In which a blogger is really bloody tired

Hello all you avid readers out there! I know you have anxiously been waiting beside your computer screens, with my page open, just waiting for me to post new stuff! Well rejoice and make merry, for the wait is over and I am, once more, updating!! (And do not give me that bollocks that you have NOT been waiting beside my blog all week, because I KNOW you have!!!........ just kidding! :P )

Anyhoots, I have loads to tell... Really, really have loads to tell. I had been wanting to post all week, but I was insanely busy with work and completely drained and over tired when I got home. For that, I apologize. However, my shifts will be much improved come Tuesday, and then I will be able to blog to my heart's content! Yay!

First of all, I promised some anecdotes related to my wonderfully awesome job. The conclusion? First day of real work = bleeding nightmare! Even my coach was freaking out! I personally thought it was a great learning experience, but, on the other hand, we were told in the classroom that "if all this is happening to you in one single shift, then you're having a really bad day!" Does that mean I should conclude that my first shift was a very bad one?

Let me clarify what I mean. The first passenger I EVER checked in on my own... turned out to be DHP. In other words, his name was similar to the name of someone on a list (potentially even a "no-fly" list) and thus the passenger is not allowed to travel no matter how valid his passport and visas are. So you have to call security and have the passenger cleared so that he may actually check in and board the aircraft. Why is that an issue? Because it takes forever! When you call security, the first thing you hear is "your call is important to us, please hold the line to keep your call priority..." What kind of service is that?! I have a passenger who is super concerned about his passeport in front of me, getting upset about it because he is a foreigner and does not understand why his passport is being refused and I have to be put on hold before I can tell him that he is all clear... *sigh*

Anyways, the next passengers were on a flight to Penticton (or something like that) via Ottawa. The flight to Ottawa had an oversell, so someone took the liberty to offload the passengers (that means to take them off the flight) and put them on a direct flight to their destination. The problem? They never informed the passengers about the change and the direct flight was earlier than the one they were supposed to take. So when they showed up, the flight was closed!! Poor passengers! I felt so bad!

Then, I also had a family travelling to Australia. Everything was in order with their passports and visas. They did not expire until 2018 and they were valid for multiple entries to the country. However, my computer refused to accept the mother's visa. I had to call the "hold the line" number again and was subjected to an even longer wait. So much so that the mother was really getting worried. I could hear her talk to her husband. The children were also quite small and getting fidgety and tired. I felt so bad! And I do not know why the visa was not valid on the computer when I had the perfectly valid paper version of it in front of me. We cleared that up in the end though... Thank God they had shown up early!

Now, I could keep going with stories about the passengers, but I do not feel like it or I will be blogging all day (and this blogger really, REALLY wants her nap now that her shift is done!). But I do have another funny work story to tell.

It was not really at work, but my colleague Chanelle and I were discussing our uniforms and, for some reason, we came to talk about International Talk Like a Pirate Day. I suggested that it would be really funny if Air Canada did something for it (but they would not, as they also do nothing special for Halloween, i.e. reschedule all flights to land in Transylvania). We suggested that the red scarf might be worn as a bandana for the festivities of September 19th. Also, we figured out a completely new procedure on board, specially designed to suit the needs of such a great day as International Talk Like a Pirate Day.
It goes as follows:

"We welcome ye aboard Arrrr Canada. We would like to inform you that parrots are only allowed perched on yer shoulders and should not be stowed in the barrels over yer heads... Also should ye wish ter release the straps holdin' ye down during the navigation, use yer cutlass to undo the belt. If ye've checked in yer cutlass, then that's yer own mistake, ye scurvy dogs! In case of an emerrrrgency that is not on water, a spare wooden leg can be found in the pocket below yer seat. Enjoy yer travels! Arrrrrr Canada!"
... or something like that! ^_^

On a side note: GERMANY WON 4:0 AGAINST ARGENTINA!!! YAY!!!!!!! WE ROCK! Take that, guy at work, who had no confidence in my team!! I hope we win Fifa this year!!

Back to the subject matter...

So I am done with my work stories. Lets move on to the Canada Day Celebrations before I fall asleep halfway through this post...

I went to the Casa Loma Renaissance Faire on Canada Day. It was the only day that I had off during the faire and I decided not to miss it. So I hopped on a flight to Toronto on Wednesday evening after my shift, slept at Michael's parents place, and then went to the faire in the morning.

It was a glorious day! And my costume had turned out really well! I even got compliments from some people who did professional costuming at the faire! I was so happy about it! Many people thought I worked there and admired my dress. I was a photo op for many and my cheeks hurt from all the smiling at the end of a glorious and sunny Canada Day. I myself believe I looked quite ravishing in gold and red, with my cute little caul. Apparently, it was quite historically accurate after all! Yay me and my love for history (and history of costume)!!

I had a lot of fun at Casa Loma. I do not think I have ever gotten THAT much attention before. I will not lie, I quite enjoyed it. And I made some great new friends, which makes me deliriously happy because they are all awesome. The only downside was that I did not get to stay that long because I had to fly back in the evening for work the next day... *pout* Also, Casa Loma is very subdued and tiny in comparison to the faires in Germany and Austria. There, EVERYONE is dressed up and you are an oddity if you are not. At Casa Loma, very few are dressed for the occasion and those who are get asked whether they work there or not. All this to say that I quite enjoyed it. I really fancied the day and just wish it had lasted longer.

I had hoped to make Michael an outfit to match mine before the faire, but that unfortunately failed. So Michael looked really cute in a Tudor-ish costume his ex had made for him a while back. I am quite glad that his ex was not there too. It concerned me a little, because I know she usually goes there too. I think she would have ruined it for us and it would have made quite the fiasco... But nothing happened and thank God for that! I had one of the awesomest days ever!!

And, before I forget, I tried my hand at archery at the Casa Loma Renaissance Faire!!! I am really good at it too! To my big (big, BIG!) surprise, I am actually a good shot. The instructor said I was a natural and was quite impressed by how well I was doing, considering this was my first time actually doing archery. I think I should pick up archery lessons... don't you? I would love it! It would be fun! ... Now, where to do archery classes in Montreal.........?

Anyways - it was AWESOME! And, on the flight back, I was as giddy as a five-year-old on his very first trip on an aircraft. Believe it or not, I squeed about the technology of the Airbus 320. I sat directly over the wing. I was watching the flaps on the wing and noticed that... THOSE FLAPS ARE RETRACTABLE!!! Aircrafts are such an awesome piece of engineering! I have been flying since I can remember and I am still impressed that these things can actually fly! The wings are so cool! ... unfortunately, I do not think you can understand this without a drawing, because it is hard to explain why it was so awesome. But it was awesome. Did that point come accross?

Also, I decided, finally, that life is really good and that I am exactly where I want to be right now, on the flight back from Toronto. I have the best boyfriend in the world, he is loyal to me and sticks to me like glue (I love him!). I have a great, fun and entertaining job. I can exploit some of my talents on the side with modeling. I am honing my sewing skills and achieving great results. I am about to finish my first bachelors degree. What more could one want from life?

What made me come to this realization was the sunset seen from the airplane. It was the most beautiful sunset I have ever seen! Yes, I believe it even beat the beauty of the sunrise in Japan seen from the top of Fuji-san! The sun was a vast disc of golden-red, floating on the horizon like an orb. Our aircraft was descending at the same time as the sun. At some point, our aircraft was cruising just on top of a sea of clouds... the wings were just brushing the tops of the tufty white waves in the sky. It looked beautiful, almost as if the plane was a ship on an ocean of cloud. And the sun was still following our descent. Then we went into the clouds and the sun was still visible, except that it was now through a haze of white, like a thin veil. It is difficult to find the words of how beautiful this all was without sounding cheezy. When we finally came out from the clouds, closer still to the ground, I watched the sun be swallowed by a darkening horizon and the sky tint itself of various colours of the rainbow... *sigh* It was amazing. And that is when I realized that I really am where I want to be at the moment.

And upon that reflection, it is time for me to shut up and nap... because I really need it! ^_^

In which Naria is presenting her duct-tape self.

Here is the dress form I nearly got a fatal concussion for! XD
The stuffing was about two dozens of those newspapers that are given out for free on the metro and that nobody reads, but they're all over the place anyway... I figured that stuff needed to be put to good use! XD


I like to hug myself... you should seriously try it sometime! XD


Happy that I was victorious over the dress form!

Speaking of dress forms and sewing... I was working on shortening the straps of a dress for my mum today. I hate store clothing! Professional stitched are a bitch to work with when you are trying to un-stitch the stuff! So I had to bullshit my way through it. I am a little disappointed in myself. I thought it would turn out better. But, then again, it is not my fault that I could not find the bloody seam that needed un-stitching.

Oh well...

Oh, and I take back what I said about my schedule with Air Canada! I now have my official schedule for the summer! It looks much (much, much, much, much!) better!! No more 3 a.m. shifts!!! Yay! (Though that is still subject to change - fingers crossed that is does not!)

And I have a few hilarious stories to tell of Air Canada. Yesterday, we were discussing PETC (pets in cabin) and AVIH (live animals in hold). We got a couple of yummy anecdotes out of it.

Story 1: Apparently, a few years ago, a woman tried to travel with her boa constrictor as her pet in cabin. Now, there are many regulations with regards to PETCs, one of which is that only cats and dogs are accepted for this. Also, the animals must be caged and the cage must not exceed size regulations. Also, the animal must be able to stand and to turn inside the cage. So a snake? I think not. Anyways, the woman showed up at the airport, with the huge snake wrapped around her neck. She was refused on the flight. She was making a fuss that she had paid for the ticket and all, but she was clearly told that she was not traveling with the snake. It took 5 days (and 5 times of her showing up at the airport) for her to be convinced that she would not be traveling with the snake any day soon. So the REAL Snakes On a Plane was avoided... XD

Story 2: There are many regulations with regards to AVIHs. Animals in hold have to be in the appropriate cages, quarantied at the airport for a bit, etc. Now, there is a reason for all these rules: we do not want any trouble with these animals (or the owners of the animals if they are dissatisfied with Air Canada's treatment of the creatures). One "container" which is completely unacceptable now is a cardboard box. Here is why:
A scientist travelling on a flight had checked in a box filled with live laboratory rats as AVIHs. For some reason, the box of rats was accepted, despite the rats being contained by no more than cardboard. Now, these were not dirty sewer rats, but the rats did chew their way out of the box... and came out in the Executive Business Class! You can imagine the freak out some passengers must have had. Even if they were "clean" rats, I would not enjoy having a rodent suddenly brush my legs while being on a quiet flight. Also, the aircraft had to undergo repairs as the rats nawed on the wiring and fusselage.

Story 3: There are also specific regulations on where and how the animals should be stored in the hull of the aircraft, so that no accidents can happen. Indeed, there is a story of a cage that was not properly strapped into the aircraft. If I remember correctly, the aircraft somehow skidded off the runway and into the field beside it. Nothing bad, no one was hurt, but the luggage (and animals) that were not strapped in properly all skidded to one side of the aircraft. The consequence of this was that, when the poor baggage handlers opened the hull of the steel bird, they were confronted with a very disgruntled loose tiger! Yes, the tiger's cage had popped open when the cage had hit some other cargo. I can just imagine the baggage guys going "nice kitty..." at the thing. The moral of this story: always make sure your cargo is held safely! XD

Story 4: As the AVIHs are being unloaded from the aircraft, the baggage handlers find a cage with a cat inside it. The cat was frozen to death. The manager got very freaked out by this, as Air Canada accepts responsibility for the animal that we put in the hold. So this is really bad news for us if the animal died in the course of the flight (we are responsible for feeding it and all... so we really do not want them to die). So the manager went out and bought a cat that was as similar as possible to the dead one and replaced the one in the cage with it. When the passenger picked up his cage, he was puzzled. "What happened? I had checked in a dead frozen cat?!" he wondered!! It seems Air Canada has the power to resurrect the dead. Please feel free to send us the bodies of your loved ones (as long as they are frozen) lol. No, but, seriously, who checks in a DEAD CAT as a "live animal"?? And why did the passenger put it in a cage? No wonder the manager freaked out!

I will stop the anecdotes there, as I am writing waaaay to much again. Seriously, I could replace Shakespeare (well - no, for obvious reasons, I cannot replace him. He is unreplaceable... but I can write as much as he could, because I do write a lot... just not nearly as well.)

And, before I forget, Bonne Saint-Jean Baptiste everyone!! Enjoy!

Chapter One - In which Naria introduces herself

A blog!
I cannot believe this! Honestly!
As someone who hates writing in a diary, the sudden discovery that I now have a blog is mildly frightening... Then again, no one (other than my friends to whom I will send this address) is very likely to read me...

Now, in order to avoid any questions as to "why a blog?" I will answer now: I just need to vent my thoughts sometimes. My wonderful boyfriend, Michael, is usually the person I vent my thoughts, insane dreams and over-the-top imagination on... and I'm afraid he won't live long if I keep this up. He's sweet, he really is - but dealing with an aspiring actress and author cannot be easy... I feel sorry for him (I know how difficult I can be! ^__^ ) So there. I just need to vent my thoughts and my imagination... So if a post is really out of the ordinary weird, it will no doubt be either a dream or a story that came to mind that I just HAD to post... My urges to write sometimes take over, and (I have to admit, my mum can sometimes be right...) I should publish some of these silly urges. I felt like a blog would be the best way to start: no publisher to reject your work! :P

Should I say anything about myself...? Ah, well, maybe not... I'll do that later. (I gather you have already found out I am a terrible procrastinator!) I have a rehearsal in half an hour and I must get dressed. (I have awesome new character shoes... they're so comfy! I am so happy about them - I keep hopping... ---- sorry; ranting!)

Oh well... see you later anyway!! (Whoever you may be!)

--- Naria