Thursday, September 30, 2010

A Life Without Alcohol

There is the saying, "the difference a day makes"

For those battling alcoholism, this is more appreciated than a person without the disease can ever know.

You see as an alcoholic, it is literally taking each day, one after another, without choosing to have alcohol rule their lives. One drink is too many, and 2 is never enough.

For those of you who have been around alcohol, it is a familiar story, isn't it? You always ask yourself the question, "Why?!" never understanding how one can CHOOSE misery, and hit rock bottom. But that's usually the only time an alcoholic realizes that it's time to seek help beyond themselves.

And 5 years ago today, that is exactly what happened.

After trying to "do it my way" this person finally asked for help and admitted that he was helpless against the power of alcohol and asked for help. I can imagine how terrified he was, and the world of uncertainty that faced him spinning around in his head. But as I watched him take his final last drink of beer, he was finally ready to exist without alcohol controlling his life.

The battle was a tough one. It was a month of meetings, 2 and sometimes 3 times a day, but he worked the program and found support in Alcoholics Anonymous. That support came from strangers at first, because they were the people who knew best what that first sober day was like. Also, by the time you usually make your first step into the program, there probably isn't a lot of family support there for you because of all the poor decisions a life of being an alcoholic will bring.

And the support I saw from virtual strangers was amazing!! I mean, really...outside of being a soldier, I have never seen a brotherhood of people committed to each other like AA.

And so one day became 2, and 2 became 4 and so on, and now we fast forward to the 5 year anniversary of his sobriety today.

Whenever I get down, or depressed, I always think of this day and the moment one makes the conscious decision to get sober, and then actually does it. And for anyone else, it could be a decision about weight loss, smoking, or any other addiction that may exist out there. But once you have a day of sobriety behind you, you realize that others before you have done it, and it becomes possible for you to do it as well.

And this brings something called "Hope" -something previously not in your vocabulary to this point. And when you see it can be done, one day at a time, you gain back the confidence you once had in your life and gain momentum. And soon enough, you have your life back...and it is better than it ever was. Now a wife gets her husband back, and your kids get back the father that loves them so.

So today, I wanted to take a moment to congratulate that very special person in my life. You believed in me and loved me when I needed it as a child, and I looked to you as a mentor. To be there for you and watch you reclaim your life back was everything I owed you for loving me like a son. To watch you fail would've crushed me and your family, so thank you for not disappointing us.

I'm so proud of the choices and hard work that have given you back to us who love you the most. I will always admire the courage it took for you to ask for help and seek it. But most of all, I want to thank you for your example that you've proved to me, yourself and others, that you are living proof that if you want your life back, it is yours for the taking. Now you are giving to others the gift that was made available to you and I love you for being this example to the world. But again, I wanted to say:

Happy 5th year Anniversary of Sobriety... I love you.

Chuck

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Note to Self...

Dear Chuck,

This is Chuck. It's been a while since I've written to you to tell you how cool it is to be Chuck Bastie again these days. I'm not gonna sugar coat it, you were pretty miserable to be with back in the Winter, but in the last few months, I can say that I see you have gotten your swagger back and dammit, you are starting to be one sexy bitch again!!



Let's call a spade a spade here, and not apologize that it's black... -You are not an easy person to be, nor are you a person to be stomached by the faint of heart. The good news is that you are not an asshole, BUT you are pretty eccentric in your own way. This works both for and against you, and I think we both know it.

The positives: Your head of hair will certainly never fall out and you have no back hair. I personally like the idea of you growing your hair for another year without cutting it. That mop of curls could withstand a small nuclear fall out, and the closer you look to Scott Hartnell of the Flyers only adds free drinks to the mix when we are in Atlantic City.


The book writing is back on track, and although the process of writing it is more than we thought, you are suffering it out like the trooper we both knew you could be. This should be a kick ass idea, and if the writing doesn't totally suck, we could add "Author" to your list of accomplishments (and this would bring the total to: 1 at the moment)

Your ass is still stopping traffic. Good on ya. Even I can't keep my hands off it...



You are still a kick-ass goalie in hockey and that matters, it really does. Especially when you win Co-MVP of the over 35, non-contact, Tuesday night, non-smoking, Irish-Catholic hockey league in the rural 905 area code. -That matters!!

The bad stuff can go on and on, but I will say that it's come to me on good authority that the populace wants the bod to come back. No excuses!! Get your ass to a gym and get back to lookin' sweet!! If I hear "Freefallin" on the radio, I should be thinking of you and nobody else while I rock my head back and forth with one hand on the wheel thinking that YOU are the coolest. Let's get back there so I can do this and not cheat on you by thinking of someone else...Don't make me think of Brad Pitt again please...



It's fall, and this is our favourite season. We have some great road trips planned, and our Ohio State Buckeyes are looking to have another great season. Let's get out there, and let's get back to those Wedding Crasher Days and keep our eye on the big picture.

Oh, and Chuck? Can we pass more mirror stores in the future? We still enjoy the look of you, big guy (wink and point finger as if you are shooting a gun. Pow.)



Gotcha.

Now go out there and get mean!!

Love,

Chuck

Monday, September 27, 2010

Greater love hath no man than this; that you would lay your life down for another.

http://video.ca.msn.com/watch/video/husband-sacrifices-life-for-pregnant-wife/17y457xow


If you started to read this before watching the video, you must stop now and watch it.


Every time I see another act of cowardice, maliciousness or contempt towards another human, I ask "Why?" The one word "Why?" really does, for a one word question, create a lifetime of uncertainty. It's such a powerful word that usually offers very little in terms of understanding or logic because usually in such cases, there is such little logic to go on.

That is, until I watched this tragic video.

Just when you think that love is dead, and that there are so many selfish people out there, a story of complete love enters the picture and gives you hope again. At the same time, you look and feel terrible for the people involved, but you think to yourself, "Wow. What an act of courage" and you can't help but admire a person that you never knew existed until today.

I have been in a couple of car accidents where I felt that there was nothing else to do but watch those final inevitable moments, which take mere seconds, yet you just know the outcome will not be favourable. You just wince, or make a funny face and wait for it to happen, completely helpless and hoping for mercy.

Once, I was in a flat spin on a wintery 2 lane highway heading into oncoming traffic and I just put my head down and thought "I'm sorry for everything I've ever done wrong to anyone" and waited to die. It's kind of amazing how I can remember this. I remember the feeling of complete calm coming over me as I just accepted it, and when the impact didn't come, and I realized that had escaped by the narrowest of margins, I broke down in sobbing tears knowing that I was still alive. Go figure, I was calm with dying, and when I lived, I was a sobbing mess...

But not this man...

This man saw what was about to happen and realized that he needed to put as much space between that oncoming SUV and his wife and unborn child, even if that meant that he occupied that space. In a split second where you don't have time to think, only react, this man's moral upbringing and character made that decision for him when it was not logical for his brain to do so.

He died, so that his wife and unborn child might live.

This is the story of what heros are made up of.

In a world that greatly exaggerates the word "Hero", it couldn't be used with any more meaning than to describe you Brian Wood; God rest your soul...

Saturday, September 25, 2010

Down with New Jersey!!


This is not a test, this is a rant.

I despise New Jersey. I thought about it today, and there is nothing at all that I like about it.

It all starts with the New Jersey Devils and their trap defense that makes watching them painful. I would rather watch Scottish Premiership Soccer (sorry Kevin) and a 3 day cricket test match than watch the New Jersey Devils play hockey. -AND this being said, that I love Martin Brodeur in goal. The fact that they signed Ilya Kovalpuke to a 100 million dollar contract makes it even worse. Being a Flyers fan, I should naturally hate the Devils, but I don't even need to be a Flyers fan to hate them.

If I liked basketball (which I don't, and I think is a waste of good synthetic leather) I would have a case because The New Jersey Nets are pitiful, AND that loser Vince Carter played for them. That's all the time I want to spend on basketball...

The Boss? Never got into him. I like "Glory Days" and that's about it. I wasn't born in the USA, so I really don't "get" that song, and I never liked Courtney Cox, so "Dancing in the Dark" has no appeal to me.

Jersey Girl was the worst movie of all time. That's what you get Ben Affleck when you associate yourself with J-Lo.

Jersey Milk chocolate bars were just plain chocolate. What fun is that?! If you're going to do that, take a lesson from Hershey and create kisses or something.

The Real Housewives of New Jersey specifically demonstrate what is wrong with the entire state. What a bunch of whores...

The Jersey Shore is entertaining, but only because it makes my pitiful life look marvelous in comparison to their moronic ones; although I must say that I do miss waking up at noon, and then doing the GTL thing (Gym, tan, laundry) I think these people DO represent New Jersey in a fitting manner, and it looks good on them for creating such a stereotype.

One can only cross the Hudson and cruise into New Jersey and marvel at the swamplands. They should take a picture of that and put it on postcards just to keep people away. In fact, I wonder how the immigrants coming in on the boat from other countries and docked at Ellis Island to sign the registry looked at the New Jersey Shore, and didn't puke in their mouths and die like John Bonham.

Newark... That's all that needs to be said about that.

Trenton, New Jersey is a nice place... TO GET MUGGED IN BROAD DAYLIGHT that is. I have never driven in a place where I hoped to God that my power locks didn't fail, and that I didn't run out of gas as I ignored every red light and actually hoped a cop WOULD pull me over just so I could get a police escort.

Well, at least the only GOOD thing I can say about New Jersey is the beautiful city of Atlantic City. It's a nice safe place and it's very clean and I think I would want to retire there. hahahahahahahahahaha That was funny. I almost had you going there. If you believed me, you have obviously never been there, and think it looks just like your Monopoly board at home... Not so much.

I am now boycotting all things Jersey, and I would encourage you to do the same.

End Rant.

Friday, September 24, 2010

The Miracle on Ice

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=538501

A couple of year ago, I made a trip to Lake Placid, New York. I had always wanted to go there, and I've heard that the Fall season was beautiful this time of year.

When I got there, I was surprised by how tiny this little town, that has hosted 2 Winter Olympic Games really was. (It has around 1000 people living in town) Here was this little piece of picture-esque village nestled in the heart of the Adirondack mountains, and it seemed like nobody knew about it. The hotel room backed onto Mirror Lake, and waking up in the morning and looking out over that lake on the balcony with a coffee in my hand, before the sunrise was something right out of a Robert Frost poem. Such beauty, that a camera just couldn't capture it all.

However, I was on a mission to venture across the street to see the Herb Brooks Arena, and visit the venue that played host to the 1980 upset known as "The Miracle on Ice." -I was pumped.
I couldn't wait to get inside and inhale that smell that only a hockey rink has, see the dressing rooms where those historic players once stood, and walk on that ice almost 30 years after the greatest sports story had taken place. I was like a little boy in a candy store.

But sadly, this little boy was greatly disappointed. There was no guided tour or otherwise of the arena, nothing in Dressing room #5, where Team USA prepared for that historic game, and not much merchandise to buy. How was this possible?!

If I knew one thing about Americans, it was that they love their sports. All you have to do is go to Texas and you will see that an average High School there would have more funding and interest than the Herb Brooks Arena has to commemorate what Sports Illustrated called "The greatest sports story of the century"

Sad, but true.

But now, after squawking about this for 2 years now, things are starting to get rolling. Fundraising has started and we are now preparing to make the first steps to renovating Herb Brooks Arena to turn it into a walking museum and preserve its legacy in it's rightful place.

So if you are a hockey enthusiast, I encourage you to visit this beautiful town, but more importantly, please contribute a tax-deductible donation to:

Olympic Center

C/O Liz DeFazio, Museum Curator


2634 Main St.

Lake Placid, NY 12946

Phone: 800 462 6236 / 518 523 1655

Email: info@orda.org

Thursday, September 23, 2010

Saving invaluable time in your Dating life by using one trick...

Do you always find that the "Honeymoon" Stage is always fake? Sure the sex is great, and the conversations are new and unique. When you get that call or text from this new person, it just makes your day, doesn't it? All of these "new" feelings are so great aren't they. You just can't wait to see that person and you blab blab blab to all of your friends that you have "found the one"

But these days are short-lived, and it's only a matter of time before the annoying traits of someone are going to come along and take that Honeymoon relationship, and send it to Dumpsville, Population: YOU.

See, the way I look at it, relationships are built within the first 90 days. During this time, you build your relationship and emotions to a certain level and you reach a point where they top out, and can't go any higher. It becomes impossible to love this person anymore, BUT it only becomes possible to love them LESS. This is where the work now comes in. If you do the work to maintain that expected level of relationship admiration, you will most likely have a successful relationship. However, once you realize that it's not AS important to you, and you stop doing that work? Well, it's just a matter of time before you are single again.

This means that the small, little or annoying things that you do to your partner, and vice verca will chip away at your relationship until you get to a point that you can either accept it, or you move on and find somebody else. But if you have to move on, at least 3 months or a year has gone by, and you are no further ahead than a year ago!! And if you are in your 30's, you really can't afford to be wasting time like this if you are thinking of starting a family, right?

So I was thinking, Why not just sit down when you FIRST meet someone, and have the "I'm going to tell on myself" conversation. That way, you can see objectively if you could deal with some of the person's major malfunctions and vice verca. If there is an attraction on both sides, let's get down to business...

So it goes something like this... What would your Ex-BF/GF say about you if they were standing right here about your major malfunctions? What would they say are your bad qualities?

I'll start:

I am messy, I am quite immature for my age, and I am a lot of talk. I constantly need validation, and I need it from many different sources, and not so much from my significant other. I am usually the girl in the relationship, although I do have a big ego. I don't work as hard as I should, and I'm sometimes quite lazy if I don't have structure and passion in doing something that I absolutely love. I don't appreciate fine food, or wine, I'm not a big drinker, and I don't smoke. I hate anything to do with Dancing, I love to travel, and sports are VERY important to me. I am a brilliant dreamer with great ideas and poor execution. Oh, and one last thing, insecurity is my BIGGEST turn off, and I am an attention whore, so if you can't deal with that, I'm not for you.

Now that's a good start. I think that after she goes, and we have a few more drinks, it will become a fun exercise. After this, we can have a question and answer period to explain certain apprehensions that the other may have. But if I am talking to a person with OCD or an introvert that can't deal with extreme extroverts, then it is a one drink conversation and we move on. No time invested, so no hard feelings. In fact, you feel empowered that you just saved yourself time and money!! How great is that?!

Besides, it's better to get this out of the way now, because if you plan on being with this person long term, it's gonna come out in the end anyway! And there is nothing worse than thinking that you can just "Change" the other person to make them the way you want them to be. Let them be themselves, and figure out what you can put up with. But know that up front!

So the trick is being able to tell on yourself objectively.

Could you do it?

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Finding a Soul Mate

I remember being a 15 year old geek in grade 10 listening to Air Supply and wondering if I would ever find love... Surely there were a lot of ugly people out there that I had seen on the street and they were hooked up with girlfriends, so why not me? Would I ever find my soul mate?

As it happened, the testosterone coursing through my veins happened to be mixed with an equal part of estrogen, and they balanced me out. (Example. -I now cried at sports games as opposed to yelling at the players and the TV) But getting back to my original question, when was I gonna find my soul mate?

I met a WONDERFUL girl when I was 17, and I was with her for 8 years, and I was crazy about her. She was one of the only people in my life who really believed in me, and let me be myself. I was just starting to be eccentric back then, but she really encouraged me to want to be me, whereas my parents just tried to control me. She believed in me like no other, and opened my mind to include thoughts I would never have considered. We were polar opposites, but she really balanced me out, and I needed that. -Was she my soul mate?

Then I met my wife when I was 26, and we were together for 7 years. We are not together anymore, and I would say that we are still on very good terms. She was inspirational to me, and in many ways, she brought out aspects of me that I never knew I had inside of me. She always called me a diamond in the rough, and it made me work really hard to create a greater new life for the both of us. She also exposed me to many things that I never would've listened to from anyone else as well. We travelled to many countries, and experienced great moments together. However, we fought constantly, but I really, really loved her. I had never fought with someone that I loved like this. Ever.

When that relationship ended, I was jaded for a long time. I became self-destructive and spiteful. I had that big heart of hurt that we all have had at one time or another and instead of letting it go, so that space could be filled with love from other sources, I left it stuck in there. And because I left it there, there was no other space left for love in my life.

And what a sad thing that is, in itself. -Not having love in your life.

Of course, all my friends tried to tell me, save me, and help me, but I wouldn't let it go. I was hoping that my soul mate would come by and save me. And who knows, I might've passed many soul mates, but I had no more room in my heart to let anyone in because I was carrying all of the negativity with me to make room. And even if my soul mate came by, I probably wasn't ready for her. I had too much stuff I needed to work on to be a partner again, that I probably wouldn't have attracted a mate. I stopped being happy, thoughtful and stopped working to be happy. So how would I attract someone when I was openly like this? I mean, who seriously wants to start a relationship with someone who looks gloomy and bitter? Wait, could other people see that I was bitter and sad? Of course they could!! They might not know the problem, but they sure knew that there was one... And nobody really came about in those days... And I realized that it was me, not them that was wrong.

I was looking for my perfect match, you see. Someone I would never argue with, someone to love me for who I am, and not for what they wanted me to be. Someone that would laugh at my stupidity more than I would.

But then I realized, that wasn't a soul mate. I was looking at the definition of soul mate all wrong. A soul mate wasn't supposed to be a duplicate of me, a soul mate was that one person who comes into your life and makes it better by challenging you and getting you out of your comfort zone. I realized that INSIDE my comfort zone, I became lazy and complacent, and generally not a good person. But when I was OUTSIDE of my comfort zone, I began growing and developing that lifelong task of creating character.

And THAT was really living, not the mere existing I was doing inside my comfort zone...

So, looking back, I can see that I had many soul mates in my life. They came, and they went, as soul mates do. And then they move on as do I, into new evolving chapters of our own lives, having helped each other out along the way. Some were epic relationships, and some were very brief, but they all contributed to me just the same.

So when you ask yourself "Will I ever meet my soul mate?" Make sure you really know what you are defining as a soul mate, because you may have had many and you are waiting for the wrong thing at the right time in your life...

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

video and pictures

I bought an "old" video camera in '05. When I say "old" it is because it was a cassette tape, and not digital. The technology changes so fast with these things now, that only a year later, it was completely gone from the market. Looking back, I think I over-paid for this lemon that broke down on me twice and then finally stopped working altogether. (It was a Canon camera and they wouldn't replace it. How's that for negative publicity?)

BUT, looking back at it now, I think even though I paid dearly for something that my friends laughed at me about turning archaic within a year, I seem to think that I got the bargain, and the last laugh out of it. I must have about 10 tapes from a few years ago that covered some of my travels with my best friends to Ireland, Scotland, England, Sweden, Norway and other places where I met some great people who are still friends to me to this very day.

I watched some of these videos and barely recognized myself. I was in much better shape physically, and it was only 3 or 4 years ago. But most importantly, all the people I had met during that time were there in my living room visiting with me last night.

Sure, the conversation was very one-sided, but that didn't deter me from enjoying their company again. -What wonderful people!! What wonderful moments and times I shared with them, and for the most part, these moments would be slowly forgotten if I had not captured them on my video camera. It seemed like a geeky thing to do at the time, but now that I have it, I could care less of who thought I was a geek for taping this.

One of my favourites was an 80th birthday party for my best friend's Grandmother. I brought that camera and filmed it all day long. Everyone did the normal, "Get that camera outta my face" thing to me, but it was worth it. My best friend's mother threw that party for her mother (Grandma) and although I am happy to say that Grandma is still with us, my best friend's mother isn't. She passed away suddenly about a month before my daughter was born, having never got to see her. That was a big shock to all of us, and a great loss. This woman was like a second mother to me. And last night, I got to see her with a big smile on her face as if she has never left. -And that brought me a lot of joy to the inner most part of my being.

And I think now, that maybe Canon should've charged me twice as much for that piece of shit camera, because looking back at it now, I would've paid it, and then some...

Monday, September 20, 2010

Looking for a Boy-Friend...

It is Fall!!

God, how I have waited all year for Fall to arrive. I could watch about 40 hours a week of sports in every week until December. It could literally be a full-time job.

Therefore, I need help and this year, I am going to ask for it.

I cam currently looking for a MALE sports fan to be my new BFF. You will need the following to apply:

1) NHL, College Football, NFL and MLB experience as a fan. I follow the Flyers, Ohio State Buckeyes, Dallas Cowboys/Washington Redskins (fucked, I know...) and New York Yankees, so if you follow any of my rivals, this might not work out well for you...

2) Preferably you will be a 40 Short men's jacket, between 5"7-5"8 so that we can interchange wardrobes and clothing. Anything more than a 34" waist need not apply. Also, I have a short inseam, so high waisted people just won't work.

3) Fitness is important, but I would rather be the better looking person if we are a "couple" so if you are fat, you must have a great , witty personality for me to forgo the wardrobe clause.

4) You must have passion!! If you are an engineer with no people skills, I will eat you up. If you are a gear head, please put your first passion of cars away and let's concentrate on Sports for at least the Fall. Let's keep our eye on the big picture please. There will be road trips, so please clear your schedule of work, family, kids and other less important things in your life for good times ;)

5) I am a giver. I like to please. Example. "I'm getting up to go get a beer, you look like you need a new one, can I get you a fresh beer?" "I just put on a new rack of ribs because I know that they are your favourite; they should be ready in about 15 mins." "I know how much you love busty waitresses, so I gave your number to that chick you were asking about last night. She said that she thought you were cute, and she wanted to go out with you. I took care of it." All of these statements are made without eye contact, because we don't need to be gay about it. It's just what we do...

6) If you can't throw something valuable when your team loses, I don't want to know you.

7) Pillow talk about how your hockey pool is not going so well is understood and is valued. We can talk about it all night if need be. I want you to feel validated before going to sleep.

8) There are no jealousy issues amongst us men. If I admire another man's physique and say shit like, "He must work out", it has NO bearing that you think I am throwing a line like you "look fat in those pants" in your direction. I don't need to tell you to get your ass to the gym on Monday to work off what you ate on the couch on Sunday watching Ball.

9) High 5's and team hugs after a huge win is NOT considered gay, and it is actually encouraged as being passionate about the sport. If I hug or high 5 other guys, it doesn't mean I love you any less. This is understood, but needs to be repeated after point #8.

10) After the season is over, we give each other the "good game" hug (big hug with a couple taps on the back that are overly exaggerated in front of others so that nobody mistakenly thinks that we are overly affectionate with each other in a non-heterosexual way) and then we go our separate ways until the following Fall season. If the season was a good one, you might be allowed to throw out a line such as " I love you man" and not get punched in the face for it. Please don't ruin a bad season, and make it worse by throwing this line out...Have a brain please...

If these criteria match your warped sense of being and you want to apply to be my new BFF, please drop me a line.

And Please, for the love of GOD, if you have a vagina, you need not apply. I don't care HOW cool you think you are, this position is not for you.

For those serious applicants, please send references to speed the process up. Hockey is about to start in a couple weeks, and like everything else, I have left this to the last minute.

Good luck!!

Sunday, September 19, 2010

Terry Fox Day


I cannot think of a Canadian man, young or old, past or present, who demonstrated more courage than that of Terry Fox.

You could go on and on about his legacy about his brief life which ended a month shy of his 23rd birthday, and in comparing his life to your own, yours would always seem to come out short.

For a young man who lost his right leg to a disease that his name has now raised over 400 million dollars for, and to start an overly ambitious run starting from Newfoundland to run across Canada in support of cancer research without sponsorship, media exposure, or money and to do it all on one leg, is surely an altruistic effort that most likely will never be able to be repeated.

Terry's dream of raising a dollar from every Canadian then living in Canada (just under 25 million people at the time) was realized before he dies in the summer of 1981, and to date, his legacy continues on to save people's lives from his sacrifice, and unselfish dream.

We have all known or lost someone to Cancer. It is a terrible disease that robs that human being of dignity, and reduces them to someone that you never want to see. Knowing that Terry's dream 30 years ago has saved countless lives because of the ability to identify and treat cancer before it claims lives, is something that every person living with someone with cancer, or someone battling it, owes in part to Terry Fox.

In my own family, cancer has taken each of my 4 grandparents, a beloved uncle, and many friends. One of the success stories that my eyes have seen is my friend Henry when he battled throat cancer this time last year and beat it. Watching him during this time was difficult, but I can only imagine what living like that, and having to live day in and day out, was like. His wife Pavanne is a dear best friend of mine, and I have never seen strength and faith like I have in that household during that time. It was inspirational to me, and I will never forget it. This story ends with a happy ending, as Henry won his battle with throat cancer. This means that his wife and 2 young sons will be able to continue to love a truly wonderful human being for a while longer. And I would like to think that people like Terry Fox had a part in prolonging this man's life.

There must be hundreds of thousands of stories like this one out there worldwide, but this is the one that is nearest and dearest to me, so I thought I would share it with you on Terry Fox Day.

Steve Nash, the 2 time NBA MVP has worked in bringing the latest movie about Terry Fox, and it airs tonight on TSN2 at 7pm. If you want to see a truly inspirational story that will move you to tears, I suggest that you take the time with your family to watch it.

Thank You, Terry Fox...


Thursday, September 16, 2010

A Random Killing by a Man of the Cloth

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/news/Video+Ross+Kleman+murder+confession/3531157/story.html?cid=megadrop_story

Imagine that you are out for a walk by yourself in broad daylight. You are a 14 year old girl who excels in music, are an avid church goer, and you have the whole world in front of you. Suddenly, you are attacked by a random stranger out of the blue, choked, stabbed and have your throat slit before succumbing to your wounds.

Your name is Emily Stauffer, and you are the victim of a random killing.

All of this at the hands of a man who is a volunteer preacher; and here's the kicker... He has NO IDEA why he killed this 14 year old girl. -He did not know her, had never seen her, and had no motive to murder her.

Yet, something snapped inside of this man as he was carrying around a world full of bottled up anger, and when he struck out his frustration, a 14 year old girl paid the price for his mental illness.

Well this man's name is Ross Kleman. He was sentenced to Life in Prison with no chance for parole for 18 years, and he still maintains through his lawyer that he had no idea why he killed this 14 year old girl.

Now, if I am the parents of the late Emily Stauffer, I will spend the rest of my life wondering how a man like this was walking on the same streets that mentally stable people walk. How does someone like this elude the system and avoid being caught by the authorities? Surely there must be someone reading this newspaper article that knew Ross Kleman, and isn't one bit surprised that he did this. His wife perhaps? Someone in his Church? Surely someone must've thought that he "wasn't all there" and wondered if he would be a danger to society, family or himself? No?

But Chuck, he is a volunteer preacher!! He lists his favourite book as being The Bible on facebook in his profile and also lists that going to church is one of his favourite past times. -Oh yeah, a man of the cloth could never do something like that, right?

Wrong. And my guess is that it happens more than you would like to know.

The other disturbing part of all of this, is that this same man also pleaded guilty in April, to 2 counts of touching a 5 year old in a sexual manner in 2008.

How sick...I want to puke.

Now, how am I to look at this and think that for the next 18 years, we as a band of Canadian taxpayers are footing the bill to keep this man locked away so that he can never snuff out another life like this again, or diddle little kids? How do you keep a man who obviously is mentally ill like this?

So I ask you, is it possible to fix a damaged toy like this man, and do you think it is worth the 2 million dollars that we are now going to pay to try to "fix" him and others like him.

Please feel free to comment...

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

What the world would look like if the Irish hadn't discovered Guinness...

Green, as far as the eye could see!!



The empire of Ireland rules the world! The sun would never set on it's global empire! The Celts become the modern day influence on fashion, politics, religion and influence! All except for one minor detail...

Beer...

Damn, there goes the idea of an Irish empire...

All this could've been possible!! That is...until the Irish discovered beer. This was the "gateway drug" to other things like Jameson, and other Irish Whiskies. -Literally poison to the Celtic bloodstream.

For some reason, it seems that if you are of a Celtic bloodline, (ie: Scottish, Irish, Welsh) you have a relative with a drinking problem. If you go into an A.A. meeting, the reasons that they only use first names, is because it got too hard to remember the Murphy's, O'Brien's, Kelly's MacGregor's, Kennedy's, McDonald's ect. For everyone knows that if it weren't for the Celts, Alcoholics Annonymous would simply just be a book club...

Guinness and Jameson are now used for crowd control these days, as it keeps the work ethic and organized unions at bay. Governments usually provide the thirst quencher for meetings, knowing that the Celtic blood is unable to simply say "no thanks" -Say No to free drink? Not in a million!!

So for now, we shall keep the Irish empire to The Temple Bar, Guinness and Jameson tours in Dublin and let the rest of the world live in peace...



Cheers!