:: Musings, Thoughts, Quirks, and Cats ::

:: Thursday, November 22, 2001 ::

Okay so I avoided posting here again. So sue me. It's just, I've been busy and I've had enough to type out as it is.

Friday, which was the 16th, I go cell-phone shopping. With my hectic schedule, my Mom thought it would be a great idea. I was clueless at buying cells, so I went to Telus first. Hmm...nice phone, good package, and I get the phone for free...AFTER three years. And I have to sign a contract. Eh...I don't know...
The lady was seriously on something. She's like "It's the best deal anywhere!!! Really!!"
"Well," I tell crazy lady. "I'll do some comparison shopping at Fido."
"NO!!!!!!" she snapped, then composed herself. "No no no no no no no no, they have BAD deals, and you DON'T want to go THERE!!"
"Look," I tell the crazy lady. "If your prices are better, I'll be back here." And I go.
I could almost feel her eyes seering into my back.

I get to the Fido kiosk and the guy there is...normal. I find a great deal there. Get this: I pay $75, for the next 6 months. Each month I get 200 minutes. After 5 weeks, the phone is MINE. And no contract. No free evenings or weekends, but whatever. I don't use the phone that much. So I rush home with my new Fido and, like a kid on Christmas, tear off the packaging. I skim the instructions, and hey! They're simple!

After inserting my SIM into the back of the phone, and I begin charging the battery, I call Fido to activate my service. A guy with a slight Indian accent answers the phone. "Hello Fido. I understand you wish to activate your service."
"Yeah!" I answer him.
"Name please."
I give him my name.
"How often do you use the phone?"
I just got it. I've never had a cell phone. "Uh, I don't know."
"On average, how often?"
"Uh, I really don't know."
"Just a round number, would you say."
I decide to spell it out for him. "I...don't...know."
"Well, how often do you plan on using it?"
Already my fuse is starting to go. "I don't know!!"
"Well, just think a round number."

WARNING: Button #1 has been pressed.

Prepare to die, human. "Well..." Ah, humour him and get it over with. "10 minutes a day?" I guess.
"Well, here's the plan you should get. This will ensure you get more airtime, with a smaller charge, and better benefits." Insert a bunch of babble I can't understand because he's talking at the speed of light, his accent's speaking louder than his words, and I'm getting more and more frustrated. "blah blah blah, and now subtract 16 from 36."
"What??" When did I get into a first grade math lesson?? "20...?" I answer, wondering why I'm saying that.
"That's riiiiiiiiiiiiight!" he tells me...talking like I'm a 5 year old. I REALLY HATE THAT.

WARNING: Button #2 has been pressed.

"But I already paid for the $75 plan, with the 6 months. The Christmas promo thing. And then after that, I'd go for the $30 a month plan." I tell him.
"Sir, did the Fido guy at the store tell you this?"
"Yeah..."
"Well, his job is to sell the phone, my job is to get YOU the plan YOU want."
Gee that's funny, I just told him the plan I want.
He continues. "You see, I've been specially trained to suit your needs, given the amount of time you plan to use the phone."
I had to interject. "But I was guessing! I didn't know!"
He ignores me. And then he starts listing off benefits of this plan he's offering me. Problem: I'm holding the catalogue for Fido, and I can immediately notice something.
"Hey." I interrupt him. "This plan you're describing has the same benefits as the $45 per month plan."
"Yes it does!" he quickly continues. "But it costs less! For you!"
"For how long?" I ask.
"For the six months, but then it'll change depending on how much you use the phone, so when the six months is over, you'll still be paying less. See??"
Nope, nix, no, not in any way. "It's still the $45 a month plan."
"NO SIR IT'S NOT."
"What's the difference?!?" I ask him.
"You pay less!!!" He's talking down to me again.
"Look buddy, I don't see how this makes sense. If I'm paying less, how can it be the $45 a month plan?"
"It just is!" he tells me.
"You just told me it wasn't!"
"It is and it isn't, I'm trying to personalize a plan for you!!"
"But this plan will cost me more in the end, I can do the math!!"
"Not if you spend the minutes wisely."

WARNING: Button #3 has been pressed.

"Look, I just want to set up my phone AS I PAID FOR IT."
"All right sir, but in 3 months, call me up and let me know I'm right, because I am."

WARNING: Buttons #4, 5, 6, and 7 have been pressed.

Why you...I outta...I'm gonna....arg......AAAAAAAAAAAAAGHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!
"FINE." I tell him.
"Now, I'll do it as YOUUUUUUUUUU want it because YOUUUUUUUUUUU are the customer."
Shut up you infidel. "FINE." I say again. This tone I usually reserve for Nathan or Daniel when they destroy something that cost me a lot of money.

So he set my phone up for me. Then came the best part!

"I see you have no credit." he says.
Sigh. "Yes, what about it?"
"Well, since you have no credit, we can't be sure you'll pay us if you go over your limit."
Fine whatever who gives shut up I don't care. "And?"
"You have two choices SIIIIIIIRRRRRRR." I hate you too. "One, you can deposit $250 into an account at Western Union for us, which you'd get back after 9 months."
"Hey, that's playing dirty!" I smirk.
"Two, we just freeze your account the second you go over on the phone And it will remain frozen until we receive payment."
I don't care. "The second option is fine. Western Union charges $15 for a new account, and that's my school money you're sucking back."
"Well sir, you're the one who bought the cell phone."
I'm also the one who's going to get you fired. "Fine. Am I done?"
"Yes. Enjoy the phone."
"Sure yeah right, bye."

I love my phone, don't get me wrong. But that guy....a few more buttons and I would have put my pc speaker by the pc mic and held the receiver up to the other speaker...ah...feedback.

"Heart Of Glass"
:: Steve Ferguson 12:27 AM [+] ::
...

Now for my weekend....

Friday - What did I do Friday...? Ah well. I dropped Mom off at work and she left some instructions for me. I played some StarCraft and Doug got home. We assembled our Scavenger Hunt items, and finished packing for RainBucket, which Jess was organizing. We were a tad turned off by the name of the camp, but it didn't rain so WAHOO! We dropped Nate and Dan off, then raced over and picked up Mom. Then we came back home, and looked through the camp kitchen, which was a big wood box storing all the camp pots and such.

They were disgusting. The dishes were slimy, dirty, stinky, and just plain disgusting. Bruce and the Scouts used the dishes last, and there is no way they cleaned them. We spent the next hour cleaning those dishes. Then we packed the van again and ran off to Justin's house. We picked him up and off we went. I acted as the Navigator while Mom drove us, and even though we got lost in the wrong campgrounds, we made it by 10:00.

Met up with Jess and got registered. Then we went to site 40, sharing it with 1st West Whalley. Neal was there. Neal was a staff member of Cub Composite Camp last year and the year before. And he always scared the crap out of me. He was really a tough cookie. Humourless sometimes. Anyway, we set up with them and while we were doing that Whalley was smoking up some pot. Very illegal, and not allowed at Scout camps. Soon tucked ourselves into the six man tent. (Mom had her own)

All night, I was freezing cold. Daniel had used my sleeping bag last and didn't air it out. His sweat was lining the sleeping bag, and my heat evaporated the sweat rather then keep me warm. I finally had to fully dress myself before I could get any sleep.

Saturday - Woke up at around 8:00 when Whalley got up and started smoking. We ignored them, and didn't get out of our tent until they had left. Had some breakfast then went to Opening. Poor Jess. Chris wouldn't let her talk that much into the megaphone. But oh well, we were expecting that. Had some Asteroid Bowling, tossing coconuts at bottles, and the turnout was unfortunately poor. But Doug and I ran into Kim, whom I haven't seen since Grad, and that was cool. Then we showed Jess and Dan our Scavenger Hunt. Our most notable Hunt items were the Alien Autopsy Parts (a salmon head, and baby octopus for hair) named Jerry, and Alien Food (chicken hearts), Man, what a smell.

After that, we had some lunch then did a Food Race. I was blindfolded, as was Justin, and Doug had to guide me with his voice to pour tapioca pudding into Justin's mouth. We didn't get TOO messy, but...ugh.

Then we went to the Pluto Plunge, or diving into Alouette Lake. Some girls went in with bikinis and I thought they were stupid. I didn't tell anyone except Jess that the lake is where I had disposed of Jerry. Jess and I spent the next little while with each other, until about dinner. Then she was collected by the rest of the staff. After dinner was the Talent Show and Dance.

Doug was entered as Lady Yuk, and dressed as a pretty woman. Makeup, dress, tacky earrings. He then stripped to "In The End" by Linkin Park. The crowd loved him. And he won. We spent an hour at the dance, and then had to go. We stopped at MacDonald's, where the Coke was thick. And you know, that MacDonald's was part of an Esso station...2 + 2 = ewwwwww.

Came home, and set up the car, unloaded luggage. Mark hadn't vacuumed over the weekend as we predicted and got snappish at me and Doug for leaving the door opened. Then Danielle walked in as she was sleeping over for the night. Her parents wanted the house to themselves or something...

Sunday - Picked up Eric and Meghan and we went to Danielle's baptism at my church. She's done a lot of changing and we're all proud of her. Then we ran home for Dan's birthday party. We went to see "Monster's Inc." at SilverCity, and the line was HUGE. Bigger than Star Wars 1, I guarantee it. We went into the parking lot. Even though it opened last week, everyone came that day. Good movie though. As usual, Doug and I added a ton and a half of flavouring to our popcorn. Salt & Vinegar and White Cheddar....yummy...

Came back for cake, and then I rushed to the International Dinner at my church. Lots of great food, and interesting entertainment. Met Andrew, one of Danielle's friends, and was amazed at this guy's connections. He's going to hit it big. Danielle, Rob, and I started swapping cups and punch and having a big food trading session. Then I came home....

...to the message. Jess has Strept Throat. And I probably have it too. As does Danielle and Rob. Kind of funny when I think about it. I might not have it, but still. Go fig, the only time I swap drinks with people is when I might be caring something. But anyway, Jess and I had to cancel our get-together today because of her recovery.

And now I sit and wait to see if I'm infected....will know for sure in about a week.

"The sky is broken"
:: Steve Ferguson 9:24 PM [+] ::
...

I'm really not getting used to the way college assigns work that all happens to be due on the same week.
I have an STSU summary due on Tuesday, a HUM paper due on Tuesday as well, and an essay to write for English on Weds. Of course, I have to have the essay prepped. Now, I shouldn't be complaining, it isn't THAT much, but the way it's springed on me at once is a bit unusual. I'm used to work being spread out.
So yesterday I did my thesis paragraph for my HUM paper. That's the hardest part of any paper, figuring out what on Earth you're going to talk about. The general topic I chose was the easiest one (at least for me being in Scouting), and doesn't require much research:

In Canada, what activities that you or someone you personally know are involved in would qualify (you) as being a member of civil society? How do you think these activities contribute to Canadian democracy? Discuss.

Yeah, and that's the EASY one. I must admit, writing a political paper fills me with the dread of a million tortured souls, but this is one I can relate to. Scouts Canada IS technically civil society. So, with thanks to Mr. Van Joff for telling us to write with interesting titles, I'm in the process of writing:

Scouting: How To Be In Civil Society And Get Away With It

On the whole, it's going to be boring, but I'm going to write it my standard style with one-liners and quips and all that. Something my English teacher doesn't appreciate. *grumble* With my last English essay, I had a great thesis, strong subtopics, and linking support, but she gave me a C because I used a casual tone in my essay.

Well fine. If you want to be bored to death reading my constant blah blah blah droning on about a play you yourself must have read a half million times, far be it from me to interrupt that with a humourous look at the play.

I know that I have to do this STSU summary though, because I've missed one and I need a good mark in this course. It's very likely if I just keep pressing on with my consistant high-quality of work, but MAN there's a lot of work for this one course.

Anyway, I have to meet my English group for our presentation on "Blood Relations" in an hour.

"And when she smiles, she really shows you all she can."
:: Steve Ferguson 12:26 PM [+] ::
...

So today was Jess' birthday. She's 15 now, and although it doesn't make a difference to me, it makes some other people a bit less uneasy. Fools.
I got up at about 11:00 and after doing all the ordinary morning business, checked my e-mail downstairs. I got an e-mail from Doug. He apologized for recent behavior and all that, and I was quite relieved to receive this e-mail. I then left and went to Jess'. We spent most of the afternoon at Burnaby Mountain Park, and became a little more bonded. We held each other for so long, and shared a lot of feelings and all that. It was very nice.
We got back to her place at about 6:00, and from there her mom took us out to dinner at this Chinese Seafood place called Yan's Kitchen. Oh man, was that good. The dinner for six was HUGE. There was a lot of good stuff there, and I hadn't had anything to eat all day. As you can imagine I was gorging myself and enjoying it immensely.
Jessica B and Gina joined us, as well as Jessica B's dad. I had to stop right there as one thought ran amok in my head.

I know him. I know him. I know HIM from somewhere!

This is extremely daunting to me, because I had the same sense of dejá vu when I first met Jess' mom. I know her from somewhere. I know her and Jessica B's dad from somewhere before. Where, when, how, I'm not sure. It keeps ringing bells.

Who are they in my past, and how did I know them? It's setting off recognition in my brain, but that's it! The last time something like that happened, it was with a lady who was visiting my place. I didn't know who she was, but I recognized her. Recognition, but no detail. Turns out this lady used to babysit me when I was a toddler, and she was a friend of my mom's. Well, I'm getting the same thing from those two...

Happy birthday Jess, love from Steve.

"Someday this place is going to burn, is your whole life in their waiting?"
:: Steve Ferguson 9:06 PM [+] ::
...