Wednesday, June 28, 2006

A Smidge of B-Ball

Is it wrong for me to think that the Magic and the Jazz were big winners tonight? I realize I am a biased observer here, but I am happy to see James Augustine and Dee Brown drafted in the first two rounds, although they were both taken a big low imho. And the prospect of Dee and Deron rushing down the court and playing off one another again gives me chills.

I'm already scheming up ways in my head to plan wintertime vacations to Utah (skiing?) and Orlando (Disney?). We shall have to see what transpires. Shannon Brown to Cleveland is also an intriguing posibility. I may have to start attending NBA games if all my favorite collegiate players keep graduating :)

I'm also getting ready to leave on a much-needed vacation tomorrow. This whole working 50 hours a week and trying to handle a graduate summer class thing...it's way overrated. Plus we've had a lot of minor, yet annoying health issues to deal with lately and have a surgery fast approaching here. Zoning out on a southeastern beach for a week starting tomorrow, but I may try to post a few thoughts if Internet access allows and my brain has sufficient unwound.

Happy Independence Day a bit early to you and yours!

Monday, June 05, 2006

Big Day in Galesburg

Okay, so it's not exactly a post on something meaningful and important...but Stephen Colbert's commencement speech at Knox College this weekend was big news in these parts. You can read the whole thing on the Knox College website. The speech is really quite witty and is getting Knox some great national press this week.

A few choice excerpts:

"There are so many challenges facing this next generation, and as they said earlier, you are up for these challenges. And I agree, except that I don’t think you are. I don’t know if you’re tough enough to handle this. You are the most cuddled generation in history. I belong to the last generation that did not have to be in a car seat. You had to be in car seats. I did not have to wear a helmet when I rode my bike. You do. You have to wear helmets when you go swimming, right? In case you bump your head against the side of the pool. Oh, by the way, I should have said, my speech today may contain some peanut products."

"On a beautiful day like this I’m reminded of my own graduation 20 years ago, at Northwestern University. I didn’t start there, I finished there. On the graduation day, a beautiful day like this. We’re all in our gowns. I go up on the podium to get my leather folder with my diploma in it. And as I get it from the Dean, she leans in close to me and she smiles, and she says...[train whistle] that’s my ride, actually. I have got to get on that train, I’m sorry. [Heads off stage.] Evidently that happens a lot here. ..." (Incredibly funny only to those who are very familiar with Galesburg, Illinois)

"But the best reason for me to come to speak at Knox College is that I attended Knox College. This is part of my personal history that you will rarely see reported. Partly because the press doesn’t do the proper research. But mostly because…it is not true! I just made it up, so this moment would be more poignant for all of us. How great would it be if I could actually come back here—if I was coming back to my alma mater to be honored like this. I could share with you all my happy memories that I spent here in...Galesburg, Illinois. Hanging out at the Seymour Hall, right? Seymour Hall? You know, all of us alumni, we remember being at Seymour Hall, playing those drinking games. We played a drinking game called Lincoln-Douglas. Great game. What you do is, you act out the Lincoln-Douglas debate and any time one of the guys mentions the Dred Scott decision you have to chug a beer. Well, technically 3/5 of a beer. [groans from audience]

You DO have a good education! I wasn’t sure if anybody was going to get that joke."


Regardless of whatever Colbert's political stripes are, he is one funny guy and I thought he gave a thoroughly enjoyable and appropriate graduation address. And apparently last year's commencement speaker Barack Obama had a witty retort to Colbert's shtick...use hand sanitizer after the Pumphandle... I wish I could say the same for the speaker that Knox hopes to land next year. (Insert snarky comment about next year's graduates carrying the Purell here)