Piano Keys and Cream

Sometimes, due to the nature of my work, I get to go to an arcade. I don't play too many of the games myself, because nowadays, the rare arcade is mad expensive and I can't afford to play out of courtesy. But I accompany and play whichever two player games whoever I'm supporting requests of me.

There was a two player version of Piano Keys, which I think I mentioned I had as my first game app when I first got my smart phone. Pretty basic, you get four rectangles side-by-side, one is black, three are white. You have to tap the black tile as fast as you can and every time you do, the set of tiles is replaced with the black tile randomly repositioned.

This arcade version had four mammoth white panels acting as buttons in front of you and you pressed them as you watched a computer screen. The computer screen showed which tile was black and you pressed the key in front of you that corresponded with the black tile's position on the screen.

There were sixteen high scores recorded. By the time I was done, each of those high scores had been taken by me. Take that small children! Give the kids something to aspire to.

I was walking in the mall the other day and went by one of those stands with all the beauty products and the girls trying to hand out samples of skin cream. They usually don't pitch to guys, especially guys with no visible indication that they would use a product like that. One of them tried to hand me a sample and I gave her a playfully questioning smirk, half-shook my head, disengaged eye contact and continued my stride. But a second one pounced on me, somehow got me seated, and next thing I knew I was getting rubbed all over with a variety of creams and products. Girl was asking me if I was single, telling me I was beautiful but that I was ruining myself, telling me how she cares about me, offering me her contact information and wanting to stay in touch.

Almost worked. Had my debit card out and was about to drop $200,when I was suddenly washed over with a moment of clarity and said "Wait a second... No." Then she started haggling, offering more products for the same price with the "I'd only give this to you" angle. But I'd refocused, and she didn't really have a shot at that point.

I need a girlfriend.

Seems to be a new policy they've taken on. Every time I walk by one of those stands, regardless the sale girl, they've got some Joe blow type bloke up in their chair. I get approached by almost every one of them now, too, but now I'm just like "SCRAM!" and it's fine.

We almost had a bus strike recently. This would have been a lot more suspenseful if I had updated this blog when the date of the strike was still looming, but I didn't. It was going to be last Monday, and since I go to work Sunday night and get off Monday morning, I could get to work but not from it. Since I'm the only staff on site for my shifts and I work in a residential area at unlikely hours, carpooling wasn't really an option. I finally downloaded the Uber app, but even if they're cheaper than cabs, they are definitely pricier than the bus, and since I'm running so low on funds due to my first paycheque being pushed back, and all the work cancellations and additional fees for the prep documents and training for my new position, this was just really inopportune timing for me. They were supposed to know by midnight whether or not the strike would happen, but at midnight they announced that negotiations would continue throughout the night.

Since I'm awake for work, I can't just sleep through and check in the morning, so I got to be held in suspense until 3:00 AM when they decided not to strike.

Remember how my recent dilemma was on whether or not to go to University if I was accepted, since I finally received a position with a sustainable income after making my application? Well, it's not a hypothetical anymore, my preferred university just offered me a spot.

(Note: This is my 700th blog post)