Red Green, the Canadian comedy character, tells his audience as parting words, "Keep Your Stick On The Ice"
I'm curious about something, do you have context for that phrase? and if not, do you have a guess for what it is saying?
(cw if you know)
an educated guess
@rockario It's a hockey metaphor, right? Like, keep your stick ready to catch the puck or shoot or whatever.
an educated guess
@BestGirlGrace yep, that's it. In the hockey sense it's good advice for kids along with "keep your head up"
my interpretation
@rockario this sort of readiness is important in life, to be able to assist your comrades, but also to be able to capitalize on momentary advantages when they come your way
of course, that sort of constant awareness, readiness, and action is extremely draining
which is why the average pro player's shift is about 48 seconds. then the next line hops the boards and takes over, so they can rest a minute
my interpretation
@hexwren I always wondered, as someone who never played hockey seriously (or at all after middleschool), how well you can receive a casual pass if you just hold your stick firmly and keep it on the ice.
Because that adds a dimension to it, where you don't *have* to be hypervigilant but at least keep your stick on the ice and you will be able to respond with little prep.
as opposed to, like, saying in baseball "keep your glove on"
my interpretation
@rockario pucks can bounce off the blade of the stick, you need to actively control the puck as it comes to you
@WizardOfDocs @Canageek huh, I'm not actually sure how you get that meaning.
@WizardOfDocs @rockario Yeah, my Dad who grew up in rural Ontario a generation or half a generation after Steve Smith says it is about playing clean; you have to raise your stick up off the ice to cross-check someone. I could get more detail from him if you want.
Or we could ask his son, who streams on Twitch or ask in Steve Smith's Patreon
@Canageek @WizardOfDocs @rockario I came here to say that.
@Canageek @WizardOfDocs Oh interesting.
Keep your stick on the ice as in "stick to the game, not the fighting"
My guess
@rockario Either hockey, or that thing where you test the ice thickness by poking it.
We think the meaning is…
@rockario .hg …a hockey thing. Keep your hockey stick on the ice of the rink. So, dereferencing the metaphor, probably something about keeping focused or keeping ready?
re: We think the meaning is…
@moonbolt pretty much. the literal advice is for hockey, about keeping the stick down so even if you aren't paying attention a passed puck won't just go sliding by.
@rockario Something to do with ice hockey? The only reason I thought of that was because you said Canadian.
my interpretation
So the literal advice is for hockey. The equivalent of being ready to catch a ball.
But in the context of *life advice* I see it as being passively ready to handle what gets thrown at you. And you can even say it with the intent of "be ready to catch the puck when your friends throw a problem your way."
This is the kind of handyman I like to hold on to. Not some libertarian "do everything yourself. asking for help is weakness." But being able to help people and help yourself.