Take Your Pictures Down and Shake It Out

Ok, here goes...

It's probably a combination of reading through The World is Flat along with conversations that I have had with my parents, but the question on my mind over the past few days is this:

What is it about my generation that makes us turn websites like Facebook and MySpace into phenomenons and services like the blog you are reading right now one of the fastest growing modes of communication?

I think part of the answer is that we use these new modes of communication simply because they are available. I know that members of my grandparents' and parents' generations may have a hard time understanding why anyone would want to set up a personal profile on Facebook or to write on a blog, and maybe that is because they did not have those opportunities when they were my age. I'm sure that I will not understand some of the things that my kids will one day view as natural parts of the experience that is growing up.

Another portion of the answer is something that my Mom pointed out this morning. When members of my great-grandparents' generation moved away from home, they usually only communicated with their family through letters or the extremely rare phone call. When members of my grandparents' generation moved away from home, phone calls were becoming more frequent, but they simply cost too much to make them everyday. My parents' generation could make phone calls on a daily basis but there was still a large disparity between the cost of a local call and a long distance call. Now, my generation doesn't think anything of making phone calls on a daily basis (perhaps some parents who have paid for overage charges wish they thought more about it).

Here's the bottom line: My generation has grown up with almost no barriers to communicating with the world. Whether it be cell phones, blogs, or instant messaging, we are always in touch.

Well, those are just some thoughts on the subject, but in another one of the best aspects of the new technology, I get to hear what you think.

Here are some questions:

• Why do you read blogs?
• Why are you reading this blog?
• Do you have a blog?
• Do you use Facebook or MySpace?
• Why do you use Facebook or MySpace?

I look forward to reading your responses. Thanks for reading.

Once There Was This Kid Who Got Into an Accident and Couldn't Come to School

Congratulations to Andrew Tuegel for naming "Gravedigger" by Dave Matthews as the Thursday Song of the Day.

"Like a bad penny, I just keep turning up."




Thanks to the previous quote from Indiana Jones, I have returned from my self-imposed blogging sabbatical. It has been a good week here at home full of books, bike rides with my Dad, and my Mom's lasagna. Needless to say, I am content.


Christmas Books:

• The World is Flat by Thomas L. Friedman


• Dreams from My Father by Barack Obama


• Velvet Elvis: Repainting the Christian Faith by Rob Bell

I'm currently reading through The World is Flat, which is an excellent book to say the least. I'm sure it killed Tom to travel all over the globe interviewing leading figures in the new global economy, but I am thankful for his sacrifice.

Courtesy of Jon Heintz, I present this video in loving memory of our 38th President:http://video.google.com/vi
deoplay?docid=
-89770458144460734&hl=en

This past week has probably been as hard for you as it has been for me, but I'm back for the stretch run to end 2006. It's been a great year and I'll have a Best of '06 list later in the week to help you remember the year that was.

Goodnight and Good luck.

So Cyrus Jones Lived Forever

After Heath Huston and I sorted through the mountains of information, I think that we finally uncovered the moment when Jeff McCain chose his destiny as the man who would lead GSP to consecutive Sing Song victory #5.

We all need a little inspiration...

Words of Wisdom from Andy and Red

Congratulations to Andrew Tuegel for naming "Swallowed in the Sea" by Coldplay as the Tuesday Song of the Day.

• "Get busy livin' or get busy dyin'."
• "Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies."
• "I could see why some of the boys took him for snobby. He had a quiet way about him, a walk and a talk that just wasn't normal around here. He strolled, like a man in a park without a care or a worry in the world, like he had on an invisible coat that would shield him from this place. Yeah, I think it would be fair to say... I liked Andy from the start."
• "It was like some beautiful bird flapped into our drab little cage and made those walls dissolve away, and for the briefest of moments, every last man in Shawshank felt free."
• "Forget that... there are places in this world that aren't made out of stone. That there's something inside... that they can't get to, that they can't touch. That's yours." "What're you talking about?" "Hope."
• "We sat and drank with the sun on our shoulders and felt like free men. Hell, we could have been tarring the roof of one of our own houses. We were the lords of all creation. As for Andy - he spent that break hunkered in the shade, a strange little smile on his face, watching us drink his beer."
• "I find I'm so excited, I can barely sit still or hold a thought in my head. I think it's the excitement only a free man can feel, a free man at the start of a long journey whose conclusion is uncertain. I hope I can make it across the border. I hope to see my friend, and shake his hand. I hope the Pacific is as blue as it has been in my dreams. I hope. "
  

That's Where I Belong and You Belong With Me

Note: Team Nate Low (led by Cole Griffith) defeated Team Jodayyy (led by yours truly) in the Mira, Mira League Championship this past weekend. I hate to do this, but I've allowed Cole to be the first ever guest poster on Running Down a Dream due to improbable victory. What follows is from the mind of Coleman Greer Griffith....


My Victory Speech,

First and foremost, I would like to thank Al Gore because without him inventing the internet me winning this fantasy football championship would not have been possible.


Second, I would like to thank myself. My ability to motivate these players truly reflects my awesomeness as a person. I did not even check on the team for weeks at a time, but every week they would show up and give 100%.


Third, I would like to thank my players.

• Rex Grossman...thank you for believing that you can make any throw possible.


• Tiki Barber...you are gonna retire without a SuperBowl championship, but at least you won a fantasy league.


• Stephen Jackson...you were a freakin beast all year...Don't ever cut your hair.


• Javon Walker...Jay Cutler is gonna make you great.


• Darrell Jackson and Antonio Gates...thanks for showing up the last week, together you produced a total of .7 points. You won't be on my team next year.


• Jeff Wilkins...you better believe that I never checked on my team because I would have benched you for Rob Bironas a long time ago.


• The Pittsburgh defense...you have played like absolute crap except for last week. I expect better from you next year.


• And finally to my bench...I wish I couldn't have gotten you more playing time, but you gotta impress the coach in practice to get playing time.

Fourth, I would like to thank my parents...without yall having me and paying for the internet at our house, this championship would not have been possible.


Fifth, I would like to thank myself again. The ability to balance a job, school, and a fantasy football team is amazing.


Sixth, thanks goes out to Kanye West because without you I would still believe that George W. Bush likes African-Americans.


Seventh, to my competition...congratulations on a great season, but try harder next year.


Also, I would like to wish Joey Mercury a speedy recovery and a happy holiday season! We need you back in the wrestling ring.Thanks to CM Punk for giving me an inspiration to become something in life.


Lastly, I would like to thank myself one more time. Cole, you are great!

When There's Nothing to Give, Well How Can We Ask For More?

Here's why I read the Sports Guy.
(From a chat today on ESPN regarding the Nuggets v. Knicks brawl)

Mike (Garwood NJ): How much would you pay to see Stern ask Isiah...DID YOU ORDER THE CODE RED?!?!?

Bill Simmons: At least 500 dollars.

------------------------------------------------------------

There are times when I honestly think that Ted Turner has ruined my family's Christmas traditions. No, Ted doesn't send unwanted Braves paraphernalia or Jane Fonda workout videos to our house. Instead, he took something that was "ours" and gave it to the masses. Let me explain...



By now, everyone has seen the movie A Christmas Story. If your house has cable and you are watching TV on Christmas day, the movie is ubiquitous. TNT runs for 24 hours straight beginning on Christmas Eve. We will usually watch the entire movie during that period, but it is never in one fell swoop. We'll watch Ralphie's mom tell him that he's going to shoot his eye out on Christmas Eve. On Christmas morning, we marvel at Ralphie's dad as he shows us the finer points of pronunciation (Fra-geee-lay, must be Italian). Later on, we commiserate with Ralphie as he drops the dreaded mother of all curse words.



This probably doesn't sound very different from Christmas in many houses across America, but in some way, I feel like it was a secret that we knew of before everyone else. It's as if I was one of those fortunate Liverpool citizens who saw the Beatles when they were still playing at the Cavern Club. I still remember when some of our family friends came over for Christmas in the early 90's and we all watched the movie on Christmas Eve. My parents probably played the movie up too much and as a result our friends could only respond with, "It's funny....I guess." Less than a ringing endorsement.



With that said, this year I will again share in Ralphie's quest for the Red Rider BB Gun, and hope that for once his brother Randy will not get stuck like a slug in the snow.

There Was Nothing to Fear and Nothing To Doubt

Congratulations to Dan Carlson for correctly naming "You Don't Know How It Feels" by Tom Petty as the Saturday Song of the Day.


Note: My friend Jonathan Smith left the following comment on yesterday's post.


"My favorite Bill Simmons excerpt of the day, from his mailbag columns:


Q: I'm kinda confused as to who's country this is?--Doug Downing, S.D.


SG: This is ouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuur country!This is ouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuur country!This is ouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuur country!"



Unless you have been living in Ted Kaczynski's cabin for the last 4 months, you have constantly been exposed to the Chevrolet commercials featuring John Mellencamp's new song "Our Country". I'm not sure when he dropped the "Cougar" but I digress.


Now, here's the thing. The song, which to be honest is pretty much standard Mellencamp, has been ground into the brain of TV viewers across America. In every commercial break through the baseball playoffs on Fox, baseball fans heard, "This is ouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuur country!" In every TV timeout through the football season, I hear, "This is ouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuur country!"


With all that said, that's not the worst part of the entire experience. The song contains the lyrics, "From the East Coast, to the West Coast, Down the Dixie Highway, back home." These lyrics seem fairly innocuous and are certainly expected in a song called "Our Country", but Chevrolet's ad agency did something I still don't understand.


They filled the commercial with images of Rosa Parks, dancing hippies, Richard Nixon, western wildfires, and Dale Earnhardt. To close the commercial, they show a shot of the twin lights going up from Ground Zero in NYC. Is nothing sacred? I'm pretty sure that Rosa Parks' courage and determination are somehow on a higher plane than advertising fodder. Tricky Dick? I'm pretty sure that's not what I want to see when I hear a song proclaiming, "This is ourrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr country!"


I'm finally beginning to understand why I could never be an advertising major.

Let Me Run With You Tonight, I'll Take You On a Moonlight Ride

Congratulations to Dan Carlson for correctly naming "In the Summertime" by Mungo Jerry as the Friday Song of the Day.



Here's just a short section from Fargo Rock City that sums up why Chuck Klosterman is on my short list of favorite authors.


"Record reviewers spend way too much time analyzing albums in their entirety; this is because most rock writers have a problem--they like music way too much, often to the point of idiocy. It's very common to see an album panned because 'there's not much beyond the single.' I don't think that kind of logic matters. For example, Tubthumping by Chumbawumba has proven to be a more important album than Bob Dylan's Grammy Award-winning Time Out of Mind, simply because Chumbawumba's disc offered one great song that defined the moment of its popularity. I don't think there's any question about which of those two LPs will be more fun to find in a jukebox twenty years from now."

One of the fun questions to throw out to people is if you could invite 3 people to have dinner with, who would you pick? There's many variations on this question, such as historical figures, actors, athletes, etc. I'm going to offer my own twist on this question.


If you could sit down for a meal with any three living authors, who would you pick?


I'm going to go with Chuck Klosterman, Bill Simmons, and Malcolm Gladwell. My apologies to Dave Eggers and David Brooks who were close runners-up for the coveted spots.


So, who's coming to dinner with you?

Life's For Livin', Yeah That's Our Philosophy

Well, some of you might not approve of what I am about to do, but I'll justify it with this: the man brought me into the world and he can take me out. You'll notice that my Dad did not nail yesterday's Song of the Day by naming "A Day in the Life" by the Beatles, but he did name the correct album "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band". He's my Dad, he gets some slack. The rest of you will be held to a more stringent standard.

A few things on a Friday night:

• My good friend Mason Orr is trying to start up his blog again. Go check out his thoughts on "Friday Night Lights". If anyone could have a good conversation with The Undertaker and Thomas Friedman, I think it would be Mason. With that said, go read his blog.
• Nothing like a little Sports Guy Mailbag to take you into the weekend.
• Current Reading: Fargo Rock City: A Heavy Metal Odyssey in Rural North Dakota by Chuck Klosterman

As I sit here composing this post for you, the loyal reader, it's hard not to reflect on how much has changed in my life in the past year. Last December, if I wanted to see the majority of my closest friends, all it took was a quick 5 minute drive in the car or a walk across campus. Now, it's not so easy to get to places like Nashville or Wuhan. Sure, I'm in the same state as Dallas, Belton, Graham, Corpus Christi, Austin, and Abilene, but at times we seem light years apart.

Part of life is losing things. That seems like an awfully pessimistic thing to say, but ultimately I think it's true. Life is this continual cycle of growth and death, this process of gaining new experiences and watching as older ones fade into the recesses of memory. The secret is holding on to the things that you never want to recede into the background.

Who are the people that mean something to you? Give one of them a call.

I know that I have had to consciously commit myself to keeping in touch with my friends from ACU whether that is via the phone, email, Facebook, or other methods of communication. Building and maintaining these lifelong relationships and friendships does not just happen. It takes constant work and attention and maybe the sacrifice of one person who is willing to continually work at keeping things alive until the process begins to gel and formalize.

I know that this post might come across a bit of overwrought, emotionally charged rhetoric, but as I have had to adjust to a very different type of life in the past few months, it has really became apparent to me that my friends and family are part of my life-blood.

Well, I've written a novella here and probably few of you have seen it to its long-awaited conclusion. Again, thanks for reading and I'll see you tomorrow.

Woke Up, Got Out of Bed, Dragged a Comb Across My Head

Sometimes on a Thursday evening all you need is a little Explosions in the Sky:

There's something special about a rock band that can hold their audience for an entire concert without ever saying a word. Perhaps it's because words can get in the way of the raw emotion that we are capable of drawing out of these lifeless instruments. Perhaps it's because when there are no words, people write their own stories to the melodies.

Maybe it's because people just want to get lost in the music and not know which way is up and which way is down. I'm not sure what type of music does that for you, but I hope that you have found it. Music has this way of getting inside of our bones and reviving a day that seemed lost or connecting people who would never think about speaking to one another.

It has a way of waking me up to everything that is around me. The pain, the beauty, the disappointment, the hope, all of it. It reminds me of friends that are far away and friends that are nearby. I am reminded of lost loves and those that are to come. It makes me think of my Dad strumming his guitar. It makes me think of my Mom singing in church.

Maybe Kerouac's jazz musician in On The Road was really doing something amazing. Maybe he really was "filling empty space with the substance of our lives." Maybe.

Seems Like I'm Taking My Time to Get Back to You

As a de facto progress report, I present to you, the reader,

Future Behavior Guidelines that I have gained from reading/briefing cases in my first 4 months at Baylor Law:

• If I have only taken up archery very recently, it's not a good idea to try to shoot a beer can off of someone's head, especially if I am drunk. P.S. I should also counsel my friend from pulling the misguided arrow from his eye until the broadhead has been detached by a licensed professional.
• If a woman agrees to have sex with you, she's not agreeing to the possibility that you also might give her genital warts. Warrants mentioning.
• Just because the psychologist says "it's a good way to show the child who's boss", you might want to refrain from sitting on your child as a form of punishment. Especially if you are pushing 2 bills.
• Installing video surveillance cameras for "security purposes" in bathroom areas and then distributing the footage to interested viewers might be a bad idea for everyone involved.
• If I establish myself as a Messiah figure, form a cult, and tell my followers that I have the ability to simultaneously stop their hearts and plunge knives/hatchets into their chests without causing death, I need to avoid going overboard with 3 knives and 1 hatchet on a single cult member. Remember, everything in moderation, even Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom re-enactments.

It's Over and I Feel Fine, Nothing You Could Say is Gonna Change My Mind

We here at Running Down a Dream are in the business of bringing you good news, but tonight we have great news.


First, Team Gregory defeated Team Swanburg this evening 38-36. I'm not sure if I want to discuss the numerous short-ripping incidents that occurred in this game, but since this is a family blog, I'm going to err on the side of caution and refuse to follow that sordid tangent. Team Gregory's record now stands at a respectable 2-2 and we are in the thick of the Baylor Law Flag Football League Playoff Hunt.


Second, in one of most shocking events of the last 6 months, Team Jodayyy (yes, that Team Jodayyy) advanced to the Mira, Mira Super Bowl with a clutch victory over Team Jiggerscout led by the indomitable Jacob "Just don't call me Emily" Wardell. The final margin of victory was a scant .2 of a point! If Jig calls up Katherine Harris in the Florida Secretary of State office to protest this one, no one will be able to stop the fury that resides in my heart. Special thanks go out to Devin Hester for his two kickoff returns for touchdowns last night. I couldn't do it without you Devin. In the Mira, Mira Super Bowl, Team Jodayyy will face off against an old, familiar foe in Team Nate Low led by Coleman Greer Griffith. If you have ever dreamed about harassing and intimidating someone from the 615 area code, this is your week to shine.


Yes, this is my life.

A Walking Sleep and My Youth I Pray to Keep

Are the Rangers really about to sign Kenny Lofton? Did I fall into a Rip Van Winkle like slumber? What year is it? Can someone tell John Daniel that it's not 1995?

If the Rangers do sign Lofton, I'm going to be one of the first fans lining up for "Mid-90's Tribute Night" at the Ballpark next year. I would mandate that every player's at-bat music will either be "Black Hole Sun" by Soundgarden, "California Love" by Tupac and Dr. Dre, "Stay" by Lisa Loeb, "Mr. Jones" by the Counting Crows, or "MMMMMMMMMM" by the Crash Test Dummies. Fans will be required to come dressed as a character from Pulp Fiction, Braveheart, Forrest Gump, Air Force One, or Clueless.
That should be grand. I'm pretty sure we might see Mark Teixeira hit one through the Southwest Airlines Sign in center if he traded in "All Along the Watchtower" by Hendrix for "Stay" by Loeb. Just a thought.

Also, it looks like the Rangers are going to sign former Dodgers closer, Eric Gagne.If there's one thing that I firmly believe, it's that you need more Canadians on your team. Especially Canadians who wear really intimidating glasses when they pitch. This one's for you Peter Jennings. Was that too soon?

Blaze It In the Morning, Wear It Like an Iron Skin

How is U.S. figure skater Sasha Cohen dealing with comparisons to her doppelganger, Sascha Baron Cohen, a.k.a. Borat, AliG? In an exclusive interview with winter sports darling, she informed me that she will be working with Baron Cohen in his bid to bring the Winter Olympics to Kazakhstan in 2014. Now that's something I can support.

I'm pretty excited about The Good Shepherd which premieres in theaters on December 22. I've written numerous times about my affinity for Syriana, and ever since that movie I have come to appreciate the work of Matt Damon more and more.

Also, with Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci prominently involved, good things have to happen, right? I'm pretty sure that somewhere Ray Liotta is stabbing pins into his Matt Damon voodoo doll. Rest easy Ray, we all know you peaked in Operation Dumbo Drop.

Current Reading

Liar's Poker: Rising Through the Wreckage on Wall Street by Michael Lewis.

Down Sleepless Roads the Sleepless Go

Congratulations to "Katie" for correctly naming "No Rain" by Blind Melon as the Friday Song of the Day. I'm not sure if this Katie is my sister or another Katie, but congratulations nonetheless. Please feel free to share your last name to clear up any confusion that I currently have regarding my sister's possible Blind Melon fandom.

Because a Saturday night in early December seems like a reasonable time to confess a few secrets, here you go:

10 Things That I'm Not Afraid to Admit

1.You know, "Stairway to Heaven" is really not all that bad, and if you're telling me that you don't sing along to Jimmy Page's guitar solo, well my friend, you are probably just fooling yourself.

2. The last movie that I saw in theaters was Pirates of the Carribean 2: The Curse of the Black Pearl. I need to rectify this quickly. Also, it was a 2-screen movie theater in Salida, Colorado. Let's just say this was not like going to your friendly neighborhood multiplex.

3. Yes, I once supported the maroon and white of Texas A&M in high school and now I don the burnt orange in support of the 'Horns. Blame this one on Lance Agan.

4. I listen to "The Final Game" from the Rudy Soundtrack in order to get excited about running in the morning when I should probably just roll over and hit snooze.

5. When I called one of my buddies last week after Martin Gramatica hit the game-winning field goal, the conversation went something like this, "Yeahhhhhh.....woooooooooo....yeahhhhhhhhhhhhh." We thought this was normal.

6. I'm listening to the Rudy Soundtrack right now, and I'm not about to go run.

7. I will vehemently argue with anyone that Monday Night Football ratings would have never dipped if ABC had simply kept re-signing Richard Dean Anderson to new contracts for MacGyver.

8. If playing football on trampolines was a professional sport, I would be a first ballot Hall of Famer.

9. I probably should have died at least 15 different times in my prepubescent years from playing the sport described in #8.

10. At one point, I owned multiple Creed albums. Don't worry, I've been clean for a few years now.

So Stay With Me and I'll Have It Made

Congratulations to Andrew Tuegel for correctly naming "Glory and Consequence" by Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals as the Thursday Song of the Day.

Here are a few thoughts on a Friday night:

• I informed Prof. Contracts today that I am, in fact, the official foosball hooligan for his team. He seemed a bit surprised by this statement. It could be for his stated reason that he "does not read blogs", but I think he is just overwhelmed at the groundswell of interest that his revelation of past occupation has raised among the students at BLS.

• I have not written anything on the Michael Richards incident yet, and I wanted to withhold any thoughts until I actually watched some footage. After watching a clip on YouTube, all I can say is that when I initially heard the words "racist diatribe", I expected something much shorter, but I could simply not believe how unsettling the footage was. There's room for equivocation when a word or two slips out, but Richards' outburst was a long, sustained stream of hatred that justifies the outrage it has caused.

• Recent Book purchases: Liar's Poker: Rising Through the Wreckage on Wall Street by Michael Lewis, The Culture of Disbelief: How American Law and Politics Trivialize Religious Devotion by Stephen L. Carter, and Fargo Rock City: A Heavy Metal Odyssey in Rural North Dakota by Chuck Klosterman.

I'm Not as Scared of Dying as I am of Growing Old

Congratulations to Ms. Heidi Hipp for correctly naming "Big Indian" by the Dandy Warhols as the Wednesday Song of the Day all the way from China. The combination of words in that previous sentence just gave me a mental image of Chairman Mao, Geronimo, and Andy Warhol sitting around talking about music. I have no idea what they would all listen to, but I would love to hear the conversation.
I'm pretty sure that I received a subtle sign during this past week that I might care about sports a little too much, specifically the Rangers. On Monday when I was checking the daily headlines on espn.com, I saw a story noting that Scott Boras and the Rangers were in talks about the club possibly signing free agent Barry Zito. It felt oddly similar to that feeling where the highly attractive girl suddenly notices you, and instead of you working up the courage to approach her, she suddenly decides to walk up to you. That seems like a great thing right?

Well, here's where sports and interactions between the sexes get complicated. I wake up the next day to a story that Boras is shopping Barry's wares to the Mets and Mariners as well. In other words, the dream girl has just walked over to the next guy and began to strike up a conversation very similar to the one that you just had with her and all you can do is either go over and interrupt them or adapt an air of indifference to the entire proceedings.

It's like Vince Vaughn said in Wedding Crashers,

"Janice, I apologize to you if I don't seem real eager to jump into a forced awkward intimate situation that people like to call dating. I don't like the feeling. You're sitting there, you're wondering do I have food on my face, am I eating, am I talking too much, are they talking enough, am I interested but I'm not really interested, or should I play like I'm interested, but I'm not that interested, but I think she might be interested but do I want to be interested, but now she's not interested? So all of the sudden I'm getting, I'm starting to get interested... And when am I supposed to kiss her?"

I'm not sure what the Rangers are going to do, but I'd love to see Barry in Arlington next year.

Posts like this remind me why I am single.

My Friends Do Me So Right, I'm Lucky This Far, or Maybe It's Karma

I cannot believe that I made such an egregious error, but I failed to congratulate Andrew Tuegel for correctly naming "A Rush of Blood to the Head" by Coldplay as last Friday's Song of the Day. Tuegel, now that I know about your Chelsea fandom, please promise that you are not going to send any of Roman Abramovich's henchmen after me for this gross oversight.Seriously, I don't want to take a swim in the Brazos wearing concrete boots any time in the near future or ever.

Upon Further Review

This week's edition of "Upon Further Review" begins with a comment that I received today on my recent post on the Glasgow Rangers v. Glasgow Celtic rivalry that might qualify as the most interesting comment that I have received so far in the 2+ year history of this blog. I'm not entirely sure, but from what I can surmise, it came from a guy named Darren who is a fan of Glasgow Celtic, is a socialist, and is also quite possibly Scottish.


Those three possibilities along with the actual content of his comment (which I found tobe very insightful) may not seem incredibly interesting, but I find it fascinating how people navigate the internet and establish these brief, momentary connections with people that they will probably never cross paths with ever again.


As recently as 25 years ago, there was probably no way for someone who is a Scottish soccer fan to comment on the thoughts of an American law student unless those people had some type of pre-existing relationship or acquaintance. For members of my generation, it is probably very easy to take the internet and all of its associated technology for granted, but there are times when I sit and wonder what my children or grandchildren will take for granted that will simply blow my mind.

Are You a Lucky Little Lady In the City of Light?

It was good to finally meet Stephen Baker, the man behind the scenes at Poseur, tonight at the flag football games. I would be interested to see just how many of us who are frequent bloggers here at BLS actually know each other or speak on a daily basis.

I've actually found that through these first two years some of my most frequent readers (if there are any such people) are people that I do not talk to on a daily basis, but who read this blog to keep up with what's going on in my small part of the world. I'm not sure what that means exactly for how the internet works to make the world a smaller place, but it was just a thought.

Current Reading

Ladies and Gentlemen, The Bronx is Burning: 1977, Baseball, Politics, and the Battle for the Soul of a City by Jonathan Mahler

I've been thinking a great deal lately about what it means to be content with who you are and where you are. Part of me realizes that one of the secrets of life is learning to never be content, but to always be involved in the process of growing, learning, stretching, and moving towards these distant horizons where everything is going to fit together. I realize that this is the American in me.

The other part of me realizes that life is learning to be happy where you are right now. Because that's life. You are where you are. That seems incredibly simplistic, but I think it's true. Right here, right now is all that I have and I need to learn to be satisfied with where I am. If all my life is this constant yearning for a place that never actually comes, what kind of life is that? The secret is to savor the moments that I have been given today, for that is all I have.

Took a Look Around, See Which Way the Wind Blow

Because you need another thing to laugh about on Monday December 4, 2006, I give you quite possibly the worst example of corporate cheerleading that the world has ever seen.

Ladies and Gentlemen, the Bank of America/MBNA duo sings "One". Enjoy.

Somewhere out there Bono is secretly seething. Do your worst Sir, the world begs you.

Cryin' Won't Help You, Prayin' Won't Do You No Good

Congratulations to Sarah Carlson for naming "Don't Drink the Water" by the Dave Matthews Band as the Saturday Song of the Day.

Everyone, thanks for the continued comments and suggestions regarding my future stint as a hooligan, but I think I have made my choice. I'm going to become the pioneer foosball hooligan and follow around Prof. PR and Prof. Contracts as they bring destruction upon all foes in their path.

I plan on developing all kinds of demoralizing chants and making a general nuisance out of myself during the matches. Afterwards, I will demonstrate my amazing ability to tolerate tear gas as I wreak havoc on the pitiful fans of other table soccer organizations. Onwards and upwards.

No Room for Both, Just Room for Me

How much fun is it to be a football fan? Well, like anything, it has its ups and downs.

Earlier today, I traveled to Dallas to watch my alma mater, the Whitehouse Wildcats, take on the Waco High Lions in the 4A Division II Region II Semifinals (I know, it's a mouthful). Let's just say that things did not go the Wildcats' way at John Kincaide Stadium today. After running back a fumble for a touchdown to open the game, the Wildcats did not even sniff the end zone for the rest of the game. The Lions ended up winning the game in a rout 42-7.

It's hard to find positives in a 42-7 loss, but for a team that was making its inaguaral appearance in the 3rd round of the playoffs, whatever experience you have is simply icing on the cake of an already fantastic season. It may seem odd for a young guy who is 4 years out of high school to drive 2 hours each way to watch his high school play, but I might be a much older man before I see the Wildcats this deep in the playoffs again.

This may be horrifying for my parents to read, but in the past week, I've made a big decision. Franklin Foer's How Soccer Explains the World has inspired my possible choices regarding my future. In the unforeseen chance that this whole law school thing does not work out, and there is no indication that it will not, I think I'm going to become a soccer hooligan.

In recent years I've become disturbed by the manufactured, canned experience that professional sports have become. When I watch soccer matches from other countries, I am enthralled by the constant singing, flag-waving, and chanting that fills the stadium. When I say I want to become a "hooligan", I don't mean that I want to always go around beating people over the head with lead pipes. That would only happen every other weekend.

Here's what I'm asking: I need suggestions about which team I should follow. Maybe it could be a team in the English Premier League? Perhaps the German Bundesliga? The Italian Serie A? Who knows, I could become the first ever hooligan for a MLS squad. I need to properly plan this thing so I can be ready to move when the opportunity present itself.

In the comments section, give me your suggestions and the reasons why I should choose your team. I'm thanking you in advance.

They Call as They Beckon You On, They Said Start As You Mean to Go On

Congratulations to Dan Carlson for naming "Motorcycle Drive By", Third Eye Blind as the Thursday Song of the Day.

Well, this morning in Torts was interesting to say the least. As we were beginning our discussion of recklessness, Prof. Torts asked a question which I chose to answer. I'm not sure if answering was the best choice, because it seemed that Prof. Torts enjoyed my answer a bit too much, and he went off into an odd explanation of how couples begin to look and think alike after they have been together for a while, presumably thinking that since he agreed with my observation, we were somewhere close to an old married couple.

He recognized that things had gotten out of hand quickly and uttered the following line:

"I was trying to compliment you...next thing you know, I’m trying to mate with you." (Thanks to the Baylor Law School Circus for the exact quote)

There were a few troubling moments, but I think I found that Prof. Torts acted recklessly because he was subjectively aware of a serious risk of making an awkward comment in class and he choose to consciously disregard that risk and made that comment anyway. All in all, a great learning experience for everyone involved.