Winning!

DBJ, modeling his Ohio University academic garb over his
CBJ game-issued #54 Jon "Nasty" Mirasty jersey.

Pardon the ridiculously self-serving nature of this post, especially after Gallos' kind words, but you only get to celebrate like this just a few times in your life.  College graduation, marriage, childbirth...and now, the Masters Degree - after 18 years away from academia.

Not just a Masters Degree, mind you.  A perfect 4.0 GPA.  A "Most Outstanding Student" award for my program.  In the vernacular, I ran the table.  (Now, where's the Cup that I get to hoist?  Oh crap, I gotta play hockey to do that?)

Putting it in Columbus Blue Jackets perspective, the past two years for me have been about making it happen when I needed to.  I knew when to shut out the distractions and bear down on the studies.  I understood when it was time to let up, too, and enjoy life - like going to see the Blue Jackets play!  But I stayed focussed and never took my eyes off the prize.  The effort paid off.  The boys in Union Blue could learn a lot from that approach.  In the end, it results in WINNING... something that we CBJ fans would like to see a lot more of.

I'm going to get back in the swing on the blog in the next couple of weeks.  I have some family obligations to attend to, not to mention catching up on a few overdue "housekeeping items."  And, of course, the Dark Blue Toddler demands copious amounts of attention.  I'm aching to get back into the blog - and my gratitude to Gallos for keeping the home fires burning knows no limits - but you know how things are.  Especially in the off-season...where the latest news is that the League of Ex-Captains is being jettisoned, something that barely requires a mention.

Back soon!