Creed front man Scott Stapp made a Marlins fight song called "Marlins Will Soar." This could not be overlooked.
[H/T Big League Stew]
16 April 2010
05 April 2010
There's nothing else like Opening Day
I love baseball. I love Opening Day. I've been jumping around from game to game, but this play that White Sox starting pitcher Mark "I tossed a perfect game last season" Buehrle made is one of the most incredible plays I've ever seen.
The Sox won 6-0, the Cubs just got underway and the Twins are playing in Anaheim later tonight. Baseball is back, and life is good.
Enjoy the games. Go Twins.
The Sox won 6-0, the Cubs just got underway and the Twins are playing in Anaheim later tonight. Baseball is back, and life is good.
Enjoy the games. Go Twins.
30 March 2010
Reason No. 1452987983232 YouTube rules
Earlier today an awesome thread was created on Windy Citizen. The topic? The best Chicago commercials on YouTube. Or worst, depending on how you look at it.
This Chicago's pizza commercial has been one of my favorites for a long time. I'm not sure what's worse--their terrible accents or their hair.
But there were two other gems people shared in the comments that caught my eye.
This one features former Bear Mike Singletary pitching for Lenscrafters. Watch out for the close up at the very end.
And finally, we have Scottie Pippen dunking a Mr. Sub sandwich.
Thank you, YouTube. Thank you, hilarious local commercials.
This Chicago's pizza commercial has been one of my favorites for a long time. I'm not sure what's worse--their terrible accents or their hair.
But there were two other gems people shared in the comments that caught my eye.
This one features former Bear Mike Singletary pitching for Lenscrafters. Watch out for the close up at the very end.
And finally, we have Scottie Pippen dunking a Mr. Sub sandwich.
Thank you, YouTube. Thank you, hilarious local commercials.
29 March 2010
New music and movies you should check out
Since I last wrote in this space, I've purchased two new albums and saw a few movies. Here are my thoughts about them, starting in three...two...one...
"Plastic Beach" by Gorillaz
It's hip, it's fresh and it's unlike anything else you'll listen to this week. I throughly enjoyed the Gorillaz newest techo-driven, otherworldly and funky album "Plastic Beach." I got the iTunes deluxe LP version, which is well worth the extra money. It includes videos, pictures and a bunch of extra stuff that enhances the listening experience. "Plastic Beach" is a beefy 18-track, one-hour aural extravaganza and includes guest appearances from Snoop Dogg, Mos Def, Lou Reed and Bobby Womack. Standout tracks: "Stylo," "Superfast Jellyfish" and "Rhinestone Eyes."
"Broken Bells" by Broken Bells
Broken Bells is a collaboration between Shins singer James Mercer and producer Danger Mouse, aka Brian Burton of Gnarls Barkley fame. The duo's first album is pretty solid. Nothing groundbreaking, but it's chill, mellow music that does the job for everyday listening. I'm a big fan of Mercer's voice, and the 10-track offering tops out at 37 minutes. Standout tracks: "The High Road," "October" and "Your Head is on Fire."
Hot Tub Time Machine lives up to the hype. I would have liked Paul Rudd instead of John Cusak in one of the lead roles, but it's really, really funny. Go see it.
Fantastic Mr. Fox is Wes Anderson's spin on the Roald Dahl classic children's book. It's bright, funny and a fantastic adaptation. It's a cussin' good time.
I didn't plan on seeing The Blindside because it looked like just another bad sports movie. But I was wrong. The pacing is sluggish in some parts, but worth seeing because it's a true story.
Clearly I'm late to seeing One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest , but I loved it. Jack Nicholson is the man, and it was fascinating to see Christopher Lloyd and Danny Devito in the early stages of their career, too. Plus, I gained newfound appreciation for The Simpson's episode in which people think Homer went insane and met Michael Jackson in the mental hospital.
Enjoy listening and watching. I did.
"Plastic Beach" by Gorillaz
It's hip, it's fresh and it's unlike anything else you'll listen to this week. I throughly enjoyed the Gorillaz newest techo-driven, otherworldly and funky album "Plastic Beach." I got the iTunes deluxe LP version, which is well worth the extra money. It includes videos, pictures and a bunch of extra stuff that enhances the listening experience. "Plastic Beach" is a beefy 18-track, one-hour aural extravaganza and includes guest appearances from Snoop Dogg, Mos Def, Lou Reed and Bobby Womack. Standout tracks: "Stylo," "Superfast Jellyfish" and "Rhinestone Eyes."
"Broken Bells" by Broken Bells
Broken Bells is a collaboration between Shins singer James Mercer and producer Danger Mouse, aka Brian Burton of Gnarls Barkley fame. The duo's first album is pretty solid. Nothing groundbreaking, but it's chill, mellow music that does the job for everyday listening. I'm a big fan of Mercer's voice, and the 10-track offering tops out at 37 minutes. Standout tracks: "The High Road," "October" and "Your Head is on Fire."
Hot Tub Time Machine lives up to the hype. I would have liked Paul Rudd instead of John Cusak in one of the lead roles, but it's really, really funny. Go see it.
Fantastic Mr. Fox is Wes Anderson's spin on the Roald Dahl classic children's book. It's bright, funny and a fantastic adaptation. It's a cussin' good time.
I didn't plan on seeing The Blindside because it looked like just another bad sports movie. But I was wrong. The pacing is sluggish in some parts, but worth seeing because it's a true story.
Clearly I'm late to seeing One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest , but I loved it. Jack Nicholson is the man, and it was fascinating to see Christopher Lloyd and Danny Devito in the early stages of their career, too. Plus, I gained newfound appreciation for The Simpson's episode in which people think Homer went insane and met Michael Jackson in the mental hospital.
Enjoy listening and watching. I did.
24 March 2010
Quick thoughts, links about "Lost"
I have some brief thoughts about last night's fantastic episode, "Ab Aeterno," and I'll pass along my favorite "Lost" links.
So we finally learned Richard (Ricardo) Alpert's story. And I liked it. I liked how different it was from standard island fare. The setting, the mood and the scope of the story were top notch. While Alpert's love story with his wife, Isabella, didn't have the same emotional pull as that of a Desmond-Penny episode, it was still pretty effective. I loved the light/dark imagery in the episode, particularly when the Man in Black smashed the bottle of wine on the rock after Jacob said "See ya soon."
If nothing else, this episode demonstrated once again that the show has forever been about choice and free will. Jacob brings people to the island because he believes they are inherently good, whereas the Man in Black wants to escape and spread his evil...or something like that.
Here's what I think I think learned.
The island may or may not be hell.
I think Hurley spoke the truest line of the episode. If Richard doesn't kill the man in black, then they're all going to Hell.
The Man in Black/Smokey/New Locke is the devil
This, I think, is true. We saw how he tried to deceive Richard, how he wants to kill Jacob and how Jacob said as long as he's alive, Smockey is not going anywhere. Whatever you want to call him, Smokey/Man in Black is evil, the opposite of Jacob and what he believes in.
Hurley is really, really important
Think about who was given a role in this Richard-centric episode. Richard, obviously: check. Man in Black: check. Jacob: check. Richard's wife: check. Hurley: check. That he can communicate with and see the dead, I believe, will continue to be important as we near the end of the series and the ultimate conflict between light/dark, good/bad. Hurley's great. He adds necessary comedic moments, but he's also a key player, and I'm glad the writers are including him in these
All right, here are the best links for recap/analysis about last night's episode.
- Mo Ryan, Chicago Tribune, Let's talk 'Lost': Live Forever
- Alan Sepinwall, The Star-Ledger, Lost, 'Ab Aeterno': The man behind the shackles
- Jeff Jensen, EW.com, "Lost" recap: uncorked
- Vozzek69 (a longtime writer of Lost recaps/analysis), DarkUFO, Wow, just #&@^ing WOW. Things I Noticed: "Ab Aeterno"
Also, Carlton Cuse just tweeted that he and Damon Lindelof recorded a podcast about the episode in which they will also reveal the title of the series finale.
Any guesses?
22 March 2010
HP's "Let's Do Amazing" ads win the NCAA tournament
After a weekend of work, watching the NCAA men's basketball tournament and Wes Anderson's "Rushmore" (highly recommend it), I'm back on the blogging wagon--this time to offer my take on by far the most entertaining and least annoying ad campaign I've seen during the tournament.
It begins and ends with Rhys Darby. The New Zealand stand-up comic--most known for playing band manager Murray Hewitt in HBO's short-lived "Flight of the Conchords"--takes center stage as a character who visits people doing cool technological stuff in HP's "Let's Do Amazing" campaign. These ads are a bright spot on the tournament's otherwise uninspired, boring and unfunny ad landscape. Here's the introduction.
People might argue Darby is funny solely because his accent. It certainly makes him sound funnier than most people, but his timing and delivery are impeccable, too. And who cares? Funny is funny.
The 30-second spots are great, and thanks to the magic of YouTube, I put them all together in one place.
Darby's character visits The Venetian
Darby's character goes to UPS warehouse
Darby's character visits, who else, Dr. Dre
Darby's character visits HP Labs
So what does Darby think of the ads? He says the curious character is a lot like a kid.
Rock on, Darby. Hope to see you in a Murray-inspired TV show soon.
It begins and ends with Rhys Darby. The New Zealand stand-up comic--most known for playing band manager Murray Hewitt in HBO's short-lived "Flight of the Conchords"--takes center stage as a character who visits people doing cool technological stuff in HP's "Let's Do Amazing" campaign. These ads are a bright spot on the tournament's otherwise uninspired, boring and unfunny ad landscape. Here's the introduction.
People might argue Darby is funny solely because his accent. It certainly makes him sound funnier than most people, but his timing and delivery are impeccable, too. And who cares? Funny is funny.
The 30-second spots are great, and thanks to the magic of YouTube, I put them all together in one place.
Darby's character visits The Venetian
Darby's character goes to UPS warehouse
Darby's character visits, who else, Dr. Dre
Darby's character visits HP Labs
So what does Darby think of the ads? He says the curious character is a lot like a kid.
Rock on, Darby. Hope to see you in a Murray-inspired TV show soon.
19 March 2010
I will never get tired of this: the Gus Johnson soundboard
Earlier this week I declared that Gus Johnson gets me the most excited for March Madness, so when I found the following link on Deadspin, I was floored.I give you the Gus Johnson soundboard.
The thoroughness of this thing is amazing. The person(s) who assembled these soundbites didn't stop at 10, 20 or even 30 different ones. There are more than 60.
So rock on with the "Rise and Fires," relive "the CAAAAAAATCH!!" over and over and have a nice "PUUUUURE" whenever you feel like it.
To the responsible parties, I say thank you. Thank you very much.
18 March 2010
Don't read this, go watch the tournament
A Mormon named Jimmer Fredette (his nickname) scores 37 points in a double-overtime 99-92 win against Florida. Old Dominion edges Notre Dame, 51-50. And #2 Nova gets the first major scare of the tournament, but comes back to beat scrappy Bob Morris, 73-70 in overtime.
The first chunk of the first day of the best sports weekend of the year has lived up to the hype.
I went two for three in those picks, but I don't really care. I'd rather get a bunch of picks wrong early rather than become heavily invested in the bracket only to lose in the end.
Earlier today Bill Simmons posed this question in his first ever March Madness Real Time Running Diary Marathon .
Yes. Considering I'm working part-time at night at on the weekend, and it's in sports, where we have TVs in the office, I'm lucky enough to get the best of both worlds.
Enjoy the madness, folks.
The first chunk of the first day of the best sports weekend of the year has lived up to the hype.
I went two for three in those picks, but I don't really care. I'd rather get a bunch of picks wrong early rather than become heavily invested in the bracket only to lose in the end.
Earlier today Bill Simmons posed this question in his first ever March Madness Real Time Running Diary Marathon .
sportsguy33: What's the best day of the year to be an unemployed male? Has to be first day of March Madness right?
Yes. Considering I'm working part-time at night at on the weekend, and it's in sports, where we have TVs in the office, I'm lucky enough to get the best of both worlds.
Enjoy the madness, folks.
17 March 2010
A limerick to celebrate St. Patrick's Day
In honor of St. Patrick's Day, I wrote limerick about, what else, Guinness.
It's the stout that's the most fun to pour
After once sip you soon will say "more!"
Enjoy it with friends
It tastes best on weekends
Just don't be the one to end on the floor
16 March 2010
Five reasons why I love Nike Plus
DISCLAIMER: This post is 100% Tiger Woods-free. Starting now.
The weather's a changin'! I said the weather's a changin'!
But really, the weather in Chicago is turning a corner. So get out there and run, eh? When I run, I use Nike Plus. Here are five reasons why it's awesome.
1. Fantastic website: Stores every single piece of data (time, distance, calories burned, pace, etc.) from all of your workouts. You can set goals, start a training program and the graphs are a great way to visualize your progress over time. Looks great, too.
2. Great motivator: There's something about having Nike Plus that simply makes you want to run. Adding and tracking your mileage is so cool, so satisfying and so easy.
3. Incredibly easy to use: Once you have the necessary equipment (Nike+ shoes, iPod and sensor kit), using Nike Plus becomes second nature to your workout. The sensor stays in your running shoe, the other sensor plugs into your iPod nano (unless you use you iPhone/iPod touch, which have the sensor built in) and storing your data is as easy as connecting iPod to computer--something most of us probably do every day.
4. Audio feedback: At any time during your run, you can press the center button on the iPod and you'll receive audio feedback for the elapsed time, distance and your pace. During the run you'll also hear updates at .5 mi/km and whole mi/km as well as the halfway point of your workout. These tidbits make the run much more enjoyable.
5. Syncs with Twitter: http://twitter.com/jkristoff/status/10340574713 That's awesome.
What others are saying
"The Nike Experiment: How the Shoe Giant Unleashed the Power of Personal Metrics": http://www.wired.com/medtech/health/magazine/17-07/lbnp_nike?currentPage=all
"Nike Plus Starts to Open Up to Web": http://www.adweek.com/aw/content_display/news/digital/e3ibdf529f18374f6c9c0e0eb03e840bf6c
The weather's a changin'! I said the weather's a changin'!
But really, the weather in Chicago is turning a corner. So get out there and run, eh? When I run, I use Nike Plus. Here are five reasons why it's awesome.
1. Fantastic website: Stores every single piece of data (time, distance, calories burned, pace, etc.) from all of your workouts. You can set goals, start a training program and the graphs are a great way to visualize your progress over time. Looks great, too.
2. Great motivator: There's something about having Nike Plus that simply makes you want to run. Adding and tracking your mileage is so cool, so satisfying and so easy.
3. Incredibly easy to use: Once you have the necessary equipment (Nike+ shoes, iPod and sensor kit), using Nike Plus becomes second nature to your workout. The sensor stays in your running shoe, the other sensor plugs into your iPod nano (unless you use you iPhone/iPod touch, which have the sensor built in) and storing your data is as easy as connecting iPod to computer--something most of us probably do every day.
4. Audio feedback: At any time during your run, you can press the center button on the iPod and you'll receive audio feedback for the elapsed time, distance and your pace. During the run you'll also hear updates at .5 mi/km and whole mi/km as well as the halfway point of your workout. These tidbits make the run much more enjoyable.
5. Syncs with Twitter: http://twitter.com/jkristoff/status/10340574713 That's awesome.
What others are saying
"The Nike Experiment: How the Shoe Giant Unleashed the Power of Personal Metrics": http://www.wired.com/medtech/health/magazine/17-07/lbnp_nike?currentPage=all
"Nike Plus Starts to Open Up to Web": http://www.adweek.com/aw/content_display/news/digital/e3ibdf529f18374f6c9c0e0eb03e840bf6c
15 March 2010
March Madness belongs to Gus Johnson
We are quickly approaching arguably the greatest sports weekend of the year: the first weekend of the NCAA men's basketball tournament. But improbable upsets and last-second buzzer beaters are not the reasons that make me the most excited about the upcoming tournament.
It's CBS announcer Gus Johnson.
Because there are sports broadcast announcers, and then there's Gus Johnson. He infuses more emotion into each and every broadcast than any other announcer out there, regardless of the sport. The man can make anything exciting. If he were announcing a race between two people to fold 100 napkins the fastest, and Gus Johnson was announcing, I would watch.
Johnson has several "Gus Johnson-isms" that make his style unique. He's probably best know for his "Rise and Fire" phrase. When a player hits the shot, Johnson will routinely cap the phrase with a raw and powerful "PUUUUUUURE." What I love about Johnson is how he build emotion by simply dragging out the pronunciation of words. A point guard does not shoot a "runner." When Gus Johnson is announcing, it's pronounced "runnneRRRRRRR!!!!" These things and more in the following stellar video.
Then there's his innate ability to unleash these screams--screams that only he can pull off when a game has reached its climactic moment. Johnson's "WOWWWWWWWW!!!!!!" or "OHHHHHHH!!!!!" are unmatched. Where he musters this ability to put his raw emotion into each game is beyond me, but that's why I love listening to him.
So fill out your brackets, pick your upsets and enjoy the madness. But when your bracket falls apart because your 12-seed didn't make it to the sweet sixteen, watch a game with Gus Johnson announcing and you won't care one bit.
No excuses, play like a champion
This weekend I spent some time with friends to celebrate...hmm, what was it? Oh yeah, St. Patrick's Day. The day when the Chicago River is dyed green, but really, it's the day when people drink much, much more than they should. It doesn't matter if you don't have a bit of Irish blood in you, it's just what you do.
I also went to Milwaukee to see family Saturday night.
When you combine those two things, it adds up to zero time for a Saturday or Sunday post--not to mention the hour we lost because of Daylight Savings Time.
I'll be back in action later today (Monday) and throughout the week.
In the meantime, enjoy this.
I also went to Milwaukee to see family Saturday night.
When you combine those two things, it adds up to zero time for a Saturday or Sunday post--not to mention the hour we lost because of Daylight Savings Time.
I'll be back in action later today (Monday) and throughout the week.
In the meantime, enjoy this.
12 March 2010
The things I do for free stuff
Earlier this week I received an e-mail from the Columbia sportswear website promoting their grand opening of a new store on Michigan Avenue. The e-mail also said that the first 50 people in line would receive a free backpack.
I got to thinking--"Hey, that could be fun." Waking up really early and waiting in line forever to get it. Could be a good story. It's free, right? But it had better be one hell of a backpack to warrant waking up early on a Friday after working late Thursday night.
Turns out, it is. It's valued at $100, so it's not some crappy thing that's going to rip after using it once or twice.
I told my sister about the offer and she was game, so off we went.
Plus, because I had my handy new crackberry, I could document the morning bit by bit.
Here's the morning summed up in Tweets.
On the walk home, each of us looked like billboards for Columbia. We both wore our backpacks and the free hats--both of which were bright blue. You couldn't miss us. Sure, we got some weird looks, but that was part of the fun. One lady even asked, "Are you guys in 'The Amazing Race'?"
To celebrate the morning, we went to Yolk in the South Loop for breakfast. The food tasted great but not as great as the sweet, sweet taste of victory.
I still can't believe the mayor was there.
I got to thinking--"Hey, that could be fun." Waking up really early and waiting in line forever to get it. Could be a good story. It's free, right? But it had better be one hell of a backpack to warrant waking up early on a Friday after working late Thursday night.
Turns out, it is. It's valued at $100, so it's not some crappy thing that's going to rip after using it once or twice.
I told my sister about the offer and she was game, so off we went.
Plus, because I had my handy new crackberry, I could document the morning bit by bit.
Here's the morning summed up in Tweets.
jkristoff On the #3 heading North for the opening of the new Columbia store. Why? Cause they're giving away free backpacks. http://myloc.me/4IBXw
On the walk home, each of us looked like billboards for Columbia. We both wore our backpacks and the free hats--both of which were bright blue. You couldn't miss us. Sure, we got some weird looks, but that was part of the fun. One lady even asked, "Are you guys in 'The Amazing Race'?"
To celebrate the morning, we went to Yolk in the South Loop for breakfast. The food tasted great but not as great as the sweet, sweet taste of victory.
I still can't believe the mayor was there.
11 March 2010
My Vancouver Olympics adventures in YouTube form
SHAMELESS SELF-PROMOTION ALERT.
The following is a video DePaul University made about the work us DePaul students and recent graduates did for the United States Olympic Committee during the Vancouver Olympics.
Enjoy.
The following is a video DePaul University made about the work us DePaul students and recent graduates did for the United States Olympic Committee during the Vancouver Olympics.
Enjoy.
10 March 2010
Hello Blackberry, goodbye life
I caught up to the rest of the world today and bought a Blackberry, or as most owners call it, a "crackberry."
I'm still getting used to the thing, and I feel like an old man typing on it, but in time I'm sure I'll be a heavy user like everyone else. It's not like I was completely against ever getting one, but I was due for an upgrade, so I said why the hell not.
I consider myself pretty technologically adept, but the thought of having the Internet, e-mail, Twitter and Facebook with me at all times is scary.
This is coming from a guy who has had a flip phone his entire life. Wait, it's 2010 and there is more to phones than just making calls, texting and taking pictures?
Yup.
Now back to bbming...
09 March 2010
Need a summer job? The Chicago Cubs want you
Anything that reminds me of how close we're getting to summer is a good thing.
Baseball is certainly one of those things. Ditto for summer jobs. So why not do something that encompasses both?
The Chicago Cubs are looking for Wrigley Field Ambassadors to enhance fan experience at the ballpark. Ambassadors will basically be "Yes" people to fans who have questions, complaints or concerns at the ballpark. Ambassadors must also have a "charismatic personality exuding a positive attitude that demonstrates approachability and friendliness," according to the job description, and a "genuine desire to communicate and follow through with all fans inquiries."
This got me thinking about the pros and cons of this job
Pros
- Being outside
- Being at Wrigley Field
- Being at or near a baseball game for the majority of the summer
- Meeting some pretty cool people
- Cranky, unreasonable fans
- A lame uniform for work, probably
- Being on your feet all day
- Working nights and weekends
The cons might slightly outweigh the pros right now, but I'm sure you could find a part-time summer job that's much, much worse.
You can also vote up this post on Windy Citizen.
Only 27 days till Opening Day.
08 March 2010
Before "Lost" Michael Emerson played a prison counselor
I realize I'm a few days behind on this video, which is like a few eons in Internet time, but it's too good not to write about.
I'm a big fan of all things "Lost," especially Michael Emerson who plays Ben Linus. I saw this post on the Sun-Times' Shiny Objects blog and proceeded to watch one of the oddest "before they were stars"-esque video I have seen in a long, long time: A 1992 training video for prison officials.
The crazy inmate's last name had to--just had to-- be Higgins, didn't it? Emerson's hair is particularly creepy. And thank God for YouTube.
I'm a big fan of all things "Lost," especially Michael Emerson who plays Ben Linus. I saw this post on the Sun-Times' Shiny Objects blog and proceeded to watch one of the oddest "before they were stars"-esque video I have seen in a long, long time: A 1992 training video for prison officials.
The crazy inmate's last name had to--just had to-- be Higgins, didn't it? Emerson's hair is particularly creepy. And thank God for YouTube.
07 March 2010
An Oscars acronym
What are the odds that I contribute the 2,919,827,198th blog post about the Oscars tonight?
Don't worry, you won't find any picks here. No long-winded take on the 10 Best Picture nominations, either. I offer this: a simple acronym about tonight's festivities.
Original,
Sophisticated
Characters
Amassing
Robust
Statues
And if Christoph Waltz (Inglorious Basterds) doesn't win for Best Supporting Actor, something is seriously wrong.
Enjoy the nine-hour broadcast, folks.
06 March 2010
Some thoughts about "yes" and why you should always say it
This raccoon knows what's up.
Current song: "Old Man" by Neil Young
If you have ever wondered how long it might take for the body clock to adjust to one time zone after being in a different one for more than one month, I'll get back to you.
I'm going on two nights straight of feeling like it's two hours earlier than the actual time.
But I digress.
I wanted to take some space to write about why saying "yes" to an opportunity is one of the most powerful things you can do in your life. Believe me, I know.
Back in September, I received an e-mail from a professor about an opportunity to work for the USOC. He had very few details to pass along and knew it would not be paid. I dug deep into my Gmail and found my response:
"I'm in. Let me know where I need to be and when."
Five months and nine days later I found myself sitting inside BC Place Stadium at the Opening Ceremony for the Vancouver Olympic Winter Games.
Think that would have happened had I replied "Nah, sorry, can't do it"?
Say yes because it opens new door after new door after new door. You never know the people you'll meet and the places you'll go. Sure, the terrain might be a tad foreign, but it's a path that would not exist otherwise.
"Yes" means open roads. "No" ensures a swift dead end.
"Yes" oozes positivity and eagerness. "No" screams passivity and fatigue.
Say yes because it puts things into motion. Say it because it forces you to get outside of your comfort zone. The word overflows with creativity.
Why do you think we say it so often when things are going well? In sports, announcers, players, coaches and fans can't help but belt it at the top of their lungs when a team does something awesome.
Now, don't let it get to the point where you become a "Yes Man/Woman"; that's just not healthy. Yes, I'm aware there was a Jim Carrey movie with that title, and no, I have not seen it because it looked pretty stupid. But after reading the one-sentence synopsis, I can say this: Carrey's character is at one end of the spectrum and you probably know someone who's at the other end.
Split the difference, take chances and embrace opportunities.
You never know where you might end up.
05 March 2010
Vancouver Olympics hangover: Vol. 1
My view from our seats at the Vancouver 2010 Opening Ceremony. Photo by John Kristoff
What in God's name is a recent journalism graduate to do after coming back from working at the Olympics?
Get a job, stupid.
If only it were that easy.
Thursday night I arrived in Chicago after being in the Pacific Northwest for more than one month. My body clock is still on West Coast time, which explains why I'm having no trouble writing this post in the wee hours of the morning. And after unpacking all of my Olympic schwag, sifting through all of my pictures and seeing the Chicago skyline for the first time since Feb. 2, I'm more invigorated than ever to write and to find a journalism job that allows me to write every single day.
Because working at the Vancouver Olympics was a surreal, wonderful and exhausting experience, coming back to Chicago is like to going from 100 mph to 30 mph. The whole time spent in Vancouver felt like one long day. But the work I did with the United States Olympic Committee benefited me in so many ways.
No longer am I nervous to cold call anyone. I talked to press officers, bumped elbows with other reporters and interviewed Olympians every single day in Vancouver. I did what had to be done, and I did it on time.
My interviewing skills went through the roof. I became more and more adept at getting people to open up and offer some natural, authentic responses that can make an average story good and a good story great.
I was incredibly spoiled at the Games because seemingly every single person had a story to tell, but the work I did made me a firm believer than the best practice is hands-on reporting again and again and again.
My writing improved immensely. The more I wrote, the better the words came together and the better my stories read on paper. I can tell you first hand than than there are only two, utterly non-groundbreaking ways to improve your writing: 1) Read great writing and 2) Write every single day. I did both in Vancouver.
So while my time at the Olympics has ended, I plan to use this experience as a springboard to bigger and better opportunities in Chicago. I'm as ready as a skier who's waiting to burst through the starting gate.
And hey, I'm not sure I could have done anything better to skip a terrible month of weather in the Windy City. I'll take the warmest Winter Olympics to date, thank you very much.
Now about that job search...
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