Righting a Wrong with The Roast Beast...

So Team Canada dominated Germany last night. Although I caught the beginning moments at home, my wife and I had to attend a birthday party held over at the Fox hotel. Thankfully it was an executive suite and I got to watch the game on 3 very nice flat screen TVs ! Score!

As with any Filipino birthday party, the food totally rocked and we had our fill. But what totally blew me away was when they brought in this casket size cardboard box. They opened it up… And low in behold… Therein lay a roasted pig. A whole roasted pig. I’ve seen it in pictures, I’ve seen it in movies, and now here was one right before my eyes!

Being SDA, my wife and I didn’t partake of said beast but I was certainly fascinated by the spectacle of people digging in and devouring their share. I’m sorry to say I didn’t have a camera to take a picture of it but here is one I pulled off the internet that might as well be a twin to the one we had on site. Cost: $200 CAD!

It is tax time and my wife and I recently got our T4 and church contribution receipts. Tess quickly sent hers off to have her return computed because she is leaving for the Philippines at the end of March and would like some spending money for her trip. Because of her generosity in 2009, she’ll be expecting a decent amount which makes her happy.

I too am expecting some back and it got me thinking about how I have vowed to “right that wrong”. So, out of curiosity, I hopped onto the internet and did a quick search on EBay. My heart skipped a beat when this picture popped up…

So it is a year older… The 2004 model. It is a different colour… (I do like the silver though) It is sans the Thomson Elite parts, Specialized Avatar saddle, and Shimano 520 clipless pedals… And it has been somewhat domesticated (eww bike rack and low riding saddle!) … But other than that it is a mint condition Specialized Sirrus Sport Disc which is identical to the one I owned in Toronto ! The current bid for it is a measly $241.00 CAD. Not sure if I want to get into bidding war with whomever put that first bid and I certainly do have a limit of what I would spend on it (considering I have to factor in shipping cost and the modifications I’d want to start right away) but we’ll see. Stay tuned!

To end things off... We also got to watch the women's short program last night at the party and while Asians seem to be dominating the competition, here in Canada all eyes were on Joannie Rochette and I'm sure we all felt her tears once she got off the ice. I guess the pressure was off for the evening and the emotions overwhelmed her. I'm sure she was thinking of only one thing: her mom.

But did anyone notice how well defined this girl's arms are especially compared to her competition? They aren't gross like those crazy body builder types. Lean very lean! Her back is pretty defined too. Very nice.

Canada vs Russia tonight!

No Fat Lady Has Sung!

The following are just some slightly random thoughts on yesterday's game...

I have to admit I was heartbroken when I saw the final score for tonight's hockey game between Team Canada and Team USA. Canada is my much loved adopted homeland. Yes, many may say that I spent most of my late childhood and early teens in the United States but when I was mature enough to make a choice of which country's ideals to embrace, I readily chose Canada. I prefer the mosaic over the melting pot.

There is something highly symbolic about bringing our neighbours to the south onto our home turf and challenging them to our game. I think many other countries can relate to this opportunity. I think we all are a bit weary of the egocentric way the United States has conducted itself in other arenas and relish the idea of a level playing field. Even if... that field is made of ice.

Yes we were properly beaten. There a number of things that were just not coming together for our boys. The Americans have every right to be happy about their performance especialy in goal tending. But part of me does not appreciate the comments that more than a number of Americans made in regards to their win. No need to gloat now!

I am not a hardcore hockey fan. I don't have an expert analysis of the game. But I do know that hockey is a Canadian passion and obscession. I have joined many a Canadian family during Hockey Night in Canada and witnessed how their enthusiasm seems to reach into their TV sets and affect the outcome of the game. That is why I understood the tears that fell down the cheeks of the Albertan farmer I had the opportunity of sitting beside during the final moments of tonight's game. Do Americans have the same connection to baseball or NFL football?

I really hope the boys rise up to the occaison, collect themselves, focus on working as a team, and get back to it. In either case I've enjoyed the Olympics form the second I rushed into the street to see catch the exchange of the flame just a few feet from my workplace till now.

Go Canada Go!

The Fourth, The Fifth, The Minor Fall, The Major Lift...

I must confess that I stayed up to watch the openning ceremonies of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games last night along with Yoshi, Yuya and Tess. Up until the flame was exchanged right in front of my workplace in Canmore, Alberta a few weeks ago I must confess I wasn't really interested in the games. But seeing the pageantry take place right at my doorstep changed my attitude. This was something to get excited about! In fact Tess and I made it a point to watch the show live when the flame made it into Banff later that evening. And of course we ended up with this gem of a shot as well which still shows up on the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) website...

However while the opening cermony was filled with spectacle and it kept our attention throughout, I have to say there was one moment that stood out from the rest. This was when K D Lang presented her rendition of Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah. I was struck by the passion with which she sang the haunting lyrics to this great Canadian classic.

I first heard this song performed by Jeff Buckley a while back and I was instantly drawn in by the reference to David and how he played music for King Saul who was plagued by evil spirits. Only through music was Saul able to find peace. That reference alone won me over but as the song progressed I was struck by the underlying message that surrounded the word Hallelujah. There are some deep observations surrounding passion and love in the lyrics.

My thoughts turned to my own personal history and the seasons of love I have experienced. In particular I reflected upon the times when I was involved in relationships in which I was madly in love with someone and yet everything about our love was unhealthy. It wasn't a lack of awareness that kept me in them. I knew things were bad. However, when one's heart is laid open and bare it is amazing the amount of darkness it will take and yet still cry out, "give me more!"

Hallelujah!

"A cold and broken Hallelujah" as the song confesses.

The song recognizes that love can indeed be sacred and intimate but there is a fine line between the holy and broken Hallelujah. Could this be the fine line between love and lust? Even further is this the fine line between obscession and the oneness that happens when those truly in love join flesh?

Like the song confesses I too can only look back and be honest about everything. The sharpness of fresh emotion has long passed and things can be stored in the experience locker hopefully to be opened in aid of those to whom all of it is new. My love was real then but love can end and be renewed.

It is appropriate that the song ends with multiple Hallelujahs. Some have said that this just emphasizes the variety of ways one can load the word with different meaning and emotions. But I'd like to think that when the time does come when we stand before the "Lord of Song", we can indeed cry out a holy "Hallelujah!"

The Big Announcement

After 40 years of service to the SDA church in various capacities, my father is officially announcing his retirement during the Alberta SDA Conference staff meeting this morning. My father has left a legacy of humble servitude to the institution and belief system that he so vervently believes in and I am proud of him.

This decision will bring many changes to our family over the next few months but I believe they are good ones. If there is one thing I know about my parents is that no decision they make is rash. I know they spend many hours in prayer and meditation before they act. But when they do act it is decisive and they commit to the path laid out before them.

On a side note...

It has become so apparent what so many expect of Tess and I! I smile at all the guesses as to what the "announcement" was going to be and I know my father would be happy to see the Daquila name carried forward. So don't be surprised if the next time there is a big announcement it may just be what you all thought this was about!

Back on track...

Please continue to keep Dad in your thoughts, prayers, and give him a nice big hug when you see him. We love you Dad! God bless you as you enter this new chapter in your life!