Welcome to the cold

1. Today was the first day of “Oh my fuck” cold in Iqaluit for the season. It hit -31 with wind chill. I’d been getting by with my fall jacket, a fleece coat underneath that and just sneakers or hikers for shoes. Throw on a knit hat for warmth (what’s left on my head right now is most cosmetic and certainly will not keep me warm) and I was fine.

But today there was no chancing it. It was out with the BFC and BFB. I turned the car on for about 5 minutes or so before going outside to let it warm up. And I plugged it in at work. After what happened earlier the year with the transmission going, I’m taking no chances when it comes to plugging in the car.

I might end up flipping back and forth between the BFC and the lighter fall coat. It wouldn’t be unusual for the temperature to go back up to above -10, but I suspect those days will be few between now and next May. Still, you can always hope.

Then again, I should complain too much. My real sympathy should be for the poor bastards doing construction around town. I know a guy working on the soup kitchen and I can see people working outside on the Snack, the new apartment building and another group doing some water and sewage work. My heart goes out to them, having to work outside in this cold.

2. Jennifer of Nunablog sent me this bit of weirdness that I was previous unaware of. Walrus Magazine just did an issue on Arctic issue. Even put a Cape Dorset print on the cover, which probably explains why it was the first one taken at the recent showing in Iqaluit. I haven’t read the magazine in ages. I tried when it first came out, but found it dry. I suppose I should give it another try, but I already have a stack of magazines I haven’t gotten around to reading yet.

But here I am quoted in the magazine. Which is cool and all, but they didn’t ask me first. They probably didn’t have to and I’m not seriously upset. But it would have been nice, as a courtesy. I’ve had reporters ask me before to comment on northern issues for stories they’ve been working on, but I’ve declined, mainly because they would have to use my real name, and given the context of my job, that’s not something I feel comfortable with. But this is relatively harmless.

It’s also interesting to note that I have seen no appreciable spike in my blog statistics since the article ran. That says something, I suspect, but perhaps it’s best not to read too much into it.

3. My computer is continuing its slow, winding way over from China. The UPS tracking page is providing unintentional mirth. In the course of 24 hours the computer went from China, to Hamilton, back to Alaska, then to Kentucky then back to Hamilton. I suspect that’s not completely right, but if UPS can’t get their tracking software straightened out, it does leave me with some concerns about when and what state my computer will arrive in.

On the upside, my copy of Aperture arrived today, via Puralator. Now, the software only had to come from the States and the computer came from China, so even though they were ordered at the same time, this is not unexpected. However, when talking with the Canada Post guys I asked who in town handles UPS. And my worst fears are realized in this it is Arctic Express.

I may have to call on higher power to get my computer here in one piece, in working order and on time. Actually, considering the web page says the computer would arrive by November 5, I’m pretty skeptical of that happening now. I suspect Wednesday will be the earliest, barring a miracle.