I've applied for at least seven (SEVEN) jobs for a collection of forward-thinking, innovative and future-proofed companies that will, apart from the Ontario Gaming Commission and the WWF (pandas, not spandex), remain nameless for fear of jinxing, hexing or otherwise knackering my already-slim chances. Still, it's been fairly satisfying to get up at the absolute crack of dawn (8.30am, sometimes 8.00am), put in a shift on the old joblessness front, and still have the rest of the day to a) go to the LCBO, 2) go for - and get lost on - a 10-minute jog, or D) settle in the basement for Serie A highlights.
Venturing bravely (i.e. without a winter coat) from the shelter of my new home, I've been right in the mixer. Dollarama? Been there, done that. By proxy. Future Shop? Of course, even if it is criminally misrepresenting itself. Mark's Work Clothing Warehouse? Well, only if he's happy to have me.
And though I'm yet to tick off most of my Canadian Eye-Spy checklist - maple syrup spillage, haphazardly organised street hockey game, moose riding another moose - I have seen more hot-rods than I've ever seen in my life (three) being taken out for what I am reliably informed is the last time before being temporarily mothballed for winter.
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| Not pictured: two additional hot-rods |
What else? Well, as I type I am enjoying a wee dram of Johnnie Walker Blue. "A $180 CAN bottle of whisky, and you don't even have a job?" I hear you scoff. True, I should be on the Spectre White, Pulse or White Lightning given my budget, but the Blue (snifter thereof, not the entire bottle) was a gift from the Man Of The House. Very grateful I am too, and more than happy to bite my tongue about dropping that kind of dollar (I can say that now) on a blended whisky. Besides, I'm fairly sure I've raised the same objection in the past. Neither of us can remember the specifics now, so we'll just let sleeping dogs lie, aye?
The reason for the Blue is not just because I'm great company, the first new Geordie in the Man Of The House's life for more than 30 years, or the fact that I've leveled the gender ratio 2:2 (two male; two female; inbetweenies not considered). Rather, it is the fact that we have together researched, acquired and set up two sets of desktop speakers - one each, obviously - and are now sat in separate rooms enjoying our wares. In fact, separate floors: the basement for me, the first floor for him, the ground floor as a buffer between the deafening tones of Metronomy (mine) and Gordon Lightfoot (his). For the Man Of The House: M-Audio AV40. For me: the cheaper but far more Dalek-esque Altec Lansing FX3022.
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| Can't think of a good Dr Who pun for this |
And so the day begins to draw to a satisfactory conclusion. At 3pm. On the agenda for tomorrow: Newcastle vs Everton at 8.45am, followed by most of the day at Toronto Zoo. Best... Saturday... ever? Potentially.
