No time left

Just as expected, time is flying by! Half the reason I decided to start this blog was so that I could try to verbalize this roller coaster ride. I'm not quite sure how I am going to fit an entire winter wardrobe with it's natural bulk, my ski stuff and oh yeah, I guess I need to bring my tools since there is some required work stuff I need to do! I could really use Irene's help on rolling up a ski suit to fit into a size 10 shoe! I'm also trying to get in my dental appointments, medical appointments for prescription refills (and no I'm not on hallucinogens, I'm just naturally this way). Of course, let's not forget the visit with my personal groomer, Suzanne. I would also like to try and get one more adjustment in with Amanda (Dr. A). Now that is just another typical day for my wife Laura, but "I am, just a man!"

I just completed my online training on this side of the continent. It consisted mainly of a brief description of the technology and hardware nomenclature we will be using throughout the assorted venues. I'm still spitting out saltines and rock salt. The only thing that kept me going was the fact that there was testing at the end of each module. A pass was 80% and if you failed in the first attempt, you were only given one more attempt. Nobody ever really explained what would happen if you failed in both your attempts. Maybe that was meant to be a non-verbal type threat! "So I finished the testing, Yadda, yadda" says George from a "Seinfeld" episode.

By now everybody has figured out that my venue will be the Athlete's Village in Whistler. They are already skiing at the top of the hill but I guess they do that all year long. My concern right now is that the ski season starts on November 29th. I just feel this is going to be one very long winter since my new best buddy Jeff is telling me that Whistler has already had one dump of snow to the tune of 15cm. I am starting to wonder about this best buddy thing!

You see, I have given up Sunday night old timer hockey so I wouldn't hurt myself and ruin my chances at the Olympics. Anyone that knows me well enough knows that I have been playing year round hockey (until very recently) and opting out of winter hockey has not been done since I first started playing competitive hockey. I had a chance to ride the Oshawa Competition Motorcycle Club (OCMC) "Club Enduro" this past weekend and decided against it, firstly because I didn't want to ride in the rain and the cold (which turned out to be cloudy but pleasant) and secondly so that I wouldn't ruin my chances to get to the Olympics! So what does this have to do with my new best buddy Jeff? He says that he has me scheduled for zip-lining and bungee jumping! I guess I should just get in line now, with Christine and Paula and get that parachute jump out of the way, just for hoots!

The Call

I received a 10-4 call from my new best friend Jeff on October 6 (who's already in Vancouver) asking if I was still interested in working at " Les jeux Olympiques" chez Vancouver. I really didn't consider it a question! Oh, and by the way, happy birthday Laura (Oct. 7). I originally promised Jeff a beer the next time I see him but then I reconsidered and thought the best bottle of his favorite libation more appropriate.

Now some of you might be asking why am I using some french. It's only because I was going to Mont Tremblant with my family (on my summer vacation), closing out the golf season with our dear friends from Labelle, David and Michele. The trip could have been the worst one possible (although how could it be when you play golf 5 days out of 6) but as I told Jeff, that news made my holiday. Oh, and by the way, I did have two scores in the low 90's. That is pretty good for me even though David would qualify that as 93* and 94*. That's our inside joke for a couple of foot wedges we may or may not have used.

We are just now on our last night at Mont Tremblant and I feel that I need to get ready to leave for "Les jeux Olympiques" even though it won't be until November. Laura and Kristin said I would be going. My boss and my co-workers said I would be going. I guess I wouldn't let myself believe I would be going. We are all of us now just pumped!

I will be in Whistler at the Athlete's village. I'm thinking I would like to collect autographs from all the athletes I encounter (as long as they don't think I'm a stalker)! I just don't know what I should use. Kristin suggested a Canadian flag which I think is a pretty good idea, especially if it could be included in the closing ceremonies! I just don't know if I could carry it around with me all the time and if I could part with it for the closing ceremonies. Maybe I'm just getting ahead of myself. There's probably a code of conduct regulation for autographs, Canadian flags and even this blog!

I would really like to hear from you if you have a better idea, but for now I think I will have to go with the Canadian flag and losing it to make it's round at the closing ceremonies!