Dear Housemates - From The Roomie Upstairs, With Love

Dear Housemates,

I haven't blogged about you yet. It's about time I did. Two months ago, when I found housing in Kingston, I wondered who my housemates would be. I didn't know any of you. Obviously, moving in with utter strangers, I did realize that I could be living with potential nutjobs come September. I prepared myself for the worst. Prior to moving in, I read a story online about how a university student moved into a student house and found that one of her housemates had a pet snake. Fantastic.

However, let this blog post serve to let you girls (and boys) know that, in the month that we've all been living together, I've come to appreciate you all very much. And the fact that none of you own a snake.

I appreciate that on nights like tonight, when the weather is lousy and we have no desire to cook, we can all go out for dinner to an obscure, hole-in-the-wall Cambodian restaurant and still enjoy it. As I sit here writing this blog post, I am absolutely, positively stuffed. Due to nerves over my presentation this afternoon, I didn't eat a single thing all day. However, our girly dinner this evening at Cambodonia did the trick. Stuffing ourselves with Cambodian food, known on campus for its rave reviews, I'm glad we discovered the tastiest spring rolls in Kingston together.

I also appreciate that our ice cream cravings occur simultaneously. And the fact that we all require sugar after every meal. I also appreciate it takes each of us 10 minutes sampling every flavour at Baskin Robbins before making that life-or-death decision. Thank goodness, I'm not the only one overly indecisive about meal options.

I appreciate that we watch the same TV shows. There are absolutely no objections to running home from Baskin Robbins, in the pouring rain, just to catch the latest Glee episode. I also appreciate that there aren't any fights over the remote to watch arbitrary shows like The Apprentice. Because really, who watches that nowadays?

I appreciate that one of you called our landlord to have someone check on our heating issues. As a result, we won't be freezing to death tonight.

I appreciate that none of you complain over my alarm clock that rings every morning at 4:30 AM. Thank you for tolerating the crazy housemate who voluntarily wakes up at the crack of dawn.

I appreciate that we have similar music tastes. And while my own music preferences sometimes lean toward the obscure (really, if anyone reading this blog post actually listens to The Morning Benders, you are probably my soulmate), I appreciate that we still have the option of going out together to have a good time. I'll also add my amusement over next Thursday's plans to go out downtown for the sole purpose of finding Glee's Mike Chang look-alike, spotted at The Ale House last Thursday.

I appreciate that you gave me tips on how to play Dodgeball effectively. I owe my newfound athletic prowess to all of you.

I appreciate our excitement over decorating our house for upcoming holidays. And our preliminary plans to purchase Halloween candy that we don't intend to hand out to children. I also appreciate our desire to hunt for a pumpkin patch in Kingston, plans to go Christmas tree hunting in the winter, and plans to spend the holiday season baking cookies. Because holiday cookies make the world go 'round.

Most of all, I appreciate that each of you are great housemates. I couldn't have asked for better. Here's to a great year together!

With Love,

The Roomie Upstairs

"You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view, until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it."
- Harper Lee, To Kill A Mockingbird

An Eventful Evening - Animal Help Hotlines & The City of Kingston

Earlier today, after my housemates and I realized that it was garbage day tomorrow, we promptly brought our garbage and recycling bins outside for the scheduled pickup. However, as we headed out the door, we knew it would be an eventful evening. As two of my housemates took the garbage bins out, they discovered a huge (read: MASSIVE) dog wandering around our porch. Running to the porch with the recycling bin, I stopped in my tracks when, at first glance, I thought there was a wolf standing on our porch (you can't imagine how much my heart pounded).

The dog looked like Lassie. Seriously, she was incredibly huge, as large as a wolf. Affectionately (and temporarily), we named her Wolfie.

Wolfie had no collar, no source of identification, and her knees were terribly scarred. Honestly, as we all stood on the porch, we had no idea what to do. Although I have a phobia of huge (read: MASSIVE) dogs due to a scarring experience when I was younger, Wolfie softened my ogre's heart, and I found her (we decided Wolfie was a girl) absolutely endearing (albeit at a distance).

As we watched Wolfie scavenge through our garbage, we quickly figured that out that she was extremely hungry. Quickly, Brittany and I ran to the fridge and found some milk, cheese, and chicken to provide the hungry Wolfie. Once she was fed, I then set out on a hunt for a 24-hour Animal Help Hotline, as leaving her on our porch to fend for herself probably wasn't the best idea.

Let this blog post serve to recognize the Kingston Human Society's wonderful, amazing work in the community. I want to note that I'm extremely, incredibly impressed by its efficiency and prompt response. Within 20 minutes of my call, an individual serving our area called me right away to discuss the issue. She promptly told me that she would be at our house in about 20-30 minutes, as she would be driving in from outside of Kingston.

And so as we waited patiently for the Humane Society to arrive, my housemate decided to read Wolfie a story: Emily's Eighteen Aunts. Wolfie enjoyed the story so much that she took a little nap! Forty-five minutes after our call, representatives from Animal Control arrived with a leash to take Wolfie away. As they left, they mentioned that Wolfie was the third Husky they picked up this week. Waving goodbye, we watched as they loaded Wolfie into the back of a truck specifically for the use of Kingston Human Society's Animal Control division.

Although I haven't been a pet owner since I was a very young girl, I'm not naive enough to believe that animal neglect is a rare phenomenon. As we saw tonight, there are a number of owners who neglect their pets, leaving the animal to fend for itself. I hope Wolfie finds a nice, warm place to sleep tonight. And, unlike Lassie, I sincerely hope and wish that Wolfie finds a happy ending.

I'll borrow the closing words of one of my housemates regarding our eventful evening. Friends, garbage day has never been so exciting.

“A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself.”
- Josh Billings

First Impressions of Kingston

I've lived in Kingston for a full 24 hours, and I will shamelessly admit that I've lived like a hermit. I've met no one, seen no one, talked to no one. Until today, when one of my housemates finally moved in. Honestly, my street has been a ghost town the last twenty-four hours. I haven't seen anyone remotely resembling a graduate student, save for the drunk, merry group of frat boys down the street, enjoying the last few days of teacher's college Orientation.

However, despite the non-existence of living, breathing human beings on my street, I've utilized the wonders of technology by using Skype to keep in touch with the outside world. Technology certainly has its uses!

First impressions of Kingston?

1. It's cold. I should have brought my winter jacket. All I can think about is how insanely, incredibly cold it is here. I don't know if temperatures are equally freezing in Toronto, but I've already had to bust out my fall jacket this morning.

2. I wondered where I could purchase Asian-like food and ingredients in a predominately Caucasian (ergo, white) city. Much to my delight, walking down Princess Street this morning, I discovered an Asian grocery store. Aptly named Asian Grocery Store. Awesome.

3. The Metro here is a rip-off, moreso than regular Toronto Metros. $6.99 for a small bottle of shampoo? Please. Clearly, the system to rip off starving students doesn't end in Toronto.

4. Think of the prettiest city you've ever been in. Ever. Then come visit Kingston, because Kingston (and it's waterfront) is a hundred times prettier!

5. Kingston's "downtown" consists of a strip containing a Dollarama, a Tim Horton's and a Pizza Pizza. Obviously, the staples of life.

6. There are a total of six small bookshops (a la Meg Ryan in You've Got Mail) on Princess Street. They're so quaint and small-town-esque, I love them.

I'm sure I'll have more to add to this list when I start the School of Graduate Studies' Orientation Week tomorrow.

Side Note: In preparation for registration this week, I've been working away at my course schedule, trying to decide which courses would be most beneficial to take. Global governance? Development studies in the area of global finance? The development of capitalism? Political parties? There are a number of possibilities. And as usual, I'm indecisive. Let's hope that I make up my mind soon.

Next stop, Teaching Development Day, Orientation Week, meeting the rest of my mysterious housemates. Exciting? I think so.

"It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it."
- Aristotle

Home Sweet Home in Kingston!

I'm officially not homeless in Kingston next year!!!! And the house I found isn't in the Student Ghetto!! I'm so relieved.

Sooo my parents and I drove over to Kingston a few weeks ago to house-hunt. Honestly, despite all the warnings that house-hunting would be stressful, I didn't find it that difficult at all. I scoured the Queen's Community Housing website, craigslist, Kijiji, etc., and lined up about 9 appointments for that Saturday.

You know how people always say that you know something is meant for you when it *feels* right? Like a wedding dress, a pair of shoes. I think that feeling applies to homes too. The minute I walked into this house, it didn't feel like a dorm. It actually felt like a home. Most importantly, it was very clean. You guys have no idea how many places we saw that were overpriced dumps.

The house is actually very pretty. It's newly renovated, three floors, a ten minute walk from campus, a five minute walk to Princess Street (aka Kingston's "downtown"), and the rent is more than reasonable. Plus, my landlords seem really nice. I googled them and found out they used to own a hotel and restaurant in Kingston, so I know they aren't scam artists. ;) Obviously we have to check on these things!!

My first impressions of Kingston? I loved it. Queen's is the complete opposite of what UofT was. It's small, cozy, and feels exactly like those picturesque university towns that we always see in the movies!

I guess my only concern now is that I have no idea who my housemates are. There will be six of us in the house. Six total strangers living in a new city, attending a new school, knowing absolutely no one. Come to think of it, doesn't this sound like a reality show? Or something that should be on MTV? Heehee.

A month and a half till moving day!

"Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage." - Anaiïs Nin