Just a quick one...

Just a quick one...

I'm on my way home from the smokes store, walking up the sidewalk this morning when accross the street from me a woman with a baby in a pull cart steps into the crosswalk and holds up her hand to make the speeding cars stop. A huge truck screeches to a stop. She walks across giving everyone distainful looks.

A minute or so later she is at least 50 feet behind me on the sidewalk when I hear "That cigarette is killing me!"

I bristle and just keep walking ignoring her. She repeats herself, only louder this time "That cigarette is killing me!"

I spin around and say "I hope so".

She says "What do you mean by that?"

I said "I'd rather live in a world of smokers than a world of grumpy people" but I might have said "assholes" instead of "grumpy people".

I turned around and kept walking. She turned the corner and went to the hospital. I hope she has some kind of horrible disease.


Smokers have rights too.

No Notice of Disconnection Part 1

Have I ever said here I hate Shaw Cable? Is that a hate crime? Put me in jail.

My cable was shut off this afternoon. The guide and everything was still there so I knew they had cut me off. Besides it's Thursday, and that's the day that they usualy cut you off (so you can pay friday and have cable on the weekend when deadbeats have their kids over.) Don't ask me how I know this.

Okay, ask me. It's because they shut off my cable LAST MONTH and made me pay them $470. I am caught up. I phoned Customer service to straighten this out. I was on hold for an HOUR before getting a frustrated jerk on the phone. While I was waiting I phoned the automated billing department on my cell phone and was told I owed them $597. I know I owe them $130 for this month, so obviously they've not written down the money I gave them LAST MONTH.

Finaly the frustrated jerk is asking if he can help me. I tell him my cable is out and he checks and tells me I haven't paid my bill, and there's nothing he can do for me. He askes if I'd like to speak to someone in billing. That sounded like a good idea to me right up 'till when he transfered me to "billing" and I got a recording giving me office hours (they were closed) and then a voicemail box where I left a message something like "Closed? But I just waited an hour. The guy just transfered me to a closed office. I was on the phone for an hour." It was a realy whiney voice too.

So now I don't know what to think. I'm not calling customer service again If I have to wait for an HOUR to talk to a jerk that can do nothing for me. I look at the numbers in the phone book. Repair, Customer Service (Ha!), Shaw Internet, something called "Locates", and Administration. I figure my internet is out too, and they'd be less busy. I poke phone buttons untill I get "business internet" who I figure is doing not much on a thursday at 10 pm. This time after only a little bit of shitty music and adfotainment on hold I get another live human.

After a bit of explaining (and some payment history checks) she seems to agree with my ascertion that I do not owe them so much. She says she can turn on my modem and my TV, but I'll have to phone customer service to sort out the problem because she is only in a small branch of internet help, and can't access that other stuff. She puts me on hold for another five minutes, and I stare at the empty screen and listen to another add telling me about the "extreme internet" I could be getting for only an extra $10 a month.

The TV flickers back to life, she comes back on line, and we're done. For today. Check back tomorrow.

SHAW CABLE SUCKS SHAW CABLE SUCKS SHAW CABLE SUCKS SHAW CABLE SUCKS SHAW CABLE SUCKS SHAW CABLE SUCKS SHAW CABLE SUCKS SHAW CABLE SUCKS SHAW CABLE SUCKS SHAW CABLE SUCKS SHAW CABLE SUCKS SHAW CABLE SUCKS SHAW CABLE SUCKS SHAW CABLE SUCKS SHAW CABLE SUCKS SHAW CABLE SUCKS SHAW CABLE SUCKS SHAW CABLE SUCKS SHAW CABLE SUCKS SHAW CABLE SUCKS SHAW CABLE SUCKS SHAW CABLE SUCKS SHAW CABLE SUCKS SHAW CABLE SUCKS SHAW CABLE SUCKS SHAW CABLE SUCKS SHAW CABLE SUCKS SHAW CABLE SUCKS SHAW CABLE SUCKS SHAW CABLE SUCKS SHAW CABLE SUCKS SHAW CABLE SUCKS SHAW CABLE SUCKS SHAW CABLE SUCKS SHAW CABLE SUCKS SHAW CABLE SUCKS SHAW CABLE SUCKS SHAW CABLE SUCKS SHAW CABLE SUCKS SHAW CABLE SUCKS SHAW CABLE SUCKS SHAW CABLE SUCKS SHAW CABLE SUCKS SHAW CABLE SUCKS SHAW CABLE SUCKS SHAW CABLE SUCKS SHAW CABLE SUCKS SHAW CABLE SUCKS SHAW CABLE SUCKS SHAW CABLE SUCKS SHAW CABLE SUCKS SHAW CABLE SUCKS SHAW CABLE SUCKS SHAW CABLE SUCKS

Ask anyone.

Toodles...

Feeling like a scorched squirrel

A new Pope, a federal government in disgrace, an engagement and impending marriage, the loss of a dear friend, an uncertain housing situation and related massive clean-up, and a total lack of ideas, motivation and money have resulted in my being tardy on the art front.

It's just so hard to concentrate on the frivolous. I feel a bit like this guy.

Electrocuted squirrel

Firstly: The new Pope. "Ratty" is a German. The last Pope was Polish. If there's a god, he really digs irony. (Heh, or not I suppose.) The Cardinals made a quick decision this time as I suppose a lot of this was worked out in advance. The guy before John Paul only lasted a month or so, and it seemed to take quite a bit longer that time. Don't get me wrong here, I'm not a "Popie" or anything, it's just that there’s a billion Christians out there and they scare me a little. It’s good to keep an eye on these people.

The Gomery inquiry: 'Ow do you say? "Tip of zee iceberg?". In my jaded opinion, and I've said it again and again, ACCOUNTABILITY! How can any government expect ethics and responsibility from it's citizenry with all that going on. You're blind if you don't think this is happening at all levels of government, and in the private sector as well. Add up all the money that is "lost" in a decade due to theft arrogance and greed just in Canada alone. Again, my opinion here, but if everyone was truly accountable we probably wouldn't need a federal income tax. You can expect to hear a lot more on this from me in the future. I’m watching it live every day and I'm fucking laughing, but only on the outside.

J and I are getting married. This May we will have been together for 9 years. It's just time to do it we thought. We're trying not to make a big deal of it. I mean, hardly a "white wedding" after almost a decade with her. At least my mother will know how to introduce her now. I only just proposed yesterday. The wedding is in two weeks. Now we can tell everyone about our "whirlwind engagement" of only a fortnight.

RIP "Muffie" one of my favorite kitties. This kind of thing is very hard on me. *Sniff*


Most of the block I live on has been sold to developers. The elderly couple that lived in the house next door for over thirty years moved out. A week or two ago new neighbours moved in. I feel certain these guys are going to show up in an episode of my cartoon "Sharon" if not on an episode of "To serve and Protect". One of the first things these ancient wisened junkies did was drive a Harley into the basement. After 15 minutes of reving, squealing tires, cursing and drinking, the bike is inside. One of the old liquor soaked zombies says "I guess I’ll stand guard tonight."

His buddy says "Do you want my gun?"

Fuck. I'm cleaning up around here and this happens next door. I hear these guys are buddies of the landlord. Can you say "Rent reduction?" How about "peacefull enjoyment" etc.? One of these bastards took a piss in the garden ten feet from us as we were having drinks on the back porch last night. I hate vulgar displays of stupidity and now I have to deal with a house full of T.C.O.T.C.'s RIGHT NEXT DOOR. Double fuck.

To live in exciting times. That was a curse, wasn't it?