It’s the Final Madness 2012

Ba na na…  Ba na na na na.  Ba na na…  Ba na na na na.  Admit it.  You knew the titles were the same as last year, and you started singing this the minute you saw it.  You didn’t?  I started humming it as soon as I wrote it.

Moving on.  Things are about the same here bracket-wise, so let’s keep going with the games, post adjustments included as usual.

The games:

Kentucky v. Louisville:  Post-adjusted yay!

Kansas v. Ohio State:  Darn.  Last year, if you remember, I wanted Ohio State to win the tournament.  I was wary to trust them again at first, but after they made it to the final four I thought that maybe, maybe I could trust them again.  No such luck here. Maybe next year.

So if you’re keeping track:

South/West:  0/1  (1/1 in post-adjustments)

East/Midwest:  0/1  (0/1 in post-adjustments)

All total, 0/2, which if you’re wondering is the same as last year (1/2 in post-adjustments which is worse than last year.  I’m telling you, Ohio State, I trusted you too soon again.)

We’ll discuss the madness again on Monday.  I’ve already defended my original pick for National Champion, but I will divulge a secret to you all then.  And then we’ll start the countdown to football (only two weeks until the spring game)!  And as you know, around here, it is never too soon to countdown to football.

The Return to CougarTown

If my blog was foursquare, it would tell you this was our first time back since their remodeling.

And it was glorious.

Every time Larissa and I go there, we people watch.  Our favorite subjects are the cougars, of course.  How can they not be?  They’re probably the most interesting there, right?

So this time, being the amazing (or obnoxious and mean-spirited, whatever) individuals we tend to be, we decided to turn our usual people watching into a game.

The Cougar Scavenger Hunt:

• Cougar dressed like a feline
• A cradle-robbing cougar aka “cats in a cradle”
• A gaggle of cougars (at least six)–though we should have made it four in hindsight, but how many cougars makes a gaggle?  Therein lies the problem.
• Botox “beauty”
• Anna Nicole Smithalike
• Cougar in a cowboy hat
• Snougar (Snookie cougar)
• Cougar with dollars and DDs
• Mother-daughter tag team (bonus if the mom and daughter are older or if grandma is there too!)
• The Scooby Doo Method:  When we went that fateful Halloweekend the year before last, an older gentleman started hitting on Larissa and his younger friend (or son or relative or I don’t know) started hitting on Larissa’s mom.  I just sat at the bar and laughed hysterically.
• The big and tall
• The “may be a man” cougar
• Cougar with training wheels

 

We added to the list throughout the night, but this was it in its initial existence.  Also we saw a Sarah Palin Cougar and that pretty much trumped our list completely.  We were beside ourselves.

Also, the other Deidree came and we talked about our taste in men.  She’s a “tall, dark, and handsome, possibly foreign” supporter and you all know I like my blond-haired, blue-eyed fraternity men, for lack of a better descriptor.  We’re going to get along just fine.

TSM Thursday 2012 Number Six

March Madness is almost over, so you won’t have to deal with the distraction for much longer.  Without further ado, TSM Thursday.

You know it’s Greek Week when Red Bull has been cleared out of every convenience store on campus. TSM.  My Junior year of college, the Homecoming theme was “Go for the gold.”  A clever play on words for the Olympics and one of school colors.  We made a replica of our football stadium on a hill and called it “The city of gold.”  That year it was impossible to find anything gold.  Shirts, spray paint, dresses, accessories, paint…  You had to drive about two cities away to even find something gold!  (No guarantees it would be what you actually really wanted, either.)

God doesn’t give you the sisters you want, he gives you the sisters you need. TSM.   I think of it this way, Lilac and I didn’t always get along when we were in college.  But we are really close now.  We have each other for a reason, I think.  And whatever it is, I’m so glad I have her.  Stacey too.

Going to an interview and using your sorority as an example for every question. TSM.   Every time I’ve been asked about my serving experience, I mention feeding hungry fraternity men at philanthropies.  “You haven’t seen rowdy eaters until you’ve seen fraternity men eat pancakes!”

I mean, like, kinda. But not really. TSM.   This is one of my worst habits.  I always say this or “Yes, just like that, except…” or some variation of that.  I am also notorious for de-emphasizing things.  Like when asked how long Larissa and I (and the rest of the Fab Five or Seth) have known each other, my response is “It’s only been a bit.”  It’s been twenty years.  We’ve pretty much been friends our whole lives.

Group texting your sisters to coordinate your outfits for the bar. TSM.  Whenever Larissa and I have made plans that walk the fine line between what could be construed as sundress casual (Jake’s going away party, for example), but are probably planned by Larissa to be strictly casual (jeans and a tee), I always text her “Can I wear a sundress?”  She hates that question.  She used to offer an explanation.  Now, she just says no.

Help! I’m a Week In…

So today I finally got on the scheduling platform for the restaurant job.  Bless my lucky stars, starting last Wednesday and ending this coming Wednesday, I work fourteen days straight.  Fourteen!

I can handle it, I mean I worked between fourteen and eighteen hour days at the summer camp, this isn’t a problem.  It is getting a little tiring going from one to the other back to the first one.  Especially when you consider that I open at the bakery and close at the restaurant.  Also trying to schedule between them both is an absolute nightmare.

I really think I need to cut back my hours, but how?  The bakery’s had a lot of attrition lately and I don’t think they’ll like that…  But I know I’m definitely over-worked and under-appreciate there…

Alas!  It’ll just have to wait until after I’m done with training…

One thing that’s annoying.  The schedule at the bakery doesn’t go up until Sunday for the next week’s Sunday through Monday, but I went in today and found out that they actually have it done by Wednesday and are inflexible about it then, even though they won’t put it up for four more days.  How does that even work?  Annoying…

Strike! Let’s Party!

So Saturday was Kelsey’s sister Adelina’s twenty-first birthday.  Boy it’s been a long time since I celebrated one.  I have a few thoughts.

First, when I turned twenty-one, Addy and Kara bought me a gift card to build-a-bear and told me to find a drinking buddy.  I thought it was cute, so I did the same for Adelina.  And I bought her a beer card that said “I didn’t want to wish you a happy birthday until you had a beer in your hand.”  It is hilarious.  I bought it for Jake’s birthday too.  I think I’m the only one who really appreciates it…

Kelsey and I were also having a hard time coming up with fruity rum drinks for Adelina (I am decidedly a vodka drinker), so we found an app called “Bartender, what am I drinking?”  It’s pretty much hilarious.

Seth came late and we all bowled for him, and somehow he managed to beat us whether it was him bowling or us bowling for him.

I’m still not very good at bowling.

And those are pretty much my thoughts on that one.

Seth’s Going Away Party, and Jake’s Too PS. America.

Sunday was Seth’s going away party before he leaves us for basic training on Tuesday.  I realized that I never mentioned that Jake already left for basic back at the beginning of the month.

For Jake’s party, he and Larissa planned a swanky event that traversed the greater-Denver area and ended at a cigar bar, Jake’s favorite, that was close to their hotel for the night.

Seth had a BBQ at his house.  I brought him bourbon.  We went out to a local bar afterward.

Both of the events were very different, but very fitting for both of them.

I gave them both a card (I had given one to Colin too).  The sentiment was exactly the same.  “Our country is lucky to have you enlist.  So proud of you.  Ps.  America.”  Seriously, I couldn’t be prouder of these guys and I know that the Air Force (Army in Colin’s case) is lucky to have them.  They are hard-working and dedicated to this and they will come out of it great. So proud.

On a random note, I met another Deidree that Seth knows.  We decided we would be instant friends.  I think it’s pretty spot on.

PS. America.

This is a Madness for Those Most Elite 2012

Reusing last year’s title again, awesome.

None of my bracket failings have been changed or updated, so I’m choosing not to rehash them here.  So let’s just continue on with the games, post-adjustments included as usual.

Saturday’s games:

Florida v. Louisville:  Darn.

Ohio State v. Syracuse:  Post-adjusted yay!

And Sunday’s games:

Kentucky v. Baylor:  Post-adjusted yay!  Thank you Kentucky.

Kansas v. North Carolina:  Post-adjusted yay!

So, if you’re keeping track:

South:  0/1  (1/1 in post-adjustments)

East:  0/1  (1/1 in post-adjustments)

West:  0/1  (0/1 in post-adjustments)

Midwest:  0/1  (1/1 in post-adjustments)

0/2 on Saturday  (1/2 in post-adjustments)

0/2 on Sunday  (2/2 in post-adjustments)

All total, 0/4, which if you’re wondering is worse than last year (3/4 in post-adjustments which is better than last year.  I’m on a post-adjust roll here).

The One Time I was a Tight End

I know I keep saying I will talk about Pats, and I don’t know what it is, but sometimes there are events I don’t really feel like recounting in their entirety for whatever reason.  This may be one of those times.  So you might eventually hear about Pats in bits and pieces, or you may always wonder…

Either way, I did mention that there have been a lot less stories on here lately, and since I feel like that is a huge part of what makes this blog unique, I really feel like I should be getting back into the stories.

So, here’s one I jokingly brought up after my fall down the stairs when I had a bit of a fat lip from hitting myself in the face with my purse (yes, it sounds clumsy, no it was not my fault).

My senior year of college, we were paired with SAE for Greek Week.  One of my favorite events in all of Greek Week was always Frat Football (the one acceptable time to use “frat” as a term).  Even if it was bitterly cold, I would go.  This year was one of the bitterly cold years for whatever reason.  So off I went with my sweatshirt and my “We love SAE” sign with a big red heart.

SAE eventually won the whole tournament, besting nine-year champion Pi Kapp.  It was serious business.  (And you know me, I ached a little for Evan and sophomore year)

I don’t remember what game we were on, but I do remember that SAE was playing Kappa Sig.  There I was on the sidelines with my crafted sign, cheering my hardest.  We all saw the SAE and Kappa Sig come barreling toward us.  And I thought we all stepped back, but there I was on the ground moments later.

I legitimately flew six feet.  The SAE helped me up, asked if I was okay and said “Thanks for taking one for the team” when I consciously assured him I was.  Then he had “words” with the Kappa Sig before returning to the game.

I remember a girl I loathed being catty about the whole thing, I shot her a look, checked that I wasn’t missing any teeth, thanked whoever was responsible for my good fortune, and went on with my day.

Upon going home, I realized that I had a swelled lip and a few bruises.  It was clearly beautiful.  But I got a quick cup of coffee with Rebekah, and returned to frat football (to watch the hoped for, but unexpected, defeat of Pi Kapp) before going to Songfest practice.

That night the SAEs had a victory party and I was greeted with more than a few “You’re the girl that got tackled!  That was awesome!” comments.  I was a small celebrity for a day.

And Then There was Madness and it was Sweet 2012

And the March Madness continues with the same titles as last year!  Why?  Honestly, I thought they were quite clever, just saying.

First, let’s start with the major failings of my bracket, or everyone’s brackets?

Look, there are no perfect brackets left anywhere.  If your bracket wasn’t destroyed (or at least waylaid) by Mizzou, it was destroyed (or at least waylaid) by Duke.  It’s as simple as that.

None of my final four are still in the tournament.  I’m a bit disappointed, but oh well.  I made this bracket for pride more than anything else.

And to anyone who asks if having the alma mater as the National Champion is something I consider a major failing, no.  No it is not.

Moving on to the games, still with amended picks:

Thursday’s games:

Louisville v. Michigan State:  Darn.

Syracuse v. Wisconsin:  Yay!

Ohio State v. Cincinnati:  Post-adjusted yay!

Florida v. Marquette:  Post-adjusted yay!

And Friday’s games:

Baylor v. Xavier:  Ugh, darn.

North Carolina v. Ohio:  Post-adjusted yay!

Kentucky v. Indiana:  Yay!

Kansas v. NC State:  Yay!

So, if you’re keeping track:

South:  1/2  (1/2 in post-adjustments)

East:  1/2  (2/2 in post-adjustments)

West:  0/2  (1/2 in post-adjustments)

Midwest:  1/2  (2/2 in post-adjustments)

1/4 on Thursday  (3/4 in post-adjustments)

2/4 on Friday  (3/4 in post-adjustments)

All total, 3/8, which if you’re wondering is better than last year, actually (6/8 in post-adjustments which is also better than last year).

TSM Thursday 2012 Number Five

March Madness caught my attention, so we’re just finally getting to TSM Thursday, sorry (I’m actually not, but I deferred to being polite here).

Drank vodka on St. Patrick’s Day. Green beer is for geeds. TSM.  While I do appreciate celebrating the season, and green beer is a tradition, I did drink vodka on Pats, so I liked this.  I also drank green purple drinks.  Does that make it a Green Drink?

I’ve never seen a soldier-coming-home show that didn’t make me cry. TSM.  I cry at just about everything, as I’ve mentioned before, but I’m painfully aware of things like this right now, what with Colin graduating last Thursday, Jake currently at basic, and Seth leaving on Tuesday.

Now that I have painted my nails, cleaned my room, organized my desk, and gone to the gym I can study. TSM.  Sounds like a typical way to avoid anything.  Unless it’s cleaning I’m trying to avoid, in which case I decide to organize my craft shelf or something.

Sprinkles are the glitter of baking. TSM.  So true!

The scene we cause when my little yells, “BIIIIGG!” and we run into each others arms. Every single time we see each other. TSM.  Stacey and I always do this.  I think it’s cute.  Everyone else probably thinks it’s obnoxious.  But who really sees this these days?