brainsplotch

The waiting is over... no more suffering through a disappointing Detroit Tigers baseball season. I can officially put baseball on the back burner and say "hallelujah!" to the beginning of football season (in particular, college football). It was a sunny and unseasonably warm day in mid-Michigan (and also the day of my oldest son's birthday party), so I wasn't able to plop in front of the tube and take in the full glory of College Football 2008-Day One, but I did see enough to be quite satisfied. I caught a tiny bit of the Ohio State/Youngstown State game (the Columbus, Ohio version of "Christians being fed to the lions"), then once my son's birthday party had ended (which, by the way, was lots of fun and way more important than football--seriously!), I watched the bulk of the Michigan/Utah game. I must admit to being overjoyed at the Wolverines' demise. (I had the game on in the background while putting together a Lego "medieval catapult...

I did not want to wait so long to write about Barack Obama's acceptance speech at the Democratic Convention, but it's not always easy for me to find any time before midnight to write in this blog. I don't know how anyone could have watched and/or heard Obama's speech and not conclude that this man should be our next President. He was eloquent, impassioned, and spoke in specifics (generally avoiding the vague platitudes that he has been accused of in the past). We as a nation cannot continue down the broken-down path established by George W. Bush. It is time for a change, folks, and I strongly believe that Barack Obama is ready for the challenge.

The play that will haunt Michigan fans' dreams for years. I was able to watch this controversial Spartan victory for the first time ever , compliments of the Big Ten Network. The most famous play in the game--the one that people still talk about and debate, was Michigan's failed 2-point conversion attempt late in the game that would have given Michigan the lead. Okay, it pains me to admit this, but the officials probably DID blow the call. As a Spartan fan, I request that any Wolverine fans still hung up on this loss, give it up please. There were a few calls in that game that went against MSU, believe it or not (for example, Michigan running back Jon Vaughn's fumble at the Spartan goal line that was ruled to have been caused by the ground). Both teams were very solid, and ended up deadlocked along with Illinois and Iowa in a four-way tie for the Big Ten title. The game was hard-hitting and featured several impressive individual performances. Desmond Howard had...

I'm afraid that "Brainsplotch" sounds too much like your stereotypical "blog-type name." Oh well, it adequately describes what this blog is going to be: my random thoughts on whatever subject comes into my head (and, in turn, feel necessary to send into cyberspace). Before starting this entry, I was actually working on the book I am supposed to be researching and writing--a postcard history of Michigan State University. I've had the hardest time focusing on it this summer. Part of the problem is that I work forty hours a week and the other half of the problem is that I have two sons under the age of seven. Plus, my publisher is still deciding what images they want to use for the book. (So what, you may be asking, if I'm supposed to be working on a book, what am I doing wasting time on this blog when I should be putting nose to the grindstone? Put simply, this is more fun). At four o'clock ET, the Big Ten Network is supposed to be showing the 1990 Mi...

For several months, I have debated whether I should join the ranks of the millions of bloggers in cyberspace. Does the world really need one more person to blather on and on about their likes and dislikes, neuroses, and daily minutiae? Finally, just yesterday in fact, I decided the answer was "Yes." I think I may have some observations that some may find interesting or at the very least, somewhat entertaining. I have kept a journal for fifteen years, but have increasingly found it less than inspiring. I also seem to spend way more time on the computer than actually writing with pen to paper (due in part to the fact that I get terrible cramps if I write for too long). I finally decided to just take the plunge. (Okay, I will allow that cliche to remain, but will make efforts to avoid them in the future!). If anyone is actually reading this, let me tell you what you should expect--or at least what I envision (as I quietly tap this while the rest of my family sleeps at 1:26...