Tuesday, Nov. 14th

Listened to: Jars of Clay, All Points West (for, like, five minutes by accident)

Delivered to: 10

Conversations had: 1

Moments of Awkwardness: 2 (One really, but it was so awkward I counted it as two)

Judgments Passed: 5 (oooohh)

Things Learnt: Judgments flow more freely when I am in a hurry.

Memorable Moments: While I was accidently listening to All Points West, I was in a large hurry to get back to homebase for my deliveries on time. So, in my hurry, this country song (a bad country song, I might add) came on that talked about slowing down. I said no and why. Then the song said that there was a person asking why we should slow down. I understodd the song and agree with it. Life is quite quickly paced and soon everyone will just drop dead but I needed to get back to pick up my last two deliveries, deliver them and get to play practice on time. So there country song!

There is one older (about 100) lady who I deliver to and every time I deliver to her, she makes me dance with her. She says I need to learn. It kind of makes me feel uncomfortable as she grabs my hand, tells me to count to three and move around. So I just stand there. Then she asks me what's wrong with kids today. I said I don't really know, maybe we're in a hurry. Then she told me to breathe and enjoy life. I think I do. I just don't enjoy dancing with a hundred year old lady. I don't think I'm alone there.

Abuse Taken: 1 (I have decided to change this category, as of tomorrow. I know it didn't last very long but it's not what I want to portray on my blog. I will transition it tonight with the new, or slightly different, category. I had a personal revelation that the worst part about being a delivery person for me is not the abuse. At least that is some sort of response. I find that indifference is the worst, not even being treated nicely or horribly, just ignored. So now, the category will be...)

Indifference Experienced: 2

Abuse Given to Battlecat (My faithful steed who in no way deserves abuse. He deserves oil baths and antifreeze kisses): Too many quick accelerations and brakings. Sorry.

Friday, Nov. 10th

Listened to: Killers, Keane, Freestyle

Delivered to: 33

Conversations had: 3

Moments of Awkwardness: 2

Judgments Passed: 4

Things Learnt: Old age is not for sissies.

Memorable Moments: One retirement centre that I was delivering to was in the middle of having what looked to be a Pep Rally. They were talking about all of the great things that this retirement centre had to offer which was followed by cheers and applause. The only point which I heard on my way to the elevator was that they were allowed to drink alcohol in their rooms. Huzzah!

Abuse Taken: 2

Oil Burned: Too much, as Battlecat (my faithful steed) is getting quite worm down.

Thursday, Nov. 9th

Listened to: Freestyle

Delivered to: 6

Conversations had: 0

Moments of Awkwardness: 1

Judgments Passed: 1

Things Learnt: There is a band that sounds really good out there, at least one of their songs does, called Greenwich Mean Time. I haven't googled them yet but fully plan on doing it.

I do not like Traditional Japanese Folk Pop Funk Music. The sound does not appeal to my senses.

Memorable Moments: There is a musician/performer from Vancouver who also works as a cremationist. Interesting combo but it makes sense in a strange way. There was a song of his played though called "West Van Girl" and the lyrics made me laugh. One line said, "West Van girl, may I whisper East Van things in your ear?" Harmless enough, if not kind of cheesy. But the whole time I just kept thinking of these guy whispering these song lyrics into the ear of this dead girl before she was about to get cremated. It was weird.

I am adding a new category. I have discovered being a delivery person, that delivery people are not always treated with the highest regard. Surprise, surprise. I think there are two schools of people when it comes to how to treat delivery people. One is the person that is very grateful as they feel as if they are putting the delivery person out of their way by getting them to deliver. These people are nice, even if they don't quite understand that delivering is the point of a delivery job. The other school is one that mistreats the driver because they are already doing exactly what they ask, why not see what else they will stoop themselves to. So, I have decided to include a new category directly following this paragraph.

Abuse Taken: 2

Monday, Nov. 6th

Listened to: Freestyle

Delivered to: 8

Conversations had: 0

Moments of Awkwardness: 1

Judgments Passed: 0

Things Learnt: I respond the same to any apartment building intercom systems. I have decided next week to grab my digital voice recorder, record my two or three responses to said intercom devices onto the recorder and play those into the intercom instead of speaking. I will let you know about the results.

Memorable Moments: Being finished.

Book Reading: I am adding a new category. The reasons are that I would like to read more and if I am posting about what I am reading, I will be able to see how long I have spent on a certain book. I will post at the beginning of each week my book for that week.
This week: Straken by Terry Brooks. A part of the High Druid of Shannara Trilogy. Make fun if you will. It doesn't phase me.

Friday, Nov. 3rd

I have not updated in a while but I have been keping track for a long time. It has now arrived at an overwhelming point if I were to try and write down all that I've kept track of, so I will start with my most recent ones and that is all I will do.

Listened to: K-OS, BC Almanac (which surprised me because I really hate this show), some radio drama about soldiers in Afganistan that replaced one of my favourite shows (I do not like it), Pete Yorn, Freestyle, All Points West (it was a CBC radio day)

Delivered to: 33

Conversations had: 1

Moments of Awkwardness: 1

Judgments Passed: 4

Things Learnt: My favourite radio show, Monsoon House, about an Indo-Canadian family that run a publishing company and all the hijinx that result, is now over. Replaced by the aforementioned war drama. I am unhappy.

There is a new pitcher coming out of Japan that can apparently throw a Gyro Ball, an elusive pitch that does strange things that no one has been able to master yet. There is a reported bidding war going on between baseball teams of around $30 million just to talk with the guy. I bet the Yankees get him.

There is a dessert called "Fried Coke" which is a deep fried (Surprise!) donut type thing that tastes like Coca Cola. It's from America's South. Shocker.

Memorable Moments: There is a lady I deliver to every Friday who I end up chatting with for awhile each time I deliver to her. She is always a highlight of my day. I don't know how it came up, but I was able to tell her that she was always one of the highlights of my Friday deliveries. It felt nice to say that.

My regular lunch compadre, my dear and close friend Brent, was not able to make it for lunch this Friday. He was going to a Women of Faith Conference. Good friend, confused guy. Anyway, because of him not being there, I was able to have a nice lunch of sushi with my wife after she had her therapeutic massage. It was good to have lunch with her. We talked, ate stuff and enjoyed each other's company. Then we went to the Starbuck's drive-thru which I will never do again. Not because they were bad, but because it defeats the purpose of the coffee shop experience. For me, anyway.

At one house I delivered to, when the door was opened, I was greeted by a nice older lady and a waft of pot smoke. I found humour there.

Oh, and my friend Brent actually was driving his wife and their friend down to the conference. He's not confused. About that, anyway. Sorry Brent. Like you even read this.