CHANGES!

Decided to update the left side of the blog today.

Illinigirl has gone on a hiatus to concentrate on her grad studies on top of her full-time job, new home, and other things. As a former grad student I can certainly empathize and hope that she returns soon filled with some of that collegiate liberal zeal!

I also added Mark Tupper from the Decatur Herald and Review. He provides an interesting look at sports and a good perspective on my Illini!

The Blah Life

Not sure what to blog this week so much...lots has been going on in my life, but it has been hard to stay positive about a lot of it.

Let's talk about something that is positive. Baby things are going well, Mrs. IWG has been a trooper and we have had two showers now. The nursery is complete and the drawers are filling up with blankets, clothes, and other assundries. Three short weeks left of our first pregnancy and it seems like the time has flown by. We are both ready to see our son, but I think we will both miss the good times of being pregnant and sharing this experience.

I lost a staff member in my building this past week which always makes me sad. I am someone that really invests a large piece of my soul in the folks that I work with, and any time someone leaves prematurely I feel like part of my soul is gone. I also really feel like I have failed that staff member in a sense. I feel badly for the rest of my staff as they lose someone that they have shared special memories with, and I worry about the residents who have lost a great RA and someone that was there first college contact. Whenever I lose a staff member I also tend to very worried about the rest of my staff and tend to overanalyze their behaviors and situations. I also tend to get a big guilt trip that I have not been doing enough to help my staff be successful.

Illinois basketball keeps plugging along, but I have given up my quest for Final Four tickets do to another commitment I have during the weekend. If Illinois actually makes it, I may smash my face against my TV to try and get the live experience!!

I feel the need to pick up my posting, and I hope to do so soon, before the young one gets here. Social Security, the middle east, Dean as chairman, and faith and values are all up my craw right now.

The Grammy's Are Dumb

Okay, so this award has turned from a music honor into just a farce of an award. Don't get me wrong, I think Ray Charles was an amazing musician, a pioneer who produced incredible material. However, his last album before his death was not anywhere near the greatest work he has done. The six awards he won are a nice tribute, but seriously, he is dead, he does not care. Plus, it was just over the top! Everyone knows he is a fantastic musician, the six posthumous awards did not cement his status as a legend.

The Grammy's continue to follow a bizarre trend that seems to favor very established acts winning multiple awards in the twilight of their careers. I love classic musicians as well, but they are not always producing the best music of the year. I was glad to see Maroon 5 win, I like them a lot, but I don't think they were the best new artist.

The Grammy's are outdated and dumb. They fail to cross genres and are just dumb....BLAH!

A New Day For Democrats

The election of Howard Dean as DNC Chair is now official and it means the beginning of regaining the majority across America. Dean has already started strong, allying with Harry Reid in the Senate and Nancy Pelosi in the House to allow them to set national policy agenda. Dean is also goint to allow local and state organizations set policy principles in place which will allow the party to be more responsive to regional voter needs.

There is an effort underway to make sure that Dean gets swept into the Chairmanship with a large donation wishing him well! I encourage you to click below to contribute to the best party you will ever be involved with!!

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The Quest for Final Four Tickets

I am on a quest. A quest whose potential prize could be watching the undefeated Fighting Illini playing for their first National Championship ever.

Last March during the NCAA tourney Mrs. IWG and I contemplated submitting a Final Four Ticket application since we knew it would be in St. Louis and we knew that Illinois would have a good team and an outside shot at going to the Final Four. We thought even if Illinois did not go, we could sell the tickets for a nice profit. However, at that time, we had been talking about getting pregnant and knew that our target due date would be near basketball season, plus we were not in a financial position to put a large block of money on our credit cards.

Fast forward to the present. Illinois looks like a juggernaut and they may make it to the Final Four. Now, I have financial means of getting tickets and am wanting to go no matter who makes the field. The baby is due March 8th, which is probably going to give me time to be with Mrs. IWG and then leave for the Apr. 2 and 4th games.

So, I am questing for tickets and keeping a close eye on Ebay. The problem is, I really don't want to shell out $900 -$1000 on my own. I would like to split it with someone and go to the game with them. My usual sources are tapped out. DJ Timmy in Champaign just bought a new house...no extra loot. Wisconsin Rob moved to Colorado, thus becoming Rocky Mountain Rob. My brothers are both in college...not able to make a big contribution, but more than happy to go with me if I have an extra ticket! So, I watch the Ebay ticket section religiously, waiting for one pair of tickets, that are already in the rafters, to sneak by at a low price so I can snatch them up! So far the quest has been a failure, as tickets repeatedly go higher than I expect...but I will have my Final Four tickets! I promise you! More updates to come....