I wore a tie the other day, and… it wasn’t good. You know how you sometimes wake up, and can’t talk very well? The words just don’t flow like they did the day before? I was in one of those zones, and struggled. I was blubbering and flailing like a protruding-forehead idiot.
But, of course, I am my own worst critic — I ALWAYS think I suck — so who knows? It probably wasn’t as big a disaster as it seemed. I wouldn’t be surprised if I make it to the next bracket, and I wouldn’t be surprised if I don’t. Time will tell. Thankfully, the stakes aren’t all that high.
Last week iTunes stopped working for me. It wouldn’t open, and I couldn’t update my iPod. That thing is my sanity box; if I don’t have my iPod at work, all bets are off. I listened to Marc Maron and Adam Carolla through their phone apps, but don’t like carrying around that big-ass thing.
I spent hours trying to figure out the problem. I was getting a “runtime error” message, and there’s no shortage of articles and forum discussions about the subject. I downloaded a couple of programs designed to fix it, but they did nothing except install malware on my computer.
Needless to say, I was losing my shit. It was making me full-on crazy. Finally I snapped, and uninstalled every Apple program on my machine. I didn’t care if I lost my entire iTunes library, I’d freaking had it. I just sorted everything by company name, and shitcanned all things Apple. Like “Bonjour.” WTF?
Then I reinstalled iTunes only, and it worked. Everything was still there, all my music and podcast information. And I’m back in business. Sometimes a hissy-fit pays dividends. I think Teddy Roosevelt first said that.
One thing’s for sure, though: iTunes is a turd. There’s mythology out there that says it’s the perfect program, but it ain’t. It’s responsible for the loss of more of my stomach lining than just about anything computer-related. Well, maybe not the Russian hackers… but it’s close.
You know these Amazon links I’m always going on and on about? Well, I had a small amount of money due to me from Amazon Canada, $38 to be exact. However… they recently changed their rules, and will no longer do direct deposits to American bank accounts. Also, they won’t cut a check until you reach $100. It would take me three years to get to that level.
So, I went with the third option: an Amazon.ca gift certificate. I figured I could buy some Quality Street candy, or maybe some Kindle books, or something.
Wrong. They won’t let Americans shop in their Kindle store. And they also won’t ship food down here. Probably some government regulation… So, I got a great idea: my laptop needs a new battery. I’ll snag one of those. Perfect!
Nope. They won’t ship batteries to American addresses, either. Sweet sainted mother of Buddy Hinton! I’m getting cock-blocked from every direction.
I thought about grabbing a couple of CDs, but they’re shockingly expensive. It might be my only option, though. CDs, or a book or two. The prices feel extremely high to me, and I don’t buy too many physical books or CDs these days, anyway. But I don’t know what else to do.
Any creative suggestions on how I could spend my $38 Canadian? Help me out, won’t you?
Also, what are your thoughts on doing things by yourself. Yeah, I know… insert joke here. I’m talking about eating in restaurants, or going to movies. Or even concerts. I have no issue with any of those things. I’ve never been to a giant arena concert alone, but have gone solo to plenty of club shows.
What are your thoughts on this? I know people who simply cannot do any of these things by themselves. Can you? Tell us about it, won’t you?
And I’m going to work now. See you guys again next time.
Have a great day!
Now playing in the bunker
Treat yourself to something cool at Amazon!
I am today’s winner. Thank you.
Maybe you could buy the film Canadian Bacon.
Don’t go making jokes about “Canadian Bacon” or they’ll bring up “American Cheese”.
I enjoy golfing and fishing alone. I also enjoy engaging in these activities with a buddy or my son, but a little solitude and fresh air is nice every once in awhile. Going to the movies alone is like going with another person: Once the movie starts, you don’t really even notice the company you might be with. Unless they are eating all of the popcorn.
When I eat out by myself I always sit at the bar. That way I don’t feel like a loser, even though I still am.
As much as I like to be alone, I usually hate doing things in public alone. I need someone with me to make sure any attention is sent their way.
My wife hates both Giant Buffet Company Incorporated and Denny’s. I don’t mind going to the Golden Coral alone, it’s easy to be part of the herd there.
But sometimes I want some Infinite Pancakes for $4, and have to go to Denny’s by myself. I’ll sit quickly in a far out table, tell my server what I want and to bring my check with the first plate, then just keep bringing pancake plates every time they walk into the room until I disappear.
I don’t even go to the movies anymore. I have neither the interest or cash to be messing with that. When I used to go, I would refuse to go into a movie by myself. I grew up on MST3K, so the way I learned to watch a movie was to be a sarcastic ass the whole time. (It’s okay, I’m really funny so it isn’t annoying.) If I was alone with a room full of people, I wouldn’t have anyone to talk to. But, if it was during the $1 Tuesday Matinée with free nacho plate, then the price would overtake my desire for company.
Concerts are the opposite of everything else. I HATE going to concerts with people. I want to be able to lose myself and become part of the mass. I can’t do that with somebody asking me I fi want a coke or if I want to go to the bathroom all the fucking time.
I read on the interwebs that it is freeking cold out your way. Maybe you can order and official Bob & Doug McKenzie toque.
I hope you get what you want from the necktie escapades.
*steps up on soapbox* Why not wait three years until you have a hundred dollars versus spending $38 on something you really don’t want? *steps off soapbox*
I was going to say music via MP3 but that’s prolly not compatible with iTunes so for get that.
I won’t eat anywhere alone that’s considered “nice”. Just don’t want to feel like a loser even though I’m perfectly happy being single. Not sure why I feel like a loser? Fuck’em, I’m going someplace nice… next weekend.
Movies I just don’t go to single or not because you know, other humans with no manners. Yeah, those fuckers love going to the movies. That and $8 popcorn.
Amazon MP3 downloads are compatible. My daughter uses ITunes, Rhapsody, Amazon mp3 etc all on her apple products.
If I’d known in advance I wouldn’t be able to order jack shit, I would’ve just let it ride. I assumed I’d have my run o’ the place, but everything I want is locked-down by international law.
change it into canadian tire dollars
First, I agree, I hate iTunes! A program that should be so easy to use makes things so difficult! Can’t you just give me a check box next to each song so I can decide if I want it on my IPod or not? How about a filter option for my song list? How about a shuffle option for a play list that works (the way it is suggested to do shuffle barely randomizes).
I love to do things alone, and with someone. But my wife won’t do anything without me. “I’m going to Michaels, can you go with me?”!!! Michaels???? The absolute worst store to ask a man to go to!
Jeff, ask Nancy to move back to Canada and get something for you… I thought that was on again, but we hear so little from them lately…
I miss Nancy, Nossy, and the translucents….Sunshine and Mumbles too. I feel like they’re family at this point.
I guess shipping Cuban cigars is out of the question.
I’ve never gone to a movie alone but I wouldn’t rule it out. When we’re home, Beloved and I will watch a movie we’ve never seen before and he’ll ask 7,362 questions “Who is that? Is that the brother? Why are they back at the farmhouse? Who is she married to? Or is she the single one?” until I want to reach over and throttle him 1/2 to death.
I’m sure you and your necktie did just fine. Unless, of course, you were taking a lie detector test. the blubbering and flailing won’t bode well.
A tie for a lie detector test?? Is that so they can cut you off during the test for blatant lying and hang you right there on the spot?
Trying to learn to do things solo… It’s hard after being in long term relationships. After being with someone for years & years doing things solo feels kinda sad. I can’t even sleep solo. keep making my sister sleep over at my hose (4 months now) or I let my dog on the bed (she was never allowed to before) she snors like a human so it helps… I only shop alone with out a problem…
Watta load of BS. Maybe you should shake the Amazon US chain and see if they will transfer the funds to your American account for you.
Batteries, stuff in aerosol cans, fuels (ie:for yer lighter), and a pile of other goods fall into the potentially explosive catagory so they don’t get shipped across the border. In either direction.
Maybe they can use one of those Amazon drones to get it over the border.
Forget iTunes. Forever.
There are other ways to get your music on to your iPod.
Using iTunes just encourages them. We don’t want that.
I rarely get to do things alone, unless it’s during the work day. I’m a parent with 2 youngish kids and a husband that travels. I think I would enjoy going to a movie alone. It wouldn’t even have to be animated!
Don’t mind eating, going to a bar, a movie alone. We all need a little alone time. I prefer to drive with no one yammering in the car.
Sell that damn Canada card on Ebay.
I eat by myself all the time. I have no qualms about it.
Never been to a concert alone but I have a friend that lives 5 hours away that does all the time. To far for either one of us to travel most of the time. His wife doesn’t listen to music so she won’t go.
I do go to the movies by myself. I have a lot of weekdays off and I will go to a matinee alone, many times I’m the only one in the place.
As for eating in a restaurant alone, I’ve never done it. Always get something to go.
Bonjour! What a soft, moist, warm, steaming load of technology. I have never once gotten it to work, and years ago gave up trying.
I’m not averse to eating out by myself as such, it’s just that for me the main appeal of eating out is as a social activity. So if it comes down to that situation, I’ll usually get some takeout and eat it at home.
I got nothing on the Amazon situation, although Jason’s ebay idea sounds pretty good. This is like store credit that you’re not allowed to spend. It makes me think of the coupons I get in the mail from Bad Breath and Beyond – 20% OFF!!1! screams the headline, followed by a gray block of tiny text with a long, long list of items for which this coupon is no good.
Finally – take this necktie; may it serve you well.
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Maybe you could use the 38 bux canadian to buy a case of beer, oops sorry, not enough.
Or send me a couple of T shirts, we’ll call it even, 3XL
Good luck with the necktie thing
I don’t mind at all going to restaurants alone, even nice ones, and sitting at the bar for dinner. If you are semi-regular you can often get comped for some things, or a lot of things. Double plus, it is NOT extremely rare to #$%)%&^&/ with female bar staff (and that usually only happens at nicer places).
Unrelated to discussion: today I received a copy of Consumer Reports (chicken on cover). On page 7 they had a 3 page article on fast food advertised/menu pictures versus what they actually received. Call you copyright attorney.
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine/2014/02/fast-food-not-as-pictured/index.htm
You could get a case of Molson Ice or a bottle of Canadian Club.
The Kindle thing probably has more to do with agreements with publishers than the government.
Don’t get me started on that. If the US mother station did not secure the Canadian rights to air a movie/special they repeat the same program ad naseum.
This was the first year that I did ALL of my Christmas shopping online with probably 75% of it coming from Amazon Canada. Every single time I made sure I went through the WVSR link hoping to support the site. That absolutely sucks that they won’t just cut you a cheque for the USD equivilant.
Everything in Canada costs more. Booze being the most inflated, but we pay more for cars, food, clothes, books, movies and just about everything on Amazon Canada. Which is why something like 90% of the populations lives within an hour of the US border. It’s not only to put ourselves as far south as humanly possible (sweet warmth), but it’s also so we can dart across the border and snag some US goods for, what to us is, an absolute bargain. Every single Canadian who knows anyone going “over to The States” will always ask that person if they plan on maxing-out their duty free allotment of booze. It’s punishable by 10 years in Canadian prision if you do not bring back as much cheep booze as the law allows.
I agree the EBay option seems like the best idea for the damn $38. Or see if any canucks on here want to “buy you a beer” to the tune of $25 USD or something in exchange for the gift card.
I’ve always wondered about that. It sounds like things actually cost more even with the exchange rate, and it’s not just because the word “dollar” means different things. Does Canada have VAT?
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Pricing structure before taxes even enter the picture are higher for most things.
Heres a good example, the formerly locally assembled ford crown victoria police interceptor (RIP STAP) had a price tag $2500 HIGHER than the exact same car being sold in Texas . Even with delivery charges tacked on, the CVPI in texas still sold for less than locally.
Ford claimed it was becuase of the dollar difference and lower sales volumes in Canada. With some pressure from the local area cops when they wanted to stock pile, and media asking, Ford admitted it was becuase Canadians are used to higher prices so they kept the price of the car jacked up. Welcome to Canada.
Examples abound. Napa Canada pricing is typically at least 2x or 3x US counterpart. Add rockauto into the mix, $40 (including shipping and duty) for an O2 sensor for my car vs $129 before tax price at Napa Canada. Identical part, both would be in the same box even. I can understand theres higher cost in needing to ship things in Canada and warehouse it, but it sure feels like they gouge us at every turn. Look at a full price sheet for auto parts (the one that shows manufacturer to wholesaler, to distributor, to store, to MSRP.
Yes – we have VAT. Typically around 13% on everything. But as Alex said, things here are just more money before even the VAT.
For example, 24 Miller Genuine Draft in Ontario cost $40!! Jack Daniel’s 26’er — $32. I’m guessing the same thing in The States is significantly cheaper?
You’ll usually find Canadians loading up on Booze, Groceries and Clothes when travelling in the U.S.A.
Where I live in Virginia, $40 will get you a case (24) of fancy pants microbrew and some change. I don’t know what Jack costs. An hour ago I paid 3.49 for a loaf of Pepperidge Farm “Farmhouse Sourdough” sammidge bread.
When we would visit Canada from NY in the 1980s, we would load up on Brador and Tylenol III.
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Donate the $38 to the Justin Bieber defense fund, eh.
If it keeps him in the US….