It's My Life

A Friend Visits From My Hometown

While Roberto left back to Prince George on Sunday, it's still hard to believe he was here. But as a matter of fact, he was here visiting me from Thursday to Sunday. It was a weekend that we tried to make the most of despite working a couple of shifts.

On Thursday me, Danielle and Roberto went to Heroes Pub for Thursday Thursdays, which was a Hawaiian beach theme. It was so fun. I had a really good time meeting new people and talking to those I already knew. I was getting greeted by good looking girls I didn't know as well, which is a bonus. Although our team didn't fair so well in trivia, I got to slam a few beers back and hang out with lots of friends, so it was in all a good time. We went to Rivers for an hour after the pub, then back home.

The rest of the weekend was spent doing activities such as playing basketball with my friend Ethan from Vancouver, working, and then going out to Cactus Jacks and the Max on Saturday night, which was okay although the lineup at Cactus Jack's was insane. We waited for an hour just to get in.

Other news stirring around my exciting life:

- today I'm going to an awards ceremony beginning at 4:40 p.m. to recieve a donor award for a public relations internship scholarship I won in September. As part of the internship I've been doing an Athlete of the Week article and picture for the Omega, and a weekly Sun Demons report on Radio NL.

- I discovered today that Kamloops Free Day at Sun Peaks is on Monday, December 6 so as long as I'm not working I'll be able to go out for the day.

- I've got three assignments left before final exams:
1. A 4500-5000 word essay for my Film 410 course
2. A short CD review for my Arts Reporting
3. My final media journal for Arts Reporting
- after that I have three finals: Research Methods on December 8, Media Law on December 10 and a take home exam for Film 410 to be handed out last class (November 30).

- I may have to work Christmas Eve, which means I'd have to take an overnight Greyhound to PG to make it in time for Christmas. It would be weird staying in Kamloops that late into the holiday season, but I'll be able to get six or seven days off after that.

- I have two upcoming staff parties. This Saturday (November 27) is the Canadian Tire Christmas Party, while the Omega end of semester bash is scheduled for December 4.

- I went on a date last night, which went okay other than the fact it took me forever to find this girl's house in the North Shore.

- I won a competition. If you don't know what this competition is about, ask me in person because I'm not putting the details online. But I will say that as a result of my victory I get a free flat of beer which I will be sharing with my three competitors this Thursday before Heroes Pub.

Interesting news in the sports world:

- Indiana Pacers forward Ron Artest got handed the longest single season suspension in the history of the NBA (72 games, or the remainder of the 2004/05 NBA season) for his involvement in a major brawl Friday night with fans in the final minute of the 97-82 Indiana victory at Detroit Friday night. In total, nine players were suspended 143 games - ouch! There's been a ton of controversy surrounding the incident and just what caused it, including many pointing at rap music.........Ahhhhhhhhh, yeah right. I'm sure Artest must've been listening to some angry gangster music at halftime. That must be it.

- the Toronto Argonauts won the 92nd Grey Cup with a 27-19 victory over the B.C. Lions at Ottawa on Sunday. All in all an entertaining game, but I'm still annoyed the Lions never played quarterback Casey Printers.

- in local news, apparently the Beamer (UCC's mascot) was a little bitter over an article written by journalism student Emanuel Sequeira. To express his anger, the Beamer attacked an issue of the Omega during UCC Sun Demons basketball action on Saturday.

Brent and Kristen’s Wedding

Part 2: The ceremony and reception

The main event was on Saturday afternoon inside the atrium at UNBC. I’ve always thought the atrium was nice but never knew how it would set up for a wedding. As it turned out, it proved to be a great venue for such an event and great for my photography as well. I’ve always enjoyed taking pictures, and have considered dropping the writing thing and just doing photography once I graduate.

Some of the pictures I took had others complimenting my skills, even though they thought I was a bit aggressive in getting the pictures. I wasn’t really, but I did stand up on a few chairs and move around lots to get good angles inside the atrium. The ceremony was nice – short and sweet – and I was happy to see some faces I hadn’t seen in a while. It made me realize how much I miss certain people, and of the good times I’ve spent growing up in Prince George. It’s funny how much opinions change for me. As a human, I’m always changing and looking for change in my life. I’m never really satisfied, yet when the change happens I look back and realize what I left wasn’t that bad, and that in many ways the old is better than the new. I like Kamloops, but there’s a lot I like about PG more than Kamloops.

I like weddings also because for a day it makes me feel like I’m rich and hanging around other wealthy people – we’re all dressed up in suits and gowns, sipping on wine and champagne and spending time in nice venues. Of course, we did go to pub before the wedding reception.

The reception was held at the Columbus Community Centre in College Heights. Drink tickets were relatively cheap at $2 a pop. Again at the wedding I got some good pictures, and some which I just took paparazzi-style to see how they’d show up. As per wedding routines, Brent and Kristen had the first dance, which was Aerosmith’s “I Don’t Wanna Miss a Thing.”

As it was a reception and special occasion, I had to celebrate by drinking lots of alcohol. What else I did that night I won’t go into detail on, but for anybody who has seen me drink, I’m sure they can imagine. No, I didn’t do anything too stupid though.

Brent and Kristen's Wedding in Prince George

Mike (Brent's brother): Kristen is going to look like she was hit by a mayonnaise truck by the time the wedding is over.

Erin: Do you see my roots coming in? I'm light at the tips and dark at the roots.
Adam: Yeah, my hair is also lighter up high and darker down low (pointing out his buzz cut).
Darcy: Yeah, I'm light up high and dark down low too (referring to below his waist as low).

This weekend I was in Prince George to watch Brent Scheck and Kristen Malm, a couple friends of mine from elementary and junior high, get married. It was fun to hang out with guys I've know since kindergarden and to attend my first wedding in which I'm friends with the groom and bride, and not related to them.

Part 1: The Stag

Thursday night was Brent's stag. I had only been in town just under two hours by the time I got to the pub, and I my night of slamming back beers was already underway. After spending a solid 4 1/2 hours there, it was off to downtown Prince George, where we ended up at Joe's Place (local peeler bar). At this point Brent was a mess, but he continued to chug back drinks while watching a stripper dance with his blow up doll. He was finished after Joe's, and never made it to the Cadillac, which is where my night ended.

I got kicked out of the Cadillac for just standing. At least, that's all I remember doing. I remember looking at my friends I was there with when I got kicked out and thinking, is this guy kidding me? Am I actually getting kicked out. I tried to get back in twice, and came as close as the tables we were all sitting at the second time, but the bouncer proceeded to kick me out and not let me sit down. My friend Dave ended up having a pushing match with the bouncer (who was shaking at this point) before we left one last time. What a crazy night!

Conversation in the Clocktower on Monday:

Dennis (about his experience at Woodstock in 1969): I was 19.
Dale: Wow. Did you get laid?
Dennis: No, but I drank lots of beer.
Me: That's cool.
Dale: Did you catch Jimy Hendrix?
Dennis: No, I had to leave.
Dale: But he's dead!

This weekend I'm going to my friend Brent's wedding in Prince George as many of you already know. I'll admit I've been talking about this wedding a lot lately. But it's the first wedding I'll be attending in which a friend is getting married, meaning I won't be related to anybody there. Oh yeah! Should be lots of fun.

So I'm hitting the road to Prince George tomorrow morning, with the stag party beginning at 6 p.m. at the Tabor Arms Pub. The wedding is at 1 p.m. on Saturday at UNBC.

So my next post will likely be on Sunday following a weekend which is sure to be filled with lots of excitment............and alcohol of course. So be ready for a post filled with detail on my visit to my hometown.