It’s Raining Now Go Storm The Court

I’m trying not to let all the rainy weather we had this weekend and this morning get my spirits down as I am trying to make this week a positive and productive one (especially with the NCAA tournament starting on Thursday and productivity going out the window). And even with all the rain, I got a lot done and I’m flying pretty high right now.

The rain this Monday morning however brings back some of my favorite pet peeves during the morning commute, my fellow commuters and their umbrellas of choice. There are as varied a selection of rain protection on a handle as there are NCAA teams left out of the tournament. My personal choice is the standard, compact collapsible model. However some of you opt for the larger “golf” style. Good for you....stay dry and keep your bags dry as well. I applaud your choice of more coverage then you really need. That said, have some FRICKIN idea of where you are walking and those walking around you. I get that your umbrella takes up half a city block...again...good for you. But that also means you should not try to walk past me on the escalator or try to beat me to the last curb space at an intersection. I can see from a distance that you’re nice and dry. I can also see the rain just bead up and roll off the sides keeping all your belongings from feeling the effects of the rain. Now I want you to see me having the same protection, until you bounce off of me and toss your rain water on to my bag and pants. Just stay on your side of the street and I’ll stay on my side. Deal? If you're still not convinced...go check out Ichabod Crane's take on your brazen attempt at bodily injury.

Speaking of the NCAA tournament (and by connection the NIT, or “Loser’s Bracket”), March Madness has officially set in with yesterdays announcement of the top 65 teams in Men’s college basketball. It’s a time of year when work grinds to a halt and employees monopolize the photocopier and the printers making spare brackets for their various pools. Unfortunately that also means that any home court advantages essentially go out the window as teams play on (fairly) neutral courts. This also means that there is no more storming the court by drunken underclassmen when their nationally ranked team beats another nationally ranked team. Or when the court is rushed following a teams 1st win of the season. Thankfully Rick Reilly is here to lay down the laws for “Storming”.

I am proud to say that I have personally observed most of these rules during my four to six years in college and in fact only rushed once...1999: Final game of the season. Shawnta Rodgers hits a game winning 3 pointer at the buzzer to beat Xavier. The win also gave GW the regular season A-10 title. I think the video speaks to the excitement.

Final notes. Thank you to Debbie for the heads up on the rick Reilly Story. Also I will no longer issue mea culpas for lack of current posts. I’m just gonna get back to the business of posting.

Rain Rain Go Away...and PETA Gets a Nod for Marketing

What the frig is with the rain? Stop already! I’m trying to go to the ball game tonight and I can deal with out it

Secondly, a nod to PETA (who we all know I really don’t care for) gets my NobodyLikesAJerk Nod for public relations mastery for this week’s attack of President Obama and his fly swatting technique. Sure it was just a fly and the President did what any of us would do and just took a whack at it. In swoops (pun intended) PETA to tell Obama that there are nicer, more ethical, ways of doing that. As my eyes roll, I still think that it’s a good way to get some free “pub”. So good job PETA...just stay out of my ice cream!

Rain Out?

Don’t worry…I’m ok…for now.

The cold medicine has kicked in and peering through the fog that is my head I can see clear enough to send recount yet another story of somebody who has so little common sense that it’s a crime NOT to drag them out, shoot them, and then grind up their bodies for use as chicken feed.

So here I am sitting at my desk just trying to get a little work done today when I get a call regarding a training class that is being offered later this week. The class (like all our courses) is being offered in a conference room in a building. The key word here is “in” as in “inside.” This becomes key because her next comment was “Will it be rained out?”

Now maybe I’m a bit naive here, perhaps there are cultures that hold classes outside or whose roofs are thatched and rain can occasionally get in and disrupt a training session. It gets pretty messy in there with the mud floors and the stone tablets and the like.

However for the benefit of our caller today, our classes are held in a building with a solid roof and are usually held a few floors below that roof so, NO we are generally not in fear of being “rained out.” Just in case though, I’ll bring some extra buckets and oars if you bring the galoshes!