The one about my T.O. observations
Victorieux, il est retourné
After 12 hours of facilitating and preaching the philosophy of delivering quality service, I hopped aboard the wee airbus and am back in la belle province.
I had fun. I really did...
There's a turn on in walking into a room full of strangers and holding them in the palm of your hand; In questioning their ideals and philosophies and challenging them to justify themselves; In, without preaching, slowly converting their way of thinking.
I love walking in and creating a wall of energy for people to feed off. It's so important when you get a group of people together in an enclosed space that they are energized and ready to communicate... so I have to almost build myself into a frenzy hoping that it will be fed upon, piranah, style...
When it works it's an enormous buzz. When you have to work hard to get there, it can take a massive amount of energy... But this is why I do it. There is instant gratification...
Anyhoo. I haven't been back to Hogtown for quite a while and here are my observations and some occurrences:
1) Everyone talks about money. Constantly.
2) Nobody looks you in the eye
3) Where the hell did all those condos come from in the downtown core.
4) I don't like travelling up elevators to the 55th floor. It unnerves me.
5) You can't smoke in TO anywhere anymore.
6) I did find, while waiting for my good friend Tali, a pub with a Russian barman called Sergei, a ginger smoking girl called Gill, a North Londoner called Louis and a Boston guy called Billy (or Buddy or Mack or something). They were all friendly. I spent two hours in a 'Cheers' episode.
7) I got a free ticket to see "Cake" at Massey Hall
8) I had forgotten how much I like "Cake". Birthday kind and, more prevalently in this case, the band. They were absolutely fun, funky, and fantastic. How can a night where you sing seven verses of "Sheep go to heaven, goats go to hell" and "Shut the f*ck" endlessly, NOT be tippety-top?
9) Toronto street meat needs mustard.
10) The Subway is slower than the metro.
11) It costs $50 ($1 US, 50p UK) to get to the airport in a cab.
Thanks to Tali I had a great time in a city that holds so many bad memories for me...
I will be in Ottawa one week today, furiously setting up for the Rocky Horror show's first performance. We have a LOT of work to do. But it's going to be HOT!
