Thoughts of an Ole Wookie

A Night to Remember...

2006-07-06T21:12:00.000-07:00

I had just finished my tour of duty at Onondaga Camp and was heading home to get ready to get married in only 9 days (September 05). Because I had been up north I had not been much help, so the next couple of days were crucial.
I got home and sort of unpacked, and hung out with the girl of my dreams. It had been a while since we had spent any time just the two of us so it was great to be back.
We did get some work done, finishing the mass amount of wooden coasters and wine stoppers and going over any last minute details.
Then came a day that was fun... but unfortunatley not remembered by me so well.
A few of my friends organized a small but well represented group of my friends to take me out for a Stag party. Represented were: Mc (Brother), Shawn, Stu, Roseman (from Stratford), Nick, Sho, Lutz (from Onondaga) Jayme, Jeff, Darryl (from PineCrest) Mac, Dave (from London) and a lot of quick visits from others throughout the night.
The evening began with sitting on my front porch drinking our faces off and eating delicious BBQ. This we eventually got bored of and walked downtown to find some other venue to serve us some drinks. First up was T.J. Baxters where we met up with a bunch of other good people. We ate some pickles, drank and talked it up with whoever we saw. Then after many shared beverages, it was off to the other side of the street to Barneys. See now, this is where things begin to get a bit foggy. I do remember most of my time there but leaving... nope. I was walking around pretty much butting into conversations and speaking my mind whenever I possibly could. To add to this, I was made to wear this old canvas bucket hat which resulted in the boyz to start calling me "Coach"... which also was not remembered by me. I do not remember leaving that bar but there are a few other flashes of memory that have somehow made it back into my system.

One: finding myself in the rippers, without a drink, and deciding then to stand up and get the hell out of there.
Two: finding myself on a rooftop... scary, and deciding that this can't be good so I turned around.
Three: finding myself in my washroom, so I washed my hands and made my way to bed.

Now waking up the next moring, I of course was a little rough... ok, a lot rough, but at least I was mobile.
From what I have pieced together, my timeline was pretty much bang on but there were a lot of adventures that didn't stick around inside my brain... which I now believe is a good thing.
I guess the "Coach" (as I would like to call him) did a whole bunch of things that were pretty crazy:

He almost started a few scuffles while talking it up with people. Ate some street meat. Would randomly run away from everyone including one episode where somehow he managed to get on the other side of the road then all of the others (cars in between), had to be held by the belt to not get away, managed to escape and made it up a fire escape to a rooftop but had enough wit to decide on his own that it was a bad idea to be up there, drank whatever was put in front of him, ate some pizza, threatened to flick all of his friends in the eyeball many times, drank some water, threw up on the floor of his house, made the slowest and vulgarity filled crawl to the washroom where he managed to sleep with his head in the linen closet.

I do imagine that there were other stories that erupted from that night but who knows who would remember. I do know that from what I took from it... it was a lot of fun, but I am glad (and so is my liver) that it will only have to happen once in my life.
Now to wait... patiently for the next victim to emerge. I will keep the hat around for only that reason and I plan to create more nights where the "Coach" will interupt and takeover one of my dear friends for a little while, so I can enjoy some laughs at their expense... I can't wait.
Slater

A Long Strange Trip its Been

2006-05-27T10:02:00.000-07:00

I have to appologize to anyone that has read or thought of this blog as worthwhile in the past.
I will make up for it by posting more often to catch up anyone who has any interest or at least to let my mind spill out somewhere... it is full, and rather heavy.

Slater

The Paddleopoulus Experience

2005-08-28T09:17:00.000-07:00

Well where to start...
We started the day working at camp and doing everything as normal as the day before. Planning to leave camp at 5:00 and rush our way up to Algonquin as soon as possible. The bell struck five and we were off after collecting a few important ingredients (Reburn's and Vic's ipods... props). The sporty volvo station wagon zoomed its way northward and our journey had begun. As we drove we pounded some food including some Subway and an ensure shake (which I now loath) to give us the energy that we would obviously require.
Once there we grabbed our two small backpacks, paddles and made our way over to where we were renting our canoe. Now this was no ordinary canoe, I pre-ordered (without seeing it) a yellow ultra light kevlar boat that at first glance looked like I could break it over my knee. It was somewhat see through, which we were quite amazed about later as the water underneath us put us into a sort of a trance.
Throwing ourselves into the boat we took off and gave one last look behind us, both of us hoping to see this same dock as soon as possible. Our route was simple... start at the Canoe lake access point and travel to the Brent store on Cedar lake and then back, as fast as we can.
This trek has been known as the Brent run in the past and has probably been called many other names... we decided on Paddleopoulus.
The total distance covered is something close to 150 kilometres including about 34 portages and many a push through in shallow areas.
In the first few hours we flew along. There was hardly even a breeze and the sunset alone could have inspired us to keep moving.
short amounts of time.... work in progress...

Jamming with Barefoot

2005-08-16T19:07:00.000-07:00

On a crazy day off a couple of us embarked on a fantastic voyage. We set out from camp (Ryan, Miles and myself) and picked up one of Ryan's cousins (Scott) from Can-Aqua, who is the director there, and one of his good buddies (John). Now that is when things got pretty funny, as having a bunch of camp staff that usually are being the responsible ones now have the freedom to let loose.... so onward to the big metropolous of Wilno.
The town of Wilno was started by a bunch of draft dodging hippies and most of them still live there. There is really only one place to go in Wilno and that is the Wilno Tavern, which has excellent cabbage rolls and occasionally sports a great band that is touring. We arrived around 9:00 and there were still a bunch of seniors enjoying there dinner so we quickly met the band who at the time were setting up and were invited to have a couple in there tour van before the show. Now this isn't your average band... the lead singer/guitarist is Ryans other cousin Heather so we were welcomed with open arms when we arrived.
Now after a few sodas, we went in to watch and noticed that the crowd had changed. There were now a bunch of obvious camp staff, some local hippies (tye dye included) and a few of the dinner crowd lingering.
They started up and instantly it brought on a good vibe in the whole place. They have a Phish type of sound, being a four piece (drums, bass, keys, and guitar), however the lead singer being a woman is a much different dynamic.
It was a pretty long set and stopped around 1:30 as they were told that was as late as they could play here. Then a few people gathered outside on the small porch and one of the random camp peeps picked up a guitar and started playing out there. Well the bass player couldn't help but bring his upright outside and so started the second concert. About 20 of us were singing along with well known songs and the guitar was passed to about 3 different people, unfortunately not me. This was hilarious and to hear that many people belt out songs while squished on a small porch was something to remember.
Eventually we did break it up and our crew, the band, and their close friends headed out down the road to one of their cottages. We were responsible enough to have thought ahead and had the needed drivers with us. Now realizing that there were some sober people among us basically created a flow of booze, and we all sat down to a game of 3 man... which got a bit crazy.
What felt like no time at all, we noticed that the sky was getting a bit brighter and that maybe it was time to lay down for a bit. Being a two hour drive back to camp and having to be there by eleven made for a two hour sleep... yikes. The next morning brought us to Tim Hortons and the rest of the day was a sleepy foggy day that actually went quite smoothly.
So the adventure ended and another band was put into my collection, added with a bunch of stories that will be remembered, and again inspired me to pick up my guitar and start jamming... possibly without shoes this time.
Slater

One Small Step

2005-08-08T19:42:00.000-07:00

So it has begun... our dream of running our own tripping company that is. We have bought the rights to a web site which really has nothing on it yet but it is a step in the right direction. This also was a big decision to decide on a company name. We tossed around a whole bunch of ideas but nothing seemed to be working and then Andrea and I were driving back up to Minden last week and I threw out the name Birch Cove and it just seemed to make sense. If you are in the dark... Birch Cove is one of my favourite places on Earth. It is a cabin at our old camp that the two of us stayed in sometime over the years. I guess if you look deep it could also mean something to do with traditional ways of tripping (birchbark canoes) and tranquil water (cove)... but pretty much it just rolls off the tongue. Say it with me now, Birch Cove Tripping... that's right, it does sound good.
This may not be something we will be putting our whole life into right away but who knows... it may just blow up and keep both of us busy, and happy for many years. We definitly have the support from our huge amount of friends that are more than qualified to be a part of the action, which will be a great asset for the first couple of years. Then maybe we can even have some of them on a fat payroll that will even keep them happy.
Ah sooo good... it gets me pretty damn excited even thinking about it. I think we were born to do this and it has been and will be a huge part of our lives so why not share these great times in the woods with others. Now really doesn't everyone just want to get out there and enjoy what nature has to offer, I know I do... now it is just a matter of time.
Slater

Friends on the water

2005-08-07T21:48:00.000-07:00

I just spent another great five days out in Algonquin Park and got to know some good people. I was out with my group of LIT's who were all good for a couple of laughs and a few complaints, but all in good fun. Mixed in with things like watching the stars at night, people falling into beaver slime, eating mass food was also an opportunity to get to know a very unique person. The other tripper that came along with us used to work for Onondaga but has lately been doing editing for the Globe and Mail and is probably the best musician I have ever known. His name is Peirson Ross Mclean and he makes me feel that I should never touch a guitar again... honestly. He throws out some crazy licks that pretty much made me feel that I am a novice and should never play again. This guy has made an album and you can buy it in HMV for about $25, but only for the next couple of weeks and then he is taking it out of there because he thinks it is a rip off, I got one for free... suckas. Anyways, he has done an amazing amount of trips over the years and is now making another studio album that is actually funded. He played on trip and basically sold 9 CDs right there. I have never been so blown away buy an artist before. Maybe it was the fact that I also got to know the guy as well but I think it is the shear respect that I have for the ability to play that well. Anyways, I will follow his career and thought the world should know that this guy will be famous and well... enjoy his music.
Slater

Paddleopolous

2005-07-30T15:10:00.000-07:00

So here we go... a new mission has been presented to me and I will gladly step up.
If you have not heard of the Brent Run then this will be an eye opener to you.
It is an insane trek from southern Algonquin Park to the northern side and back... as fast as possible. It is about 150 kilometres with 34 portages. If that is not enough, we have heard that the fastest time is somewhere around 22 hours... now that is crazy!
A new friend of mine (Ryan Lutz) and I will embark on this crazy mission we have deemed 'Paddleopolous' sometime in late August and really fill a day off from work. The funny part will be returning to work the next day. I have been tired before, but I have a feeling I will resemble a zombie... zzzz.... what? We are not sure of a date yet but I we have decided to do it and so it must be done.
If you are into seeing this on a map, we will travel from canoe lake access point to cedar lake (Brent Store) where we will purchase something and then turn around and come back to the beginning. We have a few options and are still deciding which way will least kill us on this insanity. One thing that has been determined is that we need some sort of tune souce to get us through this... hmmm.
So wish me luck, wish Ryan luck, wish the poor suckas we will pass a goodnight, and hope that we don't meet up with any angry moose late at night.
I will write again about this later for sure.
Slater

Life in a Bubble

2005-07-14T20:53:00.000-07:00

Honestly... sometimes I have brought myself to live in a bubble. Here I am living in the woods once again, surrounded by peeps I have never met before and it is still somehow exactly what I needed. Being away from large cities is needed in my life, also living on a lake is key. The ability to wake up and jump into the lake or go for a paddle is mind blowing compared to waking up to traffic, and having to wait for a bus just to get somewhere.
But here I am... and it is a bubble... as you might notice my posts are non existent for the last while and I am really losing touch with the world. Unfortunately, I am in need of my old world and am planning an escape out of the bubble. I can't say that I am busting it, but I should be able to maybe float on over somewhere else for a few days, with hopes to be with a very important part of my soul.
Camp is a crazy place, but I don't think I could really give it up ever in my life. It is a part of me and however hard I try to escape it, I find myself craving the long taxing hours and piles of good times. The peeps are always good and stories just flow from kids like milkshakes from those magical milkshake machines.
The bubble is thick but it can sometimes be cozy inside and if you look at it in the right light you can find yourself with an excellent tan.
Slater

Billboard Temptations

2005-04-06T19:52:00.000-07:00

I get a little worried about the canadian population when I read billboards that say "Try our new fresh fruit, a new taste sensation." It is a little strage to me to think that people out there have not tasted fresh fruit. It is not like it is some exotic starfruit or the fruit of the cashew or something... cantelope, melon, pineapple and grapes are typical fruits... put in some apples, bananas and oranges and you would have your staple fruits around here. Maybe we are getting that lazy, we should not go shopping at all anymore and let our fridges house only condiments to put on our food that was delivered and let our cupboards fill up with plastic silverware... come on people!
I have not priced out this great invention....... now i have, $4.19 american, hmmm I wonder what it is here? With this you get some of each of the four fruits and a bit of yogurt. Now don't get me wrong, if you are to step into a place like Wendys I guess this would be a much healthier choice but I am sure that a packed lunch would give you a lot more, cost less, and really... how many people can turn down a burger once you have walked up to the cash register. It is a trap I say... they get you in there and the signs eventually wear you down until you are ordering a chicken sandwich combo biggie sized and an additional double bacon cheeseburger, that's right, no fruit. Maybe it is how the fruit is cut that makes it so amazing, but really how hard is it to make melon balls? Go to your local dollar store and pick up a melon baller and you will see... a monkey could handle it quite easily, look behind the counter one might be doing that now. If this is a new taste sensation for people then they have been missing out for years, and should blame their parents for giving them scurvey, I am just happy that the sign has been changed to "Enjoy our mozzarella supreme combo", at least they are telling the truth again.
Slater

This Sidewalk isn't Big Enough for the Two of Us!?!?

2005-03-23T10:38:00.000-08:00

Walking around is something that I enjoy doing. It gives you exercise and you can see and hear things that you would miss if you where driving. I am however getting a little thrown off by some peoples complete disregard for the rest of the people in the world. A prime example is the campus at Western. I am not sure how many people get hit by cars around here but I am sure that it is quite a few. The combination of either talking on the phone, talking to your friends, looking at the ground, reading, eating, thinking mixed with walking has proven quite difficult to these people. Almost everyday I find myself having to step aside of someone who is completly oblivious and was about to walk right into me. Now being here at Western, I guess my typical action should be to drop my shoulder and hammer into these people to teach them a lesson, and of course show how tough I am.
But alas, I am not a meathead, which is probably why I have a tough time fitting in around here.
Just today walking to this lab, there was this group of dudes walking towards me four across. It was a pretty big sidewalk and you could do that, but it made it pretty much impossible for anyone to pass them or go through them. I watched two girls approach this wall of meatheads. The first was a typical robot bimbo (with all the same clothes as the other robot bimbos) and just as she got near, the four of them made a little gateway in the middle of them, making sure they got a good look as she passed by. The next girl, who didn't meet the standards of these clowns, was not given any quarter and she had to step into the mud as they passed by. Now the next person was me, and I wasn't out to cause a scene, but I did want to do something besides also standing off in the mud. So I knelt down in the middle of the sidewalk and began to tie up my shoe that was actually quite loose. They had ample time to see me so I didn't expect to be punted or anything, but just wanted to see how they would react. Well they did split apart and walk around me but I did catch one of them saying "I almost ran right into that guy!" This I found funny as they were basically running everyone down.
Maybe it is just this place that produces this kind of person but I am not quite sure. The percentage of meatheads at this school is very high but you would think that they could learn a little courtesy in this place of so called higher learning. So strange that a simple thing like watching where you are going, bothers me. Maybe it is me that should take it easy and let myself get pushed into the mud or run down and trampled... or maybe they should open there friggin eyes and get out of my way, I love giving out straight arms anyways.
Slater

To be a Clerick

2005-03-11T12:33:00.000-08:00

It has been recently been shown to me that my eyes must have been closed for a while, and one very quality movie slipped by my intense radar systems. Its name is Equilibrium and it rules.
It was first explained to me that it was a mix between 1984 and the Matrix, and that could be the best interpretation I have heard. It does not have the biggest budget or the best editing job, but the story, even being quite unbelievable still is very entertaining.
It doesn't have a bunch of monkeys acting either, (even though that may be funny) but has two fairly accomplished main actors in Christian Bale and Emily Watson. They put on a good show, being able to show no emotion... must be hard work. The fight scenes are pretty amazing and you can't complain with a style of Kung Fu that incorporates hand guns. Its minimalist style of sets with white walls and starched plain clothing really gives the feeling of an oppressed society.
Now, there are always a few things that you can pick apart a movie for, but I decided to look at it for what it was. Suspending my belief that all of this just happened and realize that it is all entertainment for me, and oddly enough I didn't even pay for it. That's right... we downloaded it from the internet... but I don't care because I have already decided to find it somewhere and buy it so that it can sit on my shelf with the other movies that I give praise to. Being who I am, that should leave it between Dead Presidents and E.T.
So go out and rent, buy or steal this movie right now. It will be worth your time and if not, it will at least waste a little more of our lives and leave us with something to talk about.
Slater

Drive By in London

2005-03-09T12:16:00.000-08:00

I got to see and take part in one of the funniest moments of my life.
I was standing on campus waiting for the bus. Being somewhat bored, I reached down and grabbed some snow and began forming what was meant to be the most perfect snowball in the world. There were about 12 other people also waiting for the bus and as always, were standing there in akward silence.
For some reason I looked up the road and saw a dark grey suburban moving very slowly towards us. Having just recently watched boyz in the hood I thought the worst. Were we all about to get shot? I then realized where we were and decided that was impossible but continued to watch there progress. The rest of the people standing with me were looking around, but not in that direction.
Then the windows started rolling down... all of them, and three bodies basically stood up out of the windows just as the vehicle started to move a little faster. This is when I saw that they were all clutching handfulls of snowball ammunition, and one of them (the rear passenger side) even had a orange box loaded with snowballs in his left hand.
This got the attention of some of the other people and caused one girl to basically run/tumble down the hill behind us, and another to start yelling "oh man, oh man, oh man" over and over.
As they started to unload, people were being hit all around me and I was quite impressed in their execution, had they practiced this? I had to block one from hitting me and took it in the forearm and only then did I realize what I was holding in my other hand.
I can't explain the feeling that came over me... it was like everything was going as planned, and I was meant to be standing here for this exact moment.
I turned, reached back, and threw that snowball as hard as I could. Now, only being about 15 feet away may have helped, but I hit the guy with the box of ammo right in the temple. Snow exploded from his head and he dropped the box and sort of folded over the window in obvious pain, letting out an "awwww" that made me laugh instantly.
Following this came a few cheers from the crowd, and I had to feel a little proud of myself.
Then as fast as we were somehow united, the group of us went back to our standing and waiting in silence. Like a pond of ducks, just sitting there, waiting to get smacked upside the head whenever somebody feels like it.
I smiled all the way home.
Slater

Bright and Tasty

2005-02-26T17:15:00.000-08:00

As the mass of rice fell towards my foot I began to wonder...
Why is curry so damn fluorescent, and how does it instantly stain all that it touches.
Really, what is in it that causes such anarchy?
I quickly removed the rice and then thought... this is a perfect time to test just how powerful this stuff really is.
I then placed the rice back down on my foot just about a centemetre away from the previous stain. You could almost see some sort of magic happenning between the curry and my sock. Like some angry but delicious creature was trying to eat away and become part of my sock.
Now, I left that bit of rice on my foot for about five minutes or so (wasn't doing much anyways) and then removed it and found an amazing bright yellow smear.
The rest of the test continues from here...
I will wear these socks for the rest of the night and see how it holds up, then if it is as persistant as I think it is they will be tested in the washing machine... such suspense.
Slater

Mans Best Friend

2005-02-24T11:50:00.000-08:00

We have these two cats that are more like dogs. They come when we call them, they follow or lead when we hike along trails, and are pretty much the biggest sucks in the world.
But there world is soon to change... we are getting a dawg (a real one that is).
His name is Otis and his story is thus:
He lives in B.C. with some friends of a friend of ours, he is two years old and is part husky, lab, and a bit of other goodness. Some have described him as the colour of Reese's peanut butter cups, funny. His folks are moving to Sudan no less and can't bring him along... this is where we fit in.
So if all goes to plan, he will be coming to Ontario via a crazy plane ride in some sort carrier and then a drive to our house, sometime in the end of April.
This is when it will get interesting... two cats, one dog, three people, and one mrs. roper... like a zoo and a sitcom tossed together. It should be a good show, I am excited!!!
Slater

Towards Thunderdome

2005-02-21T08:17:00.000-08:00

Estimates in 1980 said that we had enough oil in the world to last us for another 30 years or so... hmmm.... that is soon.
Luckily for us it was just recently shown that we have enough for another 40 years from now.
The first question I had is how were we off by so much.
The main reason for this was that they are now considering almost uneconomical methods of production as part of our grand total, mainly tar sands and oil shales.
Now, tar sands are nowhere near as difficult as oil shales to extract oil but they both have huge environmental problems and cost way more than the bubbling crude of old. The first oil that was extracted on Canadian soil was actually from an oil shale deposit. Funny that they went bankrupt and moved on to easier sources, also funny is that we are now looking back at these exact same spots as future development, and consider them part of our grand total of oil.
Now Canada has some of the largest deposits of tar sands, and has just announced that they are planning to increase production by at least fifty percent... great. You have to think that if every country out there is increasing production, it may not last us as long as we think. So... 40 years eh?
Hopefully the development of hybrid and fully electric cars can stretch this number a little further. I am happy to see some of these weird little cars roaming around the streets of London and the fact that they are actually becoming cheap enough to consider buying may just be the answer.
In the future I propose that we all start thinking about what we are using, or maybe we should just start a stockpile of gas in our backyard so when the prices go up or gas doesn't exist we will be able to drive ourselves to the corner store.
I have always loved the movie Mad Max, and am preparing for the day that i will have to put on my leather coat and race around the desert causing trouble. Now I just need for everyone to keep sucking up crude, find myself a dog (hmmm), buy a shotgun, and get an old 80's sportscar.
"Two men enter, one man leaves!"
Slater

Canadian Legacy

2005-02-16T13:51:00.000-08:00

As Canadians we are proud of lots of things.
We have helped develop the space program, ruled the hockey world, gone to war for good reasons (sometimes), and countless others.
But when you speak of legacy I think about things that are old or really old.
So... I have found our new hope, and it is a rock.
None other than an Acasta Gneiss to be exact.
What is it you say, well it is a metamorphic rock that dates back to 3.96 billion years and it was found in the Northwest Territories of good old Canada.
Now doesn't that make you proud? I would say yes.
See the Earth is about 4.5 billion years old, but at first it was just a big sea of magma that kept getting smashed by meteors so it really didn't form any crust until about 4.4 billion years. Now this stuff was pretty weak and kept getting destroyed and remade over the next bunch of million years. Then the earth finally started producing some solid crust that we know today, around the time that our famous rock was made.
This sucka has been around for a long time.
Okay so maybe you aren't as proud as I am about that...
Well I got something else for you then,
How about the oldest Metazoan.
What is that you say, well it is the first group of complex multicellular organisms, and you guessed it, the first one was found in good old Canada as well.
Out in Newfoundland, Portugal Cove there was a find of the oldest metazoans... it doesn't look like much but to the trained (crazy) eye you can tell that this two metre long lump was actually a living creature. This is nowhere near as old as the rock at only 575 million years but still... there was nobody else around at that time either.
What is also funny is that this was found to be about 10 million years older than the previous known sample which was found just down the road in Mistaken Point, Newfoundland.
So next time you are talking to some bigheaded american or a Plato preaching greek just tell them we have the stones, so look out or we will throw them at you.
Slater

The Main Event

2005-02-08T15:21:00.000-08:00

Vegas got me thinking about boxing matches...
Basically two peeps step into a ring and try to beat the crap out of each other...
They train in different techniques and get all big so that they can knock the other senseless as fast as possible, hopefully to obtain some cash... but if they don't already have a good record or a huge fan following the cash prize is not really worth the possiblity of rendering your brain useless.
So... I propose the fight of the century.
One that will have an amazing amount of fan support and record sales...
One that will promise one of the opponents becoming even more useless then they began...
One that will involve more than just boxing fans...
One that will not ruin any careers any further...
That's right...
O.J. Simpson vs Michael Jackson
Of course we would have to involve Don King just to make things interesting,
You can just see it now...
Both of them used to be famous and have now nothing to lose... and a bit of cash in their pockets I'm sure wouldn't hurt. They both have people that still believe in them no matter how crazy they are or how horrible the crimes they are being acused of... and I am sure that there are just as many that would just enjoy watching one of them get there face smashed in.
Now in the blue corner we have an ex football great that used to run through 350 pound giants to get to the endzone. He has won tons of trophies over the years and has just recently been awarded a "not guilty" vote back in 1995 from a double murder case... I am sure that is his most prized trophy so far. He must still weigh over 220 pounds but I am not sure that he has the stamina or the shear power that he used to.
In the red corner we have the king of pop himself. Fast as lightning, this guy has the footwork down and will probably run circles (backwards) around any opponent. He is recently in court and has been labelled "wacko" many times.
I have a lot of questions concerning this fight:
- Will MJs face go all to mush, will it wipe off on OJs gloves, or will it hold strong like it is worth millions?
- Can OJ win without using some sort of weapon, and will he just deny that he won in the end anyways?
- Is the moonwalk fast enough to get away from an uppercut?
- Will MJ tag in Tito or Jermaine? Is that allowed?
- Will OJ have enough time to fit in the fight in his busy schedule?
- Can MJ hurt an opponent much bigger than the ones he is used to?
- Will the raiders cheerleaders show there support?
- Is it illegal to wear a sparkly glove underneath a boxing glove?
There are so many more but we just won't know the answers unless this fight goes down. I have watched many a boxing match and I can honestly say that if this was to happen, it wouldn't just be me that would be excited to watch it.
So lets all hope that MJ doesn't go to jail, but is left pennyless, and angry, and at that moment a little birdy should give him the idea to get into boxing... it would be great for the world... for at least a minute or so.
Lets get ready to RUMBLE!!!!
Slater

Vegas the Vacuum

2005-02-02T07:58:00.000-08:00

Well we returned unharmed from Sin City.
The place is crazy.
So much to do, but it all costs tons of cashola.
We did however get to see a free show of "Viva Las Vegas" which is a mix of comedy acts, magic and of course a few slutty showgirls (show indeed). You can also just walk around and see all sorts of weird stuff that is going on inside each casino. Like the lions at the MGM Grand, the Elvis impersonator at the Sahara, the band in New York New York, and of course all the zombies that sit all day at a machine pumping in money.
Some of the most noteable craziness was found in the Venetion. It was an overcast day when we stumbled upon this gem. You walk through this place and you find yourself on the sidewalks of Venice. Cobblestone, canal systems with gondolas, and stores that look like individual buildings, but the crazy part is that the ceiling is painted with a perfect blue sky. With the lighting, it really is odd, you are outside but inside. The whole town is designed to keep you trapped inside where you can spend, spend, spend.
Then there is the most horrible Ceasars Palace. Once you are in, there is no way out... seriously. Maybe they have secret walls that dissappear in case of an emergency but it is next to impossible to get out of there normally. This made us all a little crazy and at one point everyone was speedwalking away in directions that were thought to lead us out of there, not really caring if the rest of us were following, just wanting out.
The Stratosphere, the casino/hotel/small CN Tower that we stayed in was a funny place. The tower had a bunch of rides on the top of that we forgot to do, and believed that they were a little crazy to do as well. We did however eat some good food in the restaurant that rotates around the top, which is also pretty sweet view. On the last night we went to this latino cantina for some good times and it ended up being funny as hell. It all started with some improv kareoke (not by us) and eventually led to some dudes grinding for some of the girls in the bar, one of which was Peggy. Then, like that wasn't enough, two of the waitresses take their positions on top of the bar to shake their asses, while pouring drinks... what weird lives these people must have.
As for gambling, Casey came out on top by winning $120 on one dollar slots, Peggy made about $10 on one cent slots, I played some Hold'em and almost lost a bunch of money but crawled back to make $5, and Andrea and Dermot just fed the very hungry machines.
The Marathon was a success and everyone finished. Casey and I had a crazy mission for bananas and met up with them when they were about 3/4 of the way and then again at the end. There was this strong headwind and dust blowing in their eyes, but somehow they kept each other moving. I was so proud of them and can not imagine doing that at all. Afterwards was pretty funny, as they were all walking very slowly and stairs became their worst enemy. Then we all ate a bunch of food and the runners crashed so that they could party it up later in the evening... this is when I played poker.
A few other noteable times were the Belagio with its fancy everything and huge fountains, customs giving problems to the irish and people with things in their shoes, opening beers on room safes, fancy shades, 50's diner singers/waiters, hot tubs with an ocean view, IHOP greatness, the sun, gold medals, lessons of the bar-b-q, efficient monorails, voice changing angry self checkouts, accents, finish lines, cheesy american football movies, big drinks, slots everywhere, trading cards, baggage races, Bill (the apprentice guy), and of course just hanging out drinking in our rooms.
All together a fun and crazy experience.
Slater

The Little Guy

2005-01-26T09:38:00.000-08:00

Life as a dust mite...
Imagine it... the smallest things would be like a mountain. Like carpet for instance. Even really thin carpet would create giant tree like swirls of colour to hide in. Most of the time you don't have to hide anyways, you are just too small too be found. Just walking (jumping) around searching the gigantic world for food and pleasure. Imagine stepping onto a burger, or a steak. I have seen big steaks in my day but the smallest scrap that falls to the floor would be like a steak the size of a car to a dust mite. That would be awesome. I guess the fact that people are allergic to you would kind of suck, but really does it matter? I don't hear of many humans hanging out with their buddy the dust mite on a saturday night. One thing that wouldn't be the greatest is the fact that you would be one ugly mutha. If you haven't seen one of these things, they aren't the nicest looking and that's for sure. They have a sort of giant ass, praying mantis style legs, and a small wierd looking head. Another great thing would be that there are tons of other dust mites around to keep you company (if you can't befriend a human). Millions of dust mites can live on one single carpet. Now just imagine a house with wall to wall carpet... that's a party.
Ah to be the little guy... so much to do, so much to see.
So, next time you vacuum, at least say you are sorry to the mites, you could have wrecked one great bash.
Slater

Vegas Baby!

2005-01-25T07:54:00.000-08:00

The plan...
So I am off to Vegas on Friday and will quickly return on Monday. Whirlwind tour of one of the most insane cities in the world. I set out with a few goals on my mind.
1. To be there for Andrea and the rest of the running gang and show my support by yelling my head off... a marathon is something to cheer about.
2. To get as much free stuff as I can muster. I have been practicing my "busy look" which I hope will keep the drinks and whatever flowing my way.
3. To find and eat the $2.99 midnight steak dinner.
4. To take as many random pictures as I can... hopefully with a whole bunch of animals in the circus, mainly a tiger.
5. To ride on the rollercoaster attached to the tower on our hotel... supposed to be crazy.
6. To see the sites outside of the actual city, hopefully a trip to the Grand Canyon, but if not it will only make me have to return later.
7. To step up to a texas hold'em game and either win a crapload or lose just a little.
So... that is the plan, and I hope I can add some other crazy things to the list.
I will return soon, and post my adventure.
Slater

Smart Idiots

2005-01-24T07:32:00.000-08:00

I have noticed a disturbing trend.
When I was at the University of Waterloo I saw it first...
Having classes in the Biology and Chemistry buildings meant that I used their washrooms as well. This is where I first encountered people who did not wash their hands at all. I mean not even a fake out by running water or even stepping up to the sink in the first place... complete disregard for the rest of the world. To walk out of a stall and then just leave is very strange. Are these people afraid of water, or do they love the smell of their own crap so much that they want to carry it around with them the rest of the day. The craziest thing is where this was happening, really if any students should understand microbes and germs it should have been these people.
And now it has happened again at the University of Western Ontario...
I was walking from a class and bailed on some ice (funny), which resulted in some muddy hands and me making an ass of myself. I then stood up and went back inside, you guessed it, into the Biology building, right where it connects to the Chemistry building and headed to the washroom. I walked over to the sink and began to wash my hands when I heard a flush from one of the stalls. I didn't think anything of it until this person just opened the stall and then just walked right out of the washroom... crazy.
So now I think, maybe this is happening all over the place. I can't say that I am the most clean person in the world and I don't consider myself a germ freak. You would not see me with a mask on my face, or even see me upset when I return from a canoe trip all dirty, but I think this is a little gross. If these same people don't wash their hands after going to the washroom then when do they wash them? I sit here at a public computer at the same university as these fools, I open the same doors, sit at the same desks, so all I ask is a little respect for the rest of the world.
Wash your hands you freaks! As much as you like your own crap, I don't want it, and I am pretty sure that their are others that feel the same as me, and by the way... you smell like poo.
Slater

Half is more

2005-01-20T13:34:00.000-08:00

It has been said to me that I sometimes view the world as having my glass half empty.
I really don't see a problem with that.
I figure that if I see myself as being full at all, then I will have no room for anything else, and may overlook or completely disregard very important happenings in my life.
I enjoy the fact that I still have room for whatever comes my way, whether that is an in depth conversation with someone or just more beer for my glass.
If your glass is seen as half full you may turn these things away, thinking that you are doing just fine and miss out on some good times... and I will drink all your beer.
So yeah... half empty is the way I view the world and I like it.
Slater

Our other self

2005-01-19T09:20:00.000-08:00

Most of us look into the mirror and can recognise ourselves.
But what if I were to tell you that that really isn't you but a complete opposite of yourself?
That is the case when we look in the mirror. Think about it...
Lets say that you part your hair on the left side of your head. The person in the mirror parts their hair on the right. Or you have a scar or some sort of mark on your face, it will also be shown to you on the opposite side.
So all those people that you know or see that spend so much time looking into a mirror making sure that they look just right are really making themselves look much different then they think.
It is just like when we hear our own voice after it has been recorded. We sound crazy different and sometimes I wonder if that was me or some other person who knows my thoughts.
Maybe there is another person inside of us, but the scariest thought is that it's this person other people see and hear all the time.... so who are we then?
Are we just the person on the inside and if so why do we care about what we look and sound like on the outside?
Why not just disregard mirrors entirely, grow that beard or let your hair go all over the place and when you say something that gets you in trouble just blame that other you that lives on the outside, he gets all the attention anyways.
Slater

Winter

2005-01-18T13:49:00.000-08:00

The snow hits me in the face and what am I to do. It gathers there and forms small icicles as my breath warms it just enough to melt, drip and form another icicle on my chin.
My hands, slightly numb are alternating holding my notebook and having a moment of salvation within my coat pocket.
Legs moving, not only to get me there but also to help the blood from freezing and stopping movement entirely.
Wiggling of the toes helps me to realize that those piggies are still there, yet how much longer can they go?
So this is winter...
I have always loved it for some reason...
It does have some great qualities like snow days, ski hills, and a great cooler of drinks.
For some reason however it seems different this time around.
Maybe it is my fault...
Not taking advantage of all that it offers to me.
For instance I could right now be sliding down some hill towards pending doom or throwing icy projectiles at loud neighbours.
Or maybe its not my actions at all, but how I look at winter.
When I was a kid, the giant amount of snow on the driveway only meant that there would be a huge hill on my lawn to play with, or the freezing rain meant that I could slide down the sidewalk farther as I walked to school.
So thats just it...
When I step back out into the snow and the snow builds on my face I will make a snowball, and after I am done shovelling I will climb to the top of the mountain I have created and roll down it, and when my car slides into the curb I will laugh and say that was fun wasn't it.
This is winter.
Slater

Are we all a little square in the pants

2005-01-17T07:37:00.000-08:00

I sit here realizing that I could be up to something. But instead I am sucked into this machine like water to a sponge. Maybe that is just it, we hear about how kids are such sponges for information when they are young and we assume that this quality goes away when we get older.
Maybe now we just soak up different types of crap.
We turn on the computer and read various information and go from one site to another for what?? I dare not say research, for that is only for times when we are on some sort of deadline.
So are we still sponges? I would say yes.
I love to eat (or drink) random information. Somehow it fills the voids within my head and it makes me laugh to be able to throw this crap around at other people. I guess the question now is when I am throwing this info around, are others soaking it up or does it just hit the floor to be mopped up later.
Anyways, thoughts are good and this may be the answer to my constant ramblings.
Slater