Keep writing…Keep writing…
When your week at work starts out like this, you know it’s going to be a good one…
Yes, that is a turkey, and apparently she was having a good time climbing on some Administrators’ cars this morning (including the Chancellor’s).
This was happening right outside my building when I arrived this morning. Who could possibly have a bad day after this?
Shoutout to my colleague Dan for snapping these photos as he walked by the parking lot on his way into the office. 🙂
The University of Nebraska is celebrating its 150th birthday, and my building was looking mighty pretty when I was leaving campus tonight.
Go Big Red!
Impromptu date night after Stevie wrangled a couple extra tickets. Even though the team I was rooting for didn’t end up winning, but it was so much fun to have some drinks and dinner with my hubby, Dad, and Uncle Harry and watch some Husker Basketball.
Best parts of the night:
If you haven’t heard about the Nebraska Cornhusker football team firing head coach Bo Pelini, I’d wager to bet you’re either living a quiet life off the grid surrounded by miles of undisturbed nature or you somehow spent the past three days lying unconscious in a bathtub filled with ice.
Better check those kidneys.
But seriously, let’s face it…there’s not a whole lot of news that comes out of Nebraska. With the exception of a lovely little story about a woman trying to run over a couple who unknowingly stole her parking spot in the local Wal-Mart lot that made national news last month, you’ll find very few mentions of this quaint little section of the country making headlines.
Then we fired our football coach, and all hell breaks loose.
I’ll freely admit it. I’m a big fan of Bo Pelini. I’ve liked him from the very first game of the very first season. I like his passion. I like his focus. I like the fact that he doesn’t mince words or put on a fake smile or allow the frenzied media to back him into a corner. I like the fact that in addition to being one helluva football coach, he also cares very deeply that those boys who march onto the football field on Saturday also excel in their academics, give back to the community, and learn how to be humble and gracious beneath the weight of the one of the most loyal and passionate fan bases on the planet.
I like to see my favorite team winning championships as much as the next guy. But I don’t believe in compromising morals or values or the futures of those young men on the field just to claim a shiny trophy at the end of the season. I’d much rather support a coach like Pelini–a coach who believes in building a solid foundation off the field first. So yes, I’m sad to see him go, because of the wonderful things he’s done here, and for the things I believe he was going to do if he’d been granted the same tenure as our beloved Tom Osborne. I have no doubt that he will go onto greatness somewhere. And I know there are a lot of folks around here who are wishing him well, and who will never forget him.
So things are a little crazy here in Nebraska right now, as we’re caught in this strange spot at the end of the season, waiting to play in an undetermined bowl game, and waiting to see who will be chosen to step into some very big and empty shoes.
Seems the news made it all the way to the North Pole, because we found Cosette this morning giving our disheartened mascot, ol’ Herbie Husker, a little pep talk.
Sweet little elf. She’s part of the Husker family now.
Go Big Red! And godspeed, Mr. Pelini. You’re a great coach, and one helluva human being. You’ve officially made it onto my “People I Want to Have a Beer With” list. Thank you for all that you’ve done. I’m happy that you will always be part of our Husker history.
There’s no denying my hubby is a sports fiend. Name a sport, and he’ll watch it–anything from football and baseball to golf and bull riding. Now, I’m not saying he’s a huge Nascar or PBR fan by any means, but Steven is the kind of guy who can appreciate just about any sport.
The guy can spend an entire afternoon watching Olympic curling. End of story.
Now, the sports he gets crazy over? Those would be football, baseball, and hockey, with basketball following closely behind. He is a diehard Mets, Jets, Islanders and Knicks fan. He’s a yelling, screaming, jumping, hat-throwing maniac when the big games are on the line, and he admits he always thought he was a crazy sports fanatic…
…until he met me.
Growing up, Steven never paid much attention to college football. Born and raised in New York and an abundance of professional sports teams, college football just never seemed very interesting. He might catch a bowl game now and then, but other than hearing the occasional Notre Dame score, few people in Steven’s little corner of the east coast really care about college football.
I’m pretty sure my football obsession is one of the things that sold Steven on marrying me…well a combination of that, and the fact that I love video games, Twin Peaks, The and the X-Files as much as he does. The first time he ever sat down to watch an entire Husker game with me, listened to my Dad and I analyzing the game on the phone during halftime, and watched me shout at the TV and leap up off the couch to scream and clap and cheer for my team, he couldn’t believe it. Then, when my family flew him to Lincoln to attend a Homecoming game against Missouri, he finally began to understand why we Nebraskans always say that we bleed Husker red.
He also says that marrying a Nebraskan girl is like marrying into the Mafia, so be prepared fellas. If you can’t handle a girl who dresses in red, flies her Husker flag, and can curse worse than a sailor on any given Saturday during college football season, you better just keep lookin’.
And since I couldn’t decide which pic I liked best–Smartassy Steve, Serious Steve, or Smiley Steve–I just used all three. My blog, my rules. 🙂
Last night was a big night for our dear Cosette–her introduction to Husker football.
Steven always says that marrying someone from Nebraska is like marrying into the Mafia. We’re serious about our football around these parts, and we’re fiercely loyal fans. True Nebraska fans bleed Husker red. Win or lose, we take great pride in our team. We tune in, without fail, every Saturday. We respect our opponents and cheer on our boys. We honk and high-five and holler “Go Big Red!” whenever we spot fellow Husker fans on the street.
Last night, we tuned into the Nebraska-Wisconsin game, knowing that it was going to be a tough one. Let’s be honest–it’s been a pretty tough season. Being leaders in categories like turnovers, opponents points off turnovers, and penalties doesn’t really bode well for a team’s season. Yet somehow, we’ve been able to pull off some pretty incredible come-from-behind wins and march our way into the Big 10 Championship game for a chance to play in the Rose Bowl. After barely beating Wisconsin earlier in the season, I’m not sure how anyone would have thought that it would be an easy win.
What we didn’t expect, however, was the total slap-in-the-face shellacking that Wisconsin so deftly delivered. It was an ugly, ugly game, but, as always, we watched through ’til the last second ticked off the clock. And while we Husker fans may not be smelling roses in our immediate future, we’re still proud of our team.
Poor Cosette, though. What a way to be inducted into the Husker family! While I needed a stiff margarita to get me through the game, she drowned her sorrows in chocolate, and covered her eyes when she couldn’t stand to watch.
And since Cadence had to go to bed before the game ended, Cosette made sure to leave a little something for her on the table so she wouldn’t feel left out…
So, when Cadence woke this morning, she hustled Electra down the stairs, and then immediately went to check on Cosette and see if she’d made it back safely from her nightly North Pole trip.
Cadence spotted Cosette immediately and greeted her with a warm “Good Morning!”
And she was tickled pink when she found the note and the candy Cosette had left just for her.
And after all of this, we’ve come to a very important realization…Even after an evening of ugly football, a little chocolate therapy goes a long way! 🙂
Lori Romano 