When I first sat down to write this rant, I eagerly tried to round up all the reasons why we, at Chill, are so thrilled that spring is finally upon us. We can toss that shovel back in the shed, bolt on our regular tires, peel off the layers of excess insulation and finally – and I do mean finally – crack open a cold one outside by the BBQ. I was so preoccupied by thoughts of longer, warmer, cottage filled days to come when it hit me: you all know spring is coming. You’re all dusting off the flip flops and awaiting the outdoor living just like I am. No matter how exciting it is, it’s nothing new. So, this spring I’m asking all of you in Chill Nation to join me in trying something fresh, something new, something out of the typical spring behaviour we practice every year. That’s right, all together now, it’s time for a change.
That’s exactly what we’ve done in this spring issue. We’ve embraced those that have embraced change and we’re urging you to do the same. The seasons are changing and it’s time for us to follow suit. Ontario certainly has in finally welcoming UFC to the province (page 12). And look at the result – an economic impact on the Toronto region that will bring in between $30 and $50 million in that one UFC weekend. A perfect example of the positive effect that change can have if we embrace it. Now if only our Canadian NHL teams could initiate the same kind of change on the ice and bring the Cup home to Canada where it belongs (Page 26).
We’ve also accepted the fact that, as this NHL season begins to wrap up and it will be months before our weekends are once again filled with hockey and football, we’ll have to look elsewhere for our fill of sports. As we began noting all the other sports that fly under the radar, we realized we’ve really been missing out. Sure, hockey and football players are remarkable athletes, but so are water polo and ping pong players. In keeping with this theme of change and opening our minds to new ways of thinking about sports – we thought – why not find out what type of sport produces the world’s best athlete. With our panel of expert judges, we’re seeking out the answer in the first segment of an ongoing Chill-exclusive feature: The Best Athlete in the World (page 22).
But I also encourage you to change yourself for the better this spring. After a winter full of hibernation, rich foods and not enough exercise, even the best of us have an extra layer or two we’d like to shed before beach season. We’ve taken the liberty of giving you a push in the right direction by providing you with a brand new 30-minute workout from our Fitness Chillosopher (Page 50) as well as an exclusive food guide in our Food 101 department (Page 48). We’ve broken down all of the food jargon that we assume is beneficial to our health and uncovered what these terms really mean.
And finally, it’s time to change the environment that we live in. Not only is Earth Day on the horizon, but ‘tis the season for DIY projects. And, as always, we’re making things as efficient as possible for our busy readers. We’ve combined an Earth Day mindset with our Handyman or Candyman department this issue. We bring you: environomics (Page 64). This is Chill’s way of merging environmentalism, economics and DIY projects. Check out the changes that you can make around your home to turn it into a green machine.
So, go ahead. Get excited about spring. We sure are. But, don’t forget to take full advantage of the season and everything happening in the next few months – warmer temps, longer days, even UFC – as inspiration to change your life for the better. Then, at the end of it all, remember to kickback, crack a smile and you know the drill – Chill!
Your friendly neighbourhood Chillosopher,
Scott Stevenson
