SoxFan1

I got to see Purdue C Kevin Plawecki this weekend. If he's there for the Sox in the 2nd round, I think he'd be a great pick. Great bat, strong arm behind the dish (threw out 40% of runners) and committed only 2 errors all season.

I witnessed Kent State/Kentucky's 21 inning game last night. That was something else. Purdue/Kent State tonight at 7pm CT on Big Ten Network.

Super-duper epic fail at the end of the Bosnia/Mexico match, and Chicharito capitalized.

I'm not a rum fan whatsoever, so the fact that I love Kraken immediately makes it one of my favorite liquors. It's delicious. Three rum and cokes, the way I mix them, and I'm feeling great.

QUOTE (gatnom @ May 31, 2012 -> 12:38 PM) Did you buy it online? Nope, at Macy's.

Going to bed with a great buzz is an immaculate feeling. Kraken rum for the win.

The ad at the top of the website is currently for Guess wrist-watches. I have a Guess wrist-watch that I wear ever day. The internet scares me.

QUOTE (IlliniKrush @ May 30, 2012 -> 11:55 PM) Another thing on networking...a lot of it is networking with the people you already work with. They leave, you leave, suddenly you know people in different companies/towns/states. Try to make strong connections where you're at. Doesn't even have to be work colleagues, it could be regular old friends. A good friend of mine who I went to college with got a job with the Pirates. I'm currently applying for a job with an NBA team. She told me that one of the new employees where she works came over from that very NBA team and has some connections. Soon enough, my resume is going to be sent around. Another one of my friends got a GA position at the UofArkansas. He told me I'd be the first he'd call if something opened up in one of my areas. I think it's important to network with people who it may be mutually beneficial for you to do so. The NBA team I'm looking at has a number of positions open and I forwarded a few of them to one of the people I worked with back at school. Not necessarily a good friend, but someone I've worked with who made an impression on me who also has a lot of the same interests as I do.

QUOTE (MuckFinnesota @ May 30, 2012 -> 10:04 PM) Life isn't the worst thing in the world, I have many friends, a college degree, a good family and recently have begun dating a wonderful girl. What is missing is fulfillment and being paid for the work I do. The entire source of the problem is the fear of going down the wrong path which is why I haven't picked anything. But I'll quit worrying and just try to pull a 180 and be more positive. It's going to be tough but it's necessary to have joy in all parts of life. That said, maybe it's time to play to my strengths and start talking to people to figure out if the jobs I am thinking of or an advanced degree is necessary. I'm glad to hear this from you. Just dive into things sometimes. It'll be an uneasy feeling at first, but you have to take risks in order to make things happens. Be willing to try things out, because you won't know whether it's the right path for you or not until you're already down the path. Six months ago when I graduate, I thought I had it all figured out. I thought I'd be a sports guy at some small-town news station. Now, I'm doing play by play and media relations for a professional baseball team.

QUOTE (MuckFinnesota @ May 30, 2012 -> 09:15 PM) I would enjoy networking if I didn't despise small talk. I can be very friendly but stumble upon questions that are "evasive" even though they are what gets the kind of information I am interested in. So it's more of a communication thing. Not to mention as an introvert (who has social skills) going to networking events and loud and boisterous places isn't as effective as networking in small groups where that is my strength. It has nothing to do with being introverted or extroverted, "networking events" will never, EVER equal the networking that happens with simple interpersonal interaction. It doesn't have to be small talk, but then again, that's kind of necessary in getting to know people. You have to be open-minded and willing to talk to anyone about anything, and judging by what you've said on here in the past, it seems that you aren't willing to do that. From what I can tell, it seems like you over-analyze the s*** out of everything, and I hope you don't get offended by that. That's just the way it comes off. Just talk to people. Sooner or later, you'll find something that you have in common with just about anybody.

QUOTE (kapkomet @ May 30, 2012 -> 08:12 PM) Slav, you hit on something I want to ask people here: What is networking to you, and what do you find to be the best methods to do so? QUOTE (iamshack @ May 30, 2012 -> 08:38 PM) To me, it's just making friends and connections...not saying "What do you do"? May I add you on LinkedIn? My best connections have been people I wanted to become friends with because I thought they were interesting people, and then other stuff came later, as a result of our friendship. No one is going to put their ass on the line or step out on a limb for some doucher they met at some conference and merely exchanged contact information with. You do that for someone you bonded with and trust...someone you talk to often on a personal level...you know all about their wife or their family or the women they talk about chasing...you've talked to them about sports and cars and your bosses...that is where the best connections come from. I think you hit the nail on the head. It's getting to know people on a more personal level than just a professional level. It comes natural to outgoing people. You just have to be open-minded. In almost every single industry, it's WAY more about who you know than what you know. The key is to be someone who can be relied on. If someone knows you are a go-to-guy when something needs to get done, it goes a long way.

QUOTE (MuckFinnesota @ May 30, 2012 -> 06:57 PM) Well what is networking? I have attended networking events in the Chicagoland area and have done the awkward "Hi, what do you do," gathered business cards and LinkedIn contacts. I know that sounds negative but in all honesty I don't know what I should be looking to gain out of that since it isn't exactly what I would call a friendship. My professional development came from practicing content at my job on campus and my leadership roles come from managing interns. I guess the most odd part of my degree is that the management courses did not teach me much of anything since it was all theories. I am sure it trained me in thinking, but if I researched NIU's business schools compared to mine, I'm sure it would have drastically changed curriculum. I'm not discrediting what you are saying, but I am playing devil's advocate. @SoxFan1 - that's awesome. I was going to recommend the Big Ten Conference as an internship since their HQ is in Park Ridge, IL. That's not networking, that's forced connection making. Networking is simply talking to everyone everywhere and enlightening them, so-to-speak, about what you do, what you want to do, and what your capabilities are. And thanks. With Purdue winning the Big Ten, BTN decided to broadcast their games and our park was selected as a regional host venue, so I kinda lucked into it. We'll see what kind of connections I can make. Now I have to hope that Purdue plays well and wins some games so I can work all four days.

I get to work for the Big Ten Network this weekend covering the NCAA CWS Regional in Gary.

QUOTE (IlliniKrush @ May 27, 2012 -> 01:39 AM) Correct. If you have ZERO interest in the Stanley Cup Finals, you can't call yourself an NHL fan. That's ridiculous. I won't watch the World Series or NBA Finals if I'm not intrigued by the match-up, that means I'm not a fan of the MLB or NBA? Unless you're arguing that ZERO means absolutely won't watch + no interest in scores/results/winner, in which case I'd probably agree. Thought I'm surprised you said "Stanley Cup Finals".

Wrist watches will be my ultimate downfall in life. Like women with purses, I want to buy a new watch every day.

Hawk is REALLY off his game tonight. Yikes.

I still hate the damn Twins. Ugh.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ May 24, 2012 -> 09:30 AM) Anywhere in the driftless area is great. Mississippi Palisades is like that too. Basically, the NE corner of IA, NW corner of IL, SE corner of MN and SW corner of WI. It looks entirely different than the rest of the upper midwest. The last glaciation left a sort of gap that it never hit, that is the driftless area. Lots of bluffs and cliffs, waterfalls, and different cover types. I've been out in the middle of nowhere near Lacrosse, WI, which is absolutely gorgeous. We go trout fishing out there a few times a year. One of my favorite places on Earth. SW Wisconsin is just beautiful.

Ok, I'll add this too: I've never actually gone to a designated campground or state park. How does it work? Do you you drive up, park, and then go pop a tent anywhere? How do you pay? And where? Are there designated areas where you can and cannot camp? I don't want to be in a lot next to 60 other tents.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ May 23, 2012 -> 04:12 PM) Butler Lake TH, there is water there, and you can hike in 3 or 4 directions from the area. There are shelters in certain places, other places you can tent camp, but you should check with the State Park about where you can and cannot, and if you need reserve permits or anything. I haven't been there in a while. Then I'd go Kettle Moraine - North, or Yellow River. Both have fishing opportunities as well (lakes in Kettle Moraine, creeks and the river in Yellow River), if you get the chance. Both will be quiet, lots of hiking opportunities, campsites, water availability, and not a ton of people. Also should mention, Kettle-South is a lot bigger (though more spread out and discontinuous), so the crowds get spread out and its not terribly crowded when I've been there. More crowded than North, but less so than, say, Starve Rock. Website for Kettle-North Website for Kettle-South Website for Yellow River QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ May 23, 2012 -> 04:16 PM) Oh, another idea is Black River Falls State Forest, in Wisconsin. Its further away, more like a 4 hour drive. But its bigger, far more wilderness-like, and has gorgeous scenery. Also a couple active wolf packs in the area. I'll look into all these. Thanks NSS. You do know it's STARVED Rock, right?

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ May 23, 2012 -> 03:13 PM) Depends partially on what sort of "camping" you plan to do. Camper? From a car? Hike in? Canoe or kayak in? A few places I'd recommend... --Kettle Moraine State Parks, in Wisconsin. The south unit is only a couple hours from Chicago, the north unit is another hour or two north. North unit is quieter and less used, but a longer drive. Nice hiking trails, lakes to fish on, campgrounds around, towns with restaurants and what not nearby, nice scenery. --Yellow River State Forest in... Iowa. Yes, Iowa. NE corner of the state, a little NW of Galena, IL. It is in the "driftless area", much like Mississippi Palisades State Park (also recommended), has amazingly good scenery, creeks with trout in them, virtually unused hiking trails. My favorite hidden gem in the Midwest. About 3 hours' drive from the Chicago area. --If you don't mind the crowds, Turkey Run in Indiana and Starve Rock in Illinois are both scenic choices with plenty of nice camping areas. But they are heavily used. Planned on just driving up and parking, then walking a ways and plopping down a tent. I've fished at Starved Rock a lot in the past, that doesn't intrigue me much.

Any suggestions on some nice camping spots within 4-5 hours of Chicago? I've done a lot of camping in the past, but it's always been overnight fishing and hunting type stuff. I've never actually gone out camping without the intention of fishing/hunting, so I've been looking around for some nice campgrounds and such (West Michigan has a ton of nice ones) that I can take a couple friends out with for a night or two.

I can relate to MuckFinnesota's issues some. Since I graduated in December, I've been able to find lots of internships that I can get but am overqualified for, but the full-time positions have been few and far between. Part of it is that's just the way the broadcasting industry works, the other part is that I've got a lot of internship experience and can do TV/Radio/Web/Media Relations but I'm going up against people with much more experience because the way the industry has downsized so much. It's really tough for entry-level people right now.

QUOTE (He_Gawn @ May 23, 2012 -> 12:27 PM) So, uh, I got the job. Hah Now accepting move ins... If you need a radio broadcaster, let me know. Congrats!

Hawk is one of my idols. He is the reason I do play-by-play now. I love him to death, however, I will acknowledge he is an awful, awful broadcaster. And even with that said, I want him in the booth until he is dead.