Congratulations! You did it. You helped this site reach the 1000 visitor mark. Special recognition goes to my friend Rachel who was the lucky visitor. I owe her a drink. Or so she tells me.
All I can say is keep visiting. If you do, I'll keep writing. Sometimes I'll even write things that are interesting. You'll see!
In other news, we have a new Pope. As I'm quite certain you already know, Pope John Paul II passed away recently. The College of Cardinals (Such a party school! I almost went there, but decided on UT Austin at the last second. Little known fact!) has elected his successor. Benedict the XVI is the man. I would have thought that John Paul III would have been the natural choice (I understand he's very upset.), but I guess that just shows how much I have to learn about this stuff.
Have a great day!
Wednesday, April 20, 2005
Monday, April 18, 2005
Four Digits, Travel, and a Big Mistake
Hi there! Well, we're almost there. Almost, that is, to the big 1-0-0-0 on the visitor counter. It's exciting to be nearing four-digit territory, even if the number has climbed painfully slowly since its humble beginnings in the single digits. Sure, most of the visits have been me, but not all of them, and that's what we should focus on as we near this milestone. Best of luck to all at being the 1000th. If you find that you are (you'll know because the counter will say 1000) post a comment to the latest post letting me know. You'll be eligible for many fabulous prizes.
Alright, settle down now. There's more here to enjoy than just exciting play-by-play coverage of this site's visitor count. I was on the road this weekend on a sort of ziggybackride history tour.
I left my hometown of Memphis, TN, where I grew up and live currently, on Friday and spent some time that afternoon in Jackson, MS, visiting my old office, co-workers, and friends there. I proceeded out of "urban Mississippi" and into the suburbs of Utica, MS, where I spent the night at Henry S. Jacobs Camp, where I have spent some significant portion of over 20 summers of my life, plus some time in the winter months, too. There, I helped staff a weekend event for 6th-8th graders from around the region. I woke up early Saturday morning and flew out of Jackson (the Utica airport just ain't what it used to be) to Austin, TX, where I visited with friends from the camp and from my days in school at UT Austin. That night, I attended a celebration for a student affairs professional that is retiring after a long tenure shaping student life at The University. It was great to have the opportunity to show him my appreciation and to see many very close friends who were there to do the same and with whom I hope to keep in better contact from now on (and I'm not just saying that because they might be reading this!). That night, I slept in the apartment of some camp friends who are in school at UT. It sounds like it's funny that I, a mildly successful 29 year old professional would crash on the couch of a college apartment, but in truth, they keep it far cleaner than I keep my house, so it was rather luxurious! I woke up Sunday morning at 5:00 a.m. and caught a shuttle to the airport, flew back to Jackson, got in my car, caught up with a bus of kids returning to Memphis from the camp weekend and traveled with them back to Memphis.
It was rather an elegant little travel plan that emerged from a marriage of my desire to get to Austin and my laziness that kept from me from finding someone else to chaperone the camp bus. It was a fun weekend!
Finally, the big mistake. I started watching the movie "The Neverending Story" last week. I'm still watching it. This story never ends!!! Just kidding, of course, but I have always found it funny in the video store that there is a Neverending Story II. How could you possibly need a sequel if the first one never ends? And how would anyone ever get around to watching it?
Alright, settle down now. There's more here to enjoy than just exciting play-by-play coverage of this site's visitor count. I was on the road this weekend on a sort of ziggybackride history tour.
I left my hometown of Memphis, TN, where I grew up and live currently, on Friday and spent some time that afternoon in Jackson, MS, visiting my old office, co-workers, and friends there. I proceeded out of "urban Mississippi" and into the suburbs of Utica, MS, where I spent the night at Henry S. Jacobs Camp, where I have spent some significant portion of over 20 summers of my life, plus some time in the winter months, too. There, I helped staff a weekend event for 6th-8th graders from around the region. I woke up early Saturday morning and flew out of Jackson (the Utica airport just ain't what it used to be) to Austin, TX, where I visited with friends from the camp and from my days in school at UT Austin. That night, I attended a celebration for a student affairs professional that is retiring after a long tenure shaping student life at The University. It was great to have the opportunity to show him my appreciation and to see many very close friends who were there to do the same and with whom I hope to keep in better contact from now on (and I'm not just saying that because they might be reading this!). That night, I slept in the apartment of some camp friends who are in school at UT. It sounds like it's funny that I, a mildly successful 29 year old professional would crash on the couch of a college apartment, but in truth, they keep it far cleaner than I keep my house, so it was rather luxurious! I woke up Sunday morning at 5:00 a.m. and caught a shuttle to the airport, flew back to Jackson, got in my car, caught up with a bus of kids returning to Memphis from the camp weekend and traveled with them back to Memphis.
It was rather an elegant little travel plan that emerged from a marriage of my desire to get to Austin and my laziness that kept from me from finding someone else to chaperone the camp bus. It was a fun weekend!
Finally, the big mistake. I started watching the movie "The Neverending Story" last week. I'm still watching it. This story never ends!!! Just kidding, of course, but I have always found it funny in the video store that there is a Neverending Story II. How could you possibly need a sequel if the first one never ends? And how would anyone ever get around to watching it?
Friday, April 08, 2005
Dream Job? Really?
I am looking for a job. Not very actively, but I am looking. I am leaving my current post in June and I don't know what I'll do next. I'm interested in a lot of different possibilities and feel I have a lot of opportunities, so I'm not worried, but the situation has raised my interest in jobs and how to get them.
Naturally, my attention was drawn to an ESPN show called Dream Job, as I am not only a job seeker, but a sports fan. This is the 2nd season of Dream Job. In the first, sportscaster wannabes vied for an opening on the Sportscenter anchor team. My friend Micah came damn close to becoming a finalist in that competition, as a matter of fact, but I digress (surprise, surprise!). This second season of the show has former NBA players competing for the chance to be an NBA commentator for the network. Here's where I become confused and - I'm not gonna lie to you - somewhat angry.
Former NBA players are competing for a "dream job?" Are you kidding me? These guys made millions of dollars playing basketball. I'm sure you understand, but I feel the need to explain further. Their job - their whole job - was to be basketball players. That would qualify as quite close to dream job status even if they were making minimum wage for it, but they weren't. No, they were paid millions of dollars to play the game I love, and now, NOW, they are competing for a dream job?
So my first problem with this is the idea that we should get excited because one of these guys might finally get something we might consider a dream job. The second is that it's not like they are just average joes who happen to think they make good comments during basketball games (like George Costanza) and think they might make a good sportscaster if ever given the chance. As Jerry told George, "Those jobs are usually reserved for people who are in broadcasting or former athletes." To which George responded, "Well... that doesn't seem fair."
George may be right, but Jerry certainly was. Since when do retired professional athletes need a leg up over average guys to have a chance at sportscasting jobs? If ESPN wants to give away dream jobs, open it up to guys who don't already have a really good chance to get that exact job and who haven't already had what everyone else in the world would consider a dream job. Then I'll watch.
Good day to you.
I said good day!
Naturally, my attention was drawn to an ESPN show called Dream Job, as I am not only a job seeker, but a sports fan. This is the 2nd season of Dream Job. In the first, sportscaster wannabes vied for an opening on the Sportscenter anchor team. My friend Micah came damn close to becoming a finalist in that competition, as a matter of fact, but I digress (surprise, surprise!). This second season of the show has former NBA players competing for the chance to be an NBA commentator for the network. Here's where I become confused and - I'm not gonna lie to you - somewhat angry.
Former NBA players are competing for a "dream job?" Are you kidding me? These guys made millions of dollars playing basketball. I'm sure you understand, but I feel the need to explain further. Their job - their whole job - was to be basketball players. That would qualify as quite close to dream job status even if they were making minimum wage for it, but they weren't. No, they were paid millions of dollars to play the game I love, and now, NOW, they are competing for a dream job?
So my first problem with this is the idea that we should get excited because one of these guys might finally get something we might consider a dream job. The second is that it's not like they are just average joes who happen to think they make good comments during basketball games (like George Costanza) and think they might make a good sportscaster if ever given the chance. As Jerry told George, "Those jobs are usually reserved for people who are in broadcasting or former athletes." To which George responded, "Well... that doesn't seem fair."
George may be right, but Jerry certainly was. Since when do retired professional athletes need a leg up over average guys to have a chance at sportscasting jobs? If ESPN wants to give away dream jobs, open it up to guys who don't already have a really good chance to get that exact job and who haven't already had what everyone else in the world would consider a dream job. Then I'll watch.
Good day to you.
I said good day!
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