by Murph E.
Morty's Driving School
I kind of wish that I was learning to drive again.
It’s the Morty’s Driving School-mobile, in all its glory!
Morty, my friend, your secret driving school in Montréal is an inspiration to us all.
Mon pays
Ce n'est pas un pays, c'est l'hiver
by Murph E.
Monstrosity is something that Pickles made for me for my 20th birthday, and I take him with me when I go places and photograph him there. He’s been to China, Thailand, South Korea, Panama, and now, thanks to the Quidditch World Cup, he’s been to America!
While this post isn’t really about the World Cup, I have two last things that I should mention about it, in response to some questions I have been getting.
- We do use the brooms for flying, although if you are a muggle, it may appear that we are running along the ground.
- Surprisingly, Hogwarts did not enter a team this year.
Monstrosity and me at the Chrysler Building, NYC
Monstrosity and me at the statue of Atlas, NYC
Monstrosity and me at Times Square, NYC
Monstrosity and me at the World Cup
by Murph E.
I just got an email from an old friend of mine from London named Chris. He’s doing a fundraiser for men’s health, specifically prostate cancer. I’m normally morally opposed to moustaches, but in this case, I actually made a donation. Now, I’m a grad student, so you will all almost certainly have more discretionary income than me, so should all feel really guilty about it and make a contribution yourselves.
I’m actually kinda curious to see how Chris’ moustache turns out. I’ve never seen him with more than just some scruff.
Here is the link:
by Murph E.
An old friend of mine once explained this to me, and now I will pass this precious wisdom to the rest of the world. Here is how to identify what degree of sarcasm you are using or experiencing:
- First degree sarcasm: Saying what you don’t mean, and saying it insincerely.
E.g. “Oh! Now that was intelligent!” [said sardonically after something stupid is done] - Second degree sarcasm: Saying what you don’t mean, but saying it sincerely.
E.g. “Oh, now that was intelligent.” [said in a complimentary way after something stupid is done] - Third degree sarcasm: Saying what you mean, but saying it insincerely.
E.g. “Yeah, you’re a good friend.” [said in a mocking tone of voice to a true friend] - Fourth degree sarcasm: Saying what you mean, and saying it sincerely.*
E.g. “Yeah, you’re a good friend.” [said in a matter-of-fact tone of voice to a true friend]
The first degree of sarcasm is the least subtle. It is the easiest to use in conversation and the hardest to misunderstand. It is also not very funny.
Metasarcasm can occur when someone realises that first degree sarcasm is undesirable, but makes a statement that is, on the surface, first degree sarcastic—saying what one doesn’t mean, and saying it like one doesn’t mean it. This is done in full knowledge of the comedic limitations of this degree of sarcasm, and as a mockery of first degree of sarcasm itself.
The second degree of sarcasm is slightly more subtle, and depending on timing and other contextual factors, it can be very witty or very harsh. The power in this degree of sarcasm depends on the contrast between the sincerity of the statement, while actually conveying the opposite meaning.
Third degree sarcasm can be used when first or second degree sarcasm are too coarse or obvious. Imagine that your friend is obviously working very quickly at some task. You could use first degree sarcasm to say, “Wow, you’re working really slow.” That would not be very funny at all, unless it is an example of metasarcasm, so instead you might try saying in a matter-of-fact tone, “Could you pick up the pace a bit?” which would be better—a good example of second degree sarcasm—but that might seem obvious. Another option is the use of third degree sarcasm. You might say while rolling your eyes, “Yeah, that’s impressive.” You actually are impressed by your friend’s industriousness, but you say so in a way that seems to convey the opposite meaning.
The third degree of sarcasm is also sometimes used to express vulnerable truths in a way that protects the speaker. The speaker is protected by the ambiguity of the statement. Coated with a thin layer of sarcasm, the speaker can, in subsequent sentences, make the third degree sarcastic statement appear to be either an attempt at humour or alternately, a heartfelt expression of feeling, depending on how the speaker feels it has been taken.
The fourth degree of sarcasm is the most subtle, and many deny that it is sarcasm at all. Indeed, by its definition, “a sincere expression of what one really means,” it is not hard to see why it is often missed. I leave, as an exercise for the reader, the task of coming up with some examples.
[ * I have put an asterisk after this definition because this definition gives the necessary, but not the sufficient conditions for a statement to be fourth degree sarcastic. That is, not all members of the set of statements that are sincere expressions of ideas that one means to convey are also members of the set of fourth degree sarcastic statements.]
by Murph E.
A visitor
On Saturday, I had a visitor. An old friend of mine from my undergrad days at Western came to town. Old friendships are a wonderful thing, and I’m very proud to call this man my friend.
On an unrelated note, you’ll notice also that my eye is pretty much healed. You’d never know that I have a metal plate in my head, would you?
In fact, when I went in to work to claim my last two paycheques, which I missed due to the surgery, it must have been very suspicious that I didn’t have a cut or an eye-patch or a bruise or even much swelling or redness. I just had surgery, I swear!
by Murph E.
I arrived here in Montreal one year ago on Friday.
A lot has changed.
Sometimes it’s good to sit back and take stock of all the things that have happened, and to think about all the things that one has to be thankful for. Things are generally pretty good now: I had a great job for the summer, I have great friends living in my building, and I was just talking with Pickles today and thinking about how much I appreciate her. I even have a TA-ship and an RA-ship lined up for this school year.
I’m TA-ing the introductory ethics course in the philosophy department this year, which will be exciting.
Things are different from the way they were a year ago. They’re different from what I expected, and certainly different from what I wanted, but I’m okay with the way things are.
by Murph E.
My former bassoon teacher
On Christmas Eve, my former bassoon teacher was featured on the front page of the Beacon Herald, the local newspaper in Stratford.
I remember the giant inflatable penguin, but she seems to have gotten her hands on a bunch of other inflatable decorations since I moved away.
I have a lot of fond memories of bassoon lessons with her. I remember when she taught me to make my own reeds, and the times she would threaten to hit me with knitting needles when I messed up. When I went away to university, she traced the outline of her needles on one page of my orchestral excerpt so that I would remember not to mess up my audition. I also remember the time she smuggled me into the orchestra loft at the Festival Theatre and all the cats that lived with her.
I like to think that much of what I know about teaching I learned from her.
by Murph E.
A dinosaur in the Redpath Museum
The Redpath Museum, on McGill’s campus, has free admission. And there are dinosaurs, and geodes and lots of taxidermied animals, and a meteorite, and a mummy too.
This photo is from the end of November, when an old friend of mine came to visit me.
by Murph E.
I never knew.
We have a friend who goes by the name “Morty.” I can’t believe he’s been keeping this from us. I like the use of clip-art in the sign.
by Murph E.
Our first visitor to the apartment
When we first moved into our apartment, there was one piece of mail in our mailbox. It was from a student at Western who was in Pickles’ discipleship group, back when Pickles was still a student there. That same student who sent us our first mail became our first guest in our new apartment. She was driving with her friend from Halifax through Montréal and on to Toronto, and so she spent the night on an air-mattress in our library. What fun!
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