Saturday, December 31, 2011

2 Cor. 13 and Ice Cube, foo'

While reading 2 Corinthians 13:5 in a Bible study, the chorus from Ice Cube's song "Check Yo Self" came to mind.
Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified. (NKJV)
or
Test yourselves and find out if you really are true to your faith. If you pass the test, you will discover that Christ is living in you. But if Christ isn't living in you, you have failed. (CEV)

Come on foo! You better check yo self before you wreck yo self!
I mean, do you actually follow the Word of God and treasure it in your heart? foo?!

Ok, I'll stop saying that.

Here's the song for your amusement. WARNING: salty language alert.



.....and my above thoughts leads us into this really great sermon by Paul Washer that I first heard in 2007 (2008?) and that I listened to again last month. The summary of the sermon is 2 Corinthians 13:5.

Happy 2012!

Saturday, December 24, 2011

Merry Christmas?! kaaashplfffffttts!!!

Without fail, the news will always say something this time of year about political correctness and wishing people “Merry Christmas” or whether or not people are choosing other seasonal greetings. I always get annoyed by this topic.

I’m going to make an awesome old man when I become senile.

Yesterday, I went to Safeway to pick up some thyme. The cashier wished me “Merry Christmas.” I went to get some roast chicken from Save-On-Foods. The deli guy wished me “Merry Christmas.” At work I’ve been wishing customers Merry Christmas left and right and many times they even beat me to it before going out the door.

The day on the calendar is marked “Christmas.” It’s not that hard to understand, even if you don’t celebrate it. You’ll get the day off anyways even if you wrote “Festivus” on your own calendar.

One on one, I don’t think most people care about political correctness, unless perhaps one individual is representing some sort of corporate or government image. En masse, the motto is assumed to be “It’s better to be safe than sorry,” and “Happy Holidays” is the norm.

I loathe that phrase.
I really like Michael BublĂ©’s Christmas album.

Before running away and looking at cat videos on YouTube, you should read this article entitled “Arrival of One which is Awaited” by Andrea York. God reveals Himself to her and she writes out really encouraging things. You should subscribe to her feed.

And in the words of Jim Carrey, I hope you have a CHRISTY CHRISTY CHRISTmas!

Monday, December 19, 2011

Pointless Post #69

Yesterday evening, I found a loonie in some leafy muck on the side of the road where rain water flows into the storm drains. It was very dark and I thought it was a very large penny (which isn't worth getting your hands dirty over), until I remembered pennies aren't that large. So I took a few steps back and behold! ONE DOLLAR!

My hair is long enough that it can get caught in my jacket zipper.
Also, I found a knot in in one of the hairs today.
Jamie Oliver's Christmas specials are faaaaaantastic! Leek and Turkey pie? WOW.

I'm enjoying one of my Christmas presents from my sister and brother-in-law:
Spider-Man loves Cheetos

Sooooooo good. I just wish there wasn't MSG in in it. That's the price for deliciousness I suppose.



--------------
Saw gas for 121.9¢/litre and its below 95¢ on Vancouver Island?!

Thursday, December 08, 2011

10 New Spider-Man Pictures

I've been feeling pretty lazy lately, hence no new posts, as well as I had pneumonia recently. God loves me and I'm feeling much better, though I still wonder how I got it in the first place. I lost about 12.5lbs in the process. So now I get to gain it back, plus more!

Here's four of the ten new-ish Spider-Man pictures. Some I forgot I had taken and some I just took tonight:

Spider-Man sits in the cheap seats at the Pacific Coliseum In the Pacific Coliseum. Can you spot him?


Spider-Man does a handstand by a riverbed Being a showoff.

Spider-Man gets closer to KO'ing the M&M Beating up a plastic candy.


Spider-Man loves Belgian cookies BELGIAN COOKIES!


--------------
Gas hovered around the high 120s in early November and recently I've seen it as low as 124.9¢/litre.

Sunday, October 30, 2011

Pointless Post #68

It aggravates me when someone calls my phone early in the morning, asking for someone that doesn't live here (or doesn't exist) and then hangs up without apologizing when I tell them they have a wrong number.

Example, this morning, shortly after my alarm goes off:

*ring ring*
Me: [groggily, but trying to sound awake] Hello?
Rude person: Hi, may I speak to Amanda please?
Me: You've got the wrong number.
Rude person: *click*
Me: RAAAAAGE!!!

Wire clothes hangers also aggravate me. They get caught on each other so easily!


--------------
Gas has been around 135-138¢/litre the past few weeks, and even hit 141¢ near Thanksgiving but today I saw it for 131.9¢/litre. Le sigh.

Friday, October 28, 2011

Pointless Post #67

Some lady just thought I just finished high school.

Ageless youth win!
...or maybe its because I dress like a slob.

Hmmm.


EDIT: July 17, 2012 - Some other lady just said I looked like a "man-boy" [sic].  Thanks for telling me what you think, even though I don't know who you are. Good grief. 

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Occupy Vancouver/Wall Street/etc.

I think this movement is both very rational and irrational. It depends mostly on the reasons behind it.

For example, if you have served your country overseas, have a degree(s), been laid off and on the job hunt for ___ months, your home has been foreclosed, and then you see bank CEO's using government bailout money to give themselves cash bonuses in excess of millions of dollars, I'd be more than upset too. If you're protesting just for the sake of "protesting" than this is just dumb.

I've thought a few times what would happen if someone with too much money and time on their hands went down to these Occupy demonstrations with a scissor lift and just rained money down on people. Would the movement turn into a free for all?

This would probably work better with US $1 bills rather than loonies...

Saturday, October 15, 2011

Just By Being You: Toronto and Winnipeg

I was watching the Senators-Leafs game last week and I strangely found myself silently (read: very, very silently) rooting for the Leafs. They were playing great. Phil Kessel was doing his thing where he puts the puck in the back of the night and those goals were worthy of applause. So I did (but silently). Toronto was up 4-0 after the second period. It helped that the celebration goal song is the same as the Canucks ("The Whip" by Locksley), but tangent, I find it annoying that Columbus uses it too.

Twenty minutes from a shut out win? Ok, Toronto, you are worthy of my approval tonight. You played well so maybe I'll make an effort to cheer for you more often instead of booing for no reason whenever I hear someone mention the Leafs. If I sound obnoxious, its because its just center-of-the-universe Toronto. Taranna! pffft.

Anyways, third period commences and poof, the Senators make some changes, Alfredsson finally shows up to play, and all of a sudden its a close game. The Leafs end up winning 6-5. After nearly blowing a 4-0 lead.

I applauded your victory, Toronto, but just barely. After seeing the Senators score a few unanswered goals, I jumped ship and deep down I wanted Ottawa to tie it up and win the game in OT so that I could sneer and say, "No finish! That's why you're Toronto!" followed by sarcastic applause. My, my, I would have showed you.

Eeesh, Toronto....

*shakes head*

The next day after church, I was watching a recording of the Jets' home opener against the Canadiens and suffering succotash that was a good game. Aesthetically, it's too bad Winnipeg's MTS Centre isn't up to par with other NHL arenas (they have the smallest seating capacity in the league) and the steep seats made for some weird angles at brief moments while watching the game on CBC. But it almost made it intimate and intimidating at the same time, if thats possible (at least, that's what I was trying to imagine from a player's standpoint). Or maybe I just had the volume on too loud and I was just too excited.

It's great to have a seventh NHL team in Canada. I was excited at the announcement of the purchase and move of the Atlanta Thrashers back to Winnipeg and I watched so much live news coverage of super happy Manitobans that day. I was too young too care about the old Jets, but being able to see a Canadian city and it's people coming together around their team today was just very beautiful. I also found it cool that Stephen Harper was at the opening game. Very classy of him (and I'm not being sarcastic).

Too bad Montreal beat them. And too bad the Jets are losing against the Coyotes right now as I write this (Edit: they lost), but I know I'm going to enjoy more of this Winnipeg-Phoenix rivalry in the future (because it's old Jets-new Jets).

Great sign by a fan in the stands after Winnipeg's first goal tonight:
C ouldn't
B uy
C oyotes

Got Jets!
Hockey, weeee!

Thursday, October 13, 2011

Pointless Post #66 - Best Email Greeting Edition

It's early Thursday morning. I'm still a little groggy and checking my email before I start doing anything work related. There's a reply from a dear friend in my inbox. I open the email.

Tim!
You are a fresh pie!

I burst out laughing and continue reading.
Thanks, dear friend, I needed that!

I think I can see myself embracing that as a new nickname too.

Seacre...I mean, Freshpie out!

...actually never mind.

Friday, October 07, 2011

Pointless Post #65

(cold, grey, and damp weather) + (a selection of classical music by Julie Nesrallah on CBC Radio 2) + (home made mac and cheese, with extra cheese and chunks of ham) + (a stool to sit on)

= Contentment

I suppose that equation could be improved if I replaced the ham with bacon, but I'll work on that next week.

In other useless Tim-news, I discovered a new condiment (or is it a seasoning?).
Crushed up potato chips! You can use it as a topping on anything! It adds flavour AND texture.

And crunch!

I've yet to try it in my coffee.

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Hebrews 12:29 - For our God is a consuming fire



I watched this video on a blog many weeks ago, said "Wow!" to myself and then forgot about it.

The following Sunday, the pastor mentioned Hebrews something in his sermon which I flipped to in my Bible, but my eyes were drawn to Hebrews 12:29 on the adjacent page because I had underlined it. And I remembered that video again.

Fire can be destructive, but it can also purify. When fires occur in the wild, they definitely destroy and consume the dry brush, but it also makes way for the new growth.

So let that verse and video simmer in your mental thinking pot.

Sunday, September 18, 2011

Pointless Post #64

I don't think people appreciate my devotion to headbanging as much as I do, especially when I'm driving and making left turns. Sigh.

--------------
Gas has been around 133-137¢/litre, but hit 140¢ during Labour Day weekend and today again.

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

PNE Crazy Dogs Review – VERDICT: It's All Hype :-(

I went to the PNE on Saturday and because of all the coverage I've seen and read on the news about the newest concession stand, I was very excited (super excited!) about trying something from Crazy Dogs. It's a brand new PNE-run concession stand (so they accept credit/debit cards) and they are most well known for their 2 foot hot dog, the "Double Dare Ya." It's a 2 foot long hot dog covered in chili and a bunch of other things. Here's the Crazy Dogs menu:

Crazy Dogs Menu

When I heard about the Crazy Dogs' two foot dog, I said to myself (and probably out loud), "I want to try that. And I'm going to eat it all myself." But the more I thought about it, the more I couldn't justify the $25 price of what's probably more than one week's serving of sodium. I also looked back at my records and remembered that a foot long hot dog (from a different concession stand) was $5. So I thought, for $25 I'd be better off buying five foot long dogs. But alas, after 4 years, the price of a foot long hot dog with grilled onions at the PNE is now $7. Good grief, it's not like it's gold (long story short, I bought and ate a foot long to wash away the taste of the Crazy Dog).

Ok back to Saturday. After looking at the prices, I finally decided on the "Surf's Up Dog" mostly because it had popcorn shrimp. Everything else is mostly cheap starch.

$10.50. Whew! I'm at the PNE; I can't have second thoughts about this.

Here's Spider-Man about to dig in:
Spider-Man eats an over-priced hotdog at the PNE

And a close up:



As you can see in my pictures, it looks good. It really does.


Check out this positive review (scroll down for close up of the hotdog; click on the thumbnail).
It looks good in those pictures too!

What's the problem Tim?! Are you just a whiny cheapskate?!
Good question! And yes, I am!

For $10.50 I shouldn't have ignored my second thoughts and I should've been able to expect a reasonably generous slathering of toppings because that's what's making this hotdog crazy! Isn't it? ISN'T IT?!?!?! BLUGABLOOGAUNGGHTH!!!!

Whoah, not sure what happened there...crazy, haha (get it?).

Anyways, here's my review. It's a gigantic pretzel bun (that's very dry) that props everything up high and that's what makes the hotdog look big. As for the toppings, on the hotdog I was served, I don't believe the servers were generous because the coleslaw was spread across the dog pretty thinly, and there's a lot of air in between of all the condiments/toppings. It looks like a lot of popcorn shrimp, but there were only 12. The equivalent of a small child's handful. A stingy, small child.

Ok maybe not a small child, but what I'm trying to say is there isn't actually a lot there, for the price I'm paying for. Underneath all the toppings is a wiener (beef?) that's dwarfed by a bun that's 4-5 times it's size which is really nothing special itself. How's it taste? Good. But nothing special.

My review might be coming across as harsh, which is what I'm trying to go for because I'll say it again...$10.50 for a hotdog? It better wow me. But it didn't. You hyped yourself up too much on the free promos you did on the news, PNE. It's your own fault you disappointed me. Besides, you've already made a killing on these hotdogs and will continue to do so no matter what I say. People will still buy these ridiculously priced hotdogs.

Which reminds me, the PNE isn't worth going to unless you can get in for free or very close to free. Aside from the musical acts, there's nothing much new or worth going to see, assuming you've been there in past five years or so.

Long live the IKEA 75¢ hotdog. FOREVER.

Thursday, August 25, 2011

Pointless Post #63

Why do my socks wear out faster the older I get?

Having a pastor(s) under the age of 50 is beneficial because they are easily coerced into dunk tanks for the amusement of the church (and God's glory, muahaha).

Here's a video of Spider-Man riding the moving sidewalk at Calgary International Airport (YYC).:


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Gas was 129.9¢/litre yesterday and 133ish a few days ago.

Pointless Post #62

Good songs to listen to in the morning to wake you up and get you motivated:

Enterprising Young Men - Star Trek (OST 2009) by Michael Giacchino


and

Macho Man by The Village People
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AO43p2Wqc08
(won't let me embed, poop)

...oh wow, I just watched that video and it was surprisingly gay, hahaha.
Still a great, catchy song though.

Speaking of gay (as in merriness), a customer, who's name I don't even know, made fun of me a few days ago by telling me that my ponytail was really weak. I laughed him off and told him I was working on it.

Where does he get the nerve to tell me that?
It's My Little Pony!!!
But in his defense, he's right, haha!

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

44 New Spider-Man Pictures! *EXPLOSIONS*

That's an increase of 115% new content! WOW!

O__O

Here's a sample of whats on the Flickr set:

Spider-Man at Empire Field watching the Whitecaps
At a Vancouver Whitecaps game at Empire Field (no longer there).

Spider-Man at the Celebration of Light (Vancouver Fireworks)
At the Celebration of Light fireworks.

Spider-Man at the half-way point of the Grouse Grind
Doing the Grouse Grind.

Spider-Man doing sudoku on the floor at YVR
Doing sudoku in the airport.

Spider-Man getting his bag from the luggage carousel
In Calgary International Airport.

Spider-Man eating apple pie, in bed!
Getting room service at 3am.

Spider-Man acts macho in front of Jumbo the Elephant (in St. Thomas, ON)
JUMBO THE ELEPHANT IN ST. THOMAS ONTARIO!!!
AAAAAGGGGHHHHHHH!!! I HAVE NO NEED TO BE SHOUTING!!!

Spider-Man feeding some cows
Feeding some cows in Shedden, ON.

La fin.


--------------
Gas in London, On was about 126.0¢/litre on August 6th.
Here, I've still been seeing it at 130-132.
But today I saw it at 127.9¢/litre.

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

ICBC Waving Commercial

Do you live in BC? Have you seen these ads? If not, here you go:



Did you like it? Well, you should because this is a good commercial.

The actors are likeable.
It's very clear, concise, and ends humouristically. Humourly? It ends on a funny note.
Murray's Lunch!
It's memorably distinct.

And finally, it's very relevant. I've only been driving for a few years, but even I've noticed that driving around Vancouver seems to be getting worse. When I'm on the highway, I'm frequently tailgated and cut off, and the number of times people turn/change lanes without signalling is beyond counting. And it pisses me off.

But last week, something fantastic happened. I allowed someone to merge (I slowed down, he sped up; there was plenty of room to do so even before we changed speeds) and I received a thank you wave. A very pronounced, flat-palmed, fingers-spread, hand-in-the-air, visible-through-the-rear-windshield, right hand wave. I was taken aback because I literally cannot remember the last time I received a thank you wave. And then I started cackling like a lunatic because I remembered the ICBC commercial, and I waved a thank-you-for-the-thank-you (er... I guess that would be a "you're welcome") wave back, as I continued to chuckle.

Yesterday, some pedestrians waved at me as I slowed to a stop at a crosswalk. I waved back.

It felt great. And I want more.

EVERYONE HAS TO TRY THIS!!! EVERYONE!!!
HULK SMASH!!

It's almost as good as the release of endocannabinoids when I eat potato chips.
Almost, but not quite.

Anywho, in some recent Tim-news, after 8.5 months, I finally got a haircut! Actually, it was meant to be a trim, but the guy cut so much off! I'm still a little bummed by how much he took off the back of my head. My goal of having a ponytail is still there, but it looks like it'll take another few months before that's realized. I'll take solace in the fact that when I got home, my parents looked at me and said, "What happened? We thought you were going to go get your hair cut today."

And finally, I'm going to Ontario for Ted and Heidi's wedding. I should really figure out how I'm going to get there...

Friday, June 24, 2011

Why the 2011 Vancouver Riots Were a Good Thing

(Note: I took this picture from....somewhere. Sorry to the person who took it but you deserve the credit)

My title is actually very misleading. I don't condone rioting, unnecessary violence, or any sort of irrational, destructive, and childish behaviours that were present in downtown Vancouver on June 15, 2011 (or anywhere for that matter). The point of this post is to add to the social commentary by looking at positive aspects that resulted from the riot as well as to discuss the aftermath and any lessons that can be taken away from the experience, with a mostly optimistic point of view. Cynicism is pragmatic and has it's time and place, but optimism encourages hope and even healing.

The next day (Thursday, June 16) I was helping a lady when news coverage from the riot appeared on TV. As soon as she saw the images, she made a tiny gasp, turned her back to the TV and remarked that she couldn't watch it anymore. She said that seeing it all unfold felt like a "personal attack" on herself and began to tear up as she said this (her eyes watered up really fast!). I tried to say something uplifting with a smile, and she returned the smile, most likely to be polite, but really, there's only so much time you can devote to dwelling on what you've lost before you can move on. The milk was spilled. Let's wipe it up.

There are many who hold the viewpoint that the police should have been better prepared. Regardless of the VPD's professional preparation in managing the crowds and perhaps even the outcome of the Canucks game, this riot was going to happen (the size and scale would just be very different). It's pretty much a well-documented fact that the rioters were not "true" Canucks fans. They were misguided individuals who wanted to see mayhem and disorder take place on Vancouver's streets.

(Right-click and open in a new tab; YouTube won't let me embed this awesome Dark Knight clip.)

And it just so happens that Canucks' fans were in that same area and some decided to follow the riot. They wanted to see something burn too.

And knowing this should humble us, as Canadians (which is a good thing). Even though Vancouver and other Canadian cities are often highly ranked in magazine publications for being a "livable" city or having a high and well-respected standard of living, it doesn't mean we are superior to other nations. Yes, Canada is a wonderful place to live, Vancouver is beautiful, and the people are friendly, but deep down, we struggle with the same problems that even developing nations struggle with (albeit on a lesser scale). We have troublemakers. We have criminals. We have family and friends who make bad choices in the heat of an emotion-filled moment. We have members of our society who are discontent with their own lives and desire to see other share their discontent and anger. We are all ignorant, selfish, and have an inherent sinful nature. We have to acknowledge that. And we have.

Canucks fans, Vancouverites, and Canadians everywhere have a collective shame over what transpired during the riot. This is a good and proper response. If you've been following the news as much as I have (which is a lot) how many times have you heard people/organizations say, "This is not my Vancouver," or "This doesn't represent my city?" Our Canadian reputation to the world of being peaceful and friendly, was blackened by each car that was set on fire, each pane of glass that was broken, and each item that was looted. If we want to gain back the respect of the world, we must the use the shame to motivate us to never allow something like an infantile riot to bring notoriety to our city. How we might do that will require lots of long term effort.

But because it’s just been over one week, short term responses will suffice. The thank you notes that started to appear on an unattended police car on Granville Street, is not only touching for regular citizens, it provides an immeasurable amount of encouragement for the police and the work that they do.


From The Vancouver Courier, “Goodwill drapes downtown Vancouver while police chief faces riot fire” by Mike Howell:
The sight overwhelmed Const. Eric Kerasiotis, a member of the VPD’s crowd control unit who suffered a head injury in the riot. Off duty because of the injury, which he wouldn’t discuss, Kerasiotis was returning to the Cambie Street station to pick something up when he noticed the cruiser.

“I saw this and it was more emotional than I would have expected,” he said as people continued to post sticky notes on the car. “It’s a thank you that I don’t think any of us really expected to see. It was very nice. We worked hard. I think we did well. No matter how it went, we would have been criticized.”

He paused to collect himself.

“But this,” he said pointing to the decorated cruiser, “is more important to us—more important than anybody realizes.”
The outpouring of public support for the Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services, emergency and paramedics, and especially the Vancouver Police Department in messages of encouragement and commendations have been unprecedented (at least to my knowledge). True gratitude from the heart is a type of love that is easily received

Oh, sort of a tangent, but one thing to be thankful about this riot was that it happened in Canada, where we pay taxes and have emergency first responders who willingly respond to crazy situations like these. Despite the abuse and assaults (I can’t imagine being a police officer waking up the morning of Game 7 and thinking, “There’s going to be a mob-like atmosphere downtown tonight and I’m going to get bit by some drunk, dirty hippies”) they stand their ground and do their job.

Because of our government system, the army was not called in to mow everyone down with machine gun fire, and there were no fatalities that night. If it weren’t for our laws and court system, it could have been uglier. I heard one middle-aged man converse with my parents that he would have liked to have seen the police be more pro-active. As soon as they saw some hooligans, all dressed in black, start to put on masks or cover up their faces, he postulated that they should have ran up to them, grabbed one of them and “just tazered him for 20 minutes!” As much as I want to agree that that solution could have helped quell the riot, I’m thankful that that is not a standard protocol for police. Absolute power can corrupt absolutely and when there’s adrenaline in the mix, hang on to your butts people.

Another well documented response that I’m only going to briefly mention are the giant “get well soon” cards, or the signing of the boarded up windows on the shops and buildings that were smashed. I didn’t go down to see for myself, but it seemed like the Bay’s boarded up windows got the most attention. It was a way for the public to collectively respond and “interact” while reading what others felt and thought.



Over the next few days, I saw news reports of random people going downtown to give other random passer-by’s free hugs, Timbits (weeee!), and the Metropolis mall’s glee club went and greeted cruise ship passengers at the Waterfront with some vibrant songs. It was a way to spread cheer versus the spread of hate and destruction a few nights before.

As it is being well documented on Facebook groups and sites like these I believe the use of digital and social media as a result of the riot is primarily a good thing because it serves as a deterrent. Don’t do stupid things because anyone can be watching. But it’s also proving itself to be dangerous and comparably negative. I can’t help but compare China’s human flesh-search to ours. Thanks to social media, people have been outing rioters and looters seen in photos/videos posted online (which is a good thing), as well as publishing their personal information and publicly shaming them (which is a mostly a bad thing). In some cases, it’s very much an online mob that is turning on the people who have been “caught,” but they still deserve a fair trial in a court of law, despite how damning the evidence is. It’s troublesome to read some the outrageous insults and death threats because I doubt all these things would be said to the accused/identified if they were standing right in front of us. Peel's principle has been changed in our situation to “The police are the public and the public are the police…as well as judge and jury.” Proverbs says our words can be destructive. Posting a scornful comment is included in that.

Finally, the last major thing I want to talk about that was good about the riot, was that Vancouver got to see some light shine amidst the darkness. I’m referring to the people who stood up to the rioters and tried to stop the madness. They were Canucks fans who were downtown that evening. They were regular citizens, untrained in crowd control, security, policing, or whatever. And they knew what they were in the middle of was wrong, and they did what was right. Vancouver Riot 2011 (now called Vancouver Heroes) has a bunch of photos and links to some of their stories. Letters from the Front Lines: Vancouver Riot also has some first hand accounts on those who protected the city (paid and un-paid) and who choose to remain unnamed and unrecognized for their actions.

Shanna Selinger was named. She stood up to rioters who were trying to break into a liquor store.

The women in the video below who were protecting their BMW are unnamed. If it is indeed their car, they were their own good Samaritans because the mob surrounding them were brainless.



And on the news the following day, I saw several young women being interviewed who were helping the clean up crew and volunteers, post-riot. There is irony in this as we saw that most of the destruction was caused by men, but we have evidence of women who had the real balls that evening (and following morning). God bless these women and others like them who stood up in the face of harm and adversity. They have real balls, not like those idiots trashing the BMW. That video still particularly sickens me

------------

When I see pictures and video snippets here or there, I have to try and put my judgment aside. I try, I really do. If I was there, what would I have done? I really hope I would have done the right thing, but assuming I was overtaken with my adrenaline, would I have been swept up in the silliness and kicked at an already broken window? Would I have grabbed a bag of chips from a pile that was thrown outside the doors of a shop by looters from the inside? Would I have posed in front of the riot police or a burning car for a picture? Would I be cheering along with the crowd as we see a car being flipped over? If I did any of these things, would I admit it? Would I admit it if I was seen in photos or videos taken at the time of the incidents? What would I do if someone outed me and posted all my personal information, address, etc online?

We see the need for justice and we know there’s a need for compassion, but how do we appropriately balance the two for long term healing?

The best thing about this riot, whether its politically incorrect or not acceptable, is that Vancouver needs Jesus. If we don’t want this to happen again, the hearts and minds (especially of young people….the amount of high school kids involved? wow…) need to be changed and influenced by biblical principals. And that starts with knowing God’s true love. This is not another Christiany cop out answer; this is real.

To end this ridiculously long post, I will quickly mention that although trivial, we also learned from the riot that buying insurance is a good idea and this edited clip with Alfred being obsessed with tangerines is stupid, but a happy way I will choose to end this post. Consider it your reward if you actually read this whole thing. Maybe I should send out more floppy boxes….hehehe.

(Right-click and open in a new tab; YouTube won't let me embed this awesome Tangerine Knight clip.)

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Vancouver, behold your Shame

...as opposed to "Vancouver behold your gods"

Optimism was in the air. It was palpable. Game #7 was the first thing that I thought about when I woke up today (huh, I guess, I’m heathen). Virtually everyone I encountered today was in the same mood as I was. Today was the day the Canucks were going to win the Stanley Cup. Tonight and the days following (probably the whole year) were going to be days of celebration because well…the idol was going to be in our possession.

The game started. And then the game ended. I was sad.

What a tough pill to swallow. We lost 4 – 0. All year, hockey analysts and commentators picked the Canucks to be the ones to watch. EA Sports’ NHL 11 video game simulation picked the Canucks to win the President’s Trophy and to win the Stanley Cup in seven games against Boston. Oh, cruel irony.

But life goes on doesn’t it?

Apparently not. All you have to do is google “2011 Vancouver riots.”

After watching the cup presentation, I took a break from watching TV, went out to walk the dog, and when I came back to see what’s happening on the news, downtown Vancouver had descended into madness. The major news outlets showed non-stop pictures and live video feeds of Canadians, acting with childish behaviours. Take a deep breath. Yes, unbelievable as it is, these are our fellow citizens. Canadians setting vehicles on fire. Canadians picking fights with each other for no reason. Canadians smashing shop windows, looting department stores, taunting the police, and just standing around to get a good Facebook photo. Tens of thousands of Canadians, standing around, being apathetic and cheering on the chaos.


I could make some symbolic references on how Gotham City did not turn on each other when they were provoked, but I won’t.

It’s unfortunate to say that the troublemakers are the same people as you and me, but they are a product of our society. Canadian society. Those are my peers. They may have well been my former classmates from school, who knows. There seems to be a general consensus of disgust, disappointment, and humiliation by the childish rioting, but still, one of the most troubling aspects of the whole mess in the streets were the thousands of people, standing around as if it were a free show. Sigh.

Thank you alcohol. Thank you negligent parents. And thank you young, rioting, adrenaline fueled males (mostly) for exposing why Vancouver needs Jesus so much.

It must be a huge bummer to be a Canuck player to look on the news and see your name on the back of a person as they kick in and smash a window.

Tomorrow is a new day, Vancouver.

Monday, June 13, 2011

Game #6: Canucks at Boston

Two for us in the 1st period. One for them in the 3rd.
This city and province is going to go nuts tonight.

Enjoy the first stanza of this very good song! It's very appropriate.
Aaaah another contradictory post, but I love it. 8^)




EDIT (June 13, 2011 - 1opm) : So hmmm....I need to learn how to keep my big mouth shut. On the bright side, Game 7 :-)

RE-EDIT (June 16, 2011): *facepalm*

Friday, June 10, 2011

Pointless Post #61

There's something magical about cleaning with bleach. There's something magical as your utter disgust turns into instantaneous gratification after wiping something that was once blanketed in dust and unknown muck and then being able to see the pure white surface shine clean again. There's something magical when your cheap spray bottle cracks and your diluted bleach cleaning solution sprays up into your eye. There's no other burning sensation like it. It is a one of a kind feeling.

Also, whole wheat crackers are unsatisfying. I almost miss my childhood days of processed, enriched white flour, and high trans fat snacks were still with me. Killing me slowly with that delicious, delicious gluten.

Note: In case there's ambiguity, I'm fine; I was wiping up something with bleach when I thought, "That would really suck if that happened right now."

Monday, June 06, 2011

The Canucks are simply Bieksallent

I love burgers. There is nothing like a succulent, beef patty on a warm, toasted bun, covered and topped with fresh lettuce, tomatoes, melted cheese, special sauces, and just because I'm feeling fancy, some sautéed mushrooms and plenty of crisp bacon slices. It's a combination of delicious flavours and fresh aromas from quality ingredients, that fuse together to make a symphony orchestra of culinary tastes.

The following videos are to your eyes, what a good burger is to my mouth. Mmmmmmm!

Vancouver Canucks - All Goals 2010-11 Season (43:10)


Vancouver Canucks - 2011 Playoffs - Round 1 - All Goals (5:16)


Vancouver Canucks - 2011 Playoffs - Round 2 - All Goals (4:11)


Vancouver Canucks - 2011 Playoffs - Round 3 - All Goals (6:51)


Wow, just pure wow.

What can we learn from those videos? Where should I start?

-keep your stick on the ground and get ready, especially if you're playing with the Sedins
-puck movement frees up the ice and/or gets the goalie to move from side to side
-speedy forwards are luxurious to have
-get pucks on net, even if you don't have a shot
-working from behind the net (Ă  la Gretzky) is almost always effective
-having a crowd in front of the net is great
-having an excellent screen with a quick stick is even better
-big shots from the blue line change the game
-offensive defenceman that know how to pinch are valuable
-winning faceoffs is obviously important
-rebounds.... lots and lots of rebounds (see first point)
-breathtaking goal-tending and HIP CHECKS

I could keep that list going and going, and yes, those are really basic points, but this is why hockey is the ultimate team sport and why the Vancouver Canucks are everything they are this season. And ok, the goal-tending and hip checks weren't featured in those videos, but they do add to the game. Goal-tending is self-explanatory, especially for the games when the team has trouble scoring and hip-checks are just beautiful because not only do they take an opposing player out, it gets the fans involved.

Aaaagh, I'm so horny for hockey now. Haha, yes I said it. Blame Ray Barone. It's a very accurate analogy for sports fans.

This is a very ironic post considering what I talked about last time. Oh well.
Oh yeah, thanks to nic876 for those great compilations and hours of splicing! 8^D

Game 3 in Boston tonight! Yeah!
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Saw gas for 130.9¢/litre yesterday.

Note: I believe "Bieksallent" is a Tom Larscheid quote.

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Vancouver, behold your gods!

I say that in jest, but at the same time, its true. And being Canadian, I know its not just Vancouver that worships hockey, but the whole country. I will reluctantly admit even I choose to worship hockey over God sometimes. This year, the Vancouver Canucks playoffs motto is "This Is What We Live For," and I shook my head at it when I first saw it. But I have to agree with it because it is a very accurate statement.

I was six years old when the Canucks last made it to the Stanley Cup Finals and all I can remember from that is playing outside on the jungle gym at the church barbecue with all the other kids, while all the adults were inside watching Game 7 against the Rangers. And then I remember me and my sister egging our mother on to honk the car horn on the drive home as we passed by groups of people on all sides of the roads, waving Canuck flags and white towels. It was fun. I didn't quite understand or love the game of hockey completely, but I understood the spirit of the game that drives people together.

Fast forward to the 2010-2011 NHL season where I'm able to follow along and watch almost all 82 Canuck games on TV in their entirety. I can do this now without guilt because I'm done school and I don't have homework nagging at me after the game is finished. I enjoy and revel in the win of the team's success. I silently mope around after a trouncing by an old playoff rival. At the back of my mind is the top prize in all of hockey and how maybe this year our home team will win it.

And then the Canucks lead their division in points.
And then they finish best in the Western Conference.
And then they end the season as best in the entire 30-team league.
And then we finally knock out Chicago with a devastating Burrows OT goal.
And then we beat Nashville.
And then we defeat San Jose.
And now we’re facing Boston for the Stanley Cup.

And today all of Vancouver, all of BC, and a lot of Canada (well…some of you hate us, but hey, it’s our time, 8^p) is waiting, waiting, waiting for the puck to drop shortly after 5:00pm PST on June 1, 2011 for Game 1.

And that is the beauty of hockey. That is the beauty of sports. It is a unifier of gender, age, race, and religion. All people can come together to cheer on and celebrate one team, one goal, and one prize. Strangers can high-five each other on the street. Smiles can be exchanged from across the room at the sight of someone wearing the same numbered jersey as you are. It’s an exciting and optimistic time for Vancouver that matches and arguably surpasses the hype of the Olympics and Team Canada’s quest for gold in men’s hockey last year.

And yet part of me is saddened at the sudden madness that one common goal can generate. The amount of money individuals are willing to spend on one ticket to a home game are now averaging a month’s rent (~$1000, give or take a few hundred). Canucks merchandise is flying off store shelves. Diehard fans are decorating their cars more elaborately with decals, posters, figurines, and gigantic team flags that probably slow them down when they drive on the highway. It is an idol. The Canucks are an even greater object of worship than they once were, in a city that desperately needs something greater. I am saddened at myself for often choosing to worship them also.

But I am confident that if Vancouver wins the Stanley Cup, it can be a tool for the glory of God. Yes, the hockey lover in me wants Vancouver to win it and I’m fairly sure it might cause more idol worship for a time, but I am ever so hopeful that hockey and sports in general can be a captivating stage for the name of Jesus to be made famous. It can be a stage for the Gospel to be proclaimed.

Sports is a recognizable and influential part of life world wide, more so in societies that have disposable incomes. The more I read (albeit, still very slowly) Recreation and Sports Ministry the more excited I am at the potential that hockey in this city can be used to reach people who have not been open to God before. I am quite certain of this because all the truths I’m reading in the aforementioned textbook are culturally relevant, and have Scripture to back up its points. Seriously, if you are thinking about how sports can be used as an effective tool in your church or ministry, this book is a beautiful guide, and you need to get it. Sports ministries are not a new thing. Reaching people for God, through recreation, is an “idea” well over a hundred years old and more.

So, as the Vancouver Canucks and the millions of fans supporting them, prepare to give Beantown a meaningful lesson in Canadian hockey, I will hope and cheer and pray. I will also continually hope that maybe in the near future, member(s) of the Vancouver Canucks might be able to speak in a church or other venue about their personal faith in Jesus. I can only imagine the kinds of people who might be drawn to that kind of event who may have never been to church before. And how sweet would that be to have the Stanley Cup up there beside the speakers, with a Bible resting inside it?

Go Canucks Go!



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Saw gas for 140.8¢/litre last last last Sunday. Gadzooks. Now its about 135ish average?

Monday, April 25, 2011

Pointless Post #60

I'm pooped but this article is worth reading:


......because I wear that watch everyday! In fact, I own two of them. Just in case one breaks (totally serious).

I used to wear a Timex Ironman watch but I got frustrated with that because the etching of the words on the side (Indigo, Start/Stop, Reset, etc) got rubbed off over time, the Indigo light itself was fading, and the replacement straps are so expensive and they wear out so easily.

But I bought my beautiful Casio F-91W's in 2009 and I haven't looked back since. The strap that came with the watch shows no wear and it's just a really simple, easy, reliable watch to use. I actually take a lot of pride in it because it's so cheap, but yet so good. Kind of like fast food, but even better because this helps me keep track of time. I'd recommend it in a heartbeat. And I really love fast food.

You're welcome Casio.

PS - I'm not a terrorist.

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Saw gas for 137.9¢/litre last week.

Friday, April 01, 2011

Pointless Post #59

I've hid it long enough. I've been training with Brent for the past five months now and I've made the cut for the Battlefield Fight League! Mark your calendars and please support me as I delve into the world of competitive MMA.

I'll do another post when tickets are available, but I'll be on the amateur MMA card of "BFL 8," on May 28, 2011, at the Frank Crane Arena in Nanaimo, B.C. The final card and match ups will be available on the BFL website next week so be sure to check it and I really could use your prayers in my final weeks of preparation and training.

I want to fight to the best of my abilities while giving God full glory.

Monday, March 28, 2011

Pointless Post #58 (GIRP best times and Inside the Boxes)

Whats better than a yuppie? An effeminate hipster yuppie!
I was grinning to myself for a few minutes afterwards.

-----------------------------------------------------
Him: Annyung-say-o! [that's how I heard it]
Me: [staring blankly and thinking to myself] Did he just say "hello" in Korean?

Him: You're not Korean?
Me: Oh, haha no sorry. I get that sometimes.

Him: Cho-san! [that's what I heard]
Me: [staring blankly]

Him: You're not Japanese?
Me: I'm Chinese.

Him: So you speak Mandarin?
Me: No...

Him: You're Canadian born...I was born in Sangai!
Me: [nodding my head]
Him: Hey can I borrow your phone? My car got towed.
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I don't have a clue where Sangai is. I must have misheard him.
Also, GIRP is fun. My best is 36.4m.LinkUpdate (March 29, 2011): New best of 64.3m

Update (March 30, 2011): Finished it!
Inside the box: Ball in a cup - 31m 24.4s


Update (April 1, 2011): New Tim-best times
Inside the box: Antibacterial gel - 14m 56.8s


and
Inside the box: A branded yoyo - 10m6.9s

Update (April 3, 2011): Inside the box: Worm casserole and A temporary tattoo
I know my facial expression would be more than disappointed if I climbed all the way up a cliff for that.




...and when I think I'm making good time, the stupid bird keeps interfering with me and then this happens:Winner: Bird <==== ALSDKJFLAKSDJHFLKJHWHAAAAAAAAAAAAT?!?!?!!?

Update (April 5, 2011): New best time!
Inside the box: Two carrots - 8m57.5s
That bird is so resilient, no matter how many times I punch or swinging heel kick that thing in mid-air! It kept beating me all day yesterday too.


Update (September 6, 2015): Inside the box: 100 rubber bands


Update (April 16, 2016):Inside the box: A vintage coke bottle


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Saw gas for 135.9¢/litre a few days ago.

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Pointless Post #57 - Christopher Walken Edition

Fatboy Slim - Weapon of Choice (ft. Bootsy Collins)

(it wouldn't let me embed so you have to click on it)




Man Makes Chicken With Pears




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Saw gas for 131.9¢/litre a few days ago.

Monday, February 28, 2011

Pointless Post #56

This is why I think Twitter is stupid:

http://gizmodo.com/#!5772509/how-the-internet-wrongly-decided-it-was-bart-simpsons-birthday


However, I did lament the death of a famous TV dog once.
...aaaand three fingers pointing back at me, now! o_O


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What are Pointless Posts?

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Floor Hockey in the Amazon

That title is so misleading and really, just a gigantic lie. But it's catchy so I'm sticking with it.

Almost one month ago at church floor hockey, only one of our regular goalies showed up and so I somewhat excitedly goalie-suited up (HIMYM) because when I was a kid (between the ages of about 7-Eleven...hehehe) I was a fantastic goalie. I think it was because we used a tennis ball and at that age, no one was strong enough to make hard shots.

Fast forward to today, where I feel unstoppable because despite having no hockey pants, I have finally invested in a very strong cup. It's amazing how invincible one feels when you don't have to worry about losing the prospect of future generations.

Alright, all gear is on, let's jouer au hockey! Long story short, I was a horrible goaltender. First shot on net? GOAL! Huh? It went in? Oh there's the ball behind me....oops. When you're playing in net, it's such a completely different mindset from being a regular player because little things like knowing where to place your stick and how high you have to hold your trapper up, really makes a difference. Depth perception was a real problem because now there's a cage in front of your eyes and a good chunk of peripheral vision is being blocked off by the goalie mask. More little things like knowing how to go down on a shot, which leg to put down first, when to get up, knowing which direction to fall, etc. It was humbling and tiring.

I had a bruise on my right knee from where I would fall down to make a save, and it was as big as the circumference of an aluminum pop can. My worst "injury" was a blister that formed on my thumb from where I gripped my goalie stick (which becomes noticeably heavier than your normal player's stick after a 30 minutes or so into the game). My glutes took four days to heal completely, possibly from my awkward crouch stance. It felt like 2005 again. Ah, memories.

I think when you're playing goalie as a kid, you're still really soft and have lots of sugar-reserve energy so it's easy to bounce up and down and react to the shots of your peers. That and there's no developed muscles to get sore from. Note to self, remember to warm up and stretch. *shrugs*

Anywho, here's a picture of what I looked like. I'm so tiny in comparison to the net!


As long as we're on the topic of hockey, as of tonight, the Canucks are still leading the league, but only by a point. Part of me thinks its unreal because in my short lifespan, I cannot remember the last time that has happened. My memory only goes back as far as about 2003 when we were division leaders, but we're number one...in the entire league?! Cross your fingers folks. :-)

Oh and before I end, what's the deal about Amazon you ask (hey humour me...you've already read this far)? I'm googling about sports ministries last Tuesday night, and I end up on the Amazon page for Recreation and Sports Ministry by Broadman and Holman. The reviews make it look like a decent read but its $17.63 brand new. Awwwww. But hark, what's this in smaller print? Used copies from CDN$ 1.02? SOLD! The shipping cost me CDN$ 6.49 so I paid $ 7.51 and it should arrive in about 2 weeks. Thank you Amazon and thank you "atlantabookcompany" for your excellent speed and service. I got an email the next morning (10 hours after I placed the order) saying it was shipped and on its way. Weeee!

I'll have to remember to post a review about the book.

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Saw gas for 125.3¢/litre a few days ago...caramba!

And our loonie is 1.02365 USD...chihuahua!

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

New site banner, weeeee

Nothing big, just replaced the old header/banner:

with


Bigger and better. With my own custom font! 8^D

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

In defense of the TSA and human screeners at airports

Being a human screener at an airport has to be one of the most hated professions right now, but I doubt they get spat on or have feces thrown at them like prison guards do. Or their fingers bit like some dentists. Probably just a lot of verbal abuse. *shrug*

When I heard about the story of the 82-year old cancer survivor who was "humiliated" by airport security in Calgary, it got me thinking, despite the embarrassing situation, it's slightly reassuring to know that security personnel were doing their job properly.

I actually don't have a lot to say in defence of these workers, other than that I think for this one particular instance in an airport or similarly related setting, it's good to have unapologetic, robotic, and emotionless workers because in order to be 100% effective, they need to assume that every single person going past them is a deadly terrorist making their best effort to lie and not get caught. There is literally no margin for error because as soon as one mistake is made and something bad gets past a screener, the entire system nationwide (eg. the TSA in the United States) is blamed, cursed, and made to look incompetent. It's virtually a lose-lose situation.

To assume that children, women, the elderly, or even handicapped persons should be treated and screened differently (eg. this can be read as "less thoroughly") would be like giving a terrorist the key to the cargo door of the airplane.

It's important to keep in mind though, this doesn't give the screeners and security personnel the right to be inhuman, condescending, and rude to their "customers." But I imagine it must be difficult to keep morale up when everyone is swearing at you as you check them. It will take a lot of sensitivity training, a lot of discretion, and a lot of gumption to be the ideal and perfect screener. And since being perfect isn't possible, we will continue to have many reports of airport screening horror stories.

I wonder if I'll regret what I write here in the future. I remember in 2003, after putting my bags through the x-ray machine and walking through the metal detector, that I was pulled aside by a screener and was double checked with a metal-detecting wand. I was a little huffy (siiiigh stupid teenage me) because it was only the zipper on my pants that triggered the secondary check.

Oh well.

Pointless Post #55

I've decided that shrieking along with Maria Sharapova at the Australian Open on TV is a fun past time, mostly because it annoys my dad. I'm thinking of trying this the next time I take a slap shot in ball hockey.

And if you clicked the link, at the 1:05 mark is when someone from the crowd yells "shut up!"

HI-larious!

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What are Pointless Posts?