Technical Difficulties in the North

5:00pm I left Yellowknife this morning on a First Air flight bound for Whitehorse, via Fort Simpson. We got as far as Fort Simpson…and then there was a problem with the plane. Apparently difficulties with the propeller brakes…rather they find out down here on the ground than in the air I guess!

So here I sit in the tiny airport of Fort Simpson, along with about a dozen or so other stranded travellers, awaiting news for the continuation of the flight. There has been word that they have to get help from Yellowknife, but they didn’t specify just how or what. Hmmm…we shall see what comes of it. Good thing I was packed for distance travel. I have my laptop and a supply of movies, along with a couple of novels and a bag full of yarn for my current crochet project. We were fed a light lunch on the plane, so hunger is staved off for now, and should I get snackish, I do have a few things in my bag.

The flight attendant (garbed in flight suit, turtleneck and arctic parka) came in and asked if anyone wanted to get their laptop off the plane, since it was cooling off considerably while they waited for repairs…all but two hands went up…so as I look about the airport (it’s small, so I can see ALL of the waiting area from just about any position) there are four of us on our laptops, either watching movies or playing games.

I tried to give A. a call to let her know not to go to the airport until she heard from be, and thought it would just be an automated operator, so I would just leave her collect call message stating instead of my name “plane late, will call” but I actually got a real live operator who proceeded to inform me that cell phones cannot accept a collect call anyhow…rats. So I called my mother collect and had her call my daughter’s boyfriend, who can call A. when she gets off work at 2pm and let her know that I will call her for the ride. Otherwise she would be waiting around for hours…we’re already more than 2 hours delayed!

sigh…the joys of northern travel…a couple of women are playing luggage roller, where they sit on the luggage rollers (like at the beer store) and shove one another across them to see how far they can send them. I would have taken a photo but was not near my camera when they were at it, darnit.

update 5:50pm NWT time – we have been informed that they sent another plane out from Yellowknife and it should arrive momentarily. They need a few minutes to transfer over our luggage and then we will be able to board and shall be on our way. Yahooo! I think I just heard our plane arrive!!! Time to pack up this stuff and get ON THE WAY!

8:53pm and I’m here at A.’s, hanging out and playing a borrowed friend’s Nintendo Wii…I think I know what I want Santa to bring me…I kicked ass at bowling (well, better than these two here…lol). The flight arrived about 6:05pm, so we were about 3.5 hours behind schedule, but whatever. I got here in one piece and the plane didn’t break. Nice.

Major Gross Out

I've been addicted to Hot Rods for years now, and try to control myself. However I don't think it will be a problem anymore. I bought two packages yesterday at the local Co-op and ate one yesterday. I just opened the second package and went to take out one and it had a bite out of it. Not just a short one, but a bite out of it. So I took out the rest of them and 3 of them had bites out of them. Ewwwww. Major gross out...in the words of my friend L., I am OVER Hot Rods.

Chicken Hunt

I've been craving roasted chicken since my arrival here in Yellowknife and can't seem to find anyone who offers a roast chicken dinner. Chicken breast, chicken wings, but no roast chicken. So then I thought I would try to get one of those grocery store roasted chickens - they are so yummy! But then I couldn't find the grocery store that I thought was across the street, so had to wait until my friend K. took me there last night and wouldn't you know it, they were sold out and the next batch was not coming out for at least 20 more minutes...dammit. So I am still on the hunt for some roasted chicken!!!

I have however had some TASTY beef steak, grade AAA Alberta beef, which is just awesome!

Yum. Now I'm hungry.

Newfoundland Cruise

my ma sent me this a couple of days ago...how do I book?

Blogger Woes

I tried to access blogger for the past couple of days but it was down, apparently. Bah!

I'm at yet another hotel here in Yellowknife, but the internet is awesome...wireless and FAST.

Groovy.

Intervention Perhaps???

While Coors Light is my second favorite beer (behind Keith's Light) I don't know that I could ever drink THIS much beer!!!

TGIF

I am tired after a long week of packing, moving, travelling, training, shopping, and just plain busyness! (is that even a word?). Thank goodness it's Friday and I can sleep in a little tomorrow, though we are heading out to a craft sale tomorrow sharply at 10am...though anyone who knows me will know that I'm rarely in bed past 8am even on the weekends...

Sunday will be a day of total rest for me as I am utterly exhausted. I should be in bed now, but toss and turn if I don't unwind first. My roomie has gone to bed some time ago with some T-3s for her bad back, so it's just me up, bumping around the suite and listening to Q107 on satellite. Not much else to chat about, so I am just going to post yet another cat photo, if for no other reason than to break up all this print!

This is Stormy with his teddy bear. He is so funny with it...when I come home from work, he has often dragged it up on top of my blanket on the sofa, or up onto my bed. But yet if I place it anywhere else but there or on the floor, he will go and get it. We've played that game several times. I'll place it up on the bookshelf, or counter and he can't stand it. He will go immediately and knock it to the floor. What a weirdo...

How Hot Is Hell?

Because it sure feels like it here. Either that or there is an organic reason why I am so damn hot all the time. You would think that coming to the northern regions of Canada that I would finally have the opportunity to COOL OFF. You would be wrong.

Sure, its frosty outside but I can't seem to cool off inside. I'm in a hotel for the next several weeks (various ones) and this particular one is like an oven. I have the heat turned off since my arrival and the window open and it is still stifling in here. And I went to training today for my new job and it was stifling there. I may have to resort to wearing shorts...pant, pant, pant

Stupid Student Loan People

7:00am this morning the phone rings...it's one of my student loan folks who call every three months (looking to increase my payments) so she got a very cranky, sleepy person at this end. Bitch. I had set my alarm for 8am as I needed all the sleep I could get before the movers come today and I was up so late last night preparing. It never fails. If it isn't my sister calling me late at night on the rare night I go to bed early, it is these rotten whorebags. Typically the call on Saturday mornings, but today was a surprise. What gets me is they KNOW where I live but for some reason cannot put that together with a DIFFERENT TIME ZONE.

Rotten whorebags. I just like saying it.

Microsoft Has Annoying DOWN PAT!

I recently had troubles installing a Microsoft update so contacted them about it. Well they fucking pestered the HELL out of me after that, not even giving me time on my own to resolve the issue with what they sent me. Finally I had to email them back a firm (read snotty) letter to tell them to piss off. Here is a summary of their annoying as hell emails.

Oct. 16/06 6:31pm.
"Your question was successfully submitted to Microsoft. A Microsoft professional will respond to you in e-mail within 1 business day. You can also view your response on the Support site when you have signed intoPassport. Print or save this page or record your confirmation number for your reference."

October 17/06 12:12:46am
"There has been activity on the incident that you submitted. Please go to Online Assisted Support(https://support.microsoft.com/oas/default.aspx?tp=il) to check on the activity at your earliest convenience. Make sure you are signed in with the same Passport account that you used to submit the incident. "

October 17/06 12:12:56am
"I understand you are experiencing difficulties using the Windows Update site. Microsoft provides no-charge technical support for issues related to WindowsUpdate, so I have forwarded your case to a Support Professional from whom you will hear within 24 hours."

October 17/06 3:26:06am
"There has been activity on the incident that you submitted.Please go to Online Assisted Support(https://support.microsoft.com/oas/default.aspx?tp=il) to check on the activity at your earliest convenience. Make sure you are signed in with the same Passport account that you used to submit the incident. "

October 17/06 3:25:44am
"Thank you for contacting Microsoft Windows Update Support. My name is Katty andI am glad to work with you. You can contact me directly by sending an email to (bla bla bla) with the case # in the subject line."

October 17/06 3:36:03am
"Thank you for contacting Microsoft Windows Update Support. My name is Katty and I am glad to work with you. You can contact me directly by sending an email to v-30kren@mssupport.microsoft.com with the case ID in the subject line."

October 19/06 3:46:09am
"I just want to say hi and check if you've got my previous message. Please drop me a note if my last response has addressed your concern or if youneed further assistance from me. It is always my pleasure to be of assistance. For your convenience, I have included my initial response below."

October 19/06 3:46:31am

"Incident: There has been activity on the incident that you
submitted.
Please go to Online Assisted Support
(https://support.microsoft.com/oas/default.aspx?tp=il) to check on the activity
at your earliest convenience. Make sure you are signed in with the same
Passport account that you used to submit the incident. "

October 19/06 3:46:17am
"I just want to say hi and check if you've got my previous message. Best regards, Katty Ren "

October 20/06 7:54:06am
"There has been activity on the incident that you submitted. Please go to Online Assisted Support(https://support.microsoft.com/oas/default.aspx?tp=il) to check on the activity at your earliest convenience. Make sure you are signed in with the same Passport account that you used to submit the incident. "

October 20/06 7:53:01am
This is Katty from Microsoft Online Support. I am contacting you with regards to the Windows Update issue.

"I have not heard from you for a couple of days. I understand that you may need more time to work on this issue, so I will be closing this case as "Not Resolved". - Best regards, Katty Ren. "

October 22/06 9:41:46am
"There has been activity on the incident that yousubmitted.Please go to Online Assisted Support(https://support.microsoft.com/oas/default.aspx?tp=il) to check on the activity at your earliest convenience. Make sure you are signed in with the samePassport account that you used to submit the incident. "

October 22/06 9:40am
"Dear X,This is Katty from Microsoft Online Support. I am contacting you in regards tothe Windows Update case.I understand that you have been busy recently and do not have time to attend to this issue.Given this situation, I'd like to close this case as "Temporarily Archived".When you are ready to continue working on this technical issue, I am here to assist you at your convenience."

October 24/06 10:14pm
"There has been activity on the incident that yousubmitted.Please go to Online Assisted Support(https://support.microsoft.com/oas/default.aspx?tp=il) to check on the activityat your earliest convenience. Make sure you are signed in with the samePassport account that you used to submit the incident. "

WTF??? So I told Katty to fuck off and leave me alone. And they have. Thank-you.

Brain Freeze

seriously...it is chilly here tonight, -20C and I can't think of a thing to say. I think my brain is on overload with such a busy month. So here is a funny instead. Enjoy.

Things That Are Difficult To Say When Drunk

1. Innovative
2. Preliminary
3. Proliferation
4. Cinnamon

Things that are VERY difficult to say when you're drunk:
1. Specificity
2. Antidisestablishmentarianism
3. Loquacious
4. Transubstantiate

Things that are downright IMPOSSIBLE to say when you're drunk:
1. Thanks, but I don't want to sleep with you
2. Nope, no more booze for me
3. Sorry, but you're not really my type
4. No kebab for me, thank you
5. Good evening officer, isn't it lovely out tonight?
6. I'm not interested in fighting you
7. Thank you, but I wont make any attempt to dance, I have no co-ordination
8. Where is the nearest toilet? I refuse to vomit in the street
9. You're right; I can't jump over that table.
10. Oh, I just couldn't - no one wants to hear me sing