march into the sea

i'm using this huge, giant, ridiculously oversized computer monitor right now that's plugged into my laptop.

i don't want to give it back. this thing is....awesome.

anyone see the new gilbert arenas commercial? the "impossible is 0" one?

youtube it. it's an awesome commercial if you like gil.

incomplete

i just watched stranger than fiction.

A SEA FOAM FENDER STRAT!!!

that's my dream guitar! i wanted to buy a sea foam strat but couldn't afford it, so i got the white dano.

stranger than fiction indeeeeed. i wonder if this means someone is writing a book about my life.

i bet it'd be a pretty stupid book.

i need a friend with a boat

i've been told my recent lack of appearances are starting to push me into the fringe of our little socialsphere. well now, that's just unkind.

busy busy, but i'm trying to make time for people, i swear to god. my best friend right now is definitely....my car. and the soothing voices of CBC radio shows.

so it would appear that despite the protestation and snarky remarks about people who get into relationships then disappear from their friends lives, i have clearly become one of those people, hahaha

not that i have any regrets; nor would i conclude any causes should be directly shouldered by my lovely better half (or as facebook calls her, my "significant other") that i could not arguably rationalize as equal parts due to work and school responsibilities.

i am, however, willing to concede that truly, i have become that which i at one time mocked.

naturally, i remain pragmatic and optimistic about the situation. i have but a month of school left, after which i hope to reconnect with people who i am essentially ignoring right now.

in the meantime however, this is a most general and impersonal attempt at an apology for my utter self-alienation. at least the irony is not lost on me, non?

keep sending me emails to stuff. at least then i'll know what i'm missing when i'm missing it.

and no, that was not sarcasm.

and neither was that.

now bed time. the favourite, most cherished part of the my day....

for agent 13

we can run all we want, but sometimes you just can't outrun the truth.

it's kind of funny. being purposely vague is like, just this thing i do.

i can't explain it, naturally.

dark horse

wow.

i'm so not as young as i used to be....

national anthem of nowhere

Raptors reaching new heights.

As the Toronto Raptors continue their unexpected success atop the NBA’s Atlantic division, the optimism surrounding the team is at an unfamiliar high.

Not since their mid-90’s playoff run to the Eastern Conference finals have fans and observers been so keen to see what lies ahead for the young basketball team.

Sporting the leagues third best winning percentage since the all-star break behind such perennial powerhouses as Dallas and Detroit, much of the turnaround concerning the team’s future centers (no pun intended) around first overall draft pick Andrea Bargnani.

The seven-foot Italian has quickly proven draft night critics wrong, developing faster than perhaps even the Raptors expected. Bargnani, averaging 11 points and nearly 4 rebounds per game, has quickly become a valuable contributor to the surging team off the bench.

Witnessing the ball movement, unselfishness, and rapid development of their prized rookie, one cannot help but wonder what could have changed so drastically in Toronto over the course of a year.

When Raptors GM Bryan Colangelo arrived in the city a year ago, his vision was to build a team that many coined “Phoenix North”.

Colangelo acquired players that fit the Phoenix run-and-gun mold -- athletic, unselfish individuals who could all handle the ball, and shoot from the perimeter. Indeed, much was made about the Raptors pushing the tempo and attempting 100 shots per game during the early stages of the season.

As the games wore on however, the Raptors eventually realized that running the floor was in fact not their greatest advantage. Rather, it was their players.

With all-star Chris Bosh and Bargnani both comfortable on the perimeter, the Raptors have begun to move the ball in their half-court offense, daring opponents to double Bosh in the low post and leave one of his teammates open. This is particularly frustrating because almost every player on the Raptors roster has a solid outside jumper, and is capable of making it should they receive that pass from Bosh.

Moreover, Bosh and Bargnani have been creating mismatch nightmares for opposing defenses, running a high-post screen and roll with point guards TJ Ford and Jose Calderon. Defenders are forced to step out on the speedy guards, creating space for either of the Raptor big men to roll to the net and receive the pass, or pop out and shoot an 18 foot jumper.

Although almost every team in the NBA utilizes this same play, the Raptors have been able to make it their bread-and-butter offensive set. And the reason the Toronto can run the basic basketball play so well, lies with the team’s personnel.

In their point guard platoon, the Raptors have two pass-first point guards with high basketball IQ’s. This is a necessity in an effective screen and roll, and a vast upgrade over the shoot-first mentality of ex-starting point guard Mike James.

Most importantly however, Bosh and Bargnani have developed a comfort level with their guards, setting solid screen and making good decisions that usually result in the ball being in their hands, and an uncontested look at the rim.

The results have been astounding, as the Ford and Calderon combination is averaging nearly 12 assists per game, Bosh (23 ppg) is having a career year in scoring, and Bargnani is now a leading candidate for rookie of the year honours.

However, the most curious aspect of the Raptors rise is not their current winning record, or even the emergence of Bosh and Bargnani to the cusp of superstardom.

Indeed, the most fascinating aspect about Toronto is their tantalizing potential. Watching teams struggle to defend the teams prized pair of big men, one cannot help but see the future of Basketball blossoming in the cold corners of Canada.

7 footers who are comfortable putting the ball on the floor, shooting off the dribble, and stepping outside to shoot the three are rare. 7 footers who do all that while also rebounding, contesting shots at the rim, get their teammates involved, and play tough in the post however, are nearly impossible to find – and Toronto has two of them.

A team built around a pair of such versatile big men has never been assembled, and so there is little precedence for where the Raptors may go from here.

Historically, dominant centers and guards have ruled the NBA. With a new generation of ball-handling forwards however, the mold created by Kevin Garnett, and expanded by European imports such as Dirk Nowitzki, continues to evolve.

With do-it-all giants such as University of Texas freshman Kevin Durant set to enter the league, the paradigm of what players an NBA champion needs to be built around seems to be shifting.

The recent emphasis on skill brought on by the Phoenix suns fluid style of play only magnifies the potential of big-men equally comfortable playing with finesse and power.

It is fitting then, that the small ball era Bryan Colangelo started in the desert, will grow (literally) and take its next step here in Toronto. Regardless of whether the new, larger NBA turns out to be a fad or an actual revolution, Raptors fans will have front row seats to watch it unfold – fittingly in the home of the world’s tallest free standing structure.

this fire

it's awful white outside. and i don't mean that as some overarching social commentary on race relations. i mean it's snowing a lot.

i'm wearing a long sleeve shirt under my hoodie. i have my hood on my head, and i'm wearing a pair of those really thin wool gloves that the lady cashiers use at the local chinese supermarket.

the thermometer in my room reads 14 degrees Celsius. uncool. uncool.

anyways, i've decided to start lugging my laptop around the house and working in other corners, hoping to perhaps kickstart my productivity. first stop, my big red chair.

also, i start my two week today, where i will drink nothing but water. if i don't make it till the weekend, know that i loved you all.

black wave

there's a herd of deer living in my backyard. they all seem to be does or fawns, i have yet to see a buck.

i've counted as many as 8, and usually they just hang around my house, or eat the bushes in my backyard. last night when i came home, all 8 of them were eating the shrubs in-between our neighbours and our front yards.

it's so odd. when you get close, they kind of just all freeze and state directly at you. i mean, it seems that they're pretty accustomed to human presence since they don't run away at noise or anything. i drove up, parked in my garage and walked to my door, and they just kept eating.

well, eating and staring. it's kind of spooky. but kind of.....cool.

anyways, it's only odd because they're don't seem to be just visiting. i've been seeing them almost every other day for the past couple of weeks. and they're SO close. i mean, sometimes i wake up in the morning and look at the window, and i swear they're peering in at me wondering what i'm up to. or i'll be watching tv in the basement and look out the window, and theres 3 of them just chillin by the bbq.

i feel like i live in Nara.

intervention

things just gotta get done sometimes, y'know?

the biggest mistake is thinking i have to do it all alone. that life is some sort of burden for me to bear.

letting it go not by giving up, but by embracing it all as a testament to how amazing He is.

knowing when to say thanks, instead of "i got this"

learning to be humble, and learning that humbleness is what really makes you stronger in the end.

cool breeze on the rocks

anyone see that clip of pairs figure skater Jessica Dube getting kicked in the mouth by her partner? all i can say is.....ouch. i just hope for dude's sake that they aren't one of those pairs that are dating too. imagine trying to get out of the dog house on that one.

"i'm sorry i kicked you in the face with my skate and caused severe lacerations sweetie....have you lost weight? you look great...."

anyways, the weekend rant:

i want to build my own furniture.

ok, i guess that isn't really a rant, but you know....a guy's gotta have goals.

suffer for fashion

change freaks me out man.

i just realized that the past year has been ridiculous. my life a year ago is absolutely unrecognizable compared to my life now. i was moseying along just fine until i became aware of how much my life has actually changed.

now i'm all freaked out and unsure of things.

stupid brain. i should stop thinking while i'm ahead. oh well.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
amusing parent anecdote #51

*Simon finishes a cell phone conversation towards the end of dinner*

mom: who was that?
me: a friend, he was asking for restaurant suggestions for valentines day dates
dad: it depends on his budget
me: i think he's aiming for around $50 per person
dad: that's not very much....that's like a normal meal. he should just go to a chinese restaurant
me: i think he's looking for something a little more romantic....
dad: valentines day is stupid anyways. it's such a waste of money. just go to swiss chalet.
me: uh....ok
mom: when we were dating, all your dad did was come over and eat free meals at my house.
me: smooth dad, smooth. any other keen dating tips for me?
dad: what? it's not about money. me and mom used to eat cheap food all the time, it's about memories, not money
mom: i don't remember any of those meals...

*about ten seconds of awkward silence*

dad: tell carmen to come over and eat with us for valentines day.
me: uh....i'm going to pass
dad: you should take her to a chinese restaurant
me: uhhh.....
dad: or swiss chalet
me: i have to go now.....
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

you know what the kicker to this story is? guess what we were eating for dinner at the time?

yup. swiss chalet.

warning

oh boston.

you are officially the most uncool american city, and the laughingstock of pretty much the entire world.

bravo, squares. bravo.

we/fall/down

sometimes, we can forget who we are.

i found my parting gift from ACF and popped it in tonight on a whim. although undergrad was a mere two years prior, it feels like an eternity ago. how quickly have i forgotten what i learned at ACF, losing track of the love that surrounded us there.

i always did regret my time at western, in that i never gave ACF my all. i always held back, socially, spiritually; my commitment was not there, nor was my undivided heart. my friends were amazing, and the fellowship was an inspiration and community that i cannot describe adequately in words. if i could go back and do it all over again, i would embrace ACF much, much more.

but God always gives us second chances. and the lessons learned in my past will not go unheeded.

the hardest part isn't not knowing what's next.

it's knowing full well what you are capable of, and holding yourself to those expectations and responsibilities. to not run away from who you know you are, or what God has in store for you, and especially who you know you could be. even if that means working harder, or sacrificing, or committing to things that you would rather not commit to because that might make your responsibilities that much more tangible.

growing up is such a strange phrase. i mean, we're in our mid twenties and most of us have full-time jobs already. we're grown ups. but at the same time, we still have so much more to learn -- hell, i plan on growing up until the day i kick the bucket. we'll never stop growing as people.

but some steps are bigger than others. but you gotta take one, before you can take the next -- regardless of how scary those steps may seem.

waiting for the 7:18

it's 14 degrees Celsius in my bedroom.

i'm cold.

and in perhaps the news of the day:

Caffeinated Doughnuts!

lovestoned//ithinksheknows

yes, i enjoy this song way more than i should. i'm not ashamed to say it.

you know that scene in Big where tom hanks goes back to the fortune telling machine and wants to be a kid again?

that's like....exactly how i'm feeling this past week.

come onnnnn non-busy days ahead!

pam berry

wow.

the new shins album is just.....

wow.

ride

there is absolutely not a bone in my body that has come to grips with what the next 4-5 months are going to be like.

no a one.

i just want to shut it down man. this....this ain't right.

province

i want an iphone....

www.apple.com

youshouldbehatedhere

i should be asleep, but i'm up comparing my new koss-ksc75's to my senn hd477's. they're actually pretty close. it's almost a crapshoot at this point, i'm debating just using them to listen to different genre's of music. the fact that i have these portable suckers for my mp3 player now is icing on the cake though. it honestly is the best $20 i've spent in many many moons.

it's funny how happy a pair of $20 headphones makes me. i feel like i accomplished something, as if i'm starting my own little budget audiophile headphone collection. anyways, now that i'm done nerding it up, i'm going back to my music.

it's gonna be one of those long, pensive, quiet nights where i give my last.fm charts a much needed workout.

i'll be tired tomorrow.

it'll be worth it.

worlds apart

i always end up back at this song....