40 year reflection (Top 15)

So - sporting a bit of a hangover today, thanks to Deb 'n'Em, I want to continue on this series of reflecting back over 40 years.
As i mentioned in yesterday's blog, i wanted to touch on a few of the things that have CHANGED over the years.
And so here's the short list (feel free to add more in comments - cuz I WILL miss some).

1) When I was a kid, (around 8 or 9) I was taking public transportation by myself. No one in their right mind would allow their child to do that today!
2) It cost 0.25 cents to take the bus. Today, over $3 !! WTF.
3) Games I played when I was a kid: Operation, Life, Monopoly, Risk, Pick up Sticks, D&D. Games kids play today: Rockband, Grand Theft Auto, Live 4 Dead, Quake. Game I play today: D&D, Rockband, Sims3, Live 4 Dead, Mass Effect, Guild Wars, D&D online.

4) Tv's were 14'' tube and black and white. They had 13 channels, of which, you would typically only watch 5 channels: Channels, 3, 6, 7, 9 and 13. Now we have a gazillion channels, and 60 inch flat screen TV that have Standard Definition and HIGH Definition.

5) There were no remotes on TV's ... My remote control was, "Yo, Dan get up there and switch the channel (by turning the knob) to channel 13 !!!

6) WE can pause live TV.

7) To listen to music, you had to put a piece of circular vinyl on a turn table, and sit by the stereo. Now. We have solid state re-writable media ... in OUR PHONES! and we can listen to music, WATCH TV, or Movies anywhere. Which takes me to 8, 9 and 10.

8) To talk on the phone, you had to go to that thing on the wall, and lift it up - and could only go as far as the cord could stretch. You had to DIAL a phone... now we have cellular phones, and can talk to someone on the other side of the planet while you're doing groceries. With the use of Smart Phones and Application and services like Twitter, little ol' me can send a text message to an astronaut working in SPACE for crying out loud!

9) Our phones are portable stereo system and can plug into our cars. Soon, phone will have programs that TALK to our cars.

10) To watch a movie, you had to go to the Theater. And if you wanted to see that movie again - you had to pay for it again. And once that movie was done and out of the theaters.. chances are, you wouldn't see it ever again. Now.. We can download movies from NetFlix, and watch them on our PHONES - or even buy the DVD's and play them in our cars! The idea that we could watch movies in our living rooms was novel at the end of the 70s, and in the 80s to watch shows which highlighted our favorite bands perform their music in our living rooms was ... WOW!!! look at this!!!!

11) Cars talk. They play music. They play movies. They can see the road ahead and the way behind you. They are smart enough to tell you you're about to run over your kid while you're backing out of your laneway. There are tv screens in the car that tell you where you're going, and it tells you HOW to get there. Radios were turn dials, which gave you only a limited number of station - and are limited to the station's ability to transmit singnal over the air waves... Satallite Radio give you whatever channel you want anywhere on your continent... perhaps even all over the world...

12) In the 80's we connect to BBS's at 2400 Baud, and that Intranet was limited to 14 users at any one given time. The internet is now a global net, with connection as fast as 1GB/sec. If you wanted to send a letter to someone - you WROTE IT BY HAND, and mailed it. The recipient of that letter would get it a week later. The corresponding letter, would then be mailed back, and the equivalent of one conversation done via 'snail mail' would take over 3 weeks. Now, we type our letter, push a button, and delivery is instantaneous (well give it a few seconds!)

13) To read a book, you had to walk to the book store and buy a book. Then you had to sit down and read it. Now? You can use a tablet or a device that downloads a book - and that device will read it TO YOU!

14) To take a picture, you took a camera, aimed the lens at your subject, pushed a button until it clicked, the flash cube on the top of the camera would flash, then you had to crank the camera to switch frames on your negative reel. After 4 shots, you had to pull the flash cube off, throw it out, and replace it with another one. You would take 12 pictures, and you had to remove the reel, and bring it to a developer, and wait two or three days before they would give you paper copies of your images. If you're lucky, some pictures wouldn't have red eyes.

Now? We have cameras with hard drives in them. They can take THOUSANDS of picture. If you didn't like the picture, you can delete it and have a do-over. The flashes last forever. And red-eye is a thing of the past.. as flashes flash in sequence to eliminate that. You don't have to develop picture anymore, you transfer them to a computer. If you wish to frame them, there are frames now that show your pictures in a slide presentation.

15) Planes FLY THEMSELVES. I don't have to explain that one. They FLY ... T.H.E.M.S.E.L.V.E.S!!!

There are many more!!! Feel free to add your input in comments!

Reflecting on 40 Years. (An Essay)

Greetings from high atop the hill! We'll call today: Hump Day of the rest of my life, ok?
I turn 40 today. On September 3rd, 1969 - I was hatched. To everyone's great shock, I actually turned out ok. I've had a rich life so far, filled with experiences that I would say are unique. Some say I have one of the busiest lives they'd ever heard of, simply because I tend to fill my time with more hobbies than you can possibly shake a stick at. And we'll get to that.

Today's blog is going to reflect on my 40 years on this planet. And hopefully, by the time you've finished reading all of it, you feel like you didn't waste a whole lot of fucking time! I will go with what I remember; the significant events that have happened to me over the years - and will point out some neat things that have changed over the course of my 4 decades...

4 EFFIN' DECADES! Shit!

Ok..
IN 1969, there were three significant events that took place in that year (4 if you count the fact that i was born. Last I check, it didn't make the news! BUT IT SHOULD HAVE, GODDAMNIT!).
1) The internet was born in 1969. Some bucket-heads in some university in the united states got this great idea on sharing data over a wire. This marked the birth of the Internet Concept.

2) ON July 20th, 1969, Neil Armstrong uttered the words, "One small step for man; One giant leap for mankind," on the surface of the moon! I'm pretty sure I was watching the old black and white 12 inch TV from the womb - because I have and always have had, a great interest in outer-space. (To this day, I watch shuttle missions live on NASATV online -- check it out - there's a mission underway today: Shuttle mission to IIS Live- NasaTV)

3) The Beatles released, no one but, TWO albums that year. (Yellow Submarine & Abby Road).

My earliest memories go back to 1973'ish - we lived on McFarlane Rd. IN a basement. The carpet was blue. The memory I have of that place is standing on the stairway looking down at my Grandmother. Funny what you remember!
For my 4th birthday, my father bought me a tape-recorder. My first foray into technology. It was a bar-shaped recorder, with a single 3 inch speaker, and a turn knob, to stop/play and rewind and forward. If you wanted to record with it, you have to thumb-down on a red button.
I remember him showing me how to record with it, as I listened to the recording of that day even as soon as my 20's. I don't know where that tape was. But the song playing in the background in that recording was: "1-2-3 by Len Barry".



My dad was showing me the record function, and I remember hearing a very young me saying, "I've never seen this before," in the thickest French accent EVER!!!

At that age, I really had spoken more french than english - and I wish i still had that Tape, to show Deb how french I was!"

My summer memories of this time always go to Red Pine Camp. IT was our yearly summer get away. I would later become a staff member at that camp when I was 16.

In 1974 - we moved from MacFarlane Road to the Quebec side of the river, into a Trailor park in Gatineau. I couldn't tell you how to get there today. But I do remember the exact layout of the trailor... From the Red/Orange shag carpets in the living, to the right of the main entrence - WITH conquistador swords on red-felt mounting frames, to the puce/brown colored couches we had. The main bedroom was off the living room - whereas my bedroom was at the other end (the back) of the trailor, next to washer and dryer. There was a second bedroom, that would eventually be filled in 1975.

Memories from that era. My green bike with long candy-cane handlebars and banana-seat (white leather no less). Playing near the train-tracks, and playing marbles. And some fucking punk that kept stealing my bike. I hope that piece of shit kid is in jail -- but i digress.

Me and Kathleen Trottier: 1975 - Chelsea Qc.

1975: Dan was born. I cried for hours, as I was finally no longer alone in the world. I finally got the brother I'd always asked for. I also got my tonsils removed that year: I think... it was around that time.
Because I distinctly remember having had my tonsil yanked, and it was in October .. could have been October 76 then?? hmmm... it's all fuzzy - it WAS a long time ago -- but anyhoozle... i know it was in October, because on Halloween night, kids were bringing me candy at my door as I sat on the counter -- EATING CRACKERS!!!

1976 or '77, we moved back in to Canada -- I.. I mean Ontario. We moved to 8 Gilchrist Ave. in west Ottawa, where i spent the rest of my youth, and first part of my teens.
I had great years between 77 and 87 -- i spent 10 years of my life in Westboro and made friends that I still see to this day. I got myself in a LOT of fuckin' trouble during those years .. man we trashed a car and when someone gave chase, we LITERALLY were hopping roof-tops to get away from the guy who owned the car. We were.. sheezz -- 10 or 11 .. imagine, would you let YOUR kids run on house roof-tops???
Those WERE the days.

I saw Star Wars, Battlestar Galactica and Rocky all in this time frame. Life was good!

Things I do remember out of that house:
Band Practices: My dad was in a band called, Jonas Rock Review. The names of those guys were, my dad, Pete Trottier, Rick Thompson, Bruce Ireland, Phil Reed, and Allen Guppy Gilbert (who is currently in my band The Rivals).
Over those years he had other members: Marcel and Pierre Lalonde.
I'd watch these guys in the basement jammin' away, and there were times when my dad would have to stop the song to tell me to shut the fuck up, cuz I'd be singing over them (and I didn't have a mic). I was just loud, and off key. Essentially that the truth of it.
Music i listened do in those days: Billy Squier, Cliff Richard, The Beatles, any 50's and 60's stuff, Kiss, Bozz Skaggs, Leo Sayer, Asleep at the Wheel, Queen.

As I'd sing over top of the blasting stereo system in my room to my favorite songs, I'd often be interrupted by my dad opening my door, turning the music down saying: "Look, if you can't sing the fucking song on key, don't bother singing it at all - you're ruining the music,"
He slam the door behind himself, and leave me to stare at the spinning vinyl on the turn-table. After a few moments of deep reflection, I'd crank it back to 11, and continue 'working on my craft'. When you really think about it, I've never known a time when I WASN'T singing.

Another story on music before I continue, that you may find -- 'interesting'.
In grade school, i flunked in Music class on year. I don't remember which year. And to be honest, I do not remember the incident at all. I am recalling only what both my parents have told me.
So, I flunked music. Parent-Teacher interviews come around, and my father wanted to meet this 'so-called' music teacher to find out HOW IT WAS that HIS son could have possibly failed in music. His son spent HIS nights singing. Music was everything to HIS son.
The teacher went on to explain to my, very, distraught father, that sadly, HIS son had no rhythm.
'Has no rhythm?!" my dad asked, "Are you fucking kidding me?!"
"Well I'm sorry but... he doesn't!"
"Listen lady, my son has more fucking rhythm in his baby finger than you ever will in your life, do you got that?"

I'm paraphrasing of course - but apparently that's how that went down. Boy, if only that teacher could see me now!
Funny enough, my father always refused to teach me anything about music. But he was never short on being critical on my shortcomings. When dad tells you to do something, he expects that you know what he's talking about and you should just know how to do it...
Because of that, I've become very good at 'sniffing' and established a way to learn things VERY VERY quickly. Because to ask twice wasn't pleasant.
I learned a lot of my music on my own; and that's how my dad wanted it. That's how he had to do it...!!

IN 1979, my sister was born. Andrea was precious to me even as a baby. But goddamnit she cried alot :) I remember complaining about that to my parents... i look back on it fondly, however. I rejoiced over having a sister, because the whole, "I have a brother" novelty wore off.. and I was so busy getting Dan in shit all the time, I needed a new challenge.

In subsequent years, I would visit with my grandmother every Friday afternoon. When I was 9 and 10 years old, i was allowed to take the bus from the west end to the center of town to visit with my grandmother. That's right: Public transportation.

***EDIT NOTE: After reading through all this I realized and it was pointed out to me that I did miss some people, which is always the danger in doing a general reflection on your life.

In the summers, I would spend most of my time with my cousins: Paul and Marc Soubliere. It's funny how I forgot to mention them, because they were two of the most influential people in my life. Summers were spent at my Aunt and uncle, Sue and Reg, playing with Marc or Paul - biking, cops and robbers, street hockey, eating rhubarb, swimming at Shillington Park, getting candy at King's Confectionary, playing in Uncle Reg's car .. backing uncle Reg's car in the street.... I literally spend my summer with these guys.
They were my brothers...


I'm not gonna bore you with all the school stuff - and other shit that kids typically do.
Significant things that happened in the 80's.
- I hated the music.
- 1980 - Empire Strikes Back was the BEST movie E.V.E.R - My grandmother would take me to the Somerset Theater in downtown Ottawa to see Empire - 6 times! That's right, she would sit (read: Sleep) through this movie SIX times in the theater with me.
Note: Somerset theater doesn't exist anymore. It burned down.

- IN 1982: ET is the BEST MOVIE ever!!! I end up going to the theater myself to see it 4 times. (we didn't have VCRs yet)
- Also in 1982, my family went from being one family, to two. My parents separated; a sign of the times, really.

- 1983'ish, my grandmother (dad's mom) passed away. This was a significant blow to me. She and I were very close (how close? She sat through 6 showing of Empire Strikes back with me on 6 weeks in a row on Saturdays - AND PAID -- probably the quietest two hours she'd get all weekend outta me)
My grandfather (mom's dad) also died around this time.. may have been earlier. I can't quite remember the date.

Was also around this time, that I met other parts of extended family. Becky and Ryan and us were put together at my dads and spent a lot of time playing in basements it always seemed. That is my earliest memory. Being the oldest of my 3 natural siblings, I wasn't around much. We spent two days out of two weeks there, and sometimes for me, i worked weekend. I never really got to forge the same kind of relationships with Becky and Ryan that i could living 24/7 with my other extended siblngs...
However, in recent years, Becky and I actually roomed together for about 7 months while she finished university .. then became the wayward traveller going up north to teach..
Memories there were:
Bubba Kegs (um many bubba keg.. i think we were thinking of making xmas ornaments out of them)
Becky putting the neighbour's dog shit on the neighbours porch to send a message.
Becky's wings! Man those were fucking good!
Becky learning guitar (which prompted me to seriously start thinking about picking it up myself)
Did I mention Bubba Kegs?

Ryan and I didn't really keep in touch over the years.. only last xmas did we actually get to reconnect.



- 1984 - I start really liking girls around this time. And I got to meet my step-brothers, Keith and Rick for the first time that summer. They lived in Montreal at the time, and my mother had started dating my step-dad in '84. I sprained my ankle that year, had it in a cast, and slept on a couch all summer long. Good time.

- 1986 saw me go away for a full summer, as i went to Red Pine Camp for the summer to work as a dishwasher. This was my first, ever, job. I was a 'slopper' as we were nicknamed. Basically because the garbage buckets were literally slop. We grew out of our gag-reflexes that year.
Fondest memories of camp that year:
Food fights.
Giving the good looking girls massages while watching Animal House in the Staff Lounge.
Animal House in the staff lounge.
Animal House sound track at Friday dances.
The Rock Lobster.
Toilet Papering the Senior Staff Cabins.
Sneaking out of my cabin after curfew to be with a young camper girl during Week 6. If i'd ever gotten caught - i'd have been fired. Good thing i never got caught. (In a morose twist of fate, that girl died in a car accident about 4 years after that. I was saddened by the news).

I'm still in touch with some of the guys that i worked with at Red Pine, and I consider them family to this day. (Paul Saker, Greg Fenton, Chris Brydges to name a few).

High School years that followed were among the best years EVER.
School at Earl Of March HS was a social gathering that took place over 10 months of the year. And as my career at Earl continued, me and 20 other of my bestest friends ever founded a group called: THE COMPANIONS.

I began writing during this time. Fantasy and Scifi. My first novel was a book about The Companions in a fantasy setting. At the time, it was awesome. Reading it now, it's not so good. But it showed I had imagination.
I dated some of the best women, whom I've always considered some of the best influences in my life. I'm friends will all of them -- ok... most of them.

Best parts of my years at Earl:
The parties! LOTS AND LOTS OF FUCKIN' PARTIES.

One thing I will say. I was very fortunate to have the freedoms that I did in my youth. I was a very independent person, and considered myself a leader amongst my peers, in the latter half of my highschool career. Because trust me, at the beginning of highschool? (Grades 7 to 9) I was meek, and small and had little to no self-esteem at all.
On weekends, my folks would go aways and i would have 50+ people over at the house ever saturday night. I became so common place that parents of my friends, when learning their kids were going partying would ask, "Where are you going to party,"
They'd reply, "Al's place!"
Parents would say, "Ok then, that's ok.. "

Parents knew we drank. Some of my friends were even underaged. But my friend's folks never minded because 1) they knew that my parents were aware of what was going one - and 2) we were responsible. No one drank and drove -- that was a rule! You drank.. you crashed... that was all! No exceptions.
The other rule. Sunday morning, while we made Pancakes made of eggs, batter and Bailey's Irish Cream - those NOT on cooking detail, cleaned the house.
By the time my parents came home, the house was clean than they left it.

Best memories from those parties:
Horror movies.
Spa-pizza (it's a long story)
Pancakes made with baileys.
Kraft Dinner made with vodka, Baileys and rye - snack of champions.
Hot Dog wars.
Ping Pong and Pool.
Jeremy going face first into a tree sliding down a hill in front of the house one New Year Party (The scabby chin from that accident was immortalized on his Driver's License Picture).
Jeremy walking around in Tiger-Stripped Underwear.
Dancing in the living room where the floor was actually bending beneath the weight.
Playing cards on new years party, when my parents came home, my mother joined us in a game of cards. Jeremy met my parents for the first time that night, as he puked at the table into the garbage can. (GOOD TIMES).
Kissing all the girls when the Apple fell on New Years night. I always loved kissing all the girls.
More horror movies.
Never having any fights at any parties in the history of having parties with this group of friends...E.V.E.R.

My people: Jeremy, Andrew (jer's cousin), Colleen, Peta, Nadine, Joanne, Sharon, Derek, Graham, Adam, Laurie, Pam, Kevin & Charlene, Will, Marnie, Marie-Anne, Pretty-Boy Jason Bell, Dawn, Marc (my cousin) & his clan of people, Kim Day (I wonder where she is), Keith and Rick, Stephanie (she was tall that one), Scootch (if i could remember his real name i'd put it here), Thomas Ikura, Juliette Sandwell ... these were my best friends in high school. (I admit to recruiting Jeremy to help me with some of this list. Please remember I spent 100% of my time at these parties somewhat inebriated).

So.. we had some GREAT parties together. Alas, as life would have it, we hardly see each other anymore. We've been spread out all over the place, but i do think about those days a lot.

Throughout my twenty I went through a lot of changes. Anywhere from having a lot of money to having NONE.
I worked as dishwashers, messengers, stockboys, toilet cleaner and housecleaners, salesman of electronics, to vacuum salesman to selling cell phone.

Throughout High-School I did have a nemisis. Jeremy Sprott. That fucker always wanted to date the same girls as me, and I'd be goddamned if I'd let him. In the latter half of my tenure in HighSchool - i couldn't stand the guy. He was kind of an asshole, really.
When I graduated, all of my school mates were still going through their last year. (I'd flunked out of grade 8! I KNOW, RIGHT? Who knew?!!!)

That year, Jeremy and I, by some fucked up twist of fate, ended up in the same restaurant for a job interview. Our greeting was a kind of cool,
"Hey..."
Me: "Oh, hey.. Jeremy right?"
"Ya,"
"Right.. Interview?"
"Ya,"
"Huh.. me too?"
Jer nodded, "Pizza maker?"
"No, prep and salads,"
"ah.. cool,"

When it came time for the interview, we were actually interviewed together. Which was REALLY weird.
Needless to say, we both got our respective jobs, and by another twist of fucked up faith, we were usually scheduled to work the same shifts.

Weird memories from that time:
Grand-Theft Sausage: During a breakfast buffet clean up, i was tasked with the unenviable job of tearing the buffet down, tossing out all the food. That particular day, I hadn't eaten breakfast (something about the hangover i had) and as I brought the leftover food to the back, I took a sausage and ate it. a manager caught me -- in other jobs, eating like that happened all the time; no one cared right? I was written up - and Jeremy took acception to that and dubbed the incident: Grand Theft Sausage.

The Power outage: There was a poweroutage one day, and we were all sent home early. At this point, Jer and I decided, that I go over to his place and hang out. He lived near my dad's. So we did.
Which brings me to why I'm spending so much time on THIS stage of my life.
That day was a landmark day in the friendship i have with Jeremy that lives on to this day. As funny as it is, Jeremy and I went from mortal nemesis' to the best of friends in the span of one month; all because of a power outage. We found that we had A LOT in common. From our split family histories; to attitudes towards how we'd deal with life (not to mention our similar taste in women).

My fond memories of that year with Jeremy:
Steve Martin records: (Some people come to me and they say, "Hey'a - how'a can'a you be'a, such a swig'ing'a sex.. god!"
Sam Kinison.
Ajax Liquor store by Hudson & Landry.
Jeremy being refused a shift off in order to come to one of my parties. He punched every tomato can and broke his hand, and here's a shock, he got to leave early to come to the party.

And here's one: We went to the cottage one weekend -- On the sunday i was supposed to go out on a date with my girlfriend, by 6pm. We figured... we have time.. Let's take a 24 of beer on the lake, do some fishing, and leave in time for my date. Keep in mind, that it took about an hour to get home. We almost finished the 24. we were HAMMERED. Got a little hungry. Caught a turtle. Yes, that's right, we were fishing without bate, caught nothing, but i netted a turtle. DON'T ASK.. it made sense at the time!!!!

WE go to shore. I see that time is 5:45pm. Woops! Late for my date.
We packed up and drove towards the ferry to cross over to Ontario. Remember.. I had half a 24 of beer. Disappointed that i was OUT of a beer. I stopped my car in the middle of the road, popped the truck, fetched two more out of the case, and popped them. Gave one to Jeremy.
"One more for the road!"
"right!"
I negotiated that car onto the ferry - which takes a great deal of precision driving.
TO this day, Jeremy told me my guardian angel was at the wheel.

By 6:30pm, we make it to my girlfriend's house.. and she can tell we're SMASHED.. She's really pissed off too! BUt, in our stupor, we knew we had an ACE IN THE hole.
"I have a gift for you, dear, " i said.
I showed her the turtle.... YOU BET FOLKS, i put the turtle in the back seat.... "We named him SHMED!"
I was relieved from duty (i was told to go home).. and passed out drunk on my bed AFTER driving Jeremy home. I slepted from 7:30pm till noon the next day.
NO HANGOVER!! Oh to be young again.

i VOWED never to drink and drive again... and I never have.. not to that extent ... 3 beers is fine for me.

It was around this time, when I met my first wife, and then realized that if i wanted a future with this woman, I needed to better myself.
I went to Praxis Learning Institute to learn the art of Server technologies and became certified in windows server and internet technologies.

My marriage fell apart after actually scoring a GREAT job which was crazy. and i'm not gonna dwell on what went wrong.. it doesn't matter. But I took it hard. Despite my seperation... I decided to go to Mexico with my Dad, his wife Wilma-Louise and my brother!
It was two weeks of a getaway that i seriously needed. We all had a blast.
Best memories of that:
First night there. 7pm. Drank all afternoon in the sunshine. Everyone else had already passed out. Me being a 'getter', I decided, drunk or not, I was going to the beach!! 4 inches of water came up and touched my foot, and i tripped over it. Time for bed.
Miss Green Bay (Bad scene).
Dad passing out on a chair.
Super-bowl at a bar in IXtapa... was AWESOME.
Card every afternoon.
Ping Pong Tournament.
Swim up bar.
Dan's Sunburn from hell!
The two girls that were part of the entertainment group.. Hotness!!!

returning home, however, I needed something else to fill a gap, and that is when I decided to join a band.
It only took me 31 years folks! But i finally took the jump into the musical arena.

Looking back, I had a lot to learn. Over the 10 years prior to my first foray on stage, i did do guest spots with the various bands my dad played in. I'd do 3 or 4 songs MAX, and those were the only songs I knew.
When I decided to join a band, i went thru the whole auditoning process and had two weeks to learn 28 songs.
Remember I said before --- because my dad forced me to learn things On my own, it taught me how to learn quickly. This one another one of those times.
I asked my dad .. let's join a band. and he refused. He wanted me to do it on my own first - because he knew how demanding he was as a player.
I played in a band called 3 Guys and a Drummer for about a year before my dad asked me to start a new band with him. These stories have all been chronicled on this blog!!!

So i'll be brief - now that this has gotten so long.
Musical highlights: Learning to play guitar in 3 years. Learning to play harmonica. Finding new ways to sing that have made me 100 TIMES better than i was 9 years ago.

Music has also fostered some new friendships that i consider VERY dear to me.
1) Micheal Q (who Raymond has dubbed, "My brother from another mother").: Mike and I, after meeting at a gig in Quyon of all places, started playing music together when he subbed in on drums for a few gigs. We started a great friendship that continues to this day, and has been one of the best teachers both in life, and musically to me. I love the guy! He's always got a place in our home! (especially when he brings scotch).

2) Kyle Gilbert. His father has played with my father since 1973! I have a memory of Kyle as a baby.. even tho' it's quite fuzzy. When we needed a new drummer, Kyle was a logical extension to having his dad in a band, and since then, he has become a member of my family.

3) Tony True: Tony and I only recently reconnected at the end of last year, after not having seen one another for nearly 15 years. Back then, we were only loosely acquainted through my dad backing him up during his gigs in a bar named: The Nashville palace. More recently, Tony and I have gotten together a lot to blend our families together into a tight group, and we've written at least 8 or 9 songs together during our time getting to know each other again.

Finally.
The most recent developments in my life took place 6 years ago. I met Deb.
Deb and I met at a gig in Pembroke; which i still consider to be the worst gig I've ever played. I don't do Small Town mentality!
The last six years have been the best six years I've ever had, as it pertains to having a relationship with someone.
She was not what anyone had ever expected.
1) she was a single mother of a 2 year old at the time.
2) she was on welfare.
3) she wasn't the typical girl that I ever dated.

I saw so much potential in her that I really fell for her attitude and her sense of humour - and her openness. SHE WAS FEARLESS.
People didn't give us a lot of time. People told me often that our relationship was doomed to fail. But I'd never felt so in tune with another person as I did with her. Everything came easily. There were no head games. Just blunt honesty!
At 34 years old, my saying was, "I'm too old to put up with bullshit. If you don't like it - there's the door!"
WE established a solid basis for a loving friendship and relationship that's still new to me even 6 years later.
Raymond was an obvious BIG addition to my lifestyle. But he's also a huge part of my life, and can't imagine a day without him - no matter how often he tests my patience!!

My best memories:

Raymond's 3 birthday.
Jeremy and I cooking her a full steak dinner the night after our first date.
Her graduating college.
Us buying a house together.
Nights at the cottage.
Fishing.
Quiet nights by the fire.
Potty training Raymond.
Playing D&D with them.
Gaming with them.
Playing music with them.

Over 40 years, I've had a full life. It certainly hasn't been boring. And these are only some of MANY significant memories that i have.
If you actually read through all of this! Then thank you for taking the time! I can be long winded sometimes! But 40 years is a long time! A LOOOOOOONG TIME!

The Guild Season 3

I'm excited to share that Season 3 of The Guild - Created by self-professed Geek and Gamer, Felicia Day, is finally out to the masses.
If you are an XBox360 Live Gold Member, you would have had the opportunity to download it for free on your Xbox in HD...
For those of you who have never seen the series, it's a semi-exclusive online series about a group of gamer-geeks that deal with the addiction to an MMO video game, not unlike WoW.
I say semi-exclusive because they DO release their show on DVD.

I will post Season 3 episode 1 below - but I feel compelled to also post Episode 1 of Season 1 for those of you who get the bug.
Deb thought I was a little nuts watching these shows on YouTube but once she saw ONE episode of The Guild, we ended up watching both season in their entirety ... Great cast, Great writing.

The Guild: Episode 1 - Season 1


If you look to the right of the video, all the links to the subsequent episodes are there.

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For ALL THE VIDEO - including extras -- Go to this link. THE GUILD'S MSN PAGE!

THE GUILD: EPISODE 1 - SEASON 3
<br/><a href="http://video.msn.com/video.aspx?mkt=en-US&vid=6f31eb66-4360-439a-ad62-f2bdf28f550e" target="_new" title="Season 3 - Episode 1: Expansion Time">Video: Season 3 - Episode 1: Expansion Time</a>

THE GUILD OFFICIAL WEBSITE!

People who complain about technology: WATCH!

I dedicate this post to the decedent punks that are the future of our planet.
I'd like to give a special mention to any spoiled rotten punks that lives in KANATA Ontario. You know who you are!

News Mayhem Minute.

Haven't posted a blog in a while because I'm a loser!
There that's outta the way!
Let's touch on some news being thrown around here shall we.

I'm pleased to report that people are still stupid, and I have some stories to prove it.
A quote from a local news site:

A new study out of the University of Ottawa suggests age and health issues add to the risks for heat-related illness or injury.
The study in the Canadian Medical Association Journal finds people over the age of 60 are the most vulnerable to heat waves.

Is this REALLY fucking news?! Really? We didn't know this 30 years ago? C'MON!
And in more medical news ... cuz there's no way that you'll know this... and THANK GAWD there's a watch-dog group out there to do extensive studies and take the time to report the OBVIOUS!

The Lung Association has some simple advice for Canadians about how to protect themselves against a possible surge of the H1N1 flu this fall.
Spokesman Dr. Peter MacLeod says frequent hand-washing, using hand sanitizer and coughing into one's elbow are among the best ways to avoid the flu.

That's right folks, I'm here to tell you - if you wash your hands and don't blow a hork-burger in your friend's face, you CAN and WILL avoid getting the H1N1 FLU... and what about the NORMAL run of the mill flu?? Well, ya, that one too, but pfft.. it's boring. H1N1 flu: now that's buzz word. I mean, H1N1 was a PANDEMIC... cuz at least 1800 people died ... WHOA!!!! A WHOLE 1800 PEOPLE out of 6 Billion people?? That's a whole... 2.8% of the worlds population... GET ME TO A SHELTER!!
Seriously folks.. not a pandemic at all!
Now if it was a million people dead... ?? Ok that'd get my attention! IN my area ... 6 people have died from it... all were elderly with a history of health problems.. the rest lived and said, "Man that was a kick ass puke session; I may have even pooped myself once or twice!"

In Hockey News: Dany Heatley is still a dink.
IN football news: Brett Favre is a dick and should learn to make up his fucking mind.

And now for the Douchbag of the week News Story:

CHICAGO (Reuters) - A woman is suing a Chicago-area zoo for a 2008 fall near a dolphin exhibit, accusing zookeepers of encouraging the mammals to splash water and then failing to protect spectators from wet surfaces, local media reported on Thursday.

In her suit filed earlier this week, Allecyn Edwards said she was injured while walking near an exhibit at Brookfield Zoo, where a group of Atlantic bottlenose dolphins were performing, media said.

Officials "recklessly and willfully trained and encouraged the dolphins to throw water at the spectators in the stands, making the floor wet and slippery," but failed to post warning signs or lay down protective mats or strips, the suit said, according to the reports.

Edwards is demanding more than $50,000 for lost wages, medical expenses and emotional trauma from the Chicago Zoological Society and the Forest Preserve District of Cook County, which operate the zoo in Chicago's southwest suburbs.

The suit was filed in Illinois' Circuit Court of Cook County.

Only in the USA can you sue the Zoo for being a fucking useless tit!!

Judge: Did you see that the ground was wet?
Ms Edwards (Who's still single cuz she's a fucking idiot): Well yes, but...
Judge: And did you know that wet surfaces can be wet & Slippery?
Ms. Edwards(Who'll always be known to be a fuckin' dummy): Well of course, but the dolphins were....
Judge: SO let me get this straight! You walked, knowingly, in an area of the park, where you know dolphins are swimming and splashing about, and in a place where you observed the ground being wet and slippery, and yet, you continued, of your own free will to walk in said area. And you were SURPRISED when it was ACTUALLY slippery, and you expect ME to grant you a law suit of $50,000 because you are a fucking idiot is that it?

Ms. Edwards: The zoo keepers should have...
Judge: Was I correct, Ms. Edwards, or do I need to ask the Court Recorder to read back my statement?
Ms. Edwards: It was slippery. And I fell and... my back...
Judge: Ms. Larner, could you please read back my statement.
Court Recorder: Yes, Your Honor. You said: "You walked, knowingly, in an area of the park, where you know dolphins are swimming and splashing about, and in a place where you observed the ground being wet and slippery, and yet, you continued, of your own free will to walk in said area. And you were SURPRISED when it was ACTUALLY slippery, and you expect ME to grant you a law suit of $50,000 because you are a fucking idiot is that it?"

Judge: Did you misunderstand my question, Ms. Edwards? Or do I require a Grade 8 English teacher to take the stand and give you an education on the basic of the English language?

Ms. Edwards: Yes Judge.
Judge: Yes, WHAT, Ms. Edwards.
Ms. Edwards: I'm a fucking idiot.
Judge (Slamming malot on the desk): Guilty as observed, Ms. Edwards. The zoo is off the hook.

And that's this month's/week's mayhem minute.

America's Got Gunt

Ya.. that's what i said.
I don't know what it is with America, where the fuckers down there can't recognize TRUE talent when they see it.
For those that don't follow it - and good for you, cuz i got fuckin' suckered into thinking that America's Got Talent was better than American Idol -- the Dancer, (i can't remember his fucking name ok... i don't care), ends up getting thrown past the Quarter Finals and why??? Because he can pirouette??
Fuck that....
14 year old, Thia Megia should have kicked the dancer's ass.
I'm not saying that the dancer was bad?! Ok?
I'm not saying he wasn't talented? ok?
I'm saying that Thia Megia was fuckin'... 100 times more talented (read: Less cheesy and fuck of a lot more crowd savvy than the ... i digress -- dancer)
There is no way that kid- - the dancer .. whose name escapes me cuz really.. he wasn't that good for me to remember ... can make a show in Las Vegas...
The singer girl??????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!
Seriously?
Sigh........
Hold on... i have to take some medication.. because the stupidity of the 1/3 american judges is causing some sort of melt down...

Had this been a Canadian show... the dancer would have been told " yer good.. bue let's face it.. the chick has pipes, and she can kick your ass!!! ... Go get a Beaver Tail, and have a nice - tinker bell - life.."

I'm just saying...

And seriously.. what ... the... FUCK.. is this all about??!!
Ladies...????? Weigh in ok?? cuz this is disgraceful!!!





Seriously.. I see this on Facebook.. and every fuckin' god-damned fricken info site i see..... WHAT IS IT WITH YOU WOMEN.... can you REALLY stand for this stupidity...

if you're fat.. you're fat... ok? i get it.. don't ADVERTISE IT ... last thing that sell is your GUT in a picture and some hot chick selling her 6 pack to fake it for you... for fuck sake.... STOP!
facebook??? Stop it..
MySpace.... Really... FUCKING STOP IT!!!!
Everyone??? Stop it.......
these ads are bad cheese on an unclean scrotum on the internets........... just stop!

Presenting Tommy Emmanuel

Ok.. on acoustic guitar, this guy is a legend... ok? Nearly a god!
But on electric guitar, the man can fricken scream!

This is just a mild studio display of what this guy can do with a guitar..

Daughtry and Dane Cook

You have one of the funniest guys in the world hanging out with one of the most prevalent singers in the world, and magic happens!

Spreading Awesome around

I know i've been a lazy ass just posting YouTube vids, but it's the new Crack-Bomb!
This is a song I actually started learning. Great Song by Geek Troubadour, Jonathon Coulton.
1) it's awesome.
2) It's true! So Love it!

Mayhem Informercial! GET ONE!

Watch them both. Seriously! Cuz it makes the second video so much funnier.

Original:



NOW THE FUNNIEST THING E.V.E.R!: