Nailed the Damn Interview

I had another interview this past week which was similar to the one I had passed once. It, in fact, was the exact same thing with a slight difference. This time 3 people were present instead of 4 and they, one by one, read the questions to me. 

I made a mistake at the beginning when the supervisor asked what happened in the last application. I told him that one of the references, my supervisor, didn't give a good reference and I added: I think it was because we had an argument once! Silly me. The guy really didn't like my answer and I thought that would be it! I'm out before even the interview starts! But then corrected myself by saying: It was not an argument. It was a disagreement. He still didn't seem convinced but the interview went on. I finished the answers without them giving me any warning about the remaining time and then they asked me the usual question of: Why did you apply for this job? And I tried to be as convincing as possible. I made them smile a few times because I know how to talk. At the end they asked another usual question which I had read I definitely have to provide an answer for it. The question is: Do you have a question? If you answer by simply saying no then it's no good because it implies that you are not so passionate about the job and don't care much whether you get it or not. So I asked a bullshit question and pretend that I was listening hard! I was all ears! 

One of the interviewers directed me to the exit and said: Good job, while shock my hand. I thanked him and got the hell out of there!

Now that I have passed the interview, I'm not even worried about the references because I have an awesome list of six although one of the bastards declined! This selfish, piece of shit, redneck is a fat-fuck, disgusting obese female who happened to be the fucking landlord. Despite my beautiful relationship with the previous ones in the building, being always polite, greet them as soon as I see them and always be on time for my rent, this disgusting fat-ass has problems with me because obviously I'm not White. If I was a John or Andrew, she would be definitely a different person! Nevertheless I ignored her and told even the person who called and e-mailed for the references, about the woman's stinking attitude! He laughed and said he would simply cross her out because there are 5 more that he can contact. I'm hoping the reference check goes well and then he said he would like to meet with me before the next step which is another interview. Fine. My worry is the damn LPI examination which I will have to write next week. I have studied for that a little bit and it doesn't seem to be hard but the problem with LPI is there's not exact right or wrong answer for 2 sections of the examination: Summarizing and essay. You could summarize a book differently from someone else and the person who scores that could give you more than the other one. Same with essay. An essay might sound wise to one and unpleasant to another. I'm going to study a little more during the week and prepare myself. Another worry of me is a number of documents that I have obtained and might not be acceptable to them, due to differences in provinces. To clear that up I sent of the guys a message and asked to check. Not sure whether it helps but I gave it a try.

Surrey Farms

We wanted to pick wild and natural Blackberry and anything else available in British Columbia in this recent trip of mine. The Lady suggested to go to White Rock and Surrey. We stopped at an intersection close to 48th Ave. in Surrey and picked a handful or two Blackberries but they were not as good as what we used to pick back to 2009 or 2010. Extreme heat or lateness in season could have caused that but we enjoyed the true taste a little bit. 

We then after a short break, which was due to extreme heat as well(!), checked a local farm called Surrey Farms. We had stopped there years ago but didn't attract us much. We learnt that Strawberries would be $2 for a Lb, if we picked. We got two plastic bags of our own and picked probably close to a pound only because we were not sure about the quality. This, of course, is an East Indian of Sikh/Punjabi decent business, like most of fruit and vegetable businesses of the area. The Strawberries were the best that I've had so far in my life and I regret now why we did not pick more! If you compare to the stupid, fake, false, tasteless Strawberry you get in a supermarket and rank the supermarket 1, Surrey Farms' is 9! There's that much reference. We also refrained from picking more because it was very hot and sun was burning us! They have other stuff as well, including Blueberry, vegetables of different kind but she said the season for Blueberry picking was over. 

If you are in British Columbia Lower Mainland, make sure to go to Surrey for real and tasty fruit and vegetables and particularly check Surrey Farms at the corner of 152 St. and Colebrook Road. 

(Photo: A strawberry shrub with a few being ripened and a few others still green. Real Strawberry does not have to be big. Even the small ones could be ripe. The colour is what's important. It should be darker than what's seen in this picture. That's when it's at it's best)

Trans Shit and Fart Highway(!!)

I, once again, had to go to British Columbia for a job interview. Same shit long drive! Started early again so the extreme heat does not bother me. Unlike the previous trips didn't stop even once for photography but stopped for water and coffee of course. The highway was crazy, perhaps because it was Sunday and people were going back home from lakes, campgrounds and provincial parks. Several motor-homes on the road. I saw a few with Kayaks on the top and bicycles in the back. People here just want to kill themselves by trying every fucking thing! 

I then got to Kamloops and drove down south to Hope. It's almost 204 KM. I realized that I had to go almost in the middle of the way and tried to find a resting area! Nothing! Whoever the fucking idiot designed this part of Trans-Canada Highway, transformed it to Trans Shit and Fart Highway because there is not even a spot on the shoulder of the highway that you can pull over and use bushes as restroom! I eventually when it was almost 60 KM to Hope (only half an hour considering the maximum allowable speed) saw a sign pointing at a resting area! Thanks very much! I might as well go to Hope! I bet the facilities in the town are much better. 

(Photo: Kamloops Lake on the right side [north] of Highway No. 1, when you'r driving to west. This was taken during the previous trip when it was wet, rainy and foggy as it can clearly be seen. This time I took Highway No. 5 to south which is the subject of above story)

CBC's Become Trash Thrower

There was a time I couldn't wait until 22:00 to watch The national. One reason was of course that I didn't have cable and you could simply use an antenna to get a few channels. The bastards in media industry eliminated that option a few years ago. I guess it was 2012. Now you have to buy a new TV to be able to get as many as 4 or 5 channels without cable. I don't care. I'm not watching TV. 

The other reason was that I was passionate to improve my English language proficiency. In addition to these reason, I believe that the news broadcast (Or broadcasted, both are correct and are considered past tense of the verb broadcast, in case someone wonders!) by CBC had a better nature. Now it has become just a trash distributor! Or perhaps It's because I don't like this piece of stinking crap, phony Justin, The Disgusting Piece of Shit, Trashudu! What A disgusting creature! Or they fucking talk too fucking much about the fucking disgusting the US election! What the fuck can you do about that, assholes? The piece of stinking shit who closed her disgusting eyes to her husband's affair or Trump. Either one wins the election, there's nothing you can do about it. So just shut the fuck up and give a short version. Don't fucking yap about it every night. Or every fucking night they assign minutes to the US shootings! Who gives a fuck? That's their war. Let them fucking kill each other! Are you assholes trying to divert people's mind from what's going on in the country?

There are so many problems in this country which need to be addressed and fixed: Unemployment, home-grown terrorism, environment, you name it. 

I remember once a few years ago there was a note in my mailbox from an MP. He wanted to get the approval of people so he could somehow start a campaign to stop the $1 Billion CBC receives every year! That MP is gone probably but I guess he had a good cause. They say CBC is impartial and neutral. I don't believe that. I'm sick of this much garbage they try to feed to people every night. I've already stopped watching! 

(Picture: Sorry CBC people. You all are in a big stinking garbage bin but you can smell the disgusting odor because you've become part of it! 

Disgusting Pancake of A&W

I don't like eating out mostly but these days I feel fed up, bored and annoyed at home due to being unemployed. So at times I use any excuse to get the hell out of the apartment! I went to an A & W a few weeks ago and it was pissing down! I didn't know what to have and decided to order a Pancake with a side of Egg and of course a cup Coffee. I recently began to like their Van Houte coffee. It's nice and smooth but the Pancake was horrible! You would feel the flour in the mouth, the plate was dirty and greasy and the egg not seasoned! No fucking salt or pepper. 

I didn't want to argue with the fucking, disgusting Filipinos. These days you see them in almost every fast food restaurant you go. McDonald's is their domain. You see them in A&W and possibly other fast food joint, as I don't go to all. So if you're planning to have your breakfast in A&W watch for the damn Pancake and send it fucking back, ask the disgusting pieces of carp to replace it or make it at home, which would be for the best, like we used to do with Whole Wheat Pancake Mix of Coyote. 

Stupid Blames on Someone Else

The story of these young Canadian guys who, as it's said here, become radicalized(!) is so funny. Their parents don't care and are too busy with their Red Wine, Barbecue, Mobile Apps(!) and short jeans! , leaving the kids to grow like a mushroom in a forest. No supervision, no direction! They have to find their ways! The kid's exposed to everything from Marijuana and alcohol, under-age sex and all sorts of shit that you can imagine. Some, are troubled and either have no access to the above or are derailed and directed to other things such as radical Islam, as they like to call it here. I found that very hard to believe! Either way the parents are too busy with their own hobbies which some were named above. Others are grown in single-parent families, something that's consider a value(!) in this country! You fuck someone without protection and the result's a kid in 9 month. The person bolts or you ditch her. All of a sudden you're so proud of yourself and everyone's cheering for you because you're a single parent! Imagine the kid who's growing in such a toxic environment! He or she has to deal with the fight that the parents have first to get the custody of the kid. Then the parent, whether a man and woman goes for another partner. The kid might experience as many as I don't know how many partners for his or her Mom or Dad. The poor thing's now confused! This is so fucked up but they're proud of themselves because they're single parents!

Now this woman, I don't know what she was up to when her messed up son made this face for himself and left his country to go fight alongside ISIS! People make up all sorts of stories, study hard or work their asses off to come to this country and use its opportunities and this fucking piece of shit leaves for ISIS because, they say, he has been radicalized! And then they blame that on the Government! When it comes to pay their taxes the Government's bad! But when they don't control their son and the fucking idiot joins the terrorist organization, the Government is to blame! If the Government wants to step in and give people direction, they say the Government's interfering with our life or is too big, or it's not their business! But when they mess around and become clueless, they remember that there's a Government that they need to get help from!

What else do you want from the Government? You have universities, colleges, trade schools, the Forces and so many opportunities that people of many other countries only can dream of! You have so many opportunities here and you just tend to fuck around and blow them and then blame it on the Government that you can't do shit! You're just freaking idiots! That's all what you are. You have the US bordering you and there're many opportunities in there. Should I keep going? So don't fucking blame everything on the Government. That's your fault that you provided no guidance, protection and direction. Don't blame it on someone else.

(Photo: This maniac on right left Canada to join ISIS and got fucking killed alongside them. Just by looking at his face you can tell that he was suffering from serious issues mentally at the time it was taken. Photo courtesy of CBC)

Another F**ed up Hike: Little Elbow Trail

The past two, even three weeks have been really bad for outdoor people. There's a thunderstorm, hail storm or heavy rainfall every day. I was caught three times so far and got soaked to my underwear. With that in mind I checked the weather in Bragg Creek for this past Sat. and decided to do the hike of Mt. Glasgow in the area. Didn't work! 

I was feeling down from the beginning when I set the alarm for 05:00. I woke up earlier and changed it to 05:30! Then when it sounded at 05:30 I remained in bed for a few more minutes until I finally got out around 05:55! I wanted to get a coffee and went to a local 7-11 that The Lady likes their coffee because you could chose whatever you want. It was quite disappointing. I guess they only brew 2 out of perhaps 7 coffees they used to. Looks like not many people are going there to get their cup of Joe. The whole place looked inactive and not alive. I'm not a fan of fast food but when I see a place on the verge of survival, I feel really bad. It's like a person who is losing his or her job and that the worst feeling and I've been having that for almost 10 months now! 

I finally headed south on Crowchild Tr. and then turned to Highway # 8 and then Cowboy Trail and drove all the way to Little Elbow Campground at the end of Highway # 66. I had an old map with a description. So I started the hike at 07:25 on Little Elbow Trail hoping to get myself to Mt. Glasgow. What a mistake. I never went to far. The trail goes parallel to Little Elbow River and then fades! Or at least this is what I saw! Then I realized that the two maps I have each approach the mountain from a different side: One from north and the other one from east! It was cold in the beginning and then became hot after hour and a half when I was already making my mind to go back!

This is another failed attempt and quite honestly I'm sick of going all the way, burning fuel and getting now where. I decided to get a Handheld GPS and use that. The cheapest I found is around $125. I just need to decide whether I will wait until I get a job to buy a better model or just by a basic model and go out. That's the decision to make. 

(Picture: I took this from Little Elbow bridge. It has named after someone but I can't remember that. The campground is on the right and the trail on left. Mt. Glasgow is the third peak from left and apparently the ascend route is from this ridge seen in the photo)

JACOS Shuts Down Everything

Japan Canada Oil Sands Ltd., one of the companies that I very much liked to join and even applied once, I believe, and never received a response(!), completely shut down its operations in northern Alberta! JACOS is considered one of the oldest foreign operators in the province. They have indicated that their efforts does not wroth the current price of crude. Today's price is $41.71 for a barrel and that's the price for a major brand. Oil Sands' price is much lower. They would continue operation once the price goes over $50 per barrel, they added. This does not seem to be happening soon. One of the former colleagues in the last job also worked for them once but then quit and joined Shell later.

JACOS has an office in Downtown Calgary like any other major energy firm. I'm not sure whether they have staff here now or not.

He no longer works for that company. I used to exchange e-mails with him and when he left the last e-mail unanswered, I stopped that. In one of the messages he indicated that Shell asked him to go to Houston frequently and he didn't like that! He lost his job long before me and I believe he's still out of work. This post is not about him. So I'm going to stop here but Japanese are always considered the most productive operators and this means their exit is an alarm for the industry which is in deep trouble now. Japanese leaving Oil Sands industry of Alberta is similar to rats leaving an old ship. It implies the ship's sinking! 

(Picture: This cartoon certainly is not a work of art but clearly shows the expression of " rats leaving a sinking ship ". I was told once that only two companies are still active in northern Alberta, one of them being CNRL)

A Trip (through a film) to Nebraska

I've got the chance to see more movies since I renewed my membership with CPL, perhaps because it's free now! However the problem with most of the movies they have is the sound quality is very low. Picture quality is tolerable though. 

One last movie that I just watched was Nebraska. A movie from 2013 that Bruce Dern was nominated for Oscar but didn't win. The movie was nominated for a few other trophies from the Academy but didn't win any. Not that winning an Oscar necessarily mean the movie is excellent. Remember that piece of stinking garbage, Argo? Anyways the movie is nice and basically is about caring about the parents. I'm happy that I will never have to be worried about someone caring about me since I've never had a child! The movie take you with it almost to the end and Dern's act is good. The only film that I had seen from him was The Driver and that was from his early years. 

Nevertheless I liked Foxcatcher better although it's, I admit, a disturbing movie to watch. I watched that at least 3 times and I will buy the DVD for sure but not Nebraska, although it's a comedy film with a good message. Enjoy!

(Photo: Dern in center with his son, in the movie, of course, and Keach on right. The only film I've seen from Keach so far is Escape frpm L. A. which he only has a minor role and that's probably from 20 years ago! Nebraska is made in black-and white)

City Budget

One of the things that amazed me the most when I first came to Calgary was this attitude toward keeping everything obvious nice and everything hidden, ugly! You might say this is done everywhere and by everyone but the things that I've seen here, particularly this one, was never seen even in the old country to this extent! It's right that the Third World countries keep the main cities clean and nice and when you go to towns, villages and even the suburbs, all you see is disappointment but here in Canada or more specifically Calgary, they do even worse in major cities!

Who would think that all the back allies in the city is gravel with big potholes in them?! The stupid animal who ordered and then spent millions of dollars on a hideous, stupid, pedestrian bridge over Bow River, I wonder how he never came to this idea that the city should be clean, tidy, organized and nice first and then if anything is left, would be spent on unnecessary things! 

A normal, sane human being would not wear a dirty, worn-out underwear and socks with holes beneath an expensive Armani suit unless he is fucking animal, disgusting, piece of shit like mayor of Calgary, I would assume. I don't know who was that disgusting human-like, pinhead, drunkard who thought first of having a new pedestrian bridge over Bow River. Was that the previous mayor? It should be him because he was the mayor when I came in until this tiny, the current mayor took over! These disgusting human-like creatures, I don't know how they live with themselves! Instead of spending and investing on infrastructure such as public transport, fucking, disgusting, full of pothole back alleys which turns to swamp when it rains and so many other things that the city needs, the fucking dumb asses paid a fucking Spanish to design a fucking unnecessary bridge. These people who wasted tax-payer's money should be prosecuted, charged and send to penitentiary for a long time.  

Now these morons realized how disgusting the city streets look, with the back-swamps and have some money left from this past disgusting winter, they've decided to do a maintenance! This, I'm saying with lots of confidence, that is the first time in many years! I wonder what they would have done, had we not have a mild winter last year! And there're two problems here:

1) They have no shame!
2) The people of the city are two busy with their fucking lives that no one has the time to bring this
issue up, I guess.

I think that's enough. I'm so disgusted by these city people that I'd rather stop here. 

(Photo: This sign has recently seen in parts of the city addressing maintenance of Third World-like allies. Today is 28th and I haven't seen any repairing yet!)