KO: Entertainment

Behind the Bench

Fri, 14 Mar 2008 17:45:25 GMT

It is a strange dichotomy of personna. An all star, outstanding athlete, now past his or her prime, taking up residence on the bench. The metaphoric coaching bench. When that athlete is of the calibre of greatness, such as Wayne Gretsky, the world hones in on their new position and analyzes it in a similar way as they did when that ex-player played. I have watched hockey for a long time - close to 35 years I reckon, and I have never seen the F-bomb dropped more frequently than I have lately, from the 'new age' coaches. The camera pans to the bench ONLY for a nano second and the lip reading is frantic - it appears to be close to the ONLY word in the vocabulary; to the refs, to the players, to the other team. Shocking that such greatness has to be followed up with such unintelligent banter. Sad, really.

The 9 Types

Thu, 29 Mar 2007 19:02:01 GMT

One of the offshoots of my Type 7, is Gluttony....NOT in food or drink but in most everything I tackle. The more I get, the more I want. Such was the case with Myers Briggs Personality typing (http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes2.asp) that began as JUST a hobby more than 7 years ago. Usually when this much time has passed, I would have moved on due to boredom. Not so with MBTI testing.

As one begins to read and type people according to MBTI, rationalization (another Type 7 trait) and justification for such typing occurs. One of those justifications was in finding the Enneagram Testing. (http://www.duniho.com/fergus/enneagram/test/ ) While MBTI was designed more than 100 years ago with a specific slant toward psychology, the Enneagram is a fairly recent 'tool' that looks more at people for the way in which they perceive the world.

As www.enneagraminstitute.com says:

"Everyone emerges from childhood with one of the nine types dominating their personality, with inborn temperament and other pre-natal factors being the main determinants of our type. This is one area where most all of the major Enneagram authors agree—we are born with a dominant type. Subsequently, this inborn orientation largely determines the ways in which we learn to adapt to our early childhood environment. It also seems to lead to certain unconscious orientations toward our parental figures, but why this is so, we still do not know. In any case, by the time children are four or five years old, their consciousness has developed sufficiently to have a separate sense of self. Although their identity is still very fluid, at this age children begin to establish themselves and find ways of fitting into the world on their own."

Understanding (and analyzing) people is always been a sport to me, and no doubt the reason why I did so well in all of my psychology courses. When I see parents struggling with their children, a friend struggling with their mate, or their boss, I look toward these types of personality profiling tools first.....much before I label the situation as a 'conflict'. Obviously there are events that trigger pieces of our psyche that set us up for success or set us up for failure. If you can figure those out at the outset, chances are it will be the former.

If you can figure out your child (and know your own type first), this will help in conflict resolution, but more importantly in understanding the way in which your child learns, so that YOU can help him or her achieve success. This one is specifically for 7 to 12 year olds :

http://www.personalitypage.com/cgi-local/build_pqk.cgi

Chicks still like the occasional 'Hello'

Mon, 26 Mar 2007 16:31:48 GMT

Eric Clapton put on a show on Friday night! His guitars aplenty had his fingers waltzing up and down the frets like Beckam waltzes up and down a soccer pitch. He was strumming, picking, sliding his way into a universe that he has dominated for most of his adult life. Into his 60's now, he didn't show any sign of losing that lust for showcasing his talents, and his band's talents, anytime soon.

His partner in plucking centre stage was Doyle Bramhall, and was almost as impressive as Eric himself. He carried many a solo with grace and beauty and left us wondering who this dude was, and wow, how great was it for such a young guy to be proteging with the legend of Eric!! http://www.doylebramhall2nd.com/press.htm#

The show was a tribute to music. It showcased the talents of all of the members of the band, as well as their many instruments. Tim picked up the hobby of identifying each guitar, and thought, that by some osmotic flow, we would be able to at least guess the same. We weren't. http://www.gibson.com/allaccessNewsItems.aspx?aliaspath=/AllAccess/Three%20for%20Three%20on%20Clapton%20Tou

There was no idle chit chat from Eric. No 'Hello Everyone', or anything like that. It was all business, and it was good, very good, but sometime an occasional friendly address can go a long way in keeping those 'less than

Aficionados' happy. For the Aficionado sitting beside me, no talking was all okay. On the rather perfect side of 'okay'.

The Obligatory Holiday Bloody Mary

Mon, 26 Feb 2007 15:02:58 GMT

Nothing starts the holiday mood off better than a frosty spiced-up blood mary at 37000 feet. Somewhere in the distant past between Catalina Island, Vegas, Long Island, and Barbabos, our inaugural clink-up to the commencement of the long lost vacation began, and now the tradition continues like a sly grin to the life that we left behind. Cheers!!

Underdog Win

Wed, 21 Feb 2007 17:01:14 GMT

We have watched Danny Sabourin play backup to Roberto Luongo all season, rarely getting a chance to prove himself due to the unbelievable Hart Trophy calibre play of Luongo. Why would anyone in his or her right coaching mind toy with Luongo when he has won many a game for the Vancouver Canucks on his athleticism and acrobatics alone.

Last night against the Mighty Ducks, or rather, just Ducks of Anaheim, Sabourin got his chance. His chance to prove to the fans and more importantly, the coaches and players, that he was a star goalie in his own right. And that he did. After stopping 38 saves, many from close in and labeled, he lasted through overtime long enough to watch Henrik Sedin tap in the overtime goal, so that he could finally saviour a win. It had been a long time coming, something that for each of his 4 previous starts had alluded him. He finally had a win beside his name. One little 'W' can go along way down the playoff path in helping with that confidence needed to notch playoff games played. For Sabourin's sake, I hope he can see some net time during those playoffs, however unlikely that may be!!

5 Wins has GOT to top the page

Mon, 12 Feb 2007 19:35:53 GMT

When one is a writer, publisher, editor and one's own worst critic rolled all into one, it is sometimes a difficult task to choose the proverbial story of the day in which to hone the necessary skills in encouraging readership. Yesterday was a day in which the blog cup runneth over, but the day had to culminate in me throwing my arms in the air and doing a small victory dance as the Dixie Chicks started their 5 grammy wins with Song of the Year for Not Ready to Make Nice. (http://www.grammys.com/ )

I like to think that part of the reason we love living in North America is because of our ability to accepts folks from all walks of life; the poor, the rich, the uneducated, the scholars, the pagans, the christians, the socially responsible, the economical free wheeling tyrants. They all come together and provide a fabric with which two nations are woven. That social fabric began to unravel for the Chicks about 3 years ago, when they stood up and openly opposed the Iraqui War and more to the point, the leader of that war. Public outcry, mostly from the right wing country fan base, ironically, started ripping out the thread which that same base had methodically stitched so carefully, in heralding the Chicks as their very own. A country who prides itself on free speech, in fact, ammended their constitution in the Number ONE spot, the First Ammendment, to reflect the rights of the people in speaking their mind, would be so bold as to try and stick duct tape over the mouths of the Dixie Chicks. There had been other rock, pop, folk stars before who had gone out on a limb and cried foul to the U.S. involvement in Korea, Vietnam, Somalia, Dofar, but none had EVER been met with the diabolical intolerance with which the Chicks were met. Death threats, hate mail, national and international MASS banning of song play on radio, to three women who simply stood by each other in declaring that participation in the War in Iraq was wrong.

The day that Taking the Long Road (http://www.sonymusicstore.com/store/catalog/MerchandiseDetails.jsp?merchId=107257&skuId=107261) was released, I rushed down to our local music store to scoop a copy, and begged all my friends and family to do the same. How else are you supposed to support those who can make a difference in actually making a difference? While I believed in the words that the Chicks spoke, I believed MORE in their right to speak, and the duty of the public in enforcing those basic rights. Last night, as I cheered the Chicks on for each subsequent award that they won, I couldn't help but think of Justin Timberlake's What goes around, comes around lyrics. Paybacks are always a bitch!! They won song of the year, record of the year, country album of the year, album of the year and best country performance by a duo or group. Wow! Ironic how the public will ultimately decide what we will listen to, and we listen to it lots!! Rock on Dixie. Rock on.

7 Days of Luck

Mon, 08 Jan 2007 19:38:37 GMT

On New Year's eve, I made a new necklace for myself. It was a simple black leather wire with the Chinese Symbol for Luck dangling from it. I was determined that I was going to usher in 2007 with as much LUCK as humanly possible! Why I chose a 'chinese symbol' when I am not affiliated with China in any way, is cause for consternation, but, like chinese food, I simply liked it and embraced it. Whether or not this symbol was actually what it claimed to be, I don't know either, for I never researched that symbol. It said 'luck' on the bin that I took it from and I believed that bin. I simply made it, put it around my neck on New Year's eve and decried, 'I WILL HAVE A YEAR OF LUCK in 2007!'

In reality, it could have been anything. It matter not what the actual symbol is, rather what is one's mindset around the symbol. People wear crosses around their neck to decry to the world that they too have luck....another sort of luck, which we won't get into here, or a symbol of St. Christopher, meaning that they are always protected when traveling; or a shark's tooth stating adventure. These are simply symbols. In reality to the outside world, they mean little, but to THAT person whom is wearing them, they mean special powers.

7 days after I made the necklace, I lost it. It dropped from my neck somewhere between the mall and the car, never to be seen or worn by me again. While it was evident that the first 7 days of 2007 had been above-average, and at first, I wanted to revere the necklace as being some sort of omen-breaker, I know that it was me. It was my mind, my energy, my spirit that was the reason for the so-called 'luck'. I will keep wearing that necklace....even if I am not.

Pursuit of Happiness

Fri, 05 Jan 2007 17:51:37 GMT

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed, by their Creator, with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.

Thomas Jefferson penned those words more than 230 years ago and they still are the dream for many. Yes, we, as North Americans, who are reading this, have Life but do we have Liberty and can we freely pursue Happiness?

A Tall Double Double Full on Fat and Sweetness

Sun, 03 Dec 2006 02:46:35 GMT

A Tall Double Double Full on Fat and Sweetness

Filed under: Philosophy — kerryo12 @ 2:42 am Edit This

I just simply could not take the abuse any longer. A writer at heart being mocked for the superfluous ad campaign and the big brother support…it simply was not working. I HAD to start DOUBLE blogging. I still am in denial. How can words be so transparent yet still, moving yet quiet, real yet not. It was time to get serious and move to a more ’serious’ blog site.

What are your thoughts? I mean many of you have read my own thoughts (and NOT commented I may add) on a daily basis. Do those thoughts stir your own - agreement, disagreement, apathetic, anything, something? Well this is an experiment. How will the response go?

I have to keep my ‘myspace’ because I am in therapy…Instant Messenger therapy. My buds make me better like the snap cup did in Legally Blonde II. They comfort, they console, they hug…and it is all felt, loud and clear. So enjoy my ramblings, comment if you can, and remember these collections of words are only meant for one thing; They just need to be said.

Enjoy. Hug someone you love and get on with the day!!

Kerry ~~ Double posted: http://kerryoblog.flex-it.com

Drinking Coffee in the Big Snow

Mon, 27 Nov 2006 17:42:12 GMT

Wow!! The Snow has fallen for the past 2 days and it is deeep out there!! We have about a foot and a half and it looks like there are more than a few folks stuck at home - working or playing!!

It is on days like this that people start to notice procrastination!! I know that I should have bought a few things at the grocery store PRIOR to the snow beginning to fall!! White powder in my coffee is just NOT the same as cream!! The human condition is a strange breed though - how many people put snow tires on their cars; water in their storage areas; candles, flashlights, generators? The list is a long one! When I hear someone being 'prepared', I tend to roll my eyes and think 'too much time on their hands' but then the snow hits and my coffee is the first sacrifice!!

Alice in Wonderland

Wed, 22 Nov 2006 18:17:08 GMT

Somedays the thought of following that rabbit down the long black hole to a fairy-tale land is tempting. Sitting there, flat out, and exhausted, I could look around at all the possibilities and see magic; yes, my imagination would take hold and miracles could flourish.

Fortunately I was born into the Human race where I have the unique ability of reason. If coupled with moderate intelligence, creativity, and fortitude, that ability can transport me into the mind-body continuum of a critical skeptic at my whim - into an ad-hoc everyday scientist if you will. Don't get me wrong, I love fairy tales, and good fiction, but really cannot tolerate the fact that so many people treat fiction as non-fiction - fairy tales as fact - and support it with a Bourgeois mindset treating LACK of evidence as EVIDENCE to the contrary. There usually is absolutely NO EVIDENCE to support their chosen stand.

I have to be careful here, writing such a blog for all the potential world to see. My motto has always been, 'whatever pumps your pin', but when their lack of reasoning continues to pour out of their mouths to the point that others are drawn in to their circle, someone somewhere has got to start standing up and saying, 'where in the hell does this bullshit come from?'

For Dog sake people, PLEASE use your evolution-given reasoning abilities and seek proof, before evangilizing.

REASON WILL ALWAYS TRUMP FAITH!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Addicted to Cable

Sat, 18 Nov 2006 20:11:51 GMT

This past week we had one of the worst storms that southern BC has ever seen. The wind, the rain, the cold, combined to knock power out of many neighbourhoods, and where the power wasn't affected, the cable that is run with the power, was. It is on days, and weeks, like that where one comes to appreciate their NEW 21st Century reliance on the internet. I had forgotten how to use the phone in order to find out information. In fact, I couldn't even find a phone book. Sometimes, it is in these times that a reversion to books, music, and inner peace can be found. When there is no alternative, one can almost become content with those things....even through the shakes and d.t.'s that accompany the loss of our trusted friend, the internet.

Hockey Night in Canada blends in with ex-Pres Clinton

Tue, 14 Nov 2006 17:31:29 GMT

You can imagine my surprise during the first period intermission this past Saturday night. The Canucks were up 2-0 on the Flames and one of favourite segments, 'Behind the Mask' with Kelly Hrudey, was spinning onto the air. The segment opened with Kelly Hrudey speaking about the nerves that he had chased down the night before in Kelowna, when he had 30 minutes to interview Bill Clinton. Now, I had known that Bill Clinton was touring western canada on his lecture circuit, but why, oh why, would Kelly Hrudey be interviewing him? Kelly Hrudey was a hockey goalie, a great goalie, and now, a Hockey Night in Canada commentator, and at times a Vancouver Province columnist. How did he manage to land this gig? Don't get me wrong, I really like Kelly, and his view on the world seems to be similar to mine, so I even feel a certain symbiosis with him, but an interview with Bill Clinton!!!

From the snippets that the CBC aired on Saturday, Kelly looked like he did an outstanding job as commentator, facilitator, and questioner. He was poised and charismatic and chose poignant and direct questions. Clinton payed homage to his grandparents and great uncle for being the cornerstone of his value system. A value system that began as a young white boy of modest means in the deep South, where his grandparents taught him about standing up for civil rights and treating your neighbours, regardless of colour, with respect. He spoke of honing his 'story telling ability' at a young age surrounding by family and that he had no choice but to be good at it. Then he went on to speak of our world's inter-dependence, and focusing on humanitarian similarities, and how those two ideas now drive his everyday life, instead of the raging politics which once did. I wish I could have seen the whole interview, and I definitely will try to catch Bill Clinton the next time he passes through town!!

For more details, check out: http://peacejournalism.com/details1.php?article_id=1440

Whistling Dixie For the Chicks!!

Thu, 09 Nov 2006 18:19:29 GMT

Row 8, Floor, Centre Stage, how can you go wrong with seats like this? From the moment the giant Jumbo-tron started displaying their newly released 'Shut Up and Sing' movie trailer, the sold out crowd at GM Place was engaged. Drawn into a world that not only encompasses wide-ranging musical talent, the Dixie Chick's overtly political edge is more music to Canadian ears than most people realize. The standing ovation during the movie clips, parlayed into the crowd's continual standing from the Dixie Chicks opening number of "Hail to the Chief" to their beautiful finale of "I Hope". The crowd was appreciative, supportive, and in the end, a kindred spirit throughout the 120 charming, captivating minutes.

Natalie Maines led the way with class and distinction, still defiant and letting her words speak for themselves. And how they spoke! Following the opening 3 songs, Natalie spoke to their audience, saying that this was the best crowd yet, loving Canada, and wondering if we were all here to celebrate Donald Rumsfeld's resignation!! The crowd went wild and marched on in their supportive, and literal, stand to the thought-provoking lyrics that have bathed the chicks in hot water more than once . No-one sat down and the dixie rock concert raged on.

While the sisters, Emily and Martie, were phenomenal in their string plucking ability, they gathered around Natalie as the spokes gather around the cog. One could not help but sense the tight sister-like bond that they all embraced as their bright eyes and smiles shone on through each other. Natalie's bold statements, and the band's cohesiveness, are a centre-piece to their music. One of those statements came part-way through the show, when Natalie deemed Saskatoon as having the best signage: "No one likes a Nasty Bush" fell on all of our ears, like a pinatta bursting and the candy falling out. Laughter, applause and ovation ensued. It was a 'love-in'. Everyone in the audience held up peace signs and wooed the band to 'give us more, give us more'. From every word in "Not Ready to Make Nice", the crowd belted out the lyrics, loud, proud, and indignant. Proud to welcome the words of people who truly believe in freedom, and in Peace. In the end, after a 5 minute scream fest, urging the encore, it was "Traveling Soldier" and "I Hope" that were "the more"!
"I hope
For more love, more joy and laughter
I hope
We'll have more than we'll ever need
I hope
We'll have more happy ever afters
I hope
We can all live more fearlessly
And we can lose all the pain and misery
I hope, I hope"

I HOPE to see the Chicks again, and I HOPE that we all can make a difference in our struggle for Peace.

Rock on Dixie. Rock on!!

Not digging it!

Mon, 06 Nov 2006 01:12:06 GMT

The rain has started in Vancouver, and this is the year that we set aside the 8 K to install some badly needed perimeter drainage across the front of our property (sidebar: NEVER buy a house 1/2 way down a hill!!).

The excavator began the 10 foot deep by 4 foot wide trench, complete with pea gravel and drainage pipe. One day into the job and half the yard was done. It was looking way too easy. Nice driver, conscientious, fast; wow, we lucked out I thought. Day 2 rolls around, when our friendly excavator lowers his bucket, and pulls the HUGE MAIN power line out of the house, complete with the meter base. Doh! 8 hours later, 6 electricians, and several city workers, 20 rolls of duct tape, and the long country block all without power (nice neighbours!), somehow it was restored. Happy Halloween! We made it through the night. Whew. There was ONLY a quarter of the yard left to finish. It was Thursday morning, and I noticed the quiet and looked out the window to find the excavator stopped. Mmmn, what is that next to the excavator? Is it the Bellagio Fountain at midnight? Yes!! He had gone two for two...first the power line NOW the MAIN CITY waterline!! Aaaaah. Never has spending 8 K - which is probably going to proliferate to 12, been so fun!!

Hot buttons

Sun, 08 Oct 2006 18:33:52 GMT

Words. Have you ever analyzed the differences various people place on words? One word to one person may stir no emotional component at all, but to another, a whole new realm of emotion is introduced. Even when the word is simply used by itself, out of context, it can stir memories and feelings to one person without the other person realizing it. For a dancer, the word could be 'stocky', for a hockey player, the word could be 'puny', for a computer whiz, the word could be 'simplistic'. Each word simply a word to most but when coupled up with that person's experiences, it is a powerful motivator, de-motivator, or weapon.

The words seem to gain power during childhood and adolescence and somehow become entrenched in the psyche of those that hear the same word repeated. Added to the mix are the ones that say the words further empowering the words themselves. If a mom, or a dad, a teacher or a brother buy into the word of choice, the hot button will only grow more heated. And one day you will be talking to friends or families, as a 50 year old, and the word will be spoken and the quick journey back to the playground will begin.

Music and the soul...

Sat, 23 Sep 2006 17:07:21 GMT

If there was ever any doubt that people are drawn to the light, you can't see that type of soul search within the confines of a Rock and Roll stadium - what with the dim light and all! Therefore there must be other forces that draw on people, right? One of those other forces has to be sweet sweet music. The type of music that you can feel well up in your toes and surge through your body like the life-blood itself. The vocals, that when you shut your eyes, still echo on, and bring an even sweeter smile to your lips, touching your inner being as ONLY a few things in life do.

Ya.....we had the pleasure of watching and feeling John Mayer and Sheryl Crow last night. John Mayer with his soft sensitive ballads belted out with a raspy sexiness that made more than the toes curl. Tune after tune, the music poured through the stadium and into each one of us, and made us a little more happy than we had been the previous minute. From "My Stupid Mouth" ("has got me in trouble") - my personal fave, to a few more off his new album and capped off with "Why Georgia", he had most of the audience glued to his every sensual move.

Then, Sheryl Crow blasted out with a great mixture of Rock and Blues. Her captivating voice, great bod, and ease with the audience won our hearts. Throw in a little bit of her 'give peace a chance' rant, and she had us at "Hello". The time marched on, as though the night was endless. Her fingers danced up and down her many guitars as though they were each performing their own swan lake on each fret. Added to that uncanny ability to play, were her ultra-diverse vocals which rang out with such ease. So holistic; so organic; so pure.

After an evening like that, it is no wonder the Doobies wrote, "Listen to the Music". Yes, 'Listen', BUT FEEL too!

Saturday Night in the Big City

Tue, 12 Sep 2006 00:52:08 GMT

Wow!! What a busy place this city of ours is...that is Vancouver, JUST for clarification! We walked the city from top to bottom on Saturday night after a FANTASTIC meal at Sala-Thai.

Granville Street was hopping; the clubs, the cafes, the 'toy' shops...they all were 'abuzz' and no pun intended on that one. It was midnight, and it looked like the parade was just getting started as people from all walks of life lined the street, some even had cocktails in their hands a-la Las Vegas. It was great! If we could have found an easy place to get a beer we would have sat on the street and could have been entertained for hours. Somedays in those strangest moments, Life can seem so simple. We really should enjoy those moments more! Cheers.