In the summer of 2007 I decided to work as a fish monger at the Atwater market in Montreal when I was disillusioned & fed up with the ups & downs of the coin-op industry. It was always 19 degrees in the store, and I thought that this would be a good place to "cool down" for a while.

I have to say that I was extremely happy for a while dealing with those simplistic ocean bugs as opposed to the nasty screwheads that accompanied the downfall and crippling of the amusement industry as I knew it in Quebec & Ontario.

The public land creatures were a refreshing change as well for a while, until I was finally called back to what was left of the industry, after the flood and the ugliness of the scavenger's feeding frenzy.

It is extremely difficult to shake the coin-op bug, sometimes I think that I could have done something else more noble with my life, but you know and I know that fun will most likely rule in the end when the all our cards are laid down. Can't let the "bugs" (land or sea) get to you - Pinball philosophy = keep on flippin' and don't look back dudes, this one ball may have drained, but there are still a few more to go before this game is done.

Quoted Text

Can't let the "bugs" (land or sea) get to you - Pinball philosophy = keep on flippin' and don't look back dudes, this one ball may have drained, but there are still a few more to go before this game is done.

Amen to that!

Quoted from Sparky

Well, with a bit of garlic butter and some lemon, they are DAMN tasty bugs!!!

Better than all thems is Pacific Dungeoness Crab....nothing better steamed, hot or cold.  Other than maybe a King Crab done at a good Chinese restaurant.  

Quoted from RAB

Can't let the "bugs" (land or sea) get to you - Pinball philosophy = keep on flippin' and don't look back dudes, this one ball may have drained, but there are still a few more to go before this game is done.

Glad to see many staying positive but I can't say the same. My pocket no longer has quarters and my last ball is heading down the middle. I no longer get fun out of it. Too much competition between friends to get "THE DEAL", too many machines slipped my hands due to unscrupulous practices, and too many unreasonable people always wanting more. I have no money, no energy and no desire left to continue.

Quoted from Sparky

Glad to see many staying positive but I can't say the same. My pocket no longer has quarters and my last ball is heading down the middle. I no longer get fun out of it. Too much competition between friends to get "THE DEAL", too many machines slipped my hands due to unscrupulous practices, and too many unreasonable people always wanting more. I have no money, no energy and no desire left to continue.

I agree that the buying and selling game can be painfully ugly at times. Lots of sharks and self-centered pompus collectors who think that owning machines somehow makes them a better quality of a person which others should look up to in awe. I personally stopped buying and selling over 15 years ago and I have been much happier ever since. Finalized my collection, and now I just enjoy connecting buyers and sellers and getting out of the way. As for enjoying a variety of pinball machines, I get a huge "kick" out of fixing them for people in their homes. That way I get to play a wider spectrum of machines than I could ever own. What is the point of owning anything anyway ? Fix it, play it and enjoy it fully, and then most importantly, - let it go.

Sometimes, we all need to take a break, step back and maybe go work in a fish store for a while in order to cool down.

Quoted from websherpa

Better than all thems is Pacific Dungeoness Crab....nothing better steamed, hot or cold.  Other than maybe a King Crab done at a good Chinese restaurant.  

I am partial to Snow Crab from Sept-Iles in April, better cold, so good you can almost eat the shell if you are drunk enough.

Quoted from RAB

I am partial to Snow Crab from Sept-Iles in April, better cold, so good you can almost eat the shell if you are drunk enough.

Speaking of drinking, guess what I will be doing tonight. I have a case of 12 with my name on it, just in case of stress emergencies like the one I have now...

Sparky, just send you a $20 have a round on me  .

Quoted from Sparky

Speaking of drinking, guess what I will be doing tonight. I have a case of 12 with my name on it, just in case of stress emergencies like the one I have now...

God damn full moon ! Also makes me want to behave like a wild animal, need to keep my head straight these days as well, but it just feels more and more like it's going to be a losing battle.

Oh well, you win some & you hopefully lose less than that.

Cheers everybody- don't neglect to raise a glass to the good, and the evil bugs as well.