I had no idea when I left

for my Doctors appointment yesterday and at home later opening my email, I'd have a good news bad news kind of a day. Even at my Doctors office, there was very little waiting. Even my blood pressure was 113/70 with a pulse rate of 89.

The good news at my Doctors was the hyperthyroid results came back negative. The sub Doctor asked me if I was taking Metformin. I'd heard it had side affects and it was expensive. The side effects are on some people. She asked me if I would like a prescription. "Its $30 for a 3 month supply," Sure. "Come for another visit in 3 months. I left feeling ok and enjoyed my commute home. No hassle. Anne had left on a bottle run to get me a Wendy's Baconator combo. I checked my email and there was a follow up from the Heart & Stroke foundation. I saw the words "unfortunately," uh-oh. Apparently "my services are no longer needed." Translation: I was fired. There was no "come in and see me," and then give me an explanation. Just cut and dry. I was counting on that job September, October etc because my other market research job usually has little or no work during those months, When Anne got home with my lunch, I gave her the good news bad news. She took the bad news pretty well because even though Heart & Stroke was limited it was steady work, there was a lot of rejection to it. My job and the people that worked with me was to call people out of the phone book by areas and ask if they would like to do some volunteer canvasing. People don't stick with it for that reason. We don't use computers there, just pushing paper. Most of the people we called were old or crippled. I'd be lucky after making 220 calls in a 4 hour shift I'd get 1 person to agree to canvas online. We had a retention list as well and I'd call a few, and get the odd one. For that they paid me $13/hour for a 4 hour shift. They seldom had a full room, maybe 8-10 callers a night. They'd never fire anyone but they would never invite you back. I liked the job and the hours were good. Now I just have the one job and hopefully they will resume for a bit in September. At least I have ei for now until the end of October and I have full pension after that, so its not to bad. The basics are covered. I'm going to try and keep my market research job going for at least as long as some major bills are taken care if.

Its been a rough 2017 so far. First I lose my cat and now my job. I enjoyed my job at the Heart & Stroke. My West end job is easier to get to because its just bus/train/bus and I get home in about an hour. Anne wants me to work Monday-Friday and Saturdays off. I like this job because often we have a few days to a week break in between projects. I'm rather depressed over losing this job but I'll bounce back. If I lose my market research job I'd like to get out of the call centre business altogether. Anyway, that's all for now.

Yesterday was a bad news good news kind of a day

what with the bad news being, a local work from home option from a local charity said they have all the telephone agents they need. Its a closed shop kids. That and no work scheduled for this week at my other job doesn't look good. I applied at another local survey house but like most of these local market research jobs, they shut down for the summer.

The good news yesterday was just as I was going to ask Anne to call about our city centre rec pass we get a form in the mail saying we've been approved for our low income rec pass. 

After dinner we gathered our swim gear and headed over to the Clareview rec centre, to get processed. After checking us in we each got one of the above, and a wrist band in case we want to come back if we need to leave. Normally these passes would cost us about $450/year. It gets us into all city pools and rec centres, Fort Edmonton Park, Valley zoo, Muttart conservatory (pyramids in the river valley) the art gallery and lots more. We went to get changed and it's .50 cents for a locker. I met Anne in the pool area. Lots of wet tile. I didn't care too much for the lazy river. Anne liked it. I liked the hot tub but its not as good as East Glen by Rexall. From the hot tub if you look up you can see the glass enclosure and people using the work out equipment. I can use that as well. The library has the iMac but that is by booking an appointment only. All of it free for me to use. Its a good deal. They have a steam room but it was currently running at half power. The staff seem knowledgeable and friendly. The rec centre gets 4/5 reviews. I like it and we'll be going back again this month. Our rec centre pass is good up until June 14th 2017.

After the rec centre we went across to Walmart to the McDonald's for a Sunday and we walked back home. It was a nice little outing. Its a bit of a walk for me but the #11 bus out here gets me to between Walmart and the rec centre once it leaves Clareview station, and its about a block in from Walmart. I'd like to book some time for that iMac, bring my headphones and screen record a beat. I'd need more then an hour to work on it. I might be doing that over the next few days. Anyway, that's all for now.

Firday was sort of a good news bad news kind of a day

I left out of here about 10am and it was sunny, clear and very windy. Not a good day to wear a hat. I got to my 11am ok but I forgot to ask the night before if the job was outside or inside sales. My bad because its outside sales. The interviewer didn't waste my time. I did. So I went to the employment place up the street and got shown how to open a account and how to use the system. I sent out a few resumes. Gone are the days when you'd have to knock on doors. Now all you do is send out a resume over the Internet. That's the job search. I felt ok on the way home but knowing I would need to call the office where I'm currently working only to have them tell me, "no work until the foreseeable future. In other words, "Don't call us.." type thing. After I had a talk with Anne about what was going on the phone rang. Here it comes. Instead I was told what my hours are from 2-9 and Thursday off so I can go to that funeral! In other words a sigh of relief. I got my hours back.

Anne made me a chicken burger and got me a candy bar and a bag of cheese plessers. I watched most of the Rangers/Pens game and had a great night.

Because next Sunday is Mother's Day Anne and I decided to go out to Rickies for Mothers Day, this Sunday. Also, she's going to buy me the Space Marines Omnibus (Warhammer 40K). That's if I that to have work next Sunday. Despite yesterday being a good news bad news kind of a day I was able to read some "Galaxy in Flames" and do some music production as well. Anyway, that's all for now.

My day on the job yesterday began slow

and I did ok getting 2 survey's before lunch. After lunch I had 7 and I would have had my 10th but my contact had ducked out on me. I felt good leaving the office knowing that I'm doing reasonably well on the job. Not only that but this weekend is the Valentines/Family day long weekend. My favorite stat holiday only behind Easter. I felt good leaving the office and I caught my train back to Clareview. I had a laid back evening just on the computer all night. Anne called at 8pm. Other then that it was a quiet night

Seems asteroid 2012 DA14 which flies by Earth on today, will not be in danger of hitting us as its making a record-setting close approach, for an object of its large size (about half a football field). It will pass inside the ring of Earth's satellites, coming within just 17,200 miles of the planet's surface. More at CNET and Space.com  <. This is a record breaking asteroid because there's been no other asteroid in modern times that's been this close. All we need is a gravity wave to nudge it towards Earth or maybe the asteroid to collide with some space junk and kaboom! .

This weekend if all goes well, I'm going to have some fun. I could get the big check, the small check or no check. If I get the big check, then I'm going to have fun, if I get the small one, then its home Saturday to watch the Oiler game and out to Freemason's hall Sunday morning for that officers training, then home to take my wife out for a Valentines day dinner if she's up to it. If that asteroid doesn't hit us. Anyway, that's about all for now.
 

Last night

I was enjoying Monday night Raw broadcast from Montreal when suddenly in mid match the broadcast went to Commercial, then it was explained by Michael Cole, Jerry Lawler's ring announcer partner that Lawler was having a heart attack and how ems workers were giving Jerry CPR and Lawler was rushed to a local hospital. Apparently he's undergoing a Cat scan. He's breathing on his own and seems to be doing ok. Like most people watching the show my wife and I at home thought it was all part of the entertainment or (my theory at the time) maybe a story line to give Jerry an exit strategy for some much needed time off. I hope he's Ok. Jerry is only a few years older then I am. 

I'm back at the job thing today. The afternoon clips by ok, it's just the evening after 7pm that drags but I'm in for a full week.

Last nights Coast was, boring. The topic was on parenting and voting, boring. Not every show though can be a UFO show. 

We had a nice storm move in through here over night. No Thunder or lightning or anything, just lots of wind and rain. It's nice out there now but windy.

My wife had a lot of fun fooling around with Face time last night talking with her sister. it's a great technology but it's not ubiquitous yet as a ones home phone but it's getting thee. Anyway, that's about all from me for today.

Summer, day 1. June

is one of my favorite months of the year. The mix of rain Sun and cloud and the colors are amazing. The Sun setting about 10pm is a bonus as well.

I’ve been following the sequel to Star Trek 2 the next movie by JJ Abrams but it’s probably way to early for a Summer release date. If anything I’d say May 2013 but I have no conformation about this, it’s just a guess on my part. 

I was visiting various places around Google earth earlier around the Swedish Island of Gotland. It’s a big place with only a few small communities and it kind of reminds me of Alberta without the hills and mountains. It’s more of a farming area. It’s largest community is Visby a community of some 22,000. If I ever get the money I’d love to visit there maybe during the fall. A flight would leave out of here from Edmonton International>Seattle>Frankfort>Stockholm on a return trip first class about $1,500. It’d be about 12-14 hours not including stopovers. I’d love to go by myself spend a week there explore and return (with a lot of photos of course.) But if I didn’t have Anne with me, I’d save up the money and go for 10 days. That’s if I ever win the lottery.

Speaking of which Friday’s Max draw is for $50M, tomorrow’s draw is for $17M. I’m getting 1 for each today.

I had a decent day yesterday pulling in a $500 sale (but not on card) I had a couple of $50’s and a $110 sale on card. That’s almost $800! I love days like those. We had a different campaign as well which helped a lot.

About 4:30 this morning I was feeling my stomach tighten as I was breaking out into a sweat. I ran to the toilet moaning and groaning. My head was spinning. Vomit erupted from my mouth, it was a disaster. I must have sat there on the toilet in the dark. Anne was just going to bed about this time helping me out. I was gasping for air when I break out into another sweat. She helped clean me up as I was in a mess. I had a shower and went back to bed. Twenty minutes or so latter, here we go again with more of the above. I hurled about 4 times into a bucket this time Anne had given me. At this time she called into the office for me saying I won’t be in for the morning shift. I felt a little better and went back to bed. We both agreed it was a case of food poisoning. Something I ate yesterday played havoc with my system.

This evening I’m heading out of here shortly before 4pm so I can head on over to the Backer Centre and get a 6/49 and a Max and a $20 Visa card. Loopmasters has a product I want called “Essential dubstep.” I’ve never ordered from this company before and their ordering set up doesn’t seem to work properly for some reason. I hope to place an order for tonight when I get home

I feel a lot better now. I got up about 10am had a owl of cereal and that was kept down and my insulin and fed the cats and went back to bed. So I’m in for 4 hours this evening and I’m going to ask the boss if I can come in for Thursday morning for 3.5 and the rest of the day for a total of 11 hours to make up for missing today. We’ll see how that goes. Anyway, that’s all I have for today.

I went to bed about

3am when I fell asleep. I got about 6.5 hours but I was over tired as it was and set the alarm for 9:30am. I got up a bit earlier then that had put the kettle on the stove and had a shave and a shower and fed the cat and at the computer to make a blog post. 

On local news last night it was announced that our local newspaper The Edmonton Journal (1903) is no longer running a Sunday morning edition citing its not cost effective. I recall when I was delivering the Journal in 1981, we never had a Sunday paper. Most likely the Edmonton will follow in the Journal’s path and go no Sunday edition as well soon. 

The rail strike here in Canada is just about to wrap up with back to work legislation. Apparently the strike was costing Canada something like $5 billion/week. Trains going to Vancouver was costing about $250M/day. Union workers only represent about 3 million workers in the country anyway. 

Well, I got a full week ahead of me here. This morning I’ve got to go to my Scotia bank and make a deposit, just a slight detour. Telus apparently “sees” that I have set up a preauthorize billing arrangement for my flex plan for my iPad. My bill is just over $11 but that’s for May and June. Anyway, that’s about all I have for now.

Finally I got my

Itouch fixed. It's working perfectly, almost. The only problem with it now is the Apple game centre. I'm not having much luck with the registration part.

Also, I got a call earlier this afternoon from Keith saying he's going to work on it tonight and I could either meet him at Clairview or he can bring it in. I should have asked him what's easiest for him but I suggested bring it into the office Tuesday and I can take it home with me after work. 

That's 2 pieces of good news. Wait, there's more. I was watching The Sharks/Oiler's game at Rexall and the Oiler's scored first. Usually when they don't score the first goal, they're something like 4-16-something. Sure enough they scored the first goal with good ol' Dubnyck. The Oiler's won in a shootout 2-1. If Khabibulin was in goal, the Oiler's would have lost for sure 3-1. 3 pieces of good news today.

The reason why I went with something SF then book #2 of the "Song of ice and fire" is because I don't want to get burned out reading this series and lose interest, so I went with another series and something in first person. I'll read it in March or when I'm done with this, anyway that's all for now.
 

Good news, bad news?

Good news is Winnipeg Finally got a NHL hockey team after 15 years! Bad news for Atlanta that saw 2 of their NHL teams leave to Canadian cities. That's not the "bad news." Winnipeg or whatever the team is going to be called, will have to sell 13,000 seats before. The City owns the team logo/name "Jets" and the former "Atlanta Thrashers" still might be called "The Jets" or even something else.

The bad news for me at least and it isn't really bad news: I got my "review" so I'm being moved back to residential but only for a month. My hours will be 12:30pm-9pm Tuesday, Friday. Less half an hour for Friday. It also kind of sucks because this means that I'll be getting my paycheck at 8:30pm. I can cash it at anytime but I like to be able to get out of here on a Friday afternoon, cash my check and go get a bite to eat. Now this means I have to cash it Fridays at about 9pm after everything is closed and get up early Saturday to work until 2pm but I get 2 days off. Like I said it's only for a short time. Anyway, that's all for now.