California Golden Blogs: FanPosts

DBD 5-21-13: Second chances

2013-05-21T15:53:52Z

I didn't like Parks and Rec at first because it felt too much like the Office (which I'm not even a huge fan of), but I liked an episode that aired on a plane, so I went back and found I enjoyed it.

I liked New Girl at first, but I kinda lost interest with time. I happened to watch an episode recently and really liked it, so I'm going back and picking up where I first left off.

What's something you gave a second chance to? Was it worth the second chance or not?

I didn't like Parks and Rec at first because it felt too much like the Office (which I'm not even a huge fan of), but I liked an episode that aired on a plane, so I went back and found I enjoyed it.

I liked New Girl at first, but I kinda lost interest with time. I happened to watch an episode recently and really liked it, so I'm going back and picking up where I first left off.

What's something you gave a second chance to? Was it worth the second chance or not?

DBD 05.18.13 - "I'm sorry, Ted. But everytime we get a car this place turns into a whorehouse."

2013-05-20T03:12:39Z

That was the ultimate line spoken by Don Draper in tonight's (Sunday's) episode of Mad Men.

Many things happened in this episode. A little bit of drugs (speed, anyone?), a little bit of flashback, a little bit of drama, a lot less of Betty and a return to the blonde hair color, and a bit of growing up.

So, have you had any episodes in your life where things got out of hand?

That was the ultimate line spoken by Don Draper in tonight's (Sunday's) episode of Mad Men.

So, have you had any episodes in your life where things got out of hand?

DBD 5.17.13 I continue to hate you,SBN

2013-05-17T14:10:58Z

I'm particularly frustrated by the fact that scheduled posts dont post. So, the moring post didnt go up until I just woke up at 10 AM EST. :(. I feel bad for our East Coast readers.

This is your DBD

I'm particularly frustrated by the fact that scheduled posts dont post. So, the moring post didnt go up until I just woke up at 10 AM EST. :(. I feel bad for our East Coast readers.

This is your DBD

DBD 5.16.13 SBN, I hate You

2013-05-16T14:10:59Z

The Long National Nightmare of poorly functioning SBN sites continues. There is a SBN Status site that updates you:

http://status.sbnation.com/

But its struggling to load! There is a twitter site, too, which isnt a lot of help right now:

https://twitter.com/SBNSupport

Continue trying to rec things to no avail!

The Long National Nightmare of poorly functioning SBN sites continues. There is a SBN Status site that updates you:

http://status.sbnation.com/

But its struggling to load! There is a twitter site, too, which isnt a lot of help right now:

https://twitter.com/SBNSupport

Continue trying to rec things to no avail!

DBD 5.15.13 - Do you say hi?

2013-05-15T13:42:11Z

I realized I am not the kind of person that will initiate conversation with a stranger. I'll talk if spoken to, but almost never start the conversation. What about you?

To the New Grads - Thank You and Fiat Lux!

2013-05-15T03:00:49Z

And so they start. The boring graduation addresses. You can't escape them. Even here on California Golden Blogs.

But I want to do something simple for you. I want to thank you. All of you seniors who have included me in your life at Cal. I have had a blast with you. It's been so much fun.

Courtesy Ken Montgomery Private Archives

This is what makes this time we're living in so amazing. Because of technology and particularly social media, if we want, we're able to be friends with people regardless of age, race, sex, station in life, etc... that just wasn't possible when I was your age, or if it was it was a lot more difficult. It's pretty phenomenal so a guy like me gets to be part of the below photo.

Yep, right there in the Bench... no, not the expensive court-side seats in front of the Bench, but there in the middle.. exalting with students is a guy who last saw Cal as a student in 1993. But you know what, it all works because while I may be twice your age (and then some), I have half your maturity level!

Courtesy Ken Montgomery Private Archives

So here's my guide to not getting old. Don't get old. Hang around young people or at least people who are young at heart. Trust me, as people get older they forget what's fun. Don't make that mistake. Let me give you a quick Cal example of that. Last year Sandy Barbour and I were at Hellman. We wanted to catch part of the women's water polo game so we cut through Evans and then we went in to Haas (it's good being with the AD for access to these short cuts!). As we were about to go up the stairs in Haas, Sandy and I looked at each other and without saying a word we SPRINTED UP THE STAIRS in a race. Doesn't matter who won but as we got to the top we cracked up. It's a small thing, but that's what I'm talking about.

This brings me to my main point (and I'll keep this short). I recently went out with some of you and stayed out later than most people my age would - on a Sunday night no less! The next day, the dreaded Monday, I got up in time for my 6:30 AM conference call and just sort of powered through the day and felt fine... and it reminded me that we're supposed to live and not be a slave to routine. I think in general I'm pretty good about that but we need to be reminded sometimes. When our time comes to its end, and it does for all of us, not one of us is going to regret not working more, but you'll definitely regret not living and experiencing life more. I struggled with whether or not I should go out that Sunday night, because, well hell I'm a responsible adult... but i was struggling with the wrong question... And because I went out I'm better for it.

via Ken Montgomery (and no worse for the wear)

One of my favorite movies is Six Degrees of Separation. It's the story about how a young conman comes into some people's life and charms them to the point where they really don't know what to believe. At the end of the movie, at a high society lunch / cocktail party, Stockard Channing's character Ouisa is reflecting on what happened to her and her husband with Paul's (played by Will Smith) entrance into their lives. She has an epiphany and explains it:

But it was

an experience. I will not turn him into an
anecdote. How do we fit what happened to us
into life without turning it into an anecdote
with no teeth and a punch line we'll mouth over
and over for years to come. "Tell the story
about the imposter who came into our lives---"
"That reminds me of the time this boy--". And
we become these human juke boxes spilling out
these anecdotes. But it was an experience. How
do we keep the experience?

And there you have it. To me that's the goal of life.

First having the experience. That's key because so many people don't. They just sort of drift through life going along to get along.

But then, more than that, keeping that experience and keeping it true. Not letting it just become some retread story that you use to just impress people, but something that actually shapes and informs who we are. That's your goal. You folks have been part of my experience and I think it's had its own impact on me. I hope it's had a little on you.

So as I get too deep and sentimental as I'm prone to do as I get older, I'm just thinking about you awesome people, graduating and moving on... You'll get lots of different advice. But when someone tells you you have to do something in such a way or act in a certain way or prioritize in a certain way, or conform... all in order to achieve a goal that people say you should be achieving... When they tell you that, and I'm speaking from experience, as someone who's lived life, who has experienced the highs and the lows but through it all is who he is and where he wants to be, smile and feel sorry for them because they really don't get it.

The Greeks had a word for this, Areté. It's about reaching YOUR highest potential, not what others think it should be.

Go do that.

And Fiat Lux!

Oh, and GO BEARS!

Ken

And so they start. The boring graduation addresses. You can't escape them. Even here on California Golden Blogs.

But I want to do something simple for you. I want to thank you. All of you seniors who have included me in your life at Cal. I have had a blast with you. It's been so much fun.

Courtesy Ken Montgomery Private Archives

via Ken Montgomery (and no worse for the wear)

But it was

an experience. I will not turn him into an
anecdote. How do we fit what happened to us
into life without turning it into an anecdote
with no teeth and a punch line we'll mouth over
and over for years to come. "Tell the story
about the imposter who came into our lives---"
"That reminds me of the time this boy--". And
we become these human juke boxes spilling out
these anecdotes. But it was an experience. How
do we keep the experience?

And there you have it. To me that's the goal of life.

First having the experience. That's key because so many people don't. They just sort of drift through life going along to get along.

The Greeks had a word for this, Areté. It's about reaching YOUR highest potential, not what others think it should be.

Go do that.

And Fiat Lux!

Oh, and GO BEARS!

Ken

DBD 5/14/13 NEWS!

2013-05-14T14:06:18Z

What's new?

5.13.13 -- DBD Monday, Monday

2013-05-13T16:22:34Z

What the hell people, it's 9:15am and there's no new DBD? Has everyone fallen down drunk this weekend and forgotten to go to work? I went to a library fundraiser this weekend and an author, Julia Scheeres, spoke who has two *amazing* looking books out -- Jesusland, the memoir of her being raised in Indiana by evangelical Calvinists, and A Thousand Lives, the story of Jonestown, which she researched by being the first person to get her hands on the People's Temple papers when they were finally released by the government a few years ago. And she lives in Berkeley. So check out her books if you're looking for something to read, she was awesome and her books sound fascinating (I bought them both). I aint linking, so if someone wants to, have at it. Otherwise, bring on the inanity!

DBD 5-10-13: Sleep

2013-05-10T14:49:31Z

How many hours of sleep do you tend to get? How many would you like to get?

What's your surefire way to fall asleep? Shut off all electronics? Fall asleep to the TV or music? Read a book? Warm milk? Counting sheep?

How many hours of sleep do you tend to get? How many would you like to get?

What's your surefire way to fall asleep? Shut off all electronics? Fall asleep to the TV or music? Read a book? Warm milk? Counting sheep?

A Band’s March Madness- New Orleans

2013-05-10T05:48:19Z

The last leg of the road, whether filled with championships or not, New Orleans was a wonderful end to a month of weekends with the California Women’s Basketball Team!

It all started on a Thursday once again, this time we started in Haas Pavilion, marching in and playing for a rally that had been announced by the Chancellor, where he even suggested supervisors let their employees leave work to attend. If only professors thought of themselves as "supervisors." It was a great event and had a pretty good turnout.

From there we were off to Oakland International, taking a chartered flight on a Southwest plane as we did for Lubbock.

We got there and found that it was a bit windy and cold. We quickly got our bags and got on buses. We were staying at the Intercontinental Hotel in New Orleans, and they had placed Cal and Final Four stickers and decorations everywhere, even on our keycards! After our bags were dropped off, we headed back to the lobby to greet the team as they came and checked in.

We didn’t do much as a band in New Orleans aside from performances, so small groups headed to different places and did different things at the same time. Almost everyone went to Jackson Square and Bourbon Street in the French Quarter, and the weather was wonderful when we took our walking adventures all of Friday.

Many of us ended up going to Preservation Hall and catching performances of live jazz, and even found a museum displaying an exhibit on the Preservation Hall Jazz Band turning 50.

We even saw the cornet that Louis Armstrong first started playing on, as well as a statue in a park bearing his name

That Friday afternoon we went to Marti Gras World (yes, there’s a world) where many past floats were collected, to take part in a small parade for the Final Four teams while the spirit groups cheered them on.

Saturday morning we had another gig, playing for the "Tourney Town" right outside the Arena as fans ran a 4k run as they crossed the finish line, before going in and playing during the open practice for the team.

Oski also had some fun running warm ups with the All American high school teams that came in after us.

That afternoon, the band came together for a very special performance, where we went down Bourbon Street, marching and stopping along the way, playing sets for some very excited people, and letting a few people try their hand at making a noise or two. It was absolutely amazing to do this, it was so much fun playing up and down the street with people cheering and enjoying the entire time!

Finally after all the fun, gameday was upon us come Sunday, and there were more events in Tourney Town the band was headed to. It all started with a mascot competition, where each of the Final Four mascots came to compete against each other with some local kids. Needless to say, Oski was by far the best, and garnered a $1000 check for his triumph over all!

While there was some downtime before the next segment, many people came up and took pictures with us.

Each band put on its show to entertain the crowd. Naturally the Straw Hat Band was the best! :)

We had one last tailgate to play at a place called Lucy’s where we wound ourselves up a narrow set of stairs to burst upon the Cal faithful who had taken over the top floor.

After this we headed back to the hotel, making our last March to Victory of the trip, this time joined by many fans, including current New Orleans Saints player, Cameron Jordan.

We then made our way into the arena well in advance of the game, getting situated for the matchup against the Cardinals and started playing.

The first half was wonderful for us, with the Bears looking like they had the game in the bag, and we enjoyed making trouble for the Louisville free throwers when they came down our way.

Oski even found himself a courtside seat between two ladies who looked very surprised to see him.

As they were acknowledging athletes at the half, we had a visit from you guys here at CGB with an interview from Lindsay Brauner with our outgoing Public Relations Director. Check it out here!

As the second half carried on, the Bears' lead dwindled, but we kept the energy and excitement going!

As the Bears let slip the lead, we waited hoping and praying we could snatch the lead back with less than five minutes to go, but all for naught.

Before leaving the court the team came over and gave one final wave to the fans that had traveled over half the length of the country to see them play.

We stayed one more night in town, before flying home the next day, a wonderful season come to an end with some of the best people we’ve ever had the pleasure to travel with. It was a long month with too many close calls for comfort, but we enjoyed every minute of it, and though we didn’t see a win when we went to New Orleans, we had one of the best trips the Band or Cal fans have had in a long time! On the flight home we thanked the women’s team for the memories, and the wonderful 2nd semester vacation they gave us.

Thank you for following our adventures throughout the NCAA, we really hope you enjoyed it! Until next time from the Pride of California, GO BEARS!

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