… well, sorta… it WAS your choice, after all…

Trashy,
Ottawa, Ontario

ob⋅ses⋅sion

/əbˈsɛʃən/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [uhb-sesh-uhn] Show IPA

–noun

Couples newly in love are often said to be obsessed with one another.

Sports fanatics are obsessed with their team and follow every win and loss with The Unwavering Faith that their side will eventually prevail.

Some are obsessed with their jobs, their cars, clothes, or political ideology, or cats.

In human history, obsessing has played a large role in charting the course of events. Napoleon and Alexander, with their obsessions over territory; Hitler, with his warped obsession with the Jews; Dubya, with his obsession about the terrorists… (1)

Big time decisions and big time players. The paths of human histroy were spurred on by these obsessions.

But obsessions need not be world-changing.

Little kids are great at the obsession game. My son has lately been obsessed with YouTube videos – particularly one called Firetruck. He loves this simple vid that was clearly produced by some Dad for his son.

And now I have that song going over and over inside my head. And you do too if you clicked on that link.

You’re welcome.

I was reminded of the immense power of obsession the other day when my eldest sub-unit realised that her beloved Blackberry was dead and not likely to be revived without an “up to 6 week” trip to the shop.

Yikes!

She was next to hysterical! Over a phone! A phone! I mean that there were tears, anger, frustration… all rolled into one crazy, almost 17 year old, 5’8”, blonde kid who has 50% of my DNA!

Needless to say, I was extremely worried about this. It couldn’t just be a phone that was causing this distress. There had to be something else! What else was wrong? Was it serious? Could I help in some way? These were the thoughts going through my head at 3 am on the night following the tearful call.

Then, on the bus to work the next morning, I mentioned this to a fellow bus rider who is also a blogger that lives in my ‘hood. After telling her the sad tale and flapping my arms around a bit, she was like:

Meh. Chill. This is normal for a teenage girl.

And I confirmed this with a couple of work colleagues. It’s not really that unusual for a teen to freak out over something that to me is quite mundane.

This seemingly obsessive behaviour over a piece of communications equipment is not something that someone of my generation can really relate to. A phone to a teen – especially and teen girl – is more than a phone; it is a lifeline to her friends. And a teen’s friends are EVERYTHING! Bar none.

So going without a phone is going without that vital lifeline that secures a teen to the things that matter most to her. It’s not the phone per se; it is the isolation that goes with it.

Ah. I think I get it.

My daughter’s obsession with her Blackberry is every much as deep as:

• My obsession with Leafs and their (endless and futile) quest for the Cup,
• Harper’s obsession with a majority government
• Christians’ obsessions with myths, and
• Canadians’ obsession with the weather, and
• Tiger Woods’ obsession with, uh, you-know-what

What are you obsessed with?

1. Or whatever it was that powered that tiny, tiny mind.

Trashy,
Ottawa, Ontario

So Bettman and his merry band of jokers at the NHL head office are now suggesting that another team in Canada ain’t such a bad idea after all – just not in Hamilton like that uber-evil Jim Basillie wants. Maybe Winnipeg but more likely to another desert hot hockey hotbed, like Vegas! Bettman is really that full of himself and relocating one of the loser American teams would be a direct slap in the face and repudiate what he has tried to do since becoming the Commish.

This has definitely become personal if it wasn’t so already.

This is driving Canadian fans crazy! Why not move to a city that will actually support their team!? Hamilton, Winnipeg, Québec City, Halifax?????? Hellloooooo!!????

Kansas City? Been there, done that.

Vegas? ????? Have they even HEARD of hockey there?

We all know the reason why a Canadian city has not had a chance in Hell in acquiring a team – and his first name is Gary. But that may change…

Thanks Jim Basillie for setting up the campaign to “make it seven”. It could just as easily be “make it ten” because hockey is Canada and Canada is hockey. Take the teams outta those places that do not deserve them and are not supported by their communities and bring ‘em home where they’ll be loved!

Bye-bye Phoenix, Atlanta, Tampa Bay and Columbus!

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Trashy,
Ottawa, Ontario