Does anyone else think it's pretty fitting that Thanksgiving is on 10.10.10? I know that a ton of people were trying to get married tomorrow because it's so special to say that you got married on October 10, 2010; in all honesty, I think it's just an excuse for the husband to not have to try hard to remember their wedding date.
This year, I am grateful for many things. First and foremost, the one that is obvious, would have to be starting Bible school. Whether I fail miserably or pass with flying colors, it's pretty sweet to say that I made it. Then, I'm thankful for being able to come back to Edmonton for this long weekend. It's so comforting and refreshing to see the people and places that I know. It's pretty cool how in just two visits to the church that some people went out of their way just to say hi to me when they saw. I think I also might have shafted a few people by not really replying to their hi because I was in another conversion or whatever.
I am grateful for hockey being back, and how exciting it is to watch the Oilers. I am grateful for the different experience of being an Oilers fan now that I live in Calgary. I am grateful for being grateful.
My back hasn't been good since the California trip, so now I am very thankful for the parts of my body that work - which is pretty much all of it. I'm thankful for good health; although for some reason, I have a slight cough at this second because some of that white chocolate mocha is stuck in my throat. I am thankful for the water that I will drink right now that may help me get rid of this cough.
As you can see, I am thankful for my entire life. Living a life of gratitude makes someone super cool to be around because they never take anything for granted. They're always able to be humble and put the world before themselves because we reside in this world.
Live high, and always be grateful.
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Edmonton Oilers 2010-2011
You know I have to do this every year. If I don't, it goes against my nerdy nature. Feel free to ignore this blog post and scroll down to read about the power of a hurricane in my previous post.
I remember sitting in my seat, when I was still in Edmonton, and Steve Tambellini picked Taylor Hall. I think I was the only person in my family that let out a "YES!" It was Seguin vs. Hall for the longest time, and I wanted Hall. I believe that Seguin will be a better player than Hall in a few years, but Hall's dedication to hockey is unmatched by anyone.
As much as I am hoping for the Oilers to make the playoffs this year, it probably won't happen. I said probably. So I'm guessing that we'll finish in the bottom 10 in the league and end up with another top 10 pick next June.
So, instead of going through the entire team, I think I'm just going to take a wild guess at the lucky 13 players (top 9 forwards, top 4 defensemen) who should lead the Oilers in points. I should also say that this assumes the player plays a full 82 games; so that means Hemsky probably won't get to the number; but if he played all 82, that's what I'm expecting to see.
Name [Goals-Assists-Points]
Forwards
1. Hemsky [25-60-85]
2. Penner [30-30-60]
3. Horcoff [20-35-55]
4. Gagner [18-35-53]
5. Eberle [17-30-47]
6. Hall [19-25-44]
7. Brule [16-26-42]
8. Paajarvi [11-29-40]
9. Cogliano [14-25-39]
Defense
1. Whitney [11-32-43]
2. Gilbert [7-29-36]
3. Foster [10-25-35]
4. Vandermeer [3-20-23]
Hemsky has already broken out, so don't go asking when he's going to get to that elite status; he's just never had linemates to play with. I think Eberle will be the best rookie in the first chunk of the season because he already has the experience. And then, depending on how things go, he'll get passed by either Hall or MPS, making the gap in points really close. With his ability to exceed every single expectation, Eberle will then keep pace with whoever has exploded - because that's just what he's done his whole career. I honestly don't know if Cogliano will play more than half the season here. If our third line remains Brule, Paajarvi, and Cogliano, that line is going to struggle constantly. Then maybe Penner gets moved down to, bumping Hall up to play with Gagner and Hemsky, and MPS to play with Horcoff and Eberle.
On defense, I think Whitney should be leading in points, leaving Gilbert to battle Foster for second. Foster might edge out Gilbert because of his amazing shot on the powerplay.
Well, that's about it for my predictions. I think the Oilers will finish no higher than 11th in the Western Conference.
I remember sitting in my seat, when I was still in Edmonton, and Steve Tambellini picked Taylor Hall. I think I was the only person in my family that let out a "YES!" It was Seguin vs. Hall for the longest time, and I wanted Hall. I believe that Seguin will be a better player than Hall in a few years, but Hall's dedication to hockey is unmatched by anyone.
As much as I am hoping for the Oilers to make the playoffs this year, it probably won't happen. I said probably. So I'm guessing that we'll finish in the bottom 10 in the league and end up with another top 10 pick next June.
So, instead of going through the entire team, I think I'm just going to take a wild guess at the lucky 13 players (top 9 forwards, top 4 defensemen) who should lead the Oilers in points. I should also say that this assumes the player plays a full 82 games; so that means Hemsky probably won't get to the number; but if he played all 82, that's what I'm expecting to see.
Name [Goals-Assists-Points]
Forwards
1. Hemsky [25-60-85]
2. Penner [30-30-60]
3. Horcoff [20-35-55]
4. Gagner [18-35-53]
5. Eberle [17-30-47]
6. Hall [19-25-44]
7. Brule [16-26-42]
8. Paajarvi [11-29-40]
9. Cogliano [14-25-39]
Defense
1. Whitney [11-32-43]
2. Gilbert [7-29-36]
3. Foster [10-25-35]
4. Vandermeer [3-20-23]
Hemsky has already broken out, so don't go asking when he's going to get to that elite status; he's just never had linemates to play with. I think Eberle will be the best rookie in the first chunk of the season because he already has the experience. And then, depending on how things go, he'll get passed by either Hall or MPS, making the gap in points really close. With his ability to exceed every single expectation, Eberle will then keep pace with whoever has exploded - because that's just what he's done his whole career. I honestly don't know if Cogliano will play more than half the season here. If our third line remains Brule, Paajarvi, and Cogliano, that line is going to struggle constantly. Then maybe Penner gets moved down to, bumping Hall up to play with Gagner and Hemsky, and MPS to play with Horcoff and Eberle.
On defense, I think Whitney should be leading in points, leaving Gilbert to battle Foster for second. Foster might edge out Gilbert because of his amazing shot on the powerplay.
Well, that's about it for my predictions. I think the Oilers will finish no higher than 11th in the Western Conference.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
*Insert Evil Smiley Face*
The power of influence is a powerful thing. Wait, what? Yeah, that's what I meant to say. I love calling people out; maybe I should do it more often. Today, I read two blog updates that had no idea what they were talking about, and just went on listing off a bunch of things. Hilarious. It's been a crazy blog-athon over the last 24 hours. Beyond the personal blogs that I follow, the sports world has been blogging a crazy amount too. I just want to give a shout out to Roy Halladay for pitching a no hitter in his first ever playoff game. Good for you Doc, leaving Toronto was the best decision you've made.
Darn it. Now I forgot if I had anything else to say other than that.
Oh yes! Do you know anyone that has a really combustible laugh? The type that, when something funny is said, just suddenly explodes and scares the bijeebees out of you. Not only that, but there are little semi-spurts of lava that flow out too. Yeah, that's right; I'm talking about snorting. I can completely understand that some people don't have the biggest nasal cavity, so when they suck big time air through their nose, the pathway kind of closes and opens really fast due to the vibration, and causing that person to snort.
Well, everybody's favorite professor, Tim Moore, was at it again this morning. He thinks in pictures but the pictures in his mind don't translate to the hands. In class, we were discussing about how guys think in compartments and a girl's brain is like spaghetti in that it's all connected and intertwined. I won't get into any detail because why that was said is a completely different topic. So when he goes to try to explain what he's saying, he proceeds to the board to try to draw the head of a guy and girl with a side view. Out came probably two of the worst drawings of a guy and girl's head that anyone could ever imagine. The entire class starts laughing.
And in this sentence, you can insert what I wrote about the laughing. I don't want to be mean, but every time she does, a girl laughs exactly the way that I described two paragraphs ago. While everybody doesn't seem to mind, my laughter turns from the drawings to the girl. She is just having a masterful time using those laughing glands (which probably don't exist), and snorting with authority with every breath that she took. A month has passed and I still don't know who it is that does that, but I notice it every time and I can't help it. So while I'm still laughing, bothat with her and at the drawings, I'm starting to get scared by the snorting. It was so intense that it was almost contagious. It made me feel like snorting! So by now, I'm so scared that I'm gonna let one big snort out as well, so I do my best to contain my laughter; but it don't work so well. When I laugh, I laugh out loud.
To whoever the fearless girl is, if you ever in your life come across this blog post (which I doubt, but who knows), I am so terribly sorry. Please don't come at me with a knife or something. I'm not making fun of you, I'm just pointing you out because of your awesome uniqueness; and special people deserve to be known. I know I'm mean, which is probably why you have about a hundred billion more friends than I do.
Anyway, that's the random story of the day. Also, for anyone that hasn't, check out Jason Mraz's new EP entitled Life Is Good. It really makes life feel good when you listen to it.
Darn it. Now I forgot if I had anything else to say other than that.
Oh yes! Do you know anyone that has a really combustible laugh? The type that, when something funny is said, just suddenly explodes and scares the bijeebees out of you. Not only that, but there are little semi-spurts of lava that flow out too. Yeah, that's right; I'm talking about snorting. I can completely understand that some people don't have the biggest nasal cavity, so when they suck big time air through their nose, the pathway kind of closes and opens really fast due to the vibration, and causing that person to snort.
Well, everybody's favorite professor, Tim Moore, was at it again this morning. He thinks in pictures but the pictures in his mind don't translate to the hands. In class, we were discussing about how guys think in compartments and a girl's brain is like spaghetti in that it's all connected and intertwined. I won't get into any detail because why that was said is a completely different topic. So when he goes to try to explain what he's saying, he proceeds to the board to try to draw the head of a guy and girl with a side view. Out came probably two of the worst drawings of a guy and girl's head that anyone could ever imagine. The entire class starts laughing.
And in this sentence, you can insert what I wrote about the laughing. I don't want to be mean, but every time she does, a girl laughs exactly the way that I described two paragraphs ago. While everybody doesn't seem to mind, my laughter turns from the drawings to the girl. She is just having a masterful time using those laughing glands (which probably don't exist), and snorting with authority with every breath that she took. A month has passed and I still don't know who it is that does that, but I notice it every time and I can't help it. So while I'm still laughing, both
To whoever the fearless girl is, if you ever in your life come across this blog post (which I doubt, but who knows), I am so terribly sorry. Please don't come at me with a knife or something. I'm not making fun of you, I'm just pointing you out because of your awesome uniqueness; and special people deserve to be known. I know I'm mean, which is probably why you have about a hundred billion more friends than I do.
Anyway, that's the random story of the day. Also, for anyone that hasn't, check out Jason Mraz's new EP entitled Life Is Good. It really makes life feel good when you listen to it.
Monday, October 4, 2010
Fresh Air
First and foremost, what's with the lack of blogging recently? Yeah, that's right. I'm calling out everyone that I follow. Who do I follow? Just look to the right in the "where.else" column and you'll find out.
I have no idea why I am blogging, no idea what this entry is or will be about. Probably just going to be me blabbering about a bunch of random stuff. Hey cool, blabbering is a word!
School is picking up, as expected, and I think we'll get to see how badly I get owned by not keeping up. I've learned a lot about, pretty much, everything since starting. Mostly, I've learned a lot about myself as well as a lot about why Calgary is better than Edmonton. It's the strangest thing when my radio is on in the morning, and I hear the hosts raving about how the Calgary sports teams are so awesome. Yeah, sure the Stamps are fantastic this year, but the hockey season hasn't even began and they're drinking some Calgary 'lames kool-aid already. This is why, I am making it a mission that I will be buying Oilers t-shirts and wearing them in school whenever the Oilers play. So far, I have got my hands on - not literally, yet - on an Eberle shirt. I'm just waiting on a Hall and Paajarvi. Then we'll see how people respond to that. Of course I won't be wearing them in the streets when I'm by myself, or at least cover myself up because I don't want to get beat up; but, when I get the chance, I will expose my, uhh.. loyalties.
People say that you are what you eat; I'm going to take this a step further and say that I am what I study. Last night, or probably this morning, I had a dream about being a hockey player. I have no idea why, don't ask. So, as dreams would have it, something always goes wrong. I wake up into my dream and we're preparing for the final game held at the West Edmonton Mall rink. Our team was the big time underdogs against the big and heavy favorites. I forgot to bring my stick, skates, everything. For some reason, I was putting on a lot of snow clothes as if I was getting ready to go skiing. Then just as I'm about to go onto the ice after being freaked out at how big the opposing players were, I woke up. I am not going to lie, I was a bit disappointed that I didn't get to find out what happened. I have no idea how that has to do with being what I study, but maybe because it's hockey related, and that seems to be what my a big chunk of this entry is about.
Some people know that I follow hockey rather closely. And I get called a nerd a lot, most commonly by one called Jennifer Fung. I don't mind so much, because I find it funny that she'll go out of her way to let me know about it by sticking the word "nerd" somewhere that did not blend in to the rest of what she says. But I digress. I was thinking about how much time I've put into reading and learning about this game, and how if I never got into it, where would I be today. I sometimes try to make it less obvious that I'm a freak for the game by acting dumb and pretending like I don't know something happened. However, I primarily consider myself a soccer player first and foremost, then a floor hockey player. I've always been pretty good with my hands, so I've never had trouble picking up sports that required the hands (at least the basics of it). I've been better at soccer than hockey all my life, until I thought about it recently.
I play soccer a ton more than I play hockey, but to my recent memory, I remember being way better at making a difference when playing hockey than I do playing soccer. Maybe because when it comes to soccer, people are generally more competent - maybe not. But I remember after our May day hockey destroying of the Cantonese congregation in that game, my dad said that I can control the game way better in hockey than soccer. That caught my attention a bit, because I never thought it would be possible. So, after thinking about it, I realized that maybe it's because I am so emerged with the sports, a lot of the stuff in my brain translates to my hands. So, is it fair to say that if I followed soccer as close as I did hockey, that I'd be pretty darn good too? Probably not. I still prefer playing soccer to hockey, but I love the hockey game once in a while. Great, now I want to clobber the Chinese again. Haha.
Does anyone else find it dumb how a prof would go out of their way to slap something onto their course syllabus that has absolutely nothing to do with the course to try to get you to do something? I am bothered by the fact that my evangelism and missions professor made it a requirement to go to ministry chapels once a month. I am not saying that going to chapel is a bad thing, but it's really not necessary for the course. If it was my theology class, I would understand. But now, I have to go out of my way once a month to stay late at school just to pass a class. It's probably not the fact that I have to stay that bothers me, it's the fact that I have to find a way home afterwards, when it's dark, that aggravates me. Oh well, I'll suck it up.
I get to go home this next weekend for Thanksgiving and see my sister get baptized. I remember when I got baptized. It was fun. All the presents and attention that I got.. uhh, I mean, declaring my faith was so refreshing. It was after I got baptized that my life really started to change. So to anyone that says they're not ready to be baptized, you never will be. Just do it, and you won't regret it.
How's that for random?
I have no idea why I am blogging, no idea what this entry is or will be about. Probably just going to be me blabbering about a bunch of random stuff. Hey cool, blabbering is a word!
School is picking up, as expected, and I think we'll get to see how badly I get owned by not keeping up. I've learned a lot about, pretty much, everything since starting. Mostly, I've learned a lot about myself as well as a lot about why Calgary is better than Edmonton. It's the strangest thing when my radio is on in the morning, and I hear the hosts raving about how the Calgary sports teams are so awesome. Yeah, sure the Stamps are fantastic this year, but the hockey season hasn't even began and they're drinking some Calgary 'lames kool-aid already. This is why, I am making it a mission that I will be buying Oilers t-shirts and wearing them in school whenever the Oilers play. So far, I have got my hands on - not literally, yet - on an Eberle shirt. I'm just waiting on a Hall and Paajarvi. Then we'll see how people respond to that. Of course I won't be wearing them in the streets when I'm by myself, or at least cover myself up because I don't want to get beat up; but, when I get the chance, I will expose my, uhh.. loyalties.
People say that you are what you eat; I'm going to take this a step further and say that I am what I study. Last night, or probably this morning, I had a dream about being a hockey player. I have no idea why, don't ask. So, as dreams would have it, something always goes wrong. I wake up into my dream and we're preparing for the final game held at the West Edmonton Mall rink. Our team was the big time underdogs against the big and heavy favorites. I forgot to bring my stick, skates, everything. For some reason, I was putting on a lot of snow clothes as if I was getting ready to go skiing. Then just as I'm about to go onto the ice after being freaked out at how big the opposing players were, I woke up. I am not going to lie, I was a bit disappointed that I didn't get to find out what happened. I have no idea how that has to do with being what I study, but maybe because it's hockey related, and that seems to be what my a big chunk of this entry is about.
Some people know that I follow hockey rather closely. And I get called a nerd a lot, most commonly by one called Jennifer Fung. I don't mind so much, because I find it funny that she'll go out of her way to let me know about it by sticking the word "nerd" somewhere that did not blend in to the rest of what she says. But I digress. I was thinking about how much time I've put into reading and learning about this game, and how if I never got into it, where would I be today. I sometimes try to make it less obvious that I'm a freak for the game by acting dumb and pretending like I don't know something happened. However, I primarily consider myself a soccer player first and foremost, then a floor hockey player. I've always been pretty good with my hands, so I've never had trouble picking up sports that required the hands (at least the basics of it). I've been better at soccer than hockey all my life, until I thought about it recently.
I play soccer a ton more than I play hockey, but to my recent memory, I remember being way better at making a difference when playing hockey than I do playing soccer. Maybe because when it comes to soccer, people are generally more competent - maybe not. But I remember after our May day hockey destroying of the Cantonese congregation in that game, my dad said that I can control the game way better in hockey than soccer. That caught my attention a bit, because I never thought it would be possible. So, after thinking about it, I realized that maybe it's because I am so emerged with the sports, a lot of the stuff in my brain translates to my hands. So, is it fair to say that if I followed soccer as close as I did hockey, that I'd be pretty darn good too? Probably not. I still prefer playing soccer to hockey, but I love the hockey game once in a while. Great, now I want to clobber the Chinese again. Haha.
Does anyone else find it dumb how a prof would go out of their way to slap something onto their course syllabus that has absolutely nothing to do with the course to try to get you to do something? I am bothered by the fact that my evangelism and missions professor made it a requirement to go to ministry chapels once a month. I am not saying that going to chapel is a bad thing, but it's really not necessary for the course. If it was my theology class, I would understand. But now, I have to go out of my way once a month to stay late at school just to pass a class. It's probably not the fact that I have to stay that bothers me, it's the fact that I have to find a way home afterwards, when it's dark, that aggravates me. Oh well, I'll suck it up.
I get to go home this next weekend for Thanksgiving and see my sister get baptized. I remember when I got baptized. It was fun. All the presents and attention that I got.. uhh, I mean, declaring my faith was so refreshing. It was after I got baptized that my life really started to change. So to anyone that says they're not ready to be baptized, you never will be. Just do it, and you won't regret it.
How's that for random?
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