Not quite that new-car smell

It’s not me, it’s the car.
That’s how a Halifax man tried to explain away the smell of alcohol detected by police after they stopped his Honda last Oct. 7.
But the officer at the window wasn’t buying James Sladen Gow’s story that he hadn’t been drinking and demanded that he take a breathalyser test.
Mr. Gow provided two breath samples that registered .210 and .190, more than twice the legal limit of .080, or 80 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood.
The 41-year-old Falkland Street resident pleaded guilty Tuesday in Halifax provincial court to failing the breathalyser, although he said he’s still convinced the officer had no grounds to ask him for breath samples.
"The odour was coming from my car; the odour did not come from my breath," Mr. Gow told Judge Bill Digby, who tried to keep a straight face.
Mr. Gow said the type of car he drives, a Honda Accord, is notorious for smelling of alcohol. He said he tried to get two different lawyers to argue his case but they both refused.
Crown attorney Chris Morris said officers stopped Mr. Gow’s vehicle at the corner of Spring Garden Road and South Park Street in Halifax at about 1 a.m. He said the vehicle had caught their attention because it had a headlight burned out, sat too long at a red light at the intersection of Coburg Road and Robie Street and then accelerated to 75 kilometres an hour on Spring Garden Road.
After hearing Mr. Gow insist in court that his vehicle came with an alcohol scent, the prosecutor couldn’t resist the opportunity to crack a joke.
"If the gentleman is interested in a dog-scented Hyundai, I know where he can get one at a reasonable price," Mr. Morris told the judge.
When it came time for the judge to impose a sentence, the tone in the courtroom became serious.
"Impaired is .080. Your lowest reading was .190," Judge Digby told Mr. Gow. "Some people at that level would be comatose."
Mr. Gow played Russian roulette behind the wheel and was a great danger to the community, the judge said.
Mr. Gow was fined $800, plus the 15 per cent victim fine surcharge, for a total of $920, and lost his licence for a year.

2007 Fourchu Invitational SMELTFEST

Well, it's over.

Another year, another SMELTFEST. This year brought the worst weather to date. We drove down in a blizzard, had 90 km/h winds and enjoyed two days of sideways snow. Sounds awful I know! On the other hand we enjoyed fellowship, song and fine foods. We met some new friends "Two Mitts" MacNeil, "Mr Boston" and the legendary Hunter O'Banyon, who is more a man than I'll ever be. There was story time in the morning with a Harlequin classic with interesting subtitles for newly re-drunkingly impaired, poker games, crib games, a bit of fishing, a new appreciation for duck and 1000's of laughs. I could go on but you wouldn't understand sometimes it's better to be a fly on the wall.

EVER FORWARD

Mood of the moment ~ Time for lunch and a walk
Tune of the Moment ~ A house with no floor ~ Oger Mac
What's for supper ~ Pizza

Oh crap!

Environment Canada's Official Weather Warnings
Warnings

Richmond County4:30 AM AST Thursday 25 January 2007

Winter storm warning forRichmond County issued Severe winter weather expected on Friday.A low pressure system is forecast to develop south of Nova Scotia today. The stage is set for severe winter weather starting Friday morning as a large area of snow spreads over eastern shore and Cape Breton. Although most regions will see some snow accumulation during the day..The heaviest snow is expected over Inverness and Cape Breton counties where snowfall could exceed 15 centimetres. As the system continues to intensify during the day winds will increase and gusts to 90 km/h are expected over Cape Breton in the evening. Heavy blowing snow with whiteout conditions will become widespread over eastern portions of the province.

Well what will we see tomorrow when we cross over the causeway? Hopefully this doesn't hit like it's supposed to and we have a fair weathe weekend. Nevertheless plans are under way, groceries piled, clothes packed, guitar tuned, crib board waxed etc.

EVER FORWARD

Mood of the moment ~ Making his list, checking it twice

Tune of the Moment ~ Lake Marie ~ John Prine

What's for supper ~ Meat and potatoes TBD

Well that's a first for me..

Playing crib tonight on the computer and I got hands with 24 points back to back! Can a 29 be far away?

Should you stay or should you go now?

I stole this from the Herald today. http://thechronicleherald.ca/Business/554470.html Makes you think and wonder.

REMEMBER the Parable of the Prodigal Son?

It’s the little story in the Book of Luke where a young man takes his inheritance, emigrates to a jurisdiction with greater economic prospects and lower taxes, engages in riotous living and goes through a lot of money. Then one morning he reads ads in the newspaper saying there’s new-found opportunity at home, so he heads back home where Rodney MacDonald greets him with big smile and a new job.
Or something like that. I may be a bit vague on the details.
But the point of the story is Nova Scotia is now calling its prodigal sons (and daughters) to come home again. It’s launched its "Come to Life" campaign in Alberta trying to convince its oilpatch expats to head home. The growth in the financial and energy industries, and the aging of tradespeople are creating opportunities for young people, and some jobs are offering salaries similar to those available in richer markets. And it’s cheaper to live here; your money goes further, right?
That’s the claim. As the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency states on its website: "The cost of living in Atlantic Canada is 25 per cent to 65 per cent lower than other major North American regions."
I’d take issue with that claim. Certainly the cost of property is lower here than in other places, but the cost of living is another matter altogether.
Let’s say we’re recruiting home two young accountants — one from Toronto, the other from Calgary — to take jobs with one of the Bermuda-based financial companies setting up in Halifax. We’ll pay them $70,000 a year — roughly what they’re making down the road.
The biggest financial advantage of their repatriation is homes are so much cheaper here, and they’re both selling homes in order to move back east. According to the Canadian Real Estate Association, the average price of homes in December was $362,000 in Calgary, $336,000 in Toronto and $206,000 in Halifax.
So before moving, our young accountants have a choice: do they move into another average house in Halifax, reducing their mortgage and saving money? Or do they move up the property ladder, buying a better house for the same money they paid in Alberta or Calgary.
Since their salary is the same, I bet they’d buy the nicer house. A house in the $350,000 range in Halifax will be nice but not extravagant, and having a nice home will make the move seem worthwhile.
However, they will find out before too long that it is harder to afford a $350,000 house in Halifax than it is in the other two cities, even with the same salary.
Check out these factors that are going to erode their seemingly lofty salary:
Income Tax: The average income tax rate on a $70,000 salary is 23.7 per cent in Ontario, 24.4 per cent in Alberta and 28 per cent in Nova Scotia, according to a tax calculator provided by the financial company Morningstar. So their income tax will probably be $16,510 in Toronto, $17,107 in Calgary and $19,604 in Halifax.
Property Tax: Let’s assume the homes are assessed at about $275,000 in each market. According to the municipalities’ websites, our young accountants will pay a tax rate of 0.83 per cent in Toronto and an annual tax of $2,283, and 0.77 per cent or $2,118 in Calgary. In Halifax, the rate is 1.41 per cent and the annual tax bill is $3,878.
Home Heating: By living in Calgary or Toronto, our accountants could heat their home with gas, whereas in Halifax they have to use heating oil. According to Taracen Gas of B.C., the average annual household heating cost of gas with mid-efficiency furnace is $758, whereas with heating oil it’s $1,135.
Electricity: According to information available on the utilities’ websites, a household using 750 kilowatt hours of electricity a year will have an annual electricity bill of $653 in Toronto, $912 in Calgary and $1,041 in Halifax.
Car: Let’s say our accountants pay the same amount for their car and car insurance in each market. They’re going to have to put gas in that car, let’s say about 40 litres each week. According to the Calgary consultancy MJ Ervin & Associates Inc., consumers on Jan. 16 paid 80.7 cents a litre in Toronto, 82 cents in Calgary and 93.8 cents in Halifax. Annualized, the costs are $1,678 in Toronto, $1,750 in Calgary and $1,951 in Halifax.
In each category, you can nitpick with the details of my research, but in broad terms, you’re going to pay more for essentials, other than shelter, in Halifax than in other markets. By my count, our accountants’ annual bill for income and property tax, electricity, heat and gasoline is going to be $21,882 in Toronto, $22,545 in Calgary and $27,607 in Halifax.
Put another way, you can get a nicer house in Halifax than in the other cities, but other than that, the cost of essentials in Halifax is 22 per cent higher than in Calgary and 26 per cent higher than in Toronto.
On top of that sales taxes are higher here, food is more expensive and other things like air travel cost more here. The moral of the Parable of the Returning Bluenose is not to splurge on a big house when returning home.
The other conclusion is that the governments have to do more to lower taxes and remove various inefficiencies from the economy if they want our prodigal expats to stick around.

***
A few footnotes NS Power was approved for another rate increase yesterday, gas is still too much and taxes are out of control, what I'd love to see is a comparison to the US say in North Carolina....Hmm.

BUT! If I lived in any of those places I couldn't slip to the hub to see family, CB for foolishness, and don't let me start on donairs....

EVER FORWARD
Mood of the moment ~ I'm going to make a spice rack after the job hunt
Tune of the Moment ~ Listening to Jay online www.mix999fm.com
What's for supper ~ Something kid friendlyish

It's like crack but for smart people!

I mentioned earlier that friends had introduced us to a new game that's a version of Rummy played with tiles. Last weekend we played it much too late in the evening but had a blast doing so. It's addictive, very addictive. I didn't win last weekend and I could be described sometimes as competitive. So I googled it and voila!
http://www.rummigame.com/cubrummy/

Try it, you'll like it. I'm sure this is how a crack dealer would get you.

We played last night again and I won 3 out of 4 games. But I'm not competitive....

Honestly I'd just as soon spend most nights hanging with friends playing games like this. It's good for the brain.

The princess is off to her first "girl who's not a friend or relative of ours" birthday party. Apparently it's going to be quite the affair. The invite mentions dancing, cotton candy, pizza, and treat bags. They had me at cotton candy. That leaves me with the clam. Driving home from school on Friday he mentioned a hockey game that was to be on last night. Interesting for him to bring that up. He said "Oh yeah it's gonna be a good one", hmm I thought and responded "What about football on Sunday?" I explained how it's down to the last four teams and the winners go to the SuperBowl. "Sounds like a good eating day" he boasted rubbing his hands. The boy knows his Dad pretty well huh?

EVER FORWARD

Mood of the moment ~ In the midst of laundry hell

Tune of the Moment ~ Plugged into http://www.cicuradio.com/ playing it loud and playing it proud from Eskasoni (If you want variety try it out, it can't be beat great ads too!)

What's for supper ~ Football feel good food

A Few Funnies From A Funny Fellow

Here's to Sunday, a day of rest, relaxation and remote control.

AN IRISH FAMILY BAR
A Scotsman, American, and an Irishman are in a bar.They are having a good time and all agree that the bar is a nice place.Then the Scotsman says, "Aye, this is a nice bar, but where I come from, back in Glasgow, there's a better one. At MacDougal's, you buy a drink, you buy another drink, and MacDougal himself will buy your third drink!"The others agree that sounds like a good place.Then the American says, "Yeah,that's a nice bar, but where I come from, there's a better one. Over in Brooklyn, there's this place, Vinny's. At Vinny's, you buy a drink, Vinny buys you a drink. You buy another drink, Vinny buys you another drink."Everyone agrees that sounds like a great bar.Then the Irishman says, "You think that's great? Where I come from in Dublin, there's this place called Murphy's. At Murphy's, they buy you your first drink, they buy you your second drink, they buy you your third drink, and then, they take you in the back and get you laid!""Wow!" say the other two. "That's fantastic! Did that actually happen to you?""No," replies the Irish guy, "but it happened to me sister!"

GRANDMAS DON'T ALWAYS KNOW EVERYTHING
Little Tony was staying with his grandmother for a few days.He had been playing outside with other kids for a while when he came into the house and asked : "Grandma, what is that called when 2 people are sleeping in the same room and one is on top of the other ?"She was a little taken aback, but decided to tell him the truth."It's called sexual intercourse, darling."Little Tony just said, "Oh, OK" and he went back outside to play with his friends.
A few minutes later, he comes back in the house and says angrily, "Grandma, it is not called "sexual intercourse" !!! It's called "bunk beds" and Jimmy's mom wants to talk to you... NOW ! "

HOLY SOAP
Two priests are off to the showers late one night. They undress and step into the showers before they realize there is no soap. Father John says he has soap in his room and goes to get it, not bothering to dress. He grabs two bars of soap, one in each hand , and heads back to the showers. He is halfway down the hall when he sees three nuns heading his way. Having no place to hide, he stands against the wall and freezes like he's a statue. The nuns stop and comment on how life-like he looks. The first nun suddenly reaches out and pulls on his manhood.Startled, he drops a bar of soap. "Oh look" says the first nun, "it's a soap dispenser". To test her theory the second nun also pulls on his manhood. Sure enough, he drops the second bar of soap. Now the third nun decides to have a go. She pulls once, then twice and three times but nothing happens. So she gives several more tugs, then yells..."Holy Mary, Mother of God, HAND LOTION TOO!"

* Submitted by an anonymous good Catholic chicken farmer from downtown Airsaig whose email continue to enlighten the entire MacCormick clan.

RAINSNOWRAINWINDRAINCOLD

I'm cold. This weather has been weird no big newsflash there. But I'm cold today it doesn't help that I'm downstairs in manland and there's not much heat. Enough bitching I guess. SmeltFest is a week away and I can hardly wait. There may be enough ice to actually fish. Otherwise you know how it is 10 guys in a house in Cape Breton with only guitars, cards, grub and hooch to take care of them. It'll be great. The menu is impressive. Some guys may have to walk home to feel better. I'm looking forward to the crib tournament. Dad & I played in a tournament here at the hall last weekend. I had a great time. We did okay. Not in the money but okay. I didn't know there is a whole underground crib World. Who knew? Hopefully tomorrow night we are going to play some more Rummikub like we did last weekend. Sobriety is key with this one. Anyway looks like the weather's gonna be shite settle in and there is of course football on Sunday!

EVER FORWARD
Mood of the moment ~ Still damn cold
Tune of the Moment ~ Sons of Maxwell - Fox on the run
What's for supper ~ Gift card from the KEG!

Smoke 'Em If You Got 'Em (UPDATED)

If you saw this post earlier you'd remember the garbage can smoker. I think it's pretty cool but this thing here is wicked. I've got an old oil tank and a wood furnace that'll work just need a trailer. Working project names are either "Grill-Zilla" or the kindly "Smokey the Grill". This has tailgating written all over it in big letters, underlined, highlighted and in italics!!!!

You know how I rave on about Southern Food and smoking this or that. Well if you want a smoker, make a smoker!

YOU'LL NEED:
1 30-gallon aluminum trash can
4 24" stainless-steel metal cross rods
2 181/2" metal grilling grates
1 metal water pan
1 metal barbecue thermometer
1 drill and a 3/8" bit


Step 1: Drill The Holes.
Start by drilling four evenly spaced holes 2 inches from the bottom of the trash can and another four on top of the lid, for airflow. Then, working 12 inches from the bottom of the can, drill two sets of holes for the rods, one pair opposite each other at 1 and 5 o'clock and the other pair at 7 and 11 o'clock. Move 8 inches up the can and repeat, lining up the holes with the first set. You're creating a three-level smoker: the bottom to hold the charcoal and wood chips, the middle for the pan of water, and the top for the meat.


Step 2: Set The Grates.
Slide a grate down into the can to create the first level. It should squeeze down to about 4 inches from the bottom of the can. Insert rods into the lower pair of opposing holes and rest the water pan on top. "A water-filled dish provides moisture for the smoke and catches fat, preventing flare-ups," says Lilly. Insert the last rods and lay the grate. "Good smokers provide enough room between the fire and the meat to cook at low temps without actually grilling the food," he says. Sixteen inches is perfect.


Step 3: Watch The Heat.
Insert a probe thermometer through an extra hole halfway up the can; real BBQ is cooked between 200° and 300°F, so careful monitoring is critical. "The more air in, the more air out, the hotter the fire," Lilly says. "Airflow is crucial to smoking." To decrease heat, Lilly suggests plugging holes with foil to reduce the airflow; pull the foil out when temps drop.

Seriously that's all you need. I'm going to whip one up shortly. Smoke beats propane anyday. I doubt it's a long term unit but it's definitely a conversation piece.

EVER FORWARD

Mood of the moment ~ Waiting for the paint to dry

Tune of the Moment ~ Matt Minglewood - Can't you see

What was for supper ~ An assortment of leftovers

Well I'll be damned...

WD-40 Well, Who Knew...?I had a neighbor who had bought a new pickup. I got up very early one Sunday morning and saw that someone had spray painted red all around the sides of this beige truck (for some unknown reason). I went over, woke him up, and told him the bad news. He was very upset and was trying to figure out what to do probably nothing until Monday morning, since nothing was open. Another neighbor came out and told him to get his WD-40 and clean it off. It removed the unwanted paint beautifully and did not harm his paint job that was on the truck. I'm impressed! WD-40 who knew?Water Displacement #40. The product began from a search for a rust preventative solvent and degreaser to protect missile parts. WD-40 was created in 1953 by three technicians at the San Diego Rocket Chemical Company. Its name comes from the project that was to find a "water displacement" compound. They were successful with the fortieth formulation, thus WD-40. The Corvair Company bought it in bulk to protect their atlas missile parts.Ken East (one of the original founders) says there is nothing in WD-40 that would hurt you.When you read the "shower door" part, try it. It's the first thing that has ever cleaned that spotty shower door. If yours is plastic, it works just as well as glass. It's a miracle! Then try it on your stovetop... Voila! It's now shinier than it's ever been. You'll be amazed.
Here are some of the uses:
1) Protects silver from tarnishing.
2) Removes road tar and grime from cars.
3) Cleans and lubricates guitar strings.
4) Gives floors that 'just-waxed' sheen without making it slippery.
5) Keeps flies off cows.
6) Restores and cleans chalkboards.
7) Removes lipstick stains.
8) Loosens stubborn zippers.
9) Untangles jewelry chains.
10) Removes stains from stainless steel sinks.
11) Removes dirt and grime from the barbecue grill.
12) Keeps ceramic/terra cotta garden pots from oxidizing.
13) Removes tomato stains from clothing.
14) Keeps glass shower doors free of water spots.
15) Camouflages scratches in ceramic and marble floors.
16) Keeps scissors working smoothly.
17) Lubricates noisy door hinges on vehicles and doors in homes
18) It removes black scuff marks from the kitchen floor! Use WD-40 for those nasty tar and scuff marks on flooring. It doesn't seem to harm the finish and you won't have to scrub nearly as hard to get them off. Just remember to open some windows if you have a lot of marks.
19) Bug guts will eat away the finish on your car if not removed quickly! Use WD-40!
20) Gives a children's play gym slide a shine for a super fast slide.
21) Lubricates gear shift and mower deck lever for ease of handling on riding mowers.
22) Rids kids rocking chairs and swings of squeaky noises.
23) Lubricates tracks in sticking home windows and makes them easier to open.
24) Spraying an umbrella stem makes it easier to open and close.
25) Restores and cleans padded leather dashboards in vehicles, as well as vinyl bumpers.
26) Restores and cleans roof racks on vehicles.
27) Lubricates and stops squeaks in electric fans.
28) Lubricates wheel sprockets on tricycles, wagons, and bicycles for easy handling.
29) Lubricates fan belts on washers and dryers and keeps them running smoothly.
30) Keeps rust from forming on saws and saw blades, and other tools.
31) Removes splattered grease on stove.
32) Keeps bathroom mirror from fogging.
33) Lubricates prosthetic limbs.
34) Keeps pigeons off the balcony (they hate the smell).
35) Removes all traces of duct tape.
36) Folks even spray it on their arms, hands, and knees to relieve arthritis pain.
37) Florida's favorite use is: "cleans and removes love bugs from grills and bumpers."
38) The favorite use in the state of New York WD-40 protects the Statue of Liberty from the elements.
39) WD-40 attracts fish. Spray a LITTLE on live bait or lures and you will be catching the big one in no time. Also, it's a lot cheaper than the chemical attractants that are made for just that purpose. Keep in mind though, using some chemical laced baits or lures for fishing are not allowed in some states.
40) Use it for fire ant bites. It takes the sting away immediately and stops the itch.
41) WD-40 is great for removing crayon from walls. Spray on the mark and wipe with a clean rag.
42) Also, if you've discovered that your teenage daughter has washed and dried a tube of lipstick with a load of laundry, saturate the lipstick spots with WD-40 and re-wash. Presto! Lipstick is gone!
43) If you sprayed WD-40 on the distributor cap, it would displace the moisture and allow the car to start.
P. S. The basic ingredient is FISH OIL.

And if that wasn't enough check out 2000 uses of WD-40 here
http://www.wd40.com/pdfs/WD-40_2000UsesList.pdf

EVER FORWARD
Mood of the moment ~ Screaming at the TV watching Football
Tune of the Moment ~ Muddy Waters - Mannish Boy
What was for supper ~ Chicken pizza & salad

TGIF reasons to smile

Some observations that were sent to me recently...

Marriage changes passion. Suddenly you're in bed with a relative.

Now that food has replaced sex in my life, I can't even get into my own pants.

I saw a woman wearing a sweat shirt with "Guess" on it. So I said "Implants?" She hit me.

A good friend will come and bail you out of jail...but, a true friend will be sitting next to you saying, "Wow...that was fun!"

When I was young we used to go "skinny dipping," now I just "chunky dunk."

Don't argue with an idiot; people watching may not be able to tell the difference.

Wouldn't it be nice if whenever we messed up our life we could simply press 'Ctrl Alt Delete' and start all over?

Wouldn't you know it...Brain cells come and brain cells go, but FAT cells live forever.

Bumper sticker of the year: "If you can read this, thank a teacher -and, since it's in English, thank a soldier"

And remember: life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer it gets to the end, the faster it goes.

EVER FORWARD

Mood of the moment ~ Got to get rolling

Tune of the Moment ~ Waterboys - And a bang on the ear

What's for supper ~ Either grilled pork tenderloin or steak maybe both now that's thinking!

Love this internet thing

Hi,

As I mentioned I read a whack (by my standards) of books this year and one that I finished recently was a bio on one of my favorite songwriters Steve Earle called Hardcorde Troubador: The Life and Near Death of Steve Earle wow that one was pretty dark. Fantastic book though and it's gotten me back into his music more than ever. So I stumbled onto this site tonight from Ireland where he's as popular as he is here. Did you know Canada is his top market? Yup. Anyway pour a beverage, turn up the speakers, dim the lights and listen. Really listen...

http://www.rte.ie/tv/othervoices/20050424otherv.html

Crib tournament at the hall coming up this weekend look out!

EVER FORWARD

Mood of the moment ~ Two drink mellowness
Tune of the Moment ~ Steve Earle - Copperhead Road (Accoustic)
What was for supper ~ Cleaned out the freezer of odds and ends. Do you have any idea how much stuff is in there? Good idea to clean them out once in a while and organize them (need to go back to work soon I know!) No steak or chicken sales for a long while nor frozen veggies or needing to have 8 things of my frozen spaghetti sauce either!

HUSTLED!!!

From time to time I pass on good advice. This is good advice!

See Craig? Nice guy, one of my best friends, would likely give you the shirt off his back. He's a sales guy too like me. He was recently in New Orleans on business. Left with some time free he explored one of the most dangerous cities in North America. He called me and all I heard were sirens. "Are you okay? If you've been shot press one!" I asked. Not shot but hustled. Cripes I asked if a bum wanted change for a fifty. A little laugh was heard on the other end of the line.

Apparently he met a local gentleman who had an opportunity of a lifetime for him. The kind hearted local asked "Betcha $20 I can tell you where you got yer shoes!" Well the innocent Craig thought to himself "I'm from Nova Scotia how in the hell will he ever know?" "Alright you're on!" (at this point in the story my spider senses were tingling) Craig challenged "Where?"

The toothless entrepreneur barked back "On your feet that'll be $20 please".

"*$&#!" Craig replied.

"You've been hustled" the teacher said "Everyone needs to get hustled at least once and it beats me dealing crack or coke". As a man of his word Craig wisely paid him his $20.

What have WE learned here? Other than that they probably teach tourist hustling in school there. If it looks to good to be true and the gentleman you are entering into this agreement with likely doesn't have $20, a net worth of $20, nor teeth or organs worth $20 it probably is not true.

I assured him he will be able to recoup his $20 at SmeltFest as many will likely take up his challenge. Until then I am establishing a small trust fund for him donations of change, beer or non descript shoes are gladly accepted!

EVER FORWARD

Mood of the moment ~ Time to paint

Tune of the Moment ~ Steve Miller - Midnight Train (Salute to Anything Goes Slopitch Team)
What's for supper ~ Home made "good for you" chicken wings, salad, and beige thai soup I made yesterday that actually tastes pretty damn good

Fellas, hold your horses

As stolen from Mens Health... Seriously here's one many of you should print off.

16 URGES TO ALWAYS BE CONTROLLED!

1. Performing the chest bump. Sporting celebration should be proportional to the peril faced in the pursuit of victory. If your game involves an underhand toss, midgame brews,or Velcro-backed flags, dial it down, champ.

2. Buying all the equipment after two lessons. Holster that credit card until you’re certain the novelty of fly-fishing, snowboarding, or competitive bird-watching won’t wear off.

3. Being overpolite. Social pleasantries should be dispensed with grace. Saying “bless you” after each of nine successive sneezes makes you an automaton, not a gentleman.

4. Writing a love poem in the first 3 weeks of dating . . . and not keeping it to yourself. Her hair might indeed remind you of the first new morning rays of sun. But those rays may fade, and there’s no reason to leave a paper trail.

5. Finding exact change. Picking through your pocket lint and pubes for 11 cents isn’t helping the barista churn through the morning rush any faster. Do everyone a favor and stockpile your coinage at home. Trade it for cash once a year, then treat your girl to a dinner you otherwise couldn’t afford.

6. Marking an e-mail “high priority.” Just because Bill Gates dreamed up a button doesn’t mean you should press it. Pick up the phone.

7. Yelling out a song request. Sorry, but the lead singer is only paying attention to the braless blonde in the front row. Channel all that energy into clapping, Casey Kasem.

8. Overvaluing your wisdom. Just because you understand the intricacies of the global currency market doesn’t mean you should share them. Unless there’s a point to your pontification—you’re a doctor, someone has symptoms—give it a rest. Saying, “Enough about me . . . ” is often the best conversation starter.

9. Flipping the bird. There’s no better way to make sure you meet the recipient of your gesture at the next stoplight.

10. Talking between bathroom stalls. No matter is so pressing that it needs to be discussed with your pants down.

11. Screaming at the customer-service rep. Actually, check that: Go ahead and scream. Just make sure there’s a method to your madness. You’re mad at the company, and you’re this close to taking your business elsewhere.

12. Overpronouncing foreign words. Granted, you spent a magical week in Baja, but that doesn’t give you license to pro-nounce “Guadalajara” like you’re clearing hair from your throat. There’s a middle ground between butchering a word and being the pompous protector of its linguistic sanctity. Find it.

13. Sending an angry e-mail. Along with drunk-dialing your ex and drinking appletinis, this one fits in the category of things you will always, without fail, regret. Here’s a rule of thumb: The more bridges you’ll burn, the longer you should let that e-mail smolder in your drafts folder.

14. Tapping the brakes. Avoid reckless drivers, don’t antagonize them. Let him pass, then watch him get pulled over.

15. Oversanitizing. Washing your hands carefully after going to the bathroom: normal. Reaching for the bottle of Purell each time you exit a taxi: compulsive.

16. Obsessing over your fantasy team. If you’re really that into a sport, play coach in a way that actually matters: Teach a kid to love the nuances of the game as much as you do.

Mowing the grass

Here is a soldier stationed in Iraq, stationed in a big sand box. He asked his wife to send him dirt (Canadian soil), fertilizer, and some grass seed so that he can have the sweet aroma, and feel the grass grow beneath his feet. When the men of the squadron have a mission that they are going on, they take turns walking through the grass and the Canadian soil - to bring them good luck.

If you notice, he is even cutting the grass with a pair of a scissors. Sometimes we are in such a hurry that we don't stop and think about the little things that we take for granted. Please say a prayer for our Canadian soldiers over in Afghanistan and elsewhere that give and give (and give up) so unselfishly for us. Whether you support this mission or not they are proudly serving for CANADA!

EVER FORWARD

Mood of the moment ~ True Patriot Love

Tune of the Moment ~ The Hombres - Let it out

What's for supper ~ Salmon, mashed potatoes and a few colors of veggies

Sometimes it's not so bad to be off...

Sometimes it's okay to be off. Today it's Canada vs Russia in the Gold Medal Game. I suspect there is an awful round of flu like symptoms breaking out coast to coast!

GO BOYS GO !!!!

Mood of the moment ~ GOLDEN FEVER
Tune of the Moment ~ The game's on forget the tunes for a sec
What's for supper ~ Strong chance for liquid supper ! If not pub grub

New beginnings, looking back

We celebrated New Years attending a wedding with friends. Chuck and Nancy were high school sweethearts who were reunited after Chuck thought it would be fun to be electrocuted at work. They had a great wedding at home with a certain flower girl. Made some new friends including a guy who tried to send me home with an Elk roast! Meat lovers unite!!!!! New Years Day itself was very laidback chilling out watching some movies and stuff. Highlight for me was watching "Elizabethtown" one of my faves with a wicked soundtrack. Tom Petty has a song on it that perfectly brings in a new marriage or a New Year!

Square One ~ Tom Petty

Had to find some higher ground

Had some fear to get around

You can't say what you don't know

Later on won’t work no more

Last time though I hid my tracks

So well I could not get back

Yeah my way was hard to find

Can't sell your soul for peace of mind

Square one, my slate is clear

Rest your head and meet my dear

It took a world of trouble, it took a world of tears

It took a long time to get back here

Try so hard to stand alone

Struggle to see past my nose

Always had more dogs than bones

I could never wear those clothes

It's a dark victory

You won and you are so lost

Told her you were satisfied

But it never came across

Square one, my slate is clear

Rest your head on me my dear

It took a world of trouble, it took a world of tears

It took a long time to get back here

Perfect tune. Welcome to 2007, here endeth the ShitStorm!

EVER FORWARD

Mood of the moment ~ Gotta be upbeat it's a New Year and only 24 days till SmeltFest 07

Tune of the Moment ~ Hard Core Troubadour- Steve Earle

What was for supper ~ Taco Tuesday