A New Year Review - Or a Few, Very Selected, Words

Well, my first post of the year is a little late, but since I have returned, I have been busy with work like crazy.

I had a very nice Christmas season back in Ottawa, spent time with my folks, family and friends, and made a new friend, one of the biggest cats I have ever seen, but one that followed me around like crazy. As you can see, she is bigger than the average bear...

My arrival back in Calgary was not what I was hoping for. I flew back on WestJet, and thinking I have a direct flight, not many problems can happen. When I sat down on my seat, I realized there was no satelitte TV. Not a big deal, I had a book, a couple of newspapers, and a few magazines. The flight was fine, got back early, but it was the baggage claim where things got interesting.

After waiting for a few minutes, I was called to the baggage department. I was informed that my direct flight was only for me. My bag was sent to Niagara Falls. When I asked why, I was told, "I'm sorry, your bag went to Niagara Falls," as if my bag was breaking up with me and ran with another suitcase it met in the baggage area.

I was told that my bag would arrive at my home between 4 and 8pm. So this kind of blew my day, but what the hell. After around 7pm and no arrival, I called the baggage department, where I was greeted with complete zero help - they had no idea what I was talking about. They then called me back to tell me that my bag would arrive between 7:30 and 10pm. When my bag hadn't arrived by 10:30, I called again, only to discover, they didn't know where my bag was. After a few, very selected, words, they discovered my bag was on its way, but the courier said, "it's snowing out, tell him to relax." Just so you aware, that snowfall that was slowing them down was, what is usually referred to, as a dusting, meaning not even a cm. They finally arrived at midnight. Called me, so I had to go out and get my bag. When I got my bag, I noticed the urgent sticker on it, with the time on it by 8pm. I mentioned that if this delivery was urgent, I would hate to see what would happen if they took their time. He didn't appreciate the joke. Then he did the wrong thing, he tried to explain what a difficult job he had. I'm sure it's not fun, but at this point, his best bet would have been to nod his head and leave. Instead, he heard a few, very selected, words.

I have made several complaints to WestJet and today, I finally received a message about how sorry they are. I will call this number later this week and further my complaint. All I want is an explaination, if I'm taking a direct flight from Ottawa to Calgary, how and why did my bag go to Niagara Falls.

When I speak with them again, I sure I will have a few, very selected, words.

My First Flames Game (Hockey Night in Calgary)

Last week I went to my first game in Calgary since moving here. It took quite a while for some of my sponsors to get me tickets for this, but off I went. I thought besides the game, I'll try and see what the difference between a game at the stadium here compared to Ottawa would be. Here what I discovered:

1)We had tickets in the 100 section, behind the Flames net. Good seats to see the action, but the difference here from Ottawa is the bowl seats at the ends are like seats in the 300 in Ottawa. Very tight feeling, not a lot of leg room. I was feeling cramped. I now know why they want to renovate the stadium. I was also surprised about the lack of Private Boxes. With all the head offices out here, they are really missing out. Advantage - Ottawa

2)Concessions. At first, it looked exactly the same. Instead of Pizza Pizza, it is Boston Pizza, a smaller slice for $5.75. Then I found another concession area just away from our seats, $6.75 for a huge chicken finger order. Beer, they only had one size, but for $6.75, it is bigger than the ones in Ottawa and too big that it gets warm quickly. I didn't try the hot dogs, too full after that finger deal. - Advantage - Calgary

3)Clock. Looked a little out of date, not sure if it was the mesh getting in the way, but I believe it is time for a new clock. - Advantage - Ottawa

4)Goals. When the Flames score, there are little bubbles up by the clocks on both side that shoot out a flame. I thought that was neat. Also, they keep the stadium cooler, so when the flame shoots out, you get warm by it. I do like the horn in Ottawa, but it had a feeling when they scored, it may have been the coolness. - No Advantage.

5)Announcers. The same as in Ottawa, guys who do the contest are annoying. Interesting though to be at a game and hear the national anthem only in English. - no Advantage

6)Crowd. They're loud. I will say the loudest I ever heard was at two games for Ottawa at the Centre, but for early in the season game against Colorado, these people really know what is going on. They really follow their Flames. Nothing against Ottawa fans (I'm still one of them), but I don't get the bandwagon jumping feeling as much here. - Advantage - Calgary.

7)Traffic. This is really unfair, but the Saddledome is one stop off the train from my work. So, as long as you leave an hour before the game, the crowd on the train won't be as bad. On a warmer night, I could walk home from the Dome, I probably wouldn't do it for safety reasons, but you could. Once the game was over, I was lucky and caught a train minutes after I got out of the stadium and was home in less than 15 minutes. Even if you live in Kanata, when was the last time you heard that about leaving Scotiabank Place? This goes with crowd as well, Flames were up 5-2 with over five minutes left in the third, I could probably count the amount of people who left in the hundred sections on two hands. Another thing you rarely hear in Ottawa. Some people told me traffic getting out of the stadium is the same, but there is no reason to park there. - Advantage - Calgary



Overall, good game. the Flames has their powerplay working really well, and they looked good. It makes me wonder if how well they are playing and how well the Sens are playing, could we see them meet in the playoffs? Too early to tell, but home can hope. If they do, I'm just wondering where I can watch the game.

The Depressing Time of Year

So, Christmas is almost here, less than three weeks to go. But while all the excitment of the holidays is around us, there is a little thing in Calgary that causes your body to feel a little quiter.

Over the past couple of weeks it has started. We are out of the cold weather snap we had the past little while, with an average of -28 in the day and -37 at night (or -42 when walking to work in morning?!) and now we have temps right now of 0 and by Saturday a possible of 13, it is the lack of sunlight that starts to get to people.

What takes place is the sun doesn't come up until around 8:40am and goes down before 4pm. So, when I'm walking to work, it's dark. When I'm going home, it's dark. I never used to believe that stuff I heard about lack of sunlight, but I can tell you, it's true.

It plays with your head. You start to feel weird, kind of sad, slow, it is kind of hard to explain. You really have to take time over lunch and go out just to get sunlight. I'm not getting rickets or anything like that, but it can get a little depressing to not see the sun.

Oh well, Christmas is coming! I'm getting myself in the mood right now by watching Santa Claus is Coming to Town, singing along with Put One Foot in Front of the Other (if you don't know it, you're lost, if you do know it, the song is stuck in your head now). I'll be heading home in a couple of weeks, seeing how much Ottawa has changed (?!) and seeing family and friends. But there are things to report on Calgary before I head back...so keep reading

Bad Behaviour Law

Last week, the city of Calgary voted to put in a Bad Behaviour Law. Meaning, fines will be handed out for certain items that are deemed rude, insulting or dangerous.

I read, just after this past, on CFRA, they had a poll should the city of Ottawa adapt the same rule. 93% of people that voted said "yes". Before you hop on the "let's crack down" phase, here is some of the offenses and fines:

Standing on a park bench: $50
Brandishing or holding a knife in public: $50
(using the knife, depends on how and where - fine goes up with more use)
spitting on the sidewalk: $100
fighting in public: $250
urinating in public: $300
taking a crap in public: $300

How standing on a park bench is the same has holding a weapon in public would be the same fine is one of the many areas of discussion.

Some of the bad habits not fined yet:

Throwing cigarette butt on the ground
sneezing in public
arguing in public
singing in public
having your music loud enough for everyone to hear
discussing politics in public

I Moved Out Here For This...

Over the past week, we've been battling a force that is not supposed to be this strong this time of year, that of Old Man Winter, or his younger buddy, November Freezy!

Over the past week, the temperture dropped from a balmy 8 degrees on November 20th to a record low this morning of -31 degrees. It has been -20 since last Thursday, and while we are supposed to get warmer tomorrow (if you want to call -14 warmer?!), by next Monday, we are supposed to be at normal temps of -2. I don't mind the cold, I mean that 10 minute walk in the morning for work, really wakes you up, but it is how rude people are when it gets this cold...

Item 1) Getting on the C-Train.
Now, I have explained about the train before, that on one street of downtown it is free. Late last week, when this cold snap hit, I was walking my route, when one the trains was pulling in. I raced to catch it and had to get on at the last door. Me and 11 other people. While we did this, there was on one else in the rest of car, while these people all stood in area that can hold around seven. I asked a gentleman in front of me, if he would mind moving...his response, "where would you want me to go?" I looked, walked past him and said, "I would have assumed where I'm going."

Item 2) Getting Coffee
Now, getting coffee in the morning can sometimes take a little longer than hoped, but sometimes it is longer than it should be. Yesterday, the coldest day (until today), the trains were not running, so I ended up walking the whole way to work, (not a big deal, we have a number of places where you can get around downtown inside), but getting coffee was a stretch. Everyone's trying to figure out what they need, but the kicker was the person in back of me. I always try to get through a line as quickly as possible, so people aren't waiting. I have two cards from Starbucks and wasn't sure which one had the full amount, so gave the girl both of them. The guy behind starts to whine about how inconsiderate I am for using my card. I was right, I gave the girl the card that was full and my time took as much as it would if I paid cash. As I'm walking away to get my coffee. I hear this guy's order, one coffee, that he wants to pay with interact. He's complaining about me, and he's using interact. I didn't have to say squat as a very nice lady behind him gave him a confused look and said, "and you were whining about the guy using his card?" He just looked at her, walked over the cream area and pushed another woman out of the way to get his cream. Glad to know I wasn't the only one to think he's a jerk!

Anyway, I'm heading to my first Flames game since moving here tonight, so now I'll get to see what the hockey fans are like here, are they like Ottawa? Do they leave with Seven minutes left in the third? Is it as pricey? We'll see...

Where Did The Time Go?

There was a point when I was writing on this pretty regularly, trying to give you the happenings of an Ottawa Man out west. But, work and other issues, have slowed down my writing. Looking at this, it has been almost four months since I wrote. So, I will look over the past little while and try to update what has taken place in the next few days and update the twists and turns that have happened in the wonderful city of Calgary.

Stampede Day Two

Well, now things get interesting.

My brother Randy flew in to town in the afternoon. His flight landed at around 1:30, so off we went to see the sights and such. Made a time to hook up for lunch with our buddy who was with the night before, and went back to my place to drop off stuff. Pretty usual things.

Once we went off to get lunch, it was around 3pm. What started out as a casual lunch, turned into one of those Devil and the drinking game days. We went to a pub up the street from my place (that I had only been in a couple of times), and discovered that they had a roof top patio. UP WE WENT! After a few drinks we got chatty and discovered that our server was from Ottawa. That just kicked everything off. After ordering lunch (that after about 3 drinks each), another friend joined us. We ordered more food - don't know quite why - and many more drinks. After a few more hours, our server was off and sat down with us, bringing another server with her. Because I had a few drinks, I became chatty, and was doing quite well (not falling down, not slurring), then the shooters came out. There is where a few deleted scenes make their appearance.

We apparently stayed at this pub for about 5 - 6 hours, we then went to another bar across the street (this is something that I didn't recall until the next day) and not only did we drink more, we ate as well! Within an hour, I got put off by the bartender flipping bottles (if you can take the quote "I've had enough of this fuckin' shit" as put off), we then went out for dinner(!?). Off we went to an Italian restaurant down the street. Another friend joined us and we sat down and ate a very good meal, but it was our third in less than 6 hours. How we got this drunk with that much food, I don't know.

But because we ate so much, I felt we weren't drunk and dragged my brother to another bar after dinner. A couple of beers later, back the apartment we went. A good night's sleep was what was needed - instead a pass out with clothes still on was what followed. I made an amateur mistake - peaked too early and had my best performance before the week was out. Oh well, a few more days ahead, and a few more stories to tell.

Stampede Day One

Well, Stampede time is here. For those of you who don't know anything about Stampede, you may think it's all about horses and dirt, but really, it is about drinking, cussing and hopefully some other things! Because things have been so busy, it is catch up time now!

Day One: Parade Day.

A huge parade kicks off the Stampede first thing Friday morning. What it means to those who work downtown (like myself) is that you need to get to your office before 8:00 am, or you ain't going to. I got in early and took a good look outside the staring window (or office window if you prefer). The security in the building had a Stampede breakfast going, so everyone in the office went down and had some grub and watched the parade. After the half-way point, I went back to the office to work some things, and watch the parade from the window. Very cool little parade.

Then came the night. Being how this was the first in a 10 day run, a buddy who is in town working over Stampede, decided it would better to go out for a nice meal instead of going out and getting trashed. Good Idea. A wonderful meal - nice drive and ended my day by driving up McLeod Trail and watching the fireworks at the closing of the first night.

Not a drunken night, but a nice one. The drunken stuff was to follow!