it's still milwaukee, sportscasters

With all the political banter running amok in this state, one might think I would blog (aka bitch) about that.  However, I figure we all hear enough of that on the news, facebook and various other social media outlets.  So, in my infinite wisdom, I will bitch about something else:  Milwaukee media coverage of state college basketball.

If this sounds like a familiar rant, you are indeed correct.  This has been done by me before (see post from January 2010).  No, it hasn't improved since then.

Eventually, I should learn to accept (but likely never will) that Wisconsin is the state school and likely has more followers than my alma mater, Marquette....despite the fact that this is Milwaukee, where Marquette actually is.  And remember, UWM is also in Milwaukee.  However, I still maintain that Marquette and UWM coverage should take precedence over Wisconsin when it comes to bball.  Yes, there are exceptions, like when Wisconsin knocked off then #1 Ohio State.

Yesterday, all three teams has events (games or otherwise) that were newsworthy.  One station's "Sports Minute" only covered the Badgers.  Really?  I get that it was Senior day and they had a perfect home season....but really?  Marquette beat Providence  by over 20 points, thus keeping their chance of an NCAA tourney bid alive.  This is a team in Milwaukee!  At least the station but that on the news ticker (and finally made mention of it for about 10 seconds). 

But that's not the worst of it.  I heard on talk radio this morning that UWM, with their late-season run, is the #1 seed in the Horizon Conference - meaning the conference tourney is in Milwaukee.  This the conference with Butler (#2 by the way), who came oh-so-close to knocking off Duke in the NCAA tourney final last year.  Why the hell wasn't this on the news?  In the local sports world, this is bigger than both Marquette and Wisconsin wins. 

There is potentially that all three teams could be dancing this year, which is awesome.  Sadly, we'll only hear about this team in red. 

in business....kind of

I finally took the plunge.  

Not only did I create the logo for rjl creative (complete with swirl as promised), but I also registered the domain name of rjlcreative.com. I even have some resemblance of a website on said domain.  

It still truly is a work in progress, so please bear with me, but at least it's finally out there. Again, I figured if I actually published it on the interwebs for the world to see, I might be motivated to finish it faster.  

Now if only I could figure out the code for a non back-ass-halfwards way of creating a gallery for some of the pages. 

If you feel so inclined, check it out! 

freelance?

I think it's really about time to develop/promote my freelance site (and subsequently promote a freelance business). Yes, it is relatively slow at work so I should be working on something, right?

I have the site layout configured in my head; it's just a matter of getting on the interwebs in a cohesive, somewhat "pretty" fashion. I think I've discovered a way add designs and photography without having the upload each piece individually. And thankfully, I have a little above basic knowledge of html, xml and css.

However, the hardest part has been creating the logo. No, I'm not a fan of the current one. You'd think that if I could design logos for others, this would be a piece of cake (or in my case, pie). Nope. Just like in life, it's hardest do to things for yourself. Sadly, I've probably been using this as a crutch for not getting myself out there.

The good news is that I have a few logos created but not unveiled to anyone...yet (but the swirl is involved). The bad news is that I can't seem to escape red and green (my favorite colors), which might explain why I prefer blue and silver at Christmas.

The catch is trying to decide on one, then I won't have any more excuses. Or that's what I'll keep telling myself.

six-month (and a couple days) check-up

Wednesday during Snowpocalypse 2011, it did dawn on my that it was also Groundhog Day - which coincidentally is my half-birthday. I would like to note that Puxatony Phil usually never gives me a good half-birthday present as the little bastard sees his shadow. This year Phil didn't see his shadow, but with snow drifts currently taller than me in Milwaukee, I question his accuracy of an early spring.

But that also means it's time for that six-month check-up of "birthday wishes 2010". (If you're so inclined, you can also view the three-month review.)

I know you were on the edge of your seat waiting for this, so....

• promote/develop my freelance design "business" (using that term loosely) - Still a work in progress, but getting closer. I've started to update my rjl creative site to add writing samples and (fingers crossed) I'll eventually add some photos taken at facilities. But have I made the effort to really promote it...eh, not really.
• a MacBook - Same request as three-months ago: If anyone would like to purchase one for me, it would be much appreciated. Maybe I should use the Christmas $$$ intended for a LCD TV for this instead....
• take more photographs (those of the artsy, landscape variety) - I did take some cool pics of my nephews over Christmas, not artsy but photography nonetheless. When the weather gets warmer, I'll likely do more landscape shots.(Again, judge for yourself here.)
• learn to play bass - Ummmm, I went to a Rock Band NYE party and didn't even touch the bass there. Maybe this was a lofty goal/wish. It would also help if I actually had a bass.
• catch up with friends I haven't seen much in the past year - Still rockin' this one. In fact, I've been told by a certain someone I talk on the phone a lot.
• keep in touch with friends I actually see - Despite it being winter, the season in which I'm more reclusive, I've actually braved the elements and seen people. Except for the hashers; it's too damn cold to be hashing.
• visit friends in faraway places - specifically those in Florida, Arizona and Connecticut - who I keep promising I'll visit - The ball is rolling to visit Arizona - just need to find a non-insanely priced plane ticket. Tickets to DC for less than $150 round-trip have spoiled me. Still no headway on Florida or Connecticut, and the June Philly trip is still up in the air.
• teleportation to see said friends and my nephews more often - Yet another lofty goal/wish. But I did see my nephews at Christmas and my brother is coming to visit at the end of April so that's close, right?
• travel internationally without my mom - Nope.
• the adapter thingie that allows you to use your iPod in the car - Thanks to a great bf, I got one for my birthday...and I haven't broken it yet!
• a Wii Fit - I'm still thinking I'd rather have an LCD TV. Now it's just a matter of using that Christmas $$$ to buy it. Target has some good deals this week...hmmm....
• lose that last 20 lbs - I still don't own a scale, and I wouldn't even look at the scale at the doctor's office. However, I wasn't told I NEEDED to lose weight so I must be in my weight range. All I know is some of my clothes are looser and I wear a medium in some clothes. Funny thing is I really don't know what the hell I'm doing to promote this.
• manage my finances more effectively - I would be more effective at this if I didn't have to pay insurance deductibles. Damn deductibles. However, I'm still better than I have been in recent years.
• actually watch some shows I've DVRed - I may have actually watched a couple shows. I'm really bad at this.
• become more involved with the K-Family again - Not only is that membership form turned in, I attended a holiday social which was a lot of fun. Hoping to make it to a service project in the near future.
• world peace (sorry I had to) - Given the recent events in Egypt....yeah, right.
• instead of complaining about something, do something to change it - Ok, I still complain...but then I work on changing it. Yes, this is the same as three months ago.
• give up diet Dew - I'll admit it. I had one at a party in November. I was driving, had a 1/2 hour drive back and needed caffeine. This was the only available option. The good thing is that I didn't want another one later. Come to think of it, I haven't even had caffeine in six days and I'm not dead. I'm impressed.

491 again...

I will admit, I have been ripping on my alma mater quite a bit lately (for reasons mentioned in previous posts, but mostly political rhetoric). However, this past Saturday reminded me of the good things about Marquette.

Saturday brought the (almost) annual MU basketball game with the "girls of 491" - or as I'd like to call them - some of the best roommates ever. And as fate would have it, Saturday was National Marquette Day - appropriate, wasn't it? Our seats were "stellar" - 400 section, row W - despite getting them 2.5 months in advance. But we were in the BC, dammit! Plus, Marquette beat then #10 Syracuse. Go Warriors!

Although we only seem to get together for our reunions 2-3 times per year, it's always a blast. Yes, it's always great to reminisce about our days at MU: drunken stories (including Orioles cups on Wells St.), 90210 viewing parties, Tony-Tony-Tony, Club 742 Upper...to name a few. It's also nice (and sometimes entertaining) to catch up on what's going on with our lives, as phone and e-mail don't always cut. And it's comforting to know that there's always a sounding board for life's trials and tribulations, and the reassurance that you're not the only one who has been in a similar situation.

I wouldn't trade the good friends I made at Marquette for the world. Thanks for making my college years memorable, and being there in our "adult" years.

Until the next "girls of 491" reunion...