I don’t care how old you are – a birthday should be a special day for you, a day to be spoiled and appreciated and loved. And I’ve got a lot of birthday shoutouts today.

First, happy birthday Nadia, a beautiful girl I went to school with from elementary through till high school and today is a mom of two gorgeous children. Happy birthday Diodora, one of the strongest women I’ve ever met, someone who is an amazing journalist, a brave wife and now also a mom (and a great one at that, I’m sure). Happy birthday Mr. Backes, one of the best teachers I’ve ever had, who toughened me up and was willing to give me a chance (which paid off in spades! Thanks Mr. B!)

Which brings me to two of my besties – Amanda and Andrew, who are both getting old today (haha…). Amanda gives the absolute best pep talks and is always willing to listen to me to go on and on about how some editor ripped apart one of my articles. She’s one tough cookie and a terrific mom. She’s resilient and caring and fun and taller than me, which is great (lol). I feel lucky to have a woman like Amanda in my life, and I truly appreciate the countless fun times we’ve shared on vacations and pub crawls and birthdays.

Andrew I’ve known since I met my husband (they’re cousins), and other than my dad, no one makes me laugh harder than he does (I’ve saved his phone messages for weeks). Despite the fact he’s “one of the boys,” I’ve always clicked with Andrew. He’s supported my schooling and career, he’s been the perfect sidekick to secretly hide out with at the bar taking shots while avoiding “certain groups” of people at the pub, and anytime I felt like talking about goats, I knew I could go to him.

Friends like Amanda and Andrew are what make ordinary dinners fun, random afternoons memorable, and birthday celebrations special. And that’s why they deserve only happiness, laughter and fun today and all year long…

On March 30th quite a few stars were born! HAPPY BIRTHDAY ALL!!!

Last night my husband and I watched a Passionate Eye special on CBC called “102 Minutes That Changed The World.” It included never-before-seen footage shot by people who lived in NYC and were witnessing the unbelievable course of events unfolding minute by minute. It captured their wide-eyed disbelief, horror, and fear as they tried to make sense of what they were seeing and hearing on the news (the conflicting reports were alarming).

I’m constantly awed and intrigued to watch anything and everything about 9/11… maybe it’s because it was one of those “world events” that I was alive for and will forever remember where I was on the day I heard that planes had flown into the World Trade Center. It was such a huge, unimaginable, almost surreal happening. And when I watched this special last night so many things rang true:

- Firemen and police are, quite simply, some of the bravest men and women on earth. Home videos captured people fleeing the scene, running as fast as they could away from the burning buildings, and then you see men in uniform running in the opposite direction toward the devastation. They climbed all those stairs to try and get to the victims at the top of the World Trade Center with all of their heavy gear, and many of them lost their lives in their brave attempts. They put their own well-being as well as their families’ second and their job to “rescue” first. It’s so unbelievably admirable.

- No one really seems to talk about the 911 operators who were fielding calls from those people trapped in the buildings, but imagine doing that job: trying to comfort people who are burning, hanging out of windows, scared beyond belief… what do you say? How do you deal with that? The show last night played lots of 911 recordings from that day and their compassion, patience, and hopefulness brought me to tears.

- They showed children who were evacuated from schools standing out in the streets watching the buildings burn and then collapse. They were so scared. One mom videotaped her daughter, who seemed no older than 6, at their home as they watched the first tower crumble, and she simply says, “The building is all gone!” How did parents explain this event to their kids? How do you tell your children that people can be evil enough to execute such a horrific stunt?

It’s easy to forget tragedies with time, but the events of September 11th will forever remain embedded in my mind. I’ll never forget waking up to my husband saying, “They’re flying planes into buildings” and thinking I must be dreaming because something like that would never happen. I’ll remember the horror and sickening feeling I had watching live as the towers fell like a house of cards in mere seconds, and shaking my head thinking, “How can this NOT be a nightmare and actually be real?” I will never lose my new-found respect for police and firemen as well as paramedics and 911 operators.

I will never forget.

1- When you’re driving and go to make a turn, you don’t have to swing out into my lane to make the turn. The roads were designed so you’d fit. Stay in your own lane.

2- Why is it that every time I find a great birthday card for someone, it’s the one card that doesn’t have a matching envelope? How is there an uneven ratio of cards-to-envelopes? Who took the extra envelope and what do they need it for?

3- Our laundry room is not a Salvation Army- don’t leave your unused books, clothes, and other cheap chachkas in there. No one wants em.

4- I get a lot of junk mail. It’s time for companies to turn to email and start saving paper. Email me coupons. If I want them I can print them and use the paper then.

5- I can’t wait for spring – I love tulips and the smell of lilacs. I want a walkway of tulips leading to my front door one day and a yard filled with purple and white lilac trees, just like Mike’s granddad had.

How come we never take “fun” classes as adults like we did when we were kids? Try new things? Explore different sports and arts to see if maybe we haven’t yet unlocked some new-found passion?

Between the ages of 5 and 14, I took tap, jazz, piano, gymnastics, diving, tee-ball, and volleyball. I tried to learn the flute in school, and I loved painting and sculpting and home ec. True, I didn’t really stick to any one activity for a length of time, but I got to dabble in lots of different things, and it was so much fun learning more about myself.

There are still “fun” classes I’d love to try even now as an adult. I tried swing-dancing and it was an EPIC FAIL. I also think hip-hop dancing would be cool – I know I’d probably look like a complete moron and that my back would likely rebel against such gyrating dance moves but it looks like so much fun! I’d also love to learn to play acoustic guitar and crochet (obviously not at the same time!). I think a cooking class would be a great time (and it would be even better if I got my other half to accompany me). And since I got my new Canon cammy for my 30th birthday I’ve wanted to hone my photography skills, learn more about the camera settings and mechanics, about lighting and shadows, etc.

So what are some “fun” classes you’ve considered trying in adulthood?

I remember sitting with my parents in the living room of our Florida home when I was a teenager and my dad asked me, “So what do you really think you want to be when you grow up? What do you want to study in university?” And I remember I had proudly declared, “I’m definitely going to be a journalist.” So my dad suggested that I try and write a newspaper article to see if I could do it. He gave me my topic: an earthquake hits Montreal (which at the time seemed ludicrous but, since moving here, I’ve felt a few random rumbles). I dashed up to my bedroom, plopped down at my eggshell desk, and cranked out an article on my electric typewriter in less than an hour.

It was a pretty good “first-time” attempt, and I had liked the challenge of writing it. I had a good friend who was on our high school newspaper and I asked her if she thought she could get me in. She did. A year later I was features editor. Journalism just seemed to be in the stars for me.

It’s been the most fun, interesting, challenging job ever, and I can’t imagine doing anything else. My first real gig was an editor for several start-up magazines, one of which was a home decor publication – who WOULDN”T want to be a fly on the wall and explore some of the most beautiful, unique, historic homes in a city like Montreal?! Then I worked with AskMen.com as their celeb editor- I interviewed Jenny McCarthy and Don Cheadle (and 25+ stars), attended an event with Paris Hilton, went to my first UFC fight, and got an invite to the Playboy Mansion.

And now I’ve been freelancing for two years. I’ve been treated to meals at some of Montreal’s newest, most high-end restos, received lavish beauty treatments, and enjoyed comped trips to Vermont. I’ve spent the night at the John Lennon/Yoko Ono suite at the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth hotel. I’ve been to glitzy runway shows at Fashion Week and museum openings with Yoko Ono and the family of Miles Davis. And best of all – I have met some of the most incredible people – people I’ve written about and people I have collaborated with, like other writers, editors, and publicists, people who were once just professional acquaintances and have become friends.

Being a journalist really is the best job in the world…

In honour of the adoption of Theo from the SPCA this week, I present some RANDOM THOUGHTS… on 12-week-old puppies I love…

1- Theo likes to lick the strangest things – he is OBSESSED with licking our kitchen cabinet hinges. He also licks my bed comforter, the chair legs, and shoes. I guess better licking than chewing!

2- They say a puppy will never pee where he sleeps. Whoever “they” are lied – Theo has peed on our bed, in his little cage and in his dog bed. He also like to lie on his pee pads (used pee-pads, I might add). Go figure! (Let me give him some credit though: After just four days he’s “making” inside half the time but the other half is outside… I think that’s pretty good! How many of your two-year-olds are potty-trained?)

3- The other day Theo had the hiccups- it was the cutest most pathetic thing you’ve ever seen, not to mention the little “HICK! HICK!” sounds he kept making.

4- Tails are very intriguing to a puppy. Sometimes Theo will just be trotting along and he’ll catch a glimpse of his wagging tail out of the corner of his eye, and the surprise and excitement on his face is priceless.

5- I think Theo was a gymnast in his past life. He can actually do somersaults all by himself (when he’s running too quickly and trips over his own feet lol) and he’s very flexible. He also has great balance and will scale the very tippy-toe-ends of the bed and futon. Wow, what a genius pup!

(And that concludes my week of puppy social networking… normal non-canine posts will resume next week!)

You knew it was coming…

It’s THEO THE GREAT! I had a dog growing up – a quirky, funny, sweet wheaton terrier named Dillon. He died a few years after I left home, and I’ve wanted another dog ever since. Mike joked on my 30th and bought me a stuffed puppy. But Monday morning a friend shared a pic posted by the SPCA in Montreal of a little guy named Theo who needed a home, and when I saw his pic (above), I obviously fell immediately in love. I showed the photo to Mike the minute he walked in the door from work, and he just looked and me and said, “Lets go pick him up.” So we did!

He’s an absolute doll and is perfect for Mike and I. He likes to have his fun but then he definitely needs his chill-out time, which is fine by us because so do we. He’s affectionate and smart and just downright adorable, and although it’s uber-cheesy, it feels so awesome to be needed by a cute little guy like him. I think he’s gonna be a great baby-breaker-inner.

Also, I promise not to go on and on about Theo in all my blogs… after this week. I have some doggy-related RANDOM THOUGHTS… I’m saving for Friday and then I’ll resume my usual non-canine rants.

So the city is all abuzz about the impending visit by celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay – he’ll be working on renovating the iconic Laurier BBQ chicken joint downtown, an establishment that’s been there, untouched, since the 1930s. Local papers have been covering the transition of the restaurant, and employees have been expressing worry that, in addition to updating the decor and menu, Ramsay will also update the staff, which means he’ll have to let employees go, many of whom have worked there for decades.

It’s a Catch 22 in my eyes. Having Gordon Ramsay tackle a Montreal restaurant project as his first gig in Canada is super exciting for our city. Having his name attached to this restaurant will inevitably draw in crowds. There’s even been talk about Ramsay and his investors turning Laurier BBQ into a chain, something that I’m sure is making places like Swiss Chalet quiver in their chicken-skins.

Canada is unique in that it’s a balanced mix of old and new. Sure urban centres like Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver have welcomed contemporary restos and brands with open arms, but there are also very particular parts of these cities that are steeped in history and have remained untouched, and no one wants to change them. Montreal’s St. Catherine Street is speckled with historic churches and diner/greasy-spoon eateries that have been there forever and truly make this street so recognizably popular, decade after decade. But there are also new modern establishments that have put the city on the worldwide map as one of the more forward-thinking areas of the country.

Ramsay’s visit and reno project is a perfect example of this mixture of old and new… while some of our most well-known chicken places (i.e., Laurier BBQ, Chalet BBQ, and Côte-St-Luc BBQ) are notorious for their outdated brown and orange decor, paper napkins and doilies, and bowls of lemon water for post-chicken finger clean-up, Montrealers are willing to take classic taste over modern amenities and decor. We Canadians are corny and love these old, outdated mainstays where we can count on being served an entire chicken meal for under $10 complete with half a hamburger bun and served on chipped orange plates. There’s something comforting about knowing what to expect.

Do you think Ramsay coming to Montreal will improve our culinary landscape?

1- I can’t stand it when people clap for themselves, like at awards shows. Clap for your fellow nominees and when they announce your name, be humble and stop clapping for a moment. It really irks me.

2- Here’s a great invention: cotton toothpicks to touch-up nails. Q-tips are too thick – they need thin toothpick-sized instruments with pointed ends covered in cotton so it absorbs the nail polish remover. It would be quite handy.

3- In Florida they have drive-thru banks – you can hit up a bank machine without getting out of your car and, during business hours, you can go to the drive-thru window and deal with a teller for all banking transactions. Like I said – they have this in Florida. Where it’s always warm. And it doesn’t get frigid and snowy. Ummm, Canada, it’s time to catch on to this idea!

4- Under your fingernails is the dirtiest part of your body… did you know that? How often do you take a nail brush and scrub underneath your nails? And how often do you put your hands/fingers in or near your mouth. That’s why when Mike clips his nails (even typing this I’m puking a little in my mouth) I FREAK if I find even one clipping. Cleaning under your nails is like flossing – it’s just something you NEED TO DO.

5- I want to teach my kids old-fashioned stuff, like how to make paste with flour and water, and write actual letters, play hopscotch in the driveway, blow dandelions, and catch fireflies in a jar.

I know I’m gonna get slammed for this post but here it goes…

I’ve always been around hockey. Not only were my parents huge Habs and Panthers fans growing up but my brother as well as my dad played in leagues from as far back as I can remember. I was force-fed hockey like broccoli and I hated it. But this season, in an effort to spend more time with my hubs, I decided to follow the Habs and we’ve watched every game together. I’m loving it now that I’m into it. But the ONE thing I hate about the sport is the fighting.

What does fighting have to do with playing hockey?! If you wanted to beat people up or you wanted to play a more contact-sport, you shoulda become a football player or an MMA fighter. Fighting on the rink has absolutely nothing to do with the sport. The guys who start fights in hockey are basically just announcing, “Hey, look at me, I have a penis and I’m big, bad, brave and strong.” They fight till they’re finally pulled apart (or wussy-out and pull away) and then they hug or tap each other’s butts and go on being friends.

Errrr, huh?

Fighting in hockey just fulfills our barbaric tendencies to see people battle. Whether you care to admit it or not, we as human beings have some kind of subconscious obsession  watching fights. It started centuries ago when man would battle beasts at coliseums while hoards of people cheered them on, and it’s evolved today into watching contact, violent sports. Don’t get me wrong- I’m a fan myself. I absolutely love UFC and will cheer on GSP to pummel his opponents until the guy is knocked out. Some might think that’s sick of me. But they’re the same people who watch football and hockey and wait to hear the CRASH of helmet-on-helmet or see two hockey players drop their gloves and duke it out on the ice.

In football, the physicality of the game is inevitable since the whole point is to tackle your opponent. But in hockey, there’s enough checking (as evidenced last night in the brutal and actually terrifying hit Pacioretty endured) and scuffling, but stopping a game so two players can dance around the ice swinging and punching is retarded. It’s unnecessary and cheapens the sport to me.

And that’s my thoughts on fighting in hockey. I look forward to your rebuttals.