Some Pics from the Party

Let's take a look at some pictures of me with some very beautiful women.


Bon Bon


















Christie


















Jackeline

Hungover

We had a farewell party for one of the managers who is transferring to River Rock, as well as the Human Resources Support Person that I am temporarily replacing. What that meant was a bunch of casino staff getting hopelessly drunk. I drank and drank and drank, and lost TWO $50 poker tourneys (that has never happened to me before).

And to make things worse, Happy Friggin' Valentine's Day. I'm wondering what the gossip will be regarding me tomorrow. I did have my eye on someone (and it wasn't who I was planning to have my eye on).

Work * 10

Today was supposed to be my one day off, since my days off changed to Saturday Sunday. However, one of the managers called in sick so I was called into work a short shift from 4:30pm-9:30pm. What that means is that I had Sunday February 5 and Monday February 6 off (before days off changed), worked from Tuesday February 7 to Saturday February 11, then a short day on Sunday February 12 (today), followed by five days off work until Friday February 17. Yup, 10 days in a row. Better make sure my shirts are cleaned and ironed and my underwear is clean.

Office Job?

The Human Resources support person put in her notice and they need a temporary person to take care of things while Head Office hires a permanent person. Guess who they chose as the temporary person? ME! It's an interesting but (as usual) overwhelming development in my employment. I'm getting four days of training and then I'm the HR person "until further notice". They are paying me manager's wage in the meantime so I can't complain. However, I hope this doesn't last a long time because HR/organizing stuff just isn't my cup of tea.

Money

My new silly hobby is tracing where my currency ends up. I came across a website, Where's Willy? which allows you to type in a bill's serial number and then trace its movement across the country. All you do is put the website on your bill, enter it on the website, and then see if somebody else registers the bill. I've received a number of bills lately with the website but only now have started to register them. OK, I need a life, but it's fun. By the way, there is an American version at Where's George?.

And now back to your regularly scheduled programming.

Women

I just can't understand women. They tell you one thing and they do something else. They say that they would never go out with someone from work, so you ease off. And then they go out with someone from work. I saw this one a mile away too.

Paycheque

My work schedule for the last seven days:

Sunday January 29: 8 hours floor managing at River Rock
Monday January 30: 7.5 hours supervising at Casino on Broadway
Tuesday January 31: off
Wednesday February 1: 8 hours supervising at Casino on Broadway
Thursday February 2: 8 hours supervising at Casino on Broadway
Friday February 3: 8 hours + 1 hour overtime supervising at Casino on Broadway
Saturday February 4: 8 hours + 2.5 hours overtime supervising at Casino on Broadway

Yup, I got called in for an extra day on Monday. With all the overtime, I worked a grand total of 51 hours!

Back from the Rock

It was a rather uneventful night at the Rock. I was sent there as an "extra" floor manager in anticipation of a busy Chinese New Year's Night, but it really wasn't as busy as it was expected to be. So I ended up doing some minor paperwork and did a lot of mindless roaming of the floor, saying hi to old acquaintances and introducing myself to new ones....

...and then I came back for two days off. Unfortunately on Monday they called me into work at the COB. Well that means a nice healthy paycheque next week. I anticipate about 48 hours, 8 of which will be at floor manager's rate. Can't complain.

I was home Tuesday morning at 9am or so (had drinks with coworkers after work) and slept until 4pm. I checked my email, watched some TV and then at around 6pm decided to take a nap for no apparent reason. I slept until 11:45pm and while this would normally screw up my sleep cycle, I decided NOT to get out of bed and tried to fall asleep. At around 1am I did...and woke up at 4pm on Wednesday afternoon! Wow, I haven't had a good sleep like that in a long time. As a result I went to work totally awake. I hope I can sleep like that next week on my days off (hopefully I get two this time).

Gung Hei Fat Choy

Happy Chinese New Year. While everybody is out celebrating, I'll be totally stressed out at the River Rock Casino tonight from 9pm-5am. But that's part of the job.

Come to Vancouver, Madonna

There are rumors that Madonna is going to tour in 2006. I can only dream that she will make her way to Vancouver, because if I get to hear her sing Hung Up live, my life will almost be complete.

Live at the Rock..... Me!

It had to happen eventually. I am scheduled for a floor managing shift at the illustrious River Rock Casino Resort on January 29, aka Chinese New Year's Eve. Ironic isn't, I was floor manager on "regular" New Year's Eve (day shift though) and now the "other" New Year's Eve (9pm-5am). I guess this is what everything I've learned becomes reality. I am both excited and horrified. But in a way I asked for this so we shall see what happens.

P.S. Disregard previous post about Anna breaking up with her boyfriend

She's Really a Nice Girl!

Remember way back when I called Anna a bitch? It seems so long ago. At the time I was angry because she told some people she was single and other people she wasn't. And she gave me shit because I kissed her at the Christmas Party (2004). Anyways, times have changed and I've heard that she's broken up with her boyfriend. Will I have to subject everyone to another year of Anna stories? I still wonder what could have been (and could be?). Time will tell.

Full Circle

"I would never do that to my best friend's girl". Well he's not my best friend but something's happening at work. More details to follow.

2 Weeks Already?

My apologies to all for not posting all year!??! I've been doing a lot of online poker lately and haven't gotten around to updating my blog. Things are going OK. I bought in for a measly $75 and now it's at $125. If I play another 150 raked hands I'll get a $125 bonus. This is on Absolute Poker. If you are interested in opening an account, send me your email address and I can get you a bonus.

In other news, the next month will not see a lot of managing shifts, in fact, none are scheduled. There is no one on holidays so that means it's back to supervising for a while. That's OK. Tonight I got to run the floor for about an hour while Vandy was taking a break.

Another Year

I was called in to open again, and it was less stressful, but still confusing in a different way. Five people called in sick, and it was busy enough to begin with, so I had to make do with less tables open. I think I'm getting the hang of it though.

Meanwhile I had a chance to talk to an old friend, Johnny (when I say old, I don't mean OLD). Keep your head up buddy.

Daytime Debut

My first daytime managing shift begins in a couple of hours (can't sleep). Of course it would be on December 31. I don't know what to expect, probably a lot of sick calls since people want to party it up at night. We'll see what happens.

In the meantime, Happy New Year to everybody.

Season's Greetings

It's a bit early but I just want to wish everybody a Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah, or whatever holiday you celebrate at this time. It's been quite an interesting and memorable year for me.

More Presents

I had lunch with Michael yesterday. My original plan was to go to the mall afterwards so I could finish up my Christmas shopping. But he wanted to go play some hold'em so I decided to join him (supposedly for an hour or two). Well before I could blink an eye, we were both down. Five hours later I was in for $150. Michael had already left after he made a small comeback. I decided to be patient and eventually, after 7 hours of play, I ended up winning $155 overall. I won a couple of monster-sized pots. So TODAY, this morning, I'm going to go shopping, since I can buy a few more presents now.

Movie of the Year

After some minor Christmas shopping and picking up my tips, I went downtown to watch Memoirs of a Geisha. You know, in a year of Siths and bats and Hogwarts, my favorite movie was about a Japanese girl who became a geisha. The movie was just magical. The cinematography was divine. And of course, the movie starred three of the most beautiful Chinese actresses ever. All that crap about people pissed off because Chinese actresses were playing Japanese roles....who the hell cares? Ziyi Zhang was enchanting, Gong Li was devilishly evil, and Michelle Yeoh was just as wonderful as she was in Tomorrow Never Dies.

And now back to Christmas wrapping....

Oops Again

So Memoirs of a Geisha is premiering THIS Friday instead of next. Can't they make up their mind? Hopefully I'll get a chance to see it.

In other news, Syama seems to be mad at me about something. It'll be interesting to know why, because I have no idea.

My So Called Life

It's been an incredible few weeks that have gone by like a flash. I realize that my postings have been sporadic, and for that I apologize.

Floor managing has been quite the experience. To be honest, it hasn't been as overwhelming as I'd thought it would be. But that's not to say things are easy. It is an ongoing learning experience, and I have so much to learn. My time management has been below average to say the least. But I know what I have to do and know that I must do it.

In the meantime, life goes on. For the rest of December I will get almost all supervising shifts. I am scheduled for a managing shift on the morning of December 31. The end of one year, and the beginning of my new life so to speak.

Christmas Blues

Damn I guess I should start shopping soon. I hope people buy me nice presents. That's all for now.

Oops

Memoirs of a Geisha is not here until December 23. Rats.

Memoirs of a Geisha

I can't wait to watch this one. Ziyi Zhang is a hottie, and Michelle Yeoh ain't too bad to look at as well. It's about time there was a movie out there worth watching.

Also for Syama

Watch Video:

I'LL BE THERE (Mariah Carey)

Video Code provided by VideoCodeZone.Com

For Syama

Oh, girl I've known you very well
I've seen you growing everyday
I never really looked before
but now you take my breath away.

Suddenly you're in my life
part of everything I do
you got me working day and night
just trying to keep a hold on you.

Here in your arms I found my paradise
my only chance for happiness
and if I lose you now I think I would die.

Oh say you'll always be my baby
we can make it shine, we can take forever
just a minute at a time.

More than a woman, more than a woman to me
more than a woman, more than a woman to me
more than a woman, oh, oh, oh.

There are stories old and true
of people so in love like you and me
and I can see myself
let history repeat itself.

Reflecting how I feel for you
thinking about those people then
I know that in a thousand years
I'd fall in love with you again.

This is the only way that we should fly
this is the only way to go
and if I lose you I know I would die.

Oh say you'll always be my baby
we can make it shine, we can take forever
just a minute at a time.

More than a woman, more than a woman to me
more than a woman, more than a woman to me
more than a woman, oh, oh, oh.

More Than a Woman -- Bee Gees

The Boss is Back

I was trained from Tuesday to Thursday for daytime managing. It was overwhelming at first, as I had to know (and remember) a lot of things. Of course I was slow at first but hopefully that will change quickly. By the third day the manager on duty pretty much let me run the show and I think I did relatively well. Perhaps I could have left some tables closed as it wasn't that busy. Every day will be different depending on how many players show up and what they play.

My first official shift has been changed from December 31....to this Sunday! I am required for a relief shift from 4:30pm-12:30am. This is intimidating because they haven't even trained me for night duties yet, so it will be a challenge. But I must show them I am capable.

I hope everyone is well. Happy Thanksgiving to Johnny and my American friends. Hello to Tiff, Sam, and whoever reads this.

In the Beginning

As I expected I won't be getting a lot of managing shifts (for the rest of the year at least) since there aren't a lot of people on holiday. My first scheduled shift is...December 31. Nevertheless, it's almost certain I'll be called in at sometime during the next 6 weeks or so. Meanwhile, training begins this Tuesday-Thursday at the unrecognizable time of 9am. Obviously my training begins with the daytime procedures. Next week will be the nighttime procedures. I'll keep everyone posted on my progress.

Meanwhile I've been inundated with encouragement from people everywhere: family, friends, coworkers and many Internet buddies. Now I must prove to them I'm capable of doing my job. Thanks again everyone!

A Time to Work, A Time to Play

The party at the Capricorn was wonderful. Well, it was just people drinking but why not? I was given various types of shooters that I drank without really realizing what was in it. Wow, good stuff. It was a great time and of course now I'm feeling the after effects. Well it was worth it.

And now, it is time to begin the next stage of my life, one with more seriousness. I have a lot of apprehension and dread over my position. It's not really the work itself. I know that will be challenging but I'm confident I can do well. It's getting respect from coworkers and to be taken seriously that scares me. The guy who jokes around, is SOOO nice (as everybody says) and dresses in drag on Hallowe'en, can be be a successful floor manager? Time will tell. At least I know that I have a lot of wonderful friends to guide me... Syama, Vandy, Kity.... they mean so much to me.

Third Time Lucky Indeed

It's so surreal that in the middle of a depressing day for me that I would get the most amazing news I could. The wait is over. I got the promotion. Thanks to my buddy Johnny for all his encouraging words. Now I take the next big step in my life.

RIP Eddie Guerrero

Eddie Guerrero the wrestler passed away yesterday. Yes, he was "just a wrestler" and wrestling is fake and all that shit, but he was the hardest working of them all. We spend all our time worshipping actors and actresses and you know what, they are all fake too. But some of them work harder than others. Eddie was one of them. Yes, he was just an actor, but damnit he was a great one.

Rest in peace, Latino Heat.

And Again I Wait

The interview is all said and done and once again I come home regretting that I could have done a lot better. Now I must wait and see...

Destiny Awaits Again

The interview for relief floor manager is Thursday at 2pm. Destiny and fate are in my hands.

Marilyn's Back

Wow has it been a week already? As a matter of fact, I ended up dressing up as Marilyn Monroe and of course I won the Best Costume contest. I also realized how a lot of men are just pigs (but we won't go into that). I may or may not post a picture of the great costume. OK back to work now.

Hallowe'en

Well it's that time of year, and all staff at my casino are encouraged to dress up and be eligible for prizes. Last year I got first place with my Austin Powers outfit. This year I was deciding among three: Michael Jackson, Elvis and....Marilyn Monroe. Then Vandy dared me (in fact, she double-dared me) to go as a Playboy bunny. So today I bought some cheap ears, bowtie and cuffs. Now if I get enough guts to get a top, fishnets, and shoes (and wig?) I'm set. This is worse than Fear Factor. I still might "chicken out" and stick with your basic Marilyn Monroe, but we'll see. The things I do.

The Legend of Zorro

With nothing to do on a Friday night (except have a quick dinner with Kity and her son Derek), I decided to go see The Legend of Zorro, starring the utterly divine Catherine Zeta-Jones (and that Antonio Banderas fellow too). The movie was quite predictable and pretty corny, but who cares. Catherine Zeta-Jones was in it and that's good enough for me.

Back to Work Blues

After my six-day mini-vacation, I returned to work and was faced with total mayhem. Because of the Coquitlam overstaffing, over half of the dealers on the tables were new, and I must say, poorly trained. As a result, most of the night was spent correcting dealers' mistakes (hopefully I didn't miss any). It was total stress. Vandy was yelling at me (and she had every reason to). I truly hope the Coquitlam expansion is finished on schedule (and even that's 3 weeks away) because I don't know how much more I can take of this. Oh, and somewhere in there I have to prepare for my impending interview.

Third Time Lucky?

It seems that there is a posting for promotions to Relief Floor Managers once again. So now the weeks of uncertainty and nervousness will begin again. First I must decide if I want to apply, knowing full well that I may be turned down again. It's a foolish reason not to apply, but being passed over is a really shitty feeling. However, not applying means I have NO chance of getting promoted. So we shall see.

Back from my Trip!??

The two days of seminars are over at the River Rock Hotel, and as a result, so are my two nights at the hotel. The hotel itself was beautiful (reminds me of a Whistler lodge) and my suite was huge. It was a one-bedroom suite with two TV's (!) and overall a nice layout. I took some pictures with an instant camera but I still have pictures left to take so you'll have to wait.

The seminars were quite informative and I enjoyed them. I guess my reservations are if the staff will "buy into" the whole program. Let's hope so.

OK, I still have 4 days off so we shall all talk again. Hello to my buddy Johnny and anybody else reading.

Business Trip?

Only one more day until I sort of have 6 days off!??! On Tuesday and Wednesday mornings, I will be attending a customer service training seminar at the River Rock Hotel. Being that they are VERY early in the morning (8am and 9am) I've decided to stay at the hotel Monday and Tuesday nights. Is it a waste of money ($99/night)? Perhaps, but I also consider it a mini-holiday so I can relax. Syama is also going and will be staying with me the first night. And no to whatever you're asking. Don't even bother asking.

After that I will have my regular days off on Thursday and Friday, followed by two "leave of absence" days. We are severely overstaffed as a result of the delay in the Boulevard Casino (Coquitlam) expansion. So in essence I have 6 days off from work. Considering the large amount of rookies we have, I'll be quite happy to be away from "the office".

The Crimson Room

This was a cool game that had me addicted for a while (until I solved it). Yes, the solution is all over the Internet if you want but what's the point of that? Good luck.

Crimson Room

Mamma Mia! Forever

What a show! I don't care if I've seen it twice already, and I don't care if it's the same stuff, it's still my favorite show. And this time I got to see it with two really cool people. I even managed to shed a few tears during some of the tender moments (something about "The Winner Takes it All" that does it to me every time). It was a great time and I miss it already.

Sleep is Overrated

After my great outing at the casino, I got to bed at around 4am, prepared for a long and peaceful sleep before working again at 7pm. All that changed at 10am when I was awakened by the phone. It was work. They wanted me to work at 11am. Wow. If anything, it was cool because that means I'll be off at 7pm (the time when I'm supposed to start work!???!). Anyways, I was pretty tired and dazed at work and managed to get through it.

And now I await the hours before seeing Mamma Mia! for the 3rd time. I can't wait.

29 Black Baby!

I had dinner with two ex-classmates from the Legal course. Then they wanted to go to the casino afterwards and as much as I hate gambling these days (especially at Edgewater), I decided to tag along. As expected, I began to lose, first $20, then $40, and before I knew it I had lost $200. My friends had already left. I was down to my last $85 (before the walk to the ATM) when I decided to go for it on roulette. Then the incredible happened. In a span of 10 spins, I hit my section (29 and the neighbors) 7 times. The other two times I missed but I somehow still got chips back because I was betting everywhere. Suffice to say that at one point I had $85 in my pocket and when I finally left the table, I had $800, for a profit of $540. Life is good.

Mamma Mia! in 72 hours

I am waiting with anticipation, and can't stop thinking about listening to my favorite songs in the world, then dancing the night away. I KNOW I'll have a good time, and it's especially good because I'm going with Syama and her Mom.

Meanwhile, I'm just relaxing at home after going to a hockey pool with some old friends. I still can't believe hockey's finally back after all this time. And Montreal's won their first two games!

2 Days Off

My two days off await me after tonight's shift. It's been an interesting week, and not really because of work itself, but more about what the future holds for work (did that make sense?). Our casino is going through a lot of changes in the coming month in preparation for the expansion of the Boulevard Casino in Coquitlam. There will probably be a number of staff members transferring there, and as a result we will be getting new staff here. It will be interesting to say the least to see what happens.

Here's a fun little game I came across. So far my best score is 480.7 but a friend of mine got over 600. Have fun!

http://badger.ing.me.uk/~ahmulh/pingu.htm

Be a Man

I went with a couple of coworkers to see Russell Peters, one of the best (THE BEST?) Canadian comics in existence. Even though he is Indian, he has the best Chinese accent (when he's making fun of the Chinese) around. His jokes are racist but in good fun. He was hilarious. Alas, now my days off are over and it's back to the grind.

Hangover

I went drinking with coworkers last night after work....for 8 hours. This translates to the amazing hours of 5:15am-1:30pm. And now I am getting ready to go to work again. My eyes are a bit bloodshot but hey, at least I'm awake.

Flightplan

I was so excited to see this new Jodie Foster movie because of a great trailer. And the mystery of what happened to her little girl was intriguing. But after seeing the movie, I was very, very disappointed. Suffice to say there are so many plotholes I don't know where to begin. Yuk yuk yuk.

Making Love Out of Nothing at All

I had the pleasure of attending the Air Supply concert tonight at the new theater at the River Rock Casino Resort (same company where I work). Can you believe it's been 30 years since they first got together in Australia? That makes 1975, only 1 year younger than a certain other group that we all know and love.

While Russell Hitchcock doesn't have the lungs that he used to, he and Graham Russell still put together a fabulous show. When they sang "Here I Am", the two of them went up the aisles and shook hands with the crowd. One lucky girl even managed to plant her lips on Russell's.

Girls were still swooning and yelling "I love you Russell" (and even a few "I love you Graham"'s) after all these years. It was like I travelled back to my teenage years. The crowd was in a party mood and near the end about a quarter of the audience (about 1000 or so) made their way to the edge of the stage to shake their hands. I had a great time. You Aussies sure know how to have a good time.

2 Days Off

I went to the new HMV Megastore (or the former Virgin Megastore) and bought two "casino" movies for my days off: Owning Mahoney and The Cooler. These are two movies I've been dying to see but never got around to it. I may not have time to watch them, as tonight is Apprentice and CSI premiere nights. Tomorrow I have tickets to see Air Supply. Hopefully I can get a date.

The Crazy Frog Video

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You Just Don't Fit In

There's the candidate for the catchphrase of the year, said by none other than Martha Stewart as she fired the first candidate from her Apprentice show. Ouch. She could just as easily have said "You're a piece of shit" and it would have had the same affect. She's truly the Queen of Mean.

TV

Finally there are shows to watch on TV! I am watching the early version of Apprentice: Martha Stewart. Tomorrow is Apprentice with The Donald as well as the season premiere of CSI. It doesn't get better than this.

Blah Blah

My apologies for not posting in the last while. My only excuse is that nothing of interest happened to me, other than "wake up, work, eat, sleep". Work has been quite stressful at times (as it usually is). At times your coworkers are your good friends and at other times you can get so pissed off at them. I have begun to question whether or not I should apply for the next promotion. It's not because I don't feel I'm qualified, it's whether or not I can (or want to) deal with all the stress.

Two Days Off

About friggin' time.

The Man

I foolishly went to see this movie which starred two of my favorite actors, Samuel L. Jackson and Eugene Levy. Unfortunately the two of them got together to make a really dumb movie. What a waste of money.

My Name in Lights

I eagerly await the arrival of my Province newspaper, because my name will be in it! I was selected as one of the participants in a Head-to-Head contest to see who picks the most football games correctly on the weekend. The winner gets a $50 platter from Subway (hey, better than nothing!). Good luck to me!

My Weekend

And so ends (almost) another work week for me. Last night I was training the new dealer supervisor at work (Sony); basically he was my shadow for about 5 hours. I hope I did a good job, because it was difficult to tell him everything I knew about supervising, while at the same time doing my job. Luckily there were no big disputes and eventually he managed to get some time on his own. Tomorrow he gets a shift on his own, so I hope he does well, because I will feel partially responsible if he does something wrong.

I don't have any plans this week except to watch some NFL on the weekend. The casino pool begins again so hopefully I can make as much (or more) as I did last year.

Red Eye

I went to visit my ex-boss today and afterwards decided to go to Metrotown for some shopping. I kept myself from buying more shirts and ties, even though I saw a beautiful one at Zara. Guess what color it was. Last week I managed to wear a pink tie (or a tie with pink in it somewhere) every day. Next week is gold/yellow, I'm not sure if I have enough ties with that color. We're going to try the orange/white shirt with a gold tie tomorrow (yes, I'm the man that dares to experiment).

Anyways, after shopping I decided to go back downtown and catch Red Eye. I didn't have high expectations for the movie, but Rachel McAdams was in it and that's a good enough reason to watch it. She's GORGEOUS with a capital G. I also saw the preview for Aeon Flux, starring my ex-girlfriend Charlize Theron.

Oh yeah, the movie (Red Eye) was OK. It was your standard thriller, but this time most of the action took place on a cramped airplane. I guess it would be really scary for claustrophobic people, but I found it average. But again, with Rachel McAdams in it, the movie became excellent!

Mmmmm Chocolate

I went to the Chocoholic Buffet tonight with Syama; it's been a while. Damn I miss it, as usual the crepes were delicious and what can I say about eating chocolate?

Riverway

One more day of golf on Saturday, this time a "surprise" tee time for Michael. Wow, three rounds of golf in one week. It was fairly tiring at work but definitely it was all worth it. Unfortunately now everybody is back to work from holidays so there won't be as much golf now (at least not on a big course). Oh well, it was a wonderful week.

Pretty in Pink

My latest tie purchase seems to have created quite a stir at the casino. It's the infamous PINK Donald Trump Signature Line tie. There must have been ten people at work who said nice tie. I'm the only guy who's gutsy enough to wear pink (whether it's a tie or my awesome hot pink Tommy Hilfiger shirt), but I've learned that almost any color works if you're willing to wear it. OK, here's a picture. My face looks like shit but the tie went perfectly with my light blue shirt and black suit.

Northlands

Another beautiful day of golf, this time at Northlands in North Vancouver. As usual, my pathetic play was overshadowed by the beautiful scenery. It's just so relaxing to enjoy a beautiful day with friends. Next up on Saturday is Riverway in Burnaby. I feel like a doctor playing so much golf....

Furry Creek

What a wonderful day yesterday. It started off quite difficult, as I had to wake up at 8 in the morning (after only going to bed two hours before!), as Andy picked me up to go golfing (with Michael and Vandy) at Furry Creek near Squamish. It was such an absolutely beautiful course. It was well worth the drive and the cost. The fact that I went to work in the evening absolutely tired and half-comatose didn't matter. I wanna go back!

March of the Penguins

I went to see March of the Penguins tonight with Syama. Wow, what a cute an awesome movie! I highly recommend it to everyone (especially Tiffany who will certainly enjoy the movie). The penguins look almost like humans with their demeanor.

This weekend will be busy, either lunch with Glenn or golf with Michael. Then a family dinner. Sunday afternoon is a High School friend's wedding and the reception in the evening. Unfortunately I also have to work at 10:15pm, as during the PNE it is tough to request days off.

I have two more VIP passes for the PNE (good for unlimited entry during the fair). If anybody wants them, email or call me and arrange for some sort of a pickup.

There Goes Another Week

That was quick 7 days. The week went well, as work was pretty much on autopilot. It's great when you can do your job without any problems. I look forward to my days off (as usual).

P.S. Rachel McAdams is hot

Sake

Two bottles of sake, my head hurts, I'm going to sleep.

Party Time

Dinner and karaoke night coming up tonight, although for most of my coworkers all it means is drinking. I'm just there to relax before my hellish weekend (the 8am seminar on Friday). All in the name of work or whatever you call it. But at least I can now supervise in autopilot mode, where everything just comes naturally. At times it seems I know more than the floor managers know, but of course I can't say anything as they are still my superiors. It is all good practice for that fortunate day when I become a floor manager myself, hopefully in a month or two. Meanwhile I just have to make sure I don't screw up big time or anything like that.

Busy as a Bee

And so begins what will be another interesting and potentially crazy week (especially the weekend). Wednesday night I have dinner with some coworkers, followed by karaoke (which in turn means drinking) until the wee hours of the morning. Thursday is an actual rest day. FRIDAY MORNING from 8am-10am I must attend some pilot training session at the River Rock Casino in Richmond. Ouch, 8am-10am isn't a good time for night owls like me. Saturday we are planning a stag for one of my High School friends who is getting married the week after. Sunday at 2pm is a draft for a hockey pool. And of course somewhere in there I have to work nights.

Things have been going splendidly at work, I've been in a very good mood. That will help considering I will be losing a lot of sleep with all the things I'm involved with.

Fever

Just relaxing at home. Yesterday I bought the 25th anniversary DVD of Saturday Night Fever, just to hear what the director John Badham had to say about the making of this classic. And of course I replayed the dance contest scene over and over again. Sometimes it's hard to believe that it's now been 28 years since the movie first came out. Where does the time go?

Work Work and More Work

I guess it's been a whole week since I last posted, and for that I apologize. But the 7 days have been rather uneventful. Work is routine but still interesting. All I can do is wait until the next promotions and hope for the best. But at least I'm on the good side with management. Now if only I can get through the interview.

As stupid as it sounds, I've felt a lot more confident about myself... after getting a new haircut. It seems so weird that I've become the so-called best dressed supervisor at work. A lot of customers are coming up to me mentioning that I'm one of the only supervisors that seems to care about the way I look. And everybody says my new haircut makes me look younger. And to think for ten years all I did was put some gel in my hands and rub it in my hair...30 seconds done. Now it takes me five or ten minutes. Now I know what being metrosexual means. Next thing you know I'll be getting manicures and pedicures...not...

Mamma Mia!

Just an average week with work, eat and sleep. I managed to get awesome seats for Mamma Mia! for the last night (Sunday October 9) right in the center near the stage. I can't wait to start dancing again. And I'm bringing a date...and her Mom too!??! Oh why not?

ABBA Rules

Tickets for Mamma Mia! go on sale tomorrow morning at 10am, so I get to stay up after work and get the best tickets available. I have to decide which date to go, and which date to bring (that's easy).

Hockey's Back

Yes I was pissed off at both the owners and the players for screwing around with us for a year. But at least now there's going to be hockey. Time for me to make money in the hockey pools.

Back to Work

It was a relatively uneventful week at work, but I guess it was nice to get back into the swing after my days off. Nothing much has changed except we got a new game (Four Card Poker) and got rid of another game (Let it Ride).

Word on the street is that there will be more promotions coming soon, because of the upcoming expansion at the Coquitlam Casino. So once again I must submit myself to a week or two of torture hoping to get the prize at the end of the rainbow. Again, many people have said that I should get the promotion, but they said that last time. So we'll see.

In other news, I was at Chapters and came across this pen. It's become the talk of the casino.

And So it Ends

It was a relaxing holiday with not too much in the way of news. I helped my parents move and then the same with a coworker. Other than that it was a lot of rest and relaxation. But tonight, it's back to the grind. At least I'll start getting tips again (well not until next week). I need a holiday.

Still on Holiday

I'll be helping a friend move tomorrow, and then we'll see what happens. This holiday has been so uneventful but that's the way I planned it. I also have use of my friend's car until the end of the month, as she decided to fly to Paris. Cool...time to raid Ikea.

I Forgot

Just played 8 hours of online poker to make $50.

Reporting In

What have I done on my holiday so far?

golf
movie (Fantastic Four)
coffee with a beautiful girl
eat
sleep

10 Days Off

At last my well needed holiday begins.

It's sad to hear what happened in London. It looks like the world is once again being scared by terrorists.

Who Me?

I think I'm falling in love again.

Holiday

Only two more days until my 10-day holiday. I've decided not to go to Edmonton as originally planned, but instead to relax at home and get my stuff unpacked and the place straightened out. I may end up picking up shifts at work since it's quite evident that they are quite short of supervisors. We'll see.

Wardrobe Check

I have 24 dress shirts (only three of them are white) and 22 wearable ties for work (five or six cartoon ties that are not within dress code standard), I wonder if that's a record for guys at the casino. I just bought two more today from the Bay, only because they had a nice sale. The funny thing is they're going to put all the staff (except for management) into uniforms at work. I know a lot of the staff have stopped buying shirts and ties and crap but not me. There IS management to look forward to, and I'm not going to stop buying shirts.

Oh yeah, Happy Canada Day to everyone.

War of the Worlds

I decided to go see War of the Worlds, even though I think Tom Cruise has turned into the new Michael Jackson (perhaps even weirder???). The story was silly but the effects were awesome. Amazingly, I give this movie two thumbs up.

I'm Old

Happy Belated Birthday to Me

Back to Normal

It wasn't as bad at work as I thought it would be. Granted, the first hour or two was tough as I started out at the casino wondering why I was still supervising. I was glad that people at work were at least tasteful in their comments. A couple of them felt bad because they were so sure I'd get the promotion. Things are somewhat back to normal now but it's going to hurt when I see the new managers. But what can I do but wait until the next promotion.

Life Goes On

I don't know what work will be like tonight. I had lunch with Glenn today and discussed how tough it will be to face my coworkers. I've accepted the fact that I didn't get the promotion, but it's all the comments that I'm sure to hear. How many times will I hear "How do you feel?" and crap like that. I guess I'm afraid somebody will say something that makes me snap. But all I can do is grit my teeth and turn everything off.

A Time to Rise

What better way to drown my sorrows then to go downtown watch one of my favorite movies this year, Star Wars Episode III. Of course my heart wasn't into the movie, but I still enjoyed it. In fact (corny statements ahead), I began to relate to Anakin Skywalker's character. He started off as a cute little kid but was seduced by The Dark Side. I'm not saying that I have a desire to build a Death Star, but I think that in order for me to succeed at my job (and in life) I do need a little bit of "The Dark Side" in me. I have been cursed with being "a nice guy" all these years, and at times I think it hurts me. In business, in life, and heck, even in poker, a little bit of dishonesty (for lack of a better word) is necessary. And so I must learn from this setback and carry on.

I don't hate any of the people who got the promotion. If anything, I hate myself because the top of the mountain was within reach. But I couldn't quite get there this time. But as they say, life goes on.

A Time to Mourn

I didn't get the promotion.

The Wait

The time is near (I think) to find out about the promotion, and I still have no idea. Some people say it is better to think you didn't get it, so when you get it it feels better. Others say if you think you got it, then believe you got it (but then if you don't get it it feels like shit). Right now I must admit I'm the latter. I can feel that the promotion is mine. But you never know. Last time I was fairly sure I got the promotion but instead I went through a big fall. So we shall see.

Too Much Stress

It was an unbelievably stressful night at work. I screwed up the break rotations and the casino was just too busy. I kept worrying that something major would go wrong but somehow I kept my composure. The wait is killing me.

Waiting

It looks like I will find out within the week if I get the promotion. All signs point to me getting it (but then again I thought the same thing last time) so all I can do is wait and do my job in the meantime. It's been an interesting year for me. One moment I'm stuck between jobs and suddenly I'm in line to become a relief floor manager. I regret ever leaving the casino industry, but now that I'm back I'm here to stay.

The Dark Knight

This week I got Wednesday and Thursday off (instead of Thursday and Friday) which worked out rather perfectly. Wednesday night at 11pm I got to watch BATMAN BEGINS with two coworkers. It was awesome, and I must say much better than Star Wars Episode III. The movie was rather violent but that's who the Dark Knight was.

Today was my interview for the floor manager position. I seemed to do well but who knows. I can only hope for the best. At the end one of the managers said "Jason you have a good chance". I don't know if that's a good sign or just a generic comment. We shall see.

Good

Amazing, not since the OJ trial have we seen an example of the pathetic American justice system. But at least we know that the jury is now rich and will get richer with their book deals.

Bad

20 minutes until the Michael Jackson verdict is read. Wow, this is more interesting than the Apprentice finale.

The Sixth Day

There I was Friday night at Metrotown on my days off, thinking about catching Mr. and Mrs. Smith, but it was sold out. So I decided to go shopping and see if I could find a suit or jacket. I fouhd nothing so I was on my way home (shortly after 8). Then on the Skytrain I got a call from work to see if I could come in (on my day off) and work some overtime, because it was really short at work. Well since I really had nothing to do anyways I ended up working a SIXTH day at work, but I'll be paid pretty well. No complaints.

I have an interview on Thursday (12pm) for one of the floor manager positions, so I can only get ready and hope for the best. I'll spend the next few days brushing up on procedures and anything that I can find helpful, like preparing for certain interview questions. Wish me luck.

Days Off

Work has been needlessly stressful. I guess I'm just worried about the upcoming interview for the floor manager position, and I'm cautiously paranoid (is that an oxymoron?) that something will go wrong. Luckily I haven't made any monumental blunders yet (unlike my chess).

I was lucky enough to get an early shift today (2:15pm-10:15pm) so I can watch some TV and turn in early (which for me will be 2 or 3am). Let's hope my two days off will actually be productive this time.

Right now I'm listening to my MP3's and working on a project for a website. A friend has done a great project on what makes a good casino supervisor, and I promised to write a thing on roulette. So off I go with a stash of bottled water. Let's see how long I go before the eyes droop. Good night to all.

Damn I'm Lazy

Two days off and once again I didn't spend anytime unpacking. My shit is still everywhere as it has been for two weeks. One of these days I'll get to it; then I can decide how I will decorate/renovate my place. I know I'll need some sort of a wardrobe or dresser to put all my shirts and suits, as well as more bookcases and a sofa (once I get rid of the old one that doesn't fit). But I guess I'm anxious and worried about the impending floor manager interviews (again). This time I want to be more prepared.

Blues at Work

Work can be so frustrating at times. Perhaps it's because I'm already thinking as a floor manager, and I see so much ineptitude at work. Certain people always ask the same questions regarding who they should give breaks to; others are still unsure about procedures that have been explained to them time and time again.

There just seems to be no motivation at work. Nobody seems to care anymore. This sucks because I'm starting to love my job more and more. Unmotivated staff translates to lower tips. These same people are complaining about low tips and yet these same people are doing nothing to improve those low tips. I don't know how to motivate them anymore.