Poland

Trip to Poznan was long. Got up at the crack of 4am so we could leave for Luton Airport at 5am. Got there without event - traffic not an issue when people should be sleeping and most are. Mum left her car keys on the seat in the bus from the long term car park, but fortunately someone noticed and chased after her. Got on the plane and enjoyed sitting next to a group of guys heading to Krakow for a bachelor party.... I don't think I need to describe what they were like as flight companions. Took a train from the airport to the main train station and bought train tickets to Poznan. This was where the trip diverged somewhat from the picture I had had. We decided to fly into Krakow because we planned a couple of days there after the conference. And I thought we would just nip back and forth to Poznan on the train. I mean how big can Poland be? I was thinking about a 3 hour train ride and it turned out to be 6 with a change of trains in Warsaw. Pretty grim after that 4am wake up... Were we ever pleased to get to our cushy room at the Sheraton and crash in nice comfy beds.

off to Poland

Writing this on the plane to Atlanta. I like on board wifi. I would hate there to be cell phones on planes, but this is nice. You get to check the weather ahead and start fretting about what you didn't pack:)

I hate the car too, Alison.

One result of my recent trip to Toronto was the realization that I have allowed this city to turn me into a car dependent human. I drive to work every day when there is a perfectly good bus. I was really struck that my Toronto friends take public transportation as a matter of course and when I timed it I saw that I could do it here in less time than they spend, and yet I don't. So I came home resolved to take the bus some days. The first morning I mistimed things and saw the bus streaking by as I was still a little ways from the stop. Now, the difference between here and Toronto is that at rush hour you still wait thirty minutes between buses and I didn't have that time so back home and back to the car. But since then I have managed a few days of bus travel. Yesterday I needed to spend a couple of hours at the office and as it was a lovely day I rode my bike. I have done this before, and it is doable but still quite a work out - 13 miles round trip with some uphill climbs. It being Saturday the roads were filled with recreational cyclists decked out in spandex. I followed them towards the end thinking that they would have a short cut, but wound up up by the zoo having added two miles to my trip. Still I felt quite pleased with my self.

catching up

In two days I will fly off to Poland via England and I haven't even posted pics from the last trip to Toronto. So here are a few memorable visuals.

On the shores of Lake Ontario.

Spectacular new space at the Art Gallery of Ontario.
More eye-catching architecture.

The new facade of the Royal Ontario Museum.

Fabulous cheeses.

Snowshoe Saturday

Today the sun shone and Craig and i did a gorgeous snowshoe hike up in Big Cottonwood Canyon. I can't usually get him to accompany me, but today he did and it was lovely. Except I have sunburned cheeks. It is hard to remember that despite the nippiness, the high altitude, sunshine and snow means you should wear sunscreen.

Dreaming of sabbatical

Which is silly, because there are two more years as chair before my glorious, wonderful full year off at full pay. But I am already planning and dreaming about spending a couple of months here:



Or here:



Or here:




So what is this all about? I am a card carrying extrovert and I find myself looking at bleak, remote getaways where I can be all by myself. Hmmmmm.

Saw this on a colleague's door and couldn't resist

DID I MISS ANYTHING?
Tom Wayman
From: The Astonishing Weight of the Dead. Vancouver: Polestar, 1994.

Question frequently asked by
students after missing a class

Nothing. When we realized you weren't here
we sat with our hands folded on our desks
in silence, for the full two hours

Everything. I gave an exam worth
40 per cent of the grade for this term
and assigned some reading due today
on which I'm about to hand out a quiz
worth 50 per cent

Nothing. None of the content of this course
has value or meaning
Take as many days off as you like:
any activities we undertake as a class
I assure you will not matter either to you or me
and are without purpose

Everything. A few minutes after we began last time
a shaft of light descended and an angel
or other heavenly being appeared
and revealed to us what each woman or man must do
to attain divine wisdom in this life and
the hereafter
This is the last time the class will meet
before we disperse to bring this good news to all people
on earth

Nothing. When you are not present
how could something significant occur?

Everything. Contained in this classroom
is a microcosm of human existence
assembled for you to query and examine and ponder
This is not the only place such an opportunity has been
gathered

but it was one place

And you weren't here