Have we won the Stanley Cup yet?

As I anxiously await the start of UFC 131, ooops, I meant the final game of the Stanley Cup playoff, I can’t help but to think about a question that a friend of mine asked a short while ago: Are you going to sign up Brayden for hockey?

I answered the question without the slightest hesitation: No!

Wow, I had never turned heads that fast in a room. No one could believe what they heard. Was Armin kidding? Perhaps Armin didn’t understand the question, so let’s ask him again… are you going to sign up Brayden for hockey?

This time I felt like I needed to answer the question with an explanation: No! I don’t mean any disrespect, but I don’t think I’m ready to sign up my one and only son for a game that after a century of history is still trying to figure out the rules. Disagree? Here’s my case:

• Most analysts agree that referees cannot agree on what constitutes a penalty.
• Sidney Crosby is missing games due to a concussion (yup, he is still under evaluation and his return is still up in the air).
• Mason Raymond suffers a broken back during the opening minutes of game 6 of the Stanley Cup finals but no one is penalized. Some say that Mason may never walk again… if he does, it’ll be a miracle. Let’s hope for the best!
• Nathan Horton suffers concussion from a major blow to his head; Canucks player gets 4 games suspension. On numerous occasions, TV and Radio analysts have said that this was a trade that they would make in a heartbeat, meaning that it’s great to remove Horton from the games at any cost.
• National Hockey League’s Commissioner, Gary Bettman, continues to be ineffective at all levels. When will the league executives wake up and realize the damage this man has done to this great game of ours?
• National Hockey League’s Players Association continues to fail the very player it has promised to support. Hmmm, I wonder how Mason Raymond feels about it.

And the list goes on and on!!! I can literally list hundreds of incidences from 2010-2011 season. When will the sponsors decide to pressure the league to remove all (and I mean capitalized ALL) violence from this wonderful sport? When will media begin to pressure the league for some sort of resolution on the “rule books”?

Can we please go back and play hockey the way hockey was meant to be played? Can we go back to the time when parents signed up their kids hoping that one day the little ones would end up being the “Great One”? Can we rewind the clock to the time when parents didn’t have to watch their kids getting hurt on the ice? Can we go back to the time when there were no “Stop” sign on the back of the jerseys?

Until we can say “yes” to the above questions, I will refuse to sign up my son for hockey (or at least until he begins to pressure me into signing him up).

Thank you for reading,

Armin

PS. I watched my brother’s hockey career come to an abrupt end with a knee injury… it wasn’t pretty!

PPS. I will be watching the game from between my fingers while biting my nails. Go Canucks Go!

Finding Beauty

Before I start, I would like to thank you for reading my blogs. Also, I would like to thank you for retweeting and updating your Facebook status with my quote from yesterday’s blog, I stopped and smelled the flowers!, which read “appreciate what life has to offer more often as it’s a gift with an expiry date”. I had no idea that so many would like this quote. What an honour!!!

Many of you had asked about the pictures. Others wanted to know where I went and what kind of camera I used.

Well, I have a confession to make; those pictures were taken with my BlackBerry’s 2.0 megapixle camera. The beautiful sceneries are not from any exotic location. Pictures were taken from random bushes and plants in and around parking lots and local gas station. The picture of palm trees was taken at the front of Delta Hotel & Conference Centre in Burnaby. And the river is a little creek that “snakes” throughout Burnaby. These zoomed-out pictures should help J

Parking lot in Burnaby, BC



This is where the "river" runs... right below Beta Street in Burnaby!

The pictures of the yellow flowers were taken by this parking lot!



And here're the palm trees... many didn't believe that the picture was from here :)

Which brings me to the point of my story: We’re surrounded by beauty no matter where we look. Some places may require us to look a bit harder than usual; beauty is there, I promise!

Thank you for reading,

Armin

PS. May you be lucky enough to find peace and beauty in and around you at every turn.

I stopped and smelled the flowers!

It was one of the best short trips I had ever taken. It had everything I was looking for: I was surrounded by flowers of every colour, river calmly flowing down its predestined route, warm weather, bees buzzing and hopping from one flower to the next, butterflies flying overhead, gentle early summer breeze moving the leaves on the palm trees from side to side. And there was silence!

I’m not sure how, but I managed to tune out all background city noises for about 20 minutes until I was rudely interrupted by the siren of a police car, which was trying to stop someone that ran a yellow (going to red) light.

                              

Long story short, I was taking my daily walk to my neighbourhood Starbucks when I noticed Mother Nature’s beautiful annual gift to us that we call summer. But how often do we take the moment and admire the beauty of this wonderful gift right here at home? How often do we stop what we’re doing and appreciate what life has to offer?

I don’t know about you, but I was one of those people that loved vacations. I felt most relaxed when I was away on a trip in a foreign land. I never thought of being at home, in my own city, as vacation, which in turn stopped me from enjoying life on a daily basis. However, as I get older, I’m beginning to appreciate those little things in life. I’m learning to relax and be one with myself whenever I get a chance, even if it’s only for 20 minutes.

My pledge to myself: Appreciate what life has to offer more often as it’s a gift with an expiry date.

Thank you for reading,

Armin

PS. On your way, don’t forget to stop and admire the summer; your body and mind will thank you for it.

We’re all Canucks (most of the time!)

Those that know me know that I stopped watching hockey right after the players’ strike / National Hockey League’s lockout back in 2004-5, when the whole season was cancelled. I was also tired of the nonsense violence that plagues the NHL (body checks, head shots, fights, etc.). Besides, I’m a die hard fan of the Vancouver Whitecaps FC.

However, something magical happened on Saturday, June 4, 2011. I started paying closer attention to hockey and the Vancouver Canucks.

On that remarkable day, we dropped our daughter, Isabella, off with her aunt so she can have a play-date with her cousins. Instead, all the kids were glued to the television set watching the Vancouver Canucks versus Boston Bruins game.

Isabella (left), her cousins, and baby brother, Brayden (little one on the right), getting ready for the big game!

Given that the kids were “busy” with the game and didn’t want to be disturbed, my wife and I said a quick goodbye and went for a walk along the beach in Downtown Vancouver. What a sight: Sun shining and few people walking about as most were watching the game at home; but every once in a while the peacefulness would come to an abrupt end with faithful fans’ screams and cheers cutting through the warm air.

We walked for so long that we ended up at my parent’s place, who were watching the middle of the 2^nd period. Vancouver Canucks won the game and the city erupted. High-fives and hugs for everyone. It seemed as though everybody forgot about their troubles for the night and began to enjoy what life had to offer.

My wife and I decided to wait for a while before picking up our daughter at the end of the night. It was around 11:00 PM when we finally caught up with Isabella and her cousins. It’s safe to say that I had never seen Isabella that excited about a Canucks win (or any other sports team for that matter). She went on and on about how she met so many happy people when she and her cousins (and aunt) took to the streets after the win. She told us about the high-fives from strangers. She told us about how the kids screamed every time the Canucks scored. In a nutshell, she was absolutely energized by the positive energy that was flowing throughout the city.

To be honest, her enthusiasm for the game was contagious. I began to smile with her when she shared her stories.

Suddenly, I realized the importance of sports: It brings neighbours, communities and cities together. It gives people an excuse to cheer or frown together. It allows people to release positive and/or negative energy. It allows people to brag about their successes. It unites people behind one common theme.

It brings families together.

Thanks for reading,

Armin

PS. Go Canucks Go!

World Population: Just under 1,000 and climbing (Part 2)

I have to admit, when I published World Population: Just under 1,000 and climbing (Part 1), I did not expect much. Little I knew that my post was going to be read by people from Canada, United States, Germany, Denmark, India, Sweden, Spain, Hong Kong, Sri Lanka, Netherlands, Philippines, Namibia and Ukraine. Wow, what an honour.

Many of the same readers wanted to know why I chose this title. As I promised in my previous entry, it will all make sense at the end.

“Security Cameras” (couple of weeks ago)

This must have been my lucky day… I found a parking spot in the busy lot of my gym. Bag on my shoulder and still dressed in my work clothes with a name tag hanging off the side of my pants and my BlackBerry humming away on my belt, I began walking towards the main entrance of the gym when I noticed a young woman with designer glasses walking towards me.

Now, as my wife would tell you, I approach most situations cautiously. It’s been a personal trait that has helped me with making better judgement calls.

Back to the story… the young woman tried getting my attention but I pretended that I neither saw nor heard her. I tried to figure out who she may be: Was she a former colleague or a long-lost cousin of my wife? Was she someone that I have graduated with or was she trying to sell me something? Nope, I couldn’t locate her in my drained brain! Immediate conclusion: She can’t be trusted and I have to watch my back.

In the meantime, from the corner of my eyes I tried to locate the security cameras in the parking lot and watch those that are around me.

The lady got closer to me… darn it, I could no longer ignore her as she was now standing right in front of me. I could pull the “I don’t speak English” trick but that wouldn’t go too well given that my work badge screams the department that I work for. Surly, no one would hire an “HR” professional if he or she doesn’t speak English good (just kidding!).

I decided to hear her out, so I said: Yeeesss? (it was a stretched yes!)

She asked: “I’m sorry but are you going to the gym?”

I was a little confused… I’m in the gym parking lot, with a gym bag on my shoulder… walking towards the gym entrance. For a moment, I thought I’ll give her a smart-ass comment but then I thought better of it. I simply answered: Yes!

Her right hand quickly stretched out and tried to hand me something. All my senses began to work overdrive… my brain said don’t touch anything… back away… count the number of witnesses… oh no, tunnel vision… can’t focus on anything else except the outreached hand.

All I heard at that point was, “someone must have dropped this in the parking lot; since you’re going in, could you please give this to the lost and found?”

I took a deep breath! Looked down and it was a “wet” and polka-dotted yellow swimsuit.

Sheepishly, I agreed and did as I was asked.

Thank you for reading,

Armin

PS. It’s amazing how “In God, We Trust” but not so much in “God’s” creatures!

PPS. This is not the same swimsuite... just one that is yellow with white polka-dots. :)

Picture: Courtesy of "I don't know... found it on Google Images"; I'm sorry!

World Population: Just under 1,000 and climbing (Part 1)

So this blog entry is the first part of many that will follow periodically. It will all make sense once I’m done, I promise. But here’s a story to kick things off.

My wife and I lived in a beautiful waterfront building in downtown Vancouver. One late afternoon, I got off the bus about a block and half away from our building and was about to cross the street when a group of teenagers caught my attention.

They were loud and dressed in puffy jackets, loose jeans, brand name runners that were pricier than my whole outfit and wore “fake” diamond stud earrings that were brighter than the sun. They were wearing their baseball caps sideways and smoking cigarettes.

There were warning alarms going off everywhere in my head telling me to avoid eye contact, even though they were across the street and about 400 feet away. Suddenly, I felt a chill down my spine. I knew this was going to be trouble.

My brain was telling me to stay calm: Breath deeply and don’t show fear.

After about a minute or two, the cross walk light changed and it was time for me to cross the street and walk towards the teens. In the last second I changed my mind and decided to walk in the opposite direction.

That’s when I heard the laughter, which was followed by the sound of rapid footsteps getting closer and closer. My heart started to pound and I broke into sweat. Every martial arts move that I learned in my Jujitsu and self-defense classes ran through my head.

I went through the self-check process: I had my cell-phone at hand and was ready to dial 911; I had my backpack to defend against knives and other “concealable” weapons; I had my voice to scream for help if needed. But most importantly, I had to stop sweating and lower my blood pressure since my body was freezing with every passing second.

I looked back quickly to see how much ground those teens had gained on me. Oh no, there they were: Shaved heads covered by their fashionably placed sideway caps, pimply faces, and wobbly runs since their pants could barely stay on their hips. I was ready to throw the first punch (or so I thought I was ready) when one of them jumped on my back and gave me a big bear hug. Out of breath, I looked over my shoulder and there was my brother, on my back, and his childhood friends lining up behind him and anxiously waiting to say hi to me.

What a relief; I was going to live to see another day after all! Since then, I have promised not to judge others by what they wear.

Thanks for reading,

Armin

PS. This is a story from a decade ago, when my brother was in his late teens. Since then, his choice of clothing has changed from “sloppy and expensive” to “classy and moderately priced / expensive”.

PPS. For the record, my brother has always been one of the nicest, well mannered and kindest human beings to ever walk the surface of this earth. He couldn’t hurt a fly if he wanted to… but he sure knows how to break his girlfriends’ hearts.



Me and my good looking brother on the left!



“I'm late…

… I'm late! For a very important date! No time to say "Hello." Goodbye! I'm late, I'm late, I'm late!” That’s what the White Rabbit said to Alice when they met for the very first time in Walt Disney’s version of Alice in Wonderland.

I could feel my blood boiling… the vein on my neck started to pulse harder. My breathing got heavier. I was holding the steering wheel so tight that my knuckles lost colour. I was pressing hard on the brake and only releasing it occasionally to inch forward. And then the news hit the radio: A five-car accident (pile-up they called it) on Alex Fraser Bridge! Stupid Drivers!!!

Argh! That explains why I have been sitting in traffic for nearly an hour without a chance of making a “legal and safe” U-turn!

I started to get mad at everything and anything that moved around me, including those crows that ever-so-freely flew overhead. How dare they? Can’t they see that I’m sitting in traffic, unable to fly like them? Are they teasing me? I totally could see it: a bunch of birds sitting on the hydro wire pointing down and laughing at me.

And suddenly, there it was; the moment my fellow commuters and I were all waiting for: Traffic was moving forward, albeit, ever so slowly! Hooray! I will get to work today!

And then it hit me hard; I was so consumed by my own frustration and anger that at no point in time did I think about those poor drivers that were involved in the accident. I didn’t care if anyone was hurt or if there were children in the cars. I didn’t care whether any of them survived the accident and if any of them said their goodbyes to their families in the morning for one last time. All I could think about was how they “made” me be late for work.

So has my punctuality taken a front seat to humanity? Have I become so consumed by my own interest that all else around me has no importance? Would I want others to think of me as an “inconvenience” should I ever be involved in an accident?

Thanks for reading,

Armin

PS. I was only 4 minutes late for work this morning!