The Ramblings of a Random Freak

So it’s Monday

That statement kind of loses all meaning without a job – no beginning or end to a work week means there really aren’t any days that stand out.  As far as the job search goes, I have two small, albeit daunting, handicaps. Worst of the two is having no voice – any job that requires verbal communication becomes impossible to lock down… and any job that requires a strong voice to answer phones as well. Being as the voice thing is temporary, that will eventually pass, but for the next few months it’ll be an issue. The second thing is being unilingual – I only read and write English (and sort of speak… whisper really) – granted I do so at a very high level, but a lot of the jobs I find that I am qualified for, and could do with no issues? They require a second language… Korean, Hindi, Farsi… not even French, which, while I don’t understand, I have enough understanding to properly format the text.

Of course, that’s for Graphic Design positions.

In IT, people generally want paper – I have extensive experience, and I can do the job at or beyond the required level, but not having an MSCE or A+ or similar paper certification often gets in the way… also a lot of the positions require verbal communication for consulting, which I’m not currently able to do very well.

These are the things I think of on a Monday morning, while I sip my slurpee, and wonder what the week will bring.(for anyone wondering, the slurpee is a mix of Coke and Pink Lemonade – rather delicious)

This morning we drove our beloved Pug Karma to the vet, because she was having a rather awful allergic reaction to something – she’s covered in little bumps, and obviously in a lot of discomfort… poor little thing. At least you can explain to a person what hives are, and what not to do to avoid making it worse, but how do you explain that to a pup? You really can’t – so she’s itchy and annoyed and just all around having a bad time – also not eating, and can’t sleep. The vet kept her for the day so they can medicate and see if treatment helps her out.

In other news, I have nothing else to add really – hope everyone in the world is doing well… wish me luck!

So I took my blog down for a few days, as I wanted to make sure there was no content that could add ammunition to my current employment situation.

Last week on Tuesday I was fired. I won’t give details here, and it had nothing to do with my blog… but better safe than sorry.

What I can tell you is it was an unjustified termination, and I’m fighting for what’s due to me – being severance pay, and a termination paper that says I was released without just cause, so I can receive the benefits that I am rightly entitled to claim (EI benefits)

I don’t miss working nights at all – but I do miss knowing that I have a solid income coming in.

I’ll update this once everything is concluded – in the meantime, I fully intend to spend some time at the beach, while I do have a little spare time for once

yup,

I found some alcohol I can drink without getting sick.

Picked up 0-0 and Cherry, and headed down to the Cambie for some social (which sucks with only one vocal chord, I can really only be heard in places with very low ambient noise)… decided to try drinking a Strongbow… now, my last few encounters with alcoholic beverages have all gone terribly wrong – I end up feeling like I got hit by a bus without drinking a whole lot – 1 or 2 ounces, or one or two beers, or whatever.

Strongbow has been one of my favorites for ages, but after my other favorites (Rye, Applekorn, Scotch, Vodka and so on) all made me violently ill for no apparent reason, I’d hesitated to drink Strongbow again – if that betrayed me as well, I’d be forced to concede complete defeat sadly

Well friends, it did not betray me.

So I got to see a wicked band (Stampede Queen), hang with a great friend, and enjoy a couple frosty beverages. All is right with the world!

Sitting in GM Place (Rogers Arena… In the Telus section… Heh.) waiting for Maynard and company to take the stage. Opening act is a band called Rajas – not terrible, but they’d be better sans vocals. Sounds like good music with Peter Buck drunk on ether singing.

I suspect a strategy – if the opening band is awful, the headliner sounds even better, right?

A few songs in, they’re definitely helping make Tool sound better, that’s for sure… Nothing more depraved than a vocalist on an ether binge!

And then come Tool… after the first song (Third Eye) Maynard chimed in… “Turns out, everything’s going to be okay”

You never see Maynard except as a shadow in the constantly moving backdrop of shifting colours and images, but even without his person showing, he was pervasive – in the head of everyone in the arena. The music and the video flowed together while the atmosphere in the arena grew more euphoric with every passing moment.

And then Maynard spoke again… “See, told you everything would be okay”

he only spoke once more after that, to ask the crowd…

“Did you ever hear the one about Michael Jackson and the barber shop?”

and Ænema played… and then they left.

And the crowd was pleased.

Thanks Maynard, thanks Tool… great night in the city!

Wow.

It’s the 4th of July – just had an excellent brunch with Peter, now to prepare for a night at the office – since I last updated I’ve been rather busy – I saw a band (Iron Maiden), I drove back to Vancouver, I turned 38, I’ve worked 4 days after my awesome 10 days off work… I met a wickedly cool speed skater lady (who was exceptionally awesome)

None of that is in order

I also got me a bedroom and a guaranteed underground parking spot too

I also got my voice problem (I lost it) properly diagnosed – now they’re looking for cause, and to check and see if it’s healing properly. I’ve had no voice since March 22nd, 2010, and it’s expected to take 8-10 months to heal… best case scenario, end of December I’ll have a voice again. Have to go later this month and get a CT Scan, because the problem is I blew a nerve, and the right vocal chord is paralyzed.

Now, I work tonight, have two days off (normal) work 2 days, and then off for a week… going to see Tool play on Friday night – they’re incredible live, and I’m utterly thrilled to be going… good way to start the week off work thing.

and that, in a nutshell, is the synopsis of my time since last I wrote.

Is it really July 2010? The last time I looked at the calendar, it was still April of 2008… how time flies

So many great cups of tea to be had… Been in Calgary for a couple days, and decided to sit and enjoy some tea for a few hours – good way to spend a day for sure, delicious and healthy too

Sit back, enjoy some tea… Don’t even ask me about tires…

So the last few days have been overly interesting.

I went online and discovered that in 2005 the province of Alberta opened all adoption records, so I sent in an application to find out who my birth mother is. The main reason I say mother, rather than parents, is the information we did have told us that my father was “unknown”.

After I got the application downloaded, I was feeling productive so I posted the relevant facts on an adoption registry.

Enter the e-mail I got a few days later…

A gentleman who might be my father sent me an e-mail.

No idea where it’s going from here, but depending on what the government sends me, I may have some answers soon.

Needless to say I’m excited

It’s really, really easy, living in a supermarket world, to ignore the realities that allow us to buy things in such bulk, so easily.

When the only place you’ve seen a steak is Safeway, or Costco, or where it is you shop, it’s really, really hard to picture that steak as a part of a large, healthy animal.

Here’s the thing – we’re not going to convince the world that eating meat is wrong. Not now, and maybe not ever – but if you can simply get the image of where that meat comes from into the collective consciousness of the world?

A lot more people are going to care that what they buy is treated properly.

Animals should be treated as well as pets – as in, they should be allowed the same kindnesses we’d expect that people would give a dog or cat, or horse. They should have ample space to graze, to play, to socialize. They should be fed foods that are good for them. They should have exercise and stimulation.

When a dairy cow has a calf, she should be allowed to feed it until it’s weaned, and then she can go and work providing milk to the machines – as her job. When she’s finished for the day, she should be returned to the fields and allowed time with her calf.

Maybe more people should live a life without the use of animal products, but there’s a smaller step people can take – a start down a path that’s more green, and more healthy, and more environmentally friendly.

The best way to start down that path is to think local – and to be aware of where your food comes from… even familiar – go to the farm, hug a cow, and thank them for providing for you. (be sure to go with the knowledge of the person who runs the farm/ranch)… Some people will see these animals and realize that maybe, just maybe, eating them is not what they want to do anymore. Some people will see these animals, and feel better knowing that what they eat was treated properly in life. And some people are just idiots who won’t care at all.

As long as you’re not the last person, you’re on your way to being more green, and helping to make the world a better place, for all creatures. We all own this planet – not just the humans, the cows, the chickens, the wolves… every creature on this earth has just as much right to a good life as you do. Let’s show them some respect.