Class 2

I just started a training course to get a class 2 driver’s licence today. The instructor started with pre-trip inspection and damn that was cold! We had to stand in the damn cold morning of winter at about 09:40 and see what’s behind the hood (or as it’s said in Britain the bonnet!) That was not too hard and actually was really good as you learn new things but imagine that you have to do this everyday in the cold early morning of winter and fall! I was apparently was shaking like a leaf and that was partially because I was a little excited and intimidated! She, then, showed us how to do the other types of pre-driving inspections and the other one are boring as well. Then we went for a ride. She was driving the big bastard very smoothly and continuously was checking the two big side mirrors called West Coast mirrors and the mirrors below them, the convex one. They act as the driver’s eyes as there’s no rearview mirror available on the bus. The vehicle is really long and extra caution should be taken when it’s being driven backward or turning at the intersections.
I then gave it a try and actually was doing really well. I was not excited and scared anymore and that was partially because the sun was shinning and it was completely up in the sun! Then we drove to a yard to practice a little of that cone driving thing. I was not practically very bad at that one either and that was it. I, unfortunately has lost my confidence lately. It's fucking because, first of all, of my own aggressive behaviour which leads to bad reasults. So I really have to fix this damn problem soon!

(Photo: You have to successfully pass a cone driving test like what you see here. That probably is part of the final road teat you're taking. You are not restricted by time but the bus is really big and you only can use your side mirrors. You have to do a kind of zig zag both forward and backward!)

Overqualified

I don’t fucking know how long should I keep this fucking shit going! I, again, went to a small manufacturing company called BRC Engineering through a recruiter called Randstad last Fri. This one was a completely different experience. First of all that’s a family business and one of the sons, Carter who claims he’s a P. Eng. on his business card, told me that he had gone through the website of Takestan! Then he directly took me to their small workshop. They had just a few machines and a small room for their inspection needs. There was a CMM (Coordinate Measuring Machine) height gauge and a couple of calipers and micrometers, of course. He asked me if I know how to work with that and I immediately said no. That was obviously a negative impact. They manufacture precise parts for race car engines, medicine industry and oil and gas and all use CNC machines. I don’t know why the fuck they are so dependent on their inspection. They probably know nothing about robust processes, SPC, gauge capability and other new engineering concepts which help you to find the problem in your manufacturing process, before that’s too late.
Anyhow we went upstairs in a small office and he asked me a few questions. What he told me was weird. I think that was a waste of fuel to go there! He said that he was not sure if they wanted to hire someone and he also said that I was overqualified for the job. But he also said that he would inform the recruiter in the middle of the net week. Finally, in a nutshell, I think that’s a mistake most of the time to apply for a position through a recruiter. They always send you there because they hope you get the job and they get their money.

Obesity

Obesity is one of the major issues of North American people, including me! My situation is not so bad and I believe that I simply can get rid of a few extra pounds that I carry with me everywhere but that has several reasons. Before I explain the reason why I have the problem, I talk a little about the facts about eating habits here in Canada which I’m sure are similar to the US’s.
You see vending machines, fast food restaurants, cafes and supermarkets almost everywhere you go and as the prices are cheap compare to the other types of entertainments, mostly; you are continuously eating or drinking! Cups of coffee, bars or chocolate, cones of ice cream, cans of bear and many more is consumed everyday by people. Food business is actually a very good business. You see lots of commercials about different types of foods every day on TV. No matter how many times and in how many different ways you call fast foods junk foods, people are still eating it and enjoying! That’s also why cafes like Tim Horton’s are very unlikely to accept new franchises and the people who run these businesses are getting richer and richer everywhere. As my cousin’s husband and good friend in Coquitlam said once, they sell water! And that’s partially true. They brew coffee which is mostly water and sell a large cup of it for $1.60. Imagine how many cups are consumed every day. At the beginning I thought it’s because of the harsh cold of winter that people consume this much coffee. That’s what it is but that is not all. Even in a hot summer day of July you like a hot cup of coffee. It’s as Ali G. says is a addiction! But I don’t believe it. It has the same affect a cup of tea has. But the amount of caffeine is less. Yes it’s relaxing but it has other benefits as well. I’m going too far. I’m not only talk about the coffee here. I’m talking generally about the amount of food that is produced and consumed every day in Canada. Once I asked a Tim Horton’s employee about what they do with all the doughnuts, cookies, bagels and other baked goods which is left at the end of the shift. She said they simply throw them all out! Same story in the supermarkets. I was looking for carrot muffin in a CO-OP store a few months ago and noticed that one of the employees is collecting boxes from shelves. Those were expired baking goods! They are simply thrown out! Or they send it to the Food Bank which is much better. At least a poor guy can enjoy the taste of a carrot muffin. Chocolate bars, bottles of soft drink and bags of chips are sold everywhere, even if you go to Staples or Canadian Tire. The last two ones are completely different businesses from food. But as soon as people see them, they can control themselves, they buy. I, myself, was to a Canadian Tire today to but windshield washer and brush and bought a chocolate bar and chewing gum with them as well. That chocolate bar became part of my dinner tonight but not every one is as careful and thoughtful as I am. Actually I’m not that much careful! Last weekend when I was at Hodani’s I consumed 3 tall cans of Budweiser, each about 473 ml! God knows how much carbohydrate I received. And that was not all! I had lots of rice, pistachio and cashew as well. So I went to the gym yesterday and today and exercised a lot. I burned more than 330 calories in 30 min. today and that’s a good record.
Anyhow I have to be more watchful and get rid of this fat belt I’m having on my waist. That would be late to do that in a few years. The older you get, the harder to get rid of the fat.

(Photo: I tried to control my weight using a chart but that didn't help much because once a week or more I get together with my friends and we drink and eat. So it ruins mostly what I do during the week! As you see I went up once to almost 193 lb [87.3 Kg] and dropped to 186lb [84.2 Kg] and that was the time I got sick and I've already written about that)

Genesis

I'm talking about Genesis tonight. But not the Genesis with Phil Collins or without him! The Genesis with Jason and the other ones!

I had an interview today with a manufacturing company called Genesis Machining Services Inc. They are located in 52nd St. where many other companies and suppliers are located, Foothills Industrial Area. At the beginning the young fellow, Jason, said that I seem fitted to this position and I answered everything he asked very well. Then he took me to two small workshops they have and the room for quality control, where I’m supposed to work if I’m hired. They have tens of different tools and gauges, including calipers and micrometers. He, then, said a few things about the hours of operation, salary and benefit. Fortunately he didn’t ask any kind of silly questions that are usually asked! But at the end he said he had more interviews to come. I thought he would ask me to start tomorrow! But that didn’t happen and I sort of got a little upset. I was so confident about getting the job. It took about 30 min. and I left then. There’s still a chance as he asked me to be patient with him. What other choice do I have?!

R. K.

I met R. Z. first time after she dropped Imari at my door. He’s a very nice guy, his father is from Kashmir, India and his Mom is from Shiraz, Iran but she doesn’t speak Persian. I called him a few weeks ago after almost four and a half year. He’s kind of the guy who helps in any way he’s able to, married with two beautiful kids, his daughter and son. He helped me to get that job in the airport which I lost in two weeks. I visited him again today and he helped me again. He told me about the way someone can get his licence for driving a cab. There’s a high demand for that in the town now and also gave me good advices about the time I have and how to use it while being paid. He said that I can take a program in a school and as long as it does not cost more than $10,000, the government pays for that, plus the cost of living during the time of education. Then I thought to myself: Why not? Why would I waste my time on shifty jobs while am being paid? I can just relax, study and do my job searching. I have one interview for a good position tomorrow at 01:00 PM. That’s a quality control manager for a manufacturing company in Foothills Industrial Area. I checked the location today so I’ll be fine tomorrow to get there. There are still chances for getting that quality coordinator job in Saskatchewan and also my CF position is in progress. So why the hell am I not patient enough? I really don’t know what the fuck is wrong with me! One reason for sure is I’m lonely. If I had a nice, lovely and kind girlfriend (A sweet girl like Kajaal) who lived with me or a good roommate (Not someone like Reza Chos Khor -Reza the Stingy- of course!) that would be different. I should fight until the day I win. And I have lots of time. There are too many opportunities and I’ll get one. I have to. R. Z. actually helped me a lot spiritually and thoughtfully. He’s a good friend. I should build stronger relationship with good people here. Just like the time I used to live in Iran. I had so many different good friends. But here for reasons I don’t have that many. As a matter of fact there are few which could be relied upon when I need them in different situations. It reminds me what my late dear Dad used to say as a Persian proverb: Thousands of friends are not too many. One single enemy is a lot. Especially here in Canada, that really is a must.

(Photo: it shows the area called Jammu and Kashmir and has been a point for struggle between India and Pakistan for years. It's a very beautiful place, attracting thousands of tourists every year. My friend just came back from there a few months ago after visiting his parents. I should talk to him about the history and what he feels about there, his parents and everything)

Dual Citizenship

Double citizenship is not accepted in some corners of the world including Iran. But almost all of the people who live in the US or Canada are dual citizens. If you’re one, you can not fill the critical position of the nation. You can not for example be the Prime Minister.

Stephane Dion who just won leadership campaign of the Liberal Party has French citizenship in addition to his Canadian. He has to give it up in case he becomes the Prime Minister. Peter Mansbridge the chief anchor of CBC has been born in England. The fact I didn’t know and of course most of people didn’t as well until the day he revealed it. The new issue for dual citizens, the Iranian ones, is whoever has a US Dollar account with the RBC his or her funds are frozen. RBC has just closed all the US accounts of the people who frequently travel to those dark parts of the globe. The new rule also restricts people from opening the US accounts with RBC.

The United States has asked RBC to do so as part of anti-terrorism act and restricting Iran. I, myself strongly believe that citizenship grant should be a longer and much more complicated process. When a person is granted Canadian citizenship, he or she is entitled with many benefits. What the fuck does he or she do for Canada? They don’t care. They just use the passport as an apparatus to travel around easily and even curse Canadians. So that was good lesson for them. Not every one deserves a Canadian citizenship. Fuck those motherfuckers who abuse that including the fucking Lebanese who just were trying to escape from Israelis in last summer’s conflict. Fuck ‘em all!

(Photo: Peter Mansbridge the top anchor of CBC has been born in England. He's the best in his job. I watch his show every night)