Have a Blue Christmas!

First, I wish everyone a merry week of Christmas and I hope you are like me and are able to spend some quality time with the family this week and weekend. To my Jewish friends who are amidst the Hanukah tradition, may you have a very happy one!

And as promised here’s my picture with the fat man from the North Pole from earlier in the month.

Even though I told old St. Nick what I wanted for Christmas, I’ve been fortunate to have been getting additional gifts all month long. Dean Ena Shelley gave me a rawhide bone on behalf of the College of Education. However, I went ahead and hid that somewhere in the office before my dad could get a picture so you’ll have to take my word for it. Linda Cooley spoiled me yet again showering me with everything from treats, to stuffed animals and a stocking full of goodies like tennis balls, rubber toys, etc. I even had a student, Stephanie Smith, come down and give me a little stuffed bone that’s good for chewing on.

Needless to say, it’s good to be me at Christmas…so good that I even have old Christmas classics being reworded for me. Below is a video that the Office of Admission sent to prospective students for the Holidays. It’s titled, “Jingle Blue.”



This has also been a good month because I’ve finally received a little feedback in the comments section of the blog. I’m happy to see a little reader response so that I can engage in a little blog dialogue instead of just thinking all of this stuff up on my own all of the time. So, without further adieu…

The HRC morning life guards lovingly write, “Blue, I hope you know those pool facilities you mentioned are just as clean as they possibly can be. It’s been pretty slow in the mornings with finals and all, so we've had time to Clorox positively everything! and we think that when your dad and mom come to swim or sit in the sauna that you should come for some swim lessons! Just kidding, but we ARE mighty jealous of the control desk supervisors that get to play with you all the time.”


Dear HRC morning lifeguards, I have complete faith in your cleaning abilities. Your efforts combined with the magical capabilities of Clorox must surely be Norovirus proof. My parents swam in the HRC numerous times during the Norovirus campus attack and never contracted a symptom. Good work!

As for swim lessons, there’s no doubt that I’d love such a thing, but no matter how hard you tried to teach me to swim, I don’t think it’s possible. There’s just no trait given to an English Bulldog that lends itself to swimming. Thanks for the thought though.

As for hanging out during open swim, well, there’s a possibility of that, I suppose. Chances are I’ll just sleep on the pool deck, but in the event I might make myself believe that I can swim, you may need to be on high alert.

My next comment comes from Jamaica who says, “Butler's campus isn't the only place being struck. Check this out:” http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/75741/Killer-virus-grips-Britain

Of course, Jamaica is writing in reference to my report on the Norovirus attacking Butler. In the case that Jamaica shares, we have a deadly winter vomiting bug that’s attacking my ancestors in Great Britton. Yikes! I suppose it could be worse!

There was another bit of mail that caught my attention this month. It came via US Mail and was addressed to my dad. It was an anonymous letter dated Dec. 11 and thanked my dad for taking care of me. Judging by my dad’s reaction, I think it might be the best Christmas gift he gets this year. I’ll let you read it so you’ll understand:

Dear Michael,

I want to thank you for taking such good care of Blue II. Yes, I want to thank you for feeding, walking, and playing catch with your dog. It might seem a little ridiculous for me to share my appreciation for you completing a task that involves your own life, however I want to explain to you why. You dog, our university’s mascot, means so much to so many. Blue is a symbol of unity – something with which all Butler students can belong. But he wouldn’t be so if it were not for you.

You don’t have to take care of him. You don’t have to be around. You don’t need the responsibility. You don’t depend on us in any way except for that we show up when you show up. But you do it anyway. Doing so shares with us an exceptional amount of loyalty to your alma mater, and shows the Butler community leadership through longevity. Not to mention, you’ve cared for a very wonderful dog that all Butler students have grown to love. We appreciate seeing him in passing, in Starbucks, and expecially at basketball games. You steadfast school spirit is truly “the Butler Way.”

So thank you again, Michael, for being such a good owner to that sweet little dog. Take care of yourself this holiday season as well as you would Blue.

Sincerely,

Anonymous

My thanks to the anonymous author of this letter and I hope that said author doesn’t mind me sharing it on the blog. I often thank my dad, and my mom for that matter, for their abundant love and guidance and their special care, but sometimes I think its better if they hear it from someone else from time to time. And by thank, I mean that I give them kisses and hugs.

My dad often says that caring for me isn’t something he would trade for anything in the world. I think he’s quite proud of it actually, but I’m totally dependent on my parents so I know it takes some effort and thus, that’s why I think it good they hear a little appreciation some times. Anyway, that letter made my dad cry, so my thanks again, to whom ever wrote it.

This week’s Indianapolis - Marion County Public Library Call-A-Story features freshman guard Ronald Nored reading from Slam Dunk Basketball Poems. Call 317-275-4444 to hear Ronald’s eloquent reading and to watch Ronald and the boys in action, tune in to ESPNU tonight at 7 p.m. (ET) as the Bulldogs take on the No. 12 ranked Musketeers of Xavier University.

I was so excited for this game and the possibility of our underdog Bulldogs to pull off an upset in Cincinnati, Ohio, I took it out on my Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer stuffed animal. Sorry Rudolph!

Oh and don’t forget to log on to ButlerSports.com to vote for a name for my costumed counterpart. That’s right, the final vote for the Name that Dawg! Contest is taking place now. You can vote for the following names: Buster, Barkley, Buddy and Hink. Almost 300 different names were submitted for the new costumed bulldog and the powers that be have got it down to four names. Cast your vote today!

May you have a very Merry Christmas and of course, Go Dawgs!

Blue II