I was flipping through the latest issue of Maclean's, when I came across an interesting set of numbers:
461,068 hot dogs
96,272 corn dogs
1.8 million mini donuts
76,652 hamburgers
3,475 litres of ketchup
12,864 cobs of corn
26,000 steaks (10oz.)
45,549 kg of potatoes
21,000 tubs of popcorn
49,342 clouds of cotton candy
29,563 slices of pizza
154,912 bottles of water
93,636 kg of ice cubes
50,271 candy apples
These are the numbers for the Calgary Stampede, indicating the unbelievable amount of carnie-food that will be consumed over the course of 10 days. Quite frankly, I think these numbers are a bit low, as Nicole, George, and myself alone consumed nearly half this amount in 2 days! Between the ice cream, mini donuts, funnel cake, candy apples, debi manjoos, corn dogs, pop, water, beer, and lunch buffet, it was a truly disturbing sight.
My only regret is that I never made good on my promise to have the deep-fried Snickers on a stick! That funnel cake that George got was more than enough to lubricate my innards and negatively impact my health...
Currently listening to: Fuel - Innocent
Thursday, July 15, 2004
Friday, July 09, 2004
Slaughterhouse: 1508
In 3 weeks I'll be changing my place of residence, forsaking the untamed wilderness of 107th's "Avenue of Nations" and inching ever so closer to the River Valley. Nicole and I have managed to stumble upon an attractive suite in Renaissance Place.
Yes, ...that Renaissance Place.
I used to think it was quaint that we were moving into a building where a man I knew of, Gary Prime, was brutally murdered in his own suite by hatchet wielding maniacs. When we first checked out the building, I even joked that, "If we're shown a suite at the end of the hall, we're not taking it!"
But now, with yet another brutal murder in the same upscale building in the past 3 years, we're living in one of the deadliest buildings in Edmonton - which makes our new place even better! I can picture great Hallowe'en parties already...
Currently: Packing a few items for our weekend getaway.
Yes, ...that Renaissance Place.
I used to think it was quaint that we were moving into a building where a man I knew of, Gary Prime, was brutally murdered in his own suite by hatchet wielding maniacs. When we first checked out the building, I even joked that, "If we're shown a suite at the end of the hall, we're not taking it!"
But now, with yet another brutal murder in the same upscale building in the past 3 years, we're living in one of the deadliest buildings in Edmonton - which makes our new place even better! I can picture great Hallowe'en parties already...
Currently: Packing a few items for our weekend getaway.
Thursday, July 08, 2004
Sexy Scott
This post is especially for you...so there's no need to keep trying to call me at home, since my spare time these days is measured in minutes and not hours.
I'm not going to forget about you, buddy.
It looks like we'll be leaving Saturday morning/early-afternoonish. Probably around 10am or so. If you'd like a ride into Calgary, just be sure to be in the city before then. You could hitch a ride in on Friday night, or really early on Saturday.
We will, however, be coming back to Edmonton late Sunday evening, so if you want to catch Finger Eleven on Monday night, you'll probably need to catch a Greyhound home.
If you need a place to stay Friday or Sunday, I've got a love seat with your name on it!
Currently: Using the horrible DELL computers in the flooding Rutherford Library
I'm not going to forget about you, buddy.
It looks like we'll be leaving Saturday morning/early-afternoonish. Probably around 10am or so. If you'd like a ride into Calgary, just be sure to be in the city before then. You could hitch a ride in on Friday night, or really early on Saturday.
We will, however, be coming back to Edmonton late Sunday evening, so if you want to catch Finger Eleven on Monday night, you'll probably need to catch a Greyhound home.
If you need a place to stay Friday or Sunday, I've got a love seat with your name on it!
Currently: Using the horrible DELL computers in the flooding Rutherford Library
Tuesday, July 06, 2004
One Fish, Two Fish...
...Red Fish, Blue Fish. Except, well, that the first one was blue, and the second one is red.
Blinky 2.0, as I've affectionately named the second Betta I've owned in an eventual unbroken line of fighting fish stretching beyond time and space, is actually quite amazing. His predecessor lasted a mere 10 days, yet he's continued on for a solid 6 months, if not longer!
He does all these amazing tricks, like floating upside down and being buried under rocks and even swimming on his side!
I was very surprised to see him alive after I left town for nearly 10 days, but he seems more alive now than ever before! Whenever I seem to think he's dead, and prepare to give 'em the ol' flush funeral, he jolts back to life with a renewed vigor that buys him another week. You've got to admire that stubborn desire to live. This fish has more lives than George W. Bush has brain cells, and was a hell of a bargain at $3.49!
Currently: Eating bag of homemade chocolate chip cookies
Blinky 2.0, as I've affectionately named the second Betta I've owned in an eventual unbroken line of fighting fish stretching beyond time and space, is actually quite amazing. His predecessor lasted a mere 10 days, yet he's continued on for a solid 6 months, if not longer!
He does all these amazing tricks, like floating upside down and being buried under rocks and even swimming on his side!
I was very surprised to see him alive after I left town for nearly 10 days, but he seems more alive now than ever before! Whenever I seem to think he's dead, and prepare to give 'em the ol' flush funeral, he jolts back to life with a renewed vigor that buys him another week. You've got to admire that stubborn desire to live. This fish has more lives than George W. Bush has brain cells, and was a hell of a bargain at $3.49!
Currently: Eating bag of homemade chocolate chip cookies
Extra Protection
It's the second day of classes and already things have started at a brisk pace. After the first day alone, I had close to 100 pages of reading to do! My schedule is set up rather nicely, though, with a 2+ hour gap between my two classes - just long enough to give me time to study or hit the gym, and just short enough to keep me from leaving the University.
Though not wallowing in my own financial crapulence by any means, my 8-day stint with Tri-City has afforded me a bit of dreaming room. Canadian Tire has a particular set of goaltender pads which has piqued my interest. Coupled with a new blocker/catcher set, these elegant 34" pads will certainly cover a few more holes in the net. My first priority at the moment, however, is covering the moving expenses for the new apartment Nicole and I will be moving in to, especially a new barbecue for our gigantic River Valley-viewing patio! The new goalie equipment, however, is certainly a close second.
This upcoming weekend we plan to drive on down to Cowtown to enjoy the Stampede, which is infinitely better than Klondike Days, though we won't be leaving until Saturday morning. In the meantime, we're looking for a place to stay...sooooo, George does your Uncle mind a few transients in his place over the weekend? If not, Nicole has a cousin we might be able to stay with, but your diseased company would be much more fun.
And yes, Scott, if you pitch in a few dollars for gas, we could probably bring you along, but you'll be missing Finger Eleven is they're playing on Friday.
Currently listening to: Beastie Boys - Ch-Check It Out
Though not wallowing in my own financial crapulence by any means, my 8-day stint with Tri-City has afforded me a bit of dreaming room. Canadian Tire has a particular set of goaltender pads which has piqued my interest. Coupled with a new blocker/catcher set, these elegant 34" pads will certainly cover a few more holes in the net. My first priority at the moment, however, is covering the moving expenses for the new apartment Nicole and I will be moving in to, especially a new barbecue for our gigantic River Valley-viewing patio! The new goalie equipment, however, is certainly a close second.
This upcoming weekend we plan to drive on down to Cowtown to enjoy the Stampede, which is infinitely better than Klondike Days, though we won't be leaving until Saturday morning. In the meantime, we're looking for a place to stay...sooooo, George does your Uncle mind a few transients in his place over the weekend? If not, Nicole has a cousin we might be able to stay with, but your diseased company would be much more fun.
And yes, Scott, if you pitch in a few dollars for gas, we could probably bring you along, but you'll be missing Finger Eleven is they're playing on Friday.
Currently listening to: Beastie Boys - Ch-Check It Out
Friday, July 02, 2004
I Can See Thru Time
It's July 2 already, eh? Where in the world does time fly.
Seeing as how I finished Spring Session at the University of Alberta, and mighty successfully too!, you'd think that I'd enjoy the 16 days I had off until Summer Session started up.
Pfffttt...!
Though it was only for 8 days, I've been out by Lloydminster working for Tri-City Drilling to stockpile a little extra cash. It was 8 shifts of graveyard work, from 19:30-07:30, so my internal clock is entirely out of whack.
Sleep, need sleep soooo badly.
Currently: Amazed that Blinky 2.0 is still alive after not being fed all this time!
Seeing as how I finished Spring Session at the University of Alberta, and mighty successfully too!, you'd think that I'd enjoy the 16 days I had off until Summer Session started up.
Pfffttt...!
Though it was only for 8 days, I've been out by Lloydminster working for Tri-City Drilling to stockpile a little extra cash. It was 8 shifts of graveyard work, from 19:30-07:30, so my internal clock is entirely out of whack.
Sleep, need sleep soooo badly.
Currently: Amazed that Blinky 2.0 is still alive after not being fed all this time!
Friday, June 18, 2004
Murphy's Law
You've got to be be fucking kidding me! I've mentioned in my previous post that I'm in the midst of a compacted final exam schedule, and time is an absolutely precious commodity. This would then mean that I've got to make the most of each moment I have.
I managed to get a solid 4 hours of sleep last night, make it to my 08:00 Anthropology final exam, which was 3 hours long, and rush home as quickly as possible to put the finishing touches on my take-home exam, which has to be handed in at 18:00 at the University. That gives me 5 hours to perfect my masterpiece, ensuring that I maintain my 4.0 GPA in that class.
Within moments, nay, seconds of sitting down at my computer, the car alarm on my asshole neighbor's car begins to go off! What makes this even worse, is that his car is parked directly beside my windows, a mere few feet away.
It's Murphy's Law - the moment I have something vitally important to do, all hell breaks loose.
It's that annoying alarm too, that changes tones every few seconds.
I guess the only solace I can take is that this asshole doesn't appear to be home, and his car battery will be long dead by the time I head back to the University. If it's not, then I'll personally heave a few bricks through his windshield.
Currently listening to: You guessed it...that damn car alarm!
I managed to get a solid 4 hours of sleep last night, make it to my 08:00 Anthropology final exam, which was 3 hours long, and rush home as quickly as possible to put the finishing touches on my take-home exam, which has to be handed in at 18:00 at the University. That gives me 5 hours to perfect my masterpiece, ensuring that I maintain my 4.0 GPA in that class.
Within moments, nay, seconds of sitting down at my computer, the car alarm on my asshole neighbor's car begins to go off! What makes this even worse, is that his car is parked directly beside my windows, a mere few feet away.
It's Murphy's Law - the moment I have something vitally important to do, all hell breaks loose.
It's that annoying alarm too, that changes tones every few seconds.
I guess the only solace I can take is that this asshole doesn't appear to be home, and his car battery will be long dead by the time I head back to the University. If it's not, then I'll personally heave a few bricks through his windshield.
Currently listening to: You guessed it...that damn car alarm!
Wednesday, June 16, 2004
Terrifying, In That "Good" Way
So, here I am again - final exam season. With the compacted schedule of Spring/Summer session, this season is a mere 2 days, but it's no less stressful and demanding.
I've got a take-home final exam due Friday evening at 18:00, and an in-class final Friday morning at 08:00. The sheer amount of time compartmentalization I'll be pulling off over the next 48 hours will be astounding:
Wednesday
21:00 to 21:05 - receive take-home final exam
22:00 to ??:?? - start working on take-home final
Thursday
??:?? to ??:?? - sleep for a few hours
??:?? to 14:00 - study for in-class final
15:00 to 22:00 - work
23:00 to ??:?? - sleep for a few hours
Friday
??:?? to 07:00 - study for in-class final
08:00 to 10:00 - write in-class final
11:00 to 14:00 - finish/touch up take home final
15:00 to 22:00 - work
Things get a bit more ugly if I try to juggle my work schedule. If I cancel my Thursday shift to study, then I need to work my Friday shift, meaning I won't have Friday afternoon to touch up my take-home final, and I'll have to hand it in almost 5 hours before the 18:00 due time. If I work on Thursday it gives me less time to study for my in-class final but more time on Friday to work on my take-home final...
...bah! This is hurting my brain already! I shouldn't be wasting my precious time doing this blog anyways! I'd better get cracking!
Currently listening to: Own heart palpitations during this time of perpetual, adrenaline-fuelled stress.
I've got a take-home final exam due Friday evening at 18:00, and an in-class final Friday morning at 08:00. The sheer amount of time compartmentalization I'll be pulling off over the next 48 hours will be astounding:
Wednesday
21:00 to 21:05 - receive take-home final exam
22:00 to ??:?? - start working on take-home final
Thursday
??:?? to ??:?? - sleep for a few hours
??:?? to 14:00 - study for in-class final
15:00 to 22:00 - work
23:00 to ??:?? - sleep for a few hours
Friday
??:?? to 07:00 - study for in-class final
08:00 to 10:00 - write in-class final
11:00 to 14:00 - finish/touch up take home final
15:00 to 22:00 - work
Things get a bit more ugly if I try to juggle my work schedule. If I cancel my Thursday shift to study, then I need to work my Friday shift, meaning I won't have Friday afternoon to touch up my take-home final, and I'll have to hand it in almost 5 hours before the 18:00 due time. If I work on Thursday it gives me less time to study for my in-class final but more time on Friday to work on my take-home final...
...bah! This is hurting my brain already! I shouldn't be wasting my precious time doing this blog anyways! I'd better get cracking!
Currently listening to: Own heart palpitations during this time of perpetual, adrenaline-fuelled stress.
Wednesday, June 09, 2004
These Deadly Halls
Seriously, I think the University of Alberta is trying to kill me. I arrived this afternoon for my Physical Anthropology lab, which was located on the main floor of the Henry Marshall Tory Building. As I rounded the corner of the final hall, I was greeted by a half dozen people sporting bio-hazard safety suits, respirators and all.
"What the fu...!?"
Right next to the door to my lab, they had a sealed plastic working area, and hoses running up into the ceiling. Apparently, they were there to remove asbestos from the building. I dunno, maybe it's just me, but for all the money I pay in tuition, is it too much to ask that the classrooms I'm learning in won't case me bodily harm? Is that really such an unreasonable request?
Currently: Putting the final touches on my term paper extraordinaire!
"What the fu...!?"
Right next to the door to my lab, they had a sealed plastic working area, and hoses running up into the ceiling. Apparently, they were there to remove asbestos from the building. I dunno, maybe it's just me, but for all the money I pay in tuition, is it too much to ask that the classrooms I'm learning in won't case me bodily harm? Is that really such an unreasonable request?
Currently: Putting the final touches on my term paper extraordinaire!
Tuesday, June 01, 2004
Chicken Day
Despite knowing that this crap will ultimately shorten my life-span, despite the revealed horrors of fast food in films like Supersize Me and books like Fast Food Nation, I cannot, and will not give up Toonie Twosday at Kentucky Fried Chicken. For $2.22 you get to indulge in 2 pieces of the Colonel's finest artery clogging fowl and small fry. Amazing! You can hardly buy raw chicken that cheaply at the grocery store, even before people cowered in fear from the Avian Flu.
So, as I sit here, finishing up two meals, I am one contented person. Thank God this special only happens once a week, because it takes about that long before you can even think about doing it again. Blech...
Currently gorging myself on horribly delicious "food."
So, as I sit here, finishing up two meals, I am one contented person. Thank God this special only happens once a week, because it takes about that long before you can even think about doing it again. Blech...
Currently gorging myself on horribly delicious "food."
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