Because I`m Bad, I`m Bad...You Know It!

I`ve told you before how dangerous I am... here`s the post ..        I Am Danger!

Well it seems I've done it again...holy terror that I am....

I'm going through the very complicated process of self representation for my own divorce.  On one hand, I'm glad you are allowed to go through this without the very expensive and not-guaranteed expertise of legal representation...however, the process itself is still overly complicated when you and the ex don't agree on everything.


I had a motion to file, which means I also had to have an affidavit of service to file which proves I served the defendent the motion prior to filing.  The affidavit must be notorized before I can file it.  Now if you go anywhere BUT the courthouse to have something notorized, there's a fee attached, and I'm basically broke.  The courthouse is 45 minutes away...so the challenge is, to get the notorizing done for free, THEN be able to take a copy of it for my own records.  Fun times.

So I packed up my paperwork along with a pen, paperclips, a stapler...you know, all the junk I figured I would need in order to get everything done in one trip.  Like I said, I'm broke...driving around isn't an option with the insane price of gas.

So into the courthouse I go.

Security is high at the courthouse.  It should be...Oshawa can be rough and it has it's fair share of upstanding citizens, if you know what I mean.  You have to put your belongings through the x-ray machine and walk through the metal detector.  Police officers are there watching everyone carefully, ensuring the safety of the people inside.  It's a good thing.  I plunked my purse and paperwork into the bucket that would run through the x-ray machine and walked through the metal detector dohicky.  No pat down required.

But the officer operating the x-ray machine didn't like what he saw in my purse.  I looked at the screen...that bloody stapler looked like a gun!

I giggled as he went through the contents of my purse...and he started to relax a little.  He asked what the box in there was...it was travel wipes.  He pulled out my staple remover with an eyebrow raised.  Opened my empty wallet.  I didn't bother stifling my laugh.  Hey...ya go through a woman's purse, best not have any expectations.  By the time he was finished he looked completely baffled, as well he should, but he was laughing along with me.  He thanked me for my patience and I told him it was exciting...no worries.

Then I told him I was tired of not looking like much, and would he mind telling everyone that I really am dangerous.

He laughed at me.

Hmpf.

Casting Votes in the Federal Election

Every time another election rolls around, we Canadians start to grumble.  We complain about the cost of the election, the ridiculous amount of money spent on obnoxious campaign ads that are nothing more than mudslinging contests.  We complain about taking time, yet again, to go cast our vote for another politician we don’t trust anyway. 

Elections Canada reported a 58.8% voter turnout at the October 18^th, 2008 Federal Election.  That is the lowest turnout since the September 29^th, 1898 referendum vote which had a 44.6% turnout.  In the 2006 election, 64.7% turned out and previous to that in 2004, 60.9%.  Better, but not much.

Call me simple, but wouldn’t the addition of the ability to vote online solve a few problems?   I’m aware that the immediate concerns are security and the ability of hackers to upset the counts.   Yet we bank online, we shop online, we submit our taxes online, there are databases utilized for policing and all levels of government and the list goes on.  So make it secure!   I think you’d find a significant change in those voter percentages if you saved the voters the hassle of going to polling stations.  If the polling stations provided computers to cast votes electronically the entire process would be faster and more efficient.  Re-counts not required.  Think about the green effects with the paperless system, the statistical reporting advantages, and the decrease in staffing requirements.  Most importantly, there would be more votes.  With all the advances in technology, why are we still casting votes with pencil and paper, and counting votes by hand? 

The Report of the Chief Electoral Officer of Canada on the 40^th Election states that we spent $288.2 million for the election which includes a $57.9 million reimbursement to candidates and parties.  Eliminate the reimbursement completely and perhaps the candidates and parties would spend their campaign money more carefully.  Perhaps voters might even feel a little better about having to cast their vote again.  A little.

Those are my immediate thoughts on the process of election, which in reality make no difference.  The only difference I can make is with my vote, which will aid in putting a candidate into office where he or she can effectively hide behind their party without having to bother with thoughts of their own. 

Oooohhh...Now I Get It!

McDreamy follows sports religiously.....he always has.  Pretty much ALL of the sports...not just racing.  And at all levels too....from the world champions down to the college level.  He follows scores and watches games online and on TV.  I even picked up the sports package for our satellite TV so he wouldn't miss anything...cause I'm cool with it!

I love sports too...all of them.  Except maybe wrestling.  That's dumb.

Both McDreamy and I grew up playing sports....  He has always had his racing, but through highschool and university there was also football, golf, and roller hockey, ball hockey and hockey hockey.  In fact he was so good at hockey hockey that he earned a scholarship and continued on playing OHA senior up until a few years ago.  Me?  I did gymnastics for about 9 years, a brief stint with the Hamilton Swim Team...and then just about any sport I could play through school....track and field, volleyball, basketball, badminton and tennis.  Fun times!

It's something we have in common and we often go out to shoot some hoops or throw a ball around.  Hal Johnson and Joanne McLeod would be proud! 

:)

But I don't follow all the sports...and truth be told, other that hockey, I get bored watching sports on TV.  I appreciate the athletic ability and all that...but I can't sit through watching golf or tennis on TV.  Basketball is okay to watch, but every game looks the same to me after awhile.  Football holds my attention a little longer when they come out with their Sneaky McSneakster plays.  Hockey is awesome to watch...it's fast and unpredictable....and it gets me totally wound up.   McDreamy has received 'the hand' on a couple of occasions when he tried talking to me during a particularly good game.  I'm not proud of that....just sayin....  Point is, the only sport I'll set out to watch on my own is hockey.  I'd just rather play than watch.


Until now.

McDreamy introduced me to the world of gambling and it's possible that I have been forever corrupted.  Now that would be a bad thing if we were talking about dumping money on bets....but I'm not talking about that kind of gambling.  Did you know that you don't have to pay to play?  I didn't!  But it's true!  It's true!!

Check out this link:  The Score


There are a bunch of contests you can enter for free!  You pick the teams you think will win and if you get lucky...YOU win some cashola!  Suwweet!

So all of a sudden, I CARE who wins in all these sports I didn't follow before!

We both entered the Bracket Buster Pool and are following the results of the NCAA Basketball Tourney.  We had to pick the winners of every game in all of the knock off rounds....eventually predicting the tournament champion.  You get a point for every time you are right.  Each of the 64 teams is ranked, and if you pick a team to win that has a lower ranking, you get extra points.  I suddenly find myself talking about upsets and long shots.

Whodathunk?

So here's me sitting beside Petri, picking college basketball teams I've never seen play and often never heard of.  I just looked at the rankings and based wins on that.  I figure if a #1 team is playing a #16 team...chances are good that the #1 team will win.  I'd get a little braver if a #8 was playing a #9 team, and I might pick the lower ranking team.  In one instance I picked a team because I liked saying it.  Gonzaga.

Gonzaga

:)

What can I say, I'm easily amused!

I'm doing okay so far with my picks.  Knock on wood I've got perfect picks so far in the Southeast Region....muahahahaa...   I've got a bit of a longshot that will pay in spades if they come through...will find out on Sunday.  McDreamy is all proud of me and stuff...hee hee!  Now we are both following college basketball with equal enthusiasm :)

To boot, today we've both got hockey picks and soccer picks too....BRING IT ON! We just discovered one more thing we enjoy doing together and that's just nothing but cool.

Ladies...this isn't exactly Dr Phil type advice, but if your hubby is parked in front of a game that puts you to sleep, give yourself a reason to care by making a few picks.  As long as you aren't spending money, it's all in good fun....and I have no doubt that you'll bring a smile to hubby's face.  Perhaps even a little shock...but we all like keepin 'em on their toes!

Butchering the National Anthem

Last night our beloved Toronto Maple Leafs faced off against the injury plagued Penguins.  6 points away from the playoffs, they can't afford to lose, but we were fairly certain this game would end in a shootout...which we never do well in.  Turns out we were right...again.  Why can't we be right about the lottery numbers?

But I digress....

The game really started out on a sour note.  A really, really sour note.  Check it out...



Don't shoot the messenger.


The anthems that would normally inspire pride had me wanted to jam pencils in my ears.

We opted to change the channel until it was over.

At least there were no words to screw up.  We'll leave that up to the professionals...you know, Michael Bolton, Christina Aguilera....  To me, screwing up the words is bad enough, but at least it's not 2 minutes of physical pain endured by the masses like the following...



Remember this inspiring rendition?



Just another reason why you can't buy your beer in the bottle at games. 



Shall we have a listen to the track and field legend, Carl Lewis?



And they disqualified Ben Johnson for drugs.

Not that I'm still bitter.





Have a listen to this...I've never heard of this "pop star"...but what do I know?



I love the guys in the background...  If you YouTube the entire performance, you'll have the pleasure of listening to her cough up a few hairballs too.  I'm sorry but I just couldn't post that part.  Even I have limits.



Now I did my best to find the shortest version of this...I do, after all, want you to come back and read again...



That's the spirit...if you forget the words, just make up new ones!!  Wicked awesome.  And again, the reaction of those witnessing the horror is priceless.  Is this really happening??

That's how I felt last night.  Gives a whole new meaning to 'adding insult to injury'.  Leaves you wondering how much worse the other acts that audition to sing the anthem at these games are, if they end up booking these .. um... musical inspirations.


Yup, the harmonica and guitar fiasco was pretty brutal last night.  But take comfort kids....there will no doubt be a new catastrophic rendition of our great nation's anthem that will make this version seem almost pleasant.

Almost.

Pride

Yesterday, I went to a Celebration of Life service for my Great Uncle Joe.  I didn't know him well...in fact the last time I saw him, I was just a little girl.  My only memory of him is how he and his wife, Dot, used to feed scraps right off their plates to their little dog Rocky...they loved that dog!


From conversation through the years, I knew that he was my Dad's favourite uncle...that he lived somewhere in Toronto...that he was a giant Toronto Maple Leaf fan.  Dad joked he was holding out for the Leafs to win Stanley again.

I knew he was a veteran and always wore his medals.

I didn't 'know' him though.  I find it sad that families grow so far apart, and you know, I really missed out.  

During that half hour service, I learned so much about that man.  The service was conducted with such dignity, as the Legion honoured their comrade one last time.  It opened my eyes and filled my heart with pride.

As we entered the vestibule outside the chapel, we were greeted with Legion members who took our coats, shook our hands, and handed us a poppy to wear.  Two police officers in full dress stood at attention at the entrance to the chapel.  We quietly took our seats.

An old veteran stood in front of the coffin, gun ready, head lowered.  He didn't move a muscle until the end of the service, but stood strong and steady, never flinching, vigilante in his duty to protect the fallen soldier.

Among those that had come to pay their final respects were family, friends, fellow veterans and members of the Legion, and police officers.  We all stood through the opening prayers, reflected quietly as the solemn sound of Taps was played, and then we were asked to come forward and place our poppies on the velvet pillow that rested at the head of my Uncle's closed coffin.  It was the most dignified, respectful, humble goodbye I had ever witnessed.


We took our seats as the Salvation Army minister began the service celebrating the life of Joseph Philip Sbrocchi.

Uncle Joe served with the 22nd Canadian Field Ambulance when they landed in Normandy.  D-Day.


His spine was damaged by a bullet as German forces peppered Juno Beach with gunfire and mortars as 15,000 Canadians waded ashore.  He was one of the lucky ones.  Had that bullet hit him any higher, it would have torn him to pieces.

On June 6, 1999, Uncle Joe returned to Juno Beach with his fellow comrades.

This is the motocycle he road when he served.

This is Juno Beach.




God bless them.








On the 60th anniversary of D-Day, he met the newest addition of the Toronto Police Services Mounted Unit...a beautiful horse named Juno Beach, named in remembrance of the sacrifices made by all the brave men that day. 
 


Uncle Joe was among 425,000 Allied and German troops that were killed, injured or missing during the Normandy campaign.  I cannot, nor do I wish to, fully comprehend the horrors they witnessed, but I am so grateful, and so proud.

His giving did not end with the war.  He had a very special relationship with his step-granddaughter, who he raised.  He participated in many veteran day events, continuing to serve his community.  He was a humble man who loved and protected .. who stood as a shining example of what we should all aspire to be.

At the age of 88, Uncle Joe passed away, and is no doubt reunited with the love of his life, Dorothy, but his legacy lives on.

For the men and women that serve both in the community and overseas, I can offer only my humble appreciation and admiration.  I, for one, could not find the strength to do what you do, or what you have done.

To Uncle Joe, I wish I had known you, but I hope you know, that I am proud of all you have done.

REST IN PEACE