Trendy Wristband

Lately I have been waking up at a decent hour, lets say about 8:30-9, and have been doing some exploring of neighbourhoods around downtown. Today I went and got myself a Starbucks blended creme thing and headed East. I walked past this historical house named "The Lougheed House". It looks pretty cool, but it was expensive to go and check out the inside so perhaps I will go a little later when I have cash. I walked a long way enjoying all of the strange and interesting apartments that were scattered along the streets. I was suprised by the amount of older generations as I walked, there seemed to be a great deal of gray hairs out for a stroll. I started back and walked past the place where you can donate blood. I like donating blood, basically cause they give you free food. I signed in and they gave me a trendy wristband, you know like the one that people wear to promote Lance Armstrong's charity, or the white ones to end poverty. The one that I got is red and has the words Blood and Vitality and outlines of drops which appear to be blood. It was cool since I had wanted to be trendy, but did not know where to get the trendy wristbands. Tomorrow a good friend comes to visit Calgary, and we are going to get the infamous "Bubble Tea", basically a shake with tapioca balls in the bottom, quite good, and cool texture. So she comes into town, and then the next week another good friend comes into town, and then a wedding, and then school starts again for all those who go to school. It feels as though this summer has just flown by, its kinda sad, but since I have been enjoying it so much its nice to have time pass quickly. Well now I am off to work at an unconventional job which I like.

Stampede of Glory

This morning I was awoken by a phone call that told me that just outside my building there was a beautiful sight called a "Stampede breakfast". It was people in cowboy hats flipping pancakes and sausages. Also it was free. I went and indulged my craving for Aunt jemimiah syrup and processed meat. Not only was this breakfast about those two things, but also there was fruit in a sugar sauce and whipped cream. Also it was free. There was included in this meal free cinniamon buns, and also free cowboy music, which consists of a fiddle, bass guitar and drums, and sometimes a piano. Also it was free. So after this breakfast of champions I went to work and enjoyed the energy that my sustinence had provided. Did I mention that it was Stampede? I have never heard of such a wild party before as the stampede. Aside from things like Marti Gras, and the Running of the bulls, and freshman events at schools around the city, there has never been a party like the stampede. I spent a few hours on the grounds of the greatest show on earth last saturday, and let me tell you it was quite the experience. I have been to the stampede many times before, mostly when I was younger to go on the rides and to see the stuff in the roundup centre. This year I went cause my friends went, and I wanted to spend time with them since they were only here for a short period of time. So I went and paid my 12 dollars to get it, and then I wandered the grounds for a few hours. In those few hours I saw sights that I had never experienced before as a child so many years ago. For example when I was a kid I never knew what beer gardens were, and yet I can imagine that they were just as previlent then as they are now. Now I walked past and saw everyone having a few cold ones with friends, and wondered why I had never noticed it before. I also noticed how many food stands there were, why must there be so many different versions of the same stand, I guess that it makes sense since I live in a society which functions on the ability that people have to compete with each other regarding their profitability. So I also noticed how many people there really were there. I had never realized just how big the stampede was. While comming home Jon, Chris, and I had to wait for 3 trains to get home since it was so busy. Those cars as designed to hold 2000 people, and the people just kept streaming out of the park and onto the train platform. I remember the first time I rode public transit, it was to the Stampede Parade. I rode it with my mother and my brother and my other brother and we took the train downtown and then watched the parade from an office building. This year I walked 5 minutes and went to work and watched most of the parade from inside the store I work at. It was fasinating to see how many people were watching the parade that was right outside of my house and on the street that I walk on almost every day. Right now I can hear a band that is playing just down the street, but I cant go and watch since I think that it is a private party, not at all in the spirit of stampede. Anyways, sometimes I really like this city, and most of the time the stampede is glorious, but sometimes I wish I could find the time to go to everything. I also think that I will head to bed soon since I am tired. If you have the chance check out the TV show "Scrubs", staring the ever so talented Zack Braff, of "Garden State" fame. Thats about all, enjoy the summer, I sure am.