Fluffy the great
Tuesday, November 01, 2005
Happy halloween!!!
Hey guys,
So yeah apparently the english celebrate everything in the pub. I just finished a shift tonight,they had a childrens halloween party...thats right,in the pub. Dozens of children dressed up as witches and ghosts and undead brides and spiderman and skelotons and even more parents standing around watching from the bar,downing pints of stella and carlsberg and sucking on their cigarettes. Such a beautiful moment. They were talking about finally banning smoking in pubs here in the uk but Tony Blair,with his backbone made of jelly,backed down in fear of the backlash he might have received from the many smokers here. Instead he has given all pubs a choice,they can choose to serve food and ban smoking or cut out food and allow smoking. So now a pub that ordinarily would have banned smoking will have to reconsider if the pub down the street allows smoking. Tony Blair is such a tool. If your going to ban smoking as he definately should then it has to be a universal ban with no exceptions. Pub owners claim they lose customers. As the english say,thats a load of bollocks. I can't see any of the drunks I serve turning their backs on their local pub anytime soon,smoking or no smoking.
Anyway, it was an interesting way to celebrate halloween to say the least. It was cool being a witness to a proper english celebration. Right in the heart of small town Britain.
Then afterwards me and Nic went to see Saw 2. It was good, warped but good.
Oh and I came home friday night from my glamourous job at the soap factory,checked the mail then opened an envelope addressed to me and read a letter that told me that day had been my last day at the soap factory,that they no longer required my services. Nice. Nothing like getting a little advanced notice. The good news is I finally have a little time to relax. Cause honestly working seven days a week frigging sucks. I'm still working at the two pubs so I still have some cash comin in. I'm looking for another fulltime job now, and in the meantime I can catch up on my reading and work on my story. I appreciated all the comments and critisms about my two little stories I wrote for you. I realize I said that if you had nothing good to say about them not to say anything at all but in retrospect any comments are better then none. So read the friggin things and tell me what you thought. Pretty please with sugar on top. And yes once again I realize I've probably just finished setting up another of steves jokes.
Speaking of Steve,I hear you guys just got some cats. Fancy pure bred ones,I asked mom what the first cats name was but she couldn't remember. Congratulations,I'd love to see some pics of them.
Oh and I also managed to catch that 8-0 beating the leafs took from the senators saturday night...hehehehehehehehe! Man alive, Ottawa slapped them around like their red headed step child.
Anyway,Englands still treatin me good, I'm workin hard, enjoyin the short days,long nights and all the drizzle and rain and wind. Looking forward to New Years eve in Edinburgh. Theres about twenty-five of us going now.Get in! You can't beat Scottish hospitality. I think it consists of a handshake, a head butt, a plate of haggis and a cold pint? Doesn't it?
I gotta jet but I'll talk to you dudes soon:)
Book of the week: In Cold Blood by truman capote.
Record of the week: Public enemy-fear of a black planet.
So yeah apparently the english celebrate everything in the pub. I just finished a shift tonight,they had a childrens halloween party...thats right,in the pub. Dozens of children dressed up as witches and ghosts and undead brides and spiderman and skelotons and even more parents standing around watching from the bar,downing pints of stella and carlsberg and sucking on their cigarettes. Such a beautiful moment. They were talking about finally banning smoking in pubs here in the uk but Tony Blair,with his backbone made of jelly,backed down in fear of the backlash he might have received from the many smokers here. Instead he has given all pubs a choice,they can choose to serve food and ban smoking or cut out food and allow smoking. So now a pub that ordinarily would have banned smoking will have to reconsider if the pub down the street allows smoking. Tony Blair is such a tool. If your going to ban smoking as he definately should then it has to be a universal ban with no exceptions. Pub owners claim they lose customers. As the english say,thats a load of bollocks. I can't see any of the drunks I serve turning their backs on their local pub anytime soon,smoking or no smoking.
Anyway, it was an interesting way to celebrate halloween to say the least. It was cool being a witness to a proper english celebration. Right in the heart of small town Britain.
Then afterwards me and Nic went to see Saw 2. It was good, warped but good.
Oh and I came home friday night from my glamourous job at the soap factory,checked the mail then opened an envelope addressed to me and read a letter that told me that day had been my last day at the soap factory,that they no longer required my services. Nice. Nothing like getting a little advanced notice. The good news is I finally have a little time to relax. Cause honestly working seven days a week frigging sucks. I'm still working at the two pubs so I still have some cash comin in. I'm looking for another fulltime job now, and in the meantime I can catch up on my reading and work on my story. I appreciated all the comments and critisms about my two little stories I wrote for you. I realize I said that if you had nothing good to say about them not to say anything at all but in retrospect any comments are better then none. So read the friggin things and tell me what you thought. Pretty please with sugar on top. And yes once again I realize I've probably just finished setting up another of steves jokes.
Speaking of Steve,I hear you guys just got some cats. Fancy pure bred ones,I asked mom what the first cats name was but she couldn't remember. Congratulations,I'd love to see some pics of them.
Oh and I also managed to catch that 8-0 beating the leafs took from the senators saturday night...hehehehehehehehe! Man alive, Ottawa slapped them around like their red headed step child.
Anyway,Englands still treatin me good, I'm workin hard, enjoyin the short days,long nights and all the drizzle and rain and wind. Looking forward to New Years eve in Edinburgh. Theres about twenty-five of us going now.Get in! You can't beat Scottish hospitality. I think it consists of a handshake, a head butt, a plate of haggis and a cold pint? Doesn't it?
I gotta jet but I'll talk to you dudes soon:)
Book of the week: In Cold Blood by truman capote.
Record of the week: Public enemy-fear of a black planet.
Saturday, October 15, 2005
My apologies
Hey, I realize this hasn't been much of a travel journal lately,hell,lets face it,it hasn't been much of a journal lately. I mean I only have five friggin posts up here since friggin april. Well,I have been doing a little travellin here and there but I've been doin a lot more workin. Since august I've been workin bout 65 hours a week. You see i've gone from being an unemployed bum to being a ridiculously over worked bum. I'm workin part-time at two different pubs and full time at a soap factory. And yes that last one is as glamourous as it sounds. So basically I'm working seven days a week.
But as of Monday we will have the internet right in our very home so it will be much easier for me to keep in touch,and tell you about the superb Leeds music festival and my week in London.About my adventures with Nan and Mom in edinburgh and york and the lakes district.And our plans for New Years eve in edinburgh. And anything else I can think of to bore you with.Cause lets face it,all I'm doin here is giving Steve fuel for his jokes and one liners.
Well,I have to go get ready for work again,doing an eight hour shift tonight at the king alfred pub. Oh,congratulations sheila and charl! Thats awesome news about the new baby!
Talk to you guys soon!
p.s how awesome will the Kathleen edwards/Joel Plaskett show at the phoenix be?I wish Joel would do a little tourin over here. And the Nine inch nails/queens of the stone age/death from above show!Sweet. No sign of that show over here yet either.
Also I just got a few cds you guys should all check out: Sons and daughters-The repulsion box, Nine Black alps-everything is, MIA-arular, Willy mason-Where the humans eat, the new buck 65-secret house against the world and an oldy but a goody Public enemy-it takes a nation of millions to hold us back! Don't believe the hype!
I also just saw the video for the remix of Black history month by death from above.It is excellent.
Oh and you should all go see A history of violence. Its the first cronenberg film I really loved. Probably the first cronenberg film I liked actually. Well,the fly was alright.
But as of Monday we will have the internet right in our very home so it will be much easier for me to keep in touch,and tell you about the superb Leeds music festival and my week in London.About my adventures with Nan and Mom in edinburgh and york and the lakes district.And our plans for New Years eve in edinburgh. And anything else I can think of to bore you with.Cause lets face it,all I'm doin here is giving Steve fuel for his jokes and one liners.
Well,I have to go get ready for work again,doing an eight hour shift tonight at the king alfred pub. Oh,congratulations sheila and charl! Thats awesome news about the new baby!
Talk to you guys soon!
p.s how awesome will the Kathleen edwards/Joel Plaskett show at the phoenix be?I wish Joel would do a little tourin over here. And the Nine inch nails/queens of the stone age/death from above show!Sweet. No sign of that show over here yet either.
Also I just got a few cds you guys should all check out: Sons and daughters-The repulsion box, Nine Black alps-everything is, MIA-arular, Willy mason-Where the humans eat, the new buck 65-secret house against the world and an oldy but a goody Public enemy-it takes a nation of millions to hold us back! Don't believe the hype!
I also just saw the video for the remix of Black history month by death from above.It is excellent.
Oh and you should all go see A history of violence. Its the first cronenberg film I really loved. Probably the first cronenberg film I liked actually. Well,the fly was alright.
Friday, July 29, 2005
Two very very short stories for your reading pleasure...and a brief update
Hey dudes,
So I'm still not fully employed,still enjoying the part-time barwork,got a trial for a kitchen job at pizza hut tomorrow,waiting to hear back about some temporary labouring work.All very glamourous,I know.Got our tix to the Leeds music festival the other day.Its going to be frickin fantastic!
I'm headed down to London at the end of August,for the first time,and I can't wait. Meeting up with Tash and Christy for a little hardcore partying and then Nic arrives and a little getting all the way down to the ground,all the way down to chinatown,leaping up into the air gettin juiced up beyond belief hootenany allstar birthday celebration with our friends ensues. (Nic's b-day is on sept 5).I hope I haven't built that weekend up too much.
Anyway,I hope your all doing alright,hope everyone over in Canada is coping with the on going heat wave.Talk to you all soon,heres a couple of little stories I wrote recently,let me know what you think,unless you think they suck,in which case you can kindly keep your opinions to yourselves.hahaha....seriously.
On a beach on the edge of the ocean
Angels float and dangle above the water. Just below the surface I can hear the soft girlish whispers of the fish urging me to wake up. Off in the distance the sounds of barking dogs and bagpipes tumble together through the air. The rocks are hard against my back and sandflies bite my arms and legs,savoring the sweet tang of my blood. Slumber refuses to ease her iron grip,and my eyes remain closed.
A child laughs,those distant bagpipes play on and the waves roll and crash ever closer. That glorious,glorious sound. The hard ocean breeze caresses me,I am too comfortable. I can't remember a thing.
Two lane stream
The rain won't stop and my head is humming. A vague disquieting sound. Like a marching band, marching and playing six blocks away. A marching band with no horn section and a rythmn section banging on broken drums.
Wild cats sit under parked cars, watching the cold drops. They meow into the darkening night and the noise in my head grows ever louder. That busted marching band, marching ever closer.
My jacket is soaked clean through and I'm developing a cough. I'm sitting on this cold dirty sidewalk because I can't make decisions. The street lamps glow orange,casting the world in their errie light. The pages of todays discarded newspaper lay scattered across the road like stepping stones across a two lane stream.
My sandals are in tatters and my toes are wrinkled and shrivelled like prunes. The cold digs its way deep into my body,reaching for my heart. The wind carries the smell of meat and charcoal.
Looking over across that black asphalt stream,I spot a hotdog vendor. My right hand digs deep into my pocket and emerges with a two dollar coin resting comfortably in the middle of its palm. I think I'll get an italian sausage.
I stand and hop from newspaper stone to newspaper stone and cross the street. The marching band turn away,their broken sound fades.
So I'm still not fully employed,still enjoying the part-time barwork,got a trial for a kitchen job at pizza hut tomorrow,waiting to hear back about some temporary labouring work.All very glamourous,I know.Got our tix to the Leeds music festival the other day.Its going to be frickin fantastic!
I'm headed down to London at the end of August,for the first time,and I can't wait. Meeting up with Tash and Christy for a little hardcore partying and then Nic arrives and a little getting all the way down to the ground,all the way down to chinatown,leaping up into the air gettin juiced up beyond belief hootenany allstar birthday celebration with our friends ensues. (Nic's b-day is on sept 5).I hope I haven't built that weekend up too much.
Anyway,I hope your all doing alright,hope everyone over in Canada is coping with the on going heat wave.Talk to you all soon,heres a couple of little stories I wrote recently,let me know what you think,unless you think they suck,in which case you can kindly keep your opinions to yourselves.hahaha....seriously.
On a beach on the edge of the ocean
Angels float and dangle above the water. Just below the surface I can hear the soft girlish whispers of the fish urging me to wake up. Off in the distance the sounds of barking dogs and bagpipes tumble together through the air. The rocks are hard against my back and sandflies bite my arms and legs,savoring the sweet tang of my blood. Slumber refuses to ease her iron grip,and my eyes remain closed.
A child laughs,those distant bagpipes play on and the waves roll and crash ever closer. That glorious,glorious sound. The hard ocean breeze caresses me,I am too comfortable. I can't remember a thing.
Two lane stream
The rain won't stop and my head is humming. A vague disquieting sound. Like a marching band, marching and playing six blocks away. A marching band with no horn section and a rythmn section banging on broken drums.
Wild cats sit under parked cars, watching the cold drops. They meow into the darkening night and the noise in my head grows ever louder. That busted marching band, marching ever closer.
My jacket is soaked clean through and I'm developing a cough. I'm sitting on this cold dirty sidewalk because I can't make decisions. The street lamps glow orange,casting the world in their errie light. The pages of todays discarded newspaper lay scattered across the road like stepping stones across a two lane stream.
My sandals are in tatters and my toes are wrinkled and shrivelled like prunes. The cold digs its way deep into my body,reaching for my heart. The wind carries the smell of meat and charcoal.
Looking over across that black asphalt stream,I spot a hotdog vendor. My right hand digs deep into my pocket and emerges with a two dollar coin resting comfortably in the middle of its palm. I think I'll get an italian sausage.
I stand and hop from newspaper stone to newspaper stone and cross the street. The marching band turn away,their broken sound fades.
Wednesday, July 13, 2005
To Spain and back
So its mid-July already!and I still have yet to find any real full-time work. Personally I think its an english conspiracy to keep Canadians out of their workforce.The bastards.Either that or I'm simply too incompetent.I think I'll stick to the former to protect my self-esteem.
We've been to Spain and back and it was lovely.The weather was perfect,blue skys and 30 degrees everyday and a nice 20 degrees at night.The apartment we rented was excellent.Equiped with all the necessities.Spanish tv sucks.The complex also had a gorgeous pool that I spent most of my time in,and a tennis court. We had a nice balcony that we barbequed on and where I spent a little quality time with Senor San Miguel.We were five minutes from this little village whose name I forget.It was very Spanish.I got lots of pics.We went to several Spanish restaurants.I stuck to sea food.For some reason when I picture spanish cows and chickens in my head, they look skinny,half starved and dirty.I'm sure they are probably the same as cows and chickens in any other country but I stuck to fish just in case.Quick note:Guspacho blows.And no thats probably not how you spell guspacho.
When we were driving from the airport in Malaga to our apartment in our rental car,we turned onto the highway,it was dusk,we passed this mini van pulled over on the side of the road.It was covered in flames and a bunch of cops were standing around it watching.Like it was a bonfire.They might as well have had a bag of marshmellows and some hotdogs.It was very surreal.And my camera was stuck in my backpack.I was pissed.It would have been such a sweet picture.
It was my first time being in a country where no one really speaks english.(although between you and me,there seem to be quite a few English here who can't speak english.hehehe.As Kelso would say...BURN!!!!!!!)It was cool.Ordering your food in Spanish,saying olla! and grathias(I think its spelled gracias but its actually pronounced grathias.Something I wasn't aware of until I got there.I think I had spanish confused with mexican.I'm such an ignorant white guy.They were probably talking about me in spanish right in front of me and laughing to one another.hey,look at this white guy.Look how big his head is.hahahaha.He's so ignorant.He got us confused with Mexicans.What a dumbass.Lets overcharge him for his meal.We'll make him pay for the free bread we gave him with his starter.hahaha.Stupid white guy.But man,is he stylish.
We rented a car for our time there and got to see some of the south east coast of Spain.Some of the Costa del sol.Its absolutely gorgeous.We went to this beautiful village called Nerja and a few other places whose names I forget.I always forget that stuff when it counts.Dammit.In the end we didn't want to go back to England.Ten days just wasn't long enough.Oh,did I mention Spain is full of wild cats.They're everywhere.Nic kept telling me not to touch them,that they probably had rabies,and they probably did.But I still petted them.They were just looking for a little love and attention.Just like the rest of us.
Oh by the way,for anyone reading this from Canada,don't worry,I'm alright.I wasn't in London when the bombs went off.Of course you all probably knew that.Or maybe had a vague idea that you thought he was somewhere north of london.Maybe.Either way apparently that was good enough to sooth any worries you had for my safety cause I only received one concerned email and that was from Jimmy Bobarino.But maybe I'm being a little over dramatic.
Oh and how disappointing was the line up for Canadas live8 gig.Holy moly.I was watching the London gig on tv,U2,Paul McCartney,Coldplay,The Who,the original line up of Pink Floyd!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! When they cut to Live8 in Barrie and who's on stage?Friggin Tom Cochrane!singing Life is a Highway!
Anyway,Spain was brilliant.I hope everyones doing alright.Talk to you all soon,unless of course Cathy is working out down in the basement or napping on the sofa and can't come to the phone.(burn!)
Bye bye;)
Jerome
We've been to Spain and back and it was lovely.The weather was perfect,blue skys and 30 degrees everyday and a nice 20 degrees at night.The apartment we rented was excellent.Equiped with all the necessities.Spanish tv sucks.The complex also had a gorgeous pool that I spent most of my time in,and a tennis court. We had a nice balcony that we barbequed on and where I spent a little quality time with Senor San Miguel.We were five minutes from this little village whose name I forget.It was very Spanish.I got lots of pics.We went to several Spanish restaurants.I stuck to sea food.For some reason when I picture spanish cows and chickens in my head, they look skinny,half starved and dirty.I'm sure they are probably the same as cows and chickens in any other country but I stuck to fish just in case.Quick note:Guspacho blows.And no thats probably not how you spell guspacho.
When we were driving from the airport in Malaga to our apartment in our rental car,we turned onto the highway,it was dusk,we passed this mini van pulled over on the side of the road.It was covered in flames and a bunch of cops were standing around it watching.Like it was a bonfire.They might as well have had a bag of marshmellows and some hotdogs.It was very surreal.And my camera was stuck in my backpack.I was pissed.It would have been such a sweet picture.
It was my first time being in a country where no one really speaks english.(although between you and me,there seem to be quite a few English here who can't speak english.hehehe.As Kelso would say...BURN!!!!!!!)It was cool.Ordering your food in Spanish,saying olla! and grathias(I think its spelled gracias but its actually pronounced grathias.Something I wasn't aware of until I got there.I think I had spanish confused with mexican.I'm such an ignorant white guy.They were probably talking about me in spanish right in front of me and laughing to one another.hey,look at this white guy.Look how big his head is.hahahaha.He's so ignorant.He got us confused with Mexicans.What a dumbass.Lets overcharge him for his meal.We'll make him pay for the free bread we gave him with his starter.hahaha.Stupid white guy.But man,is he stylish.
We rented a car for our time there and got to see some of the south east coast of Spain.Some of the Costa del sol.Its absolutely gorgeous.We went to this beautiful village called Nerja and a few other places whose names I forget.I always forget that stuff when it counts.Dammit.In the end we didn't want to go back to England.Ten days just wasn't long enough.Oh,did I mention Spain is full of wild cats.They're everywhere.Nic kept telling me not to touch them,that they probably had rabies,and they probably did.But I still petted them.They were just looking for a little love and attention.Just like the rest of us.
Oh by the way,for anyone reading this from Canada,don't worry,I'm alright.I wasn't in London when the bombs went off.Of course you all probably knew that.Or maybe had a vague idea that you thought he was somewhere north of london.Maybe.Either way apparently that was good enough to sooth any worries you had for my safety cause I only received one concerned email and that was from Jimmy Bobarino.But maybe I'm being a little over dramatic.
Oh and how disappointing was the line up for Canadas live8 gig.Holy moly.I was watching the London gig on tv,U2,Paul McCartney,Coldplay,The Who,the original line up of Pink Floyd!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! When they cut to Live8 in Barrie and who's on stage?Friggin Tom Cochrane!singing Life is a Highway!
Anyway,Spain was brilliant.I hope everyones doing alright.Talk to you all soon,unless of course Cathy is working out down in the basement or napping on the sofa and can't come to the phone.(burn!)
Bye bye;)
Jerome
Wednesday, June 01, 2005
Spring blooms,the birds sing and I finally get some work:)
Good afternoon,party people,
I hope everyone is doing well.I'm deeply sorry for missing your birthday bash,kev.I just didn't have the funds to make it.I hope it was spectacular though.
So I finally found someone willing to hire me.Woohoo!!!Its only part time barwork.Yes,even with all my shaking someone hired me to pull pints.Its going alright.I start a second job tomorrow.As a kitchen assistant.Yep,they expect me to cook.This should be interesting.The good news is that combined I should be getting between 30 and 40 hours a week.Thank god.
So what else?We went down to Manchester for the day on Saturday.Dang!That city loves to shop!It was frickin chaos.Beautiful city though.It has a good vibe and some nice record stores.Went to this shop called Afflecks place thats 5 or 6 floors of second hand and vintage clothing and weird stuff.Indie designer clothes and stuff.Very cool.Saw this wicked corderoy dj record bag.Then had to convince myself it was a waste of money since my record player is in Canada and oh yeah...I'm not a dj.It was sweet though.They also had one made out of old star wars sheets.I know what your thinking...how cool is this guy?I know,i know.
I worked my first hectic shift at the Vickerstown Institute(the pub I'm working at) Saturday night.A do for 120 people.They were all such nice people.Nice enough to wait at the bar for every last penny of change.Not one single s.o.b tipped.Lovely.
Sunday was what the english call Super Sunday.It was a long weekend,Monday was a stat holiday.So on sunday everyone in the country went out to the pub and got pissed.Myself included.Well,we went to a great barbeque first.Then about 5pm we hit the pub.I hit the stella,or as they call it here,the wifebeater.Classy name.Its 5% and thats strong here apparently.Then I started dancing and never stopped til we hit the chinese take away for a curry and chips.Thing is I don't think anyone else was dancing.Just me.And I was getting down.All the way down to chinatown.At least I seemed to amuse everyone else.And the strangers I danced with were kind enough to laugh instead of punch me in the head.Good times.
Well,my times running out here.So I'll talk to you soon:)
Song of the week: Lets build a home:from the white stripes destyjl album.Go home put it on turn it up and try not to dance.I dare you.
I hope everyone is doing well.I'm deeply sorry for missing your birthday bash,kev.I just didn't have the funds to make it.I hope it was spectacular though.
So I finally found someone willing to hire me.Woohoo!!!Its only part time barwork.Yes,even with all my shaking someone hired me to pull pints.Its going alright.I start a second job tomorrow.As a kitchen assistant.Yep,they expect me to cook.This should be interesting.The good news is that combined I should be getting between 30 and 40 hours a week.Thank god.
So what else?We went down to Manchester for the day on Saturday.Dang!That city loves to shop!It was frickin chaos.Beautiful city though.It has a good vibe and some nice record stores.Went to this shop called Afflecks place thats 5 or 6 floors of second hand and vintage clothing and weird stuff.Indie designer clothes and stuff.Very cool.Saw this wicked corderoy dj record bag.Then had to convince myself it was a waste of money since my record player is in Canada and oh yeah...I'm not a dj.It was sweet though.They also had one made out of old star wars sheets.I know what your thinking...how cool is this guy?I know,i know.
I worked my first hectic shift at the Vickerstown Institute(the pub I'm working at) Saturday night.A do for 120 people.They were all such nice people.Nice enough to wait at the bar for every last penny of change.Not one single s.o.b tipped.Lovely.
Sunday was what the english call Super Sunday.It was a long weekend,Monday was a stat holiday.So on sunday everyone in the country went out to the pub and got pissed.Myself included.Well,we went to a great barbeque first.Then about 5pm we hit the pub.I hit the stella,or as they call it here,the wifebeater.Classy name.Its 5% and thats strong here apparently.Then I started dancing and never stopped til we hit the chinese take away for a curry and chips.Thing is I don't think anyone else was dancing.Just me.And I was getting down.All the way down to chinatown.At least I seemed to amuse everyone else.And the strangers I danced with were kind enough to laugh instead of punch me in the head.Good times.
Well,my times running out here.So I'll talk to you soon:)
Song of the week: Lets build a home:from the white stripes destyjl album.Go home put it on turn it up and try not to dance.I dare you.
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