Cocky

This should have been written sooner, but I've been studying for a social studies test this week. I suddenly have recalled why I didn't enjoy 5th grade so much. I'm okay with learning the states (okay, I already knew them, in alphabetical order, because I am Rain Woman) and their capitals. Locating them on a map isn't so easy for me - especially those in the midwest. This hasn't been much fun. No wonder my brother is the history teacher and I'm the cute and personable one.

Anyway, this past weekend I was delighted to join my brother and my father for the final quarter of the USC/FL game. I understand and enjoy football, so all you men can just stop rolling your eyes. Partaking of the game with my dad and The Professor is quite enjoyable, for a couple of reasons: (1) My father transforms into Crazy Football Dad, (2) both my father and brother become very aggressive (they're both about 110 lbs. so this is humorous in and of itself) and boisterous, and (3) they begin speaking some sort of secret language that I'm not sure normal people understand. SuperHubby -- thankfully -- sits on the sofa and smirks at them. Of course, he pulls for the Detroit Lions, so he's not really used to seeing a good game. But I digress.

So we're watching them game. And I'm actually watching, because, after years of pulling for USC, I'm mostly used to being disappointed. Let's face it, they're going to mess it up somewhere along the way, and someone (usually my dad) is going to get ticked. But this was a good game. And they won. Even better.

The best part of the game for me, though, was learning about a USC player called "Pops" Frisby. They call him "Pops" because he's 40 years old. And he's on the football team. Seems he served in the military (I don't know which branch, it doesn't matter) from the time he got out of high school, retired, and decided he wanted a college education. Nevermind that he was old. Nevermind that he has several kids. He wanted to play football. So he tried out. And made the team. How cool is that?

I don't know if Pops gets to play - I was too busy being impressed by the fact that he decided he wanted to do something and didn't let the definition of "normal" get in his way. How many people do you know who say "I wish I would have..."? I have several "I wish" items on my list. I wish I would have learned how to play piano. I wish I would have stayed in college. I wish I would have been more sensible when Spanky was born and not put the gigundo hospital bill on our credit card (hello - still paying for that mistake!). I wish I would have taken my dad up on his offer and eloped and pocketed the cash.

I can't go back and change most of my "I wishes" - although I guess I could learn to play piano if I were so inclined. I just think it's really cool that Pops Frisby is doing what he wants to do - no matter what anyone else may think.