still excited

i think i am going to leave writing a full commentary on the weekend for when i am back at school, because dial-up internet is giving me significant grief and that way i can relive happy moments when i should be studying ...

but first off: happy birthday to sherry. happy birthday to cindy. happy birthday to dad, and happy birthday to 2006: you are almost one year old.

for now i will let some pictures do the talking.
skating at nathan phillips square. while some of us were skating, and some of us were watching, there were some interesting "sting"tunes with crews setting up for new year's eve. as this day was a day of many firsts i should mention that it was my first time in downtown toronto and on the subway.

skating was followed by some significant defrosting/warming up and dinner at the food court in the eaton centre. easily finished a 10 inch sub right there. and after that .... the highlight of all highlights: the leafs-sens game at the air canada centre:
the overtime win was more than my voice could handle, but very important as i am now assured that i am not bad luck. and maybe we can't beat toronto in fanpower, or level of obnoxiousness, or immaturity, but we can get them where it hurts the most: on the scoreboard. and i'll gadly take it.

i was led by my "cheesy" but very effective posters:

the final scoreboard as evidence for a hard fought victory. or excellent goaltending skills. i'll take either explanation. with very close seats to the ice i was rather disappointed spezza was not playing, but it's all about the game so nothing beats this night.

above: sherry and ken .... and embarassed leafs fan? ok, i will put down my weapons, take off the gloves and call a truce on this one ... but it should be duely noted it was all in good fun.

the night ended with some drinks at a downtown bar, as a tribute to our birthday girl. and yu and france. very many million thanks!

anyways, a slightly bitter ending was with a speeding ticket on sundaymorning. i am guilty, but at the same time they were pulling people over in half a dozens. luckily it was only very minor. only a few hours left until 2007. thus, i will leave with a HAPPY NEW YEAR wish and a promise for an updated entry when i get back to school and have some decent internet. but i don't want to go back to school. not yet. sigh ... i think mcmaster really does hate us. well, i might just be whining. which would make me like tucker. which is the leafs. which sucks. then i suck? that can't be. so i will stand tough and excited to see all the girls and to decorate the house. i mean there should be some use for my posters. somehow. somewhere. i mean i get 1/7 of the living room wall space .. dont i?

bundle of joy

introducing the newest member of the family ... laika! having stolen all of our hearts, one thing is for sure: a game of soccer or driveway hockey will never be the same

at the top

i was tempted to name this entry "we like it on top" but it brought back too many thoughts of first year residence, where i actually liked it in the middle ... and even then, too many people and too many imaginations (or dirty minds) leave me with the existing title.
this entry is an honour to the end of the year, and the hundreds of top 100, top 10, etc. lists that are made. i was even tempted to make a list of favourite moments, favourite songs, or favourite hockey moments, but am too worried to forget something, or someone. plus i can't make up my mind anyways. thus i just wanted to pass along some lists of favourites i have come across for this year:

radio 538 - presents the top 538 songs: of course they won't pass along the top 10 just yet, but a browse through the other 528 is a worthwile waste of time. people could send in their favourite top 3 songs of all time, add up all votes and all songs and voila! the top 538. you might notice heavy dutch content, which would be because it was done by a dutch radio station.

pitchfork feature looks at the top 100 tracks of 2006. interestingly they add a little blurb on every song. interestingly, justin timberlake with my love finds its way to the top. so maybe there is some truth to the idea that the worst will end up as the best. but then again, i would highly doubt the credibility of this site, only because i have never even heard of most songs, or the site for that matter. interesting read though.
they also put together a top 50 of 2006 albums

ESPN - the top 100 sports stories of 2006. thought this was rather interesting

anyways, after spending a couple of hours on dial-up internet putting this together: i give up! put i figured not posting it would be like really wasting my time ... even as i already wasted it ... hmmm

joy to the world

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

went to church, then played roadhockey with the lil'ones and went christmas carolling tonight. it is looking more like a canadian christmas every year! i have to say, it was a lot of fun. and check out the stars tonight. maybe no snow this year, but clear skies and shining stars make up for it. really maybe if i wear my pajamas inside out tonight, might i wake up to a white scenery, but am not putting my hopes on that ... weather network tells me so.

anyways, this is just a short message to say that i would sing you a christmas carol today ... but distances prevent me ... thus, please accept this as a digital message; wishing you a blessed christmas!

song: angels we have heard on high

"i'm so excited .. just can't hide it"

as i am fighting with the computer to put this entry together, my mom is laughing at me for the picture content. i can't help it i need to organize the hockeyplayers for some picture content. plus i can lay claims to the pictures in this entry, because i was there. [insert triple smile here] - this one is a shoutout to sherry.

i don't even know where to start ... good times, such good times. i wish i could present the last few days in form of song, but my creative fluids are running wild with little sleep and bittersweet memories of hockey and ice. i just came home an hour ago from ottawa, a homeward trip that started at 5am with the sound a most obnoxious and painful beeping of the alarm clock. despite that though, i am not very tired. well, probably tired. just high on adrenaline.

so i spend part of my week in stevester's city. i can make an attempt to name all the reasons why ottawa is such a great city, but i think i will just leave it at the fact that there are far more positives than negatives. far more. plus it is the home of the ottawa senators, well maybe kanata would qualify more as a home, but even then, much nicer. i mean, even when visiting the national art gallery and coming across a piece the "love empire," which consisted of a stage at which people could proclaim their love ... i was tempted to proclaim my love for ottawa, but then the people working there would likely raise their eyebrows and wonder why that could be. i think it is love at first sight. it really does exist.

with a visit to the national art gallery, as well as the canadian war museum the day before, i definitely filled my cultural hole before the end of the year. also, shopping and seeing friends made things even better.

but the highlight would definitely have been the senators-lightning game that we went to. i have to say there is nothing like a crowd of some 19000 people cheering, and nothing like being there during the game. it was a bittersweet experience though. for one, ottawa lost. for two, spezza got hurt, and will be out indefinitely. in other words, he won't be there on the 30th. the crazy thing about ottawa is, is that walking around the city the commercials on team 1200 become real places, and pictures of the players appear at random places. coming home today though i am glad to find out that they picked up two points in philadelphia, from a 6-3 win. nice work. very nice work.

i don't have any pictures from the week, but i was there when this shot was taken ... i guess that could count as a good picture. plus it comes with my message of: please get better, we need to see our interests represented. that is, win some more games.

i think i will leave this post at this. i am too tired to coherently finish all my thoughts, plus after reading this you must think i am crazy, obsessed at least. i have to admit i am crazy, but not obsessed. just enjoying it and playing it up a bit. it is all in good fun, and worth a try and highly recommended. hopefully the pictures from the glam cam turn out ok, and that maybe i will get some pictures forwarded in due time :-). as for now, i still have to write some christmas cards and do some laundry.

song: ""pump it up'" by who knows who. actually i have no idea. but i guess this counts as a shoutout to the girls, and a compliment to staff at scotiabank place.

oh, and did i mention the ice? we did not get to skate on the rideau, but freezing rain and walk back from parliament hill provided a similar effect.

nerd attack

mommy, its OVER!!!!!!

except for, i sound a lot happier than the green guy on "just for laughs"

anyways, having just watched the Mighty Ducks 2, and checking the hockey scores for today, i am most definitely ready for some sleep. oh, and whatever paul maurice put in the morning coffee of his players. i'll have some of that, i am sure i could use that for the next round of exams. and of course i have to mention, i just have to. as i was writing my exam, partly on triple cocktails, the 15-19 combo provided some nice triple cocktail action out in buffalo. cheers to that!

looking forward to going home and holidays and ottawa and toronto and hockey and seeing people i have not seen forever ... sigh ... such happy prospects

adios!

killerbees

exam status: 3/4 complete


"smart is for chumps"

housemates, my homeys (this fits with my g-unit image), are full of wisdom.
happy birthday JAX!! welcome to the old-timers club. who ever said old-timers aren't cool? it's all good, it's all good.

yikeszors

Flappie

I was listening to some Dutch radio, and they played this 'song' by a Dutch comedian. i am sorry it is in Dutch but the song is about a little boy who could not find his rabbit anywhere on christmas eve ... and after searching and searching found it back with christmas dinner, on the table. so sad!
as for hockey tonight - equally sad. i am hoping for an extension of the spezza scoring streak, other than that no hopes ... (one hour later update: negative even on the smallest hope)

just spend an hour watching numb3rs from this website, which has become another study enemy, only second to youtube and nhl.com.

2 more exams. need to keep focus for 2 more days. deep breath ...
song: keane - nothing in my way

square eyes zors

i don't think that staring at a computer screen, while typing notes for 16 hours a day is good for my sanity. my thumbs are starting to hurt. but only 3 more days until it is over.

i did not want to write anything else, but then realized that i have faithfully reported on hockey happenings since i started this blog. and thus i must report on our recent win from detroit and hasek. neither watched it nor listened to it, but am glad to know it is the first time i saw a goalie penalty on the scoresheet. anyways, after talking to a cousin in holland i checked the soccer situation, and the only dutch team (PSV) that is left, lost their game against Bordeaux in the UEFA championship, hopefully next game is better luck.

vote rory!

listening to razorlight - america, not all that uplifting. but am glad to know that the top floor is by far the coolest. i am not sure why i chose to stay behind the computer while taking a study break considering my earlier thoughts .... but such are my priorities.

attempt #1: failure

since my last post i have done nothing involving academics. well, except for writing a few lines of study notes. but ... that does not count for anything. thus, before i hit the books, let me remnisce(?) about the last hours for just a little while longer.
went to simcoe or norfolk? for a baking/sleepover/dinner/scene it? party. let the pictures speak for themselves.

let the handicrafts begin ... or time for cleanup?

i am told i must have a sick mind for making this. but in my defense the man in the shorts needed a woman in a bikini ... for the beach, people, just the beach.

group picture!!!

tray of love. sugar. blood. sweat. and tears ...

the alien cookie gets a special mention. at least we are prepared for E.T coming back.
i did find out this weekend, though, that i have been lacking a little in my childhood. no santa claus. no easter bunny. no curious george. no beauty and the beast. very little disney experience. as such horrific at Scene it? the disney edition. maybe i will have to dedicate part of my Christmas holidays to catching up.

anyways, coming home this morning i had a shower, coffee, lunch and then watched the Mighty Ducks. the movie. i mean while i was failing miserably at decorating cookies the sens were failing miserably at winning hockey games. but i am too tired to actually care right now. as such, no comments. well, mcgrattan deserves a special mention for all the fights he has fought so far. i mean if you can't win a game, at least we can stand tough, or pretend to be more than a bunch wussies.

also enjoyed knowing the fact that the staal brothers have a Dutch heritage. i mean if you ain't Dutch you ain't much ... i guess that means i will have to cheer them on a bit, but not at the expense of the sens, there is still a lot of love there, despite the sad looking scoreboards. go dutch go! go sens go!

work is calling my name. and since i have not been kidnapped or eaten by large apes i have no excuses. thus, here she goes ... again.

ottawa: stars of the missed shot

exam status: 2/4 complete

am watching newest episode of supernatural on my computer, and while i finally have some time to actually write a blog entry, i dont really know what to say. or feel like saying anything. well, for some short thoughts on stuff. the chairs in convocation hall were like a style royale, very nice mcmaster, something you did right. and for shopping; can i be in the shopping cart next time? the key to less worrying about exams is linkin park - in the end. "i don’t know why it doesn’t even matter how hard you try ... i had to fall, to lose it all but in the end it doesn’t even matter" lol. despite how worried i was this last exam went quite well. unlike the last hockey game, darn jagr.

sleep; i am going to exhaust you.
ugh. cliffhangers.

melody and books

G's ultimate exam time playlist (version 3.1):

James Morrison - give me something
Take That - patience
Blof - een manier om thuis te komen
Supermode - tell me why
Racoon - brother
Staind - fade
30 Seconds to Mars - from yesterday
Linkin Park- in the end
Three Days Grace - pain
The Fray - how to save a life
Snow Patrol - chasing cars
Angels and Airwaves - the war
Bob St. Clair - world hold on
Armin van Buuren - sail
Rise Against - ready to fall
Evans Blue - cold
Dashboard Confessional - don't wait
Machete Avenue - cut to pieces
Target - Embrace
Matchbox twenty - the difference

these are my study suggestions for those among us who really cant study in silence.

no excuses for some of these songs. i never claimed to have a good taste in music anyways. interesting is nelly fortado's new song all good things (come to an end), which she wrote with chris martin from coldplay. apparently most record companies hated it, and refused to produce it. so much for appreciating canadian talent. even if i can see where they are coming from.

just realized on my last post, i talked about spezza's article, and then move right into cupcakes. for the record, i meant real cupcakes, but spezza can be my cupcake for a day, after all his name does start with a "J." (ps. you dont have to understand this reference ... its a long story).

ok just printed off my paper, handed it in, and am going to start studying for econometrics. i dont think i have to mention how much i dont want to study, given the number of posts in the last few days ... i really should stop wasting time.

timeless utility my ass

i think the title captures my mood rather well.

anyways, i will not load you up with the frustrations from writing an exam that i studied quite a bit for, without gaining any 'utility' or any return of some sort. but after about 1 hour into the exam, i got an aweful stomach ache, that lasted until i ate a delicious, warm, butter pecan cupcake that elaine and her friend baked for me. especially on the walk home from school, in the very very very cold, i had time for many many angry thoughts, and i was ready to post them all, but the cupcakes did the trick. i wont. interesting however, was the fact that the invigilator asked me if i was finished by placing his hands across his neck, in like an execution type of way. well, i certainly felt finished. in the execution type of way that is. interesting though, when i handed in my paper he mumbled something about how he was glad i made it through, in the creepy way. anyways. weird.

right now, i just want to go to sleep. but i still have a paper to finish for tomorrow, and another exam on saturday that i really need to study for. sigh. as for the rest of the day, i went to get a snack at the bakery during my study break, but i could not find anything i really wanted, so i got a loaf of fresh bread, and ate it with cream cheese instead. also, have become addicted to arizona green tea. you have probably seen the large cans around. very yummy.

no hockey game today. (well toronto lost, but that is nothing new - now am worried about boston getting up in the standings though ...) but i have been pretty obsessed, and i guess admitting it is the first step towards healing. but, before i heal: on an economic note, the idea that revenues are up, but attendance down at hockey games, has everyone talking. i just wanted to point out that the canadian hockey games (that is, played in canada) are among the highest in attendance (maybe not edmonton, but they are some angry people this season) i guess this way you find out who the true fans are. well, not really either, because there are those poor students among us ... anyways, i thought i mention something of some sort of substance, even if it has to do with economics (which i really hate right now)

also to make my day a little bit: jason spezza nice to know i have something in common with him: wearing a no.9 in my short (glory) days of team sport (hey, my favourite number is 9). "There’s something I like about numbers with nine in them." Also, i have a pretty bad taste in bands as well.

mmm .. delightful cupcakes ...

song: 30 seconds to mars - the kill
yikes, after i picked this song to add today, i looked up the lyrics , maybe not very meaningful, but somewhat relevant to my thoughts on the way home about economics. crazy eh? i am probably just exaggerating. actually, make that highly probable.

when exhaustion sets in ...

"slow dancing on the boulevard in the quiet moments while the city's still dark"

have been studying for most of the day, but feel entitled to a 10 minute break. sigh. tonight, in terms of hockey, we saw an exhausted group of senators fighting the capitals for the second time this season. and sadly, they failed to deliver a blow, and did not get the revenge we were hoping for. with 28 minutes in the penalty box for both teams, 37 shots on goals, the capitals capitalized in the third period with 3 goals in a 5 minute span.

i am not sure what bothers me more; that ottawa lost or that ovechkin got 3 assists, and a star in this game. i think the latter is worse. i had wished volchenkov would hold him against the boards for most of the game ... maybe that was too much to wish for.

but heatley and spezza both added one point, to a total of 36 each. notably, spezza being at a career total of 202. very nice. Bois, recalled from the AHL, spend 7 minutes of his first NHL game in the penalty box. altogether, then, this defeat cancels out my excitement from last night's win against the NY islanders (4-2). thus me and the sens are even. that leaves us still above the leafs right? i hope so. that's all that matters for now (letting my competitive side show..)

i better get back to studying, and get a good night of sleep (so that i wont succumb to exhaustion tomorrow during my exam).

song: the fray - how to save a life. although considerably overplayed, it is rather calming, and very appropriate for a few more hours of study.

my wish

for my two minute break from studying here is some country wisdom (i thought it was kind of cute, plus it brings back many memories of spending hours and hours driving for work this past summer ...)- rascal flatts:

I hope the days come easy and moments pass slow,
and each road leads you where you want to go,
and if you're faced with a choice, and you have to choose,
I hope you choose the one that means the most to you.
And if one door opens to another door closed,
I hope you keep on walkin' till you find the window,
if it's cold outside, show the world the warmth of your smile,

But more than anything, more than anything,
My wish, for you, is that this life becomes all that you want it to,
your dreams stay big, your worries stay small,
You never need to carry more than you can hold,
and while you're out there getting where you're getting to,
I hope you know somebody loves you, and wants the same things too,
Yeah, this, is my wish.

I hope you never look back, but you never forget,
all the ones who love you, and the place you left,
I hope you always forgive, and you never regret,
and you help somebody every chance you get,
Oh, you find God's grace, in every mistake,
and always give more than you take.

But More than anything,
Yeah, more than anything,
My wish, for you, is that this life becomes all that you want it to,
your dreams stay big, your worries stay small,
You never need to carry more than you can hold,
and while you're out there getting where you're getting to,
I hope you know somebody loves you, and wants the same things too,
Yeah, this, is my wish.

Yeah. My wish, for you,
is that this life becomes all that you want it to,
your dreams stay big, your worries stay small,
You never need to carry more than you can hold,
and while you're out there getting where you're getting to,
I hope you know somebody loves you, and wants the same things too,
Yeah, this, is my wish.

crystals

last day of classes, cupcakes and snow. especially snow.

that is the life.

loving the prospect of finishing finals. until then ... not looking so bright.

the thing is (1)

vermette's sweet, sweet goal.
limited ability in blogging leads to this. lol.

the thing is (2)

it is has been a couple of days since my last post ...

i went off to another world. one of white fluffiness. well, owen sound that is: i spend a few days with limited internet access and a lot of food. good food. yay to take out fries. ketchup is my hero.

on friday i went to the dentist, who quickly concluded that if i was single, and still in school i must be choosing a career over a husband. well, if that is how she chooses to see that, so be it. i mean, did i mention i am an '86er? oh well. i stayed in town to do some studying in the library before going off to get my hair chopped off. just a bit though. at night we got together with the whole family to celebrate sinterklaas. i ate my chocolateletter in less than 5 minutes. but my sister bought me some nice winter attire (ie. scarf and mitts), while she and my mom also made me some pillows ... why buy some if you make them. right? all in all: a successful evening.

i spend my saturday in williamsford. a town smaller than ... actually its not a town. more like a hole. a tiny dot. either way, it was me and the dog for the whole day. i got quite some work done, but having access to a very very large CD collection and being pestered by a most annoying and playful dog lend for some unproductive moments. and every minute counts in this business of studying. well, figuratively. i have been introduced to the alan parsons project, and frankly it makes for good study music and that is always hard to find. after some 12 hours of staring at a computer screen, i permitted myself to watch the hockey game, which was only possible with a good starchoice channel package. lol. i am going to try to post my favourite moment, if i can figure out how it works.

wishing i had some pictures from the weekend: wrong computer. sorry.

school update. YIKES!! i was able to write some 20 pages for my review, which i hope to finish up on monday. then study, study, study for finals. thus, that will be the summary for my week. no interesting notes there. thought i mention that i am pretty excited that dion won the liberal leadership race, i highly doubt that he can win an election, and another 4 years of conservative leadership might be good for canada. from my perspective. but only time will tell ...

as for hockey this weekend. thursday night against the panthers. 6-0 win. and for saturdaynight against lightning (again), another win at home. this time at 5-2. having seen this game, i was rather disappointed, because it was just plain ugly. bouncing pucks, giveaways, missed shots, and just bad bad bad puckhandling. well except for vermette, i gotta give it to this guy: sweeeeettttt!!!
picture: lightning smothered by flying senators

as for soccer. something i get equally excited for, even as it is not as readily accessible for entertainment in canada. but, i have been following the qualifying round for the UEFA, EURO 2008 games. qualifying rounds have started in september, and most teams have played 3 or 4 games so far. the netherlands, my favourite team for obvious reasons, has won 3 and tied one. winners coming from matches against albania, belarus, and luxembourg, while the tie was with bulgaria. the next game is not until the march 24, so there will be a delay in any news on the team standings. in the meantime, i will try to figure out details on the team, and coach. because, marco van basten i have found you, and many thanks to kaustub for pointing him out: i should have known. i should have. but i intend to make up any lost time. picture: rain or sunshine, orange represent!

off to bed for an early start to the school week tomorrow morning. wish me luck, on second thought ... actually no thought. big breath ....

song: alan parsons project - old and wise