More Musings From Vegas

Caleb just loved Las Vegas. We're on the shuttle that is taking us down to "the Strip." They were amazed by all the lights, the loud sounds and so many people.








Andrew had a week off from school. He was given homework everyday.







Caleb could have sat here for hours. There were so many of these toy cars around Vegas!

The Concept of Sharing

A discussion I had with Andrew on Saturday:

At home....
Me: "Andrew, have you finished your lunch yet? We're going to Costco"
Andrew: "I'm not really that hungry dad, I had a big breakfast."
Me: "Are you sure?"
Andrew: "Yeah dad, let's go."
Me: "Ok, let's go."


One hour later....
Andrew: "Dad, I'm hungry, can we get some chicken fingers and french fries?"
Me: "I thought you told me you weren't hungry?"
Andrew: "I'm hungry now."
Me: "我不饿。俺一饿。弥补您的想法！"
Andrew: "Please..."
Me: "Ok, but eat the chicken fingers first before you eat the fries, and share the fries with your brother."
Andrew: "Ok dad...thanks!"


10 minutes later...
Andrew: "Dad, I finished the chicken, can I eat the fries now?"
Me: "Ok, remember to save some for your brother."


10 minutes later...
Andrew: "Dad you can have the container back, I'm done. The rest of the fries are for Caleb. Isn't it nice of me to share with him?"













Me: "我应该留在床上，让我的妻子带他们购物."
Andrew: "Can you get me a Sprite?"

Las Vegas

Andrew had a week off from school and we decided to visit good ole Las Vegas! The Venetian was fabulous, it is one of the nicest hotels on the strip.












Strolled down to NY NY. Only in Vegas could you get away with this.











It's so big!











These girls saw Andrew and loved his shirt. They wanted a picture with him....lucky guy! He was telling them which M&M's were his favorite!











...and we thought MJ was dead!

Sad Reality

Well, it's been awhile since we posted here on our blog. It's not that we have nothing to report over the last month, we've just been too busy to blog. To get things back on track, I thought I would share the experience I had today with RBC (aka "Big Bank"). I had made arrangements to get a money order from a client's account (which I am a signator). Their branch is in the Yukon and I phoned the account manager there to get him to fax the signature cards to a local branch here so we can verify the signatures on the cheque...easy right!

(I've changed the names, but here is how the process of getting a bank draft unfolded...)

1. Emailed our account manager last week for instruction on how to proceed given that the account is in Whitehorse. Our account manager Dave Hopkins forwarded my email to his assistant Judy Vermet who emailed the instructions (addressed to me) back to Dave.

2. Called Dave up today asking for a response to above....ahhh, light goes on....they forgot to include me in their email response. Not to worry, an RBC representative will contact me.

3. Rosa from RBC calls me and tells me to go to the Burnaby Branch. I'm to meet Anna Chin at 2:00 to get the bank draft. I'm thinking great, this is so easy.

4. Arrive at 2:00pm......Receptionist tells me "sorry sir you don't have an appointment and we never got an email from Rosa and you want a what!!!!"

5. Explained the situation to another RBC rep who tells me it's impossible to do.

6. Showed them my correspondences and they disappear for 20 minutes.

7. OK, now sitting in the branch's lobby and every 5-7 minutes I am offered coffee.....no thanks!

8. Finally Sia is assigned to help me and she assures me that they just need to contact the Whitehorse branch to get them to fax the signature cards down. Sia offeres me a coffee...no thanks!

9. Waiting and waiting....and offered more coffee...no thanks!

10. Finally ask to see Sia again, she's disappeared. Receptionist offers me a coffee while she looks for her.

11. New receptionist takes over the front desk, asks if I want a coffee....No!

12. Getting really upset now and drafting a complaint letter in my head.

13. I compose an email to Dave Hopkins but decine not to send it as I'll probably regret it later.

14. Offered coffee by the receptionist as she walks by....NO, NO, NO!!! Other people walk by smiling asking if I had been helped; I just glare at them.

15. Sia finally resurfaces and assures me she is doing the best that she can. She asks me if I want a coffee while I am waiting...NO!

16. Two hours later, bank draft is finally done as they get the signature cards from Whitehorse.

17. I complain to Sia and she asks if there is anything she can do for me...offers me a three Starbucks gift Cards and a Gas Voucher...I can't believe I accepted them, it's like finally accepting the coffee they offered me while I was waiting.

18. Going to donate the gift cards to Hitler at CPC!