In the first of many lists to come, I present to you the top 10 moments in Sports in 2010 - according to ME. Although there are many other moments deserving of a spot here, I tried to narrow it down to these:
10. Butler Bulldogs nearly winning NCAA tourney
Ever since my older brother Kenny started going to Butler, I've been cheering on their basketball team in the NCAA. They shocked everyone when they made it all the way to the final against Duke, only to lose 59-61. But had that last 3 point shot at the buzzer gone in, it would have been incredible!
9. Shaun White's Snowboarding Gold Medal in the Vancouver Olympics.
I thought this was just awesome: Shaun had already wrapped up the Gold Medal in the Half Pipe and could have just skied down the middle of the half pipe on his final pass. But instead he goes for it all by nailing arguably the most difficult trick in the event. The Flying Tomato represented his country well once again.
8. Nevada Wolf Pack - 34, Boise State - 31 (OT)
If you've ever had the displeasure of listening to the taunting and whining of your run of the mill Boise State fan, then you know what I mean when I say this Nevada victory over the Broncos was OH SO SWEET.
7. The Fall of Favre
I didn't mind Brett Favre early on in his career. It was the last several years when he began to get under my skin. From getting coaches fired, to refusing to mentor younger QB's for the team's sake; from vacillating on retiring to then coming back; to waiting until after training camp was done each year before announcing he would return to finally sending the inappropriate texts and photos to ladies while with the New York Jets - it seemed to expose a side of Favre that many people kind of already knew was there. The narcissism that had been evident for years got the best of him, and now it may have tarnished this future Hall of Famer's reputation permanently. It's sad, but at the same time, it seems like justice has been served.
6. Michael Vick's Road to Redemption
On the other side of the coin, this once vilified NFL player has had a great year on and off the field. He has served his time and is paying his fines and doing the community service ordered for his dog-fighting days. This is a polarizing subject, and I know people who think Vick deserves to die before he deserves a second chance. But I'm all about second chances, and as we all are imperfect, the possibility of redemption should be allowed. Let's see how he does and give him a chance to show his sincerity. Vick seems to be righting the ship, and I hope he continues to do so, so I don't have to eat my words.
5. ASU 30 - UofA 29 (double OT)
This was a great victory for the Devils, done in dramatic fashion with a blocked PAT. It got the Devils to 6-6 and brought the Territorial Cup back to Tempe where it belongs.
4. ASU 55 - UCLA 34
After being down 17-0, the Devils rallied back to trounce the Bruins on the day after Thanksgiving. This one makes the list because it was my first return to Sun Devil Stadium since I moved to Texas. I was able to enjoy this game with my brother Spencer and my friend Burky.
3. Arizona Cardinals 51 - Green Bay Packers 45 (OT)
The first round of the 2009-2010 NFL playoffs matched up the Cards with the Pack in an incredible game. After winning the coin toss, Green Bay chose to receive and I still remember the smirk smile on Aaron Rogers face as he approached the line. Our defense was unable to stop the Pack in the 2nd half and Rodgers knew it, which was probably why he was smiling. But in the 2nd play of overtime our blitz got to him and he fumbled the ball. Karlos Dansby scooped it up and ran it in for the game winning TD, and the celebrations began.
2. Phil Mickelson wins the 2010 Master's
With all the attention and hype directed at Tiger Woods and his issues with infidelity and his struggles on the green, "Lefty" put on an amazing performance to win his 3rd Master's. This win was particularly sweet because his wife as well as his mother were both fighting breast cancer at the time. He was going through a lot, and his humility and gratitude shown through as he accepted his green jacket. A stand up guy. It's nice to see the good guy win... and a former Sun Devil too. :-)
1. Phoenix Suns sweep San Antonio Spurs in NBA playoffs.
If you're a Suns fan, then you know how special this was, and how good it felt to finally get revenge on the Spurs. And to sweep them in 4 games made it that much sweeter!
Sunday, January 9, 2011
2010 in the rearview - Part 2
Preparing to move from my house where I'd lived since 2002 was difficult. I loved that place and had put so much into it to improve and update it. But after being laid off last year and all my funds and savings gone, I had to leave my house in order to work (and hopefully be able to save my house from foreclosure while not living in it).
Texas Gas Service paid for the move and did all the packing, loading, and unloading for me - which was a huge plus. I found a decent apartment just a few miles from work in Austin, and settled in. Downsizing from a 3bd/2bath house to a 2/1 apt was not easy, and at the time of writing this, I've still plenty to go through and eliminate to make space.
On an uncomfortable personal note, I had been under a great deal of stress and anxiety for the past couple years, for multiple reasons, among them were drudging through a difficult and intensive Master's program, a stressful and unrewarding new job, then the difficulties of unemployment after being laid off from that job, among other personal physical and mental struggles. Moving to a new place without knowing anyone amplified these struggles, and I had to fight off depression and anxiety for the first several months. Side note: I hesitate to share this on my blog, but in an attempt to be honest with the reader as well as myself, it needs to be included; plus the fact that my goal is to come out of these struggles with positive results it's necessary to address the struggle for perspective.
Since my arrival in Austin, I've made friends and have been enjoying very much my new job, my colleagues and boss there, as well as the work I do. They have been sending me all over Texas to do GPS training for the field crews, so I've enjoyed the travels and seeing new places, getting to know the Lone Star State. In addition to these improvements, I've been visiting with my doctor and we discovered that my thyroid was way out of balance, which had been exacerbating the physical and mental struggles. We've been getting it back in balance and that has helped tremendously. I'm surprised at how much the thyroid affects all the systems - anyone who struggles with hypothyroidism can most likely relate - and I'm optimistic to come out of this on top too.
I got to see family and friends back home over Thanksgiving and Christmas. It was so nice to be back home and to see Arizona. Some people find it crazy that I love AZ so much. It really is a special place, and I'll be posting plenty of Arizona related themes on this blog.
I came back and rang in the new year last weekend and look forward to 2011 with optimism, and I'm excited to bring you the reader along with me.
Texas Gas Service paid for the move and did all the packing, loading, and unloading for me - which was a huge plus. I found a decent apartment just a few miles from work in Austin, and settled in. Downsizing from a 3bd/2bath house to a 2/1 apt was not easy, and at the time of writing this, I've still plenty to go through and eliminate to make space.
On an uncomfortable personal note, I had been under a great deal of stress and anxiety for the past couple years, for multiple reasons, among them were drudging through a difficult and intensive Master's program, a stressful and unrewarding new job, then the difficulties of unemployment after being laid off from that job, among other personal physical and mental struggles. Moving to a new place without knowing anyone amplified these struggles, and I had to fight off depression and anxiety for the first several months. Side note: I hesitate to share this on my blog, but in an attempt to be honest with the reader as well as myself, it needs to be included; plus the fact that my goal is to come out of these struggles with positive results it's necessary to address the struggle for perspective.
Since my arrival in Austin, I've made friends and have been enjoying very much my new job, my colleagues and boss there, as well as the work I do. They have been sending me all over Texas to do GPS training for the field crews, so I've enjoyed the travels and seeing new places, getting to know the Lone Star State. In addition to these improvements, I've been visiting with my doctor and we discovered that my thyroid was way out of balance, which had been exacerbating the physical and mental struggles. We've been getting it back in balance and that has helped tremendously. I'm surprised at how much the thyroid affects all the systems - anyone who struggles with hypothyroidism can most likely relate - and I'm optimistic to come out of this on top too.
I got to see family and friends back home over Thanksgiving and Christmas. It was so nice to be back home and to see Arizona. Some people find it crazy that I love AZ so much. It really is a special place, and I'll be posting plenty of Arizona related themes on this blog.
I came back and rang in the new year last weekend and look forward to 2011 with optimism, and I'm excited to bring you the reader along with me.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
2010 in the rearview - Part 1
Welcome to my blog! This blog was set up to fulfill a promise I made to family and friends back in Arizona that I'd do a blog or facebook to keep in touch and let everyone know the happenings here in Texas hill country.
What a year, huh? It's been quite the up and down ride, but I can only look back on this past year with gratitude. I'm finally working again, even though I had to leave my home state to get a job. I've been fortunate to land a job with a great company with outstanding coworkers, and I look forward to growing in my profession here as I recover from 9+ months of unemployment following my layoff last year.
For anyone who hasn't been laid off for an extended period of time, it's difficult to describe the emotional ride it can be. After several local Phx openings never panned out, I extended my search into the closest markets out of state, including San Diego, Los Angeles, Albuquerque/Santa Fe, and Vegas. I almost landed what appeared to be a great job in SD and then another one in downtown LA, but for some reason they both fell through.
As springtime rolled around and all my funds were depleted - slowly bleeding to death financially - I took on a "go down in flames" mentality and took my job search nationwide, determined to rather "burn out than fade away" and I began applying to jobs from Seattle to Miami; from Colorado to Boston & NYC. No place was out of the question, however my preference was to stick to the coasts, with a few middle America exceptions including: Denver, Chicago, Austin, and New Orleans, but I'd listen to anyone who'd call - and that was pretty rare.
Then, while walking into an interview with the Town of Florence, AZ I received a call from the New Orleans Third Municipal District. Miss Jacquelyn Fisk invited me to New Orleans for an interview as a GIS Analyst. The day before I had a phone interview with a firm in Austin, and they wanted me to come over for an interview. So the plans went in motion for a sweep of the South, trying to land a job. I set up a second interview in Austin with the gas company along with a possible interviews in Baton Rouge, Lafayette, and Shreveport.
When the trip was over a had 3 great interviews, all of which seemed promising. The prospect of moving was daunting, but at this point I was just trusting that the Lord would help me find a job in a place that would be good for me. I had presented myself the best I could and now it was time to wait and see.
A highlight of the year was a vacation with my family in Washington, DC. My brother, Kenny and his family in Indiana (a.k.a. the "Indy Bigs") drove over from Indianapolis and met the rest of the family at a cottage we rented for the week at the Cherry Hill campground north of DC. What a great time that was, and I'll remember those good times for years to come! Once I take some time to figure out how to post pictures on this blog, I'll have to attach some pics.
During the DC trip I interviewed in Virginia, a state I've always been fond of, and I also had some follow up conversations with The University of Virginia in Charlottesville regarding a former opening (that had closed), but I had developed a back n' forth with the GIS director there and we kept that door open for future opportunities. I've always like UVa, and its Jeffersonian approach to education. Thomas Jefferson is arguably my favorite fore-father and I find his life and works fascinating.
While I was visiting the Smithsonians, I received a call from a recruiter in San Diego and he wanted me to do a follow up interview and visit with a utility in SD, after which they would offer me the job. I was really excited as this was the closest I had been to receiving a job offer, even though it was a temporary contract position. Following the phone call, I went to an interview in Fairfax.
That night some of the family went and visited the Washington DC temple. That is quite a sight to see, especially at night while driving west on the northern part of the Capital Beltway. We had a nice time touring the visitors center there.
The next day was Friday and the family checked out of the cabin and began our trips back home. I stuck around for one more night as I wanted to meet up with my friend Brooke Salzman from my Master's group. Later that day while checking into my hotel, I received a call from Texas Gas Service in Austin - the last company I was able to interview with on my Southern job search. They offered me the position! As the HR rep described the details, I felt this would be a good opportunity. They gave me a week to respond to the offer, which I accepted and began preparations to move South by Southwest to Austin, TX!
What a year, huh? It's been quite the up and down ride, but I can only look back on this past year with gratitude. I'm finally working again, even though I had to leave my home state to get a job. I've been fortunate to land a job with a great company with outstanding coworkers, and I look forward to growing in my profession here as I recover from 9+ months of unemployment following my layoff last year.
For anyone who hasn't been laid off for an extended period of time, it's difficult to describe the emotional ride it can be. After several local Phx openings never panned out, I extended my search into the closest markets out of state, including San Diego, Los Angeles, Albuquerque/Santa Fe, and Vegas. I almost landed what appeared to be a great job in SD and then another one in downtown LA, but for some reason they both fell through.
As springtime rolled around and all my funds were depleted - slowly bleeding to death financially - I took on a "go down in flames" mentality and took my job search nationwide, determined to rather "burn out than fade away" and I began applying to jobs from Seattle to Miami; from Colorado to Boston & NYC. No place was out of the question, however my preference was to stick to the coasts, with a few middle America exceptions including: Denver, Chicago, Austin, and New Orleans, but I'd listen to anyone who'd call - and that was pretty rare.
Then, while walking into an interview with the Town of Florence, AZ I received a call from the New Orleans Third Municipal District. Miss Jacquelyn Fisk invited me to New Orleans for an interview as a GIS Analyst. The day before I had a phone interview with a firm in Austin, and they wanted me to come over for an interview. So the plans went in motion for a sweep of the South, trying to land a job. I set up a second interview in Austin with the gas company along with a possible interviews in Baton Rouge, Lafayette, and Shreveport.
When the trip was over a had 3 great interviews, all of which seemed promising. The prospect of moving was daunting, but at this point I was just trusting that the Lord would help me find a job in a place that would be good for me. I had presented myself the best I could and now it was time to wait and see.
A highlight of the year was a vacation with my family in Washington, DC. My brother, Kenny and his family in Indiana (a.k.a. the "Indy Bigs") drove over from Indianapolis and met the rest of the family at a cottage we rented for the week at the Cherry Hill campground north of DC. What a great time that was, and I'll remember those good times for years to come! Once I take some time to figure out how to post pictures on this blog, I'll have to attach some pics.
During the DC trip I interviewed in Virginia, a state I've always been fond of, and I also had some follow up conversations with The University of Virginia in Charlottesville regarding a former opening (that had closed), but I had developed a back n' forth with the GIS director there and we kept that door open for future opportunities. I've always like UVa, and its Jeffersonian approach to education. Thomas Jefferson is arguably my favorite fore-father and I find his life and works fascinating.
While I was visiting the Smithsonians, I received a call from a recruiter in San Diego and he wanted me to do a follow up interview and visit with a utility in SD, after which they would offer me the job. I was really excited as this was the closest I had been to receiving a job offer, even though it was a temporary contract position. Following the phone call, I went to an interview in Fairfax.
That night some of the family went and visited the Washington DC temple. That is quite a sight to see, especially at night while driving west on the northern part of the Capital Beltway. We had a nice time touring the visitors center there.
The next day was Friday and the family checked out of the cabin and began our trips back home. I stuck around for one more night as I wanted to meet up with my friend Brooke Salzman from my Master's group. Later that day while checking into my hotel, I received a call from Texas Gas Service in Austin - the last company I was able to interview with on my Southern job search. They offered me the position! As the HR rep described the details, I felt this would be a good opportunity. They gave me a week to respond to the offer, which I accepted and began preparations to move South by Southwest to Austin, TX!
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