Below are the 4 most recent journal entries recorded in Rich's LiveJournal:

Tuesday, November 8th, 2005
3:35 am	's'no snow around here (sorry) Okay, so updating hasn't been quite as frequent as it may have been, haven't been doing huge amounts however (lots of things have been happening though) so i doubt you'll have missed out on much (if indeed you were waiting on this at all). A few (very) exciting things have happened recently, unfortunately one of them i have had trouble grasping myself and putting it all into anything approaching coherent sentences seems more of a pipe-dream than anything more at the moment. However i have been doing less world-rocking things too (fun, certainly but not qite foundation shaking); Jess, Alice and I decided to make the most of a recent long weekend (thankyou thansgiving!) and we decided to do this by hiring a car (yes - a real car, well, almost, it was an automatic, but it was gold(!) and it went well) and drove down to a place called Drum Heller (arriving safely after a few scary moments on the 'wrong' side of the road...) which is apparently one of the most productive places on Earth for finding Cretaceous dinosaur bones and also has the World's Biggest Dinosaur (model) (I believe it's the law there that you have to capitalise every word, at least that's how everybody said it..) which you can climb up the inside of and wave to everyone on the ground from a T-Rex's mouth (how many time's are you going to be able to say that?). Anyways, it may have been a touch tacky (well, okay, a whole big lot of tacky) but it was quite fun, and totally worth the $3 we spent on it. Although, i think a similar state of elation may have been brought about by climbing 5 flights of stairs and looking out of a window, but i suppose it was a VERY big model dinosaur... After seeing a big thing we then went to see a very small one, called the 'World's Smallest Church' and it was, as might be expected, a church that was very small. That's all I've got to say about that, except that it was really cool! After that we went to see some really really beautiful viewpoints, looking out over the valley/canyon that Drumm Heller town is in. And after a short half hour detour (to visit the Last Chance Saloon... would have been great, had everywhere not been closed on thanksgiving... damn it) we went home, and went to sleep. Also have had many drunken nights out (and in) and my bank balance (and body) is currently bearing the brunt of the punishment, although the effects of drunken conversations and thoughts are still being analysed and repaired in a most desperate way. I can honestly say that i've never enjoyed myself quite so much as i have here, i really honestly believe that i am undergoing some kind of change, I am becoming more confident and am laughing a whole lot more. People here are friendly, and for me, this kind of honesty when it comes to social interaction is something that really appeals, it's less governed, kind of allowing more freedom to be oneself, although i most definetly have a LOT to learn about timing and what to say, I really feel as if i am progressing in this aspect of my life, and i am oh so happy about it! After living on my own last year, it feels as if i am finally appreciating the importance of friendship and social interaction in general (unfortunately, this new found enthusiasm for interaction has yet to impact upon my keeping in contact with lots of people (I wish that i could say more than sorry... bt i am really going to start contacting again soon... really really really)). I'm going to have to sleep now however, there are of course a million and one things that i could (and so want to) write, however they're going to have to wait for a bit, as i need sleep, literally. I will at some point i am sre also tell the magical tale of the Canadian High Commission, but now is not the time. oh, and in reference to the title... there is snow here! it started snowing yesterday, and i'm so excited (kinda scared too... have bought the world's warmest coat however so shold be okay...) will be haing snow ball fights and making snowmen/penises in no time, yay! richxx Current Mood: blah (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Wednesday, September 21st, 2005
7:37 am	Birthdays at Banff, well almost Hello all, I know i haven't posted for a while and i have yet to write about the wonders of the Canadian High Commission, but i will get there, have no fear, however today is going to be about random stuff. I got back from Banff national park on Sunday (18/09) and i just think it may well have been the most beautiful place i have ever been, i know beauty is a very relative thing and there are so many kinds of it out there, but for shear awe inspiring grandeur and breathless feelings of calmness ot can't be beat, all i can say (in addition to that) is GO! if you happen to be in the area, GO! It's kind of pricy finding accomodation if you don't fancy a dorm bed, but it is worth it just to see one of the wonders of the natural world (i'm not sure if there is an official list of those kind of things but if there is then Moraine lake should be on it). The landscapes in Banff are phenomenal, huge snow capped mountains (looking like they've been thrusted out of the Earth as huge slabs of rock) give way to glacially carved valleys which are almost entirely covered in trees (a mixture of deciduous and evergreens - meaning spectacular colours can be seen at any time, but especially in the fall where some of the trees turn a bright yellow, it's a beautiful time of year here) anyway what i'm trying to say is see Banff (especially Moraine lake) at least once in your lifetime, it's worth it. We (Jess and I) actually arrived at the shores of moraine lake in style - we were dropped off by a Biologist called Simon, who picked us up while we were hitching on the side of the main road, he was so nice, i was a little nervous about hitching for the first time ever (well, first successful time at least) but it turns out that we didn't have to wait for long, and we weren't killed or anything! after looking at the most spectacular views Jess and I decided to hire a canoe and we got one and went out onto the lake (soooo turquoise - apparently due to the particular kind of silt here which invades the lake and absorbs all colours other than turquoise) and we had a great time - great views and oh so peaceful. there has probably been a lot happening in addition to Banff (i had my birthday yesterday and am still probably drunk if you're wondering why i'm repeating myself and why there are quite so many spelling mistakes...) Lister (the halls of residence where i live - 1800 people!) is great, everyone just leaves their doors open and are all (or at least it seems so at the moment) really nice and kind, it's kind of a 24/7 party - not great for work, but still a great place to be, especially as it's generally a first and second year res so people all seem to want to meet other peole and so it's nice! anyway i think i am trying to say things rock here, it's kind of pricy and hard to do work, but it's fun, always important! sweet home alabama (.... well, alberta) Richxx (Comment on this)
Wednesday, September 7th, 2005
1:35 pm	Note from a very very big country Hi all, apologies for lack of any correspondence for a fair while, and unfortunately this may have to e a brutally functional update as i have to meet with Alice at half two - stuff to do! Anyway, i am now in Canda and have een for about two weeks (i came in on the 24th of Aug) although i spent a week on a field school in the middle of it so haven't really got used to Edmonton yet - these things take time! The field school was great, we got to do a fair bit of geophysics (interesting, and good for practical experience) and also it was a brilliant way to get to know people on the fourth year course, lots of late nights playing cards and we were split into pairs for the entire week so you do get practice working in teams, i was working with a really interesting guy called Andrew for the week, really well run and the area is really interesting too - right next to a place called Writing-on-stone park where there are lots of hoodoos (wind and rain sculpted sandstone towers, lots of pictures). The week encompassed Alberta's 100th birthday and that was a very heavy night (starting of course with the centurion!) of which i remember very little, and from what i hear this is proably a good thing... anyway the only problem with the field school was that we came back after move in date for the halls of residence (Lister) and so missed out on the icereaking games etc but only time will tell how much this has an effect, at the moment people seem pretty friendly and willing to make friends. So far so good, would definetly reccomend the field school! you do miss some of the orientation but this isn't too big a problem as there are shortened versions after we got back. It was a bit hectic when we got back becasue we had a lot to organise in the two days before classes started, it all adds to the fun though! I haven't had too many problems except losing a few things (glasses, or more accurately one lense of my glasses, being the most important one but also managed to leave my raincoat at Gatwick, can't think of anything else) some other things are a little confusing but i am hoping it will all become clear soon enough! and efore i left the problems with the visa were scary but that one will have to wait for a while! peanut butter and jam Richxx Current Mood: content (Comment on this)
Friday, August 19th, 2005
1:40 am	On the joys of Tesco's 'Diet Kick' and international bureaucracy Hello all! If you hadn't worked it out, this is my online journal that i will be keeping during my time in Canada. Just as i decided to do during my gap year, i have thought it necessary to tell the world (well, maybe a dozen or so people....) of my exciting (and yet at the same time relatively irrelevant and rather mundane) adventures during my travels. Please do not feel obliged in anyway to have to keep reading - more than anything this is a tool for me to remind myself (blessed as i am with the long term memory of a slightly slow gnat) of what Canada is like and what i have done, who i have met and what they have done - almost certainly irrelevant, but if you want to see how i'm getting on, one click and you'll have the info at your fingertips (that is, until i find some better way of spending my time...) because of this ingenious tool! Anyway best to begin at the beginning i suppose, and here i am, before i have set so much as a toenail in the land of maple syrup and pancakes, sat at home surrounded by the comforts that make home home, enjoying a few last days of relative security, still on a high from the combined effects of my visa arriving this morning after a worryingly long wait (more on the joys i have experienced in the oddly detached world of the Canadian High Commission later) and the euphoric rush of adrenaline offered by copious amounts of Tesco's Red Bull substitute 'Diet Kick' (in all of it's neon-coloured, horrifically unhealthy glory). The latter being a most useful substitute for anything approaching enthusiastic feelings towards working in a factory; At the risk of severely understating the contribution (which was both considerable and greatly appreciated) made by those i was working with to my frankly bizarre enjoyment of packing smelly cottage cheese, I do have a suspicion that i would have been far less inclined to dancing around like a maniac, singing along to any number of rubbish pop songs at the top of my voice whilst simultaneously trying to juggle home-made cling-film juggling balls if it hadn't been for the feelings of elation brought about by alarmingly high levels of Kick coursing through my arteries. I finished at the factory a couple of hours ago, and, although i know i should be pleased about the prospect of never having to go within a five mile radius of the place ever again, i do feel a certain amount of sadness about having to say my goodbyes to those that i worked with (as i suppose is only natural) - i think that i have been lucky to have had the pleasure of their company on the 5-1 shift, especially as, at the risk of causing offence, there are quite so many miserable arses that i could have had to work with.... With the effects of the Kick wearing out and the time pushing three in the morning (and also with the desire to begin wailing Famous Blue Raincoat at the top of my voice getting alarmingly high, it would be dangerous to be awake much longer) i am afraid that i will have to save the story of the visa for another day, rest assured that you will be able to hear that particularly enthralling tale in it's entirety soon (i sincerely hope that you will be able to contain your excitement), but for now i must sleep for who knows what wonders tomorrow has in store (also, am completely, utterly and inescapably knackered and the will to write rubbish is waning rapidly). peace, love, mouldy jam and assorted jelly beans Rich ps apologies for excessive length of this post (it seems that this has been a remarkably long-winded way of saying that i've finished working in a factory and that i am rather fond of the effects brought about by a certain soft drink, but anyway....) Current Mood: jubilant (Comment on this)