quiet riot

about a week ago, i had the misfortune of being downtown when a protest was happening. now, i'm all for protesting for something you believe in, if that's your thing (it's not mine). but this was different.

i was headed downtown for an appointment after work. i got out of the metro and walked a short distance (only to realize i'd gone the wrong way), turned around and crossed in front of the same metro station. only this time there were some 2 dozen cops, in full riot gear, heading inside. seemed odd. and frightening (i mean, i *just* left the same station). then i remembered that the students have been protesting tuition hikes and figured it was them.

i continued to meander the streets, looking for a bank, when i realized most of the streets were barricaded by cops. lots of them. it was unnerving. i hadn't realized the student protests had escalated to this. i turned up a side street only to hear an incredibly loud noise and suddenly see a group of people running. in my general direction. so i got out of there. fast. really fast.

it seemed unusual that the students could cause such intensity amongst the cops. i've been reading in the paper (every morning...) about their protests (a whole *other* story) but only remembered one count of violence. they've been pretty passive-aggressive since that time.

it wasn't until the next morning that i read what the riot was really about: the 16th annual march against police brutality. the irony of this is painful. according to the papers (and i read a kind of left wing one, so i feel it's pretty accurate), the "marchers" were throwing things at cops, turned over a cop car and vandalized and looted a few major shops downtown, amongst other things. when the cops responding by throwing "sound grenades", people got more violent and the rioting escalated. the paper also had some quotes from rioters discussing how this clearly demonstrates needless police aggressiveness.

correct me if i'm wrong but it seems to me that this is essentially, well, asking for it. it's like complaining that sharks are dangerous and demonstrating it by covering yourself in fresh meat and jumping in the ocean. or maybe it's more like sitting next to your brother and poking him repeatedly, while he tells you that if you keep doing it he'll hit you, and then wondering why he hit you (uhm, not that this uhm, ever happened to me...to be fair, i was 10. 12. ok, like 18. whatever)

the idea that a group of people would be protesting violence by engaging in acts of violence is beyond me. surely the best way to show that people are too violent is to be peaceful. or causing some sort of non-violent chaos. take the students for example. whilst i don't agree with their protest (again, another story), i think they are being very clever with their protesting. they generally just go and block/sit in the streets or in office buildings. or block entrances to major bridges/highways. enough to make people in the city go nuts, but not enough to cause a riot. people pay attention to them. cops actually facilitate them in their protest (directing traffic, etc)...as long as they don't get out of hand. makes more sense to me. fight for your rights. don't just fight.

again, i'm all for protesting if that's what you believe in. but it's pretty well accepted that you can't fight fire with fire. and if you choose too (*ahem* rioters), you can't complain that you've been burned.
xo

overheard

i am starting to think that i could write a whole blog based on things that happen at my gym. every day i leave there with things to write about, though i often forget them by the end of the day. i'm not sure if it's my gym specifically or just gyms in general. either way, it makes for interesting blog fodder. \

this morning in the locker room, i overheard 2 women discussing one of their daughters. the young girl in question needs a dress for a bah/bat mitzvah. the conversation was fascinating. some bits i agreed with, some not. first, the woman said "it says 'cocktail'. what is an 11 yr old supposed to wear that's 'cocktail''? agreed. 11yrs old. cocktail. those words don't go together. i realize bah mitzvahs are coming of age parties, but i always thought they included (correct me if i'm wrong. i don't know much about jewish culture) music, dancing, gifts and food. cocktails? interesting. for 11yr olds? wrong. just wrong.

then she says "it's so hard to buy for her cause she's built like me. with a stomach, hips, you know. she's a big girl". agreed. what do you buy an 11yr old girl who is built like her mom? they don't quite fit in the kids category anymore, but they certainly don't fit the lady category either. but then i thought, wait, don't all stores (from k-mart to mexx) sell "tween" lines, designed specifically for this age group? i'm pretty sure they do.

this is followed by the friend saying "oh ya. and it's not like you can tell her it doesn't look good on her". disagree. why not use opportunities like this to teach your child how to dress to best suit their build (and age). you don't have to say "that looks hideous" but more of a "it's nice, but i think i like this one better" or something along those lines. can't be that hard. i do it with my friends/husband all the time. and they do it to me. it works. and i/they look better for it.

and then the kicker (drumroll please). the mom says "i finally decided to buy her a tight, sequinned, halter, v-neck dress that has padding in the boobies (her words, not mine)". disagree! disagree! i'm no expert here but i'm pretty sure that this is not what you should buy an 11 yr old. for any reason. ever. especially one who is "built like her mom".

11! cripes. you know what i wore when i was 11? loose, boxy, babydoll dresses (hmmm, no that was 13 i think). regardless, i can tell you for certain that i didn't wear a tight-sequinned-v-neck-halter-that-emphasized-my-"assets" (not that i had any at that age) because neither of my parents would have let me out of the house (my dad still won't...)

i left pretty quick after that last bit. i couldn't bring myself to keep listening (though deep down, i was fascinated) but mostly i had to get to work. when i left i thought to myself "actually, i do have a dress quite similar to that. maybe i shouldn't judge".

then i remembered that i'm 31. not 11.
xo

deneigement

there are some things quebec does well. very well even. i know, i'm just as shocked as you are but it's true. in the wake of the first winter "storm", montreal has proven itself to me.

if you've ever lived in a city when snow hits, you know how supremely frustrating it can be. should you be one of the lucky ones with underground parking (thank god!) then you should be extremely grateful (which i am). because for the many unlucky folks, this is what happens: 15cm of snow falls (this, in itself, is not so bad. snow generally being light and fluffy). snow gets a bit melty on the road because of all the cars driving on it. snow starts to get thick and wet. snowplow drives by and rams all of the heavy wet snow against your car at 4am so when you wake up and need to head to work, well, you can't.

to be fair, drivers often have it coming. montreal has a lot (a lot!) of signage pertaining to snow removal. when to park where, which side of the street at which time, free parking during snow removal hours, etc. if you chose to ignore this, you do so at your own risk. the plows/snow removal crews have no mercy for your tiny little car stuck in the snow and will proceed to encrust you in it as best they can. plows have better things to do then worry about your car.

and this is where montreal's efficiency becomes amazing (yes, i said it). the "deneigement" process is an incredibly well organized ballet, leaving the city streets and sidewalks clear of snow until the next major dumping. first, the plow. he comes at specific times (noted on the street signs) and will crust you into your car if you chose to park there. then depending on which street you live on (main roads first, secondary roads, uhm, second, etc), the mini plow comes by and pushes all the snow from the sidewalk and road into the middle of the street (i know this sounds counterintuitive but trust me). then, the fun. if you've chosen to leave your car in the street, an irritating siren will sound (for about 1 minute) by the tow truck who drives ahead of the next crew. you don't move your car, they move it for you. at your expense (and trust me, they do it quickly). once said car has been relocated, the massive dump-style trucks are followed by little snow-blower plows who blow all the snow into the back of the truck. and poof! it's gone. when the truck gets full, it drives off to the nearest dump centre (toboggan heaven for kids) while the next truck pulls ahead.

it's astonishing really. in less then 4 days following the snow storm, the city streets and sidewalks are clear as though no snow dropped from the sky. snow removal crews work non-stop until the bulk of the streets are done, at which point they slow it down some.

i read in the paper today that it takes some 3000 employees in 2200 snowplow-blowers following 1000 trucks 4 days to clear 4100km of roads and 6500km of sidewalks in the city. this process can cost in the 17 000 000 dollar region (yes, that many zeros). and while it feels a bit excessive, i can't help but feel happy when i don't have to trudge through 4 foot snowbanks on my walk to work or take my car off-roading to get out of the building.

at least some of my tax dollars do something good in this province
xo

snow day

you know what i miss? snow days! if you don't know what snow days are, i feel bad for you.

today we're having the first "storm" of the winter- some 15cm (ish) covering the city in white goodness. the kind of white goodness you loved as a kid. thick, heavy snow. the kind of snow that made you giggle with anticipation in the morning as you listened to the radio (1220 CJSS...) to hear if your school was on the list: the magical list of schools that were closed for the day. you'd lie under the covers, half asleep, willing it with all of your might.

if you were lucky, your school was on the list. the most blissful days of the school year. an entire day off  to play in the snow with your friends because it's not that cold when snowstorms hit.

if you were less lucky, the school stayed open but the buses were cancelled. meaning if you lived in town (whether you were on a bus or not) you were sort of expected to go to school. you didn't mind so much though, because it was a pretty chill day involving movies, card games and 7up (the game, not the drink).

what i would give now to be able to look out my window and see the city covered in snow and think "oh my god! maybe work is closed today". i've worked it out in my head: i'd lie under the duvet (i've upgraded over the years), willing with all of my might for the public transit in the city to shutdown. i'd listen to the radio (podcast?) and wait for the wonderful moment when the announcer says "cirque du soleil is closed for the day, stay home michelle (hey, it's my imagination, of course he'd be talking to me)". i'd go back to sleep for a while (obviously) before gearing myself up to enjoy the great outdoors. i'd come back inside, cheeks all aglow, to sip on a cup of hot chocolate and defrost. *sigh*

instead i get to bundle myself up (in a jacket, boots, snow pants, mitts, tuque and scarf) so i can head out the door and walk to the metro station that takes me to work, work all day, then bundle back up to walk back to the metro station that takes me home.

somedays, i wish i was a teacher...
xo

time flies

mid-december. already? wtf? i don't understand. it seems like just yesterday it was thanksgiving. it feels like only weeks ago i was sitting in the park having drinks with my friends. clearly not (it's bloody cold out) but it feels like it, doesn't it?

time is strange. it's both completely abstract and fully precise all at once. it has measurable units - 60 seconds in a minute, 60 minutes in an hour, etc etc. and yet it feels, most of the time, like those units are absolutely immeasurable - hours that drag for days, days that never end.

people say that time flies when you're having fun. but time flies, well, all the time. not just when i'm having fun. time flies when i have deadlines. time flies when i need it to slow down. time flies when i do nothing at all. and time flies when i'm just too busy to notice.

it's funny how your perception can change it all. when you're at work/in school, time can't move fast enough. clocks seem to tick backwards, days drag on, you look up at the clock and think "it's only 2pm? ugh". but then you have weekends/holidays and somehow time just slips through your fingers. you look at the clock and think "it's already 2pm? ugh." but what's different? nothing, technically. but everything, really.

i'm not sure if it's true that time seems to pass more quickly as you get older but it kind of feels like it. (though at this rate i think my 90s will just be a blur!). this year feels like it just disappeared. it seems like only yesterday i was getting into my camper van to drive around australia when in fact it was a full year ago (eep!). it feels like i just moved back to montreal a few months ago when in fact i've been here since feb. it feels like i moved into my apartment a few weeks ago when in fact it's been 9 months (and still no housewarming party...). and it seems like only yesterday...

i sit here typing and thinking about things i'd planned to do today/this week/this month and wonder why i've not managed any of them. i'm looking at the shipping date for the website i'm ordering christmas gifts from hoping that i'll make the cut to guarantee delivery before the 24th, wondering how it's possible that it's december 13th already.

and i think about how i had meant to write this blog post 2 weeks ago but never got around to it because i didn't. have. time.
xo

let it snow

i went to bed last night a bit surprised at the weather forecast for today: flurries. *pfffft* no way! it didn't seem that cold, it didn't seem that cloudy and frankly, it seemed a bit too early. i woke this morning looking out at a grey sky laughing to myself that the weather guy got it wrong. again. but my bed is on the floor and i look up out the window when i'm lying there. when i finally sat up (a few groggy minutes later) i sighed and thought "well, i guess i'm taking the metro today".

snow! wonderful, white fluffy snow. i know i will be eating my words in a few months (weeks?) because i'll be so over snow and cold and canadian winter but for now, i'm going to appreciate it. there is something particularly magical about the first snowfall. the first real snowfall. snow that stays more then a few hours. snow that coats the city in pure, pristine whiteness. snow that muffles all the sounds but crunches under your feet. snowflakes that get caught up in your lashes and on the hair peeking out your tuque. snow that makes you wish you were still 12yrs old and had snow days (not that you ever got them such a small amount of snow, but whatever). snow that makes you realize winter is here but you know, you don't actually hate it. yet.

i looked out my window this morning and saw all the naked trees gratefully accepting a winter coating of fluff to make them feel special again. i saw the dead-looking lawns become sparkling white squares. i went outside and walked by (on) frozen puddles (who can resist cracking that ice? no one! no one i say!) i saw other folk bundled up in their scarves and mitts.  i felt my cheeks get rosy. i felt like i got to experience the first snowfall for the first time again. and it was lovely.

when i moved back to montreal in feb, i felt kind of ripped off. i left the balmy gold coast of australia and was thrown in to the worst winter storm of the season. i didn't get a chance to really appreciate winter. i froze, i cursed and i was downright upset. i couldn't go enjoy all my favourite snowsports (there was some issue of a stress fracture in my foot...). there was grey, dirty slush everywhere. i just wanted winter to end and spring to get going. but now it feels different. it feels like winter is slowly creeping up on me, step by step (ooh baby...), presenting itself to me and asking for my permission to be accepted. and so far, i approve.

hello winter. long time no see.
xo

risky business

i am not a risk taker. well, i may take risks occasionally but they're usually well-calculated, thought about risks. risks i'm most likely going to win/enjoy/survive. i'm not interested in jumping off a bridge with an elastic tied to my feet. i'm not that stoked about the idea of racing down rapids in a blown-up vessel (though jumping out of a plane does sound kind of cool...). so i never thought that i would be risking my life every day. but i do (at least on weekdays).  you see, i ride my bike. in montreal.

don't be so dramatic you say? well, you've clearly never tried to ride a bike in this city. i ride my bike to work every day, unless it's pouring when i wake up. i'll even tough out a light misting of rain on my way to work if i have to;  i don't mind getting wet on my way home (which i've done. more than a few times). cycling to/from work clears my head and allows me to arrive at work ready to start my day (read: awake) or ready to end it when i get home (read: letting go of work as i ride). i will keep doing so until i can't because of winter weather conditions.

the challenge with riding your bike in montreal is just that: riding your bike in montreal. drivers here are amongst the worst in the world (in my humble opinion...) and roads are atrocious at best. the combination makes for interesting cycling conditions. don't be fooled by the "montreal has hundreds of kms of bike paths" spiel they love to rhyme off. those paths are mostly along waterfront or in parks. there aren't that many safe places to ride, unless you live and work in the few city blocks that make up downtown "bike path region". i, unfortunately, do not.

every day it's the same thing. i get on my bike and start peddling. i'm a safe rider- helmet, lights, bright clothes. i signal when i'm going to turn. i don't ride the wrong way on one-ways. i don't ride on sidewalks. i wait at lights. the only "road sins" i commit are coasting through 4-way stops (but drivers do too, so i feel less guilty) and turning right on a red when it's safe (which, to be honest, isn't that often). so i get particularly irate with drivers who honk at me because (god forbid) they have to slow down for 5 seconds. or at drivers who zip past me only to slow down and cut me off to turn right, causing me to have a significant amount of near accidents this summer. or drivers who curse at me because i'm not "over far enough" in the right lane.

the thing is, the roads, whilst horrendous to drive on are downright treacherous to ride on. there are potholes that can eat my bike, cracks that would love to catch my wheel and wavy pavement at a variety of intersection that make me wonder when montreal had tectonic plates shift directly underneath it. grates and sewers always in the far right of the road, exactly where i'm supposed to ride my two-wheeled vehicle. so you know, if i feel the need to be a bit further over, deal with it. just deal with it.

i don't think i'll have to deal with it for much longer though. with the temperature steadily dropping and the roads starting to be frosty/slick in the mornings, i think my somewhat calculated risk is slowly becoming a much risker venture. it's perhaps time to put the bike away for winter *tear*

i wonder it's possible to cross-country ski to work...
xo