Pure randomness rambles

What's up Peeps!

DISCLAIMER: SWEAR WORDS. Just being myself in this one, if you are offended by cursing, just move along and wait for the next one.

That's officially it, the end of my lazy days in sight. Both sad and relieved at the same time but I got the call. Since I started to write a ton again, I have a hard time to go to sleep at night. When I was reading lots, I was in bed at 9 pm like an old person...well I am kinda old anyway...haha. the last week or 2 been more like 4 am. The fact that there is a crazy arsonist on the loose that burned down 4 domiciles across the street probably doesn't help my cause.

Last night followed the trend of I CAN'T SLEEP, I'm pretty used to it tho, toss and turn, get up for a smoke, try again...Eventually when the sun comes up and then I finally drift off to dream land. Then 9 am ... ring ring ring. I better get that might be work. Indeed it was finally. The work season has been delayed by a moth meaning I'm going to have to freeze my ass off until November but I was starting to worry if I was even going to get a contract before fall's end. I try my best not to work in winter because I work outside...In the cold...At night. Bla.

I'm extra tired today because yesterday was the same deal, toss and turn until the morning light and this time it was the door bell. My neighborhood has become a bit sketchy the last few years, especially with the homeless camps popping up all around here. I suppose I should be thankful I have a home. But some of these homeless are druggies and some young man was at the door asking for a glass of water and then asking to come in. It was obvious he was on something, I could tell by his eyes and the scabs on his face.

Heavy drugs in my city has become a bad problem over the years. Even down in the tiny villages of Eastern Canada, people are going missing and then found dead...generally pegged to drug use. Unfortunate. Back to the young man, I felt a little bad. He was asking to come in because he felt unsafe. Promised I was safe with him...I don't think so yo. I wanted to believe him and he seemed to be looking over his shoulder but at the same time, a strange man on drugs that could over power me easily? Sorry bro. I said I'll get you some water but you can't come in.

I offered to call the cops for him if he felt unsafe and he shook his head NOO! One more reason to not let him in, if he had said yes, perhaps I would have helped him out and let him in. What would you have done? I like to help people but I also don't like to put myself in a vulnerable state either. I hope he's ok, I gave him a big glass of water in a cup I didn't care about so he could just take it and go, as he left I prayed that he finds the strength to clean his life up. Part of me also didn't want what he was running from on my doorstep either. Doesn't take much to get a gun pointed at your face being a good Samaritan in Edmonton. Had it happen before at a bar putting a beat up drunk kid in a cab. Yeah this city is a little rough and not really getting any better.

It used to be more downtown but now it has moved into suburbia too. A few months ago, I was on my way to work and wanted some fried chicken for breakfast, mind you breakfast was 6pm as I tend to work nights, I hate early mornings. On my way, there was a guy passed out on the sidewalk with his head in a red puddle. Freaked me right the fuck out and as quickly as we saw him, we stopped and called for emergency services. After spending 20 minutes on the phone to a bunch of brick walls as I got transferred 4 times and having to explain the same thing over and over again and answering the same dumb question, Does he have a weapon? I don't know and I'm not going there to find out, he's a big dude and once again, I will find a way to help without putting myself in danger.

Half a heart attack later, he jumps up like nothing and starts air punching, turns out the red puddle was paint and it only looked like a pool of blood coming out of his head because it was raining. He was fucked right out of his skull. I'm glad I didn't get out of the vehicle to find out if he was armed. In the end, emergency services didn't even come. What a messed up city, good thing I wasn't in trouble and needing them for myself. Sad state of affairs.

Our no good provincial government like to pocket money and disperse it to their rich bff's in the form of corporate welfare which in turn pocket the money and cut jobs because they only made 2.5 billion in quarterly profits rather than the anticipated 4 billion. What you SOB's ain't broke! Meanwhile police presence is short handed, in the middle of covid, they also cut the health care budget. This year with the worst wildfire season in Canadian history, they cut fire fighting efforts and with much of the wildfires near Indigenous villages going unattended to.

I swear, they are trying to wipe us, the people out...Create hardships for the common people. Part of me thinks it's a land grab strategy with the crown land disputes with the Indigenous, let it all burn and then claim it. Pretty sick narrative. What happened to the politically correct human rights champion of a country they claim? Could have fooled me, bunch of hypocrites. Many lost their homes and have been on evacuation order living out of hotel rooms with their children for several months until they can return to their village and see if their home is burned down. I was watching a documentary on it yesterday, heartbreaking shit. B-C is in the same boat.

We always have a wildfire season but it's gotten worse over the last few years. They claim global warming is the cause but I suspect many of them also being arson, it's actually been a cooler summer this year. It has been a theme here that many fires that turn out of control end up to be found deliberately set. A few years back, a historic trestle bridge was deliberately set on fire by the fire chief's son that was newly a firefighter himself so he could go put it out and be a hero to his hometown. That's not what happened tho, much of it burned down putting many at risk as it got out of control.

It's been pretty smoky here but no fires near the city thankfully but the air quality here has been too shitty to spend considerable amount of time outside and enjoy it along with blocking the sun turning it some weird apocalyptical red color. The US West coast is on fire to, so we are surrounded in a sense, doesn't matter which way the wind blows, we're getting smoked out regardless. Winter will be rolling in soon enough, that should help put out the fires.

I have been trying to save $$ to buy a house someplace but the more I save the higher the prices go. I was looking at house prices after the local arsons, to move out of here to a decent neighborhood would run up close to 300k for a townhouse in a less deteriorating neighborhood, to stay in this one bordering the same park where the other houses burned down would still run about 200k but then it's the same shitty neighborhood.

I looked at prices down east in my hometown, where there is no job and lower minimum wage would still run up about 250k. What? Crazy stuff. Part of my problem probably is the fact that I'm trying to buy out right with no mortgage. I'm not sure if it's smart or a dumb strategy. Maybe I'll be lucky and the bottom will fallout eventually and the prices will crash when everyone is broke. The Total household debt of Canada has surpassed the GDP, maybe I'm on to something. Everyone is already broke. In the meantime, I'm in saving mode...Just in case I'm right. Sometimes I feel bad waiting for people's demise to get ahead.

I don't wish for it tho, I just read the writing on the wall and try to play it to my advantage when the opportunity arises. That's my special skill in life having to fight and claw for everything I have. I have a tendency to turn shit into gold...eventually. It's patience game tho. Like playing financial Russian roulette while I try to set myself up for retirement at some point. I don't care much about the "now" but all my steps are always about the future. Like my big Min-Min waiting for his mice, I can sit and wait forever until it's the perfect time to strike.

Our federal narcissist in chief made some dumb speech on we need to work towards affordable housing meanwhile trying to pass a bill in parliament to add a "new build" tax that would increase the prices of housing by as much as 35k per home. It's like they say one thing that sounds nice and do another. there is no way to win really, fucked if you do, fucked if you don't. All the carbon taxes over carbon taxes has made life unaffordable to the lower class and mostly wiping out the middle class. Groceries are almost impossible, so is gas and of course everything has gone up in price considerable except wages.

My friend and neighbor came over for a chat a few days ago, bragging about his $400 raise per month at his new job but then how crushing it was that he was no better off because life cost more extra than that nowa days. Poor guy, single income with two young kids, I feel for him. We actually got a decent raise this year but it still doesn't really keep up. After a decade of them clawing back at wages, they realized nobody wanted to work for them so they had to give us an increase. The rental company here is trying to increase everyone's rent by $300 per month, another reason why I want to get out of here and stop renting.

These additional carbon taxes we have been paying is supposed to be to help combat the effects and additional costs of global warming yet they are not spending on any of that, just feeding their own pockets and their corporate friends again. I can't believe this band of thieves are still there meanwhile cutting budgets on necessary services. Half of my wages go to income taxes along with the additional taxes hidden in carbon tax already included in the prices of goods, as the production costs go up, of course that gets transferred to consumers. I wouldn't be shocked if in total 70% of my income goes to taxes one way or another. How is this even fair? No wonder everything is going to shit around here. Ppl are fed up but not fed up enough to do anything about it.

The irony, when I travel to the National Parks, I like to speak with their representatives, to learn about different things about the landscape and what's happening, a lot of it to bring you information and explain many of the processes I explain in my travel posts. They are pretty knowledgeable overall, everyone of them and always glad to speak to visitors that ask. I do love that part but sometimes I make sure to grill and call them on their own bullshit too.

Last summer while in Banff, I had such conversation and they brought up the global warming problem that has been eroding at the glaciers, I probably brought up the topic because they have been melting at an alarming rate. I have over a decade of pictures recording their retreat over the years and it's actually pretty bad and melting fast. Parts that were once covered in permafrost are bare dirt now and it is worry some as we lose an important water source little by little.

Of course I asked if global warming was responsible and of course they started going on that theme. I then stopped her mid speech and asked, Well if you think global warming is an issue, how about those half a dozen big busses along with the heat transferred by the feet of the 40+ tourists per bus hourly along with the warm exhaust from the constant travel? Isn't that drastically aggravating the problem? Aren't you here for conservation as a primary function not tourism? Her jaw dropped and she didn't know what to say. She never answered and just put her head down. Yeah I thought so.

I don't go to Banff much because they are no longer about conservation, it's all about MONEY MONEY MONEY why I prefer Jasper. Banff is almost impossible to even navigate thru the last few years. I find their global warming and the melting of the Athabasca glacier a crock of poopoo. I mean it's real indeed but they are far from helping the cause. The only reason I still go is because we can get a decent price on an apartment from a friend for the week and it's so freakin beautiful but we mostly go off season because we get too irritated. Last year we went in tourist season because we were displaying it to out of province relatives for the first time. I will make a few posts about that if I have time. I did get to visit some places like gardens that are only available in the warm summer months.

Well that post got out of hand pretty quick! I was coming here to share pictures of my birdies! My wild pets and the big Min-Min. It's been pretty cold and windy today, it didn't stop anyone tho. After my work call I tried to go back to sleep but couldn't, it was already too late, I was too awake at this point, might as well get up and do something semi-productive even if it's just to do my own little thing. I have been trying to cut down on coffee here and there, it had been 3 days coffee free, I thought rather than go a 4th day, I would treat myself to a nice cup of java water.

I have a French press, it eliminates paper filters, garbage and all the bla bla bla only producing organic garbage, I highly recommend it. Anyhow, back on topic, I was waiting for my wonderful brew to steep and gain flavor, I thought I would do an easy peanut round since the blue jays and squirrel love the easy pickings so much. I did hear the jays since they announce themselves pretty loudly. Good timing I thought...And I was right! I did get some pretty good shots of him, only one this morning. Along with my jay, I also finally found my finches!

There is still some green in the trees but many are turning pretty yellow and the ground is covered in falling leaves, it adds color to my photography, looks pretty for now. The big Min-Min is so mesmerized by the birds, it's cute to watch. I make sure he doesn't go after the birds too, he's pretty good tho. He's supposed to be on a diet since the vet referred to him as THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM, too funny but it's not easy, feeding him less means he'll go get his fill outside.

That sick bastard brought a dead mouse in the house last night to play with it in the hallway, purring while he's doing it too like some sicko I might add . Look mum, I get my own toys! ewww cat. Take that filthy thing outside before I take your snack aka toy away. He understands a few words and outside is one of those. Luckily he picked it back up and went outside with it. Gross. I love him to pieces tho, he's too cute most of the time but he certainly still has a part of his wilderness despite learning how to be a proper pet.

Give and take I guess, I don't want to be that controlling to my pet to take an outdoor kitty in to help him and completely remove him from his natural self. I watched him once and he often swallows that thing whole while it's still alive and screaming in his throat like he's a boa constrictor or something. A rather disturbing sight. I can't understand how he still chokes on his tiny crunchies. Then I tell him how much of a cutie he is after...omg, the irony. Nature sure has it's dark aspects along with the beauty.

I ended up enjoying a rather lukewarm to cold coffee cup but it was worth it. I had to restock the easy pickings twice. I was debating since I'm up early if I might go for a walk to the near-by park and get a few shots of the ducks and geese before they fly south for the winter. Obviously the gooselings are all grown up and doing their practice flights before getting on their first long journey (not homeless camp park tho...haha). Luckily, Edmonton has no shortage of green spaces for us to and wildlife to share. It might be a bit too windy for me to really want to go out there but the day is still young, We'll see I guess.

In a few days, there is this cool looking pumpkin carving exhibit that will be going on until Halloween, looks like I should have time to visit before work begins while they are still fresh if there is still tickets available. Hopefully, it looks really cool and would love to bring this exhibit to the Hive map. We get many off the wall exhibits here. The culture here is always interesting with what new concept pops up. The city itself isn't much to look at with the boring architecture but the weird festivals, multitude of concerts, sports and other events we get makes it worth visiting and living here. It's always a surprise. I love the vibrancy around here.

All images taken with Nikon Z6 paired with Nikkor 300mm lens.

As always, thanks for ALL your support, peace out! xox