On a Roto Draft Traditions

So I've been playing rotisserie, or fantasy baseball since I was about 9 or 10 years old. I honestly don't remember the exact year but I know it's been a while. This past weekend we had our draft at 9am Saturday morning and I woke up around 6:45 to have breakfast and get my mind set. But this is about the story of tradition.

In all honesty, this post could be on tradition, on baseball, on jobs, on a lot of things because draft day reminds me of them all. It's a tradition since I first joined the league as a true youngster, not even teenager, that the night before every draft I go to Applebees for dinner, then the morning of the draft I go to Dennys for breakfast around 7:30 before drafting at 9. No matter what, that's my plan. One year, I woke up around 8, didn't have time to eat, or anyone to eat with, but I still went to Dennys. I walked in, took a sniff of all the breakfast food, seconds later, walked out. I'm weird thinking, and draft day truly brings out my "inner nerd" but I stick to tradition. It's not the food I eat before the draft, it's not the fact that I love Dennys, it's that ever since I can remember I've gone to Dennys on draft day, and I don't plan on ending tradition any time soon.

Another tradition for baseball season, I always get my fantasy baseball magazine on Valentines Day from my dad. That tradition, originally, had some more reason to it. In grade school and high school when I played, I generally had nothing better to do so I started studying for the draft a month and a half ahead of time right around Valentines day. I'd make my rankings, my projections, etc. So, that's why I'd get the magazine. This year however, I didn't start studying until the week before. I still got the magazine on V-Day but never really touched it until a month later. Next year, I'll get the magazine on V-Day again, hopefully. I like tradition, what can I say.

In Today's job

I need to find a full-time job. That's the dilemma currently taking over my life. However, when I look at the job I have now, I'm very bi-polar. The pros and cons list split right down the middle.

Heading the pros side, is the experience and money factor. I can't afford to take care of a dog (or a girlfriend for that matter, not calling the girl a dog but she uses just as much of my money) without the job. Working early in the morning it doesn't exactly interfere with any of my plans during the day although having to go to bed early interferes with wanting to go out at night. And going back to the experience factor, in the long run it should hopefully be a very good place to start off my career in television (but if it doesn't lead to a job in television, then the cons list takes the lead).
With a secondary pro, I enjoy talking to some of the people I work with. Good people, fun atmosphere generally and I've made some good friends. However, the people also go along the lines of the cons list as well.

The cons list really only has two. The 4am wake up is brutal. Some weeks it's not too bad, but this week for example, this Monday morning was terrible. Along with that, there's one person that I just can't quite stand. It's one of those people that have to get the last words in, no matter the circumstance. That's about as much detail as I can give but those people just irritate me. Then again, I'm kind of opinionated I suppose you could say.

On preparing for the world

It's a month until graduation, a month until the real world, and I still couldn't be less prepared. You know how throughout your college career, freshman and sophomore year sometimes in a students junior year, everyone says you have plenty of time to figure things out. "Don't worry, you can change majors, you have plenty of time to figure out what you want to do."

Well... you know when they don't say that? As a senior in college with one month left of school. No, as a senior in college with a month before graduation, usually it's more like, "You best get your shit figured out. You have a month and then the summer to find a job or back home you come."

Okay, perhaps those aren't exact quotes but still, I basically have 4 months to find a full time job and for some reason it has rapidly approached with no brakes on board. All throughout college, after I stayed for the summer in Columbia, I said I'm never moving back home, I'm out for good. Yet, it's looking like I'm moving back home. I've completely dropped the ball on the job search. I took the week off of school work for spring break. I figured if I had to work my entire spring break, I'm at least getting the week off from school even if I can't go on vacation. But, now, it's back to work, back to school (Billy Madison just popped in my head), and most importantly, back to full throttle on the job search.

STL and parent's house in august is not an option. Plus this 4am wake up call is really beginning to be a pain.

I swear this one is on trust

So again, after those two posts am I an ass? Maybe, maybe I just don't have a conscious at all, but hey I didn't cheat. So really, I don't know if I have a conscious or not. I suppose, I'm just a cynical ass who doesn't feel the world has a true conscious. Yes, I realize I'm deeply upsetting Mr. Sigmund Freud. I don't feel telling the truth, in terms of cheating in a relationship gets you anywhere but fighting more and a possible break up. Perhaps that's why I've never had real successful relationships. I just don't trust easily because I realize how easy it is to lie.

IT'S EASY. You just do it. Like Nike.

So we already hit on the fact that telling the truth about cheating gets you the same result, if not a worse result than lying. So how do you ever trust someone. And believe me, once you start doubting your trust for someone, it's so easy to come up with more reasons to doubt.

It's just like that saying, trust is easy to break but so hard to build. It's a lot easier to find reason's not to trust someone than to trust someone.

For instance, you come up with one reason to doubt them, they started getting with another guy while you two were at a party but not technically "together" yet. Then, ex-hookups begin to talk to them as soon as they think you two break up. You remember texts that she's sent to another guy at 2:30am about hanging out (if only they weren't with their boyfriend/girlfriend). Then from there, it's a trickle affect. You think "Oh she loves me too much to cheat on me and could never live if we broke up because of her." Instead of taking that as a good thing, you take it as, "well then she definitely won't tell the truth if she ever does something bad because she knows it will end."

The never ending dilemma of reasons not to trust. You turn something that should be a good, reason to trust her, into a bad and ultimate reason not to.

Trusting con.

Why voluntarily tell your girlfriend or boyfriend the truth if the end result will be a break up? So you cheated on your girlfriend/boyfriend, if they find out they will break up with you, if you tell them the truth (no matter what they say, like "if you just tell me the truth it'll be fine= total BS) they will break up with you. SO WHY TELL THEM? Okay, yes it's on your conscious and if it makes you not be able to sleep at night then sure, you might as well tell them, clear the air so you each can move on without each other and be happy.

OR, if you are in love with the person and couldn't bare the thought of losing them, or the opposite, not at all in love with the person and don't feel like putting up with fighting and breaking up because it's just easier to stick out the relationship and the fact that you cheated doesn't really bother you, then what's the incentive to tell the truth? Sure, the latter would be a lot worse if they ended up finding out later, but in looking at the former, the end result no matter what is going to be a break up. And if you can't bare the thought of losing that person, then you'd probably lose just as much sleep over the breakup as you do with cheating being on your conscious for a month or so before you realize she's not going to find out and there's no reason to worry about getting caught so now you can sleep soundly.

And let's be honest, the only reason that would be on your conscious is because you're worried of getting caught, perhaps a minority would actually have it on their conscious because they feel so terrible for lying that they can't sleep. But if they felt that terrible, then why'd they cheat.

So who can you trust?

On Trusting

In life there, primarily in relationships (whether it be in marriage, girlfriend/boyfriend, or family relationships between parents and children) so many things rely upon trusting the other person. Trust can even fall into the category of work as well between co-workers or boss and the people who work under him. Mainly however, I will focus on trust in relationships.

The idea of building trust, maintaining trust, it's incredible when I think about this aspect. Now I don't want this to just be some lame blog post on Trust and I'm trying to make it interesting so here's my attempt.

Trusting a girlfriend just seems difficult for me. Hell, trust in my entire family is difficult it seems like. My mom doesn't trust anyone when it comes to friends and I suppose that's where I get it from. Plus a friend of mine from high school stole my parents credit card, so I don't have a great past with it. But again, this is focused on girlfriend/boyfriend.

How do you know if you can trust a person. Perhaps I have no conscious, but the idea of if you tell the truth things will be better, that's totally not true. If you are in a relationship and happen to cheat or do something terrible that deserves a break up, whether or not you tell them the truth, if they find out the relationships over. So, why tell them the truth voluntarily instead of just taking the chance that they might not ever find out? You think I'm an asshole right?

Read my next post and I'll explain.

The High School Life

Born and raised my entire life in St. Louis, Missouri, I grew up very family oriented. I would go to baseball games with my father, or lunch when he had time off work. My mother and I would always order Dominos for dinner while my sister and father ordered Papa Johns. I loved being around my family and loved any chance I got to hang with my older sister.

When I was a freshman in high school I still never had much of a social life. My most exciting time freshman year was when I saw my sister, a senior at the same high school, walking in the halls. I loved finally having a chance to go to the same school as her. As for a dating life, it did not exist. The only girl I had ever really talked to, as a youngster was my babysitter’s daughter when I was in 2nd grade. We consider each other our first girlfriend and boyfriend.

Throughout my entire first year of high school, I continued lacking in a social life. I continued growing closer with my family. Sophomore year I began taking Journalism class, and really opened up with people. I made a lot of great friends through that class. Danielle, a senior during my sophomore year at Mehlville, the high school I attended, actually asked me to the Prom as friends. I would have loved to go, but I just thought she was joking and laughed it off trying to look cool. I don’t know why that would make me look cool. I was what many called “socially awkward” considering I had never really gone out with people.

To Never See You Again

Although I guess the true question is how I would deal with this fear if I had to face it. If a loved one did die, how could I overcome it? Honestly, I have no answer for that question. I feel I have always impressed myself with my ability to adapt in situations and fight my way out when I’m in trouble which I learned from my father. I have been lucky enough to never lose a loved one in my young 21-year life other than my two grandfathers who I never had a chance to know. I feel as I get older I will learn answers to these questions, I will learn how to deal with death to a loved one and I will be strong enough to go on past it.

Overall, the honest mystery behind losing a loved one, I feel is never being able to see that loved one again, and never knowing when it will happen. I feel when the time comes for me to lose someone that means so much to me, I will know how to deal with it. The one thing that scares me most is not ever being able to just give that person a hug again, never being able to hear their voice, see their smile, or in my parents case, listen to them yell at me. I think about living away at Mizzou, and what if the last time I left home I did not tell them I loved them and never see them again? I would want to ask my father for one last piece of advice, “What should I do if I never see you again?”

Biggest Fear

Thinking about my biggest fear before going to bed had me lost in confusion for a little bit. Keeping me up, debating between which fear would truly be best. Which fear really affects my thinking and the way I live? Then I decided to call my girlfriend to clear my mind before I went to bed and my biggest fear became clear. I fear public speaking, I fear snakes, I fear disappointing my parents or my big sister, however above anything I fear death. Not my own death, for I know when it is my time then I will go in peace and hope to have lived my life to the fullest, but I fear the death of a loved one.

The thought of someday not being able to call someone to clear my head lays my ultimate fear. Not necessarily my girlfriend, but my family. When I think of the fear to disappoint my family, I would much rather disappoint them, than not have them here to tell me they still love me and everything is alright. How much I go to my sister, my aunt and my mom with problems involving girls or school, they always have my back.

I think back to some specific experiences I have gone through and who helped me through those times, if I had lost them prior to that point I have no clue how I would have turned out.
As a younger student, not even 18, my maturity had not reached the level it is today. How I would have come out of that depended solely on my aunt and father who helped me every step of the way.

Fatherly Role Model

Perhaps saying one’s father is a typical answer to the question of, “Who is your role model?” However, I feel typical may not always be wrong. I joke about how Jim Halpert from “The Office” is my role model, and in all honesty, he truly could be. His character on the show resembles much of who I try to be. However, in saying that, I feel in order for someone to be a role model, they must be someone you know, not a celebrity or a Television character. They must be someone you interact with and know during the good and the bad days.

Growing up I always would see my dad playing fantasy baseball (creating a team of baseball players at every position and competing against other fantasy baseball players), studying statistics, etc. and wanted to get involved in that. By age 10, I was playing in the same fantasy baseball league, and beating him in my first season. Now 11 years later as a younger adult, I truly am, in an essence, his “Minnie Me.”

If my father read this, I think he would feel satisfied and successful as a father. In saying that however, I think he would expect it. He has always thought highly of the man I would like to become and in some ways I feel he expects it. I know when I get older he expects me to treat my children the same way he does and I hope I have the opportunities to give my children a great life, just as my father has given me. If anything, he would know I respect him as a great father figure in my life.

A Role Model

When I think of a role model, I first try to think about my personal definition of what a role model means. In doing that, I look at the word model and initially think of someone that I would like to model myself after, whether it be in my personality, accomplishments, or behavior in a social atmosphere. Then to think about the word role, or roles, I think about what that person might do which makes me want to model myself after him. With that said, ever since my years in high school, my father has always been the first person to come to mind when thinking of my role model.

My father has always joked with my sister and me when we would go out and spend his money, “I don’t care what you do with my money. You are just spending your inheritance.” Perhaps, the joke is not as funny to someone outside my family, however for someone who knows my father, that kind of sentence, describes my father in many ways. Throughout my entire childhood and up into college, my father has always been one to make sure I have more opportunities than he ever did, and I have more chances to succeed than he ever thought about as a child. Money has never meant much to my father as something to use for him, the most he ever thinks about money is when my sister or I need something, which describes his quote about inheritance. Money that he makes is for his children, just as he expects us to use our money for our children. Which made him losing his job so sad for him and our family, not necessarily economically, but the idea of how much he could give to us.

On Media and Griffey

Media only focuses on the bad. While this could be an annoyance all in itself, I will condense such annoyance to one of baseball’s deceit and how media focuses all the attention to the steroid users.

Griffey differs from Sosa and McGwire, besides that no one remembers his numbers from 1998, in that he has yet to show up in steroid investigations. The game of baseball lost it’s true meaning as a game to watch and instead became the sideshow. The actual show that fans stick around for is finding out which baseball player’s career will be destroyed by another steroid investigation and/or book published by Jose Canseco. Twelve years following the 1998 season, five years following the steroid hearing in Congress where McGwire said, “I’m not here to talk about the past,” three years following the infamous George Mitchell Report that stated over 100 baseball players that have used steroids came out in 2007. Retired players like McGwire has more publicity about his steroid filled 70 home run season 12 years ago, than Griffey’s 56 in 1998 and Ryan Howard’s 58 home run season four years ago in 2006 (both steroid free we believe). Ryan Howard is an MVP first baseman for the Philadelphia Phillies (for those who may be unaware since his name does not appear in the media on a daily basis as he has chosen to stay away from steroids).

Steroids were a problem in 2005 and needed recognition I get it. I understand the problems in baseball, and thank you for the intense investigation done in order to tell us what athletes’ numbers are deceitful and what athletes should actually be considered role models, however let’s now go back to the “show” as the game of baseball and not the steroids in the locker rooms. I don’t know how exactly to say it, let’s . . . Move On!

I’m tired of hearing about the steroids. I’m tired of wondering which of my once idolized players used steroids this time. Personally I watch the game because I enjoy it. I enjoyed playing it and still enjoy watching it. I don’t give a shit which player used steroids, they are only hurting themselves in the long run and the true test will come out when those steroid users begin to die at a younger than normal age. Sorry to be so blunt but until then, Play Ball.

On Steroids In Baseball

This just in, some Major League Baseball players use steroids. Do we still care? Long time St. Louis Cardinal home run hero Mark McGwire admitted to his use of steroids during the 1990’s and end of the 1980’s. Along with that, America found another heroic baseball player and definite first ballot hall of famer (until his use of steroids became public) to have used steroids in 2003, Alex Rodriguez of the New York Yankees. Steroids have destroyed the integrity in the game of baseball and America’s pastime.

Professional baseball players, playing America’s pastime, are role models and we deserve to know if the players we idolize play with the same set of rules and moral obligation as their opponents. McGwire should not play under the spotlight, as the face of a franchise, and have highways named after him (a highway in downtown St. Louis, Missouri) when he had no more natural talent than the next guy. From that idea, I agree the media should tear into McGwire and his steroid use with everything they have. However, what about the actual role models, the honest players, why do I never hear about them? The great home run race in 1998 was between McGwire and Sammy Sosa smashing 70 and 66 home runs respectively (certainly not to be confused with respectfully), but does anyone remember the guy who hit the third most home runs in 1998? Ken Griffey Jr. hit 56 home runs, 5 away from what many consider to still be the true home run record set by Roger Maris with 61 home runs and yet is forgotten because of the almighty focus on steroids in baseball.

More about the roommates, it's been quite a day

The fun thing about annoyance with roommates, the list gets longer and longer as the days go by. In some instance, it truly is never ending.

Messy roommates are annoying but that is understandable, they obviously lived in a barn growing up, no big deal. I mean I enjoy them using the living room as their personal closet when they live with two other guys. I am entertained when a roommate comes home drunk and tells me the drunken stories. I accept if he leaves a mess from drinking the night before and passed out before he could clean it up, shit I’ve done it. Except alcohol does play into one last set of annoyances with a roommate. When I come home to see him having people over, I am fine with. Then again, figure this one out.

“Hey dude I put your alcohol in your room.” (as I looked in the fridge to see my alcohol missing)
I go to my room and notice my alcohol is still not there.

“Hey so where did you move my alcohol?”

“Oh, it’s right here. I meant to put it in there.” (as he lifts it up from under the table where he and his friends are drinking)

Next to the alcohol belonging to me that he lifts up also sits my sweet tea, Sunny Delight and V8 Fusion juice. I mean I’m fine with a roommate throwing a party; just not realizing my beverage is the host of the party without even knowing. Bullshit, “You meant to put it in there.”

Roommates eating my food

Roommates that eat my food and drink my drank, major annoyance. For starters I’m a guy, meaning, I love to eat, I love food, and like to be able to eat whenever I have a chance. Currently residing with two roommates, both from my fraternity, I now have a mini-fridge in my own bedroom to hide the food I feel are possible suspects to be eaten by the roommates. I developed this list of food through the first four months of experimentation living with them. For instance, jelly is apparently a hot commodity and now must be kept in my room along with bread. Peanut butter interestingly enough, not so popular with the roommates. Dairy products in general seem to be flying off the pantry shelves when kept outside my room and now are kept in the mini-fridge. Kraft singles and milk are definitely high on the list. Recently, orange juice has hit the top five in the list of food and beverage to keep in my room. Most interestingly however, perhaps an annoyance in itself, the roommates do not even attempt to hide their drinking of my orange juice. For example, to finish off one’s gallon of orange juice and leave the empty carton on the kitchen table = BIG hint that someone else drank my orange juice. I guess the “P” my mother always puts on my groceries when she comes to visit didn’t provide a good enough security system for my food.

I never really understood the whole point of putting a first initial on the food. Ask yourself this question: If you are rude enough to eat and drink your roommates stuff, are you going to see their initial and be like, “Whoa, can’t drink that?”

On Individuality and Annoyances

An individual is unique. An individual comes up with new ideas. An individual is different from the norm. An individual has a personality. An individual is original.

Who the hell defined “individual?” Did they just define themselves and label it individuality? When I disagree, simply for the sake of disagreeing and when I root against my friends’ and family’s favorite sports teams just for the hell of it, does that make me an individual? No, it just makes me a stubborn jackass. However by definition, in many ways I would be considered an individual: unique, different from the norm.

What is ultimately an annoyance? A word or phrase, a cell phone, a person, that person’s views and decisions. The answer lies in defining the person. For myself, defining “me” proves difficult at times. Do I consider myself a respectful person? Answers for defining “me” aren’t as simple as yes and no and yet oftentimes we are fast in attempting to define an identity. Defining what annoys us takes very little thought, and yet we think. We think about whom we could offend if they found out they annoyed us. We say, “No offense” before anything that could appear offensive. If a person annoys us, why don’t we just say, “Hey, you’re fucking annoying, stop texting me at 4am.” Where’s the honesty, where’s the excitement in beating around the bush and telling them, “Oh no, you weren’t annoying last night, and that text at 4am? I loved it. Keep ‘em coming.” There’s an urge for politeness over honesty in society and in reality it makes us all unhappy and in constant wonder about the truth instead of wondering about what matters, who we are.

We are given years (birth to death) to define our identity, use the time because we all have our personal streaks we will someday have an urge to chase after and our identity can change in that slight instance.

On Social Rudeness

So maybe we aren’t quite that rude in social conversation, but I would bet more than 50% of the time, someone from St. Louis asks what high school a person went to before asking them their actual name. It’s the norm we grew up in, and the more we hear it, the more we think to ask it. Plus, we find out more and more people from other high schools in St. Louis by always asking the question, which then only encourages the next question.

Following the question of what high school comes my favorite part of the conversation. I get to act all popular and ask if they know any of the same people I know from that high school, even if I only know one or two people from their high school. Then if there isn’t any matches in the people I know and they know, well the conversations dead, and quite awkward. I sit there and wait, brainstorming in my head another conversation starter, but realize my hit question, my number one, unbeatable conversation starter just failed miserably. I’ve always wondered about a chance when I hear someone get all excited and ask me, “Oh, you’re from St. Louis?” and I respond with,

“Yes, I went to Mehlville High School, no I don’t know any of the people you know from there and no, I didn’t like my high school, so don’t try to be smooth with lame jokes about my high school such as Smellville, because I can probably crack better jokes about my own school since I found it quite annoying. Oh, and no I do not like the Cardinals, Rams or Blues, but yes I am a huge sports fan. Yes I know, how shocking? Does that cover just about everything?”

While this would be very rude and probably not make me many friends, it would certainly make for an interesting response from the person who just had all his brain buster questions answered without even speaking a word. At the very least, it would make me sound somewhat like an individual instead of going with the typical life strategy of waiting for someone to ask a question and then replying with a quantitative answer as short as possible following up with “What about you?” Then again, does being a jerk really make one an individual, or does it just make one cynical?

On Conformity

Beyond all the material things such as baseball or technology, one meaningful annoyance exists in conformity and individuality.
While I am a firm believer in the idea that someone can refute almost anything in life, as I am a very stubborn person and enjoy the sake of an argument, conformity is irrefutable. Oppositely, individuality is always refutable and can easily be debated as unattainable.
Conformity is determined as compliance in actions or behaviors, acceptance of norms or even as simple as agreement. I mainly think of accepting norms and complying in action as the essence of conformity. Those around us influence us all, we have all made decisions, performed actions based on thoughts of our peers.
Born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri (until finally moving away to Columbia, Missouri for college), I too have conformed to several thoughts of a typical “St. Louisan.” The first question anyone from St. Louis asks a stranger they meet and find out are also from St. Louis, “Oh, what high school did you go to?” In thinking about this, I have come to a small conclusion about many people from St. Louis.
In no offense to anyone from St. Louis as I too am from St. Louis, we are terrible and unintelligent social conversationalist when it comes to first meeting and introducing ourselves to another person from St. Louis. We don’t bother to ask for a person’s name, it’s over-rated. We’re all expected to be educated college students who thrive for knowledge, but we don’t think to ask about their major or perhaps hobbies they enjoy, or even what they want to do after college. Honestly, I don’t think I ask those questions because we both know if this is our only meeting, then we will never remember each other once this conversation ends. So instead, we have some sort of alarm in our heads that when we hear or over-hear a person is from St. Louis we have to ask what high school. The person were “meeting” could even be very formal but we don’t care,
“Oh your from St. Louis, what high school?”
“Oh hello, yes my name is …”
We cut them off, “Did I ask your name? No, I didn’t. Now, what high school are you from?”

***Continued in On Social Rudeness***

On Drunk Text

People who feel the need to tell me they are drunk = definition of annoyance. Last I checked I had grown up past high school and do not need to tell people I am drunk. If anything, I’m trying to convince them I’m still sober so I can drink more. I enjoy the random drunk text every now and then. I’m accepting of the text, “Hey wwgat ate youy dioing” and in sober world they mean, “Hey what are you doing.” Or perhaps a pick-up line when a girls drunk, “Hey you wanna come over, I’ll pole dance for you. You bring the pole…” This is acceptable. I guess I’m just an understanding guy. The annoyance comes in with drunken text leading nowhere and asking nothing.

For instance, the text at 4 a.m. saying “I’m drunk.” Do they think I give a shit if they are drunk? But wait here’s my favorite. After the 4 a.m. text to announce they are drunk, they text again in the morning around 9 to say, “Sorry, I was drunk last night.” Are you serious? So that’s what the simple text of “I’m drunk” was all about. Thank goodness they cleared this up, I was so confused as to what that text “I’m drunk” could have possibly meant it kept me up all night. Or wait; was it my confusion or the damn text message at 4 am that kept me awake? Besides the text again being pointless and not something I even remotely care about, they woke me up at 4, and now they are waking me up again at 9 to apologize? Here’s an idea, text back in about 3-4 hours to apologize again for waking me up at 9.

Perhaps my biggest problem with the drunken text comes from my lack of understanding. If they are so drunk and having a grand time, why are they texting me? Enter the big leagues of drinking, put the phone down and take a shot. Since when did drunken text become anything more than making a complete full out of myself and saying something I’ll regret in the morning?

On Technology

The rant of annoyances relaxes me. It is so much easier to identify what annoys a person than identify something good that we enjoy. Thus, for this excerpt I will relate my annoyances with technology. Why? Because when I get a new cell phone, I am only told about the “good” things, they don’t tell me about the bad. Well, we deserve to know the bad.

I received an I-Phone for my 19th birthday. I received a “D” on my first Journalism college exam. I received a shattered screen minutes afterwards. Cell phones that break after dropping them once, unacceptable. Walking back to my house from class I fumbled my cell phone when I attempted to grab it out of my pocket. The phone landed on the screen side and shattered. Talk about a day to remember. For the next six months until I could get a new phone, every time I would call someone the glass inside the screen would mute my calls randomly without me knowing.

Also a feature in cell phones, the ability to erase all contacts. It’s a quandary every time I’ve managed to do it, but never the less, it has happened on a few occasions. Now my only question for this, “Why the fuck would I ever want to erase ALL contacts?” Sorry, that feature really just irks me and cell phone companies seem to hide it in the cell phone so we can accidentally do it without even knowing.

On Pet Peeves

I blame the July 8th Fort Wayne Daily News (located in Indiana) for first publishing such a word in 1917 and forcing me to rebel such a term. On that inauspicious day the Liberty Bell cracked for the second time on July 8th in 1835. The economic depression in 1932 also reached a low point of Dow Jones Industrial Average. Topping off the list, the term “pet peeve” was born with this statement found on the Oxford English Dictionary, “Ask seven women out of ten what their little pet peeve is, and they will tell you that it is having a brand new pair of silk stockings ‘drop a stitch’.” I bet it would make a woman mad but not a favorite thing that pisses them off. Not a “pet peeve.” I know I hate when my socks get a hole in them, and I hate when my ankle socks drop below my ankles into my shoe while I’m walking. Notice, I say socks, not stockings. As the times changed we ridded ourselves of an obnoxious word such as stockings. Similarly we should rid ourselves of “pet peeves” and it should join stockings with the same fate, nonexistent.

A “pet peeve” is defined as something that we frequently complain about. The same definition can work for annoyances. I understand a pet peeve was once an idiom, but “was once” is key. Everyone understands what “pet peeve” stands for considering we use it as an icebreaker when meeting people. For instance if I’m hanging with a friend and I see my dog, it would be much easier to just say, “Hey, he’s annoying.” Whether than, “Hey that dog, he’s a pet peeve of mine.” Quite honestly he is not a favorite thing I dislike, he is simply a dog that annoys me. Similarly, technology can often times annoy me.

The Road Blows

Following what seemed like an unbeatable Missouri Tiger basketball team in non-conference regular season play, the dominant success did not carry over into road success.

During non-conference play Missouri went 14-1 with the only loss in overtime against Georgetown, and closed it out with a 40 point win over North Alabama. One unfortunate thing with the first part of their season however: the Tigers only play a handful of road games.

Since Mike Anderson took over as the Head Coach of the Tigers, Missouri had just 2 road games against non-conference opponents in the 06-07 and 07-08 seasons. In the 08-09 season, aside from the tournament in San Juan, Puerto Rico, which the Tigers went 2-1 in, Mizzou played only one game on the road at Georgia. And, last season the Tigers played just two road games at Vanderbilt and at Oral Roberts, both of which resulted in losses. This season also included just two road games (both victories), at La Salle and at Oregon, which they won by just three points over the Ducks. They also went 1-1 in neutral site games in Kansas City against Georgetown and then in St. Louis against Illinois. Perhaps the neutral site tournament games will benefit the Tigers as opposed to strictly road games.

With little road experience heading into conference play, the Tigers had a difficult problem executing the “Fastest 40 Minutes in basketball” while not at Mizzou Arena. This season, Missouri lost their first two conference road games, each of which they were the favorite in. Last season, Missouri won their first road test at Texas Tech, although it took overtime, and then went onto lose 3 of their next 4. The season before, 2008-2009, little road experience once again haunted the Tigers losing their first road test at Nebraska and then their third at Kansas State.

Predictions from the Past

Although, as the 2008-2009 season shows, the Tigers most certainly can bounce back from the early road hiccups. In 2009 Missouri went on to win the Big 12 and earn an Elite 8 appearance in the NCAA Tournament. This season, the Tigers could easily do the same thing as they received a lot of respect in pre-season polls and continue to be ranked in the top-15 week in and week out. Along with that, highly recruited freshman and point guard Phil Pressey seems to have fully recovered from his thumb injury posting 13 points in the Tigers impressive home victory over Kansas State. That along with Marcus Denmon’s ubelievable “coming out season” thus far this year continuing over into conference play, Junior Kim English no longer seems forced to carry the load. Denmon is averaging 17 plus points-per-game, up from 10 last season.

A lot of Tiger fans may look back to the Colorado loss as the most disappointing of the season, or they could later realize that to be the only mistake in a very successful basketball season. Either way, the Missouri Tiger team could reach heights that Mizzou fans didn’t think were possible during the ugly Quin Snyder era. The success of their season largely depends on which team shows up at the tournament and we will get a good look at that late tomorrow night against Cinci. If the best Fastest 40 minutes show up, they have the raw skills to compete with anyone, especially Cinci and more importantly, UConn and beyond.

On Missouri Basketball

I've already mentioned how I have little knowledge about college basketball, and apparently this year had little clue on how to seed the different college basketball teams in the tournament. Vanderbilt and Kansas State received way too high a seed while I think Belmont and Utah State had the cards stacked against them. I was, however, somewhat right about my thought that the Missouri Tigers were by no means a lock for the NCAA tournament.

The Tigers received an 11 seed in the West Region, and following the selection show on Sunday, CBS showed them as the first of the last 5 schools to get into the big dance. Clemson being the very last school. It's funny how quickly a schools hopes for a very successful basketball season can change in a month, or even in Missouri's case, a quick 5 game span over the course of about 2 weeks.

The season had came across struggles, a loss in OT at Texas A&M, a loss in OT against Georgetown. And perhaps before their treacherous end of the season, the bump in the road at Oklahoma State and at Colorado. However, before their trip to Manhatton to take on Kansas State, Missouri still seemed like a legitimate tournament contender. Then, they lost 3 straight, dropped to 6 behind Colorado in the Big 12 conference, struggled to put Texas Tech away in the opening round of the tournament and then seemingly quit against Texas A&M in the second round of the Big 12 tournament.

Now headed in as an 11 seed, the Tigers will take on Cincinnati in the opening round and then most likely play UConn if they can make it to the second round of regionals.

On Fantasy Baseball

Fantasy baseball, fantasy football, or fantasy sports in general, they are truly a funny, interesting phenomenon. First of all, the people you would never imagine playing fantasy sports, your closest college friends, roommates, they all play and just rarely want to admit it. Depending on who they are talking to more often than not determines if they will admit to playing. Guys feel that girls consider fantasy sports nerdy, and most likely several of them may. Although just like with guys, a lot more girls play fantasy sports than one would think or imagine.

Now, fantasy sports can go to many levels. The casual, relaxed player who just plays fantasy with friends when someone says hey were starting a league, you want to join. Then there are the competitive, spend hours a week setting the lineups, proposing trades, making transactions, acting as if you are truly a general manager of a sports franchise. That's the fantasy sports I'm talking about playing, those are the people typically looked at as nerds for playing fantasy baseball and football. Well, I'm a nerd.

This year I will play fantasy baseball in a competitive league costing 150 to play, for my 11th or 12th straight season (I've forgotten a year over time). I will take my entire spring break to read up on notes, scout players, lineups and hopefully prepare to draft a first place team on April 2nd. And following the draft, baseball will consume most of my life. I never used to be so open about playing fantasy baseball, but now I realize it's just apart of my life. My girlfriend gives me trouble for it all the time.

On Spring Training Baseball

My dad and I have always been like 2 peas in a pod when it comes to baseball. We both enjoy fantasy baseball, in fact it seems to consume our life throughout the summer. However, again as with other stories, that story can be explained at a later date. This story begins with Spring Training.

This afternoon I am waking up from my nap early to watch the Atlanta Braves play the Red Sox for a spring training game on ESPN at noon. I rarely ever actually enjoy watching spring training. It's like watching preseason football, I just don't see the point. It's the backups playing a majority of the game, stats don't count nor do they really predict much for the regular season. Players don't play nearly as hard unless they are fighting for the last couple spots on the roster. Yet, I keep trying to act interested by the spring training games, the thought of baseball slowly approaching.

My dad, though, loves spring training or any sight of baseball. He's going to Arizona at the end of the week to go to all the different spring training sites over the next week. I would enjoy the trip, but the games itself would bore the hell out of me.

Nevertheless, at noon I will be up on this day, watching the Braves and trying to scout perhaps a few sleeper picks for the fantasy baseball draft. Most likely, I'll end up laying in bed for the entire game browsing the internet while hardly paying attention to the game at all.

on The NCAA Tournament

I'm not going to act like I have a lot of knowledge about college basketball, I watch the games but I don't really study the teams other than Mizzou. I do, however, understand basketball records and how does a team, no matter their strength of schedule, how does a team like Belmont win 30 out of 34 games and get a 13 seed, or Utah State wins 30 out of 33 games and only earns a 12 seed? The 4 and 5 seeds they are playing, Wisconsin and Kansas State lost 8 and 10 games respectively. Those two teams, though, I understand having a high seed as they beat tough teams throughout the year. My main complaint comes from Vanderbilt, BYU and San Diego State getting such high seeds and the complaint broadens on two perspectives.

Vanderbilt receives a 5 seed and I hardly believe they even deserve to be in the tournament. They went 23-10 in a mediocre power conference and only had two big wins against Kentucky and UNC and losses against South Carolina and Arkansas, two non NCAA teams. Vanderbilt as well as BYU and San Diego State deserve to be in the tournament, but not why so high a seed. If we are looking at strength of schedule, then why did San Diego State get a 2 seeding and only beat one ranked opponent all season? They played BYU twice who was ranked in the top 10, lost to them both times though. And who's saying BYU deserved the high ranking. Besides San Diego State, the only top 25 team they beat all season was UNLV. So how do they rank the teams, draw from a hat?

On Tuning Out

So I know I mentioned I have the unbelievable ability to tune people out and space out in my last post as if it were a good thing. At times I would agree with that statement that it is actually a positive to be able to do that, for instance when I'm trying to say, ignore someone telling me the score of a game when I'm wanting to watch it on record once I get home. Most of the time though, tuning people out tends to get me in trouble.

I've noticed more and more lately that I tune my girlfriend out with ease. It's almost as if I'm thinking it's my mom talking to me. I've learned to tune her out for a while, but most recently I've been doing it to Haley as well. Whether it be after I ask her a question about where we should get lunch or dinner, what movie she'd like to see or what she's doing for the weekend, I sometimes forget to listen to the answers to my own questions. This is when it becomes problematic since she's most definitely going to realize I tuned her out because I have to ask her the question again later. When I tune her out while she's just saying how much homework she has or how tired she is, that's when tuning out can be beneficial especially if I'm just trying to watch a baseball, football or basketball game.

I'm not really sure what to think of it, I know tuning out is rude but I really can't help it. It's an ADD tendency, at least that's what I tell myself. It's just like when I space out during class. It doesn't have to be anything specific even, I can space out while I'm in class trying to take notes or even take a test and start thinking about anything from who's the projected starter for the Atlanta Braves, "Should I pregame before or after the Mizzou game?" or even what I should eat for lunch after class.

Talking During Television

My mother has this obnoxious problem with talking during television. Rather it be a television show or a sports game, she doesn't understand to wait until the commercial breaks. Getting a DVR or Tivo may have been the worst/best thing for my family. It's the best thing due to the fact that either way she's going to talk during the show, during the game, or most annoying, during an interview with a player during baseball tonight where you really want to hear what's being said. With DVR I can at least rewind and re-watch whatever I missed once she has finally stopped talking and stopped asking me questions.

Now, it's the worst thing due to the whole, if you have it you might as well use it idea. Ever since my family got DVR, my mom talks more and more because she always has the excuse that we can just pause and rewind it once she's done talking. Except I personally hate the idea of using something just because you have it. I, instead, prefer the thought of doing things the same way you did them before all the technology, and now that you happen to have it then it's just beneficial in the event that you happen to miss something. It really bugs me having to constantly watch shows in rewind it seems like.

Beyond that though, what annoys me most about it, when someone asks a bunch of questions when your trying to listen to something else, it's harder to tune the person out. If you aren't trying to hear or listen to anyone, then tuning out is fairly easy. More on the unbelievable ability to tune people out and completely space out, that will have to wait for another post.

Frank and Marie

In relation to my post on Everybody Loves Raymond, and my post on noise, I thought back to one of the episodes with Marie and Frank, Ray's parents on Everybody Loves Raymond, and how they sit at the dinner table eating and never even talk to each other.

I mentioned how my generation, the "net generation" enjoys the mere thought/sound of noise, and not necessarily what they are hearing. Hell, I've learned to tune things out pretty easily, but that doesn't mean I don't enjoy the noise. It seems as though the Baby Boomer generation, on the other hand preferred silence as opposed to just noise, at least that's what the episode on Everybody Loves Raymond suggests.

And, from personal experience, with a father in that same generation, he most certainly prefers silence over noise. I can't count how many times he has pissed me off by just shutting off the radio because the volume is slightly higher than he'd like. Why doesn't he understand how to just twist the knob to the left and turn it down?

Frank and Marie are having dinner in silence, they don't speak to each other or anything, it's as if they can read each others minds. Deb, Ray's wife, gets upset with Ray for never speaking to her during dinner and says she doesn't want to grow up like Ray's parents and she wants Ray to take an interest in her and talk to her. However, once Deb sees Marie and Frank at dinner, she seems to find a peacefulness in the silence.

Obviously there is a peacefulness in silence, but is silence another way to communicate as they would suggest?

On the Radio

In a similar realization to my last post, I realized during my drive back from St. Louis that I'm really not digging radio stations all that much. It happens on multiple occasions, and on those multiple occasions I find myself saying the same thing: "HOW CAN NONE OF THE STATIONS BE PLAYING MUSIC?" I have my 6 channel car radio with, generally, 6 different stations saved that I will listen to depending on the day and how I'm feeling about music, so how can all 6 stations be on commercials at the same time? It'd be like if I were watching 6 different shows on television, a for instance, Sportscenter (ESPN), The Office (TBS), How I Met Your Mother (WGN), Two and a Half Men (CBS), Friends (FOX) and Everybody Loves Raymond (MYzou).

Okay so the for instance probably wasn't necessary, but if all those things were on at one time, and they all went to commercials at the same time, I think I'd protest television. However, since it's on the radio for some reason it's understood. Why is it understood that radio stations have 10 minutes of commercials for every 2 or 3 songs they play? Perhaps that's somewhat exaggerated, but I doubt it. I can usually go maybe 10 miles on the highway before I have to turn the station and try and find some station actually playing music.

I guess what gets to me most about it is the realization of how radios are so commercialized. More importantly, it just shows how much of a business the media world and radio truly is, and yet, I still want to go into work with a radio station at some point in my life.

On Noise

I was driving in my car back from St. Louis to go to my house in Columbia and I was listening to the radio, Z1077, although I guess in reality I was just listening to commercials. It took me until the end of the commercial break on the radio, about 5 minutes of driving maybe less but definitely more than 2, for me to realize I had been listening to commercials and not actually music. I came to a conclusion at that moment: my generation, the "net generation" isn't a generation that just enjoys all these different styles of music, the rap/rock/screamo, it's a generation that simply enjoys noise in the background.

Perhaps it is just me, others from my generation may refute this post, but I feel as though my age tunes out what they are actually listening to as they do to parents or even girlfriends and other loved ones, we aren't listening to words, we are listening to noise. I enjoy music, I always have to have the radio on when I'm driving, but when it comes to a long drive, I apparently can listen to commercials and not even realize it, not even try to find another station playing music.

In studying the net generation for my Contemporary Issues and Mass Media Theories course, I've been thinking a lot about the different generations, and most importantly my generation, the "net generation." I feel like noise is a major part of it. We use television as a background noise for doing homework, we listen to our iPod during test. It's not necessarily the words but the noise that interest us.

On Everybody Loves Raymond

I never know how I feel about this show. Every once in a while, I see why everybody loves Raymond, I see the humor of the show. Other times though, I really just can't get into it, I don't find the characters or storyline funny. For me, it's really easy for me to get interested in a show when it's on cable during the day considering I love to procrastinate so if I'm watching something on television that helps me in doing that. I'll watch According to Jim, not that great of a show in my opinion, or even Yes Dear (and I think that show sucks). But when it comes to Everybody Loves Raymond, sometimes the jokes just aren't that great, and other times it can be as funny as Friends or The Office.

I remember when I first started watching Everybody Loves Raymond, my mom had recorded it one night and told my dad and me to watch it because she thought we'd find it hilarious. My mom doesn't exactly have the same humor as us so it's no surprise she would pick a show that doesn't really interest us. The episode, though, actually was a fairly funny one about Marie when she won't take the plastic off the couches because she's afraid of them getting stained or ruined if she ever actually takes the plastic wrap off and let people sit on the actual cushions. When she finally lets Ray and Robert sit on the couch without the wrap they feel awkward and uncomfortable. Most of the humor I find from the show comes from Marie and Frank actually, but more on that in another post.

On Facebook

The more often I use media, the more often I notice the constant changes occurring, some necessary and some unnecessary. I have always agreed with the idea that "if we have the technology, we might as well use it." In fact, I mention that in my reflection paper for this class.
It is true that there are constant advancements in technology, and sometimes we should utilize those advancements, for instance in sports with instant replay or even high definition television, however then there are other things like, let's say, Facebook that I really wish would just stay the same.

Now, I'm not strictly talking about the new addition to where anyone can get on Facebook. I don't necessarily agree with the idea that parents and any adults can get on Facebook but I understand it's a good network for contacting long-lost friends from high school, or even networking with employers. At the same time, they could easily get on another social networking site and network with employers that way.

However, this blog wasn't meant to focus on the older people on Facebook, rather that merely came to thought after I began writing. Instead, I'm talking about the changes in layout, commenting on photos, wall posts, inbox messages, events. I'm not so certain it is because of the technological advancements that Facebook continues to change the layout or what, but I've always believed in the idea, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." Leave Facebook alone.

I realize I'm not the most net savvy student in college so perhaps it's just my lack of utilizing the multiple new things Facebook has to offer that has me frustrated, but I see the new Facebook as continuously making it easier to "stalk" or "creep." The new layouts make it easier for strangers to get information on random, young people less informed to continue to update their privacy settings. All the information at the top of the profile is unnecessary, and I've never liked the "news feed" layout on the home screen page since Facebook first added it a few years ago.

Now that I realize this blog post has been mostly just rambling, this has most definitely been an uphill argument. I don't even remember the past layouts, so what am I really upset about? I just know I used to be on Facebook a lot more and know a lot more about how to use the site. As they keep changing it, I hardly browse outside of my own profile on Facebook.

On Walking at Graduation

With graduation vastly approaching in my life, I still have never seen the point in actually walking at graduation. Of course this doesn't fly with my parents and they are going to make me walk, but as a 21 year old about to graduate from college, I still don't see the point.

Obviously, the parents say about graduation the same thing they say about childhood memories, "At some point in your life you will want thing to look back on, you will appreciate the pictures" or the typical "you will thank me later." I'm still waiting on any of those things to prove true. Nevertheless I will be walking at the May 2011 graduation, and I will be walking grudgingly.

Graduation for Arts and Science is at 7:30 pm on that Saturday night. It's most likely the biggest graduating school simply because they don't break up the Arts from the Science. They already predict it won't end until about 10 and quite frankly, my last weekend as a college student I'd rather spend doing something else than sitting in the Hearnes Center for 2 and a half hours to receive a piece of paper (that isn't even official but the official one will be mailed to me) and not to mention, spend an additional 30-40 bucks on cap and gown, etc. just to have the chance to walk. Don't get me started on what I could spend 30-40 dollars on that I'd enjoy a lot more than a cap and gown I'll wear once.

How I Met Your Mother (Except we didn't really meet)

When I first started watching "How I Met Your Mother" I had to find most of the episodes online so that I could catch up to the most recent episodes. In doing so this also helped me find websites that carry other television series episodes from past seasons and has truly broadened my perspective on different shows I watch. Entering college you go through such a life changing transformation in schedule and lose the opportunity to keep up on weekly television shows and watch new episodes when they first air. With online television, it enables the typical college kid, without the checkbook to have Tivo or DVR, to still watch their favorite television shows. "How I Met Your Mother" is a television series I never had the opportunity to watch as it first became popular once I became preoccupied with school work.

Humor
The humor in "How I Met Your Mother," in my opinion, attracts the typical viewer of sitcoms in today's generation. Barney's character proposes easy to pick-up catch phrases like "Legen... wait for it... Dary" that if people watch the show it's easy to quote and even promote the show to friends. Along with that, the humor in the show and storyline allow viewers to truly relate to the characters, as long as they connect to the humor and have that kind of personality,

Stay Focused

One problem I do recognize with some episodes in the show, the idea of staying focused on the ultimate idea. Several episodes seem to just be the typical sitcom with hardly any storyline or "purpose," the Seinfeld type show, when in this show specifically, the title states the purpose of every show. The purpose is to find out how Ted Mosby's met his children's mother, some episodes don't seem to go along that storyline.

On "Your CIRCUMSTANCE"

I recently had a job interview with a media industry in St. Louis and throughout the interview he went on a roll of constantly talking about my "circumstance." First of all, it's never good when my mind wraps around one thing in an interview, because then I completely space out the rest of the time. This interview proved no different.

Halfway through he mentioned the fact that I had not yet technically graduated with a degree from Mizzou and thus I had a "circumstance" preventing me from starting work when they needed. "If we hire you we will have to deal with your circumstance as that time comes closer."
Stop referring to me as a circumstance. Shouldn't you read through a resume and cover letter before conducting the interview with the person. If you had, you'd notice this circumstance you speak of lacks existence. I have already completed the credit hours for an English degree and thus there is no circumstance. I can start as soon as you need me, I will have a degree in May no matter the "circumstance" and this interview is not off to a great start, under the circumstances that you keep referring to me as a circumstance.

Now, considering how this day started off before the interview, my circumstance wasn't the worst thing. My dog puked in my backseat 3 times on the way to the interview. I showed up at the wrong building (since the websites address isn't most recently updated). And I didn't want to get out of bed after my nap from work so I was running late and had to leave my dog and girlfriend in the car while I went into the interview.

On Procrastination

I thought procrastination would be a fitting post considering the circumstance of this post (a month after my most recent blog post). Once Spring semester of school started and my job, well, continued, I found myself with little time for the online world. Nevertheless, the blog is back.

I've never truly understood procrastination, but perhaps that's just because of my personality, or should I say anxiety because whenever I have something to do, that's all I think about and I can't seem to sleep. Unfortunately, this online class with the laid back 9 month deadline, it doesn't really alert my anxiety meter if you will when I need to do work.

Outside of this class though, school work, papers most specifically, I try to complete nearly an entire week in advance. And, it's not to complete and then go back and look over a few days later to revise, but instead just because I won't be able to sleep otherwise and I want to get it out of the way.

Now, aside from my anxiety, so many people procrastinate. Procrastinate studying for tests, well, I don't even bother to ever start studying since I'm not that good at it, so I suppose I procrastinate that past the deadline. But people procrastinate papers and then write them the night before by popping an adderall and pulling an all nighter. What's the point? We have so much deadtime throughout the week, just set aside 3 hours over two different days, and get it out of the way. Although, I suppose I enjoy sleep more than most people.

You know you wake up too early when...

So I always walk out of work between 7 and 9am after going in at 4 and tell the people I work with, you know you work too early in the morning when ...

Today I did it once again and decided I would make a blog post about it since there are really so many different things you can do for it. Anyways, I'll get to the point. I wrote a paper for non-fiction about how many different things annoy me and figured this would kind of be the same thing. I don't really know if this counts as a legitimate wall post, but here we go.

You know you wake up too early for work when...

-you have to defrost your windows at two different times in the same morning
-you wake up from your nap after work, and you don't really know whether or not you are supposed to be going to work now or if you already worked that day
- you go into work when it's pitch dark out and get off when the sun is on the rise
- you leave for work and your roommates are in the living room playing beer pong from the night before
- you are heading to bed when your roommates are just waking up from a nap before they go out to the bars
- you can't call anyone after you get off work because there is still a good chance no one is awake yet

Blaine Gabbert

I don't want to call any specific people out, although I guess the title of this blog post kind of does that, except I can't help myself but wonder how he could be a first round draft pick in the NFL.

Gabbert has done great things for the Missouri Tigers in the past two seasons as the starting quarterback, however at the same time I feel like he's made many mistakes that he will get destroyed in the NFL for.

After the Oklahoma game, I felt Gabbert would go pro and thought he was most definitely good enough to be a top pick. However, that was when he didn't seem to have happy feet in the pocket and proceed to lose two straight games to Nebraska and Texas Tech. Then on top of that, he has yet to win a bowl game for the Tigers and I don't see how his interception in the Insight Bowl against Iowa that, while I don't blame him for the loss because he did have a great game, was the final blow to the Tigers in why we lost that game.

Those same mistakes in the NFL will put him on the bench. And, there's no guarantee he won't make those mistakes. The fact is, he has suspect pocket presence, he's extremely hit or miss with the deep pass and inconsistent with his throwing accuracy no matter the length of the pass. Everyone says he will be drafted high in the draft and most likely have success in the NFL because he has the "NFL quarterback build" just like Josh Freeman did coming out of Kansas State and nearly led the Tampa Bay Bucs to the playoffs this year.

Personally though, I just don't think Gabbert will be a top quarterback in the NFL, at least not for a few years until he can improve on his pocket presence. If he thinks Nebraska and Texas Tech's pass rush is quick, he has no clue what's going to hit him in training camp.

Redundancy

Ever since this school year started life seems so redundant, and I haven't even started the "real world" yet. I can't even imagine once I start working everyday from 9-5 just how redundant life may seem.

My biggest question, though, is how do people get away from that redundant feeling? Perhaps a vacation, a little change of scenery? I'm not really sure.

I don't even know that it's really that horrible that everything seems redundant. I just don't feel anything changes. I wake up, now I go to work but before then I woke up, went to class, ate lunch, did homework or watched tv and maybe worked out a little bit, ate dinner, went to the girlfriends and go to bed just to repeat the process the next day. And the day after, and day after that. Nothing changes.

Now that I have the job, I still do the same thing just with less sleep. I wake up at 3:30, come home sleep some more and then repeat the class and eating schedule. Perhaps I'm looking for too much out of life, or perhaps, it's my fault and I don't put enough effort into finding new and exciting things to do with my free time. I think I'm just missing my time as a kid a little bit. Or, maybe it's the "winter blues." I'm thinking things are really only going to get a little worse though with the end of football season and baseball season not starting for 3 more months.

Picture Frames

I always wonder: Do guys judge other guys for having picture frames in their rooms? I've personally never been a fan of picture frames, I've never had them and never really wanted them. I had two photos hanging in my room since last school year, both of them of my Godfather. Neither, however, were in a picture frame but instead just thumb-tacked to my wall.

Now, I've had a girlfriend for a few months and with it being during Christmas she and my mom gave me picture frames for Christmas to put a picture of her and me in them. They have the little messages below the picture on the frame, "XOXO" and "LOVE" and "I Love You." I guess my biggest question, is it weird that I kind of like them in my room now?

I've never actually given picture frames a chance and I guess I always figured picture frames were for girls and people with emotions, all that mooshie gooshie stuff. ***I don't know how to spell mooshie gooshie or if it's truly even a phrase***
Nevertheless, I suppose it might be kind of misogynistic of me to feel that frames are only for girls. But hey, I guess I'm evolving because I really actually like the picture frames next to my bed. It feels kind of "Homey."

Week 17

It's the last week of the NFL regular season and that's a sad day for true sports fans.

I've never been a fan of the NHL or NBA and thus February and March are rather boring months in my life. I play fantasy football and fantasy baseball, by about the end of February I begin studying for fantasy baseball, however that leaves February with absolutely nothing to do.

There is so much discussion in both football and baseball about restructuring schedules and the number of games teams play. So... Here is what I propose.

Increase the NFL regular season to 18 games, however do not start the games until the same time around mid-September. That way, the NFL regular season will last through mid-January, then playoffs and the Super Bowl last up until mid to late February. MLB wants to add another round of playoffs, I'm all for that. However, there's no reason to add playoffs and extend MLB postseason through mid-November. Who do they think they are: NHL and NBA? We don't need post-season lasting as long as the regular season. Instead, start the MLB season in mid-March leaving two weeks at the end of the season for the extra round of playoffs. This then leaves me with my one month to study fantasy baseball, and I don't have a boring month like February without any sports to watch.

Hint Hint... probably a blog post coming about how much I dislike the month of February.