I'm pretty sure I've had this song on repeat for a good two weeks. It's been a long time since I've listened to a song and found myself with goosebumps every single time.
Friday, January 2, 2009
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Year 2008 in Review
It's actually frightening how quickly this year has passed by. There's a part of me that's incredibly depressed that it's over because I'm pretty sure it was the best year of my life. I'm sure I've said that at some point or another in my 19 years but I can't seem to remember a year that even compares to this one. My life is basically split up into four parts: my family, my friends, hockey and music. This was a memorable year for all of those things.
Some of the big parts of 2008:
Friends :I ended a very strong friendship early in 2008 and I thought that I had made a huge mistake. It turns out that it opened new doors for me and allowed me to form even stronger bonds with people who mean so much to me. I had spent so much time with that one particular person that I had never stopped to realize how incredibly blessed and lucky I was to have so many other people in my life. The summer of 2008 was a memorable one for the 5some. It brought all of us together and led to hours upon hours of sitting in Mels basement laughing hysterically while overeating. We had nights that included just sitting around and talking and car rides that included some awful singing from a choir of crazies. Halloween included a terribly cheesy horror movie that let all of us see how much of a woman James could be when he lets his inner scream out. There was human pyramids in the basement and passing out by toilets and every single second was amusing. I can honestly say that I would have done a hell of a lot less laughing if it hadn't been for those 5. I also formed an incredibly strong friendship with an old friend from high school. I can easily say that in one years time she became one of my absolute best friends and one of my all time favorite people. Disappearing to Cape Cod for 12 days with her topped off the perfect summer. Most of my amazing memories include her and the year would have been nothing if she hadn't been a part of it. The two girls nights were also amazing, especially considering the fact that one of them included a 700$ hotel room.
5Some
Cuz two 1/2's = 1 whole♥
Hockey Season 2008: From a team that was predicted to finish out of the playoffs to the team that shocked everyone by finishing first in the conference, I had a lot of amazing memories during the 2007-2008 season. I beat a personal record by attending 15 games, including 2 playoff games, and posting a record of 13-1-1. Hands down the happiest moment of the entire year for me was sitting in the Bell Center during Game 7 of the playoffs watching the Habs take a 5-0 win over Boston into the second round. Sitting in my seat with my brother and two of my best friends, I got to watch my team make it to the second round while surrounded by 21,273 fans that were bordering on delirium. If it hadn't been for that game I would have named the 6-5 COMEBACK OF THE SEASON game against the Rangers as my most amazing memory. It's the only time in my life that I was too overwhelmed to stand up during a goal. After they tied it up with the 5th one I couldn't find the energy to stand up and clap because I couldn't believe they had done it. The entire season was one to remember. I could go on forever in this category, but I'll always remember sitting on the bus ride home from Game 7 with Laura & my brother, listening to "Feels a little like '93" with a smile plastered on my face just an hour after having celebrated in the streets with the most amazing fans.
Home Sweet Home
Higs&I
Concerts: I would be a completely different person if I had never fallen in love with music the way that I have. I attended 25 shows this year, the most that I've ever seen in the span of one year. I can easily say that all of my top 5 shows happened in 2008.
2->The New Cities September 28th&29th.Getting the opportunity to do a mini documentary on one of my favorite bands was special enough but getting the chance to attend back to back shows in two completely new venues was an experience all in itself. While the 29th included some of the most memorable moments, it also included one of the scariest. We found ourselves stranded in Ottawa after there was a big mix up at the cab company which led to our cab never showing up and our bus leaving. I'll never forget Melissa & I standing on the street realizing that we had no way to get back home and absolutely no place to stay. Thank god for the guys. Running on 4 hours of sleep never felt better.
1-> Jacks Mannequin November 14th. It's going to be almost impossible for any band or any artist to ever compare to Andrew McMahon in my mind. I had seen him live twice before this show but this one was different. We waited outside for 6 hours so that we could be front and center and we were. I got to spend 2 hours watching Andrew McMahon do what that man does best. It was almost an honor to get to witness his passion so close up. Not to mention the man is a genius and his voice turns me into a complete fan girl.
Apart from those top 5 I have so many experiences that will probably stay with me for years to come. Some were incredible...while some were highly embarrassing. I will admit that thanks to all these shows and the...people...we hung out with over the past year, I've become a lot more comfortable as a person. I've learned to let loose and have a good time and not worry so much about what people think of me. I will never ever forget a night at Foufs in early in July that allowed me to get to know a very interesting band that ended up making that entire week amazing.
This year included so many positives that I could only really find three negatives parts. One was seeing my brother leave for New Brunswick for flight school after having spent almost every week with him at hockey games. The second was seeing one my all time favorite players, Cristobal Huet, being traded on the trade deadline day for a 2nd round draft pick. The third and probably the most important was saying goodbye to one of my best friends in June as she left for Edmonton for 3 months. It was incredibly hard not to see her for such a long period of time. Three negative things in 365 days is pretty impressive.
I did a lot of growing up this year and I'm excited to see what I'll have to say in one years time. Hopefully it can only get better.
Some of the big parts of 2008:
Friends :I ended a very strong friendship early in 2008 and I thought that I had made a huge mistake. It turns out that it opened new doors for me and allowed me to form even stronger bonds with people who mean so much to me. I had spent so much time with that one particular person that I had never stopped to realize how incredibly blessed and lucky I was to have so many other people in my life. The summer of 2008 was a memorable one for the 5some. It brought all of us together and led to hours upon hours of sitting in Mels basement laughing hysterically while overeating. We had nights that included just sitting around and talking and car rides that included some awful singing from a choir of crazies. Halloween included a terribly cheesy horror movie that let all of us see how much of a woman James could be when he lets his inner scream out. There was human pyramids in the basement and passing out by toilets and every single second was amusing. I can honestly say that I would have done a hell of a lot less laughing if it hadn't been for those 5. I also formed an incredibly strong friendship with an old friend from high school. I can easily say that in one years time she became one of my absolute best friends and one of my all time favorite people. Disappearing to Cape Cod for 12 days with her topped off the perfect summer. Most of my amazing memories include her and the year would have been nothing if she hadn't been a part of it. The two girls nights were also amazing, especially considering the fact that one of them included a 700$ hotel room.
Girls Night
5Some
Cuz two 1/2's = 1 whole♥
Hockey Season 2008: From a team that was predicted to finish out of the playoffs to the team that shocked everyone by finishing first in the conference, I had a lot of amazing memories during the 2007-2008 season. I beat a personal record by attending 15 games, including 2 playoff games, and posting a record of 13-1-1. Hands down the happiest moment of the entire year for me was sitting in the Bell Center during Game 7 of the playoffs watching the Habs take a 5-0 win over Boston into the second round. Sitting in my seat with my brother and two of my best friends, I got to watch my team make it to the second round while surrounded by 21,273 fans that were bordering on delirium. If it hadn't been for that game I would have named the 6-5 COMEBACK OF THE SEASON game against the Rangers as my most amazing memory. It's the only time in my life that I was too overwhelmed to stand up during a goal. After they tied it up with the 5th one I couldn't find the energy to stand up and clap because I couldn't believe they had done it. The entire season was one to remember. I could go on forever in this category, but I'll always remember sitting on the bus ride home from Game 7 with Laura & my brother, listening to "Feels a little like '93" with a smile plastered on my face just an hour after having celebrated in the streets with the most amazing fans.
Game 7
Home Sweet Home
Higs&I
Concerts: I would be a completely different person if I had never fallen in love with music the way that I have. I attended 25 shows this year, the most that I've ever seen in the span of one year. I can easily say that all of my top 5 shows happened in 2008.
5->Hedley in Ottawa February 16th 2008. We overcame almost every single obstacle to make it to that show. It was originally earlier but it got delayed because of the hospitalization of one of the band members and a freak snowstorm that left us stranded at home. Then we were unable to book a hotel or find a way down. In the end we were able to make it and the show was amazing and I got to spend it with my favorite people.
4-> The New Cities MAPMUSIC Benefit Concert August 23rd. This show will go down in my mind FOREVER as one of my favorites for so many reasons. From the sketchy tattoo man in the alley, to the awkward encounters in the streets, to the incredible show, everything about it was perfect. It was a great chance to be introduced to a handful of up and coming bands while supporting an amazing cause. Not to mention it was the perfect way to end off the summer.
3-> Warped Tour 2008. I only decided to go to this about 2 weeks before they came to Montreal and I'm so happy that I did. I got the opportunity to see three of my favorite bands live, two of them for the very first time. Any time that you're lucky enough to see William Beckett, Andrew McMahon and Stephen Christian all in a span of 12 hours, it has to go down as one of the best days. The day ended off with a dance off between Alex and I during We The Kings, a sing along to Anberlin in Agnes' car on the way home, a bathroom bonding session with Melissa and a whole lot of laughing in Rockaberrys with the gang.
4-> The New Cities MAPMUSIC Benefit Concert August 23rd. This show will go down in my mind FOREVER as one of my favorites for so many reasons. From the sketchy tattoo man in the alley, to the awkward encounters in the streets, to the incredible show, everything about it was perfect. It was a great chance to be introduced to a handful of up and coming bands while supporting an amazing cause. Not to mention it was the perfect way to end off the summer.
2->The New Cities September 28th&29th.Getting the opportunity to do a mini documentary on one of my favorite bands was special enough but getting the chance to attend back to back shows in two completely new venues was an experience all in itself. While the 29th included some of the most memorable moments, it also included one of the scariest. We found ourselves stranded in Ottawa after there was a big mix up at the cab company which led to our cab never showing up and our bus leaving. I'll never forget Melissa & I standing on the street realizing that we had no way to get back home and absolutely no place to stay. Thank god for the guys. Running on 4 hours of sleep never felt better.
1-> Jacks Mannequin November 14th. It's going to be almost impossible for any band or any artist to ever compare to Andrew McMahon in my mind. I had seen him live twice before this show but this one was different. We waited outside for 6 hours so that we could be front and center and we were. I got to spend 2 hours watching Andrew McMahon do what that man does best. It was almost an honor to get to witness his passion so close up. Not to mention the man is a genius and his voice turns me into a complete fan girl.
Apart from those top 5 I have so many experiences that will probably stay with me for years to come. Some were incredible...while some were highly embarrassing. I will admit that thanks to all these shows and the...people...we hung out with over the past year, I've become a lot more comfortable as a person. I've learned to let loose and have a good time and not worry so much about what people think of me. I will never ever forget a night at Foufs in early in July that allowed me to get to know a very interesting band that ended up making that entire week amazing.
This year included so many positives that I could only really find three negatives parts. One was seeing my brother leave for New Brunswick for flight school after having spent almost every week with him at hockey games. The second was seeing one my all time favorite players, Cristobal Huet, being traded on the trade deadline day for a 2nd round draft pick. The third and probably the most important was saying goodbye to one of my best friends in June as she left for Edmonton for 3 months. It was incredibly hard not to see her for such a long period of time. Three negative things in 365 days is pretty impressive.
I did a lot of growing up this year and I'm excited to see what I'll have to say in one years time. Hopefully it can only get better.
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Is there anything better?!
Free Food. Great Seats. A Convincing Win. Is there anything better?Last night Melissa & I headed down to the Bell Center for a second straight game together. This time, we arrived when doors opened and we headed straight for the food. We were sitting in the Desjardins section so everything was free from the coat check to the food. We had managed to eat our weight in food long before the game, or the warmup for that matter, even started. They were amazing seats, I just didn't particularly enjoy the people around me. People generally think that sitting up in the whites/greys/blues is too far away from the action and that it's much better to sit down in Desjardins or the reds but I completely disagree. The atmosphere up in the higher sections is a million times better. You're surrounded by people who can't really afford to go to tons of games so they make every second count. You're surrounded by people who took the time to go home and get into their habs gear to sport the teams colors. Sitting in the Desjardins section, I was surrounded by suits and people who couldn't really find the energy to even STAND UP when the home team scored. You call yourself real fans? Honestly.
Aside from that minor detail everything was great. Free food always tastes better, especially when it's followed up by a great game. The guys worked their asses off and in the end, came back from 3 deficits to win it. Melissa is becoming more vocal with every game and my right ear can prove that. She also seems to have grown quite fond of Halak, whom I highly approve of. The end result was a 4-3 win in OT and I finally got to witness my first game winning OT goal from Kovy. Next game isn't until January 31st.
FREE FOOD!
Final Score!
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Three Weeks...
The six year old I babysit showed me her Christmas list last night. Instead of asking for childhood toys like barbies or games she was asking for an ipod and a cell phone. Is that normal? Is technology really taking over this generation of children? As a child I spent my years in fantasy worlds with my pound puppies and my barbies...I can't imaging choosing a piece of metal, that was guaranteed to break, over that. Even to this day I miss the days that I could disappear into those worlds. I hope that she isn't missing out on those things. Her three year old sister had other things on her mind...makeup. I would say that a three year old is way too young to experiment with makeup, but she spends half the time eating it or painting the floors with nail polish.
I'm trying so hard to put money aside for a new camera. I don't want to bring my crappy old one to Cabo and deal with it for 2 weeks while I'm there. My life has basically been taken over by work but the end result is a trip to Mexico with one of my favorite people so I guess it's worth it in the end. 21 days
As for big events coming up in my near future...well the list is growing:
December 20th - Habs/Sabres with Mel.
January 10th-23rd - Cabo San Lucas with Jenn & family
January 24th - NHL All Star Practice with Laura/Kathy/Ava/Etc
January 31st - Habs/Kings with James
February 20th - The New Cities in Montreal with the gang
March 6th - We The Kings/The Cab/ There For Tomorrow in Montreal
I'm trying so hard to put money aside for a new camera. I don't want to bring my crappy old one to Cabo and deal with it for 2 weeks while I'm there. My life has basically been taken over by work but the end result is a trip to Mexico with one of my favorite people so I guess it's worth it in the end. 21 days
As for big events coming up in my near future...well the list is growing:
December 20th - Habs/Sabres with Mel.
January 10th-23rd - Cabo San Lucas with Jenn & family
January 24th - NHL All Star Practice with Laura/Kathy/Ava/Etc
January 31st - Habs/Kings with James
February 20th - The New Cities in Montreal with the gang
March 6th - We The Kings/The Cab/ There For Tomorrow in Montreal
Monday, December 15, 2008
A little over a month....
Just picked up tickets to the NHL All Star Practice in Montreal on January 24th and I'm already ridiculously excited. That should be a very intense weekend, especially since I'll be coming home that Friday from Mexico. Running on no sleep while watching Evgeni Nabokov practice may be the death of me♥
I absolutely love them. I'll be ecstatic if the Sharks win the cup
I absolutely love them. I'll be ecstatic if the Sharks win the cup
Monday, December 8, 2008
Thriving Ivory
I'm having a slight Thriving Ivory obsession. I first heard them back in August in Cape Cod while Laura & I were watching some VH1 before hitting the beach and I just remembered to download their cd. I highly recommend it. They're amazing. The lead singer has one of the most unique voices out there.
Sunday, December 7, 2008
So close to being done....
Three classes & one day away from being down at Abbott. 2 essays and one oral away from being finished homework for 9 months. Now I have to find the motivation to start writing them. The next 9 months are going to be amazing though. I've waited a long time to take a break from school and I'm finally getting it. I'm hoping to travel a bit to Mexico & Cuba as well as work a lot. I started back up with 94.7 so that should take up a good chunk of my time as well.
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