MONDAY...
— Downtown for a little shopping with mom and dad. Over to Wince’s and family for Christmas Eve lunch. Wayne and Sylvia come for a visit in the evening.
TUESDAY...
— Merry Christmas.
— Fine day, presents in the AM with mom and dad. Wince, his family, Wayne and Sylvia all come for supper. Rick and his family pop by for a visit after we eat. Too stuffed... way too stuffed.
— Watch Scrooge to end the night. The 1951 version with Alastair Sim.
WEDNESDAY...
— Some visiting time with Jim, Kristann, Sam and Jen today. A few hours out to Jim’s place.
— Boxing Day Feast at the parent’s place. The Riggs family, Lafosse family, Wayne and Sylvia all come to chow down. Spend some time hanging with Geoff, Rob, and Dave.
— Going blind due to food running up from my stomach, into my sinus cavity, and pressing against my optic nerves. Soon I’ll be bleeding turkey gravy.
THURSDAY...
— More eating to the point of explosion. Lunch with Craig at the Ship Inn is good. It’s not too busy, we eat good fish and chips, and hang out chatting for a couple of hours.
— Off to supper with mom, dad, Wayne and Sylvia tonight. To the Keg. It’s really good but by the end my stomach causes me to take a barrel type shape. It takes minutes to bend over and tie my boots! No food tomorrow!
FRIDAY...
— So there is food today... even though I said I wouldn’t. But still not a lot. A very lazy day though. There was some visiting and shopping planned but a trip home wouldn’t be complete without a storm. All the stores and most businesses are closed today with lots of snow, freezing rain and wind all day.
— Dave (“Fish”) pops by for an evening visit... other than that it’s movies, computer time, and general laziness.
SATURDAY...
— A run around day. Shopping, a trip to Signal Hill, lunch with mom and dad at Bidgoods (some traditional Newfoundland food to be had there).
— Bev visits this evening. See Jim and Kristann for a few minutes as well. Pack and watch some hockey tonight.
SUNDAY...
— Up early. 3:30 NF time is when I woke up and didn’t get back to sleep. Out of bed at 4:30... stormy day for the airport. There for 5:00. In security and ready to go at 6:00 (after a quick sit down with mom and dad... and Del). Plane is supposed to leave at 6:30. We board the plane at about 7:40. Sit in the plane for a while... then go to de-ice... then sit some more for the runway to get cleared. Take off for Ottawa at around 9:15.
— Sheila picks me up and we do lunch. The least I could do for a lift. Laundry, unpacking and some rest follow.
300
From April 7, 2002 to December 31, 2007... that’s how long it takes to write 300 weekly updates.
So what to do for number 300? At 100 (Feb 8, 2004) I did a retrospective. I basically spoke of how I went about doing my weekly updates... the thought process behind them... and some memorable stories and ideas.
Number 200 (Jan. 8, 2006) had me looking back at people and stereotypes... while also looking back at my years of writing.
And at both #100 and #200 I mentioned how I wasn’t sure what to write about. It seems milestone updates have been reflective and unclear in purpose for me.
So for #300, written here on New Years Eve 2007... I’ll change the plan. For the rest of this story will have purpose and will not be retrospective in nature (even though New Years Eve cries out for a look back).
No, on this day I write about... Food!
My trips home for Christmas will no longer be able to continue. I could speak of how the travel at this time of year tires me out. I could speak of unreliable airlines that leave you stranded for days on end in a city that is not of your choosing. And I could speak of the cost of it all.
But a major problem with my Christmas trips home is the eating. It has taken on binge like qualities. On more than one occasion, it has put me in mind of Monty Python’s Meaning of Life... where a waiter serves a massively fat man meal after meal... the fat man vomits all over the restaurant... and, with the coaxing that “it’s just a wafer thin after dinner mint” eats that last morsel which creates a fat man explosion never seen in cinematic history, before or after.
Each of the last four years, when I travel home for Christmas, I become that Monty Python fat man!
This year saw a three day eatfest that left me waddling and groaning. Big lunches of food from the night before. Followed by afternoon snacking on nuts, licorice and chocolate... often washed down with a glass of eggnog. And the evening would bring another round of turkey, or chilli, or ham, or roast with potatoes and gravy and dressing. And the dessert... always the dessert.
On the worst day this year, I had a lunch planned with my friend, Craig... followed by a supper with the family. I thought how lunch will not be large. I can eat nice and light... maybe a stir fry or a wrap. In the end, that translated into fish ‘n’ chips. Even then, I thought maybe the fish would be small and the fries not so plentiful. But the fish was enormous and battered while the fries overflowed the plate.
Washed down with beer, the meal was good, and the time out was fun, but the eating plan was thrown out the window. We left at 3:00 with supper a few hours away... and me stuffed.
So then maybe the cutback could be with supper I thought. Perhaps if lunch goes out of control, I can eat lightly in the evening?
We go to the Keg Steakhouse. You aren’t allowed to eat there without a slab of meat on your plate.
So I plan my attack on the beef with blind optimism. I won’t fill up on the bread! The Keg always throw too much bread at you and it’s a wasted loading of the stomach. Skip the bread. That translates into have one large piece. Plus picking at the dip one of my evil family members decides to order as an appetizer.
Next is the salad. You are lead to believe that salad is your friend when it comes to food. Well not when they bring you a bucket of it! The Keg throws it down at me in a spit-in-your-eye fashion. Didn’t get caught on the bread trap? Here’s your salad... sucker!
So then it’s planning a smaller cut of meat. A sirloin will be smaller I think. Perhaps in length it is... when factoring in thickness (which I did not) out the window flies that theory.
I’m left with the desperate plan of cutting my food into smaller pieces. Maybe I can fit it all in my stomach by breaking it down into smaller chunks? I’m Homer Simpson in a steak eating contest... I just need Bart there to toss the uneaten morsels back into my mouth after it drops down to my shirt while I moan in zombie like despair.
As meat-in-the-sinus blindness comes on, my aunt Sylvia extends the hell. “We’ll go back to our place for dessert!”
Dessert? I’m ready to crawl into a cave and hibernate for the next four months and she’s talking of adding to my layer of fat!
So it’s off to their house for another round of delightful treats. The Python quote rings loudly in my ears... “...Just an after dinner mint.”
My plan of attack on the sweets? The pre-eating trip to the massage chair. I waddle to Wayne and Sylvia’s Lazyboy massage chair, lean back, and hope the vibrations will shift the food into those few remaining empty cavities deep within my soul.
Cookies are brought out... and slices of icinged fruit cake. And I sample a piece of each with the thought “I won’t be able to do this again for an entire year, I better take advantage of it while I have the chance.” That translates into... you’ve guessed it... “... Just an after dinner mint.”
When the eating finally ends, I shuffle back to the chair for another round of vibration. Consciousness comes and goes... and strange visions... delusions, if you will... dance through my head. I’m as I was as a feverish child of years gone by... when I told my mother that my rapid blinking was a result of the trees which surrounded me... there in my bookbag (even though I was laying in bed the whole time). I can not trust that which leaps before my eyes.
That’s why it takes some time to register when mom suggests our departure. Can I rise up from this shaking chair? Can I maneuver myself towards my boots? Can I even feel my legs?
The tying of the boots takes me close to five minutes. I can not bend down to reach my laces, and breathe, at the same time. So I must break for a few gasps before plunging back into the abyss of lace tying.
It is at times of troublesome shoe lace tying that one knows when one has eaten too much. And it is with fears of a repeat of such instances that makes me feel I should have no more Christmas’s at home with family. It is too much of a gamble. One can only role the dice so many times without the end result being permanent. Perhaps next time, the meat will remain stuck in my sinuses... and the blindness will be permanent.
Monday, December 31, 2007
Sunday, December 30, 2007
Delayed post
Cape Spear... all cold and isolated.
Fred's Records. A fine walk down Duckworth Street when this is where you're going.Seeing how my next update is actually a milestone (#300). I'm in delay mode. I'm just too tired from a long day traveling.... there's nothing I can write other than what I'm writing now.
There will be the update tomorrow though. Work should end early for New Years and I'll be more rested then... until the 31st! I include a pair of pictures to ease the pain...
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Making It Up As I Go Along #299
MONDAY...
— Quiet day. I didn’t sleep well last night and am exhausted and still a bit under the weather when I wake... so no work today. Stay home, do some reading up on work while trying to rest up instead.
— Brush off the car and shovel out the space some in the late afternoon. That’s enough to almost kill me... so I guess it says where my endurance is right now with sickness and the like.
TUESDAY...
— Fine enough day. Seem to be over the cold now finally... and do a bit of an evening shift today, working 1:45 to 9:45. It all goes alright.
WEDNESDAY...
— Work is okay. An info session in the morning breaks up the day a bit.
— Drive home is a pain. People around here don’t know what they’re doing when driving in the winter. It takes an hour to get home and we only had a light amount of snow today. Blah.
— Some evening catch up. With some friends. One drops by... another on MSN... and a third on the phone. A social night for a week night.
THURSDAY...
— Work is okay. Have lunch with Shannon, Mark, Leslie, Carole, Michelle, and Trevor. Fairly normal day overall.
FRIDAY...
— Alright work day. Much of the office is empty in the afternoon.
— Meet Karl for supper in the evening.
— I’m now off for Christmas vacation. Back to work a week from Monday.
SATURDAY...
— Travel day. I get up in the morning and do the laundry while watching some TV. Pack in the afternoon and Sheila gets me so we can share a cab to the airport. She’s going to Moncton a half hour before I go to St. John’s. The airport is actually dead... I’m surprised but there no line to check in and none at security either. We chat for a bit while waiting for the planes and then split up when her flight is called. An isle seat means I am thankful for the on demand movies for each seat... I wish I had the window to distract me but oh well.
— A quick time with mom and dad after I land and then they’re off to bed while I watch some TV.
Just a Few Thoughts on Home
Home again home again jiggidy jig. At least one of my grandparents used to say it way back when... and at least one of my parents say it whenever we pull into the driveway of their place in Wedgewood Park. And last night I heard it once again.
For I am home for the holidays. It has actually been the longest I’ve been away from St. John’s. One full year without being back. In fact, last night’s flight in marked the one year anniversary of my getting stuck in Montreal for two days.
Each time I’m home, a few things change. Mom and dad have a new car... and a new stereo. The next door neighbours have a new shed. And I’m sure, when I go out later today, I’ll notice other changes around the city. A new store here, an old building torn down there. Probably another three or four grocery stores scattered a few kilometres away from each other. St. John’s city planning... it’s all about selling off old buildings and parcels of land to the grocery store chains. The chain lucky enough to build the new store will then vacate an old one... and new telemarketing companies will take over... the circle of life goes on.
Needless to say, I find the grocery store issue annoying. Cities can use vacated buildings and parcels of land for so much more... and the city would be enriched and more vibrant because of it. Old Memorial Stadium was a hockey stadium named to honor the war dead. It was in one of the few great recreational belts of the city. A river trail leads to it, allowing people from miles away to walk there without using the roads. A soccer pitch and softball field are right next to the site... and Quidi Vidi Lake at the doorstep of the stadium parking lot. Many a hockey game would be watched there and dad and I would walk along part of the shore of the lake to get to the car afterwards.
So what do you do with this recreational landmark after a new stadium is built? Sell it to Loblaws and convert it into a grocery store of course! People opposed the idea, the city sold it to Loblaws anyway. People remained opposed, and Loblaws built the store anyway. They then closed another of their grocery stores that sat no more than a mile up the road. I’ll drive by it today and see what telemarketing/call centre has moved in. And Memorial Stadium Grocery Store will be one more missed opportunity that I can shake my head at as I pass by.
Another change in the city I noticed came to me as soon as I arrived. St. John’s Airport is quite new. Well, the building got extensively renovated recently anyway. It seems it was only a year or two ago when the final touches were done... and it’s a nice airport. But it already feels way to small for this city. Coming in last night, I came down the escalator to the luggage area without parents there to wave hello. This is because they now keep the family and friends back out of the luggage area. It’s not big enough to hold the welcomers and the arrivers at the same time. So I stood alone for twenty minutes waiting for my bag... and then walked out to my parents as if I had just left customs. We then went on to sit in the parking lot for another good twenty minutes as all the cars were leaving together. Ottawa airport is bigger, with more people parked there for arrivals. But you never wait when you go to leave... you’re on your way. St. John’s, though... is a very congested story. Again, city planning dropped the ball. A newly renovated airport that needs to be renovated once again.
But it’s nice to be back all the same. To look out the back window and see Signal Hill off in the distance, remaining as it always has been. I miss big hills. I don’t see them in Ottawa. Seeing a large formation of shrubby rock like that makes me feel solid. It says that this place is still here and still the same home you knew growing up... despite the superficial changes of the city it overlooks.
— Quiet day. I didn’t sleep well last night and am exhausted and still a bit under the weather when I wake... so no work today. Stay home, do some reading up on work while trying to rest up instead.
— Brush off the car and shovel out the space some in the late afternoon. That’s enough to almost kill me... so I guess it says where my endurance is right now with sickness and the like.
TUESDAY...
— Fine enough day. Seem to be over the cold now finally... and do a bit of an evening shift today, working 1:45 to 9:45. It all goes alright.
WEDNESDAY...
— Work is okay. An info session in the morning breaks up the day a bit.
— Drive home is a pain. People around here don’t know what they’re doing when driving in the winter. It takes an hour to get home and we only had a light amount of snow today. Blah.
— Some evening catch up. With some friends. One drops by... another on MSN... and a third on the phone. A social night for a week night.
THURSDAY...
— Work is okay. Have lunch with Shannon, Mark, Leslie, Carole, Michelle, and Trevor. Fairly normal day overall.
FRIDAY...
— Alright work day. Much of the office is empty in the afternoon.
— Meet Karl for supper in the evening.
— I’m now off for Christmas vacation. Back to work a week from Monday.
SATURDAY...
— Travel day. I get up in the morning and do the laundry while watching some TV. Pack in the afternoon and Sheila gets me so we can share a cab to the airport. She’s going to Moncton a half hour before I go to St. John’s. The airport is actually dead... I’m surprised but there no line to check in and none at security either. We chat for a bit while waiting for the planes and then split up when her flight is called. An isle seat means I am thankful for the on demand movies for each seat... I wish I had the window to distract me but oh well.
— A quick time with mom and dad after I land and then they’re off to bed while I watch some TV.
Just a Few Thoughts on Home
Home again home again jiggidy jig. At least one of my grandparents used to say it way back when... and at least one of my parents say it whenever we pull into the driveway of their place in Wedgewood Park. And last night I heard it once again.
For I am home for the holidays. It has actually been the longest I’ve been away from St. John’s. One full year without being back. In fact, last night’s flight in marked the one year anniversary of my getting stuck in Montreal for two days.
Each time I’m home, a few things change. Mom and dad have a new car... and a new stereo. The next door neighbours have a new shed. And I’m sure, when I go out later today, I’ll notice other changes around the city. A new store here, an old building torn down there. Probably another three or four grocery stores scattered a few kilometres away from each other. St. John’s city planning... it’s all about selling off old buildings and parcels of land to the grocery store chains. The chain lucky enough to build the new store will then vacate an old one... and new telemarketing companies will take over... the circle of life goes on.
Needless to say, I find the grocery store issue annoying. Cities can use vacated buildings and parcels of land for so much more... and the city would be enriched and more vibrant because of it. Old Memorial Stadium was a hockey stadium named to honor the war dead. It was in one of the few great recreational belts of the city. A river trail leads to it, allowing people from miles away to walk there without using the roads. A soccer pitch and softball field are right next to the site... and Quidi Vidi Lake at the doorstep of the stadium parking lot. Many a hockey game would be watched there and dad and I would walk along part of the shore of the lake to get to the car afterwards.
So what do you do with this recreational landmark after a new stadium is built? Sell it to Loblaws and convert it into a grocery store of course! People opposed the idea, the city sold it to Loblaws anyway. People remained opposed, and Loblaws built the store anyway. They then closed another of their grocery stores that sat no more than a mile up the road. I’ll drive by it today and see what telemarketing/call centre has moved in. And Memorial Stadium Grocery Store will be one more missed opportunity that I can shake my head at as I pass by.
Another change in the city I noticed came to me as soon as I arrived. St. John’s Airport is quite new. Well, the building got extensively renovated recently anyway. It seems it was only a year or two ago when the final touches were done... and it’s a nice airport. But it already feels way to small for this city. Coming in last night, I came down the escalator to the luggage area without parents there to wave hello. This is because they now keep the family and friends back out of the luggage area. It’s not big enough to hold the welcomers and the arrivers at the same time. So I stood alone for twenty minutes waiting for my bag... and then walked out to my parents as if I had just left customs. We then went on to sit in the parking lot for another good twenty minutes as all the cars were leaving together. Ottawa airport is bigger, with more people parked there for arrivals. But you never wait when you go to leave... you’re on your way. St. John’s, though... is a very congested story. Again, city planning dropped the ball. A newly renovated airport that needs to be renovated once again.
But it’s nice to be back all the same. To look out the back window and see Signal Hill off in the distance, remaining as it always has been. I miss big hills. I don’t see them in Ottawa. Seeing a large formation of shrubby rock like that makes me feel solid. It says that this place is still here and still the same home you knew growing up... despite the superficial changes of the city it overlooks.
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Making It Up As I Go Along #298
MONDAY...
— Quiet day to start. Watch a movie on PETA... and do some e-mails.
— Work is okay. Working with the women’s team on evening shift.
TUESDAY...
— Lots of snow today. 5 to 10 cm was predicted but I’d say we got closer to 10 to 15. Drive in was fine though... we got most of it while at work.
WEDNESDAY...
— In for lunch with Kiyomi... which is nice since we haven’t seen each other much over the last few weeks.
— Groceries after lunch and home for an hour before heading back to work for the evening shift. Not a bad night with Anne-Marie and Sue in AFIS with me.
THURSDAY...
— Not feeling real good today. Aches and pains and tired. But work goes alright anyway. Short change tomorrow though... that won’t be so nice to be getting up bright and early.
FRIDAY...
— Up early for days. Not lots of sleep and I’m still feeling sort of sick. But the stats are surprisingly good for a half day work and it’s off to the Christmas luncheon at the Keg. I drive Melissa, Kiyomi and Jen there... sit with Kiyomi, Jen and Trevor... and it’s a good time.
— Home for much sleep and some TV. I wake at one point wondering how it’s 4:20 AM already... taking several seconds to realize it was 4:20 PM instead.
SATURDAY...
— Skip a surprise party I was invited to because I’m just too worn down. Some congestion, a bit of a cough, sinus aches, and really tired. I sleep through the night but still have two naps during the day as well.
The Top Hat
Laid a top hat o’r a hole
And in it I did crawl.
But when the hat they took away
There was no hole at all.
Where’d he go they all wondered.
We thought he’d be right there.
My disappearing rabbit trick
Seems to have given quite a scare.
Perhaps I’m gone to another place
A thousand miles away.
Or maybe even another time
Viewing events of some past day.
If only a hat is all it took
To travel where you dream.
You’d zip through space and time
Faster than a beam.
Where would you go if you had this hat
That would take you anywhere.
And what, if anything, would you do
Once you materialized there.
Would you redo events from another time
And hope to change your days.
Or would you go to a favourite place
To live in a peaceful haze.
But that top hat has no spell
It just lays upon your head.
This whole poem comes from a dream
I had while snug in bed.
— Quiet day to start. Watch a movie on PETA... and do some e-mails.
— Work is okay. Working with the women’s team on evening shift.
TUESDAY...
— Lots of snow today. 5 to 10 cm was predicted but I’d say we got closer to 10 to 15. Drive in was fine though... we got most of it while at work.
WEDNESDAY...
— In for lunch with Kiyomi... which is nice since we haven’t seen each other much over the last few weeks.
— Groceries after lunch and home for an hour before heading back to work for the evening shift. Not a bad night with Anne-Marie and Sue in AFIS with me.
THURSDAY...
— Not feeling real good today. Aches and pains and tired. But work goes alright anyway. Short change tomorrow though... that won’t be so nice to be getting up bright and early.
FRIDAY...
— Up early for days. Not lots of sleep and I’m still feeling sort of sick. But the stats are surprisingly good for a half day work and it’s off to the Christmas luncheon at the Keg. I drive Melissa, Kiyomi and Jen there... sit with Kiyomi, Jen and Trevor... and it’s a good time.
— Home for much sleep and some TV. I wake at one point wondering how it’s 4:20 AM already... taking several seconds to realize it was 4:20 PM instead.
SATURDAY...
— Skip a surprise party I was invited to because I’m just too worn down. Some congestion, a bit of a cough, sinus aches, and really tired. I sleep through the night but still have two naps during the day as well.
The Top Hat
Laid a top hat o’r a hole
And in it I did crawl.
But when the hat they took away
There was no hole at all.
Where’d he go they all wondered.
We thought he’d be right there.
My disappearing rabbit trick
Seems to have given quite a scare.
Perhaps I’m gone to another place
A thousand miles away.
Or maybe even another time
Viewing events of some past day.
If only a hat is all it took
To travel where you dream.
You’d zip through space and time
Faster than a beam.
Where would you go if you had this hat
That would take you anywhere.
And what, if anything, would you do
Once you materialized there.
Would you redo events from another time
And hope to change your days.
Or would you go to a favourite place
To live in a peaceful haze.
But that top hat has no spell
It just lays upon your head.
This whole poem comes from a dream
I had while snug in bed.
Sunday, December 09, 2007
Making It Up As I Go Along #297
MONDAY...
— Lots of snow. Probably close to 30 cm by the time it’s all done. Most snow fall in one shot since I’ve moved here 4 ½ years ago.
— At least, being on evening shift, I drive in with less traffic and snow clearing having been done.
— Work is quiet. Trevor, Jon and me... Scott works some OT with us as well.
TUESDAY...
— Work is okay. Nothing out of the ordinary. I get some chilli from Tim Horton’s for supper. Watch some TV before work in the morning and early afternoon. Little else.
WEDNESDAY...
— Sort of a down day at work. My stats are fine but it’s just not a great day anyway.
— Fall asleep on the sofa during a movie after work. Oh well.
THURSDAY...
— Well the last few weeks have been a bit tiresome. So I decide to take a day away today and call in a vacation day. I don’t have many to use but it seems like a day off today would be nice.
— A power outage today. Around 5:00, things shut off. Don’t know what does it but the whole neighbourhood is out. So I’m in the candle light for a little while. It comes back on at 9:00... off again at 9:30... back again just before 10:00... quite a pain!
FRIDAY...
— Work late. I stay an extra hour to add some time. I’m there by myself then... and it’s kind of nice.
SATURDAY...
— Quiet day around the house. Some UFC stuff to watch, along with a movie. Go to the movies with Karl in the evening. I finally see the Simpson’s Movie... I like it too.
The Horror’s of Winter
There are many winter things that one forgets each summer. It’s funny that you never forget about the good and bad of summer. You sit in the cold of winter and remember the bugs, the heat, and the extra hours of light.
But winter, there are things I always forget. No matter how many winters I go through, these facts slip my mind until the season hits again and I’m shocked back into my experiences.
I say shocked because that’s a large part of the pain of winter. Static electricity. It is a frightening thing! I fear it will in fact be the death of me.
Yes, the dry air brings other hassles. The inside of the nose clogs up with dryness. The skin on the forehead becomes leathery. And even a guy feels like he needs to consider a bottle of moisturizer... or moisturizing shampoo.
But it’s the jolts of electricity that brings the most fear and loathing.
I’ve battled some of this problem with night lights. LCD lights in several rooms help for a quick getting from one spot to another. I can at least keep my hand off of light switches in this regard. I’ve probably cut my light switch time back by at least 30%.
I mean forget the environment, I’m saving money on electricity because I’m too afraid of turning things on.
Too often I’ve walked into a dark room in the winter... and reached for the switch... and had a blast of blue spark jump from the wall to my fingers. I’ve danced away cursing Ben Franklin and modern technology.
I now know what it’s like to be on the electric chair... because I’ve turned on a bathroom light in an Ottawa winter.
You get it with people too. I’ve walked up to co-workers and reached to take change from them... or hand them a pencil... or tap them on the shoulder. Great bolts of light flash between us! Smoke rises and the smell of seared flesh wafts through the air. We both curse... then laugh... and go about our day.
It’s a strange thing to take a painful shock from an outlet and you swear a blue streak... but get one from another person, and you find a way to laugh about it. I guess we really do like it when others share our pain.
But whether it be through a light switch or that personal touch, by February, most people have taken so many volts that their heart’s rhythm is out of wack and their hair stands on end. It gets to a point where you’re unsure of everything. Even the simplest items, you fear touching. You’re literally shell shocked. So taking a glass from the cupboard, or a nut from a bowl, or a seat in a leather chair... any of these simple pleasures leaves you trembling with the anticipation of being lit up in Texas execution style.
And with all this electro shock therapy, the memory of the horror will be stricken from existence. And we’ll make it through the summer forgetting all about the pain of turning on a light in January. It’s how we survive. Block out the bad... and move on for a few months of peace and tranquility.
— Lots of snow. Probably close to 30 cm by the time it’s all done. Most snow fall in one shot since I’ve moved here 4 ½ years ago.
— At least, being on evening shift, I drive in with less traffic and snow clearing having been done.
— Work is quiet. Trevor, Jon and me... Scott works some OT with us as well.
TUESDAY...
— Work is okay. Nothing out of the ordinary. I get some chilli from Tim Horton’s for supper. Watch some TV before work in the morning and early afternoon. Little else.
WEDNESDAY...
— Sort of a down day at work. My stats are fine but it’s just not a great day anyway.
— Fall asleep on the sofa during a movie after work. Oh well.
THURSDAY...
— Well the last few weeks have been a bit tiresome. So I decide to take a day away today and call in a vacation day. I don’t have many to use but it seems like a day off today would be nice.
— A power outage today. Around 5:00, things shut off. Don’t know what does it but the whole neighbourhood is out. So I’m in the candle light for a little while. It comes back on at 9:00... off again at 9:30... back again just before 10:00... quite a pain!
FRIDAY...
— Work late. I stay an extra hour to add some time. I’m there by myself then... and it’s kind of nice.
SATURDAY...
— Quiet day around the house. Some UFC stuff to watch, along with a movie. Go to the movies with Karl in the evening. I finally see the Simpson’s Movie... I like it too.
The Horror’s of Winter
There are many winter things that one forgets each summer. It’s funny that you never forget about the good and bad of summer. You sit in the cold of winter and remember the bugs, the heat, and the extra hours of light.
But winter, there are things I always forget. No matter how many winters I go through, these facts slip my mind until the season hits again and I’m shocked back into my experiences.
I say shocked because that’s a large part of the pain of winter. Static electricity. It is a frightening thing! I fear it will in fact be the death of me.
Yes, the dry air brings other hassles. The inside of the nose clogs up with dryness. The skin on the forehead becomes leathery. And even a guy feels like he needs to consider a bottle of moisturizer... or moisturizing shampoo.
But it’s the jolts of electricity that brings the most fear and loathing.
I’ve battled some of this problem with night lights. LCD lights in several rooms help for a quick getting from one spot to another. I can at least keep my hand off of light switches in this regard. I’ve probably cut my light switch time back by at least 30%.
I mean forget the environment, I’m saving money on electricity because I’m too afraid of turning things on.
Too often I’ve walked into a dark room in the winter... and reached for the switch... and had a blast of blue spark jump from the wall to my fingers. I’ve danced away cursing Ben Franklin and modern technology.
I now know what it’s like to be on the electric chair... because I’ve turned on a bathroom light in an Ottawa winter.
You get it with people too. I’ve walked up to co-workers and reached to take change from them... or hand them a pencil... or tap them on the shoulder. Great bolts of light flash between us! Smoke rises and the smell of seared flesh wafts through the air. We both curse... then laugh... and go about our day.
It’s a strange thing to take a painful shock from an outlet and you swear a blue streak... but get one from another person, and you find a way to laugh about it. I guess we really do like it when others share our pain.
But whether it be through a light switch or that personal touch, by February, most people have taken so many volts that their heart’s rhythm is out of wack and their hair stands on end. It gets to a point where you’re unsure of everything. Even the simplest items, you fear touching. You’re literally shell shocked. So taking a glass from the cupboard, or a nut from a bowl, or a seat in a leather chair... any of these simple pleasures leaves you trembling with the anticipation of being lit up in Texas execution style.
And with all this electro shock therapy, the memory of the horror will be stricken from existence. And we’ll make it through the summer forgetting all about the pain of turning on a light in January. It’s how we survive. Block out the bad... and move on for a few months of peace and tranquility.
Sunday, December 02, 2007
Making It Up As I Go Along #296
MONDAY...
— Up a bit early. Well, awake a bit early anyway. So a bit tired at work today. Hang out some with Kiyomi at lunch. Hating her after her week in Mexico while we had snow.
— Leave early today to get to the dentist. Despite some sensitivity as of the last month or so, I get a clean bill of health, tooth wise, and it’s home for the evening.
TUESDAY...
— Work is okay. Meet Karl in the evening for supper and a movie. 3:10 to Yuma is quite good.
— Home in time to catch the end of the Montreal vs. Toronto hockey game. Thankfully, because it’s TSN instead of Sportsnet, Ottawa can’t black out the Leafs (petty babies). But the game is ruined going to the home run derby... or shoot out. The reason why baseball is ahead of hockey in my books now. Gimmicks aren’t given the time of day in baseball.
WEDNESDAY...
— The afternoon at work is broken up by Laura’s going away luncheon. Friday will be her last day before heading off to police college. I drive her, Megan, Michelle and Anne-Marie... we all sit together for the meal. It’s a nice time with Laura getting some presents from everyone and a couple of speeches wishing her well.
THURSDAY...
— Work is work. Eat lunch with Megan, break with Kiyomi, Jon and Mike... and today is a good example of how people affect each other. I run in to Laura in the lobby on the way out... we pause for a quick few words as we leave... and... without that pause, I would have missed Melissa coming in for the evening shift. Her arrival got Laura and I... (wait for it)... yummy sour cream and banana cupcakes!
FRIDAY...
— Laura’s last day. We say our goodbyes and I see her walk out in the afternoon with a bundle of goodies in hand, a smile and a wave. She’ll have fun learning to become a cop.
— Quiet evening at home for me. It’s been a long and tiring week.
SATURDAY...
— Around the house all day. Some TV and computer stuff. Hockey in the afternoon and evening and a couple of e-mails. It’s cold today so I stay in
Winter Fellowships
Snowstorms. Rumour has it, we’ve got a big one coming. By all reports, the next twenty-four hours should give us at least 20 cm of snow and as much as 40.
I say rumour because it seems Ottawa often gets warnings of snow and the warnings have usually been graver than the results. Yes it snows in Ottawa and I’ve driven to work on days when the snow isn’t nice. But in my four and a half years living in this city, I would yet to say I’ve been in a snowstorm. I think the most that has come down in any one event has been a shade under 20 cm. So we wait... and wonder.
You see the news now and it’s as if the entire country is blanketed in snow. Back home, where mom and dad are, there are forecasts of strong winds and 15 cm. My sister in Interior BC has upwards of 20 cm scheduled too. And Whistler, where my now former co-worker, Laura, is supposed to vacation at the end of the week... 15 cm as well. My guess is that, by in large, only those at Whistler are overly excited by this. And Laura’s excitement will likely be tempered until her plane actually touches down in BC and she makes her way to skiing bliss.
If we do get dumped on here in Ottawa, all I can be thankful for is that I’m on evening shift. Getting in the car and driving to work at 6:20 in the morning is hard enough on a summer day. Having to go out earlier still, in order to scrap the car off and heat it up... and then deal with traffic mayhem... that’s torturous.
From a traffic point of view, I figure 5 cm of snow in Ottawa equals about 15 cm in St. John’s. Lightly drifting flakes hitting the ground with postcard like imagery cause traffic snarls around this city that make me cry to just ponder. Already this year I’ve twice taken 45 minutes to make the 15 minute drive to work. Ottawa drivers are petrified of weather.
So with the evening shift, at least sleep can still be had in the morning. And there will be plenty of time to go and clean off the car before leaving. And the traffic will be greatly reduced.
It all makes me think of the differences in cities when storms hit. Ottawa, as I’ve said, has major traffic problems with the most minute amount of snow falling. And Toronto will never... and should never... live down the embarrassment of calling the army to help clean up after a storm.
Vancouver comes to a stand still with less than 5 cm of snow on the ground. This one is somewhat more understood though. This is a city that doesn’t get very many snow events and there are only a few machines capable of sanding/salting or plowing the streets of the city.
St. John’s is perhaps the most fun city to be, that I know of, when a storm hits. In the suburbs, people will wander the streets with shovel on shoulder in soldier like fashion. Just out on patrol to see who they’ll run in to and who they can help.
In the downtown part of the city, life continues on much as if the weather was fine. People just leave cars abandoned on the sides of the streets and they venture out by foot. The problem with this can be icy conditions and steep hills. Downtown St. John’s is all very hilly and if you live at the top of the hill but want to get to places that are situated at the bottom... well good luck dealing with the ice.
For those who haven’t been to downtown St. John’s in the winter... sidewalks are an afterthought. There’s no room for street snow to be pushed out of they way, so forget the sidewalks. Pedestrians take the road.
I once had to walk down a hill as if I was skiing it... very... very... slowly. I walked in a two o’clock direction for five feet... cut back and walked towards ten o’clock for another five feet... and so on... and so on. The zig zag down the hill will get you to where you want to. No speed records will be had, but if it’s a night out at a bar you crave, you will be drinking in one piece.
In fact, getting to the downtown bars on a stormy night in St. John’s, is half of the fun of the night. On one of my occasions where I’ve zig zagged down a slippery slope, I did it with a group of ten friends after a few hours socializing at my place.
These times had bar hopping more like an expedition. We would be a fellowship, just as there for each other as that group of elves, dwarves and hobbits in those big Hollywood movies.
One of the downtown men would lead the way. Some guy just in from the suburbs would be useless... he’d try to bomb the hill in a straight line and the whole group of us could wind up bobbing in the harbour (for those unfamiliar with St. John’s, the harbour is what comes at the very bottom of the funnel like physical make up of downtown St. John’s). So it would be a guy who knows his way around the narrow and hilly streets.
A second guy would follow. He’d also usually be living in the downtown area and he’s the one who would try to keep the mood light while the leader maps out the course.
After the second man, a group of three or four women would follow. The light hearted second would, while trying to distract the group with humour, keep an eye on this group of women, ready to pounce in case one of them lost her footing and began to slide and roll into the harboury abys.
Beyond this group of women, would be another pair of men. They carry out much the same type of duties as the lead men... the second unit if you will. As there’s another group of women shuffling along a few feet behind this pair as well.
The suburb guys bring up the rear. They’re usually oblivious to the duties of the more important men and they ramble on about shoveling driveways, putting up Christmas lights, or projects that are ongoing in the basement of their suburban castles. They follow the pack blindly as they talk. If this was Lord of the Rings, these are the guys that would be stomped by living trees or eaten by horse like wolves, or stabbed by giant spiders.
And at the bottom of the hill, it’s a straight walk on safe ground to a favourite watering hole. The snow is whipping around outside. The windows are blocked with frost and ice. The wind rattles window panes and puffs in cold when other venturers open the outer door. And the group is cozy inside, sipping on Guinness and laughing amongst friends.
— Up a bit early. Well, awake a bit early anyway. So a bit tired at work today. Hang out some with Kiyomi at lunch. Hating her after her week in Mexico while we had snow.
— Leave early today to get to the dentist. Despite some sensitivity as of the last month or so, I get a clean bill of health, tooth wise, and it’s home for the evening.
TUESDAY...
— Work is okay. Meet Karl in the evening for supper and a movie. 3:10 to Yuma is quite good.
— Home in time to catch the end of the Montreal vs. Toronto hockey game. Thankfully, because it’s TSN instead of Sportsnet, Ottawa can’t black out the Leafs (petty babies). But the game is ruined going to the home run derby... or shoot out. The reason why baseball is ahead of hockey in my books now. Gimmicks aren’t given the time of day in baseball.
WEDNESDAY...
— The afternoon at work is broken up by Laura’s going away luncheon. Friday will be her last day before heading off to police college. I drive her, Megan, Michelle and Anne-Marie... we all sit together for the meal. It’s a nice time with Laura getting some presents from everyone and a couple of speeches wishing her well.
THURSDAY...
— Work is work. Eat lunch with Megan, break with Kiyomi, Jon and Mike... and today is a good example of how people affect each other. I run in to Laura in the lobby on the way out... we pause for a quick few words as we leave... and... without that pause, I would have missed Melissa coming in for the evening shift. Her arrival got Laura and I... (wait for it)... yummy sour cream and banana cupcakes!
FRIDAY...
— Laura’s last day. We say our goodbyes and I see her walk out in the afternoon with a bundle of goodies in hand, a smile and a wave. She’ll have fun learning to become a cop.
— Quiet evening at home for me. It’s been a long and tiring week.
SATURDAY...
— Around the house all day. Some TV and computer stuff. Hockey in the afternoon and evening and a couple of e-mails. It’s cold today so I stay in
Winter Fellowships
Snowstorms. Rumour has it, we’ve got a big one coming. By all reports, the next twenty-four hours should give us at least 20 cm of snow and as much as 40.
I say rumour because it seems Ottawa often gets warnings of snow and the warnings have usually been graver than the results. Yes it snows in Ottawa and I’ve driven to work on days when the snow isn’t nice. But in my four and a half years living in this city, I would yet to say I’ve been in a snowstorm. I think the most that has come down in any one event has been a shade under 20 cm. So we wait... and wonder.
You see the news now and it’s as if the entire country is blanketed in snow. Back home, where mom and dad are, there are forecasts of strong winds and 15 cm. My sister in Interior BC has upwards of 20 cm scheduled too. And Whistler, where my now former co-worker, Laura, is supposed to vacation at the end of the week... 15 cm as well. My guess is that, by in large, only those at Whistler are overly excited by this. And Laura’s excitement will likely be tempered until her plane actually touches down in BC and she makes her way to skiing bliss.
If we do get dumped on here in Ottawa, all I can be thankful for is that I’m on evening shift. Getting in the car and driving to work at 6:20 in the morning is hard enough on a summer day. Having to go out earlier still, in order to scrap the car off and heat it up... and then deal with traffic mayhem... that’s torturous.
From a traffic point of view, I figure 5 cm of snow in Ottawa equals about 15 cm in St. John’s. Lightly drifting flakes hitting the ground with postcard like imagery cause traffic snarls around this city that make me cry to just ponder. Already this year I’ve twice taken 45 minutes to make the 15 minute drive to work. Ottawa drivers are petrified of weather.
So with the evening shift, at least sleep can still be had in the morning. And there will be plenty of time to go and clean off the car before leaving. And the traffic will be greatly reduced.
It all makes me think of the differences in cities when storms hit. Ottawa, as I’ve said, has major traffic problems with the most minute amount of snow falling. And Toronto will never... and should never... live down the embarrassment of calling the army to help clean up after a storm.
Vancouver comes to a stand still with less than 5 cm of snow on the ground. This one is somewhat more understood though. This is a city that doesn’t get very many snow events and there are only a few machines capable of sanding/salting or plowing the streets of the city.
St. John’s is perhaps the most fun city to be, that I know of, when a storm hits. In the suburbs, people will wander the streets with shovel on shoulder in soldier like fashion. Just out on patrol to see who they’ll run in to and who they can help.
In the downtown part of the city, life continues on much as if the weather was fine. People just leave cars abandoned on the sides of the streets and they venture out by foot. The problem with this can be icy conditions and steep hills. Downtown St. John’s is all very hilly and if you live at the top of the hill but want to get to places that are situated at the bottom... well good luck dealing with the ice.
For those who haven’t been to downtown St. John’s in the winter... sidewalks are an afterthought. There’s no room for street snow to be pushed out of they way, so forget the sidewalks. Pedestrians take the road.
I once had to walk down a hill as if I was skiing it... very... very... slowly. I walked in a two o’clock direction for five feet... cut back and walked towards ten o’clock for another five feet... and so on... and so on. The zig zag down the hill will get you to where you want to. No speed records will be had, but if it’s a night out at a bar you crave, you will be drinking in one piece.
In fact, getting to the downtown bars on a stormy night in St. John’s, is half of the fun of the night. On one of my occasions where I’ve zig zagged down a slippery slope, I did it with a group of ten friends after a few hours socializing at my place.
These times had bar hopping more like an expedition. We would be a fellowship, just as there for each other as that group of elves, dwarves and hobbits in those big Hollywood movies.
One of the downtown men would lead the way. Some guy just in from the suburbs would be useless... he’d try to bomb the hill in a straight line and the whole group of us could wind up bobbing in the harbour (for those unfamiliar with St. John’s, the harbour is what comes at the very bottom of the funnel like physical make up of downtown St. John’s). So it would be a guy who knows his way around the narrow and hilly streets.
A second guy would follow. He’d also usually be living in the downtown area and he’s the one who would try to keep the mood light while the leader maps out the course.
After the second man, a group of three or four women would follow. The light hearted second would, while trying to distract the group with humour, keep an eye on this group of women, ready to pounce in case one of them lost her footing and began to slide and roll into the harboury abys.
Beyond this group of women, would be another pair of men. They carry out much the same type of duties as the lead men... the second unit if you will. As there’s another group of women shuffling along a few feet behind this pair as well.
The suburb guys bring up the rear. They’re usually oblivious to the duties of the more important men and they ramble on about shoveling driveways, putting up Christmas lights, or projects that are ongoing in the basement of their suburban castles. They follow the pack blindly as they talk. If this was Lord of the Rings, these are the guys that would be stomped by living trees or eaten by horse like wolves, or stabbed by giant spiders.
And at the bottom of the hill, it’s a straight walk on safe ground to a favourite watering hole. The snow is whipping around outside. The windows are blocked with frost and ice. The wind rattles window panes and puffs in cold when other venturers open the outer door. And the group is cozy inside, sipping on Guinness and laughing amongst friends.
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