Thomas Lodge's prose romance features an unhappy and resentful character that "stands in a dumpe" during his wedding.  i find myself in this like position of sullen melancholy.

in Blackader Lauterman, McGill's accomodating architecture library...

suffering through what seems a neverending Socratic dialogue.

ah the delights of university education!  the gentle whirs and clicks of great minds... the rustle of turned pages yellowing with wisdom and antiquity...  i remind myself that i am privileged to be here...  that i am happy and fulfilled to be reading the classics...  devouring poetry...  discovering Dante... revisiting Milton... learning new approaches to literature and philosophy... wrestling with Latin once again...  and yet...  to be here, engaging in the scholarship of the massive and looming literary canon is so pertifying and oppressive...  it renders one impotent...  with nothing new or fresh to say that hasn't already been said it seems.

studying is definitely rewarding and wonderful...  but isn't what one might call fun.

one fun thing i did...  went with a bunch of friends to an amusement park at midnight.  it was incredibly cold and all of us were falling over with fatigue... but the first rollercoaster made it all worthwhile.  it was more fun then my childhood experiences - running around in a garishly flashing fantasyland.  we finally left at dawn.  the sky was very beautiful - a deep blue that melted into violets and pinks along the horizon.  we were all exhausted but we couldn't stop talking about different neighbourhoods in the city - how the plateau is better than centre ville, how pathetically small Chinatown is, how the squigee kids at mont royal earned the most money...  i remember sitting in the car feeling incredibly weary but enormously happy to be home. 

k... I'm thinking about having a party on the first of August... the question is where should it be....  any suggestions?  also... wondering if there are any things that i absolutely must do or see before I leave.  especially interested in the non-touristy, best kept native secret- type of experiences...  thanks..

craziness... only two weeks left...

man! there are million things to do...

a million people and things to see.

so happy i came... so blessed by you and everyone else i've encountered in this strange strange land. 

please let me know of things i should do before i leave...

k... i know it's been forever since i've written. 

things are alright.  just got back from the yicf retreat.  so glad i went.  i kind of decided to go on a last minute whim.  it was a really great time though.  met tonnes of good people.  very special time with God as well.  Man, i need to be more disciplined! 

tutoring lots.  reading lots of great books for classes.  i have the best job.  i get paid (and pretty well) to read books and discuss literature with my students...      

tomorrow morning i will be going to immigration.  i will have to tell them that i want to extend my stay... they will ask why.  i must tell that i want to learn more korean...  which is troubling and frightening because after 15 months, my Korean is still very very very poor.  i'm a little anxious that i will be immediately expelled from the country.