Last week, I was asked to go to an assistant manager meeting on my day off. Now, I missed the last one, and my DSM, Mike, called up Chris to find out why I didn't go (I slept in).
So I show up at this meeting, and Jason, the AM of West Ed, said, "Jago! Long time no see!"
Me: "Sure, I missed the last one."
Jason: "Oh, it's been more than one."
I was confused, but I thought that Jason was exaggerating. It happens with him.
And then we had the usual kind of AM meeting, where I was sitting in the back, throwing out snappy comments every now and then. Granted, I was not always the ass, and did throw in a legitimate two cents when necessary. Still, as the guy in the district with the most senority, I feel I can come off as the jaded wiseass.
Today, I was calling up Kingsway to steal some product. Ammon was asking me if he could bring it to tomorrow's meeting.
Me: What meeting?
Ammon: The assistant manager's meeting. You know, the one we have every week?
Me: I'd hardly call last week and once a month every week.
Ammon: No, we've been having them every week. For about a month or so.
Me: So, exactly why was I not told about this?
And after I got off the phone with Ammon, I realized exactly what Jason was talking about. And realized that I must be in Mike's bad book for not attending meetings I wasn't aware of.
Gotta remember to tell my boss about scheduling me so I can make these meetings from now on.
* * *
My boss signed something with my initials, to show that I was the one who was taking care of it. Only he made my initials K.G.
So I told him that my initials were, in fact, K.J.
Me: "It's not like my name's Kyle Gay-go."
Mark looks at me with a smirk. Before he could say anything, I replied, "No, it's really not. And I'm not."
3.14.2005
Odd Transformations 24: Why must Dev consistently be the most crazy guy in my dreams?
A few days back, I had a dream about being in a downtown scene. Not sure if it was downtown Moose Jaw, but it very well could have been due to the size of it.
In any case, it involved listening to the Arcade Fire, a Canadian rock group, who were in an abandoned storefront, doing a concert.
But the dream I really want to talk about is the one I had this morning.
It was set in a library. Canton and I were studying or something. Or we were there to support people studying.
Otis P. enters, who I haven't seen in a while. We start catching up.
Otis: "So, how's Dev doing?"
Me: "You can ask him yourself." I point to the top of a bookshelf where Dev is hidden in shadows, reading.
Only as I'm explaining to Otis, this library is apparently connected to a zoo, since that bookshelf top is encased by a cage, and there are animals running through it.
"You see, Otis, Dev's got some handlers bringing animals in there, so he can pretend it's a company. That's why that warthog is dressed up in a sportsjacket. Hey, Dev!"
Dev pokes his head into the light. "Yeah?"
"How is it again? The animals are working for you, or are they your bosses?"
Dev scowls at me. "I'm dressed like I normally am because some top CEOs can dress however they want to. That's why the animals aren't dressed casually."
"Oh, right. Okay, you can go back to your book now."
At which point I wake up.
* * *
Finally celebrated my birthday this weekend. A few of us went to the Outback, where I had a GREAT prime rib dinner. (Must go back. And will with Canton's celebration meal soon.) Afterwards, we went bowling. My favourite part was programming MFJ's name in while she was visiting the bathroom.
MFJ: "So, are we ready to play?"
Me: "OH, yeah."
MFJ: "Who's 'Pintsize Killah?'"
I snigger.
The next night was Dev's birthday. Kit had brought over the newest Marlowe and Allan and I were keeping her occupied. Although every time it was only me and the toddler, she's falling over and hurting herself or something.
I tell you, it's not easy to have to explain that she fell again and that I wasn't pushing an eight-month old around.
Although Dev's grad school friends were amused when I gave her a paper plate and sold all her attempts at bashing me in the head with it.
Afterwards was Karaoke. And Cribbit's has the most eclectic list I've seen in a while. When I can sing Junior Senior pretty halfassedly because I forget how few words there actually are in it. As it was, I was asking, "Why have they raided my obscure MP3 list for songs?"
Dev said it was the most fun he's had watching me sing. I dunno; what about me singing Collective Soul at the Power Plant about three years back?
* * *
So I've been transferred again. This is completely insane, because I remember a time where I was at a store for years, not just weeks. In my first four years of working for the company, it was a year and a half at Kingsway, a year and a half at Bonnie Doon, a half a year at Kingsway again, a half a year at Bonnie Doon again.
In the past year since that period I have worked at the following places: West Ed (3 months), Downtown (4 months), temped at Northgate for a week, and then it was Mill Woods for two weeks. And now Capilano mall? Whatever.
All I'm asking for is some fucking stability here, all right? Also, I don't want my stability to happen at the graveyard that is Capilano. Although there are some cute girls around here.
* * *
My mom came up for a few days at the end of February. It was fun, since I was able to go to my aunt's for a homecooked meal. Also, Mom got me new tires for my car and a new set of luggage for my birthday. That doesn't suck at all.
* * *
I broke down and bought World of Warcraft. Canton and I had a blast playing a pair of Minotaurs who we jokingly called Thunder and Lightning, collectively, since I was a hunter with a rifle and he was a shaman who could hit enemies with spells.
I think I'll have fun with this game. And, man, does it look pretty on Myles' old video card.
Off to play some more.
In any case, it involved listening to the Arcade Fire, a Canadian rock group, who were in an abandoned storefront, doing a concert.
But the dream I really want to talk about is the one I had this morning.
It was set in a library. Canton and I were studying or something. Or we were there to support people studying.
Otis P. enters, who I haven't seen in a while. We start catching up.
Otis: "So, how's Dev doing?"
Me: "You can ask him yourself." I point to the top of a bookshelf where Dev is hidden in shadows, reading.
Only as I'm explaining to Otis, this library is apparently connected to a zoo, since that bookshelf top is encased by a cage, and there are animals running through it.
"You see, Otis, Dev's got some handlers bringing animals in there, so he can pretend it's a company. That's why that warthog is dressed up in a sportsjacket. Hey, Dev!"
Dev pokes his head into the light. "Yeah?"
"How is it again? The animals are working for you, or are they your bosses?"
Dev scowls at me. "I'm dressed like I normally am because some top CEOs can dress however they want to. That's why the animals aren't dressed casually."
"Oh, right. Okay, you can go back to your book now."
At which point I wake up.
* * *
Finally celebrated my birthday this weekend. A few of us went to the Outback, where I had a GREAT prime rib dinner. (Must go back. And will with Canton's celebration meal soon.) Afterwards, we went bowling. My favourite part was programming MFJ's name in while she was visiting the bathroom.
MFJ: "So, are we ready to play?"
Me: "OH, yeah."
MFJ: "Who's 'Pintsize Killah?'"
I snigger.
The next night was Dev's birthday. Kit had brought over the newest Marlowe and Allan and I were keeping her occupied. Although every time it was only me and the toddler, she's falling over and hurting herself or something.
I tell you, it's not easy to have to explain that she fell again and that I wasn't pushing an eight-month old around.
Although Dev's grad school friends were amused when I gave her a paper plate and sold all her attempts at bashing me in the head with it.
Afterwards was Karaoke. And Cribbit's has the most eclectic list I've seen in a while. When I can sing Junior Senior pretty halfassedly because I forget how few words there actually are in it. As it was, I was asking, "Why have they raided my obscure MP3 list for songs?"
Dev said it was the most fun he's had watching me sing. I dunno; what about me singing Collective Soul at the Power Plant about three years back?
* * *
So I've been transferred again. This is completely insane, because I remember a time where I was at a store for years, not just weeks. In my first four years of working for the company, it was a year and a half at Kingsway, a year and a half at Bonnie Doon, a half a year at Kingsway again, a half a year at Bonnie Doon again.
In the past year since that period I have worked at the following places: West Ed (3 months), Downtown (4 months), temped at Northgate for a week, and then it was Mill Woods for two weeks. And now Capilano mall? Whatever.
All I'm asking for is some fucking stability here, all right? Also, I don't want my stability to happen at the graveyard that is Capilano. Although there are some cute girls around here.
* * *
My mom came up for a few days at the end of February. It was fun, since I was able to go to my aunt's for a homecooked meal. Also, Mom got me new tires for my car and a new set of luggage for my birthday. That doesn't suck at all.
* * *
I broke down and bought World of Warcraft. Canton and I had a blast playing a pair of Minotaurs who we jokingly called Thunder and Lightning, collectively, since I was a hunter with a rifle and he was a shaman who could hit enemies with spells.
I think I'll have fun with this game. And, man, does it look pretty on Myles' old video card.
Off to play some more.
3.03.2005
The Coolest Car in the World
So I'm driving home from work yesterday, and on the drive up Calgary Trail, I found what has to be the coolest vehicle on the roads.
It's some sort of truck, okay, except i have no clue what kind of truck it is, since I was too dazzled by it.
The owner had decked it out with multicolour neon, so under the truck and the license plate holder would both go from blue to red to purple, etc. Awesome so far, right?
The rear window of the cab had a HUGE Playboy decal on it, so you KNOW they've got to be the biggest players and chick magnets in the world!
When the side door opened, I could see that they've got neon on the inside. And I thought it was cool before!
When I was directly behind them turning on to Whyte Ave, I saw the penultimate piece de resistance: A translucent blue set of squishy rubber testicles HANGING FROM THE TRAILER HITCH!!!
I am in love with the truck, and really wish I was friends with the owner. He's SO COOL!
It's some sort of truck, okay, except i have no clue what kind of truck it is, since I was too dazzled by it.
The owner had decked it out with multicolour neon, so under the truck and the license plate holder would both go from blue to red to purple, etc. Awesome so far, right?
The rear window of the cab had a HUGE Playboy decal on it, so you KNOW they've got to be the biggest players and chick magnets in the world!
When the side door opened, I could see that they've got neon on the inside. And I thought it was cool before!
When I was directly behind them turning on to Whyte Ave, I saw the penultimate piece de resistance: A translucent blue set of squishy rubber testicles HANGING FROM THE TRAILER HITCH!!!
I am in love with the truck, and really wish I was friends with the owner. He's SO COOL!
Odd Transformations 23: Man, infants pack a punch...
So this dream involved a Mill Woods-like mall, and my dad was owning/managing a store that my sister and I were working at.
A family business.
It was a slow day, since I would constantly be wandering around the mall, seeing what was new. There was apparently a bar I kept on going into. A bar that had either new books or new comic book trades on its tables, since I was perusing the tables to see if there were any I hadn't read.
A toddler wanders into the bar. I pick him up to take him outside the bar to his mom. The kid starts screaming for his dad as soon as I take him into my arms.
I start trying to console him: "Shhh. No, your mommy's here. I'm taking you to her."
I hand the kid to his mother, who smiles and thanks me, apologizing for the way her son was acting up.
EJ appears on the scene. I tell the mother it's no problem, and EJ and I head back towards the store.
From behind me, I hear a gurgling gagging from the toddler. I think to myself "Uh oh. This isn't good."
At which point a tidal wave of vomit hits me full force, knocking me over. To the point where I'm completely covered from head to toe.
At which point I know I need to leave the mall, head home, and shower and change clothes. But first I have to tell Dad.
That's pretty much where I woke up, after some talking with my dad about how I obviously have to leave work early, since I'm covered in baby spew. As was EJ, but not quite as much as I was.
* * *
The newest lineup of Channel 101 shorts has hit, including a brand new House of Cosbys.
Seriously, this show keeps on getting better and better.
Also, Laser Fart, the show that at the beginning of its run was a way for the admin of the site to show what he meant about knocking a pilot off in a few hours, has become the emotional center of the site. Seriously.
Also, you might want to check out Dick Richards, Private Dick, a story about a detective that's amazingly animated with a bunch of black and white photographs. Such great stuff this month, although one of my faves, Magick Haus, was cancelled this time around.
* * *
I'm making the evite for my birthday party today. We're going to go bowling if it kills me.
* * *
But for now, there's a bit more sleep I want to catch up on. Just wanted to transcribe my dream before I forgot about it.
A family business.
It was a slow day, since I would constantly be wandering around the mall, seeing what was new. There was apparently a bar I kept on going into. A bar that had either new books or new comic book trades on its tables, since I was perusing the tables to see if there were any I hadn't read.
A toddler wanders into the bar. I pick him up to take him outside the bar to his mom. The kid starts screaming for his dad as soon as I take him into my arms.
I start trying to console him: "Shhh. No, your mommy's here. I'm taking you to her."
I hand the kid to his mother, who smiles and thanks me, apologizing for the way her son was acting up.
EJ appears on the scene. I tell the mother it's no problem, and EJ and I head back towards the store.
From behind me, I hear a gurgling gagging from the toddler. I think to myself "Uh oh. This isn't good."
At which point a tidal wave of vomit hits me full force, knocking me over. To the point where I'm completely covered from head to toe.
At which point I know I need to leave the mall, head home, and shower and change clothes. But first I have to tell Dad.
That's pretty much where I woke up, after some talking with my dad about how I obviously have to leave work early, since I'm covered in baby spew. As was EJ, but not quite as much as I was.
* * *
The newest lineup of Channel 101 shorts has hit, including a brand new House of Cosbys.
Seriously, this show keeps on getting better and better.
Also, Laser Fart, the show that at the beginning of its run was a way for the admin of the site to show what he meant about knocking a pilot off in a few hours, has become the emotional center of the site. Seriously.
Also, you might want to check out Dick Richards, Private Dick, a story about a detective that's amazingly animated with a bunch of black and white photographs. Such great stuff this month, although one of my faves, Magick Haus, was cancelled this time around.
* * *
I'm making the evite for my birthday party today. We're going to go bowling if it kills me.
* * *
But for now, there's a bit more sleep I want to catch up on. Just wanted to transcribe my dream before I forgot about it.
2.28.2005
REALLY needing to update.
Transcript from the Kyle Jago Lecture Series: February 28, 2005
"Everyone On The Road Is An Idiot, Except for Me.
"Hi. You may not know me. You've probably seen me driving around, especially if you're driving on Calgary Trail or the Whitemud. You might know me as the guy who has the Ford Escort with the pink 'M' on the back.
"No, it's an 'M.'
"No, seriously. It's not a heart.
"Look, why would I have a pink heart on my car? I'm a 28-year-old guy.
"This is beside the point. Look, the point of my speech is to ask how the fuck you all got your licenses.
"Don't act so affronted. Let's face it. 1/3 of the people on the road can't drive properly. And I'm the one driving around while that 1/3 is on the roads of Edmonton.
"First off, if you look to the right hand side of the road, you might see a sign that's white with a big black number on it. It might say 60, it might say 80. This, you fuckwads, is what's referred to as the 'speed limit.'
"Now, the speed limit is there for a purpose. It tells you how fast you should be driving. If I'm going faster than the speed limit, just so I'm not getting hit by a car because of my meandering pace, and a car goes by me at 20 kph faster, there's something wrong.
"Now, if I'm on the Whitemud coming home with Kow from recording, say, and a car happens to be breaking the speed limit AND driving in a lane that hasn't existed for 250 metres to pass me, well that's where accidents happen. And that's where I kill you by thinking evil thoughts.
"So, if I'm actually following the speed limit, the proper thing to do is to stay a car length away from me, and not get so close that I'm blinded by your fucking SUV-level beams. Also, don't buy SUVs. They blind me.
"Summarizing point one, the speed limit is good. Making Jago blind is bad.
"Point two: Parking.
"When it comes to parking in a mall, there's a reason why there's yellow lines painted everywhere. They show you where to park. And if you park BETWEEN the lines, other cars can park in the adjacent designated parking spaces.
"Seriously, I drive a pretty small car. Smallest I've ever driven continuously. If I can't fit into a parking space because it's being halved by a fucker who can't park right, don't be surprised to find a key scratch on your door.
"Also, if you're parked in a handicapped space, you'd better have a disability. Besides your obvious mental one. AND if you're the guy I saw tonight, you'd better not peel out and rev your engine so loud. All you end up doing is make me hate you.
"In summary, I just want to say that everyone who isn't me or my friends (and sometimes, even that's debatable) are driving fuckwads.
"Any questions?
"No, it's not a heart. I told you that already.
"Why was I driving down the wrong side of the street on Argyll where it joins up with 75th Street? THIS QUESTION PERIOD IS CLOSED!"
* * *
Can someone please explain to me how Steve Carrell did not receive a Best Supporting Oscar for his portrayal of Brick Tamland?
Also, I'm glad Jamie Foxx won for Ray. He was amazing in that film.
* * *
So, Kow did record over the weekend. It was fun. We got eight songs in the can, and we were actually pretty pleased with how we sounded.
Barber's dad's the one who was acting as our producer, and we rented him a digital mixing board.
We had fun, and it wasn't at all demoralizing (like our last two sessions). We had one or two moments where we knew we had something special going on. Especially when we laid down Uniform Grey.
Mr. Barber: "Now THAT sounded professional. The most professional you guys have ever sounded."
So, we'll be going back into the church/studio on Sunday. Hopefully, if we did as well as Saturday, we'll have the CD out this spring/summer.
* * *
Still no party for Jago. I think the second weekend in March might just do it, though. BOWLING! WHOOOOOOOO!!!!
Seriously, I want to go bowling.
* * *
So many web cartoonists are getting involved in the 2nd Daily Grind. The first Daily Grind involved some cartoonists from the Failure boards I frequent. Four guys decided to put some money on the line to see who could maintain a five strip a week quota. Ed Brisson lasted just under a year to win the $80 that time.
Now, 32 artists have joined the fray, hoping to take home $640US. With competition like PVP's Scott Kurtz, some of these guys have a lot to gain by sticking with a daily comic.
I'm looking forward to reading a few of these artists' offerings. Some, I could care less about.
* * *
I won't go too indepth into my work frustrations right now. Needless to say, we're still understaffed, so I'm looking at some crazy ass shifts to cover the store being open.
Please, let us find a new employee. Very soon.
* * *
I'll tell you about Astro's concert later on, although it's pretty old news. It involved seeing a friend from high school who I haven't seen in eight years, so that reunion was pretty fun.
* * *
I'm tired, I'm hanging out with my mom and sister tomorrow, and Tiger Woods is calling my name.
I swear I'll post quicker next time.
2.11.2005
It's just been one of those weeks...
So, I was in a foul mood this Tuesday during work. It's something that started on Monday, my day off.
Dev and I drove to D!'s to watch some RAW when I noticed that my tire was getting pretty flat. To the point where I had a bumpy ride, and Dev wasn't aware of much different. This is because it was the front left tire on my car that was flat.
I vowed that I'd get it filled on the way back home, since there was an Esso two blocks away.
After RAW, we hit the Esso, only to find that the air pump was out of order.
No matter, I thought. I'll just get it filled before work on Tuesday.
When Tuesday hit, I drove to THREE gas stations before I found a working hose. The 99th St. Esso, no hose on the air pump. I couldn't even get into the Shell on 82nd.
I found myself driving down 99th to about 58th Ave where I got lucky and found a Hughes with a working air pump. And I realized I'd been driving on my rims for about 30 blocks.
The tire was smoking. This was not looking good.
I try filling up the tire, only to find that the air was being left out of the tire by a nickel-sized hole. GAH!
I rush into the gas station and buy one of those aerosol tire fixit dealies. Spent my last $10 on it, so I was now officially broke until payday this Friday (tomorrow).
The hole, of course, was too big to fill using this spraycan. The fluid kept oozing out. I tried masking tape. Nope. Nothing sticks to those tires that the gas station had.
At this point I'm about 10 minutes late for work, stranded about 60 blocks away from work.
I call my boss, and he tells me he'd pick me up. I look across the street and find a Kal-Tire outlet. I tell Chris that I'll call him back from the tire store, after finding out the kind of damage that my tire and wheel took.
I limp the car over the half-block, and bring it in to the Kal-Tire store.
I'm going to need a new tire. Which would cost $120 with installation. I have $8 in the bank.
Forlorn, I ask if I can leave the car there until payday. The mechanic said, "Sure. No problems."
(My brother Braden was talking to me yesterday about this:
B: Usually, you should have the cash before buying something. That's what credit cards are for.
Me: Yes, thank you. Next time I intend to get a flat, I'll make sure I've got cash for it.)
Chris comes to pick me up, and I was in such a low mood, mostly because I thought I'd failed the car by letting it get a hole. I have NO clue where the hole came from, but God, it was big.
That night, I had to take the bus home. You know how much of a ride it is from Mill Woods Town Centre to Old Strathcona at 9:45 pm? I got home at 11. Man, this sucked more than all the days I got home at 10-10:30 during my other stores.
Wednesday, I had the day off, and just sat inside, mourning the loss of my car.
Today I brought my Game Boy on the bus, because with a 45 min to an hour ride, I had time to kill playing Final Fantasy Tactics Advance. I put the game down in October due only to the fact that I couldn't play an entire battle on the ten minute bus ride to Edmonton Centre. But, man, did I get addicted again.
I was a bit late of work today, thanks to not having a proper copy of the ETS guide. My old one no longer works, apparently, since I was about ten minutes late for the bus that would have got me to Mill Woods on time. Stupid September schedule. (Alliteration!)
It was a slow sales day at work, but one of those days where nothing got done because I was dealing with stupid customers over things that wouldn't get me money.
For instance, I left an hour late from work today (so that makes up for me getting in ten minutes late) due to mainly this conversation with a woman over the phone.
Lady: I bought a phone from RadioShack on Sunday.
Me: Right.
Lady: The redial button is slow.
Me: Pardon?
Lady: The redial's slower than my phone from eleven years ago.
Me: Oh.
Lady: When I was in on Sunday, the gentleman I was speaking to didn't really know which cordless phones of yours had the quickest speed dial.
Me: Yeah, that issue never comes up. (In my mind: Because we don't charge up every phone we have just to see how fast the redial button is! I start miming blowing my brains out to Alden.)
Lady: I was given a number to call for your district office on Monday. The woman I was speaking to said she'd get someone to look into that.
Me: Okay.
Lady: It's now Thursday.
Me: Yeah. No one in our stores can really tell you how quick the redial works on some phones. I can call up head office tomorrow and see if the buyers know.
Lady: I certainly hope so. (I start mock strangling myself to Alden.)
I'd like to say the conversation ends there, but she just kept repeating the same things over and over again for another five minutes.
When Chris called to see how the store was, I told him about this.
"Aw, god. Not again. I think we should just return the phone and tell her Best Buy would know which of their phones has the quickest redial."
Another gentleman over the course of the day was looking for DSL filters to go behind the wall mounted phones. Which we don't carry. And he kept on insisting that Telus told him he could find them at our stores.
My reply: "I don't know what to tell you, sir. It happens sometimes that people from other stores assume we have something that we don't carry. I'm sure I've told people they MIGHT be able to find something at another store, even though I have NO clue if they carry them or not. It's just a suggestion."
It happens at LEAST once a week, and I'll yell right here for people to know:
Other stores that recommend us for some things are NOT always right. They AREN'T preaching the Gospel and people DO make mistakes about what RadioShack stocks. If I tell you we don't carry something, you can take the word of someone who's been working for the company for almost five years now over someone who works at Telus or a computer store!!!!
I'd like to say that made me feel better. I'm not sure if it did.
* * *
So my birthday's coming up next week, and I have no clue what to do about it.
Because of short staffing at the store, I've got one day off this week. That day happens to be Wednesday, my birthday.
Now, sure, it sounds cool that I get my birthday off, but if I want to celebrate it with friends, I'm sure that most of them will not be able to hang out on Wednesday night. If I had Friday night off, I'd suggest bowling or a movie with a few dozen of my friends.
Unfortunately, I work until 9:30 that day.
Saturday! Everyone can get together on a Saturday evening, right? Well, yeah, if I want D! and Dev to choose between me and a Chapters friend of theirs.
I sort of share my birthday with Barber (His is the day before mine), but I'm sure that he's got enough studying to do that week.
Figures that my birthday this year happens to fall within Exam Week, and a load of my friends still take classes.
Sigh. Maybe I'll be able to celebrate my birthday the week after or something. Before March, in any case...
* * *
The Arlo Song! Liam Lynch is one cool uncle to make a DVD full of songs for his sister's son. Especially when he does songs like this.
* * *
Reading: McSweeney's Volume One, an anthology of short stories that D! lent me.
Listening to: Kicking myself in the head for forgetting to bring in my new mix for the store. Day after day! It always ends up sitting on my desk! I'll post the track listing sometime (although it IS 160 songs.
Playing: Final Fantasy Tactics Advance. BOOYA! Also, wrapping up Paper Mario.
Dev and I drove to D!'s to watch some RAW when I noticed that my tire was getting pretty flat. To the point where I had a bumpy ride, and Dev wasn't aware of much different. This is because it was the front left tire on my car that was flat.
I vowed that I'd get it filled on the way back home, since there was an Esso two blocks away.
After RAW, we hit the Esso, only to find that the air pump was out of order.
No matter, I thought. I'll just get it filled before work on Tuesday.
When Tuesday hit, I drove to THREE gas stations before I found a working hose. The 99th St. Esso, no hose on the air pump. I couldn't even get into the Shell on 82nd.
I found myself driving down 99th to about 58th Ave where I got lucky and found a Hughes with a working air pump. And I realized I'd been driving on my rims for about 30 blocks.
The tire was smoking. This was not looking good.
I try filling up the tire, only to find that the air was being left out of the tire by a nickel-sized hole. GAH!
I rush into the gas station and buy one of those aerosol tire fixit dealies. Spent my last $10 on it, so I was now officially broke until payday this Friday (tomorrow).
The hole, of course, was too big to fill using this spraycan. The fluid kept oozing out. I tried masking tape. Nope. Nothing sticks to those tires that the gas station had.
At this point I'm about 10 minutes late for work, stranded about 60 blocks away from work.
I call my boss, and he tells me he'd pick me up. I look across the street and find a Kal-Tire outlet. I tell Chris that I'll call him back from the tire store, after finding out the kind of damage that my tire and wheel took.
I limp the car over the half-block, and bring it in to the Kal-Tire store.
I'm going to need a new tire. Which would cost $120 with installation. I have $8 in the bank.
Forlorn, I ask if I can leave the car there until payday. The mechanic said, "Sure. No problems."
(My brother Braden was talking to me yesterday about this:
B: Usually, you should have the cash before buying something. That's what credit cards are for.
Me: Yes, thank you. Next time I intend to get a flat, I'll make sure I've got cash for it.)
Chris comes to pick me up, and I was in such a low mood, mostly because I thought I'd failed the car by letting it get a hole. I have NO clue where the hole came from, but God, it was big.
That night, I had to take the bus home. You know how much of a ride it is from Mill Woods Town Centre to Old Strathcona at 9:45 pm? I got home at 11. Man, this sucked more than all the days I got home at 10-10:30 during my other stores.
Wednesday, I had the day off, and just sat inside, mourning the loss of my car.
Today I brought my Game Boy on the bus, because with a 45 min to an hour ride, I had time to kill playing Final Fantasy Tactics Advance. I put the game down in October due only to the fact that I couldn't play an entire battle on the ten minute bus ride to Edmonton Centre. But, man, did I get addicted again.
I was a bit late of work today, thanks to not having a proper copy of the ETS guide. My old one no longer works, apparently, since I was about ten minutes late for the bus that would have got me to Mill Woods on time. Stupid September schedule. (Alliteration!)
It was a slow sales day at work, but one of those days where nothing got done because I was dealing with stupid customers over things that wouldn't get me money.
For instance, I left an hour late from work today (so that makes up for me getting in ten minutes late) due to mainly this conversation with a woman over the phone.
Lady: I bought a phone from RadioShack on Sunday.
Me: Right.
Lady: The redial button is slow.
Me: Pardon?
Lady: The redial's slower than my phone from eleven years ago.
Me: Oh.
Lady: When I was in on Sunday, the gentleman I was speaking to didn't really know which cordless phones of yours had the quickest speed dial.
Me: Yeah, that issue never comes up. (In my mind: Because we don't charge up every phone we have just to see how fast the redial button is! I start miming blowing my brains out to Alden.)
Lady: I was given a number to call for your district office on Monday. The woman I was speaking to said she'd get someone to look into that.
Me: Okay.
Lady: It's now Thursday.
Me: Yeah. No one in our stores can really tell you how quick the redial works on some phones. I can call up head office tomorrow and see if the buyers know.
Lady: I certainly hope so. (I start mock strangling myself to Alden.)
I'd like to say the conversation ends there, but she just kept repeating the same things over and over again for another five minutes.
When Chris called to see how the store was, I told him about this.
"Aw, god. Not again. I think we should just return the phone and tell her Best Buy would know which of their phones has the quickest redial."
Another gentleman over the course of the day was looking for DSL filters to go behind the wall mounted phones. Which we don't carry. And he kept on insisting that Telus told him he could find them at our stores.
My reply: "I don't know what to tell you, sir. It happens sometimes that people from other stores assume we have something that we don't carry. I'm sure I've told people they MIGHT be able to find something at another store, even though I have NO clue if they carry them or not. It's just a suggestion."
It happens at LEAST once a week, and I'll yell right here for people to know:
Other stores that recommend us for some things are NOT always right. They AREN'T preaching the Gospel and people DO make mistakes about what RadioShack stocks. If I tell you we don't carry something, you can take the word of someone who's been working for the company for almost five years now over someone who works at Telus or a computer store!!!!
I'd like to say that made me feel better. I'm not sure if it did.
* * *
So my birthday's coming up next week, and I have no clue what to do about it.
Because of short staffing at the store, I've got one day off this week. That day happens to be Wednesday, my birthday.
Now, sure, it sounds cool that I get my birthday off, but if I want to celebrate it with friends, I'm sure that most of them will not be able to hang out on Wednesday night. If I had Friday night off, I'd suggest bowling or a movie with a few dozen of my friends.
Unfortunately, I work until 9:30 that day.
Saturday! Everyone can get together on a Saturday evening, right? Well, yeah, if I want D! and Dev to choose between me and a Chapters friend of theirs.
I sort of share my birthday with Barber (His is the day before mine), but I'm sure that he's got enough studying to do that week.
Figures that my birthday this year happens to fall within Exam Week, and a load of my friends still take classes.
Sigh. Maybe I'll be able to celebrate my birthday the week after or something. Before March, in any case...
* * *
The Arlo Song! Liam Lynch is one cool uncle to make a DVD full of songs for his sister's son. Especially when he does songs like this.
* * *
Reading: McSweeney's Volume One, an anthology of short stories that D! lent me.
Listening to: Kicking myself in the head for forgetting to bring in my new mix for the store. Day after day! It always ends up sitting on my desk! I'll post the track listing sometime (although it IS 160 songs.
Playing: Final Fantasy Tactics Advance. BOOYA! Also, wrapping up Paper Mario.
2.07.2005
Odd Transformations 22: Violence in the Back Streets of Edmonton
My friends and I went to a restaurant where we weren't getting served. After a bit of this, Dev gets fed up and storms out. I follow him.
Dev and I get on a bus, because I had parked elsewhere that wasn't home, but at a different place where the group had met prior to going out. I'm not sure if my plan was to get my car, or to pick it up the next day on my way to work. It was only about two blocks away from the apartment I had in my dream.
I get off the bus and start walking towards my place. Across the street are Rob and Reag. I call out to them, and I invite them to my place. Reag and I start walking in the back alleys towards home. Rob said he'd drive there, so they could get home afterwards.
About half a block away from my place in the back alley, Reag and I are walking and talking when she trips over a piece of rope. (At this point, apparently, my brain switches Reag for Canoegirl, I guess.) I look over and there's some drunken derelict in the shadows, holding the peice of rope and had pulled it out at the last minute to trip Canoegirl.
"Sorry about that," says the bum. "I just thought it would be nice to trip a fatty."
"I begs your pardon?" Canoegirl asks. I try to steer her away back to my place, because the last thing I feel like doing is arguing with a drunk bum about calling Canoegirl fat.
At that point, another guy comes out of the shadows, and Canoegirl and I start fighting and arguing with the two rednecks. The fight continues as we go into the back lot behind my place, and into a garden. Just as the two rednecks are about to leave from being beaten, I feel something heavy that connects with the back of my head.
I turn around, and there's a guy in the garden, holding a plank of plywood formerly used to walk through the garden.
"You're not part of my design. Get out of my garden."
Just as I'm weighing my options, to beat on Nighttime Gardener with a plywood plank, or just to get Canoegirl inside my place, I wake up.
Dev and I get on a bus, because I had parked elsewhere that wasn't home, but at a different place where the group had met prior to going out. I'm not sure if my plan was to get my car, or to pick it up the next day on my way to work. It was only about two blocks away from the apartment I had in my dream.
I get off the bus and start walking towards my place. Across the street are Rob and Reag. I call out to them, and I invite them to my place. Reag and I start walking in the back alleys towards home. Rob said he'd drive there, so they could get home afterwards.
About half a block away from my place in the back alley, Reag and I are walking and talking when she trips over a piece of rope. (At this point, apparently, my brain switches Reag for Canoegirl, I guess.) I look over and there's some drunken derelict in the shadows, holding the peice of rope and had pulled it out at the last minute to trip Canoegirl.
"Sorry about that," says the bum. "I just thought it would be nice to trip a fatty."
"I begs your pardon?" Canoegirl asks. I try to steer her away back to my place, because the last thing I feel like doing is arguing with a drunk bum about calling Canoegirl fat.
At that point, another guy comes out of the shadows, and Canoegirl and I start fighting and arguing with the two rednecks. The fight continues as we go into the back lot behind my place, and into a garden. Just as the two rednecks are about to leave from being beaten, I feel something heavy that connects with the back of my head.
I turn around, and there's a guy in the garden, holding a plank of plywood formerly used to walk through the garden.
"You're not part of my design. Get out of my garden."
Just as I'm weighing my options, to beat on Nighttime Gardener with a plywood plank, or just to get Canoegirl inside my place, I wake up.
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