Hockey Hall of Fame 2

 Latvia at the HHOF.

Wearing my Wheat Kings T-Shirt

 I wore my Wheat Kings t-shirt to the HHOF.  It got me three reactions.

One. A lady saw it and said Brandon was her hometown.

Two. A clerk at the Tim Horton’s by the HHOF, asked if it was a Tragically Hip t-shirt.  The band has a song entitled Wheat Kings.  I explained that it wasn’t but I knew the connection.  In fact, I once bought a Wheat Kings cap (from the hockey team) for someone in BC because of the song.  The talk lead to a discussion of bands we had seen.

Three. Looking at a display of hockey pucks, a person from Saskatchewan noticed my t-shirt.

Hockey Hall of Fame 3

 I liked the HHOF’s selection of national team jerseys.

Hockey Hall of Fame 1

 Basically, it is a place filled with a whole lot of hockey memorabilia.

Casablanca

 I just talked to a student in Casablanca.  The topics of cous-cous and Marakesh were brought up during the class.  I was completely enthralled to talk to someone from such an exotic locale.

So, since returning to Brandoon, I had classes with South America, North America, Europe, Asia and Africa.  

I told the student to watch the movie Casablanca.

I advised another student to check out Kareem in Airplane!

Thursday 5:20 AM

 I have to admit that getting up this early isn’t so easy with Jenny here.  She keeps me up way past my bed time.

WC fallout: I enjoyed the tournament and found the final to be enthralling.  I often myself cheering for justice and drama.  The circus and soap opera aspects of football suck me in..

This could be intetesting

 I have an upcoming online class with an Argentinian living in Madrid.  Should I even broach the subject of the game?

Later: I did broach the topic.  It turned out that she has spent half her life in Spain and half in Argentina.  Her husband is Spanish.  Her children are born in Spain.  So, her loyalty was split.  Turned out as well that talking to her about her product was more interesting than taking about the game anyway.  She sold premium yogurt to retailers like Carrefour and Costco and Walmart in and around Spain.

Viva Espana!

 Don’t cry Argentina!

My WC Prediction

 

Sunday 5:42 AM

 Interesting cloud pattern.

Today: Mass, Erickson, flood watch, and my son Tony has a job interview.

Argentina was lucky to beat Switzerland.  The dive cost Switzerland the match.

To be looking at the Assiniboine River today will be looking at history.  The river is supposed to rise to historically high levels.  It was noticeably high yesterday.

Saturday 9:56 PM

 

Watching the Argentina Switzerland WC QF.

Dumb dive by Embolo.

Friday 4:01 PM

 I wanted Egypt to beat Australia.

I want Morocco to beat Canada.  I talked to someone with Moroccan connections this morning.

Ray Pero and Chairman Xi:

  

He is not poor that not hath much, but he that craves much.

Less Democracy

Thursday 8:50 PM: Overnap

 

In the morning, I talked to China for two hours and then to Spain for three hours.  The topic of conversation with many of the Spanish students was the game: Spain — Austria WC knock-out match.  I told the students of my sincere desire to see Spain win and of my thinking that Canada was not going to beat Morocco.

In the afternoon, we — that be, my son Tony & me — did some work.  I cleaned the interior of the car and the garage while he mowed the lawn.  We did at one point switch roles: with him cleaning the car and me mowing part of the lawn.  I mention this for the historical record.  

I suppose I should also mention the trouble caused by the recycling bin.  I reluctantly inform historians of what happened.  The green bin was put out in the back lane so that the city truck coming around could get the organic contents.  It turned out that the truck put a big dent into the green bin as the bin was emptied.  We were later able to get the dent out with a hammer and my feet.  The green bin also stunk because of the rotting of its organic contents.  My mother had the lid open so she could air out the bin.  After we mowed the lawn, she told me that she wished we had not mowed the lawn because she wanted to let the green bin, which we had filled with grass clippings, air out to remove the stink. You can’t win.

We finished our work in time to watch the Spain — Austria match.  I saw Spain score a well-deserved first goal.  Then, I took a nap. I overnapped, waking up groggy and unsure where I was.  For an instant, I thought it was time to start my evening classes.  It turned out I still had a few hours.

In the evening, I taught three classes while watching the Portugal — Croatia match.  I talked to Fredericton, Brazil, and Toronto.  The student in Brazil was watching the game.  The student in Toronto lived close to the stadium where the match was being held.  The game was filled with drama.

Wednesday 22:04 PM

 It’s July 1st in Canada. Here is what David Warren has to say about it.

England and USA and Belgium win their World Cup knockout matches today.  The African countries couldn’t hold their leads. T’wat a shame!

Tuesday 7:25 AM

 A lot happening.

There was all the rain yesterday.

There were those World Cup games.

The people I was teaching to and I was teaching English with had a rupture, overnight my time.  I learned about it this morning from one side.  Now, I have to hear the other side of the story.  I’m stuck in the middle again….

Winnipeg Goldeyes Game

 The Goldeyes beat the Lincoln Salt Dogs 11 to 8.

COLO-COLO Football Team

 This quilt on my bed bears the logo of a Chilean football club.  I had not known this was so until yesterday evening.  I was chatting with my student in Chile about the World Cup.  He mentioned a couple Chilean World Cup players and I decided to look at their career club stats.   One of them played for COLO-COLO for a few seasons.  My computer is not too far from the quilt.  Seeing the COLO-COLO, I wondered… I showed the quilt to my Chilean student and he was shocked to see the quilt’s logo: it was of a club team that was a rival of his favorite Chilean team.

My wife bought the quilt for us at an online shop in China.  

The arena where the Winnipeg Jets play

 The Winnipeg Sea Bears are playing the Saskatoon Mungo.

The Sea Bears needed 9 to win.

They did it.

Did I enjoy the game?  Meh.  The SB held the lead most of the game.  Our seats were annoying.  Anytime we had to leave our seats,  we had to get the people beside us to stand up to let us pass.  I had to say “sorry!” a lot.  And when I did walk the concourse, it was way too crowded.  

Sunday 19:00 Mass

 I was able to get back to Brandon with time to spare before the 1900 Mass which took place as the Super Bowl started.  I had my priorities straight. 

Gluttony Night, Greed Night, Sloth Night, Wrath Night, Envy Night, Lust Night?

 I saw on Facebook that the Habs, aka Montreal Canadiens were having a Pride night.

I was a Habs fan growing up because they were good.  In the past thirty years, however, they’ve been nothing special.  I have no interest in them any more.  Their hosting pride nights doesn’t help.

I took a brief look at comments about this pride night.  One supportive of the event talked of “fearful” opponents, whatever that means.

Any who.  Reasons and arguments to oppose pride nights:

— Pride is a sin.

— Celebrate sportsmanship instead.

—The evening is religious bashing.  What is wrong with: Hate the sin, love the sinner?

—Why not have nights celebrating the other sins such as gluttony, greed, lust, envy, wrath and sloth?