Assorted Things - from Asparagus to 'Z'

Ah, what to make sense of today?

How about a few assorted things that have crossed my mind over the last couple of weeks? (And yes, I realize it's been that long since my last post.)

On life in general...

• Asparagus - I just think it's the coolest vegetable for all sorts of reasons. A great conversation starter, especially with people who haven't tried it before. If you're looking for a green to start kids on, what other vegetable can offer such a cool result? (If you don't know what I'm talking about, too bad - I refuse to get more explicit). First runner-up is beets.
• The magical combination of British television, an iPad, Netflix, and a Treadmill - never before has cardio been so easy and so pleasant. I'm working(-out) my way through Misfits now.
• The word "misnomer" - I'm hearing more and more people using this wrong (I think they think it means "misconception"). Given what it actually does mean, it's almost ironic that people use it wrong. As an aside, I learned this week that "sleep clinic" is a misnomer.
• Thank-you cards - In my mind, my nephew/newest niece have set a new standard for thank-you cards. We received it in the mail (the real mail), it was personal, the words of thanks were specific and filled the card, it made me laugh, it made me cry - but most importantlly it made me feel genuinely thanked. Good job. 
• US Elections - who won? Or is this one of those situations where they all won because they got to participate?
• Zed - I believe that in Canada, we call the last letter in the alphabet "Zed" (at least nobody's told me otherwise yet). I know that "Zed" doesn't rhyme with G, P or V so it kind of messes up the whole alphabet verse thing that they teach in school. But still, my 3-year old shouldn't be telling me I'm wrong when I correct her. Let's consider changing the pronunciation for G, P and V to "Ged", "Ped" and "Ved" respectively and then the problem simply goes away. At least that's my POV. 

On the Toronto sports scene...

• The Toronto Blue Jays - no matter what happens as a result of AA's big moves, it's nice to have some north-of-the-border swagger in the AL East again.
• The Toronto Argonauts - since I didn't care beforehand, it would be wrong to claim the Grey Cup as any kind of victory for me personally. But yay.
• NHL lock-out: Everyone seems to be skating around the real issues. What's the ultimate goal here? How many shots at a settlement do they get? At this point, both parties seem off-side. They should just put everything else on ice, and get a deal done...even if it means working overtime. Um, Zamboni.
• The Toronto Raptors - my fearless prediction from an earlier post still stands: They are not bound for great things this year. The rest of what I said in that post was nonsense.

How I Met Your Mother

(Before I get on with my post, one of you lucky readers today will be my blog's 1000th page view. Congratulations. The prize is a coupon for deep-fried butter at next year's CNE. Congratulations!)

Gather around kids and I'll tell you the story of how I met your mother 28 years ago today.

It was November 16, 1984. John Lennon was about to release "Every Man has a Woman Who Loves Him". The 14th Shuttle Mission Discovery 2 was scheduled to land at Kennedy Center. America was mourning the death of trombonist Vic Dickenson. And the landmark films Night of the Comet, Missing in Action, and Nightmare on Elm Street were freshly arriving in theatres.
But the story actually begins a few weeks before with one of my university roommates (you know who you are) telling me about a girl - roommate of his friend - who needed some math help. I said she should call me and I would give her some tutoring. She finally got around to making that call on Thursday November 15th.

A short phone call to set up a tutoring session became a long conversation as I condensed all of my charm and wit into a tiny little ball and squeezed it through the telephone wire (that's right, telephones had wires back then). I liked this girl; mostly because she laughed at everything I said. You see, kids, lasting relationships don't have to start with physical attraction. A voice, a laugh, an ego stroke now and then, and a prolonged dating slump can set the wheels in motion long before you've seen what someone looks like. I know, Daddy's deep.

We ended the call with an appointment to meet tomorrow (Friday the 16th) at the math library after classes. In one last flurry of whimsy, I sealed the date with "I'll be wearing a pink carnation." Ha ha.

That day I could barely concentrate in my classes - my mind wandering to my imminent mystery date / tutoring session; my heart palpitating with anticipation - but I somehow made it through. When classes were finally over, I rushed to the elevators and made my way to the library. The doors opened. And no one was there... (Or maybe I got there after she was already there. Who remembers? It was 28 years ago.)

I scanned the scene outside the library. Who was this algebraic femme fatale? Meanwhile, she would later tell me, she too scanned the scene looking for someone - anyone - with a pink carnation. 

Our eyes finally met. We introduced ourselves. And then we crossed the threshold of the library, books in hand, hearts in throats, ready to talk...math. I remember soft lighting, ambient music, wisps of smoke, and nuanced math exchanges about multiplication, integration, shapes and forms. She remembers me not being very helpful. But she also remembers knowing - KNOWING! - that I was the one she was going to marry.

When it was over, I walked her home, said goodnight, and made my way back to the school to get my bike. We had one more tutoring session before we started calling them dates. And the rest, my sweet daughters, is history.

David Feels a Little Mall-ancholy

I like going to the mall. I like shopping. When I was young, I used to like shopping with my mom and sisters. Now, when I'm less young, I like shopping with my wife and my daughters. I like helping them with their shopping, and I like shopping for myself.

I always thought my dad was weird because he never liked going to the mall as much as I did. Then, when I got older, I thought my male friends were weird because they hated the mall. Then my male work colleagues were that way too. And my brother-in-laws. And then one day when I was at the mall I took a look around and - lo and behold - most of the men who were there didn't seem to be happy about it.

And that's when I realized that the vast majority of men are weird and don't like the mall. Huh.

If I hadn't logged the hours and hours of mall time with my mom, sisters, wife and daughters, I'd have missed so much great stuff. Oh sure, we'd still have the times we spent shooting hoops on the driveway, or passing the day on the dock waiting for the fish to start biting, or the early morning hockey games warming our hands around a cup of Tim's, ... but what of the mall times?

Some of my favourite scenes from the mall:

• Walking across what's now the DVP, and what was then a muddy field, to get to the brand new Fairview Mall - where a mountain covered in diamonds awaited. My mom eagerly buying us a glass of coke as a special treat on every trip.
• And, those times when my Dad was along for the ride, leading us through ridiculous games that made shopping even more fun (like "pricetag bingo").
• My wife spontaneously breaking into hormone-induced tears when she was 9-months pregnant with our first and found out that the sale on the very important baby item we were trying to buy didn't start until (what was then) tomorrow.
• The many, many hours we spent shopping for the girls' clothes, accessories, toys, school supplies, ... and talking about why each item was important to them and how they'd use it. Then patiently waiting while they tried things on and waited for Dad's judgement on how it looked.
• Sitting in a mall restaurant after an afternoon of shopping and telling my two older daughters that we were expecting a third. And the unabashed joy of the moments that followed.
• And the one constant from every mall and every time...the wishing fountain. My Mom reaching into her change purse to give us pennies so we could make our wishes. My older daughters as little girls using my hard-earned change to make their wishes. And this Saturday at the mall, my 3-year-old making her wishes too. (With one of her sisters home for the weekend and at the mall with us, her first wish was that the other sister could be here with her as well.)

I know I'm supposed to hate shopping and - in particular - hate the mall. I don't. It's been my personal experience that being a patient and attentive mall companion has been a big asset in my life-long pursuit of good brother / son / boyfriend / husband / father status. I might as well enjoy the enormous chunks of time I spend there. Right?

Don't Become Emotionally Attached to a Balloon (and other mistakes wecan all learn from)

We all make mistakes: We do or say things that hurt others; we mess something up at work; we slice a finger when we're supposed to be slicing bread; we throw to the wrong base with the game tied in the bottom of the ninth; we buy the wrong kind of milk.

If we're smart, we learn from our mistakes and the mistakes of others and become a little better at navigating our day-to-day as a result. (In fact, I'd say that it's a big mistake not to learn from your mistakes and you shouldn't do that more than once.)

In the spirit of giving back, here are some mistakes that you now never have to make:

• Never buy a bathroom scale as a gift for someone you love. Even if they asked for one.
• Never attend a time-share presentation because of a promised free gift. I don't care what the free gift is, it's not better than the gift of not having ever attended a time-share presentation.
• <This item was removed because it would have been a mistake to include it>
• Don't ever run down a staircase with a low ceiling. And if you're the spouse of someone who is splayed out on the floor after having run down a staircase with a low ceiling, ask them if they need medical attention before you start laughing hysterically.
• Don't ever tell someone that you really, really liked something they cooked for you if you didn't.
• Don't become emotionally attached to a balloon.
• If you have a mother who worries about things, it's not funny to lie down on the icy sidewalk at the bottom of the front-door p and writhe in feigned agony.
• Don't wash giant centipedes down your shower drain. And if you don't want your wife to know that there are spiders in the basement that you're not killing, don't talk about it on Facebook.
• Sometimes the best answer is to pretend you didn't hear the question (like when someone asks you if a dress makes them look heavier, or if Simba's daddy is dead).
• Always re-read your e-mails and blog posts before you send/publish them (see item 3).

I hope these help you. I'd be interested in your list, but I know that nobody ever responds to my posts so I expect nothing. Sniff.

Halloween 2012 - David Loses His Mind Once Again

As some of you know, every Halloween we go a little bit over the top in our decorations. It has become a (now 10 year) tradition to create a Halloween scene in our garage. It takes a bit of work but is always worth it when we hear kids saying things like "Oh! It's THIS house - it's always the best house". Or their parents saying things like "We had to come all the way over here because we never want to miss your house".

This year, after going down the path of doing a cave scene (I was literally in Home Depot a few weeks ago with a cart full of lumber, foam insulation, and insect screen when I stopped and asked myself what the hell I was doing) we ended up with a monster Day Care. Here are the pictures.... (imagine you're here at night, with special-effect lighting, sounds of moans and evil cackles, and eerie music.)

 

Welcome to Devil Day Care...

    

...where you'll find our kids learning their letters...



...taking a stroll...

  



...having a snack...





...or just sitting around.

 

We provide a warm and welcoming environment...





  



   

...with pets...



....and other playthings.

 

 



You'll find our staff is attentive andloving...



...and even our retired staff continue to hang around to spend time with the kids.



Yes, your child belongs with Devil Day Care (but please, no cute bunny suits).



Go Leafs... I mean Raptors... Go!

I wasn't always a basketball fan. Despite having a natural inclination and the physical tools to play basketball, I never did. When the Raptors were born, I was very dismissive about the sport and hadn't ever watched. Then my dad told me that he was a fan and that I should try watching a few games... I did that and quickly got hooked.

Here are the myths that held me back that were quickly dispelled by giving the sport a chance:

• You can watch only the last minute of the game and not miss anything. I now understand that that's kind of like saying you can watch the last 10 minutes of any movie and you haven't missed anything. It's all about the drama, the build-up, the in-game stories...and then - very, very often - a nail-biting conclusion. Not running out the clock. Not playing the trap to preserve a lead. Not taking a knee and letting the time run out...
• NBA players are rich, pampered, ill-behaved, and generally bad people who you wouldn't want your daughters to date. Maybe - but how is that different from the other sports? And...it wouldn't be a complete disaster for my family to get an infusion of height in the gene pool.
• The formula for success in the NBA is ridiculously simple: get one or two star players and you're there. If only that were true (as Miami showed, you probably need three). The really good thing about this is that in any given off-season a team can go from the absolute dregs to having a legitimate playoff shot (particularly in the East). The Maple Leafs, on the other hand, are so deeply mired in (at best) mediocrity - that even I, the eternal optimist, can't see the light at the end of the tunnel.

If you are a sports fan and you are not (yet) a basketball fan - watch 5 Raptors games and see what happens. I think you'll realize that you've been missing something. And - thanks to the NHL lockout - you've been granted some extra time to try it out.

Which brings me to tonight - the start of a new Raptors season. I am very, very excited about this year's team. Not because I naively believe that the team is bound for great things this year; but because I believe it's bound for good things. Wouldn't good be great in this barren wasteland we call Toronto's professional sports franchises???

I only know what's been fed to me by the media, which in turn has been fed by the hype that every sports franchise produces before a season starts - but what I (want to) believe is:

• This team is on the rise. There is nascent talent here that in future years may be good enough to compete for championships. In contrast, the current Leafs' talent pool - if it ever realizes its potential - is only good enough to be a playoff team or maybe an overachieving conference finalist.
• There are a lot of likable players on the team. Again, I don't know that. But I like the number of core players who are Europeans and are humbled by the experience of adjusting to a new continent. They don't seem to be the same strutting, entitled American stars around whom other teams are built. There's something Canadian about that.
• Management seems to have a plan and know a thing or two about how to implement it. I like the GM. I like the Coach. I like the emphasis on defense. I like the acquisition of players who fit the team's direction.
• The team got better during the off-season. Even last year, the team was showing signs of real progress. Then in the off-season they weren't idle - and that in itself is incredibly refreshing.
• The competition in the East is pretty thin. It won't take much to make the playoffs this year (as usual) and yes, this is the year where I'd love to see a Toronto team play a playoff game - even if it isn't part of a championship run. (Sorry for ignoring the Argos - that's just the way I roll).

I have hope. In fact, I haven't been this hopeful about a Toronto franchise since - well - the start of the baseball season way back in April.

The Disney Catalogue Through My 3-year-old's Eyes

We've been making our way (back) through the Disney catalogue with the 3-year-old. Believe it or not, we're watching most of the movies on video cassettes left over from the older girls. For what it's worth, here's a somewhat paraphrased set of movie reviews through her eyes:

• Little Mermaid - Good movie. The witch is too scary so I won't ever watch it again.
• Lion King - Is Simba's Daddy DEAD? I don't ever want to watch that again. (Note - Daddy advises me to not watch Bambi either, so I haven't).
• Tarzan - I don't get why baby Tarzan's Mummy and Daddy left him on the island and my Daddy doesn't know either, but still a good movie. Monkeys were too scary, so I'm not sure I'll watch it again.
• Hercules - Saw the picture on the video cover - not interested.
• Peter Pan - The best. Peter is so hot. Why doesn't Tinkerbell ever talk? Hate the crocodile.
• Tinkerbell - Where's Peter? Maybe if I watch it a few more times he'll show up. He's so hot.
• Fox and the Hound - What's a hound? Why doesn't the big dog like the fox? Why are the fox and the little dog friends? Is the big dog dead? Why are the two friends fighting? This movie is way beyond me. Who can watch it when I've got a question that needs answering in every single scene? And the bear is too scary.
• Finding Nemo - Don't really get what happened at the beginning (and again, Daddy doesn't know either). Fun after that.
• The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh - So good. I understood everything; no questions. Filmmaking at its finest. Christopher Robin's kind of hot too. And the bear's name is poo - that never stops being funny.
• Pocahontas - Lot's of questions on this one too. Biggest question - why is Princess Tiger Lily an "Indian" in Peter Pan, but Pocahontas isn't? The John Smith character was pretty 2-dimensional and I found the tree's motivation confusing.
• Tangled - This was my first movie in a theatre. Great hair. Loved the popcorn.
• Brave - Another theatre movie. Went with Daddy and my sisters. Brave's Mummy turns into a bear. My big sister cried and then hugged Mummy when we got home. Does that mean my Mummy is going to turn into a bear?
• Aladdin - Kind of liked it. Aladdin's cute. I want a magic carpet. 
• Jungle Book - Good, but now I'm confused. Are tigers good (Aladdin) or bad (this movie)? Are bears good (this movie) or bad (Fox and the Hound) or both (Brave)? And why do the vultures sound like the Beatles? 

At the time of this writing, we still have many, many Disney movies to go. I know some we haven't watched will be favourites (Beauty and the Beast, for one). But for her, it always comes back to Peter Pan. This girl is very, very, very in love with him. That said, she's dressing as a pirate for Halloween. Go figure.