Rent A Dog

After just walking Rozzymaboo and watching Dragon's Den, I believe there's a business opportunity out there: renting dogs for those that would like to be dog owners but whose wives won't let them have one (not that I'm basing this idea for any specific reason or anything). Think of it as a reverse dog-walkers business where instead of the dog owner paying the dog walker, the dog walker pays the dog owner.

Mind you, the people paying for this service must be awfully lacking in logic and cohones to just bring a dog home even though his wife won't let him, but I'm sure there's a market out there for this.

Trannifer, I know you're going to read this, and since this idea is patent-pending, I don't think you can legally charge me yet. Besides, who else is going to walk your dog every Wednesday evening for free? (Wait a minute, that last sentence was kind of counterintuitive to the preceding paragraphs. Again, this business idea is for people lacking in logic. This is why I work for the Government and am not in business for money)

That Soccer Conundrum

So I started a new season of soccer today, and that whole "one is good, two is better" adage came into play. First of all, I scored a goal, which, really, is quite amazing to me (do you know how hard it is to score when you have no idea what you are doing?). Oh, it also helped that Frank, one of our star players, passed the ball perfect to me. I just stuck my foot out and luckily it went in.

But the conundrum part comes in when I should have scored another goal. I basically had the ball to myself and I shot it right at the goalkeeper.

Shouldn't I be happy I scored a goal, which quite frankly might not happen again this season? Why am I upset that I didn't score the other goal? Perhaps I'm a greedy person. Or maybe because the final score was 3-3 and if I scored that other goal we may have won.

Argh...why did I join soccer again?

It's Go Time?

It's go time.

Up and at 'em...let's go

I Can't Do It...I Can't Do It...

...go back to work tomorrow, that is. This whole not-working thing is good times.

Back to reality. I have to convince myself that I'm refreshed and ready to go again

Pencing

So right back at it I go...just took down the fence with my neighbour Ivan, so hopefully the fencing company could start tomorrow.

Oh, and it was plenty funny when I got a call from my wife this morning on my way to my parents house to pick up their van. Why? My lovely wife had locked herself out of the house. Awesome!

Well That Was Fun

I think out of all the vacations we've had this year, this may have been the funnest. The company was great and Vancouver is an awesome place. Just the feel of the city was nice.

I'm afraid it may have been an illusion, though, because the weather was pretty much immaculate while we were here. But whateves, I look forward to coming back one of these days.

Well whatever, I think (I hope) I'm refreshed again and ready to go back to the grind. It was yet again another trip of overeating (what vacations aren't?), but at least we counteracted it with a lot of walking and touring. Home (and jetlag) here we come!

Grouse Grounded

So we had another fun-filled day. We first went to the Capilano Suspension bridge, where we were like Ewoks on the treetops. Oh, and the bridge itself was great. The look on BJ's face due to his "irrational fear of heights and bridges" was worth the price of admission alone.

We then went to Grouse Mountain, where we did the 3km. hike up the mountain (known as the Grouse Grind). Holy crap it was harsh! I sweated like when I did the 10km. run. Crazy! But at the same time it was a rush and was fun. And when we were up on the mountain, we had some awesome Beavertails and watched a lumberjack show. Sounds quite the homo, but man, I think I would like to be a lumberjack just so that I could have ripped bodies like theirs. WHATEVER, I KNOW, HOMO.

I was also driving around the city with Ivy's Mini Cooper...I would've totally did the Italian Job driving through the mountain but my two passengers (Sharon and BJ) would have possibly been the worst passengers to have while driving like that. Very nice car though.

Can't believe we're leaving tomorrow already. Time feels like it goes so slow here. How the heck am I going to go back to work mode?

But first, we're off to a Malaysian Restaurant right now

Shuttle To Sheattle

So we had a fun jaunt going down to Seattle to visit Corinna and Stef. Pike Street, that Space Needle thing and the outlet malls...good times. I vastly overate and I think my blood pressure will be feeling it.

We went to that great American institution as well: Tar-jey, where I continued the tradition of buying the thing that I always buy whenever I go to the US: Fruit of the Loom tighty whitey's. I'm set for a few years again!

Now to do some exercise on our last leg of this trip: Grouse and then to do some kayaking where Beevy was engaged.

So far I think this trip has been the funnest, if not the most stress-free of all the trips I went on this year. The West Coast is nice...I better not get too attached now. Mind you, if we did live here our "quality of life" would go a bit down as it's pretty pricey out here. But it's nice to visit!

West Coast Bike N' Bowl

Went for a jaunt on some rented bikes today through Stanley Park. Beautiful!

After dinner, we're gonna go bowling at their alley they have here at their condo.

This province is great...on par with PEI being the prettiest province in Canada. It really helps having friends who actually live here

VCBC

This place is beautiful! If I made three times as much money as I did now, I think I would buy an investment property here and come every so often when I could. Or at least (maybe) retire here. Who would have thought that Canada was so beautiful? (I did)

Went to Grenville Island on a cute little ferry, bought some Indian food for lunch (what says Vancouver better than butter chicken?), some groceries (had Mexican food for dinner), Native artwork, then a stroll around downtown Vancouver. Tomorrow we'll be doing the same I think.

Otherwise, so far it's a great "chill trip" (different than the gogogogogo trips we usually have) hanging out with Beevy. How the heck am I going to go back to work?

Who Needs Sleep?

So far, that's the theme of this trip. Mind you when you're part of a wedding and are going between Calgary and Vancouver, things like sleep will be foregone.

Not that I mind personally, but when the wifey gets involved in this, things are bound not to turn as well.

We just arrived in Vancouver after a great weekend (congrats Mistie!) of fun, food and catching up (wished my friends lived closer). Now we'll be here for the next four days frolicking in beautiful Vancouver. Well, let's see how beautiful it is in the daylight; but so far, so nice

The Year Of Vacations...Last Stop

Well, maybe. But off we go yet again!

Westward Hoooooo

Off to Calgary we go in a few hours for Mistie's nups, then to VanBC to chill with Beevy.

Excited!

Window To My Wallet

Make that my wallet to a new window. I think I am going to have to replace the garage window before winter comes (and the Ho Depot is having a 15% off windows starting tomorrow). I think this is my one regret from when we got the windows replaced a few years ago: not getting this one done. I don't even remember the reasons why anymore.

Oh yeah, and I've never replaced a window before. This should be interesting.

You know what I just realized? I'm going to Alberta and BC on Friday. I haven't even thought about packing/what to bring/what to do there. I'm not even sure if I'm exciting.

Man, I don't even know what I'm thinking more than half the time anymore.

Alzheimer's?

MaRozAthon

That's what I call the super-walk I had with her today after dinner. I think we did a good 6km. And I also think she was quite tired out after the walk. It's nice to walk with a dog.

Oh yeah, so I think I turned 50 years old or something, because I'm totally into these walks after dinner. Why 50? Well do you know who I meet/see on my walks? 50 year olds!

But still, who knew they would be so soothing/stressfree? Mind you I'm not sure how it will go when the snow starts, but I would like to think I'll still be doing it.

* * *

I've also been into popcorn lately. And not the kind from the microwave; the real kind that I pop myself on the stovetop. Yummy!

Dammit Dejavu

So for one reason or another, I left my office today at 6:00pm. The phone calls just wouldn't stop!

Everytime I think I got it bad though, I just have to remember: it could be worse. Much worse

* * *

I think we're going to join one of those couples cooking class with Arfeli. I thought it was funny when Arvin said (to the effect), "man, I hope the food turns out good." So me, being as horribly clever as I am, said, "so you and Sharon will watch as Feli and I cook?" Oh thass rite, I went thurr

* * *

Hello Kiri! I can't believe you're reading my diary...LOL

Kayaking

Excuse the terribly unoriginal title, but that's what I did today with noted adventurist Melodie at Lakefront Promenade. This:

Good times! I think I want a kayak now (after the dog, new kitchen, motorcycle, ping pong table, etc.)

I Forgot How To Hang Out

So yesterday, the wife went with Feli rock-climbing. I went to Argay's place for a haircut and to hangout.

I think it's been such a long time since I hung out with, well, anyone, my social skills eroded to the point it was borderline socially dysfunctional. We went for a car ride downtown, where my gawking and talking and whistling wasn't exactly subtle. Not embarrassing at all.

Oh yeah, we also walked around the clubbing district because I ate poutine. Wild!

I often said that if I was young, single and rich (in the sense having a well-paying job), I would have moved to downtown Toronto before finding my way to the suburbs. Oh, and if I drank alcohol too.

But...I'm old now. Kids anyone?

As Always, Thanks Mother

So my Mom sent this e-mail to my brothers and I (for whatever reason. You know old people and e-mail; they have to send every chain letter/God's prayers/wishes will come true if you forward this, etc.):

Unbelievable, but please be aware.

All those who travel a lot, please be very, very careful. Read ahead...

An Indian was detained in Bangkok for stealing a box of cigarettes in a duty-free shop in Bangkok International Airport. He had paid for chocolates and a carton of cigarettes. The cashier put a packet of cigarettes extra into his bag and he thought it was a free pack. He was arrested for shop-lifting and the Thai Police extortion price was 30,000 Baht for his release. He spent two nights in jail and paid 500 Baht for an air-conditioned cell, 200-300 baht for each visitor, and 11,000 baht for his final release. The Police shared the money in front of his eyes. On top of that, he was charged in court and fined 2,000 baht by the magistrate and handcuffed and escorted to his plane. His passport was stamped "Thief". While there, his relatives requested help from the Indian Embassy and was told that they are helpless, many Asians are victimised similarly daily and letters and phone-calls to the Thai authorities are ignored. He shared a cell with a Singaporean the first night who paid 60,000 baht for his release. The second night was a Malaysian national who paid 70,000 baht.

Mind you this was not in a shanty shop in downtown Bangkok but in a duty free shop at the Bangkok Int'l Airport. BE WARNED. The above 100% correct information because Mr.Rajan Khera's customer from India faced exactly the same scenario mentioned above when he was in transit at Bangkok Int'l Airport coming to Taipei.

Someone who went through the same ordeal in Dubai. He bought stuff at the Duty Free upon entering. The girl at Duty Free put a bottle of cologne in his shopping bag (he did not even see it happen). He was arrested for stealing ( this is before he even picked up his luggage ). He sat at the airport jail where he was harassed for the whole day. (NO FOOD, NO WATER for one day and only after he paid a fine (bribe of US 500..). That is all the cash he had in his pocket at the time. They let him go. These are scams that are happening all over the place. Please BE CAREFUL! All of this is pre-planned and the people who work at the airport know who to target.

Unbelievable but apply caution .... the duty free employees intentionally put extra items to scam the passenger..and we thought that our country was the most corrupt....

But what made it particularly funny (at least for me) was that she sent it again, and only to me. You know, because I'm married to an Indian. And if I ever find myself in Thailand because I'm married to an Indian.

I love my Mom, I swear I do

* * *

Soccer season is on again. My feet (and heart) are already dying. Why did I join again?

Rozzing

So for one reason or another, I had a pretty crappy day at work today. All I was looking forward to was going for a walk after dinner with my wife (my new "thing" to do).

What would just be gravy with that? Taking a dog for a walk!

So I called up Trannifer, and she allowed us to take her for a walk. And walk we did...1.5 hrs. later, the dog was panting and the owners were assured we didn't dognap her.

Love, I know you're going to be reading this...I want a dog (after the kitchen is completed, of course)

How About: Stop Eating?

So lately I've been feeling like I've been gaining weight. Of course it doesn't help that I've been eating a lot of junk food.

Seriously gotta start focussing again

* * *

Looks like I'm getting that reno bug again...can't wait to do the kitchen

Now That's A Great Invention

This thing:

Actual picture of me using it. I always like wearing these types of shirts while gardening

So we have this tree that kept on hitting our eaves. As mentioned in previous posts, the tree cutting services were charging something like $150. Luckily our neighbour Ivan had one of these tree pruners. Saved us some moo-lah!

Who Is This Guy?

So we had a fun time at Laura and Andre's wedding in St. Catherines. Long day, but actually worth it. Some things to remember:

-arriving at the Church late thinking we were going to miss the ceremony, only to find out the ceremony has been delayed because...the Groom was in jeans. Apparently the tux company forgot to put the pants inside the bag. Only when the pants arrived did the ceremony start

-having the best lasagna I've ever had (and at a wedding, nonetheless)

-dancing like crazy with the workmates (Sandra, Jenny, Row, Paresh, Kruti, Mikey, Marci and of course the bride and groom)

-Paresh saying (a little too loudly) "Who is this guy?". While the groom was saying his speech. He was a little inebriated

-getting lost driving the girls back to the motel. Like to the point I thought we were going to be attacked by an axe-murderer in the middle of cornfields

Good times! I think I need to sleep...

Ugh

Wha de bloodclot...how did I get this upset stomach all of a sudden. Now I can't sleep and I am having all sorts of sto-ma-chuh-chuh aches.

And we're going to Andre and Laura's wedding in Niagara. Which means I have to force myself to sleep because it's going to be a long night.

What am I, 50?

So There Are Spiders In...OH CRAP

So I was reading an article about how black widow spiders have found their way into the GTA.

Reading the article and looking at the picture, I was concentrating on the computer screen when all of a sudden, I got scared out of my mind for a micro-second due to what I saw out of the corner of my eye.

It was a very small fly.

But still, heart-pounding nonetheless. This is what I get for concentrating too much

Long Day(s Ahead As Well)

Looks like more changes are a happening at work. I have this eerie feeling it's going to be a lot like last year where I'm going to have to pick up the slack, especially with what seems like some team members leaving.

Oh well, nothing stays the same

That Feeling Of "Ahhhhh"

So all day my right eye had been killing me. I had no idea why. I tried flushing it out with water, rubbing it, doing anything I could to stop the irritation.

Went home, took a closer look and it appears that an eyelash got lodged into the soft part/skin of the eyelid. Took out the tweezers and pulled out the foreign object.

Ahhhhhhhhh