Sens: Things looking up?

After their dismal start, I get encouraged when I see the word 'surging' used to describe the Senators.

Heatley, Senators Stomp Panthers

Beating the Panthers is really nothing to rave about, but the team is now 7-3-0 its last 10 games, and over .500 for the first time since the beginning of the season. Heatley has found his touch, Alfredsson is putting in the occasional goal, and the secondary scoring (Fisher, Eaves, and my main man Chris Neil) has finally showed up. Emery has been solid all year and Gerber had a good game this week (there's hope yet!).

What I'd really like to see is more close victories. It seems most of their wins are still of the 'win by 3+ goals' variety. That makes for a fun game for the fans, but playoff hockey is always much tighter. We all saw what happened last year when the Sens couldn't win a close game in the playoffs.

In any case, there's reason for optimism now.

All she... wants is....

Jade's been coming up with ideas of what she might like for Xmas. My hopes of her growing up a tomboy are diminishing rapidly, as she definitely has an affinity for girly toys.

She has a tendency to pull things out of the air, so some of her ideas I have to laugh off. Recently, she asked for a pony. Not that usual, sure. Oh, but it had to be a pink pony. Of course, pink being her favourite colour. Should still be doable. Also, it needed to be a baby pony "with a bubba" (soother). Ok, now you're just being silly Jade. Ponies don't have bubbas.

When my brother asked me for gift ideas for Jade, I jokingly added the mythical pony to my list. A day later, my brother replies to me with this:



Behold, the My Little Pony Good Morning Sunshine pony.
















Well spank my ass and call me Charlie, she wasn't making it up. There IS a pink baby pony with a bubba. She must have seen the commercial. I guess that's what TV advertising is supposed to do, huh?

Unfortunately, the pony has really poor reviews. It apparently has a habit of breaking down the day after it's bought. Toys 'r us has apparently noticed, as they are clearing them out at 50% off.

I'll just have to get Jade a unicorn instead. :)

A better alternative to paintball?

I went with a bunch of folks to TagZone last night.

It's basically a cross between Lazer Tag and Paintball. You have the guns and the masks from paintball, only instead of paintballs, your ammo is small marble sized foam balls. Also, instead of running around in a field or forest, you're in a darkened warehouse space with corridors and cubby holes much like Lazer Tag.

It has a lot of advantages over Paintball:

1. Since everything is close-quarters, the games are quick. If you get killed at the beginning of the game you don't have to wait a long time for the next.
   
2. The ammo is renewable, between games you pick up ammo to reuse so you don't have to spend extra money and buy it.
   
3. It's not too expensive, $37 for 2 hours ($32 with the free membership).
   
4. It's indoors, you don't have to worry about weather conditions.
   
5. You can play at night (duh).
   
   

Another cool thing is that they advertise an "all-nighter": Midnight to 4am for $45 including free pizza. You can bring in your beer, drink and then go shoot each other! Fun!!

Now, it still stings a bit when you're hit but it's not nearly as bad as the paintballs. I've only got one mark on my upper thigh. Looks like a hickie, really.

Next time we get the gang together, we are SO doing this!

When hard bands go soft...

I pout a little bit.

Now, it's not that I only like hard, heavy music. That's far from the truth. I really like Tori Amos, the Murmurs, Etro Anime and yes, sometimes even Sarah McLaughlin.

But when a band lightens their sound, I can't help but feel they've done so to become more marketable. And really you can't blame them, they want to make money just as much as anyone.

Listening to some of my older MP3's today reminded me how much I like Sugar Ray. Yes, the Sugar Ray that did 'Fly' and 'Someday' and 'When It's Over' and other Easy Rock radio station favourites. But I ask you, did you know about them before 'Fly'?

From their 1995 album, here's 'Mean Machine':


And still one of my favourite songs, 'Ten Seconds Down':



It's funny, one of the Mean Machine comments is "wtf happened?". My sentiments exactly. Somehow years later, the band's sound was more like this:




Now, it's not a BAD SONG (not my cup o' tea), it's just a complete transformation from what they were. I miss the old Sugar Ray.

I already know what Sara's going to say: "I'd sit on Mark McGrath's lap in a second!" :P

Warning: Jade Content!

Check this out, Jade learned a nifty technique for putting on a coat. (Warning: It's a bit dark, you may want to turn up your monitor. My camera sux.)



Since she picked it up at daycare, it's now known as the 'Daycare Flip'.

Makes me wonder why I never thought of putting on a coat this way. So much more simple! ;)

Yeah, things a lot better now, aren't they?

Basically in a state of civil war, curfew established, hundreds being killed every week, USA discussing initiating a draft.

Iraq is so much better off now with Saddam Hussein being thrown out and American occupation, isn't it?

Forget about referring to Iraq as another Vietnam, this is worse.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/11/22/iraq.main/index.html