It's Time

After our last place team lost a one goal game and their last shift was botched by some lazy reffing emails started pouring in as to how we could better run the clock. Most of the ideas have been tried and fail only because we can't be consistent and offer the same game format to every team during an afternoon. I suggested going to 3 ten minute periods with a 2 minute buzzer as LMHL runs novice. After hearing no further comments I posted the experiment would happen during last Saturday's games. Then the emails flooded in with some people thinking this was a step towards a more competitive structure. Undaunted by the negative we ran the experiment and by the end of the three game afternoon the response was overwhelming. Everyone loves stop time. Northwood stop time is officially out of the experimental phase. I think we could manage 3 twelve minute periods if people can get their skaters to the rink on time.

My 9 hour stint on the clock at Delaney was a long one. I've been doing mostly novice (7-8 year olds) games with lots of goals and few penalties. Friday I had peewee and bantam games which are full of penalties. Bantam games normally have a two man timekeeping team but for the tournament I was solo. I just about filled a page in a 15 goal bantam game. I was certainly glad to pop in the ear buds and hike home.

Tonight I have a meeting with Northwood coaches followed by a meeting of interested parents. I'm hoping to fill some positions and create a few committees to help run things. Not getting my hopes up but even if a dozen show I'll be pleased.

Cold Irony

With the temps around town hovering around 0 it was still cold at the rink last night. I went straight from work to Delaney so I didn't have the Arctic gear on but never considered it would be colder inside. The rink attendant had the heaters on over the screaming hockey moms but not the penalty box. You'd think the bills for heating the rink came out of his pocket. They better be on high Friday as I'm on the clock for 9 straight hours.

Someone at our local paper has a sense of humour. The continuation of the story regarding the mayor's rosy state of the city address is subtitled "City On the Fast Track". Next to it is the coverage of "Call Centre Closing" and the loss of another 190 jobs. When the call centres and the sex shops close you know things aren't quite that rosy.

Still Got It

I was beginning to question whether the cycling bug had left me. No outdoor rides since December 1st is the longest I've gone in I don't know how long, 2 years? I got out on Eyowen today just across a few roads , down back lanes and then the bike paths around the college and out to the corner of Arthur and the expressway, about 15km. And I felt great after getting used to the bumpy ride and slower than normal pace. Just what I needed to get back into the groove.

Almost Back

The Dell is almost back to 100% operational, almost. I trashed the registry somehow and had to get remote help from the Dell folks to get Windows back. Could have done the re-install myself but I had a file that wasn't backed up that I required. I wanted to do it anyway but was not as prepared as I would have liked. I now have a bootable linux cd in case anything like that happens again. Backing up regularly, which I do, does not save all the programs you have installed so that is the biggest headache. I have a few things left to re-install, flight-sim being the biggest and nastiest to deal with.

I attended the second meeting of the Active Transportation/Education committee yesterday and I have to say the ideas coming out of the group are very progressive. If we can get even 1/3 of them implemented Thunder Bay will see big change. Some of the proposals seem so far off the wall for a small city (rent-a-bike like Paris/Montreal) but there is money out there to make it happen so we'll see. I'd be happy just to see some more trails and bike lanes for getting around town. The first bike lanes open this spring so it should be interesting to see how it goes over.

Canada's Game, Play It

Seems to me that Team Canada was good for the last 4 minutes of the gold medal game when they threw caution to the wind and desperation took control. Prior to that they played a game that was timid, over disciplined and definitely not the style of game we have come to expect or more accurately, demand. Do you remember even one big hit, that tone sending crunch that might result in a penalty but surely sends the message to keep the noggin up? Me neither. Remember the guy who got Phaneuffed in '05? Sure you do. Remember when Sweden's hot defenseman Hedman got hit early in a game against Canada and then developed an allergy to the puck? Me too. Canada has to play Canada's game Canada's way or we're just another bunch of Ovechkin wannabes trying to toedrag our way into the spotlight. How many times did you yell "shoot the puck" or "hit the GD net"? I lost count. Too cute and not enough grit. That's my two cents.

My Friend Apnea

He's never far way, and over the course of the last month or so he's been climbing on my back. It took me about 12 pounds to realize that something was wrong. I didn't have any energy, didn't really feel like riding or walking or doing anything. I've been looking for things to do and then not wanting to do them once found. I've been dozing alot more in the evenings. Last night I tightened up my mask and I think that may have cured the energy drain as I felt much more with it today (it's 1am as I write this and I got up at 6:15am). A leaking mask causes me to have smaller apnea episodes and it used to drive me crazy to have the pressurized air sneaking between my face and the mask seal. I guess I've gotten used to it and can sleep (poorly) right through it. Now if I can stay out of the fridge and the Christmas goodies maybe I can get myself back on track. I'd love to go for a ride on Molly right now. I have the desire and the energy just not the guts to ride skinny tires on ice and snow, especially at 1am.