Musings from the CU Suite

Written by Anthony Demangone

Today, I'll watch10 hours of basketball in Buffalo, New York.  It's the opening round of the NCAA men's basketball tournament.

It is a quasi-annual tradition, where I spend the weekend with a bunch of friends from high school, and Coach Scranton, who coached me in baseball for more than six years. 

Here we are in Buffalo for the tournament back in 2004. I think we were high enough in the arena to touch a satellite or two that year. 

Fictional, engaged reader: What in the world does that have to do with anything, Demangone. And also, as a Penn State alum, how are you even allowed to watch the NCAA Tournament? I didn't think you guys even had a team.

Good point regarding Penn State. But as to your other point, I think these weekends are a must.

I don't care if it is basketball, a girls weekend, or your badminton or bridge club. Reconnecting with people from your past - your hometown, high school, college, etc. - is important for so many reasons. 

1. The more rounded your life is, the better your days are. It seems the more "things" I attend to, the less stress any one thing can cause.  Sounds strange, I know. 
2. Maintaining friendships takes work. Now, it isn't like you're breaking stones.  But it is work nonetheless. It is too easy to have a year fly by without touching base with someone. 
3. There's something magical about maintaining ties to your past. It keeps you grounded. It reminds you about the important things in life. 

So, here's to old friends, reunions and getting together. 

And as for Penn State basketball, here's to next year. 

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A year earlier in 2003, we also found ourselves in Buffalo for the tournament.  At one watering hole, my friend Mike remarked to me that "some guy's been staring at us for about 30 minutes." Turns out he was sketching this picture. Talk about trail magic. 

I sort of look like Putin in this sketch. Apologies for that.

 

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Shameless plug alert. If I could buy one thing for my credit union's compliance officer, it would be this. No joke.