Well boys and girls, it has been a while. I told you on July 13th that I would return a week later with a big fat grin on my face and an improved outlook on my surroundings.
A tragic event in my hometown occurred that reminded me of a devastating time in my life, along with the lives of a entire town. Over the past week I have worked on a piece that has yet to see the light of day. I'm not sure what is holding me back on publishing it, I just can't seem to do it yet. Reminiscence of this event was painful, but has helped me to take a step back into reality and appreciate what I do have, rather than the job that I don't have. Sometimes you just have to roll with the punches and have faith. So although the future is still uncertain in Magee's world (isn't it always uncertain for us all), I will take a break from searching for jobs on Craigslist, The Times Union, The Career Center, and any poor saps ear who will listen to me complain about unemployment.
In all honesty things have continued to look more and more jumbled for me, but I'm trying to stay positive. I've got some great people close to me, along with some people who are trying there best to look out for me; it just seems the world doesn't want to cooperate yet. Who knew that four years of college at a more than respectable school would result in such a struggle to even acquire a part time job. This irks me quite a bit but I suppose it would do more than just irk me if I wasn't on a athletic scholarship for close to five years.
Three summers ago I mad a killing at the Saratoga Race Track. A place where money fluctuates quicker than Usain Bolt can run the forty, is now having trouble keeping myself and other experienced workers consistently on staff. What they do is put you "On Call" and then call you the morning of when they expect you to work. This morning they called me an hour after they expected me to be there. Earlier in the week I was told via phone that they would call me the day before they wanted me to work... Frustrating people. In the meantime I have been feverishly searching for part time employment around the Capital District. Even the Siena connections I have haven't panned out thus far. Companies usually looking for part time summer employment are now downsizing. Turns out the economy I could have cared less about during college is now having a huge effect on my current state of living here in Albany.
For now I will keep searching and keep my head up. It has been hard not to get frustrated and at times curse out loud, but as I've mentioned I'm lucky enough to have some great people in my corner; can't ask for too much more than that.
On a positive note I have less than two weeks remaining in my prolonged academic career. The light is near and I still barely know a lick of sign language, but my teacher is a sweetheart and see's that I am an effort guy. She jokes with me that she can't talk and I can't sign... God bless her soul.
Enough about my own life, let's talk about two other peoples. As most Siena basketball fans already know Kenny Hasbrouck will be signed by the Miami Heat on what seems to be a temporary contract. I never knew these things existed, but congratulations to Kenny. Kenny is more than a great basketball player, he is a great friend, who always looks out for those close to him.
Phil Cahill isn't a household name like Kenny Hasbrouck, but he is also a great friend of mine who could come in handy for some of you readers in the Capital Region looking for exemplary baseball instruction for your children (or if your a middle aged man holding on to dreams of the big leagues). Phil's clinics will focus on mainly middle school aged boys, but is willing to take on younger kids as well. The clinics will focus on any aspect of baseball that is needed. Phil was a four year starter at Siena and earned All-MAAC honors his Junior season. He also spent last summer playing professional independent ball in Illinois. Phil is a young coach who has an bright future coaching at the division one level. His playing days as a catcher makes him versatile to work with any position. If you're looking to get better as a young ball player in the Capital Region, Phil Cahill is your man.
That is all for now folks. If you have a job opportunity for me, I'm all ears. I work hard and can lift fifty pounds over my head.
Suggestion of the week: Contact Phil Cahill for a baseball lesson... Shoot him an email at pcahill@siena.edu OR visit his website for more information at http://tristatebaseballcamp.webs.com/
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Almost Famous Friends In Famous Places...And I'm Lost In Translation
SPOILER WARNING: If you're not interested in reading a piece on my loathing of the past week or so, head for the hills.
We'll to spoil the spoiler, this piece isn't entirely gloom and doom, just mostly. This summer has been uneventful and stressful, thus far. Business affairs such as finishing college, looking for a job, and finding arrangements take top priority. Who am I to be talking about stress and uncertainty? I'm finishing five years of tuition free college. I can't complain much, but every ones gotta do their belly-achin once in a while. Nobody said trying to play grown up would be easy, fun, or angst free... But damn this monster named adulthood is creeping up on me quick and its breath smells terrible.
I officially have one month to vacate the place where I've called home the past five years. On May 15th I moved into Hennepin Hall, a dormitory built for Sophomores to study for biology exams and smuggle booze into on Friday nights. We'll I'm 23 and find Hennepin a terrible study environment, and at 23 if I were to smuggle booze into anywhere I would probaly be committing a crime. It's safe to say I've started to wear out my welcome here at Siena. Familar faces that used to greet me with a smile and a pat on the back now greet me with questions of my future. What they really mean to say is: "When the hell is this guy skipping town?"
Ok, Ok, enough gloom and doom. I'm down to one class- American Sign Language 2 at Hudson Valley Community College. Back to gloom and doom, I'm head and shoulders above anyone at being the absolute worst signer in the class (Who the hell said being a English Major required a upper level foreign language?). I thought I gave up caring about what other people thought of me until this class started, but having 20 sets of eyes burning a whole through you as you try you're best is no fun for anyone. There is also a no talking policy, and our teacher is deaf, so that leaves me... Well I'm lost in Translation.
I ventured to the great town of well, lets just call it "the great town", today to check out a one bedroom apartment that I found on the all mighty Craigs list at a price range that LeBron would use as tissue. My appointment was at 11:30 A.M. Despite running low on gas and self esteem, I was excited to check something new out. Before today "the great town" was just a road sign on the highway. On this morning it became toned down version of the television show The Wire. Now I'm a low maintenance guy, but the building where my "room to be" was just didn't cut it. Rust oozed from all angles and heat seemed to radiate off the building (Cory and heat don't mix, we know this). People were out enjoying the sun, many in the middle of the road, smoking cigarettes and taking in the heat of July. Anyways I never got the courage to walk into the building... Call me a coward, but this is coming from a guy who reads everything Stephen King has ever published...That could have been half the problem...
Most of my Siena basketball friends have gone home or are on the road recruiting. That leaves me alone here taking a four hour class two nights a week with a bank account that looked sexy three weeks ago, but now looks like Shelly Duvall from The Shinning. But as the title indicates, I have some almost famous friends doing some awesome things in famous places. Kenny Hasbrouck killed it for the Miami Heats summer league team the other night scoring 24 points and looking like the most comfortable guy on the floor. Ryan Rossiter and I watched Kenny do hi thing like two kids on Christmas in the only air conditioned room in Hennepin That guy simply preserves through everything that stands in his way, something I should take a note or two from. The big three in Miami would be lucky to have a teammate like Kenny around.
The pride and joy of Siena baseball, Dan Paolini, par-took in the inaugural College Home Run Derby. Pao was one of 8 guys who swung for the fences for the last time at the famous Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha Nebraska (New Stadium being built). Pao only hit one, but was forced to swing first (Damn mid major discrimination if you ask me), and had some hefty winds coming in at him. Plus some other poor sap got shut out. There could be worst things in life then hanging out with Frank Thomas and Mike Schmidt for an afternoon.
Friends from alternative rock band The Polar Bear Club have gone from obscurity to taking over the punk rock world as there touring on Vans Warped Tour. I can finally go into a music store and claim I know people in a band.
Lets hope the next few weeks outshine the couple. Otherwise I may be forced to leave Albany and then you all know what it is for me....I know what you were thinking, and no it's not a career as a Chip In Dales Dancer in Vegas... I already applied. Apparently they frown on out of shape men with no dancing rhythm. If you made it this far I commend and thank you, because for this particular moment, I have nobody else to talk to. You may now return to you're regular scheduled lives.
Suggestion: I got nothing, I'll be watching Rescue Me tonight in the heat, join me... Seriously, join me. Next week I'll put on my smile.
We'll to spoil the spoiler, this piece isn't entirely gloom and doom, just mostly. This summer has been uneventful and stressful, thus far. Business affairs such as finishing college, looking for a job, and finding arrangements take top priority. Who am I to be talking about stress and uncertainty? I'm finishing five years of tuition free college. I can't complain much, but every ones gotta do their belly-achin once in a while. Nobody said trying to play grown up would be easy, fun, or angst free... But damn this monster named adulthood is creeping up on me quick and its breath smells terrible.
I officially have one month to vacate the place where I've called home the past five years. On May 15th I moved into Hennepin Hall, a dormitory built for Sophomores to study for biology exams and smuggle booze into on Friday nights. We'll I'm 23 and find Hennepin a terrible study environment, and at 23 if I were to smuggle booze into anywhere I would probaly be committing a crime. It's safe to say I've started to wear out my welcome here at Siena. Familar faces that used to greet me with a smile and a pat on the back now greet me with questions of my future. What they really mean to say is: "When the hell is this guy skipping town?"
Ok, Ok, enough gloom and doom. I'm down to one class- American Sign Language 2 at Hudson Valley Community College. Back to gloom and doom, I'm head and shoulders above anyone at being the absolute worst signer in the class (Who the hell said being a English Major required a upper level foreign language?). I thought I gave up caring about what other people thought of me until this class started, but having 20 sets of eyes burning a whole through you as you try you're best is no fun for anyone. There is also a no talking policy, and our teacher is deaf, so that leaves me... Well I'm lost in Translation.
I ventured to the great town of well, lets just call it "the great town", today to check out a one bedroom apartment that I found on the all mighty Craigs list at a price range that LeBron would use as tissue. My appointment was at 11:30 A.M. Despite running low on gas and self esteem, I was excited to check something new out. Before today "the great town" was just a road sign on the highway. On this morning it became toned down version of the television show The Wire. Now I'm a low maintenance guy, but the building where my "room to be" was just didn't cut it. Rust oozed from all angles and heat seemed to radiate off the building (Cory and heat don't mix, we know this). People were out enjoying the sun, many in the middle of the road, smoking cigarettes and taking in the heat of July. Anyways I never got the courage to walk into the building... Call me a coward, but this is coming from a guy who reads everything Stephen King has ever published...That could have been half the problem...
Most of my Siena basketball friends have gone home or are on the road recruiting. That leaves me alone here taking a four hour class two nights a week with a bank account that looked sexy three weeks ago, but now looks like Shelly Duvall from The Shinning. But as the title indicates, I have some almost famous friends doing some awesome things in famous places. Kenny Hasbrouck killed it for the Miami Heats summer league team the other night scoring 24 points and looking like the most comfortable guy on the floor. Ryan Rossiter and I watched Kenny do hi thing like two kids on Christmas in the only air conditioned room in Hennepin That guy simply preserves through everything that stands in his way, something I should take a note or two from. The big three in Miami would be lucky to have a teammate like Kenny around.
The pride and joy of Siena baseball, Dan Paolini, par-took in the inaugural College Home Run Derby. Pao was one of 8 guys who swung for the fences for the last time at the famous Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha Nebraska (New Stadium being built). Pao only hit one, but was forced to swing first (Damn mid major discrimination if you ask me), and had some hefty winds coming in at him. Plus some other poor sap got shut out. There could be worst things in life then hanging out with Frank Thomas and Mike Schmidt for an afternoon.
Friends from alternative rock band The Polar Bear Club have gone from obscurity to taking over the punk rock world as there touring on Vans Warped Tour. I can finally go into a music store and claim I know people in a band.
Lets hope the next few weeks outshine the couple. Otherwise I may be forced to leave Albany and then you all know what it is for me....I know what you were thinking, and no it's not a career as a Chip In Dales Dancer in Vegas... I already applied. Apparently they frown on out of shape men with no dancing rhythm. If you made it this far I commend and thank you, because for this particular moment, I have nobody else to talk to. You may now return to you're regular scheduled lives.
Suggestion: I got nothing, I'll be watching Rescue Me tonight in the heat, join me... Seriously, join me. Next week I'll put on my smile.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Burnt To A Crisp On A Lake In Western New York... Burning Alive In Albany New York
Hello July- I hate you.
June was nice. Alot of people complained about you June, and I was one of them. The weather here in the Capital District was schizophrenic. The days were strange. It was sunny, it was cloudy, it was rainy, it was muggy, it was mildly hot, and there were a few thunderstorms. "What does it take to get some consistent weather?" many of us asked.
Now July is here. A month reserved for American pride and summer lounging. Well I'll tell you what July- The first person I meet that feels like showing any ounce of pride or any ambition to lounge in this weather I will feel like slapping them right across the forehead. Well pride is okay, if you have the mental and physical toughness to do that in this heat, God bless you, and America.
This past weekend I was called home for a couple of great reasons. A car was available for my belonging and at twenty three, is a neccesity. This weekend was also a family celebration for us.My little brother turned twenty yesterday and we all ate cake (another plus). While I was home I was invited to a fourth of July celebration with great high school friends on Canadagiua Lake. Two days of swimming, eating beans, and swimming in a lake that felt more like a bathtub than a lake- What is there not to love there? Well friends I have inherrited some sensitive Irish skin. I love my heritage, minus the whole misconception of being a short fused Irishmen who is constiently looking for trouble, being Irish is great.
Then there is the skin and the sun problem. I applied sun screen, oh yes I applied it, I even have witnesses. However apparently it was not applied well enough. I woke up on the fourth of July with no shirt on and my skin sticking to the floor with which I called home for a night sleep. When I stood up I could have sworn half of my skin was still on the floor. Now I'm burnt bad. I now have sun blisters on my chest and a farmers tan that could make my red neck friends in Boise Idaho proud. I guess I could be to blame. I had alot of fun on July 3rd, maybe to much fun. I felt the sun doing it's deed. It found my Irish skin early in the day and latched onto it hard. I kept my shirt on for the fourth, and plan on keeping it on for the rest of July.
I returned to Albany yesterday to find the heat following me. Not only was the heat following me, it was getting even hotter. On the news they are suggesting elderly folk to stay in doors for the next couple days. Now here is my question: What defines elderly? In my book it is twenty three in older, giving me a pass to stay inside and do as I please in the own discomfort of my room, avoiding the ultra violet rays that wait outside. My suggestion to anyone reading this is don't "man up" and go outside. Stay inside people. Find a wet towel, put it on your forehead, and give thanks for the cooler days of September. Or you can hope that July takes a note from its neighbor June, and decides to take some days off. I've never prayed for rain so much in my life.
Sorry I'm a complainer, I have sun poisioning and don't have a job.
Your friend,Cory The Lobster
Today's suggestion: Is this even a question? I guess you should find a COLD pool, lake, or ocean, and go swimming- WITH A SHIRT ON.
June was nice. Alot of people complained about you June, and I was one of them. The weather here in the Capital District was schizophrenic. The days were strange. It was sunny, it was cloudy, it was rainy, it was muggy, it was mildly hot, and there were a few thunderstorms. "What does it take to get some consistent weather?" many of us asked.
Now July is here. A month reserved for American pride and summer lounging. Well I'll tell you what July- The first person I meet that feels like showing any ounce of pride or any ambition to lounge in this weather I will feel like slapping them right across the forehead. Well pride is okay, if you have the mental and physical toughness to do that in this heat, God bless you, and America.
This past weekend I was called home for a couple of great reasons. A car was available for my belonging and at twenty three, is a neccesity. This weekend was also a family celebration for us.My little brother turned twenty yesterday and we all ate cake (another plus). While I was home I was invited to a fourth of July celebration with great high school friends on Canadagiua Lake. Two days of swimming, eating beans, and swimming in a lake that felt more like a bathtub than a lake- What is there not to love there? Well friends I have inherrited some sensitive Irish skin. I love my heritage, minus the whole misconception of being a short fused Irishmen who is constiently looking for trouble, being Irish is great.
Then there is the skin and the sun problem. I applied sun screen, oh yes I applied it, I even have witnesses. However apparently it was not applied well enough. I woke up on the fourth of July with no shirt on and my skin sticking to the floor with which I called home for a night sleep. When I stood up I could have sworn half of my skin was still on the floor. Now I'm burnt bad. I now have sun blisters on my chest and a farmers tan that could make my red neck friends in Boise Idaho proud. I guess I could be to blame. I had alot of fun on July 3rd, maybe to much fun. I felt the sun doing it's deed. It found my Irish skin early in the day and latched onto it hard. I kept my shirt on for the fourth, and plan on keeping it on for the rest of July.
I returned to Albany yesterday to find the heat following me. Not only was the heat following me, it was getting even hotter. On the news they are suggesting elderly folk to stay in doors for the next couple days. Now here is my question: What defines elderly? In my book it is twenty three in older, giving me a pass to stay inside and do as I please in the own discomfort of my room, avoiding the ultra violet rays that wait outside. My suggestion to anyone reading this is don't "man up" and go outside. Stay inside people. Find a wet towel, put it on your forehead, and give thanks for the cooler days of September. Or you can hope that July takes a note from its neighbor June, and decides to take some days off. I've never prayed for rain so much in my life.
Sorry I'm a complainer, I have sun poisioning and don't have a job.
Your friend,Cory The Lobster
Today's suggestion: Is this even a question? I guess you should find a COLD pool, lake, or ocean, and go swimming- WITH A SHIRT ON.
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