Merry Christmas to all...and to all a good night!

Those of you actually in my address book should be getting a Christmas letter from me at some point in time. If not, fire me off an e-mail and I'll send a copy to you. My e-mail is: "david" -dot- "beck" -at- "gmail" -dot- "com" (if you can't figure out what it is from there, leave a comment). Anyway, I'll probalby end up posting my latest news sometime after Christmas (and it's relatively big news so stay tuned) but for now I just want to wish everyone joy in the season and a relaxing holiday.

Merry Christmas and have a happy and healthy New Year!

Random Post

Ok, I figured I'd get back to some random posting just to make sure I actually kept up with the blogging business...so here it goes...

What's going on with some of my friends right now?
- Dan moved back into the city to live with Norm and Janette again
- Adam left for Egypt (see his blog here)

What music am I listening to lately?
- Coheed and Cambria: "Good Apollo I'm Burning Star IV: Volume One: From Fear Through the Eyes of Madness" (longest album title ever) - great disc...interesting sound
- The Trews: "Den of Thieves" - didn't listen to it much for about a month after I first got it but now it's almost always cranked
- Death Cab For Cutie: "Transatlanticism" - Andrew introduced me to these guys a while ago but I never really listened to them much until now
- Yellowcard: "Ocean Avenue" - every so often I get the urge to listen to this album almost non-stop until I get tired of it again (which takes a long time)
- And last but not least: All of my Less Than Jake and Bad Religion discs - I can never get enough of that stuff

Have I seen any good movies lately?
- Aeon Flux - not necessarily the best movie I've seen but it had its moments (most of them being with Charlize Theron wearing the skimpy/tight outfits or the awesome action sequences...hey I'm a guy)
- Episode III - just rewatched it again recently and re-realized that despite all the bashing some people did on the Star Wars prequel trilogy, it acutally ties up quite nicely at the end (yes even with the corny "NOOOOOOO!")

What have I been watching on TV?
- Hockey...always
- Tonight I watched the Ron James special on CBC, Quest for the West. That guy is absolutely hilarious...I was crying I was laughing so hard
- Las Vegas - I'm still hooked on that show

Well, there's my random post for now. If I can't come up with something else to write about I'll probably have another similar post soon. Have a good weekend everyone!

I hate being sick

Don't you just hate that feeling of waking up sick? I have woken up every morning for the last week with that dry crappy feeling in my throat and such a stuffed nose that I feel like if I sit up, there will be a waterfall of...well, "nose juices" running down my face. Guess that means I should get some more sleep or something. And on that note...to bed with me.

P.S. If anyone has any suggestions at which kind of car I should be looking for, let me know. I'm open to pretty much all suggestions but I'm probably looking more in the mid-sized car bracket.

Doesn't look any better in the morning

Well there's a view of the damage for all to see. It actually doesn't look so bad in the picture but believe me, it's not worth fixing the car. You'll notice that it is now snowing in my part of the world. It looks like winter finally got the memo and work up from the long summer sleep...and only a month and a bit late. Guess those people dreaming of a brown Christmas had their dreams shattered this morning. Well I'm off to check out some classifieds and job boards.

Deer vs Car...Round 1...Fight!

A better look at the damage

Car: 1...Deer: 0

Not only am I sick (and sick and tired but that's a different story), and not only did I have an absolutely crappy day at work, but I managed to run into a deer on the way home. Yep, the car is pretty much a write-off. The deer put a pretty good dent in the front right fender and smashed the front right headlight all to bits but the tank of a Taurus kept on running (go figure that that piece of junk Ford would just keep running after that but would balk at almost any other problem you could throw at it). Unfortunately, I don't think the deer survived (at least I doubt it). I on the other hand, am counting myself lucky since I both managed to stop myself from getting whiplash while avoiding both the oncoming traffic in the other lane and the ditch. Luckily no one was behind me as well because after slamming on the brakes I half expected someone to rear end me too. I'll go take some pictures of the left over damage tomorrow morning and try to get them posted before I have to work tomorrow.

So after that little tidbit of exciting news, let me first apologize to those who actually expect me to post here or even care much when I do. Sorry that I didn't post at all in November but really it just flew by and there really wasn't much to report. Congratulations to the Eskimos on another Grey Cup! I had several football posts started but never really finished them since I was always going out the door to reffing or work. Other than those three things (football, work, reffing) my month was relatively boring. I somehow managed to not really meet with many friends at all in the last month and have lost contact with countless others. To all of you I am sorry and I hope to hear from you and write/call you soon.

Anyway, I'm going to post more stuff soon (especially when I find some stuff to write about or decide to make up random topics and rants) but for now like I said, I'm sick, so I need my rest. Remember to say your prayers and thank God for the little blessings, like not hitting the deer head on (metaphoric or literal deer), when everything else seems to be going against you.

Happy Halloween

Well I can't really say I really did anything special this year which really is too bad. But between reffing on Saturday (even though I did go out after, I didn't have a costume), working Sunday, and being lazy at home today, I didn't really get anything together. I did manage to have a strong showing in the ping pong arena (aka our garage) against my dad but I have yet to leave victorious through a race to 6-games match.

I know it's been a long time since I wrote here but really nothing much of interest has happened. I didn't even feel like posting any real hockey news since the Oilers had made me depressed (but now they're back out of their funk and can get back to being a "force to be reckoned with").

So anyway, Happy Halloween and hopefully you got out and had a good time (or at least picked up a bunch of chocolate and pigged out).

The Oilers Win!!

Welcome to the new age NHL, where the Oilers could actually be serious contenders. Ok, most of the critics probably don't agree with me but with the cap, we have a chance now. After the way they played tonight, it doesn't look half bad. Conklin didn't look too bad (okay, he let in 3 goals on 17 shots but some of those saves were crucial and tough) and the powerplay went 1 for 7 which is already better than the pre-season average (as bad as it was). I for one am excited and happy that the NHL is back in action and look forward to more exciting games like the ones tonight.

Disclaimer: For those that don't know me, I like hockey if you haven't guessed it already. While this blog is supposed to be more about my life...hockey actually takes up a lot of my life (reffing and watching) and a lot of my thoughts so I guess it's all good. Never be surprised to see more hockey content (read: rants).

And so it begins

Just over 4 hours until the puck drops on the Oilers' new season. I can't wait! Starting in about 20 min I'll be watching any kind of hockey coverage I can get until it all begins and then I'll be parking myself in front of the TSN broadcast until the Oilers have finished their first game. I guess I'll have to take a few breaks to assign some hockey and get some snacks but that's what commercials and intermission is for.

GO OILERS GO!!

Recertified

Well, I have a few things to update in my life. As most of you know, I officiate hockey. This past weekend was my annual recertification clinic. We spent two days talking about hockey and situations that have or will come up when reffing a game and relearning all that stuff we forgot. I managed a 96% on the test so I'm pretty happy. Also on the reffing front, I did my first Midget 'AAA' game as a referee last week. It wasn't your typical game though. First off, not even half way through the first period one of my linesmen (who also happens to be our referee-in-chief in Spruce Grove and a good friend of mine) gets hit by a couple of players, goes down, and breaks his ankle in two places. So after getting him off the ice, the other linesmen and I finished the period two-man until another linesmen was ready to fill in. Poor Dean is out for a while and had to have 6 screws and a plate to cover the one break and a screw near the joint to fix the other.

Work is well...work. A little boring at times but I have made quite a few sales. Since we're not on comission it doesn't really matter but at least I'm selling stuff and being helpful. I also have only been chewed out a few times by upset customers (most of them not my fault at all). Not that the job is all bad but I hope to find a "real" job doing software work soon.

Other than that, life goes on. I constantly get my butt kicked by my dad at ping pong when we have the chance to play but I am improving. I haven't had much time to go out and hang out with friends because of my work schedule and reffing starting back up but if anyone does want to hit the town let me know and I'll make time. Hopefully a regular game of poker starts up again soon so I can get back to that too. And most of all (of course) I can't wait for the NHL regular season to start back up...9 days and counting...

First day of work

Well it's not glamorous that's for sure, but someone has to do it and right now I guess that has to be me since I don't have anything else to do. The morning started with a big store-wide meeting before we opened. There was a lot of new hirees and some people that have only worked for a few weeks so a bunch of information had to be passed out. My section is pretty good and I actually managed to sell quite a bit of stuff including a $2100 sale taht I stayed an extra half an hour to finish. Not bad for a first day I think. By no means am I planning on making this a career but it's not so bad so far. Anyone looking for a computer, come look me up on the south side.

Hazardous Workplace

I don't start my job at Best Buy until the morning but disaster struck at my other "job" today. That's right, we had a bit of a problem reffing hockey today. It was my first Midget 'AAA' game as the referee and so I had two of our best linesmen out helping me out, one being my good friend and our Referee-in-Chief Dean. Unfortuately, less than halfway through the first period, a couple players ran into Dean and somehow in the whole mess, broke his ankle. So after some angonizing pain for him (I do believe), we got him off the ice and some other refs took him to the hospital for X-rays. It turns out he broke it in two places and had to go get surgery done to put some pins in (I think). Hopefully that went okay and he has a fast and full recovery. Anyway, so Darcy and I were left to two man the rest of the first period before we got another guy dressed and ready to line the rest of the game. A bit of an adventure to begin my Midget 'AAA' career but oh well, it ended up going okay (except of course for Dean's broken ankle). Hopefully my first day on the job at Best Buy is a bit more calm and less news worthy.

I have job

Yesterday was a busy day. Not only did my best friend Dan get a teaching job but I also was offered a position at Best Buy after about only 15 min of interviews. It's nothing I plan on staying in long but at least it keep me from being totally broke and bored out of my skull at home all day. Plus it'll be a new experience; I've never worked any kind of retail job. Guess we'll see come Sunday when I work my first shift.

Online Article + Movies = Dave's a Geek

Why I'm a geek will become more apparent in a moment...but first, if you haven't seen Hitch yet, you should. It's not the best movie out there but it's good for a laugh. Also, Assault on Precinct 13 is a good action movie but don't expect to think much. Set brain to off...

Ok, now the reason why I'm a geek. For those that know me, you know I like video games. Ok, I don't just like them, I play them a lot...I'm just a big kid. Now I don't just play the newest systems and I only own Nintendos, all of them (and a 3DO but let's not get technical)...but I digress...the games these days just don't hold the same challenge that they used to. Yes, it's a lot more satisfying to complete a game and find out what happens in the storyline in the more movie style games now a days but what happened to the fun in achieving that result? Isn't that what playing the game is all about?

My best example is Final Fantasy...no, not the fancy cinematic pieces of crap that most of you associate with that name but the original. Yep, the masterpiece that is Final Fantasy 1 (though it really doens't have a number after it), originally for the NES. I have one of the first, still slightly buggy, American released versions of the game for my NES and have wasted hundreds, probably even thousands, of hours playing the game over and over (see, told you I'm a geek). Anyway, the rerelease of this game on GameBoy Advance (which I of course bought right away) has been retooled a bit. It has become so easy to pass that you don't have to spend anytime doing the "monotonous" fighting to level up...but that's what the game's all about. Anyway, I'm getting off the point of what I wanted to say.

I love the new games with all the fancy graphics and everything but you just can't beat the old games for gameplay and a good challenge. Well, the article that got me started on this rant is at Tom's Hardware here. If you are a fan of gaming (especially older games) you should check it out. Ok, I'm done my rant, time to go to bed.

How is it already September?

Wow the summer just flew by. It's wierd knowing that I'm not going back to school next week. I really feel like I should be. Maybe I'll just be one of those losers that goes and hangs around campus at the start of the year even though they don't go there anymore. Well, it was a relaxing and enjoyable summer for the most part. I wish all the students (and teachers) going back to school this week or next a good year.

And HAPPY 100th BIRTHDAY ALBERTA!

Pub Crawl + $1.50 Highballs = Trouble

Boy was I ever a mess last night. I went out on a 80's music themed pub crawl with my best friend Dan and a bunch of other people from Devon. We started out at the Druid on the south side of Edmonton before jumping on the bus to head to Bar Wild on Whyte Ave. We were only at the Druid for just over half an hour but the $2 Brahma beer special only started the night. Bar Wild had $1.50 highballs so Dan and I partook in those quite a bit. Next we took off to the Armory for some good drunken dancing. We were having a blast and this is where my night took an interesting twist. I say this because after this point I can't really say I recall much else. This almost never happens to me (only once before and only for a brief period of time) but at least when I woke up at Ryan's apartment this morning I still had both of my kidneys and wasn't too worse for wear. Allegedly we went to the Union Hall to finish off the night and apparently I was still up and about (though a little bit of a mess) so I don't really know why I can't remember that part of the night. Oh well, it was a ton of fun. I just want to thank my sister for taking care of me while I was out of commission at the end of the night and my partner in crime, Dan, for getting me out and being the other half of the Blues Brothers (see picture below). Good times...good times.

The Blues Brothers ready for action

Hockey in August?

Yep, that's what I thought when I was asked last week to help with the local Junior A hockey team's training camp. I never thought I'd be reffing hockey in August (well with perhaps the exception of some summer league hockey) but here I am already 2 "games" into the season. The Saints' camp is this week so I've been in Spruce Grove both yesterday morning and this afternoon and back on the ice. It was a little wierd yesterday but today was much better...just like riding a bike. But boy am I out of shape. Luckily the players weren't into top gear until today (and even then it was relatively infrequent) so I could keep up pretty well. We even had a couple of good scraps and the camp seems to be going well from all accounts. Anyway, I'm going to finish setting up my second computer here and then get some sleep...I need it after all that skating.

Some Movie and Music Talk

With everything else I've been posting about, I keep forgetting to talk about the movies I've seen lately (and I've seen quite a few). First, a couple of weeks ago I went to see the Dukes of Hazzard. I haven't watched the TV show much but from what I hear and what I know, it was pretty consistent. Not only that but it was a great movie. A little on the stupid comedy side at times (but that's what I like) but it was a really fun movie...go see it if you haven't already.

Next recommendation would have to be Wedding Crashers. Here's the fair warning though...it's all about the dirty jokes and stupid comedy. If you don't like that, don't bother. However if that's your genre then definitely don't miss this one.

The next movie I saw wasn't in theatres and ventures a bit away from the kind of movies I had been watching but was still an amazing movie...Sin City. Again from what I hear it is very dedicated to the graphic novels it is based on. It's a little bit of a screwed up movie but the cinematography is phenomenal.

Finally we arrive at the best movie I've seen in a while. I definitely laughed harder and longer than I have in a long time. Of course I'm talking about another "stupid" comedy (notice a trend here)...The 40 Year Old Virgin. Dan and I laughed so hard that we both almost peed our pants. The number of one liners that come out of this movie will blow your mind. If you like sex jokes and would like to shut your brain off and laugh for a couple hours, go watch this movie.

Ok, when you've finished going to see these movies, get in the car and pop in the new Trews album, Den of Thieves. Of course you have to go buy it first (and don't just download it, help support a good Canadian band). It only costs $9.99 at HMV so just go make the best $10 music purchase you'll make this year...it's worth it.

That's all for now...I have to get back to lying outside in the hammock under the clear blue sky and reading the Da Vinci Code.

Phone interviews kind of suck

So Tuesday morning I got up and decided I would spend some quality time in the morning looking for jobs. I found and applied to a couple after a few hours of looking including one that was advertised through David Aplin Recruiting. They don't usually advertise junior level positions because it's often just not worth it but I guess this was an exception. That afternoon (about an hour and a half later) I got a call from a lady in the Edmonton office of Aplin and talked to her for about 20 min before she said she'd pass my application onto her client, a huge international firm called Accenture. The next morning I was checking my e-mail when I noticed a note from someone at Accture already (wow they were working fast). The e-mail asked me when I was free for a phone interview/introduction. I said basically anytime in the next 3 days and that afternoon I talked to a lady in Ottawa for 40 min or so about the position and who I was. She also informed me that I would be passed on for a full length "performance factor" (behavioral) interview and would receive an e-mail telling me a number and a time to call in to this "meeting area".

In the continued fast pace of this process, I received my e-mail invitation to call at 10 Central time. So 9:00 yesterday morning I was on the phone...with someone in Colorado that does these kind of phone interviews for Accenture. 1 hour and 20 minutes later I hung up with a sore elbow from holding the phone and a parched throat from running my mouth. I think the interview actually went quite well but this brings up one of my main problems with phone interviews...without seeing the person face to face, it's hard to judge what they really think. Anyway, I should be getting moved on to the next phase of interviews (hopefully) and it should be a face to face interview with someone in Edmonton. I'm actually quite excited about this oportunity and it sounds like a good company to work for. If the previous pace is to continue I think I should be hearing from them again by mid next week. They may have me hopping all over the continent on the phone but at least they move fast.

NHL is back: part 4...the rest of the frenzy

Ok, I'm going to just combine all of the rest of my thoughts on the return of the NHL into one big post. Parts of this I wrote earlier but I'm just going to put it all together and mix it in with my latest thoughts.

So not only Pronger is an Oiler, but Peca too. Now I'm a big fan of Mike York and I think he was a huge asset to Edmonton but when we can get Peca in a trade like that...I'm a happy guy. As far as all of the other signings that the Oilers have done, it's just good to start getting the whole team back in the fold. They definitely still need to sign Smyth but most of the other key pieces are already back in place.

Elsewhere in the Western Conference, it looks like both Vancover and Calgary are building scary solid teams and there will be some good battles this year. Also with Gretzky heading up the Coyotes there seems to be a lot of strength there too. And you can never really count out Detroit and Colorado even though they can't just throw money at their problems anymore.

But the scariest looking team so far in my estimation is the Pittsburg Penguins. They just keep sigining/trading for more good players. Overall their lineup looks pretty solid except in the defensive core. But as Jay said, who needs a whole lot of defense when you score 10 goals a game.

Well, that's my viewpoint so far. I had more minor comments but this is already long enough and most of you are probably tired of me talking about hockey so I'll just move on to the next topic.

A good weekend

So this was probably my busiest weekends in a while...sort of. A lot of good times were had though. Yesterday afternoon I went paintballing with some friends at Young Guns paintballing out past Stony Plain. I didn't like it quite as much as the place Dan, Norm, Ryan, and I normally go but it was still good fun and I managed to not get too shot up. Afterwards I headed over to Dan's parent's place for a party Dan and his sister were throwing while their parents were in Jasper.

It didn't start as a big party but once it got going...ah...good times were had by all. So besides having a full night of drinking and visiting, a poker game broke out. Actually more like a mini tournament. 9 guys...$10 buy ins...winner takes almost all (everything but the second place guy's buy in). Now I didn't go into the game expecting to do very well (I had consumed copious amounts of alcohol by this time) but I was looking to have some fun. Little did I know that a couple hours later I would be going heads up for the $80 1st place prize. I played quite well (especially for someone who'd been drinking and wasn't paying much attention to the game at the start) and was particularly proud of my final hand where I flopped the nuts (best hand) flush and managed to sucker the other guy into putting all his money in. So yeah...great party, good poker, and generally good times.

When I woke up this morning (on the Townes' couch) I wasn't feeling great (due to the liquid consumed the night before) but I wasn't feeling that bad either. Much better than I had felt a few mornings getting up this week anyway (I haven't been feeling good this week for those that don't know). So I watched some early morning golf coverage and chatted it up with a few of the other people that stayed the night before helping clean up the huge mess we'd left. We did a pretty good job, ok, Misha did a pretty good job, of cleaning up the inside and Dan and I even drained and cleaned the hot tub. A lot better result than the last big party at the Towne acreage where we left a bit more of a mess and didn't clean up nearly as well. Plus I was in a bit better shape this time so I could actually clean up the mess rather than contribute to it. Anyway, after a good weekend like that it's going to be a boring week but oh well. Maybe the BBQ that Julie and I are planning on having either Tuesday or Thursday night will break things up a bit.

P.S. I will actually get the last couple NHL postings up sometime soon.

NHL is back: interlude

Well I managed to finish cleaning up the first three posts...I think I might just mass post all of thoughts from the next two posts and all of my other NHL/hockey thoughts sometime tomorrow. And I realize now that I haven't said anything really about the rule changes which, as a hockey referee, actually interest me quite a bunch. So now I have a few things to write about like Gretz becoming a coach and I still have yet to finish cleaning up my post about Peca but they'll get done.

Well, I'm back to playing some guitar and finishing up my last few resumes of the day.

NHL is back: part 3...Chris Pronger's an Oiler

Originally written August 3 (at about 1 in the morning)...

I just hear the news...Chris Pronger is an Oiler! Now I would normally be estatic about this, and don't get me wrong, I am happy, but we gave up an awful lot for him. Brewer, I hate to see you go but if it's Pronger that's falling into your place, I can definitely stomach it. I really hate to see us give up two really promising young D-men though. You can be sure that in 5 years or so we'll be looking back on this and wonder why we gave up some of the newest defense stars in the NHL (well maybe not that extreme but you get the idea). On the other hand, Pronger may just be the boost we need to make it further into the playoffs. I guess only time will tell. The best part about this move though is that it proves that in the "new NHL", even the small market Canadian teams can land big players. Good for Lowe for pulling the trigger on one of the biggest moves so far. Hmmm...maybe we can get Niedermayer to play with Pronger...nah, too much money in one defense pair...still, I can dream.

NHL is back: part 2...the free agent frenzy

Originally written August 2...

Let the mayhem begin!! The first two days of free agent signings are pretty much over and look at all the action. I'm going giddy just with how many articles there are to read and how lively the forums I read are. It's kind of too bad that the Oilers traded away Isbister, I actually liked him quite a bit, but I guess he's not producing enough for his salary level so we'll just have to find another big guy to fill in his shoes. I have to admit I was a little surprised to hear that Nieuwendyk and Roberts went to Florida but I guess they just want to set up their retirement homes in the sun a little early. The team I would be most worried about right now though is Philly. They all of a sudden have a solid core of defense and if they improve they're forward situation a bit after buying out Amonte and LeClair, they will be a force to be reckoned with.

I'm a little concerned with Calgary getting Amonte and McCarty...those may be vetern players but I still think they have a few good years left in them and if Calgary resigns Iginla then there will be some good battles of Alberta to come. I'm just waiting for the Oilers to jump in and get into the action. Let's get Messier back!

NHL is back: part 1...the draft

Originally written July 31...

Well the Sydney Crosby era has begun I guess. Don't get me wrong, I know the kid is great and all and I have no doubts of his ability to play in the NHL but is he alone the savior of the NHL...no (well not alone anyway). That being said, he probably will save the Pittsburg franchise and hopefully will increase the media popularity of hockey in the US. As for the Oiler's draft picks...meh. It's too bad in a way that they were that far down in the draft order. Now I like their first pick and he does seem to fit in with the small speedy guys we seem to collect and develop but I think we're going to need some size at some point in time. I do like the selection of Danny Syvret. He was the player that captained the London Knights to the CHL championships last year (Memorial Cup) and has the potential to actually start in the NHL either this or next year. I just can't wait until tomorrow when the free agent frenzy begins!

**Hindsight Note: I guess we have addressed the size issue a bit with Pronger but I'll get into that later...and the free agent frenzy was (and is) just that

The hockey posts are coming...honestly

And since I know you're all dying to know what I think of all the trading/signing action that's been going on (especially all of the Oiler's moves last week), I'll get right on finishing those now. For now, I posted a couple of pictures from Melissa and Amber's farewell.

Really wish I could go golfing right now but it looks kind of crappy out...

Melissa and I

Amber and I

Melissa and Amber's Farewell

Ok, so I put off finishing the hockey posts for a little bit longer (maybe this afternoon). The party last night was a blast. There were a lot of people I hadn't seen for a long time there so it was good to catch up. I have to say I'm going to miss Amber and Melissa's smiling faces. Those are two of the happiest people I know and luckily it seems to rub off on me when they're around. They're both off to Portland to go to school and become doctors (optomotrist and chiropractor). I know they will both have a good time but we'll all miss them here.

Ok, I've got to go drag Dan out of bed so we can head down to A&W and get some breakfast...mmm, greasy breakfast.

Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad!

I know I haven't written here in the last two weeks but I do have a couple of posts that I just haven't finished (mostly about hockey of course). But right now I don't have time to finish them up so they'll probably go up tomorrow. For now, Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad! They're still out on Prince Edward Island watching our cottage being completed. Hopefully they can move in this week sometime. Now I'm off to Melissa and Amber's farewell party at the good ol' Pioneer 73 club in Devon. We already played a bit of volleyball this afternoon but now the real party begins.

Game On

The NHL Lockout is officially over!! YAY!! And the draft lottery is finished. Too bad the Canadian teams didn't fare very well. Well, Montreal, Vancouver, and Ottawa are in okay position but the team that matters most, my Edmonton Oilers, are stuck down with the 25th pick. And it looks like Sydney Crosby will be going to Pittsburg to join Mario Lemieux. I guess that can be considered a good thing though it's too bad the fans in the west will only see him once every three years. I just hope now with the better distribution of wealth and the salary cap that the rest of the league will be as restricted as the Oilers have had to be. Hopefully the Oilers can not only put together a team like in the past but actually keep it together. I'm all psyched for hockey now and I can't wait until the draft and then August 1st (free agent signing begins) let alone October 5th when we actually get to see NHL hockey again. Hooray for the best sport on Earth!!

Our cottage is almost done

What an exciting day! For those that don't know, my family is (finally) building a cottage on our river front lot on Prince Edward Island. It's a storey and a half cottage that was built in two parts in a factory and then moved to the lot. Early this morning they moved it onto the lot. Below are a couple of pictures my aunt took for us.

There is still some interior (and a bit of exterior) work to be done but it's getting very close to being done. My parents leave for PEI next Tuesday but my sister and I are unfortunately going to be stuck at home. Guess we'll have to wait until next summer probably to see it. Well I'd better get to bed, I've got a long day of watching NHL HOCKEY coverage of press conferences and the draft lottery. I've held off on posting about the end of the lockout because I figured I should do it all in one big go so that's probably going to happen tomorrow night.

Second story being lowered

West side of the cottage

Front of cottage

Back in Jasper

Well, the 2+ weeks of camping are over. It was an overall great time. Lots of relaxing on the beach and lying around reading...and playing games...and drinking. Oh, did Dan and I ever drink. I also got out for the watersports a bunch though not as much as usual. I had some trouble skiing this year so I decided I'd wakeboard more. Now I'm feeling a lot more comfortable on the board and I think I'll soon be able to jump the wake.

The big news in my family right now: Julie (my sister) is back in Canada. She was in Australia for 5 months on a university exchange but now she's back. My mom left Kelowna early to meet my sister at the airport in Edmonton and then they drove out to meet my Dad and I in Jasper coming back from camping. My whole family is here together in the mountains for the first time in over two years. It's good to be sitting around relaxing and visiting but there's a lot of catching up to do so I'd better go.

Camping!

Tomorrow morning at the unknown hour of 5:00, Dan and I will be leaving to drive to Kelowna to camp with our families for a couple of weeks. Today's interview went pretty well so hopefully I get onto the short list for the last round of interviews. That should happen sometime in my second week at Wiigs (the campground we stay at in Kelowna) so I may have to fly back to come to the interview. Hopefully it'll turn out to be worth it. Well, I'd better get what little sleep I can tonight, we have a long day of driving ahead of us.

Happy Birthday Mom

Today was my mom's birthday so Happy Birthday and many happy returns to the day. I attempted a cake but had a little problem stacking it so it's a little crooked. That also made icing it real fun. The other problem I had was that the icing just kept getting soaked into the top of the cake (it's one of those fluffy pudding cake mixes) and so for a while it looked like a moldy sponge. I had to make extra icing to cover the top after it was done soaking in a bunch. So, not the best looking cake but it sure tastes good and that's what matters right?

On a totally different note, I have an interview at a place called Deloitte this afternoon in Edmonton. I'm not going to hold my breath on getting the job (though I sure would like it) but the experience will be good and it's nice to finally know that at least one company thinks I can write a cover letter and resume and fit into some job description. Well, wish me luck.

What a beautiful day

Wow today was (is still) hot out. I went golfing this morning and what a beautiful day to be out on the course. A little hot at the end of the round but I can handle the sun anytime in place of rain. I think it must have been the weather, but I shot a lot better too today than on Father's Day. I think I'll have to hit the range again sometime before this Saturday's golf and BBQ afternoon that I'm putting together. Let me know if you want in. Well, off to read a book in the hammock in the sun.

Two Great Movies

Ok, so I'm going to bed right after I post this. In the last week I've seen two of the best movies in theatres that I've seen all year so far: Mr. and Mrs. Smith and Batman Begins.

First off, Mr. and Mrs. Smith is a great action movie that is actually quite subtle (if an action movie can be that) in a lot of ways. I thoroughly enjoyed it and suggest that anyone who likes any kind of action type movie at all goes out and sees it. It doesn't hurt that Angelina Jolie is in it (so hot)...and Brad Pitt for the ladies.

Next I went to see Batman Begins. Now I know that a lot of people have been pretty hard on the Batman movies so far...and rightfully so in a lot of ways. I personally don't mind any of the Batman movies so far but this one blows the rest out of the water. It does such a great job of introducing and explaining the Batman character in an interesting and exciting way. And as far as I know, is more true to the original comics and graphic novels than any of the other movies.

So go see Batman Begins and Mr. and Mrs. Smith...you'll probably like them. And if you don't, then you just wouldn't know a good movie if it slapped you in the face :)

Happy Father's Day

Happy Father's Day to all the dad's, grandpa's, and every other kind of father out there. I spent the afternoon golfing with my dad...too bad we both played pretty horrible. At least it was a nice day. A little bit of a odd thing happened during the round though. When we were on hole 5 the course marshal came up and said that if the horn blew we were supposed to stop play immediately and get off the course. Usually this is for thunderstorms but since there was no cloud in the sky we couldn't figure out what it was supposed to be for. We were told it was because the river was overflowing and the campground was being evacuated. If the river rose much more, the golf course would also have to be evacuated. Fortunately that didn't happen and the amount that the river rose, while quite a bit (over 2 feet in 1 hour apparently), it didn't end up doing any serious damage...in Devon anyway. A little bit of excitement and confusion added to the normal round of golf. Well, I'm off to bed pretty quick here because I have to get up early to go to the gym. Have to get in shape for waterskiing and the like.

Grad Pictures

Here's a few pictures from Wednesday's grad posted below...

And just as another tidbit, I'm going to try and start posting a few more pictures now that I seem to have that figured out.

Don't I look scholarly in the cap and gown?

Gold Medal winner Adam and I

Mom, Dad, and I

And Congratulations!

I'm sorry, in my rush to post the day's events so I could get some stuff done before going to bed, I neglected to really say anything about/to my fellow classmates.

So to all the class of 2005, not just in Science, not just at the U of A but everywhere...CONGRATULATIONS!!

All of that hard work and the years of learning and growing have finally culminated into one very expensive (and incredibly valuable) piece of paper. Just remember that learning comes with the journey and not as a result of the destination...and this isn't the destination, it is only the beginning of another journey (or a new branch of the same one). Life has only begun and the real world awaits.

David Beck: BSc, Specialization in Computing Science...

...with a Business Minor and Industrial Internship. Or at least that's what my diploma reads!! I got my degree today!

The day started out with a Faculty of Science Convocation Breakfast at the Shaw Conference centre where we had some speeches, breakfast (obviously), and a few awards were handed out. My friend Adam (who also was valedictorian of my high school grad class) got the Dean's Gold Medal for Specialization in Science. Congrats Adam! I also got to see and talk to Jim Hoover, the professor I was a TA for in the last semester so that was good as well.

After some pictures at the Shaw after breakfast, we headed to the mall to get me some new dress shoes. We then drove back to the university to pick up my "graduate apparel" and get ready for the afternoon's festivities. I also picked up a frame for my diploma and ordered a grad ring (thanks Mom and Dad!). The ceremony was pretty long and at times a little bit boring but there were some good people around me to talk to and it was good to see some people that I haven't seen for a while.

When all the pomp and circumstance was finished, we went outside for some more pictures and eventually made our way to Joey Tomatoe's Mediterranean Grill. It was delicious. After a long and tiring day we finally got back home just before 10:00, 14 hours after we left home in the morning.

I just want to thank everyone who helped me through my university studies, and helped me get to university in the first place. All the support and help I received means a lot to me. Thank you all!

It's been a while

Wow, has it really been almost a full month since I posted. I guess the unemployed life just didn't really inspire me to write anything. And then I got busy (but not with a job unfortunately)...so here's my quick update of what happened in May and what's going on now.

Well let's start with the present. Dan and I moved out of our apartment and moved home to save some money over the summer and until we get real jobs. So I'm back living with the folks. I think I'll probably be moving back out as soon as I get a job but for now I can make due. It's not so bad and I'll get to eat well while saving some money.

On the athletics side of things...I finally got back to the gym. I bought a 3 month membership in Devon for the summer (while I'm home) and I plan on going with my dad in the mornings...at least for now. It's really hard to get up and go exercise before 6:00 in the morning but I'll get used to it, I hope. On the golfing front, I'm just coming off the best round I've ever shot. I played Eagle Rock outside of Beaumont with Adam and a couple other guys and lit it up. I went +6 on the front and +6 on the back for an 83! That's a new low for me (which is good in golf remember). The next round I played was in Devon and despite taking 5 penalty strokes (unusually high for me), I still managed to shoot a 91. Hopefully I can keep this up. If anyone wants to go golfing, let me know.

As for what kept me busy last week (besides packing). My Grandpa's 90th birthday is this Thursday so we had a party in Jasper last weekend. Lots of people came and it was quite the open house. Good food and good company but of course it also required quite a bit of work. To help celebrate the occasion, 5 of my relatives from the Czech Republic and Poland came to visit. Last week I spent most of my free time visiting with them or driving them and my grandparents around Edmonton to show them the sites. It was a very busy week and weekend.

Other than all that, I'm doing ok despite remaining jobless. Hopefully something will turn up soon but until then I think I'll enjoy the time off. Well, time to go set up my computer so I don't have to always use my parents'. I'll try to make my posts a little closer than this one and the last one were.

How could I forget hockey?

When I originally sat down to write the last post it was going to be about the World Hockey Championships going on in Austria right now but I totally forgot. Anyway, I'm happy that I get to see some more high quality hockey broadcast on TV again. That is one of the benefits of staying home all day right now, I get to catch the games while everyone else is at work. Canada is off to a 2-0 start but the competition doesn't really pick up until Thursday when we (they) play the USA. And I'll be sitting on the couch for every minute of it (so long as I'm not on the golf course). It may not be the NHL but it's as close to professional hockey as we'll see for at least 5 months and it is Canada playing so I'm still a diehard fan.

GO CANADA GO!

The Unemployed Life

I'm sure there's a job for me out there somewhere but since I'm not going stir crazy yet (though it's only been a few days) I'm not in the biggest hurry to find it yet. I even had the energy to clean some tonight with Dan and our apartment is looking cleaner than it has in...well, maybe ever (well since we moved in anyway). We're out at the end of the month so we'll see if it can stay that way or normal laziness kicks in and the mess returns.

Now since I have been sitting inside the last two days I have some recommendations that people should check out (some of these I found before this week but still).

www.pointlesswasteoftime.com - this is a twisted humor site that many people may not find funny so don't say I didn't warn you but there are some very funny articles. I suggest some of the lists and movie articles.

The Daily Show - Jon Stewart is a very very funny smart guy, or a smart funny guy, either way, watch the Daily Show if you haven't yet (check your local listenings). Very intelligent (most of the time) comedy.

Missy Higgins - this is an Australian musician that has become one of my sister's favorite artists. You can listen to a bunch of her songs on her website. Some very cool and mellow piano and accoustic guitar melodies.

Star Wars Revelations - just search on google and you'll find a site where you can download this. It's a fan made Star Wars video that is about 45 min long...but WOW, it's amazing. It takes place between Episode III and Episode IV but doesn't involve any of the main characters. It's free to download so just go waste some bandwidth and check it out if you're at all a Star Wars fan.

That's it for now but I'll probably find some more random junk soon. If anyone feels like going for some food or killing some time with me just drop me a line. I am after all, not too busy right now :)

"'Cos finger by finger we're losing grasp and
I'm questioning the reason why nothing beautiful does last"
- Missy Higgins from Any Day Now

Done and Done (Yay me!)

I finished all my exams and it is rumoured that I passed all my courses so I'm done...for real this time. I still find it hard to believe that I've finished a university degree. I feel like I should be going back to school next year but I guess now it's time to join the real world and get a job.

I guess all the luck I've been having ran out yesterday after my last exam because my car broke down yesterday on the way to a friend's house to help her with her taxes. The block and thermostat are shot and it needs a bunch of other tune up stuff done so something like $725 worth of work is getting done today. Hopefully I'll have it back tonight but you never know. I would have liked to go to the driving range today but without a car and with snow once again falling to the ground outside, that's looking a little unlikely. I supposed I'll just have to sit inside and play video games and look for a job. Oh well.

The Season is upon us

It's that time of year again...golf season has begun. I guess it kind of began for me last week at the driving range but I never feel quite right until the first actual round is done. And in that case I don't know if that is even acurate since we only played 9 holes(well 9 + a few more). I managed to shoot a respectable 10 over on the first 9. Not quite as good as my 2 over from last years first 9 and a far cry from my first round of 86 last year but I'll take it. It's been so nice out lately that half of my free time has been spent thinking about getting out on the course so I'm glad I managed to do it this afternoon. I'll probably get a full round in next weekend sometime but until then, I have to study and finish up my last exam.

So if anyone wants a partner for a round starting next week, I'm there. Guess it's time to get to bed so I can get up early and study...ha ha, right.

Two exams to go

Well I finished my final paper for my Organizational Analysis class and did my Marketing test today so I am now only two tests away from finishing my university degree (if all goes as planned). I have the big test tomorrow in my computing logic and formal systems class but once that's done I think the stress will decline a bunch. I think the stress is responsible for the cold (cough, headache, and stuffy nose) but it could also be all the coughing that Kelsey did last week in class...hmm. Now if only I could get rid of these knots in my shoulders...any offers for a massage (girls only please Jay)?

Well I'd better get a few more hours of studying done before I crash for the night and get some much needed rest. Time to turn back on the Less Than Jake studying music...

"So I'll let you know
If you need, somewhere to go
I'll be listening when you call
And I'll be there if you fall off
If you need someone to believe in you,
I'll let you know I will."
-Less Than Jake from The Brightest Bulb Has Burned Out

I'M DONE!!

Well, my last class is done and I've spent my time in the beer gardens (not as much as I want mind you, since I have to finish my paper). Just walking around today has had a strange feeling to it. I've spent the last 5, well 4 not including the year in Ottawa, at the U of A and it feels kind of bitter sweet to be done. Don't get me wrong, I'm happy to be done, I don't know if I could take another year right now, but it's also kind of sad. I'm going to miss the people I've met and the general atmosphere at the university. I really enjoy just hanging around campus and I'll miss the student life as hectic as it can be sometimes. These last five years have been totally crazy and I've seen my life (and myself) change a thousand times. From my time with Kathryn and learning about the world outside of the little town of Devon, Alberta, to spending over a year in Ottawa working at a real job and growing up a little, I feel like I've come a long way. I guess I have (if this is getting a little corny I apologize but I'm feeling nostalgic right now). So to all of those that have entered my life and those that have stood by me in the last few years, I thank you. I am proud and happy with who I have become and I have all of you to thank for that. I can only hope that I continue to learn and grow as I venture out into the real world.

Now, does anyone have a job for me so I actually can venture out into the real world or am I going to be stuck in Devon all summer golfing and looking for work?

Wow it's been a while

Well this is one of the longest times I've gone without a post. I've just been busy finishing up school that I've neglected to sit down and update anyone. Lately all of my time, when I'm not wasting it, has been going towards my software management paper. I keep finding something else that I think should be covered so I make more work for myself. Hopefully in the end it comes out better because of the extra work but I guess we'll wait and see.

Hard to believe that tomorrow is the last day of classes for me...ever. Well at least for this degree anyway (if I pass all my courses). It's been a crazy 5 years. I'll post more tomorrow when I'm done class but for now I should try to finish that paper.

Golden Bears are Golden!

What a rush! I just got home from the CIS University Cup final(the national university championships) where the U of A Golden Bears beat the U of S Huskies in a 4-3 overtime thriller. Granted the Bears didn't wake up until the third period but once they did business definitely picked up. With an exciting last minute goal the Bears managed to tie it up and send it to the extra period. The whole place went nuts! I even got a beer shower complements of the guy who was jumping up and down behind me. Then, with good end to end pressure both ways, the overtime ended with Thomson firing in a rebound for the championship goal. What a great end to the season!

Well, I guess that pretty much does it for hockey for another season. The university hockey is done, reffing is done, and if the Roadrunners don't get their act together they'll be done pretty quick too because they'll be out of the playoff picture. And with the weather warming up and the snow melting, I'm looking longingly at my beach volleyball net in the corner...it's only a matter of time now...

Long weekend of hockey

Well this has been a bit different of an Easter weekend for me. All my family is gone, my sister still in Australia (on a weeklong trip to Ayers Rock) and my parents are out on a spring break cruise in the Caribbean. So I'm stuck back in snowy (but gradually improving) Edmonton. This weekend is the end of the year Bantam 'AAA' tournament out in Spruce Grove so I have 5 of those games to do. The semi-final game I did tonight was actually probably the best game I've done all year. Hard hitting, fast-paced good hockey. And I was extremely happy with the game I called too so I was in a very wierd happy and energetic mood afterwards. It's too bad that I didn't get out to the Universiy Cup to see the Golden Bears play like I had planned but hopefully I can still get a ticket to the final.

Happy Easter everyone and enjoy the rest of the long weekend!

"Close my eyes
And move to the back of my mind
Where worries are washed out to sea
See the changes
Peoples faces blurred out
Like sun spots or raindrops"
-Yesterday's Feelings by The Used

The Incredible(s)...flying pucks

Well the weekend was pretty uneventful...just the normal ref 3 games (4 including Monday night) and get pelted with pucks. Yep, I took a beating on Saturday night in my Midget game. Got hit in both legs and the elbow in addition to the two falls (which hurt my tailbone and my other elbow). I'm starting to recover now but there is one doosie of a bruise on my right leg. At least I have some function of my right elbow/forearm/wrist again (I know the joke you're thinking about Jay and it's already been made a few times).

On a less painful note (unless you count the funny bone), there's a few recommendations I must make. Tonight Dan and I watched The Incredibles. What an awesome and fun movie...go rent it, or just buy it, definitely a must see. News flash: The Daily Show with Jon Stewart is absolutely side-splittingly hilarious show. I lost track of the times I was rolling around on the floor or the couch laughing. Comedy central at midnight (for those in the mountain time zone, the rest of you figure out when yourselves). For those that like punk or punk like music, definitely check out The Used if you haven't done so already (thanks Jay). Most of their songs are growing on me like the fungus that was growing in our fridge before we cleaned it out.

And speaking of cleaning, Dan and I are going to attempt (again) to try to maintain some semblance of order to our apartment for our last couple months here. Wish us luck, I'll let you know if it works.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Remember to pinch those not wearing green...and how did that all start anyway? I know I've asked this question before but I don't remember the answer. Well I hope everyone lifts a pint tonight and has a good time. I know I'll be out doing just that after having to suffer through my last midterm of my degree this morning.

One other announcement like thing...Happy Birthday Beatrice!

Oh, and if you haven't checked out a song by the Used called Lunacy Fringe, I suggest you do.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Remember to pinch those not wearing green...and how did that all start anyway? I know I've asked this question before but I don't remember the answer. Well I hope everyone lifts a pint tonight and has a good time. I know I'll be out doing just that after having to suffer through my last midterm of my degree this morning.

One other announcement like thing...Happy Birthday Beatrice!

Oh, and if you haven't checked out a song by the Used called Lunacy Fringe, I suggest you do.

Good recommendation

Thanks to Jay, I have some new bands to listen to. So if you're into the alternative type music (I guess that's what you'd call it), check out the band Mad at Gravity or Moments in Grace. Both of them I've been listening to all night among other stuff like the newest Papa Roach album and The Used. So download* a song or two and check them out.

*Not that I support illegally obtaining music but to check a band out when it's impossible to find their album it's a good thing

Lacking the drive

Well if there's one thing I know about myself it's that I'm lazy. Not always mind you, just when it suits me...which is most of the time. So rather than do something about it right now, I'm going to procrastinate like I do with so many other things and just post about it. That way, when I'm done procrastinating (read: playing guitar) to avoid one assignment and start working on finishing up my resume (again), then it'll be time for the Daily Show with Jon Stewart and I can move onto a new mode of procrastination.

At least I did read my textbook some tonight (a rare case). My sociology book has to be one of the most dry, boring books ever written and there's like 200 pages that we need to know for the next midterm, but at least I can have a reprieve from that by reading my marketing book...which I'm also 4 chapters behind in. It's probably a good thing that I'm almost out of university because this catching up thing really takes a toll and as much as I keep dodging most of the test bullets by studying last minute, it's bound to catch up with me at some point.

Well, back to the guitar (read: textbook and resume).

Back to School

Well I'm back in Edmonton after a week off in Ottawa and back at school. Yesterday was definitely a long day. It's hard to get back into it after having a week off of sleeping in, visiting friends, and being lazy. I had a great time in Ottawa. Missed seeing some people and wish I could have spent more time with others, but overall, I was impressed with the number of people I managed to see. Thanks to everyone that made time in their busy schedules to go hang out with me and a special thanks to Jay and Anne-Marie for letting me stay with them. Well, I'd better get my homework done so I can play poker tonight (which reminds me of a poker story I'll have to post later).

The week for kids who can't read good

Yep, it's reading week! And not a moment too soon. It's nice to have a break from school for a week, especially since it gave me the chance to come back to Ottawa to visit again. I just got to Ottawa yesterday and I'm already enjoying myself despite the fact that many other people I know chose to use this week to go some place warm. I went back to my old pool league last night and was happy to see a pretty good crowd including many people that I haven't seen since last August. I even ended up winning 4 games even though I hadn't played for quite a while (granted I was in the B tier). So far I don't have a whole lot of plans here besides relaxing and having intentions to visit with people so if you're in Ottawa and you want to get together, let me know.

Valentine's Day Song Quotes

You know I was going to start throwing lyric quotes up again sometime so why not today...

"Right now I'm giving last rights to all my sleepless nights.
Right now I'm starting clean and I'm going on with my life."
-Less Than Jake from 'Last Rites To Sleepless Nights'

"Waiting here with hopes the phone will ring
and I'm thinking awful things
and I'm pretty sure that few would notice."
-Dashboard Confessional from 'Saints and Sailors'

"The night she never felt so alive
even though it feels so cold outside
It's the first time I've ever seen her smile"
-SR-71 from 'Alive'

Happy Valentine's Day? You tell me

Well, another overly commercialized holiday has passed us by. It's kind of funny to think that this is the first Valentine's Day that I spent at home (essentially) alone since I started University. Even though I was single last year too, I ended up out for a singles night with a big group and had one of the best nights out that I had in Ottawa. Maybe it's because it was a Monday this year, which already starts the day out with negative points. Or maybe it's because I walked by two people practically ripping the clothes off of each other in the Biological Sciences building as I was walking back to my car (though to give them a slight excuse, they might have just been studying for their human anatomy midterm). I'm not necessarily against the idea of Valentine's day, nor even the commercial aspect of it so much. It's more that I hate the PDA (public displays of affection) that couples flaunt all over campus and the mall. The poor folk like myself that lack a "better half" just feel worse for not being with someone at the time and bitter feelings just stew.

All that being said, Happy Valentine's Day to all those couples out there (and the singles too I guess)...and for the singles in particular, there's always next year.

Note: Just to clarify, I'm not looking for pity here, I don't even feel sorry for myself. I'm just offering a bit of a perspective on the day.

Siblingless...sort of

So early this morning (6:00), I became an only child for all intents and purposes. Julie (my sister) left for Australia to do a term of study at the University of Wollongong about an hour outside of Sydney in Wollongong. My mom and dad (and me in a certain way) are taking it hard but it'll be ok. She'll have a good time I'm sure (man I'd love to be going to Australia) but she'll be missed here at home. Guess this means I'll have to go back to the parents house for visits and supper more often. Darn, more good home cooked meals. Well, good luck and safe journey to Julie (who should almost be to Tokyo by now).

Reading Week Plans

Ok, so it's official now, I'm going back to Ottawa for reading week (spring break for those that don't know what I'm talking about). The plane tickets are bought...now all I need is a place to stay. Just thought I'd let everyone know.

Now it's off to a friend's place to watch the Superbowl on a huge screen and eat tons of food.

Has it been that long

Ok, so it's been a while since I took the time to sit down and post something. The last two weeks really haven't been overly busy but I just haven't sat down to write. Right now I'm just starting to reach the point where I actually have to start working at my school work on a regular basis. This lack of labs thing is a real plus and I seem to have a lot less work to do than usual. Unfortunately this builds up my regular slack attitude which breeds too much complacency about assignments and tests that are worth more because of the smaller number of them. I'm facing the daunting task of reading several chapters of Marketing tonight to prepare for what should (hopefully) be an easy multiple choice test tomorrow. Midterms aren't coming in bunches this semester which is a nice change but assignments are starting to become due so I really should get going on those anyway.

Some highlights from the second half of January include a huge amount of ice freezing my car in followed by some unusually warm weather followed by some more crazy cold and warm streaks. Right now it's something like 7 degrees out but by the weekend it's supposed to drop to a high of -15. See that just doesn't make sense...Mother Nature, pick a season. Another highlight was being a linesman for the Midget 'AAA' All-Star game in Spruce Grove last weekend. It was faster than pretty much any game I've done to this point and was a lot of fun. Some of those kids might even end up in the NHL someday if they ever settle the stupid CBA talks...but I'll bitch about that later probably.

I'm going to try to get back to posting regularly again so they'll probably be something else up by the end of the weekend but for now, I've got a Marketing textbook to read.

Oh, and a heads up to those out East (and by East I mean Ottawa), I'll probably be coming out there for my reading week break (Jan 21-27) if someone's kind enough to lend me a couch to crash on.

Losing faith in humanity

Ok, it's time for me to bitch...I'm losing faith in the general kindness or even civility of humanity. At the beginning of last week (I don't remember the exact day), Dan had his stereo in his Jeep smashed in after some stupid thief couldn't get the stereo out to steal it. Luckily he didn't have anything else of value in the Jeep for the thief to take but still, smashing a stereo right outside of our friggin' door just because you're frustrated because it's welded into the console...come on. That only started the lack of faith, I believed it was an isolated incident. Tonight, sometime while I was playing poker, some idiot stole my extension cord in the parking lot that was plugging my car in. Now it's the heart of winter and one of the coldest nights of the year but come on, stealing an extension cord, that's low and stupid. It wasn't even a very good extension cord (one end had the outer plastic stripped away near the plug part). So I've lost faith in humanity just a little at a time. I understand this is a pretty trivial matter but I'd like to think that things right outside of our apartment are a little safer than that. Guess that might just be the small town boy inside me talking and the optomist that people are generally civil.

It's Freaking Cold

I'm not one to complain about the winter much, I mean I usually handle the Canadian winter (especially in Edmonton) quite well...but even I'll admit that the last couple days were a little too much. My face froze between the bus stop and the 3 min walk home. Even a 20 second walk between buildings at the University made me frozen. Anyway, enough complaints about the weather. All of us have to live with it (well those of us where it is -25 as a HIGH).

So school is back in and it's looking like a relatively easy final semester for me. It's hard to believe this is my last semester of my degree. Time really has flown by. Lucky for me, I have no labs and no programming classes (but more papers) this semester so I have slightly less work than normal. I also managed to dump my night class (more than likely) for another option in the day so I don't have to worry about two three hour breaks on Tuesdays. Things overall are looking up.

Oh, and a couple of belated birthday wishes to Jarett and Adam since I missed talking to them on their birthdays.

Gone Skiing

It's amazing how much I missed the mountains. With my grandparents living in Jasper we came up so often when I was growing up that I took trips to the mountains for granted. Coming back after being away for over a year and a half has given me new appreciation for the beauty here.

Today my mom, dad, and I went skiing to Marmot Basin. After skiing last in the "mountains" in the east (Jay Peak in Vermont and Mount Cascade in Quebec), Marmot seems a much bigger ski area than I thought before. It was good to get back to what I would deem my "home hill". Despite the wind blowing the snow around and fogging problems with my goggles, we had a good day. There is no one at the hill and it was decent snow conditions where the wind didn't blow all the snow off to reveal ice. I found a couple decent jumps on the easy runs and so managed to keep myself occupied while taking some of the easier runs with my parents. I worked some muscles that haven't been worked for a while and I'll probably feel it even more in the morning but it was well worth it.

Nothing like relaxing with a good book and looking out the window at the Canadian Rockies after a day of skiing.

Go Canada Go!

Well, the World Junior Hockey Championships are over for another year, but this year it doesn't leave a bitter taste like the last couple of years...CANADA WON! They dominated the whole tournament and the gold medal game was no different. In some ways I miss the NHL but if I could watch more good junior hockey like this tournament then I think my televised hockey needs would be met.

Now it's off to Jasper for some skiing for a few days before school starts again next Monday. These holidays just flew by (as most do), but besides being sick for Christmas, it's been a good break. Can't wait to get back to the mountains, but I guess I don't really have to since we're leaving bright and early tomorrow.

New Years Resolutions

Ok, so yesterday I forgot to post my resolutions with my expectations, so here they are:
- Lose weight - like almost everyone else, this is an ongoing resolution that rarely gets fullfilled, but I'll set the goal again anyway; I'm more about just losing some of the fat more than the actual poundage
- Play more music - I want to get back into more trumpet playing this year and hopefully find some kind of band to play with as well as continuing to learn guitar
- Keep my living space clean - for those that know how I live, this could actually be the toughest of all; I'm lazy, everyone knows that, so to clean more often could be tough
- Keeping in touch - well, this blog is part of this, but there are still other ways I want to keep in contact with those friends that I don't get to see much anymore
- Get out more - I've had my fair share of Friday/Saturday nights at home; I want to get out and do more things, hopefully this can tie in with getting out to see people more

Well, I'm sure there's more but that's a pretty general outlook at my goals. Criticize them as much as you want, I think most of them are actually achievable. I may re-evaluate that position in a few weeks but for now I remain optomistic. So what are everyone else's resolutions?

Happy New Year

Well it's the beginning of a new year. Instead of reflecting back on the year past like I have been recently, I'm going to look to the year upcoming. What do I expect out of 2005?
- Graduation - after all my life of school, it's going to be weird to be "done"
- Career - coming off of the last point, I'm going to be entering the real world with a real job, and after the taste I had last year on my internship, I can't wait
- Travel - this still has a question mark next to it due to budget constraints and hinges on the career/job thing as well but I hope to make a trip across Canada

Other than that I look forward to more time with my family and friends and more good times like I have enjoyed in 2004. This is a bit of a year of change for me what with graduation and all, but I look forward to entering the "real world" and beginning the rest of my life.