no wonder the mall is so big

I've been checking out the weather forecast for Edmonton, Alberta, Canada which is where I'll be for a work conference. I don't know much about Alberta nor Edmonton, except that it's a couple hours north of Calgary, the capitol of Alberta, and near Banff, a gorgeous glacier from what I hear. Oh, and then there's the mall that dwarfs even Mega Mall.

I'm cold now and it's only 50 degrees here. I believe after next week I will not use the word "freezing" in vain. The hubby will get more of a chance experience the sites and sights as I'll be "working" most of the week. We don't have that much winter clothing except for ski pants, which I'm told you don't just wear outside or else look like a tourist bumpkin. OK, so we might have to look like tourist bumpkins. Fortunately, it's Canada, where they have a greater level of courtesy and sympathy for the tourist bumpkins. On the hubby's list, is to locate the one Filipino restaurant in Edmonton. There's a Sears at the mall if we need to fill out our warddrobe. Plus it's cheaper there to buy "winter" clothing. Yeah, I'm a temperate climate west coast gal.

We're going to watch part of the Canadian Rodeo Finals! Alberta is Canada's wild west. Calgary has a steer run every year. Their local cuisine often includes beef. Not sure what else we'll do. I know I want to try out the water slides at the mall. Yes, it's quite a range of clothing to bring: winter parkas and two piece swimsuit.

I'm looking forward to getting out of the country, where world news is really WORLD news instead of "weird stuff those other people do or tragic deaths" that often passes for world news here. Canadian newspapers, much like the rest of the world, actually has a very healthy op/ed section in their newspapers with actual debate and discourse.

It's one thing I've notice in learning French, discourse is built into the language, it's really part of the culture. Which reminds me, I'll have a quiz the Monday we get back so I'll need to try to catch a French subtitled movie or tv station.

Even though it's just Canada (same language, same continent), the change of pace will be wonderful. I find that I really need to leave the country every few years to rejuvenate myself. The brain gets locked into a pattern and visiting another country puts alot of things in perspective. Maybe that's why I'm on my 4th language. (and no, it's not because I'm good at speaking languages. I'm actually quite bad at it, though I'm pretty decent on the grammar).

I'm not quite looking forward to the freezing cold and I hope it snows because then it will be warmer. However, I'm sure when I get back here, I'll be ready to wear shorts in this balmy 50s weather pattern.

For this reason, we won't be visiting the glacier. We're not driving, period. And really don't want to get stuck anywhere in snow. We are not snow people. I visit snow, I don't live in snow. Can you tell I'm from California?

Maybe we'll pick up some prescription drugs. Or maybe not. Don't want to end up like that Simpsons episode.

Also looking forward to having the weaker Canadian dollar on our side. Going to have to quickly switch my brain to military time. It's going to be nice working at the conference as opposed to running around fixing stuff, which I generally enjoy doing, but again, some space. Plus, if I didn't believe in Mercury in Retrograde before, I might believe in it now and well, it's not good to be in computers when Mercury is in Retrograde. They're all just kind of blowing up! Communications and computers, those are the things that go in reverse at this time.

Yes, we're bringing our bowling balls and shoes. Did I mention it's going to be 22 degrees Fahrenheit outside?

One of my students came back from a week in Las Vegas. It was his first time to Vegas. He hadn't done Kali for at least a week. His kali looked better than when he had left. He was relaxed, moving well. I asked him what happened. He said he missed doing kali and maybe during the break some parts finally clicked in his head.

Oh, did I mention we're going to have a jacuzzi in our room? Maybe we won't go outside afterall.

yes, indeed, every other year we're just going to have to plan a vacation to someplace we've never gone before. Grant it I have spent essentially 98% of my existence in the East Bay, but it's that 2% that I spent elsewhere that makes it all worth it.