An Ordinary Start: Cue the Hockey Socks and Hotdog Stands

Let me paint a picture for you: a five-year-old kid wearing a maple leaf sweater (two sizes too big), wolfing down a street vendor hotdog dripping in mustard, while gripping his dad’s hand on the way to a Leafs game. That kid was me. Back then, the only thing extraordinary about my life was trying not to spill mustard on my hockey socks. But as I’ve learned, the most ordinary beginnings often set the stage for truly memorable journeys.

Growing up in Toronto’s Riverdale neighborhood, I thought being “extraordinary” meant doing big, dramatic things—maybe being a pro hockey player or inventing something like a robotic hotdog dispenser (see a theme here?). I didn’t realize that greatness hides in the details: the tiny stories of perseverance, self-discovery, and, yes, even terrible first dates.

Let’s be honest: most extraordinary transformations start the same way—with a few awkward missteps and some trial and error. My journey? No different.

Questionable First Steps: Plot Twists in Pizza Parlors

My first brush with what could generously be called “relationships” happened in grade 10. Picture it: a neon-lit pizza place on Danforth Avenue. The girl I liked had agreed, somewhat reluctantly, to hang out. I remember being overly proud of my attempt at humor, saying something like, “This pepperoni pizza really complements your sense of style.” Her response? A polite smile that screamed Can I leave now?

I’d love to say things turned around from there, but the truth is, learning to connect with people—romantically or otherwise—is like visiting Kensington Market: full of excitement, yes, but also a labyrinth where you bump into walls (or hilarious goof-ups) more often than not.

But hey, even those blunders were steppingstones to something better. Over time, I realized that people don’t want a “perfect” you. They want the authentic you—the one who’ll share embarrassing childhood stories or admit they once thought “succulent” was just a fancy word for successful.

The Everyday Art of Connection

Here’s a truth bomb I wish someone had handed me back in my pizza-parlor days: extraordinary connections don’t happen in carefully curated Instagram moments or red-carpet-level dates. They happen when you dare to get real.

So how do you find your extraordinary in this mess of routines, bad puns, and tiny victories? Here’s what I’ve learned:

1. Own Your Ordinary Moments

Everyone has “ordinary” things about them: habits, quirks, or hobbies that seem almost too boring to mention. But here’s the kicker—those can also make you memorable. Love board games? Unapologetically rant about how Monopoly destroys friendships. Play a bizarre instrument, like the ukulele or kazoo? Share that.

When I started talking about my love for Toronto’s hidden alleyway murals (often stumbled upon during long, brooding walks over heartbreaks), I learned people were drawn to stories of exploration—little glimpses of who I was when no one was looking.

2. Be Awkward—But Be Funny About It

Awkwardness is as endearing as it is universal. Trust me, there’s power in being the guy who accidentally walks into a revolving door (actual story) and laughing it off. Humor—especially self-deprecating humor—bonds people like nothing else.

Think of it this way: Would you remember someone who tried too hard to “have it all together,” or the one who tripped over a sidewalk crack, laughed a little too loudly, and rolled with it like a champ?

3. Ask Better Questions

Something extraordinary happens when you move beyond the “So, what do you do?” level of conversation. Asking questions that dig deeper, like “What’s the last thing that made you laugh so hard you cried?” flowers into unexpectedly electric conversations.

A few years ago, I met someone who told me about her disastrous attempt at knitting (spoiler alert: everything unraveled, literally). That night included five hours of non-stop laughing, and while we’re friends today, the moment taught me this: curiosity shows care.

4. Celebrate the Small Wins

Maybe it’s my Canadian politeness speaking, but I think we downplay success far too often. Finally working up the nerve to tell someone you’re interested? That’s a win. Suggesting a weirdly specific date idea, like Toronto Island ferry rides? Another win.

Even the smallest gestures, like remembering they prefer oat milk over regular milk, cement connections over time. As someone once told me, “Small stones pave the biggest paths.”

Pop Culture Wisdom in Real Life

Let’s dive into the movies for a second—because Hollywood (unintentionally) gets life right occasionally. Ever seen The 40-Year-Old Virgin? Beneath all the over-the-top awkward hilarity, there’s a key takeaway: authenticity is the key to extraordinary connections. Steve Carell’s character doesn’t “win” by becoming someone else; he wins by embracing all his quirks, nerves, and vinyl-collecting heart.

Life isn’t about grand rom-com endings. It’s more like Parks and Recreation: hilarious, messy, heartwarming, and filled with moments when someone like Leslie Knope reminds us that caring (even too much) is always worth it.

Finding the Extraordinary in You

By the time I transitioned from arts reporting to relationship writing, I’d learned more about myself than expected. The “extraordinary” doesn’t lie in being flawless or overly clever. It lies in showing up—as is—and letting people meet you there.

Sure, my life’s got its fair share of rom-com-worthy moments (the once-in-a-lifetime sunset on Vancouver’s Spanish Banks), but also plenty of mundane ones (like consuming questionable amounts of coffee during late-night writing sessions). The magic is in embracing both.

The same lesson applies in all connections, not just romantic ones. Whether it’s a friendship forged over mutual hate for daylight savings time or a deep bond born out of shared misunderstandings of fine art (“Wait, is this upside down?”), the point is showing up, being seen, and celebrating humanity’s average-but-astounding beauty.

Your Journey, Your Extraordinary

Here’s where I’ll leave you: your journey is your own masterpiece. It doesn’t matter if it starts with mustard-stained hockey socks or ends with a Netflix binge instead of fireworks. If you embrace where you are—awareness of the simple, the awkward, and the extraordinary—you’ll find moments that’ll change your life.

So, lace up your skates or metaphorical dating shoes. The next step to extraordinary is just one slightly awkward, gloriously human leap away.