A Cold.... Damn A Cold

I caught a cold today I've been feeling the effects since 2 days ago. Come to think of it I probably caught it during the CSJ. Just hope it wasn't west nile or something. Well it doesn't feel like west nile. The worst of it was over yesterday was not too good a day. Today I'm starting to feel slightly better.

What a way to start the school year.

Center for Social Justice

Sorry a quick correction on my last post I went to the Center for Social Justice (CSJ) not SJR.

Anyways it was an EXCELLENT trip.

I've been too busy recently that I lost sight of who I was. I feel like a better more resilent version of myself now that I've went to the CSJ. This is great I got to work with some kids, teach them some leadership skills and in the process reconnect with what the program was all about.

If anyone ever has a chance to check the program out I suggest you do it's well worth the expense even if your not a social activist (which I am not).

Now all that's left is going to Hamilton and getting my University stuff setup!

Upcomming trip: Social Justice Retreat

Well this weekend I'm going to get back into the volunteering gig. I'm gonna joing my friends at the SJR and do some volunteer programs for youths. Over there we'll be encouraging various youths to take leadership roles by participating in various adventure themed excercises like kyaking, and ropes courses.

On the personal front I'm still battling the excitement and stress the comes with going back to University. I'm trying to find if I have everything I need if I need to relearn Calculus (as is the case with many of my peers) before the start. And when I can move my furniture to the place I'm renting. On top of all that a blackout happened on thrusday the 14th with left most of us in the dark. During which alot of my things to do got pushed back around two to three days.

My only hope is that this trip does not interfere with my plans afterwards well I might be blogging about this trip on the 24th when I return, so until then kudos!

Blackout

Last thursday (14th) there was a massive blackout here in Toronto all the lights went out streetcars stopped and there where crazy people in the street shouting that it was the end of the world. We own a variety store and on the 14th our little store probably the size of two living rooms had people lining up all the way outside to get supplies. Without cash registers we where stuck with battery operated calculators. Our candlelit store quickly ran dry of water, candles, and bread and soon we had to shutdown since we had nothing more to sell.

When night hit the city was pitch black and for the first time you could see the stars. They where the most amazing sight since the night sky was litterally dotted with them, and usually all you could see is 5 stars. Street parties where poping up here and there on different streets, with no TV or media word of these street parties traveled by word of mouth. Me and a friend eventually met up admist all this chaos and decided that this would be the one time we'd be able to jump in a street car and "play around with the controls". So after observing the presence of cops carefully we found our car and jumpped in.

The street car was powered off nothing was really operational but you get a sense of what the driver has to deal with. First he has poor visibility there's a blind spot directly in front of the streetcar due to the driver's seating position and the street car's height. Secondly the controls are very stiff.

After leaving the streetcar we headed down queen's street and passed by a club that brought the club outside. Afterwhich we stopped and watched about 1/2 hour of news at the CITY TV building and that was the blackout as seen by me where where you?