And then

So whatever, last week happened. Eventful, uneventful, call it what you will, I’ve mostly blocked it out

Then the weekend. A small weekend to brighten my life in the days of gloom. Don’t get me wrong, every weekend has been great. I have been home for most of them, and I was kind of gald to be home,. Away from Calgary. Far away from work, that has not been so good.

I’m happy with everything except for work. I have 2 lives. Monday – Friday. 730 – 4 is my not sohappy times, anything after or before is very happy times.
But that’s a whole different story

This one is of Vancouver. Home of the 2010 olympics, which, now that I have mentioned it I did not see any signage what-so-ever. You think they would have had something up by now.

Anyways
Friday
Work – bah – hated it
After work. Got rejected for a free dinner from a cool place. Boo. Some other secret shopper got it. Yay for them, boo for me, but I got to leave for Edmonton sooner.
So drove to Edmonton. E was a good drive surprisingly, usually it is boring and long and I am sick of seeing the same cows over and over again. This time, it went ok. Kind of fast.
Friday night I spent with Shell. Dinner, chatting, pictures, Google, bed.

Saturday – am
Airport – round one.
Made it on time, Tim’s for breakfast, window seats, leisurely strolls to the gates. Great. Arrived in Vancouver, got a rental car, found the hotel checked in

Hotel – bit weird. Weird Scottish pictures on the wall, felt like I was in some old history movie and that there was going to be a sword fight pop up in front of me as all of the women and children scattered for the castle “ Close the gates!” “Save the children” I could hear them yelling. The room was nice, basic, 2 beds. Remote for the TV didn’t work. Folded toilet paper sitting neatly on the roll. Temperature of the room – [-3] brr.
So we cranked the heat and went off to see our show.

Car – cute little red cobalt. Moonlighting as an off-road vehicle and Shell proceeded to drive us through a bus stop and off of the side walk to get on to the road. Ain’t no skin off of our backs. Not our car, not our city, not our bus stop.

Science centre. – there were some cool puzzles. And millions of people. We waited for a while [ until 11 ] to see the Body Worlds 3 show, but after we got in we spent the next few hours wandering through mazes of dead people. It was great. My body is totally being donated. I want to be plastic.

Après le show.
We decided to go to Robson street to do some wandering through shops. We didn’t know that robson street was actually Planet Starbucks. There is a starbucks on almost every corner. Including ones on the same intersection.

IE one on one side of the street and one directly across the street diagonally. Crazy
So we went into a few stores. And got assaulted by the sales people. Its like they were working for commission, only, and that there was some prize for being the most pushy.

How did you like the sweater?
No
WHY NOT!!!
Um I just didn’t
DID YOU TRY A DIFFERENT COLOR?
Yes
YOU DIDN’T LIKE IT? WHY NOT?

Holy crap, chill out

American Eagle.

Jeans in hand. I find a sales person.

Where are the change rooms?
Oh they are over by the $14.95 sweaters.

I stand there, amazed that I was given directions according to a sales pitch.

I wanted to yell

WHERE THE HELL ARE THE $14.95 SWEATERS! ALL I WANT TO KNOW IS WHERE THE DAMN CHANGE ROOMS ARE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD.

So I find the $14.95 sweaters, and I find the change rooms. I try on jeans including the styles, ARTIST, HIPSTER. I do not try on BOYFIT because I have a pair at home and they make me look fat.

I come out of the room with no jeans I like.

Did you like the jeans?
No they didn’t fit right, thanks though
Well did you try the hipsters?
Yes I did thanks,
Well did you try the artist?
Yes I did…….. THANKS
Did you try the boyfit?
I have some at home. THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I finally made it out of the store.
There is a line between being helpful, and being down right pushy. Vancouver. = pushy

So as we left every store completely disappointed with the selection or whatever., we decided to go get a warm drink. Hmm, lets evaluate our options.
On one side of the street we had Starbucks, and on the next corner, Starbucks, so we though we would try the other side of the street. We found a cool place to go, and so went in a stood in line.

Hi welcome to Starbucks, what can I get for you.
I’ll have a Grande caramel macchiato with skim milk no foam, no make that soy and would like a shit of vanilla and if you could make sure its really hot and don’t put any of that caramel sauce i would like the pump kind and if you could put it in a venti cup because I like to add my own stuff to it and I would like one of those cardboard thingies because the cup is so hot and sure. Throw in some of those $14.95 biscotti.

Thanks

I actually only got a caramel apple cider. But I think I would do well being a regular – pain in the ass.


to be continued.........