So I caught a bit of that series of concerts "for a climate in crisis". I applaud all involved in the project, and hope that it accomplishes to get the word out, especially on what we can do as individuals to help bring about change. The following blog came to my mind while in the midst of feeling "sassy"...

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First, it was great to see Genesis perform. But I don't remember when John Locke from Lost joined the band as lead singer! Damn those Others! They're behind this, I just know it!

Also great to hear Another Brick in the Wall performed live. When you hear that guitar solo, even if you just tuned in at that moment, you know exactly what's playing. A definite classic.

My personal favourite highlight was Duran Duran's set. No surprise there to anyone who knows me! They played Planet Earth, Girls on Film, and Notorious (thankfully Tori Spelling couldn't make it for a cameo!). I did wish they would have played Hungry Like the Wolf and changed some lyrics for the occasion:

He was vice-president some time ago...Now he's known as "The Climate's 'Ho"...
Dudududoo dududoo dududoo doodoo...
He did a film call "An Inconvenient Truth"...The DVD sales are going through the roof...
Dudududoo dududoo dududoo doodoo...
In touch with nature, and with himself...he's on the hunt, he's after you...
He's friends with Flipper...whatever happened with Tipper?...cuz we're Hungry for Al Gore....

Ahem.

Other performances that kicked: Black Eyed Peas, Bon Jovi, Madonna... hell, even that performance from Antartica. But that's just because of the penguins who took time from their feeding to sit in and enjoy the concert!

So what did you all think?

My New Drug

I've been slacking on my blogging duties here. Time to tell you why.
I was hearing a lot recently about a website out there and I decided to check it out. It has become, undeniably, my craving, my fix, and I sum it all up in one word:
Facebook.

I know most of you know of it, and probably a fair amount of you are on Facebook already. If you're on it, I welcome the addition of new friends! Just do a search of me, Dean Boutilier, in Kitchener, Ontario, and add me, please! :)

Now. Why does this site have such a hold on me? Well, the first couple of days on it, I was looking for people I know. Several people I work with are on there, plus I found an old college buddy, and a few others. But while doing a search for a current friend, someone else's name popped up, and took my breath away...
My first girlfriend!

The last time her and I spoke was nearly 20 years ago. Over the years, I had the odd inclination to look her up, but she had moved way-back-when, and that should have been all she wrote. Being my first, I had never completely forgot about her, but after two decades, what are the odds of finding her on the internet, something that wasn't even in existance when last we met?

We've touched base through Facebook e-mail, and the parallels her life has taken alongside mine is kinda freaky! She's married as well, her first kids were twins, like us (she had 5 kids since...we stopped while we were ahead! lol!). We have similar hangouts, and even some common friends! How's that for serendipity? (or however you spell it?)

So to find someone from that long ago is amazing, and has got me digging deep in the well to find others that might be on there! So if you're on Facebook, please stop by and say hi! I'll be back to MySpace and Blogger, as usual. It's the new toys out there that I'm consumed with at the moment! :)

The Dose-ification of The Globe and Mail

Yesterday, The Globe and Mail came out with a newly-designed newspaper. Not only has it shrunk in width, but just about everything in the paper has been given a facelift.

Oddly enough, my first reaction upon seeing the "new" Globe was "Hey! When did they start up that Dose paper agagin?" Dose was the free transit paper from CanWest that gave in to the other freebies Metro and 24 Hrs. and ceased publication some time ago. I've missed it (I don't live in any of the cities they serviced, but I always read it online) since its' demise, as the attitude and originality it brought to everyday news was quite unique. A website still exists (http://www.dose.ca) but alas, the paper is but a distant memory.

Until now, that is...

Don't get me wrong. I LIKE the "new" Globe. The new Life section is quickly becoming a welcome inclusion, and the look of the entire package is certainly cleaner, especially the front section and the Report on Business section. I think this was a good move for The Globe in the end, as they might be able to attract younger readers, and perhaps even increase their female readership too.

Good luck to The Globe. And thanks for bringing back a bit of Dose!

Today's Our 10-Year Anniversary!

Wow. 10 years.

It was on a slightly chilly Saturday morning, April 19, 1997, that Tina, accompanied by her father, walked down the aisle of St. Mark's Church and became my bride.

With over a hundred of the people that mattered to us most in our lives, our families and friends, and after a courtship that lasted way too long (just ask our parents!), we finally tied the knot and became Mr. and Mrs. Boutilier.

Unbeknownst to me (as I can't keep track of dates to save my life!), the date we chose to get married happened to be the same day as my parents' anniversary (I had always thought theirs' was a few days earlier; they were just thankful I remembered and never corrected me!) so this ends up being a day we celebrate and get to share with my parents (whose current whereabouts are unknown while they vacation in Florida - although I'm sure we'll hear from them tonight!).

So many positive, wonderful things have happened since that day I feel we've been truly blessed. Having Hunter and Noah, our twin 6-year-olds, to share with us is icing on the cake.

Tonight, even though finances are tight, we'll do something special, perhaps go to a nice restaurant for dinner, and maybe later when the boys are gone to bed, open that bottle of Niagara ice wine we've been saving, and savour the night.

Tina, I love you more with each passing day. You're my rock when life gets me down. I treasure your love, your warmth, your companionship. I will never be able to truly express what you mean to me.

10 years. Who would have thought someone could put up with me that long? lol!! Here's to the first 10, and may there be many more anniversaries to come!

Sounds In The Night

So it was one of those restless nights Friday night...the time was 3:17 am, and we're due to be up in a couple of hours to get ready to go to the Elmira Maple Syrup Festival (blog to come). Noah had just gone back to bed after needing to use the washroom, and after tucking him in and checking in on Hunter, we decide to go out on the balcony for a smoke.

Now, neither the Mrs. nor I smoke that much these days...3 or 4 a day each, that's about it. A late night smoke is a moment to get out in the fresh air, take the day in, and just listen to the silence outside....

Hold on. What was that? Sounded like one of the kids saying "Mom?" I turn to Tina and say that can't be...the boys' window is closed, and that was a little too clear and loud...wait! There it is again! Not really "Mom?" though, more like...more like a....moan? Is it...? It IS!

The sound we heard was of a woman in another apartment moaning in pleasure! And let me tell you, she's a screamer! At this time of night, and with her window open, she was hitting her stride and letting it all out for the neighbourhood to hear! My wife blurted out an "oh my god!", while I had bad 70's disco music playing in my head (the same music that you can find on any porn movie soundtrack!).

While the orgasmic neighbour kept it going, we finished our cigs and headed back in. I went into our bedroom and opened the window a crack...and she was still going, now about 15 minutes into her 'performance'! Then it got quiet (I never heard anyone else, so I don't know if she had a partner or was going 'solo'. But she wasn't shy about it, that's for certain!

It looks like it's gonna be an interesting spring/summer around our place!!

Dancing With The Stars, Eh?

The second episode of Dancing With the Stars is on ABC and CTV tonight. Tomorrow night, someone gets eliminated! Personally, I find this latest batch of "stars" a bit of a letdown from last season. There's really no one here I find worth rooting for! We don't have a geriatric-type like Jerry Springer (John Ratzenberger is younger and wants to win as opposed to Jerry's mantra of "get me off this show"). No "studs" for the ladies like Mario and that Blossom kid. Hell, I can't even get behind waiting for Heather Mills' prostetic leg to pop off and hit Tom Bergeron square in the nuts! Now THAT would be America's Funniest Video! Instead, I sit here, wondering who we would enlist if there ever was a Canadian version of this show. This is what I picture in my mind's eye...

- Luba Goy doing the tango
- Gordon Pinsent doing the two-step
- Steve Smith (Red Green) doing the fox trot
- Brent Butt doing the waltz
- Lisa LaFlemme doing the samba

You know, another round of Deal or No Deal Canada is beginning to sound better and better....

It's Monday! Blech!

You wake up. You look at the clock, which has been buzzing for at least an hour now, begging you to get up and turn it off. The kids are crying, thinking that mommy and daddy are dead. Close, but not quite....
It's Monday morning! And you have to get your sorry ass up and out the door to work!
Blech!
So how does one manage to beat those Monday blues? Eileen Chadnick of Toronto-based Big Cheese Coaching has some suggestions...

Organize ahead. Before you leave on Friday, clear the clutter and write down an agenda for the next week. This way you can know where you left off, and start with a clean plate on Monday.
Focus on the positive. Think of at least three things you look forward to at work, such as camaraderie with colleagues, meeting clients or learning something new.
Make the mountain easier to climb. Break down looming projects into small, manageable tasks, which will help you feel like you can move in on Monday and achieve success.
Write it down. To create a sense of progress, make a "to-do" list and check off tasks as you complete them.
Keep it simple. Don't schedule a big meeting on Monday and keep your morning agenda light.
Find a challenge for the day. Having something you want to accomplish makes it more interesting and easier to get back to work.
Encourage interaction. "If people are fired up about working with others as a team. it adds a lot more meaning to the day," Ms. Chadnick says.
Renew and review. Make Monday morning a time to meet informally to go over progress and plan the rest of the week.
Create variety. Think about ways to make your work different and more creative. Ask your boss if there are new projects or initiatives that will help you stretch your skills.
Anticipate good times. Have something to look forward to by planning a lunch or a special evening event during the week.
Make down time your time. A dinner with friends, a movie or other diversions on Sunday evening will keep your mind off the work week ahead.

Eileen? Get real, will ya? Oh yeah, would you turn the (*&#& alarm clock off when you get your ass outta bed?

My Boys Are Normal!...err, sort of...

The boys had their psych tests today, to determine if they're ADHD or autistic or anorexic or whatever it is that the school wanted us to get tested. It turns out the pediatrician doing the test could only say in his opinion that ADHD is NOT a factor for starters. As far as autism goes, under the farthest stretch of the definition one could find things about the boys that appear to be autistic, but they also exhibit signs that are clear cases of NOT being autistic. The word he used to sum it all up is that the boys are "unique". I'm not really sure how to take that, but treat it as a good thing for the moment. The pediatrician wants us to get a "second look" on the boys performed over at Grand River Hospital in Kitchener. So we're not done with the tests just yet. *sigh*

June 29/07 - A Day That Will Live On In Infamy!

You read correctly, June 29, 2007. A day I am sure I won't forget anytime soon.

How is this possible? No, I didn't do the time-travel thing or look into someone's crystal ball or anything. Let me explain.

For over a year now, the company I work for has stated that at the end of June, we were closing our building in Kitchener where I work, and moving everything into our Cambridge location. As the days leading up to this move loomed ever closer, I know it's going to be a major hassle.

First, the boys finish their first year of school at the end of June. They're in kindergarden, so they go to school in the morning, then I pick them up at lunch and take them over to their daycare (we don't qualify for bussing! ugh!), then I go back to work, then pick everyone up after work. As it stands now, the system works, don't screw with it. If the move to Cambridge occurs BEFORE the boys end their school year, it'll be messy figuring out how to make the transition work (could involve me taking holidays to ensure the boys are covered, etc.)

Now. This by itself is confusing enough.

Today, my wife calls me to tell me the place where she works is moving to a different location...at the end of June! So now we have THIS to complicate matters even further!

I tell ya. Running like a madman and hitchin' a ride out west sounds like a good idea right about now....

Mondays Are A Pain In The .....

You know it ain't gonna be a good week when your Monday is a total write-off by lunch time.

The wife and I are currently working with the school our boys go to, trying to find an option when it comes to dropping them off. They're in kindergarden, and the school doesn't want them unattended (understandable) but they won't unlock the school doors til 8:50 am. That's fine, but I then have to go to work, which is across town, and be there by 9 am -- 10 minutes!

I think we're reaching a suitable solution (have a couple of eighth graders watch them so that I can drop them off an extra 5 minutes earlier) so that this issue may be solved. The rest of the day's been crap, though. Luckily, the work day ends in about 10 minutes....

After picking up the kids from daycare and the wife from her work, it's grocery time, followed by veg-out time at home. There's a new 24 on as well as Prison Break, but I guess the biggie tonight is the season premiere of Dancing With the Stars. Personally, my money is on Heather Mills' fake leg flying off during the late part of her performance. Now THAT'S entertainment

Blogging Soliloquy

What actually makes this more fun than MySpace is that I can do as many blogs a day as I'd like to, without fanning the flames of discontent among subscribers! lol!! Cuz you know, sometimes, I just don't really have anything to say, but a guy's gotta blog, y'know?

So Where Did I Come From?

For those of you wondering "just who the heck does this guy think he is, out there in the blogging world, going on like he knows what he's doing, cuz when it comes down to it, he ain't hip, he ain't fly, he don't know jack, man!" (and if you were really wondering all that, perhaps I could interest you in some smaller thought balloons...? lol!), the painful truth is that I've been hanging out over at http://www.myspace.com for the last year, honing my blogging skills, and now finally deciding to come out and see the world!

But if you are interested in seeing any of my previous work, you can check out http://blog.myspace.com/dboutilier and get the shinny on me!

Sirius-ly Canadian?

I have had a subscription to Sirius Satellite Radio for a couple of months now (thanks again for the Christmas present, Tina!). I love the ability to choose what I want to hear, I love the selection of music Sirius offers, as well as the sports and other programming they have (gotta love Howard Stern!). I even listen to it at work via the Internet.

If there is one complaint I have, it's that the Canadian music channels are NOT available on the Internet streaming service. I would probably listen to Iceberg 95 all day if I could, but according to an e-mail I received from Customer Service, that is currently not in the plans.

If you have a Sirius radio, I would suggest to you to go to http://www.siriuscanada.ca and e-mail Customer Service. Maybe the more people they hear from, the more they might consider this. After all, I may enjoy listening at work, but I'm definitely not getting my Canadian content (other than the odd BNL played on the Super Shuffle channel)!

Welcome To Deaner's Canada!

G'day, eh? Welcome to the Great White North, otherwise known as my receding hairline!
I'm Deaner, and I'll be your host, your internet tour guide, for "Deaner's Canada"! Please, I really sweated over the title. No guffawing, especially you in the back there. Yes, you, buddy!

So, a little about me, if you'd like...born in Toronto, Ontario 40 years ago, raised in Nova Scotia, and now residing at the home of Oktoberfest, Kitchener, Ontario. I've been married for almost 10 years to a wonderful lady, and we are the proud parents of 6-year-old twins (whose birthday happens to be today, March 15!)

How do I qualify doing a blog of this nature? Well, I've done over 460 of 'em on MySpace alone, but I thought it was time to try something new...something different...something where I can embrace my Canadianism full-heartedly and share it with you!

We're gonna be talking pop culture and how it all is a part of our Canadian fabric. I hope you'll join me in the journey, and that we'll be all the more richer for it! Don't forget to let me know what you think!