A stroll down to the courthouse, and then...

You know, sometimes I forget that people actually read my column (shoutout to Bill Fitzsimmons for telling my family you liked my column). Last week’s column was a little sappy, so I’ll keep it upbeat this week.

I am currently writing this while watching a bunch of men play mediocre pick-up basketball. A couple of my friends wanted to head to the gym tonight to shoot a round and I was willing because I am still new to basketball and need the shooting practice. Well, when we got here, the gyms were pretty busy so the only option available to us was playing actual games. That’s where I said no, I would sit out and watch. Cheering I will not do, though, because my friends aren’t at the skill level to deserve cheers. For the most part, people who come to the recreation building to play basketball are usually there simply to enjoy the game in a more chill manner. Maybe they played in high school, maybe they’ve never played but enjoy the game, maybe they are practicing for intramurals. It’s always fun to see the crowd and watch the people who come to play pick-up games. 

This week is a busy one for me, filled with fun things. On Tuesday, I got to wake up early and take the light rail down to the Hennepin County Courthouse to scroll through criminal records and see what I want to write about for a crime story for one of my classes. There were a couple of interesting cases, but it’s hard to decide what’s newsworthy from looking at the probable cause sheet the public records show. I will say, though, that some people have lived interesting lives and have made some interesting decisions. 

On Wednesday, I will have woken up at the bright time of 5 a.m. to go to the 6 a.m. Reserve Officer Training Corp (ROTC) physical training at 6 a.m. for a Minnesota Daily story. It’s going to be a “Day in the Life” type piece. Many college students join ROTC for reasons of their own, including to help pay for college. Once they’ve finished their degrees, they are obligated to serve a stint in the military. A member graciously agreed to let me follow him around for the day, so on Wednesday I will be at personal training, followed by a military science class, and then my own classes on top of that. I’m kind of excited, although nervous to go to PT. The guy said I could join them in their exercises (sled pulling, burpees, mountain climbers, and running with medicine balls), and I initially agreed. But now that I’ve had time to think about it, I think I might pass. See, the social media team also wants me to take videos and pictures so they can make a TikTok about it, and I just don’t think I am capable of doing that along with the exercises. At least that’s the excuse I’m telling myself. 

Thursday is a chill and normal day, but then my weekend is filled with hockey! There is a gentleman who comes into the bar when I work on occasion, and he tells me he sees me on TV when he watches the men's gopher hockey games. I’m pretty sure he only saw me once, but every time we come across each other, he likes to tell me that he saw me. It’s almost endearing and slightly annoying. I just hope the men’s hockey team can win so we can go to the Frozen Four and the championships or something, even though they’re in Minnesota this year, so we don’t get to travel anywhere. I still enjoy playing in the pep band for the games, and that’s all that matters. 

My Determination: “What I was born does not matter, only what I will make of myself, only what I will become.” ― Diana Gabaldon, The Fiery Cross