GER PICK-UP

So right now is way past the time when you realize university isn't fun. The first sets of midterms have already passed, and the next set starts soon. I have a biology writing report which demands you stuff information found in a ten-page scientific article into three single-sided double-spaced pages. An astronomy project expects me to be able to fully identify constellations in the sky...we are in Toronto, and it seems the professor hasn't noticed the little quirks about Toronto's sky, which is that there are no stars, only smog.

Earlier this month someone had a seizure during a phys chem lecture, which obviously caused a big clamor. Right after that I went to astronomy, and someone shouted "Call a doctor!" after the guy beside her "fell unconsious" and dropped the bottle he was holding. Personally, it just looked like he fell asleep, not unconscious...

In regards to commuting, I have sadly witnessed a sharp increase of subway beggars, who jump to and fro between subway cars pushing their Tim Hortons cup into your face as they pass while you're sleeping. I guess it is very effective as all the people around you have already been concentrated into a small area for you.

Also recently, the revelations about finding high levels of lead in products is really confusing to me. A few months ago everyone was happy with their toy cars and building blocks, and then suddenly everything has too much lead in it. It's as if quality testing just realized "Holy crap, we forgot to test for lead" and then found out everything had a lot of lead. I wonder if this was like when we found out that saturated fats were bad, and that everything actually had saturated fats.

This month is also Nintendo freebie month. They sent me a spiffy pack of DS Lite styluses a long while ago for my Brain Age 2 purchase. They're also sending out some Wii Remote jackets for people who actually still have problems not treating the remotes like a javelin.



However the change in publishers for Nintendo Power I do not like as much, as they no longer give you the option to choose a free gift when you resubscribe to the magazine, only a barebones website which forces you to get a player's guide you really don't need.

Also, contemplating SSBB:



This is what happens when I wait too long to post.

Doing Jap

Man, weirdest RT ride ever. The two people to my left were avidly chatting with sign language, the lady sitting across from me had these huge scratches along her chest and one huge red mark down her face, and the old man sitting to my right kept twitching. Worse 15 mins ever.

In other words, second year is hardcore.

Japanese-style

First day of commuting...and to think I complained about riding on a school bus for forty minutes in high school. Investing four hours a day to staring at the floor of a public transportation vehicle doesn't sound particularly appealing but the excitement of going downtown to learn is quite...well, not effective. The adaptation phase begins.

Doctors and Nurses

Back to classes today. I have to go downtown for a one hour lecture, or more importantly to get a syllabus and book list. But I guess I can also go around hunting for places to hang out in between classes, other than the library...

Foreign Customs

I ordered a new laptop battery two weeks ago with a longer battery life as I can no longer go back and recharge the battery after every class session. Sadly, it required spending waaay more than the battery normally costs because Gateway refuses to send things to Canada. I had to go to Mundo Corp in order to get it, where I was charged with huge shipping and customs fees. I'm sure there are many reasons behind it, but Gateway's reluctance to ship parts across the border is frustrating.

Ironically, a few weeks ago I called Gateway's tech support because my tablet PC's stylus wasn't working (a very common occurence with that specific type of pen) and my warranty was running out soon. Less than 24 hours after the tech session they shipped a new stylus directly to my door. Hurrah! But then why can't they do that with their other parts...

Speaking of rush deliveries...


Hmm, two weeks doesn't seem that rushed to me... But to be fair, last weekend was the Labour Day weekend. However, I expected it to arrive before the weekend. While tracking the package online, I saw that by last Thursday it had crossed into Canada and cleared customs. Then there was no word on it until yesterday. I went to an appointment and was out of the house for a mere forty minutes only to come back and find that the courier had come and gone... Wow, they're good.

So the package was picked up today, just in time before classes start again...


Do they not do the styrofoam swirlies anymore? :(

Mania

Sturdy Hoe

Rune Factory plot update:



Ooooh mysterious.

Also, got Brain Age 2. The games do seem harder but in general more fun than the straight-forward math problems in the previous installment.