He's baaack!!!

Today marks a good day for all Winnipeg Blue Bomber fans.
Milt Stegall , "The touchdown beagle" has decided to come back to the Blue Bombers for one more year. Last season, he was constantly hounded by the media about the chase for the CFL touchdown record, which he broke.
He also said that last season was his final one. In fact, he even said 99.9% chance he was finished.

It looks like I have a good reason to renew my season tickets afterall.....

In other news, I've finished my speech for my best friend's wedding. I e-mailed a copy to Ali, just in case I lost mine. She called me a few hours later, telling me that I had forgotten entire words in some sentences. My only excuse was that I was reading it from a notebook, and was trying to be like those fancy pants people who can type and look away at the same time.
I was thinking of these speeches, and how so many guys try to make the whole thing about personal jokes. The funniest thing about these speeches, is watching the people who don't have a clue about the jokes, but laugh like they know it anyway. They look like idiots.
If I were them, I'd just stare at the guy giving the speech, not batting an eye when he looks at me. Each time he looks at me, my eyes would get just a little wider, and my would move just a little closer. Yeah, give him something to think about.
Here's a toast to you, my fellow reader(s). Have a helluva day.

Sore, tired, headaches, eyes hurt....

Isn't the flu fun?
Every year, I have the debate with people who get/don't get the flu shot. I'm neutral on the shot, and have had it due to work reasons in the past.
I have to put one rumor to rest. The flu shot does not make you get the flu. It is designed to combat the top three "forcasted" flu viruses each year. The problem is, when they make the vaccine, it is only an educated guess as to which strain it's going to beat. As luck may have it, some of you will get the flu anyway. Boo.
I have called in sick for the past 2 days. I never call in sick. As I lay in bed every morning around 7:30a.m. (the time I start my shift) I half expect my manager to call me "just to see how I'm feeling."
Yeah right.

It drives me crazy when so many of my co-workers call in sick because they hurt their back, wrist, ankle, etc. and milk it for a week. Then there are the other parents that I work with. The ones with a spouse at home, who also has a job with sick time, who bail out of a shift three hours in to go tend to their sick kids, while their spouse is at home!!
But yeah, you're right. Call me at home to make sure I'm not faking it......
Even with a bad back, I can count on one hand the number of times I actually have called in sick.

Wow, see how defensive I get? Imagine how mad I'd be if she actually did call me this time.
Plus, Ali's now sick too, so I have to treat her and the Bean.

The worst part of this is that I have to go see my Doctor, get a sick note (which I have to pay for) and ask her to write down that I had the flu. Aren't we all adults here? Don't we know what the ass kicking flu feels like? To be sure, let's get bundled up in the -45 weather, get into a freezing cold car, drive to the clinic to sit there for an hour, just to have the Doc say "you're right. It's the flu."
Sometimes I wish I was a kid again. Being sick was easy.

P.S. I didn't get the flu shot this year.

An early preview of fatherhood

I spent some time with Ali at her Dr.'s appointment this morning. After the usual 2 hour ordeal, we got some lunch.

After I dropped off the family at work, I headed to the public health Nurse's office to ask about prenatal classes.
I then went to my auntie's house to ask her if she'd be interested in watching our little Butterbean after Ali has finished her maternity leave. I got a soft "yes", and made my way back home.

I got to thinking about when our baby arrives. I picture my everyday routine, then apply the baby factor into things. I think it will be an easy transition. Actually, I think the baby will get me more active, as I take them to the park, Blue Bomber practices, the pool, etc.
Since my best friend is miles away, my Butterbean will be my main source of entertainment while Ali is at work. By the time she gets home, I think I'll be in need of some "adult" time, so then the roles will be reversed, at it will be me talking her ear off, telling her about our day, until she snaps and tells me to "please be quiet" or something to that effect.;)

May cannot come soon enough.
Plus, there will be no more -45 Celsius weather to contend with....





And the Bombers will be back in town.

A hodge podge kinda post

While I was driving today, I had a really hard time finding any music appealing.
It was the same crap on every single station. Nickelback, Fergie, Simple Plan, etc....
I finally settled on one of the two University stations that we have in our city. They play a lot of independent artists, and a lot of good music, but they don't announce what the band is called, or what the song is entitled. There is nothing more frustrating than hearing an awesome song on the radio, then not knowing who sings it.

When I drive, I like to play "air drums" on the steering wheel. I used to stop when people looked a t me, but now I just look away and channel Neil Peart anyway. Of course, I don't do this with Ali and Butterbean in the car - for safety reasons. That, and Ali would probably laugh at me.

I find that I only really crave coffee when I'm working. I think it's a comfort thing, allowing myself that break to walk down to the cafeteria, and grab a hot cup of Tim Horton's.
Speaking of coffee, I have this elderly patient at work. He was telling me about a great little coffee house with comfy couches, and entertainment, which is actually only a few blocks from our house. While I was joking around with him and his wife, I said that I'd be looking for them when I finally go there.
Each day, as I see him walking down the hallway, I think that I would really like to hang out with him and his family for a while. I normally don't want to see patients outside of the hospital, but this guy reminds me of my Grandpa.
I guess this, coupled with the fact the I only see all of my patients at their very worst, makes me hope that this guy can make a good recovery.
I noticed how excited I was when I was attending physiotherapy for my back. It was at the rehab hospital, and while I was there, I saw a lot of former patients. The only exception was that they were smiling, laughing, and walking. I can make my patients laugh and talk, but it's something to see them making progress after horrific accidents/injuries.

2008 - the best year yet?

I was talking to Ali yesterday, and I was saying how I really didn't remember many huge events in 2007.
This year will be a little more memorable. Just next month, my best friend Mike gets married, and I get the honour of being his best man. It will be a weekend full of good times.

Of course, after that, Butterbean makes their long anticipated entrance into the world.
I've been noticing how many things we need to change around the apartment to make it baby safe.
Mainly, a lot of things will have to be put up out of reach. I get excited when I hear our parents or friends talk about our baby. It's funny how everyone has used the nickname "Butterbean" along with us, and how easily it rolls off of everyone's tongue.

We had a quiet new year's eve last night. We rented a few movies, and vowed to make it until midnight. At 11:00, I offered to change the channel, so we could watch the ball drop in the East coast. We didn't, and we missed midnight. I can't honestly remember the last time I was awake for the big moment at 12 a.m.
Actually, I did see it turn midnight - in Australia.

Happy new year everyone, let's make it a good one.

My resolutions are to get my back fixed up, and to be an excellent dad. What are yours?