Blog Block (aka Summer Break) will be removed next week.
Blog Block occurs when you have lots to say but can’t/won’t/didn’t write it down.
Interesting really.
See/Talk/Write to you next week!
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Category: Be The Best.
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Wat-er u doing?
There is something about the sound of water.
Water is life.
Maybe that’s a part of it.
We were given an amazing gift card for a landscaping centre months and months ago from caring anonymous souls! (thank you!!!)
This week that gift came to life as the seed capital for a water feature and landscape project we’ve added to our home.
To hear the water flowing is amazing.
Tonight Max and I enjoyed a little conversation by the outdoor fireplace with the stream flowing in the background. Loved it. We always had great conversations around that fireplace. In fact, the boys would bug me that ‘let’s go sit by the fire’, would be code for ‘let’s have a little father/son chat’. We had a great many of those in the past and tonight was good too.
Now…we just need some real summer to go along with it!
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Ice Cream Cake
Ice cream cake. Chris loved it.
It was his one food indulgence, but only then it was reserved for birthdays.
I heard the term the other day and it stopped me in my tracks with the clicker frozen on the TV news.
Surrey parents, Mr. and Mrs. Kaulius, were helping out the RCMP on a road check campaign specifically targeting drinking and driving.
Their own daughter was killed in May of 2011 by a drunk driver (suspected and in the courts).
That is a sad enough story and one that should cause us all pause in this summer season.
The fact that these parents were out there trying to raise awareness just months into their journey was amazing enough.
I felt the pain however when the Dad mentioned that they still had their daughter Kassandra’s ice cream birthday cake in the freezer, these months later. His voice broke as he told how they just couldn’t part with it yet. They had planned to celebrate but instead had a funeral.
It is something that you must know to know if that makes any sense.
I felt the pain instantly for this family as they are just at the beginning of the journey. I salute all they are doing in memory of their daughter and the impact of her legacy.
As I reflect on our journey it is now been almost 16 months.
This past June has been one of the toughest so far.
The knowledge of a high-school graduation that didn’t happen.
The knowledge of a college education and lacrosse scholarships that we were not able to see finalized.
All of that was extremely painful.
However…I love the article written in the Langley times about Kassandra Kaulius and her family. Turning Grief into Action. THAT is what it’s all about. Action for your loved one of course. But I believe, action for yourself as well. Where are you going to go? What are you going to do? How are you going to keep on living a life that will positively affect others?
Giving is a part of Grieving. Remember that one?
There have been many days where I’ve add to sip some of my own medicine from blogs of the past year and more.
That’s a good tonic.
Have a great week!
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Father’s Day – the lighter side
Watch as I totally dominate Max in both cycling and then basketball.
(and if you believe that…)
Finally pieced a few bits of vid together from a great afternoon with the kid.
Of course we reminisced and laughed about the times Chris would join us on the bball court at home. Chris played basketball like he was playing lacrosse, complete with full-on body checks and intense (if not mostly illegal) defence.
After that I showed Max a thing or two about shooting and took him to the hoop a few more times before we biked home. (cough)
Although not on the vid, I had the chance to play ping pong with my Dad just a few days after Father’s Day itself.
We had a great time. I’m trying to remember the score, but I just can’t right now….
(When you’re 80 year old Dad beats you in ping pong after recovering from a 2 month hospital stay and 4 surgeries…you’d try to forget the score too…!)
Hey, this sports blog post ain’t going too well for me today.
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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.
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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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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.
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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.
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Skiing in June?
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.
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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!
Be The Best. 