March 22, 2001

The following is not a typical athlete's journal entry. You will not read about how many points were scored, who won, or who was difficult to guard. Mostly because of what you'll read about below. Instead, you will experience The World According To Me. I'll be posting new entries regularly, so stay tuned ...

Once again March Madness is here. Reading My World gives you an opportunity to take a break from filling in the brackets (and wondering how THAT team could win the game). Sit back, grab your favorite beverage and relax. Don't worry, My World will in no way have an impact on the fact that you are in last place in your NCAA pool. (And if you didn't pick the UConn and Notre Dame women to make it to the Final Four, you deserve to be in last place!!)

Public Service Announcement (or ... simple self promotion)
I have updated my web site ... finally. There is a new Fun Facts section, Stimulate the Senses box (to be updated weekly), a list of upcoming appearances and information on my favorite charities. Coming soon will be a whole new photo gallery (as soon as I get my scanner working!).

What's the 411?
I recently had the pleasure of dialing up information in order to get some telephone numbers I needed. I was surprised by some of the information I received. Some things I learned:
Not everyone knows that you can get a phone number by dialing (area code)-555-1212. Pretty incredible, this telephone thing.
Not everyone took geography in school. I asked the Sprint operator for a telephone number for a hotel located in Livingston, Montana. The operator informed me that Montana was not located in the USA. I guess I missed the news bulletin about Canada's annexation of the Treasure State.
Abbreviations can be difficult. When asking a different Sprint operator for a number in Wyoming, the woman asked me what the abbreviation for Wyoming was. (Just FYI, it's WY.)

Travel Time

With some of the kids at Briarcliff Middle School. (Liberty Photo)

I had a busy few days in mid-March. On the 16th, I spoke at Briarcliff Middle School in Westchester, NY (that's the abbreviation for New York, by the way).

After my talk, I boarded a Continental plane to Los Angeles, CA (that would be California). On Saturday, I attended an event called "Barbie University" in the city of angels. I actually had a blast at this event. There were about 500 young girls between the ages of 4 and 8. They participated in all kinds of different activities in the morning and then received diplomas in the afternoon. I was given the opportunity to speak to the kids ... for two whole minutes.

Besides myself, seven other "role models" were there to talk to the girls, including DeLisha Milton from the L.A. Sparks (she gave a great talk), Shar Jackson (she plays opposite Brandy on the sitcom Moesha) and Beverly Mitchell (she stars on the TV show 7th Heaven). Anyway, I laughed a lot talking to these women. Some topics of discussion:

Bev told us about a woman who came up to her at the gym and said, "You're much skinnier in person. You look fat on TV ... your face takes up my whole screen." I hope the woman doesn't own a large screen TV!
"Barbie" was actually at the event and signing autographs. I wondered to my friends what this woman says when she is asked her occupation. For example, when a man approaches her in a bar and asks what she does for a living, does she just say, "I'm Barbie ... I wear pink and ride on the back of Ken's Harley."
Being at the event also got me thinking about new Barbies that Mattel could come out with:
1.) Bling-Bling Barbie: She'd wear lots of platinum jewelry with diamonds. She'd probably have lots of body piercings and tattoos. The initial "B" would be on her front gold tooth and her low-rider would have sweet shiny rims. Her first rap album would be entitled, Bad B.
2.) PMS Barbie: She'd be bloated, irritable, and come with a bottle of Aleve. She wouldn't be allowed in the pool and Ken would hide whenever she was around.

Just Wondering
If gardening is considered a workout? I recently purchased a pouch that holds my portable CD player while working out. Written on the box were the words, "Great for workouts: running, biking, gardening and other activities." Didn't know gardening was a workout. Keep your eyes peeled for this summer's latest health club craze ... Step Gardening ... or ... High-Impact Gardening.

Why a 2 oz. bag of beef jerky costs $7 at the L.A. airport gift shop? Must be the tastiest jerky in all the land!

Miscellaneous Stuff
CD burners are great. I finally bought one for my computer ... just in time for Napster to be shut down.
The movie Traffic is worth watching. However, it fits into my "I'd only see it once" category.
Donyell Marshall is having a great season for the Utah Jazz. "Yell" and I went to UConn at the same time and I saw him play against the Clippers in L.A. It's always great seeing someone having well-deserved success.
Keep a look out for Craig David. His CD is blowing up overseas (I first heard it in Ocotober when I went to Holland).

Shout Out Time ... to:
My Hartford hoops crew. Will someone please guard Tom!
My true blue friend in L.A.: We'll find the answer. Until then ... best of concentration.
Single friends in Holland.
Geared-up racquetballers.
Mrs. B.D.: Thanks for hooking up my site.
Navy men named Buzzy.
Skyler and the kids at Briarcliff Middle School.
J the Toy Boy.
Job-seeking NYC friends ... it's gonna happen!
Prose-writing, motorcycle-riding angels in Littleton, CO.