I did my RCMP test on Wednesday. I will hear back in 2 to 4 weeks. I need to get my licence before I can move forward to interviews (if they want me). I’m also no longer blonde (as of last weekend), I’m a redhead now.

Punkinpalooza was yesterday. I think this fits with my theme of cities I love, where I might live, where I have lived, where I am living, etc. One of my favorite things about Toronto is that I have yet to see all its glory. After the carving fest, which was glorious despite the rain and the fact that my punkin did not win and a boy who was supposed to join me bailed, and after the cleaning up (a few people tossed some paper plates in the trash, but other than that it was just me, Pat, Mariza and Mariza’s boy whose name escapes me at the moment), Pat and I went on an adventure. First we went for a walk and watched a bit of the Dufferin Grove halloween parade thing. Then we went back to Chateau Nîce and rearranged the punkins and got some candy for the paraders. As the paraded past, we offered them candy and it was delicious. Then Pat decided he wanted to go to Etobicoke. He was still on his high from destroying innocent pumpkins and he needed to do something more. So we drove out to Marie Curtis Park, the edge of Toronto meets the edge of Mississauga. I have been to the far-reaches of Toronto (look Pat, I found a place to say it!). Then we drove over to the Old Mill, which is on the border between Toronto and Etobicoke. We were going to crash a wedding, or at least go accost a bridesmaid (who happened to be wearing a chocolate brown dress, approximately the style of the one I will get to wear next fall as one of Tara’s bridesmaids). Then we drove from there through the Baby Point area and looked at big houses, then over and across to High Park (we just waved) and then home. I always forget all the nice parks we have, all the neat historical stuff (not that I’m big on history, but the architecture is kinda cool) and the many distinct neighbourhoods of Toronto. I was saying to Pat, I think every Torontonian should have to be a cab driver (like mandatory duty in the military, only for cabs, as Pat pointed out) so that they can see what a glorious city we have. People get stuck in one place in one time and they don’t notice the possibilities. It’s great to do things with completely different people in completely different places. I think it gives us a better sense of ourselves, because it has nothing to do with environment.

 Not doing a translation this morning. Too groggy. Next post will be entirely french to make up for it. Possibly with pictures of my new red hair and snazzy new hat that Joe gave me because it looked so damn good. :)

Toronto Marathon

Alors, aujourd’hui on a des photos. J’ai fais le 5K cette fin de semaine, avec mes tantes (Sandra et Sarah Jane), mon cousin (Tim) et mon frère (Joe). Mon autre frère (John) a fait le marathon complète. Incroyable.

So that’s John. He came 9th overall and it was his first marathon. He’s unbelievable. He got me new running gear from puma for my birthday. I’m a walking puma ad now. Or should I say… a running puma ad? Eh?

Mum aka the bag lady. She was a real good sport about carrying our bags for us.

Tim, Sandra, Joe’s friend Sarah, Joe, Sarah Jane, and moi. This is post-race. I was starting to get chilled and the sun was in my eyes and I was wearing pants that were WAY too big for me. Nice.

 It clearly wasn’t that bad, seeing how I could pose for the camera before the finish line. I kicked it right after the flashes went off and I realised after the fact that I probably could’ve kicked it at the top of Queen’s Park. Ah well. Next time.

 Some cousinly competition. Joe wrote LOVE and HATE across his fingers. Silly boys.

The group pre-race.

Too early. Seriously. Who gets up at 6:30am to go run a 5K? What were we thinking?

 This is my “I’m gonna kick your ass” face. I was hoping to scare away all the other runners so I could get the best time. Didn’t work. I did the run in 33:03. Considering  it was my first race and I’ve only been training 3 weeks and I fell down the stairs a few days earlier… that’s not too bad.

Since this is amongst the race photos… random family shot. My uncle Pat is a locksmith. My brother is gross. I am pretty.

Et c’est tout pour le moment. Je ne sais pas ce que je vais faire en mai, mais il y a une autre possibilité maintenant: aller en France pour devenir assistante d’enseignante. Mais je crois vraiment qu’après tout mes idées et mes projets, j’irais à Montréal. C’est plus facile.

C’est tout! Bon soir!

Professeur ou policier?

So I’m going to this info session for the RCMP on Tuesday. I’m considering this. It’s something I’ve been considering since I was young, but I never thought I’d actually have the opportunity because the actual mounted police had a waiting list (or maybe that’s just in Toronto). Thanks to Steven Harper (a phrase I never thought I’d be using seriously), the RCMP is on a big recruitment binge and I might actually have a shot at this.

The problem is I’m not at all likely to be posted in Ontario or Quebec. I wouldn’t be able to do this right away anyway, I would have to make some money first and get a little more fit (I almost make the minimum requirements) and I need to get my full drivers license. Also my mother doesn’t like the idea of me carrying a gun and frankly I don’t quite like the idea either, but I figure it would be safer in my hands than in the hands of some nutjobgunloving freak.

Anyway, at the moment this isn’t going to change my plans, it’s just something I’m considering. We’ll see where this goes (if anywhere).

In other news, I’m blonde now. Happy Thanksgiving to my wonderful fellow-Canadians. To my American friends, no turkey for you til November.

Alors Mardi j’assisterai a une session d’information pour le GRC. C’est en consideration. Je le considerais depuis ma jeunesse, mais je n’ai jamais cru que j’aurais la chance parce que la police en fait montee avait toujour une liste d’attente (mais peut-etre que c’est seulment pour Toronto). Grace a Steven Harper (une phrase que je ne croyais jamais dire serieusement), la GRC fait la bringue de la recrutement et j’aurais vraiment une chance de le faire.

Le problem c’est que je n’ai pas beaucoup de chance d’etre poster en Ontario ou Quebec. De tout facon, je ne pourrai pas le faire des maintenant; j’aurais besoin de l’argent et de devenir plus en forme (je fais presque les exigences fondamentales) et j’aurais besoin d’avoir mon permit de conduire. Aussi, je ne crois pas que ma mere aimerais l’idee que je porterais une arme et je n’aime pas vraiment l’idee non plus, mais je crois que ca serait mieux en mes mains que dans les mains d’un cingle amoureux-d’armes.

De tout facon, a ce moment ca ne change pas mes projets, mais c’est une consideration. On vera ou ca irait (si ca va quelque part).

D’autres nouvelles: j’ai devenu blonde. Bonne action-de-grace a tout mes amis canadiens. A mes amis americains, pas de dinde pour vous jusqu’en novembre.