My life in Ottawa: Je vais à l'Université d'Ottawa, et je dois apprendre le français et l'allemand en mars l'année prochaine. Souhaitez-moi bonne chance.

OK...Strap yourselves in. This is going to be a long one...and theres a lot of pictures too. I'm going to go in reverse chronological order. Tonight, as I sit here, there is a MASSIVE concert happening at Tabaret hall, which is about half a block from my place. Its outside...and it is LOUD. And there are HUNDREDS of frosh running around drunk and silly. It may be a late night. However, I did just get back from what may be the coolest, most hip meeting of people ever. The MA musicology and theory dinner party. The coolest of the cool. All the current MA people met at one of our proffs condos (which was BEAUTIFUL. . . I want her life.) for a potluck dinner party. The only conversations all night were thesis topics, medievalists, Analysis, those damned performers, and other such cool topics. I'm sure you are all jealous. After a nice night, I walked Alyssa back up to her apt about 5 block from mine because she lives next to a hipster bar, and its a bit sketch haha.

Last night was also quite eventful. Tina, Megan and I went down to the market and found a nice irish bar to sit at. It. was. packed. The summer nights are still warm here, so people are still flooding the market. We sat outside and people watched for a while and then the most amazing thing happened. Among the hoards of people came a pipe and drum band. At 11. On a friday night in the market in Ottawa. Let me tell you all, If I could have stood up, saluted and flown a NS flag, I would have. It was amazing. They played all the hits. Scotland the brave, Amazing Grace, youh name it. Such a good night. After that, we wnt to Zacks 24 hour diner. Such a cool little place. Awesome cheap after bar food, nice wait staff and a fun environment. AND THEN, after that, we stopped in at the Metro on the way home to get yoghurt for the morning. 24 grocery? SO CONVENIENT!

Yesterday morning we had our first and only real "grad class" that all the music grads have to be in. Its an introduction to musical research and its taught by my thesis advisor, who I love. So thats a cool class. Its nice to finally know who is who and what everyone is doing. And now since we've had our super cool MA dinner party, I really know who the cool kids are to sit by in class. After that class was the school of music BBQ, which was actually a mild bust as 99% of the crowd were the undergrads who all knew each other. There were only a few of us grad students there. BUT we did end up going to lunch with a few grad students that were new to all of us. We went to the Horn of Africa, which is an Ethiopian place not to far from the school. We met a very interesting man named Bogdan who is from Romania! He is doing his second masters in composition and theory, but when he is not here, he teaches renaissance counterpoint at the University of Romania. You meet allllll kinds! Cool story though eh!

Actually, as i'm finishing up this monster post, the music seems to have stopped. Maybe the concert is over? I hope. I hope they arent just setting up the next act. That would be awful.

Well, good night and all the best to you all. I miss everyone dearly!

Love, Jacob