march: it is madness

so as it turns out i'm quite a fan of mach madness.  this wasn't always the case.  i remember in high school and college hating the tournament because it was all my younger brother wanted to watch.  in college i went to visit cousins at ole miss and we had to plan our days around basketball.  then in law school someone asked me if i wanted to join their bracket.  desperate to fit in, i said yes.  it was a life changing moment.  when you're in school you're home during the first thursday and friday and i found myself watching every second.  i was captivated.  i lived alone and found myself standing on my couch screaming at the tv.  i didn't even recognize myself.  thereafter, i was a fan of march madness.  the first thing my husband and i did together was watch the tournament.  this was well, well before i even thought we'd date let alone be married.  it was the first friday of the tournament and the day before had been st. patrick's day.  i had a few too many free green beverages that night and took friday off as a 'personal day'.  he called me up and asked if i wanted to watch the tournament.  i had no excuse so i had to say yes.  i even remember telling  my mom that i thought this guy liked me and i had no interest.  she told me to be nice.  thanks mom, that was probably the best advice i'd ever received.  he and i fell in love with bucknell.  bucknell was an underdog that year.  by Christmas we were dating and bought each other the exact same bucknell t-shirt.  okay, somehow this turned into a sappy love story.

ANYWAY, the tournament starts tomorrow and so does another few weeks of awesome basketball drama.  my husband runs the pool in his office but it is open to everyone.  relatives of people at the office, my mom and dad, his mom and dad, our siblings, my 96 year old grandma, my aunt and her brother in law always have a side bet.  i always lose but i never come in last.  if you come in last you get your $5 back and the humiliation of knowing your got your caboose handed to you.  this year my beloved boilermakers are a 10 seed.  they aren't long for the tournament but i have to pick them in the first round.  who the heck is st. mary's anyway?!  and how on earth am i going to pick who will win between sand diego state university and north carolina state?  cross your fingers that i come in ahead of my husband and that i don't get my $5 back.

how about you?  are you ready to dance?

p.s. all the insiders said kentucky is going to win it all.  does that seem to obvious?  i kind of think it does.  i need an advil.  my head hurts.