“So It’s Come To This:” is a scrapbook for my philisophical essays on the world, casual observations, and personal rants.
So It’s Come To This: posted a photo:
I felt the need to upload something so I pulled this pic out of the archives.
You’re looking at a street in Hoboken, NJ. Hoboken is actually below sea level and is prone to flooding. On nights like this, whole streets can shut down while residents wait for the sewer water to drain.
It’s disgusting, actually.
So It’s Come To This: posted a photo:
I just happen to be walking in Rockefeller Center today with family and saw they replaced the flags – normally of different countries – with all American ones in observance of Memorial Day in the US.
Not knowing a relative who fought in any conflict, its sometimes hard to appreciate the sacrifice the men and women of our service have made. Even if it isn’t the “ultimate” sacrifice, they often give up a life that we consider normal. Deploying overseas, living in barracks, & dedicating years serving our needs and those of other countries with which we share common goals.
So for all living and dead service members, who in peace time and in conflict, gave so much for us and others without asking for much in return….
Thank you.
So It’s Come To This: posted a photo:
Stopped by the Farmers Market in Union Square today & saw some lilac bunches. Not all of them looked this nice & it was clear that the lilac bushes were done flowering for this year.
I could tell from a very early age that I wasn’t destined to be a professional athlete. My parents offered me every opportunity, though. While I am not this year’s Super Bowl MVP, captain of a Football/Soccer club, winningest golfer, or olympian with the most gold medals, I learned a valuable lesson: When it comes to sports, I am not the bat; I’m the ball. And that lesson was a hard one.
I think I first realized it when I was in a youth soccer league. I must have been seven or eight and it was in my second year on the team. I was on a good team but didn’t play that much; I think we had a good record that year and may have been undefeated. I do remember being excited when I was out on the field, though, and enjoyed just being able to run close to the ball even if I never got it. But one day, I got it! I was either passed the ball or I stole it from the opposing team and was so excited I ran with it.
And ran, I did.
I could hear my teammates yelling something at me; I presumed they cheered me on as I got closer to the goal posts. Even my coach was animated and I really thought I was going to score my first goal… EVER. I zigged & zagged; I dribbled the ball down field, got within feet of the goalie cocked my right foot and aimed for the upper left corner of the posts. I let my leg carry my foot closer to scoring a GOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLL!!!!!
And I scored…
…against my own team.
Yes, my only goal I ever scored as a kid, was against my own team. I must have been so excited to get the ball, I forgot what side I was supposed to move toward. I didn’t realize the cheering was yelling aimed to get me to turn around and go the other way. And I didn’t realize the goalie (who did not wear the green shirts I wore) was on my team. The game went from 0-0 to 0-1 thanks to me. The coach was SO pissed and yelled at me.
I cried.
We lost that game. Like I said, I think that was our only loss of the season. And I don’t think I played for the rest of the year and I didn’t go back to soccer. The closest I’ve ever come to scoring a goal or winning the cup is when I play FIFA Soccer on the PlayStation.
As I grew older, I tried T-Ball and, then, Little League Baseball, and football. Each sport has its own “I suck” story that embarrasses me and makes me wish I was better coordinated. It wasn’t until I found track & field did I finally feel like I was decent at sports. Finding that solo activity provided me with another sports related lesson: I didn’t need a team to feel like I could succeed at sports or life.
All I needed was my own focus, determination, & strength to carry me through the race – to get me to the finish line on my own terms. And I found an inner resolve that I had not seen before. A resolve that gave me clarity and purpose: me. When I step up to the plate, I’m the ball; when I’m out on the field, I’m the ball that gets kicked. But when I run solo, I’m the bat; I’m the kicker…
… and I score for the right team.
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