) Drink... I need a drink:)
And tomorrow - I will start writing. Wait, let's make it Monday. I need to celebrate:)
another last
I think I'm ready now. I have prepared my wheat paper to the best representable form (I wanted to submit it, but this was not meant to be before the meeting. It's quite ready though. Just my co-authors need to read it and agree) and I have my presentation ready. Short and sweet. With flowers in the corners. My meeting is at 10.30.
It's my last Thesis Advisory Committee meeting. If all goes well, they will sign one important piece of paper that will free me from all the compulsory things (seminars etc) and lets me concentrate purely on writing. And then the clock will start... to the finish line.
It feels interesting. It's like I can't wait for it to be over and done, but then again part of me holds back. I'm getting very close to this line that separates me from school. And behind the line there is life that I don't really know yet. New beginnings... Eeexciting!
I'm off to bed. To gather all the confidence and to prepare to be the "woman on mission" tomorrow:)
It's my last Thesis Advisory Committee meeting. If all goes well, they will sign one important piece of paper that will free me from all the compulsory things (seminars etc) and lets me concentrate purely on writing. And then the clock will start... to the finish line.
It feels interesting. It's like I can't wait for it to be over and done, but then again part of me holds back. I'm getting very close to this line that separates me from school. And behind the line there is life that I don't really know yet. New beginnings... Eeexciting!
I'm off to bed. To gather all the confidence and to prepare to be the "woman on mission" tomorrow:)
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Song of the night
So I'm here... Making figures for my paper. It's getting close to 2 am. Kristi and Mari-Liis came online. For them it's morning. I really, really like these moments, when I'm still in the deep night here, working away, and then good people arrive - fresh and happy:) It's like giving my shift over.
Earlier tonight I had a Barry White moment (my friend sent it to me to make me feel happier, and more "concentrated" as I had requested). And he sent me Barry White's "My everything". This reminded me Mari-Liis and long, long nights with vodka and Barry White back during my fourth year undergrad. Good times:) And then she arrived, and we also talked about the best drink in the world, the "single women drink", and how it's time to prepare some and savor some. Mmmm....
And then I came across this song "No Longer There" by Cat Empire. This seems to suit my tonights mood so well. The first part says
"And though you'd like to hear a song
That sings everything's all right
The temperature is warm
The fire horses sleep
So gently comes the night"
And this is exactly what I would like now. It doesn't have to be done singing, but I would like someone to say, that everything is alright and well, and all will work out. All I need to do is relax and breathe.
And actually - someone already did say so:) Thank you, S. :)
Earlier tonight I had a Barry White moment (my friend sent it to me to make me feel happier, and more "concentrated" as I had requested). And he sent me Barry White's "My everything". This reminded me Mari-Liis and long, long nights with vodka and Barry White back during my fourth year undergrad. Good times:) And then she arrived, and we also talked about the best drink in the world, the "single women drink", and how it's time to prepare some and savor some. Mmmm....
And then I came across this song "No Longer There" by Cat Empire. This seems to suit my tonights mood so well. The first part says
"And though you'd like to hear a song
That sings everything's all right
The temperature is warm
The fire horses sleep
So gently comes the night"
And this is exactly what I would like now. It doesn't have to be done singing, but I would like someone to say, that everything is alright and well, and all will work out. All I need to do is relax and breathe.
And actually - someone already did say so:) Thank you, S. :)
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
3 normal people left
Warning: the following piece is not particularly positive nor funny.
I don't know what have happened to people. Why are they all of the sudden so annoying and useless? And ALL of them. At the same time. Well, there are a few exceptions. But seriously, it feels that we are the last ones on Earth.
Example 1: I started TAing yesterday. I got 16 students and we started at 6.30 pm. I understand that people are tired, but so am I. Can't we just make it simple, so that I say something, once, and then they listen and act accordingly? But no, that would be too easy.
Example 2: there is this person who is responsible for sports events. Since we live in Ottawa, it's understandable, that most sports events happen during the summer, when it's warm outside and there's grass. Well, this summer we had ZERO events. And with a big fight (and external initiative) we got one event organized for today. I told the person everything what he needed to do on Monday. Just in case. Yesterday he talked about buying stuff (sports equipment). And told him, that we are not going to invest into something that we never use (as we saw this summer). This morning I went to work, and what is on my chair? - A soccer ball, a frisbee, a pump, and cones for soccer goals. All nicely labeled by Annoying Person nr 2, who was fast to praise her actions, and add that now we can't return them. - Oh, how perfect and wonderful, I thought. My face probably said something else.
But honestly - which part didn't the other party understand from the conversations that we are not going to buy any sports stuff???
Example 3: We had a scavenger hunt (for mostly new students to familiarize themselves with the campus) and then pizza social at 4 pm. And someone couldn't stop talking about how they want to do the hunt, cos they missed out on it last year, and once they did it, she couldn't leave the organizing person alone, because she wanted to know whether she won and what she's going to get. Can't people just be patient a little and just wait a little?? Besides, the organizing person is already under some stress, and they don't need any extra.
On top of that, she demanded the pizza delivered before 4, so SHE could get a piece and then leave for a class. Again - the pizza is there for people to get together and meet and chat. But - she did get what she wanted...
And so on...
Sometimes I think that I'm crazy that I expect the other people to listen, understand and then do what they promise. And sometimes I think that why do I even bother with organizing and helping to organize stuff for the general public? Reason nr 1 is that I want good events. And I know, if I'm not organizing it, they aint gonna happen. I'm not exaggerating when saying that most of the fun events we have right now are put in motion by my egoistic wish to have some fun. Reason Nr 2: I do like it. It feels incredibly pleasureful when another amazing event is done and people are happy with it. Reason nr 3 is that I'm the strong eastern european woman. I think it takes someone strong for a job like this. How else would you deal with all the useless and negative people?
My big meeting is on Friday. I think the stress from that doesn't help the situation. And then there will be Pub Crawl. I can't wait to have a drink. And another. And another...
I don't know what have happened to people. Why are they all of the sudden so annoying and useless? And ALL of them. At the same time. Well, there are a few exceptions. But seriously, it feels that we are the last ones on Earth.
Example 1: I started TAing yesterday. I got 16 students and we started at 6.30 pm. I understand that people are tired, but so am I. Can't we just make it simple, so that I say something, once, and then they listen and act accordingly? But no, that would be too easy.
Example 2: there is this person who is responsible for sports events. Since we live in Ottawa, it's understandable, that most sports events happen during the summer, when it's warm outside and there's grass. Well, this summer we had ZERO events. And with a big fight (and external initiative) we got one event organized for today. I told the person everything what he needed to do on Monday. Just in case. Yesterday he talked about buying stuff (sports equipment). And told him, that we are not going to invest into something that we never use (as we saw this summer). This morning I went to work, and what is on my chair? - A soccer ball, a frisbee, a pump, and cones for soccer goals. All nicely labeled by Annoying Person nr 2, who was fast to praise her actions, and add that now we can't return them. - Oh, how perfect and wonderful, I thought. My face probably said something else.
But honestly - which part didn't the other party understand from the conversations that we are not going to buy any sports stuff???
Example 3: We had a scavenger hunt (for mostly new students to familiarize themselves with the campus) and then pizza social at 4 pm. And someone couldn't stop talking about how they want to do the hunt, cos they missed out on it last year, and once they did it, she couldn't leave the organizing person alone, because she wanted to know whether she won and what she's going to get. Can't people just be patient a little and just wait a little?? Besides, the organizing person is already under some stress, and they don't need any extra.
On top of that, she demanded the pizza delivered before 4, so SHE could get a piece and then leave for a class. Again - the pizza is there for people to get together and meet and chat. But - she did get what she wanted...
And so on...
Sometimes I think that I'm crazy that I expect the other people to listen, understand and then do what they promise. And sometimes I think that why do I even bother with organizing and helping to organize stuff for the general public? Reason nr 1 is that I want good events. And I know, if I'm not organizing it, they aint gonna happen. I'm not exaggerating when saying that most of the fun events we have right now are put in motion by my egoistic wish to have some fun. Reason Nr 2: I do like it. It feels incredibly pleasureful when another amazing event is done and people are happy with it. Reason nr 3 is that I'm the strong eastern european woman. I think it takes someone strong for a job like this. How else would you deal with all the useless and negative people?
My big meeting is on Friday. I think the stress from that doesn't help the situation. And then there will be Pub Crawl. I can't wait to have a drink. And another. And another...
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Üks Aasta/One Year
My blog is one year old!
Time goes way too fast... I re-read some of the posts, and honestly, I felt like these things had JUST happened. But no, it was already a year ago.
Some things re-happen. For example, last September my oven broke. And this year, end of August, my oven broke again. It's ok now. Also - last September I went to the Art Gallery to see Renoir landscapes, and just this week I went to see 1930s exhibition. And we watched a movie with Teodora a year ago and now.
The most important moments from this year (not in too particular order):
- my Mum and aunt and cousin visiting - for the first time!
- first visitors from Estonia - Kristi and Margus
- visitors from elsewhere - Martin from Mexico and Kris from Belgium and Shigeo from Germany/Japan; PLUS of course meeting Mari-Liis, Liina and Monika in Toronto!! ;)
- Kullionu's baby
- passing Comprehensive exam II and giving PhD research seminar
- first accepted manuscript
- becoming BMIGSA President
- visiting Red Lake and Moosonee and Moose Factory
- being best Science Travels volunteer
- Liisa and Mihkel's wedding
- celebrating 5 year anniversary in Canada
- trying snowshoeing, skido and aerial park, rapper dance and capoeira
I hope I can keep up with the writing:) It's fun:)
I hope it's fun to read:)
By the way - I really like comments and feedback:) So don't be shy:)
I hope it's fun to read:)
By the way - I really like comments and feedback:) So don't be shy:)
SEEWA
Strong Eastern European Women Association.
Founded on Sept 5.2008.
And I'm a proud member.
Would you like to join? You don't need to be strong, nor a woman, you can join as a fan of SEEW :)
Recently there's always action in the air. We get together with great people and have a good time and great ideas appear. A few weeks (just before my Seminar) we went to see "Young people fucking" with Nastja and Vanja. Three Eastern European girls. It was a great movie and good times. I even thought I should design my seminar in six sections: prelude, foreplay, sex, interlude, orgasm, and afterglow. I didn't do it, because I couldn't decide where the big O would go or has it even happened yet.
Yesterday we went to see "I served the king of England". A wonderful movie! And this time there was more of us, all Eastern: Julia, Nastja, Vanja and Teodora and I.
After the movie we went and got some Czech beer and wanted to go and enjoy it on my porch. But then the message travelled that there is free beer and food at the Cafe Nostalgica. So we went there. Had a beer. And then we officially started our club:)
Immediate new member being Volga Romanova:) Her task for the night was to introduce herself with the true accent.
The night continued with more beer and putting together the board of directors - all the guys who decided to step by. Lem being the President. The funniest was the time when Julia pointed out one of my ex students. Oleg. And Volga and I ran after him to get him to join the club. And Volga introduced herself. Little did we know, that her last name was the same as our newest member.
What a night.
Good times though:)
And this morning there was another club idea raised: WSOELA (Want Some Of Evelin's Lovin' Association). Accepting members now.
Founded on Sept 5.2008.
And I'm a proud member.
Would you like to join? You don't need to be strong, nor a woman, you can join as a fan of SEEW :)
Recently there's always action in the air. We get together with great people and have a good time and great ideas appear. A few weeks (just before my Seminar) we went to see "Young people fucking" with Nastja and Vanja. Three Eastern European girls. It was a great movie and good times. I even thought I should design my seminar in six sections: prelude, foreplay, sex, interlude, orgasm, and afterglow. I didn't do it, because I couldn't decide where the big O would go or has it even happened yet.
Yesterday we went to see "I served the king of England". A wonderful movie! And this time there was more of us, all Eastern: Julia, Nastja, Vanja and Teodora and I.
After the movie we went and got some Czech beer and wanted to go and enjoy it on my porch. But then the message travelled that there is free beer and food at the Cafe Nostalgica. So we went there. Had a beer. And then we officially started our club:)
Immediate new member being Volga Romanova:) Her task for the night was to introduce herself with the true accent.The night continued with more beer and putting together the board of directors - all the guys who decided to step by. Lem being the President. The funniest was the time when Julia pointed out one of my ex students. Oleg. And Volga and I ran after him to get him to join the club. And Volga introduced herself. Little did we know, that her last name was the same as our newest member.
What a night.
Good times though:)
And this morning there was another club idea raised: WSOELA (Want Some Of Evelin's Lovin' Association). Accepting members now.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Jenn and Evelin and Wine aka ask and you shall receive
Thursday night.
"Evelin wants to go for a date... 7:44pm" (status on one cool corner on the internet)
The weather was so amazing and I felt SO restless. I really would have liked to go for a date. Just to have a good time and forget about the everyday stuff. I couldn't make it happen.
"Evelin wants to go for a date... But drinks wine with Jenn instead. Much better anyway:) 8:38pm"
"Jenn and Evelin are drinking wine together...but apart...and fileting the smelly fish. 8:45pm" (Jenn's status)
We chatted and drank wine (with the help of gmail). I only had one glass, but I felt how it had a great impact on my cheeks. Chatting was good. I really needed it. I needed to set some things straight. And my vision (for that particular question) was slightly impaired.
The result: Even though it's not 100% black and white, the Operation Kalake needs to end.
Again - I'm so happy I have so wonderful friends.
Later I was updating Facebook with the Operation Chair pics. And then I get a message:
11:58 Thursday night... it is dark...
"I hope your evening is going splendid, it is Thursday, night, all dark, not a hint of light remains. Soon it will be Friday.
And it seems you may be having drinks with Jenn; thanks Facebook for the inside scoop, but then, also you may have wanted to go for a date, so I am sorry you missed out on this, but then, it is nice you got to have some drink time with Jenn...perhaps a date will present soon.
In any event, hope your weekend is shaping up splendidly - with any luck you will not be soooo busy and you can take some time to enjoy the fall air and orange trees."
The following events in short:
- first short chat on random topics
- "wanna meet up"
- "yes"
- "where?"
- "under the clock"
- "ok"
I was in my PJs already, but a sentence was said raising a very good point "If you would live for all the busy tomorrows, you would have many empty yesterdays"
00:45 we met up and had a past midnight walk around Parliament buildings. Very random. But so fun in its randomness.
So yes, ask, and you shall receive...
"Evelin wants to go for a date... 7:44pm" (status on one cool corner on the internet)
The weather was so amazing and I felt SO restless. I really would have liked to go for a date. Just to have a good time and forget about the everyday stuff. I couldn't make it happen.
"Evelin wants to go for a date... But drinks wine with Jenn instead. Much better anyway:) 8:38pm"
"Jenn and Evelin are drinking wine together...but apart...and fileting the smelly fish. 8:45pm" (Jenn's status)
We chatted and drank wine (with the help of gmail). I only had one glass, but I felt how it had a great impact on my cheeks. Chatting was good. I really needed it. I needed to set some things straight. And my vision (for that particular question) was slightly impaired.
The result: Even though it's not 100% black and white, the Operation Kalake needs to end.
Again - I'm so happy I have so wonderful friends.
Later I was updating Facebook with the Operation Chair pics. And then I get a message:
11:58 Thursday night... it is dark...
"I hope your evening is going splendid, it is Thursday, night, all dark, not a hint of light remains. Soon it will be Friday.
And it seems you may be having drinks with Jenn; thanks Facebook for the inside scoop, but then, also you may have wanted to go for a date, so I am sorry you missed out on this, but then, it is nice you got to have some drink time with Jenn...perhaps a date will present soon.
In any event, hope your weekend is shaping up splendidly - with any luck you will not be soooo busy and you can take some time to enjoy the fall air and orange trees."
The following events in short:
- first short chat on random topics
- "wanna meet up"
- "yes"
- "where?"
- "under the clock"
- "ok"
I was in my PJs already, but a sentence was said raising a very good point "If you would live for all the busy tomorrows, you would have many empty yesterdays"
00:45 we met up and had a past midnight walk around Parliament buildings. Very random. But so fun in its randomness.
So yes, ask, and you shall receive...
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
white flag raising
Vacation. I need one. Now. I need to vacationate. Otherwise this ship will go down.
Julia and Leslie and I had this crazy and cool idea to go to Vancouver. But then the right time got missed somehow, so now it's not on for sure.
But - I talked to Alvaro today (the very first person I met in Ottawa. Poor guy - he got squeezed between the doors with his big bag and coffee, because I was too absentminded to hold the door). He was here for a year (I think. The numerous mexican parties are interfering with my memories), and now he's back in Mexico, in Queretaro. He sort of invited me to visit him. Hmmmm... So that's an idea. Plus, Martin lives in Mexico City and I would love to see him as well. So maybe I should make a random trip to Mexico?
Or where else could I go?
Halifax with Ewelina is always the top choice.
Brussels with Kullionu and the crowd. Actually, currently she is the number one person I want to see.
Paris - Nazim and co. It would be fun for sure.
Barcelona. I don't know anyone there, but the city is amazing.
Or a tropical island? But then I need someone to go with... Anyone wanting to go anywhere soon?
Algonquin park and camping would be amazing too. And perhaps more reasonable. Only a few hours from Ottawa.
Actually... I think I could even go for a date, and that would help. But... I think it's easier to go to a tropical island than find a date in Ottawa. Or should I pick Paris and everything could be solved?
Julia and Leslie and I had this crazy and cool idea to go to Vancouver. But then the right time got missed somehow, so now it's not on for sure.
But - I talked to Alvaro today (the very first person I met in Ottawa. Poor guy - he got squeezed between the doors with his big bag and coffee, because I was too absentminded to hold the door). He was here for a year (I think. The numerous mexican parties are interfering with my memories), and now he's back in Mexico, in Queretaro. He sort of invited me to visit him. Hmmmm... So that's an idea. Plus, Martin lives in Mexico City and I would love to see him as well. So maybe I should make a random trip to Mexico?
Or where else could I go?
Halifax with Ewelina is always the top choice.
Brussels with Kullionu and the crowd. Actually, currently she is the number one person I want to see.
Paris - Nazim and co. It would be fun for sure.
Barcelona. I don't know anyone there, but the city is amazing.
Or a tropical island? But then I need someone to go with... Anyone wanting to go anywhere soon?
Algonquin park and camping would be amazing too. And perhaps more reasonable. Only a few hours from Ottawa.
Actually... I think I could even go for a date, and that would help. But... I think it's easier to go to a tropical island than find a date in Ottawa. Or should I pick Paris and everything could be solved?
and She's on interenet now
Kullionu started a blog!
This is amazing! I have been waiting for this day to arrive. I love reading blogs:) It's my time to relax and drift into the different worlds...
And Kullionu is a spectacular narrator!
They are in Brussels now...
I can't wait to go and visit them!
This is amazing! I have been waiting for this day to arrive. I love reading blogs:) It's my time to relax and drift into the different worlds...
And Kullionu is a spectacular narrator!
They are in Brussels now...
I can't wait to go and visit them!
balance
Life is funny sometimes. Just when you are getting close to the bottom, something happens to give you a little push to set you on your way up.
I have gazillion things to do and the waves seem to be closing above my head. And some annoying people around are not helping with their existence. So this morning I was ready to bite heads off. It was the day of our labs fieldtrip, and I was running late with my experiment setting up. And they decided to leave me behind and lock me out of the lab. I was not too happy. I even thought maybe boycotting the event. But - I can't do that. It might be fun:)
So I followed them and all worked out perfectly, as I they kept me a spot in the lineup. Perfect. And I just made it on time for our lab's official picture taking. We enjoyed the free BBQ hosted by GSAED in downtown. I got my ISIC card done (who knows when it might become handy). And I got my agenda - finally! I think that was another reason for overwhelmness - my agenda was finished last week.
Anyway - the food was good, the company was good.
And then our lab formed this secretive circle on the edge of the field, away from the food tent (I almost missed out, as I was wondering around). And we had a small end-of-the-summer ceremony. Will and Adam got small souvenirs as a thank you for their hard work all summer with the Solaromics grant. And then, out of the blue, I was in the middle of the attention. Illimar said that I am our labs next "exiter", and that he was happy with my seminar, and he also liked me "coming out" (I wasn't quite sure what did he mean by that) and that they, as the lab, are worried about how I dress, they presented me with a gift. It was a t-shirt with the Salvador Dali's painting on it. Very cute. And appropriate, as it's about an egg and the birth of a new person.
Very symbolic.
I'm so happy! Ikkagi inimesed. (English: "Still humans". The line comes from one Estonian movie. It was said by crazy lady from the capital after the simple farmer helped her with something).
And then we went to the Art Gallery to see the 1930s exhibition (where "my picture" was presented as well). It was great! So interesting to see how the artists portrayed the messed up world in the 30s. I even found a perfect painting for my theses' frontis piece (Max Ernst, Landscape of Wheat Germ).
On our way there and back we had many inspirational spiels by Illimar (at some point we got yelled at by a homeless person, who thought we are taking up his space. Wow.)
Illimar also gave me a great pep-talk, that I really needed to hear (that the seminar was good, and that I'm on my way out, and that I have knowledge, and I look like a scientist...).
To finish all this we speedwalked to Cafe Nostalgica to have some beer. It was amazing. And it disappeared like water from the sauna oven stones. Did I say, it was pretty hot today? It was. Really nice. But if you make too fast moves, you get sweaty.
And by 6 I was back in the lab.
Full circle.
I have gazillion things to do and the waves seem to be closing above my head. And some annoying people around are not helping with their existence. So this morning I was ready to bite heads off. It was the day of our labs fieldtrip, and I was running late with my experiment setting up. And they decided to leave me behind and lock me out of the lab. I was not too happy. I even thought maybe boycotting the event. But - I can't do that. It might be fun:)
So I followed them and all worked out perfectly, as I they kept me a spot in the lineup. Perfect. And I just made it on time for our lab's official picture taking. We enjoyed the free BBQ hosted by GSAED in downtown. I got my ISIC card done (who knows when it might become handy). And I got my agenda - finally! I think that was another reason for overwhelmness - my agenda was finished last week.
Anyway - the food was good, the company was good.
And then our lab formed this secretive circle on the edge of the field, away from the food tent (I almost missed out, as I was wondering around). And we had a small end-of-the-summer ceremony. Will and Adam got small souvenirs as a thank you for their hard work all summer with the Solaromics grant. And then, out of the blue, I was in the middle of the attention. Illimar said that I am our labs next "exiter", and that he was happy with my seminar, and he also liked me "coming out" (I wasn't quite sure what did he mean by that) and that they, as the lab, are worried about how I dress, they presented me with a gift. It was a t-shirt with the Salvador Dali's painting on it. Very cute. And appropriate, as it's about an egg and the birth of a new person.
Very symbolic.
I'm so happy! Ikkagi inimesed. (English: "Still humans". The line comes from one Estonian movie. It was said by crazy lady from the capital after the simple farmer helped her with something).
And then we went to the Art Gallery to see the 1930s exhibition (where "my picture" was presented as well). It was great! So interesting to see how the artists portrayed the messed up world in the 30s. I even found a perfect painting for my theses' frontis piece (Max Ernst, Landscape of Wheat Germ).
On our way there and back we had many inspirational spiels by Illimar (at some point we got yelled at by a homeless person, who thought we are taking up his space. Wow.)
Illimar also gave me a great pep-talk, that I really needed to hear (that the seminar was good, and that I'm on my way out, and that I have knowledge, and I look like a scientist...).
To finish all this we speedwalked to Cafe Nostalgica to have some beer. It was amazing. And it disappeared like water from the sauna oven stones. Did I say, it was pretty hot today? It was. Really nice. But if you make too fast moves, you get sweaty.
And by 6 I was back in the lab.
Full circle.
Monday, September 1, 2008
September 1
My last 1st of September that is the true “back to school” day.
There have been 21 1st of Septembers that I have been actively participated in. That’s a lot!
1987 - I was 7 and I went to school. For the very first time (I couldn’t attend the kindergarten, because I was allergic to milk, so I just grew up on my own with my grandfather at the countryside, being the daughter of oceans and winds). But I started from the grade 2 (why bother with grade 1, if you can skip it?) I was so excited: There will be people! My Mum walked me to school (that was the only time she did that). I had a huge bouquet of gladioluses (my favorite flowers then) for my teacher. I had a white shirt and pleaded skirt. I saw so many people. I met my class teacher Ene Saar. She seemed very nice. She stayed as my teacher until grade 4. But we still talk until this day.
On my way home I met my classmate Urmas. He lived just next door. His sister was the best student in my school. We became friends for the first year. But then at some point I met the girls, and then somehow it wasn’t cool anymore to play with boys. How sad.
1995 – I started high school. I can’t remember much about the years between this year and the first year. It was exciting too. I stayed at my old school. But there were new people. And for the first time I was in grade 12A. Until that year I had always been in B. We also had a C. Obviously there is always the rivalry between the groups. And A always sort of means the elite. I was also now in the same class with Ingmar, who had been my secret crush for years (before he was in A). And I was in the same class as Kullionu, my best friend. We did so many things over the three years of high school.
And we got a new class teacher Tiina. She was the English teacher. She had just started at the school (fresh graduate), and we didn’t make her life easy. She actually finished teaching high schools with us after grade 12.
1997 – starting grade 12. Big day. I had a yellow shirt and way too short skirt. I got to hold Jaanikas (Reelika’s cousin) hand and walk her in through the school doors. It’s the tradition we have, that the leaving class brings the first graders in. I think I still brought gladioluses to my teacher.
1998 – I started university. University of Tartu, first year of Biology (I was convinced that Biology is not my calling. But through the evil chance I had just failed the attempt to become a student in Public Administration. I just thought that I will switch the field during the first year. I never did.). We started together with Kullionu (she was in Estonian language). We moved to Tartu together, lived together on the Rahu st, in a tiny cubicle room, with a crazy lady as a landlady (she loved to steel our spoons, and she had a very adventurous tool to make curly hair – iron rod that she heated up on the oven element). We didn’t have money to pay for the bus.
The first day we went to the big welcome speech at the main building. It was a sunny and very hot day. There were way too many people in one room. Poor Kullionu couldn’t take it and she passed out. That was the highlight of the day Afternoon we walked on the Toome hill, dreaming about the future. Where we would be in 5 years, we thought. I don’t think I had any deep thoughts on that. I just thought I would be done and probably have a job. How boring… And I would have never guessed I would be in Canada… and grad school. No way. Only crazy people do grad school. And quite honestly, I don’t think I even knew what grad school meant.
Maybe in 5 years from now I will be a diplomat in New Zealand? Just a thought.
2002 – I started my Masters in Biology at the University of Tartu. I had worked in the bank all summer, and I even considered staying there. But it just seemed a now challenging enough. So I came for Masters. I remember I was walking to the lab on the September 1st, and stopped to sit at the fountain in front of the library. I was thinking, is it really what I want? Am I happy here? I know I wasn’t happy. But I didn’t have an alternative plan either.
The afternoon we gathered around the Jakob Hurt sculpture to start our (Biology frosh) intro walk. All was good – there was ethanol mixed with orange juice (for “elder”) and ethanol mixed with some cheap drink mix for the freshmen. While the “elder” were sitting and drinking and chatting (some of our year were still finishing their undergrad, some were in grad school. There was lots to talk about – past and future), the “newbies” got tied together with the rope and they were drinking (with the faster pace) their drinks. And then we started the walk to introduce all the important places in Tartu. As usual, 10 minutes into the walk, nobody had any memories to be recollected of the event.
2003 – I was in Ottawa. I wanted to start my Masters here. I couldn’t start in September. But yet I was working at the lab and I was technically a student. I went to all the free BBQ’s with Julianne. I also got myself an ISIC card made. And I got it. I wasn’t even a student at that time. The sun was shining. I was happy. Good days were ahead.
2004 – I was already the Master’s student at the University of Ottawa. Same things as a year before: Free BBQs and agenda and everything else that’s free. I was thinking that it could be my last one, so I need to enjoy.
2006 – I was still at the University of Ottawa. I was in the PhD program. I attended every single free food event. I was becoming active at our graduate student council and I organized the very first Welcome Week Pub Crawl. It was successful. This year, 2008, it’s going to be the third one. For me it’s going to be the last one – to organize and to attend.
2008 – Twenty and more years later – I’m still at school. University of Ottawa. September 1st is still a special day. But the end is near. Today was sunny and warm. I spent it relaxing and thinking of the past and future. I had pho with Julia and Leslie. I feel happy. And the future is exciting. I wonder where I will be in one year. Vancouver? Paris? Tanzania?
There have been 21 1st of Septembers that I have been actively participated in. That’s a lot!
1987 - I was 7 and I went to school. For the very first time (I couldn’t attend the kindergarten, because I was allergic to milk, so I just grew up on my own with my grandfather at the countryside, being the daughter of oceans and winds). But I started from the grade 2 (why bother with grade 1, if you can skip it?) I was so excited: There will be people! My Mum walked me to school (that was the only time she did that). I had a huge bouquet of gladioluses (my favorite flowers then) for my teacher. I had a white shirt and pleaded skirt. I saw so many people. I met my class teacher Ene Saar. She seemed very nice. She stayed as my teacher until grade 4. But we still talk until this day.
On my way home I met my classmate Urmas. He lived just next door. His sister was the best student in my school. We became friends for the first year. But then at some point I met the girls, and then somehow it wasn’t cool anymore to play with boys. How sad.
1995 – I started high school. I can’t remember much about the years between this year and the first year. It was exciting too. I stayed at my old school. But there were new people. And for the first time I was in grade 12A. Until that year I had always been in B. We also had a C. Obviously there is always the rivalry between the groups. And A always sort of means the elite. I was also now in the same class with Ingmar, who had been my secret crush for years (before he was in A). And I was in the same class as Kullionu, my best friend. We did so many things over the three years of high school.
And we got a new class teacher Tiina. She was the English teacher. She had just started at the school (fresh graduate), and we didn’t make her life easy. She actually finished teaching high schools with us after grade 12.
1997 – starting grade 12. Big day. I had a yellow shirt and way too short skirt. I got to hold Jaanikas (Reelika’s cousin) hand and walk her in through the school doors. It’s the tradition we have, that the leaving class brings the first graders in. I think I still brought gladioluses to my teacher.
1998 – I started university. University of Tartu, first year of Biology (I was convinced that Biology is not my calling. But through the evil chance I had just failed the attempt to become a student in Public Administration. I just thought that I will switch the field during the first year. I never did.). We started together with Kullionu (she was in Estonian language). We moved to Tartu together, lived together on the Rahu st, in a tiny cubicle room, with a crazy lady as a landlady (she loved to steel our spoons, and she had a very adventurous tool to make curly hair – iron rod that she heated up on the oven element). We didn’t have money to pay for the bus.
The first day we went to the big welcome speech at the main building. It was a sunny and very hot day. There were way too many people in one room. Poor Kullionu couldn’t take it and she passed out. That was the highlight of the day Afternoon we walked on the Toome hill, dreaming about the future. Where we would be in 5 years, we thought. I don’t think I had any deep thoughts on that. I just thought I would be done and probably have a job. How boring… And I would have never guessed I would be in Canada… and grad school. No way. Only crazy people do grad school. And quite honestly, I don’t think I even knew what grad school meant.
Maybe in 5 years from now I will be a diplomat in New Zealand? Just a thought.
2002 – I started my Masters in Biology at the University of Tartu. I had worked in the bank all summer, and I even considered staying there. But it just seemed a now challenging enough. So I came for Masters. I remember I was walking to the lab on the September 1st, and stopped to sit at the fountain in front of the library. I was thinking, is it really what I want? Am I happy here? I know I wasn’t happy. But I didn’t have an alternative plan either.
The afternoon we gathered around the Jakob Hurt sculpture to start our (Biology frosh) intro walk. All was good – there was ethanol mixed with orange juice (for “elder”) and ethanol mixed with some cheap drink mix for the freshmen. While the “elder” were sitting and drinking and chatting (some of our year were still finishing their undergrad, some were in grad school. There was lots to talk about – past and future), the “newbies” got tied together with the rope and they were drinking (with the faster pace) their drinks. And then we started the walk to introduce all the important places in Tartu. As usual, 10 minutes into the walk, nobody had any memories to be recollected of the event.
2003 – I was in Ottawa. I wanted to start my Masters here. I couldn’t start in September. But yet I was working at the lab and I was technically a student. I went to all the free BBQ’s with Julianne. I also got myself an ISIC card made. And I got it. I wasn’t even a student at that time. The sun was shining. I was happy. Good days were ahead.
2004 – I was already the Master’s student at the University of Ottawa. Same things as a year before: Free BBQs and agenda and everything else that’s free. I was thinking that it could be my last one, so I need to enjoy.
2006 – I was still at the University of Ottawa. I was in the PhD program. I attended every single free food event. I was becoming active at our graduate student council and I organized the very first Welcome Week Pub Crawl. It was successful. This year, 2008, it’s going to be the third one. For me it’s going to be the last one – to organize and to attend.
2008 – Twenty and more years later – I’m still at school. University of Ottawa. September 1st is still a special day. But the end is near. Today was sunny and warm. I spent it relaxing and thinking of the past and future. I had pho with Julia and Leslie. I feel happy. And the future is exciting. I wonder where I will be in one year. Vancouver? Paris? Tanzania?
Happy new (last) year aka I kissed a girl
What a day! I participated in the September rush in so many ways.
* I participated in the moving mania, as I helped Sylvain to get a desk transported from Julias place to my place. It was quite an adventure as we carried/wheeled it ALL the way through the market to Sandy Hill. It made it. In one piece:)
* Sylvain moved out. It was a little sad, because I just started to get used to having a roomie. He might move back for some more days, but I'm not sure what's the story is.
* I felt emotional that it's another school year starting and it's going to be MY very LAST one. Yes, I want to be done, but I also don't want this moment to go...
* Leslie and I celebrated the end of summer with Sangria at the sunshine. We chatted and detoxed... It was simply amazing and nice!
* We smoothly made it our way to Julia's and made some more Sangria. And then sat on the balcony, watched people (whom we seemed to know, but who ignored us, except Mark) and horses and made plans. Simply wonderful. As the liquid level decreased accordingly with the level of light... It was time to move on.
* I found a chair I wanted (from Julias basement). So I decided to take it with me. And then the adventure started. I laughed SO much, that my abs (and my arms) are seriously sore today.
* We had a few more Sangrias at my place and got ready and danced and hula hooped.
$
* We went to the Russian party. It was fun, except the crazy girl on the door, who said that we look too normal, and this is not a school girl costume. So we paid the cover, and told her that we are not going to spend any more money at this place. And we didn't. And then she started to tell me, how pretty I look and how she loves my eyelashes... I walked away quickly.
The rest of the night was pretty simple. We danced and it was fun. I got confused in the washroom: I asked two girls that are they in the lineup, and they said, no, we work here. Hmmmm... Interesting. And then I was dancing and all of the sudden my back and ass got wet. The guys behind me cheered to excitedly and lost their liqueur, and I happened to be positioned lower than their drinks. They were terribly sorry and wanted to by me a drink. I said no first, but then we talked a bit. And it turned out that the guy had a PhD in neuroscience and he was doing his MBA and he was planning to go to work in Estonia!!! "What???" , I thought. You gotta be kidding me. It sounded very odd. It sounded like he knew exactly who I was and was trying to pick me up. But I'm pretty sure he didn't know me. And he didn't seem like the "typical bar guy". But still, what would be a guy with a PhD do at the Russian party? But then again, I was there too, plus Leslie and Julia and Anastassia... we are not much different. We just came to dance.
But he was definitely the oddest person I have ever met in the bar.
* We had pizza at Mozzarella's (the best pizza place in town). Julia and I have some great memories from that place.
* And at 3 am I was at home:)
All and all - very good day and night! I have wonderful friends!
$PS! I kissed a girl! I like it! - it's (just) a song by Kate Perry.
I talked to Nazim today, and he reminded me about one related moment in my past... It might be too much to post it, but definitely there have been lots of good times.
* I participated in the moving mania, as I helped Sylvain to get a desk transported from Julias place to my place. It was quite an adventure as we carried/wheeled it ALL the way through the market to Sandy Hill. It made it. In one piece:)
* Sylvain moved out. It was a little sad, because I just started to get used to having a roomie. He might move back for some more days, but I'm not sure what's the story is.
* I felt emotional that it's another school year starting and it's going to be MY very LAST one. Yes, I want to be done, but I also don't want this moment to go...
* Leslie and I celebrated the end of summer with Sangria at the sunshine. We chatted and detoxed... It was simply amazing and nice!
* We smoothly made it our way to Julia's and made some more Sangria. And then sat on the balcony, watched people (whom we seemed to know, but who ignored us, except Mark) and horses and made plans. Simply wonderful. As the liquid level decreased accordingly with the level of light... It was time to move on.
* I found a chair I wanted (from Julias basement). So I decided to take it with me. And then the adventure started. I laughed SO much, that my abs (and my arms) are seriously sore today.
* We had a few more Sangrias at my place and got ready and danced and hula hooped.
$
* We went to the Russian party. It was fun, except the crazy girl on the door, who said that we look too normal, and this is not a school girl costume. So we paid the cover, and told her that we are not going to spend any more money at this place. And we didn't. And then she started to tell me, how pretty I look and how she loves my eyelashes... I walked away quickly.
The rest of the night was pretty simple. We danced and it was fun. I got confused in the washroom: I asked two girls that are they in the lineup, and they said, no, we work here. Hmmmm... Interesting. And then I was dancing and all of the sudden my back and ass got wet. The guys behind me cheered to excitedly and lost their liqueur, and I happened to be positioned lower than their drinks. They were terribly sorry and wanted to by me a drink. I said no first, but then we talked a bit. And it turned out that the guy had a PhD in neuroscience and he was doing his MBA and he was planning to go to work in Estonia!!! "What???" , I thought. You gotta be kidding me. It sounded very odd. It sounded like he knew exactly who I was and was trying to pick me up. But I'm pretty sure he didn't know me. And he didn't seem like the "typical bar guy". But still, what would be a guy with a PhD do at the Russian party? But then again, I was there too, plus Leslie and Julia and Anastassia... we are not much different. We just came to dance.
But he was definitely the oddest person I have ever met in the bar.
* We had pizza at Mozzarella's (the best pizza place in town). Julia and I have some great memories from that place.
* And at 3 am I was at home:)
All and all - very good day and night! I have wonderful friends!
$PS! I kissed a girl! I like it! - it's (just) a song by Kate Perry.
I talked to Nazim today, and he reminded me about one related moment in my past... It might be too much to post it, but definitely there have been lots of good times.
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