I’m pretty much focused now on spinning up preparations to go to Power Shift next week. That means preparing for my Wednesday morning tutorials on Quebec and Language Politics, and my Wednesday contentious politics seminar on framing and identity. I also have office hours with students who want to discuss essay drafts on Monday.
This time I will be taking the train, unlike all my previous Ottawa–Toronto journeys. I can’t remember how many years it has been since I took an intercity train (maybe to a climate conference in Montreal, from Ottawa, sometime around 2009?), but friends tell me it’s a whole lot nicer than the Greyhound, and in this case it was basically the same cost.
I went to a drop-in clinic about my enduring cold today and was told it’s not strep and that I should discontinue any medication other than ibuprofen and acetaminophen and try to get as much rest as possible. I’ll be staying in a large shared dorm with no privacy, so it would be quite a pain to be acutely ill while in Ottawa.
This will also be a good trial of my replacement for my nearly shredded Barbour Beaufort jacket. I’ve been testing it in various conditions in Toronto, including what passes for extreme cold here, but anticipating a fair bit of time outside and night-time walks in Ottawa I’m planning to bring a second pair of merino wool long underwear for layering.