Friday, April 29, 2005

These are the voyages...

Done work.

Leaving tomorrow.

Realized I had $175 in my unused account. I'm a rich unemployed soon to be homeless! Yay!

Two Banff Voyager Inn employees (excluding your devoted poster) ended up the boozing night in jail yesterday for disturbing peace. One by telling the "pigs to fuck off" and the other doesn't remember but his clothes were soiled with blood, so he might have killed somebody, hehehe. My hotel have a great reputation, and as you can see, it's well deserved. Cheapest rates, a staff that changes every week, and the craziest and loudest staff accomodation in Banff. Security is having a hard time with the house, what won't be accepted in other places really can be considered as a "quiet" night in ours.

Going to party soon, just decided to come write one last post before leaving. If I have to reflect upon my stay here, my behaviour and even my posts, I have to say it has been pretty paradoxal. Sometimes, I acted as a complete idiot and I was quite dumb. At other times, I was in complete understanding of others and myself and I was almost a wise man. But most of the time, I actually thought I understood, but I didn't, or I was judging others while doing exactly the same. Never said I wasn't still learning, but sometimes you think you're so over that, and you're just not. That's where I am. Still with me? Well, just wanted to say that I've been right and wrong in what I posted here over the month, in matter of my personnal opinion, but I stick to it because it's what it felt like to me. This is first and foremost a journal, I'm writing down whatever goes in my mind or in my life, to remember what I've been doing and thinking. It'll be great to read it again in a few years, and see how my perspective and experiences have changed since then.

So what's up tonight? Pub and club crawl, seeing as many people as possible, a few goodbyes and getting everything ready. Then, probably not sleeping, cleaning the last shit in my room, giving the keys, bedspread and uniform back to the hotel and getting all my stuff in a grocery cart to get to the bus station...Then, two whole days of bus comfort, including a quarter of that time in the great Ontarian forest! Bought plenty of books, so I should be good for the ride and for the treeplanting book club, counting two members for the moment. I thought I had more to write and whine about, but I can't think of anything fast enough to write it before my internet café account expires. Remind me that I have to increase the strenght of my imagination muscle, (Somebody with a good imagination can talk about everything...and nothing!) but also my brain-to-finger reflexes.

Banff, Alberta says goodbye, but not farewell to Tupperfan! (You should see the statue they'll erect on Cougar street, I just had a glance at the drawings, it'll be quite stunning!)

Wednesday, April 27, 2005

A tale of two strange nights

Quite strange indeed.

The first night, Monday, was ANZAC day, a dual Australia/New Zealand holiday. Went to a BBQ at Mez's new home and got quite drunk quite fast, but I strangely ended up not eating anything...

Then, we went to Hoodoos for a proper Anzac night, were I kept drinking. After a little session making out with Mez, I ended up on the dance floor dancing with two funny girls, I think their names were Jorjia ("With two jays!") and Steph (really not sure about that one...), they were in town for the night only, leaving at 4AM. I again ended up making out, this time with Jorjia while dancing. Dirty dancing. Mez came to tell me we were about to leave for another club, but then I kind of forot to leave and stayed at Hoodoos by myself, with the two funny girls of course!

We then decided to go back to my place, had to get rid of an Aussie mate harassing Steph on the way and they decided to stay longer and leave at 8AM...It was definetely looking good. We then arrived to the staff accom, where Corey, Divo and Fred just saw their dying party brought back to life by the new feminine blood getting into the house. It meant they invited themselves to my room for a gigantic smoking session. It was a lot of fun, I saw my previous life, through my pictures, judged by strangers and we laugh a lot...But it was not what I was expecting. It was apparently not what the girls were expecting either, they decided to take the 4AM bus, after smoking a lot, a lot of theirs, mine and my friends' pot. I got a nice kiss goodbye though. Farewell!

The second night was completely different, but also a lot of fun. While at the ANZAC day BBQ, I saw one of my front desk colleague, Susan. She has a 6 year-old son, Aaron, a really funny, intelligent boy. So, a result of being quite drunk, Thomas and me promised the kid we would go to his place the day after to help him build his Hot Wheels Slimecano race track. We kept our promise, I ended up building that really messy and cheap-looking thing that will probabbly get her mom pissed quite soon. I actually ended up building one of his Mega-Blok sets (I hate Mega-Blok, those LEGO rip-offs!) and putting his telescope together. I think her mom took advantage of Tom and me! But it was fun, the kid reminds me of my little sister that I miss so much. And we got a few beers for our painful efforts. (I am apparently a fucking beer-whore...)

As for Susan, I must admit I saw a totally new side of her. No, don't start to imagine your MILF scenarios, it's just that she's is a late 30's mom, you couldn't have a more normal-looking mom. But she showed us pictures of her early 20's, when she was a punk in London, England. Man, she was looking incredible, so different, so sexy, an incredible mohawk! Then, when she came back to Canada, she became a model and I have to say she was quite stunning! Talk about a surprise! A great night, but really not anything I was expecting from my little stay in Banff, hanging out with a 6 years-old and her mom, building race tracks and helicopters...

Tomorrow's my last day of work, I've been training people all week, so it was quite an easy week for me. I intend on tomorrow being as nice and relaxing. Then? Well, I'm partying non-stop until my depart on Saturday, 10:45AM. Will try to post before leaving Banff, or at least on my way to Sudbury...Because after then, my posting frequency will be reduced to once a week. Time to go enjoy the great weather and some street-hockey action! Go Habs Go!

Friday, April 22, 2005

When no title would do it

Arggggghhhhhh!!!! I just wrote a long post and I lost it before saving!

Fuck, I Wanted to say a lot, but repeating the same lot just doesn't feel the same way.

Let's give a try to a shorter version.

Had two days off yesterday and today, woke up a 4PM yesterday. The night before, we had a campfire on the shores of the Bow River, with an awesome view of Rendall mountain on one side and the Fairmount Banff Spring Hotel , illuminated, on the other. It was an incredible night, I think I didn't say more than 20 words, it was just great to shut up, listen and look at the natural beauty surrounding me.

After waking up yesterday, I was finally able to finish Terry Pratchett's The Last Hero, a book lended by Corey. I say finally because I have a hard time reading since I'm in Banff. I can't focus for a long time, there is too much to do, too many people around. Bah, there'll be plenty of time for reading good books while treeplanting in the exciting Northern Ontarian forest...The book is great though, really funny, exquisite artwork. Will have to get more of that author.

Went to the Aurora last night. Almost pressed my leg when a stupid pigfucker pulled me out of the soundbox where I was dancing because he wanted to see "the girls". The guy got kicked out, resulting in him not seeing any girls at all. I followed him outside to talk, told him he would have had a better night looking for the 30,000 girls in the place instead of wasting his time on a guy having a good time. I also told him that if I couldn't go plant next week due to the injury, I would track him down and he would owe me a few thousand bucks, or I'd break his leg. (I know, it's quite violent, I was drunk too, and probably cocky...Men are dumb!). The RCMP came, there was no more trouble, I got back inside, he couldn't, his friend came to me to apologize. A little later, I got a phone number (Had to leave my hat with the girl, she was afraid I wouldn't call...) and Gab and me got to smoke plenty of free weed offered by generous strangers on our way home. A hilarious and painful walk back home. This morning, my ankle was quite swollen and I could't walk on it, but it's better now, should be allright for planting. But it stopped me from going for a hike today...

"I want to see the girls, you don't have boobs and you're ugly!" Maybe, but there was more girls inside than out, and I got a number! Did you? Right...

I promised myself not to talk about that anymore, but I guess I need to. (Jee, time for you to stop reading...) Champs-Élysées sent me an email this week. She didn't get news of me for a while, and common friends were being updated. She wanted to know what was happening, and she wanted my blog address. I obliged in both case, then got a second email telling me she won't write for a while and will never read my blog again. She said it brought back a lot of memories she'd rather forget and it made her feel bad. It's strange, I really thought she was the one the most at ease with the whole breakup thing. She initiated it, she wanted it, she felt good about it, she said she didn't love me anymore, she rebounded quite fast...She was happy, relieved it was over. Don't tell me she was upset I met girls here? Come on! She's better than me on that level, I'm sure she has a lot more fun! I was just telling her I was feeling good, giving her news, no lies, and here's what she answered:

"I hardly think 2 months in Banff has cleared up your questions and feelings of longing, shit like that doesn't just vanish into thin air."

What's up with that? Is she upset I feel good? Would she prefer if I was still hooked and feeling miserable. Was she trying to tell me she was missing me? Even if "our" friend with a "Viking-Sounding-Name" is in her bed almost every night? (Did you imagine, once, for an instant, that you were with somebody else in that bed?) Even if she is feeling good with her life? Enjoy your life miss, let me do the same with mine, you know we're living the same things...differently.

Here's what I answered:

"Two months...Yes, only two months, it's not enough to forget or stop loving. But look around you, at your life, the big picture of it. Look at what you do, with whom you do it, the way you act, god, who knows, the way you look...Those two fucking months could easily have been two years for me! So much has changed! Everything! I'm almost certain for you! But I'm certain that almost nothing of my life is the same, my location, my home, my job, my friends, my habits, my look (I shaved the hair, but kept the beard... I like it) and the way I FEEL and THINK!

So I never said I'm done finding answers to my questions (If not, I have more every day!), I'm not done searching mor myself (But I do understand myself now, fuck! That's far too deep for people going away from each other!) but what I came here for was escaping...I was successful, and I feel good."


Don't know if I should have posted that... Anyway, she read it before, and she won't read that blog again. Didn't want to make you feel bad miss, sorry again. I have to say something though, she was succesful in making me think about her far too much this week. Pffff, longing...

So long for a shorter version. Next time, a happy post!

Wednesday, April 20, 2005

The Confederacy of Dunces

No shit! Yep. Shit. Only in Banff people in stores will wish you a happy 420! Talk about a city obsessed with pot! Even the hotel lobby and first floor were filled with a strong odour this morning. So, to whom it may concern, happy 420! I'm in Banff after all! (We smoked a HUGE one!).

But I actually want to whine. I'm sick of seeing English-speaking people getting upset when two French-speaking ones are talking in French to each other. It doesn't mean they talk in the Anglos back, it's just easier and it sounds less stupid than hearing our big thick accents. I completely understand that it is upsetting to not get what is being said. But it's simply natural, there is no laws against speaking another language than English. There is no inherent right to understand everything that is being said either! I don't understand everything, it's sad, I wish I did, but no...You want to understand another language? You want to understand French? Learn it.

I did the effort in English, now I understand what I just wrote!

Enough banter, today was my last day of work of the week, now I'm off for two days , I just got my paycheque and I have plans to hike Cascade mountain or Sulphur depending on the conditions...and the time I'll wake up at! Then, five days of work, another two days off and I'm going back East, in the bush! Useless to say that the last two days in Banff will be quite crazy. Fuck, time sure goes! And it feels like I've been here for so long at the same time!

Kirk, the captain of the hotel (Non-subtle Star Trek reference #74) will officially put me on leave, (or should I say, "shore leave"?...#75...it'll have to stop!) as said before, so I'll keep my hard-gained advantages and privileges and will take back the houseman job when I'll return around August. He was really nice and supportive about my decision, even if they are short-staffed, (they are kind of used to it...) a great boss.

I keep having great story ideas, for novels, movies, etc. Not stupid enough to write anything about it here, but I'm sure glad to always have my little booklet with me! A laptop is definetely on the wishlist for post-planting spendings. (The only item with a cheap car, the rest of the money will go to the bank...)

I bought a book today, guess which one? Email me your answer, I'll send a little something (a quality something...) to the first one with the right answer. Consider this my first blog contest!

What do I think about Benedict XVI? Too many sequels! After a few ones, it's all the same! Seriously, I'm disappointed by the choice made. Maybe he was elected to sastify the conservatives, knowing he probably won't be there too long and then, there will be room for a reformist Pope. But then, I was dead wrong with the conclaves lasting forever, the last 5 ones lasted less than a week! So I don't know shit anymore about the Catholic Church. What will I do?

Federal elections soon? Don't tell me I'll again be in the woods for a fun and interesting election? Have to find a way to vote somewhere.

Time to go...somewhere else!

Monday, April 18, 2005

___________________(write your own title)

I gave my two weeks notice this morning. Actually, the cool thing is, I won't have to quit, I'll be on unpaid leave. So if I come back in August, then I'll be able to get my security deposit back instead of losing it (If you work for them for less than 4 months, you lose your $150...stupid eh? Is it even legal?).I'll also keep my wonderful salary of $9 an hour gained after a month of seniority instead of coming back to $8, as well as the Houseman job back!!! Wow!!! Great!! Incredible!!!

But now, I'm not sure I'll come back, I have two other projects for post-planting: Earning money by working in the oilsand pits in Fort McMurray, in the north of Alberta. But forget about anything else than working there! Second plan: Travel the world and work in various jobs and countries. This approach would probably see me lose most of this summer's treeplanting money (I know I'll work my ass for it, so it kind of sucks a little)!

So, what is it? Fun or money? Short term or long term? See the World or open a Bar/Restaurant with my Friend-With-a-Viking-Sounding-Name with whom I kind of re-established partial contact...

Yesterday, I ditched my Kiwi friend Mez for the second time. She wasn't upset, she was smiling as usual and seems to trust me to be able to really go out Thursday night (I'm off so it should be okay...). But I was tired and sick yesterday, I figured out I'd take a nap before going out. The only problem is, I took my nap at 10:30PM!!! Knowing my bad habits of not waking up, mostly given the lateness of that "nap", I kept the lights on, but I still woke up at 3:30AM, lights still on but the alarm clock miraculously deactivated. I always do that: Stop my alarm clock without noticing, even when I put it at the opposite side of the room with the maximum amount of shit in between! It freaks me out, I always stress about being late or missing something...Well, I used too, it doesn't really happen here.

Two Québec girls applied today, I wonder if they'll get the job. Wendy, the boss seems to think they were mostly looking for a cheap place to stay...She is right, I talked to them, but still, they were nice and we need a little bit of oestrogen in the "back"...The staff accom looks like a sausage club right now, even the dog (shall I say hot-dog in a sausage club? Ouch, bad one!) is a male! Actually, the bosses want the dog out, his owner almost got expelled for this reason today, too many warnings! So, yeah, the girls are more than welcome, but they do look a little young...Love their style though!

One final thing, I kept giving the wrong phone number to a few friends. Here it is: 1(800)879-1991, ask for extension 786. I'm working from 9AM to 5:30PM eastern time...Don't call this Thursday and Friday, the Aussie replacing me would be confused (He always is).

Anything else? Not really. Would you take a Premium Visa Card with a 10% interest rate for the first 4 months? Yes, but only when it's blue outside!

Right...

Saturday, April 16, 2005

Cella frouchta chech balbino!

What the title means? Absolutely nothing, but it's part of a song written in a non-existent language by my friend Maxime. It was hilarious because we were four people in his room, english and french and we all thought we could understand some of it, at least while on pot, but no, it doesn't mean anything...

The same night, two nights ago, the other moment was when a really stoned houseman (me) tried to make his bed, laughing and mostly struggling hard, in his new personnal room in front of 6 housekeepers laughing their ass off...Yeah really funny! Cruel bastards, nobody helped.

So Pierre, Max, Gege (Genevieve), Benny and Marie are leaving tomorrow for "The Valley" in B.C. Have to send a few boxes back to Quebec for Benny on Monday because the Greyhound shipping offices were closed today when we went. Please someone remind me, I'm sure I'll forget and end up sending them 5 days later. I'll also have to look for the exact schedule to get to Sudbury, they gave me some info, but I forgot to ask about the transit hour in Sault.

We had a great party to celebrate the group leaving yesterday, we went in the woods and did a huge fire. There was 15 of us and it's thanks to me and Fred that everything happened. Some people being personna non-grata at the staff accom now, they couldn't come for the party inside. As for the people inside, they didn't really want to go to the Pump n'Tap, a local british pub. So we used our incredible people skills and power of persuasion and got everybody to an already prepared site for a campfire. Good thing the police or park warden didn't get us, don't really want to use my future treeplanting earnings to pay the $10,000 fine...Don't worry, we extinguished the fire and cleant everything thoroughly, we do respect nature, just not ourselves...It was really fun, we took a shitload of pictures and videos, a friend will email them and I'll post a few. On the personnal level, it was also great, a lot of people telling their appreciation of our friendship. I said it before, you make friends fast, most will vanish as fast, but I think a few will remain. There is people that can get you on the spot, you'll relate to them and it will be mutual. I like the way people see me here, they respect me and have a lot of confidence in me even though I've been here for only a month. Benny's request to ship his stuff and give me some money to pay for the shipping is an exemple among others. It doesn't mean it wasn't the case in Montreal, my friends there are incredible and they do trust and appreciate me, at least enough to read this shit, but my last months there warped my vision of things, I felt some people were not what used to be anymore.

Wanted to say something on the Pope edit I did a week or so ago, it's not unanimous, it's 2/3 of the Cardinals that must reach a consensus, it's still a lot of people to agree with and a long process...

Tonight, I'm going to the Pump with the exiled (Benny and Marie) and tomorrow morning, I'll give my two-weeks notice. Can't wait for treeplanting. Can't wait to leave. Don't want to leave. Soon, I'll probably don't want to treeplant...Frouchta!

Thursday, April 14, 2005

Sin City

Banff is Sin Town, I think you know that by now. But Sin City, the movie, is incredible, loved it (How do you call Sin City inhabitants, Sinners, I guess. Banff residents are called Banffites, isn't it ugly?)! Will have to buy the DVD and check those graphic novels out! Go see it, it's worth every penny!

As for the rest of my life, well, as promised, I went to climb Tunnel Mountain last Saturday, the smallest mountain around, the closest one too, and a beautiful place to get drunk with friends on shrooms. On our way back, a friend, Dev, and me ran down and it was quite fun despite the stupidity and danger involved in running down a mountain. Since then, we played a lot of street hockey and football, but there is far too many cars in the small streets of Banff, we were interrupted every minute! And they call the place a National Park!

Yesterday, I went to the Rose and Crown, a local pub after a friend told us that Jean Leloup, a great Quebec musician was playing guitar with friends for fun...It wasn't true, but the band was good and the bass player, a Quebecer, did look like Leloup. Most of the week was quiet on the party level, got drunk once this week, but so early that I passed out drunk and stoned in my bed by 8:30PM!

Tomorrow night, there is a huge party to honour people leaving on Saturday, and I'm off the day after. My Magic Eight Ball answered "Indeed" to the question "Will I have fun acting stupid and getting drunk tomorrow?" Okay, I lied. I don't have a Magic Eight Ball, and I don't think "Indeed" is actually one of the answers...Nevertheless, it'll be fun!

I'm moving in my new room tonight, a single room so I won't have a roommate anymore. Not that I had any for the last two weeks, since J-R was fired. Well, I actually had one, Dev, but he prefers to sleep in the back with a friend. So now, I'm moving to the back, it's a little ridiculous since I'm actually leaving Banff in a little more than two weeks and will give my notice in a few days, but I was getting a new roommate today anyway and two weeks in Banff can be a long time, so it'll be nice to have my own room!

Marie-Eve got fired this week after not showing for work for two days. She was about to leave with some other Quebecers for the Okanagan Valley on Saturday, but it resulted in her and Benoit, another guy fired two weeks ago, being kicked out of the staff accom. They were able to hide in the house for a few days but they were discovered and they went to Edmonton for a few days, waiting for the others to finish their week. They should be able to survive until then, Ben won $2,700 at lotto Super 7. But it sucks because I enjoyed Marie's company. Life goes on, mostly here, as said before, people are in and out of your life in a blink of an eye, but they were almost your best friends during that blink.

A shitload of people left since I arrived and they are replaced so fucking fast, three people were hired today, one yesterday. Half of them are Quebecers, no girls though, damn! But on that note, some housekeepers from the other staff accom on Banff avenue have to move to ours to make room for the new bellmen and frontdesk people, they are mostly girls so it'll change the mood a little and it might be interesting, well at least from my deranged point of view...Fuck I'm obsessed!

Already leaving soon for treeplanting, don't look forward to leave Banff but look forward to the planting, money, friends, parties and beer and pot under the tent. Want to see a really exhausted planter after his last day? Here it is:



I'll have to go see for my bus ticket soon, have to schedule it right in order to arrive in Sudbury before 12:30PM on May 2nd, but not too early either, don't want to get there in the middle of the night! I also have to meet up with a friend along the way, she's taking the bus in Sault Ste. Marie, so it will have to be well-planned. I'll also give my two-week notice on Saturday, will do it properly because I'm planning to come back here in August, after planting. Heard they greatly appreciate my work, so it shouldn't be too hard to get the job back at the end of the summer.

Enough boring babbling for now, will post on Saturday.

Saturday, April 09, 2005

The City on the Edge of Memory

So I was supposed to post the day after, nice try Tup! Basically what happened is that I was asked by job to go work that day because they were short, but when the morning arrived, I realized I really didn't want to, so I called sick on my day off to make sure I wouldn't work. Stayed in bed longer and couldn't go on the net because the Laptop owner was at work...

Anyway, today is my first of two consecutive days off that won't be interrupted by a request to work my ass off on a day off...It's also my first day off with money. Last two nights I went to the Aurora night club, in both cases I danced all night and had a blast, in contrary to most of the others clubgoers that only think about looking everywhere and try to get laid. The second night, last night, it was a lingerie party and (I already see the grins on the faces of the people used to my stupid exhibitionist party behaviour, you're right, it happened), I ended up wearing nothing but my boxers and doc's boots...It was a shitload of fun and you're sweating far less, mostly in a place where you can't smoke and bodyodours are soon to surface...

As for how I feel, I would say really good, my present life completely took over my previous life, I don't feel I can relate to a lot of what I was living just 4 months ago. My past is becoming memories, nothing more than a sidenote on what makes me what I am, but the past is not my present and continual source of concern anymore and haven't been for a while. Fucking good thing! But I'm glad I somewhat kept in contact with people that matters and it's not because your life changes that you have to deny your friends, well at least the ones that really are! Talking of that, I made peace with an ex-ex-girlfriend. We had a frank talk on MSN and we were able to finally figure out some shit left unattended for too long. I was glad to do that, it felt good and I'm happy we are friends again. We have been friends first for almost 10 years now, but we almost didn't talk in the last 3 years due to a fairly complicated situation. As Charlotte wrote on her blog days ago, there will always be a part of you that will still love an old flame, if it was important enough. Some people are too important to leave behind, they'll always keep a big place in your heart, even when you thought you forgot them.

I promised myself this post wouldn't be too long because it's already late, people are soon to be back from work and I'm going to hike a small mountain with friends. So the plan is, I'll try again to post tomorrow but no promises. Until then, party hard and safe, you know I am!!!

Saturday, April 02, 2005

O brother, where are thou?

Just wanted to know if the following sibling is around, didn't get news from him in a while:



He is, of course, the one doing the pretty face with the hat, the girl to the left is his great girlfriend, Marie-France and wonderful little sister Andree-Anne sits (and smiles) in between. Hey, whacha do bro? Cegep students are still on strike? Give me news!

As for me, since nobody really cares about brother when there is me, well I just can say that I hate blogging every 5 days or so when so much is happening.

Today is my first of two consecutive days off. Tomorrow, Sunday, I'll try to hike one of the mountains around town, probably a small one to get reaquainted with hiking. I can't wait for my paycheck on Tuesday, I'm sick of eating the same shit and doing mostly nothing...there isn't a lot of free stuff in Banff!!! In the small list of free stuff you can do, a few friends and I went to our hotel's pool and spa last night. The pool is outside, heated, with an incredible view of the mountains and it was so relaxing that I ended up passing out on the back's appartment couch (we had plans to sneak into a neighbour's party later). So I woke up at midnight and quickly went to my bed in the front. It was good to get a long restful sleep (woke up at 1PM this afternoon) by myself.

In the last week, I pretty much slept most of the nights in a friend's bed, and she became a fixture in mine. Without a doubt due to the fact that we work and live together, and contrary to others, Marie-Eve became more than a "one-night stand" and grew up to be a good friend with whom you can share more than "physicality". Of course, it looks like everything is temporary in Banff, I'm leaving soon for planting and she'll go pick cherries in the Okanagan Valley in B.C. with most of the other Quebecers and I wouldn't change my plans for anything or anybody, but I would like to keep contact. There is other people I hope I'll keep contact with, but between promises, good intentions and reality, there is always a big gap, so we'll wait and see.

There was some shit in the last days with the Quebecers clique (I sincerly hate the "ghetto-ization" of the place, but I have to admit I grew closer to the Quebecers because they have interests - and party habits - closer to mine). One of the guys, Ben, was fired after many warnings and no efforts to improve. It pissed the others because they have plans to leave together, as said earlier, to go pick cherries, and they are not ready to go. So it became a big thing, people feeling stressed, under pressure and forced to do stuff they don't want to do, usually what they wanted to flee from when they came to Banff. They finally ended up finding a compromise, they'll leave in two weeks instead of a month and a half, Ben will find a new job somewhere in the meantime and they'll hide him somewhere in the staff accomodation (you are usually kicked out, 24 hours after being fired)...

It means we'll have a gigantic shortage of housekeepers at work, we are already short and I had to go help them a few times this week after doing my regular work. The shitty part is, I hate housekeeping! Most of the housekeepers hate my job, but theirs is so much worse in my opinion. The cool thing is, I ended up working 117 hours in the last payroll! After 88 hours, you're overtime, and therefore being paid time and a half so it'll give me a really nice pay Tuesday! Until then though, I have to do my laundry in the bathtub and dry my clothes in my room...And my diet consists moslty of quesadillas, tomato-sauce spaghetti and cheap burgers at work (when I find enough change around the video lottery terminals). Tuesday night= Grocery time! And liquor-store time of course!

It also means I'll lose most of the people I'm close too soon, but it doesn't really matter, if we keep contact, cool! If not, well, too bad! My roommate, J-R, was also fired a week ago, he was a good friend here, saw him twice since he left and we had fun, but things change so quickly here! Friendships are of the fast-food kind; you're getting close fast and easily, but you can lose contact as fast. I'm just happy I have my own projects and nobody dictates my plans and itinaries. Never been so free and autonomous in my life! I don't have real plans of what I'll do in the next years, just good ideas and a pretty clear image of where I'll be in two years. I realized that I spent the first 25 years of my life dreaming, now it's time to realize those dreams and do things!

I'll probably be able to post tomorrow, since I'm off again and I already have a great title for it (I love titles, that and the Cape Verde flag are my two all-time favourites things, at least for today)! Time to go, I have dreams to catch!

EDIT: The pope is dead! Next! (It'll probaly take 2-3 years before the Cardinals can reach an unanimous decision, time for the Church to rethink itself!)