Happy New Year

It's 9:38 Central Standard Time. That means that it's almost midnight in Fredericton. Having been born in New York, I often think of 11 pm as my "real" midnight. Makes it easier to go to bed before the clock at home strikes twelve. Yeah, big party-gals are we. So, maybe tonight we'll use 10 pm as midnight - in anticipation of our new home. But, before then... it's the rest of our fifth episode of Corner Gas. We absolutely love this show. Just when we decide to try to become a television-free household... Bummer.

Nonetheless, I just wanted to wish everyone a happy new year for 2008! May the coming year bring you everything you desire.

Taking the Plunge

Well, after a lot of web research, discussion, etc. we've decided, at least for now, to drive a truck when we move. While the additional $2000+ for a PODS move might have been worth it for not having to drive, we decided against it, primarily because we would have had an extra load/unload step. We considered a full-service move, which wasn't as cost prohibitive as we thought and would have been home door-to-storage door, but when even the movers advise that you move your own tv, stereo, sentimental belongings, etc. what's the point? Almost all we're taking is either electronics or sentimental! We're taking very little in the way of furniture, no major appliances, etc.

For those considering a DIY move and who might happen upon this post sometime, let me address the potential "why Penske?" question. I have been reading various postings, etc. for months. Virtually everyone says to avoid U-Haul. U-Haul was the one company that would have enabled us to leave the truck in Canada, but the different between Calais, Maine - on the border - and Fredericton, NB - about 140 km into Canada - was $800. And, get this, they allowed slightly less mileage. Nah, I don't think so. Budget wasn't bad, but we get a AAA discount with Penske and almost all the postings I found had glowing reports on Penske. I had also called them a few months ago and a very nice representative had said there was no problem taking the truck into Canada, that we would just have to bring it back to Maine.

So, I've been watching the website, waiting for the 6 month reservation window. I checked this morning and discovered that I could reserve a 22' diesel truck and get both a AAA discount and web discount. But, I had a question about changing dates as we get closer so I called. I was told that we could change dates any time up to the day of the reservation and we can cancel altogether up to 48 hours in advance. Plus, it's unlimited mileage - which is a HUGE benefit - and we got an additional discount by reserving right then on the phone. So, we've reserved a truck for June for a reasonable $1047.96.

I can check periodically to see if there's a better deal, though, in my experience, the above is pretty good for a move of this distance. With a truck that's 22' we should have tons of room; so much that we won't have to pack stuff in the car like we had thought. The only down side - besides driving at all - is that we'll drive past the Maine drop-off, unload in F'ton, and have to return the truck to Maine. But, the up-side is that they give us 7 days, more than we had planned to take.

So, if all goes as planned - we'll do something like this:
Day 1: Pick up and load truck
Day 2: Saint Paul to Chicago - ~400 miles - evening with friends
Day 3: Chicago to Cleveland - ~345 miles - evening with friends
Day 4: Cleveland to Boston - ~640 miles - evening with friends
Day 5: Boston to Fredericton - ~430 miles
Day 6: Unload truck
Day 7: Return truck to Maine

There ya' have it. One of the most fun things about this blog is that I'll get to look back at this after knowing how things really played out!

I am continually amazed...

Seriously. I am continuously amazed at the incredibly useful information I find on various websites of the Canadian government. I've been trying to determine with which bank I should open an account. I accidentally ended up here, but then went here. I'm not saying it's perfect, but it sure gave me some nice information as a place to start.

BTW, I've heard so much about how different - and expensive - banking is in Canada. Anyone out there who wants to offer their advice is most welcome to do so! Thanks!

SIN

That's social insurance number, of course! This morning I was able to get ours by phone. I'm feeling so, well, so, permanent resident-like.

First, I called one of the numbers on the website and was told, politely, that I could only do so in person. I asked, politely, why the website said, "blah, blah, blah." She put me on hold and came back and told me that I would have to call the other number. Then, she looked and realized that that was an 888 number that I could only call from within Canada. So, she transferred me!

The next clerk started to take the information for 6YO and then said, no, she couldn't do it because I didn't have my SIN yet, that I would have to come in person. Again, I read from the website and said, politely, that I didn't understand why the website said one thing and I was being told another. She then suggested that we do mine first and, since the numbers are issued immediately, then try to do his. So, we did that. I then passed the phone to P who was able to get hers. Success.

What was really great was that they were so pleasant even as I questioned them and they were so helpful when I was fairly insistent. Gotta love it!

So, silly as it sounds, it's one step closer to feeling like we're actually there! Merry Christmas to me, Merry Christmas to me!

Now if I could just figure out how we're going to get our stuff there!

Immigration Exam

Now, perhaps you're thinking about some exam that one has to take in order to immigrate to someplace, say Canada. Nope. Maybe you had flashbacks to your medical exam. Nah.

P came home today, having taken her second final examination - in Immigration Law. And, while I don't have it verbatim, one of the questions was about a same-sex couple! It went something like this - A, a US citizen, and B, a Spanish citizen, met... married in Spain and were settled there, living happily. A's mother, in the US, was taken ill and A returned to the US to be with her. After a while, with A remaining in the US to care for her mother, A and B decided to try to get B to the US for an extended period of time...

Being a law exam there were all kind of little issues thrown in; e.g., B was an internationally recognized author. It probably ended with the "call of the question" going something like, "Discuss all of the options available to A and B."

Pretty cool. Not just because P thinks she must have smoked the question, but for the fact that the prof even had such a question on the exam. Rock on.

Okay, back to work!

Incremental Movement

My, how time flies when you're doing too much. It's that time of year when most of us are just too darn busy. In our house one of us is giving finals, another is taking them. 6YO is anxiously awaiting the arrival of Santa Claus and watching every holiday special that has ever been made. Add to that the recent - and stressful - closing on our lot in Canada and, whew, that's pretty much why each time I think I'll sit down and write something I haven't.

So, what's happening? I'm dreading all of the work that we have to do in the next two months to get the house ready to go on the market and I'm dreading what the market will hold. I decided to teach an overload in Spring term to make some extra cash so that will mean more work. But, it's on-line so that's great both in terms of energy and experience. I've been communicating with a couple of folks at UNB and, at a minimum, I will have dual-sponsorship as a Visiting Scholar, with office space, etc. I won't know until May or June whether I'll get any money. There's also a position to which I will be applying, though that's a long shot. Then, there's the house we hope to build...

I've decided - after much insanity with emails to and from the realtor, builder, etc. - to go back to F'ton in January. Email is great, but some things just need to be hammered out face to face. Plus, I can meet with the guys at UNB and take care of some things like opening a bank account, etc. This, of course, is all dependent on the weather.

So, here's what coming down the pike -
January - Travel to Tucson for RDW's celebration of life
January - Travel to Fredericton, as above
February - Stay put, get the semester up and running
March - Travel to Toronto! Put house on the market.
April - Travel to Portland, OR for a conference and possibly Vancouver*
May - Travel to Fredericton for a conference and final move arrangements
June - Move to Fredericton?
July - Hopefully spend Canada Day in Fredericton, New Brunswick!

* I won't know about Vancouver until after the semester begins. With all the goings-on I may not be able to be gone that long.

So much for reducing my carbon footprint on the earth. That's five round trip flights. Ugh.

BTW, check out Consumer Consequences for a game about your impact on the earth. Or, this one which is shorter and less graphic intensive.

And, to continue veering off "topic" - was there a topic? - if you are fighting consumerism you might enjoy a new documentary/docucomedy, "What Would Jesus Buy?" I'm teaching a class on affluenza/consumption so a group of us went to see it last weekend. It's by Morgan Spurlock, the guy who did "Super Size Me!"

Speaking of consumption... As 6YO has been watching the holiday programs we've recorded he's had pretty much his first "heavy" exposure to commercials. Until now he's really seen only DVDs, PBS Kids, and the infrequent Disney program. We put a block on the Disney Channel when he discovered it and got into Zack and Cody, etc. Anyway, we've decided to put the televisions away on 1 January. Yup. We're going to try to go cold turkey and see how things go. I figure this is the best time. This morning's New York Times has a piece that is highlighted with, "Because of the writers’ strike, networks’ schedules will be filled with repeats or reality programs come January." Perfect timing!

Well, P is busy in the kitchen making corncakes with cotija cheese. Yum. I'm off! More as it happens.