...in alphabetical order. (I totally stole this from my friend Amy's blog)
*a bottle of Magner's, my favorite Irish cider. Soo gooood. And hard to come by in the states. (and yes, I realize this one is kind of cheating, because I'm using "a" as an article, but it's my list, and I can do whatever the hell I want. boom roasted)
*ballet flats. They're dressy-ish, they're comfortable, they're under $25 at payless. What more do I need!
*CHOCOLATE. Nothing more to say about that one.
*dashboard confessional. I know I'm too old for emo, but I just can't help myself. On the newest album: Belle of the Boulevard and Even Now. Favorite song ever: Hands Down.
*easter, because I can get Cadbury Mini Eggs!
*f-word. I know it's crass but I love saying it. It's just so glutteral. So Old English. Plus, I get to feel like a rebel, which doesn't happen a lot in my life.
*gilmore girls. It's one of the few shows where the characters speak fast enough to keep me from getting bored. And I've learned so much about popular culture!
*hot pockets. White trash? Yeah, a little.
*internet. You can find such deals without ever leaving your couch! It combines two things I love: a bargain and not moving very much.
*jewelry. I used to never wear jewelry. Or, rather, I never wore different jewelry--the same necklace, earrings, and rings each day. Then I bought some at a jewelry party and I'm hooked! My students are convinced I never wear the same necklace twice.
*kicking it with my nephews. Someday soon, they're gonna get old enough to realize that I'm not cool, and they don't want to hang out with me. But until that day, I'm gonna hang with them whenever I can.
*large sunglasses. So I'm channeling my inner Jackie O. Jealous?
*mystic tans. The sun hates me. HA! Screw you sun!
*nutella. yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
*open mic piano bars or karaoke. I just like to sing.
*pride and prejudice. Mr. Darcy, you have ruined me for all other men.
*quilts. I want to learn how to make them. Then I will have the craft trifecta (knitting, crocheting, quilting) conquered!
*red hair. I love my hair. It's taken me years to come to terms with all the baggage that red hair has (sunburns, freckles, strangers awkwardly touching your hair uninvited) but I love it now. And I love the attention I get from it. :)
*socks that haven't been worn before. I swear, if I ever become ridiculously wealthy, my weird rich person thing will be only wearing socks twice. Nothing bad can happen on a day with new socks.
*toothpaste that hasn't been opened before. The first time you open a tube of toothpaste, it's amazing. There are not crusty bits inside, and everything is just perfect.
*underwire bras. Sometimes they're a little uncomfortable (but not really, if you have the right size), but they make my breasts look GREAT!
*vacation, spring/summer/winter, etc. If I can be not at work and have the option of sleeping later than 5:30, I'm a happy girl.
*winter. Only three more months of desert living!
*x-box live, because whenever I go to Sean and Gwen's, I get to watch stuff on Netflix on the TV! I'm trying to keep myself from thinking that it's like Fahrenheit 451.
*yards. I never knew how much I loved having a big yard until I moved to Vegas, where there are no yards. I don't enjoy mowing, landscaping, or assisting in any way with the upkeep of a large yard, but I like knowing they're there. They're good for parties.
*zyrtec. Otherwise, I might have cut off my nose by now (but not to spite my face)
Tuesday, April 06, 2010
Thursday, April 01, 2010
football
I recently discovered that I really really like football. Over the past couple years, my friends and I have developed a sort of tradition where we go to my friend Rob's house and watch football every Sunday. It started as a couple of us going down to watch football on Monday nights, but then it morphed into Sundays when Rob moved into his new house. We take turns bringing food, and Rob and Sarah (Rob's wife, not me) provide the drinks, chips, dips, and NFL package. It's nice. Originally, it was a reasons to hang out with friends and eat Rob's amazing cookies, but I've really started to enjoy football.
So I guess it comes as no surprise that I've started thinking about football, and I included the previous paragraph so that my next thought wouldn't be taken as snide or negative, but...
I DON'T GET WHY FOOTBALL IS SO POPULAR.
There, I said it.
I've been honestly thinking about this for a few months. Let's look at some facts:
1. Football is really difficult to understand. I've been watching it pretty faithfully for about three years now, and I just now feel like I have a pretty good grasp on the whole thing. So much of it seems like a drunk monkey was given a typewriter and someone decided to go with whatever said monkey came up with. Seven points? And then a chance to get either another one point or another two points, deciding how you play the ball? Or, instead of going for seven, you can kick the ball and get three? Huh? Where are these numbers coming from? And why do you randomly get four chances to move it 10 yards? And why yards? The thing is, there are a lot of sports that make a lot more sense. Basketball is really straightforward: put this ball in this hole and score two points. If you do it from far away, you get an extra. If you do it without someone in your way, you only get one. Baseball even makes more sense: You work together to keep hitting the ball away from the opponent and get someone all the way around the circle. Hockey: Hit this disk-y thing into a net and get a point. Soccer: Ditto, except kick, and ball. Most Americans can explain, with fairly little difficulty, the rules of the above sports, but ask someone who isn't a sports fan to explain football, and they will most likely have some trouble.
2. Football really relies on certain body types to work. We all know what a linebacker's build is. Granted, there are different body types for different positions, but generally, football players are really thick and built. And yes, basketball requires tall people, and soccer requires thin people, but a certain amount of skill and dedication can result in a skilled player who doesn't fit the body type. Football doesn't have that--if you're 5'9" and a medium build, you just can't play center. Sorry. But, if you're 5'9" and a medium build (I fairly average body type, I'd wager), you can be successful in many of the other sports I've mentioned.
3. Football takes huge numbers of people to play. Yeah, you can play a pick-up game with maybe 5 people per side, but that's pretty much the minimum. Two on two basketball? No sweat? 3 on 3 baseball (with ghost players, obviously), yeah probably. Football? Invite all your friends. You'll need 'em.
4. Football hurts. Even if you're playing touch, somebody's gonna get knocked down. Trust.
Do you see what I'm getting at? I just don't get it. The only thing I can think of to explain the popularity of football is marketing.
Marketing.
Yep.
Think about it: football only airs during the weekend. College is on Saturday; pro is on Sunday. Yeah, Monday night and Thursday night football are there, but they're a big deal too. They have special theme songs. You invite people over to watch it. Other sports don't have that. Basketball isn't even on network TV! I think it's on TNT on Tuesday and Thursday nights, but I'm not sure. Baseball? No clue! The only time baseball even enters my realm on consciousness is when FOX cancels my shows for the world series.
Marketing. Programming. Whatever.
Football is popular because of when it's on TV.
Which is either a brilliant move on the part of football franchise owners, or a really sad commentary on the basis of popularity in America.
So I guess it comes as no surprise that I've started thinking about football, and I included the previous paragraph so that my next thought wouldn't be taken as snide or negative, but...
I DON'T GET WHY FOOTBALL IS SO POPULAR.
There, I said it.
I've been honestly thinking about this for a few months. Let's look at some facts:
1. Football is really difficult to understand. I've been watching it pretty faithfully for about three years now, and I just now feel like I have a pretty good grasp on the whole thing. So much of it seems like a drunk monkey was given a typewriter and someone decided to go with whatever said monkey came up with. Seven points? And then a chance to get either another one point or another two points, deciding how you play the ball? Or, instead of going for seven, you can kick the ball and get three? Huh? Where are these numbers coming from? And why do you randomly get four chances to move it 10 yards? And why yards? The thing is, there are a lot of sports that make a lot more sense. Basketball is really straightforward: put this ball in this hole and score two points. If you do it from far away, you get an extra. If you do it without someone in your way, you only get one. Baseball even makes more sense: You work together to keep hitting the ball away from the opponent and get someone all the way around the circle. Hockey: Hit this disk-y thing into a net and get a point. Soccer: Ditto, except kick, and ball. Most Americans can explain, with fairly little difficulty, the rules of the above sports, but ask someone who isn't a sports fan to explain football, and they will most likely have some trouble.
2. Football really relies on certain body types to work. We all know what a linebacker's build is. Granted, there are different body types for different positions, but generally, football players are really thick and built. And yes, basketball requires tall people, and soccer requires thin people, but a certain amount of skill and dedication can result in a skilled player who doesn't fit the body type. Football doesn't have that--if you're 5'9" and a medium build, you just can't play center. Sorry. But, if you're 5'9" and a medium build (I fairly average body type, I'd wager), you can be successful in many of the other sports I've mentioned.
3. Football takes huge numbers of people to play. Yeah, you can play a pick-up game with maybe 5 people per side, but that's pretty much the minimum. Two on two basketball? No sweat? 3 on 3 baseball (with ghost players, obviously), yeah probably. Football? Invite all your friends. You'll need 'em.
4. Football hurts. Even if you're playing touch, somebody's gonna get knocked down. Trust.
Do you see what I'm getting at? I just don't get it. The only thing I can think of to explain the popularity of football is marketing.
Marketing.
Yep.
Think about it: football only airs during the weekend. College is on Saturday; pro is on Sunday. Yeah, Monday night and Thursday night football are there, but they're a big deal too. They have special theme songs. You invite people over to watch it. Other sports don't have that. Basketball isn't even on network TV! I think it's on TNT on Tuesday and Thursday nights, but I'm not sure. Baseball? No clue! The only time baseball even enters my realm on consciousness is when FOX cancels my shows for the world series.
Marketing. Programming. Whatever.
Football is popular because of when it's on TV.
Which is either a brilliant move on the part of football franchise owners, or a really sad commentary on the basis of popularity in America.
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