Toronto Propane Facility Explosion
This is going to be one of those Toronto moments. I was 25kms away from the blast and it sounded like thunder. My first reaction. "Dammit, rain AGAIN!?"
Thousands were evacuated from their homes.
The aftermath....
One firefighter died, an employee at the propane facility remains unaccounted for and charred unidentifiable body was found.
To make it all better, asbestos was found a day after residents were permitted to go home. Through it all a couple of class action lawsuits have been filed.
August 15, 2008
August 10, 2008
Love Me In Your Language
This happens to me often, I will wake up with a song and it becomes the theme of the day.
Kudu “Love Me In Your Language”
“Oh talk to me.
Love me in your language baby
I don’t have to understand
If you say it like a man”
Even though the weather has been completely uncooperative with rain and colder than usual summer temperatures, I am trying to make the most of this summer.
Like every year, the city has events that occur every year rain or shine. So I had the opportunity to grace Danforth Ave., for the “Taste Of Danforth”
I went with Miguel, my brooding companion, to enjoy some food and barely there music. We did our usual, talk, laugh, eat, talk, eat some more, laugh. During one of our laughing fits I caught a glance of this “chocolate delight”. Build like a quarterback, skin smooth as butter and teeth gleaming white. Reminded me of what a girlfriend of mine said “I like them so black that at night all I can see are teeth”. I was like WTHeck the first time she said it, but after seeing this specimen I understood.
He was smiling and boldly staring at me, but I looked away. I was not trying to start anything. Tried calling me over in which I completely ignored him and continued on with my conversation. Moments later, he approached. At least I wasn’t wrong with my assessment from a distance, he was handsome. He smiled nervously and nodded at Miguel.
Me: “Hi”
Him: “Allo”
Me: “Huh? Are you Haitian?”
( Even though it a broad generalization, me and Haitian dudes, a no-go, too many bad experiences.)
He smiles.
After further probing, found out he was from Senegal. I say probing because his English was a broken as broken can be. With each word he struggled with he would smile. He was real adorable. His friend approached us and was a bit more vocal and helped him along the way. He mumbled some things in French, and the next thing I knew we were exchanging numbers. We ended the conversation with a kiss on the cheek and a warm hug.
The next day I met up with him for lunch. Nothing like, having a conversation with someone and not understanding what they say, but knowing what they mean. He would start his sentences in English, then throw in a couple of French words, and then finish in complete French.
Nothing like being spoken to in a different tongue. I have always been a sucker for accents, especially if my name is said sweetly. I love my name said in Spanish and in French; makes me feel exquisite. At work we had a conversation about how anything said in Spanish sounds good. I can attest to that, especially when Chilenita is cussing.
By the end of day I was engulfed with “l'amour de votre compagnie” “vous ete magnifique” “quand pouvoir je vous vois encore” “ange” and fits of “your beautiful”.
Mind you I know if another brotha was to spit those phrases at me, I would have thought he was silly. But something about hearing things in another language just does it for me.
Enjoy the bootleg-ness.
Kudu “Love Me In Your Language”
“Oh talk to me.
Love me in your language baby
I don’t have to understand
If you say it like a man”
Even though the weather has been completely uncooperative with rain and colder than usual summer temperatures, I am trying to make the most of this summer.
Like every year, the city has events that occur every year rain or shine. So I had the opportunity to grace Danforth Ave., for the “Taste Of Danforth”
I went with Miguel, my brooding companion, to enjoy some food and barely there music. We did our usual, talk, laugh, eat, talk, eat some more, laugh. During one of our laughing fits I caught a glance of this “chocolate delight”. Build like a quarterback, skin smooth as butter and teeth gleaming white. Reminded me of what a girlfriend of mine said “I like them so black that at night all I can see are teeth”. I was like WTHeck the first time she said it, but after seeing this specimen I understood.
He was smiling and boldly staring at me, but I looked away. I was not trying to start anything. Tried calling me over in which I completely ignored him and continued on with my conversation. Moments later, he approached. At least I wasn’t wrong with my assessment from a distance, he was handsome. He smiled nervously and nodded at Miguel.
Me: “Hi”
Him: “Allo”
Me: “Huh? Are you Haitian?”
( Even though it a broad generalization, me and Haitian dudes, a no-go, too many bad experiences.)
He smiles.
After further probing, found out he was from Senegal. I say probing because his English was a broken as broken can be. With each word he struggled with he would smile. He was real adorable. His friend approached us and was a bit more vocal and helped him along the way. He mumbled some things in French, and the next thing I knew we were exchanging numbers. We ended the conversation with a kiss on the cheek and a warm hug.
The next day I met up with him for lunch. Nothing like, having a conversation with someone and not understanding what they say, but knowing what they mean. He would start his sentences in English, then throw in a couple of French words, and then finish in complete French.
Nothing like being spoken to in a different tongue. I have always been a sucker for accents, especially if my name is said sweetly. I love my name said in Spanish and in French; makes me feel exquisite. At work we had a conversation about how anything said in Spanish sounds good. I can attest to that, especially when Chilenita is cussing.
By the end of day I was engulfed with “l'amour de votre compagnie” “vous ete magnifique” “quand pouvoir je vous vois encore” “ange” and fits of “your beautiful”.
Mind you I know if another brotha was to spit those phrases at me, I would have thought he was silly. But something about hearing things in another language just does it for me.
Enjoy the bootleg-ness.
August 9, 2008
Great Loss... RIP Bernie Mac
I remember the first time I saw Bernie Mac on Def Comedy Jam, that voice, that stance and those clothes. He has come a long way since... and he will be missed.
Bernie Mac!
Gotta "LOVE" Bernie
Bernie Mac!
Gotta "LOVE" Bernie
August 2, 2008
The First 48...
It has been a crazy 48 hours. I am so out of sync that I haven't really grasped the day and time.
I love The First 48 that airs on A&E, and who would have known that my days would count down like that.
It all started three days ago. From my previous entry I guess you could only guess what it was like. I am not going to go into DETAIL nor will I give you any major visualization, but what an amazing couple of days have these been.
Thursday
5:30am - I got up motivated and happy with the world. With some Kudu blarring out my stereo, I straightened out my room and got ready to start my day.
7:00am – Dropped my mom’s crappy car to the garage (again!)
8:00am – Decided to use my gym membership for the FIRST time and got on the elliptical machine for a good 20 minutes. (KUDOS to me!!!). Actually it was probably less, I didn’t know how to start the damn thing it was embarrassing.
9:00am – Went to the bank, argued with my cell phone company, bought some groceries and missed the chance to do my nails.
10:00am – Work
2:00pm – Got a text from Chilenita telling me how her gyn/obyn appointment went, and found out we were dilating.
4:00pm – Called Chilenita for the usual chit-chat and bitch “mid-day” fest
4:45pm – Decided to cancel plans with Miguel and head over to Chilenita’s after work. Felt that I would want to be with her.
Approx. 7:00pm – Got to Chilenita’s and headed out to Wal-Mart for some last minute supplies.
10:00pm – Started baking a cake with the kids, figured why not.
10:30pm – Convinced that things were looking quite alarming, and that despite her insistence on being alright and she still had more time, I felt that Baby Gabby was on her way out.
10:30pm – Watched this fool of a girl squirm around in discomfort as we watched back to back episodes of The First 48.
10:45pm – Told her ass to start getting ready cause we were going to the hospital.
After listening to her insistence on everything being alright, that it was not going to happen that night and that the hospital was just going to send her ass home if she went; I grabbed her stuff and prepared to leave. I was not trying to hear it.
11:00pm – On our way to the hospital when she starts feeling some “intense” contractions. (Foolish me, I completely forgot about the contractions part)
August 1, 2008
12:20am – Arrive at the hospital.
1:15am – After getting pissed off with the nursing staff (I don’t want to get into it, those fools were going to send her home), the doctor arrives and decides to give Chilenita “something for the pain”. I was completely baffled and trust me when I say that I was not leaving that hospital.
2:36am – After pure chaos and DRAMA for your MAMA type situations. It was CRAZY! Baby Gabby arrives. SHE IS SO DAMN BEAUTIFUL!!!! I LOVE HER! Ah!!! She came out like a damn bullet, clean as a whistle, crying just a little bit for us to know that she was here, bright eyed and ready to face the world. It was such a wonderful experience, it’s like she was always here. (Don’t worry, I will do her story more justice)
8lbs and 6oz…. Chubby as chubbs can ever be.
Awwww….
6:15am – Leave the hospital feeling completely tranquil and in aw about how surreal the whole situation was.
7:00am – Arrive at home, just in time to drop my sisters off.
8:00am – Get back home, shower and get ready for my appointment and WORK!
9:20am – Arrive to my appointment
11:00am - Work
10:00am – 2pm – EVERYTHING IS A BLUR
2pm- Meeting, completely forgot! So it put everything back for me. I was functioning on tired eyes, CocaCola, and raw almonds.
6pm – Tried to leave work, only to have patients and families delay me ( I didn’t mind, but I was tired as hell)
7pm – Started my orientation at another position, only to arrive there and find out that I was scheduled to be there for 12 hours!!!! (DON’T EVEN ASK)
August 2, 2008
3am – TIRED AS A MOFO! I was running on FUMES! Got myself a French Vanilla something or another from Tim’s and another bottle of CocaCola. ( I know, completely bad for me… but that’s all I had in order to function)
5am – Witness the worst experience anyone would ever go through.
5:30am – Officially 48 hours of NO SLEEP!!!
6am – Started the day with the start of life and ended it with the sad news of life beginning on the other side
7am – Finish work/orientation, drop off my a co-worker and head to the hospital to see Gabby. (See this is what happens… its all about the mum until the baby arrives)
approx. 8am – Fell asleep next to Gabby
8:13am – Baby in the next bed starts crying so we both wake up
At this point I am WOKE… there is no putting me to bed.
12 noon – Gabby is discharged from the hospital and ready to face the world! GO GET THEM KIDDO!
Got home, cut the grass, made some dinner, took a well deserved BATH, returned phone calls, made some dinner, went next door to my neighbours and came back home just in time to catch First 48 with a bowl of Chocolate Jamoca Almond Fudge Ice Cream.
Ahhh.....
I love The First 48 that airs on A&E, and who would have known that my days would count down like that.
It all started three days ago. From my previous entry I guess you could only guess what it was like. I am not going to go into DETAIL nor will I give you any major visualization, but what an amazing couple of days have these been.
Thursday
5:30am - I got up motivated and happy with the world. With some Kudu blarring out my stereo, I straightened out my room and got ready to start my day.
7:00am – Dropped my mom’s crappy car to the garage (again!)
8:00am – Decided to use my gym membership for the FIRST time and got on the elliptical machine for a good 20 minutes. (KUDOS to me!!!). Actually it was probably less, I didn’t know how to start the damn thing it was embarrassing.
9:00am – Went to the bank, argued with my cell phone company, bought some groceries and missed the chance to do my nails.
10:00am – Work
2:00pm – Got a text from Chilenita telling me how her gyn/obyn appointment went, and found out we were dilating.
4:00pm – Called Chilenita for the usual chit-chat and bitch “mid-day” fest
4:45pm – Decided to cancel plans with Miguel and head over to Chilenita’s after work. Felt that I would want to be with her.
Approx. 7:00pm – Got to Chilenita’s and headed out to Wal-Mart for some last minute supplies.
10:00pm – Started baking a cake with the kids, figured why not.
10:30pm – Convinced that things were looking quite alarming, and that despite her insistence on being alright and she still had more time, I felt that Baby Gabby was on her way out.
10:30pm – Watched this fool of a girl squirm around in discomfort as we watched back to back episodes of The First 48.
10:45pm – Told her ass to start getting ready cause we were going to the hospital.
After listening to her insistence on everything being alright, that it was not going to happen that night and that the hospital was just going to send her ass home if she went; I grabbed her stuff and prepared to leave. I was not trying to hear it.
11:00pm – On our way to the hospital when she starts feeling some “intense” contractions. (Foolish me, I completely forgot about the contractions part)
August 1, 2008
12:20am – Arrive at the hospital.
1:15am – After getting pissed off with the nursing staff (I don’t want to get into it, those fools were going to send her home), the doctor arrives and decides to give Chilenita “something for the pain”. I was completely baffled and trust me when I say that I was not leaving that hospital.
2:36am – After pure chaos and DRAMA for your MAMA type situations. It was CRAZY! Baby Gabby arrives. SHE IS SO DAMN BEAUTIFUL!!!! I LOVE HER! Ah!!! She came out like a damn bullet, clean as a whistle, crying just a little bit for us to know that she was here, bright eyed and ready to face the world. It was such a wonderful experience, it’s like she was always here. (Don’t worry, I will do her story more justice)
8lbs and 6oz…. Chubby as chubbs can ever be.
Awwww….
6:15am – Leave the hospital feeling completely tranquil and in aw about how surreal the whole situation was.
7:00am – Arrive at home, just in time to drop my sisters off.
8:00am – Get back home, shower and get ready for my appointment and WORK!
9:20am – Arrive to my appointment
11:00am - Work
10:00am – 2pm – EVERYTHING IS A BLUR
2pm- Meeting, completely forgot! So it put everything back for me. I was functioning on tired eyes, CocaCola, and raw almonds.
6pm – Tried to leave work, only to have patients and families delay me ( I didn’t mind, but I was tired as hell)
7pm – Started my orientation at another position, only to arrive there and find out that I was scheduled to be there for 12 hours!!!! (DON’T EVEN ASK)
August 2, 2008
3am – TIRED AS A MOFO! I was running on FUMES! Got myself a French Vanilla something or another from Tim’s and another bottle of CocaCola. ( I know, completely bad for me… but that’s all I had in order to function)
5am – Witness the worst experience anyone would ever go through.
5:30am – Officially 48 hours of NO SLEEP!!!
6am – Started the day with the start of life and ended it with the sad news of life beginning on the other side
7am – Finish work/orientation, drop off my a co-worker and head to the hospital to see Gabby. (See this is what happens… its all about the mum until the baby arrives)
approx. 8am – Fell asleep next to Gabby
8:13am – Baby in the next bed starts crying so we both wake up
At this point I am WOKE… there is no putting me to bed.
12 noon – Gabby is discharged from the hospital and ready to face the world! GO GET THEM KIDDO!
Got home, cut the grass, made some dinner, took a well deserved BATH, returned phone calls, made some dinner, went next door to my neighbours and came back home just in time to catch First 48 with a bowl of Chocolate Jamoca Almond Fudge Ice Cream.
Ahhh.....
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