Thank you to the small minority of people in my life who remembered to wish me a Happy Fat Tuesday today. It’s surprising to me how many people I talked to in the last week were unaware of this extremely important occurrence. They looked at me as if I had three heads when I asked them if they were going to eat their donuts and other goodies.
Fat Tuesday is a joyous occasion – an opportunity to gorge oneself with all sorts of fattening, junk foods. But more importantly, it’s a day to eat as many donuts as possible. The best donuts come from my grandmother – each year as a child and adolescent, I couldn’t wait to get home after school to devour multiple donuts and donut holes, perfectly covered with a fine dusting of powdered sugar. They are the only donuts in the world that can top my beloved Dunkin Donuts (which I do miss and think about on average four times a day). Oh, how I miss gram's donuts!
No, seriously, Fat Tuesday is more than donuts. It’s a ritual Catholics participate in before Ash Wednesday kicks off the holy season of Lent. It’s the last day where Catholics can truly be guilt-free before Catholic guilt becomes more overpowering than it normally is.
For all of you out there celebrating Fat Tuesday, I do hope your donuts were delicious. I also hope if you’re planning to participate in the rituals of Lent, you have found the peace of mind to know you can manage your sacrifices during this holy time.
Some pieces of advice for Lent:
-If you’re giving something up for Lent, like chocolate or caffeine or alcohol, I hope you don’t play the game of “On Sundays, I don’t have to abide by my sacrifice.” This is for the weak.
-If you’re giving up cursing, I hope you can last more than 20 minutes. If you’ve never tried this, trust me when I tell you 20 minutes is a good effort. Hell, if your work is insane, 10 minutes is a good effort.
-If you're going to Ash Wednesday mass, I hope you will sing the song "Ashes" with pride -- it's my favorite Ash Wednesday hymn.
-If you’re getting ashes on Ash Wednesday, make sure you remember to close your eyes when the good priests of the world mark you with this holy sign – and beware of the giant thumb – they make the biggest crosses and they’ll get you good, I promise.
-If you’re in an area where people are uninformed of Catholic practices, don’t be alarmed on Ash Wednesday when someone tells you that your forehead is dirty and they try to attack your forehead with their sleeve or hanky to wipe the ashes off for you.
Other than that, best of luck for those who will endure the ultimate sacrifices during Lent – I admire your efforts. I haven't decided yet if I will participate this year, but I did participate in Fat Tuesday and that's good enough for now.
Tuesday, February 28, 2006
Sunday, February 26, 2006
Ciao Olympic Games
Critics have been vocal regarding the performances of American's Olympians during the 2006 Torino Games.
Disappointing moments include:
-Lindsey Jacobellis, for showboating in the final seconds of the snowboard cross event and blowing her chances at a gold medal.
-The men's hockey team, for only defeating Kazahkstan and failing to medal.
-Sasha Cohen, for falling in her second day of competition, finishing second.
-Bode Miller, for going zero for five in the alpine skiing events, leaving Torino without any hardware and failure to live up to all the hype.
The moments listed above and the Shani Davis/Chad Hedrick controversy have been some of the most talked about U.S. Olympic moments, and the negativity inherent in them has taken over the wave lengths. As if this hasn't been enough fuel for the critics' fires, critics have also repeatedly pointed out how the focus of the Olympics for many of our athletes isn't "winning one for the team" or for the country; rather, the focus is on oneself -- to win for one and use the winning as a platform for endorsements and personal gain.
Some critics have pointed out that it seems like many of our athletes have "failed to get the job done." And they point to the ratings which prove that Americans just really haven't tuned in to watch the Winter Games.
This is all somewhat sad to me. Sure, I haven't watched the Games religiously over the past two weeks, but I have tuned in as often as I could -- and each time, I have been amazed, not disappointed, by some of our athletes.
Some examples:
-Michelle Kwan, for having enough respect for her sport, her country, and the Games to walk away from her chance at a gold medal, knowing she could not represent the country and compete as would be necessary at this stage.
-Lindsey Kildow, who wrecked hard in training for alpine skiing and, after being released from the hospital, made every effort to get back on her skis and do her best.
-Joey Cheek, who won a gold and silver medal in speed skating events and donated his bonus money to charity.
Kwan teaches viewers a good lesson about respect, maturity, and doing what is best for the team. Kildow teaches viewers a great lesson about determination and perseverance. Cheek teaches viewers a magnificent lesson about being humble and doing what is best for the larger team, the human race.
Cheek wins my award for Olympian best representing the United States on this global stage. He reminds me of all that is good about athletics -- for having the determination for working hard to achieve one's goal, for representing a team well, for being a gracious winner, and for using one’s talent to do something to make the lives of other people better.
Unfortunately, you would miss this story if all you bought into was the negative hype surrounding the Olympics. Americans should be more proud of its athletes’ performances in the Games -- sure, there have been some disappointments and some shortcomings, but what in life doesn't? Besides, we did finish second in the medal race. And, as is the American way of life, we’ll make it necessary to do better in 2010. I already look forward to how we rise to that challenge and I await the stories – both negative and positive – that await us on this global stage.
Disappointing moments include:
-Lindsey Jacobellis, for showboating in the final seconds of the snowboard cross event and blowing her chances at a gold medal.
-The men's hockey team, for only defeating Kazahkstan and failing to medal.
-Sasha Cohen, for falling in her second day of competition, finishing second.
-Bode Miller, for going zero for five in the alpine skiing events, leaving Torino without any hardware and failure to live up to all the hype.
The moments listed above and the Shani Davis/Chad Hedrick controversy have been some of the most talked about U.S. Olympic moments, and the negativity inherent in them has taken over the wave lengths. As if this hasn't been enough fuel for the critics' fires, critics have also repeatedly pointed out how the focus of the Olympics for many of our athletes isn't "winning one for the team" or for the country; rather, the focus is on oneself -- to win for one and use the winning as a platform for endorsements and personal gain.
Some critics have pointed out that it seems like many of our athletes have "failed to get the job done." And they point to the ratings which prove that Americans just really haven't tuned in to watch the Winter Games.
This is all somewhat sad to me. Sure, I haven't watched the Games religiously over the past two weeks, but I have tuned in as often as I could -- and each time, I have been amazed, not disappointed, by some of our athletes.
Some examples:
-Michelle Kwan, for having enough respect for her sport, her country, and the Games to walk away from her chance at a gold medal, knowing she could not represent the country and compete as would be necessary at this stage.
-Lindsey Kildow, who wrecked hard in training for alpine skiing and, after being released from the hospital, made every effort to get back on her skis and do her best.
-Joey Cheek, who won a gold and silver medal in speed skating events and donated his bonus money to charity.
Kwan teaches viewers a good lesson about respect, maturity, and doing what is best for the team. Kildow teaches viewers a great lesson about determination and perseverance. Cheek teaches viewers a magnificent lesson about being humble and doing what is best for the larger team, the human race.
Cheek wins my award for Olympian best representing the United States on this global stage. He reminds me of all that is good about athletics -- for having the determination for working hard to achieve one's goal, for representing a team well, for being a gracious winner, and for using one’s talent to do something to make the lives of other people better.
Unfortunately, you would miss this story if all you bought into was the negative hype surrounding the Olympics. Americans should be more proud of its athletes’ performances in the Games -- sure, there have been some disappointments and some shortcomings, but what in life doesn't? Besides, we did finish second in the medal race. And, as is the American way of life, we’ll make it necessary to do better in 2010. I already look forward to how we rise to that challenge and I await the stories – both negative and positive – that await us on this global stage.
Saturday, February 25, 2006
"Come together, right now, over me" (The Beatles)
Maybe I jumped the gun in my previous post when I said, "For my dear friends out there, like Janet, still trying to make it like myself – chin up, friends, it will all come together soon."
If you knew me last year at this time, you were aware that I had a motto for getting me through each day as I finished grad school and awaited making progress on the next step in my life. The motto was "embrace the question mark - it is your friend." I felt that I grew comfortable embracing the uncertainty for those six or so months while trying to figure out where I would go and what I would do after grad school - I was comfortable living each day without knowing quite yet where I'd end up because deep down I knew that the next step of my life "would come together soon." Eventually I knew I'd have an interview that would result in a job offer and later result in a job commitment. The question mark would soon be erased and I would move on knowing things had fallen into place.
I cannot help but wonder, particularly with the week I’ve had, if things ever really "come together". It seems like we push and try so hard to reach those moments where things fall into place and where we can finally relax in knowing there is some consistency to our daily existence. I fully support "embracing the question marks" we face in our lives, but usually because I can accept the fact that things eventually do fall into place.
Yet, now, I wonder, if things really do “come together”. The only thing we know for certain about life is that it constantly changes -- situations change, moments, change, we change. So if we're in this constant state of flux, maneuvering through a life of change, how do things come together? Or maybe it's that things "come together" but only for a brief moment in time. As soon as we feel that things have fallen into place, the next thing we know is that it’s a few months later and everything is changing again. We’re left wondering again when it will all “come together” and when it will again fall into place. The cycle goes on and on and on and on – the cycle is life.
Can we ever be truly comfortable? Or do we constantly have to try to prepare, adapt, and adjust to all the upcoming moments where life will need to fall into place? How do we find the balance of feeling as if things are in place yet knowing they are going to change sooner or later? Or is this just something that seems more prevalent in our mid-twenties, where we’re dealing with so much change after graduating school, navigating our first jobs, and those first real stages in our lives when we’re out on our own? Do these feelings go away after you’ve been somewhere for three or four years and you’re indeed comfortable with your daily existence? Or is it just life’s most prevalent cycle that we must face head on each time it repeats itself?
I don’t really have a point here, just many questions and many feelings of being in a constant state of needing to “embrace the question marks” while waiting for things to “come together”.
If you knew me last year at this time, you were aware that I had a motto for getting me through each day as I finished grad school and awaited making progress on the next step in my life. The motto was "embrace the question mark - it is your friend." I felt that I grew comfortable embracing the uncertainty for those six or so months while trying to figure out where I would go and what I would do after grad school - I was comfortable living each day without knowing quite yet where I'd end up because deep down I knew that the next step of my life "would come together soon." Eventually I knew I'd have an interview that would result in a job offer and later result in a job commitment. The question mark would soon be erased and I would move on knowing things had fallen into place.
I cannot help but wonder, particularly with the week I’ve had, if things ever really "come together". It seems like we push and try so hard to reach those moments where things fall into place and where we can finally relax in knowing there is some consistency to our daily existence. I fully support "embracing the question marks" we face in our lives, but usually because I can accept the fact that things eventually do fall into place.
Yet, now, I wonder, if things really do “come together”. The only thing we know for certain about life is that it constantly changes -- situations change, moments, change, we change. So if we're in this constant state of flux, maneuvering through a life of change, how do things come together? Or maybe it's that things "come together" but only for a brief moment in time. As soon as we feel that things have fallen into place, the next thing we know is that it’s a few months later and everything is changing again. We’re left wondering again when it will all “come together” and when it will again fall into place. The cycle goes on and on and on and on – the cycle is life.
Can we ever be truly comfortable? Or do we constantly have to try to prepare, adapt, and adjust to all the upcoming moments where life will need to fall into place? How do we find the balance of feeling as if things are in place yet knowing they are going to change sooner or later? Or is this just something that seems more prevalent in our mid-twenties, where we’re dealing with so much change after graduating school, navigating our first jobs, and those first real stages in our lives when we’re out on our own? Do these feelings go away after you’ve been somewhere for three or four years and you’re indeed comfortable with your daily existence? Or is it just life’s most prevalent cycle that we must face head on each time it repeats itself?
I don’t really have a point here, just many questions and many feelings of being in a constant state of needing to “embrace the question marks” while waiting for things to “come together”.
Tuesday, February 21, 2006
Trying to "Make It"
My good friend Janet, a fourth year ceramics major, is in the midst of her major’s hell – preparing endlessly for her art show to be held in early March. My friendship with Janet has really opened my mind to the intensity in time, effort, and hardship artists face at all levels. She’s taught me about the tough criticism her pieces of art are subject to on a daily basis by her professors. She’s taught me about the extreme hours she spends molding, sculpting, and firing, and hopefully avoiding any permanent damage from things like toxic chemicals and kilns. My friendship with Janet has provided me with a much deeper appreciation of the arts and the efforts artists face in trying to “make it.”
As I reminded Janet last week, there are two types of people in the world – those who have “made it” and those who are “trying to make it.”
Those that have already made it are real people with real jobs who get compensated appropriately for the work they do. They have conquered their fields or, at the very least, have been in their field long enough to understand its intricacies – they’re the people who become mentors, trying to mold the “up-and-comers” into the next leaders. They’re the faculty members with tenure, the administrators holding titles of “director”, teachers who taught the parents of their students – they have nice offices/workspaces, get the respect they have earned, and a cushy salary to make life pretty good.
Conversely, those who are “trying to make it” are often young and right out of school or slightly older individuals who have switched careers. They are trying their hardest to learn the ins and outs of their fields – they’re looking for mentors who can help them navigate the intensity of their new situations. They’re the faculty members who are trying to get tenure, the graduate assistants doing full time work to supplement school, the interns doing everything under the sun that’s asked of them to prove their worth, the resident physicians in those final preparations for becoming a doctor – these too are real people with real jobs. They don’t always get compensated for the work they do, but they suck it up, do it, and hope to eventually enter the esteemed category of those who have "made it."
I’ve spent the last three years “trying to make it”, as a graduate student and now as an intern. I can commiserate with all of those grads, interns, etc. out there like myself who are trying to make it. I hope those of you out there who are trying to make it will find, as I have, that the hard work will eventually pay off, people do appreciate your efforts, and it will be “worth it” in the long run. I wish you the best of luck and remind you of the following:
Just remember, it could always be worse. You could be one of those crazy bastards trying to make it as a "reporter" that news stations send into the middle of tornadoes, winter storms, and hurricanes to send live reports to the commoners sitting on their couches. Clearly, this is borderline suicidal.
For my dear friends out there, like Janet, still trying to make it like myself – chin up, friends, it will all come together soon.
As I reminded Janet last week, there are two types of people in the world – those who have “made it” and those who are “trying to make it.”
Those that have already made it are real people with real jobs who get compensated appropriately for the work they do. They have conquered their fields or, at the very least, have been in their field long enough to understand its intricacies – they’re the people who become mentors, trying to mold the “up-and-comers” into the next leaders. They’re the faculty members with tenure, the administrators holding titles of “director”, teachers who taught the parents of their students – they have nice offices/workspaces, get the respect they have earned, and a cushy salary to make life pretty good.
Conversely, those who are “trying to make it” are often young and right out of school or slightly older individuals who have switched careers. They are trying their hardest to learn the ins and outs of their fields – they’re looking for mentors who can help them navigate the intensity of their new situations. They’re the faculty members who are trying to get tenure, the graduate assistants doing full time work to supplement school, the interns doing everything under the sun that’s asked of them to prove their worth, the resident physicians in those final preparations for becoming a doctor – these too are real people with real jobs. They don’t always get compensated for the work they do, but they suck it up, do it, and hope to eventually enter the esteemed category of those who have "made it."
I’ve spent the last three years “trying to make it”, as a graduate student and now as an intern. I can commiserate with all of those grads, interns, etc. out there like myself who are trying to make it. I hope those of you out there who are trying to make it will find, as I have, that the hard work will eventually pay off, people do appreciate your efforts, and it will be “worth it” in the long run. I wish you the best of luck and remind you of the following:
Just remember, it could always be worse. You could be one of those crazy bastards trying to make it as a "reporter" that news stations send into the middle of tornadoes, winter storms, and hurricanes to send live reports to the commoners sitting on their couches. Clearly, this is borderline suicidal.
For my dear friends out there, like Janet, still trying to make it like myself – chin up, friends, it will all come together soon.
Monday, February 20, 2006
Miami Mergers...
If you spend any time as a Miami University student (Oxford, OH), you are kept well informed of the fact that a large percentage of Miami grads end up getting married to each other, what Miami deems a “Miami Merger.” What you may not know (if you did not attend Miami or you just didn’t care enough while you were there) is that Miami has ridiculous traditions surrounding this practice.
According to a recent news story on the Miami website, “Almost 15 percent of Miami alumni – 25,570 – are married to each other, creating 12,786 mergers. An unsubstantiated report says the usual percentage of alums marrying alums from the same college is 3 percent.” (see http://newsinfo.muohio.edu/news_display.cfm?mu_un_id=65151260)
Each year, for Valentine’s Day, Miami University sends each of these Mergers a Valentine’s Day card. You can view the history of these cards on the following site: http://www.miamialum.org/pages/MergerValentines.htm
The 1982 Valentine is clearly my favorite.
Seriously, look at the website before you keep reading my commentary: there is a commonality in each of the cards. It’s not difficult to find and it’s clearly ridiculous. Go ahead, look at it, and laugh – out loud – it’s pure cheese.
There are three reactions to this information if you are a Miami grad:
First, the Merger's reaction: "I am so glad I met my significant other at Miami and the school reminds us of this wonderfulness each year with a valentine. We are so special."
Second, the bitter reaction. As I said to a friend last night, those who leave Miami without the solidification of their "MRS degree" might react, “Where the f*%* is my Miami Merger?” That is, if these people really believed they would leave college (or perhaps grad school) with a marriage around the corner to a sweetheart they made out with under the Upham Arch (this is another Miami tradition).
For those of us with brains, however, we are pleased we escaped Miami without having to succumb to this madness.
Third, the “looking behind the numbers” reaction. Let’s do some simple math.
Miami’s Alumni Office pays someone a real salary to perhaps be the “Miami Merger Expert” and head up these valentines and other related practices. The salary’s probably at least $35,000 a year – someone who is at Miami and bored, please go to the library, get out the salary record, and look it up, please. It will be fun, I promise.
12,786 mergers = 12,786 valentines
Let’s assume the cost of postage, printing, paper, envelopes per card is $1.00 – well that’s easy math, that’s $12,786 to send these Miami Merger Valentines.
Since Miami University is a state-supported public institution, I hope all of you OHIO residents out there are pleased that your tax dollars support programs such as this at Miami University. May you feel blessed in knowing you continue to spread Valentine's Day love across the world!
(Gag me, please)
(Ok, Ok, there is a chance this all comes through private funds, probably some ridiculous Merger couple themselves, but just humor me for the sake of humor, please.)
Does this not prove further the ridiculousness of Valentine's Day? It is really necessary for an institution to spend thousands of dollars on valentines? Wow, people, seriously. I am semi-embarrassed to admit I have a degree from this fine institution with its absurb and ridiculous practices. Unfortunately, this is just one of the many outrageous traditions Miami upholds yearly.
And seriously, could an educational institution, aka "The Public Ivy," not do about a million other worthwhile things with these funds -- what about bringing in another quality speaker perhaps to address the abundance of eating disorders on campus? Or a summer scholarship? Or about 100 more blue light safety phones on campus? Like I said, a million other worthwhile ways to spend this money, instead of on lame valentines cards.
I'm just glad I escaped the Merger Mayhem. I'm also glad I no longer pay taxes to Ohio.
According to a recent news story on the Miami website, “Almost 15 percent of Miami alumni – 25,570 – are married to each other, creating 12,786 mergers. An unsubstantiated report says the usual percentage of alums marrying alums from the same college is 3 percent.” (see http://newsinfo.muohio.edu/news_display.cfm?mu_un_id=65151260)
Each year, for Valentine’s Day, Miami University sends each of these Mergers a Valentine’s Day card. You can view the history of these cards on the following site: http://www.miamialum.org/pages/MergerValentines.htm
The 1982 Valentine is clearly my favorite.
Seriously, look at the website before you keep reading my commentary: there is a commonality in each of the cards. It’s not difficult to find and it’s clearly ridiculous. Go ahead, look at it, and laugh – out loud – it’s pure cheese.
There are three reactions to this information if you are a Miami grad:
First, the Merger's reaction: "I am so glad I met my significant other at Miami and the school reminds us of this wonderfulness each year with a valentine. We are so special."
Second, the bitter reaction. As I said to a friend last night, those who leave Miami without the solidification of their "MRS degree" might react, “Where the f*%* is my Miami Merger?” That is, if these people really believed they would leave college (or perhaps grad school) with a marriage around the corner to a sweetheart they made out with under the Upham Arch (this is another Miami tradition).
For those of us with brains, however, we are pleased we escaped Miami without having to succumb to this madness.
Third, the “looking behind the numbers” reaction. Let’s do some simple math.
Miami’s Alumni Office pays someone a real salary to perhaps be the “Miami Merger Expert” and head up these valentines and other related practices. The salary’s probably at least $35,000 a year – someone who is at Miami and bored, please go to the library, get out the salary record, and look it up, please. It will be fun, I promise.
12,786 mergers = 12,786 valentines
Let’s assume the cost of postage, printing, paper, envelopes per card is $1.00 – well that’s easy math, that’s $12,786 to send these Miami Merger Valentines.
Since Miami University is a state-supported public institution, I hope all of you OHIO residents out there are pleased that your tax dollars support programs such as this at Miami University. May you feel blessed in knowing you continue to spread Valentine's Day love across the world!
(Gag me, please)
(Ok, Ok, there is a chance this all comes through private funds, probably some ridiculous Merger couple themselves, but just humor me for the sake of humor, please.)
Does this not prove further the ridiculousness of Valentine's Day? It is really necessary for an institution to spend thousands of dollars on valentines? Wow, people, seriously. I am semi-embarrassed to admit I have a degree from this fine institution with its absurb and ridiculous practices. Unfortunately, this is just one of the many outrageous traditions Miami upholds yearly.
And seriously, could an educational institution, aka "The Public Ivy," not do about a million other worthwhile things with these funds -- what about bringing in another quality speaker perhaps to address the abundance of eating disorders on campus? Or a summer scholarship? Or about 100 more blue light safety phones on campus? Like I said, a million other worthwhile ways to spend this money, instead of on lame valentines cards.
I'm just glad I escaped the Merger Mayhem. I'm also glad I no longer pay taxes to Ohio.
Cabinet Conundrum Solved
Thanks to some savvy friends (read: people who can use google.com effectively and Kelly's previous southern living experience -- see comments under previous post) the Cabinet Conundrum has been solved.
According to a State Farm Insurance website, leaving one’s cabinet doors open – yes, the ones where the pipes are – allows for additional heat to warm the pipes; thus, when coupled with the water drip practice, pipes should not freeze and no damage should ensue. Kelly also reminds us of the differences in insulation as it relates to this situation.
If you’re so inclined to enlighten yourself further on this matter, please use the following website: http://www.statefarm.com/consumer/frozpipe.htm You never know when you'll end up in a state where such practices will be mandated even though you've lived through blizzards your whole life and think such practices are an over-reaction to reality.
I am certain we can all sleep better now knowing there is rational for this practice.
Oh, and in case you still weren’t convinced Memphians over-react to the winter weather, campus is closed today until noon because some streets and sidewalks may still be icy. This means that Memphis has tied my previous alma maters in number of days campus was closed due to “inclement weather”. I’ve been here 6 months – I was at those other places 6 years total between the two. Yes, the south = weak. Two words, friends: rock salt.
According to a State Farm Insurance website, leaving one’s cabinet doors open – yes, the ones where the pipes are – allows for additional heat to warm the pipes; thus, when coupled with the water drip practice, pipes should not freeze and no damage should ensue. Kelly also reminds us of the differences in insulation as it relates to this situation.
If you’re so inclined to enlighten yourself further on this matter, please use the following website: http://www.statefarm.com/consumer/frozpipe.htm You never know when you'll end up in a state where such practices will be mandated even though you've lived through blizzards your whole life and think such practices are an over-reaction to reality.
I am certain we can all sleep better now knowing there is rational for this practice.
Oh, and in case you still weren’t convinced Memphians over-react to the winter weather, campus is closed today until noon because some streets and sidewalks may still be icy. This means that Memphis has tied my previous alma maters in number of days campus was closed due to “inclement weather”. I’ve been here 6 months – I was at those other places 6 years total between the two. Yes, the south = weak. Two words, friends: rock salt.
Friday, February 17, 2006
Cabinet Conundrum...
"Dear Residents: There is a Winter Storm Advisory for Memphis beginning the evening of Friday, February 17 and lasting possibly until Monday. The temperature will drop below freezing. Please take necessary precautions to prepare for this event. Please remember to keep your hot and cold water on a slow drip and keep your cabinets open. Thank you for your participation in this manner. -- The Management Team"
This is the content of signs posted around my apartment community. I saw this one near the mailboxes. The south is interesting when it comes to dealing with the few and miniscule instances of winter.
First of all, in all of the notifications I have seen – including emails to employees and signs like the one above – the winter related weather is given specific titles, like “Winter Storm Advisory” or “Winter Weather Event” much like we would refer to events such as the Olympic Games or Easter or the NCAA Championships. There is a tendency to either capitalize the first letter of each word and/or put the event in quotes – clearly, this is an indication of the importance of these rare instances.
Second of all, Memphians’ means for dealing with winter weather sometimes seems bizarre to me. You can see my blog posting from last Friday regarding the “big” snow storm for some examples. But if that’s not enough, here is another.
Let’s refer to the sign above.
Now, I can 100% understand why it may be necessary to keep one’s faucets on a slow drip – we wouldn’t want the pipes to freeze and this allows for some continual water flow.
But the cabinets? I just don’t get it. I can totally understand if I am missing the point here, and someone can feel free to enlighten me. But it just seems a little weird.
What cabinets? And why?
A very wise friend and I seem to agree that the cabinets below one’s sinks seem to make sense – if the pipes do freeze and there is a problem, keeping these cabinets open would let us see those issues first, assuming the pipes burst in these locations.
But is it only these cabinets? I can’t seem to understand why it would be any of the other ones.
All of this speculation, however, raises another question: If these two practices – the water drip and the cabinet opening – are indeed necessary, why don’t we participate in such practices in such states like PA ?? I never remember my parents doing such things during the many blizzards we’ve lived through. So what is it about the south that makes these practices necessary?
Clearly, this cabinet conundrum is one for the sages (not to be confused with the sage in the spice rack in my cabinet).
This is the content of signs posted around my apartment community. I saw this one near the mailboxes. The south is interesting when it comes to dealing with the few and miniscule instances of winter.
First of all, in all of the notifications I have seen – including emails to employees and signs like the one above – the winter related weather is given specific titles, like “Winter Storm Advisory” or “Winter Weather Event” much like we would refer to events such as the Olympic Games or Easter or the NCAA Championships. There is a tendency to either capitalize the first letter of each word and/or put the event in quotes – clearly, this is an indication of the importance of these rare instances.
Second of all, Memphians’ means for dealing with winter weather sometimes seems bizarre to me. You can see my blog posting from last Friday regarding the “big” snow storm for some examples. But if that’s not enough, here is another.
Let’s refer to the sign above.
Now, I can 100% understand why it may be necessary to keep one’s faucets on a slow drip – we wouldn’t want the pipes to freeze and this allows for some continual water flow.
But the cabinets? I just don’t get it. I can totally understand if I am missing the point here, and someone can feel free to enlighten me. But it just seems a little weird.
What cabinets? And why?
A very wise friend and I seem to agree that the cabinets below one’s sinks seem to make sense – if the pipes do freeze and there is a problem, keeping these cabinets open would let us see those issues first, assuming the pipes burst in these locations.
But is it only these cabinets? I can’t seem to understand why it would be any of the other ones.
All of this speculation, however, raises another question: If these two practices – the water drip and the cabinet opening – are indeed necessary, why don’t we participate in such practices in such states like PA ?? I never remember my parents doing such things during the many blizzards we’ve lived through. So what is it about the south that makes these practices necessary?
Clearly, this cabinet conundrum is one for the sages (not to be confused with the sage in the spice rack in my cabinet).
Wednesday, February 15, 2006
Olympic Fever
Even if you're not into winter sports like figure skating, hockey, and skiing, it's not difficult to get excited about the Winter Olympics. Anyone who loves the art, athleticism, and skill of sports and competition can become at minimum partially obsessed with the trials, tribulations, and triumphs of America's Olympians. And set atop a backdrop of the Italian Alps with an Italian flair to the names of event locations... wow, what's not to love?
The stories of hard work, overcoming adversity and perseverance are what makes the Olympics so special. Add in a few stories of drama, risk, and adventure and you have yourself a pretty amazing show.
My love of sports in general allows me to watch Olympic events like curling, speed skating, and luge and be filled with a sense of awe in the athletes' dedication to achieve while representing this great country in positive ways. Perhaps my feelings of awe are drawn from the fact that I have not and probably will not ever attempt half of the sports portrayed -- ice is not my thing, so hockey and skating of all kinds do not appeal to me. The luge and skeleton -- um, can we say insane? I've also never been on skis or a snowboard, but I think I could give these a whirl under the right circumstances. But that's what makes these events so magnificent to watch -- the pure amazement I have for people who are willing to take such risks like riding a sled down an ice chute at 87 miles per hour or flying through the air off a moguls track or ski jump trying to finish with the perfect landing. The intensity of talent necessary for some of these events is purely amazing.
I enjoy the Olympic coverage -- I appreciate the special stories on NBC and the great information on nbcolympics.com -- it makes me feel like I am experiencing as much of these Winter Games as humanly possible from an outside perspective. It also makes me proud to be an American -- that for these few short weeks, I can be part of a country-wide support for the American team -- a team that does not disappoint.
I hope you're tuning into the Olympics and getting engrossed by the magic surrounding these events. It's truly special and should be regarded as such. If you're not tuning in, you should -- give the Games a chance. Get into the stories, the drama, the magic. I promise, America will not disappoint.
The stories of hard work, overcoming adversity and perseverance are what makes the Olympics so special. Add in a few stories of drama, risk, and adventure and you have yourself a pretty amazing show.
My love of sports in general allows me to watch Olympic events like curling, speed skating, and luge and be filled with a sense of awe in the athletes' dedication to achieve while representing this great country in positive ways. Perhaps my feelings of awe are drawn from the fact that I have not and probably will not ever attempt half of the sports portrayed -- ice is not my thing, so hockey and skating of all kinds do not appeal to me. The luge and skeleton -- um, can we say insane? I've also never been on skis or a snowboard, but I think I could give these a whirl under the right circumstances. But that's what makes these events so magnificent to watch -- the pure amazement I have for people who are willing to take such risks like riding a sled down an ice chute at 87 miles per hour or flying through the air off a moguls track or ski jump trying to finish with the perfect landing. The intensity of talent necessary for some of these events is purely amazing.
I enjoy the Olympic coverage -- I appreciate the special stories on NBC and the great information on nbcolympics.com -- it makes me feel like I am experiencing as much of these Winter Games as humanly possible from an outside perspective. It also makes me proud to be an American -- that for these few short weeks, I can be part of a country-wide support for the American team -- a team that does not disappoint.
I hope you're tuning into the Olympics and getting engrossed by the magic surrounding these events. It's truly special and should be regarded as such. If you're not tuning in, you should -- give the Games a chance. Get into the stories, the drama, the magic. I promise, America will not disappoint.
Monday, February 13, 2006
Be My Valentine...
A student told me today I am "boring". Now, I certainly don't consider myself "boring" and the people who know me best know that I am far from "boring", but I guess if he was referring to my lack of excitement about the upcoming Hallmark holiday, well, I could be considered "boring".
I don't get overly-excited about Valentine's Day. And, for you conclusion-jumpers out there, it is NOT because I have been single just about every Valentine's Day for the greater part of my existence on this earth. I've celebrated a few (read two) very nice Valentine's Day as a partner in a pair and I've celebrated some very un-nice (read two) ones as well. It's also not because I don't get overwhelmed with flowers, chocolates, jewelry, etc every February 14th.
I don't get excited for Valentine's Day for two main reasons.
First, I'm not sure why we have a day dedicated to love. Isn't there something wrong when we have to support Hallmark's madness just to tell those in our lives who mean a lot to us that we love them? Shouldn't this be part of our daily existence? Why does there have to be a "day"? Why can't this just be the norm??
Second, my biggest reason for not liking Valentine's Day is the self-pity and self-put downs people impose on themselves when they are single at Valentine's Day. Most often than not, this refers to those who feel they are worthless for not being in a relationship. I also get annoyed by those people who are in relationships who think people of single-status are lower-class citizens at Valentine's Day because they aren't in relationships. These two things drive me nuts.
For starters, if you feel obliged to celebrate Valentine's Day, celebrate it for the right reasons -- that we are all surrounded by love in many forms -- love of family, love of friends, love of co-workers, etc. Valentine's Day, if it's about anything, should be about the appreciation of love that people share for each other, in various forms, not just in the form of love for one's partner. I hope those single people like myself out there can be proud of the fact that they're perhaps holding on to the hope that the great relationship is around the corner, and if they're not looking for that, perhaps they are holding on to the fact that they're strong, independent, and capable of feeling good about their lives, including your single status, on a daily basis.
It's completely acceptable to celebrate Valentine's Day -- I just hope that we can start building the spirit of this day more formally into our everyday lives -- life is too short to forget to tell people as much as possible what they mean to us -- we shouldn't need a day to remind us to do so. Spread the love, friends, on a daily basis. Celebrate it often, not just when Hallmark and the calendar tells you to.
I don't get overly-excited about Valentine's Day. And, for you conclusion-jumpers out there, it is NOT because I have been single just about every Valentine's Day for the greater part of my existence on this earth. I've celebrated a few (read two) very nice Valentine's Day as a partner in a pair and I've celebrated some very un-nice (read two) ones as well. It's also not because I don't get overwhelmed with flowers, chocolates, jewelry, etc every February 14th.
I don't get excited for Valentine's Day for two main reasons.
First, I'm not sure why we have a day dedicated to love. Isn't there something wrong when we have to support Hallmark's madness just to tell those in our lives who mean a lot to us that we love them? Shouldn't this be part of our daily existence? Why does there have to be a "day"? Why can't this just be the norm??
Second, my biggest reason for not liking Valentine's Day is the self-pity and self-put downs people impose on themselves when they are single at Valentine's Day. Most often than not, this refers to those who feel they are worthless for not being in a relationship. I also get annoyed by those people who are in relationships who think people of single-status are lower-class citizens at Valentine's Day because they aren't in relationships. These two things drive me nuts.
For starters, if you feel obliged to celebrate Valentine's Day, celebrate it for the right reasons -- that we are all surrounded by love in many forms -- love of family, love of friends, love of co-workers, etc. Valentine's Day, if it's about anything, should be about the appreciation of love that people share for each other, in various forms, not just in the form of love for one's partner. I hope those single people like myself out there can be proud of the fact that they're perhaps holding on to the hope that the great relationship is around the corner, and if they're not looking for that, perhaps they are holding on to the fact that they're strong, independent, and capable of feeling good about their lives, including your single status, on a daily basis.
It's completely acceptable to celebrate Valentine's Day -- I just hope that we can start building the spirit of this day more formally into our everyday lives -- life is too short to forget to tell people as much as possible what they mean to us -- we shouldn't need a day to remind us to do so. Spread the love, friends, on a daily basis. Celebrate it often, not just when Hallmark and the calendar tells you to.
Friday, February 10, 2006
Winter Wonderland
It hasn't much felt like winter here in Memphis -- the recent weather reminds me more of the days in late March/early April in PA when you could go outdoors for practice or to take a walk because it was in the 50s and you weren't going to freeze your bottoms off.
But this is the day I've waited for all winter -- the day when snow would finally fall in this southern city and all hell would break loose. And I am pleased to say, the snowfall did not disappoint.
Around 2pm, I left work today, took a detour to drop of the "lead counselor", and began my drive home. By the time we got in the car, it had already begun snowing enough that my wonderful car's windshields had to be brushed off. With snow just beginning to fall, the ridiculous of Memphians was already evident -- driving an average of 8 miles per hour seemed to be the high standard. Oh goodness, I thought, this is going to be interesting.
I dropped the "lead counselor" off around 2:13pm. The slow moving traffic left me sitting to make a turn out of her complex for a good 5 minutes. After that though, it was pretty much a straight shot home so I figured I was good to go.
WRONG!
Turtles, meandering along at their average non-speed, seemed to be able to move faster than the traffic. I sat and sat and sat. And my car slowly inched and inched and inched.
Every so often there was a glimmer of hope that traffic would steadily increase to about 20 miles an hour, but just as I'd get the car over 15, cars would back up and I'd be back around 8. Or nothing, just waiting and waiting and waiting.
I called the bro to share in the winter madness. I called dad as well because I found some humorous sightings as I sat in traffic.
First, there were the people in parking lots brushing snow from their windshields. God forbid anyone have an actual scraper, but the use of ungloved hands, arms, cardboard and magazines seemed to do the trick. I felt quite proud of my Yankee snobbery in knowing my scraper/brush combo had suited me well and would do so later if needed.
Second, there was the ridiculousness of the radio personalities trying to share words of wisdom or moments of laughter to bored listeners like myself wondering when the heck I could park my car and get the heck out of it.
Ridiculous radio move #1: the playing of Kokomo, by the Beach Boys. Come on, people, one day of snow really isn't all that bad.
Ridiculous radio move #2: a radio host actually suggested people should get in their cars and drive as fast as possible to get home before the madness ensued. Oh, and while you're at it, he said, stop and get some alcohol to drink as you drive home -- gotta keep the body warm. Clearly, this man is a registered crack smoker -- madness was already in effect, and driving like Speedracer would have only caused additional controversies -- this is not humorous, it's assinine advice. This man should be drug out into a street and shot.
Around 3pm, I called the "lead counselor" to tell her I was barely half-way home. I shared with her the above madness of the radio and we were thankful for our northern roots. Dad called me back. He wanted to share with me the following:
He sent an email to his company's home office here in Memphis and received the following automated email in response:
"I will be out of the office starting 02/10/2006 and will not return until02/13/2006. We are having a 'Winter Weather Event' here in Memphis, and the facility is closed until Monday. Sorry for any inconvenience."
Translation: A couple inches of snow in the forecast is a direct parallel to what it is like if the world would be coming to an end; therefore, the crazy Memphians must make every effort to rush home to share in the madness with loved ones and eat the last loaf of bread which was able to be scrounged from the local Kroger.
While laughing about this with dad, we joked how a couple inches back home is a good thing because all the potholes fill with snow and the local roads are actually more smooth to drive on. Good times.
The only real scary moment for me in fearing the locals driving abilities was when a gigantic Hummer, maroon in color, appeared suddenly behind me and I feared it would give my car a good swift kick in the ass because it appeared to be moving at speeds greater than 8 miles per hour. I quickly made my last turn.
A good half hour later, an hour and a half total from when I left work, I finally pulled into a parking space at my apartment. I had one more chuckle as I recognized the signs they post here when the weather gets cold: "Freeze Warning. Take Necessary Precautions." I decided to get my camera, take a picture of the sign and the snow fall, and in the apartment I went.
Here's an idea, Memphis -- road salt. Perhaps a snow plow. Then perhaps, Memphians will come to know the simplicity of a few inches of snow.
So that about sums up the winter wonderland that Memphis has become. I'm half tempted to get back in my car and go out and do some donuts in the parking lot. I figure the locals wouldn't know what to do and it'd make a good story they could tell their friends -- "Hey, did you see the crazy Yankee who isn't scared of a little precepitation doing weird things with her car?"
Instead, though, I think I'll hit up the couch and watch the first night of the Winter Olympics. It seems only appropriate.
But this is the day I've waited for all winter -- the day when snow would finally fall in this southern city and all hell would break loose. And I am pleased to say, the snowfall did not disappoint.
Around 2pm, I left work today, took a detour to drop of the "lead counselor", and began my drive home. By the time we got in the car, it had already begun snowing enough that my wonderful car's windshields had to be brushed off. With snow just beginning to fall, the ridiculous of Memphians was already evident -- driving an average of 8 miles per hour seemed to be the high standard. Oh goodness, I thought, this is going to be interesting.
I dropped the "lead counselor" off around 2:13pm. The slow moving traffic left me sitting to make a turn out of her complex for a good 5 minutes. After that though, it was pretty much a straight shot home so I figured I was good to go.
WRONG!
Turtles, meandering along at their average non-speed, seemed to be able to move faster than the traffic. I sat and sat and sat. And my car slowly inched and inched and inched.
Every so often there was a glimmer of hope that traffic would steadily increase to about 20 miles an hour, but just as I'd get the car over 15, cars would back up and I'd be back around 8. Or nothing, just waiting and waiting and waiting.
I called the bro to share in the winter madness. I called dad as well because I found some humorous sightings as I sat in traffic.
First, there were the people in parking lots brushing snow from their windshields. God forbid anyone have an actual scraper, but the use of ungloved hands, arms, cardboard and magazines seemed to do the trick. I felt quite proud of my Yankee snobbery in knowing my scraper/brush combo had suited me well and would do so later if needed.
Second, there was the ridiculousness of the radio personalities trying to share words of wisdom or moments of laughter to bored listeners like myself wondering when the heck I could park my car and get the heck out of it.
Ridiculous radio move #1: the playing of Kokomo, by the Beach Boys. Come on, people, one day of snow really isn't all that bad.
Ridiculous radio move #2: a radio host actually suggested people should get in their cars and drive as fast as possible to get home before the madness ensued. Oh, and while you're at it, he said, stop and get some alcohol to drink as you drive home -- gotta keep the body warm. Clearly, this man is a registered crack smoker -- madness was already in effect, and driving like Speedracer would have only caused additional controversies -- this is not humorous, it's assinine advice. This man should be drug out into a street and shot.
Around 3pm, I called the "lead counselor" to tell her I was barely half-way home. I shared with her the above madness of the radio and we were thankful for our northern roots. Dad called me back. He wanted to share with me the following:
He sent an email to his company's home office here in Memphis and received the following automated email in response:
"I will be out of the office starting 02/10/2006 and will not return until02/13/2006. We are having a 'Winter Weather Event' here in Memphis, and the facility is closed until Monday. Sorry for any inconvenience."
Translation: A couple inches of snow in the forecast is a direct parallel to what it is like if the world would be coming to an end; therefore, the crazy Memphians must make every effort to rush home to share in the madness with loved ones and eat the last loaf of bread which was able to be scrounged from the local Kroger.
While laughing about this with dad, we joked how a couple inches back home is a good thing because all the potholes fill with snow and the local roads are actually more smooth to drive on. Good times.
The only real scary moment for me in fearing the locals driving abilities was when a gigantic Hummer, maroon in color, appeared suddenly behind me and I feared it would give my car a good swift kick in the ass because it appeared to be moving at speeds greater than 8 miles per hour. I quickly made my last turn.
A good half hour later, an hour and a half total from when I left work, I finally pulled into a parking space at my apartment. I had one more chuckle as I recognized the signs they post here when the weather gets cold: "Freeze Warning. Take Necessary Precautions." I decided to get my camera, take a picture of the sign and the snow fall, and in the apartment I went.
Here's an idea, Memphis -- road salt. Perhaps a snow plow. Then perhaps, Memphians will come to know the simplicity of a few inches of snow.
So that about sums up the winter wonderland that Memphis has become. I'm half tempted to get back in my car and go out and do some donuts in the parking lot. I figure the locals wouldn't know what to do and it'd make a good story they could tell their friends -- "Hey, did you see the crazy Yankee who isn't scared of a little precepitation doing weird things with her car?"
Instead, though, I think I'll hit up the couch and watch the first night of the Winter Olympics. It seems only appropriate.
Tuesday, February 07, 2006
If you give a mouse a cookie...
When I was a child, I had this book called, "If you give a mouse a cookie." It went something like, "If you give a mouse a cookie, he'll ask for a glass of milk. If you give him a glass of milk, he'll ask for a straw..." and so on and so forth. It's a cute story.
When I think about the premise of the story, there are two interpretations that revolve around one basic concept -- the desire for more.
First, there's the interpretation that's positive -- the desire for more can mean that an individual constantly strives for self-improvement -- doing things better or more efficient or in ways that better meet one's needs or the needs of others.
Second, though, there's the interpretation that's negative -- the desire for more can mean that an individual is never satisfied -- greed kicks in and the obsession of wanting more and more and more just to have more and more and more overwhelms one's life.
I was reminded of this childhood story at work today. If I were to rewrite the story, I'd call it "If you give a soccer player a cookie." On occassion, I like to bring baked goods into my office for my athletes. It's a selfish tradeoff -- I like to bake and want to perfect my baking skills without having to eat millions of goodies so the athletes eat them for me. But sometimes it appears that the more I bake them treats of goodness, the more greedy they become. Once the goodness is gone, there's the immediate questioning regarding when there will be more and more. Um, I do other things than work and bake cookies, thank you very much.
So today, the last cookie was eaten and the questioning of more began. At first today, I was a little mad when they started asking for more and implied I should go home and turn the oven to 375 degrees immediately-- I felt slightly underappreciated in my efforts -- that despite my kitchen commitments, there would never be enough and more would always be needed. Now I know most of them appreciate the efforts, but I could not help but feel slighted.
Then I started to think some more. And I wondered if this was part of a larger problem -- the fact that most of these students have grown up in a time period where instant action and immediate gratification is all they know.
Is it their fault that they are somewhat proned to be greedy?
Is it their fault that they want things immediately and want others to do things for them when they ask for it to be done?
Is it their fault they have no idea what it means to have patience and wait for things?
Is it their fault they are not used to delaying gratification?
Or, are they just the products of the modern, technologically-induced instant-return world in which we currently exist?
So many questions. So little answers. I've had enough for one day. And I think a cookie sounds pretty good right about now.
When I think about the premise of the story, there are two interpretations that revolve around one basic concept -- the desire for more.
First, there's the interpretation that's positive -- the desire for more can mean that an individual constantly strives for self-improvement -- doing things better or more efficient or in ways that better meet one's needs or the needs of others.
Second, though, there's the interpretation that's negative -- the desire for more can mean that an individual is never satisfied -- greed kicks in and the obsession of wanting more and more and more just to have more and more and more overwhelms one's life.
I was reminded of this childhood story at work today. If I were to rewrite the story, I'd call it "If you give a soccer player a cookie." On occassion, I like to bring baked goods into my office for my athletes. It's a selfish tradeoff -- I like to bake and want to perfect my baking skills without having to eat millions of goodies so the athletes eat them for me. But sometimes it appears that the more I bake them treats of goodness, the more greedy they become. Once the goodness is gone, there's the immediate questioning regarding when there will be more and more. Um, I do other things than work and bake cookies, thank you very much.
So today, the last cookie was eaten and the questioning of more began. At first today, I was a little mad when they started asking for more and implied I should go home and turn the oven to 375 degrees immediately-- I felt slightly underappreciated in my efforts -- that despite my kitchen commitments, there would never be enough and more would always be needed. Now I know most of them appreciate the efforts, but I could not help but feel slighted.
Then I started to think some more. And I wondered if this was part of a larger problem -- the fact that most of these students have grown up in a time period where instant action and immediate gratification is all they know.
Is it their fault that they are somewhat proned to be greedy?
Is it their fault that they want things immediately and want others to do things for them when they ask for it to be done?
Is it their fault they have no idea what it means to have patience and wait for things?
Is it their fault they are not used to delaying gratification?
Or, are they just the products of the modern, technologically-induced instant-return world in which we currently exist?
So many questions. So little answers. I've had enough for one day. And I think a cookie sounds pretty good right about now.
Monday, February 06, 2006
Points, points, points...
In some ways, it seems like everything in life can boil down to points, points, and more points.
Example 1: Scoring points with people you're attracted to.
A student asked me today, in essence, how he could utilize the upcoming hallmark holiday of valentine's day to "score points" with a female friend who lives at a distance.
Example 2: Scoring points with your employer.
Employee: Hey, boss, here's an idea...
Employer: Interesting. Let's work on this.
Employee (to onself): Cha-ching. I believe this can help get me a raise in el futuro.
Example 3: Geometry.
Geometry, if memory to that hellacious class serves me correctly, has 5 main concepts -- point is one of them. Without points, no geometry; without geometry, no way to measure and understand the world we live in.
Example 4: Sports.
Sadly, it seems, sports is always about the points. The winning team has to score more points, or goals, or whatever the case may be. (Well, minus the golf where less is really more.)
But regardless, as a society, we focus on the point totals -- what team puts up the most points, what team holds other teams to less points, what player scored the most points, etc. etc. etc.
Yet, I cannot help but wonder how much we miss by this focus on points.
I've been thinking about this because of my outrage of the sports stories surrounding Kobe Bryant and his 81-point game performance over a week ago. Basketball critics and newscasters, including people I respect in the sports world, keep talking and talking and talking about this great feat. But my reaction to the story was quite the opposite.
When I heard about Kobe and his points, my first thought was: HORSESHIT --
How can a professional league pay people MILLIONS OF DOLLARS and allow someone to score 81 points? He took something ridiculous like 66 shots.
Somebody, please, for the love of all things holy, put a freakin hand in his face!
Am I really to believe that basketball players at the highest level have no concept of defense beyond blocking shots?
Am I really to be impressed by 81 points?
Or, am I rather validated in my feelings of disgust as it appears professional basketball players cannot play defense? Good God, people, this is fundamental.
The focus on point-scoring has always irked me. If you know me well enough, you know it stems from my belief in the power of defense -- sure, I never scored a ton of points for my high school or AAU team, but when a coach asked me to play the top scorer on the opposing team in a one-on-one matchup, I couldn't ask for a greater opportunity. Shutting down an opponent, to me, is a much greater task than putting up points on the board. It doesn't get your name in the papers, but it will be recognized by those truly special people who value the entire game of basketball, including defensive abilities.
I still hold on tightly to the hope that one day, ESPN's Sportscenter basketball highlights will talk, just once, about a defensive performance by a professional NBA star.
I hold tightly even more to experiencing a young up-and-coming basketball player, like a 10 year old in a church league, say, "He's my favorite player because he can shut down opponents like no other. I want to play basketball like him when I grow up."
I hold tightly to this hope.
Points will always matter in many capacities, but I just hope we can look beyond them - particularly in the sports world - and give people credit for things like defense that, unfortunately, often go unnoticed.
Example 1: Scoring points with people you're attracted to.
A student asked me today, in essence, how he could utilize the upcoming hallmark holiday of valentine's day to "score points" with a female friend who lives at a distance.
Example 2: Scoring points with your employer.
Employee: Hey, boss, here's an idea...
Employer: Interesting. Let's work on this.
Employee (to onself): Cha-ching. I believe this can help get me a raise in el futuro.
Example 3: Geometry.
Geometry, if memory to that hellacious class serves me correctly, has 5 main concepts -- point is one of them. Without points, no geometry; without geometry, no way to measure and understand the world we live in.
Example 4: Sports.
Sadly, it seems, sports is always about the points. The winning team has to score more points, or goals, or whatever the case may be. (Well, minus the golf where less is really more.)
But regardless, as a society, we focus on the point totals -- what team puts up the most points, what team holds other teams to less points, what player scored the most points, etc. etc. etc.
Yet, I cannot help but wonder how much we miss by this focus on points.
I've been thinking about this because of my outrage of the sports stories surrounding Kobe Bryant and his 81-point game performance over a week ago. Basketball critics and newscasters, including people I respect in the sports world, keep talking and talking and talking about this great feat. But my reaction to the story was quite the opposite.
When I heard about Kobe and his points, my first thought was: HORSESHIT --
How can a professional league pay people MILLIONS OF DOLLARS and allow someone to score 81 points? He took something ridiculous like 66 shots.
Somebody, please, for the love of all things holy, put a freakin hand in his face!
Am I really to believe that basketball players at the highest level have no concept of defense beyond blocking shots?
Am I really to be impressed by 81 points?
Or, am I rather validated in my feelings of disgust as it appears professional basketball players cannot play defense? Good God, people, this is fundamental.
The focus on point-scoring has always irked me. If you know me well enough, you know it stems from my belief in the power of defense -- sure, I never scored a ton of points for my high school or AAU team, but when a coach asked me to play the top scorer on the opposing team in a one-on-one matchup, I couldn't ask for a greater opportunity. Shutting down an opponent, to me, is a much greater task than putting up points on the board. It doesn't get your name in the papers, but it will be recognized by those truly special people who value the entire game of basketball, including defensive abilities.
I still hold on tightly to the hope that one day, ESPN's Sportscenter basketball highlights will talk, just once, about a defensive performance by a professional NBA star.
I hold tightly even more to experiencing a young up-and-coming basketball player, like a 10 year old in a church league, say, "He's my favorite player because he can shut down opponents like no other. I want to play basketball like him when I grow up."
I hold tightly to this hope.
Points will always matter in many capacities, but I just hope we can look beyond them - particularly in the sports world - and give people credit for things like defense that, unfortunately, often go unnoticed.
Saturday, February 04, 2006
Every girl wants to be a princess...
This evening, in the spirit of my Saturday night loserhood, I watched one of my favorite channels between commercials of college hoops-- the food network. I love the food network, not only for it's signature favorite chefs and their creations but for their competitions and specials. Tonight's special highlight: Disney weddings.
I figured there had to be something interesting in this one-hour special. This is Disney we're talking about.
One of the first lines of the show was "Every girl wants to be a princess."
Um, excuse me? I proudly think not. And I immediately lost interest in the madness.
Myth number 1: Not every woman wants to be a princess.
Being a woman should not even come close to implying a desire for princess-ness, thank you very much. This female can do without the lace, the frills, the fancy.
Why do people in this world pretend that women want to be princesses? I can only think of one thing about being a princess that appeals to me -- awesome food whenever I want it. Notice I didn't say frilly dresses and astonishing jewelry.
Is there something wrong with not wanting to be a princess? No, there's not.
And for those men out there not looking for women who want to be princesses, I can guarantee there's more than just me.
So, sorry food network, you hit a nerve.
Back to hoops for this non-princess.
I figured there had to be something interesting in this one-hour special. This is Disney we're talking about.
One of the first lines of the show was "Every girl wants to be a princess."
Um, excuse me? I proudly think not. And I immediately lost interest in the madness.
Myth number 1: Not every woman wants to be a princess.
Being a woman should not even come close to implying a desire for princess-ness, thank you very much. This female can do without the lace, the frills, the fancy.
Why do people in this world pretend that women want to be princesses? I can only think of one thing about being a princess that appeals to me -- awesome food whenever I want it. Notice I didn't say frilly dresses and astonishing jewelry.
Is there something wrong with not wanting to be a princess? No, there's not.
And for those men out there not looking for women who want to be princesses, I can guarantee there's more than just me.
So, sorry food network, you hit a nerve.
Back to hoops for this non-princess.
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