Syncronicity

Just thought it was funny that this book Shoplifting from American Apparel came out today. Because I live half a block from an American Apparel (don't we all, eh?), and yesterday as I got off the bus on that corner, a couple really heavily tattooed hipster boys were leaving the store, and we both turned the same way so I ended up walking behind them. I was just noticing that one of them had kind of a big butt for such a skinny guy when he stuck his hand down his pants and pulled like three T-shirts out of his ass. It took me at least half a minute to register that he had stolen them - my first thought was honestly "Huh. That guy carries around extra t-shirts in his pants. Do people do that now? To make their butts look bigger?" Logic:1, Erin's Logic:0.

Espresso Book Machine coming to Montreal!

For those who haven't heard of this - it prints books for you. In under 5 minutes! Out of this snazzy case it's reminiscent more of a couple of printers, some knives, and a hot-glue gun duct-taped to a folding table, but what the whole package amounts to is something that's going to save really a lot of trees. And make it so you can print off a quick book on your way to lounging in the sun in those big fields in front of t I'm kind of in love.

And the McGill library is getting one this spring! There aren't too many out in the world yet, so this makes me very happy. I can't wait to go print a book on it! I wonder what book I'll choose.

Read more about it:
OnDemandBooks website
Self-Publishing Review article

Eastern Townships Advice Required

It's time for my annual birthday-in-the-mountains excursion, and this year the theme is: Eastern Townships! My strapping young lad and I are going to venture into this Orford national park, and stay overnight somewhere on the 28th. We'll have a car, and we speak fine French and much better English.

So, my questions are:
A- anything we shouldn't miss? Wineries, awesome places to hike, deeply adorable little towns, roads between places that are very pretty this time of year (the melty time, I know, it is my blessing and curse to be born on probably the most liminal day of the year) fabulously cozy little cafes, restaurants, places to ride horses or see many wonderful birds... these sorts of things.

B- where to stay. If there's somewhere cheap and fun that would be awesome, but we're willing to go up to around $100 for the night. The places my research has yielded are the following: Auberge McGowen (Georgeville?), Manoir de la rue Merry (Magog), Auberge du Centre d'Arts Orford, Gite Maison Hote (Magog), A L'Ombre d'Orford (Orford). Do you know these places? I'm open to other suggestions too. I like things that have a lot of character, feel solid... doesn't matter if the rooms or bathrooms are big, as long as they feel nice, you know?

It's my last day in Montreal! Yesterday I was a horrible mess of anxiety, but today some sort of calm seems to have settled in. But it's early yet. There isn't really much left to do - I'm packed, and my immigration forms are as much together as they can be for the moment. And it's gorgeous out. It's sunny and breezy and more perfect than it's been for a long time.

Also, there's something I don't get. At the beginning of Beauty and the Beast, when they're doing the story of how he became the Beast, it says the rose will bloom until his 21st birthday. Later on, somebody mentions that they've been under the enchantment for ten years when Belle arrives, and the rose is just starting to wilt. Ergo, Beast must have been 11 when the enchantment was put on him. And granted, when she arrives he's acting more or less like a spoiled 11 year old who's not had any human contact for a while. But in the stained-glass window illustrations, he's clearly not 11... he looks and acts like an adult, though he could just be a well-developed 15 year old. But not 11.

It seems that I was lacking a second post. Life right now is dominated by bureaucracy and packing. Wisconsin seems like sort of a weak trade for Montreal, but I think I'll enjoy it, at least for the couple of months that I'm planning to be there. Maybe it'll surprise me! I'll get to see my parents and family for the first time in two years, and meet my niece for the first time, which is almost all that I've been thinking of. She's a little over one year old... I got her a teensy little Canadiens tshirt, so she'll know who her hockey team is right from the get-go.