I am both nervous and excited about tonights game. We have the series lead, the Dome is rocking and the Flames are RED HOT. It's going to be a battle - but isn't it always dangerous when you play with Fire?
I want everyone who reads this to ask me 3 questions, no more no less. Ask me anything you want and I will answer it. Then, I want you to go to your journal, copy and paste this allowing your friends (including myself) to ask you anything.
Via Guru and Lilly Wonka
Raven's sleep over didn't work out this evening and she just called me to go and get her. The walk home was very enjoyable. It was warm enough, and we watched, hand in hand, a brilliant display of the Northern Lights. Beautiful. I've never seen them so green and bright at this time of the year, but then again, I have never been this far north before.
I love the Northern Lights. But I love Duncan more so I am going back to bed!
He he he. Sometimes I am so witty I am amuse even myself.
Well, it's wasn't a pretty game, but we've got the split, and next stop is Calgary for home ice. My Detroit fan son was very good not to rub my nose in the game result today, but I fear a rift when the Flames send the Wings out to the golf course. Make no mistake, we are very much still in the game! Go Flames GO!
Also, Congratulations to our good friend Mike Smyth! He is recieving honours this weekend in Edmonton from APEGGA as he becomes their past President. He's had a great year. Here's to many more!
It's not the shot clock that matters, it's the score clock... and we just started this series off in a big way!
I'm opening mail at work, part of my normal routine, and I come across an invoice of a sorts I have never seen before. So, without further snooping I decide to ask my superivsor whom I should direct it to. She takes a peek, makes a face, and says that the Director should see this first. She hands it back to me and says "Ok, take it to her." After a slight pause, she adds quietly... "And then - run."
Dropping in at my kids school is always a pleasant experience.
Raven's teacher and principle couldn't wait to tell me that Raven had won a district art award and that her artwork (Three Tee Pee's in Watercolor) was now back at the school for display after touring around the district, including City Hall. Wesley's teacher sang praises about how his leadership skills were developing and said she was recommending him for School Crossing Guard Captain for next year, which means he will get sent on an all expenses paid training trip in the summer, also suggesting he get involved in school council next year.
But the best was one of Wesley's answers on his Social Studies Test (which he got 12.5 out of 14 on):
Q: What was Frobisher famous for?
A: Frobisher is famous for screwing with relations with the Natives and Europeans.
It has been decided. The lines have been drawn.
Go Flames! Go Habs! Go Leafers!
It's a great day to be Canadian!
I am uncertain how to feel about tonights game. It will have a bittersweet ending - one Canadian team will be eliminated, and one Canadian team will advance. I am very excited that three Canadian Teams will fight in the second round of the playoffs (don't remember the last time that happened) but a little sad it has to come at the expense of one of our own.
But, I remain in a state of ecstasy - joyful, enraptured celebration over the Flames' big win. Nothing's going to change that!!
What happens when you wake up from the american dream and find that the 'Butcher of Baghdad' is actually in the White House????
WE WON!!
This time for those Sens Fans out there!
Leafs Stink (I like this one)
Via: Awesome Rossome
Heart stopping excitement. Desperation. Nausea. Relief. Pure joy. Thrill. Pride. Anticipation. Desire. Conviction.
Two periods down. I know this is what makes a good hockey game - but right now I *might* prefer the smug comfort of a four goal lead... but then again, I like Roller Coasters.
Go Flames GO!
Update one (11:30pm): OMG! This is what hockey should be - and we are going to double overtime! My heart is bursting! "Oh, take me where the hockey players, Face-off down the rink; And the Stanley Cup is all filled up, For the champs who win the drink... Now the final flick of a hockey stick, and one gigantic scream; Well, the puck is in! The home team wins! That good old hockey game!!!!"
Update two (12:14am): We are tired, but still in the game! The third overtime period will hopefully see the Flames score!
Last update (12:33am): Flames are going to game seven, but I am not disappointed - that was an awesome game. They were so tired, but played so well! It was a classic. But now I am going to bed!
When the series first started Duncan eyed me suspiciously and said "Are you sure you are going to cheer for the Flames?"
The only reason he felt it neccessary to enquire is that I grew up on the coast. Technically, the Vancouver Canucks should enjoy some amount of loyalty from myself by the very geographical nature of my birth place. But truth be told, as a kid my love of hockey was fulfilled outside of the province, as I looked towards Montreal, Detroit, Edmonton and others to find some satisfaction that matched my love of the game. The Canucks tend to be a bunch of whiny losers, but it is actually the Vancouver Fans that damn it all.
I always dreamed of living in a hockey town. A real honest hockey town, where love for the game runs deep and team loyalty is not the "surface only" variety. If you are lucky enough to live in one of these places, then you know what I mean. Whenever I think of true hockey towns my mind turns easily to Detroit, where I have seen some of the most touching hockey moments (both on the part of the team and the fans) - I am reminded of Yzerman presenting the Stanley Cup to Vladimir Konstantinov in 1998, who was confined to a wheelchair after the horrid accident following Detroit's 1997 Stanley Cup win; And in a subsequent series, where the Wings were eliminated in four straight, the fans didn't abandon them - No, they stood on their feet for the last three minutes of the last period, with full knowledge their team was about to be eliminated (in a sweep no less), and cheered "GO WINGS GO" for the remainder of the game, applauding their team's effort. It's in those moments that my love of hockey swells.
The fans are an important, even integral, part of the game. If no one came to watch a game, then who would play hockey... and why? The team plays for the fans and the fans cheer for their team, taunt the other team, and at times tip the scales. They certainly provide the atmosphere, the energy needed for the game to be good. It is a symbiotic relationship. That's what makes hockey so good.
I was reading in the paper this morning that Vancouver has already abandoned their team. Even before their last game, where their team enjoyed the so called "home ice advantage," the fans sucked. (Home ice is only considered an advantage because the fans cheering/support is an added incentive to victory). This is so typically a Vancouver response that it sickens me to have to recall all the times it has happened this way in the past.
In all of it's collective sulking, Vancouver does not deserve another playoff game. Let it end in Calgary tonight, with the fans cheering, and everyone appreciating the privelege of competing in the Stanley Cup finals. Calgary has fought hard and they deserve the chance to advance.
I'm feeling a little lazy and saw this great post over at Bweezy's, so I am replicating it here for you. I will post more later, that's a promise!
Delicious Irony of the Day
Using WMD as a justification to attack Iraq , america invaded but found none. Now, reportedly due to circumstances under the american occupation, we discover that many of Iraq's nuclear facilities have become unguarded, and radioactive elements and materials are being smuggled out of Iraq, where they could possibly be used to make WMD. Hmmm. What else would they be used for?
As Bweezy would say, "isn't it ironic?"
You smell that? Do you smell that? Blubber, son. Nothing else in the world smells like that. I love the smell of Blubber in the morning.
Smells like... Victory...
Bring on Game Six!!!!!
Great Canadian Shoot Out
Oh, and my good deed of the day: Don't forget to watch Hockey tonight! Go Flames GO!
As per Riverbend, in Iraq:
The American and European news stations don't show the dying Iraqis… they don't show the women and children bandaged and bleeding- the mother looking for some sign of her son in the middle of a puddle of blood and dismembered arms and legs… they don't show you the hospitals overflowing with the dead and dying because they don't want to hurt American feelings… but people *should* see it. You should see the price of your war and occupation- it's unfair that the Americans are fighting a war thousands of kilometers from home. They get their dead in neat, tidy caskets draped with a flag and we have to gather and scrape our dead off of the floors and hope the American shrapnel and bullets left enough to make a definite identification…
It is sad, but true. Why should the american world be shielded from the truth that they bankroll? Why should they find comfort in a seductive, sterilized retelling of the story? They are afterall, really the only ones in the world who can influence it...
Ok, I know I have inadvertantly blogged tonnes today, but I couldn't pass this up. This is for all my Leafs fans out there...
EVERY SHOT YOU TAKE
OTTAWA SONG
Via: Mix 999 Hat Tip: Lilly Wonka
Even though many different pages and blogs consider me to be a News Blog, it really has been a while since I wrote a news oriented post (versus opinion). I feel I have maybe neglected that part of my blogging persona and therefore some of my audience (sorry). My apologies. Let me try to make up for it.
Top Story: Iraq: Who would Jesus Bomb?
The crisis in Al-Fallujah is the most predominant among many problematic areas in Iraq (where american troops are currently fighting a "two front" battle against both Sunni and Shi'a insurgencies). The violence has been so extreme in Al-Fallujah that the Iraqi Governing Council felt it neccessary to denounce american military operations there and call for a cease fire, which it has secured, although sporadic reports indicate fighting has resumed there again. With americans determined to exert more pressure to gain control before the June 30th handover date, they seem not to realize the people of Iraq need the occupation to end before the transfer of power can be considered legitimate. "They behave as though it is their country and we are all terrorists," said one Falluja resident.
Personally, I doubt that the americans will ever be able to encourage, inspire or inflict reform throughout Iraq, or the Middle East for that matter. They refuse to come to an understanding of the people, the culture, the beliefs and religion, their tribal histories (and tendancies) or their determination of spirit and how they define themselves as a group. Yet the americans do seem to be prepared to commit a large amount of undisciplined military force to achieve this end - an illustration of the severe lack of coherent planning for post war Iraq. But this is perhaps a blog for another day.
Local News: Edmonton: What's Wrong with our Police?
A 24 year old Edmontian father ran into a burning house to save his two children from certain death. Neighbours had tried to enter the home but had been pushed back from the heat and the smoke. The Dad managed to reach the kids and get them to the doorway before he collasped, needing medical attention for smoke inhalation that collasped a lung. While his children were whisked away to Stollery Children's Hospital for treatment (where they remain in stable condition) the Dad was arrested by Edmonton Police on an outstanding warrant for an unpaid 57.00 fine, and taken to the remand centre. He did not recieve any medical attention until after his family was able to raise his bail. He then went to the hospital to see his children.
So what's wrong with this story? I'm sorry - I think you need to use some discretion in certain situations, and certainly an arrest warrant can be dealt with in the few days after something like this happens - you know, let the guy get some medical attention and see his kids in hospital to make sure they are ok? My guess is that because this man is Native he was treated like a second class scum by city Police. I'm getting really tired of this kind of thing here in Edmonton, it happens alot. I don't much like it here - but that is definatly a blog for a different day.
Public Service: Canada - Greatest Canadian
Duncan and I have been debating for more than a few days now whom we should nominate for the CBC's Greatest Canadian. If you haven't had a chance already, check it out. I will publish my decision when I complete it!
As for posting news again, I have mixed feelings - I see so much in the indy and other nations media that I want to post the gory horrid truth of whats facing the people of Iraq, but the stories are not "popular" and might even decrease readership... and yet that leaves me thinking that the teppid watered down versions our us controlled media has to offer has no teeth at all. It's like deseminating propaganda for them... all the while pretending everything is ok. I don't think it's me. We shall see.
Whilst taking a break from cooking our Easter Dinner (which is tonight since the kids have just arrived home) I thought I would try and quickly get some blog time in.
This weekend has been marvelous. Thursday evening after the kids left with their Dad we went to see an advanced showing of the Punisher. It was very good, dark and gruesome at times, but good. I liked the way the comic book "hero" differieniated between themes of revenge (which he had no respect for) and punishment, which he saw as a needed action when the law just wouldn't do.
Good Friday I had a surprise for Duncan - he had said that he wanted to go see the Whole Ten Yards, so I bought him the Whole Nine Yards and we watched it before I took him out to see the movie. That evening we watched Hockey (ofcourse) at our place with Quynn, and it was a great game! After Quynn went home Duncan finished Splinter Cell 2 (Pandora Tomorrow) and we went to bed with much to celebrate.
Saturday we finished watching the Matrix movies (we had watched the Matrix earlier in the week) and I was pleasantly confronted with themes I had picked up in watching them before but really stood out when one watches them all together. The story closely follows the Easter story, and I might blog more about it later, but if you know the story of Elijah and Jesus, as well as are familiar with Greek Mythology, go and rewatch the movies all together. After the movies we went down to Whyte Avenue and cruised through the shops enjoying the sunshine. Duncan had made reservations at Yianni's, a wonderful little greek place that treated us to belly dancing during our meal. After dinner we strolled from Whyte Avenue downtown, across the high level bridge. The North Saskatchewan River was beuatiful, and the lights of the city and the Legislature, coupled with the stars, made it very romantic. We ended up at Chez Pierre's, a Strip Club that I first took Duncan to (his first time) four years ago. Four Years, wow. It seems just like yesterday! We had a very enjoyable time and I recieved some extra special attention from my favourite girl that night, Brittany.
Easter Sunday, we slept in... glorious morning. All our plans got a little mixed up but we managed to prevail and salvage an evening for ourselves. We watched the Hockey Game at Hooters with a bunch of Canucks Fans (BOOOOO CANUCKS) and we lost - it was still a good game. We came home, changed into our PJ's and went out for a walk, always enjoyable. I miss walking lots with Duncan, thank god the weather is finally better!
Today, well we hid Chocolate eggs (some I made myself) and treats for the kids to find when they arrived home. That's gotta be the funnest part of Easter, the whole egg hunt! We did some web updating stuff and cleaned up a bit, especially outside where the lawn needs some spring attention. I am in the midst of cooking a roast pork dinner, with Mixed Veggies, Hollandaise sauce and Yorkshire Pudding (which reminds me, I must go and put those in the oven). MmmMmmmmm. But yes I must go. I hope everyone had an awesome weekend as well!
But only when life doesn't get in the way!
Every weekend that the kids are off with their Dad Duncan always plans out some parts of our days to be just completely "us" and "date" orientated, and this weekend has been no exception. And the best part? TWO MORE DAYS TO GO! Yay us! Tonight we are off to Quynn's for Sushi, Steak and Calgary Flames Hockey.
Is there anything more glorious than the Stanley Cup Playoffs? It's my favourite season!
Oh and for the curious, Bush did know Bin Laden had plans to commit terrorist acts upon US soil, including possibly using planes to target NY buildings, before the Sept 11 2001 attacks. But we all knew that anyways didn't we.
Oh yeah, and Happy Easter to any devotees out there - if you want to watch an interesting portrayal of the Easter Story than watch all three Matrix movies together (in the right order silly).
I am pretending to work. It's not hard since my actual workload today is minimal and I am not directly supervised so it is expected that I manage my own time. But truth be told, the sun is out, I am feeling friskier than the Easter Bunny and I have no interest in work. It's a day for daydreaming!
So, I am finding it very hard to focus on being at work and not on the fact that beginning at 2:00 today is my long weekend, and one alone with Duncan since Mark is coming to pick up the kids for Easter. I am very much looking forward to it!!!!!!!
The long trek to the Stanley Cup is finally upon us. I am bursting with excitement! I often muse that the reason god sent me to live in Canada could only be hockey and the Stanley Cup. Love for Stanley, and Hockey, runs deep within my soul. I can't imagine a life without it. And I am blessed enough that I have Duncan to share it all with!
GO FLAMES! GO SENS! GO CANADIENS!
I was 17 or so when Ethel Blondin-Andrew was first elected federally. I remember watching an interview with her and the things she said inspired me - but it was more than that. Her politics came from her heart, and as such, she touched in me things I hadn't dared to recognize in myself, or had tried to ignore, having grown up in male centred politics.
Raven was so cute yesterday - when Paul Martin walked into the room I pointed to him for her and I said, matter of factly, "That's the Prime Minister."
She looked at me with big eyes, in a most impressed voice, and said "The Prime Minister... of Canada?!? The WHOLE Canada?!?!"
Today I was spolied. It was my last day of work at one of my jobs and I was showered with gifts, cards and then was taken out for coffee this afternoon instead of working.
I am one of those people who do tend to get gifts as they leave a workplace - but today I recieved the oddest workplace goodbye gift I have ever heard of anyone getting...
Anyone care to guess?
UPDATE: After alot of great guesses, Rook got the right one!
I have Blogger's Block. And Duncan is sick. I need to go pamper him.
That is all.
I have been compared to Chomsky.
Via: Trite Remarks.
UPDATE: Thanks to Mir at Dim Sum Diaries, I now know Noam Chomsky has a blog!
It is true I have often been guilty of being (or at least appearing) flippant in many different types of situations, however inappropriate my flippancy might have been. It may be the part of me that my East Londoner father is responsible for, or the part of me desensitized by years of learning to kill people. Or it may, finally, actually be an acceptance of the way life is, borne from years of experience with a lot of hard knocks along the way.
I am still undecided.
Everything that has a beginning has an ending. Short or long, everything that is alive has a lifetime to finish. Living is dying as well. Death really is our only birthright in this sometimes unpredictable world. I have oft wondered these past few years why our society insists on hiding it away like it is some type of failure, filing it into places like hospitals, morgues, funeral homes and cemetaries. It's like death has become a spectator sport to distance ourselves from, to gaze upon with the same type of curiousity that one would have watching to see if someone would jump when they are standing on the edge of somewhere high.
You know you would watch too. But what would you be thinking?
Fantastically compelling stories full of passion, intrigue, magic, adventure, suspense and tragedy.
Sounds a lot like my life!
Oh... did I mention I hate the Royal Bank?
And so is this Election.
It was the decision of the Review Board at the U of C SU to dismiss the results of the 2004 SU Election.
Pursuant to section 96(3)(a) of the Election Bylaw, the Students' Union election of 2004 is declared invalid and the Board hereby orders a new election to be held.
It's like a train wreck you can't help but watch... Student politics can be very interesting at times. In the words of Jeff Foxworthy... "Here's your sign..."
A year after the beginning of the "war" on Iraq... the words of an Iraqi woman say it better than I could...
"Last year, on this day, the war started during the early hours of the morning... The tears started falling with the first few thuds... It was a familiar feeling because it wasn't, after all, the first time America was bombing us. It didn’t seem fair that it was such a familiar feeling."
"That was the beginning of the 'liberation'… a liberation from sovereignty, a certain sort of peace, a certain measure of dignity. We've been liberated from our jobs, and our streets and the sanctity of our homes… some of us have even been liberated from the members of our family and friends."
"But we've learned a lot. We've learned that terrorism isn't actually the act of creating terror. It isn't the act of killing innocent people and frightening others… no, you see, that's called a 'liberation'. It doesn't matter what you burn or who you kill- if you wear khaki, ride a tank or Apache or fighter plane and drop missiles and bombs, then you're not a terrorist- you're a liberator."
"The war on terror is a joke… Madrid was proof of that last week… Iraq is proof of that everyday. I hope someone feels safer, because we certainly don't."
Read all of her blog post at Baghdad Burning.
I am who I am, aren't I? Always changing, growing, living. Tomorrow I will be someone different, yet still me at my core. Will you remember me?
Everything I write is different, yet I recognize myself in everything; it is afterall, the same as what I wrote before, and will write - again.
Life is full of many questions, and the answers all lead to yet more questions. Answers and questions always the same, perpetually generating our myth of who we are.
So...
Who are we? Why are why here? Why do we believe the things we believe? How do we know the things we think we know? Who gave us our values? What is the purpose of it all? When is it too late?
Inspired by: Run Lola Run
A night of RISK and Scotch (interspersed at times with some Sherry) makes for fun times...
Update: am fairly drunk now. I forgot to mention that today was report card day. Mostly A's and a couple of B's shared between them, we are happy parents. And, we are drunk parents.
Backk to the game.
Jon was right... Maddox's children's art collection is a complete blast. I laughed so hard I couldn't breathe. And then when I did catch some air, all I could do was laugh until I couldn't see the commentary anymore. My favourite is the firetruck...
This site belongs to an adult, sexually active woman and sometimes I might talk about sex. I might even talk about sex all of the time, if I wanted to. It's my blog, and I will post what I feel like at any given moment. People visit and choose to return, or not, depending on what they find here, as with any other page on the internet. It's commonly referred to as "free will."
If you are under 18 and can't handle sexual or suggestive content, just don't come back. Don't bother to leave me a comment lecturing me/us on restricting my/our content or what type of sexual conduct you believe is appropriate with my adult partner (drawn of course from your immense sexual experience I am sure).
If you can't run with the big dogs, just stay on the porch.
Life gets interesting when you walk those grey areas of "off the record" - "on the record." Especially when the situation involves a criminal investigation that, by virtue of my journalistic integrity, I don't want to compromise in any way. (Yet so many juicy details...)
Since the stabbing yesterday I have been a busy beaver. I have just finished writing articles for two newspapers. This has entailed that I spend large amounts of my time today (and yesterday) interviewing all sorts of people, listening to many rumors and gruesome stories, following blood splatter trails, and conversing with people who enjoy exciting careers in investigation and forensics. As well, I worked both days, and somehow last night found the time to watch Schindler's List with Duncan. Afterwards we talked until 230am. Who needs sleep?
Tonight, upon arriving home, we discovered that we had a message detailing emergent plans to dine with Murray and Quynn, asap. Not being one to ever turn down the Minister (or Quynn for that matter) I quickly changed out of work clothes, encouraged my children to bathe and dress appropriately, and tried to do some work on the stories before leaving. Dinner was great - both the company and the conversation was pleasurable, and well worth the harrassing I endured from my editor after I got home to finish the story.
In my spare time I also managed to acquire a second job with the university, which begins Friday (tomorrow I am attending a Public Relations and Affairs Workshop). Its part time, but pays as much as my fulltime job did, and maybe a bit more. I may or may not continue working two part time jobs. We shall see.
Right now I am a little tired, as all the action winds down. But suddenly the world seems, well, oddly, quiet and stress free.
I love snuggling with Duncan in the mornings. We lay there in bed, bodies together, fingers intertwined, breathing in each other, snoozing and pushing the snooze button "just one more time."
These mornings are even better now that the sun is up before the alarm goes off. It doesn't seem like so much theft of sleep now when that buzzing happens. Spring always makes me feel better, but this was the hardest and coldest winter ever, so I appreciate it all that more!
My lovely fiance serenaded me this morning, with a big (and mischievious) smile on his face... These are the words he sang to me, courtesy of Paul Simon:
I am excited because tonight Duncan is taking me to see Madame Butterfly, a love story told as an opera in two acts. I love the Opera.
I have reached that blogger milestone that excites each and every blogger, and I am kind of tickled. It's a nice touch to my weekend, as the festivities for my birthday begins. Today I was treated like a princess at work and was taken for lunch at a delightful little resturant called the Happy Garden. It was very nice. The weekend is full of promise and I am excited and looking forward to The Opera on Saturday and sharing Sushi Sunday evening with friends and my kidlets.
