Josh Duvauchelle’s Blog

This advertisement for a chocolatier was created by Harmony Korine, the director of indie movies such as Kids, Gummo and Julien Donkey-Boy. It is pure genius.

[ Currently Listening: Something In Your Mouth by Nickelback ]

I spent all of yesterday and most of last night exploring downtown Vancouver with Vanessa. It was a riot. I caught the bus from TWU and met her at King George. A brief stint on the skytrain brought us to Metrotown where I bought some cool stuff at Club Monaco. A side note: the Canadian versions of Armani Exchange are terrible. TERRIBLE.

We were hungry so we jumped on the skytrain again and went to Robson. I got a delicious chicken pesto quesadilla at Cactus Club, then went shopping along Robson before catching the skytrain to Waterfront to visit the most amazing, two-story pub ever. 

A skytrain and bus ride later found us in Kitsilano. We were going to watch The Changeling but switched in the theater and instead watched Rachel Getting Married. Its a human drama that played at the Toronto Film Festival and Venice Film Festival.

I didn’t get back to my room until around 1:30am. It was an insanely awesome night, but now I feel a little subpar. The price of fun, perhaps.

[ Currently Listening: Johanna (Shut Up) by Crazy Loop ]

I got back from the Northwest Model United Nations conference late Sunday night. It was so much fun! I’m not going to lie: Part of me was expecting a horde of extremely nerdy, kind of weird college kids. While there were a few POLS-nerds, most of the college students present were smart, attractive and a load of fun. Just my sort of crowd!

Friday: Drove down to Seattle and went to the opening reception, then our first assembly. I was the United States delegate in the General Assembly Plenary. We were in the amphitheater at the Grand Hyatt Seattle, so it was definitely an impressive meeting spot. It was also intimidating, but I got used to it. 

There were maybe 50 delegates in the GA. We all had to get up and give speeches, and then we launched right into caucusing and debates. Our topics covered security council reform, handling non-state actors in conflict, and working towards collective United Nations goals (i.e. ‘One UN’). 

They served us hors d’œuvre after our first assembly (some sort of sushi; really weird vegetable arrangements; and exotic cheeses and crackers with unintelligibly classy names), as well as an open bar. Oh, regarding the latter: Open bar + no carding = Tons of drunk, underaged college students. It was really funny to see. I hung out with some people, then met a few friends at The Cheesecake Factory.

Saturday: Stayed up way too late and found myself standing at the breakfast buffet feeling a wee bit groggy. Then spent the next FOURTEEN hours in meetings. It was mind-breaking, to say the least. I did take an hour break to eat a Starbucks snack and browse H&M. That night, stayed up really late again and hung out with friends (old and new). That day, I wrote an actual GA resolution that got sponsored by several countries but ended up not passing by a single vote. I was so mad because it would have passed if my %^&* allies knew they were my allies. 

Went to the Seattle Space Needle with two friends and spent about an hour up there. Beautiful sights and sounds, and the perfect place to sip Starbucks hot chocolate.

Sunday: Last assembly meeting. Succeeded in getting all of my allies voted into the security council, so that was an accomplishment. Drove all the way back to Canada, and went to bed at 9 PM.

[ Currently Listening: A Perfect Tourniquet by Anberlin ]

I am writing a three page essay and trying to do it in 30 minutes. It is possible. As some random bloke once said, “Yes, we can!”

This week has been music octacular. First, Paramore released two new songs (from the official Twilight soundtrack). Then I got ALL of the b-sides of Anberlin’s New Surrender (genius!). To top it, Taylor Swift’s latest new song from her upcoming CD was also released. 

Music is what gets me through my homework crunch times. 

I’m not going to succumb and say anything about the you-know-what the happened last night, giving our nation the first you-know-what-what ever. Because, well, everyone has talked it to death. But what I will say is that I find it hilariously amusing that you-know-what’s vice president candidate thought Africa was a country, not a continent. It’s all over Fox right now. Just wait until she finds out about Australia. That’ll for sure throw her into a tizzy!

Today is election day. In just a few hours, we’ll find out who the next leader of the United States is. Will it be an old, white man or a young, black man? Either way, this election has challenged perceptions and stereotypes on either side of the red-blue line. Speaking of perceptions and stereotypes:

Now, go and vote!

[ Currently Listening: You're Not Sorry by Taylor Swift ]

I went to see Tartuffe today. For all the jokes about the cast being hungover (Halloween was, after all, on a Friday), it was hilarious. Great acting, and a laughter- and cringe-inducing performance. Never has hypocrisy been so funny. It put me in a mood to go to church tomorrow.

Halloween was pretty fun. I dressed up as Robin without Batman, Teen Titan style. Unfortunately, the costume was intended for a 10-year old boy and required some, shall we say, modification. Blair was a Ninja Turtle. It was a fun time: We got lots of candy and played a photo scavenger hunt. Pictures shall be posted soon.

Today, we went Trick Or Treating like the mature adults that we are by going to the Canadian Super Store and buying a ton of candy. It was 50% off, so we couldn’t resist. I currently have an entire dresser drawer full of candy.

[ Currently Listening: World Go Round by Busta Rhymes ]

Spotted: Josh, looking positively frozen as he wanders around the Trinity campus. 

The more I think about living in Ottawa, the more I dread the cold. I shudder at the thought. I will go the way of the Little Match Girl! Although I did find an amazing-looking wool cashmere military jacket (Armani Exchange, of course). I considered a peacoat a lá Stuff White People Like, but it’s just so Chuck Bass! Blech.

In similar LLC news, I’m told by a fairly reliable source that a box of Cheerios at the local Ottawasupermarket is $6. The Canadian dollar has to continue to fall in value (which it has been doing quite spectacularly. Go Team Harper!) or else Josh will need to find a way to go to Costco as much as possible.

The Northwest Model United Nations schedule is now online. You can read it here. I was hoping to maybe run around Seattle and see some people, but that won’t be possible. 

I’ve been so incredibly busy, it’s not even funny. It’s like when I was 13 and there were bar mitzvahs every weekend. Just kidding. It was nice to have some breathing space this past weekend, but the ghost of homework past has hit with a vengeance. I had a paper due today that I may have forgotten about. Oh well, the professor of that class forgot about it, too. Besides, I’m sitting on his panel for the discussion on American politics. That has to get me some brownie points, right?

ex-oh-ex-oh,

Josh

[ Currently Listening: Mm ma ma by Crazy Loop ]

This morning I printed off over 300 pages of promotional literature and made 50 promo packets for Do It In The Dark. The packets are being distributed to every RA, rep and RD on campus. I’m excited.

The big news of the day is that I received my acceptance letter for the Laurentian Leadership Centre! I’m so happy. I got the email this morning while I was putting together the DIITD packets. My computer chimed to tell me I had a new Gmail. I saw that it was the LLC and I closed it, too afraid to open it. Then Blair got his a few seconds later. We both opened ours and we are both in! SO EXCITING.

Things to do: Get my suits (more) tailored, buy winter clothes (I want a peacoat, perhaps gingham?), upgrade my messenger bag (I’m eyeing a leather Kenneth Cole Reaction bag), etc. Thoughts?

[ Currently Listening: Breathe (Featuring Colbie Caillat) by Taylor Swift ]

The weekend is upon me and I am very much looking forward to having some breathing space. The past few days has been exceedingly stressful, to the point that last night I didn’t sleep at all. To quote the common dialect, it was “crappy.”

There’s just more and more to do and less time to do it. Funny, because I am taking less credits than my previous year of 19 semester hours. However, I’ve managed to fill my time with enough leadership activities that I might as well be working two full time jobs.

For example, over the next 72 hours I need to put the finishing touches on my entire environmental conservation program. That includes making 50 promotional packets to give to every RA and apartment representative on campus.

I also need to prepare for the Northwest Model United Nations. Yes, I am going to an MUN! Representing the great beacon of democracy—the United States, for all you haters of freedom. Bahaha. It’s in November. I was going to go hunting with my roommate, but his brother might be coming and I’d rather them spend some quality brother bonding. Chyea.

I’ve been dabbling in some whitehat and blackhat SEO. It’s been quite fun. Just for fun, I launched two websites (one on raising backyard ducks and one on raising backyard geese). Do note that neither represent my writing skills nor my webdesign talent. They’re actually rather poor websites at the moment. I’m using them to test a few SEO methods I’ve been learning. For example, I managed to get both of them in the top 10 for my targeted keywords just four hours after I launched the domains. That’s talent.

Bed calls. My brain needs recharging.

[ Currently Listening: Counting Squares by Casxio ]

I put in my application for the Laurentian Leadership Centre, an Ottawa-based satellite program for my university. Every semester, they only accept 20-ish students so it is exclusive in the highest meaning of the word. I am quite anxious to hear whether I am accepted or not. I find out in a week and it makes me so nervous! My roommate and apartmentmate also applied, so hopefully all three of us get in. If not, I shall be a sad little boy.

My environmental conservation program for my school (the first of its kind!) is set to begin in November. It is going to be a lot of work and I only have a week left to get everything in place. Overwhelming.