Last Day in Vancouver

Today I fulfilled my last APA obligation: I chaired a session on "Political and Social Theory" from 10 to 11. Normally chairing is a snoozefest as the speaker talks, the replyer talks, and then the speaker talks some more, and then people from the audience talk. The only time a chair has to do anything is if an audience member hogs up too much time (or, what is worse, is if no one from the audience asks a question and so, as chair, you have to step up and, pretending that you've been paying attention and care, ask a question that prompts conversation.) So, the talk started on a sour note when I realized that the replyer was not there. Amazingly (for me, I normally put no preparation into chairing) I had printed up the talk and reply before I left Flint and so I offered to step in a pretend to be "Nathan" (or whatever the hell his name was). Then the speaker made a bold move (always a mistake at these sorts of things) and decided to leave her script and go "free form". Not a success. She was nervous, stuttered and stammered, meandering in circles. About 3 minutes before her time was up (when in fact it had run over, but I gave her bonus time to make up time we lost searching for the missing "Nathan") I gave her the "wrap it up" gesture (tap the wrist). She smiled her thanks and then boldly started section 2 of her paper. Five minutes later I gave the "you're done" gesture (this is the hands open, palms down, hands move apart from the wrists). She laughed nervously, said, "Ok, so basically my argument is...." QUITE SOME TIME LATER she started in on section 3. I checked the audience members and every one was just staring out the large window, looking out onto the koi pond. Finally, without any warning at all, she just stopped talking. We all snapped awake and then, after I instigated, clapped rather half-heartedly. I then read "Nathan's" reply and, despite the fact that I had never read it before, I gave it a pretty good presentation and generated a few titters, a few snickers and one belly laugh. I then turned to the speaker and said, "Ok, I believe you have a minute or two for a response [which is pretty stupid, really, since she's responding to what I read, but didn't write, and can't defend] and then we'll go to questions." And she said (rather snappishly, I thought), "I have five minutes, actually." Everyone in the room, myself included, sighed and slumped down in our seats. When it DID end there was only time for TWO QUESTIONS. Finally, FINALLY, the hour was up and I sprung free. I had agreed to meet a colleague from our department, Benedicte, in the foyer and then we were set to go to the Vancouver Aquarium, which we did. The walk took us about 20 minutes (walking at not great speed) and suddenly, tucked within the woods, it was there. I should taken a photo of the entrance but we were busy bad-mouthing various lecherous philosophy professors we had met in our time and so I forgot. I love, LOVE sting rays ever since I stepped on a very tiny one (and didn't get stung!) while on the beach in Mexico. I still remember what the skin felt like--awesome. I only included this picture to explain why I didn't take more photos: the whole place was so steamy (this is in the "tropical" section so it was even worse than the already pretty bad parts) that my camera lens misted up and I couldn't get any photos. It's too bad as this is a picture of two giant blue (bright cobalt blue) parrots. This was a giant tank filled with several hundred tiny jellyfish. Anyone who has spent any time playing Animal Crossing City Folk will recognize these creatures, garden ribbon eels (worth 115 bells each, I believe). At one point we walked from the underground tanks, up to the first floor and up more to the second floor. We passed what I thought was a giant HD screen (about 20' by 20') with giant (GIANT!) jellyfish pictured on it. Then I realized that they were alive, though moving about very much like a very nice screen saver. (A LOT better than that lawn mower guy or the ants.) These are my favorite jellyfish, my inspiration for my underwater (or outer space, depending on your preference) mosaic.