Joy Drop: Excitement builds toward Paris Olympics

Hello, hello! We’ve hit the 100 days away from the Olympics mark! 

In addition to the comprehensive coverage of the Olympics, there is so much happening to prepare for this mega event. Here’s a clip of CBC Sports’s Paris Pulse to get you ready for all the action. 

Paris Pulse: Canada’s Olympic attire revealed, a Paralympic spot in wheelchair basketball

In our weekly Olympic and Paralympic news update, we update recent Canadian qualifications look at what Canada will wear during the opening and closing ceremonies.

It has been a while, friends. I took a lovely two-week break and spent it with my family, first on the shores of Grenada then at home celebrating Eid-ul-Fitr (end of Ramadan).

While I was gone, Canada beat the U.S. to win the IIHF Women’s World Hockey Championships, South Carolina won the NCAA women’s basketball championship, and the televised WNBA draft happened, drawing 2.4 million viewers in the U.S. and 140,000 in Canada. 

Kingston’s Aaliyah Edwards was drafted sixth overall by the Washington Wizards. Edwards, who went to school at the University of Connecticut, is a huge part of the Canadian women’s Olympic team. 

Edwards was the only Canadian near the top of the WNBA draft class, and she has an incredible amount of prestige and skill. 

The PWHL season has resumed and I can’t wait for the chaos. One of the things that brings me the most excitement is the Toronto vs. Montreal rivalry. This weekend, the two teams face off in what is expected to be the most attended women’s hockey game in history. That record is held by the number from the Battle on Bay Street but this weekend might just crush it. 

I got a lot of laughs after seeing Caitlin Clark (the 2024 WNBA all-round first pick) make a surprise appearance on Saturday Night Live and offer up some jokes and challenge the show’s Michael Che, who has previously roasted the talented player. 

I recently watched a film called Sweet Dreams and it was uplifting if a little cliche.

It doesn’t gloss over the challenges of its intense storyline, but it is also light-hearted. It can be called little too formulaic and predictable for a “feel-good” film but I enjoyed it. I didn’t go into watching this expecting an Oscar-worthy feature, but I certainly appreciated the very talented diverse and interesting cast. The film doesn’t prevent its characters from being flawed. And there is something endearing about this motley crew using softball to save their home, and themselves. 

Last but not least, I need to introduce you Jatee Kearsley. She’s a French pastry chef in Bed-Stuy, NY. I love the way she wants to introduce baked goods and pastries to the community via her shop Je T’aime Patisserie. She’s not just a spark of joy, she’s a flame. 

I hope this weekend bring you sweet treats, laughs and joy.