it’s cold outside but I’m snug as a a bug in a rug in here. I tried going to bed about midnight but I couldn’t sleep. I think if anything I just rested. Ok the following is from last night/yesterday because I didn’t get a chance to blog yesterday getting up so late as I did and all:

I left out of here feeling ok. I got the front of the train and I was down at Audrey’s in like 10 min. There it was, “Someone comes to town Someone leaves town.” by Cory Doctorow. I paid $15.85 (thanks to our dollar being on par with the US dollar earlier this month. US pricing on all bools until the end of December) Other wise the book would cost me something like $20+ The thing I noticed about this book is that there are no Chapters. It’s just a strait long story. I've never seen this before. Cool and I kind of like it.

Anyway, I was in a good mood after buying my book and a promising night lay ahead. Rob had said he made the correction on my cheque for next week. Good stuff. I knew he would. So the OTH bonus money will be on my next cheque. Actually in a way he did me a favour because I've only got 11.5 hours on my next cheque including today. I was ready to rock n' roll for a good night. But by 6:30pm, I had nothing. Not one sale on my recap not even $10 bucks. "on the board". I couldn't get anyone home. Yikes, I was getting a bit concerned but my spirits were modest. At the break I asked Moe if he wants me to hang around, still even though at zero. Sure. “Just do what you can.” I got a $10 sale so I felt a bit better. Then a $20 came along and another $20. I got $50 but everyone was having a slow night and not just me. Moe had to let the front 20 go after 7pm to save line hour because not only did he have a short crew there but they weren't doing well. I’m glad Moe shut us down early at 8:15pm. Friday nights are always slow and this time of year doesn't help. People are still paying for Christmas. I'ts always like this for this time of year. Why the low total then? I think mainly because I couldn't get anyone home and I had Gary on the other side of me and JT beside me and for reasons mentioned above.  JT's ok and so is Gary but put them both together, talking over me and I was lucky I got what I did. Even Gary ended up with just $30. I was glad I was on the train heading home. 

Rant alert: I don't mind opening doors for some people like seniors or the disabled or a woman with a baby carraige that sort of thing or someone with their hands full. I'm a nice guy most times but I'm not stupid nor am I a chump. I might look that way but I'm not. But when there's a couple of girls standing there on the near vacant Clairview train platofrm at 4pm like a few days ago half following me and I knew they knew the driver hadn't got to the front of the train yet they ran for the door as if I'd open it for them. I stopped short seeing this out the corner of my eye at the last second and went down a door and they followed me hoping I'd press a lousy button for them. Yeesh. And last night as I'm ready to press the button out of the train on the Clairview platform here's this idiot standing beside me as if he's waiting for me to press a button to open the door for him. Jesus buddy. It's like people being polite and asking me the time. I say "8:55" and they walk away. What? No Thankyou? So next time someone asks me the time of day, "Yes I do..." and I'll walk away or return to my book. Next time I get off a train I'm going to make sure it's just me. I know these are trivial things but it really bugs me lately opening doors for people, yeesh. It's every man for himself on this dog eat dog commute.

I got a call from Anne as I was waiting on the #182 bus last night for home. I had forgot to bring my book along with me. My fault. There were a few waiting times heading in and coming home where I wish I would have brought it along. I’ll bring it this morning going into work. I like going in Saturday mornings.

The other thing I notice about people on the train and my wife is the same way: (We have Clairview Station, Belvedere, Rexall, Stadium, Underground it's- Churchill, Central, The Bay, Corona (my stop) The Ledge (it's another name but I forrget McCauley maybe?) then the train crosses the River and it's still underground to University station and then the end of the line is the Health Sciences Centre. The LRT line is under construction moving South. Next year North (about friggen time) Ok so getting back to weird habbits and all (And I see other people do this not just my wife.) when the train stops at one of these stations, everyone turns their heads out to look at the platform at the people getting on trians or waiting for trians. Like is there some big facination with watching these people? Are my fellow train passengers going to miss something? Is there a celebraty there or the Prime Minnister mayby? So I bring a book with me for several reasons: Firstly because I have about 10 minutes either way to read. Then because I have zero interest in these people. Strangers. I mean other then my friends and people in my circle etc. People I already know I share something in comon with. So I bring a book to read because, I'm not interested in "people/strangers." I'm not out to make new friends other then the people that I share a comon intrest/s in. I'm not a people watcher. I have enough friends. If your in the SF/F wargame/ my intrest mode, "then howdy friend." You know what I  mean. The other reason I bring a book to read on the train is because quite often, most people sit going with the grain of the trains direction: Forward. I hate it when these people have to sit across from me, the only empty seat and they sit directly across from me in the next booth over facing me. Moron's. They know it bugs me/their victim (and it pisses them off when they don't get a reaction.) when they can sit and stare across from them and make them feel uncomfortable. Did I also mention I like bringing a book on the train just to read?

Ok, I’m thinking about going over to Coles City Centre mall with my reward points after work this afternoon but those points are going to be used for buying books for January. I got my 4 books for December and I think I achieved my goal of 1 book/week for '07. My goal for 2008 is to read one book/month. More if I get a sgj.

Other then that not a lot happening this weekend. This morning I’m off into work (with my book) I’m going to get a Tim’s breakfast sandwich. I’d like to go into Lodge next week but because of the holidays my wife won’t get her cheque until Friday. We both get our cheques on Thursday but she gets hers directly deposited in her bank Wednesday night Thursday morning and I get mine by way of a physical cheque. He cheque is usually waiting for her in the morning. Except of there is a holiday on a Monday like Lodge night. I’m going in on the 17th for sure because Anne also gets paid on that day and we hope to have her vacation pay in by then so I can get my lodge dues paid up. Well, more specifically I hope to have half of Anne’s vacation (her suggestion) pay for my website next week for another year. Between now and the lodge emergent meeting on the 17th I hope to have my gst cheque and that will go to lodge dues.

There will be some changes made to this website next year. I kind of like the idea of having my blog on the main page. But only until Geek Log gets the social book marking thing figured out my Blog will be where it is. Social book marking is all laid out (I think) in Blogger and in other CMS’s. I still want the menus running along the top and a new theme. The new theme I want will be a lot darker with more blues and gray tones, kind of like Keith and J’s blog. I’m still going to have the About Me, Archives, Science fiction/Fantasy, friends, My philosophy menus up there. Also, I’m considering serializing a couple of my earlier novels. There are some nice pieces but I don’t think any of these are among my strongest work. I think they are entertaining novels none the less. I'm still weighing the pros and cons of this though. I’m also going to have a photo of me up there pretty soon as well and maybe a calender like in Wordpress. Markus thinks I should pose my blog photo at a table with a mug. Ever notice on talk shows and the like there's always a mug on the table? I wonder if anything is actually in those mugs? In mine I'm going to have a cup of coffee with actuall steam rising out, it's not a prop. I like my coffee. I also like my website because all of my links are in one place and it’s where my Blog is. I like to check my web traffic and see what days are good and what days are lousy. To be honest I really think most people all they need is a blog unless your going to get into some kind of ecommerce scheme. I don’t really need the expense of a website but for my purposes a website suites my needs. I want static pages and Topics and in a lot of blogs you don’t get that. Also a website is good if you want a forum.

After work, I think I might just head home and like I said forget about the reward points until the first weekend in January. I’ve got 3 days off after that and I’m going to enjoy them. I also hope to get most of HT roughed out. Tonight there’s an Oiler game at Minnesota. Ethan Morrow after almost over a year is (seems like it) returning? I’ll believe it when I see it. Other then this, it’s going to be a lame weekend. Kind of my style anyhow. Sorry for any typo's, I'm still waking up, uggh.

Anyway, that’s all for now

e. Jim