Street Signs

Hi,
Usually, I don't drive. You have probably realized that since I talk about the bus alot. But recently, I was driving. And more uncommonly, in Quebec. If you know about the rift we had in the mid-90s, they now have all this bilingual stuff here in Ottawa. Street signs, products in stores, it's a pre-requisite for most jobs... so driving in Quebec, I figured they'd have done the same, "bi-lingualized" their street signs too... but no! Not an english word anywhere!

I don't know who gave in to all this shit, but somebody screwed up big-time making all this stuff here bilingual. We're too "fracasso".

beijos, Peter

"Perfect"

Hey guys,
What is it with this expression? I've been hearing more and more people using it. I've even caught myself using it every now and then. But I think about it, what's perfect? I'm not perfect (that may be a shock to some of you), you're not perfect, the world's not perfect... if these were perfect, there would be no war, no disease, everybody'd have unlimited funds for everything, I wouldn't have this nagging cold I've had for the past few days.

Have a nice weekend... nice, but not perfect.

beijos

Big-Box stores in strip malls

Hey,
OK, first of all, I was furious with this three days ago, but today is friday, so I'm in a better mood. I should really start doing these entries on Mondays, I'd have more to complain about.

So anyway, if you read the title, and think you know what this is about, and you guessed South Keys Shopping Center... congratulations! This has got to be the WORST mall, definitely in Ottawa.

If you don't know what a strip mall is, it's one of those small malls (a shoppingzinho) that when you leave the store, you walk outside to get to the next one. A big-box store is a store that has everything. Like Zaffari, Bourbon…

I was at the aforementioned mall on Tuesday night, and I couldn’t believe how long it is, and the stupid design of it. Like, you walk out of Wal-Mart, walk 20 meters to the end of the store and the start of Chapters, walk 20 meters to the door of Chapters, if you want to go into Chapters. If not, another 40 meters or so until the next door.

I want to do my freakin’ groceries, not walk a kilometer!

beijos

Friday Hangover

Hi,
I was very hungover this morning. Yesterday was Brazilian independence day, and there was a party at the embassy downtown that we went to, open bar, and, of course, I knew I had to come to work today, so I thought, "just 1 - it's free!". The problem was, I kept saying "just one more" to myself after that.

Before I knew it, I was soaking up the liquor like a sponge. But I made it here on time. Physically I'm here...

beijos

Our Place

I'm moving tomorrow to the South end of the city. Where my wife and I live now, is a neighbourhood called Vanier. If you're in Porto Alegre reading this, it's the Bom Jesus of Ottawa. Most of the crime occurs in this area of the city, and there alot of "sketchy" people around.

Anyway, that's all for this week. Not much to complain about, I'm pretty happy, I'm moving tomorrow to an apartment that doesn't suck.

beijos