Winning the Race

My friend Caitlin always says "slow and steady wins the race... except in an actual race."

After we ran the March Mad Dash 5 miler last weekend we went to dinner with Neil's family, and when we mentioned the race to his 5 year old brother he said "well, did you win?"

I laughed, thinking of the hundreds of people there, and said something very teacher lesson-y like "No, we didn't technically win but we tried hard and had fun. So in a way we all won." (or something lame like that)

Then I came home and checked our race results - only to discover that my husband did technically win! He placed first in his age group!! He killed it!

So if having a public blog with limited readership has any benefits - its to brag about your husband right? He's too humble to do it (that guy!) - so someone should.

He started the race in his old muddy shoes, the one with a hole in the bottom. He wore a Guns N Roses sweatshirt and he carried no gel packs. His only real "training" was with me - at my slooow pace.  So imagine my surprise, that this unassuming (and handsome) man went and won the race!

Well done Neil!  next time we'll stick around and let you claim your prize

inner teenager

Since my recent addiction to young adult literature, I've decided to embrace my inner teen...

I'll admit to you freely that I've watched the Hunger Games trailer somewhere between 4 and 7 times.

I'll confess that I own this exact cotton candy flavored chap stick.

And I'll sheepishly say this video of Paul Rudd reading relationship questions and giving advice for the pre-teen site "Rookie" makes me blush a little. Maybe I could tell Jessica to tell Caitlin to tell Paul that he looks really cute in those glasses.

Los Ridiculous

come on NBA, what's going on here amigos?

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I was going to let it slide when you pulled this with the Heat (They're in Miami, maybe they love Spanglish there. I don't know, but I was only mildly confused).

Then I've seen it cropping up more and more, and last night was the pinnacle of my disappointed head shake: "Los Bulls" played "Nueva York Knicks"

thats loco

It was Spanish Heritage Night - and they celebrated by... bastardizing the language.
For those of you that don't habla espanol, you probably still remember the great Chris Farley. Somehow, I don't think the NBA is going for the exact same joke.

I vote they either go all out with true spanish - trust me, Americans can handle it. We'll still be able to identify Derek Rose, even if we don't automatically know that "toros" means bulls. (In fact maybe we'll learn something!)

Or I vote they stop el shenanigans. Gracias.

(if any of you readers were celebrating Spanish Heritage Night and want to weigh in, your opinion is desired)

Awesome Things

I was going to say now that its getting nice out - here comes the loud subwoofers and the weed wackers and shouting children that play outside. I was prepared to share with you a well developed Concussion Sh*t List: Spring Edition

But all you headache free people appear to be really happy with the change of season and your affective disorder appropriately titled SAD seems to be melting with the snow.

Which leads me to begrudgingly join the joyful masses and share something nice, something awesome:
Here are 1000 Awesome Things

I mean, who doesn't love when you hit that point in the book where you suddenly can't stop reading

#236

or the first shower you take after not showering for a long time

#964

or my personal favorite, watching cream go into coffee

(if it's iced coffee in a clear cup, I pretend a silent bomb is detonating in a very brown world)

#563

I won't ruin the fun by listing them all here but go to the website. Feel the happiness of life's awesome gifts.

I have to go now and shower for the first time in 3.5 days and captivatingly add some cream to my coffee. (okay, I'll be honest, I'm not doing anything until I finish the last 100 pages of Catching Fire)

Tiny Desks

Today is a day I feel sunny and hopeful about springing forward...

yet also very very exhausted (maybe the afternoon downpour punctuated my mood)

Despite the birdsong outside, I have the urge to pull up an afghan, sip some earl grey, nibble ginger snaps, and listen to good music.

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Maybe you'll want to join me on that last part. I got addicted to NPR's Tiny Desk Concerts a while ago and on days like today I could blow through four or five of them. I recommend Iron & Wine, Esperanza Spalding, Civil Wars, and Lost in the Trees

oh, and how could I forget the Decemberists

Colin Meloy, you make multitasking look easy

Today at the tiny desks they posted a concert by a group called Real Estate - I had never heard of them till this afternoon, but they were just the kind of the thing I needed (NPR always knows what's best for me). Enjoy!

HAPPY WEEKEND! hope you feel wonder and awe

This weekend I get to spend time with my awesome nephew, who is almost 7 months old now. (How? How do they grow so fast ?!)

He is at the perfect age when you can actually see him discover the world around him - you can really watch it - he shows it all in his little expressions. (He would be terrible at poker).

Its so fun to see him drop the toy, get the toy, drop the toy... then look at you- amazed that he's learned gravity.

Then there's the wonders of having one bright plastic cup, then two bright plastic cups, then oh my lordy they nest inside each other! I love the pure shock on his face when the smaller one disappears.

Its just object permanence buddy, you'll get it soon.

I feel a sense of amazement watching him as he's watching the world with a sense of amazement.

















I hope you get some of that confusing, awe inspiring, good stuff this weekend (and to top it off, I hope little leg fat, knee dimple action comes your way too)!

Brackets

I know what you're thinking. I can't wait for selection sunday either.

So here are some brackets you can fill out in the meantime. (watch out for the 5/12 upset)

Scott Van Pelt's show has done an MC's bracket. Before you get upset too, I'm aware. My cousin and I have already discussed it and the seedings are all wrong (Tribe has to go against Jay and Run in the East Coast bracket? not okay.), There's no Fugees. No Roots. No Missy Elliot. No Lil Kim... seriously NO ROOTS? But it's still fun to play, especially if you can't wait for selection sunday.

Grantland has taken characters from The Wire and worked out a way to find out who is the best with Smacketology. Its clear I'd pick Omar, but Bunk could be a dark horse. (Sgt Ellis Carver, you didn't even make the field but I always loved you man.)

And while the voting has concluded for these below - the science of bracketology has prevailed - giving us results in some of life's greatest questions:
~ Stankoff: the greatest Outkast song
~ Souper Bowl: the ultimate soup bracket
~ Hovafest: the best of Jay-Z 
~ Who won 2011
and the ever controversial
~ Condiment Bracket

If all of this still isn't enough to keep you at peace until Sunday night. You can create your own bracket here. I am working on one for my future career ideas, I'll be soliciting your votes soon enough.

Dear Tray Woodall

I had another letter for your team mate Ashton but it wasn't hopeful or nearly so kind. When he put that towel over his eyes yesterday, unwilling to watch the end of the game the season, and I shouted at my espn3 streaming "great! that's a metaphor! If I have to witness this so should you!" - I knew I was not in a healthy enough place to write to him.

one of these things was not like our leader

His season didn't turn out how he wanted, on any level. I can sympathize with him for that, but I can't agree with how he used the the hand he was dealt. In life, a lot of people's 'seasons' don't turn out how the imagine - do they put the towel over their eyes? no!.... (breathe, calm. Tray, I'm sorry I keep loosing my cool here. What's done is done. The season's over. Let's talk about you.)


*note after writing this, Ashton gave a very kind and humble interview taking blame for the season. and I ate some crow


I mention all this stuff about Ashton and his leadership because that's what I believe to be our gaping wound this season. (that and a struggling front court game, but more so the leadership thing).

The night we found out you got hurt, my husband and I went to dinner and we got into a heated debate healthy discussion about what makes a good point guard.

We said the top five are:
1. assist to turnover ratio
2. ball handling
3. range of shooting (so you're a threat outside but can penetrate when needed)
4. knowledge of the game/playbook
5. and solid defense

My husband said you have all of that (aside from some difficulty getting burned on man defense - which you've improved). My husband's prediction: your injury will be the downfall of our season.

"woodall to miss five weeks"

I agreed with the top five skills he attributed to you - you're a fine guard. However, when it comes to point guards - I added that more important than ANY of those 5 things is that X factor (excuse the conjured up Krauser image of crisscrossed forearms). The thing I'm looking for is the ability to rally the team behind you, the confidence to take the last shot, the carrier of the morale.

*I don't feel it NEEDS to be the point that has this X factor but someone has to have it and no one on this year's team did... maybe Nasir had the most heart but if your forward has heart and the ball is turned over before he can even get it then there's problems.

My prediction: that your injury would be the best thing for our panther team. I said either a leader would emerge - Ashton or someone else would step up as point guard - or you would sit on the sidelines and it would effect you. Then in your return, we'd have our game changer.

Maybe my husband was right - the season did downfall. (as a life long fan, I have braced myself for dips, I'm okay with it). But maybe you can make it so I'm also right. Travon, when you came back there were flashes of great things. Hold onto that - let that sidelined time and the poor season change you instead of using it as a reason to throw in the towel.

You have the skill. Work on your turnovers a bit, square up your shot, and keep up with the defense (minor stuff really). But I love that with your size difference you'll still drive into the lane, and I love that you always look for the assist. You have good bones. Use them. Own this team... because a new crop of players are coming.

And this is the best part  - the panther's still need a leader.  

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Sincerely,
the girl sheepishly asking for what channel they air the NIT