Where are all the flags?

Okay, the Olympics are over, and I for one am amazed. Going in, I was not the biggest supporter of the Olympics, as I believed that there really was a better way to spend the money, especially in light of the recent events in Haiti and so forth. So I was not really prepared to spend countless hours in front of the TV watching the world compete.

I enjoyed coverage of all the Olympics, although I must admit that I avoided men's figure skating as much as possible - not that I don't think they're athletes or anything, just that their costumes don't leave a lot to the imagination. I watched more than my fair share of curling, bobsleigh and pairs figure skating, I almost lost my mind during the last 2 minutes of the semi final and final Men's hockey game, and I also shed a tear when Joannie Rochette skated for a bronze.

During the games, I had the unique opportunity to travel to Vancouver for company business. The nature of my business had me working odd hours, and as such, I was not able to enjoy the Olympics to the extent that I should have. I did, however, get a chance to walk around downtown Vancouver and get a picture of the flame. What stood out for me was a sea of Red, Yellow, Black, Green and Blue. Everyone dressed in some manner, sporting the Canada line from HBC. As an aside, the HBC store in downtown Vancouver had a separate area for this line, and you had to line up for 45 min to get into that area before buying stuff.

Canadian Pride. That's what I saw.

Once I noticed this, you couldn't walk 2 feet without seeing someone with a flag on their car, even the cab drivers were sporting Canada flags. Sure, there were other country supporters there too, and they were all sporting their particular brand of patriotic clothing, but for the most part - far and beyond, it was Canada all the way.

Buildings were decked out in Canadiana, flags hanging in windows of highrises, on balconies of conds. Little dogs were running around with Canadian sweaters.

Then I came back to Toronto. No flags on cars. Sure, there were people walking around in Canada gear, with the cool hats and the print coats - but no flags on the cars.

In comparison to the World Cup, there are flags all over the place. Are we, in the GTA, embarassed to be Canadian? Do we even consider ourselves to be Canadian? I remember growing up, everyone would talk about being something other than Canadian, where their parents, and sometimes even grandparents were from.

This brought me back to the Monday after the opening ceremonies. I was listening to Q107 in the morning, the John Derringer show. I like it because I like Maureen Holloway. John and Mo were going on about the opening ceremonies, and Mo said about how it was "Stereotypically Canadian" with the native indian focus and so on.

My question to Mo is, what is really Canadian then? What would you showcase at an event such as the opening ceremonies for the Olympic Winter Games that would convey to everyone what Canada is all about? Would it be Bob and Doug? Would it the theme be "We're just like the Americans, but friendlier"? Or would it be a showcase of the peoples who actually live in the country and still practice the same traditions their forefathers did hundreds of years ago. Who says that the people in the big centres of Canada, such as the GTA, have the final say on what is Canadian?

What makes me Canadian? Not my birth, although that allows me to stay in this country. It's a fierce loyalty to what I know and love about this country, the way that we welcome people from all over the world and don't force them to conform to our customs and ways. It's an appreciation of what we have in this country, large cities and vast unpopulated forests at the same time.

People have asked what my Nationality is. I tell them Canadian. My Dad was from Scotland, my Mom was nth generation Canadian. I was born here. I love it here.

I Am Canadian.

And I am putting my flag back up.

... the length his extension cords

While surfing the internet this am for tips on installing laminate sheeting on a counter top, I came upon the inevitable Facebook. -- just happens to be the home page on our home computer. While looking at my friends updates, I notice a lot of "A year in review" and "Status Collage for 2009". What gets us into this nostalgic mood? How much did the year 2009 mean to us that we have to mourn it's passing? Time is measured in many units, and only one of those is a year. So I say, let's just get back to it.

I have a new saying lately. It is "A man's worth can be judged by the length of his extension cords". That's it. Nothing dirty, I am talking about those orange or yellow cords that allow you to run your "Skil" saw up to 50 feet away from the outlet. I have 7 of these such gems, and all measuring 30 feet or more. I just can't seem to get enough of them. Oh, and they have to be 3 prong, no 2 prong white or brown ones, they don't count.

As some of you know, I am in the midst of a home reno - we have moved on to the kitchen. My Wife, Sonia, has been very forgiving of the extension cords lying about, as she understands they are a necessity and also recognizes the means to an end. ( I think she's a little impressed by the sheer length of them when placed end to end ). But I digress. The reno was sidelined by the holiday season, and now that my four days of Christmas are over, it's time to get back to the good stuff. On to cupboards and countertops - a task from which I am currently procrastinating.

Speaking of the holiday season, this one was a blast. Four straight days of food, and excellent food it was. Time spent with friends and family, what could be better than that? The look in a child's eye when you give him a present and he rips open the wrapping to find inside a book of short stories and a pair of socks -- it brings a tear to my eye every time! :-) (anyone who knows me knows that I will only allow books and socks as gifts if there is a sizeable toy to allow the child to expunge the memory of said socks and books from his memory, lest he be tempted to egg my house at a later date).

Well, I guess it's time for a trip to Home Depot for a can of contact cement, some dowels, and a brush. I may even pick up a new extension cord.

The MLSE Curse

I am a TFC Fan. What happened this Saturday night embarasses me. I can't believe that my team lost 5-0 against the worst team in the conference, a team that had nothing to prove. It's embarassing, and I am seriously questioning spending any money on further TFC games, gear, or anything to do with the franchise.

I am heartbroken.

I could concede if we won 2-1 and New England won 4-1 and eliminated us. But no. We had to go out on the worst defeat in club history.

Have I mentioned I am embarassed?

I want answers, and I want blood. But most of all, right now, I want out. I seriously enjoy watching the TFC play. I enjoy the games, and the other fans that I have come to know as family. This recent loss marrs this whole thing for me. I wonder if at this point we can beat a high school soccer team, or for that matter, my 4 year old nephew's socccer team.

Words cannot express the betrayal I feel. And it is betrayal. There is no other explanation. I have been a Leaf fan for all of my life, and have had my heart broken time and time again by them. When was the last time the Leafs were in the playoffs? What about the Raptors? Or the Toronto Rock? How about the Argos?

Why doesn't Toronto just give up, move all the francises out of here and just become a city who supports other teams.

That is what I am feeling right now. I used to feel like I was part of something big, but now, I just don't know.

No Left Turns

So the other day I was leaving a gas station around work after filling up. This particular gas station has been open for a couple of years now, and let me tell you, since it has been opened it has been a life saver. I work in the Beaches (yes, Beaches, not the Beach - that's a topic for another blog) and there isn't a lot in the way of gas stations around.

The Esso at Carlaw and Lakeshore changed all that.

For those that are not familiar with the area, Lakeshore runs east/west through this area with a wide median. Carlaw, runs north /south. If you leave the gas station on Lakeshore, your only alternative is to go eastboud, even though I live in the west end of the GTA.

But now, when you exit the station on Carlaw, between the hours of 6am and 6pm, you are forced to go southbound to get back onto Lakeshore. This route will take you all the way back to Leslie St, then back up to Lakeshore, then along Lakeshore, past Carlaw, and back onto the Gardiner. The end result -- Approx 5 km extra.

Or, better yet, you can try and make a U Turn on Carlaw to go North again.

So my questions are as follows:

1) Can the police enforce a traffic sign controlling traffic from a private driveway onto a public street? After all, if push came to shove, they could install an island in the middle of Carlaw.

2) Why, all of a sudden, is this an issue? Why didn't the city planners take a look at the plan when the Esso was to be opened and maybe suggest a roundabout way to get back onto Carlaw to make the Left turn north? Why does it have to be an afterthought?

I know at times the traffic can be really bad there, and there have been times where the lineup on Carlaw to get onto Lakeshore is so deep I have driven back to Leslie to get around. But I tend to avoid the Esso during those times.

It just seems silly to me to be giving out tickets to people making a left hand turn out of a gas station. I can think of better uses of Police time.