When You Smile, The Whole World Stops & Stares For Awhile

Just The Way You Are - Bruno Mars

Anyone else feeling the buzziness in the air? While most people look forward to summer, the sun, and hot weather . . . that's not the case for me. Nope, I have long been a champion for autumn and winter.

September - a new start [to the school year?], the end of mozzies biting me.

Truth be told, I was starting to get sick of all the sun. Call me crazy if you want! I have things to look forward to: Halloween, my birthday, Christmas, New Year's Eve!!!

Another thing to be excited about? My Canucks of course! This past summer, I was happy to join up with the good folks over at the Canucks Fan Zone, so I am looking forward to helping them out and spreading the [social media] word on Canucks events and contests happening around town.

That being said . . . come out and see us on Wednesday, October 20th at Joey's on Broadway for the first official Canucks tweet-up of the year. These events started up last year and have only gained momentum. Join follow Canucks fans, bloggers from the Canucks Hockey Blog, and the Fan Zone when the good guys take on their nemeses from the past two years, the Chicago Blackhawks. Joey Kenward of Team 1040 will have hosting duties and rumour has it, Fin will make an appearance.

Hope to see you all there!

I Long To Fly Away

I'm Like A Bird - Nelly Furtado 

Posts are long overdue. Sit tight kiddies. They're coming.

I've Counted The Days, Day After Day

I Have Waited So Long - Foreigner 

Can you believe THE announcement was almost seven years ago?


*video courtesy Rogers Sportsnet
Yes, that was back in July 2003 and I remember sitting in my shoebox Japanese abode late at night - staying up to find out whether my hometown had won. That bid video set to the voice of Bryan Adams still gives me chills. We've waited so so long and as of today, the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games are a mere month away. Yes, 31 days. Are you excited?

At this point, I feel comfortable divulging some news I've had for a while. I have accepted a position to work with NBC during the Olympics! I have been a lifelong Olympics junkie and when the opportunity came, I just couldn't pass it up. It's very much a dream come true. NBC always does a bang-up job of broadcasting the Games and I hope so badly to be able to meet Matt Lauer, since The Today Show will be broadcasting from atop Grouse Mountain the whole time.

Finally, a step in the right direction. Back to media, journalism, and a job that really gets my blood pumping. It also means I'm packing up my bags and moving back home to Vancouver.

I found out I'd landed the job back in August and it's been hard to keep it only to family and close friends. Back in the summer, I thought February was still so far away. And now, I'm moving home in four days.

In other exciting news, I've hooked up with an ambitious little start-up called Define Magazine. It's Vancouver's newest lifestyle online source and our aim is to draw on the abundant amount of writing talent we have internationally, to provide informative and entertaining articles for readers of any demographic. The launch was a mere week ago, so please check out our website and show some support! I'll be contributing articles to them starting late January, so keep your eyes peeled for that.

Anyway, with all that said, I am feeling anxious about the move. It always happens before I make a big move. Have I packed everything? OMGImusthaveforgottenSOMETHING! This time, I just have to keep reminding myself that even if I do leave something behind, it's just in my parents' place here and they can bring it for me in a few months when they return to Vancouver. Chill G, chill.

Let the Games begin . . .

Santa Saw A Rabbi & Gave The Strangest Remark

Santa Baby - Reverend Run & The Christmas All Stars 

The Reverend Run version of Santa Baby has always been one of my favourite non-traditional Christmas songs [click here to see the video, courtesy of Yahoo! Music]. On this Christmas Eve afternoon, while helping my parents clean and prepare their new apartment for moving in, I was jamming to what is probably one of my favourite Christmas albums of all-time.

There are always the never-failing standbys. Mariah Carey's Merry Christmas, Michael Bublé's Let It Snow!, and of course, the Very Special Christmas series . . . but what about those of us who crave some R&B-flavoured yuletide Christmas jams?

My album of choice is surprisingly little-known considering the star power it packs into 16 tracks. The Soul Train Christmas Starfest boasts artists ranging from Boyz II Men to Kirk Franklin and everyone in between. This 1997 release catches groups such as Az Yet and Immature at the top of their games and even features Rome taking a wonderful turn at Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas.


Don't bother looking for it on iTunes though, as it is not listed. I originally had a cassette copy of this compilation. When that was lost, the only way I could get my hands on a CD copy was through Amazon.com . . . Definitely worth the effort and perfect for lovers of pre-millenium R&B.

Take a listen:
Santa Claus Is Coming To Town - Immature

Oh Come All Ye Faithful - Az Yet

Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas - Rome
Every Year, Every Christmas - Luther Vandross
It's Christmas [All Over The World] - New Edition
Give Love On Christmas Day - Johnny Gill

When The Cold Wind's Blowing Snow Drifts Through The Pine Trees

All That I Want - The Weepies 

There's something in the air. Can you feel it? It's that tingling buzzy buzz feeling I get every year at the end of November . . .

It starts with my birthday, followed the week after by American Thanksgiving. Then you walk into a mall and boom! Trees! Ornaments! Twinkle lights!

Because guess what? In a few short weeks . . . it'll be Christmas - my most favourite holiday of the year. The atmosphere in the city becomes electric. Mix that in with family gatherings, get-togethers with friends, the IIHF World Junior Hockey Championships, and feeling like you're on the verge of something.

Then a short week after that? The New Year.

This year, the feeling will last even longer. You better believe it will. Six weeks into the new year, Vancouver will play host to the whole world at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games.

I, for one, am looking forward to this winter like none other before. Here's to winter!