Merry Christmas & Happy New Year

It's baffles me how quickly the years pass by and I can't believe we're ready to celebrate another holiday season.

I wanted to take a quick moment to wish all of my family, friends and all of you who take the time to visit my blog a Very Merry Christmas and a Healthy and Happy New Year in 2010.

Favourite Photos of 2009

In honour of my 300th Blog Posting, I thought I'd post something that I hope you'll enjoy.

I have made a short video slide-show presentation of some of my favourite photos I took during 2009. I had a particularly enjoyable and successful year with my camera as I think I produced some fairly good photos. I was pleased with the results at least.

Any way, I hope you like the show.

Best Movies Of The Decade

Every decade is filled with movies that I feel are an absolute waste of money and time and this decade that is just about to end was no different. I think films have moved away from being intriguing, thought provoking works of art to mindless pieces of drivel. It's all about who can make the biggest bangs and create the best special effects. The story has taken a back seat to the visual and audio onslaught of our senses.

That isn't to say that a big movie spectacle can't also have a good story but for the big budget blockbusters, most seem to focus on the effects and spend less time developing characters or an interesting plot and storyline.

Having said that, there are movies that I absolutely love that probably don't have the best story but were thoroughly entertaining, and when it comes right down to it...we go to the theatre to be entertained and enjoy ourselves. We use it as an escape from our daily lives.

I have compiled my list of movies that I think were the best or at the very least, my favourites over the last ten years (2000 - 2009).

Before I begin, there are some excellent films that you might think would be on my list but they just didn't make it. These include: The Pianist (2002), There Will Be Blood (2007), Traffic (2000), Mulholland Dr. (2001), 2012 (2009) Letters From Iwo Jima (2006) and Million Dollar Baby (2004) to name a few. All amazing films but from my personal tastes and opinions, they just don't crack my top fifteen.

So without any further ado, here are the movies that made my cut.

Bundy's Top 15 Movies of the Decade
(2000 - 2009)


Number 15 - Crash
(2005)
Don Cheadle, Sandra Bullock, Matt Dillon

Number 14 - Apocalypto
(2006)
Rudy Youngblood, Dalia Hernandez

Number 13 - Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith
(2005)
Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, Hayden Christensen

Number 12 - The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
(2002)
Elijah Wood, Viggo Mortensen, Ian McKellen

Number 11 - Mystic River
(2003)
Sean Penn, Kevin Bacon, Tim Robbins

Number 10 - Walk The Line
(2005)
Joaquin Phoenix, Reese Witherspoon

Number 9 - Gladiator
(2000)
Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix

Number 8 - Almost Famous
(2000)
Billy Crudup, Frances McDormand, Kate Hudson

Number 7 - King Kong
(2005)
Naomi Watts, Jack Black, Adrien Brody

Number 6 - Casino Royale
(2006)
Daniel Craig, Eva Green, Judi Dench

Number 5 - Seabiscuit
(2003)
Toby Maguire, Jeff Bridges, Chris Cooper

Number 4 - No Country For Old Men
(2007)
Tommy Lee Jones, Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin

Number 3 - The Departed
(2006)
Jack Nicholson, Matt Damon, Leonardo DiCaprio

Number 2 - The Dark Knight
(2008)
Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Morgan Freeman

and my Number 1 movie of the Decade is...


The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
(2003)
Elijah Wood, Viggo Mortensen, Ian McKellen

So there you have it. Perhaps there are some surprises there but keep in mind that these are the movies that I liked. If there's a movie that you think was an obvious choice but didn't appear here, feel free to leave a comment. Here's hoping the movies in the next decade continue to entertain us and keep us going to the theatre.

The Tail of Tiger

Some of you might have been wondering if I had any thoughts regarding all of this hub-bub surrounding Tiger Woods and his...er...um...indiscretions.

Well, I do have an opinion but rather than going into a long drawn out and in-depth discussion, I'll keep it fairly short and simple.

In my opinion, Tiger is a pretty boy superstar athlete who couldn't resist the temptations that came along with being a celebrity. It doesn't take a genius to know that when you're good looking, rich and well-known, the skanky, gold-digging whores are not going to be far away.

I don't know if his home life and relationship with his wife was healthy but when you're married, you don't cheat on your wife. Get out of the relationship if you're not happy and then you can take as many rides on the town bike as you like.

A real man doesn't cheat on his wife.

These women are also at fault and should be getting crucified by the media but they aren't. They knowingly slept with a married man and that is just as wrong as what Tiger did. They deserve nothing from this and should be treated like the tramps they are.

As far as all of those sponsorship dollars and endorsement deals are concerned...it should all be gone. No company that wants to be taken seriously would continue to associate themselves with an adulterer and man of poor morals such as Tiger Woods.

I feel sorry for his beautiful wife Elin. I can only imagine how embarrassing this must be for her.

I am a fan of Tiger the golfer and hope he can get back to playing golf in the future but he will never be a legend of the game to be mentioned in the same breath as Gary, Jack and Arnold ever again. They were true gentlemen of the game both on and off the course. Tiger may end up with all the records, but he will never be a true champion.

Habby 100th Birthday Montreal

I just wanted to take quick moment to wish the Montreal Canadiens a Happy 100th Birthday. Last week the Habs celebrated the only way you’d expect, with a poignant and classy display.

Say what you want about the Canadiens, they are second to none when it comes to pre-game festivities and they pulled out all the stops, and a few old sweaters for this one.

Even though this celebration was special, I still believe when they closed the Forum and had the celebration that night it was their finest moment. Of course it didn’t hurt that Maurice “The Rocket” Richard was still alive and the amazingly long standing ovation he received that night will never be outdone. I never saw Richard play but as a life long Habs supporter, I know the history and know what he meant to the franchise.

I was lucky enough to be in the crowd at Maple Leaf Gardens the final time the Montreal Canadiens and Toronto played in that old hockey shrine. Prior to that game there was another impressive and lengthy standing ovation as The Rocket and Tedder Kennedy were introduced and came out to drop the puck. This was one of the few times when both Habs and Leafs fans stood unified in celebration and I felt privileged to be there. I think Montreal won that night as well.

The Montreal 100th celebration was unique in its own way with about 30 of the club’s greatest names, led by goaltender Patrick Roy, donned their equipment and sweaters (many retired) and took part in a pre-game skate and warm-up. Ken Dryden looked awesome and he even pulled the old mask out of retirement. It was the first time he’d worn goalie equipment since he last played for Montreal in 1979…even if he did have to borrow the pads from Carey Price. Long-time trainer Eddie Palchak was there to dump the pucks on the ice one more time.

Even non-Montreal fans had to feel a bit like kids again watching legends like Guy Lafleur, Larry Robinson, Henri Richard, Guy Carboneau, Mats Naslund, Guy Lapointe, Serge Savard and the Mahovlich brothers being introduced. It was legend after legend with the biggest living legend Jean Beliveau the last to appear.

That alone would have been amazing but it went beyond that with "Mr. Hockey" Gordie Howe carrying out Maurice Richard’s #9 sweater, speaking and introducing Beliveau and a taste of Hollywood with Viggo Mortensen introducing Lafleur.

Then you add two more retired numbers as 91-year-old Elmer Lach’s #16 and Emile (Butch) Bouchard’s #3 were raised to the rafters. To cap it all off there’s nothing like a group photo for a keepsake as the legends were joined by the current Canadiens players.

It’s amazing that Montreal has won 24 Stanley Cups and has 54 members in the Hockey Hall of Fame but it was even better to see these legends on the ice one more time. Could you imagine if they were all in their prime still? What a team that would be. It’s as Larry Robinson said, “When you think of Canada, you think of hockey. And when you think of hockey, you think of the Montreal Canadiens.”

Give the Gift of Liver

It’s the Christmas Season which means a great number of us are in the “giving” spirit at this time of year. Perhaps you’ll be heading to your local box store looking to purchase a new fancy four slice toaster for your parents or the newest Donkey Kong video game for the kids. OK, I might be showing my age on that last one.

In these tough economic times it can put a strain on the finances when you have several people to buy for but when you see the smiles and know how much it’s appreciated, somehow it all seems worthwhile.

The giving doesn’t have to stop only on special occasions; you can give an even greater gift when your time on this earth has come to an end. I am of course speaking of organ donations.

The thought of parting ways with your most prized possessions such as your liver, heart, eyes or other harvested organs can seem a little morbid but it’s so much more than that. You could save the life of a complete stranger, improve their chances of survival or their improve life in general.

Several years ago my family had a scare when a growth was found encapsulated in one of my father’s kidneys. Luckily the doctor was able to remove the kidney intact and avoid any further problems. Dad had to make some changes and take some pills to ensure his other kidney would continue to function properly. It’s like flying a two engine plane…if you lose one engine, you can still fly but you have to watch that last engine and nurse it until the end of the flight.

It was a scary time and although I probably wasn’t going to be an exact match, I was prepared to give him one of my kidneys if it was possible. I wouldn’t have thought twice about it. It’s family and there’s nothing more important to me then family. Now, had it been someone I didn’t know or only knew slightly, I’d like to think I’d still be as generous but I honestly can’t say for sure. I like to think I’m a good guy but even I have my limits.

Of course live organ donation is different from donating your bits and pieces once you’re done using them. And giving organs to a stranger is something I’d have no trouble consenting to prior to my passing. But how do you do it?

It used to be when you received your license; you were also given a card you could sign stating that you were willing to donate your organs should an accident happen. I didn’t get one the last time I renewed my permit. Putting it in your Will won’t work since time is of the essence and most organs need to be harvested ASAP.

I visited the Organ Donation and Transplant Association of Canada website and found some good information.

1. It’s extremely important that you make sure your family knows about your intentions well in advance of your death, so that they will honour your commitment at a difficult time.

2. Download an organ donor card here – or call 1.866.949.0003 and ask them to mail you a card.

3. Complete the Donor ID Card and place it in your wallet alongside your personal identification.

4. Give the Donor Notification Card to your loved ones.

5. Depending on what province you live in – there might be further steps to take. For more information please call 1.866.949.0003.

The other question that remains is to determine which organs you’re willing to donate. Some people don’t like the idea of parting with certain items. I don’t know what they think they’ll need them for but I suppose for some, religious beliefs play a role. Ah yes, it seems like religion enters into almost everything these days. Luckily, I’m not an overly spiritual person.

Take it all I say. My eyes are pretty good right now and once you get through the ample layers of skin and flab I’m sure most everything else is working fairly well. I do have a slight heart imperfection but it’s still beating so it can’t be too bad. And my twig and giggle berries are only slightly used if anyone wants those.

Of course this topic is one that a lot of people like to avoid because they just don’t want to think about their own mortality. But if you can get past that, wouldn’t it be nice to know that your last act in this world was an entirely noble one. Not to mention a part of you will live on. That would be kind of cool.

Winter Memories

I didn’t always hate winter and the cold. There was a time in my more youthful days when the thought of dressing in warm clothing and heading outside for hours to play in the snow didn’t send a chill down my spine.

Today my views on this long, dark and frigid season known as winter have changed. I would much rather travel to a warmer climate beginning in November and then return to my home in Canada around the start of April. This would be the perfect winter scenario for me.

These views of mine differ from when I was a younger version of myself. I recall happier times spent outside when all around me had turned white with snow and ice.

My local toboggan hill no longer exists as an apartment complex has taken its place but we used to have a great spot located just a short walk from my door where all of the kids would take our crazy carpets or sleds and hurl ourselves with reckless abandon down the steep hill. We would risk bodily harm on each journey from the top to the bottom and slip and fall during our repeated ascents to the top of the hill only to hop on and go one more time. Of course the thrill of the ride wasn’t always enough so we would build a ramp at the bottom of the hill in an attempt to create even more excitement of flying through the air. The fun always outweighed the danger.

The kids in my neighbourhood were also blessed with an outdoor pond in the field across the street from where I lived. Not surprisingly, the pond is also gone and has been replaced by houses. This pond would freeze in the frosty weather and provide us with our own skating rink. I was never a good skater (bad ankles) but that never stopped me from tying the laces of my skates together and throwing them over the hockey stick perched on my shoulder and marching through the deep snow to the ice pad. We’d play games of hockey for hours or just skate around the ice until our faces were numb and red or our feet had reached the limit prior to achieving frostbite. Those were some good times.

Probably my favourite winter activity was playing “King of the Castle”. As a large kid, I always fared rather well at this game. With all of the snow that would fall, the plow would create some large mounds of snow on which we could play. The object of the game was to remain at the top of the hill and not let anyone push you off. I think this game did an excellent job of teaching us that you can accomplish your goals if you work together. Unless of course; the group can’t muster enough strength to knock the fat kid off the top.

It wasn’t all good times. I recall on more than one occasion arriving home from either school or from playing with friends to find that nobody was home and the house was locked tighter than Fort Knox (I had a better description planned for that but being the holiday season…it might have been a bit too graphic). There I would wait, sitting on the front cement step with the bitter winds beating me and the cold of the stoop penetrating my ass. My whole body would be chilled. Needless to say, I always let my parents know how disappointed I was when they returned home…not that Dad cared. I think he just figured it would make me tougher. Boy did that plan backfire.

So all of my good and happy memories of winter are still with me it seems. Despite this I would still much rather reminisce about those fun times while sipping on an ice cold beer as I sit in my lawn chair at the beach on the Gulf Coast of Florida in February. Dare to dream.

My 2009 Christmas Wish List

It’s December and we’re less than a month away from 2010 and the end of another decade. We’re also quickly approaching Christmas and all of the gifts, food and festivities that go along with it.

Last year I didn’t ask for much but was very happy to see a new snow blower on Christmas morning. My back was very thankful for this gift and it was put to good use with the long, cold and snowy winter weather we had. I’m sure this winter will bring more of the same.

But traditionally the Bundy Wish List has included items of a more unrealistic nature. These are gifts that range from a slight possibility of receiving to presents that I have no chance in hell of seeing under my tree. It’s more of a “Not in Your Wildest Dreams Christmas List”. Obviously a large sum of money or unlimited wealth would be my first choice but for this list, I’ll only mention actual items that could be purchased...but not by me personally.

So, let’s have some fun shall we?

32GB iPod Touch
Cost: $299


Nikon D3x DSLR Camera
Cost: $8000
(an assortment of macro, telephoto and f/2.8 lenses would be nice as well)


Blackberry Bold 9000
Cost: $600


52” Samsung LCD 1080p 240Hz Television
Cost: $2800


27” iMac Computer
Cost: $2100


Dell XPS Computer w/ 2-24” Monitors
Cost: $4000
Season Tickets for Montreal Canadiens
Cost: Priceless


Private U2 Concert with friends
Cost: I can’t even imagine


2010 Lincoln MKX
Cost: $50 500


2010 Mercedes-Benz SLK300 (for home in Florida)
Cost: $71 000


2010 Cadillac Escalade
Cost: $ 90 000


New Home in Canada
Cost: $1 500 000


New Home in Florida
Cost: $3 000 000

I think that’s just about it. I’m sure there are other things that will come to mind but those are the big ticket items for the most part.

Obviously I’d settle for the gift of good health and happiness for me and my family for many years to come. I won’t lie though…the unlimited wealth part would be nice to have as well.

I hope all of your Christmas Wishes come true.