The great hockey debate

While curled up watching the Stanley Cup finals last night, all three overtimes of it, I had a small debate with a close girl friend about the sport of hockey. My love of the game was challenged with a question of which states 'actually follow hockey,' followed by comments alluding to a small following of the sport. I gave her the benefit of the doubt on this one, given that our city does not have an NHL team, neither did her small college of under 5,000. Further conversation led to a statement that blew my mind, and ended the debate purely out of frustration: soccer is just as popular, and as big a money maker, as hockey. Maybe if we're talking ages 6-12 but I've got NHL on the brain, and on the TV at the moment.

Now I pride myself on being an avid sports enthusiast and last night my sports knowledge was challenged - and I'll be the first to admit I'm out for blood in such challenges; more to prove that I know what I'm talking about than to prove others wrong - that's just a bonus (kidding!). But given that I grew up watching Bill Laimbeer and Isiah Thomas run the court for the Pistons, and Steve Yzerman and Sergi Federov rule the ice for the Redwings, my passion in this issue lies not within being right (though I often argue for this fact alone...hey, at least I can admit it), but to defend those sports that have been such a large part of my life for so long.

During our short debate I had mentioned that when thinking of the "big 4" of sports in my mind they would be football, basketball, baseball, and hockey - both college and professional - as the most popular and the biggest revenue generators for cities and universities alike. Her argument is that more people in the U.S. play soccer than play hockey. This may very well be the case, given the nature of the sport as well as the amount of money it costs to play. This does not mean, however, that it has a larger following.

Now, I'm trying my hardest to see both sides of the debate, so I decided to do a little digging to find an objective answer and found the following in a Wikipedia article (about as official as I could find in my quick Internet search during commercials - good ole Stanley and The Joe were much more important at the time).

"Sports in the United States are an important part of the national culture. However, the sporting culture of the U.S. is different from that of many other countries. Compared to any other nation, Americans prefer a unique set of sports. For example, association football (soccer), the most popular sport in most countries, is not as popular in the U.S. compared to the four most popular team sports, namely, American football, basketball, baseball, and ice hockey. The major leagues of each of these sports enjoy massive media exposure and are considered the preeminent competitions in their respective sports in the world. The preeminence of the major leagues is partially attributed to their strong financial power and huge domestic market, as well as the fact that relatively few other countries play some of their dominant sports, like American football, to any significant extent."

Thank you, Wikipedia, for making my opinions and knowledge of sports a little more valid. But because I don't always take Wikipedia's word as fact, I'd like to see what everyone else thinks. What do you consider to be the sports "big 4"?

Cheers!

-A

Synapse traffic jam

Lately I've been feeling as if the thoughts in my brain are caught up traffic-jam style - where no matter how hard you crank your head out the window to see what the hold-up is, you can't manage to see that far ahead.

This has led to deep reflection in my oh so introspective fashion. Unfortunately though, my thoughts and emotions are so backed-up that it's difficult to put any ideas into words. So much so that I've not only become a challenged writer, but a bad friend. For someone who typically makes a weekly call to closest friends, I've really been slacking. Here's a snapshot at some of the thoughts I've captured...

Ideals, traveling, photography opportunities, the non-negotiables, constant negative discussions, office politics, "the non-traditional family," career advancement, location, finances, summer visits, writing, past relationships, future relationships, needs vs. wants, phases of life, routine, values, voluntary changes, stress, goals, organizing, time alone.

The above is just a short list of where my head is at the moment. Yikes! It's a scary list but I'm ready to take these thoughts head on.

My apologies, dear readers, for this (hopefully short) layover in intelligent postings. As the traffic clears I will post on the lessons learned and folks encountered along the way. Until then.

Cheers!

-A

Summer Vacation Dilemma

My loyal readers,

I need your help. This summer was supposed to end with a long Labor Day weekend in Virgina Beach, running a marathon and vacationing on the beach, beer in hand, post race. However, due to recent foot injuries (see What's Your Doctor's Personality from May 1) my participation in this event has been suspended.

My dilemma, then, is where I should travel in place of this trip. Ideally, it would be great to visit one of my friends while traveling, which shouldn't be a problem as most of my college friends are scattered across the country, while being in a scenic place conducive to artistic photography with running trails as a bonus.

So dear readers, if you could travel to anywhere within the continental United States this summer, where would be your pick?Suggestions in comments much appreciated.

Expect a post in June which will reveal my final destination.

Cheers!

-A

Long lost gym buddies

Over the years I've been blessed to have people I connect with at my gym. Typically, I enjoy solitary workouts where I can go at my own pace and not have to feel like I'm competing with a workout partner. But having active friends around is an important thing for me, as it provides a little extra motivation to get to the gym after work every day. Wouldn't want them thinking I'm a slacker, now would I?

Back in college I hit the gym at 3:30 every day of the summer. Toward the end of each session my buddy Jackie would come strolling in and we'd chat while we stretched (post workout for me, pre-workout for Jacks). He was a great gym buddy. We talked about workouts, plans for the weekend, all that fun stuff. He was my guardian too. When skeezy men would come talk to me, Jackie was right there to step in and handle it (lucky for me, he was an intimidating man). As the days grew shorter and the sun set earlier in the day, Jackie would often walk me to my car for safety in the dark parking lot. We were gym buddies for 3 years, until I graduated and moved far, far away.

Luckily I soon found a new buddy at my gym in San Antonio. Tony was one of the salesmen at the gym who turned out to be a great friend in the end. He hooked me up with a free training session after I was laid up from running due to a stress fracture. Our conversations on my way in and out of the gym were often brief, but enough to keep me coming back. He even stuck by me after the incident...let me explain.

While I was living in SA, my boyfriend at the time came to visit. I hooked him up with a gym pass so he could work out with me during his stay. Jealousy ensued when he met Tony. During one conversation, he decided it was necessary to step between us, give me a kiss, look Tony in the eye, and walk away. He should have peed on me, that would have been just as effective in marking his territory.

When it was time to move up to Dallas, Tony even came over to help us move my couches out of my 3rd floor apartment. He's surely been missed.

Since San Antonio, I've been without a gym buddy; until recently that is. This past winter I was getting in the habit of working out a couple times a week with my neighbor, Shawn. We would ride to the gym together, work out separately, then catch up post workout to head back to our apartment. I didn't realize the value in this routine until it ended. After my recent move, and heading to the gym alone after work, I have been missing my post-workout chats. Last night I ran into Shawn at the gym and had a nice chat after my run. It's sad that we don't see as much of each other as we once did, but comforting to know that my gym buddy is still there for the post-workout conversation and a little subliminal motivation.

Cheers!

-A

24 of the past 24

After much deliberation over this post, I've concluded that it is nearly impossible to narrow down all the encounters from the past 24 years to the top 24, let alone rank them in order of importance. So, I've come up with the list below, a quick snapshot of those encounters that have had a lasting impact. I'm all about life lessons, and many of the souls below have taught me some of the greatest life lessons just by being themselves. Here's what I've learned:

* Captain Nicole Malachowski - dedication and determination can make all your dreams come true
* Dr. Hoestetler - trust your gut and always question what doesn't seem right
* Kaleb - love of the game
* Matt - being a geek is more than okay, it's pretty damn cool
* April - not everyone is going to like you, and sometimes that's for the best
* Chris - running is all about heart
* Shannon P. - go against the grain
* Joe F. - it's better to take a risk and fail, then to never know the possibilities
* Anna - the importance of true friendship and keeping it alive
* Captain Mike - it's important to surround yourself with others who understand your passions
* CT - be someone's advocate
* TK - be someone's friend from afar
* Ryan D. - things don't always work out as expected, and that's okay
* Adam - one amazing friend is all you need
* Glenn - stay true to yourself, life's more fun that way
* Joe - be fearless, push the limits
* Jeff - respect yourself (and others) enough to do what's right
* Zack - the grass isn't always greener
*Annice - true spirit is rooted deep within
* Justin - don't give up. ever.
* Geoff - being great goes beyond what you produce
* Lauren - a little guidance goes a long way
* Robert - it's the team of people you work with that makes every day worth while
* Nate - true friendships last a lifetime

I hope everyone can say they've met so many people that have changed their lives for the better, that they too cannot begin to narrow down the 24 most important. To all those above, and all those I may have missed...

Cheers!

-A

A very Pistons birthday

In honor of my birthday that typically falls during NBA playoff time, my co-workers decided to go above and beyond with a special personalized cake this year.



The "Go Pistons" in the lower right-hand corner and the basketball cookie was the icing on the cake (pun intended). My guess is, this would not have happened if the series was Pistons vs. Cavs - it certainly didn't last year at this time!

What a wonderful surprise! Thanks to all for the special birthday wishes. Still to come, a blog on the top 24 encounters of the past 24 years.

Cheers!

-A

Selfishness

It’s human nature. We all think of our own well being before we think of others, especially in the face of danger or human need at its purest.

For example, take a look at Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. When a person is in this first level, animal instinct kicks in, allowing all psychological focus to be placed on attaining these primary needs. In our society today, it is even acceptable to focus solely on oneself while fighting for safety and security as shown by the second level. Hell, I certainly wouldn’t blame someone for thinking selfishly while trying to acquire safe housing and financial security.

But what about those times when the needs aren’t quite so raw? How acceptable is pure selfish behavior when you’ve advanced to the third level: belonging and love. Seems to me that in order to provide for these needs, to belong to a community, to sustain friendships and relationships, one must move beyond thinking only of himself.

It seems, that over the years I’ve encountered a number of people who seemingly meet these social desires while being 110 percent selfish a majority of the time. Everything from stealing friends and lovers, to gossip and lying to get your way, to making someone’s special day about you (weddings, birthdays, bridal showers, I’ve witnessed it frequently), to judging innocent people openly in public in hopes of making yourself look better (and just as an FYI: most people can see straight through this to your self-conscious, insecure, jealous core). So how do the most selfish of our society manage to keep a strong network of friends? Do they find others as crudely self-centered as they, or are they the dominant leaders of the pack with followers that are simply too timid to stray? If anyone can enlighten me as to how this is possible, please share some wisdom with a comment. Because honestly, I would love to get everything I want out of life, have the world cater to me, and still manage to have my friends and family stick around. Wait, what am I saying? No I wouldn’t!

Taking a look at the fourth level, esteem needs indicates that I want to have a shred of self-respect and feel recognized by others for being good natured. Sure, I want to get to the top, and get everything I want along the way, but if I don’t have to work for it and I’ve trampled on others along the way, then how can I respect myself?

So dear readers, are you annoyed with the number of I wants in this post yet? I hope so. Because now you’ll have an understanding of the fraction of the annoyance in my life recently. When are some people going to realize it’s not always about them and look around at their fellow man? For some, it’s hopeless. But do us all a favor anyhow and pretend every now and again to give a crap about the rest of us. Because let’s face it, I actually do care about you, no matter how much you may or may not deserve my concern.

Cheers!

-A