Back in December, The company I work for started to feel the effects of the current economic climate, the layoffs began. One by one, people who I thought would never be let go all of a sudden were. The safe bubble my coworkers and I thought we had with the mighty corporation had popped, and the reality of job losses and uncertainty had settled in. Who was next? when will it end?
So Christmas came and I was still employed, new year, new beginning..... the layoffs are done and the company is ready to ride out the recession.
Today things changed.
We found out today that a company wide pay cut was to take effect in 30 days. not a large percentage but it was still enough to make people cringe. This recession had now hit us full effect and right square in the nose.
Lifestyles, habits, hobbies, needs and wants are now questioned. Brown Bagging lunches is in. That timmies every morning..... well do i really need it?
Sure, a pay cut will make things a bit tougher. Less disposable income, purchases and vacations may be put on hold, but in the end... if this is what it takes to save jobs, Yeah I am all for it.
I see my coworkers more than i see my beautiful finacee..... and well they are a great bunch of people, and I'd happily take a pay cut if it means them and myself still have a job tomorrow.
times are tough, but sometimes a wakeup call like this is exactly what you need.....
more on that another time.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
work it, make it, do it, makes us harder, better, faster, stronger.
Happy Fat Tuesday.
Tomorrow, marks the beginning of lent, the most important part of the calender for the catholic faith. One aspect of lent is sacrifice, giving up something for the duration(40 some odd days) of lent until easter.
This year, I am planning on giving up meat (pork, beef and chicken), only able to eat fish and eggs. This will be tough, but i look forward to the challenge, for not only reasons of faith, but also for heath and fitness reasons too.
For the next 46 days I will use this blog to update you all on my progress and if infact, changing my diet will lead to to a different lifestyle.....
wish me luck and we willl see what happens!
Tomorrow, marks the beginning of lent, the most important part of the calender for the catholic faith. One aspect of lent is sacrifice, giving up something for the duration(40 some odd days) of lent until easter.
This year, I am planning on giving up meat (pork, beef and chicken), only able to eat fish and eggs. This will be tough, but i look forward to the challenge, for not only reasons of faith, but also for heath and fitness reasons too.
For the next 46 days I will use this blog to update you all on my progress and if infact, changing my diet will lead to to a different lifestyle.....
wish me luck and we willl see what happens!
Saturday, February 21, 2009
How could you be so Heartless
If the Toronto Maple Leafs win the Stanley Cup, it will be without Mats Sundin.
Argueably the greatest player the Maple Leafs ever had, Sundin had led many different Leaf teams in a quest for Stanley. Unfortunatly they never got closer than the eastern conference finals.
At the end of last season, the Leafs and Sundin had parted ways, and eventually both seemed to be able to let the other go, until tonight.
Sundin, now a member of the Vanocouver Canucks, made his return to Toronto. Leaf Nation cheered with the tributes and jeered when he touched the puck.
In the end, Sundin had the last word, scoring the shootout winning goal, beating Vesa Toskala.
Marquee players who've called Toronto home once upon a time seem to find ways to make the fans cry. Vince Carter does this all the time, and a new member of the club, Bryan McCabe had done this earlier this year, you can now add Sundin to the list, and I am sure that AJ Burnett will be added sometime in the summer.
Sometimes the players excel with their new teams leaving Toronto sports fans to wonder what if. Other times they crash and burn once leaving Toronto only to regret it.
For as stubborn as Toronto fans may be, they certainly deserve a winning team led by a Marquee player that we all hope can have the sports version of the story book ending and win a championship and retire with the last shirt worn being a Toronto one.
But in the end its only a dream for most of us, and will continue to be, so just prepare yourself to see AJ Burnett winning a world series in pinstripes, or maybe Mats hoisting a Stanley cup in Vancouver.
Argueably the greatest player the Maple Leafs ever had, Sundin had led many different Leaf teams in a quest for Stanley. Unfortunatly they never got closer than the eastern conference finals.
At the end of last season, the Leafs and Sundin had parted ways, and eventually both seemed to be able to let the other go, until tonight.
Sundin, now a member of the Vanocouver Canucks, made his return to Toronto. Leaf Nation cheered with the tributes and jeered when he touched the puck.
In the end, Sundin had the last word, scoring the shootout winning goal, beating Vesa Toskala.
Marquee players who've called Toronto home once upon a time seem to find ways to make the fans cry. Vince Carter does this all the time, and a new member of the club, Bryan McCabe had done this earlier this year, you can now add Sundin to the list, and I am sure that AJ Burnett will be added sometime in the summer.
Sometimes the players excel with their new teams leaving Toronto sports fans to wonder what if. Other times they crash and burn once leaving Toronto only to regret it.
For as stubborn as Toronto fans may be, they certainly deserve a winning team led by a Marquee player that we all hope can have the sports version of the story book ending and win a championship and retire with the last shirt worn being a Toronto one.
But in the end its only a dream for most of us, and will continue to be, so just prepare yourself to see AJ Burnett winning a world series in pinstripes, or maybe Mats hoisting a Stanley cup in Vancouver.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
That was it?
This sums up the anti climatic ending to the NBA trade deadline.....
Tons of rumours surfaced the last few days with many big names on the move, Vince Carter to Houston for Tracy McGrady? Amare or Shaq to the Cavs? With Jermaine O'Neal going to Miami for Shawn Marion, you would think that this would open the floodgates for many trades to go down...
But that didn't happen... with many teams looking to shed salary, this was the name of the game as much as it was to strengthen the run to the post season..... expiring contracts was the hot ticket with many GM's looking towards 2010 for both the free agent crop, and a hopefull turn of economic conditions.
Who is the big winner? Well its hard to say. Rafer Alston to Orlando sticks out, as it addresses the PG issue.
If the Knicks can light a fire under Larry Hughes, THey could be very dangerous.
If Jermaine O'Neal can stay healthy, this could really help the Heats playoff hopes.
But maybe... in this case the real winners are the teams that saved $ by shedding large contracts and maybe getting ready for 2010 with dreams of a CB4 or King James .....
Whatever the case may be... a much anticipated trade deadline was a headline dud..... oh well.... lets see what the NHLdealine brings
Tons of rumours surfaced the last few days with many big names on the move, Vince Carter to Houston for Tracy McGrady? Amare or Shaq to the Cavs? With Jermaine O'Neal going to Miami for Shawn Marion, you would think that this would open the floodgates for many trades to go down...
But that didn't happen... with many teams looking to shed salary, this was the name of the game as much as it was to strengthen the run to the post season..... expiring contracts was the hot ticket with many GM's looking towards 2010 for both the free agent crop, and a hopefull turn of economic conditions.
Who is the big winner? Well its hard to say. Rafer Alston to Orlando sticks out, as it addresses the PG issue.
If the Knicks can light a fire under Larry Hughes, THey could be very dangerous.
If Jermaine O'Neal can stay healthy, this could really help the Heats playoff hopes.
But maybe... in this case the real winners are the teams that saved $ by shedding large contracts and maybe getting ready for 2010 with dreams of a CB4 or King James .....
Whatever the case may be... a much anticipated trade deadline was a headline dud..... oh well.... lets see what the NHLdealine brings
Friday, February 13, 2009
Thursday, February 12, 2009
A-Roids! Shame of a Nation
"YOU ARE A SHAME ON THE GAME OF BASEBALL"
Says the Commish.....
You have to give ARod credit for coming clean, its hard to face the truth. With the Yankee faithful constently scrutenizing his every move, play and contract, he doesn't need this stuff. Then again would you rather be in ARod's shoes or Chris Brown??? heh.
One solid season and perhaps a World Series championship, New York may forgive A Rod, maybe.
Lets step back a second, and picture ARod being that kid who has pressure from their parents to get into University, not just ANY university, maybe a prestigious one such as Waterloo or Queens. This kid stays up all night, takes caffine pills or what not to help them stay up later, to study more. They pass the exams, get the 90 and get into that program.
Okay maybe not the best example, but the bottom line is you have an individual that will do what they need to do, in order to get the best results, due to the high expectations / pressure brought onto them.
A Rod feeling the mounting pressure of a $225 million dollar contract, giving into taking performance enhancing drugs, that were readily available, so he could produce the #'s that would help justify his contract.
He gave into the pressure, and you can think of many situations where you, or someone you know had given into pressure to succeed, and maybe had done something to help them get ahead.
Yes Bud Selig, go tell the nation A Rod is a shame.... but don't throw stones when you live in a glass house Bud...
Says the Commish.....
You have to give ARod credit for coming clean, its hard to face the truth. With the Yankee faithful constently scrutenizing his every move, play and contract, he doesn't need this stuff. Then again would you rather be in ARod's shoes or Chris Brown??? heh.
One solid season and perhaps a World Series championship, New York may forgive A Rod, maybe.
Lets step back a second, and picture ARod being that kid who has pressure from their parents to get into University, not just ANY university, maybe a prestigious one such as Waterloo or Queens. This kid stays up all night, takes caffine pills or what not to help them stay up later, to study more. They pass the exams, get the 90 and get into that program.
Okay maybe not the best example, but the bottom line is you have an individual that will do what they need to do, in order to get the best results, due to the high expectations / pressure brought onto them.
A Rod feeling the mounting pressure of a $225 million dollar contract, giving into taking performance enhancing drugs, that were readily available, so he could produce the #'s that would help justify his contract.
He gave into the pressure, and you can think of many situations where you, or someone you know had given into pressure to succeed, and maybe had done something to help them get ahead.
Yes Bud Selig, go tell the nation A Rod is a shame.... but don't throw stones when you live in a glass house Bud...
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
bittersweet....
USA wins tonight 2 -nil vs. Mexico @ Crew Stadium tonight.....
As a TFC supporter.... the off season is filled with christmas, basketball, hockey and pointyball. But once the lads gather @ BMO Field to start preseason training.... you get that bug.
Watching youtube vids/frequent trips to the message boards of the RPB, U-Sector and the Voyageurs as news and discussion of the upcoming season starts to buzz. Of Course, this time of year also brings us the continuation of world cup qualifying in the CONCACAF region.
Bittersweet it was to watch USA face off vs Mexico tonight, Our Canadian boys led by a couple of Toronto raised boys had entered the initial round of qualifying with the hopes and dreams of hundreds of Canadian supporters who truly belived THIS was the team. The team to go all the way to South Africa in 2010.
Bittersweet it was to see the lads draw @ home in the red fortress known as BMO Field vs. Jamaica in a very winnable game.
Anger and frustration rose as Canada began to lose each qualifying game, our dreams of South Africa and potential games vs England, Italy and Brazil slowly fading......
Fast foward to today and its us Canadian supporters cheering on Marvell Wynne as he and the other American players celebrate a win that takes them one step forward to South Africa....
yes... its bittersweet.
As a TFC supporter.... the off season is filled with christmas, basketball, hockey and pointyball. But once the lads gather @ BMO Field to start preseason training.... you get that bug.
Watching youtube vids/frequent trips to the message boards of the RPB, U-Sector and the Voyageurs as news and discussion of the upcoming season starts to buzz. Of Course, this time of year also brings us the continuation of world cup qualifying in the CONCACAF region.
Bittersweet it was to watch USA face off vs Mexico tonight, Our Canadian boys led by a couple of Toronto raised boys had entered the initial round of qualifying with the hopes and dreams of hundreds of Canadian supporters who truly belived THIS was the team. The team to go all the way to South Africa in 2010.
Bittersweet it was to see the lads draw @ home in the red fortress known as BMO Field vs. Jamaica in a very winnable game.
Anger and frustration rose as Canada began to lose each qualifying game, our dreams of South Africa and potential games vs England, Italy and Brazil slowly fading......
Fast foward to today and its us Canadian supporters cheering on Marvell Wynne as he and the other American players celebrate a win that takes them one step forward to South Africa....
yes... its bittersweet.
getting old? or just being smart.
The old me would be at a bar right now...
any given weekday night, you could find me @ shoeless joes, boston pizza or kelseys watching whatever sport was on that night. Sure I could of watched it at home, fighting for possession with my brothers and sister for the tv, though 9 outta 10 times it was just easier to go out for a pint with friends and catch the game at a bar.
as i am typing this, i am watching the sabres play on tsn on my fiancee's beautiful LCD tv, as well as trying to catch a feed of the USA vs Mexico football game on my craptop.
moving out of my parents house has really changed things...
the guy i used to make fun of, the one who'd prefer to stay home than go out with the boys is now me. Yup, i am eating crow on that one. But do i care at this point? naw.... i wish i had realized the beauty of watching my favourite sports in the comfort of a sofa in my PJs a long time ago....
any given weekday night, you could find me @ shoeless joes, boston pizza or kelseys watching whatever sport was on that night. Sure I could of watched it at home, fighting for possession with my brothers and sister for the tv, though 9 outta 10 times it was just easier to go out for a pint with friends and catch the game at a bar.
as i am typing this, i am watching the sabres play on tsn on my fiancee's beautiful LCD tv, as well as trying to catch a feed of the USA vs Mexico football game on my craptop.
moving out of my parents house has really changed things...
the guy i used to make fun of, the one who'd prefer to stay home than go out with the boys is now me. Yup, i am eating crow on that one. But do i care at this point? naw.... i wish i had realized the beauty of watching my favourite sports in the comfort of a sofa in my PJs a long time ago....
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