Christmas is coming

How is it already the middle of December? Time has just flown by in the last month and a bit. I'll try to summarize it all fairly briefly since I have to get to reffing soon. Let me see: my curling team won a bonspiel and out fall league, volleyball continued, many parties came and went, I reffed whenever I could and got my level III, the snow has arrived and the ski hill has opened so patrolling has started up again, and probably most importantly, I started dating Kim a few weeks ago. It's been a hectic but good last month or so (with the exception of being sick last week). Sorry to those that have been looking for an update but I was busy and when I sat down to write, other things came up. Hopefully when I'm back in Edmonton/Devon for Christmas, I'll have time to vent some thoughts and stories from the past little while. Until then, Happy Holidays to all. If I don't see or talk to you, have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Thank goodness for the time change

For the last two (almost three) weeks, I've been having problems sleeping. I just couldn't fall asleep no matter what I tried or how tired I was. It was beginning to wear on me but I finally got some sleep this weekend and felt better today than I have in a while. The extra hour from the time change helped too. Other than that October was a long month for me. The new job and the changeover in sports have brought about a bunch of change and though at times it seemed to fly by, it also seemed to take forever to get to Halloween and the end of the month. Now we're into November and it's all snowballing (only figuratively since we don't have any of the white fluffy stuff yet) into Christmas. Speaking of which, I'll be back in Edmonton from Dec. 19th - Dec. 30th
for those that are there during that time. I'd like to see as many people as possible so let me know asap when you are free and if you have time to get together.

Anyway, I'd like to keep this proper sleeping pattern up so I'm heading to bed right away. Hopefully I can stay rested and healthy until Christmas.

Back to the ice, back to the court

As you all know, I do a crazy amount of activities, sports or otherwise. Well, it's that transition time again. Changing from the ultimate field and the beach volleyball courts back into the gyms for volleyball and the ice for curling and reffing hockey. I've had a bit of a crazy transition this year because of all the fall ultimate I've been involved in but it's been fun. And even though I've been a bit sore and at times, actually injured, it's been worth it. I love sports too much to quit anything and it's been really hard for me to make the decision to cut ultimate from the winter activities list. I've just decided that volleyball twice a week, pool on Mondays, curling Sunday evening, reffing whenever I'm free, and soon ski patrol on the weekends is enough to keep me quite occupied.

There really isn't a point to this post, just to let those that care know what I'm up to since I haven't had much to post about lately. I'd rant about my job and so on but really there's no point; for the next 8 months it will be just that: a job. Something to toil away at during the day and a way to pay the bills. It won't probably be a source of much joy or fun in the next 8 months but I'll work through it and move on. For now I'll take more joy out of my social life (maybe I'll even get lucky and the position of girlfriend could be filled...okay, that's a little unlikely) and enjoy all the sports.

Weekend filled with emotion

The past week has been filled with a large range of emotions. I was going to write a post last Friday night, then Saturday morning, then Sunday night...I still find it a bit hard. As many of you who read this blog know, Ross Moroz committed suicide last Wednesday. Ross was a close friend of mine growing up (we've knew each other since we were babies). I didn't find out until Friday morning but it started a torrent of emotion. Since this event sparked the strongest reaction, I thought I'd start with it.

Grief: This is a pretty obvious one. I grieve for myself because of the loss of a special person and someone who was a good friend. I grieve also for his parents who remain close with mine, and his sister who I count as a friend. No family should ever have to go through this and I extend my deepest condolences to both his family and his friends.

Regret: This wasn't so obvious at first but now becomes a bit more apparent. I lost touch with Ross a bit in the last few years. In high school he decided to go to school in Edmonton instead of Devon, our home town, and he lost touch a bit with some of us there. With our families being close, we managed to stay in contact but it wasn't quite the same. In University we walked different paths but managed to run into each other on campus enough that we stayed in contact. The regret comes with losing contact with a great guy like Ross. I know I can't keep in contact with everyone but I feel like I could have made more of an effort just to reconnect with him every few months or so.

Anger: A common reaction in some situations like this. It is such a tragic loss and I am angered by the senselessness of it all. Unfortunately there is nowhere to take out my anger. But then again, this isn't the kind of anger you can really expel.

Sadness: This has come a little more that I have thought about it and the grief is a few days old. For someone that had the ability and strength to touch so many lives in so many positive ways, I am sad for those that didn't get to know Ross as well as they could have and those that will never have their lives improved for having known him. It is kind of a hollow sadness. My small town and its close knit inhabitants growing up, along with all the people close to my family and our close friends, can be struck deep and have a part of ourselves ripped out by an event like this. I thank heaven that there is such a strong support network and that this newly formed hollow can be filled with love and fond memories to help combat the pain for all affected.


As an instant follow up to this event, my weekend took a turn for the better. Beatrice and Brian were married on Saturday afternoon. I had the honor of playing my guitar at the ceremony for the beautiful song that Beatrice wrote for Brian. Another one of our friends, Lisa, sang the song. As many people commented at the wedding, Lisa has the voice of an angel. It was very moving and I am thankful that Beatrice and Brian allowed me to help share in the moment and celebrate their love. The whole wedding, reception, and party after, helped me work through the negative emotions brought on my Ross's death and fill my heart with joy as one of my close friends here starts her new life with her partner.

Joy: As I mentioned, and as is expected, I felt utter joy at seeing my friends tie the knot. Just seeing the looks on their faces as they joined their lives together was very moving. Beatrice usually has a huge smile on her face that lights up the room but I've never seen her so happy. I know they have found a true love in each other and that brings me great joy.

Hope: Along with the happiness of the whole occasion, I feel a certain hope that comes from the joining of two lives together. Maybe part of it is the sappy part of me that can't seem to find a girlfriend at the moment, but I take pleasure in the belief that there is someone out there for everyone and rejoice in the fact that Bea and Brian have found each other. Now I just have to find my special someone :)

Privileged: This feeling comes from two sources. I feel privileged to be able to take part in their special day and honored that they would allow me to play the special song that Beatrice wrote. I also feel privileged to have such wonderful friends. Not only Beatrice and Brian, and not only those that were at the wedding, but all my friends here, across Canada and around the world. I am blessed with many great friends that I trust and care for absolutely. So much so that I think I often take it for granted. I have friends that I have known for my whole life and are more like family to me. Dan and I have been friends since before we could even eat solid foods and such a rare friendship is not taken lightly. But I also have close friends here in Ottawa that have only become an intricate part of my life in the last 4 years, or even more recently. This group of people has helped shape my development as an adult almost as much as my friends growing up. I am truly blessed to know and have befriended such a wonderful group of people. And I am lucky to have had so many special people touch my life.


I can't express all my feelings here right now because I just don't have the time or words to be able to express myself fully, but know that this is but a sample of the range of emotion I have gone through in the past 5 days. Add on top of all of this my work life and the general happenings of my life from week to week and you can see why I've been a bit of a wreck lately.

Lastly, before I head to bed for some much needed rest, I just want to thank all of you that touched my life and have supported me through everything I do. I only hope I can reciprocate your love and support whenever you need it (and even when you don't).

Rest in peace Ross, you left us long before we were ready to lose you and though you were on this Earth for slightly less than 25 years, the impact you had on those lives that you touched was immense.

Gotta love those union meetings

See, told you I'd post again soon...

Just thought I'd share a little bit of joyous news after that little rant I wrote a few minutes ago. We had our union CS sub-group Annual General Meeting today (say that three times fast). Thankfully, Kerri convinced me to spend my lunch there instead of playing cards in the caf like usual because I won a $100 gift certificate as a door prize. There were 10 prizes at varying locals but I managed to snag one for HBC (The Bay). Pretty sweet! And so I conclude that union meetings are not always a complete waste of time. What else happened at the meeting? I think we talked about...maybe something was mentioned about...oh, who am I kidding, I was there for the cookies and the prizes, and it was worth the trip :)

Okay, I'm really back

I have about 4 half finished posts that I just never finished but instead of finally finishing those ramblings, I'll just start anew...again.

So it's September all of a sudden. I don't know where the summer went to but apparently it's over. We've survived another crazy humid summer here in Ottawa (though at times it hasn't been that bad). I'm now well into my last three weeks in the Tax Data Division at Statistics Canada before I change positions (move to my next rotation). So far, this recruitment/rotation system has been a big load of ____...well, you fill in the blank. The lack of communication and organization throughout this process astounds even my forgiving nature. I'm ticked and I think a bunch of people at work (and my friends that put up with my incessant complaining) have figured it out. Unfortunately, they haven't yet figured out exactly what is going on. Apparently I'm scheduled to go to one project...where I'm actually going to sit and who I report to and all those other trivial details (or kind of important if you look at it from a certain angle) are still a mystery. The thing is, no one has still officially told me anything including. I've only found out what I know through the grapevine and official inquires have been met pretty much with a resounding silence. Just what I'm looking for. Anyway, I complain enough about this and despite this experience I still believe that the government is not a bad place to work but just suffers from some illogical decisions and bad communication management. Of course those things can combine to make an interesting workplace but I digress. I'm happy at Stats Can for the most part but who knows what this new placement will bring. I'm hoping for something interesting but fearing (and rightfully from what I hear) the worst. Either way, it's only an 8 month posting and then I'll be moving on again...hopefully finding out about that one a little sooner.

And so I make my triumphant return to my blog with a rant. No doubt I will have more of these to come...here's a quick subject to ponder for next time: why are stupid people aloud to drive and/or procreate? Until next time (which will be soon, I promise)...

The long absence from and now return to blogging

Well I took a big break from writing in the blog but it doesn't seem like a lot of you noticed. I figured as much and since I was busy doing so many other things, writing here took a major back seat. I'm starting to get back in the mood but I'm not sure how much I'll end up writing. For now I think I'll try once a week but who knows. There's been lots of stuff going on with me but I just don't think I have enough time to write it all...so I'll just mention things if they seem important.

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day Mom!! I wish I could be there for today but don't worry, I'll see you soon.

Too tired to write

Why can't I ever seem to catch up on my sleep?...especially when I've a couple of really long days at work. Here's my two cents of the day before I fall asleep at my keyboard.


- Sens won game 1...WOO HOO!!
- The weather in Ottawa is awesome right now but man is it ever humid...where was the thunderstorm they promised us today?
- Golfing Saturday as part of Tyler's batchelor party...went to the driving range yesterday...I'm so very rusty.
- Can't wait for the PEI road trip next week...it's going to be a blast.

Seriously though, I'm dead tired, and I have to get up for French tomorrow. Maybe I'll kill some time at work (if I can find some free time at work) and post some updates like I keep promising.

Back online but in a slightly different local

I know I disappeared for a while and I really could have posted from work but I just never made the time to sit online at work. So I waited until we had the internet hooked up and until I wasn't busy. It turns out that the first night that happens is tonight (and this is after pool).

As previously mentioned, I'm now living downtown with a friend from pool. It's an old building split into five apartments (one on each floor, plus two small ones in the basement) but it's spacious and very nice. It's actually a heritage building (over 100 years old). So far Tora and I have been getting along great and I'm really enjoying living here. It's also going to be a lot easier on the old bank account so that's a good thing. There's so much new right now and a lot to write about but I'll save most of it for later. Suffice to say it's been an incredibly busy few weeks with the moving, my parents visiting, and life in general...so I'm tired and I need to get to bed. I'll write again soon though and with me back online at home, I should get back to regular updates in addition to some catch up posting this week.

Not the best time to feel sick

We'll call this my update for yesterday since I felt like complete garbage last night and was still bad this morning. I think it's my body's way of telling me I tried to do to much this week on not enough sleep (and possibly not enough food). With running class starting (and an extra run thrown in), two intense volleyball matches, and all the packing for tomorrow's move, I really haven't had enough rest this week. Hopefully I can finish packing early tonight and then have a good sleep before getting up to go the Uhaul tomorrow morning.

So about those two volleyball matches...we lost both of them. Yep, that's right, the #1 seed in the B-tier lost in the finals and the #1 seed in the A-tier lost in the semi-finals. Sucky! Both teams I played on just didn't step up the play enough when the other team did. This was especially true in the B-tier final. That being said, it wasn't like we played bad, the other team just played the best volleyball they've played all year and we didn't step it up to match them. Oh well, there's always next year.

One other thing I didn't mention when I talked about the end of the year for patrolling is that I was the recruit of the year (well one of two) at Mont Cascades (the hill I patrol at). I was honored to be recognized even though I don't think I did too much special this year. I'm already looking forward to next year's ski season but I think I'll enjoy the beautiful weather this summer first and spend some time on the beach (playing volleyball) and the field (playing ultimate).

Well I should get back to packing but before I do, here's a link to a little animation/video that video game nuts like me will enjoy: Haloid.

Friends don't let friends do crackbook

Crackbook (or Facebook as it's more commonly known) is invading my social circles. I had recieved so many tagged photos and invitations to join that I pretty much had to see what all the fuss was about. I'll admit it's pretty adictive but I believe it'll still just be a passing fad. Nevertheless, I'm signed up so you can find me there but I can't promise I'll pay too much attention to it. It will definitely not replace my blog but it may be the only place I put photos up for now (with the exception of the odd one here; it's not like I post many now anyway). Anyway, that's my latest online excursion so why not make it a link of the week: www.facebook.com

So I've been pretty crazy busy. So busy that I totally forgot to write last Thursday. Anyway, the week in a few points:
- Hockey playoffs have started (YAY!!) so I'm watching as much as I can in what little spare time I have. I'm in a few drafts/pools including one that I'm running at work (1st so far).
- Volleyball playoffs started for one of my teams last week (after a bye week for both teams). We won of course and play in the B-final this week and I play in the A-tier semi-final as well this week.
- It was my last poker night at the old place (of course it's not really the old place until I move on Saturday).
- Which brings me to: I'm moving on Saturday so I'm panicking to prepare for that.
- The ski season is officially over now with our sunset party happening last Saturday night (see my facebook album for pictures). A good time was had by all.
- Curling is also over due to summer (though you couldn't tell from the weather we're having). We unfortunately lost a close game for the league championship and lost 8-7 with a miss on the last rock...sucky, but still fun.
- Finally, work; crazy busy and it looks like there may be some overtime in the next few weeks (I know, crazy for a government worker but we need to get some testing done and it's just not working). I don't know where I'll find the time but if it needs to get done, I'll be there. I've also started a new term of French classes (Bloc 4). Hopefully I continue to improve my speaking skills because that's what I need to work on the most. Maybe I'll post in French once just for practice and to change it up a little.

See, I told you I was busy. Now there's other news (like about vacation plans, etc) but I'll save that for a mid-week post or Thursday's update. Have a good week everyone.

The End of the Long Weekend Streak

This is my last long weekend for a while (or maybe only a few weeks). I've had three in a row now so it's going to be hard to get back to work (especially since I had a two day conference last week) but luckily it's still a short week this week. My next term of French classes should also be starting up sometime this week.

So my big Easter dinner yesterday went really well. There was plenty of delicious food (the ham turned out really well) and some excellent company. I kind of wish there were a few more people to share in the bounty with us but on the other hand it was nice just having the 4 people I had over. We played some games, then ate, then played some more games...then ate some more. Good times were had by all (at least that's what I'm assuming). Looks like I'll be eating leftovers for a few days but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Hope everyone else's long weekend went just as well.

The next few weeks promise to be pretty busy and action packed. I've got volleyball playoffs (in both tiers) and curling finals. We also have our pool tournament coming up. And of course, in two weeks I move in with Tora. That should be fun but unfortunately I can't just wave my arms and have all my stuff transport itself downtown. The packing and moving will probably be a pain but hopefully I can coax some volunteers to lend their muscles for an afternoon (beer and pizza are in the offering for any movers). Despite the long weekend, I'm still ready for bed already. Have a good week!

Happy Easter Weekend!!

Okay, okay, I missed the regularly scheduled posts this week. It was a busy week though and quite frankly I just crashed most of the nights this week (good thing it's an extra long weekend). I'll get back to the regularly scheduled program next week. So Happy Easter weekend to all.

Most of my friends in Ottawa are gone home/have family plans this weekend so it looks to be a pretty lazy weekend. I had a grand plan to make supper for those still here but it seems that there is only 4 people really interested. Oh well, I'm going to make one heck of a ham dinner to show up those that doubt my culinary skills (I'm actually a little excited to actually make a big meal for people for once - well not for once but it has been a while). I'm also making a Babka (sweet-ish bread that my Grandma always makes). I'm just hoping I don't screw it up but I know I'll never live up to her awesome food.

Well, I'd better get to bed so I can get up early tomorrow. I need to clean up this sty so I can watch hockey and bake Saturday night and then cook Sunday afternoon (after going to church of course). Enjoy your weekend, be it with friends and family or a relaxing weekend alone.

Spring has Sprung

It was a beautiful day in Ottawa. It looks like Spring has finally arrived. Good thing I have the day off tomorrow to enjoy the sunshine. I'm already getting geared up for Ultimate and beach volleyball but right now I'm trying to evaluate how I spend my time. I'm always on the go to one sport or activity or another and sometimes this causes either a lack of sleep or a procrastination to do necessary tasks. The simplest example is cleaning. I just put off things like doing the dishes for too long some weeks because whenever I finally get home from wherever I am that day, I just want to relax a bit and play a game or read a book. Unfortunately, by relaxing, I use up the little time I spend at home not doing work that needs to get done. Does anyone have any suggestions for me to try and organize my time better or motivate myself to do some more work around the house when I do have the time? All that being said, I don't live in a total sty and I do get things done...eventually. I'm just somewhat unhappy with myself when it comes to some of the things I know I have to do but always put off. Guess that's just a side effect of a busy life.

Monday update on Tuesday

Yeah, I'm late a day...so what. I'm still recovering from the weekend. I was out all weekend, mostly at the hockey rink. I did 10 games in 3 days (and only one was on Sunday). And to top it off, I also patrolled on Sunday and curled (we won our last game of the regular season, yay). So yeah, I'm a little tired and I have a wicked headache. So yeah, this post is short and late but I'm just too tired and beat up to worry about it. Don't get me wrong though, I did enjoy most of the weekend, it's just the after effects that I don't like. Hope everyone's weekend went well too.

Here's the link of the week. Quick little video clip from MADTV with some Mac and political humor rolled into one: http://www.glumbert.com/media/irack

V-Ball Week

This week was filled with volleyball. Tons of volleyball. Monday, we won 4-1, yesterday my B-team won 5-0 (as usual), and tonight my A-team won another match 4-1. Both teams are first in their tiers and we'll be getting a bye in the first round of the playoffs (which start after next week). Boy am I tired after all that hitting. Luckily, I have tomorrow off so I can get caught up on my sleep and get some cleaning done around the apartment.

Oh, and for those that haven't seen 300 yet...go see it, especially if you like war/action movies with some gore. If you're a woman (or a guy) who doesn't like that kind of movie, you can pass and go to one of the chick flicks out right now instead. Or coming tomorrow...TMNT (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles)!! Sweet!! I've been told it's a good new rendition. I can't wait to see it.

Well, off to bed now. I'm beat. Enjoy the weekend!

Quiet St. Patty's Day Weekend

Well, as shocking as it may sound, I didn't make it out anywhere for St. Patrick's Day this year. While everyone was out drinking and having a good time, I stayed home, watched the hockey game and went to bed. Not overly exciting but I was feeling tired and had to ski the next morning so it just didn't seem like a good idea to go out. Yesterday at the ski hill was also the Snow Snake Day. It's just a bunch of activities at the hill as almost a wrap up party (just in case the snow doesn't last much longer, which it won't). The day culminates with the water skimming competition. Basically, skiers and snowboarders trying to work up enough speed from the last pitch of the main hill to skim across a pool of water 100 ft long and about 15 ft wide. It was quite amusing to watch but unfortunately I didn't catch the final few runs because a girl broke her arm and since I wasn't helping around the pool, I got to go with Ali and deal with the broken arm instead of watching the people faceplant into the icy cold water. Good fun though (not the broken arm, the water skimming).

So you like StarWars, well, the links of the week are a couple of funny/neat videos that these two guys put together of them having lightsaber fights. They're both quite well done. Enjoy!
Ryan Vs. Dorkman
Ryan Vs. Dorkman2

Squashed

Well, I've been bitten by the squash bug again. Mike and I went and played last night at the courts in Anne-Marie's apartment building. The courts are a little short but since I haven't played in over a year, I didn't notice much. It didn't take too long for me to get back into it either. I even gave Mike (who plays pretty much every week) a run for his money and won a set 2-1 (best of 3 games). He still ran me pretty good though and I was thoroughly tired last night. I also got a bit of a shin splint (cramp in the shin/ankle) but only in my left leg. Wierd. Anyway, I'm definitely back into the raquet sport stuff. I can't wait to play again and to start playing tennis again too. Spring is just around the corner. I think the ski season is almost done since most of the snow disappeared (at least in the city) this week with the warm temperatures and little bit of rain we had on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Quick last point: won another $40 at poker tonight, but it was mostly due to luck rather than really good play. It seems that we've attracted a few new bodies to the poker circle so hopefully we can have a week with a big enough turnout for a tournament soon. And hopefully my luck carries over to the Super 7 lotto tomorrow (I have a couple free tickets from last week when I bought a ticket on a whim).

Curling Thievery

So we won another curling match (that's two back to back for those that are counting)! It all started with an end with a 3-point steal. Then we stole 2 the next end. Then stole one, and another. After 4 ends we were already ahead 7-0. Then they managed to get a couple and steal a few in the 6th (and last) end but we already had built up that insurmountable lead. Yay for us. I didn't shoot particularly well but I made a couple nice draws and a really important raise of one of our guards in the first couple ends to ensure the robbery that went on. Points were being stolen all over the place.

Other than curling I was, as aforementioned, crazy busy. I skied both Saturday and Sunday. Saturday ended up being a bit of a crap shoot since it rained in the morning and was kind of crummy but there were a lot of patrollers up and we had a pot luck at night (cabane a sucre, or sugar shack to us English folk, themed). I made a cake that was less than stellar but still quite edible. Sunday however, was very nice. Even though I was on race patrol for most of the day, it was a beautiful day to be outside so I didn't mind. Then after curling yesterday, I went over to Wei's for a Chinese fondue. It was a deliciously good time.

Well, I'm still burnt out from the weekend and the time change so I'm heading to bed. Hopefully I don't sleep in past the start of French class tomorrow. Oh, and here's the link(s) of the week, in keeping with the skiing theme from the weekend:

Mont Cascades
Canadian Ski Patrol System (Gatineau Zone)

Stupid Juvenile hockey

So I was all set to have a pretty quiet evening tonight. I'd stop by my ref meeting for half an hour or so but otherwise, it was looking like I might get a night where I actually spent time at home doing...well, whatever I want but preferably nothing. Don't get me wrong, I like staying busy but sometimes I need a break. Anyway, I got a phone call during poker last night and my ref assignor pulled me into reffing a Juvenile game tonight. For those that don't know, Juvenile is what comes after Midget in the hockey levels, so the guys are 19 and 20. Usually it's pretty laid back but has some decently skilled players that are just looking to continue playing hockey. Sometimes though, you get the odd occational idiot that just can't seem to stop whining or loses it for no good reason. Tonight brought both situations out. Why, when a player gets a penalty for something obvious, like clipping the goalie, does he feel like he has to complain? He knows it won't do him any good (in this case it got him tossed for continuing for so long and so loudly). And why can't a team just accept a goal scored late in the game that might put them away? Why does the defense feel like he has to punch out the guy who made a nice play to pull the puck back in front and score on an out of position goalie? Of course this started a "fight" and then everyone but the goalies got into it. Since it's near the end of the season and almost no real punches were thrown, I decided to be nice and only call a few minor penalties instead of kicking them all out. You would think the players would accept this but no, they have to complain about every little thing. Okay, I'm done ranting for now. I just don't understand the stupidity of some players when you either cut them some slack or when something painfully obvious happens and they just can't let it go.

Other than tonight's hockey game, it's been a good week. I won at poker again last night (both by playing well and by hitting some good cards) and I won the payday 50/50 at work! Granted the 50/50 was only $23 but hey, I won for once, and that's what counts. I was feeling lucky so while filling up on gas (at some crazy prices) I thought I'd go in for a couple Super 7 tickets too for the $15 million jackpot. We'll see how far this luck really goes; I may be pushing it.

This weekend looks to be pretty busy with ski patrol on Saturday and Sunday (race patrol on Sunday) as well as a pot luck at the hill on Saturday. I also have curling as usual and then a Chinese fondue Sunday night. Should be busy but a lot of fun. Hope everyone has a good weekend.

Not much to report

It was a nice quiet weekend with only one reffing game, curling, and then volleyball tonight. The only other thing of consequence I did was pick up Anne-Marie and Jay from the airport (which took a good 2 hour wait for the late arrival and customs). At least we had a good sushi dinner afterwards. On another note (that I wasn't going to bring up yet but I may as well), I put in my 60 days' notice to leave my apartment. It's a good apartment; quiet, beautiful view, relatively spacious; but it's a little more expensive than I'd like and it was unbearably hot last summer and I'd rather not go through that again. Right now I'm looking at a few alternatives, one which involves moving in with a friend from pool who just bought her own place downtown in the fall. She'd like to save some money and thought of getting a roommate. I'm not totally committed to the idea yet but it has its upsides. You'll probably hear more about this as it goes on. I should be in a new place of somekind (maybe even a cardboard box) by May 1st. If anyone in Ottawa has any other suggestions on where to move, let me know.

Link of the week this week is a funny site but it has a little more crude humor than some readers can stand. If you like the stupid stuff, check out Pointless Waste of Time (PWOT). In particular, if you like video games, check out their latest article, "The 12 Awesomest Games of 2010". Also look at the daily "Craption" contest where you can submit funny quotes to wierd pictures. Good stuff. Until Thursday (barring some exciting event in the next 2 days).

Poker is fun

Well, it was the semi-regular weekly poker game today. I've managed to be up a considerable amount 3 out of the last 4 times we've played. I'd say my luck is turning around but I don't want to jinx it. I also had a few people from work over a little earlier to just hang out and drink and eat a bit. It was fun to just relax and chat with some friends for once. We never seem to really do that much anymore outside of work. Anyway, I'm dog tired and I still have French in the morning so I'd better get to bed. There's also a lot of snow coming our way so it could be an interesting day tomorrow.

NOOO!!! Bye Smitty...we'll miss you

Well, the impossible happened. Ryan Smyth is no longer an Edmonton Oiler. Now I like Kevin Lowe but you had to find a way to get this contract done. You can't just trade away the heart of and soul of the team. If Smyth comes back to Edmonton, some may be forgiven but I think we've seen the last of Smyth with an Oil drop on his chest. Now if you'll excuse me, I'll go cry myself to sleep (note that I almost did cry when I saw this trade on Trade Center today).

Trade deadline day

Before I start rambling on about hockey, let me sum up my weekend. I am super tired and I think this weekend I actually burned most of the extra calories that I ate (read: drank) when Dean was here. I reffed 3 games on Friday after a week of little to no sleep so I was already burned out Friday night at 10 and the weekend hadn't even really started yet. All Saturday I was on the hill patrolling. It was a busy day with lots of work to do so I had quite the workout. My only desire was to crash and sleep on Saturday night but instead I went over to Mike Kim's and played some poker. Good times but I ended up losing. Then I got up early again on Sunday to head back to the hill to patrol for a race we were hosting there. Luckily, because I was only really on race patrol, I was able to go home at 2:00 after the race was done. I came home and crashed for a few hours before I "finished the war", ie. finished passing Call of Duty 3 on the Wii. Lots of fun but a little too short for me to consider buying the game for what it's selling for now. That's pretty much my weekend and today was a normal Monday topped off with a mediocre pool performance.

Okay, so as you hockey fans would know, tomorrow is trade deadline day in the NHL. I thought I'd weigh in on a few things before they happen. First of all, you should know that I love this time of year. All the speculation, all the drama, all the deadline deals and deciding on who improved their team the most. So I don't think too many big blockbusters will go down this year but hopefully the Oilers can pick up a top 4 defenseman and make a good run at the playoffs. More importantly though, hopefully K-Lowe signs Ryan Smyth. I don't think the Oiler faithful (including me) could really forgive him if he lets Smitty go. Just pay the man, you know he's worth every penny, and he bleeds blue and orange (I refuse to buy into the blue and copper scheme). For you trade deadline coverage and all rumors/speculation hockey related, there are several links of the week...check them out:
www.nhl.com
www.hockeybuzz.com
www.spectorshockey.net
www.hockeytraderumors.com
TSN's Trade Centre
TSN's Trade List

Enjoy the madness. Who knows, I might jump on tomorrow and post my thoughts if something big or contraversial comes up.

Dean's Visit and Call of Duty

So Dean came out for a week as I mentioned before. It was again good to have someone from home come out and see my "new" life in the capital. He got to visit family here and see some of the sights, including skating on the canal and the rest of the stuff you would typically look at in downtown Ottawa. I got to hang out with a good friend for a week and have someone to watch and advise me on my reffing stuff (because the supervisions done on me this year have been useless). We both got to play some poker, drink, and eat out a lot, and play some Wii; good times were had by all. Most importantly, we got to see the Oilers play the Sens. It was a lot of fun going to the game and there were a ton of Oiler fans at ScotiaBank Place. Too bad the Oilers lost but at least they pulled out a 3rd period comeback and got one point from the shootout loss. It's going to be a tough home stretch for the Oilers but I have faith they can still make the playoffs.

Now that Dean is gone, I can play my Wii again without worrying about him wanting to play Zelda. I rented Call of Duty tonight (because I don't feel like cleaning up)...boy is that ever an addictive game. I just want to keep playing it. It's basically a WWII first person shooter but it's pretty fun and the graphics aren't bad. Maybe it's just because I haven't played any good FPSs in a while but I'm really enjoying it. Well, back to fight one more battle and then head to bed.

Ah, I missed one already

So only a few weeks into my regular updates and I already missed one...but I have a good excuse, honest. Dean is here visiting and arrived last Thursday. I was busy cleaning and recovering from a stick to the head that I took on Wednesday night's hockey game. Then it was time to visit with Dean and WIN again at poker (I actually took almost all of everyone's money). I never really had time to post. Anyway, it's been a good visit with Dean so far, I'll summarize it more this Thursday after he has left. We're going to the Sens/Oilers game tomorrow night so I'm pumped for that. The Oilers really need to win. Hopefully we bring them some good luck.

If you're bored sometime and you want a tough puzzle to work on, check out the Funny Farm. It's an interesting word game with naming things that are related (kind of like degrees of separation). Warning though, it's addictive and tough.

Who says volleyball isn't a workout?

So tonight was filled with volleyball. I played with my Statcan A-tier team from 5-7 and then with my Statcan B-tier team from 7-9. Boy am I exhausted. My legs felt like Jello and it required tremendous effort to walk sometime around 7:40 (second game of the second match). At least I caught a second wind which was enough to keep me going until I got home and could collapse on the couch. And since I am so tired and I just finished making some of my "famous" butterscotch/peanut butter squares for the bake sale at work tomorrow, I'm going to bed.

Hurry Hard!!

Well this isn't a Monday or Thursday but I thought it warrants a posting. My curling team got our first win tonight. We managed to play some good defensive curling; if you can really call messing up the paths to the house when we are shot rock defensive curling. And afterwards we went over to a couple on the other team's apartment for dinner (it was planned before, it wasn't like we won a bet or anything). Good food, good company, and beforehand, good (well, mediocere) curling. Hopefully this starts us on the path towards many more victories. Either way, we're having fun.

Pan's Labyrinth + Link of the Week

So Tuesday night, Mike convinced me to go to a late showing of Pan's Labyrinth. If you haven't heard of this movie, it's basically a gorey fantasy movie that takes place in Spain during World War II. The movie is completely in Spanish with English subtitles. But man is it ever gore filled. That being said, if you don't mind reading subtitles and seeing a few disturbing scenes, go see this movie. I thought it was very well done with an interesting story.

Now for the link of the week: http://www.applegeeks.com/lite/index.php?aglitecomic=2007-02-07
In case you've never read the Apple Geeks web comic before, here's the basics. It's a couple of mac lovers who have a regularly updated comic on Mondays and Thursdays with a basic little short black and white comic called Apple Geeks Lite that is updated on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. I point to this specific AG Lite comic because I just played Rayman: Raving Rabbids on the Wii (but check out some of the other comics because they are hilarious). It was a lot of fun but I think I'll hold off on buying it for now since I was starting to get a little tired of some of the minigames before too long. It does prove that the Wii is inspiring a lot of new styles of games (and some new, albeit wierd, ways to control your gaming experience).

Well, that's it for now. Have a good weekend.

The day after Super Sunday

Well, I just got home from pool so that means it's time for the Monday update (ha, and I'll be some of you thought I'd already let it slide). This weekend was, of course, the Superbowl. Now I'm not a huge fan of the NFL but I do watch the odd game from time to time and I'm all for getting together to watch sporting events. Luckily Andrew was kind enough to invite a bunch of us over to watch it; a good time was had by all (except the Chicago Bears).

Before the party yesterday I was at curling. We lost again but I felt some improvements near the end. My sense of weight is still horrible and I seem to throw too hard often but when we finished 10 minutes early (not enough time for another end) I decided to practice by throwing all 16 rocks back to the start. That helped me get a better sense but if any of you curlers out there have a way for me to better judge my weight when I'm throwing, I'm all ears.

Well, that's it for now, I'm heading to bed so I can get up in time for French tomorrow. Enjoy your week.

Poker and Volleyball + Link of the week

Well the last couple of days have been...you guessed it, busy. On Tuesday night I had three hockey games to ref on the opposite end of the city (actually had three good games, well, good for house league). Then, despite taking a slap shot right in the ankle bone and tweaking my knee on the ice on Tuesday, I played volleyball both Wednesday and today. Both of my teams won their matches 5-0. We didn't play particularly well either night but we covered each other well and played a pretty good team game to keep up the winning streak. And then after volleyball tonight, I hosted my semi-regular weekly poker game. With a strange twist of luck/fate, I managed to catch good cards tonight and ended up over 6 times the buy in. I feel bad because poor Mike gave up a fair chunk of his chips to me when I had the good hands. That's the way the cards fall sometimes though (not usually my way of course). Well, that's all for the week (except Friday but we'll count that as part of the weekend). Looks like I'll be on the hill somewhere on Saturday and even though curling should be on for Sunday, I should only miss a bit of the Superbowl. Enjoy the start of February and Winterlude if you are in Ottawa.

Oh, and here's a new little feature I'll like to start semi-regularly. When I find a neat site, or just a link to a funny video, picture, or blog entry, I'll post it as the link of the week. To start I suggest you check out Defective Yeti. It's a blog about random stuff but usually has some amusing posts from time to time. Check out his favorite posts for some of the funniest stuff he's written. Enjoy!

Let the regular updates...begin

Okay, so I'm going to try this for a while. Updates on Mondays and Thursdays...even if it's just a short post, or a link of the week posting, or just a weather report or a sports update. We'll see how long I can keep that up. Onto my first Monday update...

Today I started my first rotation of three as a recruit at Statistics Canada. Though I've already been working there for over a year and I officially got my CS-01 classification just before Christmas, the first official rotational position started today. These rotations are 8 month terms in different divisions within the department so you get exposure to different styles of management and different aspects of Stats Can. I'm of course starting in the division that I did my internship in and brought me back for the last year, Tax Data. I like the people I work with and I don't mind the work I do. It's been a pretty good environment to work in. That being said, it'll also be good to get out in 8 months and see a new position where I should learn new things and meet new people.

Well, that's it for work. Not much other than the normal schedule going on outside work right now...except for that I finished Zelda for Wii. Wow, what a game. I think I might just start over and do it from the beginning again...after I find all the extra stuff I missed before I went through the final dungeon/castle. So much fun and such a good story. It sucks you in and has such deep content and such a vast world that you can just run around doing small tasks and spend hours without getting bored. Well, I'm off to bed now that Hyrule (the kingdom in the game) is safe again...for now.

Quick update

As you might have noticed, I finally got my New Year's/Christmas vacation post up. I'd saved it as a draft and never actually got around to finishing it until tonight. I'm going to get back to regular posting soon. In fact, I think I'm going to try scheduled postings. Something like regular updates on Mondays and Thursdays or something with possible other postings when I'm in the mood. I also want to start a link of the week where I either link to a specific article or page that I find interesting. I'll try to start that this week sometime.

For now though, not a whole lot to report. Work continues, pool continues, volleyball continues with one small addition: I'm playing in both the A and B divisions in the Statcan volleyball league. Ski Patrolling is picking up now that I'm fully qualified (finished my on hill training and got my jacket last week) and now that we actually have some snow (in addition to all the fake stuff). And curling just started up tonight. It's tons of fun but I have a long way to improve. Practice makes perfect I guess.

Oh, and big news...I finally got a Wii. For those that are wondering if I misspelt a word...the Wii is Nintendo's newest console with a motion sensing controller. Very cool and tons of fun. I can't wait to get some more controllers and try out some of those multiplayer games. Zelda is occupying what little free time I have right now though. Anyway, that's it for me for now. Look for the start of regular postings coming soon.

Happy 2007!

Disclaimer: originally wrote January 3, 2007...published January 21, 2007

Welcome to another new year. A time for fresh starts and of course New Year's resolutions. Of course I'll keep up with the normal resolutions to quit smoking (so easy to quit when you never started) and to lose weight (that's the real resolution that never quite works out). So an update on my vacation back to Alberta. I got home just before Christmas and as usual, my dad and I went shopping to get a car load of Christmas gifts as we left it all to the last minute again. We then headed down to my Uncle's place in Red Deer for Christmas. It was a good Christmas and it was definitely good to see all of the family together again.

I was especially impressed over my trip home with the beautiful weather. I was expecting that going out West was going to freeze me to the core with all the actual winter they'd been experiencing but it turns out the only difference between Ottawa and Edmonton was the dumps of snow they'd recieved earlier in the season. The rest of my holiday back home was spent visiting with friends and hanging out with my family (although my mom would say I did too much of the former and not enough of the latter). For New Year's Eve, a bunch of the Devon families (the normal crew) got together for a huge Lobster supper at Towne's house. There was much food and drink and good times. There was also a great sing along as we, in typical camping like fashion, go out the guitars and played through the midnight celebration. All in all, it was a good trip and I'm glad I had the chance to go home and visit everyone.