Movember

It wasn't going to happen, but now it is. Inspiration came from a great commercial I saw on TV tonight.



Then, a quick search on YouTube, and once again Google Chrome made me smile and gave me goosebumps.



Reasons for doing this:
1. I look like Freddie Mercury with one.
2. It helps raise awareness.
3. It helps raise money for prostate cancer.
4. I want to make the hipsters feel awkward.

So, if you can spare a dime or two, head over to my page; or, find another friend with a page and give it to them!

http://mobro.co/BrianCant

Remember, cancer sucks. Big time.

Me, as Freddie Mercury in 2010.

Bullying

We were all bullied. Some more than others. I certainly was. Mrs. Cant was what kids called me in grade 3. I got called gay and fag in high school by Jennifer Richardson ALL the time.

Yep. That's right. I named a person. So what? I'm sure she's grown up, by now. If she ever reads this blog, I'm sure she'll likely either a.) feel bad or  b.) feel right. Either way, I don't really care.

Rick Mercer's rant from yesterday about bullying. I think he says it all, so no need for me to elaborate...

Halloween-ie!

Oh Halloween! How much do I love thee? So many fun memories from so many fun, amazing nights!

2007 - Indiana Jones
This was our first year at Chris' annual Halloween party. We had so much fun! It's so hard to believe, but I barely knew this amazing group of people!

Looking for adventure!

Me and my new friend (and her girls).

Our group of ruffians (Vicky Pollard, Pirate Wench, Army Guy, and Indiana).

2008 - Mormons

Kind of a lame-o costume year, but we managed. Thus began a theme of going in a group for costumes, even if this group was 2. 

Can we tell you about this new religion type thing?

She was the 'it' girl at the party in 2008...

Take me home!

2009 - Stray Cats (or The Cats Who Couldn't Make it on Cats)
This was by far one of the best Halloweens EVER! The makeup was a blast to wear, I got to channel my best Tom Brady, and I got into a fight with a tree (it won). 

Tom Cat, Hello Kitty, Liza Meowie, Snagglepuss.

Kisses, or purrs?

Getting closer to that fight with the tree.

2010 - French Courtiers
First rented costume...we were either obnoxious or amazing (depending on what mood you were in). Note how Phil is our older brother...

Oh mon dieux!

Au chante

Bisous!

2011 - STAY TUNED! It's going to be amazing!

Thankful

With one of my favourite holidays - Thanksgiving - fast approaching, I've been thinking over the past few days of what I'm thankful for. While I could go on and on about all the things I'm truly thankful for, I'll leave it at a few.

I'm thankful for Kyle. He makes me laugh every day. He makes me smile. He makes me happy.

I'm thankful for my parents. They make me want to try harder.

 

I'm thankful for my brother and sister-in-law. They make me feel blessed to have such great siblings.

I'm thankful for my close group of friends. They make me realize how important it is to have people you love take part in the rich experiences of life.

 

 
 
 
 
 
 

I'm thankful for my job. I get to go to work each day and create things I can be proud of. I also get to meet some very interesting and entertaining people!

 

I'm thankful for many other things. I could go on.

Basically, I'm thankful that I'm so lucky.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Back to school!

If you're too school for cool... Kyle's least favourite line from Pink's awful song, "raise your glass" or whatever it's called always makes me shudder. Then, I think about school.

I've been thinking a lot about back to school this past week.

I used to loathe/love the last day of summer. No more suntanning, cards, tubing, wakeboarding, mischief. Time to wear the new clothes and crack open the new note books and pens. It was over and beginning all at once.

Side note: does anyone else remember wearing the new jeans and shirt to school only to realize that it was still 30 degrees out and sweat stinks...a lot?

Tomorrow is the first day. The first day back. The first day of the last year of their education. The firsts could go on and on.

For me, it's just another day now...

But, all this baby talk and raising a family talk has got me excited again for the inevitable (I hope, we hope) first day of ... kindergarten, school, elementary school, middle school (I shudder at that thought), high school, and post-secondary school.

I can't wait to walk our son/daughter to school on their first day. I can only imagine how much fun it was for my parents to do that with me. I remember being excited, but I don't know if I actually was...maybe I want to remember being excited and I was in fact, terrified. Regardless, I still remember being walked to school...being shown the way.

I hope that, this time, I'll be excited for them, even though I'm sure I'll be terrified! I can't wait to show them the way, as best as I can.

I can't wait for their first day of school, whenever it is.

I'll be the proudest dad on the block. Well, we'll be the proudest dads on the block.

Goodbye Jack

When I was home sick on Monday with a migraine and stomach pain (related?), I didn't wake up until around 11.

I came downstairs, interrupted Kyle who was watching Game of Thrones at his PC on his day off, and sat down at my computer.

I double-clicked on the little Gmail notification -- as usual there was a sale and A&F and something about 20% off 'redlines' from Hollister. Why I signed up for emails like this, I'll never know?

From there, I hit the tab for Towleroad (to see the latest in gay news), Tap That Guy (to see the latest in boys), Facebook (to see the latest in my social cirles), Vibrant Victoria (to see if people had talked about construction in Victoria), and the CBC (to actually read some good ol' fashioned NEWS!).

Seeing as how the CBC was the last tab I opened, it was the first one I saw.

"Jack Layton dead at 61" was screaming at me from the BREAKING NEWS box on their main page.

"Jack LAYTON DIED?!?," I yelled.

"What?!? Are you serious?," replied Kyle.

Silence.

I couldn't answer. Or, I didn't know how.

My mum has spent a lot of time telling me what it was like when she met Pierre Trudeau. She still gushes about him to this day.

In short, Jack was my Pierre.

Well, as close to a 'Pierre' as any politican can be in this 24/7 news cycle, Facebook, Twitter, you-name-it environment we live in now.

Here's why: I met Jack, twice.

The first time I met him I went, by myself, to an NDP rally at the Alix Goolden Hall in 2004 (I think. Maybe 2006?). It was a rally for all the local candidates for the federal election and I really didn't know if I was ready to drink the NDP's orange kool-aid.

The local people were fine; nothing special. But, Jack was something different. Something new.

A fighter. A politician. Slick. Engaging.

I voted Liberal.

The second time I met him was a few years ago on the street here in Victoria. He was actually between meetings (or something) and I ran into him. I recognized who he was. In fact, most other people around him did too.

I said, "hey! Welcome back," clearly not realizing he wouldn't remember me from a crowd of people five years ago.

Jack said, "thanks. I love it here. Feels great to be in such a nice city."

That was it. Nothing special. Nothing really worth noting.

Over the years, I'd come to see what other friends, like my good friend Ian, saw in him.

Jack Layton was honest. Sure, he was a shrewd politician. But, you believed him. You wanted to share his passion for a country you could be proud of.

Maybe not everyone I know appreciated his socialist leanings or his way of doing things. But, you couldn't argue with what he wanted to achieve: a Canada that cared for seniors, children, and for its environment.

For me personally, Jack was someone I looked up to, trusted, and wanted to have as my voice in government.

He was my Pierre, and I will miss him greatly.

Happy Pride

This past weekend we celebrated Victoria Pride. It's always a lot of fun getting together with our friends and our community to celebrate what makes us special and (oh heck) FABULOUS!

We started the weekend with a selection of gin and tonics at a BBQ with great friends, followed by a drag show and dancing at Paparazzi; we finished up with the pride parade and festival.

One of my favourite parts of the parade isn't the floats or the ridiculous costumes, it's the walk from the parade to the festival. It feels more like a march, not in defiance, but in true celebration.

The last float is always from a nightclub and it's playing the stereotypical (and awesome!) music you'd expect to hear at this type of thing. Everyone is happy, waving to friends, and secretly pointing to others and saying, "I KNEW he was gay," or, "I didn't know they had a kid AND a dog!" There is something empowering about walking with this group of people.

In fact, I always choke up a bit around the halfway mark. It's humbling to me.

This is what I see when I look ahead, behind, and around me:

Thousands of Victorians of all shapes and sizes, ranging from happy young singles to happy (wiser?) married couples with their kids and dogs in tow. It doesn't matter if they're gay or straight, married or not; what matters is that they are there for a good time AND to celebrate that, yes, some of us are different.

It's always fun and it reminds me that it's not just okay to be gay, but it's actually a tonne of fun being out and PROUD. I'm lucky to live in a community that, for the most part, celebrates its diversity. I have a group of friends, family, and co-workers that not only accept, but embrace that I'm gay.

So, happy pride to all of you!

You look FABULOUS!