Seven Things about David Booth

How many of you knew that new Vancouver Canuck acquisition David Booth hunts big game with a frickin' bow and arrow? Huh? Huh? Seriously.

Seven Things about David Booth at the Hockey Writers website.

Enjoy, y'all!

Seven teams to watch in 2011-12

I did a guest blog post for the Fan Zoo, a Vancouver-based sports memorabilia company. Here it is, yo: Seven Teams to Watch in the 2011-12 NHL season.

Somebody approved this.

We pundits over at Pucked in the Head are constantly mocking the products put out by supposedly professional designers and marketers. Reports have the New York Islanders launching a third jersey that looks like something out of a third-rate roller hockey league. We think you'll agree, but encourage you to defend this piece of dreck. Check out the inaugural edition of Somebody Approved This.

Seven Things: Homecomings, Severed Fingers and Green Babies

"There's a new blog in town, and it aims to be the most obscure little hockey blog around." I know what you're thinking. "Hey, wasn't that a Leonard Cohen song?" And you're right. It was, until we stole it.

Seven Things will always aim low, and probably hit lower. In this, the 28 May 2011 edition, we mock Joe Thornton for severing his finger prior to the playoffs, suggest Zdeno Chara is anathema to modern medicine, and make mouldy sperm jokes about the Green Men. Enjoy.

30 Day Song Challenge, Day Two

My Least Favourite Song

Grrrrrr.

I'm sure I could throw just about any death metal, gangsta rap or piece of autotuned shite in at the Day Two position, but I don't really consider those music, ya know? So I'll have to go with an old "classic" that makes me lunge for the radio controls whenever it comes on.

Rod Stewart - Do Ya Think I'm Sexy


No, Rod, no I don't.

Hockey Songs IV - The Hockey Song by Stompin' Tom Connors

Things have been pretty hectic over here in New Daddy Land. Thus it's been a bit of a challenge to get new episodes of Pucked in the Head up and running - despite lots of on-ice stuff to talk about, we've been unable to get our shi... er, get our stuff together & record new eps. Hence, episode 27 reaches into the standby bag yet again.

Luckily it's good stuff. Jamie Macdonald of The Orchid Highway dropped by to yak up the fourth edition of Hockey Songs. Here's Pucked in the Head 27: Stompin' Tom and The Hockey Song. His brother Derek makes a surprise appearance for the second half of the episode, and the three of us... sigh... sing the freakin' Hockey Song.

Download. Listen. Put ointment on your naughty bits. Enjoy.

Pucked in the Head official website

Pucked in the Head on iTunes

Stompin' Tom official website

Pucked in the Head episode 24

Episode 24: The Top 7 Goalie Nicknames is, quite probably, the most professional-sounding episode we've done thus far. Not surprising, really, since the last Top 7 list (Episode 8: Top 7 Sports Event Endings) was similarly polished and entertaining. In our view, anyway.

Give it a listen and let us know what you think. You might just learn something about hockey legend Frank "Mr Zero" Brimsek here, or one of the other gents we talk about.

Most important of all: remember it's just a game. Enjoy it!

http://www.puckedinthehead.com
http://tinyurl.com/puckeditunes

Notes on decade #4

It's the end of January, 2011. I turn 40 in 22 days. There won't be any navel gazing here, boys and girls - just a thanks to everyone who helped make the past decade the best I've experienced thus far. I'm happier now - more patient, more content, more excited, more passionate than I've ever been.



Since turning 30, I have managed to do the following:




* Convinced a wonderful, fiery Latina to marry me. (Hi Nadia!)



* Had a beautiful baby girl (Milla) with said wonderful, fiery Latina.



* Fixed my credit rating - largely due to the organizational skills of the aforementioned fiery Latina.



* Bought a townhouse.



* Visited Mexico several times.



* Started speaking Spanish.



* Visited China.



* Didn't get shanghaied.



* Did the West Coast Trail.



* Found out that teaching isn't just a job, it's a passion.



* Learned that coaching turns teaching into a passion that pays well.



* Produced a movie screening to raise money for the Cancer Society.


* Started a small business (Kick-Start Cardio).



* Learned that - dude - small businesses are, like, wicked hard to run well.



* Closed that small business.




* Rekindled my love affair with hockey.



* Started a podcast (http://www.puckedinthehead.com/).



* Went back to school (UBC).



There were some hurdles, sure, but it's been a fun 10 years. Here's to the fifth decade being the best one yet.

Callejón del Beso

In honour of love...
Originally uploaded by stodmyk.

The Callejón del Beso is a funky little spot in Guanajuato, México that celebrates the eternal romance of... you guessed it... the kiss.

Here's the balcony where the myth played out. Apparently, a wealthy shopowner didn't like his daughter's boyfriend, so he forbade them seeing each other. The enterprising youth paid the neighbour for access to the balcony, which, as you can see, is within whispering distance of the wooee's bedroom.

The father came home as the two were holding hands, and, enraged, killed his daughter with a kitchen knife. The suitor was distraught but unable to do anything as the window was too small to get across to save the girl. As she slipped away, he kissed her hand to show his everlasting love -- and thereby named this narrow opening, "The Alleyway of the Kiss."

Locals, between offers to take your picture in the alley for $5, will also tell you that should you visit here, it's bad luck not to kiss your honeybunch on the third step. Why the third? Perhaps because the first two steps are worn out by too many American hiking shoes. What if you visit with a college buddy? Hey, what happens in México, stays in México.

Our wedding pix

My lovely and talented wife has created a brief slideshow at scrapblog.comof some of the Mexican wedding pictures. We look pretty good, if I do say so myself.