Distractions, reflections

Sibelius Akatemia Harmonikka: Recital in Hameenlinna, leading up to the Coupe Mondiale (World) Accordion Competition in Turku, Finland. Noora Nyyssönen, Viivi Tigerstedt, MinnaRistamäki (Verkatehdas, Hämeenlinna, Finland) 20151001

Bulevardi 31, P317: Master’s students @metropolia taking a stretch after the first hour of lecture on Service Systems Thinking. Combined classes from Industrial Management and Logistics programs, for a special two hour presentation. From the instructor’s view, there was a lot of content to cover, maybe we can structure a better paced program next time. It’s the 10th year anniversary since we cofounded the Master’s program in Industrial Management. This building housed the Helsinki University of Technology until 1966. (Metropolia Ammattikorkeakoulu / Helsinki Metropolia University of Applied Sciences, Bulevardi 31, Helsinki, Finland) 20151002

Linna Bike Cafe: Celebration by Kata and Emmi @LinnaBikeShop Cafe, new business partnership. Family and friends came to wish well, enjoy in cameraderie. Mud cake a big hit in chocolate richness. A few days ago, observed much activity in preparing the space and scrubbing the kitchen. Now ready for customers. (Linnan Pyöräverstaan Kahvila, Verkatehdas, Hämeenlinna, Finland) 20151003

Kariniemi Park: Pikku-Vesijärvi pond is famous for largest musical fountains in the Nordics, but after dark, not on a fall Sunday afternoon. Friend has moved to small town Lahti, commuting 3 days a week to Helsinki, enjoying the quiet after 5 years in busy London. Re-establishing previous university ties to share intelligence on how times have changed (Kariniemi Park, Lahti, Finland) 20151004

Arabiakeskus: Red berries on trees, approaching the Hämeentie Factory Block of the Arabia district, known for its long history in design. Are those rowan (mountain ash) trees? Attended the “Creating the Mindset of Sustainable Societies” class, one of the core courses in the Master’s Programme in Creative Sustainability at Aalto University. Caught afternoon student presentations on final day of class. Challenged to be critical when prior context of assignments wasn’t fully explained. Will see the students two more days this week. (Arabiakeskus, Helsinki, Finland) 20151006

Alvar Aalto puisto: Iconic Alvar Aalto signature building of former Helsinki U. of Technology under wraps in renovation for new Aalto U. Undergraduate Centre bringing together students in technology, business and arts and design studies. Metro station across the street scheduled to start operation in fall 2016 as part of first phase of Lansimetro. On campus to visit my Ph.D. supervisor to check in on progress. (Alvar Aalto puisto, Otaniemi, Espoo, Finland) 20150907

Old Church Park: Grave markers at Plague Park Ruttopuisto, some from the thousand victims of the 1710 plague. The park was a cemetery from the 1780s until 1829. Pedestrians walk by the site on Bulevardi on the way to Helsinki Metropolia University of Applied Sciences and the West Harbour, without a second thought. (Old Church Park, Vanha kirkkopuisto, Bulevardi, Helsinki, Finland) 20151008

Urban Mill: Lecture on Planetary Boundaries by @katri1iisa for Systems Thinking 1 class of Creative Sustainability programme. Easing students into world issues, deeper theory left to in the spring session. Venue has nice projection equipment, Prezi shows up with slides on 3 sequential screens. Space full of students taking major or minor, plus a few observers catching up on learning. (Urban Mill, Otaniemi, Aalto University, Espoo, Finland) 20151009

HAM Tennispalatsi: Ai Weiwei @aiww (2005) Coffin @HAMHelsinki is tieli wood from dismantled Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) temple. Resembles a coffin and a dining table, but doesn’t function well as either. Museum was closed on my visit to town last year, exhibition now takes up entire third floor. Saturday afternoon busy with parents trailing children, and movie audiences downstairs. (Helsinki Art Museum, Tennispalatsi, Helsinki, Finland) 20151010

Susisaari: Permaculture in a Suomenlinna home, letting the chickens out of the coop for a few minutes around the yard. Chickens are productive at 5 or 6 eggs per day. House originally was built by a Russian general in the year before the czar fell in the revolution of 1917. Living spaces are gradually being modernized, while conforming to condition that the exterior is be preserved, as part of a UNESCO World Heritage site. (Susisaari, Suomenlinna, Helsinki, Finland) 20151011

CPH Passport Control: Sign in lounge flashed boarding 55 minutes before departure. Lineup explains why. CPH is more popular than previously experienced. Border control officer was a woman with a sense of humour. (Copenhagen Airport) 20151012

Third floor high ceiling: Mesh sphere pendant lights on top floor of old Bank of Upper Canada building gives a celestial feel to the room. Sandblasted walls and wrought iron balcony are a nice contrast to the presentation on new cloud container technologies. Presenter prefers command line SSH over friendly browser interface. (Digital Ocean Meetup, MyPlanet HQ, Toronto) 20151015

University College, West Hall: Late afternoon sun illuminates stained glass rose window at annual book sale. West Hall held the University of Toronto Museum when the building was burned in the fire of 1890. The original window was created as a secular installation by Joseph McCausland in 1858. When the building reopened in 1892, the rose window must have been repaired or recreated. Looking for old books that are not available for borrowing from a public library, my search on this visit resulted in zero finds. (West Hall, University College, University of Toronto) 20151016

Morse Street School: Exercised democratic right to vote in federal election. Polling station in gym had practically no line-up. Primary school students were just finishing the day, leaving together with crossing guards to get across the busy intersection up the street. (Morse Street Public School, Toronto) 20151019

St. Michael’s Health Centre: Riding elevator up from the 3rd floor Family Practice Unit up to the 8th floor Eye Clinic. Purposefully double booked appointments, as previous ophthalmologist visits have included dilations before exams, this including wait time for droid to take effect. Bonus, as medical student offered flu shot, saving trip to mass inoculations. When wait times are predictable, van be efficient. (St. Michael’s Health Centre, 61 Queen Street East, Toronto) 20151020

OCADU: Systems Thinking Ontario with Chris Kennedy describing Industrial Ecology, in a role as president of ISIE. Systems thinkers also asking questions about relations between IE and other fields and organisations. Interdisciplinary researchers working across interdisciplinary organisations means lots of overlaps. (Lambert Lounge, OCADU, Toronto) 20151021

Trinity College Quad: Entered from north gate to annual book sale. Rainy, so came by car instead of by bike. As usual, found a few systems research books not available in the public library. (Trinity College Quadrangle, Toronto) 20151024

Jonathan Ashbridge Park: Midday Sunday farmer’s market @LeslieMarket, second last weekend for the fall. Discovered that the listing of “Ashbridge Park” meant ‘Jonathan Ashbridge Park” off Queen St. E., not “Ashbridge Bay Park” off Lakeshore Blvd. E. Extra urban bicycling for exercise on a cool sunny day. (Jonathan Ashbridge Park, Queen Street East, Toronto) 20151025

Metro Hall east passage underground: North wall by Art Team 1994 of 14 students, executed by Andrew Owen. On path from underground shopping to the east, escalators up the west. Thousands of office workers and visitors must pass by the artwork daily. South wall has a different theme. Where are these students, 20 years later? (Metro Mural Art Team 1994, Metro Hall, Toronto) 20151027

Students listed: Caroline Falby & Shingo Shimizu (East York); Matthew Hansen & Rhea Trembath (Etobicoke); Venus Mangilinan & Michell Selvaraj (Metro Separate); Matthew Chapman & Troy Marryshow (North York); Andrew Buchanan & Teresa Van Pinxteren (Scarborough); Cassidy Phillips & Sarah Hollenberg (Toronto); Karina Castro & Mateusz Krepicz (York).

East Chinatown: Trinity Supermarket at 587 Gerrard Street East was closed when we came back from travels, and now seems permanently shut. Disappointed that our neighbourhood stores aren’t doing so well lately, probably due to bright and shiny big box competitors. Hopefully, the demise of one store will boost the business for the other supermarket down the street, Fu Yao. (East Chinatown, Toronto) 20151030