What Classic Movie Are You?
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hmmmm.... wuthering heights... although i do love that song....

Spent Saturday night around the Gowanus, playing with my new camera. These exposures were between 5 and 30 seconds. As you might imagine many were blurred. My tripod is perhaps a bit too flimsy, 'cos all would take was one little sneeze and the whole setup would wobble. Nonetheless, it was great fun.

Got it. Got it, got it, got it.

No trip to Canada needed, although I think this falls into the "be careful what you wish for" category. The lawyer recommends I not travel outside of America until my visa expires in 2006 as he doubts I'll make it back in any kind of timely fashion (I'm tagged for an enhanced security check each visit which will take, on average, 3 weeks to 3 months).

I've revised my "must visit" list to include my favorite American sites:

• the corn palace
• miracle cross garden
• salvation mountain
• holy land usa
• kenny hill's sculpture garden
  

Read about James and his mad mission of walking from London to Cape Town to raise money for the charity ActionAid International. He started in February and hopes to finish in two years.

Off to Canada next week and I'll be back with a new H1-B in my sticky little fingers, I hope! The INS has agreed that I can renew my visa, but they want me to do it at a border crossing. Hrmphhhh. This arrangement is a little unorthodox, but I can only hope that it means they just a need a new set of fingerprints from me, or something.

While I'm up there, I may take a side trip here. Anyone want to come along? More details on this abandoned psych hospital are also available here.

I've been browsing a few Canadian job ads, just keeping my eyes open. There are some delightful places in need of librarians, such as North Battleford, Saskatchewan. I love this description of the city's rec center and swimming pool (and no, I'm not being sarcastic): "During select public swim times, we feature either of our 3 major watertoys: an inflatable octopus, seasnake, or the waterwalk! These features greatly enhance public swim sessions and are truly a blast for all ages!" This is clearly a facility that loves their users & I'm delighted by the image of an inflatable octopus.

On the other hand, there's this advertisement for a position as a children's librarian at the Toronto Public Library: "The work involves constant exposure to noise (public), dust and dirt (handling library materials), and contagious diseases (public). Library patrons can make unrealistic demands, and may be abusive." I'm not making this up! Doesn't sound like they like their patrons much at all!

Not one, but two people advised "Whatever you do... don't make a list." But it was too late.

Here's what I saw Sunday morning: a cedar waxwing, a great egret, 4 black crowned night herons (very handsome), a downy woodpecker, 3 red-tailed hawks (teenagers), a red-winged blackbird, an american robin, a catbird, 2 baby bunnies, and 2 young racoons.

If you've been paying attention, the first clue was my purchase of a laminated bird brochure from the Prospect Park Audobon Center. I've now got.... binoculars! Slippery slope, eh? On Sunday morning I'm going on a bird walk around Prospect Park and I couldn't be more excited.

Happy Canada Day, everyone, and white rabbits, too!

Still no visa, but I'm cautiously optimistic. The Library's lawyers filed a "special request to expedite the H1 extension" and the INS accepted the request, which apparently they do not have to do. The lawyers feel that they might hear something as early as next week.

The other bit of good news is that I can file, from NYC, a request to switch to a tourist visa (good for three months). The Library will be keeping my job open for almost 7 weeks after my work visa expires. If it hasn't come by the 26th I can lurk around NYC -- legally -- while I wait for it to come.

A few months back I sent my sister a book on Buddhist teachings. When I call her in a panic over my visa situation she has taken to saying things like "don't worry about the future and have no regrets about the past... you are where you are... enjoy the moment." What a smarty-pants!