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It has been beaten to death but I'd like to get my word in before the chapter closes, it's all I could offer. I was plumped down on the futon watching the Rays/Rangers game last night while listening to music from "Sia" (google her she's really talented.) The game wasn't going as planned so I decided to switch channels and watch the Chilean mine rescue that everyone was talking about. The television was on mute so I don't have to hear "analysts" or "experts" tell me what to think but I just sat there and watched as the first four men were rescued. Naturally, I would have held the reaction "there are 33 Bangladeshi teens suffering while making the Jordans I wear so I don't care about this event" but I didn't feel like that this time. For a rare moment I felt connected to the world. Beneath the ridiculous messages on twitter, facebook, myspace and whatever else people use to make them feel important, I for once felt connected with the majority.

The social networks were out in full force with the standard mindless crap that has enough power to make me jump off a bridge but I tuned everything out and just watched the rescuers. One of them started yelling Chile, Chile, Chile screaming that nationalism crap and I was in awe at the loyalty, the connection that was being displayed for everyone witnessing the event. Beneath it all (no pun intended) I started looking at how these guys managed to survive and it's nothing short of remarkable. I looked back at my life and started to take a mental note of everytime I was unhappy. I got fined in school, I was unhappy. I ordered a Big Crunch sandwich from KFC and it didn't come with the spicy orange sauce, I was unhappy. I had to cut some of my sponsors, I was unhappy. My parents invited some strangers to stay over while they're gone, I was unhappy. I came home from a 13 hour day last week and there was nothing in the fridge, I was unhappy. Yet there are 33 guys in front of me, all ranging from the ages 18-63 who survived on 17 days without food let alone 69 days under a massive rock and they come out looking as though had just stayed at a 4 star Manhattan hotel.

Then it hit me. I finally understood why I felt such a connection to the world I always despised. Every single one of us are those Chilean miners who are trapped under a rock and dying to get out. For me personally, I feel myself trapped underneath the rock of cynicism that often consumes my life. For someone else it's the addiction of crack. For another person it's the fact that they married the one they despise and can't get out of the relationship. Whatever the issue is, I saw myself in every single Chilean miner that was rescued. Then you hear the stories about how they felt the presence of God with them and literally held his hand. Regardless if it's true or not, it's the factor that got them out of a near detrimental situation. In these 33 miners I found hope that just like them, I might be able to get out one day and that's a good enough excuse for living and loving the consumer-filled, financially-possessed, immoral world I live in. Forget the standard facebook messages or whatever Wolf Blitzer is saying or the compassion that the rest of the world feels and be thankful that tomorrow could very well be the day that you get rescued from the rock that is keeping you trapped.

Recapping the night: 

Play of the Day:
$600 UCF -5 -110 (W)

Total Profit is $545.45

Total Earned to Date: $2289.55

Contact info: BustaBusta_2001@yahoo.com

May the winners be ours. Taking over the world one step at a time. In case you haven't gotten the memo my name is Julius James and I'm the fucking shit.