This is perhaps the creepiest storefront display ever.
I’m bored, so why not write!
This is all going to feel pretty disjointed.
Working 40-some hours every week at Apple (with those damn stairs) and working out any day I’m not working is paying dividends. If the scales are to be believed, I’ve lost 12 pounds in 3 weeks, what? /brushesshoulderoff
Last Friday I checked out the Hifi Club here in Calgary for the first time. Man, I haven’t had that much fun in a club in a very long time. However, my little brother and I got there at about midnight, and when I walked in and saw my friends and their level of drunk-ness, I felt I needed to catch up, which I did in spades. This turned out to be a poor decision the following day, when I drove up to Edmonton and while visiting some friends at Apple West Edmonton, felt like barfing all over the Italian granite. AT 4 PM
Can I talk about bowling for a second? I am so freaking bad at bowling. My mom was great at bowling back in the day, she used to average 181 at 5 pin. Me? I’m lucky if I can break 110. What happened to the genetics?!
I like a girl. I’m 20. Am I too old to say that?
I feel like my Calgary life is getting better, finally. I’m starting to get to know people from work, and there’s some cool people there. More so, I’m starting to get to know people I was more just acquainted with before I moved to Edmonton, and there’s some cool people here that I had just never really gotten to know.
I got my new headphones this week, and they’re beautiful. Bowers & Wilkins P5 headphones, made of stainless steel, New Zealand lambskin leather, and memory foam. Feel incredible, sound amazing, worth every penny of the half-off $165 I paid. So for the record, they retail for $330. I’d still pay that.
I was the victim of credit card fraud this week! Some weird purchases from online fake flower shops and I don’t even know, mostly all in British Pounds Sterling. It’s a darn good thing I actually read my bill this month. But it should all get sorted out soon.
Finally, the ski season is coming up fast and holy moses I am psyched. Next weekend I’m going to purchase a new pair of skis at the Calgary Ski Sale; unfortunately, I’ll miss the Warren Miller premiere on the Friday. But what can you do. This winter though, I’m going to make up for the two winters I spent in Edmonton and ski my brains out.
I’m going to go play with Ableton Live, peace.
I haven’t done this in a while. The droppppp
My Name Is Skrillex (Skrillex Remix) - Skrillex
Bag Raiders - Snake Charmer
I love the groove to this song. It’s one good remix away from being an awesome club banger.
Welcome to my beautiful new store!
As I wrote a few days back, I moved to Calgary, and one of the primary reasons was to help open this beautiful new Apple Store in a new expansion of Chinook Centre in Calgary. Although I can’t get too into detail about how the opening process works (it’s Apple, after all), I’ll talk a little about my experience and my thoughts about what it’s all meant for me.
After moving home to Calgary last week, I only had a day to settle in before starting work. It was interesting for me, because the whole new crew at Chinook could be neatly divided in half; transfers from the Market Mall location, and new people who had just trained together. and then there’s me. I’m glad I’m comfortable meeting new people, because it was definitely an experience, and I’m still learning names (I’m not very good with them, to be honest).
Anyways, after 6 days of hard work, we had a soft opening on Tuesday night for Chinook’s opening gala for their new expansion, which was… interesting. I thought it was pretty cool to see people at the Genius Bar, drinking. I would be willing to bet there aren’t too many Genius Bars that alcohol’s actually been consumed at, outside of Vegas. They tried for this whole classy feel to the event, with models at the stores, suits and cocktail dresses, etc; but I don’t think they counted on what I call “the open bar factor”. By 10, many guests were pretty inebriated. One highlight for me was looking at the dance floor with about 7 middle-aged people just hammered, dancing like idiots, and the catering and serving staff were watching, with expressions on their faces that just said, “wow.”
This morning, we had our official store opening, which, if you’ve ever been to an Apple Store opening or product launch, we always start with the warm welcome.
I’ve never gotten to do a warm welcome before (although I had been in one) so this was a really fun experience for me. It’s really part of the spirit of Apple I think, and I also think it’s a reason a lot of people come from a long ways away just for store openings around North America and around the world.
One thing that also went on over the last week was that in my role as a Back Of House Specialist, I actually came into the store as the only one in that role that wasn’t a new hire. So it’s been interesting for me, as I’ve tried to kind of take a leadership role with these new guys, and make my mark on the store and try and set a good example and standard. It’s interesting though, trying not to overstep my bounds, but at the same time, improve some things that I’ve seen and trying to make the store the best it can be.
Finally, one last part of my store is that the back room is actually up several flights of stairs, and going between there and the store floor is one of my primary roles, so today I got quite a workout. I was thinking about picking up a gym membership, but not anymore!
I pulled an 8 am-8 pm shift today though, and I’m pooped. So I’m going to hit the “create post” button and hit the sack and get ready for another round tomorrow. I’ve decided I’m going to get a jogging suit or something for my next shift. I’m taking the “runner” title seriously.
sorry for the boring post!
Time (We Plants Are Happy Plants Remix) - Hans Zimmer
This song is just BLOWING my mind, what an astoundingly good remix. an epic movie composition turned into a gorgeous, exciting electro track.
SO GOOD
I’m going to miss you, Edmonton / #yeg (mostly)
Looking at the big picture, it’s pretty astounding how many memories, good and bad, that have been formed over two years of living in this city. I came into it, a slightly nervous freshman, moving away from my parents for the first time and into the big college life, and as much as I went into it hating Edmonton and a lot of the people here, I’m leaving it with a special soft spot in my heart, even if I still like Calgary better.
When I first moved here, I was nervous about leaving my family. I’d never really been away from them longer than two weeks, and suddenly we’re torn apart. I’m sure it wasn’t nearly as traumatic for me as it was for my mom, but still, it was a change. But very quickly, I found a new family, at King’s, mostly consisting of the people on my floor in residence. While over the last two years I’ve lost a couple of those family members, I still am close with most of them, and that’s probably the hardest part about moving out and back to Calgary. More recently, I’ve made some really good friends at Apple, some friendships still blossoming, that I kinda just have to bail on. Which is pretty crappy. However, the guys and girls there have quickly become my third family, and it’s going to be hard to leave them too. I’ll be visiting here often, I think, for the sole reason of seeing all of these people again.
Apart from my Edmonton families, this has turned into a home for me, more quickly than I thought. For example, when I moved here, I’d get lost constantly. Now, I know the roads pretty well, I know shortcuts, I’ve got my neighbourhood memorized. It’s these little things that are going to be weird to have lost, I think. Apart from the little things, there have been some big things too; first really long-term relationship, first summer living by myself, first job I ever really quit, first job I really love.
And now, I’m moving back home. I’m kind of scared to come home and see how much things have changed over two short years. I’m not going to be naive about it, because I know I’ve changed a lot over two years, and I know my friends have changed too. I’m actually going to be helping open up a new Apple Store in Calgary, and so while I know some of my friends will be different people, I’m super psyched for the opportunity to meet a whole bunch of new people and find a new family.
I don’t think I could ever really be ready for this transition, but I’m excited for it, I’m excited to see what the next year will be like. If you’re an Edmonton friend, I’ll miss you, and I’ll come back to visit, I promise. If you’re out of Calgary, I’m stoked to be back in your town come tomorrow, and stoked to hang out with you and catch up.
In closing, I think home is truly where the heart is, and as much as I hate to say it, a little bit of my heart will always be back here in Edmonton, as long as my friends are here to keep it around. Bye, YEG.
I don’t even know where we get shit like this.
The chaos that is Apple on labor day long weekend.
