1993.

Where the sun stayed up all night in my dreams and I went to bed wishing my eyes never had to close.
I would stay up and stare out my window and count to ten and wish that I was old enough to sit out and watch the moon begin to impose.
Christmas was always my favorite time of year, new bike, Mum brings out the camcorder, I'm in heaven. Training wheels broken in, riding all alone, whoops, there's a scraped shin bone.
Little sister chasing me around, and back then, no baby brother.

Time flies and snow came down, then there was 1996.
I'd clean the house with Mum, prepare the rooms for guests. I'd joke with my new brother in hopes of us being best friends - couldn't understand all of me yet, he was only two.
We'd wake up way too early and rush through our schoolwork, because when you are homeschooled, you work your own pace, and that's what I did best, passing all of my tests, on my own, because I could do it.
It's 1997 and I'm still in the sandbox in the backyard, listening to "Roll of Thunder Hear my Cry." I couldn't wait for our family trip to the southern USA, beaches, innocence, camping, yes.

Summer flew by, and look, I'm ten years old and it's 1998.
Bran Van 3000 is playing in the background and although I wasn't drinking in LA,
I couldn't wait to stay up late.
I always knew then, at the age of 10, I could like somebody.
My sister was so pretty. We were close. Captain Claw on the computer, 9pm at night, 1999.
My friend Jonathan and I would throw the baseball for hours, I would never take long in the shower because I wanted to always get out of the house! to go outside, or who am I kidding, play Goldeneye!

My friends meant the world to me, J.D. MacCuish and I were inseparable, energetic kids who meant the world to each other. So much in common, such good friends for what I thought would be forever.
Star Wars, the Phantom Menace. Lost four teeth, surgery, was in pain for a week. I was a trooper and I felt like a king.
My friends came over and I couldn't wait to show them my battle scars (even in my mouth)! They were jealous but it was around that time I met my new best friend, Mitts.

Slowly the '90's wore out and I entered the new millennium.
This staying up late, more responsibility stuff, it just wasn't worth it.
Scary enough for me was the fact that I was growing up, I hated it, like what was this stuff?
I just wanted to play hockey, and stay at home, and never grow up, because when your childhood is perfect, isn't that enough?

Boy Scout of the year, Prince Edward Island Scouts Jamboree, 2001.
Home is where the heart is, and I was home in every way.
It was pulling more teeth when I made the move away.
From my home, to a strange place I've never been, Alberta, Canada.
This picture does justice for emotions when I made the move, this was now my home.
So big, so alone. Welcome to the West.

No friends, new school, new place, new grounds. 13 years old. How I wished for '93...