Everybody's comin' to Ottawa

Well, this is certainly an exciting week to be in our sleepy little government town.

On Sunday night, the Rolling Stones played to 43,000 fans to close out my favourite summer fair, the SuperEx. Then yesterday, a few scant metres from my humble cubicle, they filmed the video for their new single Streets of Love in the Byward Market. They pulled about 100 random people off the street to be extras in the video. And where was I during all the excitement, you ask?

Looking obtusely in the other direction, as usual.

I had no idea. Hadn't had the radio on, was busying away like a good worker bee, and was completely oblivious. I often pop down to the Quiznos on York for a veggie sub at lunchtime, and the Quiznos is right across the street from Zaphod's, where the video was being filmed. But not yesterday. Yesterday, I brought my lunch. Coulda been checking out the Stones, but I was eating microwaved cabbage rolls and working through lunch. How hip am I?

Aside from all that, looks like we've got another visitor on the way. The remnants of hurricane Katrina are apparently tracking this way, looking to dump a month's worth of rain in 24 hours. Good thing I spent all day Sunday draining the pool (and scrubbing algae off the liner - ick!) According to the precicise and highly scientific forecast, we could get anywhere from no rain to 100 mm (4 inches) of rain, and winds anywhere from gentle breezes to gale force.

Apparently, Ottawa is where all the cool kids are hanging out these days. Well, at least the aging, once spectacular but now mostly spent ones.

Have you ever had a celebrity encounter?