Goodbye Shawn

I usually reserve wrestling comments for my, y'know, Wrestling Blog. But as a wrestling fan for 20 years now, one of my favourites for all of that time was a then-young upstart known as Shawn Michaels, who has gone on to become one of the true legends standing tall above this business. despite being 16 years younger than him, he's probably the main wrestler I feel I've watched grow up, from a kid in a tag team just a year or two into his run with the big leagues, to a single star who had grown too big for said team, but with an uncertain future on his own, to a perennial Intercontinental Champion ('king of the midcard', second only to that upper echelon going for the world belt), to a young, brash, cocky world champion who self-destructed in a haze of arrogance and substance abuse, to a born-again Christian (and one of the few for whom I mean it quite literally when I say Jesus Christ IS his personal saviour), a stand-up husband and Dad who now sees in wrestling more a way to make a living doing something he loves and to teach and elevate younger talent than to win gold, fame and accolades for himself. Perhaps it took Shawn Michaels until his late 30s to become a grown man ... but he did, and there are very few wrestlers I've been more proud of.

He's had many monikers over the years that no longer apply, if they ever did - it seems a stretch to call a weathered 44-year-old "The Heartbreak Kid", and I feel at this point the Undertaker is more worthy of the moniker of "Mr. Wrestlemania". And let's be honest folks, while Shawn has been an excellent worker, he has not consistently been 'The Main Event' for a few years now. However, of all the nicknames applied to him, I feel "Showstopper" is probably the most enduring. Six or seven years removed from his last world title run, and 18 months removed from his last singles world title shot, Shawn has long been the quintessence of putting on a great match simply to prove he can.

More than a certain number of titles to indicate he is the best in this business, what Shawn can take home with him is this; last year's match with the Undertaker marked his sixth Pro Wrestling Illustrated Match of the Year win in a row, meaning he has won that accolade every year but one since he came back from a presumed-career-ending back injury five years earlier. That unprecedented number beat the previous consecutive Match of the Year Record Holder ... SHAWN MICHAELS, at 4 in a row. Between both of those streaks, he holds a record 10 Match of the Year wins. Perhaps they haven't all been for titles ... but they have all been the best, much like Michaels himself.

And the way Shawn went out was pure class, in a rematch with possibly his greatest opponent, the Undertaker, the only man in the company arguably as legendary as Michaels himself at this point, putting HIS unprecedented Wrestlemania win streak of 18-0 up against Shawn's quarter-century-long career. Shawn, spunky to the end, slapped the Undertaker in the face just as the Dead Man was about to show mercy, provoking the aptly-named Tombstone piledriver which ended his career. Uncharacteristic for the Showstopper, he left the ring not in a blaze of dancing and fireworks, but with a subdued hug from his Wrestlemania opponent and some appreciative waving and high-fiving to the crowd, heading humbly to the back and the applause of his peers, to the handshake of perhaps his biggest detractor (Bret Hart, with whom he has finally made amends after a 12-year cold war), but most importantly, to the waiting arms of his wife and children. Congratulations Shawn. You deserve it. And thank you.

By the way ...

If you want truly amazing ... as Perez Hilton put it, brilliant or beyond bored? ... check this out:

Little Tyke Update

So it's been awhile since I've done much of a personal update - there's a reason for this, as a friend-of-a-friend of mine (and by extension said friend) have had some scary things come up when posting online about their children. I have comforted myself I have not shared the Tyke's name or photos however and meanwhile I know readers want to know how he's doing.

Which can be summed up in the word of 'hot and cold'. First the negative so it isn't dwealt on; he is going through round #2 of separation anxiety, except it's going all around this time. He doesn't like us dropping him off at his babysitter's, but he also doesn't like us picking him up there either. If he's playing with one parent and the other parent scoops him up or tries to get his attention ... that aggravates him too. His teething doesn't help either, and he's been doing a LOT of that of late.

On the other hand, though, he is learning so very much. He is walking like a little pro for the most part (although of course he's 16 months old, so he's going to tumble from time to time, which can be a 'con' when it happens too I suppose), and while I hesitate to say he's 'talking' yet, he definitely knows words; he recognizes Mama, Dada, Clock and Fan at last count, as well as 'where is' (he knows to point when he hears this). He's babbling up a blue streak which is at its funniest when it sounds like real words. Furious at me for (evil!) changing and dressing him the other day, when I sat him up after said ordeal, he looks down at his clothes and then at me, babble-muttering something that sounded exactly like an accusatory 'Hoodiddiss?' (who did this?) ... funny.

He has mastered the spoon now, although it becomes a play thing more quickly than he'd like (he knows how to use it; he also knows other more creative ways of using it), so while finger foods and dinner are now entirely an LT self-propelled effort (good boy!), he is even feeding himself half of his spoony foods too (cereal ... yogurt ... pudding ...). He can drink from a sippy cup now as well, and from a straw (these have both been awhile, like months, but hey! it's been awhile!). He watches a little TV and enjoys Max and Ruby, but is as likely to turn off the TV and bring you a book to read him ... which Daddy and I both like. :) And he is as good as gold as usual about bedtime ... although naps, and how late he sleeps, are becoming more scattershot again after a pretty solid stretch of two short naps a day and 8pm-7:30am sleeping. He's still good as gold. We loves him. :)

We're about to take him home for Easter, and this summer are going to find what kind of traveller he is as we go on our first REAL family vacation since his arrival, to Orlando (yes, Land of Disney). Booked this week. :) All good things ... and hope the same can be said for all of you out there in cyberland (the only thing to do is jump over the moon ...) - erm ... look it up. "Rent". :D

Momentous

The US took a great leap forward Sunday night by passing comprehensive healthcare reform legislation in congress for the first time in a century. Today, Barack Obama signed the bill into law, which will insure 30+ million previously-uninsured Americans, discontinue the rejection of insurance applicants on the basis of preexisting illnesses, and provide tax relief to those who otherwise couldn't afford insurance, as well as (I believe) expanding Medicaid.



And to Vice President Joe Lieberman, who offhandedly commented this plan was a 'F-ing big deal', unwittingly into an open mic ... I concur with Robert Gibbs' twitter. Mr. Vice President, you are right ...

God bless our American neighbours.

Getting to know you ...

My friend Alex has been playing the Get to Know you game from the above site - and hey, I love quizzes and surveys and am just generally a copycat so I thought I'd play along too. Usually it will be Sundays but enh. :) Click the above link, copy and answer the questions and link up if you want to as well.

1. WHAT YEAR DID YOU GRADUATE HIGH SCHOOL?
2001.

2. What part of your body do you neglect the most?
I guess I'll say the digestive system generally lol, I'm not always the best about eating healthy. So yeah my weight, my tummy etc.

3. Beach house or lake house?
Ooooh toughy I see a charm to both ... I think I'll say a beach house in the summer when I'm about swimming, and enjoying the warmth, sitting out in a swimsuit etc. A lakehouse for spring or fall or cooler summer days where I'd like some pretty scenery and a quiet place to read, or write, or hang out with my family, but not necessarily the sporty swimmy socializy stuff.

4. Mac or PC?
I have a PC and it's serving my purposes just fine; if money were no object I would own a brand-new Mac though they are excellent computers.

5. Did you wear braces?
Yes I did for 2.5 years.

6. If you could be one person for a day ... living or deceased ... who would you be?
I think I would want to be my mom. I know she's had some tough times along the way, but she has found such a genuine happiness in her life, I don't know anyone who is more just 'where she should be', I don't know one person who has a bad thing to say about her, she is such a forgiving and caring person with a knack like no one I know for looking at the positives - in people, in situations, in anything.

7. How many times have you moved in your life?
Wow ... let's see. A lot. 1 that I don't even remember from a rental to our first 'home of our own' when I was a baby. 2 from Montreal to Kitchener. 3 from our townhouse in Kitchener to a freestanding family home. 4 from that home to another townhome after my parents' separation. 5 from that house, half to my step-dad's new house and half away to the dorms (I'm not counting the two summers I moved between home and school but I will count new apartments away at school). 6 from the dorms to a shared co-op house. 7 from said house in with my roommate Esther. 8 from there to Ari's apartment in Montreal. 9 from Montreal back to Kingston. 10 from our apartment in Kingston across town closer to the faculty of education. 10 from Kingston back to Kitchener. 11 from our apartment in Kitchener to our first house. 12 from Kitchener to Ottawa. GRAND TOTAL: 12 moves in my lifetime.

8. Would you rather cook or clean?
Neither that's why I married someone sick enough to enjoy both. ;) Jokes. I don't hate either, I'm not a huge fan of either. I do what I need to do. Neither are especially interesting and both take time, but I feel quite pleased with myself when I do either.

For the sake of humanity

I hope the lawmakers serving our neighbours to the south do the right thing tomorrow for Americans, like many of my relatives both by blood and marriage are. Thank you either way for working so hard to do the right thing, Mr. President.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

All Hail Jon Stewart

This guy is hilarious, and Glenn Beck is getting exactly what he deserves via this impersonation.



BTW - to see the entire episode, which was gold, be sure and check out Comedy Central if you live in the US or else the Comedy Network if you live in Canada. Peace!