Le Monde de Victor

We came across an art exhibit in The Village in Montreal, and we came across a woman being scotch taped from head to toe. Unfortunately since neither of us read French we can't determine what's going on from the posted fliers, but I think it says something about building art through plastics and tape. Pretty cool. I can imagine that removing all that tape won't be that much fun...
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Montreal or Bust!

Well, we've been on the road since 11, and realized somewhere in New Hampshire that we both forgot our passports. We called Nick's dad (and our source for all things Canadian) and he assured us that drivers won't need to present a passport until December of this year. Let's hope he's right, otherwise we'll be spending our vacation in Northern Vermont!
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Tales from the Bookstore

Nick and I are headed to Montreal on Wednesday, and I wanted to buy some audio books for the ride. When we drove to Buffalo in January, we listened to David Sedaris' Me Talk Pretty Someday. Sedaris' hilarious narrations made the usually monotonous 7.5 hour trek down the 90 a lot more pleasant. After picking up a Chacarero to take back to the office today, I popped into the Borders on School Street and headed over to the audio book section. Romance novels lined the shelves where the audio books had been in December, so I looked around for a Borders associate.
After a quick scan, I saw a man standing by himself behind the information desk. His head was buried in a thick 3 ring binder and when I first said, "Excuse me..." to get his attention, he didn't flinch. I get lost in my own thoughts a lot and just figured that this man was as well. It didn't occur to me that he was purposely not responding. So I spoke up, but didn't want to startle him, "Oh, hello. Excuse me..." After a pause, he looked up, met my gaze and coolly stated: "I know it doesn't look like I'm busy, but I am."
I'm often surprised by how people in customer service roles aren't especially skilled at working with the public. Here was a man standing behind a brightly lit and cheerfully labeled information desk, yet completely unwilling to indulge my request for information. He reminded me of a librarian from my town that used to run the youth summer reading programs, and as far as us kids could tell, hated children.
When met with unnecessary rudeness, my reaction is usually to become overwhelmingly polite. I smiled and said, "I'm sorry, but I just wanted to know where the audio books are?" He begrudgingly told me that they were upstairs near the DVDs, and I became lost in thought replaying the conversation in my head while I rode the escalator to the 2nd floor. I realized too late that I was actually mouthing the words "Go f- yourself" and smiling all the while imagining the associate's reaction, when I caught 2 teenage boys laughing and pointing at me. Taking a cue from the Borders associate, I choose not to respond.

Born on the 4th of July

Happy 61st Birthday, Dad! We love you!

David, Red, Dad

Lazy man's Wii

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Hot in Herre

About 4 years ago, 4 of my high school friends and I took a trip to Fort Lauderdale. Our beachfront hotel was gorgeous and centrally located. In order to cut costs, we all stayed in the same room, which meant that there were 2 to a bed and the last one in each night was rewarded with a makeshift bed that consisted of 2 armchairs pushed together. In addition to squeezing 5 adults into one room, we also managed to save some money by going in mid-July. I believe the average temperature hovered around 96, which made laying out at the beach practically intolerable. Our 2nd or 3rd day there, my friend John retrieved the complimentary newspaper outside our hotel room and sat down to read. "Well, I'm looking at the weather," he said, "And in case you're interested it's printed right here: Hot as balls." I don't think the weatherman could have put it any more accurately, and the expression has stuck with me over the years. On days like today when I set out on my 12 minute walk to the T and my glasses slip down my sweaty nose along the way, John's proclamation rings true in my head.

5 Cheapskates Beating the Heat in Fort Lauderdale

Excuse Me Please For Being So Rude- That Was Not Me, It Was My Food.

I just had a journal vendor call me, and half way through introducing himself he burped into the phone. "Whoops! That was just a post lunch burp there!" This is from someone who wanted me to agree to a $1,745 newsletter subscription. If it had been me who had burped, I think I would have just soldiered on without acknowledging the bodily function. After a few minutes of talking with Bobby I knew that he was eager to make a sale, but I told him that I'd have to take down his information and call him back. Any new purchases require sign off and I couldn't agree to a subscription at that time. This prompted him to ask me if I was tired, because "[I] sure sound[ed] tired." I'm not so sure Bobby is cut out for a sales position.