Photos from Happy-Purchases-Sunday (HPS)

Breakfast for a regular who sees me before he's eaten and is self-confessed happier after he's eaten. (It's like a bribe.)  So much more to say about this/him.

A gift for a lovely gal. I'm very looking forward to bestowing it.

A new case for the iPhone.  Got very tired of scratches and I'd rather pay $50 than $700.

 

Because I write!

For my favoritest supplier who takes meds, sees physiotherapists and has flat knee caps because of a couple decades at the same job.  Simple solution.  He was grateful.  I was happy.

this is for Tuesday.

Yesterday brought me some fantastic lines (and I hope I can explain them all):

1. "I love you. I hope your tongue swells up."

2. "Well good morning, you little ray of sunshine!"

3. "Turn it down just a tickle."


One- I asked the customer if he was allergic to peanuts and he said no. I had just popped a handful of them in my mouth before I grabbed his cigarettes and then realised the potential danger when he had reached the counter. I explained this to him and added that I just shouldn't eat peanuts at work. I then asked if he knew anyone with a nut allergy that he was about to see. He said, "Yeah," coolly and then, seeing my expression flash concern added that he was just gonna rub the pack in their face.

"That seems like a nice thing to do," I observed nicely.

"Yep. 'I love you! I hope your tongue swells up'."

Two- S____ was about to walk in while business was quiet so I was amping up after I spotted him chatting outside. I was working on something with my head bent down when he walked in but looked up to smile loudly and say, "HI!" as he was murmuring (as if it were a threat), "Well, good morning, you little ray of sunshine."
I put my head back down as I laughed, trying to conceal my delight. Then I bounced (I tried to walk but I had a case of the Tiggers) over to the end of the counter while he used the ABM.  I told him, "Your tone made me think you were gonna say something nasty!"

He clicks in and laughs. "Oh -- you little [makes racha-fracha sounds like Harry from Home Alone]."

I laugh because it's perfect and because it reminded me of Harry and then of my dad (who LOVES that bit).

"So??! What's new??" Blank slate. Talk about anything.

(Groaning) "Ohhh, sh**y weekend, sh***y day..." Eye roll and big sigh -- but he's getting along.


"Ah," I nod. THAT day.

He continues: "But I did get to see a movie... Saw John Carter.  First movie I've seen in 3D."

"Soo..."  He asks, "What?" before I can finish because my face looks quite perplexed.

"So, [his small town of residence] is code for 'under a rock', then?"  I looked totally sincere.

It took him half a second and then he succumbs to the zinger with that you-got-me smile pulled out seemingly against his will.  He mouths some angry words but I catch the last ones which call me an a**hole.  I laughed happily.  This name seemed to be the appropriate other half to the sunshine comment because our friendship does seem binary (the sincere life engagement and the rude jabs).

Three- C____ often jokes to us about how we need to turn on the heaters outside so that he won't be cold while he fuels countless vehicles on a daily basis.  After his second visit of the day, I spoke through the intercom: "We turned the heat on for you; is it OK?"  He says, "Yeah, it's pretty good.  Thanks.  Thanks for doing that for me."  This guy  never misses a beat when it comes to joking about.

When he comes in to pay I continue checking, like a good concierge.  "You're sure it's OK?  It's not too hot out there?"

"Uhhhhhhh..." he stretches, sounding like Mr. Ray from Finding Nemo (2003) just like he does every other time he stretches a word comically.  "Maybe it's a little bit hot.  You could turn it down just a tickle."

I laughed so hard that he laughed at my laughing -- and I laugh a lot during the course of a day, especially with pro jokesters like him.  He has maybe laughed at me once before because he's a pro who can keep composed.  "You're nothing if not entertaining," was my conclusion.  I also told him I'd use it, the phrase. And so I will.

Smarch Smbreak

Little J (who is now 5'4" at 11 years old...), Littler J and I were dropping Big J off at the mall which was on our way to the Saugs. It had been a day and a half. Leave Dad's place at 6.30 (a pretend "6.15"), meet Big Sister in downtown Toronto at 7.45 (a wishful "7am") for breakfast, then on to Big Bro's place in Etobicoke to drop off a television set. I asked for the leftovers from the kids' breakfast to be packed up in case J3 wanted them. I don't know who really wants cold white toast, hash browns, mozzarella sticks and deep-fried pickles for "breakfast" (he works nights) but I banked on his history of Hooverishness.

He loved it. Guy devoured all of it and when done said, "Thanks for the breakfast, Jess. You saved me with this." I supposed he didn't have groceries and was hungry.

I was glad to keep the Little Js a secret from both the big sibs. My sister's face on seeing Lil J in my passenger seat as we pulled up was just priceless.


So, J3 got his television which he was SUPER pumped about and wasted no time hooking it up. It wouldn't turn on which left him crestfallen and me a little angry. It wasn't easy carrying it about and I did think about the extra gas used driving it between cities. He kept fiddling and eventually got a little green "AV1" to appear in the top left corner for a second eliciting a hopeful gasp from him. So, he fiddled a bit more and then decided to let it sit and "warm up"... not sure teles really need to do that.

We chatted and he ate the dirty breakfast. The kids enjoyed peering into the well and diversely populated fish tank and then taking Horse, the turtle (...wow, that was just funny to me in a new way hahaha), out his tank for a stroll round the apartment. Eventually the TV came in and my bro thanked me 100 more times. I was glad to be able to bring it from a party that wanted rid of it only five days after I'd found out his was busted.

He put on Hellboy (2004) so I could guess who played the title character and also because it's on his list of movies I need to see. We had to kick it around 11 because the kids were due back at they grandparents' for noon in the Saugs. When he turned the film off, maybe 30 minutes in, I told him I would watch it. I think my original reason for not wanting to was that I expected it to be graphically violent and maybe perverse/morbid. Now, I am interested. It's enough of a super hero-ish movie that I could love it. He made me take it home with me, like a note pinned to my shirt!

He asked for a lift to the mall and I was very happy to oblige.

After we dropped him off, the kids were singing along to some uber-pop-ish song that I can't remember. In the station ad they played a clip from the Gomez single. I said to them that I loved that song. I didn't know why but I loved it. "The Selena Gomez one?" little I-don't-miss-anything J7 says and I affirm it.

Next track after the ad break is none other than "Love Song". I gasp. An unspoken agreement passes through the car and after the four-beat intro we all sing, "It's been said and done," in unison, followed by all other lyrics but one or two iffy lines. I'm impressed with them. And I loved the impromptu singalong.

I'm delighted to spend time with these lil dudes as they develop skills, knowledge and personalities. I know I say it often but I really need to be around more.

Songs on the Radio that I Like Right Now

"Paradise" - Coldplay

"You Da One" - Rihanna

"Fallout" - Marianas Trench

"Drive-By" - Trian

"Love Song" - Selena Gomez (but on its way out)


These songs I feel like I can't get enough of. I always crank the radio when they come on and listen as closely as I can.

That in mind, I find it weird that "You Da One" cointains only two chords (I and IV).
And "Fallout"'s chorus has three, the same old three (I, IV, V). SO SIMPLE and yet I couldn't/didn't do it.

The competing rhythms in "Drive-By" kill me. Just kills me every time.

"Paradise", I have no real idea except that I love the melody and the orchestration. Maybe that the chorus is the same two notes (3-2) over four different chords..? It's always neat [read: amazing to me] when you can make that work.

[Aahha! "Drive-By" just came on!]

I started liking "Love Song" back in Novembey so I'm not as all over it but now I like it afresh for a fun, Smarch Break reason to be detailed in an upcoming post.

take all "today"s as applied to Monday.

(that is how long it took me to finish typing this post because a term paper was eating my head this week.)

Today.

Today two different people wagged their finger at me mock-parentally, mock-disapprovingly within ten minutes of one another (on the same topic). The second one was much funnier (the first got lashback). He was acting like a bad actor, rigidly imitating a cheesy sitcom grandmother telling her adult son to clean his dishes.

I watched J__ handle the chip bags with incredible slowness and delicacy because I'm quiet enough and his hearing is weakened enough that crinkling Lays will drown me out. Kinda funny to watch, kinda nice that he'll lose a sliver of work time to converse with me.

(3) Today someone stood up to my boss in the most amazing way. It was fantastic. The boss didn't take it well and his ears were plugged from accepting reason but that is OK. The guy, who never lost his temper nor raised his voice, said wisely as he was leaving, "Well, I've explained it to you; you can do what you want with it." He absolved himself in a smart and fair way. It was wonderful to witness.

(4) Today was the last day that S____ is obligated to buy me Tims when he sees me. I told him I was looking forward to him not resenting me and he laughed.

(5) Today, I stayed after my shift was done for the same reason I usually stay after my shift is done: for the chance to chat with Miserable S____.

I wouldn't stay forever but I would wait til the next bus at 3.23. Unexpectedly I became so engrossed in catching up on my Twitter feed that I didn't see him come in. I didn't see him walk up to me and I was totally shocked when a loud CLAP!ing sound was made very few inches from my nose.

I jumped. I gasped, I put the phone down and I flashed "why, I oughta!" eyes into his. Without thinking, I seethed, "Screw you," pointing an angry (but really just a getting-over-shock) finger. He was momentarily struck dumb by my choice of words and seemed to be debating whether to make some innuendo-ish comment, like he did when I accused him of putting words in my mouth.

"You kinda startled me..." I continued more softly, buying him time to get with it.

His face is contorting with indecision. If I didn't know better I'd say he was flustered. He's almost NEVER without a reply on hand. He's quick as a whip; a scrapper. Right before he speaks he looks almost nauseous.

"I had an odd experience over the weekend," he drops with no obvious intention to continue without prompting.

Don't gotta tell ME twice.

"What happened?" I asked transparently and made the Chesire Cat jealous. I couldn't be more curious.

"Someone else called me Squidward."

"No...!!" I exclaimed, stamping the counter and leaning forward in disbelief. I thought there was a 50% chance of leg-pulling.

"Yep," he answers simply, again refusing to continue unprompted.

"Nooo...??" The tone is almost identical but now I'm shaking my head and asking for final confirmation.

"Yep."

My fists start pumping the air. "Yessss," comes out as I celebrate and start to laugh. He's fighting to suppress his own smirk despite looking as though he predicted my reaction.

I think that having my theory corroborated by someone who properly knows him and who could not possibly have coordinated with me was somewhat unsettling for him.

"By who??" I inquire hoping it's someone who knows him SO well that he can't argue. I actually specifically hoped it was quelqu'un in his family.

He shruggingly replies, "My buddy Jay," pointing a thumb back over his shoulder as if Jay is standing there or as if he lives in that general south-west-ish direction, but breezes past because he's finally ready to continue with the story independent of my and then?.  He says he got to his buddy's house and Spongebob Squarepants was on the TV.  He sits and they watch a bit.  After a short while his friend turns to him and says, finger pointing, eyes wide in the eureka! moment, "You're Squidward!" 

I so appreciated the absence of simile language.  I was expecting you're "just like" or "kinda like" Squidward.  Even just hearing S____ use the names of these characters that I know all too well made me exceedingly gleeful.  Not a whole lot of people will enter into the Spongebob world with me (and almost no one stays) but the guy took a dabble.  And watching him so perturbed...it was wonderful. 

I laughed at his delivery and took another moment to do some victorious fist pumpage.  He allowed it.

Amazingly S____ still had no come-backs for me!  He didn't have any jabs or insults...he just waited and brought short sentences.  I asked what he thought of Squidward and whether he could see the similarities. 

He pauses so much longer than I'd expect because THIS is the question our whole conversation (and previous conversations) comes down to: DO you see that you are an incorrigible meanie-grump? (I like that the metaphor can extend to liken me to Spongebob who is disturbingly chipper and can't get enough of Squidward's company, seemingly impervious to all of Squid's "I hate you; go away" overt and covert messages.) S____ had to know this was coming.  He says, so evenly measured, "He seems pretty reasonable..." and neatly awaits my response.

I think I literally gawked.  Hahaha no one but a similatrix* would say that Squidward was "reasonable".  Sure, he's sensible and responsible in many ways but reasonable? in terms of his unwavering anger, apathy, rudeness?  Nope.  Takes one to know one.
*"similatrix" is not a real word but I like it.  

S____ has used up all his spare pre-work, pre-coffee time (so thankful when he gives that time to me) and is now heading toward Tim Hortons as I offer, "Of COURSE you think he's reasonable -- you're just like him.  Whereas everyone else [here I'm thinking of Jay, myself and the residents of Bikini Bottom] thinks he's a ..." and I swallow the word "jerk" because I think this is a bad time to take a shot. 

I don't mean that S____ is wrong for his natural disposition. I don't mean that.  Obviously, I like getting his goat and I like annoying him through smileful cheeriness. What I was trying to blurt was that him thinking Squid is reasonable is perfectly supportive of the fact that they're similar. 

I say, "I'm just gonna stop there," to explain why my sentence truncated with a tight-lipped nod, not a noun.  And he says, shields fully back up, "That's probably a good idea," now twelve feet away.  There is - I think - the faintest hint of bottled rage in it, a faint hint that often laces his words and looks. 

It was a queer ending to an entertaining exchange and I wish I could have drawn more insight out of him but I take what I get.  As always, he bids goodbye before he exits the front door.  "Have fun, kids," he shouts to my coworker and me. 

What a guy.

Pretend I posted this at Thursday's 2am when I fell asleep with my phone in my hand.

Not quite sure what happened today but it was a good day.

Fair bit of people-ing but spread out over fourteen hours...
-one regular
-one long, long-time-no-see
-one (f)unexpected
-one occassional & forging

I've been watching a bit of TV tonight and it's all brain-consumey right now. I don't particularly like it but it's interesting. I'm staring at the screen like I'm a vegetable... It's weird. Totally spaced out (spaced in?).

I think I worked pretty hard today, with "breaks" only while travelling from A to B. Between relationships (including artfully throwing two Cribbage games), academic work, submitting four important documents to four different offices, cleaning, buying the last two needed uni texts... it was a full day of good, responsibility-ish things.


Not really looking forward to work tomorrow. Not really at all but I am hopeful for something to make it fun or look-forward-to-able.

Yesterday I was issued a loan and a grant that form the ominously absent piece in the financial puzzle I had planned on this spring.
Things did not go as planned and it has been rough adjusting. I'm not overly fond of having a low income but we ask, we work and we wait. I'm trying to learn.

I was not expecting to have a balance owing when I finished filing my taxes. Wasn't expecting it cos it's never happened before. I owe far more money than I can save up for 30th April with my current income (which is my own fault).
I'm not proud of this but, after I triple-checked the numbers, I kinda put my head in my hands, breathed something about disbelief, fought the urge to be upset with Someone whose fault it wasn't and then walked to my bed and took a (fairly angry) nap.

You can't not pay the government and I couldn't pay the government. I planned to set aside whatever I could (which was a joke), to look for a better job, and I asked God to show me what was going to make up the rest. He was mostly silent on the topic...which makes sense.


When I read of the unexpected (incredible and timely) loan offer last night I checked it out as best I could outside of business hours and then, deciding that if the information was wrong I could still absorb the loss, went on a shopping spree. Yes. At the first hint of being able to go a notch lower on the belt of a strict budget, I tend to go splurge on one good thing, immediately. I call it exercising my freedom but I'm sure there's another name for it. (Impulsive? Impetuous? Ridiculous? Either way, I still do it on occasion.)

We finished rehearsal shortly after 9pm. On this whim, I marched myself down to FreshCo and went nuts with twenty-six dollars worth of groceries. It felt great. It actually felt great. I've learned that not having much food in my house depresses me.


I'm really glad and amazed that the loan will take a big bite out of the taxes I'll be paying. I still want a new job (but I don't want an iPad anymore).

Feeling encouraged (especially the part where I can buy materials for uni that I want - not need - because the loan was issued so I could study and be a successful graduate). And grateful.