Moving Forward
Been meaning to update for some time with another pre-determined collection of thoughts.
First thing, something I that I read that I wanted to share . . . to maybe help explain something that I'm known for:
One of the beautiful things about sports is that, even when you feel terrible, at least you feel. Sports taps into emotions we guard for the rest of our waking hours. Those who play sports, or who pledge love for their favourite teams, often find it impossible to express these feelings to wives, husbands, or children. We use games to vent our spirit, behanving in ways we can't at work or home. Because we spend so much time in offices talking to people we don't know or pretending to be someone we aren't, sports is an outlet where we can suddenly be ourselves, where it's okay to tour the extremeties of passion and despair.
- Dave Bidini
Tropic of Hockey: My Search for the Game in Unlikely Places
Big thanks to Julian for sharing the book with me. I've realized recently that I'm really missing the hockey season. I really didn't feel it at the start of the season, but I do now. It's very apparent that I do, as I completely zone out when I see some hockey clip on television. And it's probably because I'm missing it that I finding that I'm loving Ultimate more than ever. I mean, I've always craved the game since we started playing it last May in the first incarnation of the Meople, but lately it feels a bit different. It has a new element of satisfaction to it - no doubt helped along by having a pretty good game last week and the humbling - and kind of scary - notion of being called "coach" by the team. I love the sport - as much as ever even though my team this season gets pounded every game.
I know I'll watch the NHL when it returns, but it's not something I can fully support anymore in good conscience. And it's going to be hard to do that since you all know how it's one of my "things" to fly my team's colours. It just seems clear that neither side really cares about the fans and they expect people to come rushing back when the NHL starts up again. And people probably will, and I don't blame them - I want to just as much. But I wish people would be sending a message of dissatisfaction in all the polls that are being conducted. If the people keep answering in these polls that they'll watch again when all this is over, it gives no motivation for either side to end it. Besides, my "no salary cap, but a substantial fine when you do something stupid" solution should end this thing and up the calibre of the game. :-P
And the other thing . . .
I've been meaning to write about this for some time now, as it's been a while since I've realized it. I think it was actually toward the end of summer last year that it came over me that Toronto is now home. I mean, I always feel welcome and comfortable when I go back to my parents' place, but this city that was once an exotic novelty is finally a place where I feel comfortable . . . where I've decided to nest for a while. There was a time between the end of university and before I moved back here where I wasn't really "at home" anywhere. And there have been a few times since then, as well. Living on my own has been easier than I thought it was going to be in a lot of ways.
I'm finally expanding my little circles with a good variety of things, for the first time in a long time. I've been fortunate to happen upon some incredible people - new faces and old.
Spare me the lectures - I'm learning and sea changes are on the horizon.
And it's February 13th, and I nearly forgot . . . but I didn't and it persists and remains. Same as ever.
It's only been two years? Seems like so much longer.
First thing, something I that I read that I wanted to share . . . to maybe help explain something that I'm known for:
One of the beautiful things about sports is that, even when you feel terrible, at least you feel. Sports taps into emotions we guard for the rest of our waking hours. Those who play sports, or who pledge love for their favourite teams, often find it impossible to express these feelings to wives, husbands, or children. We use games to vent our spirit, behanving in ways we can't at work or home. Because we spend so much time in offices talking to people we don't know or pretending to be someone we aren't, sports is an outlet where we can suddenly be ourselves, where it's okay to tour the extremeties of passion and despair.
- Dave Bidini
Tropic of Hockey: My Search for the Game in Unlikely Places
Big thanks to Julian for sharing the book with me. I've realized recently that I'm really missing the hockey season. I really didn't feel it at the start of the season, but I do now. It's very apparent that I do, as I completely zone out when I see some hockey clip on television. And it's probably because I'm missing it that I finding that I'm loving Ultimate more than ever. I mean, I've always craved the game since we started playing it last May in the first incarnation of the Meople, but lately it feels a bit different. It has a new element of satisfaction to it - no doubt helped along by having a pretty good game last week and the humbling - and kind of scary - notion of being called "coach" by the team. I love the sport - as much as ever even though my team this season gets pounded every game.
I know I'll watch the NHL when it returns, but it's not something I can fully support anymore in good conscience. And it's going to be hard to do that since you all know how it's one of my "things" to fly my team's colours. It just seems clear that neither side really cares about the fans and they expect people to come rushing back when the NHL starts up again. And people probably will, and I don't blame them - I want to just as much. But I wish people would be sending a message of dissatisfaction in all the polls that are being conducted. If the people keep answering in these polls that they'll watch again when all this is over, it gives no motivation for either side to end it. Besides, my "no salary cap, but a substantial fine when you do something stupid" solution should end this thing and up the calibre of the game. :-P
And the other thing . . .
I've been meaning to write about this for some time now, as it's been a while since I've realized it. I think it was actually toward the end of summer last year that it came over me that Toronto is now home. I mean, I always feel welcome and comfortable when I go back to my parents' place, but this city that was once an exotic novelty is finally a place where I feel comfortable . . . where I've decided to nest for a while. There was a time between the end of university and before I moved back here where I wasn't really "at home" anywhere. And there have been a few times since then, as well. Living on my own has been easier than I thought it was going to be in a lot of ways.
I'm finally expanding my little circles with a good variety of things, for the first time in a long time. I've been fortunate to happen upon some incredible people - new faces and old.
Spare me the lectures - I'm learning and sea changes are on the horizon.
And it's February 13th, and I nearly forgot . . . but I didn't and it persists and remains. Same as ever.
It's only been two years? Seems like so much longer.