Wednesday, September 09, 2009

The boy and I left early Sunday morning and made it across the United States border in record time.

Although American culture inundates Canada so much so that it's nearly impossible to avoid, I anticipated culture shock. The first instance of culture shock came less than half an hour into the trip. We stopped to fuel at the first gas station we passed. We also decided to pick up some apples and bananas to eat in the car during the drive. I'd seen a self-checkout before, but only one at the Home Depot or Canadian Tire, not a dozen at once. It was strange. We didn't use it and instead let the lonely cashier ring our order.

We stopped for lunch in the Seattle neighbourhood of Fremont, where we'd gone to see the Lenin Statue. We ate a a funky diner that reminded me a lot of Sophie's and indulged in a weekend tradition I love, that of all-day breakfast. I had Eggs Benny and was mildly disappointed when I got hashbrowns instead of home fries--I prefer my breakfast potatoes cubed rather than slawed.

We walked around Fremont a bit after lunch and passed through a Sunday street market. I would like to have been able to check Pike Place Market, but we had to hit the road because or destination for the day was Portland. I saw the Space Needle from the car--I think it was my first time seeing it in person.



To be continued...

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posted by Vanessa at 9:18 PM


Monday, January 28, 2008

I know capitalism is evil and all, but I felt pretty excited when I recognised this reference to Adam Smith in Alexis de Tocqueville's Democracy in America:


I was so excited in fact, that I marked it in pencil in the library book -- something I don't think I've ever done before -- so that other, less keen readers would know.

It would take a lot of hardwork and pain for me to acquire the math skills necessary to become an economist. Even so, I entertain a fancy of economics. It's a great way to enrich one's analysis of society; it truly is a social science.

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posted by Vanessa at 12:47 AM


Thursday, July 12, 2007


I was surprised to see Neville Chamberlain's words used in the context of a reconciliation between Chantal Kreviazuk and Avril Lavigne gracing the head of The Sun's Arts & Life section yesterday. No matter how badly this dispute could have shaken the music industry, I can hardly believe that it would be on par with the Munich Agreement that was supposed to guarantee against war with Hitler. I didn't hold The Sun in high regard before this, so I can only hope this headline was chosen ironically to point out the stupidity of celebrity journalism.

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posted by Vanessa at 8:21 PM


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