Boo!!!!....

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.Friday after work, Langley

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Good Morning Friends,

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today is Saturday October 31, 2009

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Happy Hallow e'en friends and welcome to the weekend once again. Well, my three day work grind is over and now I can relax once again. I don't really have much on the agenda actually since I have not fully recovered from the recent cold or flu or whatever it is that is going around. I still have quite a cough and things aren't perfect yet. I don't even know what the weather forecast is either. Do I care?

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I am still working on my play of course and I am thinking about what to do next. So, I suppose this is the thing that is consuming most of my time. Part Eight is next and that will be the scene just before the wedding, and it might even include the big event. We shall see how things develop and nothing is written in stone here that is for sure.

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Just a quick note about my personal life. I was just thinking back to when I was a teenager. Back in 1967 and working at my first job. There was one aspect that I remembered and that was the huge Jehovah's Witnesses Convention which was taking place in the stadium next to the amusement park where I worked. This stadium is no more and has been torn down. It had a name but I cannot even remember it. But, anyway, as all of you guys know I am not the slight bit religious. Anyhow, just for a kick I remember going into the convention while I was working and checking things out. There was a large crowd on hand and I made my way into the bleachers and I suppose I was going to sit down and listen to the events. I had a cigarette in my hand and was taking a few puffs while I was walking. I remember I was sitting down and getting myself into a relaxing position. And, next to me a young fellow says: " Are you butting it brother? ". Funny how you remember things eh?

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The other thing related to this time period were some of my workmates on this job. We were just all kids of course, just teenagers. It was like a first job at a fast food restaurant or something. This was not going to be anybody's life long career. This is not to say that some people stuck with the business and succeeded, because that would be wrong. Some people are doing quite well at this business, or now related businesses. But, most of us just moved on. I recall though a few of the personalities. And, they were just like me. Attentive to their work and decent people all around. How come I turned out differently than many of these other people who have come to lead so called normal lives? What do you think the difference is between me and them?

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Talk to you all later.

Looking west of Georgia Street....

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Good Morning Friends,

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today is Friday October 30, 2009

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Well, the three day grind is almost over friends and Friday has arrived again. The weather is not that great, but then what do you expect for October, and almost November actually? This is what she is going to look like for quite a while now, with a few breaks in between of course.

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Had one of those awesome dreams this morning so that was pretty exciting. Some of these dreams are quite private in nature so I hope you don't mind if I keep it a secret. I cannot give everything away now can I? While we are the topic of dreams just a reminder for my friends and acquaintances that I am always available to do something if you are popping into town from out of town. No Meadowlands Racing for some time yet, so that means we can do something else besides racing if that is what you want to do.

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I cannot recall if anything important occurred at work yesterday or not. Nothing pops out and into my mind so I guess it was just kind of an average day. But, then when you think about it there really is not an average day is there? I mean, they are all special because it means that you got to live for another day so that is most likely a pretty big deal if you are one of the living. I know it is hard to believe but it is not possible that I am going to be able to do what I am doing here for ever and for ever. Life was not set up like that you know. It just wasn't. Speaking of spooky things, and I am not talking about Hallowe'en, I took another shot of the Thurlow lane yesterday, but I decided not to show it to you. I figured you guys had enough of that lane for now. Oh yeah, the clocks go back on the weekend, so I knew I almost forgot something. That is all for now.

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Here are the links to my play again if you are interested:

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The Marriage of Carl Baydala
The Marriage of Carl Baydala - Part 2

The Marriage of Carl Baydala - Part 3
The Marriage of Carl Baydala - Part 4

The Marriage of Carl Baydala - Part 5
The Marriage of Carl Baydala - Part 6
The Marriage of Carl Baydala - Part 7

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Another Bank Treat For You

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The McDonald's bathroom that didn't make it...

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Good Morning Friends,

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today is Thursday October 29, 2009

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Welcome to Black Thursday, also known as Black Friday friends. Yes, indeed this is the famous day in history when the markets took a big tumble back in 1929 causing the Great Depression. And, we never really do learn from our mistakes do we? Meanwhile, back in the present, the markets have been having quite the little correction as well. I was well on my way to breaking even since the losses of 2008 and now we are the down slide again. Snakes and ladders anyone?

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I want to bring to your attention today a rather disturbing feature of my friend and ally in the workplace, namely the McDonald's Corporation. Now, as everyone knows I visit these restaurants continually during the course of my employment, usually two and three times a day in most cases. I am after the cheap and fast fix, something to keep me going while I am travelling down the road. But, I also count on these restaurants for their bathroom facilities as well. Like gas stations, I expect them to be easily accessible and also clean. Just a quick note about gas stations before I comment on McDonald's. My favourite gas station is the Chevron chain. Why? Because their operations are clean looking and they have the best and most tidy bathrooms. I can count on these Chevrons to treat me right when I go in there. The bathrooms are always clean and neat looking. I do not trust or use Shell at all, since I have had bad experiences with them. I do not like Exxon or Esso in Canada because they charge for air, etc. Chevrons are the best for me. And, the price is the same at all of the gas stations in town so price is not even a contributing factor. But, I digress of course. The picture of the bathroom below is a McDonald's restaurant. It is in the Lower Mainland Region, and in a suburb of Vancouver. It is a relatively new restaurant and it is a classy looking building relative to the rest of them. But, the owner of this operation cares not much for his bathroom. And, that is indeed a shame. I have been monitoring this bathroom for weeks, if not months. The owner of this restaurant seems too cheap to fix this bathroom. The water continues to drip as you can see and the soap dispenser is still broken; the bottom part has not been replaced. So, I just thought I would earmark this store for this transgression. Another thing about McDonald's bathrooms in general is that I do not like them. They are very spartan and not high quality at all. They are not first rate operations. One of the annoyances for me is the hand dryers. These things give me the creeps. I prefer a quick towel drying rather than standing there trying to do a job with cold air. Very annoying indeed. Perhaps they should take a lesson from the Insurance Corporation of B.C. when it comes to hand dryers. I found an absolutely first class hand dryer in of the ICBC outlets. Totally cutting edge when it comes to hand drying technology. At the flick of a button hot rushing air comes out in a torrent. You can just sense that someone had the consumer in mind when this thing is whirling away at getting your hands dry in the shortest amount of time possible. So, just a tip to Mcdonald's to learn some valuable lessons from others when it comes to the bathroom presentation. There are much better ideas out there.

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Got another chapter done for my play last night and I am getting ready for the big wedding. The next scene will be back inside the Great Banquet Hall in Heaven and the commencement of the wedding in Juneau, Alaska. You can see my latest addition here ( Part 7 ):

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The Marriage of Carl Baydala
The Marriage of Carl Baydala - Part 2

The Marriage of Carl Baydala - Part 3
The Marriage of Carl Baydala - Part 4

The Marriage of Carl Baydala - Part 5
The Marriage of Carl Baydala - Part 6
The Marriage of Carl Baydala - Part 7

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Well, that is all for now, talk to you all later.

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An early trick or treat for you....

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.Good Morning Friends,

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..today is Wednesday October 28, 2009

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.Well, back to work friends. No rest for the wicked eh? Not much to report actually, since I have not done much since the last time we spoke to one another. Got out and about and did some shopping and went to the medical clinic too. Funny thing. I was sitting in the clinic and it was quite busy actually. Looks like quite a few people were getting the flu shot for the H1N1 virus. They had limited supplies though and were restricting it to the elderly and pregnant women. That is what I overheard the receptionist telling some patients. I made a comment to the lady sitting next to me about all of the traffic in the place; lots of coming and going I said. And, the woman said to me: " Yeah, and I haven't even turned a trick yet. " Well, that is what it sounded like to me friends. Anyway, I did not pursue the matter as it seemed like such an odd comment and I really was not expecting it at all. And, related to this issue of prostitution, just a quick comment if I may. The profession in Canada is having a pretty bad time of it I think. So many young girls go missing and they have no protection. This is such an easy thing to fix but nobody seems to want to do it. Just regulate the thing and make it more safe. It is already legal anyway with certain restrictions, so why not go the extra mile and make it safe and workable, for the prostitute and for her customer? It is just a job like so many others after all. Somebody providing a service and somebody else willing to pay the price for that service. So, why not introduce the necessary changes?

.Still working on my play so I hope you guys get a chance and go over and have a look at it. The links are at the bottom of this page. This is my little treat for you I suppose. Get it, trick or treat? I just have so many ideas swirling about in my mind and I do not know which way to proceed with this thing. I am not in any rush of course since I have made it this far and I think I have the rudiments of a workable story anyhow. But, there really are a couple of ways to go here, so I am not completely hamstrung. I am still trying to determine just which route would produce the best result, all things considered, that is. Oh, yeah, and it was quite a sunny day yesterday after all and I got to take the car for a spin in the glorious sunshine. So, that was kind of exciting actually. I even got a bit of outside work done as well. Not much else to report friends, unless you want me to talk needlessly and incessantly, that is. And, I am sure you do not. See you all later and have a nice day.

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The Marriage of Carl Baydala

The Marriage of Carl Baydala - Part 2

The Marriage of Carl Baydala - Part 3

The Marriage of Carl Baydala - Part 4
The Marriage of Carl Baydala - Part 5

The Marriage of Carl Baydala - Part 6

Tuesday's troubles....

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- 1967 -

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Good Morning Friends,

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today is Tuesday October 27, 2009

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This is my last day off friends and then back to work tomorrow. And, I am going to have to venture out today no matter what. I have a bit of shopping to do so that will have to get done somehow. Don't know what the weather is like and I am not really interested actually. Whatever will be will be. You know, I think I am just a helpless fatalist actually. And, I don't know if that is a good or a bad thing at all. But, what does it matter anyway when I have no control over events at all? I mean, everything seems like it was all pre-determined anyway. So, I guess the best thing one could do for themselves is to invest in some kind of a crystal ball and have a look into the future. I mean, if the future is pre-determined then we should be able to see it right?

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Added a couple of more scenes to my play over on the main part of my blog. It is getting more difficult now let me tell you. I am talking about the plot of course. Now, I have everything set up for Katy and Carl to get married. The Goddess Ida has arranged everything and it looks like a go for them to get married. Problem is of course is that Lord God Jehovah is going to cause some problems and Ida is aware of this fact. And, that is where we are in the play. We are back in Heaven in the Great Banquet Hall and Matt and Ida are discussing the issues. That is the next part of the play: Part 7. So, that is what I am working on right now. Here are the other parts if you are interested:

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The Marriage of Carl Baydala
The Marriage of Carl Baydala - Part 2

The Marriage of Carl Baydala - Part 3
The Marriage of Carl Baydala - Part 4

The Marriage of Carl Baydala - Part 5
The Marriage of Carl Baydala - Part 6

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Well, that is all for now so talk to you guys later and have a nice day.

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A Wedding Update....

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Good Morning Friends

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today is Monday October 26, 2009

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This is day three of my days off friends and I have to tell you that I am still not one hundred per cent health-wise. And, now we have entered the rainy season as well. So, things are looking pretty gloomy all around. Well, things are not totally negative though because I am well under way with my Marriage play which is taking place on the main part of this blog. Here are some links for you to the already completed scenes of the play. I am currently working on Part 5 of the play and the picture above will be on the top of the page of that entry. It is in Katy's bedroom and that is the girl that I will be getting married to. So, once again here are the links to the completed parts of the play:

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The Marriage of Carl Baydala

The Marriage of Carl Baydala - Part 2
The Marriage of Carl Baydala - Part 3

The Marriage of Carl Baydala - Part 4

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I must say that this effort is certainly consuming a lot of my time and I was not actually expecting it to be that much of a burden. But, then there is quite a bit of planning and thinking to do, so that takes time of course. And, then there are the philosophical and religious angles that I have to try and figure out as well. And, not only that I have to try and fit it into my life somehow and make a fiction out of the whole thing since this is not supposed to be a real wedding. I am only doing this play because I promised my readers that I would be getting married this year, as per my Bold Predictions for 2009. However, the whole thing for me is entertainment, education, and being able to dream about the important people in my life. I am sure the Christians will not appreciate my treatment of The Lord God Jehovah, but there is not much that I can do about that, especially when you consider my real life views on religion. Sorry dear Christians nothing personal of course, and I am sure that the more understanding of you will be able to read something into this play besides a rather toned down view of the importance of a god such the Lord God Jehovah. Talk to you all later.

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Some thoughts on authority for you....

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Good Morning Friends,

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today is Sunday October 25, 2009

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Above is a picture of the Alex Fraser Bridge last summer. I have quite a few of these snaps and most were taken with my camera and not my Blackberry pager. The camera is obviously better quality, but now I am employing my pager since it is so handy.

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Got out and about yesterday and did a bit of shopping. Not much, just some necessary supplies, if you know what I mean. It was sunny when I ventured out so I took my car for a long over due spin. Funny thing. The battery was dead on the car. I suspect that I left the trunk light on, so after I got the battery boosted I took it out for a spin on the freeway. Seems to be OK now, but I certainly do not remember leaving that light on, but then of course, I could have. Maybe I am just getting older and more forgetful. Who really knows for sure.

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Got part two of my marriage story done yesterday and posted it as well. You can view part two right here if you are interested: The Marriage of Carl Baydala - Part 2 . I should get going on my next scene as soon as possible as this project is turning out to be quite challenging indeed. I don't mean mentally challenging, but rather time wise. But, then if I am talking about love and marriage then I suppose it is worth it. I hope you guys can understand what I am talking about here. I certainly don't want to give the whole plot away, but the next scene in the play will be a discussion between Ida and Jehovah. From there I intend to move on to the next scene which should be Ida's presentation to all assembled. You can appreciate also that I am mentally composing this thing as I go along. This is actually a really fun thing for me to do you know because it helps me out with my philosophy research as well. Plus, I get to compose a story of sorts that is mostly fantasy, but also has some real life elements to it as well. The play is not entirely about my life, but only certain aspects of it. I think you need to have some real life experiences though so that you can have something to relate to. But, then how many of us have interaction with the gods eh? Well, that is certainly the fantasy part of course and the fun part as well. I think we all like thinking about gods and that kind of thing. And, if the Greeks could write about their gods than why cannot I as well? Remember, a good deal of the population actually believes in a God. So, the human animal is a very imaginative creature to begin with. Jehovah, for example, is a fictitious thing. Nobody has ever seen or talked to this God, as much as they would like you to believe it. They might believe it, but does that make it true? If I can believe in my gods though they are allowed to believe in theirs. And, there is no sense in debating this issue because nobody is going to get anymore. People become entrenched in their views and beliefs.

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If you read my work you will immediately come to see that I am against authority. I do not like some forms of authority at all. ( there are some that I have respected in the past so do not completely misinterpret me here ). And, the God Jehovah is an authority figure for me so that makes Him an object of my scorn and sometimes, ridicule. Now, like I said He might be other peoples' authority figure, but He is most definitely not mine. In this play that I am creating as we speak I think you will easily be able to determine my thoughts about these religious figures that control peoples' lives. They might control other peoples' lives, but certainly not mine. I just thought I would give you a bit of background here so that you can understand my play a little better and why I treat the God Jehovah as I do. Remember, I consider Him to be a mythical creation, but also a dangerous creation as well. This person of the Bible does not come across as a very nice figure at all and there is lots to dislike about Him. For me, as I have stated above, it is His mere authority presence that irritates me. I am allowed to be anti-authoritarian if I want. I know also that these kinds of things are sacred for some people. People believe in the idea of God and they are upset when you discuss their authority figures in a negative light. Well, that is the risk that we must take if we are going to be honest with ourselves. We do not all believe in God and we are not required to do so. Remember this also: if there really was a God named Jehovah you can bet your bottom dollar that Carl Baydala would be right there trying to figure out everything there was to know about the Man Himself. He would be foolish not too.

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Getting married on the weekend....

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.Picture above is heading west

on Pender Street

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Good Morning Friends,

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today is Saturday October 24, 2009

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Finally got to the weekend friends and now it is time to relax and reflect once again. Not a bad routine eh? Well, actually I am used to it now as this is my second year of just part time or semi-retirement like work activity. And it suits my personality just fine as you might expect. I am lucky though that I have this flexibility in my employment as well. Not all people would have that advantage of course. But, since I am self employed these things become possible.

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Since last weekend was such a write off as far as getting something accomplished in the outside world I suspect that I will have to get something done in that regard. The sickness has subsided enough to allow me to perform some necessary tasks that were not attended to. The main point of activity for me though will be to continue on with my marriage play that I started just a couple of days ago on the main part of my blog. I am working on my next scene right now and developing ideas in my mind all of the time. So, hopefully I will have something for you to read in the not too distant future.

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Just a further reminder to my friends and acquaintances that there is no Meadowlands racing right now so if you are popping into town and want to do something then don't be afraid to contact me. That is all for now so have a nice day.

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Finally Friday....

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Good Morning Friends,

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today is Friday October 23, 2009

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Last day at work friends and then four days off again. We are experiencing rather typical fall weather here, you know, off and on rain more or less. It is not cold or anything like that, just mostly rainy and cloudy, but there are the sunny periods as well. But, for all intents and purposes summer is over. Nice while it lasted of course.

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The picture above is the entrance to the Port Mann Bridge from the Guildford area in North Surrey. This is a quite a congested place around eight o'clock in the morning or thereabouts as everybody seems to wind up in this area at the same time. The two snaps below are of the same lineup, we have just moved a bit closer to the bridge that is all...

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There seems to be more and more Olympic excitement taking place downtown as well. Notice, for example, the large Canadian flag draped along side of the building in the picture. There are some other buildings with Olympic figures drawn on them as well, not too far away from this building, but not shown here at this time....
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And, here are just a couple more snaps of the downtown core. All of these pictures were taken yesterday.










And, one more time. I know you guys are getting tired of this, and the little mouse story and all, but here it is again. This is yet another view of the alley behind Alberni Street ( south of Alberni ) at Thurlow. This picture is facing east. The girl who was knocked down last December was laying in the middle of the street on the other side of Thurlow, facing us. The McDonald's restaurant is immediately to my left in this picture. If you walk a bit forward and turn to the left you will be at the front entrance to the store. See picture of this entrance in a previous post not too long ago.

I am not feeling any great amount of pain at work as a result of my recent bout with the flu, or whatever it is, and I am able to do a day's work. Once I am on the job and mobile things seem to be going OK. You can really feel the pressure of the downtown traffic though, in the downtown core that is. I guess it is just the cumulative effects of all of the lingering construction and the Olympics buildup working together. Still no more racing for quite a while yet at the Meadowlands in New Jersey. Not sure when it starts up again actually, maybe late November or sometime in December. The problem with these racing layoffs for me is that I tend to get rusty in my handicapping. I do remember the basics of my system of course, but there might be a couple of considerations that I overlook when I start working with it. But, it doesn't take long for me to get back into the swing of things and to make proper bets and to spend the appropriate amount of money on each race. Anyhow, if you are popping into town and want to do something you know how to get hold of me. This message for my friends and acquaintances only. I think I might still have a couple of associates left. Who knows anyway...

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More on our friendly neighbourhood bankers, the economy, and our future...privatization of the state:

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The Bankers on Brasschecktv

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Some typical fall scenes....

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Good Morning Friends,

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today is Thursday October 22, 2009

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You may recall that I told everybody yesterday that I was going to venture back to work in spite of my feeling not very well, and my rationale for doing so. Well, I suppose I made the right decision in that regard. Even though I was still mostly under the weather it did indeed aid my physical fortunes by returning to work. Getting back into the routine helped me to feel somewhat better and the day was not unbearable at all, in the health department, that is. I did not feel ill and, in fact, I felt slightly improved as the day progressed.

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It certainly wasn't much of a money day and the weather was very typical for a fall kind of day. Check out out some of my snaps from yesterday that I took with the Blackberry pager. The one above is in Surrey and the ones down below are in the Langley area. The sun did indeed pop out in the later part of the morning and I was able to get some sunshine snaps for you. Notice the pretty fall colours of the trees. The picture with the wood carving is a house that I was picking up a delivery from. Talk to you all tomorrow and have a nice day.

How many months have you got left?....

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Good Morning Friends,

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today is Wednesday October 21, 2009

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I am going to venture back to work friends and see what happens. I cannot say that I am feeling any better, but the change of pace might help me out. This has happened before where I am not really recovering to any great degree and I decided to go back to work. What I find happens is that the change of pace and environment seems to help out a bit. Sometimes one just gets into a rut by staying at home, whereas an actual physical outing can actually improve matters. So, we shall see what happens today with this strategy.

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I have been watching the stock market as you might expect and my portfolio is making slight improvements as the days go on. Right now I am up just over 12% for the year. Now, that is actually quite good because a good deal of my portfolio is in cash-related things. So, that means that my equities are doing quite well. I do not hold any U.S. equities at all and I sold most of them during the Bush Regime. Republicans and their efforts are not actually good for the stock market as they tend to get involved in unnecessary wars and boost spending and cause debts and deficits. Obama of course has no choice but to do what he is doing. He is hamstrung by the former Bush Regime and their economic and political policies. Needless to say that is why I do not own any American stocks. Gold as you might expect is doing well and I have capitalized on this feature of my portfolio in the past, and I am doing so now as well. My foreign equities consist of European and a good dose of Emerging market type stocks, you know, the so-called BRIC ones; that being Brazil, Russia, India, and China. Those are the countries with good growth potential and large populations. That is where the action appears to be. And, Canada is doing OK with its natural resources as well. And, as you might expect, that is where the bulk of my equities are. 2008 was the bad year for investors and I certainly did not escape the damage that occurred there. But, my losses were relatively mild compared to most, I think. The most I was down was 12%, and that was at the end of December, 2008. Interestingly, I need just a few more gains to break even and to recoup all of those losses.

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So, not much else to report friends, except to say that I am still working on my Marriage thing over on the main part of my blog. I promised my readers that I would get married this year, so that effort is taking place over there. Here is the link to the first part of my marriage:The Marriage of Carl Baydala .

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Finally, I heard an interesting statistic the other day. The figure was that we all live about 1,000 months. So, that kind of puts things into perspective now doesn't it? Kind of a gruesome figure in a way too don't you think? I mean, just where do you think you are right now along the road in your life? And, don't forget: these are the stats if everything is going well. So, I hope that everything is going well with you.

Well, that is all for now so talk to you all later.

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So, what's happening with the weather?....

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Picture above is downtown Whalley

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Good Morning Friends,

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today is Tuesday October 20, 2009

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Well, certainly not much to report friends and I don't have anything special on my mind either. All of my things of current interest are located on the pages before this one. So, in order to find out what is happening in my life and what is on my mind all you have to do is read my prior posts here on this part of my blog. Still resting up and trying to feel better. Good thing I have four days off so that I can try and get over this nonsense, whatever it may be. Don't even know what the weather was like for the last three days or so. It is none of my business really when you think about. Anyway, here is our local weather forecast if you are interested. I am just slightly interested and that is why I finally decided to have a look and find out what is going on in the external world. So, check out the Webcam below along with our weather forecast. Now, we both know what is happening. Talk to you all later and have a nice day.

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Vancouver, B.C. Webcams

October 20th, 2009 : 5:00 AM
Current Weather Conditions at Vancouver Airport
Updated Oct 20th, 4:00 AM

Temperature:
11°C
Dew Point:
9°C
Barometer:
102 kPa
Wind:
E 5 Km/h
Humidity:
87.5 %
Ceiling:
457 Meters
Visibility:
19.3 Km


Tuesday, October 20th

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Partly Sunny
High 14°C
A mix of cloud and sun but increasing cloudiness during the day.
Tuesday Night
Low 10°C
Rain
Cloudy. Rain developing overnight.

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Wednesday, October 21st

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Rain
High 14°C
Rain tapering off to a chance of showers.
Wednesday Night
Low 8°C
Mostly Cloudy
Cloudy with clear periods.

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Thursday, October 22nd

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Mostly Cloudy
High 14°C
Mostly cloudy. Chance of rain developing.

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Friday, October 23rd

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Low 8°C
Rain
High 14°C
Periods of rain.

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Saturday, October 24th

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Low 8°C
Partly Sunny
High 13°C
A mix of sun and cloud.

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Sunday, October 25th

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Low 8°C
Rain
High 13°C
Rain.

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Monday, October 26th

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Low 9°C
Rain
High 13°C
Rain.

Feeling lousy?..get your own nurse....

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Good Morning Friends,

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today is Monday October 19, 2009

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Well, it is Monday friends and it feels like a Monday. Like I told everyone yesterday, I am not a hundred percent. I really have come down with something and I just feel the pits. So, I quickly did some scanning and found my own personal nurse to kind of cheer me up a bit. And, the picture above will act as my own private nurse until I recover from this madness.

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I really dislike being sick you know. You just feel like you are not part of the world at all and it is really frustrating. Remember when I had my foot injury back in August? Well, it is the same kind of deal more or less. I am out of action and I am not mobile. Sure, I can drive if I want to go out for something, but how do you think I feel right now? Just plain awful that is all. I wonder what I have. It doesn't feel all that serious actually, just an annoyance more than anything else. I couldn't get out and about during the weekend and I accomplished absolutely nothing. No shopping, no yard work, so socializing. Just plain old nothing.

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I spend a lot of time on this computer you know so I guess that is my ace in the hole to some degree. My sickness means that I can spend more time studying that is all. I have been doing quite a bit of research on my main area of interest right now, and that is philosophy. What I do is I just start reading about this or that philosopher and wherever that takes me, well that is where I go. Sometimes I watch videos and sometimes I listen to LibriVox to get my information. I think this is a very good hobby actually and I am always learning something about somebody of importance from the past. So, I suppose there always is that silver lining to these dark times that we all have to endure from time to time. Remember, I am not dead and I do not have any serious disease, so what am I complaining about? Isn't that the bottom line?

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Started my little play, The Marriage of Carl Baydala on the main part of my blog yesterday. It is something that I had to get going on because it is the final part of my Bold Predictions for 2009. (Happy New Year 2009 ) Everything else is mostly accomplished in this regard and I would consider my predictions to be relatively successful so far. I told everybody that I was going to get married and I knew that I had to produce, so this play is the result of my promise to my readers. I am watching the stock market and the events in Iran as well as these places form part of predictions.

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Not much else to report at this time friends. I don't even know what the weather is like since I have not been outside. It is just a real bummer being under the weather like this. But, I guess you guys know that anyway.

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Picture of nurse here

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I'm backing the nurses....

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Good Morning Friends,

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today is Sunday October 18, 2009

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I am sicker than a dog this morning friends and I might even have the big one. Who knows anyway. I am talking about the Swine Flu. I am not sure what the symptoms are, but mine are a sore throat, some stiffness and a bit of nausea. And, this is combined with that do not want to do anything kind of feeling. Here is a video that I just got from Brasscheck in my mail box. I am 100% behind the nurses in their struggle to maintain their rights as citizens. Nobody can force a vaccine upon another, even as a condition of employment in my view. The nurses are calling the shots unsafe or unproven and who could disagree with them? The point is that why should one group have to compromise their safety because some authority says that they have to? Now, this is an easy one for me of course because I am naturally against authority just on basic principles. I don't like being pushed around by someone who I do not like, trust, or appreciate. Read my whole blog and you will easily see what kind of a person I am. This is a no brainer for me. I am behind the nurses. Even if they lose they are proving a point. And, that is to stand for your rights and your beliefs and do what your gut tells you to do.

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Bishop Berkeley

1685 - 1753

.Here is another guy that is bugging me quite a bit lately. His name is George Berkeley and he was a famous philosopher. An idealist one at that. He believed that matter does not really exist and that all we know and see is a result of our perceptions. Ideas come from our brains and the origin of all things is God Himself. That is the way he explains reality for us.

.I think he is a bit of a contrarian actually and he is going against the solid ground of the materialists of his day. Do things exist independently of the mind? Bishop Berkeley says no. So, what do you think about this kind of approach to reality and philosophy? Actually, the Bishop and I have something in common; we are willing to go against the grain and hold our ground. That is fine and dandy except the Bishop is a believer in the Entity and I am not. Now, if I was to support the man and push his arguments to the limits, then what? What if I could help the guy out and prove his ' immaterialism ' ? What do you think would happen to me if that was to occur? That means that I would have to accept God and the idea of Him. It is tempting let me tell you - to go against the crowd, I mean. But, do I dare? Bishop Berkeley is a good candidate for my Bachelor Philosophers section as well. He seems to hold ideas that a man on the outside would be holding, like a bachelor I mean. Except he was not a bachelor and he was in fact, married. So, no dice in that department. But, I know that I will have to discuss him at one point simply because of his idealism and belief in God.

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Remembering Mike in the rain....

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Mike Baydala

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( October 16, 1919 - April 24, 2007 )

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Good Morning Friends,

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today is Saturday October 17, 2009

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Yesterday was a very rainy day at times, and it was also Mike Baydala's birthday. Mike Baydala is my father and he died on April 24, 2007. You can read about him here: Mike Baydala died today. I think the courier gods are very good at what they do friends and that is why I continue to believe in them. What is that you say? Courier gods? Yes, indeed, if you are a faithful reader of my blog then you will know that these things do in fact exist. There are courier gods and love gods and in fact, all kinds of gods. There might even be a Christian god. Who knows for sure. But, rest assured that these courier gods do exist and they are very good at what they do. And, they did not forget Mike's birthday either. That is how good they are at their work.

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Take a look at the snaps that I took yesterday in the rain while at work. They range from the McDonald's in Pitt Meadows and the new Pitt River Bridge all the way back to Vancouver and the downtown core. The final picture is the main branch of the CIBC in downtown Vancouver. This was Mike's bank and the courier gods made sure that I got into that bank today just to remind me of the significance of the day. It was my last pick in downtown core for yesterday. And, the letter that I got out of there for a customer would be my last delivery of the day as well. And, that is how the courier gods work my friends. They do not forget birthdays and all of the other important things in a person's life. I just wish the love gods would show me a little more of their work before I die as well.

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Vancouver, B.C. Webcams

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Snaps taken with my

Blackberry pager 8350i

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A good day but what was the weather like?....

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Good Morning Friends,

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today is Friday October 16, 2009

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My mind must be slipping or something because I cannot even remember what the weather was like yesterday. I guess it was a combination of everything, you know, like sun and cloud and even rain in spots. But, I do recall that it was a very busy day business wise though. I just turned out great that is all and the money came in fast and easy too. One of my favourite kind of days when everything works in your favour. Wish they could all be like that except they cannot. So, savour the memories while you can I suppose because there will always be the darker and brighter days ahead - and none of us can foretell the future.

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The picture above is some flowers located near where a lot of us couriers stand by downtown when things are slow. I am not a flower expert so maybe some of you guys could tell me what these are because I have no clue. I just wanted to know what they would look like with the Blackberry pager that is all.

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The picture below is of the McDonald's on Thurlow just south of Alberni. This is the store if you recall where the little mouse died in the alley behind it. Also, this is the entrance that I was walking out of last year in December when I heard a loud thunk across the street. A girl had beeen knocked down by a car and was lying in the lane across the street. The same lane that took the life of the mouse, but situated on the other side of Thurlow. You can read that story about the girl in the main part of my blog. It is last December just before Christmas. The photo is as it is because I am driving by and taking the shot. Actually, just one more word about this store. They get a lot of action here, being in the downtown core and all, but the staff here is quite efficient, I think. The customers enter the door and form a single line and wait their turn for the next available cashier. A lot of the McDonald's are doing this now, whereas in the past it was mostly hit and run and you could very easily miss your turn at being served. And, that happened to me a lot when I was younger. I was constantly overlooked or so it seemed. Remember that post when I was talking to that Christian fellow and how we discussed how people were? Well, that was the point of the discussion if you recall... Anyway, the staff at this store are very good at their work I find.

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Anyhow, I do not have much else to relate to you at this time. I did actually take quite a few other pics with the Blackberry, but I do not think I will publish them all at this time. Many are of the downtown core while I am driving, while others are out in Cloverdale and one is in White Rock. There is nothing wrong with the photos, I just thought you might get bored with downtown pictures all of the time, that is all.

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My four days off will be starting tomorrow again so don't be afraid to contact me if you are coming into town from out of town. This message is for my friends and acquaintances only of course. Talk to you all later.

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McDonald's: where couriers are treated like gods....

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Good Morning Friends,

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today is Thursday October 15, 2009

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Friends, you couldn't have a better player on your team than the folks at McDonald's. These people understand couriers and what they are all about. Why some of us are even treated like gods. Take yesterday morning for example. I was out in Surrey and I nipped into a McDonald's to get a coffee and a muffin. Total cost: $1.39 and $1.46 on the road. I usually get a carrot muffin and a coffee with a single cream and no sugar. I also check the goods when I am paying to make sure the coffee is nice and hot and that nobody accidentally put sugar in it. I tell the girls ( usually it is girls working in drive thru, but not always ) that I am just making sure that everything is OK. They are understanding of course. And, by the way, you can have your own mug and they will fill it up as well so you would be getting something more than just a small coffee. Plus, sometimes they give you a large cup anyway and say that they do not have any small cups. Maybe it is just promo or maybe they ran out. Who knows or cares. Anyhow, here I am checking out the goods before driving off. So, I say to the young girl. " I just have to check this coffee to make sure it is hot and everything. " " I understand " she says. I twisted the lid off and took a sip. I looked at her directly and stated: " This is not perfect ". " Are you sure? " she asks her expression looking bewildered. " Well, no I am just kidding, it is OK. " " She smiled and said. " I knew you were, would like a paper? " And, I said. " Sure ". So, she handed me a fresh Province paper, totally unread and in perfect shape. I would be getting my very own newspaper to keep and to drive away with. I felt all warm and fuzzy inside. I had scored again. I thanked the young girl and drove off with my prizes. Actually, this is not the first free paper that I have received at McDonald's. There was another incident some months ago at another drive thru in Delta. It was in the later afternoon and the girl just asked me if I wanted a free newspaper and I said OK. So, I was really thrilled at that time as well. Now, just think about all this for a moment friends. For $1.39 you are getting a coffee, a muffin, and a newspaper. If you have been through the fast lube joints this is the kind of service you might receive. You would get a coffee and a newspaper to read while you are waiting in line. But, rest assured also that you would be paying through the nose for the privilege of receiving these two items. But, not at McDonald's. This is pure bonus at its best. McDonald's is making my day and treating me like a god. Now, it doesn't get any better than that let me assure you. These people know how to treat you right.

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It was quite rainy yesterday at times. But, it was also sunny at times too so it was not a complete write off. I remember I made it out to Abbotsford at the end of the day and I drove home in heavy rain. Memories of the rainy season of course. It was not a bad day overall business wise and there seems to be a bit more money around and it is certainly not as slow as it was during the summer months.

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On a more solemn note I have to show you a picture of this little dead mouse. He didn't make it past yesterday and in fact, yesterday was his last breathing day. Just think about it. 154,000 human beings died yesterday and so did this mouse. How many other animals and insects and the like died yesterday? An amazing amount no doubt. Anyway, this tiny creature died on the pavement in the alley behind a McDonald's in downtown Vancouver. It is the Alberni lane just west of Thurlow Street. People were respecting this dead little creature and no car was willing to run over him and desecrate him. There were no vultures around either. He remains in peace and respected for the moment. The death of the creature reminded of the incident that occurred in this lane last December. It happened on the other side of Thurlow Street, but it is the same lane. You may recall my post concerning the girl who was hit by a car in this very lane. ( see Christmas post last year on the main part of my blog ) It was icy and cold and the girl lay there shivering and twisting on the street. There is something unusually cruel about this lane I suppose and I am certainly cognizant of its effects on the human psyche.

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Well, back to work in a few hours and we shall see what the future will bring. Just a reminder to my friends and acquaintances that there is still no racing at the Meadowlands, so if you are popping into town and want to do something you know how to get hold of me. That is all for now, talk to you all later.

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