Different, But Possibly Better...

How can't Nate get this party started? We'll get Mr. Robinson for a Q&A sometime in the next few months...in the meanwhile, enjoy this...


OK, this may not be like the old FadeawayJ, but I think I might enjoy just writing about stuff that's relavant to me. An open diary of sorts, I guess:) It will be basketball, it will be pop culture, it will be Lilli and Meeks...shoot, sometimes it'll probably be about y'all, too! So expect to hear about all that and then some.

For people who dug the old FadeawayJ and wondered what happened to the site, let me give you a brief summary of what my life has been like since I went off line in August of 2002 (well, we'll see how brief I can keep it:). That August, I became engaged to Mariko, who is now my beautiful wife of just over a year (Sept 14th was our one year anniversary). Right around that time, I decided I wanted to go back to school and pursue not only my Bachelor's in English, but my dream of once again lacing 'em up and playing college ball once more. So of course, I decided that the easiest way to go about doing this was to pack up and move to...Maine. Yup, never was one to make the simple decision. I know Meeks thought I was crazy, but I had had previous conversations with Coach Graffam at the University of Maine Fort Kent (A place that is and will be entitled to many posts in the future, trust me on that!), and he said he'd hold a spot on his squad for me. So probably wondering what she had gotten herself into, Mariko and I packed up and trekked over 3,000 miles to a new world that would be our home for the next year.

All in all, I gotta say I loved my college experience at UMFK. I met so many amazing people, heads that I know I'll be long distant friends with the rest of my life (again, I know I'll write much more about all of them soon). I got back on track academically, and playing organized ball brought me to a place where I enjoyed and appreciated the game as I never had before. But there was a definete need for both Mariko and I to be closer to the Pacific Northwest...whether it was missing our respective families, not being able to put up with another Arctic Maine winter, or a combination of both. And while we thought our time in Maine would be a two year commitment, turns out a certain little someone gave us a sure fired reason to pack up and head back west.


The little angel in my life:)


Yup, I now have not only an amazing wife, but a beautiful daughter, as well! Lilli was born last November 21st, and man, what a blessing she is. I can't begin to put into words the joy that comes with being a parent (and again, I'll go in depth on that later, too:), it's the biggest and best responsibility that's ever been in front of me. Just waking up everyday to her poking me in the back (she sleeps with us)...regardless of how early it is, just to see her smiling over my way...my day couldn't get off to a better start. Again, how blessed am I!

So much for a quick summary...I'll try to wrap this up as quick as possible. I've spent most of the last year working as the Group Sales Coordinator at the Everett Events Center, the new sports arena in my hometown. It was a great job, as I got to see every single show that came through the Center and meet some really cool entertainers (The Harlem Globetrotters, rap and R&B artists like Master P, Jagged Edge, Ying Yang Twins, etc.). But I resigned about a month ago, deciding that it's about time I finally finish up my "college experience" (those of you that know about my 9 year plan, this is where you can shake your head and laugh at me a little:). So I've only got a little over a year to bang out, and I'm back in the mix at Everett Community College this fall, taking two classed to finish up my two year transfer degree. For those of you living outside of Washington state, I'll briefly explain that even though I have right around 125 to 130 credits (180 credits to graduate on the quarter system), in state universities won't except all your transfer credits unless you have a two year transfer degree. So that's what I'm doing; once I bang out two classes this fall, I'll get that degree and start an Independant Learning program at either Western Washington U. or Eastern Washington U. in January. Again, not the conventional route for the average, sane person, but I'm just doin' what I gotta do. The whole squirrel tryin' to get a nut thing, I suppose...

Anyways, I'm back in some capacity writing about hoops and other stuff, so if y'all are so inclined as to bookmark this page and check it out from time to time, I'll try to give you my opinions. Like I said, pretty much an complete 180 from the old FadeawayJ, but hopefully you'll jump on like you may have done before. Feel free to send me some feedback: anything is free game (For my boy Ian up in Halifax, how 'bout them Knicks, family? J Crawford is gonna be nice at MSG...) Holla back everyone, until tomorrow...