#21

Using only the most astute methods of research, I have produced my Sweet 16.

Kansas- Sherrod Collins and Co. are really frickin' good. Would pick Northern Iowa, but find their mascot is a Panther. Have you ever seen a panther in Iowa>
Maryland- Go Turtles!
Georgetown- I like their game.
UC Santa Barbara- Gauchos is my favorite mascotin the tourney
Syracuse- Their mascot is an orange with arms and legs. My pick to win it all, obviously. (wanted to pick my fellow Tomahawk Choppers from FSU)
Xavier- X!
BYU- Go Fightin' Mormons!
Wake Forest- Demon Deacons! They're demonic!
Cornell- Can't bet against the Fightin' Andy Bernards
Montana- Really, what else do Montanans have to live for?
West Virginia- Just because I want to hear the John Denver song.
Duke- Krzyewksi!
Old Dominion- I already saw them beat Notre Dame, and I am still not convinced that Baylor can be any good at any sport
St. Mary's- They're the Gaels! I don't know what a Gael is!

There it is. I'v already wagered well over 20,000 dollars on these teams to my bookies, so wish me luck.

#20

It's amazing how far the glory one can fall. On July 6, 2009 I attended the first Major League game of Braves uber-prospect Jeff Francoeur. He was from Atlanta and received a standing ovationin his first atbat- he finished the surreal night with a home run. His future was as promising as imaginable.

Today, Jeff was traded to the rival Mets for a second rate journey man. And I think it was a great trade for the Braves He is statistically one of the worst hitters in the game. He is routinely booed at home and holds the dubious distinction of "Dayton's least favorite Brave"

My how things change.

#19

I've always been fascinated by the stock footage used in obesity stories. Who are these people? What would happen if they recognized themselves? Would this motivate them to lose weight?

#18

I promise I'm done with Michael. I was at Target the other day and found no less than 8 "Special Commemorative Collector's Edition" magazines devoted to MJ- eprobably twice as many at a bookstore. Not really sure who collects stuff like that.

My amateur psychiatric analysis of MJ: he's a guy with severe emotional issues that have been thoroughly exacerbated by absolutely everything that has taken place during his life.

I'm done with MJ. Hopefully everyone else is too!

#17

Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.

In the car today, Dr. Laura was on the radio (I love how she can take problems that would normally require years of therapy and solve them in 30 seconds). She laid forth a simple theorem on relationships: "Men think with their brains, women think with their hearts; men analyze, women feel."

This seems especially true today.

#16

I've alwas had difficulty with catharsis. No matter how good a performance may be, I can never fully suspend reality. I don't seem to have this problem with baseball games, as I've sworn at Jeff Francoeur more than every person I've ever actually known in my life combined. Bu movies, plays, tv... I just can't get beyond the fact that I'm sitting watching it, rather than living it.

The msot recent evidence of this was in watching "The Dark Knight" on DVD. One of the climactic scenes involves the Joker attempting to blow up a hospital. While the tension rose and the dramatic music played, I could help myself from thinking thoughts such as, "How does one rig a hospital with explosives without anyone noticing?" "Where do you find the man power to rig said hospital?" "How could someone afford to buy that much dynamite, and how would that purchase go unnoticced?"

Whether the hospital exploded is besides the point... I just spend too much time thinking to get absorbed in to anthing. As the Joker would say, "Why so Serious?" (that said, the movie is very good)

#15

I hate isntalling things. Whether it's a tv, computer, dvd player, book shelf, phone, desk... whatever, I manage to ruin it. Never fails. Pretty sure I'm a lost cause.

The latest debacle occurred while attempting to hook up my mom's new laptop to our wireless router. Not only did I fail in that endeavor, now I can't even get my laptop online.

Lovely.

#14

Is there anything mroe anti-climactic than watching fireworks on television? It just isn't the same as seeing it in person. Although fireworks have never been my cup of tea.

Kudos to CBS for having Craig Ferguson, a man not from America (although he is a naturalized citizen) host their 4th of July special. Nice to hear his thick Irish accent during the program.

#13

Since the dawn of time, there has been a desire to make sense of birth order. While there are countless efforts at deciphering the code,Alfred Adler's is about the best.

Munro, however, gave me a different perspective on birth order. He heard it at a conference years ago, but finds it particularly pertinent. It posits: The first child (or an only child) will take his/her perspective/life cues from the father, the second child from the mother, the third child from the parents, and the fourth from the family.

Additionally, individuals take their perspective on romantic relationships with their relationship with their opposite-sex parent, and views on themselves from their relationship with their same-sex parent.

I've found a lot of truth in these as I've reflected on them.

#12

Today we celebrate America's birthday by blowing stuff up from China. To commemorate this day, I local realtor placed American flags in front of all the houses in my neighborhood. Interestingly enough, the flags were made in Taiwan.

One of the best pieces of Americana that took place on the 50th Independence Day- Thomas Jefferson and John Adams died within hours of each other.

Fortunately, I have the only dog in the world not scared/bothered by fireworks. Chipper doesn't even seem to acknowledge the loud noises. Ignorance is bliss.