Work/Life

The craziness at work continued on Monday though there was some (obstructed) light at the end of the tunnel. I wasn't happy that the hour I had set aside on Saturday to answer pleas from a coworker went to waste. After my reply, they had dashed off an untested solution full of errors. I heard they relied on AI but whether natural or digital, laziness ruled the day. So we were not ahead for the Tuesday deadline.

In the early evening, I caught a few last rays of sunshine and headed to my friend's restaurant. They were entertaining a guest so I exchanged some pleasantries and sat by myself with a veggie platter ($18). They asked about my family and I related that during my usual weekly talk with my mom, she had forgotten that it was Sunday. Getting a day mixed up was alright but not if it happened twice in an hour; my grandma didn't suffer this until her 90s. On their side, they were postponing their painkiller injection for physical therapy. Six sessions in, perhaps there was some improvement, but I saw that they were still limping when serving customers. On my way out, I replayed our brief chat and puzzled over some statement regarding the photos we took at our sushi lunch. I sure hope they weren't hinting at playing matchmaker, because with one foot already in the grave, I don't need any personal drama.

I was in the office on Tuesday because we had HR visitors from our new American owner. After months of research, they presented us with plans for merging our respective packages: primarily benefits and other perks. We were switching over to "unlimited" PTO, though unlike the U.S., there were minimum amounts required by law. Since this guaranteed less days than my old contract, I'm skeptical I will take even the same number of days as before, let alone see an increase. The health benefits and insurance were better than our plans and included reimbursement for gym memberships and internet services. The biggest add-on was RSP matching up to a combined 9%. Since I already had a financial advisor, I didn't love that I would have to contribute to funds managed by another company. But it was additional money on the table.

Breakfast (bagels, croissants) and lunch (salad, deli sandwiches, wraps) were provided though there were lots of leftover. At 4:30, we went to a nearby pub, where we co-workers often had lunch outings before the pandemic. Over beer and bar food, we did a bit of social bonding. Some had visited Quebec for mountain biking and whale watching. Others were in Canada or Toronto for the first time. It was a nice enough get-together though we would likely never see each other again since there were few reasons for HR to visit an office of mostly remote workers.

Light Bearer

On Sunday, I went up to Geary not really to take part in the Art Crawl but just to see what's happening. Sure enough, there were local businesses and one-off vendors selling trinkets, thrifted clothes, art pieces, and street food. Some pedestrians were new visitors, who found that Geary was perhaps still too industrial, and were glad to step into Jen Agg's new it spot called General Public. The rest looked like young folks and families with babies who settled in the neighbourhood in the last 6-7 years. I didn't see too many OGs walking around.

The section of Geary west of Dufferin had a scruffier feel though galleries and bookstores have moved in. The location of Long Winter's concert venue was at Geary Factory Lofts, which were selling office workspaces and not residential units. During the pandemic, it was an empty building with ghost kitchen trailers in the back making Wendy's and other restaurant orders. It will have newer neighbours soon as the empty lot next to The Brick had construction signs.

But I was here for Morning Star, an old-time Portuguese restaurant I spotted during my pandemic morning runs. Stepping inside, this was a step down from Porto Nova. Yes, there was a dining room but everyone congregated in the room containing the TV showing soccer. If locals came to Porto for slightly upscale Portuguese food, here it was entirely (older) men who came for the pre-made takeout (usually pork, rice, and fries) or to drink coffee and watched sports. I've always wondered whether the guys at these spots were bachelors or married men.

I got a bitoque ($25) and some bottled water ($2). The steak and eggs reminded me of the Francesinha from Porto. The meat wasn't as good but it was much tastier and cheaper than Ottawa fare. The fries were pale and could use more time in the deep-fryer. I was surprised that the water came from Portugal; local spring water would have been fine. I actually just wanted tap water but there was a language barrier. Along with the complementary olives and bread, this was a filling lunch. Despite the price increase (the menu had new prices taped over the original values), $27 all in was decent for this type of meal.

Though I came home to relax, I went out again later on because the bright sunshine and mild weather was too nice. I made a 1 hour loop simply to print out some bus tickets at the library. Pedestrians, shoppers, and cruising cars were out in full force. With the snow gone from the backyard, I gingerly ascended some steep stairs up onto the roof of my sublet. My friend had built a simple wooden deck on top of the building. Although clearing out the dust would be a chore, this space would make for some enjoyable yoga practice.

Loop De Loop

The drama at work continued on Friday with the first deadline. But things looked promising as positive results came in over the chat channel. Most meetings became optional and I took the opportunity to duck out at lunch to do some groceries and grab a slice ($5.50) from 241 Pizza. The purchases weren't for myself but to restock some household items left by my friend. At the pizzeria, I found out from the long-time owner that they had to pay out of pocket for upgrade directives from corporate, sometimes at elevated prices like $4K for the new LCD menu displays. A window washer struck up a conversation with me. This was the sort of privileged old men I try to avoid. In his case, he was blocking the side-street with his truck and bragging about his American Pit Bull (a banned breed). When 5 pm rolled around, I left a co-worker on read while I ordered from South Pacific. I wasn't going to work extra hours for someone else's problems.

Saturday promised rain all afternoon so I headed to Dufferin Mall for more re-stocking. I went to Le's Sandwich on College St. but the owner no longer carried the vegetarian version of common Vietnamese dishes. I was reminded again of the passage of time when I was told that her daughter, who had just started university only "a few years ago" in my mind, was now a new mother with a remote job for an Ottawa company. The owner looked relatively spry with coloured hair. I wondered how I came across with my white mop (and lack of good sleep)? I ended up getting a veggie banh mi ($6) and a meat bao ($4). The first was eaten on a wooden bench at College and Dovercourt, site of many previous meals. The latter was re-heated at home once I got back. I finally looked at the chat messages and wrote back some obvious answers.

In 2021, with the ongoing gentrification of Geary, there was now an Art Crawl. This year, they also teamed up with Long Winter to host a concert. But the latter has lost much appeal for me, whether because I was getting old, or they have devolved into irrelevancy. Certainly the scope of their shows have diminished. I stayed home to watch a movie on Netflix instead. Unfortunately, I was bamboozled by an online review because War Machine was no different than any other army-approved Hollywood flick. This U.S. military glorification was not to my taste given the current situation in Iran.

Pizzacato

Thursday had more work craziness. Someone wanted to add last-minute changes to a spec. This might get push back from other teams. But once again, not my monkeys, not my circus. In the evening, I was heading again to Dina's Tavern for a show. It also meant I could get a Fresca pizza slice that I had planned for last Saturday. I don't normally mix dinner-and-a-show but what's life without some risk?

Fresca was the busiest I've seen despite the wet weather. People were waiting for pizzas or slices to-go while others ate inside the packed diner. The demographic spanned age ranges and ethnicities: a true diverse slice of Toronto if you will. There were uncooked pizzas laid out all along the counter-top, and even next to the sink, waiting for their turn because the oven was full. I counted the empty trays that held about 8-12 pizza dough per tray, and realized Fresca had made more than 150 pizzas in the last hour or so. I got a chance to talk to the owners. The wife lamented that despite their busyness, profit wasn't keeping pace. Maybe that was why I saw a sign stating that prices will increase soon. The husband just grunted and kept making pizza, even though his shift was over. The daughter, officially the new proprietor, was there tonight making sandwiches and pasta in the back kitchen. Some of the young workers who were relatives on a tourist visa will head back to Vietnam in April. I waited about 20 minutes for my fresh Margherita slice ($5) but the show wasn't scheduled until 8 pm. The wife side-eyed me when she heard about my plans. So I had to explain that I wasn't going to the notorious Comfort Zone (which has moved to Queen and Lansdowne) but rather the re-built Silver Dollar.

The show didn't actually start until 8:30 with Picastro. They (or the lead singer) have been around for 30 years but this incarnation was a duo. I enjoyed the double bassist with his various techniques: plucking, bowing, and even some looping through pedals. The singer supplemented with guitar, occasional samples, and synth on a few songs. But their singing was, in the words of a wise man, pitchy.

Merival bowed out of a concert a few years back so I haven't heard them since 2018. During their set, they admitted they don't play that often anymore nor have written (complete) songs in a while so there was only 1 "new" number tonight. I have found in the past that their music usually felt disjointed or incomplete because of the odd chords or progression. It was good tonight because Merival's guitar technique has improved tremendously. This added interesting dynamics and layers to the songs. Also, I felt that their strong voice with a nice range was also a new addition.

Most of the crowd, which varied in age if not in complexion, weren't there for either singers. I'm too frugal to hang-out at a bar that has a cover charge. But they were respectful during each set. I chatted briefly with 2 older men who knew the opening act. That's how I learned about Picastro's longevity and line-up changes. One was a sci-fi novelist while the other did abstract art but was getting back to his cartooning roots. They had memories of Silver Dollar and Comfort Zone that predated my arrival in Toronto.