- Why is it that people insist on taking pictures with a flash at events where photography isn't allowed? Upon entering the facility, you are told the rules. You are even reprimanded by on-site staff, yet you continue this bad behavior. English isn't your first language, so this could be the cause of communication errors, but I don't find that a good excuse. It's called show etiquette people. Same kind of issue with the people who stand beside "no picture" or "no flash photography" signs in museums and disobey. Grrrr.
- Watched a plain clothed lady standing by the token vending machines at Union Station selling tokens to those waiting in line. Kudos to her for arriving during peak afternoon rush hour. Was she making profit because she'd bought the tokens in bulk or before the last fare-hike? Should/would the TTC care that she was there? Did any of those approached think she was trying to scam them? Did they go with it to get en route faster? Were they just stereotypically nice Canadians trying to help out a lady trying to get rid of extra tokens? About 10 minutes of watching her resulted in at least 30 transactions.
Friday, October 26, 2007
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
People are fascinating
I love people watching and trying to figure out how people tick.
Two recent events:
1. I was with a group of people doing an individual activity which was supposed to get us to focus. On a piece of paper was a 10x10 grid with two digit numbers (00 to 99) labelled in each box randomly. You were to cross out the boxes one at a time in order from smallest to largest. It was a timed event. I finished mine and watch the people around me finish theirs. It was interesting to see the different techniques and strategies used. The body language and posture. Frantic, calm and everywhere in between.
2. Taking the Spadina streetcar south at the end of morning rush hour. Waiting in the extremely long line at Spadina station, it was apparent that there was some kind of delay. We were there for quite some time before 5 cars came in a row. Watching how lines formed. Some single file, others clumped. Dirty looks and pushing forward even when cars hadn't arrived yet. Frantic looks to cellphones and watches, reading and leaning against walls. Someone comments loudly to no one in particular about the price hike in a couple of weeks and how it doesn't reflect the service provided. It's a very mixed group of passengers, age, gender, race. The streetcars arrive to cheers and jeers alike. Claustrophobic people - beware. The first car is full and the doors are ready to close and a teacher yells at the half of her student group that got on the car to get off. There is an exchange of bodies, and words as well. The doors are closing and a couple people arrive out of nowhere to push in front of the door and yell some strange words to the driver hoping to get on board. Car number two arrives and I'll be getting on this one. Someone asks the person beside them not to push. Others push back. We're on and the driver's getting ready to go so he voices on the loudspeaker that passengers need to step up off the stairs for the vehicle to move. Passengers oblige and we're off. First stop en route, a couple people jostle to get off and too many want to get on. There is a problem with communication at the front with a passenger not stepping up and while the driver is calmly trying to explain the situation, a couple other passengers further back yell instructions. Rudely. We're moving again, but now more passengers are tittering. Laughing, sighing, quipping and trying to make light of the situation in general. Rude lady Number 1 almost hacks up a lung. A medical practitioner beside me (I eavesdropped on her cell phone conversation to her secretary while in line at the Spadina station) rolls her eyes. More barely audible comments which are created loud enough to get a reaction are uttered. A moment of connection between complete strangers and then life goes on, people go their separate ways.
Fascinating.
Two recent events:
1. I was with a group of people doing an individual activity which was supposed to get us to focus. On a piece of paper was a 10x10 grid with two digit numbers (00 to 99) labelled in each box randomly. You were to cross out the boxes one at a time in order from smallest to largest. It was a timed event. I finished mine and watch the people around me finish theirs. It was interesting to see the different techniques and strategies used. The body language and posture. Frantic, calm and everywhere in between.
2. Taking the Spadina streetcar south at the end of morning rush hour. Waiting in the extremely long line at Spadina station, it was apparent that there was some kind of delay. We were there for quite some time before 5 cars came in a row. Watching how lines formed. Some single file, others clumped. Dirty looks and pushing forward even when cars hadn't arrived yet. Frantic looks to cellphones and watches, reading and leaning against walls. Someone comments loudly to no one in particular about the price hike in a couple of weeks and how it doesn't reflect the service provided. It's a very mixed group of passengers, age, gender, race. The streetcars arrive to cheers and jeers alike. Claustrophobic people - beware. The first car is full and the doors are ready to close and a teacher yells at the half of her student group that got on the car to get off. There is an exchange of bodies, and words as well. The doors are closing and a couple people arrive out of nowhere to push in front of the door and yell some strange words to the driver hoping to get on board. Car number two arrives and I'll be getting on this one. Someone asks the person beside them not to push. Others push back. We're on and the driver's getting ready to go so he voices on the loudspeaker that passengers need to step up off the stairs for the vehicle to move. Passengers oblige and we're off. First stop en route, a couple people jostle to get off and too many want to get on. There is a problem with communication at the front with a passenger not stepping up and while the driver is calmly trying to explain the situation, a couple other passengers further back yell instructions. Rudely. We're moving again, but now more passengers are tittering. Laughing, sighing, quipping and trying to make light of the situation in general. Rude lady Number 1 almost hacks up a lung. A medical practitioner beside me (I eavesdropped on her cell phone conversation to her secretary while in line at the Spadina station) rolls her eyes. More barely audible comments which are created loud enough to get a reaction are uttered. A moment of connection between complete strangers and then life goes on, people go their separate ways.
Fascinating.
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Trying to look on the bright side (until situations change)
So one good thing about commuting crazy distances, sometimes through areas that I haven't been exposed to in the past three years and I think are more extreme in certain ways is that I get to eavesdrop on teenaged banter.
Teenagers are so facinating. How they act and react. How they present themselves. How they articulate their feelings. The constant word garbage.
I miss my kids.
Teenagers are so facinating. How they act and react. How they present themselves. How they articulate their feelings. The constant word garbage.
I miss my kids.
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Mystery of the game show solved
While flipping TV channels in Europe, I would invariably come across a game show. I've seen similar incarnations in Italian, French and German among other languages in my travels.
I could never quite understand what was going on. The contestant is picking from numbered boxes (the French version had different French city names instead of numbers), hoping not to get 1 million euros (or whatever currency it was). I figured out that the goal was to get really crappy amounts of money, as those amounts would be crossed off a big list of possible prizes. The confusion on my part was what amount the contestant would win if they stopped before all of the boxes were open and also why there were two columns for the prize amounts. There was always a old school telephone in a table which would ring and the host would be told some message to be passed on to the contestant. Usually the contestant ended up in tears. The boxes were opened by average looking people who didn't seem to have any prize incentive for being there.
I finally figured out that it's just Deal or No Deal.
I could never quite understand what was going on. The contestant is picking from numbered boxes (the French version had different French city names instead of numbers), hoping not to get 1 million euros (or whatever currency it was). I figured out that the goal was to get really crappy amounts of money, as those amounts would be crossed off a big list of possible prizes. The confusion on my part was what amount the contestant would win if they stopped before all of the boxes were open and also why there were two columns for the prize amounts. There was always a old school telephone in a table which would ring and the host would be told some message to be passed on to the contestant. Usually the contestant ended up in tears. The boxes were opened by average looking people who didn't seem to have any prize incentive for being there.
I finally figured out that it's just Deal or No Deal.
Marc Jacobs does it again
His lateness I mean, not his ability to make amazing accessories and shoes.
At the Spring/Summer 2008 Louis Vuitton show, he was an hour late (which I guess is better than the two hours at his own RTW show in New York) which for the snotty French folks, was not a good thing.
And yeah, he couldn't even redeem the tardiness with a great collection. Barf. I hate the LV monogram even more. Last time I went to their showroom, I saw some beautiful coats and other classic items, but this collection - yuck.
At the Spring/Summer 2008 Louis Vuitton show, he was an hour late (which I guess is better than the two hours at his own RTW show in New York) which for the snotty French folks, was not a good thing.
And yeah, he couldn't even redeem the tardiness with a great collection. Barf. I hate the LV monogram even more. Last time I went to their showroom, I saw some beautiful coats and other classic items, but this collection - yuck.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Don't spoil it!
Well, it's official, I'm closing my ears to Grey's Anatomy until I can get a source for downloaded versions on DVD (the computer I'm currently using has no sound) or until the season comes out on DVD legally.
I was lucky enough to catch last week's episode (#2) while I was in Vancouver, but I didn't get a chance to watch it tonight and don't think that I'll be able to be in front of a TV at 9pm on Thursdays for awhile to come.
So yeah, for those you are still watching, I hope it's good, but you'd better not ruin it for me. Unfortunately I'm not a continent away from the gossip, so I'll really have to stay in a bubble.
I was lucky enough to catch last week's episode (#2) while I was in Vancouver, but I didn't get a chance to watch it tonight and don't think that I'll be able to be in front of a TV at 9pm on Thursdays for awhile to come.
So yeah, for those you are still watching, I hope it's good, but you'd better not ruin it for me. Unfortunately I'm not a continent away from the gossip, so I'll really have to stay in a bubble.
Free Musical Celebration in Honour of Richard Bradshaw
Darn it, I can't make it, but hopefully you can.
Richard Bradshaw, Director General of the Canadian Opera Company died suddenly this past August, and the COC is holding a FREE concert on Thursday, November 1st in his honour.
Tickets are available as of Saturday, October 27 beginning at 8 a.m. Tickets are limited to two per person and must be accepted as assigned. Tickets are not
replaceable.
What's better than (free) beautiful music in a beautiful new concert hall commemorating the life of a beautiful man.
Hope you can make it!
Richard Bradshaw, Director General of the Canadian Opera Company died suddenly this past August, and the COC is holding a FREE concert on Thursday, November 1st in his honour.
Tickets are available as of Saturday, October 27 beginning at 8 a.m. Tickets are limited to two per person and must be accepted as assigned. Tickets are not
replaceable.
What's better than (free) beautiful music in a beautiful new concert hall commemorating the life of a beautiful man.
Hope you can make it!
Louise Bourgeois' Maman
Canada does have some pretty amazing things.
When I went to Ottawa, I was so impressed with the Galleries and Museum that they had there. Toronto has a lot of catching up to do - I guess since there's been such a big renovation with places in the city, things are looking up. I'm looking forward to visiting the new and improved Gardiner Museum, of course the Royal Ontario Museum looks finished on the outside, but it's nowhere close to being finished on the inside and the Art Gallery of Ontario just closed for it's big transformation.
Anyway, the point of this post is to say that Louise Bourgeois' massive spider sculpture is back on display at the Tate Modern in London. It'll be there until January 20th, 2008. The link to Canada is that there is a bronze version of Maman outside of the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa.
I love sculpture. I find it fascinating. Thank goodness I'm not afraid of spiders, because this piece is so imposing that it probably wouldn't be a good scene. I love the proportion of the legs to its body. Ronald Weasley would be freaking out if he saw it.
When I went to Ottawa, I was so impressed with the Galleries and Museum that they had there. Toronto has a lot of catching up to do - I guess since there's been such a big renovation with places in the city, things are looking up. I'm looking forward to visiting the new and improved Gardiner Museum, of course the Royal Ontario Museum looks finished on the outside, but it's nowhere close to being finished on the inside and the Art Gallery of Ontario just closed for it's big transformation.
Anyway, the point of this post is to say that Louise Bourgeois' massive spider sculpture is back on display at the Tate Modern in London. It'll be there until January 20th, 2008. The link to Canada is that there is a bronze version of Maman outside of the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa.
I love sculpture. I find it fascinating. Thank goodness I'm not afraid of spiders, because this piece is so imposing that it probably wouldn't be a good scene. I love the proportion of the legs to its body. Ronald Weasley would be freaking out if he saw it.
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