It's oh, so quiet! Shhhh, shhhhh!

Well I know they missed me!  I don’t think I’ve ever seen more Union people so happy to see me as I did today.  It’s interesting how all you have to do is go away for 7 days and leave them in the hands of a hastily trained person to have them really begin to appreciate you.  Today was filled with the usual laughs and stories.  I’m told though that the whole office really quietens down and is somewhat staid when I’m not around.

Well I’m trying to spend less time online when I’m in my room because I spend SO much time on the computer at work.  That means that I’m going to put this computer down and actually read a book now.

A Celebrity Returns Home

Well I’m back and for some reason for the first time since I left I’m wearing my glasses again.  It’s really weird but I don’t seem to need to wear my glasses in the outside world.  Here I seem to need to, maybe it has something to do with the dry air or the fluorescent lighting.

Leaving home today I had a mix of emotions going on.  On one hand I was relatively pleased that this last week off had gone so well and that my time at home was pleasant and relaxing.  On the other hand, likely as a result of the aforementioned reasons, I was quite despondent at the thought of leaving.  Emotionally I was quite sad at the thought that I would be missing out on things at home.  Now logically I know there’s really nothing that I’m missing that’s all that exciting but… those pesky emotions are quite hard to ignore.

While waiting in the Kelowna airport I spotted a tag on another traveller’s luggage that indicated he was coming here to camp as well.  Naturally curious I asked him if he was indeed coming to camp and he said that yes he was.  We chatted a bit and he’s a rather pleasant fellow but of course he couldn’t help but ask a number of questions about things happening here at the lodge.  Now I don’t know if I’ve mentioned it en-blog before but I’ve laughingly been referring to myself and the other people that work in our office as ‘Local Celebrities’.  Everyone in this place knows us and they all want and need us to help them CONSTANTLY!  There are times when the whole situation gets absolutely outrageous.  When I am off work I generally cloister myself in my room because anytime I go out into the hall someone invariably wants me to do something for them.  One night before I went on turnaround I was standing in our bathroom, in my pyjamas, brushing my teeth and a Gentleman, that doesn’t even work for my company, was happily asking me if I knew any information about his upcoming turnaround.  This is the type of harassment, only magnified 1,000 times, that I believe makes real celebrities act like horrible people (or as refugee’s in other countries).  It’s absolutely draining to be on the job all the time.  Usually my response to most requests while I’m obviously not working is “sure after you go dig me a ditch / weld me something / do whatever the hell it is while your on the job I’ll be more than happy to do that for you”.  Generally that works but sometimes you just have to acquiesce to their demand / query and do what they want because some of these guys are just that much of a pain.  So with that said I’m back in the public light so “what’s your question?”

Winding Down

I’m wrapping up my time in Vernon and it’s been really good.  There are still a few things to do and a few people to see, which will keep me busy until I leave.  Reflecting upon this time I have come to the conclusion that there truly is not a better place to spend summer time than the Okanagan.  In the past few days I’ve gone from Summerland buying wine to Salmon Arm having dinner with a friend from Prairie.  Partied with Sister, walked with Mom, played racquetball with Dad, had lunch with Uncle.  It’s been a very busy time.

Of course the first day out of camp I spent on a whirlwind shopping trip through Calgary with S.  I have NEVER spent as much money on two items of clothing as I did that day.  Unfortunately I needed a blazer and after trying on different ones at every store in Chinook mall I finally went to Harry Rosen and of course the first one I put on was perfect.  Now I’ll just need to buy a suitable shirt and we’re set for the July wedding.

Now I’m off to spend some more time in the sun.

Just another gorgeous couple days in the Okanagan.

Sunny and Drunk

It’s been a pretty busy couple of days.  I’m writing this from Vernon, where I am on my turnaround, and the weather is exceptional.  Blue skies, sunny and warm.  I’m currently off to Thornhaven Estate Winery where I’m going to buy a case for a wedding present.  

Father's Day and eBay.

I called my Dad for Father’s Day, and true to form my Dad thought that it was next weekend…  Anyway, I love you Dad, happy Father’s Day!

In other news, I bought my first item off of eBay today!  I bought a Penguin shirt and it turned out to be much cheaper than if I had paid for it at the mall.  Now I’m eagerly awaiting my shirt.

Sleepless in...(?)

As I get closer and closer to my break I find it harder and harder to sleep.  This happens every time I leave this place.  For a weekend this one has been relatively good here.  Usually we’re bored out of our ever loving minds but it really hasn’t been all that bad for some reason.

A big slice of casual letdown.

Today was supposed to be casual and pizza day.  The casual part of it went off without a hitch but for some reason our driver wouldn’t get us pizza from Fort Mac (Fucker!).  I was really tired today and I’m looking forward to going to bed tonight.  It’s been really hot here so I’m really glad that my room is so comfortable right now.  True I’m wearing flannel pj’s because the A/C is so high but that’s just the way I like it.  When our Office Supervisor left I inherited a humidifier from him which helps to keep the humidity level in my room really high to (which makes me happy) so I’m pretty happy environment wise right now.

Only four more day’s till I’m out of here!  I’m SO beyond excited.  Now if I wasn’t so damned tired everything would be great.  I’m starting to make stupid mistakes at work as a result of the tiredness.  Not good.  Four more days… four more days… four more days…

Let's get this week over with!

Well this week has been somewhat of a wash-up.  I can’t wait for it to be over and for me to get out of here.  Starting off the week by being shit on by my so called friend, getting sick, losing a friend in the office, having one of the other staff members go on turnaround early, and being short staffed and stressed has just made it a bit of a tough couple of days.  Overall, I have been able to keep my spirits up.

I decided the other night that I would get a web-cam and it arrived yesterday… now that I’ve got it I just need to figure out what to do with it.  Quite honestly the web-cam has been the most exciting part of my week.

Sweet Toxicity

I learned something new today.  An excess of sugar in your diet makes your immune system go down, because your body is working so hard to get the sugar out of your blood it doesn’t have the energy to focus on making sure the viruses and other nasty’s don’t get a foot hold.  This very likely explains why I’m sick again.  I thought I was just run down but it could be the cake and cookies that I eat everyday!  Stupid bakery (because it’s the bakeries fault, not mine)!

I chatted to my “friend” in Van again briefly tonight and he further explained that it was because I was so negative while I was there that he’s been keeping his distance.  Seems he doesn’t need to be dragged down… I guess I didn’t realize that I’m still such a toxic personality.  Here I thought that I’d been doing really well in that respect.  I suppose that this is another of life’s lessons learned.  Someone else’s perspective of you is always going to be entirely different than yours.

C.R.A.Z.Y

I’ve been going over why I was so upset by my friends comments this morning and I think it’s because I feel like I have so few friends right now that potentially losing one is a major scar.  Ugh, I have to get out of this mind-set.  Fuck him.  

Some People Suck.

So I’ve been wondering why I haven’t heard from one of my friends from Van since I had visited there months ago; I finally got him on MSN today and he told me that he’s been distancing himself.  When I asked him why, he told me that it was because I had seemed so unhappy when I was there.  Apparently a number of people had commented on it.

So right now I’m feeling really hurt and fairly upset but mostly confused.  I don’t understand what I had done or said that gave off the impression that I was ‘unhappy’ but the fact that his reaction was to distance himself hurts.  I really don’t need this right now.

.

I’m lonely.

MUCH Shame

Sitting here watching Much I’m constantly being bombarded by advertising for the 06’ MMVA’s.  While I don’t ever remember being excited for the MMVA’s this year I’m extra unexcited.  The over promoted list of promoters includes such *ahem* luminaries as Paris Hilton (who’s just released her first single in which it seems that Gwen Stephanie is singing), Nick Lachey (who? Wasn’t he married to Jessica Simpson?), Tori Spelling (SERIOUSLY PEOPLE!), Jesse Metcalfe (so you made out with Eva Longoria on TV, congratulations… your famous), Tricia Helfer (well that’ll keep the Sci-Fi geeks happy, oh and apparently she’s got a low budget show called Canada’s Next Top Model going to), Jay Manuel (God I actually had to google this guy to figure out that he was one of the people on America’s Next Top Model).  Personally I think ‘The Nation’s Music Station’ can do better; a good place to start would be by cutting out some of the laughable guest presenters who are famous for being famous and have 0 to do with music.  I’m predicting that they’re going to have to start or MTV Canada is going to eat their lunch.

The fish is spending the next 24 hours or so in his beach cottage while his regular home is cleaned.

Another One Bites The Dust!

Just found out that our current Office Supervisor as given his notice.  That’s two down since I’ve been here.  I’m actually pretty sad about the fact that he’s left because he’s a great guy and I’ve enjoyed the fact that there’s been another guy in the office.  I really hope they don’t hire another woman to replace him.  My entire working history has been FILLED with women.  I don’t know what it is about me but I seem to be the only male in history who is constantly surrounded by women and I don’t even try for this outcome.  It’s insane that I moved up to a camp of 2,000 men and I end up working in an office with all women and one other guy.  Now the other guy is leaving and it makes me feel slightly alone.  

Oiler fever has taken over the camp… at least for tonight.  As I sit here I can hear a roar coming from a number of different directions meaning that the Oiler’s have just scored.  Yay Edmonton *that was my most enthusiastic tone I swear*

Going B-a-n-a-n-a-s!

To much time to think is not a good thing.  I try and keep myself occupied on weekends when I’m working but fuck is it hard.  Even the fish is asleep!  So little going on here it’s insane.  The security guards in the cage across the way all look comatose as well.  Even though I bitch and complain about weekends here I’ve had far worse jobs and this is definitely the highlight of my working history so far.  Maybe I should eat a banana!

Do the hokey pokey!

Two steps forward and one step back… As far as we progress in this world there’s always this overwhelming feeling that there is still so much more that we need to accomplish.  Often I have found that these feelings that cause so much frustration and anxiety stem from talking to my parents about future plans.  At this moment in time I’m busy trying to improve myself and my situation so that things can only get better from here.  I think the problem lies when you try and plan to far in advance with no real idea of what’s going to happen.  Ultimately none of us do know what’s going to happen in the future so what’s the point of stressing ourselves out trying to figure out how we’re going to react to events that haven’t even occurred yet?

I feel that an update on my four days off is in order.  I enjoyed Raph and Wifeys fabulous hospitality and made an absolute mess of their home while I was at it.  It many ways it was the perfect time off as I was able keep myself entertained, or be entertained, for the entire four days but at a leisurely pace.  Thanks again kids!

I finished ‘The Great Gatsby’ last night and I really enjoyed it, again another highly recommended read.  

It’s a typical Saturday around here.  Totally dead and I’m here till 10!  Yuck.

Hopefully my next post will be made from the comfort of my room.  In room internet services have finally made it to camp which means that I’ll be back on messenger more often as well.  Hope to see you there!

At long last here is a picture of my desk. If you look in the fish tank you can see Blue swimming around. Arn't you glad you stopped by here today?

Easy life....

Vacation time is just too easy sometimes.  I’ve had a very enjoyable time with Raph and Wifey as well as L.  Things have been very good the only major problem has been the amount of money spent… as usual.  L bought a VERY sexy hat at a hat store on Whyte and I managed to pick up a few books.  One Karen Armstrong and ‘The Three Musketeers’.  Now we’re just killing time until Wifey comes home and then we’re going out for dinner.