Straight Does It

Cutter's Log - Stardate 0102.13.21
Current Song - True (Spandau Ballet)

Apparently it's time. Apparently it's time that I get my priorities straight. Judging by a few events late this year, there has been some call for change. The change is to better myself in many ways.

The inital call was to get myself in shape. The discussion of that turned into a call for change in a few other areas. Most importantly, there needs to be a change in the way the sleeping goes. There are a lot of days that I sleep for 10-12 hours. Only I know why it's so. It has to do with the dreams that happen that night.

So the dreaming needs to be controlled. Dreaming has to do with what happens the night before. What is done the night before has triggered the long dreams. The No. 1 thought process is that of the long desire. That will need to be curbed. This will be done by changing what is already done. No more seeing things that trigger these emotions. That means a change in the coverage schedule. AND WAKING UP WHEN THE ALARM TELLS ME TO!

If you can figure out what this is, then this will be complimented with the bombing of certain subscriptions. A certain subscription of mine is staling off a bit. The freshness is getting stale, and what's left is only history. The other thing to compliment this is to close off something else that is very useful. This will require a change in a coverage thing.

Good-bye YouTube and Wikipedia?

Time on the computer will be limited, by means of restricting certain things. It should lessen the time spent. Another time shortener is this blog. Spending too much time writing in here. It doesn't mean this will be gone, but shorter blog entries maybe. Writing with less words.

Start here, and we'll see how far I go.

2010 YIR

Cutter's Log - Stardate 0102.82.21
Current Song - Boomin' Bump (John Baker)

You want to know about my 2010? Simply click on "2010" under "Blog Archive" to the right of your screen. You may be reading for a while.

But in short:

I achieved an academic milestone - the Associates in the Arts in Mass Communication

I kept a job for the full year for the second straight year - never happened before

NISB has never been more popular - probably better than not working at a paper in six years

I made every baseball fan's pilgrimage at the ripe old age of 23 - Cooperstown

I made every football fan's pilgrimage at the ripe old age of 23 - Canton

It's nice to see everyone's okay - celebrating the five-year high school reunion

Kicked a habit - retiring from baseball card collecting

Found my future - NIU, some time.

Aside of the accomplishments and enjoyments, I will remember this year as one of transition.

I found out a lot about myself personally. I'm starting to find out the difference between "friends" and "people I know." It's like shaking that box with the filter in it. I have begun to associate myself with other people within the high school sports world.

As my classmates move on in many different directions, I haven't been in contact with them as much as I was from 5th grade to high school graduation. There's a group of people that's been around you for so long, and when they leave you're left with very few. Well, that's when you man up and grab something. I feel like I'm doing this with the friendships I have in the high school sports world.

While finding people to be friends with is on the right track, what still hasn't been on the right track is finding that certain woman. I just can't make a predction for 2011 when it comes to this. However, I have learned certain things this year that may help me in this regard.

There have been a couple of women that have pushed the trigger in my brain over the past year; and they have one thing in common. They were not links from school. So there's people out there, I guess. So I was faced with a decision of either turning back and going forward. Turning back isn't a good idea, because the field has dried up. So I guess it's marching forward.

What do I mean by "turning back?" There were a lot of girls I know in my school days. I can't go back and try to go forward with them. They've moved on. I understand that. But there are still a few small ones lingering around that I can't get out of my head, in addition to one big one. She was in the forefront of my mind throughout most of my teenage school life. While she was shuffled around in favor of other crushes at certain times, she still lingers in my mind.

She's the last link from school. I can't decide whether to keep it or sever it. I will find out soon.

4 Things They Can Do Without

I just look at these things and go, WHY? It's a waste of time.

1. NORAD's Santa Tracker - Not because we know there's no such real person, but because how do we determine the north and south locations of Santa? Does he go from Galena to Cairo, or Cairo to Galena? Besides, noe of the little boys and girls will be awake when the moment strikes.

2. Author pictures on front cover of novels - This isn't the music industry. Nor is this a person's opinion. I've never understood why we see more of a picture of, say, Stephanie Meyer, or the name "Stephanie Meyer" than we do the title. To me, we read things because of what it's about, not because of the author's name. This same philosophy goes for high school sportswriting, IMO.

3. Self checkouts wherever there are regular ones - Maybe it's just me, but it seems longer to go though a self-checkout than a regular checkout. Suppose you just want two things. You have to put them in the bag one-by-one. Then you have to press buttons on a screen, sometimes twice if the screen is touchy. Then you have to put the dollar bill in a certain way, and not fold it, and hope it doesn't reject it. Then there's a pause before your change comes out. Sometimes you-centered things don't work out as well. Plus, isn't there a good chance that shoplifters can foil the system using these things?

4. The ESPN ticker during a rebroadcast of a game late at night - Those who work second shift and miss these games live and hope for an overnight rebroadcast. However, when this happens, you have the ESPN ticker scrolling around. They'll even show you the final score of the game you are watching, and who the stars of the game were.

So Much for Hiatuses

Cutter's Log - Stardate 0102.22.21
Current Song - American Boy (Estelle/Kanye West)

I was in a real crappy mood for a couple of days there this past weekend. Let me kind of explain what happened.

On Wednesday I was up all night working on a few things and decided not to sleep on Thursday morning. I worked on Thursday and the night just didn't go all that great. So I got home, slept for a few hours, and went back to work at 11 Friday morning. Another day of work, another not-so-good day.

There was a game in Rock Island I wanted to see, and I drove there right after work. There was another problem related to the website that bogged me for a while. There was no parking near the school, and the closest place I could park was in a Post Office parking lot down a hill. I had to walk up it, and down it in the snow. I slipped on the way down and ripped what I thought were my best work pants. The drive home wasn't that great, and I wound up just blowing off the entire story because of my frustration.

Website-related troubles continued into Saturday, when I worked. I had Sunday off of work, which kind of helped calm me down. The website things were going okay now and I tried to freshen myself up on a clean slate. I was just so irritated by things that I wrote the stuff I wrote in the past couple of entries.

But things have been going okay lately.

We had a snowstorm on Monday night as I was working. This decreased the customer flow and I was way ahead of schedule. It was a happy work night for a change. Then there was a game on Tuesday at Port Byron Riverdale. Part of the reason why I was unable to do the Rocky-Moline writeup was because I didn't write my notes quick enough. There is a Shell truck stop in Hillsdale and I decided to write my notes there and drive back with a "spine" of sorts to write. Anyway, Newman beat Riverdale in boys basketball.

It felt really good doing the things I like doing: and that's high school sports reporting. I covered the Montini-Hononegah game of the Sterling Girls Shootout tonight, and was pleased that I got the article done in timely fashion.

So I'm in a good mood right now. Plus, they say another snowstorm is coming tomorrow night. So if the customers don't come, it will be another good day.

I work from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve - when we open the presents from Mema and Kimmy. I work from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Christmas Day - when we open the presents from my dad's family. Technically, this is the start of my one-week vacation.

I don't work at all on the day after Christmas - when we open the presents from mom and dad. This is because my mom is working on Christmas Eve and most of Christmas Day, so we're opening presents a day late. It's a third day of Christmas, the way I look at it.

As far as my vacation goes, I have decided that I'm not going anywhere from the 26th to 29th. There's just nowhere to go. But I will be using this time to think up where I want to go from March 20-27. I'm thinking Myrtle Beach.

So in those few days after Christmas, I would like to see some sports. Technically, this is vacation from work and I will be doing something I enjoy.

Monday 12/27 - OFF (yay!)
Tuesday 12/28 - E.C. Nichols boys basketball Tournament @ Marengo - or maybe OFF
Wednesday 12/29 - Dixon girls basketball Tournament
Thursday 12/30 - Warkins Cardinal Classic @ Erie (both boys and girls)

Still thinking about Chicago for New Year's. I was told that Chicago is a very good place for New Years. Still looking for suggestions.

Hopefully the coming days and the vacation turn out well. No more hiatuses for now.

Chess

Cutter's Log - Stardate 0102.02.21
Current Song - One Night in Bangkok (Murray Head)

I'm a skilled chess player.

No, not the chess with kings and queens and rooks and knights and pawns. The OTHER kind of chess.

Yeah, THAT kind of chess.

Don't mess with me. There's no more eating me alive anymore. There's no more pushing me aside so you can get what you want. There's no more weaseling your way around me. Try to, and you'll feel it, literally. My shields are up and I'm on red alert.

The first step in making sure I actually survive and not get pushed around is indefinately ceasing blog entries on here. That way, in order to read my mind, you'll have to do more than just see what I'm writing about.

Tough.

Things That Annoy Me

Cutter's Log - Stardate 0102.91.21
Current Song - My City Was Gone (The Pretenders)

Having worked with the public for nearly five years at gas stations, I have seen people from all walks of life. Likewise, there are many things that annoy me about certain people and certain things. I'm someone who tries to figure out the world around me, apparently since I'm stuck in my own.

People will do these things, and I have to quietly ask myself "WHY?" or end up slapping my hand on my forehead. These are pet peeves and more than them.

These are things that annoy me. I have a short list, and you can complete it. Maybe we can understand what gives for all of these, and all of yours (in a "trading post" fashion).



These are things that annoy me:

1. People who look at this list and proceed to say or do something on this list to see how I will react. My condition makes me very vulnerable to teasing, and I don't like it.

2. People walking inside during the winter and saying that it's cold outside. Well, DUH!!! It's not a conversation piece anymore, it's meant to make you feel better. Cut the puppy eyes.

3. People that pronounce "pennies" like "pEEnEEs" or "pinees." They're probably obsolete, but quit making them seem cute. The first part of the word "pennies" is "pen," which is pronounced with a schwa (the upside down 'e').

4. They are GIFT cards, not GAS cards. So much for the "special" part of the present.

5. People who refuse to buy the Dixon Telegraph if there are no Sterling Gazettes left. The same stories are in the two papers, just three or four pages off. If this bothers you, it tells me you have little patience.

6. People who see an "Out of Order" sign, and then ask if it's out of order.

7. When a discription of a complaint has a TON of "I"s, "me"s and "my"s. The first person isn't going to solve the problem, it's just going to solve YOUR problem. So much for "making a difference."

8. When there are not enough parking spaces to accomodate a crowd. There's a particular basketball game I attend every two years at this location. It's been going on for nearly 100 years. What's worse is when you're forced to park in a business's parking lot DOWNHILL from the building, and have to walk up it and then down it. Bonus points: Name the school.

9. I've never fully understood the infatuation with Copenhagen Snuff chewing tobacco. Apparently it's fresh until it's coming right from the assembly line right after canning? Send it to the warehouse, and apparently it's stale? So it nerves me to hear about stale Copenhagen. Yet, the company can't seem to make a product that lasts?

10. When there are no rosters at the door at high school sports contests. Tournaments I understand, but when it's two teams going against each other how are we supposed to know who is who? The PA isn't enough.

11. Black Friday clerks asking you whether or not you'd like to apply for their shopping card, or talk about some special offer. Take this garbage talk out and the lines would move more, and perhaps Friday will be less "black."

12. Those who can't figure out the difference between a school's "conference" and "division."

13. Wrestling fans who cringe when they hear the word "basketball." You don't hear basketball fans cringe when they hear "wrestling."

14. Bill facing. Period. When a single is turned over, folded, or slightly tilted, it's still a one-dollar bill.

15. The Northern Illinois Big 12 bowling and golf scoring formats. Bowling is scored on individual vs. individual, while the conference golf tournament is composed of "conference points" rather than the performance at the tournament. Is it really that necessary to be unique? It's like you're demanding attention.

16. People announcing to me the price of the item at another store. What do you want me to do about it? Another thing about that: are we high, or are they low?

17. "Call it both ways!" (My high school sports peeps don't need an explanation on this one.)

18. I have not, and will not, buy a Garmin, Tom Tom or any other GPS system. That being said, I can't stand people who drive while using the system as the only means of navigation, and not looking at the signs posted.

19. (feel free to comment to add to this list)

Vacation Planning

Cutter's Log - Supplemental

I have asked for Dec. 26 though Jan. 2 off of work. I haven't really planned any "trip," like the one I spent this past spring when I went to Cooperstown and Canton. A real "trip" will be made the week after state basketball is done.

There will be one day of interruption, as December 30 is the final day of the Warkins Cardinals Classic boys basketball tournament in Erie. I have covered the final day for the past four years. I don't plan on changing the annual commitment anytime soon.

Simply put, I'm looking for more of a getaway from the 26th to the 29th: staying overnight somewhere on the 26th, 27th and 28th to return on the 29th and stay at home. I've been to Milwaukee, Detroit, Cleveland, Indy, St. Louis, all within a day's drive from Sterling. I'm still thinking about where to go. Or even perhaps somewhere small with a good Christmas Tournament? I'm still thinking about where to go.

The day after Warkins is New Year's Eve. For the past four years I've spent this night working. Not anymore. Before then I stayed home and one year was spent at the grandparents' house. Rather than spending the night somewhere, I'd rather drive back in the wee hours of the morning.

So I'm looking for somewhere to spend midnight at. Chicago? Milwaukee? Indy? St. Louis? Elsewhere???? I'm looking for suggestions.

The Great Migration? Yeah Right

Cutter's Log - Stardate 0102.61.21
Current Song - nWo Theme

My one-year study on the effects of the Great Migration of the NISB boards is complete.

My findings show that, in terms of overall coverage area geography, message board posts have been confined to a smaller location. Posts from outside this location have seen a dropoff. Furthermore, posts from veteran message board posters have dropped off.

What was promised from this Great Migration was the expansion of traffic on the message boards with the new postings next to the usual postings. Well, the usual postings have been nowhere to be found. This wasn't what I thought would happen. The mood has changed, and it's changed for the worse.

The message board is something that I've tried to make something different than the label that they are used to: a sewer of negativity. I've imagined a place where coaches and players of these teams can even wander around without feeling frightened about certain posts. There's too much fright going on in the past year. That very fright is preventing the full geographical representation from appearing. It's exactly what I feared, and hoped wouldn't happen. Well, it's happened.

The Board in the past year, and even the website to a certain degree, has seen a rise in avoidance. The increased website traffic presence from the southeast corner, thanks to my three contributors, is keeping it afloat. So, why it is missing from the Message Boards?

So, time to get out the old flyers and do something about it.

Trapped

Cutter's Log - Stardate 0102.11.21
Current Song - How Can I Be Sure (The Rascals)

I have been told I have a lot of potential. Ironically, if only I moved.

What's keeping me bogged down these past few years is a conflict between dreams, wants/needs, independence, money, morals, reputation, and many other things. It's like a large pile of wires that need straightened out. By "bogged down," I mean I'm not moving forward at all at this point in time. I would ask myself why everyone else can figure this out and I can't. It's the way I think, that's the answer. So I have to budge the way I think in order to get moving again.

I'd like to get moving again. Here's my story:

Right now I live paycheck-to-paycheck. The money I make at work goes toward fuel for the car, work on the car, bills, NISB, and the little shopping I do. The paycheck dries up in a hurry. Then comes the next paycheck, and that dries up in a hurry. I guess in a way this curbs my spending, and I won't eat as much as I should - and there goes the weight. But I still find myself stalling.

Take out the Shell gig and I'll have nothing, really. There's nothing open THAT I CAN ACTUALLY DO - journalism-related and non-related - that is paying more money that what I make at Shell at the moment. What I mean by "what I can actually do" is, I can't do something I don't like doing. This just keeps frying my mind and goals. Factory work tires me, I know this because I once tried it and didn't last a whole shift before I walked out. I guess my eye-hand coordination is shot. It's too bad nothing high school sports journalism-related that I can actually do is open - this would merge working and hobbying into one with time to spare.

So meanwhile, I'm stuck here not going forward yet. What's it going to take to fix this mess?

I don't think I can start alone. I want support. That I have from my closest family. What else? Perhaps the key to unlocking this trap door is establish some sort of social life?

A couple of weeks ago I blogged about how I couldn't seem to enjoy things socially. How bad has it been? It has been so bad, that I am slurring and bungling my words from not speaking so much. That may be changing. There are four good friends of mine I have met in the past year though high school sports. I don't know how they look at me, but I look at them as good friends that I apparently do not annoy. Three of them help me out on the writing part of the website, and the other has in the past. I just hope I can maintain these friendships, or even expand on them or expand on the number of friends I have.

There's this feeling that friends, and support from these friends, lead to confidence in doing things. I don't think I have much confidence at this time. But with friends, that's something that can be worked on.

Off to listen to a radio show that I should be listening to every week at this time.

What Some Songs Do

Cutter's Log - Supplemental

I can't even remember when the line was crossed when comparing website work with one of the things I yearn for in my personal life.

Working on the website involves a lot of time, and when there's a lot of time I get bored in the repetitive processes. So I listen to a mix of music. Things I write and see judge the playlist.

Well, something was seen and something was written about.

If you're a follower of this blog (and great thanks to the one of you), you'll know that establishing a "status quo" personal life is difficult for me. That's why I've had nearly 40 crushes, and only once tried to break through. Then over these few years, things started to go sour like an 80s rock band going into the 00s. But like some of these, they come back and do a token performance.

Bull. Here I come.

Try to Take a Guess at What This Means

Cutter's Log - Stardate 0102.20.21
Current Song - Take a Bow (Madonna)

Although quite endangering to the curious mind, I can't help but react to strange news I saw yesterday.

It does what it wants to do, but a barrier thought to be hidden approached it. Now the fight to survive carries on, but it's been known not to work effectively. How disappointing.

There, I typed it off my chest.

TIME! Marches on!

Land of Confusion

Cutter's Log - Stardate 0102.52.11
Current Song - Land of Confusion (Genesis)

A lot of people liked the fact that I had a great memory when I was younger.

I guess you can figure out the theme here.

This is one of those weeks when childhood friends come back to town from wherever they are. Those I haven't seen in months, and even years. I'd see them every day at school or every week elsewhere. Then we graduated high school and took the first train out of town following the graduation ceremony. I wouldn't see them for years.

In the five years since I graduated high school, a lot of things can change among us. Physically we get a little heavier, especially those women that have kids at the moment.

I saw many people I haven't seen in a while tonight at the gas station. My best friend from grade school, Jared, stopped by. I recognized him in an instant. Another friend, Corey, also stopped in. It went on for a while, up until about midnight.

There was this girl that came in and adressed me by name. Obviously she knew me, but I couldn't quite figure out who she was. I'm going through my database of friends inside my brain, and I couldn't come up with a match. Then she asked how Mike, Chris and Dan were doing.

I kind of figured out she was probably one of my friends from Sterling, considering that nearly all of my friends from Rock Falls don't know the names of my three brothers. Since she knew the names of my brothers, I figured it had to be someone near my graduating class that had brothers and sisters the same age as my brothers.

So who would know my three brothers? It took me a while and I thought of only one option, given the description of this girl. It just didn't seem like her.

Okay, so I thought of cousins from both sides of my family. Nope.

Then I thought of kids on my old block in Rock Falls, as well as my old block in Sterling. Rock Falls didn't turn up any matches. Then back to Sterling, where I lived from age 2 to age 7. There was only one possible person. Then I'm going, how would she remember Dan or Chris?

I gave up. I didn't ask her who she was, because I would feel stupid if it were someone obvious. Then there goes a rumor that I have alzheimers, and so on and so on ...

I've had these kinds of brain farts a few times at the gas stations. Whenever I do, it seems to be someone from Sterling. I, for some reason, remember my Rock Falls friends better than I do my Sterling friends.

At least I have some criteria to go by when trying to figure out who someone is without asking their name.

I think why this is happening is because I don't spend a lot of time around those that I have been around with back then anymore. A bunch of high school sports stuff pushes this kind of memory back deeper and deeper.

I still think back to my class reunion where someone told me that I don't get out a lot because I'm too busy. Then I try to eliminate some of this busyness. Can't do it. On the days I'm not working, I'm covering something. I dedicate the day to covering the event, and I have stats and story angles and such in continual thought for hours before the game.

Not trying to put an autistic angle to things, but it seems we all gather around a different group of people after we become disconnected from the long association that is K-12 schooling. It's taken my a few years to find my kind of circle, but I'd like to say that I have a lot of good sportswriting friends out there and high school sports friends (even if they don't consider me a "friend" but rather an acquaintence). Outside of sportswriting, I have a few friends from the gas station.

Those friends at the gas station I see more often than I do my sportswriting friends. Of the people I know outside of work customers, family, co-workers and these work friends, I see the area's sportswriters more often than I do friends from school. I think I've covered games with more than 50 sportswriters in the area I cover. Some I see at least 10 times a year, others less.

So there's this group of people that do the same things I do, and enjoy doing it. I remember moving back to Sterling after a few years in Rock Falls, and how hard it was to make friends. I feel the same way now with these people. It's extremely difficult for me to make friends, given my autistic nature. But I'm not going to let that restrain me.

Conversation pieces are abundant: from the high school sports scene, doing our jobs, and the inner workings of the game we're covering. I guess from there it expands outward?

I've always wondered how people I know take the fact that I go see high school sports events at someplace where I don't even know one person. If anything, the only person I know is likely the sportswriter or coach.

Sideline vs. Press Box

Cutter's Log - Stardate 0102.81.11
Current Song - We Almost Lost Detroit (Marquis Porter)

Today, something was revisited to make me go back and find what was written earlier in a Publisher's Desk blog:

"Speaking of deterring my way of covering things, I'm considered a "sideline reporter" for football games, as opposed to reporting from a press box. A couple of times I have been informed of a new rule regarding media restrictions at football games at the 20-yard lines. For years, sideline reporters like myself can intermix with the bench and watch what goes on near the 50-yard line. What if something important happens at midfield? From our vantage point at the 20-yard line, not much is seen. How are we supposed to accurately tell what happened? Go to the press box? There's no room in most press boxes for that one extra reporter. And why was this rule in place, anyway? As long as we do our job properly, don't interfere with us, please."

Is there not enough "box" for the "press?" Seems to be this way.

In the past few years there has been a growth in the number of "press" in Illinois high school sports. The newspapers all point to me and blame me for that :)

It's not as if my husky body takes up space in a press box, but rather they cringe at the sight of a start-up publication. Likely this particular start-up publication is there for a purpose: to be better than the newspapers. Not NISB. At least not since the doctrine that I layed out in this past NISB State of the Site Address. We're here to supplement the newspapers, and work together with them.

Along with writing journalists (this meaning someone like me and a newspaper writer), there are radio journalists and even television crews. There needs to be room for them, too.

Plus when it comes to playoffs, a newspaper will send an extra reporter or two, or three, or even four to write a sidebar or two, or three, or four.

There's only so much room in a press box, and I understand this. I'm a young person, so I can run around a sideline.

Here's where the problem lies:

Certain schools are trying to limit the use of sideline space for reporters. One particular school has a rule where you can't go between the "twenties" on the sideline. This same school is covered by at least five different newspapers, two radio stations and a television crew. That's just the home media. That's not including the box crew, visiting media and the coordinator coaches. This partiular box is "spacious" according to them.

When you limit my sideline space, I'm not going to be happy.

Could we perhaps run from 20 to 20 when the ball goes into the other team's territory (crossing the 50)? If we can't even do that, we've got a problem. Our vantage point after about 20 yards or so becomes rocky. If we are supposed to write about key runs using detail, and perhaps use the paint-a-picture lede, it is somewhat distrupted by the fact that we aren't closer to the action.

I've been roaming football sidelines for only nine years, but I think I've been to enough high school football fields to say this: I've never had a problem with coaches while trying to write about something, shoot something or film something. The closest I've come from being told something by a coach was in a big game for this particular team, and the coach was very nervous because he kept yelling at everyone to go back five feet from him. Couldn't blame him, it was an important divisional game.

Nowhere in the new IHSA State Series Press Box Priority List does it state the sideline limitation, so it's a school-based rule. I hope no more schools catch up to this. I'm sure the schools look forward to great and accurate coverage by their newspaper or website. If it's their sideline enforcement that makes us write shotty articles, don't come running to us. "We USED to be able to do this, and not any more."

Hall of Fame

Cutter's Log - Stardate 0102.61.11
Current Song - Something About You (Level 42)

I found out tonight that the Winter 2011 Induction for the SHS Athletic Hall of Fame will be on January 28. I am a member of the 2001-02 girls basketball team as a manager.

Looking forward to the event.

Brain Drain Update

Cutter's Log - Stardate 0102.61.01
Current Song - Stranglehold (Ted Nugent)

Everything's going well. I should have posted this on this blog as well, but I couldn't find the time.

Things are easing up. I'm preparing for a two-and-two today. That's 9-5 at East End and 6-12 at Dixon West. These are the things that require pre-game warm-up music. Stranglehold was a song that I heard at the football game I was at on Friday.

Financial things are in order. That's because I'm working a bit more. Website things are going smoothly, even though the next few weeks are going to be absolutely rough. I'll have to tune into the football playoff pairings at work, AGAIN. Glory Days things are coming to a head. There are a couple of things I'm working on before I'm caught up on what I want to do for that.

Before I go to work, I'm going to spend 45 minutes working on the front page poll for NISB. Just another thing to be DONE.

Today sucked

Cutter's Log - Stardate 0102.42.90
Current Song - Shattered Dreams (Johnny Hates Jazz)

I wish I could talk about today, but I'm not supposed to.

Making Financial Cents (Sort of)

Cutter's Log - Stardate 0102.12.90
Current Song - What You Won't Do For Love (Bobby Caldwell)

I play the lottery. I try to play smart. Therefore, I don't play often.

The only time I play lotto is whenever I travel out of town. This can be for any reason, like covering games. I will play $7-$9 in Pick 3 and Pick 4 (combined), and maybe some Lotto or Little Lotto quick picks to make it $10. I've been doing this for a month now, and hit twice on my Pick 3s (playing them $0.50 in any order - Box).

It's not because I'm not hitting. It's because I'm realizing that my money needs to go elsewhere. I don't play for the jackpot, but rather for them smaller prizes. College is coming up in less than a year, and I'll need a new car by that time too.

The key here is to not cut ot completely, but rather cut back a few times until nothing. I will be cutting back by only buying tickets whenever I travel to Chicagoland. That's where the winners seem to come from. A week's worth of the jackpot games, plue a few Pick 3's and Pick 4's should be good. What helps is the fact that I don't travel into Chicagoland that much.

Lotto tickets aren't my only gambling vice ... It spreads out to the blackjack table.

I've been cutting back on the blackjack table little by little for a long time. The last time I was up there was a couple of weeks ago at Diamond Jo in Dubuque. I used $50.00, got up to about $135.00 and lost it all. That took me 1 1/2 hours. So I thought maybe I'll let the clock dictate my table playing. I figure 45 minutes is sufficent. I'll see if there's a way to amek that possible through the casino itself.

Eventually it should cease alltogether.

Mending the Rips

Cutter's Log - Stardate 0102.41.90
Current Song - Sara Smile (Hall & Oates)

Recent complaints about the coverage area of NISB led me to read some history about the late Roman Empire. While I am no king, or dictator, I have before me a large coverage area. The Roman Empire didn't just vanish all at once, it became divided.

I keep my mind on that bit of world history because I'm seeing what I have predicted for the past couple of years.

That's the division of the coverage into smaller areas. The diehard fan focus has diminished in the past couple of years. Our understanding of other teams has become less and less. Our "high school sports world" has been limited to their own school and the nearest two or three. We're keeping fewer tabs. Each portion of the area believes that they are more superior than the others.

Maybe that is changing, but what is not changing is the way our regionals and sectionals and supersectionals are set up. When we enter a sectional tournament, what do we know of the opponent? If this trend keeps going, we won't know anything. We won't be able to understand the value of any win any more than what we do now.

I have always said that a team is so much better than a group of five people.

SYNERGY!!!!

***

I have to hold back and ask myself this: Have I evolved a great deal, or has everyone else scaled back? Which of the two carries a greater truth?

You'll find that I cover large schools and big schools, Jo Daviess County schools and Bureau County schools, the Western Big 6 and Little 10, and football and bowling. Sometimes I'll even venture into the Chicagoland side of things when our area teams enter that realm. So I guess I've seen almost everything. Is that wrong? Is it wrong to claim that my knowledge of this particular world is more superior than others?

***

If I had to make a determination at this time, I would say that NISB pretty much have three great factions: The New-Mor-Rock-Ster portion, the Winnebago portion, and the Little 10 portion (which is sort of invisible, but is noticable when it comes to just the content side of things).

Any business person would respond to that with wanting to focus in on these three portions more than the others. That would leave out a few chunks. If we abandon them, and later try to expand into them, how will the reception be?

New Camera

Cutter's Log - Stardate 0102.80.80
Current Song - American Boy (Estelle/Kanye)

I'm having a hard time writing this.

My parents bought me, for my college graduation, a video camera that takes pictures. I tried it out a couple of times. The video isn't all too bad, really. I can shoot something and upload it to YouTube, and it will come out alright.

The photos are another story. Absolutely blurry. I can stand it still and not zoom in, and it will still be blurry. It's hideous.

The hard part of all of this, is telling them about the fact that I just can't take any photos with this. After my camera broke down after six years, that's what I really needed.

The optimist part of me says, "but you can still shoot pictures with it." The pessimist part of me says, "yeah, but ..."

I hate dissapointing people.

Riverfronts

Cutter's Log - Stardate 0102.10.90
Current Song - She's Not There (The Zombies)

I drive on First Avenue Bridge between Sterling and Rock Falls every day it seems. I'm used to seeing all of the rubble on both sides of the Rock River. Bring in anyone whos never been here before, and they'll think it's South Bronx in the 1970s.

There are a couple of spots that are being redevolped into hopefully something useful: the west side of the bridge in Sterling and the east side of the bridge in Rock Falls.

Rock Falls already has a plan for their riverfront. Sterling is trying to come up with one. We will focus on Rock Falls today, with Sterling at another time.


ROCK FALLS

http://www.rockfallsdevelopment.org/Master_Plan.pdf

The plan includes: A 2.5-acre waterfront plaza, including an amphitheater; a 185,000 square feet of new commercial and residential space; a bike trail connecting the upper and lower dams; and the extension of two city streets -- Second Street and Avenue A.

Most of the former Reliant/RB&W complex is gone. When all of this is cleared, there is a large open space between Wood Avenue and the bridge. I do like the open area promenade. The extension of second street (or rebuilding, depending on how old you are) relieves a traffic obstacle for those who live along the river.

I just don't know what is going to go into all these buildings that are proposed, and therefore the parking lots. Plus, building "H" is the old office complex, and is going to look ugly in all of this. We already have difficulty attracting businesses into our existing downtown buildings.

The best way to answer this question is, what are we lacking?

Hotels - It would compliment both Sterling and Rock Falls. No more driving all of the way to the Interstate for lodging. Examples: Rock Island District Holiday Inn and Freeport's Hamilton Inn. Maybe put that in buildings "A", "B" and "A'". I know that the plan says the "A" buildings are suggested for retail, but a hotel can't be that small. Building "C" would be the hotel's accompanying restaurant. Maybe shave off a part of "A'" to make for more parking.

That leaves 2, D, E, F, G, and H left. What else do we need? Okay maybe put some retail in "2" and "H" (maybe even the Hare-hopefully VA clinic), the long-awaited Post Office in "D," (with the current structure turned in a small bank), lofts in "G," and "E" and "F" for Coloma Park District use (offices, swimming pool, rec center, etc.).

I don't feel as if the whole complex should be entirely office and retail because it would take away from the existing downtown area. The artist's rendering shows that 2nd Steet will be turned into a boulevard. How about we improve the rear of the existing downtown businesses north of 2nd Street and between 1st and 2nd avenues, keep the parking spaces, and cut off 1st street to make it end/curve at 2nd Avenue and turn the old street into more parkland.

Still, you have the large open area west of 2nd Avenue (I doubt the limestone building is in any future use). Use the limestone area for expanded Lower Dam Park use, the burned-down part of IH for more lofts, and every empty lot beween 4th Avenue and 8th Avenue for houses (including the tearing down of the old art deco S&S building and Henry's laundrymat).

Next, is the connection all of these places will have with one another. The rendering has a bike trail connecting the "City Parkland" on east 2nd Street to the existing trail just west of the Bridge.

It would be nice if the bike trail could connect with the river front of Riverside Park, go up the hill onto 2nd Street and go on the sidewalk in front of the A.G. Smith Mansion to connect with the walking bridge and canal.

The trail should connect with First Avenue on the west side of the bridge. Maybe smooth the grade from the river trail to the Love Light Tree (remember, we are cutting off 1st Street). Another trail should follow Avenue A from the riverfront to the trail along the old CB&Q tracks.

I think it would also be cool if the western side of the bike trail crosses the river into Lawrence Park. And have a similar bike bridge to the Sterling side, right in front of what's being developed there.

***

These are just my ideas. I don't know whether or not they will work out, but that's what I'd like to see.

Now, if I can draw something up on Sterling ...

Football Boxes

Cutter's Log - Stardate 0102.13.80
Current Song - Baker Street (Gerry Rafferty)

I had been writing about most sports on a regular basis since the time I began in this profession nearly 8 years ago. I started writing about football on a regular basis, during its season, 5 years ago.

I've found it difficult to put together a football box. I can put together a story without problem. The darn box keeps delaying me.

There's three parts to the football box:

The first part of the box is easy: that's listing each score.

The second part is a bit tough because you have to add a bunch of things together. I don't know whether or not I can add these things up from whistle to interview. However, I've never tried. So I will this Friday.

Last year I typed up a worksheet that was supposed to help me put a box together quicker. I can't recall if it worked. The things that are a part of the second part of the box are: first downs, total offense, rushing yards, passing yards, completions-attempts-interceptions (C-A-I), fumbles and those lost, penalties and yards lost, and number of punts and average distance.

I have seen boxes that omit first downs, penalties and punts. In my first attempt this season, I will try to skip these stats in order to better formulate the rest. Then once I get better, I'll try to include the first downs, punts and penalties.

The third part is totaling up individual stats. I don't need a calculator.

I guess the biggest problem for me is actually formulating these numbers into a box. My template is two-sided: one for first-half stats, and the other for final game stats.

I'll just see if this works on Friday. I'm heading to Galena for their game with East Dubuque.

A Thought About Scoreboards

Cutter's Log - Stardate 0102.52.80
Current Song - PYL Theme (???)

I run a weekly football scoreboard on NISB. Posters can post scores to each game on this particular thread. Because I'm writing a football gamer after these football games, I won't touch the scoreboard until around 1:00.

There were times when I thought about putting up one big scoreboard for the area, for all sports. I would have to obtain every schedule from every high school sports team in the area. I have tried this, but each time I've tried there has been some sort of computer crash via highschoolsports.net. It's not their fault, I just happen to be loading a LOT of schedules.

It will take a lot of arthritis in order to just get the schedules posted to NISB. That's just to post the schedules. Now I would want people to chip in. That's the tough part. Plus, if no one chips in, all that arthritis will mean nothing. In order for people to chip in, I'll need to persuade the coaches to put me on the contact list. That, and find a way to not only get a fax machine (@#$& !!!), but to also pay for a large phone bill. That, and ALSO trying to find time each night to update it.

I think it will be quite some time before we get a scoreboard concept going. I may have to quit the Shell gig in order just to run it.

Now a little something about fax machines: I don't have one. I don't know where to put one. I give up there.

Five Years Later ...

Cutter's Log - Stardate 0102.22.08
Current Song - Dance With Me (112)

About 25% of our high school graduating class got together for our 5th Year Reunion. I attended.

I had a blast! Even though if you saw me there sometimes standing alone, I still had a good time. It was good to see everyone after these few years in a setting I could be comfortable in. I couldn't really get going until some more people showed up. The real thrill for me was keeping up with most of those there. A couple of which I hadn't seen since graduation.

A lot of us have gone on to do some very successful things, and work for very successful businesses (such as the Seattle Seahawks). I told a few people about my two websites, as well as some stories about working at the Shell station. I guess the kick out of all that is that I didn't seem like I was doing nothing with my life :)

I sat with the crowd with the most beer. All that beer. Okay, maybe a small sip. Thank you, B, for pouring the entire cup full! One, two, three ... my eyes widened up and I was shaking a little bit after just a small sip. I walked away for a bit and went off to the side of the building and dumped the rest out. It wasn't the first time I had tasted something intoxicating: I had a couple of sips of some kind of wine at my sister's wedding. This was the first taste of beer (Bud Light). It tasted like cold, flat Fresca. Nothing I would want to try again. After that, I really can't believe there are people that drink many cans of that a day!

Enough about Bud Light (thank God). I can't wait for our tenth. Maybe a few more people will show up. I did learn a few things about myself tonight - that if I actually try to put some sort of effort into finding a connecting point, it will happen. That I can still at least attempt to fit in with a crowd. That I also kind of need more time off from what I'm doing.

After talking with one classmate about what I've been up to, somehow I was able to spit out the fact that I'm working and writing a lot and need to quit doing that a lot. He agreed that I was always busy.

We'll see about that.

The Fall Grind

Cutter's Log - Stardate 0102.12.80
Current Song - Tired of Being Alone (Al Green)

Tuesdays and Fridays are off days. Friday will be spent doing a football game.

Friday afternoons could be spent snapping either a XC meet or tennis match at the site of the football game. Soccer games can be fully-covered with less emphasis at the town of the football game. However, I have never turned this trick before. The odds of either happening are at least 1 in 25.

Tuesdays are free days, and I can cover pretty much anything.

Monday, Wednesday, Thursday if I'm working the midshift: I'm out the door at 5:30 if I have something planned. The only thing that late would be volleyball, or a RARE football game. I can make a varsity tip-off no later than 7:00, meaning I can travel an hour and 15 minutes. Thursday's are special because I may be out by 4:30.

Saturday and "school holiday" coverage (if I am closing at Shell) has to start no later than 8:00 for boys golf, 10:00 for XC, 1:00 for boys soccer, and has to be within 30 miles from Sterling. I also factor in the time it takes to drive immediately to work. So, yeah, Saturday's suck.

Everything revolves around the Shell schedule.

A State of Flux

Cutter's Log - Stardate 0102.11.80
Current Song - Just The Two of Us (Bill Withers)

I was reminded today that I'm not faring so well in this battle versus the real world.

I was reminded today that I think I have a case of a mixture of solitude, depression and lonliness.

Between work, high school sports, and the battle to live a normal life, today I find my mind in a scramble.

A blah day at work was followed by a nap, looking at a state atlas, dinner, another nap, news and Leno, reading a book, and typing this. I did nothing else other than this.

The effort to communicate better isn't going so well. I would like to share an example of my failure to communicate:

On Monday afternoon, I traveled to a golf meet in Rockford. I was going to cover it, but had to be back in Sterling at a certain time. I park at the course parking lot. I had to think of a plan for a couple of minutes: okay, I'm going to go inside, try to find someone important and ask him/her when the meet's going to end. I exit my car thinking as if I'm breaking out of a huddle.

I walk in the clubhouse and find a bunch of people. I don't know any of them. Nobody looked too important, and they were all engaged in discussion. Rather than rudely interrupt the conversations, I walked outside and thought of a Plan B.

Plan B, as odd as it is, was to call the clubhouse and ask someone. I'm thinking, they have to answer the phone and I'll finally get my answer. I can't just say, when's it going to end. I called the clubhouse and disguised my voice as if I were someone older. I told them I couldn't reach my son, who's playing in the meet, and I wanted to know when things were going to wrap up (it wasn't going to wrap up in time for me to report to work).

That is what I did.

Years of not engaging in general conversation had made me sort of forget HOW to converse.

I write this stuff here because I don't know who will WANT to listen to me.

When I was out of work from the summer of '05 to the fall of '06, I was told that getting a job would help me interact. It has, a little bit. Four years later, I find myself as an afterthought in customer-clerk conversation when another clerk is in the store. They'll acknowlegde my presence, and then converse with the off-duty clerk.

They say converstation starters are things such as the weather, gas prices, weird items (especially the large beef jerky), and the Gazette. "It's nice out." "It's cheaper in Dixon." "that's a HUGE piece of beef jerky!" "Sheley's on the front page, AGAIN." These are things that I can only concur. I can't really find that connecting point to extend the conversation. I do succeed in finding it at times, but they are repetitive.

So if it's communication, it's generic communication. I deeply hate that.

I can't even find a conversation starter when it comes to classmates and high school friends from both Sterling and Rock Falls. What HAVE I been up to? I feel as if I want to tell the entire story of my life post-graduation. At the same time, I realize they don't have TIME to hear everything. So I try to abbreviate it in the form of "still working and writing."

We have our Five-Year Class Reunion this Saturday. I kind of know what everyone's up to because I'm Facebook friends with a bunch of classmates. Speaking of Facebook, I only have about 140 friends. I'm not going to engage in some sort of popularity contest of who has the most friends. The 140orso people are those people who are important to me.

I guess when I try to be respectful, I don't often succeed.

So that's how my lack of conversation fails me at work.

I truly feel that if I had more time to spend with high school sports maybe my communication in that area would improve. Maybe I would have a stronger inner circle (more about that later). I guess you can say vice-versa with Shell. Also, sometimes I think that my desire to be involved more with sports friends kind of turns off my Shell co-workers. Like customers, I can't seem to find a connection to a conversation piece with my co-workers, and it seems as if we don't work together well. It hurts a lot.

My lack of communication also fails me when it comes to my career: high school sports journalism. I was reminded during this past spring season that what I do and who I cover has hindered my communication ability. How?

My coverage area is the combined coverage areas of about 10 different daily newspapers. My coverage schedule and dedication time only allows me to stay in touch with the top of the top. In a newspaper's coverage area, I could only tell you about the top two teams. I hear all these writers talk about all of their teams, and it blows me away. It should NOT blow me away. It sure makes me look dumb.

In knowing a lot about all of their teams, the writers it seems are in more constant contact with coaches and players outside of the sports event. I like to refer to this as an "Inner Circle" of sorts. If I had one of my own, it currently would be a very weak one with only a few coaches. Constant contact is something that's being preached to journalists these days. That's something that I cannot excel in.

Then fix it. Establish constant contact.

That's when the respect factor comes in. I know people have a lot more on their minds than wanting to be an interview subject for a website that's looking for some popularity. I'm so AFRAID that it will turn into stalking, that I shy away from constant contact with coaches. I tell myself that this is prepatory sports and not professional sports, and coaches are teachers first.

I guess when I try to be respectful, I don't often succeed.

There is still a lot of places to explore in the high school sports scene. Working at the Shell station, I feel very stuck in the same loop of disappointment when it comes to communication. However, as I have mentioned time and time again, Shell is where I'm making my money and NISB is where I'm just trying to keep my career going. What would make this much better is that coveted journalism job.

Establishing a knack for simple conversation leads to friends, friends lead to having girlfriends, and so on.

As for right now, all I can do is dream.

Back in the midshift groove

Cutter's Log - Stardate 0102.41.80
Current Song - Opening Act (Prevue Channel)

Finally tonight, as promised, a Special Comment on the -1% of gas station customers.

Gee, after working a few daytime shifts the whole point about "I, me, my" doesn't seem as abundant as I thought it would be. In other words, I haven't had any major headaches.

I have had minor headaches, however. I lose track of time quite a bit, and sometimes don't even make it to the other side of the counter where the coffee's at. Non-stop lines until about 3:30, with small pockets of time for unpacking a carton of cigarettes or taking a sip of my Dew.

All of this goes on with the stupid two-counter/one-register format (the ONLY thing I miss about BP is having just one counter). At times, there is no line. It's a blob of people. And when there's a line of people at one register, someone comes into the store and is the only person in the other line, and thinks he/she is the next person in line.

They do not know that there's a second line. They don't see the second line. They don't see anything other than their purchase, the clerk and the exit door. Everything else is blank white. These are your "I, me, my" people that make me want to puke. They don't pay any attention to the world around them, as opposed to the the world should be revolved around him or her.

Some may think it's easy to point these people out. Look at their clothes. However, in the nearly four years I've been behind gas station counters, I have noticed that well-dressed people are more cooperative than the sub-one. I have noticed that the area's celebrities and public servants are more cooperative than not only the sub-one, but the large majority of total customers. I don't judge the book by the cover.

So who exactly makes up the sub-one?

If you pester me about the ATM fee, even though that's decided by the ATM - chill, man!

If you toss your credit card on the counter like a ragdoll, that's just like throwing money - chill, man!

If we don't carry your cigarettes, and you've never seen an advertisement of them - chill, man!

If you inform me that the Jif peanut butter is ten cents cheaper down the street - chill, man!

If you use the words "should" and "therefore" during a transaction - chill, man!

If you think we're informed every day from Mr. J about why Dixon's gas is cheaper - chill, man!

Good night and Good Luck.

Busy, Busy Week

Cutter's Log - Stardate 0102.70.80
Current Song - Jackie Blue (Ozark Mountain Daredevils)

I got stuck with the same work schedule (wink, wink) for next week.

Sunday off, Monday night, Tuesday mid, Wednesday off, Thursday and Friday mid, and Saturday night.

I closed this past Thursday, and had to come in at 10:00 in the morning. Little sleep. I've done this before, so it's not new. The only time when it gets irritating is when you have one of your "Top 5 sales shifts" ever during the day, and your relief is an hour late. Then again, Friday middays were once a staple for me during the past football season. However, that made the football games not that interesting.

When I got home, I needed to lay down. It was a nice day outside, so the air conditioning at home wasn't on. However, I had it on all day at work. You know how that feels. I eventually did lay down in the sauna (the nickname for my bedroom - where the insulating is worn out). I could feel my feet literally tingling toward my knees.

But that's all over with.

I'm closing tonight and getting tomorrow off. While off in the following week, I'm going to get caught up on stuff I actually had planned for June and July. There's three features, an event, and more bits and tweaking with NISB.

The sports season is starting soon!!

Love Is Blue

Cutter's Log - Stardate 0102.40.80
Current Song - Love is Blue (Paul Mauriat)

Today, I got a dose of an instrumental piece you may have heard on an oldies station. You know, that one with the string guitar and the piano doing some sort of French waltz? No, not Classical Gas.

You can probably say that Paul Mauriat's "Love is Blue" is my kryptonite. It's a song that closely resembles two of my favorite foreign films ("Bicycle Thieves" and "Band of Outsiders"). All active thought in my very active brain ceases for this moment.

In the words of a YouTube comment of an audio file of the song, "My heart sighs heavily."

More difficult than "A Tale of Two Cities," "War and Peace," and any early T.S. Eliot poem is the understanding of life's greatest adventure. Eventually we all finally understand the literary works, but it takes years to understand this adventure.

I feel like I'm back in the literature part of my English classes: Everyone is at the fun and exciting part, while I'm still trying to figure out what the first paragraph of the prolouge means.

Okay, so it means this ... and I advance forward in the reading.

NO! ... and I get thrown back to square one.

Again, I try to make sense of it and again I get thrown back.

I try many different ways. However, I'm unable to get anything off the ground. And as time goes on, the task gets even more difficult. These are the only ways I know, and they have all failed, even if I repeat them. And when I do repeat them, the fewer the people who hold me back - but I still get held back.

Avenues I once went down are permanantly being blocked quite a bit these days.

When, oh when, will that time come?

And which lady will it be? Who will strike me with a zap of romance?

Daytime

Cutter's Log - Stardate 0102.20.80
Current Song - Sign Your Name (Terence Trent D'arby)

I'll be working the daytime shift at work in the next couple of days. I only get one or two daytime shifts a month. I'll be doing three this week. It's like having to fill a dayshift quota. Actually, we're a bit short-staffed.

I haven't written in this blog for a while because of being busy. But when I do, it's likely something I need to share (probably because of frustration).

The reason why I'm the "night specialist" is because of me being a night owl. The night shift, to many people, is one where you taper off as the night goes on. The way I avoid this is by waking up in the afternoon. When I come to work, it's as if it's the first thing I'm doing. That philosophy is what made me survive the overnights at BP for a year-and-a-half and the evenings at Shell for over two years.

So when I have to work during the daytime, I'm usually finding my sleep pattern interrupted. I'm entering work feeling groggy. However, through the years I have seemed to manage it well ...

Until recently.

The way I conduct my "clerking" is a bit different. I have a set schedule for chorework. Everything's routine. A good portion of the night is spent doing chorework. This is reversed during daytime.

There's more time at the register during the daytime. There are more customers at the store during daytime. The busyness doesn't frazzle me.

What DOES frazzle me is the make-up of the customer base in the daytime, compared to the nighttime. I have found out that there are more customers who are rude, insubordinate and mean. Everyone thinks that nighttime customers are all drunk and vagrant. I find it the opposite with the 5% of daytime customers I'm writing about.

The real reason why I don't like working during the daytime is because of that ONE such confrontation that will absolutely ruin my day. It is all about disgruntled customers.

I'll admit that I'm the worst at dealing with disgruntled customers. Everyone else who works where I work at, all with a lot of daytime experience and one with over 20 years, is so much better at this. I rarely, if ever, get disgruntled customers at night, and when I do, it is in the early part of the shift (5-7). They scare the hell out of me.

When this kind of thing happens, here is what is going through my mind afterward:

-You are not God.
-If you kill us youth off like that, the cycle of evolution will break, and you are effectively killing society as we know it.
-Johnson Oil's future depends on youthful people such as myself.
-Those guys from Turk 190's are right, people from Sterling really CAN'T read.
-Mr. Williams' lecture on healthy Time Management in my college health class.
-I don't want to work a dayshift ever again.
-Why am I worrying so much?
-You ever notice that it's always the pump and never the card?
-You ever notice that it's always our problem and never yours?
-This never happens when I work at Wende's.

... and I will add more later.

Not much luck on the Card Trip

Cutter's Log - Stardate 0102.32.70
Current Song - Steppin Out (Joe Jackson)

It wasn't an entirely good day on the Pirate adventure.

My first stop was a card shop in Muscatine IA. I arrived at 9:00 in the morning. They were closed and wasn't going to be open until 1:00. I kind of joked to myself that they were all hiding from me. I'm only kidding. My next stop was one in Milan. Again, they opened at 1:30, too late for me.

The next stop, in Moline, was a success, but only because they were actually open when I got there. No 10/25 boxes, and the only thing they had in a bin were $4 game useds. I didn't want to walk away empty, so I bought a Frank Thomas game used (of the Thomas's I have, this is the 1st game used), and a 45-print run Marcus Giles. I have no idea how much they are actually worth, but I figured at least $10 each - meaning I may have doubled.

The final stop was in Clinton. There were a couple of small 25 boxes. I walked away with a couple of Bowman refractors and a Willie Hernandez rookie card. Who is Willie Hernandez, you may ask? The closer for the 1984 Tigers that won the world series. He started his career as a Cub.

No more card treks for a while.

My brakes are squealing once again. I can now hear them with my windows rolled up. Sometime next week I'm going to take it to Midas. I may also probably get my lights fixed.

***

I just kick-started things with summer coverage. This will be more like pre-prep-season coverage. I gave Bill some stories and I'll give myself some stories.

Baseball Cards

Cutter's Log - Stardate 0102.22.70
Current Song - Gold Dust Woman (Fleetwood Mac)

I've mentioned on this blog a few times that I have been keeping an eye on my baseball cards. My collection is divided into two parts. One part is the collection I have built together in the past 20 years. The second part is the collection I acquired from a gentleman who ran a business in Rock Falls.

About a couple of years ago, I swaped some cards between both collections. I then added in another 1,000 cards I acquired from a card shop in Madison into the second collection.

I will not be adding any more cards into the first collection. In fact, I want to permanantly store them somewhere. Maybe I should just bury them in the backyard with a note saying "do not open in 200 years." I will be selling off my second collection in the form of starter sets and single cards.

The decision to semi-retire from card collecting is based on two things: one is my time spent away from it, and two is the changing atmosphere of collecting.

I subscribe to Beckett monthly, and have done so off and on for at least 15 years. All of the attention is being given to rare cards, autographed cards, game piece cards, subset cards, etc. One, I can't afford to do that. Two, I have learned a lot from the horror stories of people collecting Travis Lee, Rick Ankiel, Rick Asadoorian, Brad Nelson, J.D. Drew, etc. These are rookie cards that were at the top of the world at one time. I have Nelson's. It was once $15. It is now $0.60. A side note - I own the card with the largest market freefall (1992 Donruss Update Kenny Lofton from $75.00 to $2.00).

When I began high school, the journalism thing and the job thing, I didn't collect as much. So my collection roughly stops at 2002.

As for the "hot" cards, I simply can't waste my money HOPING I will find the lucky card. I have seen dealers badly inflate pack prices in hopes that buyers have a chance at finding a hot rookie card. Barbaric. I have better things to do with my money.


***

So I will be selling off that second collection in the form of starter sets and single cards. The single cards were taken out of the primary collection in hopes that I can sell them for what they are worth.

The above statement causes a lot of heat between buyers and sellers.

I remember about 10 years ago when I had an Eric Moulds (remember him?) Topps Chrome rookie card, valued at $80.00. The guy that owned the card shop in town wanted to buy it for $20. We had a bit of a quarrel before I settled on $20 and took 20 cards from the $1 bin. He was soon selling that same card for $80.

So he makes $60 off the card, and I make $20 off it? What's wrong here?

Instead of bowing down and getting a fraction of the cost off of the card, I won't deal with people who are looking to make money off of my cards. I won't deal with pickers. I won't deal with pawners. I won't deal with ubercollectors. Instead, I would like to pass on what I know about collecting onto other people who are either just starting, or would like to start.

I am actually selling my single cards at a rung below book value. The "rung" is as follows: 05-10-15-20-25-30-40-50-60-75-100-125-150-200-250-300-400-500-600-800-1000 ...

My overall hope is that the new collectors can truely appreciate the value and the existance of the trading card, as well as the hobby.

Space

Cutter's Log - Stardate 0102.91.70
Current Song - Trololo (Edward Kuhl)

I've been in sort of a funk in the past month or so. I don't feel like doing anything other than working or sleeping. When I'm not working, I want to close my eyes and lay down. When I'm not sleeping, I'm usually working.

I don't know if this is my body telling me that it wants to start a long-term catch-up-on-sleep project, or what. Maybe it's because I'm constantly finding myself bored. There are times I don't even feel like writing.

Why am I constantly bored? I think it's because I'm constantly worrying so much. Among the things I'm worrying about include the love life and friendships. The love life has been something I've always had trouble with. But before I can even think about finding a girlfriend, I have to work on maintaining friendships.

What?

You see, I feel like I never do my part in maintaining them. The few who have actually reached out to me, I've had trouble keeping it up. Apparently I have to reach out to everyone else. It's as if others are forcing me to play offense. It's like saying, “don't reach out to him, let him reach out to you.”

I can't. I don't know how. My interest levels do not match those of the people I find myself around. Wait, did I just talk like an android?

As I am typing this, I am sitting on my computer chair staring off into space. Android? Data? I'm finding myself staring off into space a lot these days. Doesn't seem like fun, doesn't it? Id' rather be having a fun time. I can't remember the last time I had a fun time with other people. Most of those with whom I've interacted with in high school seem to have this kind of fun every couple of days.

Real life is setting in. It seems as if those I was once with are drifting into a large melting pot, leaving me all alone (but not on purpose).

(10 more minutes of staring into space)

Okay, I now remember the last time – in March at March Madness in Peoria, eating wings at Hooters with some Winnebago fans. March. Four months ago.

I need to stare off some more ...

A breakdown of the Final Four

Cutter's Log - Supplemental

I have narrowed my undergraduate choices to four schools: Northern Illinois, Western Illinois, Illinois State and Wisconsin-Whitewater.

This post will be used as a drawing board for thinking. Feel free to add in your input either via comment or other means (email, messaging, etc).


Distance (Mapquest):

NIU - 1 hour; 55 miles
WW - 2 hours; 117 miles
ISU - 2 hours; 120 miles
WIU - 2 hours; 135 miles


Art's Nearest Store:

NIU - Rochelle (15 miles) [Midpoint: N/A]
WW - Woodstock, Marengo and Belvidere (all within 46-49 miles) [Midpoint: Sharon, WI]
WIU - Galesburg (50 miles) [Midpoint: Roseville or Avon]
ISU - Oglesby (57 miles) [Midpoint: Wenona or Minonk]


NISB Info:

NIU - Plethora of schools
WW - Harvard is nearest school (33 miles), Rockford nearest group (53 miles)
ISU - Streator is nearest school (57 miles), IV nearest group (62 miles)
WIU - Rock Island is nearest school (78 miles), QCA nearest group (78 miles)


Living off Campus:

NIU - Yes
WW - Yes
ISU - Yes
WIU - Not Sure


RateMyProfessors (overall/easiness):

ISU - 3.2/3.1 -- 3.2
WIU - 2.9/2.9 -- 2.9
WW - 3.3/2.5 -- 2.9
NIU - 3.1/2.3 -- 2.7


Composite Favorite so far (on a scale of 10):

NIU - 8.5
WW - 6.0
ISU - 5.0
WIU - 5.0

Time

Cutter's Log - Stardate 0102.31.70
Current Song - Us and Them (Pink Floyd)

Somehow, somehow I have found a small pocket of time.

A lot has been going through my head lately.

I'm figuring out that this Peoria Woodruff project is taking longer than I thought. The research part is actually easy compared to actually formatting it on the Glory Days site. It's taking me two sports at a time before getting tired.

With the way I function, I can't work on anything else until I get this thing done. I've got a bunch of minor sports left to do (Boxing?), as well as the activities portion. I have today off of work. Maybe before the All-Star Game, I'll work on more of it.

I spent last Friday down in Peoria doing research for it. This is kind of like building a template for record book audits. What are record book audits? When this Woodruff thing gets done, the next school I'll work on is Sterling St. Marys and Community Catholic (the predecessor to Newman).

As I mentioned, the Woodruff project is kind of putting a big hold on things for NISB. I do have stuff planned, but I'm trying to find a good time to start on it. We're still pretty early.


---

Then there's the rummage sale plan.

I have all of the items lined up and boxed. I am just in need of tables and an area to do it at. A date to do it, too.


---

Work is going good.


---

The time-off thing is being criticized by more customers. Once again, I was told by someone else that I need to be in school NOW.

Okay Real World, here's a question for you ...

Is is possible to plan the whole college thing, from scratch, in two weeks?

Bear in mind, my choices range from: NIU, Wisconsin-Whitewater, Illinois State and Western Illinois. Secondary choices are: Chicago State, Illinois-Chicago, Eastern Illinois and Wisconsin.


---

Last, but not least, the private life. The search still continues for that special woman.

Bored out of my mind

Cutter's Log - Stardate 0102.70.70
Current Song - Love is Blue (Paul Mauriat)

I had wanted some sort of progress this summer. I'm only getting it in the form of more work hours and a 0.25 pay raise due to 7/1. While that is great, I could do more outside of work.

Like that rummage sale that's been in the planning stages for a couple of years now.

I just need to round up all of the things I don't want, do announcements somewhere, price them reasonable, get the posterboard, etc. My biggest obstacle is finding tables, and the time to do it.

I have all day Sunday off of work. I want to gather things together and plan it out for a future date that I'm off of work. To prevent it from being put off any further, I will schedule it for some time next week or two weeks from now.

The summer calendar has so far been sketchy. Work and tiredness had a lot to do with it.

I was going to go to Peoria to complete my work on the Woodruff page of the Glory Days site, but little did I know that libraries were closed on the 5th in observance of the 4th. Luckilly, I didn't waste 160 miles on my car before I looked to see if Sterling's library was open.

So that's what I'll do on Friday. I have the general history section researched, and will be spending time working on a more elaborate athletic history.

Sunday is my next day off - rummage sale planning

A couple of weeks ago, I made a Glory Days trip toward DeKalb and Yorkville. I'm finding out that there were a couple of spots I missed, but only missed them because I needed to get to the DeKalb library before they close. They are: Richmond, Ringwood, Roscoe, Channahon and Lisbon. Future trips for unknown dates.

I will clamp down on the summer stuff for NISB in about a week. We've got a college-bound piece pending.

I'm tired. Good night.

Future

Cutter's Log – Stardate 0102.40.70
Current Song – While my Guitar Gently Weeps (George Harrison)


Yesterday's personal disappointment made me want to think about my recent future. As mentioned, I consider myself a free agent in the high school sports journalism world. Actually, I've been a free agent since August 2004.

Unlike LeBron, I won't wait.

I have decided to go at least one more year with Northern Illinois Sports Beat. After that, the future seems more open.

Could the 2010-11 season be the final season for NISB? Maybe. Then again, maybe not.

I have certain expectations for NISB for the upcoming year. If they are met, good. If they aren't met, the future is uncertain.

What do I mean by this, exactly?

NISB is pretty much a “second job” for me. My “first job” is with Johnson Oil. I get paid there. I don't get paid for NISB, that's because I run it. I have always tried to find a way to make NISB something where money can flow. I just haven't been able to find a way that will not aggravate people.

Right now, the only thing I charge for is past stories. I recently decided to permanently archive stories of the past two sports seasons. All Fall 2009 stuff will be archived at the start of Fall 2010, for example. All stories and information are mostly free, except for the archived stories. I really do not feel like charging people for fresh information.

So in the coming days, I will think about things that I could do make the “second job” feel like one. As long as it doesn't harm the website traffic.

The middle ground will be found soon.

I know how LeBron ... and D-Wade and Bosh ... Feels

Cutter's Log - Stardate 0102.30.70
Current Song - Promises, Promises (Naked Eyes)

I feel like my career is somewhat paralleling LeBron's.

I "filed for free agency" this past spring from NISB. I'm contemplating several opportunities. A part-time job recently opened in LP. There's a big NIU and preps (80/20) opportunity at DeKalb. The second Peoria paper may still have an opening. There's another in Munster, Indiana. There's desk stuff in Mattoon. Creston, IA is a ways away. Then there's always NISB.

I have been bugged by A LOT of people regarding what I do next. Relatives, customers at the gas station, friends, instructors, etc. I stated during graduation that I would take a year off to try to "get on my own two feet." Apparently no one knows what that means --- It means find a place to live on my own. I just CANNOT understand why people think it is so easy to get out and just find a place willy-nilly.

The fact is, right now I am in no shape to get a place of my own. I do not know how to find a place of my own. I do not know how to successfully be on my own. I do not know how to earn enough money, without dying of excessive body pain, to sucessfully pay the money (bills, groceries) needed to be on my own.


After pausing for about 45 minutes after writing the next paragraph, I have come to the conclusion that my biggest lack (communication) is preventing me from doing what I want to do.

I do not want to live like a lonely reculse my entire life.

Doesn't get any slower

Cutter's Log - Stardate 0102.51.60
Current Song - You're My Best Friend (Queen)


I released the 2010 NISB State of the Site Address, and updated the website a bunch. Hopefully I can live up to these changes. There are still a few kinks to work on. As to when I can find time to do it, I'm not sure of.

I begin a string of nights working beginning Thursday. I'll be at my store on Thursday and Saturday, and at Dixon on Friday and Sunday. This week should be over 40 hours once again. I worked a tad bit over 40 last week between the two stores. I also know what I'll be doing next week. I'll be doing at least 33 hours at my store.

Aside from working, I'm trying to make up plans for NISB summer coverage. I don't know what will happen just yet, but I'm hoping next week I'll be able to come up with something.

All of this working will make my paycheck somewhat bigger. Sometime over the summer I will be making good on my plan to try to get off on my own two feet. I will be trying to figure out what the "living bills" will be.

What are they? (I'm trying to remember the Mr. Underwood math class budget)

Groceries
Fuel
Verizon/Phone
ComEd/Electric
Water
Nicor/Heating
Cable
Internet

Fun Stuff ("Entertainment" just doesn't sound right)

Out of my paycheck, roughly 15% is taken out for taxes. If I work a minimum of 20 hours a week (I will almost always work more than 20) @ $8.50/hour, that's $170 total. Take that times 0.15 and the weekly check is usually $144.50. That's a minimum monthly earning of $578.

Divy up that 144.50 into the bills:

Phone - I use the refill cards. I currently recharge $15/week. (129.50)

Fuel - The tank goes from top to bottom in about a week. A max of $3 in a 12-gallon tank: $36. It may just end up being $30/week instead. They say it's not wise to top off. (93.50)

Groceries - I haven't figured this one out yet. It's just me for now. I wouldn't mind trying it out for one week. In preparation for a bunch of work on the State of the Site Address, I bought a 12-pack of Dr. Pepper last night for $5.34 (w/tax). It's about half gone now. I may have to go 24/30 pack and try to save it for a week. That's just pop. Other stuff is just not known right now.

Electric, Water, Heating, Cable - Five people live in my house. I don't know whether or not to just divide the monthly bill, or perhaps the highest month thus far, my parents get by 5.

Internet - I don't even know how this one works.


All of this is NOT counting the biggest expense of them all: RENT

Five Days Until SOSTA

Cutter's Log - Stardate 0102.10.60
Current Song - Chelsea Dagger (The Fratellis)

I have written the 2010 NISB State of The Site Address, and will tweak it for any more suggestions up until Tuesday. I work on Monday night, so it will be a long night when I get off.

It will also be a very long few days as well. I'm heading into work early today to relieve someone who isn't feeling well. I had to do an energency fill-in at Dixon yesterday, and may wind up doing more in the near future. At least it looks good on the paycheck.

After I get off work I should have plenty of sleep, because on Friday I'm covering Moline-Sandburg at the Softball State Tournament at 7:00 p.m. That could be followed by a early DeKalb Baseball game on Saturday -- followed by work.

Sunday may be the only off day I'll have for a while.

Another Busy Weekend

Cutter's Log - Supplemental


It looks like it will be another busy weekend for me with NISB. Both DeKalb Baseball and Moline Softball will be competing at the large school roundball State Tournaments.

I will be doing Moline Softball on Friday and Bill will be doing DeKalb Baseball on Friday. I will be doing DeKalb on Saturday, and Bill does Moline on Saturday. Everything really worked out. I have to work on Saturday night, and DeKalb will be playing in the afternoon.

Bill covered the small school softball action this past weekend, while I covered IVC Baseball at Baseball State. Hopefully the weather cooperates.

Coming back from Joliet on Saturday was a mess. I was going west on I-80 when it started to sprinkle when I hit Morris. It was a downpour after that. I couldn't see more than ten feet in front of me. When I got home I found out that I was at least five miles north of a tornado near Marseilles.

Yeah, I really hope the weather is nice.

State of the Site Writing

Cutter's Log - Stardate 0102.80.60
Current Song - Regulate (Warren G)


I will be writing the NISB State of the Site Address most of the day Tuesday, and maybe even Wednesday. Yeah, it's THAT long.

I had planned most of it before, but within the past couple of weeks I am beginning to see the writing on the wall. Cut the coverage area 90% to only a fixed portion of the area - in particular the schools not too far from where I live. As if these are the only schools I should give a darn about.

And these people are HAPPY that I'm in a state of confusion right now, as if they think I'm starting to come their way.

My Best "Bill-O The Clown"

Cutter's Log - Stardate 0102.30.60
Current Song - Tired of Being Alone (Al Green)


I get asked all of the time, "Do you make money on NISB?" The answer to that question is 'No.' I don't really need to make money on NISB. I do offer a way so that I could make money (through the story archive), but it doesn't get used. I don't get paid for writing pieces, traveling to games, or reimbursed for such things including hotel stays. Everything from NISB comes out of my own pocket.

I do this as a service to the northern Illinois high school sports community. My main task as I run the website is to inform. That's different from my counterparts on the print side of things.

A few years ago, a few newspapers experimented with charging for online content. SVN, the Ottawa Times, the BCR, and the Argus/Dispatch did this. It didn't work out too well for them, and they went back to posting things online for free.

This was before the days of severe cutbacks.

At one time a couple of years ago, each NISB-area newspaper was posting stories online for free. The LaSalle-News Tribune couldn't make up their mind over the past couple of years. There were times they charged for a full story, and times were they didn't charge for a full story.

Then about a year ago, the Kewanee Star-Courier began cutting back their online version of its stories to about the first 1/3rd. The Rochelle News-Leader began doing this, too. The first 1/4 of its stories are posted.

Ottawa Delivered, the new "rival publication" to the Times, ripped a page out of the Times' past playbook. Nothing is free on there anymore, unless you take a survey and are willing to recieve a bunch of junk mail in your Inbox.

The Morris Daily Herald took everything a step further last week. In order to read anything local, you need to pay. The national stuff is free game. The local stuff, not so fast. Oh wait, columns are free. Factual stories, not so fast. The process worked so well at Morris, that SVN is doing it too.

To read why Morris went to such a format, you'll need to read the story from April 27th. Unfortunately, you'll need to shell out an extra $2.50 to retrieve it because it is more than seven days old. You CAN read SVN's reason for going to this new format. Hurry up, because after this upcoming Saturday, you'll need to pay the $2.50. Shaw (SVN, MDH, BCR, DeKalb, NW Herald, KCC, yada yada yada), QC Online and the T-H archive all past recent stories. Gatehouse (Rockford, Freeport, Kewanee, Peoria, Chillicothe), the OT, N-T, Clinton Herald and QC Times has articles for free online, dating back to who knows when.

Some little things irk me.

The SVN and MDH articles (I happen to remember the MDH article) were written by writers. The writers interviewed their respective publishers. Apparently the publishers didn't want to stamp their name on the by-line.

I'm going to get some flack from those who read during the Grandon-era, but when I worked for SVN, albeit briefly, I considered Bill Shaw (who was then-publisher) a very great guy. Someone who was very involved with the newspaper business, from editorial to printing press. Someone who was very involved with the community. He was the fifth- or sixth-generation Shaw to run the Dixon paper. He even wrote on rare occasion, maybe three or four times a year.

Then came the current guy in charge. Half of the Sauk Valley couldn't recall his name without researching it. That wasn't the case with Bill SHAW. I'll give you a hint, his last name isn't Shaw.

I'm trying to imagine Johnson Oil without any family running the show. I don't think I'd want to go on any further. I'm recalling a comment I heard regarding the National transition from the Bittorfs and Bensons to Stanley Tools.

The point I'm trying to make is that a great sense of family involvement makes a business special. Maybe I'm biased: my great-grandfather, grandfather and father have all worked for Cutter Electric. The family business had helped out with Johnson Oil for nearly 25 years.

Everything changed when Bill left. It became more of a business than a family business. There was no more tradition left. No flow.

Can't catch a break

Cutter's Log - Stardate 0102.20.60
Current Song - You Can Do Magic (America)


You'll notice the formatting has somewhat changed. I don't know why exactly, but I made some setting changes to the blog.

Anyway, I'm busy making changes to NISB at the moment. I'm trying to get that accomplished, preparing for Joliet over the weekend, and dealing with work, and prepping for the MLB Draft early next week. For the third year in a row, I'll be keeping my eye on things in regards to Illinois high schoolers being drafted.

Been a While

Cutter's Log - Stardate 0102.82.50
Current Song - Straight On (Heart)

The graduation get together was awesome. Many family and friends showed up, and it was good to see them all. Written words can't describe just how it meant a lot to me. It's hard to sum it all up. All I had to do, on my part, was to announce what I'll be doing for the forseeable future.

The next chapter in my life is beginning.

I may be spending more time away from this Blog for a little while, to try to figure out just how to go about moving forward. For starters, I need to save money. So I bought a book at Borders when I was up in Rockford a couple of Tuesdays ago. It's called "365 Ways to Live Cheap". I'm reading through it a little at a time. It slams being frugal down your throat.

Some of the things I just can't do because it's not my nature - like complain to people in order to save money. One cannot be too frugal, and I don't plan on being too frugal - who would want that, other than others who are too frugal?

Money saving is kind of important right now, at this stage of my life.

Two weeks into my post-college life, and I'm still in spring sports mode. It's the way it should be. I want to finish up the Spring grind and get the 2010 NISB State of the Site Address posted. My future plans will be announced in the Address, and those who follow this Blog will be directed to read it (on 6/15) for more information.

As for the current time, I just got done posting the latest Friday 5 for NISB. I'll be covering the LaSalle-Peru Baseball Regional final between Rock Island and LP on Saturday morning, then heading for work. Yuck. Bill will be covering Somonauk softball versus Forreston at the Pearl City Sectional on Saturday. Next week's plans for coverage are TBD.

Why I don't like pro sports

Cutter's Log - Stardate 0102.41.50
Current Song - Pomp and Circumstance

T-minus about four hours before graduation.

But right now I have to get something off my chest about professional sports. I can't stand the politics of those who are in the offices of these pro sports teams.

Take a look at the NBA's Eastern Conference right now. The Chicago Bulls make the playoffs, and their head coach gets fired because they lost in the first round, to the Cavs. The Cavs are considering firing their head coach, mainly because of two bad losses to end their series, against the Celtics. The Atlanta Hawks have fired their coach, after being swept by the Magic. The coach for Miami, who saw their season end to the Celtics, could be on the hot seat if Pat Riley wants to return to coaching.

The Celtics play the Magic for the Eastern championship. Stan Van Gundy had better be careful.

Already two, and probably three, head coaches have recieved the axe after leading their programs to the playoffs. If this is the case, then shouldn't every team that didn't make the playoffs fire their head coaches?

I used to think the NFL was bad, when Week 17 would be followed by "Pink Slip" week. The NBA and the NFL feel as if every season is World Championship or death. There's too much rumor and gossip, as well as expectations.

I live in the Chicago sports media area. It seems like after every Bears loss there's a call to fire Lovie Smith. It seemed like after every Cubs loss there's a call to fire Dusty Baker, which eventually did happen. Cubs under .500? Mass murder. Every team wants to reach the top, but only ONE will get there. The others are just crap-out-of-luck. At the pace of paranoia I've seen from Cub fans, Martial Law will be declared in the organization in 20 years (if "the year" hasn't arrived).

There's a lot of fan frustration out there at the moment. In many ways, this is linked to the struggling economy. I found this out from a comment about a past column I wrote about something similar in high school sports. These fans want to have pleasure in the form of professional sports. When they don't get it, they have to vent a kind of frustration similar to the ones they vent when it comes to job security, economy, etc.

I used to follow the White Sox religiously. I don't follow them as much anymore. I fully realize there may not be another 2005 season. I do not expect this season to be just like 2005. Furthermore, I have not set goals or expectations for the Sox this season. I have not made a prediction about the season's wins and losses. Because if they do not meet what I personally have laid out for them, I would cringe.

The key phrase in that past sentence is "I personally." I do not feel as if they have to cater to me. I am not the central important figure of the franchise. I am not their boss.

Since I do not follow the Sox as much, I have prevented myself from anguish over failed expectations that may lead to brain damage and erratic behavior. I haven't completely isolated myself from the professional sports world. I still watch Sportscenter. I heard the cries from Cardinal fans after their team was swept by the lowly Astros. My first thought? It's good to see the Astros rebound and accomplish something good. And I kind of consider myself a de facto Cardinal fan.

I have never had a favorite NBA team. I never was really a Bulls fan growing up, just because I didn't pay attention a whole lot. I have had brief loyalties with the Chicago Bears, Philadelphia Eagles and Cincinatti Bengals, but those were simply brief. I don't follow the NHL a whole lot, but at the rare times I do, I keep a tab on the Chicago Blackhawks. NASCAR hasn't been the same for me since Dale Sr. died.

Sometimes you just have to sever the rope. I did.

Last Week of School

Cutter's Log - Stardate 0102.31.50
Current Song - Break My Stride (Matthew Wilder)

I recently concluded my final week of classes at SVCC.

On Wednesday I finished my speech class. I gave my final assignment a week ago, but was there to critique the other speeches going on that day. I think I'm going to get a B- in the class, which is beyond my goal. I really liked the class, and I really liked the teacher. She called us all "ducklings" last night.

A couple of the speech students and I had dinner at Angelos II last night. They were much older than me and in the industrial sector, so they had a lot to share. Here I was, a young kid who will be graduating soon with an A.A. in communication arts. I learned a lot about meat and places to eat in Chicago. Did I mention I'm going to miss the teacher?

Today I finally finished the Graphic Design class. The brochure was not too terribly hard to put together, but getting the right detail and utilizing the instructor's tips were difficult. It was the only assignment done with Adobe InDesign, a program used by a lot of newspapers to lay out their pages. I would have had the assignment done yesterday, but there were problems with the printer. I needed to have the pages printed out. So I stopped by today. There were more printer problems today, but I finally got the darn thing printed. It felt like something was tugging at me - not wanting me to end this.

I have commencement practice at 5:30 tonight. Graduation is at 7:00 p.m. Friday night. You can view the ceremony at the SVCC website (http://www.svcc.edu).

A Couple of Other Things I'm Working on

Cutter's Log - Stardate 0102.01.50
Current Song - Undun (The Guess Who)

I started to cover things once again on Saturday. At points during that day, I thought of a couple of things. A column and a statement.

The column will be something along the line of seeing different atmospheres within the NISB coverage area. The second, the one which is more like a statement, is about trying to fend off potentially-fatal blows that newspapers are trying to deliver to NISB. If anything, online sites like mine are nothing but a nusiance to newspapers, according to them.

Newspapers will survive for many, many, many, many, many years. The typical online rival publication doesn't last too long. Every year for the past six years I've been trying to reinvent the website I run. I think a lot of newspaper people think that one day I'm going to launch something sick, and I should be taken down before I launch it - (Where does this sound familiar? Am I Khan Noonien Singh in control of Genesis?).

As I'm being looked at as a threat to the survival of the press, at the same time I still want to do what I love doing. I don't believe that since I don't work for a newspaper I am barred from doing it. I'm just going to be looked at differently.

The thoughts in the past three paragraphs are those I have constantly thought about over the past few years. Is it best to take out the other side? Is it best to work together? Is it best to stay apart? If we stay apart, doesn't that entice one side to overtake the other? So, is it really best to work together?

How does a website like Northern Illinois Sports Beat work together with a newspaper sports section? This calls for an Accord.

Give me a few weeks.