No more Delta

I figured I would try and save some money for my company and opted for a cheap ticket to Columbus using Delta. Here was the chain of events resulting from today's travels:

- 5:30 am- woke up at and rushed to get ready
- 6:30 am -get to airport and check in. Find out flight is delayed and most likely will miss connection
- 9:30 am- finally up in air
- 10:55 am- get to Cincinnati and rush to try and catch connecting flight at 11:00 am
- 10:56 am- greeted by airport employee, welcoming me to Kentucky
- 10:56 am - "WHAT?? I'M IN KENTUCKY? I'M SUPPOSED TO BE IN OHIO!!"
- 10:57 am- learn that airport is joint between Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. Am in right place
- 11:03 am- miss connection flight
- 11:03-12:00pm - shop
- 12:00 pm- realize I'm in the wrong terminal for my next connection
- 12:15 pm- eat (People in Kentucky think they make good smoked meat. But nothing beats Montreal)
- 1:20 pm- try to board plane, and end of with 3 boarding passes. Manage to find seat
- 2:08 pm- Finally land in Columbus
- 2:15 pm- Wait for luggage
- 2: 30 pm- continue to wait for luggage
- 2:45 pm- find out that they've lost my luggage

So more than 7 hours later I finally made it to Columbus. Good thing is that my bag arrived late tonight. Yay!!

Lessons Learned:

1) no more connecting flights
2) will never fly with Delta again
3) will never eat smoked meat in Kentucky

Ambush!!

I was in New Jersey this past week for business, and whenever I'm in the States for business I definitely spend more time watching TV than I do at home in Canada. Instead of reading the paper in the morning I watch the news on television. Yesterday I was packing up to check out of the hotel, but a segment that came on startled me.

In response to all of the school shootings that have been taking place, there's a special group down south that think the best way to protect our students is to train and teach them to fight someone who is looking to come and kill them. Yes... so if some psycho is crazy enough to want to take a gun to a school and start shooting everyone-- will having a class of students fight back ensure that they make it out alive? "They need to get it in their heads that the gunman is there to kill them. They need to fight back to survive" said the program coordinator. Okay his statement is probably half true, but isn't irritating and attacking the gunman going to make him more angry? With tactics such as throwing books at the gunman to shoo him away, heaven forbid I'm out of line for saying this, but I think that's the most retarded shit I've ever heard.

There's a school district that strongly believes this is the route they need to go to prepare their students. Are they on crack? I'd think if students were calm, didn't agitate the gunman anymore than he already was, that maybe there would be better opportunity to calm him down, or for police to take care of it? I know that in a life or death situation it would be difficult to make any rationale decision, but attacking someone with an assault rifle or handgun isn't the way to go.

Song of the Day: Radio Fly by the Joel Plaskett Emergency

Oh truthfully, truthfully this is one of my fav songs. Okay maybe every song Joel Plaskett has ever recorded is my favourite. Dear God, give me a miniature version of him so I can put him in my pocket.

Radio Fly

I don't think I can take it any longer
This music sucks
This cup of coffee if they make it any stronger
Might wake somebody up
It's like a game, when you're in it you can't win it
So why even try
The radio, if it's on another minute
Better learn to fly

Bye bye, so long
Daytime turns to nighttime and I'm gone
Bye bye, so long
AM turns to FM and I'm gone

Under the radar we could fly, we could fly now
And never be detected
All of our lives we could try, we could try now
And never be respected
It's like a drug, when you hit it, you can't quit it
And all the pain it brings
The radio if it's on another minute
Better grow some wings and fly

Don't push that button!!

I spent the better part of my Saturday night resting, catching up with some reading, helping my sister with her essay, and chatting with friends. Person of the night was my friend Keir who like usual, always finds a way to ask the questions I'd rather people not ask. The question of the night? "So do you have a hot and sexy man?" I sat at my computer a bit taken aback, and smacked my head because it as probably the hundredth time someone had asked me if I had someone. The answer? No.

I don't know why he enjoys pushing people's buttons so much, but he does. As does everyone else. Especially when it comes to my love life. Surprisingly, the entire conversation (hot and sexy man question included) was really fun. It was almost therapeutic as he offered some insight into the male mind, and helped me to separate what I felt were problems, into more succinct issues that I guess I could work towards overcoming. I think at some level I realized all of it, but it just helped to chat with someone.

One thing I have been trying to explain to people is what I've really been trying to spend this year doing-- which has really been to figure out how I tick, to get a better idea of what I want in life (relationships, career, personal happiness) before I decide that I really need a partner. It's not always easy to say that you're going to focus on yourself, while a lot of your friends are in long term relationships, engagements or are married, and because everyone is telling you that you gotta hurry up and settle down. I don't think I'd take back what's happened this year, except for maybe a few things I'm not so happy about, but I feel I've gotten closer to knowing what I want. Yes it's something that's always changing, but after having been out of school for a little over a year, I have a better idea of the people or type of people I want to be around, how to build a better relationship with my family, more or less the kind of guy I would fancy, what my career aspirations are, and working towards making that reality. Life goes by too quickly in Toronto, and it's worth the time to really ask who you are and know who you are. Life is too short to worry about all the retarded things in life. And if you know me, and the shit I always seem to get myself into, for me it's important to come to realizations sooner, understand and move on. If I don't realize how to continually grow myself as a person, how will I be able to make a fulfilling contribution to a relationship?

RE: Commission my ass!!

This is in response to a message that Chanx sent me. I do know that Best Buy (BB) and Future Shop (FS) are part of the same company. Decision to make future purchases at BB instead of FS is based on the fact that each store is most likely on a weekly roster/dashboard for performance (sales and stuff, and other KPIs). I'd much rather help out BB than the dumbfuckers at FS.

Over and Out!

Commission my ass!!

The one thing I've always hated about the Future Shop store by my house is how crass, aggressive, and rude their sales people can be. Today I went to Future Shop to buy a spindle of DVDs for my dad, and upon walking into the store I immediately asked where the sale DVDs were located. The man grunted and pointed his arm to my right and I just wandered around looking for them. Eventually I found it, but couldn't find the ones I wanted so asked a group of sales associates if they had any more. One man nominated his colleague and annoyingly said "can you go help her?". What was his problem? It's not like they were doing anything anyway.

So the victim approached me and asked me what I wanted help with (didn't I just tell them?) and so I repeated my question to see if they had anymore -R DVDs. We walked over to the one display with a few spindles of DVD +R left and interrogating me he asked "so where were you yesterday when everyone else was buying them?" Like WTF? So I replied, "I was working like most people?" What the hell? In the corner of my eye I saw more spindles and walked over and found some -R DVDs. "Oh I guess they aren't all sold out." Yeah, no shit Sherlock. So I grabbed mine and he proceeded to put some sort of sticky note with a code on it. I asked him what it was for he said, "don't worry, just go to the cashier."

Did he think I was stupid? No fucking commission for you! He was really rude, and there wasn't any way I was going to let him profit off of it. So I walked away, ripped off the sticky note and crumpled it in my hand and threw it out. That stupid little cheeky bastard who tried to play me for stupid. Normally if a sales person has been really helpful, I'll ask if they get commission and if they do I'm always sure to get their name and tell the cashier. After a few experiences at the Future Shop at Heartland, I've decided to never go there again. I'd much rather make the trip to Best Buy and pay a little more.

Radioland, can you hear me?

Warning: This blog entry is extremely long. Washroom break required prior to reading.

I don't think there's anything that gets me more excited than music. I don't think there's anything I'm more willing to spend money on than concert tickets and CDs (okay, that I lie, because there are some concerts I wouldn't pay money for :S ).

I've been waiting weeks!! to go to See Vous Play, a free concert hosted by CBC Radio 3 in celebration of International Music Day (don't worry a lot of people didn't know it was International Music Day)-- a line up that featured a mix of French and English Canadian Music. I very nearly didn't go because I couldn't find anyone to come with me, but that didn't stop me from seeing Joel Plaskett!

The bands:
Les Breastfeeders
Emily Haines & the Soft Skeletons
Les Trois Accords
The Joel Plaskett Emergency --> [swoon]

I had this idea that there would be a lot of people waiting to get in. It being a free show, it was first come first serve and I didn't want to miss this opportunity to see the amazing Joel Plaskett. I had never seen him in concert before, but each time I heard his songs I'd tell myself that I would one day go. It was about 4:00 and I arrived at the Kool Haus and wasn't sure where the line was supposed to be. So I marched over to the CBC people and they asked me if I was with the CBC. I had near momentary lapse of judgment and asked myself, "Should I lie and just go in so I can listen to the soundchecks, move some stuff around for them? Or just tell the truth..." Unfortunately I said that I was not, and that I was here for the show. They looked at me in shock and all I could say was that I was worried there would be a lot of people waiting so I came down early. Which of course was the truth! Problem was that I was the very first person, even earlier than most of the CBC people. They even laughed at me and were shocked that I would think there was going to be a lot of people. They kindly suggested that I get a coffee and hang out at the Loblaws.

So I did, and killed about a half hour.

And then I went back to the Kool Haus because there was nothing to do. I decided to read the book I had brought and slowly inched closer back to the empty line. Eventually I decided that it was stupid to sit on the curb and read, when it would just make more sense to sit and read at the front of the line. And so I did and a few people came right after! I met two really cool people-- one who is a fellow Engineer, and the other who was smarter than we were and chose to go into the humanities. Anyway, we chatted and got to know each other a bit better and waited till they were ready to let us in. It must have been about a quarter till 7, and by the entrance I could see a really hot guy (wear a nice vest and orange cons, like the ones I used to have!) walk towards the crowd, veer off to my left until I heard him yell, "where's the front of the line!! I'm looking for the first person!" I think my mind drew a blank, and all I remember seeing was people pointing at me, and my new friends saying, "it's her. she's first" and then a big mic in my face. I was so confused I started to laugh. It was fun though-- he asked me a whole bunch of questions, but I paused when I saw the camera. If I can remember correctly, the conversation went a little something like this:

Cute CBC Guy: So you're the first person in the line!
Miss Pow: I am!
Cute CBC Guy: How long have you been waiting here?
Miss Pow: OMG, since around 4. I came really early.
Cute CBC Guy: Wow! You're like a music super fan!
Miss Pow: Ha, ha I guess so!
[He turns to the crowd and points at me and yells, "hey everyone, she's a music super fan!". People look. I throw arms up in air and cheer]
Miss Pow: I was so early they thought I worked for the CBC!
Cute CBC Guy: You know you should have said you did, and then you would have gotten inside!
Miss Pow: Ha, ha, I know! I'm really regretting it now. I was worried there would be a lot of people so I wanted to make sure I could get in.
Cute CBC Guy: So you're here at CBC Radio 3's See Vous Play, who are you here to see?
Miss Pow: JOEL PLASKETT!!
Cute CBC Guy: Have you ever seem him live before?
Miss Pow: Nope, I'm really looking forward to it.
Cute CBC Guy: Why do you want to see him?
Miss Pow: I think he's a talented singer [I wish I had said songwriter too!] and he's from the East Coast! I'm here to support East Coast music too. My family's from there
Cute CBC Guy: Oh whereabouts?
Miss Pow: Newfoundland. I know he's from Nova Scotia. It's the east coast, maritime thing.
Cute CBC Guy: Today is International Music Day, what does music mean to you?
Miss Pow: I don't know that a tough question to answer!
Cute CBC Guy: Oh I know!
Miss Pow: I'd have to say that music is my life. I grew up studying music and I probably spend every waking hour listening to music. I'm just happy to be here to support Canadian music, both English and French.

To end the interview, he thanked me and told me to enjoy the show! My friends and I were laughing at how freakingly funny it all was.

Les Breastfeeders and Les Trois Accords were really good! I think next time they come to town, I'll definitely want to see them again. Okay, well maybe not so much Les Breastfeeders. They were awesome live, but their Tambourine man was crazy. I don't know what you have to do to get the position of tambourine man, but this guy was crazy. He came on stage in what looked like an Ikea furry rug with two holes cut to make a vest, and pants with a lot of holes. He's a pretty awesome dancer, but pranced like a mad man all over, drank everyone's drinks, and at one point pulled out a bottle of scotch. I looked at him dumbfounded because I thought he was drunk enough and probably high on some drugs. The part I hated most was that he thought it was okay to spray his beer at everyone at the front. Like if someone spits on me, okay. If someone's sweat flicks on me, okay. But intentional spraying? Gross! All I can say is that the stage crew spent a long time wiping up the spilled drinks on stage.


Crazy.

Les Accords were amazing, and believe it or not, they join the ranks of Canadian bands like the Arcade Fire in terms of number of records sold (in Canada?), but all of their 175,000 albums has only been in Quebec! They've got a lot of energy, and fun songs. Not to mention they have the most adorable dances. I'd like to shrink them all and put them in my pocket. My favourite line in their set was, "We're from Drummondville. Do you know Drummondville? We grew up in sort of the ghetto, and we wrote songs about a better future. We dreamed of Saskatchewan".

I'd say the only disappointment was Emily Haines. Now I'm a big Metric fan, having seen them 3 times already, and I don't know what I was expecting. It was dark and depressing, and such a downer from Les Breastfeeders. Even before the show started you knew that a good half of the people were there to see her. I don't know why the CBC put her in the set, but I think it was the wrong way to go about exposing people to really good Indie music. Frankly, the shouldn't have featured her at all, and would have been better off having a band like Immaculate Machine perform. After Emily finished, half of the audience cleared out and she marched off stage. Thankfully, the bitch that was standing behind me, who thought Emily was a bitch for blocking her view of one of the other Metric members, left. "Emily's such a bitch. I hate her so much". Do you even know her? Good riddance. Emily Haines is a really talented person, but every song sounded the same. Not to say they sounded bad, but I had a hard time staying awake, and was also thankful that I didn't spend the money to see her at one of her 3 shows at the Gladstone. I think she could have done more with the arrangements for the strings, but the brass players were the only highlight of her set. When she played the song "The Maid needs a Maid" I thought I was going to poke my eyeballs out. I think it would have been better to showcase another Indie band, and to do it in a slightly smaller venue.

In any case, I ended up in 3 of the pictures since I was front row and I'm rather embarrassed with how I look. These are from the CBC Radio 3 Flickr Album:









After Les Trios Accords, the cute boy from the CBC was back again to bombard me with more questions. I really didn't expect it the second time around, and turned around to find a mic in my face. "she's been here since 4, she's at the front of the stage and still here! She is the music super fan! How are you feeling? Are you excited? It's like Christmas morning!" We had a good laugh and he grilled me on Joel Plaskett. As much as I like his music, and loved his days in Thrush Hermit, I couldn't answer him! My mind was a blank. In the end he said it must be the pressure he was putting on me, asked my name and where I was from and disappeared in the crowd. Gawd! But then Joel came on stage to help set up. I knew he was a really tall guy, but in person he's even taller! Wearing a red plaid flannel jacket, I wanted to give him a big hug! :P

His set was absolutely amazing! The sound was great and he has to be one of the most entertaining singers I've ever seen. He has a clear voice, wonderful lyrics and I stood in awe for more than an hour while I listened to him sing about unrequited love, about the East coast, and well, about life. He would dance on stage, and move to the music in small footsteps, sways and twists, and you could see how this seemingly quiet and timid person was possessed by his music. Joel Plaskett is truly a jewel in Canadian music. I love Joel. [sigh]