Beer Olympics cancelled?

I've been working really hard to get the Beer Olympics off the ground and for a while, I wondered why I was doing anything. It seems that lots of people have issues with Beer. Others have issues with having to pay for beer or any sort of function at the moment. Some have issues with barbecued meat. It seemed that every way I turned I had one person or another giving me bad attitude and I really wondered why I was putting in so much time and effort into putting it together.

It's not that I should be surprised. Some people really don't like beer. That was why I was giving other events that didn't involve chugging beer. As for the barbecue aspect, I know that people are vegetarian and wouldn't be wanting to eat meat. I was more than willing to go out and get veggie dogs and burgers. Also, if anyone knows me, they know I like condiments. There will be plenty of condiments to go around. I've also asked that people volunteer food. I did this mostly because I cannot afford to supply all the food - and I won't have time if I have to organize the games, the property, the drinks, the barbecue goods and all the other things that go along with hosting an event such as this.

The one that bothered me though was the money aspect. I'm not doing this as a profit. I'm not expecting to get anything out of this other than a good time and a memorable experience. By asking people to pay I would be coordinating a day/night of entertainment, food, a place to crash, unlimited beer and water, cleanup services (other than puke!) and games. That's a lot to ask for only $15 and as I started telling people about it long before the event I figured it wouldn't be that much of an issue. Some people have suggested alternatives to me regarding spectators and others that aren't playing in the games. I've taken into account people's feelings and now have added a stipulation that if you come, you need to bring some food for potluck dinner and if you don't bring food, then you have to bring $10. I think it's only fair. If you go anywhere nowadays you have to expect to pay for what you get. It really bothered me that people were starting to make it seem like I was trying to steal their money.

Don't get me wrong, I did have some really great responses from two of my closest friends, who are now on the B.O.C. with me (Beer Olympic Committee.) Problem is - they don't drink beer. I also got a huge response from my sister-in-law's boyfriend Richard. He was planning his team immediately and became very confident that they would destroy all other teams. I really thought the momentum would continue, but unfortunately with the responses I was getting, it didn't seem to be the case.

I felt so down and so dejected that I was almost ready to quit before I started. I had gone and made packages which I forwarded to a large group of friends in Paris (which will be in PDF format soon for the rest of you.) I drove around on Good Friday and hand delivered them with Richard as a nice little surprise for when everyone woke up. We put them in mailboxes and on car windshields. They ended up on doorsteps and only one was hand delivered. I figured that I'd start hearing from people about it to get a better gauge of how they felt and if they were going to play. Yet all I could hear for about a week was crickets. Okay maybe not because there's still tonnes of snow outside, but in my head I heard them. I really thought I'd hit a homerun with this event and I really feared that I was off the mark.

With an event this crazy and awesome, I really wanted to invite our groomsmen from the wedding. We don't hang out that much, but I still consider them the some of my favourite men. We met up with them for dinner at Boston Pizza and handed them manila envelopes. They were looking at us quizzically, unsure what they were getting. As they opened the package their eyes lit up and the excitement grew. They assured us that they were in and then spent the rest of the meal trying to determine their team country and their costumes. It was so great to see people that were really into it!

Still feeling a bit sad about the reaction or lack there of, I talked to James via email at work. (shhh don't tell - not allowed!) He said for me not to worry as I have a bunch of other friends that love drinking beer and would probably jump at the chance to play. I came home that night, hopeful but still a little timid. I started chatting with some people on MSN. Mostly starting off with "You like beer right?" or saying "Would you pay to play the Beer Olympics and how much would you be willing to put in?" I was so excited by the reaction - it was a big hell ya from everyone! They started bouncing ideas off me as to who to invite and what the whole thing was about. One of them told me that for all we are including they would expect to pay upwards of $40 and our event would be a steal at $15. Of course I did have to give them a chat about how this is going to be a private party and that they can't go crazy inviting people. I want serious people only, and not those that will trash the place. The games will be outside, but with so much opportunity for something bad to happen, I want to make sure I have some limitations.

I've created a website for everyone to see what's going on and what the rules are. That seems to help because it gets them thinking. The reaction since then has been great and I've even had pregnant girls say "you know this is a competition and even though I don't drink beer, I'd suck it up for one day because I'd want to win. That would be if I wasn't pregnant of course." I've had my hope renewed after talking to more and more people that had been talking about putting a team together and thought they had lots of time to do it. Now that I've got 7 teams lined up and only room for one more, I feel much better about this event going off without a hitch.

By the looks of things now, I've got to turn away teams rather than have not enough. It seems the Beer Olympics will be a success after all!

Hair Mixer

So I went to check out www.hairmixer.com and had some options put together for new hairstyles. Let me know what you think.

Clyde really was MY dog

With the passing of the best dog ever Clyde, I find my heart torn. I know that he wasn't well for awhile, but the joy that he brought my life really makes me want to have him around forever. He truly was sweet and sensitive and truly man's best friend.

Before meeting Clyde's I was told that he was this big bumbling oaf and that I would love him. They were absolutely right.

I showed up at James' house and it was already dark. I walked to the door and was greeted by this big fluffy dog with speckles all over and this happy look on his face. We instantly fell in love. Whenever I was visiting the Harris family I was immediately greeted and followed by Clyde. He hated when others were getting my attention - and would come over and bump his way through. He was especially jealous of Wally, and many of the duke em out fights were over me.

I loved going over and knowing that I'd see him. Just the thought of it would lift my heart and my soul. I'd feel instantly happier at the thought of him there waiting for me.

I really honestly don't know how I'm going to get through tomorrow. Easter Dinner at the Harris' will seem so lonely without my best friend sitting under the table at our feet, without him poking out his head or putting it on my lap. He will truly be missed in my heart forever.

Event details slowly starting to squeek out...

Here is tip number one...

Big Event Coming Up

For some awesome reason, i have taken it upon myself to plan an awesome event this year that will rival all events I've ever hosted - even our super awesome wedding that I so frequently like to talk about.

There has been a lot of excitement from any of the people I have told (and to be honest, I've only told about four people!) Everyone that knows about it is almost as excited as me and they keep thinking it's going to take a lot work. What they don't realize is that when my brain gets working on an idea - I get working on it day and night.

Since I was enlightened to the idea from an old Ringette friend of mine on Facebook, I've been going gung ho. The more I thought about it, the more I wanted to do it. When she emailed me and told me the general rules of the event - I started to get more and more interested. Of course, as this is their third annual event, I have the ability to learn from their mistakes.

I cannot tell you what the event is.... yet... As I want to have a slight element of surprise. I'm just now thinking of how I can put it all together and get it out to the masses. I'd almost like to have packages put together for those included in the event. I don't want to do just a facebook group like everyone else seems to do (and do it well) even though I'm sure I will have one at some point for it.

Right now - all I can say is that it will be taking place on the Summer Solstice - June 21, 2008 - which to my luck falls on a Saturday.

Oh yes - this will be an awesome time for everyone that comes out.

To my Groom - a few months too late!

The night before my wedding I was up late in the hot tub with my sisters just talking and when I came back to my parents to go to sleep. I was overcome with the excitement of knowing that the next day I was marrying James and that he was - and still is - the most amazing person that I have ever met.

because I wasWhile lying in bed at my parents, I couldn't sleep overcome with this rush to write a poem for my husband to be that I wanted to read to him at our reception. I made it a mission to have it with me at the table and that I'd be able to read it. Somehow, the book was moved and it was put away where it didn't belong - and I wasn't able to find it. I agonized over it because it meant so much - the words were from my heart. I had one of my groomsmen go hunting for it, because he knew that it was bothering me - which also got one of my bridesmaids in the act. I'm sure people might have been wondering where they all were during speeches - as there is no way that everyone had to go to the bathroom at the same time.

They never find it, and it wasn't until a month or so later that I was able to find the book. Someone had put it in the box for our guest book pages. I would've never thought to look there - and I'm sure no one would have either. The good thing about finding it though was that I was able to finally read to James the poem that I had so lovingly written. I have decided that I should share it with you so you can also know what I was feeling that night - and every day and night since then.

TO MY GROOM

Standing here tonight
Thinking of your Love
It seems as if
you were sent from heaven above
You fill all my days
with laughter and with fun
You'll fill many more
Even after the honeymoon is done
You are the man of my dreams
The one that I want
Even if you do
Love to tease into taunt
You're always with me
Through laughter and through tears
My hearts yours forever
For years upon years
Today I became your wife
Believe me it's true
I wouldn't have it any other way

Because I love you!

Morphing credit Hedgehog

I’ve been trying to morph our photos together since my blog last week but now the computer is freezing any time that I’m on the screen. It’s driving me bonkers! I was finally able to upload all my pictures from my last computer so I have some photos to do it with! It’s so frustrating. Maybe I should try something other than www.morphthings.com.

In other news, I went and paid off two credit cards this week. Well, in reality I went and reallocated the money into a lower interest credit line. That makes me really happy. I now only have to focus on the credit line and one other thing and I’m on my way to getting everything in check. I think I felt like I was drowning because I had money in different spots. This should make things easy.

James used a gift card he got for his birthday and got Super Smash Brothers. He’s really excited. The game apparently has all the Mario characters and even Sonic the Hedge Hog. He’s plugging it in – so I suppose I will have to call this short. It’s go time. Ready to kick some James ass!

Getting older

I am a horrible aunt! Yesterday was my nephew's birthday. That much I knew - what I don't know is exactly how old he is! Isn't that awful??? I am usually known within the family for remembering birthdays, weights at birth and ages. I seem to have a mind like an elephant when it comes to these things. That is why it bothers me so much when they get it wrong or when I can't remember. I know that he was 11 pounds, 16 ounces at birth. I know that my sister likes to say she had a 14 pound baby, as I'm sure that's how it felt! I know that he was supposed to be a girl, according to 5 ultrasounds. I know that his big sister cried and got very mad when he was born a boy. I remember changing his diaper for the first time and was amazed that they got it wrong because he truly was ALL BOY! I know that he's a few days shy of six months from another one of my nephews. I can remember how my sister was the same size at five months, as my sister in law was at 9 months. He had red hair - right from the get go and there was no issue holding him right away as he wasn't tiny like a newborn - and never had the opportunity to wear newborn clothing or diapers. I remember that he was the easiest baby and toddler to look after as well, and that he was really well behaved. I know that all changed when he went to school and older kids started to pick on him because they thought he was in their class from his size. He didn't know how to defend himself and I remember him as being one of the only kids ever that was suspended from Junior Kindergarten.

It's killing me that I can't remember. I'm trying to wrap my head around when it was that he was born in my life. I'm pretty certain that it wasn't when I was in college... but then again it could be. I remember that when they were pregnant, my sister and sister-in-law used to tease my boyfriend at the time that they could get together and he wouldn't have any fears of getting them pregnant - to which he always blushed, laughed and made to look like he was thinking about it. (which he probably was!) I dated him from January 1997 to May 2000. It had to have happened sometime in there. This is agonizing! I can't believe that I can tell you the ages of all the others, but I cannot tell you the two in the middle!

Okay - so Kamryn used to get mad when I moved to Alberta because I left him and took a plane without him. He said "I'm not going to come to your house anymore because you are never there." That absolutely broke my heart when I was away and the two of us haven't had the same connection since. Anyhow, I was gone in 2001 and he was talking then. Makes him probably about 3. hmmm.....

So if he was about 3 in March 2001 - I would have probably left just after his birthday. That means that he was born in 1998. Hmmm.... that does fit in with the relationship I had during that time - and it means that both boys weren't even conceived when I started dating my boyfriend, which makes sense to the timeline.

Wow - that means that Kamryn is 10!

Man, I'm getting old!

It's just Cabral after all

Being part of blogging is a way to talk about anything you want. You can talk about your hamster, or your dreams, nightmares or even your husbands elbows. It's so nice to just be able to talk about anything your little heart desires. No one can stop you because lets face it, if they don't want to hear it, they can go spend some time one else's page. Yep, life in blog world is just that darn good.

Anyhow - with my little facebook challenge that I took yesterday, I was able to to reconnect with quite a few people. I found out that two of my friends are expecting babies; two are doing very well in school and have huge plans for the future; one is really interested in being born again, over and over and over again. It's been very interesting.

Now I've decided to trun on the tv and who do I find? Why my good old friend from high school - Cabral Richards. You may know him as Cabbie from the Street. He has this show on the Score where he goes around and talks to athletes and just brings a sense of humor to everything. He's still the same guy he always was and it's awesome. He's always been funny and always been cute. (Don't tell him though - it'll go to his head!) I remember the first time I caught his show. I was sitting in a restaurant and looked up and saw him talking on the screen and I almost fell over!

Back in high school I shared a couple classes with Cabral. The one that brought us the closest was Journalism. We worked on the same yearbook and newspaper. Who knew that we'd both go onto persue journalism as a career... of course he's still working in it and I'm not - but at least I have the diploma! Cabral was also in my gym class for leadership. We got to go camping, and do all sorts of other crazy activities. (I loved that class!)

The main thing I'll remember about him though - was his ability to just be himself no matter who was around. He was always "on" so to speak - always witty, always willing to do ANYTHING. Mostly, I remember him either naked, or in his gitch. In fact, I wouldn't even know the word "gitch" if he hadn't taught me! His main pair that I remember - were deep purple. He swam in those at the grotto. Lucky bastard!

So yeah - I have a famous person that I know and it's kind of cool. But to be honest, I don't think I'm going to sit and lust over him. I mean - it's just Cabral after all.

See him at wikipedia by going here.
See his show's webpage at the Score.
and finally, go see his Myspace Profile.

Facebook Friend challenge

here is the mission should you chose to accept

Go to Facebook
Select one friend
Post a message to their wall.
Find a mutual friend and send that person a message.
Find a friend you share with this new person and send them a message.

Rule: you cannot say the same thing twice. And you cannot write the same person during your cycle.

This will allow you to connect with your friends on facebook and will also show you that people will write you back.

(I tried this tonight, have had 8 private messages and a whole pile of new activity on my "Wall".)

Through my cycle, I reached 48 people before finding one that had no wall to see.

HOW MANY CAN YOU REACH???

Beans Update

My changing of Beans cage yesterday led James to be sparked into changing her cage once again. The picture above demonstrates everything being taken apart. The picture below was how it all ended last night with a really long telescopic room for her to spend some time. Beans decided to go and eat her cage rather than play in it - as you can see by this next picture. It is what sparked James to change it one last time before the end of the day to the following picture. Yesterday was so much fun that I decided to get more curves, and another t-bar for today. All of that was responsible for the craziness that ensued...
With The cage set up, I decided to track down my little pumpkin - she was caught on the rug in the bathroom in her ball and was dying to get out.Because she looked so cute and so eager, I decided to let her check it out. She sure looks like she likes it!I'm sure this won't be the last change, but I'm sure glad that we were able to bring out her fun crazy party side!

Beans gets Tricked Out!

I have spent the past two hours agonizing all over how to make the best use of all these wonderful goodies I got for Beans.

For those of you that don't know - Beans is my pet. My cute, little, sweet, hamster. She is a wonderful pet. When James and I moved into our apartment in Cambridge, I really wanted a dog or a cat. As James is allergic to cats, and a dog didn't really match our lifestyle, we started looking at all sorts of smaller animals that required a little less attention. I really wanted a chinchilla. I don't know what it was, but I figured it would the closest thing in size to cat that I could get. No saying that he wouldn't be allergic to that too!

Unfortunately, as you may already know, Chinchillas don't come cheap! My next choice was a guinea pig. It also had a slightly larger stature, and could still be cuddly. I've always wanted a g.p. of my own!

Growing up I had a hamster or two. First came Turbo. Turbo was a surprise for me. A pet of my very own. My sister and my mother picked it out as they had a deal at the pet store to get a hamster cage and all the fixings and they'd throw in the hamster for free. Turbo was a definite male hamster. Had the balls to prove it! Turbo's cage was a round concoction with a red plastic bottom and a red plastic top. I used to open the top of the cage and let him climb out. Man he loved to climb! Turbo got out of his cage on occasion - normally when my sister chose to let him out. She bore the brunt of the issues with him. As she would let him out and I would run around frantically hunting for him, so he would get her back by eating her socks and making a nest of them. I don't know how she never learned to put her socks away!

After Turbo was long gone and many years had passed I got another hamster by the name of Teddy. Seems pretty simple right? Teddy bear hamster named Teddy? Yeah, well I wasn't that creative during my high school years.

Anyhow, the hamster really wasn't mine I just got the job of taking care of it. You know, cleaning feeding,making sure he had water. He was actually my boyfriends hamster and he wanted nothing but the best for him. Teddy got to live in a three story mansion - which he hated. He never liked the feeling of the wires going under his little paws and spent most of his time on the ground floor. I tried putting treats up higher and his wheel, but never really liked to get around. Unfortunately, he didn't live long.

Beans was another story. James and I had talked about getting a pet. He was really liking the size of a guinea pig, and even though I said we could also get a hamster - being as I knew what I was doing if we got one, we were both thinking of getting something bigger. We went to a pet store near our new apartment and were happy to see that they carried more than just food. At the front of the store they had guinea pigs - truly, honestly, full grown guinea pigs. They look nothing like what they do in the other pet stores. These guys were big, skittish and squealie! I still thought they were cute - but our eyes were really drawn to the back of the store. They had these hamsters that had these fun little things in their cages - but there was one hamster - that really caught our eye. She was all by herself in a really colourful cage. She was going up and down a tube to her little bed that was in the sky. She was fairly active and pretty big compared to the others. We found out that she had recently given birth to baby hamsters - that were all in the lower cages growing big and strong so they can go home to another family. James really liked the look of her and her cage. She was quiet, and active and within a few minutes she was going home with us.

We bought a Critter Trail Cage that was aqua, goldenrod yellow, red and blue. It was colourful and fun and we knew that we could get the tubes and tunnels she so desired. We set her up and she was part of our family. Within weeks James had found a little sky loft for her to sleep in and for a long time life was good. She's come to know us, and our touch. She doesn't mind being held and loves to run. We've had issues with wheels over the past with squeeking, and because of her size, other wheels we bought were too small.

Yesterday I decided that it was time to make a change to Beans life. I was at the pet store in Guelph getting her some shavings and food when I was drawn to the cages. I thought about a new cage, but there's nothing really wrong with the cage she has. I wanted to get her a better wheel - as she LOVES to run and her ball. So I found a wheel. The wheel, needed to be attached to the outside of the cage. Well, why attach a wheel just to the outside, when you can have tubes and tunnels to get there. I picked up a few tunnels and a t-shaped tunnel and a curved tunnel and I started my mission.

As you can tell by the pictures, I acheived my result because before I even had it up and ready - Beans made her way to the end of the tunnel into the wheel and ran. I was so excited and she seemed so happy. She's been up and down and through the tunnel several times already and it's only been 10 minutes. I know that I've made my precious sweet beans happy with my choice.

Baby on the Brain

I had the most vivid baby dream I have ever had last night. Could it be because I am going to a baby shower tomorrow? Is it because of the burgeoning baby bump I saw on a friend last night? Could it be because I saw the pictures of Joel Madden and Nicole Ritchie from People Magazine with their little baby? Was it so vivid from the alcohol? Did my drunk brain think it was possible after talking to a friends mom and asking if she was excited to be a grandmother? (With a big bright smile and big bright eyes she said, "Absolutely!")

No matter how it happened - I ended up having a dream that seemed so real!

In my dream, I had just given birth to a baby boy and he had the tiniest little legs, and the tiniest little arms. He had this cute little tuft of brown soft hair on his head and was perfect as I would ever hope to be. (Strangely though, he did resemble the Madden/Ritchie baby who I saw in the pictures yesterday!) Anyhow, I had this baby and then James picked him up and wouldn't let anyone hold him. He carried him, and sat holding him with his head up. Our little boy opened his eyes wide and he smiled. James was tickling him under his chin and I swear he giggled. Which in my dream I even said "that can't be possible but I swear he just giggled!" I was thinking about how much he was like his father, with a big smile and always a laugh at the ready. I admired looking at them, but I really wanted to hold my baby boy.

In my dream, James mother came over and ran to go see her grandson. Even she couldn't pry the baby from James' hands. She sat on the couch beside him and cooed at this new addition to our family. I watched as they interacted with the baby. Now his mother was seeing the bright eyes and big smile, that I was able to see before she had come. James mother was still sitting there when the doorbell rang and I told James that he should be getting the door. The little bugger went to go get it and rather than passing off the baby to one of us, he went and put the baby down on the middle of our bed. I was so mad. All I wanted was to hold my son and he was hogging him!

The dream was incredibly vivid - and before you ask, this is not my time to get pregnant. We have talked and both agree that we want to wait two years until we are in a house before having a baby. We are going to live vicariously through our friends for now. The dream did not shake that in my brain. I am not in a rush!

What the dream did do was make me want to see what a child would look like if we had one. As my brain was still groggy from the dream, I looked over at my sleeping husband and thought about those photo booths that take one photo of you and one photo of someone else and morph's it together to show you what your baby would look like. I wonder if this technology is online???

I guess I just found my mission for the morning! If you find it first, let me know!!!!

Have a great day everyone!