It's quite the paradox that I am currently facing. I am interested in doing some creative writing, but every time I have put any amount of thought into the idea, I come up completely empty. When I try to think creatively I realize that I am not creatively inclined naturally, then all I can think about is how uncreative I am, which makes it even more difficult to think creatively. The last time I wrote anything of a creative bent has long since been stricken from my memory, so needless to say, it's been a while. While pondering my situation, I have been thinking about the things I have in my life and the things that I enjoy doing. I get to spend considerable time with my children, and they often do and say very creative things. If you have ever raised a toddler or even spent significant amounts of time with one you will discover that they are apt to say or do almost anything. I am amazed regularly by things Asher says and does, as it feel like his mind with it's 32 months of life experience should just not ready to speak in such a way. In the last couple months his intellect has been developing rapidly, he is figuring out how to count to 10, he is getting the colours of the rainbow all sorted out, and i have had my jaw dropped a few times when he remembers small happenings days later when I have long since forgotten them. Why is it that a boy of less than 3 is seemingly more creative minded than a man of nearly 30?
It is puzzling, this lack of creativity. Being aware of my situation has my ego injured. Genius seems to have eluded me in life, but I do feel that I am intelligent enough to recognize excellence in others who take a shot at this whole creativity thing. I consume considerable entertainment material that has at it's core a creative quality. Television shows, novels, movies, editorial opinion columns, sports, children's play are all things that when considered, involving a considerable amount of creativity. I am a consumer of creativity who has little patience when the product is uninspired and dry. I don't watch reality television, it fails miserably in the creativity department, and it seems most of the subject matter is intriguing to television executives as it is easily consumable. Creative material requires a certain degree of critical thinking to be enjoyed as intended. This may be why I struggle to find television programs that I enjoy outside of the mindless sitcom genre. I know what I am getting with the 22 minute laugh track, and I can take it at that. My movie tastes have evolved considerably, as I will no longer tolerate the commercialized trash that big business movie producers shove down the throats of consumers. Occasionally, I will still enjoy a movie that I have been told to watch by countless commercials and endless promotion but these productions often leave me unsatisfied. There is a certain satisfaction that comes with enjoying a movie that most others haven't seen. I feel like I am part of a little clique when that happens.
As I type this, I am realizing that my tastes in all things seem to unfold in a similar manner. I enjoy reading books that other people aren't reading, lately I have been focused on old works that may have been read by a large number, but only because they have been available for many decades and eventually enough people found their way to the material. Albert Camus is the author I am currently enjoying, and truthfully I was first drawn to him because his books are thin little things that were caught between the wide spined tombs of the adult fiction section. What business does a 120 page work have in the novel section? Camus was an Algerian born French citizen who won himself a Nobel Prize in literature in 1957. He wrote a few published plays, 5 non-fiction works, a short story collection and 5 novels, 2 of which were slapped together posthumously from material he had written. I just finished reading "The Stranger" and am now halfway through "The Fall", which means that in a week I have absorbed a considerable amount of this man's literary contribution by stealing a few minutes here and there throughout my day. Less is more has never been more true. "The Stranger" is all of 118 pages, and they are large font, well spaced pages at that.
Packed into "The Stranger" is a lot of subject matter devoid of the usual filler content that you get with most novels. The book starts on the very first page with Mersault the main character learning of the death of his mother. A picture is quickly painted of a young man who seems to be devoid of the compassion and feeling that is expected of him. He is not outwardly upset about his mother's death. He attends her funeral as if it is a chore. He engages in a sexual relationship with a former co-worker just a day after the death. When asked by the girl if he loves her, he responds that he doesn't think so. When Mersault murders a man who had been after his acquaintance Raymond the reader is provided with no explanation or motive as to why. As he is tried, it becomes clear that Mersault's lack of conventional compassion will be used to paint him as an unfeeling monster. I have a tendency to grow attached to villains when reading or watching creative material and this novel was no different. While the fact that he had murdered a man in cold blood was not in dispute, the focus of Camus' writing was on Mersault's inability to act in the manner that was expected of him. By focusing on this aspect, Camus successfully trained my thoughts on the life and upbringing of Mersault and the impact that these events had on his committing such a crime. The prosecutor focused on Mersault's treatment of his mother, who he had placed in a nursing home but a couple of years before her death. He lacked compassion towards his mother it was implied, because he had lacked the same with him. Mersault the monster who lacks compassion was created by his mother, who he then mistreated and ignored in the most ironic of twists. As the novel is wrapping up, Mersault comes to realize how insignificant individuals are. Conform or be exposed. He takes some solace in that he will be remembered in the short term despite how negative that impact may be.
The hope I had this morning was that I would have my creative part of my brain jostled into action by concentrating on the concept. I may not be creatively inclined, but I am aware that somewhere in my brain there is a compartment set aside for such thinking. Creativity can't be forced and my experiences this morning have given me further confirmation of just such a thought. I still plan to eventually produce some creative material for this space, but I have concluded that it will just happen when it does. No amount of self pressure will change that. At some time, somewhere, an idea will hit me, and material will produced and eventually self published here. I can't tell you when, or whether or not it will be any good. I do know that every human brain has some capacity for creative thinking, and my brain works on it's own schedule. Fine by me.
Sunday, 13 October 2013
Tuesday, 24 September 2013
Just Me and My Son
We have had a fun morning here in the man cave. Asher had fallen asleep again while watching teetee so when I rolled out of bed it was deathly quiet in the house. The little man woke shortly after and we have been busy ever since.
Asher brought out the deck of cards first and proceeded to continuation bet on a flop of ace, queen, jack. I called with my ace ten. He bet again on the turn and river, while I made both calls without improving my hand. He flipped over his cards one and at time, happily announcing that they both had a match: the nine that had hit the turn, and the seven that had hit the river. He is 2 and a half.
Next, Asher pretended to be a "moncur" while I attempted to hide under a couple of blankets. It's not every day that a growling, scary lizard gets spooked by the dark, but this little guy did. After he found me under the blankets, he immediately had to go as the windows were all closed up. He is 2 and a half.
Asher climbed on top of the eliptical machine, and while he can't make it go with his feet, he is strong enough to move the arms and turn the wheels. He called over to me for help with counting as he completed 10 reps. Asher is 2 and a half.
After we took a break to get dressed and watch the garbage truck come by, it was time for breakfast. I poured a bowl of golden grahams and grabbed a glass of water. I came back downstairs, and he followed a minute later with a chocolate pop tart. No offer to share his find, he was more than willing to alternate bites of cereal with me while also eating the whole confection. He is 2 and a half.
I received a series of high fives and low fives topped off with a kiss before Asher spotted me for a set of reverse dumbbell flys. He was also kind enough to count my reps for me, only skipping the numbers 5 and 8 on our way to 10. Asher is indeed 2 and a half.
We have managed to squeeze in a little basement baseball too despite being so busy this morning. At one point he called to me to take a picture. He had put on my weight lifting gloves and had 1 leg resting on the weight bench with a tooth filled smile plastered on his face. What can I say? I've had a great morning with my Asher. He is 2 and a half.
Asher brought out the deck of cards first and proceeded to continuation bet on a flop of ace, queen, jack. I called with my ace ten. He bet again on the turn and river, while I made both calls without improving my hand. He flipped over his cards one and at time, happily announcing that they both had a match: the nine that had hit the turn, and the seven that had hit the river. He is 2 and a half.
Next, Asher pretended to be a "moncur" while I attempted to hide under a couple of blankets. It's not every day that a growling, scary lizard gets spooked by the dark, but this little guy did. After he found me under the blankets, he immediately had to go as the windows were all closed up. He is 2 and a half.
Asher climbed on top of the eliptical machine, and while he can't make it go with his feet, he is strong enough to move the arms and turn the wheels. He called over to me for help with counting as he completed 10 reps. Asher is 2 and a half.
After we took a break to get dressed and watch the garbage truck come by, it was time for breakfast. I poured a bowl of golden grahams and grabbed a glass of water. I came back downstairs, and he followed a minute later with a chocolate pop tart. No offer to share his find, he was more than willing to alternate bites of cereal with me while also eating the whole confection. He is 2 and a half.
I received a series of high fives and low fives topped off with a kiss before Asher spotted me for a set of reverse dumbbell flys. He was also kind enough to count my reps for me, only skipping the numbers 5 and 8 on our way to 10. Asher is indeed 2 and a half.
We have managed to squeeze in a little basement baseball too despite being so busy this morning. At one point he called to me to take a picture. He had put on my weight lifting gloves and had 1 leg resting on the weight bench with a tooth filled smile plastered on his face. What can I say? I've had a great morning with my Asher. He is 2 and a half.
Monday, 23 September 2013
Do This Do That
I'm back in front of my keyboard with a little time on my hands and I figured, what better to do with my time than to lull my small band of loyal readers into a false sense of enjoyment? I kid indeed, the content in this space is not intended to entertain, because if I went about it that way, I would be setting myself up for failure. If, after I type this piece and you have read it and enjoy it, then and only then should I recieve any credit whatsoever.
Lately, I have noticed that I am a bit depleted. How so you might ask. It is kind of hard to explain. See, it's been a couple of years since I started making positive changes in my life. Slowly, I began to make more and more changes, and it is entirely possible that I reached some kind of limit. I was going to categorize the different changes I made, but in actuality, they all tie back into physical and mental health. Most of the things that would find a place on my mental list have been mentioned in this space. Sheila has joked on occasion that I just didn't have the time in a day to do all the things I had in mind. It seems in the past few months rather than run myself ragged getting all sorts of things done, I have copped out and done less, or even less than less, nothing at all. You might think, oh, what a smart move. Less burnout. Matt must be feeling better. I'm not so sure. There really is something amazing about the way you feel having accomplished numerous things in your day. This is not to say that I can't find hapiness in the small things. Jasmine and Asher give me reasons to smile all the time as I documented in my last post with Jasmine's new trumpet. I want to use my time today to make a list of things I was doing to better myself either physically or mentally that I have gotten away from either completely or somewhat. I intend these to be short snipets, rapid fire style, but you know me, long winded is an understatement. I am hoping that getting these things down on virtual paper will inspire me to get back at them.
-MORE CARDIO! Ugh, I had a few soccer injuries that became convenient excuses, but the last 3 weeks or so I have been flat out lazy. Get on your bike son! Go walking with the kids! Get a few jogs in before our 6 month winter sets in.
-EAT HEALTHIER! This one has slowly crept up on me. Too much pizza. When I was doing well, my treats and junk food were limited to night time while watching boob tube or playing cards. I should be able to have decent will power during the day when I am not even hungry.
-TAKE YOUR VITAMINS! This one should be easy. It takes about 2 minutes to open the bottles and pop the pills. No effort required. I currently have green tea tablets, ginseng, fish oil, glucosamine sulfate, calcium, coenzyme Q10 and a multivitamin. When I take the lot of them after a meal, I end up feeling much better throughout the day. 2 minutes of time to feel better all day? Only an idiot would be too lazy to not bother.
-PROTEIN! I also haven't been bothering with protein shakes. Stupid. I usually have cereal or yogurt for breakfast, then a sandwich or leftovers for lunch. Sheila is a great cook and dinner is always good whether she or I make it. That extra 20 grams of protein that a daily shake provides in needed for my health. It's also one of the only ways I consume milk as I rarely think to just have a glass.
-ACTIVITIES WITH JASMINE! It has dawned on me recently. It's much easier to entertain a 2 year old then it is a 10 year old. We did take advantage of our nice September weather, and I had the kids out exploring at the Nechako River, soaking up the sun at West Lake, and a few other things. Asher thoroughly enjoys anything we end up doing. Aside from swimming weekly, where I am occupied with her brother, Jasmine doesn't have any regular activities that we do together. I aim to work on that.
-MORE HELP AROUND THE HOUSE! This one comes and goes. Sometimes I am very helpful for weeks, other times, not so much. I had been making more meals and getting more chores taken care of, but this rut I find myself in has led to less productivity in all aspects of my life. Cook more, clean more, feel accomplished. Allow Sheila to relax more. Seems simple enough.
PICK UP A GOOD BOOK! I had a short virtual conversation with one of my few reading buddies over the weekend. She asked if I had read anything good lately, and I was ashamed to admit, I have barely been reading. My spare time at work is best for reading, but it seems I haven't managed to get motivated. I did read a solid mystery novel recently by Louise Penny that I got through quickly due to my interest level, so perhaps I have turned a corner. Reading is so much more enjoyable than mindlessly staring at a computer screen or television though I forget this at times.
WRITE MORE! This poor blog has been neglected for too long. If I do more things with my spare time, I will have more things to write about. Easy game.
BRUSH YOUR TEETH! This one is a bit embarassing. I always brush in the morning and usually once or twice more during the day. I floss religiously, something I never forget due to a few small gaps in my teeth that are essentially magnets for food scraps. It's the bedtime brushing that I am lazy about, and it's been getting to me. Haul your lazy ass out of your bed and spend 2 minutes in the bathroom scrubbing the stubs. 60 year old me will thank 30 year old me in the future.
HELP ASHER GROW! So my little guy is getting pretty close to being a 3 year old. He is growing physically and mentally every day. My brother was over for a visit last night with my neice Charlotte who is but a few months old. The little one is cute as a button, and she provided a reminder to me about just how different children are at 2 months as opposed to 32 months of age. It is up to Sheila and I to mentor and guide Asher's ever growing mind. We were both estatic the other night when he counted 10 dots for us! He is beginning to learn the different colors too! We have been locked in a months long struggle towards potty training. Asher has been peeing in the toilet for a couple months now, and even will initiate the visits to the bathroom so he can go. Number 2 has not been so easy. Sheila and I have been working at it, and he has managed to go twice now, but both times Sheila had to trick him somewhat. We have established a rewards system that he is well aware of, but after he got the toy motorcycle, he seemed to be content. No need for the other cars apparently. I am lucky enough as a Dad to get lots of one on one time with my little guy. I need to be more productive with this time.
SEEK OUT NEW MUSIC! I am a music lover. I have no shame in admitting that I will listen to most any genre if I enjoy what I am hearing. Music can often alter my moods significantly, and I will use it to pick me up if I need a boost. It is also important for me to keep finding new stuff so I don't get bored with what I have. Go forth and journey young man!
LIFT MORE WEIGHTS! More cardio is one thing, but I would also like to get stronger. No one wants to be a string bean. I have done pretty good with this one, but I find that my workouts are taking longer and longer as my motivation has been lacking. Routines that could be completed in a matter of 45 minutes end up taking me upwards of 2 hours as I search for things to distract myself with. I often run out of time and have to cut exercises out of my plans. Sad, sad, sad!
ENJOY WHAT YOU HAVE! I am not good with being appreciative. There are many things in my life that I am thankful for, but as I rush through life I don't think I spend enough time reflecting. I have a woman in my life who adores me, despite my numerous flaws. I have two very healthy children who are beautiful and well behaved. We have a house to call a home, and reliable vehicles to get us around. My extended family is close by, and they are very supportive. I see people struggling and I empathize with them, but I am often too busy bemoaning the minor difficulties in my own life to properly put things in perspective.
DO MORE FOR OTHERS! I have been thinking about this one for a few weeks, ever since I found out my work schedule will not allow me to coach Jasmine's basketball team this winter. Perhaps there is something more I should be doing? Volunteer coaching is something, but it is only a few hours a week for a few months of the year. This is me telling me that I will help with the Good Cheer campaign at Christmas time. Maybe it is time that Jasmine and I start volunteering at the soup kitchen like we have discussed a few times? I will have my Saturday mornings free throughout the winter so even the feeblest of excuses is gone. I can't afford to give financially, but for many charitable organizations they need man power more than money power.
That's my time, I hope everyone has a great week. With all of these topics in mind, I know I will.
Lately, I have noticed that I am a bit depleted. How so you might ask. It is kind of hard to explain. See, it's been a couple of years since I started making positive changes in my life. Slowly, I began to make more and more changes, and it is entirely possible that I reached some kind of limit. I was going to categorize the different changes I made, but in actuality, they all tie back into physical and mental health. Most of the things that would find a place on my mental list have been mentioned in this space. Sheila has joked on occasion that I just didn't have the time in a day to do all the things I had in mind. It seems in the past few months rather than run myself ragged getting all sorts of things done, I have copped out and done less, or even less than less, nothing at all. You might think, oh, what a smart move. Less burnout. Matt must be feeling better. I'm not so sure. There really is something amazing about the way you feel having accomplished numerous things in your day. This is not to say that I can't find hapiness in the small things. Jasmine and Asher give me reasons to smile all the time as I documented in my last post with Jasmine's new trumpet. I want to use my time today to make a list of things I was doing to better myself either physically or mentally that I have gotten away from either completely or somewhat. I intend these to be short snipets, rapid fire style, but you know me, long winded is an understatement. I am hoping that getting these things down on virtual paper will inspire me to get back at them.
-MORE CARDIO! Ugh, I had a few soccer injuries that became convenient excuses, but the last 3 weeks or so I have been flat out lazy. Get on your bike son! Go walking with the kids! Get a few jogs in before our 6 month winter sets in.
-EAT HEALTHIER! This one has slowly crept up on me. Too much pizza. When I was doing well, my treats and junk food were limited to night time while watching boob tube or playing cards. I should be able to have decent will power during the day when I am not even hungry.
-TAKE YOUR VITAMINS! This one should be easy. It takes about 2 minutes to open the bottles and pop the pills. No effort required. I currently have green tea tablets, ginseng, fish oil, glucosamine sulfate, calcium, coenzyme Q10 and a multivitamin. When I take the lot of them after a meal, I end up feeling much better throughout the day. 2 minutes of time to feel better all day? Only an idiot would be too lazy to not bother.
-PROTEIN! I also haven't been bothering with protein shakes. Stupid. I usually have cereal or yogurt for breakfast, then a sandwich or leftovers for lunch. Sheila is a great cook and dinner is always good whether she or I make it. That extra 20 grams of protein that a daily shake provides in needed for my health. It's also one of the only ways I consume milk as I rarely think to just have a glass.
-ACTIVITIES WITH JASMINE! It has dawned on me recently. It's much easier to entertain a 2 year old then it is a 10 year old. We did take advantage of our nice September weather, and I had the kids out exploring at the Nechako River, soaking up the sun at West Lake, and a few other things. Asher thoroughly enjoys anything we end up doing. Aside from swimming weekly, where I am occupied with her brother, Jasmine doesn't have any regular activities that we do together. I aim to work on that.
-MORE HELP AROUND THE HOUSE! This one comes and goes. Sometimes I am very helpful for weeks, other times, not so much. I had been making more meals and getting more chores taken care of, but this rut I find myself in has led to less productivity in all aspects of my life. Cook more, clean more, feel accomplished. Allow Sheila to relax more. Seems simple enough.
PICK UP A GOOD BOOK! I had a short virtual conversation with one of my few reading buddies over the weekend. She asked if I had read anything good lately, and I was ashamed to admit, I have barely been reading. My spare time at work is best for reading, but it seems I haven't managed to get motivated. I did read a solid mystery novel recently by Louise Penny that I got through quickly due to my interest level, so perhaps I have turned a corner. Reading is so much more enjoyable than mindlessly staring at a computer screen or television though I forget this at times.
WRITE MORE! This poor blog has been neglected for too long. If I do more things with my spare time, I will have more things to write about. Easy game.
BRUSH YOUR TEETH! This one is a bit embarassing. I always brush in the morning and usually once or twice more during the day. I floss religiously, something I never forget due to a few small gaps in my teeth that are essentially magnets for food scraps. It's the bedtime brushing that I am lazy about, and it's been getting to me. Haul your lazy ass out of your bed and spend 2 minutes in the bathroom scrubbing the stubs. 60 year old me will thank 30 year old me in the future.
HELP ASHER GROW! So my little guy is getting pretty close to being a 3 year old. He is growing physically and mentally every day. My brother was over for a visit last night with my neice Charlotte who is but a few months old. The little one is cute as a button, and she provided a reminder to me about just how different children are at 2 months as opposed to 32 months of age. It is up to Sheila and I to mentor and guide Asher's ever growing mind. We were both estatic the other night when he counted 10 dots for us! He is beginning to learn the different colors too! We have been locked in a months long struggle towards potty training. Asher has been peeing in the toilet for a couple months now, and even will initiate the visits to the bathroom so he can go. Number 2 has not been so easy. Sheila and I have been working at it, and he has managed to go twice now, but both times Sheila had to trick him somewhat. We have established a rewards system that he is well aware of, but after he got the toy motorcycle, he seemed to be content. No need for the other cars apparently. I am lucky enough as a Dad to get lots of one on one time with my little guy. I need to be more productive with this time.
SEEK OUT NEW MUSIC! I am a music lover. I have no shame in admitting that I will listen to most any genre if I enjoy what I am hearing. Music can often alter my moods significantly, and I will use it to pick me up if I need a boost. It is also important for me to keep finding new stuff so I don't get bored with what I have. Go forth and journey young man!
LIFT MORE WEIGHTS! More cardio is one thing, but I would also like to get stronger. No one wants to be a string bean. I have done pretty good with this one, but I find that my workouts are taking longer and longer as my motivation has been lacking. Routines that could be completed in a matter of 45 minutes end up taking me upwards of 2 hours as I search for things to distract myself with. I often run out of time and have to cut exercises out of my plans. Sad, sad, sad!
ENJOY WHAT YOU HAVE! I am not good with being appreciative. There are many things in my life that I am thankful for, but as I rush through life I don't think I spend enough time reflecting. I have a woman in my life who adores me, despite my numerous flaws. I have two very healthy children who are beautiful and well behaved. We have a house to call a home, and reliable vehicles to get us around. My extended family is close by, and they are very supportive. I see people struggling and I empathize with them, but I am often too busy bemoaning the minor difficulties in my own life to properly put things in perspective.
DO MORE FOR OTHERS! I have been thinking about this one for a few weeks, ever since I found out my work schedule will not allow me to coach Jasmine's basketball team this winter. Perhaps there is something more I should be doing? Volunteer coaching is something, but it is only a few hours a week for a few months of the year. This is me telling me that I will help with the Good Cheer campaign at Christmas time. Maybe it is time that Jasmine and I start volunteering at the soup kitchen like we have discussed a few times? I will have my Saturday mornings free throughout the winter so even the feeblest of excuses is gone. I can't afford to give financially, but for many charitable organizations they need man power more than money power.
That's my time, I hope everyone has a great week. With all of these topics in mind, I know I will.
Friday, 13 September 2013
Bonding Over Trumpet Blasts: Who Knew?
I am coming to you late in the week for a rare Friday afternoon installment. It has been an amazing couple of weeks to be outdoors in Prince George. Most years at this time we are already dreading the long winter slog that lies ahead in the not so distant future. None of those thoughts have entered my mind. Hockey season is starting, the Spruce Kings our local junior A team have their home opener tonight, and it is currently 28C/82F 3 hours before puck drop. My soccer team is scheduled to play our semifinal game on Sunday afternoon. The weatherman is calling for a high of 30C/87F that day. Luckily, the Terry Fox Walk takes place at 10 that morning, so the inbetween time cam be used to cool off.
During the past 2 weeks I have managed to squeeze in a few fun outings with Jasmine and Asher. Last week we took a drive out to Miworth after I had realized that 10 years after moving to Prince George, I still hadn't seen the area. We drove to Wilkins Park and found ourselves right on the banks of the Nechako River. Asher, Jasmine and I went out to water's edge to check out the slow moving water. We found a few shells, but the baby toads got Jasmine most excited. She carted a couple of the them around as we went for a short hike down the river. We toyed with the idea of bringing them home, but then decided that mom might not like that. After playing soccer for a bit in the nice grassy area, we were on our way. I hadn't really planned the day, but as we were getting hungry I decided to stop off at Dana Mandi to try their lunch buffet I had heard about. Jasmine dug right in, and Asher was so riled up to be out at a restaurant that he could hardly eat. He stayed in his seat for the most part unless Dad or Jasmine was up getting more food. Then, he was up. And around, and in the back area of the restaurant. It was quiet in the place, so he wasn't as disruptive as you might imagine. Jasmine and I ate our fill (always have to have 2 plates at any buffet is my rule (Jas had 3!)) while Asher ate about 7 pieces of Naan bread and 2 bites of Butter Chicken. I went to pay, and the ladies working (all part of the owner/operator family) told me that I need not worry about paying for Asher "he is just little" were her words. A nice gesture that you rarely see these days. I added to the tip and we were on our way. Off to the swimming pool for some fun and exercise, then a stop at the Pastry Chef Bakery as is our custom, and an exhausted Asher passed out in the car on the way home. It was a nice way to celebrate Jasmine's last day before school started.
This week, Asher and I have taken advantage of the nice weather by walking each of the last 4 days. Tuesday, we walked to the high school and stopped to play soccer while watching the school teams work out. Wednesday, we walked to Jasmine's school to attend Strong Start for the first time this year. Asher had a lot of fun seeing all of his old friends, and getting his stamp at the end of circle time from his teacher. He has been looking forward to "school" for weeks. In the afternoon, we went swimming with Jasmine.
Thursday, as we got ready for another walk, I looked around the house for Asher's hat. Having no luck, I grabbed one of mine and he was happy to borrow it from me. We made it to the high school and started golfing. Asher insisted that we bring the "real" clubs, telling me that his plastic ones were old and didn't work anymore. Smart boy he is. Well, the junior version of the "real" clubs are too heavy for him. Did he care? No, not at all. The only way he could connect was by pushing the ball along the ground with the 7 iron, but after getting plenty of praise from me he didn't know the difference. Many of the highschool kids were commenting on how cute he was with his oversized ball cap and giant club. He didn't get discouraged, instead he got a lot of fun out of chasing the balls that I hit across the field. After a bit we decided to put the clubs away and take out the soccer ball. We moved over to the big goal to take some shots. Then I hear, "hey Dad! My hat!" I turn around and see Asher holding up what appears to be a ball cap, but it has been mangled by the lawnmower. I get closer, and sure enough, it is Asher's roots ball cap that he wears regularly. Though I don't remember, we must have left it at the field on Tuesday when we were there. The coincidence of him finding it himself got an interesting reaction from him. He thought it was kind of funny how it was shredded with grass all stuck to it, but he was also quite sad that his hat was wrecked. Later, as we were leaving to finish our walk, we loaded the wrecked hat in the stroller so we could toss it. Asher got a little sad about it until I told him he could keep my Expos hat because it was my fault that his was ruined. "That's pretty funny Daddy!" It was still on his mind a while later when an older later waved hello to us, then stopped to oogle Asher. She got to hear all about the mean lawnmower and what it had done.
As we were walking, a thought crossed my mind. It is so nice out, it would be cool to head to the lake. Jasmine would get a kick out of it, expecially on a school day. We had a nice time, even though it was sooooo hot. Jasmine did plenty of swimming, but Asher was too scared of the little fish that were swimming everywhere. We left after a few hours that ended with Asher getting stung by a wasp. He had already had a wasp land on his face 5 minutes before so this was ridiculous. 2 wasps in 5 minutes? I would have expected a 2 year old to be more upset when stung by a wasp, but man is he tough. A little bit of crying, calmed down within a minute, then he held the side of his face quietly for the whole drive home. No fussing at all. He calmly told his mom what happened and had a cold cloth on it for 2 minutes. Then he moved on with his day, never mentioning it again. After eating dinner we decided to go to the pool for some more swimming, then topped the day off with an ice cream cone. Asher was so tired out from his long day that the sugar jolt had little effect and he fell asleep quite quickly after we got home.
While all of my time with Jasmine and Asher is important to me, there were a few very cool things that happened in the last couple of weeks that reminded me just how much my kids love me. Jasmine has recently started grade 5 and is 10 years old. She has already entered that phase where outward affection towards her Dad is not always the cool thing to do. Now, she does still give me a kiss and a hug before she leaves for school, but I know this will not always be the case. She doesn't spontaneously announce her love for mom and dad like she used to. It's been a while since she told us that she planned to live with us forever. Forget all that. I don't need words, when actions provide the same message.
A couple of weeks ago, I looked into minor basketball as Jasmine was considering playing again. I got confirmation that the games would be Sunday morning this year instead of Saturday meaning that I could no longer Coach due to work commitments. When I broke the news to Jasmine, she was quite upset. She wasn't sure if she wanted to play anymore because as she put it: "you have always been my coach Dad." It's true. She hasn't played soccer or basketball without me being one of her coaches. I was happy to see that I am still wanted, and not yet a source of embarassment made me tear up a little. Sheila and I did convince her that playing was still a good idea, and she went ahead and signed up. On Tuesday night after she had soccer, Jasmine tagged along to my practice. She was going to sit and watch, and get some reading done for school. Instead, she spent a bunch of time booting the ball around with me while I warmed up. She was genuinely disappointed when I told her she couldn't play with the guys during our scrimmage. Jasmine doesn't take much interest in soccer practice, so this was awesome to see.
A little while back, we started hearing from Jasmine that she wanted to be in the school band. As parents, we are always happy to hear about new interests, and we were supportive of this one too. The first week of school she came home with information about the band program. There was to be a meeting where the kids could try out the instruments, and Jasmine was going to go and decided that night what she was going to play. We talked about the band a few times during the week, and I told her a few stories about my 2 years spent playing the trumpet. By the time the meeting came along this past Wednesday, Jasmine had already decided that she would play the trumpet. Her two best friends were also signing up for band, but Jasmine wasn't worried about what instrument they were picking. She picked the trumpet solely because I had played it, and she told me just that. Wow, that blew me away. I told her that maybe we can look into getting 2 trumpets so we could play together. Not only did this not repulse her, she actually got excited about it! We signed up for a 2 month rental which gives me time to shop around online. The trumpet market is pretty competitve, so getting 2 of them won't be that expensive. The opportunity to bond over music is too good to pass up.
Jasmine is now signed up for band, minor basketball and Girl Guides so she spent plenty of time joking with me and Sheila about all he clubs and teams. She let us know that she was also going to do lunch time monitoring for the younger grades, and decided that this counted as another "club". This is probably enough to have on her plate, as she will have regular homework, plus plenty of swimming outings, as well as winter fun when the snow flies. It's good to keep 'em busy somebody once said.
One last story to pass on as I my time runs out. Asher has been pretty excited about the whole trumpet development this past week. Last night, as Jasmine was practicing, he even got in on the act, blasting a couple of notes and getting a good laugh out of us. Jasmine, Asher and I were all downstairs listening to some trumpet music on the computer. I have a modest collection of ska music, a style that incorporates elements of punk music with big band style brass instruments. On most records, the trumpet is just a bit player, but we found an album that featured trumpet playing on every song, and it was the lead instrument on a number of the songs. We played a few songs off of the "Skatalites - The Best of" album and then Jasmine strolled off with her mom to the band meeting. The next morning as Asher and I engaged in a spirited session on blanket hiding ("the bad guys is coming! close up the windows!") he abruptly turned to me and asked for "trumpet music". He does tend to be in awe of the things Jasmine gets to do, but this was still pretty shocking. I put the album on, and a little later after we finished playing he asked to lay down. What? Still wondering what was going on, I set him up with a pillow and blanket on the couch. It was only 930 in the morning. Asher will sometimes initiate this as a prelude to a nap, but tends to be closer to noon or later. He didn't seem tired, and he wasn't. He laid quietly listening to the music. As confirmation that he was indeed listening, he called to me a couple times when there was gaps between songs, wondering when the next one would start. He fell asleep after about 45 minutes of listening to "trumpet music". Fast forward to this morning, and right around 930 he once again asked for "trumpet music". This was in response to me telling him I was going to put music on. He immeadiately asked for help getting up onto the couch and he once again set himself up to listen to the tunes. After about 30 minutes he was once again having an early morning nap after relaxing to the sweet sounds of Johnny Moore on the trumpet.
That's my time. I'm glad I got the chance to share today, as many of the little things in life have led to me smiling constantly over the last few days.
During the past 2 weeks I have managed to squeeze in a few fun outings with Jasmine and Asher. Last week we took a drive out to Miworth after I had realized that 10 years after moving to Prince George, I still hadn't seen the area. We drove to Wilkins Park and found ourselves right on the banks of the Nechako River. Asher, Jasmine and I went out to water's edge to check out the slow moving water. We found a few shells, but the baby toads got Jasmine most excited. She carted a couple of the them around as we went for a short hike down the river. We toyed with the idea of bringing them home, but then decided that mom might not like that. After playing soccer for a bit in the nice grassy area, we were on our way. I hadn't really planned the day, but as we were getting hungry I decided to stop off at Dana Mandi to try their lunch buffet I had heard about. Jasmine dug right in, and Asher was so riled up to be out at a restaurant that he could hardly eat. He stayed in his seat for the most part unless Dad or Jasmine was up getting more food. Then, he was up. And around, and in the back area of the restaurant. It was quiet in the place, so he wasn't as disruptive as you might imagine. Jasmine and I ate our fill (always have to have 2 plates at any buffet is my rule (Jas had 3!)) while Asher ate about 7 pieces of Naan bread and 2 bites of Butter Chicken. I went to pay, and the ladies working (all part of the owner/operator family) told me that I need not worry about paying for Asher "he is just little" were her words. A nice gesture that you rarely see these days. I added to the tip and we were on our way. Off to the swimming pool for some fun and exercise, then a stop at the Pastry Chef Bakery as is our custom, and an exhausted Asher passed out in the car on the way home. It was a nice way to celebrate Jasmine's last day before school started.
This week, Asher and I have taken advantage of the nice weather by walking each of the last 4 days. Tuesday, we walked to the high school and stopped to play soccer while watching the school teams work out. Wednesday, we walked to Jasmine's school to attend Strong Start for the first time this year. Asher had a lot of fun seeing all of his old friends, and getting his stamp at the end of circle time from his teacher. He has been looking forward to "school" for weeks. In the afternoon, we went swimming with Jasmine.
Thursday, as we got ready for another walk, I looked around the house for Asher's hat. Having no luck, I grabbed one of mine and he was happy to borrow it from me. We made it to the high school and started golfing. Asher insisted that we bring the "real" clubs, telling me that his plastic ones were old and didn't work anymore. Smart boy he is. Well, the junior version of the "real" clubs are too heavy for him. Did he care? No, not at all. The only way he could connect was by pushing the ball along the ground with the 7 iron, but after getting plenty of praise from me he didn't know the difference. Many of the highschool kids were commenting on how cute he was with his oversized ball cap and giant club. He didn't get discouraged, instead he got a lot of fun out of chasing the balls that I hit across the field. After a bit we decided to put the clubs away and take out the soccer ball. We moved over to the big goal to take some shots. Then I hear, "hey Dad! My hat!" I turn around and see Asher holding up what appears to be a ball cap, but it has been mangled by the lawnmower. I get closer, and sure enough, it is Asher's roots ball cap that he wears regularly. Though I don't remember, we must have left it at the field on Tuesday when we were there. The coincidence of him finding it himself got an interesting reaction from him. He thought it was kind of funny how it was shredded with grass all stuck to it, but he was also quite sad that his hat was wrecked. Later, as we were leaving to finish our walk, we loaded the wrecked hat in the stroller so we could toss it. Asher got a little sad about it until I told him he could keep my Expos hat because it was my fault that his was ruined. "That's pretty funny Daddy!" It was still on his mind a while later when an older later waved hello to us, then stopped to oogle Asher. She got to hear all about the mean lawnmower and what it had done.
As we were walking, a thought crossed my mind. It is so nice out, it would be cool to head to the lake. Jasmine would get a kick out of it, expecially on a school day. We had a nice time, even though it was sooooo hot. Jasmine did plenty of swimming, but Asher was too scared of the little fish that were swimming everywhere. We left after a few hours that ended with Asher getting stung by a wasp. He had already had a wasp land on his face 5 minutes before so this was ridiculous. 2 wasps in 5 minutes? I would have expected a 2 year old to be more upset when stung by a wasp, but man is he tough. A little bit of crying, calmed down within a minute, then he held the side of his face quietly for the whole drive home. No fussing at all. He calmly told his mom what happened and had a cold cloth on it for 2 minutes. Then he moved on with his day, never mentioning it again. After eating dinner we decided to go to the pool for some more swimming, then topped the day off with an ice cream cone. Asher was so tired out from his long day that the sugar jolt had little effect and he fell asleep quite quickly after we got home.
While all of my time with Jasmine and Asher is important to me, there were a few very cool things that happened in the last couple of weeks that reminded me just how much my kids love me. Jasmine has recently started grade 5 and is 10 years old. She has already entered that phase where outward affection towards her Dad is not always the cool thing to do. Now, she does still give me a kiss and a hug before she leaves for school, but I know this will not always be the case. She doesn't spontaneously announce her love for mom and dad like she used to. It's been a while since she told us that she planned to live with us forever. Forget all that. I don't need words, when actions provide the same message.
A couple of weeks ago, I looked into minor basketball as Jasmine was considering playing again. I got confirmation that the games would be Sunday morning this year instead of Saturday meaning that I could no longer Coach due to work commitments. When I broke the news to Jasmine, she was quite upset. She wasn't sure if she wanted to play anymore because as she put it: "you have always been my coach Dad." It's true. She hasn't played soccer or basketball without me being one of her coaches. I was happy to see that I am still wanted, and not yet a source of embarassment made me tear up a little. Sheila and I did convince her that playing was still a good idea, and she went ahead and signed up. On Tuesday night after she had soccer, Jasmine tagged along to my practice. She was going to sit and watch, and get some reading done for school. Instead, she spent a bunch of time booting the ball around with me while I warmed up. She was genuinely disappointed when I told her she couldn't play with the guys during our scrimmage. Jasmine doesn't take much interest in soccer practice, so this was awesome to see.
A little while back, we started hearing from Jasmine that she wanted to be in the school band. As parents, we are always happy to hear about new interests, and we were supportive of this one too. The first week of school she came home with information about the band program. There was to be a meeting where the kids could try out the instruments, and Jasmine was going to go and decided that night what she was going to play. We talked about the band a few times during the week, and I told her a few stories about my 2 years spent playing the trumpet. By the time the meeting came along this past Wednesday, Jasmine had already decided that she would play the trumpet. Her two best friends were also signing up for band, but Jasmine wasn't worried about what instrument they were picking. She picked the trumpet solely because I had played it, and she told me just that. Wow, that blew me away. I told her that maybe we can look into getting 2 trumpets so we could play together. Not only did this not repulse her, she actually got excited about it! We signed up for a 2 month rental which gives me time to shop around online. The trumpet market is pretty competitve, so getting 2 of them won't be that expensive. The opportunity to bond over music is too good to pass up.
Jasmine is now signed up for band, minor basketball and Girl Guides so she spent plenty of time joking with me and Sheila about all he clubs and teams. She let us know that she was also going to do lunch time monitoring for the younger grades, and decided that this counted as another "club". This is probably enough to have on her plate, as she will have regular homework, plus plenty of swimming outings, as well as winter fun when the snow flies. It's good to keep 'em busy somebody once said.
One last story to pass on as I my time runs out. Asher has been pretty excited about the whole trumpet development this past week. Last night, as Jasmine was practicing, he even got in on the act, blasting a couple of notes and getting a good laugh out of us. Jasmine, Asher and I were all downstairs listening to some trumpet music on the computer. I have a modest collection of ska music, a style that incorporates elements of punk music with big band style brass instruments. On most records, the trumpet is just a bit player, but we found an album that featured trumpet playing on every song, and it was the lead instrument on a number of the songs. We played a few songs off of the "Skatalites - The Best of" album and then Jasmine strolled off with her mom to the band meeting. The next morning as Asher and I engaged in a spirited session on blanket hiding ("the bad guys is coming! close up the windows!") he abruptly turned to me and asked for "trumpet music". He does tend to be in awe of the things Jasmine gets to do, but this was still pretty shocking. I put the album on, and a little later after we finished playing he asked to lay down. What? Still wondering what was going on, I set him up with a pillow and blanket on the couch. It was only 930 in the morning. Asher will sometimes initiate this as a prelude to a nap, but tends to be closer to noon or later. He didn't seem tired, and he wasn't. He laid quietly listening to the music. As confirmation that he was indeed listening, he called to me a couple times when there was gaps between songs, wondering when the next one would start. He fell asleep after about 45 minutes of listening to "trumpet music". Fast forward to this morning, and right around 930 he once again asked for "trumpet music". This was in response to me telling him I was going to put music on. He immeadiately asked for help getting up onto the couch and he once again set himself up to listen to the tunes. After about 30 minutes he was once again having an early morning nap after relaxing to the sweet sounds of Johnny Moore on the trumpet.
That's my time. I'm glad I got the chance to share today, as many of the little things in life have led to me smiling constantly over the last few days.
Friday, 30 August 2013
Things That Make My Lips Curl
I am in the midst of a slump. I have written very little over the last handful of months, and people are beginning to notice. Unfortunately, my lack of motivation stems from boredom of sorts. This space had devolved into a weekly diary, and while that type of content can be fun, it can also become monotonous. I have still had the same free time every week to produce content, but I have chosen to do things such as obessess about my fantasy baseball teams, read a book, or even do extra chores at work. The last few weeks of activity have involved me thinking about writing quite frequently, and even half finishing a post on a couple of occasions. I have come up with a gimmick that may help me post more regularly while at the same time making me look at tad bi-polar. Each paragraph will start with one of two words, either up or down. Then I will either rant or rave about a topic, but will devote no more than a singular paragraph to each. Why up or down? See the title.
UP: Two weeks ago today our little family returned from our modest summer vacation. We spent 3 nights at Valentine Lake in the southern Cariboo. From all accounts everyone enjoyed our little getaway. We met up with Sheila's Aunt Sherry and Uncle Terry and it was great to get to spend some time with them. It was a rare chance to spend time together as our regular visits are short and rushed around the holidays. The lake was secluded, only a few other people were there. The lake was quiet, no outboard motors, no highway traffic near by. The weather cooperated, lots of wind, but only a few minutes of rain one afternoon. The fishing, thanks to Uncle Terry's knowledge, help and gear, was great! Jasmine caught her first fish, and her second, and third, and fourth. Many more were on the line only to get away as she fought valiantly. Sheila caught the biggest one, a 4 pound trout. Asher helped me reel one in, though surprisingly, he didn't find the fish flopping into the boat nearly as excited as I thought he would. When I asked him what his favorite parts of the camping trip were he told me: "Hiding under blankets!" A game we play regularly at home, we stuff ourselves under any blankets and pillows were can find and pretend that there are guys coming to get us. Asher makes it seem pretty authentic. If a crack opens up in the blankets he shouts: "Close upa windows, Daddy!" The other thing he mentioned was just "sleeping in the tent." We spent a night curled up, him soundly asleep as the wind whipped the tent wildly. I was convinced that only our bodyweight kept the tent from flying off into the woods. We had a lot of fun on the Thursday of the trip when all 6 of us piled into Uncle Terry's pickup truck and went exploring. He had been told about a lake nearby that had seen 12 pound trout pulled from it. After galavanting down a number of different dirt roads, we bogged our way to the shore of the lake. It didn't look like much, but it was enough to convince Terry that it would have to be tried on a subsequent trip. We continued our exploration, and Jasmine was happy when we found Whale Lake. A beautiful setting, hills, forests, and most of all, quiet. We got some very nice photos, and Jasmine and I took the plunge into the cool clean water. Jasmine dove off the end of the dock a number of times, hollering each time. On our way home the next day we stopped in for a dip and some breakfast at Lac La Hache, making it 3 different lakes that I had swam in over 2 days. We parted in Quesnel where Auntie and Uncle live with some goodbye hugs and plenty of appreciation for the wonderful hospitality.
UP: Jasmine makes me proud regularly, but her willingness to embrace my spendthrift ways had me beaming on a few occasions recently. We made a trip to our favourite thrift store recently, "St. Vincent de Paul's" and made out like bandits. The kid's clothing selection is usually pretty thin, but we found a few things. Jasmine "hates" jeans, but she was willing to try a pair on. We found a hoodie and a long-sleeve t-shirt that fit nicely. Dad agreed to buy a framed unicorn print that Jasmine got even more excited about when she found out it was from 1979. "That's sooooo old Dad!" I grabbed a stack of 6 novels, and Jasmine found a couple as well including Goosebumps that I read 20 years ago. 8 books, 1 picture, 1 pair of jeans, 1 hoodie, 1 long sleeve t-shirt. Out the door for 8 dollars and 50 cents! Turns out there was a sale on the clothes and they were even cheaper than they had been tagged. I always leave my change at St. Vincent's as they are a charity, and one that gives endlessly. They are always giving away clothes to those in need, and while I was there a man came in looking to buy steel toed boots for a job he was starting the next day. Readying to pay, he stared in disbelief when the lady said, "Now don't you worry about that" gesturing for him to put his money away. The next week we found ourselves at the mall. We found the Sears kids department, then I quickly noticed the clearance racks were an additional 40% off. Jasmine got 10 or 11 pieces of clothing for 65 bucks and not once did she mention all the other racks in the store. When she picked out her fox hoodie at a different store later, I pointed out that all the money we had saved at the other store meant that I could afford to pay full price for this one. No, this wasn't a brand name Fox Racing hoodie that would have cost 60 bucks. Jasmine has no interest in logos and brands. This was a fox hoodie, red and white with whiskers and paws screenprinted on. She ended up picking it over the zebra one because the ears were just sooooooooo cute. A typical female love of shopping mixed with the cheapness of a typical man? Wonderful, just wonderful.
DOWN: I have many faults as a parent, and the biggest one is patience. I feel like Jasmine is at a critical age where she is beginning to figure out that she has ways of "fighting back" against her parents. For the most part she is a great girl, but we have been dealing with some new things this summer. She can often be deceptive, and will even tell bold faced lies to Mom and Pop, willing to deal with the consequences later when her falsehoods are uncovered. I will admit, I don't know what the best approach is, as I tend to be overly strict. I want Jasmine to be a well mannered girl who adults aren't disgusted by. When I see teenage girls I shudder to think that my own daughter may act like that before long. The catch-22 part of it all is that being a hard ass will just drive her to rebel further. I should probably do some research about this subject, though I doubt that will help, it will likely make me even more puzzled.
UP: After years of driving some disgusting cars and trucks that have left me embarassed on many occasions I bit the bullet and strolled into the dealership. Within hours I walked out to my new car. A 2013 Hyundai Elantra. Shiny and black with plenty of features it looks awesome. It's a 4 door sedan, with plenty of room for Jasmine and Asher and Sheila to ride with me. Nice stereo, air conditioning, heated seats for the winter, no complaints whatsoever. It feels weird not to have people staring at my ride as I pull up somewhere. It has a reasonably small engine with great fuel economy so it will be ideal for roadtrips as a family. Nearing a month since I purchased, I am happy I finally removed what was an ongoing point of stress for me, and replaced it with another one.
DOWN: After years of driving junkers, I went ahead and bought new. I got a great deal on the financing as there was a sale going on and my credit rating is immaculate. The dealership had no problem offering me a long term payment plan. Sheila and the kids headed off to Quesnel in the car right away to spend the weekend visiting. I spent the weekend at work, and all the while I was second guessing my decision. I barely slept for a few days. Should I have taken longer to decide? I feel like I had been shopping for years. Every time I grabbed the wheel in a deathtrap Ford Explorer I was in a way, shopping. Could I have dithered over the decision for weeks? Yes, but I believe I would have had doubts afterwards regardless of how long I had shopped. Some positives came out of the whole stressing over the new vehicle payments.
UP: The new responsibility of paying for my car led me to take steps towards gaining more hours at work. I spoke to Asher's daycare lady about extra days, and she agreed. I asked my manager at work about my availability and told him I would be willing to add shifts. I took a look at my budget and cut a couple of corners though there wasn't much there to cut. Another thing the new car got me to do was take a long look at my poker game. A significant source of income had dried up, and I was struggling to explain it. I could find an answer though, couldn't I?
UP: Poker income is a difficult beast. There are not to many sources of income that come with no guarantee at all. Even scarier, poker could cost you money instead. I spent the first 7 months of this year playing less often, and winning less often. I played hockey during the winter months. I coached Jasmine's basketball and then soccer for the winter and spring months. I joined a soccer team of my own for the first time in a few years. I have been devoting more time to exercise and working out then I ever have before. My free time was pretty well booked up. The inactivity of poker drove me crazy. I don't like to sit and not move for long periods of time. If I am going to expect to make some money playing the game though, I need to treat it with more respect. I can't just stroll into the casino whenever I feel like and sit down and make money. The opponents are better than that. It dawned on me that poker had to get a little bit more of my attention. Not all of it, no. I need a balance in my life. But, I need to make a few bucks each month so I can have some spending money. My pay checks are pretty tied up making payments on obligations. I re-read some of Dan Harrington's first volume on cash games. I played some small stakes games on the computer, focusing on the play rather than just going through the motions. As a positive coincidence, August was the third month of the quarterly freeroll cycle at the poker room as well. If I managed to play a significant number of hours in August I may be able to qualify for both the monthly and the larger quarterly freeroll tournaments. Both provide great opportunities to make some extra cash without having to pony up any money. Just play lots, and you are in. I made more than $3000 in 2012 playing these free tournaments, but I have yet to play any of them this year. I haven't played enough, and usually I have coaching and work commitments on Saturdays that get in the way. I already had booked off the first 2 Saturdays of September for other reasons, so I would be able to play. Get to work I told myself. My renaissance has started well. I have put in lots of time over the past 3 weeks and I have seen some decent results. More importantly, I feel like I playing great. I will likely play less in September after exhausting myself this month. I'll update here with the outcome of the tournaments.
UP: Sports gambling has been pretty lucrative for me this past year. Last winter I won a NFL survivor pool for a couple hundred. Last spring I got second in a hockey pool for a profit of $400. I subsequently won the playoff hockey pool to make another $400. This summer, I have 3 baseball teams on the go, and as the season winds down, all three team have a chance to be profitable. I have been investing a decent amount of time, so hopefully my efforts pay off. In one pool the playoffs start next week, another the week after that. The third pool is points based so it just runs until seasons end. I am currently 4th of 13 in that one, with 3 teams getting paid. I have already committed any winnings from baseball to playing the hockey pool again, and I am jumping into a different football pool that will draft next week. Ah, fantasy sports the only thing better is real sports.
DOWN: Speaking of real sports, they have slowed down considerably for me lately. About a month ago I jumped for a header on the soccer pitch and come down on my ankle. With a nasty turn of the joint, I threw the rest of my season for a whirl. I limped off, but as our team has been decimated by injuries, I was right back out there 10 minutes later. Over the next couple of days I swelled up to a baseball sized ankle. I haven't had a significant sports injury since I tore my groin in grade 12. So, each game I taped up and went ahead and played. I went to hockey once, and my ankle didn't bother me. So, early last week I played soccer, beginning an 8 day span where I had 5 games of hockey and soccer scheduled. At some point in the second half my hamstring went. We had no extra players and we were hanging on to a 2-1 lead at the time. I continued to play. I made it worse. Just today I started to notice significant improvement. It has been 9 days. I missed my other 2 soccer games, and my last 2 summer hockey games. I hope I can play our soccer playoffs that start next week.
UP: I had an awesome outing with the kids earlier this week. In order we: visited the horses at the agriplex, we browsed at the hockey store, we visited all the animals at Total Pet, we went for a swim at 4 Seasons Pool, we got a treat from the german bakery and ate it in sun downtown, and we went for a walk an stopped at a handful of stores. Asher fell asleep on the drive home.
UP: Sheila and I watched the movie "Mud" last week. It stars Matthew McConnaughey, but the really great performances were from a couple of teenage boys, one of whom was making his acting debut. Great job by the director finding a couple of kids who worked so well. Do yourselves a favour and go see it.
UP: Sheila and I have gotten back on board with "Breaking Bad". Excellent start to the season through the first 3 episodes. Also, AMC has a new show called "Low Winter Sun" airing right after Cranston and company. It started with an authentic, intense scene, and I have enjoyed it immensely through the first 3 episodes. I'm also pleased that "Duck Dynasty" is back for another season. Sheila has her "Big Brother", you can call this one my guilty pleasure.
UP: Finally, I have found a few new music gems. I can't stop playing the album "Howlin'" from the Aussie electronica group Jagwar Ma. The other day, I may have found my favourite album of 2013 so far. A cross between bluegrass, folk, americana and soul, Aoife O'Donovan's "Fossils" is breathtaking. It should appeal to a wide variety of people, it's mellow but uplifting at the same time.
That's my time. Remind me to return mext week.
UP: Two weeks ago today our little family returned from our modest summer vacation. We spent 3 nights at Valentine Lake in the southern Cariboo. From all accounts everyone enjoyed our little getaway. We met up with Sheila's Aunt Sherry and Uncle Terry and it was great to get to spend some time with them. It was a rare chance to spend time together as our regular visits are short and rushed around the holidays. The lake was secluded, only a few other people were there. The lake was quiet, no outboard motors, no highway traffic near by. The weather cooperated, lots of wind, but only a few minutes of rain one afternoon. The fishing, thanks to Uncle Terry's knowledge, help and gear, was great! Jasmine caught her first fish, and her second, and third, and fourth. Many more were on the line only to get away as she fought valiantly. Sheila caught the biggest one, a 4 pound trout. Asher helped me reel one in, though surprisingly, he didn't find the fish flopping into the boat nearly as excited as I thought he would. When I asked him what his favorite parts of the camping trip were he told me: "Hiding under blankets!" A game we play regularly at home, we stuff ourselves under any blankets and pillows were can find and pretend that there are guys coming to get us. Asher makes it seem pretty authentic. If a crack opens up in the blankets he shouts: "Close upa windows, Daddy!" The other thing he mentioned was just "sleeping in the tent." We spent a night curled up, him soundly asleep as the wind whipped the tent wildly. I was convinced that only our bodyweight kept the tent from flying off into the woods. We had a lot of fun on the Thursday of the trip when all 6 of us piled into Uncle Terry's pickup truck and went exploring. He had been told about a lake nearby that had seen 12 pound trout pulled from it. After galavanting down a number of different dirt roads, we bogged our way to the shore of the lake. It didn't look like much, but it was enough to convince Terry that it would have to be tried on a subsequent trip. We continued our exploration, and Jasmine was happy when we found Whale Lake. A beautiful setting, hills, forests, and most of all, quiet. We got some very nice photos, and Jasmine and I took the plunge into the cool clean water. Jasmine dove off the end of the dock a number of times, hollering each time. On our way home the next day we stopped in for a dip and some breakfast at Lac La Hache, making it 3 different lakes that I had swam in over 2 days. We parted in Quesnel where Auntie and Uncle live with some goodbye hugs and plenty of appreciation for the wonderful hospitality.
UP: Jasmine makes me proud regularly, but her willingness to embrace my spendthrift ways had me beaming on a few occasions recently. We made a trip to our favourite thrift store recently, "St. Vincent de Paul's" and made out like bandits. The kid's clothing selection is usually pretty thin, but we found a few things. Jasmine "hates" jeans, but she was willing to try a pair on. We found a hoodie and a long-sleeve t-shirt that fit nicely. Dad agreed to buy a framed unicorn print that Jasmine got even more excited about when she found out it was from 1979. "That's sooooo old Dad!" I grabbed a stack of 6 novels, and Jasmine found a couple as well including Goosebumps that I read 20 years ago. 8 books, 1 picture, 1 pair of jeans, 1 hoodie, 1 long sleeve t-shirt. Out the door for 8 dollars and 50 cents! Turns out there was a sale on the clothes and they were even cheaper than they had been tagged. I always leave my change at St. Vincent's as they are a charity, and one that gives endlessly. They are always giving away clothes to those in need, and while I was there a man came in looking to buy steel toed boots for a job he was starting the next day. Readying to pay, he stared in disbelief when the lady said, "Now don't you worry about that" gesturing for him to put his money away. The next week we found ourselves at the mall. We found the Sears kids department, then I quickly noticed the clearance racks were an additional 40% off. Jasmine got 10 or 11 pieces of clothing for 65 bucks and not once did she mention all the other racks in the store. When she picked out her fox hoodie at a different store later, I pointed out that all the money we had saved at the other store meant that I could afford to pay full price for this one. No, this wasn't a brand name Fox Racing hoodie that would have cost 60 bucks. Jasmine has no interest in logos and brands. This was a fox hoodie, red and white with whiskers and paws screenprinted on. She ended up picking it over the zebra one because the ears were just sooooooooo cute. A typical female love of shopping mixed with the cheapness of a typical man? Wonderful, just wonderful.
DOWN: I have many faults as a parent, and the biggest one is patience. I feel like Jasmine is at a critical age where she is beginning to figure out that she has ways of "fighting back" against her parents. For the most part she is a great girl, but we have been dealing with some new things this summer. She can often be deceptive, and will even tell bold faced lies to Mom and Pop, willing to deal with the consequences later when her falsehoods are uncovered. I will admit, I don't know what the best approach is, as I tend to be overly strict. I want Jasmine to be a well mannered girl who adults aren't disgusted by. When I see teenage girls I shudder to think that my own daughter may act like that before long. The catch-22 part of it all is that being a hard ass will just drive her to rebel further. I should probably do some research about this subject, though I doubt that will help, it will likely make me even more puzzled.
UP: After years of driving some disgusting cars and trucks that have left me embarassed on many occasions I bit the bullet and strolled into the dealership. Within hours I walked out to my new car. A 2013 Hyundai Elantra. Shiny and black with plenty of features it looks awesome. It's a 4 door sedan, with plenty of room for Jasmine and Asher and Sheila to ride with me. Nice stereo, air conditioning, heated seats for the winter, no complaints whatsoever. It feels weird not to have people staring at my ride as I pull up somewhere. It has a reasonably small engine with great fuel economy so it will be ideal for roadtrips as a family. Nearing a month since I purchased, I am happy I finally removed what was an ongoing point of stress for me, and replaced it with another one.
DOWN: After years of driving junkers, I went ahead and bought new. I got a great deal on the financing as there was a sale going on and my credit rating is immaculate. The dealership had no problem offering me a long term payment plan. Sheila and the kids headed off to Quesnel in the car right away to spend the weekend visiting. I spent the weekend at work, and all the while I was second guessing my decision. I barely slept for a few days. Should I have taken longer to decide? I feel like I had been shopping for years. Every time I grabbed the wheel in a deathtrap Ford Explorer I was in a way, shopping. Could I have dithered over the decision for weeks? Yes, but I believe I would have had doubts afterwards regardless of how long I had shopped. Some positives came out of the whole stressing over the new vehicle payments.
UP: The new responsibility of paying for my car led me to take steps towards gaining more hours at work. I spoke to Asher's daycare lady about extra days, and she agreed. I asked my manager at work about my availability and told him I would be willing to add shifts. I took a look at my budget and cut a couple of corners though there wasn't much there to cut. Another thing the new car got me to do was take a long look at my poker game. A significant source of income had dried up, and I was struggling to explain it. I could find an answer though, couldn't I?
UP: Poker income is a difficult beast. There are not to many sources of income that come with no guarantee at all. Even scarier, poker could cost you money instead. I spent the first 7 months of this year playing less often, and winning less often. I played hockey during the winter months. I coached Jasmine's basketball and then soccer for the winter and spring months. I joined a soccer team of my own for the first time in a few years. I have been devoting more time to exercise and working out then I ever have before. My free time was pretty well booked up. The inactivity of poker drove me crazy. I don't like to sit and not move for long periods of time. If I am going to expect to make some money playing the game though, I need to treat it with more respect. I can't just stroll into the casino whenever I feel like and sit down and make money. The opponents are better than that. It dawned on me that poker had to get a little bit more of my attention. Not all of it, no. I need a balance in my life. But, I need to make a few bucks each month so I can have some spending money. My pay checks are pretty tied up making payments on obligations. I re-read some of Dan Harrington's first volume on cash games. I played some small stakes games on the computer, focusing on the play rather than just going through the motions. As a positive coincidence, August was the third month of the quarterly freeroll cycle at the poker room as well. If I managed to play a significant number of hours in August I may be able to qualify for both the monthly and the larger quarterly freeroll tournaments. Both provide great opportunities to make some extra cash without having to pony up any money. Just play lots, and you are in. I made more than $3000 in 2012 playing these free tournaments, but I have yet to play any of them this year. I haven't played enough, and usually I have coaching and work commitments on Saturdays that get in the way. I already had booked off the first 2 Saturdays of September for other reasons, so I would be able to play. Get to work I told myself. My renaissance has started well. I have put in lots of time over the past 3 weeks and I have seen some decent results. More importantly, I feel like I playing great. I will likely play less in September after exhausting myself this month. I'll update here with the outcome of the tournaments.
UP: Sports gambling has been pretty lucrative for me this past year. Last winter I won a NFL survivor pool for a couple hundred. Last spring I got second in a hockey pool for a profit of $400. I subsequently won the playoff hockey pool to make another $400. This summer, I have 3 baseball teams on the go, and as the season winds down, all three team have a chance to be profitable. I have been investing a decent amount of time, so hopefully my efforts pay off. In one pool the playoffs start next week, another the week after that. The third pool is points based so it just runs until seasons end. I am currently 4th of 13 in that one, with 3 teams getting paid. I have already committed any winnings from baseball to playing the hockey pool again, and I am jumping into a different football pool that will draft next week. Ah, fantasy sports the only thing better is real sports.
DOWN: Speaking of real sports, they have slowed down considerably for me lately. About a month ago I jumped for a header on the soccer pitch and come down on my ankle. With a nasty turn of the joint, I threw the rest of my season for a whirl. I limped off, but as our team has been decimated by injuries, I was right back out there 10 minutes later. Over the next couple of days I swelled up to a baseball sized ankle. I haven't had a significant sports injury since I tore my groin in grade 12. So, each game I taped up and went ahead and played. I went to hockey once, and my ankle didn't bother me. So, early last week I played soccer, beginning an 8 day span where I had 5 games of hockey and soccer scheduled. At some point in the second half my hamstring went. We had no extra players and we were hanging on to a 2-1 lead at the time. I continued to play. I made it worse. Just today I started to notice significant improvement. It has been 9 days. I missed my other 2 soccer games, and my last 2 summer hockey games. I hope I can play our soccer playoffs that start next week.
UP: I had an awesome outing with the kids earlier this week. In order we: visited the horses at the agriplex, we browsed at the hockey store, we visited all the animals at Total Pet, we went for a swim at 4 Seasons Pool, we got a treat from the german bakery and ate it in sun downtown, and we went for a walk an stopped at a handful of stores. Asher fell asleep on the drive home.
UP: Sheila and I watched the movie "Mud" last week. It stars Matthew McConnaughey, but the really great performances were from a couple of teenage boys, one of whom was making his acting debut. Great job by the director finding a couple of kids who worked so well. Do yourselves a favour and go see it.
UP: Sheila and I have gotten back on board with "Breaking Bad". Excellent start to the season through the first 3 episodes. Also, AMC has a new show called "Low Winter Sun" airing right after Cranston and company. It started with an authentic, intense scene, and I have enjoyed it immensely through the first 3 episodes. I'm also pleased that "Duck Dynasty" is back for another season. Sheila has her "Big Brother", you can call this one my guilty pleasure.
UP: Finally, I have found a few new music gems. I can't stop playing the album "Howlin'" from the Aussie electronica group Jagwar Ma. The other day, I may have found my favourite album of 2013 so far. A cross between bluegrass, folk, americana and soul, Aoife O'Donovan's "Fossils" is breathtaking. It should appeal to a wide variety of people, it's mellow but uplifting at the same time.
That's my time. Remind me to return mext week.
Monday, 29 July 2013
Picture Blog: A New Arrival!
The week as it is known by convention runs from Sunday through to Saturday. The week that now is behind us was filled with new life, lots of visiting with loved ones and some pain and suffering. You haven't heard from me much in the last few months, not necessarily because I've been busy, but due more to a lack of inspiration. The past seven days have cured my inspirational void and left me ready to type.
Last Sunday the entire family was eagerly anticipating some very big news. My brother and his girlfriend were at the hospital and it seemed that baby was on the way. As baby are apt to do, the little one kept everyone waiting. By Monday afternoon Grandma, Grandpa and Auntie Paulette had come up from Quesnel, bringing Jasmine and Asher home after a fun-filled and exhausting visit. They too joined the baby watch. In the evening, my dad and sister returned to Quesnel, while Sheila and my mom raced off to the hospital to be closer to the action. Jasmine headed off to her friends house for the night, and suddenly the house was very quiet. Just a couple of guys hanging out, watching some rasslin'. Eventually Asher succumbed to sleep and it was just me hanging out and watching some teetee. I got a call from Sheila around 11 pm letting me know that it could be a looooong night. She had to work in the morning, but wasnt worried about getting any sleep. Baby first, work second.
When I woke early in the morning Sheila was next to me in the bed, or at least she had been. The baby had arrived! Sheila had arrived home some time in the early morning, but my mom had stuck it out. The little one had arrived via c-section at 620 am. Between Tuesday and Wednesday I managed to get 3 different visits with my brother, sister-in-law and the new bundle of joy. She was healthy alright, with a mighty set of lungs that she had already figured out how to use. Ian and Larissa didn't settle on what to call her until Thursday I believe, and it was then that my neice was given her name: Charlotte Reyna Marie. A great name, and she recieved the middle names of her two grandmothers as her middle names. I am really happy for the new mom and dad, and it has been a great week filled with happiness and new life. Allow me to introduce you to the star of the week.
The new baby consumed our thoughts for a few days, but later in the week we had planned to go on our first family camping trip in quite some time. The exhaustion of the baby's arrival and having a few house guests threatened to postpone the camp out, but in the Sheila and I decided to make it work. The trip had been reduced to 1 night, but that would give us a chance to test out the gear we had bought in preparation for a longer camp out in August. We were joined at the lake by Sheila's dad and her 5 year old niece Cienna who proudly told me: "Uncle Matt! This is my first time sleepin' out in the wild!" We spent all day Thursday swimming in the lake. It was sunny and hot, so why not? Jasmine is an ace in the water so we spent hours horsing around further out in the lake. Cienna and Asher also had lots of fun in the water, though the were much more careful than Jasmine which was good for us as guardians. After a hamburger dinner prepared on my old school coleman white gas cookstove, we returned to the lake.
Cienna's mom and dad drove out to join us, bringing their sons Ethan and Seth out for some lake time. The joy that the boys had in their faces was great to watch. They had a ton of fun horsing around the water, and Ethan joined Asher in watching Ethan's dad do some fishing from the shore. Asher seemed in a trance, he crouched down staring at his Uncle while he baited and casted, likely only being so well behaved due to the exhaustion from a long day. Ethan on the other hand wanted to be involved. He would creep out into the water after each cast, wanting to get ahold of the line. We ended the visit with some smores around the campfire before it was time for the boys to pack up and head for home and their beds. The campers turned in soon after, though Asher put up a fight even though he hadn't napped due to all the excitement of being out at the lake. After a rather chilly night in our tent, Jasmine and I joined her Papa around the fire at the crack of dawn. I fried up some eggs and hanburger patties for her and I while Papa sipped his coffee. All the other campers were silently sleeping still and missed out on the beautiful scenery. We talked about the Loons that we had heard during the night, and were about to spot a cluster of 5 or 6 of them out in the middle of the lake. Jasmine spotted what she says was a hawk (she knows her animals better than me) swooping down to try and get a fish. We had a great spot, our fire was less than 50 feet from the edge of the water. Jasmine than claimed to have seen an otter surface not far from shore. I was a doubter, and Papa politely told Jasmine that otters don't really live in lakes. The little guy surfaced again a few more times, and all three of us got a decent look. We decided that it must of been a beaver, it was too big to be a muskrat. Jasmine claimed to have seen a big flat tail. Cienna had just woke up, and she rattled off a number of beaver facts for us. I was impressed, she's only just finished kindergarten, where did she learn so much about the beaver? Of course, here are some pictures of our camp out for you to enjoy.
After spending the week being overwhelmed by neices and nephews, we weren't finished being spoiled with cute little kid time. One of Sheila's good friends stopped by on Saturday with her little guy we all got to take turns holding him. He is 2 months old, and his name is CJ. I have had a few thoughts this week of babies, but the toddlers have managed to counteract the happy thoughts with thoughts of exhaustion and patience testing. The little guy fell asleep while I was holding him, his little eyes part way open, and his mouth twisted off to the side as he was in the middle of sucking on a bottle. His mom and dad told us that he does fall asleep like that quite often so we weren't alarmed. I am a pretty big softy when it comes to the babies. Of course, I won't leave you hanging. I have a couple of CJ pictures as well.
From reading the above, you may think that all Sheila and I had time to do this week was visit with neices and nephews and kiss babies. For the most part, you would be right. we did have a little free time last Sunday while the kids were down visiting with Grandma and Grandpa. We went out for a greasy dinner at the Chinese Buffet (a mistake made after our chosen Vietnamese place was closed), then made our way to the movie theatre. I managed to convince Sheila to try watching her first horror film, and we didn't jump into it lightly. We went to see "The Conjuring" which has been getting cracking reviews from the critics. Generally, horror movies are poorly done, light on story telling and acting talent and big on cheap scares. I use to "fear" horror movies to some extent, but often they are so badly put together that I end up laughing instead of screaming. The critics liked James Wan's latest offering, and I did too. Sheila only screamed a couple of times, and she did have to hide behind her jacket for parts as well, but it sounds like she also enjoyed the movie. If you haven't seen it, go out and do so James Wan did an great job of building believable suspense that resulted in some of the most intense horror scenes I have seen as the movie climbed to a finish.
This past Friday night I jumped in the car and headed to the soccer field. We had a 630 game scheduled against Westwood Pub. Now, as a team we have been doing alright. We are still undefeated within our own 30+ division. Unfortunately, we have been tying games left, right and center. Having leads and blowing them, desperately catching up from behind, we have managed to tie games in a variety of ways. In divisional play we have accumulated 3 wins and 5 ties. Great. We haven't lost. With soccer though, wins are very valuable. They are worth 3 points while ties are worth 1. So, even though we have not lost, we are not in first. We are in a battle with one of the other teams for second out of the 4 teams in the division. On Friday night, we got scheduled into a game against one of the Open division teams, and after checking out the website before the game, I discovered that their record sat at 9 wins and 1 loss. I looked at the scoring tables to discover that they had 2 of the top goal scorers in the league. I knew we were in for a tough game. The score tallied up to 8 for them and 3 for us. A few thoughts from the game:
-Scott DeBianchi and Matt Jubinville are good soccer players. Great soccer players. Scary good. Likely the best players currently living in Prince George. On multiple occasions on Friday night they made our normally solid team look silly.
-Despite only having 9 players, Westwood was still way too good for us as a group. They didn't have their normal goalie, and we were able to take advantage of that to some extent by putting 3 goals on the board.
-I actually had more run with the ball in this game then I often do. I made a couple of sprinting runs with the ball that didn't result in anything tangible, but my efforts were moticed by teammates which always feels good.
-I twisted my ankle badly in the first half, coming down on the side of my foot and crunching my ankle over. I limped off quietly, lucky that I was 10 yards from the bench when it happened. 10 minutes later I was feeling quite a bit better so I ran back on. By the end of the game the list of injuries that I had incurred included a bruised toe, and a bruised knee to go along with the ankle pain. All on my left leg. The ankle ended up ballooning by the next morning, and I had to take it very easy all day. 3 days later, it's still sore but I am hoping to play hockey tomorrow night. We will see.
-The highlight of the game was definitely the hanging out after the game. They boys were in a celebratory mood despite the clobbering on the field. The beer was flowing until well after the game. I was hungry after skipping dinner at home, and enjoyed an awesome steak sandwich from the "concession". It was restaurant quality, like at a decent restaurant, and the price tag was a ridiculously fair $10. I've been annoying numerous people since by raving about it. The "concession" which is better than most restaurants in Prince George is only open on weekends so I won't get too many chances to make return trips. I may have to book a Friday off just for it. It's that good.
I have a busy week of family time, soccer, hockey and poker ahead of me. I'm also going to make an effort to get back to eating better and exercising more. I have had my first major lull in action as far as weight lifting, running and exercising goes. Hopefully, I can put an end to the negative downturn this week. I'll keep you all posted. Until next time.
Last Sunday the entire family was eagerly anticipating some very big news. My brother and his girlfriend were at the hospital and it seemed that baby was on the way. As baby are apt to do, the little one kept everyone waiting. By Monday afternoon Grandma, Grandpa and Auntie Paulette had come up from Quesnel, bringing Jasmine and Asher home after a fun-filled and exhausting visit. They too joined the baby watch. In the evening, my dad and sister returned to Quesnel, while Sheila and my mom raced off to the hospital to be closer to the action. Jasmine headed off to her friends house for the night, and suddenly the house was very quiet. Just a couple of guys hanging out, watching some rasslin'. Eventually Asher succumbed to sleep and it was just me hanging out and watching some teetee. I got a call from Sheila around 11 pm letting me know that it could be a looooong night. She had to work in the morning, but wasnt worried about getting any sleep. Baby first, work second.
When I woke early in the morning Sheila was next to me in the bed, or at least she had been. The baby had arrived! Sheila had arrived home some time in the early morning, but my mom had stuck it out. The little one had arrived via c-section at 620 am. Between Tuesday and Wednesday I managed to get 3 different visits with my brother, sister-in-law and the new bundle of joy. She was healthy alright, with a mighty set of lungs that she had already figured out how to use. Ian and Larissa didn't settle on what to call her until Thursday I believe, and it was then that my neice was given her name: Charlotte Reyna Marie. A great name, and she recieved the middle names of her two grandmothers as her middle names. I am really happy for the new mom and dad, and it has been a great week filled with happiness and new life. Allow me to introduce you to the star of the week.
The new baby consumed our thoughts for a few days, but later in the week we had planned to go on our first family camping trip in quite some time. The exhaustion of the baby's arrival and having a few house guests threatened to postpone the camp out, but in the Sheila and I decided to make it work. The trip had been reduced to 1 night, but that would give us a chance to test out the gear we had bought in preparation for a longer camp out in August. We were joined at the lake by Sheila's dad and her 5 year old niece Cienna who proudly told me: "Uncle Matt! This is my first time sleepin' out in the wild!" We spent all day Thursday swimming in the lake. It was sunny and hot, so why not? Jasmine is an ace in the water so we spent hours horsing around further out in the lake. Cienna and Asher also had lots of fun in the water, though the were much more careful than Jasmine which was good for us as guardians. After a hamburger dinner prepared on my old school coleman white gas cookstove, we returned to the lake.
Cienna's mom and dad drove out to join us, bringing their sons Ethan and Seth out for some lake time. The joy that the boys had in their faces was great to watch. They had a ton of fun horsing around the water, and Ethan joined Asher in watching Ethan's dad do some fishing from the shore. Asher seemed in a trance, he crouched down staring at his Uncle while he baited and casted, likely only being so well behaved due to the exhaustion from a long day. Ethan on the other hand wanted to be involved. He would creep out into the water after each cast, wanting to get ahold of the line. We ended the visit with some smores around the campfire before it was time for the boys to pack up and head for home and their beds. The campers turned in soon after, though Asher put up a fight even though he hadn't napped due to all the excitement of being out at the lake. After a rather chilly night in our tent, Jasmine and I joined her Papa around the fire at the crack of dawn. I fried up some eggs and hanburger patties for her and I while Papa sipped his coffee. All the other campers were silently sleeping still and missed out on the beautiful scenery. We talked about the Loons that we had heard during the night, and were about to spot a cluster of 5 or 6 of them out in the middle of the lake. Jasmine spotted what she says was a hawk (she knows her animals better than me) swooping down to try and get a fish. We had a great spot, our fire was less than 50 feet from the edge of the water. Jasmine than claimed to have seen an otter surface not far from shore. I was a doubter, and Papa politely told Jasmine that otters don't really live in lakes. The little guy surfaced again a few more times, and all three of us got a decent look. We decided that it must of been a beaver, it was too big to be a muskrat. Jasmine claimed to have seen a big flat tail. Cienna had just woke up, and she rattled off a number of beaver facts for us. I was impressed, she's only just finished kindergarten, where did she learn so much about the beaver? Of course, here are some pictures of our camp out for you to enjoy.
After spending the week being overwhelmed by neices and nephews, we weren't finished being spoiled with cute little kid time. One of Sheila's good friends stopped by on Saturday with her little guy we all got to take turns holding him. He is 2 months old, and his name is CJ. I have had a few thoughts this week of babies, but the toddlers have managed to counteract the happy thoughts with thoughts of exhaustion and patience testing. The little guy fell asleep while I was holding him, his little eyes part way open, and his mouth twisted off to the side as he was in the middle of sucking on a bottle. His mom and dad told us that he does fall asleep like that quite often so we weren't alarmed. I am a pretty big softy when it comes to the babies. Of course, I won't leave you hanging. I have a couple of CJ pictures as well.
From reading the above, you may think that all Sheila and I had time to do this week was visit with neices and nephews and kiss babies. For the most part, you would be right. we did have a little free time last Sunday while the kids were down visiting with Grandma and Grandpa. We went out for a greasy dinner at the Chinese Buffet (a mistake made after our chosen Vietnamese place was closed), then made our way to the movie theatre. I managed to convince Sheila to try watching her first horror film, and we didn't jump into it lightly. We went to see "The Conjuring" which has been getting cracking reviews from the critics. Generally, horror movies are poorly done, light on story telling and acting talent and big on cheap scares. I use to "fear" horror movies to some extent, but often they are so badly put together that I end up laughing instead of screaming. The critics liked James Wan's latest offering, and I did too. Sheila only screamed a couple of times, and she did have to hide behind her jacket for parts as well, but it sounds like she also enjoyed the movie. If you haven't seen it, go out and do so James Wan did an great job of building believable suspense that resulted in some of the most intense horror scenes I have seen as the movie climbed to a finish.
This past Friday night I jumped in the car and headed to the soccer field. We had a 630 game scheduled against Westwood Pub. Now, as a team we have been doing alright. We are still undefeated within our own 30+ division. Unfortunately, we have been tying games left, right and center. Having leads and blowing them, desperately catching up from behind, we have managed to tie games in a variety of ways. In divisional play we have accumulated 3 wins and 5 ties. Great. We haven't lost. With soccer though, wins are very valuable. They are worth 3 points while ties are worth 1. So, even though we have not lost, we are not in first. We are in a battle with one of the other teams for second out of the 4 teams in the division. On Friday night, we got scheduled into a game against one of the Open division teams, and after checking out the website before the game, I discovered that their record sat at 9 wins and 1 loss. I looked at the scoring tables to discover that they had 2 of the top goal scorers in the league. I knew we were in for a tough game. The score tallied up to 8 for them and 3 for us. A few thoughts from the game:
-Scott DeBianchi and Matt Jubinville are good soccer players. Great soccer players. Scary good. Likely the best players currently living in Prince George. On multiple occasions on Friday night they made our normally solid team look silly.
-Despite only having 9 players, Westwood was still way too good for us as a group. They didn't have their normal goalie, and we were able to take advantage of that to some extent by putting 3 goals on the board.
-I actually had more run with the ball in this game then I often do. I made a couple of sprinting runs with the ball that didn't result in anything tangible, but my efforts were moticed by teammates which always feels good.
-I twisted my ankle badly in the first half, coming down on the side of my foot and crunching my ankle over. I limped off quietly, lucky that I was 10 yards from the bench when it happened. 10 minutes later I was feeling quite a bit better so I ran back on. By the end of the game the list of injuries that I had incurred included a bruised toe, and a bruised knee to go along with the ankle pain. All on my left leg. The ankle ended up ballooning by the next morning, and I had to take it very easy all day. 3 days later, it's still sore but I am hoping to play hockey tomorrow night. We will see.
-The highlight of the game was definitely the hanging out after the game. They boys were in a celebratory mood despite the clobbering on the field. The beer was flowing until well after the game. I was hungry after skipping dinner at home, and enjoyed an awesome steak sandwich from the "concession". It was restaurant quality, like at a decent restaurant, and the price tag was a ridiculously fair $10. I've been annoying numerous people since by raving about it. The "concession" which is better than most restaurants in Prince George is only open on weekends so I won't get too many chances to make return trips. I may have to book a Friday off just for it. It's that good.
I have a busy week of family time, soccer, hockey and poker ahead of me. I'm also going to make an effort to get back to eating better and exercising more. I have had my first major lull in action as far as weight lifting, running and exercising goes. Hopefully, I can put an end to the negative downturn this week. I'll keep you all posted. Until next time.
Wednesday, 10 July 2013
What Has Matt Been Up To?
Hello again! It's Monday morning and that means that I am nearing the end of my work week once again. This time around I have not 3 but 4 days off, and they are going to be busy. Soccer returns this week after a 20 day break. I also have plans to golf tomorrow for the first time in 2 years. Between Tuesday morning and Wednesday evening I hope to have played a round of golf, played hockey, played a soccer game, ran 5 km, biked with Jasmine, and gone swimming with the kids. Will I survive? Sheila and I are also thinking about spending Friday night camping with the kids. It would be nice to relax a little after the packed schedule of Tuesday and Wednesday.
This weekend was a good one. We woke Saturday morning and a had a nice breakfast. Jasmine has been addicted to pancakes lately, this was her fourth time eating them this week! Sheila spoiled us with bacon and eggs to go with the cakes. We jumped in the car to head downtown. Our timing was a little off, so we ended up spending 45 minutes on the street corner waiting for the parade to start. I believe this is the fourth year in a row that we have attended the Prince George Pride Parade, and it was the best one yet. Considerably more viewers than year's past, it was good to see. The added participation of the RCMP, Ambulance employees and Firefighters was a nice sight to see, though I have no idea why it took them so long to get involved (it's year 16 for the parade). The kids had a great time cheering and waving (Asher waves to everyone, including all dogs!) but best of all, they liked the goodies that were being handed out. We collected candies, bracelets, stickers, tattoos, bottles of water (great idea!) and Asher even got a little football. After the parade, we strolled over to the civic centre where they were holding the annual BMO Kidz Art Dayz. We have gone a few times in the past to this event, but this year it was bigger and busier then I ever remember it being. Jasmine and I ran into a couple of our soccer teammates amongst the hundreds of kids that were there. They had about 15 different art stations set up, even a few that Asher could do. They also had live music this time, a great addition! Listened to a really solid performer, a young guy singing and playing guitar, and as he pointed out before each song, he had written all of the stuff too! I was impressed. Jasmine enjoyed herself, but got a little upset when we had to pull her away. She had been waiting patiently in a line for one project, but the line just wasn't moving. We had to walk 4 blocks back to the car, and needed to make a few more stops before I went to work. She didn't get over it until she had a smokie (she was starving!) and was settled in watching her auntie's soccer game. I had time to say a quick hello to my mom and dad at the soccer field and watch my sister play for a few minutes before I was on my way to work.
After the excitement of Saturday morning, I may have been inclined to be lazy on Sunday. Often, due to the quick turn around of working Saturday night and Sunday morning I am lacking sleep and energy come the afternoon. I had big plans, and I really wanted to follow through on them. I stopped off at my friend's house to borrow his ladder, then went to a couple of home improvement places in search of fence boards. Unfortunately, the part of the fence I am looking to repair was built with 1 x 5 fence boards ( a true 5 inches) and the boards aren't sold at any of the major lumber yards. I went home, intent to get some of the work done. I pulled the section of the fence apart, realizing that if I replaced all the boards instead, it wouldn't matter that the boards going on are a slightly different size. I couldn't fill the holes where a handful of rotten boards were present, but I could replank the entire 8 foot section instead. I got the boards pulled off, made plans to purchase a few more 1 x 6 boards that I will need, climbed up on the roof and removed a metal satellite dish mount that was causing water to drip down on the fence and rot the boards, swept the roof off (many years of pine needles piled up), and made my shopping list. I need to chop a few inches off of the 6 feet length boards, then I will be all set to rebuild the fence. Who builds a fence with 68" length boards, when the standard 72" would work fine? Just wanted to make more work? I don't get it. Anyway, I hope to get that done today, as well as mounting a section of eavestrough so that the fence doesn't get dripped on any longer.
After seeing actual progress on my fence repair job, I could have just lazed around the rest of the day. Instead, I got geared up and went for a 5 kilometer run, clocking in at 25 minutes and 4 seconds. I ate a delicious dinner, Sheila barbecued beef and shrimp kabobs and I even had a strawberry marguerita with it. After dinner, I asked Sheila if she wanted to go smack a few tennis balls. She hummed and hawed, and in a bit of an asshole move, I told Asher what my plans were. This sealed it, his tennis obsession still going strong, we were obligated to go. Sheila and I got a great workout, despite Asher being cranky. It was nearing bed time, and the sun was hot. Asher overcome his injury (he scraped his knee) and actually hit a few balls. We headed home, red faced and tired.
Though I have been pretty busy with life, I have found some time to enjoy a few movies, read a fair bit, and try out some new music. Some were more exciting then others, but all in all I have enjoy most of the entertainment I have consumed lately. I thought I would provide some short reviews in hopes that others may be inspired to also give them a try.
BOOKS
"What's Eating Gilbert Grape?" by Peter Hedges (1991)
This novel has been sitting around my house for a couple years. I picked it up at a garage sale, having heard a little about it and liking the 25 cent price tag. I was aware that one of the main characters had special needs, and this interested me. I had heard the movie was superb, featuring a young Johnny Depp alongside a young Leo DiCaprio. Still, I hadn't got around to it. I decided I would find books to read without heading to the library (Ironically, I can't afford the library) and I found this one on the shelf. Thank you Prince George Library for your exorbitant fines! While I always feel a bit euphoric after completing a book, and I am most likely to look back positively, but a few days later and I am still raving about this novel. Peter Hedges' writing is easy to read, and it flows well. This was the first book in a while that I completed in less than a week. The cynicism of the main character "Gilbert" had me thinking about the book a lot when I wasn't reading it. The relationships between the family and the youngest son "Arnie" were complex and always engaging. The mysterious girl that engages in a game of romantic cat and mouse with Gilbert had me guessing wrong again and again. I really liked that we didn't get a sappy conclusion to this dynamic. By the end of the book, Gilbert was becoming eerily similar in my mind to another character I quite like, "Napoleon" from the movie Napoleon Dynamite. Gilbert's pessimism makes for a great read, and it had my rooting for him to win in the end. The conclusion to the book is a bit dark, but at the same time, it provided and emotional release for the family after they had been suffering for so long. Pick this book up, you won't be disappointed.
"The Chosen" by Chaim Potok (1967)
I grabbed this book at the thrift store the other day, and started it minutes after finishing the book above. The novel examines the traditional Jewish faith, and the pressures that young Jewish boys face to remain devout followers. While I am only 80 pages into a 300 page book, I have found it quite engaging so far. I am ignorant to the customs of the Jewish faith, so I am looking forward to learning more. The main characters are quite likeable, and I am quickly getting into the story. Stay tuned, should be finished the book by next week.
MOVIES
"The Heat" directed by Paul Feig (2013)
I figured this movie would be solid when my buddy and I decided to go to it on opening night. Paul Feig was the genius comedic director behind "Bridesmaids", as well as credits for television including The Office, 30 Rock, Parks and Recreation, Arrested Development, Nurse Jackie and Freaks and Geeks. For the record, I really like all of those programs, Parks and Recreation currently finding a spot in my top 3 sitcoms. My favorite current sitcom is Mike and Molly, starring one Melissa McCarthy, who also happens to star in "The Heat". I had a vague idea of the movie premise, McCarthy and Sandra Bullock are both in law enforcement and they team together in an odd couple pairing. McCarthy plays the loose cannon police officer, and boy is she loose. Crude, crass, vulgar, and awesome! The movie had me laughing almost non-stop, even Sandy B (shout out to Raj from Big Bang) brought some decent comedic chops. I will not ruin the plot for you, instead, I will let you know that this is a must see for fans of comedy movies. It's my favourite of 2013 so far!
"Monster's University" directed by Dan Scanlon (2013)
While my sister Erin was in town, most of my family made it out to a late night showing of Monster's University. I thought that the 1015 PM start time would mean that it would be quiet, despite it being cheap night. Well, I didn't know that 2 of the other movies would sell out, leaving dozens of adult couples no choice but to see this movie seemingly targeted towards kids. So, we arrived as the show started, and luckily my brother had saved us a row of seats, or we would have been out of luck. The seats were in the 3rd row, much too close for my taste. I also have a habit of falling asleep when I sit really close. Being that I was tired to begin with, you can imagine what happened. The parts I did see were great. Lots of funny stuff, many jokes that were geared towards the older crowd, while also making Jasmine laugh plenty of times. I will have to see it again when it comes out on home release.
"Goon" directed by Michael Dowse (2012)
So, I know that very few people have seen this film. With a total box office take of less than $7,000,000 this movie got very little love at theatres. I was lucky enough to see it in theatres, it was a bit of a surprise as limited release movies rarely make their way to Prince George. It was written by Seth Rogen's buddy Evan Goldberg in collaboration with Jay Baruchel. Baruchel, who is highly underrated as an actor also plays a supporting role in the film as Doug "the thug" Glatt's best friend. I was taken aback when I watched this film for the first time by Sean William Scott's acting talent. He is known for trashy roles playing the stereotypical party guy, but in "Goon" he character dimensions that I didn't realize he was capable of pulling off. The movie is about hockey, specifically hockey fighting. It is set in the maritimes, so there are many humourous stereotypically characters that are authentic to the region. I watched the movie again the other night with Sheila, and I am happy to report that she quite enjoyed it as well. Lots of funny parts, lots of hockey related violence, and even a little love story thrown in. A great date night movie. Support Canadian movies, go out and find this film!
"Idiocracy" directed by Mike Judge (2006)
A movie from the creator of King of the Hill as well as Beavis and Butthead. A box office take of less than $500,000 as it was barely even released to theatres. Relatively well known stars in Luke Wilson, Dax Sheppard, Maya Rudolph, and Justin Long. It's quirky to say the least. The premise is that Wilson and Rudolph's characters get locked in capsules as part of a suspended animation experiment. They are to be unlocked a year later, but are forgotten about. They end up waking up 500 years later into a world that has become increasingly less intelligent. At times, it is cheesy, but at other times it is quite clever. I am a big Mike Judge fan, so perhaps my positive impression a tad clouded, but you could do worse when chosing a comedy to watch.
"The Wendell Baker Story" directed by Andrew and Luke Wilson (2005)
Can you tell that I have been going through the filmography list of the Wilson family? This movie starred both Owen and Luke, the former as a currupt head nurse at a retirement home, the latter a parolee sent to work in the same home. In a unique take on the romantic comedy genre, Luke's character makes friends with a few of the residents, and this leads to them helping him win back his girlfriend who is set to marry another man. Great, lesser known stuff from the Wilson clan. If you avoid their commercial work, they are actually pretty good at the acting thing. Also, check out "Bottle Rocket" (1996) written and directed by Wes Anderson in his debut movie. Starring Owen and Luke, it's possibly Owen's best work of his career. He plays a deranged criminal who goes from one bumbling scheme to another attempting to make money and get ahead.
"The Departed" directed by Martin Scorcese (2006)
I had seen bits and pieces of this film before, but the other night at work I got to see the whole thing. Leo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson, Martin Sheen, Mark Wahlberg, Alec Baldwin and the lovely Vera Farmiga. Need I say more?
ALBUMS
I have been drawn mostly towards the electronica genre lately. I have been lucky enough to find a wide variety of great albums that I have listened to numerous times. Often, I find a recently released album that I really enjoy, then I go back through the artists other albums and find even more great stuff. A handful of the albums I have been enjoying lately:
Jagwar Ma - "Howlin" (2013)
CoCo Rosie - "Tales of a Grass Widow" (2013)
Boards of Canada - "Tomorrow's Harvest" (2013)
Majical Clouds - "Impersonator" (2013)
RP Boo - "Legacy" (2013)
Daft Punk - "Random Access Memories`(2013)
Culcha Candela - "Das Beste" (2010)
This weekend was a good one. We woke Saturday morning and a had a nice breakfast. Jasmine has been addicted to pancakes lately, this was her fourth time eating them this week! Sheila spoiled us with bacon and eggs to go with the cakes. We jumped in the car to head downtown. Our timing was a little off, so we ended up spending 45 minutes on the street corner waiting for the parade to start. I believe this is the fourth year in a row that we have attended the Prince George Pride Parade, and it was the best one yet. Considerably more viewers than year's past, it was good to see. The added participation of the RCMP, Ambulance employees and Firefighters was a nice sight to see, though I have no idea why it took them so long to get involved (it's year 16 for the parade). The kids had a great time cheering and waving (Asher waves to everyone, including all dogs!) but best of all, they liked the goodies that were being handed out. We collected candies, bracelets, stickers, tattoos, bottles of water (great idea!) and Asher even got a little football. After the parade, we strolled over to the civic centre where they were holding the annual BMO Kidz Art Dayz. We have gone a few times in the past to this event, but this year it was bigger and busier then I ever remember it being. Jasmine and I ran into a couple of our soccer teammates amongst the hundreds of kids that were there. They had about 15 different art stations set up, even a few that Asher could do. They also had live music this time, a great addition! Listened to a really solid performer, a young guy singing and playing guitar, and as he pointed out before each song, he had written all of the stuff too! I was impressed. Jasmine enjoyed herself, but got a little upset when we had to pull her away. She had been waiting patiently in a line for one project, but the line just wasn't moving. We had to walk 4 blocks back to the car, and needed to make a few more stops before I went to work. She didn't get over it until she had a smokie (she was starving!) and was settled in watching her auntie's soccer game. I had time to say a quick hello to my mom and dad at the soccer field and watch my sister play for a few minutes before I was on my way to work.
After the excitement of Saturday morning, I may have been inclined to be lazy on Sunday. Often, due to the quick turn around of working Saturday night and Sunday morning I am lacking sleep and energy come the afternoon. I had big plans, and I really wanted to follow through on them. I stopped off at my friend's house to borrow his ladder, then went to a couple of home improvement places in search of fence boards. Unfortunately, the part of the fence I am looking to repair was built with 1 x 5 fence boards ( a true 5 inches) and the boards aren't sold at any of the major lumber yards. I went home, intent to get some of the work done. I pulled the section of the fence apart, realizing that if I replaced all the boards instead, it wouldn't matter that the boards going on are a slightly different size. I couldn't fill the holes where a handful of rotten boards were present, but I could replank the entire 8 foot section instead. I got the boards pulled off, made plans to purchase a few more 1 x 6 boards that I will need, climbed up on the roof and removed a metal satellite dish mount that was causing water to drip down on the fence and rot the boards, swept the roof off (many years of pine needles piled up), and made my shopping list. I need to chop a few inches off of the 6 feet length boards, then I will be all set to rebuild the fence. Who builds a fence with 68" length boards, when the standard 72" would work fine? Just wanted to make more work? I don't get it. Anyway, I hope to get that done today, as well as mounting a section of eavestrough so that the fence doesn't get dripped on any longer.
After seeing actual progress on my fence repair job, I could have just lazed around the rest of the day. Instead, I got geared up and went for a 5 kilometer run, clocking in at 25 minutes and 4 seconds. I ate a delicious dinner, Sheila barbecued beef and shrimp kabobs and I even had a strawberry marguerita with it. After dinner, I asked Sheila if she wanted to go smack a few tennis balls. She hummed and hawed, and in a bit of an asshole move, I told Asher what my plans were. This sealed it, his tennis obsession still going strong, we were obligated to go. Sheila and I got a great workout, despite Asher being cranky. It was nearing bed time, and the sun was hot. Asher overcome his injury (he scraped his knee) and actually hit a few balls. We headed home, red faced and tired.
Though I have been pretty busy with life, I have found some time to enjoy a few movies, read a fair bit, and try out some new music. Some were more exciting then others, but all in all I have enjoy most of the entertainment I have consumed lately. I thought I would provide some short reviews in hopes that others may be inspired to also give them a try.
BOOKS
"What's Eating Gilbert Grape?" by Peter Hedges (1991)
This novel has been sitting around my house for a couple years. I picked it up at a garage sale, having heard a little about it and liking the 25 cent price tag. I was aware that one of the main characters had special needs, and this interested me. I had heard the movie was superb, featuring a young Johnny Depp alongside a young Leo DiCaprio. Still, I hadn't got around to it. I decided I would find books to read without heading to the library (Ironically, I can't afford the library) and I found this one on the shelf. Thank you Prince George Library for your exorbitant fines! While I always feel a bit euphoric after completing a book, and I am most likely to look back positively, but a few days later and I am still raving about this novel. Peter Hedges' writing is easy to read, and it flows well. This was the first book in a while that I completed in less than a week. The cynicism of the main character "Gilbert" had me thinking about the book a lot when I wasn't reading it. The relationships between the family and the youngest son "Arnie" were complex and always engaging. The mysterious girl that engages in a game of romantic cat and mouse with Gilbert had me guessing wrong again and again. I really liked that we didn't get a sappy conclusion to this dynamic. By the end of the book, Gilbert was becoming eerily similar in my mind to another character I quite like, "Napoleon" from the movie Napoleon Dynamite. Gilbert's pessimism makes for a great read, and it had my rooting for him to win in the end. The conclusion to the book is a bit dark, but at the same time, it provided and emotional release for the family after they had been suffering for so long. Pick this book up, you won't be disappointed.
"The Chosen" by Chaim Potok (1967)
I grabbed this book at the thrift store the other day, and started it minutes after finishing the book above. The novel examines the traditional Jewish faith, and the pressures that young Jewish boys face to remain devout followers. While I am only 80 pages into a 300 page book, I have found it quite engaging so far. I am ignorant to the customs of the Jewish faith, so I am looking forward to learning more. The main characters are quite likeable, and I am quickly getting into the story. Stay tuned, should be finished the book by next week.
MOVIES
"The Heat" directed by Paul Feig (2013)
I figured this movie would be solid when my buddy and I decided to go to it on opening night. Paul Feig was the genius comedic director behind "Bridesmaids", as well as credits for television including The Office, 30 Rock, Parks and Recreation, Arrested Development, Nurse Jackie and Freaks and Geeks. For the record, I really like all of those programs, Parks and Recreation currently finding a spot in my top 3 sitcoms. My favorite current sitcom is Mike and Molly, starring one Melissa McCarthy, who also happens to star in "The Heat". I had a vague idea of the movie premise, McCarthy and Sandra Bullock are both in law enforcement and they team together in an odd couple pairing. McCarthy plays the loose cannon police officer, and boy is she loose. Crude, crass, vulgar, and awesome! The movie had me laughing almost non-stop, even Sandy B (shout out to Raj from Big Bang) brought some decent comedic chops. I will not ruin the plot for you, instead, I will let you know that this is a must see for fans of comedy movies. It's my favourite of 2013 so far!
"Monster's University" directed by Dan Scanlon (2013)
While my sister Erin was in town, most of my family made it out to a late night showing of Monster's University. I thought that the 1015 PM start time would mean that it would be quiet, despite it being cheap night. Well, I didn't know that 2 of the other movies would sell out, leaving dozens of adult couples no choice but to see this movie seemingly targeted towards kids. So, we arrived as the show started, and luckily my brother had saved us a row of seats, or we would have been out of luck. The seats were in the 3rd row, much too close for my taste. I also have a habit of falling asleep when I sit really close. Being that I was tired to begin with, you can imagine what happened. The parts I did see were great. Lots of funny stuff, many jokes that were geared towards the older crowd, while also making Jasmine laugh plenty of times. I will have to see it again when it comes out on home release.
"Goon" directed by Michael Dowse (2012)
So, I know that very few people have seen this film. With a total box office take of less than $7,000,000 this movie got very little love at theatres. I was lucky enough to see it in theatres, it was a bit of a surprise as limited release movies rarely make their way to Prince George. It was written by Seth Rogen's buddy Evan Goldberg in collaboration with Jay Baruchel. Baruchel, who is highly underrated as an actor also plays a supporting role in the film as Doug "the thug" Glatt's best friend. I was taken aback when I watched this film for the first time by Sean William Scott's acting talent. He is known for trashy roles playing the stereotypical party guy, but in "Goon" he character dimensions that I didn't realize he was capable of pulling off. The movie is about hockey, specifically hockey fighting. It is set in the maritimes, so there are many humourous stereotypically characters that are authentic to the region. I watched the movie again the other night with Sheila, and I am happy to report that she quite enjoyed it as well. Lots of funny parts, lots of hockey related violence, and even a little love story thrown in. A great date night movie. Support Canadian movies, go out and find this film!
"Idiocracy" directed by Mike Judge (2006)
A movie from the creator of King of the Hill as well as Beavis and Butthead. A box office take of less than $500,000 as it was barely even released to theatres. Relatively well known stars in Luke Wilson, Dax Sheppard, Maya Rudolph, and Justin Long. It's quirky to say the least. The premise is that Wilson and Rudolph's characters get locked in capsules as part of a suspended animation experiment. They are to be unlocked a year later, but are forgotten about. They end up waking up 500 years later into a world that has become increasingly less intelligent. At times, it is cheesy, but at other times it is quite clever. I am a big Mike Judge fan, so perhaps my positive impression a tad clouded, but you could do worse when chosing a comedy to watch.
"The Wendell Baker Story" directed by Andrew and Luke Wilson (2005)
Can you tell that I have been going through the filmography list of the Wilson family? This movie starred both Owen and Luke, the former as a currupt head nurse at a retirement home, the latter a parolee sent to work in the same home. In a unique take on the romantic comedy genre, Luke's character makes friends with a few of the residents, and this leads to them helping him win back his girlfriend who is set to marry another man. Great, lesser known stuff from the Wilson clan. If you avoid their commercial work, they are actually pretty good at the acting thing. Also, check out "Bottle Rocket" (1996) written and directed by Wes Anderson in his debut movie. Starring Owen and Luke, it's possibly Owen's best work of his career. He plays a deranged criminal who goes from one bumbling scheme to another attempting to make money and get ahead.
"The Departed" directed by Martin Scorcese (2006)
I had seen bits and pieces of this film before, but the other night at work I got to see the whole thing. Leo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson, Martin Sheen, Mark Wahlberg, Alec Baldwin and the lovely Vera Farmiga. Need I say more?
ALBUMS
I have been drawn mostly towards the electronica genre lately. I have been lucky enough to find a wide variety of great albums that I have listened to numerous times. Often, I find a recently released album that I really enjoy, then I go back through the artists other albums and find even more great stuff. A handful of the albums I have been enjoying lately:
Jagwar Ma - "Howlin" (2013)
CoCo Rosie - "Tales of a Grass Widow" (2013)
Boards of Canada - "Tomorrow's Harvest" (2013)
Majical Clouds - "Impersonator" (2013)
RP Boo - "Legacy" (2013)
Daft Punk - "Random Access Memories`(2013)
Culcha Candela - "Das Beste" (2010)
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