My Last Post...for 2012

Hello,

Last year was very difficult for me personally as well as relationship-wise, filled with disappointment and some angry moments. Through it all, I could always count on my faith, and the love and support from my family, friends, and the positive responses from YOU in 2012. We accomplished many things this past year: From completing the MUSIC CHALLENGE, to learning new instruments, and from returning to filmmaking, to playing Mahjong for the first time! :D So much accomplished, yet so much left before us.

Thank you so much for sticking with me as I shared my battles, experiences, hopes, dreams, nightmares, and reports about my life. The blog posts trailed off in past months due to personal matters (good and bad), nevertheless I hope to share them with you as I work them out, and things get easier to handle here. Receiving a heart from internet star +Brittani Taylor on Twitter does wonders for the spirit, too, but that is just one example of all the support you gave me this year. God bless each and every one of you, and may you have a blessed and prosperous 2013 ^_^

God bless,
Phil

Salute to South America

Boy, that's pretty ^_^ That's CUTE! That's COOL!

Three years ago, I took a cruise around South America. I didn't go all the way around, but we travelled from Buenos Aires, Argentina to Montevideo, Uruguay. Then to Puerto Madryn (ARG), the Falkland Islands (GBR), Ushuaia (ARG), Puerto Montt and Puerto Varas in Chile, and concluded our trip in Santiago, Chile ^_^

I can't remember if I thanked the lovely Spanish speaking peoples of those countries for their hospitality and wonderful scenery. Actually, one of more humourous stories I heard on the trip is what a local Chilean dude told me when we stopped at Puerto Varas. He said in Spanish, "Un chico guapo como usted debe saber que Puerto Varas es el lugar de nacimiento de las mujeres!"

"Umm," I paused, "Interesting...?"

This Blog Presents Making Presents

I stood in the Wal-Mart arts and crafts aisle for twenty minutes last week and stared at pages of card stock, glitter containers, glue sticks, lace borders, stencil kits, coloured pencils, and paint brushes. I envisioned earlier that day I could make a gift, and inspiration and ability would just flow from my hands onto the page, and this gift would be the most fantastic present any person could ever receive ^_^ Instead, as I stood while dozens of shoppers flew around me, I realized that...

Don't wait until it's the LAST MINUTE. Set aside time to
MAKE that PERFECT gift ^_^

"I'm in BIG trouble."

It was years since I last constructed a present for someone that wasn't my mother. Sidenote: Bill Cosby was right; Moms love whatever you make for them. That is why boys and girls go crazy saving money and buying exquisite and wonderful presents for their mothers ^_^ I think that's cool! Something happens, though, when you have to get something for Dad. From my experience and what what I learned they usually get a candy bar, a golf putter, maybe some golf balls, an afternoon out to a sports bar or restaurant, and more often than not a phone call from their kids. Where am I going with this again? Oh yeah, making gifts. If you were small and you made something for your parents, then you probably remember running home to show them what you made, yet more than that you can't forget how happy you felt when you gave it to them.

I made a round brown paper cutout, and in is I pieced together a family portrait of the five of us out of colourful bits of construction paper and clear orange primary school glue (Elmer's wasn't released to the public schools until two years later, so we settled for clear glue that came in a clear plastic bottle with a spout that look like lipstick. I gave it to Dad, and he kept it in his work office for the next twenty years. He now keeps it on the sofa in the master bedroom ^_^ It is a weird little thing; I drew glasses on my Dad's face, and I have a black rectangular piece of grade C paper for hair.

Fast forward twenty-five years and now I'm doing almost the same thing for someone else, without any clue of how I should start o_O There are ways around this creative conundrum that don't involve brick laying or glue that doesn't stick (Oh, the stories I could tell about Elmer's Glue). You can author a poem, write a song, bake a cake, mix a CD, generate a YouTube playlist (maybe), or paint a picture ^_^ What is more, if your heart is in the right place, then I'm sure that special someone will appreciate it all the more. Plus, it will be a complete SURPRISE! Unless, you told that person already o_O ...I'm sure they will love it ^_^

If you have a story you don't mind sharing, feel free to leave it in the comments below!

Loneliness: Explaining It Away?

Phil, it's time to come clean about one of your greatest fears

[THIS IS MY ATTEMPT AT BEING REAL WITH AN OLDER AUDIENCE, SO IF YOU ARE YOUNGER THAN SIXTEEN YOU PROBABLY SHOULD AVOID THIS ESSAY AS YOU DEFINITELY WILL NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. IF YOU ARE HERE, HOWEVER, CLICK ON THIS LINK, AND IT WILL TAKE YOU TO A MAGICAL PLACE.]

This entry sat in my drafts folder for years; I edited this three times, deleted twice, restored five times, and almost published...six times. Everything here looks detached and incomplete, but that's the way my life is with respect to loneliness. I wish I could filter all these, but now that I'm thirty there doesn't seem to be much point anymore...

• I wish I could explain away the loneliness with some convenient fact of life: "Phil is sterile, and that's why he's single!" They would say. How angry Phil would be, and how vile, uncaring, cynical, jealous and apprehensive he would become if that is true?! He spent his life wishing, hoping, praying, and preparing to be the best man possible, and all he can hear is the laughter echoing throughout his head. To be in the same room with him upon that very moment is taking one's life in their hands. Suddenly, Phil is angry...
• Twice people mistook me for being married, and I wasn't wearing jewelry in both instances. The second time was at a wedding, but the first time this happened a guest speaker came to our church to give a sermon, and before the service he asked me why I didn't come to church with my wife? That was a short conversation. I was angry because I had no answer for why my life was at that moment, and instead of setting that question aside I reacted, and that was wrong, and I'm sorry. Admittedly, that feeling returns every time a younger man tries to rub my nose in it, tells me I lack patience, or asks why I'm not participating in the garter toss. To be honest, it all but ended some really good friendships with people I really care about, and that sucks...
• It is true that I am socially awkward: Did you ever attend a "couples only" wedding? Not all are by accident, you know; in those rare cases, it isn't "all in your head". It's not explicit or laid out with airport runways and emergency flares, but once you are there, and the only empty chair in the gallery is the one next to you it's too late. You hang out by the hors d'oeuvres table or by the column in the corner of the hall outside the reception, however it makes no difference at all. You feel the ridicule and embarrassment, see every glare your way, how they laugh behind your back, and hear every whisper as they curse you out among their friends for being "that loner" or "some stupid wedding crasher". Minutes before the reception, you are on your way home because you have a "bad headache", which sounds more believable than a "broken heart"...
• No man is an island, so this hurts my family, friends, and those who really know me well; they watched me break down and cry. I made pathetic and vain attempts to solve the problem with ridiculous stuff and quick fixes, only to feel worse with each passing day. Even now, there are times when I can't look at my Facebook news feed; I shut down my Facebook two years ago, because if I did not take time out and do other things, then I would lose complete control. This is not a solution, rather it was the best I could do at that time. I remember people, places, moments, and emotions; while the references and word and picture associations are helpful, it means I have difficulty trusting people. You know things are at their worst when you ask, "If I'm not worth it, how much more is it worth going forward?" Don't go there. Do not go there...

This is a hurt, confused, and angry human being with a long list of wants and very few needs. With many moods come many explanations and attempts to rationalize what he does not understand. He could never explain what is happening to his life, so how much more could he explain it coherently to someone else? This is what could happen when you "lean on your own understanding" (Proverbs 3:5-6 NASB). That is from a portion of Scripture many memorize growing up, but many more have difficulty living out in any facet of life. What does it mean to live for something other than a change of relationship status or to feel pride at a wedding reception hall? The best answer I could give is to live according to His will, and serve others with pure, tried and tested heart (1 Chronicles 28:9 NASB). If you commit to a life with a focus not on you, and ask God in prayer for wisdom so not to feel confused or angry, eventually the long list of needs decreases and the very few wants become insignificant (Proverbs 16:3 NASB, and James 1:5 NASB). How can all this be, and how could such a hurt individual go to God like that? Only through Jesus His Son can hope and life come to the defeated and broken. To refuse or deny Jesus is equivalent to saying "You are here and then gone as "spilled carbon", and no one outside of this vast, boundless, and expanding universe cares about something so trivial as a life like yours." Don't go there. Do not go there...

That's about it. I wrote this for me, in case I ever need to return to this page. After looking at what I wrote, I might need to return here many times o_O

Evidence of Work

I decided to return to one of my first passions: Filmmaking ^_^

No, I'm not shooting a cinematic epic with a blockbuster film company with a billion dollar budget, instead I'm filming some short films and uploading them on YouTube. This is some of what I have so far:

My First Video

 

My First Video w/ Puppets

My First Video w/ tweezers o_O

MMA and Me

UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre. His
challenger on that night got scared and ran home to Mommy.
His name was Phil...um, Doow. Yea, Phil Doow O_O

Before I begin, let me say this is not a rant! I followed mixed martial arts and the UFC for about three years now; I understand how the UFC operates, the controversy between Dana White and the fighters, and violence in sports and sports entertainment. I get all those, but this will not focus on any of those, or maybe they will?

Tonight, world champion and Canadian phenom Georges St-Pierre defends his belt again interim champion Carlos Condit. Condit is the interim champion because St-Pierre took a year off fighting due to an ACL injury he sustained in December of 2011. GSP returns to the octagon for his first fight since then, and in his home province of Quebec at Montreal's Bell Centre, no less.

When I would go out with friends to watch any UFC event, dozens of "fight fans" would pack the restaurant we would visit. For the most part, everyone was there to eat food, watch a fight, and have a good time. Of course, there would be divided loyalties, but no one cared too much.

However, when my friends and I would go out to the same restaurant to watch a UFC event involving Georges St-Pierre, you could see "fight fans", but there were many more "GSP fans" in the same space. Now, a small percentage of a VERY SMALL PERCENTAGE of "GSP fans" know three things about mixed martial arts:

1. Georges St-Pierre is Canadian.
2. Georges St-Pierre always wins.
3. Georges St-Pierre never loses.

You can't question the first part, at least successfully o_O, but if one "GSP fan" encounters a fan that supports BJ Penn or Matt Serra and believes the second and third parts are incorrect, then that "GSP fan" starts a fight in the parking lot outside of the restaurant. Invariably, at some stage during the night of a GSP fight, there will be lights from a police cruiser flashing outside of the restaurant because a "GSP fan" came to blows with a "heathen" or "non-conformist". I stopped going out to watch UFC pay-per-view events on Saturday nights because I'm afraid I will be one of those "non-conformists" featured in the bonus fight in the restaurant parking lot on UFC nights.

GSP: He killed four hecklers in the back row with that look o_O Two more while wearing that suit O_O
I was almost a mixed martial artist, but I took an arrow in the knee.

I ask my friends the next day, if with their food and entertainment they get the 'bonus fight in the parking lot', and they answer yes every time.

I had an incident at a bar, about three years ago. I bumped into a fellow as I went to my seat before the UFC event began, and we stared at each other for what seemed like five minutes before I apologized and sat down. He shook it off, said "sorry", and sat down next to me. o_O We didn't say a word to each other until the waiter brought me my appetizer: Mushrooms stuffed with cheese and spinach ^_^ He looked at them and said "Those look nice!" I agreed, and proceeded to wolf them down.

The whole experience lasted three or four seconds, in hindsight, however it stuck with me until now. I hate imagining what would happen if I was with others, if his buddies were nearby, if I spilled something, or if I wasn't a Christian what my response would be. I don't like thinking about it or possibly undergoing a similar situation with different variables. If there were two reasons why I don't go out to watch UFC PPVs, then that would be the second reason (you already read the first one).

Now, like every other branch of the sports entertainment tree, the act of competition is neutral; what we as humans do with that particular competition is where we find a lot of what we love and detest about sport today. The difference is how much each of us are willing to tolerate, and keeping in mind our relationships and responsibilities to our family, friends, or employers and wards what we will watch or when we will go to watch a live contest of competition. Does that make sense? I hope so; if you would like to engage in this discussion, feel free to leave a comment or six.

If you would like to know, yes, I hope Georges St-Pierre wins, and no, I don't want there to be a bonus fight in the parking lot tonight. GSP is a great dude, and a good, well spoken representative for Canada at home and aboard. If you are going out tonight, be safe...PLEASE be safe.

Where Did I Go?

Writing was that thing I used to do.

So, how are you? That's good, but don't overdo it, otherwise you will get sick. It's mid-November, and almost a month since I wrote anything on my blogs. Quite a few major things, personal and otherwise, occurred in my life during that span; although I can't share EVERYTHING with you, I can share the humorous and insightful bits, ^_^ because that is what you came to see o_O

How do you be as annoying as me, and earn this badge? ^_^
Activate your foursquare account and find out! (I am not
receiving kickbacks for promoting Foursquare)

• I got a new phone! It's an Android phone with a video touch screen, and working camera. Already I shot a few things and uploaded photos to Instagram. If you click the link, it will show you the latest photo I uploaded since writing this piece. I also discovered something called Foursquare ^_^ A few of my friends have foursquare accounts, but I'm already setting records and annoying everyone with my constant status updates. I even picked up a badge for being annoying over the course of the day: Overshare LOL I will have more on my foursquare experience in a later blog.
• Music practice: Piano and guitar are coming along, and I performed for a few people so far. I am nowhere near Carnegie Hall or Grand Ole Opry material, but the goal is to be competent, and encourage a younger, musically inclined person to be all they can be, and do better than I could.
• A new computer: I put the final payment on my new computer last month, therefore I can officially call this iMac mine ^_^ The transition from PC to Mac is strenuous and fraught with awkward moments o_O Where I work we have PCs, so Alt+W does not close windows! I am still at a lost to what the other "function" key does on the Mac keyboard. Sidenote: I own a wireless keyboard, which allows me to type from anywhere in my room. Right now, I am typing from my bed; I changed the sheets yesterday, and they are quite nice. Now, I am typing  with my back turned and facing the closet. Let me see if this worked...yes, it did ^_^ The final test: Typing from outside! (Phil is such a dork) HEY, WHO WROTE THAT?!
• I got sick: Last week, I thought I could put style over safety, I decided to dress up a bomber jacket with a striped scarf, and wear the deadly combo to work. Unfortunately, the wind was howling, and it blew cold air at my neck, which would be covered by my jacket if I didn't unzip the top to show off my trendy scarf >_< So, being sick for a whole week was fun. My nose is still stuffed, and I have occasional bouts with mucous all over the streets of the Greater Toronto Area -_- I have no one else to blame but me, but until I reach that conclusion I will throw everyone else under the bus.

Finally, I started filming again. I uploaded a prototype video of me celebrating the fact I can upload straight from iMovie with my video camera. I had terrible audio problems before, but the camera picks up the sound from my voice and other sources very well. I have a list of projects to work on, and now I can complete them ^_^

As you can see, life is busy LOL What did you do last month? ^_^

The Revenge of the Music

Did I do something? o_O

Recently, a bunch of aspiring musicians began following me. No, not in real life (I checked), but on Twitter. When the fantastic kids from Nashville called The Nearly Deads came calling, I joined their ranks like a zombie LOL Since then, the fun hasn't stopped, but now I'm curious.

It is not only American and Canadian singers and bands, but also British musicians as well! o_O I don't know what to make of this. Don't get me wrong, some of the music they produce is great, and way better than I could do. I am reluctant to watch music videos, so if I do listen to music it is without the distraction of video; like movies, you never know what you are going to see, unless you know what to expect. Live performances are the exception to the rule, and those are always HIP ^_^

What was that?! o_O (Phil's phone vibrating on desk) Ooo, popularity!

What does this mean: Am I slowly writing my way towards becoming a publicist? Will I become an entertainment guru of the Canadian music landscape? Am I the next Ben Mulroney? O_O

Perhaps I should play something musical? At the start of the year I decided to return to music by playing the piano more than twenty-years after my last recital, and learning how to play the guitar and harmonica. There is enough confidence within me to suggest if I was ever in a life or death situation, when I absolutely had to play something new on the piano, guitar, or harmonica to save my skin, I could walk out of that situation alive and ticking, ^_^ mostly. o_O

I had a music challenge with an American friend (Hi Jessica), and thought I uploaded it. However, sound quality with a laptop computer made in 2007 isn't that great when paired with today's modern technology, so I must redo my Music Challenge song by deleting all my songs, and upload new tunes. Once I join their ranks, I can start chasing impressionable youngsters and following them (...on Twitter, not real life o_O Come on, guys. That's what I meant, guys).

Tweet Dude

I'm taking a little time out to promote some followers ^_^ Why are they following me? o_O I don't know, but they seem like HIP people!

Andrew Hudson is a former Ohio State college football player turned collegiate baseball player. I suppose he found me through my baseball blog, nevertheless it's always nice to know someone out there reads and appreciates my stuff! Plus, he's a Christian, and that's always AWESOME! His posts are so encouraging, and will definitely put a smile on your face :) Hi Andrew! Ah, Ohio State University. I have a miniature Riddell helmet of theirs hanging on my wall; I think it looks much better without all the Marie Juana stickers on it, although I understand the significance behind decorating your helmet with the little stickers. You can get stickers for everything from winning a game to throwing the challenge flag on a suspect ruling on the field, and not losing a time out.

Chloe Cahill is a singer out of New York City. She started following me on Twitter last week, and I didn't know what to make of this development until I googled her name, and found her YouTube music channel ^_^ She can sing really well, however the number of subscribers to her channel is a bit too low, if you ask me. Listen to her Christmas album, which she posted on her channel, and you will agree she is HIP ^_^

Finally, because he does nothing but tweet all day, and he uses Twitter whenever he can I must promote him: My good friend Andrew Smith! Initially, he had a twitter account so he could check up on scores from the weekend softball we participated in a couple of years ago, but since then he couldn't put Twitter down LOL

Daffy Duck: The Everyman?

I miss Looney Tunes.

Those hand drawn cartoons from the 1940s-1960s had a special something: It's not often you find that level of comedy and dialogue in today's "cookie cutter" cartoons (See Nickelodeon). Should we blame the internet and the proliferation of every joke in existence, mass commercialization, or the failure of this and younger generations to mature past Spongebob.

I liked Spongebob; he was peculiar, perky, imaginative, and colourful. I suppose as the money poured in, there was no need to expand on the Spongebob brand, so his character did not develop, episodes became carbon copies of past ones, and the commercial appeal of Spongebob became more important than the cartoon. Here is a little perspective for you: Spongebob began on May 1st, 1999. I was picking my nose and playing Nintendo 64 as a high schooler in 1999 o_O

Classic Daffy Duck pose

If Daffy Duck emerged in today's cartoon television landscape in the twenty-first century, where would we place him: Saturday morning kids specials, after school theater, or in the mature audiences bracket? As a youngster, I thought Bugs Bunny was my favourite cartoon character, but as I grew up I grew to like Daffy: He was arrogant, jealous, inconsistent, and yet a master of comedic timing, in particular when the artists directed the jokes at the lovable duck. I had the misfortune of watching the cartoon B-movie Space Jam, which starred Michael Jordan, and I felt so bad for Daffy because he received none of the plaudits. He wanted to be a team player on Jordan's team, but the movie geared towards making Daffy Duck the character NO ONE should like from the start, and I think that's unfair.

Bugs usually got his way with everything, and that eventually wore thin with me and many of my friends. I liked knowing characters like Daffy Duck or Wily E. Coyote never won, because in life no one ever "wins": You have a lousy job, your car doesn't start, there is gum on your shoe, the downstairs faucet is leaking, or your hair is a mess. We almost never catch the road runner, or win that "Million Box", yet we press on in pursuit of our satisfaction and ultimate happiness. Sadly, when we don't find it, so become surly, closed-minded, arrogant, and vain creatures. At least, I hope not...

After all, Daffy Duck is just a cartoon character. For us human beings, there is more to life than vain pursuits and fleeting passions. As much as the old Daffy would deny to believe, no one is an island or a vacuum, and life is built on relationships, doing what is right, and asking for help (the last one was for me o_O). As humans, I hope we can move on from talking in high-pitched voices, chasing jellyfish, and watching the same episodes of every other Nick cartoon over and over and over. Anyway, what was your favourite cartoon character growing up, and why?

Think about it: It's the same thing, even the artistry is the same!

Oh yeah, all artwork and cartoons are property of Warner Bros. All rights reserved. Legal mumbo jumbo o_O

Dear Future Wife...

There are some things you should know about me...

1. There is only one LT; no, not the running back.
2. I never liked Winnie The Pooh. I will never like Winnie The Pooh.
3. Steamboy > Spirited Away
4. I never won a game of SORRY! I play to win, but I don't want to win; it's too much fun.
5. If you ask why I name the first of each of my electronic devices "Vanessa", I will respond with the words "I don't want to talk about it!", cry hysterically, run to my room, slam the door behind me, and sulk for two hours.
6. I cry for Otoko-tachi No Yamato, any NFL Films documentary involving Dick Vermeil, and The Ninth Doctor's (Chris Eccleston) regeneration scene from Doctor Who.
7. I laugh at Angry Birds.
8. What is my kryptonite? Kittens, white chocolate, Ric Flair turnbuckle flips, Mahjong, Major League Baseball Authentic On-Field caps (size 7 3/4), and Nike N98 track jackets with matching polo shirts.
9. I will know when I had enough steak (dog house).
10. It is never too late to cruise around South America.
11. You will find I am very good at altering my voice.
12. On Saturdays, you may hear someone yelling at random intervals. That's just me watching soccer.
13. There is no number 13.
14. Why do I need so many Foxtrot anthologies? = Why do humans need oxygen to live?
15. Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone.
16. I must watch CTFxC. Every day.
17. I think we could have a great time shopping at IKEA.
18. Hazel, Fiver, Bigwig, Woundwort. You know what I'm talking about ;)
19. The dot in my pinky finger will never go away.
20. My dream car is the Wiesmann MF3.

Jumbo

It killed him.

He told me how he took my advice, and told her how he felt. He told me how they met at their usual spot every Wednesday for lunch, and how she sat in complete silence as he told her. He told me how she said nothing when he finished. He told me how he asked her what she was thinking. He told me how everything he said made her cry.

Her tears hit him like a left hook. It carommed off his cheek, reverborated to his molars, split his jaw, shot up his skull, shook his brain, buckled his knees, and crumpled his lifeless body to the floor. I knew that feeling, but he said he could take it: He made adjustments to the pattern, and thus became adjusted to the pain. He could take the punishment, the repeated shots, and the constant punches. He wasn't in love, he was punch drunk.

It killed me to watch him get up from his stool with his eyes swollen shut, his nose bloody and broken, and his jaw enflamed with two teeth missing. Between pitiful gasps for any kind of air, he would say "Sheesh da one, Filff. I can doo ith! Sheesh da one! I nooo ith!" He wanted the same thing I did, so I let him go, "Fine, finish the job." I said. Before leaving the corner, he turned to me to wink as best he could with the one good eye he had. "Noo plaablem!"

Now, here we were. I found him still sitting in the chair later that night. His parents called me asking where he was, and I told them I had an idea, nevertheless I would call them once I found him, and drive him home. There was so many wrappers on the tray in front of him; if I didn't come earlier, the manager said, he would eat the entire menu in another hour. Without saying a word, I slinked into the booth and sat there across from him. Mixed with saturated fats and absolute sorrow, his tears flowed from his face and onto the paltry board the fast food joint called a table. I watched him cry for a couple of minutes, before a pair of eavesdropping teenagers in the lineup began whispering about us. "With the way he's going, I wonder if there is anything left." One of them said, which got both of them chuckling. I knew we had to leave, and sadly so did he. As I put my hands on the table to rise from the booth, he stop sulking and asked, "Why duss no one luv me?" I knew there was an answer for him somewhere. Such a question followed other men right into the grave, but other men were not like him. He would die that night if he didn't know.

"I love you, Phil." I said. "We all love you, man."

His sulking quieted down, but he kept crying. Reluctantly, after I rose from the booth, he followed me out of the restaurant leaving a ton of crumpled wrappers, a bewildered manager, and a pair of laughing teenagers behind.

As I opened the trunk to get a pair of water bottles, he sank into the passenger side of my car. When I closed the hatch, I received a text message. It was her: She "heard from friends I was back in town, and since she wasn't doing anything maybe we could..."

I got in the car, gave him a bottle, and put mine in the cup holder.

"Was dat her?" He asked.
"Yes, it's her." I replied. We stared out the car as it started to rain.
"She alweez lucked at yuu." He added.

"Wha dit yuu say?"

Celtic Football Club & My Run-ins with Jerks

Aaron is going to love this...

Yep, Aaron will definitely go bananas when he sees the
Celtic Football Club 125th Anniversary
Commemorative badge on my blog

I wore one of my Celtic track jackets today. After work, I walked to the grocery store, and while I was in the checkout line the man in front of me turned around, looked at me, and said:

"You know Celtic is the worst team in the world!"

The "offending" jacket o_O

Now, I'm well aware of Glasgow Celtic Football Club's current troubles, however what surprises me is random Canadians feel the need to come after me about it. This happens every so often whenever I wear this particular Celtic jacket: Yes, even in Canada, customers in Tim Horton's hassle me, tellers at the bank near the office question me, and now a tattooed bodybuilder wearing a tank top feels compelled to inform me of my "wardrobe malfunction".

There isn't much a person can do between standing in line at the grocery store, and hold a basket full of food. What was I to do at that moment: Take the jacket off and reveal a Rangers shirt underneath (that would be funny LOL)? I would be lying if I told you the urge to respond wasn't there. As he told me about Celtic's ineptitude, I assumed "he is a Toronto FC fan and they know EVERYTHING about soccer!" or maybe "someone died and made him a fashion critic"?

Wait a second, if they are so terrible, how are they the defending Scottish league champions? I am not a fan of Celtic by any stretch, yet even I know that! I just wore this jacket because it was Wednesday o_O LOL

Finally, in the three seconds following the man's insult, I went to a different aisle; firing back or stating a fact wasn't worth my time, and I just wanted to go home, and put the cold stuffs I purchased in the freezer. I did take a small measure of satisfaction in being out the door ahead of that guy.

The whole event riled me up, but as I wrote this out I couldn't help but smile and laugh a little bit, too. ^_^ Thanks for reading!

Oh Sit! The Reality of Fake Sports

Fewer playground games captured my imagination like musical chairs. The running, stalling, hoping, dancing, and even lollygagging around a row or circle of empty chairs brought about as much joy and backache as the famed schoolyard game. As it turns out, the adult, sports entertainment equivalent hits the airwaves Wednesday night on the CW in the form of "Oh Sit!" (Still no clue what CW means).
I don't watch a lot of television, but this spin on an old favourite is intriguing. From what I delved from the commercials, previews, and interviews, the humour is in the over-the-top seriousness of its competitors. Team colours, numbered jerseys, and even the tackling provide more than a fair share of laughs. Then again, how often do we laugh when adults play a kid's game like baseball, basketball, football or American Football?

All we hear from the "established" sports in North America, like American Football, are words and sentences like "Kill the Quarterback!", "Pick up the Blitz!", and "The Bills are for real (no, they aren't)!" If there are any scenes of humour and frivolity to be found in any sport, they come from annual follies videos, over-the-top superfan costumes, and former NFL head coach Jim Mora's "Playoffs?!" rant.

It can go over the top though: Naming teams after cities its players never visited, drafting plays on teleprompters on basketball courts littered with trampolines, and creating super stars out of marginal talents that can't act or excel in the original sport the fake sport is based (See Trampoline Basketball). It is nice for a laugh, but compared to the AFL-NFL war it's "Small Potatoes".

Anyway, I will try and film the hilarious hi-jinx that is "musical chairs on steroids" tomorrow night. It could even bring back some old memories of Friday night Youth events at the church ^_^ Without the bodychecking o_O

He Read All of These

I wonder what he thinks about Justin Bieber? Hmm...

If you asked me about my first memory of church, it was sitting in the pews next to my Dad (he insisted on making sure I was next to him in those days), and then watching this giant of a man approach the podium, open the hymnal, read out the number of the hymn we were about to sing, raise his huge arms, and say in a booming voice "Let us rise to sing this hymn!" Rarely did we ever sit down to sing a hymn; that never happened actually o_O LOL

Whenever I see him, whether it is on Sunday morning or during the week, I must have my handshaking hand ready and an answer for how your day/week is going ^_^ It's great to know people, who were around a block, to tell you things and keep you in check, much like him. I knew his family for as long as I was alive, and they are just as HIP as he is. I could see the bridge between the generations of his family, and while they are in different places they remain very close. Plus, there are great life lessons taught through the ages like God, love, respect, honour, sacrifice, and understanding; the focus in today's world is less about those things and what makes us happy, pop culture, and what Justin Bieber is having for lunch (Twitter).

I still see him from across the sanctuary, and we get the occasional hymn ^_^ Today's generation has a lot to learn, but if we were more receptive and had more people like my friend I would feel a little better about our future.

Hi, if you are reading this now, then that means I'm in big trouble come Sunday o_O LOL ^_^

She Sometimes Reads These

Just a random Hayley Williams picture ._. What? o_O

After the church service ended, I was standing in the foyer. I didn't know anybody, when I arrived, but I recognized and met a few people by the end of the night. So while I'm standing I hear someone singing from inside the sanctuary; it was such a beautiful voice, although I never heard that song before, so I rushed back into the sanctuary to find out who it was.

One of her friends was playing guitar, and she was singing along. I never heard anyone sing as beautifully as she does. Some people say I have a good memory, however I feel terrible knowing that I can't recall LARGE segments of that night. We share one particular memory, one which I would like to forget: She informed me that we crossed paths years before, but I couldn't remember that. She was only visiting my area for the day, however she knew who I was because I was bouncing off the walls and being my boisterous, HUGE self. During that particular episode, I didn't bother to find out who she was back then, because if I took the time out it's possible I would be a better person for knowing her then as I do now. As crummy as I still feel about, she still forgave me and reminded me I was HIP ^_^ She is also very warm and sincere.

It's hard to stay in a foul mood when she is around, because she will find a way to get a smile out of you. If you are new to the group, she will find out who you are by the end of the day! She is also as humble as she is talented, for showmanship and bravado are not what she is after, however that's what draws me and so many of her friends to her. There are a few other things I didn't mention here, nevertheless I hope I can tell her how much I appreciate her friendship and kindness ^_^

Why did you do this?

If you don't "eulogize" the people you love, like, respect or admire while they are alive, how will they know what you mean to them when they are dead. Of course, there are no secrets in Heaven, so if you believe in the truth, then they will find out EVERYTHING about you when they die. It would be far worse to keep such positive secrets from those you care about; that's something I struggle with. Now that I'm almost halfway to collecting my pension, people I grew up with my whole life are beginning to go away: Some across town, others across the country, and a few people are no longer with us, unfortunately.

This will not be a BIG series, but over the week I hope to share some stories about people I know, and talk about how they shaped my life, and all without divulging names or personal information o_O If my real life friends reading my blog know who I am talking about, then congratulations ^_^ (For the sake of the internet, please keep your answers private? Thanks!)

In case you are reading this: Yes, that's a portion of what I think when I think about you. I'll be out of the house on Monday, so if you want to chase me with a stick I'll be outside in a public park with plenty of witnesses LOL

That Thing I Used To Do

Oh yeah, blogging ^_^ Right o_O

"If You Reference We The Kings, They Will Come..."
o_O Who said that?!

I'm back from my unscheduled break to write again. I was busy with real life, outdoorsy type things: Baseball practice, baseball games, baseball writing, and music practice (threw a curveball there ^_^). While I disappeared from the literary scene, I checked my stats and discovered this blog peaked over TEN THOUSAND VIEWS! I know I say this every round number milestone divisible by ten, but from the bottom of my heart I thank each of you for coming back to the blog time after time, reading my wacky posts, and sometimes commenting ^_^ Thanks thanks thanks thanks thanks.

"Phil Wood is quitting writing?! NOOO!"
T_T Oh no, Taylor! Don't cry!

This gives me an awkward opportunity to make an awkward segue to the next topic of my blog: Before and during my break, I took stock of what I wrote thus far, who reads the blog, how often readers follow it, what needs to change, and if I'm doing enough. One post I wrote many moons, if not months ago, was a little factoid about listening to We The Kings music ^_^ To my amazement, most of my views come from that post, and I was not thinking at all when I wrote it. If you take all those views away, however, my blog has only a couple dozen views per post with the occasional Taylor Swift spike. Now, I could write about my undying love for Taylor Swift for the next seventy years, however to stake my claim in the impressionable teen industry is late and fool-hardy at best o_O

I considered stopping writing altogether, and searching for a paying writing job instead. I like doing this, but I'm at the stage where I should be getting on with life, and making a career out of what I love to do instead of doing something because it's my hobby (does that make sense? o_O) Side note: My unique faces provide the occasional comic relief, yet they are a disservice when you mean to be serious and thought-provoking. Do you mind the ^_^ and o_O, or $_$ and >_<? How about *_* and T_T and =_= and @_@?

I drew a lot when I was young. I miss those days.

The future is a scary thing, and not everyone wants to grow up, and became a 9-to-5 dude with a mortgage, dog, and five pairs of shoes (15 pairs of shoes falls out of Phil's closet) What was that sound? Anyway, if you are in a similar boat, then what you want to do is consider all those things you enjoy doing, listen to your family and friends as they serve as good indicators of what you do well, and keep doing those things! For example, in church I would draw while taking notes. Ordinarily, that would get me killed by one or both of my parents, one of the men of the elders boards, the parents of an impressionable youngster sitting two rows over, etc. (Good evening to each of you o_O Awkward...). What I learned, from discussing the matter with them after the service, is my pictures were not doodles but helpful reminders of what the pastor spoke about. Often whole sentences and paragraph could be bundled into one or two pictures. Maybe there is a future for me in cartooning? Unfortunately, that would be outside of what I already do in this blog, so maybe I can do something else with it?

My Notes from Years Ago O_O

I do like writing, and I want to do this for another three years. In the meantime, I will experiment with what worked in the past with my blog. Perhaps it will turn into a sustainable career; you never know if you don't try. I like that saying; I'm going to patent it. Wait, what? Oh...never mind o_O

Birthday Blahs

My Kind of Place: Instead of berating you for being
single on your 30th birthday, the Danes give you
heartfelt speeches, songs, and pepper mills (ACHOO!)

My thirtieth birthday is coming soon; no, I'm not going to tell you which day it is o_O Unlike in previous birthdays, I feel really upset about it. All day I thought about what tangible difference I made in the world up to this point, and I couldn't think of anything. Yes, there are great family and good friendships forged along the way, and sound advice I followed that kept me from serious harm or worse; as undeserving as I am for all these things and more, I am blessed by God and thankful to Him for all that I have. However, I feel I took more than I gave in return.

This could be the realization I lived a sheltered and selfish life, and I should undergo a thorough life examination, overhaul the life I live, and seek objective, professional help, or perhaps some of what I call ordinary and everyday happenings are actually life-changing and thought provoking moments for others? I would be selfish to demand answers from others, so instead I hope this would spark a discussion about ways each person can realize their potential and opportunities by making a difference in the lives of the people around them.

To lighten the mood, I am studying the internet for ways cultures around the world celebrate one's 30th birthday.

1. In Germany, a single 30 year-old man receives a broom from his friends. He then sweeps away all the ashes and dust off of his front step, which his friends place beforehand, only for his friends to mess it up again.
2. In Denmark, thirty year old single men and women receive pepper mills as gifts o_O They are also seated at tables for six hours surrounded by family and friends, who regale them with speeches and songs between meal courses.
3. One online source suggests giving 30 year old men beer and whiskey making kits. Dear friends: Don't give me any homemade alcohol kits, thanks.

Happy Canada Day!

I'm wishing a Happy Canada Day to from this happy and thankful Canadian to all my readers and subscribers ^_^ Make today an awesome day filled with fun, family, and fireworks!

By the way, a word of advice about fireworks, don't make the same mistake I made years ago o_O Have a good one! ^_^

How to Appeal to Canadians?

While I appreciate the loads of American and Russian readers that frequent my blog every week, I always wonder with a look of disbelief and confusion why the number of Canadians that read my blog, never mind know I blog, is so low.

As my friend Bryan said, "Good things happen
when Hal Gill steps on the ice."

I had a hockey blog running alongside this blog for many months, however once the focus of hockey purists went from goal scoring and team performance, to analyzing every NHL suspension and being experts in mapping out the intent of each and every player throwing a body check ever I stopped writing about it. Every Canadian had to notice, at least during the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs, there was at least one injury incurred via body check in each playoff series, if not every game. The reaction by the general public would be...

1. That player should be penalized!
1. He wasn't penalized!
2. He was penalized, but it wasn't enough.
3. He was penalized, but it was too much.
2. The player should be suspended!
1. He wasn't suspended?!
2. He was suspended, but it wasn't enough.
3. He was suspended, but someone else on another team did the same thing or worse, and he got only a fraction of the time suspended.
3. Through evidence found in this "Zapruder" film of the play in question, I believe he intended to injure the opposing player.

Kings v Coyotes aftermath from 2012 Playoffs; the game
left me feeling sick >_< Last game I saw that year.

I am not interested nor qualified to debate what a hockey player thought through various camera angles. Plus, just because an NHL season enters the playoff phase that should not increase/weaken the response of those in charge of player safety with regard to fines or suspensions. The everyday discussion about the game of hockey descended into heated arguments about suspension length, and "after the fact" thought to action brain analysis; therefore, I stopped writing about hockey. I like hockey, but the politics were too much.

However, hockey is what gets most Canadians talking and reading blogs about the sport. I wrote for many years about the corruption in the game of soccer well before the World Cup came to South Africa in 2010, which I consider the worst World Cup ever, but no one seemed to care too much in Canada, never mind North America, about what I said. It is only when I wrote about something as Canadian as hockey that I get a strong and passionate response from my home country. So, maybe I should write about more Canadian topics to increase Canadian viewership?

PM Stephen Harper speaks at a Ronald McDonald's
Children's Charities Function in December, 2011.

I could talk about Canadian politics? On the other hand, if Breakfast Television taught me anything about breakfast clubs meeting at McDonald's not to talk about sports but only politics, it is that membership is short, small, and explosive. I posted a picture of current Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper to the right of this paragraph; I could use any picture, however I chose this one to illicit a certain response. Now imagine if you felt that way all the time when you read my blog about topics that always made you feel this way? I would get really dull!

What if I spoke about the Canadian economy? o_O ...That would be a short conversation. It is something I pray and think about, even with fear and worrying, nevertheless I couldn't add much to the discussion, unless I use words like "I WON THE LOTTERY!", "MOMZO NEEDS A NEW PAIR OF SHOES!", and "I FOUND FIVE BUCKS IN MY POCKET, SO I'M GOING TO STARBUCKS!" No, I wouldn't do that.

Regardless of where you come from, if you have the same conundrum as I do in reaching out to viewers in your country of residence, please take heart with the following:

1. Someone took the time out to read what you have to say: It doesn't sound like a lot, and you might not know them personally, yet you should take satisfaction your words made a difference in the life of someone on this wacky planet.
2. Borders only matter if you make borders matter: Don't close your mind to people just because they live in a foreign land. You are BIG in that foreign, and eventually you will be BIG here, too. Word gets around, and if you as consistent as you can with your life and principles, things will work out.
3. Hey, was that Stephen Harper wearing a cowboy hat? ^_^
4. Celebrate your heritage: Your readers know how proud you are to be who you are. Now that they are here, show your appreciation by being you.
5. Be open to criticism: Essay after essay, video after video about the Tuck Rule will open the floodgates to healthy, and unhealthy criticism about your writing style. Take what is good, and leave out the bad; don't be afraid to restructure or overhaul your blog. It may take time, but you will be glad you did (By the way, for my NFL loving friends, the Tuck Rule should stay; the refs misapplied it in the Patriots-Raiders game, that's all.) 
6. Have FUN! It's not a chore to write; it should be a passion, and if you can make it a career, then all power to you! ^_^ Good luck, and best wishes!

I hope you found encouragement reading this, I know I did ^_^ If there are new Canadians here, or new readers in general that found this helpful, feel free to comment and rate this blog. Before I go, hello Raider Nation...it's been awhile... o_O

How I Cure Writer's Block

For Doug Paddey

What better way to talk about your current difficulties than to write about your current difficulties? LOL

DIFFICEPTION? INCEPTLY?

The idea of writing the world's greatest novel is a good idea to have, but really hard to attain. To become the next J.K. Rowling, Suzanne Collins, Kurt Vonnegut, Sun Tzu, or Richard Adams (Don't know who that is? Tough! He wrote my favourite book ^_^ I'm not going to tell you who it is, HA HA HA!), you must spend long hours writing, take loads of criticism, expect rejection, cry loads of tears, eat lots of ice cream, and do everything over again...at least once. If you aren't willing to go that route, you can write about vampires that sparkle (Wait, what? Oh, that idea is taken? o_O Alright.)

Speaking of outlandish plot lines and freaky characters, if you are in a bit of a rut, and need something to get the pen moving, or just want to have a bit of fun with the word processor try this little exercise!

I had the opportunity to one of my American friends this past week; she went to an Air Force Academy in the proud state of Arizona. Right away, we have ideas, yes! We have the Air Force, air planes, jet engines, aviator glasses, Tom Cruise, Jonathan Edwards, Val Kilmer, and I feel the need for...wait a second, I think someone did that? o_O Fine, time to backtrack a little. What comes to your mind when you think about Arizona? Hot, sand, cacti, humidity: The Arizona Desert! What lives in the desert? I can't live in a desert o_O No, just sun and sand. It's the sandy beach minus that liquid substance every living creature on Earth needs to sustain life; I think it's called Coca-Cola (I know it's water). I'm sure there are some desert animals...oh right, a snake! Yes, a snake lives in the desert! Snakes in the Desert! Snakes on a Plane, since we were talking about the Air Force earlier! That's it! SNAKES ON A PLANE! Just add Samuel L. Jackson to zany cast of shocked passengers, and we have a blockbuster...oh no, not that one, too? -_- Itai Yama!

Gorgo seems like a nice fellow; he's even waving to you!

Alright, someone already made a film about snakes, however we are looking for something to put into print. Snakes are reptiles, so we can do something with reptiles, and not just snakes. After all, there are so many reptiles to write about like snakes, chameleons, iguanas, frogs, and so on. Maybe I should focus less on what a character in my story would look like, and more on what sets him/her apart from the others. You need a standard every man, or a main character people can relate to. I know a perfect main character: Someone who is normal gecko ^_^ He just wants to live out his life on the coast of some resort town, have a good job, find a nice flat, and maybe meet a nice girl. His name shall be...Gorgo ^_^ Why Gorgo? No reason in particular... o_O

Titan: The look says innocent, but the fin says PLAYA!

We have a central protagonist with a motive, and by the miracle of imagination we have a setting, too. He needs a friend or two; they must be unique personalities, which are different and at times combative with each other, yet have the same level of respect and admiration for Gorgo because he compliments both of them. One must be the jester of the group: Ridiculous, clever, and eccentric. He adapts to any situation like a chameleon with humorous and sometimes disastrous results. That's a good idea; a clownish chameleon ^_^ I'll name him Titan, and he will sport a fin for hair to show his wild side...What? o_O

True Story: Early drawings of Bronco's glasses were a single line o_O

It's cool to have wild and wacky adventures, however a quiet evening at the library would be nice, too. You can write about exotic places and high times all over the world, but if that is all you write about your audience will thin out quickly. Therefore, you need the sound voice of reason to keep Gorgo grounded, and prevent Titan from blowing something up o_O He must be intellectual, considerate, and have a uncharacteristic name: Bronco.

There you have it! I have a story about three lizards living on the coast ^_^ It sounds preposterous, however it is an idea I had for longer than this post! The idea for "Les Reptiles" came to me, when I did an independent project for French class. I drew a French language comic book about those three reptiles who found a sarcophagus in Egypt, and brought the mummy back to life. That was more than fifteen years ago, but those three remained in my head as they are now: One normal (?), one crazy, and the other a bookworm. Who knows what normal, wacky, or ponderous things they will do next? ^_^ I really don't know o_O Any ideas?

Did this brainstorming technique help you at all? I am not a proven scientist in brainstorming ideas, however I'm sure you have cool ideas on how to cure Writer's Block, or Artist's Block? ^_^ Feel free to share them in the comments.

BIG Changes?

I never thought there would come a time when I would need to consider larger issues such as life insurance, tax breaks, saving money, and rental apartments. I thought all I could write about was baseball and "life stuff". I'm a stone throw away from thirty years of age; for several months I considered the big picture, but it is time to consider how my actions have a direct impact on those I care about the most.

With that said, there will be some BIG changes to how JUST PHIL, MAJOR LEAGUE GOOFBALL, and this author will operate in the near future. From which projects to see through or to cancel, to where I should live in the short-term, and in the long-term. Where I am right now is nice, but being "nice" is not good enough. It's time to think BIG.

We The Kings: Losing My Mind

Two days before my birthday, on July 15th, one of my favourite bands, We The Kings, and the rest of the bands from Warped Tour will arrive somewhere in my hometown of Mississauga, Ontario and perform. This also means that bassist and renown daily vlogger Charles Trippy will also be there...!

What's going on in my brain

I knew for some time they would come to the Greater Toronto Area on that day, but it wasn't until a couple of days ago I found out where exactly they would be that I went bananas! I go crazy for The Nearly Deads and We The Kings, yet I never went to a music event quite like Warped in my life. My Dad said our family went to Caribana in Toronto many years ago, when I was a kid, and I didn't like it because of the loud music (maybe because my parents stopped in front of a pair of massive speakers as the parade passed by?) I hope I don't react the same way I did back then when Travis, Hunter, Coley, Danny, and Charles take the stage (Phil imagines kid Phil covering ears and crying). There's no way, if I meet Charles, that I'm going to start crying (lies lies lies lies lies). I'll see if I can get their autographs on a Tampa Bay Rays baseball cap (true true true true true), but I'm not going to scream like a fan girl or anything; I have a reputation to maintain (lies lies lies lies lies).

Now, how does one dress for Warped Tour?

Prom Night: Twelve Years Later

Just a quick update about life since that PROM experience, which may or may not include since the time I wrote about it. If you don't know what I'm talking about, click here to read about "My Prom Story".

I need to share this angle not to get sympathy from anyone, but to start a form of dialogue because I know there are many young men (and women) that may benefit from the dialogue and learn there is no shame or condemnation for being in the "Friend Zone". I will not promise "things will get better", nor say "if you have enough boyfriend material, this will happen...", because only you can live out the third or fifth wheel experience where you are, and it is no reflection on your personality or character. I can only share how "My Prom Story" made me the person I am today, and pray you will be a better person than I am.

Every June since that infamous day, whenever I see limousines drive past or PROM photos on my friends' Facebook pages, I would think about it and feel like garbage. In the early days, it was easier to live with because I was a naive young man fresh out of high school, and to quote Boris from Goldeneye (1996) I thought "I AM INVINCIBLE!" As I got older, I had difficulty dealing with those insecurities, and how I dealt with them was destructive.

Lately, writing about my Prom experience, and talking to friends about it feels therapeutic. Of course, I'm visiting those memories on a daily basis now, and you take the good, the bad, and the ugly memories as they come. Surprisingly, I only receive half of the cliche answers I expect when I share my stories, so at least I can count on people to listen, and understand there is a segment of the human population trying to figure things out.

Weddings and I, we...have a history. During the actual ceremony I am alright; in all other associated events, showers, or other engagement parties I am reluctant, reserved, on edge, or I am not there. My attitude and inner turmoil had a significant impact on my friendships: Severing some, and weakening others...(I paused longer than I should have here...someone left raw onions on my desk. I decided to go off topic, and appeal just to the single guy or gal that can't catch a break.)

I believe you are a much better person than I for not going through such a deflating, discouraging, life long experience, so I can only urge you to hang on. I will not promise things will get better, and I will not offer a list of "five things you should do to get girls" like in those idiot Cosmopolitan surveys, because those are not always true. You don't know who is counting on you to stay strong, because in that moment in time you are all they have. Therefore, I urge you to hang on. Please, hang on.

Perhaps the happiest and saddest thing about being me is when I play baseball the sport gives me a license to forget all of that garbage, and allows me to be someone else. I pray before the start of every inning, when I am on the field, and the burden of being "Just Phil" waits for me on the bench. Being single or knowing the love of your life is watching you from the stands should not have any bearing on how you perform in life; those God given talents, and then your drive and determination to use them well determine how great you will become. As long as you trust Him, "miracles" happen.

That's all I can think of right now. My apologies for the abrupt ending, but I have loads left to do, and this took longer than I thought it would o_O

PINK Man Jewelry

While I'm not sure if it's working,
when I wear it I am far less irritable, which is something I'm sure my
friends from my school days wished I wore most days.

On my left wrist, next to my wristwatch, you will find a solid pink rubber band. Most dudes look at, and do one of two things: Ask about it, or give me the look o_O. It goes with ANYTHING I wear, because it doesn't match ANYTHING I wear. I even wear it for baseball games, and the cause and reasoning behind why I wear this particular piece of man jewelry I will get into later ^_^

I was always partial to PINK, which is actually light red, if you think about it. Wait a minute, it isn't light red, it is PINK! Society associates PINK with being a colour that represents one half of all humanity, but dudes can wear it, too. I have a PINK dress shirt, sweater, and sweater vest. I thought I had a PINK cardigan, but I don't look good in cardigans, so I don't own one. Sidenote: There is a girl I know who hates PINK with a passion fruit. I would tell you her name, but like most of our mutual friends I'm scared she will tackle me, and jump up and down on my spine o_O So, in case she is reading this, don't worry for your secret is safe with me ^_^ (Hi Bekah!).

There are drawbacks to wearing this daily. The band is a snug fit over my wrist, so it leaves a pair of tan lines up to two hours after I take it off. Of course, people give me funny looks when I wear it on the bus, but according to previous documentation on this blog making eye contact is not a good idea (See "I Was In A Fight").

So why do I wear this, you ask? Well, my older sister was always the athlete in our family. She played rep softball and basketball, and toured with her teams all over Ontario, and into the United States for tournaments. She did so well that American universities offered her basketball scholarships, so she could play basketball and earn her business degrees. We are all very proud of her, and are really excited for what God is doing in her life. A couple of years ago, however, life put that progress on hold as doctors diagnosed she had sarcoma. There was a small tumor in her leg, but because she found it early the doctors surgically remove it. That was two years ago, and praise God she is still cancer free ^_^ This is why I wear my PINK man jewelry as often as I can, because it supports the great cause of cancer research, and more than that it reminds me of my sister, whose life inspired me to stay active, and be open to new ideas and meeting new people ^_^

Phil, are you wearing a PINK necklace? O_O Uh, maybe?

Ooo, the matching necklace...! o_O Uh, no...besides, it's only eighteen inches. My neck needs something twenty two inches long.

Corasanti

Recently acquitted, Dr. James Corasanti, M.D.

"Well, he looks guilty to me! Let's sow this baby up, and get going to...wait, what?!" Maybe this outlook we have on life is part of the problem, if not the whole?


I live just outside Toronto, but I followed this story for the past six months. First off, my thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of young Alix, and all those who witnessed the incident on the road that night. Amidst the massive amount of evidence generated, the volatile public opinion pieces I saw on Facebook leading to and after the verdict, the intense daily media coverage, the thousands, if not millions of taxpayer dollars spent on the trial, and the revisiting of that terrible day for all those involved, I would expect something a little more than a misdemeanour. All things considered, the defence presented their case in a way that convinced at least one member of the jury that all was not what it seems, and that is their job. That is how the system ALWAYS worked, and its even protected in the Constitution. With that said, my reaction upon hearing the verdict was a puzzled "What?"


If you are confused about the Corasanti trial or what I am talking about, please click this link for full details and background information.

Given it is a "not guilty" verdict, which is not the same as "innocent", there is no "back to work" or "the doctor is in" for Dr. Corasanti in the court of public opinion. Dr. Corasanti's livelihood, albeit affluent, will no longer be the same as the public will take their services elsewhere, and his associates and/or employees will disappear as well, at least from public face. You only need to google search "Corasanti" to know what I mean.

No one will remember or think about his life work or all the things Dr. Corasanti accomplished in medicine because of what happened after the verdict closing this thirteen day trial. Years from now, in his obituary, James Corasanti the doctor will be mentioned in the first paragraph, however it will not mention where he practiced or whose lives he saved until paragraph six, maybe. Then again, that could be said for all of us.


At some point, we will be held accountable for what we did or do in our lives, and that comes from having an objective, moral standard. If life is a simple yet profound construction of relationships, then each of us is responsible for the death of young Alix Rice, because as individuals we constructed the culture in which we live: The culture of invincibility. Whenever I take to the baseball diamond in my RED SOX gear or PIRATES gear, I feel invincible, and not only can I do no wrong, but I can do everything my way, and come out "right" at that moment. Sometimes, when we line up at shortstop, we get away with it and everyone around us benefits in some way, so we push the envelope to get a little more satisfaction. Unfortunately, the lives of others are involved when we make mistakes, or bad choices in life. Drunkenness, leaving a party drunk, choosing to drive drunk instead of taking a cab or asking a sober friend to drive them home, driving late at night, driving while texting, driving while intoxicated, and not paying attention led to the death of a young girl riding home on her longboard that night.

No justice for the deceased, 18 year old Alix Rice.

No doubt there are a lot of upset people in WNY, and here in Southern Ontario as well. None, more so, than the parents of Alix, whose forgiving hearts and accepting nature are admirable and courageous in the wake of this tragedy. I don't know what the District Attorney (or whoever was in direct charge of organizing the trial and collecting the evidence and testimonies for the prosecution) is thinking, but if this ultimate "worst case scenario" happened on my watch, and given all the evidence, testimonies, trial, careers, money, and lives involved, I would resign. How can you go to your constituents and ask for another term when you lost a trial you led everyone to believe was a "slam dunk"? How can families place their trust in a system that could only hand out one misdemeanour for a DWI resulting in death after spending all that time and effort? I can't answer those questions, and I'm the last one to start throwing stones or respected city officials under the bus because things turned out way different from what I expected. However, I think if the public trust is so important, then I wouldn't begrudge the good people of WNY to consider making a fresh start.

Skateboarders Who Happen to Be Girls

I don't talk about individual YouTubers that often, because I don't want to sound like a fanboy or creepy o_O Nevertheless, I really like the ones I do talk about on this blog, and I am a longtime supporter of theirs. I don't want this to be an infomercial, but it so happens the next story involves one such YouTube personality. Anyway, here it goes...

A bunch of us got together for a picnic lunch at a city park on Sunday afternoon, and we were waiting for the burgers and hot dogs to finish grilling so we could eat. My friends Nathan (Hi Nathan), Jessica (Hi Jessica), and I were hanging out by the swings, and somehow we got on the subject of girl skateboarders, and how scarce they are on the face of the earth. They are not scarce on a "dodo sighting" level, or a "I was alive the last time the Toronto Maple Leafs won the Stanley Cup" level, but the consensus in our group is there aren't that many around.

Her tagline: Good morning, burries! ^_^

Then I remembered one female skateboarder, and a famous one at that. I told my friends about Meghan Camarena, but to most people, who know her from YouTube, she is Strawburry17. I found her through another famous YouTuber I watch, and her friendly nature, optimism, and cutie-patootie voice are quite delightful and contagious. When she isn't skateboarding, she could be co-hosting an online entertainment show directed to teens, vlogging about what food she is eating, talking about or covering the latest music, or hanging out with friends ^_^ She's also a Christian, which is nice. It's comforting knowing there is a source to one's happiness and/or perspective on life, and her consistency and faith is very endearing.

A person with a heart for Jesus is someone whose value exceeds gold and diamonds ^_^ Their friendship, or at least in the way they look out for you or even pray for you can make all the difference in the world. Hold on to those people as best you can, because they will have such a profound effect on you. Thanks, Meghan!

Anyway, for Nathan and Jessica, PROOF GIRLS SKATEBOARD!