Yes and No

Hanging out with some of my classmates tonight made me realize that...while I'm looking forward to graduating from my 38 week program at ICB, I'm definitely gonna miss the 3 times a week where I get to laugh with the dozen+ people that I've gotten to know throughout our 114 classes. Everyone always has the clichéd "We became best friends through school" stuff, but this is actually my first decent-sized group of friends I've made in a school and feel like I will keep. Elementary school friends I can count on one hand as far as the one's I've even talked to in the past year. Junior high, about the same. High school- I know a lot of people, see them a lot around town (usually at local pubs), but never really connected with many of them. And first college (U of I)- I talk to one person from there. Maybe it's just my personality, or maybe I just never cared (for the most part) about the people around me in a learning setting. With these folks, something about them that makes me think this will be different.

We just finished our last project (music videos). We had a blast making ours. I love the editing stuff, and wouldn't mind pursuing something in that (at the very least I'd like to keep doing it recreationally). It'll probably all hit us around April 19th when there's no class scheduled on a Tuesday for the first time in 10 months, but it's starting to hit me a little now. The true test of any friendship formed at a specific place (work or school) is when one or both parties leave that particular setting for good. I believe once this setting is left, the personal bonds we've made will continue on. Maybe I'll be wrong, but just a gut feeling.

So in essence, Yes- I am looking forward to moving on and graduating the program in hopes of using my video editing skills obtained here. No- I am not looking forward to the lacking daily interaction between all of my peeps.

Let's make these last 3 weeks count folks. I'm already missing you guys.

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.

Brian Scalabrine: The White Mamba

Seriously, who the hell owns a Scalabrine jersey?

No truth to the rumor that he got the # 24 for the number of minutes he plans on playing this year.

Why did I waste $75 on a jersey from a guy who has played 18 games out of 65+ team games and averages about 3-4 minutes a game?

I've fallen hard for the White Mamba, as Stacey King has nicknamed him. Get to about the 20 second mark of the video to see it.

I've also heard his nickname from the guys on 670am, The Score, call him The Human Victory Cigar. This nickname implies that he comes in during garbage time and helps wrap up victories. Lately, that has been the case. In his last 8 appearances, the Bulls have won all 8. Out of the last 7 games, Scal has played a total of 11 minutes and 39 seconds. That's roughly a minute and a half per game appearance.

Is someone other than Scalabrine himself wearing his jersey? What has this world come to?
Even Scalabrine would wear a Rose jersey if it was legal in the NBA rules.

And to give you some perspective, Scal has only played 6 total games in the 2011 calendar year. For how good the Bulls have been lately and with games getting out of hand late occasionally, I'm surprised he hasn't been used more.

In case you were wondering, basketball-reference.com has assessed Scal's chances of making the Hall of Fame at 0.0000%. Sorry if that ruins anything for you. I think kids learn about his HOF chances before they learn about Santa, the Easter Bunny and other shameless corporate symbols.

In contrast, his black counterpart, the Black Mamba (Kobe Bryant) was one of two current players with 100.00% chance of making it (Shaq was the other).

I still wonder why I got the jersey, but then today I was reminded of why I bought it. Classmates and authority figures alike felt the power of the Scal jersey. I can't say I blame them. Look at how much sexier I look with it on:

Oozing machismo right here. His jersey sales are gonna go up 2000% after this blog reaches about 7 people.
Buy the man's jersey, people! You can't get any better looking without one.

Kicked in the (foot) Balls

I thought I was gonna miss football being done more than I have so far. Usually, this is Black Monday, when I'm down and out and wondering how quickly September is going to come around, especially on the heels of a successful betting year. However, it's quite the opposite. Maybe it's because I forgot how much I love the betting torture that is basketball (especially the pros). Conference play is usually when college basketball is at its best, especially with some of the long-standing rivalries in various conferences. There's about 10,000 games to follow on a given weekend it seems, and I look at my bets as an opportunity to make gambling into a part-time job with enough research and a little bit of luck. I don't know how people become professionals at gambling, but I do think a love of numbers is required to win in the long haul. Maybe my Mathletic background was really just the start of my love of gambling, the crunching of numbers and figuring out lines that are worth betting vs. those worth avoiding.

The Super Bowl was berry berry good to me. After losing a couple of college games and $65 from my account, my bets of GB scoring over 23.5 and Jordy Nelson +290 to score a TD was my ticket to a $1.45 (yes, 145 cents) profit of a day when all was said and done. I never did prop bets in Super Bowl before but some of them caught my eye. I did lose a few of them but overall ended up $66.45 with my Super Bowl bets. I will miss football for the money I made, but I have faith that the season will start in September and I can continue my winning ways.

Tonights bets: WVU/Pitt Under for first half 59.5 (thank god only bet the first half, WIN), Mizzou/Kansas over 155 for game (WIN), Sac/Utah Over 199.5 for game (WIN), Phx/GSW Over 109.5 for 1st half (LOSS)
Nothing new in life. School finally resumes after a week off. It'll be nice to get back, but I think it'll be even nicer to graduate in April. I'm keeping my mind open when it comes to my career options after this. I've been enjoying (and getting better at) this working from home. I suppose it's nice to have these multiple options- certainly better than being stuck in limbo and not have anything.

Peace out to you peeps. I'll be updating my bets as they finish (and I make more). I hope to get more out before games start in case I get good and you wanna tail 'em.

Say Hey 28-year-old Kid

Is it wrong to feel like a kid when you're 28 years old? I guess it depends on what area of life you're talking about. If I was acting like a kid regarding a job (working some fast food joint or not working at all and just burning day in and day out), that'd be one thing. But a 28 year old kid who lives at home with an at-home job isn't such a bad thing if it's saving me some money long run. That's not to say I don't want to move out, but for now, saving money and being the kid who still lives at home 28 years into life isn't so bad. It might be a problem if I was more of a social player with the ladies, but luckily that's not a problem.

I guess my kiddish feelings come more from my attitude towards life- trying to maintain my youth through immature humor and not taking life seriously. Maybe those aren't kid qualities. Whether they are or not, doesn't matter. I doubt I'll ever stop being immaturely funny- because cheap laughs sell. And plus, I know I'm funnier than you- FACT.


Whoever was asking me about my hypothetical bet proposal, I actually found out that my old sports book is taking my money again through Mastercard- this ain't good for anyone but Bookmaker.com. So no need for hypotheticals, gonna make the real ones.

Saturday bets: UCLA -4 against St. Johns at noon (win), first half under 63 UI/NU (loss), UI -1 second half (win), Indiana -5.5 vs Iowa (loss), first half over 71.5 Duke/NC St (win), first half over 73.5 Mizzou/Colo (win), OKC/Utah Over 206


Super Bowl lean(s): Green Bay (hope they go back down to -2.5) and the over. I think I'm leaning more GB. Pittsburgh's center being out will hurt the Steelers. Lining up under center will be different for Ben with the new guy- who is making his first career start behind center on the biggest stage of football. And all they expect the newbie to do is block the beast of a man named B.J. Raji. I expect a snap problem or two that could result in a turnover.

I may write some more over the week. I got so excited with school being cancelled this week that I forgot to do anything- writing being one of them (and showering being another, oops).

I Quit Gambling

...if these bets lose.

Indiana/Chicago Under (probably get it at 194)
Texas/Missouri Over (147ish)

$44 to win 40 on each (real money).

Ok, I won't quit. I should though, considering I haven't won a booked basketball bet yet in 4 tries.

How Do I Live?

Where's my football?!?

The past 20 weeks (I initially typed years, kinda what it feels like), I've had my Sundays occupied with football games. Whether it be at Olivers or the city, I always parked my ass on a seat somewhere to watch the games. Now with the Pro Bowl doing everything it can to make me hate football, I will be looking for something else to do on a Sunday afternoon for the first time in 5 months.

And then when the Super Bowl is complete, that's when I usually hit my low for the year. I miss football like a fat man misses cake after he eats a whole one. I need to get a life in two weeks, or else I'm in for a long month between now and the start of March Madness.

Have you seen my football?