So many good things are happening in the course of the next few days. In no particular order:
- The Olympics finish on Sunday. YES. We get our town back. I also have a feeling the city of Vancouver will have that feeling you get after a 2 week holiday. You got quite drunk, you didn't quite get everything done you wanted, some people you went with thought it was crap and it cost an awful lot of money.
- My time off has arrived. This post will primarily make me feel bad next week when I have to go back to work and I think of myself sat here with no reason to get up for the next nine days.
- A couple of friends arrive from the UK next week for their own Canadian holiday. It'll be good to see some familiar faces and look as if I know where things are in and around Vancouver. Of course I have lots of stuff planned and lots of ideas for what they can do. Erm, yeah.
In other news my boss asked me this week what I will think of that defines my trip to Canada. I said I didn't really know and that's pretty much true, a year is a long time to distil to one thing. There's been a lot of highlights; snowboarding, Nathan Barley costumes, gay bingo. And hopefully more still to come.
Having said that I know what will happen when I get home. Despite all the good times, despite the people I've met, despite a basically amazing year (genuinely the best of my life - no joke), people will ask "How was Canada? What was it like? Did you have a good time?". And I'll say "It was alright".
Friday, 26 February 2010
Tuesday, 23 February 2010
3 days to go
3 days until my week off. YES. I realised earlier this week that the longest I've had off since I started working last July is 3 days. Yeah that's right, you British people are loving those EU laws now eh? I told you it wasn't all sweetness and light over here. Anyway, time off. Bonus.
- People who visit Vancouver for the Olympics also evidently are not interested in video games in any way. They are, however, very interested in walking around without any idea where they are going. Taking photos of nothing in particular while they do it.
- I finally destroyed my work trousers. For the last couple of months they've been, shall we say, worse for wear. There's a perfect imprint of my phone and wallet on either pocket and small hole which I stepped in yesterday to make a rather large hole. I thought I could make it for the next 3 months but alas no. I've been advised not to buy replacement trousers from Wal Mart.
- Everyone I know is working harder than me. I knew it would pay off not working in a restaurant. Also because everyone would get food poisoning.
- Greg and I had our photo taken with Batman. I shit you not. Pictorial evidence to be provided after the Olympics. About time, I think I need another photo update.
- Apparently my accent is ever so slightly Canadian now. I highly doubt this, and even if that were the case, when you live in a different country for this long you're bound to pick some stuff up eh.
Also most people seem to think I've finally lost it. What's wrong with you all? You should all be fully appraised on Black Eyed Peas lyrics. The next test will be on Girls Aloud. Just a warning.
- People who visit Vancouver for the Olympics also evidently are not interested in video games in any way. They are, however, very interested in walking around without any idea where they are going. Taking photos of nothing in particular while they do it.
- I finally destroyed my work trousers. For the last couple of months they've been, shall we say, worse for wear. There's a perfect imprint of my phone and wallet on either pocket and small hole which I stepped in yesterday to make a rather large hole. I thought I could make it for the next 3 months but alas no. I've been advised not to buy replacement trousers from Wal Mart.
- Everyone I know is working harder than me. I knew it would pay off not working in a restaurant. Also because everyone would get food poisoning.
- Greg and I had our photo taken with Batman. I shit you not. Pictorial evidence to be provided after the Olympics. About time, I think I need another photo update.
- Apparently my accent is ever so slightly Canadian now. I highly doubt this, and even if that were the case, when you live in a different country for this long you're bound to pick some stuff up eh.
Also most people seem to think I've finally lost it. What's wrong with you all? You should all be fully appraised on Black Eyed Peas lyrics. The next test will be on Girls Aloud. Just a warning.
Thursday, 18 February 2010
It's just like old times
Since my internet has crapped out again I headed to the SWAP office to check my email and actual mail (I had a letter from the tax office. Woohoo!). Regular followers of the blog (both of you) will know this was where I spent a fair amount of time at the beginning of the adventure. Those times were filled with frantic CV editing and general panic and it's nice to sit here without that pressure. It is, however, quite depressing to discover how much you've earnt over the last months and subsequently blown. Seriously, where has all this money gone? Actually on second thought I don't even want to know.
- Town is still busy. Very busy. Although the number of people asking for directions has dramatically decreased so maybe they're starting to learn their way around. It was also getting increasingly difficult to resist the temptation to send them in the wrong direction anyway.
- Going to Quiznos on your day off is a bad move.
- Apparently the Winter Games have been getting a lot of negative press back in the UK. Is this true? Since I've been generally not paying attention to any of the media coverage on either side of the Atlantic I've no idea if they're going well or not.
- I really hate my phone. Still. It will never abate. I keep fantasising about how I'm going to destroy it when I'm finished with it. So far every idea involves a blender. Or maybe the Slap Chop!
That's all folks. I'm off to enjoy the sunshine. Yeah that's right, the sunshine.
- Town is still busy. Very busy. Although the number of people asking for directions has dramatically decreased so maybe they're starting to learn their way around. It was also getting increasingly difficult to resist the temptation to send them in the wrong direction anyway.
- Going to Quiznos on your day off is a bad move.
- Apparently the Winter Games have been getting a lot of negative press back in the UK. Is this true? Since I've been generally not paying attention to any of the media coverage on either side of the Atlantic I've no idea if they're going well or not.
- I really hate my phone. Still. It will never abate. I keep fantasising about how I'm going to destroy it when I'm finished with it. So far every idea involves a blender. Or maybe the Slap Chop!
That's all folks. I'm off to enjoy the sunshine. Yeah that's right, the sunshine.
Tuesday, 16 February 2010
Let's have a positive one for a change
It struck me that the last couple of blog posts have been relatively negative, so let's have an upbeat one for a nice change of pace.
- I'm actually warming to the sports of the Winter Olympics (so hilarious). Every time I catch them on TV you can tell all of them require massive amounts of natural ability. And with some of the athletes being so young it makes their performances all the more impressive. It'd be a great experience for all of them, basically like heading to the World Cup.
- I've had some amazing food in the last week or so. Including (but not limited to) various seafood dishes and Chinese take out, and they've all been really good. One thing I have noticed is the quality of seafood over here, which I guess is obvious given Vancouver's proximity to fresh sources.
- There's a zip line heading right across Robson Square, and it's free. I've got to get on this thing before it goes, I'll never have such a convenient opportunity to recreate the opening scene from The Dark Knight.
- I'm only 10 days away from having 9 days off. YES.
- Most of you thought I was mistaken for a Rachel. Sorry to disappoint but it was Joe. I didn't even argue, I just went with it.
That felt much better. As I've said before I'm genuinely happy these days but I guess old habits die hard and my English nature requires me to complain every couple of weeks or so. I'll work on it.
- I'm actually warming to the sports of the Winter Olympics (so hilarious). Every time I catch them on TV you can tell all of them require massive amounts of natural ability. And with some of the athletes being so young it makes their performances all the more impressive. It'd be a great experience for all of them, basically like heading to the World Cup.
- I've had some amazing food in the last week or so. Including (but not limited to) various seafood dishes and Chinese take out, and they've all been really good. One thing I have noticed is the quality of seafood over here, which I guess is obvious given Vancouver's proximity to fresh sources.
- There's a zip line heading right across Robson Square, and it's free. I've got to get on this thing before it goes, I'll never have such a convenient opportunity to recreate the opening scene from The Dark Knight.
- I'm only 10 days away from having 9 days off. YES.
- Most of you thought I was mistaken for a Rachel. Sorry to disappoint but it was Joe. I didn't even argue, I just went with it.
That felt much better. As I've said before I'm genuinely happy these days but I guess old habits die hard and my English nature requires me to complain every couple of weeks or so. I'll work on it.
Wednesday, 10 February 2010
Ever had one of those nights where you can't sleep?
I have. I'm having one right now. That's why I'm sitting in a dark room with cold feet and a laptop that's running out of battery. "I know, I'll write the blog". And since there's been a departure from the usual bullet point style I thought I'd revisit it tonight. Screw fake New Year's Resolutions.
- People seem to be having an inordinate amount of trouble with my name. This has been happening all year, in addition to the poll answers on the right I've had Jeremy, Jesse and Jamie. I might just change my name to Bruce Wayne.
- The Olympic crowd hasn't hit the shop yet, thank God. They're about downtown but thankfully they're staying there so far. I don't know why I just said that, cast iron guarantee it'll be mental tomorrow now.
- The English crew here (Team Family) got together for the first time in a while, and possibly the last for a few weeks since everyone is working crazy-go-nuts hours for the next few weeks. Still, just over 2 weeks to go and then I have 9 days off. Awesome.
That's all I can think of. I'm still not tired but I think I'll give it another shot. I'm definitely cold, no question about that one.
- People seem to be having an inordinate amount of trouble with my name. This has been happening all year, in addition to the poll answers on the right I've had Jeremy, Jesse and Jamie. I might just change my name to Bruce Wayne.
- The Olympic crowd hasn't hit the shop yet, thank God. They're about downtown but thankfully they're staying there so far. I don't know why I just said that, cast iron guarantee it'll be mental tomorrow now.
- The English crew here (Team Family) got together for the first time in a while, and possibly the last for a few weeks since everyone is working crazy-go-nuts hours for the next few weeks. Still, just over 2 weeks to go and then I have 9 days off. Awesome.
That's all I can think of. I'm still not tired but I think I'll give it another shot. I'm definitely cold, no question about that one.
Saturday, 6 February 2010
I remember predicting this
It's coming. First it started with a 4 or 5 guys all wearing the same coloured puffy jacket. Then it was dozens of people walking around with their ridiculously oversized pass card proudly on display. Now it's hundreds of people, almost all with cameras and vacant expressions covering their permanently swivelling faces.
The Winter Olympics.
It's less than a week until the start and I've had enough already. I remember saying that I'd hate it and now I do. It's not just me either, I know of people who are staying indoors as much as possible throughout the entire thing. Let's not Go World. Let's not Go Canada. Let's Go Away.
I know what you're thinking, "Oh but it's a once in a lifetime opportunity, it'll be great to be at the centre of something so exciting! All those athletes from nations all over the world! I'd love to be there!". Well you're wrong, it's not exciting. It's annoying. Imagine if you will your home town being inundated by thousands of tourists. Throw in that their conversation, and by extension the media's, is all about sports you don't care about and never will. Not that they're bad sports, you just don't like them. Add in live music which you don't care about. That is my Olympics.
Obviously this is me being a grumpy bastard again, it's like Christmas all over again. To be honest I'm not as annoyed as I make out, in fact I'm pretty happy these days. But I think of it like a really good meal you'd have in a restaurant. You like drinking the wine, you love eating the food. But you wouldn't want to be in the kitchen making it.
The Winter Olympics.
It's less than a week until the start and I've had enough already. I remember saying that I'd hate it and now I do. It's not just me either, I know of people who are staying indoors as much as possible throughout the entire thing. Let's not Go World. Let's not Go Canada. Let's Go Away.
I know what you're thinking, "Oh but it's a once in a lifetime opportunity, it'll be great to be at the centre of something so exciting! All those athletes from nations all over the world! I'd love to be there!". Well you're wrong, it's not exciting. It's annoying. Imagine if you will your home town being inundated by thousands of tourists. Throw in that their conversation, and by extension the media's, is all about sports you don't care about and never will. Not that they're bad sports, you just don't like them. Add in live music which you don't care about. That is my Olympics.
Obviously this is me being a grumpy bastard again, it's like Christmas all over again. To be honest I'm not as annoyed as I make out, in fact I'm pretty happy these days. But I think of it like a really good meal you'd have in a restaurant. You like drinking the wine, you love eating the food. But you wouldn't want to be in the kitchen making it.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
Posts
