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