Good news in trying times

Sports (maybe?)

We’re now several days into week that has been, well, strange. Hopefully, you’re all managing the stress of working (from home or otherwise) while also being socially isolated, and probably spending more time with your family than you anticipated. Sports would be a welcome respite right now, but alas.

That’s not to say there’s nothing in the way of sports news to share. The NFL is business as usual, as if it’s as immune to a pandemic as it is to a fall in ratings. Saints’ coach Sean Payton has tested positive for coronavirus though, so the league may not be immune in the literal sense.

Closer to home, at least one Kansas State alum is doing something useful with the sudden free time. Eric Stonestreet is donating 200,000 meals to Harvesters in Kansas City to help those who need it most in this trying time. Food banks and other similar organizations rely heavily on donated food and volunteers, but both are currently in short supply. If you’re motivated to join Stonestreet’s efforts in your community, please consider donating to a food bank or similar organization the next time you make your essential supermarket run.

Had Covid-19 not thrown such an enormous wrench into the works, we’d all be talking about March Madness right now. Instead, we’re stuck debating whether Kansas should just be awarded this season’s national championship. You, good Kansas State fans, can do your part by voting early, voting often, and definitely against Kansas.

Oh, and as promised, we’ll keep you supplied with Kansas State sporting content. This Sunday afternoon at 1 PM GOTZ, Collin Klein and 21 of his closest friends will try to beat Texas and win the Big 12. Look for the official BotC watch party/game thread!

Miscellany

Luke Sobba kicked off the “know your staff” semi-autobiographical part of our content earlier this week, but I don’t have his particular skill with the written word, and I’m not a particularly interesting person. About the only exciting thing about my life right now is that we’re trying to move house, and I suspect a global pandemic is a less than ideal time for this. Then again, being stuck at home means I’ve had plenty of time to pack (between calls for work and trying to entertain my child).

I also watch A LOT of television (or more correctly, streamed series on various platforms). I speak several languages and like to keep my ear trained by watching non-English language content on Netflix. Two years ago, I taught myself to read Urdu using just the title cards and credits from Pakistani series on Netflix and YouTube. Since then, I’ve picked up a smattering of Norwegian, Swedish, and now Hebrew. I might give Korean a shot too.

What about you? What are you watching these days? Do you ever turn your attention to non-English content, and if yes, what language and why?

Share your stories and help entertain your BotC family!