Can I just say how glad I am with all my Christmas purchases and that most of my purchases were bought over a month ago?!?!?! As much as I love to shop, I HATE shopping during the Christmas Season! All the crazy and deranged people seem to appear at this time and there is no where to hide from them. If you can imagine those old movies where the lunatics seem to have control of the mental hospital or the deranged prisoners that take control of the prison, then you can imagine what the malls here in Toronto look like during the holiday season.
This is the time that I DO NOT and WILL NOT step into any mall. I work about 5 minutes away from the Eaton Centre and you will not see me go anywhere near that place. And I don't care what kind of really good sale you will get on Boxing Day, I will not go to a mall and get myself killed over some ipod or iphone or any other gadget that is the "Hot Item" for this Christmas.
Nope I plan on staying home where it is nice and cozy and I know I will not be hurt by the crazy shoppers.
Friday, December 21, 2007
Sunday, October 21, 2007
New York City...
I am finally on vacation! One would think that with 4 weeks available to me, I would have taken a full week off a while ago, but that is not the case. For some reason I enjoy taking a day off here and there and taking a full week off sometime in October or November.
A full week to relax and do nothing, but can one really relax while in NYC? Yes, I am in NYC for a few days to "relax". As much as I love the city it still freaks me out during the evening rush hour, when I'm walking "against the grain". The morning rush hour isn't bad as I don't usually head out until after 10 am and by then most people are already at work, but the afternoon rush hour can be a killer. Oh well, I'm just going to enjoy the pizza from the pizza joint at Grand Central Station and of course Victoria Secret and Macy's..Heck may even head to SoHo to see if there is anything there worth buying (though I know that I won't be able to afford anything).
A full week to relax and do nothing, but can one really relax while in NYC? Yes, I am in NYC for a few days to "relax". As much as I love the city it still freaks me out during the evening rush hour, when I'm walking "against the grain". The morning rush hour isn't bad as I don't usually head out until after 10 am and by then most people are already at work, but the afternoon rush hour can be a killer. Oh well, I'm just going to enjoy the pizza from the pizza joint at Grand Central Station and of course Victoria Secret and Macy's..Heck may even head to SoHo to see if there is anything there worth buying (though I know that I won't be able to afford anything).
Friday, September 14, 2007
Booze and the TTC
One thing about living in Toronto and the surrounding GTA is the city's transportation. Yes, the fleet of buses, streetcars, subways, SRTs known as the Toronto Transit Commission a.k.a the TTC. To be truthful, I actually enjoy the commute on Route 95 (York Mills) to the subway station. On a daily basis there isn't that much change in the scenery, but over time you do notice the subtle changes being made here and there, such as building construction or renovations being done on a home that you see twice a day, five days a week.
What I really find interesting is the people that you see on the TTC. I am a people person and I enjoy to observe people. So the TTC is one of the best places to just sit and look around (yet be subtle). Today had to be one of the more interesting days. At around 4:10 I was on the subway heading home from work. The subway just pulled out of Eglinton and was heading north towards Lawerence station when you hear someone in a panicked voice say "What? Lawerence Station? Nooooo! I'm suppose to be going to Warden Station" For those of you that are not familiar with Toronto's Subway routes Warden station is on the Bloor-Danforth (East-West) line while Lawerence station is on the Yonge-University-Spadina (North-South) line. To get to Warden station the guy was to have gotten off and Yonge and Bloor and gotten on a subway that was heading East. Normally missing you stop is a common thing and it could have happened to anyone on the train as sometimes we can get caught up in reading a book or newspaper, listening to music, snoozing or just chatting with the person sitting next to you. Unfortunately that wasn't the case for this guys. Nope, this guys was drinking Grand Marnier out of the bottle and telling people that were looking at him to mind their business. Well we minded our business and kept on doing what we were doing before he got on and he still yelled at everyone in our compartment as no one told him to get off at Yonge and Bloor. Wish I could have told him that the announcement was made, but he was too busy telling stories to who ever he was sitting next to, that he missed the announcement... Ah booze, you have got to love it!
What I really find interesting is the people that you see on the TTC. I am a people person and I enjoy to observe people. So the TTC is one of the best places to just sit and look around (yet be subtle). Today had to be one of the more interesting days. At around 4:10 I was on the subway heading home from work. The subway just pulled out of Eglinton and was heading north towards Lawerence station when you hear someone in a panicked voice say "What? Lawerence Station? Nooooo! I'm suppose to be going to Warden Station" For those of you that are not familiar with Toronto's Subway routes Warden station is on the Bloor-Danforth (East-West) line while Lawerence station is on the Yonge-University-Spadina (North-South) line. To get to Warden station the guy was to have gotten off and Yonge and Bloor and gotten on a subway that was heading East. Normally missing you stop is a common thing and it could have happened to anyone on the train as sometimes we can get caught up in reading a book or newspaper, listening to music, snoozing or just chatting with the person sitting next to you. Unfortunately that wasn't the case for this guys. Nope, this guys was drinking Grand Marnier out of the bottle and telling people that were looking at him to mind their business. Well we minded our business and kept on doing what we were doing before he got on and he still yelled at everyone in our compartment as no one told him to get off at Yonge and Bloor. Wish I could have told him that the announcement was made, but he was too busy telling stories to who ever he was sitting next to, that he missed the announcement... Ah booze, you have got to love it!
Saturday, September 08, 2007
Just a thought...
Growing up, I never wanted to leave Newfoundland. I had envisioned myself:
1) Finishing my University career there
2) Finding a job somewhere on the island
3) Settling down and raising a family
4) Retiring and enjoying my life there
5) Eventually dying there...
Well out of that list, let's see what I have accomplished so far...WOW just one thing....
1) I GRADUATED from MUN (WOO HOO)
2) Finding a job there never happened and off to Toronto I went
3) Settle down? What the hell is that?... Raise a family? Hell I'm lucky I have time for myself! Let alone a spouse and child(ren).
4) Retire? Not with my pay and mortgage payments
5) Die? Yes it will eventually happen, but it will happen here in Toronto while I'm working to pay off my mortgage and other debts that will eventually pop up unexpectantly.
My move to Toronto almost 9 years ago almost broke my heart, but I have grown to enjoy my life here (or what I have of a life). Toronto is not my most favourite place in the world because of all the hustle and bustle, but nonetheless I enjoy it here. The diverse cultures make Toronto quite interesting, as do many of the events that occur in the city such as Dragon Boat Races, The CNE and so forth, but what I really enjoy is the Toronto International Film Festival. It's that time of the year when some of the big Hollywood names come out to play and a vast range of movies are screened. It's a chance for those of us living here to screen movies (some may even become Oscar contenders and winners) and to star-gaze (or stalk) for 10 full days. The city is abuzz at who is in town and who is attending what movie premiere or party. Entertainment reporters from all over the world descend on our city and you even see some of the tourists looking around to see if they can spot anyone famous.
Yeah this is the time that I love working downtown as you will never know who you will see. Mind you, most of the big Hollywood names will be found in and around the Yorkville area (Toronto's version of Rodeo Drive), but there is always one or two stars that manage to find their way south of Bloor Street.
This is when Toronto becomes "Hollywood", even if it is just for a few days. And I love it!...By the way,one day I may be able to accomplish a couple of more things that are on my list.
1) Finishing my University career there
2) Finding a job somewhere on the island
3) Settling down and raising a family
4) Retiring and enjoying my life there
5) Eventually dying there...
Well out of that list, let's see what I have accomplished so far...WOW just one thing....
1) I GRADUATED from MUN (WOO HOO)
2) Finding a job there never happened and off to Toronto I went
3) Settle down? What the hell is that?... Raise a family? Hell I'm lucky I have time for myself! Let alone a spouse and child(ren).
4) Retire? Not with my pay and mortgage payments
5) Die? Yes it will eventually happen, but it will happen here in Toronto while I'm working to pay off my mortgage and other debts that will eventually pop up unexpectantly.
My move to Toronto almost 9 years ago almost broke my heart, but I have grown to enjoy my life here (or what I have of a life). Toronto is not my most favourite place in the world because of all the hustle and bustle, but nonetheless I enjoy it here. The diverse cultures make Toronto quite interesting, as do many of the events that occur in the city such as Dragon Boat Races, The CNE and so forth, but what I really enjoy is the Toronto International Film Festival. It's that time of the year when some of the big Hollywood names come out to play and a vast range of movies are screened. It's a chance for those of us living here to screen movies (some may even become Oscar contenders and winners) and to star-gaze (or stalk) for 10 full days. The city is abuzz at who is in town and who is attending what movie premiere or party. Entertainment reporters from all over the world descend on our city and you even see some of the tourists looking around to see if they can spot anyone famous.
Yeah this is the time that I love working downtown as you will never know who you will see. Mind you, most of the big Hollywood names will be found in and around the Yorkville area (Toronto's version of Rodeo Drive), but there is always one or two stars that manage to find their way south of Bloor Street.
This is when Toronto becomes "Hollywood", even if it is just for a few days. And I love it!...By the way,one day I may be able to accomplish a couple of more things that are on my list.
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