Okay today is 29 May 2009 and 50 years ago today the world at large found out about Americans shooting monkeys up into space.
Friday, May 29, 2009
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
running around and waiting.
Okay today is May 26, 2009 and while some would say it's a Tuesday I would also say it's the birthday of George Formby, Jr., John Wayne, Miles Davis, and Pam Grier while also the anniversary of the death of Waldo Semon the inventor of Vinyl.
So my weekend was spent running around and waiting. To begin on Saturday morning I got up early had breakfast and was out of the house to be tenth in line for the Opening of the new Hot Oven Bakery at Royal York on Bloor Street. Oh there is nothing like the smell of a fresh bakery in the morning in just makes the mouth drool savouring the taste in the air. Even better on a Saturday morning if you are there at 7am there is no meter run on the parking till 9am so that's a relief on the cost there. I was there to buy three or more croissants and some empire cookies and of course get the free baguette & free reusable shopping bag. Well they gave me the baguette right away and served me my over priced but very delicious croissants and the over priced empire cookies and then they asked if I needed a bag for it and waving the advert from the newspaper I said "what about the free reusable shopping bag, I see some over there and there." Well the gal behind the counter went and asked the manager and then came back and said they were saving that for later since they only got one box of them. So if I purchased one it would cost how much? to which she replied 99 cents to which I replied but won't that cut into your supply and the girl behind the counter says "I would guess so." Hmmm. Pay money for something that is susposed to be free or let it go. I replied I would be back later and left with my goodies in a plastic bag. They were nice and friendly and most of the goodies were very tasty except the baguette was tough, dry, and overdone with butter and flour. I wonder if that was why the baguette was free? They won't get much repeat business from me in the future that's for sure.
So onwards I get back home by 720am so I can take Mum out to Walmart & SDM so she can shop for some personal hygene products (toothbrush, toothpaste, toothbrush holder, deoderant) and a couple of new alarm clocks. I get back and Mum has no get up and go. She has cancelled her plans and wants to know if I have time for the groceries. No Mum I have time for you then groceries later in the day. So while she spends and hour pulling apart and devouring a croissant Dad flakes out on one couch and I on the other while I wait for 9am to go get brother Paul.
Paul and I are going all the way across the top of Toronto to the CTV Open House to Save Local TV by getting a cut of the Cable and Satellite Carrier fees. This was something that was introduced in the initial compilation of satelite services in the end of the 1980's and early 1990's and had been addressed by the CRTC as unwarranted because the Local TV broudcasts over the antennas. Who ever foresaw the end of antenna broadcasting? Well actually Ted Rogers once did in the end of the 1990's when he was worried about Bell moving into carry signals on the phone lines and move into a susposedly deregulated cable industry. His was a foreshadowing seen more than a decade earlier by the wonderful head of McLean-Hunter Cableservices when they saw people getting VCR's with their own cable converter boxes. Well i guess the bigwigs knew enough to cut the Local guys out before they could get in on the ground floor and just automatically get paid for what is basically free. Enough of the history of TV service providers and the way they rip off the consumers. So I pick Paul up from his home and we no sooner pull out than I have to get gas. I pull into the Sunnocco on Martin Grove and Burnahamthorpe. A great place to pull out of and horrible to pull into. Anyways I fill up with $40.05 worth of 89 Petrol and the bro plays dumb the entire time. We ride olong the 427 to eastbound 401 all the way to McCowan. I switch radio stations a few times and have the windows down so the drive passes by relatively uneventful. He is amazed at how quick it was there about 40 minute drive and that there is relatively no security. A cop at the lights and another at the gate and a volunteers almost everywhere. We park in back next to the satelite dishes and read the names on the parking spaces all over the lot. The first pseudo celeb we saw was at the meeting table signing here autgraph on every card she could Miss Paula Todd. Yes I barely recall her either. Anyways we get a lanyard and a piece of paper that is suposed to be an autograph card. Paul and I proceed in to the campus and he decides to go to the portojohnny while I get a free temp tattoo that reads "I Heart CTV" Well of course I do after they gutted City TV and hogged great shows like the CSI's and the Law & Order's and the Monday comedy nighters. The only other choices are Global and the Yankees or the interNet. Half of City TV is now reality schlock as is Global and CHCH sorry E Channel! Back to the event. The tattoo started to deteriate the moment I put my hand in my pocket to get a change of batteries. Next up while we stood in line I had my picture taken with the Grey Cup and inside their news helicopter. The people were as pushy as me but as slow in their decision making as George Bush Jr over his two terms. Back in the line-up for the studio tour me and Paul met Tom Brown the weatherman then 15 minutes later we got the studio tour from the assistant news producer. Too bad I can't remember her name and she seemed camera shy. Anyways we got to see the Discovery Channel set with Jay Ingram and his co-host of the moment. Then it was onto the massive TSN set which is 15 years old and actually 7 to 15 sets. The studio space used to host such shows as the Uncle Bobby Show, Bizarre with John Byner, The Dini Petty Show, and of course the Canadian version of the Labour Day Muscular Distrophy Telethon for Jerry Lewis Kids. There I met Chris Sprouse (and four years with the Dallas Cowboys and four years with the Argos) one of the nicest celebs around and Vic who was very knowledgeable about the history (the only one on the tour BTW). From there it was to the Canada AM Soundstage where the music acts perform in the morning and across from them the CTV Local News and weather (Now in HD). Oddly the teleprompters called viewers autoscripter changed from dead air to news of the CAW and GM / Chrysler deal. All those new desks and stair cases lead to no where. The old plexiglass wall from Dave Duvall's days was retired when he left. That explains why I thought the seven day weather graphics looked familiar they took them from CITY TV. We saw the signs and doors that say "Do not enter when RED LIGHT is FLASHING" and the actual Red Light which was not flashing and then we saw a corridor with import roving reporter Brad Giffen who pent years at City, Global, Utah, and the last six years here in CTV at the corner of Studios 2 & 35. Most places like make up were sealed off and we had to wait for one tour to leave before we saw Lloyd Robertsons dest only the previous group got to see Lloyd from the National News. The area from the Newsdesk is real in the background. Unfortunately we could not go beyond or sit at the actual Newsdesk. from there down another hall along a ramp and the Canada AM Kitchen then Canada AM Set which is really seven sets in one. I got my picture taken with Marci from Canada Am who was gripped by little old lady who would not let go of her hand and would not stop about Marci's wardrobe which is partially from Joe Fresh from Loblaw. The little old lady did not know Joe Fresh from Loblaw which made me think this was a group outing from the old age home. From there it was out the door for the end of the tour. Me and Paul waited half an hour to go into one of their transmission trucks only to leave a minute later to escape the speil about how the Cable and Satellite companies are ripping off the Local TV companies. After getting past Tom Brown's weather Forecaster mini-van we started towards the stage and the deluge of news celebs like Austin Delaney, Carribana dancers, after a forty minute wait Adam Grove in the Cash Cab (free T-Shirt), Traci Melchor who has bloomed since the Electric Circus days, Lloyd Robertson who seemed to sign only for the ladies, then three of the lesser characters from Flashpoint, and Karen from Corner Gas, Daina Levinson, Anwar Knight, Bill Hutchinson, Lisa LaFlamme, Paul Bliss, David Duvall in his kilt, Daren Jones of MTV Canada, Dan Levy and his co-host from the After Show, and an end of the day when they started to bring out Degrassi Kids like Todd. I was starting to look like security to some people with my large pressence, black shirt, and booming voice that allowed the pseudo celebs to get through the crowd by saying "Okay people make a hole here let the people through!" When Paul got tired and said let's go now I went because Iwas a) tired too, b) winding down, and c) told people we had to go because Paul was my ride which was a lie. Paul had four hotdogs all free and everytime I went for some of the free pizza slices they had run out. It was a long day and I was starting to get sleepy on the drive home. Well first to Blockbuster at Six Points so Paul could rent Paul Blart Mall Cop for him and Mary Anne. he was actually asleep on the way home too. From there I got him home then I got home.
After a quick bite to eat, an hour nap, I was out of the house again to get the groceries. First No- Frills, then Basics, then Metro and Home Sweet Home. Makes me tired just thinking about it.
Mark calls from the hotel and asks for one time to pick up and then another later. A quick check of the news to see if anyone I know like myself was on it and instead it was right off to Slumberland. That was Saturday.
Sunday was up early again, do a little cooking for Dad, surfing the net for myself, and out the door to get Mark out of the Hotel. Well after a few wrong turns and told I should go to his hotel roomI go there right when I should while he was finishing his breakfast from room service. While he tidied up and finished eating and packing he watch Spider-man on the TV. We took everything down to the van then checked out and made one final rounds around the hotel before I took him over to the Toronto Congress Centre for the convention. While we gaped at all the cosplay and waited for the multiple ice cream trucks, I went along over to Harveys for their free original Hamburger Day. Half an hour in line I had a $3.98 spent on a Veggie Burger and a free lettuce and tomatoe original burger for mum. When I unpacked it at home Mum started towards hers when Dad asked where was his. He had said earlier he didn't want one now he did so Mum gave him hers. No one wanted my Veggie Burger which lasted like they grilled it with packets of Pepper rubbed in. From there I tried my fifth time to send my photos to Facebook of the days events. To date it still hasn't worked. Anyways after another little nap and more surfing the net I went to pick Mark up from the hotel and bring him home for the night. Wait after seeing more cosplay vandals we went past the RCMP to get on the highway to take Mark not directly Home but to Loblaw so he could get some pictures printed. After that we did get home where I had to make a nice burger for him and while he finished his salad, I went to talk with Joanne the neighbour which wandered aimlessly for a couple of hours. After that I was tired of trying to get Dad's e-mail to accept a document for Camp Goodyear map directions for some cub parents. Tonight I found they are thinking of merging with the 333rd's camp instead so that was useless.
Yesterday I did the laundry as I had three days previous and tried to proof some more of Dad's files to send out. That and pick-up and drop offs for Mark at work and just catching up with Mum. Oh and another dinner for Mark.
Now I am getting tired of my day so far where I searched for Mum's jar of Kraft Real Mayo that took me from Loblaw, to Fortino's, to Price Chopper, to No-Frills, to Metro. Towards the end I got to the Mailbox and the P.O.Box and saw the people at Metro tearing down the old Dominion Clock Tower. The security Guard could not tell me if it was all coming down or if they were just replacing the D for dominion. I said it was an Etobicoke Icon over 40 years old; it would be a shame to disappear forever.
Well that tires me out just thinking about it so good night everyone see you another time.
So my weekend was spent running around and waiting. To begin on Saturday morning I got up early had breakfast and was out of the house to be tenth in line for the Opening of the new Hot Oven Bakery at Royal York on Bloor Street. Oh there is nothing like the smell of a fresh bakery in the morning in just makes the mouth drool savouring the taste in the air. Even better on a Saturday morning if you are there at 7am there is no meter run on the parking till 9am so that's a relief on the cost there. I was there to buy three or more croissants and some empire cookies and of course get the free baguette & free reusable shopping bag. Well they gave me the baguette right away and served me my over priced but very delicious croissants and the over priced empire cookies and then they asked if I needed a bag for it and waving the advert from the newspaper I said "what about the free reusable shopping bag, I see some over there and there." Well the gal behind the counter went and asked the manager and then came back and said they were saving that for later since they only got one box of them. So if I purchased one it would cost how much? to which she replied 99 cents to which I replied but won't that cut into your supply and the girl behind the counter says "I would guess so." Hmmm. Pay money for something that is susposed to be free or let it go. I replied I would be back later and left with my goodies in a plastic bag. They were nice and friendly and most of the goodies were very tasty except the baguette was tough, dry, and overdone with butter and flour. I wonder if that was why the baguette was free? They won't get much repeat business from me in the future that's for sure.
So onwards I get back home by 720am so I can take Mum out to Walmart & SDM so she can shop for some personal hygene products (toothbrush, toothpaste, toothbrush holder, deoderant) and a couple of new alarm clocks. I get back and Mum has no get up and go. She has cancelled her plans and wants to know if I have time for the groceries. No Mum I have time for you then groceries later in the day. So while she spends and hour pulling apart and devouring a croissant Dad flakes out on one couch and I on the other while I wait for 9am to go get brother Paul.
Paul and I are going all the way across the top of Toronto to the CTV Open House to Save Local TV by getting a cut of the Cable and Satellite Carrier fees. This was something that was introduced in the initial compilation of satelite services in the end of the 1980's and early 1990's and had been addressed by the CRTC as unwarranted because the Local TV broudcasts over the antennas. Who ever foresaw the end of antenna broadcasting? Well actually Ted Rogers once did in the end of the 1990's when he was worried about Bell moving into carry signals on the phone lines and move into a susposedly deregulated cable industry. His was a foreshadowing seen more than a decade earlier by the wonderful head of McLean-Hunter Cableservices when they saw people getting VCR's with their own cable converter boxes. Well i guess the bigwigs knew enough to cut the Local guys out before they could get in on the ground floor and just automatically get paid for what is basically free. Enough of the history of TV service providers and the way they rip off the consumers. So I pick Paul up from his home and we no sooner pull out than I have to get gas. I pull into the Sunnocco on Martin Grove and Burnahamthorpe. A great place to pull out of and horrible to pull into. Anyways I fill up with $40.05 worth of 89 Petrol and the bro plays dumb the entire time. We ride olong the 427 to eastbound 401 all the way to McCowan. I switch radio stations a few times and have the windows down so the drive passes by relatively uneventful. He is amazed at how quick it was there about 40 minute drive and that there is relatively no security. A cop at the lights and another at the gate and a volunteers almost everywhere. We park in back next to the satelite dishes and read the names on the parking spaces all over the lot. The first pseudo celeb we saw was at the meeting table signing here autgraph on every card she could Miss Paula Todd. Yes I barely recall her either. Anyways we get a lanyard and a piece of paper that is suposed to be an autograph card. Paul and I proceed in to the campus and he decides to go to the portojohnny while I get a free temp tattoo that reads "I Heart CTV" Well of course I do after they gutted City TV and hogged great shows like the CSI's and the Law & Order's and the Monday comedy nighters. The only other choices are Global and the Yankees or the interNet. Half of City TV is now reality schlock as is Global and CHCH sorry E Channel! Back to the event. The tattoo started to deteriate the moment I put my hand in my pocket to get a change of batteries. Next up while we stood in line I had my picture taken with the Grey Cup and inside their news helicopter. The people were as pushy as me but as slow in their decision making as George Bush Jr over his two terms. Back in the line-up for the studio tour me and Paul met Tom Brown the weatherman then 15 minutes later we got the studio tour from the assistant news producer. Too bad I can't remember her name and she seemed camera shy. Anyways we got to see the Discovery Channel set with Jay Ingram and his co-host of the moment. Then it was onto the massive TSN set which is 15 years old and actually 7 to 15 sets. The studio space used to host such shows as the Uncle Bobby Show, Bizarre with John Byner, The Dini Petty Show, and of course the Canadian version of the Labour Day Muscular Distrophy Telethon for Jerry Lewis Kids. There I met Chris Sprouse (and four years with the Dallas Cowboys and four years with the Argos) one of the nicest celebs around and Vic who was very knowledgeable about the history (the only one on the tour BTW). From there it was to the Canada AM Soundstage where the music acts perform in the morning and across from them the CTV Local News and weather (Now in HD). Oddly the teleprompters called viewers autoscripter changed from dead air to news of the CAW and GM / Chrysler deal. All those new desks and stair cases lead to no where. The old plexiglass wall from Dave Duvall's days was retired when he left. That explains why I thought the seven day weather graphics looked familiar they took them from CITY TV. We saw the signs and doors that say "Do not enter when RED LIGHT is FLASHING" and the actual Red Light which was not flashing and then we saw a corridor with import roving reporter Brad Giffen who pent years at City, Global, Utah, and the last six years here in CTV at the corner of Studios 2 & 35. Most places like make up were sealed off and we had to wait for one tour to leave before we saw Lloyd Robertsons dest only the previous group got to see Lloyd from the National News. The area from the Newsdesk is real in the background. Unfortunately we could not go beyond or sit at the actual Newsdesk. from there down another hall along a ramp and the Canada AM Kitchen then Canada AM Set which is really seven sets in one. I got my picture taken with Marci from Canada Am who was gripped by little old lady who would not let go of her hand and would not stop about Marci's wardrobe which is partially from Joe Fresh from Loblaw. The little old lady did not know Joe Fresh from Loblaw which made me think this was a group outing from the old age home. From there it was out the door for the end of the tour. Me and Paul waited half an hour to go into one of their transmission trucks only to leave a minute later to escape the speil about how the Cable and Satellite companies are ripping off the Local TV companies. After getting past Tom Brown's weather Forecaster mini-van we started towards the stage and the deluge of news celebs like Austin Delaney, Carribana dancers, after a forty minute wait Adam Grove in the Cash Cab (free T-Shirt), Traci Melchor who has bloomed since the Electric Circus days, Lloyd Robertson who seemed to sign only for the ladies, then three of the lesser characters from Flashpoint, and Karen from Corner Gas, Daina Levinson, Anwar Knight, Bill Hutchinson, Lisa LaFlamme, Paul Bliss, David Duvall in his kilt, Daren Jones of MTV Canada, Dan Levy and his co-host from the After Show, and an end of the day when they started to bring out Degrassi Kids like Todd. I was starting to look like security to some people with my large pressence, black shirt, and booming voice that allowed the pseudo celebs to get through the crowd by saying "Okay people make a hole here let the people through!" When Paul got tired and said let's go now I went because Iwas a) tired too, b) winding down, and c) told people we had to go because Paul was my ride which was a lie. Paul had four hotdogs all free and everytime I went for some of the free pizza slices they had run out. It was a long day and I was starting to get sleepy on the drive home. Well first to Blockbuster at Six Points so Paul could rent Paul Blart Mall Cop for him and Mary Anne. he was actually asleep on the way home too. From there I got him home then I got home.
After a quick bite to eat, an hour nap, I was out of the house again to get the groceries. First No- Frills, then Basics, then Metro and Home Sweet Home. Makes me tired just thinking about it.
Mark calls from the hotel and asks for one time to pick up and then another later. A quick check of the news to see if anyone I know like myself was on it and instead it was right off to Slumberland. That was Saturday.
Sunday was up early again, do a little cooking for Dad, surfing the net for myself, and out the door to get Mark out of the Hotel. Well after a few wrong turns and told I should go to his hotel roomI go there right when I should while he was finishing his breakfast from room service. While he tidied up and finished eating and packing he watch Spider-man on the TV. We took everything down to the van then checked out and made one final rounds around the hotel before I took him over to the Toronto Congress Centre for the convention. While we gaped at all the cosplay and waited for the multiple ice cream trucks, I went along over to Harveys for their free original Hamburger Day. Half an hour in line I had a $3.98 spent on a Veggie Burger and a free lettuce and tomatoe original burger for mum. When I unpacked it at home Mum started towards hers when Dad asked where was his. He had said earlier he didn't want one now he did so Mum gave him hers. No one wanted my Veggie Burger which lasted like they grilled it with packets of Pepper rubbed in. From there I tried my fifth time to send my photos to Facebook of the days events. To date it still hasn't worked. Anyways after another little nap and more surfing the net I went to pick Mark up from the hotel and bring him home for the night. Wait after seeing more cosplay vandals we went past the RCMP to get on the highway to take Mark not directly Home but to Loblaw so he could get some pictures printed. After that we did get home where I had to make a nice burger for him and while he finished his salad, I went to talk with Joanne the neighbour which wandered aimlessly for a couple of hours. After that I was tired of trying to get Dad's e-mail to accept a document for Camp Goodyear map directions for some cub parents. Tonight I found they are thinking of merging with the 333rd's camp instead so that was useless.
Yesterday I did the laundry as I had three days previous and tried to proof some more of Dad's files to send out. That and pick-up and drop offs for Mark at work and just catching up with Mum. Oh and another dinner for Mark.
Now I am getting tired of my day so far where I searched for Mum's jar of Kraft Real Mayo that took me from Loblaw, to Fortino's, to Price Chopper, to No-Frills, to Metro. Towards the end I got to the Mailbox and the P.O.Box and saw the people at Metro tearing down the old Dominion Clock Tower. The security Guard could not tell me if it was all coming down or if they were just replacing the D for dominion. I said it was an Etobicoke Icon over 40 years old; it would be a shame to disappear forever.
Well that tires me out just thinking about it so good night everyone see you another time.
Friday, May 22, 2009
riding around migh as well run...
Okay today is the 22 May 2009 and the anniversary of the final appearance of Johnny Carson on the Tonight Show. It's also Doors Open Weekend, Anime North, Carasauga, dozens of community plant or Garage or Rumage or Yard sales, Worldwide D & D Day, Save Local TV open houses at CTV & A Channel Stations, and the Grand Opening of a new Hot Oven Bakery at Royal York on Bloor Street. Not to mention that Sunday is free hamburger day at Harvey's Restaurants and Monday is Columbus Day. Yesterday the actual date of Christopher Columbus birth was also Tim Horton's Free Ice Coffe Day. I got mine. The second one sucked.
Okay yesterday started early as usual with Mum having Dad take her down to St. Joeseph's Hospital for a few scan tests. He took the Plymouth so he could get her there easier. I took Dad's Ford to get Mark to work because the tyke didn't want to walk. Anyways Mum was running late so Dad dropped her off at emergency and parked it and then instead of waiting for her at Emergency like she asked he tried to find her in the hospital and he waited and waited and waited. In the wrong waiting area. So when Mum got out of her scans and test and she went looking for Dad and couldn't find him and he had his phone turned off because it's in a hospital and he wasn't by the Emergency like she told him to be so after an hours wait she called me as I was about to leave for the day on my own. So being the dutiful available son that I am not actually on the job site like the other two were I called in and took Dad's van an Econoline E150 with extra springs added to make the tank operate like a 250 along the highway over to Jamieson up to King St along to Ronscellvilles over to Queensway and following an ambulance up to the Emergency of St. Joseph's Hospital. Where I was told to quickly move it or I would get a ticket. Specifically the female ambulance driver said "Move it the Hell Out of Here or we'll tow it!" So I pulled out and circled around again. And I circled around a third time finally with Mum out front so I could pick her up. We tried to call Dad again to get a recording. We took the long way back home along the Queensway where we saw some of the sights and past the Ikea and Repo Depo and I took her to the Weston Bakeries Warehouse Outlet. She tired herself out at the place and indulged in some cakes, turnovers, and buns all at ridiculously low prices. Well after there we went over to the Timmie's on the Queensway to get the free Ice Coffee which she slowly sipped on the rest of the way home. We asked for three saying Pops was asleep in the back and they eventually believed us. Pops on the other hand picked up one at the Timmies on the West Mall. He thought it was watered down coffee flavoured milk. Mum let the other one melt so much that when she went to drink it 3 hours after we got home she said drink it or dump it but she didn't want it anymore. Dad beat us home but he took the highway and did not spend anytime at a Bread outlet. Mum was freaking peeved at him but she was also too tired from the journey to say too much. After a few hours of her fuming we let things drop. So I finally got back home after a few other things about 435pm only to be told I had to pick Mark up from work and chaueffer him around. Five minutes later and I get a call from Paul saying can he go with me to the CTV Open House on Saturday. So with Mum's edging I say Okay. Yeah more gas bills.
Well with that I picked up Mark at 5 at Loblaw and we went to Cloverdale to pick up his Tax Forms, then Metro for some snacks for his game at Anime North, and Rob's at Excalibur Comics for the weeklys, then up to the Doubletree Hotel to preregister for Anime North, then the Toronto Congress Centre to scope out the events, then home for dinner. Well his dinner at least. I fried him up a little Steakum with thin slices of Polish Kolbasa sausage, fried onions, two slices of tomatoe, and lettuce on a seasame bun topped with a gherkin pickle and a bottle of Dad's Old Time Rootbeer. Of course he gets a side salad with cheese and croutons to help with the roughage but still he demanded I make him his dinner. When did I become either his manservant or his wife? Even his mother refused to make him dinner.
Oh BTW Mum is fine we will find out the results of the testing at the doctors next month. Well she will I don't really wnat to know the details.
So what's next? Well today I took Mark to work, shifted the bags for packing for Anime North, made him Breakfast and Lunch, picked him up from work, took him home, shifted the rest of his bags to the van, took him to the hotel, shifted the bags to his room, took 80 pictures of his room at the hotel, and went home to rest. After that we had me finish this post and moved on.
My brain has been ver eratic today and I have had problems with longterm concentration. In one case I went to make a glass of chocolate milk and tried to do it with a fork not the traditional spoon. In another case I was doing sums and I forgot to carry a 3 ruining the results. I think I can't think because of the anticipation involved. Good night everyone.
Okay yesterday started early as usual with Mum having Dad take her down to St. Joeseph's Hospital for a few scan tests. He took the Plymouth so he could get her there easier. I took Dad's Ford to get Mark to work because the tyke didn't want to walk. Anyways Mum was running late so Dad dropped her off at emergency and parked it and then instead of waiting for her at Emergency like she asked he tried to find her in the hospital and he waited and waited and waited. In the wrong waiting area. So when Mum got out of her scans and test and she went looking for Dad and couldn't find him and he had his phone turned off because it's in a hospital and he wasn't by the Emergency like she told him to be so after an hours wait she called me as I was about to leave for the day on my own. So being the dutiful available son that I am not actually on the job site like the other two were I called in and took Dad's van an Econoline E150 with extra springs added to make the tank operate like a 250 along the highway over to Jamieson up to King St along to Ronscellvilles over to Queensway and following an ambulance up to the Emergency of St. Joseph's Hospital. Where I was told to quickly move it or I would get a ticket. Specifically the female ambulance driver said "Move it the Hell Out of Here or we'll tow it!" So I pulled out and circled around again. And I circled around a third time finally with Mum out front so I could pick her up. We tried to call Dad again to get a recording. We took the long way back home along the Queensway where we saw some of the sights and past the Ikea and Repo Depo and I took her to the Weston Bakeries Warehouse Outlet. She tired herself out at the place and indulged in some cakes, turnovers, and buns all at ridiculously low prices. Well after there we went over to the Timmie's on the Queensway to get the free Ice Coffee which she slowly sipped on the rest of the way home. We asked for three saying Pops was asleep in the back and they eventually believed us. Pops on the other hand picked up one at the Timmies on the West Mall. He thought it was watered down coffee flavoured milk. Mum let the other one melt so much that when she went to drink it 3 hours after we got home she said drink it or dump it but she didn't want it anymore. Dad beat us home but he took the highway and did not spend anytime at a Bread outlet. Mum was freaking peeved at him but she was also too tired from the journey to say too much. After a few hours of her fuming we let things drop. So I finally got back home after a few other things about 435pm only to be told I had to pick Mark up from work and chaueffer him around. Five minutes later and I get a call from Paul saying can he go with me to the CTV Open House on Saturday. So with Mum's edging I say Okay. Yeah more gas bills.
Well with that I picked up Mark at 5 at Loblaw and we went to Cloverdale to pick up his Tax Forms, then Metro for some snacks for his game at Anime North, and Rob's at Excalibur Comics for the weeklys, then up to the Doubletree Hotel to preregister for Anime North, then the Toronto Congress Centre to scope out the events, then home for dinner. Well his dinner at least. I fried him up a little Steakum with thin slices of Polish Kolbasa sausage, fried onions, two slices of tomatoe, and lettuce on a seasame bun topped with a gherkin pickle and a bottle of Dad's Old Time Rootbeer. Of course he gets a side salad with cheese and croutons to help with the roughage but still he demanded I make him his dinner. When did I become either his manservant or his wife? Even his mother refused to make him dinner.
Oh BTW Mum is fine we will find out the results of the testing at the doctors next month. Well she will I don't really wnat to know the details.
So what's next? Well today I took Mark to work, shifted the bags for packing for Anime North, made him Breakfast and Lunch, picked him up from work, took him home, shifted the rest of his bags to the van, took him to the hotel, shifted the bags to his room, took 80 pictures of his room at the hotel, and went home to rest. After that we had me finish this post and moved on.
My brain has been ver eratic today and I have had problems with longterm concentration. In one case I went to make a glass of chocolate milk and tried to do it with a fork not the traditional spoon. In another case I was doing sums and I forgot to carry a 3 ruining the results. I think I can't think because of the anticipation involved. Good night everyone.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Night wandering after the clix
Today is 21 May 2009 and the great actor Raymond Burr's Birthday. It's also Free Ice Coffee Day at Tim Horton's but only in Canada. I got one. My Mum got one. Even my Father got one. Did you get a free Tim Horton's Ice Coffee today?
So let's see last nigh I actually got to play a game of HorrorClix at 401 Games on Yonge Street Last Night. Amazing. No one was sick. No last minute free film premieres. No back and forth documents for Dad. No e-mail reports and replies for Dad. No hit and runs for Mark. No Autograph signings. No freebies of any sort like ice cream or clothes lines. No medical appointments. Nothing delayed last night but me and normal traffic.
So I get there I play my A squad of The Fiend, Evil Leprechauns, Butcher, Archaeologist, and RazorVixen and I got taken apart piecemeal. No one wanted to activate the Fiend so he did a lot of damage to some like Rocchi's team that ate most of the victims and blocked most of mine. Because it was just the four of us it became a game of Last Man Standing and my last man was the Fiend that they took down point by point after Rocchi realized they were taking him out first he made The Fiend activate to do 4 damage. After that they just worked the Mi-Go of Uberman from one angle and the Giant of MacReady from another angle to four attack on my Fiend every round. Just when they eliminated me it took one shot from MacReady's android to eliminate Uberman's Mi-Go. What was really awful was the Butcher I played was darn effective and only once was I able to make a dodge throw yet Rocchi made all but one on his exact same Archaeologist that was frustrating. When the game ended everyone split into totally different directions. It was like something stunk and they didn't want to be around it. Maybe.
Or Maybe we are drifting apart as a group.
Anyways Macready is getting prepped for summer school. Uberman says it was Swine flu with a smirk like it's an in-joke only he knows the answer to. Rocchi is about to be transferred to my neck of the woods. See CGI is being outsourced to India and he either gets 36 weeks severence if he doesn't get a job in that time or he gets to keep his job in a simular position in the Mississauga Creekmore office. So Rocchi is going to ask Andy if there is space in the condo out by Kipling station. I just feel sorry for him having to deal with Mississauga transit.
So with everyone scattered I was free to go my merry way and I did. I visited the World's Biggest Bookstore who are renovating their upstairs. I saw the gang from Hairy Tarantula close up shop for the night. I saw a street magician molest a lady outside the Eaton centre. I saw people enjoying the cafe life at Yonge Dundas Square and actually walked into the Q107 broadcasting booth after speaking with Alex Hindmarch. Digression here but anyone who knows me knows I pick up the free newspapers including a few for Mother like the Hospital News. The problem is some of these papers are not around the corner from my home so I have to seek them out. Where to go when you want something without having to go to far out of the way. Well If I drop mark off at the college I make a side trip to Etobicoke General for the Hospital News but they ran out early this month. Sometimes I can pick some up at the SDM or the nearby clinic at Royal York and Bloor but they too ran out before I got there. So I tried since I was downtown walking down to Victoria and Shutter streets to St Mike's only to find they too had run out. While there I saw these great big posters for Q107 stapled to the lamposts. The ambulance driver there said check with Q107 they should have some more. So I went back to the Mighty Q and waited for Alex to get back only to be told they didn't have any but I can have the one on the post if I wanted. I declined because staples are sharp, pointy, and hard to pry out. That is how I came to speak with Alex Hindmarch and enter the fabled Q107 studio booth. So I march onwards and cross the mid point of the Eaton Centre near the Trinity church and see that the City Grill has permanently closed. Pity it had one of the best off the beaten track patios around. I cross over past the Hydro One place on Bay St behind Old City Hall to Nathan Philips Square and across there back up to Edward Street past the Coach Bus Terminal up Chestnut Street where the first AC or Batteryless Radio was invented and manufactured towards Dundas up another block and over to University avenue where Mary Pickford's bust is and House used to be before the Hospital for Sick kids was built. Surprise I got the Hospital News at the Hospital for Sick Kids then crossed to the center of University Avenue. Now for they unitiated University Ave leads from York St at Front St up to Queen's Park and from King Street up has a boulevard park righ down the center seperating the North and Southbound lanes and amidst that boulevard is various parkettes and statues and fountains. One is Per Ad Astra for fallen airmen, another is for Aparthied, and another is for the all the wars and still another for World War One. The guy who invented the Hydro Electric Turbine has a neat statue where the water flows on either side of himjust South of Queen Street and there are some neat spiral fountains across from the old Armoury. Now the old Armoury is just North of the U.S. Consulate which is sort of across the street from the Provincial Courthouse which oddly is where the the Tamils and Tamil Tiger sympathizers have been organizing their protests against the U.S. for not doing something to end the war in Sri Lanka in their favour of course. Oddly the head of the Tamil tigers was killed last week when the head of the Sri Lanka Military said the was was now over aft 26 year because all the rebels are now dead. Not the Duke boys but if you saw the motion picture you would think the Dukes Of Hazzard had already died. Nevertheless The police were organized just down from the protest, the RCMP were in front of the Armoury, and around the corner was bailiffs and the OPP. The thing was the Tamils were so superbly organized it felt mechanical like high school reading of a shakespeare play I almost expected Mr. Mills to step forward, tap someone on a choulder and say take it from Line 125 act 3. Anyways from there I wandered down to the Four Seasons Place Opera House and had fun riding down to the Subway.
So after all that wandering I made it home at Midnight. And that was my night.
I will tell you about my ride to the St Joe's Hospital to rescue Mom since I have had this open for more than half the day before I got word one down here.
So let's see last nigh I actually got to play a game of HorrorClix at 401 Games on Yonge Street Last Night. Amazing. No one was sick. No last minute free film premieres. No back and forth documents for Dad. No e-mail reports and replies for Dad. No hit and runs for Mark. No Autograph signings. No freebies of any sort like ice cream or clothes lines. No medical appointments. Nothing delayed last night but me and normal traffic.
So I get there I play my A squad of The Fiend, Evil Leprechauns, Butcher, Archaeologist, and RazorVixen and I got taken apart piecemeal. No one wanted to activate the Fiend so he did a lot of damage to some like Rocchi's team that ate most of the victims and blocked most of mine. Because it was just the four of us it became a game of Last Man Standing and my last man was the Fiend that they took down point by point after Rocchi realized they were taking him out first he made The Fiend activate to do 4 damage. After that they just worked the Mi-Go of Uberman from one angle and the Giant of MacReady from another angle to four attack on my Fiend every round. Just when they eliminated me it took one shot from MacReady's android to eliminate Uberman's Mi-Go. What was really awful was the Butcher I played was darn effective and only once was I able to make a dodge throw yet Rocchi made all but one on his exact same Archaeologist that was frustrating. When the game ended everyone split into totally different directions. It was like something stunk and they didn't want to be around it. Maybe.
Or Maybe we are drifting apart as a group.
Anyways Macready is getting prepped for summer school. Uberman says it was Swine flu with a smirk like it's an in-joke only he knows the answer to. Rocchi is about to be transferred to my neck of the woods. See CGI is being outsourced to India and he either gets 36 weeks severence if he doesn't get a job in that time or he gets to keep his job in a simular position in the Mississauga Creekmore office. So Rocchi is going to ask Andy if there is space in the condo out by Kipling station. I just feel sorry for him having to deal with Mississauga transit.
So with everyone scattered I was free to go my merry way and I did. I visited the World's Biggest Bookstore who are renovating their upstairs. I saw the gang from Hairy Tarantula close up shop for the night. I saw a street magician molest a lady outside the Eaton centre. I saw people enjoying the cafe life at Yonge Dundas Square and actually walked into the Q107 broadcasting booth after speaking with Alex Hindmarch. Digression here but anyone who knows me knows I pick up the free newspapers including a few for Mother like the Hospital News. The problem is some of these papers are not around the corner from my home so I have to seek them out. Where to go when you want something without having to go to far out of the way. Well If I drop mark off at the college I make a side trip to Etobicoke General for the Hospital News but they ran out early this month. Sometimes I can pick some up at the SDM or the nearby clinic at Royal York and Bloor but they too ran out before I got there. So I tried since I was downtown walking down to Victoria and Shutter streets to St Mike's only to find they too had run out. While there I saw these great big posters for Q107 stapled to the lamposts. The ambulance driver there said check with Q107 they should have some more. So I went back to the Mighty Q and waited for Alex to get back only to be told they didn't have any but I can have the one on the post if I wanted. I declined because staples are sharp, pointy, and hard to pry out. That is how I came to speak with Alex Hindmarch and enter the fabled Q107 studio booth. So I march onwards and cross the mid point of the Eaton Centre near the Trinity church and see that the City Grill has permanently closed. Pity it had one of the best off the beaten track patios around. I cross over past the Hydro One place on Bay St behind Old City Hall to Nathan Philips Square and across there back up to Edward Street past the Coach Bus Terminal up Chestnut Street where the first AC or Batteryless Radio was invented and manufactured towards Dundas up another block and over to University avenue where Mary Pickford's bust is and House used to be before the Hospital for Sick kids was built. Surprise I got the Hospital News at the Hospital for Sick Kids then crossed to the center of University Avenue. Now for they unitiated University Ave leads from York St at Front St up to Queen's Park and from King Street up has a boulevard park righ down the center seperating the North and Southbound lanes and amidst that boulevard is various parkettes and statues and fountains. One is Per Ad Astra for fallen airmen, another is for Aparthied, and another is for the all the wars and still another for World War One. The guy who invented the Hydro Electric Turbine has a neat statue where the water flows on either side of himjust South of Queen Street and there are some neat spiral fountains across from the old Armoury. Now the old Armoury is just North of the U.S. Consulate which is sort of across the street from the Provincial Courthouse which oddly is where the the Tamils and Tamil Tiger sympathizers have been organizing their protests against the U.S. for not doing something to end the war in Sri Lanka in their favour of course. Oddly the head of the Tamil tigers was killed last week when the head of the Sri Lanka Military said the was was now over aft 26 year because all the rebels are now dead. Not the Duke boys but if you saw the motion picture you would think the Dukes Of Hazzard had already died. Nevertheless The police were organized just down from the protest, the RCMP were in front of the Armoury, and around the corner was bailiffs and the OPP. The thing was the Tamils were so superbly organized it felt mechanical like high school reading of a shakespeare play I almost expected Mr. Mills to step forward, tap someone on a choulder and say take it from Line 125 act 3. Anyways from there I wandered down to the Four Seasons Place Opera House and had fun riding down to the Subway.
So after all that wandering I made it home at Midnight. And that was my night.
I will tell you about my ride to the St Joe's Hospital to rescue Mom since I have had this open for more than half the day before I got word one down here.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Tourism, Steaks, Persiphone, & class
Okay so today is the 19th of May 2009 and the anniversary of the infamous Marilyn Monroe sings Happy Birthday to the POTUS John F. Kenedy. Well I have yet to see someone top that for a Public Birthday song without getting explicit or some form of Nudity.
So what is happening in the wide wide world of David? Since I last posted here not a hell of a lot has happened. I haven't seen any new films; watched very little television (outside of season finales that is); and generally outside of facebook did very little of anything at all. No watching of fireworks except the 30 seconds of clip repeated on the news. A very bland weekend overall.
Well an acquaintance on Facebook specifically in the Metropolis app game Persiphone, Mayor of Persiphonia is in the hospital for surgery and we all wish her well. She took the game to new levels to posting a blog and an almost daily posting on the humourous life going on in her fictional bipolar city. So I noticed something was wrong when it had been six days of no new posting from her. I left her some quotes finishing with Operation Petticoat. We tend to enjoy the same films. She told me as much after I posted a quote from Bull Durham. I hope she gets well soon.
From that downer moment to another. Mark's summer classes were cancelled due to lack of enrollment as well he had to re-write an exam today. He thinks he did well and is looking forward to taking the classes in the fall since he expects to run with an easier teacher he had earlier this year. Good luck but it means more time to work this summer for him I hope.
Simularily he is getting ready for Anime North this weekend and decided today that he did not need to be booked into the hotel on Thursday night so I took him there to cancel the Thursday night. While he was doing that I visited the old Outback Steakhouse which had all it's Ontario locations close on March 23rd of this year. The place is sealed with a notice on the door. They even took the neon sign down and the Bull Horns. A shame it's gone but it's in an area that had at one time eight Japanese/Sushi restaurants that caved to a market of six steak restaurants and later five pizza places. Le Biffteck left the area a little over a year ago as did Pizza Hut. I remember when there was a Ponderosa and a Mother's Pizza on the same area and they disappeared over a decade ago (twenty & fifteen years respectively) so when adown turn hits it hits hard and when a trend hits it hits the area hard and running. The real problem is they were all along Dixon road Hotel row and I think when you hit a real downturn you have a lack of travelers and when you have a lack of travelers you have a lack of people coming in the area splurging for the finer restaurants. The fake franchise conglam restaurants like Milestones and Montanas have moved into the area so soon you can go traveling and instead of trying an independent restaurant or an independent chain you visit the same Montanas in Toronto, Calgary, Vancouver, Montreal and have exactly the same meal in each. Which is a shame because when I took my brother and family to LeBiffteck for the parents anniversary a few years ago my father so enjoyed the steak that the chef came out to hear the compliment. I think he was Humber Grad. You just aren't going to get that with the conglam places not that I have anything against the occasional visit to them they just shouldn't be all the choice.
Oh and one last thing I ended the day with a handful of pamphlets from Tourism in Toronto, Hamilton, Brampton, Waterloo, and others but no Niagara Falls. Did Niagara close museum row again or is there just too much competition from the casino or other places?
Whatever I rarely get to more than one attraction during the summer so lots of luck all!
So see you all later after Dad get's back from Cubs!
So what is happening in the wide wide world of David? Since I last posted here not a hell of a lot has happened. I haven't seen any new films; watched very little television (outside of season finales that is); and generally outside of facebook did very little of anything at all. No watching of fireworks except the 30 seconds of clip repeated on the news. A very bland weekend overall.
Well an acquaintance on Facebook specifically in the Metropolis app game Persiphone, Mayor of Persiphonia is in the hospital for surgery and we all wish her well. She took the game to new levels to posting a blog and an almost daily posting on the humourous life going on in her fictional bipolar city. So I noticed something was wrong when it had been six days of no new posting from her. I left her some quotes finishing with Operation Petticoat. We tend to enjoy the same films. She told me as much after I posted a quote from Bull Durham. I hope she gets well soon.
From that downer moment to another. Mark's summer classes were cancelled due to lack of enrollment as well he had to re-write an exam today. He thinks he did well and is looking forward to taking the classes in the fall since he expects to run with an easier teacher he had earlier this year. Good luck but it means more time to work this summer for him I hope.
Simularily he is getting ready for Anime North this weekend and decided today that he did not need to be booked into the hotel on Thursday night so I took him there to cancel the Thursday night. While he was doing that I visited the old Outback Steakhouse which had all it's Ontario locations close on March 23rd of this year. The place is sealed with a notice on the door. They even took the neon sign down and the Bull Horns. A shame it's gone but it's in an area that had at one time eight Japanese/Sushi restaurants that caved to a market of six steak restaurants and later five pizza places. Le Biffteck left the area a little over a year ago as did Pizza Hut. I remember when there was a Ponderosa and a Mother's Pizza on the same area and they disappeared over a decade ago (twenty & fifteen years respectively) so when adown turn hits it hits hard and when a trend hits it hits the area hard and running. The real problem is they were all along Dixon road Hotel row and I think when you hit a real downturn you have a lack of travelers and when you have a lack of travelers you have a lack of people coming in the area splurging for the finer restaurants. The fake franchise conglam restaurants like Milestones and Montanas have moved into the area so soon you can go traveling and instead of trying an independent restaurant or an independent chain you visit the same Montanas in Toronto, Calgary, Vancouver, Montreal and have exactly the same meal in each. Which is a shame because when I took my brother and family to LeBiffteck for the parents anniversary a few years ago my father so enjoyed the steak that the chef came out to hear the compliment. I think he was Humber Grad. You just aren't going to get that with the conglam places not that I have anything against the occasional visit to them they just shouldn't be all the choice.
Oh and one last thing I ended the day with a handful of pamphlets from Tourism in Toronto, Hamilton, Brampton, Waterloo, and others but no Niagara Falls. Did Niagara close museum row again or is there just too much competition from the casino or other places?
Whatever I rarely get to more than one attraction during the summer so lots of luck all!
So see you all later after Dad get's back from Cubs!
Saturday, May 16, 2009
nag nag nag said Clint in the Gauntlet
So Today is the 16th of May 2009 and this is the anniversary of Jim Henson's death in 1990, and Charles Elmer Hires invents Hires Root Beer way back in 1866, and we have tin introduction of Spaghetti-O's in 1965 by Campbell's Franco -American company. So this is a day when many things that became Western culture icons was introduced.
So this morning I spent a lot of time just sorting through the old files on the computer. Mark had transferred about 400 gigs of notes, videos, and pictures from his upstairs computer to the downstairs without checking what was what and just assuming they were all mine. I now have three post-it notes listing files I have to search or recover for to complete what I have in the gaps.
Some of it is his like the cbr's for Fables he has three issues missing. or the last episode of Law & Order UK. or the photos from the masquerade from last years Anime North convention. Whatever.
Anyways I knew I had to rush it a little since I wanted to get the groceries for the weekend and I wanted to checkout a few other places. Places like the Lakeshore Festival with Dora The Explorer, Diego, Spongebob Squarepants, Patrick Starfish, and a magician. Well it was geared towards kids. However I also wanted to check Honeydale Mall to see if the bootleg pirates were there and if so what did they have in stock. Turns out this time they stayed raided and are closed with no stock to show for it. I asked one of the other vendors there and he said they'll be lucky to be out to open before the end of Summer. Mark was disappointed to hear that. Places like Centinial Park who were susposed to have a mini-fair going on. Turns out they didn't.
Well I can tell you it is a fine crop of field tomatoes and green peppers on sale at Basics for $0.99 per pound. I can tell you it's a good orice on the Villagio buns at $1.99 at No-Frills but they have new limits on the case of 24X500ml bottles of Real Canadian Water for $1.97. I got to Metro to see the last of the value packed Pork Shoulder Chops at $1.99 per pound be snatch up by some old guy. These were thick cut that Mark and Dad would love them Fried, or Baked for days. I am talking about the Pork Chops being fried or baked not Mark and Dad. Then there was the page in the Etobicoke Guardian for Galati to get a free reusable shopping bag. Mom's reaction was that's a colourful reusable shopping bag. But the quick deal for the three day was the drink boxes or the bread at the SDM (Shoppers Drug Mart) where you could get two loaves of bread for $3 or the DelMonte drink pouches of 100% real juice for $1.67 per 10 pack.
So that was my morning. I told Dad to switch the laundry while I was gone and he switched it when I dropped off the groceries. I told him to plant his vines in the yard while I was gone and they are still sitting in the window sill right this instant. So when I get home at 730 or 8pm I will plant it and take the laundry up from the basement because I know they won't unless I nag them to do it. In the mean time I will think what would be the best order for a three day Clint Eastwood Marathon film fest. Have a good weekend.
c'ya later.
So this morning I spent a lot of time just sorting through the old files on the computer. Mark had transferred about 400 gigs of notes, videos, and pictures from his upstairs computer to the downstairs without checking what was what and just assuming they were all mine. I now have three post-it notes listing files I have to search or recover for to complete what I have in the gaps.
Some of it is his like the cbr's for Fables he has three issues missing. or the last episode of Law & Order UK. or the photos from the masquerade from last years Anime North convention. Whatever.
Anyways I knew I had to rush it a little since I wanted to get the groceries for the weekend and I wanted to checkout a few other places. Places like the Lakeshore Festival with Dora The Explorer, Diego, Spongebob Squarepants, Patrick Starfish, and a magician. Well it was geared towards kids. However I also wanted to check Honeydale Mall to see if the bootleg pirates were there and if so what did they have in stock. Turns out this time they stayed raided and are closed with no stock to show for it. I asked one of the other vendors there and he said they'll be lucky to be out to open before the end of Summer. Mark was disappointed to hear that. Places like Centinial Park who were susposed to have a mini-fair going on. Turns out they didn't.
Well I can tell you it is a fine crop of field tomatoes and green peppers on sale at Basics for $0.99 per pound. I can tell you it's a good orice on the Villagio buns at $1.99 at No-Frills but they have new limits on the case of 24X500ml bottles of Real Canadian Water for $1.97. I got to Metro to see the last of the value packed Pork Shoulder Chops at $1.99 per pound be snatch up by some old guy. These were thick cut that Mark and Dad would love them Fried, or Baked for days. I am talking about the Pork Chops being fried or baked not Mark and Dad. Then there was the page in the Etobicoke Guardian for Galati to get a free reusable shopping bag. Mom's reaction was that's a colourful reusable shopping bag. But the quick deal for the three day was the drink boxes or the bread at the SDM (Shoppers Drug Mart) where you could get two loaves of bread for $3 or the DelMonte drink pouches of 100% real juice for $1.67 per 10 pack.
So that was my morning. I told Dad to switch the laundry while I was gone and he switched it when I dropped off the groceries. I told him to plant his vines in the yard while I was gone and they are still sitting in the window sill right this instant. So when I get home at 730 or 8pm I will plant it and take the laundry up from the basement because I know they won't unless I nag them to do it. In the mean time I will think what would be the best order for a three day Clint Eastwood Marathon film fest. Have a good weekend.
c'ya later.
Friday, May 15, 2009
Gramp and Carl or gossip?
Well if today isn't the 15 May 2009 then it isn't the 69th anniversary of Nylon being sold.
So what's new in the boring gossip world of the DRAX Project aka David T.G. Riches? Well it seems yesterday after chasing a raccoon literally around the entire building I got talking with neighbour Joanne. She tells me a few things including that Angela the fat chick in 109 routinely goes into the Loblaw to ride the scooter around the place even though she isn't handicapped at all. She tells me that when Ameilia in 107 saw Mark working at the Loblaw she said that was how come my Dad got so much stuff from there as in five fingered discount to which I replied we had receipts for everything and Mark had been there for ten years. She told me no one applied for nomination for tenant elections for our hall and Amelia had said why doesn't my Father go to which me and Joanne agree he's too old, too busy with Cubs, and too busy working. She told me that she fell into a rack of recipe cards at Loblaw when she backed up for another lady. She told me that Amelia says my Father always has money. To which I replied the number of times we scraped by to make rent or grocery would stun her. She told me that her Steven isn't susposed to light up in the house and is suposed to put his butts into a sealed tray on the window even though we had just seen him light up inside sheltered from the wind. She told me she hadn't seen the cat that ate our daffodil bloom. She told me she hadn't seen or heard about the shooting until the day and a half later. She told me she didn't like her Doctor from the clinic up at Renforth because he barely looked at her back and prescribed her the same medication for her back as her leg as if it's hit with arthritis. She told me that she still hasn't seen any Cardinals, Blue Jays, Sand Pipers, Thrushes, Parakeets, or Canaries this season and was jealous I had. I told her about how each of my Grampas sent me an electric razor and died starting in 1970 and she said she became a citizen of Canada in 1970. I showed her picture of Carl Fredrickson of Disney/Pixar's UP and a picture of Grampa Frederick G. Riches and she laughed at how much they looked alike. With that we wound up the evening when I realized I was starting to blow snot bubbles out my nose.
Now from there I went into the house and saw the last hour of Grey's anatomy with Mom and relayed what I had talked with Joanne about and she eventually pannicked and told Mark.
Mark confirmed with me this morning when I dropped him off at work and he was worried because such talk of five fingered deals could get Mark fired. Well Mark is woried about that but he forgets the important stuff. Dad is a Locksmith with that his business is built up on trust. Calling him or anyone close to him a thief or colluding like a thief would ruin him and the business. So this is very serious piece of gossip that I would say let go until you hear it from the horses mouth except Mark and Mom want to act on it now. Now Mom is going to sit down with Dad and give her interpretation of what me and Joanne discussed about what Amelia said when he gets home tonight.
So what's next?
Personally I think I should bake a brown batch of brownies and sneeze in the batch and seve it to the neighbours and see who lives and who dies. I just don't think it would survive the baking process or that I could be so mean or anyone eats brownies. So we should wait and see instead.
Now I have to figureout how I am going to make the rest of this weekend work since next weekend I alread told Mark I am not going to Anime North this year unless paid to. Too much hassle. Besides I like the fireworks this weekend.
So what's new in the boring gossip world of the DRAX Project aka David T.G. Riches? Well it seems yesterday after chasing a raccoon literally around the entire building I got talking with neighbour Joanne. She tells me a few things including that Angela the fat chick in 109 routinely goes into the Loblaw to ride the scooter around the place even though she isn't handicapped at all. She tells me that when Ameilia in 107 saw Mark working at the Loblaw she said that was how come my Dad got so much stuff from there as in five fingered discount to which I replied we had receipts for everything and Mark had been there for ten years. She told me no one applied for nomination for tenant elections for our hall and Amelia had said why doesn't my Father go to which me and Joanne agree he's too old, too busy with Cubs, and too busy working. She told me that she fell into a rack of recipe cards at Loblaw when she backed up for another lady. She told me that Amelia says my Father always has money. To which I replied the number of times we scraped by to make rent or grocery would stun her. She told me that her Steven isn't susposed to light up in the house and is suposed to put his butts into a sealed tray on the window even though we had just seen him light up inside sheltered from the wind. She told me she hadn't seen the cat that ate our daffodil bloom. She told me she hadn't seen or heard about the shooting until the day and a half later. She told me she didn't like her Doctor from the clinic up at Renforth because he barely looked at her back and prescribed her the same medication for her back as her leg as if it's hit with arthritis. She told me that she still hasn't seen any Cardinals, Blue Jays, Sand Pipers, Thrushes, Parakeets, or Canaries this season and was jealous I had. I told her about how each of my Grampas sent me an electric razor and died starting in 1970 and she said she became a citizen of Canada in 1970. I showed her picture of Carl Fredrickson of Disney/Pixar's UP and a picture of Grampa Frederick G. Riches and she laughed at how much they looked alike. With that we wound up the evening when I realized I was starting to blow snot bubbles out my nose.
Now from there I went into the house and saw the last hour of Grey's anatomy with Mom and relayed what I had talked with Joanne about and she eventually pannicked and told Mark.
Mark confirmed with me this morning when I dropped him off at work and he was worried because such talk of five fingered deals could get Mark fired. Well Mark is woried about that but he forgets the important stuff. Dad is a Locksmith with that his business is built up on trust. Calling him or anyone close to him a thief or colluding like a thief would ruin him and the business. So this is very serious piece of gossip that I would say let go until you hear it from the horses mouth except Mark and Mom want to act on it now. Now Mom is going to sit down with Dad and give her interpretation of what me and Joanne discussed about what Amelia said when he gets home tonight.
So what's next?
Personally I think I should bake a brown batch of brownies and sneeze in the batch and seve it to the neighbours and see who lives and who dies. I just don't think it would survive the baking process or that I could be so mean or anyone eats brownies. So we should wait and see instead.
Now I have to figureout how I am going to make the rest of this weekend work since next weekend I alread told Mark I am not going to Anime North this year unless paid to. Too much hassle. Besides I like the fireworks this weekend.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
fun yet?
Today is 14 May 2009 the feast day of Saint Dogmael the patron saint of children learning to walk and tonight the season finales of C.S.I. Crime Scene Investigation, My Name Is Earl, and Grey's Anatomy.
So Dad gives one line retorts when he got back from Group last night. Nothing substantial but I would say he is still going to be with Cubs for a while. Roughly put it came down to mostly glad handing over the previous nights Scouting Awards from the Ontario Science Center where Beth and one her cohorts got some certificates. My father has three awards on the wall for Scouting and several more gathering dust in the basement. In the end it's nice but not important as the kids.
Now C.S.I. New York switched halfway through to C.S.I. Greece and the origin of Stella Bonaventure. Turns out her mum was from Greece in New York when Stella was 2 years old and her mum killed in a Hit and Run. The car was a Bonaventure to help in foster care. What a twisty story with a nice ending. Mum liked it even though she thinks the character is "wishy-washy".
Moving along Mark found out that one of his summer classes was canceled today and he has to go up to the college to get a refund or resubmit for a different class if possible. That's on top of going to Excalibur Comics, Loblaw, No Frills, and a few others. So it looks like I will be very busy with the VCR and chauffeuring Mark around. Oh are we having fun yet?
So Dad gives one line retorts when he got back from Group last night. Nothing substantial but I would say he is still going to be with Cubs for a while. Roughly put it came down to mostly glad handing over the previous nights Scouting Awards from the Ontario Science Center where Beth and one her cohorts got some certificates. My father has three awards on the wall for Scouting and several more gathering dust in the basement. In the end it's nice but not important as the kids.
Now C.S.I. New York switched halfway through to C.S.I. Greece and the origin of Stella Bonaventure. Turns out her mum was from Greece in New York when Stella was 2 years old and her mum killed in a Hit and Run. The car was a Bonaventure to help in foster care. What a twisty story with a nice ending. Mum liked it even though she thinks the character is "wishy-washy".
Moving along Mark found out that one of his summer classes was canceled today and he has to go up to the college to get a refund or resubmit for a different class if possible. That's on top of going to Excalibur Comics, Loblaw, No Frills, and a few others. So it looks like I will be very busy with the VCR and chauffeuring Mark around. Oh are we having fun yet?
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
We be rollin'
Well today is 13 May 2009 and it's the twentieth anniversary of the Tienanmen Protest.
So last Friday Dad had me drop him off at the subway where he traveled all the way down to Nathan Philips Square in his Cub Scout Leader uniform to meet the new Commander In Chief the Chief Commissioner of Scouting for all of Canada Mr. Steve Kent. I asked Dad to try to take plenty of pictures since it was a Scouts Only type of thing and they kept the seating limited. So limited that they had 50 spots still available of the 150 seats. Anyways Pops took his digital camera and a couple of AA and a couple of AAA batteries just for safety sakes. Yes we planned ahead. The Lord giggled.
You see at X-mas time Pops gave me his Kodak EasyShare Z1285 High Definition Camera because he used his SDM Optimum points to buy a new smaller slimmer more powerful Kodak AF 3X Optical Zoom M1063. This was because the camera I used to have the HP Photosmart 612 I used to have broke the lens when I fell last fall. Anyways he gets down to the Council Chambers and just as i figured a dead battery. What no one figured because I don't memorize the manuals is that Pops was so glad he got something with a rechargeable battery that it doesn't take standard batteries like AA or AAA at all. So not a single picture and he could not get anyone to volunteer to e-mail him any pictures they would take. Did I hear someone giggling?
Anyways as mentioned yesterday I was handling Dad's e-mail on the weekend and on Monday he had a meeting with a few other leaders a prelude to tonights Group committee meeting. Mum figures that one of the Group Committee members with new powers thanks to Charles Resignation as head of Group has it in for Pops. Now dear old Dad is getting older and is not as capable as he was 35 years ago when he started as a Scout leader. Still Dad is one of those people that me and mum realized that if they aren't doing what they love then zap they start to wind down and die so we want him to continue as long as he can. Anyways this member accused Dad of not planning the activities for the camps and for the meetings for the kids. Well Dad took offence at that since he doesn't do the planning he does the booking and shipping and watches over the kids like a big babysitter. Charles the Akella, the Group Committee head, and the Area head, was responsible of planning for each meeting and events. She basically accuses Dad of passing the buck and being out of date and out of touch. So tonight has left us on tenderhooks.
Okay so that aside William Gibson aka Uberman sends out an e-mail about 1pm today cancelling tonights game (well he said carryon without him except he has the maps) because he was sick. It's susposed to be a head cold not the swine flu just a head cold and nothing else. Sounds like a line from a Monty Python skit. So I get to stay home and get Dad off to Group and pick up Mark from work and keep Mum company during CSI NY. Yippee.
Now Dad is a little upset. You see he saw a commercial for UP the new Pixar film with Carl the old guy as star and now he keeps comparing it to one of the last photos we have of Grampa and says it's an animated version of his Father, So Dad realizes Grampa's picture has some stains on it and I said leave it and he goes ahead and tries to clean it himself. Now Grampa has a white mark where his cheek used to be. Maybe Dad needs an animated version these days.
Oh and me and Mark saw X-Men Origins Wolverine last night and well it's good, to me it's a bastardization to the Wolverine Origin we know and love.
Finally got my 25 Random things about me on Facebook done and the rest of the photos from the shooting are up and not the comments I expected.
Time to go see you all another day.
So last Friday Dad had me drop him off at the subway where he traveled all the way down to Nathan Philips Square in his Cub Scout Leader uniform to meet the new Commander In Chief the Chief Commissioner of Scouting for all of Canada Mr. Steve Kent. I asked Dad to try to take plenty of pictures since it was a Scouts Only type of thing and they kept the seating limited. So limited that they had 50 spots still available of the 150 seats. Anyways Pops took his digital camera and a couple of AA and a couple of AAA batteries just for safety sakes. Yes we planned ahead. The Lord giggled.
You see at X-mas time Pops gave me his Kodak EasyShare Z1285 High Definition Camera because he used his SDM Optimum points to buy a new smaller slimmer more powerful Kodak AF 3X Optical Zoom M1063. This was because the camera I used to have the HP Photosmart 612 I used to have broke the lens when I fell last fall. Anyways he gets down to the Council Chambers and just as i figured a dead battery. What no one figured because I don't memorize the manuals is that Pops was so glad he got something with a rechargeable battery that it doesn't take standard batteries like AA or AAA at all. So not a single picture and he could not get anyone to volunteer to e-mail him any pictures they would take. Did I hear someone giggling?
Anyways as mentioned yesterday I was handling Dad's e-mail on the weekend and on Monday he had a meeting with a few other leaders a prelude to tonights Group committee meeting. Mum figures that one of the Group Committee members with new powers thanks to Charles Resignation as head of Group has it in for Pops. Now dear old Dad is getting older and is not as capable as he was 35 years ago when he started as a Scout leader. Still Dad is one of those people that me and mum realized that if they aren't doing what they love then zap they start to wind down and die so we want him to continue as long as he can. Anyways this member accused Dad of not planning the activities for the camps and for the meetings for the kids. Well Dad took offence at that since he doesn't do the planning he does the booking and shipping and watches over the kids like a big babysitter. Charles the Akella, the Group Committee head, and the Area head, was responsible of planning for each meeting and events. She basically accuses Dad of passing the buck and being out of date and out of touch. So tonight has left us on tenderhooks.
Okay so that aside William Gibson aka Uberman sends out an e-mail about 1pm today cancelling tonights game (well he said carryon without him except he has the maps) because he was sick. It's susposed to be a head cold not the swine flu just a head cold and nothing else. Sounds like a line from a Monty Python skit. So I get to stay home and get Dad off to Group and pick up Mark from work and keep Mum company during CSI NY. Yippee.
Now Dad is a little upset. You see he saw a commercial for UP the new Pixar film with Carl the old guy as star and now he keeps comparing it to one of the last photos we have of Grampa and says it's an animated version of his Father, So Dad realizes Grampa's picture has some stains on it and I said leave it and he goes ahead and tries to clean it himself. Now Grampa has a white mark where his cheek used to be. Maybe Dad needs an animated version these days.
Oh and me and Mark saw X-Men Origins Wolverine last night and well it's good, to me it's a bastardization to the Wolverine Origin we know and love.
Finally got my 25 Random things about me on Facebook done and the rest of the photos from the shooting are up and not the comments I expected.
Time to go see you all another day.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Well today is 12 May 2009 the feast day of Saint Francis of Patrizzi the patron saint of reconciliations. Well I have had a slow long arduous weekend.
To begin, I had a number of overlapping things planned realizing I was never going to make them all or even half. We had the Toronto Comic Arts Festival; we had 22 Division Police Station Open House; we had M & M Meat Markets annual charity Barbecue; we had the Annual Pulp Show; we had the Mississauga Marathon; we had the Science Fair for Adults; we had the opening of the new Star Trek film; we had to get and wait for Mark at Humber College while he did one of his finals on Saturday; we had the popcorn festival in Downsview Parc; we had Mother's Day or Mothering Sunday; we had a shooting down the block; we had thunder and lightning; it was all very frightening! Knock on wood!
So what happened? Suffice it to say on Sunday night I saw the Star Trek film at the Queensway cinema with both my brothers and my father. Nope could not leave Paul out of this. Unfortunately this was not what baby brther Mark had planned. You see he figured Dad picks him up from work and they zoom up to the Woodbine Rainbow cinema and the nearby Burger King on their own. It's cheaper and no meddling brothers. Well I figured he might try that so I rode with Dad to pick Mark up. The night before Paul came by the house with Mary-Anne his wife to drop off some flowers and a $20 gift card for Coles (where he works). I had asked Paul about Wolverine, Davinci sequel, Transformers, GIJoe, Up, and Star Trek. Paul and the Mare-ster basically said simultaneously that Paul was going to go with his brothers to see Star Trek. Good thing we didn't catch advanced passes or a Thursday or Friday screening. So there was that. While Dad and I waited for Mark to change at work I called Paul up at his home and let him know we were on our way to Star Trek and would he like to join us? He said sure and said come by. Problem is Paul doesn't like the Rainbow cinemas. So Paul insisted that we go to the Queensway cinema. Now for those who don't know a ticket at Rainbow Cinemas is $4 for Tuesdays & Matinees and $6 evenings and $8 weekends. Seniors save $2 except Tuesdays and matinees. What's more they put the newest films on the biggest screens with the best projection equipment they have so opening weekends have the best deal around at the Rainbows. The problem is the Queensway cinema is part of the large Cineplex Odeon chain with state of the art stadium seating and all the latest highest quality projection and sound equipemnt not to mention small food and bar kiosks and concessions. The thing is they know they are the big game so they charge $12.50 and $13.50 for tickets. The concessions and food is expensive too and not always the best. Unfortunately when Paul says he wants something his way with this family he usually gets it. I am glad Mary-Anne canput her foot down. So we went to the Queensway cinema. Paul bought his and Dad's ticket forgetting the senior discount or not getting it. Mark paid for mine and his ticket. I paid for Monsters Vs Aliens so he owed me. Anyways Paul and Dad went ahead to get the seats while Mark got something to eat. For himself. Only. Anyways I went to scope out Paul and Dad and couldn't find them in the theatre. So I go to the hallway, pull out the cellular and call up Pops. Seems he is in theatre 2 which is more than half empty. My ticket stub says theatre 18. I say thanks and I'll see him soon. I then find Mark and let him know he gives me his ticket stub and the receipt and I go to exchange them. Just in the nick of time too as mine and Mark's tickets are for the show just starting not the one a half hour away. The jerk who served Dad and Paul didn't give Dad the seniors discount and even though we said we want the exact same thing he gave us the earlier performance. The clerk said are we sure we wanted to change our tickets. Me and the guy behind me in a simular position wanted to slap her upside the head. Of course we wanted the performance we asked for we wouldn't be asking otherwise.
I know their job is to fill seats in theatres but obnoxious stupidity will fray the nerves where time is a factor. Once that was straightened out Mark finished eating (chicken tenders, fries, coke) we headed for the promised theatre. There he and Paul ducked out for Popcorn and more Cokes and glossette raisins. Which was okay while me and Dad snacked on the first bag of Popcorn that he got while waiting for us. I had four handfuls. I didnot want to spoil myself before the film. 710pm the room went dark and we had... commercials. At this point I muttered "Garth Drabinsky Rot in Hell" as Garth is the man who subsidized theatres by having commercials run so our time is wasted with and money spent watching commercials I see on the Telly all the time. After the three coming attractions (Land Of The Lost, GI Joe, Transformers) it was 736pm when the film finally started. Great so we get something like Wolf 365 and the birth of Kirk before the credits start. A fine film definately 4 out of five stars. Maybe 4.5 stars. So that ties up my Sunday night seeing the film, helping some couple find their lost car keys in the theatre, starving to get hiome since I didn't get a drink or anymore popcorn, and had to get Paul home. So that was that. Mum enjoyed a quiet evening listening to the oldtime english radio glad we weren't interfering. That's what she wanted for Mother's day. Quiet time. That's why I bought Swiss Chalet Friday night for the family and went with Dad and Mark for Burger King Saturday Night. So we know how my weekend sort of ended (there is an epilogue).
The weekend started putting my plans and how to get to them on paper. Actually the cover of the Friday Toronto Star newspaper. I had a large list (as already shown) and a limit amount of time and resources to fill it. I had the VCR set up to record the weekends programs and I was going to do the most I could. Then God said "meah". I took Mark up to the College early Saturday morning for his exam. Well I was up and ready at 7 am. Mark decided to sleep in a little and we didn't leave untill after 9am almost 10am. But I got him to the college and he got to the room and sat there. Seems they had already disconnected the network so they moved hime to another room. Computers worked but no burners so they had to write out by hand their computer programming test. He finished after 1pm and was starving so I took him to the Burger King to celebrate and got myself the complete set of Star Trek glasses. Yum form there he flipped a coin and had me drop him off at the Kipling subway so he could go to Pacific Heritage Mall. He really is looking for some rare Imports and probably a bootleg or two. Problem is they were all raided the previous week and were raided again that very day to go with Friday's newspaper articles saying they were raided last February. So he was pissed that he was SOL twice. While he was there I went next door to Kipling Subway across the road passed the closed Westwood cinema to 22 Division Police Headquarters open house. The 22 Division Police Headquarters open house was geared towards kids and parental awareness. It was fun except they were windswept from the thunderstorms earlier in the day. Thankfully I got to do the following besides walking into areas I don't belong and being ignored by the people running things I go to: meet Officer Pat Troll.
meet Elmer The safety Elephant.
blow a breathalyzer test (0.00).
see a neat train set with Go trains.
get to sit in the back seat of a Police Car.
get my legs go charlie horse and cramp up in the backseat of the Police Car.
go through booking.
get to sit in a holding cell.
get to sit on a toilet in a holding cell (thankfully I place serviettes from Wendys down first).
get to try on leg shackles.
get to sit in the front driver's seat of a Police Car.
get to see the normally fenced off snow glacier field next door.
get to see the sandpipers in the normally fenced off snow glacier field next door.
get to have my picture taken with some of that.
So that done I went over to Six Points plaza (hobbled over as my legs never seen to recover from the backseat from the police car) to see the M&m Meat Markets B-B-Que. Except they were shutting down the thunderstorms earlier in the day anow the high winds just kept the crowds away so they were cutting their losses. A shame really because for a toonie you get a burger, a can of cold pop, a bag of chips, and a gift bag and a donation to charity. Anyways that ended that so I went home to get some ointment on my legs. I stripped off and after some coldpacks on my haunches was getting ready to have mum place some Lakota for joint muscle relief when Paul and Mary Anne showed up unannounced. I quickly wrapped myself in a blanket and slowly snuck my shirt and jeans back on to avoid the embarrasment while their backs were turned. This was where Paul made his veiwing pleasures known. So that's why I missed TCAF and the Pulp Show on Saturday. Saturday evening after getting the BK Run with a tasty Veggie Burger and picking Mark up at the Kipling Subway we went home to some quiet games and watch Bruce And Lloyd Out of Control where Agent 99 played by Anne Hathaway literally phoned it in.
If anyone did go to the Pulp show did anyone have :
The Destroyer The Assassin's Handbook 2
The Avenger: Published by Street and Smith
Issue: Title: Auth: Date:
The Avenger: (in Clues Detective) published by Street and Smith
25 Death to the Avenger ET 09/01/42 Unk
26 A Coffin for the Avenger ET 11/01/42 Unk
27 Vengeance on the Avenger ET 01/01/43 Unk
28 Calling Justice Inc. ET 03/01/43 Unk
29 Cargo of Doom ET 05/01/43 Unk
The Avenger: (in The Shadow) published by Street and Smith
30 To Find a Dead Man ET 08/01/44 47/6
Moonstone's The Avenger Chronicle Volume 1
Vampirella by Ron Goulart #2 On Alien Wings
Darkman #1 The Hangman
Darkman #3 The Gods Of Hell
Lee Falk's The Phantom #12 The Vampires And The Witch
Lee Falk's The Phantom #13 The Island Of Dogs
The Lone Ranger by Fran Striker
I haven't seen these in years at the Pulp Show especially since Jamie Fraiser Books closed down.
Moving along. Saturday Night I go to bed right after Bruce and Lloyd Out Of Control ended because my legs still needed the rest. Anyways just down the block as SNL ended a Party in the worst part of my neighbourhood broke out in a shooting. Initial reports had 10 seriously injured in hospital and 5 critical. Well I found this out in the morning when I figured I could get to the Mississauga Marathon then TCAF to see Scott MacCloud, R Stevens, and others. Well screw that how often does violence breakout in my neighbourhood (well too often if you ask me but that's a conversation for another day)? So I dropped Mark off at work letting the parents sleep in and walked down to the scene of the shootings. Oh the police won't say a thing. The area is blocked off and taped off and I am warned not to stray off the sidewalk. I see CP24 arrive and set up the live eye. I give the details from the radio and CP 24 to other passerbys and lookie lous. I hear lots of remarks saying "it's Housing, it's a bad side of the street." Well I have lived in my community in my current place for thirty years and six years in the other hall. I don't drink, I don't do drugs, and I refrain from violence. I don't own a gun and the only knives I own (from X-Mas 2004) can be used to cut a tomatoe (routinely) or a tin can. So why does one unit with 25 people in for a party and five of them from across town that shoot at them ends up blaming the entire community let alone the Toronto Community Housing Corporation? It was neat watching the special investigators placing down little blue pylons and yellow numbered labels. It meant bullet casings and a blood trail. I watch too much CSI with Mum who had a little crush on Gil Grissom. Anyways I took 24 pictures initially then I filled in the Parents then I took down some jackets to Mark at work and as I return instead of thinning out the cops have doubled on the street. Seems people didn't get the hint it was closed off to thorough traffic. I mean the crime scene tape, red pylons, and Police cars blocking the road wasn't clue enough? One officer had to run up to a woman who got out of her car to move a red pylon citing it was in the way of her car. No guff he told her to go the other way and she could not fathom why? I think the way to deal with that is to lambast them with paperwork. Explain it's a crime scene and if they proceed they will not be paid for their time to sit and wait at trial to explain to the judge and jurys why they drove through and disturbed the scene of the crime and what did they witness. Oh and their vehicle will be inpounded as evidence untill after the trial which could be years away if the criminals are found and charged. That would scare anyone off to do the right thing. So I came back and took more pictures and watch as more looky lous came up. I was amazed as a bus shelter filled up with people waiting for a bus. What bus as nothing was coming along the street? Eventually someone said look around and put two and two together. Walk to Rathburn or South to Burnhamthorpe. Actually when it filled up at 1030 am some locals came along and said give you a lift? hmm must not be TCH. I left when the new guy in the area showed to me that Scary Movie was correct. The media flock to the loudest stupidest most arrgoant person in the area. We had the local Esso Gas Station move out over ten years ago and turned in to a toxic field. That field was turned into a mini-strip mall four years ago with a Subway restaurant, a Hasty Market, a Pet food store, a nail salon, some empty retail space, and eventually a Money Mart. Now the Hasty Market used to be open 24 hours and you could access from one side to the other. A year ago they switched to 630am (ussually 7am) to 11pm. This was because after they closed the street door to stop shoplifters, they started getting outright robbed and the men behind the counter got downright insulting. The final latenight came when one gent was stabbed in the eye. Now I know it's gotten to be a tougher neighbourhood when I crossed the bridge to the local Mac's Milk and the guy had locked the door to let the customers one at a time. He did this with a police car parked in the lot front of it. This from years ago they guy behind the counter was afraid to call the cops for something not involving them because someone might retaliate. That was 25 years ago to 5 years ago for the same Mac's Milk store. So the thing that bugs me is the gent from the Hasty market lives in housing and had told people later that it was a cancer in that eye that forced him to walk around with surgical packing over his eye. Thing was when they started interviewing him at the scene of the shooting (well down from it at the playground where kids were playing earlier) he realeased a diatribe against the lazy black somalian criminals and drug gangs. Dude when those gangs get the munchies they come to you at the Hasty Market to fill the need which was why you charge $3 for expired bag of chips they are not walking anywhere else. So calling them names and blaming them for incidents does no one any good. Unless it's the actual people involved with a crime you were personally involved in in some way like you witnessed. Which would explain that all his ditribe was off the news by 2pm when they had a police news conference at 1pm to replace it. Anyways when the news conference was going on on the TV I was making my Mum and Dad a stack of Pancakes for their breakfast. At this point after clean-up I started to put the now 4 dozen photos on the computer and from there to my facebook account. Well sort of. I had to run some e-mails for Dad first then cleaned out my own e-mails then back to Dad's e-mails. Seems someone sent an all points e-mail telling one person to contact Dad because he doesn't check his e-mail. Technically correct, he doesn't check his e-mail. Dad has me check it. Usually twice a day nowadays. So I sent a mass reply for Dad saying I'll check into that later followed by a Winky to show we can take a kidding. Then I had to explain it to Dad. Then someone misinterpretted and replied that they didn't want Dad to tell someone about the meeting but that someone to tell Dad. I sent for Dad a single reply that he knew about that hence why the message ended with a winky. To which the gent again misinterpretted the message because he thought we were insulting him over the idea that he missed or did not know what a Winky was. Then after explaining to Dad a fifth time what a Winky was and showing Mum the McDonald's MacWrap commercial we all had a laugh. I was free to leave on my own at 4pm. Well TCAF was over by then and definately the Mississauga Marathon and most of the Adult Science Fair so what was left beside picking Mark up at 6pm. Rest for the night.
Oh and I caught the cop sleeping on the job outside the scene of the shooting at 3am. But that is another Story that is after the weekend is over.
See you tomorrow,
To begin, I had a number of overlapping things planned realizing I was never going to make them all or even half. We had the Toronto Comic Arts Festival; we had 22 Division Police Station Open House; we had M & M Meat Markets annual charity Barbecue; we had the Annual Pulp Show; we had the Mississauga Marathon; we had the Science Fair for Adults; we had the opening of the new Star Trek film; we had to get and wait for Mark at Humber College while he did one of his finals on Saturday; we had the popcorn festival in Downsview Parc; we had Mother's Day or Mothering Sunday; we had a shooting down the block; we had thunder and lightning; it was all very frightening! Knock on wood!
So what happened? Suffice it to say on Sunday night I saw the Star Trek film at the Queensway cinema with both my brothers and my father. Nope could not leave Paul out of this. Unfortunately this was not what baby brther Mark had planned. You see he figured Dad picks him up from work and they zoom up to the Woodbine Rainbow cinema and the nearby Burger King on their own. It's cheaper and no meddling brothers. Well I figured he might try that so I rode with Dad to pick Mark up. The night before Paul came by the house with Mary-Anne his wife to drop off some flowers and a $20 gift card for Coles (where he works). I had asked Paul about Wolverine, Davinci sequel, Transformers, GIJoe, Up, and Star Trek. Paul and the Mare-ster basically said simultaneously that Paul was going to go with his brothers to see Star Trek. Good thing we didn't catch advanced passes or a Thursday or Friday screening. So there was that. While Dad and I waited for Mark to change at work I called Paul up at his home and let him know we were on our way to Star Trek and would he like to join us? He said sure and said come by. Problem is Paul doesn't like the Rainbow cinemas. So Paul insisted that we go to the Queensway cinema. Now for those who don't know a ticket at Rainbow Cinemas is $4 for Tuesdays & Matinees and $6 evenings and $8 weekends. Seniors save $2 except Tuesdays and matinees. What's more they put the newest films on the biggest screens with the best projection equipment they have so opening weekends have the best deal around at the Rainbows. The problem is the Queensway cinema is part of the large Cineplex Odeon chain with state of the art stadium seating and all the latest highest quality projection and sound equipemnt not to mention small food and bar kiosks and concessions. The thing is they know they are the big game so they charge $12.50 and $13.50 for tickets. The concessions and food is expensive too and not always the best. Unfortunately when Paul says he wants something his way with this family he usually gets it. I am glad Mary-Anne canput her foot down. So we went to the Queensway cinema. Paul bought his and Dad's ticket forgetting the senior discount or not getting it. Mark paid for mine and his ticket. I paid for Monsters Vs Aliens so he owed me. Anyways Paul and Dad went ahead to get the seats while Mark got something to eat. For himself. Only. Anyways I went to scope out Paul and Dad and couldn't find them in the theatre. So I go to the hallway, pull out the cellular and call up Pops. Seems he is in theatre 2 which is more than half empty. My ticket stub says theatre 18. I say thanks and I'll see him soon. I then find Mark and let him know he gives me his ticket stub and the receipt and I go to exchange them. Just in the nick of time too as mine and Mark's tickets are for the show just starting not the one a half hour away. The jerk who served Dad and Paul didn't give Dad the seniors discount and even though we said we want the exact same thing he gave us the earlier performance. The clerk said are we sure we wanted to change our tickets. Me and the guy behind me in a simular position wanted to slap her upside the head. Of course we wanted the performance we asked for we wouldn't be asking otherwise.
I know their job is to fill seats in theatres but obnoxious stupidity will fray the nerves where time is a factor. Once that was straightened out Mark finished eating (chicken tenders, fries, coke) we headed for the promised theatre. There he and Paul ducked out for Popcorn and more Cokes and glossette raisins. Which was okay while me and Dad snacked on the first bag of Popcorn that he got while waiting for us. I had four handfuls. I didnot want to spoil myself before the film. 710pm the room went dark and we had... commercials. At this point I muttered "Garth Drabinsky Rot in Hell" as Garth is the man who subsidized theatres by having commercials run so our time is wasted with and money spent watching commercials I see on the Telly all the time. After the three coming attractions (Land Of The Lost, GI Joe, Transformers) it was 736pm when the film finally started. Great so we get something like Wolf 365 and the birth of Kirk before the credits start. A fine film definately 4 out of five stars. Maybe 4.5 stars. So that ties up my Sunday night seeing the film, helping some couple find their lost car keys in the theatre, starving to get hiome since I didn't get a drink or anymore popcorn, and had to get Paul home. So that was that. Mum enjoyed a quiet evening listening to the oldtime english radio glad we weren't interfering. That's what she wanted for Mother's day. Quiet time. That's why I bought Swiss Chalet Friday night for the family and went with Dad and Mark for Burger King Saturday Night. So we know how my weekend sort of ended (there is an epilogue).
The weekend started putting my plans and how to get to them on paper. Actually the cover of the Friday Toronto Star newspaper. I had a large list (as already shown) and a limit amount of time and resources to fill it. I had the VCR set up to record the weekends programs and I was going to do the most I could. Then God said "meah". I took Mark up to the College early Saturday morning for his exam. Well I was up and ready at 7 am. Mark decided to sleep in a little and we didn't leave untill after 9am almost 10am. But I got him to the college and he got to the room and sat there. Seems they had already disconnected the network so they moved hime to another room. Computers worked but no burners so they had to write out by hand their computer programming test. He finished after 1pm and was starving so I took him to the Burger King to celebrate and got myself the complete set of Star Trek glasses. Yum form there he flipped a coin and had me drop him off at the Kipling subway so he could go to Pacific Heritage Mall. He really is looking for some rare Imports and probably a bootleg or two. Problem is they were all raided the previous week and were raided again that very day to go with Friday's newspaper articles saying they were raided last February. So he was pissed that he was SOL twice. While he was there I went next door to Kipling Subway across the road passed the closed Westwood cinema to 22 Division Police Headquarters open house. The 22 Division Police Headquarters open house was geared towards kids and parental awareness. It was fun except they were windswept from the thunderstorms earlier in the day. Thankfully I got to do the following besides walking into areas I don't belong and being ignored by the people running things I go to: meet Officer Pat Troll.
meet Elmer The safety Elephant.
blow a breathalyzer test (0.00).
see a neat train set with Go trains.
get to sit in the back seat of a Police Car.
get my legs go charlie horse and cramp up in the backseat of the Police Car.
go through booking.
get to sit in a holding cell.
get to sit on a toilet in a holding cell (thankfully I place serviettes from Wendys down first).
get to try on leg shackles.
get to sit in the front driver's seat of a Police Car.
get to see the normally fenced off snow glacier field next door.
get to see the sandpipers in the normally fenced off snow glacier field next door.
get to have my picture taken with some of that.
So that done I went over to Six Points plaza (hobbled over as my legs never seen to recover from the backseat from the police car) to see the M&m Meat Markets B-B-Que. Except they were shutting down the thunderstorms earlier in the day anow the high winds just kept the crowds away so they were cutting their losses. A shame really because for a toonie you get a burger, a can of cold pop, a bag of chips, and a gift bag and a donation to charity. Anyways that ended that so I went home to get some ointment on my legs. I stripped off and after some coldpacks on my haunches was getting ready to have mum place some Lakota for joint muscle relief when Paul and Mary Anne showed up unannounced. I quickly wrapped myself in a blanket and slowly snuck my shirt and jeans back on to avoid the embarrasment while their backs were turned. This was where Paul made his veiwing pleasures known. So that's why I missed TCAF and the Pulp Show on Saturday. Saturday evening after getting the BK Run with a tasty Veggie Burger and picking Mark up at the Kipling Subway we went home to some quiet games and watch Bruce And Lloyd Out of Control where Agent 99 played by Anne Hathaway literally phoned it in.
If anyone did go to the Pulp show did anyone have :
The Destroyer The Assassin's Handbook 2
The Avenger: Published by Street and Smith
Issue: Title: Auth: Date:
The Avenger: (in Clues Detective) published by Street and Smith
25 Death to the Avenger ET 09/01/42 Unk
26 A Coffin for the Avenger ET 11/01/42 Unk
27 Vengeance on the Avenger ET 01/01/43 Unk
28 Calling Justice Inc. ET 03/01/43 Unk
29 Cargo of Doom ET 05/01/43 Unk
The Avenger: (in The Shadow) published by Street and Smith
30 To Find a Dead Man ET 08/01/44 47/6
Moonstone's The Avenger Chronicle Volume 1
Vampirella by Ron Goulart #2 On Alien Wings
Darkman #1 The Hangman
Darkman #3 The Gods Of Hell
Lee Falk's The Phantom #12 The Vampires And The Witch
Lee Falk's The Phantom #13 The Island Of Dogs
The Lone Ranger by Fran Striker
I haven't seen these in years at the Pulp Show especially since Jamie Fraiser Books closed down.
Moving along. Saturday Night I go to bed right after Bruce and Lloyd Out Of Control ended because my legs still needed the rest. Anyways just down the block as SNL ended a Party in the worst part of my neighbourhood broke out in a shooting. Initial reports had 10 seriously injured in hospital and 5 critical. Well I found this out in the morning when I figured I could get to the Mississauga Marathon then TCAF to see Scott MacCloud, R Stevens, and others. Well screw that how often does violence breakout in my neighbourhood (well too often if you ask me but that's a conversation for another day)? So I dropped Mark off at work letting the parents sleep in and walked down to the scene of the shootings. Oh the police won't say a thing. The area is blocked off and taped off and I am warned not to stray off the sidewalk. I see CP24 arrive and set up the live eye. I give the details from the radio and CP 24 to other passerbys and lookie lous. I hear lots of remarks saying "it's Housing, it's a bad side of the street." Well I have lived in my community in my current place for thirty years and six years in the other hall. I don't drink, I don't do drugs, and I refrain from violence. I don't own a gun and the only knives I own (from X-Mas 2004) can be used to cut a tomatoe (routinely) or a tin can. So why does one unit with 25 people in for a party and five of them from across town that shoot at them ends up blaming the entire community let alone the Toronto Community Housing Corporation? It was neat watching the special investigators placing down little blue pylons and yellow numbered labels. It meant bullet casings and a blood trail. I watch too much CSI with Mum who had a little crush on Gil Grissom. Anyways I took 24 pictures initially then I filled in the Parents then I took down some jackets to Mark at work and as I return instead of thinning out the cops have doubled on the street. Seems people didn't get the hint it was closed off to thorough traffic. I mean the crime scene tape, red pylons, and Police cars blocking the road wasn't clue enough? One officer had to run up to a woman who got out of her car to move a red pylon citing it was in the way of her car. No guff he told her to go the other way and she could not fathom why? I think the way to deal with that is to lambast them with paperwork. Explain it's a crime scene and if they proceed they will not be paid for their time to sit and wait at trial to explain to the judge and jurys why they drove through and disturbed the scene of the crime and what did they witness. Oh and their vehicle will be inpounded as evidence untill after the trial which could be years away if the criminals are found and charged. That would scare anyone off to do the right thing. So I came back and took more pictures and watch as more looky lous came up. I was amazed as a bus shelter filled up with people waiting for a bus. What bus as nothing was coming along the street? Eventually someone said look around and put two and two together. Walk to Rathburn or South to Burnhamthorpe. Actually when it filled up at 1030 am some locals came along and said give you a lift? hmm must not be TCH. I left when the new guy in the area showed to me that Scary Movie was correct. The media flock to the loudest stupidest most arrgoant person in the area. We had the local Esso Gas Station move out over ten years ago and turned in to a toxic field. That field was turned into a mini-strip mall four years ago with a Subway restaurant, a Hasty Market, a Pet food store, a nail salon, some empty retail space, and eventually a Money Mart. Now the Hasty Market used to be open 24 hours and you could access from one side to the other. A year ago they switched to 630am (ussually 7am) to 11pm. This was because after they closed the street door to stop shoplifters, they started getting outright robbed and the men behind the counter got downright insulting. The final latenight came when one gent was stabbed in the eye. Now I know it's gotten to be a tougher neighbourhood when I crossed the bridge to the local Mac's Milk and the guy had locked the door to let the customers one at a time. He did this with a police car parked in the lot front of it. This from years ago they guy behind the counter was afraid to call the cops for something not involving them because someone might retaliate. That was 25 years ago to 5 years ago for the same Mac's Milk store. So the thing that bugs me is the gent from the Hasty market lives in housing and had told people later that it was a cancer in that eye that forced him to walk around with surgical packing over his eye. Thing was when they started interviewing him at the scene of the shooting (well down from it at the playground where kids were playing earlier) he realeased a diatribe against the lazy black somalian criminals and drug gangs. Dude when those gangs get the munchies they come to you at the Hasty Market to fill the need which was why you charge $3 for expired bag of chips they are not walking anywhere else. So calling them names and blaming them for incidents does no one any good. Unless it's the actual people involved with a crime you were personally involved in in some way like you witnessed. Which would explain that all his ditribe was off the news by 2pm when they had a police news conference at 1pm to replace it. Anyways when the news conference was going on on the TV I was making my Mum and Dad a stack of Pancakes for their breakfast. At this point after clean-up I started to put the now 4 dozen photos on the computer and from there to my facebook account. Well sort of. I had to run some e-mails for Dad first then cleaned out my own e-mails then back to Dad's e-mails. Seems someone sent an all points e-mail telling one person to contact Dad because he doesn't check his e-mail. Technically correct, he doesn't check his e-mail. Dad has me check it. Usually twice a day nowadays. So I sent a mass reply for Dad saying I'll check into that later followed by a Winky to show we can take a kidding. Then I had to explain it to Dad. Then someone misinterpretted and replied that they didn't want Dad to tell someone about the meeting but that someone to tell Dad. I sent for Dad a single reply that he knew about that hence why the message ended with a winky. To which the gent again misinterpretted the message because he thought we were insulting him over the idea that he missed or did not know what a Winky was. Then after explaining to Dad a fifth time what a Winky was and showing Mum the McDonald's MacWrap commercial we all had a laugh. I was free to leave on my own at 4pm. Well TCAF was over by then and definately the Mississauga Marathon and most of the Adult Science Fair so what was left beside picking Mark up at 6pm. Rest for the night.
Oh and I caught the cop sleeping on the job outside the scene of the shooting at 3am. But that is another Story that is after the weekend is over.
See you tomorrow,
Thursday, May 7, 2009
About last night #14691
So here it is Thursday 7 May 2009 and the new Star Trek film comes out today. Like I care.
So last night I get ready to leave for the game and Dad is going to give me a lift to the subway station which is nice but I would say it was so he could grab some food at Wendy's afterward. Well just as I was about to leave we get a couple of calls. It's from Henry who isn't susposed to be working that night at the Loblaw. Seems some lady in a pick-up truck wanted to miss hitting the skids of fertilizer and instead banged into the cage of the garden center causing some damage. As a safety caution the employee at the scene was to be checked out at the hospital and surprise surprise surprise it's my baby brother Mark and after Mum I am the next number under the ICE list. ICE stands for In Case of Emergency. So while Dad calms Mum I shoot off an e-mail saying ain't making the game as a courtesy and a minute later I am in the Plymouth on to Mark. Now this is where it get's good. You see Henry (who usually only works weekends) and another Manager are freaking worried of lawsuits and Union claims and Workplace Accident ratios and lawsuits and Workman compensation Board hearings so even if everything is aokay he insists on getting the person checked out just to cover theirs and the company ass. Which part of me understands except Mark went from being a premmie to a six foot tall thug who once bent a steel hammer with his anger. The kid has the Riches endurance. So rushing to the hospital for a check-up everytime an incident happens in the company parking lot let alone on any company property is overkill. This isn't the first time I have had to rush down to Queensway Gen or Trillium Health to make sure Mark is okay only to find out it's a scrape or a bruise or nothing.
So in this incident the lady called Jen bangs into the cage and you think crash right? Nope seems she had tapped the gate to the garden center with the bumper of her pickup and the swing on a wheel (or castor) and hit some urns making a loud rattle on the cage and Mark was by the urns and caught the gate before it did damage. Henry who was outside on break waiting for the paycheck slip sees the incident and thinks Mark is hit by the fence gate by a hit and run. Jen the driver got out of the pickup saw everything was okay waved on by Mark and got back in and drove off after talking to Mark and the worried Henry. Henry then takes Mark aside and starts to call the ICE list which is where I came along. Two hours waiting for a doctor, half hour for an x-ray, ten minutes for the all clear and we find nothing was wrong. Mark is out 90 minutes pay and I buy him a Quiznos Turkey Bacon Torpedo, coke, and chips. Then I go back out and get a Chilli & Baked potatoe from Wendy's for Mum. Dad had a Bear Claw at the Timmies while we waited for the results. While I know it's better safe than sorry I can't help but think this is Loblaw crying wolf once too often.
I will say that the gate is a little warped but that could be general wear and tear or Mark or the Pickup. Mark is back at work this morning no worst for wear. Well Mum gave him an extra long hug before he left this morning so his neck maybe sore. A winky goes here but I dislike blogging smiley faces.
So last night I get ready to leave for the game and Dad is going to give me a lift to the subway station which is nice but I would say it was so he could grab some food at Wendy's afterward. Well just as I was about to leave we get a couple of calls. It's from Henry who isn't susposed to be working that night at the Loblaw. Seems some lady in a pick-up truck wanted to miss hitting the skids of fertilizer and instead banged into the cage of the garden center causing some damage. As a safety caution the employee at the scene was to be checked out at the hospital and surprise surprise surprise it's my baby brother Mark and after Mum I am the next number under the ICE list. ICE stands for In Case of Emergency. So while Dad calms Mum I shoot off an e-mail saying ain't making the game as a courtesy and a minute later I am in the Plymouth on to Mark. Now this is where it get's good. You see Henry (who usually only works weekends) and another Manager are freaking worried of lawsuits and Union claims and Workplace Accident ratios and lawsuits and Workman compensation Board hearings so even if everything is aokay he insists on getting the person checked out just to cover theirs and the company ass. Which part of me understands except Mark went from being a premmie to a six foot tall thug who once bent a steel hammer with his anger. The kid has the Riches endurance. So rushing to the hospital for a check-up everytime an incident happens in the company parking lot let alone on any company property is overkill. This isn't the first time I have had to rush down to Queensway Gen or Trillium Health to make sure Mark is okay only to find out it's a scrape or a bruise or nothing.
So in this incident the lady called Jen bangs into the cage and you think crash right? Nope seems she had tapped the gate to the garden center with the bumper of her pickup and the swing on a wheel (or castor) and hit some urns making a loud rattle on the cage and Mark was by the urns and caught the gate before it did damage. Henry who was outside on break waiting for the paycheck slip sees the incident and thinks Mark is hit by the fence gate by a hit and run. Jen the driver got out of the pickup saw everything was okay waved on by Mark and got back in and drove off after talking to Mark and the worried Henry. Henry then takes Mark aside and starts to call the ICE list which is where I came along. Two hours waiting for a doctor, half hour for an x-ray, ten minutes for the all clear and we find nothing was wrong. Mark is out 90 minutes pay and I buy him a Quiznos Turkey Bacon Torpedo, coke, and chips. Then I go back out and get a Chilli & Baked potatoe from Wendy's for Mum. Dad had a Bear Claw at the Timmies while we waited for the results. While I know it's better safe than sorry I can't help but think this is Loblaw crying wolf once too often.
I will say that the gate is a little warped but that could be general wear and tear or Mark or the Pickup. Mark is back at work this morning no worst for wear. Well Mum gave him an extra long hug before he left this morning so his neck maybe sore. A winky goes here but I dislike blogging smiley faces.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Mum gets a call
Okay so here it is Wednesday 6 May 2009 anniversary of the Chunnel and the first 4 minute mile. It's also McHappy Day where a portion of all BigMac's sold goes to McDonald's Ronald McDonald House children's charities across Canada. Almost as good as last week where the scoops went to the Canadian FireFighters Federation Nationanal memorial in Ottawa. Moving right along I have hopefully my first HorrorClix game in a long time tonight.
I brokedown and e-mailed Uberman (William Gibson) yesterday morning and received a reply just before 5pm. Oddly it accused me of being too late to play (which is true) except he didn't say how many point or theme or special rules for tonights game. Of course since I tend to type run-on sentences that go for miles he said he said he fell asleep reading it which shows how much he pays attention. Maybe he will remember that tomorrow is Gary Cooper's Birthday and he will place that in a theme. Maybe not.
Mother is fussy now because she got a call that she thought was a telemarketer or scam artist asking about the gas or hydro and the bills. You see when she said she didn't handle it that Pops did they demanded to speak to him then didn't believe her when she said he wasn't home. He wasn't home he was out assisting Max with an auto lock. Anyways Mumsy calls Pops up mid-afternoon and says she'll talk to him when he gets home when he gets home an hour later now 3pm she sat him down and told him about the call she received. Following me so far?
Okay so Mum took down the name and phone number from the call display and gives the info to Dad and tells him to check with the land lord about this and they have no idea. Dad comes back tells Mom of the visit and they sit down and call the number from the call display. It answers Greenwin Management not Marchant &Company Ltd. Dad says sorry wrong number and says he recognized the voice as the lady from the Landlord's office. So with that the speculating ends and the parents just drop the whole idea of WTF was that call all about?
Now normally we wouldn't care so much of a call except that Dad received a call last week to receive a Geo Holidays vacation that was all expense paid. Problem was he had to come into see a presentation on Thursday night. He skipped it for other reasons and they called back on Friday. When they said they were holding the trip for him they didn't say where it was for or how many days and nights just that they expected him to cough up for some port fees. With that we all know that when someone says something is free they mean free and if they ask money up front it's a scam.
Still moving along I surprised Mark this morning with both his packed lunch and a big breakfast of toasted white bread with Kraft Strawberry jam, three slices of crisp Cherry Pink bacon, home-fried hashbrown potatoes, two scrambled eggs with diced tomatoes, red onion, green pepper, smothered in melted cheese, topped with a fresh cold glass of apple juice and the morning papers. Kid still doesn't say thanks for the effort. I even had the Laundry done before noon so he and Dad don't have to worry about it. BTW Dad didn't wait for breakfast and ate at Burger King getting the first of the new Star Trek glasses (Uhura). I love the idea of collectible drink ware and have a complete set of Muppet glasses in the basement from the eighties from MickyD's. I used to have an assortment of Jay Ward (Sherman, Peabody, Rocky The Flying Squirel, Dudley Doright and a Bullwinkle that would disappear at times) glasses that I got with Gramma Botham in the 1970's at the Caroles up by the Thousand Islands Mall in Brockville. The weirdest one was a pair of Harlem Globetrotter glasses that Nanny had that we could never figure where she got them from that didn't survive the trip from North Augusta toToronto.
But I Digress.
Today I decide not to where my Jacket because I realized the two packs of cheese sauce that I got from BK on Saturday that I wanted to save for my brother I forgot in my jacket pocket and crushed last nightwith a battery. Not a pleasant sight or an easy mess to clean. Thankfully it's warm enough that such accouterments will not be needed today unless it rains. Yes part of the decision is out of my hands but it's clean and dry now but the thought of my sticking my hand in that pocket any pulling out batteries covered in cheese sauce is just something I don't want to face thinking about again.
Yesterday I did a condensed running around in a compressed two hours dropped Mark off at work, picked up the free daily papers, did the banking, got the mail from the POBox, got the bulletin from Nativity, got the bulletin from St.James, picked up the Ottawa Citizen & Scottish Banner from Fortinos, got some lollypops for Dad from the Dollarama, picked up milk, bread, buttersticks, margerine, fries, MW pizza, drinkboxes, apple juice, cereal bars, and waffles from the Price Chopper and put it all away at the house in time to take the laundry upstairs. It was a small grocery order that will either need to be repeated in a day or expanded. I have been without Tropicanna Pulp free Orange Juice for a week now since the Price chopper and Fortinos and NoFrills are sold out when I visit. Haven't had the time to check Basics and I know Loblaw and Metro charge about 10% more than the others. So I drink Mark's Roougemont Apple Juice.
What next? Well now it's time to bid adieu while I go to the game so bye for now and speak to you all later.
I brokedown and e-mailed Uberman (William Gibson) yesterday morning and received a reply just before 5pm. Oddly it accused me of being too late to play (which is true) except he didn't say how many point or theme or special rules for tonights game. Of course since I tend to type run-on sentences that go for miles he said he said he fell asleep reading it which shows how much he pays attention. Maybe he will remember that tomorrow is Gary Cooper's Birthday and he will place that in a theme. Maybe not.
Mother is fussy now because she got a call that she thought was a telemarketer or scam artist asking about the gas or hydro and the bills. You see when she said she didn't handle it that Pops did they demanded to speak to him then didn't believe her when she said he wasn't home. He wasn't home he was out assisting Max with an auto lock. Anyways Mumsy calls Pops up mid-afternoon and says she'll talk to him when he gets home when he gets home an hour later now 3pm she sat him down and told him about the call she received. Following me so far?
Okay so Mum took down the name and phone number from the call display and gives the info to Dad and tells him to check with the land lord about this and they have no idea. Dad comes back tells Mom of the visit and they sit down and call the number from the call display. It answers Greenwin Management not Marchant &Company Ltd. Dad says sorry wrong number and says he recognized the voice as the lady from the Landlord's office. So with that the speculating ends and the parents just drop the whole idea of WTF was that call all about?
Now normally we wouldn't care so much of a call except that Dad received a call last week to receive a Geo Holidays vacation that was all expense paid. Problem was he had to come into see a presentation on Thursday night. He skipped it for other reasons and they called back on Friday. When they said they were holding the trip for him they didn't say where it was for or how many days and nights just that they expected him to cough up for some port fees. With that we all know that when someone says something is free they mean free and if they ask money up front it's a scam.
Still moving along I surprised Mark this morning with both his packed lunch and a big breakfast of toasted white bread with Kraft Strawberry jam, three slices of crisp Cherry Pink bacon, home-fried hashbrown potatoes, two scrambled eggs with diced tomatoes, red onion, green pepper, smothered in melted cheese, topped with a fresh cold glass of apple juice and the morning papers. Kid still doesn't say thanks for the effort. I even had the Laundry done before noon so he and Dad don't have to worry about it. BTW Dad didn't wait for breakfast and ate at Burger King getting the first of the new Star Trek glasses (Uhura). I love the idea of collectible drink ware and have a complete set of Muppet glasses in the basement from the eighties from MickyD's. I used to have an assortment of Jay Ward (Sherman, Peabody, Rocky The Flying Squirel, Dudley Doright and a Bullwinkle that would disappear at times) glasses that I got with Gramma Botham in the 1970's at the Caroles up by the Thousand Islands Mall in Brockville. The weirdest one was a pair of Harlem Globetrotter glasses that Nanny had that we could never figure where she got them from that didn't survive the trip from North Augusta toToronto.
But I Digress.
Today I decide not to where my Jacket because I realized the two packs of cheese sauce that I got from BK on Saturday that I wanted to save for my brother I forgot in my jacket pocket and crushed last nightwith a battery. Not a pleasant sight or an easy mess to clean. Thankfully it's warm enough that such accouterments will not be needed today unless it rains. Yes part of the decision is out of my hands but it's clean and dry now but the thought of my sticking my hand in that pocket any pulling out batteries covered in cheese sauce is just something I don't want to face thinking about again.
Yesterday I did a condensed running around in a compressed two hours dropped Mark off at work, picked up the free daily papers, did the banking, got the mail from the POBox, got the bulletin from Nativity, got the bulletin from St.James, picked up the Ottawa Citizen & Scottish Banner from Fortinos, got some lollypops for Dad from the Dollarama, picked up milk, bread, buttersticks, margerine, fries, MW pizza, drinkboxes, apple juice, cereal bars, and waffles from the Price Chopper and put it all away at the house in time to take the laundry upstairs. It was a small grocery order that will either need to be repeated in a day or expanded. I have been without Tropicanna Pulp free Orange Juice for a week now since the Price chopper and Fortinos and NoFrills are sold out when I visit. Haven't had the time to check Basics and I know Loblaw and Metro charge about 10% more than the others. So I drink Mark's Roougemont Apple Juice.
What next? Well now it's time to bid adieu while I go to the game so bye for now and speak to you all later.
Monday, May 4, 2009
To go or not to go
Okay the week that was has left my immune system weak and finally caught up with me with the runs today. Star Wars Day May the Fourth be with you.
Okay a week ago I designed a flyer for my father for the Spring Camp and have it go via his e-mail to Charles Chan the Akela and area commish at 3am. So since then Pop gets a few dozen copies made and has them handed out at Tuesday's Cub meeting. The chatter in the e-mails is that they need a flyer so I resend the one I made for Dad and he get's scolded that it's the one made by Jeremy Chan (Charles Chan's Son) and they are looking for a packing list flyer and a cost list.
I take umbrage for someone taking credit for my work or the work I made for my father as well as people unclear on what they want when they want it. I figure karma will interfere and Mr Nichols will probably suffer some severely infectious papercuts at the least.
Mark started his new work schedule this week in the Garden Centre at Loblaws with longer hours and less trips up to Humber college. He spent Wednesday morning and afternoon writing exams and has to go in on Saturday coming up for one more final otherwise he is done until the Summer session. This has come as a disappointment for my mum who enjoyed my travels North waiting an hour or two for baby bro while I went and got intermediate groceries or the newspaper (Ottawa Citizen) from Price Chopper or Fortinos. Speaking of Price Chopper they had a big sale last week of Neilsen Dairy Churned or Novelty Ice Cream 450 to 500ml for $0.99 and I stalked up with a freezer box on 6 of them for later in Summer of which mum ate one in the first two hours in the house, Mark ate a Smarties one in the first night, and I tried to split the other Smarties one with Dad and Mark (before I knew Mark had the other Smarties flavour). So while we stocked up for Summer temptation was too great. That said the remnaining three are hidden in the basement freezer untill July heatwave arrives. I already had desserts planned with brownie mix and cookies to make it look like little towers as seen on the Food Network.
That is making me hungry so I will move on.
I had a coupon for a free movie that expired on Thursday that I wish I hadn't put off. Oddly enough for FCBD (Free Comic Book Day) a friend at the local store (Excalibur Comics 3030 Bloor St West, Etobicoke, ON) offered me a pass this past Wednesday to see X-Men Origins: Wolverine before anyone else. The thing was I just got the bundle for FCBD (Thanks Rob!) when I realized my cup runneth over and I declined since in the past few months I had seen Fast & Furious, Monsters Versus Aliens, and Crank 2 High Voltage and as a result had missed my weekly HorrorClix games as a result. I was not going to mis the finale one for the month.
Oddly enough it was the same night as Baskin-Robbins 31 cent Scoop night and while waiting 45 minutes in line to spoil Mum, Dad, and Mark with Quarterback Crunch, Very Strawberry, and Caramel Truffle Turtle packed in a bag with dry ice to survive the long journey home. Well suffice it to say I ran into Jonathon a fellow HeroClix player who said he had ran into Rocchi who had told him he was just leaving as that night's game was cancelled. So I rushed down and after checking upstairs was told he had received an emil the night before cancelling the game and that I had just missed Paul Rocchi. So I dash away down Yonge Street again and was told I just missed Rocchi at Hairy Tarantula. I had no idea where to go but I figured that why I didn't get the notice of the cancellation was of all the games previously missed. BTW me and the junior at Hairy T's were surprised that Marvel has published not one but two volumes of Essential Dazzler basically collecting all of the character's early career. The reason was Dazzler was not a superhero comic but more of Eli Stone meets Ally McBeal via way of Fame in comicbook form. Wonderful concept but extremely hard to execute which is why while I subscribed to it during the origninal run and enjoyed the variety of artists and themes I had doubts towards the end when it tried to be a hero on the run type series until it was cancelled. Thing is you could pick it up at some stores in the 5 to 10 issues for a dollar bin at some stores. So why release it in an Essential edition? It's just not that good.
Okay Thursday was a day where I spent the time running around first dropping Mark off at work then setching stuff for mum then picking Mark up and running around as his chauffeur to places like Mark's Workwear house, Wal-Mart, Metro, Zellers, No-Frills, Agincourt Mall and an afternoon wasted at Pacific Heritage Mall. I paid for the gas because he wouldn't. I went to the bathroom before we left and when we arrived at Pacific Heritage Mall we went past our destination that was open but he had to go take a wee. We get back and they are closed. So were all their competition closed. One person told me they just went for lunch however we found out an hour later that they had just closed because of anti-piracy police and end of month rents.
So if he had gone before he left he would have gotten them before they closed and we would have left almost two hours earlier than we did from the Pacific Heritage Mall. Particularily he was looking for the imports of anime and not the pirated stuff. Oh well Karma will make it work out some where down the line.
So moving right along Friday was setting up getting prepped for lists for FCBD. I compared why I had received earlier to what was released and found I was short only two items the minimate and the Magic The Gathering package. I showed what I had received already and to Pops and Mark to see if they had any requests and Pops simply read Nancy and Archie and felt that was enough while Mark wanted Savage Dragon and GoldDigger. Much like last year's FCBD I took Dad on the trip to Comics and More, Silver Snail, The Beguiling, Yesterday's Heroes, Atomic Comics, Pendragon Comics, Red Nails II, Grey Region, One Million Comics, and Pacific Gift. I found out from two stores that the Minimate and the Magic The Gathering pack may not or did not ship to Canada. Mind you alot of these places got into the spirit of the day with sales and give aways. The Silver Snail had staff dress as comicbook characters like Dr Manhattan, Silk Spectre, Vigilante, Elijah Snow, Iron Fist, BSG pilot, Indiana Jones, The OC, Stormtroopers, and Sith.
Unfortunately they were running out of comics quick with six titles then four to choose from at the end of the day. Comics & More was giving away free t-shirts if you spent $25 or more and had losts in the bargain bins and very freindly staff. The Beguiling moved the dozen artists and the freebies to the bar next door they just seemed too imposing to approach. One million Comics scrutinized our every move when we came there and limited it to one comic per person unless you bought something. Pendragon basically said buy something and get something simular so if you bought Marvel you got the Marvel FCBD buy DC get the DC FCBD which I though was very limiting. Leon at Hairy Tarantula was giving 1 to 5 comics but it looked like a whim except he was very jolly about it. Man, Leon was enjoying the crowds. Grey Region just sort of said there it is help yourself. Red Nails II bagged it for you at the counter and offered suggestions of what you might be interested in which slowed the line up. Well you get the idea it was a busy day.
As me and Pops finished up the day we had dinner at the Burger King at Dufferin&King and we saw adverts for Star Trek Glasses. We also had our third run in with Toronto FC fans and a highly persistent panhandler. I don't mind panhandlers but no means no and you shouldn't panhandle inside a place of business like a restaurant. ugh. Dufferin & king is significant because my father had a Red Van or sports car going northbound when a southbound car crashed into him wrecking his vehicle and he was late and met my mother later at a YMCA So-Ed where they fell in love. Just shows that karma takes away a vehicle and brings you a lifelong love.
From there I dropped Pops off at home and picked Mark up from Loblaw where I took him to Wendys for a Baconator Classic and a Chill to take home to Mom. They forgot the crackers and the cheese for the chilli so thank you Phillip the manager for completing my order properly.
That last bit was sarcasm.
Sunday was spent catching up with everything I missed on during the previous week.
Today is spent reconciling everything else.
So in the end happy anniverary to the first appearance of Wayne & Shuster on the Ed Sullivan Show, happy anniversary to Margaret Thatcher becoming PM in the U.K., happy birthday to Pete Seeger, happy music day to all the kiddies, and Happy Star Wars Day everyone. Post you all another time.
Okay a week ago I designed a flyer for my father for the Spring Camp and have it go via his e-mail to Charles Chan the Akela and area commish at 3am. So since then Pop gets a few dozen copies made and has them handed out at Tuesday's Cub meeting. The chatter in the e-mails is that they need a flyer so I resend the one I made for Dad and he get's scolded that it's the one made by Jeremy Chan (Charles Chan's Son) and they are looking for a packing list flyer and a cost list.
I take umbrage for someone taking credit for my work or the work I made for my father as well as people unclear on what they want when they want it. I figure karma will interfere and Mr Nichols will probably suffer some severely infectious papercuts at the least.
Mark started his new work schedule this week in the Garden Centre at Loblaws with longer hours and less trips up to Humber college. He spent Wednesday morning and afternoon writing exams and has to go in on Saturday coming up for one more final otherwise he is done until the Summer session. This has come as a disappointment for my mum who enjoyed my travels North waiting an hour or two for baby bro while I went and got intermediate groceries or the newspaper (Ottawa Citizen) from Price Chopper or Fortinos. Speaking of Price Chopper they had a big sale last week of Neilsen Dairy Churned or Novelty Ice Cream 450 to 500ml for $0.99 and I stalked up with a freezer box on 6 of them for later in Summer of which mum ate one in the first two hours in the house, Mark ate a Smarties one in the first night, and I tried to split the other Smarties one with Dad and Mark (before I knew Mark had the other Smarties flavour). So while we stocked up for Summer temptation was too great. That said the remnaining three are hidden in the basement freezer untill July heatwave arrives. I already had desserts planned with brownie mix and cookies to make it look like little towers as seen on the Food Network.
That is making me hungry so I will move on.
I had a coupon for a free movie that expired on Thursday that I wish I hadn't put off. Oddly enough for FCBD (Free Comic Book Day) a friend at the local store (Excalibur Comics 3030 Bloor St West, Etobicoke, ON) offered me a pass this past Wednesday to see X-Men Origins: Wolverine before anyone else. The thing was I just got the bundle for FCBD (Thanks Rob!) when I realized my cup runneth over and I declined since in the past few months I had seen Fast & Furious, Monsters Versus Aliens, and Crank 2 High Voltage and as a result had missed my weekly HorrorClix games as a result. I was not going to mis the finale one for the month.
Oddly enough it was the same night as Baskin-Robbins 31 cent Scoop night and while waiting 45 minutes in line to spoil Mum, Dad, and Mark with Quarterback Crunch, Very Strawberry, and Caramel Truffle Turtle packed in a bag with dry ice to survive the long journey home. Well suffice it to say I ran into Jonathon a fellow HeroClix player who said he had ran into Rocchi who had told him he was just leaving as that night's game was cancelled. So I rushed down and after checking upstairs was told he had received an emil the night before cancelling the game and that I had just missed Paul Rocchi. So I dash away down Yonge Street again and was told I just missed Rocchi at Hairy Tarantula. I had no idea where to go but I figured that why I didn't get the notice of the cancellation was of all the games previously missed. BTW me and the junior at Hairy T's were surprised that Marvel has published not one but two volumes of Essential Dazzler basically collecting all of the character's early career. The reason was Dazzler was not a superhero comic but more of Eli Stone meets Ally McBeal via way of Fame in comicbook form. Wonderful concept but extremely hard to execute which is why while I subscribed to it during the origninal run and enjoyed the variety of artists and themes I had doubts towards the end when it tried to be a hero on the run type series until it was cancelled. Thing is you could pick it up at some stores in the 5 to 10 issues for a dollar bin at some stores. So why release it in an Essential edition? It's just not that good.
Okay Thursday was a day where I spent the time running around first dropping Mark off at work then setching stuff for mum then picking Mark up and running around as his chauffeur to places like Mark's Workwear house, Wal-Mart, Metro, Zellers, No-Frills, Agincourt Mall and an afternoon wasted at Pacific Heritage Mall. I paid for the gas because he wouldn't. I went to the bathroom before we left and when we arrived at Pacific Heritage Mall we went past our destination that was open but he had to go take a wee. We get back and they are closed. So were all their competition closed. One person told me they just went for lunch however we found out an hour later that they had just closed because of anti-piracy police and end of month rents.
So if he had gone before he left he would have gotten them before they closed and we would have left almost two hours earlier than we did from the Pacific Heritage Mall. Particularily he was looking for the imports of anime and not the pirated stuff. Oh well Karma will make it work out some where down the line.
So moving right along Friday was setting up getting prepped for lists for FCBD. I compared why I had received earlier to what was released and found I was short only two items the minimate and the Magic The Gathering package. I showed what I had received already and to Pops and Mark to see if they had any requests and Pops simply read Nancy and Archie and felt that was enough while Mark wanted Savage Dragon and GoldDigger. Much like last year's FCBD I took Dad on the trip to Comics and More, Silver Snail, The Beguiling, Yesterday's Heroes, Atomic Comics, Pendragon Comics, Red Nails II, Grey Region, One Million Comics, and Pacific Gift. I found out from two stores that the Minimate and the Magic The Gathering pack may not or did not ship to Canada. Mind you alot of these places got into the spirit of the day with sales and give aways. The Silver Snail had staff dress as comicbook characters like Dr Manhattan, Silk Spectre, Vigilante, Elijah Snow, Iron Fist, BSG pilot, Indiana Jones, The OC, Stormtroopers, and Sith.
Unfortunately they were running out of comics quick with six titles then four to choose from at the end of the day. Comics & More was giving away free t-shirts if you spent $25 or more and had losts in the bargain bins and very freindly staff. The Beguiling moved the dozen artists and the freebies to the bar next door they just seemed too imposing to approach. One million Comics scrutinized our every move when we came there and limited it to one comic per person unless you bought something. Pendragon basically said buy something and get something simular so if you bought Marvel you got the Marvel FCBD buy DC get the DC FCBD which I though was very limiting. Leon at Hairy Tarantula was giving 1 to 5 comics but it looked like a whim except he was very jolly about it. Man, Leon was enjoying the crowds. Grey Region just sort of said there it is help yourself. Red Nails II bagged it for you at the counter and offered suggestions of what you might be interested in which slowed the line up. Well you get the idea it was a busy day.
As me and Pops finished up the day we had dinner at the Burger King at Dufferin&King and we saw adverts for Star Trek Glasses. We also had our third run in with Toronto FC fans and a highly persistent panhandler. I don't mind panhandlers but no means no and you shouldn't panhandle inside a place of business like a restaurant. ugh. Dufferin & king is significant because my father had a Red Van or sports car going northbound when a southbound car crashed into him wrecking his vehicle and he was late and met my mother later at a YMCA So-Ed where they fell in love. Just shows that karma takes away a vehicle and brings you a lifelong love.
From there I dropped Pops off at home and picked Mark up from Loblaw where I took him to Wendys for a Baconator Classic and a Chill to take home to Mom. They forgot the crackers and the cheese for the chilli so thank you Phillip the manager for completing my order properly.
That last bit was sarcasm.
Sunday was spent catching up with everything I missed on during the previous week.
Today is spent reconciling everything else.
So in the end happy anniverary to the first appearance of Wayne & Shuster on the Ed Sullivan Show, happy anniversary to Margaret Thatcher becoming PM in the U.K., happy birthday to Pete Seeger, happy music day to all the kiddies, and Happy Star Wars Day everyone. Post you all another time.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
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