Monday, December 29, 2008

New Years

New Years is the most over-rated of all holidays. Just a thought. Discuss.

Monday, December 22, 2008

'Tis the Season

'Tis, while sounding fancier than it's, is really just more work to type. 

It's the season of many things- holidays, shopping for said holidays, being bored at home during break (for students), and for re-runs. With these things comes one of my favorite things- Christmas lights. I don't celebrate the holiday, but I do like people willing to put untold time and effort in to something that for the most part is designed to bring joy to others (after all, it's hard to see your own lights from inside your house).  One home near my parent's house put up over 40,000 lights, which dance to music the house broadcasts on it's own radio station. Yeah, that's a lot of effort. Wayne (the guy who did it) also adds songs weekly to the rotation. Video coming soon, hopefully.

My point about the lights is this: they are the embodiment of human kindness, in a way. They are something really selfless, which is what the holidays are all about (I'd say the Christmas spirit, but honestly, I'm far from the authority on things relating to Christmas).  This is the time of year we hear about all sorts of people doing nice things for other people- something that we would all be better served to do year round. I don't mean we should all do big things all the time, but a return to common courtesy of holding doors and helping someone pick something that they dropped up could go a long way in making someone's bad day a lot better.

My friend's mom says she believes in God with two o's. Can't help but like that, and want to believe in it as well. So this holiday season, let's do good, and keep it going year round.

Per usual, thanks for reading. And happy holidays.

Dis

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Americana

With much of the news focused around our President artfully dodging flying footware, I figured it was a decent time to reflect on the status of being American in a foreign country. I developed this theory while abroad in London, and while I have shared it with individuals, it's time to release it upon the unsuspecting public.

When abroad, you become accutely aware of other Americans. If you  live abroad, you try to disassociate yourself with them in the place you live; they are tourists to look down at, while you have clearly adapted and should be considered local. But once you travel from your abroad location, you are again a travelling American, and without even trying end up talking to other Americans in airports, trains, and sites. It's helpful that during spring break all the abroad Americans seem to be travelling around, so there is a sharp increase in 20-some-odd year old Americans galavanting around Europe. 

The real point of this theory is that upon your return to the US, you feel surrounded. After spending 5 months avoiding being associated and tuning your skills to identifying other Americans, you return to a place where most people are what you've been trying to avoid. For the first few days back, you're going to feel completely out of place. Not culture shock, mind you, but just a heightened awareness that everyone around you is American.*

*This is not a commentary on American habits or anything else.

Congrats! You've wasted more time reading my rambling. 

Thanks for reading,
Dis 

Friday, December 12, 2008

The Yankee's Evil

A note, before I begin: This blog will not be about sports. But this post is.

It seems only appropriate that my first real post be about baseball. It's my true sporting love, and in the sad state of my team during their off-season dismanteling, I am left only with complaints. And who better to complain about than the Yankees? 

This is not going to be an I hate the Yankees post. I do. You all know that. This is more of a state of the game complaint, where the Yanks are busy assembling a five ace rotation of Sabathia, Burnett, Wang, Joba, and likely Lowe, Sheets, or Pettite. Now props to the Yanks for Joba and Wang- farm system guys they didn't purchase. And props to Cashman for making these signings- I met the man last summer, and he is clearly very smart, as well as rather personable. But spending so much cash, even bidding against themselves in the case of Sabathia, floods the market with so much money that mid-level and small market teams aren't given a free agent chance.

Many of you will now claim that I should look to the Rays of 2008- no big money spent there for a World Series run. I'm not saying small market teams won't be good. I'm merely saying that they aren't given a chance during free agency to improve their teams until the big guns are done spending. It's like having a pre-sale during Christmas where only the members are invited; everyone else's money is just as good, they just don't get a chance to spend it until all the good stuff is gone. 

In the end, it won't matter. The Yankees have the money, and as such, have a right to spent it. As long as they carry A-rod, they won't win a championship. Or so we can hope.

Thanks for reading.

Dis

ps- the Red Sox aren't any better. They just haven't signed anyone big yet this offseason.