I Love This Town

I was sitting in my local coffee place, doing some things for work on my laptop and I completely eavesdropped on the conversation next to me. It was two men, probably mid-thirties, talking about how much they hated the town I live in and how happy one of them was to have left (it sounded like they were visiting his parents for the weekend). The content of their conversation was basically about how backward the town is-- sheltered, weak, close-minded, etc...

Fair enough. To each his own. They have every right to feel the way they do.

But it got me thinking about why I love the town I live in so much. I've written about it before-- the fact that it feels homey and familiar. I thought those were the basic reasons why I love it, and to some extent, that's still true. But today, I think I figured it out even more.

I took my aunt to the ER today. She was having trouble breathing. She's been through so much, health-wise, over the past decade or so, and I guess this sort of thing isn't too uncommon for her. She's in her eighties, but she's feisty and lovely.

When we got in the hospital, everyone knew her. They took such great care of her-- from the nurses to the admin staff, they had her laughing and smiling and just made us feel so comfortable in what was a bit of a panic. It helped. A lot.

That's why I love this town. Nothing feels like it's been "corporatized". It's real people who really care. It's about being down to earth. And even though I sometimes get frustrated with a lack of understanding by some, I'd put up with that limited frustration any time because of days like today.

Titan: AE

American Eagle is probably my favourite affordable brand name. I really like their clothing. It's well made, relatively in style, and they have both casual and business-casual appropriate attire.

It's a rare day that I'm not wearing something from there. A friend of mine has even convinced some of my clients (?) that I have an American Eagle tattoo which gets me a 40% discount on all of their clothing.

What's even better is that today, I got in the mail my semi-annual discount reward coupon. Sweet magic. ae.com here I come.

Return of the Mack

I highly enjoy it when one of my closest friends from work comes back from a one year leave.

I'm writing this as though it happens often-- it doesnt. But there's just an added sense of comfort when it happens-- someone else there to have your back, to make you laugh.

One of my faves came back today.

I'm quite happy about it.

Orange Crush

I enjoy beer.

There. I said it.

There are many that I'm fond of, actually. I remember drinking IPA with my father when I was very, very little. Not a whole bottle, mind you-- it's not like I was being parented by some alcoholic who fed his son booze all day. I just remember being allowed to have a sip when he had a beer. I think that's why I've never felt the need to go out and binge drink though. It was never a "forbidden" substance for me and so it's never had that "dangerous appeal".

For the last year or so, however... maybe couple of years, I've been meandering away from my standard Stella Artois (don't worry, Stella-- you're still my favourite) to Rickard's White, which is deliciously served with a slice of orange. Orange isn't generally my favourite citrus (I love lemon), but in a pint of Rickard's White, not much else is better.

Game, Set, Match

I love tennis. It's the first sport I ever really loved both watching and playing. I think it's fantastic. It's quite the workout-- very tiring-- but it involves more than just athletic ability. It's all about tactics and shot placement and figuring out the strengths and weaknesses of your opponent. My mom got me into it when I was young. We used to play in our driveway at home... which was quite problematic when traffic went by and I'd hit a shot too far, quite possibly nailing some poor motorist as they drove by. Oops.

Some of my favourite memories are watching tennis with my mom-- especially Wimbledon. I had the privilege of going to actual Wimbledon when the tourney was on a couple of years ago, and it was almost a religious experience. (Complete with total guilt-- I wish my mom was there with me... I did take a plethora of pics for her though).

Last summer, I got to visit the home of the Australian Open in Melbourne. Even though the tourney wasn't actually on, it was also a great experience. Our tour took us to a show court, through the locker rooms (surprisingly posh), to the press junket room-- all the behind the scenes nerdy stuff that tennis geeks love.

Now, the actual Aussie Open is currently on. I've been enjoying it, and more so, I've been enjoying saying "I was there" as I watch to whomever I'm watching with or discussing it with. What I enjoy the most is that my favourite player just made it to the semifinals.

Go Murray.

RockStar

I wouldn't say I'm a "gamer" in any form of the word. I mean, I enjoy Bejeweled now and again, and Farmville is fun... and I do have an underused Wii... but, I'm not hardcore.

Well... I wasn't... But my latest obsession is Rockband for the iPod touch. I'm terrible at it so far (I have yet to successfully complete any level on "Hard") but wow, is it ever addictive.

One of my buddies at work played it and on his first try, he beat the high score I'd spend days achieving... (Grrr...) So upon coming home from work, my goal was simple: regain my high score status.

2 hours later: mission accomplished.

I think there's major appeal in the fact that we'd all like to be rock stars-- even if it's just for the day. Sure, it'd be fun to have all the fans and the hit single... not to mention the talent.

I just want to be the high score on that leader board...

PS. My thumbs hurt. :)

Act the Fool

So, I said that I'm not as obsessed with awards shows as I once was... but I still can appreciate an excellent performance and film. I haven't seen a tonne over the past year, but here are a few performances that I thought were really good last year (a few of which I saw this weekend... so this post is still timely :))

Jeremy Renner- The Hurt Locker
This movie was pretty amazing... probably the best film I've seen all year. Renner's performance is quite powerful; he walks a line between psychotic thrill seeker and loyal soldier with rare skill.

Christoph Waltz- Inglorious Basterds
Sociopath. Flawless.

Gabourey Sidibe- Precious
Mo'Nique is getting all of the accolades for her performance in this film (and she's excellent-- she deserves the praise for sure) but for me, the standout is Sidibe. My reaction to her character was visceral-- as was her performance. It's raw, it's not pretty, but it's probably the best debut by an actress I've ever seen.

Anna Kendrick- Up in the Air
As Natalie Keener, Kendrick is supposed to be calm, cool, collected, and icy-- after all, her job is to fire people via online technology. But what Kendrick accomplishes in her performance is letting the audience in to the fact that although she so desperately wants to be controlled and frigid, she can't be.

I still have several films I want to see, but if I was picking the Oscar winners right now, the above four would win.

I'm in awe of actors, not always for the fame and the celebrity, but how they have this ability to totally transform themselves. And in turn, they often make us think about what's going on in our world. I spend most of my professional time at work trying to get people to think, and they can do more in a few minutes on screen than I can some weeks! That's impressive.

No Man is An Island

I often take work that I could complete at home to one of my local coffee houses to complete. In fact, usually large portions of my weekend are spent there, completing my paperwork, either on actual paper or on my laptop. I'm clearly not the only one-- the place is filled with individuals working on their computers or reading books or completing assignments. It is, however, interesting, that so many people go to a public place, a space usually reserved for friends meeting, discourse, discussion, etc. in order to do individual tasks.

Let's get something out of the way, first: I'm not one of those people who buys a 99 cent cup of coffee and sits for hours using the free Internet. I always make sure that I'm purchasing beverages or food so I'm not abusing the kindness of free wifi. Just thought I'd get that on the record...

I always tell people that I go there to work so I don't have the distractions of home-- the computer, the television, music, games, etc... but clearly, I'm lying to myself. I go with my laptop in tow, my mobile by my side, my iPod in my ears. There's a tv at my usual haunt. And moreover, there's the distraction of people watching and the potential to run into someone I know, which quite often is the case.

So why do I choose to complete all of this work in public?

We have never been more "connected" as a society ever before. I'm not going to go into theory about the "global village" now-- we know it's true. Despite this, we're also so very individually isolated. People are so plugged in now-- to mp3 players, cell phones, Blackberries, iPhones, etc... that when we are on the subway or walking down the street, we're very much cut off from those directly around us.

I think I choose to work (individually, ironically) in public to feel connected. I like knowing that there are other people around. I feel like I'm an active part in society, not some isolated loner in his office, working away. I like knowing that I could be distracted by running into a friend that I haven't seen for a while. Even if I don't see someone I know, the possibility is there, and that's also pretty cool.

Donne was right; we aren't islands. But I think we are archipelagos... and I think fighting that, in any small capacity, can be good.

Finding Nemo

While I'm not generally a seafood fan, I am a sucker for fish and chips. I don't eat the dish often as it is a caloric nightmare, but I do enjoy it immensely. I had some pretty amazing fish yesterday (meh chips) so I thought I'd talk about them today!

Now, there are some key elements to preparing the dish in order to make it delicious, meh, or horrific, with the obvious goal being delicious.

a) Type of fish: I don't like the taste of fish, so in order for the fish to be good, it can't taste fishy. I therefore lean towards a cod or a perch... an Alaskan whitefish is also good. I stay away, FAR away from pickerel, halibut, and haddock.

b) Chips: Ideally, these should be fresh cut. The secret to really good chips involves a minimum two step frying process. A "par-fry" (I don't know if that's correct; I'm just adapting "par-boil") should occur, and then JUST prior to serving, they should be quickly fried up. Tasty. Shame on any restaurant which substitutes in wedges or novelty frozen fries.

c) Batter: Beer batter is fine-- the key is just a nice, even coating. It should be substantial but not doughy.

d) Sides: I don't want your coleslaw. I do want extra lemon and a plethora of tartar sauce. I like real tartar sauce-- not the restaurant quick fix of mayo and relish. It should be made with salad cream.

e) Location: I want to eat said meal in London, England. I'd like to eat most meals in London, actually. Even if I'm not consuming fish and chips there, I can't not think of London when I eat this British staple. In fact, I might enjoy the sentimentality of the meal more than the food itself!

Tom's Diner

Ah, the greasy spoon!

There's really nothing quite like a local diner. They always have tremendous character, hilarious characters, and usually, some tasty food. They're like the Susan Boyle of the restaurant world: don't judge them based on appearance, as what's inside is usually quite amazing.

To that end, I'm pretty much addicted to "Diners, Drive-ins, & Dives" on Food Network. Sure, the host is sort of annoying (if I hear "bananas", "winner, winner ______ dinner", or "the Philly hunch" one more time, I may lose it), but I can get past that. I enjoy seeing these little businesses which, quite frequently, start from nothing, become these local legends. They are a major source of community and nostalgia for the local area, where pseudo families meet to discuss local events and happenings, enjoy a delicious meal for a reasonable price, and stay connected to their neighbours.

Oh, yeah... the food often looks pretty sweet too. I love a good diner breakfast, and some of the ones featured on the show look amazing. I'm not an egg guy, but I have been know to put away a pancake or two now and again, and I'm a sucker for any sort of fried potato. I remember seeing a bananas foster French toast on one episode that looked particularly appeals. For lunch, I must admit that some delicious sandwiches and burgers have been featured, and I can pretty much guarantee that any place that hand makes their own onion rings fresh everyday, like some on the show, would have to have a special booth reserved for me.

One of my dreams (well... not major dream... day dream?) would be to go on a massive road trip, hitting up all of the places on "Triple D" that I've fancied.

Get me some Southern BBQ and some fried chicken and waffles!

Radio Gaga

I definitely enjoy my Sirius Satellite Radio. Yep, I pay more for radio than most people, but it's worth it. I would estimate that I spend about 90% of my time listening to one station on it, however: BBC Radio 1.

I do have this obsession with Britain and a desire for an accent, I know. But above all of that, I do enjoy the station more than any I've found in North America. The music is just a bit ahead of the curve-- what's big there now will come over here in a month or so-- and I like being that guy who is aware of something before everyone else. Pathetic? Maybe a little, but I'm ok with it.

Several djs on Radio 1 are amazing. I spent my entire ride home today, however, listening to the Scott Mills Daily Podcast. The show cracks me up; I honestly don't remember the last time I listened to it and didn't laugh out loud. His sidekick, Beccy, is hilarious (as was his former sports reader, Chappers, who just recently left) and they just play off each other so well. Their daily guessing game, "OH! WHAT'S OCCURRING!?" is a riot-- they ask ridiculously funny situational questions and try to guesstimate responses. I can tell that they are actually fond of each other on the show, and the chemistry they have together seems so natural.

No matter how rough my day might be, I can guarantee that listening to the Scott Mills Show on my way home will change my mood for the better. I think that's a pretty remarkable thing.

Little Voice

I've always been in awe of acappella singing groups. Recently, there was a reality show (The Sing Off, maybe?) featuring groups competing, and I must admit-- it's pretty amazing. I'm always floored by how much like the actual song they sound-- WITHOUT INSTRUMENTS.

So, here's my latest acappella fad of the moment.... it's quite impressive. And it makes me smile.

Big Foot

In my mind, if you've always been able to go to a regular clothing store and purchase all of your clothes, you are considerably lucky. If you've never had to buy plus-sized clothing, "tall" pants or shirts, or had to make the dreaded trek to the back of the shoe store for "Over sized" loafers, you've had it pretty easy.

I am not one of those people.

The waterskiis I have for feet have served me well, mind you. I've gotten a lot of mileage out of them, and although they don't quite fit on the elliptical machine at the gym (yep, I'm the guy standing with his feet pointing out) I've been quite happy with them.

Shoe shopping, however, has been a bit of a challenge. The biggest my feet ever got was size 15... and not a lot of stores in rural southern Ontario in the mid-90s stocked size 15 shoes. It's gotten better now that my feet have shrunk to a more modest 13, but I do still get a little jealous of those that have the "chosen" 11. DAMN YOU 11s!!! ha!

I can't even count the number of pairs of socks I've gone through-- generally, I get a wear or two out of standard issue socks, and then, I'll take my shoes off at the end of a day and notice my big toe sticking through.

That's why I'm so grateful to have found an outlet sock store (stop laughing) in the Niagara region which caters to my needs: comfortable, "King Size" socks at a decent price. I no longer have to squeeze into a pair of socks which barely cover my ankles, nor am I forced to wear stretchy "diabetic socks" when I don't suffer from the disease.

Moreover, I've yet to break on through to the other side... yet... :)

People always say that a pair of comfortable shoes is priceless; for me, the same can be said for socks that fit.

And the Golden Globe goes to...

I think the apex of my award show obsession was probably about 2003. I had seen all major nominees for Best Picture, Actor, Actress, Supporting Actor, and Supporting Actress prior to the Academy Awards. I was a bit OCD about the whole thing. I'd make up my "Best of" list and send it to friends and family members-- as if they cared-- so they could have *MY* picks prior to the big night.

Don't get me wrong, I still enjoy awards, but I'm not as into them as I used to be.

Circa 2002/2003, the Golden Globes started changing lyrics to a song that was big the previous year (ok... within the previous 2 years--you know the type... it's just past its peak and is very overplayed on the radio) to make it the GG theme song. It was always a train wreck of hilarity.

Some of my faves include:
"Waiting for the Globes!"- a tribute to J. Lo's "Waiting for to Night"
"Hey Globes!"- in the way of Outkast (The best line was when they transitioned from a shot of Clint Eastwood to one of Jamie Lee Curtis with the following lyric: "He said 'G'head make my day'/ She's from 'Freaky Friday'!")
"Golden Globes '05"- a la "Mambo No. 5" by Lou Bega ("A little bit of Halle by my side/ A little bit of Uma in my ride", etc...)

So each year, a friend of mine and I try and figure out what the song will be... It's been disappointing that they haven't had one for a couple of years now... but we still predict. This year, I'm going with "I Gotta Feeling" by the Black Eyed Peas. It has hilarious parody written all over it. :)

Let's go away for awhile, you and I/ To a strange and distant land

One of my favourite things about Costco is the book section. Ya, it's usually just filled with bestsellers, but it's got some treasures too. A few times a year, it stocks itself with travel books.

I'm a bit of a travel book hoarder. If I look at my bookshelf right now, I have probably twenty or so books about destinations around the world (mostly Europe). Costco mainly stocks the "Eye Witness Guides" which are pretty good actually... and they are usually uber expensive, so whenever I see them at Costco, I pick up any ones that interest me.

Yesterday, I picked up an Eyewitness "Top Ten" for Scotland. This series just basically lists top ten selections for a number of different things-- some top tens include things like restaurants, pubs, museums, attractions by city, etc... This one particularly intrigued me because of the Top Ten Distilleries... I do enjoy the occasional Scotch.

Now, I was in Scotland less than two years ago on an amazing tour, and I imagine that I won't be going back anytime soon, even though I'd love to... I have a Top Ten for NYC and I've never been... ditto on the Eyewitness Europe book, which covers a majority of places I've never been.

I think I like getting these books because the hold out the promise of future travel-- the promise of good things to come, amazing places to see, fantastic memories to make.

I've spent a lot of time holding on to memories of the past... I think it's time to look ahead.

Thank God I'm a Country Boy!

So, my roots are primarily rural.

My family had a farm, basically until I was about 13 or 14, the age by which the entire side of my father's family had passed away. We mostly grew potatoes as well as some other cash crops and vegetables. I really enjoyed my time on the farm, now that I look back at it. There's definitely something satisfying about planting something, watching it grow, tending to it, and then harvesting it. I think my family must have taken great pride in it as well, as now that I'm older, I know they didn't do it for financial benefit-- if anything, the farm made finances worse. I think it made me appreciate how hard people work in order for us to have the luxury of food on our tables.

As a side note, my favourite farm activity was irrigating. We'd spend a morning laying pipe from the pond, up the path, and then down the rows of potatoes. My father or uncle would hook up the sprayer and then we'd give the signal to whomever had the somewhat difficult task of opening the water valve, and then we'd run like hell so we didn't get wet. Half of the fun, however, was getting completely drenched by the irrigation "gun" as we called it.

People don't think I come from a farming background. I'm a pretty urban guy I'd say, even though the majority of my life hasn't been spent in the city (other than my five years of university). I'm a definite urban tourist, I love spending time in the city, and I'd say and moderately up to date on urban trends and follow these. But I'm proud of my roots and my upbringing and the sense of community it taught me.

Perhaps that's why I enjoy Farmville so damn much. Maybe I feel it connects me a bit to those first 13 years of my life which were filled with early mornings, sunburns, driving (even tipping-- eek) tractors, planting, weeding, harvesting... Or, it could simply be that I just enjoy the competition of it all. But Farmville is one game which I check fairly religiously... and I plan my crops around what I'll be doing to minimize my risk of withering...

If I could only keep the plants in my house and garden alive... :)

It's a Small World

When you're overseas and people ask you where your from, they'll inevitably ask you if you know so-and-so from your country.

"Mike, from Canada? Ya, I know him."

Of course, there's really a one in a million chance that you'll actually know the person that your fellow traveller is asking about (one in 33 million, actually). However, every so often, on a much smaller scale, when people ask if you know someone, you will actually know them.

This happened to me this week when a colleague's roommate's brother (try saying that ten times fast!) is actually someone I went to Europe with eleven years ago. I said the requisite, "Wow, what a small world" line and my co-worker responded that it wasn't that surprising since we only live a few towns apart... quite true... but I still am amazed by those kinds of connections.

My favourite "small world" story occurred in my first year of university: it turned out that one of my buddies from my residence, who was from South Africa and who I just met that year but I'd been hanging out with for months, had gone to a special month-long French Immersion Program in Nice when he was in his teen years with one of my closest friends from high school. My uni friend's first name isn't common, and he came to visit me in my dorm room when I was on the phone with my friend from high school. When he knocked, I yelled out his name, and my friend said, "Huh... so weird. There was someone with that name on my Nice French Immersion Program in high school. Low and behold-- same guy.

I don't know why I love those moments so much... maybe it's because it makes one realize how interconnected we all really are. It's a pretty cool phenomenon.

You've Got Mail

How good is unexpected mail? Don't get me wrong, an "out of the blue" email is nice or a random Facebook message is also pretty sweet, but wow, there's just something about unexpected snail mail that makes me happy. I'm not talking junk mail or a bill or that coupon packet one gets a few times a year (although it can be pretty damn sweet too); nah, I'm talking correspondence.

Today I got snail mail from my friend and her husband from Australia. It was a holiday card which was a few weeks late... but that's almost better. There's the pre-Xmas correspondence expectation phase. One my friends always mails her cards out December 1st... and the season begins as cards trickle in until Christmas day. Receiving a personalized card and message in mid January is totally unexpected.

It's pretty nice to know that somewhere on the other side of our world, someone's thinking about me every now and again and has taken the time to actually write to say hi :)

Made my day!

Coffee Talk

Large.
Non-fat.
Sugar-free Vanilla
Latte.
2 Sweeteners.

'Nuff said.

Call Mr. Plow, that's my name, that name again is Mr. Plow

Let's face it: Canadian winters can be brutal. BRUTAL. I must admit, this one hasn't been too bad thus far (knock on wood, fingers crossed, etc...) but there have been a few dicey days-- and by dicey, I mean... icy. (Womp womp)

Today, I'd like to give thanks to some unsung heroes in our Canadian winters-- people who rarely get our thanks when they do their jobs, but always get complained about when things aren't perhaps to our liking: snow plow drivers.

I'm a super nervous driver in winter. I'm that compact car going 50 in an 80 because it's snowy out and the roads are covered. I usually share the roads in the morning with people trying to get to work as the 7:00am shift starts at their factory, and I know how annoyed people must get with me. All it takes is one little slide, however, and I'm in frightened mode, going 30km below the speed limit.

Sometimes, I'm one of the first sets of tracks on the road-- not pleasant at all. But then, like a beacon of light, I see that flashing blue light in front of me in the distance. I see the sanded or salted (rural or urban) road ahead of me, and I feel safer. These workers start their days earlier than I care to think about, all to try to get us to our destinations safely and in a reasonable amount of time. I think they do their best, and it definitely can't be easy (or fun) all of the time. When we get the luxury of having the choice to stay home in inclement weather, sitting in our heated houses enjoying a hot chocolate with Bailey's, they do not.

Those days where everything's snow but the road is clear-- that's when I really notice how good they are. Today was one of those days.

It's definitely a job I'm happy I don't have to do, but one whose workers I'm grateful for. So, keep your plow on the ice, boys (uh, I mean on the roads).

The Net

I will admit it-- I'm kind of a Facebook addict.

I check it frequently when I'm at home. I have updates sent to my cell phone. I have the app for my iPod. I'm not one of those people who adds everyone they've ever met, but I really do enjoy keeping in touch-- albeit often quite infrequently-- with those people who were (or are) in my life.

As the years go by, I think we get more and more disconnected from each other... because of many reasons-- distance, scheduling, routines, how busy we are, etc... But Facebook sort of allows us each to hold on to some form of community from our past, even if it is slightly fleeting.

Whether it's hearing from someone I grew up with or from one of my university friends or getting a funny post on my wall from a colleague, I will continue to reap the benefits of Facebook and enjoy the site and the way it's made the world-- my world in particular-- just a little bit more connected.

Tubthumping

A few of us went out after work last night to quasi-celebrate my 30th (and various other things including the fact that we made it through our first week back!). It wasn't crazy or anything-- just a nice social time.

One of my friends purchased a beverage for me, however, which I'd never had before and I certainly will have again: the Jägerbomb.

From wikipedia: The Jägerbomb is a cocktail that is mixed by dropping a shot of Jägermeister into a glass of Red Bull.

Delicious.
Tasty.
Warming.

Highly enjoyable :)

Balls of Fury

I'm not a huge sports guy. I enjoy watching my football (not American football, mind you) and I love watching and playing tennis. I like a basketball game now and then, and I can get into badminton and volleyball as well. I guess I become a temporary fan of most sports during the Olympics too (I had "all" but I changed it to "most"-- sorry gymnastics and figure skating-- I've tried but I can't handle you).

The sport I probably play the most, however, is table tennis. I love the pingy-pongy. It's fast, it can be very exciting, and it's highly competitive in my staff lunch room. The table is always active during lunches and after school. I'm not so great at it, but I do my best. A lot of the people I work with have signature shots and have spent years honing their craft-- top spin, snapper shots, smashes-- it's impressive to see their skill considering they're all maintaining their amateur status. Occasionally (and I mean very rarely) if I do have a good shot, after the surprised reactions have settled, I may get a comment like "Wow, great top spin on that-- nice work." Here's the secret, however: I don't know how to do anything fancy. My strategy? RETURN THE BALL. That's the only thing I try to do. I don't aim, I don't put "spin" on the ball, I can't really force a shot... I just am pretty happy if I get my paddle on it.

In addition to the thrill of competition, it's a nice way to relax and unwind after a long morning or a particularly trying day. I'd never have thought that I'd look forward to playing a sport so much.

Expect the Unexpected

So, if you read my post from yesterday, you'll know that I chowed down on several ginger molasses cookies. These were brought into our staff room by a co-worker. At the end of the day yesterday, I mentioned to him that the cookies were fantastic, and he told me that his wife made them. I raved again, saying how good they were, and I asked him to express my thanks to his wife and I asked him to tell her how impressed I was.

This morning, when I went to my mailbox at work, there was a gift bag full of 6 ginger molasses cookies. How thoughtful was that!?

I think an unexpected surprise is a pretty fantastic way to start one's day. Ya, sure, we enjoy the things we may get on our birthdays or on Christmas morning, but it's those little surprises, those tiny gifts or unexpected notes that really say "I'm doing this because I want to, not because I feel have have to."

I'm going to try and do something unexpected for someone this week... I have a feeling giving the surprise is even better than getting it... But it can't be too much better than a half dozen ginger molasses cookies on a cold, snowy, January morning.

Not the Gumdrop Buttons!

Seriously, how good is ginger?

It's delicious fresh in a stir fry or in a tasty dipping sauce/marinade/dressing; it is that "je ne sais quois" in pumpkin pie and other fall desserts; it's highly enjoyable crystallized and covered in chocolate. Canada Dry and Vernor's have based their respective soda empires around it. And of course, holidays aren't complete without a traditional, crunchy, decorated to the nth degree gingerbread house.

Today, I had a ginger molasses cookie. Ok, I had three. (I would have had four if my coworker hadn't gotten to the last one before me).

Let me be specific in description. This cookie isn't like the above-mentioned crunchy gingerbread. Nay. Nor, is it like the traditional "gingerbread" which is more like a cake. Nay. Nay. This deliciousness is a soft, chewy cookie dusted with sugar. It's spicy yet the molasses makes it sweet with an interesting depth of flavour.

Seriously amazing and highly enjoyable.

This... is.... Jeopardy

I often think I'm an academic fraud.

Yes, I'm educated, and yes, I am a teacher, but I feel like I'm not as "book smart" as those around me. Many of my friends are much better at recalling knowledge than me, and they obviously paid way more attention in their schooling than I did... or at least more information sank in.

Still, watching Jeopardy makes me quite happy. Teen Tournament time or Celebrity Jeopardy are much more of an ego boost... really, Celebrity Jeopardy isn't that far off of the SNL skits involving it. Sad-- but true.

But honestly, does anything make an individual feel smarter than answering several questions in regular Jeopardy correctly? I make guesses a lot, and if I was actually keeping score... well, I think that most days I would end up in the red... but those days when the categories are slightly more accessible to me... well, I'm proper chuffed then.

I have two specific goals now when I watch. I either need to:
a) Clear a category (answer all questions correctly); or,
b) Answer at least one question correctly from each category.
It's not often that these goals are achieved, but it is fun trying.

Today, however, was a really good Jeopardy day. I actually answered the Final Jeopardy question (well... reverse that... you know what I mean) correctly... and the category wasn't "Oscars" or something easy like that.

I don't remember the question (crap-- answer!) or the category, but I do know that the final question was "Who is F. Scott Fitzgerald?"

BOO YA IN CELEBRATION TO ME!

My Name is Jonas

Doubling up today...

I purchased a new iPod recently, which has substantially more room on it, so I spent a good portion of today ripping some of my old albums into iTunes. Of the dozens of albums and hundreds of songs I put on however, there was only one complete album that made the cut: The Blue Album by Weezer.

I love this cd. Every single track is good. "Buddy Holly" is the best music video of all time (I just laughed out loud as I slightly reminded myself of Kanye West typing that). The other singles ("Undone- The Sweater Song" and "Say it Ain't So") are also so good, but it's a couple of the unreleased tracks that are my favourites.

I don't think a trip to Europe is complete without "Holiday"... I love the lines:

"Let's go away for awhile, you and I

To a strange and distant land

Where they speak no word of truth

But we don't understand anyway."

There's just something surprisingly fun about being lost and confused in a foreign country... This song takes me back everytime I hear it.

"My Name is Jonas" starts off the album and is a great track too... but for me the best is the third song, "The World Has Turned and Left Me Here" which is the ultimate Weezer anthem, in my opinion. The melody is tight, the lyrics are angsty. What more could one really want?

Whenever I get together with friends from my high school days, playing this album results in loud, often off-key singing, the ultimate in air guitar riffs, and quasi head banging (we are all 30 now, after all.)

Ah, good times.

You'll Never Walk Alone

The second time I travelled to London, England, was in 2006. I love London-- it's my favourite city in the world. I can't get enough of it, and I can guarantee aspects of it will make the "3-6-5" list. This trip, was special for a number of reasons, including the fact that I attended my first football match. [Yes, I'm from Canada, and yes, I just called "soccer" as we know it "football" and frankly, I'm not bothered that North Americans will be upset with me! :)]

The experience was unbelievable-- now THAT is a sporting event. It's hard to sufficiently put into words the feeling of being at the pitch. People are cheering like crazy, fans are singing. The colours one wears are really like fatigues, pledging allegiance to the home or visiting team. It's almost a religious experience.

Just a few short months after seeing the match, the World Cup was on. Even though I knew next to nothing about football, I wholeheartedly threw my support behind England, and I dedicatedly watched every England match (and "we" did quite well in 2006-- I do think we'll win in 2010 though!). For me, the star player was this guy named Steven Gerrard. He wasn't as flashy as Beckham or Cole, but he was just a stellar player. He was solid-- he could defend and he was properly fantastic as a central midfielder. I was so impressed with his WC performance, that I decided whoever he played for would be "my team". Hence, my allegiance to Liverpool FC started, and really, my first devotion to a sports team.

I've been following the team since and enjoying it immensely. I have the swag-- scarves, key chain, shirts, a football, even a tie. I am proud to wear my team's jersey on game day and proud to get into heated discussions with other footy fans about why MY team is better than their's. When playing FIFA Soccer on Wii, there's no question: I AM LIVERPOOL FC.

On a more recent trip to the UK, I had the privilege to visit Anfield, Liverpool FC's stadium. It was a fantastic experience. Just being at the pitch-- even though I didn't get to see a game-- was almost surreal.









Driving into Liverpool that day, I blasted, on repeat, on my iPod, "You'll Never Walk Alone", which is like a nathonal anthem almost for all Liverpool FC fans. If Anfield is the church of Liverpool FC, the song is its number one hymn.

It's about more than great football, however. Whenever I'm out in Canada and I see a Liverpool FC shirt on someone (or they see one on me), there's an immediate connection and I can almost guarantee a conversation (much to the chagrin of whoever I'm with).

That sense of community-- which really extends worldwide-- is a pretty amazing thing.

Flagpole Sitta

Of the several places I consider my "hometown" (this depends who I'm talking to, of course, and how familiar they are with my local geography) the smallest one is this village which is closest to where I actually reside. It has probably about 1000 residents--decent, solid, upstanding people-- Canada's equivalent of "middle America" if you will. Talk at the local restaurant doesn't geographically extend beyond travel of about half an hour away. It's always filled with local gossip-- who won the bingo on Tuesday night, the low down on local events, etc...

About six months ago, I noticed that one of the houses on the main street had three flag poles. Whenever I drove by, I noted that three different flags would appear. (Ok, I'm a bit of a geography nerd. I love it-- and the Geo Challenge game on Facebook has only fed the addiction... and my knowledge of world flags). Sometimes the flags are all from the countries of the UK... other times it'll be Canada, USA, and Australia... or maybe Germany, South Africa, and Ontario... or France, Russia, and Brazil... There is seemingly no rhyme or reason to the arrangement of flags. They go up in the morning, and they are down by sunset.

It always makes me smile, however, to think about the fact that EVERYDAY, the owner of the house selects three flags in the morning, walks outside-- no matter the weather, and proudly hoists the flags into the air. I always enjoy driving by and seeing which countries are displayed.

In my mind, I figured that the owner would rotate through the say 50-75 flags he or she has in order to give all of the flags equal fly time. As I said, there didn't seem to really be a consistent system of organization. I don't want to say that "No thought went into the arrangement" because I think that by flying three flags every day, some degree of worldliness and intelligence is obviously present.

Then came Christmas Day, 2009. As I got ready to drive by, I started squinting extra early to try and identify the three flags. As I approached, I quickly identified a novelty Santa Claus flag-- (And why not? It was Xmas, after all). The other two flags also stood out: they were the flags of Israel and Palestine.

I was gobsmacked. My initial reaction was surprised laughter. I honestly wasn't sure what message was trying to be put across.

But then I realized: What a political statement of inclusivity from a small village resident!!

I would wager that 95% of the people that drove by the house either didn't notice that the flags changed everyday or if they did, perhaps couldn't identify the significance of raising those symbols of three different nations/ belief systems.

I noticed, however, and it made me quite happy to be where I am.

Mama's Boy

So, one my rules for this blog was to not be overly sentimental, gushy, etc... and I acknowledged how I would most likely break said policy... well, here it goes.

So, in my life, I am most grateful/ thankful/ happy about... my mom. Yep, self-confessed Mama's Boy here, bloggin' away. I think most sons think that their mom is the best person in the world, but I know my mom actually is the best human on the face of the planet.

Here are five things she's taught me:

1. Always help the underdog-- Whenever I used to get into arguments or heated debates with my friends when I was a child, I'd always go to my mom to try and settle the issue. Now, I'm talking childhood stuff, things really of little consequence-- minor trivia, "Who gets to play with this toy?"-type questions, "Which of us had the more powerful serve?" when playing tennis... you know, the sort of trivial matters that kids pester their parents with all of the time. Every single time, whether I was right, whether I was better, whether I deserved something, my mom always took the other person's side or supported the other person's point of view. Always. It would drive me crazy. I would know that my tennis skills were better or that I won the free-throw contest or that my cheesecake tasted way better than his crappy German chocolate squares (yep, still a bit bitter over that one), but she would ALWAYS say that they were right. My friends would be inevitably smug- hilarious, now, looking at it from 30 year old eyes-- but would enjoy themselves immensely in whatever sense of accomplishment they had. They would always leave our house happy. After he or she left, I would, in child-like rage, go up to her and say "WHY DID YOU DO THAT?! YOU KNEW I WAS RIGHT!!!" Very calmly, each time, she'd say-- "Sweetheart, you can handle yourself. You didn't need my help with this. Your friend did."

Now, at 10, that didn't really mean much to me, but now, I see it as an important lesson. Not only did that help give me the ability to advocate for myself and become more self-reliant, but it taught me to always support those that need it. I'm obviously not talking about "helping the needy" or anything like that-- I'd hope that all parents instill those values in their children. But just knowing that someone is in your corner can really make a big difference.

Whether she agreed with me or not, whether she knew I was right at that moment or not, I always knew my mom had my back when push came to shove. There are so few times in one's life when push actually does come to shove, however... so by letting me lose the little battles... I think she made me a better person.

2. Strength isn't about physicality or emotion; it's about character--I'm not an emotional guy. My friends joke that I'm "dead inside" (which I think is pretty funny-- these are my friends... what must my enemies say?!) but I'm that way because I choose to be that way. I am pretty good at deciding what I will let affect me (publicly, at least). My mom is the opposite-- she wears her heart on her sleeve and can be moved from a montage of a contestant's life on a reality t.v. show. Despite this, she is one of the strongest people I know.

She hasn't had an easy go since I've been around-- she's lost a number of relatives including her mom, brother, and husband (my father), and has had to raise me as a single parent on a very limited income for most of my life. She's also been a primary caretaker for relatives who can't manage on their own. She has had more than enough reason to complain about the way the cards were dealt to her, but never once have I heard a negative thing about her situation. Moreover, she has never allowed what has happened to her to be a crutch or an excuse for other things in her life.

In yesterday's blog, I said I don't believe when people say they have "No regrets." I do however, believe strongly in the importance of "No excuses." She hasn't allowed herself to be defined by negative elements of her life, and that lesson will always stay with me.

3. Humour is so important-- My mom cracks me up. She makes everyone laugh, including me, all the time. She has taught me that humour puts others at ease and makes you accessible to them. I can tell if I will get along well with someone or not based on how much they laugh with me.

Seriously-- people want to be around those that make them laugh. It's the number one law of attraction in my book.

Have you heard the one about the travelling salesperson?

4. LEARN-- Like most kids, when I'd get home from school, mom would ask me, "What did you learn today?" and if I didn't say "Nothing", we'd go over what I was taught and talk about it. She'd always help me study for my tests too by waking up early and helping me with my French vocab or helping me memorize my world capitals. I'd always thank her for helping me, and she'd say, "No-- thank you. I love to learn this stuff!" I think that example of finding joy in lifelong learning has been key for me.

There are so many opportunities for us to learn each day-- from what we can read, from those we meet, from experiences we have-- we just need to take advantage of those opportunities around us to increase our knowledge.

Now that I'm a teacher, the question from mom has changed: "What did you teach today, sweetheart?" She's still just as excited to hear the agenda.

5. Express Gratitude-- We're all taught to always say "Please" and "Thank-you" from a very young age. I was always taught to do more than that. Thank you notes were commonplace in our house-- mom was always writing them, and not just verbatim scripts on each one. Mom always took the time to personalize a note to each person she wished to thank with a kind message. It's actually kind of sweet-- to this day, she does a rough draft before putting the final message in a card. She wants to make sure that she expresses herself perfectly and she puts a tremendous amount of time into recognition.

A thank-you gift was also quite common--maybe a potted plant and a box of chocolates for someone who had us over for dinner or a bottle of rye each time our neighbour plowed the snow from our driveway. These tokens were always so appreciated.

Seriously though-- does anything make anyone feel better than to know that he or she (or what he or she did) made a difference and is appreciated? I know how pleased I am when I receive recognition. I believe that feeling is a basic human need-- to know that people are grateful for our contributions. I think my mom exemplifies this quality.





She's taught me way more than those 5 things... but those 5 are the first that come to my mind. I could go on and on about her, but again, I'm trying to "bro code" it up here. HA!

What it all comes down to is this: I am 100% sure about very little in this world-- very little. But one thing I am completely sure about is this: Anything in me that is good, anything in me that is positive, anything that is selfless is directly because of her.

And for that I will always be grateful and happily indebted to her.