VISTA MUST DIE

So the computer rocks, it is with out question the smokingest best thing evah (Spelling intentional). But I was not too sure about the operating system Vista. I haven't played with the computer at length and I have not taxed its chippy little brain too much so I don't really know what it can do.

I called my Uber-geek friend Pete to ask his opinion on Vista. As it just so happens Pete had just bought himself a brand new shiny computer loaded up with Vista. He gave Vista a test drive and his comment was, "It took my Porsche of a computer and applied the hand-brake to it."

Yikes. That would be a definite thumbs down from Uber-geek Pete.

Because I don't have the "office" or "premium" version of Vista Micro Soft wont give me a free "down grade".

I bemoaned this fact to Pete who told me that he would set me up with XP... and Photo shop.

Have I mentioned lately that I love my friends?

Happy Birthday To Me!

Christmas morning was spent giving the Haggis his Pressies and getting my Birthday Present-(as opposed to my Christmas laptop) -Very cool (black to match my laptop) Sony I-pod type thingy.

Yay for consumer-y goodness!

However I did insist that the haggis had spent way to much money and convinced him that we should cancel our Niagara on the Lake new years plans and stay in the city.

Perhaps we will go to St Lawrence Market and buy ourselves a New Years lobster.

I went to work from 9:30 till 2:00. The store was remarkably busy and we were hopping most of the time that I was there. Unhappy co-worker was a bit of a bummer to be around but that was quickly remedied by the arrival of the Haggis to take me to his sisters place for dinner.

My parents, my Sister-in-law,her boyfriend and the Haggis and I had a wonderful stress free dinner. It struck me during this dinner how well we all get along and how unlike other families we are around the holidays. (It seems every one I have spoken too about the holidays was dreading there family get together because of some drama that would no doubt unfold during Christmas dinner).

No drama for me and all of my insane family members are not invited to Christmas dinner.

Yay!

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night..

Christmas is an odd time of year, and not just because its my birthday.

Its the time of the year when some of the best, and some of the worst comes out in people. Where the spirit of giving and charity come out, where we think of those who are less fortunate than ourselves, were we gather together with our friends, coworkers, and our loved ones and occasionally our (not so) loved ones. Christmas is a time of the year when we should reflect on what we are thankful for. In the midst of all the peace on earth and good will towards all men it is (sadly) also a time of the year when some assholes come crawling out of the woodwork.

Any one who has ever worked in retail understands exactly what I mean.

This year I volunteered to work though the holidays, and for the most part my customers were happy, appreciative of my efforts, and lovely to deal with.

There were some odd exceptions.

There was a gentleman this afternoon who was in a bit of a mood. He was snapping about something or other, and my response was to be as cheerful as I possibly could and I told him to have a wonderful Christmas. He stopped, came back to the counter and asked me pointedly "Did you say to have a Merry Christmas?"

"Er... yeah."

He went on to say that he was sure that it was company policy that we could not say "Merry Christmas" and that at every other Starbucks he had been too he had been told to have a "Happy Holliday" and the "political correctness" of it pissed him off. He always made a point of saying "Merry Christmas" back at someone’s "happy holidays". He was quite pleased by my "Merry Christmas".

I thought it was a really silly thing to get your shorts in a knot over.

I plastered a big smile on my face and nodded and smiled.

Later that evening we had a charming young lady who demanded to know why were closing so early. I tentatively said,
"Er... because it's Christmas Eve?"

She muttered something I wont repeat here.

My co-worker had many words for this young lady after she left the store. Some to do with her questionable parentage, her attitude, and the fact that she clearly had no concept that we had lives and families to get too.

I told my co-worker that this was not worth getting upset over. I was particularly surprised, as to my knowledge my coworker had no family in Toronto and is currently between relationships.

Earlier this week I have experienced some of the more "Peace on Earth" kind of Christmas cheer. On Friday night, the Haggis and I went to a friend’s house. There were vast amounts of food, reminiscing, and many hugs all round. All of the gifts that were exchanged that night were hand made.

And while I was impressed with my un-commercial non-consumer Christmas the next day I was treated to a delightful great dollop of consumer-y goodness. On Saturday I was surprised by Santa arriving quite early and providing me with something I had been wanting for school quite some time. A number of my friends, and the Haggis got together to get me a really nice, really smoking laptop.

Dear God, I was quite shocked. It is a lovely toy that I must explore at length soon, but so much lovelier are the wonderful friends who plotted together to make this happen. Time, effort and many emails were no doubt sacrificed in this effort and I am so thankful for that effort.

Oh my.

I feel sorry for that young woman who needed a coffee shop to be open later than 6pm of Christmas Eve. Perhaps she had not family or friends to go home too.

I'm glad I do.

Global warming? HA!

Last night and all day yesterday we got a royal dumping of snow.

I managed to make it to work with out too much trouble and me and my co worker watched in rapt horror as the city ground to a halt around us. I got off work at 11:45 and headed home. I had no idea what a long haul I was in for.

I waited at the streetcar stop at Dundas and Spadina for a good 20 min. In the distance (through the shifting sheets of snow) I could see a streetcar at King Street. It never moved. (for all I know it might still be there) I watched, bemused as cars got stuck in the middle if this major intersection and a cop car making a "u" turn nearly spun out. Finally I gave up on the concept of the street car and hiked up to College. I decided that my best course of action would be to take a taxi. -And I NEVER take taxi's, but clearly the streetcars were not going to get me where I was going. I waited and College and Spadina for the longest time, realizing that not only were the streetcars not running here but that every Taxi that passed my by already had passengers.

I stood on that corner with a growing feeling of unease that was rapidly beginning to spiral into a flat out panic. It took me a moment to realize what it was that had me so freaked out.

It was the silence.

I have never stood on that corner, even at 2 in the morning and had my ears ringing with the snow muffled silence that I was experiencing at 12 noon on this Christmas shopping Sunday.

After shaking off my self inflicted heebe-geebes I decided to keep walking and head up to Bloor. I was half expecting to find the subways stalled but finally I found a functioning form of transportation. When I finally got to my street I found my neighbors digging themselves and each other out. I passed by some young men digging out the little old lady down the road form me who had a mild heart attack this fall. One neighbor with a snow blower Had cleared a path from around the closed corner store.

What normally was a 45 minute journey had taken me two hours.

Have you dug out yet?

Plague Monkey

Someone came to school last week with Bronchitis. By Thursday two more people had an awful cold. I started getting sick on Friday and I have heard over the grape vine that four more of us are sick.

Thats half the class now.

I feel like someone has filled my lungs with shards of glass and poured concrete in to my head.

Charming.

To top this entertainment off I have 4 quizzes next week and a final exam.

Oh joy!