A Few Updates

First things first...

TonyTimes Takes the Championship!!!

• In a surprising season, to say the least -- my team went on to win the overall championship after I had finished the regular season at 8-6. All-in-all, in both leagues that I have participated in this year, I had finished no worse than 2nd place -- so yeah, I've got some bragging rights! Consider this: I had invested $60, got back $250 ... that's not a bad way to finish things off, don't you think?

Crash Productions, Inc. -- Off and Running

• I finally gave the green light to my project (that I had been bouncing around in my head for the past couple of years). I had received the "original tapes" from Mike a couple of weekends ago, converted them all to digital video, now all I need is the education that I require to work with Adobe Premiere Pro 1.5 (ordered a NEW book).
• I've also been playing with another program called "Click to DVD" which gives me the options of creating menus and such on a DVD. It's simple and basic, but it'll do.
• It's not just me on this project -- I've got to give a lot of head's up to Mike and Robb for their support so far, even though I'm just getting this project off its feet. Right now, I'm looking for interviews for the project (which I'm hoping to get working on soon), plus some footage of the "old court" itself here shortly (not sure whether to tape now or wait 'til spring -- the decisions of a producer!).

The NCAA Football Nat'l Championship

• Quick prediction: Ohio State with the win.
• Even though I don't care much for the Buckeyes (I'm still stinging after a horrible Michigan loss to USC in the Rose Bowl), I gotta go for the team who beat Michigan out-right in Columbus.
• Next season, baby. Next season. Go Blue.

One Year Down

2007. Seriously, where DOES the time go?!

In a year and a half, I will be 30 years of age. It still seems like yesterday when my own father and mother were celebrating their 30th birthdays.

I shouldn't be there. No way.

There will come a day when I'm laying on my death bed, looking back on my life as a clock, and I will consider the Year 2006 as not my finest hour. I won't go much into it, but the events that had unfolded in 2006 really made me ... well, I don't know. The verdict isn't out on that one yet.

Even today in class, one of my students was questioning my behavior over the past couple of months. She noticed that I had "changed," that I "wasn't a fun-loving guy" any longer. She knows of my past situation and she was probably referring to it ... but it's getting to the point that I really do not care to address it. There are just going to be some certain situations in which the scars run a little too deep and they will carry over into my agenda during my daily life, although un-intended.

I can rightfully say that I'm more of a hard-ass. It can be a good thing and it can be a bad thing, but sometimes I have to draw the line in terms of my professional and personal growth. I've become the more wiser and more experienced and things just are not the way that things used to be.

So, can a 28-year old get his message across to a 16-year old? Probably not, since in terms of psychology, their "brains" are just not developed enough to handle the load. The world revolves them, as it once to me long ago. If they have a problem with my "hard-assiness," I'm not going to feel sorry for them.

I may have become cynical, but on the other side of things, I've come to realize that I am a lucky man. And some of you should know of what I'm referring to. Thank you.

But, it's time to turn the page and face 2007 head on. It may be a roller coaster ride, but it can only go up for me at this point.