Some thoughts…
HA! A beautiful day – I was awake around 3:30 this morning for absolutely no reason at all, but couldn’t fall back asleep because my mental has been going into overdrive…so many conflicting emotions and thoughts and images of SO many things – from a horrible person who I once gave my heart to – to… - well someone else who I once gave my heart to…to Duke – to University of Texas – to realizing that it’s now officially the start of March Madness…to the stifling amount of work that I have in front of me this week – right before we go to the field for two weeks…

So around 4 or 4:30 I gave up falling back to sleep and watched the end of the ACC Championship where J.J. was shooting lights out and then on the Texas game that P.J Tucker (Texas’ own guard) shitted on…and then off to formation and off to the office around 6:15… (all the while wondering if a certain so-and-so would pop up on the yahoo messenger before I left)

Needless to say – so I’ll say it (what a horrible phrase huh? “Needless to say” yet it’s always followed up with saying IT – I swear I’ve brought this up before) – I was exhausted by 11am with no end in sight…got So much done today though and just did whatever it is that I do and accomplished about four things at once well ahead of when they were expected to be done AND got to catch the end of the USA baseball team cheat the hell outta Japan (at the hands of an umpire and then SURPRISE SURPRISE – Alex Rodriguez…fun all around) and then I got to see the South Korean team handle the Mexicans – oops – the Mexico team…

Oh, by the way, I’m talking about the “World Baseball Classic” that’s happening right now…the Cubans and Dominicans are pissed due to getting throttled at the hands of a well constructed Puerto Rico team (which apparently is VERY serious in the Hispanic world – the only thing worse would be if all three of the aforementioned were massacred by the Mexicans - oops)…

Anyway – now South Korea and the U.S. team are 1-0 in the second round AND in the same bracket…awesome – EVEN BETTER THOUGH – is that they’ll face off tomorrow – or today if you’re in the States – whatever…

I just found it awesome that the “Classic” has done exactly what it set out to do in initiating a World interest and World competitive spirit with regards to Baseball…I know, I know – nobody back in the States really gives a damn yet – that is until the U.S. almost got knocked out in the first round by the Mounties from Canada…it’s weird how the American culture is so attuned to only getting excited over the possibility of a crushing defeat and massive failing as apposed to supporting THEIR team throughout just because it’s THEIR team…weird…

Anyway it kinda struck me – and now I know that the “Classic” is accomplishing it’s mission…I’m sitting in my office watching the Korea/Mexico game when the Korean pitcher throws a wild pitch which allowed the runner to advance to third…so it’s the top of the 9th with a runner on third and the Mexicans down by 1…strike two…and then a smoothly thrown strike three to end the game – the best part for me though was suddenly hearing a rousing YELLLL from out in my hallway where our big screen was showing the game and a nice sized group of folks had gathered…

It was great - American Soldiers next to Korean Soldiers and civilians whoopin’ it up watching a true World Championship of baseball knowing that our respective teams would play each other the following day for the overall number one seed in the tourney…just good fun folks – at that moment I realized how lucky I am to be able to share this perspective on this experience…unique – no doubt…

Some of my Korean Soldiers who’ve never mentioned any sports related anything around me are suddenly enthralled at the chance that THEIR team could beat the U.S. and possibly win the “Classic.” That’s great – regardless of what happens…and, more so, THAT was the idea behind this mid-march “Classic” – to spark interest and a bit of worldwide camaraderie...so – all that being said – me and my Korean homies are looking forward to tomorrow – we’ll all no doubt set aside regular missions to stare at the TV screen rooting for OUR teams…

It just sucks for them that team USA will thrash mercilessly upon the poor unsuspecting Korean team! – but I digress…Ha!

In other news: the first bracket that I worked ended up with West Virginia, Kansas, UCONN, and Boston College in my Final Four with UCONN winning it all over Kansas...Needless to say (HA!) I'll be working on another "official" Finch-bracket...I'll post before the tourney starts so you can all bask in my glory! rock!