Friday, October 23, 2009

Just call me Tim.

I wrote a blog not too long ago about how my competitiveness has dwindled since starting medical school. I sincerely believed this to be true when I put it down for the world to see, but I now must recant that statement. I am just as crazy competitive as I used to be, it's just that academia did not provide the proper platform to display it. Apparently all I need is a sports field...

Intramural flag football started up this month, and I signed up to play for the Microtubulies, the co-ed team comprised of my fellow 2nd year classmates. This was the same team I played with last year that lost in the Class A finals. We were winning with 2 minutes left and then choked and lost by 2 points. Not that I am bitter or anything. I also unwillingly signed up out for our class's all girl's team, the Snarfs, because they were desperate for more numbers. When enough people guilt-tripped me about dashing their dreams of getting to play if I didn't play, I gave in and reluctantly showed up to the first game. Sure enough, the Snarfs have been my favorite team to play with this season. Playing with girls really is more fun because everyone is so excited when we do anything right. Constant cheering and high-fiving is great for morale.

All was fine and dandy until we showed up to play the 3rd year medical student's team. The 2nd years had an exam the next day so we all knew we should skip the game to study, but how could we miss the chance to play our friends and supposedly the "best" team in the league? Eight girls showed up (exactly how many you need to field a team), but unfortunately everyone (including me) was completely exhausted and distracted. We played poorly the first half which was mostly our fault (read: I threw 3 interceptions), but more-so, the refs were out to get us the entire game. I won't go into it, but it was the most pathetic display of refereeing I had ever seen. They had to be getting something under the table. It got the point where half of our team was laughing at every call, and the other half cursing (plus, mix a few tears in as well to get the whole picture). I went up to the refs multiple times and yelled in their faces, dissing not only their play-calling abilities, but their personal lives. It was not one of my high points. I am somewhat surprised I didn't get thrown out. On top of that, the girls we played, who typically are our friends and peers off the field (some of which come to my bible study), were as obnoxious as could be. They played dirty, cheated whenever possible, and tried to hurt us when the refs weren't watching (which was most of the time.) I still can't look some of them in the face.

We ended up winning on a crazy last second touchdown, but I was still so frustrated with the refs and the opponent that I couldn't enjoy the victory. I ingenuously applauded the other team's effort as I disdainfully shook their hands, and then stormed off the field. Upon returning home, I showered and attempted to calm down so I could focus on my studies again, but my efforts proved unsuccessful, so I gave up and went to bed. I laid in bed until 3 am that night, replaying the game in my head and the mistakes I made. I kept trying to remind myself that we won, but it didn't help. I had not been that upset about anything since losing to t.u. in the last game of my college soccer career.

Luckily this week's opponent was not nearly as talented, and we coasted to an easy victory. My team was not nearly as emotionally involved this time, but the sorority chicks we played were not too happy with our domination, particularly when it came to me. "Someone do a chromosome test on #14, because there is no way she's a girl!," I heard after scoring my first touchdown. After the 2nd TD, one girl blurted out, "I didn't realize we had to play Tim Tebow tonight!," which of course got a huge reaction from the crowd (20 people), so the rest of the game their coaches kept screaming "watch Tebow.....get Tebow!!" I've never been a huge fan of Tebow because of all the media hype he gets, but I now have a new-found affinity and appreciation for Florida's QB.

Playoffs start next week. Hopefully I bring home two IM championships, or else things could get ugly. My competitiveness has been locked up for too long, and now that it has been released, there's no turning back. It's go time baby.

Friday, October 9, 2009

All Hail Mr. Nobel Peace Prize Winner

I was going to attempt to write a witty article about the farce that just occurred with B.O. being awarded this year's Nobel Peace Prize, but I think I will just let other people do the honor (I'm not that great of a writer any way.) It's not like I have anything new to add to the table. I think everyone agrees that it was unmerited.

A compilation of various articles and comments about the Norwegian Nobel Committee's decision:

How to Win the Nobel Peace

Prize In 12 Days


Let’s take a look at the president’s first 12 days in the White House according to his public schedule to see what he did to deserve a Nobel Peace Prize.

Editor's Note: Although President Obama had only been in office for 12 days before the nominations for this year's Nobel Peace prize closed the entire process actually takes a full year. According to the official Nobel Prize Web site invitation letters are sent out in September. Every year, the Norwegian Nobel Committee sends out thousands of letters inviting a qualified and select number of people to submit their nominations for the Nobel Peace Prize. The deadline to submit nominations is February 1. -- Two hundred five names were submitted for the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize, 33 of which are organizations. A short list of nominees is prepared in February and March. The short list is subject to adviser review from March until August. At the beginning of October, the Nobel Committee chooses the Nobel Peace Prize Laureates through a majority vote. The decision is final and without appeal. The names of the Nobel Peace Prize Laureates are then announced."

Barack Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize this morning. Over the last decade the only requirement to win the prize was that the nominee had to be critical of George W. Bush (see Al Gore, Mohamed El Baradei and Jimmy Carter).

President Obama has broken new ground here. Nominations for potential winners of the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize ended on February 1. The president took office only 12 days earlier on January 20.

Let’s take a look at the president’s first 12 days in the White House according to his public schedule to see what he did to deserve a Nobel Peace Prize:

January 20: Sworn in as president. Went to a parade. Partied.

January 21: Asked bureaucrats to re-write guidelines for information requests. Held an “open house” party at the White House.

January 22: Signed Executive Orders: Executive Branch workers to take ethics pledge; re-affirmed Army Field Manual techniques for interrogations; expressed desire to close Gitmo (how’s that working out?)

January 23: Ordered the release of federal funding to pay for abortions in foreign countries. Lunch with Joe Biden; met with Tim Geithner.

January 24: Budget meeting with economic team.

January 25: Skipped church.

January 26: Gave speech about jobs and energy. Met with Hillary Clinton. Attended Geithner's swearing in ceremony.

January 27: Met with Republicans. Spoke at a clock tower in Ohio.

January 28: Economic meetings in the morning, met with Defense secretary in the afternoon.

January 29: Signed Ledbetter Bill overturning Supreme Court decision on lawsuits over wages. Party in the State Room. Met with Biden.

January 30: Met economic advisers. Gave speech on Middle Class Working Families Task Force. Met with senior enlisted military officials.

January 31: Took the day off.

February 1: Skipped church. Threw a Super Bowl party.

So there you have it. The short path to the Nobel Peace Prize: Party, go to meetings, skip church, release federal funding to pay for abortions in foreign countries, party some more.

Good grief.


Article by Tommy De Seno, FOXNews.com


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The following are from my friend's status updates on Facebook:

~Scoff all you like, sir. Just remember that during that time Obama managed not only to move into the White House, but also to adopt a puppy. The man is a multi-tasking saint.

~Bill Clinton should be the most upset today.

~This award has become a joke. It lost credibility with me when Al Gore nearly won it for "fighting global warming", despite consuming more energy then most. He did "invent" the internet though...not. The fact that he won does not surprise me. Hitler gave great speeches too, so let's posthumously just give him one if that is the only qualification.

~the Nobel Committee ought to know that we've made wonderful advances in treating premature laureation.

~
I used to get participation trophies in little league.

~hasn't any one heard of PRE-season MVP?!!?

~I gave all of my patients meds on time yesterday and cleaned up vomit off the floor....... can I get a Nobel Peace Prize??

~(by the editor of 12th Man Magazine): Dear Pulitzer Prize Commitee, I have a great idea for a magazine story I'd like to write. It will unite people of all colors and creeds and change the world. I haven't written an outline yet, don't have any main characters or plot line...s developed, and I likely will actually never write it, but I'd like you to consider me for this year's Pulitzer Prize. Thanks.

~I'm pretty sure it's because he has 'a dream'....I, too, believe in peace and love...and also read a mean teleprompter. I think I deserve the Nobel Peace Prize!

~Kanye West: "Yo, Obama, I'm really happy for you, I'ma let you finish, but Al Gore won one of the best Nobel Peace Prizes of all time."

Sunday, October 4, 2009

Big Blue Sadness

With all the hoopla surrounding UK Basketball, I was hoping to get in on a pair of tickets to this year's Big Blue Madness, the first official practice of the year. Thousands of people camped out at Memorial Coliseum all last week so that they could be the first in line to get their tickets come Saturday morning, but I did not think that was necessary. I would just have my men (Dad and Ed) get up at 5:55 am that morning and get online to buy them via Ticketmaster. That way they get a good night's rest in a warm bed, and not have to worry about the crazy tents and frigid weather. Much to my dismay, neither my father nor my beau-hunk were able to get tickets. Rumor has it that they sold out online in 2 minutes. I've even heard 14 seconds, but who knows. Needless to say, I doubt Ticketmaster has ever had 14,000 tickets sell out to an event between 6-6:02 am. That's Kentucky Basketball for you.

I should have been dedicated enough to get up at 6 am to try on the computer myself, but I really didn't think it'd matter. All the die-hards would be camping out, and the rest of the Big Blue Nation would just get around to buying the tickets online whenever they woke up Saturday morning. Well obviously I was wrong. I know tons of people who woke up that morning to come up empty handed, just like we did. Had I known this would have been the case, I would have definitely camped out. I'm fairly certain everyone who camped out was awarded 2 tickets. I could have endured one cold, sleepless night in order to get the chance to see my Wildcats storm Rupp Arena on October 16th. Heck, Calipari and the rest of the players were even out there hanging out with the fans, serving them food, playing corn hole, and throwing a football around. What was I thinking????? Grrrrr.

Shoulda, woulda, coulda.