A Sunday afternoon alone and I love it

Yesterday morning I was left scrambling to get my 9am bus. I locked everything out and I was out the door. I got a breakfast sandwich at Tim’s and 1 hash brown and a diet Pepsi to take with my insulin and a leisurely stroll to the office. I got my dialler 15 and I should have taken one of the tap diallers but I didn’t want to have Tammy sit beside me. She’s loud and over powering. My first call was a $35 sale and slow after that. I think I had about $200 by break. I was determined to go home at 2pm. I ended up with a $30 card and a $470 total and some empty cans to take home.

At Audrey’s I noticed this box Phillip K. Dick hardcover collection. 1/3 but they were asking $110 for it. Instead I bought Book 4 of the “Recluse” series. L.E. Modesitt Jr. I hope to get into this series next year. That and David Weber’s “Honor Harrington” series.

Well, the Oiler’s are back to their losing ways again. They lost in Denver 3-0. I feel bad for the team. This is almost like the year they lost Ryan Smyth. They went on an 18 games losing streak. Then last year with all the injuries the team had losing the playoffs, the Edmonton Oiler’s had lost their starting goal tender and their leading goal scorer out for the season. The Oiler’s have got to do something but they don’t have a lot to work with. Best they could do is unload some expensive players and make some cap room. They might get a 20 goal scorer but not a big name like a Danny Heatley. I can see them getting rid of about four-five players for a couple of draft picks and mostly save some cap room but no more then that before the trade deadline March 3rd.

One of my projects is to research a paper for my Lodge. The topic I have in mind is on Occult Masonry. Mainly how I can tie in the 4 elements, of Earth, Air, Fire ,and Water and how they relate in a philosophical way into the WT.
At the moment his is just an idea germinating in the back of my mind. I’ve been thinking that maybe each lecture will be 15 minutes long spread over the course of four months. I’m also thinking about a WT ritual for each tool and the speculative relationship to occult principles. Most likely this is something I can work on in the summer and I’ll write the paper dividing it up into 4 parts. I’ll even record it as I go.

Today is Super bowl Sunday. I’m not a fan per se’ but I’ll channel surf to see what’s happening. I’m mostly into CFL and the season for that is usually about July first until about November 22nd.

I’m seriously Thinking about the Archos 5 Internet tablet but I also like the 64Gb ITouch as well. Cost comparison wise, they’re about the same but the Archos 5 has expandable memory while the ITouch isn’t expandable I like the IPhone as well but I don’t like being locked into a $65 month fee for 3 years. The ITouch’s drawback’s are the expandable memory and no external speakers is Anyway, that’s about all for now.

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Continuing with the closing theme from above, at last I’ve narrowed it down to the Archos 5 Internet Tablet and the ITouch. One or the other. I’m leaning towards the ITouch. Firstly because it uses the ITunes market place for Windows and the Mac. The only drawback between the two, for the ITouch, there’s no expandable memory—bummer. Archos 5 No ITunes and there doesn’t seem to be (at the moment) a lot of Apps being written for the Archos. One thing the Archos has going for it is the expandable memory. I’ve got one file folder on my desk top and in this file folder I have 1,355 files comprising of 11.9 Gb. I’ve got another batch of about the same number of files on my old desktop I’m slowly trying to transfer over to my laptop. The thing I like about ITunes is that ITunes is available for the Mac and PC. Archos 5 is PC. Also the Price factor. Archos 5. Best Buy has the Archos 5 160Gb version for $329. That’s 105Gb more. Plus both have wi-fi. The ITouch 65Gb version is $397 at Best Buy. The winner: Well your going to have to come back tomorrow and see. Anne’s calling me for lunch and I’ve got a crap load of other things to do today.

My first of two early days

I was dressed and ready to go waiting for Neil when I suddenly realized at the last minute, Anne had taken my apartment keys that were attached to my bus pass holder. Yikes! I had no way of locking up. Wait, the caretaker’s office is open until seven. I rushed to the caretaker‘s suite on the main floor beside the entrance to our building. I was able to get a copy of the suite key from the caretaker and I rushed back up the stairs to lock up and outside. They said I could return it later today as I will after work. It was closing in on the time for Neil to pick me up as I rushed outside and he came by with about five minutes to spare.

I had a rough start holding down the Junior Deacon chair but because there were no other EA’s or FC’s at the Lodge my bit was relatively easy. DOC and WM each gave a paper. WM even with a laptop and a projector. We had a small turnout as well. Only 15 guys showed up. Nathan receive his Past Masters Jewel. Nice. Unlike me he went right through the first three degrees during the same WM term. We got in at the same time. It took me three years to go through all three degrees for my own reasons. The current WM took his EA after I took my FC. Nathan, Reg and myself all took the EA at the same time, September 2002. Nathan took all three degrees that fall. When he was Tyler January 2003, I was still FC. If I proved up the same as him I’d most likely be WM instead of our current WM. If I can skip the SS/JD chair and go right into the SD chair. That way I’m two chairs away from being WM or four years instead of 6 years. What’s to my advantage is my regular attendance —

After we closed Lodge WM said that Guy would most likely be in Fort Mac for possibly a good three months, in which case I’ll be filling in for him, perhaps for March and April. That’s be n ice if he could be a washout and this way he night want to take another crack at the JD chair next year where then I can move up to Senior Warden-Maybe

By about 1:30am this morning I thought I was tired enough for bed. I tossed and turned and got nothing. No sleep at all through out the night. Mainly because last Wednesday/Thursday afternoon. In other words I’d overslept the day before. I’ll certainly feel it this evening.

Last year, I was able to read 12 books including an Omnibus. This anthology is taking me way to long to read. I hope to have it read by the end of this month.

After work this afternoon I’ll get my pay check and then do that other thing and then up to my bank and home. I’m opening a Scotia account across the street from Audrey’s strictly for Pay Pall use. One of the guys at work is letting me use his PO box number so Scotia can send my passbook/ATM client card to him and he’ll give it to me when it comes in. Anyway, that’s all for now.

I don't like Wednesdays, I really don't

Wednesdays are not usually good with me. Good news is I'm off today except for Lodge duty tonight, but I'm going in covering for a fellow member absent because of work so I'm filling in for him and I'm paying my Lodge dues. So tomorrow is going to be a good Lodge day. There is no “junior member” for the Senior Stewards chair except for me.

Gasp! The Oiler's were playing Philadelphia at Rexall last night. The score was 0-0 when I was glad to get out of the office. More on that latter. When I got home the TV sports ticker showed Oiler's 1 Flyers 0. Wow! Apparently from the highlights Deslauriers was amazing. That was his first shutout and The Oiler's second straight win. Plus I come out even in my double or nothing with Jerry.

Despite all of that I had an ok evening except the woman next to me was so loud, I'm sure that's all my customers heard was her loud voice. Her voice was overpowering my attempt to converse with my customer it was hard to concentrate. I walked out of the office in a bad mood taking the other way around on the upper concourse of Corona station. I know the woman sitting next to me and I had forgotten how loud she can be. She was actually giving me a headache.

A most disturbing incident. About 11pm 2. 5 hours after I had left the station Tuesday night. These two teens a boy and a girl approached 3 men it seems in their 20’s begging them for change. This happens all the time. Some character last night tried hitting me up for change on the way into Corona as well. The guy Tuesday night apparently didn’t have any change or whatever and the “boy” pulled a knife on him and stabbed him. The teens wouldn’t do this if Corona station was crowded with people at 9:15pm. But the station after 11pm on a weeknight is sparse of LRT riders. The “girl” jumped on the security guard who was right there seconds after the stabbing and was trying to wrestle the “boy” down and the girlfriend or whatever jumped on the guard. The “kids” were quickly arrested and the man stabbed was taken and treated at the hospital with non life threatening wounds. The Grey Nuns Hospital (The General) is a block away. A couple of things come to mind here; firstly, I wonder what’s going through the minds of these kids parents? They must be reeling with concern. I know I would be if I was a parent. Secondly, I wonder if these kids worked where I work? What if Jerry fired the teens earlier that night? That could have easily been me there, pretty scary night. However though this kind of thing rarely happens in LRT stations even though there‘s been a string of LRT/ETS violence lately. My wife is often with a few co workers or even alone at about 11pm at Bay station, the next one up from Corona. That could have easily been her. Her place of work is moving out of the downtown area sometime in the Spring time and I’m kind of grateful they are moving around Stadium area.

I’m still working my way through “Science Fiction best of the year 2006.” The story I’m reading right now “The Policeman’s daughter” by Wil McCarthy is very good. So far the best story in the bunch. This is so far the 8th story in the bunch and its been the best 0f 14. I hope the stories will get better here on in. Anyway, that’s all for now.

That was a nice weekend

as I'm getting ready for my Thursday night. I got a call the other day from our WM that there's a slight chance our regular JD won't be at our regular business meeting and asked if I wouldn't mind filling in for him. That's 2 chairs away from where I am now. There's a lot to say but it will give me the chance to see what's ahead of me. I might be able to pass the SS chair altogether. I don't like the Senior Stewards chair. Also on Thursday I get to pay my Lodge dues.

Yesterday Anne went downtown to catch the Airport bus to the International Airport to meet her sister Donna. Donna works for a major pharmaceutical company and work takes her all across the country. The other place she worked at took her all across North America. Donna gives lectures and talks to Doctors and Nurses on how to use various forms of new medication. She comes here to Edmonton at least four to six times/year. She racks up huge air miles points and often gives them to family members. She wants to take my wife on a cruise as Donna is going to Panama this month on a 14 day cruise. So Donna called me from the airport asking when Anne had left and I said she should be there soon, I heard Anne's voice in the background and they said they'd be an hour away to pick me up. We wanted to go over to the new Swiss Chalet over here between Manning and 50th street. From the back end while on the LRT cruising by, we watched the thing being built over the past couple of months so last night we finally got to go inside. The place was packed. There were people waiting for a table. We were lucky to get a booth. I ordered the bacon double cheese burger/fries. Excellent. The ladies ordered the quarter chicken/baked potato. My burger was very good. I could have ordered a beer and I could sure have used one but thought better of it.

Donna drove me back to our place and went back with Anne to her hotel. That was a pleasant dinner. They have of course chicken, what they specialize in, burgers, ribs, chicken ribs, sandwiches soups, a very nice menu. The waitress said they're busy every night for the past two weeks that they've been open. I thought the apple crumble looked a little lame. Boston Pizza makes a way better one. Or at least they used to the last time I had one about 10 years ago when Anne and I first got married.

Over the past couple of days I've been copying music video files etc from my old PC to my laptop. I've got some 1,200 files of music documentaries, piano tutorials etc and I'm about at the half way point. The thing is I'm using a 2Gb SD media card to transfer the files and it's a slow process. I could do the whole thing and transfer all my data to my laptop with an Easy transfer cable. I cleared just over 11Gb of music files (video etc) over to my new laptop. I could get the transfer cable at Future Shop but they only have a 6 foot cable. Way to long for me. The cable I'm speaking about at Future shop is $60. Too long of a cable for too much money. They might have other shorter cables at the store, this one was what they had online.

Tonight I'm in for my Monday afternoon commute and put my four hours in. Then I come home for Monday night Raw. I'm just thinking that if this was timed properly, we could have had dinner at say the Elephant castle next door to the Empire Theater holding the Royal Rumble. Then the sisters could go back to Donna's hotel room while I'm watching the Royal Rumble Then Anne could come pick me up and we catch the LRT for home. That would have been ideal but Donna's flight came in at 5pm and after acquiring the rental car (her company pays for that.) and getting me and a fifteen minute wait for a table there was no time. Anyway, that's all for now.

A slow day yesterday

My wife returned from the bank with a Wendy’s “Baconator” combo for my lunch. I got my coffee everything I needed and locked up and out the door waiting for my bus for the commute into work. Only 4 of us did OTH and best I could do was $220 but I got 2 cards. I felt ok going home. One of the younger fellows rode home with me on the train. He‘s a nice well mannered young fellow 17 years old. This is his first job. I mentioned to him about the DeMolay society figuring this might be something he’d like to do. I didn’t realize he should ask his dad first, but I doubt he’ll look it up. I don’t ordinarily look for possible candidates. I Haven’t seen many people that would take advantage of this kind of thing, which is why I don’t solicit/recruit anyone.

Anne had a deli pizza and soup for lunch for us and for the past hour or so I’ve been listening to and downloading Allan parsons .FLV You Tube video’s. My favourite APP albums were “Eve” and “Vulture Culture.” Among others.

One of the guys at work beside me was getting ready to fill out a replacement SIN card. It costs $10. I’ve memorized my SIN but I don’t have the card. You can got to Service Canada and get a new card and pay for it there at Service Canada human resources. I’m thinking about going there one of these Friday afternoons and get the 3 week process going. I have a birth certificate. I need both of those pieces of identification to get an Alberta Government picture ID.

My co-worker friend Lou emailed me yesterday afternoon about a new Apple device: The IPad. It looks real big and fragile. I’d hate to drop it. I’d rather get the Archos 5 Internet tablet as it's easier to carry around but the Arcos 5 is missing a camera. The Archis is small and can fit in the pocket and is half the price of the IPad. Anyway that’s all for now.

Another Monday washout

Yesterday blogging wise was a wash-out. I went into work with a bit anxiety due too a fellow staff employee I had a run in with Saturday. But that got blown over quickly. Everything’s all right on the job front now. A minor hiccup.

Monday night Raw was great. Next week William Shatner will be guest host. I’m looking forward to that one. Last night Raw was hosted by one of the guys from Phsyc. Everyone is getting “Psyched up“, pardon the pun. Apparently John Cena had something to do with the show. Or maybe he was just featured in one episode I‘m not sure. I haven‘t seen the show so I can‘t say.

Today it’s a Tuesday night on the job. It’s also game day as I’ll be “watching” the Oiler game in between calls. No Oiler rumours about any trades. Though there has been mumblings about trading Sheldon Souray to a Southern California team.

We’re -15/-22 wind chill out there. Not looking good. Time to breakout the old face mask and scarf. That’s ok, Day light savings time is just 8 weeks away, March 11th. And April is just around the corner from that.

Now that I have Friday nights off, once a month I can go Lodge visiting over there at Strathcona Lodge at Acacia Hall every Second Friday. I didn’t know this but Ye Old Craft meets there on a Saturday. Most likely they tile at 7:30pm like most Lodges. Lodge Saturday’s I can work just half days. I can leave about 5:30pm go to Chapters, get a book relax over an Apple Cider. I’d like to go to Lodge at the festive board saying how I visited Redwood(date), Strathcona (date) and Ye old craft (date) One of the big parts of Masonry is visiting other Lodges. Now that I can mix and match my mornings/evenings, I can go out to more Lodges. Next week, I’m working Wednesday morning and maybe the afternoon for Redwood and Thursday morning for my own Lodge and Friday. But I’ll also be working Friday morning as well for my usual.

I’m still reading 2006 Best of SF and a real long story about some kids getting Polio in the 1950’s. I mean these stories are well written and all but don’t do anything for me. I don’t like reading 2 books at once because it slows things down but the way I’m reading this thing, I probably won’t have it read until mid February. If that.

Tonight, or I should say later this afternoon, I go in for my afternoon commute for the 4 hour job thing. I need to work some serious afternoons as well this week for a special project I’m working on. Anyway, that’s all for now.

There is a bit of ranting in this post

I left out of here with barely time to spare yesterday morning. I felt alright heading into work on the train. I read a bit and got into the office about 8:30am. A few of our morning crew were sitting up by the other end where I set during my evening shift. We had 12 of us working cold doing OTH. One of the guys has a scalping/Oiler ticket side thing going on he was telling me. He says if your selling the tickets above cost it’s illegal. I might buy a ticket from him next month before the regular season games are over and done with. If I can get a lower bowl ticket for $35 I’ll go.

I had a pretty good Friday morning pulling in a $20 card and a total of $140. I was happy about that. Jerry never said anything about me missing the two days because I had said what was happening earlier. I got my pay check and it was a decent one at that.

Not only that but the weather was half decent as well for a Friday afternoon. In fact it was really mild out there heading up Jasper on the #5 to my bank. I did my banking and hopped aboard the Clairview train home. Weather wise, I’d say it was about -6 out there under overcast skies. It was like a winter wonderland out there. Very nice.

Anne was up and she made me a lunch and headed out to work. I wanted nap and I was in bed about 3:45pm for a 2 hour power snooze with Boot’s sleeping by my thigh on the bed, keeping his distance.

I’m slowly working my way through the 2006 “years best” Anthology. Most of the stories are well written but are kind of lame. The Joe Haldeman story is the best of the bunch. Short and sweet. The rest so far are bland and mediocre. They don’t work for this Blogger. I’m about half way through the book. Thing about anthologies is that you can’t establish a rhythm. There’s no string of great stories. At least not in this anthology. It’s going to take me a long time to finish this thing.

Most of you know that read this blog know I'm not the one to go jump on a bandwagon but I'll make an exception here because it is such a good cause. In case you've been hiding under a moon rock this week and tired of hearing all the Tiger Woods rehab and Jay Leno talk show woes and have shut off your media outlet because of the noise, you might have heard about the earthquake tragedy in Haiti recently. Being a broke poor telemarketer and aspiring author I've been looking at ways on how I could get involved and donate to Haiti relief. Thanks to SF Signal for a link in their post today: Crossed Genre "Post a story for Haiti." This is a good idea for all my fellow SFF authors out there that would like to donate to Haiti relief. It's a good idea and I'm going to work on story and upload it this weekend.

I had some chips diet cola and the Dallas/Oiler’s game was just getting underway. The Oiler’s were taking way to many penalties and got some bad breaks in the early part of the game. But there were again too many obvious calls throughout the game that should have been called but weren‘t. Here’s an example: Behind the play caught on camera a Dallas player swipes the feet out from underneath our goal tender to a chorus of boos. No penalty. Same play from the Oiler’s would have earned them a penalty guaranteed. This reminds me of the Mick Magoo incident of March 2008. I know it sounds like I’m whining but I’ve got 17,000 other people that witnessed seeing the blatant penalty in my corner. The officiating this year is terrible and I’ve seen lousy officiating across the league but the officiating over the years has degraded significantly. Why aren’t the referees being held accountable for missed calls? Maybe they should. How about for every penalty they miss they get docked part of their pay? Maybe this is already going on and I’m being a little naive here but the sloppy officiating is frustrating from a fan perspective. I blame Bettman for this. It’s almost like he’s having a tamper tantrum because of the Bacilli/Phoenix ordeal that went down earlier before the season kicked off and he’s taking it out on Canadian teams. I know that sounds silly but hey its my blog and I can rant if I want to. And it’s not just Canadian teams either that are on the receiving end of sloppy officiating. The Oiler’s owned the late second period and most of the third in last nights game and deserved better then they got for their efforts. The Dallas Stars tied the game and then with 22 seconds left as the Oiler’s well they couldn’t hang onto the puck in the defensive zone behind our blue line and Dallas scored to win the game 4-3 in another Oiler heart breaker losing their 10th straight loss and 16/16 losses. I thought the Oiler’s played a way better game then the one the other night. They are a competitive team just one of many teams on the wrong end of sloppy league officiating.

Ok enough ranting. At least it’s a mild weekend out there. Anne and I decided that if it looks like I’m getting line hour and qualify for the line hour bonus and I’m having a good day, I’ll stay until 4:30pm. If I’m sucking then I’ll leave at 2pm go get my book at Audrey’s and go home. Anyway that’s all for now.