Human Nature

I was waiting in the rain for the bus to come and cursing myself for being too lazy to walk. Behind me, I heard some kids. They made the usual row that kids make. I usually don't mind it. It sounded different though.

When I turned around, I saw that the kids were throwing shoes and trash at a homelsess man. They were having a great ole time doing it. The man had been sleeping for sometime on the bench (at least he was a sleep when I came up near the shed where one waits for the bus). He got up but did not react to the kids. He stared off into space, a bit as if he was used to being treated this way.

Feeling all of a sudden about 20 years older than I am, I turned around and in what I like to call "the Voice" told the kids to stop what they are doing and to leave the man alone. They stopped immediately and moved on their way, probably cursing me. These kids were about 15 or so. There was no guarantee that they would have responded to 'the Voice." They did. The man just turned over and as my bus came down the street, life seemed to go on as usual.

My life according to Elfquest...

Which of the Original Wolfriders Are You?
by Peacepine at For Elf Eyes Only.

Life, the Universe and the Boston Marathon

Today is the 109th running of the Boston Marathon. Boston is, well the state of Massachusetts in general, is the living breathing example of "the more things change, the more things resist to change." Just like death and taxes, Bostonians-new and old-can depend on the fact that every Patriots Day (which is usually either April 18 or 19 and always on a Monday) that there will be a marathon. The Boston Marathon is no jive turkey marathon. It is one of the elite races in the world of track and field. It truly attracts an international audience. Every year it can be depended on that Channel 5 will cover it and that Natalie Jacobson will be there covering it. The race will start in Hopkington, a town that no one even thinks about outside of the marathon and ends in Copley Square in Boston, somewhere near the CVS but definitely before the Burger King and Wendy's.

There were some differences this year. The most glaring difference was the absence of John Kelley, the elderstateman, now the patron saint of the Boston Marathon. He died last year at the age of 97. In 97 years, John Kelley saw the race become the elite event it is. He also saw the event evolve for a very white, male and moneyed event to an event that attracts people from countries like Kenya and Russia as well as attract the little guy and gal and those killer wheelchairs racers. In his last frail years they created the role of grand marshall for him. He was honored along the route, so the paper read. His face was stenciled at the starting point. At one point on the route the famous young/old Kelley greets the runners. John Kelley kept doing the marathon even though the one ones who kept winning were named Rodgers and Cherigat.

I think many people wish that they could conclude their lives at 97 years. I don't even know what that would look like for me. It seems hard to look into the future and to feel useful or rather that you have led a good and useful life.

The winner of the women's marathon (the scence of a continuation of a change instituted last year where the elite women start earlier than the men) is Catherine Ndereba. She and I are the same age. She made history in the event by winning it four times. As a Kenyan, she brought pride to her country. As a woman and an age mate she fulfilled the promise of every girl who was shooed away from sports.

I am a big enough sports fan to be sure. I also recognize that athletes are the ultimate goal setters. They strategize and they visualize. They can see the key to a position and figure out how to get there. At least the athletes that are not collecting a check. This is probably why things like the Olympics and the NCAA finals resonate because they evoke those memories of being a kid when you just wanted to play well. Of course you wanted to win but if you did not then you learned how to lose gracefully and how to work harder for the next go around.

Lots of people will have their opinion about the Catherine Ndereba win today. Some will say that it does not matter because she is a woman and they started earlier. Some will be a little unsettled because for yet another year no American-let alone a Bostonian has walked away with the top prize for men or for women. There may be some further unsettled because these people who are winning the prize come from "darkest Africa" and the money that Catherine would receive is definitely more than many Kenyans will ever see in many lifetimes. The Kenyans do it the old fashioned way. While a few of the elite have access to the facilities that their American, Asian and European competitors do, many do not. How could people from this "Third World" country consistently outperform their American competitors? Hard work and sacrifice of course. There will be those who will look at her and be reminded of how lucky we are and of how wonderful she is.

My Pillow Book

I've decided that just like Sei Shonagon, I will maintain a 'pillow book' of sorts. Besides gossiping and showing off how smart she was, Sei maintained lists of all kinds of things. Some were funny and some were...interesting. I think that Tuesday will be list day.

Things are pointless:

• Arguing with someone who will not budge such as a Klansman
• When fandom becomes obsession. The little boy in the movie "Fever Pitch" was correct when he asked Jimmy Fallon's character if the Rex Sox ever loved him back.
• People that don't see the forest and all of the trees in it
• Complaining about certain things. One of the great things about living in a capitalist society is that someone else will provide the business you are seeking.
• Living in the past.

Which Apprentice are you?

I am like Bowie. -- "The Texas way of doin' things is doing 'em better than everyone else. The Texas way is the right way."

Bowie was the 4th person fired

Which Apprentice are You?
brought to you by The Apprentice Blog and

NCAA Championship Debrief

Everyone knows by now that the University of North Carolina Tar Heels won on Monday, April 4, 2005. Roy finally got one and would have agreed with the late Al Maguire when he said that winning was all "seashells and balloons."

I thought that following would be a more interesting post:

My commentary from the NCAA Championship Game on April 4
North Carolina:
-[On a missed free throw]
What are you doing? There is no margin for error here!
-[On yet another turnover to Illinois]
What are you doing? This is no fcuking Christmas!
(Yes, I intentionally spelled it that was. Incidentally "fcuk" is the acronym for the apparel store 'French Connection,' more specifically 'French Connection United Kingdom.')
-[On yet another Sean May rebound]
Na Na Na Na Heh Heh Heh
-[On Sean May again-note I did not originally say "ball player"]
That is a big old ball player!

North Carolina and Illinois

North Carolina and Illinois are the two left standing. What a wild ride it has been.

I wonder about such things. One of my pet theories is that lacking "daring dos" and hunting for food, men turn to these events as a way to relive the glory days of long ago while living out their lives of quiet desparation.

I came across this:
http://www.shaftagents.com/newswire12.htm

I thought it was great! I always liked the Black Panther and thought that his situation was interesting. He was the land version almost of Prince Namor, who unfortunately got more mileage in the past than he did. Admittedly, I have not collected Black Panther in a while. I should check out the graphic novels. I have the Green Lantern/Green Arrow team up graphic novels, dated though they were.

I suppose I will be behind Roy Williams and North Carolina since I was behind Roy when he was at Kansas. While I hated that Kansas didn't win, I reconciled myself to Syracuse winning. Boeheim deserved it. "Spiderman," "Captain America," "The Black Panther" and the gang outplayed "Batman", "Robin," Nightwing" and their gang. Now, I know that Brian Weber and the Illini will be the fan favorites especially since Weber's mother's death during the postseason will be the emotional hook story as Lute Olson's wife's death was the hook for Arizona. But, as Arizona's loss to Duke in 2001 showed, the emotional favorite doesn't always win.

I am banking on the fact that somehow, those boys (and girls at times) in North Carolina-be it North Carolina, NC State or Duke-manage to get it done.