This summer has been a productive one. Mainly because I have redirected my goals from obtaining rare items and maxing out my levels to educating myself and obtaining more assets.

If you guys don’t already know, I am no longer playing any MMOs. At least for the time being. FFXIV is scheduled for next year, so I don’t know how long I can fight off this addiction. I’m just playing CS:Source during my down-time. But the desire to obtain levels and progress in the virtual world is already lurking at the back of my mind. Hopefully, Star Craft 2 will delay the desire while FFXIV comes out.

Anyway, back to what I did in the summer. We bought life in insurance from a former co-worker of mine. Well, the sessions started as ‘financial planning’ but then naturally progressed into what would we do if one of us were to, god forbid, die. The only thing that I did not already know from their ‘financial advice’ was that there are CPP benefits.

1. What are Canada Pension Plan survivor benefits?

Canada Pension Plan survivor benefits are paid to a deceased contributor’s estate, surviving spouse or common-law partner and dependent children. There are three types of benefits.

* The death benefit is a one-time payment to, or on behalf of, the estate of a deceased Canada Pension Plan contributor;
* The survivor’s pension is a monthly pension paid to the surviving spouse or common-law partner of a deceased contributor;
* The children’s benefit is a monthly benefit for dependent children of a deceased contributor.

It is important to apply for Canada Pension Plan benefits. If you do not apply, you may lose benefits you are entitled to receive.

http://www.hrsdc.gc.ca/eng/isp/cpp/cpptoc.shtml

Before we purchased the life insurance, the ‘financial advisers’ came to our house at a time that was convenient for us. Later, we decided that we did not need insurance at this time of our life. So we canceled our policy. But once we canceled our policy, we now had to come to their office. Meanwhile, we were still being charged for the policy. We had a meeting with the advisers, which they failed to show up or even call to notify us that they would not be able to make it.

Long story short, we will not purchase insurance from Great West Life when we are ready.

My Occupational First-Aid: Level 2 certificate expired 19th of September. So work paid for the time off and to take the course again. Which is a pretty sweet deal because I get to spend a week ‘working’ in the morning. Not only that, I get an extra dollar per hour.

Anyway, at the time that I got certified two years ago, I wondered why we had to redo the course every two years. I initially thought that having a short expiration date was just some sort of money making scheme. But I was totally wrong. At least in my case. I had almost forgot everything that I had learned by the end of the two years. I don’t like to admit it, but there have been a few people who have been mistreated.

I am grateful that I was able to take the course again.

The first-aid experience at work has sparked my interest in the health field. So I started looking for decent paying jobs. I pretty much narrowed it down to Licensed Practical Nurse. There are a few problems though: I will be making the same or less, my hours will definitely suck, politicians will affect my career, and tuition costs an arm an a leg. But, of course, there is some good: I will be more knowledgeable about the health field, I will be able to progress to become a nurse if I decide to follow this path, and I will feel that I have accomplished something in life.

I now work as a warehouse worker. I know how to use all the machines and almost know how to do every job function, but that isn’t very satisfying. I need more.

Before I take the LPN program, I will need to do some high school equivalent courses: bio, math, and chem. Then I will be on a waiting list that is who knows how long. But for the time being, I am the only guy in my anatomy class. And no it is not as cool as Mahou Sensei Negima!.

Also I finished Freakanomics by Steven D. Levitt & Stephen J. Dubner. If you like correlations and how incentives motivate people to try to beat the system, this book is for you. Here are the chapter titles:

1. What Do Schoolteachers and Sumo Wrestlers Have in Common?
2. How Is the Ku Klux Klan Like a Group of Real-Estate Agents?
3. Why Do Drug Dealers Still Live with Their Moms?
4. Where Have All the Criminals Gone?
5. What Makes a Perfect Parent?
6. Perfect Parenting, Part II; or: Would a Roshanda by Any Other Name Smell as Sweet?

http://www.amazon.com/Freakonomics-Economist-Explores-Hidden-Everything/dp/006073132X

Read the a few pages off of Amazon. I was blown away by this book.

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It’s been a bit over a month since my last post. That’s how busy I’ve been in the last while. I finished working, a record, 34 days in a row, worked along side of the PNE Coordinator (experience for next year), helped Winsen move into our place, got life insurace, cancelled life insurance, did the Occupation First-Aid Level 2 course again (re-cert), gone to a Canucks game (thanks to Winsen), went to various functions, and on top of that, I’ve gone back to school part-time to become a nurse. Well, the nurse thing hasn’t been decided yet, but as of this moment, that is the path I’m going towards.

Phew.

So to start the post off, I do not recommend anyone work more than 15 days in a row. Some of the minor problems that I experienced were: lost track of the days, couldn’t attend any events, couldn’t laze around for a day, and people the at work thought I would rather be at work than at home. Those are all fairly minor. I don’t know how to fully explain what happens after working two weeks straight. I had symptoms of PMS: fatigue, irritability, and I had a difficult time concentrating -no breast tenderness.

Around day 20, I decided to not sleep and just play counter-strike for 6 hours straight. From that day, I felt as if my mind reset and I was ready to work another 20 days. On the 34th day of work, I felt totally fine. I don’t know what remedied the irritability, but I associated counter-strike to be the cure.

Like a bolt of lightning, I then realized why people play golf; to relieve tension. I am sure there are other reasons, but I now believe that people play golf to relieve their tension -stress.

I actually, worked 35 days in a row, but the last day wasn’t paid for. I shadowed around the PNE Coordinator for a day: talking to carnies, taking orders, delivering food, and fulfilling any other inquiries.

So here’s what I learned from that: when entering a kitchen/hut/tent do not bring food of another vendor (even if they’re not competitors), always accept the food, even if you’re not going to eat it, milk means beer and “friendly drink” means cooler, the carnies are either drunk or hung-over, and last but not least, no one sells healthy food on-site.

Two years ago, Winsen had a plan to move to Vancouver: he was going to pay off his debts and save up some money before moving here. Most of that plan went out the window. He got a huge ass monitor and bought a bunch of junk, but he still ended up moving to Vancouver.

I’m letting him chill at my place until he can afford to get his own place. But at the time, he still had to get his belongings (Victoria) to my place (Vancouver). He can’t drive, nor does he have the money to pay for movers, so he had to find a volunteer. Of course, that was me.

Winsen reserved a 15′ U-Haul truck, but when we went to pick the truck up, they didn’t have any left over. So they gave him an “upgraded” truck 25′ at no additional cost. The only problem with that is that I only have my Novice license. Not only that, I have never driven anything bigger than a sedan. Apparently that was not a problem. They gave me the keys and let us on our way.

Was supposed to get the truck on the left, but we got the one on the right.

When I said I had never ridden anything bigger than a sedan, I meant it. Even though the truck was automatic, I didn’t even know how to shift the truck into drive. Seriously, why the hell am I allowed to drive this thing!?

The whole time I drove, I had to concentrate. I felt as if I were concentrating so much that I had an aura of chakra around me. I got a break from driving when we got on the ferry, but then I had to go at it again once we landed. Of course, Winsen falls asleep. Well, you piece of…. I want to sleep too but I have to god damn concentrate so I don’t ruin your belongings!

Gun for Time Crisis 5 (What a piece of brick!)

God dammit. Worst experience ever.

On a good note, I talked him into paying for the buffet. But if I calculated out how much work I did ($1.5/hour), I believe I deserved it. 15 hours (5AM-8PM) of work for a buffet. I hope he appreciates the help. Anyway, the buffet was pretty damn good. Not worth paying for though =)

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