Month: June 2011

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Be The Best.

Power of Focus

I have a book in my collection that I’ve lent out and replaced probably 5 times and referred to hundreds of people since I first read it years back.

The core message is that with some concentration on the small things, the big things will take shape.  In other words, small habits make a big difference in long term performance.

From the Amazon book review: At the outset, the book identifies the three most important fundamentals for consistent success: developing unusual clarity; understanding that habits determine your future; and using a “no exceptions policy” approach to focus on what you want.

That book rests beside one of Chris’ provincial lacrosse medals.

The kid was relentless in his positive habits in pursuit of his goal.  Eating right. Push-ups. Cardio. Shooting practice.

It was all part of Being the Best.

I asked him once why at the age of 14 he stopped eating all junk food.  He said that he simply thought about the consequences of eating the food and decided that the payback wasn’t worth it.

That developed into long term positive eating habits that shaped his physique and mental attitude going into competition.

Power of Focus.  If you haven’t read it, put it on your summer reading list!

Have a great week.

Categories
Be The Best.

Wall to wall.

This week was wall to wall people.

At BCIT this week we saw five ceremonies, approximately 1,500 graduates, over 5,000 guests over three days.

It was wall to wall grads and wall to wall intensity as my amazing group at work makes the process flow seamlessly.

With every graduate there is hope.  With every graduate there are thoughts of the future.

That’s what makes this time so special.

After a week like this…wall to wall with people, deadlines, pressure, and plain old hard work, I am very ready for another wall.  Wall to wall to wall.

I’ll take those 65 steps today and stand in the trees and remember quietly and remind Chris to be close to all his buds who are crossing the high school grad stage next week.  That reminder of course isn’t needed as Chris is with them 24/7, but that’s what Dads like to do.

Wall to wall….to wall.

Then the week will feel complete.

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Be The Best.

Father’s Day – y2

Can’t believe it was a year ago today that Max took me to the newly opened Empire Field for a BC Lions preseason game.  What a great day.  Here’s a link to that post.

I talked with my Dad this evening and it’s great to hear his voice strong and stronger.  He wrote a famous list called 70 things to do now that I’m 70.  He’s doing so well I’m expecting an 80 things to do now that I’m 80 very soon.

He inspired a certain Max to write a 20 things to do now that I’m 20 just weeks ago.

Very cool.

Today I had a long talk with one of my sons.  We talked about life now and life in the future.  We shared some laughs about the past…silly stories and stuff that makes our family what it is.  As always we shared how much we care for each other…things that don’t change…NO MATTER WHAT.

I did the same with Max and we were able to share a great bike ride and play some basketball too.

Pretty cool all around.

Rock your week.

Categories
Be The Best.

The bar is set high!

The first Christian Friesen Memorial award went to an outstanding young man, Luke Genereux, just a few months ago in January.  You can see that post here.

Luke has now made the President’s Honour Roll at Simon Fraser University which is an outstanding achievement.

He’s set that bar pretty high!  A huge congratuations are in order for this amazing accomplishment.  You can read the details from the SFU press release below.

SFU Senior Captain Luke Genereux named to President’s Honour Roll

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

By William Howard,

 

SFU Lacrosse Media Relations

 

Simon Fraser University Men’s Lacrosse

BURNABY, BC (June 17, 2011) – Andrew Petter, President and Vice Chancellor of Simon

Fraser University has awarded men’s lacrosse graduating senior Luke Genereux (Port

Coquitlam, BC / Terry Fox Secondary) standing on the President’s Honour Roll. This award

is for students who have completed at least 30 units at SFU, and have achieved a term

GPA of 4.0 or above while taking at least 12 units of classes. The prestigious award for

outstanding academic achievement is permanently noted on a student’s transcript.

Genereux, who is expected to be named a MCLA Scholar Athlete later this summer, was

named an MCLA All-American for the second straight year in 2011 after receiving

honorable mention status last season. A senior captain for the Clan, he was also named a

PNCLL First Team All-Conference selection for the third and final time in his collegiate

career, after earning the same honor in both his freshman and junior year.

Genereux played four seasons for Simon Fraser from 2007-2011 at close defense and

LSM, helping to lead the Clan to a PNCLL Conference Championship and an appearance

in the MCLA National Championship Quarterfinals in 2009 and a run to the MCLA National

Championship Semi-Finals in 2010. SFU also finished as PNCLL Conference runners-up in

2007, 2010 and 2011.

Simon Fraser University is an academics first institution and Genereux’s award reflects a strong emphasis placed on

academics by SFU Co-Head Coaches Jeff Cathrea and Brent Hoskins. In seven seasons under Cathrea and Hoskins’

leadership, their players have excelled in the classroom producing the programs first eleven (11) MCLA Scholar Athletes

(Academic All-Americans) and maintaining the programs best academic record.

ABOUT SIMON FRASER MEN’S LACROSSE

Simon Fraser University men’s lacrosse will compete in its seventeenth season in 2012 and competes in the Men’s

Collegiate Lacrosse Association (MCLA). The Clan have captured a record eight PNCLL Conference Titles (1997, 1998,

1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2008 and 2009) and rank sixth all-time with ten MCLA National Championship tournament

appearances, placing 2nd in 1999 and playing in the 2010 MCLA Semi-Finals after reaching the Quarterfinals in 2008 and

2009. The Clan proudly wear equipment and apparel by Harrow Sports and Cascade helmets.

For further information on Simon Fraser men’s lacrosse please visit sfulacrosse.com or follow the Clan on Twitter at

twitter.com/fraserlacrosse.

Categories
Be The Best.

Skiing in June?

A closeup of the Grouse Mountain skyride
Image via Wikipedia

Max heard Grouse Mountain was still open for skiing and boarding.

Really?

In June?

Max came up with the crazy plan of hitting the slopes on his birthday (or 1 day before)…something never before attempted.

Sure enough, with an enormous base, Grouse is aiming to remain open on weekends till July 1.  Judging by the snow conditions today, they’ll be pushing it, but skiing on local mountains in June?  Are you kidding me?  What an experience.

So with my Canadian Hockey jersey given to me by Chris on the Christmas just before the Olympics, I joined Max and Kiera as we avoided a few rocks and a bunch of grass and had a great day.

Of course we had to shoot a little vid for proof!

We ended the day with dinner at the beach.

Only in Vancouver!

Happy 20th Max.  Hopefully the Nux will bring home the Cup for your birthday tomorrow.

I know your brother gives you the biggest virtual hug possible…and maybe a punch or two on the arm…you are brothers after all.

 

 

Categories
Christian Friesen

Slaying the Dragon.

Vancouver's False Creek, with BC Place in background and Dragon Boats racing to the finish line in foreground.

There were more than a few references to the Vancouver Canucks ‘slaying the dragon’ when they beat the Blackhawks on their quest for the Cup, which if you can believe, began two months ago!

Now, as we wait in slightly nervous (and maybe giddy) anticipation for Game 6 on Monday night, we wonder if the nightmarish Messier infused dragon of the NY Rangers in 1994 will be slayed….embodied of course by the bears from Boston this year.

Too much hockey history for ya?

Anyhooo, we saw some dragons being slayed of a different sort today.

We took in the Dragon Boat Races in Vancouver today.

What an amazing event.  I’m embarrassed to say, but in the 25 years of this event going on in my backyard, this was the first time I’ve seen it live.

The racing was cool to see, but more remarkable were the people behind the paddles.  There were several teams in bright pink that we wondered about.  Breast cancer survivors we were told.  Talk about slaying a dragon.  Cool.

Turning something very awful into action for something very good.

That’s slaying the dragon.

That’s Be The Best.

We saw that team being applauded as they made their way down to their boat for one of the many races of the day.  You knew how proud the family and friends in the crowd were of their paddler.

We loved watching Chris row for his school club and seeing how these teenagers learned to work together to perform a task.  Actually more than that.  If you didn’t work together you would fail miserably, not simply succeed at a lower level.  Teamwork meant EVERYTHING. 

We watched a number of practices and then cheered loudly on race day as we watched these High Schoolers push to the finish just 500 short days ago.  We are so proud of those rowers too…and of course one of them has a place in our heart forever.

Here’s a few pics from today.

ps. Races continue tomorrow.  If you’re near Vancouver, it’s a great scene. Here’s the official link.

Categories
Be The Best.

Getting the exposure right.

We’re spending more time at Chris’ wall than we thought we might.

We know his spirit is with us every day and everywhere, but there is something about that place.

We love the trees.

Something about these silent, magnificent soldiers that don’t say much, but quietly breathe oxygen into the atmosphere as the wind brushes through.

They stand guard through sun, wind, snow and rain.

I finally brought my decent camera and have a few photos here.

If you ever go, we want you to think about Chris’ amazing life, his passion and commitment to Being the Best and as you reflect…think about how you’ll be the best too.

It’s a never-ending challenge in the best of ways!

Categories
Be The Best.

The ABC’s of Family

Went for breakfast this morning at ABC.

Reasonable food, reasonable service…but I’ll save the eatery critique for my other blog…’Eating Your Way Through the Fraser Valley’, coming in 2014.  Wait for it.

The purpose for the breakfast was to see if my vision of Mom and Dad on Friday night was simply a dream sequence or actually real.

I took a camera along to be sure.

I remember just a couple of months back when Dad was so sick, thinking of our mountain biking experience last summer and simply making the schedule work to make that connection work.

Breakfast today was simply another opportunity to make the schedule work so we could connect, share some stories, have a few laughs and maybe a few sad stories too.

All part of being a family.

I guess the moral of the story is that any time and any experience can be a good one and continue to renew and deepen the bond.  Even a simple breakfast.

Here’s the pictorial evidence.

A respectful pose with Randy, Dad, Mom and sister Val.
The funny thing about this pic is that it looks like Mom is giving Dad the 'rabbit ears'...or maybe she actually is!
Max, Dad and Mom.
Categories
Christian Friesen

June 2011

June 2011 was one of those points in time that I knew was coming.

I didn’t really want it to get here.

But like a train whistle on a quiet night heard from miles away, I knew the train called time was on the track and couldn’t be stopped.

What’s the big deal with June?

It’s another major milestone.

Chris would have graduated from High School this month.  That’s a big deal because it meant the next steps of the bigger plan which included lacrosse, university and of course the doorway to the rest of his life.

We drove by a grad ceremony last week quite by accident.  It wasn’t from his high school…in fact it was in another city.  It did not take long for emotions to be on high alert.

This is just part of the journey and journey we will.

Bri (centre) with friends.

Now, there is a very great side of June that we welcome with huge and open hearts.

Chris’ friends will graduate soon and there will be more on that topic in another post, but Chris had a very close cousin named Brianna who graduated last night.  We were able to meet up with her and get some pictures and talk with her before the big ceremony.  To say we are proud is a complete understatement.

This is a young woman who is beautiful both inside and out.  She is as smart as a whip taking home multiple awards and trophies last night.  As Bri enters her next chapter of life, we would say these profound words….YOU GO GIRL!!

Dream your dreams.  Write down your visions.  Turn them into measurable goals and get to work in making it all come true.

Now as an addendum to this, as we were waiting to connect with Bri, a young couple came walking across the parking lot.  It was sort of like a dream sequence.  This young couple was my Mom and Dad.  The last time I saw them together, I was wheeling Dad in a hospital chair from one floor to another (yes, via elevator!) to see Mom who was also in the hospital.  To see them walking towards us looking as svelte as ever was nothing short of a miracle I would say.  I’ve taken a few pictures so you can judge for yourself.

Have a great and SAFE weekend!

(you can click on images for a larger picture)

Even more pics on Picasa.