Not long after my last blog post, Nick, Iain and I launched into a discussion that ended the game. The outcome is open to wide interpretation, but I am sure a careful analysis of all rules and votes leads you to one conclusion. I can elaborate if you wish me to, but to summarize: I won.
In any case, it was fitting that it came down to treachery, tricks and talk. We were in there for one reason: lack of stimulation due to strike. And the strike as been exactly those things: the three Ts. It just goes to show that a solution can be arrived at, eventually, even if it happens via deceptive means. And I expect the end of the strike will come on similar terms. Either the Union or the Admin will manage to bamboozle the other into accepting a deal that isn't quite right. Someone will come away with the prize.
But all I know is, it's good to be back on the Outside.
Yours in Victory,
York_Hostage
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Monday, December 1, 2008
2:05 - Nightfall
Aleks and Rachael are gone. They walked out together, knowing that they couldn't take it to the end. All of our visitors are gone. They've left us to stew in the competitive mess we've made. Iain, Nick and I sit, on the Inside, the world is sleeping on the Outside.
Much has happened since the last post, but the main facts remain the same. York is shut-down, and we have nothing to do. We sit and wait for the resolve of our competitors to fade into the night, like everyone who sat with us mere hours ago.
The cleaners are our only company. We're getting sideways glances, they're probably thinking, "crazy students." They're probably right.
In the 14 hours we've been sitting here, not one of us has opened a book. I filled in half of the crossword, watched two episodes of TV and a movie, ate three disgusting fast food meals, fought with my friends about things that don't matter on the Outside, and played half a game of Scrabble, which I couldn't possibly win. The most productive thing to happen was a staff meeting that we convinced our boss to move here. Still, those are more of a vis-à-vis simple information session.
We all want the win. The game needs to change.
Yours in Conspiracy,
York_Hostage
Much has happened since the last post, but the main facts remain the same. York is shut-down, and we have nothing to do. We sit and wait for the resolve of our competitors to fade into the night, like everyone who sat with us mere hours ago.
The cleaners are our only company. We're getting sideways glances, they're probably thinking, "crazy students." They're probably right.
In the 14 hours we've been sitting here, not one of us has opened a book. I filled in half of the crossword, watched two episodes of TV and a movie, ate three disgusting fast food meals, fought with my friends about things that don't matter on the Outside, and played half a game of Scrabble, which I couldn't possibly win. The most productive thing to happen was a staff meeting that we convinced our boss to move here. Still, those are more of a vis-à-vis simple information session.
We all want the win. The game needs to change.
Yours in Conspiracy,
York_Hostage
20:44 – Big Brother
Eden, Nick, Iain, Aleks, Rachael and I played Big Brother: The Board game. Which is a game mostly designed to tear friendships apart. Basically, you pick on people for having character flaws which the may not have previously known they had. People get offended and start to fight with one another.
Playing this game was successful in getting us into rousing shouting matches with each other, and we have basically become the Big Brother TV show for the audience eating their suppers in the student centre. Dinner and a show. We didn’t realize until about a half an hour ago that our voices are carrying nicely throughout the entire lower level, and we are getting more than our share of looks from the crowd. Exclamations such as “I am SO classy,”, “You’re the one who thinks I’m greedy!!”, “I can’t believe you would let my guitar drop!”, and “That’s it, this game just got dirty,” have been entertaining the masses for hours.
The most “interesting” development is that Darrell has thrown in the towel and returned to the comfort of his own cube. When he left the student centre he took along the power cord for Aleks’ laptop, who just discovered this fact had had a bit of a breakdown, caught on camera and all.
The mood of the game has shifted dramatically. I’m afraid if the Union and Admin don’t come to an agreement soon, there could be blood on the hands of the University. I have to go to the bathroom and I am going to take all of my belongings with me. Restlessness is beginning. I’m scared.
Fearfully Yours,
York_Hostage
Playing this game was successful in getting us into rousing shouting matches with each other, and we have basically become the Big Brother TV show for the audience eating their suppers in the student centre. Dinner and a show. We didn’t realize until about a half an hour ago that our voices are carrying nicely throughout the entire lower level, and we are getting more than our share of looks from the crowd. Exclamations such as “I am SO classy,”, “You’re the one who thinks I’m greedy!!”, “I can’t believe you would let my guitar drop!”, and “That’s it, this game just got dirty,” have been entertaining the masses for hours.
The most “interesting” development is that Darrell has thrown in the towel and returned to the comfort of his own cube. When he left the student centre he took along the power cord for Aleks’ laptop, who just discovered this fact had had a bit of a breakdown, caught on camera and all.
The mood of the game has shifted dramatically. I’m afraid if the Union and Admin don’t come to an agreement soon, there could be blood on the hands of the University. I have to go to the bathroom and I am going to take all of my belongings with me. Restlessness is beginning. I’m scared.
Fearfully Yours,
York_Hostage
19:08 - Not So Hard to Swallow
I just ate what I think was a horrible potato made of mould from Taco Bell. I’ve informed my fellow competitors that if I fall to the floor convulsing and foaming that they have permission to call 911 and the paramedics may remove me from the student centre on a stretcher. Otherwise, I still refuse to go Outside.
Everyone has gotten pretty quiet as we head into our eighth hour of physical captivity at the University. Still, being held financially and corporeally prisoner for the last 26 days has had the effect of hardening us up. Our solid cage now matches the meta-physical one we’ve been held in for nearly a month, and the only difference is a harder seat.
Iain and Aleks are watching the Princess Diaries. Rachael is playing Nintendo online. Nick is reading a magazine. Darrell is playing the guitar. Kate is moping in her room, trapped in another prison separate from her friends. Jimmy the Greek just closed, and our food options have dwindled to six.
Aleks just got ice cream. Now Nick is in line to do so as well. Mouldy potatoes aren’t enough to keep me from my first love. So ends this instalment.
Yours in Deliciousness,
York_Hostage
Everyone has gotten pretty quiet as we head into our eighth hour of physical captivity at the University. Still, being held financially and corporeally prisoner for the last 26 days has had the effect of hardening us up. Our solid cage now matches the meta-physical one we’ve been held in for nearly a month, and the only difference is a harder seat.
Iain and Aleks are watching the Princess Diaries. Rachael is playing Nintendo online. Nick is reading a magazine. Darrell is playing the guitar. Kate is moping in her room, trapped in another prison separate from her friends. Jimmy the Greek just closed, and our food options have dwindled to six.
Aleks just got ice cream. Now Nick is in line to do so as well. Mouldy potatoes aren’t enough to keep me from my first love. So ends this instalment.
Yours in Deliciousness,
York_Hostage
17:52 - Diagnosis
[[[Warning Flynn: Spoiler ]]] Aleks and I just finished watching an episode of House, which was appropriately about a hostage situation. The criminal is the Union and Dr. House is the Admin. Both of them are willingly trapped in endless negotiations until eventually something gets blown up. The wall which was explosively destroyed at the end of the episode (strike) is our semester and $2700 tuition. [[[End Spoiler]]]
As for our boredom levels, we appear to be getting along fine. The others are showing weakness and I am ready to capitalize. Darrell is trying to urge a tie so we can go and get drunk (for the billionth time this strike). Rachael is running out of songs that she knows on the guitar and has conceded that she will eventually get bored with this like she does everything else. Iain has admitted that he has a hard time sitting still. Aleks and Nick are the only ones who I can see going until the end of the strike with me.
The babble on the websites run by the Union and the Admin is providing us no new information, or any useful/understandable information at that. Try to decipher the poorly phrased rhetoric here: http://www.3903strike.ca/ and here: http://www.yorku.ca/web/media/. Utter crap, eh?
We all know what the real problem is: greed. The Bickerers will have you believe that the other is to blame for this cardinal sin. Clearly, both just want more money in their own pockets, while simultaneously reaching their grubby fingers deeper and deeper into our pockets. Perhaps I can go one strike and demand that York provide me coverage for my $40 000 student loan?
All the Best,
York_Hostage
As for our boredom levels, we appear to be getting along fine. The others are showing weakness and I am ready to capitalize. Darrell is trying to urge a tie so we can go and get drunk (for the billionth time this strike). Rachael is running out of songs that she knows on the guitar and has conceded that she will eventually get bored with this like she does everything else. Iain has admitted that he has a hard time sitting still. Aleks and Nick are the only ones who I can see going until the end of the strike with me.
The babble on the websites run by the Union and the Admin is providing us no new information, or any useful/understandable information at that. Try to decipher the poorly phrased rhetoric here: http://www.3903strike.ca/ and here: http://www.yorku.ca/web/media/. Utter crap, eh?
We all know what the real problem is: greed. The Bickerers will have you believe that the other is to blame for this cardinal sin. Clearly, both just want more money in their own pockets, while simultaneously reaching their grubby fingers deeper and deeper into our pockets. Perhaps I can go one strike and demand that York provide me coverage for my $40 000 student loan?
All the Best,
York_Hostage
16:14 - Minus One, Plus One
Kate is gone. Turns out she’s one of those people who thnks they have things to do during the strike. Work or something. Pff.
Our friend Darrell has joined us and is already whining. Something about his bed being more comfortable than the student centre tablechairs.
We’ve had 10 or so visitors, who have been very kind and have offered to retrieve us things from the Outside. So far pajama pants, water bottles, earphones, crosswords, and a McDonalds order have been brought to us by various kind souls. Though, the pressure of being trapped inside has yet to begin, and hopefully their kindness does not waiver with the sunlight which is quickly dimming.
Iain has decided to join the crew, and has brought with him a gift of clementines to keep us from getting scurvy. For him to win he’ll have to stay an extra four hours after the last one of us leave.
It is common opinion at the moment that this game may well continue until the strike is over. I know I am way to stubborn to leave while the game is still going, and I have a feeling some of my colleagues feel the same way. So I guess here opens a plea to the Union and the Administration: the only way we’re actually going to get out of here is if you put classes back into our schedules.
Of course, it is perhaps too early to be making statements like this. Once the atrophy sets in, then we can judge how our mood will affect the outcome.
Yours Truly,
York_Hostage
Our friend Darrell has joined us and is already whining. Something about his bed being more comfortable than the student centre tablechairs.
We’ve had 10 or so visitors, who have been very kind and have offered to retrieve us things from the Outside. So far pajama pants, water bottles, earphones, crosswords, and a McDonalds order have been brought to us by various kind souls. Though, the pressure of being trapped inside has yet to begin, and hopefully their kindness does not waiver with the sunlight which is quickly dimming.
Iain has decided to join the crew, and has brought with him a gift of clementines to keep us from getting scurvy. For him to win he’ll have to stay an extra four hours after the last one of us leave.
It is common opinion at the moment that this game may well continue until the strike is over. I know I am way to stubborn to leave while the game is still going, and I have a feeling some of my colleagues feel the same way. So I guess here opens a plea to the Union and the Administration: the only way we’re actually going to get out of here is if you put classes back into our schedules.
Of course, it is perhaps too early to be making statements like this. Once the atrophy sets in, then we can judge how our mood will affect the outcome.
Yours Truly,
York_Hostage
13:34 - Same Old, Same Old
An hour an a half has passed. So far today feels like every other day, which I am surprised at, but logically it makes sense. We’re doing exactly what we’ve been doing for weeks, just within a different venue. Aleks is watching Degrassi, Nick, Rachael and I are plucking at our guitars, and Kate is playing tetris.
The worst thing so is that we’ve planted ourselves across from the used video game vendor, who has the Mario Kart 64 game opening on repeat. I’ve already heard “Welcome to Mario Kart!” in that awful Italian accent probably 50 times.
We’ve convinced our boss to move our staff meeting to the student centre, so that we don’t have to leave. This may go on for days if we start to take the competition aspect seriously.
I’ve been wondering what all of these other people in the student centre are doing (besides eating of course). I mean, there are no classes, and there aren’t that many residents on campus. A lot of them are older, and probably work for the University, meaning they had to have crossed the picket. Certainly some of the are as bored as us, but feel like they have more important things to attend to. What those thing could possible be I don’t know. Jobs? Part-time at best. Homework? If they were the type to do it while on strike they’d be done by now. Families? Anyone who has been thrust back into household living probably started to claw their way out more than a week ago. Parties? We estimate we’ve probably spent nearly a grand each on being social (read: getting blasted) since the strike began. All of these people might as well join us.
The most recent episode of House just downloaded. Aleks and I are taking our leave to a quieter zone in the centre to watch. And then we’ll stream the most recent episode of Fringe.
In Solidarity, (read: NOT)
York_Hostage
P.S. Three of these people who think they have better things to do are sitting across from us, touching each other’s elbows. Maybe we’re not the most insane students around.
The worst thing so is that we’ve planted ourselves across from the used video game vendor, who has the Mario Kart 64 game opening on repeat. I’ve already heard “Welcome to Mario Kart!” in that awful Italian accent probably 50 times.
We’ve convinced our boss to move our staff meeting to the student centre, so that we don’t have to leave. This may go on for days if we start to take the competition aspect seriously.
I’ve been wondering what all of these other people in the student centre are doing (besides eating of course). I mean, there are no classes, and there aren’t that many residents on campus. A lot of them are older, and probably work for the University, meaning they had to have crossed the picket. Certainly some of the are as bored as us, but feel like they have more important things to attend to. What those thing could possible be I don’t know. Jobs? Part-time at best. Homework? If they were the type to do it while on strike they’d be done by now. Families? Anyone who has been thrust back into household living probably started to claw their way out more than a week ago. Parties? We estimate we’ve probably spent nearly a grand each on being social (read: getting blasted) since the strike began. All of these people might as well join us.
The most recent episode of House just downloaded. Aleks and I are taking our leave to a quieter zone in the centre to watch. And then we’ll stream the most recent episode of Fringe.
In Solidarity, (read: NOT)
York_Hostage
P.S. Three of these people who think they have better things to do are sitting across from us, touching each other’s elbows. Maybe we’re not the most insane students around.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
