#59-Canada

Today is one of my favourite days of the year. The day when the country is awash with red and white, when fireworks will dominate the night sky and when the Blue Jays wear those weird, but patriotic red and blue jerseys for their game.

Yes, today is Canada day. The day when we can celebrate all that makes this country great, like the fact that we have our own bacon, our national animal, the beaver, can pretty much take down a whole forest (can a bear, an eagle or a lion do that? I think not) and that we eat so much fruit that we invented basketball just to get rid of the tons of leftover peach baskets that were crowding our homes.

No, Canada isn't perfect. We have our flaws and I find myself frustrated with the nation's politicians or troubled by the mistakes in our past, but what makes this country awesome is that I can sit here and say that I feel this way. Hockey is a spectacular and beautiful sport (and last time I checked we were number 1 in it) and Tim Horton's will always have a special spot in my heart, but the ability to exercise my rights of freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom to rant and moan about politicians on a bad day without threats or harm coming to me is one of the best things about the country I am proud to call home.

So I am grateful for Canada. I am grateful for the people that have made this country great. I am grateful for the beauty of the land and of the beauty of the people who inhabit it. I am grateful for the people who came before me, who fought and sacrificed so that I can stand in line and vote, so that I can write how I love Canada and so people can disagree with me about the greatness of this fair land. So on this day I wish that everyone's afternoon is sunny, their beer is cold, their health is good and their Canada day an amazing one.

#8- Playoff Races

The Toronto Maple Leafs are playing what is probably their tenth straight must win game tonight and while such repetition usually leads to drooping eyes and stifled yawns from myself, I can't get enough of the Leafs' quest for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.   

In my opinion, rarely are there a series of events more captivating than a late season push for the playoffs by my favourite team in the world.

The thrill of every goal, every come from behind win, every final second save by the Leafs is a rush that I think I may be addicted to. No wonder there's millions of fans cheering for a team that hasn't won the Stanley Cup in 44 years. They aren't crazy, they just have addictive personalities.

I am grateful for this wonderful, chest thumping, at times maddening, dash for the playoffs my Maple Leafs are making. It gives me hope, it gives me something to cheer about, it gives me pride in something and most importantly it lets me laugh at Ottawa Senators fans because they probably won't see anything resembling the playoffs for quite some time. So go for it Leafs, give it all you got, I'll be watching the whole thing and no matter what, I'll still love you even if you don't win for another 44 years.