Listen up bosses, the spirits speak

RICK MACDONNELL, SnowSeekers Inc.

I'm not what you'd call a paranormal fan. I don't buy into ghosts, or spirits, or the netherworld. I regard clairvoyants in much the same way I do Criss Angel or David Copperfield: they're charlatans who trick the willfully ignorant into handing over hard earned money.
Given this preface, I did something strange today. I went to a psychic.
Although I put absolutely no faith in their wisdom or mystic understanding, psychics have always intrigued me. Maybe I've watched too many episodes of Carnivale, or maybe I'm just desperate for some sign that there is something out there that's greater than my understanding. I don't know.

All I know is that I've always wanted to experience a reading personally, and in light of the potentially life-changing adventure I'm on right now in Whistler, I thought that there was no better time than the present.
And so, at The Oracle at Whistler, I met with Brett MacDonald, who'd I'd normally call a "self-proclaimed" medium, but considering the amount of diplomas hanging on his wall declaring his qualifications, apparently there's some kind of governing body that oversees this sort of thing.
I have my doubts that it's Hogwarts, but it appears that such places do exist.
Brett (first name only please) took me through your pretty standard tarot reading, where I first selected 10 cards from a stack of 78. After I chose my 10, Brett jumped right into things and hit me with a right hook to the jaw: "He is little known in his field."
Gee, thanks Brett. I'm not saying you're wrong, but you could have eased me into this thing.
I then discovered that my future will be defined by my past, that I will often look back with nostalgia on current events. I make my living through creativity, he said, and that at that very moment my mother was worried if I was doing okay.
Take my word for it, all three of those are true. Especially the last one, I'm sure.
I then asked Brett, specifically, how this whole Olympic experience will shape both me and my future. I chose 11 cards from the pack. After pulling out a card, Brett said, "They're not paying you enough."
Ahem ... are you reading this, Doc Pow, Barb? Brett says I'm awesome and you two should pay me more. Given that he's all in touch with higher powers and whatnot, I'd listen to him if I were you. You might wake up tomorrow as a turtle or ... a snowblader, rather than a snowboarded or a skier.
Hey, it wasn't me that said these things. It's the spirits, man. The spirits!
At this point I noticed something strange. In a 78-card deck (no two are identical), I managed to choose the same six or seven cards over again with only 10 chances to do so. Things were getting weird.
After reiterating my creativity and how my passions will shape my future, I was told that my strength is internal. Maybe Brett foresaw this, or maybe he just looked at my less-than-imposing physique, but regardless, apparently my strengths are character, courage, and conviction.
The reading ended with my "positive" card. I chose the Burden, which is an odd "positive" card to choose. This indicated overload, Brett said. The burden of success.
He says that my company is sometimes overwhelmed with responsibilities, but at the same time they show our worth, that we're proving something to people.
You still reading this, you two? Brett says we kick ass. And that you need to give me money.
At the end of the day, do I believe in psychics more than I did before? Not really. But if the experience taught me anything, it's that if there really are spirits out there, then they're on my side.
Maybe it's all thanks to Doc Pow's meditation, but it sounded like, for myself and SnowSeekers, the Olympics are only the beginning.
Now give me my money!

Stay tuned to www.snowseekers.ca/olympicnews for daily blogs, videos and more throughout the Olympics.

For full stories on Western Canada's winter destinations, visit snowseekers.ca and friend us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.

Just imagine an Elmo made of mittens!

RICK MACDONNELL, SnowSeekers Inc.

As of this morning, there have been no reported deaths by way of "mitten mauling" in Whistler Village. From what I saw today while waiting to get into The Olympic Store, I suspect that those numbers have been smudged a little.
The mittens in question are, of course, the red Canada Olympic mittens that you can see on the hands on about 70% of the planet right now. I'm sure the only places that aren't crazy over these things are where mittens are an unnecessary nuisance (call centres, computer stores, anywhere pencils are being used) or where people don't even know mittens exist.
People are crazy for these things! I actually saw two grown women – one of whom I'm sure had grandchildren watching – have a tug-o'-war over a pair even though there were dozens of others sitting right next to them.
Flashes of Tickle-Me Elmo came to mind, and I was just waiting for a full on throw-down between two desperate dads determined to wipe their child's tears away with some mitts.
"This is the weirdest thing I've ever seen," said my fellow linemate, Tom McIntosh. "I've seen lineups before, but this is absolutely out-of-this-world crazy."
What he was referring to was the line of 50+ people waiting for the doors to open at 7:15 in the morning. The doors don't open until 9:00 and there are already dozens of people waiting!
I rode the shuttle with a couple a few days ago, who went to the Olympic Store at 8:15 a.m. and didn't get inside until almost 10 a.m.

In the words of my new good friend, Marge Thorgrimson, "They're just mittens, people!"
Thorgrimson (amazing name, by the way) is a native of Seattle, Washington who's as gung ho for the Games as the next person, but she, too, was overwhelmed with the lines and, especially, the intensity.
"It's all about the mittens for some of these people," she said through a laugh. "But they're a collector's item, probably the number one souvenir from the 2010 Games. So it makes some sense, I suppose."
We each looked up and down the lineup again, before turning back to one another. "Or maybe not," she said.
Sane or not, people are right to take home a pair before the Games conclude. They're certainly the hottest commodity when it comes to 2010 memorabilia. But people ... please ... settle down. You're all a bunch of raving loonies. But then again, given your Canadian heritage, that might actually be somewhat appropriate.

Stay tuned to www.snowseekers.ca/olympicnews for daily blogs, videos and more throughout the Olympics.

For full stories on Western Canada's winter destinations, visit snowseekers.ca and friend us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.

Brits love their pints – and so do Canucks

RICK MACDONNELL, SnowSeekers Inc.

"Whistler's leaning more towards the British scene, I think. More and more of us are coming over. It's much more friendly here, I think, than in England. Just talking with other Brits on the chairlifts and stuff, there's definitely a new wave coming across the sea now. With any luck we'll outnumber the Aussies soon."

So says Kent native, Billy Clarke, an Englishman who now calls Whistler home. He's been here for three months, and if you can believe it, the Olympics were an afterthought for him.
"I was just coming for the snow, mate. The Olympics were a bonus, to be honest." After a laugh, he continued. "The hill is amazing, you know, and the fact that the Olympics are here is just awesome."
After chatting for a few minutes about some British beers, I couldn't take it any longer and decided to try some out for myself. And in Whistler, there's one place the Brits go: Elephant and Castle.
"We've been open for almost three months, and since then we've developed kind of a cult following with the Brits," said General Manager Mark Forest.
Over a pint of Fuller London Pride, Forest caught me up to speed on the disparities between Canadian beers, and those of our British forefathers.
"Well, for starters, British pints are imperial pints, so they're 20 ounces. We don't do pitchers of beer, but we do have the 20 ounce pints. We serve various styles of British beers, lagers and pilsners. We rotate our beers around, but we always make sure that we have the favourite British beers on tap.
"We have Boddingtons, Fuller's London Pride, Strongbow, and then we rotate around with some of the smaller brews. And of course the IPA, India Pale Ale."
The story of India Pale Ale is well known. When British soldiers were in India in the 1800s, they simply had to have their beer. But it was so hot during the summer season that the beer was going bad. So the soldiers added more hops, which acted as a preservative.

"Thus, you get a hoppier beer, India Pale Ale. It's become a British Staple. It's a lighter beer, but it's good."
There is such deep British heritage in Canada that, naturally, British pubs and beers still hold some influence. You'd be hard pressed to find a city in the whole country without at least one classy British establishment.
"It does surprise me that we're the only British-style pub in Whistler. There's a part of British culture, and there's a part of Canadian culture, and that's beer," said Forest.
Although he's a big proponent of the British varieties, Forest is also a fan the Western Canadian microbreweries.
"There's one in Victoria, B.C. called Phillips Brewery, and it's amazing. They won one gold and one silver award at the GABF, which is the Great American Beer Festival.
"You've got breweries from Halifax to B.C. to California, to Mississippi in this thing. There's 4,000 breweries that enter. For an up and coming brewery in British Columbia to take gold, that's amazing. We're talking a seven year old brewery."
In the words of Billy Clarke, speaking of Whistler, "It's awesome. Absolutely awesome."

Stay tuned to www.snowseekers.ca/olympicnews for daily blogs, videos and more throughout the Olympics.

For full stories on Western Canada's winter destinations, visit snowseekers.ca and friend us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.

The naked truth

RICK MACDONNELL, SnowSeekers Inc.

With just one walk through Whistler Village, a person can marvel at and take photos of a dozen sculptures and statues.
There are the obvious favourites, like the massive Olympic rings just outside of Medals Plaza and the Inukshuk in the heart of the Village, but there are also ice sculptures, wood carvings, and granite statues to be found in nearly every nook and cranny.
In spite of this wealth of artistic creativity, one piece in particular has stood (its very muscular) head and shoulders above all others in terms of attention and significance: Slapshotolus, a sculpture by Edmonton artist Edmund Haakonson.
 Located at the Pride House in the Pan Pacific Whistler Village Centre, the sculpture has garnered nearly universal acclaim for its unification of both life and sport, gay and straight, serious and humourous.
The piece shows how these disparate elements can all existent in not just a single work, but a single being, and typifies authentic human experience.
"Slapshotolus is a physical representation of the philosophical ideal of living one’s life with truth and honesty to one's self," Haakonson said.
"The sculpture is a visual symbol of living without armor, the idea that one who lives a noble life does not require more protection, does not need to seek cover because there is nothing to hide from or be ashamed of."
Works of art, be it paintings, sculptures, novels, etc., are often created with this same intention towards eloquence and expressiveness, but it takes rare talent – genius, really – to achieve the desired effect. With Slapshotolus, Haakonson has done that and then some.
The power, grace, courage, and purity of Olympic sport is on full display here. It's not just a stunning example of homosexual expression, it's more so an Olympic expression.

"The sculpture is classical Greek imagery with a modern makeover. The individualized body (as opposed to the stylized conventions of ancient Greek art) recognizes our culture's focus on individual achievement, whereas in the ancient world the emphasis was on the collective.
"I've kept the body nude to acknowledge that connection with ancient Greek art. The nude form symbolizes purity, innocence, and truth. I chose the hockey player because, well, it's Canada. Come on."
Haakonson has felt overwhelmed with the positive feedback he's received for his sculpture, which took roughly seven months and an estimated 500 man hours to create. Given the statue's possibly controversial ... bravado .... Haakonson could not be happier with its reception.
"There's something absurd about a hockey player wearing only skates, gloves, and a helmet. Even though ancient nude art makes sense to us, and playing hockey makes sense, the combination of the two is funny.
"But I've been so happy to see that people haven't fixated on that, that they are able to marry the serious and the humourous to appreciate the work as a whole."
Before arriving in Whistler, I imagined that my most profound and enduring memories would be much the same as everyone else's. Instead, it's been some of the more unusual, unexpected experiences that have come to define my time at the 2010 Winter Games.
Meeting Haakonson and receiving a personal viewing of Slapshotolus is another in a long line of unique snapshots that have formed into an amazing, life-changing collage. It's not a four-foot statue made of bronze, but it's just as beautiful.

Stay tuned to www.snowseekers.ca/olympicnews for daily blogs, videos and more throughout the Olympics.

For full stories on Western Canada's winter destinations, visit snowseekers.ca and friend us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.

An hour of reflection amidst the chaos

RICK MACDONNELL, SnowSeekers Inc.

It's called the Norwegian Church Abroad (or Sjomannskirken), and it has served as the hub of Norwegian activity during the 2010 Games. Norwegians, and honoured guests, have been treated to waffles, coffee, Norwegian newspapers, and wonderful hospitality in what's become a home-away-from-home.
While Norway House (as it's referred to around the Village) has provided a quiet place for respectful reflection, the Norwegians organized an ecumenical service at the Whistler Public Library this afternoon. They were gracious enough to allow me to attend.
Knowing the service would be delivered in Norwegian, I wasn't sure how much of the service I would understand. I grew up in a very strong Catholic household, so I thought that, at the very least, I would recognize some similarities in the services and be able to participate without looking like, well, a Canadian among Norwegians.
By some stroke of luck I took a seat next to Torv and Valeri Hugdahl of North Vancouver. Torv was born in Norway and emigrated to Canada in 1956, where he met Valeri.
Through what some would call an act of God, but I was set up with a Norwegian-to-English translator for the whole service. Someone was looking out for me, it would seem.
Despite the much needed help I wasn't completely in the dark. Following along with the program, I recognized words like "Kristus" (Christ), "Pontius Pilatus" (Pontius Pilate), "Frans av Assisi" (Francis of Assisi), and obviously, "Amen" (Amen).
Bravo, I know. I was in desperate need of help, so I was extremely appreciative of the Hugdahls, my guardian angels for the hour.
In what was a nice touch, there were several moments during the service when a translator would provide some help for the Norwegian-challenged among us. The first reading was particularly poignant, given present circumstances.
James 1:12 - Blessed is the man who endures trials.
As we've seen on the face of many Olympic athletes this week, athletes like Joannie Rochette, Irene Wust and Petra Madjic, there's no victory more precious than one that could easily have been a personal defeat.
Much like these Olympic Games, today's service played tribute to perseverance, dedication, and a dogged pursuit of a goal.
Unfortunately for you all, there was a lockdown on photography during the service due to the attendance of the Norwegian Royal Family. They weren't the only celebrities on hand.
We were all treated to the vocal stylings of Christine Guldbrandsen, a pop star in her native Norway, who sang the hymns – absolutely beautifully – as well as an English rendition of You Raise Me Up (Josh Groban).
As a long-time parishioner, and an admirer of words, I couldn't help but recognize the cadences of the sermon, the ebb and flow of the scripture. In a strange way I could almost fill in the gaps for myself, even though I didn't have a clue as to what was being said.
It allowed me to connect the dots between our cultures, our languages and feel the peace that such services bring.
Stay tuned to www.snowseekers.ca/olympicnews for daily blogs, videos and more throughout the Olympics.


For full stories on Western Canada's winter destinations, visit snowseekers.ca and friend us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.

A true Olympic fan

RICK MACDONNELL, SnowSeekers Inc.

For Patrick O'Meara of Connecticut, the Olympic Games have become a bi-annual event. After attending the Sydney Olympics in the summer of 2000, O'Meara has experienced every Olympics since, both winter and summer.
One might think that these vacations would start to become old hat after 10 years, but according to O'Meara, each one is as overwhelming as the last.
"I've now been to Sydney, Salt Lake, Athens, Turin, Beijing, and Vancouver," O'Meara said, "and each experience has been totally different to the ones previous.
"Each Games brings with it a different city, a different country – a different culture – so you're guaranteed a different feel each time. They've haven't gotten old yet."

O'Meara isn't even sure how the adventure started. He decided to take his vacation in Sydney some 10 years ago, to coincide with the Summer Games, and he had such a good time that he just felt no choice but to relive the experience every other year.
"It's hard not to get caught up in the excitement of the Games. I can't imagine someone getting to see the Olympics up close and personal and not wanting to feel that again. If you're not affected by the atmosphere then there's something wrong there."
Decked out in a Team Finland hockey jersey – at a Team Canada game, no less – O'Meara proudly displayed his favourite aspect of the Games: the camaraderie, the community, the sense of togetherness and support that the different countries participate in.
He acquired his Finland jersey four years ago in Turin, Italy, during a hockey game between Finland and his beloved Americans.
After sitting alongside a group of Fins and laughing and joking and getting to know one another, O'Meara traded away his Team U.S.A. jersey for a Team Finland one.
So much for trading pins.
"As much fun as the events are, the village experience, the different music and stuff that you can see, the real fun is between people. It's sitting down at a bar with complete strangers and leaving with what feels like new friends."
When asked how his Vancouver/Whistler experience stacks up with the five previous, O'Meara had difficulty answering.
"It's hard, you know, comparing each one. Like I said, they're all so unique that I can't really compare them in a quality sense. What I can tell you is that the Canadians have been great, and that this place is as beautiful as anywhere in the world. I couldn't be more impressed."
As much as the different cities contribute to the experience of the Olympic Games, O'Meara's experience has been forever changed with the introduction of his children into the proceedings.
Aged five and seven, his two kids are already on their third Olympic Games. On this day, though, they were nowhere to be found.
"My wife took the kids to see one of the art galleries in the village. Pottery, sculptures, that sort of thing." O'Meara, instead, headed to the Brew House for a little hockey. "'Pick me up when you're done,' I said."
Grasping his beer and lovingly patting his jersey, O'Meara and I raised a toast to the Games, to hockey, and to ... new friends.
Stay tuned to www.snowseekers.ca/olympicnews for daily blogs, videos and more throughout the Olympics.


For full stories on Western Canada's winter destinations, visit snowseekers.ca and friend us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.

Canada vs. Germany (post-game)

RICK MACDONNELL, SnowSeekers Inc.

It pretty much went according to plan. Team Canada walked over Germany 8-2 in its qualification game tonight, setting up a thrilling quarterfinal game against the highly powered Russians tomorrow.
Most comforting was the play of the line of Sydney Crosby, Jarome Iginla, and Eric Staal, who were united as a trio for the first time in the tournament. The trio combined for three goals, six points, and dominated the Germans on almost every shift.

Coach Mike Babcock had been playing Crosby alongside all-star winger Rick Nash for the previous three games, but the two were split up after combining for a minus-6 in their last game against the Americans.
Nash, paired with Anaheim Duck teammates Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry, finally got on the score sheet as well, scoring the team's eighth goal with a blazing wrister from his off wing in the dying minutes of the third.
"6-2, 8-2, what's the difference?" said Mike O'Donnell, a passionate Canadian fan who predicted a 6-2 Canadian victory earlier in the day. "Under promise and over perform, am I right? It couldn't have gone much better."
Even the two German goals – which might have been cause for concern given that the Germans have far from a potent attack – couldn't be blamed on goaltender Roberto Luongo, who started in place of the struggling Martin Brodeur.
By all reports, he looked much sharper than Brodeur did against the Americans.
The question now becomes whether this game was a case of Canadian skill and talent, or a just "a win over Germany."
According to O'Donnell, the Canadians deserve all the credit for the victory.
"The important thing to focus on is the fact that they were better than the Germans in every facet of the game, and by a large margin.

"The Crosby line looked fantastic, all four lines scored at least a goal, and Luongo did what he had to do. With Luongo, he wasn't going to have the opportunity to come out and look incredible, because the Germans simply don't have the talent to match Canada."
O'Donnell, a former hockey player himself at Northeastern University in Boston, is a former New Brunswick native who's wife is American. They attended the Canada/U.S.A. game on Sunday in Vancouver, and the duo are eagerly looking forward to a rematch.
"The atmosphere for that game was absolutely incredible," said Jenn O'Donnell. "I was one of the only people in the entire crowd with an American jersey on, so naturally I was getting it from the crowd. It was all in fun, though. We were hugging after the game. It was great."
The Olympic Games are so very different than other international hockey tournaments like the World Championships or the World Juniors. In those tournaments, opposing nations are considered enemies. Fans hate them and revel in that hatred.
With the Olympics, though, it's interesting to see the sportsmanship amongst the fans. Everyone still wants to see their teams win, obviously, but they're just as happy to celebrate other's victories as well.
"It's like one big happy family here," Jenn said. "We fight, we compete, we cheer and boo, but at the end of the day, we're all playing for the same team."
Let's see how sportsmanlike the Canadian fans will be on Wednesday after the game against the Russians.

Stay tuned to www.snowseekers.ca/olympicnews for daily blogs, videos and more throughout the Olympics.

For full stories on Western Canada's winter destinations, visit snowseekers.ca and friend us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.