Breaking Ranks

Dear APSCUF:

Get off my back.

You may be "protecting" me but I think you're protecting yourselves. If you work hard and do your job you don't need "protection".

I don't really need you. I'm making you look good.

So stop hassling me.

Going my own way...

Virginia Tech

God, this is so sad.

Say a prayer for the families of our fallen Hokies.

My Name Is...

Jackie.

Yes, my given name is Jackie. Not Jack. Not John. Jackie.

You can imagine how much shit a dorky white boy* gets when his name is Jackie. Jackie is a girls name.

Somehow, every February, I got some relief. February was Black History Month. At my elementary school, the curriculum was celebratory. Jackie Robinson's achievements were certainly recounted and praised. And Jackie Julian no longer felt the heat. I had the cool name. I shared a moment with Jackie Robinson.

So Jackie Robinson, thank you for allowing this dorky white boy to feel proud of his name, especially today, Jackie Robinson Day.

"A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives."

"42"


*full disclosure: Except for 7th - 9th grade, I attended schools in which I was in very much the ethnic minority. Rankin Elementary and Buchtel High School. Moreover, I was a dweeb dork nerd social retard until 10th grade. In an aim to use measured and appropriate language, kids are kids, and I was the very different one, not necessarily in a cool way.

What Ticketmaster does for you.

If you've ever ordered tickets online from Ticketmaster.com you are familiar with the code verification.

I check some things on Ticketmaster rather obsessively (cultural and sporting events and their ticket sales are fascinating to this economist).

My last ticket search resulted in having to type in this "code" or string of characters.

One of infinite possibilities

West 72nd and Broadway.

8:30 last Saturday night.

It all turned out one way. It could have been another, but only for the choices made along the way.

(map)