Odd Things Seen Daily By Me

[Dropbear]

It would have been a bit detrimental to your military stint if your lips naturally curled up and you exuded a natural sunny happy disposition.

I was a combat medic. I was supposed to have a good bedside manner as well as shooting people. Actually, for a while there was a rumour that I was helping myself to my morphine stash, because I was always cheery and I was a little too well versed in pharmacology.

It’s only in the last ten years or so that people have told me my normal expression and countenance is stern and scary. At least until I smile. I find it a little disturbing, since I think of myself as easygoing and approachable. The ‘compliment’ I get most from work colleagues is something like ‘you’re actually a lot nicer than I thought, when I first met you’.

 

[Journeyman]

I always think of "Die Hard" era Alan Rickman when I see your photos...

 

[Dropbear]

I just went through the photos on my phone and I do see the resemblance.

I also just decided that my existential dilemma is: smile and look approachable but with a face full of wrinkles or look mean and slightly less wrinkley. I probably should’ve used sunscreen the past 40 years.

 

[Grand Potentate]

I always think of "Die Hard" era Alan Rickman when I see your photos...

wow talk about a compliment!

 

[Dropbear]

wow talk about a compliment!

 

[Grand Potentate]

serious. getting compared to alan rickman is not too fucking shabby.

 

[Fwiffo]

I was a combat medic. I was supposed to have a good bedside manner as well as shooting people. Actually, for a while there was a rumour that I was helping myself to my morphine stash, because I was always cheery and I was a little too well versed in pharmacology.

It’s only in the last ten years or so that people have told me my normal expression and countenance is stern and scary. At least until I smile. I find it a little disturbing, since I think of myself as easygoing and approachable. The ‘compliment’ I get most from work colleagues is something like ‘you’re actually a lot nicer than I thought, when I first met you’.

Time for plastic surgery that makes you look cheery? I'm sure someone offers that.

 

[Fwiffo]

Homeless people with technology. I saw one with a mobile. Today I saw one who had some kind of smart watch or fit bit or something.

 

[Fwiffo]

Grown men who have stickers and decals on their laptops. Why? Also a lot of them sport cutesy cartoon characters. Do they want to project themselves as old men with immature juvenile sensibilities?

 

[Fwiffo]

Asians who wear one of those medical masks yet sport open toe shoes or flip flops. It's 30c and I'm afraid of airborne viruses but other exposed skin who cares.

 

[Fwiffo]

Sikhs who assume their turban is good enough for a bicycle helmet in a city where helmets are required by law.

 

[Thruth]

Sikhs who assume their turban is good enough for a bicycle helmet in a city where helmets are required by law.

Why are you worrying about Sikhs on bikes without helmets? Ontario has a helmet exemption for Sikhs on motorcycles. They do not have to wear helmets on worksites or in the Canadian Forces.

One Canadian test lab tested a Sikh turban for impact characteristics, and found that they probably would not provide much impact protection, certainly not enough to approach the performance of a helmet meeting any of the national or international bicycle helmet standards. Turbans may vary according to regional styles, and can differ considerably in size, shape, density and other characteristics, so it would be difficult to design a helmet to fit over or under them. A turban-shaped helmet is probably not a viable option even if it were acceptable to Sikhs, because the traditional Sikh turban is meticulously wound, and it would be difficult for a turban wearer to remove their turban, ride in the helmet, and rewind the turban after the ride. Winding a turban over a helmet would eliminate ventilation and result in a very large headgear, while still requiring that the normal turban be taken off to ride.

 

[Fwiffo]

Why are you worrying about Sikhs on bikes without helmets? Ontario has a helmet exemption for Sikhs on motorcycles. They do not have to wear helmets on worksites or in the Canadian Forces.

1. Because I am concerned about all of mankind

2. Unless it's Iron Man esque titanium laced fabric I am sure the cloth turban is negligible to no protection.

 

[Thruth]

1. Because I am concerned about all of mankind

2. Unless it's Iron Man esque titanium laced fabric I am sure the cloth turban is negligible to no protection.

Their faith will protect them.

 

[Fwiffo]

Women who wear fake lashes at the gym or on runs in the city. What's the point of that?

 

[Thruth]

What happened to Weed Baby?

 

[Fwiffo]

Ripped jeans with leggings underneath...

 

[Fwiffo]

The sheer amount of capitalistic homeless people who claim they are veterans leading up to Remembrance Day.

 

[Grand Potentate]

The sheer amount of capitalistic homeless people who claim they are veterans leading up to Remembrance Day.

i'm confused as to how you're using "capitalistic" in this sentence. so you're upset they're seeking money or you're upset they're not communists?

 

[Fwiffo]

i'm confused as to how you're using "capitalistic" in this sentence. so you're upset they're seeking money or you're upset they're not communists?

Because when it's 12th November no one is a veteran anymore and they start looking for Santa hats or a menorah.

They crowd the financial district during the week and leave it deserted on weekends to shift towards more profitable tourist areas. All their pleas and placards saying how they don't have a home so they are using this place as a makeshift home is a load of rubbish. The pursuit of profit as motive in life - capitalism par excellence.

 

[Fwiffo]

What time is appropriate to smoke marijuana? Around 7am?

 

[Fwiffo]

Interracial couples and not just white and a colour but brown and black. Why was it when I was interested in brown it was taboo?

 

[Pimpernel Smith]

Whilst the Dutch are a tall race, if not the tallest, I've noticed in the lift that the consultancy engaged in lucrative public sector and government contracts in the building seem to have a policy of employing tall 6' Amazons. A policy, I thoroughly approve of, but a lot of them seem to have dry skin especially the hands. This is a Dutch thing by the way, dry hands and parched facial skin due to lack of care and moisturizing.

 

[Fwiffo]

There is a homeless man decorating for Christmas underneath a tunnel across the street from me. He started with the usual paper ornaments. Now he has a tree and a Christmas display powered by an electric source from God knows where given solar doesn't work under concrete.

That said I was buying last minute groceries the other day and passed by a man in rags surrounded by a few empty cans of domestic beer with a waft of homeless stench that you can detect being ten metres away. He was sitting next to an electrical outlet charging with a white Apple charger. The large ones that power the iPad.

 

[ballmouse]

I saw a homeless man seated with one of those cheap plastic tables using his laptop in the middle of the sidewalk.

 

[Thruth]

I saw a werewolf having a pina colada at Trader Vic’s. His hair was perfect.

 

[Kingstonian]

I saw a homeless man seated with one of those cheap plastic tables using his laptop in the middle of the sidewalk.

Maybe these people became homeless after they acquired and were used to laptops and iPads?

 

[ballmouse]

I meant it was an unusual sight. I had never seen a homeless person in the street using a laptop with a table as if he were in an office. I didn't mean to imply homeless people couldn't have laptops.

 

[Fwiffo]

I meant it was an unusual sight. I had never seen a homeless person in the street using a laptop with a table as if he were in an office. I didn't mean to imply homeless people couldn't have laptops.

Why would they have laptops? They're homeless. How would they charge it?

 

[Grand Potentate]

Why would they have laptops? They're homeless. How would they charge it?

Seriously?

 

[Fwiffo]

Seriously?

Which part? Homeless people owning electronics that need charging or homeless people who have no home?

 

[Grand Potentate]

Which part? Homeless people owning electronics that need charging or homeless people who have no home?

The former. Despite you increasingly frequent proclamations of obliviousness I have to believe that the latter is a bridge too far.

 

[Fwiffo]

The former. Despite you increasingly frequent proclamations of obliviousness I have to believe that the latter is a bridge too far.

I equate it to homeless people having pet dogs or cats. If you can't take care of yourself why do you voluntarily subject yourself to the demands of another mouth to feed. Then again if they were somewhat sane and logical they wouldn't be homeless.

 

[Pimpernel Smith]

There was a guy in the lift at work on Friday who looked like he was one of thalidomide victims. He was in his mid to late twenties I reckon. Outside of Brazil, where there was loads of them, I've never seen anyone that young with that issue. I didn't speak to him, but I did want to ask him.

 

[Fwiffo]

There were in Canada but they must be in their 50s by now.

 

[Fwiffo]

Homeless people hording the strangest things. This one nicked a snowblower. He's going to keep it over the summer and hope its value increases?

 

[Fwiffo]

Those plexiglass screens. How many times at the till do you find yourself or someone else eventually speaking to the retail store worker to the left or right of the screen?

Human nature sees that screen as being in the way and your natural muscle moves you away from any impediment to interacting with another human being.

 

[Grand Potentate]

Those plexiglass screens. How many times at the till do you find yourself or someone else eventually speaking to the retail store worker to the left or right of the screen?

Human nature sees that screen as being in the way and your natural muscle moves you away from any impediment to interacting with another human being.

very often in fact. between the kn95 mask and the plexiglass i feel like i have to yell at these people. i end up snaking my head around to try to talk to them.

 

[Fwiffo]

In this era of social distances I find myself keeping an eye out for runners and joggers of which there are plenty during warmer weather. Those that are out of breath and worn out generally make a symbolic gesture of a motion to get out of your way but due to fatigue come within a whisker's distance of you.

 

[Fwiffo]

Speaking on your mobile with your mask on. No headset.