At around 4pm, I went down to the local Registries office (known as a DMV to some of you) to write my test for my driver learners’ licence. There were two clerks working the counter at the time, one older, and one young. They were helping one client each and there was no one else there.

So I sat there and waited.

And waited.

I have no idea why, but the first of those two customers took about 45 minutes to finish his business. Finally! It’s my turn! I head up to the counter and the young clerk was ready to help me. I told her I would like to write the exam for my learners licence. She started to enter me into the computer when the older clerk stopped helping her customer and started to yell “NO! You can’t write that! We close at five!” I explained that I was there for 45 minutes. The young clerk continued to enter my info, take my fees and lead me to the computers to do the test, ignoring the older woman.

Of the first three questions, I got two wrong! Ugh! I’m totally going to fail! I do not know how many demerit points it takes to suspend a Class 7 licence! By the 10th question, I had 4 wrong. I think I’m allowed to have no more than 5 wrong. Feeling defeated, I finished the rest of the test without error. Hoorah!

I go back to the counter and the old clerk barked that I had to get out and that they were closed. I had to come back the next day. What? Seriously? I sat in that stupid office for an hour! So I came back the next day to finish all the paperwork and take photos for my new licence.
It took about five minutes! Holy crap, must be nice to be the only registry in town!

And thus begins my adventures in driving.

Over the weekend, I was shopping on Whyte Ave with Marc, Jolene and Adrena. I haven’t been down there in a while, so I didn’t know a Roots store opened. I walked in to check it out, specifically to look for the Douglas Coupland clothing line (if you don’t know Coupland, GASP! Do some reading and apply for your Canadian citizenship card).

Not only did they have some of the clothing in stock, but they were on sale! Both Jolene and I snapped up the Motherboard Tube Skirt.

Since I was there, I wanted to get Dean the Wireframe Beaver Shirt but they didn’t have his size. So sad! The next day, Marc and I went to West Edmonton Mall to look for it at the store there, and again, no luck.

I asked the woman at the till if there was any way they can get the size I was looking for. She went and got her supervisor (I think). She said she could check and see if any other store in Canada has it in stock. She was successful and said she can have it sent to my house. This concept confused me.

“So you’ll send it to my house and I don’t have to come in and pick it up?”

“That is correct.”

“How much will this service cost?”

“No additional charge.”

Sweet! So I go for it! I paid for the shirt and went on my merry way.

Fast forward to today, Wednesday. I received a phone call stating I had a package at the post office. Aren’t they supposed to deliver it to my house? So I haul my sick butt out of bed and headed down to the drug store (where the post office is) and picked up my package. Yes, it was the t-shirt I order! Hurray!

I have to say I am nothing but extremely impressed with the service from Roots. They didn’t have my item in stock, so they went the extra mile to send it to my house, and I got it in 3 business days. However…! I did not received to package to my home. It was sent though Purolator and they made no effort to drop off the package to my house. It was dumped at the post office then they called me to pick it up.

So hurray to Roots, Boo to Purolator!

Cowboy Dan and I at karaoke.

Photos: Marc Cocchio.

I find it really odd that people are amazed with chopsticks.

It wasn’t a big deal when I lived in Edmonton. I’m not sure if the reason why is because of the general multicultural company I kept, or that I just hung out with a bunch of punks, hipsters, and nerds, but it was never an issue. Either way, for the most part, the majority of people I ate out with at oriental restaurants knew how to use chopsticks, no matter their cultural background.

Life in Vegreville is different.

Everyone is always telling me how amazing it is that I can use them, and it’s probably because I grew up with them. I’m not really insulted, I”m just having a hard time fathoming why it’s such a big deal. It’s like, I am the master of some sort of mythical force that enables me to put two sticks together in one hand, and it transforms into a power device that can deliver your consumables to the mouth for my eating pleasures.

Vegreville has three Chinese eateries so you’d think they’d know how to use them… oh.. oh wait. I usually have to ask for them specifically. Except at Chin’s, where the lady knows we want chopsticks.

The other crazy thing I have is reusable chopsticks. Yes, you know, they don’t come in a paper wrapper that you can fold into a chopstick holder. And when you are finished, you can wash them, dry them, put them away and reuse them. A cleaning lady at work just about threw mine out because she thought they were disposable. Another co-worker was amazed that there are reusable ones. I find these kinds of things amusing.

Is chopstick use really that astonishing? Maybe to some, but to me, it’s just a part of everyday life.

For Xmas, my family bought me a Kitchenaid Stand Mixer. There was a rebate offer with it which I sent in today. Unlike other rebates, this one let me submit it electronically. Kitchenaid gave instructions on how to scan and submit the image file.

I made sure to follow it perfectly.

I can follow directions!