Let the Holidays Begin

Friday the 21st marked the start of the holidays. I through a little holiday gathering in my hobbit hole of an apartment and it was very enjoyable. It is always nice to get your friends together for some drinks and good conversation and it makes me feel very loved to have such great people in my life. After two years in Halifax I have finally secured a solid group of people to be in my life. What a wonderful way to start the next 10 days of celebrations.

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Katima-Loss

I have been involved with Katimavik for most of my early adulthood. In 1995 I joined the program as a participant and lived in Belleville, ON, Acton-Vale, PQ and Hinton, AB. My choice to do the program came after a disasterous first year of university and since that time my life has been intertwined with Katimavik. In 1997 I joined the organization as a Project Leader and worked with 12 different groups of Canadian youth over 3.5 years. And in an interesting twist of fate I came back to Katimavik in 2006, this time as a regional manager. Much of my life has been influenced by Katimavik in one way or another. It has been a secondary home for me in many ways. I have been given a community of contacts around the country from my experiences. And I have come to believe in the importance of government-supported opportunities for youth.

Last night the founder of Katimavik passed away. Jacques Hébert was 84 and the creator of a legacy of youth initiatives including Katimavik and Canada World Youth. I met Senator Hébert in 1997 during my staff training for my first contract as Project Leader. His passion and commitment to the program was evident. I remember being amazed at his zest when, at the age of 74, he joined a hackey-sack circle on the lawn of the auberge. Since that time I have had the chance to work with other Katimavik staff who knew him well and to hear him speak in continued support of the program that was so valuable to me. I can only say that he will be missed, not just as the source of Katimavik but as a light that illuminated the necessity for youth development in Canada.

Wednesday

Things that sucked today...

I got food poisoning from the Mickey D's that I ate on Tuesday to make me feel better about THAT crappy day. Lesson learned.

Tuesday

Things that sucked today...

1 - woke up late
2 - forgot documents at home and had to double back
3 - worked all day on a project that was a day late
4 - found out my school assignment email was not received and...
5 - made the submission of our paper late
6 - found out a lady down the street who hates my car called my landlord asking for my car to be moved off the street in front of her house!

My response ...
1 - stayed at work an hour longer
2 - picked up the documents and walked to work to enjoy the 13 degree weather
3 - got the project done
4 - sorted out the email problem
5 - cried a bit
6 - left the car there ... for a bit anyway

Grey Day

It came and went again. The 95th Grey Cup filled up my Sunday evening with high hopes of prairie-filled joy and a battle to the last down. And I was not disappointed. The game was exceptional - if lacking in scoring. With Bomber QB Kevin Glenn out of the game (after last week's broken arm!) it appeared that the Riders were in a favoured position. And although I was hoping for my birthplace province to take the big prize, I knew it wouldn't be guaranteed. And luckily I was right. The game was a tough fight with the defense doing most of the work. Without many memorable plays I found myself turning my attention to other highlights on the big screen. These would include the Brady-esque hotness of backup QB Ryan Dinwiddie and the song stylings of Lenny Kravitz. Yummy.

As for this year's party and can only offer a bit of "meh". I know, sounds horrible. And this is not to say that it was not a fun affair - it always is. But, a mellow vibe, a new location, a lackluster drinking game attempt and some new non-baller fans made for a social gathering a little low on the fanaticism of past years. I offered my sincerity to the rum gods and Ash provided his usual BBQ goodness but at the end of it all it was rather anti-climatic. Still, I can only say how lucky I am to have CFL friends and generally awesome social group that will put up with me while I yell at the screen and chug my drinks in the corner. Can't wait for next year in Montreal ... I am SO going to be there!!


Grey Cup 2005 ... Grey Cup 2006

Christmas Wishes

This picture is of me and my cousins many years ago. I love it. So much has happened since then. Of course I had that bad haircut then that I swore I would never get again! Oh well, you can't be awesome all the time.

One thing I have managed to do is post my Christmas wish list every year on November 24. The hard part this year was compiling a list at all. People have been SO good to me in the past and I have satisfied many of my own DVD desires so I did not have much of a list this year. Still, I managed to find a few things for my heart's desire:

2007 Requests
- Photoshop software
- a knitted hat in autumn yellow or orange
- Beastie Boys greatest hits CD

Things carried over from last year...
- a craft cutting board about 11X14 (they are green)
- a big, beautiful ATLAS of the world

Things on DVD...
- Out of Sight, The Usual Suspects, Heat
- Seasons of "Felicity"

Smile makers
- massages, pedicures and facials
- After Eight chocolates
- Winners, Old Navy, Reitmans Gift Certificates
- Hugs and Love
- Good health for my family and friends

Vanier Cup

So the coolest thing ever happened last night. I got to sit in the campus pub of a school I go to and watch the final game in Canadian university football in which my school's team was playing. It was SO much fun. Sadly, our team lost. Oh well. At least I was there!

Small Screen Crushes

I must admit to a new TV crush these days. Since September I have been watching "Dirty Sexy Money" for the soap factor and Donald Sutherland's voice. However, over the course of that time I have fallen completely for the unassuming and wonderful handsomeness of Peter Krause. This is a change for me because I had never really noticed Krause before in spite of all the press done for "Six Feet Under" (which I have yet to watch). But Krause is fantastic. He has a genuine quality on screen that is devastating. He is a man's man. He loves his wife and daughter. He has a great smile. He looks wonderful in a suit. Hell, even his side-burns get me hot under the collar. That is how good he is. That is what makes him crush-worthy. And then I got thinking about it and realized that at the age of 42 Krause is obviously a MAN and my crushes are finally reaching some maturity. Which made me think of who else is curling my toes on the small screen this season:

Eric Dane (35) - I have to say that the new season of "Grey's Anatomy" is being very good to McSteamy.

Taye Diggs (36) - If you saw the November 15 episode of "Private Practice" then you understand that he is still ALL about getting a women's groove back!

Matthew Settle (38) - Playing the dad on the teen soap "Gossip Girl" is not the easiest gig but somehow he manages to make a charater named Rufus totally sexy.

David Boreanaz (38) - Always nice to have a past crush still on the list this time trading the brooding for the wise-cracking on "Bones".

Michael Vartan (39) - Being the victim of adultery and a CEO never looked so good as when Vartan is the good guy on "Big Shots".

Blair Underwood (43) - Playing the maybe bad guy on "Dirty Sexy Money" looks good on him - as do the jeans and fitted leather jackets.

Dylan McDermott (46) - The stubble makes the all difference here as McDermott manages to make a philanderer a smoldering and sincere treat on "Big Shots".

Tim Daly (51!) - The joke may be that Addison moved to L.A. for his kiss but watching him on "Private Practice" and you are inclined to agree it was worth it.