Nose bathing, finals and afternoon naps

So, for my birthday a few days ago, I decided to get my nose pierced. Not with one of those horrible rings (I apologize if I offend anyone!) but the little studs. First off, my preconceived notion of what a tattoo parlour would be like? Totally wrong. I always expected people that covered their bodies in tattoos and piercings to be quite tough and a bit scary. The guy at the front desk had at least 10 facial piercings on his cheeks and chin, yet the nicest guy in the world! My piercer was even better. I personally wasn't a huge fan of her tattoos, but to each their own.

Not being a fan of needles, getting my nose pierced may have seemed like a bizarre choice, but I love it now! They stuck what I can only describe as a metal straw into my nose. This was called the 'receiving tube', not a pleasant name! Then...the needle went in. At this point I closed my eyes, so I am slightly confused as to how the piercing itself went in. Was it attached to the needle? Did they slide it in after? Who knows. All I know is that until I'm done with the healing process I have to dunk my nose in a glass of hot water twice a day, and then spray salt water around the piercing, and up my nostril. Trust me this makes for truly attractive viewing...not! Oh, and how long is the healing process. My piercer said 3-9. 3-9 what? MONTHS! Babies take that long, surely a hole in cartilage can't take as long?!

The other big thing on my agenda right now are my upcoming exams. Finals to be exact. The most pleasant of experiences. I've done two already: Spanish and Oral French. I've only got written French and Philosophy to go. I'm so not looking forward to philosophy. There should be a warning in the university course guide for this course. Warning: Not a bullshit easy course....as everyone thinks!

As a result, and due to the recent birthday partying, I've been sleeping at weird times. Today I took a nice nap from 5 to 7pm, only to be woken up by my mum phoning me to ask how I was doing.

"Are you sleeping?" Stupid question. My nose sounds stuffed, I have the air of a confused individual and I was yawning. Clearly asleep! Now I'm wide awake, and I have to be up early tomorrow. Me's thinking a couple shots of vodka should do the trick. My favourite sleeping aid!

The man on the train...

...okay, so I was getting the LRT, or in Edmonton the ERT, to the downtown bus station. I only had to go a few stops. There was a man sitting a few rows in front of me. He had turettes syndrome (spelling????) and was screaming uncontrollably. I felt bad for him, since I've learned that it hurts more when they try and hold it in. Everyone was acting awkwardly around him, when really they should just try to be normal. I know it's hard, but I'm sure it makes him feel worse when people act awkwardly and uncomfortably around him. Anyhow, this old man, maybe 60, gets on the train and sits next to me.

He was telling me how in his day it people with disorders weren't looked upon very well, even bullied. It wasn't socially acceptable to have a disability. He started to tell me how he had some very bad experiences with bullying. He was always looked upon differently from the other kids. It has bothered him psychologically to this day. He has a tail. Or had. I didn't ask if the tail still remained.

I was halfway between laughing and deep shame. Laughing not because of him having a tail, but because he told this random girl he met on the train. Shame for the possibility of laughing!

A tail.

How many people do you think he tells in an average day?

Wet and slushy

I finished an exam early-ish today, and the next free bus was not leaving for an hour and a half. It's been a nice day, so I decided to walk the 30 blocks home. BAD BAD BAD MOVE. Yeah, so in the space of the hour it took me to walk back home, I had jeans soaked up to the knee and feet that look as though I've taken a 2 hour boiling hot bath. Not exactly what I had been aiming for. If nothing else...I got back home before the bus even left campus.

Argh.

Marxism, Kantianism, Utilitariansim, OH MY!

Yep, I am officially done my last Friday section class in philosophy. Our regular Monday/Wednesday philosophy class has 300 or so people in it. I love the anonymity. Then, on a Friday we're divided into classes of about 20 people, where participation is almost the entire mark! I am so scared to speak up in these classes, because I don't feel I thoroughly understand what's going on. Not only that, but at least 60% of the people in my class are fourth year students. What does it mean to be a fourth year? It means you act oh-so-intelligent in an obvious and stuck up sort of way. I hate them. But eventually I will be one. I like grad students. Why? Because they lose the cockiness, as they are kicked back down from realizing how hard grad school is again.

So, we were doing some reviewing of the individual philosophers, and I got a harsh reality shock when I realized how much revision I'm going to need to do! At least I have 19 days to do it!!!!!