Thursday, May 28, 2009

The end of school, the beginning of life

Schooling seems to last forever. And frankly, it kind of does, considering after finishing 13 years (if you count kindergarten) you have to go to college. That's a lot of learning. How are people still so dumb? That's another discussion altogether.

But I'm almost done with school. And I couldn't be happier. I'm sick of hearing from everyone that this is the best time of our lives, and you should cherish college, and you don't want to go out into the real world, it's boring! Sick. Of. It.

How do they know what I want and don't want? I'm sorry your lives are boring, but they certainly don't have to be. My college life is boring. I go to work and class all day, then come home and, instead of making dinner and relaxing, I microwave something and do homework into the wee hours. Where's the fun? I work hard to get good grades -- so this generally continues on my weekends, with a side of hitting Lucky's for a hockey game or home to get away from Athens.

Maybe everyone else slacked off in college -- that's where the fun was. But this isn't the fun part of my life, I can feel it. Getting married in July and starting my adult job and paying taxes and bills doesn't make me a boring, old married person. I'm excited to do that. Making dinner with my husband, sitting down and watching stupid television shows, then laying around until we go to bed -- how is that not fun? I'm not doing HOMEWORK!

I want that life. I want to be young and married, sharing my growing up years with my husband, traveling as long as we're able, enjoying the outdoors, eating at fantastic dive restaurants along the Oregon Coast. Why are people so cynical?

I'm also sick of hearing from many, many people who have been married for many years that we're going to hate being around each other in about 5 or 10 years, and that we'll cherish time away. Everyone is different, and your unhappy marriage is no reason to impose your rude comments on me and my fiance. I don't care about your life, your lack of fun, respect and sex in your relationship. The aligning element to all of these people who have passed on this wise advice is that none of them are married to their best friend, someone they need to be around constantly. You talk to your best girlfriend on the phone all the time, go out to lunch and shop. The men go to the bar and watch sports and talk about sports and food. Guess what? I do all of those things with him, because we have all of those things in common. Maybe you should have considered that before you got married. Sharing things with your spouse is allowed, believe it or not, no matter what American society with their 50 percent divorce rate would tell you.

He's my best friend, and I'll be damned if everyone tries to throw our future marriage under the bus before we've even said our vows.

So despite all your amazingly helpful adages about being an adult, I'll intelligently ignore them all and live my life the way I've always imagined it. Have fun being boring.

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Superstitions


Do you see what's different in this picture from last year? All three of them are quite exuberantly touching the Prince of Wales trophy. If I remember correctly, Sid never came close to the trophy last year, out of superstition.

See where that got us?

Seems like we've matured. We have confidence. In fact, we ooze it from our pores. We relied on luck last year to get us to the finals, where we lost to a clearly superior team. This year, there's no need for it.

HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO


Why hello again, Prince of Wales. No time to bask -- next stop Lord Stanley! Sid the Kid and Geno, the modern-day Mario Lemieux/Jaromir Jagr. They deserve their names on the Cup many times over.




Winding down

Final projects and papers, my mind is mush rolling around in my head. I have bigger fish to fry come July, and I really just wish it were July right now. Then I know I would be closer to moving on. I'm ready to close this chapter, and move onto a new one -- one that doesn't include writing a paper on a Sufi martyr or the Athens parking services.

I'm anxious. But the good kind, where I know I'm waiting for something wonderful, but don't actually want to wait for it. Funny though, the thing for which I'm anxious would know exactly how to make me calm down. If only.

If only it weren't May. If only I had tried to graduate early. If only hockey could continue for the next few months so it could occupy my time until then. If only football could start earlier so I could worry about that instead. If only schoolwork wasn't the sole thing I have to wrap my mind around. If only I weren't such an impatient person. If only I didn't depend on him for my well-being.

But I do. And for that I'm eternally grateful. If only it didn't make things so difficult right now. I could concentrate better if I had a weekend visit. I could be less irritable. I could be less impatient. But 3,000 miles is a long, expensive trek for just a few days.

I'd wait a lifetime. But I certainly wouldn't enjoy it.

Thank you


For your wonderful son, and letting him unite with Sid the Kid in a thoroughly epic combination that will surely hoist the cup. If not this year, then some year in the future.

Thursday, May 21, 2009

Hats off to Evgeni Malkin

Game two of the Eastern Conference Finals definitely didn't disappoint. Well, for the Penguins fans, at least. What started out as a close game of back-and-forth goals turned into a scoring contest, with my Boys of Winter coming out on top. Winning 7-4 and going up 2-0 in the series before they head south -- now that's sweet.

What's truly awesome, though, is the accomplishments of the boys. Chris Kunitz finally found the back of the net for the first time during the playoffs, and looked so happy I thought he was going to cry.



Adorable. Man deserved it.

Another great accomplishment was Evgeni Malkin's lovely hat trick. Relatively quiet during most of the series with the Capitals, Geno finally burst back onto the scene with a strong game tonight. Expect him to continue this for the rest of the series, now that he's found his groove. I wish I had a screen cap of how cute his parents were after he scored that third goal, with his dad planting a big old kiss on his mom. Such supportive parents -- they must be so proud.

One thing I noticed glancing into the crowd (aside from one of the Hanson brothers! Oh my gosh!) were many Geno for MVP signs. I love Geno, and I campaigned for him to win the Hart Trophy all season, but frankly, I'm over it. Not like I think he doesn't deserve it, but I've forgotten about it, in lieu of the playoffs. 

Ovechkin will more than likely win the trophy, and good riddance. He may be a complete tool and inadequate at playing defense, but he scored the most goals, and that's what counts to the people watching hockey and voting on it. Frankly, I value assists over goals in a Most Valuable Player because someone who wills others to score is fulfilling the namesake of the honor.

But I don't care if Geno gets it. I'd give up 956 Hart Trophies for a chance at the Stanley Cup. And the fact of the matter is, Geno still has a chance at that, while Ovie is probably golfing.

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Silverback vs. the White House

James Harrison, the Steelers' defensive virtuoso and NFL defensive player of the year, will not be going to the White House on the routine, post-Super Bowl visit. Everyone is making a big deal out of this, but oddly enough, didn't care when he skipped out on the last White House visit a few years ago.

According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, he cites a fear of flying as the reason for jumping ship on both visits. But why do people care now, when they didn't care the last time? Maybe because he's now a high-profile, and not to mention high-paid, athlete. Maybe because of his often-replayed, slow-motion touchdown return before halftime of this year's Super Bowl.

Or maybe it's because last time they were visiting George Bush, the controversial and much-criticized president, and fans figured it was okay for him to dislike Bush. This time around, that's not so forgivable, with the historic President Barack Obama thoroughly settled into the White House. Are media outlets trying to make this into a political statement? Are they reading too much into this, as they often do?

Maybe they're just bored. It's the offseason, and what else are these sports media super giants going to cover? Brett Favre might return. Manny ended up "just being Manny," and got suspended. In other news, Lord Stanley is rolling over in his grave as the Stanley Cup Playoffs continue on, passing by performance-enhancing drugs and aging quarterbacks.

A new beginning

Well here I am, a journalism major just now getting into the world of blogging. I read so many blogs, but never got around to making one of my own, mostly for the reason that I had no idea what kind of platform on which to write. I'm a sportswriter, but how many more Pittsburgh sports bloggers does the world really need? Don't get me wrong, I'll still be weighing in on my beloved Steelers and Penguins, especially now during the quest for the Stanley Cup. I have too many opinions on the public affairs of sports to not share them.

I also love food, but don't know enough technicalities to write a food blog -- all I know is that is tastes good. Travel is my other passion, and of course living in the Northwest and a soon-to-come honeymoon in August will lead to travel posts. I guess I'll just be writing about how I'm adjusting to married life 3,000 miles away from home, in a place where Steeler fans are few and far between, and it's too difficult to find a good steak for a cheap price.

But don't expect frivolous tales of my life. I'll be living with two cats and a boy who prefers to wear jeans and a Browns t-shirt over going out for a fancy night on the town. Luckily, I'm the same way, minus sporting the hideous brown and orange. Besides, Coos Bay isn't the most hopping place to be in the Northwest, and especially not when you don't know anyone your own age. Being a 20-something in a coastal town should be interesting. At least we'll have each other.