OK, so my spin on this Friday 10 is this: these are all songs from Grey's Anatomy. Producers find some *wonderful* tunes, week after week. Here are the titles, artists and a favorite lyric.
1. Nowhere Warm--Kate Havnevik
"You’re like a parachute descending from the sky And I’m sure you’re on your way Yes I’m sure you’re on the road."
2. Somewhere Only We Know--Keane
"I'm getting old and I need something to rely on. So, tell me when you gonna let me in, I'm getting tired and I need somewhere to begin."
3. Colors--Amos Lee
"I know we all, we all got our faults We get locked in our vaults and we stay But when you're gone all the colors fade"
4. Portions for Foxes--Rilo Kiley
"When the loneliness leads to bad dreams and the bad dreams lead me to callin' you and I call you and say "C'MERE!" "
5. Nothing Left to Lose--Mat Kearney
"Come on and we'll sing, like we were free push the pedal down watch the world around fly by us come on,try, one last time"
6. Make This Go On Forever--Snow Patrol
"The weight of water, the way you taught me to look past everything I had ever learned The final word in the final sentence you ever uttered to me was love"
7. Where We Gonna Go from Here--Mat Kearney
"Green grass and a radioWatching it fly past and away we go"
8. Unlike Me--Kate Havnevik
"I love the way You live so intensely Enjoy every minute of life With space to swing Your arms around Laughing loudly"
9. World Spins Madly On--The Weepies
"I watch the stars from my window sill The whole world is moving and I'm standing still"
10. Gabriel and the Vagabond--foy vance
"There was a young girl on the ground I knew she was fine and hard to cope She never was a fighter until he laid beside her And gently whispered hope"
Friday, April 20, 2007
Saturday, April 14, 2007
Saturday Sixteen
1. I just spent 3 days down the Cape with my mother, grandmother and aunt. My mother looked at real estate (a favorite pastime) and we wandered through Falmouth, Chatham and other towns.
2. I came up with a photography project for myself--the steeples of Cape Cod. If you know any churches with cool/different steeples on the Cape, send them my way. I saw a few cool ones this weekend...I think it'll be a spring/summer project.
3. I had a non-date tonight. Though, I'd eventually like it to be a date-date with this guy. We aren't sure this will happen. He needed to get back to St. Augustine and Thomas Aquinas tonight. Greta Jane knows this boy.
4. The next four weekends are going to be nutty. Next weekend, I go home to celebrate my 10th h.s. reunion and my dad's birthday. The following weekend, I'm taking a 4-day trip to D.C. to visit mostly with my best friend down there--we're supposed to see N&K, but now we might not. The first weekend in May is my bro's graduation in Ohio. The weekend after that, I am now spending 5 days in Miami (YAY!) to see my cousin graduate. My darling cousin Larissa will be in from London with her 2 year old and her 4 year old. Yippee!
5. We hired a new writer. I will soon have only one full time job and not 2...although we're adding to my job to change the title.
6. Netflix sent me 2 of the same disc instead of 2 different discs. I didn't realize this 3 days ago when I got the disc...I realized it today AFTER the mail had been picked up. So sad.
7. I'm ready for spring. It has not arrived in MA. They're still talking snow and Nor'easter conditions this week.
8. My favorite blanket in the world is a Holy Cross blanket made of a sweatshirt material. It is toasty warm and so soft--one of my favorite purchases of all time.
9. I miss teaching. I miss it more than I let myself admit. I miss being driven crazy on a daily basis and I miss the laughing--and the crying. I do NOT miss the planning and the grading--but distance makes me think that it wasn't all *that* bad.
10. A new favorite quote...to add to the ever-growing list:
"Once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return." --Leonardo da Vinci
Kinda ironic given #9, eh?
11. Top travel destinations for my future include the 3 A's: Africa, Alaska and Australia, in no particular order. A trip back to Ireland to see my fam and ride some horses wouldn't be so bad either.
12. When I get my tax return, I should do the responsible thing and invest it. But there are fun things I'd rather do with it. I hate being an adult sometimes.
13. I haven't found a great church in this area yet. Therefore, I'm not going to church every week. I really should look harder in the coming months.
14. I still intend to participate in a triathlon this year...probably in late August. Therefore, I need to get my rear in gear! So that I can swim 3/4 of a mile, bike 30 miles and run a 10K--back to back to back.
15. I've been to 30 states (I think)...I'll possibly hit Texas in December, bringing the total to 31.
16. After this week, I will not work another full, 5-day week until May 21.
2. I came up with a photography project for myself--the steeples of Cape Cod. If you know any churches with cool/different steeples on the Cape, send them my way. I saw a few cool ones this weekend...I think it'll be a spring/summer project.
3. I had a non-date tonight. Though, I'd eventually like it to be a date-date with this guy. We aren't sure this will happen. He needed to get back to St. Augustine and Thomas Aquinas tonight. Greta Jane knows this boy.
4. The next four weekends are going to be nutty. Next weekend, I go home to celebrate my 10th h.s. reunion and my dad's birthday. The following weekend, I'm taking a 4-day trip to D.C. to visit mostly with my best friend down there--we're supposed to see N&K, but now we might not. The first weekend in May is my bro's graduation in Ohio. The weekend after that, I am now spending 5 days in Miami (YAY!) to see my cousin graduate. My darling cousin Larissa will be in from London with her 2 year old and her 4 year old. Yippee!
5. We hired a new writer. I will soon have only one full time job and not 2...although we're adding to my job to change the title.
6. Netflix sent me 2 of the same disc instead of 2 different discs. I didn't realize this 3 days ago when I got the disc...I realized it today AFTER the mail had been picked up. So sad.
7. I'm ready for spring. It has not arrived in MA. They're still talking snow and Nor'easter conditions this week.
8. My favorite blanket in the world is a Holy Cross blanket made of a sweatshirt material. It is toasty warm and so soft--one of my favorite purchases of all time.
9. I miss teaching. I miss it more than I let myself admit. I miss being driven crazy on a daily basis and I miss the laughing--and the crying. I do NOT miss the planning and the grading--but distance makes me think that it wasn't all *that* bad.
10. A new favorite quote...to add to the ever-growing list:
"Once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return." --Leonardo da Vinci
Kinda ironic given #9, eh?
11. Top travel destinations for my future include the 3 A's: Africa, Alaska and Australia, in no particular order. A trip back to Ireland to see my fam and ride some horses wouldn't be so bad either.
12. When I get my tax return, I should do the responsible thing and invest it. But there are fun things I'd rather do with it. I hate being an adult sometimes.
13. I haven't found a great church in this area yet. Therefore, I'm not going to church every week. I really should look harder in the coming months.
14. I still intend to participate in a triathlon this year...probably in late August. Therefore, I need to get my rear in gear! So that I can swim 3/4 of a mile, bike 30 miles and run a 10K--back to back to back.
15. I've been to 30 states (I think)...I'll possibly hit Texas in December, bringing the total to 31.
16. After this week, I will not work another full, 5-day week until May 21.
Tuesday, April 03, 2007
Spring!
Despite the grey, damp, gloomy day out my window, it is spring. How do I know this?
The Yankees opened in the Bronx yesterday. And they won...and Mo Rivera appeared just for the fun of it. A-Rod wore the stirrup socks up high on Opening Day--my brother predicts that if he does this for the year, he will be MVP. I like that logic, even though I do not like A-Rod. He dropped a freakin' pop-up...but then he homered. We shall see if this is the year he steps up as a big time player in a big time market.
What made that victory sweeter? The Sox lost on opening day...to the Kansas City Royals.
Good thing baseball is starting up--it helps with the letdown from March Madness. I could not have cared less about last night's FL v. OSU game, but tonight, Tennessee faces a scrappy Rutgers team and I'm psyched to watch it.
Life's been crazy this month. I'm doing 2 jobs at work until we hire a replacement for the development writer. While there are positives to the situation, my head is often spinning when I leave the office. I'm looking forward to heading home this weekend to celebrate my grandmother's birthday (we're not allowed to know how old) and a big family Easter with the DC, NY, CT and NJ cousins.
The Yankees opened in the Bronx yesterday. And they won...and Mo Rivera appeared just for the fun of it. A-Rod wore the stirrup socks up high on Opening Day--my brother predicts that if he does this for the year, he will be MVP. I like that logic, even though I do not like A-Rod. He dropped a freakin' pop-up...but then he homered. We shall see if this is the year he steps up as a big time player in a big time market.
What made that victory sweeter? The Sox lost on opening day...to the Kansas City Royals.
Good thing baseball is starting up--it helps with the letdown from March Madness. I could not have cared less about last night's FL v. OSU game, but tonight, Tennessee faces a scrappy Rutgers team and I'm psyched to watch it.
Life's been crazy this month. I'm doing 2 jobs at work until we hire a replacement for the development writer. While there are positives to the situation, my head is often spinning when I leave the office. I'm looking forward to heading home this weekend to celebrate my grandmother's birthday (we're not allowed to know how old) and a big family Easter with the DC, NY, CT and NJ cousins.
Thursday, March 01, 2007
Monday at the BY
N pointed out that a week from tonight, I'll be headed to the airport to pick her up. And a week from tomorrow, we see many BY friends. I'm so excited.
Here's my latest from my weekly BY group. NFN has been asking to hear more about my living situation--I could write for weeks--you all might hear some of it next weekend. But here's a little bit.
Sara unlocked the door to the apartment and stepped inside. She dropped a blue plastic bin overflowing with math tests and noun worksheets on the floor of the living room and grabbed a coke from the fridge. None of her roommates were back from work yet, so Sara settled in on the living room floor with her green pen, grade book and papers.
About halfway through the math tests, Sara heard a key in the door. Allison walked in and was down the hall in her bedroom before Sara could even say hello--not that Sara made any effort to call after her, either. After a year of living together, Sarah had grown tired of making the effort. Maybe this made her an equal partner in the problem.
Allison came back down the hall to flip through the mail on the kitchen table. She hadn't been home in a few days, so there was a stack.
"Hi, Al," Sara said, hesitantly.
Allison mumbled a greeting in return.
"How's it going? How's geometry?"
"Fine. Busy," Allison replied quickly before returning to her bedroom.
When Allison left 20 minutes later, Sara didn't even look up from her papers.
If someone came into the apartment and didn't know any better, one would assume that a group of friends occupied the small 2 bedroom, 2 bath apartment. The mantle and bookshelf were scattered with old family and friend photos of all four girls. Two desktop computers sat side-by-side on a long desk against the back wall of the living room.
Not so obvious was the fact that the four girls only had one bookshelf and one mantle, so it had to be shared space. The second bedroom was just big enough for two twin beds and two dressers, so the computers had to be in the living room. The kitchen table, which appeared homey with four bright placemats, was rarely used.
Sara had been sharing this space for almost a year. When she had decided to move 3,000 miles from home, the thought of living "in community" was appealling--not so scary to leave your whole world behind if you weren't going to be alone.
Here's my latest from my weekly BY group. NFN has been asking to hear more about my living situation--I could write for weeks--you all might hear some of it next weekend. But here's a little bit.
Sara unlocked the door to the apartment and stepped inside. She dropped a blue plastic bin overflowing with math tests and noun worksheets on the floor of the living room and grabbed a coke from the fridge. None of her roommates were back from work yet, so Sara settled in on the living room floor with her green pen, grade book and papers.
About halfway through the math tests, Sara heard a key in the door. Allison walked in and was down the hall in her bedroom before Sara could even say hello--not that Sara made any effort to call after her, either. After a year of living together, Sarah had grown tired of making the effort. Maybe this made her an equal partner in the problem.
Allison came back down the hall to flip through the mail on the kitchen table. She hadn't been home in a few days, so there was a stack.
"Hi, Al," Sara said, hesitantly.
Allison mumbled a greeting in return.
"How's it going? How's geometry?"
"Fine. Busy," Allison replied quickly before returning to her bedroom.
When Allison left 20 minutes later, Sara didn't even look up from her papers.
If someone came into the apartment and didn't know any better, one would assume that a group of friends occupied the small 2 bedroom, 2 bath apartment. The mantle and bookshelf were scattered with old family and friend photos of all four girls. Two desktop computers sat side-by-side on a long desk against the back wall of the living room.
Not so obvious was the fact that the four girls only had one bookshelf and one mantle, so it had to be shared space. The second bedroom was just big enough for two twin beds and two dressers, so the computers had to be in the living room. The kitchen table, which appeared homey with four bright placemats, was rarely used.
Sara had been sharing this space for almost a year. When she had decided to move 3,000 miles from home, the thought of living "in community" was appealling--not so scary to leave your whole world behind if you weren't going to be alone.
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
A few photos
Work is crazy, life is busy. I miss blogging. Here are a few shots to sum up my week.
If you look closely, you can see Dave Hower behind Katryna. It was a fantastic show at the homey Iron Horse. I had a wonderful time with kj, jb and ces. Plus, I got to dance with Lila during Tailspin.
The February sky in Worcester. This doesn't even capture the brilliance of the purples and pinks that fill the western sky.
Snow out the back door of my apartment building...
My clocktower in winter.
If you look closely, you can see Dave Hower behind Katryna. It was a fantastic show at the homey Iron Horse. I had a wonderful time with kj, jb and ces. Plus, I got to dance with Lila during Tailspin.
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
I Am Living in Protest
...at least this week. It's only Wednesday (at noon, no less) and yet I feel it should be Friday for all the crap that's happened. It's been a crappy, awful, stressful, bad week at work...got a project from admissions on Monday with a 2/20 deadline. However, the deadline was quickly changed to 2/15 and, due to travel plans in my department, I actually need to have everything for this Friday, 2/9. Which meant I had to get info out to the floor yesterday AM. Which means I worked until 8 PM on Monday night. Which means I missed Big Yellow. Which means I missed my driving home phone call with GJ. Which led to a stressful day yesterday because I had to distribute one project and finish another that was due today (and I had counted on having time Monday to devote to it).
So yeah, my week stinks. Sorry to vent. But there you have it.
So yeah, my week stinks. Sorry to vent. But there you have it.
Sunday, February 04, 2007
First snow and furniture
Friday night as I drifted off to sleep, I heard the snow plows outside. And yesterday morning, I woke up to find the ground covered in snow--no grass in sight. First time all winter. First time all winter in the state of Massachusetts. It's only February 4 though--there's still time for a storm or 2. Anyway, a celebration of snow:
Just before Christmas, students on campus did this to one of the pipes on campus. It was finally painted over this week. Not a great picture, but I loved walking past this every morning.
And finally, I got new furniture. Found it on craigslist, got a pretty good deal AND they delivered it. Good thing too considering the armoire/entertainment center is 79"x50"x24x!!
storage!
Monday, January 29, 2007
Basketballin'
This is my writing from tonight's BY session. I'm not crazy about it, but I've been having a lot of trouble writing this year...the summer got me off track and I haven't quite found my groove again. So, I spent the first 40 minutes tonight coming up with ideas for future writing...then in the last 15 minutes or so, I jotted this down. If it seems a little random, blame little Lila--she was downstairs, craning her neck to grin at me and playing with my toes...how could I pay attention to my writing?!
I spent my weekend with basketball. In 3 days, I went to 4 games. Friday night, some work friends convinced me to join them for the HC men's game--the gym was packed. The game was being broadcast on ESPNU and it was Purple Pride Day--purple being HC's official color. Students were decked out in purple t-shirts, purple shorts, purple wigs, purple tights, purple boas and purple body paint. After the national anthem, they stayed on their feet and stood for the next 2 hours, jumping up and down, cheering and cursing at the refs every now and then. The end result was a HC victory--nice way to kick off the weekend.
Saturday afternoon, the HC women were up. I am a season ticket holder, and though we were off to a shaky 2-4 start in the league, thanks to 2 players blowing out their ACLs, I was hopeful. THe coach had provided me with tickets for my own 7th and 8th grade team and several of the girls were joining me. When I arrived at the gym, Emily, Emily and Bethie were waiting inside the door, already donning newly purchased purple t-shirts and rub-on tatoos. We waited for Ethel and Claire to arrive--they also had to buy purple t-shirts and wait in line for HC sophomores to apply Crusader head tatoos to their hands and cheeks.
Finally, we headed inside. I let the girls pick our seats--they wanted to sit next to the band, right under the basket--my least favorite vantage point. Quickly after tip-off, I realized that my vision of sitting and watching the game with the girls, discussing screens, offensive sets, and man to man defensewasn't going to happen. My girls were more interested in gossiping about boys at school and having their pictures taken with our big politacally incorrect Crusader mascot.
Sunday rolled around and it was time to coach. My head was so into the game (should we press? How can I get Michaela and Alysha in the game at the same time?) that I missed my exit. When I got to the gym, the girls were already warming up on the floor. 45 minutes, 4 time outs and lots of pacing later, we'd lost by 4. We played a good game and if 2 more of our shots had fallen, we'd have won.
To round off the weekend, I stayed and watched the game after ours. The team we (barely) beat last weekend was playing the team we will play next weekend. I wasn't planning to stay, but Michaela asked me to stay and watch the game--and discuss our loss. So, I watched my 4th game of the weekend, noting who we need to stop next weekend adn what we need to do to get a win--how to dominate in a 7th and 8th grade Catholic school league.
I need a new hobby.
I spent my weekend with basketball. In 3 days, I went to 4 games. Friday night, some work friends convinced me to join them for the HC men's game--the gym was packed. The game was being broadcast on ESPNU and it was Purple Pride Day--purple being HC's official color. Students were decked out in purple t-shirts, purple shorts, purple wigs, purple tights, purple boas and purple body paint. After the national anthem, they stayed on their feet and stood for the next 2 hours, jumping up and down, cheering and cursing at the refs every now and then. The end result was a HC victory--nice way to kick off the weekend.
Saturday afternoon, the HC women were up. I am a season ticket holder, and though we were off to a shaky 2-4 start in the league, thanks to 2 players blowing out their ACLs, I was hopeful. THe coach had provided me with tickets for my own 7th and 8th grade team and several of the girls were joining me. When I arrived at the gym, Emily, Emily and Bethie were waiting inside the door, already donning newly purchased purple t-shirts and rub-on tatoos. We waited for Ethel and Claire to arrive--they also had to buy purple t-shirts and wait in line for HC sophomores to apply Crusader head tatoos to their hands and cheeks.
Finally, we headed inside. I let the girls pick our seats--they wanted to sit next to the band, right under the basket--my least favorite vantage point. Quickly after tip-off, I realized that my vision of sitting and watching the game with the girls, discussing screens, offensive sets, and man to man defensewasn't going to happen. My girls were more interested in gossiping about boys at school and having their pictures taken with our big politacally incorrect Crusader mascot.
Sunday rolled around and it was time to coach. My head was so into the game (should we press? How can I get Michaela and Alysha in the game at the same time?) that I missed my exit. When I got to the gym, the girls were already warming up on the floor. 45 minutes, 4 time outs and lots of pacing later, we'd lost by 4. We played a good game and if 2 more of our shots had fallen, we'd have won.
To round off the weekend, I stayed and watched the game after ours. The team we (barely) beat last weekend was playing the team we will play next weekend. I wasn't planning to stay, but Michaela asked me to stay and watch the game--and discuss our loss. So, I watched my 4th game of the weekend, noting who we need to stop next weekend adn what we need to do to get a win--how to dominate in a 7th and 8th grade Catholic school league.
I need a new hobby.
Monday, January 22, 2007
Sometimes I live in a musical...
I walked outside this morning to go to work...and it was snowing. Nothing huge, not even enough to be notable most winters. But today, this morning, after the "winter" New England has been having, I literally started to sing (very softly, mind you), "Oh the weather outside is frightful..." Snow was that exciting. As I look out my window right now, there is a dusting on the grass of the quad in front of the dining hall and even a little sticking to the pine tree in front of the dorm.
I can't sing. At all. It's frightening to hear me sing (a few of you have and I apologize). But I sing all the time. I sing in the car and I sing (quietly) in my office when music is playing. It makes me happy to sing. And oftentimes, like this morning, a song will pop into my head when I see a tree, a blue sky, a red car, kids walking to the bus...just about anything. Billy Joel, Guster, Broadway showtunes, Dar, Linda Eder, Counting Crows, Grey's Anatomy music, the Nields, the great Matt Harvey...they all pop into my head as I go about my day and sometimes I just can't help it--I sing along.
Also, I just want to point you all to a blog that you may or may not have time to visit and that you may or may not want to visit. Rob Rummel-Hudson has a blog (and a soon-to-be book) in which he tells tales of his life as father to his amazing 7 year old daughter, Schuyler. I don't know Schuyler or Rob, but I've been following their story for over 2 years. Schuyler can't speak...but somehow, thanks to Rob, we all hear her loud and clear. The top blog on this page is particularly fantastic, so I'm choosing now to share.
Schuyler's Monster
I can't sing. At all. It's frightening to hear me sing (a few of you have and I apologize). But I sing all the time. I sing in the car and I sing (quietly) in my office when music is playing. It makes me happy to sing. And oftentimes, like this morning, a song will pop into my head when I see a tree, a blue sky, a red car, kids walking to the bus...just about anything. Billy Joel, Guster, Broadway showtunes, Dar, Linda Eder, Counting Crows, Grey's Anatomy music, the Nields, the great Matt Harvey...they all pop into my head as I go about my day and sometimes I just can't help it--I sing along.
Also, I just want to point you all to a blog that you may or may not have time to visit and that you may or may not want to visit. Rob Rummel-Hudson has a blog (and a soon-to-be book) in which he tells tales of his life as father to his amazing 7 year old daughter, Schuyler. I don't know Schuyler or Rob, but I've been following their story for over 2 years. Schuyler can't speak...but somehow, thanks to Rob, we all hear her loud and clear. The top blog on this page is particularly fantastic, so I'm choosing now to share.
Schuyler's Monster
Friday, January 12, 2007
TGIF!
Fridays are wonderful. A week ago, I headed out to Northampton and Big Yellow for a wonderful weekend full of friends and a pair of big blue eyes. This evening, I'll climb in my car and drive home to NJ. We have a family surprise 60th b-day party tomorrow night in Washington, DC. I'll ride down to DC with my parents, thereby saving some money! I'm psyched to see my cousins and have some family time.
It's been a long week and I wish I had more to say. I promise to try to rally for a great entry or 2 next week. Happy Friday!
And if you haven't checked out Ms. kj's blog, get over there! She's a grandmother!!
It's been a long week and I wish I had more to say. I promise to try to rally for a great entry or 2 next week. Happy Friday!
And if you haven't checked out Ms. kj's blog, get over there! She's a grandmother!!
Wednesday, January 03, 2007
2007 so far
I'm back in the office. It's been 11 days since I've been at work. I'm happy to see my friends here, but not thrilled to be back at work. I had a delightful holiday season. Christmas is my favorite time of year and this year did not disappoint. I had a few "downtime" days after Christmas, then headed to JFK to pick up N on Friday morning. We drove to Philly and spent a wonderful, fun-filled weekend with A & G...even had a GJ sighting or 2. Here's my break in photos (on my new digicam!)
1.
This is my Christmas tree--the one I chopped down all on my own. It's the size of a Charlie Brown, but it has character.
This is my parents' tree. A 14 footer that put mine to shame.
2.
Some of my favorite ornaments on the family tree.
3.
My father and sister cleaning out my sister's car. My mother wanted the moment documented--I think it's the first time since my sister got the car 3 years ago that it's been cleaned!
4.
Yarn! When N and I arrived on Friday afternoon, A took us for a walk in her neighborhood...which just so happened to include a stop at a yarn store called Loop. It provided a great chance for me to play with my camera while N shopped.
Yarn ornaments!
5. After lunch and yarn, we wandered into a British soap/lotion/shampoo store called "Lush." Phun Photo opportunities were everywhere.
Bath balls. According to N, drop one of these in the bathtub and they "plop, plop, fizz, fizz" like an Alkaseltzer, making for an enjoyable bathtime experience.
Shampoo bars. One of these is supposed to last 80 washes, according to the sign.
6.
No trip to Philly is complete without cheesesteaks. Even if you have to wait in line.
7. Knitting in progress. N's sock and GJ's baby sweater.
8.
Historic Philly.
9. Curious kitties.
10.
G and I have similar taste in beer. It was a great party.
So there you have it--my vacation in a nutshell. So very happy that this is a short week. This weekend, I will see A again--and kj too!
1.
This is my Christmas tree--the one I chopped down all on my own. It's the size of a Charlie Brown, but it has character.
This is my parents' tree. A 14 footer that put mine to shame.
2.
Some of my favorite ornaments on the family tree.
3.
My father and sister cleaning out my sister's car. My mother wanted the moment documented--I think it's the first time since my sister got the car 3 years ago that it's been cleaned!
4.
Yarn! When N and I arrived on Friday afternoon, A took us for a walk in her neighborhood...which just so happened to include a stop at a yarn store called Loop. It provided a great chance for me to play with my camera while N shopped.
Yarn ornaments!5. After lunch and yarn, we wandered into a British soap/lotion/shampoo store called "Lush." Phun Photo opportunities were everywhere.
Bath balls. According to N, drop one of these in the bathtub and they "plop, plop, fizz, fizz" like an Alkaseltzer, making for an enjoyable bathtime experience.
Shampoo bars. One of these is supposed to last 80 washes, according to the sign.
6.
No trip to Philly is complete without cheesesteaks. Even if you have to wait in line.
7. Knitting in progress. N's sock and GJ's baby sweater.
8.
Historic Philly.
9. Curious kitties.
10.
G and I have similar taste in beer. It was a great party.
So there you have it--my vacation in a nutshell. So very happy that this is a short week. This weekend, I will see A again--and kj too!
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
Seasonal musings
Santa is real. Ask the families at Immaculate Conception School in Alphabet City and they'll tell you. Seven years ago, their Santa visited the school for the first time. She watched the students in their uniform plaid line up quietly in the hallway and she waved and smiled as they passed-eyebrows raised towards this stranger. She turned to the principal, a nun in her 60s dressed in full habit, standing tall at 5 foot nothing.
"Give me the names of those children who will have nothing under the tree on Christmas morning."
The next day, this Santa received a fax with a list of 16 names-boys and girls with their ages and sizes beside them. She called a friend or 2 and they hopped in the car. As they drove towards the highway lined with every store imaginable, they made a plan. Each child would get a winter coat, pajamas, sweats and a nicer weekend outfit. Every child would get a book, a puzzle and a toy. At each store, they took their assignments and split up, meeting a half hour later, arms fully loaded. That evening, they called more friends.
"You don't have to shop, but can you chip in to help give these kids a Christmas?"
The bags piled high and it really did begin to look like the Santa's Workshop in those old claymation movies like Rudolph. Each item was tagged with a child's name, age and size, grouped together by family. Teenage sons and daughters wrapped each gift, and in abou ta week, the sleigh-ok, the van was loaded to head back to New York City.
The week after Christmas, this Santa had yet another note in the mail. Parents and children alike were thrilled and awed by this mystery Santa and her ability to provide the perfect gifts.
Over the years, the list has grown from 16 to 30 children. Every year, Santa and her elves climb into the car early in the morning, stop at Dunkin' Donuts for some fuel and share the magic of Christmas with those who need a reminder that Santa is real.
"Give me the names of those children who will have nothing under the tree on Christmas morning."
The next day, this Santa received a fax with a list of 16 names-boys and girls with their ages and sizes beside them. She called a friend or 2 and they hopped in the car. As they drove towards the highway lined with every store imaginable, they made a plan. Each child would get a winter coat, pajamas, sweats and a nicer weekend outfit. Every child would get a book, a puzzle and a toy. At each store, they took their assignments and split up, meeting a half hour later, arms fully loaded. That evening, they called more friends.
"You don't have to shop, but can you chip in to help give these kids a Christmas?"
The bags piled high and it really did begin to look like the Santa's Workshop in those old claymation movies like Rudolph. Each item was tagged with a child's name, age and size, grouped together by family. Teenage sons and daughters wrapped each gift, and in abou ta week, the sleigh-ok, the van was loaded to head back to New York City.
The week after Christmas, this Santa had yet another note in the mail. Parents and children alike were thrilled and awed by this mystery Santa and her ability to provide the perfect gifts.
Over the years, the list has grown from 16 to 30 children. Every year, Santa and her elves climb into the car early in the morning, stop at Dunkin' Donuts for some fuel and share the magic of Christmas with those who need a reminder that Santa is real.
Thursday, December 14, 2006
T13
I am woefully behind in blogworld. I promise to catch up on all of your blogs very soon, but first I thought I'd do a T13 to catch you up on the 13 days since my last post.
1. The b-ball team is 2 and 0. The final score of the first game was 21-18. The second game finished at 28-27 in OverTime! We've only had one practice and it's pure chaos on the court. Tonight at practice, we plan on teaching the girls an actual offense and an inbounds play. We play our third game on Sunday, then we're off til 1/7.
2. I organized a successful scholarship reception for about 200 people. Later that evening, I read at the the College's annual Festival of Lessons and Carols--the night officially makes it feel like Christmas. It helped that there was a light snow swirling outside the chapel at the end of the night.
3. Last Saturday, I chopped down my very own Christmas tree. She's very Charlie Brown in stature...though much fuller than C.B.'s famous tree. 3 feet tall and about as wide as she is tall, but just perfect. Next Friday when I head home, I plan to throw the tree in the back seat for my parents' living room--but first I'll get pictures of my 3 footer next to their 15 footer!
4. Work has been full-throttle. It's exhausting and, at times, frustrating, but we're hanging in there. Our department Christmas luncheon is tomorrow at my favorite restaurant--nothing can top that!
5. I pulled an 11-13 year old girl and a female from the nursing home off the Giving Tree at work. Gifts are due tomorrow and I do not have gifts. Tonight, on my way home from b-ball practice, I'll be stopping at the mall.
6. None of my Christmas shopping is even started. I love love love Christmas, but I am not a good gift person--sometimes I get inspired, but otherwise, it's painful. I hate shopping, so that does not help my cause.
7. Though the last 3 Monday nights have been a bit shorter since I haven't been to Northampton, I do miss my B.Y. friends. I look forward to diving back in this coming Monday.
8. This past Sunday night, I was dead tired and had to babysit overnight. Usually, I try to get the kids to play board games, shoot some hoops, build with Legos, etc. This week, I pulled the youngest onto my lap and we watched the oldest play a handheld video game (he really wanted to show me, but he didn't need an audience of three!). I then let them watch an hour and a half of bad TV before bed. I did read aloud from Harry Potter 6 for a while too.
9. I've been missing new TV. There are some nights I come home and I just want to throw on the TV and find a new episode of a favorite show. No such luck. In the meantime, I have watched several episodes of Sex and the City. Wow.
10. Since I have not seen a couple of my Boston friends since the first weekend in October, we are trying to arrange a get together for this weekend. Hopefully it will happen because I miss them dearly.
11. I've been trying to unpack more in the apartment. The effort has been somewhat unsuccessful as I am too tired when I get home.
12. Today, I spent most of the morning (even though I have a million things to do) editing 2 of my brother's take home finals - one was on British literature and the other on US foreign relations.
13. Last night, I served Midnight Breakfast to students from 11 PM til 1 AM. It's exam week and dining services runs a Midnight Breakfast program and encourages faculty and staff to serve the eggs, bacon, sausage, hash browns, egg & cheese sandwiches, pancakes, toast and waffles. I came home feeling covered in grease.
1. The b-ball team is 2 and 0. The final score of the first game was 21-18. The second game finished at 28-27 in OverTime! We've only had one practice and it's pure chaos on the court. Tonight at practice, we plan on teaching the girls an actual offense and an inbounds play. We play our third game on Sunday, then we're off til 1/7.
2. I organized a successful scholarship reception for about 200 people. Later that evening, I read at the the College's annual Festival of Lessons and Carols--the night officially makes it feel like Christmas. It helped that there was a light snow swirling outside the chapel at the end of the night.
3. Last Saturday, I chopped down my very own Christmas tree. She's very Charlie Brown in stature...though much fuller than C.B.'s famous tree. 3 feet tall and about as wide as she is tall, but just perfect. Next Friday when I head home, I plan to throw the tree in the back seat for my parents' living room--but first I'll get pictures of my 3 footer next to their 15 footer!
4. Work has been full-throttle. It's exhausting and, at times, frustrating, but we're hanging in there. Our department Christmas luncheon is tomorrow at my favorite restaurant--nothing can top that!
5. I pulled an 11-13 year old girl and a female from the nursing home off the Giving Tree at work. Gifts are due tomorrow and I do not have gifts. Tonight, on my way home from b-ball practice, I'll be stopping at the mall.
6. None of my Christmas shopping is even started. I love love love Christmas, but I am not a good gift person--sometimes I get inspired, but otherwise, it's painful. I hate shopping, so that does not help my cause.
7. Though the last 3 Monday nights have been a bit shorter since I haven't been to Northampton, I do miss my B.Y. friends. I look forward to diving back in this coming Monday.
8. This past Sunday night, I was dead tired and had to babysit overnight. Usually, I try to get the kids to play board games, shoot some hoops, build with Legos, etc. This week, I pulled the youngest onto my lap and we watched the oldest play a handheld video game (he really wanted to show me, but he didn't need an audience of three!). I then let them watch an hour and a half of bad TV before bed. I did read aloud from Harry Potter 6 for a while too.
9. I've been missing new TV. There are some nights I come home and I just want to throw on the TV and find a new episode of a favorite show. No such luck. In the meantime, I have watched several episodes of Sex and the City. Wow.
10. Since I have not seen a couple of my Boston friends since the first weekend in October, we are trying to arrange a get together for this weekend. Hopefully it will happen because I miss them dearly.
11. I've been trying to unpack more in the apartment. The effort has been somewhat unsuccessful as I am too tired when I get home.
12. Today, I spent most of the morning (even though I have a million things to do) editing 2 of my brother's take home finals - one was on British literature and the other on US foreign relations.
13. Last night, I served Midnight Breakfast to students from 11 PM til 1 AM. It's exam week and dining services runs a Midnight Breakfast program and encourages faculty and staff to serve the eggs, bacon, sausage, hash browns, egg & cheese sandwiches, pancakes, toast and waffles. I came home feeling covered in grease.
Friday, December 01, 2006
And so it begins...
I just got this email:
Quote:
" 'Cue' (or 'Q'?) & E are sooo cool!"
-- Claire , 7:45 p.m. last night.
End Quote.
Our first basketball practice was last night. It was a wild hour and a half and I was reminded that 12, 13 and 14 year old girls communicate in squeals, shrieks and squeaks. Honestly, only dogs can understand what they are saying. 14 of them in a "gym" (cafeteria/auditorium/fake gym) for an hour and a half...exhausting. The girls are cute and most of them have *some* idea of how to play...but our first game is Sunday. I find myself sad that we don't have more time to get ourselves together--I barely know what name goes with what face! (Plus, we have Emily/Elizabeth/Ellen/Ethel/Emily...and Abby/Alysha...and Molly/Michaela/Megan, so it's a constant tongue twister!)
But then this afternoon, I got that email. It's from a colleague of mine with a daughter on the team. Apparently, we're a hit. I'm "Q"--nickname I acquired in L.A. from the kids at school and my co-coach is "E" for Erin. Apparently, we passed the test and we're officially in.
The game on Sunday should be HYSTERICAL...and maybe a little scary.
Quote:
" 'Cue' (or 'Q'?) & E are sooo cool!"
-- Claire , 7:45 p.m. last night.
End Quote.
Our first basketball practice was last night. It was a wild hour and a half and I was reminded that 12, 13 and 14 year old girls communicate in squeals, shrieks and squeaks. Honestly, only dogs can understand what they are saying. 14 of them in a "gym" (cafeteria/auditorium/fake gym) for an hour and a half...exhausting. The girls are cute and most of them have *some* idea of how to play...but our first game is Sunday. I find myself sad that we don't have more time to get ourselves together--I barely know what name goes with what face! (Plus, we have Emily/Elizabeth/Ellen/Ethel/Emily...and Abby/Alysha...and Molly/Michaela/Megan, so it's a constant tongue twister!)
But then this afternoon, I got that email. It's from a colleague of mine with a daughter on the team. Apparently, we're a hit. I'm "Q"--nickname I acquired in L.A. from the kids at school and my co-coach is "E" for Erin. Apparently, we passed the test and we're officially in.
The game on Sunday should be HYSTERICAL...and maybe a little scary.
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
A Tuesday 13
Hello, all! I hope your holiday festivities were wonderful. I love Thanksgiving...none of the Christmas pressure and chaos. Good family, good friends and good food are the only requirements. Not that I don't love Christmas, because I do...but the whole "perfect gift" for everyone is stressful!
On with the show...
1. I finally gave in and got myself a MA license. The actual license came in the mail yesterday. Under "Sex" is the letter M. That's not right.
2. Thanksgiving was small this year--only 15 of us. Still had a great time.
3. The next night, 20 of us gathered in a cafe on 21st Street in NYC to visit with my cousin Amanda and her daughter Yasmin. They are visiting from Sydney, Australia. It's been 3 years since we've seen them.
4. Amanda is 9 years older than I am. She was raised in Australia, but came to live in NYC when I was about 12 and stayed for about 10 years. I definitely idolized her--this cool, Australian who seemed to have all the answers.
5. I want everyone to like me. It hurts my feelings immensely when I think or know someone doesn't like me--even if that person's a bitch. I'm working on this.
6. There is one person at work in particular--she doesn't like me. I don't like her either, and there's a laundry list of reasons why...but still, it bugs me that she doesn't like me.
8. I'm getting better at just ignoring her and focusing on spending my time, energy and lunch hours on people I genuinely like. It seems like a much wiser use of time.
9. Basketball practice starts this week. Our first game is Sunday! I don't even know the girls' names yet.
10. I have lots of Christmas shopping to do, and NO ideas as to what to buy.
11. The weather is making me sad. I hate global warming--I love snow.
12. Because someone asked me today, I'll share my answer with you all too...my favorite names are Conor and Caroline.
13. Now that I've finished waxing my eyebrows, it's time for bed. Don't you just love the completely random information I share with y'all in these Thirteens?
On with the show...
1. I finally gave in and got myself a MA license. The actual license came in the mail yesterday. Under "Sex" is the letter M. That's not right.
2. Thanksgiving was small this year--only 15 of us. Still had a great time.
3. The next night, 20 of us gathered in a cafe on 21st Street in NYC to visit with my cousin Amanda and her daughter Yasmin. They are visiting from Sydney, Australia. It's been 3 years since we've seen them.
4. Amanda is 9 years older than I am. She was raised in Australia, but came to live in NYC when I was about 12 and stayed for about 10 years. I definitely idolized her--this cool, Australian who seemed to have all the answers.
5. I want everyone to like me. It hurts my feelings immensely when I think or know someone doesn't like me--even if that person's a bitch. I'm working on this.
6. There is one person at work in particular--she doesn't like me. I don't like her either, and there's a laundry list of reasons why...but still, it bugs me that she doesn't like me.
8. I'm getting better at just ignoring her and focusing on spending my time, energy and lunch hours on people I genuinely like. It seems like a much wiser use of time.
9. Basketball practice starts this week. Our first game is Sunday! I don't even know the girls' names yet.
10. I have lots of Christmas shopping to do, and NO ideas as to what to buy.
11. The weather is making me sad. I hate global warming--I love snow.
12. Because someone asked me today, I'll share my answer with you all too...my favorite names are Conor and Caroline.
13. Now that I've finished waxing my eyebrows, it's time for bed. Don't you just love the completely random information I share with y'all in these Thirteens?
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
Snow
As school wrapped up for Christmas vacation, Sara spent a morning lesson planning for the first week of January. Her class was down the hall in the gym, practicing their Christmas pageant song and dance. She had decided to take advantage of some peace and quiet. They would be starting a new story in the reading anthology after break and when she flipped ahead, she saw the story's title: Snow Day. The vocabulary words included drift, plow, frost and snow angel. Her classful of 7 year olds from South Central Los Angeles would have little, if any, experience with anything having to do with snow. Sara would try to dig through photo albums over Christmas break and look for pictures to illustrate these otherwise abstaract concepts.
On Christmas morning, Sara woke up to the familiar scraping in her driveway. Out her window, she saw that the world had been blanketed in a thick coat of white. Grabbing her camera, she ran outside to catch the plow in action. Later that day, Sara cajoled her grumpy brother into making snow angels and snapped a snowblower in action. She captured the snow piled up higher than the bumper of her family van and made her brother stand waist deep in a drift.
Back in California, Sara sat cross-legged on the floor in a circle of 8 students.
"How many of you know what a snow day is?"
No response.
"Have any of you ever seen snow?"
Wendy raised her hand slowly.
"My mama took us to Big Bear Mountain. We made snowballs."
"How deep was the snow? How much was on the ground?"
Wendy thought for a moment, "We could still see some of the grass under the snow."
"Can you imagine having so much snow that they cancel school?"
Wendy shook her head, eyes wide. The rest of the group laughed.
Sara pulled out the picturesfrom Christmas morning and passed them around the circle. She explained how snow plows cleared the streets and how people used snow blowers and shovels to clear sidewalks and driveways. She told them about 5:30 AM phone calls that meant you could sleep until 9 and then spend the whole day playing in the snow and drinking hot chocolate. Sara had also brought a few pictures of herself at 6 or 7 years old, playing in a snowfilled yard and sledding down the hill in front of the high school. Her kids squealed with delight--the thought that Sara had ever been a little kid was hilarious to them.
After a few snowy stories about life in New Jersey, Sara reviewed the target vocabulary, making each student point out the term in one of her pictures. When she felt confident that the words had become concrete objects, they opened their textbooks and began to read.
On Christmas morning, Sara woke up to the familiar scraping in her driveway. Out her window, she saw that the world had been blanketed in a thick coat of white. Grabbing her camera, she ran outside to catch the plow in action. Later that day, Sara cajoled her grumpy brother into making snow angels and snapped a snowblower in action. She captured the snow piled up higher than the bumper of her family van and made her brother stand waist deep in a drift.
Back in California, Sara sat cross-legged on the floor in a circle of 8 students.
"How many of you know what a snow day is?"
No response.
"Have any of you ever seen snow?"
Wendy raised her hand slowly.
"My mama took us to Big Bear Mountain. We made snowballs."
"How deep was the snow? How much was on the ground?"
Wendy thought for a moment, "We could still see some of the grass under the snow."
"Can you imagine having so much snow that they cancel school?"
Wendy shook her head, eyes wide. The rest of the group laughed.
Sara pulled out the picturesfrom Christmas morning and passed them around the circle. She explained how snow plows cleared the streets and how people used snow blowers and shovels to clear sidewalks and driveways. She told them about 5:30 AM phone calls that meant you could sleep until 9 and then spend the whole day playing in the snow and drinking hot chocolate. Sara had also brought a few pictures of herself at 6 or 7 years old, playing in a snowfilled yard and sledding down the hill in front of the high school. Her kids squealed with delight--the thought that Sara had ever been a little kid was hilarious to them.
After a few snowy stories about life in New Jersey, Sara reviewed the target vocabulary, making each student point out the term in one of her pictures. When she felt confident that the words had become concrete objects, they opened their textbooks and began to read.
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
a twist on the Random 10
Sorry I've been M.I.A.! I'll be better, I promise.
I got this from a friend...I'm looking forward to seeing what your soundtracks are!
IF YOUR LIFE WAS A MOVIE, WHAT WOULD THE SOUNDTRACK BE?
So, here's how it works:
1. Open your library (iTunes, Winamp, Media Player, iPod, etc)
2. Put it on shuffle
3. Press play
4. For every question, type the song that's playing
5. When you go to a new question, press the next button
Opening Credits: Another Horsedreamer's Blues (Counting Crows)
Waking up: Jesus on the Radio (Guster)
Falling in Love: Mercy House (The Nields)
Fight Song: If He Never Said Hello (Linda Eder)
Breaking up: Blister in the Sun (Violent Femmes)
Prom: As Long as You're Mine (Wicked)
Life: After All (Linda Eder)
Mental Breakdown: I Spy (Guster)
Driving: It Happens Every Day (Dar Williams)
Flash Back: The Sweetness (Nerissa and Katryna Nields)
Getting Back Together: Ali Boumaye (Nerissa and Katryna Nields)
Wedding: From Me to You (The Beatles)
Birth of a Child: She's Saving Me (Indigo Girls)
Final Battle: All My Pretty Horses (The Nields)
End Credits: What Do You Love More Than Love (Dar Williams)
I got this from a friend...I'm looking forward to seeing what your soundtracks are!
IF YOUR LIFE WAS A MOVIE, WHAT WOULD THE SOUNDTRACK BE?
So, here's how it works:
1. Open your library (iTunes, Winamp, Media Player, iPod, etc)
2. Put it on shuffle
3. Press play
4. For every question, type the song that's playing
5. When you go to a new question, press the next button
Opening Credits: Another Horsedreamer's Blues (Counting Crows)
Waking up: Jesus on the Radio (Guster)
Falling in Love: Mercy House (The Nields)
Fight Song: If He Never Said Hello (Linda Eder)
Breaking up: Blister in the Sun (Violent Femmes)
Prom: As Long as You're Mine (Wicked)
Life: After All (Linda Eder)
Mental Breakdown: I Spy (Guster)
Driving: It Happens Every Day (Dar Williams)
Flash Back: The Sweetness (Nerissa and Katryna Nields)
Getting Back Together: Ali Boumaye (Nerissa and Katryna Nields)
Wedding: From Me to You (The Beatles)
Birth of a Child: She's Saving Me (Indigo Girls)
Final Battle: All My Pretty Horses (The Nields)
End Credits: What Do You Love More Than Love (Dar Williams)
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
slacker
That's me! As our friend GretaJane reminded me last night, I am woefully behind on blogging and commenting. I'm going to try to make up some ground today. As a start, here's my piece from last night's Big Yellow session.
* * * * *
I don't remember learning how to play basketball. I've known how to dribble, pass and shoot for as long as I can remember. Throw that hard, orange sphere at my face and my hands will catch it, instinctively dribbling, spinning and playing mindlessly with it. My mom taught us how to play--she'd played ball in college, coached and reffed for years. At the age of 15, she started to run clinics in the South Bronx for elementary and high school students. Naturally, she'd raised her children with a ball in hand.
My sister and I attended one ballet lesson when I was about 6--Erin was 4. My mom still insists it was our idea. At the end of class, the teacher walked over to my mother and suggested that we find a different activity for Tuesday afternoons. Halfway through ballet class, I'd turned to her and asked for the ball.
When I was 9, my father's best friend began coaching the Fordham University women's basketball team. That summer, he started a girls' basketball camp. My mom signed on as a coach and we spent the next 4 summers playing ball and living for a week or 2 in the Fordham dorms.
When I was 13 years old, I fell out of a chairlift while on a day long ski trip. The 30 foot fall snapped my arm in half. When the orthopedic surgeon determined that surgery to insert stell plates and screw was the only way to stabilize my arm, I didn't flinch. When he followed that with the fact that contact sports were off limits for at least 2 years, I was devastated. High school was just a few months away and he was effectively telling me that I wouldn't see playing time on a field or a court.
A few years later, on the first day of college orientation, I turned around while in line for my ID to find Mary O'Reilly standing behind me. Mary and I had played on the same team one summer at camp when we were about 10. As we waited for our turn for ID photos, we began planning our intramural basketball team for that fall. My skills were rusty at best, but it didnt' talk long for my muscles to remember the mechanics and rhythms of the game.
In 2 weeks, I'll begin coaching my own team of 7th and 8th grade girls. I've never had to coach a team all by myself and I'm already racking my brain, trying to remember drills for practice and different offensive sets for games. I've been told that the girls don't have a solid foundation of basic skills, so I've been making lists of the drills I can remember that are designed to teach the basics of passing and rebounding, the art of the free throw and the mechanics of a lay up. Thanksgiving weekend will be spent discussing strategy with my mom and coming up with offensive plays that we can call "Holy Cross," "Syracuse" and "Duke." I'm planning a Saturday afternoon or two when I can bring my girls to watch the HC women play so that they can see what a tight zone defense actually looks like.
I'm not looking to win the league title or even have a winning record (though that would be nice!). In the end, I want to create an atmosphere for the girls to have fun, hopefully learn a little and laugh a lot. And honestly, I can't wait to be back on a court with a ball in my hand helping to make that happen.
* * * * *
I don't remember learning how to play basketball. I've known how to dribble, pass and shoot for as long as I can remember. Throw that hard, orange sphere at my face and my hands will catch it, instinctively dribbling, spinning and playing mindlessly with it. My mom taught us how to play--she'd played ball in college, coached and reffed for years. At the age of 15, she started to run clinics in the South Bronx for elementary and high school students. Naturally, she'd raised her children with a ball in hand.
My sister and I attended one ballet lesson when I was about 6--Erin was 4. My mom still insists it was our idea. At the end of class, the teacher walked over to my mother and suggested that we find a different activity for Tuesday afternoons. Halfway through ballet class, I'd turned to her and asked for the ball.
When I was 9, my father's best friend began coaching the Fordham University women's basketball team. That summer, he started a girls' basketball camp. My mom signed on as a coach and we spent the next 4 summers playing ball and living for a week or 2 in the Fordham dorms.
When I was 13 years old, I fell out of a chairlift while on a day long ski trip. The 30 foot fall snapped my arm in half. When the orthopedic surgeon determined that surgery to insert stell plates and screw was the only way to stabilize my arm, I didn't flinch. When he followed that with the fact that contact sports were off limits for at least 2 years, I was devastated. High school was just a few months away and he was effectively telling me that I wouldn't see playing time on a field or a court.
A few years later, on the first day of college orientation, I turned around while in line for my ID to find Mary O'Reilly standing behind me. Mary and I had played on the same team one summer at camp when we were about 10. As we waited for our turn for ID photos, we began planning our intramural basketball team for that fall. My skills were rusty at best, but it didnt' talk long for my muscles to remember the mechanics and rhythms of the game.
In 2 weeks, I'll begin coaching my own team of 7th and 8th grade girls. I've never had to coach a team all by myself and I'm already racking my brain, trying to remember drills for practice and different offensive sets for games. I've been told that the girls don't have a solid foundation of basic skills, so I've been making lists of the drills I can remember that are designed to teach the basics of passing and rebounding, the art of the free throw and the mechanics of a lay up. Thanksgiving weekend will be spent discussing strategy with my mom and coming up with offensive plays that we can call "Holy Cross," "Syracuse" and "Duke." I'm planning a Saturday afternoon or two when I can bring my girls to watch the HC women play so that they can see what a tight zone defense actually looks like.
I'm not looking to win the league title or even have a winning record (though that would be nice!). In the end, I want to create an atmosphere for the girls to have fun, hopefully learn a little and laugh a lot. And honestly, I can't wait to be back on a court with a ball in my hand helping to make that happen.
Thursday, November 02, 2006
Thursday Thirteen
1. I have to work for part of this weekend.
2. Before I help with a black tie event Saturday evening, I'll be getting a haircut.
3. I'm not sure how much of a haircut I'm getting.
4. I love taking pictures. (I'm sure this shocks you all!)
5. This week, I bought some frames and ordered some prints...soon, they will be on my walls.
6. My blank walls are driving me crazy.
7. I'm going to Denver from Tuesday until Saturday for work.
8. While I'm there, I'll visit with a friend from home--I haven't seen her in 4 or 5 years.
9. My cousin Amanda is coming in from Australia for Thanksgiving.
10. She's bringing her 6 year old daughter, Yasmin.
11. Amanda is quite ill, but hopefully I'll get a good visito or two in with her and with Yazzie.
12. My cousin Hannah will be home from South Carolina too.
13. It's time for bed.
2. Before I help with a black tie event Saturday evening, I'll be getting a haircut.
3. I'm not sure how much of a haircut I'm getting.
4. I love taking pictures. (I'm sure this shocks you all!)
5. This week, I bought some frames and ordered some prints...soon, they will be on my walls.
6. My blank walls are driving me crazy.
7. I'm going to Denver from Tuesday until Saturday for work.
8. While I'm there, I'll visit with a friend from home--I haven't seen her in 4 or 5 years.
9. My cousin Amanda is coming in from Australia for Thanksgiving.
10. She's bringing her 6 year old daughter, Yasmin.
11. Amanda is quite ill, but hopefully I'll get a good visito or two in with her and with Yazzie.
12. My cousin Hannah will be home from South Carolina too.
13. It's time for bed.
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Happy Anniversary to us
25 years ago on Halloween night, a woman knocked on our front door. My parents had just moved their little family (2 1/2 year old and 8 month old little girls) from New Rochelle, NY to Ramsey, NJ on that very day. The woman at the door, AQ, lived 2 doors down with her husband, DQ, and their 2 kids. And so began our life in Ramsey.
Ramsey is a family town--there are 3 elementary schools, a middle school and a high school--plus a Catholic elementary school and an all-boys Catholic high school. We celebrate "Ramsey Day" every September--complete with a street fair and fireworks. There's an amazing park with 8 baseball/softball fields, 3 basketball courts, 2 tennis courts and a huge playground that the town built together one summer when I was about 8.
I grew up in that park. My dad played in a summer Sunday softball league for about 12 years. He joined the summer after we moved to Ramsey at AQ's husband's suggestion. It was a team of men in their 30s, for the most part, so there was a whole flock of kids under the age of 8. There were barbeques and pool parties, playdates and new additions. My first best friends were boys from this group. As we got older, my sister and I became the big kids who escorted the little ones to the playground and supervised so that the moms could talk and watch the games. Later, I played softball myself on those fields. Ramsey's recreational sports program is enormous--my parents spent weekends of their lives at soccer, basketball, softball, baseball and football games (and swim meets too). My parents served as coaches for our baseball, softball and basketball teams. My siblings and I grew up walking to the Catholic elementary school across town and riding our bikes to the stores on Main Street or over to our friends' houses. My brother and his friends could walk into town for bagels, sandwiches and baseball cards by the time they were eight years old--it was just that kind of town.
I'm not sure if my parents intended to stay in Ramsey for so long, or if they really knew the kind of community they had chosen. I do know that I'm eternally grateful for their decision and the life it gave me. It was the perfect place to grow up. It's a town where you wave at least 3 times as you drive down Main Street because you see people you know. When I come home for a visit these days, I bump into old friends at church and in the supermarket. The guys who run the deli and the pizza place know who I am and ask how "mama" is doing these days. As for my parents, I think they're pretty happy with their choice too--when I talked to my mom last night, she was headed out to the bar for a glass of wine with a friend from town. And yesterday she was able to say "Happy Anniversary" to the woman who came to our front door 25 years ago Halloween night with a casserole--AQ is the 2nd grade aide at my mother's school.
Ramsey is a family town--there are 3 elementary schools, a middle school and a high school--plus a Catholic elementary school and an all-boys Catholic high school. We celebrate "Ramsey Day" every September--complete with a street fair and fireworks. There's an amazing park with 8 baseball/softball fields, 3 basketball courts, 2 tennis courts and a huge playground that the town built together one summer when I was about 8.
I grew up in that park. My dad played in a summer Sunday softball league for about 12 years. He joined the summer after we moved to Ramsey at AQ's husband's suggestion. It was a team of men in their 30s, for the most part, so there was a whole flock of kids under the age of 8. There were barbeques and pool parties, playdates and new additions. My first best friends were boys from this group. As we got older, my sister and I became the big kids who escorted the little ones to the playground and supervised so that the moms could talk and watch the games. Later, I played softball myself on those fields. Ramsey's recreational sports program is enormous--my parents spent weekends of their lives at soccer, basketball, softball, baseball and football games (and swim meets too). My parents served as coaches for our baseball, softball and basketball teams. My siblings and I grew up walking to the Catholic elementary school across town and riding our bikes to the stores on Main Street or over to our friends' houses. My brother and his friends could walk into town for bagels, sandwiches and baseball cards by the time they were eight years old--it was just that kind of town.
I'm not sure if my parents intended to stay in Ramsey for so long, or if they really knew the kind of community they had chosen. I do know that I'm eternally grateful for their decision and the life it gave me. It was the perfect place to grow up. It's a town where you wave at least 3 times as you drive down Main Street because you see people you know. When I come home for a visit these days, I bump into old friends at church and in the supermarket. The guys who run the deli and the pizza place know who I am and ask how "mama" is doing these days. As for my parents, I think they're pretty happy with their choice too--when I talked to my mom last night, she was headed out to the bar for a glass of wine with a friend from town. And yesterday she was able to say "Happy Anniversary" to the woman who came to our front door 25 years ago Halloween night with a casserole--AQ is the 2nd grade aide at my mother's school.
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