Enjoy the View

Hey gang! Wow close to ol Merry Xmas eh? Wonder if the ol gang from WK would remember Merry XXX Mass from back in the day? Never look at midgets the same way ever again... Well went out to see Rocky VI last night aka Rocky Balboa...it was suprisingly very well done, the theatre was packed and it was funny in a way cause you could hear people being impatient because they were running just one too many trailers and people were going, "C'mon!" amongst other words. They did have a trailer for Ghost Rider which was delayed till February from the summer. Anyways Rocky runs a restuarant and there is no Adrian, which i could see was choking up lots of people...i could feel a little bit of a lump there when Rocky sits at her gravestone or visits all the places where they first went on dates and they play them old Rocky cues..of course there was a great training montage and Rocky regains alot of his dignity. Just go see the film because this will probably be the last time Stallone at age 60 or however old he is has this character on screen. Until Rambo IV appears. Me and Blair went to Doolys in New Minas last night before the movie, it was funny cause we were flirting with the female bartender who thought Stallone was still hot...mmmmmmmmmmm k... So tomorrow is payday and i am going to pick up my Mom's present and some stocking stuffers and that is it for Xmass stuff.. what about today Old Man Robb? Well today is a day off, i dunno why cause i know i would have gladly worked the 10-6 shift. However all is good. So today i will wrap presents, take the doggies for their walk and probably go to the gym...sounds boring eh? Next week ol Tash is on vacation so i will be working lots of 10-6 shifts in her place..well someone has to work them...I cannot believe that now it is 18 days till Japan! So much has happened! I should do like my old pal Gorgeous Glen and write a year in review on Robbblogs! Man this time last month on this exact day i thought things were going to be different, but i was wrong...so wrong. I dunno why i am dwelling on that still...i think it is the time of year ya know, it is Xmass and not to sound like a broken record player, or in my friend Craig's case, a broken Mickey Mouse Record Player!!!! (probably listening to Accept!!!)LOL! No one wants to feel crappy on Christmas....but it is like seriously Robbie find your strength because you are going to a $30,000 or so a year job and you can't be being all silly. I actually had Mom at the computer yesterday afternoon to see Craig's webcam so she could see his kids. Mom has to learn to use the computer in order for us to save money while i am in Japan. I hope someone can show her the ropes cause i wanna save her alot of money in calls. I remember going to Mount A and i swear every night that phone rang, what is she gonna do with a 13 hr time difference? Have you ever heard of Japan's fascination with vending machines? Take a look at this!!!! Starting to get a bit nervous about going too, imagine the jetlag? Or stepping off that plane and wondering just where the heck am i? Too weird to even imagine eh? As i write this, my money transfers are taking place and American dollars are being converted into Japanese Yen. So much to learn in such a small amount of time, to be able to adjust to a new way of living. However at the end of the day i am still gonna be Robbie, i am going to be paying back my student loans the honest way and this is going to be good for my resume, where can it go? Who knows? Maybe after my loan is all well and paid off within two and a half years i will stay an extra year and gain more money and experience, maybe i will go corporate, try to get into Nova's corporate offices and come home and live in Toronto or maybe at one of their stateside locations. I guess the sky is the limit as they say, Mom says i have the world by the ass and i don't even know it. I guess i let little things get to me like i always do, turn little things into big things, make things worse than they already are. I think i am at peace with myself at the moment.

Well here is the Acadia Hockey Schedule for the rest of the year while i am in Japan.....

Fri. Jan. 5- Acadia @ UdeM 7pm
Sat. Jan. 6-Acadia @ UNB 7pm
Wed. Jan. 10- Dalhousie @ Acadia 7:30pm
Sat. Jan. 13- StFX @ Acadia 7:30pm
Fri. Jan. 19- UdeM @ Acadia 7:30pm
Sat. Jan. 20- UNB @ Acadia 7:30pm
Wed. Jan. 31- Acadia @ Dalhousie 7pm
Fri. Feb. 2- UPEI @ Acadia 7:30pm
Sat. Feb. 3- St. Thomas @ Acadia 7:30pm
Fri. Feb. 9- Acadia @ UPEI 7pm
Sat. Feb. 10- Acadia @ St. Thomas 7pm
Fri. Feb. 16- Saint Mary's @ Acadia 7:30pm
Sat. Feb. 17- Acadia @ StFX 7pm

Anyways folks i have to get off my ass, get showered, walk them doggies and get to the gym and be Rocky...i mean Robbie...or something like that..have a good one!

All That I've Got

Hey bloggeronies! What is a happening? Well tonight is ROCKY BALBOA night! Yes i have been looking forward to this, leaving around 5ish and getting a bite to eat and then headed to the Empire for the 7:00 showing. So what else is new? Can you believe that in 19 days i am going to be in Japan? Right now we are awaiting my Visa papers/ Certificate of Eligibilty papers to come back from the Japanese Consolate in Montreal. They should be here via Priority Post in the next little bit. What is good about NOVA is that your rent money accordoing to the gentleman on the phone is taken directly out of your paycheck, leaving room for budgeting and other concerns, like paying back me student loans. Mom layed her offer out on the table again yesterday, but i declined, it is time for Old Man Robb to fly, to jet ya know..so many of my friends are married and have kids, and what have i done outside of my illustrious (insert laught track here) college career? No no i need this experience for the resume and some time out of NS. Yesterday me and Mom went to the bank and applied to have $2500 put into Yen, which is $256,855.86 in Yen. Not really much difference in the dollar eh? Found a NOVA student's website showing his time in Japan..check out the apartment! Mom and me ate at Subway again yesterday (I think she has a thing for toasted veggie subs) and she compared it to me going off to university for the first time, except on a larger grander scale and much much further away. I mean i won't be home till Christmas of 2007, so much much much can change in one year ya know, like Middleton finally getting some traffic lights downtown or something drastic like that. I found a piece here about the costs of products in Japan... How much does stuff cost?I dunno tough question, here we go: Starbucks coffee 300 yen ($2,87 American), Beer at an izakaya 400 yen ($3.38 American) Plate of curry rice 400 yen ($3,38 American), Ramen 400 yen ($3.38 American) Pair of shoes about 3500 yen ($29 Ameican) , Nice dinner (sushi, appetizer, dessert, 1 drink) 5000 yen ($42.00 American) Remember this stuff is all ballpark figures…..so take it with a grain of salt…. maybe i should be a stand up comedian, they seem to get in all the S*** these days!
My old buddy Craig from the Passage wrote to me yesterday and actually commented on here somewhere about some of our past exploits in the Passage back in the day (The 80s) When my Mom's hair turned purple and when we found Captain Redneck's collection of porn. Ahhhh the good ol days eh? Q-104 stickers and all! I should phone him some night and see if he is going to get the Twisted Sister Christmas Album!?!?!?!?!? Well our staff party was Friday night at Dooley's in Gwood. It was good times seeing the gang together, except the band playing was very out of key and friggin up tunes like "What I Like About You" and April Wine's Rock Myself To Sleep...and some dufus tried to pick up all of our staff and managed somehow not to get kicked out when he was cut off from the bar..what a maroon...Tash is still bugging me about me giving him the eye on you hand signal that Ben Stiller/ Robert DeNero gave one another in Meet The Parents. Me and Tash are working Christmas Eve again this year and we are going to follow in our tradition of playing the Beatles: Yellow Submarine which we only play on Christmas Eve every frickin year...ok ok ok...why the hell would you even play that? Well we know it will not rent on Christmas Eve and it always gets customers going "What the F***?!?!?!?!?!" My last day of working at the store formerly known as Andrew's will be on January 2nd. Weird eh? An end of an era. Now most of our customers know i am headed to Japan, you feel important, but it is like my Dad used to say, Son stick your hand in a pail of water, what do you come out with? That is how important you really are. Life will go on when i am gone to Japan, people will still rent movies, bitch about late fees and complain that the movies are in Widescreen and we don't have enough copies of some crappy independent film blah blah blah... was nagged into going to PJ's on Saturday night..whatta dive! There were five cougars dancing, one of whom tried to put her boa around my neck..and that was it. Draft was $1.50 but mostly i sat at the bar and stared at the Montreal game that was playing and left at 12. Watched the new American Pie V: The Naked Mile the other night, i liked it better than i liked Band Camp. It had two Stiflers and one of them had this awesome drinking heavyweight belt designed with crushed beer cans and beer caps...i so need one for my trophy room! Went to go see Casino Royale the other night and it took some getting used to seeing a blonde James Bondage, but it was an ok flick, nice to see a more gruff Bond for a change as you can see the change into classic James Bond throughout the film. So my nephew got caught drinking at school again, when will they ever learn eh? He is really embaressed as he was having a much better term this year than last years record setting year. Well life is ok, wish i heard from a certain someone but i think i can understand why that someone would not wanna talk to me. So what else is new? Well still going to the gym, was there a good 75 minutes yesterday and i am going again today after i am done taking the dogs for a walk. Awww getting payed Friday and then there is the weekend, well it will be time to finish off my shopping, pick up my Mom's gift and be done of shopping for another full calendar year...have a good one folks!
PS- Actually there was a part of Band Camp i liked and it is a song by a band called
Breaking Benjamin entitled Forget it, here are the lyrics...

It's a crime you let it happen to me
Nevermind, I'll let it happen to you
Out of mind, forget it there's nothing to lose
But my mind and all the things I wanted
Everytime I get it
I throw it away
It's a sign, I get it, I wanna stay
By the time I lose it
I'm not afraid
I'm alive but I can Surely fake it
How can I believe when this cloud hangs over me
You're the part of me that I don't wanna see
Forget it
There's a place I see you follow me
Just a taste of all that might come to be
I'm alone but holding breath you can breathe
To question every answer counted
Just fade away
Please let me stay
Caught in your way
Forget it
It's a crime you let it happen to me
Out of mind, I love it, easy to please
Nevermind, forget it, just memories
On a page inside a spiral notebook
Just fade away
Please let me stay
Caught in your way
I can live forever here
Forget it
How can I believe when this cloud hangs over me
You're a part of me that I don't wanna see
I can live forever here

Tomorrow is ROCKY BALBOA!!!!

Just having another ROCKY moment...kinda like waiting for Christmas or something eh? Or even tomorrow's trip to New Minas! Click the above pic for another awesome ROCKY memory from ROCKY IV!!!!!!!!!!! And with keeping with yesterday's soundtrack tradiation here are they lyrics to "Hearts on Fire" by John Cafferty!!!

Silence in the darkness creeps into your soul
Envy moves the light of self control
The gate that holds you captive has the door
Burnin' with determination to even up the score
Heart's on fire, strong desire, rages deep within
Heart's on fire, fever's risin', high
The moment of truth draws near
Time will not allow you to stay still, no
Silence breaks the heart and bends the will
Defense is guilty passions out of control
Rules and regulations have no meaning any more
Heart's on fire, strong desire, rages deep within
Heart's on fire, fever's risin', high
Right up till the end
The moment of truth is here

ROCKY BALBOA on WEDNESDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well actually it is a pic from good ol Rocky IV posted above, but i have the day off on Wednesday and well this is something i have been looking forward to for a long long long time! To get in the mood here are the awesome lyrics to "No Easy Way Out" by Robert Tepper (Who the F*** is Robert Tepper since 85?...but click pic for the just as awesome video! ) If you are any kind of man, you are going to see this on Wednesday, if you are not you might as well stay home, eat chocolates and whine to someone who cares, anyways enjoy the video and the lyrics.

"We're not indestructible, better get that straight
I think it's unbelievable how you give into the hands of fate
Some things are worth fighting for, some feelings never die
I'm not askin' for another chance
I just wanna know why
There's no easy way out there's no shortcut home
There's no easy way out givin' in can't be wrong
I don't wanna pacify you
I don't wanna drag you down
But I'm feelin like a prisoner like a stranger in a no named town
I see all the angry faces afraid that could be you and me
Talkin about what might have been
I'm thinkin about what I used to be
There's no easy way out there's no shortcut home
Ther's no easy way out givin in can't be wrong
We can shed this skin
We can know how we feel inside
Instead of goin down an endless road not knowin if we're dead or alive
Some things are worth fightin for, some feelings never die
I'm not askin for another chance I just wanna know why
Theres no easy way out there's no shortcut home
There's no easy way out givin in givin in can't be wrong no
There's no easy way out there's no shortcut home
There's no easy no easy no easy way out

Target Me

Hey gang

What is a happening? Well not too too much except tonight is the night of the Store Formerly known as Andrew's staff party!!! Didn't have one last year and it is starting at 9:00 at Doolies in Gwood tonight. Cannot wait! Even Ol Tash is going and my old buddy Shelly!!! And i have tomorrow off to sleep it off. I have a couple of invites to do stuff tomorrow, one is to go to Legends in Coldbrook and one is to go to PJ's Lounge in Middleton of all frickin places. Dunno if i will go to either. Both of them always play all that repetitive dance music crap, we talking lowest common denomenator shit. So i sent all of my stuff to the Japanese Consolate in Japan via Priority Post and today i had to send them a blank envelope of all things so they can send my Visa and all the rest of my stuff back to me. I recieved info from Nova Japan yesterday about my arrival at Narita Airport on January 10th about how i have to show my passport, collect my luggage, go through customs. Nova made a tentative plan for my journey which includes departing the airport via bus and going to my apartment. There will be a representative from Nova with me for most if not all of the duration of my arrival. The apartment in which i will be living is entitled Lions Mansion Yatsuka Ekimae and i will have two male roomates so no Three's Company happening here folks! My rent per month is 65,000 Yen which is according to the Currency Converter is approx $636.88 Canadian.
So i had a date last Saturday with a fellow ESL teacher who is going back to Korea in January. It was ok, like i said i dunno how into the dating scene i am right now, but it was fun to peel out of Middleton for a bit and go somewhere else for awhile.
Christmas is in 10 days and it is starting to get to my Mother, we are going to celebrate it up at my brothers in Kentville this year, there are some people who i would really love to kick in the ass who just keep voicing and voicing their opinions and i wish they would really keep them to themselves if they have nothing better to say. As a matter of fact i am sick of sooky people as well who always have people fawning over them, like who the fuck are they are what the fuck have they ever done? Wha Wha Wha is what they do and people pay fucking attention to them!
Unfuckingbelivable! What have i ever done? I have earned everything i have ever thrived to do, suffer a little set back? Get back up. Did i let some previous problems slow me down? Yes i did to an extent, what did i do? I got a boost and got the frig back up! Did i accomplish what i wanted? Yes i graduated high school and no one said i could, i graduated Acadia and no one said i could, i am going to Japan and i know there are people snickering in the corner and those who want me to fail, am i? Maybe..maybe not but if i do not last in Japan, i will bounce back. That is the difference right there i am afraid boys and girls....

That Old Man Robb can rant eh?

Took Mom to Subway today in Greenwood and treated her to lunch as a family we are trying stay chin up about everything, be as upbeat as possible. Mom doesn't like that i am leaving, but what choice do i really have in the matter? I have to start my career, i have to pay back my student loan, Mom told me not to worry about that part of it tht we would pay for it, but what the hell does that really accomplish in the end? I would still be at the Store Formerly Known as Andrew's and still in Middleton with two degrees and nothing at all to show for it.
Actually i think i should be given a medal of honor for last Friday, i departed good and early and bought everyone's Christmas present, the only person i have yet to buy for is my Mother and i have her gift on reserve. I remember leaving Middleton and it was only raining, came out of the mall in NewMinas and it was like the snowstorm from hell! So i hope everyone appreciates their
presents even more! I thought i saw those AT-AT things from the Empire Strikes Back were going to start walking across the parking lot in New Minas! I got off the 101 in Aylesford and drank a Needs coffee of all things and it took me a good hour to get from Aylesford to Middleton!!! I remember Tash asked if i needed a Tim Hortons coffee, i told her we should go to the Capital instead and drink 5 or 6 Keiths!
I am really glad to be back in touch with my old pal Gorgeous Glen who was my RA in Tower during 2002-03! He has his own blog and he says he is very entertained with what i have provided in mine. Glad to see ya again old buddy!
Well Kimberley left for home today for the Xmas Holidays, her BF was here at 9:00 this morning. I was glad that i was able to get my Xmas gift to get yesterday while she was home, i really hope that she likes it as she says she is not opening it till Christmas Day. Do i wish things were different? Of course i do, but they are not and slowly i have to accept that. Time is irreplaceable and not coming back...I'll miss seeing her over the holidays.
Well what else is a happening? Well how's about this coming Wednesday? What the hell is happening Wednesday? Cue the music..........drumroll.......... ROCKY BALBOA OPENS IN NEW MINAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And me and Blair are going to be there! Still going to the gym here in town and now i am down to around 210/ 209 pounds...a few years ago i hovered around the 240 pound mark, would love to be below the 200 pound mark before i depart for Japan. Now that would kick all kinds of ass! Again so weird leaving my Mom behind with everyone else...i really wanted the Hollywood ending you know what i mean? But instead i get the Old Man Robb ending, but that is ok because that is the way it is supposed to be, going on and on and on all alone and hopefully finally making my mark, I'm sick of being caught in yesterday.
it's my time so everyone else should kind of step out of the way.