My blackboard is filling up, but surprisingly only with things I'm looking forward to doing. School work thus far has been very fulfilling, even enjoyable to this point. It's surprising, for once I have nothing to complain about.

My push on the Halotis Moon Project has really begun to pickup steam. Today I had a round table discussion with two of my profs and a graduate student concerning robotic design, environmental design considerations, mining machinery and mining techniques. I think I have enough reading material for a month. I just can't allow myself to become bogged down with the billion distractions that surround me here.

On the note of distraction, I checked my email today, only to find a note from a long time friend sitting atop a huge list of unread mail. Seeing the name I thought to leave it till later but then, rethinking my level of hunger I opened it.

"Hi Colum,

I hope I'm not disturbing you. I just read your most recent post to the Relentless and was completely blown away. I was so leveled that I showed it later to some colleagues whom I had over for dinner. Having only an idea about the Relentless from what I've mentioned to them before they were equally impressed. You've written incredibly moving action and drama pieces before and this was no different, the only difference here is that Greg, a very close colleague of mine asked for a print-out of this post and several others. I obliged and then asked why. He told me that his wife's friend worked with TOR and that she had mentioned to his wife that if she came across any talent to forward it her way.

So Greg offered to pass this along to her and you know, see what happens. Figuring nothing much would happen, but feeling it would seem good to give it a shot I handed over several of our posts to him. You won't believe this.

TOR called me first thing this morning. I gave them your email, but they wanted your phone number, they wanted everything, I called Marty first thing, and had him setup a readers account on the forum for them. They want to read through all our posts and see, they apparently loved what they saw_


-Kes"

Who's leveled now?
I don't even know where I am anymore.

The craziness continues to mount. There is usually a curve to the work load, they're nice enough to ease you into it, but this year it's somewhat more exponential than I'm accustomed to. Perhaps this feeling is an artifact of my rather intuitive, easy going summer job. Regardless, I just read a great piece articulating what I'm going through to the letter. You can read it here by clicking here.

The article is really quite good, But I just found myself thinking the whole way through, why didn't you just stick with it. But then I realized, that's the entire mindset he's criticizing, and I suppose I represent that invading foreign brain power he so often mentions.

But regardless of work, I went on a spur-of-the-moment road trip this weekend. It was a great escape. A long over due break from the city and the prospect of mounting workloads. For reasons all to frustrating to mention I had a car rented to run errands on Saturday. The good people at Budget gave me unlimited kilometers, so naturally we made them regret it.

With hastily packed bags we burst onto the highway and out across rural Nova Scotia with our sights set on Amherst and surrounding area. You know, a highway with a speed limit of 110 kph is so much more practical. Everyone always does 20 kph over the maximum anyway, so this just makes driving at 130 kph acceptable. However, it wasn't uncommon to see cars passing by at what must have been 150 kph or faster, a rare occurrence at home.

Either way, after passing through miles of featureless forest, toll highways, a massive Short wave radio array, and driving alongside a never ending freight train we finally made it. Total Roadkill count: 1 raccoon (near miss).

I must say, I enjoy spending time with Jen's Grandparents. They remind me of my own grandparents. Talking to them transports me back to the time when I could spend time with my Granda, Nanny, and Dad Ryan. It was something I unfortunately took for granted back then, too young to understand that they wouldn't be here forever. I do adore Jen's Grandparents, they're some of the sweetest, nicest people I've ever met and an untold secret, they're perhaps the main reason I enjoy going to Amherst so much. When time and tiredness allowed we took in the local sights, stopping to crawl through the remains of Fort Lawrence, old french fort, one that the British and loyalist forces thankfully crushed.


But either way, it was nice. An old farm house, classic farming country, and being one of only a handfull of the non-obese people around. Crickets, cows, forest, everything the city couldn't provide including the rural styled night life. But that's the subject of another post, one that I'll write and post after I see a counsellor to come to terms with what I saw and what happened.

It's been quite some time since I've posted here, but then again, It's been quite sometime since I've had any real free time to post.

The list of things to do, get, buy, setup, install, and apply for continues to grow.
My window treatments (read: blinds) are becoming an insanely complicated project. Who knew that the construction of the building would limit what kind of blinds I could put up.

Atleast I'm in a city I love amongst people I love.

Now that I think about it, in August I was a little wary about coming back.
I wasn't sure what I was coming back to.
I was feeling some uncertainty about where this fall would lead or how it would fit into my plan.
But now it's kind of strange, all that turbulence, all those doubts, they're like a distant memory, just as if they were some foggy insignificant childhood memory, something to be conjured up amongst beers, amongst friends when fishing for a laugh.

Everytime I come back to this City it feels more like home.
It's warmer here.
The weather is nicer.
The people are just as nice.
No hurricanes this year, well atleast none yet.

The more I stay here, the more I can see myself staying here.
....
I really hate this hassle,
I don't think I'll be moving again for a while...
Well, at the very least, I'll be giving up my current routine of moving twice a year.

Skaken, stirred, and blurred.
I'm not sure what should be the word.
But strangely I'm not disturbed.

I'll step back,
pretending,
winking,
smiling.

Then I'll do what I do best.
I'll vanish.
But before the flash,
I'll smile...
and not give a fuck.

It's funny you know. This city isn't that large, yet it can blot out the rest of the universe. It's not the pride of the people I'm referring to but the light and the waste.
I love looking at the stars, but here I can't.
They're drowned, masked in an ugly persistent orange glow. The glow so characteristic of western civilization.

I have no Television (yet), no phone (yet), no internet (yet). Seemingly, I've been left to drift by the telecomm giants.

Yet I have entertainment.
My window, a kaleidoscope of lives. As far to the left, as far to the right as I can see. The colors, the shapes, the lights, continually change. We've given names to the different sights, names which have stuck like the names of different television channels

The Evangelists
A window to the left reads, "Hi Friends! Jesus is the lord." A Canadian light lamp gives the paint a weak backlight, but enough that it can be read.
At first I thought it was a joke, but then, after other casual glances, different arrangements of the drapes, and changing lighting, it became obvious it wasn't. A large dark cross hangs on their wall, near the ceiling. A picture of the Virgin Mary graces the wall opposite, and then of course the people themselves. They remind me fully of the people we (in days of greater and inexcusable immaturity) made fun of. People of my age, they gather on their knees in their living room. As I wander into my kitchen, just awakened, they are already kneeling, praying it would seem. Food for thought and faith it would seem.

The Asian Nation
Astonishingly, in the center is a window which by last count housed at least eight Asian students. As the drapes move about, bunk beds are evident. Every room a Bedroom, Two bunks in the Living room. Ikea. There's arm waving, pointing, and when the wind is still, shouting. I can imagine the frustration with the crowding. It's the drama channel.

The Lusty Latinos
As everyone here knows, there have been some issues in installing blinds and drapes and as a result the super has simply been overwhelmed with requests for installation. Hence, few, if any have established their privacy. But to put it short, this couple doesn't care, or doesn't notice. Every night, same time, same place. Just to the upper right. How'd I find out? A neighbour pointed it out to me while I held the door to the garbage chute open for her. Apparently if I didn't have glasses, I'd get the real view. It's funny; usually you have to pay for this channel. But then again, the "Dudes" down the corridor, a bunch of young Telecomm Giant Marketers have started up a collection to buy the couple blinds or at least drapes. So I guess it is pay TV in a way. But either way, it makes good conversation while on a deck sharing beers and stories.

So the entertainment is unique and ever changing.
I relax on my couch reading my book, browsing the internet, glancing through the glass when a flash, when movement catches my eye.

And every so often, when I glance, I catch someone glancing into my apartment.
I wonder what the name of my channel is.
I wonder. What have they seen me doing.
intersting...

Home Sweet Home.

I'm Finally moved in,yet far from settled in.
There are advantages and disadvantages to moving into a brand new building. Great view, beautiful building, awesome neighbours; no tv, no phone, no "legit" internet.
Luckily, thus far the advantages have far out weighed the other.

Though the elevators did get stuck (for several hours) I was not stuck in them and on another bright side, I got to see a "high stakes" fire fighters elevator rescue.

But aside from the action, the feeling of really being out on my own is incredible. Maybe it's the freedom of having my own place, or just being able to do whatever I want.

Now to my windows, the bamboo blinds to be drilled, bolted, and placed against them.
And then to my walls. They're naked now. What will I hang there.
I'm leaning toward Drawings, maybe paintings, maybe both.
Now, just, where will I get them?