So, right now I am at my mother's house in Pickering. It's pretty funny here. About an hour ago my mom and my aunt told me this ridiculous jumbie story which featured evil spirits, possession, "bubbling bottles", other people's money and the Dutch. Apparently, the Dutch used to hide money in bottles and bury them in the Guyanese soil. Then they would curse the bottles so that if someone stole the money the spirit would then invade the body of the thief who would then go crazy. Mom says that my grandmother, her mother, used to tell these stories. I'd love to hear what my other grandmother, granny Doris, thought of that story, but she passed away in 1996. Granny Doris always used to tell me she was Dutch.

It strikes me how superstitious people can be and then I get surprised at how superstitious I can be. Earlier my mother had me try on a couple pairs of shoes. I asked her where she got them, and the conversation went as follows:
Me: "Mom, where did you get all these shoes?" As I cram my huge foot into a slim brown Italian leather loafer.
Mom: "Oh, Elo brought them for me from work." She says absent-mindedly
Me: "From work?" My aunt Elo does not work in a shoe store.
Mom: "Yes, they used to belong to one of their clients, some woman, I don't know."
Me: Suddenly realizing that I may be wearing a dead woman's shoe. "Wait a minute, the client isn't dead is she?"
Mom: "Well, she never really wore them!"
- posted by Debbie @ 9:38 PM |

 
Ah, Thursday morning at the Greek diner. Across from my office is that small diner run by these two old Greek men. It is called Olympios, but then due to the amount of construction in the area they added "Crow Bar" to the name.

Anyway, the men who run the place are real sweet. I always get a wink when I walk in there. This morning - and a sunny beautiful morning it is - the shorter of the pair was remarking on how lovely the day is. Then he said this:

"Only three weeks left of winter. Then the sun, and the grass comes out. And the Park, full of lovers. Now, just ducks go in the park."

Is that optimistic or what?
- posted by Debbie @ 9:05 AM |

 
What is the etiquette with delivery men? Yesterday, a delivery guy came to drop off some new arm chairs to our apartment. He was real cute but that is beside the point. He arrived alone and I helped him bring the chairs up the stairs (I have to say that I was really impressed with the way this guy picked the chairs off the delivery truck, ran them across the street and then jumped over a snow bank. He actually jumped!).

As he was getting set to leave it was a little awkward which made me wonder if I should tip the guy. Although, I did a good portion of the work. Perhaps I should have offered the guy a coffee or a beer or something. But, with him being so cute, I didn't want to give him the wrong impression. Especially since I was obviously impressed with his strength. Also he was very complimentary on my apartment and about how helpful I was. I'm not saying there was a 'connection' in a "The Batchelorette" sense, but it was strange.

I know this guy who is a handy man in a condominium complex. He tells me that women call him to come fix things and when he gets there, they will open the door wearing silk nighties, or nothing but bathrobes. He isn't even as cute as this delivery guy.

I can only imagine what kind of tips this guy gets!
- posted by Debbie @ 9:53 AM |

 
Well, the trade show is over. It ended on Sunday, but thankfully I didn't have to go that day. I totally refused. The bosses were annoyed as I guess they felt that I should be there Thursday night, until 10 on Friday, all day Saturday and then all day Sunday. Of course they haven't mentioned a thing about paying me. Boy, did I have nerve to refuse to work Sunday.

No, Sunday was my day to do nothing. I did, however, watch the Oscars. Wow, Hollywood should be proud. A room of thousands of people and this year the highest number of black nominees. FOUR! Awesome. Five if you count Jamie Fox twice. And there was one South Asian nominee. No Japanese, Koreans, Native Americans or anyone else (in all fairness, I may have missed a couple awards). Perhaps I am being to hard on the industry - baby steps to catching up with the world. After all, it is only 2005.

Since there was a snow storm, I wonder if my bosses will come in. It would be better if they didn't. However, It would be great if the interns showed up. They're great to work with. Oh, one just called. He'll be in. The other boss' life is just so much more difficult than everyone elses he will no doubt have 1000 problems getting into work today.

It's a bitter bitter morning.
- posted by Debbie @ 8:48 AM |