Worst 50$ EVER!

After much advice, I went to a doctor to find out about this green goo coming out of my lungs for the last month. According to the doctor at Vendome Walk-In Clinic I have a cold and should get some rest. That's what I though... That's why I didn't want to go! That's why I hate doctors. They charge you 50$ for a 2 minute visit, offer no real advice or peace of mind.

I would have been just as happy to see a nurse or any other health professional, because they have the same skills. The only difference is that they're not fleecing the government, or in this case, ME. One day enough people are going to be angry at those bastard doctors to actually do something about our system.

Doctors will do anything to keep the cash flowing. They want their skills to be in short supply even though they don't have to be. What if everybody was trained in simple triage and diagnosis techniques and only needed specialists in serious cases?

What if the first step to the health system was to see a trained nurse?

I'm gonna look at some other health care systems around the world and see what other countries have come up with.

Floor

This is the tile floor at Place Des Arts. I got to look at it for about 20 minutes the other night when the metro went down.

Villa Maria 2

Every day I pass these big circles and wonder what happens when all the notches align. I bet it opens some sort of portal to another dimension. Or.. it might signal the end of the world, or both.

Those bastard taggers don't know that though, that's why the deface this amazing art with their shitty artless vandalism. "Hey taggers! Go create something artistic like large notched circles!"

Wouldn't it be strange to find a giant piece of modern minimalist sculpture welded to the outside of your building by rogue artists? That's the next big thing, you heard if from me first.

Villa Maria (more fun with my new camera)

These things are about 2 m in diamater.

Contrary to popular belief, the Villa Maria Station in NDG is by far the best Metro station in Montreal. (I've visited almost all of them) I'll try and upload one image a day until you've seen the amazing features of Villa Maria Metro.

Mahler 7 and the CME

I just got back from OSM's performance of Mahler 7. Performances of Mahler symphonies are rare so it's always exciting to tick one off the list. I've got 7 more to go. Some of them are almost never played, that's why I went on a road trip to the US last year.

I had my first rehearsal with the Contemporary Music Ensemble. They are working on my new work Evolution 5 x 8. It went quite well, I think they are going to do a good job. Possibly the best performance I've ever had, the players are incredible. As usual, I wish I had more time to work on the piece, in order to take advantage of how good the group is. Next time I will.

Being a resident composer (and a masters student) at McGill is interesting because I'm respected more than I'm used to. The students at the U of M were always nice to me but I don't think very many of them understood why composition majors were there.

Last Friday there was a crazy party in the lounge of the school of music. Very cheap bear, a jazz combo, lots of drunk girls, it was great. By the end they were giving me free beer. I met some new people which was very nice. I felt a little old because most of the kids there were undergrads. Then I remembered that I'm one of the youngest masters students in the school.

Boot camp is going well. Lung goo is still there but I'm not coughing as much and my fever is going down.

That thing on the right is me in the shame hat. I haven't had to wear it for real but that's what it looks like. Now you know why I go to the gym at 7:00 in the morning. Day 4 is getting better. Perhaps one day every day will be boot camp. Until next time.

Enjoy a random picture of my apartment. (yes it is that clean all the time!)

Boot Camp day 3 of 14

Dawne has introduced me to the terrible world of girly abdominal exorcizes. There is nothing more humiliating and painfull than lying on your back and having to lift up and touch your toes. When I sneeze my stomac hurts for 2 minutes.

11 days left. I'm not gonna be the one wearing the shame hat. I'll post a picture of it soon.

Welcome to Boot Camp!

Yesterday was the first day of Boot Camp. Dawne and I have decided to go all out for the next 2 weeks to get ourselves back to our post Christmas training regime. We are going hard every day, and if either one of us misses an appointment there are strict penalties.

A day missed for any reason is immediately met by the following.


1. Loss of (Internet for me and coffee for Dawne) for one day.
2. Forced to war the shame hat to school or the next shopping trip, accompanied by goth makup.
3. 10 minute wall squat.
4. Push ups with the shame hat.
5. inherit the other persons cleaning chores for that week.

I hope I can make it through this. I'm still suffering from green goo in the lungs, I'm hoping that this constant physical activity will blast this disease out of my system.

Staying Alive

Been using Photoshop to make my pictures look a little more fun. I think i've been looking at Adam's portraits a bit too much.

To late for most but still good!

Everything you need is right here!

http://www.degreetutor.com/library/online-assignments/termpaper-writing

*Click*

I got a camera for christmas. I"ll be able to take pictures of the people and places I see in montreal. Here are some of my friends here, Dawne and Erika.

The night I took this picture the entire city was covered in thick fog. I could barely see across the street. The weather here is very different.

More pictures to follow.