Started up the computer to see if my box list would reveal anything about the location of the piano cord. Read my Reader while I was at it. Saw a post about how this is "the coldest winter in at least a decade" in Hay River. Started processing data to prove it isn't. (It isn't.) Got involved in a discussion on gun control at the same time. Two hours later, I have a headache, it's late, and I haven't touched one box yet. Darn you, internet connection! Darn you to heck!

I really wish I could remember where I packed the piano's power cord. Even though there is nowhere to set up the piano among all the boxes. Speaking of boxes, I can't believe I just spent a month stuffing everything into boxes and now I have to take it all out again. Life's not fair!

Ioana: Really? Imagine doing that 5 times in the last 5 and a half years. After the third time, you start to really consider whether it actually makes any sense to unpack after all

Me: I did do it five times in five years, which is why I never unpacked until I had been in the Highrise for three years. Two years later, here I go again.

I have to admit, I kinda miss stalking people. I woke up yesterday and I was expecting something to happen but I couldn't remember what... Finally it dawned on me that it was my handsome neighbour's day to be home from the mine. I wonder if Slimey knows I'm gone yet.

My landlady described the roommates as "educated and career-driven" and said the house is empty and quiet all day. Really? The two girls pretty much haven't left the house since I got here, and the guy seems to go out a few hours here and there but certainly not enough to have a "career". The one girl has bad music on ten hours a day. And they're so smart they're practically non-verbal. Dafuq???? On the other hand, they almost don't smoke (some weed smoking in the basement, but nothing severe), they don't drink, they don't have tragic relationships full of drama, and they don't get in my business. I could just ask the girl to turn her music down, really.

Finally found out the Fnord's GVWR. As I suspected, I was over by as much as 80 kg (with a full gas tank). But for all it's a Fnord, it handled the whole thing wonderfully, including The Hills. I'm sorry I spoke ill of you, Fnord. Also, this allows me to calculate that I have 650 KILOS of possessions. And here I thought I was a consumate ascetic.

Wait. Now I have 650 kg of possessions PLUS an Ikea bed.

I have a job interview February 13. ?? Who schedules job interviews two weeks in advance for labour positions?

If I had known there were no dishes in this house, I might have done things differently when packing. But the good thing is, there is also no coffee maker, so I "have to" drink Nescafe instead of fair trade coffee. Abusing helpless Third-Worldians never tasted so good.

Notice on an employer's online application: "YOU MAY EXCLUDE ANY INFORMATION WHICH MAY INDICATE RACE, ETHINIC ORIGIN, LANGUAGE, COLOUR, ANCESTRY, PLACE OF ORIGIN, CITIZENSHIP OR NATIONALITY, POLITICAL BELIEF, RELIGION, MARITAL STATUS, FAMILY STATUS, PHYSICAL OR MENTAL DISABILITY, SEX OR SEXUAL ORIENTATION, AGE, SOURCE OF INCOME, RECORD OF OFFENCES, CONVICTION FOR AN OFFENCE THAT IS UNRELATED TO THE INTENDED EMPLOYMENT, OR OTHER PROTECTED STATUS." If only everyone was so ready to mind their own business.

A bus surely is a magnificent contrivance. All I do is walk to the corner and for $2.15, a large, well-heated vehicle picks me up and drives me anywhere I want without ever getting lost. And then it brings me back. Considerably more convenient than driving.

I see my bus in the distance. Huzzah!

I am waiting comfortably for my bus which will come in 22 minutes.

Good morning, Winnipeg. Today I will ride your transit system to a mall. Naturally, the weather is beautiful. Life is good.

I'm reminded once again why I should never have internet at home. Because it's past midnight and I'm looking at inventories of giraffe hides in South African stores. Here I thought I was coming to Winnipeg to improve my brain, not melt it some more.

Winnipeg, day 2. Achieved so far: unloaded the car except for three boxes. Bought and assembled Ikea bed. Applied to three jobs. Figured out how to get to the mall tomorrow by bus to procure pigs' ears and coffee. Remain to achieve: unpack; get a job; rest of my life.

Out of the three roommates, one is definitely a douchebag. Is anyone surprised? Luckily he's also a pussy. I mean, more so than the average Hay River douchebag.

I'm gonna do a write-up of my experiences "soon", but for now I'll tell you three things I notice about Winnipeg.

1) There are businesses EVERYWHERE! The whole place crawls with them! Economy proceeds as far as the eye can see! That's a relief.

2) Also, there is culture everywhere. Architecture. Museums. Performance arts. I have so many things I want to do, I can't see when I'd ever have time to work.

3) It's a maze. I'm not entirely stupid but fuck it's hard to find one's way. Which means no stalker will ever find me. Booya!

Pros of moving to Winnipeg: finally able to watch Gangnam Style. Cons of moving to Winnipeg: encountered numerous unfamiliar pathogens since leaving the Hay, one of them had to turn into a raging rhinovirus. You win some, you lose some.

Change my license, insurance and registration? Meh. Get dog license? RIGHT NOW. It's important to have priorities.

Unbeknownst to me, after 15 years of living west of Edmonton, my brain decided that "east" = "towards Edmonton" and "west" = "away from Edmonton". Makes life rather difficult now that I live east of Edmonton. Another day in the life of Scumbag Brain.

Deirdre: LOL - Yes, big faux pas in Winnipeg would be to suggest that they are in Eastern Canada!

Me: Yeah, it's funny how I drove east for 2400 km to end up in central Canada. In Europe I could have gone from Paris to Moscow, via Belgium, Germany, Poland and Belarus.

But the issue is more with driving, especially on overcast days like yesterday when I rolled in and tried to find a) my house and b) Ikea. You tell me "east", I turn toward Edmonton. Oops...

Hey Hay River, remember how y'all told me Winnipeg sucks cause it's so COLD? Well it -16 C right now, sunny, no wind. Plus I bought locally produced MILK at the store. Neener fucking neener to you, is all I can say.

Allen: I love a good Neener Neenering! LOL Well played.

Me: Seriously, when I decided to leave Hay River I was sad at first, but they made such asses of themselves dissing Winnipeg the last three months, it made me glad to get away from them. So far, I got nothing to say against Winnipeg. (And they're having a cold snap right now when they all told me Winnipeg is so much colder... Statistics are a bitch.)

Allen: LMAO!

Hello, world! I finally have the wifi password.

I suppose I could get up and seize the day or something.

Lying in my Ikea bed with my poor exhausted little dog after 62 hours of near-constant wakefulness. I believe we are now officially home.

Ikea instructions: "requires two people and a screwdriver." Me: ". . . Is that a dare?" Time to completion, incl bedding: 1h06m37s.

I mean "Safeway sushi! How i've missed you."

No wifi until tomorrow.