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Homeless in a Pandemic...
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- Written by: Rod Boyle
- Category: Blog
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This, by the way, is not something I'd recommend. And I have wheels.
First, all the live-long day you're trying to get in out of the cold, find someplace warm, charge your phone, computer, what have you. You're paying rent at the cafe's and grateful that the lockdowns haven't gone any further. The shower options - at the rec center - are unavailable, so the whole "get a good-life membership" to clean up is off the table. And the washrooms in the mall - well, there's always a line, and you don't dare take the time to shave or clean up.
Rent, paid instead of to a landlord, is payed in gas, restaurants, cafe's, cigarettes and Vodka because the sun goes down early, and who can sleep from 4:00 PM until 7:00 AM the next day? Vodka, it helps. And this rent, it's winds up costing more than rent paid to landlords - substantially, even out here, and as your finances erode your chances of finding a place or work diminish. It becomes a spiral.
Homelessness was never a great option, but this Pandemic, it's made it impossible.
My own job hunt, meanwhile
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- Written by: Rod Boyle
- Category: Blog
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Meanwhile, having found a place to live I'm off to the next step. Find work.
It takes roughly 20 minutes to canvas all the potential restaurants in town. It's not a big town. And - State of the Nation, the Pandemic, the World, none of them are hiring. Most are just trying not to lay off staff. But they'll keep my info on file.
This 2 weeks before Christmas, the busiest time of the year.
One of them has a curious question: "You have a place to live?"
Fortunately I do, and I imagine the question is prompted by the vast number of people that think they can get a job first, then find a place to live later, like it's done anywhere else in the world, only - like most things - it's just not that straightforward out here.
This is it, I expected no less - really - and while CERB will have me covered for a bit - in theory until next spring when the restaurant reopens - I better start searching around in different industries. Restaurants are going to be done for a while, and I need work - if not for the money then for the social interaction; the idyll of writing all winter loses it's luster without interaction with others, the impetus to have something to write about.
So on to the next steps of finding a couple of Volunteer positions and maybe work in another field. Or maybe just stop procrastinating and finish off a few other lucrative projects that seem to have fallen by the wayside.
A Fine Italian Micro-Mosaic Brooch
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- Written by: Rod Boyle
- Category: Found
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And, the one treasure I did find in Toronto, a fine Italian double sided micro-mosaic brooch. Circa (approx) 1860-1880. Note the detail - the entire brooch measures perhaps an inch and a half in width; double sided (a rarity), found in a bag for $3.99 at National Thrift:
For a value comparison look here: https://www.1stdibs.com/buy/mosaic-brooch/
Sooo...perhaps next trip to TO will need to rent a car and do a little exploring...
Pictures of Shops that Interested Me
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- Written by: Rod Boyle
- Category: Blog
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Yeah, I skipped the architecture and all the cool churches, old buildings, because - really - that's been done a thousand times and a lot better than what I would do.
But - below, a few of the things that interested me:
An old book store, "Rare and Ancient Treasures". How could I not fall in love with this?
To be fair, Nelson punches well above it's weight for used bookstores.
A fine mix of antiques and new reproductions. Some cool brass compasses. Passed by this a few times, never found it open.
Colorful shop. Suspect they supply shoes to drag queens (judging by the window display...)
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Appreciate the aesthetic, nothing I'd want.
Hair & Nail Salon. Posh, posh.
Another cool junk shop. Not open.
for you, Ms. N
Aptly named. Metal-detectorist type stuff.
Hmmm...
&, finally, a sampling of treasures I didn't buy but found in a thrift shop in Scarborough.
The floor lamp, marble & bronze, original shade, $50.00!!! And there were other things here as well, only I don't want to bore you. If I had a truck it'd be worth the trip!
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