Stay HAPPY during Finals Week...and the rest of the year too

This is something we should all remember.

A 92-year-old, petite, well-poised and proud man, who is fully dressed each morning by eight o'clock, with his hair fashionably combed and shaved perfectly, even though he is legally blind, moved to a nursing home today. His wife of 70 years recently passed away, making the move necessary. After many hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the nursing home, he smiled sweetly when told his room was ready. As he maneuvered his walker to the elevator, I provided a visual description of his tiny room, including the eyelet sheets that had been hung on his window. I love it,' he stated with the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old having just been presented with a new puppy. Mr. Jones, you haven't seen the room; just wait. ”That doesn't have anything to do with it,' he replied. Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time. Whether I like my room or not doesn't depend on how the furniture is arranged ... it's how I arrange my mind. I already decided to love it. 'It's a decision I make every morning when I wake up. I have a choice; I can spend the day in bed recounting the difficulty I have with the parts of my body that no longer work, or get out of bed and be thankful for the ones that do. Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open, I'll focus on the new day and all the happy memories I've stored away.. Just for this time in my life. Old age is like a bank account. You withdraw from what you've put in. So, my advice to you would be to deposit a lot of happiness in the bank account of memories! Thank you for your part in filling my Memory Bank. I am still depositing.

'Remember the five simple rules to be happy:

1. Free your heart from hatred.

2. Free your mind from worries.

3. Live simply.

4. Give more.

5. Expect less.

Live and Learn - Learn to Live

"Now, I'm the only reaper of the seeds that I sow and when I walk the field of my stubborn will, It's a hard row to hoe. There's a price for getting smarter so I pay what I owe. While bridges burn let the  shadow fall behind me, I am wiser I know. We live and learn, always living and learning." - from Michael W. Smith's song Live and Learn

Life is a roller coaster of peaks and valleys. To appreciate the straightaways and the downhill thrills of this roller coaster, we have to endure the uphills that come our way. For most, these uphills in life create a challenge of hopelessness and despair. Some even try to avoid the uphills, just staying on flatland. We don't grow stronger through this because those uphills build our strength. We stick in the rutt until we die, never growing, never maximizing our potential, never taking any risks, never reaching out to others; just playing the waiting game until we die.
We all do this. This is now the culture. In 2012, this is looked upon as normal and acceptable. In 2012, we are born to get an education, to get a job to retire; and we retire to die. In 2012, we play for safety. We play for stability. We don't maximize our potential because the uphills are simply uncomfortable. Since our culture avoids and looks down upon these uphills, they are a rocky road; dark and lonely. I'm so guilty of this. I consciously and unconsciously avoid situations in which i'm taking the road less traveled upon. I dodge situations that are unfamilar, for the shear fact that i'm afraid of failure and making a complete fool of myself. I'm afraid of being alone and missing out too, even when I know I could be doing something better. This is a constant struggle that I compete with daily.
The thing is though, I know i'm not alone.
These uphills create foundations and the battle scars. They have the power to improve our quality of life and create a legacy that improves the quality of life around us too. They make our minds stronger, our hearts mightier, and our faith deeper. Through these uphills, we learn quite a bit about ourselves. Because when you put your heart on the table, you can see what your made of. We become wiser and through our wisdom, we have the ability to help others through their journey and let them know what it takes, so that our culture can escape the rutt.
Spring Semester 2012, I created some battle scars. I am wiser and ready to put my new found knowledge into practice. The journey is nowhere near over, but I think i'm at a new level in my growth as a man. God is standing there at the finish line, and i'm ready to put my all into this race in his glory and finish in his arms.
So, this summer, take a risk. Take a chance. Run so hard you puke, then come back for more. Reflect. Love. Communicate about everything. Believe in yourself and others because you believe and trust in God. Aim for success. Learn from failure. Embrace the pain of the uphill. Live and learn to learn to live.

An engaging temptation had me doing time. 'Cause when it starts a fire under strong desire
we are partners in crime. But hindsight is clearer. I can see where I've gone and never return.
It's a new man in the mirror.  It's a new freedom song to live and learn.

PA Announcement

This is a PA announcement of the Raleigh Relays 1500 featuring SRU's own Dylan Klein. This is for my Sport Communication class.

Arrigoni on the Air Podcast

This is my Arrigoni on the Air Podcast for my Sport Comm class. Talking about some track and field news....

Harden Hit

Last night the Lakers-Thunder game, Metta World Peace of LA made a layup and started to celebrate. When he was celebrating, he elbowed James Harden, OKC's star 6th man, in the head, which gave him a concussion. He was out for the rest of the game. Alot of analysts on Sportscenter are calling for high suspensions for Metta World Peace, saying that his hit was intentional. Personally, I don't think it was intentional. It just looked like he got caught up in the emotion and accidentally whipped in the head. I think alot of the controversy comes from World Peace's past antics and reputation. Give him a 2 game suspension just to remind him to keep his emotions at bay.

My Take on The Penguins

Tonight is game 4 of the Penguins vs. Flyers in the 1st round of the 2012 NHL playoffs. The Pens are down 3-0 and are in danger of getting swept in Philly tonight. Being from Pittsburgh, I am a hometown supporter of the team, not really a "fan" persay. If they do good, i'm happy about it. If they stink, I could really care less. But through my untrained hockey eye, the Pens do not deserve to win this series. The Flyers have looked superior on both ends of the ice, where the Pens seem so discombobulated with their puck control, looking like that of a pee-wee team. Would I be happy to see the Pens somehow pull off this miracle and win the series? Yes. But at this point, I would bet my house on the Flyers pulling this out. But I guess that is why they play the games, cause ANYTHING can happen

NBA Trade Deadline Deals

Another NBA trade deadline has come and gone, and there has been a variety of good and bad deals. Although, this trade deadline will be known for the people that didn't move. After weeks of spectulation, Dwight Howard, Pau Gasol, Rajon Rondo, Deron Williams, Josh Smith and Danny Granger all stayed put on their respective teams. The most impressive deadline deal in my opinion was the Lakers gettting Ramon Sessions and Jordan Hill and getting rid of Luke Walton's bad contract. Although they had to give up veteren Derek Fisher, they were able to bolster their bench, get quicker and younger at the point, and obtain more salary cap flexibility.

NBA Trade Machine FUN TIME

In my spare time, I like to play around with the NBA Trade Machine on ESPN.com. These are my most interesting trades I made up that I like the most.

Boston gets: Josh Smith, Jeff Teague, Ivan Johnson
Atlanta gets: Rajon Rondo, Chris Wilcox
I like this trade for a couple reasons. If your Boston, It gives you 3 young players to work with that will make your team better. Josh Smith is practically an all-star and is very versitile, Jeff Teague is a good young point guard that will be able to push the ball and work with his teammates, and Ivan Johnson is a young bench player that will give you good hustle minutes off the bench .
If your Atlanta, getting Rondo gives you a very good 3 headed monster of Joe Johnson, Al Horford, and Rondo. Fill in the pieces, and they would have a contend down in ATL.

Minnesota gets: Trevor Ariza
New Orleans gets: Michael Beasley
As a Timberwolves fan, I would LOVE if this trade would happen. Minnesota would get a defensive stopper and a solid young player in Ariza, who would fit with the make-up of this team and fill in some holes on the defensive end. New Orleans would get Beasley which would help them on the offensive side of the ball and give them a solid small forward and scorer to go along with Gordon, when he comes back from injury.

Golden State gets: Al Jefferson, Raja Bell
Utah gets: Monta Ellis, Andris Biedrins
This trade gives Stephen Curry the reins there in Golden State and gives the Warriors a solid inside presence with Jefferson and Lee. Bell, even though he is getting old, is a good defensive and would be a good fit for Mark Jackson's coaching style. Getting rid of Biedrins would also give them some more cap space to get a good free agent signing this summer.  Utah would get a prolific scorer to fill that 2 guard spot and Biedrins would be a big body down there in the post to take up space.

"FIVE" TO WATCH AT THE INDOOR PSAC TRACK AND FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS THIS WEEKEND!!!!

This weekend is the Indoor PSAC Conference Championships at Edinboro University. There have been many stellar performances throughout the PSAC this indoor season and now they will all come together to battle for a coveted conference title!
Now as a distance runner myself, these are my "FIVE" distance runners to keep an eye on this weekend in Edinboro...

#1 Bryan Beegle SR Shippensburg (Mile and 3k)
Beegle has been the man so far this indoor season. He leads the conference by a whopping 5 seconds in the mile, with a NCAA auto time of 4:06.30. He also reported split a 4:04 on Shippensburg's US#2 Distance Medley Relay team. He will definately be the man to beat this weekend.

#2 Stephen Schelander SR Shippensburg (Mile, 3k)
Schelander has also been on a great tear this indoor season running provo times in the Mile (4:13) and 5k (14:26). He is one of the most consistent performers in the conference and he definately wants to end his senior indoor campaign with a bang.

#3 Clint Keller JR IUP (Mile, 3k, 5k)
After redshirting Cross Country this fall, Clint has seemed to come out of nowhere to be an elite performer in the PSAC this indoor season. He is seeded second in both the mile (4:11) and 3k (8:31) and seeded 5th in the 5k (15:10). If he continues this hot streak he's put on of late, he will be very tough to beat.

#4 James McBride SR Millersville (3k, 5k)
McBride is having a solid indoor season being seeded 5th in the 3k (8:33) and the 5k (15:10). But with the news of the execution of the Millersville XC, Indoor and Outdoor teams, all eyes will on him to see how he respond to these developments. He will definately be a crowd favorite.

#5 Kevin Jewel JR Slippery Rock (400, 800, 4x8, 4x4)
Jewel is a level of consistency in the PSAC, never really seeming to have a bad race and always being in the mix at the PSAC championships. Having won the last 2 outdoor 800 titles, it will be interesting to see if he can win his first indoor 800 title.

LINSANITY!!!!!!!

The NBA never ceases to intrigue me. The drama and the captivation of this league is the reason why NBA basketball is my favorite year after year. "The Decision" last year had me on the edge of my seat and really got me into tuning into every televised Heat game last year, along with checking their box score the first thing in the morning the day after their games. The "David vs. Goliath" and "Us against the World" plotlines really made for an exciting 2010-12 season.
But this year's hot NBA story TOTALLY came from left field.
If you would've told me at the beginning of the season that an Asian-American point guard from Harvard, who was cut by 2 teams, would come out of absolutely nowhere to lead the New York Knicks from total embarrassment and lead take the world by storm in a grand total of 9 games...I would have thought you would have been crazy...but then again, I wouldn't expect anything less from the NBA.
I love this story. In the age of big-time high school and college sports and elite scouting services - where they pick and pick and pick and scrutinize every player extensively - how does Jeremy Lin fall through the cracks?
Maybe it was his lack of a basketball pedigree. Maybe it's in Mike D' Antoni's run and gun/point guard first system, where Steve Nash thrived for years in Phoenix. Maybe with a Harvard degree, some teams thought he was too nerdy for the NBA. Maybe he really isn't that good and we are all watching a shooting star, that looks really cool for the night you watch it, but eventually flames out. Maybe it was his race...
But all in all, an unlikely NBA star is born. A star that everyone all around the world has come to adore and embrace. And with this love, he is the biggest NBA star and probably the most marketable global sports star since Yao Ming.
My thoughts are with you Derrick Rose. Because the 2012 NBA all-star game might be the last one you ever start if the world keeps staying high on Linsanity...

Career Interest

My career interest area is involved in Sport Marketing and Information. I am interested in this area because I am want to work with people to market my organization to the public and inform the public about what we are doing in this organization. This includes getting sponsors, taking care of advertising and publicity, public relations, public speaking, slaes, setting up news conferences, reporting scores and statistics to the media, preparing press guides, advertisments and other related materials.