When you woke upon a star

Ya know…

Reality really does come at you hard. Whether it’s a wannabe Mr. Universe trying to lift weights way out of their capacity without a spotter on hand, or a drunken 20-something year old woman who’s watched way too many Marvel movies, thusly thinking she can take on a grown man twice her size.

Or in this case, my example is Mr. Bob Iger, the CEO of a multibillion dollar entertainment company from which we all grew up watching and loving. Bob decided it was a good idea to wade into the middle of a highly divisive culture war and somehow not expect to alienate a massive chunk of the company’s potential audience. He thought it would be a good idea to change the public perception of Disney from a wholesome, patriotic, family friendly, and highly respected entertainment brand, that strove to honour the ideals and principles of its founder, into a sinister corporate behemoth that gobbles up studios, and intellectual properties, like Andre the Giant used to do to hors d’oeuvres at a party. He decided to cannibalize and destroy beloved franchises and legacy characters, with a series of disastrous sequels and soulless remakes, using the talent and hard work of previous generations, as a convenient platform to push out political and social agendas that pander to a certain small segment of society, who have really loud voices.

To put it in diplomatic terms, this turned out to be a “sub-optimal” strategy. In case the collapsing share value,

cratering theme park attendance, flatlining box office revenue, and a highly publicized and damaging political battle weren’t enough to clue you in on this fact, then a recent Iger’s statement during an investors presentation at Disney world, when he said he want to quiet the noise around the culture war, is finally the nail in the coffin.

That’s basically what is known as the executive equivalent of saying, “Yeah, I fucked up, bro.” And it’s likely that will be as close to a public admission that people aren’t buying what they’ve been selling, no matter how many times they try to do it.

Their only options now are whether to change course rapidly, or go bankrupt. I’ll admit that my first reaction to this statement was a quiet chuckle to myself. He’s acting like someone setting his whole neighbourhood on fire, and then acting all shocked when his own house burned to the ground.

His battle with politicians, and social justice warriors is just another example of how he’s been operating with a hugely divisive mindset.

But no matter which side you choose to throw your support behind, you’re just going to seriously piss off the other side, thereby cutting your potential audience in half. I mean, I’m no businessman, but I’m pretty sure this is NOT a winning business strategy. And I’m not gonna lie here, Bob. You delusional fool: you chose to pander to a particular difficult group to please.

Because here’s the thing: it really doesn’t exist in the first place.

It’s less of a demographic group but seriously more of a loose collection of terminally online, perpetually offended, serial complainers for who the idea of nuance and compromise is as offensive and alien as having to listen to a conflicting point of view. People like that will never be happy, now matter how much of your previous work you censor, remove, and edit to try to appease them, they’ll always find a new thing to be offended and outraged by. No matter how many concessions you make, no matter how much ground you give them, their demand is always going to be the same:

MORE.

Until eventually they’ll demand something you can’t give them, in which case you will become the enemy just like everyone else.

Iger’s predecessor Bob Chapek, committed the heinous crime of not wanting to get the company embroiled in a highly divisive political debate in Florida against the man who had the power to royally screw things up for Disney. Before you knew it, the activists were all over it, forcing Chapek into a humiliating public “climb-down”. But tell me Bob: Did this actually help your company in any way? Did suddenly people flock to your theme park, or rush out to see your movies? Uhhhhh….no. Not so much.

The only thing you managed to do is lose your special tax exemption on the land around your theme park, thereby massively increasing your operating costs. It also dragged into a very expensive legal battle that continues even today.

But none of this needed to happen, and it sure as hell wasn’t a hill Chapek had to die on. Why, you may ask???

Because Bob, you’re a goddamn entertainment company, not a political party! People don’t want a cause or have you push forth an agenda of any kind, because that’s not your job. Normal people don’t need you to fight for, or against them. And they sure as hell don’t need praise or require lectures.

Normal people watch your movies or go to theatres or your theme parks to have a bit of fun! They want to escape the worries and pressures of everyday life for a couple of hours. They want to lose themself in the fantasy for a while.

THIS is your core audience:

THIS is your core audience:

THIS is your core audience:

This is NOT:

The last thing your core audience wants from a family entertainment company to run into the same preachy, divisive pandering they get by being bombarded with it on a daily basis.

And the thing is, while I can respect the fact that Iger, is now facing the problem he created years ago and figuring out what he needs to do to fix it, I honestly don’t think he appreciates the monumental effort it’s actually going to take. Talk is cheap. Actions are what count here, and this one is going to require the Mt. Fucking Everest of actions to put right.

Disney as a corporation is riddled with this stuff now at every level. It’s become part of the corporate culture mostly because he allowed it to happen. He let the fox into the henhouse and not only are they eating all his chickens, but they’re multiplying at an exponential rate. And believe me, they’re not going to be leaving without a fight.

Getting rid of them is going to require mass firings on a level never before seen, gutting the company from top to bottom. Not to mention the ongoing vigilance they’ll require to ensure they don’t get back in. And to be honest, I don’t know if a 72yr old man who’s already postponed his retirement multiple times, has the resources, the energy, or the political capital to get the job done.

Reality truly does come at you hard. But I think in Disney’s case, they might be a few years too late in acknowledging it.

Go away, Blue Jays

Ok Toronto Blue Jays fans. Time to face facts. You are NOT making the playoffs this year, and the Bo, Vladdy, Springer, and Chapman “winning window” has closed. Over last weekend, they got thumped by the Baltimore Orioles, who in turn lost two in a row to the Chicago Cubs!!!! There’s no way in hell they’re catching either Tampa or New York, and the wildcard is now already out of reach. Then there was the 11-0 disastrous loss to the Miami Marlins. Ladies and gentlemen, it is over, and this team needs to start building a new door, let alone a window.
First steps involve firing John Schneider and Pete Walker immediately, especially Walker. For the love of God, he has been their pitching coach for entirely too long. He has to be a dead man walking, or obviously has damaging photos of someone in upper management for blackmail purposes.
Next step: Trade everyone, and I mean EVERYONE, to the Los Angeles Angels for Taylor Ward (LF), Jo Adell (RF), several prospects, and of course: Shohei Otani. To be honest, you really could do this trade with just prospects, 8 Brinks trucks full of cash, and Otani.

Over the years, the Angels have done the world’s greatest job of ruining the careers of two phenomenal players by not building around Mike Trout, and Otani. Their owner, Arte Moreno, has spent more time trying to figure out how he can make money by selling the team, instead of realizing the greatness he already has playing for him that could make him even MORE money by actually winning. Mike Trout was annually considered the greatest player in baseball for many years. But he has yet to be in a single post season game. Now, Trout isn’t even the best player on his own team because of Otani being on the roster, and working miracles every five days on the mound, and in between leading the league in home runs. But again, he’s never had the chance to play in a single post season game.

We talk about “generational talents” coming along in sports. During my lifetime In the NBA we had Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, followed by Jordan, and now LeBron. Don’t argue with me on that. I’m right. You’re wrong. In the NFL, we had Joe Montana, followed by Brett Favre, and then the #GOAT, Tom Brady. Then in the NHL we had the #GOAT Wayne Gretzky, then Sidney Crosby, and now Connor McDavid. This year’s draft potentially holds the next one with Connor Bedard.

Bottom line, I would do a complete total team rebuild around that incredibly talented unicorn. Shohei Otani is unlike anything baseball has ever seen. And Yankees’ fans: just zip it about Babe Ruth being a pitcher and hitter. He was nowhere near as genuinely gifted as Otani. Otani is set to be a free agent at the end of next year, and it’s already been predicted that his next contract with whatever team, will make him baseball’s first ever $500-$600 million man.

While I understand that is a completely insane number for anyone to get paid to play a sport, I also know sports is actually a business. If the Angels’ ownership decides to try and throw that kind of money at him, they are totally screwed for the next ten years because they won’t be able to afford anyone else. The combination of his and Trout’s obnoxious $426 million contract completely blocks them for bringing anyone else in that can finally get the team over that playoff hump, totally wasting the careers of two of the greatest we will ever see.

Moreno has to move Otani, and it could be as soon as this years trade deadline with how poorly the team is playing. The Jays have the quality players to get rid of, and by dumping the salaries of Bo, Vladdy, Chapman, and Springer, they could have the chance to throw their name in. What I do know, is they have to do something to fix that train wreck. By bringing in Otani’s super talent, it will re-energize the city, because it’s going to be a very long time before we see anyone play as well as him again.

Still Going, and Going, and Going….

Ya know, for some strange reason, I’ve never really made a huge deal about my birthday. I’m just fine with getting thru the day, and start to hot wire the motor for the year ahead. Yet here I am, ready to celebrate another birthday. As always I am filled with gratitude for the love and support of my family and friends. But for right now, I’ll just take some time to reflect on the successes, the truly epic fails of the past year, and set my sights on the future. This year is particularly significant, as it puts me over the 50 year point. So yup, I’m old now. As always, birthdays are an opportunity to rearrange priorities and focus on what truly matters.

In the words of William Shakespeare, “We know what we are, but know not what we may be.” It is this sentiment that we should all welcome change and growth, to push myself to become the best version of myself. This past year has been filled with challenges, but I have persisted through the adversity with sheer will and determination.

As I kick down the door leading to this new year, I am very much committed to focusing on my family and loved ones. The bonds of love and support are stronger than any obstacle, and I am grateful for the opportunity to strengthen these connections. As Maya Angelou once said, “I have learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” I want to make my loved ones feel valued and cherished, as to remind them of the importance they hold in my life.

But this year is not just about the outside, it is also about the rearrangement of my inner self. I am committed to focusing on my personal growth and development, to push myself outside of my comfort zone and take risks. Now that much of the COVID risk has gone away, I can finally get out, and be in large crowds. Nonetheless I still have to watch my health, and always be wary and prepared for something to hit me from out of nowhere. If you know me, then you know I’m the guy who gets the most rare and bizarre things to attack me. My nickname should be Patient Zero. But my awesome team of specialists has always helped me through them. Thankfully, I’ve managed to “mature” enough that I’ve drastically cut back on any “extra-curricular activities” that would harm me.

As Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” We need to believe that true success comes from within, and I am dedicated to cultivating a strong sense of self that will guide me through the challenges of life in the next year.

So, as I finish another trip around the Sun, I am hopeful and excited for the promise of the future. With the undying love and constant support of my family and friends, and a commitment to personal growth and development, I’m ready to embrace the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. The famous poet Robert Frost once said, “The woods are lovely, dark and deep, but I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep.”

I’m ready to start this next spin cycle, with determination, commitment, focus, and sheer will leading the way.

Who else is ready to join me on this trip?

Get it?

Got it?

Good.

Let’s do this thing.

#PitterPatterLetsGetAtEr #DOntquIT

– D. 😎

March 26, 2023

(Psssst:, hey buddy! Wanna buy a headache? Serious inquiries only. Very motivated seller. Will look at any trade offers that come in as well)

Ugh…. treatment day was yesterday, so that led to a long night of aches, super nausea, and more aches. I do these once per week now ever since we moved to Nfld. I give myself a smaller dose, and time to recover, as opposed to slamming a large amount thru (40g),and be a REALLY hurting individual. And yes, I do them by myself because they’re just subcutaneous injections. I don’t hang and run an actual IV line. Instead, I stick four needles in my abdominal area and the product runs thru them for about an hour. No more 7 hour treatments. The procedure itself went fine, now it’s just a matter of attempting to counteract these side effects, and that’s how I have to spend my weekends for the most part.

Many people wait all week for Saturdays & Sundays to arrive, they wait all year for summertime, and some wait an entire lifetime for happiness. So in all that is decent and holy, enjoy today. If you don’t think everyday can be a good day, ummmm, trying missing a few. Yeah, see how THAT works out for you. My body fell asleep at just past 1000pm NST last night after what has been a simply unbelievably stressful week. Unfortunately over the past little while, I’ve spent more time in bed asleep than on my feet awake. It’s been for the past two or three months at least. I’m wiped out already today, and pretty much running on fumes because of yesterday.

This morning I have a goodly sized migraine that I’m blaming on the treatment reaction and Nfld weather issues. Hoping my meds work quickly because I have no ability to exert myself without being totally gassed after the first step. It’s really quite frustrating right now. I’ll be totally transparent here, I’ve been doing this for 34 years and I still hate IV’s, the real ones and the subcutaneous I use. As I sit here, I just have to know my body can do anything, it’s usually just my brain I have to convince. Your mind will quit 100 times before your body ever does. Feel the pain and do it anyway.

But pain is nothing compared to what it feels like to quit. And every setback has a major comeback. Tell me I can’t, then watch me work twice as hard to prove you wrong. If no one thinks I can, then I have to. True motivation comes from within. No one can hand it to you, but no one can take it away. Living life to the fullest and for the moment is essential to living a life of happiness and fulfillment. It is important to take risks and to never worry about what other people may think. It is vital to not be afraid of taking risks and to live life the way you want to.

No one knows exactly what is going to happen at any given moment. It is important to take advantage of the present and to not worry about the future. As the famous quote from Admiral David Farragut states, “Damn the torpedoes! Full speed ahead!” This quote illustrates the importance of taking risks and not worrying about the consequences.  It is also important to not feel as though you have to please everyone else. That’s probably the best advice I can give. Don’t live your life trying to prove something to someone else. Everyone has their own opinions, and it is not necessary to try and please them all.  Emphasize the importance of focusing on yourself, and not letting anyone else’s opinion affect your decisions. 

It is essential to focus on doing the things that make you happy and successful. It is important to take risks and to never be afraid of failure. As the famous quote from the movie “Rocky” states, “The world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. It’s a very mean and nasty place and I don’t care how tough you are, it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it.”  Yeah Sly, it is a big world out there. But it ain’t all full of sunshine, lollipop, rainbows, and unicorns. The only way some of us are will make it through this life is to reach up, grab it by the throat, and never let go. Just please don’t give up, push through those difficult times. 

Not everyone has the same heart as you. You’ll end up sincerely disappointed if you think people will always do for you as you do for them, and that is okay. You’re here to live YOUR life and to make YOU happy. You don’t exist to make everyone understand. Don’t let their ignorance, hate, drama, jealousy, or negativity stop you from being the best person you can be.

It is also important to not have to please everyone else. Everyone has their own opinions, and it is not necessary to try and please them all. Just emphasize the importance of focusing on yourself, and not letting anyone else’s opinion affect your decisions. 

Living life to the fullest and for the moment is essential to living a life of happiness and fulfillment. It is important to take risks and to never worry about what other people may think. As the famous quote from the movie “Dead Poets Society” states, “Carpe diem. Seize the day. Make your lives extraordinary.” It is vital to not be afraid of taking risks and to live life the way you want to. 

The decisions made in our past are what have shaped our present. There’s nobody else to thank or blame except yourself for the situation you’re in, good or bad. Reality is a product of our dreams, decisions & actions. You are not what has happened to you. You are what you choose to become. Discipline is making the decision between what you want NOW and want you want MOST. You can’t change the past, so let’s try to focus on making a great future.

I’m sure many of you are reading this and asking yourself why the hell I’m preaching like I’m above all of this. But no, I’m not perfect. I at least know who I am. I fall, I rise, I make mistakes, I live, I learn, I’ve been hurt but I’m alive. I’m human, I’m thankful.believe you me, I totally understand that I’m far from perfect. I made and still make a bus load of mistakes. But I’m really thankful for all I have; I promise you that In my life I’ve lived, I’ve loved, I’ve lost, I’ve missed, I’ve hurt, and I’ve trusted….but most importantly, I’ve learned. Maybe I don’t cry, but I still hurt. Maybe I won’t say it, but I do feel. Maybe sometimes I don’t show, but I care, and just because I don’t react, it doesn’t mean I didn’t notice. Over the span of these 34 years of being sick, along with constantly having things go wrong, I’ve learned the ultimate coping device. I am able to compartmentalize my problems. Then I can try to deal with things on a one on one basis, on my schedule.

We are now finally into spring, though the 35cm of fresh new powder snow from Friday seems to belie that fact.  I have a simple two week task for everyone to try: You all know someone having some issues. Sure, maybe you are having a bunch too. But find that other troubled person and see if you can offer assistance. You were born with the ability to change someone’s life – don’t ever waste it. That’s it.

Summer is fast approaching, and I want everybody to do something else:
You have three months to stop wearing your wishbone where your backbone ought to be. At one point in your life you either have the thing you want or just the reasons why you don’t. In one minute you can change your attitude, and in that minute you can change your entire life. An attitude of “whatever is convenient” won’t accomplish very much. An attitude of “whatever it takes” however, is impossible to stop. Would you rather have a life of ‘OH WELLS’ or a life of ‘WHAT IFS?”
I don’t want to read Facebook excuses for why you can’t get it done. I want to know you’ve focused on all the reasons why you MUST get it done.
There will be obstacles.
There will be doubters.
There will be mistakes.

But with hard work there are no limits. Impossible isn’t a fact, it’s merely an opinion. The old adage of “When life gives you lemons, just make lemonade” just never made it through my bullshit detector. You don’t want “lemons”. You want something good. You want what you ACTUALLY want. So screw the lemons. Take them back and demand to see life’s Manager.
Nobody has time for that bullshit.

it is important to live life to the fullest and for the moment. It is essential to take risks and to never worry about what other people may think. It is also important to focus on doing the things that make you happy and successful. As long as you are happy with your life, and you’ve done all you possibly can in every situation, that’s all that matters.

In summary folks, like I said back in January, 2023 will be our year, so let’s make it happen. Let’s find our motivation, persist through adversity, have a clear sense of purpose, balance, pride, and above all be patience in the process. Remember, success is not a destination, but a journey, so let’s make sure we’re moving in the right direction.

Ready?

Get it?

Got it?

Good.

Let’s effing do this. #DOntquIT

As is always, I thank all my family and friends for your continued love and support.

-D. 😎

2023- New Years Message

Well folks, it’s that time of year again. The ball dropped, the champagne popped, and we’re all staring down the barrel of a brand new year. It’s a time for fresh starts, new beginnings, and setting big, hairy, audacious, grandiose goals for ourselves. But let’s be real here, gang. We all know that most of us will be lucky to make it past January without falling off the wagon and resorting to our old habits. So, how do we make sure that 2023 is the year that we finally make good on our promises to ourselves?

First and foremost, let’s talk about motivation. As the great Norm Macdonald once said, “I’m not a doctor, but I play one on TV. And if there’s one thing I’ve learned from playing a doctor, it’s that motivation is key.” The key is to find something that truly gets you fired up and excited about reaching your goals. Whether it’s improving relationships with loved ones and friends or a dream vacation you’re saving for, find something that makes you want to jump out of bed in the morning and take on the world.

Once you’ve found your motivation, it’s time to get to work. And let me tell you, this is where persistence comes in. You know what they say, “It’s not the size of the dog in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in the dog.” You’re going to hit roadblocks, you’re going to face setbacks, and there will be days where you just don’t feel like it. But it’s those days when you need to dig down deep and find that inner fire that motivated you in the first place.

As 2022 is now gone, we need to be prepared for the new year. It’s always helpful to review the power of motivation and purpose in achieving any upcoming successes, and putting some big ‘W’s on the board. Whether it’s a successful business venture, a passion project, or simply something that will help you make it through the day, motivation and purpose can be found everywhere, and in everything.

The first thing you need to do is come up with a plan for what you are looking to achieve in the upcoming year. A corporate management consultant, author, and educator named Cornelius Fitchner (NO, I did not make that dude’s name up) once said “Planning without action is futile, action without planning is fatal.” This is an excellent reminder that while planning is important, it’s also essential to take action and make progress. Otherwise you’ve just blown away a whole bunch of time in your life. To put it in the words of the great Dr. Seuss, “You’re off to great places! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting, so… get on your way!” If Dr. Seuss was a Canadian hockey player, he probably would’ve said it a tad differently with the phrase: “Pitter Patter, let’s get at ‘er.”

To make the most of the year ahead, it’s a good idea to establish goals that are both realistic and meaningful. As modern days greatest philosopher Yoda once said, “Do, or do not. There is no try.” Taking the initiative to determine what we want to accomplish, and developing a plan of action to make it happen, is really the first step towards success. Once we set our goals and make a plan, however, it’s important to stay motivated. Unfortunately, this sometimes requires a bit of tough love. As the grumpy but lovable Hagrid once told Harry Potter “You’re taking yer responsibility, that’s what matters.” It’s a simple reminder that sometimes the best way to stay motivated is to simply buckle down, accept our load, and get it done.

However, it’s not all hard work and no play; a good sense of purpose can be just as motivating. When Winston Churchill said “Success is not final, failure is not fatal; it is the courage to continue”, he was giving us all a reminder that staying focused on our purpose can help us to turn any challenge into a success. Overall, motivation and purpose are key to achieving our goals in the upcoming year. Setting realistic goals, making a plan

Where do we start? The New Year is always a great time to create some new paths. You’ve taken the first step by deciding to make a fresh start, so build upon that. Believe in yourself, and keep reaching for the stars. Your unique perspective and skillset will be sure to give you a leg up in whatever you choose to do. The new year is also a great opportunity for growth and renewal. Take some risks, and put yourself out there. Don’t be afraid to take chances and seize the opportunities that come your way. Have the courage to chase your dreams, and celebrate the experience of living life to its fullest.

This is the time to envision and strive to be the best version of yourself. Make the commitment, push yourself beyond what you thought possible, and then put the work in. Do not be afraid to ask for help when you need it; everyone needs a little bit of assistance from time to time. There’s no limit to what you can accomplish with the right attitude, determination and motivation.

Now, I did my immune treatment on Sunday. It got all messed up because I mistakenly ordered the wrong type of needle. I usually have a “quad set”, so I poke myself 4 times, and the product is better absorbed over a wider area on my abdomen. Instead, I had to use a single needle. So while there’s only one jab, all the product went into that one spot and swelled out. The reaction has been very severe. I’m pretty sure I got hit by a large truck…or a jet. I hurt everywhere, and in places I didn’t know I had.

To be totally honest, I have had a very rough past few months. I’ve had a couple of week-long hospital stays that we have kept under wraps, because we weren’t sure what was going on. Even now, for the past two or three weeks I have been living with a simply insane migraine. I’ve been in bed more than I’ve been up. I’m just hoping that one of the two neurologists in NL are finally able to see my file on their desk and think to themself, “Wow, this guy is truly screwed up. Maybe it’s time he gets looked at after four years of living here.” It’s just damn foolish to think that this would be considered a decent quality of life for anyone. I’m trying so hard to keep it positive, but it is getting harder on a daily basis. But, I can’t l look back when i know I shouldn’t, stress over things that don’t matter, and I can’t worry about things I can’t control.

.Annabelle is now in grade seven. Mind- blowing how quickly she’s growing up and how much she’s changed since she started school. It is right now that she has the chance now to become who she wants to be, before the world tells her who she SHOULD be.

She always tells me how shy she is when she meets new people or begins new things. I don’t blame her. It’s a big crowd when you start anything. It’s frustratingly simple to lose your way. Making sure you find yourself above the masses isn’t easy. And why oh would you try so hard to fit in, when you were born to stand out? To wish you were someone else is to waste the person you are. So, how do you escape it?

~Look within, and find a passion.

~Look forward, and find a path.

~Let no one and nothing stand in your way.

~Live it, work it, love it. It will all be worth it at the end of the day.

Why compare yourself with others? No one in the entire world can do a better job of being you than you. You should never want to be “perfect” because if you’re perfect could never get any better. If it doesn’t challenge you, it won’t change you.

Freaking out if things go awry is natural too. It’s completely worthless, but is a human reaction. If all falls apart at the seams, don’t be afraid to start over. It’s a brand new opportunity to rebuild what you truly want. There comes a time when you have to choose between turning the page and closing the book. But don’t you dare look back – you’re not going that way.

Your success will be the peace of mind you get knowing you did your best to become the best that you are capable of being. Mediocrity will always try to drag excellence down to its level. Don’t trade your superiority for anyone’s inferiority.

Whether you think you’re ready or not, just start right now. There is magic in action. It won’t come easy, you must work for it. Stop wishing, start doing. Then you need to listen for the knock from opportunity. Opportunity follows struggle, follows effort, and it follows hard work. It doesn’t knock before.

We all have our support staff. Our friends and loved ones will always be there if they’re true. For many of us, it’s these people we get up for every day.

What you do matters, but why you do it matters so much more.

• Work like you don’t need money,

• love like you’ve never been hurt, and

• dance like no one’s watching.

Of course, all this work and persistence means nothing if we don’t have a sense of purpose behind it. Now, I’m not talking about some big, life-changing epiphany here. It can be as simple as wanting to be able to keep up with your kids or grandkids, or as complex as changing the world. Whatever it is, make sure you’ve got a clear purpose in mind, so that you know exactly why you’re putting in all this hard work.

Now, pride is a funny thing. It’s one of those things that can be a force for good or a force for evil. It’s what keeps us going when we’re faced with adversity, and it’s what makes us want to give up when things don’t go our way. But, as the great Mitch Hedberg said, “I’m proud of my humility.” It’s all about finding that balance and being proud of the work you’re putting in, while not getting too caught up in your own ego.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, there’s patience. Now, I know patience isn’t exactly the most glamorous of virtues, but let me tell you, it’s a key ingredient in any recipe for success. “Good things come to those who wait,” as they say. And while it’s tempting to want everything right now, remember that good things take time. So, sit back, relax, and let the process work itself out.

In summary folks, 2023 is our year so, let’s make it happen. We’ll find our motivation, persist through adversity, have a clear sense of purpose, balance our pride, and above all be patient in the process. Remember, success is not a destination, but a journey, so let’s make sure we’re moving in the right direction.

Ready? Get it? Got it? Good.

Let’s effing do this.

Happy New Years everyone!

-D. 😎

But it’s just a game…right?

I think everyone who knows anything about me knows that I’ve spent pretty much my entire life watching and enjoying sports. I’ve seen so many injuries that looked scary in pretty much every single sport. Injuries are a part of sports, and they can have serious implications for both athletes and fans.

A few years ago, I watched Ryan Shazier, a former Pittsburgh Steelers player, literally become paralyzed during a live Sunday afternoon game. I saw his name the other day. I was reminded he is a medical miracle as, through unbelievable hard work and belief in himself, managed to retrain his body in order to walk again after surgery.

The only other situation that this reminds me of is that of college basketball payer Hank Gathers. Gathers died at age 23 after collapsing for the second time that season during the semifinals of the 1990 WCC tournament. He died on live television. That was the only other incident that comes close to how I felt watching Hamlin’s injury last night.

A serious injury in sports can be a devastating blow to athletes, fans, and the sports world as a whole. As Frank Deford once said, “Sports is human life in microcosm.” Injuries, like life, can be unpredictable and often heartbreaking. Rick Reilly once said, “Injuries can be the ultimate heartbreaker in sports.”

In 2021, Damar Hamlin’s lifetime dream of playing pro football finally came true, as he was drafted in the sixth round. He signed a 4 year, $3,640,476 contract with the Buffalo Bills, including a $160,476 signing bonus, $160,476 guaranteed, and an average annual salary of $910,119. He had finally made it. All the hard workouts, the repetition of drills, and then the nerves as he waited to finally be the 212th pick overall.

Then last night occurred, and again, I’ve seen many injuries over many years. 98% of the time the player is carted off and gives the “thumbs up” sign to tell everyone he’ll be ok. But that didn’t happen last night. That’s kind of why this tragic play seemed very different. I don’t think we’ve ever seen 8 or 9 doctors and medical professionals run onto the field at top speed, and carrying actual equipment. THAT is the kind of thing we’ve never seen before, or in very few cases. That’s what scared the living hell out of everyone. There has never been a louder, more deafening silence inside a stadium filled with 65,000 people, as they had to do CPR on the field, actually use the mobile defibrillator to restart his heart, and get him into the ambulance onto the field for the quick three minute drive to the Emergency Room.

During the extensive post-injury coverage, former player Ryan Lewis summarized it best when he said something to the effect of, “Most sports fans understand what damage can occur while just “playing a silly kids game”. Other people will get really ticked off if their sports fantasy players have been having a terrible game, and people are calling them bums, and not worth the money. These men are sons, husbands, fathers, brothers, and uncles who have spent their entire lives trying to achieve the level of elite player they have become. Most people feel athletes are paid unnecessary and massive amounts of money, and to a point I agree. But every time a player goes onto any sports playing surface, it could be the final time they play the game they love, of culmination of their lifelong dreams, let alone the worst case scenario being that they never take another breath.”

Players, to a name, number, and team, all take a knee and pray when a situation like this occurs. In sports, injuries are an ever-present reality that can have serious implications for both the athletes and their fans. Indeed, no athlete is immune to the potential for serious injury, no matter how talented or experienced they may be. I’ll be honest, some of the fan reaction that I read on the sewage pipe that is social media, made me even more sick to my stomach. I lost track of the number of people saying that it happens all the time and these guys are getting soft. But then I really lost it when I started reading about people wanting the game completed because they had money on the game and wanted their five game parlay bet to pay off. I’ve never sent in more account reports to Twitter in my life. Absolutely disgusting.

But back to the players, and take for example, the case of NFL quarterback Tom Brady. In 2008 he suffered a season-ending ACL tear during a game. The injury was devastating for Brady, who had to miss the entire season, and it was also a huge blow to the New England Patriots, who had to find a new quarterback. The fans were devastated as well, as they had to watch their beloved team struggle without their star player.

As Indeed, no one can predict when an injury will occur, and the potential for serious injury is always present. Athletes can be in the best shape of their lives and still be vulnerable to serious injury. Fans can be just as devastated by an injury as the athlete, as they have to watch their favorite team struggle without their star player.

Injuries are a part of sports, but they don’t have to define an athlete’s career. With hard work and determination, anything is possible.
To be clear, for personal choices, I truly NEVER use the following “hands” emoji for any situation.
But this one has even me pretty badly shook up. So, 🙏 for Damar. Come on kid, pull through. 🏈

August 15, 2022

Treatment was done yesterday. Procedure went fine, I didn’t screw anything up (smh), except one needle hurt like hell coming out and should leave one mother of a bruise. Felt like I scraped the muscles and tendons in my stomach. Really an unpleasant pain, and led to a rather loud swear. Now it’s just a matter of attempting to counteract these side effects.

But it’s done for another week.

People wait all week for Saturdays & Sundays, wait all year for summer, and some wait an entire lifetime for happiness. So in all that is decent and holy, enjoy today. If you don’t think everyday can be a good day, ummmm, trying missing a few. See how THAT works out for you. My body fell asleep at just past 1000pm last night and was up at 0800hrs to get Annabelle ready for work. Yes, you read that correctly. She’s acting in a play that will be performed throughout Nfld, and they hope to make it into something for schools to watch. So she’s becoming more like her mother every day. Two superstars on my hands here! Deantha’s on her way back from another successful trip to mo freak where she was performing in a play there. She’s been doing non-stop, as my posts have documented. Unfortunately I’ve spent more time in bed asleep than on my feet awake for the past two or three months at least. I’m wiped out already today, and pretty much running on fumes because of yesterday.

Going right now with a goodly sized migraine that I’m blaming on treatment reaction, this really funky humidity, and other Nfld weather issues, and another case of pneumonia. Hoping my prescription works that out quick because I have no ability to exert myself without being gassed after the first step. It’s really quite frustrating right now. But Deantha’s been very understanding. She always has. I’m pretty sure she knew what health troubles came with the package she married! But she’s the best. Just love, care, compassion, and sincerity. There are so very few people on this planet who would act in this manner. You’ll end up sincerely disappointed if you think people will do for you as you do for them. Not everyone has the same heart as you, and that is okay. You’re here to live YOUR life, not to make everyone understand. Don’t let their ignorance, hate, drama, or negativity stop you from being the best person you can be.

Friendship isn’t about who you’ve known the longest. It’s about who walked into your life, said “I’m here for you” and means it. I really hate watching TV and seeing someone on there who’s done something extremely stupid by their own fault, but try to shift the blame to everything except themselves. I usually yell “OMG! Suck it up, Princess. YOU caused it!” (then Deantha asks who I’m talking to again). But they’re constantly trying to shift the blame elsewhere and refuse to accept any responsibility. They’ve shown little discipline and poor judgement, and now need a scapegoat.

Several years ago when Annabelle was very young, she and I were watching some old “Joy of Painting” episodes with fuzzy-haired Bob Ross and his happy clouds, and trees with friends. One of his famous lines was, “We don’t make mistakes, we make ‘happy accidents’”. Sometimes I questioned whether or not he was actually using an “odourless paint thinner” during these shows (😵) because this was one thing I disagreed with. We do make mistakes, bad calls, and some serious errors in judgement. It’s a fact of life and whether we like it or not, the past cannot be changed, forgotten, edited or erased; it can only be accepted. Of course, just learning from the experience is how to make yourself better.

And oh yeah, we all know I’ve made some brutal, incredibly savage bad decisions in my life, in whatever tense you want to use: the past, recent, and “recent past” (whatever the hell that means). I have nobody but me to blame for them. The decisions made in our past are what have created our present. There’s nobody else to thank or blame except yourself for the situation you’re in, good or bad. Reality is a product of our dreams, decisions & actions. You are not what has happened to you. You are what you choose to become. Discipline is making the decision between what you want NOW and want you want MOST. You can’t change the past, so let’s try to focus on making a great future.

We are now halfway into August, and I have a simple two week task for everyone to try: You all know someone having some issues. Sure, maybe you are having a bunch too. But find that other troubled person and see if you can offer assistance. You were born with the ability to change someone’s life – don’t ever waste it. That’s it.

Get it? Got it?

Good.

There are two things that will eventually define you: Your patience when you have nothing, and your attitude when you have everything. You already know what you really want your “everything” to be. Everybody always does, instinctively. Any doubt you’re feeling is just white noise, trying to bury the truth, because you don’t want to face it. But please never give up on something you really want. It’s difficult to wait, but worse to regret. Don’t look back and wonder why things went wrong. Don’t regret not doing more. It happened for a reason. Your better days are ahead of you. Never expect. Never assume. Never ask. Never demand. Just let it be. If it’s meant to be, it will happen. Whatever you do today will be the way it was meant to be.

My best to you all.

#DontquIT!

Went “woke”, going, going gone.

OMG!!!! I think Hollywood’s left-wing, screwed up brain is starting to understand, and they’re “reading the room”properly. It’s not just the massive flops that have been theatres (Thor: Love and Thunder, Lightyear), but I think we can also thank Tom Cruise’s success of Maverick (#DangerZone), “The Terminal List” starring Chris Pratt, and “Reacher” with Alan Ritchson, on Amazon Prime for this long overdue wake up call as well. They told fantastic stories that were exceptionally entertaining, and did not make you sit there as they force fed diversity, gender idealism, inclusivity, and political ideologies upon you. These movies and shows had characters of all races and all sorts of people, with superb storylines. However, that’s not the way studios wanted them to be promoted. They wanted them to be promoted on the true validity of all their planning, months of work, and movie stars who were the best in the business whatever gender or political leaning they had. They liked to say, “Hey audience, I have a great story I’d really like for you to watch, and I hope you enjoy it as much as we did making it. Please listen to it. They didn’t just take their audience for granted. They didn’t go about telling people they were idiots if they didn’t like it, nor did the they try to guilt you into feeling like you are a terrible person afterwards. All of this has changed and now it’s starting to bite them in the ass, BIG time.

BOTH the Batgirl and Supergirl movies performed SO incredibly poorly with test audiences, Warner Brothers cancelled filming anymore of the movies, without even telling their huge stars first! An estimated $70-100 million had already been spent making the production. Reportedly they had been budgeted at a little more than $90 and $70 million respectively, and were due to be shown in cinemas, but mostly on the streaming service HBO Max later this year. By ending production on movies that are basically finished production, it would appear movie companies are eventually going to just back a dump truck full of cash and just set it on fire, instead of taking the risk of alienating any more of their core audiences.

The days of pandering to this insane bunch of “woke” minorities who believe no one is allowed to have a differing mindset than theirs, scream, whine, bitch, moan, and complain about everything. And yes, they have a very loud voice, but they do not have actual money to spend on the production. A movie studio will will bend over backwards, virtue signal, and pretend to have buckets of morals, and are willing stand in support of whatever the “current thing” is. Well, that’s only up until they see they’re now losing money.

Disney’s absolute horrid bastardization of the Star Wars saga with the never ending gender and identity politics, is really beginning to hit them hard. What happened in the “Kenobi” series with the “bait and switch”, was absolutely inexcusable. “The Book of Boba Fett” series ended up being just terrible. What Disney is consistently doing to the Marvel franchise, is quickly becoming a terrifying joke. These movies that used to bank close to a billion dollars, are all now flops as they choose to focus on political ideologies, and fill the character roles with social justice warriors.

All they do now is gender-swap, or race-swap the major male counterpart characters, (Lady Thor, She-Hulk, Ironheart, etc.). That’s just brutal laziness, and shows a lack any creative writing ability. But somehow, these new alternate characters always, without fail, are automatically, instantly better at everything than their usually larger, white, male “namesake” can. They don’t have to go through any type of suffering or have any reasoning for them to be a superhero, and they easily grow into their character’s identity and story arc (a la Spiderman), because….well…female, Muslim, transsexual, or black? 🤷‍♂️. It’s painful to watch a scene where a 5’2”, 130lb woman, easily just beats the living hell out of the male protagonist, five times her size and weight.Even the director said it is a series made BY women, FOR women. She wanted to have the entire production team to be only female. Can you imagine the unholy bag of hell that would be unleashed if a male director said the exact opposite??? Does this sound “inclusive” to you? Just watch and try not to constantly cringe during the “She-Hulk trailer, for this example.

It just doesn’t make any sense, the audience knows this, and is starting to revolt by using their social media platforms, and no longer paying these studios who are ruining everything they’ve grown up following and loving. They’re standing up for the way characters and plot lines were always meant to be. Next in the firing line is this new “Lord of the Rings” series that will be on Amazon Prime, and OH BABY, they already getting more flack for one series, than ALL of the others combined. It’s not even released yet!!! Who knew all it would take is to piss off the millions of loyal Tolkien fans? The repercussions of this one are going to be felt for a long time.

Hollywood has forever been a bastion of liberal minded political thinking. But over the past ten years, they have managed to totally alienate and discourage all of the fans of classic characters and storylines. It seems they’re finally starting to realize that if you repeatedly try forcing diversity and identity politics on everyone long enough, your product quickly becomes just like a fart, and is actually just shit.

#TheMessage #DontPreachJustEntertainMe

https://tinyurl.com/285wtfwd

Valentine’s Day ❤️

February 14, 2022, ~> St. Valentine’s Day.

Let me start by wishing everyone who has someone to live for in their lives a congratulations . Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage. We are most alive when we are in love. The only thing we can never get enough of is love. There is only one happiness in this life, and that to love, and be loved.

Deantha and I share a very special kind of love story. A long time ago, we actually used to date while we attended Acadia University. Once we had both finished up there, we went our separate ways. However, many times over the years I would frequently wonder what had every happened to her.

We had both gone about with “other lives”, but both of those eroded and ended. So once by myself again, I finally set up a Facebook account. Then came that one fateful night after a long evening meeting with the PC crew in Nova Scotia before their annual convention that year.

I had just settled in and cracked open a beer to watch some hockey. Then my phone made the Facebook notification noise. For the life of me I couldn’t figure out who the hell was messaging me at that hour. I checked the message and it read, “Are you the Darin Ramsay that I went to Acadia university with.” Then I saw her name and I almost dropped my drink… almost.
I immediately replied with five simple words: “What is your phone number?” I dialed it, and from there it was like the past missing 25 years absolutely vanished, and we were exactly the same people at Acadia. She even told me she had been looking for me. I told her my

account was very recently setup, so she just hasn’t seen it yet. Her account was set to private so every time I looked for her I couldn’t see her. But fate intertwined and here we are today.

When I started to love you, Deantha, I realized that I had never loved anyone like this before. Once I knew I loved you, it was the beginning of everything. I knew I found the one that’s right for me. I felt like you were put there for me, and I never wanted to be apart. And my people, once you realize that you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible. And so we did.

Everywhere we go, Deantha makes the world a little better. No one has even done anything like this for me before. Love requires sacrifices, but they are worth it. The important thing is that I don’t want to be without you for 20yrs, or 40, or however many there are. I’ve gotten very used to being happy and I love you very much.

Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage. We are most alive when we are in love. The only thing we never get enough of is love; and the only thing we never give enough of is love.” There is only one happiness in this life, to love and be loved.

For those of you who have loved and lost, my advice for you is to PLEASE continue to share your heart with people even if it has been broken. Love isn’t simple child’s game. Love does not consist in simply gazing at each other, but in looking out in the distance together, in the same direction. Love isn’t something natural, and sometimes not even rational. Rather it requires discipline, concentration, patience, faith, and the overcoming of narcissism. It isn’t a feeling, it is a practice.

The greatest happiness of life is the conviction & knowledge that we are loved; loved for ourselves, or rather, loved in spite of ourselves. To be fully seen by somebody, and then be loved anyhow – thats a human offering that can bordering on a miracle. There is no greater happiness for a man than approaching a door at the end of a day knowing someone on the other side of that door is waiting for the sound of his footsteps.

So Deantha, let me say this on this Valentine’s Day: I love you for all that you are, all that you do, all you have been, and all that you will be, forever. ~> Much Love, Darin xoxo

January 13, 1989

Well… lt’s that day of the year again. Who’s up for a quick game of “Watch how old I can make people feel”. See if you can recall this moment:

So, this guy walks into his high school gymnasium one night in order to do the Public Address announcing for the school’s basketball team. However, he’d been in bed since getting home from school, due to a severe, insanely intense headache. Extra strength Advils and Tylenol didn’t seem to want to squash the pain, or even put a dent in it. But he plodded ahead anyways.
However, upon arriving at the school, he really KNEW something wasn’t right, because everything in his vision field was doubled. On instinct alone, he knew he wasn’t going to be able to drive home, so he gave his keys to another friend’s father, so that he would be able to drive the car home at the end of the game. Have we all figured it out yet?

It is still hard to believe that “incident in the gym” occurred exactly 35 years ago today, (Friday, January 13, 1989), and I then spent four consecutive months in the Halifax hospital. Yup, THIRTY-FIVE. There have been times I’ve wondered if these crazy, rare health problems I’ve had all this time are actually still happening. But, when I poke myself four times for my weekly treatment, it’s kind of a wake up call. It’s the “Front Desk” telling me I have about an hour left to go, and a weekend of reactions ahead, and oh yeah, “You have no immune system, jackass.”
So the “gym job” (that’s sounds obscenely funny), was merely round one in a very extensive health care battle. Next came even more unpleasantness over the years. Just over 13 years ago I was diagnosed with Stage 4 Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma, the highest stage it could be in. I guess if I was going to do something, I might as well go full throttle. Smh. My Dr. told me it was inoperable, incurable, through my entire body in the bone marrow, and “was going to kill me”, and then SHE burst into tears. So there have been doubters that I would be able to get through. Surprisingly, one of was Dr. Sue, my super oncologist in Halifax.
My first question was, “OK, so what are we going to do about this?” She said that chemotherapy was usually recommended at this point. But she quickly added that it would do more harm than good. She said it might kill me faster than the cancer. I asked what the chances were that the chemo might help the situation. She said there was a small chance. Immediately I said, “So you’re saying there’s a chance? When do I start? I have a new wife, a baby on the way, and too much to live for to just NOT TRY. Plug me in.” Seemed pretty straight forward to me.
Now, I won’t lie to you; for all the time I’ve been doing this, I still hate IV’s, and I whine, bitch, moan, and complain about this chronic headache that I’ve had every day for 35 years now. It is in fact absolutely POUNDING right now. But I do try my best to fake a smile through most things, and sometimes really feel helpless.

But at least I know who I am. I fall, I rise, I make mistakes, I live, I learn, I’ve been hurt, but I’m alive. I’m human, I’m far from perfect, but I’m thankful. As I sit here typing, editing, and hoping autocorrect catches the mistakes because I can’t see through this damn headache, I just have to try to believe my body can do anything. It’s usually just my brain I have to convince. Your mind will quit 100 times before your body ever does.
So I try to take a deep breath, understand the pain will be there anyway, and punch through it. Pain is nothing compared to what it feels like to quit. I haven’t quit yet, and I never plan to. Annabelle and I share the same phrase about me used by Homer Simpson: “The term unblowupable is thrown around quite a bit these days…” or as I continuously quote Archer, “I might actually be immortal!”

Every setback has a major comeback. Tell me I can’t, then watch me work twice as hard to prove you wrong. If no one thinks I can, then I have to. True motivation comes from within. No one can hand it to you, but no one can take it away.
Deantha sees me in some very unpleasant ways, super stubborn moods, and scary situations. She is, as you all know by now, an incredible, hardworking, determined, committed, ultra-talented superstar. I can try to look positive, smile politely, and nod. But it isn’t easy when grenades are going off in my head, joints are not bending without great difficulty, my thyroiditis is in full bloom causing disturbing hand shakiness, and my reluctance to take narcotics to help kicks in. It always seems that I end up overdoing things and frustration sets in because I’m KNOW I’m so much better than this.
I do consistently worry that I’ll be resented for having all these issues, but she’s been very understanding. She always has been. I’m quite sure she knew what troubles came with the package deal she married. But she’s the best. Just love, care, compassion, and sincerity. There are so very few people on this planet who would act in this manner. You’ll end up rather disappointed if you think people will do for you as you do for them. Not everyone has the same heart as you. Not everyone will understand your journey, and that’s okay. You’re here to live your life, not to make everyone understand. Don’t let anyone’s ignorance, hate, drama, or negativity stop you from being the best person you can be.

There are two things that will eventually define you: Your patience when you have nothing, and your attitude when you have everything. You already know what you really want your “everything” to be. Everybody instinctively already does. Any doubt you’re feeling is just white noise, trying to bury the truth, because you don’t want to face it. But please never give up on something you really want. It’s difficult to wait, but worse to regret.
Always keep that in mind there are three mistakes you cannot recover from in life:

the word after its spoken,

the moment after its missed,

and the time after its gone.

We all know I’ve made some savagely bad decisions in whatever tense you want to use: the past, recent, and “recent past” (whatever the hell that means). I have nobody but me to blame for them. But that the past and I can’t look back and wonder why things went wrong. Don’t regret not doing more, it happened for a reason. Your better days are ahead of you. Never expect. Never assume. Never ask. Never demand. Just let it be. If it’s meant to be, it will happen. Whatever you do today will be the way it was meant to be. And gosh darn it, be proud of you.
The decisions made in our past are what have created our present. There’s nobody else to thank (or blame) except yourself for the situation you’re in, good or bad. Reality is a product of our dreams, decisions & actions. You are not what has happened to you. You are what you choose to become. Discipline is making the decision between what you want NOW and want you want MOST.

After 35 years of this utterly ridiculous bullshit, I feel like I can almost roll my eyes at every new diagnosis or prognosis a doctor wants to give me. I absolutely hate going to the Emergency Room because I think I scare the on-call physicians “with my conditions”. (I think that’s going to be the title of my book). I’ve been dead six times, (mind you it’s still early in the day), and I’ve outlived every expectation ever laid out in front of me by multiple specialists.
If there’s one thing I’ve managed to do over all this passage of time, it’s slowly buy back every goddamn word of my prematurely written eulogy. You can’t change the past, so let’s try to focus on making a great future. But no matter how good or bad your life is, wake up each morning and be thankful that you still have one.

This past year has been…well, something else. It’s opened my eyes to many things and many people. It’s had its ups and downs and ins and outs. And I believe we’ve all been able to take something from that and dream and grow in our own peculiar ways. We’ve overcome obstacles, and set in motion opportunities that can change our own individual lives because only dreams give birth to change. President John F. Kennedy once said, “Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future”.

I hope that in this year to come, you do actually make mistakes. Because if you are making mistakes, then you are trying new things, learning, living, pushing yourself, changing yourself, changing your world. You’re doing things you’ve never done before, and more importantly, you’re doing something. To quote Winston Churchill, “Never give in. Never give in. Never, never, never, never—in nothing, great or small, large or petty—never give in, except to convictions of honor and good sense.”
History is a selection process: it chooses moments, events, and even people. It then hands over a situation that they shouldn’t be able to overcome, and that it’s in those moments, in that fight, that people find out who they are. Yet history doesn’t choose individual people. History chooses everyone. Every day. The only question is: How long will you ignore the call?

Finally, to you ALL, especially my family and close friends, thank you from the bottom of my heart for always being supportive and being there when needed. It’s been a helluva ride, and be sure to stay buckled in. But here’s the deal folks: Stay alive…and let’s see what the next minute brings. We’ve got another spin around the sun, and it this trip ain’t over yet. -D. 😎