Turkey and Football

I think one of the greatest American traditions goes hand in hand with America's favorite sport. I can think back to my childhood and it never really felt like Thanksgiving unless the Detroit Lions lost their game. It was necessary conversation to hear my father and uncles talk about the team and then complain about them - and yet, still cheer them on. Detroit Lions fans are not fair-weather, they are constant.

This Thanksgiving was the first that I actually did not spend at home in Grand Rapids, but instead chose to stay in Columbus for multiple reasons:

1) I didn't feel like driving 10 hours round trip

2) I'm a grad studet - so naturally, all my work is due within the weeks leading up to winter break

3) It was Beat Michigan Week on campus.

What's Beat Michigan Week, you may ask? It is one of Ohio State's finest week of traditions. One of these traditions is the Mirror Lake Jump where students make maybe not the best choices and plunge into the cold waters of this lake around Midnight the Thursday before the Michigan game to raise the spirit of former coach Woody Hayes to ensure a Buckeye victory. There was one issue with this year's jump night... it happened to fall on Thanksgiving. Thanks to the power of social networking, students decided through facebook that the jump would instead for this year only take place on Tuesday... additionally the city of Columbus threatened to arrest anyone who jumped on Thursday... So we prepped for Tuesdays jump by purchasing 1200 donuts for the students who live in my complex. Between the hours of 10pm-2am they consumed them all. Additionally, I was able to go to the lake to hear the chants of not giving "a damn for the whole state of Michigan" which is obviously a favorite and seeing scantily clothed individuals take the plunge (as you can see in the video to the video below). I saw one student running around the perimeter of the lake in just a jock strap. I was briefly blinded.

Being it my final year at Ohio State - I also stuck around to experience the Michigan game on campus - I have to admit, although it was fun to cheer the Buckeyes on... I experienced a bit of an identity crisis. Therefore, after the game, I proudly supported a t-shirt I own that says "Say yes to Michigan." I felt a little more at ease.

And although I didn't get to experience my traditional Thanksgiving home in Grand Rapids, I was still able to get my mix of overeating with friends who have become my family here and a good dose of football. Go Bucks.

This is YOUR year Harry Potter!

Think back to the year 2007... times were simpler then, right?  Well, maybe they were for me as I was still in college living the good life.  My roommates and I were OBSESSED with Harry Potter and made it a point to go to the midnight showing that year - maybe it was the release of the 5th movie?  Anyway, we're sitting in the theater waiting for the show to start - observing those who chose to dress up.  All of a sudden, from behind us, this guy shouts "Harry Potter '07, this is your year Harry Potter!!!"  I about DIED.  Absolutely hilarious. 

Since this occurrence, I have brought this phrase (adjusting the year and movie title) to any midnight showing that I've attended with friends since this moment... these include, but are not limited to: Dark Night, Twilight, and High School Musical 3.

I so wanted to attend the movie this past Friday at Midnight, but my sister was coming into town so I waited to see it with her that Saturday morning because I'm nice like that.  So, we go see it and I was very impressed with the film in general.  I can remember when I started reading the HP series in 6th grade and it's just so epic that I've been able to see the pictures from my imagination come to life.  For a lot of my friends and people around the globe - we grew up with Harry Potter.  It's crazy to think that soon the excitement will all be over once the second half of the 7th books hits theaters in July 2011.  You better believe I'll be there at Midnight, hopefully surrounded by good friends, ready to shout the epic phrase, "Harry Potter '11, this is your year Harry Potter!"

Thought of the Day...

When I'm sitting around thinking about nothing, I sometimes like to check The Washington Post.  They have a daily section entitled: 'Today In History'.  I fell in love with this section of their paper - as my Stanford friends would know since I posted a fun fact daily from this site.  To me, I find it fascinating to think about monumental things that happened on this very day.  Sometimes, it's absolutely mind blowing.

For example, to keep on my Royal Family kick, today marks the Wedding Anniversary of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip.  I find that to be a nice little fun-fact.

But what really got me was the thought of the day, and I thought I'd share it with you all - it's a quote that sums up the American Dream....

"People, when they first come to America, whether as travelers or settlers, become aware of a new and agreeable feeling: that the whole country is their oyster." - Alistair Cooke, British-born American journalist and broadcaster (1908-2004).

Now that's inspirational.

He's Off the Market

So I'm in the gym the other morning, doing my usual cardio warm up when I notice national news going crazy due to Prince William's engagement to Kate Middleton.

I was PUMPED.

I have to say that I am a fan of a lot of things in life, but nothing trumps my fascination with the Royal family. 

Why?  I have no clue.  All I know is I've been a super-fan of the princes at a young age - as Prince Harry's picture hung in my locker in 8th grade.  That's right, I've liked his red hair since day one.  I even tried to see him in person when I lived in NYC - not many famous people can get me running all over New York, that's for sure.

I have to say it's interesting to note how much Americans take interest in the happenings of the Windsor family.  It seems funny because a long time ago, the founding fathers of this country moved here to get away from the British hierarchy.  I know that the system is not the same and not at all what it once was... but I also find it interesting that we have become so fixated on it.  I mean, who wouldn't want to live a life of luxury?  And I would say the princes are something nice to look at.  So, to get a few glimpses of this luxurious life through national news while I get to gaze at some good looking chaps, to me, is a time well spent. 

Steel City

So I'm taking a Diversity class this quarter and one of our projects is to have an 'other side' experience with one of our classmates.  My friend and I chose to work with each other and were coming up short with ideas of what we could do to experience something we never had before.  After spending a dinner brainstorming ideas, we decided to head to Pittsburgh.  

Why?  

1) It's a cool city 

2) I had never been before and my friend was born there 

3) I had some high hopes of running into Sydney Crosby (A girl can have dreams, can't she?).

We decided that Veteran's Day would serve as the perfect day to take an adventure since we had the day off from school.  All I had heard prior to the trip was that Pittsburgh was the fallen city of a once booming industry.  Being from Michigan, I too know of a once great city that has fallen into economic hardship. 

Our day in the city started with a trip to Primanti Brothers, a famous sandwich shop in the city that serves your sandwich with fries and coleslaw all between two slices of bread.  Delicious. 

Some of you may know that I have a slightly unhealthy obsession with Ben Folds and his music - turned out he was playing in the city that evening and we walked past his tour bus on the way to and from lunch.  My friend claims that I am making this up - but I swear I saw him on our way back in his tour bus.  Regardless, I tried reaching out to Mr. Folds via social networking to spot him in the city, but, alas, no luck.

Throughout the rest of the day we spent it walking around downtown and then made our way to Pitt's campus.  I got to see the entire city from the 36th floor of the Cathedral of Learning (their library and the tallest educational building in the Western Hemisphere) and even made a friend from the Poconos.  We then headed to an area called Homestead where the Steel mining industry was huge and it was neat to see where the mills once were.

We ended our night in an area called Mt. Lebanon where we supposedly ate what had won the "best pizza in the country" award.  It was OK by my standards, but I think everyone is entitled to an opinion.  If anything, the company was great as I was present for 'guys night.'  My friend had some of his best friends come join us for a meal and we had a great time.  I felt a bit guilty to ask one who is a doctor, to put his MD hat back on for me to tell me how to treat a knee injury.  Nevertheless, dinner went well and we ended it with our goodbyes and made our journey back to 'The Bus'.

All in all, I was able to see an amazing city through the eyes of my friend and learned that even in this economy, cities with once strong industries can still bounce back and thrive.

Making it to the Top

I just got back earlier today from a wonderful experience at a professional conference.  The highlight of the trip: a night out on the town in St. Louis, MO. 

The last time I was in St. Louis it was 2am, I was with my Alternative Spring Break group, and was a sophomore in college.  I was saddened that we couldn't explore the city and being only 20 at the time, I would have been limited to the night life experience.

Flash forward to almost 4 years later and I finally got my night in St. Louis.  I was ecstatic.

The conference had organized buses for us to take to the city.  Our first stop was the St. Louis Arch.  Let me tell you - what a beautiful monument.  When I found out you could ride to the top of that thing - I was ready to go.  So, I got in line with some friends and awaited our capsule to take it to the top.  This capsule that you travel in is probably the scariest thing I've been in for some time.  It literally is shaped like a tiny egg that has 5 little seats for people to cram in to take to the top of the arch.  These were not designed for present day - and I highly doubt they will ever be modified.  As the door closed, I felt a slight tightening in my chest for fear of getting stuck along the way. 

We also wondered as we traveled to the top if there is a weight limit or what do you do if you are over 6'5, would you even fit inside?  Thankfully, there was a tiny window at the front that allowed us to see the inside of the arch as we traveled to the top - this eased my claustrophobia.  

The top offered a beautiful night view of the city - and the scariest/most amazing part was we could feel the arch sway with the wind.

All in all, St. Louis proved to be a city worth visiting and lived up to my expectations as a 20 year old.  The arch can now be taken off my bucket list - you won't be getting me in those little capsules again.

The Great American Road Trip

This morning, I awoke to embark on the great American road trip. OK, so maybe we we weren't going across the country, but instead we headed to Collinsville, IL - a small city just outside of St. Louis.
 The last time I went on a serious road trip was back in college when I traveled on an alternative spring break. I don't know how I survived the 32 hours we spent going to San Antonio by car - but I recall the time being effortless. The same goes for today - as we traveled across the Midwest, time past effortlessly as we talked about life, work, and other random topics.
 On our way we counted the numerous crosses on the side of the highway (there are approximately 50 varying in sizes on I-70 from Columbus to Collinsville). We stopped for lunch outside of Indianapolis at a Burger King because they have veggie burgers on the menu - we're convinced it was the first time in a while that there were three orders in a row.

Additionally, we made a clutch stop in the middle of Illinois. As we got off the highway, we found our destination: Walmart. The best part - it was located on a street called "Avenue of Middle America." The street itself had very American things located on it including a KFC with a buffet, a Game Stop, a Denny's, and a B Dubs. To complete the look, Starbucks was on the corner. I felt we truly were eye to eye with American Culture.
 Another cliche' thing about road trips is to locate novelty tourists stops along the way. We were excited to find out that Collinsville is home to the World's Largest Bottle of Ketchup. It is on our bucket list of places to visit before we head home - there will be pictures to come.
 All in all, the road trip served as a fun time to connect with friends and experience the great Midwest at its finest. It proves that something so simple as riding in a car can turn into a day full of excitement.

Public Displays of Affection

I have had far too many experiences in the past few months in regards to Public Displays of Affection (PDA) that I can no longer sit and take in the awkward moments these couples have created for me. I must express. 

I do not know if it is an American thing or the fact that I am currently living in Ohio which is the Midwest's home for young couples seeking a spouse. I have seen PDA in other countries and maybe because I was in Rome or Paris, I did not take it to be inappropriate or uncomfortable.

I really started to notice random acts of PDA starting a few months back when I saw the movie Inception with a group of friends. The theater was so crowded that I was given no other option but to sit next to strangers. Mid-way through the first scene, the woman next to me proceeded to feed her boyfriend his popcorn. It continued throughout the entire movie.

OK - maybe it isn't a Midwestern thing since this situation did happen while I was living in California... But I have to say the random PDA sightings have increased upon my return to Buckeye Nation. 

PDA Moment #1: I was at an Iron & Wine concert and during the second song of the evening, a couple was canoodling right next to me, singing, swaying, kissing. I personally don't believe that an Iron & Wine concert is necessarily the most appropriate venue for PDA. Now, you may think this to be a romantic moment, one that you too would like to share in. Maybe this is coming from a bitter single gal place. Yet, if you were standing in my place watching this moment unfold, you too would have felt the awkwardness of everyone around.

PDA Moment #2: Literally later that week, I was at a political rally anxiously awaiting the arrival of President Obama and the First Lady. Not to mention, John Legend was performing... At the political rally, I happened to be the one sitting next to the PDA couple. The woman did not even face forward as the President spoke. Yes, the President of the United States did not even distract her from her work of hugging, kissing, touching her partner.

PDA Moment #3: Just yesterday, I was sitting in the library reading law cases when the couple next to me began to go all out. I was with a friend and as I looked to him he too felt awkward and we moved tables. I felt a bit guilty for doing so, but the most amusing part was that others around us looked up too and laughed knowing why the move was necessary.

My point is... PDA can be great - I know I've been someone who has been guilty of it. Is it because Americans are too sensitive that we make comments and judge others based on their happiness? Maybe it stems from a place of jealousy. Maybe were just too uncomfortable with feeling uncomfortable. Yet, I argue - is a political rally really the best venue for displaying your affection? I guess that's your personal choice. I digress.