Lazy Sunday Mornings

Just about to go into work, but here are a few topics I'm thinking about:

- I saw the movie "The Social Network" last night, and was impressed ... I think. I had known a little bit about the invention of Facebook, and I had a seat to watching it explode from a very cool college networking tool (2004) to the bane of my existence (2007), until, finally, my mom is on it but I'm not (2010). What this movie did well, above everything else, was show the inner workings of becoming an accidental billionaire. The acting was pretty well done (the movie even had a solid performance by ex-boy band icon Justin Timberlake), but it was the story, with its biting, interwoven dialogue which made the movie a winner in my books. Mark Zuckerberg ... youngest billionaire in the world. All because he took someone's idea, improved it, spread it, and finally sold it. Hard to believe he did it all because he was socially inept with women.

- The movie did take me to a second line of thought: what would I do if I had $1,000,000,000? For someone who works in social work, such as myself, this is a hard concept to even wrap my mind around. I'm not even sure what I would do if I had $10,000, much less a billion dollars. Still, as I discussed the topic I came to some very defined conclusions: I would donate enough money to make my non-for-profit place of employment solvent for the rest of my life even if the government decided to cut all funding off. I would donate a considerable amount of money to the relief organization I collaborated on the Gulf Coast with. I would set up a big trust fund for my nephew, but quite a few people houses, and try to make life easier for those around me. And I'd buy a 42 inch television. Just a step up from where I'm at, but anything bigger wouldn't fit in my front room. And I have to stay in this house for five years or I have to pay back $7,500 in grant money. And, even as an imaginary billionaire, I wouldn't want to do that.

- The Cubs season (thankfully) comes to an end today in Houston. This is the first year in quite some time (2001? 2002?) that I didn't make it to one Cubs game. This team was done in April, and I proclaimed it as such ... and, well, sometimes it sucks to be right. The questions now start to focus on how the team can move forward, and those questions start with who will be the captain of the ship come spring training 2011. Ryne Sandberg has to be the front runner, but Joe Girardi could steal that away from him if he decides he is ready to leave the House that George built. Mike Quade has done an admirable job down the stretch, and if we weren't talking about a billion dollar investment by the Ricketts family that might be enough. I'm sure other names (Bob Melvin, Bob Brenley, Bobby Valentine, etc) will be brought up as well, but the smart money here is that Sandberg will get the job because he has name and face recognition, and the brand is as important as anything in Wrigley.

- I did make it to Wrigley to see Dave Matthews Band two weeks ago. The last two shows of the last summer tour (ever?) were filled front to back, and again I was fortunate to be at the show. I know that there are quite a few people out there who don't have any use for DMB, but for my money it's one of the best shows out there. If only I was independently wealthy I'd get to Charlottesville to see their final two shows of the fall season, as I'm sure they will blow it out.

- Finally, goodbye to Rick Sanchez, former CNN "journalist" and world class tool. Everybody, the lesson, as always, is this: in this day and age you can't say anything even remotely inflammatory without expecting to lose your job for it. At least Rick will always be in our hearts for this magical moment (skip to the 1:10 mark for the good stuff):