A few years ago some friends and I were walking in Cincinnati's Flying Pig Half Marathon. Not only is it a remarkably hilly course, but we were not really trained well enough for the race.
As we crossed a bridge over the Ohio River, we could see the Bengals' practice field and I told them about my son's favorite player -- T.J. Houshmandzadeh. Because my friends are not sports fans, they had not heard the name Houshmandzadeh before, and one friend had a lot of fun saying it -- over and over and over... (It is a fun name to say.)
Houshmandzadeh ended up taking on a life of its own. My friend started chanting it to help her keep pace. She started shouting it in celebration. She used it as a mantra to help her make it up the hills!
Did I mention we were in Cincinnati? And EVERYONE in the Flying Pig had heard of Houshmandzadeh, knew he was a football player and many had probably seen him around town. Well, everyone except my friend who was shouting his name.
Sometimes, there is a downside to mantras.
4 comments:
I didn't know how to pronounce Houshetcetcetc until just now when I asked my husband. Great mantra!
Hey! It was and continues to be a fun name to say. And...you can't say it without smiling. Good memories.
Deb, I was trying to protect your identity, just in case.
You are right, it is still fun to say and it does make me smile. Actually, it makes me smile more thinking about you shouting it as we climbed those horrible hills!
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