What I love About Travel Clients
Tuesday, May 30, 2006
The best part about being a travel agent is some of the requests we get from people who ask for quotes but forget to mention at least one the following:
-where they are travelling from (departure city)
-what dates they want to leave on
What's most surprising is how often this happens. Consumer behaviour is so fascinating.
posted by aforward @ 10:07 AM,
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ATM Woes
What to do when the person infront of you is having a difficult time at the ATM machine.
It starts with the unmistakable error beep...and then again beeeep
Continues with them becoming jittery...
You know there is real trouble when they turn around to see how many people they are keeping back...
Now the ruffling of papers in front of them with the shaking of the head (it must be the ATM's fault)
The piece de resistance the one final big sigh...
And finally ripping the card from the machine and storming away in a huff.
posted by aforward @ 8:42 AM,
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The Best Part of TV Last Season
Saturday, May 27, 2006
It was refreshing and nice to finally see black men in roles as prominent doctors instead of gangstas:
Kudos to:
Omar Epps, House
Mekhi Phifer, ER
Isaiah Washington, Grey's Anatomy
posted by aforward @ 5:08 PM,
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How To Get Uninvited From A Shower
So I was a little late in RSVPing to a shower invite and the invite did go to the wrong address but I don't think that warrants being berated because of the possibility that I can't make due to a prior committment.
Anyways I like to think of myself as a kind person...and it makes it especially hard when people send me nasty emails.
More proof that "little girls are the devil"
posted by aforward @ 4:44 PM,
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Dated Colors and Electronics
Wednesday, May 24, 2006
Andrew doesn't agree with me...but I think that Apple's signature white laptops and iPods will soon become dated. The first sign is that the new mac book has an option in black. I think that shortly iPods will go the way of Yellow Sony Sports walkman.
Notice how we don't see any of those those colorful macbooks in blueberry and orange anymore?
posted by aforward @ 10:53 PM,
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iPod and Nike Shoes Unite
Now your iPod can talk to your Nikes. The Nike/iPod sport kit will retail for around $30us and will let you know how far you've run and how many calories you've burned. A sensor will be located in the sole of the shoe and send info through a transmitter.
posted by aforward @ 10:48 PM,
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Extra Long Weekend Highlights
We took Tuesday off as well and spent some time in Dundas with the folks:
-Andrew started to teach my mom how to ride a bike
-We cuddled to my parents easy listening radio station (where they did play Micahel Mcdonald's "Yeah I'm Gonna Be There"...think 40 year Old Virgin...
-getting the ok from the entire family to shower together (we were in a rush to get somewhere
-Blue Jays Game on Monday
On another Happy note congrats to Travis and Carrie!!!
posted by aforward @ 8:52 AM,
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The Best Financial Fable I Know
Wednesday, May 17, 2006
Took a little surfing...but I found it!
Posted in honour of my last day at FHC. Oddly enough today the ink in my favourite pen at work ran out as well as the cartridge in our laser printer.
"A businessman was at the pier of a small coastal Mexican village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked. Inside the small boat were several large yellowfin tuna. The businessman complimented the Mexican on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took to catch them. The Mexican replied only a little while.
The businessman then asked why he didn't stay out longer and catch more fish? The Mexican said he had enough to support his family's immediate needs. The businessman then asked, but what do you do with the rest of your time? The Mexican fisherman said, "I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take a siesta with my wife, Maria, stroll into the village each evening where I sip wine and play guitar with my amigos; I have a full and busy life, señor."
The businessman scoffed, "I am a Harvard MBA and I could help you. You should spend more time fishing and with the proceeds buy a bigger boat. With the proceeds from the bigger boat you could buy several boats; eventually you would have a fleet of fishing boats. Instead of selling your catch to a middleman, you would sell directly to the processor and eventually open your own cannery. You would control the product, processing and distribution. You would need to leave this small coastal fishing village and move to Mexico City, then LA and eventually New York City where you would run your expanding enterprise."
The Mexican fisherman asked, "But señor, how long will this all take?" To which the businessman replied, "15-20 years." "But what then, señor?" The businessman laughed and said, "That's the best part! When the time is right you would announce an IPO and sell your company stock to the public and become very rich. You would make millions." "Millions, señor? Then what?" The businessman said, "Then you would retire. Move to a small coastal fishing village where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take a siesta with your wife, stroll to the village in the evenings where you could sip wine and play your guitar with your amigos."
The fisherman, still smiling, looked up and said, "Isn't that what I'm doing right now?"
-Author Unknown
"
posted by aforward @ 8:58 PM,
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Jack Bauer's Newest Enemy
Kiefer in Action
posted by aforward @ 9:33 AM,
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Prison Break Finale
Tuesday, May 16, 2006
?
posted by aforward @ 9:57 AM,
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Holland World Cup Squad Announced
Monday, May 15, 2006
Who's getting giddy?
Keepers: Edwin van der Sar, Maarten Stekelenburg and Henk Timmer
Defenders: Khalid Boulahrouz, Giovanni van Bronckhorst, Tim de Cler, Johnny Heitinga, Kew Jaliens, Jan Kromkamp, Joris Mathijsen and André Ooijer
Midfielders: Mark van Bommel, Phillip Cocu, Denny Landzaat, Hedwiges Maduro, Wesley Sneijder and Rafael van der Vaart
Forwards: Ryan Babel , Dirk Kuyt, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Robin van Persie, Arjen Robben and Jan Vennegoor.
If you cheer for a particular country at the World Cup you can follow along at the World Cup Country Blogs http://www.worldcupblog.org/. I'm only subscribed to the Netherlands right now but will likely add England and T & T to my blogroll.
The bloggers actually do a really great job and spark some good conversations on squad choices infighting, injury updates etc.
25 days
Why Holland?
When I was in high school Holland came to play Canada in Toronto for a friendly International match. It was one of my first international games and one of my fondest soccer memories. They are a European team that plays like a South American team and their wingers have always been central in their attack from Cruyff to Overmars and now little Robben. I was winger so have a tendency to be drawn to teams who use the wing a lot.
I even have a picture of my husband in Holland with a KNVB Jersey On...(just before we started going out.)
posted by aforward @ 9:58 AM,
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We Could All Learn A Lot From The Buffalo Sabres
Thursday, May 11, 2006
For team with no flashy Big Name superstars (well maybe Afinegenov) they sure make up for it with hustle and intensity.
All they do is rush, rush, rush.
They are a great example of the power of inertia "an object in motion will remain in motion"...They are always pressing forward rarely stagnating or staying one place.
They are beating the Senators fairley...squarely and they are doing it based purely on intensity. I don't think they are lucky or that it's the great goaltending from Miller. They are always first to the puck and every Senator pass in contested.
I don't see the Senators dominating the play only to get scored on...on a lucky rush.
I strongly believe that negating the opposite team's forward progress (reverse inertia) is just as effective as regaining possession.
Buffalo will win the series and it's not because they got lucky, it's because they work hard on every shift.
By applying the principles of inertia to our everyday life and business we too may be as successful as the Sabres. Keep learning new things, keep reading, keep marketing, keep selling, keep getting better at whatever it is you do best
posted by aforward @ 10:47 AM,
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On Future Calls...
Wednesday, May 10, 2006
"On future calls...you do not have to enter the first 4 digits of your bank card number to access telephone banking."
Why does this voice only come on after I've already attempted to enter the number:
1: Without the first 8 digits (because I'm not sure if it's the first 4 digits or 8 digits that you can eliminate)
2: When I just enter all the digits because I'm fed up with the "guess how many digits you don't have to enter game."
posted by aforward @ 2:47 PM,
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Prison Break Death Pool Update
Tuesday, May 09, 2006
Not to toot my own horn...(and I suppose I needn't bring up the Jerry Rice prediction from Dancing with the Stars...Jerry finished 2nd) but below are my correct predictions so far, with one episode to go:
Prisoners
Westmoreland (flesh wound is his undoing) correct
Civilians
Nick (he'll sacrifice his life to save girl lawyer) technically correct
Parts of last night's episode that made me giggle:
-The sheer number of them that were trying to escape...considering it was only supposed to be 4 at first
Westmorelend explaining how much money he had stashed away "it's not one million dollars ...it's 5 million dollars".... very Dr. Evil.
Thanks For Clearing Up Some Loose Ends:
-where fat guy went
-what Abbruzzi's henchmen had on Nick
-Still baffled a little by young guy. If you were now in on the scheme to escape why would you tell Bellick about it? I thought maybe they needed to have a way to tie Bellick up in the basement...but Michael seemed pissed that they were ratted on.
posted by aforward @ 12:13 PM,
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6 Things That People in Ottawa Do That Bug Me
Well it started as a list of 10 things but, I guess I love my neighbours too much so only 6 things;
1. Driver's who don't check the curb for pedestrian.
2. People Who Complain about OC Transpo: We probably have the best transportation system in the world. "Ooh why do you take the bus?...I could never take the bus"
3. People who Ride their Bikes on Colonel By Drive instead of using the bike path just beneath it. Colonel By is too narrow for cars and bikes. Colonel By is for people in fast cars who want a windy stretch of scenic road to drive fast on... Not for Pro-Star triathletes who are too good for the rec path.
4. Fat girls doing the drop at bars.
5. People who don't tip their server.
6. The dj's at hot 89.9 who continue to play Kelly Clarkson for no apparent reason.
posted by aforward @ 12:06 PM,
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Mysteries of the Golf Course Parking Lot
Ever notice how Golf Course Parking lots are always full? Even though there aren't that many people golfing.
posted by aforward @ 12:04 PM,
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Take That Lindsay Lohan
Monday, May 08, 2006
Quote from Nick Lachey:
"I can safely say that I don't have any interest in Lindsay Lohan, Nor do I understand anyone else that does."
posted by aforward @ 3:55 PM,
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Weekend Shout-Outs...
-"Oh my God look at that hat....it's not a hat, it's not a hat"
-The Shrimp Appetizer at The Ritz on Elgin:
Crostini di Gamberi=Heaven: Shrimp Sauteed with Sundried Tomatoes and Mushrooms in a Cream and Vermouth Sauce on Puff Pastry.
-MTL had hiphop night on Saturday... good music but DJ was poor with his transitions and scratched similar to... oh i don't know... picture a cat clawing a chalkboard.
-Cheers to a once again Most Valuable Steve Nash
-The Senators/Buffalo Games was incredible, but left me with a sick feeling in my stomach... even the morning after. Watch that Connolly kid on Buffalo...one of those great players that you've never heard of.
-De la Hoya TKO's Mayorga
-MI:3: Lots of smashing windows, guns firing and general loud banging... if you are trying to induce a seizure go see this.
posted by aforward @ 12:16 PM,
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What's The First Thing You Are Going To Do?
Our Board was in town this weekend for meetings. It was nice to see everyone and say bye. One of them asked me "What's The First Thing You Are Going To Do?" [now that I am self-employed/unemployed/going back to school-i'm not sure what to call it]
I actually didn't even have an answer...I really haven't even thought about it...there's so much that I have to do that isn't really leisure related.
Golf on a Tuesday afternoon and go to a weekday matinee was all I could think of. I guess Pizza Hut lunch buffet will have to rank up there pretty high too.
Actually no...the first thing I'm going to do is get my muscles back.
posted by aforward @ 11:05 AM,
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Prison Break Death Pool
Thursday, May 04, 2006
So who do you think will make it out...?
Prisoners
Michael (yes)
Lincoln (yes)
Sucre (yes)
Abbruzzi (simultaneuos death with teabag)
Tea Bag (see above)
Westmoreland (flesh wound is his undoing)
Young Guy (not gonna make it)
C-Note (not gonna make it)
Civilians
Sarah (she'll be fine)
Veronica (she'll make it...barely)
Nick (he'll sacrifice his life to save girl lawyer)
Dramatic Irony and Prison Break...
Dramtic Irony isn't working well for this show...it feels like we are supposed to know something that the characters don't, but the producers left out the part where they tell us what we are supposed to know. With two episodes remaining I'm getting the feeling a few loose ends won't be tied up. What happened to Sucre's friend that helped them get the guard uniform...didn't they have to tell him what was going on?, What deal does Michael have with the young Guy? What is the relationship between Abruzzi and the all-of-a sudden bad lawyer? I could go on and on....
posted by aforward @ 1:15 PM,
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What's Hot and What's Not in the New Tory Budget
Wednesday, May 03, 2006
What's Hot
- GST will drop to six per cent from seven per cent effective July 1.
- Fitness tax credit for up to $500 in eligible fees for physical fitness programs for each child under age 16.
- New tax credit for textbooks, which is to provide a tax reduction of about $80 per year for a typical full-time post-secondary student.
- Elimination of current $3,000 limit on amount of scholarship, bursary and fellowship income a post-secondary student can get without paying federal income tax
- Tax credit on cost of monthly public transit passes, or passes of longer duration, effective July 1, 2006
What's Not
- absent is funding to arts and culture, excpet for the $50 million promised to the Canada Council for the Arts
- no mention of the Liberals' $10 billion commitment to implement the international Kyoto accord, which aims to reduce the greenhouse gases that cause climate change.
- missing from the fiscal agenda is the 10-year, $5.1 billion federal-provincial deal to help aboriginal people signed in Kelowna, B.C. last year under the former Liberals. However, natives will receive $450 million in 2006-2007 and 2007-2008 in areas of priority that include education; advancing socio-economic conditions for women, children and families; and improving the water supply and housing on reserves.
Source CTV
I think the Conservatives won the election by making promises which touched almost every demographic and that is now echoed in their budget.
" The important thing politically is, you cannot find an individual or group untouched by this budget, right in their pocketbook," CTV's Chief Political Correspondent Craig Oliver.
posted by aforward @ 1:36 PM,
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Yeah But...Trans Fats Just Tastes Better
Tuesday, May 02, 2006
Why do trans fats have to be bad for you? I usually don't notice the difference between low fat things and their regular fat counterparts but I do know when my deep-fried dinner has not been soaked in trans-fatty acids first.
posted by aforward @ 11:45 AM,
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Sports Nibbles
NHL: The top two seeds in the Western Conference have been eliminated
NBA: The Clippers won thier first Play Offf series in 30 years
MLB: Johnny Damon Returned to Fenway
Football: Michael Ballack to Chelsea?
posted by aforward @ 10:19 AM,
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A Weekend with Family, Friends and Hobbies
Monday, May 01, 2006
Had some friends over to open our patio for the summer. (Sweet italian couple that are moving to Vancouver.)
Andrew's sister turned 30 so we spent some time with his family. Note to self: (resign from job the day after the family gathering to prevent mother-in-law happily and repeatedly informing the relatives that you just quit your job).
Painted for the first time in a year..it is for my mom for Mother's day. Andrew named the painting "stop bugging me mom" (because she's been asking me to paint her something for 3 years).
The tennis nets are up down the street from us ...so we played a few sets with predictable results. The little guy is fast improving... he may even take a set off me by the end of summer ; )
So on to this morning's walk into to work where I managed to walk into a tree branch and almost get hit by two cars... one right after the other. Picture me walking on the shoulder and two cars trying to over-take a left hand turner by using the shoulder as a passing lane. Needless to say if not for some quick feet I would have went flying. I was also reminded of why I started to take the bus to work.
posted by aforward @ 9:38 AM,
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