I have a friend who thinks that his being able to see the Beavs play, either from the stands or at home in his living room, has an effect on the outcome. Often during tense moments, he disappears, returning only once things have settled down again. He may just have a weak bladder and truly has to use the bathroom during these nerve-racking plays, but personally I think he really can’t handle the pressure. And up until this past Saturday, I tended to make fun of him for this.
What happened on Saturday you ask? Only the second biggest game of the Pac-10 2009 season. Oregon v. Arizona . . . the team that wins out goes to the Rose Bowl. But if Arizona loses a game, and the Beavs win out, guess who’s spending New Years in Pasadena? After two over times, Oregon managed to squeak one out over Arizona. And just when I managed to calm myself down from watching such a good game, a major realization hit me. Winner of Civil War now goes to the Rose Bowl. Either I am spending New Years in Pasadena, or the Duck fan who sits next to me at work is.
The chance to go to the Rose Bowl is always exciting, unless you’re USC and the Rose Bowl is your consolation prize and all you have to do is drive across town to play. And after last year’s Civil War, I’m already nervous. This is the second year in a row that the Beavs have held their bowl destiny in their own hands. Win out and you see roses. Lose and go to some obscure bowl. And last year the Beavs took a beating during Civil War . . . one that happened to be the worst beating ever on their home turf.
I spent a lot of Sunday running scenarios in my head. Could the Beavs pull out a win at Autzen? It’s been done before. But the Ducks look pretty darn good. Up until Saturday, the lowest number of points they had posted against competitors was 42. And while the Beavs have some solid defense, we haven’t been putting up those kinds of numbers on offense. The trick will be to shut down Masoli and James. And this was the point in my thought process that I realized I knew too much about football for a girl.
As much as I make fun of my friend who thinks he controls the outcome of a play by leaving the room, I am already nervous for the game. It really could go either way. And I really want to spend New Years in sunny Southern California rather than snowy Montana. I realize that my being nervous or what I wear will have exactly zero out come on the game. Deep down I am completely rational. But there is something about being a fan that caters to the irrational. Something inside us that says if I wear orange for the next week and a half, I can somehow control the outcome of the biggest Civil War in history.
If wearing orange or knocking on wood or sending happy thoughts into the universe gives the Beavs even an ounce of advantage on the 3rd . . . . well then I am perfectly happy to be a crazy fan. Go Beavs.
November 23, 2009
November 20, 2009
Rough Life
You know your life is rough when the biggest decision you’re trying to make is how to fit all your travel plans into the next year. Seriously. This is my biggest conundrum right now.
I travel a lot. So much in fact that when making small talk with me, people always ask “so where is your next trip to?” Some might say that the travel is excessive, but I am young and single. What better way to spend my disposable income than on travel and wine? And the occasional designer handbag? This year alone I had five major trips. Not major as in overseas, but I did five very cool vacations: Hawaii, Lake Shasta, Priest Lake, Vegas and Alaska.
As the remainder of my travel for this year is simply going home to Montana for the holidays, I’ve begun to ponder my trips for 2010. I turn 30 next year. The number itself doesn’t bother me, but I feel like I should do something awesome to celebrate it. And I’ve decided that Greece would be awesome. I’ve even found a travel group that doesn’t charge the single person surcharge. The problem is that between my other already scheduled travel and work, I’m finding it difficult to make the dates work.
Do I try to “squeeze” in a trip to Greece next year? Or do I wait an extra year so I can go during the time of year that I’d like to go? If I don’t go to Greece, I have a free place to stay in Hawaii during April and May and a discounted plane ticket. And who doesn’t love Hawaii?
I also have an amazing family trip planned for June. The whole family, aunts, uncles, cousins, first cousins once removed (cousins kids), are taking a boat and exploring the area where my dad and his sisters grew up in BC. Since it is only accessible by boat, this is pretty much a once in a lifetime opportunity. Twenty some odd family members on a boat together for a week? Good thing we all get along!
Before you know it, it’s time for Hood to Coast and then its football season. So we’re back to the Greece or no Greece dilemma. Like I said, sometimes life is pretty rough.
I travel a lot. So much in fact that when making small talk with me, people always ask “so where is your next trip to?” Some might say that the travel is excessive, but I am young and single. What better way to spend my disposable income than on travel and wine? And the occasional designer handbag? This year alone I had five major trips. Not major as in overseas, but I did five very cool vacations: Hawaii, Lake Shasta, Priest Lake, Vegas and Alaska.
As the remainder of my travel for this year is simply going home to Montana for the holidays, I’ve begun to ponder my trips for 2010. I turn 30 next year. The number itself doesn’t bother me, but I feel like I should do something awesome to celebrate it. And I’ve decided that Greece would be awesome. I’ve even found a travel group that doesn’t charge the single person surcharge. The problem is that between my other already scheduled travel and work, I’m finding it difficult to make the dates work.
Do I try to “squeeze” in a trip to Greece next year? Or do I wait an extra year so I can go during the time of year that I’d like to go? If I don’t go to Greece, I have a free place to stay in Hawaii during April and May and a discounted plane ticket. And who doesn’t love Hawaii?
I also have an amazing family trip planned for June. The whole family, aunts, uncles, cousins, first cousins once removed (cousins kids), are taking a boat and exploring the area where my dad and his sisters grew up in BC. Since it is only accessible by boat, this is pretty much a once in a lifetime opportunity. Twenty some odd family members on a boat together for a week? Good thing we all get along!
Before you know it, it’s time for Hood to Coast and then its football season. So we’re back to the Greece or no Greece dilemma. Like I said, sometimes life is pretty rough.
November 19, 2009
Boys
I love boys. For many reasons, but mostly because they aren’t girls. They tend to lack the drama and emotions that girls have, thus making friendships with guys somewhat easier. Of course I also don’t expect nearly as much from my guy friendships as I do my girl friendships. I don’t expect them to remember it’s my birthday or notice that I got my hair cut or complement me on an outfit. And despite my telling them a million times that a girl does not want to hear this, I am never surprised when they say “you look tired today.”
Because I have lower expectations from guys, it tends to catch me off guard when they do something nice or thoughtful all on their own accord. The first time this happened, one of the guys was dropping me off at my home. He insisted on waiting until I got inside before pulling away. I tried to tell him that it was 20 feet and well lit, but to this day, he still waits until I get inside the building before taking off.
It is important for every girl, especially single girls, to have at least one guy friend with a truck. I feel a little bit bad for him, because within our group of friends, there are two single girls. And we have both moved at least once. And anytime I need a truck for something, guess who I call. He’s pretty great about it though, always willing to lend his truck and his muscles. You gotta love the guys who are willing to help you out no matter how much it sucks, because as hard as I try, I cannot move a couch by myself.
One of my really good girlfriends got married a year or so ago. I’ve met her husband on several occasions, but it’s always been in big groups and we’re both quiet people so there hasn’t been a lot of chatting. I ended up driving to a Beaver game with them this season, which means multiple hours in the car and plenty of time to bond. After spending some quality time with my girl friend and her hubby in the car, I decided that he’s pretty great. What made him awesome however came at the end of the night. I had a table in the back of their car and after pulling up to my place, he immediately hops out to help me carry the table inside, with no prompting from his wife. Major kudos to the guy who automatically helps someone out.
Apparently I also love boys for their thoughtfulness. They don’t necessarily notice a hair cut or new shoes, but my guys step up when it matters. It might be saving me a seat at a function, carrying something heavy or making sure I get home safely. Sometimes I have to remind myself of their good traits, but at the end of the day, guys aren’t so bad.
Because I have lower expectations from guys, it tends to catch me off guard when they do something nice or thoughtful all on their own accord. The first time this happened, one of the guys was dropping me off at my home. He insisted on waiting until I got inside before pulling away. I tried to tell him that it was 20 feet and well lit, but to this day, he still waits until I get inside the building before taking off.
It is important for every girl, especially single girls, to have at least one guy friend with a truck. I feel a little bit bad for him, because within our group of friends, there are two single girls. And we have both moved at least once. And anytime I need a truck for something, guess who I call. He’s pretty great about it though, always willing to lend his truck and his muscles. You gotta love the guys who are willing to help you out no matter how much it sucks, because as hard as I try, I cannot move a couch by myself.
One of my really good girlfriends got married a year or so ago. I’ve met her husband on several occasions, but it’s always been in big groups and we’re both quiet people so there hasn’t been a lot of chatting. I ended up driving to a Beaver game with them this season, which means multiple hours in the car and plenty of time to bond. After spending some quality time with my girl friend and her hubby in the car, I decided that he’s pretty great. What made him awesome however came at the end of the night. I had a table in the back of their car and after pulling up to my place, he immediately hops out to help me carry the table inside, with no prompting from his wife. Major kudos to the guy who automatically helps someone out.
Apparently I also love boys for their thoughtfulness. They don’t necessarily notice a hair cut or new shoes, but my guys step up when it matters. It might be saving me a seat at a function, carrying something heavy or making sure I get home safely. Sometimes I have to remind myself of their good traits, but at the end of the day, guys aren’t so bad.
November 5, 2009
Things that Grind My Gears
Things that grind my gears . . .
My normal day to day activities do not require the use of a car. I drive very infrequently. And in this pedestrian friendly city, I’m very annoyed at how often cars will not stop for a pedestrian in a crosswalk. There is a crosswalk on my way home that is notorious for the fact that you have to walk into traffic before anyone will stop for you.
The crosswalk is probably only a year or two old. That intersection was enough of an issue that a crosswalk has been put in since I’ve been living downtown. And still cars do not stop. I’ll forgive the one lone car blazing through not paying attention. Lucky for them, and my health insurance carrier, I am paying attention. What irritates me is when there is a steady stream of cars, I am clearly visible waiting to cross and no one slows down. I will step in front of you and your car and force you to stop. And then I will proceed to walk slower than an old lady who needs hip replacement surgery.
In fact, the majority of the times I use this crosswalk, I have to step into the middle of the street before anyone will stop. One time I even had a guy swerve around me while I was in the middle of the crosswalk because he couldn’t wait for five seconds. And what are sometimes worse than cars are the bikers. Bikers, if you want to be respected on the road and treated like a car, then you have to follow the rules of the road too. Which means that you have to stop for pedestrians at crosswalks. And stoplights, but that is a whole new rant. To the people that do stop and let me use the crosswalk as needed, I not only hustle across the street, I give a courtesy wave and thank you.
The other thing that really grinds my gears . . . rudeness. I am a modern girl, I don’t expect you to hold the door open for me, but I do expect that you won’t trample me trying to get through it first. I have literally been shoved out of the way by a business man trying to board public transportation before me. On the flip side, I have homeless people telling me good morning and to have a nice day when I walk past them on my commute to work. If people that have very little can be polite and courteous, I don’t see why everyone can’t.
The gym is another place that seems to grow rudeness like a Petri dish grows bacteria. Yesterday I was at the gym headed upstairs to the cardio machines. A guy cut me off on the stairs and then cut me off again to take the machine I was headed towards. I hate waiting for a machine as much as the next person, but is it really worth knocking someone out of the way for? And what always makes it worse is the person who cuts you off for a machine only stays on there for an average of two minutes. Really buddy? Two whole minutes? Don’t burn yourself out. The weight area is another place without manners. Just because you leave a water bottle by a machine doesn’t mean it’s yours. There is this thing called sharing. Most of us learned it as toddlers. Some of you need a refresher on the concept.
And those are just a few of the things that grind my gears.
My normal day to day activities do not require the use of a car. I drive very infrequently. And in this pedestrian friendly city, I’m very annoyed at how often cars will not stop for a pedestrian in a crosswalk. There is a crosswalk on my way home that is notorious for the fact that you have to walk into traffic before anyone will stop for you.
The crosswalk is probably only a year or two old. That intersection was enough of an issue that a crosswalk has been put in since I’ve been living downtown. And still cars do not stop. I’ll forgive the one lone car blazing through not paying attention. Lucky for them, and my health insurance carrier, I am paying attention. What irritates me is when there is a steady stream of cars, I am clearly visible waiting to cross and no one slows down. I will step in front of you and your car and force you to stop. And then I will proceed to walk slower than an old lady who needs hip replacement surgery.
In fact, the majority of the times I use this crosswalk, I have to step into the middle of the street before anyone will stop. One time I even had a guy swerve around me while I was in the middle of the crosswalk because he couldn’t wait for five seconds. And what are sometimes worse than cars are the bikers. Bikers, if you want to be respected on the road and treated like a car, then you have to follow the rules of the road too. Which means that you have to stop for pedestrians at crosswalks. And stoplights, but that is a whole new rant. To the people that do stop and let me use the crosswalk as needed, I not only hustle across the street, I give a courtesy wave and thank you.
The other thing that really grinds my gears . . . rudeness. I am a modern girl, I don’t expect you to hold the door open for me, but I do expect that you won’t trample me trying to get through it first. I have literally been shoved out of the way by a business man trying to board public transportation before me. On the flip side, I have homeless people telling me good morning and to have a nice day when I walk past them on my commute to work. If people that have very little can be polite and courteous, I don’t see why everyone can’t.
The gym is another place that seems to grow rudeness like a Petri dish grows bacteria. Yesterday I was at the gym headed upstairs to the cardio machines. A guy cut me off on the stairs and then cut me off again to take the machine I was headed towards. I hate waiting for a machine as much as the next person, but is it really worth knocking someone out of the way for? And what always makes it worse is the person who cuts you off for a machine only stays on there for an average of two minutes. Really buddy? Two whole minutes? Don’t burn yourself out. The weight area is another place without manners. Just because you leave a water bottle by a machine doesn’t mean it’s yours. There is this thing called sharing. Most of us learned it as toddlers. Some of you need a refresher on the concept.
And those are just a few of the things that grind my gears.
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