Happy Birthday Mom...

"My mother had a great deal of trouble with me, but I think she enjoyed it. "
~ Mark Twain

Today is my mother's (or - in Newfie speak - me mudders) 52nd birthday. Happy birthday Mom... I love you.

With Mother's Day not long since passed, I deem it fitting to fill this space with a shout out to all the Mother's out there, with an especially heartfelt shout to my wife, the mother of my child -- and to my Moms... the amazing woman who put me on this Earth and kept me on the straight and narrow until I was man enough to figure it out for myself...

I find myself feeling so fortunate that I still have both of my parents in my life... and while sometimes they may "get on me nerves", I wouldnt have it any other way... family is something I dont take for granted, and my relationship with my Mother is one that I cherish daily...

ok, enough sap...

Have a great day Mom...

This is our year!

"You know they're not going to lose 162 consecutive games."
~ Harry Caray

The above quote struck a cord with me, for no other reason that my local sporting world is fraught with that kind of blind optimism and saccharine hope these days... and I love it.

Anyone who knows me, knows that I am a huge sports fan... a fan of all things sporting. However, I live in an anti-metropolis called Regina, and the only professional sports team we have here are the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

Now dont get me wrong, I love the Riders. I'm a season ticket holder. I've got one of those ultra-original Riders logo license plates for my baby-totin, grocery-gettin Honda CR-V. I have numerous Riders hats. I rock the green and white gear. I now even have my first Rider jersey -- sans # because I cant think of a cool one to put on the back.

Bottom line? I dig the Riders... for no other reason that they are all I've got. And for a self-professing sports junkie, I pour all my fanantical energies into this team. Having only one pro team within 800kms, I should hope that would be the case for not only this junkie - but countless others within my area code.

Anyway - back to my original point here. The optimism. The hope. The cheery cheerfulness of a team not yet beset by injuries, a team with nary a pencil shaving in the L column. It's enchanting almost, in its effectual contagiousness. You cant help but get caught up in this fast moving rapids of Green and White hopefulness.

Let me just recap the Riders' offseason thus far, as it can be clearly defined in 4 stages (included are the general comments that could be heard during each stage):

Stage 1 - The Aftermath
After losing a tough playoff game to the much-maligned Alouettes, there was much upheaval in Riderville. Down with Marcel Bellfakdsjjseicfefuille for his putrid playcalling! Down with Danny Barrett and Roy Shivers for not bringing in talent and letting Burris get away! Down with Paul McCallum! If the Riders werent distracted by the Trevis Smith situation, they would have won! Down with Marcus Crandell/the receiving corps! Down with Nealon Green!

Stage 2 - The Threatening Winds of Change
After the playoff loss shifted to the back burner, the attentions quickly turned to the status of Danny and Roy. Are they coming back? Are they gonna get fired? We'll be screwed without them! Fire them! I love Danny! I hate Roy's dreadloks! They better keep them or I'm boycotting! They're gonna stay? Woo hoo! They better get a QB! Down with Nealon!

Stage 3 - The Nothing
Like dead air on Lite92 after another of Greg Morgan's nasally, lame jokes, we didnt see much happen on the Rider front. Thurmon left for Cowtown and took Spencer (for Hire) with him. Why arent Roy and Danny doing anything? Marcel is gone? Woo hoo! We need a QB. We are trying to trade for Kerry Joseph? Let's do it, he's awesome! No dont do it, he's too expensive and injury prone! Joseph resigned with Ottawa? Terrible, why didnt Roy and Danny work harder to get him? Down with Nealon!

Stage 4 - The Holy Shit Stage
When the 'Gades folded and the dispersal draft was looming, many thought the Riders would sit on their hands and see who fell to them at #3. I mean, the Riders never make big trades. Holy shit they just traded Corey Holmes to Hamilton for their 1st pick in the 'spersal draft! Holy shit they traded Corey Holmes, our best player! They gave up too much! Holy shit we got Kerry Joseph! Holy shit we got Kerry Joseph and Jason Armstead! Down with Nealon! He got traded? Holy SHIT!

This now leads us into our current stage, as outlined above.

Stage 5 - This is our year!
TBD

However, amongst all this mania, this sportsfan has managed to keep his head. I have managed to remain calm during this storm.

I realize that these are significant changes for the Riders and I realize that change is not an obstacle easily overcome.

Of course there is the whole stigma of the Riders being the CFL's version of the Boston Red Sox that is looming like a thunderstorm.

Lastly we have karma. Karma is an cruel, evil, and unforgiving temptress - and I am not going to goad her or her mighty wrath with crazy talk of a ~whispers~ above .500 season!

Do I have high hopes for the Riders? Absolutely. But am I drunk with lunacy over the prospects of, dare I say it, a HOME PLAYOFF GAME? Not quite.

While I am hesitant to lay this down in print, I will say that the Riders should be able to compete for the top of the division, but it will not ruin my year if they do not finish at 12-6.

My expectations are relatively mediocre for the year, and if the Riders surpass them, I will be ecstatic. If they dont, hey -- there's always next year.

See you all at the game(s), I'll be the one painted green from top to tail praying to the football Gods to give my team a break and make 06-07 -- "Our Year"...

...as you were...

Being a Dad : Year 1 (Vol. 2)

First 0ff, I have to apologize for taking so long between posts... life can be hectic, and sometimes you just can find better things to do with your time than write stuff on your blog that alot of people wont read... ahh... I digress.

Anyway, let me finish up my post on what I learned during my first year of being a Dad, but this one will be quick, because I now have realized that even though I have learned alot in the past year, I still have a lot to learn.

(How many more times would you like me to use the word learn in that sentence?)

- Gone are the days of a sleek living room. Where clean lines, fashionable accessories and immaculate furniture once lay, is now the domain of various noise making toys, huge Disney Princess themed pushbehind/ridealong cars and magnetic fridge letters that - while safe to a 13 month old - can pierce the skin of a 28yr old man's foot if he steps on them in the dark at 1:30am on the way to the fridge for a late-night drink of water (that turned into a hushed profanity laden tirade / stumbling around by the light of the fride)

- I always said that I couldnt wait for Paige to start walking, and now that she is, its awesome. However, she is 10X the handful now that she can stroll around getting into things at the 3ft and below level, where she used to be relegated to items at floor level.

- Since my wife works shiftwork and starts at 6:30am, it is Dad's responsibility to take Paige to the sitter's. In my younger days, I had issues dragging my own ass out of bed and into the shower and off to work on time -- now factor in a little girl who requires twice the effort. If ever the word "gongshow" were to apply, it would be here.

- The people (I can only presume they are women) who created the Baby Einstein videos/products/books/toys are friggin geniuses. Honestly, these people(ladies) must be trillionaires by now, and for good reason. Who would have thought that a video of random colorful images, windup toys, puppets and classical music could sell for $13-16.99 and would revolutionize a generation?

- Paige is on the brink of full blown words now, and I am really looking forward to her talking (famous last words -- see above note on walking). Her current repetoire consists of "ducky", "hockey", "Daddy", "moo", "baa" and "guh" which equals golf, and while this list is wildly entertaining, it should be fun to hear her come up with some more words.

Okay -- enough for now... I am sure I will revisit this topic again and again, so I wont pour out a huge post on it right now...

later all...