Spartan Fan?!?

My friend Ange asked me the other night if I'd like to go the MSU - PSU basketball game. I'm certain I must've looked at her like she was nuts. Now, mind you, I used to be a sports fan, which is to say I used to watch Michigan football religiously, would watch the Lions when I could bear to, loved the Pistons back in the days of Bill Laimbeer and Ricky Mahorn (yes, I even had the Bad Boys! poster - my mom was jealous), and would avidly watch the Wings during play-offs and sometimes during regular season. However, during the last several years, I changed from a rabid Michigan fan to a casual observer who would cheer for any Big Ten school - even OSU - if they were in a bowl game. But I was never, ever, a college hoops fan. Not ever. It used to drive Kirk nuts, as he was an even more die hard fan of MSU than I was of UM. We would watch the football games together, and I would gleefully watch the Wolverines saunter off to yet another bowl game (this past season being the only exception). But as soon as basketball rolled around, I had no interest whatsoever - of course, the one sport where UM didn't have a chance in hell of beating State. I swear it wasn't planned - I just thought it was kind of boring.

So, my puzzled look had Ange a bit confused perhaps, but only because she didn't know the back story. I told her I would go unless she had any other takers that would be more interested than me (I was setting the bar low, you see). She said she hadn't, and we made arrangements to meet up and head to the game.

Sunday was beautiful. We had a decent walk to the Breslin Center, complete with sunshine and melting snow. We walked in, found that our section was right across from the entrance, eventually found our seats and settled in just in time for the anthem. I always love hearing the national anthem at the beginning of sporting events. I'm sure it's because it takes me back to my days of swimming, where we always had the anthem or the pledge of allegiance to start the meets, or maybe it has a bit to do with a trip to Washington DC when I went the the Supreme Court building, the Capitol and the Tax Court (we got kicked out of there - you apparently have to have official business to visit...who knew?), along with the other monuments and museums, that has really given me a sense of nostalgia and patriotism when I hear either tribute to the United States.

Anyway, I started looking around and noticed the Izzone surrounding the court. The only other basketball game I had been to was a Pistons game at the Palace - sitting in the upper bowl, which made me a bit queasy and made the Pistons look like mini people akin to Homies running around the teeny court. This wasn't the case with the location of our seats at the State game - lower bowl, behind the band, where we could see and hear everything. I have to say, the experience, despite how poorly the team played, kind of turned me into a bit of a Spartan basketball fan. I know I enjoyed it because I started to feel a bit nauseated at the end of the game when the score was so close... that only happens when I really get into the mood, and I was surprised that I had that reaction. In terms of the ambiance, the sound was deafening, the Izzone was hilarious (even the ones way at the top of the upper bowl, which Ange pointed out to me about halfway through the game), the fans were fun to watch, we were indoors (I still hate the cold), and I reconnected with sports, which is something I haven't done as a spectator in a long, long time. Needless to say, if Ange asks me if I want to go to another game with her, she won't get such a perplexed look!

I Heart...

...the Slumdog Millionaire soundtrack. Have I mentioned that yet? I love music. I have always loved music. But it's rare that I find I really like a soundtrack enough to buy it, let alone listen to it for weeks on end in the car. I remember commenting to Sheryl when we saw the movie together that I thought the music was incredible. I searched for a while for the soundtrack (Barnes & Noble let me down twice, which is odd, and it was finally Target to the rescue, which was also odd), and was concerned that it wouldn't live up to my expectations. But I was pleasantly surprised to find that it's a great stand-alone compilation. I'm quite certain I would've loved the CD without having seen the movie.

I saw the movie for a second time, after listening to the soundtrack for weeks. And it was even more stirring than before. The tempo, the insistence, the sorrow...the entire vibe of the CD is captured in the movie, even though I'm sure it's intended to be the other way around. And there's such strong association between the music and the images in the film - from running through the streets of Mumbai to the aerial view of the city to riding on top of the train and "working" at the Taj Mahal - I can't even begin to imagine music that would pair so well with the scenes for which the music was selected. It's one thing to have songs I recognize in a movie as there's a sense of nostalgia often related to hearing them. There's something altogether different with remembering music I've never heard before because the use of the music was done in such a powerful way. I think I'm done gushing for now. By the way, have I mentioned that I like the soundtrack a bit?

Back to Rational?

Almost, but not quite...

The production schedules came in, and for me, weren't as bad as I thought. We have two more weeks of downtime scheduled in March and April. The other plant is not so lucky as they will be dropping a shift. So, another 1,100 hourly layoffs and another 50 or so salaried layoffs. I'm sure this will mean a lot of shifting around at the various plants, and I'm guessing we'll have more new-ish faces to get to know and a lot of changes over the next few months. But we're scheduled for production all year, and while that can change as quickly as an email can be sent, for now it's a relief.

We have always teased Auntie Joanne about her amusing condition where as her stress level increases, her shoulders shrug further and further upward. You could tell when she was particularly tense or upset because you could barely see her ears. I realized a long time ago that I share the same tendency. It's either that or I clench my jaw. Fortunately, I haven't been clenching my jaw (no grinding, just clenching, which is painful at best), but every so often, and quite a bit yesterday, I had to stop, think, take a deep breath, and force my shoulders down. It makes me chuckle when I do it, as I picture Auntie Joanne and just think about all the shit we gave her over the years about that. I'm sure she's proud that the tradition carries on...

Completely Irrational...

So, after a "forced" vacation this past week, which was full of budgets for both work (I know - vacation, right?) and Jaycees, not enough relaxation, lots of fun, and not enough reading, I find myself a bit anxious. Or maybe a lot anxious. And I have no desire to sleep. The irrational thought is that if I sleep, I'll eventually wake up, and then will have to go to work. My rational side, which seems to want to hide right now, realizes that I have to go to work whether I sleep or not. Right now, irrational is winning out (quite obviously).

I haven't dreaded work in a really long time - years, maybe, even with all of the craziness of the last few months. So why now? I attribute it to submitting my budget, and having the finance guy email me back that it was exactly what he was looking for, but would have to be reworked because there's an upcoming announcement about the production schedule. *gulp* That's usually not good news. At least in this climate, that's not usually good news. I'll deal with whatever comes my way, but having been out of the loop for the last week, the anticipation is getting to me. And it doesn't help that I let my sleep schedule go to hell in a hand basket this past week, too. Or rather, I let it go back to what I feel my natural biorhythms dictate, which means going to sleep around 3 or 4 in the morning and getting up around 9 or 10, not to mention the occasional catnaps of this past week.

So, I guess I should focus on the positives, right? I took my Christmas tree down and put it away in the balcony storage area. My goal was to disassemble by February 1, so I met my goal! I didn't get around to any general cleaning in the living room, so it's in a bit of disarray right now, but should be easily fixed (which is something I could be doing instead of blogging, but this is more fun). I saw Slumdog Millionaire for the second time, and loved it, and fell in love with the music even more, which is crazy since that CD has been living in my car since I got it. And I saw Gran Torino. Hilarious throughout, and a tear-jerker at the end. I loved it, and will probably see it again. And I am grateful that I have a job to go to tomorrow, even if the dread is a little overwhelming right now. I know I'll quickly get into the swing and start figuring out what's going on. It's just quite a challenge. I think it's time to curl up on the couch for a bit...

It's fun to be a girl...

It's fun to be a girl in a time when Tupperware parties have given way to Passion parties. I went to a friend's Passion party today, and had one of my dear friends in tow. There's nothing better than taking a picture of a Jelly Osaki dual-action orgasm-giver and texting it to another friend, all the while knowing this is all completely normal and fun.

We followed it up by meeting my friend's husband at Sindhu for dinner. I haven't experienced Indian food in Lansing, despite living here for 8ish years. The food was great, and we shared three dishes family-style. I picked the Chicken Vindaloo (spicy, not medium!). We had another chicken dish in a creamy-ish tomato-y sauce and lamb in a spicy sauce. The company was better than the food, and I had a delightful day with my friends. No pressure, no worries - just funny conversation and general silliness - a diversion from all of the current stress and worries. Such a good feeling!

Hi, Soapbox...Pardon Me While I Hop On You For a Hot Minute...

Post-swearing in, I got into a lengthy discussion about the inauguration and my disdain for the view that civil unions should satisfy the LBGT population in their quest for equality. I was faced once again with the opinion that civil unions should satisfy the quest for equal rights. In my mind, gays (and their supporters) aren't really searching for equal rights. They are seeking equality. And at this point the semantics discussion enters in. The logic (flawed in my mind) follows that: If gays are granted civil unions, and civil unions provide the same "benefits" as the legal institution of marriage, then the term civil union should be sufficient. My logic is: If gays are granted the same benefits of the legal institution of marriage, then call it a marriage for crying out loud!

The only way I could try to get my point across was this: Women and men fought for women's suffrage. Women became voters, just like men. There was no distinction between male voters and female voters. They did not create another term for women as a subgroup of the ballot-casting population. They didn't call them Pickers or Selectors or Choosers. They called them voters when they were FINALLY granted the same right to vote that men (at least the white ones) had held for-seemingly-ever. To call women with the right to vote by another name denigrates that right and continues to promote a distinction between the two groups when that distinction shouldn't exist. So, if gay couples are FINALLY allowed to have their commitment to each other recognized legally as having the same benefits as the currently legal heterosexual marriages, it should be called by the same name to promote equality. It's senseless to me that a gay couple should seek a Civil Union License, while heterosexual couples apply for a Marriage License. Why don't we just take another step backwards (at least in some parts of our great country... in other parts, this would probably make sense) and have Interracial Marriage Licenses? Or Interfaith Marriage Licenses? If there's going to be one distinction, should every couples' differences be identified as well? Hell, why not break it down into nationalities and throw some slurs in there as well? Maybe a Wop-Mick Marriage License? How about more defining physical and emotional characteristics, like Fattie-Redneck Marriage License? And we can work on the specifics of the gay licenses, too...Bear-Queen Marriage License...Lipstick-Bull Dyke Marriage License... The possibilities are endless. Which is even more reason to just call it a damn marriage.

I Know...

Still remiss in blogging, I know... I haven't even mentioned my South Haven / Bangor adventure, have I? And Tia's visit? So good to catch up. It's funny how you can be friends with someone for not a very long time yet still feel a pretty great connection. It gives me that warm, fuzzy feeling. And weddings galore? And a cruise in March! So much work ahead of me!

But I saw this quote today that made me giggle:

"By all means marry; if you get a good wife, you'll be happy. If you get a bad one, you'll become a philosopher."
-Socrates

I think substituting "husband" should work as well.

So, one of my goals will be to catch up on blogging next week during my forced week off. We're rotating weeks off at work to avoid laying anyone off, so it's not really a bad thing. And I managed to roll over a few weeks from last year, so I have 5 weeks of vacation and a week of sick time. I just hate dipping into the "reserve" that I keep rolling over. Such is life - I am glad to have a job at the very least, and happy to keep my employees working...