Counting the Days

Not much to report this week apart from the fact that we finally got a new fridge in the apartment... you can see how much I have adjusted to the simple life as such a small thing got me quite excited! If you saw my photos, you'd understand why. But I will only be able to enjoy the new fridge for another week or so. I can't wait to get out of here now, and time is ticking so slowly!

So why am I in such a rush? The usual whinges I guess. Like the fact that my toilet overflowed for the 3rd time. The fact that I can't board. The anticipation that the weather will be in the high -20 degrees celcius during the week. And even the people who were pretty cool to begin with are getting to me!

We went clubbing on Wednesday which was fun, but I the next day, the rentals shop was buzzing with gossip about a girl we worked with... a small drunken mistake on her part, but heartbreaking news to her husband of three months. Anyways, it really was no-one's business, a little gossip was expected, but I could not believe the way some of the girls were going on about it and the way they all decided to turn on a friend when she needed them the most. I don't think I have experienced such bitchiness since high school!! it's pretty funny, coz they don't want to hang out with this one girl now *rolls eyes* because they believe "the people you hang out with influence they way you are". I find it quite amusing in that they all share the same maturity level!! Anyways, it's not just the bitchiness that gets me, the management at work is pretty shit too... somedays I wake up dreading to go to work, but other times the day goes by pretty quickly when there is some to chat to and the music is good (I never realised it made so much of a difference!).

Not everyone is bad here, I'm constantly meeting new people and after getting to know a few people a little better I've realised first impressions are not always correct. Some people whom I thought I'd get along really well with at the beginning turn out to be people whom I am happy to leave behind. And the ones whom I thought I'd have nothing in common with (and I still don't) happen to be really good people and who will look out for you without you even asking!

Anyways, gotta run... my friend and I are going to hang out with this girl tonight... thought a few drinks and some steak should be good comfort food for her!

Living Life in a Sling

The last week hasn't been bad at all. Work has been slow, so there has been plenty of time to fool around. I've been put on the cash desk which is way cruisy compared to boots or the tech desk. It must be a pretty funny sight for the customers though, as the other person behind the cash desk is my friend Tim... who has broken his arm in 4 places and also has one arm in a sling. He has his left arm tied up and I have my right.. we make good partners in scarying customers into taking out insurance, and we have also mastered the hula dance.. but it looks more like two spastics attemting the mexican wave. It's amazing the no. of jokes that has been cracked!!

The other night we had our staff party, what they called a "Torchlight Dinner". The idea is that you catch the last lifts to Whitehorn Lodge near the top of one of the runs. You ski/board to the lodge, have a buffet dinner, drinks and live entertainment. Then you ski/board down the mountain in complete darkness except for a torchlight on your head and a few torches on either side of the freshly groomed run. Coz I couldn't board, I caught the lift on foot with Tim, and "attempted" to walk along the run to the lodge. Only thing was the run was extremely steep and my shoes didn't grip the ice much, and I found myself walking with uncontrollable speed down the hill as opposed to across it. It was both scary and funny, as I am screaming just like when I'm on a borad. And just like being on a board, I had to stack it to stop. In the end, Tim who was just as handicapped as me had to support me as I made the rest of the way across.

The dinner and entertainment was fantastic. It's amazing what a few drinks can bring out in people. Not that I was one of them! At the end of the night I got taken down on the ski-doo they use for mountain patrol. it was really cool, pity it didn't go as fast as I wanted it to. My friends were rather jealous that I got to ride down on one, but when I was at the bottom watching everyone else ski and ride down, I was quite dissappointed I wasn't part of the string of small beams zig zagging down the mountain. it sorta looked like the cartoon depiction of a shooting star, the group lead at the front with a larger, brighter torch, and a stream of tiny stars following the same path down. The whole night was such a unique experience.

Not being able to ride is a bit of a pain. But since I don't get to take advantage of 2 hour ride breaks, I get to work 8am-3pm straight and go home early which is good. On my days off, I go down to Banff and chill in a coffee shop, or use the internet. Last weekend I also went to the hot springs where you sit in an outdoor pool of 39 degree celcius of hot spring mineral water from the mountains. You get to enjoy the mountain air in the comfy warmth, and the only thing seperating you from the view of the white mountains is the steam arising from the water!

Yesterday I also went to see the ice sculpture competition held at the Chateau. There was a few really good pieces of artwork, pity the photos don't really capture it well. And to think they sit in the open until it melts, which is prob a few months from now.

Anyways, a Happy Chinese New Year to all. If you want my account details to transfer my red pocket in, drop me a line! =)

Shedding the Security Blanket

Believe it or not, I have lived through an entire week in Lake Louise with no major dramas. The only drama I've had is that my flatmates have finally realised how disgusting the place is and has decided cleaned it up so much it is virtually unrecognisable. I was so impressed, but I also know it won't last long.

It's definately a good thing, but it's sad how all the good things happen when you decide to leave. It always works out that way. Yesterday I submitted my resignation at LL, it was more of a decision than I thought as things are a lot better since I first arrived. But still, since I can't ride for 6 weeks coz of the shoulder incident, it's prob better to alter my plans and make my move earlier.

Apart from the dissapointment of not being able to make the most of my Rocky Mountain winter experience, I am also really looking forward to the relocation. It means plans, goals and purpose, and ofcourse the city convenience and lifestyle. It also means headaches such as house and job hunting, and the uncertainty and risk of it all. I guess LL has always been my security blanket in this whole Canadian trip where I knew there was def a job and a roof over my head waiting. Thats why I was so slack in job hunting in Vancouver. But I know I should be fine, I always am. Bill, another friend from Oz will be in Toronto, and the plab is that we find a place together and conspire to turn the city upside down. Well, when we find some local friends anyways. It's good to know someone in the same shoes as me, and it also eliminates the chance for me to end up with freak flatmates. Not that I'm speaking from experience or anything!

Anyways, I will be leaving here on the 3rf Feb and will be in Toronto by the 6th as I am visiting Ben and Rach in Vancouver first. Mail won't be forwarded after I leave LL, so it;s prob best not to send anything until I find myself a new home.

Just to let you know I have ben splurging on internet usage and have uploaded more photos as well as multiple blog entries. It's the last 3 albulms that have new photos, including pics of my apartment and X'mas/NYE.

All is well, been really happy today despite my shoulder.... new plans to moving to Toronto has kept my mind busy these days... but just doing some surfng jobs now...

Anyways, enjoy the pics and keep smiling! =)

Let the Year Begin

2003 was definately a big year of my life. But this year appears to be promising also. Only 11 days into the new year and I have already injured myself. I'd like to say I dislocated my shoulder after a 180 degree trun on the half pipe, but the fact of the matter is that icy roads are damn slippery! I was totally rested up, ready to hit the slopes in the two days I had off... I even invested in some impact shorts (aka bum pads!) to protect my tailbone. I was so determined to master snow boarding coz I had imporved so much in the last week... I hate it when you can't do something you had set your mind to!! grr!

Anyways, I slipped as I was heading to the bus stop and the fall dislocated my shoulder and sent me into 10 minutes of dizzy spells where everything was black and grey! My arm remained that way for 3 whole hours since some guy decided to overshadow me by getting concusion on the back side of the mountains and the doctor and all the patrol guys were out at the site helping him with getting airlifted to the hospital. How inconsiderate! Nah, he was far more seriously injured than me, so I can't complain. It's okay now though, after hours of discomfort, the doctor snapped it into place again and I have to wear it in a sling for a while and can't lift my elbows above my shoulders which is a pain when putting on layers of clothes in this weather. It also kills me tech bench career.. now I have to be a checkout chick! Got an X'ray done and once the results are out, I'll know how long I won't be able to board for.. but now it seems to be around 6 weeks. Apparently there is 40% chance I might need an operation, but I'm pretty optimistic about that... my god, it's only a fall! I'm just really annoyed I won't be able to board coz I am thinking of moving back to the city soon.

I'm just thankful that I didn't hurt myself any other way.. what I can't see is all good! I could have broken something, had open wounds, had blood everywhere but no-one to do my laundry for me.. now that would have been tragic!!

Comings and Goings

This week has seen seen some coming and goings. Jackie, a friend of Trangs dropped by Lake Louise, and although I don't knw her that well.. it was really nice to catch up with her in a cosy cafe!

But talk about weird, the other day some customer came up to my tech bench and I though she looked very familar as I was adjusting her skiis. It was only until I swiped her credit card that I realised I had actually met her in Vancouver where we were in a bar with all the other UBC students and we got talking about Hot Chilli Peppers! And to top it off, a friend and I was at the hot springs in Banff on our day off and we bumped into her again! Such a small world!

I said there was comings and goings, as such, I was very sorry to see Ada leave after 3 weeks (almost as long as I have been here!). It was always nice to have a friend to call when I got into Banff, someone to hang out with and to whinge about things where you wouldn't whinge to your new found friends. I guess since I met so many people with so many different backgrounds that it is nice to see someone familiar and who can relate to you too. Anyways, we had a nice greek dinner to see her off. Thank god I have Teoh around, but whingeing to a guy is never as satisfying!!

Technical Difficulties

I never would have thought I'd say -10 degrees was warm and be relieved when it hit 0 degrees! Besides the turn in temperatures, it has also snowed a little, getting everyone excited with the new powder to play in.

Since it has become a little more quiet, I ahve been training on the tech benches as a "tech guy". Haha, imagine little old me who hates technical stuff and knows nothing about skiing or boarding, recommending, sizing and adjusting equipment. I even have to sign the box that reads "technician's signature" just to assure the customers safety! At first it was rather embarrassing as I didn't even have the strength to push down the realease lever on the skiis after adjusting the DIN. Times like this, there is nothing better that turning on your charm and acting the poor girl whose lost all energy after doing a million skiis! Since then I have gained a bit of muscles, but the other day I had to ask a fellow workmate to tech me how to reverse the direction of the simple electric drill! Geez, who said anything about wanting to be a technician, I'm only here to check out the cute snowboarders!!

I can't say that I love my job, it is afterall not very challenging and very manual (speaking from someone whose first job was payroll and who was paid 5 months to surf the internet and stay home before leaving Australia). There was one point in time where I had band-aids on 7 of my 10 fingers! When I showed Teoh, hoping to get some sympathy from him, he looked at it and said "put that away, thats ugly"! *humph*

Anyways, the best part of the job is chatting to the customers. Generally they are all pretty cool, but very curious. The most asked questions in rentals has nothing to do with the sport or the equipment, it:
customers: "is this whole resort just run by aussies??"

or I always get:
customers: *gasp* oh, this is *so* deceiving, an asian face with an aussie accent!!"
me: *rolls eyes"

or:
customers: "where does your cute accent come from? you don't sound aussie like everyone else?"
me: "oh, dun i?" (didn't mean to put on the accent, but it just comes through when I say this innocently!)
customers: "hmm.. maybe I'll take that back!"

Ofcourse there are obnoxious customers. Oe lady came in, demanded that I take her shoes off for her, and trotted out without even a thank you! But then there are those that brings a smile to me face, the excited kids and the over energetic grandparent figures.. young and old alike! Some customers that are around for a week or so treat you like a friend.. there was this one young english couple who I had help extensively coz of their troubled feet, they were so cool and the guy was so hot.. pity I liked the girl just as much though!! Anyways, thats not it, the moral is... if one little small and effortless gesture like a smile or happy chatter can light up someones day, go for it!!

Brrr...

The last week has been a bit of a blur. It has gone frm a crazy X'mas and NYs rush at work when I go from worked 9 days straight to having 3 days off, and where the temperature goes from a warm -10 degrees to an unbearable -40 degrees (thanks to those who sms and email me the weather forecast back home. The conversion for me is adding the "-" at the front!!!).

NYE this year was certainly different. instead of being a drunken mess with my friends back home, I had the Australian count down over the phone and in the warmth my bed at 6am in the morning. 18 hours later, we had the Banff countdown in the basement of a club with my work friends. It was good whilst it lasted, but lets just say NY day for most of us was a complete write off and we were not all too sympathetic to those who complained about rental boot sizes or who had been waiting in line too long because of our inefficiency. The aftermath of NYE in Banff can still be seen on the streets... I am particularly careful when walking down Banff Ave... nothing worse than slipping on a pile of frozen vomit!!


But I have had 3 days break after working way too long without a break. Unfortunately for me though, it hasn't snowed for the last two weeks and there has been an extremely cold front moving through. I don't think I have ever been in -ve degree temperature before so -40 degrees is a really painful experience. The other day I went snowshoeing with Ada. Snowshoes are thes wide flat panels with a pivot attachment that disperses your weight so that you can walk on snow without sinking down into it. Anyways, we did a trek to Lake Vista and actually snowshoed on the frozen lake which I normally would have been estatic about if it weren't for the weather. My fingers and feet felt like daggers were pushed into them and could snap off any second. I was in so much pain I couldn't even press the camera button to take a photo for Ada. Ada had small icicles hanging from her eye-lashes and the hair exposed under my beanie (oops.. sorry.. it's "touque" here!) was white. On the way back I was in so much pain from the frozen tips and from breathing the dry air that I had doubts as to whether I'd make it back to the car! same thing yesterdat when I went to meet Ada and Matt at the frozen Lake Louise. I had always wanted to ice-skate in a frozen lake, but I was willing to pass on it if it meant keeping my fingers and toes!

The lasck of snowfall meant that riding conditions are very bad. Undeterred, I attempted a lesson on my day off despite it being -35 degrees.. too cold for the chair lifts to run. So here I was, trekking up the bunny hill trying to board on goofey coz I was feeling weird on natural. I did so bad that I quit the lesson, ran inside and swore never to ride again! it took quite a bit of motivation for me to brave the cold and the sticky, packed snow and hop on my board again. But I did so much better after converting back to natural and practising a few times. I didn't even mnind not feeling my toes for a while. My tailbone is still playing up though, so I am trying to be really cautious.

The holday rush has stooppped now, so back to bludgey rentals where we sit around a chat, have competitions who can jump the furthest from the tech benches and serve the occassional customer here and there. We also get scheduled ride breaks as well which is good for me to practise out there. My workmates are still very cool people and I have started to get to know them a bit more although there is still a bit of culture barrier there. It's really nice to go up to the Sitzmark Lounge and bum around after work as we watch the light disappearing behind the mountains. I still am not a fan of beer though!! being out has it's good times and it's bad times... I am planning to leave by the end of Feb after I take advantage of the free boarding and skiing lessons. The weather is getting a bit too much and I think I am still a city girl at heart.

Anyways, was hoping to upload photos from X'mas and NYs as well as photos of my apartment. But since I couldn't get the comp with a card reader, it's going to have to wait. I've added an extra line to the photo links so you guys know when I last uploaded shots, keep checking coz I'm trying to make it regular.