October 29/13
So Monday night after posting about my troubles trying to express myself and the feeling of emptiness I've had inside me I had to leave the house and go and coach my daughters women's indoor soccer teams 10pm game - literally my least favourite game time so I really have to focus during these games or my mind wanders all over the place.
So far this season the ladies haven't played to their potential and are only 1 win, 1 loss, and 2 ties through the start of last nights game. Granted we did move up a division in order to have a little more competition after winning 26 and losing 4 last year but in all honesty they should have won at least 3 of the first 4 games and have been a bit of a disappointment, something I've let them know at the end of games when they've had mental meltdowns that cost them games.
Now last nights game was against a new opponent but a few of the girls had seen them when subbing for other teams and advised me that they liked to play rough in order to take teams out of any schemes. My daughters team is built on speed and wicked ball skills but what a lot of other teams don't see is the inner toughness they possess, this often comes at their own peril.
Last nights game was different as we came out with a full squad and 4 spares to boot, I told the ladies we were going to run from the first whistle and I'd be subbing every 3 minutes, that anything less than 100% effort would result in being pulled, that rotating back to play defence was more critical than pushing forward into the attacking end. Well we have one outside midfielder who isn't too keen on playing defence so that message was mostly meant for her and I waited for her first test of my resolve, and sure enough it came fairly quickly as she didn't rotate back and let her unmarked player get a hard shot off that our goalie almost lost sight of in the scrum in front of our goal. As we started on a counter attack I called her off and subbed for her faster than you could blink an eye lash. She gave me her look of death for having the balls to pull her from the game and I stared right back and told her flat out "when you're ready to play some defence let me know and I'll try and work you back into the rotation. If you can't bother to come back and help defensively than go home"
That little exchange was caught by several of the other team and looks were passed back and forth about how stupid I must be to take my fasted player off the pitch. We scored 45 seconds after the sub and were up 2-0 at the half without the presence of our speedster.
One thing I noticed was that on every kick in the other team was crowding the line and not giving us the required 3 yards clearance and the referee wasn't doing anything about it so I decided to solve another problem right away. At the half as the ladies were getting water I briefly talked them through the good points from the first half, reminded them to avoid the mental letdown that being up by 2 goals has caused us in previous weeks, and then told them that every time the other team crowded them on kick-In's they were to kick the ball directly into the other player until she moved back. Now two of my primary kickers have a hard shot so they looked at me as if to ask if I was sure about this and I told them that until such time as the referee moved them off the line we had to deal with it and stop trying to kick around them as we were losing possession after possession.
Not 20 seconds into the 2nd half and we earned a kick in and sure enough one of the other team came to crowd the line, my player looked at me, and I smiled and told her to let it rip. She nailed the other player in the side and the ball went out of play so still our possession. As she went to take the kick the other player stepped back up to crowd the line, my player looked at me, and I smiled once more and said "if she wants the bruises than oblige her" whereupon she got nailed and once again lost possession to us. As we lined up to try for a third time the referee blew his whistle and came over to the side line, not to yell at us as I originally thought, but to warn them about crowding the line and forced them back. Now this happened throughout the entire second half and every single time my players took a hard shot that left bruises, it got so bad that at one point the referee started awarding us free kicks and cost them a goal. As the game ended I overhead one of my players say to another "Man I'm glad coach is back" with a smile.
We ended up winning 5-2 on some very hard play and I yelled more than usual about positioning and efforts than I have in many a game. It felt good and from the comments and reactions by my ladies it was long overdue and appreciated.
After the game was over I said my goodbyes and headed out to the parking lot. I loaded my soccer bag into the trunk and as I was leaving drove past my daughter who was walking to her car when she waved me to slow down, I did so as I rolled down my window, and she leaned over to high give me and declared that several of the other team had stopped to talk to her after I left the Sensplex to tell her that they wanted to punch me for being so mean to my team, what with making them kick the ball like they did and yelling at them. My daughter said she laughed at the comments and when one asked her if I was someones dad on her team said she just smiled and said I was without divulging I was her dad, that they like it when I get on them about poor play and being lazy on the pitch. They questioned her on why the team even needs a coach when they play so well and my daughter told them that this same team won 8 and lost 22 games 2 years ago without a coach and that last year the same exact squad went 26-4 and the only difference was adding me as coach and listening to instructions. She said they'd just as prefer dealing with me than losing games and walked away.
So now I've gotten several emails this week from the ladies and almost all have started off with "Dear Mean Coach".......seems like my smart ass daughter has shared her exchange with rest of the team lol
Oh, and the speedster who wouldn't play defence sent me a message asking if she could show up early next week before our game to work on her defensive responsibilities.
While I may still be struggling with that damn hole inside me least I have little things like this to show me not all is lost :)
A musical recommendation for you to consider: Au Revoir by OneRepublic
Marcus
observations.of.a.single.man@gmail.com
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
IT Support is on the case
October 30/13
Please note that due to numerous, well several, ok maybe only two, messages to the IT Support Desk that management has opened up a work ticket to have the problem of the non-blogging blogger looked into.
Error Code 125HGYR817239QED1984
We have dispatched a team of monkey drones to deal with this problem, should you come across these monkey drones please provide them with the above referenced error code.
We expect service to be back online within 24-48 hours. Should you continue to experience disruptions we suggest taking the following steps:
Pour yourself a drink. This technician recommends a cold Stella Artois
Put on some music.
Close your eyes and let the muscles in your shoulders relax
Visualize your happy place
We didn't mean that happy place, sheesh, this is a PG rated blog so get a room already
Come back later and see if those damn monkey drones were able to fix the problem
If the site is still not accessible it means those damn monkey drones have escalated the issue up the ladder and you can expect the Three Toed Sloths to be dealing with it shortly - heaven help us should that be the case
In order to kill some time we suggest the following song: Wicked Game by Emika
Sincerely,
Senior Management and the current controllers of that little place we like to call Marcus' conscience
observations.of.a.single.man@gmail.com
Please note that due to numerous, well several, ok maybe only two, messages to the IT Support Desk that management has opened up a work ticket to have the problem of the non-blogging blogger looked into.
Error Code 125HGYR817239QED1984
We have dispatched a team of monkey drones to deal with this problem, should you come across these monkey drones please provide them with the above referenced error code.
We expect service to be back online within 24-48 hours. Should you continue to experience disruptions we suggest taking the following steps:
Pour yourself a drink. This technician recommends a cold Stella Artois
Put on some music.
Close your eyes and let the muscles in your shoulders relax
Visualize your happy place
We didn't mean that happy place, sheesh, this is a PG rated blog so get a room already
Come back later and see if those damn monkey drones were able to fix the problem
If the site is still not accessible it means those damn monkey drones have escalated the issue up the ladder and you can expect the Three Toed Sloths to be dealing with it shortly - heaven help us should that be the case
In order to kill some time we suggest the following song: Wicked Game by Emika
Sincerely,
Senior Management and the current controllers of that little place we like to call Marcus' conscience
observations.of.a.single.man@gmail.com
Monday, October 28, 2013
I struggle at the moment to write anything
October 28/13
I find myself struggling to write these past few days, not for want of a topic, nor for lack of desire to express myself, but yet I still struggle to put thought to page....
I feel as if there is a hole inside me consuming my energy and leaving me adrift, emotionless and spent. I know this is a false feeling as emotions race through me as fast as the messages can be transmitted from synapse to synapse.
I sat on my deck yesterday after cutting the lawn and raking the leaves and tried to figure out why I feel this sense of loss and came up with naught. My life is not empty as my children come and go in time spent with me, my work forces me to consider alternatives in dealing with new reporting structures and demands, and while I feel the last round has passed on the greens I know this isn't the cause of my dismay.
I wonder if this is the part of growing old alone that I have feared all along making its presence felt.
Is this what entropy in a human feels like?
Might this be my hearts way of telling me that the time and energy searching to find the one has been for nothing and I should possibly stop the effort and focus on the here and now?
There is a small part of me that weeps daily at the loss I feel, the loss of being alone, the endless times I make a meal that will only feed one, the times spent making one half of a bed slept in by one person night after night, the times I've wanted to shout out when in the kitchen "Hun, do you want a drink?"...................
Is this a phase that will pass with time or remain to remind me of what once was but shall be never more........
Has that half joked unofficial vow of celibacy become more reality than I ever dreamed possible?
Does the a fact that many a day passes without even the merest thought of physical comfort with a partner mean that part of me is dead, to never be awakened again.....
As I sit in my office staring at these words on the monitor, every now and than pausing to sip from the first weekday drink I have allowed myself in more years than I care to count, with the dog laying at my feet, I know that there are worse ways for my life to have gone and yet I resist the thought that this is all I have left to face day by day........
Tomorrow will bring new opportunities to reassert my will to experience love and romance, the hope is that the will to meet them presents itself once more........
It has been awhile since I made any musical recommendations and guess maybe it is time I resume that pursuit so here is one to listen to and ponder....it seems to reflect my mood quite well today
Here With Me by Susie Suh & Robot Koch
observations.of.a.single.man@gmail.com
I find myself struggling to write these past few days, not for want of a topic, nor for lack of desire to express myself, but yet I still struggle to put thought to page....
I feel as if there is a hole inside me consuming my energy and leaving me adrift, emotionless and spent. I know this is a false feeling as emotions race through me as fast as the messages can be transmitted from synapse to synapse.
I sat on my deck yesterday after cutting the lawn and raking the leaves and tried to figure out why I feel this sense of loss and came up with naught. My life is not empty as my children come and go in time spent with me, my work forces me to consider alternatives in dealing with new reporting structures and demands, and while I feel the last round has passed on the greens I know this isn't the cause of my dismay.
I wonder if this is the part of growing old alone that I have feared all along making its presence felt.
Is this what entropy in a human feels like?
Might this be my hearts way of telling me that the time and energy searching to find the one has been for nothing and I should possibly stop the effort and focus on the here and now?
There is a small part of me that weeps daily at the loss I feel, the loss of being alone, the endless times I make a meal that will only feed one, the times spent making one half of a bed slept in by one person night after night, the times I've wanted to shout out when in the kitchen "Hun, do you want a drink?"...................
Is this a phase that will pass with time or remain to remind me of what once was but shall be never more........
Has that half joked unofficial vow of celibacy become more reality than I ever dreamed possible?
Does the a fact that many a day passes without even the merest thought of physical comfort with a partner mean that part of me is dead, to never be awakened again.....
As I sit in my office staring at these words on the monitor, every now and than pausing to sip from the first weekday drink I have allowed myself in more years than I care to count, with the dog laying at my feet, I know that there are worse ways for my life to have gone and yet I resist the thought that this is all I have left to face day by day........
Tomorrow will bring new opportunities to reassert my will to experience love and romance, the hope is that the will to meet them presents itself once more........
It has been awhile since I made any musical recommendations and guess maybe it is time I resume that pursuit so here is one to listen to and ponder....it seems to reflect my mood quite well today
Here With Me by Susie Suh & Robot Koch
observations.of.a.single.man@gmail.com
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
Comments welcome
I've been asked if it is ok to comment on any postings I make and I'd love to hear back from any of you who read the blog.
You can comment directly to the blog itself or send me an email at:
observations.of.a.single.man@gmail,com
You can send me suggestions for a blog topic, let me know how the blog made you feel, or even tell me you think I'm full of crap if something rubs you the wrong way.
Open communications are a big thing with me, something I've done my best to instill with my kids, and all the players and parents on teams I've coached.
I'm not perfect, far from it, and I understand that sometimes we all need to be reminded of just how mortal we are.......
You can comment directly to the blog itself or send me an email at:
observations.of.a.single.man@gmail,com
You can send me suggestions for a blog topic, let me know how the blog made you feel, or even tell me you think I'm full of crap if something rubs you the wrong way.
Open communications are a big thing with me, something I've done my best to instill with my kids, and all the players and parents on teams I've coached.
I'm not perfect, far from it, and I understand that sometimes we all need to be reminded of just how mortal we are.......
What is the definition of bullying?
October 23/13
So just what is the definition of bullying?
I thought this was a pretty easy thing to understand but am starting to wonder if I'm out of touch with the times.
In my mind bullying is the intentional attempt by one person to another that results in harm. The harm can be emotional or physical. Physical may include fighting, throwing things at a person, damaging someone else's property, depriving them access to a location, or even taking said property away. Emotional harm could include name calling, words of encouragement to others to get them to ignore a person, excluding them from a group or event to which they are entitled and said exclusion could go a long ways to ostracizing them.
I'll concede there are probably many more ways to bully a person but those are the ones that come to mind at the spur of the moment.
What I never considered bullying was losing a game. A simple game that both parties chose to participate in over the course of a set time frame.
Sports are important as they teach us how to get along to meet a common objective while also offering some form of exercise and in some cases a method for community bonding.
High school sports are a prime example of this and depending on the state the importance changes based on the sport. Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, and New York are huge basketball states. Texas, Virginia, Alabama, and Florida are massive football states. Football is so important in Texas that it is usually ranked in this order: Football, Family, and Faith.
Last week there was a game played down in Dallas at the 4A level between Aledo High and Western Hills High that resulted in a very lopsided score. How lopsided? Try Aledo 91 and Western Hills 0 lopsided.
Now before anyone gets all riled up listen to to a few facts. Aledo is the top ranked school in the Texas 4A division and Western isn't even close to breaking the top 50 in that class. Now I went to high school in San Diego where the schools are ranked based on size so I'm guessing that is the case in Texas as well. Aledo runs a common themed offensive scheme from Pop Warner where most kids get introduced to organized football through to the high school. This offers a distinct advantage as players don't need to learn a new system as they work their way up the age classes. Aledo only played it's 1st team players for the the first 20 plays of the game, played the 2nd team for the next 20 plays, and finished the game using its third and fourth string offence and defence. The game clock was left running without any stoppages for incomplete passes or players being forced out of bounds.
The head coach for Western Hills said he had no problems with the score and understood that Aledo did all they could to keep things under control with the exception of taking a knee every down or playing with fewer players.
The problem comes from one parent from Western Hills High School who has filed a formal complaint of bullying against the head coach of Aledo High. You read that right, a formal complaint of bullying. Since when did getting beaten in the field of play amount to bullying?
I wonder if this same parent storms into the math department when young Johnny fails a math test because he decided not to study claiming his son is being bullied by the math teacher? Will they show up at his first job to belittle his bosses should they dare give him a poor performance review?
Maybe mom or dad should ask themselves what could the team he is on have done different to help reduce the score instead of whining and making a formal complaint. Just as a further ado, Western Hills had lost prior games by upwards of 60+ points on at least 2 other occasions - did they file bullying charges after those games?
Bullying is a young woman in Florida getting texts telling her to die, nobody likes you, you won't be missed. Bullying is one teenager commenting to another who she knows lacks self confidence about her appearance "are you really going to eat that donut?" Bullying is being shoved in a locker because you wore a shirt that looks like it came from Star Trek or you were reading a comic book.
Bullying is not, has never been , nor will ever be the result of losing a game.
I've coached for years at both the competitive and house league levels and had great teams, mid level teams, and a couple of teams so bad that winning was measured in getting a goal scored or making some nice passes. I never ran up a score nor did I ever whine when my team was badly beaten on the field of play. I've always tried my best to teach my players that how you carry yourself after a game is as important as how you played the game itself.
There are times I miss living in the states and than there are times like this when I'm so glad I moved away as I can't believe the number of useless people who have nothing better to do than waste a school principals time having to respond to a formal complaint that his coach bullied the other school by winning a game.
I weep for America's future if this is how its youth are being taught to handle adversity.
So just what is the definition of bullying?
I thought this was a pretty easy thing to understand but am starting to wonder if I'm out of touch with the times.
In my mind bullying is the intentional attempt by one person to another that results in harm. The harm can be emotional or physical. Physical may include fighting, throwing things at a person, damaging someone else's property, depriving them access to a location, or even taking said property away. Emotional harm could include name calling, words of encouragement to others to get them to ignore a person, excluding them from a group or event to which they are entitled and said exclusion could go a long ways to ostracizing them.
I'll concede there are probably many more ways to bully a person but those are the ones that come to mind at the spur of the moment.
What I never considered bullying was losing a game. A simple game that both parties chose to participate in over the course of a set time frame.
Sports are important as they teach us how to get along to meet a common objective while also offering some form of exercise and in some cases a method for community bonding.
High school sports are a prime example of this and depending on the state the importance changes based on the sport. Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, and New York are huge basketball states. Texas, Virginia, Alabama, and Florida are massive football states. Football is so important in Texas that it is usually ranked in this order: Football, Family, and Faith.
Last week there was a game played down in Dallas at the 4A level between Aledo High and Western Hills High that resulted in a very lopsided score. How lopsided? Try Aledo 91 and Western Hills 0 lopsided.
Now before anyone gets all riled up listen to to a few facts. Aledo is the top ranked school in the Texas 4A division and Western isn't even close to breaking the top 50 in that class. Now I went to high school in San Diego where the schools are ranked based on size so I'm guessing that is the case in Texas as well. Aledo runs a common themed offensive scheme from Pop Warner where most kids get introduced to organized football through to the high school. This offers a distinct advantage as players don't need to learn a new system as they work their way up the age classes. Aledo only played it's 1st team players for the the first 20 plays of the game, played the 2nd team for the next 20 plays, and finished the game using its third and fourth string offence and defence. The game clock was left running without any stoppages for incomplete passes or players being forced out of bounds.
The head coach for Western Hills said he had no problems with the score and understood that Aledo did all they could to keep things under control with the exception of taking a knee every down or playing with fewer players.
The problem comes from one parent from Western Hills High School who has filed a formal complaint of bullying against the head coach of Aledo High. You read that right, a formal complaint of bullying. Since when did getting beaten in the field of play amount to bullying?
I wonder if this same parent storms into the math department when young Johnny fails a math test because he decided not to study claiming his son is being bullied by the math teacher? Will they show up at his first job to belittle his bosses should they dare give him a poor performance review?
Maybe mom or dad should ask themselves what could the team he is on have done different to help reduce the score instead of whining and making a formal complaint. Just as a further ado, Western Hills had lost prior games by upwards of 60+ points on at least 2 other occasions - did they file bullying charges after those games?
Bullying is a young woman in Florida getting texts telling her to die, nobody likes you, you won't be missed. Bullying is one teenager commenting to another who she knows lacks self confidence about her appearance "are you really going to eat that donut?" Bullying is being shoved in a locker because you wore a shirt that looks like it came from Star Trek or you were reading a comic book.
Bullying is not, has never been , nor will ever be the result of losing a game.
I've coached for years at both the competitive and house league levels and had great teams, mid level teams, and a couple of teams so bad that winning was measured in getting a goal scored or making some nice passes. I never ran up a score nor did I ever whine when my team was badly beaten on the field of play. I've always tried my best to teach my players that how you carry yourself after a game is as important as how you played the game itself.
There are times I miss living in the states and than there are times like this when I'm so glad I moved away as I can't believe the number of useless people who have nothing better to do than waste a school principals time having to respond to a formal complaint that his coach bullied the other school by winning a game.
I weep for America's future if this is how its youth are being taught to handle adversity.
Saturday, October 19, 2013
Do you ever pause and marvel at how small the world has become
October 19/13
I sat down to write a posting and just before I started I took a gander at the blog stats as kept by Google and was amazed to see not only the number of views but the location they are coming from.
I've hit over 2K view and it's been viewed in over 15 countries so far.
Canada, United States, Russia, Germany, Sweden, Norway, Serbia, and Myanmar to name a few.
When I think back on some readings I've done on historical events and how the time lag could, and did stretch for days, weeks, and in some cases months it boggles me to think that literally moments after I finish this post someone sitting across the globe can pop open their laptop and read it.
Makes me wonder what my grandfathers would have thought about the internet and the advances we've seen in instant global communications.
I remember when I was young lad we'd pack up the family car and make the 4 day drive from San Diego to Regina to visit my grandfather and spend a couple of weeks at the lake cottage. I compare that to the drive I made from San Diego to Ottawa back in '95 that only took a little over 2+ days to accomplish.
I think the next time we'll experience the old version of time lags will be when we have the technology to break away from our earthly home and begin a new round of exploration.
So for everyone sitting somewhere other than Canada reading this blog I thank you and hope these little slices into who I am make you smile, make you laugh, make you giggle, maybe make you feel a tear now and again, but most of all I hope that there are times they make you pause and say to yourself "I get it, I totally understand where this guy is coming from"
I'll make one simple promise to each of you.....I'll keep being me and just writing from the heart and you just be you, the best you possible, and we'll leave everything else up to fate and karma.
Have a great Saturday night people, well except for those of you having a wonderful Sunday :)
I sat down to write a posting and just before I started I took a gander at the blog stats as kept by Google and was amazed to see not only the number of views but the location they are coming from.
I've hit over 2K view and it's been viewed in over 15 countries so far.
Canada, United States, Russia, Germany, Sweden, Norway, Serbia, and Myanmar to name a few.
When I think back on some readings I've done on historical events and how the time lag could, and did stretch for days, weeks, and in some cases months it boggles me to think that literally moments after I finish this post someone sitting across the globe can pop open their laptop and read it.
Makes me wonder what my grandfathers would have thought about the internet and the advances we've seen in instant global communications.
I remember when I was young lad we'd pack up the family car and make the 4 day drive from San Diego to Regina to visit my grandfather and spend a couple of weeks at the lake cottage. I compare that to the drive I made from San Diego to Ottawa back in '95 that only took a little over 2+ days to accomplish.
I think the next time we'll experience the old version of time lags will be when we have the technology to break away from our earthly home and begin a new round of exploration.
So for everyone sitting somewhere other than Canada reading this blog I thank you and hope these little slices into who I am make you smile, make you laugh, make you giggle, maybe make you feel a tear now and again, but most of all I hope that there are times they make you pause and say to yourself "I get it, I totally understand where this guy is coming from"
I'll make one simple promise to each of you.....I'll keep being me and just writing from the heart and you just be you, the best you possible, and we'll leave everything else up to fate and karma.
Have a great Saturday night people, well except for those of you having a wonderful Sunday :)
Thursday, October 17, 2013
Have we gone too far with being PC?
October 17/13
Have we gone too far with trying to be politically correct?
Why the question you ask?
Just read an article online about the US 9th Court of Appeals heaing a case where a California high school is being sued for abridging the first amendment rights of some students a few years back.
It appears that back on May 5th, 2010 some students came to school wearing shirts that had the American flag printed on the front and some students took exception to this and complained since May 5th is also referred to as Cinco De Mayo day and celebrates Hispanic heritage. School administrator's fearing there might be issues ordered the students to either wear the shirts inside out or go home for the day.
I don't have any issues with celebrating Cinco De Mayo or any other day that honours the heritage of any culture but I do have some issues when an American attending an American school within the borders of the United States of America is ordered to cease and desist wearing a shirt that depicts nothing offensive in nature.
Why is it that everyone has to cater to the needs and desires of a select group of people who make a decision to move to another country but don't try and assimilate into the new culture.
When I lived in California it always astounded me to get the voter package as it had to be in over 10 different languages - English, Spanish, Tagalog, and Vietnamese to name a few.
Why does everyone think this OK? If we were to move to France or Germany do you think they would suddenly start publishing all documents in English? What do you think would happen if you tried to pull that in say Iran or Saudi Arabia?
My bank ATM is now in English and at least 2 other dialects of Chinese - why?
If I was to move to another country I wouldn't expect them to cater to my inability to understand them but rather I'd work my ass off to be able to communicate with them in the language of the country.
I know there is no official language in the United States but I think that is because they never envisioned the flood of immigrants they experienced from the 1820's onward.
Canada does have an official language act and it states that English and French are the two languages of the country.
How about we all put on our big boy and big girl pants and suck it up and say enough is enough already, you want to come live in Canada and have the financial resources to take care of yourself, we'd love to have you, but make damn sure you understand that we will communicate with you in either English or French and that the customs of your old country are just that, the customs of your old country. What was acceptable there might not be acceptable here so be prepared for the change and don't whine and say it's not fair - it is fair so effing deal with it or go back and be happy there.
Have we gone too far with trying to be politically correct?
Why the question you ask?
Just read an article online about the US 9th Court of Appeals heaing a case where a California high school is being sued for abridging the first amendment rights of some students a few years back.
It appears that back on May 5th, 2010 some students came to school wearing shirts that had the American flag printed on the front and some students took exception to this and complained since May 5th is also referred to as Cinco De Mayo day and celebrates Hispanic heritage. School administrator's fearing there might be issues ordered the students to either wear the shirts inside out or go home for the day.
I don't have any issues with celebrating Cinco De Mayo or any other day that honours the heritage of any culture but I do have some issues when an American attending an American school within the borders of the United States of America is ordered to cease and desist wearing a shirt that depicts nothing offensive in nature.
Why is it that everyone has to cater to the needs and desires of a select group of people who make a decision to move to another country but don't try and assimilate into the new culture.
When I lived in California it always astounded me to get the voter package as it had to be in over 10 different languages - English, Spanish, Tagalog, and Vietnamese to name a few.
Why does everyone think this OK? If we were to move to France or Germany do you think they would suddenly start publishing all documents in English? What do you think would happen if you tried to pull that in say Iran or Saudi Arabia?
My bank ATM is now in English and at least 2 other dialects of Chinese - why?
If I was to move to another country I wouldn't expect them to cater to my inability to understand them but rather I'd work my ass off to be able to communicate with them in the language of the country.
I know there is no official language in the United States but I think that is because they never envisioned the flood of immigrants they experienced from the 1820's onward.
Canada does have an official language act and it states that English and French are the two languages of the country.
How about we all put on our big boy and big girl pants and suck it up and say enough is enough already, you want to come live in Canada and have the financial resources to take care of yourself, we'd love to have you, but make damn sure you understand that we will communicate with you in either English or French and that the customs of your old country are just that, the customs of your old country. What was acceptable there might not be acceptable here so be prepared for the change and don't whine and say it's not fair - it is fair so effing deal with it or go back and be happy there.
Love
October 17/13
Sometimes we all need a little reminder.........
Love
is patient
is kind
it does not envy
it does not boast
it is not proud
it is not rude
it is not self-seeking
it is not easily angered
keeps no record of wrongs
does not delight in evil
rejoices with the truth
always protects
always trusts
always hopes
always perseveres
never fails
Love can set you free and make you feel like a prisoner both at the same time
Love is the emotion we all have inside us but not all of us know how to use it
Love is each person's secret super power
Love can make your heart swell with passion and retract from the pain of a loss
Love is always there.....it never takes a vacation.....a day off.........it never needs one
Love is........................................................................................................................
Sometimes we all need a little reminder.........
Love
is patient
is kind
it does not envy
it does not boast
it is not proud
it is not rude
it is not self-seeking
it is not easily angered
keeps no record of wrongs
does not delight in evil
rejoices with the truth
always protects
always trusts
always hopes
always perseveres
never fails
Love can set you free and make you feel like a prisoner both at the same time
Love is the emotion we all have inside us but not all of us know how to use it
Love is each person's secret super power
Love can make your heart swell with passion and retract from the pain of a loss
Love is always there.....it never takes a vacation.....a day off.........it never needs one
Love is........................................................................................................................
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
Randoms
October 16/13
No real rhyme or reason to the following, just thought I'd put them out there for consumption.
Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none - William Shakespeare
To a great mind, nothing is impossible - Sherlock Homes
Still time to change the road you're on - unknown
If you have crazy friends willing to share your adventures, you have everything - unknown
We are all mortal until the first kiss or second glass of wine - unknown
How do you know when a politician is lying? He is breathing - W.C. Fields
To procrastinate is an art - me :)
Two feet forward followed by one back still beats sitting around on your ass all day - me :)
If you can read this then I suggest you thank a teacher..................
No real rhyme or reason to the following, just thought I'd put them out there for consumption.
Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none - William Shakespeare
To a great mind, nothing is impossible - Sherlock Homes
Still time to change the road you're on - unknown
If you have crazy friends willing to share your adventures, you have everything - unknown
We are all mortal until the first kiss or second glass of wine - unknown
How do you know when a politician is lying? He is breathing - W.C. Fields
To procrastinate is an art - me :)
Two feet forward followed by one back still beats sitting around on your ass all day - me :)
If you can read this then I suggest you thank a teacher..................
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
I admit it, I purge and sometimes it costs me dearly
October 15/13
I started this post back on October 6th and sort of got side tracked but decided to finish it off tonight while waiting for the son to complete his math homework
=========================================================================
Someone recently asked me why it seems like I try and use sensationalistic titles and and I don't really have an answer other than it is kind of fun to come up with something catchy that might make all of you wonder just what the heck I'm up to........
Like many of you I have a cell phone, a rather nifty little product put out by that fruit logo'd company down in Cupertino, actually my son has the same model but he is much more adept at getting the most out of it than is his old man.
Over the course of time I've pretty much come to depend on that little gadget to keep me up to date on key events, wake me in the morning, track all of my contact information, both work and social, as well as let me read a book, listen to some tunes, or play around with an app when I've found myself with some time to kill.
Now every now and than I tend to review my contact list and if I come across one that I haven't spoken to in a little while I will delete them from my list, aka purge them, and move on with life. This hasn't been an issue until literally this past Thursday morning.
I was sitting at my desk trying to get the last bank recon done for work and calculate the corresponding foreign exchange adjustment when my phone beeped to let me know I had a text message, looking down I expected to see it from either of my kids or possibly my ex asking how we would get my sons hockey gear from my place to hers but was surprised to see the readout tell me it was from an unknown number without any associated name.
I read the text and had a little chuckle as it said:
"Woke up randomly last night at 2:00am and for some reason thought about your blog. Wanted to update myself, had to Google it with 'Marcus, single man, blog' Any who...all updated now and the date from hell was my fave" signed Mysterious Stranger
Now for the life of me I have no clue who this mysterious stranger is other than I'm narrowed it down that we have spoken via a dating website at some point in the past, we exchanged cell numbers, and she is really enjoying keeping me in the dark as to her identity lol
I'm a good sport so I haven't gotten upset by not knowing who she is and have been trying like crazy to figure it out based on snippets of information gleaned from our running text chat. So far without much luck but I'm one determined son of a gun so the game remains afoot.
I'll admit that this isn't the first time I've had a message pop up from someone I've talked with before and deleted from my contacts but usually they've been a tad bit more forthcoming with a name.
So now I'm starting to wonder how long does one keep a person's contact information if some time has passed between calls or messages before biting the bullet and doing some purging?
I started this post back on October 6th and sort of got side tracked but decided to finish it off tonight while waiting for the son to complete his math homework
=========================================================================
Someone recently asked me why it seems like I try and use sensationalistic titles and and I don't really have an answer other than it is kind of fun to come up with something catchy that might make all of you wonder just what the heck I'm up to........
Like many of you I have a cell phone, a rather nifty little product put out by that fruit logo'd company down in Cupertino, actually my son has the same model but he is much more adept at getting the most out of it than is his old man.
Over the course of time I've pretty much come to depend on that little gadget to keep me up to date on key events, wake me in the morning, track all of my contact information, both work and social, as well as let me read a book, listen to some tunes, or play around with an app when I've found myself with some time to kill.
Now every now and than I tend to review my contact list and if I come across one that I haven't spoken to in a little while I will delete them from my list, aka purge them, and move on with life. This hasn't been an issue until literally this past Thursday morning.
I was sitting at my desk trying to get the last bank recon done for work and calculate the corresponding foreign exchange adjustment when my phone beeped to let me know I had a text message, looking down I expected to see it from either of my kids or possibly my ex asking how we would get my sons hockey gear from my place to hers but was surprised to see the readout tell me it was from an unknown number without any associated name.
I read the text and had a little chuckle as it said:
"Woke up randomly last night at 2:00am and for some reason thought about your blog. Wanted to update myself, had to Google it with 'Marcus, single man, blog' Any who...all updated now and the date from hell was my fave" signed Mysterious Stranger
Now for the life of me I have no clue who this mysterious stranger is other than I'm narrowed it down that we have spoken via a dating website at some point in the past, we exchanged cell numbers, and she is really enjoying keeping me in the dark as to her identity lol
I'm a good sport so I haven't gotten upset by not knowing who she is and have been trying like crazy to figure it out based on snippets of information gleaned from our running text chat. So far without much luck but I'm one determined son of a gun so the game remains afoot.
I'll admit that this isn't the first time I've had a message pop up from someone I've talked with before and deleted from my contacts but usually they've been a tad bit more forthcoming with a name.
So now I'm starting to wonder how long does one keep a person's contact information if some time has passed between calls or messages before biting the bullet and doing some purging?
Monday, October 14, 2013
Happy Thanksgiving to all my Canadian bloggets!
October 14/13
Today is Thanksgiving in her majesty's domain formally known as Canada.
I'd like to take a moment to wish everyone who reads the blog a Happy Thanksgiving whether you are lucky enough to be Canadian or citizen of another county and find yourself working today :)
There are many things I am thankful for today, foremost are my incredible son and daughter, my health, my kids health, a career that lets me provide for myself and my children, and sometimes my 5 iron.
More posts to come this week - got two on the go and hopefully they'll be thought provoking and maybe even make you break a smile......
Today is Thanksgiving in her majesty's domain formally known as Canada.
I'd like to take a moment to wish everyone who reads the blog a Happy Thanksgiving whether you are lucky enough to be Canadian or citizen of another county and find yourself working today :)
There are many things I am thankful for today, foremost are my incredible son and daughter, my health, my kids health, a career that lets me provide for myself and my children, and sometimes my 5 iron.
More posts to come this week - got two on the go and hopefully they'll be thought provoking and maybe even make you break a smile......
Thursday, October 10, 2013
It's just a game people, calm the frick down!!!!!!!!!!
October 10/13
So yesterday I wake up and do my usual routine - take the dog for her morning walk, come home and power up the computer, make some toast, and check my emails. Nothing big in and of itself right?
What caught my eye was a story on the MSN home page that was titled "Fan confronts QB at home" and after reading the story I was just amazed at how stupid some people are when it comes to the important things in life.
Seems the NFL QB in question, Matt Schaub of the Houston Texans, had thrown his fourth pick six of the young season and has been struggling with his confidence. For those wondering, a pick six is an intercepted pass run back for a touchdown. Houston was picked as one of the preseason favourites to make a run at the Super Bowl but has struggled to 2 wins and 3 losses so far this season, some of which can be attributed to poor play by the QB.
I'm a serious sports fan and have had my heart broken by my beloved San Diego Chargers, San Diego Padres, Phoenix Suns, and Ottawa Senators more times than I'd like to remember but at no point have I ever thought it the smart move to head over to one of the players homes and confront him on his front doorstep in front of his family like the guy did in the story.
What kind of poor upbringing does it take to do something so completely asinine that a person would consider it or even follow through with it??
Now here is where this rant gets interesting so follow along.....
On the sports tab was another story about the recent decision by the Kentucky High School Athletics Associaton to ban the customary post game handshakes after repeated incidents of post game fights and violence in soccer, volleyball, basketball, and football.
It isn't limited to one sport or one gender - we're now an equal opportunity offender across sports and genders.
Now before anyone sit there and say they can see this happening in the heat of the moment with teenagers, and I'm not saying it can't happen, one of the most horrific examples quoted by the KHSAA was a brawl between the parents of two teams - we're talking the parents here people!!!
The sad fact is that too many adults place far too much importance on how kids play a game and the scores without viewing the game as an opportunity to set a good example.
I coach youth and adult soccer - been doing it for years and hope to continue doing it - and one message I've always given my teams is that no matter what the other team says or does we will play the game and conduct ourselves with pride, dignity, and respect. The moment one of you doesn't do that is the moment you start looking for a new team or coach.
I've coached win less teams and I've coached unbeaten teams, the one common thread for both has been to remind them it is just a game and meant to be fun. If you aren't having fun I'm doing something wrong - plain and simple.
We need to stop trying to live our missed opportunities through the actions of our children.
We need to step up and remind our children that games are meant to be fun.
Winning is nice, but it's not the end all be all for our youth.
Remember this one simple fact....behind every sport is the word game
IT IS JUST A GAME FOLKS SO SIT BACK AND ENJOY WATCHING YOUR KIDS PLAY A GAME !!!!!!!!!
So yesterday I wake up and do my usual routine - take the dog for her morning walk, come home and power up the computer, make some toast, and check my emails. Nothing big in and of itself right?
What caught my eye was a story on the MSN home page that was titled "Fan confronts QB at home" and after reading the story I was just amazed at how stupid some people are when it comes to the important things in life.
Seems the NFL QB in question, Matt Schaub of the Houston Texans, had thrown his fourth pick six of the young season and has been struggling with his confidence. For those wondering, a pick six is an intercepted pass run back for a touchdown. Houston was picked as one of the preseason favourites to make a run at the Super Bowl but has struggled to 2 wins and 3 losses so far this season, some of which can be attributed to poor play by the QB.
I'm a serious sports fan and have had my heart broken by my beloved San Diego Chargers, San Diego Padres, Phoenix Suns, and Ottawa Senators more times than I'd like to remember but at no point have I ever thought it the smart move to head over to one of the players homes and confront him on his front doorstep in front of his family like the guy did in the story.
What kind of poor upbringing does it take to do something so completely asinine that a person would consider it or even follow through with it??
Now here is where this rant gets interesting so follow along.....
On the sports tab was another story about the recent decision by the Kentucky High School Athletics Associaton to ban the customary post game handshakes after repeated incidents of post game fights and violence in soccer, volleyball, basketball, and football.
It isn't limited to one sport or one gender - we're now an equal opportunity offender across sports and genders.
Now before anyone sit there and say they can see this happening in the heat of the moment with teenagers, and I'm not saying it can't happen, one of the most horrific examples quoted by the KHSAA was a brawl between the parents of two teams - we're talking the parents here people!!!
The sad fact is that too many adults place far too much importance on how kids play a game and the scores without viewing the game as an opportunity to set a good example.
I coach youth and adult soccer - been doing it for years and hope to continue doing it - and one message I've always given my teams is that no matter what the other team says or does we will play the game and conduct ourselves with pride, dignity, and respect. The moment one of you doesn't do that is the moment you start looking for a new team or coach.
I've coached win less teams and I've coached unbeaten teams, the one common thread for both has been to remind them it is just a game and meant to be fun. If you aren't having fun I'm doing something wrong - plain and simple.
We need to stop trying to live our missed opportunities through the actions of our children.
We need to step up and remind our children that games are meant to be fun.
Winning is nice, but it's not the end all be all for our youth.
Remember this one simple fact....behind every sport is the word game
IT IS JUST A GAME FOLKS SO SIT BACK AND ENJOY WATCHING YOUR KIDS PLAY A GAME !!!!!!!!!
Friday, October 4, 2013
My love/hate relationship with Friday's
September 04/13 - TGIF!!!!
What a crazy week it's been for me, between coaching the opening game of my daughters women's indoor soccer team, running my son to hockey practices, updating his hockey gear to replace the stuff he outgrew over the summer, to the madness that is month end at work, I'm mentally exhausted and so ready for the weekend.
But even though it is Friday and the start of the weekend and I should be happy I'm actually kind of bummed out.
When I think of Friday's I find myself torn between feeling either both sad/happy or just plain happy.
Why do I feel this way you ask?
As with most things going on in my life it tends to somehow relate to my son.
I have shared joint custody of my son under an alternate week arrangement. One week he is with me and the other week he is with his mom. This works well for both his mom and myself as it gives us time to be a parent and some time to be single.
The problem is that today is the end of my custody week so while I'm glad it is Friday, I'm also kind of bummed out as when I come home tonight after work it will be to an empty house, well as empty as it can be when you factor in one semi-hyper puppy who is pretty tuned into my moods and will do her best to distract me from being sad.
Now next Friday will rock for me as not only will it be the end of the work week but when I get home my son will be there having caught the bus to my place directly from school.
So while I'm happy today, I'm also kind of bummed out and the rainy weather isn't going to help things at all, in fact if it rains out my two golf tee times this weekend I'm going to be one very grumpy old man come Monday lol
Are there any days of the week you prefer over another?
For some reason I seem to like Thursdays a bit more than other days....maybe because it is the run-up to the weekend and I'm still hanging with my son or expecting to see him....don't know, don't care :)
Wishing everyone a wonderful weekend - hope the colours are beginning to explode in your neck of the woods as they are looking awesome around my neighbourhood and I think a drive to the Gatineau's might be in order to get some new fall pictures.
What a crazy week it's been for me, between coaching the opening game of my daughters women's indoor soccer team, running my son to hockey practices, updating his hockey gear to replace the stuff he outgrew over the summer, to the madness that is month end at work, I'm mentally exhausted and so ready for the weekend.
But even though it is Friday and the start of the weekend and I should be happy I'm actually kind of bummed out.
When I think of Friday's I find myself torn between feeling either both sad/happy or just plain happy.
Why do I feel this way you ask?
As with most things going on in my life it tends to somehow relate to my son.
I have shared joint custody of my son under an alternate week arrangement. One week he is with me and the other week he is with his mom. This works well for both his mom and myself as it gives us time to be a parent and some time to be single.
The problem is that today is the end of my custody week so while I'm glad it is Friday, I'm also kind of bummed out as when I come home tonight after work it will be to an empty house, well as empty as it can be when you factor in one semi-hyper puppy who is pretty tuned into my moods and will do her best to distract me from being sad.
Now next Friday will rock for me as not only will it be the end of the work week but when I get home my son will be there having caught the bus to my place directly from school.
So while I'm happy today, I'm also kind of bummed out and the rainy weather isn't going to help things at all, in fact if it rains out my two golf tee times this weekend I'm going to be one very grumpy old man come Monday lol
Are there any days of the week you prefer over another?
For some reason I seem to like Thursdays a bit more than other days....maybe because it is the run-up to the weekend and I'm still hanging with my son or expecting to see him....don't know, don't care :)
Wishing everyone a wonderful weekend - hope the colours are beginning to explode in your neck of the woods as they are looking awesome around my neighbourhood and I think a drive to the Gatineau's might be in order to get some new fall pictures.
Thursday, October 3, 2013
Judgemental I will be.......
October 03/13
I am a judgemental person by nature and craft.
As I make my merry way through life I observe and make comment to myself about all I see happening around me, whether it is a person, plant, animal, or object. It is the nature of the beast called Marcus to do this and I make no bones about it, in fact since you've read this blog you've been given ample forewarning and should never attempt to feign surprise from this moment forward.
I will judge you when we first meet.
Simple fact and something to be prepared to undergo.
Will I share my observations and judgement with you? Probably not, unless I find them in the extreme one way or the other.
What shall I be judging you on you may be wondering.
Will it be your looks? Possibly in a some manner, after all, we are all looking for that spark and part of it does come from the physical.
Will it be your income level? Not at all. I don't care how much money you make as long as you aren't expecting to be taken care of in any monetary way. I take care of myself financially and expect nothing more or less from any potential partner.
Will it be on who you know? Nope. Don't care and name dropping won't impress me in the least. At the end of the day I don't care what the Kardashians are doing, who is dating who in Tinsel Town, or even who is doing what around the world. We all put our clothes on the same way and I'll never understand the fascination with celebrities.
Will it be on how you spend your free time? Sure, sometimes I'll think things to myself about what you are doing. But since I am an avid golfer who spends as much time on a course as possible around my work and parental commitments, who am I to render a harsh judgement if you like power walking or shopping or meeting friends for coffee.
Will I judge you on how you treat people?
You better damn well believe I will. Hopefully I'll get the opportunity to see you interact without even knowing I'm around.
Why is this a big deal to me? Mostly because I've met my fair share of people who are fake or downright condescending to those they feel are their inferiors.
I've watched a date talk down to a server in a pub as if she couldn't write down a simple order. It left me feeling so angry that I ended the date then and there, walked over to the server and paid the tab in full and left a larger than normal gratuity to try and make amends for the shitty way she'd been treated.
How people treat one another isn't limited to the customer verbally abusing the worker but also goes both ways. Two weeks ago I was in a Mac's with my son getting us some cold drinks and a young women was in front of us in line with a bag of milk. She only had change with which to pay and appeared to be a single mom trying to make ends meet. She was clearly embarrassed to be paying in quarters, dimes, and nickels, and dropped some of the money on the floor. As she bent down to pick it up the clerk made a comment about not having all day and there being other customers waiting to pay looking in the direction of my son and I. The young lady looked up at us and turned bright red and that made me really mad. I turned to my son and told him to go out to the car and bring me the plastic ice cream container on the floor behind my seat. He smiled and ran out to the car. The clerk looked at me kind of confused and I just looked at the young girl picking up her change and winked at her.
My son came back in and handed me the container and then proceeded to help the woman pick up her change. I stepped up and politely asked if I could pay for my purchases while things got straightened out with the dropped coins. The clerk saw my $20 bill and said of course and rang up my purchases as $4.75
I put the $20 back in my pocket, opened up the container and began to count out the amount owed in nickels and dimes. The clerk asked me why I wasn't using the $20 bill? I looked at her and asked if my paying in change somehow made me a lesser customer? She said of course not! I asked what made me better than the young lady buying milk with change? She had no answer.
I made my purchase and added the cost of the milk to it as well.
As I walked out of the store I could hear the person behind me paying with all of her spare change as well.
My son smiled at me and told me he got the lesson I was trying to make and that confused me as I wasn't trying to teach him any lesson. Before I could reply he smiled and nodded towards someone outside my car door so I turned around to see the young lady smiling at us and mouthing the words "thank you" as she passed us on the sidewalk.
I've not been back to that particular Mac's since other than to stop by the next day when the manager was there to tell him about the little encounter in the hopes he might have a talk with the clerk.
I made a judgement about the clerk that day before she even dealt with me.
Will I do that again in the future?
You can bet the mortgage money on it!
I am a judgemental person by nature and craft.
As I make my merry way through life I observe and make comment to myself about all I see happening around me, whether it is a person, plant, animal, or object. It is the nature of the beast called Marcus to do this and I make no bones about it, in fact since you've read this blog you've been given ample forewarning and should never attempt to feign surprise from this moment forward.
I will judge you when we first meet.
Simple fact and something to be prepared to undergo.
Will I share my observations and judgement with you? Probably not, unless I find them in the extreme one way or the other.
What shall I be judging you on you may be wondering.
Will it be your looks? Possibly in a some manner, after all, we are all looking for that spark and part of it does come from the physical.
Will it be your income level? Not at all. I don't care how much money you make as long as you aren't expecting to be taken care of in any monetary way. I take care of myself financially and expect nothing more or less from any potential partner.
Will it be on who you know? Nope. Don't care and name dropping won't impress me in the least. At the end of the day I don't care what the Kardashians are doing, who is dating who in Tinsel Town, or even who is doing what around the world. We all put our clothes on the same way and I'll never understand the fascination with celebrities.
Will it be on how you spend your free time? Sure, sometimes I'll think things to myself about what you are doing. But since I am an avid golfer who spends as much time on a course as possible around my work and parental commitments, who am I to render a harsh judgement if you like power walking or shopping or meeting friends for coffee.
Will I judge you on how you treat people?
You better damn well believe I will. Hopefully I'll get the opportunity to see you interact without even knowing I'm around.
Why is this a big deal to me? Mostly because I've met my fair share of people who are fake or downright condescending to those they feel are their inferiors.
I've watched a date talk down to a server in a pub as if she couldn't write down a simple order. It left me feeling so angry that I ended the date then and there, walked over to the server and paid the tab in full and left a larger than normal gratuity to try and make amends for the shitty way she'd been treated.
How people treat one another isn't limited to the customer verbally abusing the worker but also goes both ways. Two weeks ago I was in a Mac's with my son getting us some cold drinks and a young women was in front of us in line with a bag of milk. She only had change with which to pay and appeared to be a single mom trying to make ends meet. She was clearly embarrassed to be paying in quarters, dimes, and nickels, and dropped some of the money on the floor. As she bent down to pick it up the clerk made a comment about not having all day and there being other customers waiting to pay looking in the direction of my son and I. The young lady looked up at us and turned bright red and that made me really mad. I turned to my son and told him to go out to the car and bring me the plastic ice cream container on the floor behind my seat. He smiled and ran out to the car. The clerk looked at me kind of confused and I just looked at the young girl picking up her change and winked at her.
My son came back in and handed me the container and then proceeded to help the woman pick up her change. I stepped up and politely asked if I could pay for my purchases while things got straightened out with the dropped coins. The clerk saw my $20 bill and said of course and rang up my purchases as $4.75
I put the $20 back in my pocket, opened up the container and began to count out the amount owed in nickels and dimes. The clerk asked me why I wasn't using the $20 bill? I looked at her and asked if my paying in change somehow made me a lesser customer? She said of course not! I asked what made me better than the young lady buying milk with change? She had no answer.
I made my purchase and added the cost of the milk to it as well.
As I walked out of the store I could hear the person behind me paying with all of her spare change as well.
My son smiled at me and told me he got the lesson I was trying to make and that confused me as I wasn't trying to teach him any lesson. Before I could reply he smiled and nodded towards someone outside my car door so I turned around to see the young lady smiling at us and mouthing the words "thank you" as she passed us on the sidewalk.
I've not been back to that particular Mac's since other than to stop by the next day when the manager was there to tell him about the little encounter in the hopes he might have a talk with the clerk.
I made a judgement about the clerk that day before she even dealt with me.
Will I do that again in the future?
You can bet the mortgage money on it!
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