So this past weekend I had my last JRB Big Country training weekend out in Boissevain, MB (our sweet t-shirt design above). We had been out here before (in previous post) so in typical stereotypical fashion I thought that we really couldn't see anything more exciting than the giant turtle and the wilderness inn but oh was I wrong! After a full Saturday of training we headed over to the house we were staying at (luckily/unfortunately we didn't stay at the wilderness inn haha) had some dinner than told we are being taken on a tour of the area. Again not trying to influence your thoughts about the prairies but it's usually far between 'tour land marks' - so this tour comment seemed questionable. So we begin to drive through the town and we shortly arrive at a dirt path that has a cement pad and a shed ahead and thats it! Going through my mind at this point "Ok that was short but I'm sure there is something … " than I get distracted and begin to point out that "hey there is the town millionaire (I had been previously told about this guy) riding around in his helicopter - no big deal haha". As we stop in front of this cement pad the helicopter is flying right at us - "so cool" …. the light bulb went off - WE ARE GOING ON A HELICOPTER TOUR OF THE AREA!!! It was unreal and so cool to experience. I love the feeling of flying but this was a whole new level! You could see everything around you during flight it was unbelievable. Some pictures of the views and my excitement haha …
Again this weekend provided another example of how lucky I am to get to connect with amazing people who have provided me with these opportunities that just refresh my perspective, ignite my soul and remind me to be grateful everyday - oh and did I mention that I get to be around basketball while I'm at it?
Another cool find at Ron Jon's was a really interesting brand that was selling clothing, mostly graphic tee's, for a really cool cause. Check out the website and let me what you think, pretty interesting concept and thought it was a pretty inspiring idea. Here is a video of one of their current campaigns.
"The vision is we actually believe what we are doing" JT Mich
As previously mentioned I was able to get some solid shopping in when I was down in Florida. Little did I know heading into the trip, because my typical pre-trip research was not done due to exams, there was a hidden gem waiting down the road from my hotel. For anyone that knows anything about surfing - I didn't - the famous Ron Jon's Surf shop was waiting for me! The building alone blew my mind, than you walk in and see a massive amounts of skate and surf boards and all the fixings to go alone with it ... Awesome haha!!!
This is were I found my new baby - my longboard (I know what most of you are thinking, long boarding in Winnipeg is not possible due to lack of hills, which is partly true but I still have fun). I have been waiting awhile for this purchase and I couldn't have asked for a better deal, board, or memorable buy. I pretty much have not gone a day without going for a cruise so it was well worth the wait and the money! Here are some pics … Needless to say after being in the costal Florida environment for a week, my care-free and adventurous side wanted to sign up for the 3 month long surf school and live on the beach … but as it turns out I returned to Winnipeg … for now …. haha.
"You can't stop the waves or wind but you can learn to roll with them" Mich
Sorry for the delay in the "Wedding Post" I guess it has been a busier two weeks than anticipated …. Fortunately for me I was able to get a week in between my last exam and the first day of summer session to have a nice trip down to Florida! The occasion was for my brother's wedding (yes my twin brother! - which was more official than my last birthday to confirm that I'm becoming an adult …….. maybe haha). My dad and I headed down early to help with any left over 'arrangements', which was basically our excuse for going for a full week :). My brother, Sean, now lives in Cocoa Beach Florida which is right by Port Canaveral and Orlando, not to mention with the Kennedy Space Center in the background. Needless to say he is not missing the snow in the winter and the mosquitoes in the summer, but I have to say (to make me feel better) he is having to 'adjust to the heat' - right?!? Anyways, the wedding was on the beach right outside our hotel which was a 5 minute walk from their house, so everything was in one spot. 'Our multi-nation living' family was able to be there for a full 4 days together which was one of the best parts, seeing how we haven't been together since last Christmas! And my Aunt, Uncle and Gran came down too, so it was a really fun time - not one cocktail hour was missed! haah . The wedding was right on the beach with a non-traditional ceremony that was very perfect for Sean's new family :) and everyone looked beautiful.
After all the wedding festivities I definitely made sure to get some solid beach and shopping time! ... no Disneyland or amusement park though :( .... All in all it was a great wedding and I'm so happy for my brother and the new journey he is starting with Suzanne - and Emma and Cassy.
"I can open your eyes, take you wonder by wonder" Ad Mich
Here you go ladies - editing is killing me - no need for ab workout this week haha. Sorry for those of you who can't fully understand the concept of this hilariousness but Whitney and Mubo are doing such a good job of capturing the essence of how our team shows love by making fun of everything you do and making sure you have only enough confidence to get by until you do something else to be made fun of. Let me know what you think ...
I wrote this a week ago but didn't get time to post it before leaving ...
With exams finally over it seems the traditional celebration was lost on me this year. Or was it? As I drove to Virden Manitoba - half falling asleep in the car which turned to a full passed out state within 30 minutess - I couldn't help but think of all the things I could get done this weekend if I didn't have to come all the way out here - knowing that I had pretty big trip ahead of me the following week. Needless to say when we got there 3 hours later, me still half comatose, was just happy to be in a gym and not burning my eyes looking at paper and a computer screen to 'learn', otherwise known as cramming! After what left like an always productive practice session (not always stellar but productive) we headed out for a mini Manitoba prairie adventure. We were going to tour the farms that a couple of the girls that we coach live on … Down the highway and 20 minutes later …. pure beauty. You know the feeling you get when you see something for the first time but it feels like it has made you happy your whole life or it was something that was right in front of you but you couldn't see? - well this was that. The landscape, the view, the culture, the happiness was a totally refreshing perspective for me. I'm sure they got a kick out my naivety to everything 'farm' but it was awesome - even got the right of passage of going for a 'country cruise' haha! Does it honestly take the setting of a 'city girl' going to the farm to remind her that life can be happy in a totally unexpected way? Don't get me wrong I could see there being a "Housewives of Rural Manitoba" out here and I'm sure there are similar stresses but for me it was a great experience to see a new side of what true happy-family-living can be about for some people and that it still exists in such a pure form. The calm and darkness in the night can be stirringly eerie or bring a city soul much calm. Either way I was so fortunate to get to experience the real living of a 'friendly' Manitoba family and all the pride, responsibility and the sense of accomplishment that comes with it. Happiness in life can mean so many different things but all that matters is doing the things that make you truly happy and remind you how lucky you are.
Corny ramble but maybe after two weeks of being a hermit and getting fed up with school a change in setting is all I need to regain some passion and energy. And sometimes is can be as simple as a 3 hour drive west and spending some time with friends in an undiscovered setting - try it out!
Trip to Florida post to come ...
"I wouldn't change the blissful of silence and the darkest of the night air out here for anything" SB
Clearly exam time when meaningless tasks and random new ones are completed haha. Here is a 'movie trailer' I created for our up coming Bison Wind-Up video. Last year we (Mubo, Whitney and myself) had a ton of fun making a little movie making fun of our teammates - in a good and gut hurting way. Of course the expectations are high to try and out do ourselves this year - nothing is promised but the laughter is already starting to take place and filming is underway.
I was in my last week of classes for the term, in the process of trying to finish my big design project for the year and I needed to start cramming (yes cramming because a) thats my style and b) the whole 5th year syndrome of 'I'm done playing so school doesn't have much meaning' hit this semester), were all happening last week so I decided to have a mini concert fest and fill my social calendar with awesomeness! If this is doesn't make perfect logical sense I don't know what does ... Here's how the week went:
Monday - Watched the Dukies Win! And yes I'm going to mention this as much as possible over the next year - maybe that's why there are so many Duke haters ...? Oh well if it comes with winning I will take it haha.
Tuesday - It was a good friend of mine, Dee's birthday so we had to celebrate in some fashion even if it was the middle of the week. We met up with some other friends and enjoyed some local music curiosity of Royal Canoe. Unfortunately for them is was a more low key concert set but they played awesome and we thoroughly enjoyed it so that's all that mattered!
Wednesday - Was the must anticipated use of my birthday gift - John Mayer Tickets!! After pretty much forcing my exciement into Colleen I think we both had a blast. It was a great music performance and he certainly tried to proved to the doubters out there that music truly is his passion and will always be put first. Again I'm no music expert but his musical ability went way behind just being a good song writer and was mind-blowingly (yeah thats a word! haha) impressive. And left me leaving the concert feeling that I had just seen some one who will be legendary someday - hate all you want, too much John melody in my heart to sway me :). Thursday - To cap off my concert series I attend Sheena Grobb's album release show at the Park Theater. Maybe it's because I can associate her music with such positive and exciting times in the my life, that every time that I hear her voice it bring a calming feeling over me. This show was no different and was even better for the fact that she had a full band to enhance her music that much more. Getting the full feel for everything that she put into the new album was also pretty cool because you don't often get to experience an artist sharing the process with you, unless they do these intimate shows. As usual the songs' words and sounds find a way to have meaning in my life so easily that I wish I could share the feeling with everyone - but I know each is their own, so enjoy if you may. But I would encourage you that if you happen to be near one of her tour venues to check it out because it's that much better live! (Just a behind the scenes look at some of the many things that went into the new album)
Friday - The continuation of Dee's birthday celebration was taking in a Mantioba Moose game. It was the first game I have seen from the AHL team but the hockey was entertaining and it was fun being 'big time' for the night in our box seats! Although I have to admit I felt a little bit like a trader, having cheered for the Hamilton Bulldogs my entire childhood, it was nice to be reminded of the authentic sport atmosphere that these team bring to the community. Again proving the argument that Winnipeg could be an NHL hockey city is still a good one but for now Manitobans get to cheer on their very good Moose in the upcoming playoffs!
Saturday & Sunday - To cap off the week I headed to Boissevain, Manitoba for a JRB - Big Country basketball training session. For those of you that don't know, this is my second year coaching a team in the program made up of athletes from rural Manitoba. So in order to training and practice together we rotate through towns outside of Winnipeg to make travel convenient and efficient for everyone. So my knowledge and endless useless facts about Manitoba continues to grow haha! For example this weekend, along with many things, I learned that turtle derbies can be very exciting, world renown, and be an inspiration for giant town statue! Along with the log cabin hotel I stayed in I don't think anyone is getting to experience Manitoba quiet like me haha - not to mention the girls are awesome to coach because they have endless effort and appreciate the opportunity to play the game!
"Time goes by so fast, people go in and out of your life. Don't wait for extraordinary opportunities to happen they are often missed because they look like common occasions. Make them into something great!" OM Mich
Have I really been too busy to post a blog about Duke winning the big Dance??!! I guess so ... but bragging can never happen too late haha. My bracket may have been a disaster since day 1 of the first round but I got the only pick that really matters! This tourney was fun to watch as promised and Duke winning is just a little reward for taking the 'duke-hater' comments over the years. Butler's performance will still be one of the best in tournament history and they deserve the respect they have now earned - Hoosier worthy. But the Law Firm (Scheyer, Singler, and Smith) stepped up big time and proved there critics wrong - to win Duke fans bragging rights for a least a few months :). There are some highlights and if you want more duke fun check out the Blue Planet website ....
The team always does a fun group picture for the year and this is one of my favorites for sure!
"If winning isn't everything, why do they keep score?" VL Mich
It's funny all the decisions in life you have to make yet they always come down to one or the other ... just the process to get it to choice 1 and choice 2 is choices in it's self - so who says it better than Dr.Seuss:
"The Zode in the Road" Did I ever tell you about the young Zode, Who came to two signs at the fork in the road? One said to Place One, and the other, Place Two. So the Zode had to make up his mind what to do. Well…the Zode scratched his head, and his chin and his pants. And he said to himself, “I’ll be taking a chance If I go to Place One. Now, that place may be hot! And so, how do I know if I’ll like it or not? On the other hand though, I’ll be sort of a fool If I go to Place Two and find it too cool. In that case I may catch a chill and turn blue! So, maybe Place One is the best, not Place Two, But then again, what if Place One is too high? I may catch a terrible earache and die! So Place Two may be best! On the other hand though… What might happen to me if Place Two is too low? I might get some very strange pain in my toe! So Place One may be best,” and he started to go. Then he stopped, and he said, “On the other hand though…. On the other hand…other hand…other hand though…” And for 36 hours and a half that poor Zode Made starts and made stops at the fork in the road. Saying, “Don’t take a chance. No! You may not be right.” Then he got an idea that was wonderfully bright! “Play safe!” cried the Zode. “I’ll play safe. I’m no dunce! I’ll simply start out for both places at once!” And that’s how the Zode who would not take a chance Got no place at all with a split in his pants. ~Dr Seuss.
Seems to be that time of year - to make life changing decisions ... for many people in different situations, so I hope Dr. Seuss can help or maybe get your butt in gear! haha ... whatever you choose it will work out - whether you see the good now or later :) Just some thoughts ... Mich
It's always great to get the chance to reconnect with old friends or memories that remind you you have been so fortunate to have great people in your life. Whether it be for good times or bad, to help you get better or show you a lesson in failure, the fun part is getting to relive those memories every time you are reminded of them - and most of the time it makes you smile! It seemed like I had an abundance of these memories over the past couple of days so I thought I would share them all with you because its quite the variety:
1. Saturday after trying so hard to get the women's ncaa basketball tournament on tv or internet feed I had to give up and settle for radio feed and live stats - and the reason being was that two girls I played provincial team with were playing each other in a first round game. Tamika and Kalisha from Bowling Green University and Michigan State respectively, got to live out the dream that every little basketball player in Southern Ontario is dreaming about right now! I know either of them will ever read this - but they have had an amazing journey to the players they are now and the amount of influence they had on my career - they will never know the extent. I didn't really think of it at the time until I really reflected on it now - Tamika set the standard early when we growing up and Kalisha was one of the reasons I finally made a provincial team in grade 11. So little do they know the influence they had on not only me but I'm sure many more people. I congratulate them both on the game that I 'listened' to - it was a good one and should have been televised!!! 2. Never underestimate the enjoyment (or in this particular case the 'friendship grow') that can happen in unplanned night. Even if it's just dessert and a movie you never you what can come of it and what you may learn. Living in the moment is so much more easier once we figure out how to do it all the time :).
3. During one of my numberous hours of ncaa basketball watching this highlight stuck out in my mind:
Ok so no not only cause its an unreal highlight that would only happen during march madness and no not because when you first see the guy he looks like an uncoordinated Auzzie but because it reminded me of my good friend Ash.Donald - better known as DJ AD (or the professor). Honestly we spent numerous hours in the gym in the morning before school, during gym class or during half time of score-keeping, trying to come up with a way that Ash could pull the 'and-1 bum spin dribble' in a game! Needless to say it never happened but she did get pretty good at it and her and-1 tour date is just on hold for the moment haha! Those endless mornings of playing in the gym are some of my best memories from ball and in turn ended up being more beneficial than I think we ever intended them to be.
4. Getting to experience people in an element you have no idea about but want to be a part is always fun and you know you are in for a ride - mostly because you don't know what's going on. That's me and music - anyone who was in my grade 4 recorder class knows I have no musical talent but I still love it - and I love the people behind it. For the second straight year Craig Cardiff blew me away with his musical genuineness - in a warehouse setting in the heart of Winnipeg's culture center. He also had with him three up and coming artist that did nothing short of hold their own and bring a unique sound to their new audience. Check out there myspace pages below and discover them in your right - even check out their stories which are pretty interesting!
5. And finally (I know this has been a long post - so good on you if you have read this far haha) not living in the same city I grew up in makes it easier to put a lot memories away because the people and the places that are associated with them are not around all the time. They may have made up the little insignificant events but they end up being some of the best memories. I'm lucky that I have lots of new 'families' that make sure/insist that I don't miss all of the little things. In particular I got to go to a grad fashion show at a local high school which brought back so many fun memories of my high school days that I really had not thought about for a long time, so it was fun - on top of it being a really good show! (Congrats Kate - your confidence always amazes me don't ever lose it!).
With that all said, I challenge everyone that sat through this and read it (all 5 of you haha!) to allow yourself to get lost in the moment of your lives - I did it for a weekend and I some how managed to bring the joy of the past and the hope for my future into the present?!?!
"Sometimes the best things in life are right in front of you" CC Mich
Maybe its not news to you but I just found out that the book by Elizabeth Gilbert "Eat,Pray, Love" is coming out as a movie in August 2010! It is definitely one of my favorite book based on it's pure honesty and humor. I would highly recommend reading it before seeing the movie but Julia Roberts is the lead so the movie may be just as good!
Here is the trailer:
"You were given life; it's your duty (and also your entitlement as a human being) to find something beautiful within life, no matter how slight." EG Mich
A friend showed me this funny picture blog. Thought I would share: awkwardfamilyphotos.com Make sure you check out some of the links too - pretty funny.
"Everything has its beauty but not everyone sees it" CN Mich
IT'S MADNESS TIME!!!! Yes Yes it's that time of year - March Madness. And its the next best thing to the Olympics haha. With the action starting today this year's tournament has already proven its going to be exciting. Anyone can win on any given day. Having stuck with my Duke Blue Devils through thick and thin over the years, there is no doubt that they are the winners at the end of my bracket. I gave up long ago trying to be wise with my bracket picks - doing team research and watching 'bracketology' is completely useless in mind because it's never right and never will be. So giving up on trying to pick with wisdom and just going with who I really want to cheer for is my method. I hope even if you aren't a big college basketball fans you fill out a bracket and feel the competitiveness that takes over just by choosing a team to win in your bracket - trust me it can be fun! A girl won the resident bracket pool one year by choosing teams based on who had the better school colours and uniforms!! So I have every right to believe that Duke will win it all! GO DUKE GO! Enjoy the madness!
"Madness: extremely foolish behavior, a state of frenzied or chaotic activity" WB Mich
