Ontario Splendor

Anyone got an Extra Car

2005-05-09T19:22:00.000-06:00

Thankful as I am to be back here I must admit that life is still less than perfect. It's not the job, that's going pretty well it's not the lack of funds, I'm used to that, it's not that my wife can't find a job, cuz she did find a really good one... So alright already! What is wrong right? Well now that my wife is working I don't get the car all the time. So I'm going to have to take the bus!!! I know this is a fairly common practice this "taking the bus" but I have managed to get through the first quarter, give or take a few years, of my life without ever having to regularly take the city bus. I mean I did take a school bus for years, but not the city bus... But fear not! I believe I have a solution! I'm going to see about using my bike! I'll have to try out a trip to see how long it would take me, and if it's feasable I'll be biking probably 3 times a week. And if this works out I could also be gettin' all toned up for bikini season!

To Whom it May Concern

2005-05-04T21:38:00.000-06:00

Blogging is overrated don't you think? Just kidding! well listen give me a break okay? I just got back from windsor I worked a month on my parent's farm and I just got my poor old computer hooked up to the internet! Come on! Alright no more pity parties for me but seriously come on! I was thretened by SOME people that if I didn't blog soon I'd be thrown off their blog link list! I mean really! Do we need such harsh ultimatums? I'm telling you come back, don't take me off your lists, don't shut me out! I 'm so interesting, so entertaining! One more chance ok? I'll have lot's of interesting things to say, I'll post lots of funny pictures and such... You wont want to miss all that will you?
FINE! Abandon me forever! You'll regret it though!

2005-05-04T19:49:00.000-06:00

check out my sweet HotRod... Got a lot of miles on this baby last month!

I'm an Uncle Again!

2005-03-11T09:35:00.000-06:00

I am happy to report that last night, just before midnight, my older sister finally gave birth to her baby, Wesley Jeremy Shuart. He was born at 7ibs 13oz. By all reports he is healthy and normal which is nothing short of a miracle! Most of you I've already told about all of the odds that were against my nephew before he was born, and it is really a true answer to prayer that he was born happy and healthy. The best part is Claudine and I are going to go home to visit during March break and we'll arrive on the same day that he will be coming home.
So we hope to see everyone next week, and stay tuned for pictures of the future musical sensation/NHL star!

What Day is it?

2005-03-07T11:06:00.000-06:00

Ok so it has been more than a month since my last post... What is the cause? Well Matt quite rightly pointed out my recent introduction into the world of online poker as a possible cause. But in my defense hey, it's really fun. Besides that I'm living in Windsor and that is my new excuse for everything. So anyways apologies all around etc... etc.. I'm coming home soon!!! That's right! My last shift is on March 26 and Clau's last exam will be on March 28 and after that we can come home!
I'd like to say that looking back it was all worth it but I'm not sure I can. I mean I've learned to endure incredible amounts of punishment by working at odd hours and such, but really the only good thing Clau and I can say about our time in Windsor is that it's over!
Now back to poker... I'd just like to point out that I'm clearly a better player than Cat House Grace or Matt "The Rock" Brauer put together. Don't like that nick name Matt? Alright you can also choose "Curly" "House" or "In The House"
You'll all be hearing from me soon!

2005-03-07T10:27:00.000-06:00

one of my co-workers has a Pug named Pipper. Who could say no to that face? It is soooo cute!

Hey I Know That Guy!

2005-02-02T22:32:00.000-06:00

Well today was a busy day, I got up, ate breakfast, played some video games, had a 3 hour nap and bought groceries. Just thought everyone might like to know everything that has happened in my hectic schedule. But the highlight of the day... I happened across a made for tv movie on CTV called "Crazy Cannucks". It's a movie about Canada's former alpine skiing greatness. I admit the story doesn't interest me, I can't say I care at all about skiing. However, at the beginning of the movie I saw that one of the actors starring in the movie went to high school in Elmire at the same time I did... Kinda cool seeing where people end up. And even though it's only a tv movie there is a little reflected glory I can absorb. And I actually performed in one of Elmira high school's famous drama productions with this guy! As I remember it he may have had the major role while I think I was a tree or something. I'm no actor but y'know, it's always fun to say "Hey! I know that guy!" Anywho, anyone actually know anyone famous? I'm throwing my lot in; I know the star of a made for tv movie!

Time is Tickin'

2005-02-01T12:06:00.000-06:00

The countdown has begun! It will now only be 2 months until we move back home! Not that I won't miss Windsor with all of its ... stuff. But seriously we are very excited! We're missing out on all the cool stuff happening in the KW area like round-abouts and my sister having a baby, both of which will have happened by the time we get back. We just have to find someone to move into this apartment so that we don't have to pay for it till August. What else is happening you may ask? Nothing! Not a thing. Thankfully I have my xbox to keep me company! Sweet... Speaking of that I should really get back to it, don't want to fall behind with my xbox work! By the way on a completely different topic anyone hear the stat about 77% of Canadians not missing hockey? They must have polled a balet class or something. Anyways...

2005-01-21T10:35:00.000-06:00

Oh I wish I were the guy who drove that thing!

2005-01-21T10:17:00.000-06:00

The Ford Shelby Mustang concept car. Made out of polished aluminum. SWEETEST CAR AT THE SHOW!

2005-01-21T10:07:00.000-06:00

The Ford "Syn-US" built with vault style locks on the doors and the back... Entirely bullet proof, cameras on the outside instead of mirrors so it can fit through small spaces. Cool concept car!

Detroit Shows All

2005-01-21T09:35:00.000-06:00

Yesterday my wife and I journeyed across the Ambassador bridge and dared to set foot on soil that is being overseen by G.W.Bush! Risky business to say the least. We went to visit the Detroit Auto Show. It was great, really cool, but not worth the 12 US$ it cost us each to get in... I took lots of pictures to make up for it. Seeing the prototype cars is always fun. Ford had a Hydrogen powered Focus there and I thought that was pretty cool cause it seems like the technology is finally on the brink of coming out! I don't know, it should have been out a long time ago but the idea of a renewable natural fuel source that doesn't destroy the environment is pretty cool. Anyways some of the good old gas guzzling sports cars were awesome too! Ford also had a Concept truck that was literally built like a vault and was bullet proof too! Pretty wild stuff! The most exciting/terrifying part of the day was coming across the bridge back to Canada during rush hour. Everything was all very orderly right up to the border checkpoint but after that it's a free-for-all! No lane markers, no one directing traffic, just everyone going in all directions. One lane onto the bridge was closed because a truck was stopped in the lane, so I played the game "ride the bumper" with the car in front of me and did my best. That approach almost always works... but I've never used it when 4/5 lanes are merging into one! It was crazy I made my way into the middle of the pack and rode it out. There were a few times when I was just gritting my teeth and waiting for the end to come but so far it hasn't happened! Once traffic sorted itself out Clau and I made a pact that we wont go over to the States again or at least not into Detroit... Now that's a city that makes the "roughest" parts of Windsor look like upscale luxury housing! It was pretty ugly, most buildings were about to collapse and everything had a "for lease" sign on it. I guess nobody wants to live or do business in downtown Detroit... go figure!

2005-01-17T09:37:00.000-06:00

A wild rehearsal party for New Years Eve the night before... Check out the hotty there with the blonde hair! Hey are you checking out my wife? I'll kill you!

2005-01-17T09:28:00.000-06:00

Anda view from the kitchento the rest of the huge apartment, if you think it looks small now you should see it before it's been cleaned up!

2005-01-17T09:22:00.000-06:00

Here's the lou I couldn't open the door big enough to show the shower, but you're probably better off not knowing!

2005-01-17T09:19:00.000-06:00

Here's the kitchen... 1 person at a time only in the kichen it's the law!

2005-01-17T09:15:00.000-06:00

The view into our apatment right whenyou walk in the door.

2005-01-17T09:13:00.000-06:00

Frankie the cat plotting her revenge on the dog... Clever girl!

I'm Still Here!

2005-01-17T08:41:00.000-06:00

Alright so today I noticed that it has been a full month since I last posted and so I have pretty much negated the purpose of having a blog... But seriously I don't want to give it up! My life is till interesting, a little. Well I guess I owe everyone an up date on everything that has happened in the past month. The last half of December is not interesting because it was spent almost entirely at work, and I would say it sucked but my next 2 paychecks after Christmas were awesome so no complaints... I actually got CH to pay for overtime! WOOHOO! Christmas was really nice, we went to Claudines Dad's for a couple days, my favourite gift from there was an awesome mini air hockey table it rules! On boxing day we came to the Kitchener area and had an awesome Christmas dinner down on the farm. Got some cool stuff there for Christmas including a Spiderman 2 DVD from my sister... shame on her she went over the spending limit! Most importantly we used a good chunk of our Christmas money to buy a good digital camera I'm having a lot of fun learning about all of its features and experimenting with it! Best toy I've gotten gor Chritmas in years. Doring boxing week we did our annual shopping at Old Navy which is almost the only time I buy any clothes since I don't care too much about clothes and would rather spend my money on more important things like video games! Spent the rest of boxing week visiting friends and family, definitely the best part of the holidays. It felt good to see a lot of folks but we didn't get around to everyone and after all I just felt a little more home sick. I was scheduled to work on New Years eve so we had a New Years party the night before. After playing a card game called "Boehnanza" (really fun check it out some time) we had a count down and we were into 2005! Came back here and now it's back to the old grind, saw a couple good movies "Meet The Fockers" and "Farenheit 9/11." We also found a cool new hang out "The Tea Shop" kind of an oriental style tea house really laid back interesting new kinds of flavoured tea stuff like green apple, raspberry, coconut etc... tastes a little more like a smoothie or slurpee than a tea and you can get it cold or hot, really cool and different. Of course they have regular tea too and I tried "jasmine" tea, I really liked it. Anyways that brings us around about to today where I'm just hangin' out here and freezing in crummy old Windsor and waiting to work a midnight shift. Oh well, I'll give everyone a sample of my photography with a tour of our apartment and other such things.

Beware The Rabid Shoppers

2004-12-16T18:52:00.000-06:00

So tonight after finishing half of my latest rent-a-grunt task for Paradigm Solutions (aka my secret,sacred cash-cow... hope the boss doesn't read this), my wife dragged me off to Wal-Mart to get some pics developed and to purchase a new pair of glasses for her. Thought I was going to say shoes didn't you? Anyways the whole thing was a big mistake! I don't even consider it to be "crunch time" yet as far as Christmas is concerned but it was impossible to manoever in there without a strong offensive line in front of you! It reminded me of being at a concert and being squashed amongst a sweaty throng all trying to push forward and simultaneously making progress impossible for them or anyone else. Main thing I noticed was that most people were not in any kind of a "Christmas spirit." Just everyone bustling around with this weathered, anxious look on their face trying to find that one final gift (or five). Anywho my strong advice to anyone still not finished with Christmas shopping: Wear a helmet, get a gift certificate, get a gift online, or just say you plum forgot! Shucks! I, however, am finished with my shopping and if I darken the door of a mall again this season iy will be to deliberately stand in everyone's way snd pretend not to notice. Ha that'll fix them! I'm such a rebel!

Is This The End?!?

2004-12-15T16:35:00.000-06:00

So I watched the special extended edition of the Lord of The Rings "The Return of The King" today. It came out on dvd yesterday and I couldn't resist picking it up right away. Some friends I know have been holding out on buying the special editions so that they can buy the whole trilogy together, thinking that it will come with even more special features... happily I found out that while a full trilogy gift set is available I am missing none of the extra features. While it didn't include all of the extra scenes I had hoped for, the movie was still awesome. Unfortunately watching this final installment of the great Tolkien trilogy has brought home the point that there wont be any more new ones to look forward to. However, there may be a light at the end of the tunnel, there are already rumours of the prequel "The Hobbit" being made in the years to come. Well I guess we'll have to wait and see. Antone else as big a geek as me about this whole thing? Oh well at least I don't speak Elvish yet!

11 More sleeps till Ho Ho comes!

2004-12-14T16:05:00.000-06:00

I'm very excited because I will soon be coming home for almost a full week! Yup, I will kiss Windsor goodbye from boxing day till New Year's Eve! But anyways I have a few acknowledgements to make. Dan "Cat House" Grace has done an excellent job updating my blog for me. Unfortunately I am only barely computer literate when it comes to websites and such, so good old "Cat House" (ya Dan I'm calling you cat house from now on) hooked me up with a few links, a better placed Comment link, and a lovely profile pic... hmmm... Not sure about that picture but beggars can't be choosers, and I am definitely a beggar. Anyways I am actually grateful and maybe over time I will actually be able to do such things for myself! And my next blog will have more interesting material and I'll do it before a month goes by honest!

Gimme a Double

2004-11-19T10:31:00.000-06:00

One more entry before I delve into another weekend of double shifts, hurray! Well just found out that Claudine has contracted the black lung of Windsor! It's actually not black lung, it's a chest infection caused by polution. Have I told you much about Windsor? Anyways so she has a puffer for now but it's supposed to be temporary, I hope so anyways.
I, so far have avoided any illness during my stay in the South land and I dearly hope that record holds.
All you folks who are from the Sarnia area and such probably know what it's like with all the polution. Can't wait till we can come back home where the worst polution I am exposed to is probably the crap I eat at McDonald's every once in a while!

This Just in: Windsor Doesn't Totally Suck!

2004-11-18T17:52:00.000-06:00

Well today I got called into work unexpectedly, which is a good thing if you want to know. And it was so nice out after work that I actually walked home. Ok swo I also walked home because Claudine had the car but still it was so warm! It had to be at least 18C at times! It was a very pleasant walk, and I noticed that Windsor has maybe the biggest difference between nice homes and run-down homes that I've seen in a Canadian city. Once I got home my wife and I decided to splurge and go out to the Rock Bottom bar and grill for supper. Contrary to its name it's a great place, very "Molly Bloomesque." We both had burgers and fries and they were awesome. Not to mention you can eat peanuts and throw the shells on the floor. Man no matter how many times I do that it still feels like my mom is gonna come around the corner and make me pick them up! We came home and are preparing to watch a new episode of Survivor. Even though Survivor is sub-par this time around it makes for a pretty good day overall.

Fruit Cake and Sunshine to The Power of One

2004-11-17T10:19:00.000-06:00

So when is it too early to listen to Christmas music? I think I might start a little early because I really like Christmas a lot. Personally I love most Christmas music, and in fact I am currently listening to "A Charlie Brown Christmas" by the Vince Guaraldi Trio. This is by far and away my favourite Christmas cd ever.
I thought it might be fun to see what everybody else thinks about Christmas so I have a few questions: When is it too early to listen to Christmas music? What is your all-time favourite Christmas song or album? Favourite Christmas movie or tv special? Real or fake Christmas tree? Is fruit cake good or bad? Open gifts on Christmas eve or Christmas day? What is on the top of your Christmas list this year? My answers would be:The 2nd week of November, "A Charlie Brown Christmas" by the Vince Guaraldi Trio, "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," real tree, fruitcake is good if homemade, Christmas eve, and digital camera to enhance my bloggong experience.
And now for something completely different... I recently saw the movie "Eternal Sunshine on The Spotless Mind" with Jim Carey et. al. It is labled a "romantic comedy" which I think is entirely insufficient as the film deals more with the idea that a good experience or rlationship does not lose merit after it is over or if after a while it goes badly, but instead it can retain its value for that time of your life. I thought the movie was very interesting and recommend it to anyone, it was also very funny at times.
Another recent interest of mine has been to read "The Power of One" By Bryce Something Something, I can't remember the last name or find the book right now but it was a great "coming of age" story about an English boy in South Africa around WW II time. I couldn't put it down and actually this was the second time I have read it so it also comes highly recommended. Hope everyone writes there thoughts about Christmas, c'mon!

1, 2, skip a few... 99, 100

2004-10-27T07:56:00.000-06:00

Well, I certainly have neglected my blog for a while! My deepest apologies to my distinguished readership, who I am quite sure, are beside themselves with grief at the prospect of not hearing yet another captivating stories from the wart on the big toe of Southern Ontario known as Windsor.
So one of my more recent exploits goes as follows: A good friend informed me of an opportunity for temporary employment here in Windsor which promised to pay well, and be "light" in virtue of difficulty. Well given to sloth, as I am, I don't need to tell you that I jumped at the chance. The work seemed simple enough, the city of Windsor was trying to evaluate their parking availability on Oullette street. Anyone who has been to Windsor would have to admit that the street parking here has to be worse than most places. My simple role was to patrol a given area every 30 minutes and record how many cars were parked on the street or in parking lots. Simple yes, but also tedious. To put the excitement of this job in perspective, from this point on I will always consider watching paint dry a sporting event compared to driving around and counting the same cars in a 3 block area for 14 hours. This task would have been absolutely intolerable if it weren't for the fact that you have a partner with you so that during down time you can trade stories, mock the other lackeys doing the same job as you from afar, and occasionally call the boss and ask pointless time wasting questions like "what time have you got? My clock says 10:30. Are you sure our first break is at 11:30?" And posing as "Guy Incognito" always adds to the fun.
However, when you consider I got paid at a better rate than I normally work at, and I worked an average of 15 minutes every half hour, and I was paid for 2 half hour breaks... Well that makes everything a little bit better! Ah the life of a government employee.
Thanks Matt!

Anyone Know how to Stop Winter?

2004-10-17T20:25:00.000-06:00

Ok so I have to get my first gripe out of the way. As of 7:00 this morning I just finished the last of 4 back to back shifts at work, and I have to be in again at 6:30 a.m. Monday! Alright, I feel better now. So I think I'm a fairly average Ontario guy; I enjoy the winter. I like the change of scenery, the way a fresh snow gleams in the sun, and the crunch of it under my feet. Oh what the heck! We all know that without any hockey to pre-occupy us this year we're all gonna lose it! All the winter is gonna do for me is freeze my nubs off while I take my whining mutt around the block 3 times a day just so she'll give me a moments peace! Plus I have to walk the dog every day too! Just kidding, man I hope my wife doesn't read this! And if she does I want everyone to know how much I love her, and what a sweet, tolerant, good-natured, and forgiving woman she is! But seriously folks winter is gonna suck this year! I will inevitably have to drive around a lot in my beat up Topaz, more beat up since my dad dinged it with the pick-up on Thanksgiving Monday, that is if the beast starts at all. Then when I do get to come home it wont be while anything cool is happening because I'll most likely not be able to come on week-ends because of work. And besides that, the little amusement I do get from this neighbourhood, like watching our "city hick" neighbours drink beer on their porch at 10:00 a.m. while their unwashed proginy frolick in the front yard, will be stole away as they move the "party" inside. So basically I'm left to my own devices as the cold weather starts to kreep in and promises to trap me in my miniscule apartment, with naught but my blog and my ever deepening madness to keep me company... should be fun!

2004-10-14T16:53:00.000-06:00

Lucy the stealth beagle preparing to unleash her wrath on unwary forest creatures!

Feast or Famine

2004-10-14T16:36:00.000-06:00

Well, I guess I might not have been totally fair to Windsor. There might have been a few things that have happened since I've arrived that haven't been entirely negative. I got a good job going with Christian Horizons, a group home. The staff I work with there are pretty cool, and the job itself is decent. Unfortunately I usually end up getting 3 days off in the middle of the week and end up trying to work 40 or more hours in the remaining 4 days. I was originally pretty worried that I wouldn't get enough hours so I guess beggars can't be choosers. But seriously, although I'm sure most people have more of a raw deal than me, I can't help feeling somewhat justified in enjoying a good wallow in a little bit of self pitty every once in a while. Come on! Pitty me! PITTY!!!

2004-10-13T21:11:00.000-06:00

Clau and me with 2 of our nieces and our beagle at thanksgiving, Kodak moment!

The First Publication Of Ontario Splendor!!!

2004-10-13T11:27:00.000-06:00

Welcome to the first ever Ontario Splendor publication! Please consider that this title is quite possibly a tongue in cheek statement about the environment in which I currently find myself. My wife and I have just recently moved to Windsor from Kitchener so that my wife can complete her education by going to teacher's college. I have come along semi-willingly as the official "bread winner," dog walker, and sometime emotional support.
I have made some observations about Windsor since I have arrived and have made the conclusion that I don't like it here! So now that you've stumbled upon this blog you will be punished with my dis-satisfied ramblings.
When you first come to Windsor you may drive around and notice that it has more than its fair share of beautiful park areas, nice homes, and interesting attractions. The Odette sculpture park which overlooks the river is a particular eye-catcher, and a place where I have spent several mildly amusing hours. However one need only look at the three cardinal rules of real estate to discover the reason for my displeasure; location, location, location. Windsor's disturbing proximity to the festering open sore known as Detroit, and distance from all of my friends and family are all bad enough but the third and final strike against Windsor is the West end of Windsor where I live, which is equivalent to living on the "wrong side of the tracks." Without going too far into detail, the whole situation can be summed up with one story: My wife and I were walking our dog down our street and when a car drove by carying a few city hicks with its radio thumping my dear wife was heard to remark "Do you ever think we might get shot?" I hold this to be a prime example of Ontario Splendor. There are many more fine examples of this but we'll have to save that for a later date stay tuned!