That's a wrap

It's almost over y'all.  2014...what a kick in the knees this year has been.  For the second consecutive year, I have what resembles the flu on New Year's Eve.  Fun!  It's like having a hangover without the fuzzy fun memories leading up to it.

I've gone back and forth on how I wanted to wrap this ol' blog up for the year.  There's just so may ways I can take this.  But I'm sick and a little bit lazy, so we are just going to go with the tried and true list.  A list of the highlights and  then we'll close the loop with some 2015 goals.  How exciting for you that you get to read this!

In no particular order and excluding the obvious brilliant hilarious kid, loving Husband, tap-dancing dog, health and happiness yada, yada, yada, here are my favorite things from this past year:

1. The Derek Jeter commercial.  I'm kind of indifferent to Jeter.  Obviously, he's one of the greatest players, but his existence is inconsequential in my life.  I am, however, a sucker for great marketing.  And this commercial was fantastic.  I sent it to Husband gushing about how great it was and his response, "I refuse to watch it on principle."  And that, my friends, is what our relationship is like.
2. Bedlam.  Football, baseball and wrestling: yay us!  Basketball: Stinkville.  Let's never talk about it again.  Football on the other hand, let's talk about that again and again and again.  Kick it again!
3. Eggnog cookies.  Found this recipe.  It was life-changing.  Nothing else to say about that.
4. Hozier, Take Me to Church. I don't have any idea what this song is about.  I've listened to it a hundred times and I just don't know.  I watched the video.  That definitely didn't clear anything up.  But I really love it.  Maybe it's about Derek Jeter.
5. Orange Papago Blossom beer. Discovered this last week when I was in Arizona.  It is delicious.  There's nutmeg or cinnamon or allspice or something in it. My palate isn't all that distinguished.  I just know my mouth was happy after drinking it.
6. World Cup Mania.  That was fun.  I liked the chanting.  I hope we can do it again this summer. 
7. Drunk History and Benched.  Two new shows I've started watching this year.  As you can see, I fully commit to intellectually stimulating programming.  The more you know, the more you grow.
8. Sloth adventures. Hanging out and holding a sloth in the Amazon was one of my all-time favorite travel adventures.  The bar has been raised; this year, I'm going fisticuffs with a polar bear.

So it's time to set goals, resolutions if you will, for the upcoming year.

1. Win an NCAA tournament game. What's that?  You're not supposed to set resolutions for other people?  Tough. It's my blog.  I do what I want.  And what I want is a frickin' tourney win.  Do we have an understanding?
2. Read one book a month.  Look at this moment, that is all I can commit to.  I am finally finishing The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series.  And yes, I know that those books came out 45 years ago, but you need to just get over your idea of what a reasonable timeframe is for me.  It's all fluid baby.  And for the record, TOO MANY DETAILS in those books.  I need a flow chart of names and a map of Sweeden just to follow along.  Anyway, I'm looking for book recommendations.  Whatcha got?
3. Run.  From my problems.  From the cops.  Whatever, just run.  I think this is the year I will run something.  Probably just down the street, but at least I can say I did it, right?  I'll update you guys with hashtags and check-ins on facebook.
4. Write more.  If I say it for all the world hear, then someone has to hold me accountable, right?  I'm going to write more this year, more than this blog.  So if you see any opportunities out there, just go ahead and be a lamb and send them along.  I'd say I'd commit to writing about my new running adventure, but I have a feeling it would go something like this: "I ran today.  Running is stupid.  I don't know why people do it.  I quit."  And I'm not really in the haiku business, so let's look for other topics, shall we?

There you go.  It's been a challenging year, but I survived.  And that's all anyone can ask for. That and to meet Jay Z.

Happy 2015.

Dear Santa

Santa!

What it do, boo?  I know you're busy, so I'll keep this as short as I possibly can.  No need to waste time on pleasantries, you know how I feel about you.  You do good work, big guy.

With Christmas only a few days away, I'd like to get my requests in while your elves are still slaving away.  Here's what I need and cannot live without.  I know I can count on you.  

1. Inside scoring.  I feel pretty good about this year's version of Cowboy basketball.  They are gritty and scrappy.  For the first time since the 1970's, we even have depth.  A Christmas miracle indeed!  Yesterday's loss to Maryland doesn't concern me.  First of all, it appears by way of the eye test, Maryland is very good.  It also appears that people grow much taller on the east coast.  For reals, why was everyone on their team so tall?   Anywho, I just want to make sure we continue to have good ball movement and feed it into the post as much as possible.  Passing the ball is a good thing.  Coming out of a timeout and jacking up a long-range jumper?  Not great.  So let's just work on improving, okay?  I also wouldn't mind more rebounding.
2. Sunshine.  So, I don't know what the deal is, but there has been approximately 12 minutes of sunshine in Oklahoma the last month.  It's possible I'm exaggerating.  I cannot live life without sunshine.  Just can't do it.  It's why I moved away from Michigan.  The sun was all, "It's way too cold, bruh.  I'm out."  And I was all, "Yeah, me too."  So I'm going to go ahead and take my talents to Arizona for the holidays until the fiery ball of goodness returns for good or December 29, whichever comes first.
3. No more cowering to North Korea.  So I get it, hacking is scary.  I actually think from time to time after I hit send about how if anyone other than the intended recipient read what I just wrote my pristine reputation may be tarnished.  But come on! I watch Criminal Minds.  I say we see their threat, and raise them a Penelope Garcia.  This is freakin' America!  I know we've got our own cyber thieves lurking out there.  I mean War Games came out more than 30 years ago.  If Ferris Bueller can do it, anyone can.

And that's it!  That's my entire list.  And all of the things I'm asking for would really actually benefit all of mankind, so I'm basically like a philanthropist.

I'd also like a Burberry raincoat.  Cool?

Peace and chicken grease, 

Kathy

Bedlam #blessed

The number of happy feelings I have regarding Bedlam cannot be adequately expressed in words.  Possibly ever.  But because I'm a fighter, I'm going to try.

I'm wearing orange today.  I'll probably wear orange tomorrow too.  Might just wear it for the rest of the month.  I own enough orange items that I could probably dress in orange 45 straight days without repeating an outfit.  Oh a cold snap is on the way?  No problem, I have three orange coats.  Unseasonably warm temperatures ahead?  Great.  I've got an orange tank top for just the occasion.

My four foot tall Pistol Pete who goes in the yard on game days?  He's still out there.  Might just leave him there forever.

The Sunday sports section?  I've been carrying that around with me for two days.

I'm a happy Poke.

Watching the game with a two year old proved to be a challenge.  All was well until we scored our second touchdown of the game.  A 39-yard pass that led to me yelling...loudly.  Tiny Human was stunned.  She started to whimper, then cry, then gasp for air.  Alright, alright.  Where does this kid get such a flair for the dramatic?  After we explained that mommy was excited not mad, she pulled herself together.

At one point, OU's mascot was shown on the screen.

Tiny Human: What's that?
Kathy: That's their mascot.  The horse pig.  We hate him.
*gets the side-eye glance from Husband*
Kathy: I'm sorry, it just slipped out.
Husband: It's fine.  She has to learn eventually.

The game was moving along, there were bright moments, and some bad ones.  I was coming to grips with us losing.  It would be fine.  I was mentally prepared for this.  I have been a Cowboy fan long enough, this is not a new feeling.

And then the fourth quarter happened.   We were scoring.  We were making a comeback.  We were overcoming mistakes.  We don't do these type of things.  We never storm back.  And OU doesn't lose games like this.  And they certainly don't lose AT HOME.  And for the love of everything holy, they don't lose to OSU.  As Ben Stiller says, "No one makes me bleed my own blood!"

I didn't know this feeling.  It was a mixture of a rapid heart beat and nausea.  I was stunned into silence, until I started yelling.  Sometimes they were real words, sometimes just sounds.  Tiny Human repeatedly said, "Mommy!  Stop shouting!"  "Mommy!  You aren't supposed to yell!"  My only response was, "I have to!"  Following the touchdown that brought us to within one score and being scolded once again by my toddler, I turned to Husband and said, "You are going to need to take her to another room, because she's trying to tell me how to be a fan....AND I CAN'T HANDLE THAT RIGHT NOW!" As you can see, this is the point of the night that rationality left.

And then the punt return happened.  And I yelled louder than I ever have, while jumping up and down approximately four inches from the TV.  The only time I remember yelling even close to that loudly was during OSU vs. KU basketball games.  But in those situations, I'm surrounded by other yellers.  Saturday night, it was just me.  The lone wolf....who made her child cry TWICE during the game.

As I paced around the living room repeating to no one in particular, "I can't believe this is happening," Husband comforted our traumatized kid.  It wasn't my finest parenting moment.  When she seeks out therapy to talk about mommy's sports rage, this will be the jumping off point. *shrugs*

I have enjoyed the aftermath almost as much as the game.  I haven't had to walk anywhere, I just float.  It took me 11 solid months to get over last year's Bedlam loss.  The anger and bitterness was high, friends.  So it's nice to watch that happen to the opposing fan base.

#blessed

Good vs. Bad

It's Bedlam week y'all.  Good guys versus bad guys.  America's most beautiful shade of orange versus the color of a flesh wound.  Some might even say little brother versus big brother....but let me tell ya, ain't no way I'm ever considering a Sooner as part of my family.  You're lucky I even consider you friends (I kid, the four of you I like, know who you are).

I have to say, I'm pretty confident about this year's match up.  I feel good.  Great coaching with leadership and passion.  Toughness.  Pride in the program.  Dieringer.  Kindig.  Collica.  Oh, what's that?  You thought I was talking about football?  No, you silly head.  I'm talking about Bedlam wrestling.   Sunday.  Gallagher Iba Arena.  Mark it down, Pokes win big.

I hear there is a football match being played on Saturday too.  Let's look at what we know about that:

1. Trevor Knight is out again.  That sets up for stupid Blake Bell to be brought in during the fourth quarter to somehow come in and single-handily beat us. Again.  I believe Blake Bell to be my least favorite Sooner of all time.  He made my baby cry!  Okay, technically, that's not what happened.  But in 2012 as I watched all 9 feet 4 inches of him rumble into the endzone, I screamed, "*curse word* STOP HIM!"  And my 3 month old burst into tears.  And I thought to myself, "Cool story.  I'm a bad mom.  I'm pissed.  And OU just won.  Life is dumb."
2. Gundy won't answer any questions.  I'm not confident he's even working on plays.  It's possible he may not even show up on Saturday.  And I'm not sure that it would make much of a difference.  Somebody's got a case of the big-times.  Well, here's the deal, Gundy...don't big-time me.  Kathy doesn't have any tolerance for that.  Show a little passion, stop acting so annoyed with having to answer questions.  That is actually one of your job requirements.  So is coaching your team to win, but those are just semantics.  Also, you only get to act like Belichick if you win like Belichick.  So turn that frown upside down, pal.  Go team!
3. Apparently, OU has a player who runs a lot.  Approximately a quarter mile (thanks Google!) per game.  Super.  That sounds like it will be a fun thing to watch.  If the Sooners had any class at all, they'd let him rest his weary legs after his record-breaking performance.  But the good news?  The game should go quickly.

Now, as you are aware, I've been called irrational.  I've also been called Kathy twice this week, so everything seems to be business as usual.  But with all of this negativity that surrounds my thoughts, I do actually have a little hope.  We've got a new quarterback (maybe), and I believe that little red-nosed reindeer may be the spark we need.  To win this game, we're gonna need trickeration, luck, forced turnovers, God on our side, and a possible sporadic weather phenomenon.  But as they say at Ripley's, nothing is impossible!  Or maybe they say, believe it or not.  What's the difference?

So to Mason Rudolph, I say to you: Guide the sleigh, young man.  Guide the damn sleigh!

And as always...Go Pokes!