// Giant of a Night

First, let me congradulate all of use for making it through the first month of 2006! It was a tough one, but we're here!

Tonight was a really fun night with the guys from BCIT. Matt had 5 free tickets to the Vancouver Giants game, so he offered me one last Friday, so it was totally wicked awesome! Matt is a hardcore Giants fan, and his brother, dad and him all have seasons tickets. So basically the games you can't make, you bring in those tickets and trade them on for tickets that night, on certain dates of course. So Matt got a couple from his brother, and one from himself, gave them to Navin, and it was off on a great adventure! Matt gave the tickets to Navin, and since there has been a couple incidents, some people were more welcomed then others. Nicklas came along, who is one of my closer buds at BCIT, as well as Navin. Sid came along, since he's pretty tight with us all, and we don't really hang out with Darren much, and he's a cool guy, so Navin invited him.

We went to the Shark Club for food before and this is where the fun began! We just had a really fun time chattin' away, and it was nice for all of us to just get out and...get out.

We made are way to the game, where everybody, except for Darren and me, started to cheer for Prince George, who ended up winning the game! Bo-urns! It was all-around a good game; the first period was a little slow, but the second and third picked up nicely!

One thing we decided we should do for some jokes... either take a crap in the locomotive, or put condoms full of mayonaise all around the locomotive! We just came up with some wierd things!

Good times tonight indeed!

// Newly Refurbished

Ladies and Gentlmen, out with the old, in with the new!

Suprisingly, I have somehow figured out how to create my own template and throw together a brand new look for Whatever! I decided that it was time to change, since the old template was designed by our past member Steph, and I didn't know how to fix it up the way I would have liked it. It still had Spring of 2005 on the banner! Anywho, let me walk you threw the tour...

The banner is a work in progress and right now it's basically one of my favourite pictures, and it actually looks quiet good still! I have turned my profile into a picture profile and the sidebar has everything it had before; tag board, history, links, ect. One thing I am having trouble doing, and I pretty much am going to give up, is changing the light black background to my own personal light black background. If anyone knows how to do this, that would be much appreciated!

The biggest change here is the comments section...and if you would like to check that out you will be amazed to see how much easier (harder?) it is to post your comments!!! This is one of the most amazing features, I think!

So a brand new start for Whatever and a brand new look ever since there beloved member Stephanie said good-bye, and to re-assure you that it's a brand new start, I've restarted the counter! I did it only because it was counting every time you were reloading and what not; was just stupid!

So let's just hope my posts are as entertaining as my template!

// Calories

In light of learning about Calories and since I've been going to the gym and looking at the fancy tred mill machine which shows you how many calories you've lost, I've decided to do some research on the fast food joints I visit, and my the food I would usually order... Hold on to your hats people!

Burger King
Whopper: 670 Calories
Double Whopper: 900 Calories
Whopper Jr: 370 Calories
Onion Rings (King) with Zesty Dipping Sauce: 710 Calories
Coca-Cola (Large): 290 Calories

McDonald's
Cheeseburger: 300 Calories
Big Mac: 540 Calories
Big Xtra: 520 Calories
McChicken: 460 Calories
Filet-O-Fish: 410 Calories
Chicken McNuggets (10): 520 Calories
Fries (large): 570 Calories
Coca-Cola (large): 320 Calories
McFlurry-Smarties (Small): 510 Calories

Dairy Queen
Peanut Buster Parfait: 740 Calories
Triple Chocolate Utopia: 750 Calories
Large Reese Peanut Butter Cup Blizzard: 980 Calories
*I usually get the extra large cookie dough blizzard, but it wasn't on there...but still!!!

White Spot Triple O's
*No nutrition facts

Wendy's
Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger: 380 Calories
Medium Frosty: 430 Calories
Coca-Cola (medium): 150 Calories

fascinating, really

// If We Were In Charge

In light of the federal election and the new minority government with the Conservatives in power, Navin (friend from school) and I came up with a new Government on are way to the gym.

First of all, what is the Prime Minister? Honestly, if we want are country to stand out and be bold, we need a better name then Prime Minister! We came up with the name Soldier of Fortune! I mean, what an intimidating name! You don't want to mess with a country if the person in charge is named The Soldier of Fortune!

The political party to run for the Soldier of Fortune would most likely stay the same as the Liberals, the Conservatives, but the name of our party? N.O.D.: Nation of Domination! So we have an intimidating name for our leader and the political party he's in is also intimidating! Come on, doesn't get much better then that!

When it comes to election time, there will be no campaign, there will be no voting... Instead, a full-out fight between the leaders of each political party in an intense 7-round match up! All of Canada is invited to take place to at this event in Ottawa where it will take place at a stadium which can hold hundreds of thousands of people. Tickets will be worth hundreds of dollars, all going towards the Country, for something important! For those who will not be able to attend? Pay-Per-View! It will be a rockin' party at your friends house! The money from the pay-per-view will also go towards the Country!

So there you have it ladies and gentleman...

// Greatest Monday Ever

Today was a historical day today, and of all things, it came on the most hated day of the week. It came at a rather good time as well since the family has been in grief mode, and my poor dad is just not doing well, and it really hurts to see him this way. The new year was suposed to be a new start for him, and for something good to happen to him. Unfortunatly, nothing good in 2006 has happened. Let's get onto the good news...

As you see before you, a shattered 'N' lies to it's death, as I absolutly rocked the road test, with almost an absolutly clean sheet with only two mark ups, and Excellent Ride!! at the bottom. I don't mean to brag, but then again, I do! I finally got rid of my N! It's over!!! I mean, even Shaun and Andrew haven't got rid of their N, and I'm super young! I mean, it just feels so incredible. I had a bit of a scare at the begining, since I was using my dad's credit card, and they wouldn't let me use it, and I had no other means of money! Nothing in my bank, and no cash on me, so I started to freak out! My dad luckily came down and things went over well. As for the test, it was a little easier then expected. It felt incredibly weird being examined in FJ since I drive him around all the time. It was like, whoa, we got to look good, which at first we didn't since the guy told me to take down my dice! I felt a little emberresed, but FJ and I recovered! There was no 3-point turns or anything, and your hazzard perception you had to do while driving, instead of being stopped, which was a little tricky while your trying to make sure you're not speedying, and checking your mirrors all the time. Highway driving was fine, and basically i was just really slow... I didn't get a new picture which made me uberly sad! Anywho, I drove home really happy, doing 20km over the speed limit.

We then got chinese food for dinner; need I say more? I then found out the church may be suporting my a little bit financially because of the incident in October where $700 was stollen. I must say, and bit of money would be incredible, and I think my first thing I would do is go visit Matt & Becky. There long overdue for a visit!

Then came the federal election! My first at that! I just went in there and voted and that was that! Oh man, I felt so cool! It was so easy to, just a nice little X and all done! Unfortunatly my MP lost so I feel kind of "screw you! this is my good day!" but I got over it quickly.

Then came pool with Amrit, where I usually lose, but not today! Today I beat him 3 games to 2! Oh wow, all my fluke too, but really I don't care, I won! Woohoo!

So I'm hoping that if the week is like today, I should be okay! But I don't think it will be that easy...

// A Legend Passes On

After visiting my Grandma on Galiano yesterday, I returned home last night exhausted due to lack of sleep. I stayed up late watching this train video with Fred and Ian about last runs on Vancouver Island, which by the way, was incredibly mind blowing, but that's an entire different post. I just woke up about 30 minutes ago feeling refreshed and ready to go, only to find out from my Sister, that my Grandma has passed away.

She came down with a bladder infection and it got into her blood stream and apparently it's very hard to battle, even if you're in your younger years. She became incredibly sick just a couple weeks ago on her 95th birthday, and it all went downhill from there. It came at the worst possible time, as my Aunt had just left for vacation to Mexico. She had to come home early and lose her entire vacation and all the money that went into it. She, by far, was hit the hardest in this situation.

My Grandma went to a hospital in Victoria, but was brought back this Friday to Galiano so that she could spend her remaining time on earth at her home. I went over there yesterday with Sarah and Fred to see her, but we never expected that to be are last visit. It was incredibly hard to see her in the condition she was, since she could barely talk, and when she first saw me, she thought I was her brother, who pasted away years ago. So we just tried to do what we could, and then went home last night.

She lived an incredible life and you couldn't ask more then to make it to 95, but it is always hard when family passes away, and I can only imagine how my Dad and Aunt feel in such times like today.

As for me, I really don't know what to think about the situation. I tried to be as close as I could with my Grandma, but once my Grandpa past away, things never really were the same. She never really could tell who I was, if I was Matt or Fred, but I always made an effort to try and talk with her, but still, when I was a kid, we would have some better times.

Galiano is just an incredible place, and after my Grandpa left, then that became history, which I never wanted. Now that my Grandma has gone, it really is history, and you know history can't come back. It's just going to be weird going over there with no Grandparents over there... And now I wait for my kids to go over to Galiano to go visit there Grandparents...

// I'm 2-0 @ The Garage!

I dedicate this post the newly revived Stop Five Records and the 4-1 win for the Canucks over the Buffalo Sabres.

Top Five Highlights at The Canucks Game
1. Alexandre Burrows score shorthanded, and roll around on the ice to get the goal
2. The midget league play during first intermission. Damn white team beat my blue team!
3. Some hot girl offering me nachos when I wanted nachos, yet refused them anyway (probably because of pure shock)
4. Starting the Miiiiiillllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllleeeeerrrr chant, with the guy beside me, and Fred.
5. When one of the Canucks took a shot at the net, and I thought they scored so I got up and started cheering, but really, they only hit the side of the net.

// Damnit Richmond!

The City of Richmond has completed an agreement with Canadian Pacific Railway to purchase the west leg of CPR's Van Horne Spur line.

The purchase includes the railway corridor extending from No. 2 Road to Sea Island Way in northwest Richmond and includes approximately 13 acres in land

"The acquisition of this corridor will allow us to build the next link in critically-needed new road works to service our City Centre," said Mayor Malcolm Brodie. "We will be able to improve traffic flow throughout central Richmond and achieve our goals of linking the City Centre to the waterfront. It will also enhance the viability of the Richmond Oval, a significant part of our long term strategic vision for the City. We want to salute CPR for their support in helping us make this vision a reality."

"We are pleased to have been able to support the City of Richmond in its long-term planning initiatives and its participation in the 2010 Olympic Winter Games," said CPR President, Fred Green. "A successful outcome like this occurs when people work together. CPR encourages this approach in every community in which we operate and our employees live and work."

CPR is now in the process of removing the section of track between No. 2 Road and Gilbert Road. This process is expected to be completed in about six weeks. This will allow the City to proceed with construction of a realigned section of River Road, running from No. 2 Road to Hollybridge Way, which is scheduled to open this summer.

The acquisition will eventually allow the City to proceed with construction of a new North Loop Road, a vital part of the City Centre ring road network and Richmond"s long-term transportation strategy. The North Loop Road will be a new arterial road, which will become a major link in the City Centre road network, improving traffic flow throughout the downtown and replacing River Road as the primary bypass for crosstown traffic travelling from West Richmond to or through City Centre North.

The purchase price reflects market value and includes $14.2 million in cash payable over two years. In addition, CPR will receive a donation receipt for $6.7 million with a further donation receipt later to reflect the value of tracks and other materials covered under the agreement.

Construction of the North Loop Road is expected to proceed in phases over the next several years. As new owner of the spur line, the City has contracted CPR to continue to maintain and operate portions of the Van Horne Spur as a private siding up until 2010 in order to provide continued service for an existing rail customer.



I will be using the blog to update me, and other rail fans to see Richmond dismantle history. You don't know how incredibly sad this truly makes me feel... you honestly don't...

Breaks my heart.

// Fast Food January

I have presented myself with a challenge... A challenge so dangerous to me I'm surprised I have even survived. I will not be going to any fast food joint for all of January, and parts of February. I made this decision early January, I can't remember exactly when, but the first two days were filled with fast food. Well, January 1st I went to White Spot triple O, because I was desperately hungry, and the 2nd was KFC for my grandma, so I really had no choice there! Anywho, point is, I haven't had a bight to eat since. I have developed three rules for myself.

Rules
1) I may not purchase any type of food from any type of fast food restaurant, including fries, apple pies, ice cream you name it. The only exceptions are drinks (unless specialty drinks. exp. Starbucks, orange Julies)

2) The only time I am allowed to eat any kind of fast food is if somebody else purchases food for me!

3) I am allowed to eat at any regular restaurants, such as Milestones, The Cactus Club, White Spot, ect.

So far I have taken advantage of people buying me food, such as Jean buying me Chinese and Nicole buying me timbits and an Ice Caped! I have gone out to White Spot and the spaghetti factory this month as well. This is not a New Years Resolution, just a promise for myself. If you think I'm trying to lose weight... You're wrong! Losing weight in this process will be a perk, however, it's money I'm concerned about. I'm trying to not spend so much money on food, and I am doing well! I also am trying to go to the Gym more often, which hasn't been working out too well, but hopefully I'll pick up the pace.

Let's hear it for extra money!

// Canadian Women's Hockey Team vs BNL

I came across this video starring are Women's hockey team vs one of my favorite bands, the Barenaked Ladies. It was pretty entertaining to watch, at least from my point of view. If I learned anything from it...

"It's a lot like sex out there right now Jim, all the boys are spent and the girls are just getting started" - Ed Robertson

// I Miss...

I miss...

...the old days! Yea, those were some good times, back in grade 11... yea, that was good fun, whatever happened to that? Yea, I miss the old days, everything about it, from the people to the places.

Now I have a life to look after, but still, I could go back to the old days couldn't I? I guess you can't repeat the past

I hope the new days bring some more joy, like the joy I once had. The new days don't bring to much for me lately, but I'm trucking on.

I finaly recived a job with a railway today, the Canadian Pacific Railway to be exact. They don't have conductor positions at this time, but they should be calling soon. I hope they don't want me to work until June, because I would like a month off, plus, I deserve another chance at Historymaker this year (I'll be going as a leader this year, how scary is that?).

// A Laugh

This is actually pretty funny.

// Winter Olympic Prep

Men's Ice Hockey Schedule

Preliminary Round

February 15th
Italy vs Canada
4:00am

February 16th
Canada vs Germany
11:00am

February 18th
Canada vs Switzerland
6:30am

February 19th
Finland vs Canada
12:00pm

February 21st
Canada vs Czech Republic
7:30am

Playoffs

February 22nd
Quaterfinals
- 7:30am
- 8:30am
- 11:30am
- 12:30pm

February 24th
Semifinals
- 7:30am
- 12:00pm

February 25th
Bronze Medal Game
11:30am

February 26th
Gold Medal Game
5:00am


PS. For any who care, I shall be hosting a Gold Medal game party, if, or course, Canada makes it that far. So far all I know that it will be a breakfast party and will start at 4:30am in the morning! Maybe even earlier! Bet you've never watched a hockey game that early before! I'm looking forward to these winter olympics!

// Donations To The Bank of Matthew Much Appreciated

I hate to bring doom and gloom, especially after such a joyous event last night with Canada winning, and my lovely week of doing nothing, but I'm in a pickle here.

I need $120 by next Friday.

Give me a break! It was Christmas time! I needed some money for Christmas shopping, and then boxing day came and one thing came to another, and now I need $120 for my car insurance. The government cheque didn't seem to work out too well for the 'cover everything for me' plan. So... I need a job again, just until April, or if anybody wants to give me thousands of dollars, that would be nice too!

// Golden Boys

Canada hammered Russia 5-0 to win back-to-back titles for the first time since 1996 and 1997.

VANCOUVER (CP) -- The players bought into coach Brent Sutter's demand for relentless defence when the world junior hockey tournament began, and it all paid off in a 5-0 victory over Russia in the game for gold Thursday night.

The back-to-back titles are the first for Canada since 1996 and 1997 when the country completed a run of five straight. It was Canada's 12th title since the tournament's inception in 1974, and it was accomplished through Sutter's system of team defence -- and great goaltending from Justin Pogge.

"I really felt comfortable with the team that we had," said Sutter. "They stuck together as a team, played hard, competed and stayed with the program.

"Tonight showed their commitment. A lot of people underestimated the skill we had on this team."

Sutter, the coach, general manager and owner of Alberta's Red Deer Rebels, improved to 12-0 in his two years at the helm of the national team. He's become the winningest Canadian coach in the history of this tournament.

"We just wanted to keep things simple and keep them off the scoreboard as best we could and we did it pretty well," defenceman Ryan Parent of Guelph's Ontario junior club said in explaining the players' dedication to the system.

Pogge collected his third shutout of the tournament. The goalie from the Calgary Hitmen stopped 35 shots and helped hold off Russia when it was outshooting Canada 15-3 in the early going.

Pogge tipped his new world-champion baseball cap to the crowd during the post-game celebration to acknowledge the regular chanting of this name throughout the game and the tournament.

"We came out and played our game," Pogge told TSN. "We're in Canada, the gold stays here in Canada."

Michael Blunden of the Erie Otters scored two power-play goals for his first two goals of the tournament, and Blake Comeau of the Kelowna Rockets, Steve Downie of the Peterborough Petes and Kyle Chipchura of the Prince Albert Raiders had a goal each in front of a full house at GM Place.

Medicine Hat Tigers defenceman Cam Barker had two assists. Barker was the only player on the team to get a second gold medal. He couldn't play in the medal round last year because mononucleosis.

Sutter's philosophy of an aggressive defence, hard work and attention to detail proved successful with both the star-studded team that won last year in Grand Forks, N.D., and this squad, which was considered an underdog because it was younger, more inexperienced and had less talent at the forward position.

Canada allowed only six goals in six games and only one of them was an even-strength goal.

"We believed in ourselves all along," said Chipchura, Canada's captain. "This is what we came here to do and we did it."

Russia did not get good goaltending from Anton Khudobin as he showed poor technique on Canada's first two goals.

Canada worked harder and was more willing to pay the physical price around the Russian net than the Russians were in defending it, and Canada's special teams were better with two goals on seven power-play chances while holding Russia scoreless on six opportunities.

Russia outshot Canada 15-8 in the opening 20 minutes, but the Canadians emerged with a 2-0 lead on goals by Comeau and Downie. They were also buoyed by the defensive effort of Marc Staal, who shut down Russian star Evgeni Malkin, and Pogge, who made some tricky saves during three Russian power plays.

Television replays in the opening minutes of the second period showed the puck getting across the goal-line behind Pogge. The Russians had a long discussion with American referee Brian Thul, but the score remained 2-0.

Blunden shovelled a loose puck that squirted loose in a goal-mouth scramble over Khudobin at 14:44 of the second period, and he pounced on a rebound on a Barker shot from the blue-line at 12:02.

The Russians began to show their frustration at that point with roughing and tripping penalties in the second period, which didn't help their cause. Canada carried the play outshooting them 19-9 in the second frame.

Chipchura made it 5-0 with less than three minutes to play when he beat Khudobin on the short side, and the crowd was on its feet cheering and waving flags during the last two minutes.

"We'll have this our whole lives," said Chipchura. "Nobody can take this away from us."

The Russians had played their best hockey in the opening minutes. Pogge made tough saves on shots by Alexei Yemelin and Vyacheslav Buravchikov during a penalty kill.

Downie opened the scoring when he wheeled out in front of the net and somehow got the puck under Khudobin's pad at 17:13. He'd spoken earlier in the day by telephone with Wayne Gretzky, who was giving players long-distance pep talks. Downie said Gretzky told him he'd score the winning goal.

"I didn't even know if I'd be on this team when I started out," said Downie, who was a late add at the evaluation camp last summer. "I snuck in at the last minute and I worked hard to get here."

He was a key player throughout.

Staal found Comeau near the faceoff circle as he drove the net and banged in his own rebound when Khudobin lifted his right pad at 18:56.

It was 2-0. Canada wouldn't need more goals, but it added three anyway.

Canada had lost to Russia on home soil by one goal in the final of the 1999 tournament in Winnipeg and in the 2003 final Halifax. The previous time Canada won gold as the host was in 1995 in Red Deer.

// What Does Chicken, Lots of Sleep, Hockey, No School, and The OC have in Common?

The answer: they all have to do with me!

My sister bought the family this chicken with the ham and swiss cheese inside them and they are really good! I can't remember what they are called... do you? Anywho, my sister bought them on Monday, and I've already finished them; nobody else got to have a piece! I'm not a pig! I just like the chicken! Plus, the box only came with 4 pieces, so 2 a day, is that so wrong?

While eating my chicken I have been trucking through the first season of the OC, which I hate to say, but I really enjoy the show! Honestly, I'm a guy and all, and I already got into trouble for buying the first season by almost everybody who knows, but it is very entertaining! The characters are just awesome and the plot is great and it is just very enjoyable!

Before watching the OC and eating my chicken, I have been waking up at 1 o'clock in the afternoon! Today has made it three straight days in a row! I have never slept in so much before, and I think the all-nighter and new years eve has completly thrown my sleeping paterns off. I haven't even been going to bed late, only at like 1 or 2! It's very strange, and I feel guilty because it's like i'm wasting a day!

I have yet to start school which has made all this chicken eating, OC watchin', sleeping late fun possible! However, I have had nobody to spend my time with which has made the week very uneventful. In fact, I think i'm saving money! I haven't used my car or wallet in the past 3 days! I think this unexpected break from life may be doing me good!

Tonight Canada and Russia face off in the world Junior Gold Medal Game! The classic hockey game! This gets underway at 4pm! You can bet I'll be watching that! How exciting, the fact that this great tournament has taken place right here in are own city! Too bad I couldn't go watch a game live! As for the Canucks... well, they suck. There really isn't a better explanation. I think they realized that win or lose, there still going to get there millions of dollars when they go home so they just don't feel like playing anymore. Yea, I'll still cheer for them, but there game makes me sick! The worst part of it is that the team doesn't even seem to care! In all the interviews and what not, there is no sence of emergency or anything! They simply say "we tried" or the classic "we put in a lot of effort" or the "it was the little mistakes that cost us tonight." Fix the problem guys! In a way I'm happy to see them lose so that they can get off their high horse and come back down to earth.

I've also played lots of hockey lately! I just remember that this uneventful week has brought some hockey with the old high school guys! That's always good fun.

Now if you will excuse me, I must go clean my kitchen floor! With a swiffer!

// Whats your favorite PIE?!

What's your favorite pie? Why is it your favorite pie?

Mine is blueberry...wait, no! Cherry! Cherry Pie with Ice Cream! I like Blueberry milkshakes, the ones from White Spot! Yum... on that note, what is your favorite milkshake? From where?

For some reason I'm thinking about pies and milkshakes a lot! Are you? Or am I just going insane?

PS. I started watching the first Season of the OC and i'm not ASHAMED!

// First Post of The New Year

The first post of the new year... is very short.