I want a ton of days like this one!

Today, I got to have a two-hour lunch with my cousin's son. He has asked for some help and advice on his college applications, essays, and search for schools. It was really nice to sit across from a family member who wasn't judging me, wasn't trying to make me feel inferior, and who wasn't making hate myself. I am the black sheep of the family. I've never thought like them or lived my life like them.

My cousin's son has always had wonderful level of intelligence and delight in learning things. He has true intellectual curiosity. He plays soccer, piano, and trumpet. Not because he was forced into it, but because he had genuine interest and passion in those areas. He reads on his own time. He loves to read about wars, foreign affairs, and loves to try to understand how the world operates via politics and relations. This is his passion. Sitting and listening to him articulate his dreams and what he wants to pursue just made me so proud of him. We have both had similar struggles with the same family members. In fact, his mom and he are going through things that I have been through: a broken home and the BS that comes with it, a seriously ill parent, having family members mock my aspirations, and wanting and education in a family that doesn't quite understand the value of anything beyond blue-collar work. I'm proud of my blue collar background, but if there is an opportunity to exceed, it, by all means it should be exceeded.

I left our lunch feeling like my cousin is just going to be an awesome man. I was very impressed by him. I'm also very proud. I used to toss baseballs to him. The higher I could throw them, the happier he was because it required him to work harder to catch the ball. That's sums him up, completely. "Give me a challenge and I'll figure out a way to deal with it and surpass it."

Then, when I left, I decided to go to a movie. I saw We Own the Night with Joaquin Phoenix, Mark Wahlberg, Robert Duvall, and Eva Mendes. I highly recommend this movie! Phoenix must get an Oscar nod for this! I mean it! The movie had my attention the entire time. I found myself afraid for the characters, sad, sitting on the edge of my seat, and totally loving it! If I talk about the movie in any detail, it will give stuff away, so just go see it. It is rated R and the opening scene is third-base type action and very adult--so don't take anyone with you, that if you saw it together, it would make you squirm. Check out the movie's site for more info. (I placed the link in the movie title.)

So, how can I top such an awesome day? The Flyers are playing the Hurricanes. That means, Roddy is in town! Woooo hooooooooo!!!! I think I'll find a way to sneak into his room ala Laverne and Shirley style (anyone remember that episode? Laverne and Shirley sneak into Fabian's room? Think it was Fabian.). Here's something you probably didn't know: Rod Brind'Amour completed his college education at Temple University in Philadelphia. What did he study? Education--to be a teacher. Think he'd want to teach at my school when he retires? Huh? It would make me reallllllly happy. Heh.