About

“To shoot an arrow, you gotta pull it backwards.”

Oh, hi! Didn’t see you there. Not because of my nearsightedness, but because this is the internet and I, literally, could not see you. This page is off to a roaring start, isn’t it?

Welcome to The Captain’s Speech! My name is Paul. I will be the voice inside your head as you read the words I write! Let’s be friends.

This blog was born on June 23, 2013 as a sports blog, but that got boring after two months when I realized I had more I wanted to say, so now I write about anything and everything.

The title of my blog comes from my university days when I was the Captain of my intramural team. I’d give pre-game speeches that didn’t always lead to a win, but always generated a chuckle.

Here are some rapid fire facts about me:

  • I love sports.
  • My favourite food is pizza.
  • I say “serviette” instead of napkin.
  • I enjoy conversations about random things.
  • I watch wrestling and The Bachelor.
  • Some of my favourite songs are: Where The Streets Have No Name by U2; Sleeping Sickness by City & Colour; and Closer To The Edge by 30 Seconds To Mars.
  • My favourite colour is blue, I think. No, red. Both.
  • I’m not sure if I have a favourite/lucky number, though I seem to favour 2, 19, 22, and 91. Writing that out made me realize I only care about numbers 1, 2, and 9. Ok.
  • All of my puns are intended.
  • I have a dry sense of humour.
  • I’ve never seen Star Wars, Lord of the Rings.
  • I prefer non-fiction books.
  • I’ve never had tacos, sushi, or Nutella.
  • My baseball glove is about 30 years old. I couldn’t imagine wearing a different one.
  • At least 10 people have told me I look like Sidney Crosby.

My interests are all over the place, which means this blog is too. If you were to ask me what my blog is about, I wouldn’t know how to answer you. My blog is about me, but you don’t know me, so reading it is the only way to find out.

Many of my posts are written in the middle of the night. I try to make every post sound as if I’m talking, rather than you are reading.

A lot of my posts have jokes in them, so if you don’t like to laugh…uhh I don’t even know how to finish this sentence.

I write about life. I write about sports. I write about me. I write about writing. I write about scenarios in life that no one talks about enough.

Essentially, if a thought pops in my heads, I’ll turn it into a blog post. I like to think I’m constantly coming up with new ideas that will entertain others.

My goal is to make you laugh, think, or cry. Failing that, hopefully you click away from my blog feeling a little bit better than before you got here.

Now then…because I have nowhere else to put it, and because I want to remember the specific dates, here is a list of my blogging accolades which I was somehow deemed worthy of.


ACCOLADES
My blog has been featured three times on Freshly Pressed:

September 6, 2013: I Miss School, Already

March 28, 2014: Watching The Leafs Isn’t Fun Anymore

May 18, 2015: Growing Up Millennial

…and three times on Discover:

January 16, 2017: Digital Diet

July 17, 2017: Reflecting on Four Years of Blogging

November 8, 2017: Roy Halladay

On December 19, 2017, Discover did a Top 10 list of the most popular features of the year.  My post “Reflecting on Four Years of Blogging” came in at #4.


Thank you for getting through this About page, which I’ve edited about 81 times. I appreciate it!

Please feel free to leave a comment below.

Your Captain,

Paul

200 Responses to About

  1. Anonymous says:

    Hello Paul, I came upon your site searching for a symphony audience photo. In your article, Writing for a Larger Audience you have an audience shot attached. Can you tell me where you got this image or who owns it? I would like to use as a background image for an ad I am putting together.
    Thank You
    John

    Like

  2. john says:

    Thank You!

    Like

  3. tinemagpayo says:

    “I start sentences with “and” a lot.
    I use more commas than I should, but less than a comma-freak would.
    I was the Captain of my intramural team in University and gave pre-game speeches before our games. They rarely worked, but were fun to do.”

    Your words are ummm, i dunno the better word for cute but if there’s one, then that’s the word I’m looking for haha I really really liked the part where you said “They rarely worked, but were fun to do.” I mean, yeah, who says things have to really work out for you to be happy about them 😉 Good day 🙂

    Like

  4. Happy New Year Paul!! 🙂

    Like

  5. ForTheLoveOfSass says:

    Hello Paul! Since you are a great blogging friend of mine, and today is my blog’s anniversary- I gave you a shout out! Please check it out here:) http://4theloveofsass.wordpress.com/2014/01/04/1-whole-year-of-blogging-bliss-happy-blogiversary-to-me/

    Like

  6. Paul! May I follow you on twitter? If yes, how do I go about finding you?!?

    Like

  7. wingedprisms says:

    Hi Paul – thank you so much for the follow – that means a lot to me. 😀
    Also, I enjoy the read “about” you – I even think I heard you reading it to me. Well done. Hope to see you more often.
    cate b

    Like

  8. I use so many commas that my prof in college once asked, “What is your method when entering commas?”
    I answered, “My elementary teacher just told me anywhere I would take a breath, that is all really.”
    She looked at me over her glasses, “I read your papers and always worry that you are hyperventilating!”

    Like

  9. thatssojacob says:

    Hey there Paul! I’m doing a project where I’m following ten exciting, fresh, and interesting bloggers each day for the month of March 2015, and you’re today’s #1! Feel free to come visit me when you can at http://www.thatssojacob.wordpress.com, and follow if you like what you read. Have a good one!

    Liked by 1 person

    • Paul says:

      Hey Jacob, thanks for the follow! I checked out your blog, looks like you have a great thing going on there! The list on the side of all the countries that have visited your blog is a great idea…one that I might have to steal!

      Like

  10. LFFL says:

    I plan to call you out on it, Paul! So keep up the good writing. 😉

    Liked by 1 person

  11. hannwells says:

    you sound hilarious! 🙂

    Like

  12. izza ifzaal says:

    Whattay description ! 🙂

    Like

  13. Happy Friday! I nominated you- https://toknitorknot1013.wordpress.com/2015/04/10/real-neat/
    Have a lovely weekend. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

  14. Not bad at ll , Captain. And continue with the and.

    Like

  15. gpcox says:

    Pleased to find your site and meet you.

    Like

  16. Ashley says:

    G’morning from the West Coast 🙂
    I’ve nominated you for an award, come take a look!
    https://keepaweathereye.wordpress.com/2015/05/07/the-versatile-blogger-award/

    Liked by 1 person

    • Paul says:

      Thank you very much! I’ll probably combine this in a post with another award I got today, but I’ll definitely do it! I would ask how the weather is out there, but it’s always great out west.

      Liked by 1 person

      • Ashley says:

        You’re most welcome! Totally fine, looking forward to reading about it :).
        Don’t jinx it, it’s been raining on and off here for the last week – this is the first day of solid sunshine in a while 😛

        Like

  17. Wow Paul! Teach me your moves!! 🙂 You go guy! You are the award master!
    On a more serious note… ok not really, because seriousness is truly overrated… we absolutely love what you do. Keep ongoing it and we’ll keep following you!
    Thanks for keeping the good times going!

    Liked by 1 person

  18. Hannah says:

    Hey Paul, quite an awesome & interesting blog! 🙂
    And yes, I do love pizza! 😀

    Liked by 1 person

  19. Hannah says:

    Haha…You’re welcome! 🙂
    And thank you very much for following!
    Look forward to many more interesting posts from you! 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

  20. Karen says:

    Hey awesome friend! I nominated you for TWO awards!! 🙂

    Creative Brain Cells Unite!

    Liked by 1 person

  21. baiqrosmala says:

    Hi Paul. I enjoyed your posts and I have just read the In your Dreams post and it made my day! I am looking forward to read more of your amazing thoughts. Regards from a newbie

    Liked by 1 person

  22. grammyg53 says:

    Hey Paul… I’m about to order pizza. Anchovies or no anchovies? Hurry! The girl on the phone is getting impatient… I have her on “hold”. HAHAHA!!!

    Cake AND Pizza. Yummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm….

    Liked by 1 person

  23. rebecak says:

    I found the widgets!! Yay!! Got the recent posts up there. There is soooo much info that you can put on these, it’s kinda crazy. I looked at yours from the computer today and it is truly awesome!! Thank you for all your help, I really appreciate it!! I look forward to asking you a million questions!! And… I clearly start sentences with the word “and” a lot, I too love pizza, and I also LOOOOVE sports!! So happy that I came upon your blog!!

    Liked by 1 person

    • Paul says:

      No problem! Looks good! Ask as many questions as you like. AND play around with as many widgets as you want too. So glad you found my blog as well! Always happy to find fellow pizza, sports, and “and” enthusiasts!

      Liked by 1 person

  24. aneesha sopori says:

    Hey Paul!
    I really liked your “anything that comes to mind” blog.

    Liked by 1 person

  25. Mon says:

    I gave you a Free-Writing Challenge at my blog 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

  26. Pingback: So many awards! | Gaurav Chaplot

  27. Pingback: Send me some letters on my address | A Touch to Unkahi Batein

  28. Pooja Mehta says:

    I have nominated you for a totally voluntary challenge called Five Photos, Five Stories 🙂 Check it out here

    Send me some letters on my address

    Like

  29. Hi Captain. For some reason I was not able to comment on your Under Attack post. The story made me laugh. You sew words together beautifully. Keep it coming.

    Liked by 1 person

  30. anxietybug88 says:

    I see you made it out of the battle alive. Were you successful in slaying the fly?

    Liked by 1 person

  31. JM Stories says:

    hey, I got an email with your ‘elephant in the room’ post and clicked to like/comment on it and Word Press says it can’t be found. So, I’ll comment here. It was brilliant, clever, perfect. How do you keep doing that, day after day? Do you spend your whole day composing? I would have to. Jeez Louise. So, as if there were an EITR, I fall to my knees. Operative word: fell. Smiley icon.

    Liked by 1 person

  32. msmarilynmoreno says:

    Hi, Paul. Interesting blog. Before reading your explanation for the blog name, I thought this was a play on the movie The King’s Speech. Have you seen it? If you haven’t seen it…then you should.

    Like

  33. Pingback: Awards, Awards Galore! – The Finicky Cynic

  34. Greetings and salutations!

    I’ve just nominated you for the Blogger Recognition Award. You can read more about the nerve wracking burden it entails here:

    https://pen2needle.wordpress.com/2015/10/23/glory-and-shame-the-blogger-recognition-award/

    Congratulations! 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

  35. Snehal Rawal says:

    Hi! You write really well! Great blog! 🙂

    Oh, and I love pizza. (Thin Crust, to be specific! 😀 )

    Liked by 1 person

  36. Nazyrawr says:

    Hi Paul ^^ thanks for the follow
    and aslo…
    I LOVE PIZZA A LOT

    Liked by 1 person

  37. Hi Paul! I’ve nominated you for the Starlight Blogger Award. This award is intended to “celebrate the creative bloggers who have truly inspired… others through their beautiful and original content, imagery, art, abilities, and wonderful personalities.” You can see your nomination here: https://authenticallyaurora.wordpress.com/2015/12/03/starlight-blogger-award/ 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

  38. LosiLosLoco says:

    Well I appreciated the conversation Paul. You’re definitely talking to me. And that works for me because I like talking to people. 🙂 Nice to meet you.

    Liked by 1 person

  39. Mon ☠ says:

    Hey, you haven’t posted a while, how are things shaking?

    Liked by 1 person

  40. LosiLosLoco says:

    Hi Paul! I’ve nominated you for the One Lovely Blog Award! If you’d like to accept it, the link to the post is right here –> https://thoughtsofatrainwreckedpineapple.wordpress.com/2016/02/05/mine-is-one-lovely-blog-award/
    Have a nice day now!

    Liked by 1 person

  41. Miriam says:

    Hey Paul, from a fellow pizza lover in Melbourne. Nice to find your blog and meet you. Looking forward to sharing the journey, if not the pizza!

    Liked by 1 person

  42. Thank you for following my blog!

    Liked by 1 person

  43. Mark Horner says:

    Hi Paul, I wanted to thank you for reading my poem, “Penge.” I’ve awfully enjoyed reading some of your words, too. Best wishes, MBH

    Liked by 1 person

  44. Hi Paul thank you so much for stopping by my Blog and for deciding to Follow! I just had a brief visit on your Blog I will come back again I went through your about page 😉 and decided to follow back 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

  45. Hey Paul, thanks for the visit. Looking forward to going through more of your stuff, digging what I’ve read so far 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

  46. peckapalooza says:

    Hey Paul… Would you be interested in doing a guest post for my blog?

    Liked by 1 person

  47. Hi Paul! I’ve nominated you for the Sunshine Blogger Award! 😀

    I know you’re drowning in awards and fan mail and guest post requests and such as are the burdens of all-stars like yourself, but should you choose to accept it, here’s the post:

    Sunshine Blogger Award

    Liked by 1 person

  48. luckilylenny says:

    Hi Paul! You’re the kind of a writer I look up to. I love the way you deliver your writings. I hope I can be as good as you. Thank you for inspiring. By the way, I have open letters to which was inspired of course, because of you. I hope you don’t mind. Thanks so much for inspiring me Paul! xoxox

    By the way, here’s the link of my initial post or should I say experiment? 😀
    https://luckilylenny.wordpress.com/2016/10/10/letter-to-il-let/

    Liked by 1 person

  49. Talula Teabag says:

    Hi Captain!

    I’ve nominated you for the 3-day quote challenge. Please accept 🙂

    TT

    Like

  50. studentzy says:

    I need to check your about section, your wordings are deep (I’m not sure, but maybe because you’re English it’s an edge).. You do write very well.. Keep it up..

    Oh by the way I love pizza (sauce sriratcha), but I prefer pasta.. 😂

    Liked by 1 person

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