Duke vs. Butler

Perhaps nothing can let you in on how my mind works better than my dilemma of if/when to root for Duke basketball. I have nothing against the school. It is a fantastic university and I would be very proud if either of my kids ever chose to attend college there. I think Coach K is an admirable man who has accomplished a lot in his position at Duke for decades now. I have respect for the athletes there who are not only gifted in playing basketball but also in academics. I think it makes a strong statement that a relatively large number of Duke basketball alumni are now coaching in the NCAA. Again, that speaks to Coach K's good coaching. I even like Duke's school colors.

So why do I have such a hard time finding an opportunity to cheer for Duke?

Well, I think a lot of it has to do with arrogance that I've experienced at an impressionable time in my life. I was living in Chapel Hill in 1991 and 1992 when Duke won back-to-back NCAA tournament championships. They were a good team in 1993 as well, and there was a lot of talk about "three-peat" NCAA titles. I heard a lot of bragging and boasting from Duke alumni my age with whom I hung out a lot. And a lot of arrogance in the Duke community as well, I perceived. Perhaps I was projecting this, but at the time it left a bitter taste in my mouth. (Now I know Carolina fans can be equally as arrogant, but I hope if you ask those close to me you would find that I do not engage of that type of boasting.)

Also over the years, as Duke has continued to have strong basketball teams, they have won a lot of ACC championships. For a while, it had become quite boring to watch - Duke would win inevitably. I didn't care necessarily who would win, just someone other than Duke! I like for things to be fairly distributed, if you didn't know that about me.

So as the time has passed, I've been in and out of vigilant basketball watching. With children, I've been even less tuned-in to the basketball seasons. Whenever I'd find myself watching a game (always on tv - I have only ever been to one live ACC basketball game when I was given free tickets), I pull for a team based on a very complicated ranking of the teams.

The order of teams from favorite to least goes something like this:
1. Carolina (this is because I grew up in Chapel Hill and attended one summer course at UNC. Also my mom attended there for her master's degree - the reason for our move to Chapel Hill)
2. Wake Forest (I only applied to two colleges, Rhodes and Wake. Got into both, but ended up choosing Rhodes. My parents met there, so I'm grateful to WFU for bringing about my existence in a round-about way.)
3. NC State (because I live in Raleigh now)
4. Duke (so I say, because it's in NC)
5. Virginia, Maryland, Georgia Tech, Clemson (rounding out the ACC teams in the conference when I first started paying attention to bball in 1982)
6. Florida State (the next team to join the ACC)
7. Virginia Tech (they may actually get moved up in the list, depending on who they are playing, because we lived in Blacksburg when my dad got his master's degree, but are down here because they were among the last three teams added to the ACC.)
8. Boston College and University of Miami (the last teams added to the ACC)
9. Teams outside of the ACC

*Note: If Rhodes College ever has an amazing basketball team that has a chance at playing any of the teams above, it would automatically trump all rules and be at the top of my list. (Just to be clear)

But here's where it gets a little tricky:
1. I usually pull for Wake Forest even over Carolina, but am usually okay with whoever wins that game.
2. I find myself pulling for the underdog most of the time (unless Carolina or Wake Forest is playing them), and this seriously messes with my ranking of the teams.
3. Since Duke is typically good, and typically seeded high in tournaments, I often find myself pulling for their opposing team as the underdog.

Now that Duke is playing Butler in the NCAA championship game tonight, I think I might pull for Duke as the ACC representative. But Butler has such a great underdog story. They've had a terrific season and are playing well. I would be so happy for them to win tonight. Duke has had a great season and is also playing well. I'd like to think I'd be equally as happy for them if they win, but we'll have to see. No matter what, I hope it's a good game. I don't like games with lop-sided scores. The nail-biters make me do just that (well not really, because that is gross), but they are so exciting and I find I can be happy for both teams more easily in those cases.

So, I think the bottom line is I will probably pull for Butler tonight. Sorry Duke. But just for the record, I do think Duke deserves to win tonight, and probably will.

Backyard Sledding Jan 2010

Why so serious?

I'm watching the sleet coming down outside, having little desire to go out in it. The kids and James played outside a bit this morning, but came in saying they were finished being outside. It's a quiet day. I'm catching up on my email, thinking about doing some laundry and/or other housework. My hormones seem to be influencing my mood a bit toward the down-side. That will pass, as always, I'm sure.

My job at i3 Research will end next week. We will have finished the project. Hopefully the study's results will be published late this spring. I am a little sad to see it go, as I have really enjoyed the work and working with my fellow speech raters. I must admit, however, I am looking forward to the extra time not working will bring.

What has happened to funny Helen? I feel so serious all the time now. Got to get to the bottom of this. Has anyone encountered funny Helen recently? Light-hearted Helen? I miss her.

You know what? I just decided that I am going to start a jigsaw puzzle this afternoon. That should be fun. There is even room to spread it out on the dining room table. I like that idea. Maybe fun Helen will help me put it together.

Wednesday

It's Wednesday. Tonight is choir night. In my new position as senior warden of our church I have a finance committee meeting to attend as well tonight. I've arranged childcare for the time when the finance committee is meeting, but the it's not time for the kids to start their choir rehearsals. I've turned over leadership of tonight's Beckwith Choir rehearsal to my assistant directors. I plan to attend adult choir rehearsal long enough to rehearse the anthem for this Sunday and a little beyond that. I will leave early enough to get back home for the kids' bedtime routines.

Originally I was going to work today, but had to make arrangements not to do so when MC got sick. Now it looks like she's going to be fine to go to school today. Too late to rearrange and work again. Someone is already covering my shift who wants the hours. So that leaves me with 4 hours by myself this morning (assuming MC does in fact go to school - don't know for sure yet because she's still sleeping). Her birthday (and party) are Sunday and the house could use a lot of TLC to prepare for our princess guests.

My goals for today house-wise are going to be kept simple: put away the Christmas decorations and gifts that are still in the living room, complete one cycle of laundry, begin to clean off the dining room table. Personally, my goals are simple too: read daily Scripture, prepare for finance committee meeting, apply root touch-up solution to combat the skunk-like look of my hair at the part-line. Already completed one goal: to blog.

First bloggable thoughts of 2010

I'm still here, just haven't been blogging. Life is moving along steadily, and at a much faster pace than I wish. I really do appreciate those of you who may have checked in from time to time to see what I've been up to or what's on my mind.

I put this picture in for something to make you smile. I wore this dress in a wedding when I was around 5 or 6 years old.

Right now I've got a daughter who is feeling much better than she was in the middle of last night. Love to hear her singing and playing again.

So far I've caught up with all the daily Scripture passages I've been planning to read in 2010.

My family has clean underwear.

I know what I'm cooking for supper.

We don't have anywhere we have to be tonight.

It's just that so often when I come here to write, it's because I've been inspired to do so in an effort to put me in a better mood or solve some sort of problem. Something for me to work on: blogging out of funny or happy inspirations.

Stay tuned, and thanks for your patience.

not working

my plan is not working so well. I am still feeling overwhelmed with things to do and having frustration about not getting them done, yet I am paralyzed when it comes to taking action. This is not entirely true, of course. I did figure out what leftovers we will have for supper and I did get the kids to the dentist today. But that didn't yield good news. Son got a referral to the orthodontist. Daughter has two more cavities! So we're going to have to floss and brush for her, as well as add an additional fluoride gel on top of her teeth after brushing at bedtime. Not fun for someone who doesn't want any help. Also, we will have to change some eating and drinking habits.

I'm feeling a little angry and frustrated and poor-me-ish. And guilty for all of those feelings. I do not like being a perfectionist! It is weighing me down right now.

clearing out the cobwebs

I once again have so many thoughts swimming about in my head that I can't focus on one at a time. So this entry will just be thoughts (that I'm willing to share) that I am listing for the sole purpose of helping to make space in my head to be able to concentrate on a few select things. Then hopefully I will be able to accomplish some things that have not gotten done due to the excuse that I just can't focus on them.

1. plan menus
2. update resume
3. put things away
4. create homes for things that don't have homes
5. exercise
6. learn Spanish
7. vestry clerk work
8. put away spring/summer clothes
9. laundry
10. update filing system
11. complete obligated correspondence
12. trim bushes
13. use up pantry food that I bought on a whim
14. set up printer

Oh there are many more, but maybe writing down these will help. It would also help dramatically if I were not such a perfectionist about these things!