I believe I found my soul mate today. His name is Brad Keselowski and he made history at the Daytona 500 – probably not the kind of history you’d imagine one would make at such an event, but the one that caught my attention and made me a little weak in the knees. I must be honest though, I knew not that he existed before this moment… but I’ll stick to my claims of soul mate. You see, Mr. Brad fully demonstrated second-nature-social-media-reaction-sharing syndrome. At the moment of emergency on the track, Mr. Brad didn’t think, “let me call for help,” “let me go see if everyone’s okay,” “let me take this opportunity to take a potty break…” no Mr. Brad pulled that smart phone geniousness out of his pocket (according to Twitter) and tweeted that fire-y accident to the world…
This moment will be written in the history books… or at least on all those social networks out there to be shared with friends of friends of friends… as the first tweet from a driver racing in Daytona 500.
Now don’t feel alarmed if you too are feeling your heartbeat increase and a few beads of sweat forming on your forehead, maybe even a little heavier breathing, this is totally normal, it’s a common side effect to second-nature-social-media-reaction-sharing syndrome attraction.
Mr.Brad’s syndrome is fairly rare in that it can actually give the illusion as a knight in shining armor to some… his horse in the form of a fast race car (we are in 2012 people, white horses were so last century). The moral of the story, Mr. Brad knows how to woo a lady. Gentlemen, take note… some ladies may love poetry, some may love romance, but the true way to any social lady’s heart… a man who takes life to the social media world without thinking twice… second-nature-social-media-reaction-sharing syndrom, that’s the way to this gal’s heart. (just fyi… there’s truth in there).
Bucket list: find soul mate – check (it didn’t say it had to be reciprocated… minor details people, I’m gonna need you look at the bigger picture here… social media + fast cars = love) check soul check mate check.
If you read my last post, you know I took a spontaneous adventure to Fairfax, VA to watch my boys, VCU, play against their rival GMU at the Patriot Center - they had the most epic Valentine’s date of the season. My adventure began with a yellow poster board, gold glitter, and a very serious question. On one side it read: “Be My Valentine Shaka!” With those words, I meant it, I really wanted that win, it was the only thing I wanted for Valentine’s day… my heart was full of black and gold love, and I wanted Shaka Smart to seal the deal with a victory, pushing those Patriots out of 1st place.
Driving fearlessly north on the interstate I realized I needed to fully prepare sir Panama of what exactly he was getting into by sharing a ticket with this black-and-gold fanatic. I don’t think even my words prepared him for the anxiety he’d witness in that nail-biting game. Seated in a section with mostly green and yellow, we boldly boo’d when needed and cheered excitedly while feeling those dirty looks glaring behind, beside, and in front of us. The game was tight and more intense than my little heart could handle on this special love day. But we were winning for the majority of the game, this was a calming reassurance (okay, that’s a huuuuge exaggeration, but the calming part sounded good. In all honesty, there was nothing calming about this game). At about 11 minutes left, I decided now was time to make my sign seen by the world… time to hunt down those tv cameras.
My sister had seats on the floor three rows behind the basket (I swear she knows everyone. That girl is ridiculous with her connections). I grab my sign and make my way down the narrow steps, head held high, marching down through the sea of green and gold poised head-honcho alumni. Evidently I looked out-of-place. After I sat down with her, I looked around and could see the most evil looks directed our way as if we were two Goths sadistically sacrificing baby lambs in the middle of a thousand bubbly cheerleaders. Head-honcho dude called security over, pointed strongly at me, “herrrrr… that girl in black and gold… checcccckkkkk herrrrrrr ticket.” So my ticket got checked, shoulda seen the look on their faces when my ticket was legit. Yep. I belonged there. Don’t hate.
While down there I made sure to bounce my sign around a little… showing off both sides with hopes of also reaching pretty lady who shall remain nameless in Chicago by way of tv cameras with the other side of my sign… I don’t think it worked though, the cameras, for some odd reason, just were not interested in my story, either one of them. Imagine that. How rude. It’s not like it was an intense game or anything. Sorry, lady, here it is:
(You see, pretty lady who shall remain nameless, she was a gmu cheerleader… we never could see eye-to-eye on basketball. I was hoping in the spirit of Valentine’s day, we could settle our differences… I may now retract my request at this time though).
Back to my seat I went to scare sir Panama a little more with my anxiety.
Then it came down to 48 seconds… we were up. The guy next to us (a VCU fan) decides he’s going to take off before the traffic get’s crazy – hey with 48 seconds what can happen – he thought. I waved him back (no clue who he was, but a vcu fan means bff-forever-and-always) “you can’t leave, 48 seconds is a long time! You leave now you’ll jinx us for sure!” Right then, mason fans go wild – 3 point shot… dude stands still… we make two foul shots, we’re up by four, with 10 seconds on the clock… dude leaves, again he thinks, “what can happen in 10 seconds…” I warned him again, but he left (see what I’m doing here, building my scapegoat… gotta have someone to blame)… they make another 3-pointer in those 10 seconds… we’re up by one point with two foul shots to take… we miss one foul shot, make the other, putting us up by two points… 3.8 seconds left… the shot happens… the shot from the movies… it was like time stood still… those 3 seconds will probably be Sherrod Wright’s best three seconds of his life… and the 3 seconds that broke my heart. Mason won by way of a 3-pt buzzer shot, all net… beautiful shot. One point… one… point. I just stood there my hands on my head as time stood still… it was like the slow motion scene in a movie where it takes 10.9 seconds for one toe to lift an inch off the ground as the cheerleaders, fans, and mascot jump simultaneously in the air. I couldn’t move. Heart. Broken. My poor boys, Shaka… oh Shaka… I guess I got my answer to my very important question. GMU Patriots, you broke my heart… my little hopeful heart. VCU, you boys played so well, really a fantastic game – you didn’t break my heart, I don’t know that you really could if you tried, you’ve had it for 25 years, no breaking it now, we’re in it for the long haul, you’re forever stuck with me. Heads up, you have more games to win, a tourney to push for, and a spot to take back.
Still, a top Valentine’s adventure on my list. Thanks sir Panama, Shaka, sister with the rockin’ seats, VCU basketball – because you still have my heart.
And no thanks to the 5 guys that broke my heart… gmu boys, you are just a bunch of heartless heartbreakers. Until we meet again…
I’m told that there’s an upside to this… The up side?… the Bulls won! and Adventure lady & Adventure lady’s husband won their soccer game. Good job guys. Haha.
Happy Valentine’s Day! Just checking in to say I’m headed on another spontaneous adventure to the VCU v. GMUgame tonight and pretty much looking forward to the best way to spend this love-filled day. I had plans of catching the game at Bdubs or Home Team Grill with a few friends tonight… but my plans went a little like this
“Hey old friend and equal enthusiastic VCU basketball loving fan who I dated in high school, wanna watch the game tonight?”
“Uhh… yeah, it’s Valentine’s Day… don’t think my girlfriend would be too excited about me watching the game with you on Valentine’s Day.”
Crap. It issss Valentine’s Day isn’t it. What does a girl have to do to watch basketball on a day like today? Let’s turn to Facebook.
“Okay so who wants to watch the VCU v. GMU game with me tonight in Fredericksburg? Screw valentine’s day… this beats love by ten thousand times. Where are you watching it tonight world?”
I got some supportive responses, a lot of thumbs up (I like the thumbs up and the fact that you like what I say, but I asked where people, where!)… but the best one yet & the winning response, “so where’s the game? GMU? Wanna go?” YESSSSSSSSS!OF COURSE!YES!
Can’t focus… game tonight. Rams vs. the Patriots… both tied (with Drexel… stupid dragons) for #1 with the record of 13-2 in the conference, VCU leading in the CAA with the best overall record of the three: 22-5. It’ll be intense. Watch it. Don’t miss it. 9PM EST Comcast Sportsnet… I’ll be the one with the awesome sign (so vague, I know… the point is, just watch).
Did you know roller rinks still exist? (Well good for you, I didn’t). I stumbled upon this blog a month ago about a woman who took her children rollerskating and how much of a workout it was. Reading her words brought back fond roller-memories from my childhood… the dingy old carpets that gave off this magical musty-ish scent as you walked through the doors, the excitement of renting skates doused in lysol (or whatever disinfecting residue they used in between feet use), the days you anxiously awaited the next birthday party with the big rollerskate on the invite, the butterflies that fluttered when you heard the slow song over the speakers and hoped Johnny B. Goode asked you to skate on the “couples only” skate (everyone wanted to skate with Johnny B. Goode) and of course that fearless nature you had when you were young… (who needs padding, falling is for the weak). I had no idea those days still existed! (Don’t judge, I don’t have kids so how would I know roller rinks weren’t just a thing of the 80′s).
After reading this blog, I forwarded it to my go-to adventure woman and the conversation went a little like this:
“hey woman, wanna bring this (rollerskating) back?”
“only if there’s 80′s clothes involved”
“well how else would we dress? that’s how we did it, so that’s how we’ll do it”
“Heck yes. Stan’s Skateland! Doing it.”
I can always count on her. She’s pretty much up for anything different, weird, fun, funny, entertaining (the list goes on, but I’ll stop there)… just wait until we get to the volcano boarding we have planned, that was just as easy of a question. But back to skating…
I mentioned we wanted to do this 80′s style right? (I ask this as if I can’t go back and read what I wrote). Did I also mention that 1. it’s not the 80′s anymore and 2. kids go there to hang out and be “cool” like we used to… doubtful that includes 80′s clothing. Okay, continuing with the story now that I’ve made those two points clear.
We wore 80′s clothes… well 3 (Miss Marilyn Monroe, Adventure Woman, and myself) out of the 10 of us wore 80′s clothes… bright colored clothes might I add. We went all out… confident in our decision despite the other 7′s hesitation (and probably logical thought process). We strutted into that roller rink like we were the absolute coolest chicks you ever did see. And we were. Still are. I think. I mean, those 12 year-olds looked us UP annnnd DOWN head-to-toe, obviously jealous of our coolness. They were so jealous they even pointed us out to their friends, giggling amongst each other about how silly they looked compared to us, bumping into us as they skated by in hopes of our coolness rubbing off on them, I can’t even put into words how cool we were to those kids. Obviously, only inspiring me to embrace my inner coolness more often… the attention felt, well, kinda like Drew Barrymore in Never Been Kissed… bucket list add: be cool. Check?
I see your jealousy boiling over at this point. Just wait to watch the video.
Side note: the grace we had as children did not carry over to adulthood… except with Lady V, she glided like a dancing pro… One day I’ll grow up to be like her. Thanks to Miss Marilyn Monroe, Lady V, Adventure Woman, Adventure Woman’s adventurous husband, Adventure Woman’s adventurous brothers, the dancing queen, and the fairly odd couple (as named by adventure woman)… same time next month? Cool.
