January 29, 2007:

Soon to become a busy week.  Preparing for the festivities of the weekend.  Go Bears.

1. The week started off with a plane ride to Thunder Bay.  Actually, the week started off with a 2 hour delay while Air Canada decided to go get the plane from the hanger.  Sigh...
2. While sitting in the terminal, the Insider decides to follow up on the last plane ride he took.  Did anyone know that follow-ups to the Air Canada complaint department require you to enter your points in a specific square in the e-mail?  Guess they only want to hear about issues that fit inside the box.
3. The temperature for most of the time in Thunder Bay.  In the minus 20's or so.  Brings a tear to the Insider's eye.  Not because it's cold, but because it reminds him of the homeland.
4. Based on the lineup at the Thunder Bay passport office on Tuesday, the Insider is grateful that his passport is up-to-date, and would hate to be waiting for one.
5. On the plane ride back to Toronto, the plane takes off on time, lands 15 minutes early, with no delays sitting on any kind of tarmac.  WTF?  Is heck freezing over?
6. Given the "extreme cold alerts" being issued the rest of the week by Toronto media, some Torontonians may very well believe that heck has frozen over.  The Insider reluctantly puts away the summer jacket, and breaks out the fall attire.  Silly Torontonians...
7. "Could it be any colder?"  Yep.
8. The Insider hopes that there won't be any more migraines in the F&A department, so that he doesn't have to experience more backlash.
9. The Insider becomes more integrated into the Ontario culture, being now the proud(?) owner of his OHIP card.  Trina is now relieved that if the Insider is hit by a bus a hospital will at least treat him.
10. Paul finds out that referring to someone as "my gay friend", rather than by name, is also done by others, and is quick to point out that he is not politically incorrect.  (At least on this issue).
11. Silly marketing-type people don't quite realize that Panama hats don't typically come from Alberta.
12. Scientific studies have now concluded that all it takes from people to stop bugging you while you are trying to get some work done is to put a sticker on the back of your head saying "Do not disturb".
13. The lack of sleep affects Native Edmontonians, as they should know better than to throw out empty comments that can be taken the wrong way in e-mails to the Insider.  In the interest of fairness, the Insider refrains from commenting.
14. While the details remain OTR, the topics of conversation from Saturday night include:  NHL rookie salary cap, Super Bowl plans, how the Habs' defense sucks, how the Oilers' defense sucks, why Leafs fans are annoying, why profitable business fail, women's weight, Paul's new jacket, Paul continuing need to go on shopping trips without Kim, Nova Scotia curling politics, plans for the upcoming Briar in Hamilton, and the state of Montreal strip clubs.
15. Extreme food poisoning is now deemed to be an acceptable excuse for blowing off a movie night.  The Insider remains unconvinced that it's not just a grandiose plan for getting out of his choice of the film.
16. Sunday night TV sucks without football to watch.  It is presumed that Monday nights will be just as bad.

Insider out.

1. "Winter" comes to Toronto.  And by winter, the Insider means 1 inch of snow, forcing about a third of Torontonians to stay home from work to avoid the "treacherous" roads.  Native Manitobans shake their heads.
2. The Lafleche School of Poker now has at least 2 registrants and has established three rules.  Experienced players will continue to ignore all 3 rules.
3. A change of name has been requested for the First Annual Ellsworth Invitational Poker Tournament to the First Tri-Monthly Ellsworth Invitational Poker Tournament. There was also a question as to whether the second instalment should be a strip poker game.  The Insider provides the following comments in response:
   • Edmontonians are just weird.
   • Trina is probably having flashbacks reading this point.
   • It's a good thing that some people probably still don't know that three-of-a-kind beats two pairs.
4. The time frame for "sickness" due to excess pizza at lunch has now been established at 4 hours.
5. Previously established commitments at the Lafleche household has been deemed by some to be an acceptable excuse for blowing off platinum level seating at a Raptors game.
6. Thursday's Toronto Sun Girl prompts a discussion on whether or not she was Paul's ideal women - an accountant who likes to travel.  Kimberly's comment - "Of course you like that...air brushed air brushed!"  Deborah's comment received independently - "Airbrushed, hair extensions, heavy makeup and implants.  Could the accounting degree be fake too?"
7. Kimberly's logic point of the week - "If you are against hunting, it's best not to try to state your case while chowing down on a 10 ounce steak."
8. All of the discussion points at the Friday lunch where Paul identified his previous comments to Kimberly (IR Vol#2 Iss#1 Point#6) remain OTR.  Extremely OTR.
9. All of the discussion points at the Friday lunch involving the benefits of Quebec strip clubs also remain OTR.
10. Before leaving on his weekend adventure in Montreal, Paul is warned that the Insider would not be responsible for any requests of bail money.
11. The Insider receives an e-mail response from Air Canada this week regarding the flight back from Winnipeg.  Interested readers can request a copy for their perusal.  Oh, this is so not over yet.....
12. Some people are still learning that if you drink draft before, during, and after the hockey game, you will wake up with headache the next day.  Silly prairie women.  Especially when it takes them 48 hours to recover.
13. Text message received by the Insider during the first intermission of the second game of Hockey Night in Canada - "All I have to say about the first period is f!*#".
14. Anyone wondering who the Insider will be rooting for in the Super Bowl?

1. See the special edition on how to get jet lag on a flight from Winnipeg to Toronto. Jet lag throws off the sleep pattern for at least 4 days.
2. An e-mail to Air Canada has yet to receive a response. Note to any readers who sent in their own complaint on the lack of a report: the Insider will deal with his complaints when Air Canada deals with theirs.
3. The Outcast is surprised that the Insider eats dim sum.
4. When asked if Kim is missed at GT yet, the Insider pauses, considering she probably phones and e-mails him more now.
5. Marketing Type Person insists that she never jumps at movies. The first 10 minutes of Casino Royale proves her wrong.
6. In an effort to make up for lost time, Paul's 5 minute phone call to Kim provides at least the equivalent of a week's worth of inappropriate comments.
7. Note to Paul: describing a women as "healthy" is not a way to make friends.
8. Paul's attempt at stacking the teams combined with setting the schedule prove disastrous with his showing at the annual GT Curling Day. Comment heard: "You let Au beat you at curling???? Oh great.. and I thought his ego was already big enough."
9. Trash talking ensues when the Insider makes a claim that ABAS folks would never beat him at curling. The results: a dramatic 3-2 come-from-behind win. Never bet against the Insider....
10. Further trash talking ensues regarding the First Annual Ellsworth Invitational Poker Tournament, held immediately subsequent to the curling. The Insider shakes his head when some readers start attributing their poker skills to the amount of meat that they eat, or the size of their head.
11. The Insider further shakes his head when these same people show up to the game with cheat sheets printed off the Internet to say what hands beat what. (The Insider hates playing with rookies.)
12. The Lafleche method of playing poker ends up winning the night. (The Insider hates playing with rookies.)
13. Note to Marshall and Native Edmontonian: Staying out the night before until 4:00 AM is never a good way to prepare for either a poker tournament. It has been known to be the correct way for preparing for a curling day, though.
14. The heated seat warmers of the Insidermobile provide comfort to a number of readers during the past week. Multiple comments of "Boy, do I like a warm butt" are heard.
15. Note that the Insider will consider increasing the monthly lease costs to allow for heated seat warmers for the back seats when the revenue stream from the Insider report increases.
16. Native Mississaugans claim that a hair dressing boutique should never have more than 2 "Z's in their name. The Insider, who, of course, has a stylin' do, looks on in amusement.
17. The Insider is uncertain why people are counting down to 24, but the correct answer is "....28, 27, 26, 25"
18. Apparently one cm of freezing rain on the ground can grind Toronto to a halt. Native Manitobans look on in amusement. Native Torontonians stay at home.
19. Native Edmontonians may no longer be concerned about maintain anonymous status? Stay tuned for a potential nickname change...
20. Bears win.