Olympics Under Way ....

With the Games under way, my excitement and Canadian pride are at the all time high that only the Olympics can bring. As the games are still young with only 3 days in but are already full of pain, agony, success, and self-satisfaction that really show the wide range of human emotions that will only grow as the Games continue. Although there are negative aspects to what the Olympics bring to a Country they are far out weighted but the nation unity and joy that is so predominant right ... so I hope everyone is enjoying them as much as I am :).
With that said I think a medal prediction is due by myself (which will only matter if im close haha) ...
Prediction is a bold one ...
28 total medals to top the leader board.
"And Canada wins the game!"
Yeah you can say I'm optimistic and playing into the media driven sense of success ... by hey if I was a Canadian athlete its that national belief that feeds the relax feeling of willing the win of gold - not pressure!



"Do you believe?"
Mich

5 Year Chapter Complete

As usually the blog was put on the back burner but nice thing about that is there is definitely not a lack of stuff to talk about ...

This past week I completed my University basketball career as a Bison. We finished our season on a very big high note with a huge win over the University of Winnipeg. I'm not one to brag or talk big but the win proved a lot about our program and what could have happen if we had the chance to sneak into the playoffs (unfortunately we didn't get the wild-card after finishing tied for 5th). But what is done is done and I would not have wanted a different group of girls in the room with me when it was done :). I was fortunate to meet life-time friends over the past 5 years of playing and really grow as an athlete and person. I could take the time to thank everyone that as helped me along the way but they know who they are so I will spare everyone the details haha. So I will leave you with something that I wrote for Kait, my 5th year pattern and the best compliment to captaincy ever :)!



Wanting To Be Great
The train leaves the station ready to face the wind
Eager to please, compete and wanting to win
Nothing to lose and only confidence to gain
Only wanting to be part of the real fame
Start by going fast not knowing what to expect
Soon finding out its about pace and respect
They see the stop ahead not wanting to halt the flow
But know its a matter of time so they start to slow
One year has past but nothing has changed
Wanting to be great is still the main game
Looking out the window the scenery looks bright
They start to move and continue to fight
Question is, Should they lead or should they follow?
Trying to find a role that is bigger than the shadow
The train continues to run but with some struggle
Trying to find a way to solve this puzzle
And 1’s and 3’s with fun in the sun
The third stop on the journey has just begun
Starting to find their way and be themselves
Protecting the ‘Pride’ and everything else
Friends have come and gone, but they remain standing
Trying to play hard and do something amazing
The decision was made ‘Leaders we will be!’
Understanding now this is more than just ‘me’
It seems as they chug along the view passes quicker
Needing to complete things that much swifter
This team has become theirs but with great pressure
They embrace the challenge with immense pleasure
The time has now come to try and out run
With the confidence that they will be happy once it’s all done
Four years have passed and nothing has changed
Wanting to be great is still the main game
The time has now come to just ‘ball’ and have fun
Knowing this is and will be a great run
The journey is one of a kind and special opportunity
To be a part of something that means lots to many
As they approach the last stop with a smile on their face
Knowing that they have been a part of something great.

"I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith" T
Mich #14

The Unrealistics Norm

The way in which I hope to apply my Kinesiology and Engineering degrees ... ideal jobs, exciting projects and unrealistic goals are what its all about! haha
Or maybe just a fun way to apply science to everything we do or what to try and do!
Who said nerd alert? ... :)





"It's written in wind, it's everywhere I go, so just let it show"
Mich

Bam Bam

Guest of Ellen's and many other talk shows ... so impressive at such a young age! Just thought it was a fun one to share.




"He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life." M.A
Mich

Water Fountain Watching

Last week while we were waiting in the airport for our flight to BC - we have to be at the airport and hour and a half early - I had some time to kill and the terminal was quite busy. So knowing our team - the amount we talk, the set up we need with our carry on bags full of game clothes and the general 'enthusiasm' we have I chose to sit in an area less busy and with lots of empty sits. Well this location just so happened to be right next to the water fountain (also key for our team), lets just say "people watching" set in quickly! I mean kids are always funny when trying out new or interesting things, but honestly watching the joy they get out of the mystery of how water comes out and than the struggle to get the timing of the drinking and the pressing of the button is so funny! I'm telling you the next time you find yourself with time to kill sitting next to a water fountain (happens all the time right!? haha) sit there and wait for the that one person who will put you into a fit of laughter.
Here are some youtube clips to just recreate a little laughter of what I found so funny haha ...











"The simplest things in life can bring so much laughter"
Mich

Bison Brief (not so brief .... )

Recent post from my less than stellar bison blog ... aka ball update:

Hi Bison fans its me again and I think a much needed season update is in order, I apologize for the lack of post but its just been that kind of year.

I hope everyone had a great holiday season and is excited about the new opportunities that lie ahead in 2010 – our team surely is. We finished our 2009 play with a Christmas exhibition tournament in Montreal, where we were fortunate to play 3 non-conference teams. Reuniting in Montreal after only 8 days apart – which felt like an eternity for a group of people who spend at least 5 hours a day with each other - the excitement and energy set in early. We had a good day of practice leading into our first game – which gave us patience and composure to win in an exciting game against a tough McMaster team. For me this was a fun game as I got to play against girls that I play basketball with growing up and got a chance to be on the court again with them. As much as we are competitive, it was fun to get to see how they have grown as players and although we play on different teams we both share in the joy of finishing our CIS careers in 5 years at one school. Although we started out with an exciting win we let the momentum and energy slip away from us in the second half of the second game and the third game as well - ending with a tournament record of 1 and 3. These were tough loses but we learned a lot about ourselves and what we needed to continue to get better at to be competitive this season. All in all we had a great time in the city, taking in all the sights sounds and shopping haha! So again the privilege of being a bison was not lost on us at all and we enjoyed every minute of it we could.

After a good week of focused, intense and fun practices we started league play again, on the road in BC. This tough swing trip, which sees us sleeping through the night on the bus in between games while traveling from Kamloops to Abbotsford, was a fun team trip. We enjoyed just being on the road free of home distractions and got two much needed wins! Kait stepped up huge in the first game keeping us on the scoreboard in the first half and finishing the game with two clutch free throws. Mubo battled inside the second night and brought a physical presence that everyone feed off of! Needless to say everyone stepped up when we needed them too and it was two total team wins.

We continued league play this past weekend against a tough #4 ranked Regina, we came in confident, knowing that if we battled through the physical play and kept their score below their season average we would give them two good games. Friday night saw us execute the game plan well for all but 3 minutes, which cost us the win down the stretch. On Saturday we played through a rough first half but couldn’t keep the momentum into the second half.

Our second half schedule sees us traveling 4 out of 6 weeks, so we were back on the road, (in this case in the air) off to a balmy BC climate. Although it is quite busy in Vancouver the Olympic buzz can’t help but be felt by everyone. Not to mention the entire city is displaying 2010 spirit in any or everyway possible! So catching on to that excitement we headed into our game against Trinity Western with lots of excitement. The tone was set early with some physical and ‘interesting’ ball handling by both teams – not too mention Kait and myself seemed to be in foul trouble the whole game. What can I say, I don’t think the referees enjoyed me trying to be physical on defence haha. But in the end the younger players set-up and Mubo had another great game to get us a much-needed win!

The second part of this road trip had us matched up against the #1 team in the country – SFU. And like any competitive setting there was no need for forced energy when getting to play against the best. Unfortunately for us we didn’t execute the game plan for 40 minutes and had too many turn overs – and when playing against the best you won’t get the job done.

So now we head into the last three weeks of regular season trying to make a surge for a playoff spot and prove that we belong there. We have what it takes it is just a matter of playing like we can and playing our best basketball when it matters. All in all I’m still having fun, enjoying competing, and loving the privilege of the pressure!

Road Warriors off to Saskatoon this weekend …

"Another Road Warrior test, To bring about our best; It's time to just get better, And go out there, n' get'r! " CB
Mich

Can I Have your Number?

Here is a funny video ... enjoy!
Shout out to MD!



"I'm thankful for laughter even if milk comes out of my nose" WA
Mich

2010 Culture

Another Olympic post ... one of my favorite discoveries of how the Vancouver Games are shaping up are the very unique design of the medals ... no two medals are the same and they all incorporate local Indigenous art, the story is pretty cool. Check out the video if you are interested ...



"No culture can live, if it attempts to be exclusive and culture is the widening of the mind and spirit." MG
Mich

Canadian Creation

With great anticipation of a recently announced concert of one of my favorite Canadian musicians, thought I would post a video. Craig Cardiff is a very unique personality and when I saw the passion that he had for his art form last year at a small warehouse show in Winnipeg, I fell in love with his music even more. And I think this video can give you a like taste of his personality and what to expect from his shows. Mubo and Vanessa don't worry the date is marked on my calendar - we enjoy music fusion of all that is Craig Cardiff and he will be so much more than just an inspiring voice on your ipod!

That Band Live (1.6.07) from craig cardiff on Vimeo.

"Music can change the way your day evolves"
Mich

Blogger's Block

Events can inspire you, change you, shock you, rock you, shape you ... and new years bring new possibilities, constant change, inconceivable events and unforgettable memories. Reminders of lessons learned, living in the moment, and excitement for the future can never be too many. Constant inspiration and stories of humanity are what help us get up in the morning and to get excited about life ...
There are many things I could post to complement these random thoughts here is just one of many. Enjoy this classic video, its one of my favorite songs to come back to for any type of inspiration or perspective ...




"We don't beat the reaper by living longer, but by living well, and living fully — for the reaper will come for all of us. The question is: what do we do between the time we're born and the time he shows up" R.P.
- Mich

Love of the Theatre ...

This past week I got another taste of the never ending cultural experiences that Winnipeg seems to surprise me with. I scored some free tickets to a dress rehearsal of the current play that is on at Manitoba Theatre Centre 'The Drowsy Chaperone' - and it definitely didn't disappoint. It brought me back to all the fun times I had dressing up and going to the theatre with my mom as a kid. So if you are in Winnipeg and have a chance to go and check this out (or the theatre where ever you live :) ) I would highly recommend it for a fun night out and to rekindle or find your lost love of the theatre haha. It has it all - great acting, fun characters, broadway music feel, sexual jokes and no intermission!

And this particular play has canadian content and an interesting story to its creation. Check the story from the Winnipeg Free Press for more ...

And in the spirit of musical theatre check this fun youtube video out ...

"It is a hopeless endeavour to attract people to a theatre unless they can be first brought to believe that they will never get in." C.D.

Mich

Olympic Fever

For most Canadians the Olympic spirit is spreading across the country and into our cities whether we like it or not. Lucky for me I'm an Olympic junky and I get this kid-like excitment every two years when they roll around so I'm pumped :). Even more fun is to be had this time around though because Canada is hosting them ... so no one can escape the Olympic fever!! muhaha.
Needing to feel apart of the Games and knowing that attending them this time around was impossible (yes I'm implying one day I will be able to attend!!) I wasn't going to miss the torch run in Winnipeg. Knowing not many people would bare the elements of a Winnipeg winter to see something they liked let alone a little torch being lite, I tried to reason out the historic moment that we could be apart of (hard to see it when the possibility of frost bitten toes is in the equation). Lucky for me I was able to drag two great friends - Colleen and Eric out to share in my ridiculous excitement over the torch. The weather couldn't have been better all things considered and it definitely satisfied my craving to be a part of 2010. So as the excitement builds and the athletes prep I hope that everyone can enjoy a little or a lot of the Olympic spirit because it truly is one of most powerfully and world-unifying events!


(Probably one of few Olympic posts!)

"Hosting an Olympic Games means evoking history and are the quadrennial celebration of the human spirit" P.C.
Mich

The Return of the Forgotten ...

So I'm officially the worst blogger possible and have definitely not done a great job of keeping my posts up to date but at least it can only get better from here. With school consuming my every free hour of the day (in November and December) I became somewhat discourage about the fact that I really wasn't doing anything worth posting about and that everyone was probably stressing about exams or the holiday season so they didn't need to hear it from me. But fortunately for me I was able to see most of the people who actually read this blog over the holiday break so I don't feel as bad and for those few people that still are looking for and hoping that some posts will appear, here is my attempt to get back to blogging about my self proclaimed exciting day to day action. Enjoy if you may ...

"To think too long about doing a thing often becomes its undoing" E.Y.
Mich

Bison Brief

So I was asked to write a blog for bison sport ... first of all none of my teammates wanted to step up and take the task on so they are stuck with my inconsistent posting and second there is not much room to be creative with them so they are straight forward. Here is my second post ...

Coming off a hard week of practice last week, we were able to get a much needed win at home versus the University of Winnipeg! After our two disappointing loses to Calgary on opening weekend in our gym we had a lot to prove to ourselves last week in practice. But we worked hard and pushed through some long ‘runs’ and rewarded ourselves on Saturday night. We had a great start in the first quarter – feeding off our intense defense to take a big lead into the second quarter were the game balanced out a bit. But in the second half we played through some runs by U of W, stayed focus and got the W. All around team effort and we had a fun time doing it together!
So we head into this weekend with our first tough road-trip ahead of us. We leave for Calgary on Thursday afternoon followed by a two-hour bus ride to the University of Lethbridge. No matter who the opponent is, when the travel includes two modes of transportation and a day worth of sitting, it is mentally and physically challenging compared to playing at home. For myself it’s one of my favorite parts of getting to be a student athlete – nothing is better than going into someone else gym and getting two wins. So I’m excited for our rookies to get to experience that and I’m excited for our team to face the step big challenge to the season. Not to mention we always manage to have a good time in the process!
So look out Pronghorns a herd of Bison are rolling into town! Haha

"Due to their large size few predators attack bison." (Fierce face above haha)

Mich

All I Want for X-mas is my Teeth!!

SO THE WAIT IS FINALLY OVER!!

no no no not for a new blog post, all though it has been a while but I finally got my teeth put in! haha. Now I know to many of you that have all your perfect pearly whites accounted for you can't really understand my excitement but this has been a long 8 year process of space making, bone graphing, steel wearing and implants. And now I have my new teeth to show off - hopefully they will last me a long time and I will now be just a regular dentist attendee! Here is my first close up of my teeth .....

"The Simplest Things in Life are sometimes not free!"

Mich