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| September 2004 by four20 09/27/2004, 4:25pm PDT | ||||
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| September 4, 2004:
The last two nights have been fests at the house. Last night, the French exchange student (Rolaud) brought some French girls (Camile, Emilie, Matild) over for beer and dinner. I didn't know French Girls were so pretty! There were lots of people on the front porch, music playing, a bar-b-que going and multiple conversations occuring simultaneously. Rolaud was saying that it was upon meeting me that he decided to rent a room in the house. He's an exchange student from France; seems like a really cool guy. Yin is from Shanghai China, she's only 18 years old and is the only girl in the house. Emerson is from Calgary AB and is in Toronto for school. He smokes a lot of marijuana. Chris is a friend of mine from high school. Another guy from Japan is moving in next week. I admit, its a motley crew yet we get along well. It been really fun, lots of beer and food. I cooked dinner for everyone on Thursday (Rib Eye steaks, rice, spiced beans and corn). Rolaud cooked yesterday. We constantly have people over, I'm sure the neighbors hate us by now. Oh, well. I'm trying to set an example of how to have fun. If the neighbors don't like to party, they're missing out on something that will go towards improving their quality of life. In fact, this morning, one of the neighbors walking by saw Chris, Emerson and I on the porch and said "you're still at it"? Said kind of with a smile. Things to do... - I still don't have internet access. I'll probably get the ball rolling on it this week. - I'm still unemployed. September 8, 2004: I'm waiting for my laundry to dry... I'm at a laundromat/internet place on College Street. Last night was a party. I was cooking eggplant on my cast iron pan and some lentil rice with cumin on the stove when I looked on our porch and realized there were around 20 people drinking on our porch. They were mostly French and German exchange students who were visiting Roland (the French Roomate). My best friend (who lives two blocks away) came over too. I invited some girls from a few houses down (also U of T students) to come over for a drink. I've told the roomates that they should never hesitate to invite people over for some good times. The neighbors really hate us now. However, I'm a diplomat and they actually enjoy that we (the tenants) are maintaining the property (unlike the landlady). I've christened our house the Lippincott Social Club. Quite frankly, it has been rather social and jovial. Please, don't hesitate to visit me! Call me! 416-XXX-XXXX I'm still looking for work. I went to so many places yesterday and only two accepted my resume. September 10, 2004: After yet another fest at my place last night, there's going to be one again tonight! We'll be drinking from around 8 or 9PM and then going to the Dance Cave tonight. Come meet my roomates and some splendid French boys and girls! Also, I have some guests coming too. I've befriended a girl named Tanya who's only been in Toronto for four days (including today). She's 19 yrs old and doesn't know many people in Toronto. She's acutally a model. I'd like for her to meet some new friends! She was over last night and had a splendid time. I don't have any Internet access, so you'll have to call my cell phone 416-XXX-XXXX. Its also B.Y.O.B (Bring your own brew). Of course there are extras, but the house ran out of alcohol last night. P.S. I have an international calling card, if anyone would like to receive a surprise phone call/greetings, please post your number on this entry. September 13, 2004: The Party from 9PM to 12PM was huge! Sixty people showed up. It was only a meeting place before the Dance Cave. More new international exchange students came over. The countries represented were: Norway, Sweeden, Finland, Belgium, Australia, England, France, Germany and Hong Kong. Overall, there were more Girls than Boys! Everyone brought over beer and wine. The next day, I had more than $30 of beer bottles to return for the deposit. Borrowing a dolly from the Beer Store and returning the bottles isn't a problem for me (its income for someone that's unemployed). One of the best parts of the night was walking to the Dance Cave from our place. We walked as a MOB! I stopped traffic in both directions to cross College Street (while drinking a Miller Genuine Draft). It was quite the sight! People were cheering us on and awed at the assembled youth drinking on the streets! The next large fest will be two Fridays from now. It will be our house warming where I will also say a few words and lead a toast! Almost all of them have also never had Thanksgiving and Halloween, so there will also be fests for those occasions! All of you are welcome to be my guests of honor and meet some wholesome international girls and boys! P.S. Pics to come when I get High Speed Access in my room on Thursday. September 14, 2004: I don't know what is happening to the world. That is, there are too many incincere people. FUCK! WHAT DO YOU FUCKING WANT! Don't take my resume and say that I can work there or give the run around! Why don't you just make a fucking decision on the spot and say "yes" or "no". It doesn't take a PH D in serving coffee to work in a coffee place; I can learn how to. Back in the day, someone came from the "old country" looking for work and got it. I'm sincere, I want to work! I have to pay rent! I might also have to drop my class and not finish my degree too because of money. How much fucking skill do you need for a job that is "unskilled" labor? My threshold is at its minimum. I've snapped a few times now. Last night, I couldn't sleep. I'm sincere! LET ME WORK! September 16, 2004: The job search has been relentless. I get on my bike and roll through back alleyways or just walk into kitchens looking for work. Not much luck. I did something differnt today... At Future's Cafe, I gave an 8 1/2" X 11" inch envelope addressed to the owner. In it was my resume and a earnest plea written on the back of an artsy photo I took. I mentioned how everyplace I've went to has just given me the run around or taken my resume with no sincere intention other than using it for the bottom of the bird cage. I wrote that its obscene how places want a PH D in coffee to serve coffee or that one has to have a certain level of hipster-ness to work at places (at least that's how it seems). Lastly, I wrote how its crazy that no one gives people a break. I never thought human nature was so cold. On the Homefront, I had my High Speed Access installed today. Damn! I have a good connection, straight from the alleyway and into my room. I'm getting 2.8 Megabits per second. I also signed on to Sprint for a landline for the house today. For someone who's had not past on paper (i.e. Bank account, credit, social security payments etc) I'm starting to exist out there. I mean, I have credit now. My name will appear in the phone book, I have an account with a High Speed ISP. I have to organize bills and pay them... Its growing up fast; shock therapy fast. If only I can find work. September 19, 2004: I met some girls this afternoon on Bloor Street. Really, it was just one girl (Sara Beal) who I befriended and asked to come to the party tonight and to bring her friends. So, at the party, Liz (a friend) was commenting on "the people I invited". Others also commented (questioning) the caliber of girls I invited. Four girls came with Sara. They were all in my room drinking and dancing to Franz Ferdinand and watching porn on my computer. I thought they were so much fun and really nice. Acting on curiosity, I just asked how old the girls were. One said she was 19. But I later found out they were 17. I said that I don't care how old they are, I invited them and want them to have fun. Right after that, I had to turn off the music temporarily because of a noise complaint. The girls thought I was kicking them out. Sara freaked out and was leaving. I touched her elbow and she angrily said "don't touch me". I tried to calm her down outside but she was upset. I ended up yelling "I didn't do anything" and walked away... I threw a bottle at the house and went back inside. It felt like my night was ruined. Regardless of who I invite, I want all guests to have fun. September 21, 2004: So I went to "The Bagel" today and tried it out for around 2 1/2 hrs. I like it! I'm a short order cook! My job is primarily to make salads, grilled cheese, toast, waffles, and cook: bacon, ham, sausages. The first order I cooked was a grilled cheese sandwich. I'm going in early tommorow, 7:30AM to learn from the Lee (Chinese lady) how to start make set up shop. She's been working there for 10 years and is responsible for all the Jewish food (Mazto balls, Latkas, Lox etc.) I'll learn how to make those things too (eventually). For now, I'm there to help her out. She works in the other half of the kitchen and does the eggs, soups and the harder work. The place has been around for 50 years but has reopened under new owners. So, its slow at first... They want to open it past the 8AM - 3PM hours and open late at night to serve drunken partiers. I'll be getting paid $8 per hour. Its not a lot but the boss offered to allow me to work under-the-table for now, I'll be working Mon-Wed and Friday (perhaps saturday too). I'll be part of the underground economy! It not a lot of money, but at least I only have to walk three blocks to work. I guess I'll be taking a vow of poverty. There's not much glamour in being a cook. At least I can say to people once in a while that "I'm just a cook"; just like how Steven Segal said it in "Under Siege"! The waitress is a beautiful blonde girl with low rise jeans! She seems like she'll be a fun co-worker. I was right on this one... That is, I kind of noticed she looked young. She just finished high school and its her first server job. I'd guess Sarah is 17. Oh, BTW, we happen to live on the same street! She lives on the north Lippincott St north of College St. September 22, 2004: The 8AM to 3PM work day goes by like two shakes of a lamb's tail. There's the morning rush that slows down then a lunch crowd that comes in. In between, I do things in support of my role (i.e. clean, resupply, cut things and eat). I ate after the breakfast rush and also after the lunch rush. I'm only in the kitchen for 2/3 rds of the day. Its cool, because the boss sends me out to Kensington Market to buy fruit, eggs and meats from a commercial meat packer. I get to go on walks, have a smoke, make phone calls etc. It wasn't that tiring of a day. It was fun to get to know Sara, the waitress who I thought was 17; it turns out she's 21. She said she saw my house last night while walking on my street (we live on the same street). Its a perk to work with a pretty girl. I admit, I did look/thing about her in an unappropriate boy kind of manner. I'm so tired... but not from work. When I got home, I borrowed a dolly from "The Beer" store so that I could return a large amount of bottles and buy dinner for everyone using the deposit refund. I then went to Kensington Market and bought, pork loin end chops, chicken and corn on the cob. I then cooked for all my house mates: bar-b-que pork & chicken (different styles), rice & kidney beans with fresh thyme cooked in chicken broth and blanched the corn. There was no bar-b-que sauce so I made an improvised one: pasta sauce, sugar, ground cumin, vinegar, dark hot peppers etc. The sauce turned out pretty good. I always like getting all the housemates together for the purpose of breaking bread. However, with work, I don't know if I want to cook much more. So sitting in my air conditioned room, after a glass of wine with the housemates and a drop in visitor, I really feel like I've earned my sleep tonight! September 23, 2004: Next week, I'll be staring work at Future Bakery and Cafe. I'll be a buser and dishwasher. I can only do part-time work since I have the day job... Even if I got good full-time hours at Future, I cant just bail on a small business owner tyring to get his place going. So, for three days a week, I'll have days where all I do is work, take a break, then go to work then sleep for a few hours. I really want to work there because its a fun place. I have yet to find out how much I'll be making, but at least I'll get gratuities at Futures. I'm sure I can also arrange with the boss to work "under the table"; I love this whole tax evasion thing! On the whole, this entire work thing is quite a shock. I mean, the money will be good. Not that I need lotsa money. I admit I'm kind of frugal in that I don't buy things often. The only thing I buy is tobbacco and alcochol; both account for 90 percent of my disposable income. I saw my credit report on Tuesday. Its acutally quite shocking because I have credit now, and haven't missed a payment on anything since I've been on record. On my record, there's no record of employment at all--- all it says is that I pay my bills on time and it shocking knows that I go by "Joe Yance" instead of the official "Johannes Yance IV". I'm just kidding, there's no Roman numeral IV in my name. I think I'm going to start putting my name down like that on offical forms... September 26th, 2004: Date: Wed, 22 Sep 2004 14:40:25 -0400 From: Jenny To: Johannes Subject: hey Hey Joe- I said that I would email you sorry it took so log I am busy. I just don't want to lose touch with you or what I am really scared of is losing your friendship. give me your msn so we can talk online. mine is JennyB7. well got to go to class talk to youlater. Love Jenny What's going to happen when she come to live in Toronto in December? I mean, I told her we can be roomates when she comes in December; However, that was back in August. She knows that she can stay with me and probably will. Its complicated because where will she sleep? Even though we're just friends, it wouldn't be appropriate to sleep in the same bed. |
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