Spiky metal shard restaurant
Posted on February 25th, 2010 –
Eighteen hours on. Two hours of sleep (well, I had four until I had to get up again, but it was hard to turn off), then another twelve. You may wonder if the management believes it’s that important. Well, much to their credit, they’re there before I get there and often well after I leave. So I think they do and I’m trying to help ‘em out. But coding is mostly undivided concentration. That’s tough on the ole noggin’
I really wasn’t planning on writing about work but that’s been my experience for almost two weeks now. That and dark haze and memories of an apartment and Oliver. Okay, I stretch a bit, but feel I’ve been making a pretty fucking honest effort and have been in that seat more than not. And the part I’m working on is somewhat big and complex – it’s a good chunk of the overall effort. I also stitched together everyone else’s pieces. And patched them up where they had holes or got unstitched somehow, or by someone. Oy vey!
But the end result will be pretty nice, I believe. Actually, it’s pretty close now. Down to the wire. I ended up re-writing the core engine at the last minute to make it play better (it’s a game), and I was actually enjoying testing it. Good sign.
Here’s a Haiku to sum it up:
I’m staying afloat.
It’s too bad I can’t segue.
For you, here’s a boat.
This is Captain John’s, a ship-borne restaurant harboured at the absolute foot of Yonge Street. The M.S. Jadran is pretty much a sitting hulk. There is some doubt about whether or not she can be moved without something falling off. Passengers getting impaled on shards of spiky, twisted hull metal would be bad for business. They’d never pass the health inspection after that!
The selling price recently dropped from $1.5 million to $1.1. The Toronto Star took that to mean that John Letnik, the guy who’s trying to sell her, is getting more desperate. I don’t know if I believe that.
Competition around town is certainly heating up. I can attest to the fact that literally from any street corner in downtown Toronto, you will see a large new building under construction when you look in the cardinal directions. There are parts of town where entire skylines are going up.
The resident boat-restaurant business is, I believe, somewhat of a niche market. Selling the Jadran will probably take some time and, I sincerely hope, result in a very public string of colourful characters who want to make the boat into everything from a three-ring circus to a performing art piece. It’ll take a hundred restaurants at the bases of nearby towers to realize what a great thing this ship could be, even with all her baggage. Plus, all those new buildings will house hungry mouths. And I had a gander at the lunch menu (a hand-folded photocopy) — $7.95 for most of their maritime delights.
What a catch!
Okay, and think you and I both know, dear reader, why this has to end for today. It’s gone too far.
... with pictures
... with sounds
... with videos
... with opinions
... that's shorter
... that's longer
February 26th, 2010 10:03 am
Not for nothing Patrick, I certainly DO enjoy reading your posts, as I'm sure does everyone else that reads them regularly…but it sounds like you need a break! and it seems like it won't come from your paid job anytime too soon….I don't think anyone would be offended if you took a break from your blog…even for a week or so….just to let your brain and body recouperate from all these long hours.
That being said, well written blog and nice pics (as always)
~ Wishing you good mental and physical health!
Renee
February 28th, 2010 6:40 pm
Haha! Funny you should mention that, Renee. I have a couple of more days to go before I get some rest but I'll be working on the CAMH site in that time (Center for Addiction and Mental Health). How appropriate :)
February 26th, 2010 3:25 pm
Me thinks, kind sir, you must get some sleep.
Also, I want to live in a boat. Think I can bargain the price for that restaurant boat down from 1.1 mil to 1.1 dollars?
February 28th, 2010 6:42 pm
You know it, Kato. Coming up real soon :) (regarding the rest)
But about that price, probably not. It's most likely worth more than that in scrap. That may be all it's worth after a couple of more years in the lake :)
February 26th, 2010 3:56 pm
Dear Patrick I absolutely agree with Renee that you should take a break from your blog for some time. You have so many readers who are passionaly waiting for your next perceptions from Toronto because your writing is so good and inspiring, your pictures everybody admire so for the sake of your blog work – so it didn't go down you better get some good and long sleep. We all will wait with patience. By the way I've seen on TV last night small article about Regent Park, does Global get inspired by your blog? I would charge them. HEhehe.
February 28th, 2010 6:43 pm
The media are always ripping me off, Stanya. I'm okay with it … imitation and flattery and all that.