Monday 23 December 2013

More

When I look back on my life I realize how lucky I am, but I wish there was more I could do. I grew up in a middle class family where I always had more than enough. I still live at home. My parents are paying for my schooling. I have never not had enough. But I wish I could do more.

I am in education and I took a course called the History of Inner City Education. It was a course that you learned through discussion. I took almost no notes and left it wondering if I was doing the right thing. How could I help all the people that needed it? Was teaching them really going to help? I came out of that class with my eyes wide open but also with a growing sense of frustration because the resources you had access to was dictated by your geography. There is different levels of support for kids in the Inner City than there is for kids that live in poorer areas outside of the Inner City. I want to help, but I don't know how.

I take the bus everywhere. I have access to a car (sometimes) and I am a busy student. So I do what I can. I donate food to Winnipeg Harvest and the Christmas Cheer Board. I try to retweet anything that will help organizations that help people in need but I feel like I should do more. But I don't know what more is. So I do a little and hopes it helps a lot.

Friday 13 December 2013

Baking for Newbies

Last night on Twitter there was a discussion over a bad experience someone had making cookies in their oven. The week before someone was bemoaning the fact that Christmas shopping sucks without a list (I have one with stored mapped out on it already). I suggested baking for everyone for Christmas (cheap and everybody like it), and if you are a non-baker to stick to easy stove-top stuff. Being a nice person, here are two easy and delicious stove-top recipes.

1. Chocolate Frogs (makes about 36)
Ingrediants
1/2 cup cocoa powder
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup flaked coconut
3 cups quick rising oats

Steps
1. Line 2 cookie sheets with wax paper
2. In a large pot stir together cocoa, sugar, milk, and butter
3. Boil for 5 minutes, then remove from heat
4. Stir in vanilla extract, coconut, and oats. Combine well.
5. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto prepared cookie sheets. Refrigerate for one hour or until set. Keep in the fridge until needed.
These also freeze well.

Rice Krispie Cake (http://www.ricekrispies.com/recipes/the-original-treats)

INGREDIENTS

DIRECTIONS

1. In large saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat.

2. Add KELLOGG'S RICE KRISPIES cereal. Stir until well coated.

3. Using buttered spatula or wax paper evenly press mixture into 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan coated with cooking spray. Cool. Cut into 2-inch squares. Best if served the same day.

If you want to make them fancy, put some sprinkles on top :)

Wednesday 11 December 2013

My Definitive Ranking of Christmas Movies

I love Christmas movies and because of this I have decided to rank my favourite movies. Warning: this is cartoon heavy.

1. Miracle on 34th Street (original)
I love this movie because it is about rediscovering youth and imagination. It is not just about Santa being real, but about how Christmas is as magical as we want it to be. And the original is just awesome in black and white.

2. Love Actually
One of my favourite movies, the idea that we fall in love so easily is sweet. I have watched the movie over 20 times since it was released and it gets me every time. The intertwining story lines are beautiful and the airport scenes are the best.

3. It's a Wonderful Life
This is where it gets hard for me but this timeless movie does it for me. The realization that you do matter no matter how useless you think you are is something that should be mentioned more than it is.

4. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (animated)
The movie is short, sweet, and simple. The message is "even the coldest heart can warm when taught love". And the original is better than the remake of course.

5. Charlie Brown
My favourite screw up is one of my favourite movies. He can't do anything right and for that he finds the spirit of Christmas.

6. A Christmas Carol (original)
Timeless and great, this movie features ghosts and regrets. And the realization that it is never too late to change your outlook.

7. Winnie the Pooh and Christmas Too
Winnie the Pooh is still my favourite Disney character and I have watched this movie every year on CBC, even as a teenager. Pooh screws up and tries to bring Christmas to his friends anyways. Silly old bear.


Tuesday 10 December 2013

The More Things Change...

For the first time since my mom was six Christmas morning will not be at the house she grew up in. It will not be at the house where my Baba died, where we spent time as a big family. The house hasn't left our family as my older cousin and her husband bought it. But the most important part of our Christmas, waffles, ice cream and berries will still be around but in a different place. And it is not the same.

My Grandpa's old house is huge. An addition was built on to it so that eight people could comfortably live there. My mom has stories of her holding up heavy boards on a ladder as a teenager. But it is in capable hands now with my cousin. Christmas Eve dinner is too, though our Grandpa is going over to help. But breakfast has changed and that feels weird.

Christmas morning is when we exchange gifts but much more importantly we are all together. WE rarely ever are all together anymore with one aunt in Singapore, an aunt and uncle in Australia, and and aunt, uncle, and cousins in Vermont. But every once in a while we would all come together in the big family room at my Grandpa's on Christmas morning and laugh. Sure, we would open presents but we would also laugh.

There is a joke in our family that when all the Chaboyer women get together and laugh, it is a wall of laughter that you cannot escape even if you try. When my sister and I were young we would be kept awake by this laughter. It will never go away, but things change and it will not be in the same place again.

The kitchen was perfect for big meals. It was a kitchen that people would want to put an island in now. My Grandpa had this big table, way too big for one person but excellent for family gatherings. Christmas morning we would all sit around and eat waffles as my mom cooked. My parents even got my Grandpa a new waffle iron to speed up the cooking process. Everyone fit around the table and would have a good time together. We won't all fit anymore, the kitchen is too small for the table to be as big as it once was. The living room at his apartment will mean that we will have to squish to all fit. But we will be together and we will have a good time. 

It will not be the same. As much as I wish it would have never changed, everything changes. But the people who make it Christmas will be there. The food that makes it special will still be there. The quiet moments where my Grandpa struggles with the time of year when he lost his wife will still be there. But the setting won't be and that means that times are changing and that is hard to accept when the changes mean you are getting older and soon nothing will be the same.

Friday 6 December 2013

What to Get the Book Lovers on Your List-Part One

I realize that I have finished exams but due to some other stuff haven't written for a bit. So here are my recommendations for the reader on your Holiday list. I realize I am late for Chanukah but I was busy.

Sports Lover- numerous books fit in this category but I'll stick with the two I've been able to read.

The Game-Ken Dryden
The Game is the quintessential hockey book written by Canadiens great Ken Dryden. It is about his last year. Reading it you realize how smart Dryden is and why he is a go to guy for the media whenever something controversial happens. This is a must read even if you are a Bruins fan.

The Greatest Game-Todd Denault

This book is also Habs centric, but it is fabulous for telling the history of hockey in the Soviet Union as well as how the last Habs dynasty was built. Talks about the rise of Philly and Boston through physicality. It cumulates with the historic 1975 game between the Habs and the Soviets.

Gretzky's Ghost-Stephen Brunt

This book is a collection of stories from Brunt; titled from the time he acted as Gretzky's ghost writer. It features some really neat stories (like the rise of Lafleur) and is an easy read.

The Hockey Sweater-Roch Carrier

How can I leave out this classic. Perfect for any Canadian of any age because it is awesome. It is Canadiens centric but you should read it even you you love the Leafs.

There are defiantly more awesome sports books but I chose to feature three I have really enjoyed.

For the Canadian War history lover. This is totally up my ally and it was because of books that I am a history lover today.

Vimy- Pierre Berton

Vimy is an amazing book about the preparation and battle at Vimy Ridge. The details are vivid and there are parts that are shocking and very real. It is not super gory though so anyone should be able to handle it.

Unlikely Soldiers-Jonathan Vance

Tales that you have never heard before about Canadian spies in France during WWII. I devoured it in about two days because it is so engaging. It is the tale of two young men who never should have been involved in the war effort.

Finally for the person who is hard to buy for.

These books are all easy reads and are really cool ideas for anyone on your list.

PostSecret Books-Frank Warren

These books are compilations of anonymous secrets sent to Frank and then published in book form. I read them and then my dad did too. Everyone will enjoy them. There are currently 5 books published.

The Book of Awesome and The Book of Even More Awesome-Neil Pasricha

Short quips about everyday things that are awesome. Really fast sections to read. Best book I've travelled with because long periods of concentration are not needed.


Tuesday 3 December 2013

Hockey Markets and Ownership

I don't really watch any sports other than hockey and international sports, including the Olympics. I ask people questions about other sports because I like to learn things and frankly if nothing else is on TV basketball is an entertaining option. But I know the most (read very little) about hockey and I am from Winnipeg. Meaning I followed the Phoenix Coyotes saga closely and new about the Atlanta Thrashers problems with ownership well. Fans of those teams always say (or said) when we get a new owner it will all be better. But rarely does it work.

Not to say that new ownership doesn't help a fan base. Look at the Chicago Blackhawks, after their owner, Bill Wirtz, died and his son Rocky took over the team returned to TV, fans came back. But Chicago was an Original Six team whose had been frozen out of developing a relationship with their local team. That is not happening in places like Phoenix and Florida. They have access to their team. A family of four can go to a game without it costing an arm and a leg. But yet it doesn't happen. Even with stable ownership, fans don't come to games. At some point it has to be said that places are either A) not hockey markets (Florida or Phoenix)
B) too close to major hockey markets (Ottawa)
and that a hockey team in the area doesn't make sense. At some point the arena being in the middle of nowhere and requiring driving starts sounding like whining. 7:30 starts for all then. At some point you have to show you deserve a team.

Winnipeg lost a team because they couldn't afford it anymore due to the dollar and a sinking Manitoban economy that left little money for a NHL team and the NHL moved the Jets from Winnipeg. But after patiently building up the city, Manitoba rebuilt its economy, brought in the AHL, ran them well and showed the NHL that they could be a successful hockey market. Winnipeg showed they cared about hockey and had to earn a team back by selling of season tickets BEFORE the sale went through. This was unprecedented and is not required in other markets. Winnipeg won a team back. Other cities were gifted them and those markets are struggling. Maybe the NHL was onto something but how long can they stand by a sinking ship.

A hockey market is a hockey market no matter the ownership. If the economy doesn't allow for the NHL to be viable than the NHL should leave because market viability AND stable ownership should be priority not one or the other.

Monday 2 December 2013

Why I Love the Habs, Subban, and Pacioretty

There are times when the unexplainable happens and you fall in love with a team for no reason. I was in grade 12  and just starting to watch Hockey Night in Canada. Analytics were a foreign concept to me and all I knew was I hated Toronto. I guess I first started watching the Habs during their run that was fuelled by Halak but I can't really say I was a fan. I liked Price and Subban from the World Juniors but did not know how great Markov really is and why Plekanec is awesome. I know this now though don't worry.

I was won over by a really bad event. I was won over when Pacioretty had his neck fractured and was knocked unconscious by Zdeno Chara. I remember coming home and TSN being on. They warned about the disturbing scene and I watched it and was shocked. What I didn't know was how callus the media in Boston was towards Pacioretty. I didn't like how he was blamed for something he did nothing in. I hated how the Bruins accused Pacioretty of faking his concussion to get Chara suspended when a quick Google search showed that being unconscious for the amount of time he was unconscious for meant he had a severe concussion. I liked how Pacioretty reached out and talked to the media, making Bob McKenzie change his mind. And Geoff Molson promising to try to change things. Molson holds little power but cares about his players deeply.

From that I was a fan. That summer I spent six weeks in Montreal to work on my French and I stumbled upon the Centennial Plaza where statues of the Canadiens greats watch over Le Centre Bell. I spent a long time there, taking it all in. I should have gone into the Montreal Canadiens Hall of Fame but that will happen in good time. The next year the Habs sucked and the Jets were back but my heart was with the Habs. I still watch the Jets but I don't care as much. The Habs are the team that can frustrate me to no end and can lift me up for no reason. The Jets just confuse me.

A couple games later Subban scored a hat trick against Minnesota and was asked about Pacioretty. Subban admitted to texting him a lot, worried that he was giving Pacioretty headaches. Thoughtful one that Subban is. Subban seemed to be the friend that is always there for his teammates, even though he annoys them from time to time. Subban fell out of love with the media when he was in negotiations with the Habs over an RFA deal. The Habs wanted short term for falling cap reasons and Subban wanted long term because he loves the Habs. He was painted as greedy and selfish. The media couldn't separate their own biased opinions on the player from the actual player and they made one of the great personalities of the game freeze them out. And I like that.

I remember one game in particular in that horrible 2011-2012 season for the Habs. They were the late game on HNiC and Markov was playing his first game in over a year and Pacioretty had just scored 30 goals a year after that incident with Chara (of course PK set him up for his 30th into an empty net exactly one year after that dastardly day). Markov set up PK for a goal and looked like he had won the lottery. After the game Scott Oake interviewed Pacioretty in an interview that can only be described as awkward. Oake promised Pacioretty to not talk about "the hit" and that was all Oake asked him about for 15 minutes. Not only did Pacioretty graciously answer every question, he never complained about it. He went on to win the Masterton Trophy and seemed happy to not have to talk about "the hit" anymore.

Recently Pacioretty has all but told the media that they don't understand the game they watch. And he's right. He doesn't care what the media thinks about him because he's smart (he could have gone to an Ivy League school but the hockey wasn't as good as University of Michigan) and articulate. And almost always right.

Sure Subban is awesome and we don't deserve to inhabit the same planet as him most nights and Plekanec may be the most underrated player because no one ever even talks about him but Pacioretty may be the player that is the least thought of scoring winger. He's not a lock of the US Olympic team even though he is the second highest even strength scorer next to Kane for Americans in the past 2 years. Subban is the star that radiates so brightly you can see it in space but Pacioretty is the one who will speak his mind and not worry about the waves he causes. He is awesome and between him and Subban I learned to love the Habs.

Why Do We Care?

The Jets are a big deal in town. The NHL came back and we were no longer a minor league city. But why do we care about them anymore? Have they given the city have of what the fans have given them? In the famous words of Daniel Alfredsson "probably not". The fans care, almost too much and complacency seems to have set in.

I remember when I was in grade 12, the year before the Jets returned my entire family came home for Christmas. One aunt from Jakarta, Indonesia, an aunt and uncle from Australia, and cousins from Vermont. We were able to go to a Manitoba Moose game. When I was in grade 11 we had our pen pal, who is from Australia but was attending school in Guelph visit and we took her to a Moose game as well. That would not have been possible, either financially or ticket availability wise with the Jets. My family is a middle class family and the Jets are expensive. My parents have been to one game, so why do people care so blindly.

Two years ago the Montreal Canadiens were struggling. They fired a good, French coach for a bad English one. Their GM ran from the media and their best veteran defenseman seemingly couldn't recover from an ACL injury. But yet they are now one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference. Why? Their owner cared. He hired a GM (who made mistakes this summer and will hopefully learn from them) and the GM hired a coach who seemingly learns from his mistakes quickly. Why does this matter to Jets fans? It doesn't because all the long term contracts are tied up in young players. Those young players seem to like playing in Montreal. There is no constant criticism of the coach from those players. Subban likes playing for Therrien for crying out loud. What's the difference? Caring ownership it seems.

When things went bad in Montreal, Geoff Molson stepped in and made changes. He is on Twitter (seriously) and interacts with fans on there. The Canadiens were embarrassed by the failure of that season and vowed to be better. That was after one bad year. They have many good, young players now. Their team is strong and their fan base is as loyal as ever. What about their Jets? Chevy is muddling along, not showing any real knowledge of what the needs are and Noel seems to know nothing about the players he has. He ran Burmistrov out of town (someone who liked the cold weather) and seems to be well on the way to doing that with Kane.

All is not rosy in Montreal. Losing happens and the tension is palatable. But their owner cares and makes sure everyone else cares. The media is addressed by the GM when needed. Molson is the majority owner and talks to the players regularly. He cares because he's a fan. There is little argument that Chipman doesn't care, but does he care in the right ways. Does he care about performance or the bottom line. Does he care about the play of the team or keeping his friends employed. Noel was not spectacular in the AHL and his NHL results leave a lot to be desired. Chevy hasn't accomplished anything in the three years he's been GM. He's handed out questionable contracts to players that didn't deserve the long term, big money commitment, and were on the wrong side of 25. It seems like the only trade that may happen is Kane being shipped out of town. Not a struggling vet but Kane; a good young player who doesn't have consistently good line mates. Of course him and Burmistrov were good together but that ship has seemingly sailed.

Will someone up top stand up for the fans and get the people in place that the fans deserve or will the Jets forever be the Thrashers in a new location? If nothing changes I propose renaming the team to the Thrashets.

Sunday 1 December 2013

Questions About Helping

My stream of thought is going crazy at 12:30 am about helping people and the Christmas Cheer Board. First of all the Christmas Cheer Board needs a lot of help right now and you should try to help if you can. Even if that means helping fill hampers, they need you. But a course I took also makes me question how we help people and if we are empowering them to help themselves too.

The course was the History of Inner City Education (Winnipeg). I learned a lot, but mostly about capacity perspective or the glass half full approach. Which brings me back to helping people. What really helps someone living in constant need? Is it a once a year handout which lasts maybe a week or is it something sustainable that comes from the community? What about summer when breakfast programs are no longer available at school for the students? Why don't we focus on the entire year rather than just the winter holidays? What do people feel when they receive a hamper? Grateful? Embarrassed? Earlier today I wrote two posts about Christmas traditions and how they perfect my holidays, not the stuff I receive but yet every year I receive stuff. My mind wouldn't change about Christmas if I didn't receive that stuff. It's the season of snowmen and snowflakes, watching Christmas movies and being around family, does that change when you need help?

I can't answer any of these questions because I grew up in a nice area in a middle class family where both parents have good jobs. Someone has always been there for me, encouraging me when I need it. But I wonder if circumstances were different and I needed the help some people need how would I feel about it. I remember a boy I went to school with grew up poor. I haven't heard from him since grade eight but I remember that year we went to fill hampers at the Christmas Cheer Board and he was one of the students who came and he loved it. Maybe helping is about doing what you can to help everyone, even if one of those people is yourself.

Memories, Sadness, and Christmas

This is going to be hard because sometimes things are. My family loves Christmas, especially my mom's side. We get together on Christmas Eve for a big dinner and again on Christmas Day for waffles, ice cream and presents. But it has never been the same since that year. Christmas 2004, the year my Baba died.

I remember the day well, it was Christmas Eve morning and I heard voices from my parents room. My mom came to get me and my sister from out rooms to tell us. Our Baba had died in the wee hours of the morning and we were still having a family dinner that night. The news hit me harder than I thought it would. You see my Baba had numerous health problems including two strokes, one that was debilitating when I was quiet young. She was little more than a ghost, someone who couldn't remember much but was a lovely lady. My grandpa loved her and cared for her even though she was a burden sometimes. She couldn't drive or move very well meaning that my grandpa was responsible for all the house work, cooking, and driving. This was a huge change for my grandpa who had never cooked a day in his life before.

Back to that morning. I was devastated. How could she have died? I knew the answer but it was tough to stomach. I was 12. All of a sudden I had 2 grandparents and one of them was in poor health. It also resulted in the most acquired Christmas I can remember. We still had Christmas Eve dinner but there was the pink elephant that wouldn't go away. What do you say? What do you do? We hugged but the laughs that usually come so easily wouldn't come. There was my aunt's birthday the next day that we celebrated, but it wasn't happy, it was sad and uncomfortable.

My family came from Vermont. I got to see my cousins for the first time in a few years and we made it fun to be together, but it hurt and still hurts sometimes. How could it not. My Grandpa has tried to keep everything the same. Pyjamas on Christmas Eve; waffles, ice cream, and berries on Christmas morning but something is different, not right. It's like there is a different feeling now. One of sadness whenever we have the toast before digging in to another delicious meal. Sadness for all. We lost someone we loved almost nine years ago. Time heals but doesn't mend a broken heart.

I still love Christmas. With all the smells and the tastes how could I not. But it's different as I grow older. My grandpa moved into an apartment this summer. My cousin and her husband bought his house and are hosting dinner for the first time ever; Grandpa is going over to help them though. My sister and I have long been responsible for decorating his place for the price of a meal. We created new traditions and the laughter is back after that devastating Christmas Eve in 2004. The saying "the more things change, the more they remain the same" is true. But life is not static and everything changes but it's the moments that devastate us that remain with us forever.

Christmas Cookies and the Ties that Bind

I see my mom's family frequently. My Grandfather comes over every Sunday and I see my family that lives in Winnipeg on a semi-regular basis. This is not true for my dad's family. I have one grandparent left (my grandpa) and it has been this way for four years since I was 16. I remember lamenting the fact to my dad's cousin because it was too unbelievable then and it still is today.

But somethings can never die and should never die, no matter who does die. Family traditions. And my Grandma (and Grandpa before he died when I was 3) had a great one. Baking and decorating Christmas Cookies. It was the only time of the year that all the grandkids were guaranteed to be together. Boyfriends and girlfriends came and went but the same four people were always there and it seemed as though that would be lost.

It couldn't have been lost though. When else could we eat gobs of sugar cookie and put too much icing on cookies as we entered adulthood? No where. We needed cookies to keep us together and allow us to share our lives which are spread out and busy. I decided to organize them because we had the space and I (in grade 11) had the time. We did them after Christmas because my cousin had moved to Halifax, just gotten married and was really busy. Never mind that school had everyone else busy as well. That was a memorable one because my cousin told us she was pregnant with her and her husbands first daughter. The next year my parents and aunt became the babysitters while they decorated cookies.

The last two years have made is so my cousin's daughter has been the life of the party without knowing it. My dad and aunt seem to go back to their childhood entertaining her. Last year her socks ended up on my dad's ears. My parents were never allowed to stay at my grandma's, they usually went to Polo Park while we baked because they weren't allowed to stay. It was are time as cousins and no one could take that away from us. But times change and this year there will be two little ones at cookies. My cousin had a second girl this spring (also first told to us at Christmas Cookies) meaning more babysitting for the "adults".

Christmas Cookies is an exclusive group, allowing those who enter intimate access into our lives and our special place. Egg salad must be made and served. The "kids" have to come to make cookies. Phone calls aren't used anymore though, Facebook is. We don't arrive in the same order as we used to. I organize it, not Grandma. We have a better kitchen for the cookies now, one with an island perfect for rolling out cookie dough. But it's not the same, it will never be the same without a grandparent to be there for you. The small, musky old house has been replaced by a big, newer house that smells of anything but musk. Times change. What started when we were the same age as our cousins oldest (2) has continued to now. We are all adults. We range in age from 20-31. And the only thing guaranteed to bring us together every year is Christmas cookies. Christmas doesn't work anymore, there are too many other commitments to add another one. Our Christmas dinner is our cookie making because we all have out own lives now. That's okay because for one day a year we will get together at a house and make something better than cookies: memories.