Well I decided today (and you are only as old as you feel) I better start doing the Vancouver thing.  I did the olympic thing well, but really haven’t seen Vancouver.

I thought susepnsion bridge would be a good way to finish the last few days in Vancouver.  I took a look at the top 10 book I bought months ago on Vancouver and turns out I have down alomost all of it just by the nature of my adventuring.

Any how

Rings turn gold when Canada wins Gold

Fact before these games Canada won 39 Gold Medals going back to 1926 provided by Daryl. And yes we won none at Calgary and Montreal.  Today we hold the Olympic Record of 14 in a single winter games.  25% of our gold over 84 years came in the last 2 weeks.   Just wanted to put in to perspective how good our athletes have been these games.

Have you ever thought what it takes to compete at the games and win a medal?

I have read you don’t win the fight in the ring under the lights, in front of the cheering crowd, and with the late push off the mat, but you win running in the rain early in the mornings, sweating in the grungy gym, and having no one there cheering you on.

The reality is no one won a medal here at the games.  They won it through 4 years or more of hard work and training.  I was so annoyed the other day when a commentator said that some one’s girlfriend winning gold would push them to win one of their own.  Come on years of training is negated because of that. No way.

For myself the photography has pushed me to the edge of my skills.  You have to go with what you practiced for years.  The different lighting I have seen here are hockey arena nose bleed height, skating arena, curling rink, outside at night, fire at night, fire at day, buildings, portraits, landscape, concert stadium, sunny, overcast, rainy, in a plane, on a train, in a bus, bobsledding going by you at 150 km/hr, museum, self portrait, running to catch Gretzky, spots on your sensor, sunsets on oceans, aquariums, etc.  My point is all of this took different skills to accomplish.  I normal don’t cover such a variety.  Today I had to remember how to freeze 150km/hr (push the shutter speed, allow the camera to go higher in ISO, and adjust the exposure metering).  A lot of the time I only had a few moments if not secounds to set the camera up to catch the shot.  Again all those camera club meetings, reading magazines, going out whenever I could to take pictures, and just tips and tricks from others prepared me for my Olympic moment (side note I am thrilled with this shot, I would say this alone would make the trip worth it).

I have been doing a lot of pondering about what is I want to accomplish and what dreams I want to pursue now.  Evaluating priorities, and my daily routines.  I realized the pace I was pushing in the fall was burning me out.  It also was not really moving me in the directions I wanted to. So a few things I am going to do differently when I get home are in no particular order:  start reading again – i have been working a way at a book while I have been out here which it has been a while since I have read for me, keep blogging – i rather enjoy my creative outlet to work through my thoughts even though I doubt my subject matter will be as cool as the games like i said I enjoy it,  work on taking more pictures – I honestly hadn’t shot a picture for me since October,  actually learning my school work and not just blasting through it to get the marks,  spend more quality time with people who matter.  There are no surprises here. Honestly I wrote out a list of goals and posted them on the blog at New Years.  My point in this long rant is that it is what you do daily which determines what you will able to do when the time comes.

As I have asked before at the end of other posts what dream are you chasing.  Don’t feel like you need to share it for the world to see but I do strongly encourage you to look at your daily routine and see if it will lead to your goals and dreams.  Go ahead chase the dream in your heart.  The adventure is worth it.

Brian

You should check out this comic by my friend Brandon.  http://www.twxxd.com/?p=473 It is a twist on my ranting about that stupid fence in front of the flame.  Enjoy.

You know that feeling of waking up 2 hours before you are allowed to wake up your family on Christmas morning (house rule can’t wake up everyone till 7) and the excitement you have waiting.  Well today I am off to Whistler and Bobsledding.  I have been waiting for this moment since i acquired the tickets.

And Canada has 2 shots at being on the podium today.  Yippee.

Own the podium is a success in my mind.  Yes we wont beat the Americans in the medal count. We may not even beat our medal count from 4 years ago.

The success is that we as a nation are talking about winning medals at these games.  In the past it has been surprising when we have medaled.  In these games we are expecting medals.  Our athletes are getting more the personal bests they are getting top 10 top 5 finishes.  Our overall performance is greater then in the past.  You can’t just look at medals but look at overall standings.  If we didn’t lose half the women’s skiing program to injuries three months before the games we would be sitting with more medals.  They had been projected to win 7 themselves.

However I believe that the success of Own the Podium is not the medal count but how Canadians have engaged these games.  Record viewership something like 93% of Canadians have watched the games at some point.  The crowds to get in to the pavilions are bigger then any one had predicted.  The fact there is a conversation going on about what is Canadian Identity should be attributed to Own the Podium.  I am one who would argue that the funding should increase or at least continue.  Yes there are many things money should go towards, but encouraging people to live a more health life style and pursue something bigger then themselves is important.

Also look in to the stories of our medal winner.  Everyone has a story.  Some examples snowboarding for your brother, skating together since you were 7, skating for your mom, an auctioneer who wants to represent Canada at the games he will do anything, or know these are your last games winter and summer and win a bronze which is as good as gold.  You don’t have to compete at the Olympics to chase your dreams.  All of us have stories from our own lives that if told while winning a medal at the Olympics would be inspiring.  So really what is stopping you from stepping out of what you are familiar with and chasing a dream or too.

So yeah in my opinion we should continue with Own the Podium.

I must say I am not sure how I will cope with going back to “normal” life.  Today I met one of the greatest hockey players ever.  Mr. Gordie Howe.

Today was a planned light day.  Go for lunch at Flying Wedge, on Ryan’s recommendations.  Top pizza I have ever been able to buy by the slice.  It was amazing.  I recommend every one come to Vancouver and have a slice of it.  Best pizza ever still is Chicago style from Gino’s in Chicago.  But this was a good slice today.  I was planning on going to look at the Flame for a bit afterwards.  I decided after some thought that I should pack it in for the day because I am fighting a slight cold and knew standing in the rain more then was needed would help a lot.

I started making my way to the Shoppers Drugmart downtown to by some cold stuff.  I figured might as well stop at London Drugs and hope it was on sale more then my discount would be at the other drug store.  Getting there I saw a sign saying the Gordie Howe autograph session had been moved.  What Gordie Howe Session?????  I asked the clerk where was the other location.  3 blocks north of China Town/ Stadium Station.  That was only one more station down the line.  Jumping on the skytrain I was off in pursuit of Gordie (forgetting completely I was looking for cold medicine)  I stopped and asked for directions, I have gotten tired of getting lost when I can just ask for directions in the first place.  The transit guy was like “Gordie is signing autographs, NO WAY!!!!”  I found the London Drugs and joined the “queue”.

And with that I have an autographed photo of Gordie and a photo with him.  I must admit I was nervous getting the employee to take my photo with Gordie as I have been to autograph sessions and had the photo messed up (the Bret Hart signing in London, with Daryl).   This time the photo went with out incident.

Do you remember Joe from Canada?  He was the star of a commercial back during the early 2000s that really brought about a sense of national pride.

Earlier in the blog I commented on that this moment would be my generations 1972, 1987 our defining sports moment.  I am now wondering if this is something more then a sports moment but our Canadian moment.  The pride is swelling in the streets.  People break in to the anthem randomly.  I don’t know if it is just a Vancouver thing but you see Canadian flags every where.  We may be multicultural but I have seen that red and white on everyone.  People are talking about what it means to be Canadian.  I am going to head downtown wearing my new Crosby Jersey and join the crowd who will watch as we take on the Russians.

But what does it mean to be Canadian?  I am interested in hearing your thoughts and I will post mine after the game.

If you have ever felt the thrill of throwing a 40lbs rock down a sheet of freshly prepaid ice and yelling “SWEEP HARD” to make that rock change direction then you know the sheer exhilaration which is curling.

To any one who finds this sport boring you most have never have thrown a rock yourself.  This game rocks!  I played for a bit in highschool and it was some of favorite memories came from it.  My roommate, Adam, and I use to play together back then.  We were never olympic calibre but we had a lot of fun.

I read an article about how curling has been evolving since the 1998 return to the Olympics.  The fans are louder and more in to the game then before.  Yesterday I saw two guys wearing just their boxers painted from head to toe in red and white to support Canada.  This use to be saved for college football not curling.  Those 5000 fans were in to the games.  Everyone was fixed on the Canadian sheet but everyone ooohed and ayyyed when there was a tight shot on any sheet.  Going in to extra ends you brought about even more excitement when the Canadians won.

I highly recommend everyone should go throw a rock to be a part of this great culture of curlers or at the least rent “Men with Brooms” a Paul Grose film it will sweep you off your feet.

The best place to party during the games is Holland House.  Since 1992 in Barcelona Holland House has been where it is at.  In Vancouver it had trouble finding a place to stay until Richmond stepped up and said you can party over here.  I had heard a few times through out my time here that you need to see it.  Yesterday afternoon the line wasn’t to bad to get in so I thought why not.

Now first thing though while I was thinking about “queueing” as all the signs call it (ie lining up) Canada was 4 races away from Gold in Women’s Ski Cross.  I decided seeing us potential win Gold made more sense then standing in the rain to get in.  I found a covered area that using the camera fully zoomed out I could see a screen across a foot ball field and watch the races.  I gave updates on which colour jersey we were wearing to the guy and his two kids beside me.  The races got closer and closer.  Ok final 4.  Here we go.  CANADA WINS GOLD so said Ashley via text.  Maybe own the podium was not going to be medal count just number of times we win GOLD.  Then I preceded to go join the queue.

I will say the Dutch House was definitely more elaborate then many of the others I had been too.  Their food was cheaper as well.  You could see a lot of cool things in there and orange was definitely every where.  I found a perfect seat in a penalty box to see the screens to watch the hockey games.  I text Brandon to tell him about the place.  I knew this was going to be the place to watch the game.  Some guy was on the screen talking, no clue what he was saying cause it was in dutch.  The place seemed to come down a bit in its fun atmosphere.  Meh, I am at the heart of energy this will be good. (Turns out the superstar Dutch athlete just got DQ because of a coaching error and missed out on a World Record and Olympic Gold).  I thought it 4:30 shouldn’t there be Pierre Migquerre’s stupid comments now before the game.  I ask a waiter when they are switching over to the hockey game.  I am sorry we only cover events the dutch are competing in.  WHAT!!!  You are a glorified sports bar in Canada and you aren’t going to show hockey on 1 of your 3 big screens.  Where am I going to find a place to watch the game with atmosphere with 5 mins till game time.  Well I just watched the women’s ski cross outside they most have the game on outside.

I moved outside and found a spot in the bleacher that was sort of out of the rain and you could see the game. There was like 4 other people spread over this football blechers watching the game.  I thought “okay no audio, its cold,  and I am getting rained on, I could go back to the library I was at earlier today they said they would have the game on.  But who wants to watch a game where you have to be quite and can’t use your cow bell.  Well audio, chairs, warm out weighed where I was.  Off to the library I go.

Get in there decent size tv, got to sit on a couch and they were giving out free popcorn.  This was definitely a different experience watching hockey then any I have had before.  It was like a living room with a few people you don’t really know but you are cheering for the same team so it is all good.  I had thought what happens when Canada scores.  Am I really aloud to ring a cowbell in a library.  Ah well I will get at least one warning before they kick me out so lets just wait for the scoring to start.  Local boy Joe Thornton SCORES!  There is no way I am not ringing a cow bell for this.  Cling Clank Cling clank!!!!!  People watching the game are now cheering as well.  I guess everyone was thinking are we aloud to cheer loud in a library.  I am glad I opened up that freedom via the cow bell.  The guy to the front of me said don’t stop, we need more cow bell and smiled.  If you have ever seen the SNL skit about Needing More Cow Bell you would understand.  Anyways watch the whole game there with a few people I saw standing in line from Holland House.  Never thought a library would be a more happening place then Holland Heinken House.

This is Debbie and her friend.  Debbie lives near the curling rink.

Today and most days they sell really delicious cookies, (freshly made warm) on the path from the rink to the skytrain.  Since I skipped breakfast, I thought a bag of cookies sounds very good.  As I ate my cookies I talked to Debbie about what it is she does.  Turns out she does this for her two kids to get a chance to say hi to us visitors to this great city.  Her kids love talking to all the people who are coming from the curling and learning about where they are from.  I told Debbie about chasingdreams.ca and how I came to experience the Games.  She pointed to her jacket which read 88 Calgary and said she did that too years ago.  I left her a few pins for the kids and went on my way glad to see that the games legacy will be those memories the kids have when the world came to thier doorstep.

The city is back to the energy level it had been at before.  We are GOLDEN again.  O Canada is being song in the streets again.

The other day I talked about Local Matters.  I want to brag about my neck of the woods.

Tessa Virtue, Scott Moir, Christine Nesbitt, Drew Doughty, Joe Thornton

just to mention a few people who are from home that are making it big at the games.  Anyways I can’t describe what it was like to watch Virtue and Moir win there gold outside the CTV Robson st studio.  The crowd singing the anthem.  It’s been a long day and watching the women’s curling Canada vs Great Brittain tomorrow which is going to rock.  Get it “rock”.  Curling.  Come on it was funny.

Mike and Myself

So before you think I am simply just spinning, let me explain.

Last week an old high school friend messaged me via facebook and asked where about was I in town.  He had seen one of my random posts of being at the games.  Well this afternoon I decided that I wanted to watch the game with somebody I knew versus the random people at Ontario House.  I texted Mike and asked what he was up to for the game.  He then called me and asked how well I knew the skytrain system (I haven’t gotten lost that many times).  We arranged to meet at a Boston Pizza.  It was good to see a friend and watch the game with him.    The game may have not finished the way we wanted but the time was well spent.

As for my mention spin, well there will be a lot the next few days.  This will give the team another game to find chemistry (four sharks, three ducks, 3 blackhawks, 2 dman who won a cup together), no one since early 90s have won the pool and the gold, make the team more determined is all hog wash.  No one other the Bob McKenzie was saying that this morning.  This was a let down.  It is not the end of the world that Canada lost tonight but please let’s not spin that it was a good thing they lost.

Any ways I am watching Sweden vs Finland right now and then send off some photos and plan the rest of the week.  It will be a good week for sure capped off with a Men’s and Women’s Gold in Hockey for Canada.