Bits & Pieces of Wednesday Night TV

I had lots of shows to watch last night, yet I only managed to see bits & pieces. For one thing, I forgot (somehow??) that Wednesday is now my "major" TV night of the week, and had already accepted an invitation to a scrapbooking night at our local Family Centre. I jumped at the chance, since I *still* haven't started the scrapbook I've been wanting to do for Danica, despite having all supplies needed, as well as pictures sorted for it. And after sitting at the Centre and chatting with the other ladies for an hour and a half, I *still* don't have anything done.

I'm hopeless.

In any case, after an hour and a half of doing nothing but chatting, I went home to catch the end of Survivor, half of American Idol, and ten minutes of Off the Map. My thoughts:

SURVIVOR

By the time I tuned in, the tribes were already heading to the challenge, where Phillip, once again, made a complete ass of himself. The other tribe gave up the idol to Jeff, vowing to win it back, and when Jeff asked Phillip how that made him feel, he said something along the lines that being challenged like that made the animal come out of him and no man on that other tribe could outlast him.

I told you guys the pink briefs were hot...

Um, yeah. Wrong about that, eh Phil? After the two teams were fairly neck-in-neck throughout most of the challenge, it came down to a face-off between Ralph and Phillip as they were the designated ball-throwers, trying to break 5 tiles and win the challenge. Ralph won. Not Phillip. Echoes of his pre-challenge pompous statement came back to haunt him.

Fortunately for Phillip, Rob, clearly still in the driver's seat of this tribe, had other plans. Completely pissed off that good Christian boy Matt went to shake the hands of his opponents after their triumphant win, Rob had changed his original plans of voting off Phillip or Andrea, and instead set his sights on Matt.


Phillip again caused Tribal Council giggles when he showed Jeff & his tribemates the animal tattoos on his biceps - one a lion, the other a gorilla - and then spouted off about becoming an animal when someone attacks his family or his country. When attacked by the other tribe? Apparently he becomes a kitten or something. However, Rob had Phillip tucked safely under his wing, preventing any more episodes like last week's Tribal Council Truth Circle. His sneaky little trick to keep Phil's yap shut? Told him he'd indicate who to vote for by touching that person's right shoulder right before voting. Smart move. It prevented Phillip from spilling the beans. Rob wisely tapped Kristina's shoulder, knowing she would be playing her idol, so Phillip's vote really didn't play into Rob's "Let's Blindside Matt" plan. Matt received the most votes and was shown the door to Redemption Island.

AMERICAN IDOL

I know I haven't blogged yet about this season, and I only saw the last hour of the two-hour episode, when they began whittling the Top 40 to the Top 24. This is the first time in a few years that I've actually been paying attention to Idol again. For one thing, I love the addition of Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez to the judges panel. I didn't think this show could survive without Simon Cowell, but apparently it can - I think it might even be better. It's a little odd that Randy is now the "mean" one, as he doesn't hold a candle to Simon's bitter, blunt judgements, but overall, the group dynamic is perfect.

Oh, and by the way, I looooooooooooove Steven Tyler.

What I did not love? That they sent Chris Medina home. Especially after he did an amazing job in his final performance with Coldplay's "Fix You".

Chris' story touched many Idol fans after we met him in the audition rounds. Chris brought along his fiancee Juliana, who he was set to marry a few years ago, but months before the wedding, she was in a terrible accident that has left her wheelchair-bound and severly disabled. Julie wasn't expected to live after the accident, but she fought hard to survive, and Chris stuck by her while their dream life together crumbled around them.


If there was anyone that deserved this shot, it was Chris. I was floored when the told him he hadn't made it through. He handled it with class and grace, thanking the judges for the opportunity, shaking their hands, and promising to continue on for himself and Juliana. I think J.Lo would've been happier if he'd fallen apart, screamed profranities, and told them all to go to hell. His humble farewell left her in tears and telling Randy and Steven that she doesn't want to continue on.

And so the show wrapped, leaving us wondering if Jenny from the Block will be back alongside her judging buddies tonight when they finally reveal the Top 24...DUN DUN DUNNNNNHHHHHHHH...

OFF THE MAP

Any Off the Map fans out there? This is the new one from the creators of Grey's Anatomy and Private Practice, which debuted in early 2011, and so far, I'm loving it. The problem? It's on at 10 PM, and I rarely stay up to watch 10 PM shows. If I get my act together, I can catch it at 7 on one of the eastern stations, but of course last night I forgot and went to scrapbooking.

So I tried to stay up later last night to watch it. I fell asleep 10 minutes in, so I don't really have much to say about it. Other than this: If you haven't tuned into it already, you should. The biggest delight for me is that Zach Gilford plays one of the young docs who ventures to an isolated, primitive area in South America to work in the lone clinic in the area. Gilford once played the handsome, bumbling quarterback Matt Seracen on my beloved Friday Night Lights. Along with Gilford, it's fun to pick out former Grey's and Private Practice alumni who have graduated on to this new show. Also starring is Rachelle Lefebvre, who previously played evil vampire Victoria in the first two Twilight flicks.


Hot doctors. Hot sun. Hot location. Yep. This show is hot, hot, HOT!!

So that's my Wednesday night story. String it all together and you might have an actual full-length TV show.

Let's Talk Boy Stuff. Like, NASCAR. Not Bieber.

So. We need a Bieber break, huh? Okay, maybe not all of us, but the boys do. I doubt I have very many boy readers, but I know I have a few. And one of them is my brother.

I was at the 'rents for supper last night, and when little brother walked in the door, the first thing out of his mouth was this: "If you write about Justin.friggin.Bieber one more day, I'M NEVER READING YOUR BLOG AGAIN!!!!!" (you could hear the capslock and exlamation points in his voice)

Alrighty then. I can take a hint, subtle though it was.

I actually have a boy topic to discuss: NASCAR.

You see, I've never really understood the interest in watching racecars go around and around and around on a track for hours and hours and hours. And they do this, like, almost all year. Little Bieber-hatin' brother runs a NASCAR pool, and it seems like two days after he announces the winner of one pool, he's starting up the next. Geez, racecar drivers, take a break, would ya?

So I always enter Luke's pool, even though I know zilch about racing. I've tried to learn, people, trust me. But I've just never been able to figure out where the fun is in this. I like when they bring out a celeb to sing The Star Spangled Banner. I like when the airplanes fly over head. I like when they bring out another celeb to say, "GENTLEMEN...START...YOUR...ENGINES!!!". It's all very patriotic and spine-tingling and awesomeness.

And then they start driving. As my 5-year-old nephew would say, Booooooooooooring.

At least there's hot guys, right? Yep. Like Dale Earnhardt Jr., who has been my favourite ever since I first saw a picture of him about 10 years ago. Yummmmm. BUT my dad and brother laugh at me all the time for basing my pool picks on hot drivers, like Earnhardt Jr. It's a girl's perogative, though, isn't it?

This year, however, I decided to act like a real racing fan and pick my 8 drivers not solely based on looks. (Well, okay, I still took Dale Jr. but I have to have some loyalty to my hot boys). I did real, actual research on NASCAR drivers that did well last year and who was expected to do well this year.

Then, I invited myself to a Daytona 500 party. (It's okay, it was my cousin who was having it, I didn't just randomly show up at a stranger's door). When I arrived there, I somehow got myself into another NASCAR pool that costs $2/race. And, as I mentioned, they race practically every weekend, all year long (or like 35 weeks or something like that), so this one costs approximately $75 for the year (I have no idea, someone else do the math). eeeeeep.

We drew numbers out of a hat, and I got the #6 pick. My favourite number! YAY!! So when my turn came to pick a driver for the year, I looked at Luke. Resisted the urge to shout "Dale Earnhardt Jr.!" And whispered, quite urgently, over and over, "Who do I pick? Who do I pick? Who do I pick?"

He finally told me to go with Carl Edwards. And I did.

So let me tell you everything that I know about Mr. Edwards.

1. He's kind of handsome.



2. His car is #99. (That's got to be good, right? Gretzky's #?)


3. He drives a Ford. (This is important in my family).


4. He drives for Roush Racing. (I have no idea what that means).


5. His sponsor is Aflac. (I think).


6. He's Wayne's favourite driver.


7. Wayne has a Carl Edwards cap.


8. Wayne is my friend.


9. Wayne had the #2 pick and went with Jimmie Johnson instead of Carl Edwards.

That's about it. And half of it is more about Wayne than Carl Edwards.

But here is what I have decided, after one race so far this season. (I'm not even sure if they call it a "season" in racing, but whatever)... Watching a race is much more fun when you have money riding on one particular driver, and he's in the top 10 cars with only a few laps left. Edwards wasn't in the top 20 for most of the Daytona 500 (at least, not when I was paying attention), BUT after many crashes and caution flags (HATE those), he suddenly ended up in second heading towards the checkered flag. (That's the finish line).

And I was excited!!!

Of course he didn't win. That would have been too magical. Magical things do not happen to me. But he finished second, and I think that must be pretty good. And the guy that won, I have no idea who he was and nobody had picked him in the pool, so nobody won this week. That pot carries over to the next race.

Voila. A racing fan is born. I actually can't wait for the next one.

Go Carl Go! (and Earnhardt Jr. too, because you're so handsome!)

Hearts & love to Justin Bieber.

Dear Justin,

I don't know how this happened.

Two weeks ago, I could proudly proclaim that I had entirely avoided and ignored you for your entire explosive career thus far, and I didn't feel even a little bit left out. I didn't want to get Bieber Fever, Justin. I didn't want it!!

But then I started seeing the commercials for your first-ever flick, Never Say Never 3D. And suddenly, I started feeling sick. I blamed it on a headache at the time, but the headache went away. And still, I got goosebumps when I saw the commercials.

Fortunately enough for me, I had another friend going through the same thing. Two twenty-somethings, experiencing Bieber Fever? I thought this was an illness that only affected younger people. Like, aged 2 to 16. But apparently it can hit older people too.

I just never thought I'd be one of them, Justin.

In any case, Lindsay and I went to see NSN3D yesterday. And I decided to break down my thoughts on your movie in point-form for you. I do this at the very real and terrifying risk that I will leave many of my family and friends wondering what the hell has happened to me, if I've become mentally ill, or at the very least questioning my once-credible taste in music. I'm blaming the Fever. You just can't help it once it's hit...

• I really, really, really liked the movie. A perfect mix of 3D concert footage, backstage glimpses, interviews with members of your tight-knit circle, gushing girls of all ages, and sneak peeks into your every day life. Tres cool.


• Justin, you know I'm 27, right? TWENTY-SEVEN. It's embarassing for me to write this blog. But you are adorable. I wish I could say I had babysat you or something.


• Purple's your favourite colour? Really, Justin? That's just asking for trouble...


• The smartest thing your mother may have ever done was invest in a camcorder. The home videos were half the magic.


• I think you're adorable, but Baby Justin? Baby Justin melted my heart.


• Someone in the movie said you were the Macauley Culkin of music. No way. You're way cuter than Culkin.


• Okay, so before I said that I didn't care if you were friends with Usher. But I've changed my mind. Usher is incredible. You get big points for being in his circle. And he's just so damn good-looking. He was probably my favourite part of your movie. He gives the "grown-up girls" something to drool over.


• Your mom and grandparents seem like pretty great, down-to-earth people. Make sure you listen to them, above anyone else. From what I saw of them, I don't think they'll ever steer you wrong.
• It's shameful, but when they showcased your stop in Ottawa, I got all giddy. I was like, "OMG, Justin Bieber was in the same arena where my Sens play!!"


• It's too bad you were caught in the movie sporting Leafs duds and sleeping in a Leafs-themed room. Poor thing. Hopefully you wise up someday.


• I know it's a little silly, but I'm kind of proud you're Canadian.
• Pull your pants up, kid.


• Now I'm sure it's necessary for you to have stern influences around you to keep you on the straight-and-narrow, but your voice coach is a bit of a bitch. Remind her once in a while that you're only 16, okay? Remind her that it's impossible for a 16-year-old to go days without speaking. That's just stupid. I don't care if you're selling out Madison Square Garden. A kid has to be able to talk.
• Smart move, pairing up with Little Will Smith (aka Jaden). The little man was smooth!



• You know what? When I was a little kid, I watched a tape of the American Music Awards that my sister had recorded, over and over. Whatever year that was ('91 maybe?) was before you were born, and the big stars of the night were Boyz II Men. And now, you've got them singing & dancing BACK UP on-stage with you? Made me feel old, dude.


• I love that you're not just a cutie-pie face and sweet little voice. You play drums, guitar, piano, and I think they even said trumpet... and you do it well. That gives you some cred.


• More cred? The fact that you've got not only Usher and Boyz II Men on your side, but also artists like Ludacris and Sean Kingston. Whatever you do, though, don't listen to Snoop Dogg. Don't even think about growing your hair long and putting it in pigtails. Not cool, Bieber!


• I've grown fond of several of your songs, but if I'm being truly honest, I still liked them better when the Glee kids sang 'em.


• If you ever come back to Ottawa, I might actually consider getting tix. And if I do, could you please please please pick me to be the One Less Lonely Girl??


• When you grow up into a big boy and get past all this candy-pop music you're churning out now, can you do me a big favour? Play your guitar. Go acoustic. That's when you're truly at your best. You wow me at 16. So in 10 or 20 years? You would be incredible.


• If I had a 14-year-old daughter who was in love with you, I'd approve. You seem like a genuinely good kid.


• Above all else, Justin, here's my biggest hope for you: That you don't let the industry break you. Fame has torn apart many people before you, especially the ones who start out as kids, like you. I'd hate to see them tear you apart, too. You seem like a happy-go-lucky, sweet teenage boy who loves to sing and dance and play instruments. You're respectful towards your elders, you appreciate your fans, and you even seem a little awe-struck at how high up the ladder you have climbed already. I don't actually believe you make your friends say Grace at a pizza joint before grabbing a slice, but you seem to have faith and spirituality. These are all good things. Keep singing. Keep dancing. Keep playing. Stay grounded, Justin, and never let any of this get bigger than you can handle. Don't let them break you.
• I refuse to call myself a Belieber. I just won't do it.

Your newest old-lady fan,

Jill

Seriously, Survivor Contestants? SERIOUSLY?!

Today I had plans for another installment of The Single Girl Files. But then I watched Survivor. And I just can't not write about it. That was, quite possibly, the craziest kick-off episode I've ever seen in my life!

I make no promises to follow this baby til the end. Survivor hasn't been able to hold my interest for the past five years or so, unless Colby was on the show. And while Rob and Russell make for an entertaining tandem, they aren't Colby.

So here are my initial thoughts on last night's premiere episode of Survivor: Redemption Island...

• Is it just me or, did both Boston Rob and Russell look a little on the chunky side when they got off the helicopter on the beach to surprise the rest of the contestants?


• I literally giggled out loud when they introduced us to Phillip. On-screen, where they post his job title, it said "Former Federal Agent (?)". He bragged repeatedly throughout the episode about how he was a former federal agent and worked for three different divisions. If he's telling the truth (and clearly he's more than a little delusional), the people of the United States of America should be concerned about what kind of "agents" their government is employing. Dude is craaaaaazy. More on Phillip to come.


• There's some substantial eye candy this season, with Mike and Grant. And of course I've always thought Rob was a cutey. Love his sexy Boston accent.



• Stacy runs a Survivor pool every year and we randomly draw names for contestants. I couldn't remember who I had picked, but I was pretty sure it was either Mike or Steve. I hoped young, hot Mike. I checked this morning, and it was old, grey-haired Steve. Frig.

This is Mike. Isn't he pretty?



• Instant Dislike Award goes to Francesca. When Rob and Russell hopped off the helicopter and everyone else was cheering, she was shaking her head and audibly saying, "This isn't good. I don't want them here." Atta win over the hearts of two of the strongest Survivor competitors ever. Dummy.


• Kristina, Kristina, Kristina. They tell us you're a law student, but you clearly aren't that smart. First, you were caught in the act by Rob trying to find a clue to the hidden immunity idol while everyone else was busting their butts trying to build a shelter. Then, you aligned yourself with Francesca and Phillip, the two earliest competitors in the race for "Dunce of the Season". Granted, you did find that hidden immunity idol, and without a clue, so clearly you're not a complete idiot. But then you flashed that idol to your alliance, and that, my dear, was the stupidest thing you ever could have done. Good luck to you in the future. Knucklehead.


• Maybe I'm wrong, but it seems like Survivor has set up permanent camp in Nicaragua. Haven't the last few seasons been there? Time to find a new locale, Survivor people.


• If I have to watch many more weeks of Phillip strutting around in a hot pink pair of briefs, I think I might ralph.

Where were these yellow shorts last night, huh, Phil?




• Speaking of Ralph - there is a Ralph! A red, hairy, farmer guy complete with jean overalls and a thick hick accent. First impression? Thought he was a doof. But when it came to building shelter, Ralph shone. I haven't seen anyone quite so enthusiastic about Survivor in a long time. Dude was excited to be there!


• I hate that Russell's team won the first immunity. Any advantage that Russell has over Rob sucks in my world. I'm on Rob's side, 100%. There isn't a Survivor contestant in the world that I hate more than Russell. Hopefully Rob can get some swagger back next week.


• The best part about Rob's tribe losing? Being able to watch his face when the disaster that was Tribal Council unfolded around him. It was hilarious. Phillip proved he was one of the stupidest Survivors ever when he not only revealed who was in his alliance right off the bat, but also told the tribe who their plan was to vote off (Rob), and that Kristina had the hidden immunity idol. Kristina and Francesca looked like they were ready to slay him. Most of the rest looked absolutely dumbfounded. Rob couldn't stop grinning. Seriously, Phillip? Have you ever watched this show before??? It was quite possibly the biggest circus I've ever seen at Tribal Council. And it was only the first one!!!!


• Why, oh why, was Phillip able to pronounce Francesca's name properly all throughout the show, but then suddenly he got the stutters at Tribal and started calling her "Francesqua"?


• It was pretty much a toss-up between Phillip, Kristina, and Francesca to go home after Phillip blew that shit wide open. I was a little surprised that Kristina didn't use the idol when everyone knew she had it. But I guess it was a smart move, since Francesca got one extra vote and was sent packing. Ah, but don't count her out people! New twist! She's just gone to hang out on Redemption Island. Next week, who ever is voted out will go head-to-head with her in a showdown, and if she wins, she'll be back. Things could get a little tricky this season...

Overall, I was held captive by last night's episode, and that's big for a first episode. Usually I only have mild interest, because I barely know any of their names and I can't get straight their tribe names either. But this time, the complete craziness that was Phillip and his alliance with Francesca and Kristina kept me hooked.

If I was there with that crew, I think I'd beg to go home.

The Justin Bieber Experience...And Another Good Guy Bites the Dust

Okay. So we've established that I'm a Gleek. And we've established that I may or may not have Bieber Fever. I'm still not entirely convinced.

What I am convinced of? That I adore when the Glee cast does Bieber. That, for sure, I'm in love with.

Now last week I was in love with Puck. This week my fickle heart pulled me more towards Sam. Yes, it makes sense, since he was the leader of the Bieber Revolution in glee club. He started his own one-man tribute band called The Justin Bieber Experience, and when he pulled out the guitar and started up an acoustic version of the Bieb's "Baby"? I was smitten.

Of course, the Glee girls went nuts for it too, thus prompting the majority of the other Glee guys to join Sam in The Justin Bieber Experience. (Highlight: Puck's reaction when Sam told him they had to do something about his hair. And the hoodie with the Bieber hairpiece that he ended up wearing.)

Everyone but Finn, because he and Sam are fighting for Quinn's heart, and Finn refuses to join forces with the enemy, or perform music by an artist that he does not respect.

Funny enough, by the end of the episode, Finn had caught the Fever too. It's inescapable, people. Once you stare directly at the Bieb's amazingness, you are trapped. Trapped, I tell you!

Now, if I'm being honest, as much as I loved the Bieber theme of the night, I do think Glee missed the boat on this episode. Their assignment was 'Anthems' and somehow, that turned into Bieber? I actually agreed with Sue Sylvester (not my favourite part of the show) that they were wasting away this wonderful opportunity to showcase some of the best anthems in music by getting caught up in Bieber Fever. I know, Bieber's pretty iconic right now, but are his songs anthems?? Hell no.

So as much as I did love the Bieberness, I sort of wished they'd saved him for another night and done more musical performances like My Chemical Romance's "Sing". It was pretty awesome.

But I must move on from the Glee/Bieber extravaganza now, because last night, my Sens traded away another one of the good guys.

No, Chris Kelly isn't up on the pedestal where Mike Fisher resided, but he was a veteran presence on this team, and another one of those guys that worked hard and gave his all every game. He was a third- or fourth-liner most of the time, but when he was on the ice, he was giving it his 110%, all the time.

Last night, after being named the "Hardest Working Senator" by the Team 1200 after another loss, this time in a shoot-out to the New York Islanders, Kelly was traded to the Boston Bruins for a second-round pick in this year's draft.

The re-build continues. The fans are supposed to be happy about this.

It just sucks that we're letting all the good guys go first.

And this time, I don't have a country-singing diva to blame for it.

Good luck in Boston, #22.

Music Is My Boyfriend

I survived another V-day. Eeeeasily my least favourite day of the year.

But it wasn't so bad after all. I didn't allow myself to bury myself on the couch with blankets, watch sappy movies, and cry into the oodles of junk food and chocolate bars I envisioned myself buying. Yes, that was actually my original plan for the day.

Instead? I got my ass outta bed. I cleaned out the fridge and freezer. I made pizza and carrot cake for supper with the fam. I shovelled snow. I joked about the lovey-doveys all day long, but really? I didn't run into any of them head-on, so they didn't bother me. Luke & Amanda even let me crash their V-day by letting me watch a movie with them. And they claim that because they've been together over a year, the lovey-doveyness is over anyways.

I'm a lucky kid to be surrounded by great people!

In any case, Love Day got me thinking of things I love. And today, especially, (perhaps brought on by the Grammys Sunday night?) I've been lovin' me my music. I've recently downloaded - or have been wanting to download - some awesome new tunes (or at least new to me)... So here's what my heart's singing these days:

Sweater Song - Hedley
Maybe - Sick Puppies
Grenade - Bruno Mars
What's My Name - Rihanna ft. Drake
Rhythm of Love - The Plain White T's
Marry Me - Train
What the Hell - Avril Lavigne
Marry You - Bruno Mars
Stay The Night - James Blunt
F**ckin' Perfect - Pink
Waiting for the End - Linkin Park
Music from the movie Country Strong (especially songs by Garrett Hedlund!)
Price Tag - Jessie J ft. B.o.B.
Any and all songs by the GLEE Cast!!!
Yeah 3x - Chris Brown
Born This Way - Lady Gaga

In keeping with the music theme... Anybody hear the theme of tonight's ep of Glee? It's like they freakin' crawled up in my Blog and pulled out my dream show. Glee is coming down with BIEBER FEVER tonight.

You have no idea how pumped I am!!! I'm sure I'll be drooling all over it tomorrow, so you have that to look forward to, people! ;)

If I ever see Carrie Underwood, I'm going to shoot laser beams of death out of my eyeballs at her. (AKA The "I'll Miss You Mike" Blog)

First off, I have good news. My Bieber Fever has passed.

Phewf. I was legit worried there for a while, as I know some of you were too. I really think it was just the headache. (It was a bad one). When I got in my car to go home from work yesterday, the first song that came on the radio was that Bieber song "You Smile, I Smile". (Which really does make me smile, because it makes me think of Brenda telling us she thought he was saying "You smell, I smell".) Anyways, I held my hand in mid-air over the buttons, trying to decide if I was really a fan of the Biebs or not. Because if I was, I'd have listened to sappy shit song. But instead, I changed the station.

To a rock station playing "Thunderstruck".

And just like that. It was over. (But I still do want to see the movie, for curiosity's sake.) Also, my teenaged-movie-buddy Brittany texted me last night after reading the Blog to tell me she does NOT have Bieber Fever, but she's being dragged against her will to the movie with a few friends. So I don't even have her to use as my cover.

Anyways, moving on. Yesterday, there was big news in Sens world. Big, bad Sens news. News that brought tears to my eyes and broke the hearts of many women - of all ages, married, single, what have you. Pretty much any female who has any appreciation for a sweet, good-lookin' dude on skates.

Our beautiful Mike Fisher has been traded. To NASHVILLE. Ya know who lives in NASHVILLE?

That blond-haired witch that he married. That stupid, selfish, eeeeeevil Carrie Underwood.

See? See the evil in her eyes??

I knew it. I knew when she came swooping in and stole him away from all of us that it wasn't going to end well for the female side of the Sens Army. But we sighed and smiled. Such a pretty girl. Such a beautiful voice. Such a superstar darling. How could we begrudge our beloved Mikey this wonderful girl?

He popped the question. They got married. Their wedding was front-page news. We oohed and aahed over their honeymoon pics. We had fun spotting her at Sens games.

But I think we all knew it was coming. Whispers that Carrie had no interest in settling in the luxurious home Mike was building for them in Kanata were hard to ignore. Rumours floated from the first moment we heard they were dating that one day she'd be forcing him to ask for a trade to Nashville, her home base.

And yesterday, it all became reality. Fisher's gone. And in return, we get a first-round pick at the draft this year and a conditional 2012 pick.

That's it? We get a couple of picks and Nashville gets the second-hottest guy that ever donned a Sens jersey? (We all know who #1 was...don't even argue with me...)

It SUCKS. I don't care if he was making too much money. I don't care if this is a sign of good things to come. The re-build has begun, and that's supposed to bring hope and optimism for a brighter future for this team that, for the past few years, has been spiralling downward into the abyss, and are currently second-last in the whole league.

But if it had been me? We'd have got rid of Alex Kovalev. Chris Phillips. Jarkko Ruutu. Sergei Gonchar. Anybody but Fisher.

I guess those changes are still to come. But to start it all with the fan favourite? The stud? The guy who gives his all to the community?

Not cool, Bryan Murray. Not cool at all.

So I blame Carrie. For sinking her claws into our good Canadian boy, dragging him into her spotlight, and making him believe that her home is where he needs to be.

God help her if we ever cross paths.

Thanks for the good times, Mike. You were pure class, all the way. Ottawa will miss you dearly.

I Must Be Sick.

Yesterday, I confessed to being a Gleek.

Today, is it possible I have Bieber Fever?

No. No, absolutely not. I have a headache, that is all. No Bieber Fever. There's absolutely no way.

I've been making fun of that little twerp for as long as his shaggy head of hair has been bobbing around. When his songs come on the radio, I change the channel. I laughed when Barbara Walters picked him as one of her most fascinating people of 2010 (or whatever her list is called). I cringed with the Canadian Tenors featured him on their Christmas TV special.

I don't care if he's friends with Usher. Still not interested, Bieber!

Just a few weeks ago, I was talking to a big fan of the Biebs, and I was telling her how I just couldn't - could NOT - get on the Bieber bandwagon. The baby-faced pop sensation is just way too cutesy-wutesy for me.

But then. Then I saw the preview for his new flick Never Say Never. And as I watched the clips of baby Justin growing up, banging on pots and pans and making it sound like music, then spiralling upward into superstardom, from his grainy Youtube videos to packed stadiums of screaming teen girls, I kind of got goosebumps. Chills.

And I found myself thinking, "Dude, where could I find a 15-year-old girl to go see this with me?" Because I'd definitely need a cover. An "Oh, she reallly wanted to go, so how could I say no?" excuse. And I'm afraid my teenaged-movie-buddy Brittany (big Eminem fan that she is) just might not be into the Biebs.

Sick, I tell you. I'm sick.

Britt, if ya wanna go, gimme a call.

Maybe I Am a Gleek After All...

I've always wondered why I couldn't get into Glee. So many people were in love with it, and I just couldn't make it through an episode. I couldn't figure out why. On paper, it looked like it was designed for me: A motley crew of nerds, losers, cheerleaders, and jocks joining together to sing songs and perform, all while battling the daily grind of being a high school kid.

I was one of those high school losers who loved to hole myself up in the basement and dance around and pretend I was going to be the 'next big thing'. Wouldn't it have been awesome if my school had had a glee club?

Oh, right. The little fact that I can't sing. Well... maybe I'd just hang out at the door and wish I could join them. Whatever.

Anyways, when I first started hearing about Glee, I was sure it was going to be my new favourite show. So I tried to watch Season 1, episode 1. I fell asleep. I tried to watch the second episode. And I ended up changing the channel. Then I consulted with a bunch of ball players who informed me I was wasting my time on Glee, I should be watching Criminal Minds instead.

I left Glee behind.

I never looked back.

Until this past Sunday. Superbowl. And being advertised all around it, with much hype and grandeur, was a new episode of Glee. Bigger and better than ever. Right after the big game.

When I got home from the party at Lindsay's, I was still wound up and couldn't sleep, so I decided to give Glee another shot.

And I loved it.

A showdown between jocks, cheerleaders, and glee club, with several members caught between two worlds. A fight to overcome high school segregation to bring all of them together, to bring peace, to win the football game, and to perform the most legendary high school half-time show ever. Hell, it might have been more legendary than some of the NFL Superbowl half-time shows.

They did a mash-up of Thriller and Heads Will Roll, complete with wild zombie make-up and costumes, and it was pretty awesome. Awesome enough to have me tune back in again last night for another new episode? Yep.

So last night, it was the V-day ep. And you all know how much I loathe V-day. But one part of the storyline had me giggling and loving this V-day tribute.

It was Puck. And his relentless pursuit throughout the show of one of his fellow glee club members, Lauren.

Okay, so I already had a lil crush on Puck. He was the only character, in the few times I tried to watch before, that stood out to me. I know, I know. Only because of his looks. Yes, it's true, he totally rocks the bad-boy-football-player-but-I'm-not-too-cool-for-glee-club persona. And him, holding a guitar, singing, while sporting a shaved head with the beginnings of a mohawk...ummm, yeah. Me like. A lot.

Last night, he literally had me laughing out loud as he chased around Lauren, begging her to be his Valentine. Lauren is, um, shall we say...a little on the heavier side? At first, I was thinking, "Oh, she's so like me in high school." But as I saw more and more of Lauren, I realized she wasn't like me at all. I had zero self-confidence, and never expected any guy to pay attention to me. I poked fun at myself all the time. Lauren, on the other hand, embraces her full-figured body, and has Puck running after her, making him jump through hoops to prove his worthiness of being with her.

She kind of inspired me. I wondered why I didn't try to be more like that in high school. Or even now.

In any case, my absolute favourite scene was when Puck led the guys of glee club in a raucous performance of "Fat Bottomed Girls", his love song to Lauren. I was literally LOL'ing. Lauren wasn't impressed, but I was. I loved it.

So, I've been charmed, apparently. After over two years of declaring that I just don't get Glee, I've finally been drawn in. I think I may be a Gleek after all.

And I owe it all to Puck.

Yum.

My Weird Week

I have Weird Weeks from time to time. This happens to be one of them. Here are my thoughts and musings on the week thus far:

• I went on-line to Amazon.ca and made two weird purchases this week. Weekend at Bernie's, Weekend at Bernie's 2, and All in the Family Season 1 on DVD. I don't know why, but I suddenly was dying to watch Weekend at Bernie's, which I haven't seen in years. And it's probably going to be extremely stupid and I'm going to laugh at myself for buying it, but I just couldn't help it. And of course, I got the sequel because you can't have one without the other, right? As for All in the Family, it's one of my favourite shows from my childhood. I've always wanted to own Archie Bunker. Now I finally will. But it's a little weird, right?
• *UPDATE* I just re-read this blog and realized I wrote that I made two weird purchases, when clearly I list three. My weirdness continues. I don't even know how to count.
• I'm very close to having my credit card paid off and starting to chip away at my line of credit. So why - WHY? - am I buying stupid things at Amazon.ca?
• I'm forcing myself to eat bananas. I once heard that the old adage "An apple a day keeps the doctor away" should be changed to "A banana a day keeps the doctor away", because the health benefits of bananas far outweigh those of apples. I'm attempting a healthy lifestyle change, so bananas it is. I hate bananas.
• On Monday morning, I mis-read somebody's status on Facebook and it pissed me off, and then I fired off an annoyed text to a friend about it. After realizing I'd totally mis-read things, I felt like a complete shit. And I've felt bad about it all week long.
• Since coming home from Cuba, I'm into the weirdest club music. I even created a playlist on iTunes.
• Normally, I don't think I'd be paying much attention to the turmoil going on in Egypt right now. But I was glued to the TV along with the rest of the family, watching the news, because my aunt and uncle were in Egypt when the civil unrest began. They were stranded in Cairo for a few days, but ended up being on the first flight home to Canada. When they showed them on the news boarding their plane, I felt like I knew famous people.
• There's this guy. I don't really know him, but I want to know him. I've been encouraged by a mutual friend to go for it, send him a Facebook message and see if we have anything in common. But I have nooooooooooooo idea how to do that without looking like a complete buffoon.
• My dad is driving me nuts this week. Well, he drives me nuts a lot of the time, but this week...this week it's worse. I have no patience with him. That's not very nice of me. He's been sick a lot over the past 8 months, battling bouts of pneumonia while already saddled with respiratory difficulties, and now he has shingles on top of it all. Every time I walk into the house, I tell myself, "Be nice to Dad." But then he starts asking stupid questions about his crossword puzzle, or butting into my conversation with mom, or trying to tell a story I've heard a million times before, and I usually end up roaring, "YOU'RE DRIVING ME NUTS!!!!" Mean. I know.
• I almost bought Pajama Jeans. I keep hearing about them on talk shows and in the news. Comfy pajama pants that look like jeans. Sign me up! So I went to the website (because they're not available in stores), and was all set to pay they $39.95 plus shipping and handling (hey, they were throwing in a free grey t-shirt), only to find out they don't ship to Canada. I'm thinking it's probably for the best.
• I've had the weirdest craving the past few weeks. Philly Smoked Salmon cream cheese spread on Vinta crackers. So I bought some last Friday, and now, at almost any time of the day, you can find me salivating over it. I don't even like salmon.
• Is it weird that I'm listening to "Guantanamera" right now?
• I haven't played guitar since Christmas Eve. The other night I picked it up, put my fingers on the strings, held it for a while, then put it back down. I have no idea why I can't play it.
• I finished reading The Kite Runner and I know the whole horrible story, in all it's gruesome details. But when Lindsay suggested watching the movie, I kind of recoiled from the idea. It was hard enough reading it. I don't think I can watch it.
• This morning on the Team 1200, they were talking about mules. (Because the Sens lost 7-5 to Detroit last night, and Johan Franzen scored 5 goals, and his nickname is "Mule"). They researched what the difference is between a mule and a donkey, and apparently a mule is the offspring of a male donkey and a female horse. Huh. Learn something new every day...
• I keep telling people I wish I was still in Cuba and away from the cold and all this snow we got yesterday, but I'm lying when I say that. I'm very happy to be back in winter mode. I think I would miss it if I wasn't here.
• Is it normal that my back is still itchy almost two weeks after getting a sunburn?

There you have it. My weirdness, spilled all over the blog for you. :)

The Single Girl Files: The Flirt Face

Here we go. The first real installment of The Single Girl Files!!

As mentioned in my introduction to The Single Girl Files, I'm 27 years old, and have been perpetually single throughout my teen and adult years. While I'd like to blame the dudes, my town, the limited social scene in my area, the world, for my lonely "just me" existence (and in future installments, I WILL blame them, you can count on that), I think it's probably best to start off by facing the cold hard truth.

A big part of why I'm single is because...well, because of me.

Just ask my friends and family, they'll tell you. I'm not very brave. I'm not all that confident. I'm a little on the picky side. And I don't like to venture too far out of my comfort zone.

And when I finally do zone in on a guy I'd like to get to know? That's when I have the biggest problem of all.

I don't know how to flirt.

I didn't realize how bad I was at flirting, though, until my skills were put under a microscope quite a few years ago. We're going back about eight years now, to the big white beer tent at Shawville fair...

See, there was this guy. We'll call him Mr. Tall Dark n' Handsome. He was one of the guys who often came across the river to Gavan's, and I got to know him pretty well. He was fun. He was friendly. He was what I considered to be "outta my league", but he was always nice to me. And you know where handsome dudes that are nice to me end up?

Wayyyyyy up high on a pedestal.

He was one of those "serious" crushes. I got totally hung up on him. But he had clearly placed me in the "just friends" category. Sure, he'd talk to me, dance with me, tell me funny stories - but I just knew he wasn't interested in me in any other way than friendship.

I was lamenting about this to my friends Sara and Stacy at the fair, while I stood on tip-toe trying to catch glimpses of his ball cap as he made his way through the crowd in the beer tent.

"Maybe he doesn't know how you feel about him? Maybe you need to do something to let him know you like him as more than a friend?", they suggested.

I told them that I flirted with him all.the.time. That he'd have to be blind not to see how I felt about him.

"Maybe you're doing it wrong? Maybe you need to work on your flirting?" As soon as Mr. TDnH made his way through the crowd and wasn't far from where we were standing, they insisted I go talk to him and try to flirt it up so that they could observe me and see what I was doing wrong.

I sighed. Rolled my eyes. And headed towards him.

I remember very consciously trying to ramp up the flirtyness. I tried to stand as close to him as possible. I tried to hang on his every word as he told me some story. (I don't even remember what he was talking about now). I tried to act like I really cared about what he was saying, looking up at him as though his words were gold to me.

He eventually took off to get another drink. (He may have even offered to get me one, which I probably declined. Another of my fatal flaws. Dude says, "Want a drink?" I almost always say no. Why? Why am I so dense about this stuff??)

I returned to Sara and Stacy, a few feet away, and found them doubled over, laughing.

"Definitely doing it wrong!" was their verdict.

"What?! I'm not flirting right?"

"Well...you kind of make this face," they said. "Like, your lip goes up like Elvis, and you look really confused or something." They told me this through gasps of laughter and giggles. Apparently it was not an attractive face.

I tried to tell them it was whatever he was telling me, it must have been a slightly confusing story or something. I was trying so hard to express that I cared about what he was saying.

Obviously all I did was look like a goof.

My friends still bring up The Flirt Face from time to time. Especially when I'm complaining about my boy du jour not paying attention to me, not realizing how much I like him. I can almost bet that Stacy or Sara will ask, "Well...did you make The Flirt Face? Maybe that's why he doesn't seem interested?"

While I'd really rather not have any photo evidence of The Flirt Face, the girls thought this blog wouldn't be complete without a picture of it. A few weeks ago I was telling them about my The Single Girl Files idea and how I thought The Flirt Face would be a perfect story to tell, so they insisted I make the face while Lindsay photographed me. After a few attempts that they said didn't quite look like The Face, one of them suggested I look up, as I was doing that night with Mr. TDnH. Sure enough, that did it.

So here, without further ado, is a big reason why I'm still single:


*sigh* God help me.

Cuba, Baby!!

It's cold. Well, okay, not that cold today, but a few days ago? -25. -30. We're talking celcius here, my American friends. Freeeeeeeeezing.

But you know what makes the cold and snow of a Canadian winter bearable?

Memories of Cuba.

A week ago at this time, I was chillin' on the beach. In fact, exactly one week ago, I spent the entire day on the beach. It was bliss.

But I'm getting ahead of myself. This story all starts at about 2 AM on Friday, January 14th, when a big yellow school bus pulled into Wayne's yard...

I love this picture. It looks like Sarah's telling Cowan all the fun things we're going to do in Cuba. And he looks terrified.

That morning, 22 tired but super-pumped people headed off to the Ottawa airport to board a flight to Veradero, Cuba.


By 3:30 PM that afternoon, we had finally reached our destination: The Breezes Jibacoa resort, nestled between mountains and ocean, exactly one hour from Veradero and Havana on either side. By that time, I was able to cross a lot off my 101 list already - my first time flying, my first time going South, my first time dabbling my toes in the ocean. (I promise, the 101 List will be updated soon!)

It was windy and overcast when we landed, but I didn't mind - my first glimpse of ocean!

We crossed this bridge on our way to the resort

This is the view from our room!

I had already accomplished so much on this trip. And the week had only just begun!


That first afternoon, we familiarized ourselves with the beach bar and grill, we napped, explored the resort, had dinner at the buffet, and then witnessed the longest game of pool ever played. So long, in fact, that Lindsay eventually gave up her cue to Sarah, so that she could finish the game with Ryan.


We were zonked. First night in Cuba, in bed by 9. Wooooooooooooooo!!


But then we were totally rested up for the next day. The first couple of days were pretty windy, so we spent a lot of our time hanging out by the pool, where it was a little more sheltered. On Monday, we had made plans with the entire group to go to Havana, and I was very excited to see what Cuban life was like off the resort.




Our tour guide taught us the word of the week on that trip: Suuaaaaavéééé. We said it a lot. He explained that it meant "slowly", and that's the way to approach life in Cuba. We learned that he really meant it on our walking tour of Old Havana, when he literally strolled the streets at such a mellow, relaxed pace that we had a hard time staying behind him. (He also didn't seem to understand the urgency of needing to PEE, either!!)

The Havana trip was one of the highlights for me, as we were able to take pictures in Revolution Square, and then tour the old city, with stops at Hemmingway's favourite bar in Cuba, a colonial-style home that had been turned into a hotel (we saw a peacock there!), a huge and majestic Catholic church, and just mingle with the local people and take in their culture and lifestyles. We also made a stop at the market, which was a little scary...you couldn't move through the vendors without them shouting, "Hey, lady! Look at this!" every two steps. Eek!

Most of our group in Revolution Square

We had lunch and then took a trip up to the fortress that used to protect the island from invaders. There we were able to buy rum and cigars before leaving to go back to our resort. We had opted for a shorter tour that was supposed to get us back by 2 PM, but because our guide was so "suavé", and then because we were stalled in traffic due to a roadside fire, we didn't get back until about 4:30. Everyone hurried to their rooms for bathing suits and headed to the beach for the last few hours of sunshine!

The next day was one of my favourites of the whole week. We spent the morning on the beach, and it was Cuban Day at the resort. They had a giant blow-up boxing ring and over-sized gloves and sumo wrestling suits, which everyone had a lot of fun with, whether participating or taking pictures! They also had a guy making drinks out of coconuts for us, and a huge pork barbeque on the beach.


By mid-afternoon, we were all showered and dressed, back on the beach for Kerry and Jeff's wedding. What an absolutely stunning location, and the couple looked amazing! They made a VERY strong case for a down-south wedding. I felt so fortunate to be there to share their special day with them. Afterwards, we all danced and sipped champagne in the gazebo, and then had drinks and laughs in their suite (which was right above our room). We all gathered for dinner at the Italian a la carte Martino's, and celebrated with the newlyweds!

Sarah, myself & Brenda on the beach before the wedding

Wednesday: Officially spent the entire day at the beach. Awesome. I loved every minute! We took a paddleboat out and had a great time inspecting the coral reef from above. Then later that afternoon, Kerry loaned me her snorkel gear so that I could go out with Brenda, Wayne, Sarah, and Cowan to do some underwater investigating. It was surreal! We saw some kind of ray swimming along the reef, and all kinds of fish that swam right up to your face. Swimming in water that blue...it was truly a dream for me!


Thursday was another beach day, but we were starting to gear up for our departure. I tried to relax and enjoy the last rays of sun and the feeling of the salt water on my skin, but my mind was already racing to thoughts of re-packing the suitcase, making sure I had the right documents for the airport, and figuring out what to take with me and leave behind so that my suitcase didn't exceed the weight limits.

I was ready to come home. The week had been filled with good drinks, good food, good friends, and fabulous memories, but I was ready to fly home. I was dying for good ol' Canadian junk food, and my own bed, and my family and friends that I'd left behind.

But the memories are there, in the pictures, and in my mind. I just close my eyes, and it's there.

Nelson's omelettes in the morning. Watching the kids try to walk in flippers. Blue Lagoons in travel mugs. The old guy singing in the piano bar. Dancing with the German mullet head in the disco. The little lizards. The dead crab. Suaaaaavvvééééé. Yeffy! Yimmy! Barrieeeeeeeeeeee!! Running to guess songs from movies and TV shows (and only getting there once.) The buns. Hockey on the beach. The light blue banana hammock. Bad little Winnipeg boys. Snorkeling. The names Wayne & Terry gave the fish. ("C*cksucker!" "And his brother Motherf*cker!" "Ah, Sonofabitch!") Jimmy from England. Owen's amazing dance moves. Cha-cha-cha'ing in the gazebo. Threatening Cowan's life to get him to dance with me. The Pina Coladas with no rum. "I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts - REAL ones!" My 3 little seashells that cost a lot of toothbrushes and gum. The McDonalds war. Gasolina!! The bus that was nicer than the plane. Weighing ourselves in Jeff & Kerry's room. Michayla yelling at Barry to stop giving away his clothes for necklaces. The peacock. The paddleboat. The guy who made weird dolphin noises in the pool. My "teeth" from the sea. Guantanamera. The sun dance. The paparazzi. Terry & Jimmy sumo wrestling. The entertertainment dude lip syching to Shania Twain. Slush with rum. Rinsing cups with vodka. The towel swan wearing my shades.

Kerry & I

Wayne, Brenda & Sarah

Yes. We did sing "I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts..."

Jeff & Kerry exchanging vows on the beach.

A week I'll never forget!

I have a million more pictures I'd love to post, but it would take forever! I'm hoping to upload most of them to Facebook tomorrow. Also, since Kerry & Jeff have yet to share wedding pictures with many of their family & friends, I'm only posting the one wedding picture for now! :)

I'm Back!!

That's right...Home from Cuba! Lots of pics and stories to follow! I also crossed lots of items off my 101 List, so I'll have a new post up there in the next few days as well.

Stay tuned!! :)

Farewell!!

My last blog before I leave early tomorrow morning for Cuba.

Holy smokes. CAN'T wait to just GO! I've been packed since early in the week, except for last-minute items that just need to be slipped in. I'm not very good at waiting. The more time I have to wait, the more I can create ridiculous questions and scenarios in my head. It's my first time flying and my first time going South, so yeah. I worry. But I think I have pretty good control of it, all things considered. I'm not going entirely nuts. Small miracle. But we're still almost a day away...

In less than a week, Kerry & Jeff will be married, and we will all be partying on the beach. Sun and sand and ocean... I still can't believe I'm actually going to be somewhere that I've only ever seen in pictures. It's still a little surreal to me.

Upon my return, there will be stories. There will be pictures. And you'll also have to wait until then for the first real The Single Girl Files post.

Cuba, here I come!!

The Single Girl Files: An Introduction

As I mentioned in my Holiday Recap post, I've had an idea swirling around in my head about doing a weekly feature on my "single girl" status.

I'm a single girl wondrin' if love could be passin' me by
I'm a single girl and I know all about men and their lies
Nobody loves me 'cause nobody knows me
Nobody takes the time to go slowly
The single girl needs a sweet lovin' man to lean on.

I remember the first time I heard these Sandy Posey lyrics. I was at a party when Lise "The Voice of an Angel" Nobert played it on her guitar, and my mouth literally dropped open. It was like someone had crawled up inside my head and pulled out the thoughts and put them in a song. I stood up and shouted, "That's my friggin' THEME SONG!! That's MY SONG!!!"

Yes, it's possible that I may have been a little drunk as well.

I'm 27 years old. Twenty-seven. We're quickly approaching the age (or maybe I'm already there?) where people say, "Hmm...Must be something wrong with her to still be single at that age."

So that's what The Single Girl Files are going to be all about. What's wrong with me? What am I doing wrong? Is it the wrong guys? The wrong tactics? The wrong town? Or is it just me? Am I just wrong? We're going to explore my sad little experiences and try to figure this out. Okay, people? I need your help.

Or maybe you'll just laugh at me. Whatever. That's okay, too.

I also promise to hide the identy of the dudes in my stories. I promise, no names will appear here. Only secret code names that no one will understand but me. It's going to be super-secret. Swear.

Now, it has been suggested in the past by some close friends that my flirting methods leave a little to be desired. Yes, they have observed me in my flirting attempts. Just like zoo experts observe animals in the wild, or something. And they think I suck at it. So that is what you have to look forward to: The Flirt Face.

It's coming up soon. And you're gonna love it.

The EPIC Collapse

I'm not going to spout all kinds of hockey clichés at you. I did that last year, in my Olympic Memories post.

A little under a year ago, Canada was glowing from a golden win on the Olympic stage, defeating Team USA in Overtime, with our golden boy Sidney Crosby scoring the OT winner. If there's one thing Canadians love, it's celebrating a big win on the International stage. That one was epic.

We were poised to do the same again, last night, with our Canadian boys in the final game of the World Juniors against legendary adversary, Russia. I'm not sure anyone else in the world cares about the Junior tourney quite as much as Canadians. But around here, it's a highlight on the sporting calendar. Games kick off on Boxing Day, it's a holiday tradition for many.

In the semi-final round, Canada faced off against the US, on their home rink in Buffalo, and made headlines for not only dominating on the ice in a 4-1 score, but also for the red & white that filled the stands. Canadian hockey fans made the trek across the border to cheer on their boys, and it turned out that they outnumbered the American fans in their own country.

It was the stuff legends are made of.

All they had to do was beat Russia in the gold medal game to cap it off. And with a 3-0 lead heading into the third period, it appeared that gold was almost a guarantee.

Oh, no. Not so. Not by a long shot.

I'll admit to being a little uncomfortable heading into the third, with a solid but not insurmountable lead. They say 3-0 is the worst lead in hockey. The Canadians made that a vast understatement last night. The Russians came out in the third and were relentless, eventually netting 5 unanswered goals, and taking the game with a 5-3 final score. The gold was in our hands, and they snatched it away.

Not so cocky now, huh?

You can talk about collapses all you want. They're not that uncommon in hockey. (And they're definitely familiar to us Sens fans...)

But last night? I think you could call that one epic.

A little less than a year after our epic Olympic victory, we're venting and complaining about the epic - EPIC - collapse.

Some people are saying to cut them some slack. They still won silver. And they're kids, for crying out loud.

A bunch of kids who, in a few years' time, will be NHL'ers. Some of them may be stars.

But I can promise that none of them will forget last night. And hopefully a valuable lesson was learned.

It ain't over til it's over. Don't count your chickens before they hatch. What's that about a fat lady singing?

So maybe I didn't escape without a few clichés after all.

The Bursting-At-The-Seams Holiday Recap!!

Ohmygod, it's 2011. Like, wayyyyyyy 2011.

Where've I been, you ask? Well, I've been mostly hanging out at my mom's. And yes, there is a computer there, which I could have used to do my bloggy duties, but I chose not to. Because there were kids to play with, and there was food to eat, and TV shows and movies to watch, and guitars to play, and couches to nap on.

For 10 days, that's what I did. I abandoned my blog and totally vegged with the fam. It was nice.
But now it's time for the Christmas & New Year's rundown, so buckle up!!

We'll start with Christmas Eve, my favourite day of the year. And as many of you know, I was a little concerned that it would be difficult and maybe even a little painful this year, without Troy. We didn't escape without a few tears, but overall... One of the best Christmas Eves ever. I'm going to attempt to post a video of The Coconut Song for those of you who haven't been fortunate enough to witness it. This was the last video I took of the night - there were approximately 10 before it - so this is the true, drunken, around Patti's island, feet stomping, voices roaring, "ONE MORE TIME" edition. Enjoy.

I think Dogbone would've been proud of us.

Next up was Christmas morning. It was shortly after 7 that the house started stirring. Mom, Dad and I were all up when my sister finally released her 5-year-old from the confines of the spare bedroom. Caden's eyes lit up with excitement when he saw all the gifts Santa had left at our place. Danica followed closely behind, and while I'm not sure she really got it (I think she thought it was another birthday party), watching the kids rip into gifts was pure, blissful entertainment.

Note that it is still dark outside!!!

(PS - For those of you who were concerned about our family breakfast fight, the tradition stood. Sticky Buns and Wife Beater it was, while Dad grumbled about how good bacon and eggs would be. But a small miracle did unfold: Luke decided he likes the yummy eggy cheesey bacony casserole. One more member for my team.)

We saved our Christmas dinner for Boxing Day this year, so the rest of the day was spent snoozing on the couch and watching TV. And that night? You wouldn't have believed the craziness. I watched A Conversation with the Prime Minister with my parents, and then the Canadian Tenors Christmas Special.

Try to contain your excitement.

After the Boxing Day dinner, things sort of died down. I had the whole week between Christmas and New Year's off, and by Tuesday I was starting to get cabin fever. Believe it or not, I actually began wondering if I should have just gone into work.

It was time for action. So I rounded up some of the troops and went out to dinner and bowling. We had a blast! The next day, I babysat Caden and Danica while Kara and Chris returned to work, and I quickly gained huge respect for the people who have kids and get up to go to work at 5:30 in the morning. After playing all morning and having lunch, Danica went for her nap, and Caden got stuck with a bum babysitter who fell asleep on the couch mid-afternoon. I seriously don't know how they do it.

Thursday, Luke and Amanda allowed me to tag along on their dinner and movie date, so we enjoyed a delicious dinner at East Side Mario's and then went to see The Little Fockers. Big hit with us!!

Friday was New Year's Eve, and after much debate on what to do, I finally invited a group of friends over to my place for drinks and snacks before heading down to Gavan's. It was a last minute plan, but we had a great time ringing in 2011! I was never so glad to see a year go. 2010 was a rough one. So with the new year, there was hope of brighter days ahead. On Facebook, I threatened 2011 by telling it that if it wasn't any better than 2010, I was gonna kick its ass.

Charlotte's first New Year's Eve party!

This is the popped collars pic...one of my faves from the night!

There were two couples pictures taken. In this one, Sue actually has her REAL boyfriend beside her!!

So here we are. 5 days in to 2011. Big things to come. Like Cuba. Oh, and here on the Blog? I have a few ideas whirling around. Like planning a giveaway, for one. And I've also been thinking about starting a weekly feature about my single status and the adventures I've got into while searching for love. Thinking about calling it "The Single Girl Files" or something like that. Could be good for a laugh?

Stay tuned! And HAPPY NEW YEAR!! :)