A Change of Pace

Been thinking lots lately about what I should really be doing with my life. I like my job but unfortunately I work from home and there is never anyone to talk to except over the phone. I'm a people person and I really need that interaction. After over 2 years of working from home I've realized that I can't do this anymore.

But it goes deeper than that. I could get another job and that would be great, but I don't think I want just any job. I really want to know what God wants me to do with my life. I've currently been pondering if I should maybe enter into a full time ministry position...not a pastor or anything, but a position that encompasses my passions, allows me to interact with people and help further God's kingdom. I've got an idea in my mind and am praying to see if that is something God wants me to pursue.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

David Beckham To Play Soccer in Edmonton

I was pretty pumped when I first found out that David Beckham and the LA Galaxy will be coming to Edmonton to play an exhibition soccer match against the Vancouver Whitecaps. For those of you who don't play soccer...this is a pretty big deal!

Ever since Beckham was signed on for uber millions of dollars to play for the LA Galaxy, interest in soccer in North America has been heightened. People who had never heard of soccer were buying tickets to go watch a great soccer player play the game in North America. There were still tickets available for Toronto FC home games, but as soon as the Beckham deal was announced and that he would be coming to play a game in Toronto when Toronto FC played the LA Galaxy, the season tickets were gone instantly. Unfortunately for all those people he got injured and never played when LA Galaxy was in Toronto, but there's always next year right?

The reason I'm no longer excited about this is that the game is on May 13 at 7:00pm. Any guesses on what day of the week that is? It's a Tuesday. What in the world are these organizers thinking!! "Uh, yeah, let's bring the most popular soccer play in North America to Edmonton and in order to get the most number of people out we'll bring him out on a ...(random pointing of finger on calendar with eyes closed) Tuesday. That's a good night because there's nothing good on TV that night so everyone will come." Ok, maybe that's a great night for people who live in Edmonton, but what about those people who are soccer fans that may need to drive a ways to get there. What about all the Vancouver Whitecaps fans who might want to support their team. We can't just take days off in the middle of the week to drive/fly to Edmonton to watch a game. I love soccer but that's just not going to happen.

Then there is the ticket prices. I bought tickets to a double header U20 FIFA World Cup game in Edmonton with seats on the centre line for $30. The U20 World Cup are the best players there are in the world and someof those players are already playing for their national team. But guess how much tickets are for this game. $25 for Bronze, $45 for Silver and $85 for Gold. WHAT!! I realize David is a great player but we are talking about the Vancouver Whitecaps and the LA Galaxy. With those teams combined they maybe have (counting in my head) one amazing player...David Beckham!! So they expect people to pay an average of $51 to go watch David Beckham play some soccer (and he's only guaranteed to play for 45 minutes of the game...assuming he's not injured at the time).

So, to all you Edmontonian females who have wads of cash, this is your big chance to see David up close because no out of town soccer fans will be forking over $85 dollars to watch him play a few minutes in an exhibition game....at least not this one.

Wait No Longer...U2 Is Back

It has been announced here and here that U2 is going back into the studio to create a new album. Now for many of you that is not interesting at all and you're about to stop reading already. But for the other 99% of the world this is big news!

It's not a big secret that I'm a big U2 fan. It may not have come out as much over the last few years and I know I have been listening to something other than U2 lately, but that is just because there really hasn't been much going on with U2 besides saving the world...any everyone is doing that these days so who really cares. But now that a new album is being produced I can once again hang up my extra large U2 poster that Shiela bought me while we were dating. I can pull out all my original U2 CD's (that's right kids...not MP3 files...actual CD's...that I bought) I have and even my U2 Without or Without You single on a 45 record...that unfortunately melted in the sun before I even got to listen to it, but that's another story.

The best part about waiting for a new U2 album is that you have no idea what you are going to get. Every album they produce is so different than the previous one. I think that is what makes them so great and also how they have been able to remain popular through the last three decades. Their music is constantly changing and ends up sounding amazing. I usually start off listening to a new U2 CD not too sure if I'm going to like it, but then after a few listens I'm in love with it and can't turn it off.

I think in preparation for this great big event in October I should devote myself to listening exclusively to U2 music, just to get back in the feel of it. We'll see how that pans out...all I know is that I will be buying this new CD (yes kids, you heard right, not a free download, but actually pay money...probably from an actual CD store even) as soon as it comes out. I hope you do too because you know they will donate part of the money to save the world...it's the Bono way.

Family Day is Just Another Holiday

For all of you who live in one of the provinces with a government who was trying desperately to buy some votes so they could stay in power for another 4 years, you have today off as a holiday. I'm not sure who this all includes but I know for sure it is Alberta (who started the trend), then Saskatchewan jumped on board and now Ontario and Manitoba did too. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining...I love any holiday you can throw my way. The thing I find funny is what they actually named the holiday here in Saskatchewan...Family Day.

I can see how maybe they had trouble coming up with a good name for this excuse for a day off. I mean seriously, the holiday is in the middle of February so what else are you going to call it..."We Need a Break Day" or "It's Just Too Cold Day" or maybe "Get Your Butt in Gear As the Summer Is Approaching and Those 6-Pack Abs Aren't Going To Happen On Their Own Day (although I'm personally still holding out for a miracle!)

The part I find funny is that because it is named Family Day, everyone is feeling pressured to spend that day with their families. I mean, just because it is named Family Day that doesn't mean you have to go out and spend time with your family. Do you personally spend time remembering Victoria on Victoria Day, or working twice as hard as before on Labour Day?!? I've heard it multiple times already today. I was at the Field House playing badminton for the last 3 hours (and my arm is going to feel it for the next 3 days!) and I ran into someone who was there with their family because they felt they should do something with the kids since it was Family Day. Then I also heard of other people that were getting together for a "Family Day" in the evening because it was Family Day. And don't forget about the party happening down at the Speed Skating Oval where there is free skating and hot chocolate...but you have to be there as a family*.

Now don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with spending time with your family and I should probably spend more time with mine, but what the government doesn't realize is that by calling it Family Day they have opened up another can of worms and created more internal conflict within families. Now newlywed and other couples have to once again have the big discussion about whose parents they are going to go visit on Family Day. All their extended family wants them to come visit and so now just like Christmas and Thanksgiving they have to once again figure out where they should go. This supposedly great holiday could easily turn into a heated argument, hurt feelings and in-laws that think you hate them because you decided to not come by for this years Family Day.

To you married couples...I feel sorry for you and best of luck. To the government, why don't you just rename the holiday to something else so people can just stay at home and relax without the pressure of visiting their families again. I think "Do What You Want Day" is an excellent choice...that sounds more like it! Excuse me while I go do just that and drink a Coke!

Any other ideas for what this holiday should be named?

*Single people can come and claim themselves as a family of one so they can skate and get free hot chocolate

Try This On Your Birthday!

As I near 30 years old I find it is not really that hard to blow out all the candles on my birthday cake. Maybe I need a bit more of a challenge like Gerlad Green had this weekend!

The Garden of Eden

I have always read about the Garden of Eden in the Bible and it sounded like such a lovely place. Lots of green grass and plants, palm trees, friendly animals scurrying around and my wife lying around naked...ah that would be the life! But normally after picturing this in my mind I wake up to snowy, blustery blizzards with the temperature dipping to around -50 degrees Celsius...that was until this year!

A few weeks ago Shiela and I ventured off onto an adventure into the Garden of Eden along with another couple we are good friends with. As we sailed away on an extremely cramped and uncomfortable charter flight we waved goodbye (I think I saw some people actually giving the finger) to the cold Saskatoon weather and settled in for a nice 6 hour flight to where the air is hot all year round...the Dominican Republic (Puerto Plata specifically).

We were off to stay at an all inclusive resort for the very first time. The first great shock we received (besides the beautiful warm air on our face as we left the airport) was walking into our room and seeing three twin beds. Ironically we had specifically asked for at least one of the beds to be a queen, but I guess something had got lost in translation which I found a little hard to understand since we booked it in Saskatoon where our travel agent spoke English. But, as they say in the Domincan...No Problem! We simply pushed two twin beds together and ended up making it into a King. The funny part was the next morning after housekeeping had been to our room we came back and the housekeeper had seen what we had done, so they ended up making our bed with king size bedding and we essentially had a king size bed for the rest of the time there.

The resort was great and it was all you could eat food 23 hours per day...only between 5:00-6:00pm did I have trouble finding something to eat as the buffet was closed to get ready for supper and both the beach and the Pizzeria restaurants were closed at 5:00pm too. But that was no problem because honestly I wasn't hungry the entire time I was there. I just ate because it was time to eat...and even when it wasn't time to eat. We pretty much ate pizza constantly as the Pizzeria was right by the pool and was very good.

Our resort also was essentially the Garden of Eden. There was unlimited fruit you could eat, there was green grass and palm tress everywhere. there were animals wandering around like birds, cats, peacocks, and geckos and there were nearly naked people lying around every so often (though not our wives as they opted to keep their tops on). But it's true what they say...it wasn't the good looking people that took their tops off...yikes! It was pretty easy to avert your eyes a different direction.

Because the Dominican is close to the equator there is essentially 12 hours of sunshine and 12 hours of night time. Which means that by around 4:30pm or so nobody was at the beach anymore and everyone was getting ready for the nightly entertainment. Our resort had an animation team that had nicknames like Shaggy, Macho Macho, Mr. Spaghetti and Mr. Belly. During the day they hung around by the pool and got people involved in things like water polo, beach volleyball, mini golf, water aerobics, etc. We participated during the day sometimes and we all entered the long shot basketball competition (which we all lost because no one could sink a shot), played some water polo, played beach volleyball (Team Canada beat Team England) and I even participated in the water aerobics one day. In the evening they would start their show around 9:15pm or so (Dominican time so that was pretty flexible) and they would put on a show where they did skits or some dances, etc. It wasn't Vegas, but it was not bad and on the shows they did where they danced to different Disney movies was good, as well as their Hollywood night which was actually Broadway as they did a number of songs from different musicals.

Pictures: The pink guy in the picture was leading the aerobics the day I took part...he eventually jumped in the water with us**)

The other fun thing they do every night was an ice breaker. This was essentially just a way to get the crowd involved and laughing. The very first night we were there our friend got pulled onto stage. All I can say is that the number 4 has a whole new meaning to him now (think Michael Jackson). Another night we watched as the people on stage had to go out to the crowd and get items from the crowd (or themselves if they had it). It started off easy with a pen, then two drinks, etc. But it got more risky when they started to ask for 3 pairs of pants and shirts! And then riskier when the final item they needed were three bras...and they actually got them from people!! At the end the animation team took all the clothes they had received from people and in one big pile people had one minute to run up and get their clothes back! It was hilarious to watch the crowd of peopel swarm the stage...and then the turned the lights out! That was funny (and I was so glad I wasn't on stage that night).

Pictures: The one is the group shot of the animation team (notice they grabbed Shiela for the photo...can't blame them!!) The other photo is us four with Shaggy and Macho Macho.

The final night we were there I did end up on stage but lucky for me it was an easy one. We had to sing La Bamba in Spanish (they had a clipboard with the words on it). I did the best I could and it ended up coming down to me and this other guy from England. The winner was determined by the crowd and it was essentially everyone cheering for their country...which England had a lot more of. But in the end our Canadians came through and we ended up with a tie which won both of us a bottle of rum. It was a great way to end things off.

The cool thing about being in a different country is that you get to meet a lot of people from other countries as well. We ended up hanging out with some people we met from Scotland quite a bit and we also talked a lot of with some people from England. That was neat and you learn a bit about other countries through it all (while laughing on the inside at all their accents!)

We also went on a few excursions. The best one by far was the Outback Jungle Safari. Our tour guide Rudy was amazing and gave us lots of details about the Dominican and just had fun with all the tourists. And the things he did on that truck could never be done in Canada. For instance, he hung off the back of the truck while handing out drinks (including alcohol) to people on the truck. He climbed off onto the side of the truck to pull things off trees as we went by. And if you asked for a Pepsi and Rum (the Pepsi was the only bad part of the tour) he would take a Pepsi, open the bottle cap with another Pepsi, turn around and pour some of the Pepsi into the street and then pour some of the rum into the Pepsi bottle. Then he would put the cap back on, shake it up a bit and pass it down to whoever ordered it! Oh, and don't forget that he is doing this while hanging off the back of the truck the whole time while cruising down the highway!

The Safari was great as we saw the Dominican countryside, went to a real Dominican house in the country and had some coffee, visited a fruit plantation where we at grapefruit freshly picked, swam in a river, and went boogie boarding in the ocean. Definately worth every penny!

Pictures: Rudy (our guide) handing out drinks on the tour. Shiela and I holding a crocidile. A young boy holding two snakes for us to see as we travelled down a river on the tour boat.

We also went on a quad tour which was fun too. We each had a quad and cruised around behind our tour guide through some back roads, through puddles, through the city streets and to the ocean as well. The tour guide for this was not very good at all, but the quadding was a lot of fun.

Picture: This was the four of us after the tour...we were pretty muddy and then we walked right by everyone at the pool! I think they sold about 5 more tours because people saw how much fun we had.

Our final excursion was a snorkeling one to Sosua Beach. Unfortunately though, the waves were too big that morning and so the snorkeling wouldn't be good and we didn't get to go into the water but rather had to stay on the beach. That was fine as we did a bunch of shopping in all the shops along there and bought some souvenirs. Next time we go we'll actually go scuba diving which would be a lot of fun. My friends wife and I did an introductory scuba diving less0n in the pool and it was pretty neat. Very weird to be actually breathing under water.

Picture: This was at the entrance to Sosua beach and all the shops. To the right is the "Treehouse" which has a tree growing right up through the shop!

After the week was up it was time to once again cram onto the uncomfortable charter flight back to the extremely cold weather. The best part was we missed all the -50 degree weather which was great and it was a balmy -25 or so when we got home. Will I ever venture to the Garden of Eden again...most definately. These hot vacations are definately the way to go and I can't wait to visit more Garden's in some other countries too.

Any recommendations on where we should go next?