Yeah Yo

I promised another post about my future ages ago, didn't I? I've been caught up in a couple of other things and, as usual, the idea of writing an update post on IMU slipped from my mind.

The reasons for neglecting that writing is explicitly tied to the writing though. I've been meaning to write about moving to Montreal, but more important than that is tackling the very real tasks related to that move. I need to be in a constant state of passively looking for apartments, taking care of small registration tasks at Concordia, and trying to make plans with my friends before I leave. If can believe it, those are all above "hash out a blog", but just barely.

Now that I'm here typing out, that leaves us with "telling people how you feel about the future" and there's no easy answer to that. Watch, as I work through ideas!

I think it's fair to say that I am primarily excited about beginning a PhD at Concordia University in Montreal. I've loved all the time I've spent in the city and I'm sure that living there won't be a difficult transition. There will still be all the things I need and love (public transit, good food, music, art) and some new things, the most obvious being that everything will be in French. This new setting for my life will be easy enough that I won't die, but also different enough that I'll be forced to change and grow. That's good.

For example: Live Blue Jays Baseball only two times. Man!

Most important, from a personal perspective, is that since I finished my MA, all my work has felt like I've been keeping my brain warm for when I went back to school. Graduate studies and teaching is what I do best, what gives me the most fulfillment, and is where I have the most to offer other people. I am so happy to return to it and also glad that Concordia has so far given me the impression that it is the right place to do this.

I'm also stressed. I hate moving. I know that everyone hates moving, since they've told me so when we speak about me moving, but the point stands. It gives me anxiety and I mostly shut down and get irritable while I'm doing it. The furthest I've moved before is an hour and a half now. Now I'm moving 5 and a half away. It's going to weigh on me. Lord is it ever going to weigh on me.

I'm scared about the move too. Like I said, the furthest I've moved in the past is an hour and a half, from Scarborough to Kitchener. This will be my first time living outside of Ontario and even my first time really out of the Greater Toronto Area. I know that I'll be able to do it, but it is daunting. The scariest thing about not living in Ontario is that I don't know what to expect about a lot of things. I guess I need to live in that uncertainty. Right?

I'm going to end on a music note, since that's what IMU has traditionally done. This year has been relatively light on new music for me, but Masked Intruder put out a new record and I've found it pleasantly surprising. I've never been huge on the band, but the new record sounds much different and hits a sweet spot between early power pop (like the Rubinoos) and late 70s/early 80s album-oriented rock, which is to say that there are hooks upon hooks that occasionally delve into some wonderfully cheesiness. There's a way bigger emphasis on vocal melodies, which is much easier said than done, and I always appreciate bands making that effort. The album isn't world-changing, and I could easily see it being one I forget about in 6 months, but at the moment it's a solid listen and a great surprise to see the band trying to mix it up in what they do.