The one with all the surprise money.

Perhaps I neglected to remember all the money I would be eventually paid back for all the work related trips. That might be why I didn’t expect to see close to $400 plopped into my account this week. I also got my GST cheque in, so I tossed that into Visa. Oh, and my income tax refund came in – a whopping $1400. Then, I went and fixed a PC on the side after such a long period of nothing – the $50 earned from that promptly went to Visa.

The big question has been this – use the $1400 to pay off one of my loans or use it to buy the new PC I’ve been planning to get for so long? Choices, choices…

Ever since I got back from Winnipeg, I’ve been itching to go back. I already have my next trip planned for the May long weekend. This time, no rock concerts or party-going brothers are going to get in my way. I plan to make this a leisurely trip, no daily downtown excursions, and certainly no spending of excess money (which, I have to admit, was quite “excessive” last weekend). In fact, I plan to make all my future trips all about the good food and good company. Ian and Jazmine are really fun to hang out with, when you’re actually present, that is. We did not spend a lot of time at their place long enough for us to do anything together. In fact, we all went out to Perkins the first night we got there, and that was as close as you could get to hanging out altogether.

I miss Winnipeg, really, I do. But, it’s still up in the air as to whether or not I actually want to live there. Osborne Village is a really cozy place to live, and if I had to choose, I would definitely be making myself a home there. However, the lack of a convenient transit system (subway or skytrain) really turns me off from Winnipeg. That’s why I have my sights set on Calgary or Edmonton. Toronto would be cool, but it’s way too big for somebody like me. The convenience of life’s little amenities coupled with comfortable online shopping is my niche – I could easily make a home for myself anywhere, as long as the jaws of death can be kept at bay.

At the same time, I know more people in Winnipeg than I do in any other city than my current home town. Ian and Jazmine, Nico and Steve, Mindy and (soon) Esmond, as well as other people scattered here and there. However, I also made some very good friends where I live that I don’t want to leave behind – Candace, James and Erin, Dennis and Robyn, the Nexi/Design boys (Patrick, Wil, Colin, and Pete), and Priss (but she’s leaving to Calgary – boo hoo).

What’s the final verdict? I have no idea. There’s a lot I’d be giving up by moving, but there’s also a lot that I’d gain.

Ah, who cares? I have a few years to decide since I have enough loans to keep me tied up here for about as long. I made some phone calls to HSBC and found some information about the loan I got from them two years ago. With the total amount that I paid already, I could have finished the whole thing already, except that half of it went to interest. Frakking commie bastards.

Debt. Don’t ever get yourself into it. Credit. It’s all a mirage that doesn’t mean anything in this world except that it leads to debt. Banks and financial institutions are nothing more than loan sharks that use industry-standard vocabulary to reel you in. Instead of breaking your legs, they break your “credit record”. Have you ever read any of their fine print? “If you default in any of your monthly payments, we reserve the right to request the full amount owed to us immediately.” Notice how they don’t put in an “or else”? This makes them out to be the kind of people that you don’t want to argue with.

Anyway, enough of my bank conspiracies. I’m just overtired and overworked. Kill me now, chupa.

以上。。。であります！