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I've been asked by my lovely female counterpart to write about guys and our relationship with fantasy football (or all fantasy sports, for that matter).  The name alone is probably enough to make our female-readership cringe at the thought of missed chores, broken appointments, or, worse yet, general annoyance at the fact that the man in your life puts forth so much time and energy into something that's fantasy.  Not to say that the popularity of fantasy sports is strictly a male-perpetuated phenomenon (there are always some women in my football leagues every year), but there are an overwhelming number of Y-chromosomes in these parts.  So.....why?

1.  Camaraderie.  The best fantasy football experiences come in leagues played among your friends....high school or college buddies, co-workers, family, neighbors...whatever.  The internet is the greatest thing that could have ever happened to fantasy sports--all you need to play is an email address, some form of connection (yes, even your parents' 28k dial-up will suffice), a couple clicks, and BAM...you're drafting a team in a matter of minutes.  You could decide to fly solo and be placed in a "public" league (sort of the 8th grade dance of fantasy sports....the lights are on, everyone keeps their distance, and it's over relatively quietly.  Or you get a bunch of your friends together (Ed. note:  friends, used in this instance, constitutes anyone that you know in real life and are comfortable trash-talking) and let loose:  build hype, make free-wheeling trades, leave ridiculing messages...what's not to love??  Not to mention getting together for a draft.  A lot of leagues will make a day/night of it...get everyone together at someone's house, drink a ton of beer, and pick teams.  And thanks to this internet fad, drafts don't need to occur in one location!  I've been in the same baseball and football leagues for almost 10 years with the same group of guys, and we're spread around the world (our league manager is in Switzerland, just to give you an idea).  But we pick a date and time when we can all be available (see "some form of internet connection") and do it there (Yahoo! or ESPN).  She was even nice enough to wake up with me reeeeaaaal early on a Sunday morning in August for my draft--if that isn't love, I don't know what is.  

2.  Competition.  The best part about playing with your friends is beating your friends.  There.  I said it.  Am I horrible?  Hell no.  Just ask any other guy in a fantasy league.  Wait, scratch that.  The best part about playing with your friends is winning your league and, hence, gaining bragging rights over your friends until the next season.  Ah, sweet, sweet victory.  Weekly matchups carry a little more weight when you're in a private league against your buddies--take this case, for example.  What phrase carries more weight?  "Team Megatron has some studs at RB," or "I need to kick Rich's ass this week if I'm going to stay in playoff contention."  Maybe you and your friends like to throw down some stakes or a wager...not that this blog condones gambling, but maybe you guys like to play for jellybeans (and the winner receives a whole s*&^load of jellybeans).  Just makes things more fun.

3.  We're going to watch sports anyway.  We might as well have a hobby to go along with..our hobby.  Being part of a fantasy league (if you're a responsible fantasy owner) means staying up on players and stats, and for a lot of us, playing fantasy sports is a way of validating our knowledge--like there's a good reason as to why we memorize yards per carry, batting average, or the dreaded WHIP (if you know what that means, chances are you've been in a fantasy league).

4.  Finally, let's be real about fantasy sports.  They're as close as we'll get to the actual sport.  Ladies, ask your man what he wanted to be when he was a little kid...chances are baseball/football/basketball player was the answer at SOME stage of his childhood (my answer would be soccer player, but then again, I'm an outlier).  So now that we've all accepted our athleticism for what it is (and the fact that steroids can be on the $$ side), we've moved on to more realistic goals.  But that little kid in us will never go away (and all those times you get mad at us for being immature, that's just him popping out to say "hey!") and some dreams never die.  So when we're given the opportunity to pick a team of superstars (and a clever team name to boot), we get to feel like the owner.  We can set our lineups, bench players that we think are underachieving, and even "fire" someone because we don't like their face!  Bahahaha!  Now we're in control of sports, and when the players on our team do well, WE do well.  We hitch our little fantasy wagons to their stars in hopes that we can make our friends look pathetic and weak (thus incurring more ridicule and smack-talk--see points #1 and 2).

Shout-out here to ESPN's "Fantasy Focus Football" podcast...Nate the Hate and TMR forever (but not you, Pod Vader).

Memories pressed between the pages of my mind, memories sweetened through the ages just like wine.

She Said: The day after the wedding G and I took a quick trip out to Dundee Oregon to visit one of G's favs, Argyle Winery.  This winery also has a special place in my heart.  On our second date G and I went to a Greek restaurant and this was the first time G had ever ordered us a bottle of wine.  I remember the wine coming and the waitress pouring the initial sip for G to taste.  The next few seconds were a combination of me watching G with both shock and surprise as he stuck his entire nose in the glass and took a big sniff, then he took a sip and sloshed the wine almost like he was using mouthwash.   I remember being stunned, and I may have glanced around to see if others were seeing what I was seeing.  It was clear he was a winemaker; wine was his passion, and he knew what he was doing.  G gave the ok and our glasses were poured.  The wine tasted spectacular and enhanced by the "second date" high.  At one point, I reached out and looked at the bottle of wine.  I read Argyle and then my eyes spied Dundee Oregon, Willamette Valley. My family is from Oregon.   I excitedly told G  the connection, how special Oregon is to me.   Arriving at Argyle felt like a walk down memory lane.  I must admit though, I drank A LOT at the wedding the day before and my wine taste buds were tapped out.  After we did our tasting we enjoyed walking the gardens on the property.

I'm a voodoo child baby, I don't take no for an answer.

She and G's VooDoo Doughnuts Adventure

We waited in a long line, in the hot sun...please let us in.

She Said: I was totally overwhelmed.  Just looking at the decadent options including doughnuts topped with Captin Crunch and m & m's; I felt sick.  I chose a plain one, topped with rainbow sprinkles.

G becomes very creepy when he eats doughnuts called Old Dirty Bastard.  After gorging on doughnuts, we got comfy and settled in for an entire night of Jersey Shore reruns at the Embassy Suites.  It was the life.  Oh, and I ate two bites of mine and called it a day.

And here are some of G's favorite clips!

I'm gonna be a mighty king so enemies beware! Well, I've never seen a king of beasts with quite so little hair.

King Estate Winery

She Said:  We made it to King Estate Winery on the drive up to Albany, Oregon!  I had been here last summer with my aunt, cousin, and mom and was blown away, so I knew I wanted to take G.  The views of this winery are breath taking.  I highly suggest if you are in Eugene to make a stop here.  King Estate has a wonderful restaurant with delicious food. You can sit out on the patio sipping wine and enjoy the panoramic view.  We lucked out and the weather was hot, complete with blue skies, a rarity for Oregon.  The most random part of the entire King Estate adventure was while tasting G was wearing his New Jersey hot dog shirt.  A family tasting next to us was from New Jersey, and when they see G's shirt, struck up a conversation.  Before we knew it; their doctor was G's uncle!!!  Small world.

Goin' places that I've never been, Seein' things that I may never see again, And I can't wait to get on the road again.

She Said:  McMenamins is an Oregon institution.  Listed as one of the top 50 largest craft breweries in the United States, over 60 brewpubs, microbreweries, historic hotels, theater pubs that make up this McMenamin empire.  It is amazing to see how they take over old buildings and restore them in to works of art.  On Saturday before the wedding a group of us went to eat at the Black Rabbit, one of the restaurants on the Edgefield property in Troutdale.   After lunch we walked the grounds to see the distillery, golf course, gardens, and there was a line of Willie Nelson fans waiting for the concert later on that evening.



This place is a sight to see, and I am excited on future trips to Oregon to explore more locations.  I must say the food at Black Rabbit was sub par.  My risotto was bland.  I should know better then to order a dish that G makes, setting the bar way too high.  Usually I am a strict Corona Light drinker, and I rarely experiment with beers, but at lunch had the ale light Ruby.  This beer was refreshing, and processed with raspberry puree to give it just the right fruity kick.  A new favorite.  We did check out Edgefield’s wine tasting room.  This was the first time G and I had ever done wine tasting with my mom and she was a good sport and dived right in.



On our way out I was taken back by all the small details.  Every traffic sign is hand painted, murals cover the walls, and the labels of beer and wine are artfully designed.  I am blown away by the thought and creativity around every corner at Edgefield.



 

Like a river flows surely to the sea, Darling so it goes some things are meant to be.

She said:  I am speechless.  My cousin’s wedding was beautiful, classy, and utterly fun!  The wedding venue was Bridal Veil Lakes, a setting out of a F Scott Fitzgerald book.  G  took meeting my large family like a champ.  The wedding was filled with the sweetest memories, but my favorite had to be when the bride and groom exited the ceremony and the guests whipped out the kazoos provided, and all enthusiastically kazooed "Can't Help Falling in Love" by Elvis Presley.



She Said:  After the reception we headed to the cocktail hour.  Sidecars, martinis, and apple cider were served.  I first started with apple cider to "pace" myself but it didn't  take too long until I had a Sidecar in my hand.  The sun was shining; the guests were loosened up with drinks in hand.  The  Columbia Gorge view was spectacular, and the photo booth was in full swing.

G is CRAZY!  I am serious.  He was probably one Sidecar ahead of me at this point.


We were seated at the cousin "kids" table.  A salad of baby greens with chevre, local blackberries (which were huge, sweet and juicy), candied hazelnuts and balsamic vinaigrette awaited us when we sat down.

G and I are waaaaayyyy in the back.  Cheers!

She Said: After we were stuffed on filet of Columbia Steelhead salmon, which melted in your mouth, artichoke raviolis, and polenta, G and I needed to exercise it off.  We took one of the canoes out on the lake.  My uncle is a white water rafting expert who we entrusted to guide us along the lake and not tip us over in our wedding clothes.  The water was serene, and it felt refreshing to glide my fingers along as we paddled.  We could hear the jazz band playing in the back ground.

The adorable couple taking a glide out on the lake.  So romantic.

One of the bride and groom's friends made all of the desserts.  Pictured here is the brown-butter bourbon pound cake with caramelized peaches.  Following our philosophy of divide and conquer when it comes to food, we both filled separate plates with each dessert so we could try them all.

She Said:  My cousins wedding couldn't have been more perfect.

Tooty-Ta

G Said:  What are the most rewarding aspects of teaching kindergarten?



She Said: Teaching kindergarten is an acquired taste and not for the weak of spirit.  Many fellow teachers have told me they could NEVER teach kindergarten and to that I groan.  I was one of these teachers until I had no choice and because of a layoff situation, I was placed in kindergarten.  I now whole heartedly believe that at least a year of teaching kindergarten should be required before one gets a credential.  Class discipline, positive reinforcement, classroom management, and much more are learned quickly on the kindergarten battle grounds, where eyes wander to a squirrel out the window, or a student decides rolling on the carpet is more fun then listening to instruction.



I explain teaching kindergarten to G as herding cats or trying to get a group of stoned people to learn and respond to directions. Impossible.  Yet kinder teachers do it day in and day out.  They sprinkle magic, love, songs, and much more through out the day to reach these young minds.  People frequently ask me if I like being a kindergarten teacher and also my favorite grade.  I will say that teaching second grade was a CAKE WALK compared to kinder.  Would I say I was born a kinder teacher, and it is the perfect grade for me to teach.  Hell no! Every day is a stuggle, every day I come home and plop on the couch ready for my own nap time, and every day I worry whether am I doing it right----- Are they learning, and is it fun and excting for my students, how can that Blues Clues guy keep their attention, and I can't???   In the end teaching kindergarten has been the most rewarding part of my career thus far because it is such a challenge.  I have not only grown professionally,  but kindergarten has shaped me into the person I am today and for that I am grateful.



Here is my list of the most rewarding aspects of teaching kindergarten:

-Laughter!  Laughter that is so pure it springs from the belly and giggles straight out the mouth.  Kinders teach me to laugh at myself.

-Learning that the words 'control' and 'perfect' have no place in kindergarten nor in any persons life if they want sanity!

-A never ending supply of hugs is readily given.

-Hearing my students say they love me every day when adults sometimes have a hard time expressing these simple words.

-Visiting kindergarten blogs until all hours of the night.  Kinder teachers are the most creative and gifted curriculum creators, classroom designers, etc.

-Sharing silly things my students say with G and then laughing hysterically together on the phone.

-I may not be able to solve the problems of the world let alone my own personal problems, but give me a, "He pushed me!" or "She wont play with me." or " Can you tie my shoe?" Yep I can handle that with great success.

-Everything that kinders see, touch, taste, hear, and smell is brand new and awe inspiring.  Watching their amazement reconnects me with my inner 5 year old.  The world is magnificent!

-Honesty.  If you can't handle honesty then kinder isn't for you.  I personally love it! There are no passive agressive, back stabbing, talk about you behind your back people here.  Kinders are shoot from the hip, show it on their face, and tell- it- to- your- face little guys, and I love it!

-There is tremendous growth that happens by the end of the year.  They come in barely able to hold a pencil and leave writing words, reading, sitting criss cross.  It is amazing what sponges they are and how far a kinder teacher can take them.

-I can be as girly, pink, sparkly, polka-dotty as I want, and they eat it up!

-Accepting that it is ok to make mistakes.  I teach them this and maybe it is about time I start to believe what I preach as well.

-I am one of the first educators that gets to mold them in to life long learners.  Shouldn't kinder teachers get a Nobel Prize for this?

-On a daily basis I can play with Fancy Nancy dolls, build with blocks, play vetrinarean, draw hearts and unicorns, sniff play-dough, and read Disney books.

-I find it rewarding to wonder what they will be like when they grow up and hoping they will remember me.

-Who doesn't want to believe in Santa Clause, Superman, The Tooth Fairy, and Easter Bunny?

-The smallest rewards mean something to them.  A sticker, earning time to play parachute outside, all are huge rewards for them; you would think they won a brand new car.

-Reading a story and having 25 faces hang on my e-v-e-r-y word.  Oh and the accents and various voices I throw in are fun as well.

-Knowing life may be hard for my kinders at home, but when they walk in MY classroom they are safe, loved, cared for, needed, and listened to.

-Learning balance.  In order to be energetic, fresh, and ready for a full day of kindergarten I need to make time for myself.  Teaching kindergarten forces me to look at my life and priorities or else I would be holed up all day in my classroom prepping and planning all night and day.



When it comes down to it there are many times I think teaching 2nd, 3rd, 4th or 5th may be more to my liking.  This could very well be true, but for some reason the universe keeps nudging me and placing me in kindergarten.  It is as if the higher powers are saying--- this is where you belong for now; you need to get more in touch with your inner child, loosen up a bit and not be so rigid, roll with the punches, and laugh at your self.  I am slowly succumbing to this better me, and each day is a new opportunity for me to make a mistake, color outside the lines, fall face first in the glittery kindergarten world, and just be a kid.  And yet as I sit here typing all the rewarding parts of kindergarten, I begin to realize will these little kinders ever realize just how much they impact my life?  They show up on my doorstep the greatest gift of all, wrapped and packaged in boogers, shoes that flash, whines, whimpers, squishy cheeks, pinks, blues, rolly polly bellies, wiggly feet, Disney lunch boxes, goldfish breath, sticky fingers, toothless smiles, barbie bandaged knees, lipstick kisses from their moms and you know what?!?!?! I love it all!