Will’s View

I was up on the ski slopes recently and I was reminded of how very different some things are when one is at the snow. Take for example the queue for the t-bar (this ski field didn’t have any chair lifts); in order to keep the line of people going up the mountain it is customary to avoid having people go up by themselves. I didn’t know this, however, and so when I was standing in line and a woman turned to me and asked, “Are you a single?” I almost fell over. Well, to tell the truth I did fall over, but I will still maintain that it was due to the icy conditions and not because of my surprise.

Anyway, once I learned that it was common practice I was asking, “Are you a single?” at any given opportunity. I did go up there with some friends, but I spent most of the time on either my back or my face, and as such they were reluctant to go up the t-bar with me. And once the crowd had seen me fall off the t-bar a couple of times they too were reluctant to go up the slope with me, despite calls of “Any singles?” from yours truly.

But I digress, the point I was trying to make was that if I were to stand behind someone in an ordinary-everyday line and ask “Are you (a) single?” I’m reasonably sure I would get slapped, or punched depending on the askee. There is of course the exception of O-week festivities at a university, where it’s generally assumed that everyone is single and so the question becomes irrelevant. But perhaps this warrants further investigation…

--> I was up on the ski slopes recently and I was reminded of how very different some things are when one is at the snow. Take for example the queue for the t-bar (this ski field didn’t have any chair lifts); in order to keep the line of people going up the mountain it is customary to avoid having people go up by themselves. I didn’t know this, however, and so when I was standing in line and (More...)

I was walking through uni with one of my friends recently, when I started singing. I’m not sure what I was singing, and I can guarantee it wasn’t in tune, but it was one of those “It’s a lovely day for singing” sort of days. So what was I to do?

Then, the next thing I know, my toneless serenade was rudely interrupted by my friend saying “Will, life is not a karaoke bar”.
“But why not?” I asked.
“It just isn’t Will, it just isn’t!” Came the reply.
“Well,” I said, “I bet I can find five reasons why life is a karaoke bar.”
And so here they are:

1. Of all the onlookers, at any one time, very few will actually approve of the way you’ve decided to ‘interpret’ the artists intentions.
2. Sometimes doing fun stuff comes at the expense of your dignity. A small price to pay.
3. It’s not really all that important that you stick to the original score, as long as you make it look good.
4. Giving drunk people a microphone is a bad idea. Usually.
5. Even when things are bad, and you feel like everything sucks. There is always a worse singer than you who is willing to grab the mic and give it a go.

Will: 1
Interrupting Friend: 0

--> I was walking through uni with one of my friends recently, when I started singing. I’m not sure what I was singing, and I can guarantee it wasn’t in tune, but it was one of those “It’s a lovely day for singing” sort of days. So what was I to do? Then, the next thing I know, my toneless serenade was rudely interrupted by my friend saying “Will, life is not a karaoke bar”. “But why not?” I (More...)

I have been a student for a while now (yes, far too long really) and I’m more than accustomed to being out of pocket. I have heard many of my friends who have left university say that they are glad to be finally living above the poverty line.

Being a student means counting pennies, and making sure none get away with out a fair excuse. One’s priorities do change from day to day of course, and there are always minor infractions of the spending rules. But I do find it handy to at least keep track of the notes that I have withdrawn from an ATM.

But then, the other day I went to put on a pair of pants, and hidden in one of the pockets was a $20 note. Now I’ve heard stories about people finding money in their pants, and I had always thought those tales were for people who had money to flash about. You know, those people who carry their money in rolls of $100 bills, or who have money clips bursting with $50 notes and accompanied by a black AmEx. Yet here I was losing track of something as simple as a $20 note!

I must say though, it was a nice surprise. I bought myself lunch. Seeing as I’d already written the $20 off as spent, I figured there wasn’t any harm in spending it.

--> I have been a student for a while now (yes, far too long really) and I’m more than accustomed to being out of pocket. I have heard many of my friends who have left university say that they are glad to be finally living above the poverty line. Being a student means counting pennies, and making sure none get away with out a fair excuse. One’s priorities do change from day to day of course, and there are (More...)

While heading into one of the buildings on campus yesterday, I overheard a poor fellow saying to one of the girls next to him:

Poor Fellow: No, what I meant was that I don’t see you as the dancing type.
Irate Female: So you don’t think that I can dance?
Poor Fellow: Well, no, I think you can, just that I didn’t think you would be that good at it, hence why you’re only doing a few lessons.
Irate Female: So you don’t think I should even go because I’m going to be so bad at it?!
Read the rest of this entry »

--> While heading into one of the buildings on campus yesterday, I overheard a poor fellow saying to one of the girls next to him: Poor Fellow: No, what I meant was that I don’t see you as the dancing type. Irate Female: So you don’t think that I can dance? Poor Fellow: Well, no, I think you can, just that I didn’t think you would be that good at it, hence why you’re only doing a few lessons. Irate Female: So you don’t think I should even go because I’m going to be so bad at it?! (More...)

Some people say it’s power that gives people responsibility, others say that responsibility comes with age. Well I don’t think it’s either, I reckon responsibility is a big set of keys.

Let me explain:
At one of my jobs I am a ‘venue technician’ or something of the sort, and in order to go around and do our job we need a big set of keys. The keys get us into a lot of places within the venue, and allow us to open and close the venue for customers. Now there’s no feeling quite as delightful as walking around a crowded hallway or foyer with a huge bunch of jingly keys. Everyone knows you are important (otherwise why would you have so many keys?), and the jingly-ness just re-enforces that they are work keys, because who on earth would wear their house keys around on their jeans?

In addition to this sense of power and coolness, if one walks around with an air of purpose and determination (the secret for bluffing your way through most things) then people will get out of your way, because they can see that you’re a Busy Person. Busy People mustn’t be delayed or impeded because they might be late for their Important Engagement, or you may stop them from doing their Essential Task. And we can all imagine what that might be. It must be important, because why else would that person be wandering around with jingly keys and an air of purpose?

Well, that’s how I feel at work, at least.

--> Some people say it’s power that gives people responsibility, others say that responsibility comes with age. Well I don’t think it’s either, I reckon responsibility is a big set of keys. Let me explain: At one of my jobs I am a ‘venue technician’ or something of the sort, and in order to go around and do our job we need a big set of keys. The keys get us into a lot of places within the venue, (More...)