Author - noon30

Well it’s been a busy week and starting Monday I am joining the working class.⁽¹⁾ Went out with Vern and the Puncher last night for a few drinks to celebrate. Another good hockey weekend with a double header on Friday night with Fewster and the old guys after us. Saturday was Nolan’s hockey and finally a good win for black. Gould was playing like his dad was in the stands,⁽²⁾ nice to see Dickenson in black and George brought “the Kid” as Nolan likes to say. “The Kid” being Rachelle’s little brother Gilles⁽³⁾ who brought Nolan a Horton’s coffee before the game which has me thinking this kid might be in ink pretty soon. I’d better wash my white socks.

Today has already been a great day for black sunday. First, a wake up call from Shan this morning. Sometimes I really believe that all I need to get through this crazy world is to hear her voice at the start of every day.⁽⁴⁾ Soon after that I caught Ratty online in Thunder Bay and gave him a call to catch up. I haven’t talked to him in months and in best friend time that is years. I could hear Easton rambling in the background and wished they were all here to meet Shan and I for breakfast. Ah, the simplest things we can take for granted.

(1) – I think this is when I started working for Convergys. It’s where I met Anand and I am hoping that somewhere in these pages I will tell the story of Anand and how he shaped my thinking about work forever.

(2) – Sometimes I still look over at the glass and see my dad. One time in particular there was a guy standing at the gate like my dad used to and I actually said to Gould, “that looks like my dad”.

(3) – Gilles left us too early. He had a back problem but I think if he was healthy he would still be at Nolan’s. Great player, great guy.

(4) – So that is what I did!

Yikes, a week since my last post. Friday night played hockey with Steve and then went and saw “Domestic Disturbance”⁽¹⁾ with John Travolta and Vince Vaugn. Saturday was another great hockey. It was nice to not have to worry about organizing everything and just play my game. I love Nolan’s hockey but I love it even more when I am lining up at center to start the game and see Gould centering a line with Ratty and myself. Honestly I think we had 4 goals in our first shift.

Saturday I went and saw the “Royal Tenenbaums”⁽²⁾ with Shan. It’s by the same guy who made “Rushmore”. I don’t think I will have time to review it but it is a bargain if you can catch it at the cheaps. Shannon seemed to like it so I really wanted her thoughts on “Rushmore”⁽³⁾ so we rented it right after. She liked Tenenbaums better but I swear by Rushmore. You’ll either love or hate both.

Sunday I picked up Erin and Kayla⁽⁴⁾ and we went to Omand’s Creek for some crazy sledding. I haven’t gone since the last time I took Erin and that may have been 2 years ago! It was awesome. I was proud of Erin. She is usually really hesitant with anything like this and although I had to carry her and the sled up the hill every time went down, she still tried really hard. It was nice to have Kayla there to set the tone for her too. Both of them came with me a couple times and we hit this one jump at the bottom and flew for what had to be 6 feet into a hard sideways tumble and they both just laughed it off. I was so impressed with both of them.

Sunday night was dinner at JD’s, yup the coach. Big thanks to JD and Diane for an amazing dinner and a handful of interesting conversations! Thanks for the great weekend.

(1) – I couldn’t remember this one so I watched the trailer. I think I don’t really need to watch the movie now. For multiple reasons.

(2) – This is the movie that got me hooked on Wes Anderson movies. Even though I had seen (and loved) Rushmore already it didn’t click until Tenenbaums that it was also one of his movies. I still like the style and feel of his movies but haven’t seen anything more recent. Moonrise Kingdom, The Phoenician Scheme, The Life Aquatic, and The Darjeeling Limited, are on my list to must watch.

(3) – Still my favourite so far.

(4) – Kayla is Erin’s cousin. I wonder what she is up to these days (24 years later).

It’s amazing how fast things become back to normal. Last week I was sweating my ass off in Thailand and today I am brushing off my car and it seems like I never left. The other day I was in 7-11 looking for beer and settled for a Slurpee.⁽¹⁾ I brought it up to the counter and the woman behind the counter rings it in…”that’ll be $1.25″ and I was like “um, that’s a bit much, I’ll give you $1.00”! Seems I am still waking up from the bartering system.

Back to working Moose games this week. Feeling pretty sick all week, mostly cold symptoms but it was kind of expected coming home to -30’s. Friday night was Chris Gould’s Birthday (Happy Birthday buddy) and Vern and I made our way to “The Beach” after the Moose game. We only stayed long enough to buy him a drink but I finally got to meet Windy so that was nice. Bry has been seeing her for some time now and I had yet to meet her. Nolan’s hockey was a treat after a month off the skates. This weekend coming up there is no Moose so I am hoping to play with the Friday night guys and get in a double dose of hockey. That also means Saturday after hockey the lunch program is a go if Gould doesn’t bail!⁽²⁾

(1) – I would never trade a Slurpee for a beer. When I was in Thailand I remember being blown away that you could go in there and get a beer. Now we have a couple sevs here that sell booze.

(2) – Gould never ever bails.

After work last night I went and picked up Paul and Bry and we made the cheap seats just in time to see “Crazy in Alabama”⁽¹⁾, a movie directed by Antonio Banderes and starring Melanie Griffith. She was prety good in it but the movie was pretty thin. Going to “Magnolia”⁽²⁾ tonight, or as Trish would say “Mongolia”. Going with the guys at work so it should be another good night.

(1) – Man, I just watched the trailer for this and am just imagining what I would have to spin to get Gould and Ratte out to this movie these days. It would never happen.

(2) Magnolia however is a masterpiece. At the time I saw this, the name Paul Thomas Anderson (now PTA) meant very little to me (despite Boogie Nights). I have re-watched this movie many times and everytime I watch there is a greater appreciation for how it is shot, and the meaning it holds. The movie is moving, and the cast is amazing. It’s one of those rare movie experiences when you go home loving the characters, the story, and the the music (featuring Aimee Mann). Watch the music videos for “Save Me” and “Wise Up” that were directed by PTA. He inserts Aimee Mann into one and has the cast singing along in scenes in the other. You don’t see this kid of committment and collaboration very often anymore and I think it’s incredibly creative.

Ah the glorious weekend. Friday night played hockey with Steve. Saturday I was put in charge of Nolan’s hockey because Nolan was at a clinic for coaches so that he could continue to coach Andrew’s team. The only reason good enough for Nolan to ever miss his own hockey in 9 years. I remember one year he was deathly ill with meningitis or something and he still came for the warm-up skate! Anyway, I wanted to make him good and proud after picking the teams with Timmy G. It still It wasn’t the same without Nolan but the game went on.

Saturday night was one of those nights that you need to keep inside so that you can re-live it in your thoughts and be content with even that. I truly can’t remember a night being quite so perfect.

Sunday night I was invited to Gerrie and Ken’s place for dinner to celebrate Gerrie’s 50th birthday.⁽¹⁾ I don’t know much about women (I may regret saying that) and their beauty secrets but if you could promise me that I could look that good at 50 I will start shaving my legs, painting my nails, and loving fruit if that’s what it takes. Stunning and vibrant. Dinner was amazing and it was really nice to see Mike the night before starting his new job at Monarch.⁽²⁾ Good luck buddy, and take it easy at hockey until those new benefits kick in!

(1) – Gerrie’s Bday is January 18, which just happens to be the same day Mark Messier was born. Just sayin’.

(2) – This will Mike will celebrate 24 years at Monarch. We are also still playing hockey together. Congrats on both my friend.

Ah, what a truly amazing (some might say complicated) weekend. Friday night I plaved I played hockey with Steve. I think if I play this week I’ll try not to score because I think the goalie (Al as he is called) truly hates me. After my fourth he gave me a wicked slash across the shins that I am still feeling today. Saturday hockey was brilliant. Ratte and I played together and combined for seven goals⁽¹⁾ between us with Ports as our setup man.

Saturday night was Vern’s birthday so we started at Steve’s and then went to Tijuana. Luckily we saw Danelle and Shannon⁽²⁾ in the front of a huge line-up and jumped in with them. The night was beyond words. A great turnout: Ponch, Mike and Tara, even Dave and Rachelle. A truly memorable night indeed. The next morning (9:30am) Ratty picked me up⁽³⁾ for Sunday morning hockey⁽⁴⁾ with the Ratte’s and I found out that hangovers and hockey go together like beer and wine (they don’t). Sunday night I had dinner at Erin’s grandma’s and got my Erin fix for the weekend.

Also had some problems with my car⁽⁵⁾ Sunday night so I will be taking care of that tonight. Thanks for the boost Ratty!

(1) – Glory days. I was good for at least a goal a game when I was 24. Nowadays I am good for (7) a year.

(2) – This would be the night that Shannon seduced me at Tiajuana Night Club.

(3) – I neglected to include that Shannon and I spent the night on the floor in Danelle’s apartment.

(4) – We used to play every Sunday morning with Paul’s dad and uncles. First at Glenwood and then later at Glenlee. His dad wore jeans and a jean jacket and I never once heard him say he was cold.

(5) – This would be my Cavalier at that time.

Time for me to stop making Survivor heart picks. Another great night at Nolan’s. It was nice to see Val even if it was brief. Gould was a little late for dinner because of a pre-survivor bash of his own but made it in time to get his pick in and watch Andrew make a hot dog look more like a fruit salad. Melissa⁽¹⁾ decided that the picks should be confidential this week because she won last week and didn’t want us to catch on to her winning gameplan. We took our usual seats…Gould and I on the small couch (it’s not a love seat) with the kids on our laps and Nolan on the big couch (don’t feel sorry for him, he see’s the kids more than we do). Melissa was doing her Ratte impression all night farting on my lap. Even though there is no talking allowed the smell made us all cover our faces with our shirts on small couch and we were getting glares from Nolan who never breaks the Survivor silence. At the end of the night when the kids are heading up to bed they stop to hug us goodnight and Melissa says “sorry about the noise guys”. Gould and I just burst out laughing!

Let me tell you about my buddy Bryan Gould. Earlier in the night the kids thanked me for the Christmas gifts. One of the things I got Melissa was a glittery book that you could write in. She is always writing things so I thought she would really enjoy it. She was carrying it around a bit last night and I asked her if she has written anything in it yet and she let me know quite proudly that she had written three pages about Christmas. She never really offered to let me read it and never really said anything about it being private either. After the kids went to bed it was on the coffe table and asked Gould if he thought it was private. He looked at me a bit funny. Then I asked him if he thought I should be reading it. “Let’s see the first page” he said suddenly intersted so I flipped it open. In about two seconds he slammed it shut. “Nope we shouldn’t read it” he said, “it could be private”. I asked him why we even opened it and he said if there was just doodles and stuff it might have been OK, So we didn’t. That right there is classic Gould⁽²⁾. The pillar of what is right and wrong and the purest example of a good person. The foundation of moral value. I think next week I will ask Melissa if she could read me a couple pages.

(1) – Melissa, or “Missy” as we like to call her is Nolan’s daughter. She is all grown up now and I have had the pleasure of watching her do so. Now married, with (2) kid of her own to fart in her lap. Just like Andrew I have always had a special place in my heart for Missy.

(2) – Still my moral compass to this day. The rock that still binds us all together after all these years. He’s still taking care of Timmy G too.

A big Happy New Year to everyone from the two of us!

Shan: Yesterday we took a less than mediocre boat trip all around Samed and surrounding areas, I think I left my sea-legs at home though because I felt really sick while we were deep sea fishing in the open area. The highlight of the tour was see was seeing a blow fish blow itself up all big like! That’s all I’ll say about that!

Last night we started off our evening by walking down to good ole Jep’s for some of his famous BBQ. Chicken, beef, baked potato, and corn on the cob was our New Year’s dinner. Food seens popular topic around here, we have have had some meaningful tions about Subway⁽¹⁾ that’s forsure! After dinner we left Carla and Ryan⁽²⁾ to their own devices and found a little blanket set up on the beach with pillows and a little lamp. There was music playing in the background and fireworks going off all around for most of the night. We just sat there and talked about everything under the moon, watched the stars, sipped some wine, listened to the surf and played havoc with the ghostbuster looking for gold with his beepy thingy. Tom had run to get some change and we amused ourselves by randomly throwing coins in the sand in front of us so that the alarm would trigger and he would frantically start digging up the sand⁽³⁾.

As midnight drew nearer, Tom ran to get us some fireworks of our own and as the clock ticked down we were standing right at the shore, the water lapping at our feet, the sky all lit up with brilliant lights of every color. It was truly incredible.

We finally decided to make our way back to our bungalow and found C and R there well into the Champagne! We all got on our suits and made our way down to the water where Ryan popped a second bottle and we toasted to 2003 in Thailand! After some midnight swimming we went back up and had a rousing game of crib where the girls beat the pants off the quys in a best of three round robin tournament!

Thank you so much to JD and everyone else who made it possible for Tom and I to spend such an incredible evening in one of the world’s most beautiful places. Thank you to Tom, for coming across the ocean and over the stars, to be with me on what will prove to be the start of a very very special year. Yes, it would have been great with you anywhere (even in Gimli), but to have you here and to get to show you all the things that I have witnessed over the last 8 months is awesome. To bring in the New Year with you here in Thailand was beyond anything I ever could have dreamed up… thank you.⁽⁴⁾

Tom: The boat trip was really cool but kinda long. I really enjoyed the deep sea fishing with ‘Cool Guy’, this trendy little Thai guy that was about 4ft tall. Also did some snorkeling for the first time ever so that was really neat. It was a great way to spend our last day on the island with Carla and Reg.⁽⁵⁾

The evening was brillant as Shan described. One thing about these fireworks is there is no regard for human safety and if you could walk, you could blow em’ up! Kids were literally running around everywhere setting them off beside sleeping dogs! Some guys even lit them up sideways so that the blew uo toward the ocean. This was pretty cool but certainly not something to try at home. Safety here does not seem to be much of an issue. The only guys on the beach that might have been lifeguards kept bringing us more and more beer. The boats all pull up on shore and weave between swimmers and I almost lost my melon when a parasailor rope swooped in for the kill! The Thai people are very dexterous and hang on for their lives very well in boats and in the backs of bikes and trucks.

This New Years has been like a dream. Shan must think so too but in her dream it was her and Carla that won at crib last night! Ryan and I were supposed to get breakfast in bed but somehow that never happened.

(1) – I still like to talk about Subway, especially with Paul. He loves it when I tell him all about my experiences there.

(2) – Ryan was dating Carla when I was in Thailand. Fun guy, liked to drink and party. We hit it off pretty good and I credit him for telling me to use parmesan cheese as a binder in my burgers. He even played a year of roller hockey with us but I don’t think any of the guys really knew his name. Sully was calling him “Steve” all season. I haven’t seen Ryan since way back then.

(3) – This is one of my fondest memories of that trip. Shan and I laughed and had so much fun with this.

(4) – No thank you. And JD too.

(5) – I think this is the nickname Ryan gave himself.