How much is that doggy on the rooftop?

I have to say right off the top that the photo I took on the right played a big part in deciding the subject of this blog. From my first day it became the thing to remember of my RRC tour given by second year Cre-Comm students. It was a curiousity I couldn't forget.

How in the world, or at least in Winnipeg, did this poor toy end up on an exchange district rooftop? He looks at least a metre long, but I think he's larger than that. This photo was taken from a distance and for the record, I have no idea how long he's been up there.

I took a walk around the neighborhood and discovered that Rusty, I shall call him, sits atop Little Saigon restaurant. I've pointed him out to classmates and we've shared a laugh over it. If you don't know what I'm talking about, he's best seen from the third floor in most "W" classrooms. It's a bit of a departure from where toys like him are usually found.

I can't help but consider the back-story that went behind Rusty being up there. Was he stolen and the thief on the run needed to stash his goods? Was there an argument between two children and the parent chose to chuck Rusty rather than listen to constant fighting? There's only one person who knows for sure and that's the one who threw him up on the roof. You can't forget something that big so I guess Rusty became expendable. In the very least he must have been a prize. I can't imagine Rusty was cheap to buy.

Too funny in my opinion. It leaves much fodder for my imagination.

My wife came home from her trip to New York on Sunday. She was away for seven days and I was very happy to see her arrive home safe. She happened to be there on the eighth anniversary of the September 11th attacks which made me feel edgy. She is always good to me and brought back many goodies like: chocolate covered pretzels, movies, NY t-shirts, President Obama t-shirt with coffee mug, and a very cool Movado-ish watch. I provided a clean home, happy dogs, and a dozen roses on her return when she walked in the door.

Since I was young there was always tension when traveling to the U.S : buying extra health insurance, crossing the border, talking to grumpy border guards, keeping track of receipts. I have to say the feeling has never left me. I guess it's the whole 'foreign soil' thing and the perception that many people there are armed. I don't personally know anyone who's had trouble while visiting there, but I know it happens. Just follow those basic rules we all know by now and you're likely to always stay out of trouble.

I guess being somewhere other than home can be awkward to begin with.

I've gone and done it!

Well everyone, this is it. I am now part of the student body at Red River College, Princess Street seen at the right. It is a beautiful campus and it will be my second home for the next two years. I'm into my second week of classes and its been great. I am looking forward to the challenges a first year Cre-Comm student faces. (note to self: remember this statement when floored by sheer volume of assignments)

I'm finding my way around campus much better now. I've met several helpful people along my travels when I've lost my way. My best rule: always look for signs (not 'Signs', M. Night Shyamalan). Whenever I start to feel wary about my direction (pop!), one of those directional signs on the wall never seems to be far away.

One of my favourite places other than the on campus Tim Hortons (minus the line ups), is the atrium. What appears to have acted as a back alley for many decades in the early 1900's, is now a glass roof vertical space that connects the William and Adelaide buildings to the Princess building. Corbett Cibinel Architects (now known simply as Cibinal Architects) were responsible for the design and implementation, determining which parts of the structure could be removed. The facades were an important feature and needed to remain intact. It was one of several design requests along with preserving the original trading floor and many window openings. There's more pieces of history on campus like doors to safes, wooden crate ends (mounted as artwork), and the third floor Heritage room of the Princess building. I like the items the campus has salvaged and enjoy seeking them out when I have a moment between classes.

The actual question of what my blog would contain was more difficult than I thought. What subjects are left, really? Some answers are simply found when your not dwelling on them. Like anyone, I want my blog to be unique in its own way. I've set up a YouTube video box on the side for visitors to have an idea of my taste in music. I'll try and change it up from time to time. If you hear something there you like or want to know more about it, let me know. I've actually retooled this blog from an earlier time. Before my wedding last Fall, I began blogging in an effort to notify friends of my pending engagement. Feel free to read these posts as well if you so choose.

I went into this project with an earlier idea, but today it took a turn. While this post is meant for introductory purposes, after today a theme takes over. It may be risky, but I think it could be interesting. To some extent I will always include events in my life, but the recurring theme will be (drum roll please)...

juxtaposition. to place something closely alongside another for contrasting effect. The picture of Princess Street campus at the beginning of this post is a good example of juxtaposition. The integration of historic and modern architecture is striking and deserves many accolades.

Stay tuned. This could be fun.

(church/skyscraper photo attribute: Michael Fenichel 2008)

No, it's not what you think...

You may think that I have chosen to add this particular photo to complement some underlying message. A pictorial metaphor per se. No, the world has not 'gone to the dogs' , though some would argue the world might be better run. From front to back they are Babe, Bob, and Foxy. My wife chose their names earlier on before I knew her. Believe it or not, they are suitable.

Today is my wedding day and this little trio will become my adopted family. I've heard that animals really adopt us though. I have come to enjoy their personalities and care for their needs, especially now that I will become a permanent presence in their lives. On the eve of the wedding I presented my lady love with an adoption certificate stating I will become a guardian in their lives. I pretty much always have been, but now it's official. I didn't even consider the 'brownie points' I was going to get for that.

My family (Mom, Ray, Angie, Loren, Amanda, Skylar) drove in for the wedding yesterday and joined the Gal's family (Eddie, Irene, Uncle Dennis) here in our home last night. There was homemade lasagna and a large salad complete with bread sticks. Oh yeah, and lots of wine! The Blueberry Shiraz I bottled earlier in the week is going over very well with everyone. My brother bought us a humungous barbeque as a wedding gift. It was incredibly heavy and looks big enough to rotisserie a 25 pound turkey! It should be very nice to cook with come summer. My mother gave us some very ornate crystal wine glasses. My Aunt Shirley was not able to come for the wedding, but sent along a very nice spice rack and $50.

In less than a 11 hours I will be a married man. I'd be lying if I said I have not been jittery as of late. Last night was a turning point though. Seeing all my family around us and the new family I will very soon be a part of, I felt a sense of calm. Their actions are those of acceptance and it reinforces the fact that the choice I have made in 'my Gal' is the right one. The dimension of married life is one that will be full of challenges, but it is one that I have lived to discover my whole adult life. I thank all those who have helped to make this day a reality.

The Wedding Planners

Apparently, once a man asks for a woman's hand in marriage, both their lives switch into high gear. Since that happy Christmas Day, 'the Gal' and I are now discussing daily some aspect of our wedding. At times the subject of eloping has been mentioned with a tinge of humour, but with a hint of possibility as well. That being said, we will be taking a relatively traditional route and having an intimate wedding with family only.

Early on, 'the Gal' had her eyes on a place where we've patronized several times in the past. It's a lovely home on the outskirts of the city now converted into a restaurant. 'The Gates on Roblin' offered several different rooms depending on the size of our party. An atrium surrounded by windows on three sides suited our needs. There will be twenty one guests if all those invited arrive. Our wedding will take place on April 4th.

I've taken over the responsibility of creating/designing the invitations and announcements. (one serves as a backdrop for the photo above) My fiancee and I attended a wedding extravaganza last month where she was able to find a dress that she loved. To that we also found a marriage license issuer, a cupcake shop (in lieu of a wedding cake), musicians (one of which will be my cello instructor from two years ago), and a jewelry store for my wedding band. Countless other brochures and information were given to us as we made our way throughout all the venues during the three hours we were in attendance. Plenty of little extras have already been arranged. The cake topper you see above (my choice), limo service, and most recently the flowers.

Like any 'new married', we wanted someplace special to stay on our wedding night. After looking at the hotels in the city that looked to be our best options, another idea struck me. All the hotels, while fitted with the modern conveniences, seemed rather lifeless. I have always been a man who appreciates the character of a home or building, something 'the Gal' appreciates as well. It seemed obvious once I thought about it. Why not a Bed & Breakfast? We have been to several B&B's during the past two years and we have always enjoyed the intimate hospitality and the setting. We narrowed down our choices to a few possibilities and decided on a turn of the century mansion called 'The Columns'. It was built by a wealthy industrialist nearly one-hundred years ago in one of the first upscale neighborhoods in Winnipeg. The room is beautifully furnished and provides one of the most romantic settings I have ever seen. The cost is less than a modern hotel, and the personal service in a B&B can't be beat. The operator of the home was very happy to hear that her B&B will play a part in our wedding. We can't wait to stay there and enjoy the surroundings it will have to offer.

We will be lucky enough to depart on our honeymoon soon after the wedding as well. With a little bit of encouragement, I was able to convince 'the Gal' that a honeymoon in Cuba would be the best value providing the sun she dearly misses. We will spend one week in Varadero taking in the sun, sand, and local sights of Havana. My joke has been that I will be smoking a cuban with Cubans. We'll see...

On the school front, I had my interview yesterday for the communications program at RRC. It went ok. In hindsight, there were areas where I could have provided better answers. All in all I feel the work I prepared stands for itself. The interviewers showed me how I had scored in the exams I had taken and the portfolios I had submitted. The results ranged from better than average to average. One of them remarked where I thought I did not do well that, 'It's not necessarily bad. We have a tendency to mark students tough.' I submitted two more items to help show my enthusiasm for the course. I will hear in the next six to eight weeks if I have been accepted. The best outcome would be to find out I am accepted for the program before my wedding day. I can then rest easy and truly enjoy all that is important. My future wife and life.

The Proposal

Christmas Day has come and gone and the scope of this blog has been reached. Here are the events of the last 48 hours or so.

My original intent on Christmas Eve was to ask the father of 'the Gal' for permission to marry his daughter. The family was all coming over for a play/concert that 'the Gal' had organized. I thought this would be a good opportunity to guide her father away for a moment to deliver my question. The concert was such a success that there never was a dull moment in order for me to do this. Nearly a dozen songs were played by either 'the Gal' or myself and the other members of her family. The 'Family Christmas' play she had written was well performed by everyone. It was a great night to remember. Several people departed for church soon after or went home to prepare the evening meal. Two hours later we found ourselves at the home of 'the Gal's' brother. We had a terrific meal and played the board game 'Outburst' to round off the evening. Once again I could not find the right moment to pull her father aside to talk. It was only when I overheard we were having her parents over for breakfast the next morning that I knew this would be the right time.

I awoke on Christmas morning with a case of nerves. I was on the eve of 'go time'. 'The Gal' and I soon found ourselves preparing breakfast for everyone. We all ate a hearty breakfast of bacon, eggs, homemade bread, and coffee. This helped a lot to calm me down. As her father got up to leave I asked him to join me in my office for a moment. As he stepped inside I closed the door and took the ring from the desk drawer. I opened the box to him and asked, "I've never done this before and when the time came I wanted to do it right. Would it be ok if I were to give this to your daughter?"

"Absolutely." he replied. We shook each others hand and shared a brief hug. My emotions were beginning to get the better of me. For obfuscation purposes, we left the room with well delivered stories of burnt-out stove fuses and floor joists. 'The Gal' and I cleaned up the kitchen after everyone had left and then we both got ready to go next door for dinner.

'The Gal' nearly escaped out the door with a pot of potatoes before I stopped her and brought her back to the living room. I asked her to sit down on the couch and the two dogs gathered around her. I went to the next room and brought back a goblet and a heart shaped vase filled with red sand. The vase was a gift I gave her for our 1st year anniversary. I pried off the wax seal and asked her to pour the sand into the goblet. She began to pour the the sand and at one point a small, rolled up piece of paper tumbled out. I retrieved it from the goblet and told her to remove the gold-coloured string that bound it together. As she opened the message it read, 'Will you marry me?' I knelt on one knee and opened the ringbox I had stored in a drawer near my feet. The look on her face will never leave my memory.

"Of course I will!" she giggled, glowing with happiness. We embraced, kissed, and as we have many times, spoke of the love we have for each other. She carefully took the ring from the box and placed it onto her finger. "It's beautiful." she said. To which I replied, "It's Canadian. My one and only requirement."

"I'm sure glad we have diamonds in Canada." she laughed.

I will always laugh and love with this woman. My Gal, my fiancee, my love...

"And now, the time is near, and so I face...

the final wonderin" Ok. I'm no Elvis, but look how he ended up. That's not to say I'm getting the jitters, it's just that soon I will venture into the unknown. I'm sure every guy has felt this way up to the moment he asks his girl if she will marry him. I'm not religious in any sense so I don't feel I am making a covenant with God or anything. I do take the rite of marriage seriously though in that this is the person I choose to spend the rest of my life with. I've spent enough time alone to know that if a woman gets any better than 'the Gal', I will need another lifetime to experience it. Sure we have our differences, but that doesn't change the fact that I love her immeasurably. Our differences so far are small by comparison. Her offbeat sense of humour resembles my own and we usually crack each other up.

If for any reason she says 'no', I hope it is something we can discuss and work through. I hope it won't be a deal breaker for me. We are living together so that could present a challenge under the circumstances. She's been married before so she may draw upon that experience and the challenges it presented. I can respect this having myself never been married. Likely she may be more disappointed that I will propose marriage and then take off for several days to visit my family for Christmas. I'm sure it will be ok though. But enough about all that.

If all goes well, 'the Gal' and I will perform a little concert at our home on Christmas Eve. 'the Gal' really loves this time of year. She has more of a 'modern view' to decorating, but it still looks quite nice. I hung my wreath on the outside door and my Spongebob Squarepants decorations on the tree so it all balances out. I played some carols on my cello last year and it was a lot of fun and brought a new dimension to Christmas for me. I grew up with a music element around me during the holidays. We sang carols on Christmas Eve each year until we were about fourteen or so. Once the Grandchildren came onto the scene, it seemed everyone was too busy to bother. It's still mentioned from time to time each year, but no one has really carried the torch for this idea. Last year I played versions of Silent Night, and O' Come All Ye Faithful. It went very well and I believe I will do it again this year. I am looking at adding God Bless ye Merry Gentlemen and Ave Maria. The latter will be a bit tougher and it may not come to pass. 'The Gal' is learning to play O' Christmas Tree on piano as well. If she is comfortable enough to play it on Christmas Eve, I will accompany her on cello. All told, I may be too nervous to play anything. Ha, never thought of that until now!

Anyho-ho-ho...I gotta cut this short. 'the Gal' should be home shortly.

December is now upon me.

Ahhhh...the first true cold month, and the last of 2008, has arrived. I am relaxing at home with a cream soda and an empty home. 'The Gal' is off in Fargo right now with her mom doing some X-mas shopping. She will be gone for the next two days so it's just me and the dogs. Oh yeah, and the cat. He always seems to be forgotten.

As you have likely noticed, I've added a photo to this entry. Yes, this is 'the Ring'. I must apologize as it is a bit blurry. I tried to get as close as possible to show some of its detail, but the tradeoff was picture quality. (I took over seventy pictures!) That's what you get for all the auto-focus cameras out there, mine included. It's a beauty, just like 'the Gal'. I couldn't rest knowing 'the Ring' was sitting in a department store just waiting for me to pick it up. I had to bring it home where it belonged.

It was weird going into the store knowing what would happen next. I was going to take the first step (some might say leap, though they are already married) in solidifying my relationship with 'the Gal'. Say what you will, marriage may only have a 40% ratio of success, but it still captures the essence and unequivocal state of being in love. Several of the staff at the store seemed to smile at me when I was handed the ring. They knew the shape my life was about to take and of the question I would be posing in a few short weeks. A look of hope and reserved happiness showed on their faces for me. Other than this singular event in my life, I am a stranger to them. One of the staff called out 'Good luck!' as I turned to leave. It felt nice to hear that.

I dropped off my portfolio to RRC that day as well. I hope to hear from assessment before X-mas if I have a final interview before acceptance. It is hard to say though with the workload they have before the holidays. 'The Gal' and I had her parents and uncle over for dinner two nights before I handed my portfolio in. I explained my intentions and why I would not be going to chef school in January. They seemed impressed by my portfolio and appreciated that I had made the effort to show them and explain my situation. I felt it was the least I could do having basically misled them up to that point. Until I knew for sure what I would be doing, I did not want to have any more stories circulating about which career path I would take. I will also make a copy of my portfolio to show my family when I visit them at X-mas and explain the same.

The next major development involving this blog will be when I talk to 'the Gal's' father. It is important for me to have his blessing in asking his daughter to marry me. I am not sure if I will include her mom in this. I do not think she would be able to hide the fact very well about asking for her daughter's hand. I will talk to her father about two days before x-mas.