My first/3 days off

checking out SF signal’s site they announced that they are now have a Community. So I joined under my own name Jim Shannon. I haven’t made any contributions yet but if there’s time I will this weekend.

I got up out of bed about 1pm because I wanted to watch the Oiler/Thrasher game. Our boys were losing 2-0 but kept in the game. Right after Anne had left just as the 2nd period was about to close we scored, 2-1. They scored 3-1, Then Taylor Hall, for his 18th. Then Hall for his 19th and then Hall for his 20thand his first natural hat trick! History in the making. I’m not saying Taylor Hall is another Wayne Gretzky but he’s got the capability of being an elite player. Maybe Commissioner Gary Bettman should come out more often. Great game and I'm glad I was able to watch it and be a part of it.

Speaking of hockey, the NHL is having their Heritage Classic game this Sunday in Calgary‘s McMahon stadium. This is a bad move on the Nhl for several reasons. First there’s the trade deadline a few weeks away and the Flames are trying to make the playoffs. This is just another distraction they don’t need. Tomorrow’s outdoor game is more for the fans then it is for the player’s. The NHL should have had this game back in November.

There‘s a few good movies coming out I want to see: “Sucker punch,” “Adjustment bureau”, “Thor”, “Captain America” and Philip K dick‘s movie adaptation “UBIX not to mention “Priest.” I haven’t even seen “Tron” Legacy yet.”

Not just are there a lot of exciting movies coming up but also some games I want to get playing: I want to get a Play Station 3 so I can start playing “Little Big Planet 2” and there are a few on the PC but I need either another/new PC or an upgrade to my system.

Anne’s working tonight and it’s very cold out there. I’m glad I’m inside with the only thing I want to do for the rest of the night is read and drink some tea. And maybe listen to a few podcasts before Anne comes home.

I’m really looking at before the end of this month in getting a PS3. I can’t justify buying something like this to Anne and keeping it out in the living room because I’m not even playing anything on my Xbox but Elder Scrolls 5 is coming out in November. Plus if that’s not enough I got other Lodges I want to visit and I got that big FC part to do in April at our Lodge etc. Lots going on. This year is going to be a big year for me. Anyway, that‘s about all for now.

From yesterday and today

back from being laid up Wednesday and we're doing the circus.
It was rough going but eventually I got a sale. The regional manager from Vancouver was also there as well and apparently they were there to go over strategy for finding us another office as our lease at our present location will be up before the end of the year.


*I felt OK by going in about 8:30am I figured I would be about the only one there. Sure enough there was about half our crew there, mainly because it was Friday/payday. Jay filled in for Gerry apparently doing something with the GM so we got a break from circus and did cops. I had a great morning and got bonus money for top total and my check just after I came up from getting my 2 Proline tickets for 3 games. 1 ticket to win pays out $20 the other one reversed order, same games pays out $12. I spend $4. After work I went to my bank and over to Audrey's to get my special order and shop. I got book 2 of the Stephen Hunt's Jackelian series:


I thought I had 2 Warhammer 40k books but the other one is my 1st ever steampunk read.I also ordered the 3 Omnibus volumes of David Drakes Hammer slammer series. They were still in print. The LRT ride home was better then last night, that's for sure. I was in the apartment, half expecting Anne sitting on the couch off work having a cold but she left me dinner to heat up and a night by myself.

I had an OK day for my first day on Circus but nothing on card. I called Anne on my break and after work handed in my recap and went to Corona station so I could get home and have a chat with Neil for a ride to the Lodge. But the weather made the trip so long with all the interruptions up and down the line, a 20 minute train ride took an hour! I got home at 5:45pm. Too late to set up a ride in this weather to the lodge by Neil. Wait, he's not slated to do anything anyway. So I called Nathan and he picked me up. I forgot my Apron. The whole evening was a mess because of the low turnout but we were able to form Lodge and put 2 candidates through. I screwed up my lines in the beginning but the middle was good and messed up near the end. Yeesh. Also, there are a couple other lodges that are doing something this Saturday at the Lodge downtown. I was thinking about going in and work until noon and then head up to the Freemasons Hall and sit in on their FC degree and fellowship for later. Interesting.


I got up a bit early because I couldn't sleep. Anyway, today I'm in for the full day. I'll leave out of here at 4:30pm do my banking and head for home and the long weekend. If I feel any better I might come in for Saturday morning. We'll see. Anyway, that's about all for now.

I took an unshedualed sick day off work

Last night this virus had gotten so bad, every time I lied down to go to bed, I kept hacking and coughing.

So this went on all night and my voice got so bad, Anne suggested I take the day off so I could rest my voice and try and shake off this virus/cold. I called in and left a message on the machine at work took my insulin and went to bed. That didn’t work so I rested on the couch a few hours and took another flem removal type pill or whatever it was Anne had picked up for me. Much to my surprise I was able to sleep so I slept until about 1pm this afternoon and I feel a lot better.

Anne made me some lunch as she was watching “Keeping Up with the Kardashians.” It makes her laugh. I don‘t mind it. If I had a chance to watch “Merlin“ or that, I‘d watch Merlin. But Anne had left about an hour ago and has all TV services locked out because she‘s recording “Doctor Oz.” Even if “Stargate Universe” was on right now, I wouldn’t know how to get at it.

On my plate this evening, I’m going to try and listen to the latest SF Signal Podcast featuring an interview with David Drake. I’ve never gotten around to read this author before. He’s got 4 books coming out this year. He’s well known for his “Hammer slammer” series. Some of his stuff you can still read on line. I think when I go into Audrey’s this week, I’ll be ordering all 3 volumes of the Hammer slammer series in in Omnibus format.

And finally, at last the Oiler’s won a game at Rexall place. This victory said No-way to a Dallas sweep of the Oiler’s this season. Talk about a decisive victory: 4-1. The Oiler’s seldom win decisive victories and especially at home but this one was sweet. Tomorrow while I’m at the Lodge, it’s the Habs in town. Anyway, that’s about all for now.

From this morning:

Not a lot going on today. I’m still in the grip of this cold. The weather around here has grown colder at -7 right now and there is most likely a wind chill when I go out there this morning.

I’m not totally comfortable with doing the EA ritual but I’ll do my best Wednesday night.

SF signal today revealed another Podcast source I want to check out today called The Outer alliance. I'll have to see if its available on ITunes later this evening.

Over this last weekend the Oiler’s have been playing so terrible that at the end of the 3rd period when they were beat by Anaheim I think 4-0, they were booed off stage by the fans at Rexall. Not good especially with the trade deadline in a few weeks. Anyway, that’s all for now.

From this afternoon:

I went into work cold and my sinuses still bugging me. During the morning I kept on hacking and coughing. I got a $30 card sale and a few nibbles to try out for latter. Just before noon though I couldn't’t take the coughing, hacking anymore and asked the boss if I could pack it up today. He agreed and I went downstairs to play on my Pro-line ticket and caught the train to Clairview and home. It was bitterly cold out thereon the way home with the blowing wind and wind chill. I came inside the place, locked up got ready and climbed into bed but I kept coughing and hacking again. Not a pretty sight. So I’m home now, taking it easy but I might go back to bed. Anyway, that’s all for now.

This morning and afternoon

are coming along just fine, it's going to be from 6pm-10pm that's going to be a challenge. Thats the Lodge practice ahead of me and riding on the train home afterwards. At least the weather will be nice and if I'm a little early, that's ok.

Not only this but I had got a cold over the weekend as well. But its good I need to go get this initial practice over with. I'm pretty sure I can get a ride back from someone there.

The good news is that this up coming weekend is Family Day weekend. Yaaa! Anyway, that's all for now.

Another update

Anne called at about 7:30pm and we had a nice chat. We decided tomorrow we’re going to get Sugar a new budgie mate for her. Nothing will ever replace Chirpie. I think he really loved Sugar and it showed every time he’d sit on the ramp outside his cage. So sad.


I’m having relaxing night. I post a lot of stuff over on my Blogger blog because it gets very little traffic and I can get more personal. One thing I’m considering doing is establishing my own “school of mysticism” and publishing this on Blogger and maybe some hard copy books off of Lulu or something like that before I go. My legacy if you will. This system will be a bit of magic/Freemasonry but Fm for both men and women/co masonry. I call this new system, “Mygick.” Its going to be a massive undertaking. Its been percolating in the back of my mind for years now. Most likely I’ll never see it realized and at his point its only a dream.

I watched the last part of Smackdown earlier and had fun with it. I’m getting the makings of a virus of some kind. I got the scratchy throat and runny nose.

This weekend is going to be interesting. “Saturday” is my only day off and I have the practice to go to for Sunday. I still don’t know what time the practice is on. Anyway, that‘s about all for now.

A bit of an update

Now it’s some 12 hours later. This morning was another easy going morning. I was at the corner of 106th st and Jasper across the street from BP’s facing East as usual. It was nice and mild out there as it felt like +2 and it probably was. I got to my station and Gerry tells us we’re moving to res for today. I thought, maybe I should stay until noon and take care of business and go out to eat. So I hung around the office and made some business calls which didn’t pan out. Then I sat around by the reception chatting with Angela until I finally got up to leave around 1pm. Then I headed downstairs hoping Rami was in and I could chat with him but no dice. I loitered around the pharmacy but then decided I could kill better time maybe riding the LRT. So I walked around to Jasper and back the way I came from this morning. I got the train to Clairview and rode it to Century park. That took about an hour. Then while about crossing the North Saskatchewan river bridge downtown I thought. I can get off downtown at Central station below the bank and call Anne if she was up. She was and I said, “Gerry let us out early so I’m at the bank.” (We don’t have the cell phones up and running this week.) So I went and cashed my check at the ATM took out $180 but again talking with Anne we didn’t think this was right. She checked her balance on the home laptop and she had $514 in her account. “Hurry home so I can use the bus pass.” That’s when I realized, I had to put back in her account $100. So back upstairs and 2 people rushed in ahead of me and a small line up of 4. Shit. The line up went by fast though. I put the money in and when the train came by took it home hoping I could still meet with her at Clairview but 3 trains went by me the other direction before I even got to Belvedere. I waited around for her 4 buses she could have taken but no Anne. I went home and paid the balance of the rent. Anne called just before 4pm and we sorted everything out. She has $150 in her account and I have $150 here to work with towards FL studio I’m holding onto the $100, which Monday at noon goes into my Scotia account. I got $15 in my RBC account and what’s left over from Sunday’s dinner will last me the week. Next week I’ll get about $315 and they’ll take out maybe $31 for taxes. I’ll get $60. I’m just wondering if I should just wait until I get my income tax return and vacation pay and order FL then?



I might decide to work tomorrow anyway because I need the money. 35 hours will get me about $320. Other then FL studio at Fs I want the keyboard of course but also the New Itouch 4th gen.