Spot the Amateur

See this photo from my last post?


Well, this is what happens when I upload it onto my computer. However, when Whisky Dan O'Never Blogs has a go and spends 5 spare minutes (which he has and I haven't) playing with the same shot on Photoshop, this is what happens.


It almost seems as if the photo has gone from being black and white to colour and the weather gone from cloudy to sunny. It also shows you get what you pay for so I advise everyone to turn to Dan for their photographic needs and I'll just hand out some snacks.

So why live in Canada?

I get asked that question a lot. Apparently Nova Scotians are somewhat surprised and amazed that I would choose to live here. Yet I still struggle to articulate my reasoning. (How about that for proper English Laura?!?) So here is one of the reasons.

Now back home, we are used to landscapes and countryside such as the following, which heavily feature hills, river valleys and sheep.



And of course, castles, like Castell Coch.


Now this one is my favourite and just below the castle is one of the prettiest golf courses I've ever played as the castle itself is a dominant backdrop for every hole and can distract your opponent whilst you mess up a tee shot.

But anyway, Canada's different. Aside from the stunning national parks I've camped at during the summer and the Christmas Card effect the snow brings, the autumn ('fall' if you're that way inclined) is quite pretty too. In fact, I know it is Doctah J's favourite time of the year because of the different colours (colors for stupid people - Laura) of the leaves. Which I completely understand as these photos (hopefully) will show you.





So where were these pictures taken? Way out in the sticks? No, this is Point Pleasant Park, situated at the bottom of my road, a mere ten minute walk. As I do actually live pretty centrally within Halifax, I too was surprised to discover this location which is now where I go running. And I do prefer this setting to my old route, doing laps around the West End of Barry. It's places such as this which make Nova Scotia such a relaxing and pleasant part of the world to live in. Once the snow comes I'll go and take some more photos as I'm sure they'll look pretty cool as well.

Before I forget, check this little chappy out.


Canada is full of chipmunks and red squirrels such as this one, whose only objection to having his photo taken was that I wasn't allowed to show his face. I prefer these reds to those evil grey squirrels that have made the red squirrel endangered (they're not extinct yet, are they?) back home.

However, no part of Western society would be complete without a constant reminder of how man has overtaken the planet. For Port Talbot, see Dartmouth, the view from the other side of Point Pleasant.

Shit Happens

So Canada. Nice place to live right? Hmm, some places. I must warn you if you come into contact with this person, run away.


Yeah I know you would anyway but now for more reason than ever. You see this convicted homosexual works at St FX University who are currently in the middle of an outbreak of suspected Norwalk Disease. Sounds pretty shitty to me but it's also been quite a bum deal for those members of Mount Allison University just across the border in New Brunswick. Apparently those turtles are trying to escape everywhere and I have decided it's my dootie to release this warning. I know, I know, it stinks but someone has to do it.

Luckily these young ladies can justify their relief over the outbreak as they got flushed out of the Mount A system this spring.


Well avoided Laura and Keltie.

So, in conclusion. Stay away from St FX and Mount A if possible. If you live in the facinity of either facility do not, DO NOT, come down to Halifax this weekend and expect to be let into my apartment. That means you Igor and stay away from Leanna too, I'll see she's looked after.

But do feel free to comment on this post. I felt hurt that no one did any business on my last one. What happened Emmj? Was Dub back home this week or something? I can usually rely on MJ for at least one unwitty comment that makes my humour look better, even if I've sunk to the levels of toilet gags. Or, if you like, you could visit Laura's blog and protest at the commentary accompanying her last photo as I know from personal experience, the sight of my chest typically brings about this kind of reaction.

Ping Pong Palooza

So I had some crappy news this week, where the job I had lined up got pulled by the company accountants (now ALL accountants are in my bad books, especially Irish ones) so they could save some cash. That sucked but the company were almost as pissed as I was and said they'd try and help me out if poss. I doubt it so have been sending off some CVs and will do some chasing up Monday and Tuesday. If only I had a car, then I could work at Joe's again, anyone wanna give me one?

However, it's important to put disappointments like that into perspective - you know, Dan and I have a table tennis table. And therefore, last night saw the first Double W's Ping Pong Palooza, complete with vodka jelly shots.

Fortunately the first and second rules of Ping Pong Palooza are not 'you do not talk about Ping Pong Palooza' so here they are:

1. Drink one finger of beer per point you lose a game by
2. Drink one shot if you lose 5 consecutive points
3. Drink one shot if you foul your serve
4. Drink one shot if you win a point off a 'net shot'
5. Drink one shot if you get aced
6. Drink 2 shots if you drop/throw your bat
7. Both players drink a shot if the score is tied at 10-10
8. Drink one shot if you miss a smash
9. Drink one shot if you demand a replay of the point
10.Winner drinks a victory shot

Here are the rule breakers:



Unfortunately I was far too busy to take many photos so I only have two more to show and tell. This one is of Laura playing Laura, watched by new friends Chris (or Kennedy, whichever you, not he, you prefer) and Rebecca. This match was almost as long as if they were playing pool down the pub.


But this final shot clearly shows how Ping Pong Palooza can be devastating to the worst table tennis players.

No Doctah, I'm the real Bob the Builder

Erm, I'll start by apologising to my loyal fan base (MJ) that I haven't been in much contact this last week. Yeah I have moved to Canada and spent much of the week settling in. From settling in, read buying things for the apartment.

Unfortunately I haven't started work yest as because the company is creating a position for me, I'm waiting for final confirmation from the head office accountants they can afford me. I like how the end of that last sentence sounds. Anyway, it's a day by day thing waiting for news which is unbelievably frustrating but I just have to keep thinking of the big picture - the job I'm after is really good with an excellent company so I'm being as patient as possible. And tight with my cash when I can be.

However, some opportunities you can't pass up when they come around regardless of one's current employment situation. After a fantastic Thanksgiving dinner at Cole's, we went to pick up mine and Dan's latest investment. Who else do you know can squeeze a table tennis table into a two bedroom apartment? Exactly.


Now, trust me, we have plenty of room for it. The guesswork has been done and all we need to do is rearrange some of the furniture. But Dan's still in New Brunswick and I'm not doing it all by myself - hence the cluttered living room at the moment.

And to try and dampen the handywork Doctah J has been doing for a few months, building his own furniture pretty much from scratch, here's what I had to start the day with.



Yeah that's right, bits of table tennis table and a safety instruction sticker. Why the bits of table tennis table you ask? Well, we had an issue or two transporting the table across town last night.

This was no simple task, such as shifting my double bed through downtown Halifax on a couple of shopping trolleys. No, this involved getting a table tennis table into Cole's car. Would have been fine if Scotty still had his truck but we had to make do with Cole's smaller than you'd think jeep. After using our resident engineer (Hines) to dismantle the thing, ignore the constant jipes following my using the word 'spanner' to describe a wrench and trying to buy a cat and assuming the table would fit, we discovered it wouldn't. My bad.

Fortunately enough we had a reserve Matt (Cole's neighbour) to tie our table parts onto the roof of the jeep. Just about. If you've ever been a passenger in a car driven by Cole Hobson, you'd know that aside from shoving vegetables into his person, he accelerates extremely sharply, avoids braking until is absolutely necessary and changes his mind regularly over which lane he prefers. This does not help the nerves of a person anxious to get a new table tennis table back in however many pieces we dismantled it into.

However, we did get the new toy home safely and then I'd have no worries. You'd think. Hey Dan, wonder where all your crap was? Yeah, under the sofa.


What a slob I live with. But if you can put up with him, please drop round anytime you wish for some table tennis. Maybe I'll just turn pro instead of pursuing my marketing career?