Sports N' Stuff

It is all too common. We have found that sports are ever so imperative to some. But why is that?

I can only speak from personal experience. I have recently found myself watching more UFC events than in the past, and even (gulp) soccer.

I am one of those who is used to watching the 4 major sports, focusing on not only my teams (all those Chicago except the White Sox, whom I don’t cheer for or against), but also watching all games due to fantasy.

So now, in quarantine, I have found myself focusing on YouTube highlights of my favorite stars, or great dunks, or overtime winning goals. Whatever it may be (and I’m sure I’m not alone here), I need sports in my life.

While I can’t play sports due to social distancing, I have found it even more difficult not being able to watch Patrick Kane score goals, or the Bears find a way to blow what should be an easy win (likely due to one of the worst QB draft busts in history…again!).

So what can we do? Well, maybe this is actually a good thing. I have found that, despite still watching highlights on YouTube, I have other interests that have been neglected. I am reading more, watching shows, playing more with the Puppy, etc.

So yes, I can’t wait for sports to come back, but everything is perspective. Hopefully, when our world begins to improve again, I will still continue with these interests.

Here’s to sports…may we meet again soon!

Dating back to the ancient Etruscans and Romans, food used to be focused on gaining energy and survival. In today’s era, we see shows like Hot Ones (with a focus on spice and conversation) and YouTube channels like those of competitive eaters like Matt Stonie and Joey Chestnut.

Can food serve as more that just a source of energy?

During quarantine, it has been a challenge to find ways to pass the time safely. This has provided an even greater emphasis on food and cooking experiments. I have particularly enjoyed finding ways to combine what I have available in the pantry with the groceries we bought 10 days prior.

Recently, I created a dish combining Mac n Cheese with ground turkey. I added necessary spices, then decided to include cans of corn (I usually like to add peas to odd recipes as the texture adds to the experience).

So what has become of this once solely focused energy supply? Food is a way of life for some, it is a way to get through the day for others. As with anything, there is no “off-the-shelf” or “one-size-fits-all” answer here. We need to adapt with the ever changing times, and, hopefully, we will find our way clear to happiness, however we can find it!

Is there a balance between being happy where you are in life without being complacent? I see it all the time. My most successful friends are all about the next move in their life/career. Everything is fast paced, moving from one project to the next without ever stopping to smell the roses.

Then there are the friends who don’t care about success and would be happy living in the woods (which may very well be where they end up if not on someone else’s couch).

So where lies the balance?

I don’t believe there is a one-size-fits-all answer here. It is individualistic. Having said that, there is a blanket idea I have wrestled with. So here goes.

First the person should know if they believe that achievement will allow their legacy to move forward. Or does the individual simply want to enjoy their time on Earth while they are here, considering the length of that time.

Even for the person who doesn’t want to sit in a cubicle for most of their life, they have to find a way to bring income, otherwise, how would they live/travel? If there is really no desire to work, maybe it’s time to move abroad and find somewhere this lifestyle can truly work. Otherwise, they run the risk of placing undue burdens on their loved ones.

For the overachiever. The person who is always striving to be better, learn more, achieve more. To this person, I say, go for it! Since we only get so much time on this Earth, if that is what makes the person happy, why shouldn’t they continue to work and achieve?

The point here is that everyone has to create their own path. I am not always thrilled going in to work to sit at a desk, but I see it as a way to provide for my family, and to travel, both of which ultimately make me happy.

Dance to the beat of your own drum!

Let’s take a look at Gay Marriage and Abortion, shall we?

I want to start with Abortion as this is a more controversial topic for me as Gay Marriage should be cut and dry.

I will start by asking two simple questions: When does the soul enter the body? What makes me me and not you?

While I am pro-choice, I truly see the other side of the argument. I was stubborn on this subject until a friend of mine in college explained that his Mother was almost forced into having an abortion, in which case he would not have been born. This really opened my eyes.

I began reading “A Brief History of Time” by maybe the most brilliant man to have ever lived, Stephen Hawking. The idea of God is brought up and he offers a plausible explanation, however there is no way to be sure of anything, which Hawking makes clear. The only subject that was not brought up in the book which I was hoping may have been was the idea of a soul. Why do I see through my eyes, and not through the eyes of Mr. Hawking, or a current athlete for whom I envy, or for a historical figure for whom I despised? What about animals, or living organisms? These questions are what continue to haunt this argument. At the end of the day, I do believe a woman has the right to choose what she does with her body, however if we were to find out the impossible knowledge of when a soul enters the body, and it happened to be at conception, then maybe my view would be swayed.

Now onto the topic of Gay Marriage. I hear it all the time; the Bible states “Marriage between a man and woman” blah blah blah. Not only was this theoretically written close to a time when the Ancient Etruscan’s were still introducing the three pronged utensil (now known as a fork) to society,  it is misinterpreted and used by those who have no business riding a high moral horse.

Think about all of the sins the people of the world who are adamant about this principle commit daily. It’s a way for hypocrites to convince themselves they are good people. And if someone wants to posit that it is also used by those who commit no sins according to the bible, I will refer them to the recent revelation that more than 300 Priests were performing inappropriate acts on more than 1000 innocent children. But I guess the Bible never explicitly said this was a sin, so…

The point I’m trying to make is that logic and reason will always trump (I hate this word now) what is commonly referred to as “faith.” Those who use the faith argument are impossible to reason with, and thus I avoid those conversations. However, I encourage productive discussion, as this is how I came to the Abortion revelation, and the ensuing questions about the soul and what makes each person unique to this world.

The more I learn about and understand various religions, I wonder..Why? Why does anyone feel they have the answer (and I’m not looking for the cliche “faith” response). I can buy in when someone says they believe in the culture. I can buy when someone says it is a sense of belonging and consistently in a world where chaos reigns. What I can’t buy is when someone says there is an all Mighty, a Deity, a GOD. As soon as someone says they believe there is a figure who watches over everyone, I lose respect immediately. And I don’t have the answer, nor do I claim to know more than anyone else. All I know is that if someone claims they know based on faith, then they are discrediting all the millions of people who “know” something different.

Religion to me is the reason this world has problems. Rather than the “live and let live” philosophy, people actually live by “live like me or you’re wrong” guideline. Who is anyone else to judge someone based on their lifestyle (as long as that person does no harm to anyone else)?

Look at all Wars that have taken place. What is at the heart of each? The underlying theme is a difference of opinions, many of which are due, at least in part, to religion and the interpretation of religion.

For anyone who is interested in learning about why I discredit major religions (Catholicism, Judaism), please watch Zeitgeist with an open mind. I identify as a very liberal form of Jewish, and I’m glad I went into this movie with an open mind, as it changed the way I view religion. Each is based off the next. The reason Catholicism took off was the point in time when the ideas finally stuck.

Be a good person; that is the Religion I subscribe to!

I came across an interesting situation the other day. I found out my good friend was cheating on my other good friend. For these purposes, we will call them Person A (Cheater) and Person B (Cheated On).

I gave Person A “the speech” which included such phrases  as “how would you like that if they did that to you?” and “How can you do that to someone you Love?” All the while, Person A  was adamant that they were not doing anything wrong.

In listening to their argument, I learned something. I live by a moral and ethical code that makes sense to me, but that certainly doesn’t mean it would make sense for someone else.

Why wouldn’t Person A  either break up with Person B? Or simply just not cheat? Well in their eyes, it was a bit more complicated. They were in love with Person B and did not want to lose them, but they also understood that Person B was not going to satisfy their need for spontaneity for the next 60 years. Person A also brought up the idea that if Person B doesn’t ever find out, what harm was done?

If you are able to watch the episode of Black Mirror where the jealous male does eventually find out his Wife and the Mother of his Child did cheat on him, you can see at the end of the episode that he was miserable. Yes, he found out and was not incorrect, but did this make him happy? In fact, it did just the opposite.

Now I can’t cheat, but it really doesn’t have to do much with a moral code or putting myself in an ethical dilemma. It really comes down to my own guilt and eventually taking it out on the person I love. I discovered this in College when I was young and stupid. I quickly learned that, for me, I could not be in a relationship where either party would cheat, or where there was any lack of trust whatsoever.

All I’m trying to say is that morals and ethics really aren’t black and white. What is ethical to one, may not be to another. I will end with this; for all of those who live by a religious ethical code, take a look at the blind faith many have in the Catholic Church, and the recent revelation that over 300 Priests acted inappropriately with more than 1000 children. Now ask yourself, who am I to judge someone else’s morals?

Welcome to Sports N’ Stuff!