Why would you ask me?

I've been emailing back and forth recently with a friend from undergrad that I've only kept touch with on a once-a-year email exchange basis. He recently moved to Philadelphia to do a post-doc there and we had had plans to meet up for the first time in 3 years before he left, but things got hectic and post-poned. Anyway, he's headed back to finish up his research in Toronto and wanted to put the feelers out so that we could finally get together. This guy is a pretty anarchist-y type - in the squatter/bomb the suburbs/dabbles in hard drugs kind of way. We all went to see Baudrillard and Spivak together and it was one of the BEST experiences of my life and he was Trent University Cultural Studies crew back when Cultural Studies was a bit of a fringe discipline.

ANYWAY, he sent me an email letting me know he was coming back to town and asking what's been up with me, whereupon I had to confess that all my youthful, anti-establishment idealism had been forsaken and I was now a married (!) homeowner (!) with a kid (!) Ugh. The small part of 19 year old Karl Lagerfeld that still exists as some vestigial memory of when I wasn't a honky grandma still shudders at the Karl Lagerfeld of today - the diffidently political, mostly a-critical sellout who is hardly a contributing member of civil society and only reads the entertainment sections of the Huffington Post. (In my defense - I REALLY REALLY REALLY hate the headline page - with the stupid Arial font screaming OBAMA IN AFGHANISTAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) (Hyperbole aside - fine, it doesn't have a million exclamation marks, but the thing that bugs me with the Huffington Post front page headline is that IT MIGHT AS WELL and it looks like it was made - by me - in my grade 11 social studies class when I had to make a webpage about my project on 1960s and I was like, "uh, okay, sure I'll make a 'webpage' - whatever THAT is.")

ANYWAY, I digress. In the email he asked me (me!) if I had any links to the "dom world" for a friend of his who was moving to Toronto and looking for work/video work in that field. I was like, "why would you ask meeee???" This is illustrative of a few things:

1) How far Karl Lagerfeld v. 2011 is from Karl Lagerfeld v.1996

2) How I must have TOTALLY misrepresented myself in undergrad for someone to think that I even have lingering connections or know-how of S&M culture

The past two mornings I've been dragging the Big Yam to drop-in centres in the neighbourhood (how's THAT for being indicative of my current subcultural affiliations?) There's a few run by the province in some schools (that follow the school calendar and are thus closed during the summer, holiday break, March break, etc.) and some that are year-round in community centres attached to schools or in church basements. The one in the school closest to us is pretty boss - bright, clean, scheduled activities (songs, physical activities), with a water table, sand table, toys, arts and crafts supplies, etc. They all seem to share a fridge, kitchenette, etc. and it's a great resource if you start to feel squirrely and want an outing for you and your kid. I can imagine it'd be a godsend if you had more than 1 at home. The Big Yam is a little small for most of the things but he got a kick sitting in the exersaucer (our house is too small for one) and seemed to enjoy the visual stimulation and staring at people other than me for a change. I've also increased my song repertoire, which is what inspired me to go in the first place. I can't believe these resources are FREE! So amazing! So much better than a "mommy club" - listening to "guest speakers" on "how to get along with your mother in law" and sipping lattes.

Yesterday we went to visit Ehmdo at her place at Queen and Bathurst. That corner steadfastly resists gentrification like no other. But oh! So many shops surrounding it! So many things to buy! I could hardly believe it - it's been a long time since I've ventured down that way.

Last night for dinner I made us freezer mac'n'cheese and a shredded brussels sprout salad with my new go-to usual add-ins of toasted pine nuts, dijon mustard, olive oil, and lemon, alongside some sautéed spinach with garlic.

Tonight we were supposed to take my mum to Woodlot for dinner but she canceled because work is insane for her right now and it's taking a lot out of her looking after my Poh Poh. So instead we tried 786 Halal Restaurant in little India. It was decent Pakistani cuisine, but not as good as our go-to, Makkah on the Danforth. We ordered ginger lamb kahari, beef chapli, biryani rice, naan, and a saag paneer. Call me finicky, but I really really really hate when they leave the cloves and stuff in the biryani rice. It's so annoying biting into a clove! So annoying! Also the chapli kabob (the ground beef patty) was littered with whole cardamom seeds. Also unpleasant. And that is why I will never travel to India. LOL!

Fin.