Author: Susan

Susan has a lot to say about a lot of things.

The Daily EO: June 17th, 2013

I cried at my desk today.

I had a very important all day customer visit and audit happening that we had been prepping for months for.  So much so, that I was sick of talking about it.  Sick of the action items, just sick of it.  But finally, the day had arrived.

My grandfather was the former Superintendent of the City of Burnaby Waterworks.  He started his career working for the city and retired from the city 49 1/2 years later.  I’m so proud of the man he was and what he did.  I am proud of the man he is.   You don’t spend your career in sewers and waste management without becoming an expert.  So, when we had our little flood over the weekend, I told him about it because I knew it was something he could relate to.   I can’t claim the same expertise with plumbing and sewers, so I could only tell him what was happening – not the cause or resolution.

When Grandpa went to bed Sunday night, he didn’t know why the water problem was a problem, or what we were doing about it.  As I spend my entire day touring and meeting, and quickly checking emails in between meetings, my grandfather pondered the situation at my work.  Was it a break on the city side?  Did we share the building with someone else?  Was there a blockage?  Is a pipe broken?  Has the issue been resolved?

So, he began calling me.

I will tell you this.  When either my grandpa or grandma calls, I answer it no matter how tired I am, or what I am doing.  I answer that call.  But today I could not.

And so, because I wasn’t answering the phone, grandpa started to get a little agitated.  Wanted to know the situation.  What he could do.  Did we find the entrance to the tank?  Could we get the right wrench to get the bolt off?  Were the sump pumps running?

But I wasn’t there to answer the calls.

I don’t find it funny or cute that my grandpa was so intent in getting the information that he wanted.  I saw the man he was – the capable and strong one that could have helped his granddaughter’s company deal with something that is his expertise.   But instead he couldn’t help, he couldn’t get in his car and drive over like he would have years before.  He just wanted me to answer the calls and tell him exactly what was happening.

And so, when I finally had a chance to check my phone and see all the calls and messages, the tears came.  Stress of the audit, not enough sleep, too much work, worry?

I think it is because I didn’t answer the call.

June 17th, 2013 Extra-Ordinary:  Answer the call.

The Daily EO: June 16th, 2013

After cancelling my nail appointment last Saturday to help my grandmother get to the hospital, I was looking a little ragged.  I did seriously consider if I could get my nails done and then head to her place to decide what to do.  But I was a good granddaughter.  So, I rescheduled my appointment for today.

What is it with us humans?  Why can we not stop picking at things hanging out there, leave things along, no we have to keep picking and proding and poking at stuff until our hems are hanging , mosquito bites are bleeding and your nails are all ragged.

I figured I needed a little down time after another ridiculous week.  While sat waiting for my appointment, I got an email telling me that the production floor sewer had backed up and the place was flooded.  Tell me what they makes you think?  Well, it made me think of the place full of dirty filthy water as team members sloshed through in knee high boots with little pieces of poop floating by.   Facilities is not my responsibility, no, but I work there, and honestly all I could think is “oh, god, I’m going to have to reschedule all the lines again.”

So, while I sat having my nails done, I was wondering about poop.  How much, where was it, what is happening, etc.  This made my hour of relaxation a little less relaxing.

The nail salon I go to is run by a person of Asian descent and most of her employees are also.  For many of whom, English is a second language.  So other languages swirl around.  Sometimes this can make for difficult small talk.  So can poop distraction.

I was pulled out of my poop thoughts by the technician saying:

“You the way?”

“Pardon?”

“YOU the Way?”  (accompanied by a shaking of the front of her shirt)

Um.  . . .”I’m sorry, Pardon me?”

“The Way!  Lose the Way?”

Oh!  “Did I lose weight!?”  Well, I look sunken, sallow, stressed, and rather terrible I thought, but no, I didn’t lose weight.  Maybe my head shrunk.

“You look good.”

“Well . . . um. . . .thanks.  No, I don’t think so.  But thanks.”

That was unexpected.

Hmmmm.

June 16th, 2013 Extra-Ordinary:  I lost weight apparently (or started dressing better), and the reports of a flood were sensationalized.   No poop, no dirty water.  Just a little clean water up a couple of drains.

The Daily EO: June 14th, 2013

I have a vivid memory of being in a store – I don’t remember which one – and my dad pulled out a five dollar bill to pay for whatever he was buying.  We waited to pay and while we did, he showed me how crisp the bills were – right fresh from the bank – by snapping his fingers on them.  He leaned over and showed me.  Snapping them and letting me feel the firm unmarred paper.  I was old enough to start understanding the concept of money, but too young to have any of my own.  I understood that $5 was a lot of money.

Dad was so pleased with these fresh bills – he fingered and snapped those bills the whole time we stood to waiting to pay.  He was especially pleased that he didn’t have to hand over all the new bills he had – that his wallet would have more to feel later.

Every time I pull out a crisp fresh bill, I think of my dad and snap my fingers over it.

June 14th, 2013 Extra Ordinary:  The simple pleasure of touch.

The Daily EO: June 13th, 2013

I’m finally back.  And a difficult time it has been.  Year End, then inventory, and demand explosions at work and my grandma being admitted to the hospital in my personal life.  I haven’t been sleeping much, simply spending hours sitting in the hospital listening to detailed explanations of lunch or working late into the night trying to cram 10,000 units in a shift that only has the capacity to run 7,000 units.  Surely, if everyone just skipped lunch and worked a little faster.. . .

Grandma is out of the hospital – and all chipper and relaxed after a week of people taking care of her –  and I actually decided that the cramming could stop for tonight.

I drove home today and had little recollection of driving on the highway to get this far.  I thought this might be dangerous and vowed to myself that an early night was in order.  As I turned the corner off McGill onto Powell, there was a Kangaroo standing on the corner.   I considered how hungry I was, and thought perhaps that it was time for me to take in some food, get some sleep, and try to relax.   Perhaps then I will stop seeing foreign animals on the street.

This kangaroo was standing there with a man who was pushing a baby carriage.  And it didn’t seem particularly pouchy or jumpy.  But there she was – standing there in mid June – hanging out on the street corner wearing a thick kangaroo costume like it was a normal thing to do.  Whatever works.

June 13th, 2013 Extra-Ordinary:   Just because you see an Australia Marsupial doesn’t mean you need to better manage your stress.  But it could.

 

A Materials Manager’s Final Exam

It’s annual physical inventory (just after fiscal year-end), and I have time for work, sleep, eat and laying on my back watching reruns of Modern Family trying not to drool on the couch.  Not much else (and sometimes not even those).

So I am not up to date right now – and won’t be for another week.  Forgive me – my husband has.

I’ll be back consistently at the end of next week!

The Daily EO: May 24th

There is a time each year when you roll your car windows down for the first time.  When warmed air can finally compensate from your self-made wind.  Mine came on Friday, driving home from work about 5:30.  The sun is lower in the sky at that point, and the sunlight glanced off my window and window scratches.

As I neared Commercial and Powell, I longed for the freedom felt when my hair whips around my face, and I turn my stereo down lest someone hears my woefully out of date iPod.

I crossed under the overpass into a flock of migrating dandelion seeds lazily floating to the next unsuspecting lawn.  But churned and danced through my car and reflected the light.

May 24th, 2013 Extra-Ordinary:  I don’t care what you say, Summer is upon us.

The Daily EO: May 19th – 22nd

It was my friend Lisa’s 40th birthday on May 21st and she asked me and some other friends to join her at Tigh-na-Mara in Parksville.  Well, that is kinda true – she asked me what I thought – should we go to Montreal, Las Vegas, a West Coast spa or camping in Golden.  I mean, really?  What?  One of things is not like the other ones!  Golden is nice, yes, but camping?  Camping is a pain – you have to haul in a whole bunch of stuff to try and make it feel more like home, get a lousy sleep because your poor hip doesn’t have the cushioning it needs on the hard ground, and stay dirty.  Why would you do anything of these things?

Yes, I am not a camper.  So, I was relieved when the consensus going to a spa resort for a couple of days.   We started off well with a wonderful ferry ride up to Nanaimo from Horseshoe Bay.  A peaceful crossing full of possibilities – so I know I am going somewhere.  The four of us all met up around 5 pm at the resort and immediately the wine started flowing.  The sun was dropping in the sky so a walk on the beach was in order.

I then invented a new photography technique that I call “blind photography”.  I am sure many smart photo users have engaged in this activity unknowingly.  It’s when you try to take pictures with your phone despite standing directly in sunlight.  You have no idea what you’ve snapped – the horizon could be crooked, the focus out of whack – you just do not know.  Here is one of my best:

Blind Photography
Blind Photography

The rest of the night is a little fuzzy.

The next morning, I got up and ran.  Yes, despite the wine and the early morning wake-up from the skylight, I run through the trails of Parksville before breakfast and a spa day.  I think it was to assuage the guilt I felt knowing I’d be missing work during a really busy phase.  Directly after breakfast it was to the spa.  At this spa, there is rules, you must where a robe at all times.  I got a pedicure, Lisa got a facial and we met our friends for Endless Tapas.  Endless Tapas?  What is that?  Well, you pay $50 and they bring you tapas until you cannot eat any longer.  If you liked something particular, you order more – no charge.   This is dangerous when all your tight-fitting clothing is in the locker downstairs and all you have a loose hide-it-away robe expanding with you.

There was no wine that night.

The next day we got more spa treatments and then combed the beaches.  And I mean it, we combed the beaches.  We were looking for glass rocks on 5 different beaches in Parksville.  Frankly, I think Lisa thought the world owed her something for her birthday.  So we searched and searched.  But to no avail.

We made arrangements with the resort for a “fire kit” – which un-kittingly was one item – and marshmallow roasting sticks.  When it got dark, a fire on the beach complete with s’mores was planned.  We finally dragged our spa-ed bodies out the front door to find it was pouring rain.  We wanted s’mores, but we were not that dedicated or skilled to be able to do it in the pouring rain.  Fortunately, I knew an option.   So munching on s’mores and watching So You Think You Can Dance, we wiled the rest of the night away.

May 19 -22, 2013 Extra-Ordinary:  Time a way “on the island” with a friend who shared my formative years at university.

The Daily EO: May 18th, 2013

I remember watching Star Wars: The Empire Strikes back with my dad at the drive-in theatre.  I remember very little except when Luke had his hand cut off.  (um, spoiler alert).  It was pretty horrifying for me.  But then he had a hand again – it looked good as new and I was wholly confused.   Afterall, I had watched my PSA on TV and thought this was not the case.

But Dad was a science fiction fan.  He loved Star Wars, Isaac Asimov, Ray Bradbury and Star Trek.  The terrifying hand removal not withstanding, I too began to enjoy science fiction, reading his old books and watching his old shows.  Some I just didn’t get.  Some I just didn’t like.  But Star Trek – I got.  I got it a lot.  And after many years of reflection, I think that I gravitated to it because it was a vision of what could be, what we coud strive towards – the end of hunger, poverty and world wars.  The end of a planet destruction, the beginning of a joined life.  Not free from problems and struggles, but better than now.  Much of other science fiction features post-apocalypse worlds, worst than today, terror, horrible things have happened.

So, I watched the old Star Trek episodes and enjoyed the stories.  Watched them again when I was older and better understood and recognized the social commentary.  And watched with my brother when Star Trek: The Next Generation came out.  Celebrated a move forward with a female captain on Voyager.  Would they get home!?  And then Enterprise, trying to stem delight when they decided they should come up with an “Alert System”.   And of course all the movies in between – some terrible, some okay.

I had planned to attend opening night for this second reboot movie, but I had other plans.  Instead, I was there Saturday night.  I’d read nothing – purposely avoided trailers, didn’t check reviews – I wanted to save it all for the movie.  And I am glad I did.

All in all – I loved it.  The ONLY complaint I have is the need in action/adventure movies to at some point have the hero hanging by their finger tips.  Then somehow, they let go with one hand and catch a person falling by to save them too.  Then someone cames along and hauls them both up.

Please find me a person that can catch 200 pounds in one hand while holding their weight with their finger tips.  Not to mention, this usually occurs right after a fight which I have to assume their hand is either sweaty, bloody or both.  And if you can find such a person, then find me a different person who can pull 400 pounds of dead weight up onto a platform while no one in the dangling chain of people lets go.  I cannot suspense my disbelief on these scenes anymore.  Build railings and floors people!

So, if that is my biggest complaint, I can live with it.  Absolutely loving this new series – geek, yes, I suppose.

May 18th, 2013 Extra-Ordinary:  Star Trek:  Into Darkness

 

The Daily EO: May 17th, 2013

Tonight Emile and I attended an underground dinner party. As you’ll recall, the one we signed up for was a social one, meaning nobody there (aside from if you signed up with a friend) knew each other. There were nine attendees in total:

  • Emile & I
  • Amanda, a Yoga instructor who used to own a fashion boutique and use also be in film
  • Daniela, One of the co-owners of “We are Local“
  • Stephanie, a federal government employee who moved here after falling in love with Vancouver working on the Olympics
  • Chance, her husband and working for Health Canada who told many stories of their travel adventures
  • Daniel, a young and quiet man from Columbia who could not decide his favorite Canadian city between Montreal and Vancouver
  • Dusank (misspelled I think), a mechanic on multi million dollar yachts who had a varied stories from broken bones to bear hunting
  • Eddie, a former mormon, current interior designer, from Argentina

All people from varied and different backgrounds that shared a common goal – to meet new people and experience something a little different.

A couple days before the event, we were emailed the location details – which until then were just known as “Gastown”. It was held in an apartment featuring art from local artists and where the host lived.

Dinner was fantastic – pulled pork & guacamole appies and then followed by corn & bacon chowder, lemongrass chicken, roasted cauliflower with whipped goat cheese, smashed potatoes, walnut sweet beet salad, and ribboned spicy carrots. I think I covered everything. Dessert was sweet buttermilk cream with rhubarb strawberry topping. It was family style so it really felt like a group of friends together for a meal. Everyone brought wine to have with dinner.

Kristen, the host, was quietly in the background taking care of all the details, cooking in her personal kitchen, and serving us. Helping the conversation roll when there was quiet moments – though there were very few.

What I liked about the evening is how I felt – inside the pulse of Vancouver, trying something different. Someone who knows the hip spots, the places to the be.

So try it, you’ll be happy you did.

May 17th, 2013 Extra-Ordinary: In the heart of it all, in Vancouver.

http://www.theendlessmeal.ca/