I walked into work briefly with spy girl. I noticed that my computer at work was off. I generally leave it on, not because I like to waste energy, but because it takes me a lot of time to load the necessary applications to efficiently do my work. So, I had to power it on from scratch, which can be quite the production.

The trainer came to talk to me. He was extremely pleased with the monitor I had sold to him. He was impressed that it wasn't dusty. He loved the picture and said that it was perfect. I was happy to have helped him out. Frankly, he helped me make some room at home.

The vice president of IT had reviewed the additions to the release notes I had written the other day. He thought they were fine and sent them to all of us, including the salesperson that needed to send them out. He's the guy who used to think that I was loud. Anyway, he asked if I knew where a particular document was. After searching for it for perhaps ten minutes, I had found it. He was pleased.

I should backtrack a bit. I spent half an hour talking to the sales coordinator. She told me that she kind of yelled at the president's son (PS) this morning. She was in a sensitive mood and didn't think that what he was saying was funny. Now, she feels the need to apologize to him, for he's probably thinking that she's mad at her. He's a funny guy, I tell you.

I talked to the moocher, telling him that I was picking my friend up at the airport before driving downtown to see the show. We both discussed how we were going to get liquored up this weekend. It was cute.

I donated some money for popcorn guy's daughter's swimming fundraiser. We talked some more about the hotel arrangements. I told him that we'd all go out for drinks after this conference is finally over. He thinks he needs more than just drinks.

Earlier, I had walked past DJ's cubicle after having signed in. I think he expected me to say something to him, but I didn't. I was reading a number of printouts in my hand.

I made up for that roughly two hours later when I stopped by and whispered a simple good morning to him. He reciprocated.

I was invited to lunch at the Vietnamese restaurant up the road. There were seven of us there, including the IT guy who jokes that he loves me, the IT installer who is learning Mandarin, spy girl, neon boy (PC), popcorn boy, short boy, and me. I had vermicelli noodles with spring rolls, barbequed pork, and shrimp on sugar cane strips. It was lovely.

I got a lift to and from the restaurant from the IT installer guy who is doing well in his Mandarin class. He has the nicest Acura car. The other IT guy and I took turns sitting in the front. We both are roughly the same height, so it made sense to do that. Spy girl was the fourth person in the car.

My back is kind of sore today. I noticed it being kind of strange when I first woke up this morning.

I've been talking a lot to popcorn guy, simply because we're both working on the conference and we both have the need to vent from time to time. It's a good relationship to have. I trust the guy about him not blabbing what I have to vent about to anyway. The reverse is true, too.

The moocher had to wash his tupperware, so I tagged along to keep him company. We were talking by the sink about all the security cameras in the warehouse.

"Watty!" It was DJ. He startled me. I thought my heart was going to jump out of my chest.
"Yes?"
He came into the kitchen to join us.
"The IT manager had your picture up on all the TV screens from the Christmas party," he said. He knows how to annoy me.
"Why?" I asked.
"We're testing out the connections," he claimed.

The camera thing got the moocher all worked up. He basically insulted the executives upstairs, saying that they don't do anything. However, anyone up on the second floor who has access to monitoring these cameras on the Internet will finally have something to do, he went on. Nice shot, I must admit.

The moocher went on to insult how the president's son (PS) talks. DJ asked if the moocher wanted to insult the vice president's toes. I had to ask why the moocher would know what his toes looked like, which got DJ thinking about the moocher shacking up with the VP. Not a pretty thought at all.

Roughly an hour later, I went to sign out. I went back to my desk and saw DJ walking towards me. The office had experienced four power surges at this stage, and one of them caused one of the microwaves in the lunchroom to emit some burnt plastic-like smell.

Anyway, DJ had this huge flashlight and decided to flash it at me. Yes, I had the deer-light thing happening, so I pretended to crash into the purchaser as I walked away. I told him that I was about to leave and that I couldn't see.

I left at 16:00. Outside were the smokers, including the president's wife and my boss. I didn't say a thing. I just kept on walking. One of the helpdesk employees had pulled into the lot. I signalled that I was leaving and that he could take my spot. So, I backed out of it and left.

For some unknown reason, I decided take highway 401. Big mistake. I had forgotten why I normally take the backroads to get to the airport. I had spent half an hour on it and had moved from McCowan to Yonge. That was horrible. It took me forty minutes to drive from Yonge to the airport along Lawrence and then The Westway.

As luck would have it, I got a decent parking spot at terminal 3. I went directly to the baggage area and my friend, hockey guy from Winnipeg, immediately came through the doors. Cool. I paid for parking ($2.25, which is the cheapest amount I've ever paid there) and drove off. I did make the mistake of taking highway 427. Instead, I drove across the city on highway 407 (the toll... should get the bill soon) and then drove down Bayview Avenue. I have spent so much time analyzing streets. I don't like driving down Yonge Street when time is paramount. Along Bayview, there are three slow spots, but they aren't show-stopping ones. I do like when you get south of Eglinton. I make up a lot of time there.

So, we got to my favourite parking lot at around 19:15 and quickly visited Quiznos for a bite to eat. He had the beef and cheddar sub, and I had the angus beef. The odd thing was that the man preparing the sandwich kept asking about toppings for strictly the beef and cheddar sub.

I had to stop at the local Royal Bank to deposit a cheque and take out some money. We then headed to the Air Canada Centre. I wanted to get this nice black track top, but didn't think it was worth $110. Instead, I got a nifty Depeche Mode t-shirt for $40 and was perfectly content with my purchase.

We sat down and probably had missed the first three songs by She Wants Revenge. I thought that the band was okay. However, I don't think that I'll be rushing to buy any of the band's albums just yet.

During the pause between acts, I went out to get a couple of large iced caps for us. The woman at the Timmy's stand was exceptionally polite and helpful. It was a nice change. I think that iced caps are cheaper there. It was only $6.40. Maybe I was just too tired to figure that out.

Depeche Mode appeared at around 21:00. My review of the show is pretty much the same as the one I did last year. The show was amazing! The crowd was into it from the start. I was on my feet for the majority of the show. It was fun singing, dancing, and just having a blast with folks I felt like I knew, but didn't.

Again, the band just hammered out each song in succession. I like joining in on the singfests. "Enjoy the silence" has a special place in my heart. I was so thrilled to hear "John the revelator," probably my favourite song off the band's latest album. "Question of time" is fun, too. I like when Dave twirls that microphone stand of his. He's got so much energy.

A week ago, Dave had a bout of laryngitis, but he sounded like he had fully got over it. You could pre-order a copy of the show either as a digital download or on a CD. I did that after the show.

Here's the setlist:

A pain that I'm used to
A question of time
Suffer well
Precious
Walking in my shoes
Stripped
Home
It doesn't matter 2
In your room
Nothing's impossible
John the revelator
I feel you
Behind the wheel
World in my eyes
Personal Jesus
Enjoy the silence

Encore:
Shake the disease
Photographic
Never let me down again

Anyway, I don't want to sound like a broken record here. So, I'm copying the review that appeared on Canoe.ca.

Air Canada Centre, Toronto - May 18, 2006
Don't call them an '80s band, Depeche Mode has still got it
By STEVE TILLEY -- Toronto Sun

TORONTO - Like child actors who flame out early and become fodder for episodes of E! True Hollywood Story, it's not easy making the bumpy transition from seminal '80s band to '00s arena draw.

And yet Depeche Mode has not only defied the odds, they've made it look easy. Ridiculously easy.

Like last night at the ACC. Forget that they've put out four studio albums since 1990's much-loved Violator, or that the single Precious from last year's Playing The Angel gets heavy radio play. On paper, Depeche Mode shouldn't still work.

Aren't these guys supposed to be in retirement homes? Or at least playing regional fairs as an opening act for Loverboy?

Fortunately, the answer is no. David Gahan, Martin Gore and Andy Fletcher, assisted by a pair of solid and seamless backup musicians, proved once again that they're not ready to be relegated to the ghetto of 20th century novelty act.

The klaxon-like wail of opening song A Pain That I'm Used To brought the surprisingly young crowd to its feet, and the follow-up A Question Of Time saw Gahan in pure rock-god mode, whirling like a tornado that happened to sweep a microphone stand into its vortex.

Though he shed the odd article of clothing, Gahan never lost his connection with the adoring horde, calling upon them to fill in choruses of songs like Walking In My Shoes and Personal Jesus, to which they ecstatically obliged. What small amount of vocal precision the band lacked in the early going, they made up for with Gahan's unflagging energy.

Guitarist and principal songwriter Gore, looking downright restrained save for silver make-up and the mohawk wig that temporarily covered his blond locks, took over from Gahan for a handful of sweet and slow songs like Home and Shake The Disease. While Gore can't match his bandmate's theatrics, his voice was as stirring as it has ever been.

The band bounced back and forth between Playing The Angel and their deep back catalogue, with the audience's screams growing loudest for classics like 1987's Behind The Wheel and 1990's Enjoy The Silence. (And for the tattooed Gahan finally doffing his vest and going bare-chested.)

While it's inevitable that a quarter-century career means not everyone's favourite songs are going to make it into a 100-minute concert, it's safe to say no one went home dissatisfied. And E! will have to keep looking elsewhere.

Before Depeche Mode took the stage, you could have mistaken opening act She Wants Revenge for a 1980s supergroup made up of members of Bauhaus, the Psychedelic Furs, Joy Division (though singer Justin Warfield is no Ian Curtis reincarnation) and, well, Depeche Mode.

The band's dark-but-not-despairing vibe and Warfield's prim posturing were a nice appetizer to Depeche Mode's main course, but they teetered between paying respects to early '80s post-punk and slavishly copying it.

After the show, we had a bite to eat down the road from where hockey guy is staying. Markham Station restaurant and bar was fine for a light snack. I then dropped him off at the hotel and drove home. It was around 01:00 by the time I got home.

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Song that's stuck in my head: Depeche Mode's "A question of time"
Yummy food eaten today: Black angus sub
What I crave: Seeing Depeche Mode

Recent thoughts:
Readings, lights, and random thoughts - 2009-03-15
Thoughts about work, school, and peeps - 2009-03-09
Working from home and a mini life update - 2008-12-19
The weekend is here! - 2008-01-06
A new year - 2008-01-01