I wish to report great success in clearing out the piles of rubble that were cluttering up my apartment. Look at this table with only one thing on it. How extraordinary!

There are still a few rubbly bits but I think they are the exceptions that prove the rule. (What rule is that, you ask? I don’t recall.)

Gloves

I was picking up a few things at the dollar store where Big Bud’s used to be when I noticed that both of the cashiers were wearing one woollen glove.

When I asked my cashier why he was wearing one glove he replied, “I can’t count the change if I wear two.”

Shoes

These shoes are in my storage room. I thought they were bowling shoes but when I looked inside I found they were of the brand “Elle,” which is probably not a manufacturer of bowling shoes. Maybe they are fashion shoes.

They don’t fit me. Too bad. So listen, whoever fits the shoes can have them. (It’s not Cinderella, there’s no castle!)

The Mayor

I’m not the first to notice that new mayor Larry O’Brien promised to take six months to reconsider the light-rail deal. He said he was dedicated to getting it right.

Then what did he do? Within a week he pushed through the same deal, north-south LRT from Barrhaven to Bayview, and now it won’t even go downtown! This is REALLY nowhere to nowhere.

Randall Denley in the Citizen called it the worst decision Ottawa council has ever made. I don’t always agree with Denley but I admire his conviction, and this time I think he’s probably right.

Then the usually moderate Citizen reporter Kelly Egan wrote that he didn’t think he could be a city hall reporter because he wouldn’t like being around so many crazy people.

Is Mayor Larry listening, are any of the councillors listening? Not likely. They seem to float along in little dream worlds of their own.

It’s not their fault. It’s your fault if you voted for any of them. Not only did Ottawa voters bring in the dumb business guy, they returned every incumbent! No wonder nothing changes.

I think one of the more telling details about Mayor Larry is that he won’t use the city-owned hybrid Prius that is provided for him. He prefers his Mercedes. This is a crass, stupid man we’ve elected for our mayor. Things could get a lot worse before we are rid of him.

I’m spending my week watching movies, blogging, mocking public figures, and getting around to all those chores I never have time for.

On Tuesday I got a Vrtucar and went out to Westgate Mall to renew my driver’s licence. Then I made a “No flyers” sign for my mailbox. I hope it works. If it does I bet my neighbours are going to want one too.

Now it’s time to face all those piles of rubble that somehow appear in my house. Do you get those? They consist of mail you didn’t want to deal with at the time, catalogues and magazines you thought you might take a look at later, and hardware such as nails, screws, keys to something or other, staplers, Scotch tape, screwdrivers, and broken light switches. I’m determined to get rid of all that stuff today. Wish me luck!

Rubble

Fire safety

I think there is a safety problem with this. What if you are racing for the street because the building is on fire. You better have your key with you! I think this is a specially poor choice for my landlord, who has small children. No way they’re going to have a key and even if they did I bet they couldn’t reach the lock.

I thought this was such a bad idea that I called the city of Ottawa and asked them if it was legal. They said there is no bylaw against it.

I have another problem with the locks. The door of my apartment opens onto a small foyer with a staircase in it. If I don’t have my key with me I can’t get out the front door, and if I let my apartment door close behind me I can’t get back in either. With nobody living upstairs I’d languish in the foyer until I perished. Who knew city living was so risky!

Foyer of death

Movies

My stat counter tells me that quite a few people from all over the world drop in to read a movie review. They find them on search engines. They never stay long or leave a comment, but I’m glad to have them anyway.

With Leonard Cohen on my mind, I revisited the Robert Altman film McCabe & Mrs. Miller, for which Cohen’s first album provided the soundtrack. I love that movie because it is so beautiful and atmospheric. Soon I’ll get a review up but I might have to watch it again first.

Julie Christie and Warren Beatty as Mrs. Miller and McCabe

Last night I started watching the classic John Huston film The Misfits from 1961, starring Marilyn Monroe, Clark Gable, and Eli Wallach. It was really good but I got too sleepy so I had to pause it. I’ll get back to it soon. It was the last film for both Monroe and Gable.

Gable and Wallach

Dec.11: My review of The Misfits is here.

This week I watched a movie that I’m not going to review, except for a brief mention: the Korean romantic comedy Sassygirl (2001), aka My Sassy Girl.

My reason for watching a Korean romantic comedy is because I once saw one that I enjoyed, Please Teach Me English by Sung-Su Kim. That one was so goofy and likeable that even a dour symbol-snuffling English-major type like me found plenty to enjoy in it. The plotline featured western English teachers as seen through Korean eyes, always an enlightening proposition.

I think teaching English in Korea must be a great adventure for a young person with student loans to pay. I might have spent some time in Korea myself if I hadn’t waited until later in life to get my degree.

I’d seen Sassygirl mentioned as being worth a look, but despite an unusual beginning in which a drunk girl on the subway pukes all over her fellow passengers, I wasn’t able to sit through it.

In this screenshot the hero of Sassygirl lugs the drunk girl to a hotel. He thinks she is just his type when she isn’t puking on the subway. I don’t know what happens after that. Not recommended!