Finally, it looks like the heat wave that's smothered Toronto for the past two weeks is going to break. As I was sitting here in the library, I heard a low rumble that piqued my interest enough to look up to the ceiling's tinted windows, and praise be, there was water cascading down them. For about half an hour thereafter there was steady thunder ( Read more... )

As usual, I've had a pretty quiet, unremarkable day, but unlike what's been usual lately, I'm not going to write a magnum opus about it. ;) The most notable thing I did to-day was to visit the opticians below my optometrist's office and shop for my next pair of glasses. I picked out one with rimless lenses that are about one-half to two-thirds the ( Read more... )

Yesterday's introductory aikido class went pretty well. The instruction of the teacher and of the student with whom I was partnered was competent, and the learning atmosphere was not so rigidly formal as to be intimidating. I particularly enjoyed practising moves with my partner John, who was very friendly and encouraging, and not the least bit shy ( Read more... )

I underwent my eye examination this morning as scheduled, and my optometrist confirmed that I can indeed still see, but not well enough without an updated prescription. He noted that my 'problem' (probably my astigmatism) has become worse in the last two years, so I'm supposed to get glasses with cylindrical lenses to correct it. Then I'm supposed ( Read more... )

I was on my way yesterday afternoon to the U of T's Science Information Centre to write another entry here, but as I was walking through Queen's Park I heard the throbbing roar of drum music coming from the south, and saw a large mass of people congregated toward Wellesley Street. On either side of the path toward the sound there were stalls ( Read more... )

My paternal grandfather recently moved in a nursing home for veterans, so his sons, and in particular my father, have had to undertake moving out all of his belongings and cleaning up his old house before it's sold. I'm a little displeased that our family will be selling our remaining side of that pair of Edwardian semidetached houses, after having ( Read more... )

As I was eventually making my way home last night, I wandered down Church Street and happened upon an imposing statue that had been erected on the northwest corner of Church and Alexander Street. It must have been unveiled within the last week because I didn't recall it being there before and I walk up and down Church pretty often. It had also ( Read more... )

My computer at home is virtually unusable right now, and will be so, I fear, until somebody either reloads our Windows OS or finds its product identification number. In the meantime I'll be reading all my e-mail and friends' journals, and updating my own journal, from the computers at the Toronto Reference Library. In a way it's a blessing: it'll ( Read more... )