MiDay

The Case of the Disappearing Boxing Gear

Last week, I ordered over $300 worth of new boxing gear from Rival in Montreal.

They shipped it immediately, and as per Canada Post, it was supposed to have arrived on Monday.

Monday comes, and i check the tracking number with Canada Post, and it shows as being "Delivered". 

Really?

Where? It certainly was not delivered to me. 

I was home all day, and not once did I get any kind of an indication that my gear had arrived.

I have over $300 worth of product I paid for, now somewhere in the Twilight Zone.

The next day, I get a delivery notice in my mail box, telling me that I now have to got to a Postal Outlet to pick up my parcel. The reason was that it could not be delivered because nobody was home.

Okay. There were two people in the apartment on Monday, but if Canada Post says nobody was home, nobody was home. That's fine.

Here is the thing, there is a Post Office one block south from my apartment. Logically, that is where I should pick it up. No. I have to go to the Outlet at Dundas and Pacific. I have to take the number 40 bus up there, instead of just walking a few minutes.

Great, so, not only did they not deliver it to me, they sent it to the wrong Post Office.

Canada Post. That is a government organization, right? That explains everything.

If they had used FedEx, there is no way that would have happened.

Canada Post wants to eliminate door-to-door mail delivery. 

I wonder why? 

It won't make any difference to me. I'm not getting that now.

Reasons Walmart Sucks: Number 1137

On my way to and from work, while I am waiting for the bus at Malton Westwood terminal - Mississauga Bus, so it is a 4 hour wait - I will sometimes take a walk through the Walmart.

I have been doing this since my security company transferred me to the Matrix Logistics.

For the last couple of weeks, the staff in that Malton Walmart have been giving me these fucking Goddamn dirty looks. Every freaking time I go in there.

I am at the point where I don't buy anything from there any more. I will price things there, then go to "my" Walmart at Dufferin Mall. I don't have any problems at Dufferin Mall.

I tell you, I am getting very close to becoming beyond pissed off. 

If the fucking staff and that fucking Walmart don't stop with the fucking Godddamn dirty looks, I am going to start kicking ass.

Walmart head office is going to be getting a not very nice letter from me.

Malton Walmart, store number 1137...one of many reasons Walmart sucks fat asses sideways.

Metropolis TV West May Drop Amateur Boxing In Favor of Pro Wrestling

On Monday, Molly asked if she could have her bout from March 8 uploaded. Actually, it was not her. It was Richard. Molly already asked, and I told her it would be about a week, as I have been very busy with work.

I mean, work comes first, and then boxing. You know, I am trying to be a boxer too! 

I will do it for her, because she is being polite and patient about it.

Well, wouldn't you know, Leslie just had to say something. "Oh you won't get it unless you get angry". 

I can't believe she is still on that.

I'm sorry, I did not know I had a legal obligation to shoot, edit, and show every single damn bout from Stockyards.

Do these people forget that I don't have to do any of this?

I find this quite disrespectful. I am a professional broadcaster, and I am trying to get my stations licensed. If Metropolis TV gets licensed, it will mean that Rogers Cable and Bell TV would be obligated by law to carry Metropolis TV programming. At least in the Toronto area.

However, in order to get licensed, we have to prove that we know what we are doing. You can't just walk up to Industry Canada or the CRTC, and ask "Hey, can I have a broadcast license, please?"

That is why you will notice our programming is getting a lot more professional. I am also having to insert PSAs now, as that is required of community television.

There is a very good reason why I show certain programs and not others. 

I am paid by Google for my programming based on viewers. Just because we are a community non-profit station, we still have expenses. 

We were just paid by Google yesterday. We are paid yearly. 

For 2013, we earned a whole $102 in revenue sharing with Google.

It costs $83 per year for the ditoprod.ca website, for domain name registration and hosting fee.

Let's figure this out: Subtract $83 from $102, that leaves $19. It takes 3 hours to shoot one of Stockyard's boxing shows, plus 3 hours to edit each bout. 

Post-production takes the longest, as overlays, underlays, and name keys need to be created first.

If I post an average of 5 bouts per month, that is 15 hours, times 12, that is 180, plus 3 hours each month for shooting, that is another 36 hours. A total of 224 hours of work just for Stockyards boxing. Now, divide $19 by 224, that comes to a grand total of .08. 

Eight cents. I make eight cents per hour on these productions.

Also, my ratio of boxing programming verses other programming is too high. Right now, boxing takes up 83% of Metropolis TV programming. That is too high, as community TV needs more variety of programming.

Recently, a new professional wrestling organization approached Metropolis TV, to cover their shows about every two months.

Professional wrestling may generate more revenue for the station, and since some people at Stockyards do not appreciate what I am doing, it is likely that for the fall season, there will be a change in priority for Metropolis TV.

If we decide to carry wrestling, I will not be able to continue with boxing. We are not the Fight Network.

What would happen is that we would alternate between boxing and wrestling, carrying only one of each every month, and depending on which generates more viewers, that one would get priority. Meaning that if both events were held on the same month, the one that gets the more viewers would be shown. 

MiDay Is Coming

This Saturday is my birthday. I managed to get the entire weekend off, including Friday. 

Wow, a whole weekend off! I have forgotten what that was like.

I will be spending the weekend in Hamilton with friends. I will be leaving Friday evening, and not coming back until Sunday night.

During that time, it will be about me. I won't care about videos, I won't care about work, I won't care about anything except me.

For one weekend a year, it is to celebrate me.

I will, eat, drink, and let loose, and just not give a shit.  

CJJQ,CJJY,CJJT Apply For Broadcast Licenses

D-I-T-O Productions has applied to Industry Canada and the CRTC for three lower-power FM licenses to operate in Toronto and Mississauga

Currently these station broadcast via the Internet only.

Once licensed, we will be able to offer our programming to a wider variety of listeners.

The licenses consist of:

To operate a low-power FM (400 watts) on 100.3 Mhz from a transmitter located on the north-west corner of  Keele Street and St. Clair Ave. W. to service west Toronto, with call sign CJJQ-FM.

To operate a low-power FM (400 watts) on 101.3 Mhz from a transmitter located near Victoria Park Ave. and Danforth Ave. to service east Toronto, with call sign CJJY-FM.

To operate a medium-power FM (3 kW) on 89.3 Mhz from a transmitter located near Square One,  to service Mississauga, with call sign CJJT-FM.

During the day, programming on all stations will be independent of each other, and will focus on community interest programming for the area served. From Monday - Sunday, Midnight until 6 AM, the stations will be networked, and will simulcast programming originating from the west Toronto studio.

Cheers.

If My Pizza Is 24 Hours Late... Is It Free?

BARRING SPARRING

Four good rounds of sparring on Monday, but none on Wednesday, due to a snowstorm. 

I am going to have to find a way to make that up.

I guess that means more next week.

FIRST FIGHT...COOL! ... OR APRIL FOOL?

Coach Richard has been very impressed with my performance lately. He actually said to me that he was looking to get me a match for the summer.

However, while I was sparring on Monday, I heard Rick say something about "next month".

His next boxing show is on April 12. Does that mean that he is considering putting me in the April 12 show?

Not to take anything away from Richard and Junmar. They are good coaches. 

However, Will from Bramalea has somehow found a way to tap my frustration.

I have a lifetime of anger and frustrations built up inside me, and Will has found a way to help me release it every time I am in the ring.

Thanks to Will, I have become a very aggressive boxer. 

That is a huge disadvantage for unsuspecting opponents.

TAX REFUND = NEW BOXING GEAR, ONCE A YEAR

I am going to be doing my taxes on Sunday at H&R Block in Dufferin Mall, and I am expecting a decent refund.

It is the only time of year I can afford to buy new gear.

This year, I will be investing in a new mouthguard, wraps, shoes, trunks, foul protector, and sparring gloves.  I just got a new headgear from a friend back in September, but everything else needs replacing.

The gloves are the most expensive, and I go through a pair a year. I am thinking of getting more expensive gloves, so that they will maybe last longer.

I am considering Rival gloves. They are a good glove, and from a Canadian company. 

Rival Boxing is in Montreal.

My mouthguard and wraps are worn down to almost nothing, and my foul protector is too big. It is falling off. 

It reminds me of the film "Tough Enough". A guy's protector falls down, and he trips on it. Hillarious.

I also want a new pair of Rival shoes. The high-top ones.

I also want to get new trunks. The ones I have now are also getting too large. They are also green. Although I like green, I want to get a pair that match Stockyards' colours for when I compete. Black with red trim, and white waistband. Maybe I will get "THE BRICK" across the front waistline.

Nice...sexy...boxing trunks.

Okay, ladies. No shoving. There is enough of me to share!

A SLIP WITHOUT A DRESS

On Saturday night shift, I took a serious wipe-out on the lobby floor at work.

The idiot cleaners were washing the floor, used too much water, and had no "Caution Wet Floor" signs out.

I fell really hard onto my left side. My left knee, as well as my left shoulder, upper arm and elbow were in extreme pain.

This was immediately reported to my supervisor, and the cleaning company supervisor.

After that, I had a string of phone calls from so many supervisors to check on me.

The head office of the security company where I work sent me a WISB form. 

I personally didn't think I needed to make a WISB claim, but it is company procedure to do so. 

The way they look at it, if the injury gets worse, and I need to take time off work, I will still get paid.

I don't think it is that bad. I am a boxer. I get hit harder than that.

My only concern is that it was my left arm. My precious left arm. My deadly jab come from there. I really hope this is not going to affect my training. 

Do you want to see how much I freak? Really? Really?

This is a case where the cleaning company may get in crap. Since they did not have the signs out, or at least not in an area that can be seen. 

It is law in Ontario, that those signs are required.

Also, the fact that they used 'way too much water. 

Seriously, there was almost a centimeter of water on the floor. Really? Who needs that much water to mop the floor? Were they planning on swimming in it?

It does not end there. 

A couple of hours later, I almost took a dive on the washroom floor for the same reason, and once again, no damn sign.

I did not fall the second time, but I wrenched my back.

I complained to the cleaner, and his answer was, "What can I do? There is nothing I can do."

Really? 

That is why you are a janitor, and always will be a janitor.

In my opinion, you should not even be allowed to do that.

PIZZA PROBLEMS

Although I try to maintain a healthy lifestyle, we all deserve a treat occasionally. 

One of the things that really drives my crazy is when friends tell me, "Oh, but you are a boxer, you shouldn't be eating that."

Really?

Let's take a look at this: We have Guy 1 over here, who sits on his butt all day. Guy 2 over there who sits on his butt all day, and then you have me, who is at the gym daily and has a physically active job. 

Out of the three of us, which one can afford a treat now and then?

So....bite me.

On Fridays, when I am on night shift, there is nothing open around my workplace after midnight. 

Yeah, Mississauga, you know. That whole city shuts down at 9:30. Reminds me of Hamilton.

Anyway, the only place that will deliver at that time is Pizza Pizza.

I treat myself on Fridays with a small veggie pizza. Well, okay, sometimes I put a protein on it. After all, I am an athlete.

I usually use the online ordering system at pizzapizza.ca, because I usually find it easier.

This past Friday, March 14, I ordered my usual, to be delivered at 2 AM, my first break.

2 AM comes and goes, 2:15 comes and goes, 2:30 comes and goes...still no pizza.

By this time it is almost closing time, so I said "screw it", and I ended up just buying crap from the vending machine in the employee lounge.

Here is where it gets weird: 

The following night shift, at just before 2 AM, I get a buzz at the door. 

It was Pizza Pizza delivery.

He was delivering what I had ordered the night before... 24 hours late.

Pizza Pizza has a '40-Minutes-Or-Free' guarantee. Well, I guess 24 hours is more than 40 minutes. 

I asked for the pizza to be free, but he said "no". The reason was that they had only received the order 30 minutes ago, so technically, it is not late.

Okay, so it is my fault their online ordering system sucks big balls?

Also, the date the product was ordered was on the receipt. They can see it was ordered the day before, and who orders a pizza 24 hours in advance?

I could understand if you were having a party or something, and were ordering a lot, but a small single pizza? 

"I think I might be hungry this time tomorrow. I think I will order a pizza now." 

As it turned out, he would not let me have the pizza for free, so I sent it back.

Then, I waited until 2:45 (15 minutes before closing), and ordered the exact same thing for immediate delivery.

25 minutes later, the exact same delivery guy came with the exact same order, and I did not tip him.

I would not be surprised if it was the exact same pizza.

That explains the name Pizza Pizza.

Cheers.

TORONTO WEATHER FOR MARCH 16 2014

Clear, Low -15c / High -4c Extreme Cold Alert (Overnight)

Rising Up To the Challenge Of...

I believe they call it being "hungry", or having the "Eye Of the Tiger". 
Whatever you call it, I have it.

This week was another busy week for sparring. Although not quite as many rounds as last week. I did four on Monday, and nine on Wednesday. Thirteen three-minute rounds this week, and honestly, I barely broke a sweat.

I have had five different sparring partners this past week, and I felt that my performance was far better than ever before. 
With all but two, I was able to drive my opponent to the ropes, at least once per round. In once case, several times in a round. 
For one sparring partner, I didn't try, because he was sparring for the first time, so I was not so aggressive. I only threw jabs, but at the same time I was able to block everything he threw.

I am busting my ass with this boxing, to get my first bout by late spring. 
I know Will was saying how much I have improved. I appreciate that, but in the end it is Rick and Junmar who will decide when I get my first competitive bout.
Rick has not really said anything, but I really hope his is watching. 
I am doing this not only for me, but to represent the Stockyards Boxing Gym as well.

Coach Junmar has not yet returned. 
I hope he comes back soon, as I am sure he will be quite surprised at how far I have come since December.

My weight is stuck at 189, but sometimes up to 191, then back down. 
I had a goal of 188, then lowered it, but I think I should not have done that. I have having a real hard time reaching my 188 goal now.

Anyway, I am still keeping in shape. I am at one of the gyms for at least an hour a day, sometime more.
Skipping, push-ups, sit-ups, treadmill, dumbbells, and of course technical and sparring. 

I hope to see some of you at Stockyards on Saturday for their live boxing show, and maybe in the not-so-distant future, you will be seeing me in the ring.

Cheers.

Upcoming Boxing Shows

Stockyards Boxing Gym, March 8 @ 7 PM
Available on Metropolis TV West starting March 16,
and on Metropolis TV Central starting March 20
Not available on Metropolis TV East or North.

TORONTO WEATHER for March 7 2014

Clear.  Low -10c / High -5c