10 Reasons Lacrosse Is Better Than Hockey

Full disclosure, I'm not a sports fan.  I lived in Phoenix the year they were in the Superbowl, and I'm still not sure if the team playing was the Phoenix Coyotes or the Arizona Coyotes.  Oh wait, I think that's hockey...maybe it was the Phoenix Cardinals.  Arizona Cardinals?  Anyway, I think I've made my point.  Not huge sports fan.  But, I am a mom, and this mom will jump at any opportunity to leave the house.  Last Friday, such an opportunity arose.  My friend Kate invited me to a Toronto Rock Lacrosse game, and, if you've been following along, then you know that I jumped at the opportunity to leave the house.  Even if it meant going to a sporting event.  But you know what?  I actually liked it!  

My dad is wildly into golf, and growing up, for a really long time, we only had one TV.  That meant Saturdays and Sundays you could find me and my dad on the couch watching golf.  Have you ever watched golf on TV?  Not fun.  If it weren't for our mutual love of eating cookies by the sleeve-full I definitely would have found something else to do.  Now that I'm married to a crazed hockey fanatic I have been subjected to more hockey games than any non-sports fan ever should be.  I know it's Canada's favourite game, but it sure isn't mine.  But being at the Rock game on Friday was a totally different experience.  I was exposed to a level of excitement and sports fandom I had never experienced before.  And so, I present to you, the 10 reasons lacrosse is better than hockey.

1. Music.  Music is played throughout the whole game!  Cool, exciting, get you pumped up music.  A very welcome change to the slapping of sticks and clinking of pucks against the crossbar. 

2. It's not cold.  Since Lacrosse isn't played on ice, the arena isn't cold.  This to me is a HUGE selling feature.  It's way more comfortable not to be freezing cold, obviously, but it also means that whatever cute outfit you pick out for the game will not be hidden by your huge parka. 

3. Free pizza.  Need I say more?  They run a contest at Rock games between two rows of seats, and the winning row wins pizza.  PIZZA!!  That's reason enough to go to a game, don't you think?

4. Free tickets.  Didn't win any pizza?  Don't worry.  They also give away free tickets to another amazing Rock game.  Which means another opportunity to win free pizza.  Which is awesome.

5. Super easy to follow.  The rules of lacrosse are simple.  Team A has 30 seconds to score, if they don't, the ball goes to team B.  Ok, I'm sure there are actually more rules than that, but that's all I know about the game, and that's all you really need to know.  I've been watching hockey with my husband for 14 years now and I still don't know what icing is.  Or off-side.  Or a 2 line pass.  Well, I know it's a pass that goes over 2 lines, but I can't for the life of my figure out why that is a bad thing.

6. High scores.  Lacrosse games typically are higher scoring than hockey games.  A higher score equals more excitement.  More excitement is always better than less excitement. 

7. Cheap tickets.  I'm not talking nose-bleed seats, I'm talking across the board cheap tickets.  I haven't been to a Leafs game in years because 1) most tickets are held by season's ticket holders 2) the tickets I can get are way too expensive and 3) I don't want to go to a hockey game (see reasons 1-10)

8. Cool mascot.  Iggy is the Rock mascot, and he's the coolest.  Don't tell, well, anyone, because it's a little embarrassing, but I kind of have a crush on Iggy...in a weird comic con / anime sort of way.

9. No $14 million contracts.  Lacrosse players don't sign million dollar contracts like NHL players do, and I like that.  Their egos stay in check, and they're out there playing lacrosse simply for the love of the game. 

10. The fans.  Lacrosse fans are awesome!  I know, because I am one now.  The crowd at the game was full of fans of all ages, not corporate guys trying to impress clients with fancy season's tickets.  Just a bunch of crazy fans drinking way too expensive beer, loving their free pizza and their warm cheap seats. 

 

Dear Teenager: A Few Things I Want You To Know

I live very close to a high school, and therefore regularly come in contact with groups of teenaged girls.  Seeing them reminds me of when I was a teenager, many years ago.  Having survived those tumultuous years, I feel as though I can offer some advice on how to make it through to the other side. And so, dear teenager, here are a few things I want you to know.

1) Don't be the most drunk person at the party.  It's not cute, it's not funny, it doesn't make you more likeable or attractive.  It will make you the butt of the joke and get you into trouble. 

2) Always play hard to get, it will serve you better than being too easy.  You are worth being respected, and if the boy really likes you for you, he will allow the relationship to run on your terms.

3) Especially with youth on your side, beauty comes naturally, education doesn't, so be sure to spend more time on the latter.  It will carry you farther in life.

4) If a boy breaks your heart, it may feel like the end of the world, but just think of how wonderfully amazing the boy who doesn't break your heart will be. 

5) Listen to your parents.  It's a drag, I know, but they really do have your best interest in mind and only want the best for you.

6) Your friends have a greater influence on your life than you realize.  Ditch the mean girls and surround yourself with real friends and relationships that are based on mutual respect.

7) Youth is amazing and fleeting.  Don't waste it.  Don't be in a rush to grow up.

8) The one person who will be with you always, through the good times and the bad, is you, so make sure you treat her well.

This Year I Resolve To...

Well, it's that time of year again.  Time to make promises to ourselves that we won't keep.  It's resolution time. 

As 2014 started to wind down, I began thinking of what my new year's resolutions would be.  I had plans to lose weight, eat clean, walk every morning, be more patient with my kids, stay on top of the laundry, and watch less TV.  Then, I woke up the morning of January 1st and changed my mind.  Those resolutions just sounded like a recipe for disaster - things I knew I could never commit to for a whole year.  So, I came up with a couple new ones.

Resolution #1

I'm writing a book!  It's called 'The Joy Of Pregnancy?'  The problem is, I've been writing this book since I was pregnant the first time, in 2008.  Time to finish the book, don't you think?  So new year's resolution #1 is to finish this book once and for all.  I picked up these two books as a little inspiration, and research into the world of humour writing.  I've started reading Food: A Love Story and it's awesome.  I definitely recommend it.  And my book.  You should definitely read my book.  If I ever finish it.  I mean, when I finish it.

Resolution #2

I've always thought of myself as an organized person, but then, over the Christmas holidays, this happened.  How it happened I'm not quite sure, but I blame the kids and my husband.  So resolution #2 is to be more organized myself, and put in place organizational solutions that will keep my kids and husband more organized too.  I'll be blogging about the solutions I come up with, and whether or not they really work.

This is the playroom, the bane of my existence.  It seems no matter what I do, it ends up looking like this.  I'm trying to find a storage solution that makes it easy for the girls to find their toys, and put them away when they're done.  It's a pipe dream, I know...

 

The girls have their own rooms, but prefer to sleep in the same bed.  So, we made one room the sleeping room, and the other room the dressing room.  This room definitely needs some help.  I haven't really worked out a plan yet, but I better think of something fast.

This is my basement storage room.  The same thing happens every year.  All year long I put new things into the storage room, then Christmas comes and I can't get to my Christmas decorations.  So I end up emptying the whole room to bring out the decorations, then when Christmas is over I reorganize the room to fit everything back in again.  This year I hope to organize it for the last time.  Again, no real plan for this room, but I think a trip to Solutions is in my future. 

This is our laundry room / mud room.  Sigh.  I actually do have a plan for this room, thankfully, so stay tuned for my tips with this hard to manage space. 

What are your resolutions?  If you have any organizational tips, I'd love to hear them.  Let me know in the comments below.

Happy New Year!

Dear Cheryl Hickey: I'm Sorry For Staring.

There is something you should know about me.  I get start struck.  VERY easily.

We just got back from a trip to Great Wolf Lodge with some friends of ours and their kids.  Do you know who else was there?   Cheryl Hickey, from Entertainment Tonight Canada.  I know!  I ran into her at the water park.  And by ran into her at the water park I mean stared at her for way longer than one person should ever stare at another person, at the water park.  Let me explain...

We got to the water park with our friends and our kids, and as soon as I got into the pool, I spotted Cheryl (can I call her Cheryl?).  As I mentioned before, I was instantly star struck.  She looked beautiful, just like on TV.  I, on the other hand, had walked from our hotel room to the pool in my bathing suit, pajama pants, and knee high boots.  Why?  Because I didn't have a bathing suit cover up or another shoe option.  But, I didn't really care because I was one of what seemed like 1000 people on their way to the pool that day, and I didn't think anyone would notice, or care, what I was wearing.  But then I got to thinking; does Cheryl have the same luxury?  I mean, when she left her hotel room she knew she knew she was going to get noticed, she is Cheryl Hickey, after all,  so did she feel the need to pull herself together and look more presentable then say, I did that day?  That made me a bit sad, because everyone deserves a day off without having to worry about their hair, or makeup or questionable clothing choices, right?  But then I thought, maybe she's just one of those girls who pops out of bed looking perfect, and that made me a bit angry because don't you just hate those girls who wake up looking good?  I mean, come on!

So after staring at her for what was now a uncomfortable amount of time, contemplating how much time she put into getting ready for the pool, I decided I should go over and say hi.  But, what would I say?  "Hey, Cheryl!  How's it going?"  No.  I can't say that.  She doesn't know me, and that's a greeting for someone you know.  I could say "Excuse me, are you Cheryl Hickey?"  Then she'd say "Yup" and I'd say "I thought so" and then there would be an uncomfortable silence, and I'm not good with uncomfortable silences.  So that wouldn't work either.  I could just walk right up (or I guess wade over, since we were in a pool) and say "Cheryl Hickey!  I'm a big fan.  I love ET Canada" and she'd say "Thanks".   Then what?  Another uncomfortable silence.  So I decided to say nothing.  But that got me thinking some more...

If I were Cheryl Hickey, I would definitely want at least one day a year where I could wear my bathing suit, pajama pants, and knee high boots to the pool and have everyone just leave me alone.  I'd want one day where I could just play with my kids in the pool like everyone else, and not have anyone bother me with silly questions like "What's Rick Campanelli really like?"  But, if I were Cheryl Hickey, and I spent the whole day at the Great Wolf Lodge and no one noticed me or came over and said hi, I think that would bother me too.  I mean, I'm Cheryl Hickey!  I'm on TV!  I'm a big deal! 

What to do with Cheryl Hickey was really stressing me out, so I decided to talk it through with my friend Vanessa, who was on the trip with us.  I expressed my concerns about what to say, my questions about what a TV star does to get ready for a day at the pool, and my regret for staring at her for what was now an incredibly inappropriate amount of time.  And my friend Vanessa, my level headed, observant friend Vanessa, pointed out that there was a group of us awkward people, staring at Cheryl Hickey, not knowing what to say, but unable to turn away from the real life TV celebrity that swam amongst us.

And so, Cheryl Hickey, if you're reading this, on behalf of all the awkward swimmers at Great Wolf Lodge, we're sorry for staring.  Keep up the great entertainment reporting, and if I run into you again, I promise to give you your space.  Unless you want to grab a Starbucks, or lunch, or go to a red carpet event together.  I'm totally game for that too.