I'm pretty sure you have the wrong number

Conversation between me and the goofball who phoned me on my cell phone this afternoon:

Kef: Good afternoon, Kef speaking. (I was still in work mode)
Random Girl: Hi, is Crystal there?
Kef: I'm sorry, I think you have the wrong number.
RG: No, this is the number she gave me, I called her last night.

[pause]

Kef: Not at this number you didn't because I've never spoken to you before.
RG: Yes, I talked to her.

[another pause]

Kef: What number are you trying to call?
RG rhymes off my number.
Kef: Well I don't know what to tell you because that's my number and I'm not Crystal.
RG: Well this is her number.

[yet another pause as I grab my now aching head]

Kef: Listen, I obviously don't know you or Crystal, so you have the wrong number.
RG: Whatever.
[RG hangs up]

Now is it just me, or was that Random Girl rude to the extreme, or just slow? I am fairly certain nobody named Crystal was using my phone last night. And, usually if I call someone and it is not who I am looking for, I feel a little silly and might even apologize. Not so with Random Girl. After I asked what number she was trying to call and confirmed that it was actually my number, she got right indignant with me. Did she think I was hiding Crystal from her? Does Crystal owe her money and I am some Random Guy keeping her from her money?

Needless to say I was confused, frustrated, and a little ticked at Random Girl after that call. The thing is, I have her number now because of call display and I feel like I should reverse lookup to figure out who this numpty is.

Or maybe I'll call her to see if she has found Crystal yet.

All for now,
Kef...

Ok, so some work is being done

Ontario studies wind-power impact

At least one of my governments is acting like they are concerned about renewable energy. I just hope that the less than constant nature of wind is not a deterrent to adding more of this clean energy to our grid.

I hate that the skeptic in me worries that this study is somehow sponsored by an agent of some coal mining company.

All for now,
Kef...

I have to do what? Because who said so?

Dariush... This is the like the chain letter of the blogsphere. But, never one to be a party pooper, I will oblige. Here are my answers to some seemingly random questions that give surprising insight to who I am, (or at least where I store stuff.)

5 things in my refrigerator:
1. Beer
2. Milk
3. Bread
4. Eggs (all pretty normal so far)
5. A random can of Mountain Dew Energy that I don't remember buying. Have to ask the Roomy.

5 things in my closet
1. My Rock Jersey (Yaaay!)
2. My Leafs Jersey (Yaaay!)
3. My England Football Jersey (Yaaa...hold on, I'm sensing a theme)
4. A sleeping bag
5. About 8 pairs of pants that are too big for me (ok, that deserves a Yaaay!)

5 things in my pockets
1. Wallet (the small version)
2. Six cents (change from Timmy's)
3. Movie ticket stub (An Inconvenient Truth, go see it!)
4. A restaurant napkin with some hot girl's phone number (yeah I wish, I don't have anything else in my pockets, oh wait!)
5. My hand! (Hand in my pocket hand in my pocket hand in my pocket...HAHA you're totally singing that now!)

5 things in my car and/or trunk
1. Diet Coke (I bought one because I really wanted it then left it in the car *grumble*)
2. Emergency beach sweater (when we go to the beach there is always a cold girl)
3. All my Coldplay CDs
4. My Jays cap
5. My golf clubs

5 people that get tagged
I don't know if I know 5 people that will do this.
Um, Joy
Um, Her husband Critter (Joy needs to get him a blog)
Um, JWE (I don't think he remembers he has a blog)
Um, Angel (Neither does she)
Um, Shafa!

I guess it's bad form to tag the tagger, eh? ROCK IT! ;)

Ohandnotouchbacks. 'Cause I'm King Counter no higher no lower called it stamped it no erasies got the golden key flushed it down the toilet black balls beats them all!

All for now,
Kef...

I'll tell you what's inconvenient...

Cities under water, that's what!

I have done a bit of ranting about what my thoughts are concerning Global Coastal Flooding. I'm not really an activist but I do try to do my part, even if that is just passing on the message. For instance, this week has been Clean Air Commute week in the Tdot, (and other cities I'm sure but I only live in this one right now.) I have done my part as always by not driving to work and instead taking the transit or riding my bike. I have also tried my best to get coworkers to do the same, (Kinch rode his bike in at least once this week.) See, passing the message.

Here's another message. An Inconvenient Truth.

I have heard a lot about this film recently. I have heard Letterman talk about it. I have seen posters and elevator news feeds about it. I have seen Joy talk about it. I have seen talented artists, (like Terra Naomi,) talk about it. Please go see this movie. Yes it's Al Gore. Who cares? It is the content that is important.

So important. There's not room for everyone in Denver.

Ignore the messenger if you have to, but absorb the message.

All for now,
Kef...

Busy week...

I find I say that a lot recently. There is something to be said for a routine, the day to day, week to week that you can begin to count on like that interesting (read: crazy) lady you see at the corner everyday. But, I also find that the weeks fly by in a blink with nothing by which to really remember them. I mean there is the occasional laugh at work or with friends, but those blur into the routine rather than mark a point in the summer to be remembered apart from all the others.

Summer. That is what got me thinking about this I think. Yesterday was the first day of summer and in a place where the summer is pretty short, that is a big deal. But the start of summer also means something else. Yesterday was the longest day of the year. (Note: I mean daylight. No getting all technical on me.) Every day from now until almost Christmas is going to be shorter than the last. I felt like I should have done something with that longest day, like I should have had big plans to take advantage of the solstice. But, I didn't. Instead I went and played hockey like I always do on Wednesday, and lost like I always do, (we are STILL suck.) I have a Board meeting tonight which will be a little different, but even that happens every month and is still part of the larger routine.

Stuck. I guess that is how I feel. Don't get me wrong, I am blessed to have a great job at a great company and I have good friends, family, health, etc. But, I seem to be lacking some measure of adventure. This is one of the reasons I am so excited about the events I have coming up. Competing in a triathlon is new and exciting and so that gets me going for a while. Not letting the fact the even training for this has become part of the routine is a different story. I also booked my holidays for the late summer. I just decided to go somewhere I have always wanted to go and do things I think will be fun, new, and exciting. I'll tell you more about it later, I don't want to get to worked up about it yet as it is in September.

Well, off to the meeting. Maybe I'll try and mix things up a bit tonight, keep everyone on their toes.

Wouldn't want everyone to be stuck.

All for now,
Kef...

Living it up I guess

The last few days I have been a bit of a man about town it seems. I have been doing things that I might normally do once every few months and I have to tell you that I could really get used to it.

Thursday I went to see Blueman Group at the Panasonic Theatre at Yonge and Bloor. This was a spectacular show. It had great music, brilliant visuals, and was absolutely hilarious. I really can't say anything else to describe it because it is just so eclectic that you really have to see it for yourself to understand it. I went with a bunch of people from my church. We met after work on Thursday at a pub in the area of the theatre, then hiked it down to the show. We had enough people for an entire row plus some so it was a blast.

Today I golfed at Angus Glen. We played the South Course which was the site of the 2002 Bell Canadian Open. Golfing at a place like this is a real treat. While you're still at your car, a "shuttle" is making rounds in the parking lot. They offer to take you and your clubs to the clubhouse, practice green, or driving range. I hit the range, where you can hit as many balls as you want to warm up for your round. I met up with Hawley and Jeffery and we proceeded to critique each other's swing. After, we headed down to the clubhouse to check in and pay then make our way to the starter's area. They took our clubs from us and carried them down to the cart area to load them onto the carts that were already set up with scorecard, course navigation booklet, water, and tees. It was a super hot day but it was a great round with the two guys plus Drew, and the course was in great shape. After the round, you can use the clubhouse locker room facilities complete with showers, towels and almost any grooming product you might need. It's like being part of a private club for a day.

This evening I went back downtown in the Tdot for another show. I met my Mum, Step-Dad, Sis and BiL for Martin Short's show: Fame Becomes Me at the Canon Theatre. I thought this show was fantastic. I will say that you do have to be a Martin Short fan, but if you are, you will enjoy yourself.

Tomorrow I go back to my regularly scheduled life. The one not so full world-class golf courses, fine dining, and Broadway shows.

Unless my 6/49 numbers hit.

All for now,
Kef...

We Are Suck!

It's official. My hockey team is suck. I might even go so far as to say we are THE suck. (Actually we are the Cyclones, but I'm trying to paint a picture here.) We played two games this week and we are still 0fer. That's 0fer 7 if you are counting.

Now I know that there always has to be one team that is the bottom of the pack, I just didn't want it to be us. I think my biggest problem is that I am the goalie so this whole losing every game thing reflects pretty badly on me. Granted not every goal is my fault, but they do all go against me. In fact you can see that if you look at my "Goals Against Average." You can also see that my "Save Percentage" is suck. It does get a little tiring when there are upwards of fifteen breakaways or two on ones a game.

Enough complaining though. Last night the team's biggest problem was manpower. We started the game with only three subs on the bench and about midway through the first period one of our guys received his third penalty and was ejected. At one point in the last period James came over to me - nearly dead it seemed - and told me that he was on about a nine and a half minute shift. In a game where the running usually puts you at a one to two minute shift this was killer.

So, last night after the game, the Roomy and I did the only thing we could after going half the regular season without a win. We went and got ice cream!

Tell me that wasn't emotional eating.

All for now,
Kef...

Whoo hoo, Free Stuff!

I need to go to bed so this is just something quick.

Apparently I won some patio furniture AND a lawn tractor! That's what it says in my email anyway...

Too bad I don't have a patio OR a lawn.

All for now,
Kef...

Riding with Heart

The training has been going pretty well. I have not been as strict to the plan as I would have liked so the swimming has been lacking a little bit, but the running and biking have been going very well. This past weekend for instance, I did a LOT of biking.

On Sunday morning I participated in the 2006 Ride for Heart. This was a 75km bike ride to raise money for the Heart and Stroke Foundation. The ride left from Ontario Place at 6:45am and headed East along the Gardiner Expressway, then North on the Don Valley Parkway to York Mills Rd. (which is where I live,) then back down the DVP to Bloor, back up to York Mills, back down and across the Gardiner to Ontario Place where I started. It wasn't a race, but I made it one. I completed the 75km in 2 hours 44 minutes, which is a decent time for me. I found Kinch and his wife as I made my way down the DVP and we hooked up to form a team back along the Gardiner. We even picked up a couple more for our draft and really hammered it the last leg to the finish. It was a great event that saw thousands of riders cycling two of the Tdot busiest commuter routes.

I had a lot of people ask me why I was doing this as I was raising money and then later telling them about the ride. It is easy for me to raise money for a good cause. I don't have any problems asking people so long as I see the benefit and especially if I am subjecting myself to some kind of torture for the donation. This one is always close to the heart though, (so to speak,) as heart and stroke related problems have factored heavily into my family's lives. So, I'll give my answer to why I am doing this as five people.

1. My Grandad, my Mum's Dad that I never really knew. He died when I was about a year old due to heart failure.

2. My Nanna, my Mum's Mum, who has had triple bypass surgery and is still going strong.

3. My Uncle, my Mum's Brother, who had a stroke before he was 60 and survived.

4. My friend Martin, who at 25(ish) had an AVM rupture in his head putting him into a coma for several days, but has since made an incredible recovery.

5. Me. I figure if I can ride 75km averaging about 27.5km/h, then I am in decent shape and am giving myself a fighting chance at beating the hereditary aspects of Heart Disease.

The money was for them, and anyone else that it can help.

The ride was for me.

All for now,
Kef...

A Random TTC Story (or: A Tribute to the "Methadone Bus")

Fellow blogger Sandra has a relatively new transit route in to work that seems to provide no end of blog worthy material. Reading of her often quirky rides on the "Methadone Bus" has inspired me to share something that happened to me recently.

I have had many experiences on the TTC over the years that I would count as memorable, (I may even share some of them one day.) The bus portion of my current ride to and from work each day is relatively uneventful. The 95 York Mills runs a route past two high schools and a junior high, so the bus is like, usually like, full of like, teenagers like, talking about like, teenager stuff. Sometimes they are loud but I think back ten years, (or more,) and remember that I was often part of the rowdy group on the bus or subway. This past week however something happened that I have never experienced in my nearly thirty years riding the rocket. Let me set the scene:

I got on at York Mills station, making my way home at the end of a busy day. I was near the front of the line so I got a seat on the bus that is usually akin to a sardine can. I like to read on the bus, and when I read I tend to lean forward slightly with my elbows on my thighs, (I am near sighted so I like to get my nose right in the book.) I don't usually pay attention to who is around me unless I know them or they are especially memorable. I happened to recognize a guy from my building on my left and there was some girl to my right.

About half way home, my back was getting a little stiff from leaning forward so I sat right up to stretch out. I felt something behind me so I looked to my left to discover a hand. The hand belonged to the girl on my right that had her arm around me. Needless to say this was a little strange to me. Yes, it is hard to keep to one's space while sitting shoulder to shoulder on public transit but this was a new level of closeness on the bus.

Even funnier was when I turned to glance at the girl after I noticed her hand, we made eye contact but she still made no move to pull her arm back within her own seat. My reaction was to shrug and go back to my book. It was too hot for me to care, she was kinda cute, and I don't remember the last time someone put their arm around me. When her and I got off at the same stop, I briefly considered asking her out for coffee or drinks, but something about her said dangerous so I just went home.

I'm just glad it wasn't the 300 lb. construction worker sitting to my right that day.

All for now,
Kef...