The Shock of Nothing

Sometimes, it's more disconcerting to have nothing happening than it is to have too much happening. Right now, nothing is happening, and not much has happened all week. Sure, Belinda Stronach quit politics to go back to running Magna International for her dad, and other matters of political ilk have occurred....Stephane Dion, exactly what are you thinking by not running a candidate against Elizabeth May....Soldiers are dropping left right and centre in Afghanistan.

but here at chez moi, nada.

I suspect many people pray for weeks where nothing happens. So many people have so much suffering to deal with, that one week of quiet would be a merciful release from life's harassments. I don't have a great deal of difficulty in my life, however, not having anything happen is agonizing in its own way. I hate waiting for something to happen.

So you'd infer by this that I'd not heard about the job? You'd be correct. As of this weekend we pass out of the realm of "early April" and into "mid-April". Since I was told I'd hear about the job in early April, I am taking Monday as a special nagging day to find out what the hell is going on over at that academic institution at which I'd like to be employed. Monday I'm also supposed to go over to the other academic institution where I've not quite finished teaching, but I'm blowing that off to go with Big One's class to the performing arts centre to see a play. After I get home from the play, nagging begins.

Instead of ranting and being impatient, here are some random comments from the past week and otherwise:

1) A note from a former postdoc supervisor.
A preeminent inorganic chemist in this country, and someone who's always helped me out when I needed it, he emailed this week to find out if I'd heard anything about the job. When I replied that no, I hadn't (along with my usual three paragraphs of descriptive prose....I don't do anything without too many words) he said not to worry, they're probably just slow. From him, I can take comfort in these few words; nobody else could tell me not to worry and have me believe them.

2) Cooking Italian
Not that I cook Italians.
When I want to cook in the Italian style, and often I do, it is easy for me to get authentic ingredients here in this small city. Last weekend I got aged provolone from Italy, and a couple of other cheeses from Italy, pesto from Italy...many of the fish at the grocery store are flown in from Italy...and I know I said that I would eat a more local diet, and I have been. Except for the Italian stuff.

3) Kids have been insane.
Is there something in the water? my kids have been nuts the last few days.

4) More Irish than Italians
Hub just pointed out that there are more Irish in this city than Italians, but you wouldn't know it. There was a little article and picture in the local paper about Irish dance (he recognized it right away because one of my former students used to run an Irish dance school and we've seen her and her students perform. I like it a lot more than Scottish Highland Dance.) and he mentioned that on the last census (and now I know who reads these things) there were more Irish here than Italians. You would not know this! Ever! I thought it was because the Italian-Canadian community had more money, but he said no, not necessarily...having grown up pretty poorly-off he would know...so I said well, more a mafia mentality then, taking care of the community. We agreed this is more likely the case. We could be full of crap.

5) Crappy spring
The weather has sucked ass lately, which is good because it goes with my mood.

6) Sister visit
My sister is coming to visit in a month. She's awesome. She said we might have to go to Toronto to go shopping. We might have to go??

7) BF2 goes to Paris
His mumma is visiting and he's taking her throughout his favourite places in Europe for the next couple of weeks. This week she stayed in London while he went to work, and tomorrow they're taking the Chunnel to Paris for the weekend. Sunday night they'll be back in London, then later in the week they're off to Italy. And I heave a deep sigh and wish I could go too.

8) BF1 finishes her Hawaii picture album
It's lovely.....but not as good as being there. Wish I could go back there.

That's about it. there are other things but I don't want to belabour the point of having not very much to talk about. And since now I can't even write a full sentence (too much Australian shiraz for supper) without going back and fixing most of it, I'll sign off.

And really. For those of you who are curious, rest assured that if I had anything to say about the job, I'd say it. We wait until Monday.