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.