runemployed 07: University of Richmond

In which I try to turn a negative situation into a positive one and explore Richmond in the process.

It's been over a month since I've done one of these posts and, honestly, I've really missed getting out there. (Who am I?) See, I had a terrible case of poison ivy - stemming from a bizarre gardening accident - and I didn't want to aggravate my condition while I was recovering. And when I was ready to come back, rain put the kibosh on some of my planned trips. But in that time I became a member of the Richmond Road Runners (No, really, who am I?) and registered for a couple of races in November, bringing the total for that month up to three. (Stop it. You're scaring me.)

I'm back at it now, though, and what better place to resume this series than my alma mater, the University of Richmond?

Groundskeeper Willie's working overtime.

Though I didn't start matriculating there until 1994, UR was established way back in 1830. (Thank you, Baptists!) I guess some stuff happened before my time, like eventually losing its affiliation with the church and focusing on molding the minds of young men and women decked out in Izod. FUN FACT: while a certain school whose colors are yellow and black has the arrogance to claim to represent the entire city, ours actually has the word Richmond in its name. Plus you have a significantly less chance of getting mugged on our campus.

Insert a "The Waltons" reference here.

Without a doubt, the best years of my life were spent on these grounds. I made several close, lasting friendships and we generated four years' worth of good memories. Oh, and I learned a few things, too. But one thing I wasn't back in the mid '90s was fit. The "freshman 50" hit me hard. Yes, I really committed to that common curse. You should see our dining facility. The Wall of Cereal alone...

Come for the Leadership Studies major. Stay for the beautiful foliage.

I think I can say with authority that one of the things I never did during my time at Richmond was move at pace faster than "hurried mosey." (Okay, maybe if I was late to class I would break into "rushed amble.") Exercise was not a priority. Considering that I ate a grilled cheese sandwich with every meal, you'd think I'd be mindful of that. Nope. So jogging around campus yesterday provided a point of view that was brand new to me.

Sports!

And that point of view mostly consisted of "Boy, this place sure is hilly." Honestly, I never realized that until doing this run. Sure, Boatwright Drive as you enter campus is steep and twisty, but the other roads on campus never registered that way to me. Earlier this week I signed up to do a 10k here on Thanksgiving morning. What have I gotten myself into?

When viewed like this, the fact that you can't run the lake's circumference bugs me.

Back in my day, the two schools that make up the university - Richmond College for the men, Westhampton College for the women - were separated by Westhampton Lake. Yes, it was like summer camp with textbooks and Milwaukee's Best. Unsure if my old restraining order was still in effect, I kept my run pretty much on the RC side.

Squint through the leaves and you can see my freshman dorm room on the 3rd floor. Good times.

The loop around the lake is a very pretty run. Bonus points if you enjoy looking at water fowl. Sadly, there were no lake dogs there yesterday. I ran past lots of bricks, fallen leaves, and co-eds that (sadly) look like children to me now. Aside from the lake, everywhere I went seemed like I was going uphill, which I probably was. Next time I'll venture over to the Westhampton side and get a feel for its terrain.

There's a pirate joke in there somewhere.

My initial thought for this post's selection from my running playlist was to use a song that was a big part of my college experience. Oh, how I tormented my friends and dormmates with my incessant playing of G. Love & Special Sauce's "Cold Beverage" and Blood, Sweat & Tears' "Spinning Wheel." But this being Halloween time and all, I figured that I should bust out a spooky tune, so I'm going with the Talking Heads' "Psycho Killer." There's no personal significance, just a driving beat that'll keep you going. Pretend you're getting chased by Patrick Bateman!

Psycho killer

Qu'est-ce que c'est

Fa fa fa fa fa fa fa fa fa fa fa better

Run run run run run run run away

My only legacy.

They say you can't go home again, but I proved them all wrong. In fact, it was really easy. SUCKERS! It was great seeing UR from a new vantage point and recalling some fond memories while doing so. Richmond is beautiful all year round, but especially in the fall. If you don't mind a bit of a climb, I suggest you get out there and enjoy its rolling hills while they're at Peak Prettiness. I'll be back there early on Thanksgiving morning, banking enough calories for me to eat an entire pumpkin pie later on that day.

Pixelated Pigskin Prognostications: Week Twelve

Well, as the November winds pick up and Thanksgiving dinner preparations are made, Richmond must close its regular season against the mighty Tribe Politically Correct Whatever They're Called Nows. How will the Spiders (and the Buckeyes, for that matter) do? Only the Great Xbox 360 Swami knows. Here are this afternoon's outcomes, as predicted through a series of CPU vs. CPU matches:



Ohio State 34, Iowa 17



Richmond 31, William & Mary 23

Word to your mother.

Pixelated Pigskin Prognostications: Week Eleven

I've got a lot to do (so much that I forget to submit picks to my own college football pool this week), so there's no time to write a witty little introduction. Here are the Great Xbox 360 Swami's CPU vs. CPU picks for the afternoon:



Ohio State 40, Penn State 24



Richmond 3, Rhode Island 10

Those are the games and I am outta here.

Pixelated Pigskin Prognostications: Week Ten

Halloween's over, November's here. While we rake leaves and sip hot apple cider, the Great Xbox 360 Swami is busy crunching numbers, predicting who will win today's game via a CPU vs. CPU match. So, what's in store this afternoon? Glad you asked:



Richmond 24, JMU 25

Loverly.

Pixelated Pigskin Prognostications: Week Nine

It was a DARK and STORMY (yet sunny) afternoon. Some TERRIFYING skirmishes broke out on HAUNTED grassy fields across the land. Does GOOD triumph over EVIL? The MYSTERIOUS, Vincent Price-like mustached Great Xbox 360 Swami, through some FRIGHTENING CPU vs. CPU THRILLS, predicts the following NANCY PELOSIS:



GHOULhio State 35, MinneSCAREta 33



RichMUMMY 51, VillaBOO!va 23

I'm scared! And happy!

Pixelated Pigskin Prognostications: Week Eight

Even though my computer was struck with a virus a couple of days ago and most of my concerns have been directed toward that matter, I still found time, dear reader, to run a couple of CPU vs. CPU matches to predict the outcomes of today's games. Luckily, the Great Xbox 360 Swami was unaffected by the viral assault.



Ohio State 32, Purdue 47



Richmond 35, Towson 49

Computer viruses suck almost as much as the above forecasts.

Pixelated Pigskin Prognostications: Week Seven

It's a busy, busy Saturday for me. I have to write this post and work on two - TWO! - mixes and their requisite cover art. Due to the weight loss, all of my old cargos fit like clown pants, so I should buy at least one pair to keep me going while the temperatures dip. I have to straighten up the house and the yard. And then I have Pumpkinpalooza to attend, which I'm really looking forward to. Honestly, I don't think I'll watch much football today. I may be unreliable, but the Great Xbox 360 Swami won't let you down. Here are the results of today's CPU vs. CPU matches.



Ohio State 40, Wisconsin 37



Richmond 31, UMass 38

Where did I leave my keys?

Pixelated Pigskin Prognostications: Week Six

College football. Xbox 360. CPU vs. CPU matches. Predictions.



Ohio State 37, Indiana 7



Richmond 40, New Hampshire 35

Take that.

Pixelated Pigskin Prognostications: Week Five

It's really getting cool out there. And the leaves are finally falling. How will those things affect the Great Xbox 360 Swami's CPU vs. CPU predictions? Likely not at all. But every piece needs an introduction. Anyway, here's what's on tap for this lovely afternoon.



Ohio State 36, Illinois 24



Richmond 27, Coastal Carolina 14

Illibucktastic! Spideriffic!

Pixelated Pigskin Prognostications: Week Four

College football, week four. The calendar may say it's autumn, but it sure doesn't feel like it. The Great Xbox 360 Swami doesn't feel the disconnect, though. Why would it? It's a gaming system. Anyway, here are its CPU vs. CPU predictions for today's games:



Ohio State 47, Eastern Michigan 17



Richmond 35, Delaware 37

So there!

Pixelated Pigskin Prognostications: Week Three

We enter the third week of this most glorious football season with the christening of Richmond's new on-campus stadium (finally!). Will the Spiders ring in their new digs with a victory? The Great Xbox 360 Swami's CPU vs. CPU games predict the following:



Richmond 35, Elon 40



Ohio State 41, Ohio 14

Take that to the bank.

Pixelated Pigskin Prognostications: Week One

Your favorite blog feature is back! Yes, once again it's time to harness the awesome computing power of my Xbox 360 and my copy of NCAA 10 to determine the outcome of this season's Ohio State and Richmond football games (and I'll also take requests, time permitting). Each week I'll run CPU vs. CPU match ups and will post the results. This season things will be a bit askew since I'm using last year's video game, but really, does it matter in the grand scheme of things?

So, what's going to happen today? Here you go:



UR 23, UVA 52

Now, the OSU-Marshall game caught me unawares and I didn't have time to run it through the Xbox. They would've won anyway. Trust me.

Seven reasons why autumn can't get here soon enough

Man it's hot. It's like Africa hot. Tarzan couldn't take this kind of hot. Even worse, the current pop culture landscape is pretty lackluster. Sure there have been some bright spots these past few months (Toy Story 3, "Breaking Bad"), but overall I've been wanting. With thankfully cooler climates, though, comes some hotly anticipated media and such. Here are seven things I'm greatly looking forward to over the next three months and why I'm not in such a rush to kill myself.



"The Walking Dead" (October): Oh, boy. There are few things I'm looking forward to more this fall in life than this Frank Darabont written/directed/produced AMC adaptation of the ongoing comic book. I think we as a nation are finally ready for a television show set during the zombie apocalypse.



Hot Sauce Committee Pt. 1 (September?): After being delayed a year because of MCA's cancer diagnosis, the new Beastie Boys album is hoped to be released this fall, depending on how his recovery is going. Get better, MCA!



Rock Band 3 (October 26): As more and more information gets released about this game, it's shaping up to be epic and I will be required to take a week off of work when it comes out. One word: keyboards! Two more words: "Bohemian Rhapsody"!



Due Date (November 5): Robert Downey, Jr. + Zach Galifianakis + the director of The Hangover and Old School = at least a few belly laughs, right?



E. Claiborne Robins Stadium (September 18): Spider football finally comes to campus when the new stadium is christened at the home opener against Elon Phoenixeses. Now maybe more than a handful of UR students will actually show up for the games. They have no excuse.



In Fifty Years We'll All Be Chicks (November 2): Over the past year or so I've become a dedicated listener of Adam Carolla's podcast (even with the ill-advised morning zoo-esque format switch) and the man himself. This should be a good book to read while on the can.



Mid-Term Elections (November 2): Hopefully the insanity will be stopped slowed down, though possibly replaced with a different kind of insanity. But at least it won't cost us trillions of dollars. One party rule is good for no one.

Oh, what a tangled web: 13 of my favorite spider things

My beloved Richmond Spiders had a stellar season and were rewarded with a March Madness at large bid on Sunday. The mighty No. 7 seed takes on the fearsome Saint Mary's Gaels this afternoon. To commemorate this historic meeting of a couple of basketball powerhouses, I present 13 of my favorite non-UR related (more or less) Spider things:



The Cure - "Lullaby": "The spiderman is having me for dinner tonight!" This single from Disintegration (along with three others, collected to form the Integration set) has the distinction of being the first CD that I ever purchased. Man, what a great album.



Spider-man: Back in my comic collecting days, Spider-man was the cornerstone of my reading. I eagerly consumed The Amazing Spider-Man, The Spectacular Spider-Man, Spider-Man, and any other cross-over titles Peter Parker appeared in each month. If collecting hadn't gotten so damn expensive, I would probably still buy the Spidey's funny books today.



Spider-man 2: Quite simply, one of the best comic book movies ever made. No offense, Ghost Rider.



My tattoo: Yes, I love my alma mater so much that in 2003 while on law school spring break in New Orleans I got a spider and crest tattoo on my leg. I'm so bad-ass.



Wacky Wall Walkers: Sure, after about 15 minutes they'd be covered in lint and carpet fuzz, but they sure were fun to play with in the meantime. (Octopus, spider, whatever. It had a bunch of legs.)



The Giant Spider Invasion: This ranks among my favorite episodes of "Mystery Science Theater 3000", in large part because of the copious amounts of jokes at the expense of Midwestern rednecks. The sight of what looks like a parade float run amuck terrorizing a small town is a real howler. (Watch it here.)



No Doubt - "Spiderwebs": The best song No Doubt ever recorded? Yes. And I shred on it in Rock Band.



Shelob: It may not be the best scene in the epic Lord of the Rings saga, but hey, it's got a freakin' giant spider in it.



WebCrawler: Ah, nostalgia for those internet boom days, when my life held so much promise.



The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars: "Ziggy Stardust" and "Suffragette City". 'Nuff said.



Katie Melua - "Spider's Web": I like her and this song. Sue me.



Halloween: Though not solely dedicated to spiders, the most wonderful time of the year feels odd if it isn't covered in spider webs.



Kevin Smith's Superman movie story: In which a producer mandated that he put a giant mechanical spider in the film. Hilarious.

Quick movie reviews

Shutter Island: It's best to go into this Scorsese film blind, so to reveal too much beyond the fact that it's about a U.S. Marshal investigating a missing person case at an asylum for the criminally insane would be doing you a disservice. Just know it's very tense psychological thriller with some great performances. Definitely worth seeing.

Avatar: The good: the 3D visuals are really eye-popping. The meh-to-bad: pretty much everything else (predictable story, serviceable acting, wooden dialogue, broad characters, heavy-handed message). It's sure pretty to look at, but strip away the candy-colored gimmick and you've got a run of the mill action flick.

The Box: A mysterious stranger gives a couple a box with a button on it and says that if they press it, they'll get $1 million, but someone they don't know will die. The straight-forwardness of the story ends with that Philosophy 101 dilemma, as it turns very twisty, with the complexity sometimes seeming to exist just for the sake of being convoluted. There are some creepy parts, but honestly my favorite things about the film are the exterior establishing shots of a snowy Richmond (including UR!). Note to writer/director Richard Kelly: as a suburban Richmond native, you should know better than to perpetuate Hollywood's tired "everyone that lives below the Mason-Dixon Line talks like Scarlett O'Hara" stereotype.

How 'bout them Spiders?

Ranked #23 in the nation! Whowouldathunkit?

Pixelated Pigskin Prognostications: Championship Round Two

The Great Xbox 360 Swami knows nothing of Richmond's miserable yet winning performance last week. It lives in the now, buzzing the tower and making its superior spill coffee on himself. Based on its CPU vs. CPU match, it predicts the following outcome for tonight's game:



Richmond 33, Appalachian State 25

Now go on with your bad selves.

Pixelated Pigskin Prognostications: Championship Round One

It's championship time again in Division 1-AA, er, the Football Championship Subdivision. And Richmond is looking to defend their national title, but the Fightin' Christians Phoenix stands in their way. This is how the Great Xbox 360 Swami sees it going down, via a CPU vs. CPU game:



Richmond 24, Elon 31

Fret not, because I have it on good authority that the Obama administration has calculated that Richmond will in fact save or create an additional 54 points this afternoon, taking them to a 78-31 victory. You cannot dispute their math.

Pixelated Pigskin Prognostications: Week Twelve

Well, the regular season is coming to a close (for these two teams, at least), but the Great Xbox 360 Swami is not daunted by the significance of The Game and the Oldest Rivalry in the South Capital Cup as it determines the outcomes through a set of CPU vs. CPU matches.



Ohio State 47, Michigan 24



Richmond 48, William & Mary 30

Word is bond. Unless there are any commenter requests for the outcomes of any other game, the Great Xbox 360 Swami shall take a much-needed rest until bowl/playoff time.