Favorite Song This Minute...

I love this time of year. I love the decorations and the crowded malls and smells of fresh baked goodies everywhere I go. I love buying presents and watching the classic Christmas movies and getting together with old friends and family. I even love the ridiculously cold weather!

But maybe my favorite thing about the Christmas is the music. Why is it that Christmas has spawned countless songs and carols that are updated and remastered every year while I can count on one hand the number of songs written for other holidays? I think it's because deep down everybody loves the feeling you get when you hear one of those timeless classics. Every year I put on one of my Christmas mix CD's while I put up the Christmas Tree and the decorations, and let the memories of Christmases long long ago come flooding back.

This year, with the stresses that come with growing up and getting older mixed in with the typical holiday hustle, those warm feelings of community and family were never more welcomed. I've never been very good at choosing my favorite Christmas song (much like picking a favorite movie) but the song that has hit another level with me this year has to be "2000 Miles" by Coldplay. Kinda makes me want to curl up under a blanket by the fire with someone special.

In case I don't get the chance to say it before the big day,

Merry Christmas Everyone!

I hate big life decisions!

Why do they have to be so hard? Take one of my current problems for instance:

I need a new cell phone plan, but the company I'm currently with (Rogers) doesn't seem to want to let me out of my existing plan a mere two months early so I can switch to a better one. So of course this angers me and makes me think about straying to a rival company (Telus perhaps), but they don't offer the phone I want. (iPhone) But they DO offer special bundle pricing if I package a cellphone plan with their internet plan (which I also need to buy soon). Oh ok, well then maybe I can compare this NEW price with Rogers' package deals...oh no wait, they don't have an internet service! >:(

Sometimes I think it would be easier to just move to an island somewhere and forget all these stresses...

-20 degrees? Really?

Is that any sort of "Welcome Home" after a week spent in the 30 degree sun-soaked Caribbean? I don't think so! Oh, and the foot of snow everywhere was a nice touch.

Actually I should be in a much worse mood, but I did the one thing today that no amount of cold and snow can ruin - I set up my brand new Christmas tree at the condo! It's starting to actually look like a home over there instead of just a jobsite. Hopefully I can be fully in there this week.

So anyways, back to the vacation. It was sort of last minute, and was definitely a far cry from the 'typical' holiday I take with the family but it was certainly much-needed. Of course my Dad never seems to be able to just do nothing on these relaxing trips, so we spent 3 of our 7 days sight-seeing the Mayan ruins of Chichen Itza, Coba and Tulum. This is something that I've wanted to do for a long time now however, so I didn't complain too much. (Not like the entire wasted morning spent at a time-share meeting on our third day there, but that's another matter...)

All I can say is, Wow. I was thoroughly impressed with Chichen Itza, mainly because the tourguide we were booked with was Mayan AND he studied the city and Mayan culture in college. There were some points during his tour that he was actually on the verge of breaking down while trying to share a little bit of his culture with us. You could tell how much it meant to him that us 'Northerners' spent our hardearned money to come to his country to learn about his people - sometimes you just get lucky and meet the perfect person in the perfect place I suppose.

I'll post a link to my photos as soon as I get them uploaded but don't hold your breath...between getting ready for Christmas and still uploading my last New York photos (go Yankees!) it could be a little while! :/

Viva La Vida!

I'm off to Mexico tomorrow morning for a week! I'll be at the Grand Sirenis south of Playa del Carmen in the Mayan Riviera, come and visit me!

I forgot to mention...

I saw the Yankees win the World Series!!!

Codename's Consumer Criticisms

Okay I figure it's about time for another one of these. I've taken a little while getting around to posting this critique because I really wanted to be sure my recommendation would be both fair and influence -free. With that in mind, I present my views on Starbucks' new Via instant coffee:


Available in two flavours, Columbian (Medium) & Italian Roast (Extra Bold), this instant coffee comes in convenient little packages that you can take with you anywhere. When these first came out I was skeptical that any crystalized coffee could taste even remotely close to it's freshly ground cousin. After performing the taste test in multiple locations around the city, I came to the conclusion that not only do these little packets taste good, they taste exactly the same as the freshly brewed drip! The only way I could tell them apart was by physically looking at the two cups of competing coffee. (The fresh ground was poured out of the machine and therefore had little bubbles on the surface)

Impressed? Absolutely. Now normally I'm a Cappuchino or Latte kinda guy, but with the despicable quality of coffee available here at work I have started stocking my drawer full of these convenient little life-savers. No longer will I have to suffer the horrible bean-breath and the inevitable stomach pains that come along with the still overpriced "50 cents a cup" canteen brew. Another Starbucks miracle? I think so!

(PS - That last statement may have a touch of prejudice to it :P)

My Favorite Song This Minute...

The Decemberists - The Crane Wife 1 & 2. It's an oldie, but I just can't seem to stop listening to it. (Or any of the other songs on the CD for that matter!)

I'm Pretty Famous Now

Just got back from the Oilers game here in Boston (we couldn't even score a goal but I'll talk about that later) and saw this photo of Chuck and I not only on the Oilers website, but on NHL.com as well! If only we could get some goals for looking good! :P

David Letterman Loves Me

So today at work, Mr. David Letterman himself called me up and said how he heard I was going to be in town again next week, and wanted to know if I wanted a couple of tickets to his show on Wednesday. Since the two of us go way back (I've been fortunate enough to see his show every other time I've visited the city) I told him I'd love to catch up.

Well needless to say he was excited at the prospect of another great Dave-Ryan hangout (which normally includes a slice at Ray's and a trip down to Chinatown to haggle on some knockoff sunglasses). He told me about all the new stuff he had collected to test out in our annual "Will-It-Float" mega game at the reservoir in Central Park, and I snuck in a mention about the new monologue jokes I was bringing him. I was pretty pumped too, until I realized that creepy Paul Shaffer might try to tag along again...

(Editor's note: the majority of this Blog was made up to add excitement to my story; I AM going to the Late Show again though!)

Get out of my way, Schmohawk!

As anyone who really knows me knows, I'm a huge Seinfeld fan. Of course that means that I also love Curb Your Enthusiasm, and so when I finally got the chance to catch up on the new season last night, I was in heaven. Three new episodes, with the promise that the entire Seinfeld cast was coming back to reunite? WOW. But even I got a bit confused in how things all played out.

Why was I so confused? Well maybe it was because I was watching the real life Larry David playing the character of Larry David pitching a story idea for a fake Seinfeld reunion TV show (which of course is based on the real Seinfeld show that the real Larry David once pitched) to the character of Jason Alexander, played by the real Jason Alexander who of course played the Seinfeld-version of George Costanza who was based on the real Larry David in the first place.

Mind. Blown.

And that's not even getting into the story details regarding the character of George fighting to get his fictional ex-wife back as a cover for the character of Larry David getting HIS fake ex-wife back on the show...which is a storyline that is based on the real Larry David's divorce.

Still, it was an amazing episode if you can put all of that aside and just enjoy it for what it is: a great parody on the reasons why "these reunion shows never work out." I can't wait to see happens next! That Meg Ryan better not ruin everything... >:(

The Claw...it moves!

I'm a big fan of Pixar in general, but I'm pretty sure they peaked back in 1995 when they made Toy Story. That's not to say that everything that has followed hasn't been remarkable in it's own right, (Wall-E was nothing short of amazing) however I am of the personal opinion that the antics of Woody and Buzz are the best thing the studio has ever produced. That being said, when I heard that Toy Story would be returning to theatres this weekend, this time as a double feature with it's sequel....AND in 3D...I was very excited! It's hard to believe that it's been 14 years since I saw this on the big screen the first time; what wasn't hard to believe was that I could still recite the entire thing from memory! If you are lucky like me, and have been able to hold onto some small part of your childhood over the years, I highly suggest you head out to your local theatre to catch this double feature before it disappears again next week. Even if it's just for the novelty of seeing a double feature again; something my mom and I used to do on a regular basis every summer break away from school! Go ahead, I'll be waiting here when you get back...

Codename's Consumer Criticisms

I feel it is my duty as a full-time consumer to every now and then post my thoughts on new products I find on the market, in an effort to help others weed out the plethora of junk that is available to them. Really, I got this idea at Sobey's today when I saw this:

This is Jones Soda Company's new "Jones Jumble Mixed Flavor Soda". First off I should note that I may be slightly biased towards this company as they were the first to ever publish one of my photographs on their label. (probably 7 years ago now)

The label is extremely eye-catching, and with the added "Limited Edition Bottle 3/3" on the side, this bottle entices the inner-collector in me. So far so good...

Huh...

...that isn't all that bad, shockingly! First whiffs put off a mild grape-soda scent, but with a hint of blueberry thrown in for good measure. I'm not quite sure how to describe the taste beyond saying it "tastes like childhood" - instantly, it conjures up latent memories of a younger Ryan playing bartender with my friend and mixing every pop we had together in one glass. Except this is actually good! You can definitely taste the inclusion of Cream Soda and FuFu Berry flavours, but for the most part it all just blends together to create an all new taste experience. Now I'm not much of a soda drinker anymore, but if I were this one would definitely find a permanent spot in my fridge!

PS - If I'm going to do more of these Criticisms I'm going to need a rating system (like two thumbs up, or 5 stars, etc.) Any ideas?

The Dentist Conspiracy!!

Today I went to the dentist to get my teeth cleaned, and I just knew I would be disappointed at the end. You see, back in the days of my youth I bought anything and everything that was Root Beer flavoured and my trips to the dentist were no exception. When the inevitable question was asked, "what flavour of fluoride would you like" the only obvious answer was "Root Beer Float". This was my go to flavour for years and years, until one day the hygienist told me they didn't carry it anymore.

"What do you mean, you don't carry it anymore? Why wouldn't you carry The Best flavour?!?"

"I don't know son, how would you like bubblegum? Kids love bubblegum!"

"Psh, bubblegum... if I wanted that flavour I'd have some gum or something..."

"...what was that?"

"Hhhhhhh....nothing...."

Years and years went by, and my love affair for all things Root Beer slowly dwindled away...seemingly brought about by my disappointment in the dental chair that day.

So anyways, flash forward to today and that inevitable question arrises again. I told her, "I know there is no way I'm going to get the flavour I want, but I'll ask for it again anyways. Root Beer, please."

"Root Beer fluoride?? I've been a dental hygienist for 30 years and I've never heard of that."

Had I stumbled upon some strange, unintelligible dental conspiracy? Has the Canadian Dental Association buried this "flavour from the Gods" so deep that the mere mention of it now is met with a blank stare from even the most experienced of Dental professionals? If anyone out there has any information, please let me know!!

PS - I could totally smell Starbucks while she was cleaning my teeth, haha!

Summer of Concerts, Continued

Well this one was certainly easier on my budget! Last Friday Cecilia and I saw Bryan Adams play a special show at Telus Field in Edmonton. He was brought here to ceremonially open the next Oilers season, and as a season ticket holder I got our floor tickets for free! Since I've already seen Nickelback, The Tragically Hip and Shania Twain, now all that's left on my "Best Canadian Bands" list, is Celine Dion! :P

They're Back!

Okay okay, so it's not the best specialty flavour at Starbucks, but it is the first of many that come out in the Fall/Winter and that is awesome because they are all rockin'! I stopped off at the nearest SB's today at break and was delighted to see the new posters advertising the Pumpkin Spice Latte, so I ordered my first pumpkin of the season - the girl even announced to the rest of the store that I was the first to order it, haha!

PS - The best specialty flavour is obviously the uber-rare Shortbread Latte which I have only ever found twice. (Second place goes to the Peppermint Twist Latte, naturally.)

My Favorite Song This Minute...

...is Fireflies by the band Owl City; if only the local radio station would play it more often! Anyways, I think you should check it out.

Where can I buy tickets?

Cause I want to see this guy perform live!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FA5DkFUSxk

It's the middle of August, yet I'm wishing it was Winter!

Now I know this will seem very odd to those of you who know I complain about the frigid temperatures in Edmonton like, every second day, but let me explain:

I just saw this on the internets today:

Oh...my...God...

This might be the coolest DVD boxset I have ever seen! Not only does this thing come with a faux-vinyl copy of a Geronimo Jackson single, 3 iron-on Dharma Initiative patches, a map of the island and 70's era Floppy Drive style paper holders for each disc...it also comes with a VHS copy of the hatch films.

:O

I don't think I've ever been this excited to buy a VHS!

To further get me into the LOST mood I'm normally in around January, I just got back from the Post Office where I sent off another 13 through-the-mail autograph requests. (Most of which went straight to the filming offices in Honolulu!) I don't know what I'm going to do after this final season...

UPDATE: I just saw on Jorge Garcia's blog that he received my autograph request! Yay for the United States Postal Service!

My Summer of Concerts

I made a conscious effort this year to go to as many concerts as I possibly could. I figured, I really like music so seeing my favorite bands play live would probably be a good idea! :P

So far this year I've seen Tokyo Police Club, Metric, Mobile, The Stills, Snow Patrol, Coldplay, Green Day, Thornley, All-American Rejects, Fall Out Boy, and Blink 182. Next week is Kings of Leon, and next month is ManRayGun, Keith Urban & City and Colour. I'm having a blast but unfortunately it's not the cheapest hobby!

(Sidenote: I MAY have downloaded a FEW songs in my day, but I figure there are so many really crappy bands out there a person would go broke trying to find stuff they really like...so I struck a deal with myself to buy a ticket for any band that has put out a CD I've liked, and to also buy a tshirt from the merch table - I figure that makes us even! :P)

In other news, tomorrow I'm heading out to Jasper to help celebrate Heather's birthday. This annual tenting trip is entering its second year of a (hopefully) long tradition! I'm not really much of an outdoorsman, but anytime I can eat BBQ'd hotdogs and S'mores for dinner I'm happy!

Ryan Tomko...CTU Borden?

Well today was fairly interesting.  I am almost through my first week (of 2) of Hazardous Material training at CFB Borden in Ontario, and today's lesson was a very rushed (and stressful) overview of Terrorism and it's typical targets, the warning signs to look for during a biological or chemical attack and the symptoms one would have if contaminated, how to identify nuclear, incendiary, and other bombs as well as how to make homemade ones such as TNT, dirty bombs, suitcase nukes and the like.

I kinda felt like Jack Bauer getting his initial exposure to all this stuff.

Then I came home and got some Little Caesar's pizza for dinner, and relaxed while watching Alias on DVD.  It was a great stress-release.

Nervous or Excited...

...I'm not quite sure exactly which I'm feeling right now.  I have 4 more days before I stand up in front of all my friends and MC a wedding again.  This will be my second time, and everyone said I did a great job last year, but now I just have so much to live up to.  :/

I'm probably just excited.

I'm also the wedding photographer, which I am VERY excited for.  (I've never had people actually pose for my photos before!)  My co-photographer is stopping by in 20 minutes or so, and we are going over our 'shot-list' again before we fly off to Victoria on Thursday.  I really shouldn't be taking the time to write this right now, but I needed a SMALL break from all the wedding planning!  :P

Colour me Green!

Today was Clean Air Day across Canada, and since I work in the Environmental Department at work I got to spend the day manning an informational booth at a Safety Expo, giving out prizes to my favorite people!  Surprisingly the day went by pretty fast, even though I spent the majority of it just standing around and chatting.  (Actually, that's not surprising at all - I'm really really good at that!)

Another perk?  I got to do a lap of the building riding this wicked little gokart-floor cleaning thingy!  It would suck to actually do that as part of your job, but there's nothing like testing out a new set of wheels.  I also did a lap of the other booths right before we shut down for the day, and scored about 4 pair of new sunglasses!

When I got home I watched last night's Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien that I taped, and loved it.  I'm SO happy that Leno is outta there!  (I'm a Letterman fan born and bred.)  Green Day rocked it out, which got me pretty pumped for the floor tickets I have for their Edmonton show later this summer.

After that, I continued my laziness and watched an episode of the OLN show Departures.  I really shouldn't watch that show because every time I do, I get VERY jealous of the amazing life those three guys are living right now while I go to work everyday.  If you haven't seen it, it's a travel documentary show that follows two Canadian guys (and their camera man) as they travel the globe and live out 'once-in-a-lifetime' experiences.  Today's showed them in Brazil hang gliding, scuba diving, swimming in the Amazon with pink dolphins and watching turtles hatch at sunset.  On top of that, I have three Facebook friends traveling the globe right now and showing off their photos...yah, I'm DEFINITELY taking my big Asian trip next year!  Anyone want to come with me?

Dodgeball, Meatless May and Primer - talk about eclectic!

Just came home from my Dodgeball game; we only had six players and we were up against our arch-nemeses in the final regular season game of the year.  No big deal...we still won 14-7 and are heading into playoffs with an undefeated record!  Normally I can just kinda hang around chatting at the back of the gym, but since we didn't have any subs I had to actually step up and help out tonight!

We've never won the championship as a team before, but I have a feeling this is going to be our best chance...

In other news, Meatless May is drawing to a close.  (In case you don't know what that is, for the last 4 years, I choose one month to be vegetarian...just for the challenge)  Normally I do it in March, but I was in Montreal this March (and I couldn't miss out on those smoked meat sandwiches) so I figured as long as I kept the alliteration going it would be okay!  No real hardships this year again, although I do still crave sushi ALL THE TIME.  First meal back will absolutely be either some Spicy Tuna rolls or a good chinese dinner!

Watched the movie "Primer" again last night.  Man, that flick really makes me think - if you haven't seen it yet, I highly suggest it!  (only if you like scientific time-travel movies though)  What are your thoughts on time-travel?  Is it possible?  Can you change the past?  I'm of the school that says it is possible, but only to the past and only your consciousness can travel there.  What do you think?

There's a first post for everything...

MyWebSpace, Windows Messenger, MSN Messenger, Flickr, MySpace, Facebook...I've had a blog-type thing on all of them, so it should come as no surprise that I (finally) have jumped into this new pool that is Blogger.  Sometimes you just need a place to write some stuff, you know?

(Like where else could I casually mention that Red Wings fan that was just shown on CBC double-bird-flipping-off the ref during the scoreless second period of Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals?)

Anyways...I don't think there will be a theme or anything for this blog just yet; until I get in the habit of updating continually I'll just keep it casual for now.  Time to watch this Blackhawks powerplay...talk to you later!

Ryan