Like I mentioned in the previous post, I am originally from Buffalo where I grew up in the safest town in America(true story), the lovely Williamsville, NY. I guess I was your typical white, suburban teenager, growing up in a place where the word diversity meant "the pit" of the commons in my high school where all of the minority kids hung out in their free period. Not like that was a big deal to all of us because it's not like I consider myself a racist or anthing, that's just how things went. As mentioned, sports were a big part of my life. In high school, I was a three sport athlete in golf, hockey and lacrosse. I also thoroughly enjoy playing basketball, tennis, bowling, and slow pitch softball. My best bud and current roommate Dan used to say that I was the best at obscure sports, which is kinda true. There's one big sport that is left off the list and that's football. Every so often I think to myself what kind of football player I could've been with my 6'4" 230-pound frame but I was always too busy playing travel hockey in the fall during my high school years to pick up another sport and that was okay with me and I have no regrets.
From the age of twelve, I had no doubt about where I was going to go to college. The University of Michigan had just finished taking 2 of 3 NCAA Men's Hockey Championships and their football team was crowned as the 1997 NCAA Football championship. I did a little research and saw that their academics weren't too shabby as well. Although hockey was my passion, I knew I didn't posses the skills to play at a top notch program like Michigan, but I knew I had to continue to play sports at a high level. Michigan provided that opportunity with their Varsity Club Lacrosse Program. Consistently ranked in the top 10 in the nation, the University of Men's Lacrosse program allowed me a chance to compete, win and travel the country to play other top club lacrosse programs. Over my four years playing goalie for Michigan lacrosse I was able to travel as far east at West Virginia to as far West as San Diego with stops in such cities as St. Louis, Dallas, Denver, Minneapolis, L.A. and Phoenix to name a few. After riding the bench for a better part of 3 years I was finally given a chance to start my senior year as a co-captain and I couldn't have asked for a better final season. Our team, led by a great group of seniors, went 20-0 and captured the 2008 MCLA Championship at Texas Stadium in Dallas. Besides winning the NY State High School Hockey Championship my senior year, this ranks as one of the most gratifying experiences of my life. There's a famous quote from legendary Michigan Football coach, Bo Schembechler that says, "Those who stay will be champions". This quote rings especially true in my heart because of the values I hold myself to. Patience, patience, patience is key in my life. I understand that sometimes in life it's good to be impatient and take the proverbial bull by the horn, but in most cases, success comes from patience, cooperation and communication.
Moving on. After graduation from Michigan it has always been a goal/dream of mind to find a job in NYC. My older sister Lyndsey lives here and I always used to think to myself, what could be better than living in the greatest city in the world? I was lucky enough to interview for a paid internship in the Marketing department for the National Hockey League and was offered a 3-month internship, which I figured was plenty enough time to lock down a full-time position either with the NHL or somewhere else with connections I made while working there. It's a long story that I don't really feel like getting into but basically I was verbally offered a full-time position within the Marketing department of the NHL in September '08 but did not receive a formal offer from HR and soon after due to the terrible economic downfall, the NHL shortly went on a hiring freeze and my days at the NHL were numbered. I continued working until December '08 but ever since then I have been part-time bartending at a restaurant in Union Square called Chat 'n Chew. Not necessarily a dream job but it brings home some dough and when I tell people I'm a bartender in NYC they think it's pretty cool. If they knew the reality, they probably wouldn't think it's that cool.
I have a great family and parents who have been helping support me in one of the most expensive cities in the world. I also have a wonderful girlfriend, Kristin, whom I actually met up in East Lansing at a Michigan/Michigan St. football tailgate. She graduated from Miami (not the U) and currently lives a few blocks away from in the East Village. My friends are much like me in the fact that they love sports, boozing and enjoying each other's company. All in all, I'm a pretty lucky dude.
And that's my life story. Thanks for listening. More to come later on topics certainly more exciting than my life.
Doug, you can go suck it. I say that because:
A. It's my own blog and I can say whatever I want.
B. I've taken way too much shit on Doug's blog and currently he's one of two people that actually knows I have a blog. The other one being my sister.
C. Doug knows that although I may appear to be serious, it's all in good fun.
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