I’ve been taking a break. It’s summer. Or it was until yesterday, and it still feels like summer, if I ignore the growing apprehension and sad nostalgia that autumn reliably delivers. “Reliably delivers”? I just made Seasonal Affective Disorder sound like FedEx. GO ME.
But yeah, I’ve been taking a break from the grueling sweatshop-esque labour of choosing from my one billion saved pictures of Roberto Too-Sexy Luongo, and typing some bullshit (hard science) underneath. Even the president needs a break sometimes, guys. Even the president.
That important point now made, I can assure you that while I’ve let some internet moss gather here, I have not been idle in my obsession. Oh no. There have been things occurring. THINGS I SAY.
And now, a list (I do love lists):
- I watched some classic, “baby Lu” games, including his first game with the Islanders (he won it) and his first NHL shut-out, (in the record books, though actually a puck tore a hole in the net and Toronto never caught it, so I’d have rather seen his second NHL shut-out). It’s fascinating to see how relatively unpolished his style was then, though the groundwork was definitely there. He didn’t used to hug the post nearly as well, and he was still so gangly. I may have nicknamed him “Baby Gangles” while I watched these games, but I’d be hard-pressed to admit it, because that sounds incredibly stupid. And the back of his neck. His hair was so short then. No curls. I couldn’t get over it. I made a screenshot. See above.
- My friend Jacob, from Seattle, came to stay for a week or so and had to suffer through my constant hockey chatter and re-watching of games. I’m on a tight schedule now to finish re-watching the 2010-2011 season before the new season begins, so Jacob got to overhear a lot of hockey games and a lot of swearing (and the occasional “WHAT A GOD”). Luckily, he knows how to make his own fun. I like to think he’s almost a Canucks fan now. I mean, he’s from Seattle. There’s no competition for his hockey heart. What’s he going to do? Watch baseball? Cue so much laughter and wiping of eyes.
- While I never actually succeeded in dragging Jacob to the team store to dress him up in Canucks jerseys, I did buy a giant Luongo poster during his visit, and put it up in my bathroom. I feel it works well there since Lu, as all goalies do in stressed-out goalie mode, looks a bit like he’s crapping himself. But, you know, in a stalwart way. I’m very fond of it and talk to it occasionally, but not nearly as much as I talk to my dog. That would be crazy.
- I bought my very first hockey jersey (and possibly last, as those shits are expensive), delighted that it was the last numbered jersey in the Gate 6 team store, (Luongo on the back, obviously) and realized once I got home that it said VANCUUVER on the front. Shock horror. Much twitter hilarity ensued, (probably more hilarious for me than my followers), the Team Store was suitably concerned and willing to make up for it, and eventually I grew so fond of my jersey foul that I refused to give it up. They gave me 20% off, though. If I ever want to walk around in a jersey that isn’t an obvious gaff, I think I’ll stick a piece of white tape (hockey tape?) over the top of the first U. Spellcheck camouflage, you know?
- I had a minor personal crisis when I realized that the game I’d most been looking forward to re-watching, the December 3rd, 2010 game against Chicago in which Luongo stood on his head for a shut-out win, is the ONLY game missing from the entire season on the NHL Vault player (to which, I remind you bitterly, I pay a monthly fee). I had to watch a condensed version. I’m still sad about this. Sad and angry. Who do I write to? The NHL? UM EXCUSE ME NHL YOU FUCKED UP, GUYS. UM FIX IT.
What else? So much else. Serious else and decidedly un-serious else. Like I’ve said before, whenever the autumn gets me down, I know that Hocktober is right around the corner. Maybe that’s why Canadians love hockey so much. We need it. Like the stoic fictional fantasy character intoned, winter is coming. Soon it will be here. Pucks will fly.