La Shawarma

So I joined Facebook. Let the outcry of hypocrisy begin. For all you skeptics out there, I've already had one comment as such (you know who you are). Well, actually, anyone that has me on Facebook knows who she is. Oops I just gave you a clue. My curiosty was bound to get the better of me eventually. The jury is still out on exactly how wonderful Facebook is, but so far I've grabbed some cool pics of myself from other peoples' pages. Apparently you don't need your own camera these days. Just let some OCD shutter bug bring her camera and then steal all her photos off Facebook. Brilliant.

I watched Canada's U-20 World Cup soccer team get dismantled by Chile yesterday. I think we had maybe three shots on goal and, of these, only one had even a remote chance of going in. OK I'm exaggerating: it didn't have a prayer. You have no idea how humiliating it is watching soccer with Germans. I thought our team was doing alright (well, I wasn't really that naive) until Andreas pointed out precisely how bad we were. Our team also had a total of about five yellow cards. At times I think we were more interested in dishing out hip checks than actually going after the ball. Mind you the Chileans did a nice acting job. Whenever they needed a water break one of their players would randomly fall down and starting squirming in "pain". The trainer would rush out to the aid of the fallen chap while coincidentally carrying a full cooler of water of which the whole team partook. Meanwhile the Oscar candidate was hauled off the field in a stretcher only to return to the game exactly 43 seconds later. I call bullshit. I can see why the Don Cherry-is-a-God types would be turned off. As an aside, Don Cherry being named one of the greatest Canadians of all time is a national disgrace. Period.

I take consolation from the fact that we (sometimes) rule in hockey. Only problem is, I think maybe 5% of the world population gives a flying %#$@ about hockey. Honestly I think it would do wonders for our country (especially given our immigrant population) if we had national soccer teams that could be competitive internationally. It would give Canada something that could unite us all, old immigrants and new immigrants alike. Soccer (futbol) is a game anyone can play; It isn't restricted only to those nations with individuals that can afford a year's tuition on equipment and travel every year. Hockey (for the mostpart) is a rich man's game. Hell, if my family had more disposable income I probably would have played hockey. Hockey's a great game with great players and a great tradition, but it's not a world game. I say we kick around a ball (or pick up a remote) and join in. We play Austria Thursday July 5 at 7:30 pm ET in Edmonton and it's on CBC nationally. We also play Congo July 8 in Edmonton at 7:30 pm ET on CBC. We may not win, but at least we've got a foot in a game the rest of the world actually cares about. As another aside, the fact that TSN devoted an entire primetime slot and most of Canada Day to the NHL entry draft and "Free Agent Frenzy Day", respectively, is a national disgrace. Period.

I suppose I'll get off my soapbox now. All that said, I will be as guilty as any other of cheering my ass off when we're smashing the rest of the hockey world around the rink at GM Place three years from now. Unless we choke like last time.

We went and saw the Canada Day fireworks on June 29 last week. Detroit and Windsor do a combined show. It was really good and it lasted a full 24 minutes. Figures that I would know this. Thorsten and I went down to Patty O'Ryan's (Irish Pub) for a pint following the fireworks. Laura said she would meet up with us but she ditched us for her cooler friends. It's OK. We're used to it.

One thing I've discovered here is that I definitely don't love chemistry as much as some people. I also think I am not nearly smart or devoted enough to win a Nobel Prize. This sucks. I was counting on the million bucks. Some people spend holidays, nights, weekends in the lab. Even when they're not in the lab they're talking about the lab. I feel bad for these people who shall remain nameless. No wonder academics are notorious for lacking social skills. They'd rather spend time with their work than with people. I definitely have too much social elegance to be a good academic. That and I don't really drink enough. I think I'll pull a Larry and be a clown with a Ph.D. I kid you not. Larry's awesome. He's got a Ph.D. from U of T (I think), he teaches, does research and he's the coolest clown I've ever seen. Although my balloon animals definitely need work.

Had a party here friday. We had all the keys to a good party: someone puked, someone crashed in someone else's bed, someone launched a beer bottle(s), I slept on my couch, our floor was covered with curry (yes, curry), our bathroom was disgusting the next morning and I didn't go to bed until the sun began to rise. For the record the party was Paul's idea, as was the curry. I also scored coolness points because I had a girl sleep in my bed that wasn't a member of my family. For clarity: I slept on the couch.

Laura's birthday was Saturday night. Fewer stories to tell than the party but I definitely had a good time. I don't know if I am a good dancer or not. I'm going to hedge with not, but I seem to do alright for myself. We left the club around two and then drove around while Laura's sister's boyfriend stood in line waiting for three chicken shawarma's (lebanese pitas). It would have been faster if I had walked home. But L and I shared the backseat and I got a shawarma out of the deal. Of course it was the shawarma that made the night ;)