Author: Milan

In the spring of 2005, I graduated from the University of British Columbia with a degree in International Relations and a general focus in the area of environmental politics. In the fall of 2005, I began reading for an M.Phil in IR at Wadham College, Oxford. Outside school, I am very interested in photography, writing, and the outdoors. I am writing this blog to keep in touch with friends and family around the world, provide a more personal view of graduate student life in Oxford, and pass on some lessons I've learned here.

Personal strata

At every time in the last six years, I have had a substantial collection of personal items stored in boxes somewhere other than where I was living. Generally, this has meant a closet full of big Tupperware containers, duct taped shut between visits.

When the chance or the need arises to dig through the stack, the result is a kind of auto-archeology. Things of persistent value tend to stay near the top of the stack, because they have been left there by past expeditions. Things near the bottom – rarely glimpsed – are likely photographs or letters from more than a decade in the past.

Today’s minor foray was motivated by a search for writable CDs for the Cabin Fever trip this weekend, so it was both superficial and unsuccessful.

Three flops, one decent film

Normally, I try to give films at least a couple of paragraphs of commentary after I have seen them. Times of late have been busy, so I will be briefer here.

Ocean’s 13: The nonsensical plot was easy enough to anticipate, but what made this film stand out as particularly poor was the overwhelming lack of style. The first film in the series looked fresh and interesting. This one is a tired attempt at spinning more money out from a franchise long past its prime.

Shooter: I saw this on the plane, and regret not using the time to sleep. The plot was preposterous, the acting and action scenes poor, and the physics abysmal. Take pains to avoid this film.

Firehouse Dog: This one, I half-watched without any sound. Even so, it was a markedly better film than Shooter.

Last King of Scotland: Jonathan and I watched this film in the form of a DVD of dubious legitimacy I bought in Morocco. Overall, it is quite well done. At times, quite funny, at others, suitably dire for a film about Idi Amin.

Precious MEC

Vancouver grafitti

The fact the Mountain Equipment Co-Op owns the web address mec.ca is perhaps a nod to the fanaticism with which the shop is viewed by admirers. Today, I picked up a new pair of trainers, some nice polarized sunglasses (to replace the awful ones I got in Morocco), and a small pair of inexpensive binoculars that nonetheless have surprisingly good optics. Peering around downtown Vancouver with them was a lot of fun; the lack of tall buildings in the UK is one of my least favourite things about the place.

All three items should be helpful for the Barrier Lake retreat, as well as for the hike next week.

Vancouver intro

Meaghan Beattie at Canada Place

The first day back has been especially eventful, though it is better to get some rest than to spend much time writing about. It was particularly good to see Jonathan and Meaghan, as well as the Bard on the Beach production of Julius Caesar that I saw with my family. Running into Astrid after the show was also a nice surprise, especially given how I didn’t manage to see her during my previous visit to Vancouver.

Every time I visit Vancouver, I am reminded of the fundamental mathematical difficulty of arranging a collection of gatherings with a large and busy group of friends. With a variable number of events, each of which could occur on any of several days and involve any of a moderately sized group of people, the number of permutations easily runs into the thousands. I shall do my utmost to see everyone at least once, with apologies to those who are inconvenienced by how things fall out.

With luck, I will be able to pick up a cell phone with an Ottawa number while I am here. If so, it will make coordination an easier task.

Coast mountain

As has already been reported, I will be in Barrier Lake this weekend (the 6th through 8th) for Tristan’s third Cabin Fever event. At some point in the three days between my return to Vancouver and my departure for Ottawa, I am trying to arrange a hike. That is to say, either on Monday the 9th, Tuesday the 10th, or Wednesday the 11th.

Strong possibilities include:

  1. Crown Mountain (being Grouse)
  2. Petgill Lake (near Squamish)
  3. The Stawamus Chief (near Squamish)
  4. Somewhere people suggest in the comments

If you are interested, please let me know by phone, email, or a comment below. Be sure to specify which days would be possible for you, as well as which days would be best.

Given the short span of time for which I am in Vancouver, this will be a rain or shine proposition. It is also unlikely to occur if fewer than three or four people are able to go.

Repatriated

This has become one of those days that you really cannot believe has been one long period of wakefulness. I was woken at 7:30am by a St. Antony’s College scout who was quite astonished to find me there and quite insistent that I should leave immediately. Many thanks to Emily Paddon and Mark Cummins for helping me to do so effectively and expeditiously. Mark deserves particular praise for helping me lug 63 kg of baggage from north Oxford to the Gloucester Green coach station.

One nice thing about all the chaos and confusion is that it hasn’t left me with much time to feel sad about leaving so many things and people behind (temporarily, I hope). Concluding thanks to everyone who helped make my two years in Oxford so special and successful.