Today I bought my first ever album from iTunes: “What the Toll Tells” by Two Gallants. I heard their song “Las Cruces Jail” on cbc the other week and was initially alarmed, convinced that the singer’s throat was going to explode at any moment. At the same time I was struck by the lyrics. “That’s some very assured song-writing for a couple 20-year-olds”, I said to myself.
After listening to the steaming audio from their website a few times I became less bothered by the vocal-chord-shredding singing and more taken with the music. There’s a wicked lyric in “Las Cruses Jail” (which is about a young man sentenced to die): “Desperate times call for desperate men / I’m just a kid but I’ll pretend”.
My rationale for buying the album was that I’d finished my marking early this week, and endured the form-filling-in that goes along with applying for a passport. Clearly I deserve a reward.
On the subject of exploding throats, I’ve had a sore throat since last Sunday which I’ve been expecting to turn into a full blown cold any day now. So far it hasn’t, and in fact the throat-soreness itself seems to be on the retreat. Hooray for drinking orange juice by the gallon.
Completing the passport application process necessitated a trip to the local passport office. I quite like government offices. The air inside somehow smells Canadian and every aspect of the place feels like it was very carefully constructed to specifications written over the course of 18 months by a six-member committee. In English and French.
The surveillance camera had a big sign under it that said “This area is under surveillance” for crying out loud.
So, why was I applying for a passport? Thought you’d never ask.
I’m going to Crete at the end of March! I didn’t really plan it, it just happened. My dad is going for work and I’m going to tag along and soak up all things Greek for a week. I’m quite excited.
That covers half the rationale for buying the new album. The other half (getting my marking done early) is because I’m leaving on Saturday to go to Nova Scotia for a few days. This, of course, means a long and tedious bus ride, but I can listen to my new music and read my new book on evolution (not to be confused with my old book on evolution. I know it would make sense to finish the old book before starting the new book, but the new book is thinner and thus more convenient for the bus. Besides, I’m in the middle of Copleston’s History of Philosophy Volume 1 Greece and Rome as well (speaking of Greece) so I figured that if two books on the go was good, three was better).
The new Evolution book came from my supervisor. I ran into him in the hall the other day and he said “Do you have any books on Evolution?”
“One or two” I said.
“Here, you can have this one” he said, and pressed a copy of The Theory of Evolution by John Maynard Smith into my hands. It’s a bit of a classic, which Smith says he wrote “for myself aged twenty, when I had a great curiosity about evolution but no formal training in biology.” Perfect for me, in other words.
The downside of the trip to Nova Scotia is that I’m going to miss Paradise Now at film co-op. Dang it. There are always trade-offs.
Hmm, I just got my passport as well….
Do you have a large suitcase?
Large enough to bring you along? Wish I could, but unfortunately my dad has instituted a “no checked bags” rule. Something about having 20 minutes to change airlines and run to the other end of an giant german airport the last time he flew to Greece.
Don’t get lost in any mazes! I hear Crete’s bad that way.
Oh Jamie…you truly are hilarious!
Ian, I demand that a minotaur be brought back in a crate from Crete!
Dude, you’re going to greece? With only carryon, no less? Cool. I would LOVE to go to Greece again. May I please come too?
Drink Ouzo. And eat pita gyros from a street vendor!
Los Cruces Jail was a very cool song.
And I have to start inscribing the books I buy for myself. Cause that would be really neat.
And I’m with Jenn on the minotaur.