Crappy mood last night. Went to Safeway to pick up a few things, left wishing I hadn't. ull of annoying people. not the staff, other customers. Idiot parents with annoying children with names like Tyson. Airhead teenage girls with idiot boyfriends bouncing around making asses of themselves to incite airheaded giggles.
Did I mention the annoying children? Seems like every single mom and welfare family in the area was there last night.
I was ready to check out the spring seasonal section for aluminum baseball bats and start hitting home runs.
Remember months ago, when I posted that my absolute last resort was to apply at the local Av rental place? Dropping off the resume today. They didn't say they were hiring, didn't say they weren't, one of those things. Afraid I won't get it, also afraid that I will. Keep telling myself its a stepping stone, a means to an end, not a life sentence.
no more headlines
Going to skid the headline for most posts, unless it really warrants it.
Meanwhile, three more sleeps until Frank Miller's Sin City. Hope it doesn't suck, in spite of myself I am really looking forward to it. I was careful to not watch too much of the hype..I think one trailer, and the clip shown when Benicio Del Toro was on Leno.
*fingers crossed*
happy easter!
Happy Easter everybody! A joyous Christian event, with a healthy smattering of re-invented pagan fertility rituals (for the kids, of course!)
And of course,Spiderman.
well, damn
Timing is everything. I'm not sure exactly what kind of timing would have made a difference for this one, b ut I'm sure had I discovered it sooner, and was about 6 months ahead of schedule, this may have been acheivable, but oh well.
Remember back when I had applied for a lighting tech training spot at the Banff Centre? I figured that if I hadn't heard by now, I probably didn't make the cut, so the logistics of gettig training in Banff to better my chances at a job at the Esplanade wouldn't have to be dealt with.
They called yesterday.
I made the short list, but not for the original lighting tech position, the one that paid the stipend while attending. I was being considered for the more entry-level Thatre Craft position, with an emphasis in lighting. This one pays nothing, though receives a full scholarship including room and board. The other one paid the stipend, but charged for food and lodging.
The stipend would have given at least something to be sticking in the bank to help pay bills back in Medicine Hat while I stayed in Banff to learn. Not an ideal situation, but something we had discussed and agreed to as a small sacrifice in the great scheme of things.
There's no way, however, I could commit to 3 months of no income AND be away from home. So I respectfully removed myself from their list, and to move on to the next candidate who may be in more of a position to take the spot.
It hurt to do it. If I'd found this a few months earlier, I may have been able to arrange to keep collecting my EI while training, and pulled it off. But alas, not to be.
I can add the Banff Centre to the list of things, including going to a comic art college, that I almost did.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not moping too badly about this. The other reason I didn't take it was that I have bigger plans, including my BA, and working as theatre tech, even in the short term, is such a small factor that the sacrifice wouldn't be worth it. I have a bigger goal in mind.
Nice to know I made the cut, even if I couldn't take advantage of the opportunity.
I didn't really want to spend 3 months away from my wife and pets, and that's the truth.
back again
Back from our visit to Edmonton. It was nice to see everybody, I needed the contact with friends and family. Nathan and Tamara can't move here quickly enough for me.
We were delayed in coming back by one day becuase of the "first day of spring" snowstorm, and the resulting bad roads. If we had left early Sunday morning, it wouldn't have been a problem, but by the time we got the family breakfast at Humpty's finsidhed, and the car loaded, I wasn't optimistic about getti back to the Hat before dark. I can handle bad roads, I just don't want to drive them in the dark if I can avoid it, so we went home Monday instead, getting in the road by 8AM.
Even with my lack of a job, Medicine Hat is feeling like home. I was disappointed at not going home as scheduled, and doubly glad to be back when we finally did arrive on Monday.
Found a few more jobs to apply to in the next few days. Will be working on the psychology course from Athabasca University. Not sure how we'll swing it, but will be applying for the University Transfer program at Medicine Hat College to get a start on my Bachelor of Arts, and see where that can lead. I'm not sure, but I found something that might be a good career path, and the BA is a start. I'll fill you in when the time is right. The end result will be a solid career in Medicine Hat. Yes, planning to stay here.
There are things I miss about the city, besides family and friends, but also much that I don't. Crime, murders, expensive fuel & parking..it's taken, and will continue to take, time to put down roots here and feel like it's home, but I'm getting there.
little people
Conversation had today:
Me: Midgets are funny. We should have one. (like, own one, not have o ne, as in, babies)
Her: Just watch, we'll have one.
Me: Circuses are always hiring.
Her (rolls eyes)
Me: I guess "midgets" is politically icorrect.
Her: Yes...
Me: They like to be called "Shetland People"
Her: what?
Me: Shetland People.
Her: I've never heard that...
Me: Like Shetland Ponies..you know, like real ponies, only smaller...
Her: (rolls eyes again) You shit.
tine flies
Wow, where does the time in between blog posts go? Not that I've been very busy, just haven't spent much time at the 'pooter. Been doing the usual, applying for jobs, etc. Put up a satellite dish, haven't pointed it appropriately yet. This will be the one that feeds the basement home theatre.
Been working on that project with Allie, trying to turn the basement from 10 percent computer corner, 90 percent "dump n run" to 100 percemnt usable space. Made a hell of a difference this weekend, looking forward to the finished product.
We'll be in Edmonton visiting for a few days this week, not sure about free time, but hopefully will be able to see a few people.
In all the cleaning out, Allie found some Dr. Tongue baby pictures, and some Dr. Tongue "His Hugeness" pics. I will have to get the scanner going again and post. History Of Doc's Size, coming soon.
Off to do stuff, maybe buy some hardware to hang up my screen in the theatre!
wildlife
To answer Marmalade Girl's question about whether we get much wildlife in Medicine Hat...
a plea to you all
Hey everyone,
I have something serious to ask you all.
You all know how crazy Allie and I are about cats and dogs, and our "sucker-for-a-sad-case" mentality that has us with nine cats and two dogs to call our own.
Recently, near Edmonton, a tragedy has befallen one of the hardest-working rescue socities in the area. 4 Paws, a no-kill rescue organization, recently had a fire, and both buildings that housed their animals have burned to the ground.
It is my undertsanding that there is nothing left.
Many animals died in the fire, but some survived. They will need to be recaptured from the immediate area, an acreage outside Edmonton, as the 4 Paws founder, Jean, in desperation, broke open doors and smashed windows in the burning buildings so that whatever animals that were alive could escape, endangering her own life in the process.
Jean and our close friend Tamara, who has selflessly dedicated so much time to catching strays, often capturing entire colonies of feral cats, are devastated, and all they want is to get the word out that 4 Paws does great work, and they need funds to rebuild.
To all my friends, I ask that if you are able, give something. Anything. The last time we came to Edmonton, I was hoping to meet people for dinner or drinks. Since we never made it, consider donating $5 or $10 from what you would have spent that night.
Most importantly, tell other people. If everybody I know were to give a couple of dollars, or tell a few more people, and they were to give a couple of dollars, it would be a huge favour to 4 Paws, and to Allie and I, as you know how much this kind of news breaks our hearts.
Please, everyone, tell people. Spread the word, and have the people you tell, tell their friends too. It's a good cause.
Thank you.
day 6 and home
Breakfast with the gang, TBIT off to work and we said our goodbyes. Got back to the apartment for just long enough to dry off from the wet snow, and off to the subway/bus combo to the airport. I figured if we got there early enough, I'd try for an ear;lier flight, and it worked. As it was, the earlier flight was still delayed by weather for 45 minutes, but still got in earlier than the original flight would have.
In fact, the original flight was delayed as well, so had I not thought to try the new flight, I wouldn't have gotten into calgary until at least 8:40 PM local time (as opposed to the 6:00 PM I managed.
Even so, it was 7:30PM before I got my bags, got the hotel shuttle, got the car, stopped at McDonalds for a quick bite, and hit the road for the Hat. If I had arrived any later, I would have been too tired to drive home that night, and it would have made it necessary for yet one more night in the ol' Super 8, and all I wanted was to get home. Worked out fine.
As it was, I was REALLY tired the last 45 minutes of the drive, right after the wretched stench of Brooks, Alberta (about and hour from the Hat).
Man, the putrid reek of the pastures and packing plants of Brooks are almost enough to make me turn vegetarian.
Had happy dogs, suprisingly happy cats, and not-so-surprisingly happy wife to see me as I pulled up. Good to get away, even better to get home.
TBIT and Marmy, thanks again so much for having me. I love visiting you guys, and I always leave a little bit sad that we can't do it more often. But hey, that's what gives it value, isn't it?
day 5
A laid-back day as the snow hit. Slept in a bit, met TBIT at work, went out for lunch. Wandered book and CD stores on Yonge St. for a bit before heading back to the apartment. Started to notice it getting cooler on the walk back.
Hung around and read for the rest of the afternoon while Marmy ran some errands. TBIT got home, and we considered checking out movies for after dinner, but after the brief walk through the new, sloppy, wet, dep snow (on a wine run for supper) decided that staying in might be better. Watched another MST3K (Puma Man, or Pooomaman, or Pyoo-MAY-min), another one of my favourites. We tried watching Time Chasers as well, but it was duller than I had remembered it to be. Gave up at about halfway through, decided better to go to bed, since we were going to get up and go for breakfast on my last day in TO.
