The 1000 Day Holiday

Theres a foot of snow outside

The back deck

The marina is completely frozen over, with islands of snow forming on top. (before we came through in the ship)

Frozen Marina

Fountains don’t go no more…

And everyone in Vancouver rants about how nobody in Vancouver knows how to drive in the snow.

When the money runs out, you sign up for medical experiments.

Such as psychosis studys where they give you MRI’s and ask you

“if drinking a glass of pure water will let someone else gain control of your thoughts?”

and
“Do the voices tell you what to do?”

Post 1000 Day Holiday MRI from Craig on Vimeo.

Canada doesn’t pay very well. $8 – $12 per hour being the going rate for most jobs.
So unless youre getting tips or perks, that pretty much blows. ( I wish I still wanted to be a geek!)

The strip club job didn’t eventuate. So it was time to come up with a new venture.

SCAM #1
I’m now a Mystery Shopper.
I eat and drink in nice restaurants, fill out a form (its actually rather long.. but such is life). And effectively get my meal/drinks free with maybe a few extra dollars left over.

Now if you work it out how long I would have to work for the Dinner in a normal job. ($9/h pre tax)
For the $33 Lunch I had yesterday I would have had to work 4 hours to pay for it.
4 hours! That’s half of a days work!

Just to extrapolate the living costs here on that kind of money.
Income: $330/Week or $1431/Month
Rent & Utilities: 550 – 650/Month. (and that’s a cheap place!)
That gives a rent to income range% of 38-45%. Any financial planner will say that’s waaay crazy!

Spare a thought for those living in Whistler: Where rent runs ~$1000/month
That makes the rent as a % of income: 84%@$8/hr to 59% @$12/hr OUCH

Which brings me onto the Scam 2

SCAM #2

Live in a large house w 10 people. Kind of like dossing in London, but with a lot more space. We have a basketball court in the back yard!

Ive got the room which was the Garage at a whopping $45/week or $180/month. (14% if income @ $9/hr).

SCAM #3

Work at the skifield to score a seasons pass. Not so much a scam. But when youre earning $9/hour.. the things we will do for snow time

I start at Mt Seymour on Sunday.

I start bar work on Saturday. Bring on the tips!