In Celebration of Cory

Just wanted to take the opportunity to honor another friend.

Much ado has been made over Cory's history of overcoming certain obstacles from his youth, and I will not go into that in this forum, except to say I commend not only this whole "first in a line of Levenduskies" set of accomplishments, but also his focus and abililty to lock in and just do something. This is an especially interesting trait, as it runs counter to the main gist of my Celebration, which is as follows:

Philosophers and great writers have had an endless discussion about approaching life with a "childlike perspective." The ability to laugh often, love deeply, and not get bogged down by the devil in the details of life. Some people spend their entire lives in search of it. It seems to me that Cory has this blessing innately, and in abundance. I think it influences nearly everything he does and, like fine wine and some kinds of cheeses, gets better with age. As people I've known have grown and tempered themselves and/or withered while getting older, Cory is Cory. Perhaps not always calling me "in my best venue," but a breath of fresh air, relative to whatever stresses I am facing on any given day.

He is like the Human Cup of Coffee. He'll wake you up, shake you up, and make you feel like cracking jokes. He'll make you forget you're trying to figure out how much to put into your 401K and make you answer who the Vikings should draft. He'll make you forget you're going to your wife's cousin's wedding and make you pretend to get shot by an arrow through the guts. He'll make you pour the Campari out and grab a bottle of beer.

It is the Childlike Perspective and it is great. It was the subject of Gibbons' "Cory Goodboy: The Man," and it makes all the sense in the world. In college, before it was harnessed, it was scary at times. But now it is understood and ridden with skill, like a good horse. It laughs, loves, understands, and shares of itself. Only a man who invites people to look inside him and take a piece will end up with the number of nicknames of Cory: Cory Goodboy, Paco, Johnny Seedcorn, Body Beautiful, The Balleen Bringer, Dog Balls, Butter, The Bear, The Mad Russian...I know I'm forgetting a few. Anyway...rock on, young fella!

Oh, yeah, and let's not forget his basketball skills! Ol' boy has got a MEAN crossover!!!