Hola! Yeah, that’s right; I’ll throw some Spanish around every now and then. During the last few weeks, many finals on college campuses across the nation have taken place. I actually finished my finals a little bit ago. It’s crazy to think that those were the second to last finals I will ever take. The last three and a half years have gone by extremely fast. Faster than high school even. I haven’t exactly had the college experience that is treasured by so many people but I will say that I’ve gotten a good education at a low price. Yeah, I know it sounds like I went to the Save-a-lot of schools but sometimes that’s the way to go.
Before taking my finals I had a song stuck in my head, a motivational song that is. It was pretty much my “finals anthem.” Lil Flip: Game Over. I know, it’s a little kooky but it was the inspiration that got me through those bad boys. I would say it took about an hour and a half total to complete all of my finals so I was lucky. Even in that short amount of time it still felt as if I was in a bit of a prison. You’re gonna like the way I tie this in to what I really want to talk about.
A few days ago I was on yet another Yahoo adventure and read a very interesting article. It was about a man in Florida that had been exonerated after serving 35 years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit. What…the fuck?! 35 years! 14 years stands between me and being alive for that long. It’s rare to find a marriage that’s lasted 35 years! Imagine what this guy was thinking. He’s had to sit in a little 6’X6’ cell for that long. Easily the longest and hardest years he’s ever spent on this earth. Further reading exposed the fact that he’s just one of 246 people to be released on DNA evidence. Wow, that shit is important! Thanks CSI.
The way I see it, one man wrongfully imprisoned is one too many. In this case its 246 too many. That’s crazy! I guess I can’t be way too mad because they didn’t have the sophisticated technology that we have today. Still, to convict that many people of shit they didn’t do is weak sauce.
After this guy’s stint in the pen he even says he’s not mad. Wow! This dude is one patient mofo. The reason: “He has God.” I can’t even begin to describe how pissed off I would be but this guy takes the high road. For that, I give him mad props. To sit in a place nobody wants to be for 35 years for something you didn’t do and on top of that say your not mad is some inspirational stuff. All the stuff that’s happened since 1975, this guy has completely missed out. The internet, cell phones, and ipods are just a small percentage of the shit he has no idea about.
Missing out on 35 years of ones life would have to be extremely hard to deal with. He had no opportunities for success, no opportunities to start a family. NOTHING! I can’t even begin to fathom how difficult it was to sit there and have that swim around ones mind. Like I said, an hour and a half of finals sucks so spending that much time in prison can only mean that there is no word in the dictionary to describe the suckiness of that situation.
Not to worry guys, under Florida law anybody wrongfully imprisoned and exonerated will receive 50 thousand dollars for each year they were in prison. Doing a little math, that equals about 1.75 million dollars in total that this guy is going to receive. Although that may seem like a lot of money, that can’t even begin to make up for the past 35 years that this guy lost. Money is something that we can spend and throw away but we can get back eventually. Time, however, is one of those things that just doesn’t replenish itself. We have one go at this life and only one shot to get things right.
Having said that, I would just like to say that the time we have here on earth is very important. The way I see it, I have about 60 good years left (at most) to leave an impression. 10 of those years I’ll be old and senile so I have just a small window to make a difference. I’ve said it before, I just want to make some sort of positive impact on someone and I’ll be a happy camper. Basically, just try to be happy and enjoy every second you have. Merry Christmas everyone! And a happy New Year! Until next time, God Bless.
Friday, December 25, 2009
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Black Friday and Randomness
Two weeks later! I feel like trying to write a blog a week is a bit of a daunting task so I think from now on I’ll leave it up to chance and let the writing happen when it happens. At the moment I’m going back and forth between Monday Night Football and Family Guy. You’re probably wondering why I even tune into the kooky cartoon when there’s quality football going on. Well people, Family Guy is just a damn good show. That and I already know the Saints are going to throttle the Pats. I’ll knock on wood real quick and get back to it.
As you all know, Thanksgiving was last week or, as I like to call it, Pre game Christmas. Why you ask? As soon as dinner ends the Christmas songs make their way onto radios all over the country. The Tim Allen classic The Santa Clause creeps up on the TV. I’d rather see Christmas Vacation myself, that’s funny as hell. In addition to the spirit filled radios and televisions, lights and decorations come out of storage and seem to magically throw themselves onto houses around town. Let the madness begin!
As much as I like Christmas I feel like we don’t recognize the hidden holiday that wedges itself between Thanksgiving and the weekend. What’s that? Black Friday and it was last week. WOW! That’s all I can say to describe this crazy little day. I’ve never actually braved the storm that is Black Friday but I feel like hearing stories from my mom and watching the chaos unfold on news channels gives me a good enough idea. So I took everything into account and came up with a short list of Black Friday To-Do’s.
1) Have a game plan.
2) Take a small army with you.
3) Carry nothing less than a shank or stun-gun.
4) Practice balling up into the fetal position in case you’re an unlucky soul who gets caught under a crowd.
5) Leave the “nice card” at home, its every man/woman for him/herself (I’m being politically correct…enjoy).
6) Old people, this just isn’t your day. Stick with hangin at McDonalds that morning. It’s safe there.
7) Always be alert! It gets crazy when you stuff a bunch of adults hopped up on caffeine into what is in essence a large box.
8) Be prepared to Barry Sanders it through the electronics section. Elusiveness is key! (Barry Sanders was a running back for the Detroit Lions once upon a time. Badass).
9) Observe. There are some real characters in Wal-Mart even when the Plasmas aren’t on sale.
10) Leave the kids at home. I don’t feel like I have to explain that one.
Don’t just enjoy the list; use it as a guide for next year. It could save a life! I digress. Well guys, I’ve gotta say I had a pretty damn good weekend. It was nice being around some great friends. Especially those who appreciate the randomness that resides in me and those who enjoy a good scavenger hunt! The weekend was a little reminder that it is truly the small things in life that matter.
It’s quite unfortunate that the weekend had to come to a halt; I was enjoying the hell out of it. Now its back to school for two more weeks. You may be thinking “Two weeks, that’s not bad.” Well my friends, the next two weeks are loaded with tests and useless shit to turn in. Thanks college! It’s all good though; providing I don’t fail miserably on my finals and all of next semester I should be done in May. It’s my little light at the end of the tunnel and each day it gets a little brighter. I think Eminem’s “Lose Yourself” said it best, “Success is my only mothafuckin option! Failure’s not!” That’s the approach I’m taking in regards to the rest of my college career. Bring it on LU!
I’m gonna confuse you guys a little bit because I started writing this sucker on Monday but it is now Tuesday. I’ve already realized that the Saints dominated the Pats last night so either the knocking on wood helped or I can just call a football game. I’m going with the latter. Well I reckon I’m gonna get back to my couch and UFC. I hope you guys had a great Thanksgiving and didn’t get mauled on Black Friday. Until next time. God bless.
As you all know, Thanksgiving was last week or, as I like to call it, Pre game Christmas. Why you ask? As soon as dinner ends the Christmas songs make their way onto radios all over the country. The Tim Allen classic The Santa Clause creeps up on the TV. I’d rather see Christmas Vacation myself, that’s funny as hell. In addition to the spirit filled radios and televisions, lights and decorations come out of storage and seem to magically throw themselves onto houses around town. Let the madness begin!
As much as I like Christmas I feel like we don’t recognize the hidden holiday that wedges itself between Thanksgiving and the weekend. What’s that? Black Friday and it was last week. WOW! That’s all I can say to describe this crazy little day. I’ve never actually braved the storm that is Black Friday but I feel like hearing stories from my mom and watching the chaos unfold on news channels gives me a good enough idea. So I took everything into account and came up with a short list of Black Friday To-Do’s.
1) Have a game plan.
2) Take a small army with you.
3) Carry nothing less than a shank or stun-gun.
4) Practice balling up into the fetal position in case you’re an unlucky soul who gets caught under a crowd.
5) Leave the “nice card” at home, its every man/woman for him/herself (I’m being politically correct…enjoy).
6) Old people, this just isn’t your day. Stick with hangin at McDonalds that morning. It’s safe there.
7) Always be alert! It gets crazy when you stuff a bunch of adults hopped up on caffeine into what is in essence a large box.
8) Be prepared to Barry Sanders it through the electronics section. Elusiveness is key! (Barry Sanders was a running back for the Detroit Lions once upon a time. Badass).
9) Observe. There are some real characters in Wal-Mart even when the Plasmas aren’t on sale.
10) Leave the kids at home. I don’t feel like I have to explain that one.
Don’t just enjoy the list; use it as a guide for next year. It could save a life! I digress. Well guys, I’ve gotta say I had a pretty damn good weekend. It was nice being around some great friends. Especially those who appreciate the randomness that resides in me and those who enjoy a good scavenger hunt! The weekend was a little reminder that it is truly the small things in life that matter.
It’s quite unfortunate that the weekend had to come to a halt; I was enjoying the hell out of it. Now its back to school for two more weeks. You may be thinking “Two weeks, that’s not bad.” Well my friends, the next two weeks are loaded with tests and useless shit to turn in. Thanks college! It’s all good though; providing I don’t fail miserably on my finals and all of next semester I should be done in May. It’s my little light at the end of the tunnel and each day it gets a little brighter. I think Eminem’s “Lose Yourself” said it best, “Success is my only mothafuckin option! Failure’s not!” That’s the approach I’m taking in regards to the rest of my college career. Bring it on LU!
I’m gonna confuse you guys a little bit because I started writing this sucker on Monday but it is now Tuesday. I’ve already realized that the Saints dominated the Pats last night so either the knocking on wood helped or I can just call a football game. I’m going with the latter. Well I reckon I’m gonna get back to my couch and UFC. I hope you guys had a great Thanksgiving and didn’t get mauled on Black Friday. Until next time. God bless.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
So what do I write about today? Well after looking back on the week, I figured it out and somehow it relates to Lincoln University. Normally I try to separate myself from school as much as possible but I found this subject too good not to write about. So I was sitting in my Social Psychology class the other day and was introduced to a new topic. Basically, some folks did some research to see how easily people would obey an order from a person who they thought was a figure of importance.
This guy named Stanley Milgram came up with an experiment to see if people would follow orders. What he did was tell one participant that they were conducting an experiment in regards to memory. The participant would be the “teacher” and another person, whom was an actor for the sake of the study, would be the “learner.” The teacher would ask a series of questions and with each wrong answer they would have to shock the learner. Now what they did first was shock the teacher with 45 volts of electricity to give them a taste of what it would be like. From the reactions of the participants, I could tell it wasn’t very comfortable. I’ll say again the person the participant was shocking as just an actor. He wasn’t really shocked.
So the experiment starts and with each wrong answer the voltage goes up. The scale goes from 15 to a LETHAL 450. Yea! LETHAL! Keep in mind the people doing the shocking see the actual scale in front of them. It has labels warning them of the severity of the shocks that they’re administering. During the questioning the participant has a “researcher” sitting in the room telling them that the experiment requires them to continue shocking after wrong answers are given.
What happens throughout is absolutely mind blowing. The actors in the experiment are in a different room but the participant can hear their reactions so they know the consequences of every shock. When they reach about 220 volts, the actor starts shouting “let me out of here… my heart is bothering me.” Wow! You’ve gotta be thinking that after hearing that, participants would refuse to go on. Nope, the show must continue. Some question whether or not they should but the “researcher” in the room says the experiment requires that they go on.
Surprisingly, some people went on without being phased. Oh, by the way, after the actor said he was having heart problems, he fell completely silent. The participants even ask if they killed him. Yet they still fucking go on! Some people even finished, yep they went all the way to 450. Some even ask where they go from there. Now, nobody was really harmed in the experiment of course but after finding out the intentions of the study the participants definitely had some thinking to do. There was a percentage, however, that did stop after a certain voltage was reached. With all of the instances of this experiment, the number was around 30 percent of the people actually stopping.
Some literally believed they may have killed or seriously harmed another person. At the time it was kind of funny to see their reactions during the experiment but as I analyzed the situation further it was rather disturbing. These people knew they were hurting someone and just the presence and suggestions of a so called researcher influenced them to keep going. They knew it was wrong, yet they kept going.
What does this say about human nature? We all say that when faced with a dilemma such as this that we would do the right thing. Well I’m sure that’s what the participants of this experiment said too. Milgram likened this experiment to the Holocaust because of its nature. The Nazis under the leadership of Adolph Hitler, simply just did what they were told and executed over 11 million people. That’s a lot of people! He filled their heads with so much jacked-up nonsense and they actually believed they were cleansing the world. It’s absolutely crazy that one man would go to such extraordinary lengths to cause so much pain and suffering among innocent people. The reasoning given during the trials of Nazi soldiers was simply as I said above; they just did what they were told. Just like the participants in the experiment.
This has to be one of the craziest things I’ve ever seen. The messed up thing is the people in the experiment were just average Joes off of the street. Not some crazy Nazi fuckers. This means that any one of us can be influenced to do some dumb, useless, immoral, and horrible things. After seeing this, I’ve decided I’m going to do my level best to keep thinking for myself and take the road less traveled. I don’t want to just be another Kool-Aid drinker especially when it goes against my beliefs. Granted, I’ve followed when I didn’t completely agree and we all have but seeing this study puts a new spin on that. I now see how easily people can be convinced into doing something that in their hearts they know is wrong. So let this be a little inspiration to do what you believe is right. That might be a little cliché but that’s because it’s held true for so long. Give it some thought. Until next time. God bless.
This guy named Stanley Milgram came up with an experiment to see if people would follow orders. What he did was tell one participant that they were conducting an experiment in regards to memory. The participant would be the “teacher” and another person, whom was an actor for the sake of the study, would be the “learner.” The teacher would ask a series of questions and with each wrong answer they would have to shock the learner. Now what they did first was shock the teacher with 45 volts of electricity to give them a taste of what it would be like. From the reactions of the participants, I could tell it wasn’t very comfortable. I’ll say again the person the participant was shocking as just an actor. He wasn’t really shocked.
So the experiment starts and with each wrong answer the voltage goes up. The scale goes from 15 to a LETHAL 450. Yea! LETHAL! Keep in mind the people doing the shocking see the actual scale in front of them. It has labels warning them of the severity of the shocks that they’re administering. During the questioning the participant has a “researcher” sitting in the room telling them that the experiment requires them to continue shocking after wrong answers are given.
What happens throughout is absolutely mind blowing. The actors in the experiment are in a different room but the participant can hear their reactions so they know the consequences of every shock. When they reach about 220 volts, the actor starts shouting “let me out of here… my heart is bothering me.” Wow! You’ve gotta be thinking that after hearing that, participants would refuse to go on. Nope, the show must continue. Some question whether or not they should but the “researcher” in the room says the experiment requires that they go on.
Surprisingly, some people went on without being phased. Oh, by the way, after the actor said he was having heart problems, he fell completely silent. The participants even ask if they killed him. Yet they still fucking go on! Some people even finished, yep they went all the way to 450. Some even ask where they go from there. Now, nobody was really harmed in the experiment of course but after finding out the intentions of the study the participants definitely had some thinking to do. There was a percentage, however, that did stop after a certain voltage was reached. With all of the instances of this experiment, the number was around 30 percent of the people actually stopping.
Some literally believed they may have killed or seriously harmed another person. At the time it was kind of funny to see their reactions during the experiment but as I analyzed the situation further it was rather disturbing. These people knew they were hurting someone and just the presence and suggestions of a so called researcher influenced them to keep going. They knew it was wrong, yet they kept going.
What does this say about human nature? We all say that when faced with a dilemma such as this that we would do the right thing. Well I’m sure that’s what the participants of this experiment said too. Milgram likened this experiment to the Holocaust because of its nature. The Nazis under the leadership of Adolph Hitler, simply just did what they were told and executed over 11 million people. That’s a lot of people! He filled their heads with so much jacked-up nonsense and they actually believed they were cleansing the world. It’s absolutely crazy that one man would go to such extraordinary lengths to cause so much pain and suffering among innocent people. The reasoning given during the trials of Nazi soldiers was simply as I said above; they just did what they were told. Just like the participants in the experiment.
This has to be one of the craziest things I’ve ever seen. The messed up thing is the people in the experiment were just average Joes off of the street. Not some crazy Nazi fuckers. This means that any one of us can be influenced to do some dumb, useless, immoral, and horrible things. After seeing this, I’ve decided I’m going to do my level best to keep thinking for myself and take the road less traveled. I don’t want to just be another Kool-Aid drinker especially when it goes against my beliefs. Granted, I’ve followed when I didn’t completely agree and we all have but seeing this study puts a new spin on that. I now see how easily people can be convinced into doing something that in their hearts they know is wrong. So let this be a little inspiration to do what you believe is right. That might be a little cliché but that’s because it’s held true for so long. Give it some thought. Until next time. God bless.
Monday, November 9, 2009
Branson Shenanigans
After another week in my moderately interesting life, I figured I would do a little blogging. I try to have a good time every weekend and the most recent was no different. Billy (my best friend), Katie (my best friend’s girl) and I went to Branson this weekend. It was definitely nice getting out of Jefferson City for a little while. Don’t get me wrong, JC will be a nice place to live in ten years or so when I’ve most likely settled down with a family. But for an adventurous twenty-one year old, it can be somewhat of a boring place to live. I guess being stranded in a town with limited activities ones whole life, and where being twenty-three and single is an odd thing, there are only two possible ways to go. You either accept it and stay or your brain grows an exploratory section and just takes off.
At the moment, I feel the need to just get out and see as many places as I can. For example, I went to Hollywood and Los Angeles over the summer and it was probably the most surreal experience I’ve ever had. To actually see and be in a place that I’ve only seen in movies or on television was absolutely crazy. The weather was unbelievable. No rain, sunshine all the time, and no humidity. Why did I leave? I guess it is true, there’s no place like home.
You might be wondering why I went to Branson. Well I’ll let you in on it. Our little group or the Three Amigos went to see Sebastian Maniscalco. He happens to be the guy in the picture above next to a strikingly handsome individual. This guy is probably my favorite comedian with Joe Rogan and Dane Cook coming in close behind him. Much like any good comedian, he can relate to an audience. He takes things that occur in everyday life and ads his own comedic flare to them. It’s got to be some of the funniest shit I’ve ever heard and seen. I’ll post a link to a couple videos.
At the moment, I feel the need to just get out and see as many places as I can. For example, I went to Hollywood and Los Angeles over the summer and it was probably the most surreal experience I’ve ever had. To actually see and be in a place that I’ve only seen in movies or on television was absolutely crazy. The weather was unbelievable. No rain, sunshine all the time, and no humidity. Why did I leave? I guess it is true, there’s no place like home.
You might be wondering why I went to Branson. Well I’ll let you in on it. Our little group or the Three Amigos went to see Sebastian Maniscalco. He happens to be the guy in the picture above next to a strikingly handsome individual. This guy is probably my favorite comedian with Joe Rogan and Dane Cook coming in close behind him. Much like any good comedian, he can relate to an audience. He takes things that occur in everyday life and ads his own comedic flare to them. It’s got to be some of the funniest shit I’ve ever heard and seen. I’ll post a link to a couple videos.
Hope you got to take a look at the videos and liked em. After this little comedy show and some time to let it sit in my brain and settle in, I did some thinking today. I do that sort of thing a lot. Being able to laugh at things is fantastic. Realizing the things that we laugh at most probably happen everyday is even better. Seeing this comedy show just reminded me to just take the time and laugh at the little things. Life is funny, and it always will be. Everybody has their own little behaviors, their own characteristics that make them seem funny to the rest of the world.
For example, I’m a short, somewhat skinny, average looking (at best) white guy who doesn’t make much money and sings in the car while no one is looking. Some times I go around the house shadow boxing or quoting various lines from movies to myself. This could be a little funny to some. God forbid people actually knew how crazy we were. Why not let people know? If everyone said some of the crazy things they did, we would realize we have more in common with each other than ever though possible.
I don’t really have much to elaborate on in this blog but I hope there’s still some meaning in it. I just want to remind you fine folks to take the time out of your day and find some humor in the little things. Life doesn’t always have to be so serious. Take a look around and you’ll probably see some funny stuff if you pay attention. Nothing extraordinary has to take place either. Just walk into a local grocery store or restaurant and spend a little time there. Trust me, something will make you laugh or think about laughing while you’re there. That’s the beauty of it. Appreciation of little things in life can bring tons of satisfaction. Until next time. God bless.
Monday, November 2, 2009
Halloween Hijinks and Maybe Some Hidden Meaning
Ahh, Halloween. Another one has come and gone just like any other day of the week. Halloween is what I like to call the holiday of excuses. It gives guys an excuse to go shirtless and show off what they think the ladies like. It gives little kids an excuse to gorge themselves on kit-kats, gobstoppers, tootsie rolls, butterfingers, and whatever else they can stuff into their pillow cases. And my personal favorite, it gives the gals an excuse to run around in scantily clad outfits. Any way you look at it, Halloween is an excuse to act completely out of character without worrying about what others think. I believe this is the true beauty of this pagan holiday. No matter what disguise a person uses, they seem to come out of the shell that they live in every other day of the year. What if people use the disguise to act in ways they really want to? That’s a definite possibility because I know I wouldn’t mind acting in a way that didn’t result in certain consequences. That, my friends is what Halloween offers.
As for me, a buddy and I dressed up as Goose and Maverick from the classic 1980’s movie Top Gun and yours truly was Goose. Yes, the same guy who dies in the movie. Not to worry though, I was very much alive this weekend. On Friday, my wing man and I went to Fulton in the truck that we made into a ham-handed replica of the F-14 Tomcat that was featured in the movie. The back wings didn’t hold up the first night but we had fun none the less. We even got a picture with a former member of the A-Team… That’s right, Mr. T!
Saturday, Maverick and I rebuilt the wings to our trusty steed. The final product had to have been the coolest fuckin thing I have ever seen. The collaboration of our flight suits, aviators, the decorated plane and the cd with Highway to the Danger Zone, Great Balls of Fire, and You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’ was nothing short of epic. We cruised around Columbia with no qualms about what others thought. We took pride in our Halloween costumes. People enjoyed our enthusiasm about this classic movie. At one point we were actually flagged down just to take pictures by our “plane.” I dare you to tell me that’s not the best compliment ever.
After a lofty cruise downtown, we proceeded to head to a party with our friends who were apparently Frick and Frack a.k.a Megan and Breanna. They definitely had the most interesting and thought provoking costumes of the night. During this party, Mav and I decided that we were going to steal a scene from the movie. We decided we would sing You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’ to the ladies we went with. The odds were against us since we didn’t know one person at this shindig but to our surprise the guy running the show was all for us singing. This had to have been a sign. The music was cut and the stage was set. We did our thing and that was it, everybody loved it. It was kind of like American Idol without the sarcastic British comments.
We ended up singing the same thing at another party to some other people but both performances were to be remembered. Four years ago I would have never thought about singing to people in front of a crowd I didn’t know but that was then. Call me a late bloomer but I feel as if I’m getting a grasp on certain aspects of life. In the grand scheme of things, who really cares? Sure, we might have looked like fools at the moment but nobody forgot who we were. I feel like I should try to take the path that leads to the most interesting story. After all that’s exactly what life is… A compilation of stories. So why not try to make things as interesting as possible for our short time here?
I no longer want to sit back and watch life pass me by. I want to live everyday as if I had a specific goal in mind, like I’m the star of my own movie. Realizing this outlook on life, I would definitely like to make a difference in someone else’s. I’m not trying to save the world or get all mushy but I just want to know that I’ve made a positive impact on somebody else before I exit this world. Whether I inspire them to do something great with their lives or just simply make them laugh when they’re having a bad day, nothing will make me happier than having an influence.
So let me just tie the last paragraph to the Halloween theme of this blog. Even if our costumes didn’t matter or our vocal exploits had no impact around the world, we still made some people laugh. We enhanced the mood of the room. Even if only for a brief moment, we were a bright spot in people’s lives. That is what I hope to give everyone I know for the rest of my life. Something to make the day easier, something to inspire them to live to their potential. That was my Halloween excuse, to act a little out of character and possibly make someone else have a better day. All I ask is that, like the movie, they pay it forward. Take it upon yourself to make people have a better day. Until next time. God Bless.
As for me, a buddy and I dressed up as Goose and Maverick from the classic 1980’s movie Top Gun and yours truly was Goose. Yes, the same guy who dies in the movie. Not to worry though, I was very much alive this weekend. On Friday, my wing man and I went to Fulton in the truck that we made into a ham-handed replica of the F-14 Tomcat that was featured in the movie. The back wings didn’t hold up the first night but we had fun none the less. We even got a picture with a former member of the A-Team… That’s right, Mr. T!
Saturday, Maverick and I rebuilt the wings to our trusty steed. The final product had to have been the coolest fuckin thing I have ever seen. The collaboration of our flight suits, aviators, the decorated plane and the cd with Highway to the Danger Zone, Great Balls of Fire, and You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’ was nothing short of epic. We cruised around Columbia with no qualms about what others thought. We took pride in our Halloween costumes. People enjoyed our enthusiasm about this classic movie. At one point we were actually flagged down just to take pictures by our “plane.” I dare you to tell me that’s not the best compliment ever.
After a lofty cruise downtown, we proceeded to head to a party with our friends who were apparently Frick and Frack a.k.a Megan and Breanna. They definitely had the most interesting and thought provoking costumes of the night. During this party, Mav and I decided that we were going to steal a scene from the movie. We decided we would sing You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’ to the ladies we went with. The odds were against us since we didn’t know one person at this shindig but to our surprise the guy running the show was all for us singing. This had to have been a sign. The music was cut and the stage was set. We did our thing and that was it, everybody loved it. It was kind of like American Idol without the sarcastic British comments.
We ended up singing the same thing at another party to some other people but both performances were to be remembered. Four years ago I would have never thought about singing to people in front of a crowd I didn’t know but that was then. Call me a late bloomer but I feel as if I’m getting a grasp on certain aspects of life. In the grand scheme of things, who really cares? Sure, we might have looked like fools at the moment but nobody forgot who we were. I feel like I should try to take the path that leads to the most interesting story. After all that’s exactly what life is… A compilation of stories. So why not try to make things as interesting as possible for our short time here?
I no longer want to sit back and watch life pass me by. I want to live everyday as if I had a specific goal in mind, like I’m the star of my own movie. Realizing this outlook on life, I would definitely like to make a difference in someone else’s. I’m not trying to save the world or get all mushy but I just want to know that I’ve made a positive impact on somebody else before I exit this world. Whether I inspire them to do something great with their lives or just simply make them laugh when they’re having a bad day, nothing will make me happier than having an influence.
So let me just tie the last paragraph to the Halloween theme of this blog. Even if our costumes didn’t matter or our vocal exploits had no impact around the world, we still made some people laugh. We enhanced the mood of the room. Even if only for a brief moment, we were a bright spot in people’s lives. That is what I hope to give everyone I know for the rest of my life. Something to make the day easier, something to inspire them to live to their potential. That was my Halloween excuse, to act a little out of character and possibly make someone else have a better day. All I ask is that, like the movie, they pay it forward. Take it upon yourself to make people have a better day. Until next time. God Bless.
Monday, October 26, 2009
A little salute to Iceland
In a world where multi-billion dollar companies have taken over and you can’t turn a corner without seeing a set of big golden arches atop a thirty-foot pole, one country dared to stand up and say “NO SIR! No longer will I be the victim of the global conglomerate that is known as McDonalds.” Yes, the beloved burger company that brings joy to children everyday in the form of Happy Meals, Play places and big ceramic Ronald clowns sitting on benches outside. The same place where your eighty-seven year old neighbor Harold goes to enjoy a cup of joe with the guys from the VFW. By the way, there is actually a website that debates the origin of the saying “cup of joe” but I reckon there is a website for everything nowadays.
Any way you cut it, McDonalds is the most convenient source of fast food for us Americans, young and old, but it no longer will be in the country of Iceland. What could have possibly happened for Iceland to banish the big M of deliciousness? Well my friend, I’ll tell you. According to Prime Minister Magnus Ogmundsson, the Big Mac is just too damn expensive! Going off on a tangent again, Magnus Ogmundsson sounds like one of those fellows you would see on ESPN2 heaving concrete-filled barrels over a bar set twenty feet in the air. Back on track… The only three McDonalds in the capital of Iceland jacked the prices up on the Big Mac. Really?! Inflation got the Big Mac?!
Apparently so. What were the new prices? You ask. Well two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions, on a sesame seed bun were going for a whopping five dollars and twenty-nine cents (this is in American currency folks)! This was before they were going to increase the price so they could actually make a profit. Their new price would’ve had to be around six-fifty. Wow! And I though the Mac shack was a cheap way to roll. I guess they skipped over Iceland.
After further reading, I figured out Barbados said sayonara to Mac in 1996 and Bolivia followed suite in 2002. Im guessing the fine folks of these countries were resistent to the greasy charm Micky Ds. It’s also clear that the big machine that operates in over one hundred countries couldn’t muster up the dough to keep a few restaurants running. It’s cool though, Mr. Magnus doesn’t plan on pursuing any business with them in the future.
Where exactly are you going with this Adam? Well it’s pretty simple when you think about it. No matter how big and profitable the business, money is always the central factor. Billions of dollars circulate through the McDonalds empire each year but they couldn’t keep a few restaurants out of 30,000 alive for some people who really appreciate everything that starts with “Mc.” Call me an idealist but somewhere I thought that customer satisfaction was top priority among businesses but, like I am about so many other things, I was wrong. I get it though, a business has to make money to stay alive but I’m almost positive that McDonalds doesn’t have to drive prices up and exit countries to stay alive. It would be like Bill Gates giving me 100 dollars a week for the rest of my life. It would definitely be appreciated on my end but I'm sure Mr. Gates wouldn’t even notice it was missing.
Wow, I’m surprised I actually made it through that blog. It’s a far cry from last week’s as far as meaning goes but I figured I would bring some stuff to your attention. I read various Internet articles and break them in my own terms. It’s kind of fun at times, give it a shot. Yet again, I have no idea that anybody reads my blog but I’m hoping some people will. If by some miracle they do then maybe they’ll get something out of it. Maybe it’ll be extremely nonsensical but at the very least I do hope the blogs make you think a little more than you’re used to. Don’t be cognitive misers people! Let yourself venture outside of the box every once in a while. By the way a cognitive miser is someone who doesn’t think more than they have to about a given topic, someone who takes their prior knowledge as being good enough to explain something. Hope you guys have a great week! Until next time, God Bless.
Any way you cut it, McDonalds is the most convenient source of fast food for us Americans, young and old, but it no longer will be in the country of Iceland. What could have possibly happened for Iceland to banish the big M of deliciousness? Well my friend, I’ll tell you. According to Prime Minister Magnus Ogmundsson, the Big Mac is just too damn expensive! Going off on a tangent again, Magnus Ogmundsson sounds like one of those fellows you would see on ESPN2 heaving concrete-filled barrels over a bar set twenty feet in the air. Back on track… The only three McDonalds in the capital of Iceland jacked the prices up on the Big Mac. Really?! Inflation got the Big Mac?!
Apparently so. What were the new prices? You ask. Well two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions, on a sesame seed bun were going for a whopping five dollars and twenty-nine cents (this is in American currency folks)! This was before they were going to increase the price so they could actually make a profit. Their new price would’ve had to be around six-fifty. Wow! And I though the Mac shack was a cheap way to roll. I guess they skipped over Iceland.
After further reading, I figured out Barbados said sayonara to Mac in 1996 and Bolivia followed suite in 2002. Im guessing the fine folks of these countries were resistent to the greasy charm Micky Ds. It’s also clear that the big machine that operates in over one hundred countries couldn’t muster up the dough to keep a few restaurants running. It’s cool though, Mr. Magnus doesn’t plan on pursuing any business with them in the future.
Where exactly are you going with this Adam? Well it’s pretty simple when you think about it. No matter how big and profitable the business, money is always the central factor. Billions of dollars circulate through the McDonalds empire each year but they couldn’t keep a few restaurants out of 30,000 alive for some people who really appreciate everything that starts with “Mc.” Call me an idealist but somewhere I thought that customer satisfaction was top priority among businesses but, like I am about so many other things, I was wrong. I get it though, a business has to make money to stay alive but I’m almost positive that McDonalds doesn’t have to drive prices up and exit countries to stay alive. It would be like Bill Gates giving me 100 dollars a week for the rest of my life. It would definitely be appreciated on my end but I'm sure Mr. Gates wouldn’t even notice it was missing.
Wow, I’m surprised I actually made it through that blog. It’s a far cry from last week’s as far as meaning goes but I figured I would bring some stuff to your attention. I read various Internet articles and break them in my own terms. It’s kind of fun at times, give it a shot. Yet again, I have no idea that anybody reads my blog but I’m hoping some people will. If by some miracle they do then maybe they’ll get something out of it. Maybe it’ll be extremely nonsensical but at the very least I do hope the blogs make you think a little more than you’re used to. Don’t be cognitive misers people! Let yourself venture outside of the box every once in a while. By the way a cognitive miser is someone who doesn’t think more than they have to about a given topic, someone who takes their prior knowledge as being good enough to explain something. Hope you guys have a great week! Until next time, God Bless.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Happy Birthday!
Let me write about inspiration; let me write about someone that means everything to me. This person has impacted my life in the best way possible. His birthday happens to be tomorrow and he would be 54 this year. Who is this person that I’m talking about? None other than my Dad. That’s right, gotta write about Pops.
It was Monday, July 14th, 2008. It was very early in the morning when I saw the last breaths escape my father. I felt as if time stood still and nothing else existed but the people that were in the room. I have a picture in my mind of these moments that will never leave. I couldn’t wrap my head around the fact that I had just lost my father. This was the guy that I would come home to and find watching TV on the puffy chair downstairs. More times than not, on Friday he would be watching a recently rented movie and even if I didn’t have an interest in seeing the movie, he would always persuade me to watch it. His personality drew me toward him. He always enjoyed coming home at the end of the week and having a cold beer. Who doesn’t?
Not many people know the journey that led him to his last days on this earth. I remember the day I found out that he had cancer. He and I shared a hug that will never be forgotten. We stood in the basement of my house and I honestly cried like a baby. I had no idea what the coming days would be like and there was nothing here within human existence that could prepare me for what was about to come.
I remember going to Columbia the Thursday that everything had become clear. They sent him to Columbia for some tests and eventually came to the conclusion that he needed surgery. My Dad was like the Spartan king Leonidas, fearless. I know he must have had a storm of emotion brewing beneath the surface but to everyone else nothing came close to phasing him.
He was diagnosed with glioblastoma. This is one of the most aggressive cancers that can fall upon anyone. He would have to undergo surgery to remove the tumor and I can’t remember him being afraid of it. He became the most positive person on the planet. He just knew he was going to beat this thing. There was nothing on this earth that was going to take him away. It was almost like he said “Fuck You Cancer, I’m gonna stick around for a while.”
The first surgery was nothing short of extremely nerve-racking. My mom and I were surrounded by family so that made it a little easier. Everything went as planned but in our hearts we knew that it would come back. I tried to slip into a phase of denial by saying that it was all over, that he had conquered this enemy. He came out very well, he was resilient. This was the first time that I had ever seen my Dad with no hair so I was sort of taken aback. He did, however, pull this look off. He and I immediately agreed on him growing a goatee. You’ve got to admit, a goatee with no hair looks badass. He finally grew one and it didn’t look too shabby. He and my mom took a picture together and it has to be one of the best they have ever taken; it was beautiful, you could just tell they were so in love.
Well after a couple of months of chemo the cancer decided to rear its ugly head again. This meant my Dad would have to have a second surgery or just let nature take its course. A very tough decision lay ahead. We all agreed that that the second surgery would probably be the best because it would most likely give him a longer stint here on earth. The day before his second surgery he and I went to get breakfast at Hy-Vee. That’s kind of an unknown tradition between him and me. That night I remember we sat on the couch upstairs and talked about his impending surgery. Again, we shared a hug and cried together. The next day we made our way to Columbia for surgery. He was still the fearless old man I knew, being wheeled back into surgery.
A short time after this surgery he began to have difficulties so he had to be readmitted to the hospital. In this time he had suffered from a stroke and developed a staff infection. His personality took on that of a young child while still retaining parts of his adult self. After a period in the Hospital he was sent home with my mom and me. My mother was a complete saint for his remaining time with us. She took care of him day in and day out. I tried to do my part but nothing can compare to everything she did. If I could, I would go back and spend every waking moment with him. I wish I would have recorded him on video so I could just have something to remember him by.
I cannot believe the positive attitude that came from him the last few months that he was with us. These months are what inspired me to be a different person. I now believe whole-heartedly that everyday is a gift that should be appreciated. Anyone that came into the house was immediately affected by him. He could always put a smile on a face. It was almost instant. How can somebody in so much pain display such a positive attitude? This was such a hard concept to grasp. It’s still hard to get a grip on today.
He was truly a gift from God, an inspiration to everyone that knew him. He taught us how to love each other and let go of all the petty differences. Perhaps his disease was a blessing in disguise. It is very unfortunate that such a great person had to perish so that we could learn the value of life, love and friendship. It is an honor and a privilege to say that this man was my father. I miss him every single day and will continue to do so for the rest of my life. Thank you Dad for everything that you have taught me; I will never forget it. Happy Birthday!
It was Monday, July 14th, 2008. It was very early in the morning when I saw the last breaths escape my father. I felt as if time stood still and nothing else existed but the people that were in the room. I have a picture in my mind of these moments that will never leave. I couldn’t wrap my head around the fact that I had just lost my father. This was the guy that I would come home to and find watching TV on the puffy chair downstairs. More times than not, on Friday he would be watching a recently rented movie and even if I didn’t have an interest in seeing the movie, he would always persuade me to watch it. His personality drew me toward him. He always enjoyed coming home at the end of the week and having a cold beer. Who doesn’t?
Not many people know the journey that led him to his last days on this earth. I remember the day I found out that he had cancer. He and I shared a hug that will never be forgotten. We stood in the basement of my house and I honestly cried like a baby. I had no idea what the coming days would be like and there was nothing here within human existence that could prepare me for what was about to come.
I remember going to Columbia the Thursday that everything had become clear. They sent him to Columbia for some tests and eventually came to the conclusion that he needed surgery. My Dad was like the Spartan king Leonidas, fearless. I know he must have had a storm of emotion brewing beneath the surface but to everyone else nothing came close to phasing him.
He was diagnosed with glioblastoma. This is one of the most aggressive cancers that can fall upon anyone. He would have to undergo surgery to remove the tumor and I can’t remember him being afraid of it. He became the most positive person on the planet. He just knew he was going to beat this thing. There was nothing on this earth that was going to take him away. It was almost like he said “Fuck You Cancer, I’m gonna stick around for a while.”
The first surgery was nothing short of extremely nerve-racking. My mom and I were surrounded by family so that made it a little easier. Everything went as planned but in our hearts we knew that it would come back. I tried to slip into a phase of denial by saying that it was all over, that he had conquered this enemy. He came out very well, he was resilient. This was the first time that I had ever seen my Dad with no hair so I was sort of taken aback. He did, however, pull this look off. He and I immediately agreed on him growing a goatee. You’ve got to admit, a goatee with no hair looks badass. He finally grew one and it didn’t look too shabby. He and my mom took a picture together and it has to be one of the best they have ever taken; it was beautiful, you could just tell they were so in love.
Well after a couple of months of chemo the cancer decided to rear its ugly head again. This meant my Dad would have to have a second surgery or just let nature take its course. A very tough decision lay ahead. We all agreed that that the second surgery would probably be the best because it would most likely give him a longer stint here on earth. The day before his second surgery he and I went to get breakfast at Hy-Vee. That’s kind of an unknown tradition between him and me. That night I remember we sat on the couch upstairs and talked about his impending surgery. Again, we shared a hug and cried together. The next day we made our way to Columbia for surgery. He was still the fearless old man I knew, being wheeled back into surgery.
A short time after this surgery he began to have difficulties so he had to be readmitted to the hospital. In this time he had suffered from a stroke and developed a staff infection. His personality took on that of a young child while still retaining parts of his adult self. After a period in the Hospital he was sent home with my mom and me. My mother was a complete saint for his remaining time with us. She took care of him day in and day out. I tried to do my part but nothing can compare to everything she did. If I could, I would go back and spend every waking moment with him. I wish I would have recorded him on video so I could just have something to remember him by.
I cannot believe the positive attitude that came from him the last few months that he was with us. These months are what inspired me to be a different person. I now believe whole-heartedly that everyday is a gift that should be appreciated. Anyone that came into the house was immediately affected by him. He could always put a smile on a face. It was almost instant. How can somebody in so much pain display such a positive attitude? This was such a hard concept to grasp. It’s still hard to get a grip on today.
He was truly a gift from God, an inspiration to everyone that knew him. He taught us how to love each other and let go of all the petty differences. Perhaps his disease was a blessing in disguise. It is very unfortunate that such a great person had to perish so that we could learn the value of life, love and friendship. It is an honor and a privilege to say that this man was my father. I miss him every single day and will continue to do so for the rest of my life. Thank you Dad for everything that you have taught me; I will never forget it. Happy Birthday!
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Sunday, Bloody Sunday
How long must we sing this song?
There was a small window that existed between last night and today where a shred of hope resided. Where we Missouri sports fans could forget about the debacle on Thursday in which the Tigers could not stop the corn people of the north and where the Cardinals failed to continue their run into the postseason.
What was this shred of hope you ask? None other than the win less Chiefs and Rams. In the world of professional football anything can happen…Any given Sunday! Although I did not see the St. Louis Rams get throttled by the Favre and the Vikings I did have the pleasure of watching the Chiefs lose a heart breaker to the Cowboys.
The Chiefs had the Cowboys’ number the entire game but all was lost in the final minutes of this battle. It was almost as if they didn’t know what was going on. They actually had the lead late into the game and found themselves in foreign territory. What?! Are we really winning this game?!
That’s when they decided to pump the breaks and completely forget how to close out the game letting an unheard-of wide receiver trot down the sideline, catch the ball, stop and grab a Gatorade and waltz into the end zone. Don’t worry guys, the pressure is off now and we can just chalk it up to a rebuilding year.
Yes, this was a dismal week in Missouri sports. Enough to get anybody down, but let’s not forget about the misfortune of the Chicago Cubs. How long has it been since they have experienced the ambiance of the fall classic? I honestly can’t say an exact number but I can guarantee your great-grandparents wouldn’t know.
Being the optimist that I am, I believe that our Tigers will travel to Oklahoma this upcoming weekend and put a hurtin on the Cowboys. That’s right; I won’t let this one game define the rest of our season. There’s still a lot of football left to be played people. As for the Cards, shit happens and we will continue to be the best fans in baseball!
This is the second blog that I’ve written about sports so I feel as if I’m cheating you guys out of some upper-crust stuff. So lets get rolling on another topic.
As you now there has been some unseasonably cool weather lately and for those of us who like summer it’s a little discouraging. But let’s look on the bright side, with Old Man Winter knocking on the door Christmas is right around the corner. Yes, Christmas! This particular holiday has virtually started earlier every year for some reason. There are now people Christmas shopping in July as well as mere days after Christmas has ended!
Although the material side of Christmas has begun to engulf our society and Thanksgiving is now pre-game for this holiday, why can’t the spiritual side of Christmas do the same? What do i mean by this? People in general are exponentially nicer around the holiday season. We tend to greet people with unrivaled friendliness. We open doors we would normally let stay closed, we smile at those who we would usually pass by, we go the extra mile for others.
What is it about the month of December that makes us flip a switch in our heads so that we can be more civil in our interactions with each other? I don’t even have a good theory on why this is. I would, however, like to know what makes us stop being so friendly once the new year starts. Is it our own resolution getting in the way and stressing us out? Couldn’t we all make it a priority to, or at least try, and put a smile on everyday like we do around Christmas? I think this is possible. It will require mucho effort; more than anybody likes to give at times, including myself.
Instead of making a new fad-diet or some other superficial agenda our resolution, maybe we should focus on our fellow man/woman. Believe me, those superficial things tend to slowly fade into the night. What’s left at the end of the day, however, are our relationships with others. Things like that are often pushed to the wayside, but they are perhaps the most important. Whether it be friends or family, we cannot forget those who make us who we are; those that make life worth living, that make every moment unique.
It might be a couple of months until I have to make a resolution but I figure people are already thinking about the holidays, so what better time than the present? I intend to write this on a sticky note so I don't forget it. Either way, it will be remembered. Until next time, God Bless.
There was a small window that existed between last night and today where a shred of hope resided. Where we Missouri sports fans could forget about the debacle on Thursday in which the Tigers could not stop the corn people of the north and where the Cardinals failed to continue their run into the postseason.
What was this shred of hope you ask? None other than the win less Chiefs and Rams. In the world of professional football anything can happen…Any given Sunday! Although I did not see the St. Louis Rams get throttled by the Favre and the Vikings I did have the pleasure of watching the Chiefs lose a heart breaker to the Cowboys.
The Chiefs had the Cowboys’ number the entire game but all was lost in the final minutes of this battle. It was almost as if they didn’t know what was going on. They actually had the lead late into the game and found themselves in foreign territory. What?! Are we really winning this game?!
That’s when they decided to pump the breaks and completely forget how to close out the game letting an unheard-of wide receiver trot down the sideline, catch the ball, stop and grab a Gatorade and waltz into the end zone. Don’t worry guys, the pressure is off now and we can just chalk it up to a rebuilding year.
Yes, this was a dismal week in Missouri sports. Enough to get anybody down, but let’s not forget about the misfortune of the Chicago Cubs. How long has it been since they have experienced the ambiance of the fall classic? I honestly can’t say an exact number but I can guarantee your great-grandparents wouldn’t know.
Being the optimist that I am, I believe that our Tigers will travel to Oklahoma this upcoming weekend and put a hurtin on the Cowboys. That’s right; I won’t let this one game define the rest of our season. There’s still a lot of football left to be played people. As for the Cards, shit happens and we will continue to be the best fans in baseball!
This is the second blog that I’ve written about sports so I feel as if I’m cheating you guys out of some upper-crust stuff. So lets get rolling on another topic.
As you now there has been some unseasonably cool weather lately and for those of us who like summer it’s a little discouraging. But let’s look on the bright side, with Old Man Winter knocking on the door Christmas is right around the corner. Yes, Christmas! This particular holiday has virtually started earlier every year for some reason. There are now people Christmas shopping in July as well as mere days after Christmas has ended!
Although the material side of Christmas has begun to engulf our society and Thanksgiving is now pre-game for this holiday, why can’t the spiritual side of Christmas do the same? What do i mean by this? People in general are exponentially nicer around the holiday season. We tend to greet people with unrivaled friendliness. We open doors we would normally let stay closed, we smile at those who we would usually pass by, we go the extra mile for others.
What is it about the month of December that makes us flip a switch in our heads so that we can be more civil in our interactions with each other? I don’t even have a good theory on why this is. I would, however, like to know what makes us stop being so friendly once the new year starts. Is it our own resolution getting in the way and stressing us out? Couldn’t we all make it a priority to, or at least try, and put a smile on everyday like we do around Christmas? I think this is possible. It will require mucho effort; more than anybody likes to give at times, including myself.
Instead of making a new fad-diet or some other superficial agenda our resolution, maybe we should focus on our fellow man/woman. Believe me, those superficial things tend to slowly fade into the night. What’s left at the end of the day, however, are our relationships with others. Things like that are often pushed to the wayside, but they are perhaps the most important. Whether it be friends or family, we cannot forget those who make us who we are; those that make life worth living, that make every moment unique.
It might be a couple of months until I have to make a resolution but I figure people are already thinking about the holidays, so what better time than the present? I intend to write this on a sticky note so I don't forget it. Either way, it will be remembered. Until next time, God Bless.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
This Week in Sports...
Well from the looks of it the Rams and Chiefs are on their way to another dismal season… Shocking, I know. I find these games extremely hard to watch for more than a few minutes. This must make me a horrible fan, or somebody who would rather watch MTV’s True Life than a glorified college team get embarrassed.
Although sad times have fallen upon pro football in Missouri, we can think back to 1999 when the “Greatest Show on Turf” emerged and at the helm of this brilliant offensive attack was none other than quarterback/bad ass Kurt Warner. Reminiscent of a 2007-2008 Tom Brady, this gun slinger torched defenses, tossing the ball effortlessly down the field to Isaac Bruce, Torry Holt or Ricky Proehl (equally bad ass receiving corps). Churning out touchdown after touchdown, the Rams marched to the Super Bowl where they defeated the Titans in a down-to-the-wire slug fest.
The show went on and they made it back to the Super Bowl in 2002 where they were eventually defeated by the New England Belichicks a.k.a the New England Clam Cheaters a.k.a. the New England Patriots via last minute field goal.
Since then it’s been a downward spiral for the Rams, who apparently had their fifteen minutes. Plagued by injuries and inconsistency it seems as if it will be a while before they return to the team that made pro football so much fun to watch. Big thanks to Kurt though, nearing age forty he’s still throwing the pigskin like crazy out there in Arizona.
Enough reminiscing for now! Let’s focus on the awesome week of sports that is about to commence. The St. Louis Cardinals are officially making their way into the October/November hunt for greatness otherwise known as the MLB postseason. The Redbirds fly out to the City of Angels this week to take on Manny and the Dodgers. Game is Wednesday the 7th and starts at 8:37 p.m. central time so everybody tune in and cheer on the Cards! Prediction: 3-2 Cards. On Thursday we have an epic football game when the number 21 ranked Nebraska Corn Huskers come to the Zou to take on the number 24 ranked Missouri Tigers for the Missouri-Nebraska Bell! This one starts at 8 p.m. central time so put on your black and gold, have a beer, soda, green tea or whatever crazy concoction makes you feel good and watch the Tigers bring the pain! Prediction: 34-21 MU.
I haven’t blogged in a while so hopefully I get back on track. Be on the lookout for some more thought provoking and, dare I say interesting, blogs in the future. Until the next time, God bless.
Although sad times have fallen upon pro football in Missouri, we can think back to 1999 when the “Greatest Show on Turf” emerged and at the helm of this brilliant offensive attack was none other than quarterback/bad ass Kurt Warner. Reminiscent of a 2007-2008 Tom Brady, this gun slinger torched defenses, tossing the ball effortlessly down the field to Isaac Bruce, Torry Holt or Ricky Proehl (equally bad ass receiving corps). Churning out touchdown after touchdown, the Rams marched to the Super Bowl where they defeated the Titans in a down-to-the-wire slug fest.
The show went on and they made it back to the Super Bowl in 2002 where they were eventually defeated by the New England Belichicks a.k.a the New England Clam Cheaters a.k.a. the New England Patriots via last minute field goal.
Since then it’s been a downward spiral for the Rams, who apparently had their fifteen minutes. Plagued by injuries and inconsistency it seems as if it will be a while before they return to the team that made pro football so much fun to watch. Big thanks to Kurt though, nearing age forty he’s still throwing the pigskin like crazy out there in Arizona.
Enough reminiscing for now! Let’s focus on the awesome week of sports that is about to commence. The St. Louis Cardinals are officially making their way into the October/November hunt for greatness otherwise known as the MLB postseason. The Redbirds fly out to the City of Angels this week to take on Manny and the Dodgers. Game is Wednesday the 7th and starts at 8:37 p.m. central time so everybody tune in and cheer on the Cards! Prediction: 3-2 Cards. On Thursday we have an epic football game when the number 21 ranked Nebraska Corn Huskers come to the Zou to take on the number 24 ranked Missouri Tigers for the Missouri-Nebraska Bell! This one starts at 8 p.m. central time so put on your black and gold, have a beer, soda, green tea or whatever crazy concoction makes you feel good and watch the Tigers bring the pain! Prediction: 34-21 MU.
I haven’t blogged in a while so hopefully I get back on track. Be on the lookout for some more thought provoking and, dare I say interesting, blogs in the future. Until the next time, God bless.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Fight Night and Yahoo! adventures
Any follower of the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) knows that tonight was Ultimate Fight Night on Spike TV and as always the UFC brought the high quality entertainment that we love. Man, there were some crazy F-in fights! The first three fights all went to a decision and the fighters didn't once shy away from mixing it up so that made for some great action. Any of these fights could have been fight of the night. The main even was ended in the second round by submission and given the history of the two fighters, I wasn't really surprised. I won't bore you with any more fighting stuff though... for now.
One would think that a night of fights would be enough to keep me busy but lo and behold I made my way to the internet. I didn't get any further than my homepage of Yahoo! when I stumbled upon a very intriguing article. The story revolves around the 83-0 throttling one Hollywood, FL high school football team gave another. I've taken the liberty of posting the link to the article below.
http://highschool.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=989089
Rather than getting any kind of positive recognition, the winning team had to defend themselves. I found myself wondering why, so I read on. Apparently the winning team was "running up the score." Is it considered "running up the score" even if the starters were pulled after the half? Even if the other team threw two interceptioins that resulted in scores? Even if the clock ran throughout? According to parents and high school officials, it is. These days sportsmanship is a number one priority in highschool sports and that is a very understandable, legitimate piont. Why is it unsportsman-like if one team keeps scoring because the other can't stop them? They couldn't stop the starters so the starters were pulled, they couldnt stop their backups so the backups stopped passing the ball. At what point does the blame fall upon the team who just plain couldn't stop the opposition. I sat and thought about the significance of this article and the possible impact it may have. Will the winners of this game be afraid of success because being too good was frowned upon? Will the losers of this game think that an athletic official will step in and say enough is enough when they can't finish a tough school assignment? I do believe that there are situations that call for mercy rules such as a little league game, when kids may not totally understand all of the aspects of the game. That being said, this is a high school football team where competitiveness is key to winning, where young men are taught to accept and take on challenges. These kids are just a step away from the real world so they need to be shown that responsibility falls upon them in the face of adversity. There are no mercy rules when it comes to most things in this life.
Chances are I won't think about the article past tonight and in all honesty it doesn't mean that much but it made me think, and thats what Im hoping it will do for you. Also, be ready for that MIZZOU game comin up this weekend! Tigers are gonna beat them like some red headed step children so tune in for that! Until next time God Bless.
One would think that a night of fights would be enough to keep me busy but lo and behold I made my way to the internet. I didn't get any further than my homepage of Yahoo! when I stumbled upon a very intriguing article. The story revolves around the 83-0 throttling one Hollywood, FL high school football team gave another. I've taken the liberty of posting the link to the article below.
http://highschool.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=989089
Rather than getting any kind of positive recognition, the winning team had to defend themselves. I found myself wondering why, so I read on. Apparently the winning team was "running up the score." Is it considered "running up the score" even if the starters were pulled after the half? Even if the other team threw two interceptioins that resulted in scores? Even if the clock ran throughout? According to parents and high school officials, it is. These days sportsmanship is a number one priority in highschool sports and that is a very understandable, legitimate piont. Why is it unsportsman-like if one team keeps scoring because the other can't stop them? They couldn't stop the starters so the starters were pulled, they couldnt stop their backups so the backups stopped passing the ball. At what point does the blame fall upon the team who just plain couldn't stop the opposition. I sat and thought about the significance of this article and the possible impact it may have. Will the winners of this game be afraid of success because being too good was frowned upon? Will the losers of this game think that an athletic official will step in and say enough is enough when they can't finish a tough school assignment? I do believe that there are situations that call for mercy rules such as a little league game, when kids may not totally understand all of the aspects of the game. That being said, this is a high school football team where competitiveness is key to winning, where young men are taught to accept and take on challenges. These kids are just a step away from the real world so they need to be shown that responsibility falls upon them in the face of adversity. There are no mercy rules when it comes to most things in this life.
Chances are I won't think about the article past tonight and in all honesty it doesn't mean that much but it made me think, and thats what Im hoping it will do for you. Also, be ready for that MIZZOU game comin up this weekend! Tigers are gonna beat them like some red headed step children so tune in for that! Until next time God Bless.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
The Inaugural Blog!
Well folks, this is my first blog... If u couldnt tell by the title. I've thought about starting one of these little deals for a while but I just never could get motivated to do so. Special thanks to the person who got me started! She knows I love her ;) Im not quite sure if a guy should do the winky face but Im doin it til I hear different ;) there it is again. You can just add the winky face to any conversation to lighten the mood or show that you're just kidding. And depending on the context it could even add a hint of sarcasm. I feel as if Ive gone on too long about this so I digress.
This being my first blog I'll dive right in to whats been happenin this week. Classes and work went by kind of fast until Friday when i found out about the 12 page paper I had to write in my Psychology class and then it just slowed to a snails pace, thanks Psychology ;) (sarcasm). On a good note, the slow pitch softball team that Im on notched a couple of wins. 2-1 now! Saturday rolled around and of course that meant College Game Day!! Being from Missouri Im a big fan of the Tigers. We didnt quite get the 52-10 score that I had predicted but we pulled it out so thats a plus. Never mind that we played Bowling Green... Either way we got the W! Had some beers with some friends too so it was a pretty good night. Sunday came and obviously that means the NFL!! Not a huge fan but i gotta keep up with the fantasy league, the way us males prove our strategic pickin' skills. I also caught enough of the VMAs to see Kanye West make an ass out of himself. Was it an act of desperation to remind us that he still exists and isnt fading into the night or just a dick move? You decide.
Prediction for next weeks MU game against the Furman Paladins: After a wake up call against Bowling Green the Tigers take out some frustration in their second home game.
Tigers win 45-6
This being my first blog I'll dive right in to whats been happenin this week. Classes and work went by kind of fast until Friday when i found out about the 12 page paper I had to write in my Psychology class and then it just slowed to a snails pace, thanks Psychology ;) (sarcasm). On a good note, the slow pitch softball team that Im on notched a couple of wins. 2-1 now! Saturday rolled around and of course that meant College Game Day!! Being from Missouri Im a big fan of the Tigers. We didnt quite get the 52-10 score that I had predicted but we pulled it out so thats a plus. Never mind that we played Bowling Green... Either way we got the W! Had some beers with some friends too so it was a pretty good night. Sunday came and obviously that means the NFL!! Not a huge fan but i gotta keep up with the fantasy league, the way us males prove our strategic pickin' skills. I also caught enough of the VMAs to see Kanye West make an ass out of himself. Was it an act of desperation to remind us that he still exists and isnt fading into the night or just a dick move? You decide.
Prediction for next weeks MU game against the Furman Paladins: After a wake up call against Bowling Green the Tigers take out some frustration in their second home game.
Tigers win 45-6
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)