Timbits...I mean...Tidbits

Sipping on Coke, chewing on some Vanilla Milkshake Whoppers, waiting for the Rider game to commence. An ideal time to blog about random thoughts and such.

From my short stint behind a customer service counter this past week, I've come to realize that smokers are a very confidant bunch. They say the name of the product they so desperately crave with authority, even when they know that us non-smokers have no freakin' clue what they're talking about. The following exchange is an accurate example: "I'll have a pack of Players Unlimited Light Cool Du Maurier Classic Camel please" "Uhhhhhh.....what color is it?"

Sweet. Theory of a Deadman and the Trews are playing at the Ex this year. I missed both of their individual concerts earlier this year, so this is definitely a sign for me to drop all my commitments and take advantage of this second chance opportunity. I don't like rides, rigged games and people endlessly asking me to step right up, but I'll go for the one day, buy a bagful of delectable spudnuts and be on my merry way...and maybe take in a freak show and a monster truck rally if time permits.

Audioslave, new album early September. Awwwwwww yeaaaaahhhhh. There's nothing on the horizon that I would consider buying until that album comes out, so I guess my free CD from CD Plus will have to wait to be hole-punched until then.

I went to the Capitol Theatre on Tuesday night and saw my first movie there since Jurassic Park. I saw Nacho Libre, and enjoyed it because it's a Mexican version of Napoloeon Dynamite, and because it delves into the mysterious underworld of the luchador. Halfway through, I realized I broke one of my most sacred rules...never pay to see a comedy in an "expensive" theatre. What was I thinking??

The newest wave of talent shows has started airing on TV, now that all the good shows worth watching are on hiatus or repeat endlessly for the summer. One thing is abundantly clear...AMERICA HAS RUN OUT OF TALENT. You guys have sucked that well bone dry! Let's find out who America's best door-to-door Encyclopedia Britannica salesman is...a fresh concept, any concept please!!!

If there's a show I'll try to watch this summer, it'll be Last Comic Standing. I can appreciate how difficult that profession(?) is because you continuously have to keep coming up with new material for unpredictable audiences. The material that is "worldly" and not vulgar is what connects with me, because I think the routines about sex, etc are too easy...and too many people go down that route anyway. Watch the guy with cerebral palsy...he's hilarious! Oh, and Hell's Kitchen is a must-watch because the chef insults the customers just as much as he does the contestants!!

What, these Whoppers are a limited edition?? If I had known that, I wouldn't have eaten them so fast! Awwww mannnnn....

Ay, there's the rub!

I've had some "motivation" problems with my thesis since lecture "season" ended. I'm not used to doing academic work at this time of the year and I find myself very distracted...I'd much rather go golfing, for instance. Ah...but this weekend, I finally had an epiphany.

A number of people at work thought it would be funny to make me learn how to cash at work. I'd rather not do it, but it's probably not a bad idea in theory, seeing as though I have to close up shop a few nights a week and should know something about it if a problem were to arise on my watch. OK fine, let me learn it at my pace and in a controlled environment...after all, I've got a number of more important things on my plate that require my attention these days...

Saturday morning was the most furious I've been at work in years. Once again, the front end is ridiculously under-staffed before the inevitable lunch rush, and I'm asked to cash BY MYSELF in a freakin' zoo. How exactly am I going to make this situation any better, given my 30 minute tutorial a month ago and a 6 page handout on cashing that I have yet to read because I'm busy writing half of a book? I didn't even know how to open the effing register. If something goes wrong, it's my responsibility even though I wanted nothing to do with it in the first place. Sometimes it really bothers me when I have to help so many people at work, but nobody helps me when I need it.

As I was "cashing" on till #2 and apologizing to customers in advance for the problems I was going to have, I had my epiphany. Why exactly am I subjecting myself to this torture? "You know Ev, you wouldn't have to worry about this if you dedicated more time to your thesis" Hey, Ev's right...and don't forget suave. And hey, once I finish up this thesis, cashing will be eating my dust as far as career choices go. Once I got upstairs for my break, I immediately crafted a new schedule that reflected this new priority. It will hurt my bank account for the near future, but it will help everything else.

This new priority will be implemented soon...after the Oilers game ;)

I might have another post tonight...I have some thoughts of a humourous nature, but alas, I have to tend to the BBQ. Who knows, I may have a humourous thought or two to share from that alone ;)

Great Farters Throughout History

King Toot. Julius Cheezer. Fartacus. Napoleon Blownapharte. Abe Stinkin'. General Pooten. I LOVE getting birthday cards from Uncle Kurtis and Aunt Charlene...they're always able to top their cards from the previous year!

Went to Louis' Friday night to take in a concert on my birthday...went with some pals from school and from work. Poor Rhiannon had a drink spilled on her by our waitress early in the evening, but the waitress took care of the rest of her bill (I think). 5 minutes later, I get a tap on my shoulder...and there's a piece of cheesecake for me. I wonder if Rhi staged the whole thing ;)

The rest of the evening was fine. The opening act (name escapes me) was arguably the best of the night...they even got an encore chant! I enjoyed People in Planes, but the crowd wasn't into them for some reason. It could be because of their thick British accents, or because they made fun of how Saskatoon sounds before they even played their first song, or because there were few people in attendance anyway. They also didn't play my favourite song. Pilate was good...not a CD I'd buy though. The potential for the rest of the night was limited as I had to work at 9 the next morning. I got another funny card from the grad school gals as well. I guess that means I really need to be ultra-aware of when their birthdays are!

Played tennis after work on Saturday. I had to defend my half court against both Ashley and Rhi, so I got quite the workout...running across several courts to chase down their errant shots! Ashley took a rather nasty, but funny spill on a puddle at the end after pretending she was going to slip on it in the first place. I worry for my personal safety, as I'm due to have something funny happen to me in front of a bunch of people...I don't think bowling a bad game last night counts ;)

After listening to what appeared to be the Glow Bowling Radio Network last night, I'm amazed by how much staying power Green Day's last album has. In fact, I swear they won a major music award last year for an album that came out the year previous. Radio and TV have absolutely turned me off of this album...I can't stand it anymore. I was so bothered that I couldn't focus on bowling well at all.

I finished a draft of Chapter One of my thesis yesterday. It felt soooo good to see something typed. Granted, it's only an 8 page introduction, but it organizes my thoughts and sets the tone for the paper to come. Hopefully I can get another chapter started before the end of the month, after my supervisor's revisions have been entertained.

Trying to gauge interest in a Riders road trip. I kinda want to see Ricky Williams and the Argos when they come here in late July...

I'm also looking for cheap Oilers tickets on ebay. Now that Roloson is out for the series, I assume I can find some reasonably priced tickets from those emptying the bandwagon who think it's all over. I think it's all over too, but I think the atmosphere itself would be one in a million to experience.

Quite.