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 girlfriend. Show all posts
Showing posts with label girlfriend. Show all posts
4/14/2012
A Model Citizen (Blog 200)
For my 200th blog, I am very proud to make it as self-centered as I possibly can.
What do I talk about....my bowling abilities? Nah - nothing to write home about lately.
My amazing gambling wins of the past couple months? This has been better than my bowling, especially with March Madness, but still, not the topic I care to discuss.
Rather, it's something that I can't talk about off the top of my head...wait, actually, I can.
This 5'9", 215 pound mutt will be (drumroll please)......a hair model. That's right, yours truly will be showing off his amazing haircut in front of the employees and bosses of Red 7 Salon, the place where my beautiful girlfriend works.
From my understanding, I get to walk like I am on a runway, showing off the haircut that Jen's co-worker Lindsey (who is completing her initial 15-month program) recently gave me. I must say, it's a sharp haircut that I've gotten quite the compliments. Luckily, nothing that the girlfriend has to beat any women up for (at least at this point).
I will be one of seven different hairstyles on display at Lindsey's show - and the only male participant. As if I needed more of an ego boost.
I hope a video or some pictures of this surfaces sooner rather than later and I can show everyone how terrific of a hair model I am. Hopefully, it will be a better modeling job than George Costanza's hand modeling career on Seinfeld.
The real question now becomes - is there any way I can put this into my resume....especially without looking like a complete tool? I doubt it, but I can only imagine what kind of conversations would come from potential future employers about the brief modeling career.
Wish me luck as I grace the stage of Red 7 Salon and show off my amazing catwalk skills.
Also, thanks for everyone inspiring me to keep writing the past 200 blogs. I hope to keep going with this into the future years in some form.
What do I talk about....my bowling abilities? Nah - nothing to write home about lately.
My amazing gambling wins of the past couple months? This has been better than my bowling, especially with March Madness, but still, not the topic I care to discuss.
Rather, it's something that I can't talk about off the top of my head...wait, actually, I can.
This 5'9", 215 pound mutt will be (drumroll please)......a hair model. That's right, yours truly will be showing off his amazing haircut in front of the employees and bosses of Red 7 Salon, the place where my beautiful girlfriend works.
From my understanding, I get to walk like I am on a runway, showing off the haircut that Jen's co-worker Lindsey (who is completing her initial 15-month program) recently gave me. I must say, it's a sharp haircut that I've gotten quite the compliments. Luckily, nothing that the girlfriend has to beat any women up for (at least at this point).
I will be one of seven different hairstyles on display at Lindsey's show - and the only male participant. As if I needed more of an ego boost.
I hope a video or some pictures of this surfaces sooner rather than later and I can show everyone how terrific of a hair model I am. Hopefully, it will be a better modeling job than George Costanza's hand modeling career on Seinfeld.
The real question now becomes - is there any way I can put this into my resume....especially without looking like a complete tool? I doubt it, but I can only imagine what kind of conversations would come from potential future employers about the brief modeling career.
Wish me luck as I grace the stage of Red 7 Salon and show off my amazing catwalk skills.
Also, thanks for everyone inspiring me to keep writing the past 200 blogs. I hope to keep going with this into the future years in some form.
4/02/2012
Kentucky's Derby
In case you hadn't noticed from the first March Madness blog I did at the start of the tournament 2.5 weeks ago, Jen picked the correct championship game - Kansas versus Kentucky. Not bad for a first time filling out a bracket. I think I've done that 2 or 3 times in my life of filling out brackets for 15-16 years at least. I've picked champions about 3-4 times in my life (not including this one). I had Kansas to win it all the past couple years, so I probably bet them to lose this year (Round of 32 vs Purdue) because of the bad taste they've left in my mouth. If Jen had been in a pool last year, she may have had avoided the Jayhawks as well.
However, her title pick (Kansas) is getting routed at the half by "my" Kentucky Wildcats, which means I'd get my choice of dinner for her to make. I was thinking BBQ chicken pizza, but maybe I'll go a different route. Does anyone have any good ideas for food I should ask the lady to cook?
Perhaps I shouldn't post this with a half to go, but I'm one of the few sports fans in the world who doesn't believe in jinxes - so here goes nothing.
But what's really sad now is that the end of college basketball closes the end of a betting season for me. NBA is still there till June, but I was just starting to hit my groove with March Madness betting for once. Most years, I tank any NBA winnings or regular season college winnings in the first weekend of the tourney - and this year was almost no exception.
My first 6 bets of the tourney (all first day bets) were toilet money, ranging from a couple of money line bets (including a long shot in UNC Asheville) to some first and second half bets. My last two bets on the initial day were winners, but that momentum didn't carry over after losing 4 of my first 5 bets of the day, digging myself into quite the hole.
I can thank Xavier for starting my great run with a win against Notre Dame - overall, Xavier netted me $660 in their three games of the tourney. Only Louisville (+$850) was better for me.
Even though entering the tourney finale my record was 23-24, I was able to sport a profit of $801 for the tourney games - thank God for Xavier + Louisville covers. Outside of their games (the ones I bet on, didn't bet on Louisville game), I was down $709 (eeeek) with a 16-24 record.
As I've typed this, Kentucky has had their lead chipped into a little bit - let's hope this doesn't get chipped into further. Go Blue (sorry Jen & Sherman).
However, her title pick (Kansas) is getting routed at the half by "my" Kentucky Wildcats, which means I'd get my choice of dinner for her to make. I was thinking BBQ chicken pizza, but maybe I'll go a different route. Does anyone have any good ideas for food I should ask the lady to cook?
Perhaps I shouldn't post this with a half to go, but I'm one of the few sports fans in the world who doesn't believe in jinxes - so here goes nothing.
But what's really sad now is that the end of college basketball closes the end of a betting season for me. NBA is still there till June, but I was just starting to hit my groove with March Madness betting for once. Most years, I tank any NBA winnings or regular season college winnings in the first weekend of the tourney - and this year was almost no exception.
My first 6 bets of the tourney (all first day bets) were toilet money, ranging from a couple of money line bets (including a long shot in UNC Asheville) to some first and second half bets. My last two bets on the initial day were winners, but that momentum didn't carry over after losing 4 of my first 5 bets of the day, digging myself into quite the hole.
I can thank Xavier for starting my great run with a win against Notre Dame - overall, Xavier netted me $660 in their three games of the tourney. Only Louisville (+$850) was better for me.
Even though entering the tourney finale my record was 23-24, I was able to sport a profit of $801 for the tourney games - thank God for Xavier + Louisville covers. Outside of their games (the ones I bet on, didn't bet on Louisville game), I was down $709 (eeeek) with a 16-24 record.
As I've typed this, Kentucky has had their lead chipped into a little bit - let's hope this doesn't get chipped into further. Go Blue (sorry Jen & Sherman).
3/29/2012
Dating Myself
Ever since I was about 4 or 5 years old and starting my life-long love of sports statistics, I have been a man skilled in remembering many numbers and dates. Nevermind the uselessness of 98% of them. Does anyone really need to know every single World Series, Super Bowl & NBA Finals since he was a kid? (Now that I've mentioned this, I almost expect to get called out on this and to fail at the task).
As far as recent and upcoming dates go, there's several dates that I'll never forget. For most people, unless it's your birthday or anniversary, most dates don't mean much. March 20th was the 6 month mark of when an amazing relationship started in my life. April 1st is the 6th month mark of when one ended.
Of course, that date will mark 6 months since we put the old pup Buddy down. It's hard to believe that 6 months has passed since then. I'd say getting through this time has been made easier with the relationship I started just 10 days before that. Every now and then, I'll go by his container of ashes and dog collar and think about all the good times me and the old man had. I'll hold the collar up to our other dog Pixie, who will sniff and lick the collar as if it were his ears, per her usual daily tradition of cleaning them.
Also coming up next month is another tragic anniversary: the passing of my Grandma Bolek last April 27th. Again, like Buddy, doesn't feel like it's been that long since it happened...but such is the story of life, especially as we get older. I haven't visited the cemetary since the day of the funeral, so I think a trip up there will be in order soon. Also, I need to round up the Bolek troops again to try hanging out a little more - need to honor the memory of Grandma a little more.
With the bad dates in life, there's a balance of good to look forward to. June 30th will be my brother's bachelor party (with the concept of whirlyball, casino and a party bus the working idea so far - need to get this set pronto), followed by his wedding to his beautiful fiance Amber on July 7th, a date that may have Amber wondering if she should keep her last name instead of inheriting ours. I am honored to be the Best Man for the wedding and hope that I can create a good speech and a good time at the party the week before.
Also, for those who don't know, in between that time is July 1st, a date that will mark a milestone for this 29 year old. I will have officially moved out of my parent's house for the first time since I was in school at U of I in Champaign! Time to take off the diapers and put on some boxers (and have the girlfriend clean them....kidding Jen- kinda). I'm looking forward to seeing what the city has to offer while moving in with a g/f for the first time ever. Right now, looking to move to the South Loop area. It will be a good lesson in money management and other aspects of life as I learn to adjust to a different setting. Great thing about my current job is that all I need is Internet and a phone and I can work anywhere. Point - me.
There's some other dates coming up to look forward to, but the ones above are the ones clearest in mind. It's a fitting time to mention dates and numbers as the baseball season approaches, for it was baseball where I learned a lot about how to compute numbers in my head with ease. Consider it a blessing and a curse for being a Mathlete.
I'm sure I'll have more dates pop up on my radar as significant dates as the year passes on. For now, I am looking forward to most of these (everything aside from the death anniversaries) to see what the future will hold as 2012 progresses.
As far as recent and upcoming dates go, there's several dates that I'll never forget. For most people, unless it's your birthday or anniversary, most dates don't mean much. March 20th was the 6 month mark of when an amazing relationship started in my life. April 1st is the 6th month mark of when one ended.
Of course, that date will mark 6 months since we put the old pup Buddy down. It's hard to believe that 6 months has passed since then. I'd say getting through this time has been made easier with the relationship I started just 10 days before that. Every now and then, I'll go by his container of ashes and dog collar and think about all the good times me and the old man had. I'll hold the collar up to our other dog Pixie, who will sniff and lick the collar as if it were his ears, per her usual daily tradition of cleaning them.
Also coming up next month is another tragic anniversary: the passing of my Grandma Bolek last April 27th. Again, like Buddy, doesn't feel like it's been that long since it happened...but such is the story of life, especially as we get older. I haven't visited the cemetary since the day of the funeral, so I think a trip up there will be in order soon. Also, I need to round up the Bolek troops again to try hanging out a little more - need to honor the memory of Grandma a little more.
With the bad dates in life, there's a balance of good to look forward to. June 30th will be my brother's bachelor party (with the concept of whirlyball, casino and a party bus the working idea so far - need to get this set pronto), followed by his wedding to his beautiful fiance Amber on July 7th, a date that may have Amber wondering if she should keep her last name instead of inheriting ours. I am honored to be the Best Man for the wedding and hope that I can create a good speech and a good time at the party the week before.
Also, for those who don't know, in between that time is July 1st, a date that will mark a milestone for this 29 year old. I will have officially moved out of my parent's house for the first time since I was in school at U of I in Champaign! Time to take off the diapers and put on some boxers (and have the girlfriend clean them....kidding Jen- kinda). I'm looking forward to seeing what the city has to offer while moving in with a g/f for the first time ever. Right now, looking to move to the South Loop area. It will be a good lesson in money management and other aspects of life as I learn to adjust to a different setting. Great thing about my current job is that all I need is Internet and a phone and I can work anywhere. Point - me.
There's some other dates coming up to look forward to, but the ones above are the ones clearest in mind. It's a fitting time to mention dates and numbers as the baseball season approaches, for it was baseball where I learned a lot about how to compute numbers in my head with ease. Consider it a blessing and a curse for being a Mathlete.
I'm sure I'll have more dates pop up on my radar as significant dates as the year passes on. For now, I am looking forward to most of these (everything aside from the death anniversaries) to see what the future will hold as 2012 progresses.
3/21/2012
Bracket Update & Other Sport Shorts
Boy, it's been a slow sports week, hasn't it? Hard to believe that the Peyton Manning signing to Denver is not even top 3 news this week. This Saints fiasco along with Tebow being traded to the Jets, then not, then supposedly being able to "choose" the Jets over the Jaguars after all, has made for an interesting start to the week. And notice....this is all NFL news - a season that doesn't even start for another six months.
The important news first:
Bracket challenge (Brian vs. Jen - Winner Winner gets Dinner Dinner)
Once again, it looks like I picked the wrong upsets for the 18th year in a row. To date, I think the best upset I ever picked in a Round 1 was San Diego over Uconn in 2008. I tried a 14 over 3 (St. Bonnies shat all over themselves at the end, going for two 2s while down 3 with less than 6 seconds left), 12 over 5 (S Florida worked, but I hardly call that an upset), but most of them ended up failing. I only had 8 of 16 Sweet 16 teams right, with the biggest seed I picked correctly left being Xavier as a 10.
Meanwhile, the lady has a one point lead on me (37 to 36), with her edging me by 1 point in the first round and also landing just 8 of 16 Sweet 16 squads. Her championship team (Kansas) was trailing much of the game against Purdue, but they managed to squeak out a win and advance to play the lowest seed remaining in the tourney, facing the #11 seeded NC St on Friday night.
Luckily, ALL of my Final Four teams are alive (Louisville, Ohio St, Kentucky, UNC), so I have a good chance to get this dinner from the girlfriend. She lost two of her Final Four, with Murray State & Vanderbilt falling within an hour of each other this past Saturday (she has Kansas & Kentucky left). I'll have to pick something good for her to make - perhaps one of her BBQ chicken pizzas (mmmmmm). I have a great shot of winning this if I can land 2 or 3 of my Final teams and Kanas doesn't win it all. I'd love to win this bracket challenge so I don't have to eat these words. I'd rather eat a homemade pizza to be honest.
NFL News Galore!
I must say the week didn't start out the way I wanted it for the Niners. Peyton Manning decided he'd rather end his career in Mile High than go to a team that was two muffed punts away from a Super Bowl last year. I don't give a crap about Alex Smith's confidence coming from this. With this being a business, I don't have any sympathy for these guy's feelings. He had a chance to sign with other teams, but didn't, so here we are. He has a new contract with the Niners (3 years I believe, I don't feel like looking it up), which I believe gives us a chance for outs each year in case he regresses back to 2005-2010 Alex Smith. Colin Kaepernick remains the back-up. I wouldn't mind seeing what he can do sooner rather than later - I think he will start 2013 as the man behind center. He may even get an extended look at points this year if Smith shows off his old form. Remember, Smith has been benched for the likes of Troy Smith and T.J. Sullivan, among others, so it wouldn't shock me if Harbaugh took a good look at CK for a chance to start at some point in 2012.
Coming from the Manning news, Tebow was traded to the Jets (along w/ a draft pick) for a couple of picks. I don't consider this a major move for any of these teams' futures, only more of a distraction for the Jets. I follow an NFL beat writer from NY on Twitter (Bart Hubbuch), who was losing his mind with all the NFL news going on today - and only half of it had to do with his city. Many people who root for Tebow root for him irrationally. By that, it's not so much perfomance-based as it is what he represents - a supposed underdog who leads his team to victory. I won't even bring up the religion angle (ok, I just did, screw that), as that plays a big part in his cultish following, who for some reason thinks he is a capable NFL QB. I admire his work ethic and his attitude, but I give him a 1% chance of ever being a great quarterback consistently. I give Alex Smith 5%, so that tells you what I think of each of them.
The Saints' aftermath of BountyGate was done in true Roger Goddell fashion, in the form of a year-long suspension for the coach, indefinite suspension for the hitman orchestrator Gregg Williams & the loss of draft picks for the Saints the next couple years, among other things. No player suspensions have come of this year, but there will be. Current and former Saints are shocked, with Drew Brees speaking highly of Sean Payton and wanting more information as to why the punishment was so steep. Apparently, Brees has been living under a rock all these weeks since the story broke. Lord knows Brees would be asking for the league to lay similar suspensions and punishments on another team (say the Falcons) if they were found to have a bounty on him. He doesn't give a crap only because it was his team bending the rules.
Speaking of Brees, any chance this debacle makes him leave New Orleans? I'm not sure how competitive the team will be this year - I expect this to be a HUGE distraction this year. And you know referees are going to be flag-happy this year against the Saints, with any hint of late hits getting a fast yellow hanky on the ground. I know Brees is franchised right now, but it makes me highly question his length of stay in the Big Easy.
Baseball is Back (Almost)
If you haven't already looked at my 2012 Baseball Preview, I suggest you get reading it RIGHT NOW RIGHT HERE. I am looking forward to baseball returning, if only for the consistent nice weather - although this weather right now resembles it right now.
I just finished my first fantasy baseball draft, having the last pick of a 10-team draft. I drafted former teammates Ryan Braun & Prince Fielder with the first picks. Some other highlights include getting a pair of aces with my next two picks (Lincecum & Felix Hernandez) and me drafting both ends of the Mariners-Yankees trade from the offseason (Michael Pineda, Jesus Montero). If you really want my whole team analysis, I'll be glad to provide it to you. I also drafted a couple of White Sox (Brent Morel & Matt Thornton), which usually ends up happening even though I'd prefer to keep my homerism out of these drafts. I did absolutely no draft study on this, so we'll see how this year turns out.
Until next time, peace out my folks.
The important news first:
Bracket challenge (Brian vs. Jen - Winner Winner gets Dinner Dinner)
Once again, it looks like I picked the wrong upsets for the 18th year in a row. To date, I think the best upset I ever picked in a Round 1 was San Diego over Uconn in 2008. I tried a 14 over 3 (St. Bonnies shat all over themselves at the end, going for two 2s while down 3 with less than 6 seconds left), 12 over 5 (S Florida worked, but I hardly call that an upset), but most of them ended up failing. I only had 8 of 16 Sweet 16 teams right, with the biggest seed I picked correctly left being Xavier as a 10.
Meanwhile, the lady has a one point lead on me (37 to 36), with her edging me by 1 point in the first round and also landing just 8 of 16 Sweet 16 squads. Her championship team (Kansas) was trailing much of the game against Purdue, but they managed to squeak out a win and advance to play the lowest seed remaining in the tourney, facing the #11 seeded NC St on Friday night.
Luckily, ALL of my Final Four teams are alive (Louisville, Ohio St, Kentucky, UNC), so I have a good chance to get this dinner from the girlfriend. She lost two of her Final Four, with Murray State & Vanderbilt falling within an hour of each other this past Saturday (she has Kansas & Kentucky left). I'll have to pick something good for her to make - perhaps one of her BBQ chicken pizzas (mmmmmm). I have a great shot of winning this if I can land 2 or 3 of my Final teams and Kanas doesn't win it all. I'd love to win this bracket challenge so I don't have to eat these words. I'd rather eat a homemade pizza to be honest.
NFL News Galore!
I must say the week didn't start out the way I wanted it for the Niners. Peyton Manning decided he'd rather end his career in Mile High than go to a team that was two muffed punts away from a Super Bowl last year. I don't give a crap about Alex Smith's confidence coming from this. With this being a business, I don't have any sympathy for these guy's feelings. He had a chance to sign with other teams, but didn't, so here we are. He has a new contract with the Niners (3 years I believe, I don't feel like looking it up), which I believe gives us a chance for outs each year in case he regresses back to 2005-2010 Alex Smith. Colin Kaepernick remains the back-up. I wouldn't mind seeing what he can do sooner rather than later - I think he will start 2013 as the man behind center. He may even get an extended look at points this year if Smith shows off his old form. Remember, Smith has been benched for the likes of Troy Smith and T.J. Sullivan, among others, so it wouldn't shock me if Harbaugh took a good look at CK for a chance to start at some point in 2012.
Coming from the Manning news, Tebow was traded to the Jets (along w/ a draft pick) for a couple of picks. I don't consider this a major move for any of these teams' futures, only more of a distraction for the Jets. I follow an NFL beat writer from NY on Twitter (Bart Hubbuch), who was losing his mind with all the NFL news going on today - and only half of it had to do with his city. Many people who root for Tebow root for him irrationally. By that, it's not so much perfomance-based as it is what he represents - a supposed underdog who leads his team to victory. I won't even bring up the religion angle (ok, I just did, screw that), as that plays a big part in his cultish following, who for some reason thinks he is a capable NFL QB. I admire his work ethic and his attitude, but I give him a 1% chance of ever being a great quarterback consistently. I give Alex Smith 5%, so that tells you what I think of each of them.
The Saints' aftermath of BountyGate was done in true Roger Goddell fashion, in the form of a year-long suspension for the coach, indefinite suspension for the hitman orchestrator Gregg Williams & the loss of draft picks for the Saints the next couple years, among other things. No player suspensions have come of this year, but there will be. Current and former Saints are shocked, with Drew Brees speaking highly of Sean Payton and wanting more information as to why the punishment was so steep. Apparently, Brees has been living under a rock all these weeks since the story broke. Lord knows Brees would be asking for the league to lay similar suspensions and punishments on another team (say the Falcons) if they were found to have a bounty on him. He doesn't give a crap only because it was his team bending the rules.
Speaking of Brees, any chance this debacle makes him leave New Orleans? I'm not sure how competitive the team will be this year - I expect this to be a HUGE distraction this year. And you know referees are going to be flag-happy this year against the Saints, with any hint of late hits getting a fast yellow hanky on the ground. I know Brees is franchised right now, but it makes me highly question his length of stay in the Big Easy.
Baseball is Back (Almost)
If you haven't already looked at my 2012 Baseball Preview, I suggest you get reading it RIGHT NOW RIGHT HERE. I am looking forward to baseball returning, if only for the consistent nice weather - although this weather right now resembles it right now.
I just finished my first fantasy baseball draft, having the last pick of a 10-team draft. I drafted former teammates Ryan Braun & Prince Fielder with the first picks. Some other highlights include getting a pair of aces with my next two picks (Lincecum & Felix Hernandez) and me drafting both ends of the Mariners-Yankees trade from the offseason (Michael Pineda, Jesus Montero). If you really want my whole team analysis, I'll be glad to provide it to you. I also drafted a couple of White Sox (Brent Morel & Matt Thornton), which usually ends up happening even though I'd prefer to keep my homerism out of these drafts. I did absolutely no draft study on this, so we'll see how this year turns out.
Until next time, peace out my folks.
3/14/2012
March Madness Interview w/ the Lady - A n00b to the Bracket Scene
Since I'll be too distracted to do it tomorrow (and since nobody is stupid enough to copy my picks), I decided I'd post me & Jen's picks tonight.
If you read the blog last night, you're likely one of many who is filling out a March Madness bracket. My girlfriend & I are no exceptions. Except for Jen, this is her cherry experience with filling one out - for me, I've been filling these out since my pre-teen years.
All the more reason to see who will win the bracket challenge. As you will see in the interview below with the lady, a bet was agreed to regarding the tourney.
8. Would you have ever done this without me?______________________________________________
My Bracket
Jen's Bracket
.jpg)
If you read the blog last night, you're likely one of many who is filling out a March Madness bracket. My girlfriend & I are no exceptions. Except for Jen, this is her cherry experience with filling one out - for me, I've been filling these out since my pre-teen years.
All the more reason to see who will win the bracket challenge. As you will see in the interview below with the lady, a bet was agreed to regarding the tourney.
16a.Is this the first
time you’ve ever filled out a March Madness bracket?
16b. Yes______________________________________________________
1. How long did it
take for you to fill out your bracket?________________________
16. It took about 10
or 15 minutes—reading the matchups and making my decision.
8. Would you have ever done this without me?______________________________________________
9. I probably would
have eventually because other people do it. People have asked me to be a part
of it before, but I’ve just never done it because there is always a bet
involved.
5. How many college
basketball games have you watched this year? In your life?
12. Only when I’m
around you. I’ve watched more NBA than college (in my life). Never really
watched college.
4. What was your
strategy with making these picks, if any?
13. I read those
picks in the paper (Chicago Sun Times) that I filled my bracket out of. I
looked at the matchups, looked at the middle column in the paper about best
Cinderella, best player, etc. But mostly, I went with my gut.
6. Why did you pick
Kansas to win it all?
11. Sometimes, when
everybody is talking about one team, I like to think an underdog or an upset
can happen. Even though everybody seems to think Kentucky is the best
contender, I’m gonna go with Kansas.
14a. Will filling out
this bracket make you watch these games at all?
14b. If not watch the
game, definitely pay attention to the highlights on SportsCenter.
3. Are you prepared
to watch some of these games with me?
14. Yeah, sure.
Especially when it gets down to the Elite Eight or Final Four…if my bracket is
still together at that point (laughs).
7. Are you willing to
make any sort of friendly wager with this? If so, what?
10. We can do a
dinner thing, sure. You’re gonna take me out.
2. Will you be happy
when this tournament is over?
15. Yes, especially
when I win.
My Bracket
Jen's Bracket
.jpg)
12/29/2011
Stairway out of '11: The Year That Was
The year that was - it was 2011.
Some great things entered my life, some went to heaven.
Goodbye to my wonderful Grandma, a great woman to all.
Always around for us whenever we'd rise and fall.
So long to my Buddy of 15 years, man's best friend.
The old man was loyal until the very end.
For the loss I had, there was plenty of good in my life.
I had a great pair of friends who took the dive
Into a marriage that was as unique as themselves.
Definitely something to keep in my memory shelf.
My Niners are surprising, no Christmas coal.
I'm crossing my fingers for a Super Bowl.
There was the usual Vegas trip (ok, two).
At least I won (wait, I did lose).
What was unusual was activity in dating.
In the past I was left alone and debating
An online route to meet a great girl
After a two-month relationship, I entered the online dating world.
Met a pretty ginger who has been amazing.
Feeling like a kid who is star gazing.
It's nice to have another half to make things whole
Someone to compliment the heart and soul.
With these things in my life, I have much to love.
My family and friends continue to fit me like a glove.
It's fun to grow old around all these fools I know.
The theatre of life, there's always a great show.
The Mayans say that the world will end soon.
I'll take my chances that day and sleep till noon.
For 2011 exits, 2012 will begin.
And hopefully I'll be singing this happy tune all over again.
Some great things entered my life, some went to heaven.
Goodbye to my wonderful Grandma, a great woman to all.
Always around for us whenever we'd rise and fall.
So long to my Buddy of 15 years, man's best friend.
The old man was loyal until the very end.
For the loss I had, there was plenty of good in my life.
I had a great pair of friends who took the dive
Into a marriage that was as unique as themselves.
Definitely something to keep in my memory shelf.
My Niners are surprising, no Christmas coal.
I'm crossing my fingers for a Super Bowl.
There was the usual Vegas trip (ok, two).
At least I won (wait, I did lose).
What was unusual was activity in dating.
In the past I was left alone and debating
An online route to meet a great girl
After a two-month relationship, I entered the online dating world.
Met a pretty ginger who has been amazing.
Feeling like a kid who is star gazing.
It's nice to have another half to make things whole
Someone to compliment the heart and soul.
With these things in my life, I have much to love.
My family and friends continue to fit me like a glove.
It's fun to grow old around all these fools I know.
The theatre of life, there's always a great show.
The Mayans say that the world will end soon.
I'll take my chances that day and sleep till noon.
For 2011 exits, 2012 will begin.
And hopefully I'll be singing this happy tune all over again.
8/28/2011
Better Date Than Never (Intro)
This afternoon, I spent a couple hours conquering one of my biggest social phobias. No, it wasn't drinking outside naked (psh, like I'd be afraid of that). Today, for the first time, I set up an online dating account. It doesn't sound like something that someone should be afraid of admitting that they use.
Maybe it wasn't so much being afraid of admitting to use as it was that I just assumed that my random daily life of going out would have me meeting new people on an occasional basis. As it turns out, unless you (or at least I) meet new friends from the current group of friends that you have, then it makes it very difficult to achieve this goal.
Ok, so maybe it was a small fear of admitting to use...
As you can figure out by now, I am single again. Nothing to weep about or say "I'm sorry" about - we both agreed about the different directions that we wanted to go and it was about as mutual of a breakup as there could be. After exploring a possibility that went nowhere, I decided that I would give this dating site crap a shot.
It wasn't until Friday where I seriously considered it though. My friend uses the site OkCupid and had it recommended to him by a friend. It seems like he's had some bites, but nothing major yet. So I figure, why the hell should I be afraid to go on a site like this?
It's not like my normal single life ways of getting girls throughout the years were working. In the back of my mind though, I figured I'd want to meet women randomly and hope we connect and not depend on a match maker site. The stigma of being a loser who needs a site probably entered my mind, but why, I don't know. It's not like at the end of the day it matters how you meet.
I am fully on board now.
In fact, dating sites seem to be a better way of matching people with similar personalities. The 80 or so questions that I answered about myself and certain situations have (so far) matched me up with people who have similar likes and interests - assuming they are telling the truth in their profiles. I'd like to think they are, but maybe it's the naive part of me that believes that. I know I didn't fudge anything on my profile - for I would like to get the most I possibly can out of it.
I know of a few people that have used sites before with success. Whether they work long-term better than random meetings with people is up for debate. For someone such as myself that has limited resources on meeting new people consistently, online doesn't seem like a bad method of at least starting the conversation that would normally take place at a bar or party. And not only that, you're conversing with someone you believe to have similar interests as you already.
I've messaged a few girls so far - so we'll see if anything comes of it. I'm sure I'll share my story/stories of how it works (or if it doesn't). All I know is that I couldn't sit here making excuses anymore on not to use a site (especially a free one), so here goes nothing.
Wish me well.
Maybe it wasn't so much being afraid of admitting to use as it was that I just assumed that my random daily life of going out would have me meeting new people on an occasional basis. As it turns out, unless you (or at least I) meet new friends from the current group of friends that you have, then it makes it very difficult to achieve this goal.
Ok, so maybe it was a small fear of admitting to use...
As you can figure out by now, I am single again. Nothing to weep about or say "I'm sorry" about - we both agreed about the different directions that we wanted to go and it was about as mutual of a breakup as there could be. After exploring a possibility that went nowhere, I decided that I would give this dating site crap a shot.
It wasn't until Friday where I seriously considered it though. My friend uses the site OkCupid and had it recommended to him by a friend. It seems like he's had some bites, but nothing major yet. So I figure, why the hell should I be afraid to go on a site like this?
It's not like my normal single life ways of getting girls throughout the years were working. In the back of my mind though, I figured I'd want to meet women randomly and hope we connect and not depend on a match maker site. The stigma of being a loser who needs a site probably entered my mind, but why, I don't know. It's not like at the end of the day it matters how you meet.
I am fully on board now.
In fact, dating sites seem to be a better way of matching people with similar personalities. The 80 or so questions that I answered about myself and certain situations have (so far) matched me up with people who have similar likes and interests - assuming they are telling the truth in their profiles. I'd like to think they are, but maybe it's the naive part of me that believes that. I know I didn't fudge anything on my profile - for I would like to get the most I possibly can out of it.
I know of a few people that have used sites before with success. Whether they work long-term better than random meetings with people is up for debate. For someone such as myself that has limited resources on meeting new people consistently, online doesn't seem like a bad method of at least starting the conversation that would normally take place at a bar or party. And not only that, you're conversing with someone you believe to have similar interests as you already.
I've messaged a few girls so far - so we'll see if anything comes of it. I'm sure I'll share my story/stories of how it works (or if it doesn't). All I know is that I couldn't sit here making excuses anymore on not to use a site (especially a free one), so here goes nothing.
Wish me well.
7/01/2011
Half in the Bag - 2011's first 6 months from my experiences
My first seconds of 2011 were spent doing what many people were doing - at a party with some friends, enjoying some adult beverages and good food. Ordinary as it may seem, it set the tone for a year for me that has seen its good and bad; its happy and sad; no Mothers Day gift to Mom nor Fathers Day gift to dad (yet); people that we now have in our lives and people that we had. The things that stand out the most, chronologically~
Jan 2nd - Another successful birthday at Stoney Point betting on the ponies and hanging out with the best friends a guy could ask for. I'll remember the sake bombs that we took that day at the Japanese restaurant and the lady mocking my last place finish (of 4) in the sake bomb drink-off- "You a loser, ha ha ha."
Mid Jan - 2nd round of NFL playoffs and meeting up with Nick and Chris, a couple of old high school friends. We've hung out a handful of times since, often sharing old Mathlete stories and debating just how awesome Brian Scalabrine is. I'm glad that the old Nerd crew reconnected. We need to hang out again soon, gents.
Super Bowl Sunday - Hosted at Tim and Brie's place, they organized another good party for the game between the Steelers and the Packers. Yours truly and Tim profitted from the Super Bowl, but ultimately ended up losing the money back into the sports book later on in the week. Still, it is always nice to get a group together and enjoy each other's company.
Mid-late February - I was a few months away from graduating from my school and was still wondering what I wanted to do with my degree. After starting the second session of learning TV, it was then when I realized that video editing is what I wanted to do. This led me to be lead editor in our group's music video project as well as the splicing of several clips to produce YouTube videos. While I did take the internship with the school back in November, it was around Feb when I realized the direction I wanted to go in. (Editor's note: I still haven't put my degree to use yet, but plan on going in the video editing field). We graduated in April and for the most part have lost touch, but I'll never forget the great times we had as a class, both in and out of the classroom.
March thru April - The start of March was about the time where it was the beginning of the end for my Grandma Bolek, who was rushed to the hospital by my Dad and I believe my Aunt Donna. I remember getting back home from picking something up from my boss and answering a phone call from my sobbing father, who I can never recall ever seeing or hearing crying in my life. I visited her the next day when a hospice bed was placed in her home, but then never saw her alive again. She passed April 27, 2011 at the age of 90. She was, is, and will always be missed, but at the same time, always remembered.
March Madness Opening Weekend - I always love this weekend, so much so that I've requested off of work for the opening Thursday and Friday of the tournament for the past 4 years. Unlike last year, no particular life-altering stories came out of 2011's tourney opening weekend. Bets were made (and mainly lost), beverages were consumed and laughs were shared. It lived up to its hype again as one of my favorite weekends in sports.
Jeff & Amber's engagement (Mother's Day weekend)- What do you get a mother whose son (cough, me) didn't give her a Mother's Day gift? How about a future daughter-in-law? Jeff and Amber stole the show this weekend when Amber showed off her ring towards the end of the Mother's Day brunch, which brought my Mom and others to tears. The date and location have been set for next year, and I could not be happier for my brother and future sister-in-law. Thank you for helping my mom forget that I didn't get her a Mother's Day gift (yet).
The Spencer Wedding - May 21 (The End of Days) - Spencer's bachelor party was on the Saturday of the tournament weekend and closed with us going to a burlesque show. That set the tone for a most untraditional wedding setting for a husband and wife (Jeremy and Kate) who have made a tradition of being untraditional. A small wedding at a park district may not be what most people want to do with their wedding, but they showed what really matters with a wedding is the people who are involved in the relationship surrounding themselves with their closest friends and family. It was only fitting that the after party was at a bowling alley, with us goofing off like we had done so many times before a decade earlier. I also had a blast writing a speech for this wedding and feel like I reflected well on the tone of the untraditional that had been set. I couldn't be happier for them.
Memorial Day weekend - While it may seem too soon to say this was the most significant weekend of the year, I highly doubt people could argue with me if I said it was. The weekend started with myself and Elias travelling to Wisconsin to meet up with a bunch of our friends. The lodge/resort was nice, but the initial night of the trip proved to be what made the trip. Many of my friends who I had never really seen drink before were looser than ever after a few drinks. Many were hung over the following day, but Mimosas were what I started the day with - it is vacation after all. The Saturday night of the trip was a lot more chill, but was necessary for the health of most of Friday night's participants.
Elias and I left on Sunday, a day before the rest of the people left. I wanted to come home to take care of the dogs, who were at my Grandma Raynor's for a night. I didn't want her to be bothered by them for long though, so I left early and brought the dogs home to get back into their element. I had known about a Memorial Day party before I left the Wisconsin trip that some of my new friends were hosting at their rented place in Alsip, so I figured while I was taking care of the dogs, I'd also attend this party later on. It started at 4pm on the Sunday, but I came later to avoid being trapped into an early drinking demise (that later proved to be true for many of the participants of the 4pm start of the party). It was here that I briefly met Moe, who was my bags partner for the one game I played against Craig and Pete. While we didn't win, an innocent pairing of two people for a bags game eventually led to what is now a promising relationship with an awesome girl.
Bobby McGees - Before the month of June, I had been to this bar exactly once in my life. In June alone, I was there every Tuesday and an additional few days. I have met some awesome new people in the past month through the new relationship. As I've told Moe's friends, the type of people you surround yourself with is a good indicator of what kind of person you are. That is definitely the case here. I'm glad I've gotten to meet the people I've met so far and look forward to meeting others as the months
Vegas - You already can see the blog about Vegas from mid June - feel free to consult this blog on how it went. It was a traditional Vegas trip full of ups and downs at the sports book, a trip that always leaves you wanting more of the Sin City.
Arlington/BBBBQ weekend - The weekend which started my parent's trip to Michigan (a trip where they never saw the sun for a week) also started a vacation of my own. Brie had her birthday at the horsetrack, and about 10-12 people came out for it over the course of the day. In addition to enjoying two pina coladas, I also basked in the riches of picking 5 of 10 winners throughout the day, including a 13/1 named Brain Teazer. The following day, I had my traditional BBBBQ, which was enjoyed by many. The weather was good enough to enjoy the pool as well. Also, it was the day many of my friends got to meet the lady for the first time. The party seemed to strike up many friendships, as the next day I saw nothing on Facebook but (A friend of mine) is now friends with (another friend of mine) and 6 (other friends of mine).
I may be missing a few things, and I apologize if I did. These events reflect the type of year that I have had so far. I look forward to seeing how the rest of the year develops. I hope all of you get to enjoy it with me in some capacity.
 |
| Saaaaaakeeeeeeee! |
Jan 2nd - Another successful birthday at Stoney Point betting on the ponies and hanging out with the best friends a guy could ask for. I'll remember the sake bombs that we took that day at the Japanese restaurant and the lady mocking my last place finish (of 4) in the sake bomb drink-off- "You a loser, ha ha ha."
Mid Jan - 2nd round of NFL playoffs and meeting up with Nick and Chris, a couple of old high school friends. We've hung out a handful of times since, often sharing old Mathlete stories and debating just how awesome Brian Scalabrine is. I'm glad that the old Nerd crew reconnected. We need to hang out again soon, gents.
 |
| To the delight of Bears fans everywhere, this was the sight to be seen on the first Sunday in February |
Super Bowl Sunday - Hosted at Tim and Brie's place, they organized another good party for the game between the Steelers and the Packers. Yours truly and Tim profitted from the Super Bowl, but ultimately ended up losing the money back into the sports book later on in the week. Still, it is always nice to get a group together and enjoy each other's company.
Mid-late February - I was a few months away from graduating from my school and was still wondering what I wanted to do with my degree. After starting the second session of learning TV, it was then when I realized that video editing is what I wanted to do. This led me to be lead editor in our group's music video project as well as the splicing of several clips to produce YouTube videos. While I did take the internship with the school back in November, it was around Feb when I realized the direction I wanted to go in. (Editor's note: I still haven't put my degree to use yet, but plan on going in the video editing field). We graduated in April and for the most part have lost touch, but I'll never forget the great times we had as a class, both in and out of the classroom.
 |
| Rest in peace, Grandma Bolek. We will always remember you. |
March thru April - The start of March was about the time where it was the beginning of the end for my Grandma Bolek, who was rushed to the hospital by my Dad and I believe my Aunt Donna. I remember getting back home from picking something up from my boss and answering a phone call from my sobbing father, who I can never recall ever seeing or hearing crying in my life. I visited her the next day when a hospice bed was placed in her home, but then never saw her alive again. She passed April 27, 2011 at the age of 90. She was, is, and will always be missed, but at the same time, always remembered.
 |
| HA HA! BUCKETS! |
March Madness Opening Weekend - I always love this weekend, so much so that I've requested off of work for the opening Thursday and Friday of the tournament for the past 4 years. Unlike last year, no particular life-altering stories came out of 2011's tourney opening weekend. Bets were made (and mainly lost), beverages were consumed and laughs were shared. It lived up to its hype again as one of my favorite weekends in sports.
Jeff & Amber's engagement (Mother's Day weekend)- What do you get a mother whose son (cough, me) didn't give her a Mother's Day gift? How about a future daughter-in-law? Jeff and Amber stole the show this weekend when Amber showed off her ring towards the end of the Mother's Day brunch, which brought my Mom and others to tears. The date and location have been set for next year, and I could not be happier for my brother and future sister-in-law. Thank you for helping my mom forget that I didn't get her a Mother's Day gift (yet).
 |
| Congratulations to my happily married friends! |
The Spencer Wedding - May 21 (The End of Days) - Spencer's bachelor party was on the Saturday of the tournament weekend and closed with us going to a burlesque show. That set the tone for a most untraditional wedding setting for a husband and wife (Jeremy and Kate) who have made a tradition of being untraditional. A small wedding at a park district may not be what most people want to do with their wedding, but they showed what really matters with a wedding is the people who are involved in the relationship surrounding themselves with their closest friends and family. It was only fitting that the after party was at a bowling alley, with us goofing off like we had done so many times before a decade earlier. I also had a blast writing a speech for this wedding and feel like I reflected well on the tone of the untraditional that had been set. I couldn't be happier for them.
Memorial Day weekend - While it may seem too soon to say this was the most significant weekend of the year, I highly doubt people could argue with me if I said it was. The weekend started with myself and Elias travelling to Wisconsin to meet up with a bunch of our friends. The lodge/resort was nice, but the initial night of the trip proved to be what made the trip. Many of my friends who I had never really seen drink before were looser than ever after a few drinks. Many were hung over the following day, but Mimosas were what I started the day with - it is vacation after all. The Saturday night of the trip was a lot more chill, but was necessary for the health of most of Friday night's participants.
Elias and I left on Sunday, a day before the rest of the people left. I wanted to come home to take care of the dogs, who were at my Grandma Raynor's for a night. I didn't want her to be bothered by them for long though, so I left early and brought the dogs home to get back into their element. I had known about a Memorial Day party before I left the Wisconsin trip that some of my new friends were hosting at their rented place in Alsip, so I figured while I was taking care of the dogs, I'd also attend this party later on. It started at 4pm on the Sunday, but I came later to avoid being trapped into an early drinking demise (that later proved to be true for many of the participants of the 4pm start of the party). It was here that I briefly met Moe, who was my bags partner for the one game I played against Craig and Pete. While we didn't win, an innocent pairing of two people for a bags game eventually led to what is now a promising relationship with an awesome girl.
Bobby McGees - Before the month of June, I had been to this bar exactly once in my life. In June alone, I was there every Tuesday and an additional few days. I have met some awesome new people in the past month through the new relationship. As I've told Moe's friends, the type of people you surround yourself with is a good indicator of what kind of person you are. That is definitely the case here. I'm glad I've gotten to meet the people I've met so far and look forward to meeting others as the months
Vegas - You already can see the blog about Vegas from mid June - feel free to consult this blog on how it went. It was a traditional Vegas trip full of ups and downs at the sports book, a trip that always leaves you wanting more of the Sin City.
 |
| The start of my Arlington success |
Arlington/BBBBQ weekend - The weekend which started my parent's trip to Michigan (a trip where they never saw the sun for a week) also started a vacation of my own. Brie had her birthday at the horsetrack, and about 10-12 people came out for it over the course of the day. In addition to enjoying two pina coladas, I also basked in the riches of picking 5 of 10 winners throughout the day, including a 13/1 named Brain Teazer. The following day, I had my traditional BBBBQ, which was enjoyed by many. The weather was good enough to enjoy the pool as well. Also, it was the day many of my friends got to meet the lady for the first time. The party seemed to strike up many friendships, as the next day I saw nothing on Facebook but (A friend of mine) is now friends with (another friend of mine) and 6 (other friends of mine).
I may be missing a few things, and I apologize if I did. These events reflect the type of year that I have had so far. I look forward to seeing how the rest of the year develops. I hope all of you get to enjoy it with me in some capacity.
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