Checker check it out... In this episode I get a new job, my sister and her boyfriend come to visit and there is amazing footage of our super road trip to BANFF!!

I suppose it's time I did a proper post update for those of you that actually read and care about me as a person..


karmatic_quest procrastinating a great deal in her absence. Going to bed when I want to go to bed. Just being a rebel without some chores (see what I did there?).

I have missed her more than I thought I would, felt kinda emotional today. I've been driving around thinking how awful it would be if she died, having to explain what had happened to Ella and how hard it would be because she is asking for her constantly. She wakes in the night and asks for her, asks if mummy's coming home soon. That would be hard. Makes me sad to think about it.

Work is going well. Although I was demoted under the new owners, so was everyone else, and I like knowing stuff about the industry. To be honest, it's a good industry to be in because it's always changing and evolving with new devices plans and features I've turned into a bit of a nerd about it really. Getting all passionate about the new Blackberry Bold and it's new design. Just sold my N95 for $200, far less than I had placed it for but it's cash in the old sky rocket.

I have more time for a while so I did a cover of 'Tears In Heaven' by the legendary Eric Clapton and intend to try to complete the new English Man over the next few days..

Connecting to server...
Looking for someone you can chat with. Hang on.
You're now chatting with a random stranger. Say hi!
You: I met your mum last night
Stranger: I met urs but she fuking ugly
You: Whose ugly? she didn't tell me about him?
Stranger: Ask her
You: How very dare she
Stranger: I knoK
You: Awww I'm gonna kick her ass for this..
Stranger: Do it
You: I'm gonna...
Stranger: Go head like I care

It would appear, intelligent, friendly conversation is not the aim of the game here.

Connecting to server...
Looking for someone you can chat with. Hang on.
You're now chatting with a random stranger. Say hi!
You: hi
Stranger: hi
You: fancy a drink?
Your conversational partner has disconnected.

Connecting to server...
Looking for someone you can chat with. Hang on.
You're now chatting with a random stranger. Say hi!
You: hi
Stranger: whats up
You: not much.. how are you?
Stranger: fine and dandy
You: so whats with this thing.. this is the first time I've used it..
Stranger: um pretty new at it as well Im not too sure haha
You: Where are you from?
Stranger: uk.. you
You: Well I'm an English guy but I live in Canada..
You: Moved here about a year ago..
You: Grew up in Scarborough mind.
Stranger: oh nice how old are you
You: 30
Your conversational partner has disconnected.

This made me laugh..

This was taken from one of my LJ friends because I've had some pretty interesting jobs I think..

I guess I had a kinda pre-job. The first cash I got for doing something was in the form of a paper round which I was just shit at. I always posted the wrong papers in the wrong houses and as I was docked wages for doing this I never ended up with very much. Lasted about a month.

( Read more... )

I'm working on a set list of song so I can begin to get more gigs around Regina. I basically want to get some pay for practice. I think I'm good enough to play a few coffee houses and bars around town so I'm just working on that really.

Ok, so this has been a bit delayed but my good friend so_digress linked me on some kind of meme where for 8 days I have to talk about something that has made me happy. Well today was a day off, the very fact I could relax at home and do nothing made me happy. I worked out Lady Gaga's Paparazzi and then transposed it, I thought it sounded good so that made me happy. I was happy to cook a tasty meal and happy when karmatic_quest came home for lunch, I didn't think she was going to so that was a nice surprise.

As a side note, yesterday I was happy to make 400 friends on facebook but disappointed today to find one of these friends had de-friended me and I was back down to the unsatisfactory amount of 399. I have been unable to locate this person who has rejected our relationship together and so I suppose it was rejected for good reason.

karmatic_quest keeps talking about moving back to China. I don't really want to go back but it's a bit like China is a tasty bone to a hungry dog and try as I might I cannot pry it from her hungry jaws. In fact the grip seems to get stronger with every effort to release.

Here is my video for your delight... I think Lady Gaga is pretty sexy actually.



One of my favourite parts of the day is laying silent in bed, I hear a train sounding it's horn in the distance and savour the stillness of life.

Sooo work is now going well, I'm becoming more confident in my role and earning good commission, it's not so hard to sell I-Phones and such like when you are the only providers in the city. karmatic_quest has started her new job as well an seems to be enjoying it very much, give it another couple of months and our financial situation will be much improved, I think this will just take the edge off our money worries and we've been carrying them like....forever.

karmatic_quest has been getting itchy feet recently and thinking about moving somewhere else, fantasizing about going back to China mainly. She asked me how I felt about the situation and I don't like that idea at all, I've got a good job now with the very realistic idea of getting a nice house to grow our family. Uprooting and moving back to China is the furthest thing from my mind. karmatic_quest thought it might have something to do with not getting pregnant and being unhappy because of that. Today she said she felt more positive with her new job so hopefully we can find a way to make it work without migrating again just yet. I would like to build a nice home for Ella to grow from and then when our kids grow up and leave maybe then we can go and travel.

I entered a competition today, I'm hoping to win a book. I wrote a song for this author John Green who is very popular on You Tube but got his name wrong and sang it for Tom Green... I'm hoping he'll see the funny side and let me have the book.

This full time work malarky means its harder to fit in time for music, but this is a relationship that has lasted 16 years and not one I'm likely to cast aside.

I've been going next door to my work recently to get a sandwich for my lunch whilst at work. It's a place called Mr Sub which is just another version of Subway really. There is a guy who works there whom I've befriended who reminds me a lot of an old friend of mine called Adam. It kinda makes me feel sad because Adam was a friend who killed himself. It made me wonder if I could have been a better friend, if there was something I could have done to prevent it. It made me realise how much I missed and loved him.

It was my first day of full time work today and I felt a bit insecure to be honest. The director of the company wants me to take place of the assistant manager which is a bit of a big deal for me especially after working at a company for years and not getting anywhere, part of me feels like I'm not ready or that I don't deserve it and I had to try and shake off these feelings and get on with the task of doing a good job.

I think these voices have always been there, maybe they are there for everyone. Perhaps it's the fear that pushes us forward with the ambition to prove them wrong.

Today was a good day, lots of new beginnings.

We dropped Ella off for an hour at her new childcare place. She didn't miss us at all and had loads of fun, she played more with the boys so by the looks of things she's gonna be a bit of a tomboy because she was trying to do the stuff they do like jump off steps with them. I felt proud that she is becoming independent and making friends and connections in the world without us being there all the time to hold her hand.

In the morning meeting at work it was established that I will be working full time, people mentioned how unexcited I appeared to be but that's just the way I tend to react to stuff on the surface, underneath I couldn't be happier. I get to work at one location on a fixed shift pattern with a salary and the exciting prospect of promotion, purty sweet. I'm a lucky boy.

I had to close two locations today because one of the staff members accidentally got drunk. He turned up at the Cornwall location to advise he completely forgot he was supposed to be working that night and his day job providers had decided to thank their staff by buying them copious amounts of alcohol, which he gratefully accepted. Only several beers and shots later his alarm reminder goes off on his phone. Ooops!! I was angry at first because I had to work an extra hour to cover his ass but when I saw him all red eyed and slurring his word I just didn't care really. I told him to go home because I felt a pissed guys would negatively affect customer service...

Funny though... Stupid head..

I got home and found some cold KFC waiting for me.. Nice.

Today Lanny, the guys who owns the business I work for, called me and offered me a full time position with a view to making me an assistant manager, I don't know if the assistant manager part will come immediately but that was certainly the direction I was leaning towards. It would appear my hard work, dedication and the fact other workers are leaving and haven't been as reliable has placed me in this beneficial situation.

Lanny said he's heard nothing but good things about me, Sean said I was an asset to the team the other day and that I did stuff that other members would just leave to him. One of the girls called me up to say everybody loved me and I was doing a great job. Myrt from the Cornwall store said I was doing a great job and that they were looking for management. I don't think I've ever been so praised in all my life. It certainly feels good and I'm getting on a bit now, I'm a family man and this seems like the right thing for me now. It would certainly help us get the deposit we need for a house quicker, that's the next big thing. A house to call our very own.

Kaylene investigated and found someone she works with who does day care stuff and has a space for Ella as well. Seems to be the next big step for us as a family. I think I'm gonna hit the English Man thing on the head for Episode 12 because working full time means a) I won't have enough time to do it and b) I won't be doing anything that interesting worth documenting about. It seems like the right time too, it's almost become a documentary on my first year in Canada and the last one will be a review of the best bits of the last 11 episodes. I intend to keep my music alive but even though I have a lot of time on my hands I find it difficult to have even a dedicated 20 minute space for Guitar practice, I'll have to make that happen, it's too important to me.

I got a bonus in this most recent paycheck, mainly for superb customer service from the team. It was an unexpected delight, and, upon realising that Ella was sleeping at the Grandparents karmatic_quest and I went on a Sushi feast extravaganza at a Sushi restaurant in town.

God it was sooooooooo delicious, I was excited to eat it. I got a $35 box with tempura, king crab legs, beef, mixed fish with rice and a side dish of BC roll sushi. I think it was the best meal of my entire life so far. We didn't have to worry about cash because of the bonus which reminded me of when we lived in China because money was never an issue out there, ever. It was nice to have a couple of beers as well.

Also, miraculously enough, I had lost weight the following morning according to the WII fit. Thank you Sushi God, that was a great blessing.

I'm a member of a community on LJ, a predominantly Russian one I believe, called art_nude which has many pictures of beautiful people, mainly women, in bizarre and artful situations. Today's above offering made me laugh out loud because.... well look at it. She's like "How the F@#K did I get here?!!" I'm mean she is super hot but... why?!! Well it made me laugh art_nude so thanks for that.. I'd certainly help that lady out if I found her cold and lost on my building site. Yesiree.

On a personal note, an official written congrats to karmatic_quest on getting a promotion at work. I knew you'd get it darlin.. Done us proud you have.

Ok so it's been a little while..

The last three weeks have been filled with relatives visiting. First week my sister and her boyfriend showed up, hung with us in Regina for a week and then we traveled together to Banff in the Canadian rocky mountains which was fabulous yet challenging, totally not used to sleeping on the floor in a leaky tent. I couldn't take my Guitar but surprisingly on the last day it rained an a lot of campers gathered around in a cabin provided for poor weather and somebody had a Guitar. It was nice to play and for strangers to swell my head with compliments and applause a plenty.

The third week, the day after my sister left, my Auntie Wendy and her son David came to visit. That was an adventure of museums and family fun. Wendy was my Mum's sister so I was happy to see Ella bond so well with her as that will be the closest she'll get to meeting my mother. I did think about her a lot while she was over and she gave me extra info on my Mum's history which I didn't know about which I cherish, keeps her alive in my heart and mind.

We have invested in a WII fit which is a lot of fun, I'm gonna watch my diet and keep using it with karmatic_quest and see what progress I can make.

Speak soon.. missed you guys..

I'm sorry but I freaking love this video.. And it's made more hilarious by the fact that you can't get tigers in Kenya!!

I tried to impress a customer today. It was important to him, said customer, to have all the contacts copied to the new phone from the old so I reassured him that I could do that, with the new technology that rogers use I can simply copy his entire catalogue of important numbers to the sim card and then carry them over from the sim card to his new phone. So easy these days.

I then go on to accidentally wipe his phone completely, no way of getting any of his contacts back. Whoops, Sorry sir! I'm a dumbass!

How embarrassing.