The Parking Game

Perhaps it is a sickness or a game, but I always seek the best/most convenient parking place anywhere I go. I guess it is especially unusual since I willingly walk or run for exercise every day.

I recently went to Walmart & discovered that my favorite "make a space" parking area had been fenced off due to construction. This area always had drivers making a space at the end of the rows making it possible to actually park near the entrance without being in a tow-away zone. My brother has been doing this in the Coliseum Blue lot for years which allows him to practically be the first car out at the end of a game.

Although I will pull into a loading zone to run into the grocery store and park in 10 minute parking at the hospital for longer than 10 minutes, I do have my limits. I will not block a fire hydrant or park in a handicapped space.

I do park in meter spaces without putting money in & will just pay the occasional ticket instead feeling that financially I am coming out ahead.

Actually, I assess parking areas & have my favorite "unofficial" spots at a number of locations.

I don't know if I'm lazy or crazy, but I always seem to have a good parking place.

Shawni Speaks

Last night I heard Shawni Davis in a sit down interview & must admit I was impressed. After his gold medal win he came off as rather selfish & surly; however, I now think he's a stand-up guy who has just been unwittingly caught up in a controversy that has been overblown by the media. It unfortunate that the USA speedskating team could not have managed this internally & not allowed the situation between Davis & Heldreth to escalate. And, by the way, why couldn't the relay event be last?

Great Expectations

In prior years Mountaineer fans spent much of February hoping & praying to make the Big East tournament, i.e. not be one of the bottom two teams. These fans would hope against hope to win a game at the NCAAs as well. Bids for the Big Dance were few and far between . . . as were Top 20 rankings.

This year's team has lost three out of four games in the last three weeks during a grueling stretch in the schedule. It's rather amazing how lofty our expectations have become . . . We are no longer satisfied with making the BE tournament--we want one of the top four spots for a first round bye. We are a virtual lock for an NCAA bid, but we now want a high seed. I am glad to see our expectations rise in both basketball & football and am thrilled that we are no longer content with mediocrity; however, let's not set our goals so high that anything short of a national championship is a failure.

More Olympics

As the Olympics continue the gold, silver, & bronze winners are only part of the story. Here are some other awards I would present . . .

Most Courageous
Lindsey Kildow

Best Female Impersonator
Johnny Weis

Cutest Couple
Tanith & Ben

Best Drama
Men's speed skating team (Davis/Heldreth feud)
Runner-up--Italian ice dancing pair

Biggest Disappointment
Bodie Miller
Runner-up--USA hockey teams

Most Gracious Winner
Joey Cheek
Runner-up--Seth Westcott

Most Gracious Loser
Apollo Ono

Worst Loser
Johnny Weis

Most Difficult Interview
Shawnee Davis

Best Interviews
Kimmie & Emily, USA figure skaters

Most Embarrassing Moment (Biggest Idiots)
(Tie)Lindsey Jacobellis' losing gold by showing off
Austrian team's drug paraphenalia in the Olympic village

Worst Hair Color
Bob Costas

Most Humorous
Ice dancing pairs falling one after another

Worst Costumes
(Tie) Ice dancing pairs--too many to count
Men's figure skaters--too many to count

Best Moment in Today Show Coverage
Matt & Al on a luge run

Olympic fever?

I'm am usually all about the Olympics . . . this time around though, I'm getting rather disenchanted. Here are a few reasons why:

Why in the world are many of the men's figure skaters now dressing like women? Spare me the sequins, chiffon, & purple pants! What's next, eye shadow & lip gloss?

Athletes suspended or having medals stripped for doping . . . duh, perhaps they also need an IQ test since the OIC ALWAYS tests for drugs. I would think an Olympic athlete would take no chances here since the probability of being caught seems to be almost 100%.

Bode Miller who bragged about skiing wasted prior to the Olympics is running his mouth again. He says winning an Olympic medal means nothing to him . . . which is fortunate for him since he hasn't won any this time around. He may think he's coming off as a renegade; I personally think he's just a poor loser!

There are always a few games which seem to be just that, games. Where is the athleticism in curling or rhythmic gymnastics? These so-called sports could not be more boring!

Although I usually am riveted by two weeks of Olympic coverage, this year for me it's bring on "American Idol" & "Dancing with the Stars."

Spooked

A few nights before Christmas a man called out to me in Walmart. He told me his name & said he went to high school with me. Although I didn't remember him, I didn't acknowledge this & foolishly conversed with him for a few minutes. He kept asking me about former classmates . . . where they were . . . what were they doing, etc. in addition to wanting to know what was going on with me. Of course, being the talkative person that I am, I provided him with all kinds of information. I excused myself, completed my shopping, & didn't really think about it again until I was heading to the checkout. The man stepped out in front of me & asked me if I would be back there the next night. *RED FLAG" (Who really would just hang out at Walmart for fun? I answered no & left just slightly unnerved.

I pretty much forgot about the whole thing until a couple weeks ago when he appeared at my office when I was alone during lunch. I kept the conversation as brief as possible, & he eventually left. Then I decided to look him up in my yearbook . . . he was not in my class on any of the classes 2 years before or after me. Now I am getting a little more concerned & share this with my friend, Nancy. She looks him up in the city directory, & we deduce he lives with his mother. "RED FLAG" We google him to no avail.

Next he calls the office for me. Fortunately I was on another line, but he got rather huffy with Nancy when she told him this.

Yesterday he came in again while I was with a customer. He lurked around until I was finished then attempted to start a conversation. I gave him a short, but polite response, then continued working & he left. By now we are also deducing that he does not have a job. "RED FLAG" Today Nancy saw him walking by the office before I came in.

Well, I am now getting spooked! I don't know what really constitutes a stalker, but this does cause me to wonder when/where he will appear next. I do know that I will try to be more discerning in the future as to what information I give out & to whom. Lesson learned.

Steeler Nation

Steeler Nation was out in full force at all of the away playoff games . . . terrible towels were waving throughout the hostile stadiums. TV viewing for this year's Super Bowl was up 5% . . . the most watched game since, ahem, the Steelers were last in the Super Bowl in 1995. Why does this team have such a huge fan base? I believe it's because the Steelers have a "face." Cowher, Bettis, Ward, Porter, & company provide consistency in the world of professional sports where players & coaches typically come & go as if they were in a revolving door. Steeler ownership has proven loyal to its personnel. It's easy to get behind a team that typically returns most of its key players while incorporating a few new ones. Fans feel as if they "know" this team. Ninety eight coaches have come & gone from other NFL teams during Bill Cowher's tenure with Pittsburgh. The Steeler organization has allowed the coach & players to flourish within the system, & with time & patience the result is a Super Bowl Championship!