You might recall what I was for Halloween last year. To remind you, I was blissfully ignorant. Ignorant of the bastard tumor that was in my brain, ignorant how to properly take care of my mind and body, ignorant of what in life is truly important. Perhaps I was just plain ignorant.
This Halloween brought an entirely different story. Today I am enlightened and overjoyed. I’m actually healthy, not just of the belief that I am. My mind and body are strong, and my priorities have been adjusted. This Halloween I’m on top of the world.
I woke up last November 1st with a headache. I’ll wake up this November 1st pain free, and will attend the Broncos-Ravens game in Baltimore.
What a difference a year makes.
GBM
Two trips to Atlanta this month and two losses to show for it…maybe it’s me. Granted one of those losses came in a meaningless preseason game, but leaving a city with a L is never fun. With the New Jersey Nets scheduled to arrive in DC late tonight like we are, tomorrow night’s home opener at Verizon Center gives the Wizards a chance for another win. At 1-1 on the season, 81-1 is still within our reach.
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Tonight I answered the question that I posed to myself yesterday, though I think I did so inadvertently. I found myself rooting for the Phillies tonight, most likely because Pedro ‘the-most-influential-player-that-ever-stepped-in-Yankee-Stadium’ Martinez was on the hill, but I don’t recall making a conscious decision to root against the Yankees. It just came naturally. I obviously didn’t get my wish tonight, and I won’t root nearly as hard for the Phillies when Cole Hamels takes the mound in Game Three, but if the Phillies can somehow win two of three in Philadelphia to set a date in New York next week with Pedro pitching in a potentially decisive Game Six, I might not be able to contain my excitement. In the meantime, I’m in Atlanta (again), and after watching a full baseball game for the first time in a long time tonight, I’m tired. Good night.
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I must be softening. Back in the day I would swear up and down that I hated the Yankees. I thought that as a born-and-bred Red Sox fan that hating the Yankees was somehow in my blood. Imagine that…hate being in someone’s blood? It seems so silly now. The Yankees never did anything to me to warrant my hatred. I’ve also previously made a habit before of professing my disdain for Philly fans. I hated how poorly they acted, how obnoxiously they spoke, how rudely they treated guests…actually, maybe I do still hate Philly fans. There’s just no justification for treating people in the fashion that they do. So I’m torn. Do I cheer for the Yankees, the team that I’m allegedly supposed to hate, to win the World Series? Or do I cheer for Pedro Martinez and the Phillies, a team that I actually do like better than the Yankees, knowing that their bitter fans won’t fully appreciate their good fortune and will be complaining about Donovan McNabb and the Eagles in a few weeks? To make my decision easier I brokered a friendly wager between two of my co-workers. Daren, one of the most likeable people I know, passionately roots for the Yankees (and has a closely cropped head of hair). Steve, a Phillies fan that actually appreciates his good lot in life, has a head of curly locks that he seems to like. The bet is as follows. If the Phillies lose the series then Steve has to shave his head. If the Yankees lose the series then Daren has to grow a mini-afro. Since I no longer care to root against the Phillies or the Yankees for any other reason, I’ll just root against them both now because I can’t wait to see Steve or Daren in their new ‘dos. It’s going to be a fun series to monitor.
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If the Wizards had lost tonight in Dallas I surely would have spent my day tomorrow reassuring people that “it’s just one game”. I would have argued that tonight’s opener is no more important than any other of the 81 regular season games on the schedule. I would point out that Dallas is a good team that has won 50+ games for nine straight seasons, and that any win on the road in the NBA is a good win. I’m certain that I also would have identified the season as a “marathon rather than a sprint”, and reminded people that “you can’t put too much stock in one game, particularly with one of our All-Stars and captains sidelined.”
However, the Wizards didn’t just win the game tonight, they did so in convincing fashion, so you can throw everything I just said out the window. Tonight’s game was huge. Sure, Dallas is good, but to be the best you have to be able to beat the best. You have to be able to win on the road, overcome the absence of key players, and get every win possible early because the push for the playoffs is right around the corner. Optimism now reigns after Washington’s 102-91 win, and realistic prognostications now have the team going 82-0 this regular season, and 16-0 in the playoffs on our march to the championship.
Seriously though, it’s amusing how Opening Night sets the tone for the masses for the season. If you win, the ring makers are put on-call and everybody starts sizing their fingers for that championship bling. Lose, however, and the second-guessing begins. ”Here we go again!” ”We’re cursed.” ”It’s going to be a long season.”
Fortunately, in this epic match-up or just another game (depending on who you ask), Washington was the victor tonight. The office will accordingly be a better place to be tomorrow.
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For a variety of reasons the 2008-09 basketball season was a challenge. On the court the team that I work for was besieged by injury, and they struggled as a result. In fact, struggle might be an understatement. The reality of the situation is that the team stumbled to a 19-63 record, and there was no shortage of long faces to be found around Verizon Center. Personally, as you may have heard, I dealt with some health issues last season; issues that kept me from doing my job with the energy that I demand of myself. Well, tomorrow brings a new season and a chance to make last season officially old news. When the Wizards open the 2009-10 regular season tomorrow night in Texas, I’m certain that nobody will be happier than me to see ‘regular’ basketball once again. While I wasn’t exactly waiting around, it was still certainly quite a wait. Welcome back, basketball.
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I can credit many things for my miraculous defeat of brain cancer. However, in no particular order, Jessie, God, Dr. Joseph Watson, Duke and my great support system across the world certainly comprise the Top Five. So, when I stumble upon an article that specifically cites Jessie, God or my supporters as the reason for my current well-being, I’ll absolutely share it. Tonight however, Duke and Dr. Watson deserve the spotlight. As this article clearly states (http://www.newsweek.com/id/218235/page/1), without the truly spectacular abilities of my surgeon and medical team, it is anybody’s guess as to what state I might currently be in. I cringed when I read in the opening paragraph that Sara Sussman was told ”girls your age don’t get breast cancer.” I thought I formerly had the only primary care physician in the world that would look at me agonizing on an emergency room bed, shielding my eyes from every light source that dealt piercing rays deep into my fevered brain, and try to assure me that I’m “young” and that he’s “sure” I’m “fine”. Thank God for the true professionals in the medical world, and may the worthless hacks find other professions before they cost the world a life that could have been saved.
GBM
My lack of anything intelligent to say tonight isn’t due to a lack of intelligence, I hope. Quite frankly, I just didn’t do much of anything today or tonight, and thus didn’t think about much either. It was a great day. I woke up at 1:30 in the afternoon, and got out of bed at 4:00. I watched in succession after I arose, Primal Fear (great flick), Florida vs. Mississippi State (great game), and Behind the Music: Lil’ Wayne (great rapper). So, while I overuse the word ‘great’ to describe my day, I’ll defer instead to the illustrious words of many athletes and coaches nowadays when they’re put on the hot seat. About my day today…it is what it is.
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While my cousins Johnny and Jackie have oddly been calling me ‘Uncle Brian’ for years, I’ve never actually been an uncle. Until now, that is. Remember when I referenced that pregnant woman who completed a half marathon in Baltimore? As it turns out, we’re related. Soon enough, thanks to my sister Cheryl, my first nephew or niece will arrive on the scene. Congratulations Cheryl and Phil! I’ll try to be the best uncle I can possibly be.
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Around my office, September/October means time for performance reviews, and the time for my review has come and gone without much fanfare. Without delving into the details of what is best left behind closed doors, I’ll admit to being pleased with my review and not at all surprised to learn of my perceived strengths and weaknesses. Our new Head Coach Flip Saunders is fond of saying that “you’re greatest strength can also be your greatest weakness”, and in many regards that rings true for me. I’m passionate, sometimes to a fault. I believe in myself, and can thus be stubborn. I’m a fighter, even when others would let things go. I could have reviewed myself in that regard, so I suppose it’s reassuring to know that I have a realistic idea of who I am. That said, despite reports to the contrary, I can take constructive criticism, and even if I don’t always agree, I can at least respect and be more aware of how others think and feel. That’s probably a good idea for everybody to heed. However, after thinking more about my situation, I came to a philosophy that I’ll live and work by from this point forward. I’ll either work for love or money, but if a day comes when I’m doing neither (working a job that I don’t enjoy in which I feel as though I’m under-compensated), then it will be time to find a new job. Currently, I love my job. Thus, I am happy. However, as I told a friend today, I’d also pick-up dog poop with my teeth for $200,000 per year. Until that day comes though, I’ll just continue to strive for the day that I’ll work for love and money.
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