Bus Strike Day 8 is in full effect. In trying to do my shopping, I’ve suddenly become highly limited by whatever is within walking distance. While this is not preferable, there are a few shady convenience stores nearby, as well as one Asian grocery emblazoned DON88, that smells remarkably like cats and dried fish.

In the process of my Valentine’s Day shopping, this has become a particular roadblock. Something tells me that my beloved is not going to be happy with some samosas of questionable freshness from the nearest bodega. As if shopping for a guy wasn’t difficult enough, my choices have now been severely reduced.

We’re four sleeps away from the big day, and I’m at a loss. There is a nearby drugstore that I’m planning on having a long, hard look through. It’s where I bought a now-ex-boyfriend’s gift last Valentine’s Day, so it should definitely be worth a look.

In other news, it appears that the whole city is about to go on strike, not just the transit system. Taxi drivers are threatening to stop taking customers. The Chronicle-Herald newspaper staff is also soon to strike, apparently. In addition, Halifax Water is planning their own strike. But most interestingly, the Dalhousie Faculty and Staff are in talks.

This last one is the most inconvenient to me, personally. As I’m quickly approaching the end of my second year here, I’m starting to think about the worst case scenarios of the staff leaving. If Dal Security goes on strike, all the students in residence must leave due to liabilities. That includes me, and would be difficult to navigate through. I haven’t even started to think about the academic problems that would ensue, because there are too many variables. If they go on strike, your mark so far in the course, plus the amount of time the profs are out, altogether would decide how to proceed.

If my problems are going to be great, the problems of the international students will be greater. Those with visas that rely on them being in full time education, who can’t get home at the drop of the hat the way that I can. Also at terrible risk are those who are doing summer coop here at the university, if the strike goes on until April. There’s a lot at stake for them too.

There’s a current media blackout, so it seems that no one is sure what their demands are, as of right now.

The real kicker? You don’t get a penny of your money back if they strike.

Halifax is really going to hell in a hand basket, and I’m not particular sure if I want to stick around to watch it happen. As time goes on, it seems more and more likely that Peter Kelly, the current mayor, will not be in office much longer.

Unfortunately, I just signed a lease for May, so I’m guaranteed to be in Halifax for the next 15 months. I really hope, for my sake, as well as the rest of the students put out by the strike, that all of these conflicts are resolved quickly and quietly, preferably without any strike time.