There, finally moved in! I have found myself a place to live in Ottawa and I am so gunned about it! I am right downtown and close to the canal too. It feels nice that I know for sure that I am going to stay in one city for more than four months now. I haven’t done that in over five years!

Now I just have to worry about those pesky classes that I am oh so behind on.

Oh how I love Ottawa!

I witnessed how it is the second coldest capital in the world yesterday as it dropped below (apparently) -50°C including the windchill. Although it took me more than ten minutes to get my skates on since I kept having to jam my hands inside my coat to warm them back up, I got to use my skates to get myself to school. That’s right, my hockey skates have been acting as my commuting tool for the past couple days and it gives me a big stupid grin every time I think about it. The cold snap that Ottawa is having this week enhances the experience. There’s just something special about being cocooned inside layers upon layers of clothing, yet feeling the aggressive bite of the cold on your face.

Now if only the NHL and NHLPA would keep talking, I could round my Canadian experience by skating to a pub to watch a big game!

Why oh why do I have morals?!

Every research topic I come across I somehow end up twisting into something that I deem bad for society and therefore irresponsible of me to devote my research energy toward. I was really excited about a supersonic jet problem…until I found out that it was how to design bomb-bay doors such that bombs can be dropped at supersonic speeds. I was getting excited about improving flow visualization and experimental techniques…until I found out they were going to be used on a study for oil flares (I have a difference with the oil and gas industry).

What should I do?

Once again, I was not able to predict the way something was going to happen here. I have had so many surprises in the past four months with this McGill debacle that surprises have become the norm and no longer faze me.

Friday, I was waiting for a decision from a professor sitting as department chair as to whether he was going to admit me into the program I wanted or not. He was supposed to get back to either me or the university ombudsperson well before Friday, but failed to. Finally, I decided that I had waited long enough and sent him an e-mail stating that I was no longer interested in hearing his decision. I had made my own.

Starting Monday, I will be pursuing my graduate studies at Ottawa and Carleton Universities. I am really excited for my change and there are so many benefits of the change. It is unfortunate that I will be leaving this comfortable place I’m living in Montreal and will likely slow down my progress in speaking French. It is also unfortunate to walk away from such a special group like the McGill Cycling Team. There really are some unique and fun people on that team and the encouragement to physically push is abundant. The people that I studied with all last term will also be missed, but as with everyone, I need not say good-bye. I’m sure they’ll be over to Ottawa and I’m sure I’ll be back here.

Thanks Montreal, you were a blast. I’ll be back soon!

The decision is looming.
Decision as to where my mind begins blooming.
Two simple steps to this process,
That which determines my success.
Firstly, he decides whether I am good enough for his place,
I guarantee, he won’t even tell me to my face.
He will either reluctantly tell me that I’m in
Or will tell me with external sorrow and an internal grin
That arbitrary numbers say that I’m not good enough
For a thesis program, I don’t have “the right stuff.”
In which case he’ll offer me a program of non-thesis
Expecting me to grovel and accept, like a sinner to Jesus.
Secondly, don’t forget there is a second decision,
He will not expect me to be in an advantageous position.
I will be able to say, “Thank-you, but no. I’m off to Ottawa.”
He will say “What are you going to do? Nothing rhymes with Ottawa!”

Not bad for five minute poetry! Update as to what happens tomorrow will come.