Canucks Fan Appreciation 2008

Comments 10 by Rebecca Bollwitt

Update: Read my thoughts on page A6 of today’s Province newspaper.

Update: I’ll also be on the CBC’s Early Edition with Rick Cluff Wednesday morning (April 9th) talking about Trevor Linden and more specifically, the petition to rename a street after him.

Sunday Province, Page A6

Did anyone even notice the score last night? I’m sure Flames fans did but all eyes in Vancouver were on #16, Trevor Linden (with brief kudos to Iginla for his 50th goal of the season).

Captain Canuck is the second in all time scoring, he holds almost every playoff records for the team and despite the four dark years when he wasn’t on our team, he’s still played more games than any other for Vancouver. He’s all heart, all class (on and off the ice), and although he hasn’t yet officially announced his retirement, we were all pretty certain last night was his final game as a Canuck.

The team awards were also announced last night and thanks to JJ I was able to sit in on this momentous occasion – here are some photos:

(heart)

lucky!!

mom and dad

#1 in our hearts

My iPhone doesn’t take the best “on ice” shots hence all the overheads but I’m glad I was able to experience this in person… and get choked up… and have my eyes well up with tears during that impromptu fan tribute to Trev at the beginning of the 3rd.

Pauline Johnson Memorial in Stanley Park

Comments 9 by Rebecca Bollwitt

During one of our most recent treks through a muddy Stanley Park we finally made it over to the Pauline Johnson memorial. [See: The Lions – The Two Sisters, Pauline Johnson Opera]

At the entance to the Sequoia Grill parking lot

Important woman in Vancouver historyStill standing

Hidden monument

Important woman in Vancouver history

You can find the memorial between The Teahouse and Third Beach, just off the side of Stanley Park Drive.

Vancouver Blogger Profile: Pat Zaph

Comments 7 by Rebecca Bollwitt

This time around (since I tried this about a year ago) my Vancouver Blogger Profile series, about bloggers that may or may not be from Vancouver, is really taking off. Next up is someone you may know from such things as my comment thread, Flickr Group, or blogroll as “PatZ“.

Who are you? By day, a mild mannered, tired graduate student of Public Policy who stalks the halls of SFU Vancouver with poise and determination ready to tackle the problems of the world with grit and hard work. By night, a disillusioned, even more tired, eyes wide and sore from too much time staring at words on a screen who wants nothing more than to watch Mythbusters while inventing some new way to cook perogies, everyday superhero. Really. I can fly. Look.

Call me Chris Angel
Photo Credit: PatZ on Flickr

Where do you blog (which sites)? Shithawks!..on parade. Originally it went under the moniker of Cheese? and then Cheese by Patz. And somehow it went from a dairy product to a seagull. I actually started on another one way before this one, but that one has since been locked away for the benefit of humanity and because I got bored with it and wanted to start one over again.

Are you originally from Vancouver? I’m originally from just outside of Edmonton. Then I moved to Ottawa for my first two years of my undergrad, and then transferred out to SFU and I’ve called the Vancouver area home for the last several years. I got to live on top of a mountain for my undergrad. You can’t argue with that.


Photo Credit: PatZ on Flickr

Why do you blog? I got into this mock philosophical debate with a friend the other day about ‘why do we do anything why do we need anything’ but it was kind of not exciting enough to be repeated here. So. Well, I guess because why not? Way back when I started blogging (in the not so distant past of 2004) I felt it necessary to provide some inane contribution to political and cultural observations. Then a friend of mine showed me his personal blog that had very little to do with politics and culture and I figured, “that looks more fun” and the current one was born. That didn’t really answer why did it. Here’s the simplest answer I can give: I enjoy it. It’s good for venting, making no sense, and anything else you want.

What’s your favourite thing to write about? I don’t think I have a favourite topic. There’s a bit of everything in there. When the Oiler’s are kicking ass then there’s that. When the Oilers don’t make the playoffs but end the season by dragging down a division rival, there’s that. When school is kicking my ass there’s that. So, in the end, the answer to this is Barney Stinson. (now everyone go google him and find out why)

What is the BEST part of blogging… or if you prefer, the worst? The worst part is that, given the amount of time I need for assignments and papers, there’s always a bit of temptation to not do any work and just do something like picture taking and then posting them.

Frosted
Photo Credit: PatZ on Flickr

The best part is easy. It’s the other bloggers. I’ve downed cans of Pilsner in pink plastic cups in the AQ courtyard at SFU Burnaby with them, flown to Barrie to hang with them on Canada Day, had poutine at 3am on Davie St. with them, gone to concerts with them, jammed in shacks in Aldergrove with them, and on it goes. I like meeting new people, I like getting to know people, and blogging is pretty much a mother load of that.

Do you write for yourself, your readers, for Google, for a living? Mostly I write for myself. Sometimes I write at other people.

Would you ever censor yourself/Do you feel the need to censor yourself? I don’t feel the need to censor myself, but there are certain things that don’t go on there. I don’t really go into my personal life, and I try to keep my family off of it. The only reason I would actually do some hard and fast censoring is if I had to worry about applying for jobs for Coop this summer. But, since I wrangled myself a sweet job in Dhaka, Bangladesh for the whole summer through a prof at school, I don’t have to worry about that.


Photo Credit: PatZ on Flickr

PC, Mac or Speak n’ Spell? I used to hate Macs with a passion. Now it’s almost the reverse. I love my MacBook (yeah, the black one, it’s suave), which I have named Leonard Katsu, and any and all subsequent external devices are named after Star Trek characters. Really the reason for the switch came from a Children and Media class I did during my undergrad during which seven of us were drafted by our prof to do a special video documentary project for the semester and our media lab only used Macs. I never had a Speak n’ Spell. I never had a magic 8 ball either. If someone invented a computer made out of LEGO, I’d be an expert.

Blogs you read or would recommend? A lot. I have a list of about thirty I read daily. Christina, Chad, Danielle, Matt Good, Yours, Jen, Tony, Meg, Fil and Raymi. I could go on, but I have to go finish one paper and then redo another for Monday.

Taking RickRolling to a New Level

Comments 8 by Rebecca Bollwitt

In recent weeks have you been forwarded a link by a trusted friend, colleague or contact only to have a YouTube version of “Never Gonna Give You Up” appear and auto-play in its place? If so, you’ve been Rick Roll’d.

Rick Roll: When what you think is a link to something you want to see actually directs you to a video of Rick Astley singing “Never Gonna Give You Up.”[Urban Dictionary]

I think the ultimate RickRoll master of the Metro Vancouver are has got to be John Biehler, he’s got me about 4 times already – one of which was in a comment on Alexa’s photo.


Photo Credit: hotmayo on Flickr

John said Adam Curry RickRoll’d listeners of the Daily Source Code the other day as well, but leave it to those clever folks in England who have now stepped it up another notch with “Rick Mob“:

Here’s a date for your diary – Friday 11th April, Liverpool Street Station, the plan is to be there for 6pm and sing the Astley classic Never Going To Give You – to effectively combine flashmobbing and rickrolling into one horrific combo, and rickroll an entire train station. [Going Underground]

In an LA Times interview Astley was pretty much wondering why anyone would want to hear such ‘cheese’ (or ‘naff’ as he puts it), and seemed most concerned about it embarrassing his daughter. Nevertheless, if you’ve been RickRoll’d, I know how you feel.

[Thanks to Roland for the heads up on the flash mob.]

Unofficial Trevor Linden Appreciation Day

Comments 16 by Rebecca Bollwitt

Update: Update June 2008: It has been announced that “Trevor Linden Day” in Vancouver will be the day the Canucks retire his jersey to the rafters in the fall. [News1130]

Update: Update December 2008: Info on Trevor Linden Night can be found here.

This Saturday the Canucks will play the Flames but it won’t mean anything as the nail was hammered into our coffin last night by those stinkin’ Oilers.

What this means is that Saturday might just be the last time we see Trevor Linden puts his heart and soul into a Canucks game – if they even play the guy who has carried Vancouver fans for 19 years. This town loves him so much there was a campaign to get him re-signed last year and many have even noted they’d vote him in as mayor in a heartbeat.

linden.jpg
Photo Credit: John Bollwitt on Flickr

This Saturday at the Flames game, show your support for Captain Vancouver:

Trevor Linden is the heart of the team. Even though he got 5 minutes a game, he still gives it every game. It may be his last game ever (hopefully not), so we should try and put in the effort to make it Trevor Linden’s special day against the Flames.

For people going to the game:
– Make chants
– Make Signs
– Wear your Linden Jerseys/Shirts

For people who aren’t going to the game – if your at the bar, if your at home, if your not watching the game, who cares. Sport TL everywhere, this man is unreal.

PASS THE WORD – INVITE YOUR FRIENDS
post good chants if you have one or what your going to write on your sign if you will be at the game.
[Facebook Event]

I had the pleasure of meeting Trevor on a Raise a Reader morning two years ago, and was supposed to meet him again last January but I was in Toronto – luckily John was able to take my place.


April 13, 1989 – A 19 year-old Trevor Linden scores vs the Flames

He’s been the most popular Canucks player, the one we’d all want to have a been with, and has represented Vancouver better than anyone else on the North American hockey stage (you know, even though he’s originally from Medicine Hat).

That excited kid with the fluffy hair posed slyly against the side of a fiery red mustang is now being bumped off lines, and has been a healthy scratch an obscene amount of games this season. Let’s make sure he knows how much Canucks fans truly appreciate his contribution to our hockey-watching lives.