One of the Best Causes Ever

Today is the day off in the world of sports. There are only two days in the year where there are no major professional sports games scheduled. The day before and the day after the Baseball All Star game. On the day before there are lots of events at the All Star game, including the Home Run Derby, which means today, the day after the All Star game is really a day off. It is a day that ESPN, the leader of all things sports, has made incredibly special.

On this day each year ESPN runs a charity marathon to raise money for the V Foundation. Jim Valvano, a college basketball coach, passed away after a fight with cancer in 1993. Before he did he made what some consider one of the greatest acceptance speeches of all time. Jimmy V was receiving the Aurthur Ashe Courage and Humanitarian award, the first time that this award was given. Here is a video of this amazing speech (sorry for the quality, I can't get to YouTube or MySpace)



Jim Valvano Acceptance Speech


On this day each year ESPN sets aside time to raise money for cancer research, and unlike many charities, every dollar raised goes directly to research.

I personally have been touched by cancer, as my grandmother passed away from lung cancer and my father is currently battling bladder cancer. It is a disease that will afflict one in four people. 1 in 4. It is a constant in our lives at this point. I commend ESPN on taking the time to bring forward the need to continue to give to this cause and this foundation in particular.

I cannot afford to bid on one of the very cool experiences that they have up for auction, but I can give a little. I am giving my $20 to the V Foundation and hopeful that I do not have to give it next year. Within my lifetime someone is going to hear from there doctor that they have cancer, and then they will get a prescription that will eradicate the disease in their body. Until that day I will give what I can, because every little bit helps.

So here is to hope, and a day off from sports. Here is to research and the power of many small gifts. Here is to the end of suffering of the people with cancer and the families who help them fight.

"Don't Give Up, Don't Ever Give Up"
Jim "Jimmy V" Valvano
1946 - 1993

Moving, Life and Updates

Hello My Peeps,

Life has continued down some interesting paths. I began the process of moving... yes it is a process, and I should be done at sometime this coming weekend.

Yesterday was my first day/night in the new place, and of course I have noticed some things. First I am super afraid of electric bills. Halpern was not there all the time, so he didn't use alot of electricity, and having heard the horrors of BG&E (thanks Gerard) I am worried about the extra cost. So AC will be used sparingly, and I am sure I will no longer keep my PC on when it is not in use.

The gym at the place is pretty nice. All updated machines, with TVs in front of each one. Normally I will use headphones, though when I am on the bike I am a little to tall to have the ear buds reach the jack on the TV. It is one of those sit back and relax type bikes. Maybe I will read... yeah... read. There are also some nice weight machines, I will probably use those ever couple of days as well.

Having those three hours back is really nice, though yesterday I only had 1.5 back. I feel like I am going to be able to be much more productive, healthier and happier. It is going to be hard not having a roommate. Living with Elan has been really good, though he does need to figure out his whole work - life balance thing.

The UMBC peeps went to this place, Mongolian Grill, last night. It was really good. It is an all you can eat place, where you grab your veggies and noodles, choose a meat, or not, put it all into a bowl with some sauces, spices and hand it off to be cooked. It is delivered to your table when it is done. It was a little reminiscent to the Dining Hall, but much better.

I am going to a Couple of Yankee Games next week. Game one is Sogeti night at the ballpark. It sounds interesting and there should be a bunch of people from work there. They buy food and such that you pickup in the parking lot before the game. I am looking forward to that. The nest night is UMBC night at the park, which will have a bullpen party before the game and then an upper reserve seat for the game. I am excited to get to see the Yanks... Most of the time the game is sold out, but they are so bad right now that I can get to see them.

Dad has an appointment today, keep your fingers crossed.

My sunglasses broke the other night. I was taking them off of my head and they just snapped. I had these things for just over a month. I go another pair on the way back from Philly this weekend, they are comfortable, but look a little silly.

I cannot get the Plain White T's song "Hey There Delilah" out of my head. It is amazing, and it, without a doubt, is the way I feel right now. It is what she does to me.

I started to watch Arrested Development last night. It is really good and really funny. If you have not seen it, just watch the extended pilot, it is hilarious. And yes, I got season one on DVD.

A little here there and everywhere for this post, but I had alot to say and I am a little worried, as you can imagine, but things are going to be great.

What is in a Name

So as many of you know I have had two major nicknames over the course of my life. Before we talk about them in detail, lets talk about nicknames in general. A person's given name is just that, given, but your parents, or the state, before you have had any time to really bring forward any part of your own personality. And while a rose by any other name smells just as sweet, it still is still not a rose. Names are important. Nicknames are more important.

As stated earlier, I have had two major nicknames most of my list. The first, Brick, is a clear derivation from my last name, Bricklemyer. It may be a sign that most people who use this are just initially to lazy to use my last name, granted this still means they are pronouncing an additional letter as opposed to using my first name. There is no really story around Brick, but I will answer to it. It just is luck of the draw on that one.

The second of my two nicknames, well that is a different story. Here goes...
I spent many years at JCC Klien Branch Day Camps in Philadelphia. Around my junior year in high school, I was a junior councilor, and was paired up with a senior councilor who was the older brother of a good friend of mine. He was kinda a pompous ass, but he was a good guy deep down. Anyway, one day, during afternoon line-up, where the kids are picked up by their parents. My senior councilor and another councilor start to have a little shoving match in the middle of the road. I, of course, decide that this is probably not the best thing, so I get in the middle of it, and push my senior councilor away. The fight diffused at this point and everything seemed ok.

So what does this have to do with my nickname? Well, little known to me, two other councilors, who would later become two of my very closest friends, were standing on the side on the street, not knowing who I was. One turned to the other and goes "Who is that kid who broke that up" and the other says "I don't know, some Bryan Bricknhymr Kid". It stuck. Twelve years later I am still known as bricknhymr.

But something strange has happened over the past twelve years, bricknhymr has become his own persona. For example, bricknhymr can fix things. I can't fix things, I mean my father is great at fixing things, but in comparison, I have less talent in my whole body than he has in his little finger. Yet, bricknhymr can fix things. Bricknhymr is funny... I am a little lame. Bricknhymr is larger than life... I am large at least.

The nickname is important to me. It is part of who I am and I really like it.

I am bricknhymr and bricknhymr is me!!

no more crazy posts.... until the next one.

Updates: I have sunglasses... they are ok, we will see how long they last. We have picked a date for Dad - June 19th, 2012. Paul Bricklemyer, Cancer Survivor. Mom, she wants to go to a baseball game. I am moving on Thursday-Friday. I am madly in love and chasing a person I may never get to hold again, but I am going to keep trying.