Rites of Spring #23 West Jet flight credits watch your dates · Wednesday May 26, 2010 by colin newell
Andrea and I had a trip we had to cancel a year ago that was the result of a family illness – that ultimately resulted in the loss of a loved one.
We ended up with a West Jet credit of $1500.
And once things settled down we were planning on taking a short trip south of the border… to San Francisco to visit friends, or Los Angeles… or Portland, Oregon.
Alas, I misread the dates on the credit. I had a year from the date of cancellation – not a year from the flight.
And so I discovered when I called West Jet a week or so after the credit actually ran out.
“Mister Newell, your account shows zero dollars…”
No apology. No “we’re sorry…”
$1500 down the drain.
I would have even humored a “read the fine print you doofus..”
I would like to ask West Jet… where does that money go?
I could have paid $10 to extend it another year.
So why not take $10 of value off of the voucher and leave me with $1490. No, that would not make sense.
Bummer. Thanks West Jet. In the air you are loads of fun.
On the ground you are no fun whatsoever.
Note to self: Always read the fine print… always.
Comment [2]
Rites of Spring #22 Two Old Goats reviewed on Flotsam Jetsam · Tuesday May 25, 2010 by colin newell
….
..
.
Fun CD review over on Cheryl DeWolfe’s Flotsam and Jetsam blog.
You can also click on the above photo for the same effect.
Either way… Thanks. Humbled.
Rites of Spring #21 Vegan Dirty Rice by Colin and Andrea · Sunday May 23, 2010 by colin newell
We love a good jambalaya or Cajun dirty rice from a zataran’s mix but we do not like all the salt. Here is a nice vegan spin on the classic Cajun recipe with a couple of twists… and it’s vegan!
Photo right – actual photo of the dish we prepared tonight – natural light – F2.5 on a 55MM macro lens on the Canon EOS-30D
1 large Onion
1 Green Pepper
1 Red Pepper
1 Pablano Pepper
2 cups rice
4 cups water
1 package (400g) extra firm Tofu
3 tablespoons Creole Spice mix
Salt, Pepper to taste
2 teaspoons Cumin
1/2 cup canola oil
1/4 cup dry Vermouth
Step 1 – put rice on to cook (set aside once fluffed)
Step 2 – chop all peppers and onions into small chop (dice)
Step 3 – Combine 2 tablespoons creole mix with 1/4 cup oil to make a liquid paste
Step 4 – Cut Tofu into 1 X 1” cubes. Toss into creole oil/paste mix
Step 5 – Pan fry Tofu until all sides are browned/crisp + set aside.
Step 6 – Heat 1/4 cup oil in large pot. All onions and peppers + 1 tablespoon creole mix – salt and pepper.
Step 7 – Saute veg for 10 minutes or til just beyond crispy.
Step 8 – Add 1/4 cup Vermouth to veg mix at 9 minute point in veg saute
Step 9 – Combine rice + veg + tofu to complete dirty rice
You can garnish with green onions, cilantro or even sprinkle whole or crushed nuts.
Enjoy.
Rites of Spring #20 The power of my shoes · Friday May 21, 2010 by colin newell
My wife and I just spent the evening with Brit comic Eddie Izzard – arguably one of the funniest men on the planet. Maybe even beyond the planet.
We actually sat in separate seats – well, I mean – separate rows… obviously people cannot sit in the same seat while watching a comic like Eddie Izzard…
Unless they are making out or something.
We initially determined that there were no good pairs of seats left for the show – but came back when we realized that we could sit in two separate rows – not far from each other… maybe check each other out – flirt… and then go home together.
Brilliant! And it worked! But what about those shoes?
Digress. Actually when we go out on dates or weekends, I wear a pair of my Fluevogs – a very sexy shoe from an outlet in Vancouver. My Fluevogs are NOT shown in the photo above. I will get an actual shot of these 2-Tone Burgundy and Black bad boys. I mean, I do not wear great shoes to work. What would be the point? I did once and I was interrupted constantly during the day… never got a thing done that day.
It seems that even an old f*cker like me (late 40’s / early 50’s) can wear some bad-ass foot wear and pull it off. And whenever we are in the theater or cinema, someone spots these things and wants to talk about them.
Being over 6’ tall and still slim and wearing 501 jeans in a size an average 21 year old would like to be able to wear – with a Tommy Bahama shirt on top of that… and…
Without fail. Never. Ever. An evening. Where someone does not see the shoes and react as if they are a 5 month old puppy or a new baby.
Shoes for heavens sake. Shoes.
It seems a waste to wear them on my feet for all the love they get by passersby. I should strap an extra pair around my neck. That would be funny.
Anyway. Eddie was funnier than heck – and spent the entire 2 and 3/4 hour set delivering the history of everything and proving there is no God.
I am in…
Then again, I do have these shoes. That proves something.
Just not entirely clear what.
Colin Newell is a Victoria area resident, writer, singer and want-to-be funny guy… with shoes, awesome shoes.
