Chasing Dreams

That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.

Did I ever tell you the story behind the naming of chasingdreams.ca.   I knew at the time I wanted to write a book about my olympic experiences and also wanted to write a blog to tell the story as it happened.  After several weeks of thinking up some sort of creative name for the website, I turned on my play list of favorite inspirational songs to brain storm a site name.  After listening for a while and not coming up with anything good, I looked at the play list name.  I had previously made this list when planning my first attempt at a trip out west.  Turns out I had named the play list Chasing Dreams.  Well I looked up if the site was available with the “.ca” (being Canadian I did want the Canadian domain).  And now you know the rest of the story.

The book is nearing completion.  Text is ready, Pictures are 95% there, and the overall vision is being accomplished. A few last tweaks and I will be putting up the information on ordering, book signings, and all that jazz.   The one little hang up is I have hit a wall with writer’s block.  I can’t come up with a title for the book.  I have a working subtitle “The Story of Chasing Dreams”.  But I am lacking the actually title.  I am rereading the blog and comment looking for a title.

So I thought I would throw it out there to see if any one has any ideas for a title for the book of my pictures and thoughts from the Winter Games?  Any ideas please feel free to post them.

Amazing!

So I have begun the process of sorting through the pictures I took.  I may have taken over 3000 pictures over the last few weeks.

As I sort through them for the book I am publishing, I am going to post ones that I thinki people will like.  Today is my last full day in Vancouver and then fly back to London for midnight your time tomorrow night.  I am going to head out and do one more day of fun.  Plus at some point I should pack and get my flight stuff ready.

Oh and thank you for all the birthday wishes yesterday on here and on Facebook.  And if I feel older its only because of three weeks of living the Olympic dream.  Side note living this dream actually has made me feel very refreshed and recharged.  I am excited about whatever my next adventure is.  I look forward to sharing more stories when I am back in St. T and keep on following chasingdreams.ca because this is only the begining of a life time of Chasing Dreams.

Cheering for Hockey GoldO Canada after Hockey Gold

Taken a few secounds after the goal, I was too busy cheering and forgot I run a blog

10 mins after the game

That street light is a good 15 feet up

7 hours after the game

DO YOU BELIEVE? What can I say but this was bloody amazing!!!!

I mean we WON GOLD in Vancouver.  More Importantly I was in Robson Square in Vancouver and Crosby scores the winner in OT against the USA.

I am not even sure where to begin this tale.  The important thing is that WE WON THE GOLD!!!  By a process of elimination of venues I had watched Canada previously there was only one choice.  I had done in Ontario Pavilion 200 feet from Canada Hockey Place, Molson Hockey House, Boston Pizza with a friend,  Richmond Library, Outside of Ontario/Inside Ontario Pavilion, at home on the couch therefore there were only two options left inside Canada Hockey Place or outside a Robson Square.  Lacking the $20,000 to get in the arena (and that seriously was a price from a scalper by the arena and that was cash only, who the heck has that in cash, seriously???) I decided to go for the heart of the party.

Now this wouldn’t be one of my cool stories if I didn’t some how upgrade my setup.  Best way to describe it was people were trying to get seats on wet cement, this is what Robson square is.  The first photo is of people trying to get near the screen at Robson Square.  Any ways I am standing on the lowest step trying to see over people.  I over heard the guy on his cell phone at the top of the steps with a wooden thing you can lean sit against talking about how his buddies were standing in line at a pub.  He and his brother were debating if it would be better to watch the game at a pub or here.  I encouraged them that the pub would be awesome and that they should leave me their news paper to sit on the wet cement steps with.  I don’t know how good a pub is compared to Robson Square, I do know sitting on a newspaper vs standing on wet cement is a no brainier.  And with that they took off to cut line and I was up one newspaper.

This all happened 1.5 hrs to game time.  While I waited told the people about my trip and chasingdreams.ca.  I got a flurry of text messages asking about where I was watching the game.  At first I was wondering why is this spot the best, then when I saw several thousand people line up just to get in here I realized if I had taken 10 more mins to get here I would never have gotten this spot.

The game began.  I was glad the Toews scored early so we could breath easily.  Then Perry got one.  Well this should be easy.  Oppps gave 1 back no worries.  Third period kinda wish they would try and pad the lead but we seem to be getting away with clearing the puck.  2 mins left the crowd is beginning to buzz.  1 min left we are getting read to roar.  What the heck!!! (I am sure that is what I said) They scored!!! We are tied.  How does a tie work.  Okay 20 mins and then a shoot out.

Flashes of the World JRS came to mind.  Pins and needles we will either be celebrating or I am in the heart of what will become a mob and riot very quickly.  And come all the way to Vancouver and watch them lose that would be horrible.  I tell the people beside me about buying my jersey from, Red Deer and having it Express Posted to where I am staying. It arrived in time for the Russian game. As cool as a Crosby jersey was the guy kinda disappeared on Friday and today.  Ah well here we go over time.

I hate end to end hockey where 1 shot will end the game.  Okay it is amazing hockey just my Leafs never condition me for what it feels like to win a close game I only know what it feels like to blow 3 goal leads.  Who is going to be the hero, Nash, Thornton, Getzlaf, Toews, Perry, Iggy.  Side note I have never heard 3000 people go from about to explode in celebration to dead silence as they did when the USA tied it up.  That was a cool pass to Crosby, and Crosby Scores.  HOLY COW I CAN’T BELIEVE IT.  WE WON GOLD.  THE ROAR WAS INTENSE.  I just opted for screaming instead of using the cow bell.  Hugging strangers, High fives all around,  People grabbing me and yelling Crosby and pointing to the jersey I am now very glad to be wearing.

WE WON GOLD IN VAMCOUVER IN HOCKEY!!!!  INSANE.  Take to the streets because it is time to party like it is 1999.  I thought the games had been intense. Ha I was so wrong.  I litterly just went with the crowd because you were so packed in together you litteraly had no control of where you moved. It is an odd feeling having people so thick moving that you have no way to actually control where you are going.  The cheering, the flag waving, the anthem be song, people saying to way to score that goal (at first I was like I didn’t do anything but after the first 10 it was just easier to celebrate as if I were Crosby and scored the goal)  People coming up behind you say way to go Crosby as they pat you on the back, throw their arms around you and simply just cheer.

I would be interested in hearing other people’s stories of where they were when Sidney Crosby scored for Canada and won GOLD just 8 months after winning the Stanley Cup by beating the Americans in over time at the 2010 Games in Vancouver and how you celebrated after words.  I heard from BJ that Legends was rocking pretty hard and Adam said the family farm was hopping well.

I believe in the power of You and I.

Finally I got to see Burton Cummings.  It was well worth the wait.  I tried to see him at the JLC in June of 2006 but things just didn’t work then to see him.

He is the definitive Canadian Rock ICON.  His songs are known by everybody.  Being a member of the Guess Who he wrote a lot of great songs.

As par for the course I needed to be as close as possible to the action.  I bounced around about 8 seats on the floor before I found one that somebody else didn’t want to sit in.  During this i was talking with Ashley about moving around trying to find the ideal seat.  I told her good night and that I had finally got a seat 2nd row for the show.  I then moved in to a seat in the front row and was content to listen to the show from there.  As I sat there I thought a week and a half a go I got in front of the stage 2 people deep from BNL why in the world would I not do that for Backman.

So here we ago another attempt to get to a spot that is tough to get to.  Apparently security isn’t as tight for Burton as it was for BNL.  Those fools they just go on up.  Well I worked my way through the crowd and got to 3 people back from the rail.  Not to bad for a mid concert move.  He played the classics These Eyes, American Woman, Stand Tall.  It was a heck of a show.  Oh and caught a pick from his guitarist.  Getting good at that.

What a day!!!

We beat the Russians, we beat the Russians, we beat the Russians.  The game was amazing.  We simply out scored the Russians.  The city is electric.  Robson Square is full of people waving flags, singing O Canada and making noise.  High fives all around.  I walked down the street with some fans who were blowing a horn as I added the required amount of cow bell.  I really can’t describe how alive the city has become.

Canada also got a several medals today a gold, 2 silvers and a bronze.  We should be proud of all our athletes during the games.  All sports need us to stand up and cheer for them with this level of enthusiasm not just our men’s hockey team.  Like I said though a good couple of days the last few.  The city has a greater buzz about then it has through out the games.

This is some helpful stuff when cheering for Canadian Hockey:

a Canadian Flag which has traveled in your back pack on a mission trip to Philly/DC and everywhere you have gone since then

a pair of red mittens which were bought off ebay because you couldn’t find a pair

a Canada Scarf a Christmas gift from the Browns to celebrate coming to the games to chase a dream

a toque made from a hockey sock, which you one shooting targets at Hockey House

a Cow Bell which makes a great noise and has been a star of this blog

and of course a Crosby Jersey that you bought from someone from Red Deer,AB via Kijji and had it mailed express to you so you can wear it tonite

Here I am about to board the skytrain.  As you can see I have all the required tools to cheer on Canada.  If you look for my hat I made the evening ctv news on the top right hand corner of the screen.  Ok just my hat did but it counts.

First I highly recommend listening to the song “We Didn’t Start the Fire” By Billy Joel while reading this posting to get a much better feel for how this day went.  Very long but very full.  The more detailed version will come later on after tomorrow’s hockey experience.

Ok here we go.

Bus at 6

Metrotown

29th Station

Figure skating at Pacific Coliseum

Dr. House Theme

Patrick Chan

Other Men skating their best

Call Kay for photo advice

Text Daryl about written off car

Brag to Karrie watching skating

Pairs come out

Canada Rocks

We Didn’t Start The Fire it was all ways burning

Head to Bus

Take wrong bus

End up in wrong part of town

Switch Buses

Waterfront Station

Lunch at Subway

Julio Juice

Stadium China Town Station

Talk with scalpers about pricing

Wait in Line

Enter Molson Hockey House

Explorer such

Watch Speed skating

Watch Women’s Hockey

Daryl texts asking about Hockey House

Heatley Scores

A few More Goals

Overtime

Shoot Out

Crosbey Scores

Canada Wins

See Grant Fuhr in person

We didn’t start the fire ….

See Tyler from BNL

Hear the house band

Eat some food

Man takes off his pants

Hear George Canyon

Russia Slovikia is tied

Overtime

Shoot Out

Demitra Scores

Russia Looses

Vancouver has stars

Skytrain

Think while waiting for bus

Get Home

Read Blog posts

Write this Blog

We didn’t start the fire it was always burning since the world’s been turning

Talk about a special moment.  Walking around Stanley Park gave time to ponder things on the way to beach front and touch the water.

The view was breath taking.  To think I was watching the sun set at the very edge of the country.  I have seen several sunsets but his one seem surreal.  This provided a good opportunity to pull out my note book and pen and beginning casting the next vision/dream to chase while I waited for the sun to set.  I had a good 2 hours of waiting on my hands.  I wrote out some of the ideas I have been working on the last week which really have been in process for several months.  I drafted up a list of next steps to work through when I get back to Ontario.  Spent a while evaluating priorities over the last year and staring to think through how those will look after the games.  I could elaborate on where I am at on the few big questions I set out to find answers to before I left for Vancouver but no point until I have come to any concrete decisions.

Why do I share this?  Well honestly as much as it did come about rather quickly to come to the Games (I only booked flight in early November, accommodations early December, and events mid December)  the dream of coming to Vancouver started several years ago.  I had made plans for last summer but those did not work out.  Yes I have had the courage or foolishness to pursue various dreams but I did have to spend time thinking through and nourishing them as well.  A regular follower of chasingdreams.ca messaged me about how she is beginning to think through going after her own dreams.  I emailed her and told her to go after them if that is what she feels like she needs to do.  The broadcasters have talked about how the athletes have worked hard to get the opportunity to pursue their dreams at the games.  Any thoughts?

Barenaked Ladies at Victory Ceremonies

It has been 13 years since I saw my first concert and for that matter developed my first favorite band.

In the early days of planning this trip, The Bare Naked Ladies, were pegged as a must see.  The first and only time I saw them live was at the Canadian Jamboree in 1997.  They opened up that scout camp.  This was also one of my first instances of traveling outside my home area to the far off land of Thunder Bay.  It’s been years since that concert however there is still something to be said about one’s first band live.  It leaves a certain soft spot on your heart for them.  I know I bought there cassette as soon as I got home from the trip.

Well when I saw they were playing a victory ceremony for $22 how could I not see them.  I didn’t care how bad the seat was I had to see them live again.  Speaking of bad seats at sporting events, over the years a group of friends (Daryl, Ryan, Jay, Graham) and I have set out a goal to see all the big league ball parks.  So far we have done Commerica, Skydome, Wriggly, Bank of America, Fenway, Yankee, Shea, Citizen Bank, Jacobs/Progressive, Pitsburgh, Baltimore, and Washington with more to follow this year.  I have never seen the logic in sitting in poor seats when perfectly good closer seats are empty.  I am not saying we haven’t always sat in the seats we bought but sometimes our buddy is playing LF and we need to get in a different area just so we can let him know we came down to say hi …. I digress.

After being at last nights ceremony I realized that to get the best shots possible I would need to be a heck of a lot closer.  So i figured using some skills that had be honed at previous sports events I would try to get closer to the action.  Coming 30 mins late because I was watching the hockey game definitely put me at a slight disadvantage.  I found my path that would lead me almost to the floor only having to cut by the sound booth briefly.  I went to walk past the people who are to check your ticket and hinder such masterful planning, to my amazement they simply said have a good night  sir and let me by.  I got down to the front row off to the side of the stage thinking well that was easy.  Then a games volunteer started walking towards me.  I thought okay I will now need to be able to convince this gentleman on how it is better for TV viewership if the seats in the bottom are full to make the event look better.  Before I began the speech, he started by saying “Do you want to go up near the stage?’.  What!?! He said here is a pass that will get you beyond those security guards over there and get right up to the stage.  He handed this passes to everyone sitting in this front row section and others around it.  I was like okay!

So I took my newly aquired pass and went over to the stage access area.  And there I was allowed to walk up to the bloody stage.  I got 2 people deep away from the front near the fence that was 4 feet away from the stage and the performers.  Thus why I have really cool close up photos of the BNL.

Sidenote if any of you watched it on TV when they sang “If I had a million dollars” I was the only person in the crowd waving an Olympic flag.  I go put on the big screens in the stadium several times.  Turns out a $8 investment in an Olympic flag pays off huge for getting noticed in crowds.  Everyone is running around with a Canadian Flag (I have a huge one in my backpack at all times not just when I am at the Olympics) but Olympic flags are rare creatures.  I have yet to see anyone else carrying one.

Well that is the story of my adventuring tonight.  Feel free to post your first concert experience or those times you have had your experiences imporved by change in senerios.

Watching this Live was Cool

We have received our gold.

Seeing this was definitely the Olympic highlight so far.  First time Canada wins gold on home soil and being one of a handful in the arena to see it live.  This is what dreams are made of.  Years from now I can say I was there when Alex received his gold.  The most spine tingling moment was the anthem.  To hear the stadium singing their hearts out to “O Canada” was something I will never forget.

I was also thrilled that I nailed the French Version when it switched to it half way through.  I had spent a bunch of time before I came practicing the anthem in french because I wanted to be able to join in when a Canadian won Gold regardless of which official language the anthem was song in.

Seeing our flag flying high, hearing the anthem and knowing this was a Canadian Historical event, all I can say I am glad I chased this dream.

So I have to make a confession.  When I heard the artist that was performing tonight I wanted to sell off the ticket.

Up until Friday the website had said TBD for the performer for Feb 15th.  I had figured what the heck lets spend $22 and maybe the artist will be good.  I had even thought up various Canadian acts who would equal some of the other nights who are Nelly Frutudo, BNL, Great Big Sea and others.  So  thought if they are announced then who could it be.  Being the dreamer I am names like Bryan Adams, Celine Dion, Tragically Hip, Avril, Nickleback and others swirled in my head.  Then I read it was Gregory Charles.  Who in the world was that?

I have never heard of Gregory Charles but a quick youtube of his music made me think “Well he is good but do I really want to hear him”.  I thought I will buy another victory ceremony later on, Burton Cummings, and then just sell off my Feb 15th for face value and be all set.  Turned out the window to sell tickets online had closed. Darn. Now I am stuck with this ticket.  I then brought the ticket with me to church on the off chance I heard someone wanted to go at which point I would sell it for $20.  Again no such luck.  I figured ah well I guess I will just go see it.

Last night I was doing some blogging and watching the Men’s moguls.  I was hoping as all Canadians that we would at least medal tonight and maybe get that elusive GOLD finally.  Alexandre Bilodeau posted a great run and his story was inspirational.  I was thrilled we finally got GOLD.  So I continued writing away.  Then I got a text from Ryan asking if I was going to the medal ceremony on Monday where Canada’s first Gold on Canadian soil would be handed out and our anthem will be played across the PA.  It only then dawned on me that YES I am going to that tomorrow.  A ticket I was going to get rid of had become an invitation to a historical moment.  A Canadian getting Gold in Canada.  WOOOO HOOOO.   I would have been so sad if I actually had gotten rid of that ticket.  To quote the great philosopher Jagger “You Can’t Always Get What You Want, But If You Try Sometimes You Get What You Need”.  Just add that to the growing list of things that made this trip possible that were completely out of my control.

Taken at Granville Island

Well it took almost a week but I finally found what I was looking for.

My passion and enthusiasm for capturing images.  My breakneck pace the first few days, my lack of knowing the city, and just unwinding from regular life pretty much left me with very little desire to actually take photos.  I had even given up carrying most of the camera gear.  Well last night I finally was able to just relax and be in the moment.   I found that love of composing the images which normally is a very natural art of mine.  This skyline reminded me what it is like to capture with the camera what my mind sees.

I was also able to break out of my dry spell when interacting with people at the games.  Three separate conversations with a student, electrician and a nanny.  The student told me about how they sold off a Canada Men’s Hockey ticket and a medal ceremony to be able to see the opening ceremonies.  The student told me about the excitement of the ceremonies and what was in the box at their seat.  The electrician told me about what it was like to work at a venue.  You need a badge to get a badge to get another badge just to let you go about your daily work.  The nanny discussed what it was like being a spectator in the city.  We talked about some of the free stuff we both had seen over the previous days.

I am looking forward to kicking back now and just having fun taking pictures and talking with people.

Breath taking

So the story of the opening from the dreamer’s perspective.

Setting out to find a good screen and great atmosphere was my goal.  Okay yes in an ideal world some one would say to me on the subway hey here is a spare ticket come watch the ceremonies with me.  What can I say I dream big.  I had determined that being downtown as close to the ceremonies as possible would be ideal.  I knew from my journeying the previous days that Bell Ice Cube was right beside the arena and looked really cool from the outside.  I decided that this would be the best spot to watch the ceremonies from.  Making the trip across the city as mass transit was already getting shut down took about 40 mins.  I met a fellow from BC in line who noticed by pin lanyard and wanted to make a deal.  My first real pin trade at the games.  His selection was limited but what the heck make the deal.  Once inside I realized it was an interesting pavilion but re lacked the atmosphere I desired.  It felt to corporate.  Now I had to decide where to go now.  I had left my back pack and info sheets at home since I had thought Bell would be it.  So where to go now?  Do I suck it up and stand in the rain at a better venue or stay dry in this weak venue.

Well after some thought I opted to go back across the city to Hockey House as I knew it was a good venue and would have the ceremonies out side and was right beside BC Place.  This would at least provide my desired atmosphere.  Only flaw in my plan was it is now 445 and the ceremonies start at 600.  By now security has pushed out 2 blocks from the arena and there was now a very load, very energized protest group that stood out 2 blocks as well.  If you have ever been to a sports arena you know having to keep a 4 block radius as you circle it becomes rather long.  Fortunately there was only protesters on one city block so it wasn’t that hard to walk around them.  I am now only a 5 min walk to Hockey House and opt for a hot chocolate at Starbucks.  Again thankful for my gift card. With something warm I head out to Hockey House.  I get to Hockey House and realize as much as I didn’t like the corporate feel at Bell Ice Cube at least they were showing the Opening.  Bloody Molson Hockey House only showing their own commercial over and over and over and over and over.  Now what to do?  Ontario’s Pavilion was rather busy and if I wanted to watch the Ceremonies in something Ontarian I would not have flow out to BC.

Thank goodness for Saskatchewan House.  I thought well this could be the answer.  Nice atmosphere? Actually have the ceremonies? Let’s check it out.  It was a giant tent but definitely had the fans I was looking for.  I walked around to see if I could find a seat at a table. Now it is 540 so let’s be honest the seats are gone.  Then I found a group of people sitting on the carpeted floor at the front. Perfect!!!  People kicking back sitting, laying, laughing and cheering as if they were on a living room floor.  I can even see BC Place through the window.

I wanted to share this moment with friends.  So I sent out a few text messages to Daryl, Ashley, and Adam.  I think I talked to them more then I actually watched the parade of athletes.  It was so much fun talking with them about what we were watching on tv (as we were watching the same thing) yet knowing I am actually at the games.

The eight who brought the Olympic flag in were the right ones to do it.  Bobby Orr, Anne Murray, Jacques Villeneuve, Betty Fox, Barbara Ann Scott-King, Roméo Dallaire, Julie Payette, Donald Sutherland.  These were people who have represtened Canada to the world for years and what better group to do it one more time. Only to be topped by the torch bearers. Rich Hansen, Catriona LeMay Doan, Steve Nash, Nancy Greene and Wayne Gretzky. These athletes are the best in the world and guess what they are Canadian.  You should have heard the explosion of cheers when Wayne stepped out.  It was electrifying.   Then to see the flame in the cauldron. All I can say is wow.

The question through out the lead up to the Olympics was “Do You Believe”.

Well this dreamer sure does.

Crowd During Opening

Well this is it.  I am all packed and ready to go.  I fly out tomorrow morning at 5.  Oh how I have enjoyed seeing so many people over the last few weeks who wished me well on my trip.  Those visits, those embraces, those phone calls. most of all that love.

I feel that the closing line from my first post is appropriate now, So as I get ready to set out with the wind at my back and a song in my heart, I know I do it with a heart wide open to what dreams may come.

Brian