Ssssssssss.

Thesis is picking up steam! I went to see my advisor today and it was alright, actually, even though I had been dreading it to the point of declaring it a dies illae, calamitatis et miseriae in an e-mail to Matt. My advisor is very absent-minded and professorial but he's also quite pleasant and helpful, and he made me feel that I have actually made some progress. One of my goals for the rest of the semester is to have him remember my mini-thesis topic from one meeting to another.

At capoeira this week, we practiced various basic esquivas (dodges). My partners kept asking me for input, despite my total lack of skill. Perhaps I gave the appearance of living up to one of my New Year's resolutions: be competent. The others were listen carefully and absorb what you are being told and eat less junk, sleep 7 hours nightly, and exercise at least twice weekly. So far all three are going relatively well, I guess. Robert Fisk is keeping me from accomplishing the sleep-related one; I spent an hour and a half last week reading about the Armenian Genocide rather than sleeping.

At the same time as I was sleeping this Tuesday night, having surreal, horrible dreams (I had accidentally bought and remodeled the Monizes' house; I was landing a plane and my throat was numb like I'd just sucked back a glass of Anbesol), there were three Carleton students dying just a few blocks from my apartment. The photos from the crash look horrific; I didn't know any of them but I feel for their families and all their friends. One of the B.PAPMers knew one of the girls. I guess it is things like this that make us thankful we're on the right side of the dirt (as a friend of a friend would put it). I wouldn't wish this on anyone.

Finally, dear Intertubes, I am going to ask you something. As I will need to entertain visitors for two weekends this term, I would like suggestions for stuff to do in Ottawa. Because I've already done almost everything. Is there a restaurant you love like fat kids love cake? What about live music? Cool stores? Pretty walks? Base jumping? Then click the comments thing and tell me all about it.