Things that make me excited about Illinois Basketball this year

Yes, I love Illinois Basketball. Yes, I bring it up to my students when Illinois plays and wins. (I feel justified in teaching them that there are universities past USC, UCLA and CSUN that they can consider.) So why do I love them so much this year?
1. We don't have anyone going to the NBA. I think it's obnoxious when teams recruit one-and-done players to get the championship. Who doesn't want to see an underdog team win?
2. Along the same lines, we were supposed to be bad. Last year we were bad, and this year we were supposed to be bad, but we put in the practice and now we're getting noticed.
3. They took the names off the jerseys. I used to think this was a cheap trick. I mean who really cares if the last name is on the back of the jersey? But hey it's been working and who am I to argue with something that could have been taught in psych 101?
4. Chester Fraizer is awesome. I know it hasn't been the most popular thing to say (neither was saying that you liked Derron Williams until his junior year,) but I like that he proves his worth in ways other than scoring. I think when players are good in ways other than scoring it improves the game of basketball. I also like that he makes no pretenses about what he wants to and can do- he wants to coach. Good fit.
5. We're deep. We have four guys on our team that average over 10 points a game and they aren't our 4 starters. National Championship team was great and the Flying Illini were great, but it's cool to celebrate the whole team.
6. Our fans stopped booing. That was embarressing and frankly those people who booed our team in Assembly Hall shouldn't be allowed into Assembly Hall. If you're that upset, boycott the game. Let your empty seat show your disgrace. This year? The booing has stopped.
7. We play the whole game. Nothing more frustrating than watching a team self-destruct in the final 10 minutes of a hard fought game. It's nice to see us lasting the entire time.
Go Illini!

Things I want to try in LA this year

Now I feel like I've done the basics of moving in (finally have car insurance set up!) so here is a list of the things I want to do to really get settled:
1. Find a community theater to be a part of.
2. Take an acting class.
3. Try out for a symphonic band.
4. Find a spiritual community.
5. Take a ballroom dance class.
6. Go camping.
7. Visit LACMA.
8. Go to Berkeley/San Francisco
9. Learn at least five places to take people to that are more off the beaten trail.
10. Get more people to come visit- COME VISIT!!!