Thank you

Thank you everyone who left me such lovely comments about the Kreativ Blogger award.  Sorry for the delay in replying, but, as usual I’ve been crazy busy. 

At this moment, I am typing on a computer in the Olds College Library.  It’s a beautiful spot.  Both the library and Olds.

I am here on a CUPE Weeklong School retreat.  Taking New Officer’s training.  As I’m now 3 years into my term as President of our Local I wouldn’t consider myself a ‘new’ officer, but I figured the training might have some relevant stuff. 

Turns out the first two days are all about public speaking.  Now, I can speak, some times endlessly.  I’m also fairly confident getting up in front of a crowd and saying a few words on behalf of whatever.  But, when it comes to personal stuff — that’s a whole new ballgame.

We started out having to give a short, 2-minute, blurb about ourselves.  I wrote it out no problem, but when I had to get up and read in front of everyone.  Well.  I was nervous.  My voice shook.  My hands shook.  I couldn’t look at anyone.  Of course, everyone was kind and told me I did fine, but I felt ridiculous as I walked away from the podium.

Today, I have to make a 5-minute speech.  We were told it can be about anything we like.  I chose New York.  Because, well, it’s the greatest city on earth (that I’ve been to) and I love it there.  Am planning my third trip. 

So, anyway I practiced my speech in front of my roommates last night.  Apparently I say um and and a lot.  Also I bob and weave.  Looks like I’m trying to dodge a fight.  The first time I did it, it took me 10 minutes.  Decided that I had to drop a lot of extra detail if I was going to make the 5-minute mark. 

Gave it another go.  Got it down to exactly 5 minutes, but still too many ums and ands.  Tried concentrating on standing still, but then I felt like a total knob.  Maybe I’ll just try swaying.  Oh, another thing I do, I wave my hands around.  But I think that could be a good thing.  Distract people from the panic-stricken look on my face.

On my walk this morning I gave myself a pep-talk.  This is not life and death.  This is just a short speech in front of people who will treat me kindly.  I’m third to go this morning, so I’ll be getting it over with quickly.  Once it’s done, it’s done.  I can move on and put it behind me.

I love to write.  I think I wrote a very good speech.  It’s the speaking part that terrifies me.  But, I can fake the confidence I need.  I know I can. 

And you know what else is really lovely about this place?  There are horses out behind the residences where I’m staying.  And they have foals.  New ones.  There are even a couple of sets of twins.  I watched them playing in their pens beside their dams this morning. 

God, they are the sweetest little things with long, gambly legs and their soft twitchy noses.  They were calling out to one another, but because they’re separated by fences the most they can do is bump noses before leaping away and kicking their little heels in the air. 

Meanwhile, moms are standing eyeing me like I’m some sort of predator.  With a soft nicker they’d summon their young back to their side.  They’d come, reluctantly, and mom would give them a reassuring touch, but the babies would toss their little heads in impatience and leap away. 

Hopefully, later, during a break I’ll be able to get back over to the pens when staff are present and get up close and personal with a couple of these little beauties.

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Tuesday, June 14 — One more game to go

As the entire world knows by now — the ‘boys’ lost last night.

Of course, we knew they would.

I wanted a different outcome — but that would have been rubbing dirt in Boston’s face.  So what?  is all I can come up with.

The first period and four goals in 4 minutes — two of them scored within 35 seconds of each other — was a disaster.  They pulled Luongo after he let in the third.  Thank God.  I was literally sick to my stomach.

It was a tough game to watch, but I do have to say that the Canucks managed to pull themselves together enough to hold Boston at bay for nearly the rest of the game.  When the Canucks scored their first goal  I had the audacity to think that they could actually come back to tie up the game, send it into overtime and then win the damn thing!

Ha!  Stupid me.  What they did instead was take two ridiculous penalties allowing Boston to score their 5th goal.  Vancouver managed to get another one in the net, but really it was a lost cause, and I knew it.

Still, like it was a train-wreck, I rubber-necked, unable to tear myself away.  All the while hurling more epithets and curses at my poor television than even I thought I was capable of.  My husband shook his head in wonder.  “Remind me to never take you to a live game,”  was all he said.  I just glared.

Personally, this is my theory on what happened last night:  Luongo let in those three goals on purpose so that he could be pulled and allowed to rest up in preparation for the big game tomorrow night.  See, they knew they couldn’t win in Boston’s house (sweet as that might have been) and so the strategy was to save Luongo and him rested and sharp for when the game returns to Vancouver.

There are, absolutely, holes in this theory.  Do I care?  No!  Does it explain why, at times, the Canucks seemed to be playing minor league hockey?  Not one bit.  Can it shed any light on why Luongo is seemingly so shaken by the Boston arena?  Not one tiny ray of illumination.  Again, care not, I do.

All I care about is that I have an unwavering faith in this team and their ability to bring the Cup back to Canada.

Me and approximately, 9,000,000 other viewers (not all cheering for the Canucks, I know) are so enthralled by this series that they gave up soccer games, sit-coms and serious book club meetings to catch the action.  That’s just how good this contest is.

Tomorrow is my last time of wearing the  “We Believe” t-shirt.

After they win tomorrow night I’m having it framed.

Go, Canucks, Go!