Oil Nation Shows Classy Side - Mic Drop

It's Not Always About Me, however, I am proud to be a part of Oil Nation! Way to class it up Orange Crush! xoxo

Ode To Edmonton: Farewell with the Possibility of Return

My moving to Edmonton in May of 2003 was a whirlwind affair. The guy I was seeing at the time mentioned his plan to move here for welding work, and I told him that he wasn't leaving BC without me. I sold my car to the boyfriend's brother, as I didn't think it would've passed the out of province inspection, and it gave me the cash needed to make the transition from BC to Alberta. The next day we packed up his "Twinkie" car and were on our way. I was an inexperienced 21 year old and left my parents a note telling them what I was in the process of doing.

I didn't really know much about Edmonton prior to moving here, I had never been to Edmonton before. I knew that my Dad's Aunt lived here... That this is where the Oilers played, and clearly at one point Gretzky and Messier had played here too... I had heard of the massive West Edmonton Mall, but obviously having never been here, I'd never been to the 6 block mall... As my seven and a half years in Edmonton wind down, I've found myself reflecting on my time here.

We're heading into what would've been my 8th winter here... Let me tell you, the winters here are something I'd like to forget but never will. Edmonton's the first and only place I've experienced such bitter cold in the later part of the year. (That's not to say I haven't experienced cold weather, just not like this.) Last year, Edmontonians were subjected to the second coldest place on the planet honors.... (I think we hit -50 or somewhere around there. Ya, it sucked serious toes man!) We were second only to a place in Siberia... (And that place knows how to rock the damn cold!) My first winter here it took some serious adjustment from what I was used to in BC. I grew up in Vernon, so I was used to snow and I'd seen maybe -20 to -25 that I remember... I called my Mum on her birthday at the end of October in 2003. I had to hang up with her so I could go have a hot shower to turn my purple feet back to a humanly colour. I won't sit here and say that I enjoy the winters here in Edmonton, but I'd have to say I've acclimatized.

The rest of the seasons in Edmonton aren't bad like the winters... The only qualm I have is with the City of Edmonton is in the Spring. The whole "joke" about "If you dont' like the weather in Alberta, wait five minutes" can be applied to Edmonton. I've seen snow under the most bizarre of circumstances... But why the hell does it take the City until May, even June, to clean the sand and crud off the streets after the bulk of the snow is gone in late March/early April? Edmonton could be one of the most beautiful Cities on the planet... But instead, with regret I say, Edmonton is a dirty city. Between the streets being dirty, and in dire need of repair, to the litter and homeless on every corner... Edmonton is just dirty. I know that other Cities and Towns have the same sort of problems with litter and homeless, but send out a street sweep already!

Edmontonians have perplexed me for the entire time I've been here... I've run into people here who were the nicest people in the world, and would bend over backwards to help you. Others are just so cold, fake, self serving and rude it makes you want to punch them in the face. Again, I realize there are people like this everywhere and its not solely an Edmonton issue. Just don't mention the shittiness of Eskimos or Oilers, that may get you a tongue lashing at the very least. (Actually, I remember being at a bar in Edmonton, and a guy with a blood shot eye that was almost swollen shut and an otherwise bruised and swollen face walked in for a beer.... The story went that he was down in a Calgary Bar to watch the Oilers Vs Flames game, he wearing an Oilers shirt and the Flames fans beat on him when he went out for a smoke. Maybe that says more about Calgary though?) One pay day, my first year here, I headed to the bank to deposit my cheque after my shift. It was winter, so it was dark earlier, and I walked out of the bank with a wallet full of $20's on my way to pay my rent... Some guy attempted to take my purse but I managed not to lose it. It wound up costing me a coffee for the guy, who just happened to be hungry... Bizarre to say the least!

All Edmonton/Edmontonian cutting down aside, if Edmonton was so bad - I guarantee you - I would not have stayed as long as I have. Edmonton has given me the resume I have. Just before I moved here I had just graduated from College and was raring to get into the working world. I papered the town, meaning Kelowna and Vernon, and got one call back saying "Thanks for your interest in our company, we'll keep you on file." Within a week of moving to Edmonton, I had a few interviews and was hired and working. Edmonton's economy, over the years I've been here, has allowed me to feed my job "A.D.D" in that if I got bored or frustrated at one job, it was easy enough to go out and find another. I have job hopped here, and it's given me a diverse set of skills and experience that I may not have otherwise had.

I've gone back to school here and graduated in April of 2009 from Grant MacEwan College. (Now Grant MacEwan University.) It was quite a trip to go back after 5 years of being out of school mode. The course I took introduced me to a wide variety of characters through my classmates. The time spent at Grant Mac was definitely a benchmark and a time in my life that I'll never forget. If I were anywhere other than Edmonton, I doubt I would have gone back to school... To be honest, I don't even know if the course I took is offered anywhere other than Grant MacEwan.... Makes it that much more memorable... Even if it is partially due to the student loans which are now in the repayment stages.

Being that Edmonton is one of Canada's more major centers, it opens up some events that I may not have otherwise enjoyed partaking in. I don't ever remember there being fireworks in Vernon for New Year's for example. As pathetic as it may be, I've never been to an Oilers game... It's a little ironic that I have been to an Eskimos game though... Edmonton is one of the festival capitals of Canada, and for that I'm grateful. Some festivals don't cost a dime and are a great way to kill an afternoon when broke. Others do cost but I've been told they are well worth the price of admission. My personal fave has always been the Heritage Festival. The Heritage Festival asks for donations to the food bank as admission, but it doesn't seem to be a mandatory admission. There are pavilions for different countries that feature food, clothing, dancing, art and basically anything you can think of to show off a particular country's culture. I can't explain it, I just know that I love it.

For all the crappy people I've met and had to deal with, I've met a few really cool people that I am now fortunate enough to call friends. Some I met through work, others school, and the most interesting are those I met quite by accident in a random event. Either way, these are the people I will miss and carry with me until the end of my days. My first friend in Edmonton was Missy. I had been talking to her for a couple years because she had emailed a boyfriend of mine and I knew she was the ex. So I laced into her telling her to move on and leave my boyfriend alone. It turns out, we now have the same ex - as he's no longer my boyfriend either - and we talk to each other, but not that ex. Anyhow, after a couple years of chatting, it took me moving to Edmonton to actually meet. She bailed my ass out a time or four. She moved back to BC years ago, unfortunately. Van, Ian and my other CFF friends managed to show me what it meant to work but how to have fun while doing it. The local hang out for some of the CFF crew was a bar called the H2O. I've only had "happy birthday" sung to me once, and it was from my H2O crew. This is also where I met my roommate called Candy Apple. No she's not a hooker, or a stripper, and yes - that's her real name. She and I had a riot living together...

Finally, the on again/off again guy in my life, Klaus. I actually met him while at work for CFF. He was, and still is, a driver for the company and I was an office worker. He always thought I only wrote the bad things about him, but he's also given me some good things to report too. He's bailed my ass out of situations it shouldn't have been in. He drove me to the Okanagan over the Labour Day long weekend last year, without me even having to ask. He's taken me camping numerous times, and actually - he's the first one to ever take me fishing. He's brought me home Christmas trees even though I know damn well he hates Christmas. (His birthday's Christmas Eve, and if that was your birthday - I think you'd probably hate Christmas too.) He's made me laugh (almost as much as he's made me cry) and I've don't ever doubt the fact that he loves me.

Now I've got what's left of today, and part of tomorrow, to endure before I can say I'm done with my current job... Trust me, this one was an easy one to quit... I've got about 3 and a half days left in Edmonton... Though I am guilty of calling this place Deadmonton, Hellberta, - Edmonton will always have a piece of my heart.

It's not always about me; I have a feeling I'll be back one day.

How Not to Be Ghetto Fab: Confessions of a Former Ghetto Superstar!

My definition of Ghetto may differ from yours; so lets clear that up right now. My definition of Ghetto, to put it simply, is a rougher/tougher area of town.... Maybe a little more prone to crime or unsavory types. A few Ghetto's in Edmonton may include China Town/Tent Town/The Inner City Ghetto, 118Ave/Cromdale Area, and The Stadium Area (which evidently, is in between the two.) That being said, I've lived in some pretty Ghetto neighbourhoods since moving to Edmonton.... I've lived in all three Ghetto War Zones... (Keep in mind, I was a 21 year old naive, small town girl when I first moved to E~Town.)

When I first moved to Edmonton, I lived around the corner from the Cromdale Hotel.... We're talking less than a block from 118 Avenue. 118th is essentially one of Edmonton's "skid rows". It didn't take me long to figure out I was living in a rough neighbourhood. I got up insanely early to catch the bus to go cross town to work. I trodded half asleep to the appropriate bus stop only to find a drug user passed out, still tied off in the bus shelter.... Naive or not, I stayed out of that bus shelter and a good ten feet on top of that away... The bus I needed got stopped at a red light, and I was getting approached by a strange looking lady. Turned out she figured I needed some company... Thankfully, the light had turned green and I was outta there before anything else strange could go on... The boyfriend, I moved to Edmonton with, and I thankfully broke up shortly after our arrival in the City of Champions, and the basement suite we were in belonged to his cousin. Heartbroken none the less, I moved out three weeks after the transition into Alberta. I was glad to get out of that neighbourhood... 118th is supposedly the "Avenue of Champions" and is where Rexall Place - where the Oilers and Oil Kings play. It's filled with pawn shops and seems to be the strip for Street Walkers... A couple years after, the Cromdale was shut down due to the drugs and people the activity brings... The City is actively trying to clean up the area, and rid it of the Hookers as well.

I didn't last at my next place long either. I moved in with my friend Missy, her husband at the time, and their few month old son. I wasn't happy there by any means. The husband was a bit of a creeper and pissed me off, my nephew was only a baby and was up throughout the night, and everyone seemed broke all the time. I was dealing with the recent break up, move from BC, move to a new area in a new city, getting to work for really the first time to support myself... I liked the neighbourhood, but I couldn't hack it.... I started looking for my own place, and after a month and a half with my pal and her family.... I moved yet again. (So now I've moved three times in about three months,) I guess I'm drawn to the Ghettoness of this City.... I moved from nice, quiet, family orientated neighbourhood into China Town.

I was in an area called McCauley, which is technically a block off China Town, both areas are just outside of Edmonton's Down Town area. I figured it was OK, the rent was dirt cheap for my bachelor suite in the basement of a converted office building... Everything was included in my rent with the exception of my phone & personal bills. Everything!  It should have tipped me off that there were bars on my tiny little window. When my Dad's Aunt, who has lived in Edmonton since forever, caught wind of where I was living, she flipped her lid..... She figured it was dangerous, and my parents didn't rest easy until they came from BC to see for themselves. To be honest, I loved it there. I spent roughly a year and a half in my tiny apartment. My room in my current residence is approximately the size of my whole bachelor pad... My bedroom, living room, kitchen and dining room were all one open place... My bathroom was just to the right of my front door where my large boot/jacket/clothes closet was... About three, maybe four, blocks away was the Main Headquarters to the Edmonton City Police... That being said, the Reman Center is on the same block as Headquarters... About six or so blocks from my apartment building is a correctional facility as well... I should tell you I only had one issue in that year and a half. I came home one night after the late shift at my job, I got there around 8ish maybe, and there were Police that had taped off the whole block... They wouldn't let me into my building... I didn't know what was going on until I called the Cop Shop to see if I was able to go home. The story was that someone held up the Clinic two doors down and was looking for drugs... The Clinic had none on site, due to the roughness of the neighbourhood, and the would be robber held some people at gun point... Nice eh? Other than that, no issues - even when I would walk a couple blocks after a night at the bar. The worst I ever got was "Hey, do you have a smoke/quarter" or "Hey Pretty Lady, wanna come party with us?" I miss that place, and to this day wonder why I ever moved out of the place....

The third and final Ghetto-fied place I lived was between China Town and Hooker Alley, in the Stadium area - the Stadium being where the Edmonton Eskimos play. With in a week of moving in, there was a double homicide about 4 blocks away, just around the corner from where I walked every day to get to the train I took to get around... Scary... A month later there was another murder, this time closer to 118th Ave... (Both China Town and 118th Ave were within walking distance... Both about 10 - 15 minutes away, just in opposite directions.) Again, I didn't have any issues. I wasn't affiliated with any gangs or anything, and I made sure my roommate knew where I was going, when to expect me back and all that common sense type of stuff... (Geez, my roommate, at the time, was in the midst of becoming a lawyer!)  For the most part, I was a hermit and only went outside after dark for a cigarette or when I really needed too.

I guess you can take the girl out of the ghetto, but you can't always take the ghetto out of the girl. I enjoyed my time in the less than great areas of Edmonton. Call me crazy... But I lived to tell about all three 'Hoods.... I didn't do any time in the "Gang Land" part of the City (Millwoods) and I'm alright with that... =0) Don't get me wrong, Edmonton's "Ghettos" may pale in comparison to most places... Say next to LA, 118th would probably look like a prime piece of real estate... Hell, even next to East Hastings in Vancouver, which I only briefly witnessed, the Avenue of Champions looks like a holiday spot. Let's face it, this girl wouldn't last 5 minutes in those ghetto's or on the mean streets of say Detriot, Chicago, or New York either... Edmonton's ghetto scene may not be as bad as some, but they're bad enough.

It's not always about me; but I did live in the Ghetto and survived to tell about it...

It's Back, and Betta Than Ever! - Hockey, Canada's Game

Bring on Don Cherry, Blue and his suits. Bring on the smack talking, the Battle of Alberta and Battle of Ontario. Bring on the fights, pretty goals and team pride. Hockey's back Baby! This is one sport I dig, support, can get behind. I'm not the hardcore, watch every game or my life isn't complete kind of thing, but I won't complain about a hockey game on the tube at home. I haven't always liked the Hockey. I remember back in the day, when Dad would watch Hockey Night in Canada on Saturday night, I'd hate it and wish he'd change the channel. Now though, I've grown to love and appreciate Canada's National sport.

When I was in grade 9, I met a friend named Jennifer. I believe her family had season's tickets to the local hockey club, the Vernon Vipers. I would tag along to some of the games with them and we had a blast. The following season I bought my own season's tickets. We always had fun, and it didn't hurt that some of the players were pretty good looking. I don't think anyone I watched made it to the NHL, I don't think any have competed at the Olympic level either. Doesn't matter though, it's a fun memory. Vernon has seen a couple local boys make it to the NHL with the likes of Brent Gilchrist and Eric Brewer. (Though Brent Gilchrist wasn't born in Vernon, Eric Brewer was. Mr Gilchrist's family must've relocated to the Vernon area however. In elementary school, I was friends with one of his nieces, and just after high school, I volunteered at a benefit concert bearing his name featuring The Moffats, Jann Arden and Amanda Marshall.) One of the last games I saw in Vernon's old Civic Arena was the Old Timer's game. That was cool to see some of the Legends. I saw the likes of Guy La Fleur and Tiger Williams. It was a rad experience to say the least.

I think mainly because I grew up in B.C, I've always been a Vancouver Canuck fan. I started to get into hockey with the Pavel Bure Era. (Man, that dude could skate!) In 1994, I watched the Canucks go all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals. I remember the team wasn't supposed to get passed the first round that year against the Calgary Flames, which they obviously did. The Canucks made it to the 7th Game of the finals against the New York Rangers in a nail biter... At one point, the Canucks were down three to zip and in the third period they started to make a comeback... It was a little too late however, they wound up losing 3-2 in regulation time. After the final horn of the game, Kirk McClean, the Canucks then goalie, stood in his crease with his hands stacked on his stick. Trevor Linden, who happens to be my favorite player ever, slumped into the boards after one last failing attempt for the tying goal. I was heartbroken, and seriously went into my room and cried. The Canucks, unfortunately, haven't made it that far since.

Now that I've been living in Edmonton, I've become a bit of a fickle Oilers Fan... (Brent Gilchrist played for the Oilers at one time.) When I first moved to Edmonton, those 7 and a half years ago, I lived a stones throw from The Coliseum/Rexall Place. I was pretty stoked the first time riding down Wayne Gretzky Drive and seeing where a professional sports team played, where dominance of the NHL in the early '80's was wicked awesome with players like Mr Gretzky, Mark Messier, Paul Coffee, Jari Kurri, and Glen Anderson just to name a few. Out front at Rexall stands a statue in tribute to the phenomenon, Wayne Gretzky. (I'm just sorry that the rink is in a rougher part of town, but not to worry - there's a big fight over a new downtown arena. We'll see how that turns out.) In 2006, it was the Oilers' turn to make the run for the Cup. I don't remember much of the beginning of the play-offs, I do remember doing inventory at a job and everyone huddling around the radio to hear what the action was. Towards the end, there were riots of sorts down Whyte Avenue here in the City. The riots made National News and made the fans here look like assholes. Damage to stores and store fronts happened, garbage cans were lighted on fire, just a whole pile of shenanigans went down, and it made us look bad. We were in the finals, and the rowdies made it look like we lost or some injustice had happened. Since then, the Oilers haven't made it as far in the playoffs. Some seasons they sucked so bad, they didn't even make it to the playoffs and were the joke of the NHL. To further that joke, in the 29 years I've been on Earth, and the 7 and a half I've been in Edmonton, I have not seen a single NHL game at Rexall or in any other team's barn. Now that's a sad, sad state of affairs!

I did take in last night's Oilers season opener, and it was a Battle of Alberta with of course the Calgary Flames. I didn't watch the whole thing as I had the control of the remote, but I did flip back and forth to the game. From what I saw, it was an exciting game and was impressed by some of the new, young talent. It was an electrifying 3rd period with the right out come. The "Oil" won with a shut out performance of 4-0. Sorry Flames, better luck next time. I wonder if Khabibulin stayed sober the whole game or had arena beer delivered between periods? Either way, he got the shut out.

Love him, or hate him, a big amusement is Coach's Corner with Don Cherry. Personally, I think the guy is rather obnoxious but what are ya gonna do? The only reason I stick around long enough to see Coach's Corner is to see what outlandish new suit he's got on. Don Cherry seems to be a bit of an Icon in the NHL, as he was briefly a player but spent majority of his time as a Coach. He's been known to say a thing or two to get people riled up, he's been known to do a thing or two getting under people's skin. Like him or hate him, Don Cherry is the face of Coach's Corner, and I'm not sure if anyone else would fit.

Hockey has become a little more commercial of late it seems. Of course you can go out and buy your favorite player/team jerseys, ball caps, key chains, T-Shirts and so on. While I was watching last night's game, they had a segment on in one of the intermissions about Stan Lee. (Ya, Stan Lee as in the Comic Legend, Stan Lee.) I guess Mr Lee is working with the NHL doing something called the Guardians. From what I hear, every team in the league will get their own personalized "Super Hero" geared to their specific team. I guess Calgary's team will obviously have Fire Power, and Philly's Team will have the ability to fly.... Then I get to work this morning, leaf through a paper only to find an ad for a movie... A musical no less... It's called The Score and I guess it's a hockey musical... I don't know guys... I mean I watched The Mighty Ducks when that came out, and I thought that was pushing it. (Cute movie, really liked it... But pushing it.) Slapshot is a classic Hockey movie, I can't find a single person who didn't like it. The re-make on the other hand was a bit more divided.

While in Whistler working the Olympics, the turn out to watch the hockey games were the wildest thing I've ever seen. When I wasn't working I'd go down to one of the bars that was televising the game and join in the festivities. One of the games that stood out was the 8-0 stomping Canada laid down on Norway. There were Norwegian Athletes in the bar where the massacre was witnessed and I felt bad because a few people didn't have much class and got in the Athlete's faces and rubbed it in. That same night, just after the game, a European version of TSN came through the bar then stood out side interviewing insane fans. A few people I was with and I got our faces broad casted across the Ocean, how cool is that? That night there was partying in the streets of Whistler alright. My little group of about 6 - 8 were walking back to grab a bus back to our camp as parties raged on. Another group of 6 or so people were coming in the opposite direction with a huge Canadian Flag they all held over their head. We went between the people and under the flag all high 5-ing each other. As we walked away they came back for a second pass, this time they scrapped off one of our crew. Good times, good times. I've got relatives that still live in Norway and I'd Facebook everything. Even though they had their asses handed to them that day, my Norwegian cousins were a riot and took it in stride.

Although I didn't watch any of the Olympic Hockey live down in Vancouver, I still have memorable moments of hockey highlights. I was in Whistler Village one evening and was headed back to camp... I was mad because a co-worker bailed out on me, so I was just a hoofin' 'er. I look to my right and who do I see? None other than Captain Canuck himself, Trevor Linden. My breathe was taken away, I had been "in love" with him since I was like 12 - 13 years old! I was dumbfounded and awestruck and I called my Mum (who happens to be Trevor's second biggest fan, behind me of course - tee hee.) and started talking a mile a minute. "MUM!!! MUM!!!"   "Lauren calm down, what's going on? You OK?" "MUM!!! I THINK I JUST SAW TREVOR LINDEN!!!!!!!" "OMG Lauren! Go get his autograph! You know he won't say No! Go do it and call me back!" After about 5 minutes of semi-stalking the guy, so I could work up the nerve, my opportunity came... It was now or never, it was go time. Some how, Mr Linden got behind the friends he was with and I had gotten a head of him a little bit. I looked over as he caught up and it went down. "Excuse me? Are you Trevor Linden?" Glances at me, "Yep, I am." (YAAAAY in my mind.) "I have been your biggest fan, since like forever can I get my picture taken with you?" "Sure, but walk with me, I've gotta catch up with my friends." Almost shitting my pants with excitement, I did as I was told. My camera was on the wrong setting, so that was tres embarrassing. Once I got it going, Trevor grabbed it out of my hands, snapped off a pic, kinda grunted "I don't like that one" and snapped off a second one. He waited for me to look, asked if they were alright, which they were. I thanked him, told him he made my life, he said to have a good night and disappeared into the crowd. I walked on clouds as I called my Mum and Dad and headed back to camp. A few people at camp were jealous, but then they saw Trevor at the Our Lady Peace Concert and got pics of their own. (That's the story behind the pic of Trevor Freakin' Linden and I right here on my blog.)

The last thing I'll mention on this long ass Hockey post, the Gold Medal Hockey Games of the 2010 Olympics. Oddly, both the Mens' and Womens' teams had to defeat the USA or accept a silver. I had to work the day of the Ladies' Final but managed to get back to camp with enough time to watch the 3rd period... To be honest, I was tired and hazy at the time but do remember that it seemed like a hard fought battle. In the end though, the Ladies' made this Hockey Nation proud by winning a Gold on Home soil.

The Mens' I remember far better as I took a few days off work and was better rested. I was in Victoria visiting an Aunt and cousins and we had the game on. My Auntie and I couldn't bare to watch, just in case we jinxed them but whenever we heard cheers, we ran inside to watch the goal replay or to see what was up. Finally, the 3rd period came around and we were down to 5 minutes left with a 1 goal lead. On the edge of our seats we silently prayed... Until with 27 point something seconds, the US tied it up. (See, we jinxed...) Cursing the other team, we went to OT and did the same thing of seat edge praying and nail biting... Then Syd Crosby became a national hero as he put the winning goal away. We had our second Gold in "Our Sport". The streets of Victoria went a little nuts afterwards, meanwhile before it was a ghost town because of the game. Everyone was happy and asked if we'd seen the game. (I'm sorry to any Americans reading this following line... I understand that both US teams didn't win silver, but infact lost gold. Trust me when I say I know what it's like to watch your team be second best. Happened to me more than once. The first was in '94 and the second '06 and when the Canadian Hockey teams didn't medal at the Olmpics. But when the Mens' US team - and I think the Ladies' as well - accepted their silver medals, I was pretty disgusted.)

It's not always about me, but I am Canadian and I loves me some hockey! =0)