Bird's Hill

Today was a very beautiful day! Chad called me at 11 in the morning and ask if I was going to Kaycee's B-day party at Bird's Hill. I has told about it before but I had forgotten about it until he called. So Chad, Jay, Mike, and I went together. Jim had work so he couldn't come. It was my first time going to Bird's Hill and it is a very nice park with a small beach and close so it's a nice alternative to going to the beaches. We did go into the water but spent most of our time on the sand looking at my iPod and talking. After all the fun we had...I noticed something on my car when I got home...someone thought it is cool is key someone's car after slamming it with a door. They keyed 'MORON' on MY CAR. I told my dad about it, I thought he would be madder than he turned out to be, but it seemed like I was the one who was most pissed off! Though they did have their speech that they had to recite...it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. We're going to get it fixed...but the timing couldn't be worse, school is just around the corner! ARGH! You're the MORON!

Last Day at CBSA

Well, today was my last day at CBSA...it was a quiet one (until the very end of it)...I didn't get too many emails today, so I just spent the day cleaning out my desk and tying any loose ends. I didn't want to start anything...I went to get a Tim Horton's Chocolate Brownie Ice Cap Supreme for coffee with Flory and Tammy. At around 3:00, we went through our pile of applications and found many items loose items during the mess that happened on Monday and Tuesday while Kim and I  were away. Kim and I spent some time going through them and I sent emails out requesting additional information. We have a gigantic pile that is to be sent off on Tuesday. After that running around my last hour at CBSA went by so quickly. When I took my last trip to HR and finally met Nicole (not the person I pictured), I got many "thanks" and "thank you's" from them and I was quite touched to know that I made a large difference at CBSA this time. I've bonded with the agency much more than last time. Right before Kim left, Flory and her presented with me a card from ATS, I didn't want to open it until after fearing that I may get a bit emotional. After giving my email access to Kim and Flory, my job at CBSA was officially over. The thank-you (good bye) card they gave me was very nice and everyone wished me well in school so I wish to do the same here. I know they will have a tough time without me but I wish them all well in the coming fiscal year. I'll be back next May 2009!   

2nd Last Day

Today was my second last day at CBSA, things have calmed down a bit from yesterday and Kim and Flory treated me to lunch. At 11:30, we went down to Corydon to this Greek restaurant called Niko's. We got there before the big rush so we didn't have to wait to be seated. Too bad the weather wasn't nice enough to sit outside on a patio like we did last month at Monviso's. The food at Niko's was excellent! I ordered a chicken platter that came with the most delicious salad I've ever had and hand cut french fries. The chicken was a little salty but that is part of the Greek Cuisine! I'm open to most different flavours (except super spicy) so I found it very good. Of course, Flory and Kim treated me to lunch, very nice of them. Though we were stuffed, we went for some Gelati afterwards just across the street...I got Rasberry and Oreo, very good and their portions were very large for $4 compared to the place just down the street beside the Dollarama where we went to last time at our French meeting. We got back to work at 1:30... so I took a yummy 2 hour lunch :D

1st Day Back

CRAZY, INSANE, HECTIC, INCREDIBLY BUSY! I was only away for 2 days and I got 28 emails! OMG, that is an email every half an hour! I even had my out-of-office on too! I basically spent the entire day getting caught up on my emails. Kim was away sick the days I was away too, so poor Flory who had 2 days of training was doing 3 people's work. I don't know if I will be able to get back on that filing project for the Security Specialists... :S

Post Trip Reactions

Though this was my 6th time traveling to Toronto, this last trip to Toronto was the most satisfying. Besides getting to see Raymond and Linda, I found that my relationship with my Andrew, Liz, Raymond, aunts, uncles, and grandparents, have strengthened over the last four days. I feel a lot closer to my extended family in Toronto, I now have their cell number and they have mine and we though we didn't see other very often, my aunts and I would talk about just about anything. Liz and I got quite close and we even made a deal just before taking off. She will be studying aviation and she will give us cheap flights while I will design her home. I can't wait until we're all grown up, and each have our own life. We'll be able to use our expertise to help one another and give each other deals :D

Day 5 - Toronto - Tuesday

Because we were to fly around 4 in afternoon, we planned to go to the airport around 1:00, so we could explore the airport and so we decided to stick close to home that morning. Andrew and I walked to the near by shopping centre and though nothing was opened when we got there at 900 we wondered around until some shops opened at 930. Andrew had been looking for a messenger bag throughout the entire trip but could find one he liked, he is very picky and doesn't want to spend a lot. We told him that they are very hard on shoulders but he didn't care. There was one where he tried on at Pacific Mall and he didn't get it because it looked too much like a purse and it was on the pricey side for Pacific Mall aka 'fake/pretend' stuff. We went into Luggage City at the nearby shopping centre but still no luck, he wanted a natural feeling material and not something synthetic looking. Then we went into the Beer Store and and Liquor Store, but he didn't buy any booze to take home because it was expensive. I think the only province that has cheap booze is Alberta. At about 945, we hopped on the Viva Orange and headed to IKEA which was just one stop away and we paid $3 for the ride. It was our first time inside an IKEA store and so we took their measuring tape and pencils as souvenirs. They do have some pretty nice things for reasonable/student prices. I bought a $8 birch round turntable that is meant for cheeses but I'm going to use it for design. We have this square one that the school charged us $20 for and it is MDF and DIY assembly. The corners of the square always got caught you needed a lot more space to turn the turntable. Of course Andrew played Devil's Advocate, but I bought it in the end anyways just so that I could have one at school and at home. I also this 4 level shelf for $20, I got as far as writing down the aisle and shelf numbers but I couldn't think of a place to put such a thing in my basement so I didn't get it. Funny, how they had one half as wide, but for $15! We bought a hotdog each for the ride home for $0.50 each, super cheap! Let's hope they are affected by the meat recall or anything. Our transfers were still good so we didn't have to pay again. When we got home it was 12 and grandpa had went out to buy BBQ pork and chicken for our lunch. We had it with rice and then we had to quickly finish packing. I didn't have room for my turn table so I had to shove it in Andrew suitcase. He really didn't buy much...I had a suitcase full of stuff...the dried pork for my aunt in Winnipeg took up the most space in my suit case. I had to stuff both my backpack and suitcase up to their fullest. Liz and Ray and their dad came over at around 1:00 to come to drive us to the airport. Liz brought over her USB with Chicago pics and she transfered them to my USB. One day I hope to go to Chicago and New York (again). So we headed to the airport together and we got there around 2:00. When we got to the airport, we realized that we had not taken any proper family pictures with my grandparents, aunts, and uncles so we quickly took a few with Liz's dad and the four of us 'kids'. We checked in at Terminal 3 and Andrew and I couldn't get a spot together but we got the same row, the two middle seats. We did a tour of Terminal 3 and then rode the monorail to Terminal 1, it was a very cool experience. Terminal 1 is bigger and airy and open like the Hong Kong Chek Lap Kok airport with no pillars in the centre. The structural members were amazing! there was this piece of artwork hung on the wall that documents by photography the experience of traveling from Pearson to downtown Toronto. We think that the airport authority has no idea what is implied in the art, I think it is dissing the city, a victim of globalization withe several Shopper's Drug Marts and Starbucks shown. Then we went to inquire about Terminal 2, and how to get there but we all found out that there is NO terminal 2, just a 1 and 3. So I tease Liz, "and you call yourself a Torontonian!" Then we headed back to Terminal 3 and then said our goodbyes and we went through the gates around 3:30. My camera batteries finally died as well. We were assigned the gate B27 on our boarding passes but when we got there there was only a flight to Ottawa at 630 and our flight is to Winnipeg at 445. "So I guess we were gong to Ottawa!" Then we checked the screen and saw that we've been reassigned the gate C39 and we had to walk back the way we came basically to the opposite end of the airport. When we were finally at the right gate, it was about 4:00. I sent a text message to all my aunts and uncles and Liz to say 'thanks' right before we boarded. The flight home was a lot more comfortable than our flight into Toronto and we just sat back and enjoyed the ride home... 

Day 4 - Toronto - Monday

After spending the entire day with us on Sunday, my cousins decided not to come with us that morning so Andrew and I headed out to the Downsview subway station via Viva Orange. The ride seemed to be longer than it was on Saturday night and it seemed to take a lot more turns but we got to the subway station at around 9:15. This time, we bought unlimited travel for the day on the TTC for $9 per person, we weren't taking any chances. TTC transfers are only good for connections from Subway to Bus and you technically cannot re-enter the subway station and it is not meant for 'stop-overs'. Last night we were forced to leave the subway station at Union because there were only washrooms at the GO station, but it didn't matter because we had the pass. Back to today...when we got on the subway at Downsview, an older Chinese lady comes to me and asks me how to get to Chinatown (Spadina). She speaks Mandarin ONLY. So I freak out...well kind of...I try to tell her to get off at the Spadina Station but she tells me she doesn't understand english. I tell her that I don't speak Mandarin very well and I speak Cantonese...oh it was pretty funny. I'm trying to say "get off at Spadina and then walk down the hall to the street cars" but I wasn't sure if all street cars go down Spadina. I'm just a tourist myself! A local Filipino lady steps in and gives directions but in English. I don't know how much of it she understood...but we continued to communicate, I tried my best in Mandarin...it was REALLY funny...at times I had to repeat myself but she understood me eventually. It is easier for me to understand her since she spoke slowly and with short sentences. She kind of implied that 'all Chinese people should be able to speak Mandarin as it is the official language'...well, I'm learning and trying! She and her husband did commend me on my efforts and said that most Cantonese people have trouble with Mandarin. They got off at the Spadina Station and said 'thank you' in Mandarin (and replied 'you're welcome' in Mandarin). I always wonder, do I look 'that' Chinese? I think I'm pretty Canadian, and I'm darker than most Chinese people from China, how did she know I was Chinese? We got off a few stations later at St. Patrick Station. We saw signs that would lead us to the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) so we followed them to Frank Gehry's building of Toronto. As far as I know, Gehry's is an addition to the existing AGO. AGO is quite hidden in run-down old neighbourhood with narrow streets and power lines dangling everywhere and in comparison to Gehry's other big projects such as the Guggenheim in Bilbao, there is no room for the building to breathe. The glass cladding is a very unique form but is unfitting with the context. The design is best suited on a waterfront or on a busy intersection such as the WAG in Winnipeg. It needs to be exposed and not buried away. It should be reopened in November 2008 so we didn't get to see the inside. The Ontario College of Art and Design was right behind it and so we didn't even have to look for that. We remember seeing a building with a cube sticking out of its side when we were up on the CN Tower, and it was just a block west of the College so we walked to find it. The streets were kind of creepy...I thought we were in drug town or something, nobody was around and the graffiti made me feel unsafe. This was probably the most threatening part of our trip. When we did find the cube building it was another disappointment, it was just a extensively commercialized concert hall with company labels and brands painted all across it...not very cool at all! I took a few pictures, Andrew didn't take any at all and we headed back to the College. We took some neat pictures, I tried to be funny in some. There is an art store right beside it and we went in and I bought tracing paper 18" wide x 50 yd for only $6, that is dirt cheap...They even gave me a discount even though I told them we're students from U of M. The bookstore at the U of M would easily charge over $12! Of course, Andrew played Devil's Advocate and so I resented from buying more rolls. After we went inside of the College, we told the reception guy that we are students from the U of M Faculty of Architecture and how we found their building so much more interesting (than the U of Ts). He was very nice and welcoming and so we roamed around the building and took pictures. I don't think the College teaches architecture but probably design such as graphic, fashion, etc... Next stop was the Ontario Science Centre! We caught the subway and got off at Eglington station and then we were feeling hungry so we bought stuff at Cinnabuns (or something). I bought Cinnastix and Andrew bought a Cinnabun. Mine were easier to handle so I was able to have them on the bus 34 that took right to the Science Centre. The Centre was neat but there were too many kiddie things and the kids were ruining it for everyone. Andrew and I had fun there but it was more of a bonus...had I known what was going to happen after I may have chose not to go...we were supposed to meet my Aunt Sandy, Liz and Ray at about 1 in the afternoon at First Markham Place. The original plan was to bus to the nearest station Don Mills (at Fairview Mall) and then catch the Viva Green to First Markham Place. We took the 25 to Fairview Mall (just passed Sheppard) only to find that the Viva Green only runs during peak hours from 4 to 6 in the afternoon and it was only almost 1 PM. We saw that the map and found out the 25 goes north all the way to Steeles. I called Aunt Sandy and ask if she could meet us at Don Mills and Steeles and that was the new plan. So we got onto the 25 again (good thing we bought those day passes) and then headed north. We both heard the intercom say "next stop, Steeles" so we pulled the trigger and requested the stop...only to find out we were on McNicoll and the map says we were still a few more stops from Steeles. So we had to wait for the next 25 to come and good thing those buses ran so frequently we never had to wait more than 5 minutes for one to come. After taking three 25s, we finally made it to Steeles and Don Mills and met up with my Aunt and cousins at the Esso gas station. My Aunt took us to Swiss Chalet for a late lunch and we had their chicken with their famous sauce. It was good but a bit on the expensive side...$8 for 1/4 of a chicken, mashed potatoes with gravy. We had talks about the 'good old' days when we were younger, how Liz used to follow us wherever there could be fun involved but would ruin the fun for everyone. After we ate, we went back to Splendid China Tower for the Press Conference / Autograph Session of Raymond, Linda, and Bernice. We arrived right when it started at 4 and there was a pretty good turn out at the mall given it was a Monday at 4 in the afternoon. Bernice actually didn't show up and I was slightly disappointed as I was hoping to see all three. We found spots on the side, and though we were closer to the stage, I didn't get very good pictures of Ray because he had his back turned on us and he was wearing sunglasses. Funny, I noticed he wore shoes without socks on...kind of gross and uncool in my opinion...Linda looked better in person than on camera but clearly Raymond was favoured by the fans who were screaming and yelling and we stood there quietly taking pictures :) They seemed friendly but they didn't do much, they just walked out on stage, and had a little bit of Q and A going, and then some photos and then began the autograph sessions, I was hoping to hear a tune or two but I guess that was reserved for the concert. Right before they were about to being autographing a boy near us fainted and his mom pulled him out of the crowd to get some air. There was piled of yellow bloop on the floor and I stepped on it and it was gross! It is probably puke and the boy just had bubble tea or something. It didn't seem like a drink because there was no 'cup' at the scene of the spill. To get autographs, I think either you had to have tickets to their concert or go there early enough because it seems like those who got signatures had special stickers on their shirts. Seeing that we couldn't get autographs, we left for Pacific Mall. This time I bought DIE and When a Dog falls in love with a Cat. They were priced at $10 each but I talked my way into getting a 10% discount at $18 for two :D I was getting pretty good at the bartering. Then I wished I would have said $16 for two, oh well...We went for bubble tea and got a buy 2 get the third one free deal and we ordered 4 drinks. The bill came to $18 so it was still like $4.50 per drink but it was good but expensive. Liz wanted to buy a PS2 DDR dance pad and she eventually found one at this store for $18 each. She got me to try to barter again, and I proposed the deal, 2 pads and the game for $40. The game is $8, so really we were only saving $4! That is like 10% off but she said "No, I don't make a lot off these"...I'm like "It is only $4!"..."That $4 makes a huge difference"...so we ended up only getting the pad. After that it was about 7 PM and suggested going to MHQ Karaoke for 2 hours since we were getting picked up at 9 PM. It is so cheap there, 2 hours for $6/person and you get a drink. In Winnipeg, the places are dated, small and expensive, and they make you buy drinks. However, Jimmy wasn't there and there were no other Karaoke fans amongst us besides me so we wandered until the Mall closed at 8 PM. I bought an SD card reader for $8 because MacBooks don't have built in card readers. After the mall closed, we wandered off to a nearby Wendy's/Tim's and it was cold night....and they were beginning to regret refusing to go into MHQ...Liz and Ray told us horrible stories about their experiences working at Tim Horton's, how everything was frozen and/or covered in flies. There menu is a little different, they don't have the Premium Hot Chocolate or Premium Mocha or Ice Mocha but luckily they had the Chocolate Brownie Ice Cap Supreme and I ordered that. There is no PST on food, so it was cheaper at $3.35 compared to $3.46 here in Winnipeg for a Medium. We also got some Hamburgers from Wendy's...and we sat and ate until Liz's dad came around 9 to pick us up after getting off work. We got home at around 10 PM and showered and ate a bit of rice and then went to bed for the last night in Toronto.