Two in a row - can it be 3?

First it was basketball, now football. The University of Florida is on a roll. Being an alumnus, it certainly makes up for the years I was there. Charlie Pell, Galen Hall, Norm Sloan.....the 80's were not a time of championships at the University of Florida. Back to I believe 1982 - Florida was doing quite well that year getting off to a nice start - looking forward to playing top ranked Georgia in the World's Largest Tailgate Party. Final - Georgia 44 Florida 0. Herschel Walker ran for 12,000 yards in the first half. I remember, I was there - we were in the end zone and all we could see was Herschel running right at us with 11 Florida players chasing him. Sort of like Teddy Ginn running back the opening kickoff for a TD. Fortunately 25 years have been good to Florida and that was all she wrote for Ohio State on that day. Georgia fared just a little better all those years ago. Well, it was worth the wait. Championships in both basketball and football and the number one Basketball team again! No reason they can't win again. Anything can happen in the tournament, but anything less than the final four is a huge failure. This team is deep, experienced, fearless, poised, well coached and humble. They play like a team, they feed off each other. Al Horford has elevated his game way beyond last year. Humphrey is money. Noah, Greene, and Brewer continue to be NBA prospects. No other team can match them at all positions. Some teams have better individual players, but not at every position. It's going to be some ride! Looking forward to it! Next thing you know, we'll be talking about going for 4 in a row - Tebow???? Top recruiting class???? Best coach in America???

Holidays - Take 'em or Leave 'em?

I'm conflicted. Now that the holidays are over, I can't decide whether I enjoyed them or tolerated them or hated them. Too busy. Too contrived. Too much. The kids had a great time. It will take my 4 year old another month to get over the fact that she isn't getting a present every 10 minutes. Of course she only plays with one of the 12 million gifts she got anyway. Why do we buy into this idea that you have to give so much? I know why we think we should - it's drilled into our head by every marketing entity on the face of the earth - I know why we THINK we should, but why DO we? Have we been brainwashed so well to think that only a gift will prevent our children from being underprivileged in some way or another? And why is it so important to get together and celebrate with family and friends at this particular time of year? Yes, I know it is based upon a religious holiday, but none of the toy giving and the holiday partying and the drinking and eating is about religion. What are we celebrating? And why don't we celebrate like that at other times of the year? Is it just easier to do in December or is it just that this happens to be the best time to shop, the best time to get great deals, the best time to not worry about missing something at work because nobody else is doing anything either? Why do I have to buy gifts for everyone I have ever met just because it is the end of the year. Does my garbage man really deserve a tip because he hasn't thrown my trash cans down the street and run over them with his truck? Is the mail so heavy that my mailman should get a tip, or the person that delivers my newspaper? Do we tip the policeman or the fireman or the teacher? We used to be expected to tip the doorman at our apartment in NY at the holidays. They always said hello, they gave me a package if one was delivered, they let up the chinese delivery guy, but why did they deserve a year end tip? I couldn't do it, but I don't think you need to get a special tip for being able to sit for 8 hours a day and watch tv or read a paper. If the guy moved your car every time street cleaning came around - sure that's a little extra - that's worth something - I'd sure want him to keep it up, but the other stuff - why is it expected that tips should be given? For that matter, why is it expected that business people get holiday bonuses? What for? Why save that money for the end of the year? I understand if it is based upon performance, but it shouldn't be called a bonus if that is the case. It's just the year end reconciliation of your performance. A true bonus should be for work performed over and above expectations and why does it have to come at the end of the year.
Back to holidays - what are we really celebrating? I'm glad the holidays are over - I need to detox and try to figure out how to reduce my spending over the next 3 months.