From Franklin to Bourbon Street: It's bracket season, baby!

Here we are, March Madness 2009. Even 14 hours away, deep in the heart of football country, I am alive with energy. Well, maybe that had something to do with the fact that spring break just started! and I just woke up from an excellent nap. Either way, it's bracket season, and I thought I'd share with everyone my picks... and hopes... and dreams for this March, as well as what goes into making any Tarheel's bracket.

I'll actually spare everyone my personal opinions on ins and outs and seeds and who will beat whos. I'll just skip ahead to the process of making a Carolina bracket. Click the picture to enlarge.

Notice the only thing that matters, besides Carolina going all the way, is Duke going down in the first round.

Now, if that isn't enough Tarheel pride, UNC's own Anoop Desai is killing it on American Idol this season. I reaaally don't care about American Idol, but since Noop Dogg's up there doing so well, I won't be able to help but keeping up. I finally went to his website today to put a face to this infamous Noop Dogg I've been hearing all about. Anoop actually sat beside me in my American Studies class last year. I talked to him a couple of times; he's an outstandingly nice guy as it turns out. I knew he was a Clef Hanger, so he could obviously sing well, but it never registered that it may have been him. Read, on his website, the article about Noah, the autistic Indian child who has taken an interest in Anoop. It's a pretty inspiring story.

Speaking of inspiring... Stoan, Hannah, Daniel and Dia just left town. They came down to visit this weekend, and we had a blast. Dia's friend from college happened to be in town at the same, and she would have never known so if she hadn't randomly given him a call, haha. So, Colin joined our little entourage and I enjoyed getting to know him and what he's doing with his life. He went to UNCWilminton last year with Dia and is currently taking a year off to "find himself." He's spent the past three of four weeks in Florida relaxing and learning to meditate. He made an interesting claim that you can find out a lot about a city by meditating in a public place and seeing how the people react. It almost makes me want to learn to meditate myself and try it. Sintha actually stumbled upon him meditating in the French Market yesterday. Sintha half-recognized him because of his UNC shirt and his glasses, and Colin, half-conscious, half-recognized her too, haha. Anyway, Colin's quest across the country continues this year; next stop: California and up to the Pacific Northwest. I'm looking forward to hanging out with him when he gets back to North Carolina and hearing his reflections on his travels. Speaking of, I've got some reflections to do myself.