Waterloo Week

"Phil's Grandsons" the Infamous Waterloo Dive Bar

I'm going to be upfront and honest with this: I haven't really been focusing on writing for the past couple weeks. Not even taking notes, so this is what I recall based on the pictures during that week and walking through the week in y head.

I still hadn't heard back from my school and had followed up with them because I'm getting antsy. The Matcha is on its way, and I had put a fair bit of time into writing a recipe book. There was a wedding the weekend that began this week, giving me a surprise opportunity to hitch a ride to Waterloo with some family friends. Sounds good to me, I'm feeling cooped.

The Cafe/Grilled Cheese restaurant attached to...

I'm quickly reminded that I have no money, since I'm no longer living out of my parent's pantry. I'm also still sticking with the new eating guidelines. This includes tumeric shots, but skipping the juicing. It's good to be back. I walked a lot more while in Waterloo since I actually had places within walking distance, which helped me finish The Power of Habit and switched to The Paradox of Choice.

Habit is a good book for learning how to install new habits, break old ones, and how pervasive they can be to groups. It argued that companies have habits as much as individuals - which might also be called their culture. It outlines how some organizations can have bad habits that might result in people dying, and sports teams that were losers jumping to the top of the league. I'd recommend it after reading the book Willpower by Roy Baumeister because it outlines how habits require little-to-no will to maintain - once they've been installed. Knowing that and putting the tricks from Habit is a powerful combination.

...the Princess Twin Theater

The Martin Sandwich

While in Waterloo, I spent time with Lauren, Rochelle (Lauren's flatmate), Reuben (my ex-flatmate), Roanna (Rochelle's sister), and Neeraja (friend). It was a pretty chill week. I had gone up on Sunday, intending to come back on Wednesday. This then turned into Saturday thanks to ride plans shifting like sand.

The first night I was there, we went to Phils. This is my first time going out since returning to Canada, and my first time to Phil's since fleeing the country. I felt rusty, which shook off relatively quickly. The historic insecurities are lingering, but becoming less and less real. I remember looking around at points and seeing through the facade. The facade of being too cool, being too hot. Being too temperature. I never was able to see through that before. Something had shifted and now I can peer through the veil. It makes me wonder what else can be picked up or seen if you were to really throw yourself into reading people and investing more into social skills.

So Kitsch

Cold reading has been a fascination of mine ever since I learned about it. One I want to spend time on in the future. For those of you who aren't familiar, cold reading is reading them. For instance, a cold read could consist of telling someone that they seem like they're extroverted, care about their family, and are a good friend. It's stating things in a way that allows you to recover, taking advantage of common psychological biases, playing the odds, and reading the person's reactions to paint a picture of yourself like you have a special skill at legitimately reading them. If you're good enough at it, you can tell people you don't have any special gifts and learned it, but they may argue that you actually do have a gift. However, if you go too far, there's a chance you could start drinking the koolaid and become what's known as a Shut Eye - someone who actually believes themselves to be psychic. The way I was going to learn it was reading a lot of material, then setting up a free palm reading booth to practice. I still plan to. Yes, seriously.

Surprisingly Green.
I like it.

The second day there, I had the weekly day off of eating strictly, and decided to try some matcha recipes while the window was open. Davids tea sold the 50g pack for, as expected, $15, which seemed ceremony-grade quality. Generally you'd want to use baking grade, as ceremony is for drinking it black. In either case, I made matcha chocolate chip cookies and matcha rice crispies. Pretty good on both counts, though they could have used more matcha.

The middle days blurred together, with one of the last days having lunch with Lauren and Rochelle at Mongolian grill, Lauren's treat. I had been eating beans and lentils most of the week, which I'm relatively fine throwing together. It's not as bad as some points where I ate mostly kidney beans all day. That was miserable.

The second last day in Waterloo, I ran into some of the residents that lived in the building where I used to work. Supportive Housing of Waterloo provides housing for those who could use a helping hand, so there's a broad smattering of people who will end up there. One of the more interesting guys ran into me while I was just finishing up at a coffee shop, buying me two water bottles. Two. I had said tap would have been fine, and I assumed one had been for him when he came back with them. Nope. He kept insisting they were both mine. Alright, sure.*

Riding The Bus

Classic

On the final day, Rochelle took Lucas (friend), Zach (friend, Lucas' Brother), and me to lunch at her work, where she could get us all %50 off. Really fancy place, and the food was also the sort of gourmet/presentation based food. Really nice, but I find the portions at those places tend to be a little lacking.

After hearing so much about my Dad, Luke and Zach wanted to meet him. They got their opportunity, and had a good chat about politics and business. Afterward, we all departed. My dad and I grabbed lunch, picked up Lauren and headed home for Canadian Thanksgiving weekend.

Rochelle at her Work before fleeing from a Wasp

And that is where this week ends. It was not very productive, but at least I got out of social isolation, stretching a little bit before returning home. I wanted to get some social exercise before Steve's Wedding** so that I could help bring the party. Still hadn't started my speech yet.

Editing Music: 4th and Roebling by The Districts

* Don't worry, they were still sealed, and this guy has always liked me.
**October 17th