hoc loco

Where I Have Been?

Greg — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 12:46:07 +0000

Most recently, Rotterdam for a meeting and right now, MIT in Cambridge for yet another meeting. Otherwise, I’ve been neglecting this space since the holidays! In my absence, wordpress was hacked (by a bot, turning most of the pages into spam links…). I think I’ve worked all of that out, I may resort to a complete rebuild to be certain.

White Christmas

Greg — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 04:12:01 +0000

After the storm Friday I was thinking that perhaps New York would have a white Christmas, but with the rain forecast for the 24th that’s not too likely. According to the CBC, “Forecasters are predicting that Canada will have its first coast-to-coast white Christmas since 1971″. Until this year, I’ve spent every Christmas since 1971 in Canada, so it figures that the first time I’m not there everyone will get to have a white Christmas!

Have a Merry Christmas, wherever you are!

I Took the Bus

Greg — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 04:13:21 +0000

I walked most of the way home tonight from St. Luke’s Roosevelt, where I had been visiting. Near 120th street, the previously light rain got a bit heavier, and I debated whether I should hike up to the subway station at 125th or wait for the bus. I opted for the bus. Watching the news tonight, I learned that there was a shooting just outside the 145th street station near the time that I would of been there had I taken the subway rather than the bus. It’s extremely unlikely that I would of witnessed it or been caught in the crossfire like the three women exiting the station–fortunately they were only grazed–but it’s enough to make one wonder.

Wiper Blade

Greg — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 14:07:42 +0000

After driving down to the Lower East Side last week, I noticed something shiny hanging off of the hatchback window wiper. It turned out to be a part of the wiper arm that was loose because someone had come along and removed the rubber blade! I’m pretty sure that this happened while parked overnight around the corner from the apartment, not far at all from where I parked when someone removed some valve step caps from the car. The only convenient thing about it? I was parked pretty close to R&S Strauss on 14th street. Great parts store if you ever find yourself missing bits of your ride. I was also relieved that I hadn’t had to turn on the rear wiper before I noticed, it probably would of scratched the back window.

News from Home

Greg — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 00:17:04 +0000

I keep track of what’s going on back in Nova Scotia by reading the CBC news site on a regular basis. Some days I laugh out loud at what makes headlines at home, like today when I read about how the Coast Guard had to rescue 8 firemen in their new fireboat!

Elections

Greg — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 01:32:55 +0000

It seems like the presidential election has been going on forever. While I was in Nova Scotia last week the next general election for Canada was announced. The election date is October 14, making for a campaign of less than 6 weeks. As a Canadian living in the U.S., it’s not very often I feel superior anymore–the cultures are just too similar–but as I listened to the announcement on the CBC I felt very smug. That smugness disappeared today when I looked up the voting process for expats and realized that I have lived outside of Canada too long to vote in the election.

Waiting for Hanna

Greg — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 23:54:28 +0000

I’m scheduled to fly back to New York from Nova Scotia later tomorrow afternoon but tropical storm Hanna is due to pass through tonight and tomorrow. I’m hoping that it blows through quickly (and with little impact!) so that I can make my flight tomorrow.

Extract from the Chronicle Herald

Greg — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 00:13:31 +0000

From today’s obituaries:

WHITMAN, A. Reagh “Ray” – 82, of New Minas, passed away Thursday, August 28, 2008, in Valley Regional Hospital, Kentville. Born in Round Hill, Annapolis Co., he was a son of the late William and Louise (Williams) Whitman. He spent nine years serving with the Canadian Armed Forces and later made his career in driving. He drove for the Coke plant in Bridgetown, Farmers Ice Cream in Halifax and for 23 years with the Chronicle Herald, delivering newspapers in bulk between Halifax and Middleton. Following his career in bulk newspaper delivery, he continued with the Chronicle Herald, looking after home delivery services throughout Kings County, retiring due to ill health at the age of 71. Ray was well accepted and loved by many and was also known as “Grampy Ray” to many young people in the community.

Reagh was my grandfather, I can’t think of anything else to say that wouldn’t seem trite.

Flickr Photo Use

Greg — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 02:18:01 +0000

Since I first had a few of my flickr pictures selected for Schmap, a few more from Balitmore have ended up on the site. More recently, the picture above that I took of the Wildcat Cafe is being used in Pure Canada, a travel e-zine. I’m still waiting to see the transportation report from the city planning department that is supposed to include the photo I took of flooding in the 79th street subway station. I don’t think that my pictures are so terrific that people are flocking to them; a number of folks that I know who post to flickr have lots of requests for photo use. I suspect that this is more a result of flickr’s tagging that makes finding specific things a snap combined with the high demand for topical photos.

Ohio

Greg — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 01:11:11 +0000

Last weekend Michi, Elizabeth, Joe and I drove to Akron for Kelly and Andrew’s wedding. It was a nice ceremony and a great party. On the long drive back I realized that Ohio was the third state that I had been to for the first time this year; Florida and Minnesota are the other two. I would like to get to all fifty eventually…so far I’m up to a paltry twenty-two, including all of the relatively easy to get to New England states.