Making Me Look Bad

And I thought a was a slacker before…

I’m not going to lie. High school came pretty easy for me. On a healthy regimen of doing my Spanish homework in homeroom, waiting until the absolute possible minute to write papers, and using the collective powers of the Senior Slack Pack (Smith, Morea, et al) to make up presentations on the fly, I was able to do just fine at old SHS. I didn’t apply myself as much as others, and that promptly drove those others up the wall. I had fun in high school instead. And granted, my parents probably would have preferred a more conventional approach to studying, but hopefully there will be enough funny in this blog to dissuade them. However, no matter how much of a slacker I felt like before, I feel like a MAJOR slacker now.

When I was 18, the most proactive thing I ever did was run a Fantasy Hockey league. In the past week or two of news, 3 guys have made me look like a chump.

When the beginning of the end for TO’s employment with the Eagles happened in the middle of last week, the fuse was lit my an interview Owens gave to ESPN.com, calling them a “classless organization” and dumping on McNabb while praising Brett Favre, the Interception Machine. Everyone reported this dialogue came from ESPN.com, but few have mentioned that the guy in the interviewer’s chair wasn’t Sean Salisbury or Michael Irvin – it was Graham Bensinger. WHO?

A freshman journalism major from Syracuse University.

Bensinger has proven that the first year of college is more than just going to meals in groups of fourteen people and writing papers until 5 in the morning. Some kids report on the verbal taunting that happened at the frats last weekend between Drunky and Beer-me. Graham Bensinger shows the world that not all millionaires eat their Chunky Soup.

Ok, next. In high school, an annual event that was oft hotly contested would be the Student Council President Election. Largely a role with little power, one senior will rise above the rest with clever campaign posters, free lollipops in the auditorium, an entertaining speech, and a large group of friends. But hey, it’s a nice resume filler for college, no? I never had the interest in running for such a position, but then again…

I’m no Michael Sessions.

Sessions is the brand new mayor of Hillsdale, Michigan. And he’s only 18 years of age. In a slim 2 vote victory (thanks Mom and Dad!), the write-in candidate beat a 51 year old incumbent. (wow, a guy has been a mayor for 51 consecutive years – crazy!). The kid was even on Letterman last night and presented the Top Ten. Apparently, the promising of soda machines in every classroom does get you somewhere.

Finally, there are no doubt many young, enterprising businesspeople in the ranks of the high school hoi polloi. Kids sell stuff all the time. Heck Zack Morris learned a valuable lesson when he sold friendship bracelets at the cost of 3 dollars and his friendship with Lisa et al. Profits from such ventures are great if you want to buy an extra slice of pizza at lunch. But some people think bigger.

Like Martin Halstead.

This British guy sold off his airline computer simulation firm he started when he was 15 (!!!) to buy an 18-seat plane and start Alpha One Airlines. And since Independence is in the tank, it looks like we should have some open terminals in the near future. Look at these overachievers, would ya?

But man, did I run a mean FHL…