tryouts

in the club ultimate world, almost everyone is on the lookout for a "better" team. yes, there are a lucky few who play on a team with their best friends at the level they want and achieve the success they are hoping for. unfortunately, most of us struggle to match that ideal with reality - your best friends are scattered across the country, only 16 teams in each division go to nationals, teammates often disagree about the appropriate level of commitment, and a few mistakes on the field can cost you the success you worked for all year.

last year i wasn't satisfied with my team (chinstrap) so this year.... i'm forming a new team! name as yet to be determined. we held the first tryout this weekend and 60 people showed up. wow. great start - now we have to figure out who the good players are, keep them interested, get them committed, learn to play as a team, maintain goodwill among teammates... you know, all the easy stuff. wish me luck.

back in business

sorry i have been so delinquent about posting. these days i struggle to understand the American political situation; commenting on it is pretty far beyond me. on top of that, the news is so depressing that i can only bring myself to glance at the times headlines before quickly switching away. in a final blow against the news, the experts themselves don't seem to know what is going on or what will happen in the next few months. prime example - today's op-ed from paul krugman. thanks, paul - today i feel great about being an american. i'm really looking forward to your next column!

the upshot is, i don't have much to say about the current political/economic situation. i only understand what is going on because sam explained it to me at length over dinner (much to katie's dismay since he was neglecting the pasta). what is the government's bailout plan? is obama squandering his political capital on a scheme doomed to fail? are we headed for another Great Depression? is the AIG bonus scandal a sign that Geithner is completely out of touch with the public mood or merely fodder for the 24-hour news cycle? we'll just have to wait and see.

in the meantime, i've occupied myself with more fruitful pursuits. yes, you guessed it! spring break: chaperone style was excellent. i played frisbee every day, i frolicked on the beach and i managed to prevent sunburn everywhere but the tops of my ears. i loved coaching the women's team - they have a lot of talent and a great team dynamic. it's only been three years since i graduated from college, but i was amazed by how much i have learned since i was in their position, and i was delighted to pass on at least a little of that. in exchange, i basked in their pure love of frisbee. i can't wait for next season...

i am an internet nerd

here are a few websites i regularly check.

politics - nytimes.com and fivethirtyeight.com
shopping - steepandcheap.com and sierratradingpost.com
comics - questionablecontent.com, xkcd.com, qwantz.com and runningwithpencils.com

recent discoveries - fuckyoupenguin.blogspot.com, cakewrecks.blogspot.com and nerve.com/regulars/missinformation

feel free to leave some suggestions in the comments.

should auld acquaintance be forgot

happy new year! i love the holiday season. my family likes to celebrate in style (and by style i mean 16-person insanity) and new years has always been one of my favorite holidays. although this time of year has usually meant lots of snow and winter activities, i have a new appreciation for the christmas-in-the-south after spending a week on the beach in florida, where the weather was 85 degrees and blue skies every day.

a few highlights:
-the candy canes on the christmas tree melting all over the presents
-dad in a santa outfit on christmas morning
-many, many renditions of the illinois alma mater and fight song
-the family photo shoot, complete with "i'm off the set! i'll be in my trailer" from gus
-riding around in a 16-person handicapped van
-the 40-foot marshmellow shooter, electric aquarium, radio flyer sport coupe and whac-a-mole arcade game, among other thoughtful gifts from my father - although i was pretty disappointed not to receive a voice-activated r2d2 or a personal oxygen bar
-ocean swim on christmas day

new years in new york was a blast as well. james and blake make great driving buddies, and were actually excited that i brought along '60s dance party and high-school mixed tapes. paul and o-town were excellent hosts, providing beds, food, and everything else a new years party should have. the actual midnight moment wasn't the most memorable for me personally, but all in all, a great night.

blake and i also managed to make it to the miro exhibit at the moma on new years day. (i actually passed up the opportunity to play frisbee instead!) fabulous all around - blake and i had a great time analyzing miro's crazy anti-paintings and being weirded out by the other installations and exhibits.

in conclusion, my new years resolution is to learn how to play the lute. i heard this great interview on npr...