Saturday, December 11, 2004

Saturday Night, Still 6 Days Left

Yeah, I know, its my second post of the day, but I gotta keep updated. Who knows by the end of the night, I might have another post to put up. Soo, after last night, we slept late and we went to the SIU/Murray State basketball game. We showed up a half-hour late, but was well worth it. SIU won 80-71 thanks to clutch shooting, pressure defense and a raucus crowd at the SIU Arena. I went wit John, Hoos and Vinny. It was great cuz we were loud and we won, I'm glad to be cheering a winner, that is what college is all about, women and sports. If you can't have success with one, there's another and you better be happy there, and I am. I loved SIU football, the #1 team in the regular season. I've never been a part of a #1 team in my life and it was a great experience being on top for that time. The basketball team is something I've always paid attention to, and i'd love to be headed to the sweet 16. If not, I can always cheer on my boys in Chapel Hill, UNC baby. So, I guess today was a good day. I did nothing but sleep, be online, go to the basketball game and eat. Oh and I finished my english paper, and that feel good, now I'm free. Um, I have a lot on my mind. It's weird, because as soon as I say everything is back in balance, or is getting to that point, stupid shit happens. Like women. Don't take this personal, but I hate women. All of them, they drive me nuts. I cannot believe the way they treat me sometimes. Okay, I take it back, all of it. I love women, my mother is a woman, and that helps. I love being single, in fact its pretty cool. You save a lot of money that way and avoid a lot of confrontations. But whenever the holidays come around and then you feel lonely. It starts after Thanksgiving when its time to go Christmas shopping. No one special to shop for, and you've got your friends in your ear asking you what to get for their girl. Then Christmas time comes around with all that damn mistletoe. I could never find any, and when I did, I couldn't get them girls under a mistletoe. It was like trying to get a rat in the rat trap by putting cheese on it. It just didn't work. So then there's Christmas dinner only with family, no special someone. Then there's my favorite holiday, Valentine's Day. It is the devils holiday, why do you think there is so much red and hearts being shot at? That is the one day that I hate, absolutely. Its unlucky, its horrible, it takes money out of my pocket. Oh the joys of losing money and depression. I don't know what else to say, I was in a good mood earlier, and now I am just pissed off because right when I start feeling good about something, there's something to be pissed off about. I need a drink, but can't get one. I'm flat broke! Look for a new posting sometime either at midnite or sometime tomorrow.

Saturday Morning, 6 Days Left

6 days left in the semester...YAY! I'm so happy, but I got a lot of stuff to do. I have to do a final draft of my final english paper, I might be doing a re-do of my communications paper because I have a bad feeling about it, and I have to study for 3 finals next week. Not to mention fit in time to pack, clean up the room and get my stuff together to go home next Friday by 3:15 so I can check out on time and get to the train station before 4 o'clock. Whew, thats a lot on my plate, but I'm a hungry kinda guy, so I'll just take it. So, to summarize: 1 Final english paper, 1 final monday, 1 final wednesday and 1 final on thursday. Jobs to do: Call work, get packed, clean the room and get my stuff together. I'm really looking forward to getting this week over and done with. Because not only will I be putting the school part of the semester behind me, I am putting behind me a semester full of ups and downs worthy of a storybook ending. But we won't see one of those for a while for the simple fact that, if I can compare my life to writing a book or a script, I left a lot of loose ends open and it could either end this year, or 4 to 5 years down the line. It's one of those running storylines. College is one big soap opera full of twists and turns and decisions that could be second guessed like you were a football coach. I have a few goals for next semester. I want to write, as much as I can, that is why I will be filling out an application to write for the school paper the Daily Egyptian. Even though I have absolutely no experience when it comes to writing for a newspaper, I have faith in myself and in my writing ability to get the job done. I want to focus more on the school side of college and lean back when it comes to partying and social life. I have enough friends and acquaintances here to be happy when it comes to having a social life, I'm not anti-social, by all means necessary. But if I do better at school, I'll feel better about going out on weekends. That is when I will make my decision when it comes to me drinking again. As soon as I get back in balance, I will be able to look myself in the eye and be able to control my drinking and say to myself, "I'm all good."
The First Step
I believe the first step to a re-birth of my college life and to my happiness came last night in a strange way. It feels like its the first time since the beginning of the year that it was a Friday night and I wasn't going out to get drunk. It was a strange feeling, because thats what you do in college on the weekends, go out and get plastered. Last night, I went out to see a movie. We went to go see Ocean's Twelve and some of us went to see Blade Trinity. It wasn't just me though, it was damn near the whole floor. It was the gang, basically. There was about 14 of us, in 3 cars going to the movies. We packed 3 in the front of a pick-up truck and 6 in a 4 door Olds. 5 fit in a 89 Crown Vic, and we were out. Oceans was great, very well done and will keep you guessing to the end, and when you get to the end you are gonna be like "how did they pull that one off?" But the turning point was on the after the movie. I felt strange for some reason, and not because I was battling a cold sitting out in the flat bed of a pick up truck, I felt strange because instead of being out getting drunk, dancing and looking to get some, I went out and I chilled out, just like I used to do on the weekend. It was a great feeling to be able to be out and relaxed without peer pressure, alcohol and other unnecessary crap. A couple of more weekends like that, and I will be a very happy man.

Friday, December 10, 2004

Good Afternoon, and Happy Friday!

One more week. I'm so happy. I got one final at 8pm on Monday, I got extra credit final monday too, but thats much earlier. No one is happier than me that the semester is ending. Because next semester the room is mine and its gonna be great. Mine all mine, its gonna be great because i'm not gonna deal with disappearing food, dishes or any other crap that was mine and used without my persmission. Let's see, oh yeah, and maybe I'll get laid. Who knows with my roommate gone i can finally open up again and start fresh all over again. Fresh start at school, fresh start socially as well. Won't be tied down with people mistaking him for me and etcetera. I might actually have another roommate next semester, I got a guy that wants to live on our floor, so maybe I'll go in wit him. It'd be alright. Well, thats it, I'm gonna go see Ocean's Twelve, cuz 12 is the new 11. Holler.

Thursday, December 09, 2004

Views, Thoughts, Opinions, Ideas and other B.S. with only 8 Days left in the semester

Fact or Fiction:

1. 'New York' by Ja Rule, Fat Joe and Jadakiss is his best released single since 'Holla Holla.' FACT. Its true, difference is that 'Holla' was a solo project in which he was raw on the scene. Sure, he sounded like DMX without the street savvy, but his aggresiveness was there and so was potential. Other song titles on the album included murder, hoes and motherfuckers, but then he went soft, like a bitch. He turned in his aggressiveness to sing to ladies. That's like if Randy Johnson gave up on his fastball to throw nothing but change-ups. Sounds like not a good idea for fans of raw and rugged New York rap. All in all, 'New York' has an awesome beat and gives people from the Big Apple something to be proud of.

  • Ja Rule will be embraced because of the hit status of 'NY'. FICTION. First of all, his verse isn't the best on the track, it is the worse. Fat Joe's "Even Roy Jones was forced to lean back" and Jada's AOL line stole the show from Ja. If Fat and Kiss weren't on the track, it would just be another Clapback, a song with a cold beat with a bitch on the track. That is like if Lil Jon or Dr. Dre wasted a beat on New Kids on the Block, it'd be wrong, dead wrong. But most likely, if Jon or Dre do it, its gotta be for a good cause, no matter who its for. 'New York' is looking like it is going to get a new remix co-starring T.I. representing Atlanta and Ice Cube representing the West Coast. Finally, Ja Rule has figured out the only way he can sell records again. He could just get great artists that are better than him to sell the record. Might put money in his pocket, but sure as hell won't save his career. In fact, I'm waiting for the G-Unit comeback to New York where they rep New York and rip Ja Rule. After that I'm waiting for the Twista remix, cuz he remixes everything and probably has a few verses in his head already. Twista, Kanye and Shawnna--Chi-towns fienst. "We love the Chicago Cubs and hate the New York Knicks/homie I'm from Chitown."

2. Carlos Beltran will not be in a Houston Astros uniform next year. I've gotta say FACT. During the playoffs, he was on the record saying that he loved playing in Wrigley Field and wouldn't mind playing in Chicago. From the reports from the Houston locker room, he and his teammates left on sour terms after the game 7 loss in the NLCS in which Carlos Beltran was the true MVP of that series. If Carlos doesn't return, neither does the Rocket. Beltran's move or lack of it pretty much decides who will be in the race for the NL Central next year.

  • Carlos Beltran will definetly sign with the New York Yankees. FICTION. Other teams pursuing Beltran include the Angels, Cubs, Astros, Phillies, Mariners, Mets, and Orioles. Carlos has also said on the record that even though he likes the city of New York, that he does not want to play in a city in which he will inherit a lot of pressure. Well, there goes Philly, New York and Baltimore. The Mariners are far from a winner, the Astros won't pony up all of the money and that leaves the Angels vs. Cubs. Carlos loved the AL, but had more success in the NL. And there is no city where he could shine like in New York without major pressure. Besides the me and my legion of doom like Cub fans who are thirsting for a championship by all means necessary, who is going to pressure the Cubs or the Trib to win right now? Joe Yuppie making conference calls from his suite sipping on Old Style like it was a French wine. How about Jane Hoe looking to bang either someone in the bleachers, box seats or in the back of Kyle Farnsworth's gigantic GMC Yukon. Carlos, I as a fellow Puerto Rican, am opening my doors to you to come to Chicago, not during a weekend set as a visitor, but for a long term relationship. We have an awesome Puerto Rican parade in June, usually during hopefully the second most important championship, the City Championship, which we own. Carlos, come to Chicago, and be crowned King of the Midwest!

8 Days Left

Joy to the world, there is only 8 days left in the semester, and there is no one happier than I am. Even though I am losing a friend and a roommate I'll make the best of it. For one thing it will be easier to sleep. I was already a detractor of country music, now I damn near hate it. To be honest, some of their videos can be funny, especially the ones mocking the hicks making the music, or ones with hot chicks, but after that, nothing. Depressing music about hunting dogs dying, wives/sisters leaving and a man who has no more liquor can only go so far. So, next music, there will be no country music blaring at the highest volume level the TV can handle without exploding. There will be no unwelcomed or uninvited late night visitors when I have a class at 10 am next semester. However, there will be no more drunks to look after in my room, unless they all congregate in my room. I will have a room to my own, to study in peace, to sleep in peace and to hopefully bring back some honeys...YEAH! I'll prioritize and re-evaluate my college situation and make some new decisions. In other news, there is only one more drinking day until further notice. In a breaking news story, Saturday night, I made a very brash and unneccessary decision. I am dropping alcohol. Why you ask? Why would you stop drinking in the most notorious party school in the country? Because, that's why. First of all, it is a damn expensive habit for a kid who doesn't have a job and who's parents are squeezing every penny they got to make this college experience worth it. I also now see myself falling into old habits that I used to get into when I used to drink freshman year. Yes, I admit it now, I drank freshman year before I went to school. I had a hook up, and as I looked back, it was stupid because the only reason I did it is because I wanted to fit in. It cost me, not in the gradebook where the only class I blew was drafting, thats because my motor skills aren't up to par, had nothing to do with alcohol, I never even got unnecessarily drunk, that I could remember, well a couple of times. But there's nothing you could do about it now, I have forgiven myself for that and those of you who read this now, I beg for your forgiveness as well. Saturday night, at the pit, I took a look at my surroundings and only 1/4 way through my lemonade/vodka I flashed through my life. Missed opportunities, immaturity, stupidity, and an old need to fit in. That was the old me, a me that I thought was gone a long time ago. I have finally learned that alcohol is not needed for friendship, it just causes problems. I have friends that will be my friends no matter if I drink or if I don't, and that is what is important, true friendship. Not friendship through a bottle of Absolute, Bacardi, Jack, etc. but friendship through connections you make by being sober and introducing yourself as yourself, not a modified drunk version of yourself. Oh, and that thought that alcohol will help get you laid, the answer is no, I'm still a virgin, and you would think alcohol would help out my visual features. But honestly, who wants to take home a drunk? So, I have put one day aside to drink, and I don't know when that day is. It will be during the winter vacation in which I will call upon my friends to celebrate 1st semester of college with one final drink with their favorite drunken Puerto Rican. Then, I can move on in life. I will put away the anger, depression and all the evils I find with alcohol and put them away for good, with help from my friends. I thank them ahead of time. Will I drink again after that, yes. However, it will be my decision and my decision only. There will be no peer pressure, no trick drinking, no half-assed excuses either. I will learn from my past and will rise again.

Dorm Stories

To protect the names of the innocent, the names here have been changed....One day Jane was visiting James late one night. James seemed to lose the remote, or so he thought. He looked everywhere, but couldn't find it anywhere. Later that morning, the channels were changing miraculously as before Jane left, she gave James the remote back. There, at that point, James swore revenge. Later the next night, James came up with the old idea of putting shaving cream in a bag and putting it under the crease of the door and having it seep through the door cracks and on to the floor. He succeeded in his revenge, but Jane was madder than ever. When James suddenly left to achieve a higher level of knowledge, Jane and her friend Dave made their move. Jane and Dave took James mattress and through it down the stairwell and took his clothes from him. Later, others chipped in. Mark and Randy disassembled James' bed and put it back together in an end lounge. Later others put his clothes on top of his bed along with trash and exploded a condom balloon on top of it. Now, James has returned with a higher level of knowledge, but angry. His stuff was missing and who was to blame, his poor, defenseless and sleepy roommate Jose. He threatened Jose's stuff would go missing, but Jose threatened back. "Mess with them, you won't see them and they won't see you ever again. Mess with my stuff, you'll be seeing me a lot." Jose, as smart and as tired he was after being rudely awakened, went to sleep next door. James did not get his stuff back into the room until the next afternoon. He threatened all as if he was a terrorist planning his last stand before his last hurrah. For the next 8 days, we are all on high alert.

To End on a Positive Note

I don't know how to end this on a positive note, so I am writing as I am thinking. I am going to apply for a job with the school newspaper. I am hoping this is going to be my big break into writing. I have been told and named 'The Best Writer You Have Never Read.' and that is a dignified position for someone with no journalism experience. Sure, I wrote on the side, I wrote my own opinions and thoughts as if it was a newspaper (one that was roughly done without editing or proper language.) I have always had a love to write, since I was in first grade writing at a higher level than other students and I was writing in a Young Authors course in which I used my creativity and wrote mystical stories with the creativity and liveliness of a child with the maturity of a young and growing writer. After I transferred schools in 4th grade, my career in Young Authors ended as well. I wrote essays though, good ones too. Back in my second grammar school, there was one every year that we were forced to write and the best were sent to overseas. Every year, there were two deadlines, one for the ones to be submitted for overseas competition, and one for a grade. I never thought I was good enough to be considered with these kids who have had a better, magnet school education all of their life. And every year, my teacher would tell me: "Luis, if you had turned this in before the first deadline, you'd be heading overseas." The other thing they told me was that I never worked to my full potential and that if I ever did, I would make it big. I am now realizing that, and with a little push here and there I am workign toward my full potential. One day, my goal is to make an impact in the media. I want my own newspaper article hopefully covering my favorite home town sports teams (Cubs, Bears, or Bulls), or an advice article (it is so much easier to solve other peoples problems than my own, I've realized that too, or maybe even covering the hot news or an opinion piece, because everyone knows that I have an opinion about everything. Hopefully that can lead to a career in the radio business. Playing the hottest music out there, flirting with barely legal girls that want to hear a song and will do anything to hear it ( so that sounds kinda wrong, I take it back. But hey, there are these DJs that sound like they are in their early-mid 20s and in truth and honesty these guys are 40-50 years old. I'll be the 21 year old flirting with the 18 year old, and that's not wrong.) Maybe my own sports talk show, or maybe the next voice of the Cubs, my true life-long dream. Then that could lead to me managing the Cubs one day, my other life-long dream, to a World Championship, hopefully they would have more than two when I take that job over. Hey Bob Brenley did it, why not me? People say dreams are for those who have no sense of reality. I say dreams are for people who want to change a perception of reality. I am a big dreamer, because if you shoot for the moon and miss, you will land among the stars. HOLLER!

Wednesday, December 08, 2004

Completing Ideas that were formerly Incomplete Thoughts

Holiday Hoopla
We are now in the midst of the holiday season. I love the holiday season because it is a time where people put aside their differences to eat food and reminice about the good times they had as a family. Some holiday's promote unity and BBQs like the 4th of July. Others promote eating as much as you can without looking down upon yourself. Then there's Christmas, a commercially motivated holiday in which gifts are exchanged in the celebration of the birth of Jesus. But it's so commercial and fake in a sense. But I will not complain, because generally, everyone ends up happy after Christmas. Whether they got the toys the wanted, the clothes they wanted, or the time with the family and a great homecooked meal that had been missed for months. However, not all holidays are created equally. There's Valentine's Day, which in my world, doesn't even count as a holiday. First of all, there is no off day from school. Sure, I could cut school, but that would be too easy. Just roam your school grounds watching Hallmarks pockets get phat while its a 50/50 chance that true love indeed will happen. Another reason Valentine's Day is not a holiday is because not everyone is happy. There is no homecooked meal, just 49 cent cheeseburgers at McDonalds. Not everyone gets a gift, and thats not fair at all. And unlike Christmas, when you give someone a gift and don't get one back, the chances of love at Christmas are much higher and the chance of rejection at Valentine's Day is much higher as well. Other holidays that don't count include El Cinco De Mayo (no off day), St. Patrick's Day (no off day) and Sweetest Day (on a weekend, no offtime, commercial holiday knock off of Valentine's day.) Sweetest day is a day in the middle of nowhere which is supposed to bring couples together. In fact, the only thing it does is drain pocketbooks in hopes that it can be as big as Valentine's Day. The hispanics need a holiday during the school year that gets them an off day. The African-Americans have MLK day. The Spaniard and Italians share Colombus Day. The Polish people have Casmir Pulaski. We all have the 4th of July off as Americans. We have off days in September (Labor Day), October (Colombus Day), November (Veterans day and Thanksgiving), December (Christmas/New Years), January (MLK), February is short enough, March (Casmir Pulaski), April there is usually spring break, but there's nothing in May until the end and that is Memorial day. So we need someone between March and the end of May. A famous hispanic that did a good thing. Any ideas? Despite missing half of the holiday season due to being in school, I am looking forward to the holiday season. Sure, I have to go back to work, and that is going to be a pain in the ass. But lets look at the positives: I get my room back. I get to see my loving family again. I get to see all of my friends. I get to sleep in my own room. No unexpected late night visitors. No school. Oh yeah and home cooked meals. Mmm mmm better!
College's Crucial Conflicts
It is going to be tough going home for the holidays, despite the fact that I am sooo looking forward to it. You spend four months away from all authority figures and your only responsibilities are to go to class and get your school work done. Then you go home. Then you have to go back to work, you haven't been seen or heard from in months. Is anyone left that you left behind? Most likely not, its McDonalds, its changes workers quicker than Paris Hilton changes boyfriends. Then you have to live under house rules. Which now, as I look back on it, wasn't that bad. It kept me in line, respectful of authority, and it was a constant structure in my life. No matter how independent you are or believe you are, a little bit of structure is a good thing. Speeking of authority figures, I've learned one thing in my media in society class. The way things are framed in today's society, authority figures such as parents, teachers, police officers, etc. are now seen as laughable losers that hold you down from ever succeeding in life. People complain about not being taught right, they should have been showing respect to their teachers. People complain about police service and ridicule the police, but when they need them and they come, they are a gift from above. Parents are framed as a group of evil people that need to be constantly attacked and argued against. It is a shame, that is why society's on a decline. Back in the day, you were taught to be respectful of authority, even though you never were asked to agree or like it...just respect it....No matter how big your father is, he could be 6 feet 7 inches and 350 pounds and a linebacker for a professional football team. He might get tired from beating you, but a 5 foot tall with heels grandmother with a chancleta doesn't stop, doesn't get tired and hurts just as bad or worse than a giant monster beating the crap out of you. Oh, I wish I lived in those days, I would be a grand figure. But in today's society, my respectful ways make me look like a complete loser. Oh well, I don't care.
The Sports Report
Tell me why we still have the BCS. There are 5 undefeated teams in NCAA football, but only two get to play for the national championship. That's not very fair to those other three teams who all could very well claim a share of the national championship if they win their respective bowl games. NCAA division I-AA has a playoff system, why doesn't I-A. Are they too good? Are the presidents of these universities afraid of losing money. You damn right they are. And the only losers are these kids who go to class (most of them at least) and play football at its most purest form. Not because they are paid handsomely (free education doesn't count, and hopefully bribes and such is on the decline), but because they want to play and win. It is an extra curricular activity. So here are two suggestions for the NCAA football. Suggstion one: if there are more than one team that is undefeated, you install a playoff system in which these teams play each other to find out who the true national champion is. That could work for between 3 to 8 teams. If there is an uneven amount of teams, top seeds in the playoffs get bye weeks. Suggestion two: a playoff system plain and simple. You take the champion from the major conferences (Big Ten, Big 12, ACC, Big East, SEC, Pac 10), the champion from the WAC, Confrence USA and the MAC and one at large bid team and you put them in a 10-team playoff system to find the true champion. Therefore you are getting the best of each confrence, not punishing the mid-major conferences for lack of other talented teams and you can still use major bowl sites to play these games in. And those other teams that didn't make it, you can keep the other not as big bowl games as entertainment and it keeps those other teams happy too.... Why is Notre Dame on the decline? It is simple, because they are not as prestigious or as good as they used to be. Notre Dame hasn't been consitently good since the late 80s and early-mid 90s. Other programs are now considered top notch, prestigious places to go and play. Florida schools, Texas schools and California schools are now the places to be when it comes to being noticed. Even mid-major schools are getting top prospects because they are getting overlooked by major programs and are playing hard to prove their worth. See David Carr (Fresno State), Chad Pennington, Randy Moss and Byron Leftwich (Marshall) and Ben Roethlisberger (Miami University at Ohio) oh yeah and Steve McNair (I-AA Alcorn State), oh yeah and Marshall Faulk (San Diego State). There are so many more, its not even funny.... The ACC is the best confrence in college baskeball with Duke, North Carolina, NC State, Virginia, Wake Forest, Georgia Tech all ranked in the top 25. But the best team in college basketball may reside 2 hours north of the 4-2 SIU Salukis. It is the current #1 team in the country the U of Illinois Champaign-Urbana. Sure, U of I football would get pantsed by SIUs former #1 team led by a triple threat at RB and a team that nearly beat MAC powerhouse Northern Illinois. But their basketball team is damn near unstoppable. They have the best guards in college basketball, a good enough front-line and a deep bench. And who is their coach??? Former SIU coach, the man that took them to the sweet 16--BRUCE WEBER! And with our third coach in 3 years (Weber to U of I, Matt Painter to Purdue and now Chris Lowery), we are not looking good. The defense is there, strong and pressuring, but there isn't enough scoring. No outside threat, no dominant big man. SIU is a team that plays harder and harder to make up for the lack of all-american talent. Even though the U of I has the best team, the team that could best give them a run for their money resides in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Roy Williams all-american, all-athlete team could challenge Illinois high paced style with its own run, gun and fun fast break, high scoring offense. Rashad McCants is aruably the best player in college basketball. And if you make them play half court games, they have arguably the best big man in college basketball in Sean May. I'd love to see that game in the NCAA Tournament. NCAA hoops has a tournament, hell, it has two...but not NCAA football.... Is LeBron James the next Magic? or Michael? Maybe, I won't deny him the right to go out there and play every day and prove himself. But no, he isn't even the best player in the NBA. Kevin Garnett, Tim Duncan, Kobe Bryant, an in shape Shaq, Amare Stoudamire, Paul Pierce and Jason Kidd are all top flight NBA all-stars along with LeBron...but he isn't passing KG or Tim The Human Double Double Duncan and a healthy Jason Kidd is the human assist machine. People say that he will one day rival Michael Jordan as the greatest player of all-time. That will not be proven so until years after Bron Bron is retired. When Jordan was a Bull, he won 6 NBA titles, since he left the Bulls have not had one winning season and have gone through more rebuilding plans than the old communist Russia. So, is Mike the best of all time, you bet your bottom dollar.... Let the bidding begin as baseball's free agency period is officially underway. What does your team need? A lead-off man with speed? A power hitting corner infielder? A slick fielding middle in fielder? An all-world, prime-time outfielder? Bats off the bench? A left haned bat to balance out the line up? An ace, a fifth starter, a middle reliever, a set-up man, a left-handed specialist, a closer, a whole new pitching staff? A whole new team? There are plenty of players out there even though the closers market is now unofficially closed with the signings of Armando Benitez (Giants) and Troy Percival (Tigers.) There's a lead-off, slick fielding middle infielder that will get a lot of money out there, and his name is Edgar Renteria of the Cardinals. Don't be suprised if he ends up back in St. Louis or in Boston with Orlando Cabrera going out west to Anaheim and Jose Valentin going to Boston to be a utility guy with middle-infielders Mark Bellhorn and Pokey Reese. Jeff Kent can play 3rd base, 2nd base and 1st base, and he's pretty good. Troy Glaus, Adrian Beltre, Vinny Castilla, Carlos Delgado and Richie Sexson are power hitting corner infielders that are game changers. Carlos Beltran is the man, the jewel of the class, the all-world, all-star, prime-time outfielder who is as close to a one man show as you can get in baseball. JD Drew, Magglio Ordonez, Richard Hidalgo, Steve FinleyJermaine Dye and Moises Alou are all not chopped liver. Looking for pitching are we? Looking in the right year even though Jon Lieber and Jaret Wright and Brad Radke are off the market. Looking for an ace? Pedro Martinez is out there waiting for a long-term deal and Carlapalooza for Carl Pavano is a rolling circus. Looking for another starter while not wanting to spend a lot? Matt Clement, Odalis Perez, Russ Ortiz, Eric Milton, David Wells, Derek Lowe, Kevin Millwood and Jose Lima are just some names that are out there. Looking for a lefty-reliever, Steve Kline is the best available. Looking for a set-up man, good luck? A closer? Oh boy, get in line because quality closers are moving off the shelves quicker than the new Air Jordans or the next Furby or Tickle-Me Elmo. Looking for trade bait are we? The Cubs are your team looking to trade a future hall of fame right fielder who is now looked down upon in Sammy Sosa, a hard throwing hillbillie right hander with a weak mind in Kyle Farnsworth, a set-up man who turned closer to be the goat in LaTroy Hawkins and a bunch of young talented arms in the minor league system. The Yankees and the Red Sox are always making deals to one-up each other. Arizona is looking to trade its top-gun Randy Johnson. The other Sox, the other Chicago team is looking to clear salary (again) by putting Frank Thomas, Paul Konerko and Carlos Lee (all again) on the trading block. D.C.'s new baseball team is looking to make a new name for itself. The Braves are most likely gonna stick someone up at gun-point by taking a star and giving up one of those so-called "high ranking prospects." And you can never count out the underdog Twins, the bargain buying Giants, high-rolling Angels, the King of the Deal Billy Beane and the Oakland A's, the sneaky St. Louis Cardinals or the failures of the east coast Philly and the team the Yankees treat as their personal bitch...the NEW YORK METS. On your mark, get set, GO!.... In the NFC conference, if you have enough healthy players on the team, you are in the playoff hunt. For God's sake, even the Chicago Bears who are on their 4th string quarterback are still in it thanks to him and their aggressive defense. Philly is the best the NFC has to offer, followed by the one man shows in Green Bay (Favre and Friends) and Atlanta (The Michael Vick Experience) and the forgettable how the west didn't want to be won (St. Louis and Seattle). My predictions are as follows. Division winners: Philly, Team Vick, Team Favre and Sleepy Seattle. Wild Cards: Football's Cubs the Culpepper-to-Moss Connection and The Former Greatest Show on Turf the St. Louis Rams. The AFC is nuts. There are teams there that wish they were in the NFC. There are two one loss teams in Pittsburgh and New England. Neither of those teams know how to lose. San Diego is the toast of the west coast and the suprise of the football world. And the Indy Colts are the new greatest show on turf, grass, snow, mud, cold, etc. As long at they have the Triplets (Manning-James-Harrison) and the best supporting cast on the offensive side of the ball, they will be hard to stop in the playoffs. A team that can score at will and stop the other team occasionally can not be beat. Peyton Manning throws for 250 yards and 2 touchdowns at halftime. Bears fans hope they can get that out of the fourth string quarterback for entire game. To summarize the playoff picture in the AFC is much easier than in the NFC. Division winners: Pittsburgh, New England, Indy and the Bolts. Wild Cards: Jacksonville and Denver. My prediction, as it has not changed since the beginning of the year is as follows: Indianapolis Colts over the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl.

9 more days until its 1 semester down 3 and a half years to go.

Tuesday, December 07, 2004

Women are Like a 1000 Piece Puzzle, Very Hard to Solve Especially When You're Drunk

Women are like a 1000 piece puzzle, they are very hard to solve, especially when you're drunk. Even when you are sober, women are harder to read than War and Peace. They cause guys to act differently. Do they cause depression though? How about alcoholism? For every good thing a girl does, there's hundreds of things that drive me nuts. They say one thing, and mean another. Say that something is wrong, and later will go out and do it. They say they don't want a serious relationship, but then complain that no one loves them. They flirt and bring you closer and yet in the end they push you away. What I don't understand is what women want in a man. I know, i know that they made a movie about it but that hasn't helped me at all. Girls say they want a nice guy, and you treat them good and then you fall into the friend-zone and you instead of being their little secret, you turn into the guy that they tell all of their secrets too. Girls say they want a bad-boy and an asshole, so you play a little hard to get, and they want no part of that and wished you treated them better. There is no happy medium in this world gone mad is there? But there must be, because we keep reproducing and there are people that are happy in relationships, something has got to give. You wish there was something you could do about your situation, and you try. But you can't teach confidence or the correct approach, so how do you solve those problems. You can't cure fear of rejection or the immunization to getting shut down by what everyone could consider as a sure thing. So, what are you gonna do? Nothing, because there is nothing you can do but sit there and just take it. Take it one day at a time, because everyone says your time will come. But how do you know? No one is guaranteed tomorrow, what's your answer to that? I'm as happy-go-lucky as you get. I put positive spins on everything, no matter what, because who wants to live life on a downslide...no one! But when you see everything around you, it seems like your head is spinning. It's like being a Cubs fan, watching everyone get better while your team sit around and hope everyone else gets worse. Have I been heartbroken? Yes, but I'm over that. Sexually frustrated? You bet. But as the great 2 Pac said: "You gotta keep ya head up."

How being a Cubs fan compares to being a college student

  • You deal with plenty of nuts, drunks and punks.
  • You learn to down the nastiest, piss-water beers out there.
  • At times you waste three hours of your life yelling and screaming at something you can't control.
  • There are plenty of bad habits that you can fall into on campus and at the ballpark.
  • There cycle goes as this: Hope leads to dreams which usually fall short which leads to disappointment, which leads to depression which leads to alcoholism.
  • You deal with plenty of hot drunk white chicks.
  • There are obnoxious fools in your area that you just want to punch in the face because of their foolishness.
  • There's people you generally wouldn't get along with that are now in the same boat you are in.
  • You build up your immunization system to fight the cold, the obnoxious, the diseases, the disappointment and build up a strong tolerance for alcohol.
  • After the game (or the night) is over, there's always tomorrow.

Monday, December 06, 2004

Decisions College Students Must Live With

Good Idea/Bad Idea
Good Idea: Eat daily, think healthy, live happily.
Bad Idea: Eating once a week, eating too much, not thinking, living with regret.
Good Idea: After eating food, wash your dishes.
Bad Idea: Leaving dishes unwashed for a month.
Good Idea: Drinking with friends.
Bad Idea: Drinking alone.
Good Idea: Social drinking.
Bad Idea: Drinking until you pass out.
Good Idea: Getting your work done.
Bad Idea: Getting your work done two weeks after it is due.
Good Idea: Talking to girls.
Bad Idea: Stalking girls.

Carbondale vs. Chicago
Carbondale: Several country radio stations.
Chicago: Several lost country folks.
Carbondale: 50 degrees equals jackets, sweaters and long pants.
Chicago: 50 degrees equals spring time.
Carbondale: You see someone driving around the block several times, assume he's lost.
Chicago: You see someone driving around the block several times, hide because something's about to go down.
Carbondale: Someone wears their hat crooked: fashion statement.
Chicago: Someone wears their hat crooked: hope it's just a fashion statement.
Carbondale: Be careful walking at night because of the lack of lights.
Chicago: Be careful walking at night, you might get shot at.
Carbondale: Saluki Express.
Chicago: CTA
Carbondale: Revolves around Wal-Mart and the SIU campus
Chicago: Revolves around the Maginificent Mile and Chicago's finest restaurants.
Carbondale: The best place to eat-Lonestar Steakhouse.
Chicago: The best place to eat-Gibson's steakhouse.
Carbondale: You can go to a party without worrying about the age of the chicks there.
Chicago: You can't go to the mall without worrying that the chick you are staring down is of age.

All in all, I sum it up in this. "I can't wait to go back to Carbondale, at least everyone there is of age or close to it. These girls can range between the ages of 13-20."-me during Thanksgiving Break at Woodfield Mall

Do not mess up college. There are very few experiences like this. You are away from your family, live alone where your only responsibility is to go to class, get your work done and graduate. You don't get to live like this often, don't blow it. If you make the wrong decisions, no matter what your excuse, it'll be hard to live with the idea of being a failure and just another statistic that proves that you don't belong in college. That is my motivation. To prove those who don't believe I belong in college wrong. To make my family proud of me, follow a family tradition.

11 days left until I go home and am locked up in my room, at work or doing laundry. I like it down here, because I am free, I answer to me, myself and I. But it will be good to be home because that is a very stable environment, compared to being here in Carbondale. I've got a second draft of a paper due Wednesday, a quiz Wednesday, Finals Questions due Wednesday, a test on Thursday, a speech and a final paper due on Friday and a final paper due next wednesday. Oh yeah, finals. I have two finals Monday and one on Wednesday. Good luck to me and my college companions making the effort to survive their first semester of college. Here's to us, the future (giggles) of the world.

The Monday Morning Quarterback Starring SIU Lou

Views from Around the NFL
  • Peyton Manning is going to be your NFL MVP again. He's the best quarterback in the NFL and if he had a defense that was at least showing up, his team would be even better. But in the defense of the defense, they are getting better. A team that can score at will and stop on the occasion is damn near unstoppable.
  • OVERRATED: The Green Bay Fudge Packers, the team that is supposed to put up the biggest fight against Philly got their pants dropped, bent over and hit with a cane. They couldn't run, throw, catch or defend the run, throw or catch...simply that's why they fell flat on their face. If that is your competition, Philly might as well take an early flight to Jacksonville and let the AFC fight it out. The Viking once again will not win an NFL title due to the fact that they have lost to the Bears...again. This time they lost to their 4th string quarterback and former St. Louis Cardinals pitcher. I found it tough as a Cubs fan to cheer on Chad Hutchinson, but when you put on that Bears uniform and win, all of those past sins are put to rest. The only team that can give Philly a challenge is Michael Vick and friend, however, they got stomped 27-0 against Tampa in Tampa.
  • UNDERRATED: The Chicago Bears defense. They have only allowed 75 points in their wins compared to 160 in their losses. Take out losses against the Colts (41-10) and Cowboys (21-7) the Bears have lost by a combined 34 points. In games the Bears win they have gave up 20 points only once. And in games that they have lost (including the Colts and Cowboys) they have given up 20 points 4 times (blowouts vs the Colts and Cowboys and close games against Detroit (16-20 L) and Minnesota (22-27 L). If the Bears could just be healthy for a complete year they have enough defense and an adaquate enough offense to make a run at a declining Brett Favre, a team in Minnesota that gives the Cubs a run for their money as chokers, and team with QB controversies between a #1 pick and a 4th round pick.
  • Studs: Peyton Manning (425 yards and 3 TDs), Donovan McNabb (464 yds 5 TDs), Clinton Portis (148 yds 1 rush TD 1 rec TD), Terrell Owens (161 yds 1 TD) and the Tampa Bay Defense (shutout Michael Vick and the Falcons).
  • Duds: Michael Vick (115 pass yards 80 rush yards; 2 lost fumbles 2 INTs), Ruben Droughns (14 att 38 yds), Isaac Bruce (2 rec 18 yds) and the Tennessee Titans team (after outscoring the Colts 24-17 in the 1st quarter, they didn't score again and gave up 34 points after that.)

News from The Northside

Reports from the Chicago Sun-Times indicate that the Cubs are close to re-signing SS Nomar Garciaparra and 2B Todd Walker to be the double play combination. Okay, so it isn't exactly going as I wished, but if I had a third choice in this (2nd choice would be moving Nomar to 2nd and signing Edgar Renteria) it would be BoTown Connection as my choice, as I wish it was for the second half of last year, but no, Dusty tried the G-Unit Remix (Garciaparra and Grudzielanek)....With Steroid reports running rampant in the MLB, trade talks between the Cubs and the Mets have cooled. Similarites between Sosa and admittant Jason Giambi are similar, but Sosa has no ties to BALCO, Bonds or J.G. Trade talks will resume this week at the Winter Meetings. Other teams interested in Sosa include the Angels, Dodgers, Rockies, Royals and Yankees....I wouldn't be suprised if Kyle Farnsworth found himself not in a Cubs uniform next year. There isn't one team not interested in a 6'4" right hander that can throw 100 MPH on demand. I would be suprised, as you should too, if the Cubs trade last years scapegoat LaTroy Hawkins. Despite a major push by fans to get him out of town, and an interest in several teams, LaTroy might comeback next year as baseball's best 8th inning man; but who's gonna pitch the 9th....Danny Kolb (39 saves with MIL), Shawn Chacon (35 saves with COL), Ugeth Urbina (21 saves with DET) and Robb Nen (43 saves in 2002) all remain options along with Ryan Dempster and JoBo. The baseball world now knows, if Jim Hendry wants it, he will get it, no matter what it takes....Don't get it twisted Cub fans, despite interest in Carlos Beltran, the Cubs will not trade Corey Patterson to make room. If the Cubs can drop Sammy Sosa, Patterson is willing to move to right field making room for Beltran in center. Who will play left though? Jason Dubois? David Kelton? Cliff Floyd? No one, and have Beltran and Patterson play the gaps? Too bad Chip Caray couldn't be around to say "SWUNG ON AND BELTRAN!" Someone tell me who the hell is Len Kasper. Why did we hire a former Marlin to do Cubs play-by-play. If he brings up the 2003 NLCS at all, there will be a mob of Steve Bartman's most feared enemies outside of the pressbox as if there was free beer being given out by supermodels at Wrigley Field.

That's all for now, holler!

Sunday, December 05, 2004

Saturday Night at The Pit

Down here in Carbondale, partying starts whenever you want it to. Usually it starts on Thursday, continues on Friday and finishes Saturday night/Sunday morning. According to city laws, you are supposed to party once a weekend. After drinking in the rooms Thursday and Friday, by default Saturday was the night to go out. It was our first weekend back from Thanksgiving vacation to party, and party we did. Cherry pit is the place to be and has been the place to be since the house with the red light was closed after getting busted. But last night, to be honest, it was lame. The music was okay, the alcohol was craptacular, nobody was dancing. It was really boring, it was full of lame ass loser guys who ideal party is standing up against a wall talking about the newsest computer games. For every girl, there was at least 5 guys and thats not really fun, I'm not a big fan of sausage fest. Usually, there are enough girls to dance with, there are awesome danceoffs, awesome music and everyone is going home plastered. I didn't go home plastered, I did go home tired, frustrated and once again...alone. One of these days though, one of these days...
News That Has Been Abused
The number of hispanics in the United States is rising. Rising at such a high pace, according to political expert Kevin Hoos, in 4 years the number of hispanics will overtake the number of whites.
In that same amount of years (4), California will have been officially broken off of the United States at the Las Vegas Border and will be floating in the ocean. Las Vegas insiders say that there will be new oceanfront casinos built in a 72 hour period after the secession of California from the continental US.
According to several news reports, President George W. Bush was arrested by Canadian authorities on the account of War Crimes.
According to international reports, a group of touring senior citizens has gained a new ally in United States foreign exchange college students in efforts to take over the country of France. The French military, or lack thereof, has fallen to the seniors and the students have taken over parliament. This all started when seniors were not allowed their morning walk in the Eiffel Tower and the college students were broke, bored and sober, so there is no better or easier place to get money and wine than in France.
Dorm Rumors
According to reports from unneccissarily overprotected and hysterical health freaks, if you touch a girl while she's naked you will catch chlamydia. If you have sex with her, you will die. Grab some condoms.
If you play in muddy sewer water, you will catch hepatitis and sooner or later will die.
The Supreme Court has struck down cheerleading as a sport voting 8-1. To be considered a sport, there must be scoring (on the field) and balls must be in play (on the field.)
Swimming at night by yourself is not a good idea. An even worse idea is combining water (swimming pool, lake, ocean, pond, etc.) and alcohol and teenagers.
Studying, books and homework in the world of students have all been voted as OVERRATED!