Ahh, a break in the weather.

I missed my coffee container and rushed out in the January rain. That’s right rain this afternoon. The streets were already slick enough. I got my bus but had a bit of a wait for the train. That’s why I bring my book. I went the other way up Jasper Ave a block because the weather felt almost like late March. I met Gary outside saying no cheques today and the Regional manager is in. I scooped up some coffee from Bud. Once a year our “General manager” would do the pay roll calling everyone in only this time it’s the Regional manager.

Also, Super was running the phone room like a real boiler room. An employee was only as good as his/her last hour. L/h was $200, which by break I was able to meet and 3 CC sales. I was at $405 by break actually and the boss and his boss left for the night. Good! I ended up wit a record 8 CC sales for a total of $370 or a $37 bonus to me on my cheque next week. I ended up with $980. This week so far, I have $65 in bonuses and there’s still today and Saturday yet. This campaign has been very good to me.

But I was glad to get out of the office and I took a wrong turn and found myself along a sheet of watery potted pavement of ice for about 20 yards. Amazingly, I didn’t slip and fall. I had a chance to read while waiting for the train. Of course no Oiler’s or football meant only 2 cars on the train and Mike rode with me with my bag of cans and bottles and my backpack. At Rexall the Edmonton Rush were piled out on the platform and it was standing room only. Worse then an Oiler game some nights and the City only has 2 cars? WTF?

I caught my bus home and it was very icy out by the lights crossing. I hate weather like this. I’d rather have it -20C with some snow to walk on then warm wet icy and rainy then what we’ve had last night and will have more of the same today.

Ok, 2 years ago our Edmonton “Tent City” was making National news. Mainly because of the then (and up until this time last year) due to our hot economy. But as good as our economy was then at the time and given the fact our vacancy rate was so high, that didn’t prevent thousands of people coming here looking for work from other Provinces. Apartment conversions and condo s were being built faster then people today are leaving. The tent city had about 200-300 people in tents on an empty lot. The City has about 2000-3000 homeless people, today-still. Some people have been homeless for years. Now because of the ugly tent city scandal our Mayor has a plan to eradicate homeless within in 10 years. This plan has been hinted at over the last 8 months or so along the decline of our economy. Now the Mayor has a 10 year pan to eliminate homelessness in 10 years and it’s going to cost a billion dollars to do it. What, for 2-3000 people? Pst: I got news for you Mr. mayor, there will be another 2-3,000 homeless people here in Edmonton even 10 years. At 1 Billion dollars those are going to be really nice homes/condo’s. but what about low income earners now? My wife and I can’t really work extra hours more then what were doing now and we’re barely making it as it is.

The other thing on the news they had an item about assisted animals/dogs and their owners are allowed to go anywhere into any building/restaurant etc. The announcer was talking about how dogs are better indicators for diabetic when finding out if blood sugar level is low. In this fashion because I can’t afford all my test strips, a dog would be the next best thing. Actually I’d love a little mini American Eskimos dog like the one J Rock had about 4 months ago. They can be trained to use the litter. I might get one when Pledges goes………….12:55pm> My wife and I are real night owls due to our jobs. This gives us time off as we both have health issues. We were in bed by 4am listening to a bit of Coast. The topic was on regression therapy.

Mainly dealing with “alien abductions,” the topic on Coast was compelling. The abduction cases I’d be interested in would be the repeat cases. How many times Mrs. X had claimed she was abducted and if there is a pattern here. If so it’d be interesting if the regression therapist had the ability to plant suggestions in the form of questions that would be activated when such an encounter occurred again. If the abductees got the chance to ask questions o the behalf of the therapist. Some questions I’d be asking would be, “Who are you?” “Why abduct me?” “What star system do you come from?” There could be other factors preventing abductees from speaking. I’d also like to know how many of these are similar. How many people claim to have been abducted by tall green aliens with one eye? That sort of thing. What’s amazing about these alien abductions is why would a race travel light years to get to here only to abduct our people “play doctor” and deposit them? Unless of course the aliens run into Earth by accident. It’s interesting stuff.

Big topic locally here today is the weather. Right now it’s +5C but icy and breezy. Anne left out of here about 1o minutes ago for work. She’s going to get a Tim’s before heading to her job. I have picture ID here to get my cheque because I’ve got to go through some hassle to get it. I’m curious as to what if any bonuses I’ll be getting, if any.

Still working on the last 100 pages of “Runner.” After this I’m going to read “Logos run,” the sequel to “Runner.” I know the characters of the book now and it should be easier for me to get into the story.

Anyhow I get my cheque tonight and then it’s off to Audrey’s and then over to my bank and then home. I might even go up the street to get a Wendy’s or something after my bank because Anne wont come home until after 1pm. Take that home with me and maybe get back in time for wrestling and catch the PPV results of the Oiler’s game. If I get those bonuses and from what I have from Anne’s money, I’ll have enough for my website, this weekend.

According to Supie (not Super) this new budget will put about $300/year into my pocket. How all this is supposed to be implemented and doled out, I’m not sure. But it won’t be for this year it’ll be for the next year. This might mean a new computer for me around Christmas. We’ll see.

And finally, on the local news there might be a case going to BC courts over the “Queen of the North” ferry accident that happened a few years ago. The ferry sunk near Hartley Bay March 12th 2006. But this segment is about BC court fees and not the QON as tragic as the accident was I was shocked to see that court fees in BC are astronomically high. I saw $40k and $25k for legal fees and even jury fees were something like $10K. These fees were exposed due to the frustration the plaintiffs from the QON accident face when trying to bring this case to the courts. These fees apparently are typical in BC. So who pays for them? Are they being written off or what? Jury fees in Alberta are something like $800 and even less in Ontario. There needs to be a set standard fee structure for everything across Canada and the Supreme court needs to re examine this. I recall a few years back my wife was selected for jury duty. She had to decline because she didn’t feel comfortable going ahead with It. I could feel how much anxiety she had but she was able to call whoever selected her if she could get out of it. And she would have been paid $50/day. I wonder how much money jury duty pay is for BC residence? So in light of all this, what about the QON and when will there be a trail. If ever?

Anyway bloggers, that’s all for now

e. Jim