I finally forced myself to make one of those unpleasant calls you put off because you know it’ll be horrible.  I was sick of the stupid channels I get, so I phoned Shaw and inquired how I might get movies.  It took two calls, a long time on hold each time, and caused quite a bit of confusion.

I explained it to my mom like this.  Let’s say you still have one of those old rotary dial phones.  Then you hear about all this new-fangled stuff your phone can do, so you call Telus.  They start getting excited about all of your different options, but the sad thing is when you try them, none work.  That’s because the Telus person is like the Shaw person I initially had.  They can’t understand what you’re saying to them.

The poor girl I dealt with second finally said, “But how DO you get your channels?”  I said, well I point this remote at the TV and then I click. 
But do you have the Shaw remote?
What Shaw remote?
It all became clear to the girl and she went, “Oh my God.  Okay, step 1, you need our digital box.”

Who knew?  Now I’m going to have HBO and other cool stuff and the kicker is that it’s all for $25/month less!  Why I was scared to make the call, I’ll never know.  Or do I?

On Friday night I have to go to the airport to get Nicky.  He’s been holidaying in the Caribbean since the end of December with his best friend and the friend’s parents.  They have a sailboat, and it’s moored in Grenada, so they’re sailing about down there, having fun I’m sure.

I’ve become quite accustomed to the quiet life without the ubiquitous dozen large males in the basement, hooting and hollering.  However, what can I do when he returns if he refuses to move up north for a job?  I think that’s the place for all young people starting out.

When I got my degree as a teacher of the deaf in 1978 my first job was in Prince George, and it was a great learning experience.  Living in Prince George in those days really proved the adage, what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.

It’s sad for young teachers, but when I started teaching at King George V Elementary School, Fridays at 4:00 found the majority of the staff at the bar.  New teachers who didn’t go were looked upon as jam tarts.  Nowadays teachers don’t dare to have any fun, ever, even if newly arrived in the reeking ice cave called P.G.   Pity.

I took Ricky to the vet to have his teeth cleaned, which was the usual soaking: $550.  Then the vet’s assistant gave me a bag of special food and said Ricky’s overweight and needs to go on a special diet.  Both Mojo and Ricky are chubby and it’s bad.

But we’re all grossly chubby, and it’s all very bad.  What to do?  In about two days I’m going to be lying on the couch, watching movies and interesting TV, and blocking out all of the negative vibes.