3 posts for the ultra-suede price of 1!

#1 - Reasons I Haven't Updated

I have had a really busy week.
I have been catching up with old friends from the battery factory. 2 breakfasts and a lunch. People still really miss me over there!
I work so hard at Rainbow that I need my downtime when I come home. No computer!
The Vancouver Canucks (NHL, for those who don't really know) are making the Western Conference playoff race really close, so most of the time I'm watching hockey. Even if it's not the Canucks playing.
The Vancouver Giants (WHL, these are 16-20 year olds) are in the playoffs, and WHL hockey is really fun to watch.
My mother is acting as my "agent" and setting up meetings and such in order to get me more work in the childcare field.
My brother is leaving for the Yukon. Again. For 2 years or so. I need to spend time with him because he's leaving in a few weeks.

#2 - Plans

About 6 months ago, I had a 3 year plan. I was going to work at the battery factory, pay off my car, and save up to buy a house. I was going to meet lots of nice ladies (NOT factory ladies, they're cuckoo), convince one of them that I was worthy of a long term commitment, and make lots of hockey playing babies.
Then I quit my job. New plan.
I actually don't have a plan as of yet. I can barely make ends meet as it is. I have 2 years left on my car payment and I'm making 1/4 of what I used to be making. Most of my friends live a 30 minute drive away from me, and I seem to be the one making the effort to drive and see all of them. It's not that I mind this very much. (I'm a very co-dependent person. I need to have people in my social life, or I'm likely to go into a coma of depression. ) I just wish gas didn't cost 5 days worth of groceries every time I fill up. It's eating away at what little I have saved up. By the end of April, I'm gonna be broke! I hope I get a refund from the Tax Man, otherwise I'm going to go into a financial coma... and hermitude.

#3 - Wasting my time?

I went to a Default concert. Wait, was it last weekend? Has it really been that long since I posted? Wow, I'm sorry guys. Time flies when you're busy living life. (See my reasons above.) Anyways, I'm at this Default concert, not because I like Default. In fact, I think Default is only OK, and not really worth the money spent on a ticket to their concert. I'm at the concert because Miss K invited me, and the only way I get to see her, or hear from her, is when she happens to call me. I call her, but I usually get her voice mail. I'm thinking I should just try asking her voice mail out, at least I'm getting through to it. So, I'm at this Default concert not because I like the music (I don't) but because I like Miss K. And she knows it. Because I told her. At the concert. And I got next to nothing in return.
Now, I've been out of this whole 'dating scene' for a while now (and that's ok by me, I'm not desparate for love or anything, but it would be nice to get a little action). But the rules haven't changed have they? I mean, I like this girl and say really nice things to her, right? She's supposed to say nice things to me so that I know the feeling is mutual, isn't she? I'm not going to try and make some move when I don't even know if she likes me, should I? According to my sources on the matter, she likes me. But if I go based on my instincts, she just likes to have me around as a friend. My instincts haven't really been too reliable in the past though. (Have you read my All-Time Top 5 Most Heartbreaking Breakups?) I've really got nothing else going on. That is to say, no ladies in my demographic have made it known to my limited guy intellect that they're interested in me. Tell me, is Default right? Am I just wasting my time?
Crushes suck. AND crush.

Running with Dogs

Today I took my dog for my run with me. This posed a whole set of new challenges for running.

Let me preface this story with some background on my dog.

His name is Bosco and he's a Black Lab. He is just a year old as of the beginning of March. He still acts like a puppy, because he is still just a puppy. Last week the vet told my sister that Bosco is a little on the chubby side. He needs more exercise. Now, I've always left the "taking care of the dog" business to my sister. It's technically her dog, I just live here. So, my sister was going to take Bosco for a run with her the other day. She let him have his leash to play with (bad idea) while she answered the phone. When she was done with the phone call, he had eaten half of his leash. Yes, my dog can be dumb sometimes.
Now we have a leash that was this long _____________________
and is now this short ___________

Today I took my dog for a run with a leash that is half of what it once was. This was not an easy task. Bosco's never really been on a controlled run before. He usually just runs around in a field chasing a ball/stick/flashlight (when it's dark out). He was underfoot so often it was beginning to be a safety hazard to my being upright. Seriously. By the end of the run I think he had gotten the hang of it. He knew to stay on the sidewalk beside me, and to stay off the road. There was only once where he chose, at the last second, to go to the right of a tree bordering someone's yard while I was on the left, on the sidewalk. The outcome looked hilarious to all watching, I'm sure.
I think I need to train him some more on the art of running. Like how to keep my pace and not drag me along for a ride. Like how to stay on the sidewalk and not run on the road. These are all things I know my sister has worked on while she took him for walks. But he's a bit dumb sometimes. The male equivalent of my dog is a big beefy dumb jock. Like Moose from the Archie comics.

Even when he's dumb as a stump, I still love my dog.

Canada! F#CK YEAH!

Wow.

What a vacation. The past 10 days have been, unequivocally, the very best vacation I have ever had. I kept saying it during the week, because it is the truth. Holly's family is, in a word, Awesome.
I didn't even mind that the weather wasn't all that cooperative. (It rained on 3 or 4 occasions.) I didn't mind that every time I looked at the Canucks scores, they were losing (except once!) I didn't mind about anything at all. I was totally noncommital every time a decision had to be made. I was just 'along for the ride'.
I don't remember the last time I drank so much during a vacation. I only spent $30US on a few books, and the other hundreds went to admission, food, and alcohol. Wicked.

We went to Disneyland. We drove the Pacific Coast Highway (which is beautiful by the way.) We picked oranges, tangellos, limes, grapefruits, and avocados right from the tree. We ate a whole bunch of really great Mexican food. We ate at In-n-Out Burger. We met some really cool people. We drank and drank and drank. We had fun.

I'm really glad I'm home though. I missed my bed, my daily routine, my friends, my family, my job. It's nice to just be 'along for the ride' for 10 days, but that's not an existence I'd like to experience too often. I enjoy being useful, and I think most other people do too.

I was able to read 3 books while I was down in Southern California.

The Cure for Death by Lightning by Gail Anderson-Dargatz
Girlfriend in a Coma by Douglas Coupland
How to be Good by Nick Hornby

The Cure for Death by Lightning, is extremely boring. It just didn't hold my interest, and I was glad when I finished it.
Girlfriend in a Coma, was really good. I've read a lot of Coupland books, and they've all impressed me. This one was a lot more Sci-Fi than his other books. I mean, visions of the end of the world? A ghost who cures the main characters? This is not your typical Coupland book, but it's still an entertaining read.
How to be Good, that I just finished today, is really good as well. It's the first Hornby book I've read, and it's amazing. I want to read his other books now.

I also went to see 3 movies when I was in Southern California

Ultraviolet - Don't even bother watching this one. It's like they just wanted to film a bunch of cool action scenes and figure out the plot afterwards. The effects aren't even that good either. There are a couple of really cool action sequences, but seriously, it's not worth the pile of dog crap storyline to pay money to see it. I was really disappointed too, because Milla Jovovich is so cool in The Fifth Element.
V for Vendetta - I thoroughly enjoyed this movie, and not just because I have a huge crush on Natalie Portman. I can't believe that there are stories like this out there in graphic novel form that I have yet to read. This is one I'd watch again because the vision of the future is so... real. I think I'm gonna have to go buy me a copy of Alan Moore's Watchmen before the movie gets made. Seriously, this guy can write!
16 Blocks - It's like a really good (lengthy) episode of NYPD Blue. I think Mos Def is rad, and Bruce Willis can do no wrong when it comes to action. Overall, it's not a bad little movie.

Random vacation ramblings

Southern California is awesome. My friend's family is awesome.

Tomorrow we're going to Disneyland. Cool. I can't wait to go on Buzz Lightyear's Astro Blasters again.

Too bad the Canucks can't win these days. They should start playing the new goalie, methinks.

Has anybody ever been more hungry on vacation than they are while at home? I kind of feel like a pig. Oh, and the alcohol consumption? Forget about it. Beer down here is not nearly as good as beer at home. I can drink 3 beer before I even feel anything remotely resembling a buzz. I guess I'll have to stick with the hard stuff.

I miss my friends.

Miss K, I can't stop thinking about you.

Peace out, yo.

I wish they all could be California Girls

This week has been great. Not good, but great!

I went for ice cream and a windy night walk with Miss K Monday night. I really like her, and I don't care who knows. I just wish I knew if she really liked me.

Tuesday I reconnected with an old friend from the High School/University days. He's a man of faith (not unlike myself) and we had an excellent evening talking about the past 3 years. His have been way better than mine, but it's not a competition. I'm happy for the guy.
He said he's often thought about looking me up, because I was always such a cool guy to talk to. "Down to earth" is what he called me. I took that as a compliment.

Wednesday was really cool. My friend, MRW, (who you may have noticed linked) is volunteering his time to come and do what I do, but in a much more limited capacity. He comes every Wednesday now to help out with Rainbow School Age Childcare (SAC). To be totally honest, I think he likes it more than I thought he would. I've known the guy half my life, and I never knew how great he was with kids. I think one of the reasons we've stayed such good friends over the years is because we can both lower our mental ages easily. I mean, we don't take things too seriously, the way kids are like.
Then, in a surprise twist ending to the day, TGP called me up to get together for Timho's Tea. Most excellent. I had already resigned myself to the fact that we weren't going to be able to hang out until at least the 28th or 29th of March. But she wanted to do something before I left for California...

...which is happening incredibly soon! Like, tomorrow soon!
I have so much to do today it's going to be easy to keep my mind busy instead of racing with anticipation. But it's kind of hard to keep it cool, because it snowed today, and that's incredibly exciting for me. I've been waiting for it to snow ever since Winter began, and now I'm leaving town. Only 1 more sleep until I travel to the much sunnier California!

Oh man, this is so much fun!

Oh, Snap!

My weekend...

Friday night was Trivia Night at my Mom's Church. She invited me because apparently I was going to help them win. My Mom has this misconception that I'm really smart. It's just a ruse, I assured her. I'm very knowledgeable about movies and music of the last 10 years (when I started paying attention) but the rest of my knowledge is pretty limited.
I was only helpful some of the time. And most of the answers I had correct, my team (my Mom's Bible Study group) shot down and put their own. It was fun though. For everything I didn't know, it was interesting to find out the real answer.
People really go all out for Trivia Night too! There was this one table of hot girls, who all dressed up like they were going to a party or something. They were contrasted by the table with all of thier significant others, dressed as country bumpkins. Cowboy hats and all. Whatever, I liked checking out all the pretty girls.

Saturday was busier than I expected. I went to see 'Curious George' with my good friend from the battery factory, and his family. It was his 2 year old boy's first time to see a movie in theaters ever, and I got to be a part of it. The movie was pretty cute for kids, and the experience is one that the little guy is going to remember for a while. He didn't like the previews though. I mean, who puts a preview for Monster House in front of a movie aimed at the toddler crowd? Seriously!
Right after the movie was over, I had to jet and make it to my friend Holly's house so we could then go to meet her Australian friends at a minor hockey game. Vancouver Giants vs Spokane Chiefs. Giants won 1-0, but they should have had more goals with 43 shots. We all applauded the Chiefs goalie at the end though. He was all over the place saving everything he could!
Holly's Australian friends are very cool. I just like hearing them talk. It's enough for me to just let the three of them reminisce about going to the same Catholic school in Brisbane. We all went out to this restaurant called Memphis Blues BBQ House. I've never eaten so much meat in one sitting before. And I probably could have eaten more. It was delicious.

Sunday I helped fill in for my sister at a babysitting job. She had a soccer game in the morning, so I looked after the kids until she was finished. These are the sweetest most well behaved little children I have ever had the privilege of looking after. 10 months old, 2 years old, and 3 years old. The woman they live with, and who we know, is a foster mother, and all 3 of the children were born to mothers who were substance abusing during their pregnancies. It would be really sad if it weren't for this woman taking the children into her care. She's a power Mom.
That night I went to watch the Vancouver Canucks get beaten by the St. Louis Blues. It's really too embarrasing to speak about. Especially how I forgot my ticket at home and had to get my parents to drive out and meet me halfway so I wouldn't miss too much of the game. (For those who don't know, I live about an hour drive out of downtown Vancouver.) Big Ups to my parents for sacrificing watching a losing game to help me out. I found out later they turned it off and didn't even end up watching the last period. It's frustrating when Vancouver is a team that should be doing so well, but can't seem to score goals against the 2nd worst team in the NHL.

All in all, I had a great weekend. Now I am counting down the days (4) before I leave for California for a much needed, agenda-less vacation.

I think a change would do me good.

That's right, if you've managed to find your way here you'll know that I've changed my blog address to:

http://thehisforhockey.blogspot.com

It's because I'm no longer a battery guy. I don't work at a battery factory anymore, I work in childcare now. But because I couldn't think of anything clever with childcare, I decided to go with hockey. In my house, you can never go wrong with hockey.

This doesn't mean that I'm only going to post about hockey. It's just fitting. Mike H, the H is for hockey. We can all thank Phats Domino for that one.

Canucks beat the Flames 2-1 the other night, despite all the injured defencemen. They play again tonight, and I really hope they don't lose.
I'll update everyone soon on how things are going with the Rainbow Before and After School Care. But I will tell you this. I don't think I've ever been so happy about doing something in the past 5 years.