theebadgerfan blog

 i can't believe we only have to wait one more full day! my amazing friend, who lives in LA, texted me today & said everyone in LAX was wearing red! i was so excited i could barely contain myself! the party on the pier, prior to the rose bowl, was also happening today & the badgers got solid footage on espn (which i saw while out with the grandparents & uncles/aunts). since i am currently at my incredible home in wisconsin, & my parents (dad) have refused to subscribe to full-up cable, we are forced to find espn (& all the great games) at an alternate location. we have it narrowed down to a few legit places near our house, & there are a few front runners in the northern wisconsin area (we landed on Mahoney's of oshkosh, wi...and i was thrilled with my front row seat).

     new year's eve is inappropriately timed for the rose bowl. i CLEARLY cannot party hard tomorrow & manage to be the hardcore/insane fan i am on saturday. definitely not going all out on new year's & busting out my new badger coozie with many beers, my all red/white/black outfit, & serious attitude for game time. the big 10 opener victory for our ballin' basketball team (bo ryan is the MAN) is keeping me confident that we are capable of inflicting MISERY on tcu & ridiculous 'horned frogs' on saturday!
loving the hype...dying for the game to just be here...psyched about being in wi with family & other badger fans! 

 after a day of mourning the badger loss (but SOLID performance at the rose bowl) and crying publicly in a bar, i was rejuvenated by the packers clinching a wild card bid to the playoffs!!!! thank the good Lord for nick collins!! it was tough to take the badger men's bball loss so soon, but i am entirely confident we are shaking our cold shooting this week. my years as a badger fan have taught me many extremely valuable lessons. one of which is, bo ryan is amazing, talented, inspiring, kind, friendly, can get the guys to re-group, focus, and set our sights on michigan! 

     also, we can celebrate women's bball AND hockey victories!! it's apparent we have a challenging week ahead. wednesday, thursday, and friday are all BIIIG days, a lot happening. we've got bball weds and thurs, and hockey on friday. take the next 2 days to get ready, rest, and get pumped! 

     with the nfc west division at stake currently...i contemplate the upcoming packers playoff game. trying NOT to be utterly terrified that michael vick is ludicrously athletic. we desperately cling to the eagles 2 game losing streak!! goooo badgers!! gooo packers!! thank the Lord for everything we have, p.4.13., family, health, the wins, the valid and respectable efforts, and the tremendous outlook of the year 2011!!  

 while getting ready to workout this morning i saw a news clip of a complete 45 minute segment dedicated to "curing the winter blues". really?? i just don't get it. how are people possibly depressed?? there are so many incredibly exciting events occurring in the sports world right now...the sugar bowl today was awesome! PLAYOFFS? bowl games? college basketball? the nfl draft? hockey? all the hirings and firings?? i am truly praying for those suffering from "winter blues" and hope they seek the help they need (it's OK to need help)! 

     i feel bad for those experiencing the "winter blues" because i am sooo blessed: (the Lord, my family/friends/ridiculously kind and large support network), my team went to the rose bowl, the pack got a wild card bid, and bo ryan is getting the guys ready for tomorrow. i am in (amazing) WISCONSIN, freezing my butt off, watching jimmy fallon and his pros and cons of the nfl playoffs (several of which i disagree with), but i think he's funny, and the roots are smoking...so i watch it. jimmy also made me realize i do truly appreciate kevin spacey, i mean, come on, 'a time to kill', 'l.a. confidential'? no...not feeling those??? ok...watch 'usual suspects'...it'll blow your mind...i promise. next..try 'the negotiator'...ballin'. scope those and happy 2011...here's to NO "winter blues"!!

 so...'new year's resolutions'. they may or may not be erroneous ("on both counts"...haha...), but we make 'em every year. 2011...get ready...here we come with our pretty much ridiculous promises that 'this year will be better than the last'. 'i'm going to do (___) to change myself and my life'. here i am, typing mine out...since those sassy experts say you're more likely to stick to them if you 'write them down'. so in 2011, i resolve to: 

this space is to build anticipation and for me to think about how realistic it is for me to accomplish the following...

1. get into His word more-
     the Bible is the word of our gracious, merciful, and forgiving Lord, it will change your life...check it. that being said...i need to be in it MORE, def can't hurt!

2. take it eaaaaasy-
     yeah...ok...newsflash...i'm a little nuts...my family even made up a hilarious song about it...(it's funny because it's true!), my extremely talented sisters can sing it for you at anytime. i LOVE helping others, being particular, and pushing my body to extremes...consider me busted. i want to try and learn that does not mean i have to make every single detail perfect ahead of time, or, really, just any day in general. it's weird and, frankly, it's kinda creepmo (yeah, i like that made-up word). also, i would like to not lash out when someone has the audacity to speak to me before my morning coffee and/or workout. to those who have experienced my wrath, i'm truly sorry, and be comforted knowing i'm working on it. i want to LAUGH more too...i LOVE laughing!

3. stop having such an insanely competitive personality-
     i'll aim to not cry, be repulsively irritable, or unbearable to those around me for at least 2 days after (if) the badgers lose...at anything, or, God forbid, the packers lose. i deem being outrageously furious after not winning at cards, scattegories, apples to apples, or any game, revolting. i'll aspire to not do so. i love my sisters soooo much (<3 soror!), but introducing me to twitter (follow me....raaarrrrr), seriously...no good for a psycho like me! i can't stop, i have a full-up 'excessive celebration' every time i get a new follower! thank you those who are my terrific, patient followers...why do you? i don't know...but you're great! shout out to my newest followers!!!! my poor phone needs to be charged every 10 seconds, and i'm annoying. it's sad the world has to deal with me.

*PLEASE* help your girl out with 3, 4, & 5...don't tell me about anything  you truly enjoy/that is cool/are good at, and want to have for yourself as your own personal, private hobby. i'm inappropriately competitive. soooo just don't do it...or i'll try to beat you at whatever it is. i know...it's pathetic...i'm sorry! if it's boring, or hard to learn in more than a few days, then, by all means, go right ahead. i can't and vehemently refuse to knit, crochet, or make a quilt. needles and i have a bad relationship going, one i do not plan to re-kindle. please...for the love of God...don't talk trash to me about the badgers or packers!!! or else: half my resolutions=down the drain.

4. be nicer to strangers-
     it's no secret i LOVE the badgers/packers/sports, however, that doesn't authorize me to actually flex on and scowl at someone sporting ohio state, iowa, vikings, bears, and/or another school or team i hate's apparel. i'll also refrain from saying that person is 'the dumbest person ever' for liking said (wrong) team. it's an absurd exaggeration and i get indecently angry...which results in people being strongly disinterested in spending time with me and isn't helping me gain friends!

5. change my vocabulary to reflect my positive attitude-
stop saying "i'm going to kill...(anyone/anything)"! everyone who knows me (i hope!) has total and utter confidence i'd absolutely never kill anyone/anything. so why do i say it? no, vanessa (vnast), just because that person can't properly operate a "roundabout/traffic circle", or (probably the same person) cuts me off because they're in some kind of "hurry", or is over the center line because they can't safely manage their own vehicle does NOT equal the level of rage to justify me yelling "i'm going to kill...you person driving a silly (insert make/model here)!". i'm a Christian people, NOT a driving instructor or professional, and i gotta work on that!
     replace "if" with "when", "could" with "will", and "eventually" with "a PLANNED time and date"! this might help me eliminate procrastination and selling myself short.

6. be more loving to my mom and my super sweet puppy dog-

     ok, so...she's certainly a bit off her rocker, but she's a tremendous mom, and i love her! i'm here, kickin' it, because of her! she's the person i want to see when i'm sick or sad, she supports me in all i do, and she's a genius. i know...you can't bring yourself to admit it when you're younger...but as you get older (sisters)...you'll grow to understand.


     little zekey bear is an undeniably fantastic dog. he's the best dog on the planet. you're girl's got extremely high standards and when he doesn't meet them within, what i consider to be a reasonable timeframe, i get frustrated. i need to give the huge (i call him 'little' because, in my mind, he is my 'little boy'...he weighs almost 90 lbs) guy a break. i need to make a genuine effort to NOT act out of anger with him. i regret it, realize the error of my ways, and have to apologize for days (or in zeke's case...buy him too many presents)! i'm his 'alpha male', when his 'hackles' go up...you best 'chickety-check yo'self before you wreck yo'self cotton'. yeah, he's gonna kick your butt if you try and mess with me...

7. do more yoga!-
     it helps sooo much! as a lifelong athlete wannabe and aspiring runner i was the definition of skeptic about yoga. i'm thrilled my friend introduced me and convinced me to try it! it makes me less anxious, waaaay more relaxed, helps me tune-in creatively, and it's a new challenge! shockingly, i'm NOT too flexible! zekey bear likes to lay peacefully next to me while i practice, so, added bonus!

     so here's a solid toast to 2011...let's make it better! i'll give it my best shot...will you? 

 it hate admitting it, but i was not born in the tremendous state of WI. my mother was diligently working on her master's in biochemistry (yeah...she's a COMPLETE brainiac) in VA, so i haaaad to pop out there. shortly after, when i was 2.5, we moved to wisconsin (while my fave, chaim-a-laim, was a tiny baby) and it is where i was truly raised. 

     there are numerous reasons i take major pride in being from wisconsin, living in wisconsin, and publicly celebrating the fact that i am a badger for life. i lay it all out here:

-yeah...it's freezing cold in the winter, super snowy, but BEAUTIFUL in the summer! you can workout, get all hot n' sweaty, and tan outside...it's amazing!

-fellow wisconsinites are the most INCREDIBLE people i have ever met in my life. with a few crotchety exceptions, they are nice, unusually generous, and polite. a stranger will smile at you for no reason, we LET PEOPLE IN when we see they are trying to get over while driving (we understand, sometimes you just NEED to be in the other lane...right then!) in case you've never had the "privilege" (really...affliction) of living in northern VA and trying to accomplish day-to-day life, guess what, this is NOT a nationally accepted motorist practice! i was depressed to find this out...and proud to have my wisconsin license plate and bucky decal so people are WELL aware the reason i am allowing them to merge (when they have their blinker on and i sense the urgency) i am doing it because i am kind, friendly, and from a state where we CARE about other people!

-we're inexhaustibly resilient. no, our entire world does not come to a screeching halt when it snows (*cough* east coast...nyc *cough*). we know how to drive in it...plan ahead, go slow, turn into the skid, give the car in front of you some space, and, for the love, do NOT slam on your brakes. our city snow removal team does a phenomenal job, they clear the roads as quickly and efficiently as possible. our hard-working students don't get 6 weeks off school per inch of snow that falls (maybe that is why we have the 2nd highest ACT scores in the nation?). some schools in virginia were off today and government workers had a 2 hour delay for 1/10th of a foot of snow. the people here go to work, do their thing, take care of their families, AND their to-do lists. we absolutely cannot be kept out of the grocery store, restaurants, or bars, because...hey...we like to eat and drink!

-we're relentlessly passionate. guess what...we LOVE the packers!!! go pack go!! we HATE the bears...there was literally a special on the local news with that exact title today. now, we understand bears fans have moved here from (disgusting) IL, we wholeheartedly welcome you, and we’re happy to have you here! (as long as you openly admit our state is WAY better than yours...i mean...you moved here right?) normally, we are very accepting of you sporting your bears clothing. currently, it is quite abominable. as for the next few days, i believe we should enact some sort of special legal exemption from certain mild misdemeanors committed against bears fans. how much damage can a simple verbal assault or a thrown (empty...of course...) beer can do? they'll be fine and we'll make sure we get them to the hospital if required (oshkosh police...can we get a little help on this one?...no?)

-we pull together. wisconsinites are supportive and we commiserate when necessary. whether the badgers or packers have a rough game, there's an awful blizzard, continually dropping temperatures, or a loss of someone close to us, we provide an infallible support network.

     people from here function with the mentality that "we're all in this together". we honestly believe we are and we’ll help you get through whatever it is.

     i have been exceptionally blessed to travel, and live, throughout the nation and overseas, courtesy of the Air Force. i (hopefully) represented our state well by bringing this attitude to several magnificent places around the world. I truly must say, in the words of Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz, however cliché they are, “there’s no place like home”. there are sooo many more reasons i love being from/living/promoting all that is wisconsin. for now, i’ll just say THANK YOU! to everyone who is from here, lives here, and/or truly embodies the wisconsinite way of life. it is definitely a unique, rare, wonderful lifestyle and outlook. if you disagree, or are unsure of the accuracy of some of my claims, maybe move here (or come visit us...we're REALLY good hosts) and give it a shot :-).

 so..."YES!!!!"...VERY loudly, naturally. if you are a real packer fan, a major cheesehead, and have watched ANY games this season, you just knew. it was like 'spidey-sense'. this was the year our mike, dom, and what they masterfully built were taking us all the way. there is a reason jermichael finley, after suffering a season-ending injury, decided to spread "YOTTO" (Year Of The Takeover) like wildfire. he is a proven athlete and recognized this team would go to the super bowl. he proclaimed, on multiple occasions, aaron rodgers is the best QB out there. aaron is smart, except for when he forgets he's a QB, takes hits like a linebacker, does NOT slide, and/or get out of bounds. strangely, not unlike scott tolzien...please, stop it!! you're stressing us out, we NEED you, and your golden arms! aaron is smooth, unafraid, and takes some serious hits. he can throw, he moves fluently in the pocket, and he adapts quickly. 

     dom capers is a defensive expert. he has verified ability to turn defenses into unstoppable forces. clay matthews is a monster (go ahead...watch and listen to him here). tramon williams is extraordinarily focused (hence the LATE pro-bowl nod). b.j. raji is the biggest boy in NFL history to score a TD in the playoffs. i will fight anyone who doesn't agree his dance was the hottest they've ever seen! true or false, you are now in love with a 337 lb. man?

     the steelers are an undeniable threat. they've been here multiple times, with victories to prove their greatness. ben was my fantasy QB...despite his skeezy actions and i graciously danced into the playoffs because i drafted him based on extensive research. he performed, he has options to throw or hand-off to, and is a gigantic dude. he is difficult to take down. apparently, in recent news, he does not appreciate the nickname 'big ben'. i guess i missed the memo declaring it is not permissible to select your own nickname. dear 'big ben', you are tough, large (in height and musculature), and your name is ben...don't get why you dislike it. i have been/still am (in certain circles) referred to as 'dozer', short for 'bulldozer'...obviously. i was once a hefty girl and chicks would straight-up hand me the ball, terrorized by the possibility i may or may not eat them. nicknames are given...not chosen. love...me

      long story short, i'm appropriately scared of troy (defensive player of the year by a SMALL margin), ben, and the pure strength tomlin has assembled. really, of all their mike has competently accomplished at a young age. i, inevitably, am absolutely confident. the pack chose green jerseys for the game. the last time we won the super bowl in '97, we wore green. i am accepting and celebrating that decision. so...hi lombardi trophy: we're hungry, our QB is loved (he's SO cute), and we're ready...HERE WE COME!