I've been undergoing some severe back pain over the last

few days but even though I'm a little stiff right now in the back, I'm feeling better.

Last night I had a decent time on the job although it was tough going. I got 4 cards for a total of $90 and $425 total. So it wasn't a bad night, we had a bit of the LA/Oiler game on TV there and in between calls I was able to watch bits and pieces of the game. I got some empties but some people were complaining I took their empties without asking. Better me then the cleaning staff. I'm trying to lobby for the cleaning staff not to come up here while we're working but wait until 9pm. I mean if we're not allowed on the floor until 4:30pm and we work the next shift, they shouldn't come up with vacuum cleaners rags and emptying trash buckets and making noise while we're working.

Sixteen and Twenty-four came in for me during last nights $12M 6/49 draw. onemore number would have got me $5! Nobody won the jackpot.

As for the Oiler's they lost 3-1 and had a goal disallowed that would have tied the game. The Oiler's are just getting a lot of dumb luck against them. And it gets worse, they play SJ Friday night and then go down to Vancouver for Saturday.

I'm just getting into "Rainbows End." The writing is ok but the characters are not catching my interest. But at least the plot isn't all over the place like "The Family tree was."

Speaking about books I got a couple of calls from Audrey's the other day and apparently some of my new book orders are in. I'm trying to get enough points on my membership to cover the cost of "The New Space Opera 2" to pay for it. I'm about half way there. I usually get a $1 off of each book, so I got about another 9 books yet left before I can get it for "free."

Weekends books and Oiler games

I went to bed immediately after ECW and listened to a bit of Coast. Art Bell wastakining over for George. I listned for about 5 minutes having got a drift of the topic: Intention. I slept until about 3am and got up to pee and Anne not able to see me in the dark and on the toilet collided with me. I wasn’t able to get back to sleep after that so I got up about half an hour ago and in back pain and went back to sleep but couldn’t and rested my back. I got up about 6:35am feeling a little better but not so taking a look outside to a blanket of snow out there.

We had Boots in overnight with my office window openand it looks like he jumped off the balcony or is under the lawn reclainer.

Anne’s working from 4:30-10pm and I’m in from 10-4:30pm. That will get me 25.5 hours in. Most hours I’ve had in a week since over 2 years ago.

I’m not one for abandoning books but what made me feel bad about abandoning “The Family tree” by Sheri S. Tepper, was I actually liked one of the characters in the book. The other book I casted adrift into the couldn’t read pool was Julie E. Czerneda’s, “In the company of others.” Hopefully I won’t get any more books like that this year.

Last night after work I went over to Audrey’s. The pill I just took for my back was kicking in.
When I went through the doors I noticed they had an author signing. I felt my blood sugar level dropping and asked the clerk there if they had anything left over but there was nothing soft. I’d get a donut from Tim’s across the street on my way home. I didn’t want to get “The New Space Opera 2” just yet as even though I had enough to cover for it, I didn’t want to break the bank and I would have and nothing in case I needed breakfast Saturday morning. Instead I picked up Brian Ruckley’s Winterbirth. Book 1 in the trilogy as book 2 is already on Audrey’s shelf. I took that to the counter and after paying for it I asked Trevor to order me the first 3 books in LE Modessit Jr.s “Recluse” series. I was almost going to pick up book one of John Ringo’s “Looking Glass” but I’m still working on his Posleen war series.

After Audrey’s I went to Tim’s and got my donut and coffee and relaxed in no particular hurry to get home. But I waited for the LRT with my empties and got home with no Anne there. So I did my admin stuff. So far this week alone I banked $850 in cards. Wow. I bank for the company 4 times more then what they pay me and probably at least 8 times more that’s not banked on cards, in total. And so far this week, I’ve got 18 cards in and it’s not even Saturday.

The big game on tap tonight is Chicago/Edmonton. I’m looking forward to this. The Oiler’s have played 22 games so far and enjoy a 9-10-3 record. Next year we get Jason Erbele in the line up and that Sweedish defence player. Chicago has just come off that win with Calgary the other night. Also, Sunday is the CFL playoff finale: Calgary/Rider’s. Should be a good one.

The only Lodge thing I‘ve got to do is the FC WT for Dec. 3rd. It’s a short piece I’ve done before. As for today, I’m glad I got my book last night what with all this snow out there and my bad back might make things very icey out there. I might stay for the extra 2 hours after all depends on how I feel. If my back is holding up ok, then I will.

I’ll snag a photo of the first snow fall out there when I go to work late and post it in this entry.

Its still Sunday night here

Other then that not much going on. I read a bit more from "The Family Tree" Lodge work, and Internet stuff.

This morning I went to bed about 3:30am and had a good 10 hours of sleep without the aid of a sleeping pill. Anne made a great brunch and I watched The Oiler's in Denver win to a 5-3 victory destroying the Ave's bid for a 7-0 win record. It was nice to see the Oiler's win for a change.

Also I've been toying around with Google Earth street view maps. Especially touring my old neighborhood in Coquitlam BC. For years and years I always thought the corner store was called Snoopy's but its actually called Soupy's. It's still there today. I used to get my Marvel comic books off the rack there in 1968.

Other then that I'm having a good weekend. Anne's sister is coming out tomorrow and I'll be at work. I'm working Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday afternoons this week. I want the Blackberry Storm 2 as it's coming out Monday but I'm not looking at getting that until maybe by the end of the year or January next year.

On Coast this evening the topic is DARPA. Should be a good one. I love shows like this and its odd that Ian does topics like this as he's more into soft topics.

Jim