Trapped in Canada

As you may recall, I went to Canada. Not for a year, like last time, but just for a short visit - a conference visit.

The annual meeting of the Canadian Association for Conservation of Cultural Property was held in Ottawa this year. Living in Ottawa and working in conservation, I had heard a fair bit about the special session on public outreach that was planned for the conference, and I was very interested in attending. It also gave me a good reason to go back to Ottawa and hang out with some old friends and colleagues.

A group of Young Conservators, all former or current interns at the ThinkTank, after the conference attendees dinner at the tony Chateau Laurier.

I went to check out the Pop Life show at the National Gallery.

Can you believe that I worked here? (at the National Gallery of Canada)

I had business at the ThinkTank as well. They had just hosted two big workshops (related to the CAC conference) and had their propaganda booth set up outside the staff lunchroom.

Hold up! Who is that wearing the respirator, doing something crazy?

And now for the trials and tribulations:

Crazy stuff always happens whenever Supervisor Greg and I are in the same place. Saturday morning Green Car (my car) died in the parking lot of the ThinkTank - where I was supposed to be giving Supervisor Greg a lift to a garage, where he could pick up his own car. Anyway, as it turned out, Green Car was not driving anywhere on its own power. The Canadian version of AAA was called and Green Car was taken via tow-truck to the garage. Later in the afternoon, during the conference's afternoon break, the diagnosis came. The fuel pump was broken, and I'd be in Canada for at least three more days until Green Car was up-and-running.

That very evening, my Little White Computer died. It made a froze, made a funny clicking sound, and died. I laid on the floor and sulked. The next day I walked it down to the Apple Store in the Rideau Center, where the Geniuses proceeded to confirm my fears. Totally dead. Hard drive failure. Wahhhh.

On the positive side, the car-breakdown gave me a bit of a surprise holiday. I got to visit the National Gallery, go to the movies, hang out with my old roomies, and do a bit of shopping.