My Fiancee likes to remind me that I'm not Canadian...

My fiancee really did spend about half of the Tragically Hip show at the Troubadour last night reminding me that I'm not Canadian.



I grew up in Tonawanda, NY. The city is about midway between Buffalo and Niagara Falls and, therefore, a stone's throw away from Canada.

Canada had a formative role in who I've grown up to be.

Because of proximity, I grew up listening to Canadian music. I still hold a very special place in my heart for The [Lowest of the] Low and The [Tragically] Hip as well as the Barenaked Ladies.
The Edge (102.1) was always on my radio dial.

I watched Hockey Night in Canada and laughed at Don Cherry and his anti-American rants (but mostly at his suits). I also caught Kids in the Hall on the CBC, an essential part in my creative development.

I once drove with a friend to Toronto to get a cappuccino (this is before Starbucks were on every corner). We got trapped in an underground mall and set off an alarm trying to escape.

I saw the Buffalo Bills play at Skydome long before financial troubles had them setting up a yearly deal. Funny side story -- one of the Buffalo Jills cheerleaders said this (in response to me hitting on her) "I knew a guy like you in high school. He was arty too..."

When I land in Buffalo, the first stop is usually Tim Horton's (or Timmy Ho's as we affectionately refer to it).

The summer I turned 19, I typically converted about half of my paycheck to Canadian so that we could go up to Eagle's Landing and enjoy a mighty fine jukebox (James' Laid was 4111) as well as a cold Blue.

I'm reasonably certain that my first live nude girl was in Niagara Falls, Ontario at Sundowners.

And, of course, anyone who knows me knows my love of a little sport called hockey. That unrequited love.

I love America. I love being American. I'll also always have a special place in my heart for our neighbors to the north.