Thursday, October 18th, 2000: What happened in three months you ask? Well lots has. First off, I have to say that I hate summer. Why? Well it's pretty simple actually...WE NEVER GOT ONE! This had to be the worst year in terms of summer that I can ever remember. It stayed cool, which isn't totally bad, but it rained like heck almost every other day. What was that all about? We may have had a couple of decently warm days, albeit humid, but that was it. And now we're into autumn. I don't usually complain about this season because it's one of my favourites. NOTE TO SELF: you have 4 seasons to choose from, saying this is "one" of your faves doesn't sound all that impressive. Hello??

Anyways, before my mind got in the way there, I was about to say why I like autumn...umm, it's nice? Ok, so there's more to it that that, but if you want to know, you'll have to ask me this time. It's sooooooo special to me that it requires someone personally asking.

Next thing I have to get off my chest is Papa Roach. Two words for you...who cares?

Another thing that has me burning up is Canada Post/Canada Customs. I've already mentioned them on my Abstract page, but they're so bad, they get two mentions. After getting the run-around from them trying to track down something they have of mine, the shipped me off to another place to try to get answers. My first couple of attempts at trying to contact them resulted in that lovely voicemail thing popping up. I normally don't have a problem with using an answering machine at home, but when it's a business/government agency, I want people there, especially when it's during the middle of the day! These people have the nerve to demand pay increases, at our expense, hold strikes until they get something, then have the (insert part of the male anatomy here) go off and do God knows what during the day and not have anyone to fill in for them to provide their services to the public? If it was a one time thing, where someone heads off for lunch or a bathroom break, that's understandable, but when you call 4 different times, each at different points during the day, and get the same crap, it makes me want to head over there and kick the bloody door in and demand answers. Do I sound bitter? If the answer is yes, then yay to you!

OK, breathing...inhale...exhale...inhale...exhale...ahhhhh...ooh, that could probably sound like I'm getting stoned or something! But rest easy, I don't smoke, nor would I ever attempt to get high on anything. I'm a good boy, so give me some credit.

Speaking of credit, why does the Brick put a limit on their stupid credit card? I don't mean a money limit, but a limit as in time. If you apply for their store card, which I did when I bought my VCR from them last, they tell you that you have to buy something from them within a certain time frame, or else the card becomes invalid. My question to them is, what possess them to think that someone will buy something from them every year or two? Are you mad or what? Especially when they don't sell anything for under $100. If it was a chocolate bar or a bag of chips, then sure, I could do that, but there is a limit to the amount of furniture or home electronics, or household appliances one can buy!

Oh, there that other little thing going on around here right Now. Yes folks, it's that time of year where you get to vote for your favourite person to be your council member and area trustee. Yippee! Don't you just love getting people you don't know, knocking on your door asking you to vote for so-and-so, people you have no clue as to who they are. All you get is "read this information package and you'll get all the background information about the candidate." Well excuse me, but since when would someone take what's written on them at face value? I could put my face on one of those things, have my brother walk around, going door to door and telling people to vote for me in the upcoming elections. How many people do you think will head to the polls with me on their mind? The other thing about that is that the woman that came to the door passing out the flyers asked "can we count on your vote? I was like "hello, you just gave me a flyer about some guy I've never heard of, and you're asking me if you'll get my vote two seconds after?". And to top it off, she asks if they can put a sign up on our lawn showing that we're voting for him and to publicize him. The first words out of my mouth were "I think not!". I told her I'll read the stuff and will decide later on. At the time I said that with the thought of "as if I'll even do that", but hey, you get a vote and so at least look at all the candidates first and make a choice as to who would do the best job. Not sure if that's really possible, given how everyone always presents a good pitch for the post, then fail to live up to it once they get in, but at least you'll be voting for someone you want and not letting the opportunity pass you by.

Wow, time sure flies. It has only taken me two days to get this far. The horror...the horror!

It's now time for a few random thoughts:

I was thinking the other day, just what does happen with our spirit once we pass on? Does it go with us or does it live on somewhere, or does it only exist when we're alive and die when we do? I was thinking that the spirit in all of us comes from hour hearts, but once that stops beating, does our spirit stop beating too? Something to think about, at least for me. If I didn't write that one down, I know I'd forget about it, as some of you know all too well about my memory, or lack there of!

How do they get the caramel inside the Caramilk bar? Before you give an answer, here's some background info for you:

Caramilk bars are small chocolate bars produced by a company named Cadbury. The bars are small for two reasons: one, they are portable; and two, they have to be small to allow for the enormous cost of the advertisements! Plus, they just want to rip you off, but that's another story.

Now for the secret: If you take a bar, unwrap it and flip it over so t hat the top points downward, you have a shape not unlike a plastic ice cube tray from a refrigerator freezer (remember this fact, it's very very important!).

When the bar is made, two molds are used (the whole procedure is automated and mechanized so that thousands of bars are made per hour. Who came up with this ingenious concept?!).

In the first mold, the actual shape of the bar, melted chocolate is poured to about the halfway-full point. Meanwhile, in another machine, a second mold is readied. This one is a similar shape but smaller...and in this one Caramilk is poured into individual spaces.
Following along so far?
The Caramilk pieces are then frozen. Yes, you heard right...frozen. Why? Well it's simple really, it creates small, hard, Caramilk "lozenges." These are dropped into the chocolate in the first mold (being frozen Caramilk, they float).
They are so smart I tell ya!
Next, the "bottom" of the bar is made by covering the whole thing with a second layer of chocolate, enough to fill the mold. When the chocolate has hardened, (sped up somewhat by the frozen Caramilk inside), the bar is popped out, wrapped, packaged, distributed, and sold to the unsuspecting public!
Now wasn't that the most fascinating story you've ever heard? For years I've been wondering how they did it, and now I feel so stupid for not thinking of this in the first place. Doh!