who's soonger??

New Year's already here

Thursday, Jan 8

Already a week into the new year and let me tell you it doesn't "feel" like anything's new about it. Not that I'm complaining but I think I'm starting to feel my age -- more symbolism than anything. This whole "work" mode really is a drag on the youthful / playful side to me. Hmmm ... does that mean that Derrick is starting to grow up? Maybe ...

What has been bugging me is that there were mice spotted in my garage a couple weeks ago. That meant it was up to me to find a means to rid of the vermin. A trip to the local hardware store yielded 4 basic traps. Bait is sold separately. Due to my expertise in the area (I lived in a rat infested dormitory for 4 years in Toronto), it's all about peanut butter (cheese is good but quite cliche and costly over time). I have to say I'm quite the proficient bait-setter. I'm like the pied-pipper but I have to throw the carcasses into the sewer in front of my house. Lately, I found some empty traps (ie eaten bait, no dead mouse) which means I have to use chemical means to ensure death. I've started to lace the bait with good ol' warfarin. It is more commonly used today as an anticoagulant but was originally designed as a rat poison!

What else has been going on? Not particularly a lot ... Ever since the new year, I've been taking it easy. December was such a blur due to the number of shifts I took on (for pharmacists with children) and January is bit of an 'easy' month. I did pick up a nice set of rims for my car. Ever heard of Volk Racing? Rays Engineering (Japan, LTD) designed some nice rims (model: SE37) with a high offset to put on my car. I purchased them from a guy I know from an Acura site that I frequent on the internet. Got them for a good price so no complaints from me. Project TL is close to completion!

Also have to think about how to raise funds to pay my extensive tax burden due at the end of the month. Have to pay my quarterly taxes as well as my GST installment. Stupid gov't! What am I getting out of this?! Pretty much nothing ... pay tax in hopes that I get something back when I get old. Right now, I'm contributing more than my fair share to pay for our extensive social services... I never get sick (ie no hospital services), will never collect a penny of unemployment insurance, won't see a dime for Canada pension ... what is this all about?! I see tax cheats / frauds for worker's comp all the time. Seems like I'm one of those citizens that has to put in more for all these losers of society. I don't like to be considered a racist but I think it's time the gov't re-evaluate our generous services ... especially to those we allow to immigrate to our country. We have a paradise ... why are we letting such non-contributing members to our society? Humanitarianism only goes so far. Why not let a richer country (ie USA) do their share?

Monday, Jan 26

Well ... 27 mice caught in traps later, there is still at least 1 more pesky mouse somewhere out there. How do I know this? Last Wednesday was new year's eve on the Chinese (lunar) calendar and we were having our big dinner. I notice my dad is using the fireplace (it was cold that night) but not the heatilator. I turn the fan on, and I spot a mouse jump out of the lower intake of the heatilator! A mouse in the house!!! I proceed to go out and get a broom from the laundry room, hoping to smack the mouse, which was hiding underneath the loveseat in the family room. When I come back, I try to scare it out ... the mouse runs immediately back into the heatilator. Great ... a mouse that has access to the house. Traps are set up around the fireplace in hopes of catching that sucka!

As for Chinese New Year, it was officially on the 22nd. Because of this, I took Thursday off. What a great day of relaxing. Didn't do very much (ie I stayed in all day) but did manage to resusitate a computer which was on the fritz for a while. This is the same computer that I had problems over the Christmas holidays. A reformat as well as reinstallation of critical software. Took me 5 hours to complete. Tested printing something from the photo printer and it locked up the computer. Great. Will have to test the printing capabilities again today before I go to work (1-9 shift).

Let's see ... what else is been on the agenda over the past couple of weeks. I have been working fairly steadily throughout my 'usual' places of work. Also setting up some hours for the following month. Have a bit of a 'hole' on Thursdays and weekends as we speak. Discussed with the people in the hospital some possibilities for relief work but nothing as of yet. Talked to my former employer about the work conditions at the 'other' hospital location. Still undecided as to whether or not this is 'the right thing'. I do wish to go back into hospital pharmacy but timing is key.

Reminder to self: I have to start looking for plane tickets to Tasmania. Leaving in March so I'd best start looking for deals! My cousin, Kimi is getting married and I expect a 'package' with all sorts of travel ideas and places to stay. (It's too much to ask her to book for us...) Should be exciting to go Down Under during this time of year. Did I tell you how crappy weather-wise it's been in Windsor? It's been consistently sub- zero temps with wind chill! Tonight, we're expecting 15-30 cm of snow. Great ... I hate snow. (But at least I'm working close to home the next couple of days ...)