Wednesday, August 27, 2008

special SAB

Wow, it's wednesday again. They keep creeping up on me.

And since I'm feeling lazy tonight, and my birthday was yesterday, we'll do a special Edition of Hockey Separated at Birth.

Once, suffering from a bout of insomnia/procrastination in my college days, I busted out my giant book o'hockey and searched the pages of every player to play a game in the NHL from the beginning to 2000. I marked the ones that I share a birthday with. There were not many, and perhaps there are a few more since 2000, but here is what I have:

-Henri Lehvonen b. Sarnia Ont, 8/26/50 Played 4 games for the Kansas City Scouts in 1974-75

-Steve Carlson b. Virginia, MN 8/26/55 Played 52 games for the LA Kings in 1979-80

-Chris McRae (brother of Basil) b. Beaverton ONT, 8/26/65 Played 14 games for the Maple Leafs in 1987-89 and 7 for the Red Wings in 1989-90

-Igor Nukulin b. Cherepovets, USSR, 8/26/72 Played 1 playoff game for the Ducks in 1996-97

Ron Stackhouse b. Haliburton, ONT 8/26/1949Played 889 NHL games for California Golden Seals, Red Wings, and Penguins from 1971-1982

Bill White- b. Toronto ONT, 8/26/39 Played 604 NHL games for the LA Kings and Chicago Blackhawks from 1967-77

Bob Dupuis b. 8/26/52 North Bay, ONT (my mom's maiden name is Dupuis and I had some waaaay back Dupuis ancestors who lived in NS, maybe we're related!) Played 1 game as a goalie for Edmonton in 1979-80

And that, to my knowledge and painstaking research, is a list of anyone who played in the NHL through 2000 who shares my birthday. While August is an extremely popular birthmonth among hockey folks, the 26th is not. On the contrary, I once found 3 guys on the Anaheim Ducks who shared my friend Joy's bday (nov. 2), and one of them was the same year!

I know, I'm a weirdo. But it's fun!

Friday, August 22, 2008

http://www.thehockeynews.com/articles/17614-Screen-Shots-The-Hockey-Show-host-more-than-just-a-pretty-face.html

Oh come on THN- I'm glad this girl got a clue and learned a little bit about hockey before hosting a show- but seriously, why did you pick someone who HAD to read Hockey for Dummies before she could know what was going on. Argh. Some of us learned about hockey by watching and such.

Ugh.

I'm just a bitter non-employed-by-a-hockey-team girl. (and it's not for lack of trying because I have tried very hard to get a frickin hockey job and have found NOTHING!)

Okay I have to leave. We're moving my niece into her new apt, got to go work.

Thursday, August 21, 2008

Better late than never

Woo, this is my 100th post!

And now we come to this week's hockey Separated at Birth- I thought of this one on my own!

Y'all won't know who this guy is cuz he's a random minor-leaguer. I don't even know where he is playing these days (someone said Australia) He played for Texas and San Diego of the ECHL and Colorado and Laredo of the CHL. He also made it to the last round on CBC's Making the Cut, which was a great show!

Regardless, he IS a hockey player, so he qualifies. So here is a Hockey SAB for you:


The aforementioned Mark Wires

And


US Olympic Champion swimmer Ryan Lochte

Separated at Birth? YOU be the judge!

Sunday, August 17, 2008

Wooohoooo!

The Sabres kick off the 2008 season with Puck Drop 2008 which is free and I am SOOO THERE! :) September 20th.

I'm excited...hockey is a little over a month away! It's sad that I won't be able to catch any Buffalo preseason games cuz those bums are having their only home games when I'll be in Ohio for my dear friend Dannie's bday Blue Jackets game- September 26. I'm excited about that but it's too bad the Sabres aren't cooperating with my plans. Grr.

Saturday, August 16, 2008

Back to hockey

Okay I'll take a break from my incessant swimboy stalkerage and talk about my true love- hockey.

Today I got The Hockey News's 2008-09 Yearbook with the team previews and such. There were good and bad things to be had. I didn't read everything yet but here is what I think:

*They underrated the Sabres, picking them to finish 11th in the east. I think they definitely can be better than that, and they will. They fixed the goalie problem, added a steady d-man in Rivet and kept the core of young talent together which was wise. Those guys have a better idea of what's expected this year and there isn't the cloud of lost free agents hanging over their heads from day one this year. I have high hopes, and I think they will make the playoffs at least.

*there was an article about Alex Ovechkin that made me like him even more than I already did. I don't know why Ovie doesn't bother me and the hype doesn't get to me, but it doesn't and I just like him. Check this: "When you have fun and you love it, you can go all the time. You love your mom all the time and I love hockey all the time." That is SO cute!
And then there is this stat: Most goals in first 3 seasons:
Gretzky- 198
Bossy- 173
Ovie- 163
Pavel Bure- 154

Yeah, I like goal scorers. (Pavel played less games than those other guys too.)

*They rated the top 50 players in the NHL right now. Sid was #1 of course, with Ovie #2, but guess who cracked the list at #47? My main man Derek Roy! :) Good job Royzie! Ryan Miller was #39, also reppin for the Sabres. And guess who DIDN'T make the list? Chris Drury. Ha, in your eye!

I think that's it. I'm off to find pretty pictures of Ryan Lochte. Shameless, I know, but one does what one can in these hockey-lean times. ;)

Thursday, August 14, 2008

I am over Michael Phelps. I was never all that into him. He's great but I just don't care about him that much. Heh.

However, I think Ryan Lochte is the hottest thing since Derek Roy.

He can officially be my "Olympic Boyfriend" (props opn that phrase go to Anne of Sabretooth's House for that title. Heh heh.

Yay Ryan! Good job on your gold and bronze today. :)

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

SAB is getting harder and harder

I am strugglin with the SAB, so, it's a good thing I have creative friends.

This is not my find, but MAN it's a good one! The Brilliant and lovely ladies at Interchangeable Parts Blog pointed out the striking resemblance between a member of the NJ Devils and a member of the US gymnastics team. I present the evidence here below:


Zach Parise of the New Jersey Devils

AND


Jonathan Horton of the US Olympic gymnastics team.

There is no question here. They are definitely Separated at Birth. Whoa.

Thursday, August 7, 2008

This week's SAB

Sorry we missed it yesterday- I was at the office all day, then went straight to Darien Lake to hang with the kids and drive the little ones home. my older nephews, niece and sister stayed for the music of the Kingdom Bound festival.

Anyway enough about real life. Here is a silly hockey separated at birth. This week involves another minor leaguer.

We have

Chad Starling of the Cincinnati Cyclones

AND


Sacha Baron Cohen as "Borat"

Separated at Birth? YOU be the judge!

And now I'm off!

WOOOO

HAPPY SIDNEY CROSBY DAY!!!

sorry I missed the SAB for this week- I'll post it tomorrow. Right now I'm supre tired, it's been a LONG day.

GO READ MY 100 THINGS LISTS !!

Tuesday, August 5, 2008

100 Things- the rest

Okay in my last entry I said I'd publish my 100 things in 3 installments, but I lied- it's just 2. here's the 2nd and final part of 100 facts about yours truly. Enjoy and feel free to comment!

31. Speaking of my bithday, it was the first day of school twice- 5th grade and 10th grade. Both were embarassing. In 5th grade, I was 10. I thought I was all that, since it was my bday and I was in the safety patrol (crossing guards) so I got to go to class a little late. woohoo for me. I was walking into school and our ghetto school had once had ramps into the front door but they were crumbled into jagged rocks by this time. I tripped on the rocks and scraped the hell out of my knees. It hurt like crazy but I tried to be cool so I went to the bathroom and washed up a bit. It still hurt when I got to class but I was trying to play it off cuz I knew if I was sent to the nurse she'd pour perioxide on them (OUCH!) and then slap on the lamest huge white bandages which would proclaim to the world that I was a klutz (i knew from experience). But I was practically crying so my teacher sent me and it happened. Mortification. And then in 10th grade, I was 15 and my friends bought me balloons. It was the frickin first day of school and all day people were asking if it was my birthday. DUH! Like I would draw this much attention to myself for no reason otherwise. yeesh.

32. I have horrid handwriting, but I can make my handwriting look like other people's pretty easily. But I never could duplicate my mom's handwriting or her signature. It's impossible.

33. My favorite book aimed at "teen readers" is Avi's The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle or The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin. Both are amazing books for any readers. You should check 'em if you haven't.

34. I lived in a closet for a month when we had an exchange student. It was my junior year of high school. It was also a walk-in closet with a huge shelf that I slept on. It was like my own (very small) room.

35. I am 26 (almost 27) years old and I have shared a room with someone for all but 4 of those years.

36. I think crickets are totally creepy but I love grasshoppers. I will pick one up and play with it until it hops away.

37. My toes turn in when I walk. If I think about it really hard, I can make them straight, but I cannot turn my toes outward when i walk. It's physically impossible. (it was also the source of much ridicule when I was younger. Kids can be cruel.)

38. I kissed a boy on the playground in kingergarten. My sister caught us.

39. My sister and I were late for school once because mom turned the car aound so we could go home and brush our teeth.

40. My younger sisters and I would always try to "play a game we've never played before", and we'd always come up with something, even if it was just a variation on a theme.

41. My sisters and brother and I would always make up these "spy clubs" and other silliness. We were inventive children.

42. Some of my favorite toys were (and still are) Legos and K'Nex. We have a big set of K'Nex with a book full of models that I still like to put together. I also make up my own- A B-52! cuz I'm a nerd like that.

43. I was in marching band in high school. I played the alto sax. Our band was super fun. We didn't do competitions, we were just for show. We'd do a different show every home game which was pretty demanding, but we'd dance and have fun. We had a bunch of different cadences, all with movements and dances for parades. It was awesome! I'm not very musically inclined though. I can make it happen and I *can* read music, but I'm not exactly good at it. It's better if I can look at it and hear it, then I can usually figure things out that way.

44. Oh what I forgot to mention is that I taught myself how to play the sax in 8th grade. I saw how much fun band was in high school and I wanted to do that so we bought a saxophone and a book and I taught myself as much as could, then joined band halfway through 8th grade.

45. I was also one of those theatre kids in high school. It was the one thing I was actually GOOD at. I did shows in high school and spent a year (97-98) with an independent theatre company. It was one of the best years of my life, and some incredible shows.

46. That being said, I haven't done a show since 1999 and I miss it terribly. Anyone have any recommendations on community theatre in the Buffalo area?

47. I went to college at Wright State University in Dayton OH, but I came within 2 days of going to SUNY Buffalo instead. I only applied to a couple of schools and had decided on WSU but hadn't received housing as on early August with school starting in Sept. My sister had offered to let me live with her and go to UB and I was thinking about it since I had no housing at WSU. I gave it a week to get resolved. I told the ppl at work, was all set to move and then I got my housing. So I went to WSU and here I am, in the Buffalo area anyway. Life is funny that way.

48. Not having a clue what to do with my future, I didn't apply to many colleges. The list was- Niagara Univeristy, SUNY Buffalo, Wright State, Marietta College (on the Ohio/WV border, don't remember why), and Franklin College in Indiana. I was accepted to all of them. NU was way to expensive, I almost went to UB, and didn't even visit the other 2. I settled on WSU cuz it was (reasonably) affordable, closer to home and had a lot of choices for majors.

49. I have a Bachelor's degree in Mass Communication with a focus on Broadcasting and have done pretty much nothing with it so far. Oh well.

50. When I was in college, I hosted a weekly radio show for 2 years. It was very fun. The first year it was with my friend Joy, then the 2nd year was with my other friend Morgan. There was a lot of silliness, like "phone sex voice weather"- complete with sound effects, homemmade public service announcements, out of state/out of country listeners with requests, hockey player interviews and lots of friends stopping in for a chat on the air. Man I miss the good ole days!

51. When I was little, I had an imaginary friend. His name was "Ridin in the Boogah". I have no idea what he looked like or what he did, but he was kind of always around. He interacted with Renee's friends "The Monatons" quite often though.

52. I am not an animal person. We never had pets growing up. Mom doesn't like dogs and Dad doesn't like cats. We had some random fish- goldfish from the fair that lasted 7 years and such, but they don't really count as pets. I will visit with other people's cats or dogs when I am at their houses, but I don't really like animals very much.

53. I kind of enjoy birdwatching. We live in the boonies and there are lots of birds around. I can identify quite a few, and some of their calls. It probably doesn't impress anyone but me, but hey, I'm happy.

54. Sarcasm is my favorite form of humor.

55. In my family, we can have entire conversations with movie quotes. We quote movies, and books and people to a ridiculous degree. It's gotten to the point where some of them are just reflex.

56. I am a procrastinator. I leave everything to the last minute, and have been this way for a long time. I wrote papers the night before they were due, studied for tests 10 minutes before, etc. Yet somehow I always managed to get decent grades. Heck if I know how.

57. I had straight A's in 6th grade for the first and only time. It's not that I wasn't smart, it's that I didn't always apply myself.

58. I am a night person. If left to my own devices, I'd probably go to sleep about 4 or 5 and wake up 11 or 12. It's just how I roll. It was very difficult in high school going to bed at midnight and waking up at 6 am. NOT FUN.

59. I hate needles. It's not so much that I'm afraid, because it's not a pain thing but every time I get a shot, I almost pass out. I can't explain it and I can't stop it. It's very frustrating though, to know that my body is going to do that to me and I can't do anything to stop it.

60. I have never had the urge to try drugs. I have better things to spend my money on, and I get high on life.

61. Cigarettes gross me out. I have never smoked, and will never smoke. It's the nastiest habit I can think of, aside from chewing tobacco. Both are major turn-offs for me.

62. I am Catholic and not afraid to share it with the world. I'm not an evangalizer though, as long as peolpe are living decently then I'm cool with it. I am happy to talk about my religion with others though, in a reasonable manner.

63. My first movie crush (possibly my first crush ever) was Harrison Ford as Han Solo. I still love him.

64. I've seen all 4 of my favorite hockey players in person- Pavel Bure (three times, and he scored a goal the 3rd time!), Martin Brodeur, Steve Yzerman and Derek Roy.

65. I own 12 hockey jerseys. 3 of them are game worn. (minor leaguers) 6 of them are autographed.

66. I still sleep with a teddy bear.

67. The only kinds of apples I like are grown in New York State- Empire and Cortland apples.

68. Green is my favorite color and has been for as long as I can remember.

69. Things I don't understand the popularity of: Dave Matthews Band, NASCAR, The New Kids on the Block (then or now), reality tv, smoking, punk music, the Beatles, flip flops, soap operas, The Matrix, The New York Rangers (they are BAD and have been for years!), sushi.

70. I don't like most "Classic" literature. I find it to be boring, tedious and over-written. There are exceptions to this rule, such as Alexandre Dumas'- The Count of Monte Cristo but sadly, they are few and far between, and never books that I actually had to read for school.

71. I can't stand watching shows with laugh tracks. How annoying can you be? Maybe I'm getting old.

72. I love maps, I could spend hours looking at them.

73. Some of my favorite people are fictional characters.

74. When I was growing up, my family sat down to a home cooked meal every night and ate together. No tv on, everyone at the table at the same time. And we talked. I think this is one of the reasons we are as close as we are today.

75. One of my deepest fears is that I will be unable to have children. Obviously I'm not in a position to deal with that right now, as I don't even have a boyfriend, let alone a husband, and there is no reason to be afraid of that but I am anyway. Either that or I'll never find someone I want to have children with.

76. Tootsie Roll pops are totally underrated. Those things are delicious! And no, I don't know how many licks it takes to get to the center. I never made it that far either.

77. I sunburn extremely easily. I never use less than SPF 45 and reapply frequently. My siblings and parents all tan but not me. It's burn baby burn. I do get a lot of freckles though. It's like the small amounts of pigment that my skin actually produces band together in little dots. Or something.

78. Because of my extremely fair skin, you can see most of my veins. The ones in my chest look like a road map. It's kinda freaky but cool, I guess.

79. I'm the only one of my sibs (there are 6 of us, in case your're wondering) who hasn't dyed or bleached my hair. I did get it highlighted once.

80. In 2005, I cut my hair and donated it to Locks of Love. I cut 15 inches off and my hair was still past my shoulders. Like whoa. My hair had been down to my waist for many many years and I decided it was time to change.

81. My second toe is longer than my first on both feet but it's more pronounced on the left foot.

82. I took a basic ice hockey class in college- twice. It was great. The second time, we got into some pretty good stuff, like line changes. The first time I tried to jump over the boards, I fell flat on my butt. It was hilarious and I was laughing so hard I couldn't get up. The teacher was laughing too but trying to hide it to be nice.

83. I taught myself how to ice skate once I got into hockey. My sis and I would go to the rink every friday/saturday night for open skate and just flail around until we got it figured out. We did that for years and it never got old. I used to make up names for some of the regulars. One time I guessed a guy's name. It was kinda freaky. He later played for WSU"s club hockey team that I worked for. Talk about a small world.

84. I was taught to say "ma'am" and "sir" to adults by my parents. It's the ole southern manners thing. That didn't sit so well with my teachers when we moved to Ohio. they thought I was being flip,when I was really trying to be polite. It was weird. I still speak to my parents using the manners I was raised with though.

85. I am not artistic at all but I am crafty.

86. My mother used to sew all of our clothes, especially church/dress up clothes. I didn't own a store-bought dress until I was in high school.

87. I hate shoes. Sandals are better, but it's really hard for me to find sandals that I like. And I cannot drive barefoot.

88. I am afraid of bridges, yet I think they are extremely beautiful. I love the architectural styles and the functionality, but I find them scary as hell to drive on. It's a fear I can't explain but it's there. I have to make myself drive over bridges, and heaven help me if I ever get stuck in traffic on one.

89. I really enjoy trains. I don't know what it is about them that captivates me, but it's there. I love to look at the different railway systems and kinds of cars. I like to be near when a train passes because I like the sounds a train makes.

90. I do not wear nailpolish on my fingernails. I will put it on my toenails though. It doesn't go on the fingers because it makes them feel all creepy and I hate it. I can count on one hand how many times I have painted my fingernails. Yeuch.

91. I bite my nails. It's a habit I can't seem to break, When I'm nervous or bored it seems to be the worst.

92. Speaking of bad habits, I also pick at scabs and squeeze pimples. I know I'm not supposed to do either of those things but I have a hard time holding back the impulse.

93. I almost always wear my hair pulled back in a ponytail or a bun. I hate having it in my face. But I like to keep my hair long because it has more versatility in styling (if I ever bother). Plus, my hair is so thick that if it's shorter than shoulder length, it will turn into a fro. Trust me you don't want that to happen.

94. I talk to myself all the time. I keep a running commentary on life in my head at all times. *sometimes it escapes* and I'll often mumble things out loud that are meant only for me.

95. I like to talk a lot. I tend to babble if I'm bored or nervous. Or running out of things to tell people about myself.

96. I can tie cherry stems in a knot with my tounge.

97. Anytime I see a new flavor of gum (that's not wintergreen-esque) I have to try it or at least buy it and send some to my sister Renee'. It's a game we play and the gum companies are oh so helpful. It feels like there's a new flavor every time I go to the store. I also do this with chips.

98. I have never broken a bone, and the only stitches I've ever had were in my mouth (after having my wisdom teeth removed and then after a minor oral surgery.)

99. I've never had a cavity, though I eat more sugary candy than most people I know, and drink a ton of Mt. Dew. Apparently I was blessed with good teeth and I'm also pretty good about brushing all the time.

100. I was actually able to complete this list in one sitting.

100 Things- The first section

I actually wrote them all at once, but I'll publish in 3 installments so as not to overwhelm anyone. Here are, in no particular order, 100 Things about Me:

1. My initials spell my name. I'm sure most of you know this by now, but it's still cool. I don't think it'll ever be not cool.

2. I have an unquenchable love of potato chips. They are my snack food of choice. I like almost any variety (no ketchup chips, please!) but I think my favorites are kettle cooked jalapeno. Amazing.

3. Some other foods I never seem to get tired of: peanut butter, chicken, cheese, and tukey sandwiches (those foods are NOT all eaten together, by the way).

4. Still speaking of food, I'm not a big chocolate person. If I'm in the mood, it's great, but that doesn't happen often. Usually I'd rather have a bag of chips or some fruity candy (like Skittles).

5. My sister Renee' is my best friend. She's about a year and a half older than me. We shared a room our whole lives (till college anyway) and we've never had a fight. Seriously.

6. I love the sound of skate blades on ice. I wish I had a cd with just the sounds of skating. That would be amazing. And relaxing.

7. A lot of people don't know this about me, but I didn't grow up on hockey. It was never even on the radar until 1993. That's when my sister liked a boy who liked hockey, so she started watching. So I started watching and I got hooked on Pavel Bure and the Vancouver Canucks. After they lost a heartbreaking 7th game to the evil Rangers (I'm not over it yet), I felt lost without my newfound love. So I went to the bookstore across the street and bought every hockey magazine and card they had
in the joint. I memorized names, team histories, stats, etc. And the rest is history.

8. At one time (like 11th grade for sure) I could name the starting AND backup goalie for each NHL team. I used to write them in the margins of my chemistry notebook when the lectures got too boring.

9. I have a knack for remembering (and sharing) random facts at random times. I can't remember anything useful but things like the glue on bandaid wrappers sparks purple in the dark, and Missouri has a set of "Supplemental State Routes" which are lettered rather than numbered. Those factoids just stay with me.

10. I do not own an iPod. I do, however, own approximately 140 cds. I love them all.

11. I love Mt. Dew. I don't drink coffee, tea, or most other kinds of pop (yes, it's pop, not soda!) but I like to Do the Dew.

12. The original Star Wars films are among my favorites of all time. My family quotes them incessantly. We used to act out the movies while watching them. I was Han, Vader, Jabba the Hutt, Emperor Palpatine, and various other characters. We had the movies taped off of tv, and watched them so much we memorized not only the movie but the commercials as well. Also, our copy of The Empire Strikes Back cut off right after Boba Fett's ship took off from Cloud City, so we didn't see the end of that movie for a long time. Finally we were able to tape all 3 movies consecutively onto one cassette, which was the video of choice for the 16 hour drives to Louisiana we took for holidays with the fam. good times.

13. I don't know what I want to be when I grow up. I always envied people who had a plan because I didn't and I still don't!

14. I can wiggle my ears. The left one is better, but I can usually get them both to move. I have a hard time doing it on demand though, because i get nervous and start to laugh. I don't think it's possible to wiggle your ears and laugh at the same time, they need the same muscles.

15. I can also raise my left eyebrow by itself. Not the right one though, it doesn't move on its own.

16. I am fascinated by military aricraft. I attribute this in part to growing up
outside of
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base
with its contingent of C-141s and their many-times-daily flyovers. We also had visits from many a fighter jet, randomly and even saw a couple of flyovers from the B2 Stealth bomber- AKA creepiest plane EVAR! Whatever the reason, I think planes are amazing and I wish I didn't get so airsick because I'd love to fly in one!

17. Similarly I am fascinated by ships. I love tall ships with their sails and rigging and I would love to do a "study abroad" on a ship. Except for one small (or not so small) issue. I also get seasick. It's ugly. So I won't be sailing anytime soon. I think that naval ships are amazing too. A coupleof summers ago, my sisters and I went to Norfolk and did a tour of the naval shipyards, it was awesome! But I'll stick to pictures and tours, no sailing for me.

18. I love hockey and road trips. I've seen ECHL games in Dayton, Toledo,Cincinnati, Wheeling, Lexington, Salt Lake City, Las Vegas and Peoria, AHL games in Cincinnati, Cleveland, Rochester and Syracuse, and NHL games in Detroit, Columbus and Buffalo. At many of those games I was cheering for the road team. What fun!

19. I like to drive. I usually listen to music, especially if I'm by myself. I think my favorite driving cd is Eve 6's Horrorscope. It's good music to sing along to and keeps me awake. Also, if I feel like I'm falling asleep, I'll throw in the Backstreet Boys'- Millenium and it's 1999 all over again. Haha I break it down and then I'm not sleepy anymore.

20. I have had my car for almost 6 years. It has 122,500 miles on it. It had 17 when I bought it. Yeah, I drive a LOT.

21. I find 4-leaf clovers all the time. I have a compulsion to look for them though. I think the reason most people don't find them is because they don't look. I do. I can't seem to stand in a field with clovers and NOT look. As a result, I have a very large collection. I save most of the clovers I find. Sometimes I'll flatten them and dry them in books, or I'll just cover them with clear packing tape. They are in my desk drawers, in my wallet, my car, everywhere. I give them to other people too.

22. I never played organized sports. I never really wanted to. (except hockey, but that was late in life and we didn't have the money or the place to play) I did play intramural softball my sophmore year of college with some kids I did a Bible study with. I didn't want to play (cuz I can't throw a softball worth a damn) but they begged me to so we'd have enough girls. One day I really didn't want to be there but I was playing anyway. They made me be at 3rd base and I got drilled by a line drive. The bruise was enormous but I kept playing. It hurt like crazy for days and was the nastiest bruise I've ever seen before or since. But I got some sympathy and admiration from "HottAss Eric", the umpire. I'd see him around campus after that and he'd ask how I was and show off my bruise and hardcoreness to his hot friends. Heh. So I guess it was worth it in that sense. I haven't played anything since then.

23. I was what you might call the "backup" mascot for the Dayton Bombers ECHL team in 2002-03. That meant that I got to do a heap of outside appearances- schools, parades and the like, when the main guy was unavailable or didn't want to do it. It was gross. But it was money and that was good.

24. I like to eat stale tootsie rolls. Sometimes I like them better than fresh ones.

25. When I was in high school, my best friend Monica and I would tell people that were twins. They would believe us. I guess they had no reason to think we were making things up.

26. I love to read. In 5th grade, I received a gift certificate to the bookstore for being the ONLY kid in my grade to go a week without watching tv.

27. I don't watch much tv. I'm pretty faithful about hockey though (namely the Sabres, and occasionally VS if it's the Wings, Devils or Blue Jackets, or I just need some hockey). I will occasionally catch an episode of CSI or Law and Order but I don't follow any of them. I do like the Robin Hood on BBC America but I don't make a point to watch that either. I'd rather be reading or online.

28. I really enjoy listening to hockey games on the radio. I spent 2 years listening to away games on the radio for the Bombers and then a year in SLC listening to the Grizzlies on the radio. It just has a different feel to it and I like the way a good announcer can make the game come alive. (Rick Jeanneret, please don't ever retire!)

29. I have seen almost all of my favorite bands in concert-many of them more than once. Our Lady Peace (x10), Smashing Pumpkins (x2) The Goo Goo Dolls (x3),Collective Soul (x3) Matchbox 20, Lifehouse (x2), Greenwheel (x3), Ingram Hill (x2), Blue Karma (x?), Train, Relient K (x2) The one band that I really love but haven't seen is Better than Ezra. They never seem to want to tour in the north, those bums!

30. I also have seen Our Lady Peace and Greenwheel ON MY BIRTHDAY and Collective Soul, Live and the Counting Crows the day before my bday. Sweet action.