Today is a great treat for you. The music is so good you'll be hitting repeat all day. I bring you the music of Craven Arrest, a band so legendary that no one even feels the need to talk about them. That's just how legendary they are.

So the story goes that someone I don't even know was mistakenly arrested for crowd surfing at the then Craven Valley rock concert at Craven Valley, SK. I'm told the band playing at the time was my favourite, Collective Soul. Anyway, this dude was arrested, but released, and therefore the name of a band was born. I mean, you can't make this stuff up.

The band began late in the year of 2003 at a rental house near the University of Saskatchewan. Musical chemistry was almost instant. A guy. A brother. A cousin. A couple of other guys. Practices were a mix between discussing cool things to say on stage, writing songs while trying to look super cool, and occasionally even playing some music. Some band members were even known to go to the gym and do certain back exercises in order execute the perfect bow. Creativity was never an issue for Craven Arrest. Young minds. So many ideas. So many dreams. It's been said that one person could play a single note, and everyone else in the band would know exactly what song to join in on. What a golden age for music.

The band practiced and got better. In fact, they got pretty good. As I said, there was chemistry. One night they played, as part of a battle of the bands competition, at the famous Louie's Pub on the U of S campus. The pub had hundreds of people in attendance. The band sat in a back room in anticipation of the upcoming moment. Other musicians, evidently, had also once waited in this same room. There were pictures and autographs from such musicians as Neil Young, the Dave Matthews Band, and Finger Eleven. On stage they finally went. Overcoming some technical difficulties, Craven Arrest put on a performance for the ages. These boys, the ones who practiced so hard and worked so well together, finally became rock stars! Never has Louie's Pub seen such a performance. Sadly, never will Louie's Pub ever again see such a performance.

The story goes that the next morning the drummer went to the an early Mass in Latin. Apparently the choir began singing Adoro Te Devote. But the drummer couldn't hear the beautiful hymn of St. Thomas Aquinas! There was an incessant ringing in his ears from the concert the night before. At that moment, as if God Himself spoke directly to him, the drummer realized he would not be able to be both a rock star and devote himself to God and the Church as he so wished to. The drummer quit the band.

Craven Arrest more or less fizzled out, though not entirely. They got back together a few months later and, despite a great financial cost, had four songs professionally recorded. The songs recorded will forever cement Craven Arrest's legacy to music. The songs themselves picked up some local air time on CJNE 94.7 Storm FM radio. But there was no need to push it further. The story of Craven Arrest was to be one of hope, glory, and ultimately letting go. The boys in the band are doing well. They've acquired real jobs, and have growing families. Their story lives on through their music. Their story will be passed on to their children. Craven Arrest will, in a way, always be.

As for that drummer who quit the band? He's doing well. He has a wonderful wife and three beautiful children. He still has his drum kit, though he plays mainly guitar, piano, and organ these days. He loves to perform for children at the school he teaches at. And yes, he still loves the Church, and the Latin Mass.

Here is Faceless:

LOLs, Maybe

Here are some jokes and brain teasers to lighten your day. Some come from the internet. Others I've created on my own. I like to use these with my students.

- - -

1. Try to re-arrange the letters of NEW DOOR to make one word.

2. Did you know that if you try saying the alphabet without moving your lips or tongue every letter will sound the same?

3. Cindy-Lou loves cats and she keeps some as pets. All but two of them are completely black. All but two of them are completely white. All but two of them are completely ginger. How many cats does she have in total?

Guess the Word:

4.  

5.

6.

Guess the Band:

7.

"Dan! Stop taking the cookies!"

8.

"Wow, you really work fast!"

 9.

10.

Random Music Jokes:

Q: How many guitarists does it take to screw in a light bulb?

A: None. They hold the bulb over their head and the world revolves around them.

Middle C, E-flat, and G walk into a bar.

“Sorry,” the bartender says to the E-flat, “we don’t serve minors here.”

Q: How can you tell when a vocalist is at your door?

A: They can’t find the key, and they never know when to come in.

Q: What’s the difference between a trampoline and an accordion?

A: You take your shoes off when you jump on a trampoline.

Q: What’s the difference between the bagpipes and an onion?

A: Nobody cries when you chop up the bagpipes.

Tuba Player: “Did you hear my last recital?”

Friend: “I hope so!”

Q: How do you get a guitarist off of your porch?
A: Pay him for the pizza.


Dad: "Go to your room now!"

Child storms off: "Jim Morrison was overrated!!"

Dad: "What did I tell you about slamming the Doors!"

At a Job interview…

 Interviewer: “It says here you’re extremely fast at math. What’s 30x17?”

Candidate: “47!”

Interviewer: “That’s not even close…”

Candidate: “Yeah,  but it was quick.”



Answers to Brain Teasers:

1. ONE WORD


2. No answer... just make sure you're alone before you try it! Too late?...


3. 3 cats


4. Winter


5. Monday


6. Visit


7. Steely Dan


8. Taylor Swift


9. Hall n Oates


10. Blue Rodeo

Music Mondays: Northern Lights

Today's music is a fairly recent piece written by Norwegian composer Ola Gjeilo titled: Northern Lights. Gjeilo is currently just 38 years old. He was so taken aback the first time he saw the northern lights that he was inspired to compose this work. By all means listen while you continue reading.

This song presents a serene calmness yet the words, in Latin, speak of the "terrible" power of the northern lights. It also makes me think of our Emilie.

Last winter there was a "terrible" weekend. Becca, who was pregnant, was not feeling well. Long story short, we feared that we were losing our baby. One thing led to another and we found ourselves waking up the boys and driving 35 minutes to Nipawin late at night in order to track down an emergency ultrasound. There we sat in the van driving north. It was very sad. We drove along and prayed our rosary. As we drove an eerie green grow emerged in the sky. Soon the northern lights were dancing and shining in full force for us as we drove. Aside from the sheer beauty of the sight, the lights that night were a great comfort for us. They let Becca and I know that, though we feared the worst at that point, God was there to take care of us.

Much later that night we sat in the little room in the hospital. The ultrasound was hooked up, and we looked on with mournful expectation. The screen kicked in and there was this figure of a baby. Only the baby was not resting. The baby was dancing for us. The baby was just shining on the screen. As Becca had just finished a glass of ice water, the baby was bouncing around from the shock of the cold. It was my first time ever seeing a child of mine on a live ultrasound. The beauty of this little person dancing with life from the cold was even more brilliant than the dancing life of the magnificent northern lights dominating the sky. The Lord is the great master of the universe, and the great lover of even the tiniest of souls. He has all in His hands.

A day later we were home. I stepped out at night. There were more northern lights. Only this time they were not just green. They were red, and blue, and pink. Without a doubt they were the nicest I have ever seen. Well that was nothing. You know how sometimes when you see northern lights they dip down to the earth? Yes. As I sat staring up at the sky they dipped down. Right down into our yard! It felt like I was literally in the middle of the northern lights. My jaw dropped, and not just figuratively. It was one of the most spectacular moments of my life. And they say there is no God. But there is. The light of the world.

And months later an even more spectacular moment in my life. Emilie Marie. Our own little light.

Growing Fast, Part 2

Our kids are growing up by leaps and bounds this month...

(a quick check before publishing this just confirmed that Dan already wrote a blog Growing Fast earlier this month... but there's more! in just the last week, so Growing Fast, Part 2?!)

Emilie cut her first teeth at 4 months. Now, just over 7 months and she's busting out a top tooth. Since she's just as smiley as ever, we didn't even really know it was coming until it was a bit swollen and popping through. But she did keep me up last night with her squirming and unsettled sleep.. so, not quite a perfect baby ;)

She seems to have leveled out her weight gain somewhere around 20 lbs. I had to put away a whole bunch of 6-9 month clothes because they were getting too tight around her forearms or short in length. But our happy little girl is finally rolling all over the place and even sitting most of the time all by herself.

After a bright interest in food, she's slowed down to half-interested meals, but loves her a glass of water.

We watched a little video a couple weeks back of little twin girls dancing to Irish music in their jolly-jumpers. The boys immediately wanted to try it out with Emilie, but she merely stood there happily and only bounced a few times. 

John Paul got on skates once in December and was then happy to "skate" in his boots for the next few weeks. Last Friday, I convinced him to get them back on and we painfully held him up for an hour or so on our little backyard rink. Saturday afternoon Dan called me outside to have a look:

Don't mind his grumblings. He really was having some fun!

And not to be outdone by his big brother who is flying through his first year of homeschool, John Paul is memorizing all the kindergarten poems at the same rate as Joseph:

John Paul loves his little sister with a fierce love. Often more than we think she can handle. Most of the time, though, she smiles and puts up with it. And sometimes, it's payback when she can go in and have the upper hand waking him from naps.

Joseph is becoming a great little skater and hockey fan. He bragged the other day that a fellow hockey player complimented him on his stick handling. "Did you say 'thanks'?" I asked him. "No, I told him I knew that because I've been practicing!" Indeed. Here he is skating backwards:

Joseph is practicing many other things too: reading books, writing letters to his uncle, lots of addition and counting by 5's and 10's. Oh, and he lost his first tooth this week!

He complained one morning about a tooth hurting at breakfast. We checked it out and were shocked to find it very wiggly. By lunch, he couldn't eat his meatball soup and pulled it out, just in time to surprise Daddy coming in the door for his lunch. He claims a partially frozen lemon square and caramel popcorn ball did the trick!

The Liberal Pope

There was once a divided conclave which was trusted with selecting a new pope. Roughly half of the cardinals present were seeking a conservative pope. The other half or so were intent on a liberal pope. In the end, with just a three vote margin, a liberal pope was elected.

This pope immediately began working on political reforms. Many hailed this work with great enthusiasm, though some prudent men warned of disastrous results. Yet the pope continued on. He set up a council of laymen, as well he worked towards other reforms. However, the more this pope set about entrusting new tasks to others, the more people demanded their ideas be followed by the pope. In one case a street riot broke out, and only ended once the pope conceded to create a new position for various laymen.  Riots nevertheless continued. A papal prelate was even shot during one such riot. The only appeasement being a further promise of democratic ministry. Liberals work like this. Finally, when the end seemed near, the pope was secretly smuggled out of the Vatican. His reign a complete and utter disaster. Peter, the rock of the Church, had been cast adrift by the earthly winds of change.

Yet all was not lost. Peter, the rock, by the grace of God eventually returned to Rome. He was no longer a liberal. Though the liberal political climate still existed throughout much of Europe, the pope successfully began defending the Church, and the primacy of the papacy. Errors were fiercely condemned. The inner life of the Church was promoted. Papal infallibility was defined. The Immaculate Conception was formally declared dogma. I speak, of course, of Pius IX. Declared Blessed Pius IX on September 3, 2000. After Peter, Pius IX is the longest serving pope. The one time liberal. Now looked upon as a great defender of papal infallibility (in the proper setting). Blessed Pius IX once wrote to a bishop stating the following: "If a future pope teaches anything contrary to the Catholic Faith, do not follow him."

Blessed Pius IX, ora pro nobis.


People often panic because the likes of Pope Francis have never been seen previously in the life of the Church. There is truth to that. Yet, I think that the story of Pius IX can perhaps, and hopefully, be the closest match. There is a valid comparison between the early reformer Pius IX and the current reformer Francis. And I believe if Francis continues along his current path he will also meet similar dire circumstances. Yet the lesson is that there is still hope. As Pius IX became a great defender of the faith, so too can Francis. It may require significant suffering and prayer, but at least there is a precedent.

Wives, love your husbands...

The last post concerned the lead up to our marriage. Things are going well, I think. Becca made a game plan when we first got married. It is based off of the following:

For my part, yes, work is incredibly hard. I need to be nurtured with a cold or hot drink when I come home. To sit on the couch and not be bothered by noisy children or dust on a table. I feel renewed in body and spirit, especially when she offers to take off my shoes, and speaks in a soft, soothing and pleasant voice. I think these points are the keys to a happy marriage.

More like...

Momentville/DannyandBecca: Preserving our Past

Becca and I have been married for nearly 7 years now. I was recalling how I used to blog at a website called momentville.com. Remember that? I went to go check out the blog. However, it's since been shut down. They did have a way to retrieve old blog posts, so I have done so. I am re-posting them here more for our sake, that we don't lose them. Read them if you want, or go do something more useful with your time. Yikes my writing wasn't very good back then. Maybe it still isn't? And holy moly where did all those crazy dreams come from?

From Momentville/DannyandBecca:

Our Stories

Her Story

Born April 7, 1986, in Hamilton, Ontario. Red-haired Rebecca loves nature, music, people, and just life in general. She has 5 siblings, one of whom also has red hair and she has a dog (who also has red hair).

His Story

Born November 2nd, 1983, in Nipawin Saskatchewan. I play hockey, go to school, work out, play music, work at OLSWA, have 6 siblings (one of whom is a priest), and so on and so forth.

Our Story

He was a boy, she was a girl, can I make it anymore obvious?
No Avril, there's more to the story than that. Becca and I met at Our Lady Seat of Wisdom Academy in Barry's Bay in the fall of 2005. We went to school together for two years. Then I went to school at Redeemer (by Hamilton) while Becca stayed at OLSWA. Then Becca went to Redeemer while I went to work at OLSWA. And finally this past year we are once again living in the same town.
Becca and I at first did not get along. She thought I was arrogant, and I thought she talked too much. Yes, nothing's changed... except that now we do get along.
We were engaged June 13, 2009, and will be married April 10, 2010

The Proposal

Nope, it didn't happen on the top of a mountain. It was more like this:
We went to town (Nipawin) to buy some groceries for my mom and, when in the produce section, we both reached to grab a watermelon. Our hands touched, lightning struck, and we both looked into each others' eyes. At that moment, I fell on my knee and proposed to Rebecca using a bagel as a ring. Aisle one of the Co-op grocery store will always be special for us!
No no no. It was actually more like... we went to town to buy groceries for my mom, but stopped at the church first to pray a rosary. Needless to say, I was shaking during the rosary; however, Becca didn't know what was going on. After the rosary I called Becca to the sacristy (right by the santuary) to show her the parish's new chalices (not entirely a lie since the parish had just bought some new ones). When there I pretended to look for them, and had her open up some cupboards as well. Eventually, after staring at one cupboard in particular for a while, Becca finally noticed the ring proudly sitting there. She said something like "are you serious" and then I proposed, she said yes, and all is well.

Gift Registry: Matrimoney...

Seeing as we will most likely be moving several times within the next 3 years, receiving a large number of gifts will only create problems for us when it is time to move. In other words, we need to live lightly over the next 2-3 years. There is one thing that will help us signficantly, however, and not be a hassle when we move around: money. And so, we respectfully ask that all gifts simply be monetary contributions.
Thank you for your understanding.

 There is one way, however, to give an actual gift. You can mail it to Nipawin, SK, where Rebecca and I will be based (for the most part) after our wedding. The address is:

Daniel and Rebecca Millette

Box 2961

Nipawin, Saskatchewan

S0E 1E0

and now...

The Wedding Blog

January 14

So I started a website today, I haven't done that since my first year of university. Alas, wedding planning is time consuming. And it's all done for one little day! Well, this day will come and go, but the memories will always remain...
I've been reading too many sappy internet wedding planning sites. Anyway, I hope to keep you all updated as to how things are going with the planning and such.
God Bless,
Dan

January 14, 2010

January 25

This weekend Rebecca and I went down to Brantford to do some shopping and visiting. Actually, I ended up playing more hockey than anything, but that's ok. The visiting was good, and much was accomplished shopping too. Additional invitations were bought, while other things were returned. Groomsman shirts and ties were purchased (Rider Green lives!!!!!!!! Wahoo!!), gifts were also picked up. Oh, yeah, and we also bought our wedding bands. I don't think I'd ever really put a ring on my finger before (as we were trying it out). It was an odd feeling to say the least. Maybe I can make my ring into an earring and wear it on my left ear? Or tie it on my skate laces for good luck? I'm sure it'll be like many things with marriage, you just don't know what it'll be like 'til you try it.
For now though, I must spend the day morning the loss of all the money I spent over the weekend. So much money I tell you. I'm never getting married again after this.
Dan

January 25, 2010

January 29 (71 more days)

Yesterday was the Feast of Saint Thomas Aquinas, one of the very best. For some reason I kept thinking of our cat Buck. You see, Buck is a big big black and white cat. Hence, he looks like a large Dominican. Well, Aquinas was a large Dominican. The only difference is that Buck has a moustache, and only liberal clergy wear moustaches, therefore Buck is a liberal Dominican. Yes, as Aquinas once noted, all analogies ultimately fall short.
That has nothing to do with the wedding however. Let's see... Becca and I went to the town office at 8:15 this morning in 30 below weather to apply for a marriage licence. What a $100 cash grab by the gov't! They don't even recognize the marriage banns from the Church anymore. And, 12 weeks after our wedding, we have to send the gov't $15 more just to confirm that we are married. There is so much involved in getting married, I really am shocked that so many people go through with it anyway. Maybe they are simply heeding St. Paul's words: "it is better to marry than be on fire." Yeesh. Don't worry Becca, that's not why I'm getting married. This is probably the time for me to stop writing...
Dan

January 29, 2010

January 31 (Holy Altar Boy Batman)

Today Becca left to go babysit the Gensens and so I won't see her for a few days. I am all alone, free to do whatever I want. I would go on about how I must enjoy these last few moments of freedom, yet I keep wondering how she's doing out there. I guess this kind of freedom isn't all that satisfying.
Nevertheless, today I was thinking about the topic of altar serving. I've been a regular up at the altar at St. Hedwig's for the past few years. This year, being engaged while also having Becca around, was supposed to bring an end to my serving career. However, there is a shortage of young men willing to consistently go up there to read and serve everyday. John Paul Meenan does most of the head serving these days, and he does a heck of a job, but I still help out for the Monday and Wednesday evening Masses, as well as one of the early Friday morning Masses each week. All these single young men around here, and still it's the engaged guy going up to serve at these Masses. I could go on about how they are missing so many blessings by not serving, but that's for another day. What I was going to talk about was should I continue to serve, even as a married man? I mean, there is something innate about a young man serving and discerning his vocation. It would seem that if I'm married, I won't be discerning like that anymore. Yes, it would seem. However, I really really enjoy serving, it is one of the greatest things in the world to me. Plus, there still is a need for me to serve (at least three times a week). Plus, Deacons are regularly up at the altar, and the ones around here are married. Therefore, all things considered, I will probably serve from time to time when I'm married. That is, if Becca will let me.
Alas, I must be going. I have to go serve for rosary and benediction right now.
Dan

January 31, 2010

February 2 (Feast of the Presentation)

First off, please pray for the souls of Paul Sanders and Janine Lieu who lost their lives in Lake Kaminiskeg two years ago today. May they rest in peace.
Today is the feast of the Presentation. A good excuse to sing at Mass: "the light of Christ... has come into the world..." Anyway, I just wanted to pass on a link:
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2010/feb/10020110.html
Here Pope Benedict speaks on the marriage annulment process and how marriages are to be held valid unless proven otherwise. In his reasoning he states that "charity without justice is not charity, only a counterfeit." Wonderful. So... there's no easy out for Rebecca and I. Fortitude is a must in marriage, as it is in any vocation. No easy out... no easy out... Hmm... I need new shoes, my feet seem to be getting colder... No easy out... for crying out loud, someone turn up the heat in this building!... no easy out... no easy out... ahh!!!...
Just kidding Bec, I can't wait!

February 02, 2010

February 4

First off, I know many of you have expressed how you would like to be able to add comments after my blogs. If I knew how to add this function, I would. I apologize. For instance, Becca has told me that she would write about how happy she is with me, my blogs, my everything. In fact, she told me that she wishes to tell everyone how she is the luckiest girl in the world to be marrying me. Right Becca? You did say that, right?
One thing that has intrigued me greatly throughout this engagement period is watching how other local families raise their kids. Some things that Rebecca and I see are beautiful, and we hope to imitate such methods. Other things... well, not a chance. As a general rule, I would have to say: use common sense. Ironically, common sense isn't all that common. As a sister of mine once said: "am I the only one here with half-a-brain?"
Dan

February 04, 2010

February 5 (I Dreamed a Dream...)

I had a brilliant idea just now... why not start putting the blogs in order from oldest to newest! Brilliant, simply brilliant! I'm sure you can all tell who has the brains in the relationship.
Oh, never mind, it's too complicated to figure out how to do it. Just never mind.
So I dreamed about getting married last night, again. I've had so many dreams about this already, and it usually has to do with something going wrong. Last night I was all set to walk down the aisle with Becca, but I just couldn't for the life of me find my shoes. I called to Stephen (best man) to lend me his shoes, but he took off and left me there, shoeless. The jerk. So the wedding happened and at the reception Becca showed up in a helicopter and started flying me around Toronto. Her goal, it seemed, was to keep dodging the CN Tower by as narrow a margin as possible. Needless to say, we eventually had a crash landing at the foot of the tower. And that's when my mom showed up, she was mad at us for missing the morning brunch with the family, and so she grabbed our arms and brought us home to live with her.
This is just one dream of many I've had. I've had it where I can't find the church when going to get married. I've ripped my suit minutes before the wedding. I've lost my suit minutes before the wedding. I've been 15 minutes away from the wedding Mass and then realized I forgot to get a choir, pick readings, and set up for Mass. Once I showed up at the church and no one was there. That's when Bishop Mulhall of the Pembroke diocese showed up and brought me to his office (in the choir loft of St. Hedwig's) and told me that I was to be ordained. I can only imagine what the next 64 days (or nights, I should say) will bring.
Dan

February 05, 2010

Wedding Blog 2 (2 Months!)

Just two more months until April 10th, and one of those months is short.
Yesterday Rebecca and I met with a very talented young musician who will be taking charge of the music at the wedding Mass. All I can do is apologize to all of you folks who will be coming for the wedding and then returning afterwords to your home parishes to listen to strummy guitar at Mass. You'll never be able to go back to the regular hippy garbage after you hear the wonderful choir at the wedding!
On another note, one that has nothing to do with the wedding, I'm going to watch the Sens and Caps on Thursday night in Ottawa! We'll see how good this Ovechkin guy really is, especially when he has me heckling him all night.
Dan

February 13

It's gotten to the point where I just want to get married so that I don't have to plan the wedding anymore. Planning a wedding was something I always dreaded, and it certainly has lived up to its billing. For the record, if anyone is expecting a $50,000 wedding then you'd better realize now that it won't be. There won't be silk napkins, or stretch limos, or expensive bands playing. Instead you're getting a wedding of two people who have spent a combined 10 years in university over the past 6 years. The wedding Mass will be beautiful, the reception will be simple and fun, and hopefully God will be at the centre of everything. With that in mind, even a $50,000 wedding seems shallow and empty compared to a wedding that has the Lord as the centre.
God willing, Deo-volente, this wedding will be the richest of weddings, because we pray that God will be seen as the source and summit of all we are doing and accomplishing.
Dan

Family Day (Feb. 15)

Today is February 15, and as the old Bud light greeting cards used to say: "let's make February 15th our Valentine's Day." Today is also family day. To celebrate I am spending the entire day at work, alone. But tomorrow we'll head to Ottawa to skate on the canal. I figure there'll be less people tomorrow. It seems to me that February 15 also is/was flag day. It's funny how I can remember the most obscure dates, yet can't even remember where I put my shoes some days.
I've had a few more bad dreams in the past week. Two nights ago I dreamt I was a homeless man living on the banks of a polluted river in Hamilton. All these people I know stopped by to see me. They told me how life was so good for them. Basically the theme of the dream was that I was living pennyless by the river because I had gotten married, while everyone else who didn't get married was doing just fine. Really, I'm not making this up. The only part that makes me wonder is: why was I alone if I was married?...
Dan

February 19

Only 37 more days! That's so exciting! Oh, and by 37 I mean only 37 more days of lent. There's actually 50 days until the wedding.

Becca is away on a retreat this weekend, please pray for her. I, on the other hand, will be working on an essay explaining, in great detail, how the old law prepares the way for the new law. And so, we will be apart for the weekend, yet again. Same deal next weekend as well. If nothing else, I should be able to get a lot of work done.

50 more days. Gosh, things are closing in fast. It seems just like yesterday when we we at 100 days. Actually, it seems just like yesterday when I was growing up in Saskatchewan. How did life move so quickly?

It sounds like I'm the one who will need a good retreat soon.

Dan

Go Canada Go!

Written at the time of Canada's Olympic Gold Medal game against the US.

Nothing much to say. I've been sicker than sick the last three days. Becca's been gone, leaving me on my own, only to collapse half-way to the kitchen in a feable attempt to make some melaleuca tea. But, Canada is set to play the US in roughly two hours. Please boys, bring me some cheer. I changed my soap in my bathroom to the melaleuca gold bar soap. Why? Because I believe.

Dan

March 2

39 more days, so much to do, so very much to do. It never ceases to amaze me how, as long as Rebecca and I try our best, God just keeps taking care of things.

Well, the marriage license is ready, the family has a cabin booked, and the liturgy is almost nearly all taken care of. The reception still needs a lot of work, and there are a million details to attend to, but I can be morally certain at this point that there will in fact be a wedding on April 10th.

Oh, and we finally got our rings in! After getting a fitting when we first ordered them (in Brantford) I tried mine on. It actually fit over my thumb. I mean, this ring is way too big. I know I've been sick lately and so my hands have probably shrunk a bit, and I did have cleaning stuff on my hands, but this ring was ridiculously too big. Maybe after a workout or two, to get the blood pumping in me again, the ring will fit better. Otherwise, back the shop.

Dan

March 8

Holy Jumpin, just 33 more days!

Last night I dreamt that I showed up at the church for the wedding and most of the choir, servers, and congregation were missing. The choir director said he couldn't do the songs without a full cast of singers, and so he had to do a Beatles song instead for a communion hymn.

Where was Becca in all this? She wasn't there either. So there was no wedding. I went home dejected, in utter disbelief that this had happened. When finally I caught up to Becca later I asked why she didn't show up for the wedding. She said that she had decided last minute to wait a few more days when the weather would be nicer and that she told some people about it, but not everyone.

Dan

ONE MONTH LEFT

One more month.
One more month to watch "Around the Horn" while I eat supper everynight.
One more month to leave my clothes on the floor before I go to bed, because I'll just be wearing the same thingthe next day anyway .
One more month to eat cereal for supper, whenever I want to.
One more month of dreams where something goes terribly wrong at the wedding.
One more month to have total, total, control over my money.
Sigh, one more month of loneliness.

Awwww.
- Dan

Say Yes to Dress? (March 16)

Here I am, all alone in the early hours of the morning. It's amazing what less than 4 weeks to the wedding can do to my sleep.
I was away in Brantford all weekend. I went into Moores hoping to buy some new dress pants, but ended up trying on a suit ($199 is a pretty good sale). The guy looked at the jacket I was trying on and then suggested I try on one a size smaller in order "to bring out your upper body physique more." Sigh. Yes, I fell for the salesman's flattery and ended up buying the suit. How could I say no?
When I got back to Becca's family's house I went to the room I was sleeping in so that I could get some stuff. I heard a scream as I headed in. Someone shouted that I couldn't go in that room. Why? Because "The Dress" was in there. At that point, being rather tired of hearing about "The Dress" all weekend, I walked in the room anyway. And so, I saw the dress. Now it will rain on our wedding day. Now our kids will have 6 toes on each foot, and our marriage will be over within 7 years. Now black cats will follow me around the rest of my days, and my gravestone will topple over when I'm dead. All because I saw "The Dress."

"When you believe in things
That you don't understand,
Then you suffer,
Superstition ain't the way."

-Stevie Wonder

Dan

March 22 - It suits me fine

My blogs seem to be few and far between these days. Clearly I'm not at all interested in this wedding. That, or I'm so busy planning it that I haven't had time for blogs.
So yesterday Becca saw "the suit." She was over for brunch and I tried on my new suit/shirt/tie/shoes. Therefore, not only did she see the suit, but she saw me wearing it! I expect a large uproar from people: "What! She saw you in "the suit"?!? or "So much for a special wedding day!"
I'm having too much fun taking shots at many of these wedding traditions, and seeing people react all shocked and concerned. I mean, it's not like we're going to have liturgical dancing and poetry at our wedding Mass.

Or will we?...
Dan

March 29 - 12 days of Marriage

It feels like the 12 days of Christmas. There are only 12 days until the wedding, and it's been snowing all morning.

I was in Ottawa on Saturday at a beautiful retreat put on by St. Clement's latin Mass parish. I must say, I've found that having the wedding during the Octave of Easter has been completely ideal, and I would highly recommend it to anyone. The lenten preparation has coincided perfectly with, and thus aided, our own spiritual preparation for marriage. And I'm sure the joy of the Easter season will make the wedding all the more special. Or, I should say, the joy of the wedding will make the Easter season all the more special.

I'll just end with a reflection I had on technology. Wow, technology sure has changed. There's so much you can do now. For instance, one could take a home video and add a different face on a character, and people would be confused as to who is really in the video. I mean, if someone were to, say, dance like Elvis, then someone could insert another face in the way. So I ask you to consider these things when watching home videos. The odds are that the person is the video has only been added electronically. You know, it's probably not really them in the video, but just someone acting as an imposter.

Just keep that in mind...

Dan

Entering into the tomb.. together... sort of

And so Becca and I prepare to enter into the mysteries of the Triduum, to be together for it in the magnificence of the institution, the suffering of the passion, and the joy of the resurrection. Except, of course, I'll be serving for all of that and she'll be somewhere in the congregation.

The poor girl.

So I had another dream. This time our choir director and musician, Alec McCune, played some rock songs for our wedding Mass. Everyone looked at me accusingly as if I had planned it that way. I didn't, and yet, in my pride, I tried to act as if the rock music was good for Mass. Anything's better than admitting I had made a mistake, I guess. Well Becca wasn't too thrilled with that. She refused to sit with me for the Mass and instead sat with her family. While saying our vows she just glared at me. It was a very tense and awkward moment in the church

Please Alec, just stick to the church hymns.

Dan

That Sinking in Feeling

April 4, 2010

Happy Easter everyone! I'm quite exhausted from MCing the Triduum the past three days.

This is the final week. You know, it's all starting to sink in. Beforehand the wedding always seemed somewhat distant. I'd tell myself that I'd have to get past Lent and the Triduum. Well, now those days are long gone.

What does it feel like now that it's sinking in? Honestly, it's quite unsettling. It's hard to think about how I will never be able to live my life on my own after this week. I mean, I like being a bachelor! I've grown quite accustomed to doing things my way, and to have the time and space to do them in. But it'll all end soon. Sometimes it feels like I'm losing something in life. Like a part of me will be missing.

That's how I feel if I don't take it to prayer. In reality, if I pray about it I don't at all think that I'm losing something. I know that I'm actually gaining something; something very special. Something necessary for my life, and my salvation.

On the weekend Fr. Murray Kemper of Madonna House, who was helping out Fr. Shalla, said in a homily that when St. Peter at first refused to have Our Lord wash his feet, he wasn't refusing in humility, but rather St. Peter was refusing to let Christ work in his life at that moment. He was scared of the challenges that change would bring. He wanted things to remain as they were. But, as Fr. said, life without change, and without the cross, is not life at all. Real life demands change, and it demands the cross. And who doesn't want to live a life that's real? As Neil Young says: "I wanna live, I wanna give."

So to summarize, although a little nervous, I'm actually very very excited for this weekend! "My heart is ready oh God, my heart is ready."

Dan

2 or 1 more sleep(s)

Just two more sleeps until the wedding. Although it could quite possibly just be one more sleep... with the final night involving a lot of tossing and turning.
People have been asking me if I've had any more dreams about the wedding. Well. not that I know of. I have, however, planned the wedding liturgy extensively in my sleep, and woken up at 4am only to continue planning it according to what I already had thought of in the dream. And sometimes I can't get back to sleep. When it's on my mind it just won't leave. But hopefully I can just sleep tonight. I'm pretty tired. The hall was decorated today (thanks to Maja and all the wonderful volunteers!). Also, my parents arrived this evening. All in all, I'm just sort of ready to get on with it. There are still things that pop into my head (Becca and I just got back from an hour of adoration, and I was worried throughout that I would forget the rings), but it's time to go through with this. God brought us together, and it's definitely the right time. It's a very very peaceful feeling deep down.
Well, I'll see you on the otherside of the wedding. Say a prayer for Rebecca and I please.
Dan

Then

Now

Music Mondays: Celery Night Fever

Talking vegetables. That's right. Undoubtedly I'm talking about Veggie Tales. The wondrous Bob and Larry from Bid Idea productions. They were great. Then they got a little strange, and Big Idea went bankrupt. But Bob and Larry have been back for a while, and in 2014 they produced what I think is their best work to date: Celery Night Fever. It is somewhat of a rockumentary. It also has a Blues Brothers feel, where Larry (Lanny) seeks to put the band back together. You see Larry walked out on his famous disco band the Groovy Brothers in order to start a solo woodblock career. He was even hailed as being the greatest woodblock player of all time. But things just fell apart. Years later he seeks to put the band back together. He finally meets up with his one-time best friend and guitarist Dennis. The song they sing is just magical. After 40 years apart.

Here is, I think, the greatest of all Veggie Tales songs. Especially considering the circumstances of the movie. I bring you How it Used to Be.

Durant Durant!

December 6, 1995. This was the day Patrick Roy was traded to the Colorado Avalanche. It was one of the worst days of my life up to that point. Four days previously Roy had been mercilessly left in net during a 11-1 blowout by the ever incompetent coach Mario Tremblay. The end was upon us. Well, not exactly. Apparently when they met the next day Roy was willing to kiss and make up. But Tremblay and the equally incompetent GM Rejean Houle refused. They traded Roy for a bag of pucks. Roy went on to win two more Stanley Cups. The Canadiens entered a decade + of futility. It wasn't until a young Carey Price made his way to the Canadiens that things started to look up. Roy is still the best goalie I've ever seen. As for that December 6th day, I quietly slunk into my bedroom. I reached for my album of Roy hockey cards, yes I had an entire album of cards just of Patrick Roy, and threw them up on the highest shelf in my room. It took years before I ever dared to get those hockey cards down.

January 13, 2017. Darian Durant is traded to the Montreal Alouettes. Durant and the Saskatchewan Roughriders were unable to make a new deal, so the Riders unloaded him for a couple of draft picks. Essentially a bag of footballs. In fairness to Durant, Chris Jones, who is yet to prove his competence as a GM, horribly undervalued Durant during contract talks.

I've been here before. And I'm now 21 years older, so it's not devastating like when I was just 12. But it still stings. Sports is a business. General Managers pride themselves on taking emotion out of the decision making process. However, sometimes I think they go too far to remove emotion. They remove the heart. And there is no replacement for heart. Not right away, anyway. I hope it's not 10+ years before the next Durant shows up.

My sincerest thanks to Darian Durant. You will be deeply missed. A marvelous football player. One who embodied what it means to be a Roughrider. Tougher than tough. A winner. A wonderful Christian man. A leader.

 A legend.