NCAA’s March Madness Is About To Arrive

This is a basketball

It is that time of year again, time for March Madness.  I spoke about this last year by describing a typical night at my house while the tournament was on.  Read that post here.  This year the Madness begins on March 19^th and the finals are on April 8^th in Atlanta’s Georgia Dome.  I live in the Atlanta area but will not on attend the event but welcome the economic impact on the metro Atlanta area.  To read more about the tournament click here.

This year I am eagerly awaiting the tip-off since I will be watching the games in “glorious High Def” on my fancy new smart TV. I wonder if the high def will make my alma mater look any better or will they disappoint again?  They have been a top three seed 7 times over the past ten years but have failed to close the deal.   Read all about the University of Pittsburgh’s March Madness woes here.

Over the next two weeks I will be practicing my 3 point shot by tossing crumpled paper into my waste basket from 5 feet away.  I hope you can begin your preparation soon as well.  Have a great week working on your game.

March Madness…AND College Basketball

This is a basketball

March Madness starts tomorrow, March 13^th and the championship game is on April 2^nd.  I am not a big college basketball fan but I will watch some games during the tournament if nothing else catches my attention.  For today’s blog I will describe a typical Saturday night at my house while the games are on.

It is 8 O’clock and the tip-off is in 5 minutes.  I have settled in to my favorite spot in front of the television which is not high def nor is it a flat screen.  Read more about my opinion of high def television here.  As I sit awaiting the game to start I find my lovely wife sitting next to me browsing the internet on her iPad.  This is typical on a Saturday night when we invariably are watching a sporting event.  Next to my lovely wife I have a beverage and the remote control for the television.  I like to call it “the clicker”.  

The game starts and I become bored because as stated earlier I am not a big basketball fan.  To keep things lively at about 10 minutes after tip-off I begin asking my wife questions that appear to annoy her.  I continue this until I am distracted by a funny commercial.  As I watch the game resume, the boredom creeps in and I am back to doing something that again appears to annoy my wife.  It is now 8:22 PM.

Midway through the first half*, I chase the dog (Jimmy Sad Eyes) around the house because he seems bored too.  Read about him here and here.  After chasing the dog around, I am winded and decide to sit back down and watch the game.  It is now 8:36 PM and I realize I am thirsty from all that running around and I get another beverage and refill my wife’s glass.  The game is tight and the lead changes hands back and forth as it is now just 6 minutes to go before halftime. 

I manage to sit through the rest of the first half without needing to prove to Jimmy Sad Eyes that I am the Alpha male or needing to bother my wife who seems content with her internet and the iPad.  As the halftime is about to finish the first outburst from my wife happens.  I am simply asking her some questions and making fun of her and she suggests that I should count the tiles in the bathroom with irregularities and report back to her.  This actually doesn’t sound like a bad idea so off I go creating a spreadsheet in excel for the task complete with special colors, fonts and a pivot table to make things interesting.   After about 20 minutes I go back to her with the results and she yells at me again and calls me “Douglas!” so I know she is really mad.  I decide to lay low.

At about 9:45 PM I get bored again and start shaking her iPad making it hard for her to read the internet nonsense.  I do this a few times and she appears to ignore me so I stop and rethink my strategy.  After watching a few lay ups and a missed jump shot or two I hit the jackpot and ask her what she would rather do make me a sandwich or wash the car.  Her response is typical and she tells me to knock it off or I will be sleeping in the basement with the spiders and the spider poop.  After careful analysis I have learned that this is my signal from her that I should cool it and switch the channel to one of many ubiquitous SVU episodes.  What’s the harm; it is now 10:00 PM and the game is a blow out.  That is what I call March Madness!

Have a great week and beware of the spider poop.

*To prove I have some basketball knowledge please note that I used the term first half and not first quarter.  In college there are two, 20 minute halves and in the NBA there are 4 quarters of 12 minutes each.  Okay, to be honest I had to goggle to make sure it was four, 12 minute quarters in the NBA but let’s not worry about that now.

A Perfect Dining Experience

Cheers!

We all look forward to going out to our favorite restaurant for a nice meal.  Every once in a while we hit a home run with our choice for food, beverage, dining companions and similar frame of mind.  When we do, it is usually a night to remember.  I will recount one such experience from several years ago that still ranks as a fond memory. 

 I don’t recall the exact occasion and I believe there was no special purpose for dining out that night.  No anniversary, birthday or other milestone to mark – just a night out with good friends.  We went to an Italian restaurant that night.  It began with an appetizer of warm crusty bread and seasoned olive oil. The conversation and laughs flowed easily as the salad arrived right on time.  

While we were finishing our salads and bread, the main course arrived.  I remember the aroma floating in my direction and confirming my choice.  I ordered a simply prepared dish of pasta with sausage. I nodded with anticipation as the waiter shaved some cheese over my plate.  Earlier we had ordered a bottle of wine to share with the meal and it seemed to be in everyone’s sweet spot, matching nicely for what we were all eating. 

The evening gently wore on as we talked between bites of food, sips of wine and more soft laughter.  Even as it was unfolding, I knew this night was special.  Individually, the food, wine and atmosphere were all good that night but not the best I’ve ever experienced. It was just the right combination of all factors that made the totality of the experience sublime.  As we waited at the table to pay for our meal, we quietly sat as a glow was enveloping us in a warm blanket.  As I sat, I felt the same deep, calm that washes over you right before you have your last conscious thought before falling asleep.  You can’t buy that anywhere and it can’t be re-created.  All you can do if you are lucky is recognize the moment and ride the wave for all it is worth. 

Have a great week.  Bon appétit my friends.