The Sked Ahead

If I'm being totally honest, I'd like the schedule to the left to be my daily work schedule. Anyone who holds a job knows that there's zero chance of this being a reality unless one is a teacher, but that's how the working world works. Adding more things into the schedule to the left is possible if they're added before or after the main schedule, but time considerations start to wear thin when one has too many things on the schedule. That's the situation I'm in when it comes to watching playoff hockey this week, so I may be a little lost when it comes to scores, details, and events that happened early in this third round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

My normal workday isn't being affected by anything, so the usual 9-to-5 that I work is like the school schedule above - nothing changes there when it comes to my everyday schedule. Where things get chaotic is after work where I've booked myself solid for the remainder of the week starting last night. As you may remember, I agreed to return as one of the official scorers for the minor-pro baseball team in the city, and the home opener for the team kicked off the home schedule for the team. I was there for that game.

Tonight, I'm also at the ballpark. Tomorrow, I'm at the ballpark for a day game followed by heading to the radio station for The Hockey Show. Friday sees me playing the first game of a slo-pitch tournament. Saturday has me back out on the field for 10am before leaving for more scoring work at the professional ballpark. Sunday has me at the ballpark as well. In short, time becomes a premium where work and sleep get prioritized over watching hockey.

I know what you're thinking: "how does a guy with a hockey radio show and a blog not watch the most important hockey of the year?"

It's an entirely valid question, but when I said I was going to start pursuing other interests and worry less about writing this blog I meant it. There are days where I simply don't feel like writing anything, so I don't. You may notice that I go back and fill in gaps where I haven't written anything like I'm doing with this, and that's simply to give some consistency and flow to the blog. Am I concerned that I missed a day? Not at all - I'll get to it eventually.

I'm not denying that this may be the best time of year for hockey with all of the Stanley Cup, Calder Cup, Kelly Cup, Walter Cup, Memorial Cup, and the IIHF World Championship set to be awarded to the best teams in each of those tournaments, but responsibilities and commitments must be honoured and fulfilled. Sometimes, sacrifices have to be made. For me, that's watching hockey this week.

I'll catch this blog up when I can, but it falls down the list of my priorities right now. I know it seems weird to read that when I do love the game so much, but time is a finite resource on a schedule. As Hootie and the Blowfish sang, "Time, why you punish me?"

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!