Days Fourteen and Fifteen

One of things that I love about being home during the day that I don’t have to wait until I get home for mail call! And yesterday there was a plethora of it, including some transcripts that I needed ordered (with a nice string of vowels!) and my first ever entertainment industry cheque! I’m officially in the business. Well, sort of, I guess payment for three days isn’t super official, but I’ll take it. They didn’t take off taxes so it looks super inflated but on the flip side it is officially my first working gig. Keep your fingers crossed, I have a lead on another one.

I had to do a lot of running around for an event that I’m planning at work. Yes, you see, I apparently can’t keep away. I will explain further after it’s done on day 18 (Friday) but I’m not sure who is reading this so I think at this point it’s best to keep to myself.

I did get in for a quick swim last night, although I’m still hurting from Frisbee on the weekend. So what do you think I did, folks? Of course. I joined a fall league. It runs just until I head off to Europe (day fifty-one).

This morning I got up super early to make my way to Toronto to catch my train booking. One of the nice things is that in the GTA there is really good public transit. So I caught a commuter train into the main train station and laughed hysterically while talking with a fun group the whole hour ride. I can’t understand why people don’t like this group, they were so much fun…. SHAZAM! So to Jo and everyone – thanks for giving me such a fun morning! And I’ll try to get to the play on the 14th at the theatre. Oh, ladies, say hi to your friend Richard for me (don’t pretend that you don’t know what that means!).

Right now I’m on the train on the way to Montreal. My seatmate is travelling as well – he lives just outside of Brussels. Which is where I’ll be soon!

I’m really a big fan of the Canadian train system. A lot of people slag on it. Yes, the trains aren’t as frequent as you’d like them to be. Yes, they’re a bit more expensive then you’d like to pay. However, if I have to go somewhere, that’s what I take. And it is so peaceful. I wish that they hadn’t cancelled the overnight train; as a result I’m on a midnight bus home tonight. Cheap accommodations and transportation all rolled into one. I mean, really, you can’t do any better, right?

The train was about an hour late getting into Montreal so that didn’t leave me much time to poke around… had intended to go to one specific bookshop but the metro line was “en panne” (literally “broken”) so it was off to Archambault to pick up the controversial film Polytechnique. This is the film that is based upon the 1989 college shootings in Montreal. I’ve heard good things about it.

Le Moment de Vérité was good fun. It turns out they tape four teams of challengers and then slot them in during the season. For those of you who don’t know, Le Moment de Vérité gives teams of three or four players a challenge – either skill, mental or physical – and a week to practice. If they can pull it off in the studio, they’ll win prizes chosen especially for them!

Here’s what we saw… but I’m not telling you the results!

1. Recall 24 of 600 answers to questions relating to Quebec in three minutes: playing for a trip to the 2010 World Cup of Football, plus season tickets to the Montreal Impact.

2. Recall 60 of a possible 120 species and origins of rabbits in three minutes: playing for personal wardrobes among others.

3. By touch and taste, distinguish between 5 different types of apples in two minutes: playing for a trip to Brazil, among other prizes.

4. Successfully spin plates and pass only using sticks from player one to player two to player three, player three must then place the spinning plate, have five plates still spinning within two minutes; playing for a trip to Jamaica among others.

One of the things that is pretty hard is that you have to be ABSOLUTELY SILENT during the playing of the challenges. These people spend a hard week of their lives practicing this and you really want them to win. The show airs Wednesdays at 8pm on Radio-Canada, I recommend you keep an eye for me! Side note: when passing through the halls, all of the set background pieces for Pyramide were strewn about.

For those of you keeping track, this is game show taping #3 on the grand trek, there are at least three more to attend when I’m in Europe. I don’t think Paquet Voleur has a studio audience anymore (based on last Friday’s shows), so I’m pretty much done with the Montreal taping scene right now (as Distraction and Le Mur are the only other shows that have an audience, and they already taped back in August).

Following the taping, I went out with Juliette and Josée to La Banquise for poutine. I’ve got to show you one of the poutines that got ordered… it’s very filling at 10.30 pm! Thanks ladies for a great evening.

The bus home was pretty uneventful, because really at 12.15 am in the morning nothing is really that eventful . It was one of those new “megabuses” that is a double decker and promises $1 fares from Montreal to Toronto. I didn’t get a ticket quick enough to qualify; I ended up paying 6,000% more. Still not a bad deal though.

When we pulled into Toronto, I was feeling very sluggish. And then I look on the floor and see two $50 bills. I know that it’s not right to keep it; but at the same time, you want to make sure you find the proper owner. I ask the woman across the aisle from me, it’s not hers. I then start walking ahead and find someone near the front in a panic. I ask her what’s wrong; she says she can’t find the $100 she had. I produce the bills and she is relieved and gives me a big hug. She can’t believe that I gave it to her and says that very rarely would that happen. I tell her it’s the right thing to do.

I have such a warm feeling inside right now.

Cheers,
Vick.