Being downtown reminds me that I'm not comfortable in cities.
Oh, I can handle them just fine - I'm building a map of Vancouver in my head, and between that and my real map there's no problem - but - I don't know - I think it's a sky thing.
It's so sunny here (when it's not pouring), and out where I live, in a very residential area, the buildings are only two or three stories high. There's lots of sunlight. It's a comfortable area, shops are nearby, I can walk places, etc.
Downtown is... big. Well, not really big - it wouldn't take terribly long to walk North to South, or East to West - but it's tall. I dunno what the definition is of a skyscraper is, but...
I guess I'm not really used to cities. I go into Boston sometimes during the school year, but I generally stick to places I know. I see so much more poverty here - downtown, on Granville Island, even down the street where I do basic shopping - than I do at home. It's disheartening. How can you even make a dent in that kind of poverty? And I haven't even been to the areas that are reputed to be really bad.
Cities intimidate me. They have their good points, their attractions, their fascinations, but I don't love the faster pace or the crush of people (this, incidentally, is why I have not bothered to go to New York: too many damn people. Too many skyscrapers. Not enough sky.).
I wouldn't mind living closer to work - in Kits, for example - but I'm glad that I live so far away from downtown, because I don't think that's my world.
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Vancouver, day 29
Ended up at church after all, because it was really hot this morning and I couldn't stay asleep. I'm glad I went, because the service was interesting - about evil and God and evolution (yes, they were all linked, and no, it was not about how evolution's evil; quite the opposite. Actually, I think an "evolution is evil" speaker might get booed out of a UU church. Maybe. Though we tend to be pretty tolerant of other opinions, so... you never know. I'm rambling, aren't I?)
Then it was on to the main library branch, because it has a much better selection than the local branch. I was kidding when I said last week that my trip to the local branch would tide me over 'til the weekend - I thought the books would last longer than that - but, uh, I was running out of reading material.
I started to head home after that, but changed my mind (it was still early) and went to Gastown, the very touristy part of downtown. I saw the infamous Steam Clock (though naturally I forgot my camera today, so I'll have to go back) and stuck my nose into a few gift shops (pretty much all of which sold the exact same things). Maple sugar candy is tasty.
When I got sick of walking - I love love love my ballet flats, but they don't exactly have cushioning or arch support - I hid out in a coffee shop for a while, then gradually worked my way back to the bus (controlled wandering again).
I'm spending tomorrow night at my aunt's, and then Tuesday is Canada Day, so no work (barbeque at my aunt's, and maybe I'll go find the beach or something).
Then it was on to the main library branch, because it has a much better selection than the local branch. I was kidding when I said last week that my trip to the local branch would tide me over 'til the weekend - I thought the books would last longer than that - but, uh, I was running out of reading material.
I started to head home after that, but changed my mind (it was still early) and went to Gastown, the very touristy part of downtown. I saw the infamous Steam Clock (though naturally I forgot my camera today, so I'll have to go back) and stuck my nose into a few gift shops (pretty much all of which sold the exact same things). Maple sugar candy is tasty.
When I got sick of walking - I love love love my ballet flats, but they don't exactly have cushioning or arch support - I hid out in a coffee shop for a while, then gradually worked my way back to the bus (controlled wandering again).
I'm spending tomorrow night at my aunt's, and then Tuesday is Canada Day, so no work (barbeque at my aunt's, and maybe I'll go find the beach or something).
Vancouver, day 28
Right... it is Late.
I found that stationery shop today - it was quite nice - and then wandered around for a while. I figure that as long as I know a) where I started and b) which direction (N, E, S, W) I'm going in then I won't get lost. That theory's worked pretty well so far. I managed to find cable needles (not the kind I really wanted, but whatever, these'll do) and, even better, $1 bamboo knitting needles. I dunno how long they'll last, but - hey, if they break, replacing them would still be a hell of a lot cheaper than getting them from a knitting shop (found them in a dollar store).
Later I came home and did some light editing for a friend, then had dinner and talked to a couple of my flatmates. Not long thereafter, as I was making tea, another (very talkative) flatmate came in and asked me some publishing questions. I gave the correct answers and explanations, but didn't press the point that it can be really hard to get published, especially if you're really only in it for the money (and - believe me, most authors do not get paid enough to live on). Nothing personal against this flatmate, but I really don't think it's going to happen.
Anyway. The other two came back through on their way out and I asked where they were headed. The Chinatown Night Market, they said, did I want to come? A polite excuse was on the tip of my tongue, but then I thought - why not? Sounds like more fun (to me) than a pub, and it certainly wouldn't hurt to be social with my flatmates. And so I went.
We got a little bit lost, but not too badly, and generally speaking it was a good time. I think the male flatmate got a little bit sick of getting dragged along to jewelery stalls, but he barely complained. The stuff was cheap - quality and price both - but it was a lot of fun to poke around and try to find the diamond in the rough, so to speak. It was also a chance to discuss house drama while, you know, out of the house.
We had to wait a long time for the bus, but I didn't mind. I think I'm going to skip church tomorrow - sleep seems, at the moment, the preferable option - but it's definitely worth that to have had a fun (sober!) evening out.
I found that stationery shop today - it was quite nice - and then wandered around for a while. I figure that as long as I know a) where I started and b) which direction (N, E, S, W) I'm going in then I won't get lost. That theory's worked pretty well so far. I managed to find cable needles (not the kind I really wanted, but whatever, these'll do) and, even better, $1 bamboo knitting needles. I dunno how long they'll last, but - hey, if they break, replacing them would still be a hell of a lot cheaper than getting them from a knitting shop (found them in a dollar store).
Later I came home and did some light editing for a friend, then had dinner and talked to a couple of my flatmates. Not long thereafter, as I was making tea, another (very talkative) flatmate came in and asked me some publishing questions. I gave the correct answers and explanations, but didn't press the point that it can be really hard to get published, especially if you're really only in it for the money (and - believe me, most authors do not get paid enough to live on). Nothing personal against this flatmate, but I really don't think it's going to happen.
Anyway. The other two came back through on their way out and I asked where they were headed. The Chinatown Night Market, they said, did I want to come? A polite excuse was on the tip of my tongue, but then I thought - why not? Sounds like more fun (to me) than a pub, and it certainly wouldn't hurt to be social with my flatmates. And so I went.
We got a little bit lost, but not too badly, and generally speaking it was a good time. I think the male flatmate got a little bit sick of getting dragged along to jewelery stalls, but he barely complained. The stuff was cheap - quality and price both - but it was a lot of fun to poke around and try to find the diamond in the rough, so to speak. It was also a chance to discuss house drama while, you know, out of the house.
We had to wait a long time for the bus, but I didn't mind. I think I'm going to skip church tomorrow - sleep seems, at the moment, the preferable option - but it's definitely worth that to have had a fun (sober!) evening out.
Friday, June 27, 2008
Vancouver, day 27
Shit! Who do I know on the West Coast? Aaaaaaah.
...stupid time difference.
Anyway. Today I kept going with my Excel project from yesterday, adding more data and correcting errors and so on and so forth. An intern - one who actually comes in regularly, the one who was at the book launch - was there, so we talked about work stuff and random stuff (she pointed me in the direction of what she says is an excellent stationery store, which I think I will find soon... like, tomorrow soon...). She also gave me the idea to add lists of awards, shortlists, nominations, and reviews to the ISBN chart, so it's getting bigger and more complicated and it's so much fun.
Have I mentioned that I'm a total nerd?
Later the dictation author came by, and we got through a couple of pages of one story and about ten pages of another. The pacing was really good today, so there were entire pages without typos when I went back through to correct it before printing.
Then, because I decided on a whim that I wasn't going to want to cook dinner, I got pizza (mmm pesto) and came home. And... now I am going "shit! Who do I know on the West Coast? Aaaaaaah."
...stupid time difference.
Anyway. Today I kept going with my Excel project from yesterday, adding more data and correcting errors and so on and so forth. An intern - one who actually comes in regularly, the one who was at the book launch - was there, so we talked about work stuff and random stuff (she pointed me in the direction of what she says is an excellent stationery store, which I think I will find soon... like, tomorrow soon...). She also gave me the idea to add lists of awards, shortlists, nominations, and reviews to the ISBN chart, so it's getting bigger and more complicated and it's so much fun.
Have I mentioned that I'm a total nerd?
Later the dictation author came by, and we got through a couple of pages of one story and about ten pages of another. The pacing was really good today, so there were entire pages without typos when I went back through to correct it before printing.
Then, because I decided on a whim that I wasn't going to want to cook dinner, I got pizza (mmm pesto) and came home. And... now I am going "shit! Who do I know on the West Coast? Aaaaaaah."
Vancouver, day 26
1) Had unstructured time at work (read: nobody was telling me what to do), so I dragged out the binder full of titles and authors and ISBNs and put it all in the computer. This makes me ridiculously happy, in large part because there are three different people's handwriting in that binder and I can only read one of them reliably. Plus, now I can sort and search and so on and so forth (do I think my boss will use the computer version? No, probably not... but he was happy about it :) ).
2) Another part-time intern was there today. She was.... hmm. An experience.
3) Went to Bard on the Beach with my aunt (and cousins, and step-uncle, and step-cousin, and so on and so forth) and saw an amazing version of Twelfth Night. Although Viola looked much better as a boy...
4) It is way, way past my bedtime.
2) Another part-time intern was there today. She was.... hmm. An experience.
3) Went to Bard on the Beach with my aunt (and cousins, and step-uncle, and step-cousin, and so on and so forth) and saw an amazing version of Twelfth Night. Although Viola looked much better as a boy...
4) It is way, way past my bedtime.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Vancouver, day 25
One of my flatmates: "I forgot what I was going to do. That tends to happen when you're stoned."
Me: "Yeah, I imagine it would."
Note: marajuana (in small amounts, at any rate) is indeed legal in Canada.
Other note: nope. Still not interested.
Work today was brainless. I mean, I didn't mind - I can do brainless (no comments from the peanut gallery) - but it was.... yeah. By the time I started doing more interesting stuff, it was 1:45. The more interesting stuff ended at 2:15, and I was just about to say that I should leave - I'm supposed to be done at 2:00 - when my boss pointed me in the direction of another brainless task.
...le sigh.
Anyway. 3:00 came, and the author I'm taking dictation from walked in.
Note: He wasn't supposed to be there today. He was supposed to be there tomorrow.
After a brief conversation in which we decided that yes, today was fine, I just needed a break for food, my boss tried to point me back in the direction of the brainless task.
Note: umm.... no?
Having reached the point at which food was really necessary to keep me from crying (apparantly hunger makes me emotional?), I pointed out that I really needed to get something to eat, so he set me free. Food. Oh my god food. I felt much better by the time I went back to take dictation, though the author was reading a bit faster than normal, which led to more slip-ups, and finally I had to ask him to please slow down.
Oh well. It got done, right?
So we departed - he'll come Friday, not tomorrow, which is good because I'm going to see Bard on the Beach tomorrow - and I went to one of those little grocery shops and got peppers and yogurt. Now I am home, and there is nothing to do but laundry (in the dryer right now) and shower and sleep.
Well, and make my bed. But I hate doing that so much that I'm just pretending, for the next few minutes, that I don't have to do that.
Me: "Yeah, I imagine it would."
Note: marajuana (in small amounts, at any rate) is indeed legal in Canada.
Other note: nope. Still not interested.
Work today was brainless. I mean, I didn't mind - I can do brainless (no comments from the peanut gallery) - but it was.... yeah. By the time I started doing more interesting stuff, it was 1:45. The more interesting stuff ended at 2:15, and I was just about to say that I should leave - I'm supposed to be done at 2:00 - when my boss pointed me in the direction of another brainless task.
...le sigh.
Anyway. 3:00 came, and the author I'm taking dictation from walked in.
Note: He wasn't supposed to be there today. He was supposed to be there tomorrow.
After a brief conversation in which we decided that yes, today was fine, I just needed a break for food, my boss tried to point me back in the direction of the brainless task.
Note: umm.... no?
Having reached the point at which food was really necessary to keep me from crying (apparantly hunger makes me emotional?), I pointed out that I really needed to get something to eat, so he set me free. Food. Oh my god food. I felt much better by the time I went back to take dictation, though the author was reading a bit faster than normal, which led to more slip-ups, and finally I had to ask him to please slow down.
Oh well. It got done, right?
So we departed - he'll come Friday, not tomorrow, which is good because I'm going to see Bard on the Beach tomorrow - and I went to one of those little grocery shops and got peppers and yogurt. Now I am home, and there is nothing to do but laundry (in the dryer right now) and shower and sleep.
Well, and make my bed. But I hate doing that so much that I'm just pretending, for the next few minutes, that I don't have to do that.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Vancouver, day 24
Book launch!
Okay: woke up (did not want to wake up this morning), went to work, did work-ish things, left work, got lunch, went home.
Well - actually, stopped at the library (books! Six of them. Enough to hold me... erm... maybe til the weekend?) and the grocery store (becos omg TEA) on the way home. But then I went home.
Had a quick dinner (read: peanut butter sandwich and carrots), repacked my bag, then ran out again to go to the children's book store where we were launching, simultaneously, two books.
I ended up getting there a bit early - I wanted to get there early in case my boss did, plus I wasn't sure how long it would take to get there - so after doing some minimal set-up (they couldn't do most of it just then), another intern showed up and suggested that we get coffee before the launch. We found an excellent coffee shop and sat and talked for a while... she's probably not somebody I'd hang out with much back in the real wor - wait. Did I just refer to Wellesley as the real world? Somebody smack me. Back in the bubble, I mean. Anyway, she's really nice and really smart, so... ::shrugs::
The launch itself went well. The kids were happy, the adults were happy, the authors did readings (which went over very well), and I kept an eye on the refreshment table and replenished as necessary. Neither I nor the other intern could figure out exactly what we were supposed to be doing (honestly? We probably could've just shown up and been guests. But neither of us liked being useless, so we carried cookies and coffee - oh, look, alliteration - instead), but it worked out okay.
I just barely caught the bus, but catch it I did... turns out it's not so bad to run in flats. Also! My aunt and cousin came, and I'll be seeing them later this week (spending a night over there, just not sure which night yet), and next week for Canada Day. I hadn't realized quite how nice it would be to have family in the city, but there you go.
Anyway. Bedtime!
Okay: woke up (did not want to wake up this morning), went to work, did work-ish things, left work, got lunch, went home.
Well - actually, stopped at the library (books! Six of them. Enough to hold me... erm... maybe til the weekend?) and the grocery store (becos omg TEA) on the way home. But then I went home.
Had a quick dinner (read: peanut butter sandwich and carrots), repacked my bag, then ran out again to go to the children's book store where we were launching, simultaneously, two books.
I ended up getting there a bit early - I wanted to get there early in case my boss did, plus I wasn't sure how long it would take to get there - so after doing some minimal set-up (they couldn't do most of it just then), another intern showed up and suggested that we get coffee before the launch. We found an excellent coffee shop and sat and talked for a while... she's probably not somebody I'd hang out with much back in the real wor - wait. Did I just refer to Wellesley as the real world? Somebody smack me. Back in the bubble, I mean. Anyway, she's really nice and really smart, so... ::shrugs::
The launch itself went well. The kids were happy, the adults were happy, the authors did readings (which went over very well), and I kept an eye on the refreshment table and replenished as necessary. Neither I nor the other intern could figure out exactly what we were supposed to be doing (honestly? We probably could've just shown up and been guests. But neither of us liked being useless, so we carried cookies and coffee - oh, look, alliteration - instead), but it worked out okay.
I just barely caught the bus, but catch it I did... turns out it's not so bad to run in flats. Also! My aunt and cousin came, and I'll be seeing them later this week (spending a night over there, just not sure which night yet), and next week for Canada Day. I hadn't realized quite how nice it would be to have family in the city, but there you go.
Anyway. Bedtime!
Monday, June 23, 2008
Vancouver, day 23
I dreamed that
a) I was moving in at school (the girl next door was sick, but hey, I had my own bathroom), and
b) Anne Boleyn's head was being cut off.
Not sure what the connection is, but....
Anyway.
Today my boss showed me these notebooks - a dozen or more of them. Some are empty or almost empty (the almost-empty ones are suggestive of a failed attempt at better organization), but at least eight are filled with names, addresses, phone numbers, business cards. I am not sure yet what the organization structure is - if there even is one - but it was kind of cool to flip through these books and read the names of contacts and authors and illustrators and, well, everyone under the sun. All we were looking for was the contact info for the buyer at the New York Public Library (which I found, incidentally, quite quickly - go me!), but it's kind of like there's a whole 'nother world in those notebooks.
...not that I can read more than half the handwriting, but such is life.
Other than that, nothing particularly noteworthy today (although - that crypticness from last week? Looks like that's going somewhere, so... we'll see), unless you count the fact that there's a book launch tomorrow (or maybe that won't be noteworthy 'til tomorrow) and... yeah... actually, that's really about it. Away I go.
a) I was moving in at school (the girl next door was sick, but hey, I had my own bathroom), and
b) Anne Boleyn's head was being cut off.
Not sure what the connection is, but....
Anyway.
Today my boss showed me these notebooks - a dozen or more of them. Some are empty or almost empty (the almost-empty ones are suggestive of a failed attempt at better organization), but at least eight are filled with names, addresses, phone numbers, business cards. I am not sure yet what the organization structure is - if there even is one - but it was kind of cool to flip through these books and read the names of contacts and authors and illustrators and, well, everyone under the sun. All we were looking for was the contact info for the buyer at the New York Public Library (which I found, incidentally, quite quickly - go me!), but it's kind of like there's a whole 'nother world in those notebooks.
...not that I can read more than half the handwriting, but such is life.
Other than that, nothing particularly noteworthy today (although - that crypticness from last week? Looks like that's going somewhere, so... we'll see), unless you count the fact that there's a book launch tomorrow (or maybe that won't be noteworthy 'til tomorrow) and... yeah... actually, that's really about it. Away I go.
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Vancouver, day 22
-I really don't know what my dreams have been on lately.
-Went to church this morning - Bridging Ceremony. Parts of it were really good/funny; parts of it made me wonder whether my own Bridging Ceremony was that boring for the adults/congregation. Ah well.
-I asked about a Young Adult group - there is one, apparantly, but I can't figure out when they meet or where or.... yeah.
-After that, went to a coffee shop to meet some people from Ravelry. Quite fun, actually. It was nice to talk to people who I, you know, wasn't obligated to talk to. Upon learning that I didn't know much (or really anything, since I don't remember where my aunt took me last week) about local yarn stores, they took me to a nearby one. I didn't get anything, but I plan to go back.
-I talked to my dad, and it looks like I'll be doing a workshop at SFU next month. I'll have to get the okay from my boss to miss a couple of days, of course, but since he was the one to suggest that I do this I don't think it'll be a problem.
-I took a couple of walks down the street: first I found a dollar store (we are now in possession of a cheese slicer. Yes.) and returned some books, then I was on the phone with a friend (for an hour, ye gods. When am I ever on the phone for that long?) and didn't want to be in the house.
-Maybe now I will be adequately sunburned? I mean, I don't really tan, so a burn is the next best thing.
-Went to church this morning - Bridging Ceremony. Parts of it were really good/funny; parts of it made me wonder whether my own Bridging Ceremony was that boring for the adults/congregation. Ah well.
-I asked about a Young Adult group - there is one, apparantly, but I can't figure out when they meet or where or.... yeah.
-After that, went to a coffee shop to meet some people from Ravelry. Quite fun, actually. It was nice to talk to people who I, you know, wasn't obligated to talk to. Upon learning that I didn't know much (or really anything, since I don't remember where my aunt took me last week) about local yarn stores, they took me to a nearby one. I didn't get anything, but I plan to go back.
-I talked to my dad, and it looks like I'll be doing a workshop at SFU next month. I'll have to get the okay from my boss to miss a couple of days, of course, but since he was the one to suggest that I do this I don't think it'll be a problem.
-I took a couple of walks down the street: first I found a dollar store (we are now in possession of a cheese slicer. Yes.) and returned some books, then I was on the phone with a friend (for an hour, ye gods. When am I ever on the phone for that long?) and didn't want to be in the house.
-Maybe now I will be adequately sunburned? I mean, I don't really tan, so a burn is the next best thing.
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Vancouver, day 21
Three weeks here.
After the morning religion conversation (and ensuing frustration), I took a "controlled wander" down to Kitsilano Beach. On my way there I found a thrift store (some interesting stuff, but massively disorganized) and, oddly, ran into my boss. Should've known - I think he lives about a block from where I was. Strange, though. It's interesting - I see a lot of the same people, day after day.
What was really weird, though, was this: right near Kitsilano Beach - near all of the beautiful sand and ocean and seashells - there's a pool. A fenced-off, concrete-surrounded, clean blue pool. A pool with an ocean view.
Why? No, seriously, what's the point? I mean, granted, you can't swim laps in the ocean (well - you could - it would just take some creativity), but - but - a pool? When you have the whole ocean, right there?
I... I just don't get it.
After the morning religion conversation (and ensuing frustration), I took a "controlled wander" down to Kitsilano Beach. On my way there I found a thrift store (some interesting stuff, but massively disorganized) and, oddly, ran into my boss. Should've known - I think he lives about a block from where I was. Strange, though. It's interesting - I see a lot of the same people, day after day.
What was really weird, though, was this: right near Kitsilano Beach - near all of the beautiful sand and ocean and seashells - there's a pool. A fenced-off, concrete-surrounded, clean blue pool. A pool with an ocean view.
Why? No, seriously, what's the point? I mean, granted, you can't swim laps in the ocean (well - you could - it would just take some creativity), but - but - a pool? When you have the whole ocean, right there?
I... I just don't get it.
Religion Outside the Bubble
I was talking to a couple of my flatmates this morning and the topic of religion came up. Religion's come up before (mostly in the context of people with Bibles in hand ringing the doorbell...), but this morning one of the flatmates started making broad generalizations about a particular religious tradition (for example, that you couldn't talk to any of them because none of them were willing to listen to sense). When I pointed out that he was generalizing, that there were probably people from any religious tradition about whom you could say the same thing, and that I'd had plenty of perfectly reasonable - and interesting - conversations with people from said religious tradition (this was after, by the way, the other flatmate said, "well, have you ever talked to one of them?"), he didn't say anything, but it was clear that he thought that either I was making things up or that I'd been talking to a small minority.
It didn't seem wise to point out that even if he had been talking to people who were completely closed to other beliefs, he didn't exactly sound open himself.
I sort of get the feeling that some of my flatmates think that, because they're not religious/spiritual/whatever, they're automatically more tolerant (or liberal... or something...) than people who are religious/spiritual/whatever. I'm not going to go off on a rant about this - no, really, I'm not - but it doesn't work that way.
...I don't like the real world.
Friday, June 20, 2008
Vancouver, day 20
Last night's dream involved a very tall tree, an illness that threatened death, and a whole lot of guilt. I'm still not quite sure what was going on (or how I got stuck in that tree, or why my mother was Asian, or why nobody would help when we were screaming and about to die from either a very long fall or whatever disease it was. Oh... maybe they didn't want to get sick too. Sigh....)
So, yeah, I was up early.
Work was entertaining today - another intern was there, so she and I hauled a bunch of Very Heavy boxes of books up the stairs, cracking jokes about the workout our arms were getting. It was the nicest weather all day, so I guess we had good timing.
When we'd done that, I alternated between fighting with the computer (I have a time-consuming task to work on on the computer - or, rather, it isn't time-consuming for me, but the computer takes a loooong time to think) and helping the other intern stuff envelopes: she labelled them* and tucked in a sell sheet, and I wrote and added the personalized notecards and slipped in the books for reviewers to read and review.
The three of us - boss, other intern, me - traipsed down to the post office, arms laden with packages, and then the other intern left and I returned to the office to fight with the computer some more. Marginal success... haven't quite figured out what I'm doing, but whatever it is seems to be working anyway.
I left not long after my boss and went to the Public Market for lunch, which I took outside. Seagulls are really kind of cool. I mean - they're loud and kind of obnoxious, but they're also kind of cool... though not when they're eyeing your lunch.
At three I returned to the office to meet with the author I'm taking dictation from. We started something fresh again, definitely my favourite of the three things we've worked on so far. He's a really good person to take dictation from: he talks slowly enough that I can keep up, but is patient when I ask him to pause or spell something. As far as I can tell, I stumble a bit for the first paragraph or two (when I'm still getting into the swing of it), but then my fingers fly for the next eight pages or so before stumbling on the last couple of pages. I'm getting better at fixing errors during pauses for breath, though.
I talked to my dad on the way home, and he encouraged me to look into the writing/publishing classes that SFU is offering this summer. My boss gave me a booklet of them last week, so I guess I'll take a closer look.
*I don't like labelling envelopes. You cut out the labels, which aren't in an ideal format, then carefully tape each one down with packing tape. The packing tape sticks all over itself and it's hard to find the edges. I was quite happy to jot messages on the cards instead.
So, yeah, I was up early.
Work was entertaining today - another intern was there, so she and I hauled a bunch of Very Heavy boxes of books up the stairs, cracking jokes about the workout our arms were getting. It was the nicest weather all day, so I guess we had good timing.
When we'd done that, I alternated between fighting with the computer (I have a time-consuming task to work on on the computer - or, rather, it isn't time-consuming for me, but the computer takes a loooong time to think) and helping the other intern stuff envelopes: she labelled them* and tucked in a sell sheet, and I wrote and added the personalized notecards and slipped in the books for reviewers to read and review.
The three of us - boss, other intern, me - traipsed down to the post office, arms laden with packages, and then the other intern left and I returned to the office to fight with the computer some more. Marginal success... haven't quite figured out what I'm doing, but whatever it is seems to be working anyway.
I left not long after my boss and went to the Public Market for lunch, which I took outside. Seagulls are really kind of cool. I mean - they're loud and kind of obnoxious, but they're also kind of cool... though not when they're eyeing your lunch.
At three I returned to the office to meet with the author I'm taking dictation from. We started something fresh again, definitely my favourite of the three things we've worked on so far. He's a really good person to take dictation from: he talks slowly enough that I can keep up, but is patient when I ask him to pause or spell something. As far as I can tell, I stumble a bit for the first paragraph or two (when I'm still getting into the swing of it), but then my fingers fly for the next eight pages or so before stumbling on the last couple of pages. I'm getting better at fixing errors during pauses for breath, though.
I talked to my dad on the way home, and he encouraged me to look into the writing/publishing classes that SFU is offering this summer. My boss gave me a booklet of them last week, so I guess I'll take a closer look.
*I don't like labelling envelopes. You cut out the labels, which aren't in an ideal format, then carefully tape each one down with packing tape. The packing tape sticks all over itself and it's hard to find the edges. I was quite happy to jot messages on the cards instead.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Vancouver, day 19
Ack, almost bedtime.
Do I even have anything to say today?
...got up. Ate breakfast (note to self: eat a real breakfast tomorrow, please; emotions get way out of whack when hunger kicks in). Went to work. Got stuff done (reorganized bookshelves - my boss wasn't there and I needed a project - sorted out some internet stuff, which is tbc, tried and failed to convince myself to make some phone calls that... really should be made. But hopefully not by me.). Left, got lunch. Went home. Knit. Read.
OH - I had a horrific dream about a boat last night. Imagine a tiny, tiny ferry. Then imagine trying to drive onto it in an eighteen-wheeler. Technically the damn truck fit on the boat, but the boat rocked up and down and there was water everywhere and I had my eyes squeezed shut and I was screaming, screaming -
Then I woke up.
And now I am going to bed.
Do I even have anything to say today?
...got up. Ate breakfast (note to self: eat a real breakfast tomorrow, please; emotions get way out of whack when hunger kicks in). Went to work. Got stuff done (reorganized bookshelves - my boss wasn't there and I needed a project - sorted out some internet stuff, which is tbc, tried and failed to convince myself to make some phone calls that... really should be made. But hopefully not by me.). Left, got lunch. Went home. Knit. Read.
OH - I had a horrific dream about a boat last night. Imagine a tiny, tiny ferry. Then imagine trying to drive onto it in an eighteen-wheeler. Technically the damn truck fit on the boat, but the boat rocked up and down and there was water everywhere and I had my eyes squeezed shut and I was screaming, screaming -
Then I woke up.
And now I am going to bed.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
A Nice Thing about Flatmates
...I went upstairs to check email when I came home today, then back downstairs to make tea. One of my flatmates was cooking, and she turned and said, "oh good, you're alive." A minute later her S.O. (also a flatmate) wandered in, and the first flatmate (man, I need psuedonyms for them or something; I can't even use initals because two of my flatmates are M) said "look, she [meaning me] is alive".
Five minutes after that, yet another flatmate walked through and said, "oh, you're back. We were beginning to wonder. [One of the "M"s] was getting ready to call out a search party."
...they were just kidding around, of course; they were only wondering because I got back late last night (thanks to that class thing) and didn't really see anyone. But - it's kind of nice to have flatmates who notice/care that you're around, yeah?
Now I really am going to go find that ibuprofen and pattern. And think up some code names for my flatmates.
Five minutes after that, yet another flatmate walked through and said, "oh, you're back. We were beginning to wonder. [One of the "M"s] was getting ready to call out a search party."
...they were just kidding around, of course; they were only wondering because I got back late last night (thanks to that class thing) and didn't really see anyone. But - it's kind of nice to have flatmates who notice/care that you're around, yeah?
Now I really am going to go find that ibuprofen and pattern. And think up some code names for my flatmates.
Vancouver, day 18
Hmm.
Early this morning I got a heads-up that I wasn't expecting but which doesn't totally surprise me. I don't really know what to do about it (I know, I know, cryptic. I really can't say more than that right now).
On another note, the girls (can't remember how many; haven't met them) who live in the apartment downstairs are... loud. They are probably in their early twenties and enjoying having a flat of their own and so on and so forth. Sometimes this is fine. Sometimes, such as when I want to sleep, it is less fine.
Work was fine - I don't exactly work independently, so if my boss goes out for a while I don't usually have much to do... but hey, I got some reading done. Later I took more dictation (good posture = back pain), which was fun. More typos than last time, but so far I've been very good about noting where they are so that I can go back and fix them. I also went to the local library - it's much, much smaller than the branch downtown, but who cares? It still has books.
Yeesh, I'm tired. I have a mouth ulcer the size of Texas waaaay in the back of my mouth, and while I am relieved that it is only a mouth ulcer and not Tooth Death, as I had initially feared, it bites. Pun intended. Excuse me while I go take ibuprofen, find a scarf pattern, and crash.
Early this morning I got a heads-up that I wasn't expecting but which doesn't totally surprise me. I don't really know what to do about it (I know, I know, cryptic. I really can't say more than that right now).
On another note, the girls (can't remember how many; haven't met them) who live in the apartment downstairs are... loud. They are probably in their early twenties and enjoying having a flat of their own and so on and so forth. Sometimes this is fine. Sometimes, such as when I want to sleep, it is less fine.
Work was fine - I don't exactly work independently, so if my boss goes out for a while I don't usually have much to do... but hey, I got some reading done. Later I took more dictation (good posture = back pain), which was fun. More typos than last time, but so far I've been very good about noting where they are so that I can go back and fix them. I also went to the local library - it's much, much smaller than the branch downtown, but who cares? It still has books.
Yeesh, I'm tired. I have a mouth ulcer the size of Texas waaaay in the back of my mouth, and while I am relieved that it is only a mouth ulcer and not Tooth Death, as I had initially feared, it bites. Pun intended. Excuse me while I go take ibuprofen, find a scarf pattern, and crash.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Vancouver, day 17
One thing that I forgot to mention yesterday: the first thing that I did when I got in was make seventeen phone calls.
Seventeen *&^%ing phone calls. I don't like the phone.
Erm. Anyway. I got set free a bit early today, so I read for a while and then met my aunt and cousins for lunch, which was tasty. For some reason I've been drinking a ton of lemonade recently... it's probably not that healthy, but then, I've had dessert maybe twice since I got here. I guess it balances out.
After lunch we dropped one of my cousins off at the pool (she lifeguards) and went to find a couple of yarn shops - I am so glad to have something to knit; I meant to bring a project (or two, or...) but forgot. Very typical of me, actually. I found some decent yarn, so now I'll knit a scarf (surprise, surprise... and I'm really in the mood for cables) - my aunt loaned me some needles when we got back to their house, and we had tea and talked for a while.
They (my aunt and cousin) dropped me at UBC on their way to a baseball game, and I sat in on another class. I found this one to be somewhat more engaging than the one the other week, perhaps because the invited speaker was an author & editor rather than an illustrator... after the class I asked somebody if she could possibly drop me off (it was maybe three blocks out of her way, so not a problem) and talked to some of the people in the class for a few minutes. They were quite pleased, I think, to be able to ask me about my boss - who also teaches the class - and to get me to explain the whys of some of the changes he'd made to their manuscripts. This, incidentally, is something I've learned in workshopping: you can't just say "this doesn't work"; you have to say "this doesn't work because ___; you might try ___".
End result: they were happy because they got somebody who was happy to answer their questions; I was happy because I talked to real live human beings*. Oh, also because I got home by ten.
*I do speak to real live human beings on a daily basis. Like - my boss, or relatives, or flatmates. But there's something kinda cool about talking to people you don't have to, you know?
Seventeen *&^%ing phone calls. I don't like the phone.
Erm. Anyway. I got set free a bit early today, so I read for a while and then met my aunt and cousins for lunch, which was tasty. For some reason I've been drinking a ton of lemonade recently... it's probably not that healthy, but then, I've had dessert maybe twice since I got here. I guess it balances out.
After lunch we dropped one of my cousins off at the pool (she lifeguards) and went to find a couple of yarn shops - I am so glad to have something to knit; I meant to bring a project (or two, or...) but forgot. Very typical of me, actually. I found some decent yarn, so now I'll knit a scarf (surprise, surprise... and I'm really in the mood for cables) - my aunt loaned me some needles when we got back to their house, and we had tea and talked for a while.
They (my aunt and cousin) dropped me at UBC on their way to a baseball game, and I sat in on another class. I found this one to be somewhat more engaging than the one the other week, perhaps because the invited speaker was an author & editor rather than an illustrator... after the class I asked somebody if she could possibly drop me off (it was maybe three blocks out of her way, so not a problem) and talked to some of the people in the class for a few minutes. They were quite pleased, I think, to be able to ask me about my boss - who also teaches the class - and to get me to explain the whys of some of the changes he'd made to their manuscripts. This, incidentally, is something I've learned in workshopping: you can't just say "this doesn't work"; you have to say "this doesn't work because ___; you might try ___".
End result: they were happy because they got somebody who was happy to answer their questions; I was happy because I talked to real live human beings*. Oh, also because I got home by ten.
*I do speak to real live human beings on a daily basis. Like - my boss, or relatives, or flatmates. But there's something kinda cool about talking to people you don't have to, you know?
Monday, June 16, 2008
Vancouver, day 16
My boss decided to go through the slush pile today. Goodness, but unsolicited material is bad. Of about fifteen manuscripts, there was one that he liked well enough to tell the author that she wrote well - the manuscript isn't for this company in its present form, but it might do in another form, if she wanted to rewrite and write more and resubmit....
Yeah. That was definitely informative. (did that sound sarcastic? Because it wasn't supposed to.)
After work I found a real, bona-fide beach - I don't know whether or not it was Kitsilano Beach, but it suited my purposes just fine: there was sun, and there was water, and there were logs to sit on, and there were two cute guys (film students?) shooting a scene from what promised to be a very tacky, very low-budget film. The Vancouver Maritime Museum was nearby, and I had a brief look, but if I'm going to spend ten dollars on a museum it will not be a museum chock-full of boats.
I did some controlled wandering after that - well, it wasn't really wandering because I had a destination - grocery store, then home - but the rule for a controlled wander is that, although I have a pretty specific idea of where I'm going (in this case, the bus stop at Broadway and Oak), I can stop and explore more whenever something strikes my fancy. Consequently it took me longer than it might have to get to the bus, but I had a good time.
I grocery shopped - fake meat! - and came home. I'd be in the shower right now, except that my towel and one of my sheets and half of my clothing are all in the dryer.
Yeah. That was definitely informative. (did that sound sarcastic? Because it wasn't supposed to.)
After work I found a real, bona-fide beach - I don't know whether or not it was Kitsilano Beach, but it suited my purposes just fine: there was sun, and there was water, and there were logs to sit on, and there were two cute guys (film students?) shooting a scene from what promised to be a very tacky, very low-budget film. The Vancouver Maritime Museum was nearby, and I had a brief look, but if I'm going to spend ten dollars on a museum it will not be a museum chock-full of boats.
I did some controlled wandering after that - well, it wasn't really wandering because I had a destination - grocery store, then home - but the rule for a controlled wander is that, although I have a pretty specific idea of where I'm going (in this case, the bus stop at Broadway and Oak), I can stop and explore more whenever something strikes my fancy. Consequently it took me longer than it might have to get to the bus, but I had a good time.
I grocery shopped - fake meat! - and came home. I'd be in the shower right now, except that my towel and one of my sheets and half of my clothing are all in the dryer.
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Vancouver, day 15
Let's see.
No Jehovah's Witnesses today. I went to church in the AM (though the JWs would possibly be more concerned for my soul if they knew that I was UU (and knew was UUism is...))... apparantly it's Father's Day, something that my family does not celebrate, so the whole service was about fathers and manhood in general. I couldn't help but be reminded of the book Self-Made Man, written by a woman named Norah Vincent, who went undercover as a man for a year or so.
Parts of the service were a lot of fun and really interesting, though; the music was done by a band from the North Shore UU church (where is the North Shore church? Actually, where is the North Shore? Note to self: find out). The band was not only good, they were clearly enjoying playing for the congregation. The sermon (is that the right word? I don't know if UUs really do sermons... talks, maybe, or discussions, or... eh, whatever) was broken up into three parts, one of which was notably good (the one, incidentally, done by one of the band members and one of his sons) and the others of which were decent.
The only unfortunate thing about this church, which I really do like quite a bit, is that I have yet to see anybody my own age. Plenty of young-marrieds (with children), and people well past retirement age, and small children, but that's about it. Is there some secret twenties room that I haven't been let in on yet? A young-ish man did talk to me today, but - well. Umm. Call me shallow, but he was wearing crocs with long socks pulled all the way up, khaki shorts, and a plaid (short-sleeved, button-up) shirt. Also black glasses. Think.... you know that guy in Dirty Dancing? The one who's supposed to be going to school for hotel management, who keeps trying to drag Baby around? This guy looked a bit like him, only dorkier.
Anyway. I looked it up, and the North Shore church is in North Vancouver (should've guessed), which means waaaaaay far away.
This afternoon I did some controlled wandering and found Death by Chocolate, which was a bit of a disappointment. Oh, quite tasty and very good service, but I'm pretty sure it's a bar that masquerades as a coffeeshop during daylight hours.
I ended up back at Queen Elizabeth Park because it was sunny (first day in Vancouver that I haven't worn a jacket) and because, well, I happened to look up from my book when the bus was nearing 33rd Ave, and somehow my thumb pushed the "next stop" button, and then... yeah. So now I have a sunburned nose and a sunburned arm, but life is good.
No Jehovah's Witnesses today. I went to church in the AM (though the JWs would possibly be more concerned for my soul if they knew that I was UU (and knew was UUism is...))... apparantly it's Father's Day, something that my family does not celebrate, so the whole service was about fathers and manhood in general. I couldn't help but be reminded of the book Self-Made Man, written by a woman named Norah Vincent, who went undercover as a man for a year or so.
Parts of the service were a lot of fun and really interesting, though; the music was done by a band from the North Shore UU church (where is the North Shore church? Actually, where is the North Shore? Note to self: find out). The band was not only good, they were clearly enjoying playing for the congregation. The sermon (is that the right word? I don't know if UUs really do sermons... talks, maybe, or discussions, or... eh, whatever) was broken up into three parts, one of which was notably good (the one, incidentally, done by one of the band members and one of his sons) and the others of which were decent.
The only unfortunate thing about this church, which I really do like quite a bit, is that I have yet to see anybody my own age. Plenty of young-marrieds (with children), and people well past retirement age, and small children, but that's about it. Is there some secret twenties room that I haven't been let in on yet? A young-ish man did talk to me today, but - well. Umm. Call me shallow, but he was wearing crocs with long socks pulled all the way up, khaki shorts, and a plaid (short-sleeved, button-up) shirt. Also black glasses. Think.... you know that guy in Dirty Dancing? The one who's supposed to be going to school for hotel management, who keeps trying to drag Baby around? This guy looked a bit like him, only dorkier.
Anyway. I looked it up, and the North Shore church is in North Vancouver (should've guessed), which means waaaaaay far away.
This afternoon I did some controlled wandering and found Death by Chocolate, which was a bit of a disappointment. Oh, quite tasty and very good service, but I'm pretty sure it's a bar that masquerades as a coffeeshop during daylight hours.
I ended up back at Queen Elizabeth Park because it was sunny (first day in Vancouver that I haven't worn a jacket) and because, well, I happened to look up from my book when the bus was nearing 33rd Ave, and somehow my thumb pushed the "next stop" button, and then... yeah. So now I have a sunburned nose and a sunburned arm, but life is good.
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Vancouver, day 14
A pair of Jehovah’s Witnesses came to the door this morning, and I had the questionable luck to be the only person awake who hadn’t left yet (I should’ve known it’d be something like that – nobody uses the front door, ever). I couldn’t help but get the feeling that the younger guy, the older guy’s son, was a bit embarrassed to be there. Oh well.
They read me a Bible verse, did a bit of talking (damned if I know what they said – or, wait, is it damned if I don’t? – but I wasn’t fully awake yet), and gave me two religious tracts. The tracts are really quite funny, though that’s probably not the reaction they were hoping to provoke. Anyway, they promised to come back again with more tracts so that we could discuss what I’d read.
…I don’t plan on answering the front door again. No, thank you.
In other news, I found the Vancouver Public Library today and got a library card. Technically I was there for an event for work, but I wandered around the event for a while before deciding that I really didn’t want to be there (way too many people), so I hid from my boss and went to borrow books instead. An author I know saw me, so at least I have proof that I showed up. The library, by the way, is enormous – think seven stories high and shaped like the Coliseum.
On my way home I realized that it was only three; why should I go home? I got lunch at a little café (grilled cheese! The only places that sell grilled cheese on Granville Island charge about eight dollars. I refuse to pay that much for some charred bread and cheese… but was very, very happy to find it for considerably less) and headed for Stanley Park. I couldn’t sort out the bus schedule for the first bus I needed, and it was gorgeous and sunny, so I walked halfway there and then caught the appropriate bus.
Stanley Park is beautiful and big. Understand that I am the sort of person who needs three maps and six sets of verbal directions in order to not get lost… so I got lost in short order, but then I found maps (two of them) and sorted out where I was right then and where I wanted to be in twenty minutes. I figured I’d sort out the rest of it (like… where my bus was going to be…) when the time came.
I walked along the outermost path – literally right next to the sea – for a while. The whole loop is about ten kilometers, but it was four o’clock by the time I started and I didn’t think it was the best idea to walk the whole thing. I set my sights on a lighthouse (as seen on map #2!), which was about two kilometers in, and told myself that I had to turn back at four-thirty so that I could catch a bus back into the city.
I made it to the lighthouse and took some pictures (plus, a couple asked me to take their picture with the water and downtown Vancouver as a backdrop, so I asked them to do the same for me). I also saw about fifty high schoolers taking pre-Prom pictures, a wedding party (hideous bridesmaid dresses), and an old cannon. I think the cannon’s supposed to go off at nine every day, but I don’t know whether that means morning or evening – and, considering that Stanley Park is over an hour away by bus, there’s pretty much no chance that I’ll ever be there at either side of nine.
It only took one request for directions and two moments of oh no, I’m lost to find the bus stop on the way back. Go me! Better yet, there was a swingset nearby, so I pretended to be a five-year-old until real five-year-olds ran by and I was swung back into reality. Then I removed my aged self from the swings and went home.
They read me a Bible verse, did a bit of talking (damned if I know what they said – or, wait, is it damned if I don’t? – but I wasn’t fully awake yet), and gave me two religious tracts. The tracts are really quite funny, though that’s probably not the reaction they were hoping to provoke. Anyway, they promised to come back again with more tracts so that we could discuss what I’d read.
…I don’t plan on answering the front door again. No, thank you.
In other news, I found the Vancouver Public Library today and got a library card. Technically I was there for an event for work, but I wandered around the event for a while before deciding that I really didn’t want to be there (way too many people), so I hid from my boss and went to borrow books instead. An author I know saw me, so at least I have proof that I showed up. The library, by the way, is enormous – think seven stories high and shaped like the Coliseum.
On my way home I realized that it was only three; why should I go home? I got lunch at a little café (grilled cheese! The only places that sell grilled cheese on Granville Island charge about eight dollars. I refuse to pay that much for some charred bread and cheese… but was very, very happy to find it for considerably less) and headed for Stanley Park. I couldn’t sort out the bus schedule for the first bus I needed, and it was gorgeous and sunny, so I walked halfway there and then caught the appropriate bus.
Stanley Park is beautiful and big. Understand that I am the sort of person who needs three maps and six sets of verbal directions in order to not get lost… so I got lost in short order, but then I found maps (two of them) and sorted out where I was right then and where I wanted to be in twenty minutes. I figured I’d sort out the rest of it (like… where my bus was going to be…) when the time came.
I walked along the outermost path – literally right next to the sea – for a while. The whole loop is about ten kilometers, but it was four o’clock by the time I started and I didn’t think it was the best idea to walk the whole thing. I set my sights on a lighthouse (as seen on map #2!), which was about two kilometers in, and told myself that I had to turn back at four-thirty so that I could catch a bus back into the city.
I made it to the lighthouse and took some pictures (plus, a couple asked me to take their picture with the water and downtown Vancouver as a backdrop, so I asked them to do the same for me). I also saw about fifty high schoolers taking pre-Prom pictures, a wedding party (hideous bridesmaid dresses), and an old cannon. I think the cannon’s supposed to go off at nine every day, but I don’t know whether that means morning or evening – and, considering that Stanley Park is over an hour away by bus, there’s pretty much no chance that I’ll ever be there at either side of nine.
It only took one request for directions and two moments of oh no, I’m lost to find the bus stop on the way back. Go me! Better yet, there was a swingset nearby, so I pretended to be a five-year-old until real five-year-olds ran by and I was swung back into reality. Then I removed my aged self from the swings and went home.
Friday, June 13, 2008
In no particular order: things that I have learned
-Don't take the bus during rush hour.
-I like proofreading.
-Taking dictation can be fun, but keeping good posture for an hour kills your back.
-I don't want to work with picture books.
-I probably don't want to work with young adult books (or - at least - anything shorter than "short novel").
-The editors and proofreaders and the like? They're the ones with the job(s) I want.
-Which means... wait, am I in the right place?
-Food is much cheaper when bought at the public market or independent groceries.
-It's really hard to meet people in cities.
-If ever I submit something for consideration for publishing, make sure it's squeaky-clean (proofreading-wise, I mean) before submitting.
-Also, be willing to make changes. Manuscripts that come out of your ass ready to print... are almost always just manuscripts that come out of your ass.
-This really is an awesome internship.
-I still hate phones.
-I like proofreading.
-Taking dictation can be fun, but keeping good posture for an hour kills your back.
-I don't want to work with picture books.
-I probably don't want to work with young adult books (or - at least - anything shorter than "short novel").
-The editors and proofreaders and the like? They're the ones with the job(s) I want.
-Which means... wait, am I in the right place?
-Food is much cheaper when bought at the public market or independent groceries.
-It's really hard to meet people in cities.
-If ever I submit something for consideration for publishing, make sure it's squeaky-clean (proofreading-wise, I mean) before submitting.
-Also, be willing to make changes. Manuscripts that come out of your ass ready to print... are almost always just manuscripts that come out of your ass.
-This really is an awesome internship.
-I still hate phones.
Vancouver, day 13
I was about to make dinner, but then I looked at the clock on the oven (which is an hour off): 8:15. Eight-fifteen... that must mean it's seven-fifteen, right? I thought. I looked at my watch: 9:15! Eep! I guess I spent longer writing letters (I'm living in the wrong century. I should've lived in Austen's time, when they sent letters and notes all the freaking time) than I'd thought. Oh well.
I finally did the mini-cruise thing on the little tiny unstable rainbow-coloured ferry (the rainbow paint job is what sold me). It was actually pretty fun. It wasn't so much fun when we were docked and the ferry kept bobbing up and down and back and forth (I had my eye on the door, ready to leap for safety should the ferry somehow bob off without the captain/driver/person and plotting how to keep my camera and notebook from getting wet should I fall in while doing so - clearly, I have my priorities straight), but the tour itself was nice. I saw the Science Museum from a distance, and am now determined to get out there. Maybe not on a weekend - I bet it'll be a lot quieter during the week, so I'll try to go after work at some point.
Side note: nothing is quite so amusing as a thirty- or forty-something man hitting on me, especially when he looks like a Sims II army reject. I have been trying to dress somewhat more professionally (read: grown-up) for work, and I guess it's working. Why can't it work on somebody my own age?
Highlight of work day: typing up a book manuscript while the author dictated. It was really interesting - we whipped through four chapters in an hour (half the time he'd expected it to take, so he was quite pleased) and will continue next week. I'm already getting a sense for the story's strengths and weaknesses, but it'll be interesting to see (later on) what the publisher and editors think.
Cirque du Soleil is in Vancouver right now. I would love to go, but it's so expensive. Alas! Oh well, next time I'm in - OH HOLY CRAP I JUST CHECKED AND THEY'LL BE IN BOSTON IN SEPTEMBER.
Evil plotting: starting: now!
I finally did the mini-cruise thing on the little tiny unstable rainbow-coloured ferry (the rainbow paint job is what sold me). It was actually pretty fun. It wasn't so much fun when we were docked and the ferry kept bobbing up and down and back and forth (I had my eye on the door, ready to leap for safety should the ferry somehow bob off without the captain/driver/person and plotting how to keep my camera and notebook from getting wet should I fall in while doing so - clearly, I have my priorities straight), but the tour itself was nice. I saw the Science Museum from a distance, and am now determined to get out there. Maybe not on a weekend - I bet it'll be a lot quieter during the week, so I'll try to go after work at some point.
Side note: nothing is quite so amusing as a thirty- or forty-something man hitting on me, especially when he looks like a Sims II army reject. I have been trying to dress somewhat more professionally (read: grown-up) for work, and I guess it's working. Why can't it work on somebody my own age?
Highlight of work day: typing up a book manuscript while the author dictated. It was really interesting - we whipped through four chapters in an hour (half the time he'd expected it to take, so he was quite pleased) and will continue next week. I'm already getting a sense for the story's strengths and weaknesses, but it'll be interesting to see (later on) what the publisher and editors think.
Cirque du Soleil is in Vancouver right now. I would love to go, but it's so expensive. Alas! Oh well, next time I'm in - OH HOLY CRAP I JUST CHECKED AND THEY'LL BE IN BOSTON IN SEPTEMBER.
Evil plotting: starting: now!
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Vancouver, day 12
Today I: put together forty copies of our newest book, stuffed twenty-five envelopes to send to reviewers, earned praise from my boss by catching a (major) bit of wrong information in the sell sheets (publicity sheets sent to bookstores, reviewers, etc). To be fair, I only caught it because I had been goofing off and reading the book instead of putting it together - understand, please, that the thing I was putting together wasn't what will be sold in stores, but it has all of the text and pictures and the like - but it was a pretty good catch to make nonetheless.
Okay. Done tooting my own horn now.
I went for a walk after work, down the path that had promised to take me to the beach. It lied - well, maybe I just didn't go far enough* - but it was quite a lovely walk... all gravel road and sunny sky and grass to the left and river to the right. Really, really nice.
The bus I caught to go home made me cranky. The driver was in the process of being trained - I doubt he'd driven a bus before - and, while I am glad that he was erring on the side of caution rather than the side of speed (or... something), it was a bit exasperating.
...consequently, I got off and went to buy tortillas to replace the ones that mysteriously went missing from my refrigerator shelf. Also gnocchi. Yummy, although it (they?) probably would've tasted better with pesto. I'll have to find some somewhere... oh, and then of course by the time I took another bus home (with a more experienced driver) it was rush hour. D'oh.
*Emailed my aunt, who confirmed that I was indeed on the right path and simply gave up too easily. Alas! I have failed! Le sigh.
Okay. Done tooting my own horn now.
I went for a walk after work, down the path that had promised to take me to the beach. It lied - well, maybe I just didn't go far enough* - but it was quite a lovely walk... all gravel road and sunny sky and grass to the left and river to the right. Really, really nice.
The bus I caught to go home made me cranky. The driver was in the process of being trained - I doubt he'd driven a bus before - and, while I am glad that he was erring on the side of caution rather than the side of speed (or... something), it was a bit exasperating.
...consequently, I got off and went to buy tortillas to replace the ones that mysteriously went missing from my refrigerator shelf. Also gnocchi. Yummy, although it (they?) probably would've tasted better with pesto. I'll have to find some somewhere... oh, and then of course by the time I took another bus home (with a more experienced driver) it was rush hour. D'oh.
*Emailed my aunt, who confirmed that I was indeed on the right path and simply gave up too easily. Alas! I have failed! Le sigh.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Vancouver, day 11
Okay, so work was... workish. Lots of emails, a bit of talking to people, et cetera. I guess I'm not in the mood to discuss the internship today...
Normally I get lunch (a very late lunch) from the Public Market, but today there was something that smelled so wonderfully, amazingly delicious that I just had to follow my nose... to a bakery. Okay, I can live with that. I got a demi-baguette and ate it by the dock (couldn't be bothered to get something from the Market to put on it. Besides, it was tasty on its own).
I almost did the mini-tour thing on the boat, but... I'm holding out for a sunny day, dammit! Naturally, weather.com says that the next sunny day is Sunday (when I don't have plans to be on Granville Island. Le sigh. Maybe I'll have to make plans to be there). So instead I walked around for a bit longer. I found a cute park-like thing (quite small, a bit twee) and a path that promised to take me to the beach (hmmmm - again, would've liked to take it, but I did not want to be rained on. Another thing for later). There was also something that looked like a wee water park, but I guess it's too cold at the moment for it to be in operation.
I got off the bus at the correct stop, but instead of going straight home I walked in the direction that looked sunniest (or - more accurately - the sky looked least angry). Since that area happened to be the nearest shopping area, I bought grapes and sat with my book - I always have a book - in, no joke, sunlight.
Sun! I had sun! For like fifteen minutes before the clouds came and stole it again!
So mission accomplished for the day. Grapes + sun = happiness.
Although somebody removed my remaining tortillas from my shelf in the fridge. I wanted one for breakfast tomorrow... but now I can have grapes instead :)
Normally I get lunch (a very late lunch) from the Public Market, but today there was something that smelled so wonderfully, amazingly delicious that I just had to follow my nose... to a bakery. Okay, I can live with that. I got a demi-baguette and ate it by the dock (couldn't be bothered to get something from the Market to put on it. Besides, it was tasty on its own).
I almost did the mini-tour thing on the boat, but... I'm holding out for a sunny day, dammit! Naturally, weather.com says that the next sunny day is Sunday (when I don't have plans to be on Granville Island. Le sigh. Maybe I'll have to make plans to be there). So instead I walked around for a bit longer. I found a cute park-like thing (quite small, a bit twee) and a path that promised to take me to the beach (hmmmm - again, would've liked to take it, but I did not want to be rained on. Another thing for later). There was also something that looked like a wee water park, but I guess it's too cold at the moment for it to be in operation.
I got off the bus at the correct stop, but instead of going straight home I walked in the direction that looked sunniest (or - more accurately - the sky looked least angry). Since that area happened to be the nearest shopping area, I bought grapes and sat with my book - I always have a book - in, no joke, sunlight.
Sun! I had sun! For like fifteen minutes before the clouds came and stole it again!
So mission accomplished for the day. Grapes + sun = happiness.
Although somebody removed my remaining tortillas from my shelf in the fridge. I wanted one for breakfast tomorrow... but now I can have grapes instead :)
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Vancouver, day 10
Not much happened today. I mean - I got to work, and my boss started telling me about contracts (in general, I mean, not specific contracts), and then the phone rang and he spent a while talking to somebody. At some point a man came into the office and introduced himself - he's the guy whose book I'll start typing up later this week. We talked for a while while my boss was on the phone... he seems really nice and easygoing, which is a definite plus. We'll start the book process on Friday.
Not long after he left, a woman came into the office - a former student of my boss, who wanted to know if my my boss could recommend any full-time jobs. It was... a long conversation that didn't really go anywhere. Hopefully she'll find something, though.
We really didn't get very much done. When the woman left, my boss gave me a manuscript to read through, and then he left to move his car (and presumably get lunch or something... he was gone for a while. I'd read 57 pages by the time he got back, so...). When he returned we talked about the manuscript - I wasn't anywhere near the end of it, but had a good feel for it by then. So we talked over the problems with it, and then he dictated an email to the author while I typed (I type considerably faster than he does.... I've noticed that the emails he sends tend to be considerably longer when I type them).
Several emails later (to various people on various topics), an editor came in to do the final edit on a manuscript. He was late (same as last week), and the two of them spent the next forty-five minutes arguing about... actually, I'm not entirely sure what. What to include when calculating profit? What to do about an author problem? I mostly listened and tried not to laugh. It's, erm, pretty obvious that they like to argue. A lot. I'm not quite sure who won the argument, but eventually they co-dictated an email to yet another author, set the subject aside, and moved on to the manuscript they'd planned to edit.
It was just about four by then, and my boss told me that I could leave since I'd already read the manuscript... thank goodness. Oh, I'm sure it would've been educational and all that, but I hadn't eaten since eight (my fault; should've had a granola bar or something in my bag) and I was starting to see spots. So I hightailed it for the Public Market, where I got Indian food.
I'm skipping his class tonight. It's at least forty-five minutes by bus to get there, then at least three hours of the class, then a ride home and a late bedtime. It might be poor form, but I don't care; it's not like I'm getting credit for the class... and I'm tiiiiiired.
Not long after he left, a woman came into the office - a former student of my boss, who wanted to know if my my boss could recommend any full-time jobs. It was... a long conversation that didn't really go anywhere. Hopefully she'll find something, though.
We really didn't get very much done. When the woman left, my boss gave me a manuscript to read through, and then he left to move his car (and presumably get lunch or something... he was gone for a while. I'd read 57 pages by the time he got back, so...). When he returned we talked about the manuscript - I wasn't anywhere near the end of it, but had a good feel for it by then. So we talked over the problems with it, and then he dictated an email to the author while I typed (I type considerably faster than he does.... I've noticed that the emails he sends tend to be considerably longer when I type them).
Several emails later (to various people on various topics), an editor came in to do the final edit on a manuscript. He was late (same as last week), and the two of them spent the next forty-five minutes arguing about... actually, I'm not entirely sure what. What to include when calculating profit? What to do about an author problem? I mostly listened and tried not to laugh. It's, erm, pretty obvious that they like to argue. A lot. I'm not quite sure who won the argument, but eventually they co-dictated an email to yet another author, set the subject aside, and moved on to the manuscript they'd planned to edit.
It was just about four by then, and my boss told me that I could leave since I'd already read the manuscript... thank goodness. Oh, I'm sure it would've been educational and all that, but I hadn't eaten since eight (my fault; should've had a granola bar or something in my bag) and I was starting to see spots. So I hightailed it for the Public Market, where I got Indian food.
I'm skipping his class tonight. It's at least forty-five minutes by bus to get there, then at least three hours of the class, then a ride home and a late bedtime. It might be poor form, but I don't care; it's not like I'm getting credit for the class... and I'm tiiiiiired.
Monday, June 9, 2008
Vancouver, day 9
I'm homesick.
I'm really, incredibly, ridiculously homesick. I've never been homesick for more than an hour (no joke - first year of college I got homesick for an hour, three weeks in. After that I was fine.). I'm supposed to be immune to homesickness, dammit.
And yet... here I am. I don't know if it's even homesickness so much as it is loneliness - every other time I've been away from home for an extended period of time, there've been other people my age around, or other people doing the same thing (like... going to college, or participating in a program, or whatever). Here... my boss doesn't have any full-time employees; most work is done via contract. The only other intern I've met has teenage kids (and was a lawyer before she decided to try her hand at publishing). There isn't, needless to say, a whole lot of opportunity for me to socialize in the office. And my flatmates are nice and all, but... they're flatmates, not friends.
Right now just thinking about the fact that I am homesick makes me cry, so I am trying not to think it too often (last week I started crying in the middle of the public market. Bad form, that. I could tell that the man at the next table was eyeing me, trying to figure out if he should do something, so I dried my eyes and left).
Don't get me wrong - I love my internship; I like the area where I'm living; nothing's wrong. I'm just... homesick. Or lonely. Or something.
I just need to meet people or something, huh? I should figure out how to do that.
Anyway. Back to your regularly scheduled programming (I'm not looking for sympathy, by the way. I've wanted to write about homesickness - just wanted to get it all out - but up until today this blog was elsewhere, where my sister reads. All Vancouver-related posts before this one are back-dated).
Today was... short. I went in early again today and wandered around Granville Island for a while. It's such an interesting place... I'm learning my way around (after work I went into what I thought was a toy store - it's not just a toy store, it's an entire complex of toy stores).
I don't know where my attention was today, but it wasn't really at work. Unfortunate, rather, because I didn't get much done; on the other hand, my boss left early and told me that I didn't have to stay and he'd see me tomorrow. I did a quick copy-edit on a manuscript, tried to figure out who I need to call tomorrow (I should have just done it today, but god I hate the phone. I'm kind of hoping my boss will do it...), and left. I did a bit of wandering, but it was pouring again so there wasn't a whole lot of point to it.
More rain tomorrow.
Sunshine? Please?
I'm really, incredibly, ridiculously homesick. I've never been homesick for more than an hour (no joke - first year of college I got homesick for an hour, three weeks in. After that I was fine.). I'm supposed to be immune to homesickness, dammit.
And yet... here I am. I don't know if it's even homesickness so much as it is loneliness - every other time I've been away from home for an extended period of time, there've been other people my age around, or other people doing the same thing (like... going to college, or participating in a program, or whatever). Here... my boss doesn't have any full-time employees; most work is done via contract. The only other intern I've met has teenage kids (and was a lawyer before she decided to try her hand at publishing). There isn't, needless to say, a whole lot of opportunity for me to socialize in the office. And my flatmates are nice and all, but... they're flatmates, not friends.
Right now just thinking about the fact that I am homesick makes me cry, so I am trying not to think it too often (last week I started crying in the middle of the public market. Bad form, that. I could tell that the man at the next table was eyeing me, trying to figure out if he should do something, so I dried my eyes and left).
Don't get me wrong - I love my internship; I like the area where I'm living; nothing's wrong. I'm just... homesick. Or lonely. Or something.
I just need to meet people or something, huh? I should figure out how to do that.
Anyway. Back to your regularly scheduled programming (I'm not looking for sympathy, by the way. I've wanted to write about homesickness - just wanted to get it all out - but up until today this blog was elsewhere, where my sister reads. All Vancouver-related posts before this one are back-dated).
Today was... short. I went in early again today and wandered around Granville Island for a while. It's such an interesting place... I'm learning my way around (after work I went into what I thought was a toy store - it's not just a toy store, it's an entire complex of toy stores).
I don't know where my attention was today, but it wasn't really at work. Unfortunate, rather, because I didn't get much done; on the other hand, my boss left early and told me that I didn't have to stay and he'd see me tomorrow. I did a quick copy-edit on a manuscript, tried to figure out who I need to call tomorrow (I should have just done it today, but god I hate the phone. I'm kind of hoping my boss will do it...), and left. I did a bit of wandering, but it was pouring again so there wasn't a whole lot of point to it.
More rain tomorrow.
Sunshine? Please?
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Vancouver, day 8
The internet doesn’t seem to be working – alas! How will I update this and check my email? Le sigh.
I don’t mind, really; I can check email at work on Monday. Maybe then I will have mail…? Getting an email is not quite so exciting as snail mail, but you take what you can get.
Anyway. I slept in today – didn’t get up until nine-fifteen (gasp!) – then went to the nearby UU church. Actually, I’m not sure whether they’re UU or just U (it’s the Vancouver Unitarians), but whatever, the service was good and the people were really nice. For once I wasn’t even terrified by their well-meaning welcomes and smalltalk… I’ve been to my fair share of churches, for various reasons; the thing that throws me off the most (no matter what kind of church) is the inevitable protestation of welcome. I’ll take it as a good sign that it was pretty low-key.
The service itself was quite decent, though that honestly doesn’t say much about the church – UU services can vary like whoa. You can never really tell until you’ve been a few times. There’s a woman who leads all of the songs, too… I am rather undecided about this. On the one hand it sounded much better than a lot of churches I’ve been to (there’s a joke that UUs sing so badly because we’re always looking ahead in the music to see whether or not we agree with the lyrics… it’s true, too. Also, my church in Boston tends to sound like a funeral dirge). She was good. On the other hand, she knew she was good, and not in an altogether flattering way.
Oh well. I guess the music was worth it.
After church I bussed farther into Vancouver to go to my aunt’s for lunch. It was a lot of fun – my aunt, step-uncle, and two step-cousins (never met the cousins before) were there. The step-cousins are kind of awesome; they’re almost thirty but incredibly laid-back and funny and nice. Oh, not that most thirty-year-olds aren’t, just that I would have guessed their ages to be considerably younger.
My aunt and I met up with my other cousin (her son) after lunch and they showed me around part of Kitsilano. It’s a pretty cool area, actually; I’ll definitely have to go back. Tons of used bookstores :) After we parted ways, I stuck my nose into one of the bookstores they’d recommended, one that has new but cheap books. Very helpful, especially given how expensive books are in Canada.
During the bus ride I saw a coffee shop called Death by Chocolate, by the way, and have made a mental note to go there. I can’t remember exactly where it is, but whatever, I’ll find it.
Watched Juno with my flatmates tonight. That was nice, both ‘cause it’s an excellent movie and ‘cause I like social contact.
Up on Monday: work, possibly a field trip to a pub where one of my flatmates is participating in a poetry slam.
Written an hour ago, when my internet was still down. Spent the interim playing the Sims and am now en route to bed.
I don’t mind, really; I can check email at work on Monday. Maybe then I will have mail…? Getting an email is not quite so exciting as snail mail, but you take what you can get.
Anyway. I slept in today – didn’t get up until nine-fifteen (gasp!) – then went to the nearby UU church. Actually, I’m not sure whether they’re UU or just U (it’s the Vancouver Unitarians), but whatever, the service was good and the people were really nice. For once I wasn’t even terrified by their well-meaning welcomes and smalltalk… I’ve been to my fair share of churches, for various reasons; the thing that throws me off the most (no matter what kind of church) is the inevitable protestation of welcome. I’ll take it as a good sign that it was pretty low-key.
The service itself was quite decent, though that honestly doesn’t say much about the church – UU services can vary like whoa. You can never really tell until you’ve been a few times. There’s a woman who leads all of the songs, too… I am rather undecided about this. On the one hand it sounded much better than a lot of churches I’ve been to (there’s a joke that UUs sing so badly because we’re always looking ahead in the music to see whether or not we agree with the lyrics… it’s true, too. Also, my church in Boston tends to sound like a funeral dirge). She was good. On the other hand, she knew she was good, and not in an altogether flattering way.
Oh well. I guess the music was worth it.
After church I bussed farther into Vancouver to go to my aunt’s for lunch. It was a lot of fun – my aunt, step-uncle, and two step-cousins (never met the cousins before) were there. The step-cousins are kind of awesome; they’re almost thirty but incredibly laid-back and funny and nice. Oh, not that most thirty-year-olds aren’t, just that I would have guessed their ages to be considerably younger.
My aunt and I met up with my other cousin (her son) after lunch and they showed me around part of Kitsilano. It’s a pretty cool area, actually; I’ll definitely have to go back. Tons of used bookstores :) After we parted ways, I stuck my nose into one of the bookstores they’d recommended, one that has new but cheap books. Very helpful, especially given how expensive books are in Canada.
During the bus ride I saw a coffee shop called Death by Chocolate, by the way, and have made a mental note to go there. I can’t remember exactly where it is, but whatever, I’ll find it.
Watched Juno with my flatmates tonight. That was nice, both ‘cause it’s an excellent movie and ‘cause I like social contact.
Up on Monday: work, possibly a field trip to a pub where one of my flatmates is participating in a poetry slam.
Written an hour ago, when my internet was still down. Spent the interim playing the Sims and am now en route to bed.
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Another List
More good things
The sun was shining again
And it wasn't even that cold
I saw lots of beautiful greenery
I didn't get lost
I found fabulous earrings that I'll have to remember to get for my mum
My flatmates really are nice
I'll get to see my aunt tomorrow
Two of my flatmates mentioned things to do that sound really interesting
The sun was shining again
And it wasn't even that cold
I saw lots of beautiful greenery
I didn't get lost
I found fabulous earrings that I'll have to remember to get for my mum
My flatmates really are nice
I'll get to see my aunt tomorrow
Two of my flatmates mentioned things to do that sound really interesting
Vancouver, day 7
Saturday, so no work. I was going to go to the aquarium - it's out in or near Stanley Park - but I looked it up online and decided that I didn't really want to pay $18 to see a bunch of fish (okay, I'm sure it's nicer than just a bunch of fish, but eh). I ended up going to the Queen Elizabeth Park instead, and it was gorgeous (and free) and sunny and had all sorts of fabulous flowers. I was feeling too shy to ask anyone to take my picture, but I have plenty of photos of trees and flowers and scenery (dunno how to post them, though).
Later I went to the library - very wee, unfortunately, not a place to sit and curl up with a book for a few hours - just to scope it out (I don't have a card yet), then sat in a nice independant coffee shop for a while.
I had a full conversation with one of my flatmates, something that tends to put me in a good mood. I like knowing that I'm living with really nice, interesting people and that it's okay to talk and crack jokes and what have you. Seems small, but it's a really good feeling.
You know, at first when I got here I was amazed by the lack of screens in the windows, but it really doesn't matter. In North Carolina if you left the windows open without screens you'd be inviting in all sorts of bees and wasps and moths, but not so much here. I guess it's largely because it's so much cooler and less humid.
Later I went to the library - very wee, unfortunately, not a place to sit and curl up with a book for a few hours - just to scope it out (I don't have a card yet), then sat in a nice independant coffee shop for a while.
I had a full conversation with one of my flatmates, something that tends to put me in a good mood. I like knowing that I'm living with really nice, interesting people and that it's okay to talk and crack jokes and what have you. Seems small, but it's a really good feeling.
You know, at first when I got here I was amazed by the lack of screens in the windows, but it really doesn't matter. In North Carolina if you left the windows open without screens you'd be inviting in all sorts of bees and wasps and moths, but not so much here. I guess it's largely because it's so much cooler and less humid.
Friday, June 6, 2008
A List
Good things:
The sun was out today
I went for a walk
And bought grapes
I should see my aunt this weekend
On the way home on the bus I saw a Unitarian church
I still have half of the yellow bell pepper
I'm allowed to take advance copies of books from other companies home to read
I mailed a letter
And wrote another
My bed is really comfortable
I sleep through the night
My internship is great
As is my boss
It's the weekend
The sun was out today
I went for a walk
And bought grapes
I should see my aunt this weekend
On the way home on the bus I saw a Unitarian church
I still have half of the yellow bell pepper
I'm allowed to take advance copies of books from other companies home to read
I mailed a letter
And wrote another
My bed is really comfortable
I sleep through the night
My internship is great
As is my boss
It's the weekend
Vancouver, day 6
The sun! It is out! Life is good! Oh my GOD you have no idea how much happier I am with blue sky.
Today was a short day... I took an early bus and wandered around Granville Island for a while - I found a place that does short ferry tours, which I plan to try (dunno why I insist on scaring myself like this) sometime next week. I packed some boxes at work and sent some emails (I type faster than my boss, so sometimes he prefers that I type), then read through some stuff for typos (I found two) and emailed more people.
Highlight of the (work)day: I read a manuscript the other day, and there was this one part we'd been working on that I thought would fit better elsewhere. I mentioned this, and my boss decided that it was a good idea and told me to email the author and editor. I don't know if anything will come of it, but I'll be way happy if I made a difference.
We left early, and I went down to Commercial Drive to sort out some bank stuff (success! I won't starve. Whew.) and walk around. I got some food - cheap cheese! Cheese is expensive here. There were also inexpensive grapes, but they weren't in the best shape. I'll try again some other day.On my way home, I was switching busses when I found this lovely used bookstore. I thought I'd get a DVD, but the guy at the counter discovered that it was scratched and told me to "just take it. If it works, it works, and if it doesn't... use it as a coaster." So I'll have to go back again and actually spend some money there.
Also: Yesterday there was a dead rat, clearly in rigor mortis but otherwise in good shape, on the way to Granville Island. Today the rat was still there, in less-good shape but still dead.
Also: Things that are expensive in Canada: books. Cheese. Cards. The bus (though, as CH busses are free, anything *not* free could be considered expensive).
One nice thing to note - so far I've been quite impressed with the bus drivers and passengers... the drivers have all been good-natured and helpful and most passengers are pretty quick to offer their seats to people who are older or disabled. Maybe I've just caught them on good days, but it's nice to see nonetheless.
Today was a short day... I took an early bus and wandered around Granville Island for a while - I found a place that does short ferry tours, which I plan to try (dunno why I insist on scaring myself like this) sometime next week. I packed some boxes at work and sent some emails (I type faster than my boss, so sometimes he prefers that I type), then read through some stuff for typos (I found two) and emailed more people.
Highlight of the (work)day: I read a manuscript the other day, and there was this one part we'd been working on that I thought would fit better elsewhere. I mentioned this, and my boss decided that it was a good idea and told me to email the author and editor. I don't know if anything will come of it, but I'll be way happy if I made a difference.
We left early, and I went down to Commercial Drive to sort out some bank stuff (success! I won't starve. Whew.) and walk around. I got some food - cheap cheese! Cheese is expensive here. There were also inexpensive grapes, but they weren't in the best shape. I'll try again some other day.On my way home, I was switching busses when I found this lovely used bookstore. I thought I'd get a DVD, but the guy at the counter discovered that it was scratched and told me to "just take it. If it works, it works, and if it doesn't... use it as a coaster." So I'll have to go back again and actually spend some money there.
Also: Yesterday there was a dead rat, clearly in rigor mortis but otherwise in good shape, on the way to Granville Island. Today the rat was still there, in less-good shape but still dead.
Also: Things that are expensive in Canada: books. Cheese. Cards. The bus (though, as CH busses are free, anything *not* free could be considered expensive).
One nice thing to note - so far I've been quite impressed with the bus drivers and passengers... the drivers have all been good-natured and helpful and most passengers are pretty quick to offer their seats to people who are older or disabled. Maybe I've just caught them on good days, but it's nice to see nonetheless.
Thursday, June 5, 2008
When it Rains...
So, uh, I checked weather.com:
Rain.
Rain.
Oh, look - more rain.
Clouds.
Rain.
More rain.
I DO NOT LIKE GREEN EGGS AND HAM.
Rain.
Rain.
Oh, look - more rain.
Clouds.
Rain.
More rain.
I DO NOT LIKE GREEN EGGS AND HAM.
Vancouver, day 5
Met another editor today - quite nice, excellent sense of humour. She's going to talk me through some things (I'm not really sure what things) next week. I also ran a couple of errands and helped reorganize a couple of paragraphs. Later, in the market, I discovered that yellow bell peppers were on sale (yay!).
In other news: if the sun doesn't come out in the next few days, I'm not going to make it through the next two weeks, let alone the next two months. I like a bit of rain as much as the next girl, but really? This much? I am cold and my jeans are damp and it is too much. Sun, come out, please! I need you!
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Vancouver, day 4
Err. Stress?
Today was actually quite decent... when I got to work I sent out, under the direction of my boss, a couple of emails. When that was done, my boss called me over to look at a manuscript - he'd just gotten it back from the editor and didn't much like the changes, so he changed things around a bit. I think he wanted my opinion in part because he wanted another opinion and in part because he wanted to see what I would do with it. It was fun, anyway (a lot like what I do when I copy-edit), and I don't think I disgraced myself too terribly.
We also had a look at some unsolicited stuff - he wasn't thrilled with any of it, but I think that's normal for unsolicited stuff. It's also a very small company, so they don't publish many books. Something has to be really good to be accepted.
Later I looked over another manuscript (I'll be working with the author on another thing he's writing with the same characters, so I needed to get used to the characters and writing style), organized some more things - the office isn't the most organized place - and left.
I went to the bank to deposit a check and sort some things out, but it's going to be three weeks(!!) before the check clears, because it's American. Did not anticipate that. I called my mother, and she sorted things out with her bank so that I can withdraw money from her account and not starve (okay, am exaggerating. I'd manage, but it'd be tighter than I'd like.)
Oy vey.
Today was actually quite decent... when I got to work I sent out, under the direction of my boss, a couple of emails. When that was done, my boss called me over to look at a manuscript - he'd just gotten it back from the editor and didn't much like the changes, so he changed things around a bit. I think he wanted my opinion in part because he wanted another opinion and in part because he wanted to see what I would do with it. It was fun, anyway (a lot like what I do when I copy-edit), and I don't think I disgraced myself too terribly.
We also had a look at some unsolicited stuff - he wasn't thrilled with any of it, but I think that's normal for unsolicited stuff. It's also a very small company, so they don't publish many books. Something has to be really good to be accepted.
Later I looked over another manuscript (I'll be working with the author on another thing he's writing with the same characters, so I needed to get used to the characters and writing style), organized some more things - the office isn't the most organized place - and left.
I went to the bank to deposit a check and sort some things out, but it's going to be three weeks(!!) before the check clears, because it's American. Did not anticipate that. I called my mother, and she sorted things out with her bank so that I can withdraw money from her account and not starve (okay, am exaggerating. I'd manage, but it'd be tighter than I'd like.)
Oy vey.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Vancouver, day 3
8:00 AM: Wake up. It's raining.
9:00 AM: Bus to work/internship/thing (still haven't figured out what to call it).
9:40 AM: Some time in the next few weeks I will decide that it is okay not to be twenty minutes early (busses run every ten minutes, so...). That hasn't happened yet, so I walk around Granville Island*
10:00 AM: Go inside. Wait.
10:20 AM: Ze Boss shows up and shows me where the spare key is kept, so that I can let myself in.
10:30 AM: Ze Boss (hmm, maybe that's his new code name) tells me that one of his authors needs somebody to take dictation and that he thought of me. I start next week, I get paid, and I get to work with an actual author (when I've typed up the book, I'm going to work directly with the editor).
10:45 AM: Another intern (anyone who takes Ze Boss's class is welcome to intern - they do a once-a-week thing. I'm an every day intern, cos I'm just here for the summer and haven't taken the class... though more on that later) comes in.
11:00 AM: An editor comes in.
11:00-1:15: Not a whole lot gets done, honestly. I prepare a package of books to be sent off and doctor** a book review. The editor and the other intern and I all have a good laugh over children's reviews of a book (viewed online).
1:15: I leave for lunch and a wander - Ze Boss (I don't like this code name. Will have to come up with something else.) has left already and will come back later, so I have some free time. Granville Island's pretty small, so it's easy to navigate, though I really wish I'd brought that camera.
2:15: I go back to the office (Ze Boss is due back at 2:30) and read one of the books that I've been "assigned" for tomorrow.
2:30: Ze Boss returns. I'm not obligated to be here - my internship is 10 to 2 - but another editor's coming over and they're going to go through a manuscript.
2:45: Is everybody in this industry late? The editor's here.
5:15: Done! It's a chapter book, and fortunately they had already gone through more than half of it.
5:30: Ze Boss drops me at the bus stop: I am to sit in on his class.
6:00: I get to UBC.
6:18: I find the classroom, thank god, after asking no fewer than five people for directions. Yeesh.
6:30-9:40: Classclassclassclassclass
9:50: Somebody in the class very kindly drives me home.
10:30: Home! Thank goodness. Bedtime. Really, really bedtime.
*Not actually an island, but very cool. I meant to bring a camera today (forgot, naturally).
**Basically I retyped the review and set the document up to look exactly like the original (since the scans turned out very poorly), then saved it as a pdf. Now it can be used to send out to... I dunno, anyone who needs a review of that book.
9:00 AM: Bus to work/internship/thing (still haven't figured out what to call it).
9:40 AM: Some time in the next few weeks I will decide that it is okay not to be twenty minutes early (busses run every ten minutes, so...). That hasn't happened yet, so I walk around Granville Island*
10:00 AM: Go inside. Wait.
10:20 AM: Ze Boss shows up and shows me where the spare key is kept, so that I can let myself in.
10:30 AM: Ze Boss (hmm, maybe that's his new code name) tells me that one of his authors needs somebody to take dictation and that he thought of me. I start next week, I get paid, and I get to work with an actual author (when I've typed up the book, I'm going to work directly with the editor).
10:45 AM: Another intern (anyone who takes Ze Boss's class is welcome to intern - they do a once-a-week thing. I'm an every day intern, cos I'm just here for the summer and haven't taken the class... though more on that later) comes in.
11:00 AM: An editor comes in.
11:00-1:15: Not a whole lot gets done, honestly. I prepare a package of books to be sent off and doctor** a book review. The editor and the other intern and I all have a good laugh over children's reviews of a book (viewed online).
1:15: I leave for lunch and a wander - Ze Boss (I don't like this code name. Will have to come up with something else.) has left already and will come back later, so I have some free time. Granville Island's pretty small, so it's easy to navigate, though I really wish I'd brought that camera.
2:15: I go back to the office (Ze Boss is due back at 2:30) and read one of the books that I've been "assigned" for tomorrow.
2:30: Ze Boss returns. I'm not obligated to be here - my internship is 10 to 2 - but another editor's coming over and they're going to go through a manuscript.
2:45: Is everybody in this industry late? The editor's here.
5:15: Done! It's a chapter book, and fortunately they had already gone through more than half of it.
5:30: Ze Boss drops me at the bus stop: I am to sit in on his class.
6:00: I get to UBC.
6:18: I find the classroom, thank god, after asking no fewer than five people for directions. Yeesh.
6:30-9:40: Classclassclassclassclass
9:50: Somebody in the class very kindly drives me home.
10:30: Home! Thank goodness. Bedtime. Really, really bedtime.
*Not actually an island, but very cool. I meant to bring a camera today (forgot, naturally).
**Basically I retyped the review and set the document up to look exactly like the original (since the scans turned out very poorly), then saved it as a pdf. Now it can be used to send out to... I dunno, anyone who needs a review of that book.
Monday, June 2, 2008
Vancouver, day 2
Success! I found the publishing company without too much difficulty (I am very good at getting people to give me directions). The bus is crazy expensive, but I bought a bus pass this afternoon, so I don't have to worry about the crazy-expensive again (until next month, when I have to buy another bus pass).
The publishing company was nice. It's a very small operation - literally one room - but the publisher is very nice (he said that he can put in a good word or two for me in the publishing world once I graduate) and so far very patient. He showed me some of the bits of different steps in the process of getting a book ready for publishing, following which I sorted a bunch of electronic files and tidied a table (there wasn't much I could do with the table, truthfully, but now it looks a bit more organized).
A lot of publishing companies don't accept unsolicited submissions, but this one does. Most of the books they publish are solicited - there's a reason the unsolicited stuff is called "slush" - but I am really, really hoping to get to read some slush at some point. It sounds like a lot of fun to me.
Later, once I found my way home (without too much trouble. I relied on intuition, and intuition proved correct), I went back to the grocery store to get said bus card. I also stopped in at the thrift store, which was actually quite nice... now I have reading material, too, and when I can get a library card (I need proof of residence first) I will have more or less unlimited access to books. Tomorrow I'm going to sort out bank stuff and sit in on a class on children's lit publishing.
The publishing company was nice. It's a very small operation - literally one room - but the publisher is very nice (he said that he can put in a good word or two for me in the publishing world once I graduate) and so far very patient. He showed me some of the bits of different steps in the process of getting a book ready for publishing, following which I sorted a bunch of electronic files and tidied a table (there wasn't much I could do with the table, truthfully, but now it looks a bit more organized).
A lot of publishing companies don't accept unsolicited submissions, but this one does. Most of the books they publish are solicited - there's a reason the unsolicited stuff is called "slush" - but I am really, really hoping to get to read some slush at some point. It sounds like a lot of fun to me.
Later, once I found my way home (without too much trouble. I relied on intuition, and intuition proved correct), I went back to the grocery store to get said bus card. I also stopped in at the thrift store, which was actually quite nice... now I have reading material, too, and when I can get a library card (I need proof of residence first) I will have more or less unlimited access to books. Tomorrow I'm going to sort out bank stuff and sit in on a class on children's lit publishing.
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Vancouver, day 1
I suspect that I'm going to be the quiet weird one (again)... partly because, erm, I'm quiet and weird, and partly because I'm not really interested in alcohol. Not that it looks like alcohol will be a problem here, but it is a social thing.
Everybody's really nice, though, and the house is tons nicer than I had expected (or hoped). It sounds like they've had to do a lot of work to get it this nice, but it's paid off. I think the wall colour is hideous (cross between olive and hospital green) but otherwise I'm not complaining.
Actually, it's interesting; I'd gotten the impression that some of the people here (I make six) were rather older. That's not the case, though; at 20 I'm the youngest but the oldest is only 28. Once I settle in I think it could actually be quite nice... also, there's a) a grocery store, b) a bookstore/cafe, and c) a library within walking distance.I start my internship tomorrow, so... crossed fingers! I hope to de-jetlag somewhat by then.
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