Joy Drop: PWHL is off to an inspiring start

Friends! So happy to bring Joy Drop back for 2024. I hope this New Year has brought you smiles and laughter thus far. 

I would be remiss if I didn't start off with a huge nod to the PWHL. The first week of this brand new year kicked off with some amazing energy on the ice and in the packed arenas. 

Almost 3 million Canadians watched the coverage on CBC, TSN and Sportsnet. 

In addition to the high calibre hockey, ecstatic fans and riveting coverage, there are now team pets! This week, Ottawa's team introduced us to Lando, the team's dog. 

In addition to creating totally adorable content, this is the kind of happy hockey culture that is well deserved and overdue. I really can't begin to explain how important this has been on the sports landscape and how it will continue to grow. 

In a different arena, the Canadian women's under-18 team is at the women's world championships and completely kicking butt. They are off to the semifinals but the cutest thing I saw was their team huddle. Talk about being industrious!

Over the break, I watched a fantastic movie called The Boys in the Boat with my family. It is about rowing, but also about passion, determination and fighting classist systems in sport. My father was an oarsman and he was so excited to watch this film. My kids enjoyed it and my parents really appreciated watching something wholesome and that had a timeless story. If you're looking for a bit of joy and positivity these days, I certainly am, then you might want to consider watching this. 

Speaking of wholesome, I will never tire from the power and joy of Sesame Street. When it is combined with food, one of my favourite things, it lands us at Cookie Monster. Here is a great clip of our beloved blue furry monster eating cookies with Chris Morocco from the Bon Appétit's Test Kitchen. 

They taste some of the most notable biscuits and decide which one is best. It's a fun watch and hilarious in the best ways. 

I found out about an impromptu choir called the Gaia Music Collective that gathers in Brooklyn and welcomes people to join in song. It's really, really beautiful. The fact that they invite anyone to come and harmonize is truly lovely. Like sport, music is a connector of people and to manifest this type of gathering makes the heart sing. Pun intended.