For the first time in two weeks, I'm heading back down to Muncie tomorrow. Not only am I looking forward to getting out & seeing the world as much as I am looking forward to a break in the action; Derby Days is almost over & I'm stopping for nothing to check things out back @ the house.
Derby Days isn't just a fun & exciting week for everyone who's participating - it most certainly is, BTW, but there's something more to Derby Days than good times alone. It's also for a good cause, that is to say, for the Children's Miracle Network (CMN). The worst anyone could do is not stop over & see how things are faring @ Sigs. I know I'm definitely going to be there, no doubt about that.
Friday, March 28, 2008
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Current playlist #6
Mogwai, "Glasgow Megashake," Mr. Beast
Mogwai, "Golden Porsche," Happy Songs for Happy People
Explosions In The Sky, "Yasmin The Light," Those Who Tell The Truth...
Explosions In The Sky, "The Only Moment We Were Alone," The Earth Is Not A Cold Dead Place
Labradford, "David," Fixed::Context
Labradford, "(untitled track #1)," E Luxo So
Brian Eno, "1/1," Ambient 1: Music For Airports
Brian Eno, "2/2," see above
Boards of Canada, "Kid For Today," In a Beautiful Place Out In the Country
Boards of Canada, "Corsair," Geogaddi
Mogwai, "Golden Porsche," Happy Songs for Happy People
Explosions In The Sky, "Yasmin The Light," Those Who Tell The Truth...
Explosions In The Sky, "The Only Moment We Were Alone," The Earth Is Not A Cold Dead Place
Labradford, "David," Fixed::Context
Labradford, "(untitled track #1)," E Luxo So
Brian Eno, "1/1," Ambient 1: Music For Airports
Brian Eno, "2/2," see above
Boards of Canada, "Kid For Today," In a Beautiful Place Out In the Country
Boards of Canada, "Corsair," Geogaddi
Monday, March 24, 2008
Song #2
As any #2 seed in the NCAA Tournament should know by now, if you're not ready to play game in, game out, you won't have another chance to get ready to play. Just ask the Blue Devils or Georgetown when in doubt.
Both teams bowed out prematurely to lower seeds, Duke to West Virginia & the Hoyas to the biggest baddest Cinderella of them all, straight out of the state of North Carolina, Davidson.
This isn't to say that they're the only teams whose seasons ended before their time. IU got beat by the Razorbacks, Vandy lost to Siena (?!), UConn lost to San Diego & Clemson lost to Villanova. As far as my bracket goes, this weekend has been a rather rough one.
At least each of the #1 seeds advanced & I can't complain. But it's the #2 seeds that have amazed me more than anything, in particular the Hoyas.
I mean, why did Georgetown let a double-digit disintegrate into a 4-point Davidson win? Why did the Hoyas just go on autopilot & let a smaller, lesser-known school like Davidson back into the ballgame? Beats me but at this point if you're not ready to play or if you give your opponent the impression that they can compete with you chances are you will get knocked off. (In fact, Belmont almost knocked off the Blue Devils the other night but no dice.) Georgetown should have known Stephen Curry & company weren't going to be intimidated by a taller, more elite squad & were going to give it their all & the Hoyas shoulda prepared themselves accordingly. But then again, it's kind of difficult to deliver any knockout blows when one of your key go-to guys (Roy Hibbert) hasn't been on the floor long enough to make his presence felt. And when you're not hitting your shots or committing silly turnovers, it's definitely difficult to pull off a win.
All too soon Georgetown's heralded season has come to an abrupt stop. It's nobody's fault but theirs, a lot of Hoyas haters would be more than happy to exclaim. On the other hand, Davidson advances further into the tournament, the team's confidence riding high right now.
Those dudes can play with the best of the best. I don't care if it's the Zags or Patrick Ewing's alma mater: that little school in North Carolina is on a roll. Georgetown is still wishing they were.
Both teams bowed out prematurely to lower seeds, Duke to West Virginia & the Hoyas to the biggest baddest Cinderella of them all, straight out of the state of North Carolina, Davidson.
This isn't to say that they're the only teams whose seasons ended before their time. IU got beat by the Razorbacks, Vandy lost to Siena (?!), UConn lost to San Diego & Clemson lost to Villanova. As far as my bracket goes, this weekend has been a rather rough one.
At least each of the #1 seeds advanced & I can't complain. But it's the #2 seeds that have amazed me more than anything, in particular the Hoyas.
I mean, why did Georgetown let a double-digit disintegrate into a 4-point Davidson win? Why did the Hoyas just go on autopilot & let a smaller, lesser-known school like Davidson back into the ballgame? Beats me but at this point if you're not ready to play or if you give your opponent the impression that they can compete with you chances are you will get knocked off. (In fact, Belmont almost knocked off the Blue Devils the other night but no dice.) Georgetown should have known Stephen Curry & company weren't going to be intimidated by a taller, more elite squad & were going to give it their all & the Hoyas shoulda prepared themselves accordingly. But then again, it's kind of difficult to deliver any knockout blows when one of your key go-to guys (Roy Hibbert) hasn't been on the floor long enough to make his presence felt. And when you're not hitting your shots or committing silly turnovers, it's definitely difficult to pull off a win.
All too soon Georgetown's heralded season has come to an abrupt stop. It's nobody's fault but theirs, a lot of Hoyas haters would be more than happy to exclaim. On the other hand, Davidson advances further into the tournament, the team's confidence riding high right now.
Those dudes can play with the best of the best. I don't care if it's the Zags or Patrick Ewing's alma mater: that little school in North Carolina is on a roll. Georgetown is still wishing they were.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Dishing out the dirt, continued (going Greek)
In my previous post, I focused on how employers are using Facebook & MySpace among other websites as a vehicle to find their prospective hires as well as using Google to see what dirt they can dish out about their candidates. Of course, the downsides of each website got touched on considerably along the way (e.g. companies nixing any candidate whose profiles had anything of note that was offensive or untoward from a business perspective).
Am I saying that fraternities can't use Facebook & MySpace to find future recruits? They sure can; by the same token, they should use each of these sites to the best & fullest of their advantage in finding quality members, duders who could prove to be valuable assets to the growth & betterment of the chapter in general. Like an employer, Greek undergraduates are always on the lookout for men who they see as the perfect fit for Sigma Chi or SAE, etc. But if we think our searching is for party animals or skirt chasers, we need to rethink our strategies altogether: such folks are searching for men whose primary focus is not on booze or women but academics, leadership, initiative, serving the community & campus in a conducive way.
Of course, like any boss of a company/giant corporation, the executive council should be leery of candidates whom they feel don't measure up to the fraternity's standards. If some duder has a profile dedicated to nothing but partying & getting stoned, chances are he won't be the right fit for this house or that. Same with a duder whose photo album titles are titled "beer" & "booty." Do you see anyone with that level of maturity making his way up to chapter president much less VP? More often than not, the answer to such a question is, "No way!!" True, we all love to have fun & good times; don't get me wrong, I had plenty of both. But the thing is, as I mentioned in my last post, employers are not into surprises. Neither are fraternities when it comes to finding well-rounded, outgoing men who are the model "men of good character," "true gentlemen," "men of integrity." If we haven't considered using Facebook/MySpace as a means by which to find men of the caliber I just stated above, we should give it a try for once. Chances are we could find quality (& I meant quality) men who could make a beneficial difference for our respective chapters.
Am I saying that fraternities can't use Facebook & MySpace to find future recruits? They sure can; by the same token, they should use each of these sites to the best & fullest of their advantage in finding quality members, duders who could prove to be valuable assets to the growth & betterment of the chapter in general. Like an employer, Greek undergraduates are always on the lookout for men who they see as the perfect fit for Sigma Chi or SAE, etc. But if we think our searching is for party animals or skirt chasers, we need to rethink our strategies altogether: such folks are searching for men whose primary focus is not on booze or women but academics, leadership, initiative, serving the community & campus in a conducive way.
Of course, like any boss of a company/giant corporation, the executive council should be leery of candidates whom they feel don't measure up to the fraternity's standards. If some duder has a profile dedicated to nothing but partying & getting stoned, chances are he won't be the right fit for this house or that. Same with a duder whose photo album titles are titled "beer" & "booty." Do you see anyone with that level of maturity making his way up to chapter president much less VP? More often than not, the answer to such a question is, "No way!!" True, we all love to have fun & good times; don't get me wrong, I had plenty of both. But the thing is, as I mentioned in my last post, employers are not into surprises. Neither are fraternities when it comes to finding well-rounded, outgoing men who are the model "men of good character," "true gentlemen," "men of integrity." If we haven't considered using Facebook/MySpace as a means by which to find men of the caliber I just stated above, we should give it a try for once. Chances are we could find quality (& I meant quality) men who could make a beneficial difference for our respective chapters.
Dishing out the dirt
MySpace & Facebook have made it easy for us to post whatever we feel (photos, interests, etc.), & we think we've got made it made as far as privacy goes, right? When it comes to prospective employers looking for folks who are a perfect fit for their companies, however, that just isn't the case at all. Nowadays, they're getting bolder & wiser about their future candidates & what better way to find out more about them than by going Google on you.
Just the other day, I was reading an article in the Reader's Digest where it stated, "More and more companies - 61 percent, says the Ponemon Institute, a privacy research organization - are running online background checks on prospective hires. And 43 percent of those potential bosses nixed candidates based on what they found out about them." Here's the thing: when it comes down to hiring someone for a job, employers know that this is a rather risky business & has always been so. And they don't like being hit with surprises either: they'll look at what people post & think to themselves, "Hey, will that new dude in advertising make clients turn away the very instant he talks about how often he's on Playstation?" or "Is that new salesperson who we just saw on those Facebook/MySpace pics going to be the right candidate for our job? I mean, look at her just drinking away..."
Well, we have a tendency to think our profiles on MySpace or Facebook are heavily guarded, as if it were our very own personal diary which only a select bunch can read. How wrong. Either of those two sites are open to the public, especially to bosses hoping to fill open positions in this department or that. Some folks, when it comes to getting their priorities right (as well as their interests), just don't get it. In that same RD article, a dude by the name of Brad Karsh, president of JobBound (an online employment company), found a young man who he thought would be the right guy for the job. But before he even considered making an offer, he decided to check out his candidate's Facebook page & what did he find? "The job seeker had listed his No. 1 interest as 'smoking blunts with the homies.'" I mean, how mature does that kind of interest sound to an employer? It sure wasn't mature to Karsh & not only that, it was also bad judgment on the candidate's part as well.
But just when we think young adults & college students are shooting themselves in the foot because of their racy/inappropriate stuff on MySpace/Facebook, their parents are no better. Case in point: "One candidate for a position selling software was a shoo-in for the $100,000-a-year job. Until the employer took a peek at his MySpace page and saw this: '40 years old and like 'em younger!'" Could he have been talking about women? Wine? Cigars? It's hard to tell but his boss interpreted the situation quite differently than the candidate did; needless to say, he didn't get the job.
True, we're not perfect; we all make mistakes. But when it comes to posting pictures, what could be considered harmless comments online...that's not just a mistake; it's out & out bad judgment. And that's one thing companies cannot stand for. If the boss has issues over what you might have said online (verbally or no), there comes the distinct possibility that he won't hire you.
What a lot of folks fall for as far as Net myths go is that (as I stated earlier), it's heavily guarded stuff which only certain individuals can check out. But this is simply not the case: they just don't realize that first impressions are more often than not last impressions. "I'm a good person, I'm smart, knowledgeable in my field..." Yet companies aren't exactly eager to give their prospective hires that much leeway when it comes to securing a job & what better way to determine if you're good to go for that sales position than by Googling your name, browsing Facebook/MySpace, among other things.
Young or old, we've put our lives on display for the whole world to see whether it's on Facebook or MySpace & feel that we've done a great job in doing so. But when it comes to how we present ourselves in a business environment, have we done a great job in wooing our employers-to-be by posting crazy/out-of-line pics or any other offensive material which our boss has no patience for? Certainly not. If we want to seal the deal for that new sales position, one of the best things we could do is take down anything which may be deemed as "wrong" or "uncool" from the employers' standpoint/perspective (pics, comments, etc.).
We think we've got it made as far as privacy online is concerned, but for who knows how many prospective bosses out there, they've got new tricks up their sleeve nowadays. And one way they can see if you pass their litmus test is when they go Googling around. The worst mistake we could make is to leave those things which are better left unsaid online for them to read.
Oh yes, pics included.
Just the other day, I was reading an article in the Reader's Digest where it stated, "More and more companies - 61 percent, says the Ponemon Institute, a privacy research organization - are running online background checks on prospective hires. And 43 percent of those potential bosses nixed candidates based on what they found out about them." Here's the thing: when it comes down to hiring someone for a job, employers know that this is a rather risky business & has always been so. And they don't like being hit with surprises either: they'll look at what people post & think to themselves, "Hey, will that new dude in advertising make clients turn away the very instant he talks about how often he's on Playstation?" or "Is that new salesperson who we just saw on those Facebook/MySpace pics going to be the right candidate for our job? I mean, look at her just drinking away..."
Well, we have a tendency to think our profiles on MySpace or Facebook are heavily guarded, as if it were our very own personal diary which only a select bunch can read. How wrong. Either of those two sites are open to the public, especially to bosses hoping to fill open positions in this department or that. Some folks, when it comes to getting their priorities right (as well as their interests), just don't get it. In that same RD article, a dude by the name of Brad Karsh, president of JobBound (an online employment company), found a young man who he thought would be the right guy for the job. But before he even considered making an offer, he decided to check out his candidate's Facebook page & what did he find? "The job seeker had listed his No. 1 interest as 'smoking blunts with the homies.'" I mean, how mature does that kind of interest sound to an employer? It sure wasn't mature to Karsh & not only that, it was also bad judgment on the candidate's part as well.
But just when we think young adults & college students are shooting themselves in the foot because of their racy/inappropriate stuff on MySpace/Facebook, their parents are no better. Case in point: "One candidate for a position selling software was a shoo-in for the $100,000-a-year job. Until the employer took a peek at his MySpace page and saw this: '40 years old and like 'em younger!'" Could he have been talking about women? Wine? Cigars? It's hard to tell but his boss interpreted the situation quite differently than the candidate did; needless to say, he didn't get the job.
True, we're not perfect; we all make mistakes. But when it comes to posting pictures, what could be considered harmless comments online...that's not just a mistake; it's out & out bad judgment. And that's one thing companies cannot stand for. If the boss has issues over what you might have said online (verbally or no), there comes the distinct possibility that he won't hire you.
What a lot of folks fall for as far as Net myths go is that (as I stated earlier), it's heavily guarded stuff which only certain individuals can check out. But this is simply not the case: they just don't realize that first impressions are more often than not last impressions. "I'm a good person, I'm smart, knowledgeable in my field..." Yet companies aren't exactly eager to give their prospective hires that much leeway when it comes to securing a job & what better way to determine if you're good to go for that sales position than by Googling your name, browsing Facebook/MySpace, among other things.
Young or old, we've put our lives on display for the whole world to see whether it's on Facebook or MySpace & feel that we've done a great job in doing so. But when it comes to how we present ourselves in a business environment, have we done a great job in wooing our employers-to-be by posting crazy/out-of-line pics or any other offensive material which our boss has no patience for? Certainly not. If we want to seal the deal for that new sales position, one of the best things we could do is take down anything which may be deemed as "wrong" or "uncool" from the employers' standpoint/perspective (pics, comments, etc.).
We think we've got it made as far as privacy online is concerned, but for who knows how many prospective bosses out there, they've got new tricks up their sleeve nowadays. And one way they can see if you pass their litmus test is when they go Googling around. The worst mistake we could make is to leave those things which are better left unsaid online for them to read.
Oh yes, pics included.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
From worst to first
Georgia was in a position no basketball team should ever want to be in during the regular season: a 4-12 record in the SEC, enough to put them in the conference cellar.
Once SEC tourney play began, however, the Bulldogs were a whole other animal. In what could be considered one of the most amazing routes to get into the NCAA Big Dance, Georgia made a run from worst to first in just a few days' time when they won the SEC Tournament championship Sunday afternoon & with that a trip into postseason play. Not bad for a team with a 17-16 record, eh?
But the Bulldogs believed when most other folks doubted; the Bulldogs kept their spirits up when the chips were down. And most of all, the Bulldogs had the confidence to do what others thought was highly impossible. Which goes to show you that miracles do happen & they still do by the way.
Now that they're in postseason play, can Georgia build from their late season burst & with that a shift in momentum? Anything can happen; believe me, we've seen some of the best & the mightiest teams go down at the hands of the underdog plenty of times to know that nothing is guaranteed in NCAA bracket action. Then again, the Bulldogs know the routine of life in a tough conference, the dues they paid just to win the SEC tourney, & hopefully they know what it takes to win the big games because from here on out nothing ever will come easy.
From worst to first in a week's worth of time: consider that one of college basketball's brightest moments ever when you think of what the Bulldogs did last weekend.
Once SEC tourney play began, however, the Bulldogs were a whole other animal. In what could be considered one of the most amazing routes to get into the NCAA Big Dance, Georgia made a run from worst to first in just a few days' time when they won the SEC Tournament championship Sunday afternoon & with that a trip into postseason play. Not bad for a team with a 17-16 record, eh?
But the Bulldogs believed when most other folks doubted; the Bulldogs kept their spirits up when the chips were down. And most of all, the Bulldogs had the confidence to do what others thought was highly impossible. Which goes to show you that miracles do happen & they still do by the way.
Now that they're in postseason play, can Georgia build from their late season burst & with that a shift in momentum? Anything can happen; believe me, we've seen some of the best & the mightiest teams go down at the hands of the underdog plenty of times to know that nothing is guaranteed in NCAA bracket action. Then again, the Bulldogs know the routine of life in a tough conference, the dues they paid just to win the SEC tourney, & hopefully they know what it takes to win the big games because from here on out nothing ever will come easy.
From worst to first in a week's worth of time: consider that one of college basketball's brightest moments ever when you think of what the Bulldogs did last weekend.
Monday, March 17, 2008
eight is enough!!
I thought IU had a lot of good things going for them: a 25-7 record, one of their best seasons in forever, an awesome bunch of players.
But after a minor skid which included an early exit from the Big 10 tournament just a few days ago, we're left wondering why IU's stuck with a #8 seed & why they're taking on a surprising team in their own right (in #9 seed Arkansas, who got their buns handed to them by Georgia yesterday afternoon). I along with who knows how many other IU fans out there are crying WTF?
Perhaps they're seeded #8 because of that little slide to end the regular season, I dunno. But at least the folks determining the brackets could have put them higher, at least #4 or #5. That might be my personal opinion at work here but I feel they could have gotten a better seeding than this. #8? Come on. Is that the best we could do?
For whoever did the NCAA brackets this year, an #8 seed for IU was one of the worst calls ever made.
But after a minor skid which included an early exit from the Big 10 tournament just a few days ago, we're left wondering why IU's stuck with a #8 seed & why they're taking on a surprising team in their own right (in #9 seed Arkansas, who got their buns handed to them by Georgia yesterday afternoon). I along with who knows how many other IU fans out there are crying WTF?
Perhaps they're seeded #8 because of that little slide to end the regular season, I dunno. But at least the folks determining the brackets could have put them higher, at least #4 or #5. That might be my personal opinion at work here but I feel they could have gotten a better seeding than this. #8? Come on. Is that the best we could do?
For whoever did the NCAA brackets this year, an #8 seed for IU was one of the worst calls ever made.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
what's not to love?
What's not to love?
Well, there's plenty to love right now. Not only am I exploring my more poetic side when it comes to Greek life (under the blog tentatively titled "Roses & Other Things") but I'm having the time of my life in doing so.
The weather's nice for a change, the words are flowing out of me like water...lol...life indeed is looking & shaping up to be awesome now that Spring is almost here.
As far as posts for my upcoming blog go, I'm moving on up the ladder at lightning speed. Just a couple more writings or so & I may be a majorly happy camper for the first time in quite awhile. And if that's not enough, I may be once more regaining that touch for writing I felt I almost lost a few weeks back.
That's all for now. But leave no doubt: there's lots to love. There has always been plenty to love, as a matter of fact.
Well, there's plenty to love right now. Not only am I exploring my more poetic side when it comes to Greek life (under the blog tentatively titled "Roses & Other Things") but I'm having the time of my life in doing so.
The weather's nice for a change, the words are flowing out of me like water...lol...life indeed is looking & shaping up to be awesome now that Spring is almost here.
As far as posts for my upcoming blog go, I'm moving on up the ladder at lightning speed. Just a couple more writings or so & I may be a majorly happy camper for the first time in quite awhile. And if that's not enough, I may be once more regaining that touch for writing I felt I almost lost a few weeks back.
That's all for now. But leave no doubt: there's lots to love. There has always been plenty to love, as a matter of fact.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
A brief update
So far, so good.
My posts for my new blog site are flowing out of me like water from a fountain spring. Forgive me for being metaphorical but I'm being honest. So far, posts for the new Greek-oriented site are running smoothly (much of it thus far has been pure improvisation at the computer). Sure, I still feel that I haven't written enough to say that this puppy is off the ground but from the looks of things & at the clip I'm running life is sure looking good right now.
Of course, there's a little something for everybody: something for the ladies, something for the duders...I even got a post up on Charles Richardson, one of Chi Omega's founders (the other 80% of the founders as anyone should know were female). It's a concise piece on Charles, yours truly giving the man the glory for helping found Chi O, one of the largest organizations of any kind in the United States.
I don't want to digress any more than I just did but like I said things are looking mighty awesome so far. Until next time, peace out!!
My posts for my new blog site are flowing out of me like water from a fountain spring. Forgive me for being metaphorical but I'm being honest. So far, posts for the new Greek-oriented site are running smoothly (much of it thus far has been pure improvisation at the computer). Sure, I still feel that I haven't written enough to say that this puppy is off the ground but from the looks of things & at the clip I'm running life is sure looking good right now.
Of course, there's a little something for everybody: something for the ladies, something for the duders...I even got a post up on Charles Richardson, one of Chi Omega's founders (the other 80% of the founders as anyone should know were female). It's a concise piece on Charles, yours truly giving the man the glory for helping found Chi O, one of the largest organizations of any kind in the United States.
I don't want to digress any more than I just did but like I said things are looking mighty awesome so far. Until next time, peace out!!
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
short break
My posts concerning Greek life on this blog have been pretty awesome - in fact, I feel that they are outstanding posts - but I felt that I needed another avenue/creative outlet in which to articulate the more poetical side of me so I've got another blogsite in the works.
So far, it's in the formative stages; I haven't gotten enough material in the can as yet to consider my blogsite a full-fledged one. But to keep things on an upbeat note, I'm getting there so bear with me a short while longer :-)
As I previously stated, the writings'll be more poetical, more brief & to the point. To say that I'm giving folks vignettes on Greek life would be an understatement. But to be honest, & if I can help it, whatever I'm writing on this future blogsite is definitely more concise & if I must say so more poetic.
What about? you may ask. Well, it's about my love for Greek life, my love for my sorority counterparts...all the glowing superlative stuff I could say about being Greek or even (for that matter) going Greek. Now that's a perfect summarization on what these posts are going to be about, beginning & end of story.
Just wanted to give a short update while I'm ahead. I should be confident enough to let the whole world know about this blogsite soon.
So far, it's in the formative stages; I haven't gotten enough material in the can as yet to consider my blogsite a full-fledged one. But to keep things on an upbeat note, I'm getting there so bear with me a short while longer :-)
As I previously stated, the writings'll be more poetical, more brief & to the point. To say that I'm giving folks vignettes on Greek life would be an understatement. But to be honest, & if I can help it, whatever I'm writing on this future blogsite is definitely more concise & if I must say so more poetic.
What about? you may ask. Well, it's about my love for Greek life, my love for my sorority counterparts...all the glowing superlative stuff I could say about being Greek or even (for that matter) going Greek. Now that's a perfect summarization on what these posts are going to be about, beginning & end of story.
Just wanted to give a short update while I'm ahead. I should be confident enough to let the whole world know about this blogsite soon.
Monday, March 10, 2008
third's the word
IU could have claimed second place in the Big 10 since Wisconsin refused to do any backsliding for the last two games of the regular season (& BTW in conference action). But no, they let me down when they fell to Penn State in overtime yesterday. So much for a confidence boost when it's most needed, right? Well, them Purdue Boilermakers grabbed second place instead & IU's wondering where they went wrong as they have now fallen into third (& are in fact going to stay there as the #3 seed in Big 10 tourney play).
True, we can take comfort in the fact that the Hoosiers have had one of their better seasons in ages; you can't go wrong there. But for IU to grab third in Big 10 play...now that's a little disheartening. If they didn't play lousy in their away games against PSU & Michigan State, they would have at least claimed a tie with the Badgers. They didn't win either of those games though & now I'm like what the...?
Yeah, I know I'm crestfallen. Hopefully IU will give us something to feel good about if they grab the Tournament Championship. Purdue's women did it last night for the nth time in as many tries (& that as the #3 seed coming in). Can IU's men accomplish that feat as the #3 seed? It's not beyond the Hoosiers to pull off the impossible; if the Lady Boilermakers can do it, the men of Indiana could just as well show the doubters a thing or two about following your dreams.
True, we can take comfort in the fact that the Hoosiers have had one of their better seasons in ages; you can't go wrong there. But for IU to grab third in Big 10 play...now that's a little disheartening. If they didn't play lousy in their away games against PSU & Michigan State, they would have at least claimed a tie with the Badgers. They didn't win either of those games though & now I'm like what the...?
Yeah, I know I'm crestfallen. Hopefully IU will give us something to feel good about if they grab the Tournament Championship. Purdue's women did it last night for the nth time in as many tries (& that as the #3 seed coming in). Can IU's men accomplish that feat as the #3 seed? It's not beyond the Hoosiers to pull off the impossible; if the Lady Boilermakers can do it, the men of Indiana could just as well show the doubters a thing or two about following your dreams.
Thursday, March 6, 2008
First Impressions
My first journey to Muncie took place several years ago & to this day I've held a very high affinity for the place as well as my alma mater.
True, I've made many visits back to my second home since then but the first trip to Ball State stands out the most & is the one road trip which left a strong first impression on me from the get-go.
Back then, I had time to burn, an off weekend with nothing to do & lots to think about. So it naturally seemed like an awesome choice to go out, see the world, enjoy every waking moment out on the road. That's exactly what happened on that eventful Saturday morning/early afternoon: I hit the road & was determined to get my kicks checking out Ball State for the very first time (I planned to go sometime the month before but circumstances kept me from doing so).
Nowadays, I prefer to take I-69 to get down to BSU. But there have always been those instances where taking the long way to Muncie is the only route that could ever do, period. On that day, I tore up the back streets of southwestern Fort Wayne en route to the great wide open, past Ft. Wayne Int'l Airport & all those far south-side businesses/industries...Kerouac was right on the money when he said in his classic novel On The Road, "The road is life."
So I spent an hour or so coursing my way past Markle, Hartford City (where I stopped to grab some grub before setting out to finish the remainder of my journey to Muncie). The back way down seemed like forever in those days & still does but I wouldn't have traded this route for the easy breezy interstate jaunt; no, I wanted to see the world shining all of its colors brightly, in all of its splendor & to see the sights which it had to offer in spades.
After the journey was complete, I set foot on campus with a sense of wonder which has continued to be unsurpassed to this very day...the joy, the beauty of this place was beyond words. I didn't feel lost or alone at all; I felt right at home with this place. Finally, I felt that I had arrived with a mission, a common vision, a focus for my life. Though I didn't know it at the time, this trip really was fuel for my fire when it came to going out on the road (& gaining a stronger love for BSU, especially by attending BSU home football games).
Only a year later, I decided to enroll down @ Ball State & the impressions of that first sojourn to Muncie were still very strong indeed. It was that very first trip which gave me the impetus to choose BSU over any other college right here in the Hoosier state & a good call I didn't regret making. What life would have been like if I didn't decide to cruise down to good ol' Muncie on that wonderful day in March 2000, I'm not so sure. But I'm grateful to have been caught up in that moment, & to have made a memory worth remembering, one of many which I would wind up making just prior to setting foot on campus as an official student & while an undergraduate.
True, I've made many visits back to my second home since then but the first trip to Ball State stands out the most & is the one road trip which left a strong first impression on me from the get-go.
Back then, I had time to burn, an off weekend with nothing to do & lots to think about. So it naturally seemed like an awesome choice to go out, see the world, enjoy every waking moment out on the road. That's exactly what happened on that eventful Saturday morning/early afternoon: I hit the road & was determined to get my kicks checking out Ball State for the very first time (I planned to go sometime the month before but circumstances kept me from doing so).
Nowadays, I prefer to take I-69 to get down to BSU. But there have always been those instances where taking the long way to Muncie is the only route that could ever do, period. On that day, I tore up the back streets of southwestern Fort Wayne en route to the great wide open, past Ft. Wayne Int'l Airport & all those far south-side businesses/industries...Kerouac was right on the money when he said in his classic novel On The Road, "The road is life."
So I spent an hour or so coursing my way past Markle, Hartford City (where I stopped to grab some grub before setting out to finish the remainder of my journey to Muncie). The back way down seemed like forever in those days & still does but I wouldn't have traded this route for the easy breezy interstate jaunt; no, I wanted to see the world shining all of its colors brightly, in all of its splendor & to see the sights which it had to offer in spades.
After the journey was complete, I set foot on campus with a sense of wonder which has continued to be unsurpassed to this very day...the joy, the beauty of this place was beyond words. I didn't feel lost or alone at all; I felt right at home with this place. Finally, I felt that I had arrived with a mission, a common vision, a focus for my life. Though I didn't know it at the time, this trip really was fuel for my fire when it came to going out on the road (& gaining a stronger love for BSU, especially by attending BSU home football games).
Only a year later, I decided to enroll down @ Ball State & the impressions of that first sojourn to Muncie were still very strong indeed. It was that very first trip which gave me the impetus to choose BSU over any other college right here in the Hoosier state & a good call I didn't regret making. What life would have been like if I didn't decide to cruise down to good ol' Muncie on that wonderful day in March 2000, I'm not so sure. But I'm grateful to have been caught up in that moment, & to have made a memory worth remembering, one of many which I would wind up making just prior to setting foot on campus as an official student & while an undergraduate.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Swan Song
In 1982, TV shows like Dallas were all the rage, MTV was in its infancy, & the Internet was still a very distant dream looming over the horizon. It was a period of fame, greed & lots of excess ran up to the nth degree - an apt summarization of the 80s in a nutshell.
For Roxy Music, 1982 was their last stand as a group. We didn't sense this at the time, but the second incarnation of Roxy Music was about to call it a day with no additional words or rhetoric. Yet did they ever make their last stand courageously as their swan song Avalon brilliantly demonstrates.
Now pared down to a trio of Bryan Ferry (vocalist/lyricist/stylemeister), guitarist Phil Manzanera, reedman Andy Mackay & a slew of session musicians, Roxy Music in its second incarnation helped synthesize new wave & post punk influences together with R&B & soul in more ways than one on their predecessors Manifesto and Flesh + Blood. And in the process, they ushered in the 80s as the torchbearers of synth-pop as well as a sound distinctly their own. With Avalon, however, the core strengths of the aforementioned albums were refined & matured even more than ever.
For Roxy Music, 1982 was their last stand as a group. We didn't sense this at the time, but the second incarnation of Roxy Music was about to call it a day with no additional words or rhetoric. Yet did they ever make their last stand courageously as their swan song Avalon brilliantly demonstrates.
Now pared down to a trio of Bryan Ferry (vocalist/lyricist/stylemeister), guitarist Phil Manzanera, reedman Andy Mackay & a slew of session musicians, Roxy Music in its second incarnation helped synthesize new wave & post punk influences together with R&B & soul in more ways than one on their predecessors Manifesto and Flesh + Blood. And in the process, they ushered in the 80s as the torchbearers of synth-pop as well as a sound distinctly their own. With Avalon, however, the core strengths of the aforementioned albums were refined & matured even more than ever.
RM's trifecta of original personnel was approaching middle age & surely that may have played a key role in why Avalon comes across as so mellow, mature & restrained. But then again, this album sounded like all of the above as if to signal the end of the road for the group, a final resigned proclamation from Bryan Ferry & company.
That didn't mean you couldn't get dancing to songs like "The Space Between" or "The Main Thing," because you most certainly could. Yet it's the slower, more shimmering/atmospheric numbers like "More Than This," "True To Life," & the title track that stand out the most for me. "More Than This" could be seen as Ferry's declaration that Roxy Music, like any relationship with nothing more to give, would soon come to a halt & who could say where each of the band members would go next. "To Turn You On" is a solo Bryan Ferry song (sans his Roxy bandmates) which connects so perfectly to this whole song cycle in general; not just that but within the bigger picture the subject matter works wonders. "India" & "Tara" are short instrumental vignettes which really don't detract from the flow or pace of this album by any stretch. "While My Heart Is Still Beating" is pure melancholia & longing all the way, a fine example of why Avalon is such a brilliant recording for all of its 35 minutes.
After this masterpiece Roxy Music went off the radar, or if I must say so, was no more. Bryan Ferry of course went on to bigger & better things as his 1985 release Boys and Girls (which is a perfect companion piece to Avalon) boldly pointed out to us back in the day. This album isn't just a swan song, a silent word of goodbye from Messrs. Ferry, Manzanera & Mackay. It was perfection attained, & to this day it doesn't get any better than this. No, there's nothing more than this.
Throwing In The Towel
WTF?
After 17 seasons in the NFL, Brett Favre decided to call it a day for good.
From his humble beginnings at the University of Southern Mississippi to his groundbreaking career in the NFL (much of it spent with the Green Bay Packers), Brett Favre held his own as one of the most versatile & most awesome QBs around. And just when we thought he'd return to bring Green Bay back to greatness, the man himself had to throw in the towel.
But why? we're asking. Well, the 2007 season was one to remember for fans of the Pack not only because it was one of the team's best seasons in quite awhile. It was also Favre's re-emergence as a potent & feared QB in the NFL; just when we thought he was past his prime or he was washed out @ Green Bay, Favre proved us wrong by delivering some stellar performances (& oh, some record breaking along the way). Like it or not, old man that he was, he made his statement of intent clear: "I'm back!!" Even though Favre himself didn't believe he still held such greatness in the palm of his hand, he still kicked tail game in, game out. And he made Packers fans all over the place want to believe again as well.
Sure, Packers fans would have liked to see atonement this coming season from Favre after he threw a costly interception in last season's loss to the New York Giants in the NFC championship game. We were expecting the same & then some several months down the road. But no, Brett Favre threw in the towel, has said his honest goodbyes to the Packers organization, is for once calling it a day when we least expected him to.
And that, when he still had something more to prove to the world.
After 17 seasons in the NFL, Brett Favre decided to call it a day for good.
From his humble beginnings at the University of Southern Mississippi to his groundbreaking career in the NFL (much of it spent with the Green Bay Packers), Brett Favre held his own as one of the most versatile & most awesome QBs around. And just when we thought he'd return to bring Green Bay back to greatness, the man himself had to throw in the towel.
But why? we're asking. Well, the 2007 season was one to remember for fans of the Pack not only because it was one of the team's best seasons in quite awhile. It was also Favre's re-emergence as a potent & feared QB in the NFL; just when we thought he was past his prime or he was washed out @ Green Bay, Favre proved us wrong by delivering some stellar performances (& oh, some record breaking along the way). Like it or not, old man that he was, he made his statement of intent clear: "I'm back!!" Even though Favre himself didn't believe he still held such greatness in the palm of his hand, he still kicked tail game in, game out. And he made Packers fans all over the place want to believe again as well.
Sure, Packers fans would have liked to see atonement this coming season from Favre after he threw a costly interception in last season's loss to the New York Giants in the NFC championship game. We were expecting the same & then some several months down the road. But no, Brett Favre threw in the towel, has said his honest goodbyes to the Packers organization, is for once calling it a day when we least expected him to.
And that, when he still had something more to prove to the world.
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
A Turn For The Worst
IU's quest for a Big 10 regular season championship took a major hit on Sunday when they got walloped by the Michigan State Spartans up @ East Lansing. It seems that if the Hoosiers ever found a bad time not to be running on all four cylinders, Sunday afternoon was that time.
Sure, IU may have found ways to win much-needed conference games for the past two weeks, which goes to show us that there indeed is life after Kelvin Sampson. Indeed, the past two weeks or so have been downright trying ones for the Hoosiers along with their diehard fanbase back in Bloomington (among other places). But they had faith, they believed, they knew that when the going got tough, the tough would respond in kind & get going.
Sunday's loss, though, takes the cake. If IU still has the likelihood of grabbing the regular season championship in Big 10 action, they'll need plenty of help from the other teams who've got Purdue & Wisconsin on their schedule (oh, this just in: Ohio State beat Purdue last night...in a word, awesome!!). And if that's not enough, the Hoosiers themselves will need to win on down the stretch to make a first-place prize a possibility.
IU has proven that they can win without Kelvin Sampson. But when it comes down to conference & postseason play, how tough will the Hoosiers in their heart of hearts really be?
Against the Spartans - round #2 this season - they weren't tough enough. And they can ill afford a repeat of their previous performance against Minnesota. But then again, they know they can find redemption on their home court; they've been there & done that before. They can bounce back.
Believe it. IU will bounce back.
Sure, IU may have found ways to win much-needed conference games for the past two weeks, which goes to show us that there indeed is life after Kelvin Sampson. Indeed, the past two weeks or so have been downright trying ones for the Hoosiers along with their diehard fanbase back in Bloomington (among other places). But they had faith, they believed, they knew that when the going got tough, the tough would respond in kind & get going.
Sunday's loss, though, takes the cake. If IU still has the likelihood of grabbing the regular season championship in Big 10 action, they'll need plenty of help from the other teams who've got Purdue & Wisconsin on their schedule (oh, this just in: Ohio State beat Purdue last night...in a word, awesome!!). And if that's not enough, the Hoosiers themselves will need to win on down the stretch to make a first-place prize a possibility.
IU has proven that they can win without Kelvin Sampson. But when it comes down to conference & postseason play, how tough will the Hoosiers in their heart of hearts really be?
Against the Spartans - round #2 this season - they weren't tough enough. And they can ill afford a repeat of their previous performance against Minnesota. But then again, they know they can find redemption on their home court; they've been there & done that before. They can bounce back.
Believe it. IU will bounce back.
Monday, March 3, 2008
Spring Break
Spring Break. A perfect time to let off plenty of mid-semester steam & take a break from the action if only for a week. It doesn't matter where one plans to head off to this year whether it's PCB, Ft. Laudi, Cancun, etc...The next week or so is definitely going to be good times & fun, fun, fun. Even if you're planning to crash out at home for a full week, keep in mind that it's cool to make the most of your week off from college: meeting up with old friends, visiting old haunts, the list goes on forever.
I miss those days with a passion & without question I would relive those days all over again if given the chance to do so. Now that I'm in the real world, though, the notion of pulling off a vacation to compensate for all those Spring Breaks of yore seems a bit much to ask. If it were up to me, I would've given it some thought a long time ago. But no...this summer though will be a different story & I'll have enough time to burn then so I can get some quality R & R for a full week.
For all those folks heading clear out of town for Spring Break, I'm wishing you all safety in travel, a great week of good times & fun & of course plenty of wonderful memories!!
(Until this summer, when I'm finally deciding to take my vacay, the best time for me to go out & see the world will be on the weekends!!)
I miss those days with a passion & without question I would relive those days all over again if given the chance to do so. Now that I'm in the real world, though, the notion of pulling off a vacation to compensate for all those Spring Breaks of yore seems a bit much to ask. If it were up to me, I would've given it some thought a long time ago. But no...this summer though will be a different story & I'll have enough time to burn then so I can get some quality R & R for a full week.
For all those folks heading clear out of town for Spring Break, I'm wishing you all safety in travel, a great week of good times & fun & of course plenty of wonderful memories!!
(Until this summer, when I'm finally deciding to take my vacay, the best time for me to go out & see the world will be on the weekends!!)
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