Saturday, February 28, 2009

Slovenly Saturday And Rock Thunder

I have done nothing today.

On another note, I did get a solid practice in with 'the band'. Things
are sounding tight and crisp. Another few months and we'll be in
the game. That's the hope, anyways. When we do come out into
the public, though, we will rock with the thunder of Thor's
hammer. That's a guarantee.

I have a belly full of pizza and beer. This will be the last time I 
consume beer for quite some time. Goodbye, old friend. I'll
see you again when the weather gets nicer.

6/8 time. Wakka wakka. E A Ab B. Fade slow. 

Friday, February 27, 2009

Count It!

That's right, biznatches. I'm like MJ up in this blacktop shizat.

(Forgot to post this before work...but it counts.)

I recently found out some news about a friend who got his
heart broken. I'm sure there's more to the story (and I haven't
even heard his side) but situations like that always give me
knee-jerk "Dang - I'm glad that wasn't me" reaction. The
truth is, though, we all have different paths to take. No
one chooses their own path. It is given. My heart goes out
to that little bugger. 

In another sad story, I also heard about a friend who found
out she had a severed artery in her head after having 2 strokes 
in 2 separate days. She is in the hospital right now. I have
known her for many years and though we aren't all that
close, she is an artist and a great supporter of up-and-comer
Canadian artists. She has been an active blogger for a 
while and checks mine pretty frequently. If you think
of it, remember her today.

Life is like a buzzer-beating, half-court three-ball. We
throw it up and hope that it goes in the basket. 

Keep your skills sharp. 

See you on the hardwood. 





Thursday, February 26, 2009

Wasn't Meant To Be
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2037/1664972505_076305ecf3.jpg
Last night was one of those nights where the chips seemed
to stack against me (and my buddy Caleb). I had planned
to meet up with another dude earlier that night but said
dude had to bail due to general sickness (which is
understandable). Caleb had called earlier about getting
together as Wednesday night is one of my only free
nights of the week and so the two of us decided to hit up
Elgin Street in pursuit of a quiet watering hole.

To our surprise, Wednesday night proved to be one of
the BUSIEST nights that I have ever experienced. Yes -
last night. Wednesday, February 25, 2009. Can anyone
enlighten me about some unknown holiday I don't know
about? We started with a haunt that is usually a sure-fire
bet - the Lieutenant's Pump. After sitting for 10 minutes
and having our ears bleed due to crowd noise (no joke)
and receiving zero service, we left. 'The night is young'
we both said to each other, pulling on our coats.

Next stop? The Fox And The Feather. This place has
only ever been 60-70 % full in all of the times that I've
been there (unless it is in the summer). We came in
and were told by the manager to sit 'in the back, near
the dartboard'. Again. Another 10 minutes passes by
and no service. We left.

Number three? The Mayflower. A great local haunt
that has limited space but that usually always has a
few open tables. No dice. Standing room only. We
also encountered a few loud and boisterous older
women at the door who asked us for ID and then
joked that they didn't really work there. After we left,
the ladies at the door seemed upset that we were
leaving and voiced their sadness. Caleb and I walked
faster.

Four. Back down Elgin to the Manx. I've heard great
things about this place but had only ever been there
once and it was packed to the gills. Before we set
foot inside, we joked about it, too, being a wash-out.
It wasn't as full as the last time I was there...but it
was pretty close with a few people waiting to be
seated. A line-up? To get into a pub? I don't think
so.

Five. Earlier (after we had left the Pump), we had
joked that Hooley's was an option as it looked pretty
desolate inside as we walked past it. Sure enough -
Hooley's is where our collapse finally took place
(and in a private romantic booth, no less!) Luckily,
Sarah showed up later so as to dispel any rumours
about Caleb and myself in a romantic setting and
Creemore was consumed.

Only 3 nights left before no-beer month. Gotta
soak up every last minute.

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Movie Review
'The Brothers Solomon'
http://media.filmschoolrejects.com/images/dvd-solomon.jpg
My brother and a few other friends told me about this
movie, and upon initially hearing about it, I wrote it
off as a lame feature. The rumblings in my mind said
'There's no WAY Will Arnett and SNL regular Will
Forte can be THAT funny for 1 hour and 20 some
minutes'. I also heard it was laced with a lot of sexual
innuendo humour which I find to be pretty unoriginal,
over-used and lacking in comedic depth.

Boy, was I wrong.

The film basically follows the lives of John and Dean
Solomon - two socially inept brothers who are
trying to complete their dying father's last wish to be
a grandfather (who is actually Lee Majors from tv's
long running series 'The Fall Guy'). Yes - the premise
seems ridiculous but in the end, after all of the
awkward antics are done with, it is a film that has
heart. In their quest to impregnate a female and
have a child, the two brothers begin to see what
really matters in life. As an added bonus, you also
get to see Will Arnett wear very short shorts for
the entire feature.

This movie shocked me in the sense that...I haven't
laughed so hard while watching a film in quite some
time. One scene in particular made me laugh to
the point of silly, shaky giggles that even woke up my
sleeping wife. As funny as Will Arnett is (and believe
me - he has some side-ripping scenes), Will Forte
actually steals the show with his amazing dialogue
delivery and stunningly awkward smile. SNL regular
Kristen Wiig also does a bang-up job as the mother-
to-be.

If you are unsure about what flick to pick up the
next time you are browsing the comedy shelves, give
The Brothers Solomon a chance to warm your
heart and your funny-bone.

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

You Thought Wrong, Byotch

You thought I forgot, didn't you? You doubted. You faltered in your
footing. You strayed off course. You lost sight of the goal. You got
stuck in the woods.

Well, I'm still here - brooding over everything in this darkly lit
basement apartment trying to make sense of things. The mission
was once clear. Now, the only clear thing is the blue light of the
DVD player screen on the television. The futon hasn't been put
away for ages. The cat wheezes beside me. Someday, she won't
wheeze any longer. Struggle. It's an asteroid-filled backpack that
is bursting at the seams. You can't accessorize with it. It sticks
out. Every one sees it.

You think you know what's best? I'm calling your bluff. The 
only reason why you're afraid to say 'I don't know what's best' is
because you're afraid of looking stupid. Well, get used to it.
Everybody needs to look stupid in order to grow. It's all part
of being vulnerable and opening up. You proposed edicts and 
wanted to be an invisible hand while I shoveled coal in the 
dungeon with your workers. I made friends with them. I talked
you up. You stayed up on high - untouchable. You talked about
getting involved and meeting the workers...but once again,
you pulled your famous disappearing act on a billion dollar
piece of machinery. 

You have no idea what is best or what could even begin to
be defined as what 'best' could mean. You are paper. You leave
a trail but it's usually easy to cover. I'm tired of waiting 
around for you to change. I'm changing. You're still the same.
All you want is to be a grown-up child. 

In truth - Everything is always leaving.

Monday, February 23, 2009

Icy Thoughts

Tonight, I just need some time to think. On my way home from
work, I laced up my skates and hit the large icy ravine. I 
descended the steps at 5th avenue and felt the late afternoon 
wind hit my face. The sun was starting to lower itself. I
thought about life, community, the Glebe, Ottawa, friends,
love...and me. I plugged my headphones into my skull 
and let the new Killers album tickle my ears on my way.

The ice was in fine form today and there was barely a soul
out to experience it. Even through the music, I could hear
the crystal swishes of my feet pushing out for speed. I
thought about different people. People who I've become
close to...and others who have fallen off the grid. I thought
about how quick we are to jump on each other when we
should really take a few steps back and evaluate our actions
before we do anything. I pushed onward, past the beaver
tail stop at pretoria bridge and passed a few ankle-skating
girls (who seemed to be having a blast - good for them).

As I made my way to Somerset, I felt a little renewed. I
felt like the dawning of new things are on the horizon line.
I saw a fat man without a tooth laughing in a very hoarse
manner. He seemed jolly despite his lack of oral hygiene. 
More power to him. Laughter is an amazing medicinal
device.

I rounded the corner by Somerset and saw the sun get 
lower. The ice conditions became pretty crappy but I 
wouldn't be on for too much longer. I plunked on to a
bench and exhaled deeply. I took off my skates and put
them in backpack, swapping them for my warm boots.

I ascended the steps up to Somerset and thanked the 
Lord above for days and moments like these.

I copy-catted the words of Bill Murray as I pulled my
toque down hard and said 'This...is an adventure'.

Sometimes, a skate on the canal is all that the soul
truly needs.


Sunday, February 22, 2009

They Don't Call Me 'Genius' For Nothin!
Okay. It's time to see how I did in my predictions. Can you
feel the electricity in the air? Here we go:

1. a server will get flustered - 
He did. His name is Rod. He was upset that there was no coca
cola in the house (but unbeknownst to either of us, there was
Pepsi). He got a little heated and told me I should do my job
and keep everything stocked. He apologized an hour later and
we laughed about it.

2. someone will complain that a drink is mixed improperly 
when it is actually mixed correctly but not the way THEY 
want
This strange couple comes in, every once in a while, and the 
man has a combover. He always gets a double gin, straight up
with a sidecar of ice. Every time he orders, I always pour two
shots in his glass and his wife ALWAYS comes up to the bar and
complains that it's not a double. This exact scene occurred last
night.

3. I will make at least 5 caesars and 1 manhattan
I came up short on this one. I only made 6 caesars and zero
manhattans.


4. (a certain re-occurring character) will show up and act 
a fool
She did show up and she wanted a draught beer. I said 'Sorry -
I'm not allowed to serve you as per my manager'. She protested
but then exclaimed she had beer at home.

3 out of 4 ain't bad. I'm pretty dang smart.


Saturday, February 21, 2009

Another Day, Another Holler

I'm mentally preparing myself for a night of hijinx and borderline
sociopathic behaviours. I'm going to make a few predictions of
what will happen tonight:
1. a server will get flustered
2. someone will complain that a drink is mixed improperly when
it is actually mixed correctly but not the way THEY want 
3. I will make at least 5 caesars and 1 manhattan
4. the owner's wife will show up and act a fool

Let's see how many I get right. Those are all pretty safe.

Oh...and by the way, if any of you are bored, feel free to check out
this video of a friend of mine who got close to someone very
important:

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1013504271696

Friday, February 20, 2009

An Indescribable Day

Today is still peaking. A day off brings new things and reconcilings.
I had the chance to meet up with a good homie and chat for a while
about all things important. These are the moments I treasure.

I don't like where the North American church is heading. I really
don't. I also don't know about its massive counter-movement in
the form of dumpster-diving beardies who drive vans fueled by
vegetable oil. I'm somewhere in the middle. I find it hard to
grasp the notion that the church (at least the Christian one) has
fallen so far away from what its roots are supposed to be tied to:
the bible. If you've ever read the bible, it's not a nice bedtime 
story. It's fuckin' weird. It's filled with strange verbiage and
people who did both horrendous and amazing things. It's 
supposedly the 'inspired word of God'. That's a hard thing to pin
down. 

The craziest notion about scripture (and all of the weirdos that 
it draws out of the woodwork) is that no matter where you look,
in any given culture or religious framework, no one has bad 
things to say about Jesus. The church? Absolutely. But Jesus?
Muslim tradition text-marks Jesus as a great prophet and a
great man. 

Whatever. It's all weird, man.

Thursday, February 19, 2009

Altered State
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This morning began in a not-so-usual fashion. I had to
take my father to the Ottawa Airport for 4:15 am which
meant I had to wake up at 3:30 am and get to the house
for 4:00 am. The problem with this premise is that I
really didn't even get into bed until 2 and fell asleep
around 2:30 (after going to an open mic with a few
friends and having a few drinks). As you can see, there
are already serious problems with this situation.

The alarm went off and I don't remember hitting the
snooze but Sarah woke me up by saying 'Please don't
hit the snooze again!' which triggered my sub-conscious
and got my arse out of bed by 3:38 am. I trudged to
my snowy car after an hour of very deep sleep, turned
the key and hit the empty, snowy roads. While on the
queensway, I started to remember patches of the night
(which had ended only a few hours previous) and
something about singing backup vocals to the song
'Happen Now' by Plaskett as my friend Meredith
played it. I rubbed my eyes. I also remembered
something about Meredith running full tilt to the
stage to sing backup for 'Knockin on Heaven's Door'
and wiping out on the carpeted stage in a fury.

Did this all really happen?

I arrived at my parents' house. My dad was watching
for me through the front windows as I saw his head
move in the wintery silhouette of a dimly lit front
hall. I was there at 4 am sharp. The lights went off
and he emerged from the front door with his
airplane golf-bag carrier (which looks like an
artillery holding device) and a few bags. He got in
the car and thanked me several times for taking
him so early. He told me of his purchasing a new
blackberry and not really knowing how to use it. I told
him about the texting benefits but I could barely
speak I was so tired. We passed a few snowplows and
made it to the terminal. We exchanged goodbyes and
I hit the airport parkway on leg 3 of 3 of this early
trip, excited to get back into bed. I remember
thinking about Obama on the way home (which was,
after all, the reason why I had to drive my dad as the
airport wasn't able to guarantee parking or taxi
service today because of security) and how the
airport looked extremely empty. I wondered what he
would think of Ottawa or if my dad would pass him
in the air somewhere between Florida and DC.

I made it back to my driveway and back to my warm
bed (after a quick gas station pit stop for some pepto
as I seemed to be having some burning acidity). I
slammed back some pepto and hit the warm sheets.
The next thing I knew, I was in a store with chain-bar
windows and everyone in the store was saying 'Oh!
Here he comes. Everyone get down!' as everyone
started ducking down low. Out in the street, there
were several rifle-toting fatigued men with red lights
on the ends of their guns. The lights came in through
the store and scanned the streets and buildings. All
of the soldiers then stopped and stood at attention.
A very futuristic looking white car whirred past the
store which obviously encased one President Obama.
The car had red-stripes down its sides and had a
massive fin on the hood (like that of a fish). That's
all I remember.

I woke up to Sarah asking me about my time at the
open mic. I was disoriented and wondered what had
happened to the white fin car.

It is now 2:41 pm.

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Canal Skates, Wings and Many Other Things
http://www.eldoradobbq.com/ordereze/images/items/IMAGE46.JPG
Last night was wing night at The Arrow and The Loon. This
place has become a local haunt for me as it's never too busy
and a quick leap from Ecclesiax. I have been there for quite
a few quiet lunches and the owner has been cool enough
to give me (and other Ecclesiax folks) a discount. Sarah, my
bro and a few other friends came out last night and everyone
was satisfied...with the exception of The 'Dox. His mild
wings were slathered in a ketchuppy/bbq sauce that
was very thick and sloppy. Murphy's Law. The best
wings you can order at A&L are (in my humble opinion)
the hot variety. The sauce is there but not overpowering.
They are also a few steps down from suicide so there's
not much risk of indigestion. Unfortunately for Adam,
if he has even the slightest tinge of a jalapeno fall into
his food, he is chained to the can for days.

Sorry Dox - come again and go for medium or cajun-
dusted.

Afterwards, a few of us walked to the canal to get a
beavertail (an obvious post-wing dessert choice). We
were all talking about the 'Obama tail' and how his
impending visit seems to be such a massive ordeal and
that everyone is so wrapped up in the 6 hr visitation of
another person. Sure - he is another person with
armed guards, an entire secret service, a private
airline system and an armoured car that is coming with
him...but he is still a human being.

On another note, I may be driving my dad to the
airport tomorrow morning at 4:30 am for the very
same reason of Obama's visit - taxis and everything
else may be pretty tightly-squeezed. Good times.
Anyone want to pull an all-nighter?

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Hey Now Now

Remember this band? Yeah, you do. Probably one of the 
most worst/catchiest songs ever known to humankind was
written by these guys. I don't know why I needed to 
start my blog in reference to them - I just felt the
urge (...and they were both very girlish/weird looking).

Today has been relaxed - a nice chill tuesday. Sarah and
I were going to go to a spa but ky'boshed that plan due
to it being reading week and seeing the amount of students
lined up in the parking lot. Maybe next week. Instead,
we spent hundreds of dollars on things we needed for
both work and play. Then we ate nachos at Montana's.
Now, we are about to go for wings with Dan, Owen, Lan,
Caleb, Sarah and the Human Paradox. Should be good.

The Bourne Supremacy is the best Bourne movie. Hands
down.

Monday, February 16, 2009

The Generic Lines Of Family Day
The image “http://www.h099.com/images/work/designmuseumfamily/00.jpg” cannot be displayed, because it contains errors.
Apparently, these days, the federal government has to institute a
day so as to tell families when it is kosher to spend time together.
I just got back from a local establishment that I frequent in the
Glebe and it was a zoo of highchairs, yuppies, baby-boomers
and young parents acting the part. Usually, this establishment
is bare on a monday and for a moment, I thought I had entered
a time-warp/daycare portal.

The funny thing is that I didn't see any parents with teenage kids
or older - it was all parents with young kids (8 years old as the
max age). Geographically, the Glebe is filled with young families
so it makes sense but it just sort of irks me that this day is just
an excuse for well-jobbed people to steal taxpayers' money.
It's almost as if young families want to show off because when
the children are young, it appears that there are 'no problems'.
When you have teenage kids, things change. It's not such a
romantic concept to have and raise a family. It becomes a chore.

I don't know about you but I didn't really always 'love' the
concept of spending time with my family when I was younger.
I remember once driving to Nashville, TN on a 19 hour straight
ride and having to pee. My road-raged Dad was all about
staying on schedule and forced my brother to hold a McDonalds
cup under my apparatus while I urinated. I'm pretty sure this
made my brother gag repeatedly. Over time, though, I have
grown to love everyone in my immediate family and see the
need for us to get together occasionally. We have all spent a lot
of time together over the years and have put up with a lot of
each other's bullcrap. There's power in that.

Socially awkward parents seem to be popping up all over the
grid, these days. One thing that I can safely say my parents
did well was to raise me with an acute awareness for that
which is going on around me. They raised me to have respect
for people of all kinds. Who are these young parents who
barge into restaurants and demand highchairs? Who
raised them?

The weather is pleasant today. I think I'm going to try and
enjoy it.

Sunday, February 15, 2009

Sittin' On Your Biscuit...Never Havin' To Risk It
http://www.searchviews.com/wp-content/themes/clean-copy-full-3-column-1/images/risk-board-game-strategies-6530.jpg
I have been playing a serious game of Risk this afternoon with
my wife and some good friends. This game draws out the worst
in people. It's funny how even the most well-planned strategies
become personal. After a while, if you hang around long enough
in a game, all strategy goes out the window and it becomes
about attacking the person whose battle style annoys you the
most.

Does this translate to real life war situations? Absolutely.

Here's an update on our current game:
-Landon is sucking.
-I am a sitting duck with no allegiances but with decent troops
spread out.
-Owen is dominating and getting very wound up.
-Harley is fortified but most likely next to be outed.
-Sarah is losing in a battle royale against Owen and will
probably be out before I finish typing (as their epic battle
is still ongoing).

And as I finish this post, my prediction was right - Sarah is
out.

Saturday, February 14, 2009

Saint Valentine's Day
Today is Valentine's day. One of the most over-traditionalized, materialistic
holidays of the year. To make it a little more interesting, though, I have
to go to work in a few hours and Sarah is taking care of our friend's dog
for the weekend. His name is Tucker and he looks almost identical to
the dog in the pic above. He smells everything and pees for long amounts
of time. He likes to play with his squeaky green toy bone. Last night,
upon entering the house, I was a little concerned that I would be attacked
by this big brown bear of a dog. Fortunately, his tail was wagging and he
had the squeaky bone in his mouth. We were friends instantly.

I don't know what Sarah and I are going to do to make today special but
we are just planning to take it easy and enjoy our time before I head to
the insanity of Valentine's Day dinner at Friday's. It is also important
to note that if you are in a relationship, you shouldn't ONLY do
something special together on Valentine's Day - you should do special
things all the time.

It is a sunny day out there. Get out an enjoy it while you can.

Friday, February 13, 2009

Alas - It Is Gone...For A Time

Here's the deal: I've been drinking too much beer, lately. Since
I have moved to Ottawa, there are so many nice places to go for
a pint that I find instead of choosing a favourite spot...I just 
frequent them all. As of March 1, I am going to stop drinking
beer for exactly 1 month. I know that this doesn't seem hard
as I can still drink other alcohols (i.e. wine, Jack Daniels, etc.),
I am going to try replacing beer with something more athletic.
The athletic endeavour could be canal skating, running,
long walks or even ultimate frisbee (when the weather gets
nicer.)

I want you all to keep me accountable in this journey. I wrote
it here as a way of making it public and quantitative. I know 
that new studies show that beer isn't even that fatty (as 
compared to wine, juice or even milk) but it's the eating cycle
that comes with drinking beer as it tends to induce the
appetite. I'm not even really that fat - I just want to make 
some healthier choices. 

Who's with me?


Thursday, February 12, 2009

Communication: A Key To The Universe

Maybe it's because I'm getting old but in growing up, I am always
trying to find the most efficient and most effective way to do things.
Christopher Walken has spoken on many talk shows about his
inability to learn grammar well at a young age (thus foreshadowing
his career of speaking strangely and placing strange emphasis on
parts of words that aren't usually emphasized). He also spoke of
how this hindered his communication skills at a young age but how
he learned to make his hinderance into something interesting and
unique. I'd say he's done alright.

I know this guy named Bob. Bob helped to get me involved writing
with a publication a few years back and though he is definitely one
of the busiest men I've ever met, he always made time to
communicate. Even if I emailed him a question that he had no
clue as to how to even begin formulating the answer for, he would
always email me back promptly (within 24 hrs) and state
something like 'Ya know what - I'm not sure. I'll get back to you
in a few days with some info' or 'I'm extremely busy right now
- I'll get back to you in a day or two'. I have realized that even
though it was annoying to not have an end result, I was
never left hanging. I have tried to adopt that communicative 
style (though I often screw it up) as I firmly believe that even
when you have nothing to say...you have something to say. 
Leaving people hanging (when all that is needed to bridge a gap 
is a sentence of 5 or 6 words) is pure laziness and utterly 
disrespectful.

I digress. It seems that the subject of 'I know what you did
last summer' or 'What the hell happened last summer?' has been
bubbling up a lot recently. Although I don't usually vent in a
negative format, I think some things need to be said...and 
oddly enough, it all ties back to communication.

I guess that's where a lot of my frustration stems from when I 
think back to the summer of 2008 at Camp IAWAH. I was almost
always left hanging and I saw the darkest depth of adults acting
like children. Although there were issues that made last summer
a complicated time (and I am obviously partly to blame), when I 
think back to it, so much could have been alleviated by simple, 
straight-forward communication.

Here it is:

Life is short and I don't have time to waste my energy on bullshit.
That may sound harsh but it's true. If God wants me to use my
gifts and talents to the best of my ability, they were not being
used to their fullest potential last summer. I am FORCED to
look elsewhere. It's not like I will ever lose my love or special
endearment of the property and the ministry of IAWAH - that 
will never die. I could just do without a lot of the people who make
it what it is today.


Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Weather Droids
http://nofatclips.com/02008/03/14/rain/Singingposter.jpg
Weather is such a massive mood predictor. It seems that more
and more people and friends of mine are becoming affected by
Seasonal Depression. On a day like today, though, I think
all are thankful for a little warmth and ray of golden sun.
It's such a feeling of release to be able to remove your jacket
and just walk outside with only a hoodie. It's life-giving.

I've been thinking a lot about Jesus and all of the teaching of
Scripture and how...Jesus never really endured a winter! In
his time on earth, he was in a pretty hot/tropical section of
the globe. Weird eh? I think there is much to be learned
from the seasonal swing as the winter teaches us methods of
perseverance and rest while the summer teaches us to
experience life outdoors in the beauty of nature. Jesus never
had that seasonal dichotomy and pretty much lived 33
years in summery weather. Why?

Any thoughts?

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Day Off. Da-ee-ay Off. Daylight Come 
And Me Want To Sleep In.


Some great words of wisdom there from a fictional culture icon.

Today is a good day so far. Sarah is not feeling all that well as
her lungs seem to be filled with junk (I've been trying to ween her
off the captain blacks but it ain't working). What is it about a
day off that allows so many things to feel righted in the universe?
In reality, I know I will have to go back to work and that the
second half of my week is worse than the first in terms of hours,
late nights and early mornings but...this day is what I have.

Right now. I am here.

Tonight, a few of us are planning to partake in some wing-dom
at a favourite dive and then hopefully view the newest Pink Panther
offering. I know - it's somewhat cheesy and lame but Steve Martin
could stare at a pole and I would gut myself laughing. He is a 
comedic king.

It's important to constantly take stock in what you have in the
moment and what you have had up to your current state. Sure -
sometimes that can be depressing...but there is always good 
hiding under the surface that we often skip over.

Ada's Diner - here I come.

Monday, February 09, 2009

A New Week Brings New Annoyances
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Alright. What I have to say within the duration of this blog
may not sound friendly, nice or very Jesus-like but it must
be spewed. What is the deal with fashionista-mom trends?
Where I work (in the Glebe), there are thousands of
young, stroller-shoving mothers who scurry about the local
businesses within the region. I've noticed a few things:
-They like big, long puffy coats (usually black or grey)
and copy each other within fashion choices
-They don't care if you are walking toward them on a
sidewalk because they will ram you with their strollers
-They take as long as they want to when ordering at
coffee shops
-They don't really try to look different and blend into the
fabric of every other young mom in the region
-They seem to think that having a child in a stroller is
code for 'Have pity on me/notice me/get out of my
way'

This morning dans Starbucks, there was a young mom
placing an order. I was the second person behind her
in line. She had a black puffy coat. She said the words
'I want...oh, what DO I want?' while jingling her change
about in her hand and hushing her child (and even
asking her child who was not yet old enough to
speak, let alone read minds, what she wanted). By the
time she finished, looked around and had her staged
moment, there were 6 people behind me in line. The
whole ordeal took about 7 minutes.

Example #2: Upon leaving Starbucks, there were two
ladies (same age as the Starbucks mom) who were ahead
of me on the sidewalk, both with strollers, and moving
at a snail's pace. As they sensed I was moving closer,
they both stopped their convos and turned to look
back at me. Did they move aside and let me through
the snowy sidewalk? No - they did not. They stood
there and expected me to go on to the busy street
and go around them. It would have taken 2 seconds
for one mother to move her stroller ahead or back
to let me pass.

Is there need for that? Really? Is there? When you
become a mother, does it mean that you give up on
life and become engulfed by your own baby-esque
bubble? Is there some chemical that is emitted from
strollers that goes into the bloodstream of these
mothers that tells them 'Hey! Act really aloof and
draw as much attention to yourself as you can! It's
all about YOU!'

Having said that, it is important to asterisk the notion
that I DO indeed have friends who are moms...but for
the most part, I'd like to think that most of my friends
have a general clue about life and the regard of others.
I love moms and I hope my wife has the chance to be
one some day BUT in no way do I think that
motherhood gives someone a 'free pass' to act like
an ass.

I know - I have NO clue how to be a mom. Am I saying it's
simple to raise a child into this world? Absolutely not. What
I am saying, though, is that it is equally important while
raising a child of your own to still respect, notice and
look out for those within your immediate vicinity.
There are new studies that talk about the learning rate
of infants and the studies are astounding in the sense
of what infants can absorb, retain and communicate (i.e.
sign language, music, etc.). If that is the case, then, and
a mother-child bond is like nothing else in this world,
shouldn't moms be extra careful about how they act
when they are in public? Just asking.

Sunday, February 08, 2009

Energized
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Just had one of the best Graven practices to date. I didn't
think I would actually go to Brockville yesterday and
Montreal today...but that's what happened. The sound
was ripping at full tilt. Owen was head-bobbing and
funkin' riffs, Paul was crunching out thunder and great
new sounds, Landon steered the bus with confidence
and skill and a sleepy Ray came to life and thrashed with
all of his being on the bongos.

More to come tomorrow.
(p.s. I'm realizing that I wrote this yesterday night but
forgot to post it. Don't hate.)

Saturday, February 07, 2009

The Day Of Swag Thus Endeth

Another year has come and gone and Nathan Walton is one
year older. It was a good day. I had some good conversation
with a few old friends, played WAY more Xbox and PS3 
than I should have, drank some frothy ale and re-couped
some serious SWAG. Days and weekends like these,
though, are going to be a problem for me to remember
to blog and to make time for it.

I need to sleep now.

Thanks Nathan for making a difference and for showing
that difference in such a selfless way by giving back to
your friends. I'm glad to call myself your friend.

Friday, February 06, 2009

Freaky Friday

I am very annoyed and irritable today. It's like there are tiny
invisible insects gnawing at my skin. Sometimes, people need
to wake up.

Just a side thought.

I'm looking forward to this party in Brockville tomorrow. 
Should be a good time had by all involved. Right now, I need
to get my ass in gear and get ready to go to work but is the
absolute LAST thing I want to do.

TGI Friday indeed. I am one day closer to re-gaining my sense
of being and sanity.

Thursday, February 05, 2009

I Took The Dartmouth Ferry Into The Town...
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For some reason, even though it is nowhere near my favourite
Plaskett song, that song (Nowhere With You) gets stuck in
my head for weeks, even if I only a hear a trace of it somewhere.
The ability to write a catchy song is a craft that I have not
yet mastered. Sure - we get all pissed and music-snobacious
when a song is not 'original' or 'truth-holding' but making
a song into a catchy refrain that claws its way into your
cerebrum is a gift that only few possess.

Today was a decent day. I actually had some leftover time at
my job to go and do a few guerilla recordings with Dean.
Will those recordings ever be released publicly? Probably
not but it was nice to know that I can still play drums, bass,
guitars and vocals and record all of those aspects of a whole
song in just over an hour per song. That's the skill. That's
the game.

The sun is dropping down. It is 4:39 pm. Thursday has
been alright.

And that's alright with me.

Wednesday, February 04, 2009

The Reflective Series - Part 1
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(I'm starting a five part series that will focus on the importance
of looking back in order to look ahead.)

I was 16. It was the summer of 1993. That summer, 22 of us who
were around the same age were taking part in a leadership camp
at IAWAH. Many of my foundations of life, love and faith were
formed that summer...but in the same breath, I really knew
nothing upon completion of the program. Strangely, I had met
girls before but I never really liked girls the way that I did
after or during that program. It's hard to explain. It's not like
I had never been exposed to the female species up until that
point...but it was something about the glow of the sun, the
grass and the romantic/scenic vibe of the property that
tinted everything in a certain light. I think I ended up trying
to date/go out with about 5 or 6 girls out of the 12 (all at different
times) and was ultimately rejected.

To this day, I look back with fairly fond memories upon that
summer, even though it is a pretty sheltered view. I was
exposed to some issues within people that I had never before
fully seen. I'm not doing the entire summer justice, but just
know this - it was unlike anything I've ever experienced since
or before that point in time.

One guy from that summer in particular sticks out in my mind
today - Jon Gale. Jon was always a pretty resourceful, sporty
guy and loved being around people. We weren't really close
friends but I do recall some fond memories that involved him.
One of these memories happened in the summer of '94 and
involved a Soundgarden concert in Hull (at Robert Guertin
Arena) and shotgunning king-cans of Budweiser in the
parking lot after the show. I also remember that concert being
so unbelievably loud that my ears buzzed for a solid 3 days
afterwards. Perhaps the cherry on the cake of the evening
was when Cory (Jon's closest friend back then) was talking
with a girl at Jon's house in Almonte after the show. I
was lying on a couch in the living room, listening to their
conversation. The girl turned to me to ask me a question and
although I can't recall what the question was in reference
to, I clearly remember beginning to answer her and completely
passing out mid-sentence. I awoke a good 8 hours later with
the sun bleeding into the room through a big bay window
and feeling refreshed.

Apparently, Jon's dad passed away recently. I haven't talked
to him in years. Wherever you are Jon, I wish you the best.

Tuesday, February 03, 2009

Easy Moustache
Once again - I've dug too deep into the realm of the blogosphere
and have become too much about myself. It can be a slow spreading
disease. The above film is a movie my cousin made recently. Ben
is a talented, hyper-creative individual who I will one day rule the
world with. Please take a look, enjoy your day and always
remember to admonish our community when they have made
something that is good.

Monday, February 02, 2009

The Day Of SWAG Approaches
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'SWAAAAAAG!!! Stuff We All Get' -Michael Scott, The
Office
.

It's coming. For those of you who have known me longer
than a year, you know about a special day that is coming up
this weekend. My rapidly-growing good friend Nathan is
having his annual birthday party where he gives presents to
everyone else and no one brings anything for him. That's
right. Nope - you heard me correctly. On his birthday, he
has a better time giving stuff to all of his friends than
receiving stuff from others. Last year was a special
experience for me (and you can read about it here) and
I'm looking forward to it all over again. I only hope that
there is no snowstorm this time and that I'm in a bit of
a better mental place. (It's also only a 50 minute drive
this year as opposed to the 6-hour hellish one last year).

I was able to have a good chat with my friend Nathan on
the phone the other day as I asked him a few specific
questions about why he feels the need to do what he
does on his birthday. He basically stated that a lot of
it has to do with 'tithing'. Nathan feels that if money
is given to a church, sometimes you don't always know
where it goes (i.e. that 10% you've been scraping aside
for a year ends up being used on the purchase of a new
leather couch in the front foyer or a new crystal
fountain...but that was never made clear to you). He
also basically stated 'If I can't give to my friends and the
people who support me, how can I possibly give to a
church or call myself a follower of Jesus?'

SWAG night approaches. I have to remember, though,
that it ain't just SWAG - it's the chance to hang out
with a friend..and someone who is making a difference.

Sunday, February 01, 2009

In All Of The Excitement...

I almost forgot to blog today. Can you imagine what would
have happened if I hadn't? Legions of readers crushed. 
Volcanoes erupting. Tectonic plates moving. The earth 
opens and swallows Bill Cosby.

Well...maybe none of that would happen but at the very
least, I'd be upset with myself. 

I really wanted to believe that Kurt Warner and the Cards 
were going to win tonight. I believe they could have but
it was not their night. You could almost see Warner 
walking the sidelines and coming to peace with losing
on Pittsburgh's final drive. It was intense and bittersweet.

Had a nice skate on the canal earlier with Sarah and
some friends. It's been nice to utilize that icy forum so
as to escape winter woes (at least for a while).

What will this week bring? Disappointment? Sunsets?
Warmer weather? Toothpaste? We'll see.

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