March Madness

It's no secret that of all the college sports out there, football is my favorite. I like the game, the passion of the players, the season in which the sport is played. I love everything about college football except the debacle that presently defines the "postseason." While the regular season of college football is intense and exciting every single week, the "championship" is a let down, and quite frankly, a waste of time. Because there is no playoff system in college football, there is never a true national champion, but merely a winner of an arbitrary final matchup between two teams selected subjectively by a committee of observers. Not exactly a stellar demonstration of the true essence of sport: deciding a winner and a loser via head-to-head competition.

Contrast college football's postseason woes with the shining example of a true national championship contest in college basketball, and you begin to understand the magic of what college hoops fans call "March Madness." (Even though this blog is not a revenue-producing publication, I should make note of the fact that "March Madness" is a registered trademark of the NCAA, and I don't actually have any rights to use it. Not that I could afford the rights fee, so I'm going to use it anyway. I digress...) The few weeks in late March leading up to the Division 1 Men's Basketball Championship are some of the most exciting in all of college sports, and the TV money collected during this tournament alone is nearly enough to keep the entirety of the NCAA and its programs funded for the whole year.

What makes this style of championship competition so great is that it requires teams to prove their worth both during the regular season (in order to get invited to the postseason tournament), as well as on the court during the championship single-elimination tournament. "Little" teams get the opportunity to be matched up with "big" teams, and for the most part, the tournament becomes any team's championship to win. The college football mentality that only BCS-conference schools are important enough to play for a national championship does not exist in college basketball. If your team makes it into the 64-team championship bracket, it has a chance (even if only a small one) to play for a true national championship.

Here's hoping the NCAA men's basketball committee recognizes what a good thing it has going and leaves well enough alone for sports fans to enjoy each Spring for years to come. Perhaps the college football powers-that-be could learn a thing or two from their basketball counterparts...I won't hold my breath.

Sunday Night Contemplation: The Climb

It has been a really long time since my last entry, and there are a number of reasons for my failure to write. The most immediate reason I've been silent lately is that I've been in pure survival mode, just trying to outlast each oppressive day at my current job. My stress level has been high, my mental (and often physical) health has been questionable at best, and I simply haven't had the time or energy to devote much effort to my own goals and activities (which include my neglected blog). Another reason that I've not written much lately is that I haven't been inspired to write anything suitable for a publication that both current and potential employers might read, so I've kept my mouth shut so as not to upset the delicate balance of my daily life in this new year.

I was inspired, however, on the way home from a restful getaway weekend today, to write about the journey on which I find myself currently. While rolling back into town this afternoon, I heard a familiar, but this time more poignant, song on the radio. While I don't make a habit of internalizing Miley Cyrus tunes, "The Climb" speaks to my current dissatisfaction with my professional situation, and the lyrics could be a current anthem for my daily struggle.

It is an interesting and challenging period of life in which I find myself. A dichotomy of emotions and experiences, I am overwhelmingly happy with my personal life that includes my amazing fiance, the most wonderful family, and a core of irreplaceable friends, while at the same time being completely drained and dejected by an unhealthy work environment that I despise, at a job that brings me no closer to my long-term professional goals. My experience is such a contradiction that I often feel as if I'm only observing my life and not actually living it. My desperation to find a fulfilling contribution to the world and my life leaves me feeling unsettled and impatient.

What keeps me going every day are the constant reminders that I am fortunate to have my health (stress-induced ailments aside), my intelligence, and my incredibly supportive loved ones. Like my mom is so fond of reiterating, "This, too, shall pass." What I need to get better at is keeping my goals in sight and focusing on the things in life that I can actually control: my attitude, my motivation to improve the current situation, and my attention to the lessons I can learn from the struggles I endure now and in the future. As "The Climb" so aptly observes, there will always be challenges to overcome, and it is how we approach the difficult journeys that truly determines whether or not we find fulfillment. Life is not about end results, but rather how we spend our fleeting time and what we do with our opportunities. In short, all that really matters is The Climb.

Here's to putting one foot in front of the other...

Super Bowl Sunday: Indianapolis vs. New Orleans

GO COLTS!

Tuesday Tunes: Bobby McFerrin

Apologies for missing a Tuesday Tunes entry last week. It was a ridiculously busy week at work, and I completely forgot to write. This week, I was determined to write, and I had to select a song that is not currently one of my anthems, but it may need to become my primary anthem. Since November, I have been battling periodic bouts of some mysterious bug that makes me feel ill for a few days at a time at approximately month intervals. I've been to doctors, and I've taken meds for an infection which has since cleared up (supposedly). Yet, I continue to have symptoms pop up with no warning. For someone who hasn't been sick this many times in 3 months in her entire life, it's been a bit of a shock to my system and my lifestyle. Just when I start to feel better, I'm pulled back down by this mysterious ailment, and frankly, my psyche is starting to show a little wear and tear from the stress of not knowing how I will feel from one day to the next. In order to help combat the mental anguish, I have decided to keep Bobby McFerrin's "Don't Worry, Be Happy" in my head as often as possible. If you listen to this, you'll understand that my goal should not be overly difficult, as once you've heard the song, you usually can't get it out of your head for days anyway.

If anyone out there has other ideas for how to keep my spirits up and mind off feeling awful, I will accept them gladly.

Let's all keep the cheer level high and hope that Spring gets here soon!

Tuesday Tunes: Pants On The Ground

Because I'm tired, and because Mr. Larry Platt has (unfortunately?) become an overnight hit due to his debut and exposure last week on American Idol, I have only this to share this week. Enjoy a good chuckle...Happy Tuesday!