I looked into a magic eight ball, saw number eight

[jRuutu 2,464]

 

My friends, I see with my eyes, I hear with my ears, and I paint with my fingers. Do you know what being like that is called? Its called being an artist. I´m like a subway musician, unlike most subway musicians who play popular songs to please the people - I do the opposite. I don´t play the songs you want to hear. I play the songs that I know you don´t want to hear. I don´t play for money, I play purely for my entertainment, knowing that you don´t want to hear my songs makes me feel all kinds of good feelings deep inside. My name is Jim Bob and I´m a hockey player. 

 

I play hockey because I like the sport, I don´t play to win, I don´t play for glory, I play so I can look good while playing the game. When I wake up in the morning the first thing I think about is skipping the morning skate, do you need to show up every day to practice? I don´t think so. Did Shaquille O´Neal practice hard? No, he did not, but he played hard. I do the same and always give my all on the ice.

 

If you look at names like Scotty Campbell, Podrick Cast, Brett Slobodzian, Patrick Bergqvist, and Jim Bob. What all these players have in common? Talent, dedication, hard work? No, what all five have in common is that they went where only a few have gone before, they were not afraid to take chances and risks. Because just like in life, those who take the most risks are the ones who have the best stories to tell. That is how I live my life and that is how I play a game of hockey.

 

 

Some say I take unnecessary risks on the ice, some say I don´t respect my fellow players. As a reply to comments like that, I´m going to say what my uncle always told me while growing up: whistles in hockey are just like numbers on a speed sign - only a suggestion. Just because the referee blows on the whistle does not mean I´m going to stop playing. This is hockey, not rollerblading. If you are not ready for absolutely everything, you are going to get hurt. That is one of the main reasons why I´m on a 130 game ironman streak, I have not missed a game yet during my VHL career. Is that something every player can say? It's not.

 

The only way I can describe my future as a hockey player is by asking you to look straight into the sun or light source of some sort, keep staring for a few seconds, how does it feel? It´s bright, isn't it? We can sit here and wonder what does that mean exactly, but truth to be told, even I don´t know. Predicting something unpredictable is almost impossible. 

 

To the end I would like to leave a quote from my favorite hockey player, Wayne Gretzky: I skate to where the puck is going to be, not to where it has been.

Edited June 19, 2020 by jRuutu