Poker Post!

It's been more then 6 years since I first took up poker, and it really has become old hat.  For a considerable amount of time while I was first learning, I was filled with emotions while playing, and depending on the way the game went, I was overcome with these emotions after the game.  I played scared, I was hoping not to lose my money, rather then hoping to win.  In many cases I was completely naive to how experienced and in some instances how talented the players I was playing against were.  For the first couple of years that I played live, I did not track my results.  I waited for big hands, made my raise, then waited for the loose and aggressive sharks to take me out.  I can't count the amount of times that guys would call in behind and just wait until I showed weakness, then fire in a big bet and take the pot away from me.  I enjoyed the game at that point, mostly because the fear I felt while playing was a great adrenaline rush.  There is nothing like having top pair against a draw for $500 to get the heart racing a little bit.  I am not trying to be macho here, I still get sweaty when there is a large amount on the line, but I have managed to gain a level of maturity about what I am doing. 

I have been calling poker a job for the last few years.  In reality, it is.  The definition of "job" on dictionary.com has five meanings listed. 

1.

a piece of work, especially a specific task done as part of the routine of one's occupation or for an agreed price: She gave him the job of mowing the lawn.

 

2.

a post of employment; full-time or part-time position: She was seeking a job as an editor.

 

3. 

anything a person is expected or obliged to do; duty; responsibility: It is your job to be on time.

 

4.

an affair, matter, occurrence, or state of affairs: to make the best of a bad job.

 

5.

the material, project, assignment, etc., being worked upon: The housing project was a long and costly job.

Of course, I went ahead and posted that list, read the list over, and I now realize that poker as a profession doesn't fit into any of those 5 definitions perfectly.  It is "a specific task done as part of the routine of one's occupation or for an agreed price", but it is only part of my routine because I chose it to be.  As well, the financial compensation is hardly agreed upon.  One of the things that keeps me playing is that you have no clue when he sit down to play whether you are going to win or lose that night.  I might start my night feeling great and be in an excellent frame of mind, but that doesn't mean that everyone else at the table doesn't feel the same way.  I have to battle the other 9 people playing, the cards themselves, and myself.  When I first started I was easily intimidated as I already stated.  If I had a cold streak I rarely looked at my own play but chose to fault the cards, or bemoan just how wild and aggressive everyone else was.  Over the years, I have become more comfortable and my game has evolved.  I play to make money, but at the same time, I have come to realize that you need to enjoy yourself while playing, or you won't win.  Take a gamble once in a while, make a silly raise, sometimes it works, and other times you look like an idiot, which also has its benefits.

When I started typing this morning, I wanted to focus on poker as a supplemental income.  I went off on a bit of a tangent, but back to the point.  In 2009 I started tracking my results, setting up a spreadsheet and recording my wins and losses each time I played a session.  At that point I believed I was a winning player, but being that I am a bit neurotic about numbers, I wanted a more precise measure of where I was at.  It turned out that 2009 was a great year.  In 2010 I began recording how long I was playing for in addition to my wins and losses.  I feel that recording my results like this has helped me view poker as one long occupation rather then focussing on whether or not I was winning on a particular night.  When things aren't going well, it's nice to escape with a small loss, conversely, recording helps me realize when I missed opportunities as well.  I feel like I am less likely to loosen up when I am winning if I am not looking at the particular session in a bubble.  

 

For part of 2010 and 2011 I had a second job in addition to my work as a support worker, so poker was a third job, one that I really didn't need to rely on.  I still had decent results, but my focus was not always there when I was playing.  Towards the end of last year and going into this year, poker has held an important place in our household income.  The volatility of the outcome can be frustrating, but I am now confident in my abilities to the point that I know the wins will come on the long run.  I was a winning player in 2009, 2010 and 2011 so it isn't a stretch to say that I want to be a winner again this year.  I have been bandying about making specific goals for the year, and initially set a goal of $12000 profit for the year, or $1000 a month, or roughly $250 a week.  I don't play the same number of hours every month as things come up and family of course is a priority, so setting goals can be difficult.  I have since adjusted my goal.  I feel like $500 a month is more reasonable, with an hourly rate of ~$17-18 per hour.  If I make an effort to be focussed, well rested and ready when I sit down each time, I don't think this is unreasonable in the least.  I have made a decent start to the year, and look to have it continue for the rest of 2011.  Now I leave you with a hand history from yesterday that still has me smiling today.

I had been playing for a while and was ahead a small amount on the day.  I was under the gun with 10 10 and chose to just call the $2.  I don't limp the strong hands too often, but due to the table, and the afinity of some to call, I wanted to try something different.  If I make it $15 to go (standard raise at my casino), I will either lose everyone, or get multiple callers, the latter being more likely.  Not many flops will be to my liking if I have a number of people to act behind me.  Also, if there is a raise behind, I have the option to re-raise depending on who makes the raise and how many callers there is on the raise.  If there is $45 or more in there when it gets back to me, making it $75 to take it down is a strong possibility.  In the end, no one raises and we go to the flop 6 handed. The pot is $12.

The flop is J76 2 hearts.  I didn't mind the flop, but I checked after the blinds did.  Last to act, a very loose player makes it $7.  The big blind to my right calls, a young woman who I haven't played with.  In the hour since she sat down we had clashed a number of times, she fired off a 3 barrell bluff on me and showed when I folded.  She recieved a number of compliments at the table for that hand, then she made a solid top pair lay down when I went all-in.  I told her it was a nice fold even though she had me beat (she didn't, I was just trying to build her confidence).  She also loved to "float" meaning that she would call with nothing hoping to hit on the turn or river.  Due to these factors, as well as the loose image of the raiser, I went ahead and check raised to $30 looking to win the pot right away.  There was a distinct possibility that neither had a jack.  If they were drawing at the straight or the flush they might call, but the draws missing on the turn could let me win with a big turn bet, or we could all see the river for cheap with a check around.  Ultimately, I got called in both spots.  The pot is ~$100.

The turn is J clubs.  An interesting card in that my hypothesis about no one having a jack seems more likely now, but at the same time, are both opponents drawing?  If so, I am going to need to make a big bet here to fold them both out.  Before I can think to long, the lady in the small blind bets $40.  I was a little surprised as she was quite passive on the flop, opting to just call twice.  Her approach to the hand could have been a weak jack, she was in the blinds and on the flop a jack without a kicker would possibly play it her way.  She also had been bluffing lots as her confidence and her stack grew.  I tried to get a read about the other player in the hand,  and decided to call with confidence, hoping to fold out the third player.  He did go ahead and fold, and we went to the river.  The pot is ~$180.

The river is a 6  of spades, pair the board a second time.  At this point I was convinced that I had her beat, but this did not stop her.  She didn't seem inclined to giving up on a pot once she took the lead, and she began counting out the bet.  At first it looked like $40, but she continued to add to her bet.  I was going to make a super quick snap call just to show how convinced I was that she was bluffing, but opted to slide out 12 red chips to make the $60.  I asked "Do you have it?"  She shook her head, I tabled my 10 10 and the table went silent.  Not only was I happy about my call, I think I had a few people confused about the way the hand played out.  In the end ~$300 sent my way.  I gained satisfaction from this as well because she had frustrated me for 45 minutes, taking a few pots from me and driving me close to making a bad decision or two.  She moved seats, going from my left to my right, and those who play cards know that if someone is outplaying you as she had been, its much easier to deal with when you are acting behind.  She fired off the rest of her chips, ~$200 before the hour was out.  Its these small victories that keep me interested, and the money is nice as well.  Any poker players reading, let me know your thoughts.

Water For Elephants

After years of thinking about reading "Water For Elephants", I finally got around to it.  It was not for a lack of interest, because the subject matter had always intrigued me.  Pundits heaped praise on the peice, author Sara Gruen had won numerous awards for her effort when the book was published in 2006.  Keep in mind, I did virutally no pleasure reading in the years 2006-2010.  I started reading again in 2010, and eventually I found the book on a library shelf last week.  If a book is interested and it is able to capture my interest, I usually complete it quickly.  I finished this 420 page tome in 6 days, and saved the book from Asher's destructive grasp.

Having recieved the official Hollywood treatment last year with Reese Witherspoon and Robert Pattinson in the lead roles, likely anyone reading this has at least heard of the movie, the book or the story itself.  The book is an exotic twist on the classic love story.  The female of interest, Marlena, is young but experienced beyond her years.  She is married to an older man, one who controls her through fear and intimidation.  Jacob is a young man, who was nearing completion of veteranarian school.  He experiences a great personal tragedy and ends up in the bleak situation.  Running away from his problems, he inadvertently ends up joining a train circus where is lauded as a veteranarian despite his insistance to the contrary. 

The story develops as a significant rift develops between Jacob and Marlena's husband August.  This rift is strengthened when Jacob's developing affection for Marlena becomes more obvious and August, ever one to be jealous begins to loathe Jacob for it.  Marlena is very aloof throughout, and it not readily apparent whether her affection for Jacob is anything more then a desire for friendship.  It is eventually revealed that she lives in fear of August on a daily basis, his suffering from schizophrenia being a main cause.  As the story ramps up August eventually loses control, as he bursts in on Marlena and Jacob setting up a celebration for him, and accuses them of sleeping together.  A huge fist fight insues, leaving both Jacob and August a bloody mess.  Jacob gets the spoils as he protects Marlena and wins her favour.  In an ironic twist, they sleep together shortly after, and her feelings for Jacob are confirmed.  The climax comes as the two lovers try to escape the circus with little money.  They want to save their friends Walter and Camel as well, but they are met with a violent end.  Some men who had been thrown from the train return to create an animal stampede that effectively ruins the circus and provides Jacob and Marlena with their way out.  In all, an excellent tale that kept me guessing throughout. 

I have read 4 books so far this year, and without question this was the best one.  The book I enjoyed the most out of those I have read in recent years was "The Boy in the Moon" by Ian Brown, but "Water For Elephants" ranks solidly in my top five.

Little Asher Man

When we were in the process of getting ready for Sheila's return to work, I will have to admit, I was scared.  This meant that I would be the exclusive caregiver for Asher from 730 am until 500 pm on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursdays.  A daunting task I thought, as Asher seemed to be in constant need of being entertained.  He didn't play much with his toys or distract himself with things he found around the house.  He wanted to be picked up, he wanted to be cuddled, he wanted to be loved, all things that I could give him. 

As it turns out, Asher is pretty fond of dear old daddy.  He loves to cuddle up on my chest to take his naps, and I get to attempt to slide out from under him without him waking so that I can get a few things done while he snoozes.  He goes to daycare twice a week and he is beginning to learn how to entertain himself.  He finds his favorite toys and plays, often distracting himself for 10 or 15 minutes at a time.  After a couple of months we have fallen into a pretty nice routine.  It has been getting easier for me to crawl out of bed in time to get Jasmine to school for 830.  Then Asher and I get to spend some quality father and son time together.  We go to the grocery store on Wednesday morning and slowly browse the aisles.  We have walked over to pick Jasmine up from school a few times, though Asher isn't a big fan of his sled.  Jasmine, Asher and I go to the swimming pool on Wednesday afternoon.  He loves goofing off in the water, always with a huge smile on his face. 

One of the cutest things Asher does is plant kisses on his mom, dad or sister when asked.  If I say "Asher kiss", he will smile widely, then run over and smack is mouth into mine, usually with his mouth opened wide, so he ends up sucking on your lip.  He gives the kiss as if he is trying to headbutt the recipient, with lots of force behind it.  We have also had a lot of fun with him and his hockey sticks and his soccer ball.  Whenever he sees his sticks laying about he runs over and picks them both up.  At first he had little interest in the hitting the ball with them, prefer to smash at the tv or to hit one of us when we weren't paying attention.  Now he has learned how much he can have smacking the ball around the rec room, even playing pass with one of us for a few minutes.  Asher also likes to play soccer with dad or his uncle, running across the room with the ball bouncing off his knees.  The regulation size 5 ball is as tall as his knee and it is quite a sight seeing a giggling little boy running behind the ball.  As I finish this up I am off to look at a jogging stroller, hopefully its a go so that Asher and I can spend some time on our days off out in the fresh(ish) air getting some exercise. 

Heart and Hustle

I have really enjoyed my time coaching Jasmine's basketball team this year.  After suggesting the sport to Jasmine, I quickly decided that I would volunteer to help out.  I came into the coaching job a little jaded as I had a bit of a trying time with the same age group during the summer soccer season.  The girls I coached in the summer were very young and unfortunately, many of them did not seem very interested in the sport of soccer.  This in turn distracted a few of the others and made for a very difficult experience.  I was unable to teach any new skills to the girls that did want to learn.  Nonetheless, I signed up to help with basketball. 

I played organized basketball in elementary school and I really enjoyed it.  I was and still am a sports nut.  I have not come across a sport that I did not enjoy, and basketball was no exception.  Although I gave up the game after grade 7, I still played regularly in our driveway, at the park or in the school gym when I could.  It really is a great game and I felt that Jasmine's athleticism and long frame may find her aptly suited for basketball.  I was also hoping she could meet some new girls and enjoy herself.  The games were scheduled for Saturday mornings which worked well for us.  As I know very little about the fundamentals of the game, I have relied heavily on my co-coaches Jackie and Jay who are both great guys who I have really enjoyed volunteering with. 

What has really made my time so enjoyable are the girls.  I have never met such a well-mannered and attentive group, and I had my view of the typical 8-9 year old girl changed completely.  Over the course of a dozen games, I have had numerous opportunities to share advice and impart tiny bits of wisdom to the girls to help them to improve.  When we started in November, 7 of the 8 girls had never played before.  A few of the girls were unable to shoot the ball high enough to make a basket.  As coaches, we were starting at the very beginning.  From the very first Saturday, all 8 girls wanted to learn.  When any of the 3 coaches called the girls over to show them something we had their attention.  The girls have now learned how to playing stifling defence, how to bounce a pass to their teammates, how to crash the glass after a missed shot, how to use their off hand to guide their shot, and most of all, I think most of them have learned to enjoy the game.  Each week it seems a different girl has a great game.  One of my favorite games saw one girl score 7 or 8 baskets even though she couldn't even hit the rim 3 months before!  This same girl comes over to the coaches after every game and says "thank you", which still gets me everytime.  Another of the girls told me when I asked her if she played any other sports, "Um, well, I play the piano."  She has become our defensive stalwart, using her height to block shooting lanes and grab rebounds.  We don't usually win, but noone seems to notice.  None of the girls count the score, and nobody worries about how many baskets they have made.  As a coach I love to point out the great pass or the defensive play as much as I do the baskets.  If the girls get some positive feedback about the little things in the game, I figure it will only encourage them to continue doing them. 

I have fun with all the girls, but most of all, I enjoy spending time with my Jasmine.  She likes having me coach as I think it adds a level of comfort for her.  She is not shy, but she likes to have me involved and that makes me feel good!  Jasmine has done well learning things like the bounce pass, the defensive shuffle, and she has become a good shot blocker.  She is quite inconsistent as some weeks she is very aware and into the game, and other weeks she seems to have little interest and becomes frustrated quickly.  Today, she was on her game.  She made her dad very proud with her hustle, effort and perserverence.  We spend the first hour of our weekly sessions practicing and warming up for the game that takes up the second hour.  Jackie led the group, warmups with the balls, a few dribbling drills, a layup and rebounding routine and a few water breaks.   The girls are starting to grasp the game of bump and a few are really getting into it.  We finished up with a 2 on 2 drill focussing on movement and using the defensive shuffle to stay with your check.  Jasmine was working with Jackie behind me, then all of a sudden there was a big collision and two girls go down.  Jasmine had collided with one of her teammates, and her teeth had cracked into the back of the other girl's head.  Both girls went down, sobbing loudly, as we rushed over to help them to the bench.  Jasmine was quite upset, and told me her tooth was loose.  I reassured her that there was no blood, and she held a wet towel on her teeth to cool it down.  She sat down for about 10 minutes, by then the game had started, and before long she was ready to give it a try. 

We had spoke before the game about ways that she can get the ball more often.  She has struggled to understand why the other girls aren't passing to her,  and I was letting her know that she needed to move away from defenders, find the open spots and then call for it.  She also needed to make sure she was passing when she got the ball, so that she could be part of the passing plays as well.  After taking a few shorter turns, Jasmine got back to playing hard.  She ran hard up and down the court, rebounded a few balls and brought the ball up when she was playing guard.  All in all, she had her best passing game of the season.  Jasmine threw a very nice bounce pass to her teammate for a layup and she didn't get caught taking too long with the ball.  At the end of the game she dribbled up the court, saw an opening and went straight in for a layup.  She always has a little jumping cheer that she does when she scores, and I was happy to see that at the end of the game.  All in all, today's game was a very satisfying experience and I think it has cemented my place as a basketball coach again next year.

#5 A Dedication to Fitness

At times I have fallen into significant lapses in physical fitness.  I was never a gym rat but I was blessed with a naturally strong metabolism and growing up I was surrounded by a very active family.  As a teenager I was involved in organized hockey, soccer, and volleyball.  I chose to spend much of my additional free time shooting baskets or fitting in as many rounds of golf into a summer as I could.  As a university student I had various reasons and excuses why I couldn't keep active.  It cost too much to be involved in any organized activities, and I had to rely on the transit busses to get to activities.  Occasionally I would take part, playing intramural soccer for a few winters, attending the University gym for significant periods of time and so on. 

Nearing the end of 2009 I was falling further and further out of shape.  I had finished the summer soccer season on a division 2 team, but I was struggling badly to keep up.  I worked a little in the fall of 2009 to get myself where I wanted to be physically.  The results were a small weight loss from a decent running regiment, but once winter hit, my sedintary lifestyle kicked in again.   I gained a few pounds back, but the most significant problem was the complete loss of stamina and athleticism.  The spring of 2010 came around and another season of soccer began.  In short, I embarassed myself.  We were the worst team in the league and I was a key reason.  I could not keep up, and I would come of the field gasping for air at least a couple times a game.  Thankfully, I could recognize the problem I was facing.  I don't feel that I am old by any definition, but the days of eating horribly and lazing around the house without punishment are over for me.  If I make bad choices with food intake and activity levels, I pay for it.  I did get out of the house on occasion during the late summer and fall to jog in the neighbourhood, and I would jump on my bike for a fast paced ride through the city, but the dreaded winter months were coming, during which physical activity opportunities mean spending money, of which I had very little. 

In October, Sheila and I finalized a deal to buy our first home.  We moved mid month and were blessed with significantly more space then we had before.  3 bedrooms upstairs, one set aside for the baby to come, and plenty of spare room downstairs.  We have a small spare bedroom, and a recroom of 18 X 20 dimensions.  As we moved in, the sofa set and tv filled one side of the rec room, and the computer desks were spread out to fill the other side.  A few months later, on a suggestion from my brother, we rearranged the basement.  We moved the computers behind the sofa, opening up a large area on the other side of the room.  Ian and I were determined to get ourselves in better shape, and we now had to space to do so.  After considerable browsing on Kijiji we got our start.  We found a great deal on a bench press set, complete with barbell, full set of olympic weight plates and a bench that featured an incline option to give more exercise choices.  The bench alone retails for $600 new and we were able to buy the whole set for $250.  Excited about the deal, we got to work.  The weight set was complete a few months later when we added a full set of dumbells with a stand for $200.  This has proven to be an invaluable addition, I find myself picking up the dumbells a number of times a day to quickly do a few exercises. 

In the spring Ian and I were able to find time a few times a week to jog together.  The routine with the weights was informal, jumping on for a set or two whenever we felt like it.  Also, with the new addition to the family, we made a point of attending the pool every Wednesday as a family.  Asher loves the water, Jasmine swims endlessly when we go, and this gave me a chance to swim a few laps, run in the river, and get in some relaxing time in the steamroom and sauna.  I was able to find time almost every day for some form of exercise, and conversely I felt great.  If I didn't feel like jogging, I would talk myself into a bike ride instead.  When April came around, soccer started again, keeping me busy once a week on Mondays.  I was happy with my progress, and Ian and I were proving a sucessful motivating team.  It was around this time that we both started looking at supplements as a way to maximize our results and to improve our health even further.  After some extensive research I have settled in to a fairly extensive regiment of supplements aimed at helping my mind and body. 

As the soccer season moved into full swing, I found myself enjoying the game more then I had the last few years.  I was better conditioned, able to keep up to the pace of play better, rarely needing a break as badly as I had needed them in the past.  I had played on a team with Ian only briefly in the past, and we enjoyed some great chemistry together.  Ian is a much better player then I am, and trying to keep up to him was proving to be a considerable challenge.  We had a good group of guys, and we were playing well, winning most of our games.  As some team members were having a few drinks after a game, hockey was brought up, and it was soon apparent that a number of the guys played rec hockey in the winter.  Ian and I are both former hockey players, myself being 10 years removed from my last spate of organized hockey.  Dan, one of our midfielders, thought there might be room for us on his hockey team if we were indeed interested.  Knowing that there is a considerable cost associated with playing hockey, we were both interested but unsure of our ability to afford the fees.  In hindsight, I am very glad that I decided to take the plunge.  I have met a bunch of great guys playing hockey, and we have seen success together.  We are currently in second place out of 8 teams, and we find ourselves on a 9 game winning streak.  I always look forward to our games, and it has been a great way to keep active during the winter months when I usually go into hibernation.  We play once or twice a week, which provides plenty of game action, but also a nice amount of time to recover between games.  Although my running routine has stopped for the winter, I have been able to maintain a solid fitness level between hockey, my trips to the pool with the kids, and the weights in the basement.

In general, I am very pleased with the changes I have made in my life in regards to fitness.  I have never been as active on a daily basis in my adult life.  I feel like I showed some extreme discipline over the summer with my eating habits which helped me get to my desired weight.  I have relaxed a bit in regards to my discipline, but my hockey games and my almost daily use of the basement weight set have kept me active in the winter months.  As this is the first time that I have ever lifted weights for a long period of time I have seen some amazing changes in body compositon and despite adding some decent mass, my metabolism has remained high, and I have been able to maintain my body weight.  I haven't been at this weight since I was 18, and I can confidently say that I have more muscle mass then I have ever had before.  Here is to another great year of fitness!

#4 A Return to Cinema

Simply put, I watched a lot of movies in 2011.  For many years I claimed that I didn't have the patience to sit through a piece of cinema of any length.  Regardless of the quality of a picture, I simply wouldn't watch it.  There wasn't any genre that caught my attention.  Good comedic movies come along so infrequently and I was unwilling to sit through something just to say that I had witnessed it.  A great movie can provide a wonderful backdrop for spending time with family, and most of the movies were seen with either Sheila, Jasmine or both.  Until this last year I just flat out refused to watch any animated kids movies, not realizing just how happy it made Jasmine to have mom or dad watch with her while she enjoyed her show.  I have to say, some of the best films I saw this year were of the animated genre.  Jasmine and I were at the theatre a number of times this year, and I can recall seeing Megamind, Rango, Happy Feet 2, Despicable Me, Puss In Boots, Arthur Christmas within the last 18 months.  I really do get spoiled as I also attend the theatre regularly with the guys at work and have witnessed a number of great flicks in their company as well.  Allow me to share my favorites with you, and perhaps this will inspire others to give some of this movies a try.  Keep in mind I am going to restrict this list to movies that were either released in 2011, or were released in the last few months of 2010 and made it to home movie in 2011.  Without further ado, on to the list.


#10 Rango (Animated Western) Starring Johnny Depp, Isla Fisher, Gore Verbinski (Director)

I had been seeing the previews for this flick for months ahead of time, and the character of Rango just seemed perfect.  A meek hero who falls into saving a dying town from the evil big wigs who are controlling it seemed like a great premise for a movie.  Johnny Depp lending his voice to an animated flick that Tim Burton had nothing to do with was surprising, and I have nothing but respect for his ability to select quality projects.  I was seemingly more eager then Jasmine to see this movie, and in the end it fulfilled expections.  It had a genuine Western style, with twists of great humor to boot.  Jasmine was laughing throughout, but they also included some showdown scenes where Rango had his back against the wall and was able to excape through hook or by crook.  Gore Verbinski's other works include 3 of the Pirates movies, and I am glad that he didn't force this one into 3D, as I have seen a few animated flicks that felt forced due to the need to include 3D elements.  If you have kids or you don't this is a really funny movie that you need to see.

#9 127 Hours (Biographical Drama) Starring James Franco, Danny Boyle (Director)

A perfect storm of events came together which ultimately led to Sheila and I watching and thoroughly enjoying this movie.  Sheila is not a huge reader and when she reads she tends to stick to the sappy romantic type books.  During a visit to the library we found Aron Ralston's book "Between a Rock and a Hard Place", and I am struggling to remember why it was chosen.  I believe Sheila saw Aron make a media appearance on TV and felt compelled to give it a try.  She devoured the book, reading it in a couple days, as I have never seen her delve into a book before.  She had to finish before we saw the movie as it was being released days later.  I was also excited to see the movie as I respect very few Hollywood actors more then James Franco.  The man involves himself in projects that interest him first, seemingly giving much less thought the the amount of money or fame that will go along with his work.  From all indications this movie paid Franco a small amount, and the role itself seems tedious.  He is stuck in one location a calamity that occurred while the character is out rock climbing.  Through a series of flashbacks we gain perspective on the character's life and it is through these scenes that we build to the ultimate moment when we discover just what courage is.  If you haven't seen this film I don't to ruin it, but the climax of Danny Boyle's movie is one of the most memorable movie scenes I have witnessed.

#8 Our Idiot Brother (Comedy) Starring Paul Rudd, Elizabeth Banks, Zooey Deschanel, Emily Mortimer, Jesse Peretz (Director)

While my sister and brother-in-law were in town we threw this movie on, and I will say I was pleasantly surprised.  The premise seemed like it could have fallen flat.  Lazy and unmotivated, Paul Rudd's character Ned does not lack for complicated layers to his personality.  Instead of being portrayed as a burden, he comes off as a loveable guy that you can't help but pull for.  The supporting cast is great as well, playing 3 contrasting sisters who all pull for Ned in their own way, and ultimately come together to help him in the end.  The movie likely benefitted from my afinity for all things involving Zooey Deschanel, she is an ace when it comes to comedic timing, and her sitcom "New Girl" was one of the reasons I was looking forward to giving this movie a try.  I was not disappointed by her performance or the movie as a whole.

#7 Cedar Rapids (Comedy) Starring Ed Helms, John C. Reilly, Anne Heche, Miguel Arteta (Director)

The best comedy of 2011 in my opinion was "Cedar Rapids", a flick that very few people saw based on the $5.6 million box office gross in North America.  Sheila, Ian and I sat down for this one and I think we all came away pleased.  Ed Helms plays the loveable loser who has never travelled out of his hometown, as he ends up spending a weekend away at an insurance salesman conference.  He meets up with Anne Heche's character who along with John C. Reilly playing the party hard insurance man proceed to spend the movie currupting the loveable loser until he thinks his world has ended.  Smart, witty and endearing, Miguel Arteta directs in a very understated style as he plays into the actors strengths.  Arteta directed last year's "Youth in Revolt" that I also highly recommend.

#6 Unstoppable (Action Thriller) Starring Denzel Washington, Chris Pine, Tony Scott (Director)

Oddly enough I heard absolutely nothing about this movie until I found it online and gave it a shot.  With a relatively large budget of $85 million, and being driven by Denzel's obvious star power I would have thought a major hype engine to follow.  In the end the movie stands up very well on it's own.  A simple premise, a minor mistake by a railyard worker leads to a runaway train.  The entire length of the movie is spent trying to bring the train under control and avert disaster.  Various suspenseful methods are tried without success before the climactic final scene.  I have always had a soft spot for Denzel's movies and he doesn't disappoint with this one.

#5 Super 8 (Science Fiction) Starring Joel Courtney, Elle Fanning, Kyle Chandler, J.J. Abrams (Director)

With the team of J.J. Abrams and Steven Spielberg at the helm of this project, my expectations were high for very good reason.  I can say that I was most satisfied as I was able to enjoy "Super 8" at the theatre opening weekend with the guys.  It was an awesome visual experience as there was a huge train explosion scene as well as an alien creature that were created with the use of CGI.  While the visual effects were most satisfying, I was also blown away by the job done by the child actors that played the main characters in the movie.  Joel Courtney who plays the main character Joe, and Riley Griffiths who plays his best friend Charles both were making their mainstream acting debuts in "Super 8" but you wouldn't know it while enjoying their work.  Aged 13 and 14 respectively, both interact well with each other and the other characters including Elle Fanning's character Alice who is the object of Joe's affection.  Definitely check this movie out for the CGI graphics and J.J. Abrams' directing work, but be prepared to appreciate the acting talents on display as well.

#4 Win Win (Sports Comedy-Drama) Starring Paul Giamatti, Alex Shaffer, Amy Ryan, Thomas McCarthy (Director)

Here is where I confess my love for all things Paul Giamatti.  As I write this I have now seen 5 films in which he starred or co-starred.  His 2004 film "Sideways" ranks as one of the best movies I have ever seen.  In the last year I viewed "American Splendor", "Cold Souls", "Cinderella Man" and this entry "Win Win" and every time I came away satisfied with the experience.  All 5 of these movies reviewed very favourably with critics and all with the exception of "Cinderella Man" where Giamatti is a supporting cast member, are driven by his lead performance.  "Win Win" likely flew under the radar for most movie viewers as it didn't have the benefit of a wide release or any advertising whatsoever.  Giamatti plays small town attorney Mike Flaherty who's life is crumbling around him.  In a desperate attempt to stabilize the family financially, he takes on power of attorney for an elderly client.  Flaherty also coaches the local high school wrestling team that has a penchant for losing.  When a teenage boy comes looking for his grandpa who ends up being the man in Flaherty's care, a wrestling star is found.  The story benefits from a series of small twists that provide a great deal of unpredictablility.  My bias opinions aside, this would be a great movie to view on a relaxing night, small parts humour with a great deal of human interest as well.

#3 True Grit (Western) Starring Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon, Hailee Steinfeld, Coen Brothers (Directors)

As 2011 moved along, I found myself getting more and more interested in the Western genre as a whole.  As I had seen so few movies in the previous, well, 27 years of my life, I had missed out on a number of westerns that proved to be great films.  "3:10 To Yuma" and "Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee" were very well made but they were outclassed by the Viggo Mortensen and Ed Harris film "Appaloosa" released in 2008.  I was happily anticipating the release of "True Grit" on DVD after missing it at the theatre.

My new found affinity for western movies, coupled with my love of all things created by the Coen Brothers meant this movie was one I couldn't miss.  To top it off, the movie critics were heaping praise on the directing, Jeff Bridges' performance and the debut of one Hailee Steinfeld.  Steinfeld beat out 15,000 other girls who read for the role of Mattie Ross.  Indeed, a role beside Jeff Bridges and Matt Damon in a Coen Brothers film has to be one of the most amazing ways to start an acting career. 

To sum up, the movie did not disappoint.  Jeff Bridges plays Rooster Cogburn an old and weathered U.S. Marshall with an incredibly accurate shot.  While Matt Damon's character LeBoeuf spends much of the movie quietly questioning Cogburn's sanity, we get taken on a wild adventure while the two men chase criminals together with Mattie Ross who's father had been killed by the ringleader.  While the men overcome obstacles like Cogburn's drinking, his accidentally shooting LeBoeuf and the fact that they have a young girl riding with them, the movie climaxes with a wonderful scene involving a standoff between the lawmen and the criminals.

This movie proved to be the most commercially successful of the Coen Brothers movies and deserves a few hours of your time if you have not already seen it.  I anxiously look forward to their next picture, as they always deliver regardless of genre.

#2 Blue Valentine (Romantic Drama) Starring Ryan Gosling, Michelle Williams, Derek Cianfrance (Director)

The romantic drama makes a one time appearance on my list, with the little known "Blue Valentine" finding a home at number 2.  Considering my lack of affinity for the genre, this only serves to add weight to how strongly I felt about this picture.  While I have not seen Ryan Gosling's most known work "The Notebook", I did decide that I should give him a try as he boast a series of well reviewed movies on his resume.  Sheila and I viewed "Lars and the Real Girl" and came away quite contented.  Gosling plays an awkward man who after the end of a long term relationship finds himself falling in love with an anatomically correct sex doll.  Working with material that could have deteriorated badly under the wrong guidance, Gosling provides a very moving performance that leaves the viewer pulling for him at every turn.  The suspense is well drawn out as few indications are given as to how a conclusion to the situation will be found.  After this pleasant experience, we also gave 2001's "The Believer" a try.  While turning in an equally believable performance, the subject material isn't as strong as "Lars", and for this reason only, I would rate this movie below the latter in Gosling's resume.  So, with some deal of anticipation, Sheila and I got ready to view "Blue Valentine".

There are a number of things about the production of this that stand out.  The entire movie was put together for $1 million, including actors salaries, production costs and marketing, of which there was very little.  Michelle Williams read the script for the first time in 2001 and remained committed to the project thoughout numerous challenges from securing financial backing, to finding a shooting location, to ultimately finding an actor to co-star in the film on the cheap. Eight years later in 2009 filming finally began.  To get into their roles as quarreling lovers Williams and Gosling rented a home and outfitted it based on their characters incomes.  They even went so far as to get family portraits done at the local Sears involved their character's young daughter.  The level of dedication to their roles is quite uncanny. 

#1 50/50 (Comedy Drama) Starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogen, Anna Kendrick, Jonathan Levine (Director)

50/50 was a movie that I was waiting for with a great sense of anticipation.  I had heard about the movie months before and the cast was very appealing.  I really enjoy Seth Rogan's work, and his coupling with Joseph Gordon-Levitt intrigued me.  The supporting cast is also very strong, Anna Kendrick and Bryce Dallas Howard providing, the latter developing an uncanny knack to draw heat from an audience.  The subject matter, while seemingly quite delicate, was also of great interest.  A comedy about cancer?  This was definitely a unique topic, one that had scarcely been breached before.

As it turned out I had the opportunity to view 50/50 on opening night with my coworker and the guys I work with.  The theatre was only half full, a disappointing turnout for a movie that had recieved considerable promotion.  Perhaps the topic was offputting to some, or maybe the love I have for Seth Rogan movies isn't as universal as I had thought.  In the end, it was those that stayed away that lost out.  Grossing only $39 million at the box office the movie was seen by a relative few compared to such commercial giants as Transformers or Harry Potter.  Regardless of commercial success, I fully endorse this picture as the best one I saw in 2011.

From the outset director Jonathan Levine gets to work establishing Rogan and Gordon-Levitt's characters Kyle and Adam as good buddies who met through work but now spend considerable amounts of time together outside of work.  Rogan's Kyle is a sarcastic man who likes to joke and goof around even if it is not the right time for it.  Gordon-Levitt's Adam on the other hand takes his job much more seriously, looking to excel in radio broadcasting.  He also has a very serious girlfriend, one who has gotten in the way of the friendship between Adam and Kyle.  When Adam is first diagnosed with cancer his girlfriend and bestfriend react in very different ways.  The girlfriend becomes withdrawn and aloof, while Kyle shows a different side of himself, doing his best to pick Adam up out of his depression.  Adam begins attending counselling sessions with a rookie psychiatrist played by Anna Kendrick.  As his relationship with his girlfriend deteriorates he begins to open up to Dr. McKay about what he is going through.  In the end, a candid story of a young man's battle with cancer is told, with requisite plot turns and twists thrown in.  Rogan's great humour and wit and Gordon-Levitt's understated way of quietly battling with such a serious issue make for a great dynamic.  What put this movie at the top of my list was the excellent cast of supporting characters.  Anna Kendrick who I was not familiar with before this movie is very cute and she sparkles as her character and Gordon-Levitt's character grow closer throughout the film.  Adam becomes friends with two older men at the hospital who are also battling cancer.  Played by Matt Frewer and Philip Baker Hall, his new friends provide great comic relief and give an nice look into how daunting the constant hospital visits can be. 

I walked away from the theatre that night with a special glow as I felt that this movie had actually exceeded my lofty expectations.  A great project from all of those involved, I greatly look forward to the next work from Rogan, Gordon-Levitt and the director Jonathan Levine. 

#3 New Musical Tastes

For much of my life I have limited myself when it comes to experiencing new media.  For 15 years I stuck to the same genre of music, listening to different artists, but rarely straying from the hip hop style.  I have participated in the downloading scene for years, but I was unaware of just how many great types of music are out there on the internet if you know where to look.  I have really enjoyed discovering new genres, and along the way have found some bands and artists that I have listened to over and over again.  It is nice to have different types of music depending on what mood you are in or what you have going on.  If I am in a laid back mood and want to relax I really like listening to folk music or a well put together indie album.  When I need a boost of energy I look for electronica or house music, these styles are great for working out as well.  Some albums bring me to a happy place regardless of what I am doing.  I thought what better way to share some of my musical tastes then to put together a "top 10" favorite artists list.  This is proving to be quite hard, but I will highlight my favorite artists, the exact number to be determined  Most of these artists are new to me this year, but a few of them have been constantly played by me for much longer then that. 


Tegan and Sara - Ironically, the first song I heard from these ladies was "The First", released in 2000 on their debut album "This Business of Art".  Listed by Wikipedia as an Indie Rock band, the music is really about Tegan and Sara, their guitars, and their incredible ability to write the perfect song time after time.  Emotion spills from them, and they feel genuinely invested in everything they perform.  In 2011 they released their 7th studio recording, but for the last couple of years I have been stuck on their 2007 release "The Con".  I play this album constantly on my ipod as it really never gets old, but I will make a point of giving their last 2 releases a play in the coming weeks.

Matisyahu - Unique musical stylings flow from this man like water.  Likely the only artist to combine rap, reggae, beat boxing and the scat singing style associated with jazz music, the first time I discovered his music I fell in love.  My sister told me about his amazing talents, and knowing me she was surprised that I hadn't heard him.  As a deeply religious man Matisyahu always has a message to deliver through his songs, and he follows through time and again in a powerful way.  I have listened to his most recent work "Light" hundreds of times and it flows like a well constructed story, each song transitioning from the last.  Give it a listen if you have never tried it.


Balkan Beat Box - This collection of musicians make up one of only a few gypsy punk bands in the world.  Alternatively described as electronica, the songs have a fast-paced upbeat feel, and their "Blue Eyed Black Boy" album can be relied on to bring you out of any funk that you are in.  The guys hail from Israel, and the trio is made up of Ori Kaplan, Tamir Muskat and Tomer Yosef.  They also work with other artists on their albums depending on what kind of sound they are looking to achieve.  Their music incorporates the saxophone, trumpet, trombone, guitars and percussion instruments to create a unique sound that carries a great positive message.  I am eagerly anticipating some new material from the Balkan Beat Box crew.

Chromeo - My brother Ian deserves a thousand thankyous for introducing me to this amazing duo from Montreal.  I played their "Fancy Footwork" album more then any other this year.  These guys produce a fun brand of dance music through their use of keyboards, synthesizers, guitars and the rarely utilized talk box.  "Fancy Footwork" released in 2007 was their first widely recieved effort, though the guys have been working together since 2001.  They followed up with another album in 2010 called "Business Casual" and it delivers as well.  Chromeo has a great style to get your blood flowing and get you in the mood to work out.

Corb Lund and the Hurtin' Albertans - Ah, what can I say?  Corb Lund is the best musical storyteller I have come across in my time.  He and his band have passed through Prince George many times, but I was too ignorant to get out and experience it.  I have always been a strong hater of commercialized country music with the constant references to whisky drinking and general lack of creativity.  When I discovered the amazing storytelling style of Corb Lund dubbed "Country Folk", I had to put down my defences and let country music into my life.  The 2005 album "Hair In My Eyes Like a Highland Steer" is gold from start to finish, with the song "All I Want to Do Is Play Cards" serving as a type of personal anthem for me.  Try these guys out if you haven't already.

Bombay Bicycle Club - A recent discovery, this indie rock group from the UK has a nice mellow style, couple with a solid flow from song to song.  In the last few months I have found myself going back to their 2011 album "A Different Kind of Fix" time and time again.  They have found some solid success in the UK and elsewhere in Europe but have yet to be released in North America.  I will be checking out their previous two albums in the near future.

Alexandra Stan - After hearing her widely known "Mr. Saxobeat" single, I added this super poppy artist to my collection.  She has an infectious dance style that never fails to get me going if a work out is in order.  Likely the only Romanian artist I have ever listened to, I have played her album to death.

Other Artists I am Listening to:

The Black Keys, Florence and the Machine, The Ting Tings, M.I.A., The Cool Kids, Wiz Khalifia, Glasses Malone, Asher Roth, Yukon Blonde, Danko Jones, and Fall Out Boy.

I look forward to discovering more new to me artists in 2012 but for now I will leave this list as is.  Try new styles and genres, you just might find yourself branching out.