Would Have been 5 Years Now!

If those motherfucker, animal, nasty, bastards had not kicked me out of work last Oct., it would have been 5 years since I stared that job, yesterday. More than 3 months has passed and I got nothing but a phone interview a few rejection e-mails and one interview which led to nothing.

Time is flying so fast. I can't believe I have been out of work and with no income for more than 3 months now. Many who could, have already left the province and the city, some even the country. The brother-in-low is out of work but has so much money that doesn't need any but being out of work sickens you. So when he contacted the old country, he was told, according to The Lady that there are a few jobs available " I even assigned jobs to a few guys from Calgary " he was also told. If you want one you need to hurry. He hasn't gone. I guess with the life style he has in the US and money he has saved, he can easily afford his life and even join or start a kind of business. I, on the other hand, am screwed! I'm busy with this damn online certificate I am doing and at the same time I do job searching. I have to see how long I can keep it up but first I have to get rid of this damn course! 

Cheap System for Cheap and Deceiving Person

We seldom visit a local Wal-Nasty-Mart and that's only because at times you can find fresh vegetables and fruits in reasonable prices although that is not the case always. This past weekend we went there and luckily it was not very crowded. While entering there's a glass box for money donation. I don't know whether it is custom in all Wal-Nasty-Marts or this location only provides that but at the corner of my eye I saw a foreign bill which looks a little bit similar to Canadian $5! Apparently one of these asylum seekers from a nasty shit-hole who make up any possible story to come here and use the benefits had felt funny and said to his cheapskate fellas that he wanted to have some fun. So he felt like a hero and dropped a 20 whatever bill of his nasty, cheap, fucked-up hole in the box. This money if it was useful, had not been dropped by this piece of shit! a 20 something in a Caribbean or South American country is not even worth receiving spit in the face, this animal knew but he's lucky that he was let in and contaminate Canada by his silly jokes. 

But there's no surprise in the whole story here. The moral of this short encounter is that no matter who the final receiver of this money box is, a cheap and deceiving system, attracts a cheap and deceiving person. Wal-Nasty-Mart probably has the highest rate of shoplifting among all the stores in North America because you mostly wouldn't go there unless you're underpaid, broke, a felon or cheap. A system who employs mostly foreigners who have absolutely no other option and pays them $10.5 an hour, attracts people at the same level of thinking and same moral. 

(Photo: I took this shot from the top of the box which shows the 20 currency bill almost at the center with a $5 Canadian)

Disgusted by McDonald's

I used to go to McDonald's a lot. I remember even there was a time that I was there every single day but that was for breakfast or coffee only, not that they are much better than the other sandwiches! For the past 5 years or so I haven't gotten anything from McDonald's but it's coffee, maybe a sandwich or two and at times a piece of pastry from it's McCafe locations.

Now that I am kicked out of work I need somewhere to sit in and do my online course that I will write about it later, as staying at home all day long makes me agitated and bored. All the McDonald's restaurant in Downtown, which are three, even the ones a bit further are disgusting. They are mostly occupied by homeless, drug addicts, drunk and disorderly Natives, etc. I have nothing against these poor people and I hope all of them get back to normal life one day and I know that would not happen unless they want to and it's very tough to do but they make the location very uncomfortable to enjoy. I like McDonald's coffee and I like the fact that you can get a free refill but they emit a very unpleasant odor most of the time, they bug you for change and even a few poor ones suffer from mental issues so they approach you and sit at your table and start a conversation.

I don't believe there's any law in Canada that forbids people from going to a business simply because they are not well-dressed or stink unless there's a disturbance that makes the staff to throw him or her out or call the police, which rarely happens. The fact that McDonald's food is the cheapest and it has locations throughout cities, makes it a rest spot for the homeless people who make their trip during the day and night, similar to what George Orwell describes in his book Down and Low in Paris and London. So if you're in a McDonald's in winter and that location is either in Downtown or quite close to it, there's a big chance  that the door opens every few minutes and a person with a backpack 

This person was enjoying a late morning nap when I entered this location of McDonald's on 17th Ave. and 35 St. SW shortly before noon!

and shabby cloths enters. I have to say that I have nothing against these pour people. They are people who suffer from a mental break-down. Just a few days ago I was sitting in a McDonald's in Downtown and I saw a guy with backpack going to different tables and checking left-overs. In one tray he found a bunch of French Fries and got them all down. Then he suddenly sat in front of me at the table and start saying something by mumbling a few words while squeezing a Calgary Sun! At first I didn't realize that he was crazy. I thought he had asked for change or something but then I saw that he was whispering and mumbling at the same time and had no option but displacing! I now have to limit the number of trips to McDonald's or avoid crazy location and busy hours such as lunch.

(Photo: McDonald's in MacLeod Tr. north close to 39 Ave. C-Train Station is a gathering point for homeless as well as Chinese. The later frequently visit there, mostly on Sun. because a Chinese church is just a few minutes away. All four booths seen in the photo are occupied by homeless)

Skating in Shaganapi Park

We went to Shaganapi Park for a little skating today. I discovered its rink during one of my nigh walks before the New Year but we haven't had the chance to give it a try until this afternoon.

When I woke up and checked the temperature, I realized it was around -22º C and it is without considering the windchill. We wanted to go for a little breakfast because The Lady had a few Starbucks gift cards. We went despite the weather and roads conditions and it was quite disappointing. I have never been a Starbucks fan. Their coffee is too strong and unreasonably over-priced. Their pastries are goo but very expensive so overall I would not go there. Their cafe is very clean and usually there's no junky or homeless and if someone is looking for date, I guess they go to Starbucks. I had a chance to try their Americano and I happened to like it. Besides their latte is good too. So we said: What the hell. We don't have to pay. We have gift cards. We got a small coffee, a large mocha and two small pieces of pastries for over $12!! This is insanity. Under normal conditions, even I had a $150,000 salary job, I would not pay that much for a breakfast for two that you're not even satisfied with the service and the quantity of the product you receive! 

Starbucks normally hires well-groomed and polite staff but their customer service is not always the best. When I went to get cream for my coffee I realized that the jar was empty! That's what I hate to see in a cafe where they charge you over $2.5 for a small cup of coffee. With that disappointment in mind we went back home and we took a little rest and headed out to Shaganapi Park. 

There were a few people playing hockey. What I like about this park is they have 3 rinks, however small for the people who like to enjoy hockey and then a path-like rink for skaters. They also have fire pits, similar to Bowness Park's but we didn't got close to that because that is for the community members. 

I had not been on the ice for over 2 months or so and The Lady had not practiced probably since our last course in Aug. in Olympic Oval. She's not in favour of outdoor rinks but this one felt fine. There was not many grooves and large scratches and you didn't have to circle around similar to Olympic Plaza. So we enjoyed skating but not for more than 0.5 hour or maybe a little longer. It was not so bad because the temperature had risen up to -10º C which is not considered cold in Alberta! The Lady felt a little discomfort in her skates after a while and we decided to call the day off. Normally outside rinks are not as comfortable as the inside ones due to the ice irregularities and you cannot maneuver as freely as you do inside but it's fun. We have to do this again before the temperature goes up and the rink disappears. 

(Photo: A view of the skating path in Shaganapi Park with the pedestrian overpass over Bow Trail. This overpass bridge was the subject of a problem for the municipality at the time of installation because it appeared to be short in spans! Not the subject here. So I drop it!)

Fucked Up in Calgary, Again!

... Well this is the truth. We all have to accept. Today is the seventh and nothing! Once again I was thrown to the starting point! I don't know how long it will be but seems its long!

Many have left the city, went back to their towns and countries of their origin. I don't think I have this choice. Lots of empty rental units and house for sale, of course. Wondering who would buy! I saw Keiv today. He surprised me by sending a text message and I joined him during his lunch break. He's doing' OK. He played smarted and just at the same time that I joined my previous work, he got a position with a client company and has been there since.

Lots of positions are seen on the web and I have applied for a few and will apply for a few more but who gets these jobs? Lots of people out of work!

Triple T, or as I named him in a post earlier, Y. Z. was out of work as well. Contacted him before the New Year and that is what he confirmed. Of course I had heard that from The Mumbling Guy earlier. He is the one whom would be looked at person who unlikely get's laid off but seems no one is immune. Just like the people who lost their job shortly after I did, in the company. 

(Photo: Lots of signs are seen all around the city offering rental prices. I just spotted 6 in one street a while ago. This is a good advertisement for the owner of this property! Give it a call and see if you like to move. I bet it is still available!) 

Fido's Ending after 9 Years

I ended my relationship with Fido after 9 years toady. It was not a bad service but The Lady got a service from another provider and I got mine too. This was being used by her in the past 4 years or so. The hardest part before cancellation was when I wanted to use the $100 Fido Dollars I had accumulated. I soon realized it's nonsense!

First I went to Fido booth in North Hill Center, of course after calling and making sure they were open, yesterday. I wanted to get a flip phone with that. I was told I had to go to a " corporate " store as that wasn't! So it was a waste of time and gasoline going there, although the guy might have lied just because he didn't want to give away phones without getting money! I don't know and I don't care know! Then I went to Fido store in Chinook Center. I was told I had to pay a $25 " administration fee " for a stupid flip phone and that cannot be paid by Fido Dollars! That was there that I said puck it! I don't care about a fake perk provided by theses guys. I called their customer service and they were closed! So today calling them was the fist thing I did after waking up! It took about 10 min. and that was it. I don't even owe them a Penny. That was it.