The one least likely to (![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} chinesebomb) wrote,@ 2007-02-18 14:04:00 |
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Couple of things of note
1) Went to this conference on topics that really only politics and law geeks would be interested in by getting a media badge even though I have no intention to 'cover' it. Even managed to get Chris a "Invité/Guest" badge all on my own (i.e. without my boss vouching for us like last time at this other conference. Discovered that the key is confidence and persistence. Some lowly monkeys would always tell you that you can't get a guest badge for someone else because you're not important enough. Some other middle-level monkey would then mistaken you as a student journalist from McGill. Just pull off the slightly annoyed face and look at them in the eyes and be demanding. The end result was immensely rewarding. The two of us listened to an engaging (although all too short) panel discussion between Rockstar US Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia and some Canadian SC Justice, moderated by the silver-haired Bob Rae whose current job is probably just travel around CAnada moderating sort-of important conferences like this. In the cocktail reception afterwards, had three glasses of red wine and various types of cheese, and stood inches away from Justice Scalia listening to him patiently answer the endless and evidently un/mis-informed questions from a group of first-year McGill law students. Was surprised by how down-to-earth he was. He spent the whole 30 minutes he was at the cocktail reception talking to a small group of students, instead of hanging out with Bob Rae, the Canadian SC judge, or other "more important people" (of which there was quite an abundance) there.
And when time's up for him to leave, he raised his wine glass and said, 'Gotta go. bye!' And promptly jetted off back to Washington.
2) For the first time in the five shifts I've done so far, I was annoyed while volunteering at the Santropol kitchen making meals that are to be sent on wheels. We were already short of people yesterday afternoon, but two people promptly bid goodbye when the clean-up of the kitchen was about to begin. So I washed and washed and washed a mountain of pots and pans and baking pans and tongs and spetulas and knifes and other cooking things. One American ballet dancer girl who was trained at Julliard and was frankly really pretty helped me, but she kept telling me that the pots I just washed were still dirty. Which they probably were, but they were so big (note: these aren't your househohld pots and pans; these are sizes that you find in a professional kitchen, made to cook for 50 people) and I couldn't scrub them thoroughly enough if I want to leave by dinner time. I got visibly upset and thought about how I hate washing dishes at my own house and I probably should wash the dishes that are currently sitting in my own sink first. There was a girl who was gonna be the new kitchen coordinator, and it was her first day. I turned around from the dish-washing corner of dread, and saw her standing around chatting with other staff who was passing by. She was getting paid to be there and apparently thought chores like washing dishes is only to be assigned to lowly volunteers.
The American girl quietly retreated after awhile, and sort of walked around the kitchen wiping the table, picking up scraps etc.
Finally other people dispersed and there was no one else she could talk to. So she came over by the sink and asked me if I want some coffee. It was 4:30pm, and I had been doing the dishes for at least 30 minutes. I told her I've had tons of coffee in the morning. She feigned surprise and asked me if I were there in the morning. I said no, in my house. chez moi.
Afterwards I felt like a really bad person, but I just really dislike having my hands smell of grease all day. Especially people who were getting paid to be there could have helped.
3) It's Chinese New Year today. But should I brave the snow storm and go to my co-worker's house in Hochelega? Hmm, I dunno. Hanging out at home with the cat is very comfortable.
1) Went to this conference on topics that really only politics and law geeks would be interested in by getting a media badge even though I have no intention to 'cover' it. Even managed to get Chris a "Invité/Guest" badge all on my own (i.e. without my boss vouching for us like last time at this other conference. Discovered that the key is confidence and persistence. Some lowly monkeys would always tell you that you can't get a guest badge for someone else because you're not important enough. Some other middle-level monkey would then mistaken you as a student journalist from McGill. Just pull off the slightly annoyed face and look at them in the eyes and be demanding. The end result was immensely rewarding. The two of us listened to an engaging (although all too short) panel discussion between Rockstar US Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia and some Canadian SC Justice, moderated by the silver-haired Bob Rae whose current job is probably just travel around CAnada moderating sort-of important conferences like this. In the cocktail reception afterwards, had three glasses of red wine and various types of cheese, and stood inches away from Justice Scalia listening to him patiently answer the endless and evidently un/mis-informed questions from a group of first-year McGill law students. Was surprised by how down-to-earth he was. He spent the whole 30 minutes he was at the cocktail reception talking to a small group of students, instead of hanging out with Bob Rae, the Canadian SC judge, or other "more important people" (of which there was quite an abundance) there.
And when time's up for him to leave, he raised his wine glass and said, 'Gotta go. bye!' And promptly jetted off back to Washington.
2) For the first time in the five shifts I've done so far, I was annoyed while volunteering at the Santropol kitchen making meals that are to be sent on wheels. We were already short of people yesterday afternoon, but two people promptly bid goodbye when the clean-up of the kitchen was about to begin. So I washed and washed and washed a mountain of pots and pans and baking pans and tongs and spetulas and knifes and other cooking things. One American ballet dancer girl who was trained at Julliard and was frankly really pretty helped me, but she kept telling me that the pots I just washed were still dirty. Which they probably were, but they were so big (note: these aren't your househohld pots and pans; these are sizes that you find in a professional kitchen, made to cook for 50 people) and I couldn't scrub them thoroughly enough if I want to leave by dinner time. I got visibly upset and thought about how I hate washing dishes at my own house and I probably should wash the dishes that are currently sitting in my own sink first. There was a girl who was gonna be the new kitchen coordinator, and it was her first day. I turned around from the dish-washing corner of dread, and saw her standing around chatting with other staff who was passing by. She was getting paid to be there and apparently thought chores like washing dishes is only to be assigned to lowly volunteers.
The American girl quietly retreated after awhile, and sort of walked around the kitchen wiping the table, picking up scraps etc.
Finally other people dispersed and there was no one else she could talk to. So she came over by the sink and asked me if I want some coffee. It was 4:30pm, and I had been doing the dishes for at least 30 minutes. I told her I've had tons of coffee in the morning. She feigned surprise and asked me if I were there in the morning. I said no, in my house. chez moi.
Afterwards I felt like a really bad person, but I just really dislike having my hands smell of grease all day. Especially people who were getting paid to be there could have helped.
3) It's Chinese New Year today. But should I brave the snow storm and go to my co-worker's house in Hochelega? Hmm, I dunno. Hanging out at home with the cat is very comfortable.
