From the Coast to the Cornfields

It is no classified bit of data that Illinois is a bit more than a leisurely afternoon drive away from Carolina.  To be exact, it is a 14 hour grueling haul that displaces the traveler over 800 miles across the continental landscape.  From the never ending corn fields of Illinois, to the flat plains of Indiana, over the green rolling hills of Kentucky, carving through the Great Smokey Mountains of Tennessee, headed up and down the Appalachian Mountains that span from West Virginia down to NC, and finally arriving to the lusciously tree-swept piedmont region of central Carolina.  It is almost as if a simple trip from the Midwest to the South has taken you throughout a number of different countries based solely on the scenery.  But that is what makes traveling so worth-while.  It is why it has become just another love story to hear about a retired couple packing up only the basic necessities to venture out and experience the various inkblots on God's great canvas; to see what there is to see and enjoy the beautiful natural architecture known as the planet Earth.  Because the only thing that can fill your heart with more blood-warming emotion than holding the love of your life in your arms, is witnessing first hand the awe-inspiring beauty of a natural landscape with the love of your life holding your hand.  There is no match.  Mother Nature leaves Frank Lloyd Wright alone in the corner by himself playing with his measly legos. Well, I am planning on taking a plane home from the holidays....Does it actually sound more appealing to drive?, would it be slightly enjoyable?!?....wait a minute!...hell no!, give me a damn plane ticket and I'll be home in 4 hours. Although in a way, it does spark a slight spontaneous urge in my veins to leave the remote sitting on the couch at halftime, grab my girlfriend by the hand, put a leash on the dog and take a stroll wherever our intuition takes us.  As quoted by a man who seemed to have done some thinking on the matter himself, "drive slow and enjoy the scenery -- drive fast and join the scenery."  I think I'll take it slow route, it probably requires less energy. Oh, and a more joyful experience. So the next time I'm headed out of the dorm to stand at the bus stop, I will get to the corner, stand with everyone else, and immediately look both ways, quickly proceed across the street and take the scenic route to class.  Take some time out of my day to appreciate the time God took out of his.

With Darkness Comes Heartache

Change is defined as: making the form, nature, content, future course, etc. of (something) different from what it is or from what it would have been if left alone.

Many of us deal with change is a variety of different ways.  It affects some more than others, and even yet, others much more than others. To certain individuals change can often come as somewhat of a miracle; offering a new start and more insightful outlook on life.  But to the remaining the concept of change seems to lurk in the shadows close-by everywhere they go, appearing as a constant reminder of how things are different.  Needless to say, some individuals can adequately adapt to a sudden change in environment or atmosphere, others have a bit of a certain difficulty accepting the fact that how things used to be just don't line up with how they are now.  Leaving them to dwell on the heart dampening question...Just where did the time go???  And still others find themselves struggling to even make it thru the day to day motions with such a big void that used to be filled.  I have had a first hand look at change and the effect it can have on one's life.  But never before have i experienced such a gut-wrenching pain caused by nothing other than, yes, you guess it....change...that infiltrates the ventricles of my heart at this moment.  And to think a hit by a dieseled-up linebacker in the first round of the play-offs that left me "playing golf?!?!" on the sidelines for the remained 3 minutes of the game would be the hardest hit I took to the body. Well needless to say my friend Pace and I are currently over 800 miles away from each other.  We have not seen each other in over 60 days...you do the math, that is 2 months. Champaign is far from Chapel Hill....i miss my friend...

I Have Nothing To Say, So I Will Write

Air let out: Gophers spoil Juice's big day

CHAMPAIGN - An exciting burst of momentum: Gone.

The joy of a glorious, sun-kissed homecoming afternoon: Wiped away.

Hopes for a run that just might keep Illinois in the Big Ten title hunt: Adios, at least for now

All of Illinois' worst football fears came home to roost on Saturday

The local newspaper headline summed the 3 hour showdown up in a couple lines.  The 3 hour showdown that left the 60,000+ ticket holders sunburned with no good explanation story. Left them walking out of the stadium with nothing exciting to talk about other than the designs of the cracks in the sidewalk.  This was not how it was planned...Minnesota?!?! This was Homecoming, was it not?!?! This was suppose to be a weekend of partying until the sun came up on Monday. I mean damn, the 65 year old tuba player came all the way back to perform with the band and his other fellow alumni at halftime.  And did the 55 year old lady, that hit the ground because her equally as old male spotter did not have the muscles he did back in '86 to hold her over his head as long as he used to, come back to see this??? Come on boys, have some pride. Break somebody's leg if he's running all over you!

Whether they expected to or not, they were.  

The final scoreboard read:

Minnesota 27, Illinois 20...leaving the Fighting Illini to fall to 3-3. 

Yes, so pretty much stated...Illinois' football season is over.  And I know that many people will say that true fans are suppose to stay with their teams until the end,  and believe me, I will be in that stadium every Saturday from now until the November 11th smackdown with Ohio State. And I will be continue to wave my Zook Zone towel wildly over my head every single play of the game until the final second runs out.  And i will continue to quickly run down to the tunnel after each game to joyfully get a high five from a hopeful future NFL player as the team makes it's way back into the locker room. I love football! But who's fooling anybody? A 1-2 record after 3 weeks of conference play in the Big Ten is a custom engraved tombstone in a cemetery.  The 2008 Illini have been laid to rest. I'm not giving up all hope though, trust me, there is still countless football to be played.  The season has just begun.  Just because another shot at the Rose Bowl will not come true this year does not mean that the sternum cracking, concussion causing, temporarily deafening hits are over.  There is much more football to be played, and if there is more to be played, I will be there to watch.  And if you ask me, YES!, the Fighting Illini will go undefeated for the rest of the season and whoop the Buckeyes ASS on the third Saturday of November in Memorial Stadium. Dont get it wrong, I'm bleeding orange and blue.  But until that defense learns that the other team is NOT suppose to drive down the field and put points on the board, I may be the only sober individual yelling "I-N-I" back, in response to another Illinois hopeful's cry of "I-L-L" 

My Friend

My best friend is Pace.  He goes to UNC - Chapel Hill.  I miss my friend very much.  I will not see my friend until Thanksgiving, but that is right around the corner.  I am excited to see my friend because we have fun together.  We do many fun things and pass the time in an exorbant fashion.  For eats we like to go to the Draft House and talk sports while making fun of the short waitresses with side burns who sleep naked with older men. Walking by the hostess booth is very ackward from now on.  We also enjoy the leisure of King China Buffett very often.  My friend Pace immediately regrets eating there by the time the bill comes.  It is like clock work.  But nevertheless it is very good and we always return.  One of these days we will not make it back to our vehicles from the restaurant for we will be ambushed by throwing stars from very angry waitress whom we never leave a tip.  We ackwardly go up to pay and make small chat with our ex-school mate who attends Duke University until it is time to quickly dash out the door and never look back. (until the next time we eat there).  Our other favorite food place is Boj.  We love everything about Boj.  Over Thanksgiving we will eat there every day for breakfast. Thats enough about Boj. I am very tired now and I must study for a calculus quiz that I will be taking in about 9 hours and then I must sleep. So good night and sleep loose. Just kidding people.  Sleep tight.