It's been a hell of a month for yours truly. A little bit of everything has happened. A tour of the alphabet is in order....
Awesome girlfriend and cat family. I'm loving the new set-up and loving it even more with the loving g/f and cats that inexplicably entertain me on a daily basis. We've all adjusted to the new neighborhood quite well.
Bowling this summer. Our team has sucked so far this year. However, to start the second half of the year, we swept our first series. Let's see if this carries over into July & August.
Cell Dwelling at US Cellular Field. I've gone to a few games there this June, both unique in their own ways. I experienced my first-ever fog delay on a Monday night game when the White Sox faced the Blue Jays. I also attended the second game of a doubleheader on June 28th as the White Sox blew a 9th inning lead against the Indians.
Donations. Thanks to a last-minute pledge for money in my St. Jude/Warrior Dash efforts, I was able to gather a total of $1070 from my network of family and friends. I know those kids at St. Jude appreciate every single dollar donated. Thank you to everyone who donated.
Exercise. I need to find a gym soon or find new workouts to do. I don't want to regress to what I was before January 1st.
Fit Happens Champion. Over 30 pounds lost. Still have about 20-25 pounds to go before I'll be completely happy.
Game 6 - in both NBA & NHL Finals. Watched both in different venues (NBA at home, NHL at a bar). Each viewing experience left me shocked and reaffirmed why I love watching sports - the unexpected, unscripted drama that you can't get anywhere else.
Holding pattern. I had big plans coming up (trip to Seattle, new bowling league in Fall) that may need to be put on hold with the layoff. Hoping that I can find work quicker than the three months it took between jobs last time.
Ink for my computer. Yep, need some more ink. I had no idea what to write for the I portion of this blog, as you can tell.
Job search in progress. Yep, out of a job starting the end of day, July 5th. Any help would be much appreciated.
(5)K runs. I did my first one in quite a while on June 2nd. Fittingly enough with one of the guys who helped get me into shape. Thanks Chris. Going to try making them a monthly thing. Might hold off on this, depending on cost of 5K. Me needs to save some dough, yo.
Logan Square - love the new neighborhood feel. Moved here June 1. Love it here so far.
Mohawk. It may be short-lived, especially if I start to get interviews soon. I got it in dedication to my cousin Marilyn and the Warrior Dash run. Plus I look awesome with it.
Networking. It's the key that got me my last two jobs. It's exactly where I picked up when I heard the news of being laid off. So far, it has not produced results, but I have faith that my networks will be what gets me employed again.
Olivers. This remains my go-to suburban bar, particularly after bowling on Wednesdays before heading back to the burbs. I caught most of Stanley Cup Game 1 there, the end of Game 4, and always share good stories and good times with my friends there.
Pizza places. My favorite part of moving into a new Chicago neighborhood is to try new pizza places. I do miss Pat's Pizza, but there's a few good joints around here that I'm sure we'll enjoy just as much.
Quarterback Keeper. In less serious news (or more serious, depending on your level of fantasy football interest), trying to decide who to keep in my fantasy football league. Earlier in June, I was thinking Kaepernick. Now, I'm thinking Peyton Manning. I'm not sure how much longer Peyton has. I can keep either one of these guys for the next three seasons. Who would you choose?
Rear ended on June 14th. It was my second accident in a row where my car was not in motion when I got hit. Luckily, it was only a few minor bumps on the bumper. The guy who hit me offered to pay for my troubles, but I was not about to bother with that.
Stanley Cup Playoffs. Definitely the most active I've been involved with hockey in my life (from betting it to watching it). While I give bandwagon people a hard time, I have no problem with them. Bandwagons breed new fans of a sport, and that's never a bad thing - as long as people take the time to learn the sports they follow.
Trans mount. I needed a new one of these for my car (I couldn't tell you what a trans mount is or where it is in my car). I was about to get a new one and pay $400 last month at Firestone, but they didn't have one for my model car. Luckily they didn't - totally forgot about what was covered by CarMax and the warrant. Just got it fixed by CarMax for the low price of free.99.
Uncle Brian. Still is awesome to say. Will always be awesome. Every moment I've had to hold my nephew Brayden has been a fantastic moment. The last two times I saw him this month, he has been looking around and soaking in his environment. Can't believe he's already six weeks old.
Victory parade. I debated whether to attend the Blackhawks parade, but my parade experience in 2010 was all I really needed. Millions of people, with even just 5 or 10 percent of them drunk and an even higher percentage annoying, was not my cup of tea for this year's celebration.
Warrior Dash completed on June 16th. It was much tougher than when I did it three years ago. Glad to be a part of Team Carter.
eXcel Spreadsheets. As I was transferring files to my personal email before my work computer is taken away, I forgot how many excel spreadsheets I've worked with over the years. Many of my blogs had data stored in excels.
Year is half over. The year has flown, but it feels like this month has lasted longer than 30 days, as you can see by this blog.
Zombie Seinfeld. I caught this production on June 14th, right after the rear-ending. It was an excellent adaptation of Seinfeld that does not require one to love zombies (I can't stand zombie stuff) or even Seinfeld. Great job by Jeremy & Dan Eden, as always.
Showing posts with label bowling. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bowling. Show all posts
2/17/2013
Fit Happens Chapter 3: The No Booze Cruise (Part 1)
As I did three years ago, I have devoted the month of February to no alcohol drinks whatsoever (editors note: we shall never speak of the events of February 3rd, which was reserved for the consumption of a plethora and variety of craft brews imbibed during the 49ers loss in the Super Bowl).
This no-alcohol month was done in two parts: (1) to give myself a challenge that I knew would be tough, especially with how many alcohol-based situations I am in on a weekly basis and (2) to help in the process of losing weight for the Fit Happens challenge.
I knew the chances of repeating as the Biggest Loser based on percentage for the month of February would be difficult, so I figured some kind of dietary change had to occur for this to happen (in addition to working out harder and more frequently).
I have kept track of all of the potential drinking opportunities and how difficult it was for me to abstain from drinking. I'm actually surprised at how often I'm in drinking situations, which surprises me that it surprises me.
Without further ado (listed by the date where temptation presented itself)
1st - As is the case every Friday, bowling always presents its share of temptation of delicious beer, usually 312. It is also harder to not drink when the team when you are bowling is a bunch of booze hounds - which was the case today. Seeing as though I bowled below average this particular week (peaking at a 191 in game 2) as our team got swept, a pint couldn't have hurt. Temptation Level: Medium
2nd - This day contained visits to two separate bars - Olivers and Zante's. Oliver's was with the family (not with my usual Wednesday night hooligans, so no difficulty there. Zante's was a different story.
Here's a story on Yelp a few years ago from someone who went there:
1/6/2011
This summary sums up my thoughts on the place. The best part of the place this particular night was that there was one table of awesome people and an awesome birthday girl. Otherwise, this review is how I feel about the bar. So needless to say, the urge to drink this night was particularly high. I did buy drinks...but they weren't for me. Ada (the birthday girl in question) and Jen enjoyed a lemon drop shot as part of my birthday drink gift. My 3-4 glasses of water were my only beverages consumed. Temptation Level: High; Total Bar Visits: 2; (Month-to-Date: 2)
3rd - (We're forgetting about this day. Damn Ravens)
6th - Wednesday night bowling doesn't usually have the same alcohol temptation that Friday does, but there are a few teams we enjoy bowling against whose enjoyment of a couple drinks might get our team to do the same. However, when the team you are facing is named "BYE" and has no people on the team, the possibility of being tempted by them is nil. After bowling is usually a trip to Olivers, but sticking with the theme of a BYE week, my usual duo of knuckleheads were both MIA - no appearance to Olivers necessary. Temptation Level: Low
8th - Another bowling night, but with a team that doesn't interact with us in a way that others do (where there may be a shot here and there), there was no temptation to drink, although sadly, I have to say we all did take shots from a shot glass. They contained water. I bowled well that night (610 series, topping out at a 241 in the first game), so that's all I really need from a bowling night I realized. Temptation Level: Low
9th - I went to visit my friend who lives in Bloomington. If you know anything about us, you'd know that pretty much every time we've hung out (dating back to the start of our friendship in college times), there has been a couple of beers consumed. We did go to a bar, but we just grabbed lunch and then hung out at his place before heading back home to the South Loop in the early evening.
After this was one of the most alcohol-filled situations I've been in: Geno & Jen's engagement party. Over two dozen people were at the party - I believe all of them except one thinning white boy with a faux hawk were drinking something that night. With celebration drinks and clinking glasses surrounding me, I stayed strong with my 36 ounce water jug (between Bloomington and this party, I refilled the jug about 8 or 9 times - over 300 oz's of H2O in my body throughout the day). Talking about brewing beer with Ed didn't help matters. We also went to a bar (The Shamrock) after for a couple of drinks. But, as is the theme with this story, I stayed strong. Temptation Level: High; Total Bar Visits: 2 (Month-to-Date: 4)
10th - Another day with G & J, another day of bowling, but surprisingly, not as much temptation. This bowling league on Sundays is more of a social league than a serious one, but on this particular day, no one on the team was drinking. I'm a substitute for the team, bowling when needed. Afterwards, we went to Diversey's to grab dinner and catch some of the Blackhawks game. Again, shocked to see no one was drinking. Jen and I left before the game ended. However, at the bar, I set up my next drinking temptation event, which coincidentally enough, involved going to a Blackhawks game. Temptation Level: Low; Total Bar Visits: 1 (Month-to-Date: 5)
12th - I was invited to go to a Blackhawks game with Geno, for the low price of buying him a couple rounds of drinks. At this point, he knew that I was not drinking this month - and as such, he respected my stance of not drinking this month. We took a free shuttle from The Crossroads to the United Center. After not drinking there amid a 3-2 Blackhawks defeat, I went back to the bar with Geno (but not before running into New Orleans Saints running back Pierre Thomas, who I took a picture of with Geno). The urge to drink was a little higher than the previous temptation, but certainly not as bad as it's been this month. Temptation Level: Medium; Total Bar Visits: 1 (Month-to-Date: 6)
This no-alcohol month was done in two parts: (1) to give myself a challenge that I knew would be tough, especially with how many alcohol-based situations I am in on a weekly basis and (2) to help in the process of losing weight for the Fit Happens challenge.
I knew the chances of repeating as the Biggest Loser based on percentage for the month of February would be difficult, so I figured some kind of dietary change had to occur for this to happen (in addition to working out harder and more frequently).
I have kept track of all of the potential drinking opportunities and how difficult it was for me to abstain from drinking. I'm actually surprised at how often I'm in drinking situations, which surprises me that it surprises me.
Without further ado (listed by the date where temptation presented itself)
1st - As is the case every Friday, bowling always presents its share of temptation of delicious beer, usually 312. It is also harder to not drink when the team when you are bowling is a bunch of booze hounds - which was the case today. Seeing as though I bowled below average this particular week (peaking at a 191 in game 2) as our team got swept, a pint couldn't have hurt. Temptation Level: Medium
2nd - This day contained visits to two separate bars - Olivers and Zante's. Oliver's was with the family (not with my usual Wednesday night hooligans, so no difficulty there. Zante's was a different story.
Here's a story on Yelp a few years ago from someone who went there:
Frankfort, IL
3rd - (We're forgetting about this day. Damn Ravens)
6th - Wednesday night bowling doesn't usually have the same alcohol temptation that Friday does, but there are a few teams we enjoy bowling against whose enjoyment of a couple drinks might get our team to do the same. However, when the team you are facing is named "BYE" and has no people on the team, the possibility of being tempted by them is nil. After bowling is usually a trip to Olivers, but sticking with the theme of a BYE week, my usual duo of knuckleheads were both MIA - no appearance to Olivers necessary. Temptation Level: Low
8th - Another bowling night, but with a team that doesn't interact with us in a way that others do (where there may be a shot here and there), there was no temptation to drink, although sadly, I have to say we all did take shots from a shot glass. They contained water. I bowled well that night (610 series, topping out at a 241 in the first game), so that's all I really need from a bowling night I realized. Temptation Level: Low
9th - I went to visit my friend who lives in Bloomington. If you know anything about us, you'd know that pretty much every time we've hung out (dating back to the start of our friendship in college times), there has been a couple of beers consumed. We did go to a bar, but we just grabbed lunch and then hung out at his place before heading back home to the South Loop in the early evening.
After this was one of the most alcohol-filled situations I've been in: Geno & Jen's engagement party. Over two dozen people were at the party - I believe all of them except one thinning white boy with a faux hawk were drinking something that night. With celebration drinks and clinking glasses surrounding me, I stayed strong with my 36 ounce water jug (between Bloomington and this party, I refilled the jug about 8 or 9 times - over 300 oz's of H2O in my body throughout the day). Talking about brewing beer with Ed didn't help matters. We also went to a bar (The Shamrock) after for a couple of drinks. But, as is the theme with this story, I stayed strong. Temptation Level: High; Total Bar Visits: 2 (Month-to-Date: 4)
10th - Another day with G & J, another day of bowling, but surprisingly, not as much temptation. This bowling league on Sundays is more of a social league than a serious one, but on this particular day, no one on the team was drinking. I'm a substitute for the team, bowling when needed. Afterwards, we went to Diversey's to grab dinner and catch some of the Blackhawks game. Again, shocked to see no one was drinking. Jen and I left before the game ended. However, at the bar, I set up my next drinking temptation event, which coincidentally enough, involved going to a Blackhawks game. Temptation Level: Low; Total Bar Visits: 1 (Month-to-Date: 5)
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| Pierre & Geno |
13th - I headed to Atlanta for a few days, where I was to meet with my co-workers, including my new boss (who I had never had the chance to meet before). I was in my hotel room for several hours before I got a call from him to meet him at the hotel bar. As I did many times so far this month, I explained my no-drink situation, so my beverage of choice was water throughout the 48 hours together. I also managed to avoid drinking at a restaurant we went to when Jake got into town. I did take a shot of something - strangely, it was an oyster/calamari shot. I assured the new boss that I would be enjoying adult beverages with them on our company trip next month in Hawaii. Temptation Level: High; Total Bar Visits (including the hotel bar): 2 (Month-to-Date: 8)
14th - The second night featured dinner with a client in a downtown restaurant and visiting a pub where the boss wanted to see an old friend of his that he hadn't seen in a couple years. The client dinner was fantastic - no drinks, no worries. Same with the visit to the bar. We didn't stay there long, as every one of us was tired and wanted to get some shut eye. Temptation Level: Low; Total Bar Visits (including restaurant): 2 (Month-to-Date: 10)
15th - I got back into Chicago around 7:30 pm, just in time to get back to the suburbs for bowling. Like the bowling situation on the 1st, we faced a team full of guys who are never shy about their consumption of buckets full of piss water known as Coors Light. Avoiding drinking was not a problem though. Temptation was lower than normal, considering the team we are bowling against. One thing I did notice - as I go with beer drinking at bowling, so goes my team. Not once this month has my team had a beer to drink while bowling. Temptation Level: Low
More to come on this as the month finishes. I will also update everyone on my weight loss and whether or not I am able to defend my Biggest Loser crown from January. Peace!
8/23/2011
No Time to Weight
It's been a week of being on medication and going to see a physical therapist, and so far, so good. The back appears to be getting better, and hopefully by the time the month's worth of physical therapy appointments are done, I will be back to normal. I'm really tempted to test it out by bowling a game, even though that's how I threw out the back. But for now, I'll be smart and sit it out while watching my teammates bowl. Watching from the sidelines has been difficult. When you get used to a routine - and when you're passionate about something like I am about bowling, it's tough to watch it and know you can't do it.
One thing I'm glad that I haven't missed too much, surprisingly, is beer. These medications (for pain reduction and muscle relaxing) are not to be taken with alcohol. I'm sure most medications are that way, but I've taken this as a serious warning. The few beers I have had in the past week have been well after I took my last medication (like 6-7 hours), and in each situation, I only drank a beer.
Even watching people drink hasn't been as bad as I thought. Normally, that would be the biggest form of pressure to drink - when your peers are pouring down the suds. The ability to resist has been better than I imagined.
I was told by my physical therapist that losing some weight would help the back. This has inspired me to try eating healthier in addition to the reduction in alcohol consumption. As of 8/15/2011, I sit at 217 pounds, so we will see how this change of diets (in addition to moving around a little bit) will help my weight loss (and in turn, my back).
I did so good with my working out the last time 3 years ago and threw it all away in the past year. I need to get in the workout mindset again. My friends Jen and Steve are doing a good job with it- so much so, that when they came over last week for a swim and BBQ, they brought over some turkey burgers.
I need to get into the eating right/exercising regimen again. Let's hope that I (as well as Steve, Jen and any of my other friends who are aiming to get healthy/healthier) can get this in order.
One thing I'm glad that I haven't missed too much, surprisingly, is beer. These medications (for pain reduction and muscle relaxing) are not to be taken with alcohol. I'm sure most medications are that way, but I've taken this as a serious warning. The few beers I have had in the past week have been well after I took my last medication (like 6-7 hours), and in each situation, I only drank a beer.
Even watching people drink hasn't been as bad as I thought. Normally, that would be the biggest form of pressure to drink - when your peers are pouring down the suds. The ability to resist has been better than I imagined.
I was told by my physical therapist that losing some weight would help the back. This has inspired me to try eating healthier in addition to the reduction in alcohol consumption. As of 8/15/2011, I sit at 217 pounds, so we will see how this change of diets (in addition to moving around a little bit) will help my weight loss (and in turn, my back).
I did so good with my working out the last time 3 years ago and threw it all away in the past year. I need to get in the workout mindset again. My friends Jen and Steve are doing a good job with it- so much so, that when they came over last week for a swim and BBQ, they brought over some turkey burgers.
I need to get into the eating right/exercising regimen again. Let's hope that I (as well as Steve, Jen and any of my other friends who are aiming to get healthy/healthier) can get this in order.
8/12/2011
Taking Things for Granted
How many of us truly appreciate the things around us on a daily basis? Even an activity that is something as mundane as walking, I guarantee there's a lot of things we take for granted.
Unfortunately, that's an activity that's proving itself awkward for me - even more awkward than some of the silences that have occurred after a controversial statement or two that I've made in my life. And sure enough, it's none other than the mundane task of walking.
Three weeks ago today, I threw out my back while bowling. I know, I know- you're all wondering, "How did such an athlete like Brian hurt his back in a 'sport' that allows umpire-shaped gentlemen participate and call themselves 'athletes'?" If there's any consolation, I threw a strike on that ball as it rolled down the lane at a Black Sheep-like 7 miles per hour.
Since then, I have been confined to the indoors for the most part. Last weekend, I got in the pool briefly but really couldn't swim. I tried playing bags, but my stride was stiffer than Rafael Palmeiro after popping a few....nevermind, you get it. The day before, my chiropractor said he had no idea what to do with me, since he had tried just about everything to loosen up my pelvic area on the right side. I just went to get x-rays yesterday and the lady taking my x-rays said I looked like a hot mess, and I don't think she meant it in the "I plan on getting sued for harrassment" sort of way.
So with the x-ray viewing on my chiropractor's part pending, I just hope that my back/leg will eventually heal itself. It's started to feel a little better since 6pm today, but who knows how it will be when I wake up tomorrow. All I know is that I miss bowling with my buddies. I need to get this back fixed so I could go back to contributing to my team's losses as opposed to just watching them.
For now, I reflect on how much I take for granted. I wouldn't say I take everything in life for granted - I am very conscious of the mortality of all of us and look to cherish any and all moments that I have with everyone. When I look back at the end of the day, I don't have any regrets regarding the people who I've kept in my life and the people who may have faded away for one reason or another.
I suppose the simple things in life are easy to take for granted, especially things you unconsciously and consciously do on a daily basis- like walking, brushing your truth (hopefully you're all doing that), and so forth. I just got back from a friend's house and watched a movie based on the true story of the world-class surfing teenager Bethany Hamilton, who had her left arm ripped from her body in a shark attack. Seeing how she was able to recover mentally over time and get used to the fact that she no longer had a left arm to become a world class surfer again, it's nothing short of a miracle.
There's no way you can anticipate some major life changes like that, and thus, easy to take certain things (like having a left arm) for granted. Whether it be something that can't be repaired like an arm or hopefully can be repaired like my back, all you can really do is make the best of these situations - regardless of whether you took these things for granted or not.
Unfortunately, that's an activity that's proving itself awkward for me - even more awkward than some of the silences that have occurred after a controversial statement or two that I've made in my life. And sure enough, it's none other than the mundane task of walking.
Three weeks ago today, I threw out my back while bowling. I know, I know- you're all wondering, "How did such an athlete like Brian hurt his back in a 'sport' that allows umpire-shaped gentlemen participate and call themselves 'athletes'?" If there's any consolation, I threw a strike on that ball as it rolled down the lane at a Black Sheep-like 7 miles per hour.
Since then, I have been confined to the indoors for the most part. Last weekend, I got in the pool briefly but really couldn't swim. I tried playing bags, but my stride was stiffer than Rafael Palmeiro after popping a few....nevermind, you get it. The day before, my chiropractor said he had no idea what to do with me, since he had tried just about everything to loosen up my pelvic area on the right side. I just went to get x-rays yesterday and the lady taking my x-rays said I looked like a hot mess, and I don't think she meant it in the "I plan on getting sued for harrassment" sort of way.
So with the x-ray viewing on my chiropractor's part pending, I just hope that my back/leg will eventually heal itself. It's started to feel a little better since 6pm today, but who knows how it will be when I wake up tomorrow. All I know is that I miss bowling with my buddies. I need to get this back fixed so I could go back to contributing to my team's losses as opposed to just watching them.
For now, I reflect on how much I take for granted. I wouldn't say I take everything in life for granted - I am very conscious of the mortality of all of us and look to cherish any and all moments that I have with everyone. When I look back at the end of the day, I don't have any regrets regarding the people who I've kept in my life and the people who may have faded away for one reason or another.
I suppose the simple things in life are easy to take for granted, especially things you unconsciously and consciously do on a daily basis- like walking, brushing your truth (hopefully you're all doing that), and so forth. I just got back from a friend's house and watched a movie based on the true story of the world-class surfing teenager Bethany Hamilton, who had her left arm ripped from her body in a shark attack. Seeing how she was able to recover mentally over time and get used to the fact that she no longer had a left arm to become a world class surfer again, it's nothing short of a miracle.
There's no way you can anticipate some major life changes like that, and thus, easy to take certain things (like having a left arm) for granted. Whether it be something that can't be repaired like an arm or hopefully can be repaired like my back, all you can really do is make the best of these situations - regardless of whether you took these things for granted or not.
4/17/2011
Now What: Filling a 20 Hour Weekly Void
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| If they only had a Brain. Now- he's gone from the Center of Illinois Broadcasting and looking for stuff to do. |
What a great past couple of days to wrap up my time at school. Social events with my classmates bookended between a graduation where the school's dyslexia was in full display in the above picture (name and internship both messed up). Today was a good recovery/rest day from all of the excitement and madness that has ensued from the past week/month. But when Tuesday comes around, what will I do with the 20+ hours that I will now have to myself?
Sports: There's been some amazing basketball being played right now, which should fill some of the void. I've missed out on the majority of weekday sports since starting school. Luckily, during that time, I did pick up a CrackBerry, which allowed me to follow the scores of the games I was most interested in (i.e. the games I bet on). I had a brief early season buzz with the White Sox, but I am more interested in the NBA playoffs at this point. I'm sure I'll go to close to a dozen ball games this summer with my friends. I thought about doing the Ozzie Plan with the partial season ticket plan, but I don't like the idea of going to a baseball game with one other person for 13 games (I'd rather go to 13 games with 3-4 people). However, I don't have the cash to throw down on 39-52 tickets with the risk that I can't sell some of the tickets. Hopefully, sports will fill some of the void.
Bars/Drinks: To watch sports, I will likely go out every now and then to watch the big games and just to get out of the house. I already know of one bar having Summer Shandy on tap (Olivers), so that may be my bar for the summer. I need to go to Wild Wings more. My boneless wing craving has not been met enough this year. The question with the bars/drinks option is: Will I be able to get anyone to go out with me on a somewhat regular basis? That is the $20K question.
Bowling Leagues: More bowling leagues you say? Yes- much needed in my summer life. Last year's summer league was the highlight of what was otherwise a dull/depressing summer. And with the main league about to end in a few weeks, I'll need to keep sharp in the summer. I may look to bowl two summer leagues.
Job Searching: With school now over, it's time to put this education to use better than I did with my previous degree. I have been given some websites to use for job leads in the video editing field. I'm gonna take a week or two to myself before I start looking. Then it'll be time to start cranking out resumes and sending out my video editing demo in hopes of securing a gig. I'd like to get a part-time video editing gig to start if possible so I can keep my current job- which I do enjoy. If I do secure a part-time gig, I could see myself being a video editor at home- which means I'll need to score me a Mac and the new Final Cut program, which comes out in June.
Trips: A trip to Vegas is already set in stone, with a trip to Minnesota and Nashville, among others, on the horizon of being planned. These trips will help fill some of this downtime that comes from the ending of school.
I'm sure there's other things I'm forgetting, but luckily, it seems like I'll have a lot of potential outlets to kill the 20+ hours I will gain from not having school any more.
While it is bittersweet that we had to say goodbye to each other, it will be worth it for all of us ICBers in the end for the experience we went through together. It will make the future "Hellos" all the more sweet.
3/21/2011
Stairway to 2011
April 1st is around the corner, which roughly marks the start of the 2nd quarter of the year. It also marks the start of my brief demise last year after battling some personal issues. As I said during that stretch, sometimes you need to hit rock bottom before you climb your way back up. I'm hoping that personal rock bottom was achieved, because ever since I got back on my feet fully in mid July (the start of school and a new job), I've been heading up for the most part. This applies especially in 2011. Some personal achievements:
(1) Approaching the end of my 10 month program with the Illinois Center for Broadcasting and I've figured out what I want to apply for- video editing positions. I know there's plenty for me to learn about editing still, but I know I can get better and have been getting better with each assignment.
(2) I was able to meet my company at Tango2 (a consulting company) for the first time in my 9 months on the job in Puerto Rico. As many of you saw through pictures, I was able to enjoy 4 days in awesome weather, which played a part in all of the company mingling and getting to know each other for the first time. This trip will make me work harder to get my co-workers more work in health systems.
(3) Our bowling team won the 1st half championship and can clinch first place money by winning 2nd half. With my new bowling ball, I have improved my average by 7 pins in 9 weeks of bowling (172 to 179) by averaging over 190 in that span. Likewise, much of my team is making awesome strides and getting better as the season progresses. The worst we can finish for this session is 2nd place.
(4) To cap off an awesome weekend which was primarily based at Tim Wolfs and included the company of many of my great friends from the past 12 years, I was able to enjoy the company of one of my best friends (Spence) and his/our friends this past week as part of Mr. Spencer's bachelor party. Whenever a group of friends can get together after a long hiatus, it reminds you of the great past you have had as friends and what a great fortune it is to have great friends to share your future with.
(5) I continue to meet and be introduced to awesome people. Unlike some people who grow older and close off the expansion of their friend base, I love meeting new people and striking up conversation with whoever is willing to listen to my loud voice. To those I've met recently that have become part of my daily rotation of conversation, I'm glad we've met and I hope we continue to get to know each other.
(6) Our family took in a foreign exchange student about a month ago. I must admit at first, I didn't know what to think about a new person living in our house for three months. However, Maria has been nothing but a delight to have around. It's nice being able to pick the brain of someone who is experiencing American culture for the first time. Someday, I'd like to think I'll come up in stories in Columbia where a Spanish to English translation of "I have no idea why Brian had so much gas" comes up.
That's about all I got for now. I hope you read it and enjoy.
All I know is that the first quarter of this year has proven to be awesome and will only continue to get better.
Thanks to everyone for contributing to the above and I hope we continue to share awesome times together.
(1) Approaching the end of my 10 month program with the Illinois Center for Broadcasting and I've figured out what I want to apply for- video editing positions. I know there's plenty for me to learn about editing still, but I know I can get better and have been getting better with each assignment.
(2) I was able to meet my company at Tango2 (a consulting company) for the first time in my 9 months on the job in Puerto Rico. As many of you saw through pictures, I was able to enjoy 4 days in awesome weather, which played a part in all of the company mingling and getting to know each other for the first time. This trip will make me work harder to get my co-workers more work in health systems.
(3) Our bowling team won the 1st half championship and can clinch first place money by winning 2nd half. With my new bowling ball, I have improved my average by 7 pins in 9 weeks of bowling (172 to 179) by averaging over 190 in that span. Likewise, much of my team is making awesome strides and getting better as the season progresses. The worst we can finish for this session is 2nd place.
(4) To cap off an awesome weekend which was primarily based at Tim Wolfs and included the company of many of my great friends from the past 12 years, I was able to enjoy the company of one of my best friends (Spence) and his/our friends this past week as part of Mr. Spencer's bachelor party. Whenever a group of friends can get together after a long hiatus, it reminds you of the great past you have had as friends and what a great fortune it is to have great friends to share your future with.
(5) I continue to meet and be introduced to awesome people. Unlike some people who grow older and close off the expansion of their friend base, I love meeting new people and striking up conversation with whoever is willing to listen to my loud voice. To those I've met recently that have become part of my daily rotation of conversation, I'm glad we've met and I hope we continue to get to know each other.
(6) Our family took in a foreign exchange student about a month ago. I must admit at first, I didn't know what to think about a new person living in our house for three months. However, Maria has been nothing but a delight to have around. It's nice being able to pick the brain of someone who is experiencing American culture for the first time. Someday, I'd like to think I'll come up in stories in Columbia where a Spanish to English translation of "I have no idea why Brian had so much gas" comes up.
That's about all I got for now. I hope you read it and enjoy.
All I know is that the first quarter of this year has proven to be awesome and will only continue to get better.
Thanks to everyone for contributing to the above and I hope we continue to share awesome times together.
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Do not come here on a weekend if you like your sanity. This place THINKS they are a Chicago club and so do the people that frequent it. They have a freakin' bathroom attendant... seriously thanks but I can wipe my own damn hands and I'm not paying you a dollar for a stick of gum. The door guys/ bouncers are rude (probably from the hair gel leaking through their skulls.
AVOID AVOID AVOID