Category: Toronto

Night of Dread

Yesterday, I participated in the novel, engaging, and pleasantly pagan festivities at Toronto’s Night of Dread. Put on by the Clay and Paper Theatre Company (whose work I have photographed before), the evening involved both small and gigantic representations of fears including ‘corruption’, ‘nuclear war’, ‘selfish leadership’, and ‘lack of stability’.

Accompanied by drummers and brass instruments, a parade marched out from Dufferin Grove Park and out around the neighbourhood before people assembled to see some of the fears burned atop a massive bonfire, followed by more music and special bread. I can’t explain exactly why, but seeing families and children at the event was comforting and encouraging. It may have something to do with the act of physically coming together within a community, making art, and participating in a non-commercial spectacle together.

The sense of history that accompanies gathering around a fire is also a comforting reminder that humanity has always had troubles. It is easy to look at woes from nuclear meltdowns and tsunamis to wars and currency crises and think that we are living in the worst of times, or even the end of times. Gathering in a manner that would have been recognizable to people from thousands of years ago drives one to think about all the fears, misfortunes, and tragedies that have afflicted the world across that span, and it kindles a hope that we might overcome (or at least continue to contain) the dangers and sorrows that exist now.

The symbolism may not be sophisticated, but it is rather satisfying to see enormous representations of fears marched around and eventually burned. The pyrotechnic element reminded me of Luminox.

Unusually occupied

Sorry for the recent lack of photos and content generally. In addition to full-time work and three hours a day spent commuting, I am working on job applications, apartment hunting, preparing applications to doctoral programs, and getting ready to write the GRE ASAP.

Despite the many highly valid objections against doctoral programs, they are looking like my best option at the moment.

[Update: 10:32pm] If you want to read something much more interesting than my blog, I suggest T.E. Lawrence’s book about trying to join the RAF incognito after his famous Arabian adventures. The whole thing is available for free online, in two versions. There is one with curse words, and one for those with delicate ears. It’s remarkably modest for a book about a military hero. Right out the outset, he gets embarrassed by a doctor noticing that he has been too poor to eat well during the past few months.

The St. Claire West reversal

Fairly frequently, there are morning trains on the yellow north-south line in Toronto, running toward Downsview, that do not continue north to the terminus station. Rather, they order everyone to disembark at St. Claire West station. Then, they go up a weird little blind alley, pause for a minute or two, and return to the station heading south.

I usually learn that I am on one of these trains in an uncomfortable way.

It being early in the morning, my brain is barely functioning. In addition, I am almost certainly listening to music or a podcast on my iPod. I sort of vaguely register the fact that everyone else on the train has gotten up and left, but the time it takes for me to understand the situation exceeds the span of time granted for disembarking. So the doors close, and I follow the train down its little dead end path, before it begins traveling back south again.

The mistake is easy to correct. You just get off at St. Claire West station redux, go upstairs, cross over to the northbound platform, and wait for the next train. What is awkward is how the conductor of the train walks the length of it in that little dead-end tunnel, moving from what used to be the front of the train to the control car at the other side. As the conductor passes, there will be some kind of exchange in which it is mutually understood that you are the dim-witted fellow who didn’t follow the instructions to get off the train.

Today’s conductor was quite amicable about it – even concerned for my mental well being. He told me that the dead end tunnel stresses some people out. I explained that I had seen it before, in the semi-conscious haze that characterizes mornings for me. All told, today’s experience was much more pleasant than my last St. Claire West reversal, where the conductor rather energetically berated me for still being on the train.

Occupy Toronto

This afternoon, I had a look at the Occupy Toronto protest that is mirroring Occupy Wall Street in New York.

Most protests for causes vaguely considered ‘left wing’ attract a few people intent on advocating an unrelated cause among people who they hope will be sympathetic. At climate change protests, I have seen people concerned about nuclear weapons, oppression of the Falun Gong, Palestinian statehood, and so on.

Insofar as there were meaningful and coherent messages at Occupy Toronto, they were to reform the financial system and to redistribute income from rich to poor. Mixed in was a lot of generalized anger, and a desire to punish bankers and/or the rich.

Beside the main messages were dozens of other causes that ranged from loosely affiliated to fundamentally contradictory. All told, I question whether Occupy Toronto is coherent enough to deserve to be taken seriously. There doesn’t seem to be an awareness that many of the causes advocated by some protestors clash with the objectives of other protestors. Solidarity is all well and good, but policies ultimately need to get made that support one objective or another.

There are real questions to be asked about financial regulation and redistribution of wealth. I just question whether this movement contributes intelligently to those discussions, or whether it is more a matter of unfocused energy being released.

Wedding photos: Olenka Slywynska and Andrij Harasymowycz

I am in the process of uploading photos from my cousin Olenka’s wedding, which happened last Sunday.

Most were taken using Canon’s 50mm f/1.2 lens, using available light. They aren’t quite as sharp as flash-lit photos generally would have been, but I think they look more pleasant and interesting than most flash-lit shots (especially any that rely on a flash positioned on the same axis as the lens, as with on-camera flashes and hotshoe flashes pointed straight forward).

‘Living with very accommodating family members’ not a recognized option

Voting in a provincial election seems to be a tricky thing, if you have no fixed address.

In a federal election, someone can vouch for you as a being a resident in a particular riding. In a provincial election in Ontario, you need paperwork showing an address – something I do not have yet, as my apartment search continues.

The election authority suggested trying to get a letter from the human resources people at work, but I doubt that will be possible before Thursday’s election.

Looking to sublet or rent month-to-month in Toronto

I am still very much in need of somewhere to live, though my priorities have shifted.

I am still looking for something near the subway – ideally, the western arm of the yellow line.

Something available October 1st would be ideal.

I am looking for a room in a shared house or apartment, or something that I can sublet on a month-to-month basis, since I do not know how long I will be in Toronto. $1,000 a month is about the most I can spend.

It doesn’t matter if it is very small, but it would be preferable for it to be relatively clean. Kitchen facilities can be minimal, but it would be nice if there is decent water pressure, non-gross flooring, and good internet access.

If you know anybody who is looking for a roommate in Toronto, please let me know.