Held tongue at work...

On Sundays, I teach an aerobics class (hi-lo) at the Chinese Mandarin school in Montreal. While I was on my way out, the principal and some of the teachers there were discussing the issue of family, and somehow the concept of a family consisting of one mother (female) and one father (male) to be able to pro-create (heterosexuality) to be the correct one. And therefore, a gay couple is not a family, because they cannot pop babies out of their vagina.

Now, since I was in a hurry, and I really didn't to be seen as a crusader for Gay rights at this lovely Chinese Mandarin school, I just pretended that I didn't understand what they are saying, and left.

Let's see what this philosophy of procreation has gotten us, shall we? In China, there are many many people. And the ratio of men to women is about 2:1. caused by this philosophy of must create a family, and must carry on the family name. (Thus, aborting many girls or letting them die in orphanages). As it stands right now, each man in China (assuming they are straight) does not correspond in a one-to-one ratio to a female to be able to create a family and pop out babies.

Homosexuals can't create families, and is considered to be shameful. It is also considered to be a loss of "face". Also, if someone chooses to marry outside of the culture, it is also deemed as a shame to the family... This however, is probably less shameful, or causes less face lost than homsexuality, but I personally think it's the same. This belief has gotten us to this situation... Clearly, this philosophy is working.

Retail Therapy and the new stations in Laval

Today, upon the advice of a friend of mine from Ottawa, since I had a rough week, I went and gave myself some retail therapy. She suggested that I do some shopping. I had been telling her about the Givenchy Blue cologne, and about how good it smelled, and how I could get a bag and some freebies with it. So, she made me feel that it's not bad, since it would be an investment, as you don't drink cologne, and I would use it for a long, long time. So, I bought the cologne today. It came with a free travel bag, and some free travel cologne, and free trial size shower gel. I didn't count the shopping I did yesterday at Bureau en Gros, because shopping for things to put in your school bag doesn't count... Especially since the school bag was stolen.

I also went to take the metro in Laval, to see the three new stations, because it was an open house. The metro system in Montreal officially showed its passengers the three new stations in Laval, and boy, are they nice! In my opinion, they are the nicest stations within the whole system! They have new tiles, new technology, anti-graffiti tiles and coating on the concrete, handicapped lighting for the visually impaired, railings for the blind/visually impaired so they can be led to the metro platform via the use of their cane... It's very nice! I also got a free tour at Montmorency, and it was Maude who gave it to me... (She used to go to Lambda, but not anymore - gee, I wonder why?)

When my friend and I got onto the metro at Côte-Vertu (the other terminus station), the driver was so nice, he opened his door, so we could see the tunnel (sort of how he sees it), and it was like that until Henri-Bourassa (the old terminus station) when he got off the metro, and some other driver got on for the three new stations. We didn't get to see the fresh new concrete tunnels for the new stations! That was too bad, but we did get a two for one deal... The metro station Cartier had to be evacuated due to smoke from electrical wiring. So, we heard the chimes of doom, and the Green line lady pronounce the station: Montmorency.

The driver was very nice, and he taught us about how the metro works... What the lights mean, which button does what, the security system of the metro (where if someone forces the doors open after the train has started, then the train stops automatically), and he was just in general very friendly, and had a good sense of humour. I wish more metro/bus drivers were like him!

We also walked around all the three new stations in Laval. The most beautiful one, I believe is the terminus - Montmorency. The CEGEP is closeby, and apparently Carrefour Laval - the biggest shopping centre in Quebec, is just within walking distance! Not that the shopping centre is appealing, since I wouldn't really go to Laval unless I had this life or death situation, but now I know I could not only take 902 to get there, I could also walk from Montmorency.

All in all, it was an enjoyable day... Before being ditched for dinner for either Grindhouse or Disturbia. * shudder *

The Wind That Shakes the Barley

On Tuesday, April 24, 2007, I went to the see the movie The Wind That Shakes the Barley, featuring Cillian Murphy. He played in such films as 28 Days Later and Breakfast on Pluto.

This movie took place in the year 1920, in Ireland. There is a huge occupation of Ireland, because British troops were deployed to maintain order in Ireland, and to crush the separatist movement. However, during the movie, we can see the acts of brutality committed by the British army.

This movie weaves the story of the struggle for Irish independence, with the resistance force (IRA), and the story of war and betrayal. Eventually, a treaty is signed, and an army of Irish men is placed in Ireland, but some people are still not satisfied with the treaty.

This movie demonstrates the classic mistake of individuals wanting too much all at one time. The end of the movie demonstrated this. I also really enjoyed the ending, because it makes the movie come full circle!

I'm not a fan of Cillian Murphy, but this movie was very good.

Why do people whom I date always end up doing something stupid?

Like picking up an application to work for the Canadian armed forces?

I had a long day today... I taught an exam cram session from 3:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m., even though I made the offer for all you can eat sushi, none of my regular students stayed to do it, so I had sushi all alone tonight. My friend, who asked me to call after I was finished told me he had dinner already, and then I find out that my boyfriend has gone to the recruitment centre for the Armed Forces and has picked up an application to work for the army! He said that he picked up an application to be a meteorologist, which was his dream.

I don't care if men who shatter my hearts into a million pieces apply for the army, because they're only my friend, and I am not dating them. I care about men who are dating me, who do something stupid like filling out an application for the armed forces. Granted of course, I was reassured that this was only a non-commissioned member, which means that he wouldn't be going to war, but I still have issues with an organization that uses force and weapons to resolve conflicts. In my opinion, this is like selling out to the Conservatives, which doesn't get rated highly in my book.

Maybe I'm just selfish, but this application to the armed forces is not really turning my crank. One afternoon with my army friend and this happens. I don't know whom I should be angry at, my friend, or the dude I'm dating.

Land dispute with aboriginals

I read on the news today that VIA trains are disrupted because aboriginals have set up protest barriers on CN rails between Kingston and Belleville.

Why do the people in this country, the politicians, treat our aboriginals with such disrespect? They take their land without asking, they violate their sacred burial sites whenever the hell they want, and they treat aboriginals with such disrespect? The people in charge forget that the Aboriginals were here before us, and technically, your white (Caucasian) is actually too an immigrant, from Europe!

So, suck it up and negotiate. Don't pepper spray and use tazers on our Aboriginal people. Such disrespectful behaviour. If I had my way, anyone who disrespected Aboriginals would be shipped off the country into the middle of the ocean.

Sanjaya got voted off!

I read today that Sanjaya got voted off of American Idol. I don't care about the show, but that girl and possibly other guy who has joined her, who have gone on a hunger strike until Sanjaya got voted off can finally get some food.

Jeez, what a stupid cause to go on strike for... Going on a hunger strike for orphan kittens would have been a better cause.

Underground Network (Réseau)

On Wednesday, April 18, 2007, after having bubble tea with my friend, (This time, I didn't lose anything - thank goodness... Knock on wood) we took the underground network, or the Réso (play on words - réseau) from Chinatown (Place d'Armes) all the way to Bonaventure. We were shooting for Lucien L'Allier, but the pathway between Bonaventure and Lucien L'Allier was blocked. This was the first time that I walked the network - it was amazing, and the walls were very nice and graffiti free! (This could be because there were hidden cameras, and that people are really prosecuted for doing graffiti here). I have tried myself before to get from Bonaventure to Place d'Armes by this undeground passage, but I got lost. But I now know that this is completely doable!!!

École du Y (Y School)

On Wednesday, April 4, 2007, I went to a workshop, run by YMCA Montreal, called École du Y. (Y School) This workshop was a three-hour session about YMCA Montreal, its centres, what they do, what sort of programs they have, and its involvement at the international level.

What I found most interesting about this workshop was the history behind the YMCA. The first YMCA (the YMCA movement) was founded in 1844 in London, England. In 1851, the first YMCA was founded in North America, which happens to be founded in Montreal. Boston also founded a YMCA in 1851, but we beat them by about a month. The person who founded the YMCA in Montreal was Sir George Williams, who coincidentally has a campus named after him at Concordia! (Since Concordia was created in 1973 when Loyola College and Sir George Williams College were fused together) It’s amazing how small of a world this is. I stumbled into Concordia, because they were the only university that offered Teaching of Mathematics as a graduate program, and then now I stumble into working at the YMCA, where it was founded by someone who played such an integral part in the history of my university!

I also learned that two sports were invented at the YMCA. Basketball was invented by James Naismith, a fellow Canadian, in December 1891 in Springfield, Massachusetts, while he was at the YMCA Training school. Volleyball was invented by William G. Morgan, on February 9, 1895 in Holyoke, Massachusetts, where he was a YMCA physical education director.

I found out that there were ten centres in Montreal for the YMCA. They are: Centre-ville, Guy-Favreau, Westmount, Notre-Dame-de-Grâce, Pointe-St. Charles, Ville St. Laurent, du Parc, Hochelaga-Maisonneuve, l’Ouest de l’île and Kanawana. Of course, these are not written in the order that they were opened in, they were just written in the order that came to my mind. However, here is a list of dates in chronological order when they were opened:

Centre-ville – 1851 (if we count the first, first first building)

Westmount – 1912

Du Parc – 1912 (grand re-opening in 1994)

Southwest (Verdun) – 1930  this centre is no longer open

Notre-Dame-de-Grâce – 1940

Hochelaga-Maisonneuve – 1980

Pointe-St. Charles – 1981

Guy-Favreau – 1986

L’ouest de l’île – 1988

(I don’t recall when Kanawana opened)

The YMCA also offers many, many programs for people of all ages. There are many, many programs, and it would take too much time to list them all here. This information was interesting too, and I don’t want to give the idea that they are not important, or less interesting, it’s just that I really found the history interesting, and I wanted to get the word out there regarding the history of the YMCA, because not a lot of people are familiar with it.

The YMCA is also very involved in international affairs. There are over 130 countries in the world where there are YMCA centres, and the ones in Montreal work closely with YMCAs of Ecuador, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Honduras, Haiti and Mexico City for this work. Again, I will not write too much in this area, because there is a lot of information about this, and it is important, but I don’t want to write a five-page blog posting, because I will start to feel like I’m writing a research paper.

Anyway, all in all, this training that I went to was very educational, and I enjoyed it a lot… I especially enjoyed learning about the historical aspects of YMCA, and I never realized how Sir George Williams was related to the history of the YMCA! (and I guess I can even say vice-versa)

I didn't think it would happen to me...

On Saturday, April 14, 2007, I went to bubble tea with a friend. It was during our time at the bubble tea place that the unthinkable happened.

I was playing the video game with my friend, and we were very involved in this game where we had to spot the differences between two pictures.

All of a sudden, one of the waitresses (the one whom I like, since she's very friendly), and told me that my glove fell onto the ground. At that moment, I asked her, "Where's my other glove?", and then when I looked at where I put my gloves, I saw then asked, "Where's my school bag?"

We looked around the restaurant, and we didn't find my school bag. I looked around in the washrooms, and the trash cans around the area. But to no avail...

I didn't think that something like this would happen to me, since I'm usually very careful about my belongings. But now I know that I have to be more careful at the place, because now I know that there are people who are there just to see if they can steal other peoples' belongings.

I did file a police report, but I also think that I have better chances of winning the Lotto 649, rather than finding my bag.

Reign Over Me

On Tuesday, April 10, 2007, I went to see the movie Reign Over Me, featuring Adam Sandler and Don Cheadle.

This movie is about Charlie, played by Sandler, who used to be a practising dentist. However, he lost his family in 9-11, and he has not been the same since then. Don Cheadle's character bumps into Charlie, and they re-establish the friendship that they had in college.

This movie is kind of about Charlie's journey, until he deals with his emotions of him losing his family. And Cheadle's character has to deal with helping Charlie, reliving his old college lifestyle, lawsuits, sexual advances, and his family.

I usually am not a fan of Adam Sandler, but I think that him playing a more serious character with funny moments makes him more enjoyable than when he plays over the top characters. It's sort of the same for Will Farell as well. I don't like him at all, but he was great in Stranger Than Fiction.

My only two negative points about this film are: 1) the ending is a little bit disappointing, and 2) the music (or music editing - if such a term exists) sucked - the music didn't match (in my opinion) with what was happening in the film.

A nice metaphor from my friend

I wrote an e-mail to my friend regarding what happened at the Casino, and this is the metaphor she wrote (this is the same friend who wrote The Cafe Toscanini in Fremolia): "Sounds like typical casino behavior, though, what with the cheating and the chiseling. You should never trust a casino to be fair to you, that's like trusting a dog with your steak dinner."

I like this metaphor. I think it's clever and funny. Good job!

Yet another reason to avoid the Casino de Montréal

As a mathematician, I can do some pretty rudimentary stats to tell me that going to a Casino is a waste of my money, because the odds are always in the house's favour... However, if you need another reason to not go to the Casino de Montréal, I'll give you one. After reading my experience, would you go?

Two friends and I went to the Casino, to celebrate a birthday. The birthday boy wanted to play slots, so we accompanied him.

We were having a good time, until the birthday boy wanted to exchange some of his quarters into loonies, so he can play in the loonie slot machines. He went to the Bureau de change, and they informed him that all he needed to do was go to a slot machine that had quarter plays, and insert four quarters, then cash out, because it would just give him back a loonie.

So, the birthday boy went to the slot machine, and tried to put in four quarters. However, after he put in his third quarter, he wasn't able to put anything else. So, he tried to cash out, to get his 75 cents back. However, the machine didn't cash out. Thus, my friend pushed the assistance button.

We waited for half an hour to 45 minutes... I got so bored of waiting for an attendant, that I played $10 on the slots, because there was this dude who was at the machine before we got there, and was there during this time. I thought that the slot machine would pay out a huge pot... It didn't. After the attendant tried to figure out what was going on, he couldn't do anything, so he called a technician. The technician told my friend that according to the machine, the credit was played, and refused to give him back his 75 cents. My friend then proceeded to talk with a supervisor, who accompanied him to get his change back into bills, but he said that he would not get his 75 cents back, because according to the machine, the credit was played. So, when I asked the supervisor, if this is the message that I'm supposed to be taking (which was): "The machines are always right, the customers are always wrong?", and he replied, "No, this is not the message to take. The message to take is that according to the machine, the credit was played, and therefore, there is no refund necessary."

This in my opinion is the same message. My friend sat there, he didn't do anything. He just sat and waited for an attendant, who couldn't do anything, and then called a technician. At this point, the technician stated that the credit was played, and a supervisor was called, who refused to refund my friend $0.75. I can perhaps understand that they would have a problem with $2 000, but come on, 75 cents?

If you need another reason to not go to the casino, here it is. Not only do they steal your hard earned money, they'll also try every possible trick in the book to swindle more of your money (as if the games in their favour and slot machines were not enough). On top of that, you're always wrong, because the machines are never wrong! I never liked casinos, and now, I don't want to go to the one in Montreal... If I do go, it would be to eat at the buffet, and you'd have to pay for my buffet.

The casino kept (or I would prefer stole) 75 cents. But they lost the trust of three clients, who will then tell this story to others... I think they lost a lot more than 75 cents.

The communication system was having a moment...

On Thursday, April 5, 2007, after going to a lunch to see off an employee at my place of work, I went to take the metro home, so that I can gather my stuff and get ready to go teach... And then, I heard this message on the speakers:

(dun, dun, dun, dun - for those of you who need to here how this sounded like, click here) Attention: Une panne du système de communication nous oblige à interrompre le service, pour une période indeterminée sur l'ensemble de réseau. Attention: Service interrompu, pour une période indeterminée sur l'ensemble de réseau. D'autres messages suiveront...

And for those of you who may not read French:

(dun, dun, dun, dun - fort hose of you who need to here how this sounded like, click here) Attention: A breakdown of the communication system forces us to interrupt the service, for an indetermined period of time in the whole network. Attention: Service is interrupted, for an interdemined period of time in the whole network. Other messages will follow...

I was delayed for 15 minutes (luckily) because the third message I heard was that they would restart the service at 4:00 p.m., and it was 3:30 p.m. when they made that announcement. And then shortly after the third announcement, they re-established service.

Now, just before I got to the metro, I had lunch, and I ordered the same dish that my boss ordered. And then after we were leaving the restaurant, s/he walked with me all the way back to the metro, and talked to me... It was after I told my boss that I was going towards the metro that when I got there, it broke down... Coincidence? I don't know... But whatever it is, it's kind of creepy.

The Namesake

On Tuesday, April 3, 2007, I went to see the movie The Namesake.

This movie was about an Indian man who pursued his Ph.D in the United States, and his story that he develops with his family, his son Gogul, his wife, daughter and extended family. The story outlines Gogul's struggle with his Indian heritage, and his American upbringing.

This movie focused on Gogul's life journey when he was small, and was proud of his name, to when he was a teenager and in his adult life, when he was not proud at all of his life. And then his father suffers a heart attack, which brings the family together, and they bond.

This movie was not terrible, but it was not the best movie ever created. It was too long, in my opinion. Twenty minutes could have easily been shaved off of it...

And now, two little rants... When I was coming home on the metro, there was a woman who was on my wagon, and asked everyone on the metro for spare change... We got to the change of line station, and we rushed over to the other train... This lady who was asking for spare change did also, and when she got into the other train, she asked again (and most of these people were the same ones from the previous wagon, who all rushed over to the other train) for spare change again... And then when the metro stops, each time, she would transfer to the next wagon and beg for money. My question is how the hell did she get into the metro without spare change? Either she must have had to have had it, or she went in when the worker at a particular station went on a bathroom break, where she can just walk in without paying...

As well, when I got to my metro station, the worker there didn't even bother walking down to check whether everyone got off the last metro. My friend and I were taking the escalator up, and all of a sudden, it stopped, because the worker there decided to stop it... It was as if he was going to win a prize for being the first person to lock up his metro station... He was so lazy in doing his job... He should be fired.

Rules, regulations and the metro

In general, I have an issue with people who don't listen to laws, regardless of location.

I was taking the metro back from Côte-Vertu, and some dude got on the metro at Snowdon station. He sat down, and not even without 30 seconds of the metro starting, he lit up a cigarette and started smoking in the car... The policy is that there is no smoking in any STM property: buses, metros, inside of stations, platforms... But he clearly did not abide by that law...

And then, on my way out of my metro station... There was this teenager who decided to vandalize the railings of the escalator. People who do this type of graffiti, which serve no purpose, should have their arms chopped off, and mandatory vasectomy... I mean, if you turn a wall into a mural of graffiti art, that I agree with. However, just writing some crap on a wall that needs to be painted over... Not productive to society whatsoever...