Saving thumbs everywhere...

Video games are dumb. If this was actually being read by anyone I could probably successfully guesstimate losing a lot of support from these imaginary readers. But that's just it... The people who care enough about backing up video games to get mad at a person who doesn't is an imaginary reader I wouldn't mind losing anyway. For awhile now our world has revolved around fantasy. Think about it. We try very VERY hard to follow (not just on twitter) others lives, and then do the best we can to mirror them. We treat athletes, musicians, actors and actresses, rich people, pretty people etc. differently because they are the only ones allowed to set the standard right? The world tells us all that they are literally the only people we have to look up to, so we do as we are told. So with this madness already going on, this basic stalking that has become our everyday tv, magazines, and internet, the world tells kids they need video games too. I challenge you to find an apartment somewhere on a college campus, or a grade school household that does not have a little box somewhere in it that contributes to consuming the lives of the place's inhabitants in just one more way. Just one more step toward putting ourselves into the life of another and playing as if you are them. Taking on a new, better, more improved self, and tapping into that any time you want. That's SICK people. Now bare with me. Video games are great fun to some, not me, and I'm clearly not suggesting that video games should be banned or that children are all now under mind control. But seriously... 8, 9, 10 hours a day for some people? Excuse me parents? Make your kid go out in the sun for heaven's sake. "But that's what makes him happy". Well I like skittles but every now and then I try real strawberries not just the fake flavoring, and guess what? Every time it's better. I'm sorry, but Jimmy can enjoy it in moderation I think. Just be glad Jackie Robinson wasn't playing MLB video games when he was changing the world in REAL life. So with that said, all you imaginary 14 year old blog followers who are reading this listen carefully: Go find a ball and throw it as far as you can in one direction. Then, you're going to run and get it, and repeat this action until Momma has the pot roast ready. After completing this several thousand times until you're old enough to ask girls out, enjoy living full and physically fit lives with only me to thank for the new-found comfort in your thumbs.

Can't Help It...

Why can't it be like this all the time? Just got free Moe's for lunch. I'm sitting at my house with two of my best friends discussing our trip to Chicago this fall to see my team play. I have just completed my hardest week of academia I can remember in a long time, plus I got a ride home from class from a pretty girl. I even have an intramural game tonight. Nothing at this moment could be better. Kind of makes you think right? I mean... We all go through our lives searching and waiting and hoping for things to happen, when truly all it takes to realize what great lives we all have is to just shut up and sit down. The truth is, life in this world has become about glorifying our ability to have the most long winded answer to the question, "What are you doing today?" instead of simply being content with being able calm down. Now, in no way am I suggesting that everyone just spend all their days laying around, but being able to appreciate days like the one I'm having today, having such happiness when all I have is the simple things, is just plain fun. I could've taught myself this much earlier in life, but then I'm not totally sure that I would be appreciating days like today. Can't help it. I'm just happy...

Work is...

I haven't written in a while. A lot has happened over this month of silence: I finished school, my sister graduated high school, Lebron lost, I got a job, I got a girlfriend, and a 17 year old was the first pick in the major league baseball draft. I won't write about all these things but I will say that they all have a significant impact on my life right now in one way or another.

These things all mean so much to me but in a year may all be forgotten (except the girlfriend possibly). Why in life do people get so caught up in the little problems or successes that we have in life? It all works out. Life becomes about one thing: Work. We have to work for it. "It" being anything and everything. I must work to get the grades and money I need to get the opportunity to go to college where I want. I must work if i want to prepare dinner on my own. I must work to keep myself clean, and the list goes on and on trust me. So what is work for this summer?

Work is getting up early...
Work is doing something that you don't want to do...
Work is loving correctly...
Work is sport...
Work is finishing strong...
Work is showing restraint...
Work is life.

If I can learn to work I can live freely, boldly, and happily. So while so much has happened this summer already that has had an impact on me, the only impact that I will remember this summer? How I worked to try and obtain these things.

I Want My Son To Know...

I do not have any illegitimate children. I do not plan on having a child for some time actually. However, as I further procrastinate studying for finals or writing my final thesis for English, I have been pondering my generation's sports resume. It is WELL worth writing about. I have lived through some fairly ridiculous stories and athletes and I can't wait to break down the 2000's to my first born, extremely athletic son. Although it is far more involved, and could never be summed up, here are 5 stories that 20 years from now will be shocking...

1.) "Chicago Cubs made it 100+ years without winning a world series." He will be born a Cubs fan and will be named after Greg Maddux, making him extremely interested in this subject.

2.) "I saw LeBron James play basketball." This will blow his mind once he is old enough to understand the magnitude of the words I have just spoken. 6'9 285 is a joke. He snuck onto earth through the pacific ocean after being created in a submerged underground lab is pretty much the only theory that can explain his freakishly polished body and skill with the ball. He will go down as the best athlete to live if it were up to me.

3.) "Tiger Woods used to be the most dominant athlete on the earth in any sport." By this time Tiger will be way past his time and little Maddux won't know anything from only hearing about the 45 year old Woods' personal life.

4.) "Middle Schoolers used to have to finish school before turning pro." At this rate, kids are gonna be 6'3 200 at 12 years old. And if there's money in ticket and jersey sales for Jerry Jones or Mark Cuban or Lord Steinbrenner to sign a nine year old you better believe they'll try it.

5.) "There used to be a city in Lousiana called New Orleans and the Oklahoma City Saints used to play there." The Saints won Super Bowl XLIV after their stadium and city were destroyed... So it was destroyed by fans again after the win

Essential knowledge for a young sports fan...

Life. Period.

I am writing tonight out of complete frustration. I do realize that this is immature and probably not anything people want to read but it is something that I need to write. As a 20 year old college student a lot is going through your mind. What am I going to do with my life? Sure I enjoy some random day to day activities and thoughts that run through my mind but how does that translate into finding something I am passionate about, and that will also make me successful? Why when I know what I need to be doing am I not doing these things? I should be having lunch with CEO's of companies in greater Nashville trying to learn more about myself and what I want to pursue. What is stopping me? It's just a phone call. I should be in the best shape of my life and be getting stronger. I should be getting out and playing golf. I should be getting ahead on school work. I SHOULD, but I just don't. I get told almost daily, without fail, about how personable I am. I was told today about how I carry myself confidently and that I have wonderful presence in front of people. Why don't I get myself out there? The bottom line is, while I am still a kid, thinking about a girl more than I should, blowing off homework to be with friends, or spending my last dime to go on a road trip in order to starve myself for the remaining week, with the economy the way it is, success is already a worry of mine. So how am I going to position myself to be there? How can I begin to improve my status up against the genius from India who wants my job? So for these next three years, I can only pray my conscience will scream at me: "What the hell are you gonna do about it..."

I'm a what? A Blogger?

Well... I'm not really sure. I have always thought the word, "blog," was odd and frankly a little geeky. I guess I figured that these things were for people who did not have people to talk to. Maybe they needed a device to blow off steam, or even make up stories just for the love of writing. But as I have gotten older, I have realized that this could be something I would enjoy. Something that may even help me in the future. So do not call me a blogger. I am unique. I am not a venting 14 year old on Xanga, and I am not a 26 year old man giving what he thinks is 200, but is really two people stock trading tips. I am simply transporting my ridiculous brain into a Macbook. I do not know if this will ever be read by anyone but myself, but I hope all that may stumble upon it are entertained by my thoughts and opinions. I am very outspoken, sometimes polemic, never 100% right, and always open to argue. I love sports and creativity, two that may seem unrelated but are far from it. I am a big Chicago Cubs fan and I can all but guarantee you that if I write 100 posts, at least 17 of them will be about my loveable losers. I am young, but not stupid. I am new age, but thank God I am not Stephen A. Smith. I think I think a lot of things, but often those thoughts change. So whoever you are, I will be pretending you are Rick Reilly, and hopefully I will be good enough at this for you to return the favor. Enjoy...