theHOUR

Soo... did anyone watch the HOUR on CBC or CBC NewsWorld last night? Did you see that insanely goodlooking guy in the front row wearing a purple sweater? Yea... That was totally me. You know you're jealous. My man-crush is now a lot more intense than it was before... I watch the hour almost everyday. The only way i miss it is if I'm at work. And hey, since the Friday show is a "best of" for the week, all of th ebetween segment stuff is taped thursday. So look for me again tonight. 10pm on Newsworld, and 11 on CBC proper.
The guests were Crispin Glover (hollywood actor/crazy person), Gregory Levey(authour), and Alia Shocot (Maeby from Arrested Development). I totally loved Maeby's "Best Stroy Ever".

artistic process...

Sometimes...

You have to get all the sillies out...
And I mean ALL the sillies out.
Every last one...

In order to get a decent shot.

Sunny Days Off...

Yesterday I was off work. And the sun still shone bright and warm, and the jacket was left at home as I wandered a few blocks from my apartment to see what exactly this day had decided to highlight with its golden rays.
The things I see everyday on my way to work, while out with friends, or when running errands seem to be lit for their debut. Things look better with a bit of sun, with a touch of radiant warmth.
After a trip to the cafe, to the bank, to the gym and the grocery store, the evening was spent with the waning rays warming my toes as I enjoyed a new book (In Defence of Food, Michael Pollan) and a great CD by a UK band, The Kooks. It was a pretty damn good day. So raise a glass to many more!

Dramatic Re-enactment:

Only at Sin City

This is how you choke a bitch on the Dancefloor...

Thanks for driving down for a night of voracious dancing Kristen!

Mellancamp

So, I survived another birthday. My 23rd was the birth of "Classy on the Inside" and as far as events. it was one of the best birthday's I've ever had.

(23rd Birthday!)

It was such an outpouring of love and support from such a vast array and group of friends. It was also the catalyst for chang ein my life. I realized, that as much as I've been alone, and done everything on my own for the last 4 years, I still had people willing to help me, and to listen, to critique and to comfort. It also didn't hurt that we got our party on that night in such a manner that there was no class left on the outside at all.

It started a shift from the talk, and idea or change to the action of change. Which has made this last year so much harder, and so much more fulfilling than I could have hoped for. Thanks to anyone reading for that. I'm a better man for all of you.

(24th Birthday!!)

So this year, for my birthday, I took a little trip to Ottawa. I was in the city for EXACTLY 24hrs and 17min. And I had a complete blast. These people are friends in the greatest sense of the word. Generous and caring, kind and beautiful. Honest. Trustworthy. So how else should we celebrate than in a private box at a Tom Cochrane & John Mellancamp concert! Classic rock at its best, the kind of show where you wait for one song in particular, but for all the time in and around that song, you are reminded of so many other songs that have been a soundtrack to precious moments of your life. If you've read this blog for a while, you will know how much live music means to me. Everything around me fell away. The stress, the stiffness from the bus ride up, the music sort of wrapped around me and time became as fluid as the notes in the air. I would swear to God that we were only at ScotiaBank Place for 10min.
(Life is a Highway)
(Jack & Diane)
Upon my arrival home Sunday evening, a group of 12 of us went to Matsu on Park for a Sushi Birthday Dinner. I love the food here, the quality and care is on par with any of the best sushi restaurants in a bigger metropolitan city. It's hidden from view, off of any main street here in Peterborough, so most students are unaware that they have more than one sushi option. It was such a good dinner, filled with laughing, and reminicing. I've known all of these people since i was in ninth grade, and we still get along like thieves. We've come along way from dinner's at chain restaurants, and to a degree I'm going to take some credit. I've pushed their palates for almost a decade, so I think the Swiss Chalet celebration is on its way out.

(Me & Mr. Matsu)

I hope that this theme will continue throughout my twenties, I am in my mid-twenties now, the first birthday to sufficiently freak me out. Looking back though, I don't see much of a change, and the change I do see, is easily for the better.

Mazel Tov!

this past weekend...

was AMAZING.

I have leftover funds in my bank account thanks to working so much, so I used the occasion of my old roommates and my friend Bono's Birthday to let loose.

(steve & the birthday bono. she tates like gin!)

We had rented the upstairs of CHAMP'S, a local bar, for this private, but momentous occassion.

It brought us all together fo the first time since april, when most left town having finished school.

It also brough together my older and younger brother and myself, a feat that is so rare, i can count the occassions on one hand!

(the littlest brother, Thomitron [Thomas to our mother])

This is just a taste, i am still missing soo many picures. I just am so glad that not only could we all let loose, but we could do it together.

(look low, we are re-enacting a photo taken at a keg party I threw last year)

Goodtimes had, more to follow.

fluidity of kharma

Today will be fun.
I went out last night to shoot some stik with the guys, a thursday night tradition i've been missing a lot lately due to work. Made the effort because cluper leaves for czech very soon. A great adventure for him, but a serious loss for our crew.
I got solid sleep and solid progress made in my book.
Soon I will be getting to hawk trimmed and such.
Then a meeting at the hotel with my boss and the head of the culinary program at Sir Sanford Fleming College.
Then out for dinner, RARE, the newest kid on the block here, and from word of mouth, and excellent gourmet steakhouse.
Plus, today is payday... and I have all my bills up to date!
Money to play around with!!
Psych! Money to put towards a downpayent on a house.
Seriously. Within two years I will own my own home.
Good times always lead to good things.
Peace.

choppy chop chop

rule number one of any kitchen...

BE CAREFUL.

there are a multitude of ways to injure yourself. has anyone seen the commercial about workplace safety where the woman scalds herself with boiling oil? well, the other prep cook took off the tips of two fingers when the food processor exploded as he was making coleslaw. he will be off work for two weeks, so i will therefore, understandingly, have less of a life than i currently do. so i will have been working 7 days a week for almost 9 weeks. at least my bills are getting all caught up. theoretically.
a cogeco mix up means i made payments to the wrong account. so i have to make 4 months of payment at once, because they have mailed me a $240 refund check for an old dormant account.
otherwise, i'm having a relatively skint christmas. good gifts, but on the cheap. everyone understands, but it hurts me because giving is the fun part. otherwise, i've been antisocial, and i apologise. this will return to regular posting in the new year. apparently the hotel business slows in january.
if i'm not back on soon, the warmest wishes to everyone over the holidays, whatever you celebrate. hanukkah ended last week, but everything else is in full swing. so the best to you all.

snowy

you'd think in climate weather would stop people from packing the hotel for brunch, wouldn't you?
i guess my omelets are just too good to pass up.
in other news, i just spent a whole day's pay on a sweet new tie.
damn my addiction to accessories.
hopefully we'll have some pics from tomorrow's hotel Christmas party where you can see me/it.
but no guarantees.
ps: way to call in the army TO. and you call yourselves Canadians...

Amalthea, the Last Unicorn...

OK, I know it's been a while, but It has been really busy. I've been working a tonne and so I spent yesterday relaxing and hanging out with my friends, which was nice. As you also know, Halloween was yesterday, and this year, my costume, though not as elaborate as last year's "Flying Spaghetti Monster" was totally unique. I was "The Last Unicorn". I took a child's costume and had to get my mom to insert panels in the sides so it would fit me but it was totally worth it. And as proof that I was the true last unicorn... not another unicorn existed in all of the downtown, or any of the 4 parties I hit up from Saturday to Wednesday...

So that is the gist of what occupied me, other than the constant functions and banquets going on at the hotel. I am so busy, working 9 hour shifts without breaks (by choice, no one forces me to keep working). But I have managed to get to the gym a lot more regularly now that it's located right where I work. Even with the constant tasting and snacking that go along with working in a professional kitchen, I've managed to drop 5lbs. Go Team High school Pants!

In other news, well, I've redecorated my apartment (as much as you can with a 350sq foot bachelor) and it looks a lot bigger and a lot nicer. Thanks go to my friend Iris for some furniture and the inspiration to get rid of a lot of my unnecessary things. Maybe one day I'll be able to get rid of some of my clothes too. That would free up a tonne of space...

Spooky...

Last night was awesome!
We all wen't out for dinner to celebrate my new job, and therefore I didn't have to pay for anything. Which makes Steve a very happy camper. I don't accept charity very easily, but this was to celebrate me, and as they all pointed out, I have been the "Official Round Purchaser" for well over thre years, being the highest paid, and only ful-time working memeber of our crew for a very long time. I know what it's like to be a starving student, so I appreciate their gestures.
So, Steph and Jake, Deanna and Aaron, Christina and Darren, and Jen and myself went out for dinner. No one else had met Darren yet, so I played it up for them. They didn't know that I was the crazy matchmaker in this situation, so I just let them have it. Goodtimes. I promise.

Then we all drove out to Cold Springs, near Port Hope to go to Phantom Farm. I mean, who doesn't love a haunted hayride or a spooky barn/maze thing. I totally had forgotten how easily Jen and Steph scare! Jen almost ripped my arm off. Its what she gets for making me go first! I totally wa conspiring with some of the ghouls towards the end. I'd walk in grinning, pointing behind me, then Jen would get 2 or 3 people popping out of bathtubs, cribs, or closets! Man, I'm such a jerk sometmes. HaHaHa!

So, I guess all in all, this self-imposed social exile I was in is steadily melting away. I've spent more time with the varying groups of friends than I have in a really long time. And these groups are even starting to melt together. Something I couldnt be happier with.

OH! And, as a footnote here, I promised Desiree that I would thank her for the drink and muffin! Having friends working at every decent cafe in town makes for not only excellent weekends and mornings but is quite easy on the pocketbook too!