age is just a number pt. 2

So I don't often write embarrassing dating stories about myself, mainly because it's been awhile since I went on an actual date, but more likely it's because my friends are usually available to offer up much more scandalous stories.  And everyone knows that it's way more fun to write about others than it is to write about one's self.  But I actually have to call myself out for bad behaviour.  A few weeks ago my neighbours had a little party.  I stopped by for a drink.  One drink turned into several.  Normally this wouldn't be a bad thing, but have I mentioned that my neighbours are young?  And as such they have young friends?  Remember when I gave AZ a hard time for shamelessly flirting with a certain young man named Tag? Well I need to let that go.  Because this guy was not born in 1984.  He was still born in the 80s, but that's as much information as I'm willing to give.  Plus he wore a toque inside.  Yep, my youngin' is a hipster.  Within the definition of hipster in the urban dictionary, the above picture is one of the images that comes up.  I'd like you to picture this when you think of this story.  Only because dude looked nothing like this, but the image still makes me very happy.

At any rate it was all very PG and harmless. Except of course if you count the harm inflicted on me by my friends and their jokes about my taste in men of a certain age.  That said, they should be appreciative as I've now broken new ground.  So much so that Christie now insists as a result of my actions her boy crush, Sidney Crosby, is back in play.

where the streets have no name

Remember way back in June last year when I was so upset that the U2 concert was postponed? In the true spirit of never being satisfied, this June I'm upset because the concert is over! It was on Wednesday night, and my, how fabulous it was. Beautiful evening, beautiful music and a few great stories - this one about Bono hitchhiking is just so fantastic. Only in Canada would an Edmonton Oiler pick up a rock star on the side of the road.

I then spent the 3 hour drive back to Calgary listening to all the U2 songs on my ipod. The one below will I think always be my favourite:

I should also point out that while U2 is obviously a big-time band, they are also a sentimental favourite. My brother had both October and War before they were big and so the fact that I got to go to their concert 30 years later is one of those things that kind of throws me for a loop. But it also makes me thankful to be able to enjoy such fabulous things like good live music and singing at the top of my lungs on the open road.

50/50

So two weeks ago HC went on a date with the aforementioned internet ghost. It was a second date and they went to the hockey game. Whilst at said game they bought some 50/50 tickets and they made a deal that if they won, they would book a trip to Vegas the next day. I guess this is standard deal that he makes at every hockey game with his friends. It's a great idea especially because you never expect it to actually happen. And of course it didn't - they did not win the 50/50 draw. But it was still a good date, and sometimes that's a victory in itself.

Flash forward to Friday night. HC and SS are at the hockey game. Dude is there as well with some of his friends, sitting in a corporate box somewhere. They are BBMing and HC is trying to make plans to meet up after the game for a drink. There is some witty banter back and forth and then radio silence. As the relationship is new, she thinks the worst. I go to meet the girls at the Rose and Crown after the game for a bevvie or two. We chat up a few young men. HC meets a guy. Let's call him "Doug." He scans her BB bar code (more on that new twist in dating in another post), and asks her to go for a drink the next day. She says yes, cause who knows what is going on with the other guy. So as we leave she gets a BBM from first guy, wondering where she ended up. Turns out, he disappeared because he and his friends actually won the 50/50. The four of them split $28,000 and immediately booked a trip to Vegas. They left at 7:30 on Saturday morning for 3 days.

Crazy right?

into the wind

So remember back in June when I watched that OJ Simpson special? Well, as I mentioned then, it was part of a series on TSN looking back at major sports events over the last 30 years. On Sunday the episode about Terry Fox aired (titled "Into the Wind"). And remember when I said that I have a serious weak spot for Terry Fox? Well guess what? I cried. A lot. I don't think I've participated in a Terry Fox Run since high school ... not really sure why. Probably because I would have a hard time crossing the start line due to the ridiculous amount of tears that I would shed. At any rate, the special was great. It never ceases to amaze me that one guy, barely out of his teens, could inspire a nation (and the world) to raise over $500 million dollars to fight cancer. And kudos to Mr. Steve Nash (on a side note, BB showed me some of the Vitamin Water commercials he has done ... hilarious). The picture above is from Terry's appearance at Nathan Phillips Square in Toronto on July 11th 1980, in the midst of his run across Canada. Darryl Sittler presented him with an all-star jersey. Darryl Sittler was my brother's favourite hockey player.

inmate #1027820

Today is the 20th, not the 17th, but I watched a fascinating show today - "June 17,1994." Part of Espn's 30 for 30 it is a series of documentary films detailing the issues, trends, athletes, teams, rivalries, games and events that transformed the sports landscape from 1979 to 2009. I've caught a few of them - the one about the South African Rugby Champions was much better than the film Invictus (which I did enjoy). But today's episode was about the events of June 17th, 1994 which was not only the day OJ fled in the white Bronco, it was also the day of the Rangers' victory parade for winning the Stanley Cup, Arnold Palmer's last round of US Open, the opening day of the 1994 FIFA World Cup in Chicago and Game 5 of the NBA finals. A lot was happening that day - who knew?

The whole documentary was essentially made up of news coverage, as in many ways it was the beginning of the CNN 24-hr news cycle and reality TV. The commentary of the NBA announcers was particularly interesting as they watched the game but tried to update the viewers on the fact that an American sports hero was being pursued by police while he held a gun to his own head and threatened to kill himself. Apparently 93 million people watched OJ run ... and I was one of them. I remember I was in grade 12 and my friend MH was having a party. People would go outside for a smoke and yell back inside at everyone watching, "has he killed himself yet?" or "are they ever going to run him off the road?" or "how to you spell Kato Kaelin?" Debating his guilt was a hot topic too. Flash forward 16 months, I'm in my first year of university, living in res and we are all gathered around the TV waiting for the verdict. The story has such a weird ending, as he is now in jail for armed robbery and kidnapping.

According to the 30 for 30 website, Steve Nash has done a film on Terry Fox. This will be a must see for me as I have such a soft spot for Fox ... and by soft spot I mean whenever there is a story about him I break down in inconsolable sobs. Not pretty.

tonight, tonight

As previously mentioned, I wasn't all that into the Stanley Cup playoffs this year. But, I am a sucker for any type of montage put to music (this one still makes me cry). And so, here is the HNIC tribute to this year's playoffs. See you in the fall boys ...




And now onto the World Cup ...

game six

Tonight is game six between the Hawks and the Flyers. The Stanley Cup could potentially be given out tonight. Often times I am all over the finals, but I gotta say, this year I couldn't care less. Probably because my two teams (the Flames and the Sens) lost early on and then the cinderella-story Habs couldn't quite complete the fairy tale ending. Last year was much more exciting, for a variety of reasons.

First off, the Red Wings, a team I appreciate because of their continued dominance and longevity, was once again in the finals. The fact that they have a whole bunch of Swedes who play for them helps too. Sadly, this year, instead of Zetterberg's handsome playoff beard, we get Patrick Kane's mullet. Secondly, Sid the kid took home the cup, cementing his status as The Next One. I'm sorry, but I just can't root for Chris Pronger. Finally, and dare I say most importantly, during the 2009 finals I was involved in a rather steamy bet that as Christie so deftly pointed out, had no losers. This year, I have no such luck.

anything but running

So I'm supposed to be training for the Seattle Half-Marathon, but am managing to do anything but. The problem is that I'm just not that motivated ... not sure why, because I do enjoy running (sort of) and the satisfaction that comes with having completed a goal (sort of). The issue is that the goal is 2 months away, and if there is one thing I'm really good at, it's procrastination. So today I am thinking of all the great things I can do instead of go for a run: read the paper (which was foiled because the two best sections, Review and Focus didn't come today ... ); clean my bathroom (it really is disgusting); open my mail (I have a tendency to let it pile up); watch hockey (first round playoff time, although I don't really care about the afternoon game today - my Sens aren't on til tonight); have a date with my PVR - plenty of good tv and movies saved for a cloudy day like today; and finally, what I really want to do is eat a blizzard - namely the tin roof brownie blizzard. So tasty.

My mom still has hope

My mother called my on Wednesday night to tell me that should I ever be competing at the Olympics and she should die, I should continue on, a la Joannie Rochette. Without a word of a lie, she said "put me on ice, I'll keep." Thanks mom, happy to know that you still have hope that one day I could be an Olympian. But I'm fairly certain the jig is up ... as a 33 year old occasional runner/skier/hiker/snowshoer/group power goer, I'm fairly certain I won't make it. Although there were +40 types competing at the 2010 games - am thinking here mostly of curlers (as previously discussed, my fave sport), but apparently there is a 43 year old ski crosser ... as DG put it, she apparently has no name or country as the announcers regularly refer to her as "the 43 year old."

So the Olympics have come to a close and there are many more best of moments that I don't remember right now, mainly because I'm too depressed that the 17 days of competition are over. But here are a few good ones, along with some bad ones too, because let's admit it, the closing ceremony was pretty bad:
1) Hockey gold for Canada ... both men's and women's. To be honest, the men winning was more of a relief than anything else. Had they lost, it would have put a damper on all the other celebrations. But thank god for Iggy and Sid.
2) The post-game celebration of the women's hockey team. Smoking cigars, drinking beer and champagne, and driving a zamboni? Awesome.
3) Marianne St. Gelais watching her boyfriend Charles Hamelin win gold in the 500 metre short track competition ... I'm pretty sure she exerted as much energy as he did. So great.
4) Bob Costas deadpanning: "here come the always-popular giant inflatable beavers," at the closing ceremony.
5) Once again, watching the closing ceremony while BB messaging with peeps in far flung places. Too bad the ceremony itself was god-awful. Nickelback, really? Avril, come on. What happened to The Hip, Arcade Fire, Feist, Knaan, etc, etc. Also, how bad was that "Let's have a party" song. How about, let's write a better song?
6) Being interviewed by Shaw TV about women kicking ass at the Olympics this year. It's supposed to air today and apparently I made some comment about being sad that I was past my prime ... it's true though. Were I 15 years younger, I could potentially have become a mogul skier or something. Probably not, but maybe!
7) Other people joining me in my love for John Morris. The third for the Canadian men's curling squad is hot. Plus he's a volunteer firefighter. Yum. Oh and he played really well.

On that note, I will end this entry. More Olympic thoughts to come I'm sure.

Fave moment 3 can be found here: