RECORD STORE TALES #1179: Spring Dinner With Aaron
The clocks have changed and we have beaten winter once again! Though it was the harshest winter for weather since the 1990s, it was the easiest winter for my mental health in decades. And I have you to thank for supporting me through it. Though winter’s not completely over, the darkness that pervaded my evenings is. We’re due for one or two more big storms, but nothing like what we endured in February.
Spring is so close I can taste it.
Coinciding with the clock change, another sign of spring has emerged: that being Aaron of the KMA! Aaron was in town on Sunday, so we met up with him and his lovely wife Cindy for a dinner at my favourite local establishment, Borealis. Shop local, buy local! So that is what we did. Aaron was curious about the “local” aspect. “Does Kitchener have a lot of wild boar?” he asked, only partly joking. All the food comes from Ontario. Aaron and Cindy had the wild trout, while I had mushroom rigatoni and Jen had prime rib. All-Ontario menu! They did serve some foreign spirits such as Absinthe, but we didn’t look too deep into the liquor menu.
Of course there were gifts! I gave Aaron his own copy of Live In Ontario by Max the Axe, and he gifted me a Def Leppard tour shirt (with Journey), a Jacob Moon album I needed, and the new 40th Anniversary edition of Stay Hungry by Twisted Sister.
Dinner was incredible, and we received special service from “Cousin” Luigi, whom we have not seen since before the pandemic. I have been wanting to take Aaron to Borealis for years, so it was a happy circumstance that we had Luigi. We didn’t want to eat upstairs due to Jen’s health conditions, so they opened up the entire downstairs dining room just for us. We had the whole room to ourselves.
And Luigi made sure Jen never ran out of drinks.
A delightful night, and two wonderful reunions in one.

Wow, props to Luigi! Sounds like a cool dude and a great server! Glad you enjoyed your time with Aaron!
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It was also cool to have the original Community founders back together again! Though it hasn’t been that long.
We are already discussing our trip to Toronto!
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Ooh how exciting! But yeah, nice you got to spend time with Aaron again! Hope he’s doing well!
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As well as can be, he’s bee sick, but haven’t we all.
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I’m sorry for responding so late! I hope Aaron has recovered now!
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Me too. I don’t think it’s likely we’ll see him active here in the future.
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Wait, like on WordPress? Did something else happen to him?
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I think just life happened. His kids are older, he is spending his time not-online, and I miss him here. But fortunately we text each other every week.
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Ah ok, gotcha! I get wanting to spend less time online. Plus, family comes first!
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Plus the old community is dead, and he doesn’t know the people from the current community.
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Hi Mike! Sorry for the late response. Gotcha. Life happens and things change, so nothing stays forever. Hope you’ve been well, by the way!
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That is OK. Are you still up for 50 Years of Iron Maiden?
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We will be filming Dance of Death soon and need to know if you are still in for that.
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Hi Mike! I know you messaged me separately about this, but I am still interested in doing the Dance of Death episode. Let me know if you any updates about when you want to film it!
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Sounds like a great time. Glad you two got to catch up! One day we need to have a full on Meet-Up with the whole gang.
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I fear a full meet up will never happen, if not for the current hostilities, just for the fact that some old-school Community members refuse to acknowledge that I exist.
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It might not be the same old crew, but the current crew is fine for a meet up. Assuming it is safe for an American to be in Canada right now LOL!!
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You’d be safe… I just don’t know if you’d be treated too well… it is very ugly right now. It is heartbreaking. In 2001 I bought a pin with the US and Canada flags on it, because we were united as one. Now we are at war. Shots have not been fired but it is most definitely war. The good news is, in a decade or so, we might be living in the same country, after we are annexed.
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Down here no one is even thinking Canada is the enemy. Or has any ill wills. It is strictly the President. At least in my circle.
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Twitter is pretty anti-Canada. A lot of “you’re not a real country” and “without us you’re nothing” and “you don’t stand a chance when we come for you.”
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Twitter isn’t real people. Nothing but garbage.
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Up here we are preparing for the worst. American products are being pulled off shelves, and what is left is being turned upside down so it is easier for customers to see which products are American. But that doesn’t compared to the Presidential talk about Manifest Destiny. He’s said it at least twice now. And he’s serious. In talks with Canada he has stated he wants Ontario where I live. He wants Greenland to secure the north. He wants our water, our lumber, our electricity and especially our minerals. And he will take them.
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Glad you were able to get together. Henry.
Sent from Yahoo Mail for iPhone
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