I am a MASTER!!!!

... wouldn't you know it, I passed both my comps! I am so pleased and I have to say that my advisor sounded pretty damn happy about it too. What a great day... I can't stop smiling :) All I can think about is putting this piece of paper up on the wall next to my other nice piece of paper. YAY!!!!!!

I am most relieved that all my loose ends will be tied up when I have to move away from the Couv. Sadly and gladly, it's time for something new.

Mycenaean Port of Athens

This story came through my email today. I don't know much about Mycenaean ports unless you count Tiryns as the port outlet of Mycenae, but the vague description given reminds me of the ship shed outlets that have been found at Kommos on the southern side of Crete near Matala (an awesome beach town to visit if you are ever in Crete!).


Red Beach, Matala 


Dinner by the main beach in Matala 

Everyone should try and go to Matala if you are going to Greece!!!
And if you don't want to go to Matala, maybe for the time being we should all stay away from Hamburg, Germany where toads are exploding in a creepy sci-fi kind of way.

Knick, Knack, Paddywhack, Give a Dog a Bone

You'd think I might be able to sit still for about 5 seconds to write my last paper EVER for this degree, but think again. On Monday, the new carpeting and linoleum tile floor was installed and then Jen and I rearranged our furniture. It looks like an entirely new place. Of course, it also helps that the back porch is currently torn down so we are enjoying much needed natural lighting while we still can. Yesterday unfortunately, the massive posts that will support the base of the new deck were put up. I don't see how Mary will be able to justify a raise in rent when the next people who live here will really be living in a cave. I mean I thought it was dark before with a deck 1/3 of the size of what this monstrosity is going to be. It's gonna be insane! I will have to take photos of the apartment before the rest of it goes up just to prove to myself that there was a brief moment in time where I could spend most of the day without our lamps on. My only other wishes for the apartment at this time would be a bathtub, a new window in the living room(which John the contractor said would be easy as pie to install) and some new pieces of furniture and a few replacements of appliances like a new toaster or vacuum. Actually now that I think of it, the pots and pans are getting to be in a bad state. Ah well, I forget my reasons for living here in the first place. It was the first place I saw that wasn't a complete hole, it was furnished decently, and it was CHEAP. Mary will always be able to rent to desperate students, so why am I even thinking ambitiously? Anyhow... the apartment is a more pleasant place to live right now thanks to that damn flood.

My other problem with writing my essay is that I seem to have finally come down with that cold that has been threatening to break out for the last month. There were a few days during the Comps furor where I woke up with a scratchy throat, shoved some vitamins down my throat, and then went on my merry way. I guess now that I am not doing that stress routine, the cold has manifested itself fully and completely. My sinuses are stuffed like a taxidermist's pet and I have a headache, constant nasal drip, and I can barely say two words without having to hack my way through the rest of a sentence. Life sucks. Essay must get done. BLECH!
Anyone happen to have an essay available on Imperial funerary monuments in ancient Rome, particularly the Antonine ustrina? Ok. Yeah. I didn't think so either.

The Killers

Jen and I finally went to see the Killers last night after months of chasing them around. I was so excited because I have been trying to see them in concert since last summer but every time a show came up I had plans. I have missed them about 5 times between Toronto and Vancouver, and even London, England actually. The Killers were playing in London when I was there for Reading Week but of course tickets were long ago sold out and I probably wouldn't have been able to stay awake anyways.
I have to say that last night's show was awesome. Tegan and Sara were the opening band which was a pleasant surprise since I have wanted to see them perform for a long time but could never be bothered to make it to their own shows. Obviously I suck because they rock and I have been missing a great thing.
I was also quite relieved that Brandon Flowers' voice was in good tune last night. I saw them play on SNL a few months ago and his voice sounded a bit messed up. I know that SNL is not a good showcase for many artists (just ask Ashley Simpson), but you never know for sure if there is not a hint of truth to the artist performances. Anyways, a good time was had and hopefully I will be getting some pictures soon from some girl that I accosted with my contact info for her photos. I think I should probably own a smaller digital camera than the one I have, so that I can sneak it into concerts, but I have noticed that security doesn't do as diligent checks anymore for cameras. I think with digital cameras not having to use a flash as often, that it is becoming less of an issue to take pictures at a concert. It's not like security was doing anything to stop the hordes of people who were plainly taking photos during the entire concert. And I guess its hardly fair to stop people with digital cameras when people with camera cell phones are allowed to go through without giving up their phones.
Anyways... enough contemplation on concert picture policies.
After the concert, I went over to Julia's house to have a few drinks and then didn't end up leaving til 4am. But that is a long and sordid story that isn't worth getting into.
Today I am feeling just awful. My body is starting to break!!
After weeks of stress, it is finally getting ill and I have a sore throat and cannot sleep well at all. I have an essay to write and new carpet and tiling are being installed (because of last week's mini-flood)!!! It always works out that shit hits the fan when you least need it to. I need to get through this week (which also involves hearing the comps results) before I will be able to settle down to myself again. I also need some serious massage on my back which is feeling so tight right now that it's hard to sit up straight for too long.
Now I feel guilty for complaining, but really... today I just HURT. Hopefully happier news tomorrow.

Scrambled Eggs

Realistically, I have to say that the comps kinda went down the pooper. God only knows what the department will think when they mark them all. I am sure some people have to pass, it's just a matter of who that is going to be. Cross your fingers and toes that it's me!!! I like to think it is a divine sign that graduation is scheduled on my mom's birthday, but then again maybe not. I just cannot afford to pay tuition for the summer or even be tied to this school longer than necessary. I need the next stage of my life to begin with a clean severing of ties. Anyways, moving on from the bitterness of that bloody Greek comp...

Bedouin Soundclash are in town tonight so I am gonna head out and catch up with Mr. Pat Pengelly and see how he and the band are doing. From what I hear, they are doing fantastique. They just went to SXSW in March and are on the Warped Tour line up for the summer. Talk about a productive side project straight outta uni! I wish I could be musical or artistic. Once upon a time I used to love drawing and painting but like many former skills of mine, I feel like they dried up.

Tomorrow, I am going to head down to Seattle and hopefully see Anna Nalick at Borders. She's a new artist that I enjoy listening to and since her album just came out, I have the opportunity to hear her sing some of the songs acoustically and maybe sign my copy. We shall see what happens. I am gonna try and haul Cassie and Mel with me. Jen sadly, has been bombarded with work from the Mystery Shoppers Association of Britain (I made that name up, I am not sure of her company's name). So she will be stuck inside with the mildew probably cursing me that I have taken Fabian away for the day. It's gonna be a great day tomorrow so a road trip is definitely in order.
Anyways, off to the Media Club...

Veni, Vidi, Vici

With the infamous words of Caesar to encourage me, I think I can take that Roman Comp to town tomorrow. I am a bit concerned at this point... a few more hours of studying tonight will probably make me feel better and then we shall see.
I just ate my last meal before the big test. It's not my last meal by choice, but rather my stomach is beginning to anticipate some severe anxiety.
Anyways, in one last moment of procrastination I found this site with this funny take on that Eric Prydz video covering Steve Winwood's 'Valerie', now going by the name 'Call on Me' with a heavy techno beat. You should watch it ladies, it's not as demoralizing as the original but it is a good laugh.

Call On Me Part 2

I am over and out for now. I'll check in after Comprehensive #1.

Making an Offering to the Flood Gods

I want to laugh, but more than anything I want to sleep.
I am not sure if this was foreshadowing, but in my Topography and Monuments of Rome class this semester I had to do a little presentation on Fires and Floods in Ancient Rome. Last night, after I got home from studying I came into the apartment and realized that our front door area was flooded!!!!!
It took a while to figure out what had happened because the carpet looked like someone with a really wet shoe had stepped on it. Unfortunately, we realized it was where Jen had stepped with her shoe and then the carpet became saturated with water. Throughout the course of the evening the water spread into the kitchen area. The heavy downpour we had all day yesterday really didn't help things. We are not impressed and not sure what exactly happened but there is some deck renovation going on so we suspect it is related to that and the turning on of an old water spout that comes out of the back of the house behind our kitchen cabinets. Anyways, this morning our landlords rented a Shop Vac to suck up the water but the carpet is still pretty damn wet. There is a fan that is blowing between the carpet and the cement floor to dry things out. I still think we should have a de-humidifier to speed things along, but I guess Mary doesn't own one. Anyways, she said 'the professionals use fans to dry out flooded carpeting'. My response is: WHATEVER! Anyhow, it's been a bit of a nuisance because she woke us up extremely early to freak out about the situation. I just refused to pick up the phone; thank God Jen is a nice person and got up to deal with it even though I might as well have been wide awake, since I heard most of the ongoing proceedings through my door. I just buried my head under the pillows and comforter and refused to deal.
Another wonderful by-product of the mini-flood is how awesome the carpet smells. My favourite scent of wet dog is pervading through the apartment. I've shut myself in my room to prevent this from getting to me.
I could go on and on about what I would do to improve this apartment but since Jen and I have this bitch session about once a day, there is no real point in rehashing it here. Let's just say, we are both glad to be leaving it behind.
How goes the studying in the midst of this super exciting event, you may ask? Pretty shitty, if you ask me.

Ode to Trivial Pursuit

Read Me!


Buy Me!

Flipped Out

I just had a good old rant about my lovely department to Jen. I think I alarmed her but then again it's nothing she hasn't heard me say before. I was just writing an email to my friend Susan (who is teaching in London and whom I just visited in February) about the Comps and suddenly it became a rant of an overview of my time in graduate school. To put it mildly, I am extremely dissatisfied.
The only thing that calmed me down was ranting to Jen after ranting to Susan via email and then listening to Sarah McLachlan's version of the Prayer to St. Francis. I don't know what to do anymore. I am a lost soul.

One of Those Days

I was chatting with Cassie this morning when I realized that my hair was in an absolute bird's nest of a knot. I attribute it to the tossing and turning I had to do to avoid the noise of the bloody weedwhacker/lawn mower/friggin annoying lawn grooming machine outside my window. Anyways, I anticipated extreme pain in brushing it out and I was VERY surprised when my brush merely glided through my hair with no troubles. Then my mind rewound to last night in the shower where I got confused about whether I had actually shampooed my hair or not. I was definitely rinsing out conditioner but I had kind of spaced out and lost track of time and stood there wondering if I should re-shampoo it just in case. I didn't. Fast forward to brushing my hair this morning and I realized that NO I didn't really wash my hair. So, welcome to my world on a Monday morning. If I can't keep track of washing my hair how can I keep track of a million different facts about the ancient Graeco-Roman world? I am screwed. And I am leaving this house so I can study in a different environment.

Don't Feel the Pressure, Don't Put Out

So says Dr. Simpson. Kind of ironic coming from him, but I laughed when I heard it anyways.

Instant Flattery

This is much needed for all people at some time. I think I will need it daily for the next month. Click away!

Warm Fuzzies

'Handsomely Dressed Ashlar Masonry'

Comps are freaking me out now. I cannot focus on studying. I am twitchy. And, I don't see how I can be tested cumulatively on all this crap knowledge they expect me to have when it is a 3 hour exam consisting of 5 200-word blurbs on whatever and 2 freaking essays.
Anyways, 'handsomely dressed ashlar masonry' is officially the most bullshit statement used to describe walls of any sort in the ancient world. And don't you forget about it!


ashlar 


p.s. Congratulations on getting into teacher's college Dave!! :)

RIP Pope John Paul II

PJP II 

Ioannes Paulus PP. II
Karol Wojtyla
16.X.1978
-
02.IV.2005

Archaeology for the Masses

Well, it appears that today was a success. Amy, Julia, Mel, and I went down to a public school in Richmond to talk to 4 classes of grade 6's and 7's about archaeology and we seem to have been a hit. The kids were enthusiastic -- probably because it was a Friday afternoon and they didn't have to do work -- and it was just awesome. It was probably the most fun I have had with kids since I worked at Ekon way back in the day. Makes me wonder if I should consider teaching at some point, but I should tap out all possibilities in Archaeology before conceding to that thought. Though it's nice to know that it would be fun and worthwhile, at least in my mind. Anyways, I think I will tell Hector that if the school asks for students to come and speak again at that school, that it is definitely worthwhile.

Meanwhile, in a completely different spectrum, Mel and I stopped by the giant liquor store at Cambie and 41st today and sampled a beer called Thirsty Beaver by a company named Tree Brewing from Kelowna. And yes, we had to heckle the guy who was promoting the stuff... It wasn't that bad a beer but they had a few different brews which tasted better. The Honey Pilsner is worth looking into for sure, and I am not someone who likes drinking beer a lot.

And now for a third topic which is wildly different from the last two... PJP II.
I am finding it very upsetting to watch the news on his declining health, with newscasts basically being conducted as a death vigil. I've done this death wait before and it is awful. Your mind races to prepare for the consequences stemming from a tiny moment in time, and really, no matter how far you can project how the events might unfold, you know that you are being shuttled into the great unknown. A very eerie, supernatural, and unnatural part of your life is about to begin. Almost what I would imagine is like being blind and left without a guide.

I was lucky enough to be able to see the Pope twice in my life, the most recent time being in 2002 at the World Youth Day mass in Toronto. There is something about that man that is electric and even the person who accompanied me to the mass (who was not a Catholic) felt totally awestruck by his presence. A lot of people in this world feel that his views are wrong for whatever reasons and even I have felt at odds with some of his church doctrines, but as a person he is extraordinary and I cannot help but feel grief for him. I feel that he is like a part of my family, and in a sense I guess that is what the Church community represents. The most troubling issue in my mind at the moment is imagining a Catholic faith without this person. I am too young to have known a Church leader other than him and I am not sure that anyone could fill such shoes with such integrity. From what is being reported today, he is the most memorable Pope that Church has ever had and possibly may ever have. He is certainly the longest reigning Pope and has seen the world and the Church change, while struggling to keep it the same. I admit that I cannot make sense of the many contradictions of his personality and judgements for church laws, but when it comes down to it, he is just a man, and I feel that he deserves to die in peace, just as we all do.