Hello from the island

I am currently staying in ile perrot, an island off of montreal, it is a very nice area with stores, cafes and all of the other essential utilities within close reach of where I am staying. I purchased a number of things at the mall, at which there are many sales and low prices, I am glad that they have more urban elements here, while still remaining residential.

Monotony, monotony,

I have been very busy lately, mostly just trying to catch up on things. I should blog more though, or put up some of my actual writing. I have been reading a lot, I have such a great number of unread items, I am just trying to dig through that.

I have also found that lately I have just been very depressed and agitated. Not outwardly, not caused or triggered by anything. Just a generalized sensation, there are reasons though, but none which can be sufficiently articulated, to anybody, anybody who lacks similar experience. It would be difficult to even sum it up, let alone accurately describe and articulate it.

I hope that I will be able to get some more things done this summer, things that are actually productive, and which have some intent behind them, at least some intent.

Over and over again......

I haven't blogged in some time, I should, and with frequency, and with more direction than right now. I have been reading a number of magazines, including walrus, utne and Harpers. I was quite surprised upon receiving the first one, however I discovered that I actually got a free trial subscription, I have been offered a number of these lately, including to The Economist, personally though I prefer the monthly or bi-monthly magazines, rather than weekly or even more frequent ones, if it is a monthly one then it is easier for them to include everything of interest- and nothing else into the magazine, I find that the weekly ones are too short, or have too little interesting information, in short, my criticisms of the weekly ones are greater and more frequent than those of monthly ones.

I have recently purchased a cell phone, something I have been hesitant about for literally years, since I have heard about the sometimes exorbitant prices, actually I set up a pay-as-you-go plan, since that way you literally get what you pay for, and is easier to monitor, and is (for people like me who make very few, if any, calls) cheaper.

Summer seems to be rolling in now, montreal has no in-between state, not really, not like other places, right now I am uncomfortable with even a light windbreaker on, but then, I find that I have a relatively low sensitivity to the temperature, compared to some other people. I am hoping that I will take more photos, and blog more, and writing, not just photos. I will be more inclined to do this since I will be bicycling again, and so will have easier access to all parts of the city, to a certain degree that is. I am looking forward to it.

I will blog some more later, on the magazines that I have read (and when I am finished those I am currently in the process of reading) but for now, adios.

Beginning of spring, events, randomized.

Well it looks like spring is finally on the way, I find that today was a good example of that fact, I enjoyed taking the photos last time, I will post more photos once I sort through what I've got, what I have taken etc. Actually I am looking forward to the summer, I find it more free, without the impediments of the snow, the necessity of using public transportation, the cold etc. One can get about just by bicycling, I personally like to exist minimally, with just a few things, almost enough to carry with me everything of value I own, just necessities, it makes one more free, rather than less, later on I would like to travel a lot, or rather more, I appreciate the diversity that one can experience, by doing so, more so than if one remains rooted, I do not like to be rooted.

I have been reading Sun After Dark, by Pico Iyer, it is a fictionalization of current events and his interpretation of foreign cultures. It is enjoyable as a novel as well, and is written with surprising eloquence and complexity, his use of other references is quite unique as well.

I find that time passes by so quickly these days, I manage to get quite a lot done, but still, time seems to pass by at a break-neck speed, to exaggerate a bit.

I would like to see more films in the cinema, although I manage to see a lot on DVD's either rented or borrowed from the library etc. Not very much is playing right now though that particularly intrigues me though, the last film I saw was P.T. Anderson's "there will be blood", I have liked the one or two others by him that I have seen, and this was not a disappointment. (although this is old news by now, I cant remember if I really mentioned it)

Well Obama won the Mississippi primary regaining some well-needed momentum after clintons success of the texas and ohio primaries, it is an interesting race (or battle) to observe, not only is it just two politicians, it is a man and woman, black and white persons. To quote another news source, Obama is more an embodiment of inspiration, whilst Clinton has experience. It is also, therefore, a battle between experience and inspiration. So what will Americans choose? Inspiration or experience. Personally I have not been much of a fan of Hillary's techniques and practices, I respect Obama, his attitude, his position. His techniques and tactics. Whichever one wins, the results will be interesting. The US in my opinion needs to focus on internal and domestic issues though, and step off the "world stage" so to speak. Although I don't follow US news stories or anything that much.

PS: As you can see from my (imperfect and incomplete) background photo in the title, I am attempting to make things seem a little more lively here.

End of season, mile-end, photographs, snow and this afternoon

Whew, march already! This afternoon I took a little trip out to the section of montreal, mile-end, on a little photo expedition, the resulting shots are posted here. (Gah! Damn blogger, my photos won't upload... Ill have to use imageshack)

I first hung out for a few hours in the Navarino cafe, for some coffee, it is cold today, not freezing, but cold, for some reason though it feels like the season is ending, and with the clocks springing ahead, it feels even more so. I then walked around the area for a while taking photos, a lot of photos, more than I have taken for months in fact, montreal really is nice in the winter, I should go on little expeditions like this more. I also passed by the popular Open Da Nite cafe, a hang-out of sorts, unfortunately a bit too popular, I had glanced inside a couple times to see if there were any (non-existent) free tables. Anyways here are the results, I enjoyed this very much myself, I would like to do this far more frequently, and with the upcoming spring and warmer weathers that is all the more likely.