six things you may not know (or care) about wmtc

Idealistic Pragmatist has tagged me with a meme, and although as a rule I don't do these things, I like what she did with hers, so I will imitate it.

The original thingamajiggy is "six unimportant/trivial things about me". IP said:

I kind of already did this one once with personal stuff, though, and I'm reluctant to fill the world with still more irrelevant personal trivia about me. So rather than be a killjoy and just ignore their tags, I'm going to compromise by making this about IP-related trivia that's political or bloggy.

The results are quite entertaining.

I already post about as much personal blather as I want to on this blog, but I like the idea of some trivia about the blog itself.

And so, six bits of trivia about we move to canada.

1. I seriously dislike when people describe we move to canada as "a blog written by an American couple who moved to Canada". I understand the "we" in the title might be slightly deceptive. But I also know it takes less than a minute of reading (proof is in comments here) to learn that my blog is, in fact, written by me. And only me.

2. I started this blog as a way to process my Big Life Change and a way to keep in touch with long-distance friends and family. (The latter has happened only to a very limited extent.) I didn't know anything about the blogosphere. I seriously never imagined that people I didn't know would read my blog. I never imagined that a community would form around wmtc, that I would meet people through it - or that I'd become a blogger. I've really enjoyed how it's developed, organically. It's very gratifying.

3. For quite a while after we moved, everyone we knew in Canada, we met through wmtc. We've since met people through other venues (work, activism), but the people we've known longest, and know best, we met through this blog.

4. I love that wmtc and Allan's blog have some overlap in readership. I enjoy that we are a bloggy couple.

5. For a long time, I was very reluctant on wmtc to criticize anything about Canada. I was afraid I might appear ungrateful, and I wondered if I knew enough to venture an informed opinion. (Another US-to-Canada immigrant I know in the War Resisters Support Campaign told me the same thing about himself.) As I made some observations and stated opinions that were less than wholly positive, reader feedback helped me get over that fear. Wmtc readers helped me realize my opinions and observations were just as valid as anyone else's.

6. Through wmtc, I get a steady stream of email from prospective immigrants to Canada.

Many people write with questions - sometimes broad, general questions about our life here, and sometimes very specific questions about the application process. I am happy to help, but the application is always changing, and everyone is in a slightly different situation, so often my answers are of limited value.

I never mind answering questions, except under two circumstances. But these, I really mind.

One, when people ask questions that they could have easily found if they did a few moments of homework before emailing. When in need of information, some people's first impulse is to use someone else's brain instead of their own. If you can't find something, I'm glad to help, but don't ask me to do your most basic homework for you.

And two, when they don't say thank you. When I help strangers and they do not say thank you, I wish there were some way to take back my answer and make them find out for themselves! A good 90% of people who write me are very appreciative. But man, that 10%...

Now it's your turn:

1. Nigel Patel, with apologies if this was the meme I ignored from you recently! I seriously never do these things.

2. Jere

3. Nick

4. Stacie

5. West End Bob

6. M@

Everyone should feel free to ignore if they prefer.