Random late night blogging probably done poorly

For the second straight night I came home to a cold bed. It sounds like it should be the first line in a sad poem. Instead, it's a true story. Part of it is because I wasn't home for most of the last two days as I spent a majority of my Saturday in Evansville, Ind., and most of my Super Bowl Sunday either in the newsroom or at a Super Bowl party.

But it was weird when I came home. I assume I come home to a cold bed every night since I am rarely ever home ... but for some reason I noticed it more when I came home early Sunday morning and when I came home after the game ended. I'm pretty sure that's a metaphor for something, but can't put my finger on it.

...

It's February 2nd, do you know where your sweetheart is?

(Checks fridge for two-pound box of chocolate. It's still there.)

I'm not a big Valentine's Day guy. Never have been. That's mostly because I act like a bitter old man when February rolls around despite the fact that I'm kind of a softie. Fact. I can cook, I can clean (when I'm not feeling lazy) and have the sickest sweet tooth in the country. Yet, there I am preparing for another Feb. 14 that will be centered around chocolate and college basketball.

Thankfully, SIU hosts Creighton in the biggest rivalry in the MVC. A Saluki win would probably make my day. Then it's off to heavy drinking.

...

50 Cent needs to go away. First album was good. Damn good. Then he fell off the face of the Earth. I Get Money was nice and Ayo Technology still gets plays on my iPod Touch. But his gimmick is played out.

Starting "rap battles" for attention. Seriously, it was cool when I was in high school. But people grow up. It was also cool when two good rappers were going at it. Gimme LL Cool J v. Cannibus. Gimme Jay-Z v. Nas. Gimme B.I.G. and Pac.

No one wants to hear 50 Cent battle Fat Joe. No one wants to hear Rick Ross battle 50 Cent.

No one wants to hear 50 Cent. Period.

...

One of my favorite sites is the list of "Stuff Journalists Like." As a journalist, I can relate to the list. I will confirm this journalist enjoys the following listings: free food, coffee, drinking, bylines, breaking news, ap stylebooks, press passes, Google, Barack Obama, year in reviews, press areas, Twitter and Firefox.

I'm here to nominate another thing journalists like: hanging out with other journalists.

See, as a child, I thought people on opposing staffs were supposed to hate each other. That's probably because I grew up in Chicago knowing that the Chicago Sun-Times' two top columnists (Rick Telander and Jay Mariotti) hated each other. So when I became a college journalist, I thought I was supposed to hate the competition.

That's when I learned competition is good. I noticed that the Tribune's John Mullin and the Sun-Times' Jim O'Donnell (a pair of college hoops writers) sat next to each other and discussed normal things. I think when you sit next to someone you are likely to share similar interests (such as writing, for one) for starters. Then add to the mix that you're usually in the same spot, talking to the same players, coaches, administrators, fans, etc., and maybe it shouldn't be odd that you enjoy the company of other sports writers.

If there's one thing I've learned so far in my time at the DE, it's that reading the competition is a good thing. The more newspapers you read the better. You never know what will inspire you on a certain day. It might come from a blog, a column, a preview or recap story.

And always remember, they're reading what you're writing, too.