People Say The Cutest Things!

THERE IS A 'MADNESS' ...


... but it is ALL on the distaff side this year! The sports talking heads are all talking about how 'chalk' the men's basketball tourney has been ... all but ignoring what is going on with the woman's game.



What the Lady Cardinals did ... AT TENNESSEE ... if it was a men's game, you would NEVER hear the end of it. They still bring up what George Mason did a few years ago, with a run that included a win of State, like it is something that will be for a time capsule.



No, what Ball State girls did ... in their FIRST tourney bid in school history is capsule worthy. And what happened last night in East Lansing was as well. Yes, it was a home game, but so was Tennessee's game. Besides, the Duke girls are one of the 'rare air' programs along with UConn, and the aforementioned Lady Vols. State ladies are new on the national stage, and the coach who built the program up ...



... now coaches Duke!! JoAnn McCallie left State a couple of seasons ago to take over the Blue Devils. She had recruited most of the starters for State, and for sure had to have know 'what's what' about them. Duke has TWELVE McDonald's All Americans on their team. State on the other hand, you could say had girls who 'worked at McDonald's' by comparison. The Duke ladies weaknesses weren't as apparent as State's, whose issues as a team played to Duke strengths. So you could imagine at minimum a double digit win ... FOR STATE!!



I mention what is happening in the woman's tourney because 1) Sexism is clearly not gone anywhere ... but let's say we are working on it. Again, if this was happening in the Men's brackets, the sports shows would be falling over themselves with the story. 2) In a 'sports as life' example, you just don't know what the heck will happen if you give it your best '60 seconds worth of distance run', do you?

READERS ALWAYS WRITE!

Another thing about my journal, is that I wanted to reach out and make a few pals and as important, get some feedback on some of the choices I was/am/will making. As friendly as I am, I never had many folks that I considered 'true friends', much less as a friend. As they 'made plans for Nigel', it wasn't said that they were doing it out of a love for him. I think that they appreciated him, because he was 'happy with his work'.

When people begin to pay attention, I would make a post about some of the comments that were made, and elaborate on them. Haven't done it in a good while, but like the 'dope slap' Ken laid on me awhile ago, I still take things under advisement.

I saw James 16 perhaps 2-3 times. He looked like a very sad girl to me. Like one little opprobrium would send him over the edge.

This one from Mary, made me laugh a hearty one, that brought tears to my eyes!! Like Pee Wee, not only do I like to ride 'big red bikes', but 'I know you are, but what am I?' has been one of my fave things to say!

Having someone pick at me in this way ... I have always taken it as a compliment ... because I actually DO know what I am, but do YOU? I remember talking to Nebraska and letting her in on what Pecan Sandie calls me ... a drama queen!! It kind of unnerved her, the whole guy/girls characterization, but it never made me no never mind. I played hockey ... my brother did the figure skating. And the line of demarcation was just that clear. Had I wanted to get to open skating earlier to see the girls practice at Jack Adams like he did, instead of staying late to figure out what I had to do to play hockey, then a lot of things would have been different.

NOW THAT I MENTIONED HER ...

She was prolly the first girl to 'see' some of the 'why' to me. She would ride up I-77 with me to visit with Skye and such. She got to hang around me in the environment that I was raised in. One of the things that I remember her saying after our first trip to the Motor, was that 'I get you now.'

That is something that I look for in a person. I don't really think that you can actually 'get' me, because I don't 'get' myself. I don't think that it is meant for you to be able to 'get' ANYONE. Whatever you can observe, is changed as soon as you make the observation.

Whew ... my head got a little dizzy there. But I know what I mean. What I wouldn't mind, is that someone would try and when they couldn't grasp it all, make allowances for 'Mark being Mark'. After all, we don't live in a vaccum, and you HAVE to know that I am doing something to let 'you be you'.

So the evolution in my relationships has been one where I got what I chased after without regard to any particular design (my ex wife) ... found out that if you asked for what it was you wanted, you could have it (My Delta Girl), to finding someone who wanted to actually love me, flaws and warts (not saying MDG didn't, but Sandie had to deal with some baggage), to finding out that yes Evelyn, you can ask for something still, that you aren't beyond 'redemption' (with Tee Jay).

What did I learn with Mookie?? Another Kurt Warner quote fits here ..."I didn't learn anything new about myself. I am still the same guy doing the same things that I always could." I think that is an important aspect to my evolution. I had told myself that I was changed, and I have.

Anywho, another long entry. I know it has been long, because my hands are a little sore. Did a big run today and I felt really, really good. Have to share about some of the 'training' that I have been doing to get ready, and why this month staggered at the start.

Maybe. I am over most of it now. What is to be learned ... I think that I have gotten the most of that. We'll see.