I've done some cool things...

So I got to thinking tonight...and here is a partial list of the things I've been able to do or see in life:

• Climbed to the peak of Mt. Kinabalu in Malaysia at sunrise
• Thrown out the first pitch at a baseball game in Washington, PA
• Taught at the college level at Morton College
• Worked on-air at several radio stations
• Watched Mike Tyson fight live in person
• Danced on stage with Barenaked Ladies in Phoenix
• Was at one point in good enough physical shape to play Division III college soccer at Wartburg College (for one-game against Division I University of Northern Iowa)
• Been to countless sporting events, including numerous Blackhawks games, soccer in England and playoff baseball

These things were all cool.  Each one of them was something I will never forget for various reasons (and you'll notice left off the list are things like marriage and kids being born...those are in a separate, much higher category than the rest of this list), but after Monday, June 15, 2015...we have a new number one highlight

This was my view of Jonathan Toews raising the Stanley Cup at the United Center on Monday night as the Blackhawks won their third Stanley Cup in six years.  As I sit down to write about this experience, it is hard to even put into words.  At times, it felt just like any other hockey game I've been to as I got caught up in the action on the ice.  Then it would suddenly hit me that this was more than just another game.  At times I would realize that I wasn't breathing normally, stressed out by the play on the ice.  Much of the time (probably 90% of the game) I was barely sitting on my seat.  And at one point, I swear I even felt like I just finished running, but honestly I had done nothing but sit there.

Tickets like ours were selling for $1,800 to $2,000 per seat (or at least that's what people were asking for them) and the thought never crossed my mind to sell them (even if I did check a few times out of curiosity what they were going for online). I'm sure it was a once in a lifetime experience....although I sure hope I am wrong about that.