Carruthers' Corner

Here are the results of last nights Academy Awards

Best Picture
Letter to Iwo Jima (Lisa & Jenn)
Bable (Troy & Jamie)
Winner: The Departed

Best Actress
Helen Mirren (Everyone)
Winner: Helen Mirren

Best Actor
Forrest Whittaker (Lisa & Jenn)
Will Smith (Troy & Jamie)
Winner: Forrest Whittaker

Best Supporting Actor
Djimon Hounsou (Jenn & Troy)
Alan Arkin (Lisa)
Mark Wahlberg (Jamie)
Winner: Alan Arkin

Best Supporting Actress
Jennifer Hudson (Jenn & Jamie)
Abigail Breslin (Troy & Lisa)
Winner: Jennifer Hudson

Lisa: 3
Jenn: 3
Jamie: 2
Troy: 1

Thanks for playing boys! We look forward to a coke at the game!

A week from today we will all load into Lisa's green machine and head out for our trip to Bean Town. Some things I'm looking forward to are:

*staying at Grampy's and Gram's (we are right?)
*playing games in the car
*listening to the mix Ryan put together for us
*listening to the GPS lady speak in different languages
*stopping for Jamie to use the washroom
*going to the Cheer's bar
*seeing my first NHL game
*spending the weekend with Jamie, Troy and Lisa? Priceless!

I have been asked a couple of times over the past couple of weeks, "why am I a Leaf's fan"? It is a franchise that will be celebrating the last Stanley Cup win 40 years ago this weekend. "Why are the celebrating about why they haven't won in so many years", you may ask?

It all started when I was 9 years old on a Thursday evening on April 12th, 1979. This was the evening that I actually watched a full hockey game on television and on a school night as well. The Toronto Maple Leafs against the Atlanta Flames in the Stanley Cup playoffs. The Leafs would win this game 7 - 4 with great character players such as Darryl Sittler, Lanny McDonald, Mike Palmateer and of course Tiger Williams. During the game there was a bench clearing brawl, in which Darryl Sittler fought and won. I went to bed that night thinking this team is pretty good, I knew I was born in Toronto and thus my favourite team was born. Had I might have watched a couple of nights later, I might have watched Montreal beating Toronto and who knows who I would have cheered for.

Anyway, some dates I find interesting that ties the Maple Leafs to myself. Maple Leaf Gardens was built during the depression, and the very first game was November 12, 1931 (Matt's Birthday). Darryl Sittler named his son Ryan (was not planned on my part, realized afterwards). And on August 26th, 1951 Bill Barilko boarded a small fishing plane in northern Ontario. That plane crashed that day. Although a tragedy, that event turned into an obsession with Leaf fans. Many believe that the "Barilko curse" would not let the Leafs win another cup again. And they would not win a Stanley Cup again until 11 years later, which was the same year they discovered the crash site and the bodies of Barilko and Henry Hudson.

Why am I a Leaf fan? Why do people cheer for the Bad News Bears? Why do people cheer for a Rocky Balboa? Everyone loves an underdog story. I believe that the Leafs under tradition, management and media pressure have put the team behind the eight ball. When they lose, it feels like a dagger in the back, however, all it takes is a win and we have renewed life.

Someday, I hope my team will be on top and I do believe they will. However, until that time I watch the Leafs like a concerned parent, feel their losses and enjoy their victories.

Jamie

I got through! Anyone else got a gmail account? Why on earth do you need a gmail account all of a sudden? A little presumptuous of Google, don't you think?

Ok, so Lise and Jenn Jenn think I'm a garbage separating nutcase... and I suppose they're right. But seriously, does anyone have any ideas of what we should do to help with the environment? How to conserve energy? How to recyle-reuse-rewhatever? It's such a shame that we have to have holes poked into the ozone and warm Januaries before we say, "Gee maybe all those machines weren't the land of milk and honey." I'm not convinced that joining a group or supporting/not supporting kyoto are answers to this. I simply want to know that the life I live is one that is responsible and making a difference. Any suggestions?

- Troy

Note: This is just some thoughts from my journal.

My Grandmother died today and I'm left feeling indifferent. There is not doubt that I loved her. She was a good woman who valued her family. She loved reading, knitting, salt & pepper shakers, game shows, and playing cards. Atleast that's how I know her.

Now, I realize how little I knew her. Grandma didn't always show affection easily, even to her own children. She may or may not have always known how to let me know but I knew that she loved me. I knew that she believed in me.

We always knew that Grandma didn't have much. But we always got a birthday card with some money in it and we always got a Christmas present.(Well until you got married.) Which I think was amazing considering all the people she had to buy for. She supported me while I was in Ukraine which really meant more that I can say.

Grandma held things in. It seemed like there were a lot of things that she didn't really like to talk about. And sometimes seemed annoyed by the questions asked.

I wish today that I knew more about her. I am thankful for the role she played in my life and I will think of her and smile when ever I see: Burt Convy, Archie Bunker, Pringles cans, Skipbo, and Harlequin Romance novels.

www.lastminute4ever.piczo.com

I wasn't sure how to send this as a link, sorry, my computer skills are not as strong as others. If any of you can change it and want to edit it, please feel free.

Also, there are kids that post comments on here, some are funny but some are crude, Ryan has been deleting some of the bad language, so please bear with it.

Jamie