Today was the official start of the spelling bee with the written round, but tomorrow is the big day: the Preliminary rounds where all 274 spellers go up to the podium and start spelling. More to follow later today, but can't wait........the best 3 days of the year coming up!!!!
Anyway, in the marathon of life, as with in the game of Mario Kart, there are different types of runners/racers: some start fast but level off (Toad, Koopa) and some start slow but gain momentum quickly (Bowser, Wario). Sometimes, though, I wish life was more like Mario Kart: you get items every 1/3 of a lap or so to help you along your way, take out your competition, and make a dramatic change in the race. Alas, we humans in real life don't really "see" the speed-up mushrooms or the triple red shells in our life, but they're there: we sometimes don't appreciate them.
More Mario Kart analogies: my life, I feel like, has been more Toad than Bowser (Btw, for those of you who don't know the analogy because you were deprived as a child and didn't get to play when one of the best video games ever created, Toad and Kooper were smaller characters relative to Mario/Luigi class, who were relatively small in their own right to Bower, DK, Wario, who were BIG but stumbling): I started off pretty fast as a youth, flying ahead in the game to many awards, achievements, and high grades, but ever since college started I've felt a slow-down in my development, whether it has to do with realizing how small of fish I am in a big pond, realizing there's a LOT of people who are smarter than me, or just me not progressing anymore, there's definitely been a leveling off, and I have a sick feeling of other racers in this game of life (and life in general) passing me by, especially with this legal employment thing.
However, the great thing about the Toad/Koopa class of racers is, when they trip up and have to start their motor again, they're still at the same rate of speed: As opposed to the stumbling, bumbling DK/Bowser class of racers who take a long time to get their engine revving again, I can recover nicely: I'm still well positioned to begin anew, get right back on that horse, plow ahead once more. It just takes dedication to continue forward, whether I need to re-invent myself or just continue pushing in the same direction, I can recover, which is what I intend to do. (And then when I get those mushrooms/lightnings/stars, whatever item, I'll be in position to put them into the greatest use possible).
Btw, here's some fantasy baseball analogies to "items"
1.) Mushroom: If you need a burst of speed, you can do no wrong with Michael Bourn, who's on pace for 60 steals, or Rajai Davis, who tries to steal EVERY time he gets on basis, but if you're really pretty desperate, grab Jason Bourgeois, the French-sounding guy on the Astros, who's coming back from DL.....not so high on Desmond Jennings, the guy hasn't even hit the majors yet.
2.) Red Shell: If you need the blunt, brutal force of knocking someone down via the home run/RBI, pick up the aged one, Raul Ibanez: ALWAYS reliable, ALWAYS better in the 2nd half.
3.) Blooper (squid who throws ink at you): If you need an arm, think about Jeremie Guthrie: perenially underrated, always sub-.400 ERA, sub-1.20 ERA.....even if you don't get the W's and K's out of him that you'd like, he's a safe play cuz he won't blow you up in the peripherals, and his 95+ MPH fastball is a nice insurance policy.
4.) Banana peel: If you need a guy to protect leads (in Kart, you use it primarily to stop the racers behind you), closers have been actually popping up at a pretty steady pace of like 1 new closer a week since the first week of wild swings......so when news (like this week) came available that a closer (Joakim Soria) is injured or pulled, grab the replacement quickly. The next position I see opening up: Kevin Gregg, who's been bad, replaced with Koji Uehara in Baltimore.
5.) Star: If you need to trade for a star, look no further than Jay Bruce/ Justin Upton. Profiled in my pre-season selections, these 2 guys are really becoming mainstays in the lineups, and they are going to be here for many seasons. Sell an aging veteran like Kevin Youkilis or Mark Teixeria for one of these guys, especially in franchise leagues.
6.) Lightning: If you need an arm that can literally throw lightning at you, look at Alexei Ogando. Seriously, ever see him pitch? It's 95, 96 MPH heaters all game long.....he's like Justin Verlander except younger. And the Rangers will probably give him AT LEAST 15 wins this season.
Alright, spelling bee coverage starts tomorrow! Can't wait!!!!!
Fantasize on,
Robert Yan
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