The Central Canada Exhibition (CCE), or Ottawa Ex, or SuperEx as it would eventually come to be known, was the Ontario equivalent to the State Fair of Texas. It would take place each August at Lansdowne Park in Ottawa – the home of the Ottawa Rough Riders football team. Yes, that would be Canadian football, that world of 3 downs for 10 yards, wide field, and huge end zones (how does 25 yards sound to you, Mr, Defensive Back?).
The CCE had your standard carnival rides and games, livestock shows, and lots of cotton candy and funnel cakes (or the Canadian equivalent). But they also had nightly music shows at the football stadium at Lansdowne Park.
My exposure to live music started at the CCE as a birthday present. During my teen years, it became a consistent birthday event. The only thing that changed was the music – and my age.
It was an up and down week for Formula One fans in Austin. Red Bull brought their F1 car to Austin this past week amidst confusion and perhaps a missed opportunity or two.
As of Monday (August 15), they had planned a demonstration run for Saturday, August 20, though they had not formally confirmed nor denied the weekend event. This was exciting news for the people of Austin, as it would be the first time that an F1 car would be fired up in anger here. I for one was looking forward to it. Red Bull typically does a great job when it comes to F1 promotional events – just take a look at the video (below) from the event in Belfast.
From there, it all went a little weird with a rather strange series of events. I was left wondering – did a great opportunity to promote F1 in Austin get squandered?
Twenty one is a good number. If you play Blackjack, it is a winner. So with that in mind, let’s just assume that today’s episode of the Ruminations is a sure-fire winner. At least that’s my story, and I am sticking with it.
I had thought that today’s episode would be a video release party of sorts. Well, once again I was sadly mistaken. So here's the deal: the official start to the video blogging begins on September 1. Period. Quote me on it.
In the meantime, there are probably no fewer than 21 reasons to ignore the Iowa straw poll. There might be even more – who knows? When the theme of the Ruminations is something along the lines of “truth is stranger than fiction”, well, it became readily apparent in Ames. Michele Bachmann? Ah yes, it is time for more Rhubarb.
1. With Ames distinctly in your rear view mirror, how can we not mention the biggest candidate who didn’t grace the straw of Ames? Texas Governor Rick Perry is now in the running for the Republican Presidential nomination.
It had all lead up to this one particular moment. It was August 12, 1990. I was standing on the edge, ready to jump.
I had been thinking of moving to Texas for years. Somehow, it had wedged it’s way into my consciousness. The fascination started with an exploration of Austin music in the early ‘80s. After graduating from Queen’s University, I took a week to hang out in Austin to experience it and explore the great state of Texas. I flew back to Canada thinking that this might be a great place to live.
I realized that as a physiotherapist, I could work in just about any place I desired. The decision would be just as much about quality of life as it would be about my career. With that in mind, on May 20, 1989 I went on a two week fact-finding mission to Austin.
Now, 442 days later, it had become a reality. I had jumped all the hoops, packed up my things, and I was ready to go.
Now all I had to do was hop on that train and ride. Yes, you heard correctly: a train.
The ‘60s have always been a fascinating era in history for me. It was a time of social and political upheaval, of discovery, and of pushing the envelope of our collective thinking. A man on the moon within a decade. Civil rights. War protests. Woodstock. Philosophically, this era has always made sense to me – for countless reasons. Music was inherently tied in to “the message”. Music became a powerful connector of people and of social causes.
One of the icons of the era would have to be Neil Young. I have always had an immense appreciation for Young. I can thank my father for first exposing me to Young’s musical brilliance. I came to Young’s music primarily through albums like “Rust Never Sleeps” (1979). It was the raw guitar edge that was so stunning to me. The sounds that he could pull out of “Old Black” defined the word “grunge” before that phrase ever became popular.
But Young’s music (and guitar playing) is just a part of this equation.
As a lyricist and songwriter, Young will most certainly be considered one of the greats of our era. Over the past 4 decades, he has continued to meld strong social lyrics with a fearlessness to say what needs to be said – about love, and about war. And he has been his own man in the process, marching to the beat of his own drum.
This episode of the Ruminations was originally intended to be the first video episode. Yes, I have decided to forge ahead into the world of video blogging in the hopes that perhaps my sharp sense of humor will unfold even more brilliantly in front of the camera – or not. As you might expect, I say this with tongue firmly planted in cheek. Unfortunately, life can at times get in the way of video production, so perhaps Episode 21 will be the first. I am sure that unbridled excitement will prevail across the blogosphere in anticipation of this epic event.
In the meantime, the Ruminations must go on: drugs and debt and a little war thrown in on the side.
1. In years past, if someone had pulled a superhuman effort in the Tour de France, the accusations would fly. These efforts are usually chalked up to drug use and are now “guilty until proven innocent”. That is the sad state of affairs that is public opinion these days, especially when it comes to cycling.
This year, French cyclist Thomas Voeckler rode like a man possessed. He held the yellow jersey far longer than most had expected. But strangely enough, nobody ever seemed to mention the potential for drug use. Perhaps the court of public opinion has shifted, but perhaps it is even more elemental than that.
It has been quite some time since I did a Playlist Pondering, so I thought it was time to resurrect the idea. Today’s pondering is on one of the greatest rock bands to grace the planet – Rush.
Growing up in Canada, Rush entered into my consciousness at an early age. Back in the day, it seemed like they played virtually every high school in Canada – except mine. Rush was always on the radio, at least on the rock stations like CHEZ 106 in Ottawa or Q107 in Toronto.
The stellar musicianship and incredible jams initially caught my attention. How could it not, with Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, and Neal Peart playing their hearts out? All you had to do was watch “Exit … Stage Left” and you would be hooked. Awesome sauce, indeed.
But it was far more than that. My high school years, like many other people I am sure, found me struggling to find meaning. I was struggling to find out who I was and where I fit in, and the timing was right: there were Neal Peart’s lyrics right in front of me.
Up to 60% of runners will sustain an injury within any given year. Poor running mechanics, in conjunction with poor, ineffective and outdated training methods, can pose a significant injury risk. "RunSmart" was written to address these issues in the running community.
"Running Injuries: Etiology And Recovery- Based Treatment" (co-author Bridget Clark, PT) appears in the third edition and fourth editions of "Clinical Orthopaedic Rehabilitation: A Team Approach" by Charles Giangarra, MD and Robert C. Manske, PT.
Allan Besselink, PT, DPT, Ph.D., Dip.MDT has a unique voice in the world of sports, education, and health care. Read more about Allan here.
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