What's he on about now?

In case the articles, essays and opinions throughtout this site just weren't enough for you, here's my online diary (a.k.a. 'blog'). It's as close as you'll come to the inside of my head, so don't say I didn't warn you
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   Monday, November 18, 2002

BUT "INSIDE", IT'S SO DELIGHTFUL...

We've happily reached the end of Toronto's first snowfall weekend this winter but it was a bit of a slog, alright. True, Mayor Mel didn't have to call in the army this time to dig us out but I did find myself shovelling the sidewalk this afternoon, which I felt at least deserved a police investigation. Especially funny since, up until that point, I was enjoying being indoors and watching the snow fall outside my window. It's definitely a love-hate relationship.

I absolutely loathe winter but I must admit that I've enjoyed walking home in the snow the last two nights. Delicately navigating icy stretches of sidewalk gave me a smug feeling of superiority, knowing that -- unlike these people -- I had done some snow shovelling, making the city safer, tidier and even more in debt to me. Oddly, frozen sidewalks also make you aware of just how many dogs are out there -- all those yellow spots make the paths look like Twister mats with the other colours missing. I'd been teased at work for leaving with an umbrella ("It's only snow") but I defended myself: "It's a twenty-minute walk and I'll be drenched by the time I'm home," I said, "so if using an umbrella makes me a fussy queen, so be it!" I immediately realized that fussy queens tend to use phrases like "so be it." At least one person understood: "I was sick of the snow after four flakes!"

But that's too harsh -- somehow, it all seems worth it when you have all those little snowflakes swirling around you. Looking up, you can see them in the streetlights, reflecting the glow and making the air shimmer. It so happened that I was noticing this while listening to one of my favourite songs to stroll around the city with. It's a club tune called "Inside All The People" by Planet Funk that features a dreamy wash of synth, a smooth percolating beat and one little lyrical detail that I love -- a clubgoer who's "feeling kinda lonely / with a vodka and Coke." I like the specificity of that line but mostly the swirly vibe of the song that seems to match the dancing flakes of snow. Give me that song, a good pair of boots and my umbrella and I'll get through this winter just fine.