What Hockey Taught me About Bullying & Life

I make it no secret on Twitter, Facebook and if I'm really brave, I will admit to myspace, that I love Hockey. To me, there is no great more beautiful game. Despite broken noses, hard hits and the very endangered species known as a full set of teeth. But over the years, Hockey taught me a lot about being bullied and getting through it.

Hockey taught me, that there is a time and place to be trash talked. It also taught me, that there is a point where trash talk becomes bullying. Because of this fine line that exists in hockey and with it's fans I stand up when somebody is being bullied and step back and see what they will do over simple trash talk.

Hockey taught me, that even though you fight with somebody and their group and yours just doesn't go together. That doesn't mean that you can not be friends with them. How often do you see two guys going at it on the ice, they're cut throat and scrappy with each other, but after the fact they're good friends? a lot. It also taught me that sometimes the person bullying you, is only doing it because people around them expect them to. This is why talking away from the group is important.

Hockey also taught me, that you don't always hit the guy who hit you first. Sometimes you just let it go and do something else.

Growing up, Toronto by default was my team.  Even though I loved the Ducks. What 90s kid didn't? Y'all can blame DISNEY and Gordon Bombay for that. The Leafs hadn't seen a play-off game since I was 13. However I learned a lot from them about life. The Leafs taught me that no matter how much people don't think I can do something, It does not mean I can't. The Leafs taught me that losing doesn't mean failure, when you work hard and try again. What Leafs fans have taught me, That even though your not the best, it doesn't mean that your not somebody's Best.

Just a Little Food For Thought Post Game 7.
Toronto Maple Leafs, you did LeafsNation proud and you all should be proud of that. I'm working double time so I can afford to be in a Leafs Jersey by next season.

P.S
Hockey also taught me that Don Cherry inspired all of our Grandparents Furniture Choices. We wouldn't Trade Don for a guy in a boring blazer no matter how much they paid us.
-H

School Sucks, I'm Failing

Image property of it's original owner

I can agree, School does suck sometimes. But, it is important.  School is more important than you think and one day that fact will hit you like a brick wall. School, it can be really hard sometimes and not just on the social stand point but the academic one as well. I was that guy in school. I rode the fence and more often then not, I got bit in the ass. I learned a lot from that though and it really helped tightening my boot straps when I got into college. Here are somethings you can try if your grades aren't were you like them to be.





CLEAN YOUR ROOM
More often than not young adults, we're messy. Right now my room looks like a bomb went off, I can assure you my neighbours missing lawn deer are probably in there somewhere. Granted I'm not in school at the moment but even then the condition of a room impacts it's occupants mood. When your room is all junked up and messy it's oppressive and in turn you end up feeling unmotivated and lethargic. I did not notice this until my freshmen year in college, I found myself able to breeze through my work while sitting in the student learning centre, but at home in my room at my desk I could hardly concentrate and work. I knew I couldn't of become dumber between there and here. I had a working theory that my environment was the cause, so I cleaned up and it was like flipping on a switch.

Set a Time, Do you Work
You'd be surprised how much consistency will help you. Set a time each day to focus on your homework and the nights you don't, pick up a book and read something. Since your brain has associated that stretch of time to study, you won't have to drag yourself away from things to do your homework. This helps when you have BIG PROJECTS. You automatically do them over time instead of doing a mad dash two nights before it's due. This way you won't stress yourself out.

Don't Be Afraid To Ask
If your doing your homework every night, and your still struggling with assignments and understanding the work. ASK for help. When you don't understand the content, ask your teacher after class for some extra help. Most teachers would be willing to set aside sometime to explain it to you, or help put you in touch with a tutor who understands the material who'll be willing to help you. Growing up when I knew I simply did not understand course material especially for math and science subjects. Unless your parents are Math or Science Teachers by the time your in 9th grade and need help. They've forgotten more than they remember, cut your loses.

I hope you can use some of these suggestions for your academic woes.
-H

Self Harm Sucks

This is not Me, This image has been borrowed

Self-Harm, I've been there, done that, have the t-shirt and starred in the musical. I was blessed with some great genetics and never scarred. Something I'm thankful for, most of the time. Sometimes I'm not because the scars would of been an easier door to helping those who struggle with it.

When I was younger, I had my reasons for self-harming. I wanted to feel where I had become numb, I want to feel a physical palatable pain, that'd distract me from my own inner turmoil. Looking back on it as an adult, it was kind of dumb and that's because I see and understand things differently than I did in high school. Maybe because I've grown up a bit and I'm not a textbook case of bouncing hormones.

As I grew older, I realized how empty self-harming made you feel and I'm going to be real with you. Self-Harming was probably the stupidest thing I could of been doing. Cutting is a vice, a vice is something a person latches on to to distract them from whatever is going on in their lives. The problem is with cutting it's a negative distraction that doesn't lead to helping you sort out your problems. If your cutting, it's time to find a new vice and throw away your pencil sharpener blades, razors, compass points whatever you use and find something new.

One of the first things I recommend to people who mention self-harming is picking up boxing, martial arts or dance. All of these things a positive sports that allow you to focus all of your stress, anger and hurt into something positive in a safe environment. They are individual sports that have a friend and family element that will help a person find their footing.

It takes six days form a bad habit and 26 days to break it, quitting self-harming takes a lot of grit, determination and a good set of balls but once you make it to day 27. You'll have a new vice, thats starting to change your life and even a new outlook on life.

Give it a Shot
-H

An inexplicably awesome day & something about George Stroumboulopoulos

The Man & The Legend himself

I'm that guy, you know the one that doesn't get out much. I was bullied, didn't have much in the way of friends. To this day, I'm still a bit of a loner. I go right, while others are going left. I enjoy people, getting to know them, becoming friends, hanging out. When the opportunity presents itself. However I'm also still the guy perfectly content to spend a day alone just riding my bike, until I decide, I've rode far enough and I should probably turn around. I'm that guy that would take a road trip by myself and enjoy it. However I did make a resolution in 2013 to go out more, try new things, do things I wouldn't normally do.

Tonight, I decided it was time to get out more. I went to a live taping of George Stroumbouloupoulos Tonight.


It's safe to say I grew up with George Stroumboulopoulos, I since I was wee brat of probably five I heard him on the radio. Now I couldn't tell you much about those radio days. They were kind of hazzily thrown in between Harrison Ford movies, Mr. Dress Up, Abbot and Costello and probably some race car Pyjamas. As I grew up, George always had some show I watched. I had friends that wrote I Heart George ( insert sad attempt of his name here). Now I never hero worshiped the guy, I've just always held a high level or respect for off the beaten path type people.   The few and the proud that defy the regular realms of set norms for their industry. That being said, I wouldn't turn down a conversation and a hockey game with George. That could be pretty darn enlightening and I'm all for being enlightened.

I'm not sure what I was expecting going in, fangirls and probably some boys drooling, there was probably some of that. I'm secure, I can admit when somebody is by all extents good looking. It's no sweat off my back. Maybe I expected it to be more like Oprah. I'm happy to say it wasn't.

It was entertaining and enlightening and so typically Canadian. I got Jam Jams, these little Newfie Cookies. I laughed, I had fun. The audience atmosphere was kind of intimate, as we all passed around packages of jam jams and munched our fill. If was different seeing the show from this side of the lens. Just being there you can tell a lot of heart and soul goes into the show. There is a passion that is somewhat indescribable unless you've been there. I can tell you one thing, this won't be my last rodeo with Strombo Tonight.

At the end of the taping, I shook his hand. Thanked him for giving me his soldier friend's twitter so I could thank him for his service a while ago. He took a picture with me and It'll probably be one of those pictures, The one you frame because it captured a moment your proud of. I'm proud of it for many reasons. It's kind of a start for me, A start of something different, something new and it excites me. They say no Regrets, Well I got some and I just worked on one of them tonight.

If you ever get the chance to go to live taping of George Stroumboulopoulos tonight, GO. It'll be something you won't regret.

2013 Bike Show (Toronto)

Sitting on a wee Kawasaki Dirtbike

I think I've kicked off 2013 right, I went to the bike show. I've been to bike shows in previous years all over Toronto. When your Dad's second wife happens to be a Harley, well you get around and some of it, rubs off. Not that I mind! In fact I enjoy it.

I like the Bike Show, each one is different and all of the different people make it like this whole new world. I love going around to the different venders, sitting on bikes, I'll probably never own, learning new things, meeting new people. All of this while trying to avoid fattening snacks, but anyone who's been to a bike convention knows it's intoxicating aroma or beer nuts, smoked sausage, grease and rubber. They also seem to have a complimentary bowl of candy on every last insurance companies table. I was grazing like wild cattle.

I found it really cool to find quite a few Christian Motorcycle Ministries and Gangs. They didn't look like business folks, your everyday sunday fuddy duddys. These folks were rough, worn folks. They were bikers, sharing God's love through something palatable and pure. It was like they were just as damaged as everyone else, they were not putting themselves on a pedestal. I think groups like these, do more for sharing God's love then a lot of Churches.

I hung out with my familyfolk, needless to say we spent nearly five hours walking through the halls. My sister will probably never go to Bike Show Convention again! It's not her scene, conventions are not here thing. I can't wait for my next one, probably the AutoShow in February, followed by the Sportsman Show in the Spring. I'm that geeky!

-H

H's Teen Friend Challenge!

If your a teen, I've got a challenge for you. There is this little problem, thats really a big problem called bullying. There are kids in your school that are alone, have no friends, some of them, hurt so much, they wish they were not alive and maybe you can help.

 Pick one day a week to sit and have lunch with a new kid you've never talked to, who doesn't run in your circle and seems kind of lonely. Don't just eat, talk, get to know them, let them get to know you. Then write about it at night, Write there name, what did you like about them, what did you have in common. Take every thing you wrote down back to school the next day and tell a couple of your friends about them. Who knows, maybe you'll end up with a new friend.

Part of the reason teens get bullied is because none of the other children have taken the time to know them so they believe whatever people say about them. Because nobody has anything good to say, everyone just says bad things. Be a soldier with a positive message, be a role model to your fellow students.

This, This is my challenge to every teen who reads my Blog, Every Teen who reads my tweets. If your a parent, aunt, uncle, Grandparent, I challenge you to Challenge for me.

If you try it, tell me about it. I want to hear it.

-H

The year is drawing to a close

I got to admit, 2012 went by incredibly fast. I'm standing here wondering exactly where it took off to. 2012 has been quite the roller coaster ride. I made new friends, had friends pass away, some friends were unfriended. I lived, I loved and I laughed.

I'd like to thank my friends for being totally amazing, you guys rock my socks. I've inherited this crazy, amazing absolutely dysfunctional group of friends and family from me late pal Brandon. Sigh I miss the brat. I miss our arguments.....OK, so 80% of what we did was argue but thats what we did and we both loved it.  At some point, Peter Fonda became more than Easy Rider and the stuff of child hood legend to me. He became a kindred spirit. A guy, I look forward to talking to. He's precocious, silly and quirky with a heart of GOLD.  Don't get my wrong, Fonda is still a Legend, will always be a Legend but for me, that Legend has been rewritten.

Every year, I learn something new from my interior designer scottish brothers Colin and Justin. My life would lack a certain set of sparkle without those two. My local bunch of lovely ladies Dianne, Tina, Noelle, Gale, Cheryl and the cocktaildiva!. My over the ponders, Sue, Gemmy, Colette, Pauline, Peter, Seonaid. Then Greggie and Glen the boys from the hood. Most of these people keep me on my toes and give me a wee taste of euphoria.

I can't forget my CSI NY circle, Rookie Blue Fan Girls, Chuck and our wee pal Rufus. Watching TV just wouldn't be right without live tweeting and chatting with your awesome crew. I'm techno geek don't judge me!

This year Ambush Boarding Company  has been paramount in supporting me through 2012. There were snow pants to keep my bottom warm during spring riding conditions and the post season. They stepped in with new goggles when mine went the way of the dodo bird. Not because they were obligated, but because they cared about my optical protection. Every little thing they provided me with, was like receiving a warm hug. Even without the product, Ambush gave me friendship and you can't put a price on that. If your in the market for Skateboarding, Snowboarding, Wakeboarding or just plain cool threads....check them out. They come highly recommended.

To be honest, I'm  not all that huge on New Years Resolutions. Mainly because, I'm that guy that makes them and breaks them however I do have a few goals.

1. To be back in school full-time as of September 2013. Working toward a degree in Digital Media or Post Film Production.

2. To land a permanent part-time job to off set the cost of my studies.

3. To put myself out there more. I want to be more socially involved beyond the boys from the rink. I'd actually like to be somebody people consider inviting to dinner parties, go to movies and do those sorts of things with. Not just be that guy, people call up because everyone else bailed.

4. By hook or crook, this is the year my room gets done. It's time to graduate it from the pad of a teenage kid to of a suave college bachelor, even if I don't have any plans to mingle.

5. Film my first full snowboard reel. I've dedicated years of my life to making sure friends and clients had their reels done. This year I want to make just that little bit of time for me.

Most of all, I just want 2013 to be AWESOME.

-H