Which team do you cheer for?

I typically like college football. But there are two weeks in Iowa that are two of my least favorite Saturday's of football. It is the two weekends of Iowa teams playing each other for bragging rights or something along those lines.

I was born and raised an Iowa Hawkeye. My dad was an avid Hawk fan and I'm sure he is still cheering for them. I looked at all three state colleges and was accepted to all three but a deciding factor for not choosing two (actually three, Loras College in Dubuque also qualified) was the comment my mom made one day to me regarding she and my dad stopping by if I was in college in Iowa City, Cedar Falls or Dubuque-because they were close! Yes that was one of the deciding factors in choosing a college. I knew I needed to be far enough from home not to run home every weekend (or have my parents stopping by!).

I honestly feel an allegiance to all three state colleges for a variety of reasons, and not just because everyone else is on some kind of band wagon or some other ridiculous reason.

When I was in school I attended events at both Iowa and UNI so I grew up at and am comfortable with both. My dad, as I mentioned, was an avid Iowa fan. He was especially fond of men's basketball purely for the reason it was a winter sport and he had time to watch and attend games. Football was harvest time and he didn't have the time to watch or attend. His passion for the Hawks still warms my heart, he loved to watch them.

Iowa State is another favorite because of family and the Cyclones at times remind me of the Chicago Cubs before last year's World Series. ISU is at times the lovable losers. They are either up or down, it seems there is seldom an in-between!

UNI is a quiet force that always takes a backseat to all the hype Iowa and ISU seem to get and probably has to do with size as well. They are kind of like the forgotten little sister-you forget they are there at times.

Regardless of who is playing who I am pulling for the team from Iowa, except for the Saturday's when UNI plays ISU and Iowa plays ISU. Can't everyone win?! I do not like the crappy banter some fans post or say during these weeks of play-both before and after play. Some fans are really crappy losers. And I'm not going to bash or side with one team's fans or another. All teams have their share of crappy fans. BUT there seems to be more dip-s$@% fans for one team than the other two.teams. Regardless it is all just a game. It has notaffect on world peace nor is the cure for cancer or ends wars. We are all Iowan's, living in the same great state. It is just that, a sport, a college sport and it gives one-third of the state bragging rights for 12 months until next year.

So regardless of the outcome of last week's game or this week's game I'm still rooting for all three teams. And if you say that's not being a fan then you need to open your eyes, broaden your perspective, get a life...it's just a sport. It's just a GAME. Look that up....game-noun-1.  a form of play or sport....

Lists

Some people are list makers. My mom always wrote a grocery list. I put my grocery list on my phone and IF I do write a list I try to remember to take a picture of that list with my phone or else I forget that crazy list when I go to the grocery store. My grocery lists are a far cry from the ones my mom made. I grew up in a house that most of the food on the table was homemade. We seldom had store bought, from the cookies in the jar to the meat and side dishes at each meal, there was very little box mixes or frozen meals served.

Some people have bucket lists, and I have started a sort of bucket list. It only has a couple of things on it, nothing major or too impressive. But it's a start.

I also have a list on my phone of books I want to read-I'm nerdy like that. And another list of things to do...go to a friend who now coaches college basketball game, and go out to eat with another friend and his wife. That list is pretty short and not too exciting.

I have a third list on my phone, restaurants I want to try. That list mostly includes eateries in the city. And the list is compiled from articles I've read or suggestions from what other people have enjoyed and told me. That list is a bit longer and includes a variety. I hope to try most,  if not all on that list.

I some times do  "to-do" lists Usually it is things that I need to do or I'm asking other people to help me with. (It is very hard for me to ask others for help). I keep a very small list of things I'd like to get done or to do-usually things around my house or to my house. I don't share this list very often usually because the items on that list require extra help and/or man power...it's more of a "wish list" to me. Oh well.

My written lists are reminders, so are short term....lunch in the fridge or take a check for lunch money or take back pop cans and bottles to the redemption center, or meeting after school- are just a few of the things I write down to remind myself so I have a note on my counter by my keys in the morning...things that I often forget because I'm hurrying out the door in the mornings or have too many other things on my mind when I get home from school in the afternoons. They help keep me on task or at least remind me that they need to be done....that doesn't mean they get done or I don't forget!

I always make a list for holiday meals. And every time I sit down to make these meal lists I promise myself not to cook myself into a frenzy. But guess what, I start out very focused and end up with four vegetables at Thanksgiving dinner or six different desserts and three kinds of soup for Christmas eve. I want to make everyone's favorite and it becomes food overload! There are worse things-at least that's what I tell myself!

The lists I need to remember to do more often are the list of people and things I am blessed with and what I am thankful for. These are lists that help keep me grounded and more focused and certainly don't need to be written down.
I am blessed with...my family, my health, my freedom, clean water, food on the table, a roof over my head and many, many more things.
So many blessings and a list that I need to remember daily and appreciate more often.

I'm not a professional at the list making, I'm more of an on-again off-again lister, and I will admit if I write something down (rather than make a list on my phone) I am more likely to remember it! (So it is true that if you write something you remember it better!).

So with a holiday tomorrow and a short week ahead I have a list of things I would like to accomplish this week and what meetings I have to go to. And I'm betting most of the items on that list and schedule will get done and be remembered because I wrote it! Yay me!!

So to those who are constant list makers, I am in awe and bow down to your organization skills. I wish I was more like you. But for now I'll be the occasional "lister" and do the best I can when I don't make a list and forget more than I remember!