May 4: A Little Recognition

Dear Forty5,

Hope you’re doing well. First off, thanks for all your help the last few weeks. It’s been pretty fun. People seem to like the concept. Hopefully it hasn’t gotten too monotonous. I hear today was pretty slow. I’ve come to expect days like this every so often, I mean, people get busy, the last thing on their mind is checking some college kid’s blog about what he did that day. What’re you gonna do, right?

Anyways, I just wanted to say sorry for being a bit late with the last few posts. I’ll admit, it didn’t take long for me to realize that this whole process is tough. Finding a decent picture, deciding on something worthwhile to write about. It’s not always easy. I don’t always have all that much to say. And sometimes I just don’t have the energy to say it. Last night I got in late, toyed with the idea of doing something introspective, reflective, and deep, but then convinced myself I didn’t really want to. It probably would have come across as forced. Maybe a little melodramatic. The whole concept of having a blog is a bit narcissistic, then to think that people really want to read something all sappy?

So I went with the whole commencement speaker thing. It’s a valid question, don’t you think? Still no word on who it is, and I’m expecting it to be a washed-up politician, old professor, former CEO of some company located on the Inner Harbor who got his doctorate in Interdisciplinary Research, and went to Union College for his undergrad years while he studied International Business Communications. In other words, no one anyone would want to listen to for more than three and a half minutes. I am absolutely convinced I could book someone good, and someone students would find interesting, if given the opportunity. Try me, College of Fine Arts and Communication. Put me in charge of the commencement address. I’ll revolutionize the way these things are done. I’d make graduation fun. It’s a celebration, we don’t want to hear a eulogy.

April 26: Just a Thought

I have a new Thursday night tradition. Remember Burgers, Beer, Billiards? Well, it’s become a weekly staple. Originated two weeks ago. Stalled out last Thursday. Back in a big way today.

When Kiel Mclauglin and myself went over to the University Club last week, only to find the pool table area engulfed by young professionals going through rounds like Larry Brown goes through coaching jobs, I feared the world had discovered my new spot. Rest assured, things were back to normal tonight.

While I was busy missing this shot (while PSmith was firing out yet another brilliant U Club photo), the NBA Playoffs were playing in the background. Game 3 of Detroit-Orlando, to be exact. And with nothing too monumental happening today, it leaves me with a perfect opportunity for a post I have been thinking about for the last week or so.

How to fix the NBA.

As far as I’m concerned there are two major questions the league needs to answer

1. How do we make regular season games more meaningful?
2. How do we keep teams from tanking?

My thoughts are directed primarily at question No. 1.

Right now, the Association has 30 teams with 16 making it to the postseason. As far as the four major sports go, the percentage of teams that make it to the playoffs is only rivaled in the NHL (great company, right?). Both leagues have the same number of teams, same number of playoff spots. And I have heard more people gripe about the meaninglessness and monotony of these two leagues’ seasons than any other, which is saying something considering there are 162 games in a Major League Baseball season.

The saving grace of the MLB formula is the fact that only 8 teams advance, 4 in each league. Compare the excitement of the Wild Card race to that of the battle for the 8th spot in the NBA playoffs. It’s not even close. Especially when teams hovering below .500 in the NBA are contemplating whether they’d rather get swept in the first round or get a shot at the lottery.

So this is what I’ve come up with.

April 22: View from the Roof

Have you ever worked in an office that makes you feel tired, sick, and more than slightly miserable? Within 30 seconds of setting foot in the room or cubicle, you feel 10x less healthy than you would in absolutely any other location on earth. No matter how good you felt before crossing the threshold, your presence in that space raises your body temperature to around 101 degrees and makes you feel like you haven’t reached REM sleep in at least three months.

This used to happen to a good friend of mine in high school. Tim Van Rheenen would immediately begin to experience flu-like systems if he was awake past 10:30. Without fail. It started with a “scratchy throat” and about 10 minutes later he would begin feeling “a bit feverish.” By 11:15 he was delirious with cold sweats and a touch of vertigo. It got fairly dangerous from time to time. Of course he has kicked this since college. Aside from the occasional flare-up.

The Towerlight office tends to have this sort of affect on me, granted a bit less severe. Regardless of how much sleep I get the night before, I am guaranteed to be tired within minutes of entering the room.

It doesn’t get any better when it is a flawless 76 degrees outside, with zero clouds within 12 hours of the Baltimore County line. As a result, PSmith and I ventured around the campus, with no particular goal or destination in mind. At first we tried to get on the balcony atop the Burkshire Hotel across the street form Towson’s campus (about 15 floors above the University Club–home to the best Bacon Cheeseburger on the East Coast). No such luck, the office with the balcony view was closed.

So we settled for the next best thing.

As a sophomore I heard rumors of people going to the roof of the Media Center, for one reason or another. I called a friend of mine, and TSW Producer Ryan Dooley, to see if he knew how to get up there. Sure enough, there is a rusty ladder in one of the custodial closets that leads directly to the roof of the building, and that of the adjacent Cook Library. Money.

Without a moment’s hesitation we climbed up and took a few shots. I got a couple nice ones overlooking the central area of campus. The above shot is a look at the signature bell tower atop Stephens Hall (from which The Towerlight derives its name). I plan on making a few more visits before graduation.

Anyways, the rest of the day was pretty bland. We gathered all the fake bushes in the offices near ours, set them up around the office, and lined them up like bowling pins, as I hurled myself into them a few times. Nothing too exciting.

Speaking of exciting (and bad segways…) 38 minutes until I watch Allen Iverson and the Nuggets take on the Spurs in the office. I should get going.

Does anyone have some DayQuil?

April 14: Skip Divided

Before I get started. The title of today’s post has no meaning or purpose whatsoever. I sat at my laptop trying to figure out what to put after ‘April 14:’ and nothing was coming to me. So I just named it after the song that was playing on my iTunes at the time. The song itself is off of Thom Yorke’s solo album, The Eraser. The record came out last July, while I was in Bristol, Connecticut for the summer interning at ESPN. They say smell is the strongest sense tied to memory, but for whatever reason this album takes me back to Connecticut like no other. I have listened to it a ton since then, but when I hit play just minutes ago I felt like I was driving between the Bristol campus and our Residence Inn Marriott. Between that and the ominous tone of the album itself, it makes for a pretty eerie feeling.

I have already run into a problem with this blog, which was somewhat apparent in the two posts this week that did not go up until after midnight (gotta love the ‘Edit timestamp’ feature). Usually my days end the same day the next day begins. I’ll give you a minute to chew on that one…

What I’m trying to say is that I generally go to bed after midnight (I go to bed the same day I wake up, I think that’s a bit clearer). Thus, the most exciting portion of my day might not happen until, well, the next day (sort of). That could have been the case yesterday. I was tempted to put off posting because I knew I was going to a bar later that night that would likely make for some interesting pictures. To resist temptation I decided not to bring my camera at all last night.

But technically my day began at The Ottobar in Baltimore, for their annual Prince vs. Madonna vs. Michael Jackson Dance Party.

I went home. Watched an episode of Extras. Slept. Woke up. Saw Towson’s Lacrosse team crap away an 8-6 lead in the final :57 of play, and lost in overtime. Went back to the University Club for more Burgers and Billiards (I skipped on the Beer, and settled for a New York Strip…and I still suck at pool). And then fulfilled the promise I had made to myself (because it’s a lot easier to break promises made to a dog) to take my dog Rusty out on Burdick Field on the Towson campus. He’s got more useless energy than Jim Cramer, and I decided to try and wear him out a little bit. I had a nice, peaceful picture of him I was going to use but the above shot, while a little terribly out of focus, is a far more accurate representation.

Anyways, I need to go pay some bills. Literally. Sort of. Taxes are due tomorrow and while I am under the belief that I could neglect to do them without any repercussions, it’s probably not the smartest idea to test the IRS. Plus, I apparently have a ’70s themed party to attend tonight. Something tells me a picture taken (after midnight, of course) will end up on tomorrow’s post.

Before I get going. Shot out to a close friend, and UNC Running Back, Justin Warren. Yesterday was his birthday. Today he scored two touchdowns and led the Heels in rushing in their Spring Game. Start him Butchie!

April 12: Burgers, Beer, Billiards

Let me go ahead and get this out of the way right off the bat: Pat Smith once again contributed to the aesthetics of today’s post. This time in a more comprehensive manner. I’m not going to get into the details. All I know is that I’m starting to pay for the ‘one picture a day’ idea I had for this blog, especially when doing so under the watchful eye of PSmith. He, myself, and Kiel Mclaughlin were back and forth on the pool table for about three hours. While I was hoping to get a shot with the combination of all three ‘B’s’ in the picture, Pat casually snapped this gem (of yours truly).

I couldn’t not use it. Does this mean I’m cheating, having not actually taken the photo myself? Perhaps. Do I care? Can’t say I’m too hung up about it, to be honest. I can say the picture will always be taken by my own camera. That’s my word.

It’s just another reminder that you do not realize how skilled other people are until you try and step in their shoes. Granted, any legit photographer will have more than a conventional digital camera. But it goes well beyond that. What the picture above shows is the difference between my eye and Pat’s. He has the natural ability to see these sorts of shots that I will likely never have. It’s a gift. He could have the most expensive, technologically advanced gear in the world, and it would all go to waste if he didn’t have it within him to visualize shots like these.

The setting is Towson’s recently opened University Club. In recent weeks it has become hands down my favorite place in the area to unwind. Free pool tables. Flat Screen TVs. The best bacon cheeseburger on the East Coast. And loads of untapped potential. Between its recent opening, lack of press, sophisticated atmosphere, and midnight closing, students are yet to really catch on. And that’s fine by me. The more open free pool tables, the better.

Anyways.

The news came out Wednesday that the charges were dropped against the three Duke Lacrosse players accused of sexual assault a year ago. The incident, which led to the cancellation of the team’s 2006 season, was highly publicized and a number of people (myself included) assumed guilt before any legitimate evidence was found. And it never was.

A year was essentially taken from the lives of David Evans, Reade Seligmann and Collin Finnerty. And in the end Durham County District Attorney Mike Nifong will likely pay for making the same mistake myself and many others made.

“This entire experience has opened my eyes up to a tragic world of injustice.”

Those were the words of Seligmann once the charges were dropped. At first glance I rolled my eyes at the thought of someone with his privileged background moaning at the injustices of his situation. Well the fact is, all three were done an unbelievable disservice. There is no denying that. But he then continued by saying he can only imagine what it must be like for someone not blessed with his resources. His ability to hire a top-notch attorney to help him avoid upwards of 30 years in prison.

He brings up a very important point. The case proved the amount of corruption that resides within our justice system. He and his two teammates were fortunate enough to have the means to represent themselves and right the wrong. Most others are not so fortunate.

Just something to think about.