(no subject)

[anigo]

It is I, from my hotel room in downtown Toronto. And not just any hotel, I'm at the Fairmont Royal York. Google that shit, it's pretty damn cool. It's pretty much in the heart of a bizillion people and right on top of the financial district. It's raining and drizzly and everywhere there are people in black looking down and walking fast. So lots of grey buildings and grey skies and black trench coats and umbrellas. It's actually pretty fascinating if you're any kind of a society watcher.

Was this any kind of an update I'd tell you all about the training I'm getting right now. Unfortunately, however, I'm not much of an updater in that respect tonight (it might be because the motion sickness pills that also make me sleepy, which I occasionally take when I'm in a hotel so I sleep at night, since I find it difficult to sleep in a hotel, might be kicking in.) But I did want to comment on the really odd sense of happy Toronto gives me. It's possibly the BEST city to be anonymous in. Despite the fact there are almost 3 million people in a space about as big as a postage stamp, it's frickin wonderful for somebody who hates talking to people. I think I could stay here by myself in some tiny little apartment, take public transit to work, leave, buy groceries, go to the gym and go home again and maybe not ever speak to anybody except for the couple of hours at work. Here I am on day 3 of doing it and it's absolutely delightful. (This is me who uses the self checkout at the grocery store so i don't have to talk to anybody. Social anxiety much? yup, that's me). Nova Scotia is delightful and people are very friendly, but I swear i could probably walk down Bay Street completely naked and nobody would lift their head long enough to give a rats ass Love that. Very nice in the no-stimulus category, despite the noise - the honking horns and trains and such.

Anyway, almost done now, and home tomorrow night to suburbia with less people in all three of the provinces that make up my region than are in this whole city. I won't be upset to get home and I miss Dickie and the kid, but I could really come to like this anonymous urban life. Perhaps I need to reevaluate my meds. :)

Comments

[framlingem.livejournal.com]

One of the lovely things about where I live at the moment is that I've got "that place where everyone knows me" at the same distance as "giant city where I can be nobody". The place itself is a neat compromise between the two, where my grocery store clerks recognize me and the folks in my apartment building give me a wave, but nobody wants to hear all about how my mother is doing when I'm on my way somewhere.

(I also live in the most ethnically diverse square kilometre in Quebec. It's super neat.)

[saavik.livejournal.com]

Ahhhh, yes, the bliss of anonymity. People think I'm nuts because sometimes when I want to "get away" and just relax, I choose to go to one of our larger shopping malls. But it is in fact very relaxing to have no pressure to interact with anybody and simply wander around window-shopping. It is even better wearing sunglasses.
I'm sure there is probably a psychological term for this aberation.

[siliconshaman.livejournal.com]

There is, it's called being normal. But I hear there's a drug for that nowadays.

[saavik.livejournal.com]

{:>D!

[siliconshaman.livejournal.com]

Funny actually... I got that feeling too. Despite being unable to take more than half a dozen paces without nearly being walked through by someone, I never felt more alone than in Toronto. All those busy lives filling a tiny area... and none of them intersecting mine.

I kind of liked it.

[fyremaven.livejournal.com]

I love going to strange hotels. The way I deal with it though is to leave the TV on all night. Not loud enough for the other rooms to hate me but enough for me to feel like i'm not alone in a room far away.

Hope it's a pleasant stay and you like your class. :)