Get-Away to Midland

After the sadness and unexpected good-byes that the end of July and early August brought my family, there was nothing I needed more than a get-away.

Time to just go. Leave Quyon. Get as far away as possible, and do things that occupied my mind and made me forget, just a little, about the horrible weeks that had just passed.

Thankfully, I already had my holidays booked to accompany the Quyon COMBAT Flyers on their trip to the ISC Tournament of Champions in Midland, Michigan. We left early the morning after Troy's funeral, and even though my worry-wart heart was burdened at the thoughts of leaving home and family so soon, it was exactly what I needed.

For a full week, I had nothing to do but hang out in the hotel room, sleep in til 10 AM every day, go swimming, shopping, eat junk, drink Mike's Harder Lemonade, and watch some pretty amazing fastpitch softball.

The Opening Ceremonies

It helped that during the week I was surrounded by great people who made sure we all had lots of fun. The Flyers are a tight-knit group, and when all together, you can count on a good time. There is photo evidence of a hotel room party and a parking lot flip cup competition to back that statement up! Along with the girlfriends, wives, and kids that came along, it made for an awesome crew, and I think I can speak for us all when I say it was a memorable trip.

And on the field? A not-too-shabby result. The Flyers won their first game in the tournament, but then dropped three in a row, and were bumped to the ISCII bracket. Once there, they handily beat a team from Frankenmuth, Michigan, the Kitchener Outlawas, and Maccabi USA, bringing them to the semi-finals vs. the Wellington Sox. It was there that the Flyers bowed out of the tournament, losing 6-1 to the eventual ISCII Champions. They ended up in third place in the ISCII and improved upon their #29 ranking heading into the tournament, as they moved up a few spots to #27.

Overall, it was a wonderful week spent with great friends at the ball park. Thanks to the Flyers for letting the girls tag along this time - it was exactly what I needed!

Tonight, the Flyers will be heading to Carp to continue their semi-final series in the GOFL against the I4C Victory. The Flyers lost a close one on Tuesday night in Quyon, 1-0. It's do-or-die tonight.

GO FLYERS GO!!

The Day the Music Died

I can't believe I'm doing this again.

Two weeks to the day that I got the call from my mom to tell me about Jeff's accident, I received word that my cousin Troy passed away in his sleep, on August 8th. He was 36.

It feels surreal. To have lost two cousins, so close together, so young, so tragically...It's inexplicable. It's unfair. It's the summer from hell.

Troy wasn't the life of the party - he was the party. Where he was, there was music. His guitar and his voice were at the centre of many great times in my life. Young Family Christmas Eves are legendary because of him. The Coconut Song, American Pie, Free Fallin'...those songs will never be the same again without Troy leading the sing-along.

One of the memories of Troy that I will hold dearly is the year I decided to follow in his footsteps and learn to play too. That summer, after hearing that I was trying to learn, he came to Mom & Dad's, and we all sat out in the garage one warm August evening, and he played the guitar with me for hours. He gave me tips, showed me songs that I loved that were easy to play, and teased me about having to learn more than just D-chord. In fact, he called me "D-chord" for months after - until I finally branched out and learned some new chords.

I also have great memories of Dog Bone at the Luskville ball park. For a few years, I kept score for the mixed ball league there, and he was always making people laugh, especially with the game reports he wrote on-line, which he called "The Dog Pound". Troy was an entertainer. Where he was, there was laughter.

I still can't even wrap my head around this. I can't imagine Christmas Eve without him. I can't even imagine picking up the guitar again - most of the songs I knew he either taught me, or I learned because he inspired me to. My heart aches for Aunt Brenda and Uncle Garry, Scott and Jim. As we prepare ourselves for the wake and funeral, all I can hope is that the love and support pouring out from our families, friends, and neighbours will carry us through this.


I hope Jeff's showing you the ropes up there. We'll miss you, Dog.

Troy Turner Young ~ 1973 - 2010

Remembering Jeff

My cousin Jeff was one of the good guys.

He was quiet, but he had a dry sense of humour that could literally have you busting a gut laughing. When he was around, life was never dull. He always had ideas of things to do - boat rides, games of pool, fishing, snowmobiling, 4-wheeling, swimming, golfing... He was always doing something. There were many times when my brother and I were younger that Jeff made sure we were entertained when he was around us, whether we were at Grandma's, at Aunt Marion & Uncle Eric's, at our place, or at the camp.

Jeff was a hard worker. He got his BA in Science taking Environmental Engineering and worked for SNC-Lavalin. He also learned a strong work ethic from growing up working with his dad, and older brother Dave. Last year, Jeff built his own house for him and his girlfriend Haleigh.

Jeff also loved to play. Along with a group of his high school friends, they competed each year in their annual KAK cup, a fishing and golf tournament which Jeff won for the first time in 11 years, earlier this month. He surrounded himself with wonderful friends - a group of guys so tightly knit they were like brothers.

My cousin Jeff passed away last Monday, July 26, after sustaining severe head injuries in an ATV accident. He is the first person I've lost this close to me, and this tragically. He was only 28. Last week, as we attended his wake and funeral in Arnprior, and then burial back in Shawville, I struggled with how to deal. I've had moments of intense sadness, anger and denial, feeling this is completely not fair. But I've also had moments of peace. I have faith that Jeff is not gone, but that he is looking down over all of us, our own guardian angel above.

Last week was the hardest week of my life, but happy memories ease the pain. I'll think of Jeff often. There are countless pictures and stories to look back on. I'll think of him when I hear the song "Lost Together". I'll think of him when I see the green ribbon - the donation of his organs saved five lives last Tuesday. He'll be in my heart when I think of the empty stair step above me. I'll think of him when I see fireworks. I'll remember him at Shawville Fair. At Christmastime and all other family gatherings, his presence will surround us.

Jeff may be gone, but he will never be forgotten. We'll miss him always.

Jeffrey Roland Draper ~ 1982 - 2010

Crazy Heart Captures Mine

Remember back in the winter, when I did my Jeff Bridges post? (If not...here it is: http://jills-world.blogspot.com/2010/01/with-age-comes-appreciation.html) At the time, I was reminiscing about his White Squall days, and a little shocked when I saw how he had transformed to play the leading role in a critically-acclaimed movie called Crazy Heart.

15 years had changed the man. Drastically.

A few nights ago, I finally had the chance to rent Crazy Heart, in which Bridges plays the aging alcoholic former country star Bad Blake. Traveling from town to town, playing in bowling alleys and hotel bars, Bad is a shadow of the star he once was, struggling to make ends meet, barely able to afford the liquor that he craves and loves most.

Until he meets Jean. A lovely young journalist, played by Maggie Gyllenhaal, divorced and raising a 4-year-old son on her own, she interviews Bad Blake, and the two end up unable to resist one another. With Jean's love buoying him, Bad attempts to turn his life around, by trying to make amends with his own son whom he's been estranged from for 24 years, and by trying to help out with Jean's son Buddy as much as he can. However, alcoholism doesn't just go away overnight, and their relationship is put to the test when Bad can't stop drinking and puts Buddy's safety in jeopardy.

So what did I think of the movie? Meh. Kind of slow-moving. And I had a hard time believing someone young and pretty like Jean would fall for an old soak like Bad, no matter how desperate she was, and no matter how famous he once was. (And yes, I do remember how hot Jeff Bridges was in White Squall. But he carries none of that in Crazy Heart. He looks like the kind of old drunk you might find sitting on a bar stool at Gavan's at noon. On a Monday.)

But the music...Oh, the music. I looooove the soundtrack. I downloaded it the next day, and can't stop listening. Bridges does most of the singing - and who knew he had such a smooth, earthy voice? But the bigger surprise was Colin Farrell. That's right, Colin Farrell! Lookin' kind of goofy in a long pony-tail, but sounding amazing, Farrell plays Tommy Sweet, Bad Blake's protege who's star has risen above and beyond his mentor's. One of my favourite scenes in the movie is when Bad is forced to open for Tommy at a huge festival, and Tommy joins him on stage for one of his songs. Both actors could have a singing career too if they wanted!

The concert scenes in the movie were my favourite parts. The songs are a throwback to the days of Haggard, Jennings, Kristofferson, and Jones (the character of Bad Blake is based loosely on some of those very legends), and they are really catchy country tunes with an old-school flavour. Because the audience hears Bad's "hits" several times throughout the movie, by the end, "Hold on You" and "I Don't Know" are instantly familiar, and just try to get "Fallin' and Flyin'" out of your head - it's impossible.

As you all know, musical discoveries are one of my biggest thrills, so of course I was ecstatic to find a new favourite in Ryan Bingham. He has a small part in the film, playing Tony, the leader of one of Bad's back-up bands as he rolls from town to town. While on-stage at that show, Bad has to stumble off to be sick, and Tony picks up singing "I Don't Know" for him. That scene stood out to me - I loved the guy's voice. After doing some research, I found out that not only does Bingham play the role of Tony, he also sings that song on the soundtrack, along with the movie's theme song and Oscar winner for Best Original Song, "The Weary Kind". In the movie, it's the song Bad eventually writes, and calls his best song ever.

In real life? Ryan Bingham wrote it himself. So cool.

(PS - Yeah. He's hot.)

The songs alone are worth seeing the movie for. And Bridges is excellent as Bad Blake, highly deserving of his Academy Award for Best Actor. If you like old country, it's definitely worth checking out!

Mike...Honeymooning...*sigh*

Still no wedding photos from Mike & Carrie's big day (People hits the stands on Friday), but there's a lot of honeymoon shots popping up on the web. Apparently they're in Bora Bora right now - Mike's special surprise that he planned just for her.

Warning: These pics will probably make you wish you were in Bora Bora with Mike Fisher right now....

Dear LORD!!

Mike & Carrie: Done Deal

This past weekend, at the Ritz-Carleton Reynolds Plantation on Lake Oconee in Greensboro, Georgia, Ottawa Senators fan favourite Mike Fisher was married to country superstar Carrie Underwood.

That's right, ladies. It's a done deal. Mike is off the market. For serious.

As a Sens fan - and a Fisher fan - well, mixed emotions, I guess. Happy for him, as she seems like a super-sweet girl, and they seem to share a lot of the same values and spirituality. Hopeful that they share a long, love-filled life together.

There's a bit of jealousy, for sure. I mean, the little witch did take away from us Ottawa's most eligible bachelor. They don't grow too many Mike Fishers around here, y'know. Boys like that are few and far between. And she broke a lot of hearts when she made him a kept man.

But I'll get over that, because I already had to "get over" my main (former Sen) squeeze, two years ago, when Wade Redden got married.

If I could survive that, I can survive anything.

But speaking of Wade...Guess what? He was at the wedding! So far no pictures of the actual wedding have surfaced (apparently we have to wait for People magazine to hit the stands), but sneaky little photogs captured shots of him (along with Shean Donovan and Nick Foligno) lounging by the pool at the resort prior to THE wedding of the summer.

(Yes, that's him wearing the dorky little white fisherman's hat...I love it...)

*sigh* These pictures made my day!

10 Things About Me

So yesterday, I was challenged by my friend Lindsay via her Blog (check it out at http://smalltowngirl-lindsay.blogspot.com/) to share ten things about myself.

This is the kind of game I just loooooooove! I did something similar on Facebook a few years ago, a list of 25 Random Things About Me...So this one's a little easier, it's only 10. But I am going to try and make it different than my original list of 25. Heeeeeeeere we go...

1. In recent weeks, I've come to the very sad conclusion that watching your parents' parents get old sucks. Watching your parents get old sucks. Getting old yourself...well, it sucks. So yeah. 27 is looming, and that SUCKS.

2. I'm in love with a teen vampire. And a teen werewolf. And I don't care if that's not normal behaviour for an almost-27-year old.

3. My 4-year-old nephew and I fight all the time. He calls me names. My 1-and-a-half-year-old niece doesn't even like me. I've barely even held her since she was old enough to shake her head "no". Despite that, I adore them...they are two of my favourite people in the world.

4. I'm terrified that someone close to me is going to name their baby one of the names I've had picked out for years. I'm even more terrified that I'm never going to get the opportunity to use the names I've had picked out for years.

5. Despite the fact that I'm planning a trip down south next winter, I can't stop eating. People talk about getting "bikini ready". I just want to be "bathing suit ready". At this rate, I'm going to have to wear a tent the whole week.

6. There's nothing I enjoy quite as much as a hot summer night at the ball field. The mosquitoes don't seem that bad, and even the beer tastes good. And I hate mosquitoes. And beer.

7. I miss Wade. It's been 2 years since he left the Ottawa Senators for the New York Rangers, and I may be one in a very small minority, but I'd take him back anyday. I don't think my team will ever feel right without him.

8. I love downloading new music and listening to it on my iPod. My latest purchase? Lukas Rossi's new album, "Hollywood". It's awesome.

9. Some of my favourite things: Banana popsicles, my guitar, chips & dip, good books, lip gloss, guys who look good in ball pants, Skittles, my crappy DVD player, friends, floating on a pool noodle, pictures, baby smell, strawberry daiquiris, Saturday mornings, my Blackberry, playoff time, McDonalds, dancing all night...

10. I really want goldfish. I've been wanting them for months now. I don't even know why. Since my dog Jake died when I was 12, I never wanted another pet. And if I did, I certainly didn't want goldfish. I thought goldfish were stupid. But now I want them, and I'm going to name them after dead singers, because that way when I have to flush them, I won't feel so bad. If I ever get them, my first two will be named Presley and Marley.

So there we have it. 10 things about me. Some of them, I'm sure some of you already knew. I'm also supposed to pass this on to 5 other people, but I know a few of you that read my blog and Lindsay's have already posted them in Lindsay's comment section. For those of you who haven't already, please feel free to leave your list of 10 in my comments section!

An RPattz Lovefest

Brace yourselves. This blog is all about Rob Pattinson and how much I love him.

Ah, what a breath of fresh air he was to me over my 4-day long weekend! I'd been craving me some RPattz. And I was fulfilled.

My Canada Day was spent with a group of great friends at the Kanata AMC watching the latest installment of the Twilight Saga, Eclipse. I was so grateful to have some new vampire and werewolf visuals to sink my teeth into.

Seriously, is there anything more beautiful that Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner? Together, in one movie? It should almost be illegal.

Eclipse is when the love triangle between Edward, Bella, and Jacob really explodes. Edward wants to marry Bella, but she thinks she's too young and doesn't have a whole lot of faith in the institution of marriage, having grown up in a broken family. She wants Edward to change her so that she can live immortally alongside him. Edward is against the idea, and is refusing to change her unless she marries him first. Jacob disapproves of the whole thing - the marriage, the changing, everything. He wants Bella all to himself, and threatens to never stop fighting for her, as long as her heart is beating.

Geesh. Is there a luckier girl in the world?

I loved Eclipse, for so many reasons.

I loved that we got to see more of the Cullens, as they rallied together with the wolves to protect Bella against Victoria and her army of newborns. I loved seeing the back-stories of Jasper and Rosalie come to life.

I loved the scene where Edward must sit by during the snowstorm, helpless to Bella shivering in the tent because of his cold body temperature, and having to watch toasty-warm Jacob lie with her to keep her from turning into a popsicle. I loved their conversation, and how they almost grudgingly became friends.

I loved the meadow scene at the very start of the movie, when Edward and Bella are alone and happy and smiling. Those moments are few and far between in the movies. It was nice to see them just looking like a pair of normal, love-crazed teens.

I loved Riley and his vampire army. The scene where they rise up out of the water as they descend upon the Cullens and the wolves? Spine-tingling awesomeness.

What did I not love? Well, Bryce Dallas Howard in the role of Victoria. She didn't fill Rachelle Lefebvre's shoes very well. She was too wide-eyed and innocent. Like a little damsel in distress. Which I know she was supposed to be, to lure Riley into her evil, vengeful plan, but it was a little over the top. Not the Victoria we're used to.

And I didn't love the Jacob-and-Bella kiss atop the mountains. I know the Jake fans were squealing with glee, but despite my finding Jake to be absolutely adorable, I'm still Team Edward at heart. And that kiss just made me sooooo mad. " Kiss me Jacob! Kiss me!" ... "I don't know what happened, Edward...I'm sorry..." Oh you little hootchie!

*sigh* I can't wait to go see it again.

I spent all weekend thinking about the movie, and by Sunday, I needed me some more RPattz. So I headed to the local video store to pick up Remember Me, recently released on DVD. The non-Twilight movie Rob has made between Twilight flicks.

I'm not sure what I expected. I knew he wasn't going to be Edward, and I was prepared for that. But I was not prepared for this absolutely stunning film that literally took my breath away.

I can't say a whole lot about it, because it's one of those movies that you can't know anything about or it will ruin it. A twist ending that floors you, and the build-up to that point is a rollercoaster of emotions - filled with laughter, tears, and heartache. It's a love story, but it's also a family drama, and at the end of it all, it seems so unfair.

But it will make you think about things that you probably haven't thought about in a long time. And it will shake you up.

If you're not a Twilight fan, or not a Rob Pattinson fan, don't let his being in this movie stop you from seeing it.

He's worth it.

Canadian Pride!

Everyone knows Christmas Eve is my favourite day of the year. Followed closely by Christmas Day. And then my birthday. (Although, now that I'm moving past the mid-twenties, that day is slowly becoming one to dread rather than celebrate...)

But right up there on my "favourite days of the year" pedestal is our beautiful country's birthday.

JULY 1st!! YEAH!!

(The sight of the Canada Flag going through the crowd at the Sens games always sends shivers down my spine...)

It has become a highlight on the calendar for me especially since I joined Quyon's Canada Day Committee, about 5 years ago now. We spend the year planning & fundraising for this one special day. In recent years, we've switched our celebrations to the evening of June 30th, as everyone has the next day off work leaving them free to have a good time, and also frees up Canada Day for people to take in other festivities, such as the ones close-by on Parliament Hill in Ottawa.

But tonight, Quyon is the place to be!! The Lionettes will be hosting their annual Teddy Bear Hospital at the Lions Hall, with all proceeds going to the Shawville Hospital. There will be a community BBQ, followed by the parade which ends with a flag raising ceremony down by the Ferry docks. Continuing into the evening, the band Catalyst will be raising the roof of the hall and getting everyone pumped up for fireworks down by the Ottawa River.

Sound like fun?? It ALWAYS IS!!

(The Committee ladies on-stage with the band last year.)

For those of you who live in town, hope to see you there!

Everyone have a safe & Happy Canada Day, wherever you may be!!

I Survived the Great Earthquake of 2010...

...Okay, so it sounds like everyone did.

No fatalities, no major damage.

But holy sh*t, DID YOU FEEL THAT?!? I'm not sure I've ever been so frightened in my life!

Here at MVT, when the office started to shake, I think we all had the same idea: someone was driving past the office in one of the big trucks. And they were going far too fast. Then, after realizing it was going on too long for a tractor trailer to be whizzing by, I thought for sure one of the trucks had accidentally hit the office.

It wasn't until I looked over at Claire and said, "What the hell is that?" and she was already jumping from her chair and heading for the door saying something about an earthquake that I realized what was going on. I was right on her heels, heading for the exit!

Lindsay stopped us and made us stand in the doorframe - which seemed ridiculous to me, when the outdoors was only a few feet away, and out there I would not have to worry about a building collapsing on me.

But apparently Lindsay was right to make us stop in the doorframes, because apparently you're not to go outside during an earthquake. Go figure.

In any case - I couldn't believe it when they said the 5.0 earthquake with the epicentre in Val-des-Bois, Quebec that hit at 1:40 PM only lasted 20-30 seconds. Felt like it went on for minutes. And for about an hour afterwards, it felt like my legs were made of Jell-O.

In Ottawa, apparently it caused an even bigger stir as buildings were evacuated and examined for structual damage. Emergency services said their phone lines went haywire until evening. It was chaos as many were sent home early, and the mass exodus of downtown Ottawa was a traffic nightmare.

After living through my first major earthquake? (Alright, so they're calling it a "moderate" one...whatever...it was major in my world!) I hope I never have to feel that again. Makes me very grateful that I don't live in an earthquake zone, because that panic I felt is not something I want to feel again. Ever.

Earthquakes are not my thing.

Here We Go Again...

Another summer...Another off-season of Ottawa Senator angst.

I was so looking forward to the summer of 2010. Well, for many reasons, mostly related to hot weather and daiquiris and nights at the ball field and vacations.

But also for the fact that as a fan of the Senators, I wouldn't have to go through the infuriating debacle that was Dany Heatley's demand to be traded out of town last summer.

A stress-free off-season as a Sens fan. A fairly decent run this past year, an okay showing in the playoffs, and confidence that, going forward, this team is headed in the right direction.

Phewf.

Oh...Oh, but wait! What's this? Now Jason Spezza wants out?

Seriously!!!???

It started a few weeks ago. Rumours bubbling up that Spezza wanted to follow in his ol' pal Heater's footsteps and get the hell outta Dodge. He didn't like that he was getting booed on home ice in the playoffs. Nope, little Chuckles didn't like that at all. So he had told Ottawa GM Bryan Murray that he wouldn't be opposed to a trade.


Jeepers creepers.

Does it really bother me to think of the Sens being Spezza-less next season? Not really. Not the way it bothered me when Heatley ran for the exit. Because, quite frankly, Jason Spezza drives me insane. His blind drop-passes and dipsy-doodling that hardly ever works is enough to make me want to scream and pull my hair out. And I do believe, after the Sens were ousted by the Pens in the playoffs, I actually said that I hoped he found a new home this season.

What does bother me is our supposed stars - this is two in a row now, folks - asking to be dealt. Doesn't paint a real nice picture for this city or this team. Are we really the next Edmonton?

What's going on here? What happened to the team that, a few years ago, players were clamoring to be on? Back then, guys wanted to be here. They wanted to proudly wear the Sens' colours and be a part of this team and community.

Is it Bryan Murray? Living fairly close to the town where Murray was born and raised, and still comes back to every summer, we aren't encouraged to speak ill of the man. He's a small-town success story, and he's held up on a pedestal around here. But why does he keep going to the media with in-house affairs? He's doing it with Spezza, he did it with Heatley, he even did it back with Wade Redden. I'm not quite sure it's a smart approach, and I have to think players coming in to this organization have to be wary of his tactics when it comes to sharing information about their private conversations.

Is it the media? In Ottawa, hockey takes centre stage almost year-round, and the Sens are always the hot topic on sports radio and in the newspapers. Some of the local hockey scribes have a reputation for being able to actually run players out of town. They take a dislike for a player, publish enough bad press that they get the fans on-board, and the next thing you know, said player is gonzo. Don't believe it? Ask Radek Bonk. Ask Joe Corvo. Ask Wade Redden. And now, ask Jason Spezza. The media love to find whipping boys. But I sometimes wonder if it's justified...

Is it the fans? We've been criticized for being too disparaging. For being fickle. For booing our own players. For being bandwagoners. We've also been complimented, like most Canadians who watch the game avidly, for being very knowledgeable fans. When things are going well, we cheer loudly & proudly. When things aren't going well, everyone becomes an armchair GM and they burn up the lines to the local sports radio call-in shows with their whining and complaining and big ideas. Unfortunately, when a player isn't living up to expectations - à la Jason Spezza - the boo birds come out. We make our feelings known, whether they like it or not.

Probably a combination of all three - the GM (and all team management), the media, the fans...It ain't easy being a player in the Nation's Capital, in a Canadian hockey hotbed. You have to have tough skin to play up here. I always thought Spezza handled it pretty well.

But I guess everyone has their limit. And he's had enough.

It should be interesting to see what transpires in the weeks to come. As of July 1st, his no-trade clause kicks in and he receives a $4-Million dollar bonus. But moving him will also be a challenge, as he carries a $7-Million per year price tag and he's bound to long contract terms. How many teams are willing to take a chance on a defensive liability like him?

Ugh. It's already giving me a Heatley-like ulcer.

Man, I Love That Song

You've just discovered you have only 5 minutes left on this Earth.

And during those last 5 minutes, you get to listen to one last song. It's the last thing you're going to hear. You gotta make it a good one.

What tune do you pick? Something nostalgic? Something that fills you with memories and makes you want to cry? Something that makes you smile? Something with beautiful lyrics, beautiful melody? Something that makes you feel?

If it's me - I'm thinking it's got to be something that makes me want to dance.

You know that song. The one that as soon as you hear it, whether you're at the bar or in your car, you just want to let loose. You want to sing along and jump around and get it all out.

I'm sure, at different times in my life, the answer to this question would have been different from the way I'm feeling about it today.

But today? (And for the past, oh, year or so?) There's only one song that comes to mind that I would absolutely want to hear if it was my last 5 minutes alive.

Because when I hear just the first few opening chords, I burst into a huge grin and and it doesn't matter how crappy a mood I'm in, it makes me want to break out the air guitar right then and there.

Jesse is a friend...Yah, he's always been a good friend of mine...

And there it is. Jesse's Girl. That's my song.

I know, I know. Lame. Cheesy. Goofy.

But that's the one.

What is it about that song? Doesn't matter how many times I hear it. I listen the whole way through and never stop grinning from ear to ear. I demand bands play it when I'm out. I get mad at them when they don't know it. I even persuaded De'Mos (our new Gavan's "band of choice") to learn it for me. I have burnt it onto a dozen different CDs, and when it comes on in the car, chances are I replay it over at least a few times before moving on.

A few months ago, I was in the kitchen baking, and the TV was on in the living room, with the volume on quite low. Glee had come on the tube, but I'm not a fan (I know, I know - who doesn't like Glee?! ...Me.) , so had I not been working in the kitchen, the channel would have been changed.

It was like fate. As I was icing cupcakes, I caught the first distinguishable notes, and ran for the living room. The Glee cast was performing my song. So I stood in the living room, with icing all over my hands and a goofy grin on my face, and I danced.

There's just something about that song.

Rick Springfield should feel honoured.

Less Than A Month...

...til I get me some Edward & Jacob.

Eclipse is hitting theatres June 30th. And I. can't. wait.

I know, I know. Fans of the Twilight franchise shouldn't be so antsy. I mean, we were just treated to New Moon in November of '09, and the DVD release was just in March. Waiting til the end of June shouldn't be that difficult.

But, uh, yeah. It is. It still feels like an eternity away.

So to tide myself (and other vampire & werewolf lovers out there) over, here's a few images of Edward and Jacob.

I'm still Team Edward, but there's no harm in looking at the cute little wolf, is there?

humina humina... The next few weeks are going to drag by...

Most Intense Grey's Everrrrrr

I'm behind in everything. I'm behind in life. Should it be any surprise I'm way behind in my recaps?

But I haven't forgotten my Grey's. Oh, my Grey's. I didn't get to watch the season finale on it's regular night, like everyone else, because I was at the Taylor Swift concert. Reading everyone's statuses on Facebook afterwards about how intense and crazy it was? I was wishing I'd got to watch it that night.

After a jam-packed long May 2-4 weekend, I finally got to watch it on the holiday Monday. And might I just say...oh. my. GOD.

Grey's has a history of leaving it's viewers shocked and hanging at the end of the season. In the beginning, it was Addison showing up to tell Meredith that her McDreamy was actually McMarried. To her. We've had Burke getting shot and Denny dying after his heart transplant. We've had Cristina getting stood up at the altar by Burke. Oh, and how could we top last season's finale, when the hospital staff discovered their mangled "John Doe" patient was actually George, and just as they start to lose him, Izzie, suffering from cancer, collapses in her new husband Alex's arms? For most of the summer, rumours ran rampant as to whether both George and Izzie died.

Really, what could be more intense than that?

Oh. Okay. A shooter in the hospital. The angry husband of a former patient of Derek's, whom he pulled the plug on, looking for revenge. And shooting up pretty much anyone who crosses his path as he hunts for McDreamy.

Yep, that'll do it.

Within the first 10 minutes of the show, Reed was dead and Alex was wounded. Throughout the 2 hour finale, we lost Charles, along with many members of the hospital staff, and witnessed Bailey cowering before Mr. Clarke, claiming to be a nurse and begging for her life. We thought Lexie got shot, but as it turns out, the SWAT team shot Clarke instead, injuring him. We saw Callie make a deal with the devil - she gave him bandages for his wounds in exchange for him leaving her, Arizona, and their patients alone. We saw the Chief barge back in to the locked-down hospital to take it over again.

And we saw Derek get shot. That crazy mofo actually shot Derek!! In the chest!!

And he did it before Meredith could tell him that she was carrying their child.

All kinds of crazy ensued. With Cristina the only experienced cardiothoracic surgeon on-hand, she proceeded to try to save Derek's life, while making Meredith hide as she worked on him. I swear, the hairs on my arms and neck stood on end when Owen walked into the room where Meredith and April were hiding and gazed in to where Cristina was supposed to be operating on Derek. I knew right then that the shooter was in the room. Owen went in to try to diffuse the situation, and ended up getting shot himself. Meredith finally barged in, pointing out that Mr. Clarke killing her friends and husband was not his eye-for-an-eye. Killing her would be his eye-for-an-eye. Derek killed Clarke's wife. She's Derek's wife. "Kill me! Kill me!" she screamed.

Cristina and Avery to the rescue. They fake-killed Derek so that Clarke would bugger off, which he did, sending Meredith into hysterics, until she realized it was just a trick. They plugged Derek back in, and continued saving his life, while Cristina ordered Mer to get Owen help. "I'm saving your guy. You have to save mine."

Now here's the real heart-breaker. While working on Owen, April notices that Meredith's bleeding. But not from a gunshot wound. Wincing in pain, Meredith explains, very calmly, that she's having a miscarriage.

Dear Lord.

Could it get more intense, more horrifying, more sad than that?

Best season finale ever. Seriously.

What's in store for next season? I'd say some serious therapy. But at the end of it all, we knew that Alex was going to be okay, that Owen was going to be okay, and that Derek was going to be okay. Phewf.

If I'd had to wait all summer to find that out, I might've gone crazy.

Farewell to Colby

I know, I know...it's been almost two weeks since Sandra Diaz-Twine was crowned the victor in the epic Heroes vs. Villains Suvivor showdown. And still no re-cap.

Is it too late for a re-cap? Probably. I'm sure every scribe who followed this magnificent season that was like pure candy to Survivor fans has already written up their report and put it to bed. And I've meant to do mine countless times, but time has not been my friend these past few weeks. Life is hectic. Work is hectic. Everything is just so damn...hectic.

So what do I really want to say? How about the Colbster. Last-standing hero. How perfect. Even if he does seem to have weakened and shriveled up from his glory days, Colby Donaldson is the epitome of the Survivor hero. And Colby came sooo close to making it to the final 4. It came down to him & Parvati in the final challenge, which had them balancing a stack of dishes on a long pole. Colby knew he needed to win it. But unfortunately, this season, challenges were not Colby's forté. (Although, I loved it during the reunion hour when Probst told Parvati she was tied for second for winning most challenges in Survivor history. When she asked who was first, he pointed down the row, and said, "That would be Mr. Colby Donaldson who owns that title". Awesome.) When his dishes tumbled, he knew his game was done. He still tried to work some magic with Russell, but in the end, the villains stuck together and Colby said good-bye.

Then there was my girl Jerri. "My girl". ha! I got stuck with her in Stacy's Survior pool, which was rather ironic since she was Colby's arch-nemesis from the past. But as it turns out? The girl who fans hated so much that they drove her from the All-Stars reunion show in tears - well, she's not so villainous after all. Compared to the tribe of sneaks and swindlers and snakes she was lumped in with, Jerri was actually kind of a sweetheart. A bit wishy-washy, a bit of a coat-tail rider, but not nearly as evil-minded as the rest of them. By the end? I was actually sort of rooting for her.

Jerri was too soft to take this game, though. And it seemed only fitting that the three biggest villains were left standing in the end. Parvati, Russell, and Sandra. The women were both former winners, and Russell had just finished as runner-up in Samoa before heading back out for Heroes vs. Villains. Did anyone want to see any of them win? No. But at the end of the day, I'd say the lesser of the 3 evils took home the prize. Sandra is a sneaky, eaves-dropping, disloyal fiend, but I was happy to see her de-throne the "King and Queen" of Survivor, as Russell and Parvati had annointed themselves.

Speaking of Russell - this man is clearly delusional. He played the same game - twice in a row - and lost both times, yet still he insists he is the best player ever. He claims the game is flawed - that America should get a vote - because he would win hands-down. It's laughable how he argues with Probst throughout the reunion show, trying to prove this point, all while Probst insists back at him that the public vote means nothing on Survivor. It's not a popularity contest. Shut up, Russell.

And it still baffles me that he would win that popularity vote, as he did in the on-line fan favourite, taking the prize money over Rupert. Why do people love this guy? I don't get it. I just don't get it.

If Russell would listen for a few seconds, he would have heard the truth that Boston Rob laid out for him at the reunion - when asked to explain how Russell differs from himself, Rob said that Russell plays a dirty game that gets him to the end, but he does not play to win. If he was playing to win, he'd be taking better care of his social game rather than pissing people off left, right, and centre.

But he still doesn't get it. What a doorknob.

So at the end of the day, Sandra stands alone as the best of the best, ruling all of the heroes and villains. It was a fun season to watch. I have a hard time believing they can match the intensity and craziness of this 20th Anniversary edition.

And I'm a little sad, because I'm pretty sure Colby's Survivor days are officially over; however, it was pretty great while it lasted.

Friday Round-Up

It's been another busy week, lots to talk about it, but no time to do it!

Here's a quick Friday round-up:

THE HABS - Ohhh, how I hate them. Many fans of other teams - especially Sens and Leaf fans - are jumping on their bandwagon, but I just can't do it. Believe it or not, a few weeks after despising the Penguins for knocking my team out of the playoffs, I was rooting for them against les Canadiens. I've heard the argument that they're the last Canadian team, and that I should be cheering for them. But I just can't. And it's not even the team. For the most part, I like the the players, and I really like the coach. But the majority of their fans have turned me right off. I hate the Olé crap. I hate the "Na na na na" song. I hate the sight of their car flags. I hate my co-workers who are Hab fans dancing around in their jerseys and rubbing it my face. I hate the minority of jackasses who riot - they're not even in the finals yet, idiots!!

But most of all? I hate that it's not me. Pure jealousy. Go Philly.

THE FLYERS (not hockey - the fastball team) - Stupid 8:30 games in far-off places like Stittsville. No fastball games for me this week. But the Quyon COMBAT Flyers did take on the 56'ers Wednesday night, and came home with a huge 10-1 win over the league's defending champs. This weekend, the team is headed to Millgrove, ON for a tournament. Good luck Flyers!

SURVIVOR - Colby! Top 5! Yeahhhh!! Will he win? Absolutely not. He'll be the first sent home Sunday night during the 2-hour finale, guaranteed. Why? Because he's the last remaining Hero, after Rupert was voted out last night. And because he can't win a challenge to save his soul. It truly is a miracle that he's lasted this long, considering the number of times his ass has been on the line. After last night's episode, I believe the two least-deserving of winning the $1M prize out of the Top 5 are Colby and Jerri, and I think it's because they're from a bygone era of Survivor competitors - back before things were so malicious and sneaky - before there was this much backstabbing and blindsiding. In the Outback, Jerri was a genuine villain, and Colby was a bonafide hero. Now, she looks like a coat-tail-riding pansy, and he looks like a resigned, tired, wuss. Yeah. Colby kinda sucks. But at least I've got to watch him right through to the final episode, and that makes me a happy kid! Woo!

GREY'S ANATOMY - Hoooo baby, things are about to get crazy at Seattle Grace-Mercy West! But first - last night - Dr. Bailey gettin' busy with sexy anesthesiologist Ben. YUM. That man...I tell you...he could give McDreamy, McSteamy, Hunt, Karev, Avery - he could give 'em all a run for their money. And when he stripped while Bailey babbled about her personal life being personal? Holy smokes. I couldn't even hear what she was saying. That was just about as hot as the infamous McSteamy-in-a-towel scene from Season...2 I think? Speaking of which, we kind of got a reprise of that last night, too! McSteamy coming out of the bathroom to find both Reed and Teddy in his room (and yes, that had to be a metaphorical puff of steam that followed him out of the bathroom...humina humina...McSteeeeeeeeeeamy!) But at the end of the day? My guy Alex. He's still the one. How he helped that girl who had been misdiagnosed as schizophrenic? Loved him for that. But it looks like Alex is about to get the crappy end of the stick again. He said it himself - he's done crazy - dealt with it growing up, dated it...he's ready to settle down and be normal. And he thinks he's found that with Lexi. Unfortunately for Alex, McSteamy isn't done with her yet...his passionate plea at the end of last night for her to give him another chance - Did he propose ? I think he did! - well, I forsee Alex being left in the dust yet again.

Not fair. Not fair at all. Can we please get Karev a happy storyline? Please!?!?

Next week - season finale - and all hell's breaking loose. There's going to be a shooter in the hospital. And in the preview, it said, "Who will fall?" Oh my God. I can't WAIT!

Have a great weekend!!

There's Tough...And Then There's TOUGH

Hockey's a physical sport. Players get hurt all the time. Sometimes they come back from their injuries. Sometimes they don't.

In the NHL, it's a game that is played by large, muscular men, flying around the ice on sharp skate blades, wielding sticks, and crashing their opponents into the boards. It's sort of an understood thing that when you step on the ice, there's a very good chance you could get hurt. It's how you face up to the injuries that often determines your toughness as a hockey player.

It's this time of year - playoff time - when stories of truly strong, passionate, and tough players begin to emerge. Often, it's not until a series is over and a team's season has ended that the truth comes out - that some key players were battling injuries, but fought through it to play for a chance at the Stanley Cup. And often, these injuries could just make you cringe.

For instance, Ottawa's Captain Daniel Alfredsson. We all knew something wasn't quite right with Alfie during their Round 1 series against the Pittsburgh Penguins. He just wasn't giving it the way Alfie can (even though he did stand out as one of their best players in the final 2 games of the series). It wasn't until the Sens fell in 6 games to the Pens that his problem was revealed: a sports hernia, which he recently had surgery to repair. He began suffering from severe abdominal pain around the time of the Olympics, and was being shot up before games in order to play through it. Yep. That's tough.

On the Pittsburgh side of things? The mighty Jordan Staal, a fierce competitor and a sonofabitch to play against (yes, I'm still sore about losing to them), had a tendon severed in his foot by PK Subban's skate in Game 1 of their series against Montreal. Staal had surgery to repair the injury, and missed games 2 and 3, but was back in game 4 against the Habs. That's a severed tendon, people. Players miss months with similiar injuries. Tough? I'd say so.

But I'm not sure any of these injuries compares to that which Vancouver defenceman Sami Salo suffered in their Western Conference semi-final series against Chicago.

In Game 5, Salo was hit in the groin area by a deflected Duncan Keith slapshot, and after writhing in pain for several minutes, he left the ice. He was taken to hospital, where it is believed he was treated for a ruptured testicle.

I'm not a guy, but that even makes me feel a little sick.

"Testicles and composure are the two words of this series," said Salo's teammate Shane O'Brien. "I'd rather get it between the eyes than where Sami baby got it."

The mere thought of it has had men squirming everytime the injury is mentioned. But guess who suited up last night for Game 6, only 2 days after sustaining one of the most horrifying injuries a man could ever think of?

You got it. Sami Salo.

If that's not tough...I don't know what is.

Random Friday Afternoon Thoughts...

...from someone who's brain is totally fried. Enjoy.

- I hate the Habs. I hate the Penguins. I hate that it's the only series left in the NHL playoffs that interests me. Friggin stupid hockey.

- I love that I can watch TV episodes on the Internet. Last week, my dear brother screwed up the taping of my beloved Grey's Anatomy, and I was devestated. Then, I had the brainwave to check it out on-line. Sure enough, CTV's website pulled through. I heart McSteamy. Can't wait to watch last night's episode sometime this weekend.

- Ball season is back - one of my greatest joys this week. The Flyers had their first home game last night. It was cold, but a good crowd turn out to see the 7-0 win over WC Electric and to witness the draw for the Basket of Awesome. God, I've missed ball.

- I miss my Sens.

- What's happening on Suvivor? I don't know, because I haven't watched last night's episode yet. Hang on.

- I have intense allergies this Spring. No idea why, never had 'em this bad before. Itchy eyes and a head that feels like it could spontaneously combust at any moment. Super.

- Another of my greatest joys this week? McHappy Day. I was kind of having a crappy day, found out that $1 of all Big Mac sales were going to childrens' charities, so I hopped in the Rav with Britt and headed out to get McHappy. The place was packed and everyone seemed to be in such a good mood. I'm so McHappy I went to McHappy Day.

- Ever notice the things you want, you can't have - and when you finally find out you can have them, you don't want them anymore? I've really noticed that this week.

- Could June 30th come a little quicker? I need my vampire and werewolf. I need them now.

- My calendar for the next 2 months is literally JAMMED. Some days, I've got more than 1 event on. I've double-booked shit. I'm trying to write everything on every calendar I own and in my BlackBerry so I don't miss anything. But I'm pretty sure I'm going to screw something up.

- I'm so glad it's going to pour rain tomorrow. I'm not going to do anything but lie on the couch and watch movies all day. Because that's what you do when it's pouring rain.

- I love my mom.

So Close...Yet So Far Away

There were no tears on Saturday night when the Sens' season came to an abrupt end as the Penguins' Pascal scored on our Pascal in OT to finish us off in 6 games.

Maybe it's a sign that I'm growing up. Or maybe it's a sign that I was already resigned to the fact that the Sens weren't going to survive this series.

But I'd like to think it was because, despite the sadness of watching my team lose in the first round of the playoffs again, I was more proud of them than anything. After going down 3-1 in the series, nobody was giving us a shot against the defending Stanley Cup Champs.

I was proud of my team for battling back, and the fact that they went down fighting allowed me to admire them in defeat.

Who knows what would have happened this Spring if the Sens had a healthy line-up? I really didn't think much about Alex Kovalev, Milan Michalek, or Filip Kuba during our run against Pittsburgh, but the fact is, the Sens were playing without two of their top-6 forwards, and one of their top-4 defencemen.

Who knows what might have happened if Daniel Alfredsson hadn't been suffering from a sports hernia, an abdominal pain that he fought through, and will require surgery for in the coming week? From the first puck-drop in this series, we could tell that the Captain was not at 100%. However, he laced 'em up anyways - like a true leader, like a true warrior - and in fact stood out as one of the best forwards in the final two games of the series, as Ottawa battled for their playoff lives. He finished tied with Matt Cullen for the most points by a Senator in 6 games, notching two goals and six assists. Imagine what a healthy Alfie could have done?

Who knows what could have been, had Cory Clouston chosen to go with Pascal Leclaire in nets earlier in the series, or even from the get-go? Leclaire's first appearance in the playoffs was a strong one, and quite different from the dismal season he had here in Ottawa, losing his #1 goalie status to Brian Elliott. And honestly, I didn't blame Clouston for going with Elliott, as he was the one between the pipes during the best times this season, while Leclaire battled injuries and major slumps. I was actually somewhat surprised that he turned to him after the Game 4 debacle (still SO thrilled that that was the game I had tickets for...) But Leclaire proved his worth in Game 5, turning in one of the best performances by a goaltender thus far in the 2010 playoffs, stopping 56 shots through three overtime periods. It also wasn't his fault in Game 6. Let's hope he can carry this into next season.

What might have happened if Mike Fisher's goal late in the second period of Game 6, which would have made the score 4-1, had counted? After a lengthy review, the officials deemed the net was off its moorings, though from the replays I saw, it was far from conclusive. That goal, had it counted, might have killed the Penguins comeback and swung momentum back in our favour. Instead, the Pens continued to chip away at our lead, and then finished us off in OT. We were that close to pushing this to a Game 7...

Who knows? But these are the twists and turns that make up a playoff series. The momentum swings, the ups and downs, the shoulda-coulda-wouldas... If anyone knew the right answers beforehand, then we'd be marching on to the second round.

Instead, another early summer. But gratification in knowing my guys fought hard to get into the playoffs after missing them last season, and then gave the Penguins, who were the last to hoist the Cup, a good run for their money. Memories of one of the most exciting goals in franchise history, when local boy Matty Carkner fired home the game winner in triple-OT last Thursday and force a Game 6. Smiles when I think of the fans at Scotiabank Place, louder than they have been since our run to the Cup Finals in '07, and a sea of waving white rally towels.

It was a good time, while it lasted. No tears at all.

And hope springs eternal that we get the chance to dance again next year.

Triple-OT GLORY!!

The Sens aren't done yet...

I'll admit, I was pretty sure they were toast going into last night's game. I already had it all planned out. After the loss, I was going to curse and stomp around my parents' house and maybe even cry, like I usually do when the Sens are beat out of the playoffs. Then I was going to go outside and rip my car flag off, and then drive home like a maniac, barrel into the house, and tear down my big Sens flag out of the living room window.

And then I was gonna be one ugly bitch all day today.

But instead, I'm a giddy bundle of happiness, thanks to some amazing netminding from Pascal Leclair (yes, one of my goalies learned how to stop the puck - for one night, anyway) - and a HUUUUUUUUUUUUGE goal in the third OT by our wonderfully wonderful Matt Carkner!!

Who picked Carkner to score the winner?? Anyone??

Of course not. Carkner's a defenceman whose specialty is fighting and grinding. But you know what? The sun shines on a dog's arse once in awhile, and I'm pretty sure Matt Carkner will never forget the way it felt to score that goal last night.

The Sens let the Pens know early on that they weren't going to go quietly into the night. They scored twice in the first period, with goals coming from Mikey Fisher and Jarkko Ruutu. My hopes were soaring again.

Then, for some reason, they took a giant group snooze, and relied heavily on Leclaire to keep them in the game. However, with the firepower that the Penguins hold, it was inevitable - they scored a late first-period goal, a late second-period goal, and in the third, who other than Crosby would score the go-ahead goal. Amidst all of this, the horrendous officiating persisted, and I was struggling to figure out why the Hockey Gods hated me & my team so much.

The CBC was also the target of much of my wrath. I detest Glen Healy, and Bob Cole is a complete joke. When Peter Regin scored to tie the game in the latter part of period 3, it was like he caught Bob totally off-guard. "Oh, what do you know...The Sens score...Maybe it isn't over after all..." Gee, Bobbo, try not to sound too excited, huh? The Crosby Broadcast Corporation is pathetic. Period.

The first OT was unbelievable. The Sens had a million chances, and couldn't capitalize on them. Well, actually, Nick Foligno did score, but it was ruled that he had kicked it in. Which he clearly did not, but because they made the same ruling against one of the Sedins (I don't know which one is which) in the Vancouver/LA series earlier in the playoffs, it didn't surprise me. SO frustrating, though.

The Pens had their fair share of chances as well. Chris Kunitz scored a goal that was also called back after he re-directed the puck in with a high stick late in the third period. And I'm pretty sure Evgeni "Big Lips" Malkin heard the clanging of the post he hit in one of the OTs in his sleep last night.

As the game stretched into the third OT, and became the longest Sens game in franchise history, I was getting more and more nervous. All these chances, Leclaire standing on his head... how long could it go on?

When Carkner took the feed from Alfie in the Pens zone and shot the puck past Marc-Andre Fleury for the winning goal, it was a feeling of complete elation. Happiness for Carkner, relief for Leclaire, and pride in knowing that my Sens aren't going down without a fight.

There's nothing quite like that feeling of winning in OT - let alone triple-OT.

And the Sens live to play another day. Saturday night at SBP...do-or-die time. Again.

Awesome.

The "I HATE..." Blog

OK, it's official...Sidney Crosby IS God.

Man, I hate how great he is. And I hate that my team let him romp all over them last night. And I hate that I was there to witness it.

While I'm listing things I hate? The refs. What a bunch of idiots. I'm not one for conspiracy theories, but the way they've been calling this series - and especially last night's game - well, it clearly looks like they don't even want to give Ottawa a sniff of the next round. They're doing their part to make sure the Sens lose to a team that probably would beat them even without them lending a helping hand. I HATE THEM.

Hmm, what else do I hate...oh yes, I hate Jason Spezza. I know, he scored last night (finally). But his blind passes that usually end up on Penguin sticks are no longer tolerable in my world. And his beaut of a give-away last night that resulted in Crosby's first goal? Real nice, Spezz. Real nice. As far as I'm concerned, he can pack his bags once we're done with this series. I have no more patience for him and his "creativity". He's a complete knucklehead.

I hate that NEITHER of my goalies can stop a puck to save their lives. Brian Elliott gets yanked after the Penguins scored the first four goals of the game, so Pascale Leclaire comes in to replace him. For his first five or ten minutes, he looks like Superman (basically because he made a few saves, which Elliott was unable to do up to that point). The Sens start a little comeback, score a couple of goals, and for awhile, I think we might be okay. We might actually make a game of this. But then, Leclaire takes off his Superman cape, returns to normal, and the Penguins score another three goals before the game ends.

Awesome.

Oh, how I hate that we keep taking stupid too-many-men-on-the-ice penalties. Did all season, continue to do so in the playoffs - took TWO of 'em last night. Smarten up on the bench. That's pathetic.

I hated the little Penguin fans in the row in front of us wearing Crosby jerseys and whooping everytime Pittsburgh scored, but because they were only, like, ten years old I couldn't swear at them. Fack, I hated that!!

I hated that Spartacat never went near the two fans who dressed up like Penguins and danced in the aisle of one of the first level sections. He shoulda been down there kicking their asses. Even our mascot isn't stepping up!

I HATE Evgeni Malkin and his big ugly lips (which, by the way, I could see from all the way up in the last row of section 323), and the fact that he's doing as much or more damage as Crosby, but hardly anybody mentions him.

I hate that I think I just said nobody's giving Malkin enough credit.

I hate Matt Cooke. Because everyone hates Matt Cooke.

I hate that I wrote blogs praising Sidney Crosby just a few months ago. I'm glad we won gold, but I'm over it now. I wish I could take back those blogs telling you all how much I love him.

Because I really, really HAAAAAAAAAAATE him.

Just Wondering...

...I know, a few of my blogs from a couple of months ago are a stark contradiction to this statement, but...

Who the hell died and made Sidney Crosby GOD????

GO SENS GO

Oh, I almost forgot...

GO SENS GO!!!

STUPID Heroes...

Oh wow. I didn't think the Heroes could be this stupid.

Last night on Survivor, we saw probably THE biggest goofy move in the history of the game. And the sad part is, the Heroes did it as a team.

At the Reward Challenge, the Heroes discovered that Coach was voted off the Villain tribe, convincing them that there's a strong women's alliance picking off the men, one-by-one, leaving "poor" Russell as the last man standing. Oh Lord. JT whispering to him, "Hang in there, buddy" - almost made me want to puke! I know they don't know Russell from a hole in the ground, but once they realize what a conniving snake he is, they'll be wishing they'd never felt sorry for him!!

So the Villains won Reward after they managed to stay up on their little footholds longer than three of the Heroes. They got to chow down on an Outback Steakhouse feast. Parvati found the clue to the second Hidden Immunity Idol on their beach, and shared it with Danielle, but chose to keep it a secret from Russell, the same guy who gave her his secret Idol a few weeks ago. Hmm...Interesting...

Meanwhile, back at the Hero beach, JT was coming up with his crackerjack of a plan: At the Immunity Challenge, he would somehow get Russell off to the side and hand him his Hidden Immunity Idol. He would also pass along a letter to explain that if he used it to save himself and vote out Parvati, that he would be safe with the five of them once they merge. Then they would proceed to pick off Jerri, Courtney, Sandra, and Danielle, and just SMASH that women's alliance!

Brilliant. Absoultely brilliant.

WHY did the rest of them go along with this dumbf*ck plan?!

I truly expected Colby, at some point, to stand up and say, "Whoa, guys, isn't this a little risky? We don't even know Russell. Maybe he's actually running the show over there, huh?" But noooooo... Colby disappointed me yet again. In fact, he was the one, once it was just him and Russell left on the platforms during the Immunity Challenge with the Heroes carrying a huge lead, that turned to Russell and told him to see JT after the challenge because he had something to give to him, and that he would become one of them once they merge.

What a goof.

Could they not see the Cheshire Cat smile on Russell's face? I cringed when Russell told the camera, "Now I don't even have to find hidden immunity idols. The other team is giving them to me!!" Literally, physically cringed.

Stupidest. Move. Ever.

So Russell and Parvati giggled with glee reading JT's "love letter", and in that moment, all of the credibility that JT, Colby, Rupert, Amanda, and Candice held just completely evaporated.

They literally are the stupidest Survivors ever.

Of course, Russell held on to that Idol and had no reason to use it at Tribal Council. Instead, they voted off Courtney. Looks like the merge is coming up next week, and the Heroes will get their first hint of how stupid they are by realizing that Russell didn't vote out Parvati after all.

But I'm pretty sure that Russell will be able to sweet-talk them, the way he always does, and they'll all end up being the biggest suckers he's ever been able to manipulate.

The really redonkulous thing is that Russell was able to do this all with very limited communication. They only see him briefly every couple of days. They don't even know him. And still, he's got them under his spell.

I can't figure it out out. I just can't figure it out.

Game 1 Goes to the Sens!

Holy crap. I think I almost had a heart attack last night. And it was only Game 1!!

I know. Everyone likes exciting back-and-forth hockey. But quite personally, I'd prefer to kick ass 6-0 every game. It's a lot easier on the nerves.

I gotta say - I liked how my guys looked last night, and they eventually came away with a narrow 5-4 win over the Penguins at Mellon Arena. Marc-Andre Fleury clearly didn't have his best night between the pipes, and there were bounces that went our way (for once!). The third-liners were our big guns last night, grinding hard and capitalizing on the scoreboard. Goal-scorers were Peter Regin (who opened the scoring for Ottawa after Pittsburgh had taken a 1-0 lead while Regin was in the box), Chris Neil, Chris Kelly, Erik Karlsson, and Jarkko Ruutu.

I know. Seriously? Those were the goal-scorers? No sign of Alfie or Spezza or Fisher. And as much as I'd like to see those guys getting goals, the fact that our grinders were stepping up and scoring made me very happy!

Watching the game at my parents' place is always interesting, to say the least. Dad is this little black rain cloud of doom. When the Sens do something right, he doesn't say a word. But when they do something wrong, he pounces! Every time a lesser-light scored last night, he snorted, almost as though it was absolutely ridiculous to fathom them getting goals. He also strongly critiqued Brian Elliott, as he always does, but really - what goalie is good enough for my dad? I think just about the only one who passes his test is Martin Brodeur, and the fact is, there's only one Brodeur.

My mom is also a treat to watch hockey with. She talks to the TV. Non-stop. "Come on, guys, you have to pick it up!" "Awww, guys, you're playing sloppy!" "Let's go Ottawa, you can do better than that!" Funny at first. Annoying after awhile. Even worse when Luke starts snapping, "Shut up! They can't HEAR you!"

Then there came the Great Erik Karlsson Debate of 2010. Me & my mom, against Dad & Luke. After Karlsson dipsy-doodled in the neutral zone and gave the puck away, Mom and I ranted about how the kid has to be more careful with the puck. Dad and Luke jumped to his defence, and laughed at us for being so critical of the best offensive defenceman we've had in years. (Yes, the same two guys who criticize everyone else on the ice relentlessly.) The argument came to an abrupt end when young Karlsson scored his first playoff goal. And yes, they did torment us with the "Ha-Ha! How do you like him now?!" stuff. Whatever. As long as he keeps scoring, I guess I can overlook the odd blooper on the blueline.

End of the day? The Sens win in enemy territory and take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-7.

Bring on Game 2! GO SENS GO!!

Are you ALL IN - ALL RED??

The Playoffs start tonight, with the Sens taking on the defending Stanley Cup Champion Pittsburgh Penguins in Round 1.



And all I gotta say is...

(To get your PRAISE ALFIE wallpaper, visit www.team1200.com)

Too Busy...Toooooo Busy!!

Way too frickin' busy...No time for Blogging...But a few quick things:

The Heroes are rockin' it on Survivor now, and this week the Villains lost both challenges again, this time sending Coach home. Russell continues to rule the roost. What an ass.

Daniel Alfredsson Day in Ottawa was Saturday, with the Sens closing out the season on home ice vs. the Sabres. The pre-game ceremony with Alfie and his family to honour the 1000 games was classy and a wonderful tribute to the greatest man to ever don the red, black & gold. His kids are adorable - fighting over the bouquet of flowers given to their mother, big smiles for Phillips and Fisher, Loui stepping off the carpet to take a little skid on the ice, and Hugo proudly singing O Canada...it was priceless. When Alfie lost his place in his notes and the fans rocked the place with chants of "Al-fie! Al-fie! Al-fie!" in the lull, it raised the hairs on the back of my neck. The only let-down was the final score, a loss to Buffalo, 5-2. Playoffs start tomorrow night. Bring on the PENGUINS. My love for Sid the Kid ends NOW!!

Nickelback concert on Sunday night in a 400 level suite = AWESOME. Never seen so many pyrotechnics in my life. The energy was awesome, Kroeger was at his raunchy best, it was LOUD & CRAZY. Awesome moments included little snippets of "Patience" by GnR, "Friends in Low Places" by Garth Brooks..."TIMMAAAAAAAAAAAY!!"...the Mario Bros. underground tune...Also really cool to see them pay tribute to Alfie and his 1000 games, with Kroeger shouting, "How 'bout Daniel Alfredsson?" early on, then they flashed an image of him on the big screen during "Photograph", and when a bunch of guys came out late in the show to master-blaster beer out to the crowd, most of them were wearing red Alfie t-shirts.

Seems to me there's a pile of people out there who like to advertise that Nickelback is the worst band ever. For 17,200 of us on Sunday night, that opinion didn't matter. It rocked.

Last but not least...BIG congrats to a regular here on the Blog, Sharon, as she and her husband Wayne had a baby girl last week! Welcome Emma!! :)

1000 Games, 1000 Memories

Yesterday was a very special day.

It was one for celebration. It was one for reflection.

Yesterday, in Sunrise, Florida, Ottawa Senators Captain Daniel Alfredsson played his 1000th game.

Okay, seriously. Where did 1000 games go? Where did the past fifteen years go??

Wow. Doesn't seem like that long ago that I was a twelve-year-old kid, joining the ranks of the Sens Army. Back then, it wasn't about Alfie for me. Back then, it was about this other guy, Wade Redden. (You might have heard me mention him before...)

But now, Redden's gone. Almost all of the guys who once composed the core of this team are gone.

But one remains. The one who now, truly, is the core of this team.

Daniel Alfredsson had already been in a Sens uniform for awhile by the time I pledged my allegiance to the Senators in the Spring of 1997, the first year they made the playoffs. He had already won the Calder Trophy for Rookie of the Year. He was already an integral part of a team that was finally dragging itself out of the humiliating depths of the NHL basement and developing into one of the most successful clubs in the league for years to come.

15 years later, he has even more to be proud of. For one thing - how many guys get to play 1000 games for one team, let alone 1000 games at all? He's dealt with injury problems. He's been down and out. Yet, he's persevered. And now he's more than just the captain of the Senators. More than just a key figure in the community.

Daniel Alfredsson is the face of the team. He is the Ottawa Senators.

When Alfie came here as a 22-year-old from Sweden, he brought along his girlfriend at the time, Bibi Backman. She is now his wife, and they have three boys, Hugo, Loui, and Fenix, all born in Ottawa. In a tribute to Alfredsson's 1000th game in the Ottawa Citizen on the weekend, Bibi said that back when she followed her boyfriend here to support him, she never expected to stay in Ottawa for long. But now, even after her husband retires, probably in a few years' time, she says they likely will stay here, because it truly has become home.

As a fan of the club, this milestone for Alfredsson stirs feelings of great pride & nostalgia. There are so many moments; so many memories; so many ups and downs.

It's impossible to recount them all, but without a doubt, the biggest high for me was when he scored against Buffalo in OT of Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals to send the Senators to the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time in modern franchise history. That goal was a special moment for Sens fans. It was better than making the playoffs for the first time, better than getting past the first round for the first time - the only thing that could be better would be winning the Cup.

The fact that Alfie scored it made it even more magical.

He's been there with arms raised for the best times; he's remained strong, steady and constant through the bad times. I truly hope that, before they raise his #11 to the rafters here in Ottawa, which they undoubtedly will do, that he has the opportunity to win that elusive, coveted prize - the Stanley Cup. He's already done everything else, winning with his homeland Sweden on the world stage, including a Gold medal from the 2006 Olympic Games in Turin. All he needs now is hockey's Holy Grail.

We've cheered him. We've laughed at his hair. The Leaf fans have booed him relentlessly (which he takes as a compliment, by the way). We've cheered him even harder when they do.

We've watched him grow into a man that now carries the weight of an entire city's hockey expectations on his shoulders.

He's our Captain, in a greater sense than just on the ice.

He's our fearless leader.

Here's to 1000 games.

PRAISE ALFIE!!!

It's Never a Win-Win for Jill...

This Survivor re-cap is going to be brief - holy hell things are busy around here! - but I just hafta start out by saying this:

YAY COLBY YAY!! Finally, the man showed a little spark! A little late, in my opinion, because I would've loved for James to see him in action, but whatever. At least he finally showed that he's still got it!

The Heroes finally slayed a few of their demons. Just a few weeks ago, Colby was the one to surmise that the Heroes weren't very good at basketball challenges or puzzle challenges. Lo and behold, this week we had both. In Reward, Colby did a lot of the grunt work as the tribes competed in a game of water basketball, with the first tribe scoring 3 baskets going off for a "healthy" feast. Colby was involved in all of the battles in the water for the ball, and he ended up scoring two of their three baskets to win Reward. There, they found another clue to a hidden Immunity Idol on their beach, and Rupert lamented that just when they were finally coming together as a cohesive unit, the game just had to creep back in. Well, duh, Rupe. It's SURVIVOR.

Despite the news that another Idol was to be found, the Heroes really did seem to be getting some of their swagger back. (Um, could just be me, but did anyone else notice how much better it was without James and his severe attitude problem? Might he have been the problem all along?) They headed into the Immunity Challenge hoping to continue their winning ways, but with another puzzle finale, I was doubtful. After racing to collect their puzzle pieces, it was JT and Amanda who finally were able to complete the puzzle and grant the Heroes their second victory in a row. Things are lookin' up for Colby and the gang!!

But the Villains' second consecutive loss set up the Boston Rob vs. Russell showdown that they've been foreshadowing for weeks now. I was really hoping Rob was going to take the little weasel to school and teach him a few Survivor lessons. Unfortunately, it really does appear that Russell is a Survivor expert. I have no idea how he does it, but he manages to win over the right people and he gets it done. He somehow got Jerri under his spell, causing tension between her and Coach. She tried to get Coach to tag along, but he wasn't quite as smitten with Russell. Instead, he went the way of the weakling, casting his vote for Courtney instead of joining ranks in the Rob vs. Russell combat. His vote for someone other than Russell sealed Boston Rob's fate, and he was sent home. Rob didn't go without a shot at his former ally, though - before departing, he muttered to Coach, "You're a little man." Zing!

My second favourite guy out there, so of course just as Colby gets his mojo back, Rob's sent packing. No friggin' fair. Blows my mind that Russell lives on in the game. I hate his smug little weasly face.

But as long as the Colbster's still there, I'll be okay.