CasinoMing

..leaving a car window down and having it rain..

A buzzer beater and the Habs are down 0-3. Wow. Aside from the 5-1 loss to Sens and the 6-2 loss to the Bolts, Carey Price has stood tall. His job is to stop pucks and give his team a chance to win. The Habs' powerplay is dead. Their star players can't find the back of the net (though a few of them are permanently parked in front of the opposition goalies). Ben Bishop is messing with their minds. Hate to see them go down in a sweep... but at this point, they need a minor miracle to beat Bishop (who is now 15-1-2 career against Habs in regular and post season) and the Bolts, who lost only 8 regulation games this year at home. When Therrien speaks of "work ethic" and "effort", the Habs are doomed. He's Mr Grumpy personified when the team loses. CM

Hi Janice You posed an interesting question. Being a late-forties fella, I much prefer the business attire to the school girl look. But whatever a woman chooses, she'll make it work ten-fold if she's comfortable and confident in her own skin. The makeup and clothes (or lack thereof) is secondary. Confidence exudes sexy... and that comes through whether the woman is wearing a pair of sweat pants or is in a business suit. While there is 'eye candy' (perhaps) with younger women, I much prefer the company of women in their forties or older as they have life experience, and seem much more grounded and confident than younger ladies who might rely on fancy makeup or clothes to make 'sexy' happen. CM

As a society, we'd like to think we have advanced and matured over the centuries. Indeed, we have technology.. technology that makes better things.. but are things really better in the end? Mental illness is still an illneess that doesn't get sufficient priority or recognition. We have Bell's Let's Talk Day (God bless Clara Hughes!), we have Daniel Alfredsson endorsing and supporting the Royal Ottawa. But so much more needs to be done.. at a grassroots level, by ordinary citizens like us. We have high-profile sufferers like Robin Williams. We have too many stories of our soldiers returning home with various forms of PTSD and high rates of suicide. We have stories of first-responders who succome to the grind of their daily work. We have folks from all walks of life who are suffering. Rare are stories where folks saught help and were helped in a timely manner. So I guess one question I do have... how do we ('we' as in society) push this ahead? If someone breaks a bone, they go to the hospital and get a cast, and people are more than happy to sign the cast. If someone needs surgery, it's normal, it's done, no questions, no stigma, no "shame", and people visit the hospital with flowers, cards and homebaked goodies. Everyone has challenges and personal demons to deal with. We are taught from an early age to be independent, not to rely on others, be strong, do not show weakness. Well, mental illness is NOT a weakness, just as other maladies that affect our bodies are not weaknesses. The suffering in silence needs to end. Society needs to recognize, unconditionally, that mental illness is real and that too many of us cannot get the help we need. Whether an illness involves flesh and bone, or grey matter, it should be considered an illness, and be treated as such. CM

I've been extremely fortunate... being born in Canada.. lived here in freedom and relative safety.. being able to go to school.. turning on the tap and having clean water.. indoor "mr flushie".. all the conveniences of 'modern life'. Having spent time overseas in third-world nations (in both combat and civilian roles) makes me feel blessed. Giving back to the community is a huge thing for me.. helping those who need help. Donating to a food bank.. helping out at a community garden (those plots of land that the city allocates so folks can grow their own veggies).. donating blood.. buying a coffee for the car behind you at the drive-thru.. things that make folks smile. The thing that brings the biggest smile to this half-century old face of mine?? Donating time.. being there for others.. sometimes complete strangers. I'm a single parent and I take my teenage daughter with me to three seniors homes a month so she can spend an hour entertaining them by playing the piano. The pure joy on the faces of the residents is the reason my daughter and I are seven feet tall for the rest of the day. Giving of oneself is the best gift and at least for me, a source of strength and reward. CM

Indeed, there is nothing wrong with a 'friendly' hello. I reckon most of us (providers and hobbyists) know where 'the line in the sand is'. Many PM's I get are to say "hello" or to provide a private comment to my response to a thread. All good... no spams.. no insensitive comments.. just an electronic conversation.. CM

It's no secret.. I have never been much of a Therrien fan. Few may agree with me, but I think he was out-coached in the Habs/Sens series (two OT wins against Sens and a bunch of one-goal wins will mask coaching deficiencies). While I remember his fiery antics in the 2013 series with the Sens, I am not sure what to make of his Therrien 2.0 act since. Habs need to find the back of the net... an issue they have had all season. I think it's fair to say that the Habs' four playoff wins so far have been 100% Carey Price. When the team scores only 14 goals in 8 playoff games (four of those goals in Game 1 against Sens), it isn't going far, even with a world-class goalie in Price. Only after two payoff games, Bolts goalie Ben Bishop is already messing with the Habs' minds (ok, he's been messing with them all season). In comes 'tough guy' Prust and the war of words through the media ensues. It might be a short series if Therrien can't find a path his players can buy into. Entertainment-value wise, I think the Sens/Habs series was more entertaining (even though my Sens lost). CM

I thoroughly enjoyed the first two games of the Habs/Bolts series. The double-OT was exciting and tonight's 6-2 Lightning win. Yes, Montreal finished the regular season with 110 points and 50 wins. But it has become crystal clear that it was almost all Carey Price. Habs power play and even-strength goals have been totally absent in their eight playoff games so far. And Prust... hmmm. He's not exactly a Lady Byng Trophy candidate. That said, I wasn't impressed with him going after Bishop in the regular season nor was I impressed with his play this evening. I wouldn't be surprised if the NHL's Department of Safety had a look at his antics ce soir. Things are looking rosy for Tampa to advance... but... stranger things have happened in the playoffs before.. so this series is not over... yet. :-) CM

A greeting of genuine smile and a warm hug goes a long way. For a first-time encounter, it settles the nerves of both adults... and for a 'return visit', it's a reassuring and comfortable greeting. Be the hug that puts a smile on someone's face today :-) CM

I think it is awesome that someone in the industry is willing to put pen to paper (or the 21st century equivalent) and write about her experiences. If you ask a hundred people about the industry, you'll get one hundred different views. Most of us are familar with the stereotypes, have seen the Hollywood movies, or watched the latest news on human trafficking, etc. The women I've visited with are intelligent, warm-hearted individuals who are in this industry because they want to be. They are in control of their lives and for the most part, take on life's challenges with a level head and sound reasoning. But we all know (either first hand or otherwise) of the less fortunate in this industry. No one "view" is correct or more accurate than another. Personally, I would love to read about someone's experiences - especially from a person who is from the Ottawa area - and see their challenges, their worries, their prospectives, their triumphs, their adventures. And yes, I think there would be a market for this book... perhaps not a "Harry Potter" in term of copies sold, but a popular read nonetheless. Keep well, keep safe. CM

The Ottawa Senators' captain Erik Karlsson and Montreal Canadiens' P.K. Subban are both up for the Norris Trophy, awarded to the NHL's top defenceman. Both players have won the Norris before. Parnell Karl (P.K.) Subban or Erik Karlsson? Both players were instrumental to their respective team's success this season. So if you had a vote, who would you go with? And if you're in the Ottawa area, Erik Karlsson sells his own blend of coffee (EK65) at Bridgehead. For every pound of EK65 sold, $2 is donated to the Homework Club at the Boys and Girls Club of Ottawa. I've tried the blend.. it's a "robust" blend from Honduras, a strong coffee - a lot like Starbucks' Sumatra or Caffe Verona. CM

It was a great series.. two good teams.. Both teams scored twelve goals in 6 games, both teams pitched one shutout. Good hard hitting hockey.. nothing beats playoff hockey. And a tradition that I really enjoy - the handshakes at the end of a playoff series. The battle is over, shake hands, pats on the back, words of encouragement, words of luck. Totally Canadian... lol. CM

Back in 1995 I was in Montreal on business. After a particularly draining day, I decided to indulge in a little company. Now remember, this was before internet, so the "search" consisted of looking at the ads in the local newspapers. One ad caught my eye. Blonde quebecoise, 21yrs old, blue eyes. Sounded good. I called the number and arranged for a one-hour date. "Kim" arrives at my hotel room. Yup, she was gorgeous, but something was adrift. She walks in, calls the agency and the date begins. She undresses and lays on the bed. I was massaging her back when it hit me.. she fell asleep!! Wow, someone else had a worse day than me! Then the snoring started. Wonderful. I tried to shake her a bit to wake her up, but she was sound asleep. A bit of panic set in. I didn't know what to do. I am still dressed, so I decide to sit on the chair and have a smoke. Kim was on her stomach, naked and sound asleep, in a pose that reminded me of Jill Masterson covered in gold in the James Bond movie "Goldfinger". After about an hour, a woman calls the hotel room, says she is calling for Kim. I explained the situation and the woman on the phone yells out "merde!". Another 15-20 minutes go by and there's a knock on my door. The person identifies herself as the woman from the agency. She enters and proceeds to wake up Kim. Kim is groggy but starts to put her clothes on. The other woman checks Kim's purse and makes sure she is dressed ok. The woman returns my envelope and apologizes. Both women left my room a few moments later. Thus ended my first experience. It would be another two years before I even thought of entertaining another encounter. CM

What a season this has been for the Ottawa Senators. Back in February, partisans and media were buzzing about the "McDavid" lottery. Then both starting goalies got hurt. Enter stage left, Andrew Hammond. The Hamburglar craze took over and the Senators close out the regular season by winning the last game and sneaking into the playoffs. Then many fans and media wrote off the Sens after they fell behind 0-3 in the first round against the Habs. Craig Anderson comes in and plays lights out and finally in game 5, a few Senators found the twine and proved Carey Price can be beaten. My friends who are Habs fans, initially chirping "sweep sweep" are now mostly quiet. Indeed, doubt has crept into the minds of the Canadiens. Ottawa made history by overcoming a 14-point differential and getting into the playoffs. Can the Senators pull another miracle out of the hat and win this series? Got to believe! Should the Sens win game 6, the Habs will go on to lose the series and make a little history of their own - losing a playoff series for the first time after leading 3-0. Cue the "Jaws" music.. the Sens smell blood in the water and the Habs might not be able to stop the bleeding in time. CM

I've been seeing one companion regularly since 2008. There's a wonderful comfort and ease that comes with a steady, no-surprises type of arrangement. Life happens, things change, but some things stay constant. This special lady and I recently celebrated our 25th 'date' together. While this may not appeal to some folks, it happens to work with this woman and me. During this time, we've developed a close friendship but without the 'luggage' that might happen with a relationship. Neither of us take each other for granted, yet we're able to share our life experiences - both daily challenges and accomplishments. We both know where the boundaries are and neither of us have come close to crossing them. We might go a month or two without seeing each other, but a quick text or email to see how the other is... is.. well.. comforting. CM

Thanks for posting. I don't want my death certificate to read "died of embarrassment" or "discomfort". Get the procedure done. Anything pops up, deal with it... then look forward to a future with grandkids and their ballet recitals... :-) CM

Hi folks, The Ottawa Motorcycle Ride for Dad and the Ottawa Hospital is sponsoring its 4th annual free P S A (P r o s t a t e Specific Antigen) test on Saturday, May 2, 2015 from 8am to 10am. It is a simple 5-minute blood test to determine if the P S A is present, which may be an early indicator of p r o s t a t e cancer. No need to drop the drawers.. just roll up your sleeve. Ladies - encourage your men to get checked out! Bring your Ontario health card (and your green Ottawa Hospital card if you have one). Free parking is available at the Critical Care Wing parking lot along with free coffee, juice and snacks. Last year, almost 300 men got things checked out. Over 90% of p r o s t a t e cancers that are detected early is treatable. The Ottawa Hospital staff is donating their time and the lab costs. You get the results mailed to you in a few weeks. Ottawa Hospital, General Campus 501 Smyth Road, Ottawa Critical Care Wing Thanks, CM

Hi folks, Looking for updates on Alycat - companion here on CERB/LYLA, but haven't heard anything from her in a couple of years. Any update would be great.. CasinoMing

Claire is one special young lady. She instantly creates a warm and inviting environment for her gentleman callers. The smiles and hugs are genuine. Her massage skills are relaxing, her intelligent conversation is stimulating. A total package for the discerning gentleman. In a flash, the time is up, and it's back to reality... but you leave refreshed and rejuvenated. Treat her with respect and it comes back ten fold.

I had the opportunity to have a playdate with Sacha. She's a wonderfully integlligent woman with an enchanting personality, sultry voice and dreamy bedroom eyes (yes gents, she looks exactly like her picture - and more!). If you're looking for stimulation for both mind and body, you can't go wrong with Sacha.

Wow.. I remember Drakkar Noir. I still use it on occasion, but I am beginning to find the fragrance a little too heavy/musky. It might be an age thing. I use Ralph Lauren Blue and Boss (by Hugo Boss) these days. On initial playdates, I will go scentless (unless Ivory soap counts). Then if there are future dates, then choice of scents might be a topic of conversation.. Scent, for both genders, should 'enhance' and not over-power... I am time-warping back to those TV commercials by Joe Namath for "Brut Cologne"... CM

I don't have a real preference. As mentioned in previous posts, as long as the motel/hotel is clean and fairly discreet. I guess other factors in the decision over hotel/motel might include: - cost - availability of parking (free or otherwise) - location (easy to get to, etc) - depending on frequency of use, maybe a loyalty program might be a factor I've stayed at some really quaint motels and unfortunately, at some really shabby hotels. A little homework (via web, an in-person visit and recos from cerb folks) will help with making choices. As for location - I liked the idea of different parts of the city. I know there are newly built hotels in the west end (Holiday Inn Express on Richmond Road) and near the airport as well. This sort of reminds me of the Field of Dreams movie - "if you build it, they will come"... In your case, "if you rent a room, gentleman callers will find you..." :-) CM

Yup - chain driven... I remember my jeans getting plastered with grease as I overdid it with the chain lube one time :-). If I recall, there was something with the charging system and I went through a couple of batteries before I invested in a battery charger. CM

1 - Libra (October 1965) - continually seeking balance in life 2 - was in Gander, NL, the morning of Sept 11, 2001.. The next five days changed my outlook on life forever 3 - Had my motorcycle license since 1983; first ride was a 1982 Honda Nighthawk 650 4 - Born and raised in Montreal; after university, friends took up donations and shipped me to Ottawa in 1987.. :-) 5 - Have two cats, 17 fish, three budgies and one over-worked vacuum cleaner. Correction, my daughter has two cats, 17 fish... 6 - All the vehicles I've owned have been black 7 - News hound.. love reading news from all over the planet 8 - Very introverted; a work-in-progress to break out of the shell 9 - Still wear my wedding ring (it's been almost 5 years) 10 - favourite dessert - coconut cream pie (a Gilligan's Island influence I am sure) 11 - Heritage is Chinese; learned French in elementary and secondary school; learned English watching Hockey Night in Canada, Mod Squad, and the aforementioned Gilligan's Island 12 - Heritage never was an issue until someone pointed out to me that I was Chinese. I wish someone had told me before.. ;-) 13 - Carnivore by nature, but will eat veggies to set an example for my daughter 14 - I try to learn something new everyday 15 - Current motto: Practice random acts of kindness CM

My daughter and I run (walk?) the CIBC Run for the Cure every year in October, in memory of my wife who lost her fight with breast cancer in 2005. We ran the first 300 metres, then decided to walk. Our best time for the 5k is 51 minutes last year (down from our very first Run in 2006 of 65 minutes). We considered doing the TF Run this year (Sept 19?), but couldn't fit it into our schedule. Indeed Lindsay, if Terry Fox can go cross-country, surely most of us can go 5k. All the best for your prep and for the Run. CM