A 'lil HooHaa

Messing with the blogging world since 2005

montreal

As the summer approaches, it’s time to get back to normal

I don’t know what it is, but it’s been hard to blog lately. When I get home from work, I usually don’t want to sit and do it. My ideas are wavering, too.

The block!

Alas, as the weather turns and I get outside more, I’m hoping to have more ideas. Such as geocaching.

Remember that wonderful hobby?

A weekend trip to Pittsburgh in January was the last time I had geocached. A week or so ago, I had the chance to find a couple to snap that long skid. This past weekend, I went out and actually had an afternoon of caching. That included several park-and-grabs, as well as one cache I opted to archive. It was a multi and one of my favorite caches, alas, it was getting too hard to maintain so I opted to let it go. The container is great, however, so I plan on using it again.

With me, hobbies sometimes come and go based on the frequency and availability of doing them. For example, I got into letterboxing (similar to geocaching, but with clues and rubber stamps) and that kind of faded. As many of you know, I also really love playing disc golf. However, without a decent course close by (the nearest is about 1:15 away), it becomes tough. But, as the weather changes, I am looking forward to mixing a disc golf trip with some other hobbies, be it geocaching, photography or seeing a baseball game.

The recent health scare of the foot and all mixed in with it (post about all that…) has made me realize I need to start taking advantage of things a bit more. I tend to look at one thing, go with it and let it plays its course. But, I need to start mixing some of these fun things so the interest remains there in all of them.

As summer approaches, I am setting a few “wish list” goals for myself. I don’t know if they will all come true, but I’m hoping. Here’s a quick list of what I want to do.

1. Baseball

My goal is 10 ballparks this summer. I want to see different levels of the minors and maybe a Major League game or two. I’ve been limited, because of funds, from seeing many games since 2011. But with a job and the ability to go to a game or two on the weekend, I plan on taking advantage of it and doing a few baseball-related weekends. And, in a perfect world those trips my include some geocaching, disc golf and maybe a brewery tour or two.

2. Geocaching

I want to hit up a few events this summer, including possible two Mega (500 or more people). I’d also like to place several caches (I have some ideas!) and find a bunch in different areas. I don’t have any specific goals, per say, so it’s kind of just going with the flow. I am also more excited this year about our local “big” event as I have some ideas I’d kind of like to try.

3. Photography

I have long been away from using my main camera. No idea why, but I have. I need to get out and use it more. Maybe I’ll rent a lens or two to test things out and do some different things. But I need to get back into it. And I have about a year’s worth of photos I never processed and uploaded to Flickr. I should probably do that soon.

4. Montreal

By far my favorite city, I wanted to go there this past fall to celebrate a milestone birthday. That didn’t work out for financial reasons. There was a streak of about 11 years where I went every summer. I haven’t been since 2009 and I’m really looking forward to seeing this city again. I’m really hoping to do it when the Montreal Alouettes (CFL football) are in town as it’s a fun game to watch.

5. Brewing

Finally, this is something I have gotten away from and I really need to get back into it. I’m extremely excited about some kits I have that I need to brew and the ideas for some of them as well. I have several I need to do and once I do those (all one- and two-gallon batches), I’m seriously going to consider upping to a five-gallon deal. But I’m not sure yet. We’ll see how it unfolds. Either way, I just need to get brewing again

So how about all of you? Any plans for the summer months? I’ll have softball again as well and am looking forward to enjoying things this year. As much as I liked the summer gig I had last year, I rarely had weekends off and, when I was off, others were working. So I truly do look forward to getting back to “normal” this summer.

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog [at] gmail.com. Also, please “Like” HooHaa Blog on Facebook!

30 Minus 2 Days of Writing: French (8/28)

Ahhh Montreal… the city in which I found a night of magical conversation, en français.

“J’ai bu beaucoup de bières”

Pardon my French, if this is butchered. It’s been many years since I’ve used any French. But, if I did it right, it basically says “I drank a lot of beers.”

See, when I went back to college, I was a non-traditional student. I went to a college in Central Pennsylvania — Pennsyltucky, if you will — and part of the curriculum made me take a foreign language.

Realize this — I never had to take a foreign language in high school. I do well enough with English and would prefer to leave it that way. Apparently, that wasn’t good enough for the school, so I had to take a foreign language.

I decided on French, figuring it might help me in my obsessive yearly trips to Montreal. Little did I know this wasn’t going to be an easy chore. Especially trying to deal with many other things for college.

Not only did I have to take French, I had to get through four semesters of it — and I wasn’t allowed to take French I four different times.

Crap.

I learned quickly that I could be funny and get by. I never did much more than a C in those classes (which really stunk, considering it was probably the reason I missed Dean’s List each semester). I had the same professor for three of the semesters and she was amazingly awesome. She was patient and worked with kids.

She realized how hard I had it with this language. Conjugations, and different tenses. Language of love my rear! It’s the language of “Holy crap, this is hard!”

Still, I battled through.

Every Monday, she would ask me what I did that weekend. My responses, 90 percent of the time, was the same.

“J’ai bu beaucoup de bières”

She would laugh and move along to the next person. Whew!

Many times, that was true. After all, I was in college. And, it turns out, it was also a time when I actually studied French. See, my neighbor at the one apartment complex I lived in was a French exchange student. Besides being beautiful with an amazing accent, she was a lot of fun to hang out with. And she found it entertaining to try and help me and a few others in the complex with our French after we had been tipping back a few cold ones.

I never thought much of it.

Then came one of my trips to Montreal. We were in one of our favorite watering holes — The Mad Hatter. This place, for us, is a whole heap of fun because of the deck in the summer. And people are so friendly. Several people who worked at the bar remembered us year after year.

This particular year, I struck up a conversation with a few Montreal co-eds and had a grand time. There were quite a few Molsons involved, too, so I’m sure it was a night in a haze. But I do remember being told they’d see us out and about the next evening, which is always a good thing.

That’s when it gets a bit better.

You don’t think much of how a night goes until you sit back and reflect. Or get a shocking reminder.

We met up with the co-eds the next night. My mind wasn’t a fog as we had spent a day doing many things. I was just enjoying my first cordial when the ladies showed up. Allow me to reenact the conversation, as I remember it.

“Bonjour.”

Me, looking around. “Uhhh… bonjour?”

“Comment ça va?”

Me… “Uhhh. ça va?”

I think, that that point, I had gotten things right… but my tone was probably setting off some alarms.

One of the gals then said a few other things — en français, of course. That made my sober head spin. All I could say was…

“Huh?”

At that point, my friends were bursting out in laughter.

Turns out the night before, when I was in a different state, I was speaking en français — nearly fluently, to my surprise. Apparently, everything I was saying was correct and I guess I sounded native. This night, with a sober mind, I had no clue what the heck was being said, save a word or two that I could recall.

The only thing I could figure were those late-night study sessions after a few hours at the local pub.

These days, I’m lucky if I could put a sentence together in French. No matter what, though, I know there was that one night in Montreal when four semesters of that language truly worked out.

I can only imagine stumbling into class on Monday and being asked by my professor how my weekend was.

“J’ai bu beaucoup de bière et parlait le Français.”

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog [at] gmail.com. Also, please “Like” HooHaa Blog on Facebook!

My love affair with Montreal

The view of Montreal at night from Mont Royal.

I love Montreal.

To my close friends and family, this isn’t a surprise. They’ve known since my first trip in, oh, 1997 or 1998, that this love affair grows. I’ve been there about a dozen times, though I haven’t been since 2009.

That’s too long.

Why am I blogging about this now?

The 2005 crew at Mont Royal.

Probably because I am starting to organize photos. And with that comes seeing old photos from my Montreal trips. With so many people, too. Early on, there was a core of us who would venture up there each year. Usually for three days or so. Sometimes some new people would come. Other times, it would be a smaller group. In total, if I count right, there were 13 different people who made the trip up with me over the years. Thirteen! The groups changed here and there. Some went back more than others.

But I always found a way to go.

People have bagged on us at the last minute. There’s been times when we had groups come up at different times. But those trips were oh so fun.

Montreal Expos games. The Montreal Allouettes of the Canadian Football League. Trips to clubs and bars and find eating establishments. Being up there one year for Canada Day was quite the experience, too.

We’ve met more people than I can remember — some, however, I’ve kept in touch with.

Amazing experiences, strong beer and weekends of fun have always been the norm. One year, one of the guys going with us also noted that his grandmother had grown up in Montreal. After he did the research, we ended up finding the place and taking a few photos. We even talked him into knocking on the door. Alas, nobody answered.

There are stories upon stories from these trips. So many that it could probably fill a book. Instead, they hold a special place in my mind.

Over the years, I’ve tried to make Montreal a permanent place in my life. If given the chance, I’d move there in an instance and wouldn’t think twice about it. I love Montreal that much. I’ve applied for school there and jobs. Maybe some day.

The Expos were always fun, when they were still there!

We once went there when the exchange rate was so favorable to the US dollar that we almost doubled our money. Talk about feeling rich! I just looked at the exchange rate and the Canadian dollar is worth just a smidgen more than the US buck now. How times have changed.

Since the first trip, I’ve witnessed the change in “safe” travel. When we first went, we needed our licenses. A few times, our birth certificates. Now you need a passport. To drive into Canada. We also discovered the quicker ways in and out of Canada — the secondary border crossings. It’s easier because there are fewer cars. Though a few miles off the main path, it’s well worth it because we don’t get caught in the long lines at the main crossings.

One year, staying in the main crossing, it took us three hours to go about 2-3 miles and get through customs.

Three hours!

I can’t believe it’s been so long since I’ve been there. A few of us went in 2009. I then went to Ireland in 2010, so that made me skip Montreal. Last year was tight on the wallet as it was the first part of my current situation. Who knows about this summer. I’d like to think it’s possible.

I’ve always said the best part about Montreal is it feels like you are going to Europe in North America. And, depending when you drive up, it’s a trip that can be done in about five hours. It feels longer because you go so many hours through the Adirondacks, but it’s a pretty easy trip.

Darren making friends at the Canada Day parade in 2006.

I’ve been there through many seasons, too. Winter, spring, summer. Never really in the fall, though. I bet that would be awesome with the colors. I’ve been there to ring in the New Year, celebrated Canada Day and the Fourth of July and have been there when major events were going on in the city. Montreal really is the city of festivals and the summer is quite wild.

And we always found different ways of having fun.

From sporting events to comedy clubs. From bars to clubs. From dressing up and hitting up “classier joints” to enjoying a beer down on the pier. From being told we couldn’t go into a bar because of our shoes to having one of the best steaks we’ve ever enjoyed (and cooked right next to us). From late-night chats on the balcony to the amazing views from Mont Royal. From the motocross action on the streets to all the entertainment we’ve seen.

These memories will never leave me.

Ever.

I enjoyed being there when my “little bro” took his first trip above the border. I still can’t believe the year we were bouncing from bar to bar on Crescent Street and ran into two people who we went to high school with. I’ve enjoyed every establishment we ever entered — from seedy to high class.

And the poutine. How can I forget about that?

The first time I ever had it was at Dundee’s. I’ll never forget it. One o’clock in the morning and on the outside deck, having some Labatt and poutine. Holy crap was it divine.

Don’t know what poutine is?

It’s french fries. With an amazing gravy. And cheese curds. Yes, it’s unhealthy as all hell. But it’s like heaven in a small dish. Amazing. I have it every time I return to Montreal.

There was once a time two of us went a day earlier than the others. See, one person backed out at the last minute. So I had a hotel for an extra night. Being I was stuck with it, me and another went up early. Well, not really early. At night. We went through a nasty storm, got through customs in less than a minute and arrived at the hotel at about 1 a.m. After parking, we went to check in and were told they were over-booked.

Montreal has the cleanest metro system I've seen.

Uh, say what?

I produce all the paperwork and they are stuck. Deal with it, I say. Figure something out. I’m not paying a dime more, either. We got an executive suite for the weekend.

Talk about awesome.

We’ve stayed at many different hotels. Some with incredible views. Some with awesome locations. Some with all of the above.

One year, two of us went for five days. Three or four others came up a few days later. What an experience. And this is where stories and memories will always last. We ran into some guys from Europe who were involved with the F-1 race the week earlier. Needless to say, they can handle their drinks. Soon enough it was me and them as the other member of the crew headed to the hotel. The night went into the wee hours of the morning and we ended up at Burger King where a fella was begging for some cash. So we chatted for a while with him, bought him a burger and told him I’d give him 5 bucks, but he needed to take a photo with me.

Snapshot taken. Sheesh!

I always feel like a different person up there. I don’t know why. Maybe it’s because I can blend in. I can have fun. I can people watch. And nobody knows me.

Well, outside the time we ran into those two we went to high school with. And the time we got pulled into customs and ran into a few people from our town (they were heading up for a baseball game).

But I enjoy it up there. I can kind of be in a different world. I can’t wait to go back. Maybe this summer. I can hope anyway, right?

Simply put, I can sum up Montreal in a few words.

I love Montreal. And that feeling won’t change anytime soon.

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog [at] gmail.com. Also, please “Like” HooHaa Blog on Facebook! 

50 questions that free your mind: No. 19

As part of my Day Zero Project, I will be answering the 50 Questions That Free Your Mind. For each of these, I will blog an answer and then it will be linked here as well. Some of these will have longer responses, some will be extremely short. But by the end of the Day Zero Project, I will have answered all of these.

No. 19: If you had to move to a state or country besides the one you currently live in, where would you move and why?

Though this seems like it would be an easy question, it’s actually kind of hard. There are a lot of places I would like to live.

Montreal.

Ireland.

Maine.

So it comes down to this — is this a move for good or for a little while?

Because if it’s a little while, you could easily add places like Austin, Texas, Philadelphia, South Jersey and some other places. And it all depends on what the move is for. Work? Pleasure?

Again, this question sheet baffles me!

Let’s say this, considering friends and family, I’d want to move somewhere in the Northeast. If I was to stay in New York, Albany is a place I’ve always enjoyed. There’s enough there to give you ample things to do, yet small enough where it doesn’t feel like a major city.

A view from my last trip to Maine.

But if I’m going further away, I really love Maine. It’s a great state. Good photo opportunities. Great natural things. I could see myself fully becoming a transplanted Mainer (obviously, I’d never be a full Mainer!)

Maine has always been a surreal place for me. I’ve visited a few times and have enjoyed each spot I’ve been to. Especially when you can get some awesome “lobstah.”

I’d want to be on the coast, however. The water is soothing. The lighthouses are amazing. The photo chances are endless.

I haven’t played up there yet, but I also hear the disc golf is excellent.

And I know the geocaching is really good in Maine.

The travel back to see friends and family would be a little longer, but doable.

And in the end, it seems like a place that would be fantastic to become part of. I’d probably prefer to be in one of the smaller areas on the coast, but know I’m not far from a city atmosphere for other things. What a life it could be.

Anyone know of any solid job leads there?

But, if this was more of a daydream question, there’s no question Montreal would win out. Even over Ireland, a place where I had an incredible time.

Looking over Montreal at night from Mont Royal.

Montreal is a city that has had my heart since my first trip there in the late 1990s. Since then, I’ve visited more than a dozen times in different seasons. The city is everything I would want in a place to live. Culture. Music. Sports. Photo chances. Everything.

There’s great food and excellent beer.

The people have always been friendly. I love the laid-back feel, too. Though you have that “mad city” feel at times, it’s not as crazy as, say, New York City.

It’s a clean city, too.

The summers are unbelievable in Montreal. There are so many festivals, concerts and everything else. I’m convinced you could do something different every day during the summer in Montreal and never consider doing the same thing twice.

I’ve made friends there that I still keep in contact with. I know the parts of the city I really enjoy and there is so much more up there to explore. It’s been a couple of years since I made the trip, but the love for this city never dies. I hope to get back there and have a vacation soon. There are so many other parts of the city I want to see, explore and take photos.

In the dream world, Montreal wins. In a practical world, Maine would win. In a realist world, Albany. Hopefully one of these spots will be my home one day, maybe even soon. Who knows? I can only hope.

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog [at] gmail.com. Also, please “Like” HooHaa Blog on Facebook by clicking the button on the right side of the page!

Foto Friday: The archives

My external hard drive is starting to fill up. That pretty much means I need to start shifting some things and deleting, or I might not have room for a lot of photos.

I have three external hard drives, but two of them are full and the third, which is a terabyte, doesn’t have much left. I know there’s a lot of waste on all three of them. So, over the next few weeks, it’s my hope to really clear a lot of space. In the end, I’d like to have the TB drive be all photos only — so I can get an online backup service as well.

Anyway, as I do that, I got peeking at some older photos. And that got me interested in looking at some older photos on Flickr, too. So, in this post, I am going to share some of my favorite (or not so favorite) photos from the Flickr archives. Things are going to be random. I am going to hit a few random pages and snag a photo of those pages and share them here.

I’m hoping to head out and shoot some fireworks tonight, so if things come out as I hope, I’ll look to share what I did and such with the images next Friday.

Page 40

Ahhh, this past September. We got some unseasonably warm weather and this page was basically filled with sports photos — a softball tournament and some flag football. Here’s one of those shots.

Foul ball!

 Page 67

I had been catching up on posting some images, including from my trip to Ireland in 2010. Those photos were on this page.

Good advice!

Page 94

From April of last year, my trip to the Washington DC area and Arlington National Cemetery.

The unknown plots are extremely moving. There are far too many.

Page 123

From November 2010. One of my favorite disc golf photos.

My faithful buzzz.

Page 149

Ahhh, the Ireland trip. This wasn’t long after getting back. This was a shot I took in Howth.

My mother and brothers at Howth Harbor.

Page 165

The Oneonta Outlaws. Love some of the shots on this page.

Pitch coming in.

Page 187

Out on a photo day with a former co-worker. Watershed property…

Stay off!

Page 204

This big snowstorm at the end of February 2010 shut down local schools and even the local college. A great day to be out taking photos!

Snow!

Page 235

Geno’s Steaks, at night. December, 2008.

All lit up!

Page 270 (last page for now)

Downtown Montreal at night. I took this photo from Mont Royal in August of 2007.

Montreal!

I hope you enjoyed a slight trip through the archives with me. I’m sure as I get going through these external drives, I’ll be sharing more — and uploading a lot more to Flickr. I want to get a lot more of my photos on Flickr and put them together as sets. That way, they are there for all to see!

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog [at] gmail.com. Also, please “Like” HooHaa Blog on Facebook by clicking the button on the right side of the page!