One

Is quite possibly the greatest song ever.

Sitting at work, and the internet radio just started playing "One" by Metallica. I honestly think this might be my favorite song of all songs. I have never been sick of this song, and can never get a stereo loud enough to make me happy when it's playing. I think the perfect volume for this song is something close to live concert venue volume.

That is all... time to close up.

My Morning

This is just for Natters. A while back I lost a bet... for what, I don't remember, but the consequence of that loss was that I had to bake a batch of hero cookies for Natters. Since the concept of what a hero cookie actually is is technically up for debate, I decided that my interpretation would be the most popular of cookies (and the easiest to bake)... the chocolate chip cookie.

I should note before we continue that I can cook. I mean, I can really cook. I tend to actually really enjoy cooking when it is for more than just me because I have some great recipes in my arsenal and am not afraid to pull out all the stops to make a great supper. It's kind of fun for me a lot of the time. However, I don't bake. I mean, I just don't. There is something manly about slapping a big ol' steak on the BBQ after it's been marinating in a mixture of fluids and spices for a long time. Meat isn't fragile... at least, not in the same way that I see baking as being fragile. Most baking, whether it's cookies, tarts, cake, etc is pretty fragile. And I don't usually do well with fragile things... but, because I lost a bet, I had to put in the time.

So, I present you with my picture post of my hero cookie baking adventures. I will note that they turned out quite well, and the mess was actually minimal, so if you're expecting flour on the ceiling and a broken glass bowl on the floor, you're going to be very disappointed with this post. However, this is for Natters who probably doesn't believe that she will actually receive any hero cookies. They will make the journey to BC with my parents, so I can't be held responsible for anything that happens during that time... but I can tell you that they are quite good right now.

Here we have everything mixed nicely in the bowl waiting to be placed on the pan. I'm actually waiting for the oven to heat up because I forgot that it should be warmed before putting the cookies in there.

The mess isn't that bad. And yes, I did lick those beaters off once things were cooking. Don't tell me that you wouldn't, because not a single person on earth is capable of any self restraint when it comes to raw cookie dough. You know it... and I know you know it.

The first batch in the oven. I learned from this batch that the blob of cookie dough that I put on the sheet was entirely too large. You'll see what I mean.

That's right... 12 cookies took up almost 1.5 racks. And those aren't small racks. They also took a long time to cook when they are that big. However, they pass the gravity test... which means that when you pick them up, they start to bend from gravity. So, they are just slightly undercooked and taste fantastic. Also, very fragile.

In this final picture, we see the size adjustment on the rest of the cookies. I probably could have gotten a lot more cookies if I had made the first ones a more appropriate size. However, those big ones will just get eaten here and the smaller ones will make the 2000 km journey to BC.

Apparently that's what makes a hero cookie... the fact that it travels a long distance.

Bon Apetite!!!!!!

Sad day and a small rant

I'm sad to say that the Edmonton prog band Gate have called it quits. They are on their final tour of Western Canada with tourdates available on their website (gateband.com) and will be stopping in both Saskatoon and Regina in the month of April. If you have the means, I highly recommend seeing this band live as their music is something very unique.

In other news... I hate cell phone customers. I'm on the verge of leaving this job spur of the moment. In the last week, I have had 1 complaint filed against me, am waiting for another customer to file one and have numerous disagreements with other ignorant customers. I haven't burned out on the retail side of things, but the complete lack of knowledge by people that come into our store is rediculous. Please, if you are looking for a cell phone at any time in the near future, do a tiny bit of research so you understand the basics of the contracts and understand the terms that you are agreeing to. Also, DO NOT blame the sales person if you were stupid enough to sign without completely understanding the terms of the contract or the length that you were signing. If you are one of the few people out there who does not have a cell phone and are looking to buy one, take these pointers into consideration:

1) When you sign a contract for a period of 3 years, the cost of the phone is reduced because it is subsidized over the period of your contract. You are only eligible for those discounted prices every 2 years (on a 3 year contract), and if you break your phone before that 2 year period you are responsible for replacing it at full pricing, or finding another phone somewhere else. But remember, you still have your contract to worry about.

2) Dropping your phone is abusing it. If your dog eats your phone, that is considered abuse. If you are an idiot and drop it in the toilet... abuse. Abuse is NOT covered under the manufacturer's warranty. Deal with the fact that you broke your phone and don't yell at the sales person who has no control over this situation. Remember, if you threw your TV into the toilet, the manufacturer would not cover that either and they would really question your actions prior to the point that the TV ended up in the toilet... the difference is that we won't question why your cell phone went in the toilet because this seems to happen far too often... and we just don't want that information.

3) If your daughter terminates the wrong number and is not even a contact on your account, don't yell at the salesperson because she mislead us and incurred a large termination fee on your account. Also, don't yell at the salesperson who cannot view your historical account, or any information on the account that has already been terminated. Call the service provider, and not the dealer in this case, and don't get pissed off when the salesperson recommends that plan of action.

4) Do not go into a store looking for a new phone when the store is about to close in 10 minutes. New activations take 15-20 minutes, and that salesperson has a life outside of the store and does not want to be there all night helping procrastinators. This is the first sign that you are an ignorant customer. In fact, don't ever do this to any retail salesperson.

5) Speaking of procrastinators... if a promotion has been on for 3 months, and you wait until the day after the promo ends to get a phone, you will not get the previous promotional pricing. Don't yell at the salesperson because you are a procrastinator. Accept this about yourself and leave the store quietly. I will NOT bend the rules for you, because honestly you deserve to pay more for a phone and rate plan solely because you are ignorant. Get off your ass once in that 3 month period if you really like the promotion.

6) I get paid on commission and if you ask me to give you big discounts on things, I won't. It is my decision, not yours, and I don't care how much you bought from our store in the past. If you don't like the price of things, don't buy it. Just don't bitch to me about how it is a rip-off. The reason it's so high is because you are an ignorant customer and we need some compensation for having to deal with you. If you are attractive and flirt with me, I will probably give you a discount. Don't flirt if you're not attractive.

7) It is your responsibility to pay attention to your usage and your cell bills. Take some responsibility for your own mess if you talk too much and change your plan, or use your land line to talk. Don't come in complaining that your bill is over $100 because you've talked for 1000 minutes this month.

8) Read your fucking phone manual. Plain and simple. I will assist seniors who are trying to adopt the new technology, but if you're in your 30's or 40's I'm not going to program your voicemail and record your greeting for you. You are ignorant if you think I want my voice to be telling your friends that you're away from your phone. I don't like recording my own greeting, and I'm certainly not going to do yours.

9) If the salesperson offers you an extended warranty that covers your phone if it's lost or stolen or severly damaged... buy it. It is cheaper than replacing the phone IF one of these things will happen. And inevitably it will happen. It always does when you reject that warranty.

10) And lastly... None of us salespeople like any of you as cell phone customers. At one point in time we might have, and you may be a good person in the rest of your life, but we've all become jaded and almost all cell customers are ignorant. I am one of those jaded individuals.

I think feel better now that this has been released. Hopefully I won't be up all night again because I wishI could yell at everyone who walks into our store.

BC Bound

Well... the decision has been made. Actually, the deciding factor was the refund that Revenue Canada is sending me this year. I delayed filing taxes for the last 4 years, and as a result will be receiving close to $5000 from them this year. That kind of sealed the deal for me. On top of that, there is a very good chance that I should score a System Administrator job at Mt. Washington. I will be year round with a fantastic 10/4 work week instead of the more common 8/5 week. I'm trying not to get overly excited about it, but damn do I ever want this job. The business idea is still ongoing with Natters starting the surveying this weekend. Still no idea where it will end up leading, but it's exciting just thinking about it.

So, I'll be on my way out to BC at the end of April. No exact date has been set yet, but I figure I will give my notice this week once I get my April schedule and it will be for roughly the 23rd of April and I would start my trek across western Canada on the 24th. I will be spending 1 night in Edmonton visiting old school friends and shopping, then on my way to Calgary for another night there visiting my aunt/cousins. From Calgary I will make the lengthy journey to Kelowna and spend a night at my grandparent's place and then on to Vancouver the next night, where I will either crash with my aunt or with a very good friend. I may spend a second day in Vancouver just because it's Vancouver. Then it's on to the ferry and few hours later I will be in my new home. I love roadtrips and even though I'm by myself on this one, I can't wait to take this trip.

For my friends/family in Regina, I will be making a trip out there before I leave. I haven't figured out when, but it will most likely be a week day or 2 since I'm usually tied up on the weekends with work. I also will finally get my stereo done in my car. I've had to completely rearrange the whole trunk layout for my sub and amps because I NEED to be able to fit boards through the rear seat pass through. That should be completed sometime early april. YAY!!!!!! I'll need it for the drive. Also, will need a brake job as well, since I don't really want the pulsing brakes in the mountains. I AM EXCITED!!!!!!

If anyone needs a nice queen sized bed, I have one that needs to go for very cheap. It includes frame, box-spring and mattress. I also have misc other things that will be for sale as well. Branders, the box of CD's will be open for your pillaging once I get everything ripped onto my computer. I'll probably have to bring that down with me when I come to Regina. We can figure out some sort of reimbursement for whatever you take... like a promise that you'll come out and take boarding lessons. We can discuss that over some beers when I'm out there.

Anyways, that's all for now. I should do some resume work, and technically I am sitting at my job so I should pay attention to customers as well.

On the verge of insanity

My life has always been full of cycles. One of the most intriguing of these cycles is the fact that roughly every 12 - 18 months I feel an overwhelming need to uproot my life and do something different. In the past, these needs have been unexplainable, but I would definitely take some sort of giant step in order to make myself feel a little better. I know that that old feeling feels like, and today I am experiencing something completely different.

I have been dating Natters for 2 months on the 13th of March. We have the benefit of being wonderful friends before we got together and therefore we know each other on a much different level than if I had just started dating someone. We can hang out for days and never bore of the company or the conversation. However, nothing in our relationship is following a proven path of events. Then again, when I've followed the "see each other, dating, seriously dating, talking about moving in together, blah blah blah" sequence of events things seem to fail miserably. So, instead we have decided to go from being friends who haven't seen each other in a year, to completely in love, and finally living together all in the span of a couple of months. It may not make sense to most people, but the only ones that matter are us and it seems to be the perfect path to be taking.

I've been struggling to find a job out on Vancouver Island for the last few months. Because she has a wonderful, but very young daughter we have decided that we will stay with her parents for a little while so we have the benefits of in-house babysitting. The downside of this is that the city they live near is only about 30000 people and isn't offering the greatest job market for someone like myself. There are some other options available, but for the time being this will be where we decide to stay. The question is, what to do about that little job problem?

The answer? Create my own job.

I am on the verge of making the decision to go on my own and pursue an idea that has hovered in my head for a while. In fact, I'm waiting to hear back from some suppliers this week so I can overwhelm myself just a little bit more. The beauty of it is that Natters seems to be quite excited about the idea as well, and is looking after getting me information on shop location, surveying the market for me and helping with other initial planning things. For my own personal reasons I still don't want to pass this idea on to a lot of people, and therefore it won't be discussed here either. I will note one thing... and that is that I think I can do this better than most other people who are currently in the market. The other thing is that it is a completely new venture for me as I have almost no experience with this market, other than my background of finance, accounting, computer programming and my great ability with people.

I will note that I'm freaking out about the idea. It's been a 2 day freak-out so far, and I have a feeling it will last for a few more days. Let's look at this for a second. I am thinking about moving to a brand new city, in another province, with a fairly new girlfriend (but my best friend), and instead of having a job I will be going on my own to make my own company successful. Essentially, that is my whole life that I am altering. How can I not freak out. But, under all of it is a level of excitement that is almost impossible to contain. I can't stop the ideas running through my brain, and the best that I can do is writing things down and researching them when I get a chance. I think I collected some 75 bookmarks yesterday on suppliers, financial assistance providers, stats for the areas and so on. I can hardly sort through things right now, but I love it. Hopefully later today I'll have an idea on lease prices for a place and maybe one or two suppliers will have gotten back to me with some more information that I need.

In the end, I'm pretty sure I'll succeed with this venture. The idea is something that is proven to be successful already, but I'm just expanding on it and making it better. Many other people have taken their ideas and run with them even though they had absolutely no experience with the whole start-up process, so why can't I? I have the education, the motivation and the ability to put in the time that's needed. I'm just going to make things better than the competition, which is always a good thing. If things do work out, then I'll expand on the idea further in the future as I already have the ideas for that. But, one stage at a time.

In other news, I think my hand is broken. Not really, but it hurts like it is. Funny thing is that I don't know how it happened. Also, why are there little bugs running around our house? I mean, it's cold outside, so where did they come from? And how come they swim underwater in the toilet so well? They certainly seem to adapt well to their environment.

I think I'll go to my actual job now.

Happy Birthday to me...

Well... that time has come yet again. I have added another year to my age, and for once I actually feel older. Well... maybe not older, but this birthday brings a maturity with it that I certainly lacked last year, and one that has grown significantly throughout this past year.

I saw Opeth last night. There really isn't much you can say after you see your favorite band, and one the greatest metal bands ever in a relatively small venue like we had last night. It was amazing. Just amazing. Dark Tranquillity and Devildriver had very good sets, but you pretty much forget about them once you see Opeth on stage. Definately a highlight of my concerts. I kind of wish I was following them to Edmonton and Calgary. Ahhhh... I suffer from headbanger's neck today and I love it. SEE THEM LIVE. Nothing more needs to be said.