So yesterday (boxing day) Rhonda stops by my house at 1:30 in the afternoon and we...drive to Calgary to do some serious shopping. It's good times. Right now we're at the holiday INN Express in the heart of downtown Calgary. Prices for goods are crazy good here. NO PST. Liquor costs are astronomically cheaper here not to mention selection.
Item Alberta Sask
Oban Scotch $69.25 $85.37
Prem Oban $82.39 Not Available
12 Moosehead $19.99 N/A
6 Moosehead $10.49 $15.75
Grey Goose $33.56 $50.53
Not to mention the fine selections of Texas and half mickey's (tiny mickeys 200ml)
A texas Micky of Grey Goose, Grand marnier, meh whatever your taste you'll find it here!
If you're into Ganja, you have bicycle couriers everywhere who are fairly open about their goods. Not that I picked any up.
Anyways I had a good xmas, got some things I needed some I didn't, Kicked ass in my families annual Axis and Allies, and risk games, and I placed 3/5 at poker.
This blog was made possible by my gf's laptop and the highspeed internet offered by this fine hotel.
Peace.
Tuesday, December 27, 2005
Thursday, December 22, 2005
The Importance of Maintaing a vehicle
I just finished dropping $500 at Mr. Lube today because everying needed to be done to my car.
I just stopped in for an oil change but discovered my coolant was no good, I needed an air filter, PCV valve. It was idling rough too so they gave it a fuel system treatment. The only thing left that they could do for me was Change my gear oil (manual transmission) so I figured might as well go for broke and Git 'er done.
The changes are noticable.
Smoother shifting
Nicer idle
Power up the wazoo!
Fuel economy increase
In some previous posts I said my car uses about 7.6L/100km or 34 MPG. Fuel consumption has decreased to 6.5L/100km or 40 MPG. Not too shabby.
The oil I put in is fully synthetic Mobil 1. It is truly the best.
I just stopped in for an oil change but discovered my coolant was no good, I needed an air filter, PCV valve. It was idling rough too so they gave it a fuel system treatment. The only thing left that they could do for me was Change my gear oil (manual transmission) so I figured might as well go for broke and Git 'er done.
The changes are noticable.
Smoother shifting
Nicer idle
Power up the wazoo!
Fuel economy increase
In some previous posts I said my car uses about 7.6L/100km or 34 MPG. Fuel consumption has decreased to 6.5L/100km or 40 MPG. Not too shabby.
The oil I put in is fully synthetic Mobil 1. It is truly the best.
Are Xmas parties going south!
Tis the season to talk about staff xmas parties. We all have them (those of us that work a steady job). The Staff Christmas party is supposed to be a time for the management/owners of businesses to show appreciation for their employees. Well I tell you I've never felt more under-appreciated by an employer than at my xmas party last sunday.
First of all, staff had about 6 days heads up.
During the first 4 of those days...we weren't allowed to bring guests.
We were given 3 free drinks/person
Deep fried appetizers (which of course I can't eat), 5 large pizzas and fruit were provided for supper.
The "party" started at 6:00pm I arrived a little late but missed nothing.
There was NO entertainment other than we could choose the radio station to listen to, and there was free pool (which is free all the time anyways).
No gift exchange
The only people I really talked to were Pilot the breakfast cook (who broke up with his gf that day), Katie (the cool lesbian girl from front desk) and Rhonda (my gf). We played a thrilling game of Ker-plunk and I learned how to play 3-hand Cribbage. Around 9:00ish I was off to the bar to get Rhonda a drink when I found out that "Last Call" had already been called. Now I know that as a bartender....you can't just say you've given last call without going to everycustomer (whether they are drinking/loitering) and telling them it's last call. The owner turned red and said "take one quick beer". I still had about 3 drink tickets left which I wasn't going to have the chance to spend (this night anyways ha ha ha).
So there ends the party we drank up and were all kicked out by 9:30PM
I still thanked the owner. I'm sure if he had planned the event would have drank with us all night.
I worked out the costs involved
Pizza = $100
Drinks for about 20 people = $105
Apps = $50 (tops)
Total = $255
Respect left for management = NONE
First of all, staff had about 6 days heads up.
During the first 4 of those days...we weren't allowed to bring guests.
We were given 3 free drinks/person
Deep fried appetizers (which of course I can't eat), 5 large pizzas and fruit were provided for supper.
The "party" started at 6:00pm I arrived a little late but missed nothing.
There was NO entertainment other than we could choose the radio station to listen to, and there was free pool (which is free all the time anyways).
No gift exchange
The only people I really talked to were Pilot the breakfast cook (who broke up with his gf that day), Katie (the cool lesbian girl from front desk) and Rhonda (my gf). We played a thrilling game of Ker-plunk and I learned how to play 3-hand Cribbage. Around 9:00ish I was off to the bar to get Rhonda a drink when I found out that "Last Call" had already been called. Now I know that as a bartender....you can't just say you've given last call without going to everycustomer (whether they are drinking/loitering) and telling them it's last call. The owner turned red and said "take one quick beer". I still had about 3 drink tickets left which I wasn't going to have the chance to spend (this night anyways ha ha ha).
So there ends the party we drank up and were all kicked out by 9:30PM
I still thanked the owner. I'm sure if he had planned the event would have drank with us all night.
I worked out the costs involved
Pizza = $100
Drinks for about 20 people = $105
Apps = $50 (tops)
Total = $255
Respect left for management = NONE
Sunday, December 18, 2005
Teachers are the worst
An interesting night of work I had this evening. We had a reservation for all the comp school teachers. All I could think was "wow I can't wait till I'm a teacher so I can be a cheap prick". Teachers are the worst. One teacher (Mrs. Cameron) was spouting off about how the Martini mixes were "all wrong...That's not how you make a classic martini." Oh really asshole and which bartender school did you graduate from? I don't go to your classroom and tell you how to teach (although I'm sure I could). I went to university for 2 years surrounded by the same people and wow...some of the most annoying people I've ever met. They're know-it-alls. Does that mean I'm becomming the thing I hate? I'm not sure. Anyways slap me if I turn that way.
After the kitchen closed at 11pm I decided it was time to smoke a bowl. I don't usually do this at work but tonight I felt it was necessary. I built a classic make-shift pipe out of a pop bottle and aluminum foil. I only took one hoot because of time constraints but it was enough. It made the last few hours of work go by much faster!
Around midnightish the Pilot showed up with a bunch of movies in his arms (the movie factory had just shut down for the evening). He bellied-up to the bar and within 2 hours was pretty fucking messed. I left him to finish his beer while I did my cash-up. When I returned there was no Pilot and his untouched drink. I figured he was in the can and went about my buisness finishing up some other work. About 15 mins later still no Pilot. I went in search of my friend and behold there he was on the floor of the bathroom hugging the john. Oh I felt bad for him. How many of us have been in this position before?
Lets just take a little time out to discuss some of the points of drinking to get drunk. (these are observations made over the course of my bartending career and are not based soley on Pilot's experience).
1. always eat something before you drink! I can't stress this enough. Don't overdo it to the point of bursting either because that's just as bad as not eating. Just have a sandwhich or something bready.
2. Pace yourself. Never do more than one shooter/hour because they are usually 1oz pure alcohol slammed back in .5 seconds.
3. Some people shouldn't mix their booze. Some people can enjoy a variety of liquers, hi-balls, beers, coolers in a night. But some people shouldn't.
4. Plan a safe ride home. (maybe this should be number 1). It gets FUCKING COLD outside in winter and you need to be prepared to walk it or have a cab/sober driver lined up.
Interesting side note: In Swift Current, when you order a cab, you can order a driver to take your car home as well.
Anyways, long story short it took Pilot an hour to get mobile (with the help of a bucket) to get him out to my car and on our way home. But It didn't bother me at all no worries!
In my next installment I'll discuss ways to avoid hang-overs most likely because it's my staff party tomorrow.
Peace Y'all
After the kitchen closed at 11pm I decided it was time to smoke a bowl. I don't usually do this at work but tonight I felt it was necessary. I built a classic make-shift pipe out of a pop bottle and aluminum foil. I only took one hoot because of time constraints but it was enough. It made the last few hours of work go by much faster!
Around midnightish the Pilot showed up with a bunch of movies in his arms (the movie factory had just shut down for the evening). He bellied-up to the bar and within 2 hours was pretty fucking messed. I left him to finish his beer while I did my cash-up. When I returned there was no Pilot and his untouched drink. I figured he was in the can and went about my buisness finishing up some other work. About 15 mins later still no Pilot. I went in search of my friend and behold there he was on the floor of the bathroom hugging the john. Oh I felt bad for him. How many of us have been in this position before?
Lets just take a little time out to discuss some of the points of drinking to get drunk. (these are observations made over the course of my bartending career and are not based soley on Pilot's experience).
1. always eat something before you drink! I can't stress this enough. Don't overdo it to the point of bursting either because that's just as bad as not eating. Just have a sandwhich or something bready.
2. Pace yourself. Never do more than one shooter/hour because they are usually 1oz pure alcohol slammed back in .5 seconds.
3. Some people shouldn't mix their booze. Some people can enjoy a variety of liquers, hi-balls, beers, coolers in a night. But some people shouldn't.
4. Plan a safe ride home. (maybe this should be number 1). It gets FUCKING COLD outside in winter and you need to be prepared to walk it or have a cab/sober driver lined up.
Interesting side note: In Swift Current, when you order a cab, you can order a driver to take your car home as well.
Anyways, long story short it took Pilot an hour to get mobile (with the help of a bucket) to get him out to my car and on our way home. But It didn't bother me at all no worries!
In my next installment I'll discuss ways to avoid hang-overs most likely because it's my staff party tomorrow.
Peace Y'all
Tuesday, December 13, 2005
New Years
So some of us have been rolling some New Years Party ideas around. I have some up with a few plans.
1. The first plan I came up with was a take-over of a small bar or lounge. I don't know I was kind of thinking of Trifon's by the university but that's definately not written in stone.
2. Rhonda has offered her house (in Regina) for a party. Her roomates are taking off so we'd have a house all to ourselves. It's on Toronto Street and easy to get to.
Someone also rolled around the idea of getting a keg for the event. Maybe that could be a possibility. I also had another option. If we all brought some kind of booze/liqeur I could mix some kick-ass cocktails/shooters for everyone. Or maybe an around the world in 80 beers event where everyone brings a different kind of beer for everyone to try.
Just trying to throw some ideas out
1. The first plan I came up with was a take-over of a small bar or lounge. I don't know I was kind of thinking of Trifon's by the university but that's definately not written in stone.
2. Rhonda has offered her house (in Regina) for a party. Her roomates are taking off so we'd have a house all to ourselves. It's on Toronto Street and easy to get to.
Someone also rolled around the idea of getting a keg for the event. Maybe that could be a possibility. I also had another option. If we all brought some kind of booze/liqeur I could mix some kick-ass cocktails/shooters for everyone. Or maybe an around the world in 80 beers event where everyone brings a different kind of beer for everyone to try.
Just trying to throw some ideas out
Monday, December 12, 2005
December 12, 2005 Almost done work!
So what can I say It's been over a month since I started back at the INN. I thought I would leave some positive things about that job since there's been so many negative posts. So here they are in no particular order, other than the order I thought them up.
1. It's great when friends stop by (we can usually work out a deal of somekind)
2. Staff discounts on food and drink
3.A fun staff to work with
4. You get to meet all sorts of interesting people.
5. Experimenting with booze (in the mixing sense).
6. Working nights means saving $$$ by not going out.
7. No possible way of getting a sunburn or skin cancer
8. Getting paid tax free $$$ (every day is payday)
9. Always having a story to tell.
10. Knowing that I'm going somewhere in life and not ending up like some of the people I serve.
11. Seeing drunk people everyday makes me want to drink less to get drunk, but more for the social side of it.
12. I have a re-newed appreciation for late-night tv
13. I don't hate/dread going to work ( I just can think of other people I'd rather spend time with, Rhonda for instance).
14. I actually know how long it takes police to get somewhere in the burn (at least 10 minutes from the phone call). So if you can plan your heart attack call 15 mins before so you can pack a hospital bag.
15. It's just like working with children only bigger and stupider
Thanks for reading!
1. It's great when friends stop by (we can usually work out a deal of somekind)
2. Staff discounts on food and drink
3.A fun staff to work with
4. You get to meet all sorts of interesting people.
5. Experimenting with booze (in the mixing sense).
6. Working nights means saving $$$ by not going out.
7. No possible way of getting a sunburn or skin cancer
8. Getting paid tax free $$$ (every day is payday)
9. Always having a story to tell.
10. Knowing that I'm going somewhere in life and not ending up like some of the people I serve.
11. Seeing drunk people everyday makes me want to drink less to get drunk, but more for the social side of it.
12. I have a re-newed appreciation for late-night tv
13. I don't hate/dread going to work ( I just can think of other people I'd rather spend time with, Rhonda for instance).
14. I actually know how long it takes police to get somewhere in the burn (at least 10 minutes from the phone call). So if you can plan your heart attack call 15 mins before so you can pack a hospital bag.
15. It's just like working with children only bigger and stupider
Thanks for reading!
On the evils of Santa...
Since for some fucked up reason I can't leave a comment on Pilot's World (word recognition my ass!) I will leave it here.
What of this Easter bunny comming into your home and leaving "chocolate eggs" all over the place? There is nothing quite like letting a diseased rodent shit all over your house to celebrate some creative carpentry. And we think worshiping cows is strange.
What of this Easter bunny comming into your home and leaving "chocolate eggs" all over the place? There is nothing quite like letting a diseased rodent shit all over your house to celebrate some creative carpentry. And we think worshiping cows is strange.
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