When Wildcat Times Get Rocky
This season hasn't exactly turned out the way UK basketball fans were expecting.
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| Tonight's program. |
Coach Cal's first three years at Kentucky brought an amazing upward trajectory of post-conference play. He took our rock-bottom team and turned us into Elite Eight contenders. Then Final Four. Then National Champs. It was pretty amazing. And, here we stood in the autumn of 2012. Reigning champions. The top recruiting class in the country. And then, we faltered a bit. At times, watching this UK team play reminded me of that phrase from Jerry Maguire: "There's genius everywhere, but until they turn pro, it's like popcorn in the pan. Some pop... some don't."
Then, we gelled. We started to play like a team. We had hope for the post-season.We saw chest bumps and assists and friendly banter. We saw swagger, and we saw some quality wins. We saw the most staggering statistic of all -- Nerlens Noel was blocking as many shots as the great Anthony Davis did last year. And then, last week in Florida, the unthinkable happened.
I can't revisit it. Y'all know what happened.
And, it seems some members of the Big Blue Nation are acting a little ugly about it. Saturday's Tennessee game was met with low attendance and some really nasty statements on the Twitter. This behavior from the same people who proudly scooped up National Champs gear a few months ago. The same people who jubilantly watched the ESPN special in which Nerlens and his hair revealed their plans to become a Wildcat.
There are going to be games over the next few weeks that are hard to watch. You know what's harder? There's an 18 year-old kid who's not only facing months of unbelievable pain, but crippling uncertainty about his once-guaranteed future. There are a whole team full of kids in their late teens and early twenties whom we revered as warriors and gods a few weeks ago. And if we don't show them the same support when times are rocky, then we aren't very good people. End of story.
Get off your ass. Head down to Rupp Saturday for Game Day. I don't care how much potential Mizzou has. ESPN wants to spin a yarn about disillusioned UK fans. Prove them wrong. Prove the Courier Journal wrong. Do it for Nerlens. And for Willie Cauley-Stein, who recently said "It can be whatever you want it to be... I mean, a team is more than one player." And for Julius Mays, who rallied his teammates by saying "If you are gonna use Nerlens as an excuse not to fight, then don't come out and play with us."
Go to the game tonight. I'll be there. In head-to-toe blue. It's Coach O's birthday, and we all owe it to him, too. He became a Globetrotter after surviving a bullet to the skull. If he's not a hero, I don't know who is.
Go 'Cats!!
Can I Get a Y'all-alujah?
HerKentucky is thrilled to welcome our newest contributor -- my friend and sorority sister Erin Smallwood Wathen. Erin is a London, KY native and an alumna of Transylvania University and Lexington Theological Seminary. Erin and her husband live in Arizona with their two small children and their dog named Van Halen. Erin is the Senior Pastor of Foothills Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in north Phoenix. Erin's blog, Irreverin (Facebook her here) is featured as part of the Progressive Christian Network on Patheos; her reflections on faith, family and pop culture always keep me entertained! -- HCW
I live in the midst of an amazing desert landscape. Trails
from my backyard lead into the foothills of the Sonoran Mountains. Their silhouette
defines the north horizon, and depending on season and time of day, they range
in color from blue to brown to green, sometimes even pink. The giant saguaro
cacti lift their hands in praise each morning. Most days of the year, the sky
shimmers an aching, iridescent blue that your eyes can scarcely take in. It
provides a backdrop for the twice daily hot air balloon shows that we enjoy
from our patio. Meanwhile, the sacred smell of the scarce rain defies
description. And don’t get me started on our rainbows. Like God got a new set of magic markers and
took up the spirit of a 3-year-old for the day.
And the moon and stars that live over my house? I’m sorry,
but they’re better than yours. They really are.
All this is true. But
y’all…some days I need some green grass so badly that I almost wish I played golf. (out here in PGA land, they somehow
manage to find water enough for rainforest-like turf, even in the dead-ass
middle of summer). Some days, I want to see fall color so badly that my family
will pile in the car and drive two hours north. Some days, I want to order a
biscuit and know that it did not come from the freezer. Some days, I need to
say ‘y’all’ and not have it be a thing. You know?
Of course you know. You are Kentucky women. You know what it
is to love a place and have it be a part of you. You might even know what it is
to leave such a place. And if you know what it is to leave, then you also know
what it means to take it with you.
There is, of course, much that I miss about my old Kentucky
home. Beyond the biscuits and the four distinct seasons, I also miss a world in
which people know (and care about) their neighbors. And I certainly miss life
where people know what’s what about a certain spirit that comes from a barrel.
True story: my husband and I were in a nice restaurant and we asked our server
for the top shelf bourbon selection. And—I swear to God, ladies—he tried to
offer us a ‘wonderful Crown Royal blend…’ (sigh). We had to learn him something
about bourbon right then and there. But at least we tip well…
ANYway…I miss the place on the map where such things need
not be explained. But what I’ve found in my wilderness wandering years is this:
for all that I miss and even mourn about my homescape, most of what really
matters is that which I’ve brought with me. And I don’t just mean an old
Southern Living cook book and my grandmother’s end tables. I don’t even mean
the ‘y’all’ that occasionally comes from my pulpit—unbidden and unplanned as
though brought forth by the Holy Spirit.
While my literal Kentucky accent has certainly rolled with
me for this whole journey, what I really brought with me was a certain kind of
voice. It is a voice that you can hear in my preaching, in my writing, and in
my everyday encounters. It bears a ‘charm and disarm’ quality that allows me to
say things preachers can’t always say (like, ‘yes, Jesus loves gay people. And
in fact, if the church had more of them, we would have better decorations and
better music—choreography, even!). It also tells the world that I’ve got just enough redneck lurking right
beneath the surface, so perhaps you don’t want to mess with me.
It’s a voice that speaks the truth even when the truth is
not pretty—and while I know many prophetic preachers and powerful parents who
can speak the truth in love, my brand of gospel is uniquely Kentucky. It bears
the tones of Wendell Berry and Loretta Lynn, echoes of Silas House and my own
grandparents. And I’m pretty sure that, like Moses, I had to leave home and
head out to the wilderness in order to really hear it.
On my frequent sojourns in the desert, I take in the stark
beauty of this landscape. For all its barrenness, it is a stunning and deeply
spiritual place. But in my heart of hearts, I know that I brought that
wilderness voice with me. It keeps me rooted for the roaming, and calls me to
speak, to preach, to write the world’s truth, as it was and is to come. It is a
gospel that both moves and shapes me; it grounds me and keeps me moving, all at
the same time. And you’d better believe, that good news is for not just some of
us, but for y’all.
Valentine Ideas for the Kiddos
Valentine's Day is one of those holidays that always sneaks up on me. Much like my Christmas ideas, I always plan on doing really cute homemade valentines with my girls, and then suddenly it's February 12 and I realize I have nothing prepared.
Luckily, I've saved a few cute homemade ideas over the years, and today I decided I'd make 50 homemade valentines for the kids in my girls' preschool and kindergarten classes. (That's right. Fifty. And that's right, I decided this today. If you're thinking, "Hey Megan, aren't you supposed to be working on your book revisions right now?" You'd be correct, and I'll thank you for not mentioning it again, thank you.)
I thought I'd share these valentines with you too, in the (totally improbable) case that any of you have also been caught off-guard by Valentine's Day this year.
Note: These valentines do require just a bit of work. If you see these and think, "Ain't nobody got time for that!" Never fear--I've also included a few files of strictly free, no-fuss, printable valentines that are super adorable.
Here's what you need:
- This free printable (There's also a plain version, and it might be fun for kids to color the flowers themselves.)
- Card stock (I used shimmery card stock, because I don't understand why anyone would choose plain card stock when something sparkly is available, but you do what you want.)
- Green construction paper (OR green card stock and this leaf printable if you're not as lazy as I am)
- scissors
- glue stick
- sharpie marker
- Tootsie roll pops
Once you have the printable, it's fairly self explanatory. Print and cut out the flowers. Use scissors to poke a hold in the middle, and stick the tootsie roll pop through it. (You'll need to hold the wrapper fairly tightly around the stick as you push it through.)
Use the green construction paper to make a leaf-like tag for the stem and write "From: Your Child's Name" on them. (Alternatively, print the leaf printable on the green card stock and then cut the leafs out and write your child's name on them. I decided fifty flowers were plenty enough to cut out and I would become a violent, angry person if I had to cut out fifty little leaves too. So I just cut fifty little straight-edged tags. Voila!) Glue the leaf/tag to the stem. I pushed my tags up pretty far so they'd also serve as a stopper to keep the flowers from slipping down the stem.
Skip To My Lou has several free printable valentines, as well as printables and crafts for other holidays. It's one of my favorite web sites--be sure to check it out if you're into that kind of thing!!
As promised, here are a few free, printable valentines that require no extra work aside from cutting them out! (Be sure to explore the sites they're from, because there's lots of cute stuff on there!)
Magee's Bakery
I love Magee's Bakery.
In fact, this blog post could begin and end with that one sentence. I love Magee's Bakery a lot. Their buttercream frosting is pretty much the perfect food. Their cakes and cupcakes are my all-time favorite, far surpassing any "cupcakery" that has popped up in recent years. Their eclairs and donuts are supurb. And, lest you think my sweet tooth makes all my decisions, I also count their breakfast sandwiches on the short list of the best breakfasts in Lexington.
This weekend, we picked up a King Cake from Magee's. My beau and I are both huge fans of King Cake, and this cinnamon-filled cake didn't disappoint. It was light and moist, and not overpoweringly sweet. It was a fantastic addition to a family lunch, and it made for a tasty breakfast the next morning. It was one of those once-a-year treats that I'll be glad to see again next February!
I love Magee's. What Hometown Bakery do you love?
A J. Peterman Wish List for your Sweetheart
Once upon a time, the most magical store you can ever imagine existed out on Richmond Road. A treasure trove of one-of-a-kind pieces, and meticulously crafted items that harkened to a more romantic era. Whenever I was feeling stressed, I would head out to J. Peterman and play make-believe, just for a few minutes.
The beautiful flagship store is long-gone, but the famed Peterman catalog remains, offering up the romantic imagery of Gatsby and Hemingway. Beyond the pretty imagery, though, you'll find some really amazing products in the J. Peterman catalog. The timeless, well-constructed classics simply get better with age. Peterman products are free of logos and unnecessary adornment; they simply let your good taste shine through.
This Valentine's Day, here are my J.Peterman favorites for the man in your life. These gorgeous, unique pieces will make any beau feel loved!
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Counterfeit Mailbag
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Baseball Glove Wallet
Unassuming and fun. And quite beautiful as well.
Bay Rum
American Baseball Sleeves
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Basically, the perfect weekend shirt.
What's on your beau's wish list?
Valentine's Day Karaoke?
How does your family celebrate Valentine's Day? I admit that I'm not one for chocolates, flowers or jewelry. This, reportedly, is one of my husband's favorite things about me. Instead of the Hallmark cards, the fancy dinners and the declarations of undying love, this is how my family celebrates Valentine's Day.
Yes. We are different, even a little weird sometimes. We have started a tradition of having a karaoke party in celebration of Valentine's Day. Don't ask how we got started, or why the party pictures above had an Adult Prom theme to it, but there's just about nothing my family loves to do more than sing. Some of us are very, very good at it. Others, like me, can't carry a tune in a bucket but love to sing.
Every year, we rent a sound system from the Doo Wop Shop, my uncle brings his fancy karaoke machine and microphones and we all take turns singing our favorites and hogging the mic.
Nothing says love like singing "Family Tradition" with your dad and uncles, right?