The return of Jack

So today, as I pulled up into the driveway after work, there was Jack, Erika's cat, meowing and looking for attention. This acctually wasn't an unusual event, except that Jack had last been seen sometime Christmas morning, and he is not the type of cat to take off. We had begun to expect the worst, even though his little orange cat body hadn't turned up. In fact, we were assuming that some white trash family in our neibourhood had catnapped him, and given him to their children for Christmas. but wherever he was, there he was next to my car, unscathed and looking for some love. He barely ate (so he'd been fed) and mostly just wanted to be patted. Which sort of confirms our suspisions of the possible catnapping. It's a pretty sick world where people take your cat cos they can't get one for their kids. That's just wrong. Erika's dad has been looking to ditch Jack for a while, so needless to say, he was a little let down. Though he did later admit to having missed him a bit.

The UN is now saying that over 80 000 people are dead due to the Tsunami's in SE Asia. That's way more fucked up then someone stealing our cat. My heart breaks for those countries.

It's Tuesday

We unpacked a whole lot of stuff today. It was pretty cool, busting out our Doulton, crystal, kitcheny stuff (well, some of it anyways), and a few other odds and ends. It reminded me that I'm growing up. Which scared me as well, but there's simply no denying it. We're now about three months away from Pim (Erika's dad) leaving on his trip. I'm torn between being excited for him and us, as we all begin new phases of our lives, nervous about if we can make it (the reality is we're not exactly swimming in cash), and also quite jelous. It's a very unusual feeling. We're getting mroe of our stuff put out, as the time Pim will be away continues to get longer. We could now be at his place for up to three years. I wonder what I'll be like in three years. What will I be doing? What will my concerns be? What will my hair look like? Jokes aside, three years is both not much time at all, and quite a bit.

Erika is playing the SiMs. It was her Christmas present. Sometimes it would be nice if life were like the SiMs, but then, most of the time it wouldn't. WTF am I talking about here. This doesn't make any sense. I guess I could delete it, but I'm not going to. Erika is pretty good at the SiMs though. Although she did just try to make a cat sit and stay. Hhhmmmmm, apparently it didn't mind. Let me say, Erika is awesome. Just spending time listening to her commentate on her game is too funny. She makes me laugh at the most ridiculous things, but they all seem so funny. Plus she makes up random songs about whatever happens to be going on at the minute. It's really nice being married to her.

Did you know that the sound of the lasers in Star Wars were really tensioned cables being hit by wrenches (spanners for all the brits out there)?

I got a snooker cue for Christmas, cause I've got the best friend ever.

Those last two thoughts were kind of random, so I think I'm done for the night, BUT
*sneaky preveiw of my next post*:::::
Pictures of some ink I've managed to get stuck under the skin on my leg.

A Canadian Hero

Today in Vancouver, a judge sentanced Todd Bertuzzi to a year's probabtion and 80 hours of community service, for the fiasco over his so-called sucker-punch on Colorado's Steve Moore. True, Moore had two broken vertibraes, and a concussion, but seriously, criminal charges? I had hoped to see Bertuzzi tough it through a court case, that should have ended in a not-guilty at least, if not a dismisal, but he settled for a plea bargain. I suppose he just wanted to be done with it all, and I can't say I blame him. Since the punch last March, there has been *way* too much media attention given to the case. The reality is, Hockey is a rough sport, and people get injured. I can almost hear all the bleeding hearts out there pointing out the Bertuzzi sucker-punched Moore, that he is a bully with a track-record of violence (btw Bertuzzi scored 46 goals in the 01-02 season, not too many "bullys" uot there with 40+ seasons), and that nothing short of criminal charges were acceptable. Which is ridiculous. Really, can anyone honestly beleive that Bertuzzi's intention was long-term injury of Moore? If they do, do they really think Bertuzzi is dumb enough to try it with a *punch* from behind? Any hockey player knows catching someone with their head down is a far easier way to end a career. Conversley, hitting them near enough to the boards from behind always works too. Don't doubt that Bertuzzi had oppertunities to do both to Moore, but he didn't. No, he tried to get Moore to drop his gloves and have a go, but Moore wouldn't. As a last ditch effort to get Moore to be accountable for his cheap shot on Naslund, he grabs his jersey and gives him a shot to the back of his head (Moore's helmet was still on). And Moore drops to the ice like a pee-wee rookie. Needless to say, Bertuzzi trips on Moore as he falls, and crashes over him. Yes, having someone the size of Bertuzzi fall on you could easily break your neck and give you a concussion, in fact, Moore is fairly lucky that's all that he suffered. But to say taht Bertuzzi was trying for that is simply ignorant. If you watch the replay (it was shown regularly for about three weeks after the hit) you see a look on Bertuzzi's face as he trips over Moore, not of vengance, nor pleasure, but of surprise. To imply Bertuzzi was trying to end Moore's career is just sillyness. Should Bertuzzi be held accountable for his actions? Absolutely, he was suspended for the remainder of the season, and is still under suspension. A *very* heavy punishment. So why did the police get involved? I suppose that if someone I work with at Starbuck's did to me what Bertuzzi did to Moore, I'd like the police to charge them with Assult casuing bodily harm. However, If someone did to me what Moore did to Naslund, I would expect nothing less then the same. So why wasn't Moore charged? Why wasn't Domi charged for his elbow to Neidermeyer? Why isn't Brashear charged for any number of sucker-punches he's thrown? Let's take it even farther, why isn't Roy Jones Jr. charged for pummeling opponents in the boxing ring? Because all these people knowingly take part in occupations where getting the shit kicked out of you as a hazard of the job. So why did Moore get any different treatment? Because it was hyped beyond belief on TV, getting the public in such a frenzy, that charges were the only thing that could satisfy.

Todd, I doubt you'll ever read this, but I want to say you got screwed. You have more then suffered consequences for your actions, and I applaud your perserverance and heart. Keep playing the game you do.

And is anyone else getting sick of the lack of hockey? At least the world juniors are starting on Christams.

Snow in Toronto

I love snow. I really do. It's funny, even since I was a kid, I loved winter. I love the cold, I love the snow, I love early darkness. As a snowboarder, obviously, there are benefits to the winter. As well, going to the cottage in the winter is tops. But there is one aspect of winter that I'm coming to realize is what I enjoy most frequently about it. Most people here hate it. It's a weird day recently, if I haven't heard 10 people lament the on-coming Toronto winter, mostly customers at my work. Which is where the pleasure comes in. When they start complaining about snow, bad driving, and cold, and look to me for affirmation I give them my honest reply. "Really? I adore the winter." When they assume I'm being sarcastic, I go into greater detail as to why I'm in love with the frosty season. It drives people mental. When I remind them that this happens every year, and if it's that bad, they could move, I'm met with the usual barrage of answers that tells me the person really isn't interested in the weather, they were looking to say something and have someone else affirm it. But I can't, because there's a real beauty in an overcast sky, right at twilight, with a light snow falling, when suddenly everything looks blue and crisp and wonderful. It truly is one of the real perks to living in Toronto: total metropolitan city, hot summers, and still beautiful cold winters.

So I say, bring it on, and as I look out the window, I see it's already well on it's way.

City, life, and Christmas

Ever see those people who spell Christmas CHRISTmas? That's a little over the top. Like, yeah, stick a capital "c" on there, but really, is the full-cap thing going to convince someone? I guess it may...........

Back in Scarborough and I'm realizing that I like going away a lot better then not. But you really do need something as a core, a base, to go away from. In the past week, a teenager opened fire on a crowded bus, hitting his target, and an 8 year-old girl, who was in the wrong place at the wrong time. A mother stabbed her husband, and one of her three children to death, stabbed a second child, and then took her own life. And yesterday a teenager was swarmed outside his school and beaten/stabbed to death. I guess it's been a bit of a long week, but this is my core, my base, and it's the base for everyone who lives in this city. a prayer then
"Jesus,
Jesus can you help me?
I'm alone in the world,
and a fucked up world it is too.
Tell me,
tell me a story
the one about eternity,
and the way that it's all going to be.
Wake up
wake up dead man"
Bono
In the face of this violence, and in spite of the pain, I'm remembering the coming of a long-promised baby. In the face of a near total commercial wash, a dizzying array of red and white, sparkly lights, moody shoppers, and constant exposure to what I'm told is the perfect gift, I remember that the acctual gift was given a long time ago. That God kept his promises, even though we'd broken all of ours. I remember, that even when Jesus seems to be little more then a dead man, that he did wake up, that He's telling the story of eternity, even though sometimes, it's little more then a whisper in my ear. I see it in my wife, in my best freind, and even a little, in myself. It can be hard to hear over the jacked-up volume of reports that a majority of the voting population are satisfied with the Ukrainian government, regardless of evidnece to the contrary, or that peace in the middle-east is "just around the corner", but wait, 27 Iraqi police officers are dead in a bombing, but as I've been learning that is the time you need to be alone and listen to God. To re-hear his voice, and to remember that he is still awake. Then to return to life, return to the pain, and do what you can to ease it. To let God do his work through you, so that people can see that he is awake, he is a God of tangible truths. That promises made long ago of salvation, are alive today.

Merry Christmas.

Niagara-on-the-lake

I'm off the NOTL tommorow with my lovely wife Erika, for the candel-light walk along main-street. We spent both our honeymoon and our first aniversary there, now we're going to enjoy a "just because" evening in what is easily one of our top spots to get away, within a few hours. The nice part about NOTL is that we can drive it in under an hour and a half, but it still seems way far away. Both our family cottages are nice, but there's something seperate about NOTL; maybe it's the slightly warmer climate, or the sprawling wineries, but whatever it is, we love it. We're hoping to be joined by our good freinds, Andrew and Megan (any word peeks?), for a dinner at the Angel Inn (the oldest pub in Upper Canada), followed by the festivities, and then a relaxing sleep at the Fawlty Towers B&B (thanks Fraz and Les).
Some things to do when in NOTL:
-EAT, top reccomendation is The Stone Road Grill, aka "Rest" (ledgend goes that they couldn't afford the "aurant" for the sign), for dinner (expect $100 for a couple, with a bottle of killer local wine). Food worthy of downtown t.o., in the most unassuming place. Also noteworthy, The Angel Inn (the oldest existing pub in Upper Canada). Great pub fare, and *very* fresh beer (they have their own line of beers, Lager, Ale, Bitter, and Cider, all quite nice, also good fresh Guinness, Tetley's, and Fullers ESB on tap). IF you've only got one day, take lunch at the Angel, dinner at Rest, then head back to the Angel to drink the night to oblivion.
-Wineries. You owe it to yourself to check out at least three, and here they are:
First go to Hildebrand. A very good free tour of a fully functioning Vineyard/Winery.
Next, head south along Niagara Stone Road to Joseph's (it's on your right). Known for lightly Oaked reds, we love their Gwurtzraminer. Ask if Joseph is around, often he is.
Continue south and hang a right onto East & West road, then hang a right on consession #2. follow along to Maryinessen. Known for heavily oaked reds, their Cab Franc is great, and lays down well, and their Merlot (if it's availible and you can afford it) is textbook.
Beyond that, there's, like, tonnes of wineries, most offer tasting (.50 to $1.00 per glass) and many offer tours of some sort. Buy some wine. There's no reason why you can't come back with 5 bottles on only be $50 poorer. Also, many of the wines you'll get are only availible from the vineyard.
-shop around. Queen street has a lot of quaint little shops. Definitely hit the Irish place (north west part of the main drag), Ten Thousand Villages, and Greaves (get the chilli sauce, especially if you like meatloaf, the food not the singer).
-Go to the falls. It's a short drive or bus ride, and if' you've never seen it, you really ought to. Nothing reveals God's glory and power like a massive reminder like a waterfall. And this one is pretty big. Clifton hill is fun, if not expensive. If you're down with Casinos, there's one of those too. I'd rather spend my money at Maryinessen or Ten Thousand Villages.
-Take a carriage ride. You'll get a historic/arcitectural tour of the town, and it's romantic. Nice one.
-See a play at the Shaw theatre. Many very good productions take place in NOTL, and it's a great way to spend time between your first trip to the Angel and Rest.
Well, I'm getting sleepy, and I've got less the an hour and a half's drive ahead of me tommorow, so I'll go now. I'll let you know how it all turned out later.
Chris

The first Posting

Well, this is it, a test that may well go horribly wrong, or may well go horribly nowhere.

Where to start, I guess at the start, but I'll do it in point form:
-I know a guy who has a blog (Jono)
-My father-in-law is going to drive around Europe for an undefined ammount of time, and he wanted some way to post a journal to the web. I thought this might work.
-I signed up to see what it entailed, and now I might just keep at it.

So, why are you reading this? Well I have no idea. This really is just going to be a look into my life, and we'll see where it ends up. Who knows?

Here are some things that might be included on any given day: Me as a married man, what life is like working at Starbucks (The Green Giant), Scotch, why it hurts being a Leeds United fan, U2, my Volkswagen Bora, NHL hockey (and the lack thereof), my involvemant in music, and whatever else.

If you're still reading, maybe you need help, or maybe I'm more interesting then I thought.

Thanks