I fail to understand the draw to Toronto, ON.
I do see that there are many festivals and niches throughout the city that may be of interest to travelers, but the need to live and grow (if there is room) doesn't seem believable.
Any Torontonian will defend this city till the death, but I see it more as those times when you feel strongly about something even though you know its not good or right so you simply defend it harder, trying to convince both yourself and others. Torontonians and Maple leafs fans are the same sort of people (and many are in fact, the same people); cheering for something that you know is no good but feel a strong need to be patriotic and stand up for your roots. There is a time in everyone's life where they need to realize that, yes, the maple leafs and Toronto do suck, there is not much chance of either getting better, and its time to move onto something worth cheering for.
For example:
I went for coffee with a friend today. This coffee shop (called Snakes & Lattes - I do strongly recommend it) is 15 minutes from my house down Bloor. I gave myself 20 minutes to get there; it took 45. What is the point in having so many roads if they are constantly under construction? I then made the mistake of trying to avoid Bloor and making my way down to the Gardener Expressway. About 45 minutes later I had made it approximately 5kms (generally a 5 minute drive). For a coffee shop that is only 15 minutes from my house I am unsure why it took me 1 hour. I blame the construction in part, but the other 90% is on the drivers shoulders.
I have been a lot of places on this earth and nowhere, I mean nowhere, have I encountered so many people with the inability to drive, AND I LIVED IN HONGCOUVER FOR A MONTH! If I were to believe in any contagious disease sweeping the city it would be whatever deadly bug is living on the Toronto Drivers License. It appears that when you receive one of these cards all common sense, morality, and 90% of your ability to make the right decision are suddenly sucked from you and thrown out the window of the car that you are having difficulty maneuvering in a reasonable fashion.
I would say that today was 2 hours of my life I will never get back, but I am going to expand that into 'This Degree is 4 years of my life that I will never get back'.
Not all things Toronto are bad. Like I said, Snakes & Lattes is fantastic. I do rather enjoy the Kingsway area, and Humber college is a beautiful place.
People keep asking me if I plan to stay in Toronto when i finish school. Here is my answer: I would like to move to West Vancouver where the trees are plentiful and the people are fewer and father in between. I would then like to live in Calgary when it is time to raise a family. If those two places are inaccessible for whatever reason I would opt to live in Victoria, Hawaii, Nova Scotia, Ottawa, any US State, Mexico, Africa, the Middle East, South Korea, or even maybe North Korea... and if all of those fail. I may live in the outskirts of Toronto. Does that answer the question?
But my fingers are crossed for West Vancouver.
And now would be the time to finish up my homework, watch some tv, and send positive messages into the universe that the 401 is not busy heading West tomorrow (Sunday) morning, cause if it is? well... its hard to blog from a noose.
Fair thee well.
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Monday, September 5, 2011
Hell hath frozen over.
I thought I was living in Toronto, one of the most thriving cities in Canada, but apparently it's more like Bonnyville Alberta, everything being closed on holidays. And when I say everything I mean everything...
After a flight to Ottawa, a drive to my cottage, a drive to Toronto through traffic, a trip to the grocery store, and a short night sleep (due to having thin curtains that keep no light out) I woke up with the intent to unpack and get fully settled. It may be true that I have 4 closets in my room, however, with towels, sheets, shoes, jackets, ringette equipment, and empty boxes filling three of them I found that my last closet filled up faster then I had expected. I soon realized that 1) I may have brought too many clothes 2) I definitely brought too many shoes and 3) I needed to go to Walmart to get storage containers for my underwear and other small garments.
I turned off my music, locked the door, and set out to get the finishing touches for my room so that I may feel completely stress free and unpacked. I also decided I would return to Sobeys and pick up a few items that I had forgotten the previous day.
Turning into the mall parking lot and being the only car in sight was disheartening, but I did not fear, Walmart was behind the building and I am sure many people were doing last minute shopping. As I rounded the corner no cars became visible in the parking lot near Walmart and as I pulled up in front I soon found myself to be the only one in sight other then a few other disheartened passing cars reading the 'Closed on Labor Day' sign on the Walmart doors. This just couldn't be. It's Walmart for god sakes. These are the people that are open 24/7 and even hire people to greet you as you come in, no WAY would they be closed, AND THE DAY BEFORE SCHOOL! This is absurd.
I call my mom who brushes me off and is happy that they are closed so people don't have to work on Labor Day, which is fair but no less frustrating. I proceed to call my boyfriend who apparently JUST left Walmart... in Calgary. Sigh... Toronto is not setting itself up to improve its reputation in my books.
None the less, I need this shelf. My mom had suggested Canadian Tire. Perfect, there was one only a few blocks away. I couldn't see the Canadian tire parking lot behind the Taco Bell buildings but it was open so I felt pretty good turning off the road. This joyous feeling however was short lived, for the second I hit the driveway I again found it to be deserted. I mean really. If Taco Bell is open wouldn't you think Canadian Tire would be? Or at the VERY least Walmart? *sigh*
Fine. I shall leave the pile of underwear on the floor until tomorrow. At least I can look forward to some nice oysters on crackers tonight with a side of the greek salad I had attempted to make last night (I had forgotten to buy crackers and feta cheese). So, off to sobeys I go. Back onto the Queensway for the 3rd time in the last 15 minutes, empty handed, and on to the grocery store.
I pull up to the Sobeys parking lot and what do you know, there are 2 cars there. Perfect, somebody in their right mind doesnt shut down a major chain for a tiny holiday the day before all schools go back. I park, get out of my car, and walk up to the door. Doors don't open. Sign on door says 'Closed for Labor Day'. WHAT THE HELLLLLLLLLLLL. Those two cars must have been parked there for the Swiss Chalet next door, because apparently Swiss Chalet is important enough to be open and a major grocery store is not.
So. Back in my car, no storage, no groceries, and less time and gas then when I had set out on this disastrous quest.
I head back home. My house is on the corner of a one way street. To turn off of the main road would be going the wrong way down this one way street for about 5 feet so I usually just do it since its about 5 blocks shorter then going around. Happy to be getting home I begin to round the corner when I see 3 people standing in my driveway talking, and in this neighbourhood you dont want to be caught going down the wrong way, these people call the police if your garbage is out a day early. So I quickly correct back onto the main road and, having missed the turn, drive up 2 blocks to turn around, drive back past my house, down 3 blocks, and around the long way.
Finally. Back home. Empty handed. I need a tea. Oh wait... the man I subletted to stole my kettle. Right. Ok... boiling water on the stove. Have to pee. Phone rings. Distracted. Whats that smell? Something burning? Am I having a stroke? nope...Ah... an empty pot on a red hot stove... All water evaporated. No tea tonight. I give up.
These last two incidences were not caused by the unnecessary Labor Day shut down, I admit, but I do blame them still, because if it were not for this holiday I would not be out in a bad mood and may have been more clear.
Ps: Made status about Walmart being closed. Friend living in small town Ontario notifies me that his Walmart is open. So let me get this straight. Calgary AB's Walmart's are open and Nowheresville ON's Walmart's are open, but Toronto ON (Yes folks... Canada's New York) has closed theirs?
That's it. I am going to lay down on my pile of clothes. Goodnight.
After a flight to Ottawa, a drive to my cottage, a drive to Toronto through traffic, a trip to the grocery store, and a short night sleep (due to having thin curtains that keep no light out) I woke up with the intent to unpack and get fully settled. It may be true that I have 4 closets in my room, however, with towels, sheets, shoes, jackets, ringette equipment, and empty boxes filling three of them I found that my last closet filled up faster then I had expected. I soon realized that 1) I may have brought too many clothes 2) I definitely brought too many shoes and 3) I needed to go to Walmart to get storage containers for my underwear and other small garments.
I turned off my music, locked the door, and set out to get the finishing touches for my room so that I may feel completely stress free and unpacked. I also decided I would return to Sobeys and pick up a few items that I had forgotten the previous day.
Turning into the mall parking lot and being the only car in sight was disheartening, but I did not fear, Walmart was behind the building and I am sure many people were doing last minute shopping. As I rounded the corner no cars became visible in the parking lot near Walmart and as I pulled up in front I soon found myself to be the only one in sight other then a few other disheartened passing cars reading the 'Closed on Labor Day' sign on the Walmart doors. This just couldn't be. It's Walmart for god sakes. These are the people that are open 24/7 and even hire people to greet you as you come in, no WAY would they be closed, AND THE DAY BEFORE SCHOOL! This is absurd.
I call my mom who brushes me off and is happy that they are closed so people don't have to work on Labor Day, which is fair but no less frustrating. I proceed to call my boyfriend who apparently JUST left Walmart... in Calgary. Sigh... Toronto is not setting itself up to improve its reputation in my books.
None the less, I need this shelf. My mom had suggested Canadian Tire. Perfect, there was one only a few blocks away. I couldn't see the Canadian tire parking lot behind the Taco Bell buildings but it was open so I felt pretty good turning off the road. This joyous feeling however was short lived, for the second I hit the driveway I again found it to be deserted. I mean really. If Taco Bell is open wouldn't you think Canadian Tire would be? Or at the VERY least Walmart? *sigh*
Fine. I shall leave the pile of underwear on the floor until tomorrow. At least I can look forward to some nice oysters on crackers tonight with a side of the greek salad I had attempted to make last night (I had forgotten to buy crackers and feta cheese). So, off to sobeys I go. Back onto the Queensway for the 3rd time in the last 15 minutes, empty handed, and on to the grocery store.
I pull up to the Sobeys parking lot and what do you know, there are 2 cars there. Perfect, somebody in their right mind doesnt shut down a major chain for a tiny holiday the day before all schools go back. I park, get out of my car, and walk up to the door. Doors don't open. Sign on door says 'Closed for Labor Day'. WHAT THE HELLLLLLLLLLLL. Those two cars must have been parked there for the Swiss Chalet next door, because apparently Swiss Chalet is important enough to be open and a major grocery store is not.
So. Back in my car, no storage, no groceries, and less time and gas then when I had set out on this disastrous quest.
I head back home. My house is on the corner of a one way street. To turn off of the main road would be going the wrong way down this one way street for about 5 feet so I usually just do it since its about 5 blocks shorter then going around. Happy to be getting home I begin to round the corner when I see 3 people standing in my driveway talking, and in this neighbourhood you dont want to be caught going down the wrong way, these people call the police if your garbage is out a day early. So I quickly correct back onto the main road and, having missed the turn, drive up 2 blocks to turn around, drive back past my house, down 3 blocks, and around the long way.
Finally. Back home. Empty handed. I need a tea. Oh wait... the man I subletted to stole my kettle. Right. Ok... boiling water on the stove. Have to pee. Phone rings. Distracted. Whats that smell? Something burning? Am I having a stroke? nope...Ah... an empty pot on a red hot stove... All water evaporated. No tea tonight. I give up.
These last two incidences were not caused by the unnecessary Labor Day shut down, I admit, but I do blame them still, because if it were not for this holiday I would not be out in a bad mood and may have been more clear.
Ps: Made status about Walmart being closed. Friend living in small town Ontario notifies me that his Walmart is open. So let me get this straight. Calgary AB's Walmart's are open and Nowheresville ON's Walmart's are open, but Toronto ON (Yes folks... Canada's New York) has closed theirs?
That's it. I am going to lay down on my pile of clothes. Goodnight.
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