Graduation Day!

Today was my daughter Grace's Kindergarden Graduation. Or is it -garten? Shows how much attention I was paying! The kids said a sentence that started with each letter of Kinderwhatever. Grace was the "E" was that's really the only one I heard. I'm awful. I know. Sue me. With the exception of a short nap, I had basically been up for over 26 hours. So you can cut me some slack.

It wasn't a big production. They did their little poem thing. Then they called them up one by one and handed out their diplomas. We clapped. Then we had fruit and juice and cake. We took some pictures and stuff. We took a picture of "The Crew" as we call them. Grace, Samantha, Pareza, Aliyah and Sierra. It was actually pretty cute. Them all together with their arms over their shoulders and stuff.

They weren't even planning on having a graduation. But enough of us parents said "Hey, our kids had to sit through it last year when they were juniors. They've been looking forward to this. If it's too much work, us parents will prepare everything. You just show up." And basically that's what happened. It's only Kindergarten but it's important to the kids. They all looked so proud and so did their families. I'm so proud of my little girl. Go Grace!

Today was also my sister's graduation from her PSW course. I was unable to attend because of work. She's made some unwise decisions and faced some adversity in her life but instead of giving up and taking the easy road, she went back to school and has become someone she can be proud of. I am very proud of her too.

The Plan

OK. So. Mentally it's been a rough week. But it's been a rough week in general. Other than this week, I am doing really well. Mentally. Physically however, I got some work to do. I've been doing the EA Sports Active thing 3-4 times a week but I can't really do the challenging workouts. The challenging ones, at least for lower body and cardio, involved jumping and/or running in place. I can do those things but it makes some noise and since I workout when everybody else is sleeping, it wakes people up.  So what's the plan now?

Well, I'm going to (try to) start with cycling. I got my roadbike fixed. I will try and go for a ride in the mornings. That will work legs and cardio. I am gonna try to get some dumbells for toning my upper body. There is thing thing I'd like that you hook your feet on to help with sit-ups, you hook it on the door frame for pull-ups, and you hold it instead of the floor for push-ups.

Nutrition wise, I gotta cut down on the beer. Lots of calories in all that flavour. Lots of calories that I ingest while sitting on the couch at night. Not a good idea. If I buy beer, I will drink it so I have to just save buying it for occasions. The hard part would be finding a suitable replacement. The other beverage I have to cut down on/quit drinking is energy drinks. I don't drink much coffee anymore so they are my boost. But I am sure that just as much of the boost, if not, more so comes from the sugar rather than the caffeine. Black coffee is virtually calorie free. But I don't really like it black, not a fan of sweetener, and sugar, well, duh.

So that's the plan. Cycle, cut the beer, and cut the expensive energy drinks. Gotta start somewhere!!

THE BLACKHAWKS WIN THE STANLEY CUP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I can't believe it! The Chicago Blackhawks have won the Stanley Cup. Their first since 1961!! My dad was 6! It's just incredible.  I've been a fan as long as I can remember and I have waited my whole life for this to happen. It was a super intense Game 6. I was on the edge of my seat the whole game. I couldn't relax! My heart was pumpin'! For the Chicago goals in regulation, I would just fist pump. The girls were sleeping and I didn't want to wake them up. When Philly scored, I'd curse and hang my head in my hands. But when Kane scored in OT, I was jumpin' up and down like crazy! I managed not to yell but OH MAN was I excited!! I still am!! It hasn't really sunk in yet that my all-time, all sport, favourite team has won the ultimate prize in sports. The Stanley Cup.

I've already started thinking about buying a Cup Champs hat as soon as possible. Of the framed prints of Toews with the Conn Smythe and the team shot with the Cup. Plus all the other Cup Champs stuff I'll buy. T-shirts, boxers, socks, etc

This is a great feeling. Hopefully they can keep enough of the team together to start a dynasty!!

milk please

I don't know if I told you on here or not but a few weeks ago my doctor
told me that I am probably lactose intolerant. To a degree anyway. Not good
news for a lactophiliac like me. Milk is my all time fave drink. I love
cheese. and I try to eat a yogurt everyday. It's been a hard few weeks.
Obstaining from dairy isn't the hard part. (because I'm not) The hard part
is remembering to take the overpriced digestive aids before consuming
dairy. I've learned to live with the smell over the years, it's just not so
pleasant for the rest of the world.

Frustrated!

As a Chicago Blackhawks fan, I can't help but be frustrated (royally)
watching the Stanley Cup finals. It is painful to watch. After Game 4 last
night, it's tied 2-2 going back to Chicago. It should be 4-0 Philly. The
Hawks are playing like shit. They've got no hustle! It's like they forgot
how big this stage is. This isn't a pre-season exhibition game. This is the
Stanley Fucking Cup FINALS!! Nothing to saying to me "we wanna win". They
look confused. They look slow. They look weak. Philly is playing the kind
of game Chicago needs to be playing. They are winning battles, they are
skating hard. They are blocking shots. They are playing to WIN.
Chicago demoralised the Canucks, blew the doors off the Sharks and now they
are getting severly outplayed by the Flyers? They weren't even supposed to
make the playoffs! A shootout win on the last day of the season! I hate
shootouts. Always have, always will. Granted, Philly has some good talent
there. (Carter, Briere, Richards, Pronger etc) but it isn't even those guys
that are doing all the damage! My heart skips a beat everytime I hear Ville
Leino or Claude Giroux's name on the play-by-play. Even Carle and Hartnell
make me nervous.
Chicago needs to start playing like they know what is at stake. Coach Q
needs to light a fire under some asses and quit messing up the line
changes. I know he wants fesh legs, but 10 sec shifts are shit. They get no
momentum! Toews needs to be the captain we all know he is. The whole team
just needs to wake up! They started to the last bit of Game 4 but it was
too little too late. They better carry that into Game 5. I don't wanna wait
another 18 years for them to reach the final (or 50 to win it). If they
can't do it with this team, I fear they never will. Because guaranteed it
will be a very different team next year. Hopefully better.