And So It Begins

We had our first snowfall of the season the other day.  For Northern BC, it was not too early in the year, so we shouldn't really complain.  However, it brings the harsh reality that winter is coming into sharp relief.  I realise that I have to get my leaves raked and the Christmas lights up.  Yes, you have to put up your Christmas lights up by the end of October because you may suffer frostbite and/or have to shovel snow to put your ladder out.
 
Another side effect of having our first snow is the sudden realization by the general public that winter is coming and they have done nothing to get ready for it.  Jen has had a run on winter tires at Canadian Tire and we have been seeing a load of long johns and other winter gear selling at Mark's.  It is amazing that people that live in a place where winter lasts for the better part of 6 months don't see it coming.  Of course, it could be a summer and autumn full of denial that you live within spitting distance of the arctic finally comes crashing down when the snow finally flies.

What is Google?

Just a bit of 7 year old wisdom.  I was introducing my class to Google in the computer lab a while back and I asked if anyone had heard the word Google before.  About half of the class said they had heard the word before.  When I asked who knew what Google meant a little boy put up his hand and told me that it was when you were in class and you were looking all over the room at everything and not paying attention to what you supposed to be doing.  There you have it.

You want me to do WHAT for a dollar?!?

I may have mentioned in an earlier post, that when I was hired at Mark's, I was made a keyholder.  That means that I have to be Shift Leader often times.  This means that I am responsible for counting the tills at the end of the evening and making sure that all of the new teenagers we've hired do their job.  Another unfortunate part of being Shift Leader, is the cleaning.  In particular, cleaning the bathrooms.  For all of this responsibility I am rewarded with the princely sum of an additional $1.00 per hour.

My duties as Shift Leader have not been an issue...until last night.  That was when someone decided to car bomb the customer washroom.  It was a full on fecal attack.  Not only did this person leave ample evidence of their crime in the toilet, they made cleaning of the scene difficult by plugging the toilet with their offence.  I tried to unplug the toilet with the plunger, only to find that the plunger was defective.  The damn thing would only push down and not come back up.  I decided at this time that the situation had exceeded my pay grade and abandoned the effort.

Oh Yeah...

Jen was asking me earlier in the week, why I didn't subscribe to the NFL Sunday Ticket any more.  I had subscribed for a couple of years before letting it slide last year.  When she asked, I reminded her that it cost of $200 for the season.  Until today, I forgot the real reason.

During the week I found out that Cleveland would be televised on CTV.  That is good news, as I'm a Browns fan and I haven't seen them play in over a year.  When the game started, the excitement left and that familiar sinking feeling returned.  It quickly came back, why I decided to save my $200 for a better cause, like flushing it down the toilet.  Now I remember how soul destroying watching the complete incompetency of my chosen football team was.  Seeing week after week, the poor play and poorer choices of the coaching staff was a rude awakening.  I am a much less grumpy person on Sundays when I don't have to witness the dismanteling of my chosen (poorly) team.

A Nice Surprise

I came home today to a nice surprise.  No, it wasn't that my wife was feeling better after a few days sick, but that was nice.  No, it wasn't that my wife made baked beans and wings for supper, but that was nice.  No, it wasn't that my wife had done the laundry which is my usual Sunday job during football, but that was very nice.  I came home to a brand new HD PVR and an upgraded dish courtesy of Bell.  I had forgotten that they gave Jen a call and told her they would be coming over to give us these upgrades as a "customer retention bonus".  After 3 years I own the equipment.  It is interesting that this happened just as we were seriously considering moving to Telus satellite TV largely because they gave us the equipment for free.  Now I don't have the hassle of going through the change of dish and providers.  I can stick with Bell, whom I've been very happy with for the past 3 years.

Now I only have to work on getting that HDTV.  But that is in the works.

If It's Not One Thing It's Another

I'm starting to think being busy is like a perpetual motion machine.  The business feeds upon itself to create more business.  Jen and I have been busier than a one legged man in an ass kicking contest, since the start of school.  We have had a busier social calendar than we've ever had since we've been together.  Add the stresses and the inherent workload in school start up and we don't know which way to turn.  I'm also aware that working a second job is not helping matters.

If it were only the work and social life that kept us from sitting down for a few minutes at a time, maybe I could handle it.  However, there seems to be a never ending parade of meetings, appointments and minor emergencies that drag us out of school too early to get anything done.

I'm going to stop whining now with the hope that our calendar being empty next week (for now) may lead to some rest and relaxation (as I head off to a house warming party).

The Man Cave

The Man Cave is nearing completion.  It is in use now, but I'm still looking for a shelf or two for the wall.  I have a few McFarlane hockey figures to put on the shelves.  I also have a couple of pictures to get framed and hang as well.  However, I'm very happy with the results.