31 Days!

That's gonna be one huge "poster"!

A Couple More Pics From The North

Day 7 of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Truce Northern Outreach Project sees Captain Rich Kinnear, one of the pilots of the Canadian Forces C-130 Hercules, looking extra dashing in his Red Mittens and Vancouver 2010 scarf.

Gorgeous!!! The Northern Lights called "aqsaliraak" as seen over Whale Cove, Nunavut.

Photo credits: Corporal Colin Aitken

Your Mascot Wears Combat Boots

As part of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Truce Northern Outreach Project, Quatchi & Miga are jetting around Canada's North on a Canadian Forces C-130 Hercules delivering Olympic cheer & boxes filled with sporting goods to 20 northern communities.

Quatchi, Olympians Blythe Hartley & Sharon Firth and Miga.

photo credits: Corporal Colin Aitken

The World Needs More Canada

Yesterday, I spotted a mascot display in Chapters. I didn't realize Chapters was selling Olympic gear so I went in to check it out. I had a little cuddle with Mukmuk and then proceeded to look at all the red & white stuff. Chapters has this awesome slogan "The World Needs More Canada" and they've got it on various things. I picked up a reusable shopping bag, which is going to be my new work bag.

They've also started a new thing, where they've got a maple leaf sticker on books by Canadian authors. It's a neat way to help them stand out.

Also spotted yesterday - the Olympic Spirit is alive and well on transit. On the front of the bus, where it lists the bus number & destination (and during playoffs says "GO CANUCKS"), it says "WELCOME WORLD" & "GO CANADA". I'll be interested to see what other things they'll say. And I guess I'll have to start carrying my camera around all the time now so I can start capturing all this.

ps - am trying a larger sized photo, so we'll see what happens.

pps - hmmmm, that's not very large. But I think this will be the new standard size for my pics.

I Am A Fan

On the main page of Vancouver 2010 it shows five pics of various fans from Facebook. The other day, three of those fans were friends of mine. It's the little things that make me happy. :-)

My Hockey Twin

CTV has this quiz where you answer a series of questions and it gives you your hockey "twin" for men's, women's & sledge.

Here are mine: Brenden Morrow, Kim St-Pierre & Marc Dorion.

Play it yourself.

A Place To Live Forever

Penticton, translated from the interior Salish language of the Okanagan First Nations, means "a place to live forever". That's where I grew up and it's beautiful.

Here are a few pictures from our Christmas Day walk along the beach. It was strange to have a green Christmas but I wasn't complaining.

An Olympic Christmas

In addition to the new gear I got for Christmas I also have; a black Canada tshirt, grey hoodie, RED MITTENS, scarf, lanyard, cow bell(!), multiple pins and my "vintage" Eric Lindros jersey from the 1992 Albertville Olympics. I think I'm all set!

Mom's Olympic gear: scarf, toque, cow bell(!) & a picture frame. And thanks to Ada, RED MITTENS! That story coming later.

Not Cool

Is it just me, or is it totally lame that no theatre in Vancouver is participating in this? Esp since we were just at Paramount (aka Scotiabank Theatre) and they were advertising it?!?!?!?

Here's the list of theatres that are participating.

Travel Smart 2010

Here's another tip from Karmin (thanks Coach!!!!). Travel Smart 2010 is an excellent website that's devoted to "everything you need to know to travel during the 2010 Winter Games". I think the best thing is the trip planner -- it will make getting around Vancouver much easier.

Travel Smart 2010's link is also going into the "awesome link" section so it will always be easy to find!

FREE Official Vancouver 2010 Journal

My friend, Karmin, emailed me a link for a FREE 2010 journal (I love free!!!!)! I'm totally going to sign up for one. Here's what VANOC has to say about it.

"Capture all your Vancouver 2010 memories in your FREE personalized Official Vancouver 2010 Journal. Store tickets and memorabilia, and record your Games-related thoughts and experiences in this 160-page personalized journal (valued at $17.99 CDN). This unique keepsake includes photography ideas, questions to prompt Games memories, blank journal pages and a special pocket for Games-related memorabilia. A must-have for all Games enthusiasts!"

Click here to sign up!

Thanks Karmin!

Update: just signed up. The journals will be available for shipping on Feb 1st and shipping details will be emailed to you that day. Can't wait!

Andrea's Venue Map

The amazing Andrea from 2010VanFan has created a Google map of Olympic venues. This will be most helpful as we plan out our non-event days. I'm going to put it in the "link" section so it will always be available.

Here's the map. Thanks Andrea!!!!!!

Couch Coaching

Couch coaching is an important skill that most Canadians are born with. My Mom and I are quite skilled in that area and helped the Canadian Juniors defeat the Americans on NYE. It was a bit of a nailbiter but they came through.

It's a rematch tonight for the Gold between Canada & the US. I won't be able to coach as I'll be at work but I'm sure many other Couch Coaches will be working extra hard tonight.

As they said on TSN, "the Stars & Stripes clash with the Red & White". Love it!

ps - you can see my feet in the first couple of pictures but rest assured once the game starts, I am no longer reclining but sitting on the edge of my seat talking (sometimes yelling) at the TV.

We Are The Champions

The BC Hockey Hall Of Fame is located at the South Okanagan Events Centre in Penticton. We went to a hockey game over the holidays and I was so pleased to see the new (to me) WORLD CHAMPIONS banner hanging there.

Beating the Soviets in 1955 to win the World Championship is an awesome legacy for a small town to have (Penticton only had 14,000 residents in '55).

Read about their journey.


I was confused about the presence of blue on the Team Canada jersey of 1955, until I remembered that the Canadian flag we know and love today wasn't introduced until 1965. Before that our flag was the Canadian Red Ensign and it featured the Union Jack as well as the shield of the royal arms of Canada. The Union Jack is red, white & blue so it all made sense. :-)

Downtown

Lights Of Hope at St Paul's Hospital is a Christmas tradition.

The Olympic Combo

BFF Keri and I went to see Sherlock Holmes last night (loved it, btw). The Olympics are everywhere -- including the snack bar. Keri and I shared the Olympic combo; which was popcorn, pop and candy. The best part, however, was the Olympic pin we (I) got. We'll have to go to another movie soon so Keri can get a matching pin.

As an aside, I just have to bitch about the Olympic pins from VANOC for a second. I have about half a dozen pins now and all my mascot pins have a rubber maple leaf on the back (it's the pin back -- not sure what it's really called). Anyways, having a maple leaf is super cool except the pins don't stay attached. Every single one of my mascot pins has fallen off while I've been out and about but thankfully I've managed to notice and pick them up again. So now I'm having to go through my apartment looking for other pins to use their metal back (w/ those little clip things) so my mascot pins will stay on. The above Coca-Cola pin does have an appropriate metal back.

"I Was A Skating Fetus"

Just found another Nike FORCE FATE ad. Love it! I still prefer their Destiny one but they're both great!

41 Days

My cabbie offered to pull over when he realized I was taking pics of the Rings. It was very nice of him. He wondered where I was from and when I told him Vancouver he laughed.

Time Off

I'm lucky b/c I am able to take vacation during the Olympics. I know there are people who aren't allowed (transit & Customs for example and I'm sure there are others). So I was thrilled that I've got two weeks off. But b/c I work M - F evenings my vacation starts on Saturday, Feb 13 which means that I would miss the Opening Ceremonies!!!!! I just checked my work email (a nerdy thing to do on vacation I realize) and I got the Friday night off!!!! I'm so happy!!!! Still haven't decided where to watch it but it'll be great no matter where we are!

Here are my Rings pictures taken on my cab ride home from the airport last night.

IT'S HERE!

2010 is finally here and I can officially say that the Olympics are NEXT MONTH!

I do have some Olympic related pics from my Christmas vacation but forgot to bring the cord for my camera and will have to wait until tonight or tomorrow to download them.

Until then, enjoy my new favourite commercial. Nike's Destiny commercial. FORCE FATE!

Happy New Year everyone!

No Pressure

Nike used gold thread on Team Canada's jerseys. But NO PRESSURE boys and girls! LOL.

Hometown Boy To Represent At Olympics!!!

Penticton's Duncan Keith is going to the Olympics!!!!!! I left Penticton in 2000 and don't know Duncan personally but Penticton isn't that big and sharing a hometown with an Olympian isn't an everyday occurrence. So yay Duncan!!!!!!

He currently plays for the Chicago Blackhawks.

Here's the rest of the Canadian roster.

LET'S GO CANADA!!!!!

Leaving On A (Jet) Plane

I'm packed and think I'm ready to head out. Mukmuk is safely in his traveling case but he's been whining that it's too small. I told him if he would stop eating his body weight in Christmas treats it might be more comfortable. That suggestion was met with stony silence.
There will be some posts over the holidays as I have it on good authority that Father Christmas has been spotted at the Olympic Superstore.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Torch Recap

Posting is going to be light for the next few days as I'm trying to get ready to go home for Christmas. Well, Vancouver's my home now but I mean the home I grew up in. LOL.

I just watched a video recap of the torch relay in Ottawa. It's a really well done little video. At some point, I'm going to watch more of them.

Ottawa -- Day 44

Annoyed With VANOC

I finally got my email saying that my tickets have been shipped and should be delivered next week. I will be away visiting my family and had originally wanted to ship my Olympic tickets to my parents' house. But the info on Vancouver 2010 CLEARLY stated that the account holder (moi) must sign for the tickets. So I decided not to ship them there b/c what if I wasn't actually around and they wouldn't leave the tickets with my parents etc.

Now today, when looking over the new FAQ section it says "If a home address has been designated as the delivery address, any individual at the residence can sign for the ticket package." So I could have shipped them to a different address. Now I won't be able to get them until I come back to Vancouver in January. I really wanted them for Christmas. Boo!

Okay, I'm not actually expecting sympathy or anything cuz I'm still so lucky to be going to the events but I just had to vent. And, really, isn't that what having a personal blog is all about?