44 Years in Canada!

The Brave called me and asked me if I could help him a few days ago. I said I would. He wanted to buy a piece of furniture and wanted me to help him load it to his truck and move it to his new house. We went to the address and the negotiation started. He was offering $90 less than the original price! The guy didn't accept and we left shortly after! Even his wife came to check on the damn table! Two people, driving two cars and eventually get nothing. You could go to a furniture store together (the worst being IKEA) and pick up whatever you want easily. Mostly reasonably priced. Even if you couldn't,  many of them offer installment purchasing options! He then invited me to his house and we had a little chat there. His wife served us some Green Tea. Quite good. That was where I found that he has been living in the country for the past 44 years! It's someone's age! We had a little lunch which was not bad and then we headed to another house as he wanted to pick up another thing that he had found through online websites! This time he was successful and we put it in the car! 

Then I started to think: This is how people, some, live in this country! After living in the country for so long and buying a house for more than $800,000 still are after bargains! Not only that. They, mostly, are stuck to their Stone Ages believes! 

Then while we were sitting for a coffee in a McDonald's his wife called and ordered some grocery but not from any supermarket. He was asked to go to a certain store that I cannot name here in case The Brave finds this blog! So we rushed to the store because it was around 16:20 and the store would close at 17:00. It's a good store that I will probably write about later in more detail but I'm derailing from the main subject. The Brave's garage and basement in the old house is full of stuff. The stuff which are mostly outdated and useless but he doesn't want to get rid of them. I have not had any major achievement in the past 15 years or so that I've been living in Canada but I'm not acting like a cheap bastard. I understand we're all different though. That is why I try to find positive things in people and ignore their negativity, find common grounds and be friends although it's very hard. I'm OK with him!
(Photo: A sweet dish which I was told had Coconut Oil added to it. Normally raw vegetable does not go with the cooked ones unless to garnish but this is certainly not garnishing! The dish was served kind of lukewarm. I don't know whether this is how it always is served or just on that specific day. After all the lady is busy with two kids and can't expect more from her. besides they say don't look at a gift horse in the mouth! They invited me to stay for lunch and I'm thankful! I'm just criticizing the food based on culinary standards)

Back to Jogging

I had not jogged for nearly 2 months. In Christmas time I once went to Bow River Pathway, where I usually jog and after I felt a sever pain in the back of my right knee, where, I guess, a major tendon is located. That was not the first time but felt really bad in a way that I could barely walk. So I went to a clinic, or perhaps I should say that I went to an emergency clinic, where I'm not going to name here because one bastard female nurse turned me down months ago! Quite surprisingly they admitted me and a physician examined me. I think they even took an X-Ray photo and then he gave me a paper for some Ultrasonic or something similar test, which I have not done it up until now yet! 

Anyways I told myself that I've been lazy in the past two month. I need to do some jogging and running. So I checked the weather and it showed damn cold: -16 ℃ and considering the damn windchill around -21℃! I said to myself that it was probably not a very pleasant environment to run in for someone who hasn't ran for nearly two months but then pushed myself and left the damn apartment.

It was cold and I had to use a Balaclava (not Baklava!), which I had bought nearly 2.5 years ago, gloves, hat and every other damn thing. It was not bad. I kept a good speed and kept it for 21 min. and although I'm a little tired now, I feel not too bad. 

Not much time is left to the day I would have to participate in some sever exercise and I don't feel very good but I still have time to recover.
(Photo; Although not taken today but this part of Bow River was passed by me today as well as the day I took the photo. Temperature was probably the same. Extremely cold!)

The Brave's Brave Move!

I've written about The Brave, my first landlord and almost a friend. He helped me a lot when I came to Canada but misled me as well. He was a mess at the time. Out of work, his wife had left her with two kids and other problems. Today he's a different man. Almost done with his divorce and married again. He's been remarried for nearly 8 years now(!) and has two kids, one boy and one girl from his Oriental wife! It makes sense. The guy didn't want to stay single for the rest of his life and remarried. Many men do that. It's understandable so far. What surprised me was his move to a new house, almost 2.5 times the price of the house that I was staying with him, 3 times bigger and in a much nicer neighbourhood! He says the house worth some $850,000 and the newly issued city assessment (appraisal) shows its value over $1,000,000! The second part must just be exaggeration but I saw the house and it well worth the value he says he has to pay. 

He told me several years ago that he had brought some money from his native motherland but I still find it hard to believe that he was approved for such an extravagant mortgage while still paying back the loan he has for the old house, has a big family to feed and I hardly know about his job, if he has any! I want to say it's a brave move but I also would like to add that it's very risky especially the way he treats that woman! I don't know why him and his former wife were separated but what guarantee does he have that this one will not?! 

The kids are small now, one of them less than a year, I guess. When they grow and a little easier to manage, the woman might not have the same interest in The Brave considering the treatment she receives from him and their age difference. There are many more to it but I rather not to go deep especially because I hope that will never happen but again, he gambles his life and gambles big! 

HMV is Following a&b Sound's Steps

I went to an HMV store a few weeks ago and bought two Coldplay CDs: A Rush of Blood to The Head, an old one and Mylo Xloto a newer album. I had bought the first one in a case of 2 and in live format, both years ago, I don't remember when and where. One of them was all the videos of the album. It was stolen from my car in summer of 2015. In the store the guy told me that I had to renew my reward card called Pure which I had gotten probably in 2014 or so. I refused. Spending $20 on two CDs seemed extravagant for someone like me who has been out of work for over a year! The only reason I bought those two albums is the reward I had received earlier for my volunteer work.

Just a little while after I refused to pay for the renewal of Pure reward card it was announced that HMV is going out of business and they soon will close all of their stores across the country! Strange that now where do we turn to buy our favorite movies and musics!? It reminded me of a&b Sound which was a much better store than HMV and although many might not remember, was closed a few years ago. I had bought a few fantastic items from them that a number still are in my collection and a few others were stolen among others in that summer night of 2015.

The now useless reward card of HMV called Pure. I have to read what's written about it but I don't care. I have lost bigger things in life. A reward card is a drop in that ocean!

Anyways I checked a store last weekend and everything was 20% off but I didn't buy anything. First because the amount of discount was low for a store which is soon closing. Secondly because fining your favorite music and films takes time. I might check them later at another location but the question remains; Why? I'm not a businessman but I wonder why these businesses struggle. They hire a number of guys and pay them almost minimum wage. They sell the music and movies of the companies which already made millions, mostly and their cost is noting but the lease they have to pay for their location. I've been to all of HMV locations in Calgary and I've purchased items from most of them but feel bad for the young fellas who work there for minimum wage and pat-time. Now they don't even have that. Just like Future Shop which was closed in 2013, I guess.

(Photo: An HMV location in Downtown Calgary. This place is always packed around noon because of all the offices around. They normally hire a number of guys for Christmas and even security guys. I've purchased a number of items from them but now they're closing)

Basic Officer Training Qualification: Sandbag Lifting

I spend some time in the building gymnasiumBasic Officer Training Qualification Test, if, I repeat if, I get the call from CAF. I recently bought two 18 Kg bags of play sand in order to practice the sand bag lift exercise of the qualification. In this exercise two 20 Kg sandbags are put on the floor within the distance of 1.25 m. The participant has to lift each bag to the height of 1 m., leave it (or better to say drop it) and then moves (or better to say leaps sideways) to the next one and does the same. He or she has to repeat that 30 times and be able to finish in 03:30 min., maximum.

as well as outdoors with the hope that I can prepare myself for the

I called The Chef once to come and help me. Unfortunately I had not been able to get durable bags and used tot bags! I put the plastic 18 Kg. bags in the tots and The Chef timed me. I just did that as a test to see how I can handle it. According to The Chef I finished the practice in about 02:20 min. or so but I know I can't trust his record keeping! Besides each bag was only 18 Kg meaning that I was lifting a total of less than 4 Kg each time I did both side but the result was somehow satisfying showing that I was not very weak. I, now, have to get a pair of durable bags and practice more with 20 Kg ones. I bought two weight belts years ago in British Columbia. Each belt has 8 small sand bags in order to be able to decrease or increase its weight. I can add 6 of them to each side to make them each equal to 20 Kg but as indicated earlier it's hard to find the damn bags!

Another issue is repeated lifting of sandbags is not the only exercise in the qualification test. There are three more and each seems as hard. The question is would I be able to finish all within the standard time as each comes after another?!

The Chef then decided to give the exercise a try and although he's much older than me and had not warmed himself up, went really well up until the 13th lift and then stopped! I know that would be a problem for him despite his strength but everyone has to know his or her limits. He was down the entire evening after that! We went to his place and he attacked the Rotisserie Chicken we had bought and then said that he had too much and too fast! He usually starts drinking before the food so Alcohol has its effect but this time he brought the booze after we ate and it was like drinking water! He also likes to play his traditional local music the entire time we spend at the dinner table but this time he didn't even has his player on the table! I realized that he was tired and I assume that was because of the lifting he had done! Eventually I suggested to leave early so he could go to sleep! I don't know if he did or not but he certainly welcomed my message and saw me off his door!
Then a weeks after that I purchased garbage bags from The Home Depot and make the 18 Kg sandbags heavier by adding the little belt sandbags and went to the gymnasium. At first one of them felt heavier but I said I have to do it. I timed myself and the result was 01:33 min.!!! How could that be. I had been practicing the exercise without the bags for some time and the result was the same. How did I do that while I had 20 Kg more weight on me and one of them was heavier??!
So now what I have to do is to balance the bags and try the exercise again. I hope I can find someone reliable to time me at least once before I head to the training center.
I was good the whole evening after that but I guess this is what is called warm body! Maybe not here but in the old country. Basically what it means is that after the exercise your body is still warm and if you don't threat it with respect (Hot shower, water, good meal, enough rest) it will act against you later. After the exercise I just had a little water, put my cloths on and went to The Chef's. Over there we talked for a bit and then we went to The Brave's to check on the status of the home. I did a little of snow shoveling and then we headed for a coffee to a local McDonald's. So here I was after almost 2 hours, had no rest and had nothing but a bite, a little water and a small coffee! Then we did some grocery shopping and went home and started cooking. Or better to say I did most of it. The Chef helped but he was busy with his drinking! The cooking took probably more than an hour and half and I was mostly on my feet! The dinner was not bad. I made some Zucchini and separately we had Spaghetti. The latter got a little runny(!) because I used, as The Chef likes, Tomato, instead of Tomato Paste and the Tomatoes had not been dissolved in the mixture of Onion, Garlic, Chili Pepper, Ground Beef and Spices but overall it didn't taste bad. I had enough of that but instead of having a Protein based food, I had mostly Carbohydrate based food although I had selected 100% Whole Wheat Spaghetti. After the dinner I sat for a little while and it was almost 23:00. The Chef was not able to keep his eyes open. I said goodbye and left. The next morning I felt like a dead corpse and even after a shower and breakfast I was acting almost all over and I felt heavy on the left side of chest which is not a good sign. I decided to rest and then I told myself that a good massage would be really helpful but didn't have that available to me!
(Photo: This basically shows how the exercise is down. You lift the sang bag up to 1 m. height and then drop it then jump sideways to the other one which is 1.25 m. away and do the same. You have to do this 30 time in the limited time mentioned above. This young lady, and I hope she doesn't mind that I'm using her photo, seems to start to struggle. Her neck veins are up and she has biting her lips. I hope she has made it, for whatever purpose it was)

A Bad Day in Banff National Park

After months of staying home and mostly doing nothing and wasting time, this past Fri. I decided to have a hike in Banff National Park. Bad Mistake! That's how it started and continued! The first mistake was selecting the hour. I normally leave home at about 05:30 AM and that's on weekends when most of the people are sleeping. This time I left at around 06:30 when many were going to work or simply hitting Highway # 1 for any reason including skiing! By the time I got my coffee and entered the highway it was past 07:00 and lots of traffic and stupid, careless drivers on the road(!) including a bastard who pushed me toward Stony Trail and cost me at least 15 min. especially because of slippery roads and the stupid not-updated GPS! The road was not bad but then another problem showed its nasty face: I needed to go to bathroom very badly after the coffee! Coffee always does it for me and it has always been a step in my hiking trips! I have to go to bathroom after or during drinking my morning coffee! Finally I decided to go McDonald's in Canmore and for that reason I took Three Sisters Parkway. Just shortly before reaching the destination, the damn GPS started to act crazily and I simply ignored it and got myself to the desired spot and relieved myself! 

Having the new Discovery Pass, I didn't have to stop at the park gate and simply went through, although I strongly believe that Federal Government has made a big mistake issuing that annual pass. It results in nothing rather than more damage to the environment and more wildlife getting killed on the highways.

The Discovery Pass or Parks Canada 2017 free access pass. It's said that almost a million has ordered that so far!

The 5 Km. road to Lake Minnewanka where I wanted to have my hike was covered completely by snow but a plower/sander was working and I was fine.  Happily there were not many people basically because snow had been predicted for the area while the temperature was not very low. My next mistake appeared here and that was not having a good jacket on! I don't think with the amount of snow on the ground, I would have a good chance to reach my point of interest, Aylmer Lookout, Had I worn a good jacket! I just spend about 15 to 20 min. there, took a few photographs (which wouldn't turn very nice!) and left. I should have a much better planning for my trip the next time I'm going or it would be the same disaster!

(Photo, top: Parks Canada chair on the shore of Lake Minnewanka. Parks Canada actually sells these chair for $299 [for kids] and $399 [for adults] through its shopping website. I wonder who pays that much for a chair which Park Canada declares has been designed ergonomically and all its related earning would be spent on national parks)

The Forth Time Being The Best!

This month I was waiting for the message to come and tell us volunteers to do for Feb. There was no message until the 9th which is very unusual. So I contacted the manager and he replied back the next day and said that he had been too busy to send the instructive message out. When it came I realized that I had been selected as the one who has contributed the most and I had been recognized for that for the 4th time and the 3rd consecutive month! 

While this is very encouraging and pleasing at the same time, the fact that the other participants are busy with their career and personal life should not be overlooked! I have no job and no personal life at the moment(!) and in the months of Dec. and Jan. which people are busy with Christmas, New Year and vacations I dedicated the most with Jan. being the highest in number of contributions. I'm pretty sure that if other participants or better to say volunteers cared as much as I do, the result would be different but at the same time I believe that I have been doing a good job and deserve the recognition award, the money which I'm expecting its forth one to come soon. 

A Lair Has Short Memory

The other day I was in a supermarket for a snack and I was reading ingredients of a number of popular ones. All full of disgusting chemicals and preservatives which I've written about previously. This Triscuit I like a little because it has less shit compare to other products. However I checked one particular flavour for the amount of sugar and realized that it says it doesn't have any. Zero grams! Good! Then when I looked at the ingredients part sugar is seen there. One might say that the amount of sugar is so low that it's insignificant enough to be mentioned but what if someone has problem with the least amount of sugar? I'm not diabetic but I like to see what I'm eating. Besides many types of starch foods (or for a fact all of them!) turn to sugar in body. Pasta, potato, rice, etc. So you always have to watch the amount of sugar you're taking. Whether these guys are liars or simply made a mistake, I must say I'd classify them under the second group. A big company must double check its product box before sending it out. Millions read and rely on that. 

I have something else for another producer and I will write about it later after I report them to Industry Canada or a similar authority. 

(Photo: The nutrition and ingredient section of a type of Triscuit product shows 0 g. sugar while it is seen as one of ingredients!)

Extreme but Beautiful Cold

This year we are experiencing the true winter of Alberta! It got really cold again in the past few days and today around noon I decided to take a walk beside Bow River. I don't know whether it was extreme cold, laziness or what that made me go back to the car only after 30 min.!

In the evening though I told to myself that I should get out. Sitting at the damn table and doing just a little is not good. Besides I exercise at the gymnasium every other day. Then I should walk or jog every other days of the week. I got out and that was not too bad. only -23 ℃!

An Overpass on Memorial and Downtown in the background. Although sunny and beautiful but it was brutally cold. You can tell by looking at the smoke coming up from the high-rises. For some though this is a time for some jogging fun. I've become lazy and haven't done that for a while or maybe focusing on another type of exercise!

 I guess I was able to walk for nearly 1.5 hour because first there was no wind and then I had some food and they were being consumed and providing me with energy in comparison with the noon's walk that I had barely had anything but my small breakfast. 

I told myself: Today I'm someone who's afraid of walking in the cold. Tomorrow, what would be that I'm afraid to do!?

(Photo, top: I rode the train just for one station on my way back and had the chance to take a photo from the electronic board to prove how cold it is!)

Bad Pills

There was lots about the people who died from drug overdose in Dec., many in British Columbia which is notorious for its drug users! I personally saw a jackass near Gateway Station in Surrey who took out a needle and was going to inject shit into himself last summer! I guess in Alberta we have the same story maybe not with that intensity. 

With that being said I met The Chef last weekend near a Canadian Tire. He wanted to buy a few things. He had a problem with The Brave's home, I don't know he did it unintentionally while he was drunk or not, but a pipe blew and the basement got flooded. So he was there on time and I noticed that he was unusually tired and couldn't even speak! He also went on the poor cashier who was a Filipino woman. He's normally very nice to people, smiles, greets, etc. He returned the Canadian Tire money with such a displeasure! Then on the way back to the house and when I noticed her red eyes I asked her if he had drunken any alcohol or if he have had a good sleep last night. The answers were negative and positive respectively! I believed him because he seemed tired not drunk! 

I let him have a nap in the car while we were going to The Brave's to check the status of the house. After that we headed to a supermarket to buy grocery to make dinner and when we got home he told me that he had taken two pills that a so-called friend bastard of him had sold to him! I should have known! He said he was so upset about his inability to function normally that he wanted to shot himself in the head! He then said that the cure to that was alcohol. He poured himself a glass of Vodka and Pepsi that he normally prepares and keeps! He seemed fine after 2 glasses! I  of course didn't drink any being sick of Gout but he seemed cured! I told him that it was a very risky gamble and if he does that again I'd report that bastard to the police, although I don't know where he is. Anyways the rest of the night went by peacefully. He prepared 4 Trouts in the oven and I enjoyed 2 of them. No incident or anything!
(Photos: Four grilled trouts might not look very pretty but they tasted very good. The black items on the top are tomatoes, mostly. It was excellent)

Failure After Failure!

I received another message from a provincial government in regards to a position that I had applied back in December of last year: Denied! I was hopeful about this one because they needed a number of people and as well I think I did well in the assignment they sent to me. Apparently I was wrong!
Now the only position left is the CAF's which I'm supposed to start in March but even that one is not guaranteed until I pass all the training stages which I think there will be at least four stages!