Worst Christmas Ever

It's been one week since Christmas and I'm still sick! We were off work at noon the previous Fri. (not yesterday) so everyone could spend enough at home to get ready for the big night. Not that there was not already enough time available! Did I care? No! Because for me it meant going all the freaking way back and add to the top of that being sick, it didn't help much! 
I was so sick that I have not been for years: Soar throat, body aching all over. Could barely move. Spent most of the time during Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day, you name it, at home and in the damn bed. Could not eat much and still have an awful taste in my mouth. Eclair took me and one of the ladies to a lunch where I only ordered a bowl of soup and in this era you know what a restaurant bowl of soap means! The amount that I'd taste to see if I made it right, if I made it. There was no appetite and there still is no appetite. We went to a local Indian restaurant for lunch yesterday and same story. The food was good and I enjoyed it but not to the extent that I usually do! 

I don't know how I contracted it but that was not what you want to have at Christmas time. I eventually went to a local pharmacy and got a pack of Tylenol and a bottle of gargling medicine! Cost me a total of $30 or more for these two pieces of sh*t because an a**hole whom I do not know who they were, had been sick and came to work to make others sick. And I don't know how many time people have been told that they should stay in the pigsty that they usually stay at(!) when they're sick but they don't listen. 
Now I have about 3 days off, I need to study for a damn test, another one(!), in the 8th. BigHead has already failed it. Got only nearly 60% he said. Warning! 

(Photo, top: The bowl of soap that was served to me in a local restaurant in central Alberta. I will write about the restaurant later, if I visit again because I would not like to judge a restaurant based on one visit only. Photo, right: One of the top people in the company gave this to me as a Christmas gift after asking me if I drank wine and what sort it would be. I didn't want to disappoint him so I said I did and mentioned: anything but Red Wine as I have gout. It's a regular wine you probably can buy in any store for under $20, most likely. It says it's from California and contains Sulphites which is very alarming! I haven't touched it yet but a few options have already come to my mind: 1] Re-gifting it. 2] Giving it to The Chef which is basically the same with this difference that he probably knocks one off every night and he lost his job as a result of over drinking and being drunk at work. So it would not make a difference for him! 3] Using it as a paint thinner! This last one is from Seinfeld! It's just a joke. I'm not a painter!)

A Nightmare on Highway #2

 Travelling on a major highway on daily basis cannot be fun but there are people who chose that as their career because the pay is good. A majority of truck drivers here in Canada are Punjabi Sikh Indians but people of different ethnicities could be found doing this job. I have been driving on a major highway for nearly 2 months now and the only thing I am lucky about is the fact that it's not a road going trough the mountains or it would have been much worse. 

This winter has it been remarkably warm and it's all blamed on global warming. If it had not been this issue, I don't know what would have happened to me now! Highway #2 or Queen Elizabeth II Highway was really bad this past Thu. when I was heading south. There were big snowflakes, flying horizontally to my windshield! Luckily and with a little careful driving I reached home safely. It was worse the next morning, when I was heading north, Large patches of fog would not let me to see past 3 feet (Here I'm trying to accommodate Canadians and of course Americans despite learning all my course base on metric system!). I started early so I was not late at work. My manager was surprised! 

Heading back south was a different story! The road was dry but all the trucks I had seen earlier in the morning at the other side, southbound, now where ahead of me and had caused a major slow down! The speed was reduces to, first 5.5Km/h and then stop and go and this continued for nearly half and hour and I think in that half an hour I travelled only a kilometer or so! I called 511 three times, as my telephone is old and doesn't have a strong sound and I realized that the highway had major back ups at three spots leading to nearly 2 hours of extra time for any trip to south!

I, at this time, found the first exist and went to Olds because I was low on fuel. I then went to a local McDonald's to see if I can get map on my phone going and perhaps continue south on Highway #22. The stupid phone didn't work and then I used my old GPS. The stupid GPS directed me to some dirt road which was covered in ice with no light! Then I turned back and took Highway #22A and that was it.

I reached home around 20:10, some 2 hours late! I'm thinking of moving somewhere close to 

(Photo: A jack-knifed semi. This looks like to be very common and these idiot drivers never learn. I can't tell how many I've seen since the start of the cold season and it hasn't been a cold season with lots of storm, snow or such!)

Hard and Difficult as always

I had my interview for a Federal Government once again a couple of days ago. While I have a job now and it's been going well, I always wanted to work for the Government of Canada. Not that easy! I'm going to make a list of the Government jobs that I've applied for and never got them to show how embarrassing it is! 

So here I'm sitting at my desk one hour before the interview starts and an administration lady sends me the questions! I'm not going to reveal them but what I can say is there are 7 questions, 5 of them very hard to answer! Nearly 7 minutes is passed now and I decide to opt out! I start writing an e-mail to the administrative lady! I'm almost finished and I think I should give the questions a try, although I know I don't have a good chance! So, I keep the e-mail in draft and go back to the damn questions! I finally put something together for each with the lowest self-steam that anyone could have and I turn my Team on to attend the interview. There're three people and each ask a question and I try my best but I know I have a very slim chance! 

The fact that this Government have been trying to fix some of the problems which existed 50 years ago and leave some of the problems which also have that length of existence, is amazing and they keep pushing on the first type! I don't know if it's persistence, stupidity or pretending. By the latter I mean if they only pretend to care! They asked about inclusion and equality! We all know that not everyone is equal but we include everyone as much as we can. The fact is many people do not want to be included but would like to be considered equal! What do we do with them?

The interview, I don't think, went well. I had the same issue back in early 2021 for another Government position and I didn't get it but my position was different back then. Now I have a job that I probably can rely on it for the next 10 years or so, unless something extraordinary happens, I'm not so excited about interviews and job applications. The reasons why I decided to go through that is first I applied for this job when I was doing that miserable outdoor job last year and then I thought if I got this position, I would be more secure and would have the chance to work in another province. It does not seem to materialize but we'll see how they response. 

At the end I'd like list the Government jobs that I've applied for and they all went south! Not in order of application, necessarily. 

1) Canadian Navy: I failed to finish the basic training. There was too much bullshit and too much pressure. I didn't handle it well. I have had posts under CFLRS notes. You can refer to them for the detail, if you're interested.  

2) CBSA. Not as bad as the first one. This time I failed about three days from graduation! There was a written test that I do not recall what it was about and I didn't get the passing mark. I got a boot in my a$$, after it!

3) A position with Measurements Canada. I recall this one had a written test in two parts with a break in between and it was held somewhere in Downtown Calgary. Failed miserably, as usual! This I did when I was laid off. 

4) A position which has something to do with agriculture and quantity or quality control. For that I had to go to British Columbia and write a test. The Lady, at the time, had left me and gone to B. C. as well but we still were in touch! When I told her that I had applied for a position there but it was only for a year, she was happy and said that it was good that I was going to join her for at least a year but I didn't get the point! I remember we were sitting for lunch in a nice patio, I think it was Boston Pizza, and it was a nice day. She bought the lunch and my telephone rang. I was told that I had failed the test! I don't remember much after that but I know what she said and the lunch we had together was the sign the she wanted us to be back together but I didn't get it because a few months passed and then I went to get the position 1, on the top, and while I was there she called and said she wanted to go back but I was there and I told her that I couldn't leave! That was the last time we spoke! I didn't get the job and she never came back! 

5) A position with purchasing or similar. This I don't remember, again, what department of the Government was offering it but it was the last one before the one that I attended a couple of days ago and as hard. The only difference is I was desperate to get out of the toilet I was in! 

The issue is there's a time that you know you don't have a good answer and try to come up with something convincing but you're bank! That is the part I hate the most. It gives a very bad feeling right away inn front of everyone! 

(Photo: I went to Ottawa as part of a group when I was in CFLRS and we went to Canadian War Museum which was a good experience but have not been to the Parliament Hill which is considered to be the Government of Canada home. Must be nice to visit in a day like the one in this picture)

The Week-long Course

Just came back home after a miserable week in a hotel, near a training center. The course was not bad and learnt plenty but the living condition was awful, except for a ting bit. Stayed in the same hotel and despite the fact that it's generally quite and clean, the damn mattress was killing me! The first first four days had difficulty sleeping which certainly affected my learning abilities. Adding to that is the garbage food all around. Fortunately for a few times I managed to find a nearby Safeway and get fruits and better food. Breakfast was mostly eliminated, completely. We had a couple of day going to the lab and that was were I learnt a lot and for it, I appreciate the institute. The instructor this time was a young East Asian fella who was very nice, polite, patient and helpful. Although he was not as knowledgeable as it is expected but I believe he did his best. BigHead felt less stressful and showed more confidence and I pulled my revenge on him but he didn't seem to be bothered a lot! He said that he had used his car service which is as convenient as I would have picked him up! On the way back he did the same thing and I went for a bit of shopping after telling him I was going to Edmonton! 
This class also had much brighter students. The majority of them had long overseas experience and education in the subject and they were there just to be re-certified. My employer does not want us to be certified nationally. This course was just learning purposes and being able to be certified internally so we can do the tests. However I do not know who would sign the reports because we would technically be allowed to do that.

We also tried to food businesses in the nearby neighbourhoods for the first time and the experiences were not so great: Edo Japan, which has been the worst fast-food joint that I've ever set foot on, at the same level of McDonald's and Fat Burger which is not as bad but still full of trans fats, sugar and all other harmful substances for your body. The funny thing is the second fast-food joint asks you to tip the staff simply because they walk 7 steps to put a small plate of food on your table! You can refer to the full review of my experiences with these two joints in Google Maps, near the training center. 

Another good part of the trip, in addition to what I learnt and I would like to stress that it was a good learning experience, was the ability to shop near YEG. There're lots of nice stores and it was very convenient for me to by what I wanted on my way back home. It's recommended to see the place called Premium Outlet Collection when you're in the region. 

(Photo: A Fat Burger meal. It's a Mushroom hamburger, I think and Sweet Potato Fries with an awful dip! I think I added a shake, which did not taste anything but sugar and the total cost was nearly $27 and some change, approximately! Adding tip! And taxes, of course!)

The Old Gal

I had an interaction with an old woman for awhile. There was no intention from me and I don't know what hers was until one day, when I was on break from work, I saw a book laying next to my vehicle. I don't know who had put it there. I grabbed it, had a look and put it back. My door bell rang a few minutes after that. It was the old gal! She asked me if it was mine and my answer was negative. I told her that I should have prepared a meal and invite her over. She responded by not much! 

That didn't happen until the day she said she would come over for a coffee, in the morning. Fine. So she was here and I served her coffee when I realized that she was hungry too. It's good that I had some biscuits and Peanut Butter. This was all fine. What was strange was that she wanted to see my bedroom! I didn't have any issue but I don't think she was happy when she saw my single bed or everything else, for that matter.

I'm probably amongst a very few people who still use single beds, if they're single. For someone who had never been to my place it was strange to me, to ask to see the bedroom and then although she helped me with something at home, later and I messaged her once, she never came over. I didn't want to ask her out or anything but still don't understand what she wanted!

They say desperate times call for desperate measures! I wouldn't mind to have good times with but I'm not much of a beggar, particularly when it comes to an old woman(!) but admire a clean gap hole, if you know what I mean. My problem is I'm looking for a long-term and meaningful relationship, not someone that when they're bored and have nothing else to do, find me desirable for an hour. That was I made what I turned The Lady to it, although she didn't like it at the beginning: Two people spending all their free time together. I might still give her a try although the bigger the gaps grows, the smaller the chance, I believe. She showed her interest or perhaps I shall say that she suggested to be over for a drink, which I assume that is her favorite. I once mentioned that to her that a bottle is waiting here in the counter and her response was that the bottle could wait! 

(Photo: Andie MacDowell is amongst the ladies who have spoken about being old and still feeling sexy and she truly is. I haven't seen any of her movies but because she has been in the news I thought I shall use her image. The old gal, by the way, is not as pretty as she is but still okay)

The 2023 Christmas Party

This years Christmas party was held a bit early. When I say this year's it doesn't mean that there was a last year! The previous work did not hold a Christmas party or if they did, I was not invited. I didn't want to attend first and then I was told that it would not have a good impression on the top management. The party was held in a local bar which I would not name it here because despite the good atmosphere and the good service, the food was very bad. I don't want to ruin their reputation. When I got there, the majority of the people had already arrived. I said hi to a few and headed to the bar. I had to add that I had not eaten anything but a couple of cookies since the night before(!) to be able to enjoy the dinner as much as I was able to! Wrong! I had drank several glasses of water and the last couple, in the hotel, was lemon water. So felt so weak that I ate one of those cookies that I mentioned earlier, in the hotel. In the bar I ordered a double Vodka on Ice and that did the job on the empty stomach! I had my eyes on a very pretty but crazy girl: tall and slim, fair completion, pale, incredibly beautiful and lovely hair. She once waved at me at work and I got that as a sign! There was not any other signs(!) after that rather than a few ordinary hellos. I approach her and she was as beautiful as she had been and after saying hello and exchange of a few words I asked her something that I do not remember and added the question of whether her boyfriend knew. She said that there was not such a thing as a boyfriend. I considered that another sign and that in fact was contrary to what Éclair had told me. He has everyone's profile! I also remember that once a few weeks ago she had indicated that she was sick and her mom took take of her. With that in mind I indicated to her how lovely she looked but I didn't get a positive response. The food was served shortly after that and I have to stress that it really sucked! They had 

1) Mix steamed vegetables. It was completely bland!

2) Sliced Turkey. Dry and bland!

3) Salad. Did not look very appealing and I was starving! So I ignored them.

4) Brisket. Chewy and rubbery! The different dressings would not help. Besides I believe that a little seasoning shall be enough to make your meat enjoyable but when it is not cooked well, you may add as much sauce and the end result would be the same. 

The funny thing is they have Mashed Potato and something else called Stuffing! Mashed Potato had the same issue as the other food and what the hell is the Stuffing doing in a plate next to others? Shouldn't it be inside the Turkey?

The Brisket was so bad that I resorted to Seinfeld approach to rid of one big bite! Jerry is invited to a meal in an episode called The Wink and mutton is served. He either does not like it or like my brisket finds in so hard to chew! He would then spit them in these nice blue hand-made napkins and would stuff them in his jacket's pockets! In one case I did exactly that with this difference that I jumped off the table to run to the trash bin in the bar! 

Prize calling started after the miserable dinner and I didn't get anyone which was fine. My target was that girl but she did not respond well. the rest of the night was spent on drinking the same damn thing and talking to different people. The very interesting thing about this party was that I was introduced to too many people and too many people came to me and started talking, all either from the long-time working people of the company who knew my name, already and they were all very nice, asking me if I had a good time and other things. Once a guy came and started talking to me and said that he was the owner of the pub! He was talking like for 20 minute and I think he was half drunk but he was saying all the good things and so. I can't understand why the owner of the bar and also his wife shall attend a company party regardless of anything that they might have!

Another highlight of the party were two women whom I think they had been paid to be there but I don't know if they would eventually provide any other services to anyone. I realized that one of the top managers whom his wife was not there, spent a lot of time with them but it didn't go past hugging but they were all drunk and didn't know what exactly they were doing. I think they were both married and texting their husbands to come and get them from a nearby town. I think I was the first one that I chatted with them but then they went with the dancing gang and despite a few times that we interacted briefly, there was no other connection. I left shortly after the music ended but had difficulty sleeping most of the night. The bed was not comfortable and the room was too hot but my stomach and everything else in that area was not hurt.

(Photo: This blurry screen shot shows Jerry and Elaine at a table waiting for the host. Jerry is holding one of the famous napkins)

Year 23 has just Started

This winter has been so disappointing so far. Today is the last day of November and I have not seen a day colder than-15 ℃ (5 ℉). It has snowed, I think, only 3 times. This means that we will have a hell(!) of a summer. It's about -8 ℃ (~17.5 ℉). Just came from jogging. It was good. I was going last night but became lazy. Then thought to myself: 22 years has passed since the day I landed in Canada, the country which has changed a lot. I know many refugees and poor people came to this country in the 60's and 70's but now it has been turned to a garbage of any country in the world which wishes to rid of its rubbish! There're so many problems: From high interest rate to affordable housing shortage to environmental issues. I'm tired. I also need to get ready for tomorrow. So I'm going to go. I was going to do something special yesterday but there was no time. Perhaps this weekend or any day in Dec.
(Photo: When Khmer Rouge took over Cambodia in the 70's, they declared a new calendar and considered that year, the year zero! Kids as young as the ones seen in this picture played a major role in the regime's rule. For me the year I came to Canada was not year zero but was not much better than that! I aimlessly drifted and paid no attention to anything. Now I'm not much better off but I know what I'm doing and my plans are made)

The Meth Test (Not Lab.)

We, I and the BigHead, had to pass this math test to be considered qualified to attend an NDT course. There was another course that we already had passed so we are a bit close but the problem with this one was that we had barely any idea what would be asked because it says math! It is a very general term! 

I was angry and frustrated because I imagined what everyone would think if I failed the math test! An engineer who claims years of experience in different industry cannot even pass a simple math test! The night before exam I drank two cups of coffee and told myself that I would stay up even to 02:00 AM, if it takes to cover every topic that would be a question from it in the damn test. I could not go past 12:30! I went to bed as I was dead tired but could not sleep for another hour and then it was the exam day. 

The exam was held by some local proctors but it was not a normal and usual exam. start! We were asked to leaver everything in a locker and take nothing to the test room! I never expected that! Apparently there have been cheaters who used any means to get by even these new silly wrist watches! We sat at out seats and we were asked to sign in to our accounts. Here was my screw up. I kept putting the wrong ID number twice until realized that and after blaming it on the website! In the meantime poor BigHead was sitting tight waiting for me, so we can start and finish together. That was when a woman went to him and told him to " Seat properly "! Even now I can stop smiling when I think of that! Then she asked him why he had not started the exam. He said he still had three minutes (the exam was supposed to be started at 13:00). I was stilling cleaning up my own mess, without them realizing it was my own fault(!) when she came to me and asked me to keep my voice down! I swear that I didn't even care. I was so busy to get to the website and start the test that I didn't even responded to her and she left! 

I finished the exam quickly and then went back and answered question 6, that I remember exactly I had left unanswered and reviewed all. The who process took some 40 minutes. The result were out right away but I didn't share with anyone. A very easy test that got me stressed out and angry for a few days. 

Back at work the next day we realized that the BigHead had gotten 90%! Impressive! Ha? Maybe. Merely because it was an easy exam. I got 100%. Now we're ready to hit the road again.

Note: I know it's math test not meth but I thought it would attract more people if I used methamfetamin instead of mathematics! 

(Photo: The meth labs are considered hazardous. That is how law enforcement agents deal with them once they are discovered)

A Widespread Lie

I'm not a liar but I lie to liars! I've said that to the face of people whom I suspected them of being liars. Some had strange reactions! At times I tell white lies. That doesn't hurt anyone but satisfies me.

With that said, my manager asked me where I lived, completely out of blue, last week. The good thing is the Retiring Fella has asked me how the road was a few days prior to that which it was snowing. So how the answers to these two questions will help me later!? This is how: My answer to the Retiring Fella was that the road was good until I reached Ponoka. He was surprised as he knows that I am not passing that town on my way to work. So I told him that I had stayed in Edmonton. That shut him up. I, in fact, was going to say Penhold but I don't know why I used the other town's! Obviously because both start with P! Then when the manager asked me where I lived I paused a little and went: Edmonton. Now my stories are lined up. It even helped me with another thing that the company wanted me to do early in the morning but I told them that I had to take care of something in Edmonton before leaving which prevent me from being able to get to work at the time they want me there!

The other thing is now that in a week or so when we're going for another training, I won't have to take BigHead! It's make a major inconvenience for him which is exactly what I want! I'm nobody's chauffeur. So now, you beaver-face, understand the meaning of discomfort when you have to get out of home and travel nearly 130 Km (80 miles) for your freaking course and came back the same way, on a Fri. evening! He doesn't know what I've prepared for him yet. He think he'd be picked up and dropped of, comfortably, like the last time.He wouldn't know until the last minute. In conclusion, you need to follow the following rules when you're lying, and I mean a white lie. Once again I'm not a liar:

1) Have a good and believable story. Start weeks, even months with related and detailed stories and feed the people gradually.

2) Tell the story and eventually the same lie to everyone and I mean everyone who might slightly be involved. 

3) You need to have the story kept in mind and develop it as it goes forward. That requires talent which I own it and proud of it!

4) Dr. Joseph Goebbels believed If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people eventually come to believe it. I, in no manner, condone what Dr. Goebbels and other party members did in the 1940's in Europe but I agree with him on this statement with this difference that the lie does not have to be necessarily big. You might get what you want with a small lie, in daily life, as well. We're not politicians! 

5) George Costanza, the fictitious character of Seinfeld once said: It's not a lie, if you believe it! 

I'm not going to say Good Luck, because luck has nothing to do with this! 

(Photo: This is a sad picture of Dr. Goebbels kids after they were all killed by their parent. I think they were given a sort of poison. Dr. Goebbels and his wife committed suicide after that. That shows how crazy this guy was. What did the innocent little kids have to do with your stupid ideology?!)

Revenge is a Dish best Served Cold

This piece of work, ugly creature who works with me, runs his mouth too much at times. An oriental from a place that I doubt he had enough food to eat at times before coming to Canada. Fair enough. Now you have, it means shut your mouth after eating! When we went for the course a couple of weeks ago, the asshole act weirdly. One two people from the same party go somewhere together, they stay together, eat together, study together and do most of the things together. He was sneaking to his room after the class, perhaps to sext, if you know what I mean, with his wife.
We're planned to go for for another course in a few weeks from now and I have a good plan for him! I'm all nice and friendly to him. When we're going back, I'm going to leave him at the side of the road with his stupid suitcase! I never brag about the things I do or I'm planning to do but I wanted to write this one because this piece of work does not even offer to drive to the course while I drove him the last time! I can't wait to see his stupid face with the giant suitcase next to him after I tell him that I have to go and he has to take a bus home! 
The other asshole that I have a plan for and I'm skeptical to see if I can execute that is a freaking asshole from the old country. I went to high school with this guy for three years and then we went to the same college, different programs. He had to drop out or was expelled, I'm not sure and it doesn't matter now because he was not able to pass Calculus 1 until semester 7 (the program consisted of 9 semesters, minimum at the time, a total of more than 152 credits, which I think has been reduced now!). He served military, I think, after that, because I was no longer in touch with him, or perhaps I shall say that he was not in touch with me and then he went to another school and finished a degree or masters in the field that he liked, successfully.
I was not in touch with him for years, even before leaving the old country until nearly 15 years ago that we exchanged a few e-mails and then again 2 years ago or so, I don't remember why(!) we got in touch. That was the time he told me that his daughter would starting studying a program in The University of Waterloo. Then about a month ago he said he was waiting for his visa to visit his daughter and would pay me a visit. I asked him if he could bring a few thing for me and I would pay him here once I see him. He agreed and told me not to be worry about the money. 
The last time we were in touch was about 10 days before the day which he had said that it would be his departure day. He said that he had not yet heard from the embassy about his visa. When I reminded him of the things that I had asked him to bring, this time, he sort of hesitated and said that he would check with his wife to see if they have room. I didn't like it.
The day that he was supposed to fly has passed. in fact it's been more than 10 days since he was supposed to be in Ontario and I don't know if he is there or not. He has not contacted me. Or perhaps he hasn't received his visa which I doubt because these days the Government of Canada issues visa to everyone who could set foot on Canadian soil. So now that he hasn't even told me what has happened to his visa, I have a good plan for him but before that I'm going to write a bit about the times that he would act like a total jerk when we used to hang out: We used to go to gym at times to work out together. I asked him to spot me a few times and he did a few times but once aggressively said: I'm not going to the gym just to lift your weights for you! This stupid sentence has been tattooed in my brain! Our relationship would turn to more  rivalry than friendship. He used to brag about the place that he had gone with his friends and so did I! There were time that he was ditched and it pissed him off. aside all the above, he criticized me a few times about the jokes that I had made about girls. There were not directed at anyone specific or too offensive and we were very young and ignorant but he took it personally, I think especially because she had a sister that he probably thought I had an eye on! She was a pretty girl and right for my age but who thought about getting in a relationship with his friend's sister on those years?!
My plan was that if he wanted to come to Alberta, to tell him that I would pick him up at YYC but when I talked to my Mom as she knows him, she didn't like it and said it was too harsh and even inhumane! There another thing that Mom said. She said that he has not contacted simply because I have asked him to do me a favour! That has scared him off, she added! I think she's right. And I don't think I execute my plan simply because Mom said that I shall not, although that would be a good lesson for him! We'll see.

(Photo: One of my favorite salads and I've made this one myself. So good. It, of course, is served cold but it tastes way better and is much healthier than my revenge!)

A Pan Handler in the Gas Station

We were in a gas station in Leduc last week when I saw an old Caucasian guy with a toque on his head (it was not cold at all) approached our car while carrying a big bag. I immediately realized that what he was after: He was picking empty cans and bottle because I saw his hands in the trash bin. Then he asked my colleague if he had any cans and bottles. When he said he didn't the guy asked if he could give him some change! You see the nerve of some assholes here?! Of course my colleague's response was negative again but I cannot believe some of the people in this country!
Then I saw his car a few feet away: A black Nissan Altima with big blue bags of the same shit in the bag seat! His car, in fact looked better than mine! Some people have no shame. How could you drive a car like that and fill it with garbage? How could you approach people for money after they tell you they do not have any bottles or cans in their vehicles? I have seen foreigners do that. I've seen foreigners, mostly East Asians (Orientals) do that but they either walk the streets or have a bicycle. I've seen the homeless do that as well but they're on foot and not, in most cases, aggressive. Some blame the economy for that. It's the scapegoat for everything these days!
(Photo: The guy's car with the big bags on the backseat)   

Japanese Food and Sake at Mikado

Now that I have been working this job for about 1 month and a half, I have worked with this (East) Indian fella who seems to be a reasonable person for quite a long time. I'm going to call him Éclair for the sake of easiness! He recommended to visit one of the suppliers so I can have a better understanding of their processes and consequently their products, a few weeks ago and it finally materialized this week. 

We left work in a way to be able to be in a restaurant, not too close to the supplier's facility, though, by lunch! Why a restaurant? I have no idea!  We could've simply gone to the company's facility and return to work but he wanted to have lunch. For that he had invited two other people from another branch! I don't know if he has some extra money from the company that he needs to spend within a specific time or what but we went there anyway: Mikado.

It's a nice restaurant with Japanese objects here and there for decoration. The waitresses are dressed in traditional Japanese costume although they might not be Japanese! Our waitress was a Filipino young lady who looked Japanese, a bit but I saw another waitress who had the beauty of a Japanese girl: Round face, fair completion, dark silky hair, beautiful eyes, everything that a pretty Japanese woman has. 

Since I was a guest I decided to try Sake for the first time, because I didn't have to pay! Sake is served both cold and warm but since it was not a very cold day, I decided to try a cold version. I think it was a 2 Oz. serve that I ordered. Not having any previous experience with Sake I can't tell how real it was but it had a completely different taste and affect from any other alcoholic beverages that I have had so far. It was good. I was expecting a little Rice taste but it was not there but the feeling came through shortly after the last sip and it was strong but I stopped there, despite the urge. The food was good and filling for the price, I'd say. I got a plate of different pieces and a small bowl of a sort of Soup, called Miso. The menu could not be entirely Japanese because there were many meals or parts of some of the meals that they had Avocado in them and I don't think Avocado is a native vegetable or fruit of Japan but I guess I will find out when I go there! The Soup tasted good and I would go for the second bowl but I didn't. I think I ate a little too fast because one of the guys told me, jokingly, that I was hungry! I told him that I had not have breakfast! 

The restaurant is decorated with items to resemble a Japanese atmosphere

It appeared that dessert has no place in Japanese eating culture because unlike most of restaurants, mostly Western I should probably say, there was no mentioning of dessert, not even tea which has a special place in Japanese cuisine ,I think. When the bill (check) came I think the total for the four of us was about $108, and some change, maybe, which is not bad considering we were all full, especially me! 

We said goodbye to the fellas and headed to the supplier's facility. This does not have anything to do with the title of this post but because it was the main reason for this trip and also it was a productive visit and an interesting one at the same time, I mention it here: We're there at the company and upon our arrival we're greeted by this very energetic and smiling fella who happened to be our host. We're sitting and talking about the aspects of our project and somehow the discussion was directed to hiking by him. Éclair, at this very moment, that he finished the word " Hiking " pointed at me! indicating that I was the hiker. We briefly exchange ideas about hiking until he said that he had done a hike in Costa Rica. I asked him if it was safe there. he said that Costa Rica was always safe (Bullshit! I checked the Government of Canada Travel Advisory, a very useful website and it say it totally is not safe, similar to most Latin/Central American shitty countries!) and he added that it was a very tall mountain, I think over 12,000' which is close to 4000 m. I asked him how long it took him to summit. He said he could not remember because he was in his 20's! He is now in his later 50's or so! Or at least that is how he looks! That was the lamest and stupidest bragging that I have ever heard from someone in my life, even worse than some of the bragging that mostly (East) Indians try!

(Photo, top: My bowl of Miso Soup. I have no idea how close it was to a real soup that one would serve in Japan but it was really good)

Training Day(s)

I returned home last night. The training Days were so bad, I didn't want to write about them. Perhaps not as bad as the Training Day which was showed in 2001! Do you what training day I'm talking about? D. Washington., E. Hawke? 
We had a quiz in the second day which I got 12 out of 15. 80%. The passing mark for the course was 70%. So I was confident that I would be alright at the end. Then the topic of the day sounded very interesting to me. I was participating as much as I could. With fondness in the game(!) and the good percentage I had gotten from the first quiz, I went to Day 2 quiz which was held on the third day. The result was given, as before, after the lunch break: 11 out of 20! Only 55%! Now we have one more day of the class left and there is the final exam on the day four. Things do not look so good! There's so much shit to cover and every day I go back to the hotel, study a little bit and we go out for a crap food in the nearby establishments and then again go back to the hotel room and study as much as I can. The problem is the volume of the material to cover, as well as lack of sleep. I can't sleep well because I sit on my butt all day long. So, I'm not tired. Then there's the damn bed! It's mattress, pillow, sheets, pillowcase and blanket are all uncomfortable! I brought my pillowcase because I don't want to rest my head on a pillow that I don't know who has used it. But how about the damn sheet and blanket?! The only good thing was that it was not cold.
Now it's day 4 of the training and I know people have not done very well, mostly. Here're the people in the class: A Chinese guy who constantly nods like a bubble-head! He wore a baseball cap and was laughing at every stupid thing anybody said, which was mostly himself and the instructor, no offence! He also liked to show his big yellow pearls, often! He told me that it was his third time attending the course. I don't know if he was pulling my leg or he thought it was funny but he was the first one who handed his Answer Sheet, every time. Then there was this distinguishing, rude, silly Indian guy. He was the worst and I'm not saying because he was an (East) Indian. My best friends have always been (East) Indians. He was talking awkwardly, jumping in. Asking unclear and stupid questions and then apologizing! He was wearing a big winter jacket and toque in the classroom and in a nutshell he was a repulsive jerk! I shushed him twice! Once he was asking if I would take any course after that. The second time I was in a nearby business with my work buddy and he greeted me. I gave him a dirty look and that shut him up! There were a number of Canadian guys, who comprised the majority of the students, A Hispanic fat fella and eventually my work buddy, BigHead, who was a nervous rack after we got Quiz 1's result since he had done it poorly!

Now it is Fri. and the forth day. We went through Quiz 3 and 4 quickly but they were not for marking and then he reviewed the entire course and gave us a lunch break.

Final exam was held after the lunch. 35 questions. While seemed easy, it was completely different from all the quiz and the assignment we had done! For me it was not an issue because there were lots of Welding questions and I finished quickly but stayed a little longer to review. Now we were ready to leave for home and BigHead is upset and refuses to eat. He actually had something for lunch. He ate like a pig the entire time we were there just for the sake of eating but when I asked him for a Subway so we can celebrate(!) our accomplishment, he was not very happy but he did it. I eventually ended up in a Buster Juice and got myself a Very Berry and Chicken Pesto Panini. Now we're on the road, heading south towards home, he's playing with his damn phone and all of a sudden he goes: " Good news " And shows me his phone! The idiot doesn't understand that it's not easy for me to look at the tiny screen of the phone while driving on a busy highway! What he wanted me to see was the result of the exam! He got 74% which is a pass mark but he does not believe it! He calls it a miracle because he did so poorly in Quiz 1 and 2 but now it is over.

I dropped him at his door and now I'm nervous and at the same time I really badly need to go to bathroom! I'm almost 10 minutes from the workplace but I don't want to go there before I know my grade! I go to a nearby McDonald's and being Fri. and bad economy(!) the place is packed with people who are entertaining themselves with cheap food! What else can the majority of people do these days? I get myself into the bathroom after waiting a bit since there was a line and then set up the work laptop which I had brought. I am having difficulty navigating through the website because these guys have both my personal and work e-mail address. I go to my work e-mail address and there's nothing there and then find their e-mail which gives me the direction to where the grade is indicated! I go there and I'm nervous and it's not because I doubted that I would pass. I'm think that now that BigHead, who has no background in welding or anything material silence-related, has passed the course, what would everyone, including the guy who hired me would thing, if I failed! That would be a total and complete humiliation, particularly because I had requested to waive this course on the account of the 3-credit course which I passed 20 something years ago! 

I finally reach the part of the damn website where it is indicated that I can see my grade but not before doing a survey! At this point I recall what GigHead told me on the car after he got his grade: Maybe I got a little bit extra from them after I did the positive review! I start the review and I try to be realistic and positive at the same time and then here is my grade: I got 77.7%. It's a pass alright but it's mainly because of Quiz 2. I would have gotten over 85%, otherwise. Now I'm relieved at both ends(!) I head to work while I could simply go home! It was around 15:30. I see my boss there he engages in a conversation regarding the next step which will be another course!   

While I have not much issues with CINDE, the institution which held the course, now I can say it, there were a few mentioning in the course which was incorrect but I didn't want to cause a problem with the old instructor who was knowledgeable on almost all topics. I just recommended to the manager to allow us to register for the course at SAIT next time, not that I believe SAIT is a topnotch school! It's because I don't have to stay in a cheap hotel and eat damn junk food! I think he was convinced that despite the fact that SAIT's program is held in early 2024, we could hold off until then but he said he would discuss it on Tue.

I'm willing to do the course but my preference is clear. Who wouldn't want to stay in a hotel, get paid, eat for free and get a certificate which helps them in the career at the end? It's just the fact that staying in a nice hotel and having good food cost a lot. This time, no matter where I go, I would not spend any money on any damn fast food. I know what to do this time!

(Photo: A scene in the final moment of movie Training Day. Without spoiling the movie for the one they haven't watched it I must say that our training days were really disturbing and for BigHead probably very stressful but probably not as bad as what Hawke's character in the movie experienced!)

Training Day (1)

I attended the first day of the training yesterday. Not so impressed. Regardless of the fact that I was not in the list, which could have been my own fault, the course was shit! 75 pages were covered in a day. The day had been scheduled from 08:30 to 04:30, with two 15-minute and one half-an-hour lunch break. While all the breaks were given, the class was ended at 15:20 or so. The topic: Mostly bullshit! It was so bad that even the instructor indicated parts that we, the students, would not have to study! I spent the entire afternoon studying and doing home assignments and even got up early to cover more. Not so productive and we're going to have an exam today which will be taken into account for our final grade.  
My work buddy, a not very friendly fella suggested to go to a local Chinse restaurant. I agreed. Not that I like Chinse food. It's because everything around is just as bad. Paid some $18 for a plate of pieces of something which was supposed to be Beef and large pieces of Broccoli and White Onion, drowned in a thick brown sauce! I think Broccoli and Onion were fine, as long as you discarded the layer of the sauce. The meat, not so sure! I'd rather not to name the business because some people might find my writing offensive and a bad publicity for the restaurant. Big Head, that's what I call my work buddy, paid a little more than $19 for a combination of a small bowl of soup and a big tray of different pieces of food and Rice! Being from a poor country and having struggled his whole life, according to him, he ate all of the meat pieces, regardless of what they were and left the vegetable cuts and Rice left! The Rice looked awful from where I was sitting, and I don't blame him. The funny thing is he even didn't finish the soup and half of his can of Soda! 
Imagine this: Chinese food + Chinese bowl of soup + Soda. I don't think that will make a good combination! So, in a nutshell everything has been bad so far: Food, the course, the place that we are staying, and the funny thing is some of the geniuses are trying to find out if this instructor who is from Ontario, could stick around to provide another training for them! 
I, if I survive this, will certainly talk to the company to send us somewhere else for the next course, as I know that what the plan is.

(Photo: This meal looks better than it was! It was socked in a type of nasty sauce but I'm still alive. The results will be known later!)  

The New Training

My new employer has asked me to do a course and here I am now in a Comfort Inn, and quite comfortable. Just too tired. It was a busy day at work and a long drive. I not only had to pay for the cost of the course but also the hotel and food. I'm supposed to be reimbursed once I pass the related exam. 
The last time I was on training was back to 2019, I think. I was sent to British Columbia for, 3 days and it was nothing but waste of time and money! We, I and a fella co-worker, flew to YVR and spent two nights, if I remember correctly, in a nice hotel. I didn't spend much on food and the food provided by the employer at their headquarters was awful! Just as bad or worse than the training that they provided! This time it would be different. Our training is done by a national institution, and I have had some studies and similar courses. So, we're hoping that everything goes well. The weather felt a bit colder here when we just arrived. It's only -1 ℃ (30.2 ℉) but felt colder, perhaps because there hasn't been cold recently and now, we feel cold even at this temperature! I'm tired and can't write anymore now.

(Photo: I like how the elevator control panel is made here in this hotel. That's the best photo that I can add at this moment!)

The Economy's Impact on the Retired

There was one strange news on the top of the stories the other day: A retired man at 76 has become homeless. I'm baffled! It was said that the man, who bought his house 3 decades ago, had to sell it because he no longer could afford his mortgage. He does not have any place to live now and is awaiting the so-called low income housing or something like that. He even  considers going back to work! While I feel bad for the fella, I have the hardest time understanding how something like that happened but before going through different scenarios I see other possibility: Is someone behind this fake news to just give people a warning about their finances?! This, does not usually happen in Canada. No one cares! This is what is said in The Bronx Tale and that is true. The Federal Government's no one job to create revenue and they do whatever it takes to do that. So I don't see how could happen to the gentleman. If he is 76 now and bought the house 

Sonny, played by Chazz Palminteri, on right is taking to C, played by Lilo Brancato. No one cares was one morale of the story, The Bronx Tale. I didn't like it as much as I expected. The actors are great but the story was not satisfactory to me 

30 years ago, it means he bought it when he was 46 which is a bit late, or maybe it was not his first but houses were way cheaper 30 years ago. Unless he bought a very big house and was paying a big mortgage, it doesn't make any sense. And then the mortgage amortization is another question. People usually finance a property for a period of 25 years, at most. Perhaps there was a longer period available at the time and wanted to pay less over a longer period of time. And then he does not have anyone to assist him. No wife, no common-law partner, no kids, no siblings! One might say in this economic situation no one helps any one else! Or in other words: No one cares! I guess the slight decline in inflation has not helped either. The inflation rate went back down from to 3.8% from 4%! I don't want to speculate and say the guy was horsing around for 30 years but all of the possibilities should be considered. 

(Photo, top: I've been working straight since Nov. of 2019 except for the 3 months before starting the new job and almost every night my supper is something like this with a piece of flat bread which I started making at home. I could go to a fast food joint and pay $12 for a sandwich or order a delivery but I know there're always days that we might be deprived from a steady income. So I don't spend excessively. That is not the case with the majority of people, I believe) 

The challenges of the new Job

It will be one month since I have started this new position. People have been nice so far but I think it is because I still consider me a newbie! It also could be my position. I basically take no nonsense from no one! It is too early to judge though. The company wants me to do two tests to obtain 2 certificates and I would be reimbursed for the cost once I obtain such certificate. It's not but but I have no time to study. I barely am able to write this! Too tired and have to go to bed soon. 

That's one challenge that I will have to overcome to have this permanent position and hopefully:
1) I can either work until I retire,
2) Find a better position in 5 to 6 years, or 
3) Jump to the Government position in less than 4 months!

The other challenge, which became harder just last night is the commute. It took me nearly two and a half hours to reach work today! The distance that I normally cover in 65 to 70 minutes! I saw a shared accommodation just yesterday. A house with 6 or 8 rooms, I guess. The rooms were okay but could be cold in winter and the public area, the living room and the kitchen was a mess. It could easily turn to a pigsty when all the rooms are full, particularly in the weekend where I would not have been there, had I rented a room(!) but in the afternoon it would be chaotic! The original idea was wrong! I should get a 1-bedroom which will cost around $1000. It saves me lots of hours every week and tens of dollars of gasoline money but I need stuff and it would be a hassle to haul them all to the new apartment. Not to mention the damn lease, down payment, reference, proof of employment and all the shit you have to go through to rent an apartment for the job that you don't even know how long you would be there! 
(Photo: A semi-truck has is facing south while was driving north on Queen Elizabeth II Highway in central Alberta! I saw a number of vehicles engaged in incidents. Trucks, vans and sedans. I had to slow down to 40 km/h 937 miles/h] at times to be able to reach my distance in one piece!)

What Led to E-Coli Outbreak in Calgary?

Without beating about the bush, I'll tell why those poor little kids were sick and they're parents are worried. Yes. More than 100 kids got sick in Calgary, Alberta and had to be hospitalized because they had been fed contaminated food. Why did something like this happened in a so-called rich(!) country? Perhaps every online and actual dictionary (paper format that no one uses any more!) shall be re-written because we need to redefine " Rich "! Nevertheless, from root cause analysis point of view, there're three factors that were involved in this disaster:

1) Greed: This is what a Western country is based upon: Money, Money and more money. Majority of the people's daily effort is to make more money, pay less for the things that they don't like to pay and evade taxes, which in a way falls under the previous category. Businesses, mostly, try to cut the corner and the ones pay no attention to the costs, resolve the problem when they realize they have spent way more than what they had budgeted, by laying off people. Many foreigners, more specifically refugees, chase money the minute they get their first job until they can, working 2 or 3 jobs and many work illegibly by accepting cash. It's very likely that the business, the daycare or daycares which the incident occurred within them, selected the guilty food catering company because they had the lowest price and I don't want to make accusation but when you don't have a business license, which was the case with the catering company, it means that you don't care about nothing including the quality of the food, hygiene and safety of their clients. You only think about money and that's what happened. 

One of my all-time favourite books from one of my all-time favourites authors. I used to read a lot. With the internet and problems in life, I don't get many chances these days

2) Carelessness: I rarely eat outside because I know the people who are involved in the practice of food preparation, barely care about food safety and hygiene, no matter where you go. George Orwell in his book Down and Out in Paris and London tells horrible stories about the way food is prepared in different restaurants in Paris where considered one of the top tourist destinations in the world. While it is a true story from late 1920's, I'm quite sure that many situations still exist today. 

3) Laziness: Many lazy asses work in different business everywhere in the world. In food industry you find plenty like any other industry. While there's no available statistics, you can see this in some restaurants known as fast food. Once I counted as many as 15 employees, cramped, in a small fast food joint location. That, however is one side of the issues. If you look at the parents side, you'll realize that many parents select or forced to select childcares which provide food. The first group do that out of being lazy. Apparently parents have so much to do these days rather than preparing a healthy lunch and snack box for their kids! I can imagine what those things might be. 

Now that nearly a week has passed, everything is forgotten and people move on until something horrible happen again and then this time the so-called authorities think of having a new bylaw and enforcing it!

The First Week of the New Work

I finished the first week of my new job, yesterday. Not so bad. If I put the long distance between home and work, nothing else is an issue. They want me to do as many as 3 or for certificates and I will be okay with that. There was this clown who act as sort of someone who runs what I'm supposed to be in charge of later and he was training(!) me. A goofballs who doesn't even know what " Revision " number means in a document and does not have " Page number " on a 2-page document! Everything he has been doing has been told by an Oriental guy who is his boss. The nut-bag says that he cannot agree with the Oriental fella. The good thing is he won't be working past the new year and with Oriental guy going to another facility, I'll be the one in charge. It seems to be lots of responsibility for the money I am going to be paid but what the hell? There're not many jobs available and the country seems to be stepping into another recession!
I didn't know any other position which could pay me more or has at least a similar work until I came back home yesterday: There was an e-mail from the position offering department of the Government indicating that I was considered amongst the candidates. It's a good news and I'm happy to take that. It's in another province and they need multiple people. So my chance is not very slim. The money might be a little less, besides I will have to pay more for my daily costs due to higher GST and PST but I still would take that because it is a Government job in a new province and I'll probably be set up for life but still have to wait for another contact.
The surprising thing about this job is when I was checking my account to pay a couple of bills today I realized that I have been paid for the week! So I don't really know how it happened and I have no pay-stub! beside it's a little less than what I've anticipated and will have to check with the office this Mon. How I found out is because this week has been my first week, I still am eligible to file an EI report which I did for the previous week. I was ask how much I was expecting to be paid and I put a number based on my offer letter. Seems that I was too happy with myself! The actual amount was a bit less, not a whole lot. So I will have to contact Service Canada this Mon. and report it. 

(Photo: My new job is not much similar to this but at least I don't have to be outdoor or lift anything heavy)

A Pain

I received a job offer after almost 3 months of searching, yesterday. Not a bad one but I'm telling you it's a pain. It's a big pain. Every time you have to send resume and wait for the calls and do the damn interview and you go there and find all new people that you gotta know and work with and that's the part I'm good at but still it's not a fun process. And then you quiet or get laid off and you've gotta start over. 

This position looks good and the company seems to be stable but you never know what's in the people's head. They might only want you for a few months to get something done and then rid of you. They, of course, never tell you and now you're in the middle of a big spending and all of a sudden realize that you've been laid off and have all these bills coming to you, the fact many people pay no attention to! 

I've been wanting to buy a car because mine is old and fro that reason I visited a couple of Toyota dealers to see what I can get. Both of them were dumb asses! I'm looking for either a Camry Hybrid, Prius or Tacoma and one might question why such a great diversity! The fact is I like them all and I need them all but don't have enough money to buy at least the two that I need! My workplace is now away and I need to drive on the highway for quite a long time and that drive will not be much fun in winter. I saw so many accident and many cars in the ditch and collided with each other last winter. I certainly don't wanna see that to happen to me this year particularly that now I'm driving longer distance and in opposite direction which is more dangerous. Camry Hybrid and Prius are both excellent for such a trip. Safe and fuel efficient but Tacoma is much safer and more reliable but none of them could be purchased less than $40K and I wonder if that's a good investment. I need a car anyway but I can always go for something cheaper. I was the one who wanted to buy a Tesla Model 3 which is not less than $66K! Now I'm even hesitant about a $40K vehicle although I even have cash for that and don't have to pay the damn 7% interest! 

My other option would be renting a place in the new town but with the rate gone up so high, It'd cost not less than $1000 a month. In a year, I'd spent enough to be able to to pay a big chunk of my car's money! So thing's aren't that good at the moment. Really, It's a pain! 

One of the other painful drawbacks of switching jobs, even willfully, is the fact that every time you quit a position and then get another one, regardless of the time you have to search and go through all the shit, when you have the the job, normally you'd have to wait three months until your benefits kick in. Many people, especially the young ones may not even care about that. I never did, even 10 years ago. Now that I take a couple of pills every day, for my Gout, it would be nice to have a medical plan so I don't have to spend too much on pharmaceutical(!) but I have to wait until the new year to have my benefits while my pills are about to finish. Thanks goodness that these are not essential medicine. They help me but my life does not depend on them! The previous piece of dung(!) dung deducted too much for insurance from me every month and I only was able to use it a few times, the entire 13 months I work for them and it was mandatory!

(Photo: I buy a bag of Whole Wheat flour once in a while to make flat bread or other types with my machine. This is the French side of the package! No offence to our French-speaking people. It's a pain!)

How are Canadians handing their country to Sikhs?!

When I first came to Canada I stayed in one of the most notorious ghettos in the country, Calgary northeastern quadrant. This is where majority of Sikhs live. Afghans, Pakistanis and Bangladeshis are amongst the residents of this part of the city as well but like every where else you will find people from every corner of the world here. The neighbourhood was quite diverse at the time. No Sikhs have taken over. There was a big Pizza Hut restaurant. The place was changed to a Punjabi Sikh restaurant after a few years that their population grew. Not many people would go to the restaurant and of course the franchise decided to shut the restaurant, lay off the people and move on. These days there're not any, or many, Pizza Hut restaurants. They all have been turned to pick up place. We visited the place a few times. The food was mediocre and the service was next to terrible! They changed it then to buffet/shop and served Pizza as well! In a few years the business went down due to low quality and then they turned it to butcher shop/sweet shop! It last only a few months and boom! Gone! I know how difficult it could be to run business, even amongst East Indians or to be specific, Sikhs who do not expect high quality, hygiene and customer service but even that could change otherwise the place was still in business. 

That said, it's no doubt that Canadians are the ones who suffered the most in these transaction. The shops, including this one, have been mostly replaced by the shops that Sikhs and other East Indians would shop at and of course they hire people of their own. Even Safeway which has been in the neighbourhood since I was there and I used to ride one of The Brave's bikes to go there for shopping, uses the majority East Indian employees. This trend is increasing to the point that The Chef was mentioning that these guys will no longer need Khalistan! This world is the name that Sikhs, in northern India, have given to the land that they have intended to turn it to a new country and they have been fighting with the Government of India for decades. They assassinated Indra Gandhi after she ordered Indian Army to attack Harmandir Sahib, or as its known to foreigners the Golden Temple, back in 1984, under Operation Blue Star to capture Sikh separatists. 

Singh Malik who was charged with bombing in Air India Flight 182 in 1985 was eventually acquited in 2005. He later was shot dead in Surrey last year. There're two explanations to that: He was killed by the people who had paid him or supported him to plan the bombing or he was killed by the people who sympathize with the victims of the bombing. 

Then they blew up an Air India passenger jet over eastern Canada back in 1985. The trail of the accused took up until 2008/2010, when I used to live in British Columbia. As far as I remember no one was charged and Indians (East Indians) believe justice was not served. Many Canadian politics have been accused of supporting Sikh separatists and that's simply because they seek votes at the time of election. Now I read in the news that India has expelled a Canadian diplomat because the Canadian P. M. had accused the Government of India of killing the Sikh separatist movement leader in Canada!

Despite the love(!) that Canadian politicians show to Sikhs and other foreigners, I'm certain that Canadian people are not so happy with what has been happening to their country but I think there's a little that they can do because in this country as soon as you open your mouth to protest and object, they label you with something that might not come off, easily! You're either sexist or racist or this " ist " and that " ist"! 

Besides Canadians are busy like everyone else and as soon as they're done with their daily work, there's nothing they desire more than relaxing and resting. So I don't think there will ever be any change but I'm sure they regret what they've done to their country. The next generation will be so disappointed and angry at their parents! 

(Photo: The site of former Pizza Hut restaurant at the corner of Falconridge and Castelridge in northeast Calgary. The place as is left vacant now)

My Second Face-to-Face Interview of 2023

I was a bit uncomfortable this morning and also the entire yesterday and I'm tried now! It was because of the damn interview I had this morning in another city. I was not nervous. It's just the whole concept of meeting new people who scrutinize you for the position that you might or might not get it. It's no picnic! I prepared myself. Went through the positing my resume and the thing I thought they would ask and left home early enough to give myself time to reach there on time. I had realized that my GPS was outdated and the company's address is not showing! I tried to update it and I don't know what the hell happened that it didn't! 

Then I said to myself: How would people travel for hundreds of years without a GPS?! I simply checked the address again and wrote the direction on a piece of paper! Then before leaving found the address in my phone and followed the instruction. One might ask why would I need a GPS if I have my phone? The answer is simple: I don't have a data plan! So my phone's GPS works when I turn the Wi Fi on, including when I'm home. This morning when I was leaving turned it on and put the destination in, which resulted in, obviously, a quick calculation and showing me the way. The GPS stays on, even when you leave home and there's no Wi Fi and that's, I've been told, because the phone has a built-in GPS device which allows it to keep the track, using the available satellites. The problem is if you somehow get distracted, instructions end but the point that you're following is still viewed on your screen. After that you have no control over it because the phone had this connection to the satellite using the Wi Fi and kept it on to the destination. Now that the destination is reached you still can follow the, say, pointer on the screen and go wherever but you can't give a new destination to the phone to find it for you. 

Now I've finished 95% of the trip and I take an exit and make two turns. The instruction is heard like a whisper and I, somehow miss the street and turn into another one! When I read, It's not " exactly " the same as what I had written! So I exit and continue on the main row just to realize after a few hundred meters that I'm getting close to the town while their address clearly says that they're located in the suburbs! I make a U-turn and enter the same street, go all the way and turn right and the clock is ticking! At this moment I am thinking I should probably give them a call and ask for the address which would've been very embarrassing! Imagine you're expecting someone for the interview and you have selected them out of tens of candidates and he's about to be interviewed for a very sophisticated position and all of a sudden the telephone rings and he's telling you that he's basically " lost " and can't find your address!  What would you do as a potential employer?! 

At this moment the only options left was either get out of the damn car and ask one of the local businesses, which I'm not very into, or simply don't show! I was about to leave when at the corner of my eyes saw the very same building that I had seen in the Maps! There it was! I pulled into their parking lot and let myself in. Right on time because while I was signing in, the guy showed and directed me to a big meeting room. 

There was an Oriental guy waiting for us there and the interview was officially started but I was the only one talking! The guy at times had a glimpse at my resume and would ask short questions or commented on. The other guy was just sitting like a dumbbell (and that's why you see a big dumbbell on the top!) and the only thing I noticed about him was either looking at his laptop and my resume or just making different facial expressions! By the way the expression " sitting like a dumbbell " is a quote from a 90's movie called Casino. If you haven't watched it yet, it's highly recommended.

It seemed to me that the younger guy was not very confident about the whole situation and the Oriental one, who had been doing everything that I'm supposed to do, since he's going to another location, lacks interest or I don't know how to interpret that. You're interviewing someone who's supposed to do what you've been doing and you don't even ask one technical question to see how confident they are in all the shit they have claimed in their resume??!!

That was basically the interview for nearly half an hour. They never said anything about when the selected person would start and they never even asked when I would be available! The only thing the guy asked me at the end was weather I would be willing to move to the town and of course my answer was yes. That was why I chose to attend the interview, you dolt! There was a mentioning of a test, its tool and its related certificate. I did a thorough search about that and learnt a lot. I even contacted The Mumbling Guy and he gave me a few good tips. Even that was not part of the interview! I assume once if I get the job, that would be an easy job considering I'd would have to deal with these geniuses but I haven't met the floor guys and that could change everything! 

(Photo: A dumbbell! Read the post, if you haven't and you'd realize why I've used that. I should've probably drown eyes, nose and lips but in today's world every simple joke could cost you!)