7 years

.... it's been 7 years since I've seen your sweet face.

Funny how when you're really good friends with someone you can go years without seeing someone, and then when you finally do it is like a day hasn't passed. One of my longest and closest friends, it was SO SO SO good to see you again. Thank you for the good chats, thank you for the friendship, thank you for the laughs, thank you for the smiles, thank you for being there when I really need you... thank you for being you. I know we may not always talk but I also know that you're ALWAYs there when I really need you. A true friend, and always will be.

Xo!

8.09.09

Today's post is in remembrance of the life of a wonderful man who left this world one year ago today. The father of a youthful friend, he was a shining soul here on earth and he is shining even brighter down on us in Heaven. I wish I knew him better, for the legacy he has left, the strength his children display daily, the stories and memories that flourish all around his family and friends, continually remind everyone who knew him how amazing he was. My favorite memory of him was from a soccer tournament when we were younger. The girls all had pizza delivered, but the parents, they partied... an unforgettable crab boil, plenty of drinks, lots of smiles, laughs, and stories told. I was new to the team but him and his family always welcomed me and my family into the group. He really was a wonderful soul, full of LIFE, and hope, and laughter, but most of all love. To his family and friends, we can't take away the sorrow of him being gone, but we can relish each and every memory that we hold deep in our hearts. Keep on living, keep on dreaming, and he'll keep shining down on you....

<3

Sweet Love

To my beautiful and sweet parents....

HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY Anniversary.

33 years and so many more to go.

Thank you for being such a shining example of what true love really is. Friendship. Compassion. Sincerity. Hope. Light. True. Strong. You've set such a wonderful for my brothers and I.... Never settle for anything less than perfect, our soul mates are out there somewhere waiting to grab our hands and run with us forever. Love is all around us. In the brush of a hand across our cheek, in the squeeze of a hand, in the glimmer in eye, and in the flash of a smile. I can only hope one day i am lucky enough to find the love you have in each other... A best friend, a shoulder to lean on, a soul mate, the puzzle piece to your being.

The love you have for one another and for our family is so appreciated by all.

I love you!

Xo

<3

Deep Thoughts by Prof. Jouganatos

Patrón Silver is called young or "joven" tequila. A similarity may be made to a young or nouvelle wine. It is known for its lite, fresh, crystal clear look and an elegant smoothness not found in other silver tequilas. Many prefer this smooth soft and lite tequila over an aged and slightly oaky flavor. Those that know the difference may find Patrón Silver the finest silver tequila available. It is perfect for blending, with high quality mixer or may easily be sipped as is recommended with Patrón Anejo and Patrón Reposado.


oh sweet goodness... you make Jouganatos "Forecasting and Managerial Research Methods 2" that much more tolerable...


For those who are wondering... why is this a necessity during class... here are a few quotes from tonight's lecture... ONE NIGHT. For the record this list was compiled on only 90 minutes of lecture.


"I grew up on typewriters not word processors, and that wasnt that long ago... I heard those comments"

"Before cell phones what did we do, we yell out the window and hope they hear us."

"I'm getting myself back"


"Well while this fires up let me tell you some observations, you know Seinfeldesque observations"

"did you vibrate this?"

"People on other planets they are wondering about us, now what are they wondering about? Who is in charge? The dogs or the humans? Because who is picking up whose poop? Whats all this political correctness about, I live near a park but i see it on the street. I think we might be due for an invasion. These people are lower than dogs!"


"Heres what you do if you love dogs and I love dogs, you get a small one.. I used to have a 4.5 pound toy poodle, dont worry if it goes on your neighbors lawn it disintegrates in a day or two."

"Your name is Cameron, isn't it... way to be a joy kill?"

Class (what problem is this): "Oh, I dont know... what page is this on, oh i don't know. oh here we go. blue book and all of that"

"its a rough life for a farmer if you leave for a few days you have to take care of things in advance."

"dont worry i dont get offended if you dont get it"

this will allow you to reject the hypothesis... which is what life is all about... rejection"

"perhaps those of you who are not having fun with this material should look up the T, nevermind I'll do it by the time you do it, I'll be gone."

VIOLA

"T-inverse? Oh i see that you ARE having fun. You are supposed to."

"Well like I said, this is the first time I've used Excel for Data Analysis, so its been quite a thrill..."

"OK... now lets continue to have fun, lets interpret!"


"before we leave this we will ask someone to join us in spelling out... OH wait a minute, the F test!"


AND on that note... I'm going to eat some more chocolate and locate flasks for next week.

X.O.

There are MANY things in life that will catch your eye, but only a FEW will catch your heart..... pursue those.


XO

<3

Heartache Of Defeat

Let's face it... I'm a sore loser. Probably not my most admirable quality. But you know what, I'm OK with that. I hate losing. More than anything. For those that don't know me... I require at least a 20 min "cooling off" period after a tough loss. Don't talk to me. Let me be and after some time (depends on the importance of the match and other circumstances) I'll come back around. The agony of defeat, arguably one of the worst feelings there is. All the hard work, the sweat, the tears, the hours of wind sprints, the "chalk talks", the motivational speeches, extra practices, early morning runs, late night runs, the dedication, the pride, the passion... all that sacrifice. Hell NO I don't want to lose nor do I like it, nor will I ever. I remember the pain of those losses more than the elation of great victories. It's the driving force for future battles, its the reason to wake up that much earlier, to run that much faster, to try that much harder...

Despite an outcome we didn't want at nationals (we didn't bring home the hardware), I am pleased with the trip for it was a victory on other levels. The team really bonded and came together. In the face of adversity we dug in our heels and tried harder. Short players, not well adjusted to the altitude, injuries, terrible refing... adversity was all around us, yet we held our heads high and we tried that much harder. No we did not win, but in our first season with Soccer World we established ourselves, we set the precedence for greatness in the seasons to come. We absolutely tried our hardest and in the end lay exhausted, all energy spent. I am so proud of my teammates for the hard work that they put in preparing for nationals and the effort they displayed in the games. No one had to say, work harder, run faster, play better. We maximized our potential to the best of our abilities, but the ball didn't hit the back of the net, and many calls didn't go our way. That's sports. The best team doesn't always win. It keeps it interesting. Yes it was heartbreaking, especially given the massive effort from the owners, to the coaching staff, to the players to make it to Denver. But I think we should all hold our heads high.

Preparation for Nationals 2011... it starts today.

little moments

18 hours, 1,132 miles, too many rest stops, ipod shuffle, karaoke, beautiful landscapes... what an adventure. The drive from Elk Grove to Fort Collins, CO started off Thursday at 1pm, we loaded up the 12 passenger van and hit the road. Our first stop, Loveland NV... a town with one stop light, the sheriff drives a mini van and I am fairly certain the fire dept had a tractor? We got in, and out, as fast as possible. For dinner we stopped in Wendover, not much there either. We made it to Salt Lake City Friday at 1 am, slept for a few hours in comfortable beds, and tried to stretch our legs. At 10 am we met up with the other car and headed out for the final leg to Fort Collins. Friday's scenery was far superior to that of Thursdays... sorry Nevada/Utah its just hot and ugly there. I am fairly certain we had to stop at every "major" city because the 18 people on the trip just couldn't coordinate pee schedules! It was a long road but we made it, pulling into our hotel in Windsor, CO at 8 pm. The girls went for a light stretch-out-the-legs jog and then we headed out to a team dinner. The highlight of which was an AMAZING smores dessert where we made them over a tiny fire! It was incredible.

You know, you learn a lot about people when you're cooped up in tight quarters for such a long amount of time. I was worried about the trip, what if we got on each others nerves? What if it was boring? Well, believe it or not we actually had a fairly good time. There was LOTS of singing and laughing, stories being told, lots of sleeping (well not for me... I drove 800 of the miles - thats a lot!), and far too much eating. Nothing like snacking on a long road trip.

These are a few of my pictures from the trip! Lots of memories and little moments were made... but more importantly new friendships were forged. This team really is special, we've created a bond rather quickly, we get along, and most of all we are there for each other. So girls, thank you for a wonderful trip!