Quick Hits for the Weekend, Miami Heat Style

• Checked out the Miami Heat NBA World Championship victory parade/party this afternoon in downtown Miami, while on a coffee stroll from work and was fascinated to see tens of thousands of people there to join in the fun. I'm a big fan, because I love the game of basketball. But I'm not so much of a fan that I'm willing to stand in brain-scrambling sunlight for hours on end just to catch a glimpse of the home team. What struck me the most was the bulk of the crowd was parents and their children. Let's hope that the same parents who were willing to bring their kids into sweltering heat and spend two to four hours in that heat cheering for athletes who no doubt appreciated the love but were not about to share the spoils, will also be willing to get out of bed on Saturday or Sunday and take their kids to the library. Hey, you can drive downtown for a parade, you can drive your kid to get a book.
• Speaking of not sharing the spoils, if you've been reading this blog for more than a minute then you know I've been struggling lately with charitable giving. I want to give. I've just gotten so cynical. So my guy and I were walking back to the Miami Herald building after our coffee break, and we were stopped by a guy wearing a crisp brand new Miami Heat victory T-shirt. I know it was new, 'cause we'd just passed the booth where the shirts were selling for $20. Anyway, the guy began a spiel that we knew was leading to a request for cash. Let me get this straight. You're broke. But you take time out of a good working day to spend hours in the sun cheering for dudes who ain't splitting their cash with you, you spend what little you have on a T-shirt, and you want cash from me now? You'd better fold the wrinkles out of that shirt and take it back for a refund. I decided to stay out of this one, 'cause I didn't want to open my mouth and be a jerk. So I stepped aside to look at some postcards.Turns out the request never came though. My guy must've been wearing a skeptical look too, 'cause T-shirt dude stops halfway through the story, contemplates for a minute and then says "Forget it. I can see you're not tryin' to hear it." Good call.
• Took the train to work earlier this week and watched yet another young kid get up and offer his seat to an elderly woman. Kudos to him. I'm starting to think there's hope yet.

More to come tomorrow morning.

Peace and hair grease.