Gettin' it together

Well, I've gradually been taking care of things/doing things that make this area feel a bit more like home... well a new home, at least. To wit, I have:

Gotten a student ID card (Yikes. I'm a student. Really.)

Located and navigated the local bike path (which is unfortunately pretty lame: relatively short, doesn’t go anywhere useful, way too many grade crossings and curb hops to get up a good head of steam). The roads around here actually suck for biking (no shoulder, occasional sidewalk to use, bumping up and down, etc--at least I'm getting practice hopping curbs).

Found and shopped at the local Home Depot (very important). Another Canadian weirdness thing: all of the Phillips head screws have been replaced with Robertson (i.e., square) drive! It rocks--Robertsons are infinitely less likely to cam out than Phillips, which were *invented* to intentionally strip out and not damage the tool: http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a3_290b.html (and for US sales of square drive screws, try http://www.mcfeelys.com/faq.asp). Another reason to possibly stay up here .

Found and shopped at the local Asian food store (Yayy alien Asian pickled vegetables!--e.g., "purple? purple pickles?")

Went to the local art-house cinema; movie calendar is on the fridge. Looking forward to seeing "Maria Full of Grace," to pick up pointers on muling cocaine hidden in my GI tract. Um.. okay... maybe not.

Gotten a library card, so I can geek out with videos like “Sam Maloof: Woodworking Profile,” and “The Secrets World of Airports.” Also, can borrow CDs and DVDs (e.g., Ken Burns Jazz) for vigorous copyright violations.

Obtained a fast network connection at home--very important. Things feel much better... I'm typing away here in my living room on my laptop via wireless. Things are... well.. back to normal. To be honest, it's like the scene in Sweeney Todd, when he is reunited with his silver-handled razors after fifteen years of being in an Australian prison colony: "At last, my right arm is complete!"

Muahaha.