True Sweetness

A fella Afghan coworker suggested to purchase Sugarcane a few weeks ago and I agreed. I had never tried them before and it's not something that you can get from any supermarket. I can understand why people don't want something like that. It's a hassle to get the juice out! You need a very sharp knife and you need to be very careful. 

Basically what you have to do is you must cut the stick on the natural distances created during growth and then peel each piece. After that what the fella told me is, you chew, like a gum, suck all the juice and spit the leftover. That has a mild and natural sweetness which is different from a candy bar or any other sweet thing that you've ever tried or consume on daily basis. That's why many people might not like it because after years their tasting system is accustomed to artificial sugar (White Sugar) that the industry has been feeding them.

I know different drinks could be made using sugarcane but it requires patient, effort and good recipe. I have neither of them at the moment! The easiest thing I can suggest and I will try myself is to mix water, Sugarcane and freshly squeezed Lemon juice and enjoy it. Otherwise you're stuck with the chewing practice! It obviously used to be a snack on old Afghanistan where no candy, biscuit and all the artificial, industry-made snack didn't exists because he told me that the only people who eat them at home are his father, his mother and himself. Today's young generation have no clue what it is! I also realized that someone purchased as many as 100 sticks of both types (there is green and black) but didn't have a chance to talk to him and ask what he does with them. I will the next time I see him. 

(Photo: After more than 2 weeks of purchasing the damn[!] thing, I still have this much left unprocessed! Not to mention more in the refrigerator)

Recognition

I was at work a few days ago and the supervisor approached me, for the second time in the past two weeks and told me that I was doing really well and added: " If everyone was working like you … ". I thanked him and indicated that would not have been possible, had it not been all his guidance and supervision! Of course I said that to be respectful and nice(!), not that he's a bad man or anything. He's just not involved directly with us, the grunts! 

Then in the middle of the day I was on my break, sitting at a table and eating and he called me on the radio, asking me to go to the office. My co-worker, sitting next to me, told me to tell him I was on my break! I was going to tell him: Are you out of your freaking mind?! Under no circumstance I would tell the supervisor I am on the break when he calls me, even if I have full mouth! 

I went to the office and there he was and the lady who is the manager's rep. in operations. They directed me to a room, which is used for private matters such as interview and he told me: You're in trouble! I started computing(!) and searching in my mind to see what I had done that gotten me in that! He didn't give me any time and asked me to sit. I sat and there they provided a gift card and thanked me for my all work! I, again, indicated that it would not have been possible, had it not been the advices and guidance the supervisor provided and the lady added that: " And you listened and implemented them all " I even had received gift cards in the previous job but that was different. I had and still have different feelings about it. There are other worker here who at times are better than me. I have made a number of mistakes and I even haven't finished my probation period. So it's quite surprising to have the gift card. The value is not bad but the fact that they consider me a valuable employee and recognized me, id important especially in this market where jobs are really scarce. I need to keep this job until I find something better and I think I have proved myself and they will keep me.
(Photo: The recognition, was of course, in the shape of gift card but I decided to use this photo, not that is so important to know, in order not to advertise any type of gift card!)

The Year of Rat

It's Chinese New Year tomorrow and of course people of Chinese decent celebrate tonight. We had a sort of celebration at work as the company is owned by Chinese, mostly. Lunch was served in that style and surprisingly was not bad. There was, of course White Rice and Noodles, which I avoided them both but there was also Sweet & Sour Pork and Fried Chicken, which I tried them both. 

I took 4 trips to the table and ate as much that I was about to explode! No I'm just kidding! I still had room! The fact is most of the people, or better to say, all people drink something with their food: water, pop and in Western countries, Wine. I drink nothing! 

Drinking alongside eating your food not only dilutes your acid in the stomach which eventually prevents a good digestion, but also feels your stomach and of course gets full faster. There were a couple of bottles which from distance looked like Olive Oil to me(!) but then I was told they were disgusting sweetened tea(!) which I don't even touch. There were fruit and desserts including Tofu dessert which I think is very popular within East Asian community. I have read bad reviews about Tofu in general and avoided that at first but tried one and it wasn't anything special! I would never spend any money on something like that! 

As per rat that this name is named after, I don't know what to say! I hate rats! They are nasty, creepy and full of diseases! What makes people naming their year after a disgusting rodent? I don't know! I know some people in India worship rats! They even have a temple for them! The Chef told me once and I saw pictures of that on the net! The stupid people have no enough to eat and they feed the rats in the temple(!) but I have no idea what a rat might mean in Chinese culture. I might ask one of the fellas at work.

(Photo: This is the least disturbing picture of a rat that I was able to find in the net!)

Polar Vortex

Calgary and most of Alberta has plummeted to a deep freeze since Sun. I was at work this past Sat. and the supervisor, the Chinese man, surprisingly approached me and asked me if I could start at 04:30 hours on Sun. I started this job just 2 months ago and I've had a number of mistakes. So saying no to the supervisor, who by the way is not a bad person, would have been detrimental to my job, especially in this market. I said yes and the supervisor thanked me a lot but due to eating too much on Sat. night(!) I wasn't able to sleep and left home at about 03:55 hours. I had the entire 14th Street to myself but when I got to work, I was like a zombie! 

My car's thermometer always shows 2 degrees C warmer. I took this yesterday afternoon on my way home. -30 degrees Celsius which is equal to -22 degrees Fahrenheit  

I worked the entire shift and while I was heading home, The Lazy Ass called and asked if I wanted to join for a meal at Gate to India. Why the hell not? Who would say no to a nice East Indian meal, especially if someone else is paying for it?! (I paid the first time we went there together). The temperature on Sun. for something around -27 ℃ (-16.6 ℉) and went lower and lower until today which is -31 ℃ (-23.8 ℉) and I'm going to leave home at around noon.

This is my bedroom window from inside! Taken this morning

One thing I have to say is that Canadians are, without a doubt, amongst the strongest nations in the world. There were as low as probably 2% absenteeism at work and I even saw people on bicycles yesterdays. Canadians should be proud of themselves that they keep this country up and running even under polar vortex. I, too, am proud that I have been able to keep up.

(Photo, top: Environment & Climate Change Canada website shows this morning's temperature in Calgary. That's the most trusted website for weather which I frequently visit)

How Was I Attacked by an Oriental Guy?!

I was driving home the other night at around 19:30 and it was cold, slippery and snowy. Somewhere between Edmonton Tr. and 16th Ave., I made a turn to avoid the damn traffic lights. Then at 11th Ave. waited at the stop sign to make a left turn on Edmonton Tr. and go to Downtown.

I was watching the road carefully and all of a sudden saw someone at my window (driver side, of course) who was saying something like " I f--- you up! " or something similar while pointing his index finger at me! At first I though he wanted to address something or ask an address but then he punched the side mirror in a way that the cap came off and fell on the street! I jumped out of the car but the asshole coward Oriental, most likely a Chinese ran like a fucking dog, got in to his vehicle, a Silver Honda CR-V and sped off north-band Edmonton Tr.! My mistake here was not being able to get his plate number! I think I got too excited to be able to think rationally although later on the police told me that no charge would be laid on him.

I grabbed my phone, after the guy ran away and called emergency and reported the incident. The operator got the information from me and two CPS officers came after about 15 min. The senior officer studied the area and took note and then put the mirror cap and re-installed it! This, he concluded, led to no charge because there was no damage! Here, again, thanks to Toyota for excellent design and manufacturing but the trauma was bad!

I was quite surprised by the way the man acted but he had no chance, had he stayed at the scene. I would have broken his fucking neck, of course after he hit me, no matter how lightly! I always considered the Oriental guys, particularly the Chinese, calm and orderly people despite a number of bad experiences I've had with them. This incident proved that there could be bad people within every community. This, however, proved that the Orientals are cowards, no doubt. He knew he had no chance, had he stayed at the scene as I indicated earlier. Ran away like a dog which is kicked in the butt, the freaking asshole!

(Photo: A truck similar to this, carrying CPS officers arrived at the scene shortly after the incident. Thanks CPS for the quick response despite the fact that it was not a serious one) 

Stupid Mistake by Trump Administration

This is something that I couldn't close my eyes to although it happened at the other side of the globe, not this side that I always write about: The assassination of General Qasem Soleimani in Iraq. I have never been a supporter of The Islamic Republic of Iran and in fact in a post called The Islamic Murderers of Republic of Iran but I believe what Trump did was a mistake regardless of what the Iranians, led by Soleimani had done prior to that. 

First of all that was an act of terrorism. There's no difference between what The IMRI did to its opposition leaders such as Dr. Shapour Bakhtiar and what Trump did to Soleimani. Second of all that act not only does not stop violence in the region but also will increase it. The IMRI now has supporters and affiliates in Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan and a number of other countries in the region as well of agents and supporters around the world. Anything can happen any day. This will be a never-ending war. 

I also believe that Soleimani had role of protecting Iran from ISIS. What he did in northern Iraq basically protected the country from being destroyed like Iraq. He was a soldier who protected his country though he had to obey The Supreme Leader. His role in the devastating 8-year Iraq-Iraq War is not known to me but he was a volunteer who, again, defended his country from the Iraqi bastards at the time. 

Two years after Trump was elected, I, unlike what many may think, had lots of respect for him. I think many Americans did. Unemployment was very low, illegal immigration was being dealt with, China was being held back and all good things he was doing. I, travelled to the US twice and did not have to wait at the border for more than 1 minute! 

Now everything is changed and unpredictable. We don't know to what extend these two crazy guys are going to go at each other but one thing is probably easy to predict: Trump's re-election is very unlikely. And for the last word: I don't think I will get any number of days off in 2020 to be able to travel but if I get, I make sure I will travel to the US to see what the reaction of the CBP would be!

(Photo: An Iranian poster which shows the reaction of the people to Soleimani's assassination. A kid is putting a photo of him up)

Surprised by the Contact

Newlywed e-mailed me a few days ago and asked when he could call. We talked over the phone yesterday for more than half an hour. He, to my surprise, was worried about my well being particularly after I told him that I no longer lived with The Lady. This is far rare within East Indian community. They don't care and barely hang out about other people. A good example of that is The Mumbling Guy who never calls or checks on me unless I call him and I decided not to, starting this year.

He told me how great his life has become since he has his daughter and held his shaky relationship with his wife, He then gave me a recruiter's phone number and asked me to call him on Mon. I, most likely will but I'm not looking for any temporary job. The stress has significant affect on my life. I appreciated him and we both wished that we could meet soon especially now that he's moving to northern British Columbia for the new job offer he has.