Outfitting the Military

There are always plenty of military types making their way around the city, many dressed in their camouflage finest. Green camouflage. Which, in a city isn't exactly effective, even considering that Ottawa's a relatively green place. But now with all this white snow, they really stand out at quite a distance.
I passed one gentleman the other day and was terribly, terribly tempted to whisper loudly, "I can see you."
Come on! It's Canada. Can't they have some sort of winter outfit? I mean, uniform. Even slush-colored camouflage would be a step in the right direction. I imagine all this beautiful snow will be gross and slate-hued in a few days.

***

Seeing all these military guys wandering around all done up like leprechauns makes me think of relatively non-snow related uniform story. An anecdote, if you will.
In Korea, all the kids wear uniforms; private and public schools alike. They have one uniform for warm weather, one for cold (no camouflage that I saw, however). And all the kids at all the schools switch on the same day. So one day, all my students showed up wearing clothes that I was totally unaccustomed to [the seasonal uniforms look very different, most without even colors in common].
And it was kind of overwhelming.

So maybe, just maybe the military sticks with the green to avoid shocking the civilians.

The Snow

It started about a week and a half ago. I woke up early and thought, "Huh, funny. It looks like there's snow on the tree..." After a few seconds of eye-focusing, "Oh man, that IS snow!!" And plenty of it. The most beautiful first snowfall I've seen in a long time.

As a city, Ottawa isn't too keen on the whole snow removal thing. Oh, it gets done eventually. But that first day, I wasn't so sure it was going to happen at all. When I asked someone about it (around 1pm), the response was, "They're waiting for it to die down." Uh, that's really not how it works. Moncton, congratulations! Your public works snow removal system makes the capital city look like freakin' amateurs. Bravo.

***

Without winter boots, my choices for those first few mornings were a) arrive at class with frozen cold feet or b) renegade biking (which is way fun and really doesn't need the excuse of inappropriate footwear). I was fully ready to officially declare it my winter sport of choice until 45 more centimeters today + salted roads = probably no more snow-biking for a little while. Boo!

***

Today's footwear solution: plastic grocery bags in sneakers. Laugh all you like; it was fantastically effective. If only it were remotely socially and/or fashionably acceptable. Alas, it is neither. I guess it's time for this grasshopper to get some boots.
Double boo!

Double Thumbs-Up

I had great intentions of writing a whole bunch today. Didn't happen. But how 'bout just one, before bed?

This isn't exactly a work-related story, but it's somewhat inspired by my place of work. And part of the story is attributed to my co-worker, Alanna. But, where do I work? I've been so slack in keeping this blog current, I've yet to broach the subject of the joe-job I've been holding down with glee for well over a month: serving up hot beverages and other tasty items at Bridgehead, a local chain of coffee shops. I'll go into more detail another time, when my warm bed isn't beckoning me from the other room. For now, all that's necessary is the setting.

Last week, upon receiving her very fine mocha with exquisite whipped-cream and chocolate-sauce detailing, I was given a double thumbs-up by the exuberant patron. A double thumbs-up! So I thanked her for it, because how often in your day-to-day work do you get such a boon?! I commented that I tend to dish out a good DTU at the most awkward and socially embarrassing times and was perplexed by this bizarre reflex. Alanna smiled and assured me that her DTU story could trump them all.

Alanna spent some time in London when she was 19. She was living her hip, 19 year-old Canadian-in-London life to the fullest, right down to the jet-black dyed hair and Swedish indie-rocker boyfriend, Bjorn. One evening, she and a friend, determined to see The Von Bondies, finagled their way onto the guest list essentially by yelling, "Hey, can you put us on your guest list!" at one of the band members (I was thoroughly impressed by this point, and felt the story could have ended here, but it continues). Drinks were consumed in average 19 year-old quantities -- meaning, large -- and Alanna's companion disappeared for the washroom. At this point, Alanna got out a smoke, but realized the lighter was with her friend. Not wanting to wait, she taps the guy standing in front of her. Repeatedly. And, in her drunken 19 year-old voice loudly asks, "Excuse me! Do you have a light?!" Who should turn around but Jack White, producer of The Von Bondies's debut album and overall rock-god. And he lights her smoke. Again, the story could stop here, but then what would it have to do with DTUs? Yes, you guessed correctly. After her smoke was lit by none-other-than Mr. White Himself, she dished out a Double Thumbs-Up.

After the show, they went out for kabobs with the band.

As far as I'm concerned, that's how 19 is supposed to be done. And I do believe that anyone would be hard-pressed to top that DTU story. However, I'm thoroughly willing to accept submissions.
Please present any and all Double Thumbs-Up adventures on the comment portion of this post.