Hello and welcome to the first edition of Random Thoughts for 2010. I hope everybody survived the holidays in one piece. I've got a lot to start off the year with here, so with that in mind let's get to it. Enjoy.
- I named this the "cold" edition for one big reason: IT'S FRIGGIN' COLD OUTSIDE!!! Yes, I know it's wintertime and it's the beginning of January, but I'm only a fan of winter for about two days in the beginning of the season and then I start counting down to the days of spring and warmer weather. It's also been snowing at a regular clip here in Columbus, though up in northern Ohio they got a lot of snow already with a lot more to come. It seems like every time I clean snow off my car I'd look outside a bit later and the car would be covered again like I never cleared it off. This particular cold snap has apparently hit as far south as Florida, so it seems to be everywhere at this point. Nonetheless, a few people I know moved south to get away from this cold weather and seasonal stuff, something that is starting to sound more appealing to me as I look outside my window at all the snow outside.
- Unlike last year, I went out for New Year's Eve to bring in 2010. I went up to Club Polaris where I got to catch up with a few people I hadn't seen in a while. For me it was more of a low-key affair but I had a decent time nonetheless. Last year I didn't go out at all and I think that may have set up the overall negative vibes around me in 2009, so I wanted to set a different tone this year especially with this new beginning I'm having. So far, so good.
- When this colder weather lets up a bit, I'm gonna start going out to nightspots and start dancing and being social again. For the last half of 2009 I pretty much exiled myself from the scene (and social interaction in general) to get my bearings and work on getting my act together. I still have to work to do but despite some of the proclamations I made during my time away (such as retiring from dancing), I realize it's time to come out of my shell and start getting back to things that did make me happy, in which dancing was one. I'm not gonna do so much of the "formal" stuff, for lack of a better term, but I will be working on developing more of a low-key style of dancing for myself and I might still drop in on a line dance or two from time to time. Ultimately I just want to enjoy my time and the people around me when I'm out and if New Year's Eve was any indication things are looking up. If anybody wants to do stuff or join in just let me know.
- I now have 100 friends on Facebook. Unlike Myspace where I may have known only about half the people I linked up with, I know or am acquainted with every single person on my Facebook friends list. I've very proud of that and for all my friends of Facebook, regardless if I saw you last yesterday or several years ago, I thank you for being there.
- My church home: Crossroads World Christian Center.
- Last Sunday was the last Browns game of the season. They defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars, ensuring they didn't make the playoffs and ending their own season with a four game winning streak. During that streak, they broke records, ended some long-term droughts, and spoiled two teams' hopes of making this year's playoffs (the Jags and our hated arch-rival Pittsburgh Steelers). The first three-fourths of the season were an absolute disaster with bad things coming about by the day, but they got it together and finished with the first four-game winning streak since the old team left. Although I wish the Browns did better early on, I am optimistic about next season given how they finished this past one. I hope new team president Mike Holmgren keeps that in mind when considering what changes need to be made in the off-season.
- Despite the ups and downs of the Browns 2009 season, the Westerville Browns Backers had a really solid year. We found a home at the new Jimmy V's in Westerville. We had good crowds show up all season long with several games being really packed. Even though the season is over, the Backers will be having a banquet sometime in the first part of March with a couple players showing up for autographs. When I get more information on that I'll pass it on here. You don't have to be in the group to attend the banquet, but you will pay less for the banquet if you are a current dues-paying member. We are also planning a draft party at Jimmy V's for NFL Draft Weekend. The first round is taking place on a Thursday evening (seems like a dumb idea given the TV comeptition on that night, but that's just my opinion). If anybody wants info on either event or both let me know.
- The Ohio State Buckeyes are Rose Bowl champions with a big win over the Oregon Ducks. The quarterback Terrelle Pryor still has some work to do on reading a defense and how to react, but he got the job done on New Year's Day. The win also breaks a streak of losses in big bowls for the Bucks. All I can say is GO BUCKS!!!
- Yesterday evening there was a preview of a potential new Monday Night War in professional wrestling, this time between World Wrestling Entertainment and the upstart Total Non-Stop Action Wrestling. About nine years ago the last war ended with WCW being sold by a faltering Time-Warner to it's competition, the WWF, which in conjunction with the purchase of ECW assets led to the entity we now know as WWE. Last night's WWE show saw the return of Bret Hart to Monday Night Raw after a twelve year absence and a resolution to his long-standing grudge with Shawn Michaels. The TNA Impact show, usually airing on Thursdays on Spike, featured to return of Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff to big-time wrestling to take charge and bringing some of their known associates along with recent WWE star Jeff Hardy (who looks like he's gonna be charged with drug trafficking by a grand jury, so we'll see how that goes). It was the first time I had to switch between wrestling shows since 2001. I wasn't as into the Monday Night War aspect as I was all those years ago, but if TNA makes the permanent move to Monday nights I might get that excitement again. I have a weird yet unsubstantiated feeling that Shane McMahon, the son of WWE Chairman Vince McMahon and no longer part of WWE, might show up in TNA sometime in the future. In any case, if TNA makes the move to Mondays we may witness another renaissance in pro wrestling.
- First Lil' Kim, then T.I., and now Lil' Wayne: all three have served, are currently or will be serving time in jail for various reasons. The reason I am noting this is the trend I've seen regarding their prison time. Despite all three serving for separate crimes they were all given the same sentence: one year and one day in prison. This must be some type of new federal "rapper sentencing special" going on in the justice system these days.
- Song on repeat: "Money In The Bank" by Swizz Beatz. It was featured in the movie Step Up 2 The Streets. A little editing on my part and it may serve as a potential theme song for me...like I need one, but anyway...
- SLP to the following: Dave, Jay, Holly, Aunt Susie, Jen, Randy, Anna, Joe C., Marcia, Robin, Damian, Isaiah, Pastor Cory, Andrea, Rahn (Happy B-Day), Steve, and my fellow Westerville Browns Backers.
This month is usually one of the slowest for me, so at this point unless a lot happens I probably won't be doing another set of Random Thoughts until near the end of the month, where I know I'll have at least one big thing to talk about. Until then, I will be around on Facebook and hopefully out on the town once again. Until next time...take care and God Bless.
DJ
