Most of the time, I won't readily admit the fact that I was born and raised in Indiana. Now, there are worse states to have grown up in (won't name any names...but we all know a few!), but the Hoosier State is not glamorous in the least. We are talking cornfields, flat, Gary, and its saving grace...basketball. Yes, the wonderous, amazing, stupendous sport of round ball. I grew up idolizing it...every Hoosier does. It's just not natural to grow up there and in no way bow to the feet of the hoop. Blah, blah, blah...I know...I can never just actually get to a point. I have some time on my hands...why not screw with my ever loyal readers?!
My point: basketball. I have come home again. This weekend I watched 4 games while working both days. You do forget the glory...and with my schedule of late, it doesn't matter if you remember or not. No time=no basketball. But this weekend, I took the time. Got to watch my Irish play and win. Got to watch my Bulls win and lose. All and all, enough good to get the blood boiling again.
I now care who is on the bubble, who isn't, what conference is getting the most nods, whose road wins will allow them to squeek by, whose losses of late will put the dagger through the heart. It is back and I love it!! March Madness is probably one of my favorite holidays!! Oh, it may not be a holiday in CO or VA or UT, but in Indiana, its the #1 holiday of the year! And this year, two of my teams are going to the dance! It's been a couple of years since I have been able to say that...I have been more interested in NIT scores (which is the saddest truth of all!). Now, I have two nationally ranked teams going into the conference tourneys.
Ok, right now...my Bulldogs (Butler if you didn't know) are overrated at this point. Yeah, they kicked some ass early on in the season, but losses to Loyola, Illinois-Chicago and Indiana State. Embarrassing. They have 5 losses, just like many of the ranked, but those losses are to much lower RPI teams. For whatever reason, the voters believe in the Bulldogs. I just don't believe in them to the Sweet 16. Prove me wrong, boys!
My Irish...they have some promise. Their shooting is lights out...lights out. 80% of Colin Falls' made shots are 3-pointers. He is a sharp shooter with a capital S. Has anyone seen the football player parading around in a bball jersey, Mr. Harangody? Yeah, he is a brut and built for the gridiron, but he can manhandle on the blocks. He is learning still, but he just is so big. I'm not saying that the Irish are making it to the final dance, but they can and probably will surprise. A team voted to be 12th in the Big East is sitting at number 4 and nationally ranked. Them's my Fightin' Irish.
Now to switch to my Bulls. I was so happy with them this morning. They fought the good fight yesterday and I had some high hopes for my inconsistent team. Yeah, they proved themselves tonight: losing to the Magic. Damn them...why can't they be consistent? Is it really that hard in the East these days? NO!!! I love them, I truly do, but they frustrate me beyond belief. Ben Gordon...hot...hot. Kirky baby...great tandem in the backcourt. Mr. Wallace (as I call him with all respect for the hair!) is Big Ben...averaging over 2 blocks and 4 offensive boards a game and has the worst free throw percentage ever..ever!!!
Alas...I am back in my little basketball heaven. I may be disappointed along with way with L's that should be W's, but at the end of the day, how could I not be in love with the best sport ever invented...baskeball? Are there any other sports worth caring about in March??!!
Monday, February 26, 2007
Saturday, February 24, 2007
Did You Know You Could Do That?!
Since I love technology so, you would think that I had blogger figured out before I started blogging here. Yeah, just figured out that I had the comments function disabled. I am a bright one!
So, I changed that, so now you can comment away! Have fun! :)
So, I changed that, so now you can comment away! Have fun! :)
Monday, February 12, 2007
Music Makes the World Go 'Round
This really isn't anything special or earth-shattering, but sometimes you are brought back to realizations that you have had before and yet, have forgotten.
I will never proclaim to be knowing about music, cause I'm not. I don't even really follow the releases of some of my favorite artists. I just kind of stumble onto their new music and have a very happy moment... mini-Christmas. I dabble in different types of music, usually after someone has given in a plug or if I am in an adventurous mood and ask for some new stuff. And I tend to just listen to those that do know music and absorb what they have to say (so I can sound half-way intelligent the next musical conversation I have!). But enough retarded background info that I feel that needs to be stated (even when it is clearly unnecessary to my point!)...
Tonight I remembered how much music really affects my moods and helps me feel my emotions. Yeah, not a major revelation, but sometimes you just forget simple things like that. Of course, I sing to my music (doesn't everyone at some point...), so my emotions just come out of me while I sing. And we all know (as FOM--Friends of Michelle) I need to let those emotions out and often do so to you!!! Music also brings back memories...good, bad and the ugly. Laugh time: still remember reading a Mary Higgins Clark book when I was 14 and singing to Debbie Gibson's Electric Youth blasting on my powder blue tape player. Or hearing Walking on Sunshine blarring out of my brother's room across the hall, filling me with joy (one of my favorite songs of all time...it IS my feel good song!). Now, you (the reader) might be commenting on my choice of music...cut it out!!! That's not the point. THE POINT IS how the music makes you feel and changes your outlook and allows you to emote. I just haven't taken advantage of this amazing gift in a long time and I am glad that I took the time tonight to revisit some old friends (a little I Believe by Blessid Union of Souls), found some new friends (Vienna Tang) and felt some hope (We Are the World--my favorite song...I do a great rendition...call me to entertain at any function!).
I will never proclaim to be knowing about music, cause I'm not. I don't even really follow the releases of some of my favorite artists. I just kind of stumble onto their new music and have a very happy moment... mini-Christmas. I dabble in different types of music, usually after someone has given in a plug or if I am in an adventurous mood and ask for some new stuff. And I tend to just listen to those that do know music and absorb what they have to say (so I can sound half-way intelligent the next musical conversation I have!). But enough retarded background info that I feel that needs to be stated (even when it is clearly unnecessary to my point!)...
Tonight I remembered how much music really affects my moods and helps me feel my emotions. Yeah, not a major revelation, but sometimes you just forget simple things like that. Of course, I sing to my music (doesn't everyone at some point...), so my emotions just come out of me while I sing. And we all know (as FOM--Friends of Michelle) I need to let those emotions out and often do so to you!!! Music also brings back memories...good, bad and the ugly. Laugh time: still remember reading a Mary Higgins Clark book when I was 14 and singing to Debbie Gibson's Electric Youth blasting on my powder blue tape player. Or hearing Walking on Sunshine blarring out of my brother's room across the hall, filling me with joy (one of my favorite songs of all time...it IS my feel good song!). Now, you (the reader) might be commenting on my choice of music...cut it out!!! That's not the point. THE POINT IS how the music makes you feel and changes your outlook and allows you to emote. I just haven't taken advantage of this amazing gift in a long time and I am glad that I took the time tonight to revisit some old friends (a little I Believe by Blessid Union of Souls), found some new friends (Vienna Tang) and felt some hope (We Are the World--my favorite song...I do a great rendition...call me to entertain at any function!).
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
Faced with an Uncomfortable Reality
This probably won't be as coherent and organized as I would like it to be, but I guess blogging really isn't meant to be all planned out and perfect.
Today, as I do most days, I visited cnn.com to catch up a bit on the world and what is going on. There were articles about astronauts that were in some love triangle and one went psycho and tried to kidnap and kill the other woman, Europeans patroling the coast of Africa to stop migrants from illegally coming to the Canary Islands and how Indiana is trying to stop "brain drain" from happening in the land of my birth (this brain drained out of IN many, many moons ago!).
The article that won't let me fall asleep tonight though is about how the KKK is on the rise again along with other hate groups. The article hypothesizes that these groups are now finding ways to capitalize on an anti-immigration mentality that has started to pervade our country. They bring forth the evidence that the KKK was at its largest back in the 20's due to the same platform, just different immigrants. Back then it was the "filthy Irish," now it is the Mexicans and other Latinos. They tell of a family from El Salvador in Kentucky that had a cross burning in their front yard.
I just don't know how to react. I don't think I am oblivious to the racism in the world...but I don't live in that world. I hear people say things that are less than flattering. People in my life have made comments that made me extremely uncomfortable and slightly disappointed that I heard such things. But I do not know the hatred because of where I was born or what language I speak or don't speak. It seems like this hatred never seems to leave our human race. If we are not basing something of race or religion it is ethnicity or language. Hatred seems to be a pemanent part of this human existance. In my naive little heart, I just want it to all go away.
This past weekend, our cleaning guy at work quit. We had to bring in temps to do the cleaning for a very demanding week of shows (6 shows in 7 days). As I have mentioned before in a blog, the Hispanic community up here is quite large in relation. The three men that came in this weekend were Hispanic. There was one that could speak just a bit of English and he seemed the "leader" of the three. He has been back for the next 3 days. Why am I telling you this? I don't really know...but he kept coming to mind today as I was thinking of this article.
From everything I have seen of him (only a few days), he seems to be a good, normal guy. He has worked hard, been very respectful and tried hard to communicate with a white girl that knows a bit of French and only 1-10 in Spanish. These hate groups are riling up hate for this man and what he stands for. A man that is willing to come to this country and do the job I would never imagine to have to work. I admit that...I think most Americans would admit that we don't want to do the jobs that most immigrants take. I don't know his life or why he is in this country or how he got here or whether he is legal or not. But I look at him and I don't feel rage. I don't feel hatred. I respect a man who comes to work everyday and does his job and does it well. First of all, how does it feel to have that rage directed at you? And secondly, how does it feel to look at a man and feel that rage without knowing anything about him?
We all have our things and none of us are perfect. I have always believed that we all are racist on some level...it just depends on your level. We have been brought up to determine difference amongst ourselves whether it be gender, race, religion, ethnicity, education, fashion sense, muscle mass, weight, height, etc. To say that you are not a differentiating individual in one of these "ist" categories (racist, sexist, etc) is to lie. We all do it. But why do we have to terrorize others because of these stupid superficial reasons.
My blogs never seem to come out the way I want. I think its because I am a verbal person and writing my thoughts is still a challenge for me. I leave out about 8 thoughts per every one written...I read these back and go, what logic is that? But, what can you do...until they let me verbally blog (which all of you would just love to hear me prattle on and on for hours!), I have what I have.
I know tonight as I again try to fall asleep (first time was unsuccessful since this blog was running through my head), I will be thinking of ways to be better...
Today, as I do most days, I visited cnn.com to catch up a bit on the world and what is going on. There were articles about astronauts that were in some love triangle and one went psycho and tried to kidnap and kill the other woman, Europeans patroling the coast of Africa to stop migrants from illegally coming to the Canary Islands and how Indiana is trying to stop "brain drain" from happening in the land of my birth (this brain drained out of IN many, many moons ago!).
The article that won't let me fall asleep tonight though is about how the KKK is on the rise again along with other hate groups. The article hypothesizes that these groups are now finding ways to capitalize on an anti-immigration mentality that has started to pervade our country. They bring forth the evidence that the KKK was at its largest back in the 20's due to the same platform, just different immigrants. Back then it was the "filthy Irish," now it is the Mexicans and other Latinos. They tell of a family from El Salvador in Kentucky that had a cross burning in their front yard.
I just don't know how to react. I don't think I am oblivious to the racism in the world...but I don't live in that world. I hear people say things that are less than flattering. People in my life have made comments that made me extremely uncomfortable and slightly disappointed that I heard such things. But I do not know the hatred because of where I was born or what language I speak or don't speak. It seems like this hatred never seems to leave our human race. If we are not basing something of race or religion it is ethnicity or language. Hatred seems to be a pemanent part of this human existance. In my naive little heart, I just want it to all go away.
This past weekend, our cleaning guy at work quit. We had to bring in temps to do the cleaning for a very demanding week of shows (6 shows in 7 days). As I have mentioned before in a blog, the Hispanic community up here is quite large in relation. The three men that came in this weekend were Hispanic. There was one that could speak just a bit of English and he seemed the "leader" of the three. He has been back for the next 3 days. Why am I telling you this? I don't really know...but he kept coming to mind today as I was thinking of this article.
From everything I have seen of him (only a few days), he seems to be a good, normal guy. He has worked hard, been very respectful and tried hard to communicate with a white girl that knows a bit of French and only 1-10 in Spanish. These hate groups are riling up hate for this man and what he stands for. A man that is willing to come to this country and do the job I would never imagine to have to work. I admit that...I think most Americans would admit that we don't want to do the jobs that most immigrants take. I don't know his life or why he is in this country or how he got here or whether he is legal or not. But I look at him and I don't feel rage. I don't feel hatred. I respect a man who comes to work everyday and does his job and does it well. First of all, how does it feel to have that rage directed at you? And secondly, how does it feel to look at a man and feel that rage without knowing anything about him?
We all have our things and none of us are perfect. I have always believed that we all are racist on some level...it just depends on your level. We have been brought up to determine difference amongst ourselves whether it be gender, race, religion, ethnicity, education, fashion sense, muscle mass, weight, height, etc. To say that you are not a differentiating individual in one of these "ist" categories (racist, sexist, etc) is to lie. We all do it. But why do we have to terrorize others because of these stupid superficial reasons.
My blogs never seem to come out the way I want. I think its because I am a verbal person and writing my thoughts is still a challenge for me. I leave out about 8 thoughts per every one written...I read these back and go, what logic is that? But, what can you do...until they let me verbally blog (which all of you would just love to hear me prattle on and on for hours!), I have what I have.
I know tonight as I again try to fall asleep (first time was unsuccessful since this blog was running through my head), I will be thinking of ways to be better...
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