On my mind...

I know, I know. Football started last night. For many, baseball -- with its ridiculously long games and somewhat difficult to translate to tv speed -- has served only as a time filler while waiting for football to return. For me, however, tonight is the big game. The annual "Yankees come to town for Karen's Birthday" game.

Tonight, while everyone is starting to forget that baseball still matters, I will be cheering on my boys. And yes, for you disbelievers, they have always been my boys. Since I picked Rick Cerone as my guy to follow for the season, they have been my boys.

Every year, the Yanks come to Baltimore in September. I strongly believe that they do this because they know my birthday is coming up and they want to help me celebrate. I get a whole bunch of tickets and celebrate the evening with hotdogs, beer and friends. This year, we will be doing this twice this weekend -- my mom's never been to a major league game, so we're taking her tomorrow.

And so, whether you are a yanks fan or not, hope for a win for me tonight. After all, it IS my birthday month.....

As many of you know, one of my "big issues" -- the ones I yell about, cheer about, etc. -- is suicide prevention. This was important enough to me that I participated in a 26 mile walk to raise money for the cause back in August 2002 and has become moreso since my friend and fellow walker Amy took her own life the following June. Please read the letter below from the legislation's sponsors and encourage your representative to vote in favor of this act.

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Dear Colleague:
Today we will vote on S. 2634, the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act. This important legislation offers a comprehensive strategy toward addressing suicide, suicide prevention, and mental and behavioral health in high schools and on college campuses. This legislation is named in honor of the son of Senator Gordon Smith (R-Oregon), who tragically ended his own life one year ago this week after years of struggle with bipolar disorder.

The facts are sobering - each year 4,000 young people take their own lives. This figure has tripled since the 1950s. More children and young adults die from suicide each year than from cancer, heart disease, AIDS, birth defects, stroke, and chronic lung disease combined. We are in the midst of an epidemic, and the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act addresses this critical issue.

The legislation provides grant funding to states for development of youth suicide prevention and intervention strategies through school-based programs, juvenile justice systems, local governments and private, nonprofit entities. For children with written parental consent, the bill also provides for screening programs for youth that can identify mental health and behavioral conditions that place youth at risk for suicide. In addition, it establishes a federal Suicide Prevention Technical Assistance Center.

Further, the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act contains provisions to provide grant funding to colleges and universities to establish or enhance their mental health centers and enhance suicide prevention and intervention services.

This legislation is a carefully crafted bipartisan compromise. In the Senate, this bill passed by unanimous vote. We urge you to vote with us today in support of the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act.
Sincerely,

BART GORDON
Member of Congress

GREG WALDEN
Member of Congress

DANNY DAVIS
Member of Congress

TOM OSBORNE
Member of Congress

A long long time ago, when I was in college, a friend of mine started all of us making "happy lists" -- on the worst of days, we had to come up with 10 things that made us happy. I don't remember exactly who started it or, for that matter, how many of us were involved. I know that there was a time when some very bad days were made sunnier by a ridiculous number of happy lists. When someone would get cc'd on a happy list, so that they know that they were part of what made one of us happy, they would inevitably join the group and write their own happy list. So, in the great tradition of happy lists (which, by the way, are not required to be all happy cheery), here are my top ten:

1. When you say, "wow, people really suck, don't they?" there are always people around who will wholeheartedly agree with you.
2. Right after you say that (in #1) someone will prove you wrong.
3. My students who don't suck are awesome -- like the one who promised to be available to fix my computer years and years from now.
4. It's kind of nice (if a little weird) when someone you don't know very well tries to make you feel a little guilty for not hanging out with them more.
5. On Saturday, I went shopping for my new school clothes. This has got to be the high point of the academic job. There's always another school year for which you can buy new outfits.
6. I knew JT would not disappoint me. He's been the lone slacker on the last cd exchange and I got an email from him today promising that it will be out soon and explaining what happened. I knew I loved that kid for a reason.
7. Yankees are in town this weekend. I've barely been to any games this year, so two games in one weekend will JUST ABOUT make up for it.
8. I'll be the big 3-0 in 15 days. Woo Hoo! Go me! (I've decided to embrace it, rather than fight it).
9. Brian, my sister, my brother in law, most of Brian's friends and some of mine will always be older than me.
and finally,
10. I have finally found time to blog!!!!! The summer and getting back to school is ridiculously busy (no, I don't get summers off just because I work for a college, though that would be nice!) so it is great to finally see things starting to calm down a bit... and hopefully I will be able to blog more often :)