It's the begining of a new month and I'm not feeling any different than I did at the end of the last. Except for the fact that I'm now one month closer to returning to class. I can't wait either. I'm starting to get bored. Though my theatre outings are keeping me entertained, I miss the throngs of people, the chatter, the getting to know one another but most of all, I miss the stimulation of the brain. The arguments, the new ideas, the discussions. I can't wait to go back.

Yesterday, I saw a film that made me think of my previous job. I'm not sure if I mentioned it before but I used to work at the locat utility company. While there, I learned much about natural gas and my friendships with individuals throughout the company made for interesting learning of different aspects of the gas industry. It's amazing what a lowly mail clerk can learn. Especially a friendly one who is easy to talk to. And they sometimes say that being nice doesn't pay.

Syriana is an interesting story and watching it brought to mind a recent major event in local business. The utility company was recently purchased by a much larger American firm, Kinder Morgan who, according to their website, are "one of the largest midstream energy companies in America". A number of things entered my mind when this purchase was originally announced. First, the Utility in question which had been operated as a public company since 1989 ceased being a Canadian company. Secondly, although to date the only people to have lost their jobs are the senior staff at Corporate HO, who knows what is coming down the line in the near future for the rest of the employees. Thirdly, and probably the most important, I'm not comfortable knowing that an American Corporation now owns pipelines that run through BC, some footage in Eastern Canada and most importantly, pipe that runs from the oil sands of Alberta and into the States. Don't be fooled. Pipe is pipe no matter what is currently travelling through it. Who's to say that down the line, that pipe isn't going to carry something other than natural gas? Though the events in the movie are far removed from the local utility company, I coudn't help but make some connections and all of these energy thoughts, the recent election of a pro-Bush leader and the current state of the world left me feeling tired when I woke up this morning.

Oh yeah, and I encourage you to check out AmyHCAlum's entry from yesterday. Made for interesting reading.