Lost in Transition

(Here's a post that I meant to finish in December that I never got around to. I just added to it and obviously tweaked it to fit into the present, but here's an update of what is going on in my life!)

  I never thought my undergrad would just be finished quite like this. I'm not the one to plan ahead and figure out my life, precisely to a tee, a few years from the present (within a bachelor's degree). That said, I came into last fall term oblivious to the fact that I could possibly graduate at the end of final exams in December. Being fortunate enough to have every single one of my course credits from Prov transfer to the UofM, and having really helpful advisors in the Science faculty made it all happen. Who knew that walking into the school mid-summer thinking of only getting a few course suggestions for the Fall, would result in: Graduating in December, an approved full-time packed/suitable class schedule, and a Minor in Biology... I never did.

  I've been known to register and sign up for classes after classes have already begun! I've also been lucky enough be the last one in a class to snatch a spot up in the online class selection program. But why has that always worked out for me? I could choose to think of it as unpreparedness and luck, but instead I feel blessed to be so fortunate. I know... I cannot keep thinking that I can leave everything to the last minute, but as my Dad, "The Last Minute Man" says: I've learned it from him. Maybe it is inherited... I'd like to think it probably is. Pressure ignites me perhaps. I've always found it a curse how I could never fully prepare for an exam or a paper the way I wanted to, because I could never force myself to work on it until a couple of days before...
 And now being done, I obviously feel I had more to give, in regards to my grades and what I could've accomplished. But on the other hand, although you reap what you sow, you cannot live in the past and ruminate on what could have been if things were done differently--to the point of self-deprecation. You have to move on, move toward a goal. You have to capture that displaced effort and either use it to understand and succeed in your present situation or inject it into your next step of life. This is something that I'm learning, as difficult as it is to admit; and this applies for everything in life, especially in relationships.

  Anyway, I believe that the completion of my undergraduate degree is an accomplishment that I have under rated. It does deserve my respect and I should be proud of it. I'd like to recognize and appreciate the support I've received from my wonderful family, girlfriend, friends, and most importantly God. I am vastly blessed to have this support and am extremely grateful that it has always been available to me in everything I do.

  So what's next? I'm unsure. I know I'd like to experience more schooling, but right now I am working at a new Brazilian BBQ Churrascaria (steakhouse) here in Winnipeg, called CARNAVAL. Because of my flowing hair and Portuguese name, I got the job (JOKES) and am training to become one of their bartenders. COME VISIT!

  Other than being graduated and just working a minimum-wage job... all I can say is that life transitions can either be rough and depressing, or they can be a positive, work in progress. They may be confusing, tough, lonely, and scary, but if you're willing to produce the effort for a next step solution (no matter what pace you operate in), only then is it possible to overcome the obstacle confronting you.

Ciao for now.

Final Term... ?

To go over my Invertebrates Lab 3 outline before my third lab, or not to go over my Invertebrates Lab 3 outline before my third lab? You know what the answer should be, but as I find myself snacking on carrots and typing away at this post, I don't think it's going to happen...

I am on the last leg of my (undergrad) degree! My final term is packed however, so hopefully I don't dig myself too deep in my usual procrastinating trench. Though, since I'm having to endure 4 Biology courses to fulfill a minor in one term (plus my last Psych req.), it just may be bound to happen!

As I gradually come to the end of my undergrad, the constant ever so lurking questions are: "So what's next? What are you going to pursue afterwards? Masters?" Before I attempt to answer these, I always smile and think of how I will finally leave the main campus--overpopulated by those of whom I see as teenyboppers and prepubescent children--and start a new exciting chapter of my life. On the other side, this in turn makes me feel "older" and "not that accomplished"; especially when I see a 17 year-old starting for Liverpool FC, or a 20 year-old signing a 5-year, 31 million dollar contract in the NHL (*fingers crossed for a season this year*)... But I guess it depends on your definition of "accomplished" (and I don't feel like getting that deep here).
So what is next? The truth is: I'm not sure. I live in the moment (maybe too much at times), and have always taken life one step at a time. I'm excited to see what will come my way, but I also realize that I have to meet it (whatever that "what" is) in the middle too. ... I have to focus on graduating first though!

Here are some more things that are keeping me preoccupied from looking over my lab:
All I've heard about in recent days, through friends and strangers, is how Replacement Refs have ruined the NFL, and how the new Mumford & Sons album, 'Babel', is finally out. Both are great news. The NFL Replacement Refs have become a strange, unbelievable phenomenon. The outrageous calls and extremely unlikely mishaps that have happened over the last couple of weeks are an amazing form of entertainment to a pseudo-fan, like myself.
As for Mumford & Sons new album, I can't wait to hear it. It's remarkable how they've reached a fan base that spreads way outside of their genre. They truly are a musical epidemic.

Anyway, now I'm off to my Invertebrates Lab.
Ciao for now.

#KONY2012

This is a very moving short film, I suggest you check it out and support Invisible Children Inc. in their quest to take down International War Criminal #1, Joseph Kony... This video lays out the steps to help and most of all it explains their mission! I'm sure this organization spoke at Prov a couple years ago, so I'm super disappointed that I missed it. Anyway, take half an hour of your time (well worth it) and soak this in, it's super inspirational!


KONY 2012 is a film and campaign by Invisible Children that aims to make Joseph Kony famous, not to celebrate him, but to raise support for his arrest and set a precedent for international justice.

Pledge your support by donating here: http://bit.ly/konydonate and continue to share this story. GOAL: 500,000 shares

A Belizean Prologue of Sorts

Disregarding social networking... If you've been wondering whether or not I'm alive or if I was eaten by some Belizean jungle cat... I arrived ALIVE! Currently, I am sitting in UofM's library watching the Starbucks line increase to 30 people. Okay, maybe not 30; at least 20. Who am I kidding, I'll definitely stand in line once it goes down. Gotta use up those Christmas gift cards, you know?

I've been home for a week now, but have been busy with finishing up missed assignments, labs, and also studying for two tests, then writing them the next day (I'm bad for that). But now I'm FREE (somewhat) to blog about my amazing experience down in Central America. I hope to post a "chapter" of my trip for each day I was there, including stories, intriguing info, and even vlog snippets as well. I figure it would be better to produce small short clips instead of one long time consuming video (which I've done a lot of in the past). So hopefully you agree! And I also hope you don't mind Belize puns because I may pull out a few, just sayin'. Stay tuned!

Belize Bound

For those of you who didn't know (but do now from reading the title of this post), my dad, brother and I are heading down to Belize tomorrow! We're volunteering at an addictions centre in the southern town of Punta Gorda for a week, helping and hanging out with the crew and members (hopefully playing a lot of soccer). My parents know the people who run it, and have visited a long time ago when they didn't have us kids to hold them down. JOKES, but let's face it, that's what children do. I'm hoping to film some of my experience, so stay tuned for some vlog(s).

I was a little worried about how much school I would have to miss, but it seems that God has taken care of things in order for me to experience this adventure. Let me explain... I've never heard of "grace periods" before in University courses. Scratch that, I've never heard of them in ANY kind of course. However, in my only two courses where I will miss a significant test and a couple of lab reports, the professors have included these grace periods. In one course, this means that I will be able to write one of the first three tests at a later date for any reason. And in the other course, this means that I will receive no late penalty for handing in lab reports 1-3 by the fourth lab! I'm away from the 17th to the 24th and this gives me a full week to finish my missed labs when I'm back. Everything worked out perfectly with my schedule! Thank You, God.

I'm excited for this opportunity to see God's grace and love at work in this area, and to serve these people who have been in unfortunate circumstances due to their drug addictions. Please pray for me as I will most likely find myself in uncomfortable situations/interactions that I would not normally be in. I'd greatly appreciate it. Ciao for now! See ya next week!

p.s. It'll be amazing to escape Winnipeg's real winter weather, which has finally made its dreaded arrival.
p.p.s. We'll also be encountering another type of heat... the Miami HEAT. They play the Spurs tomorrow night and we'll be attending thanks to our day-long layover in Miami. PUMPED!

School's OUT!

Wow, I can't even describe how happy I am now that my final exams are done with. University is OUT and a change of pace is exactly what I am needing! "Summer" is officially here and I'm loving it, especially because I am completely free to enjoy this NHL & NBA playoff entertaining action that is goin' on.

I start work with the city in a week and a half and am proud to say that I will once again be working with my man Malech! A couple summers ago I blogged about some of our funny work scenarios when we both painted together; but now, thanks to our friend Dan... Malech, my awesome cousin Charles, Dan, and I will be working together for the Insect Control Branch of Winnipeg. Gonna be goooood. I'm sure there'll be some interesting stories to share!

I don't know how many of you played Pokemon on their Gameboys like I did... but as a tribute to being done school, I'll leave you with a hilarious video that my friend Phil shared:



NO MORE HOMEWORK!!!!!! WOOOOOO!!!!

2011 Providence Athletics

Again... I'm talkin' about Cam, and again... he's the man.

This time it's about the 2011 Providence Athletics video he filmed and edited, which presents a stunning visual of the college's program (if I do say so myself)!

I luckily had the privilege of playing soccer at Prov for a second season. Again, it was such a blast the second time 'round, and I'm so glad that everything worked out with my courses and such this past fall term. I will hold on to that unreal experience for the rest of my life; the team that surrounded me for those two seasons were like family (and still are). Sadly, due to my degree and limited course selection, I cannot return for future seasons. But I am sure grateful to have two wonderful times there! Cheers.

Here's a quote from Cam (on his blog): "I dare you to watch this and not want to come play at Prov. haha" I totally agree with this statement, bud!
Thanks for this Cam, well done.

See if you can catch my lanky appearances throughout the video.

Enjoy...

2011 Providence Athletics from Nice! Productions on Vimeo.

www.providencecollege.ca

Music By:

Kanye West - All of the Lights
The Black Keys - Everlasting Light
The Roots ft. John Legend - The Fire

Photos by:
Brenda Peters

An Arizona in Arizona

Here's an update for ya. I'll keep this short...(er). Let's try this out in point form, shall we?

- I'm back from AZ (sadly). It was amazing. ~20 friends from bible school all chillin' in one home. Plus the wedding was spectacular. It was at a WINERY! Beautiful. Congrats Davide & Mallorie!

- Went golfing on the day of the wedding with Davide (the groom)... vlog to come!

- Went to see a MLS pre-season game in Casa Grande. 'Twas super casual, we were on the sideline right beside the Montreal Impact coaching staff. It was like a rec. league game... vlog to come!

- Just endured a tiring week of assignments and exams. I stayed up cramming till 5am Tuesday night... that's a first and will also be a last.

- Passed my mosquito exam for my pesticide license (stupidly worded and vague test). Now, I'm good to go for my summer job. More money = more traveling (I guess that's what I save up for these days).

- Leafs are in the playoff hunt! Exciting stuff.

Oh and I had an Arizona Ice Tea in Arizona on the golf course. Check that off the bucket list!
I've already listened to Phoenix in Phoenix.

Ciao for now.

Personality Theories: Part II

So... I have finished my online course discussion on Personality Theories. I want to share my third message, because someone actually did reply to mine and was interested in what I thought about the divine influence on personality. So I'll post her message (which was her response to my first message) and then I'll post my response right after... ready? Set! GO!

Miss Brodeur: "I think you're on to something here. You seem to be emphasizing reactions, preferences and perceptions as the defining factors of personality. I agree with you. I think that our perceptions of the behavior are more influential than the actual behavior. What we learn from others and ourselves has more of an impact on our future behaviors and cognitions. Has anyone actually looked up what the word "personality" actually means? I just google searched it and came up with this: Personality (the complex of all the attributes--behavioral, temperamental, emotional and mental--that characterize a unique individual) "their different reactions reflected their very different personalities"; "it is his nature to help others" (http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=personality)
So nothing really new here, personality is defined as all of our unique and complex attributes. Your theory seems to correlate. I wonder if you actually did write a message about the divine influence on personality? That is what I would be more interested in. As I wrote (or rambled) about in my message, I really don't think that "theories" can ever truly encompass all aspects of anyone's personality, let alone everyone's personality. I know there is divine influence and that in this course and line of study we can only look at one tiny piece of the puzzle."

~~~

This is what I said (I wish I spent more time thinking about my response... but I didn't have much time and this is what I said! And I'm sticking with it!):

"I agree, it is what precedes our behaviour that is more important for defining our personality. I did think of looking up a dictionary definition but I never got to it. It makes sense that it would include the word "complex" because that is essentially what it is: all of our attributes and all of the contributing complicated factors that combine to create our personality. This is why I believe there is a divine influence. I was eventually going to write about my thoughts on this matter in either my third or fourth message, but now that you have brought it up, this is the perfect time to share!The mere fact that there are at least five major theories for personality indicates that there is not one sole known correct personality theory. Everyone thinks differently, but our beliefs definitely have the utmost important influence on the way we think and live our lives. I myself am I Christian and I believe that because of this, I have a certain personality that reflects my faith and belief (you could really use this perspective for any religion). We were made in God's image, therefore He has given us all of our attributes. Every aspect about everyone of us represents God's image. I'm not saying that He has determined one exact personality we will eventually have. I'm saying that since He has uniquely made each one of us to function the way we do, we are then able to have certain personalities, which trace back to Him.Also, why do we have (and what gives us) the capability to think of a higher spiritual being or a "creator"? Just a side thought...

I would love to have more time to think about this in order to make more sense with my compiled thoughts, but I am indeed a procrastinator and have left this to the last hour before these messages are due! Let me know what you think!"

Thoughts are welcome.

Just a Tweak

Wowwwww. It's taken me a very long time to adjust my new blog picture... fiddling around with pixel adjustments and background templates is just not my favourite thing to do. Whatever, it's up now and I'm not going to touch it!

Thanks to my ever so talented artistic sister (Jesssss), I have a new blog picture of sweet photos within photos and a tweaked title! I figured that Life Lessons with Manuel is somewhat of a more accurate title. Most of my Life Lessons are indeed my own, but I do share others' as well. Therefore, why not make this thing a bit more politically correct, you know?! It's just a nice little change, I may even change it back if it doesn't feel right... (let me know what you think too!)

Side Note: I heard Theo Fleury (ex-NHL player, Stanley Cup Champion, and Olympic Gold Medalist) speak today at the U of M. Thanks to Sung's tweet, BOOM, I packed up my homework and rushed across campus to be there! He spoke of his life story (as in his book Playing with Fire) and how from ages 14-16 he was molested by his coach and kept it a secret for the majority of his life. Because of this, he turned down a road of alcoholism and drug addiction during and after his time in the NHL. It was quite the story. In short, he saw the light, got clean, and now he's a motivational speaker and does his best to serve others who are/were in his situation, plus more! Not bad. Oh, and to tie this into my post... he says "You know?" A LOT!

Anyways... Thanks Jess for compiling this picture, I appreciate it!

Personality Theories

So in my online Psychology of Personality class, our first assignment is to post messages for course discussion. We are to create our own personality theory and then respond to another classmate's theory, with a couple more responses after that. So I thought it would be cool to jog the reader's mind here as well! Please, share your thoughts too. Here is my first message:

My own personality theory in regards to basic human nature would be considered an eclectic one; combining the social cognitive and behavioural approaches (cognitive behavioural), with a mix of the humanistic view as well. You can definitely justify any part of each approach in some way, but I’ll stick with these ones for now.

I believe that our cognitive processes and our relationships definitely determine our “personality” and how we react or feel towards certain situations or experiences. The way we display (or the way we think we display) these actions/reactions, reflects our personality whether it be through our speech, mannerisms, or actions. This is where the addition of the humanistic view comes in. Acting and reacting is what we as humans do. It is the way we perceive various situations and circumstances that shapes one’s own personality (mixed with some genetic biological factors as well, of course). We learn from all of our countless daily interactions and apply what we've learned (acceptance or rejection) to our overall behaviour, which includes the way we think. Everyone perceives explanations for their relationship interactions differently, therefore resulting in various behaviours for similar situations, or different personalities. The way we react to miscellaneous stimuli, for example our preference in music, can reflect our personality as well. It is what we choose to enjoy or dislike that can determine it too.

All in all, I would say that our experiences and what we learn from them might be the most important foundation for personality. I also believe that there is a divine influence, but I’ll save that for another message! I hope this made sense; it is quite a loaded question.

~~~

BOOM, Manuel's Life Lessons has hit 200 posts!

Thanks for reading!

Stuck in the Snow Bank

Alright, first of all... I hate early mornings. You may say, "Well, you're not going to like your summer job with the City then!" ... We'll see how that goes... BUT, for now, I cannot stand waking up early; especially for school. When I do, I literally feel sick with a cold and a splitting headache, not to mention being exhausted. It's the worst. It's also bad when it's snowing/freezing temperatures and you're waiting with ~30 other people at the bus stop on Bishop Grandin as already full buses drive by you.

I'm sorry for using this time to vent my frustration, but there will be a purpose to this post, I promise.

So as the 30 of us were waiting for the next bus with some standing space, I noticed that an SUV had swerved up and into the snow bank. The driver was spinning the wheels hard and they just kept digging, sinking the vehicle further into the trap. I realized that no one was stopping to help and that the 30 of us waiting for the bus didn't even care (even though we were doing nothing, just waiting for a bus that wasn't even in sight yet).

It's strange how in large groups of people, everyone believes that someone else will step forward and help. I don't know the specifics (I believe it was in Montreal, years ago), but the best example, though extreme, would be when a woman was stabbed within her apartment block and was screaming for help. The stabber fled due to the screaming but then came back to finish the job because even though people heard her screaming, no one came to her rescue or called 911. Everyone thought someone else had it covered!

Life Lesson: Take the initiative.

Okay, back to my story. It bothered me that I stood there and watched for 5 minutes without doing anything. So I decided to be a good Samaritan and head over to the vehicle to see if I could help. I tried to rock the vehicle back and forth with her (the driver's) help, but there was just no use once I saw that the right front tire was completely submerged in the snow bank. Thankfully, two other people stopped to help and one had a truck with a heavy duty tow-rope! Boom, he pulled her out pretty easily. And that was that.

I didn't write this to sing myself some praise. Since deciding to major in Psychology, I've opened my eyes to look for certain situations (especially behavioural) to study and analyze. In this situation, if I hadn't gone to help, how long would it have taken for someone else to stop and help? It's easier to go out of your way to help someone if you see another already in the process, right? Agree or not, that's what I think. The guy with the truck and tow-rope maybe would have stopped if I wasn't there anyways... who knows. Nonetheless, it felt good to help! If I was in that stressful situation, I know I would want the same help and concern from a stranger.

p.s. When she got out I should have asked for a ride to school, and then maybe I would have been on time. This was the fourth straight time I've stood on the bus... it's brutal, not gonna lie.

Back to School... in 2011

SHOOT! The holiday is now gone. WHY?! HOW?! Oh well, I guess I can make it through another term of studying, writing, and stressing OUT. In the spirit of going back to school, I will reveal the craziest/longest text message conversation that I have ever had (it relates, just read the next sentence)! It was the night before our final Child Development exam last term and it was very late. Both Gena and I were going insane. We were delirious, one might say. I initiated, asking which quizzes were going to be on the exam; then it got out of hand from there... I do not blame you if you don't read the whole thing, it is pretty long and pretty ridiculous. Just think of it as a crazy story. "G" will be Gena and "M" will be me. Maybe get comfortable on your/a carpet before you start. Have a read:

Disclaimer: Don't take anything you read on here too seriously!

M - Which quizzes are on tomo's exam??!

G - What do you mean by which quizzes?

M - Like 4-7 or 5-7 lol.

G - Hahaha Manny, you lost me. Are you talking about the quizzes we wrote in class?

M - Yes haha! Also do you have Oct. 28th's notes??

G - Oh, well I'm not sure for the quizzes, I'm just doing quizzes online, and no, I was not there for that class and did not get the notes!

M - NOOO! Oh well. K cool, good luck studyin'! Cya tomo.

G - Haha ... I keep cracking up every time I read tomo. But yeah, bright and early, it's like a suicide mission, writing exams at 8:30, it's murder.

M - Lol, it's the easiest way! Exactly. It's gonna suck. But at least it'll be done with!

G - No doubt. You understand you can do online quizzes right?

M - Ya... like that registering prof textbook thing? Is it worth it??

G - I think so, I don't know half of these answers. So it's making me look in the textbook which I despise.

M - Hmm, k I'll check it out. Thanks! CyA tomo lol.

G - You're welcome. And yes, haha, tomo.

Sometime later...

G - "Happier husbands tend to be more involved fathers." Keep that in mind.

M - Kk why haha?

G - Maybe because you're most likely going to be a husband and father one day, and it's just an interesting fact.

M - Oh hahaha! Okay fair enough!

G - Yeah, sorry, I'm distracting.

M - No worries, I'm distracting myself lol.

G - Well, here is a helpful tip, stop.

M - I'll try!!! I just love the thought of being done so much, that I don't want to study! K let's get to it!!

G - I know how that goes. I'm still only on chapter 7, I'm dying here.

M - Farther than me!

G - Hah k cya. Bye.

Sometime later...

G - "GUESS WHO GOT OCT. 28TH'S NOTES?!"

M - Whaaaaa?! No way!!!!! Ship them over!!

G - What am I? Your slave?

M - Didn't you learn to share!? Com'on Gena! Haha.

G - Could you define the word share please?

M - Enjoying something in participation with another! Lol. Is it in the text??

G - Haha ... Noooo! It is actually, a part or portion of a larger amount that is divided among a number of people, or to which a number of people contribute. What are you sharing with me?

M - NOTES! You know what I mean ha. Can you send them to me??

G - Geeze.

M - Please? Wow, I hate all these details in the textbook. Like all these month milestones!

G - Textbooks suck ass (excuse my language)

M - YES!

G - Yes what? They suck? I know.

G - (In the email with her notes) ... Geeze, no patience .. I'm trying to think of something clever to say, but noooooo, you just want the notes ASAP. ... So fine, here, enjoy the notes. You owe me your first born.

M - You are something else, Gena! And I am NOT giving you my first born lol!

Sometime later... If you've read to here, I applaud you.

G - Anne Marie is going INSANE!!! I'm going to DDDDIIEEEEEE!!!

M - Handle yourself (I believe I meant "get a hold of")!! It's almost over lol!

G - What did I do to make you think that?

M - Think what?! Stop distracting me!!! Bah, CYA TOMO!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm gonna die as well.

G - What you said, and you do owe me your first born. I'll come collect it in a few years.

M - I said handle yourself! As in pull yourself together WOMAN! Get it?!

G - WOW! NOOO, you lie Manuel, you lie.

M - I don't know what you think I meant!!!! Because you said you were going to DDDDIIIEEEEE! NO, I DON'T LIE!

G - WHY AM I SOMETHING ELSE? Are you saying that I don't fit in? You don't have to tell me, my self-esteem is already low Manny, thanks a lot. (Remember my disclaimer)

M - I meant that as in I admire your humor!!!!!!!!! Geeze Gena!! Why assume the negativity so quickly?! COM'ON!

G - I'm not being negative, I am doing nothing but grinning. Yelling a bit every now and then, only with joy though. I yell with joy!

M - Bahahaha okay! I'm doing the same minus yelling. Well, maybe yelling in my head.

G - I am glad to hear that! I didn't take you as a yeller, that's for sure. You're just ... Tall.

M - You crack me up! In the laughable sense of the expression...

G - Oh man, I started panicking that you thought of me in the drug sense. I'm not like that Manny, stop assuming.

M - I'm not assuming anything! I make joke! You're the one assuming.

G - True, my bad, my bad. Hahaha ... Oh my ... Exactly.

M - Oh my what?

G - FAIL ... I was looking for, as my good friends Kaiten, Miguel and Manny say ... OH MY LIFE!

M - Bah, oh my LIFE! I thought you had a real revelation instead.

G - Just fantastic.

M - "Down the line, Jeff. Brilliant!" (A line that forward Gary Bruce on Philadelphia Bible University would say over and over again when we played them in Florida. The same with "Oh my life!")

M - We should probably record this conversation.

G - From both ends, we can't hear each other, then play them together. We would make millions. We have talent.

M - I'm down if you are. It's easy dialogue on my iPhone. We could record our voices and make MILLIONS!

G - I am so down. I could use millions. ... I was thinking of just winning it all in bingo, but this sounds better.

M - Ahh yes. We should play bingo soon! Hmm, when should we record? After the exam?

G - Yep!

M - K done. I'll TTY then. I should rest. Or try and read ch. 10,12 & 13!!

G - I'm on 10. Two questions left. Boo-ya! Nah, actually, it sucks.

M - I'm debating going to sleep...

G - Sleep, I have a feeling I'm not going to get much of that tonight.

M - Dang Gena! That's one of the essential beneficial steps to writing an exam!

G - I know. But I have two chapters to go. I can't quit now. Damn it, I shouldn't have done push-ups with Kaiten and Miguel, I knew it was a mistake from the get go.

M - When did you do that? Well I'll stay up too then and read. But we should probably let each other do so in peace haha.

G - At 10, and ouch Manny, you're saying you don't want to talk to me. I'm hurt, but I understand because it happens often.

M - Woah, I hope you're joking!

G - Of course I'm joking, what kind of comment was that?

M - Ya no doubt. It was a bipolar one haha. Okay! Let US read in peace! Cool tools?

G - Yes sir, handy Manny!

M - Set myself up, didn't I?

G - Oh man, you didn't stand a chance there.

M - Whatevs, CIAO!

G - Adios amigo. Buenas noches.

Hour later...

G - I called it quits, so for real, good night.

M - Tchuss! So am I. Cya tomo, for the final time lol. Night.

~~~

If you've read this entire thing, I will give you a standing ovation the next time I see you (just maybe remind me to). There ya go, Gena. Told you I would post this when the time was right!

... and YES, I'm back at the UofM.

Registration Procrastination

Well, I've finally registered for next term's courses and this is actually "early" for me to do so, compared to previous experiences! And yet...

Life Lesson: Sooner's better than later.

Even though I'm still pretty late, this is an ideal Life Lesson for me, because I have yet to learn... so, in my defense:

Life Lesson: Better late, than never.

P.s. I'm gonna release my favourite albums of the year either today or tomorrow. Stay tuned.

Object Permanence (Song Studying)

WOW, I am DONE another term! Boom, I'm so relieved. Yesterday I realized that I haven't done a Song Studying Session in a very long time, so I decided to capture a certain section of my Child Development course text-book, and share it... in song. Object permanence happened to be the subject on hand, so, here we go again; check out my third installment of Song Studying! I took footage from two improv takes and meshed them together to get a somewhat funny, creative outcome... Enjoy! Ignore the bad editing in the beginning, it was my first time using iMovie...

Object Permanence (Song Studying) from MannyG on Vimeo.

p.s. Shout-out to Joel Eisner who is the biggest Song Studying fan. This is for YOU; and any other procrastinating/cramming/tired-of-school student!

The Ups and Downs of Penalty Kicks

Well, I'm trying to get CCSN to post our semi-final game against Clearwater, but in the meantime here is our first round game against Philly!



It was such an exciting game, and probably the second most nerve-racking/crazy game that I've ever been a part of (first, being the one against Clearwater; which was the NEXT DAY)! Unreal stuff! We conceded an early goal and a penalty kick before we decided to charge back and make things interesting. With two quick goals and then a sweet third to go ahead, it looked like we had the game wrapped up. But with Philadelphia comes a certain English man named Gary Bruce, and he pounced on a deep through ball, slotting it home to tie the game! Through double overtime none of us could seem to grasp that golden, elusive goal! PK's were needed; scary times were upon us indeed! If you want to see the PK action, watch from the 2 hour 25 minute mark up above. 'Twas an amazing experience. Seeing Kaiten place home the winner gave me the CHILLS. What a good feeling, especially because we got Papa John's pizza afterwards... icing... on the... CAKE.

Ah, it looks like CCSN listened to my proposal and posted our semi-final thriller! Watch the drama of penalties again in this video. Sadly, we experienced the heart/gut wrenching feeling of a PK loss this time 'round:



This was an UNREAL game. Even though it was 0-0 at the end of double overtime, I'd say it was more exciting than our 4-3 PK victory over Philly! This was our best defensive outing of ALL season, and we almost came out on top because of it. I hate how such a spectacular game had to be decided on point-blank kicking and guessing. We were SO CLOSE to the final!

If we would have won in the semis, we would have eluded the Florida mid day heat and played all three games during the evening! Instead, we played the third place game at 12:30pm in the blistering sun and our energy was completely drained (if not from playing 110 mins in each of the previous two games)! Ridiculous. Anyways, we lost 3-0. A truly disappointing showing on our part, but that's just the way it goes sometimes! I seriously think that we would have won the whole thing if the penalties favoured us instead of Clearwater! In the final, Ohio didn't give them the challenge and scare like we did... we were SO CLOSE.

Alright, so that's my summary of our games and the tournament. I'll talk about and post some short clips of our "vacation" time from throughout the trip too! Stay tuned.

Game Time

If you don't know already, I'm down in Florida with our Prov soccer team competing for a NCCAA National Championship! We've been down here since Sunday, but the tournament starts tomorrow. It's gonna be a fun set of games. We play Philadelphia Biblical University first and apparently they're a decent match-up for us. Can't wait, I'm fired up to finally play! Here is the prediction from the sports site which covers the tournament:

"Outcome: There has been some classic PROV vs. PBU matches in the past, I expect nothing less. Is Gary Bruce (PBU) healthy? Is Prov's defense up to the task? These are the questions that enter my mind when trying to decide the outcome of this 4, 5 match. In the end, I'm going with the Wizard. Martin Ward has been here before and I expect them to thrive in a lower key role that is the #4 seed. Gary Bruce could cause them match up problems, but one man won't be enough. PROV 3-1 PBU." - CCSN

We'll see tomorrow! We're up for the task, Gary & PBU... Look OUT. Watch at ccsnonline.com to see our games with live video and commentary! Look for the tab CCSN LIVE and click Soccer National Tournament. Our first game is at 7:45pm EASTERN STANDARD TIME Wednesday evening!! CHECK IT OUT! ... that is if you're interested. No hard feelings if you don't... Maybe.

Life Lesson: "You don't say good luck, you say DON'T GIVE UP!" - The Roots

LET'S DO THIS.

Florida Bound

I'm heading to Florida with Providence Soccer in a WEEK! Getting another shot at a NCCAA National Championship and I can't wait! We beat Faith Baptist Bible College 8-1 yesterday in our Regional Final, and totally came out wanting to win BIG. Two goals in the first four minutes helped a lot with this score. I almost scored, which would have resulted in the Stationary Speedskater... but it wasn't meant to be.

I'm actually listening to the live seeding show right now and we acquired the fourth seed for the tournament. Our first game is going to be against Philadelphia Bible College (#5). If we win that game we'll probably play Clearwater Christian College (#1), who won last year, so that'll be tough (but anybody can beat ANYBODY, right?!). Apparently we're going to be seen as the dark horse this year and that's perfect. Last year we went in as the first seed and I'm not a fan of being considered the favourite. It's better to be the underdog; less expectation and less pressure. People seem to be curious as to who's really injured on our team and how good we actually are also... excellent. If we're a mystery, we possess the advantage of being unknown and may be feared because of that. I'm excited for this tournament.
There will be live radio commentary streaming on our games at ccsnonline.com! I'll mention this again soon.

I just want to get to the final... no matter what it takes. It's a win-win situation though; if we get to and win our semi-final, we have a chance for our first NCCAA National title ever. And if we lose in that semi-final it means we get a pick-me-up mini vacation to Disney World... so those are two pretty decent outcomes!

Anyways, I just want to head down there now and get away from this chilly Winnipeg weather. This week better go by fast.

p.s. I don't really care for Halloween at all.

The Stationary Speedskater

Well, I'm in Moberly, Missouri... Yeaaah, there's not much else to say about that.

Jokes!

I am here for Prov soccer and we play Central Christian College of the Bible (odd name if you ask me) tomorrow, and Saturday we play Atlanta Christian College. If you're still wondering, we play in the NCCAA Div. II in the States. Fun times. If we win our region, we get to go to nationals in Florida. Yeyeah! Last year was so much fun. Though this trip isn't our regional final game we just want to play some other teams from different regions. It's not the best though when you have to drive 16 hours straight to get there! Especially on a 21-seater handi-bus (that's where a work-out mat for sleeping on the floor comes in).

Anyways, I should really be getting to bed rather than straining my thumbs on this touch keyboard. As John Legend and The Roots would say, "You don't say good luck, you say don't give up!"

Can't wait to show these Americans how it's DONE! If I somehow score this weekend (we've been practicing surprise/sneaky free kicks), my celebration will include the stationary speedskater. You have to see it to believe it.

CIAO... for now.

Hey Summer, Where'd Ya Go?!

Where has this summer gone to? MAN! It is now time for another school year to consume me. Ah yes, I'm kind of glad it has finally come though! I find that I have more time throughout the school year than I do in the summer to just hang out and relax. I don't know why I always think it's the other way around. Maybe it's the weather.

Anyhow, my fall is actually going to be full of soccer trips, practices, and weekend games. We have finished Prov soccer training camp and I'm excited to be in good form, but the fatigue from this change of routine has now caught up with me! Today we ran our 5km run; my time was 19mins 04 secs which is not bad for having no preparation and is a much better time than my first run last year. We also ran multiple distance sprints which included 8 sets of 20 yards, 6 of 40, 4 of 60, and 2 of 80. Yep, my legs are exhausted. It'll feel good though when I'm not sucking wind in a game! And our first game is this Friday at 3pm against NCCAA division rival: North Central University from Minneapolis. Can't wait. Come out to Prov if you can!

Oh, and my family is back from CHINA! Their Monday lasted 37 hours! Talk about exhaustion. I'm pumped to have them back, our house has been empty for the last three weeks. My brother was famous out there, everyone wanted their picture with him and asked for his autograph when my family visited a Beijing high school and the Great Wall! I guess being tall, blond, and blue eyed automatically makes you a rarity in those parts. Welcome home, Hollywood.

~~~

Here's a life lesson from Ol' Uncle Ray that I never released...

Life Lesson: Sometimes it's not the years... it's the mileage.

I'm not sure if this applies to anything I've just said, but I'm definitely feeling the meaning of these words right now.

p.s. My school schedule is lookin' decent. No morning classes! Maybe I'll designate most of that time as blogging time... to get long overdue projects DONE.

Ciao for now!