2022

 

Brody Forbes

12-31-22

A Year about the World

 

            2022 was a year about the world. I went to Switzerland, the winter Olympics took place in Beijing, Russia invaded Ukraine, the world was recovering from the pandemic, and the World Cup all took place. With all of that, here are the highlights of what I did in 2022.

 

Jan –

·      New Years party with AT and my friends at our Barry house

·      G.C. party

·      Skied at Alpine Valley

B  Bulls vs Cavs game at United Center

     IU beat Purdue in Assembly 

     Bub City with G and A

·      Exercised more at LA Fitness

·      Visited S.H. in Iowa

 

Feb –

·      Ticket to ride with G, A, T, and M at G's place

     Attended an Irish Dance performance with friends near Grant Park

·      Wine night at Marie’s in Marina tower

    Auto show with Dad and Mr. H.

·      Medieval Times and party bus

·      Super Bowl party at our place Barry, Rams vs Bengals; made chicken and waffles appetizer

·      Watched the Winter Olympics in Beijing, figure skater took gold, Shaun White’s last Olympics

     Blackhawks game with C, G, J, K

·      Travelled to Switzerland with C.M., J.E., and J.M. Visited his parents, toured Gruyere and Lausanne, skied in Grindelwald, went to Turin, and drove briefly through France. What a fun trip!

 

Mar –

·      Ash Wednesday

     Batman movie

     Fr. Rob Galea talk and music 

     Switched to my own phone plan

     IU bball winning in big ten tourney

     Volunteered at MOLA during Lent

·      Gave a reflection during Stations of the Cross

    St. Patty's Day and seeing the green river for the first time

·      Bowling event

·      Watched March Madness

    Watched IU vs St. Mary's at Kirkwood 

    Visited JJ with Joe

    Father Kartje Lenten Series for men

    Basketball with T, M, and A

    Pho sunset dinner, Purdue upset by St. Peter's, T birthday party

    St. Clement Mass for Ukraine

    Blue Door Farmstand date

·      Dad’s Birthday

     JJ died

 

April –

·      Went to The Script concert at the VIC Theater

·      Went home for Easter

 

May –

·      Aidan graduated

·      Neck surgery

·      The Fray concert with J, J, and S

·      Coldplay concert at Soldier Field Memorial Day weekend with S and D and J

·      C’s friend JJ visiting

·      Memorial Day weekend at Mike’s lakehouse in Michiana

·      Memorial Day grilling at Barry

·Top Gun Maverick movie

June –

C’s UK friends Georgie and Charlie      

Theology on Tap

·      Bloomington camping trip in Brown County

·      Bleacher seats in center field at Wrigley

·      Started golfing, Robert Black, Billy Caldwell

 

July –

·      Celebrated July 4^th at Justin’s house in Libertyville

·      Turned 28 and did karaoke in Chinatown

·      Played beach volleyball at Castaways courts

·      Went to Henry and Kayla’s wedding outside of Crawfordsville

·      Travelled to Seattle via train, drove around Olympic National Park, Casey’s parents’ pool, dinner, and boat, Libby’s parents Woodinville

 

August –

·      Moved apartments to Old Town

·      One Republic and Needtobreathe concert with C, T, M

·      C going away party by the lake

·      Ca coffee

·      Nice long phone call with T

·      Rae and Matt wedding in Angola

·      YAC Cubs game

·      Luis B-day and trolley

·      H guitar playing

·      Hang-uppe

 

September –

·      M confirmed

·      Softball

·      IU beat Illinois in football season opener; watched with S, D; texted with Ca

·      ND vs Ohio State football game watch party

·      Bachelorette

·      J B-Day at Prost

·      S B-Day at Pequods

·      Wine night at Co

·      YAC camping retreat

·      Fantasy football

·      Sofar at The Rookery with H

 

October

·      M B-Day cookout

·      Watched the Marathon from my apartment

·      J euchre tournament

·      Alpha weekly

·      1^st Forbes annual golf trip at Uncle Rick’s in Georgia

·      Had my apartment house warming party

·      L sushi dinner

·      J Halloween party, pringles mustache

·      Michael and Grace wedding in South Bend at ND

·      Pumpkin carving event and Q&A with Father Matt

 

November

·      All Saints and All Souls Days; had Grandma and Grandpa Grace’s names read

·      Father Murray talk to Communio involving Mother Teresa

·      Alpha retreat

·      Wakanda Forever movie

·      Started ordering clothes from Stitch Fix

·      Went to Washington D.C. to visit C, and T; met Siggy

·      YAC Friendsgiving; karaoke at Harrigans

·      Thanksgiving at home

·      World Cup started

·      USA vs England at Brokerage

 

December

·      Started going to Orangetheory for workouts

·      L gingerbread party

·      Nate party

·      Ca zoo lights and apartment party

·      YAC Advent retreat

·      Francis party, ornament decorating, caroling

·      Michael and Maria Alpha Christmas party

·      World Cup final was amazing!; big watch party at Luis’; Argentina won on pks

·      Christmas at home was perfect with the whole family there

·      New Year’s Eve party at Swissotel!

 

This will always be the year remembered for Russia invading Ukraine. Lots happened in the world with the pandemic slowing, Roe v Wade overturned in the US, Inflation, Queen Elizabeth dying, new UK prime ministers, Pope Benedict XVI dying, Hurricane Ian, Taiwan escalation, NASA missions, and much more. It was a great year and I hope that 2023 will bring freshness and new perspectives, as it could be the first full complete year post covid. I really don’t know what to expect for 2023 but I have a good feeling about it. Cheers!

 

-Brody

2021

12-31-21

2021

    Here we are. It's the last day of 2021, I just watched Spider-Man No Way Home with A.T., we're still in a pandemic, and I've lived through another year filled with good memories. Even though we are still in a pandemic, it was another great year for me (it's slightly gut wrenching to say that), and this summer was one of the best summers of my life. 

    Regarding the pandemic, the biggest challenge has been how to coordinate behavior among everyone in a nation who has different beliefs, different medical histories, different fears, and different cares. The vaccines have helped a lot. It's hard to remember that at the beginning of this year we started rolling out the first vaccines for people who weren't in healthcare. I received mine in April and May, and then got my booster the day after Thanksgiving. Now that vaccines and boosters have been available and taken, I feel that myself and the nation have been more lax on following the recommended measures. I feel the only way we get the pandemic over is if we collectively all get vaccinated or collectively strictly follow the guidelines. When will the pandemic end? Hopefully when I write this reflection next year, I'll be able to say the pandemic has ended.

    The year was full of traveling, friends, and steps forward though. I learned more about the Catholic faith. I lived in three apartments. I gave more generously financially. I learned more about what makes me happy. Here are some highlights from 2021:

    January - The New Year brought hope. Read Barack Obama's memoir, Ate some salads, Capitol was stormed, watched playoff nfl football, Biden got inaugurated, the poem written and given by Amanda Gorman during the inauguration and the fireworks at night were inspiring, played cod with Bros and Casey, went over to Burwood, laundry joke, Watched Challenger, Waco, AOC biopic, Romney biopic, Icarus, The Dawn Wall documentaries

    February - Super Bowl party at G's, Bucs won the Super Bowl, intramural volleyball at the windy city fieldhouse, Coach Wood retired and went to celebrate his last home game, Phase 2 went live, drinks at GSP with W

    March - went to San Diego and explored!, visited Keeg and Marissa in Orange County, started dating a girl, started Phase 4, St. Patrick's Day party outside, Chicago date, got Dad a digital photo frame for his birthday, long bike ride along north branch of river and then Las Fuentes dinner with Dad and his friends

    April - started to be able to attend Mass in person again while wearing masks, had a call with Tommy to catch up and he announced that Rachel was pregnant!, intramural softball, Easter and date, Jalen Suggs drained half court shot for march madness semi-final win, vaccine 1, desk broke, tossed frisbee by the Windmill statue with L, J, and C

    May - moved into G's apartment, enjoyed having a roommate, got a Uhaul storage unit, Shades date, stopped dating a girl, started going to Communio consistently and Colectivo afterwards, vaccine 2, watched Bobby Flay and Alpha videos, watched golf majors, camping with L and friends in Kettle Moraine, volleyball at North Ave beach with friends on Memorial Day

    June - got a base pay raise and bright blue sky sunny day, watched a Quiet Place 2 in theaters (first movie I had watched back in theaters in awhile), intramural softball, dinner at Renallis with M and J, helped T and A move then Las Fuentes dinner afterwards, fishing trip with Dad and crew in Minnesota!, pool at L's apartment, Mickelson won PGA major

    July - Tommy visited me in Chicago!, crow's nest in Merrillville, closing campfire at Camp T,  birthday dinner at Orso's, call with R, Cubs game with G, Zion National Park and Glacier National Park road trip!, dinner at M and J's, intramural beach volleyball, Wells street afterwards, Bucks won NBA championship

    August - moved into an apartment with four other roommates, bike got stolen, housewarming, Keeg's bachelor party, went to Rome and visited Tommy in Italy!, watched Air and Water show from top of L apartment, trivia at barbecue place, C birthday Maroon 5 concert at Wrigley

    September - gave my first Communio reflection, started going to Dom's afterwards for coffee, Michiana lakehouse for labor day, YAC Cubs game, L birthday celebration, took Mom and Dad to printer's row lit fest, C's mom visited, went to South Bend and stayed in Airbnb and saw my first ND football game, euchre night at J's

    October - bought running shoes and started running along the lakefront trail, watched GL and B run in the Chicago Marathon, Sapori Tratorria dinner afterwards with GL, started Phase 6, joined the YAC Board, Keegan and Marissa got married!, Keeg's speech, wedding in Orange County, basketball on top of Old Post Office with M, tennis with C on Sundays, Richardson farm and corn maze, Braves won World Series, halloween party and pringles costume

    November - started going to the gym more often, 80 proof, played Catan for the first time, got a base pay raise and a really nice bonus, made a new personal email address, A.T. visited and took him to Barcocina and Kirkwood, watched Spider-Man Homecoming with A.T., A.T. and I picked Keeg and Marissa up from downtown and drove down for Thanksgiving, had Thanksgiving at our place in WL with Keeg, Marissa, A.T., Mom, Dad, Uncle Rick, Connor, Cameron, Aunt Beth, Grandma, Grandpa in nursing home, visited Grandpa with Connor, Bucket Game tailgate and watched game, Michigan beat Ohio State, Cincinnati in CFP, got Christmas tree and decorations with C at Home Depot

    December - YAC retreat at Mundelein, gave my second Communio reflection, crazy ncaa football coaching carousel, went Salsa dancing in West Loop, dinners with Franciscan (lasagna) and a Priest (duck), roommates steak dinner and gift exchange, wrote and sent out Christmas cards, made tuna melts for LCPS and Father Paul's Feliz Navidad, finished the Digital Products Lemonade Stand activities, watched Colts beat Patriots and Cardinals, cooked fresh Mexican food dinner with A.T. (tacos and corn salad) for Mom and Dad, long walk with Dad and A.T. to Peoples, enjoyed Christmas Time with Mom, Dad, A.T. and Wiley, facetimed Keeg, had Grandma over for Christmas dinner, played Fortnite with A.T. and Keeg, rearranged bed in my room, call with R, visited Grandpa, Brats and Smores firepit, researched about recycling, lunch with T at cafe literato, dinner at La Hacienda with A.T. and watched Purdue beat Tennessee in overtime for the bowl game win, watched Spider-Man No Way Home at Wabash 9 with A.T.

This year was jam packed. It was fun and I feel ready for 2022. God bless you all!

 

- Brody

 

2020

2020. Those four syllables are filled with so many stories of all types of emotion. Being blunt, it was a great year for me. While true, it makes me sad to type that sentence because it was such a horrible year for others. Restaurants closed, Deaths occurred that brought Racial Injustice mainstream, people got layed off, the Olympics were postponed, healthcare workers were stretched as much as could be, the education system had to make tough decisions, organic chemists and pharmacists were under immense pressure to deliver a vaccine, and millions of people worldwide were infected with Coronavirus, creating a Pandemic, with two million of those people dying from it. Families lost loved ones.

This year opened my eyes to how my age, health, skin color, and job barely made me directly affected by one of the craziest years ever. I'm thankful for the blessings in my life, but emotionally and logically I felt on the sidelines of this year while my fellow humans were suffering. If there is something that made me mad about this year, it's that I felt like I wasn't doing enough to help. I marched once. I voted. I wore my mask (although I could have done a better job of it when around my hub of friends). I took action, but wasn't feeling the motivation that I wanted to feel. I will use the lessons I've learned from this year for good. Here are some highlights of the year we called 2020.

Highlights:

• Jan - Jacksonville with AT, Driehaus Art Museum and bars afterward, AAD, Kobe died
  
  
• Feb - AAD wrap up, indoor Volleyball, Ecuador and Panama, Ash Wednesday, Ahmaud Arbery, Buttigieg won Iowa
  
  
• Mar - Phoenix, Breonna Taylor, March Madness cancelled, Biden won Super Tuesday, Dad’s birthday over google meet
  
  
• Apr - searching for apartments, rainy, zoom happy hours, cod with bros and Casey, Keeg’s birthday over google meet, scattegories with R's over zoom/google meet, Easter, Two Popes
  
  
• May - moved apartments to Lincoln Park, start of HPL, hung out with R, George Floyd
  
  
• June - got promoted to senior analyst, street closures with outdoor seating festival vibe, Breonna Taylor, marched in downtown Lafayette
  
  
• July - fourth of July outside deck, Sunday birthday turned 26 beautiful blue sky day, family time and presents over google meet, hung out with L and friends
  
  
• Aug - Asheville with Mom, Dad, and A.T., hung out with L and friends, went to watch softball games, Saturday park volleyball, end to end for HPL
  
  
• Sep - hung out with L and C and friends, Saturday park volleyball, end to end for HPL, Sports Sunday, interruption filled first Pres debate
  
  
• Oct - HPL ended, went to LA for Keeg’s proposal to Marissa
  
  
• Nov - started Bopis phase 2, Biden won the election, got promoted to consultant, Men’s group, IU football was good, Thanksgiving at home and Keeg came too
  
  
• Dec - cod with bros and Casey, went home for Christmas, enjoyed hanging out with Mom, Dad, and AT (dinners, board games, walks at Happy Hollow and Prophetstown, watching Mass, watched IU basketball, cleaned the basement, epic Yahtzee game, Spy Alley), G walk, drive back with AT on 31st, rearranged living room

 
I pray for those we lost, and those that are still suffering. I hope that there are silver linings from this year that we can look back on. I'll continue to strive for racial justice in all facets of life, hope to continue to learn how to prevent microaggressions, and will continue to treat others the best way I can: with love, compassion, and respect.

- Brody

   

Reminiscing on 2019 and the 2010s

It's pretty crazy that the year is at an end, let alone that we are closing a decade. Here are some of the highlights from this past year and some fun experiences that happened during the 2010s.

2019:

• After graduating from grad school in Dec. 2018, I lived at home in WL with my Mom and Dad in January. I shoveled the driveways multiple times and enjoyed going to the gym to workout, especially with my Dad. My mom and I enjoyed shopping for my new apartment. I even bought a couch!
• In February, I moved to Chicago! It was February 9th and I packed up the Uhaul and headed north. It was a blue sky day. I met my Godmother for the first time in awhile and she helped us unpack and put away my items in my apartment. It was really cool meeting her. One of my first days that week, I walked to Wrigley field in the snow. It was great.
• On February 20th, I started my first job, as an analyst at Accenture. I made sure I woke up on time to catch the red line eL and make it to the office by 8:30. It was fun meeting my other new joiners.
• I liked going to B.L.U.E.S. with Dad
• I like the independence and living on my own and exploring
• Throughout the year it was fun biking around and exploring all the different neighborhoods and the lakefront trail.
• I loved visiting home for Easter and Keeg's BDay 
• I liked hanging out with Mom and going to her cousin's wedding
• I liked going to the White Sox game with A.T., Keeg, and Marissa
• I liked hosting A.T. and his friend for the Cubs game
• I enjoyed going to Champaign for Kyle's wedding and visiting our old house 
• I liked eating dinner at Katie's and her family (my Godmother)
• I got an Illinois ID/license
• I went to two Cubs games
• I worked in Akron doing eCommerce; got to stay in Cleveland a couple times
• I visited the Pro Football Hall of Fame
• I took Greyhounds, rental cars, Amtrak, eL, and got picked up
• I played beach volleyball, indoor volleyball, basketball, and indoor soccer
• I found a Church
• I was home for Thanksgiving and Christmas
• I loved my first year in Chicago

The decade of 2010s:

• I played varsity high school sports
• I went to Ireland summer 2012
• I graduated high school
• I went to IU
• I read the Bible
• I learned how to play guitar
• I was a camp counselor and had amazing experiences
• I went to Germany twice, and studied abroad in Berlin summer 2015
• I graduated college 
• I was a best man in my best friend's wedding
• I attended two additional weddings of my good friends
• My cousins and their spouses started having kids
• I went to grad school
• I interned in Indianapolis
• I was at IU with my brothers for one semester
• I graduated grad school 
• I got my first job in Chicago at Accenture
• I met great friends
• I grew closer with God

It's been a great year and a wonderful decade. Time is precious and I'm thankful for the memories.


Here we come 2020!


-Brody

Adventure, Accomplishment, and New Beginnings

12-31-18

Adventure, Accomplishment, and New Beginnings

This has been such a good crazy year that I haven’t even written a blog post in 2018. 2018 was filled with new adventures, big accomplishments, and new beginnings.

            In the spring, I got an A- in one of the toughest classes in my program. I felt proud that I took the class instead of opting for what might have been an easier path. Then in March, I traveled with 18 of my classmates to India to explore its culture and business environment. It’s ironic that some of my favorite memories from the trip were on the bus rides. However, the Taj Mahal was a sight to see and the clear blue sky that day was a blessing. I discovered that India has as many mopeds as sand particles on a beach. Above all though, I learned that India is a wonderful country filled with history, hard work, and people just like me.

            In April, my little brother Keegan turned 21. We enjoyed a night out on the town going to the different bars and also celebrated with a bonfire the next day complete with hamburgers, chips, and smores. In May, I enjoyed watching my little brother Aidan play baseball. As a senior, he was hitting the ball all over the place. Watching him graduate later that month was a highlight for our family, and it was the last chapter in what amounted to 18 years spent between my brothers and me in the West Lafayette school system.

            As summer rolled around, I started my first ever internship. It was in Indianapolis with a tech company that does accounting and website development for charities. I’ve always wanted to get to know Indianapolis better, and I’m happy that I was able to explore it on the weekends through the various parks, disc golf courses, and other spectacles the city had to offer. Not only did I enjoy the exploring, but I learned a lot about business and how to work hard. It was a good experience that I’m very thankful for.

            In mid August, I returned to IU Bloomington for my last college semester to complete my masters degree. I was given a unique opportunity that fall to be one of two graduate assistants for the ERP class that the new students in my program were taking. After countless questions, emails, and help sessions I now have great sympathy for teachers everywhere.

September and October were filled with recruiting events. I was happy at how well I interacted at the various info sessions, careers fairs, and email conversations. I was excited at all the interviews I got, and could definitely tell that I improved in my interviewing skills. Overall, it concluded with me getting a job offer from my top company, Accenture. I thank my family, friends, teachers, and coaches for helping me reach this goal. Above all, I thank God for always forgiving me, loving me, and pushing me to be my best and to serve others.

            In December, I ended my semester with a pricing class and a trip to Las Vegas. I learned a lot from both my negotiation and pricing classes, and it was a treat to be surrounded by MBA classmates who I could learn from as well. Las Vegas was fun but I don’t think it is a place I’d want to revisit anytime soon. The Pinball Hall of Fame was my favorite part of the trip because I felt that I got to experience what any kid in the 80s longed to do with their spare change. Christmas was a thrill and I’m thankful that I have a tremendous loving family. A few days after the holiday, I found an apartment in Chicago with my parents and am all set to see what 2019 has in store.

            Before the clock strikes midnight, I’ll reflect on all that 2018 had to offer. Whatever thoughts roll through my mind, I know that 2018 was filled with adventure, accomplishment, and new beginnings. What a year.

-Brody   

Goal Accomplished

12-31-17

#myDecemberGoal

Goal Accomplished

            Today is New Year’s Eve which means that by posting this blog piece I have successfully accomplished my December goal. At the beginning of the month, I made it a goal of mine to write one blog post a day until the ball dropped celebrating the New Year. I wrote one that was private which I didn’t post and I forgot to write one on Christmas Eve so I wrote two on Christmas. Besides those little missteps, I can happily say that I successfully accomplished what I set out to do. It’s been a fun journey and I’ve learned some things along the way.

            First, I found out that it would take me until 11 pm to feel motivated to write. Often later in the night was when I would reflect on my day, which brings me to my second point. Each day of mine brought something new and something to write about. No matter how boring or how fun, there was always something on my mind that I could share.

            Speaking of sharing, I hope that you’ve enjoyed my short stories these past 31 days. My main motivation for writing these posts wasn’t to make you want to like my writing. It was simply me striving to accomplish something over time. I said in the beginning that #myDecemberGoal was like a reverse New Year’s resolution. I did it because I knew that a specific timeframe would help me stay accountable. Now that we have a little under 15 minutes until 2018 rings in, new year's resolutions will be made. For me, I’ve already accomplished mine. It just so happened to occur during December.
  

-Brody

Overcoming Limits

12-30-17

#myDecemberGoal

Overcoming Limits

Today I was inspired by E:60. It’s a show on ESPN where journalists interview people about their life stories and how it relates to sports. They were airing a special this evening to reminisce about their past 10 years of creating the show. While watching all the footage and hearing some interviews, it was incredible to see what some people accomplished while having some sort of setback.

One girl they covered was a star track athlete even though she had multiple sclerosis. She couldn’t feel her legs whenever she raced and had to fall into her coach’s arms every time she crossed the finish line in order to stop her momentum. She then had to be immediately carried to a bench to be cooled down by ice bags and water because her body would be producing so much heat. This happened every race and it’s not like she came in last. She won many of her races.

Stories like these inspire me because they make me realize that we as humans can persevere through the limits that Mother Nature puts on us. And when we do, we can accomplish great feats. I’ve found that this is easier when someone is along side of us, constantly pushing us to be better and encouraging us along the way, like that girl’s coach. While there is a breaking point and such thing as too much pushing, I usually find that I have a lot more effort to give whenever the thought of quitting or not even trying pops into my head.

I believe the military has a 40% rule that says when you first think you want to quit, you really have only given 40% of your available energy. Thus, you still have 60% to give. I remember when this saying affected my workout a couple months ago. I first only wanted to run 10 laps on the track but I decided at about lap 7 to add 60% more laps to my goal. I ended up running 25 laps (60% more) and was amazed that I actually did it.
           Mindsets like this and stories such as what the journalists of E:60 share have led me to make one of my New Year’s resolutions be not to underestimate myself. If I don’t underestimate myself, who knows what feats I can accomplish.

-Brody

Deleting Email

12-29-17

#myDecemberGoal

Deleting Email

I’ve spent the past hour and a half deleting emails from my personal account because I thought it would free up some space on my phone. After about 15 minutes, I decided I was going to go all out and try to delete as many unwanted emails as I could.

I’m a person who likes to save stuff. I like the sentimental aspect of gifts, written cards, and yes, even emails. As I sorted through the electronic pile of messages, I realized that facebook and twitter took up a majority of my email space. I also realized that my emails were a time capsule of my past 5 years. As I sifted, it was fun reflecting on all that has happened and who has been involved in my life. There were emails I got when I was trying to find which college I wanted to go to. There were emails from my first job. There were even emails about people who retweeted my tweets. I’m not a big tweeter, but those posts definitely brought back good memories.

All in all, while it was boring to delete all those emails, the going back in time aspect made it worthwhile. If you’re a saver like me, maybe go back and read some of those old emails. It’ll refresh your memory.

-Brody

Malls

12-28-17

#myDecemberGoal

Malls

            I don’t like going to the mall. My brother needed some pants though, so today we made the drive out there. The only part I like about going to the mall is walking around. It’s fun to feel the energy and look in the window displays. But after awhile my legs start hurting and it’s all downhill from there.

            The next frustration comes when I have to find what I’m looking for. I’m usually one of the smaller sizes so finding the right fit can be hard, especially when it comes to pants. Shirts are easier since there are fewer shirt sizes made. Once I’ve found an item, the money factor comes in. For me, I like to know all my options before I purchase something. However, the mall makes it super hard to compare items across stores. I would have to walk to each store, find similar items, compare the items in my head, and then go back to the store which I think has the best deal and best item.

Thus the tired legs, the inefficiency of selecting clothing, and trying to find the best deal are all reasons why I don’t like shopping at malls.

-Brody

Waiting for Wristbands

12-27-17

#myDecemberGoal

Waiting for Wristbands

            Even though I went to IU, I grew up going to Purdue football games. I was really young when Drew Brees had his phenomenal career and the Holy Toledo play. I barely remember my parents watching the 2001 Rose Bowl in our family room with their friends. I do remember Kyle Orton pretty well. Unfortunately they ruled his scramble as a fumble versus Wisconsin. Dorien Bryant was the speedy wide receiver and return man. I was at Joe Tiller’s last game with my Dad in 2008. Then there was Danny Hope and Darrell Hazell. Enter Jeff Brohm. I remember when Ross Ade didn’t have lights. To say the least, I’ve experienced a lot of Purdue football.

            After games, my friends and I would wait outside the Purdue locker room in hopes that we could catch the players’ wristbands that they would throw at us. If we were really lucky, we might have even gotten a pair of gloves. As a kid, I always said my dream was to be a college football player and Purdue allowed me to experience it as a fan.

            Fast forward to 2015, and my fandom changed to IU football. I made the 13 hour car ride to the Bronx to watch IU play in its first bowl game since 2007. It was a great game but we unfortunately lost on a last second missed field goal in OT. Now it's 2017, and I’m watching Purdue play Arizona on TV in its first bowl game since 2012. There’s 8 minutes left in the game so I don’t know who’s going to win. I'm still an IU fan, but it has been pretty cool to see both IU and Purdue go to bowl games recently. Hopefully both teams become above average in the near future. I’m not waiting for wristbands anymore, but I am waiting for bowl wins. We’ll see what happens.

-Brody

Are you a Gamer?

12-26-17

#myDecemberGoal

Are you a Gamer?

            Do you play video games? I’m not a big fan of them but I do play with my brothers sometimes. We enjoy playing Fortnite and Rocket League on the PS4. Fortnite is like hunger games where you have to pick up supplies in a giant map and try to be the last one standing. Rocket League is like soccer except you kick the ball around using a car that looks like it was made by hotwheels.

            I really have no clue what else to write about, so this will be it. I try not to play too many video games because I think they’re a waste of time. They are fun, but for me they get boring after about 20 minutes of playing. All in all, it’s pretty impressive how good the graphics and gameplay are these days. I can’t even imagine what they’ll be like in a couple of years.

-Brody

The Best Present

12-25-17

#myDecemberGoal

The Best Present

            I didn’t write a blog post yesterday. Frankly, I didn’t want to write one on Christmas Eve. I was enjoying spending time with my relatives too much. Every year on Christmas Eve after church we have our cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents over to our house. We munch on snacks all night long and have a good time chatting about whatever. This year I also went to my first midnight mass. The choir was superb and I enjoyed how peaceful the drive home was in the snow. The town was silent.

            Today of course is Christmas. Merry Christmas! We celebrate Jesus’ birth and all that he represents. When he was born, he wasn’t wrapped up in some fancy wrapping paper. Instead, he was wrapped up in cloth. He wasn’t under a tree but under a smelly manger’s roof. He wasn’t some fancy gadget that connected to the internet. He connected us in a better way. It wasn’t through computers, but through forgiveness and love. He’s the best present and it’s our choice whether we accept his gift or not. The good thing is, we don’t have to accept the gift only on Christmas. He gives us his present every day.

            To wrap up, I hope everyone has had a wonderful Christmas and holiday season. Whether you believe in Jesus or not, I hope you always choose to treat others with compassion. Jesus would be proud if that’s how we interacted with each other. Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.

-Brody

Dolly Dolly

12-23-17

#myDecemberGoal

Dolly Dolly

The theme for the end of this year has been moving. I’ve helped my mom move classrooms and today I helped my Dad move out of his law office that he has been in for the past 18 years. My dad started his own law firm with his friend Jay when we moved back to West Lafayette in 1999. He’s had two or three staff members during this whole time and he’s supported our family in the best way. One of the reasons he wanted to have his own law firm was so he could spend more time with our family. For that, I am very grateful. He’s the best Dad.

This afternoon, my brothers and some family friends loaded a U-Haul with objects from the office such as filing cabinets, desks, chairs, and bookshelves. As my dad and Jay near retirement in the coming years, they decided it was time to sell their current building, make some money from it, and move into smaller separate law offices. They're sad they won't get to work in the same building anymore, but are happy that they're both almost done working. My dad's new office is located on the Lafayette square near the courthouse. He does disability work so he never goes to the courthouse, but nonetheless he is now going to work downtown which I think is pretty cool.

One of the funny phrases we came up with while moving was “dolly dolly” which was inspired from bud light’s “dilly dilly” commercial. We used the dollies all day, because without them we wouldn’t have had the strength to move some of the furniture. The most strenuous part of the day was when we needed to get the huge desks into the new office. The catch was that the new office was on the second floor and the only way up was using the stairs. There was no elevator. We needed reinforcements because these desks had to go up the stairs with pure human force.

Luckily, my brother called his friend to come help us. Without his strength, I’m not sure we would’ve been able to get the job done. Personally, I learned what the turtle technique was with regard to moving furniture. It’s when you put the piece on your back and carry it up the incline while you have two people behind you carry the back end. This technique worked masterfully and we successfully got all the desks to the second floor. The only casualty was a little nick in the wall.

To conclude, I had fun helping my Dad move into his new office. The next couple of years will certainly be times of transition for my family and me. This was just the beginning. Next year, my little brother will start his senior year of college. My other little brother will start his freshman year of college. I’ll be finishing grad school and my mom and dad will be one step closer to retirement. Through it all, I’ll just ride the wave of change and live life to the fullest. I'll call my friends for reinforcements when I need them. I'll use tools like dollies when I'm not strong enough to accomplish the task myself. Lastly, I'll always ask my Dad for guidance because in reality, that's his real job. And he won't be retiring from that anytime soon.

-Brody

The Last Jedi

12-22-17

#myDecemberGoal

The Last Jedi

            Tonight was the night. I watched Star Wars: The Last Jedi. It was incredible. What I loved most about it was the imagery that was used. The artistic part of the movie was the best accomplishment in my mind and the plot was one of the better ones too.

            I saw my first Star Wars movie in 1999 when The Phantom Menace came out. I even dressed up as Darth Maul for Halloween either that year or the year after. Now, I’m not a huge Star Wars fan but I do enjoy the movies. I still have the VHS tapes of the original trilogy that my brothers and I would watch on our VCR. They aren't making new VCRs these days, but I'm glad they're making new Star Wars movies. It has been a treat these last three Christmas breaks to come home, lean back in the theater seats, and watch the next act of the force trying to be balanced.
            One aspect of Star Wars that makes it so great is the characters. I believe every good story has to have dynamic characters and Star Wars has plenty of them. From Yoda to Chewbacca and Obi Wan to Rae, there is something about each one that makes them unique and relatable. If I had to choose a favorite, it would be Luke Skywalker.

            Besides the characters, Star Wars is even unique in the way the movies have been released. The fourth movie was the first to be created and the sequence has been bouncing around ever since. Here are two lists of the movies, ordered by episode and release date: 

                                               Ordered by Release Date                                  

                                               1977 - Episode IV: A New Hope                      

                                               1980 - Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back    

                                               1983 - Episode VI: Return of the Jedi              

                                   1999 - Episode I: The Phantom Menace         

                                               2002 - Episode II: Attack of the Clones             

                                               2005 - Episode III: Revenge of the Sith            

                                               2015 - Episode VII: The Force Awakens           

                                               2016 - (Standalone film): Rogue One               

                                               2017 -  Episode VIII: The Last Jedi                   

                                               Ordered by Episode 

                                               Episode I: The Phantom Menace
                                               Episode II: Attack of the Clones
                                               Episode III: Revenge of the Sith 
                                               (Standalone film): Rogue One 
                                               Episode IV: A New Hope 
                                               Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back 
                                               Episode VI: Return of the Jedi 
                                               Episode VII: The Force Awakens 
                                               Episode VIII: The Last Jedi  
 

            To conclude, I won’t give away any spoilers from The Last Jedi. However, I will say this. Good art is one of the treasures of this life. I am thankful that Star Wars allows me to experience good art.

-Brody