So apparently the NHL playoffs are happening, and it's a supposedly a big deal. Yeah, so, that's exciting. Honestly I have been completely disinterested in this entire NHL season, and while I usually get into the post-season, in the very least, this year that hasn't been the case.
I feel like the main reason why I am generally disinterested in the NHL this year is because I do not have a "home" team. While, yes I live in the Greater Toronto Area and hence the Toronto Maple Leafs would typically be considered my "home" team, I don't consider them to be so because I don't have that feeling of connection with the team and the franchise that impels me to follow and root for them. If anything, I despise the Leafs solely for the inherent irony in the franchise - that irony being that the last time the team really excelled in the sport, and had a chance at winning the Stanley Cup (i.e. making the playoffs, I am not even talking about the last time they had a real of chance of winning the Cup, just the last time they had a chance for the chance) was during the 2003/2004 season, yet despite their lackluster results over the past few years, they continue to be the most valuable and profitable franchise in the NHL.
I am not saying I don't find the sport of hockey entertaining. While I never played the sport in a league of any sort (with the exception of ball-hockey leagues my friends and I would set up in our youth), there have been moments in my life where I have been interested in the NHL and specifically the playoffs. Last year I became a huge supporter of the Montreal Canadiens as they made their remarkable playoff run, making it all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals. I wouldn't consider myself a Canadiens fan - again I don't consider myself a fan of any particular team - but I get the entertainment value of the sport, and for those few weeks during last year's post season I was a Canadiens supporter. If anything, I enjoy hockey as a socializing tool, it's an excuse to go to the local bar on a weeknight so to watch the game and have a couple drinks with with your friends.
This season I just couldn't get into the NHL playoffs, and I blame this on my schooling. The end of this year has been brutal in terms of academics. Tough exams for courses I didn't pay enough attention to during the year, all spread out over three weeks; not to mention the many assignments that had to be done leading up to the exam season. I'm having a hard enough time keeping up with the Federal Election, let alone a bunch of hockey games.
Again though, I feel that if I had that "home" team feeling/emotional-attachment to a team, I would make the effort to follow the playoffs, or at least care. My girlfriend, for instance, doesn't necessarily follow the NHL, but she is aware of the standings and is a Leafs supporter. She complains when they lose and is happy when they win, despite not being the most adamant fan. I just don't have this attachment.
This isn't to say I don't like sports at all. For instance, in recent years I have made an effort to get into the NFL. I always liked football, the dynamics of the sport and the epicness of the NFL, but I lacked that "home" team context. A few years ago I had one day flipped to a game on a Sunday and saw the Indianapolis Colts playing and - for some reason - I liked what I saw and I have been a supporter of them ever since. In the past season - and admittedly after having visited Florida - I became a Tampa Bay Buccaneers fan. The fact that I became a fan of this team only after I had visited Florida just further demonstrates my desire to want to have that "home" team attachment (my aunt and uncle own a place in Sarasota, which is relatively near Tampa, so I consider the Bucs my "home" NFL team vicariously through them).
I also generally like soccer. Soccer had been the one sport I played for most of my life, and I was fairly good at it (I like to think so anyways). Whenever the World Cup rolls around I get into it in a big way - the 2010 World Cup was huge for me, I've never watched so much sports in such a short period of time. What was weird about the World Cup for me is that I didn't support my typical "home" team of Italy (probably because I don't really identify with Italian culture, as my dad always says, "We're not Italian, we're Sicilian."). I instead opted to support the United States (as I considered them to be the closest-relative to Canada in the tournament) and a number of African teams - South Africa, Ghana, and the Ivory Coast being the main three. I have also played in basketball leagues, but for some reason I just can't get into the NBA at all. I think it's the culture of professional basketball that I have a detachment with.
Over the summer I plan to make an effort to follow both the Toronto Argonauts (CFL) and the Toronto FC (MLS). I have had success supporting and following both football and soccer in the past (as noted) so I hope that I can find that something that will attach me to these two teams.
But back to hockey, I think a main reason for my lack of hockey enthusiasm is that my household growing up was never a really "into" the sport. My dad is Italian and he is just not a huge sports guy in general - although he follows Formula One racing fairly religiously - and my mom just doesn't really care about sports at all either. However my mother's family loves the sport, huge hockey fans on that side. The thing is, they predominantly live in the Ottawa area so I never really got exposed to their fandom growing up and it never rubbed off on me. In contrast, the family I see often, my dad's side (as they all live in and around the GTA), generally follow my frame of mind with regard to sports - and actually I'd be considered one of the bigger sports fans in my NFL following.
While I have not yet gotten into hockey at a level where I could consider myself a true "fan", I have not given up hope. I am really looking for a team to latch onto and support. I have high hopes that this renewing of the Winnipeg Jets happens as it will provide me with an opportunity to be a part of a team from the very beginning, and hence I can grow my support for the team as the franchise grows. Maybe one day my kids will be Winnipeg Jets fans, as my influence rubs off on them. Of course this is all contingent on if the Phoenix Coyotes move up north and become the Jets, but again, I can, and do, hope. I generally find most sports entertaining and I realize their value in terms of being cultural and national phenomenons. However I feel that true support of sports teams and franchises is dependent on a specific type of attachment to those teams and franchises. This attachment makes the sport more interesting as you feel invested in the team and all they represent (essentially, their culture). This summer I hope to pursue this attachment in both the CFL and MLS and I hope to soon branch into the hockey arena as well.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Monday, April 25, 2011
Foster the music.
The band Foster The People (FTP) are going to be big. This is a prediction I had made about a month ago when I first heard their Single "Pumped Up Kicks". I came across the song after a cousin of mine had posted it on Facebook (the power of social media) and it seems like ever since then this band has been turning up everywhere I look. I see/hear them on television and the radio, I hear people talking about them (many of whom I know as I was the one who introduced them to the band), and they've been touring quite a bit; playing shows across North America - including big music festivals like Coachella and Outside Lands. They're doing all of this on the release of THREE songs off of one EP. It's really amazing.
FTP's rise reminds me a lot of the success story had by one of my favourite bands - Tokyo Police Club (TPC). TPC is a little band from Newmarket (the town I was born in by the way), and they first hit the music scene in 2006 when their EP A Lesson In Crime was released. The force of this album quickly pushed TPC to play local Canadian festivals Pop Montreal, Edgefest, and Osheaga. However within a year of A Lesson In Crime's release they played at Coachella, Lollapolooza, and Reeding and Leeds Festivals. More importantly they played The Late Show with David Letterman on April 19, 2007 which was a breakthrough for the band, exposing their music to a much wider mainstream audience. Like TPC, FTP are making a name for themselves by playing big name festivals, all on the strength of a few songs.
TPC's latest album Champ reached number 58 on the Billboard 200, 12 on the Alternative Albums chart and number 5 on the Independent Albums chart. Such numbers are not too shabby for a bunch of 20-somethings from the Town of Newmarket. I intend to watch FTP's career in the same way I've been following TPC's. FTP are from Los Angeles (a little bit bigger and more well known than Newmarket) but their rise as a band is very similar. With the release of their first full length album Torches set for May 24, their career will inevitably continue to grow. I love music and seeing these small bands have this kind of success is a great thing. Needless to say, I think TPC is great - and getting better - and if FTP follow a similar trajectory as they did - which seems likely - then I am excited for what they have to offer in the future. I own all of TPC's albums, I have seen them play live at least three times, and I consider Champ to be the 'soundtrack' of my summer last year. I have already publicly made the assertion that FTP's Single "Pumped Up Kicks" will be the 'song of the summer' this year (in terms of popularity and mass exposure - similar to Peter, Bjorn & John's Single "Young Folks" back in summer 2006). With Torches coming out in May, and upcoming Toronto shows, FTP will - in the very least - be a major part of how I experience, and remember, summer 2011.
Various links for each of the bands below, check them out!
- Tokyo Police Club's website
- Tokyo Police Club's first Single - "Nature of the Experiment"
- Tokyo Police Club's latest Single - "Bambi" (also my favourite track off Champ)
- Foster The People's website
- Foster The People's only Single - "Pumped Up Kicks"
P.S.
This being a music post, I'd also like to bring your attention to an awesome website that a friend has recently made me aware of. It's called We Are Hunted and I have found it to be a great resource to discover new (and old) music. The site is unique in its ability to let you search music and then save your favourite tracks onto your very own "Chart" which you can then share among the site's community (a link to my Chart can be found here). If any of this sounds even remotely interesting to you, I highly recommend you check the site out!
FTP's rise reminds me a lot of the success story had by one of my favourite bands - Tokyo Police Club (TPC). TPC is a little band from Newmarket (the town I was born in by the way), and they first hit the music scene in 2006 when their EP A Lesson In Crime was released. The force of this album quickly pushed TPC to play local Canadian festivals Pop Montreal, Edgefest, and Osheaga. However within a year of A Lesson In Crime's release they played at Coachella, Lollapolooza, and Reeding and Leeds Festivals. More importantly they played The Late Show with David Letterman on April 19, 2007 which was a breakthrough for the band, exposing their music to a much wider mainstream audience. Like TPC, FTP are making a name for themselves by playing big name festivals, all on the strength of a few songs.
TPC's latest album Champ reached number 58 on the Billboard 200, 12 on the Alternative Albums chart and number 5 on the Independent Albums chart. Such numbers are not too shabby for a bunch of 20-somethings from the Town of Newmarket. I intend to watch FTP's career in the same way I've been following TPC's. FTP are from Los Angeles (a little bit bigger and more well known than Newmarket) but their rise as a band is very similar. With the release of their first full length album Torches set for May 24, their career will inevitably continue to grow. I love music and seeing these small bands have this kind of success is a great thing. Needless to say, I think TPC is great - and getting better - and if FTP follow a similar trajectory as they did - which seems likely - then I am excited for what they have to offer in the future. I own all of TPC's albums, I have seen them play live at least three times, and I consider Champ to be the 'soundtrack' of my summer last year. I have already publicly made the assertion that FTP's Single "Pumped Up Kicks" will be the 'song of the summer' this year (in terms of popularity and mass exposure - similar to Peter, Bjorn & John's Single "Young Folks" back in summer 2006). With Torches coming out in May, and upcoming Toronto shows, FTP will - in the very least - be a major part of how I experience, and remember, summer 2011.
Various links for each of the bands below, check them out!
- Tokyo Police Club's website
- Tokyo Police Club's first Single - "Nature of the Experiment"
- Tokyo Police Club's latest Single - "Bambi" (also my favourite track off Champ)
- Foster The People's website
- Foster The People's only Single - "Pumped Up Kicks"
P.S.
This being a music post, I'd also like to bring your attention to an awesome website that a friend has recently made me aware of. It's called We Are Hunted and I have found it to be a great resource to discover new (and old) music. The site is unique in its ability to let you search music and then save your favourite tracks onto your very own "Chart" which you can then share among the site's community (a link to my Chart can be found here). If any of this sounds even remotely interesting to you, I highly recommend you check the site out!
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Bitches in my life.
(Bitch n.: a female dog)
This post is going to be about dogs. I like dogs, they're cute and like stuffed animals but if you don't feed them they die. Exciting indeed.
Seriously though I love dogs, and well animals in general. Dogs specifically though just seem to have a way to brighten up your day. They're like children in their innocence and in your desire to shower them with affection. I currently have two dogs "in my life", one, a black Toy Poodle, belongs to my lovely girlfriend, Jennifer, and her name is Chloe. Chloe's about a year and a bit old now and she's very friendly and inquisitive. She loves me (who doesn't) and she's the most adorable little thing. The other dog belongs to my aunt (and her family) and her name is Zuzu. Zuzu is a white Maltese. She is also fairly adorable, a good medium-small sized dog. She's a few years old now and she's a really good dog (I don't think I've ever heard her bark, including when my family watched her for a few days a couple summers ago). They're both awesome animals. I have put a couple pictures and a video of Chloe and Zuzu below.
My family is currently contemplating getting a dog and the divide about it falls into three camps. 1) My mom and myself, who want one really badly, 2) my sister who doesn't really like dogs for some reason, but wants us to get a cat, and 3) my dad who doesn't want us getting any animals.
I really think pets (in general) and dogs specifically can really do a lot of good for the family dynamic. They bring a little life into the household. Again, it's a child-like sense of life. A dog is always curious and excited to try new things. It is loyal and is always looking for affection. The dog has practical purposes too, it gets you out of the house as you have to take it for walks and whatnot and in a society which is increasingly being enclosed within the confines of our own homes, a dog (by forcing you to go out) brings with it a sense of community. And again, they're like stuffed animals that move. My family has had pets before, one cat - named Ashley - which my dad got my mom before I was even born. Ashley lived for a long time (approximately 18 years) and it was sad when he eventually got too sick and we had to put him down (I was there for that, held him in my arms as he died. I think I was around 12/13, needless to say that was a sad day). We've also had gerbils - Blacky, Chewey, and Kirby (Kirby was mine, lived the longest), and we had a pet squirrel once - named Binky (good times).
My sister wants to be difficult and get a cat again. Cat's are ok, but they're just sort of boring. Cats are good if you're looking for a pet that isn't a lot of high-maintenance, but they lack that sense of zeal that a dog intrinsically has. I wouldn't be opposed to getting another cat, but if it came to a choice between that and a dog, I'm going dog all the way. There are two main reasons why my dad doesn't want us to get anything - and a dog specifically. Firstly, he feels that a pet ties the family down. I agree this is true, once you have a pet that requires more attention than a simple feeding every few hours it definitely adds something else to your consideration whenever you want to go on an extended trip. My counter this assertion though is twofold: a) my family doesn't really go on too many vacations, the last time we did was last year for a week to Florida, and the time before that was all the way back in 2004, and b) we know plenty of people who would be willing to watch a dog for a few days should we go away, so while yes, it is an added hassle of trying to contact someone to watch our dog, the option is readily available. The second reason my dad doesn't really want a dog is the financial costs that go along with it. Not even talking about the initial cost of purchasing the dog, but the costs of sustaining it for many years - it adds up. While this is true, in my opinion it's all about cost-value. If you are deriving a certain value from whatever it is you're spending money on, then its worth it. I am sure my family would benefit from owning a dog (I know I will), so I think the cost is worth it. I know that if we got a dog, my dad would love it, but these are his two reasons for not buying into the idea. Ultimately it doesn't really matter what he thinks though, my mom wants it so we'll probably end up getting one sooner or later. If it is later, I can see my parents waiting until they get a bit older before getting the dog, once they retire they won't have much else going on so if any time is the perfect time to add one into their lives, it'd be then.
Right now my mom wants to get a medium-small sized dog. She's thinking either a Cockapoo or a Shih Poo. She wants the poodle mix because they do not shed. Pictures of each (as puppies) can be found below:
And here are Chloe and Zuzu:
This post is going to be about dogs. I like dogs, they're cute and like stuffed animals but if you don't feed them they die. Exciting indeed.
Seriously though I love dogs, and well animals in general. Dogs specifically though just seem to have a way to brighten up your day. They're like children in their innocence and in your desire to shower them with affection. I currently have two dogs "in my life", one, a black Toy Poodle, belongs to my lovely girlfriend, Jennifer, and her name is Chloe. Chloe's about a year and a bit old now and she's very friendly and inquisitive. She loves me (who doesn't) and she's the most adorable little thing. The other dog belongs to my aunt (and her family) and her name is Zuzu. Zuzu is a white Maltese. She is also fairly adorable, a good medium-small sized dog. She's a few years old now and she's a really good dog (I don't think I've ever heard her bark, including when my family watched her for a few days a couple summers ago). They're both awesome animals. I have put a couple pictures and a video of Chloe and Zuzu below.
My family is currently contemplating getting a dog and the divide about it falls into three camps. 1) My mom and myself, who want one really badly, 2) my sister who doesn't really like dogs for some reason, but wants us to get a cat, and 3) my dad who doesn't want us getting any animals.
I really think pets (in general) and dogs specifically can really do a lot of good for the family dynamic. They bring a little life into the household. Again, it's a child-like sense of life. A dog is always curious and excited to try new things. It is loyal and is always looking for affection. The dog has practical purposes too, it gets you out of the house as you have to take it for walks and whatnot and in a society which is increasingly being enclosed within the confines of our own homes, a dog (by forcing you to go out) brings with it a sense of community. And again, they're like stuffed animals that move. My family has had pets before, one cat - named Ashley - which my dad got my mom before I was even born. Ashley lived for a long time (approximately 18 years) and it was sad when he eventually got too sick and we had to put him down (I was there for that, held him in my arms as he died. I think I was around 12/13, needless to say that was a sad day). We've also had gerbils - Blacky, Chewey, and Kirby (Kirby was mine, lived the longest), and we had a pet squirrel once - named Binky (good times).
My sister wants to be difficult and get a cat again. Cat's are ok, but they're just sort of boring. Cats are good if you're looking for a pet that isn't a lot of high-maintenance, but they lack that sense of zeal that a dog intrinsically has. I wouldn't be opposed to getting another cat, but if it came to a choice between that and a dog, I'm going dog all the way. There are two main reasons why my dad doesn't want us to get anything - and a dog specifically. Firstly, he feels that a pet ties the family down. I agree this is true, once you have a pet that requires more attention than a simple feeding every few hours it definitely adds something else to your consideration whenever you want to go on an extended trip. My counter this assertion though is twofold: a) my family doesn't really go on too many vacations, the last time we did was last year for a week to Florida, and the time before that was all the way back in 2004, and b) we know plenty of people who would be willing to watch a dog for a few days should we go away, so while yes, it is an added hassle of trying to contact someone to watch our dog, the option is readily available. The second reason my dad doesn't really want a dog is the financial costs that go along with it. Not even talking about the initial cost of purchasing the dog, but the costs of sustaining it for many years - it adds up. While this is true, in my opinion it's all about cost-value. If you are deriving a certain value from whatever it is you're spending money on, then its worth it. I am sure my family would benefit from owning a dog (I know I will), so I think the cost is worth it. I know that if we got a dog, my dad would love it, but these are his two reasons for not buying into the idea. Ultimately it doesn't really matter what he thinks though, my mom wants it so we'll probably end up getting one sooner or later. If it is later, I can see my parents waiting until they get a bit older before getting the dog, once they retire they won't have much else going on so if any time is the perfect time to add one into their lives, it'd be then.
Right now my mom wants to get a medium-small sized dog. She's thinking either a Cockapoo or a Shih Poo. She wants the poodle mix because they do not shed. Pictures of each (as puppies) can be found below:
 |
| Cockapoos |
 |
| Shih poos |
 |
| Chloe in the car |
 |
| Zuzu helping me study |
Monday, April 18, 2011
Spring Cleaning.
It's been a while. Too long perhaps. Perhaps not. Anyways, it has been over a month since my last entry so I figured I should post a little update as to what's going on with the best blog on the internet. I'll keep it brief as I have to get back to the joys of studying for exams!
My explanation for neglecting this blog has been primarily due to the amount of work I've had on my plate over the past few weeks. I'm happy to note that this state of affairs will officially end next Tuesday (on the 26th) so expect a steady stream of new posts starting at that point. Get excited.
As you can see, I have altered my design a little bit. While I enjoyed the old theme, I had gotten bored with it. It's a new season (literally) and my blog will become more active soon, so I figured why not change it up? Like/don't like the change? Let me know! I may switch it up again, but for now this seems to work.
I have also updated my "Rise." post with three of my favourite tracks off of Rise Against's newest album Endgame. Go check them out, they're great.
I was recently checking out some of my blog statistics and I thought they were interesting so I'll share them with you:
- To date I have 468 all time blog views, pretty good I think considering this has only been around for a couple of months coupled with my lack of consistent entries. I also have the "Don't track your own page views" setting turned on, so if this number is legit not counting my own access to the blog that's pretty exciting. I'd like to thank all of you who check it regularly and again apologize for my lack of entries. There will be more coming in the future at a more steady pace. Stay tuned.
- 444 people from Canada have viewed my blog (not surprising as all my followers are people that know me personally, here in Canada), but the rest of the numbers are a little bit more dynamic: 12 from the United States, 10 from the United Kingdom, 1 from Denmark, and 1 from Singapore. To my international readers, or anyone who stumbles upon this blog one way or another, feel free to "follow" the blog if you like what you see, and as yet another reminder, there will be new content coming very soon!
- My most viewed entry is the first one I ever did. I believe the reason for this is because I had advertised that entry on Facebook (as a general notice to my Friends that I had created a blog). I have thought about posting blog updates to Facebook/Twitter more regularly but because I don't know exactly what type of blog this is - or will be - yet I'm not sure how much exposure I really want. While I think it's awesome if people want to read the blog and check in to see what I'm up to or what my thoughts are on whatever, there is something about making this information widely available - especially to a good number of people I know merely as acquaintances - that is a little discomforting (I realize the irony of this statement, as soon as I click "publish post" this entire article will be available to the internet, with no viewing restrictions on anyone whatsoever). I think it's just that I want people to either come across this blog naturally, or the readers of this blog to be among my circle of friends who will be able to appreciate it as being an extension of our relationship (as they may be able to learn a little bit more about me as a person). Because this blog isn't specifically about anything, I don't really see the need to post updates about it on other social-networking sites. Maybe in the future if I create an entry I really like or something I think people would find genuinely interesting I'll advertise it a little bit. However until then I am happy with the current set up.
So that's pretty much it for now. A brief update on the blog after it existing for a few months. There will be more to come so check back soon! I was going to hold off until after my exam on Wednesday before posting this particular entry, but I just couldn't wait and wanted to get it out of the way. After the 26th things will get a little more interesting but for now it is back to the books!
My explanation for neglecting this blog has been primarily due to the amount of work I've had on my plate over the past few weeks. I'm happy to note that this state of affairs will officially end next Tuesday (on the 26th) so expect a steady stream of new posts starting at that point. Get excited.
As you can see, I have altered my design a little bit. While I enjoyed the old theme, I had gotten bored with it. It's a new season (literally) and my blog will become more active soon, so I figured why not change it up? Like/don't like the change? Let me know! I may switch it up again, but for now this seems to work.
I have also updated my "Rise." post with three of my favourite tracks off of Rise Against's newest album Endgame. Go check them out, they're great.
I was recently checking out some of my blog statistics and I thought they were interesting so I'll share them with you:
- To date I have 468 all time blog views, pretty good I think considering this has only been around for a couple of months coupled with my lack of consistent entries. I also have the "Don't track your own page views" setting turned on, so if this number is legit not counting my own access to the blog that's pretty exciting. I'd like to thank all of you who check it regularly and again apologize for my lack of entries. There will be more coming in the future at a more steady pace. Stay tuned.
- 444 people from Canada have viewed my blog (not surprising as all my followers are people that know me personally, here in Canada), but the rest of the numbers are a little bit more dynamic: 12 from the United States, 10 from the United Kingdom, 1 from Denmark, and 1 from Singapore. To my international readers, or anyone who stumbles upon this blog one way or another, feel free to "follow" the blog if you like what you see, and as yet another reminder, there will be new content coming very soon!
- My most viewed entry is the first one I ever did. I believe the reason for this is because I had advertised that entry on Facebook (as a general notice to my Friends that I had created a blog). I have thought about posting blog updates to Facebook/Twitter more regularly but because I don't know exactly what type of blog this is - or will be - yet I'm not sure how much exposure I really want. While I think it's awesome if people want to read the blog and check in to see what I'm up to or what my thoughts are on whatever, there is something about making this information widely available - especially to a good number of people I know merely as acquaintances - that is a little discomforting (I realize the irony of this statement, as soon as I click "publish post" this entire article will be available to the internet, with no viewing restrictions on anyone whatsoever). I think it's just that I want people to either come across this blog naturally, or the readers of this blog to be among my circle of friends who will be able to appreciate it as being an extension of our relationship (as they may be able to learn a little bit more about me as a person). Because this blog isn't specifically about anything, I don't really see the need to post updates about it on other social-networking sites. Maybe in the future if I create an entry I really like or something I think people would find genuinely interesting I'll advertise it a little bit. However until then I am happy with the current set up.
So that's pretty much it for now. A brief update on the blog after it existing for a few months. There will be more to come so check back soon! I was going to hold off until after my exam on Wednesday before posting this particular entry, but I just couldn't wait and wanted to get it out of the way. After the 26th things will get a little more interesting but for now it is back to the books!
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