City work crews finished paving the intersection out

here, which is about time. Some people at City Hall are trying to make roads a October 21st election issue. If there's any election issue it should be LRT expansion. Namely the Mill woods SE/W LRT line.  

What lotto Canada did with the New 6/49 was not only increase the weekly prize draw to $5M from $3M but increased it by $4M every week the prize goes unclaimed. Plus they added another draw for a chance to win $1 for a $3 ticket. This weeks prize package goes to $9M for a $3 ticket. I'll buy one this weekend as I'm giving Proline a bit of a break. 

I've still got a bit of work to do in my Lodge as to try and arrange positions for our own elections in a few weeks away and I'm almost there. I've got a few contacts yet to make and to go over the constitution and review "Robert's rule of order" on how to run a meeting.

Yesterday was the last day for our out going Mayor Stephan Mandel. This was City council's last session before the upcoming civic election October 21st. I'm voting for Karen Leibovici. She worked closely with Mandel on the homelessness issue and supported the downtown arena from day one. Mayor Mandel did so much for the city, such as a new LRT line, his work for homelessness, the downtown arena, which will revitalize the downtown core (if it ever gets built) and re development of the airport lands, he's made the city stronger. The best Mayor we've ever had. If we get Leibovici or Iveson we'll be ok. If we get Dottie uggh, he'll set our city back by 20 years.    

Because my work is mostly in the evenings I'm going to miss a lot of Oiler hockey games on TV. Just in scanning over their 2014 schedule including this Saturday nights game I'll be able to catch mostly weekend games. That's about 25 games I'll be able to watch on TV. If however I get a couple of day projects that last us a couple of months each, I'll be able to watch more Oiler hockey games on TV. Then there is the 2 week break in February for the Winter Olympics, then it's down the home stretch in April and the Oiler's can get ready for team Canada.  

My hours are going to be ok this week. I'm working today, Friday and Saturday for 31 hours on the week so far. If everything goes well for next week, I could get another 31 hours. It means I haven't seen hours like this since the end of July. If it holds, I might be able to get something for me and save for that computer.

Anne had taken our budgie bird that passed away the other day to the vet and the vet said his beak was too long. These things can grow like fingernails and if the beak is too long the bird can't eat. It needs it's beak to crack open seeds for the morsel inside. Chirpy's beak was way to long and the poor thing starved to death. Anyway, that's about all for now.  

I'm on the phone this afternoon trying to reach my contact but that failed to connect

and it's been derailed until later this morning.

On Coast this morning the topic is JFK! About time something good crops up from this show but I support this theory.

Then Anne gets up and says she has bad news. Our green budgie bird Chippie died. We had him now for almost 2 years. We lost 3 birds in about 5 years. Just as we're trying to come to grips with this, I get a phone call from the office. I've got x2 5 hour shifts and a 7.5 hour shift added on for this week. That's for this week. At least that's good news. I'm off Saturday/Sunday. But Friday's shift means, I miss the Eskimo game. So I'm in the office and then just before shift starts I get some more bad news: The quota's are back and if we don't make quota we could be sent home. In all my 13 years at my other job I've never been in a position like this. I think I was sent home once and that wasn't because of the boss but because of the manager. Now it's Déjà vu all over again. Not even during my previous job's "ghetto projects" cold calling in a recession was I ever sent home. Sure I had low totals but we were always of the premiss "as long as the effort is there." On one hand I get the hours but on the other it could cost me. So I didn't even take a break because every call was important. I got a "pick it up" warning and I ended up with just a bit shy of quota. I told my wife this when I got home and she said she's getting me an application where she works. I'm going to try for at least 1 day/week there so I can at least get my foot in the door. Earlier I said $10/hour jobs anymore just don't cut it? I'd rather work $10 steady then $11.54 and the stress part time and 2-3 shifts here and there.

City paving crews are finally out there getting our side of the street done. Hopefully it's going to be a quiet weekend for a change. Anyway, that's all for now.

I had a decent night on the

job last night.

This was from last week but It's Official: Voyager 1 has Left the Solar System. Voyager 1 is about 102 astronomical units (AU) away from earth. Or 15.3 billion miles away. It's traveling at 57,600kph. So for something that's over 35 years old, Voyager 1 is holding it's own.

Wednesday on my day off I'm heading over to Service Canada to see what career counseling options I have available. I cant live on these hours. I'm not putting anything on notice or anything like that. I miss my other job where I was getting $100/week spending money and that was after I paid my bills. Right now I'm not getting anything but barely paying my bills, that's barely. I haven't been in this bad shape since before I got married 13 years ago and $10/hour jobs put me no further ahead. It's frustrating.

The other thing I've got on my plate tonight is a Lodge phone call I'm making at work latter on today. But I'm thinking about calling in the afternoon before work to leave a message on the answering machine, something like, "I'll be  calling from work about 7pm. Look for this name "----" its going to be me calling from work etc." Now if I can speak with my contact before I leave, even better. It's a crucial call. Anyway, that's about all for now. 

I've got a few hours before I head out of here

this afternoon. It's a 5 hour shift, so it should be a good one.

Last night I was finally able to watch Star Trek "Into darkness." This has got to be the best Trek ever. On a scale of 1-10, it's a 10! I like how they used a landing party as an "Away team." That's a Next Gen term. If JJ Abram's can produce a movie like that every 2-3 years, I'd be a happy camper. 

The SE/West LRT has a council meeting today to see about buying the land they need for the route. The next meeting is on November 20th on how to proceed with the project. The first leg of the project will cost about $1.8B. The City has earmarked $800 million into the project. The Federal portion of the P3 should be made available in the new year. The Province (hopefully) will kick in the rest. It looks like its going to more or less start on time. Completion date is 2019 for the first half of the SE/West line.

It doesn't look like the City will get to paving the intersection outside our place this week. Hopefully they'll do this on the weekend.

I'll be home tonight shortly before 10pm for another round of Monday night Raw. Otherwise, not much is going on. Anyway, that's all for today..

I had a decent day yesterday despite thinking I had to get out

early because of the paving City crews were doing over night. I was actually at Corona station and in Tim's at about 9am ordering my breakfast Saturday morning.

This is awesome: In an i09 article recently talks about the worlds largest Star Wars collection. The Guinness book of world records recognizes Steve Sansweet's Star Wars collection. We had this guy here in Edmonton a few years back. Sansweet's Star Wars collection contains about  300,000 items at Rancho Obi-Wan in Petaluma, Calif. and was recognized in the Guinness book of records for 2014. I can't display the video thanks to Google screwing things up. So here's a link to the video:

Ok, so back to business: Work went well Saturday and despite it being a 6 hour shift and all I worked through it with just 1 break. By 4pm though I was getting a bit played out and could have a few extra hours. After work I went to Audrey's and got my book asked if I could wait until the end of the month and begin to pick up the other 3 items. The owner said sure as I said my hours have been cut but Anne and I have a bit of a plan ahead, so we'll see. Burger Baron is a few doors down from Audrey's and I wanted to get a large order of fries to take home but the place was surprisingly locked up. So I caught the train to Clareview  instead and walked home from the station through "Clareview Mall." It was very warm and I was sweating by the intersection by our place right where the paving crew had laid down that sticky primer tar. By this time all 4 lanes had been opened up. I had to walk around and fight through breaks in the traffic to avoid getting tar on my shoes.
 
Finally at home in the elevator to our 2nd floor. Check my shoes, no paving tar. I was grateful I was home and I found the Bombers/Eskimo game on TV halfway through the 1st quarter. I had my left over lunch, put the fan on and relaxed and enjoyed the game. It was a monkey off the back for the Eskimo's 7-24 victory! A much needed win but the rubber match is next Friday in Winnipeg and they want this one back. Both teams now share the 2-9 record. There were also 2 Oiler pre season games. Oilers/Flames and Flames/Oilers taking place at the same time. We lost here at the Rex but won there at the saddle dome.

Not much going on today, I'm relaxing working on a track and having brunch. We're going to order Video on Demand Star Trek "Into Darkness." For $6 its a good deal. Anyway, that's about all for now.

Most of the time

Friday the 13th works out pretty good for me, not that I'm superstitious or anything. Yesterday, I didn't even know until it was mentioned on Coast that yesterday was Friday the 13th. So I'm buying my 6/49 ticket as usual and after I get off the train at Corona on a beautiful Sunny mid September day, I'm walking over to the Baker Centre. I got my extra strength Motrin and made it to work with half an hour to spare. Notice I never mention where I work.

I was shocked to see my hours, or lack there of. I got 2 shifts next week. I talked to the boss and asked what happened to the project that was supposed to go to at least the end of September. He said we're launching it September 23rd. Next Monday. Even then its part time but we've got another project for October. In other words from here on in I'm working part time and that translates into not making any money. If I'm  not making money, I'm not happy. So he said I might be able to get in on the training for next Thursday, which would include test calls for Friday. 

I'm not a quitter at anything I do. I never give up. I don't give up on my marriage or compromise my marriage. I don't give up on my friends or colleagues even if they let me down. I won't give up on my Lodge even if they wont support me. I don't give up on anything I do. Some dreams may get put on hold but I never give up.

Yet something's got to give here. I need some hours and I'm not getting them at my current place of employment. So after talking to the boss of this other company I emailed my resume. I asked if I could follow up and he said next week. Hopefully I can do 4 hours at 1 place and 4 hours at the other.

So yesterday at work, things are going along ok. I have no dental pain. I actually had a decent shift and I checked in on the scores of the CFL game between Hamilton/Calgary. I'm having a good night for what we had to work with. So after work I thought maybe I had a bit of time to check in at Audrey's and Trevor was just cashing out. So he looked at me and through the doors he said "Sorry Jim." I said I'd come back tomorrow. So up until Clareview, everything is fine. Then the bus gets re routed and on 137th the city has got all the roads and everything blocked off to just 1 or two  lanes. They're paving and I don't know how I'm going to get to work this morning. Anyway, that's all for now. More latter..

Over the last several days I've been having some dental pain that's been

taking its toll on me. Wednesday I had to duck out 2 hours early and come home early. I had a break in the pain today and I feel ok right now.

Wednesday on Coast they had a great show on the events that took place on 9/11 2001. I didn't listen to all of it but I'm of the opinion shared by the guest that this was a conspiracy. I don't normally buy into conspiracies but this one is hard to just dismiss out of hand. 

Our weather yesterday was +30, which was a record. Usually for mid September, its about +20. October can be nice as well. 

Looks like I wont be able to get my computer until Spring. Tax return time. It'll give me some time to save up for it and get it done right.

I think there's a 50-50 chance that I'll have my year in the East next year. It depends on some last minute scrambling and a bunch of phone calls. 

Today I've got a 5 hour shift and before work I'm going to Audrey's and get my book and then some extra strength Tylenol. That usually works.

I'm thinking about working with my wife's company but from home so I can get some extra hours. I can work from 10-1am and that might be an option to make up some extra hours. I'm working Saturday from 10-4:30pm and I'm off for almost 2 days after that. Anyway that's about all for now.