March Madness

This is totally the best time of year. Well. It's not. But it's the best part of the springtime, that's for sure! And by far the best sporting event out there. Even if you don't watch basketball any other time of year, you should pay attention now. About eight years ago, I stopped watching pro ball with any regularity or even excitement. The NBA had become a show of overpaid, overgrown selfish children. It was hard to separate off-court antics from on-court professionalism (and even some on-court antics, thanks Latrell Sprewell and Ron Artest).

But the NCAA! Man! Overgrown children playing for pride, glory, and the love of the game. Cinderella stories. Shattered backboards. The Fab Five. Cheers. Tears. And of course, the best theme song in sports. "One Shining Moment" is a song that transcends sports! And it's sung by both Teddy Pendergrass and Luther Vandross. I mean, COME ON! It just doesn't get much better.

I remember realizing my childhood was really over in the 8th grade when our teacher let the class watch the first round all afternoon one day (it was Catholic school. We just skipped religion probably). It was so much fun. Someone said, "I can't wait to do this next year." And we all realized we wouldn't be together next year, not in the same classroom, or even same school. But we had that last March Madness. I'll never forget that moment.

Then there was the year my Terps won the whole thing. And the stars of the team came back to campus without chips on their shoulders. And we cheered for Lonnie and Cox and Drew and Byron (who happened to be my fave). And we cried for Juan Dixon, the MVP of the game and our hearts. And for Gary. And for Steve Blake. And for Cole Field House. And each other. We knew that would be the best time of their basketball careers. One of them might go on to win a professional championship. But it wouldn't be like 2002. Nope. Not at all.

And there was grad school, rooting for the Ivy League champs, the Quakers. We knew they'd lose, but it was still kinda cool, sitting in a Philly sports bar, rooting for the underdog in a town of underdogs. It just doesn't get better. It really doesn't.

So I did my brackets. I have two for the guys and one for the girls (yes, there's a bracket for the ladies too. Get with it).

President Obama picked UNC to win the whole thing for the guys (he didn't do a girls' bracket, at least not on ESPN...sigh...can't win 'em all), so I picked UNC, too. I'm a patriot, and I don't want the president to fail (unlike the GOP in Congress and on the radio, but I digress). But darnit, this is really the first time I've EVER wished anything positive for the Tar Heels. It feels pretty gross actually.

I grew up a Blue Devils fan. I loved them. The Team, the Players, the School. Grant Hill. Christian Laettner. Trajen Langdon. Shane Battier. I still remember opening my acceptance letter with my dad. I hated the crosstown, Tobacco Road rival. Chapel Hill might as well have been a trash heap to me. But I decided to go to Maryland for school. I would have been run out of College Park if I ever wore my Duke sweatshirt. It didn't matter. My school pride transformed my love for the Durham team into a bitter relationship, much like a divorced woman who longed for the innocent days of love shared between two young lovers, but who never again wanted to see her ex happy. I rooted for their failure, but still had a soft spot if they won (and only if the Terps' standing wasn't harmed). But through it all, staying in ACC country, my hatred for UNC only grew. Carolina Blue? Puh-leez. It's totally overrated and overused and pretty much just electric baby blue. ICK!

Yet, as a good follower, I've chosen (geez, it even hurts to say) UNC to win. But really, I think Pitt will take the whole thing, beating UNC in the final four and then Memphis in the end. Then again, I don't like sports towns that monopolize championships. So part of me hopes that Pitt doesn't win (and you can thank the Steelers for that). Maybe North Carolina deserves a little thank you for turning blue back in November (then again, how many of the players on the team voted for Obama in NC? Or at all?). That's the only way I can justify this in my head.

Back to March Madness. Every year there's a new story, a new team that will surprise the country, a new star shining and beating a buzzer. There's always a moment. Ladders, nets, and scissors. Enjoy every minute of it!

I wanted to post my brackets, but I couldn't find one that I could link to the blog until tonight on the NYT website. They won't let me fill it out now that the games have started. UGH! Anyway, my Final Four is Louisville/Memphis and Pitt/UNC with UNC winning (thanks to the pres) OR Louisville/UConn (thanks to the Maryland upset I'm predicting against Memphis) and Pitt/UNC with Pitt taking it all.
For the ladies, I have Connecticut/Stanford and Maryland/Rutger. Yes, the Lady Terps will bring it home to the Comcast Center one more time! (Go Kristi!)

M-A-R-Y-L-A-N-D! Maryland Will Win! GO TERPS!

::Sigh::

I don't even have to explain why this is a sigh-worthy moment. When Sexting Goes Bad (sex texting, my friend. All the cool kids are doing it, just not on government issued two-ways and blackberries). Just read a few and you will be sighing right along with me. BUT, you won't be able to pull yourself away. Seriously. Six thousand new sexts were released on Monday. This is some hilarious stuff (but then you remember that real people and real lives and real families are involved, and then it's a little sad).

We all have a friend like Christine and a friend like Kwame (I'm not naming names), just not to this extreme! SMH and LMAO all at the same time.

Note to her friends, though: You KNOW your girl was getting played. And I just can't believe no one stopped her, because I also can't believe that not one of you knew it was going down. I mean, really, come on. She really really REALLY played herself with some of these, hitting us with the, "I love you so much my heart will explode if I don't catch a glimpse of you and if I can't have you now then I'll have you in eternity, where our hearts and bodies become one" BS. And then he hits her back with the, "Yeah. I want that THAIYAA." (sidenote: I can't wait to figure out what that actually means. I know to what it refers, but I want to know what it means. Don't let me meet Kwame, because I'm asking).

If no one comes out with a play or dramatic reading of these texts, I will. I can't wait until the bound copy of all of the texts (without the redaction except when protecting the names of the innocent and children) become available. Talk about a summer reading list!

Facebook

Oh No! Where did I go? I didn't even realize it had been a week since I've posted. But I'm here now! I kinda got a little obsessed (or at least distracted by) the Michael Steele fiasco (there's part of me that actually feels bad for him...or just embarrassed for and by him) and The West Wing. I love that show. Seven seasons to remind me why I love politics and, quite frankly, why I don't have a job. Did I mention I'm unemployed? Who really goes into a career field that's based on a calendar made of cycles that most people don't even realize exist? And really who wants to be a lobbyist these days? (Oh wait, I do. D'oh!)

Anyway, I got rid of Facebook in January. It was difficult, but a lot like pulling of a band-aid. Quick, painful, it stings a little, but you end up glad that you did it. I think Facebook is amazing. The things you can do (register to vote, find an old flame, track your friend's birthdays, start a movement, elect a President) are astounding. Really. Online organizing humbles me. I don't get it, but I like it and support it.

But Facebook just isn't for me anymore. It jumped the shark a little while ago. Those (we?) early adopoters don't even recognize it anymore. I preferred it when there were a few of us on there, no (real) adults and certainly no high schoolers. Groups meant something (kind of), and friends of friends were actually friends. You didn't need high privacy settings, and Katie Couric (for instance) wasn't checking to see if by chance you did something stupid at a frat party that might actually be newsworthy because you happen to be tagged in a photo that might make the President believe you aren't trustworthy...or at least that you're silly and a possible political liability.

I don't miss it. I thought I would, but I really don't even think about it unless someone asks me, "Why aren't you on Facebook anymore?" Sometimes I want to be nosy, but seriously, if I still had Facebook, I promise this blog wouldn't exist (I'd be stalking inappropriate people as we speak, including ex-friends' ex-boyfriends' new girlfriends' gay lovers). And what would life be like without this blog????? (wink)

But it seems a few folks agree with me. I miss none of this, especially #9 and #20. When the new Facebook (not Twitter -- I think that's just dumb for the most part) comes along, I might be compelled to join. But really, they all just go the way of Black Planet, Friendster, and pretty much a few other things about which I probably don't even know.

Hilarity of the Day

Today was the first day of a new late night line up. I discovered Conan O'Brien probably in high school, but totally changed my classes so I could stay up late and watch him while I was in college. I just love that Irishman! So at 12:36am, I was anxious to see what Jimmy Fallon had to offer. I think Jimmy is hilarious, so I was really expecting greatness. Ehhh, not so much. He was obviously and irritatingly nervous. But then again those are big shoes to fill. And Robert DiNero seemed like he wanted the guy to fail. I kept thinking, "Help him out, Bob!" Either way, the highlight of the show was definitely having the Roots as the in-house band. How cool is that? And this skit saved the night from utter humiliation. (?uestlove pretty much makes everything better.)


Kind of reminds me of this old joy.

Jimmy Fallon - Idiot Boyfriend
Uploaded by UniversalMusicGroup

Jimmy, you'll get the hang of it soon. I think the show will be great, and I plan to watch as often as I can. Reprising some of your best SNL skits might not be a bad idea. Just no more making out with fishbowls. That's kinda, well, gross.

And since we're talking SNL, this just never gets old.


On another note, what in the world????

::Sigh::

Are you kidding me???? Only a few minutes after my last post??? What???? Oh Mike. Don't let them tear you down, man! Pull yourself together! Dust the dirt off your shoulders. Let the haters hate! But don't...don't...not this!!!! ::sigh::

Man of Steele

I don't have too many nemeses in this world -- real or fictional. Most people like me (yay) or at least like me enough not to hate me. Well most people. Can you let me know if you know someone who doesn't like me? Thanks.

Anyway, when I was a sophomore in college, the Young Repubs, Young Dems, and Black Government and Politics Society hosted a forum with the then-head of the Maryland Republican Committee: Michael Steele. I learned then, in my last year as a teenager, the important lesson that a person (me) can be completely mesmerized and turned one (not sexually) by someone s/he (I) cannot stand. I mean, like, really despise because their personal views are just totally contrary to your own. It was an awesome forum, mostly because I argued with Mr. Steele (fact about me: I love to argue!!!!). He and I went back and forth and back and forth. A worthy opponent, I must say. And then after it was all over and we shook hands and he cordially gave me his business card and told me to keep in touch, I boarded the shuttle bus back to my dorm, and thought long and hard (after telling my mother all about this awful person) about how on earth a seemingly normal and nice person, someone with whom I'd actually like to drink a beer and chit chat, could be so wrong about everything. He became my nemesis. I mean I was 19 (lots of people have kids and houses and real responsibilities by then), and I had an internship on Capitol Hill (with the now infamous Blago, no doubt) so I knew how to fix this country and make it better.

The next morning, I sat down and wrote him an email (he did give me his card after all). I hit send and thought I'd never hear from him again. I felt good. I stood up for what I believed and didn't back down. I wasn't intimidated by his title or position. And I knew I was right. And I knew he knew that I was right. And his silence was just his way of saying I wasn't important enough. And that I was right.

Then one day, I received a response. A public official actually responded? And not in a form letter that some staffer wrote? Trust me. I had written those letters myself. This one was from him. I read it. And reread it. And read it out loud. Then I got it. I figured out the difference between Democrats and Republicans: the size of government. He and I just didn't agree on how big or how small of a role government should play in the lives of its citizens, nor even on what the role of government is. I still think he's wrong, but I accept his opinion.

I had NO clue then that he'd be the RNC chairman less than a decade later. I definitely would have lost that bet. And so far I've been more embarrassed than impressed. Is it really necessary (or even politically savvy) to "hip-hop" up the GOP? And does he really have to use stereotypically urban colloquialisms to move forward his agenda? Come On! Was he at least offended when one of his own mocked Ebonics by saying, "You be da man," (emphasis on "da") during her thank you remarks after he spoke at the CPAC meeting in late February?

At least he's checking one of his own -- and a powerful one at that too. So I guess I'm saying: Good Job, Mike. I had lost complete faith in you and nearing a total loss of respect for you. But maybe, just maybe, I can continue to have a love/hate relationship with you. I'd prefer that. I'd rather you be my nemesis and not just the butt of the joke. You're a worthy opponent. So, please stop using the unnecessary and silly vernacular. It doesn't make you cool. It makes you irrelevant. I want to see you succeed, even if I also want to see your party implode. Good luck.

And, I just wanted to share this, for old times sake.

Google Reader

So, it turns out the Barnes&Noble photo was real! I searched and searched (but then pretty much stopped) to see if I could find an answer or explanation last week, but then today stumbled on this thanks to Jack and Jill Politics.

I saw the article thanks to Google Reader! GR has changed my life -- and my reading habits. I'm totally going to mess up the technical explanation of this, but here's my attempt to explain why I love it and how it works. Basically, if you have gmail (and who really doesn't), click in the top left corner on "Reader". From there you can subscribe to anything on the web with an RSS feed (like I really know what that is), like blogs and news sites (I've heard you can even follow airline sites to see how prices go up and down). Then, whenever something new is posted to the site with the RSS feed, it will show up in your handy Google Reader page! It makes way more sense when you see it. But I LOVE it! I read everything from Mrs. O to CNN to wedding planning blogs.

You can also organize each blog that you read into folders, which makes reading a lot easier. Plus, I read the "serious" ones first and then work my way to the exciting ones. My categories are Local (local news and events), News (national), Politics, Sexy Style (really its gossip, but I don't want to call it that -- oh wait there's also some fashion in there), and Weddings. Then I have two blogs -- Smitten Kitchen and Bakerella -- that don't fit into a category. They're both cooking blogs, and I feel that if they get a folder, then that means I'll actually have to start cooking. And I'm not ready for that kind of commitment to the kitchen! Soon, though, because I love what I see and I really can't afford to eat out all of the time.

But check out Google Reader. You'll feed better about yourself. You get to be smart and fun all at the same time!