Who are you

Hi, I'm Andrew... (Now you all say, "Hello Andrew!" in unison).

I was born in the Bronx, New York (no joke) so don't mess with me, and you better cross the street if you see me coming. My father was in the Foreign Service, so we moved around a lot, and unfortunately for me, I only moved to Ottawa at age 11. Prior to that, I lived in Cuba and Washington DC. Because of my Cuban stint, and my mother being El Salvadorian, I speak Spanish fluently, and it was, technically, my first language; however, English is my best language. I also speak French, as my parents wanted to keep my education as consistent as possible.

As I said, I moved to Ottawa at age 11, and absolutely adore hockey now. I had been to a couple games prior to moving to Canada, but become a huge fan, and taught myself the sport quickly.

Eric Desjardins was my favourite player growing up, even though Ottawa is my team. I have the greatest respect or Alfie, however, Arvedsson was my favourite Sen, then Chara, Volchie and Vermette. I'm a big fan of the underrated producer. Now I'm a big fan of Foligno, Regin, and Winchester.

I came to Halifax to go to Dal. Now I'm pursuing my CMA, and looking to move back to Ottawa. I miss Ottawa, I miss the Shawarma Palace (although last time i went, i was disappointed. I find Arz in St Laurent has gotten much better!!) I miss going to games, I miss people not having obsessions with Sidney Crosby... I miss a lot about Ottawa.

Bass Destruction wrote:Hi, I'm Andrew... (Now you all say, "Hello Andrew!" in unison).

I miss Ottawa, I miss the Shawarma Palace (although last time i went, i was disappointed. I find Arz in St Laurent has gotten much better!!) I miss going to games, I miss people not having obsessions with Sidney Crosby... I miss a lot about Ottawa.

Dude. I feel you. I've been gone from Ottawa for five years now, and I have tried to make my way back there, but with the job market like it is...

Every time I come up to see a game, or to visit old friends, I always find I never want to leave. Breakfast at Summerhays in Nepean, Finding out that Manotick was the only place with power during the blackout, playing baseball onstinky summer nights out in Barrhaven... all crazy things I miss.

Damn, I think i may have to have a drink.

~MFP2

Cap'n Clutch wrote:The only way I could see leaving the cozy confines of the Federal Government is if I decided to go back to school for teachers college and got a job teaching kindergarten. That is my dream job. Junior and Senior kindergarten is where I'd want to be, that or teaching young children in an art class.

I'd want to be an auto mechanic or a truck driver.

SeawaySensFan wrote:

Cap'n Clutch wrote:The only way I could see leaving the cozy confines of the Federal Government is if I decided to go back to school for teachers college and got a job teaching kindergarten. That is my dream job. Junior and Senior kindergarten is where I'd want to be, that or teaching young children in an art class.

I'd want to be an auto mechanic or a truck driver.

Why a truck driver? It seems like a lonely job with long hours driving late at night and having to spend large amounts of time away from your family. Tired all the time due to sleep deprivation. I don't know am I wrong?

Cap'n Clutch wrote:

SeawaySensFan wrote:

Cap'n Clutch wrote:The only way I could see leaving the cozy confines of the Federal Government is if I decided to go back to school for teachers college and got a job teaching kindergarten. That is my dream job. Junior and Senior kindergarten is where I'd want to be, that or teaching young children in an art class.

I'd want to be an auto mechanic or a truck driver.

Why a truck driver? It seems like a lonely job with long hours driving late at night and having to spend large amounts of time away from your family. Tired all the time due to sleep deprivation. I don't know am I wrong?

Not at a well-run reputable company. You get your rest and you'd probably end up having more family time one a one-week on, one-week off schedule, for example.

SeawaySensFan wrote:

Cap'n Clutch wrote:

SeawaySensFan wrote:

Cap'n Clutch wrote:The only way I could see leaving the cozy confines of the Federal Government is if I decided to go back to school for teachers college and got a job teaching kindergarten. That is my dream job. Junior and Senior kindergarten is where I'd want to be, that or teaching young children in an art class.

I'd want to be an auto mechanic or a truck driver.

Why a truck driver? It seems like a lonely job with long hours driving late at night and having to spend large amounts of time away from your family. Tired all the time due to sleep deprivation. I don't know am I wrong?

Not at a well-run reputable company. You get your rest and you'd probably end up having more family time one a one-week on, one-week off schedule, for example.

Move to Alberta then, there are more trucking jobs here then you can shake a stick at. I know a guy who's got what basically amounts to long haul wages, but he's home every day and on weekends. 10 hour days are Dung when the weather is bad though.

Nice thread. My name is Mihir. And unlike the most of you, I was only exposed to hockey when I was 11 years old. Though I was born in India, I spent the next 10 years in Africa (no joke, I was in Kinshasa, Zaire for that long!). While there I actually went to an american school and became a basketball fan (the bulls and jordan were big!).

When I came to Canada, we were first in Toronto, but within 3 months my dad landed a job in Ottawa, and been here since 1997. I even remember once renting a garbage NHL game on N64 only to discover there was a team called the Ottawa Senators (to my surprise, i said 'this city has a team??') haha. I wasn't attracted to hockey at first cuz I still followed the bulls. I tried to read about them in the citizen as much as I could but couldn't help but also slowly start paying attention to the senators and their season of 97-98. Eventually, come spring time I started watching the playoffs (though bulls were still big at that time, I managed to divide my time perfectly between the two). That year the sens beat the devils to advance in the playoffs for the first time. That is still one of my greatest memories cuz that's what vaulted me into a true avid fan of the senators. Since then, its become an obsession (bulls were forgotten after Jordan retired). I don't think anything has brought me so much happiness as the senators' victories...I don't anything has broken my heart (not even girls) as much as the sens have. But here I am, and I believe I'll be rooting for the rest of my life.

Present day, I am working at RIM (Go ballsie!) and graduated with my Electrical Engineering degree from UofO in 2008. Currently, I am working full time and doing my masters in electrical part-time. In my free time, I tutor high school students in Barrhaven at Learna tutoring center. Safe to say, I got a hella busy schedule! My one regret is that I never joined a hockey team cuz I didn't learn to fully skate till I was 13!

SeawaySensFan wrote:

Cap'n Clutch wrote:

SeawaySensFan wrote:

Cap'n Clutch wrote:The only way I could see leaving the cozy confines of the Federal Government is if I decided to go back to school for teachers college and got a job teaching kindergarten. That is my dream job. Junior and Senior kindergarten is where I'd want to be, that or teaching young children in an art class.

I'd want to be an auto mechanic or a truck driver.

Why a truck driver? It seems like a lonely job with long hours driving late at night and having to spend large amounts of time away from your family. Tired all the time due to sleep deprivation. I don't know am I wrong?

Not at a well-run reputable company. You get your rest and you'd probably end up having more family time one a one-week on, one-week off schedule, for example.

Courier companies like Purolater seem to be good in terms of not over working you and paying decently well.

Cap'n Clutch wrote:

SeawaySensFan wrote:

Cap'n Clutch wrote:

SeawaySensFan wrote:

Cap'n Clutch wrote:The only way I could see leaving the cozy confines of the Federal Government is if I decided to go back to school for teachers college and got a job teaching kindergarten. That is my dream job. Junior and Senior kindergarten is where I'd want to be, that or teaching young children in an art class.

I'd want to be an auto mechanic or a truck driver.

Why a truck driver? It seems like a lonely job with long hours driving late at night and having to spend large amounts of time away from your family. Tired all the time due to sleep deprivation. I don't know am I wrong?

Not at a well-run reputable company. You get your rest and you'd probably end up having more family time one a one-week on, one-week off schedule, for example.

Courier companies like Purolater seem to be good in terms of not over working you and paying decently well.

Yeah. That too. They have a written test that I scored really well on and I was offered a job too. I wouldn't mind doing that. Or a city bus driver in Cornwall.

SeawaySensFan wrote:

Courier companies like Purolater seem to be good in terms of not over working you and paying decently well.

Yeah. That too. They have a written test that I scored really well on and I was offered a job too. I wouldn't mind doing that. Or a city bus driver in Cornwall. [/quote]

What stopped you? The pay and benefits of the GOV?

Cap'n Clutch wrote:

SeawaySensFan wrote:

Courier companies like Purolater seem to be good in terms of not over working you and paying decently well.

Yeah. That too. They have a written test that I scored really well on and I was offered a job too. I wouldn't mind doing that. Or a city bus driver in Cornwall.

What stopped you? The pay and benefits of the GOV?[/quote]

I wasn't even at the GOV at the time. Big mistake on my part. Oh well.

You would have been part of the Teamsters too.

Cap'n Clutch wrote:You would have been part of the Teamsters too.

That was a loooooooong time ago! lol Teamsters does sound more uniony than PSAC though.

Cap'n Clutch wrote:

SeawaySensFan wrote:

Cap'n Clutch wrote:The only way I could see leaving the cozy confines of the Federal Government is if I decided to go back to school for teachers college and got a job teaching kindergarten. That is my dream job. Junior and Senior kindergarten is where I'd want to be, that or teaching young children in an art class.

I'd want to be an auto mechanic or a truck driver.

Why a truck driver? It seems like a lonely job with long hours driving late at night and having to spend large amounts of time away from your family. Tired all the time due to sleep deprivation. I don't know am I wrong?

My girlfriends dad is a trucker, and it makes it almost impossible to spend time with his family. He does bring his wife along, so its not all that lonely, but the hours are crazy. In two months I've only been able to see him once, and he did seem pretty exhausted.

hemlock wrote:

Dash wrote:I've thought of the trades, they seem to be hiring in some areas, but I hear it can be quite a long time before you can get your foot in the door.

I'm leaning towards University because it likely will open more doors, but if a full time, permanent career opening comes up I would have to consider it. Getting a Federal Gov't job would be ideal. Or even Provincial.

Hopefully this re-training program helps me decide what to do.

Getting into the trades can be as easy as phoning a company and asking if they are looking for apprentices. Or start as a helper, then get indentured. Trades are in high demand everywhere because alot of journeymen are reaching retirement age and their aren't enough younger journeymen nationwide. I know this because I was an electrician apprentice for awhile (didn't like it, so I left). I literally called a list of electrical companies and found one willing to give me an opportunity. It was quite easy, but you've got to be persistant.

EDIT: You can also obtain a Red Seal certification in several trades, allowing you to work essentially anywhere without having to get certified again in your trade, say in another country.

I might try that thanks. Still not 100% certain that's the path I want to take.

Michallica wrote:My one regret is that I never joined a
hockey team cuz I didn't learn to fully skate till I was 13!

There's nothing stopping you from joining now. Speaking for myself and the Toronto area, there are a few beginner hockey programs for adults. My first year last year was with True North Hockey and we started off wit ha 10 week hockey school which basically saw us practice skating and bettering our balance and all the beginner things. Some people had basically never skated before. If you are interested you should check out what Ottawa has.

I guess I should probably do this too.

My name is Mel (Melanie), I'm from Ottawa and have been a fan of hockey since I was a little one. My dad got me into it early. I used to play street hockey all the time with the older boys on my street and at school. Goalie was my position, I loved it. I wish I could've joined a team but I never had the chance to.

I got into the Sens when they came back into the league but not nearly as much as I'm into them now. I used to build forts in my basement when I was younger to watch the playoffs, it was my own little world. Couch cushions were the best for that.

When I got to high school I had lost most of my interest in watching sports, but I would play sports a lot. Then when I hit my 20's I met my now husband, Peter (SpezDispenser) during the lockout year and we became absolutely and completely hooked on the Sens after seeing the Binghamton Senators (with Spezza) play at Scotiabank Place. That's when the madness began. The Sens had signed Hasek and he was my all time favorite goaltender, I couldn't not watch the team, that was it for me. Ever since then we've been to countless games and haven't missed many games on T.V. (Unless they aren't on at all, in which case we listen to them on the Team) I started doing shrines in our house the year they went to the Final. I just had a feeling at the beginning of that season that it was going to be a special year, and it was. I've never experienced so much excitement in my life, those are memories I will keep with me forever. We were lucky enough to go to Game 3 here. The only game they won. Nothing can be compared to that game and the atmosphere and excitement of winning. The only other excitement that was close to that was the game winning goal by Alfie to bring us to that point. That year was just amazing, too bad we couldn't bring the Cup home, but I have faith that eventually we will.

My favorite players are Alfie first and foremost, Volchenkov and Michalek.

Our beautiful cat King is also a huge fan. He's gotten used to our crazy screaming and jumping around when the Sens score.

Hey, my name is Tukker. Im 16 years old, born and raised in Sault Ste Marie Ontario, but have also spent time in Georgetown and Calgary.

I grew up a Montreal fan, and still cheer for them to this day, but Ottawa is #1 for me. My favourite player growing up was Sergei Fedorov and Ray Bourque. I'm also a big football fan, cheering for the Saints and Ti-Cats my whole life.

Music is a huge part of my life, I play guitar in a rock band called "RXN"(pronounced reaction). I listen to alot of different music, from country, to grunge, classic rock, some current, and everything in between.

My first love is songwriting though, and there's nothing i enjoy more.

here's an example, ill put it in spoiler so it doesnt make the page longer for people who dont care

Spoiler:

Great lyrics Tuk! You are very talented. Keep it up!