The Dish

Priceless.

2011-01-16T19:22:00.000-08:00

Earlier this week I heard something heart breaking. Fellow Olympian and Olympic Water Polo player, Merrill Moses, had the most unique symbol of his athletic career taken from him. His Olympic Silver medal was taken from his parents house while they were away on vacation. (Story here.)As, with anything that gets stolen from you, I can imagine he (and his family for their losses) feel violated and helpless to recover these precious items.

When I heard, I went and got my own medals. I had a need to feel their weight in my hands. As I looked at them, like always, I am flooded with memories. Not necessarily only of water polo games. But of training and traveling with my teammates. Laughing, crying and being deliriously tired. It is like each one has its own story. Its own soul. Because, each one represents a journey that lasted years not just the hour of the final match.

So someone out there stole Merrill's medal and in a way I feel like that medal was severed from its soul. For an Olympic medal has only one true owner. The person whose neck it is placed around after they rightfully competed for it.

While holding them I also realized that I have very rarely seen an Olympic medal without the athlete who had won it. There is only one time I saw a medal on display in a showcase and while I knew the story of the athlete that it belonged to, it didn't seem quite as special as the ones I was introduced to with their rightful owners.
(The gold and bronze medal pictured with mine are of a female and male rower.)

So I want to know who out there is going to buy this stolen medal? And for how much?
How can you put a price on all of Merrill's memories? The symbol of HIS journey? How could it ever be as special to anyone else as it is to him?

I hope with all my heart that his medal is found or returned. Or maybe that someone reading this can help that occur.

A love of sports.

2010-11-01T16:24:00.000-07:00

I grew up and went to college in Northern California. As a kid, if the 49ers were playing, that is what would be on tv. My mom yelled at the television so much, Joe Montana and Jerry Rice were household names. I had a box full of Mother's Cookies Oakland A's baseball cards, including Mark McGwire and Jose Canseco when they were the Bash Brothers, having acquired them while sitting in the bleacher seats with my swim team eating hot dogs and getting a "farmers tan". Most recently, I was invited to throw out the first pitch at a Giants game, upon returning from the Olympics in 04' & 08' at Pac Bell Park. So I have come to hold a very special place in my heart for the professional sports teams of the Bay Area.

Living in LA off and on for the last 10 years has helped me appreciate many a Southern California team as well. The Lakers, Sparks, Dogers, Angels, and Ducks to name a few. But none warm my heart quite like hearing about the teams of my childhood. Now, with the World Series upon us, I have had a longing to be home right now. (Thoughts of the holidays could be contributing to that as well but lets just stick to sports for now....) To be caught up in the hoopla and shenanigans that follow the pride of supporting one's team. While I sat on the couch watching Game #2, I came across this blog post on Facebook. And it made me smile.

Because I found that I knew EXACTLY what he was talking about. Only applied to my life I guess it is sort of on a global scale. The World Series is bringing San Francisco and many of us displaced natives together right now, as it does every year for baseball fans in two cities. Every four years, the Olympics bring together countries of people. And in the host city of the quadrennial the feeling of the visitors is much like Drew describes in his blog. People who might normally argue, have different political viewpoints and nothing in common, DO coexist and joyfully at that! The feeling is exactly one that you wish you may bottle up for use later when all hope seems lost. I LOVE sports for this and feel blessed to live every day in pursuit of excellence in them.

As I have said to every family member, friend and random person I meet. If you have the chance to go to the Olympics DO it. It will be well worth the trip just to experience the aura of such an event. But if that is too ambitious an adventure, it is satisfying to think that you can obtain the same feelings being part of a World Series, a Super Bowl, a World Cup, your University's next football game, your High School's next soccer game......at any level the key is just to enjoy the ride.

Perfectly shown by two water polo alumni of my high school, Miramonte in Orinda, who splashed around in McCovey Cove outside AT&T park during Game #1 of the Series. Fans of the Giants and water polo!

ESPN COVER PHOTO

2010-10-20T22:07:00.000-07:00

ESPN Body Issue Cover Photo: members of the USA Water Polo Team

The 2nd Annual issue of ESPN's Body Issue hit news stands last week. The copy you will find for sale has WNBA star Diana Taurasi on it. BUT if you are a fan of water polo, my team mates and I were featured on one of the covers delivered to subscribers of ESPN the magazine.(ABOVE) You can not find our version in stores. (If you DO want a copy with us on the cover, call 1-800-309-7655 to purchase one. Specify you want the water polo cover. ~$7) There are also two more pictures of our team on the inside, as well as loads of other incredible photos of your favorite athletes. Like Soccer Goalie Tim Howard, Surfer Kelly Slater, New York Knicks Amar'e Stoudemire, and many more.......

You know you want a copy!

Hope to see you at the pool Ray!

2010-09-16T11:45:00.000-07:00

"Water Polo is......"

2010-09-14T15:05:00.000-07:00

How would you finish that sentence???

The first thing that comes to my mind is NOT "easy". But apparently, Baltimore Raven's linebacker Ray Lewis is under the impression that of all the sports out there, water polo is easy in comparison to football.

In a pre-game media session Lewis gave this quote about their upcoming game against The Jets:

"But we don't need no hope. Y'all can keep your hope because we've got enough hope over here. We're packing our bags, and we're not packing our bags to come play water polo."

Well, Ray, in light of this lovely trash talking you were doing, I am glad that you and your team were victorious last night in a defensive battle that ended 10-9. You seem to be leading the charge there on defense. So you are, at least, backing up all the talk.

But, next time when you choose to talk a little smack, maybe do so with a little more information. Water polo would probably not be the first sport to come to my mind in the easy category, but that is because I play it. I know exactly what it takes to play a game. Swimming back and forth for an hour. Playing both offense and defense. Wrestling, sprinting, jumping, blocking, getting kicked, pulled and punched. All while not standing on anything.

Despite how hard it is, I play because I love it and it is fun. Which is probably exactly how Ray feels about football. (The multi-million dollar contracts have nothing to do with it.) Our sport is so small not too many people know what it is really like. So, Ray, if you want to do any cross training in the off season, grab your speedo (or trunks, although you are going to want to create the least amount of drag as possible) and come on over to the pool! After you have given it a whirl, then you can, by all means, speak your mind about water polo.

Oh and Ray, thank you for mentioning water polo during that press conference. It is nice to see water polo in the headlines sometimes. :) An article about it landed in the NY Times. Creating awareness for our difficult, yet awesome sport is always a great thing.

Visual sampling of our final match!

2010-07-13T11:19:00.000-07:00

If you want a visual recap of our win at the World League Super Final here is a little hight light video!

On top AT HOME!

2010-07-12T19:39:00.000-07:00

If you were to ask a Hungarian what their favorite sport was, I guarantee that a majority of them would respond with..... water polo. Yes. You read that right. Water Polo. That is because water polo is their national sport. It is televised regularly on TV and the athletes land in the tabloids as often as Hollywood celeb-utants. I'd say..... just about the equivalent of the NBA, MLB and NFL here in the States. Ok, our basketball, baseball and football players make quite a bit more money than any water polo player on the planet, so we are strictly dealing in terms of familiarity here.

Hungarians aren't the only ones enthusiastic about our sport. I played for a Greek team this past year during their professional season. At one point we traveled outside of Greece to compete in European Champions Cup games. On the way home, we arrived at the Athens airport and headed to find our bags. I didn't have a car and my family and friends were an ocean away. There would be no curb side pick up or a welcome home hug for me. I was thinking this would be a quiet uneventful exit of the airport. I was wrong.

As we neared the luggage carousel, right in front of the sliding doors leading to the awaiting forms of transportation, we started to hear the beat of a huge drum. Chants, cheers and clapping. What the heck was that? My team mates started smiling. For us? We walked out of the terminal to a sea of waiting people. All making noise, celebrating our return. Families, friends, supporters, reporters, media. My favorite was the group of young polo players that had been loudly beating the drum and chanting the name of our club. Seeing that kind of enthusiasm for our sport was inspiring and made me want to see that in America, for the US team.

So because of our sport's popularity in Europe and our own Nation's lack of an organized professional league, it is rare that people at home get to see us play. Maybe once a year may the opportunity arise.
And that occasion was the World League Super Final last week in La Jolla, California. The top eight teams in the world came to us to compete! In front of OUR families, friends and fans!

And we did not disapoint! In or out of the pool!

On the first day of competition when we pulled up to the pool we were greeted by huge USA Water Polo banners.....with our faces on them! I was so proud to see these awesome shots of my team mates and I drawing people in to watch. :) People started telling me that is what my Avatar would look like. I would love to see an Avatar play water polo!

Our new water polo mascot "Shiedly" also chose this tournament to make his debut! Coming to the pool deck to interact with kids, fans and athletes!

We were also proud to pose with him, after six days of intense games, we came out victorious in the tournament beating the Aussies in a shoot-out! Our goalie, Betsey Armstrong, came up with a huge block against one of Australia's best shooter to put us one point ahead!

World League Super Final

2010-06-25T21:43:00.000-07:00

Who wants to watch a little water polo???? I know you do! Here is your chance. The top 8 teams in the WORLD will be arriving in San Diego, California tomorrow to compete in this years most competitive tournament. If you want to catch the games in person, come on down to the Crogan Aquatic Center at La Jolla High School, Monday June 28th- Saturday July 3rd. (USA will usually have the 7pm game time.) Enjoy the crowd, meet the players and have some fun cheering us on!!!

And if you are a little far to join us......check us out live on the web!!!!

GO USA!!!!!

Love to travel. Hate to pack.

2010-01-17T09:19:00.000-08:00

Have you ever found yourself sitting in your bedroom, travel bag open on the floor, empty. Plane leaves in a few hours?

A few articles of clothing are neatly folded on the bed ready to go. Those are the ones you are SURE about. The rest still happily reside in the closet or in drawers. Ok, maybe there are some things in the hamper or draped over the chair in the corner. Thing is, eventually they all need to get into that bag.

(Here is where I wish we had one of those machines, in the Jetsons, so I could put the bag on the conveyor belt and it would pop out on the other side all packed.)

I love to travel. I don't mind the waiting in airports, long flights, turbulence and any destination seems exciting to me. But it's getting my bag packed that I just want nothing to do with. Especially when I am leaving for longer periods of time.

I am headed to Greece to play for a professional team there. How am I going to know what the weather will be like in 4 weeks, let alone 4 months? Do I need any nice clothes or just mainly for working out? And shoes! Hardest thing to pack. High heels have weird shapes. Tennis shoes are bulky. Uggs are worse.... but SO necessary in the cold after an outdoor night practice in the rain. (Sometimes I wish aquatic sports only practiced in warm locations. Hawaii or the South Pacific would do great. Thanks.) I always make sure to lay the swim suits, goggles and caps on the bed first. If I left without those....well, why am I going in the first place? (Because, while I will be living in a foreign country it is NOT just for a vacation. I do have to "work" er, workout rather.) Then there are toiletries and make-up......it is nice to not look like a drown rat ALL of the time.

Ok, so just one bag?!? Thanks to all the new travel restrictions, there are those pesky weight and checked bag limits.

TOO MANY things to consider. Can I hire someone to do this for me?

The one very important travel tip I picked after traveling with the National Team for a few years was the use of a small roller bag as a carry-on instead of a backpack. Most of the veteran players on the team used them when I first started. I never really thought about it. I was all excited to sport the team gear and get to where we were going. Until we arrived, some 20 hours later, got in a bus and headed straight to the pool for a training session. Not only were my legs swollen from the flight, but my back and shoulders hated me every stroke I took from shlepping that backpack, with "all the comforts of home" in it, across the world.

So, while my bag was not packed. The carry-on was. That is the easy stuff.

A few books (Having a little english around will be nice when the Greek letters get too much for me.)
Computer
I-pod
Various charging cords (These take up a surprising amount of room.)
Surge protector box (Life saver! Frying the life out of your precious electronics is not fun when so far from home!)
15 pounds of Valentine's Day candy intended to spread some American love to my teammates
My new water bottle

The water bottle was actually the first thing I put into the carry-on. Drinking water is my New Year's resolution. Mostly because without a regular workout routine I forget to drink anything. Very bad for an athlete. I didn't want to buy plastic bottles anymore and I figured with a bottle like this, I would pay more attention to my drinking habits.

Once packed and at the airport my lovely new bottle had me paying attention to many other things. Like the fact that it is metal and looks a little like a bomb. Great. That can't go in my carry-on. Security would have me red flagged in two-seconds.

So now, standing in the check-in line with bottle in hand, when I thought all my packing issues were behind me and the worst hiccup was just this bottle, came the best travel challenge of all.

Man at Check-In Counter: "Hello Ms. Where are you headed?"

Me: "Greece"

MaCIC: "Please place your carry-on on the scale."

Me (in my head): "Carry-on? I have never had my carry-on weighed before. Just as long as it fits in the little overhead thing they seem to wave you on by. ON NO. IT IS HEAVY!"

I placed it on the scale.....

MaCIC: "Ms. your bag weighs 18kg. We only allow 8kg for our carry-on items."

Me: "Oh no." (in my head) "Where exactly am I going to put 20 pounds of stuff, when my other bag is packed so tight it is about to explode out of the new purple straps I bought to keep it together on the journey?!"

MaCIC: "Yes Ms. Only 8kg."

Thanks buddy. I heard you the first time. This is how I came to find out that the candy I was bringing over to the team weighed about 15 pounds. When I put it on the little scale he had, it weighed 8kg by itself. Perfect. I also come to find out the roller bag itself weighed 7kg. HOW was this going to work????
And how in over 10 years of international travel had this never happened to me before?

I never wanted to be that passenger that has to open up her bags, right there in the check-in line and begin the rearrangement dance of all my worldly belongings in front of a line of my fellow passengers. But that was me.

I believe by the end, everyone knew that my favorite brand of underwear is Victoria Secret, I read love stories and adventure novels, most of my clothes are blue and purple and I may have a serious sweet tooth. That is enough for the person behind me in line, to make me a profile on Match.com. And next to me, I now had two travel bags. One still bulging, being held together by purple straps. And the other- a heavy duty plastic bag, duct taped so well you couldn't really tell what was inside it. Both with airline stickers. Destination- Athens, Greece. Thank god the packing part is over.

Are you on Facebook?

2009-12-11T17:15:00.000-08:00

If you are a part of the wonderful time sucking social networking extravaganza, we know and love as Facebook, then I have a challenge for you!

Most sports in this country, the ones you all know and love, and will find on television almost every week of the year, have incredible monetary backing. And the athletes are taking home paychecks in one year that could finance my training for my entire carreer. As small sport like water polo, that finds its sporting stage once every four years at the Oylmpic Games, we are entirely dependent on the funding we get from the United States Olympic Committee and our sports National Governing Body, the non-profit organization, United States Water Polo Inc. Without this, my team and I would not be able to train, or travel and participate in, competitions to get us ready to represent our country.

So when I heard about the Chase Community Giving page on Facebook I realized, this opportunity may be the easiest way for anyone to give back this holiday season and give a huge boost to our sport!!

Simply go to the Chase Community Giving page and cast your vote for us. Then Chase will give money to the charities that have the most votes.....and the deadline is TOMORROW!!!! With a few clicks of your mouse you could be giving my team an incredible gift. A chance to continue our journey towards GOLD in the 2012 London Olympic Games!!!!

I have included a link below to direct you to the page! And if you are not a member of Facebook.....this is a fantastic reason to join!!!

THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOU WHO VOTE FOR US!!!!!
In Olympic Spirit.......

Annual Tournament in Southern California!!!

2009-12-07T13:43:00.000-08:00

Come Watch Us Play!!!!

11 Weeks?!?

2009-12-06T20:09:00.000-08:00

When I found out I needed surgery the first question I had was... "What is the recovery time?"

Of course soon follows the standard "4-6 weeks" response. (Oh, I am tottaly going to be that 4 week part of the standard deviaton.) The surgeon, the therapists and doctors all saying the same thing: "You will be up and moving around right after the surgery, and back doing what you do in no time!" As an athlete, 4-6 weeks was already too long. This theory of "no" time was going to be interesting.

I hit the 6 week anniversary of the operation and had a follow up appointment with the surgeon. He told me at this point the incisions and tissues in my knee were healed. I still had a bit of swelling and I would now be in a battle with scar tissue for range of motion. With 5 1/2 weeks of therapy, I could walk normally, I could do all minor strengthening excersices, and from what I could see (photo) I had lost a LOT of muscle in my leg. (How hard it is to build up the muscle and how fast it departs!)

So began the battle. Playing water polo requires a rather awkward rotating motion we do with our legs. "Eggbeater" had never seemed stange to me. I could do it for hours, maybe days. Supporting myself in the water was as easy as breathing. Yet the scar tissue on either side of my patella tendon and through my capsule was creating a loud"pop" doing even the simplest of things. Like bending me knee from a straightened postion. Wait, that happens when you walk. Yup, not too comfortable with normal linear motions. So doing anything even close to water polo was not going to happen. Yet.

It became quite clear that what I was going to struggle with most at that point was maintaining a positive outlook with my (what I feel is WAY TOO SLOW) progress back to an athletic level I think is satisfactory for playing on the National Team again.

I know everyone is different. Our bodies heal at their own rate. And I am quite frequesntly reminded I am no spring chicken anymore. (I'm not? Age is a number....I guess until you try and heal something and realize, yes, you really are 31. Boo.) But, I think my lifestyle- staying fit and active and absorbed in this pursuit of something I am passionate about, has made me feel a bit invincible. I attack things thinking I can achieve anything if I just try hard enough. And I still believe that to be true....it just might take a little longer than I previously envisioned. I was not leaping around after 4 weeks, or 6.....not even 10. Uggh.

Now in the 11th week I have seen the most progress. I think I have clawed my way up the mountain I had in front of me. Breaking holes in the sheets of ice, slipping back down a few times, but finally nearing the summit. And what kept me going, besides the images and sensations of future practices and games floating through my head, were appreciating the small moments of joy.

Like dressing up for Halloween at the therapy clinic. I broke out my tutu from my ballerina costume two years ago. And our trainer Lance, sported an amazing Spiderman costume. :)

Or making a trek up to LA to see Joshua Radin in concert for the first time. I got Joshua's CD Simple Times from a friend last year. It was about the same time I was trying to decide what path I should set out on post Olympics. And for some reason the sound of his voice was really calming to me. I would listen to his music as I walked around Greece, or when I was reading or hanging out at home and it would help me think. When I found out about his show I had to see him live. And again, those songs helped to calm my anxiety about the healing process and focus me back on the good.

And of course taking more pictures......

Black Friday getting brighter as Christmas lights start to come on!

Photo(s) of The Day

2009-10-22T20:12:00.001-07:00

My life's pursuit, as of now, is what many others would call a hobby. Cultivating another hobby has never been high on my list. I have always loved to take photos. My little "point and shoot" camera has served me well, documenting my adventures and travels. But.....if I could make a job out of one of my passions, could I do the same with another? Why not give it a try.

I have a new "more complicated" camera. And with the extra time I have while recovering from surgery I think I will learn more about photography, how to properly use this camera, experiment with taking photos and dream up ways in which to use my photos in the future.

You never know what can come of your dreams once you put them out in the universe. :)

These were the first photos I took this morning with the new camera. This kitty lounges on this car every day and seems to be in a perpetual battle to try and keep her coat clean. Always licking and preening. It is no wonder, with how dirty this car is.

I was only going to post one photo, every day, from the batch I take. But it is so hard to choose. And I like it when groups of photos can tell a story. Maybe as I get better I will be able to narrow it down. We shall see.

All cleaned up!

2009-09-25T12:51:00.000-07:00

Ravishing Designer Blue Cap- $5

Exquisite Red Plastic ID Band- $10

Warm 6000 Count Cotton Blanket- $15

Limited Edition Sticky Thermometer Gauge (on my forehead) - $25

(Or is that a bar code to scan me in at the supermarket?)

1 Un-Swollen, Pain-Free, Non-Popping Knee- PRICELESS

The surgery before mine took a little bit longer than scheduled. As I lay there I began to get a little anxious. Incredible teammate and friend, Ericka Lorenz, had driven me to the appointment and was trying to distract me from thinking about what was coming. She blew up a surgical glove and we drew on it.

Something so simple. Made me smile and head to surgery with less stress. :)

Dr. Scott Graham did a splendid job.

Now it is up to me to get the joint back up and running.

Rest, Ice, Elevation and lots of therapy!

Detour in the intended path.

2009-09-22T14:14:00.000-07:00

Books are curiously fascinating to me. I love to read and often go into Barnes and Noble, Borders or Target to just look over the new books. On occasion, I am impulsive and just buy a plethora of new material to have at home when the opportunity arises. A quite moment. A need for escape.

Rarely do I actually think of why I end up with the books I adopt. Some have covers that intrigue me. (I have been successful with that technique and also have had very disastrous outcomes.) Or I will read the back to see if the summary will move me. Sometime I will open the book and read a random passage. If I like the writing style or the excerpt I read, I will make the purchase. A drive-by of my previously trusty authors is always a must.

I also really appreciate a gifted read. Knowing that my friend probably deems this work something that will reach me in some way.

Last year, I got the same book from two people. Maybe that should have been a wake up call to begin reading asap. But with the upcoming Olympics, training and traveling, I never got to it/them. One got packed away in my boxes, heading to storage, during the post-Olympic move. The other, tossed in a bag that ended up piled in the corner of the guest room at my parents house, where I stayed at the beginning of the year.

It wasn't until I was heading to Greece to play that I found it and thought maybe I should include it in my travel bag. It was called The Traveler's Gift. Fitting, no?!

I had been going through this wrestling match in my head before deciding to play in Greece. The time off had given me a chance to analyse the way I felt about playing. Was I doing it because I loved it? Or just because I have been doing it for the last 9 years? Was there something else I wanted to pursue? Deciding to play in Greece I felt gave me this new opportunity to play in a different atmosphere. New country. New teammates. Different goal. Preparing to go over there, I was training a lot on my own. Swimming, lifting, spinning. Not exciting, but do-able. When I got a chance to play "pick-up" polo with men's club and high school teams.....I would leave giddy. Unable to wipe the smile off my face. At least I knew the polo was still the fun part. That was a step in the right direction.

One night in Greece, before we played for the Cup, I was reading late at night. I came across this passage:

"Success requires the emotional balance of a committed heart. When confronted with a challenge, the committed heart will search for a solution."

It was the first time since college, which was a long time ago, that I found a pen and underlined that section. For days I thought about that. And I committed. Playing water polo was what I wanted to do. It makes me happy. And I will see it through for as long as possible.

And this week I found out the path will have a bit of a detour. I slipped on the wall this summer during a swim set. Torquing my knee a bit. I had hoped a bit of rest would eventually help the pain, swelling, and popping to go away. No such luck. An MRI confirmed that I had tears in the back of my knee cap. So some minor arthroscopic surgery will clean it up and I will be back at it again!

Bella!

2009-08-02T22:42:00.000-07:00

A closer look at OUR beautiful gold medal!

To have won or....not?!

2009-07-31T22:41:00.000-07:00

We play a game. The time runs out. The USA has one more goal than our opponent. A win, right?

I had the ball in my possession as the time ran out. I looked at the ball. Then the ref. Then the scoreboard. Yes....WE WON!!!! At which point, I realized I was at about half tank in the pool because I was trying to swim the ball up the field of play to run out the clock. I turned to my left, towards the center of the pool and tried to look back at our bench. I came face to face with my teammate Brenda. Behind her, the fuzzy shapes of the rest of the team and coaching staff, jumping, screaming, flying into the pool, splashing, hugging....celebrating. Brenda said to me...."Petie. We have done it!!! Again!" (Brenda and I have been on the team together since 2000....winning World Championship gold medals in 2003, and 2007.) Realization was setting in. And soon followed the perma-smile. Inner dialogue: "Oh my god. Oh my god. We did it. WE DID IT! OMG. OMG!!!!"

I think from a spectators point of view, our celebrating may look like we are trying to drown each other. A dog pile in a pool can become a precarious situation if you are in the middle, getting kicked and hung on. For our coaches and staff, who have all their clothes on, I know it can't be easy to stay afloat. But with the kind of adrenaline that is coursing though your body, it seems like the best place in the world to be. The tournament staff tried their darndest, to herd us out of the pool and into the locker room to change for the medal ceremony, in a timely fashion.....they were speaking Italian, so it was easy to pretend not to hear them and soak up the moment for just a little longer. ;)

Receiving a medal is an incredible experience. The receiving ceremony, seeing your flag, and if you are on the top tier- a chance to hear your National Anthem. It is enough to make your heart burst.

But for me this year was that much more special. Four years ago, I had come to Italy to play for a professional club in Florence. It was my first experience living abroad and I did not know one bit of Italian. There were twins on my team. Not the tallest girls (OK, most of the high school girls I coached were bigger as freshman than these two), but I soon found that they had gigantic hearts. They taught me Italian, drove me around, welcomed me into their home, and took care of me as if I was their sister. I broke my nose when I was playing there, which was so bad I needed to have nasal surgery to fix it. Their mother sat with me in the hospital, went to the pharmacy and got all my drugs and then doted on me, as all moms do, for the next two weeks while I stayed with them. Coming back home after that season, they visited America once but we have kept in touch mostly over the Internet. I had not seen them in three years....but they made the quick trip to Rome to cheer for us during the entire tournament. They are true water polo lovers and incredible supporters of my water polo adventures. They made the sign above and hung it in the stands. Their seats were positioned directly behind the poles holding the medal winning countries flags. So as I stood atop the podium, heavy medal around my neck, sweet national anthem singing to us....I could clearly see their smiling faces and the jubilant waving of a homemade flag as well. It was an amazing thing to get to share with them.

Then after all this, Canada (our final game opponents) protested the result of the game. They thought there had been a portion of the game that should have been handled differently by the referees. So they put in a formal request of protest, meaning after ALL that.... the celebration, the medals, the hugs from supporters, the adrenaline and joy....we were told we had to wait until 10:30 the next morning to find out if we were, in fact, the winners. I felt like my body was a balloon and someone had just stuck me with a pin. SERIOUSLY?!?

We won Champions Cup!

2009-04-21T15:57:00.000-07:00

Traveling to Russia for the Finals, playing, having fun, and the aftermath!

Playing professionally.

2009-04-13T13:41:00.000-07:00

Vouliagmeni Nautical Club

I have come to Greece to play for a club team, just outside Athens. It is in the small town of Vouliagmeni. The picture above is standing at the club, looking out over the small bay, back at the town. "N.O.B" is the abbreviation for the club. Because I can not understand one bit of Greek, I can not tell you how that translates into Vouliagmeni Nautical Club. But I assure it does, because it is all over our gear, swimsuits, and caps. Either that, or they are REALLY making fun of the foreign kid. Because I trust most everything they tell me. Fending for myself is really hard when the letters are a completely different alphabet. I can't even TRY to sort it out.

I am sure this tells me where the gym is. Better bet is to just follow everyone else.

Luckily, most everyone here does speak English, so I can ask for a translation.

Our coach will give us a swim set in Greek and I wait until she is finished, turn to the girl who swims next to me, and quickly get the English cliff notes. I am one of the two fastest swimmers on the team. So usually I am out in front of the other girls on swim sets. I can not rely on my usual tactic of hanging back to just watch and figuring it out as I go. I learned really quick that the other fast girl is a little jokester. When I think we are doing 5 laps at a time...... I flip for my last lap, push off and look back to see everyone else stop. I pop my head up, and find my translator laughing her head off. That was the day I began auditorially memorizing the water polo terms I would need to get through practice.

Typically, foreigners are asked to come and play for teams for their National League seasons. Each team is allowed two foreign players. One from a fellow European country and one from the Americas or Oceanic/Asian region. The season lasts about 7 months, where each team will play against each other twice, at which point you are placed in post season games until there is a winner. I am not here for that. Our team already has a Spanish goalie, and they picked up my fellow American team mate, center, Moriah van Norman.

During the regular season, the top two teams from the previous years season, play in a European Cup, against the top two teams from the rest of the European professional teams. For the "Champions Cup", teams can bring in additional foreigners. Enter, ME!!!!!

I will only be in Greece for about two months. To help the team in the semi-final, and hopefully final games of the Cup!

Here is another look, from the end of the peninsula, back at the bay and the town of Vouliagmeni. Our pool (it is hard to see) sits on the left side of the bay, just beyond the docked sail boats. Very beautiful place to be playing and practicing!

The downfall of my blog.

2009-04-10T14:35:00.000-07:00

So much for resolutions.

Reasons for not posting regularly:

Lack of Internet.

I decided to come play water polo in Greece. I got a contract playing for a professional club in a town outside of Athens. I live in an apartment (with a fellow American National Team Member- who also plays for the club) and we are stealing Internet from someone in our building. I believe it is the office below us. And because EVERYTHING here is made of stone and marble, going through that kind of material, the connection is jankety at best. Most of the time the only place we can get good reception is sitting on her bed, in her bedroom. It must be positioned directly above the wireless router. And while we are friends and teammates, I do not think she really wants me hanging out in her bed all the time. Space bubbles need to stay intact. So instead of blogging and sharing my stories.....I read and listen to music. Or go out with my new Greek teammates for coffee. (Which I have come to learn is mandatory, daily.)

If I do want to get a strong and reliable porthole to the web, I have to pre-arrange a visit to a teammates house, because I am living overseas sans car. I am completely dependent on my new Greek friends for transport. Due to the fact that most of my creative moments are just before bed, while I am calming down from the days festivities, not having the Internet readily available at home really puts a damper on my posts.

2. FACEBOOK.

The universal black hole of time has sucked me right in. I resisted joining Facebook for a long time. Mostly because it was something that started after I graduated from college. (Yeah, I'm old. ;) Hahaha.) Originally, being just a network for college students with educational email addresses, I couldn't gain access and scoffed at such a segregational institution. Then I caved and joined so I could see some pictures posted of a teammate, by a person I didn't know, who had tagged her, so if I were on Facebook, I could add her, and see her photos. Simple, right?!

Now it is so easy, when I just have a 15 minute window, to just hop on FB, post a status change (My parents love those so they know what I am doing half a world away and I haven't called. I know....BAD DAUGHTER!) check my wall and briefly stalk my friends to see that they are all doing well. If I add a photo or 12, my friends can take a visual tour of my adventures and comment as they wish. Quick and easy.

But let's be honest. Blogging is way more fun. My Facebook friends are not getting my random inner narrative, unless I can fit it into a one line sentence. (Which happens on occasion, I guess.)

Blogging is just far more time consuming. Which brings me back to my point.....

Recapitulations and Resolutions.

2009-01-19T07:24:00.000-08:00

NOTE: This post was written in the beginning of the year. But my life, being very unconventional these days, has run away with me and I never posted it. I am sorry to my readers and will get on top of my posting. (Thank you Tim for giving me a kick in the pants.)

I love getting/sending snail mail. So come the holiday season it is time to:

Make a list of folks to send cards to. In hopes that,with it in writing, I will not forget anyone. (There is always that possibility- So, sorry, if my brain blanked on you this year. Plus it is imperative that I have your address for you to get a card.)

Check and see how many 1,2, & 3 cent stamps I need. (Every year as long as I can remember, Santa has deposited a fresh roll of stamps in my stocking. With the rate at which the price of stamps has increased in the recent years, I have so many random priced stamps collecting dust. It is time they get out in the world and travel.)

Dig out the holiday cards I bought last year on discount. (It really is a great way to save money. And the love sent is still the same.)

(If time will not allow an old fashion card) Devise some sort of home-made holiday hello to send to people.....preferably with pictures because I agree with the notion that 1 picture can say 1000 words. The eHoliday card was utilized a few years ago....but I think nothing will ever compare to a real card.

That done, the real question is.... "What do you put in your card?"

I think if you order those photo cards from Costco or Wallmart or something... Putting the right photo in your card is key. Because then all you have to do is sign it. Nothing else is needed. A ponient shot of the whole family changing a flat tire on your cross country road trip or maybe a surprised shot of the new baby vomiting all over Daddy's new work shirt. Now that would be a great holiday card. :) I particularly liked the card I got with my nephew Conor's photo on it. Right in the center is one of him all naked on a blanket! Cute little baby butt! It was the most adorable thing. I may save it, and show him when he is about 16. Wonder what he will think when he realizes how many people have seen his bum!?!

And if there are no photos and you are sending just a normal old card.........Will just a signature do then?

I believe that it is special just to receive mail in this day and age. But I am not going to lie, this year when I read a few cards, after reading the signature I found myself longing for more. What was happening in these peoples lives? Cuz lets face it.....most of the cards you get at the holidays are from people you do not see very often. Pondering life scenarios in my head I then realized that what these cards did was reconnect them in my head and heart. Weather there was a note or not they still wanted me to know that they were out there somewhere. And now it was up to me to find out more if I want.

My cards were really just an extended holiday hello. Maybe a random thought here and there. Because (if I were posting more regularly) all of my friends and family can find out what I am doing with myself right here on my blog. Pictures included with my random inner narrative. So while I sat there as I wrote my cards and ran through the entire year in my head, recapping my adventures and revisiting the emotions of my memories, I realized that most of them were posted here. Not all of them.....my post-Olympic posts are not created yet.........

Which lead me to start formulating my list of resolutions for the New Year. Near the top of my list was posting more. Dang it. I have already let that one slide. Ooops.

But instead of letting my resolution slide into oblivion. I will turn it around today. Catch it before six months pass and half the year is gone. Baby steps!

CHRISTMAS 2008

2008-12-25T12:00:00.000-08:00

Deck the halls.

2008-12-24T15:06:00.000-08:00

I love to decorate.

The $1 section at Target is a place that I should avoid during all holidays. Individually- "Oh, its only a dollar." When you realize that there are 40 of those dollar specials in the cart already- "Ooops." Last year I adorned my whole apartment with little things from target. My favorite item being the sticky jelly-like window decorations. I stuck them to everything. The window on the front door. The mirror in the bathroom. Fabulous little things.

I even got my tree from Target. It was a great tree. But this year Brandon & Sus (my brother and his wife) introduced me to a far more interactive way to pick out a tree. We cut it down ourselves! (I am not sure where I would have been able to do that when I was living in the Los Angeles area?!? OK, I couldn't have. Unless I cut if out of someone's yard. And I bet I would have been thrown in jail for that.)

When we got to the farm and got out of the car, a man handed us a saw and pointed to the forest. Have at it! We trudged off through the snow in search of OUR tree.

EUREKA!!!!

My job was to hold the little tree while my brother chopped it down. The gloves he brought came in quite handy. Those fresh trees threaten you with copious amounts of sap. Maybe they are crying because they are getting cut down. This tree didn't know how good it would look when I was done with it. :)
Conor seemed to be happy with our selection. But maybe happier to get back to the barn where the owners of the farm had set up heating lamps and all the popcorn you could eat. Then we strapped it to the roof of the car and took it home where I put my skills to use.

I also love listening to Christmas songs. I have collected quite a library of songs over the years. (My playlist on i-tunes says I could listen to Christmas music for 10.6 hours. Overkill? I think not. No two songs are the same. And the variety allows for everyone to find something they enjoy. My favorite album right now is: Celtic Christmas. LOVE the bagpipes.)

The endless stream of audio holiday cheer only served to invigorate my decorating juices. So I bundled up and headed outside in the snow to hang lights on the house. Using a ladder in the snow is not dangerous. That is what I told myself. I am not the kind of person who would sue the ladder manufacturer for not having the warning label big enough. If I fell it would be my own over-zealous holiday stupidity! Injury avoided. Joy spread!

We are ready for Santa!!!

Here comes Santa Claus....

2008-12-24T13:30:00.000-08:00

I can't believe that Christmas is tomorrow!!!
My nephew is really excited about it!
(And so cute in his little hat!)

Snow Days.

2008-12-20T09:56:00.000-08:00

All bundled up and ready to play!

I think the last time I went skiing was almost 10 years ago. Which was about the same time I began training with the national team and realized that if I focused my energy, dreams may be within reach. What used to be a staple on my winter activity list, got sidelined until further notice. Logging hours of training in the pool became my top priority and going to play in the snow happened less and less often.

I was not the only one who didn't want all that effort to go to waste. Without fail, just before winter break in college, came the suggestions from the coaches to "be safe" and "to get your rest" during the time off because the last thing they wanted was an unnecessary injury. Later when I was playing professionally in Italy, my team went on a trip to the Alps. I was forbidden, by the club I played for, to do anything other than make a snowman and drink hot beverages in the lodges. (But I was in the most beautiful mountains, with perfect snow for skiing!!! Alas, receiving my salary every month trumped my urge to fly down the slopes.) It is hard to be in a winter wonderland when you can't do anything in it. Especially when skiing was something that I did every year growing up.

For the last two weeks I have been spending time in Seattle with my brother and his family. I had no idea I would find myself in the ultimate winter wonderland....and I think (if the foot of snow outside does not disappear in 24 hours) my first white Christmas! :)

There still has been no skiing....but the abundance of powdery white has offered many other forms of entertainment. And I am certainly not afraid to frolic like we all did when we were 5!

We took a long trek through the neighborhood...threw a few snow balls at each other. Made our angels. Enjoyed the way the whole world lay quiet with the blanket of snow covering it. No better way to experience your first snow than from a baby bjorn. My nephew, Conor, was trying to figure out exactly what all this white stuff was. Big round eyes taking it all in.
When we got back to the house, my friend Monkey and I, shoveled the driveway to uncover the cars and then made a snowman! (No, we were not confused as to what holiday is coming up. But why let a festive decoration go to waste?)

That was two days ago....it kept snowing and now.....SO MUCH SNOW!!!!!!

It wasn't on the list. But should have been.

2008-11-24T15:24:00.000-08:00

Ever since the movie The Bucket List came out, you KNOW you have put thought into what would be on yours. You may have written it down. Maybe not. I put mine on my blog. While it isn't in ink....cyberspace is keeping it warm for me. And while it exists somewhere, that means I am accountable for it. I have this overwhelming urge (especially because I am not engaged in some type of organized training right now) to start crossing things off it, right now. Why wait?

Two of the things on the list have to do with being up in the air. Hot air balloons and skydiving. I used to have dreams when I was a kid that I could fly. Only I wasn't flying....I was swimming breaststroke in the air. That was probably the closest thing I could imagine the sensation of flying to be like. Being weightless in water is surely what those birds feel like, when they catch a current and seemingly float in the air unmoving. I have always wanted to feel that.

Is that why I dressed as Wonder Woman for Halloween? She has an invisible plane at her disposal. No, I picked the outfit because it came with a cape. :) Which maybe I could wear when I eventually do go skydiving.

Until that opportunity comes around....I got the chance to go in a helicopter!!!! Which is another thing I have always wanted to do, but never have. Being cautioned profusely by my family that I may hurt myself and risk my chances to play at the Olympics, I have blocked it out as a possible activity. (I think what my Mom was really saying was..... "Helicopter tours in Hawaii have a very bad crash record. I would prefer that you stay alive. Do not go on them." Thanks for helping me see the light Mom.) Going in some random flying vehicle, one in which I do not know the maintenance record or attention the particular pilot pays to the details of his bird would make the experience far more stressful and thus subtract from actually absorbing the feeling of flying. So I am glad I waited!

A very experienced helicopter pilot, one who owns his own chopper, happened to be the father of one of the girls I coached this high school season. He offered to take me for a ride around the San Francisco Bay Area when the season ended. I told him that I may pee my pants (with excitement). He may not have been so excited to take me after that, but he took me anyway. :)

Pretending to be the pilot.....

San Francisco & The Golden Gate

GO BEARS!!!!

I should have had "taking a ride in a helicopter" on my list. It was amazing. If you are not afraid of heights or have vertigo or something.....then everyone should think about going up in one. Of course, my mom was right, only with a trusted pilot and healthy aircraft. :)

More Swim Photos

2008-11-08T09:41:00.001-08:00

Team Water Polo staying warm in the ferry. Here we go!

Leaving solid ground. Bye SF!

Passing Alcatraz on the way to the GG Bridge.

Just keep swimming.

I made it to the beach and didn't loose the ball!

I swim because I can.

2008-10-22T20:34:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday was our swim in the Bay! This illustration was hanging in the window of the ferry on the way over to the Golden Gate, to give us an idea of what we were about to get ourselves into.

My first thoughts were, "This drawing is really done well. The colors, shading....and I sure hope it is drawn to scale. Jump in here- swim to here. Not too bad. Lets do it!" Then the fine print on the right caught my eye. OH....58 degrees, huh? That is kinda cold. I was quickly reminded by my good friend Mel, fellow water polo player and a teammate of mine from Cal, that we are tough. We play polo. Good on ya Mel. You are right. :) Thanks for setting me straight. We don't need wetsuits. We can handle it. Over that hurdle, now I needed to know what slack water was. Apparently it was going to happen at 10:20 and if it was written down I was thinking it was probably important. Luckily we had a resident SF Bay expert on the boat with us. He knew everything about the Bay and explained to us that "slack water" was the precise moment that the direction of the current switched from heading OUT of the Bay to going IN the Bay. Which would be a huge advantage to all of us swimmers when we jumped off the boat. We would wait about 10-15 minutes after the switch, then off we would go. He said it would be like surfing on into the beach. (We definitely got a little nudge, but I wouldn't say surfing per say!)

Before we even got to the swim, we started the day off by dropping our cars off at Chrissy Field, where we were going to finish. A shuttle then took us to Pier 9, for the pre-swim logistical stuff. (sign in, get your cap, write your number on your hand in black ink, and mingle with all the other participants) On the ride, we got out a sharpie and began to write the names of people we wanted to honor during our swim on our water polo ball.
Later we announced to all the swimmers that if they wanted to add a name, they were welcome to do so.

Here is a close up of one of the panels.

The ferry ride over to the Golden Gate lasted about an hour. One of the organizers of the swim, Janel Jorgensen (an Olympic Swimmer) gathered us together to talk about why she started this charity swim here in the Bay Area and how cancer had affected her life. Following Janel's lead, many people got up and told stories of loved ones, some defying huge odds, others who had lost their battles. Some of the stories were about names that had been written on our ball earlier. There were tears. And the stories infused us all with a fire to get on to the swim. To do something for the people we were learning about.

My friend Mel, got up and spoke on behalf of our team of water polo players. At the end of what she was saying she told us to remember...."We swim because we can." We are healthy. We have the ability to get out there and do something, like swim in a blastedly cold body of water. So why not? Everyone should have that right. To be healthy. To physically do as they wish.

Jump. Dive. Hop. Slide. Skip. Anything! We were swimming for the people that could not join us due to a nasty disease. We also were swimming WITH people who beat it and were able to keep swimming!

I was very proud that our little team of water polo players raised almost $10,000!!!!

(So many THANK YOU'S to the people who donated!)

Swimming in San Francisco Bay!

2008-10-03T16:03:00.000-07:00

In two weeks, I will jump into the San Francisco Bay and swim 1.5 miles, under the Golden Gate Bridge, around one of the pylons and then back to Chrissy Field Beach! I am really excited!!!

I figure since I am in great physical shape coming home from Beijing, there is no better way to put my skills to use than for a cause in which I am very passionate! I will be swimming with a team of water polo enthusiasts the whole way....we are even going to bring a water polo ball along for our little swim! :)

There are three reasons why this organization hits home for me. The first, because I love to swim. My skills as a swimmer have provided me with opportunities beyond my dreams- traveling the world, three amazing Olympic experiences, and most importantly, lasting friendships with my teammates, coaches and supporters. Secondly, donations from this event will go towards supporting the Children's Hospital in Oakland--the hospital where I spent the first two weeks of my life. I was born 8 weeks premature and without their help and resources, I would not be the person I am today. And thirdly, proceeds from Swim Across America will go towards supporting cancer research, treatment and patient care--another cause with which I have a very personal connection. My Aunt, Bonnie Sauter, has had a long standing battle with cancer and I have always admired her strength in battling this disease. I hope that in a small way, our swim can impact the families with their own battles and one day we can completely eradicate the disease.

If you would like to learn more about the organization, Swim Across America or donate to our Team, I encourage you to click the link below.

Donate to my swim!

I know that right now, with the financial issues we are all facing, it may be difficult for you to donate. But know that even the smallest amount can help! THANK YOU!!!!!

How many people can you fit....

2008-09-21T22:49:00.000-07:00

in the cockpit of an airplane?

In this picture you can see 8 of us and the very nice pilot, Brad. The entire team was squished up front. 13 + a pilot= 14 people in one VERY small space. I snapped this picture from my scrunched up fetal position. Squished between the tiny front windshield, a few million weird buttons, and the pilots strange joystick like-steering wheel. Here we all are....

I met Brad while we were waiting at the gate to board our flight from Chicago to Los Angeles. (Yup, this was the, most uncomfortable, fever ridden, last leg of our trip home from China that I talked about in an earlier post.) We had our medals out to show some of the kids and parents that were sitting around us. Brad walked by, to go do his pre-flight pilotish things, and then came right back to ask if we could take a picture with him on his phone. Anything for the man who was going to get us home safe. :)

Once inside the plane, just before take off he announced to the plane he wanted the WHOLE Olympic Women's Water Polo Team to come up to the cockpit for a photo before takeoff. On time departure? Um....maybe Brad's next flight. Because we proceeded up to the front, with medals on, sharing the beauties with people along the way. Then ensued the mayhem of getting us all inside there. After the photos were taken, we did finally leave Chicago.....due to Brad's stellar flying skills we landed 10 minutes early. No one at the receiving airport had to know we left a little late. ;)
I had never been in the cockpit of an airplane. Thanks Brad!

A Closer Look!

2008-09-10T13:28:00.001-07:00

I thought maybe I would start with a close up of our medal. This has become the symbol of our team's journey these last four years. It is a beautiful medal. The pictures do not do it justice at all.

Between the years of 1896(the first modern Games) and 2000, all of the medals had the same design on the front. It featured the Goddess Athena and the Olympic Stadium. When the Games came back to Athens in 2004, the design was changed to the one you see below. Still the same basic elements, just a little different. Medals in the future will all have this new design on the front. I am lucky to have one medal with the older design, and now two with the new one. (Eventually I will get a picture of all three medals together!)

The back of the medal is designed by the host country. That is a ring of light green jade. The gold medals have white jade in them and the bronze features a darker (most common in jewelry) green jade. The lighter the shade of jade the more rare.
The ornate Chinese design used to hold on the ribbon looks cool but is not made with practicality in mind. The edges are rough in the places were the ribbon comes in contact with it. Putting the medal on and off, or taking it out to show people and let them hold it has caused the ribbon to fray on the edges! I don't like that it is happening but that will not stop me from sharing it with everyone!

Finding Normalcy.

2008-09-07T11:33:00.000-07:00

It has been quite a while since my last post. I am sorry to leave you all wondering what has been happening since we won our medal. While I thought it would be a leisurely return to the States and back to normal life (wait, what is that?)....it has been anything but.

When we first touched down in America, on our flight from Beijing to Chicago, I realized I had caught a nasty flu and brought it along for the ride home. By the time I was on the plane from Chicago to LA, fever had set in and all I wanted was to be home and laying in my bed.

Which is where I stayed for the next two days once I made it to my apartment. Nyquil and Ambien helped to keep me asleep or simply mask the symptoms until I was ready to face the world. At which point, I began my battle with jet lag. I was awake in the middle of the night and sleeping during the day. Not having a practice to go to or a real schedule threw me for a loop. I found myself waking up and feeling late for something. Or wondering where my teammates were. Separation anxiety? After about a week of that, then the crazy post-Olympic Media fest had begun. Which was great because having things down on my schedule gave me motivation to do even the simplest things. Like LAUNDRY! Yes, my bags from China sat on my floor unopened for over a week. If I could only describe the smell when I opened the bag! I had brought China home with me- not good! Don't worry, now everything smells like Tide, all happy and fresh!

Now all clean and ready to get back out there with our silver medal, I have gotten to do a few awesome things, which I will go into more detail very soon. Pictures and all, since the restrictions on blogs from the Olympics are over!!!

Things to look forward to:

Being honored at the LA Sparks Game
Throwing out the first pitch at the Giants Game in San Francisco
Being on the OPRAH SHOW!

NOTE: The Oprah Show that all the Olympians are on airs on Monday September 8th, 2008.

Which is exactly one month since the start of the Olympics. Watch out for us on TV!!!!

We WON a silver medal!!!!!

2008-08-21T22:53:00.000-07:00

This is just a quick lil post to let everyone know how grateful I am for the support these past days, weeks, months.....all of your wishes had a huge impact on our teams success here in Beijing.

Now that the competition is over, I am going to spend a few days in Beijing relaxing with my family, exploring the city and remembering our journey with my teammates. Once I get back to the US, and the blogging restrictions on athletes are lifted, I will post all sorts of pictures and stories from our adventures here. So if you are interested check back and enjoy!

THANKS AGAIN!

Blogger Of Note!?!

2008-08-20T21:58:00.001-07:00

Oh my! Last night, just as I was finishing my post on our bears, Nat walked into the athlete lounge and asked what I was doing. I told her I had written about our Build A Bear adventure. I had just closed my web browser, and was about to shut down my computer when she asked to take a quick peak at the post. So I re-opened Safari to get at my blog. I have my homepage set to a customized iGoogle page displaying the "widgets" that interest me the most. Things like:

The weather in cities that pertain to me.
The National Geographic Picture of the Day (I am in awe of what they capture!)
Latest updates on People.com (I am a total sucker for that stuff.)
World Clocks (So I know what time it is in other countries where I have friends.)
A calendar (Because I never know what day it is.)
Blogger of Note

I added the Blogger of Note widget when I first started my blog because I thought it was such a cool way to see what people out there had to offer. Being new to the blogging world I figured these pros had things to teach me....I was amazed by what was out there. Over time, as I saw cool things on other blogs, I added elements to my own. There are still things that I have no idea how to do, but hopefully when I have more time I will be able to learn. I really just wanted to share my stories! :)

Boy was I surprised when as I re-opened my web browser to show Nat my blog. My eyes went right to that Blogger widget as it has ever day for over a year..........and there was The Dish!!!!!!!!

THANK YOU SO MUCH BLOGGER!!!!!!! I can not tell you what it means to me to have my blog selected for this honor. My blog was started to share my life, in my sport, with friends and family. Now Blogger has helped to share water polo with so many more people. On a day that is so important for our sport, for female athletes, and for me.....it really touched my heart and helped make this time more special.

Thanks for reading and for all the support!!!!

2008-08-20T04:29:00.001-07:00

We have just about 24hours left until we play our final match. We had practice to cover our game plan. We had dinner and massage/treatment time. We are ready.

Now is the time to think about something else. To relax. Because thinking about playing tomorrow will only wind me up. Which does not help in the sleep department. I started a book two days ago, The Last Lecture, and I will surely finish it tonight. It was given to me by a great friend, our athletic trainer from the Athens Games in 2004, Elicia Leal. She likes to share good reads with me and she has never let me down. This book is phenomenal. If you haven't read it-ask around, borrow it, go to the library or your local Barnes and Noble- just f ind it. I hear the actual lecture that he gave can be found on YouTube. Once I am done reading the book I would like to watch him give the speech. I think he would be a fascinating lecturer. One of the themes that he keeps stressing is realizing childhood dreams and in doing that, really enjoying life in the moment. I have found his words popping in my head in those idle moments riding on the bus or laying on my bed resting. I have enjoyed having water polo in my life. I think it definitely keeps me enjoying the things happening to me right NOW.

Before we left for China, we had a few games against Australia in San Diego. My roommate on our little road trip was Betsey Armstrong (our goalie). We got back to the room after our first game and I noticed that the maids had been there while we were gone, to tidy up. First thing I saw was this adorable red, white and blue, squishy fluffy bear wearing a little patriotic swim suit sitting on Betsey bed. My first thought was: "Who brought that in here?!" My eyes scanned my bed. Nope. Nothing there. Only one bear. What enthusiastic Olympic fairy came in here to pump up Betsey while we were gone???? At which point I voiced my confusion. Pointing at the bear, out came: "Where did you get that, Bets?" She smiled and laughed at me. (That is why I love Betsey) She explained that her friend had made it for her, for good luck, at the Build A Bear Workshop. And it's name was Betsey. Cute. Right then I knew I wanted one too.

Now instead of waiting patiently for someone to make one for me. I wrangled up my teammate Natalie and we went on over to Build A Bear to make ourselves cuddly reminders of our patriotic mission in the coming weeks. Nat built mine for me and I built hers. Then we picked out outfits....which actually took a while because we wanted them to be perfect. Finally we named them. My bear is named Chyna. (Pronounced China) Natalie's bear is named Olive. (After the olive branches we received in Athens when we won our medals- it is one of the original symbols of the Olympics)

Now you could say we are silly for such shenanigans, but I believe that things like this reinforce the pure joy you can get out of doing the most simple of things. Making a teddy bear..... playing a water polo game. What are you going to do today that will make you smile????

Team.

2008-08-19T03:30:00.000-07:00

I am at a loss for words. It is hard to describe what is going through my head right now. (I think I have spent 10 minutes just starting at the screen.)

We beat the Aussies. We are one step closer to our goal. In two days we could be Olympic Champions!?!?!

Yeah, I know I have been in situations similar to this is the past....but this isn't a feeling that gets old. I can safely say that instead it just intensifies. I am ecstatic. And I am so proud of what we have done to get to this point. Believe me the path has not been all kittens, puppies and all things fuzzy and nice. But when it comes down to the final wire it takes the whole team to get it done.

In the game against the Aussies, I got an ejection early which earned me a primo spot on the bench for a little while. I was jumping out of my seat, itching to get back in the water. But I know that my defense (I love defense) will be needed at the end of the game, so I must wait patiently for the green light from the coach to go back in. It is the very hard to sit there and wait. Physically you have no control. But mentally I found myself to be rather calm. I am so lucky to be a part of a team with such incredible depth. Each and every person out there contributes and if we run our system correctly there will be someone open, no matter who it is, that person is capable of getting the job done. Someone pointed out today that every person on our team has scored. And both goalies have made saves. Oh that makes me so proud and CONFIDENT! :)

Bring on the Netherlands and lets bring home the gold!

Oh! And today was Patty's Birthday! Talk about a great birthday present!

Guess who just came into the athlete lounge?

2008-08-17T05:13:00.000-07:00

I was sitting in the athlete lounge with my teammates Natalie Golda and Jamie Hipp when Meredith Vieira and a camera crew from the Toady Show walks in. She was interviewing one of the USA Shooters, Corey Cogdell, who won a bronze medal at the start of the Games. Corey was showing her around the lounge, giving her a rundown of all the amenities we have here in the 2nd floor of our apartment tower- Internet, closed circuit TV showing all the events, telephones that allow us to call home for free(!), snacks, drinks, and couches to relax on. (The USOC provided us with this lounge and it is just for US athletes. There are general international lounges in the Village but they are really crowded and this gives us a little space of our own. It is also decked out with red, white and blue things and Getty Image photos from the games this far, to pump us up.)

Corey brought Meredith into the room we were relaxing in and she chatted with us a bit. So look out for us on the Today show! Nat decided it was a great time to announce on television that I was single, since Meredith asked us about athletes hooking up during the Games. I am pretty sure I turned red after that. Sweet. Totally embarrassed on national television. :) But hey, maybe people will remember water polo now!

I'm glad I play water polo.

2008-08-15T23:13:00.000-07:00

Two days ago I sat next to Daniel Cormier, who is an American Freestyle Wrestler in the 96kg weight class, on the bus from BNU (our training facility as described in a previous post) to the Village. The ride was about 20 minutes and we had a very nice chat. I learned a few things about wrestling and he asked me a few things about polo. For example: How on earth do the goalies jumps out of the water to block balls. She MUST be standing on something, right? - Nope. :) It is eggbeater and breaststroke kicks that allow her to come out of the water like that. The pool is way to deep for any of us to touch. It is all swimming and treading water!

As I sat there and talked to him I noticed he was holding a small to-go box in his hand. It had a chicken sandwich in it. Just two pieces of dry bread. One piece of grilled chicken. One piece of lettuce. So I asked him if that was dinner, or just a nighttime snack. Thinking for SURE it was just a snack for the bus ride! He looked at me and said "No, it's dinner. The last time I ate was at 9:30 this morning."

WHAT!???!!!! Ok, so now I was utterly starving for him. This man was a big, muscularly strong man. How on earth was he able to sustain himself on just that? He told me about how he eats very little, especially when preparing to make weight. Then how after he makes weight he drinks tea and eats soup to expand his stomach before he can eat regularly. He will gain about 30 pounds in the time before he competes. Good lord I could not do that! I started laughing because I told him I ate like fifteen times what he did. He said that wasn't possible. Want to make a bet!

He asked what I had just ate for dinner. Now, the food at BNU is awesome. It is like being at home....actually better than home, because someone else is cooking it for us! That night I had eaten 5 BBQ chicken skewers, half a plate of grilled vegetables, a pile of potato wedges, a salad, three cupcakes, a plate of fresh fruit, and later when I was still hungry a grilled cheese. Yes. I eat a lot.

It was his turn to laugh. Looking at me he said how is that possible....you must only weigh 140lbs....heck no, try 168. Then he said "Well, you must burn a lot of calories, but when you are done you better watch what you eat girl! You can't keep eating like that!" Don't worry I will. :) But for now....all that food is what helps me swim fast and sustain my energy for a whole game.

While on the topic of food....tonight the chef made scallop and shrimp kabobs, lemon broccoli and twice baked potatoes!!! Talk about gourmet!!!! YUM!!!! For dessert I put rice pudding on top of an english muffin. It tasted like a churro!!!!

Playing for a medal.

2008-08-15T07:09:00.000-07:00

WE WENT OUT FIRST IN OUR BRACKET!!!! Which means we go directly to the semi-final game in four days. We will play the winner of the Australia vs. China quarter-final game. We have the morning off tomorrow so I will give you all a better update then. I am just so excited right now and wanted to get this out as soon as I could!

Very Impressed.

2008-08-13T22:50:00.000-07:00

Dad, Me, Mom, Uncle George, Aunt Nora, & Linda

While we are competing we have very limited time to see the family and friends that have traveled all the way to China to cheer us on. After the game finishes and we have warmed down and showered we have about 30 minutes to see them. I try and get as many hugs and kisses in as possible, then we swap stories on life as we know it in China. (I always bring my dad a mini Snicker's bar from the athlete lounge by the pool. It makes him smile.)

Our family and friends have been doing a great job in the cheering department. The Chinese have hired whole sections of people, wearing yellow shirts equipped with noise makers and practiced chants to make a commotion during the games. But our throng of proud supporters always manages to be heard above the rest. And with their own personal flair!

This is Natalie Golda's posse: family friend Mary, brother Zack, and fiancee Eric.

A win is a win.

2008-08-12T04:00:00.000-07:00

Game #1. Check.

For those of you who may have missed our first game....we played China last night. We won! 12-11. It was a close game throughout the match and at one point we were even down in the final period. We capitalized on two opportunities in the last minutes to put us up by one. At the final buzzer we walked away with a "W".
Everyone we talked to said that it was a great game to watch. The crowd was in to it. China, playing at home, how could it not be? Our fans were battling with the multitude of Chinese people to see who could be louder. Our media director Greg, informed us today that it was the highest scoring game in Olympic history. That's right! Setting records and dazzling fans all in one!

Not everyone was so happy about it. The first thing my mom said when I saw her after the game was "Please don't do that again. I still feel a little nauseous from being so nervous." I just smiled. Oh, Mom. It's OK. Really. A journalist asked me if I was surprised the game was so close. No, not really. I believe all the games are going to be close. If you expect that going into a match than you can relax and just play. Personally, I think it is fun to play in close games. All that adrenaline pumping. The opposing team giving you their best and you battling back with yours. In the end, even if it is only by one, a win is still a win. :)

Tomorrow we play Italy. It will be another close game. Their team has a lot of experienced players, returning 8 of their 2004 gold medalist. Lots of good water polo to watch! Cheer loud! Go USA!

RAIN.

2008-08-10T21:53:00.000-07:00

It rained last night. Big, fat, warm drops. It had been threatening a torrential downpour all day. Teasing us with light showers and heavy misty air. But after practice when we came out of the pool area to walk to the locker rooms it was dumping. People were gathering around the windows and an open door to watch the water flow down the stairwells and form pockmarked puddles in the courtyard between buildings.

I stopped in my path to the changing rooms. I was already wet from being in the pool and in my bathing suit. Never again would I be able to dance around in the rain in china. My bag went to the floor and I was out the door. It wasn't cold. It wasn't hot either. (finally!) The drops were coming down in thick sheets. Looking directly up at the gray sky, I had to half close my eyes, so my eyelashes were woven together as protection against the invading drops. Abandoning that, I just focused on splashing around in the puddles until my teammates came out to play with me.

Today the rain has past and with it has gone the heat. I actually wore something with long sleeves today! I'm going to go lay down.....GAME TIME in a few hours! China here we come!

Bring on 08.11.08

2008-08-09T06:29:00.000-07:00

Oh there are so many photos I am itching to show you! Alas, those will have to wait. :)

Highlights of the Opening Ceremonies:

Wearing wool pants and a wool blazer with a long sleeve blouse and a scarf wrapped around my neck in 90 degree/high humidity/no breeze weather. BUT, we looked good! (Not a bit of my clothes were dry after six hours.)
The lighting of the torch was AWESOME. I hope you have all watched it on TV by now....but this man ran/flew the torch around the rim of the stadium in order to light the cauldron. I filmed him doing it and it took over 8 minutes! That takes incredible skill and core strength to move like that, while being dangled in the air AND not have your face singed off by the flame in front of you! (I got chills-despite the sweating- and almost cried)
We met and took pictures with the President of the US! He seemed to know a little bit about water polo! Even if his staff had just told him about us, I don't care.....he still made us feel special!
I took a picture with Kobe Bryant. Later on the field, after we marched in, the whole team at one point surrounded him to keep the hundreds of eager fans at bay and give him a moment of reprieve from picture taking. I give him a lot of credit for being so gracious to every athlete that came up to him and asked for a photo. He was incredibly nice to everyone and even chatted it up with Brenda in Italian. It was awesome for us all to just be athletes together.
Meeting Jason Kidd (a fellow Golden Bear) and talking to Coach K.
We used an excellent exit strategy and made it onto the 3rd of about 100 or more buses leaving the stadium back to the village. (Basically we were like little duckings following our 6'8" bald assistant coach, as he weaved through the masses pouring out of the stadium, like he was playing Frogger.)We got home quickly and made our coach very happy.
I got a picture of the countdown clock at exactly 20:08:08. I wish they didn't use military time. It would have looked cool. But it is still a moment frozen in time.
We got mini-snickers in our snack bag as we entered the holding arena before the parade. It is the little pleasures. :)

I took a lot of video since this time I wanted another form of recording my memories. i think the sounds and moving images will be powerful to watch as the years go on. I have no idea why I never brought a video camera before. Maybe it is because they were so bulky. My Flip Cam is smaller than my normal camera! So after this is all over maybe I can post some video too!

Now that the Games are open it is time to focus on the competition at hand. Practice bright and early in the morning and again in the afternoon. Last opportunity to go over the plan for China on the 11th! Can't wait till the games start!

Full of Pride.

2008-08-07T22:33:00.000-07:00

The countdown on the side of my blog says there is just over ONE day left until the Olympics start. Well, that is according to California time. Here we have just about EIGHT HOURS left. Kind of fitting that I am finally about to sit down and blog with that mystical number of hours left. :) So tonight we will all be decked out in our Opening Ceremonies Outfits (provided by Ralph Lauren) ready to march out into the stadium when the say "The United States of America" over the loud speaker. While the festivities start at 08:08 pm, we will not come out for over an hour after that. I believe they told us we will be the 139th country to enter!

I have become increasingly aware of the fact that whenever I think, speak, or write about the opening ceremonies and think about what we will be representing during it....I get the chills. Full on goosebumps all over my body. No matter where I am. Walking around in this heat i marvel at my body's ability to create those little bumps when I am already burning up and sweating up a storm. Talk about a the power of the mind!

I know that I am a patriotic person. Right before I left I painted my toenails with the American Flag. (So did my teammates Natalie Golda and Brenda Villa!) I brought an American Flag with me to the Games and have it hanging in my room. I have stars tattooed on my wrist which is the part of the flag I stare at when our anthem is playing before a game.

But today I got a new thrill when I walked up to the tower of apartments we call home for these two weeks. Never before in my Olympic or Pan American (the two major tournaments in a quad) experiences was our delegation allowed to have flags hanging on the outside of the buildings. It was a security precaution. They didn't want people to immediately know where we were. But every other country has flags hanging from their balconies, windows and stairways. Brazil has a flag so big it hangs down three stories of their building. We were the only buildings NOT to have decorations. But today walking back from the bus after training I looked up to see OUR FLAG proudly waving off every balcony. I dropped my bag and jumped over to hug our trainer, who almost fell over because her equipment bag was so heavy. It was such a beautiful thing to see! (And yes, I got goosebumps again.)

From Daxing to The Olympic Village.

2008-08-04T22:23:00.000-07:00

We woke up yesterday morning for our last training and found that it was the hottest day since we arrived AND the most humid. I took my camera to the pool to get a shot of the pool we have been training at. As you can see, there is so much water in the air the flash reflected off of it making the picture all hazy. Pretty impressive you can get a visual of the thickness in the air without actually being here!

So after our last three hour practice with The Netherlands (I'm not sure if I explained that before....the whole reason we came to Daxing when we first got to China was to go to a place where we could train while we got acclimated to the time difference. The Netherlands in not in our bracket of play during the preliminary rounds, so we invited them to train against us. We had two "official" scrimmages- official as they could get while running off someones wristwatch since the game clocks were missing! , two practices where we played "man-up and man-down situations" against each other, and a few solo practices for fine tuning.) we got all packed up and ventured out into the sauna to load the bus. I think it took three seconds for my favorite shirt we got to be completely soaked through. My wrists were sweating before I even reached down to grab my bag and haul it into the baggage compartment! Wrists sweat? I mean I am an athlete and work out all the time. This place is hot!

But that of course didn't put any sort of damper on our enthusiasm to get to the Village! We had coordinated matching outfits for the trip so that the team arrived looking great and tough. Black has a way of doing that. And if you look close the lettering is in gold. That has to be some sort of subliminal message to the world, right? Well, no need for subliminal.

And now we are here! This Village is incredible. The buildings and surrounding gardens (yes, beautiful Chinese gardens filled with flowers, ponds, and statues!) are gorgeous. The food is great. And there are so many amenities for the athletes. Now I would love to show you pictures of all these things but when we got here we were better informed of all the restrictions placed on blogs during the Games. And there are many! The biggest let down for me is that there can be no pictures of anyone but me from now on. Which is a huge cramp in my style since where ever I go my teammates are sure to follow and I love taking pictures with them. AHAH! I am still trying to make sure I have all the guidelines straight before I post something that gets me in trouble! So after looking through the almost 100 photos I took just yesterday after arriving her shortly after 3pm....there is only 1 photo of just me. Here I am with the HUGE mascot of the water sports located right next to the dining hall!

Oh and one more thing. I act like a kid in a candy store, all star struck by the other athletes. My teammate, Patty Cardenas, was sitting next to me at lunch yesterday. We had almost finished when she made a squeak I have never heard come from her before, a smile spread across her face and she pointed behind our table. I looked up to see the back of a Spanish athlete as he walked away. What Patty? That is the tennis player Nadal! OH gosh Patty. SWEET! Wimbledon Champion and all around awesome tennis player! She was sooo excited to see him. She is a huge fan. I was like "Lets go get a picture!". So we chased him down....and despite the fact that he was on his phone, and probbaly bothered by the many fans that were coming up to him, he took a picture with us. The smile didn't leave Patty's face all night. That is what the Olympics are all about!

You've got mail.

2008-08-03T06:13:00.001-07:00

So I thought I would try something out.....

Who wants a postcard from the village?

Now, I know I could be getting myself into something crazy because I am really not sure how many people are actually reading this. Which is why I am putting a time limit on this. According to my world clock it is 6:15am in California on Sunday, August 3. Here in China it is 9:15pm. We practice tomorrow morning one more time before we HEAD TO THE VILLAGE!!! (Can you sense my excitement?) Once we get to the village I will try and check my blog. If you want to receive a postcard from me, from the village, just leave your address in a comment at the bottom of this post. We have the day after that off, giving us time to explore the Village. At which point I will get postcards. But if your comment comes too late....than the window for mail will have closed, because I will need to simply concentrate on competing after that.

Recap.

Comment before the wee hours on Monday, August 4th = snail mail from the Olympic Village.

*****NOTE*****
Thank you all for reading my blog! The time has now run out. All the comments posted thus far should look out for a post card in the mail soon!
Again, thanks for the support and may you enjoy all the future stories!

Feeding the masses.

2008-08-02T21:48:00.000-07:00

Meet William. He is the chef that has been cooking for us while we are in Daxing. He is employed by the USOC (United States Olympic Committee) for the duration of the Games, to cook for the USA Athlete delegation. We are lucky enough to have him with us for this week, while we are training here.

When we move to the Village tomorrow, he will go back to BNU, a university that the USOC has commandeered in Beijing. There, the USOC has manufactured an Olympic Training Center complete with an "American" style cafeteria (that is where William comes into play), training facilities for all sports, a weight room powered by 24 Hour Fitness, and business center for athletes and coaches to utilize for preparation purposes. It is supposed to mirror facilities you would find in Colorado Springs, thus giving us a place to feel "at home" while we are competing here.

When William isn't cooking for us he is working at the Miami Marriott, in Biscayne Bay.

Fun Facts I have learned about William:

Largest group he has cooked for- 1,500 people!
He fed a Pro Football Team of 75, who was in Miami to play the Dolphins. They ate enough food to normally feed 400 people.
He can cook an entire meal using just those small cans of chemical fire that you put under trays to warm them at a buffet. (This technique has been utilized during the hurricanes in Florida)
While in China, cooking for the US athletes he is not allowed to use butter. The only thing he has in the kitchen that is even a little bit fattening is extra virgin olive oil. Ha!

The 13 of us are definitely not creating a big enough challenge for him!!!! This must seem like vacation.

Add these to your I-Tunes Library.

2008-08-02T02:36:00.000-07:00

Each person on the team picked out a song to add to our pump up mix. Bets couldn't choose so she has two. :) This is what we will be listening to during weight sessions and before games!
(songs are listed in order by cap number)
1.Take Me Out-Franz Ferdinand
1.I'm Shipping Up To Boston-Dropkick Murphys
2.The Way I Are-Timbaland
3.Mercy (feat. The Game) [Remix] -Duffy
4.This Way-Dialated Peoples Feat. Kanye West
5.Eye of the Tiger-Survivor
6.You-Atmosphere
7.Lose Yourself-Eminem
8.Stronger-Kanye West
9.Tear It Up-Yung Wun

10.Numb/Encore-Linkin Park (Ft. Jay-Z)
11.American Boy (ft. Kanye West)0-Estelle
12.Forever-Chris Brown
13.Grace Kelly-MIKA

Daxing, China.

2008-08-01T16:53:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a beautiful day here in Daxing! Clear BLUE sky with wispy, light and fluffy clouds lazily floating around. The sun shone through instead of being a big hazy orange ball in the sky. In the distance we could even see huge black multi-layered mountains surrounding the whole area! It felt like we were home, in Southern California, after a rainstorm and suddenly the San Gabriel Mountains are staring at you with snow capped peaks, where before there was only a thick layer of yellowish smog. The scene was a refreshing change. When the smog departed, so did the humidity. Walking outside last night (mind you our walk is VERY short....our hotel is about 200 yards from the pool complex) made me want to pull up a lounge chair, break out a cold beverage and watch the sunset or have a BBQ. It was one of those perfect temperatures where it doesn't feel hot or cold, and there is a slight breeze to keep you feeling that way. Instead of rushing to the entrance to the hotel, I think I may have strolled. :)

Alas, today is a new day. It is back to being hot and humid. The sky isn't quite as blue. But it has a bluish tint. The team went outside to take a picture for Hawaiian Island Creations(who donated the sweet shirt) and Fuzzy Duds(who donated the awesome shorts).

We were out there for about four minutes at which point we scurried back inside due to excessive sweating. May there be more days like yesterday in our furture!!!

Pump Up Poster

2008-07-31T23:03:00.000-07:00

My good friend Darcy, the whiz with photoshop and the same person who made the header for my blog, made the team an inspirational poster to take with us to the Village. Thought I would share it with you!

Thank You!

2008-07-31T17:50:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to thank everyone for the support you all have given me throughout this crazy journey. I have received numerous e-mails, phone calls, text messages, facebook posts, and snail-mail letters.....all have left an imprint on my heart and I carry your words with me here, as I get ready to compete. Knowing that so many people are behind me is an immeasurable advantage in competition. I could not have reached where I am today without all of you.

When I moved to Long Beach in 2002 to start full time training for Athens I started to frequent a local cafe for breakfast. It was right around the corner from my house. The Potholder Cafe on Broadway and Euclid. If you are in the area stop by! The food is fabulous and the coffee keeps us going on the hardest of Fridays. The waitresses have become our friends, following our competition schedules and feeling the emotions of wins and losses like they were on the team themselves. The day before we left I drove by and saw this message they wrote on the window.

Thank You Mo and Beth. We love you! :)

Leaving Home. Arriving in China.

2008-07-31T00:16:00.000-07:00

I love to travel. I hate packing. Why can't someone invent a machine (a la The Jetsons) that you type in what you need and out pops your perfectly packed bag. We invented dishwashers, laundry machines and i-pods. Come on, this can't be asking too much. ha ha :)

About two weeks ago we were given a list of mandatory things to bring. The list wasn't long- our swim suits and a short list of speedo clothes we got. (USA Water Polo has a contract with Speedo so we need to wear their swim suits and clothes on the pool deck.) Those things were neatly folded and ready to go in the bag in seconds....that was the easy part. Then I had to think about the month I would be gone and exactly what else I would need.

*******

Here are things I have learned over the years:

1.I will need toiletries like shampoo, face wash, body lotion, tooth paste....Packing normal size anything makes my bag heavy and takes up space. But being on a month long trip, I need to pack enough of my favorite things so that I have them for the duration. If I can buy the items where I am going....then I just pack one travel size of each and buy more as needed. But if I am going to a place where buying things in not an option, I pack a few travel size containers of each thing. They are small and can fit in the random space in my bag. As I use them up, I throw the containers away and my bag gets lighter and has more space-to fill with all the things I buy while on the trip. OH! And I ALWAYS put them inside plastic bags. With the way our bags get thrown around there is always something that explodes.

2. I always pack more underwear than I need.

3. If I can- I make my carry-on a little roller bag. Walking through the giant terminals and waiting in security lines with a huge bag/backpack full of heavy things like books, snacks, a water bottle and a computer is sure to make my back hurt. Factor in some quality time in those extremely comfortable airplane seats and my whole body hurts. Unless you are lucky and fly Business Class, rollers are the way to go!

4. Packing anything electronic? I always double check I have the cords to recharge them. Frustrating times without them!

5. An added bonus if I have room are things that may make me sleep better- my own pillow, an alarm clock, and a prescription of Ambien. Because everything on a trip is better if I am well rested. :)

****

After a few trips to Target and rummaging thorough my room, the pile next to all my Speedo stuff had grown quite a bit. (There were three books, an i-pod, my computer, sunglasses, assorted snacks, a bag of starburst, a camera, my FlipVideo, room decorations, a teddy bear, a weight belt.....your get the picture) Now how was I going to fit all of that into a two foot long roller bag and a backpack? I couldn't take a large roller bag because on our way to China we were stopping in San Jose for Team USA Processing (I'll go into that in detail later) and I was going to be getting a lot of team apparel and a few bags there. So we were told to fit our stuff in the smallest amount of space possible.

Of course I managed to do it. I did have to re-pack it a few times when things didn't fit. I guess I should look at it like a game or a puzzle and it would be more fun. But I'm still leaning towards a machine that does if for me.

Here we are boarding the plane for China.....

And then we landed 12 hours later to be greeted by one of the Olympic mascots!!!

Home.

2008-07-20T23:14:00.000-07:00

A week ago we finished a four game series against Australia.
Results were as follows:
July 4th @ The US National Training Facility- Los Alamitos, Ca 13-12
July 6th @ Coggan Aquatic Center- La Jolla, Ca 12-11
July 8th @ Coronado High School- San Diego, Ca 12-6
July 10th @ Avery Aquatics Center- Stanford University, Palo Alto, Ca 7-5

Playing every other day, the line-up of games was designed to simulate the schedule that we will have once we start our competition in China. Play a game. Have a day off to fine tune what is needed for the next game and maybe rest a little. Play again.

This schedule was adopted in 2003 at World Championships in Barcelona. Before, games were played everyday. The women playing one week, followed by the men's competition the next. (At the Sydney Olympic Games we played 5 round robin games, a semi, and a final-and were finished in the first week of the Games) But too many times one of the semi-final games went into overtime, then sudden death, having a match last well past the usual hour long time period. Leaving those two teams exhausted. Only to have them turn around the next day and play a team, in a medal round game, who had played a regulation length game the day before. A little unfair they thought. So now we play every other day, alternating men's and women's matches until the end of the Games.

Our last game up at Stanford was particularly special for me. Being in Northern California, it was one of the rare occasions that I got to play close to home! (Home is in Orinda-East Bay Area) Which also meant that my family and friends were in the stands to cheers us on!!!!

But so were 2,985 other folks!!!! The largest crowd EVER for a Women's Water Polo Game in the US!!!!!! With the record-breaking crowd, the television cameras all over place(NBC filmed the game for a National broadcast), and other Olympic athletes in the stands to cheer us on (the USA Swim Team was training at Avery as well-yes, I mean Michael Phelps.) this was as close to experiencing a game in China as we were going to get. Perfect preparation for next month. Thank you to the Stanford Club team for making that game happen. It was awesome.

My Brother, his wife Susie, and my nephew Conor made the trip down from Seattle to see the game. And brought along some of Sus's family to see their first water polo game. We successfully acquired new fans.

I got to stay home after the game and spend some quality time holding Conor and hang out with my family before I returned to Long beach for these last weeks of training. There is something about Home and being around my family that rejuvenates me like nothing else does. I know the next time I see Conor, in about two months, he will probably already have a cell phone and be driving, he is growing so fast. So every moment counts. Especially the ones where he is asleep and looking like an angel. :)

Realizations.

2008-07-15T11:51:00.000-07:00

See that countdown there on the right.....

The Games start in 24 days!!!!!! And today at the chiropractor's office I realized that our team will leave the LA area to head to processing and then China....in 12 days!!!!!! I am sooooo excited!

That is all for now.

P.S. Happy Birthday to my 2000 and 2004 teammate Nicolle Payne!!! :)

Take me out to the ball game....

2008-07-13T20:58:00.001-07:00

We took Dodger stadium by storm today. Our team was announced pre-game on the first base line.

My Highlights:
1. Listening to The Stars Spangled Banner while standing on the field in front of the LA dugout. I love to hear the nation's anthem when I am not getting prepared to play a game.

2. Getting the chills as we returned to our seats. People were clapping and reaching out for high fives. You could sense the pride they had in our team and for the USA.

3. Eating a dodger dog drowning in nacho cheese.

Brenda threw out the ceremonial first pitch.....to Nat!!! :) They got to practice a few times first.

Albertson's Ads

2008-07-13T19:15:00.001-07:00

Who shops at Albertson's in Southern California?

2008-07-09T18:11:00.000-07:00

If you are not shopping there and you live in So Cal......then I think that you should start!!

Albertson's has pledged up to $1,000,000 to four Women's National Teams in their Step Beyond Gold Program. (Water Polo, Soccer, Softball, and Volleyball) By using your preferred customer cards you can help us reach our monetary goals to support our national teams and youth athletics AND enter yourself in a drawing to win a Ford Edge!

How would I know??? I'M IN THE AD!!!!! I had done the photo shoot with my team mate Natalie Golda a few months ago. It was a blast to go into a photo studio, have your make-up done by a professional, and then have these pictures taken in front of a huge white screen. They showed us how eventually our pictures would be super imposed in the ad with the Ford car. I never thought much past that.

I was more awe struck by the experience. I felt like a rock star for a day. There was Perrier next to the Red Bull in the fridge. Every snack food imaginable....and yes, I am no model so I had to sample everything. I am not sure how real models live that lifestyle when they have a buffet of munchies laying around them all the time. Talk about self control.

The pictures don't even look like me in my mind. Who is that girl??? And then to go into a public grocery store and have no idea that while I was standing in line to buy a bagel, RIGHT behind me was a life size ad just hanging there. OMG. It was soooo cool! Jamie Hipp (one of our goalies)and I ran around the store taking pictures of our teams ads. :) I'll post a slide show!

Olympic Team

2008-07-04T22:57:00.000-07:00

Olympic Team Dinner 2008

On Wednesday we had a dinner to celebrate the naming of the team at The Reef restaurant in Long Beach. It is located right next to where the Queen Mary is docked with an incredible view of downtown. The team was able to have a special dinner together to soak in the idea of being an Olympian. As a special treat, to give us a little insight and inspiration, Cliff Meidl (Sprint Kayaking- 1996 & 2000, Olympic Team Flag Bearer 2000) spoke to us about his life and journey as an Olympian and what he has learned from it all. He is an incredible speaker with an amazing story. I felt honored that he came to share his story. Thanks Cliff.

It is a rare occasion that I dress up in "normal" clothes. A dress? Yeah, maybe once every few months. If that. I will definitely need to take notes while watching What not to Wear when I retire because right now life works much better with gym shorts, t-shirts, and spandex. :) But I did have a dress in my closet, which I had bought many moons ago. Of course I had not worn it. I had found at one of my favorite stores "White House Black Market" and this was my occasion!!! Turns out Nat and Karen (our trainer) had found outfits at the same store. They should make us their spokes models. Oh yeah.

Roster

#1 Betsey Armstrong
#2 Me (Heather Petri)
#3 Brittany Hayes
#4 Brenda Villa
#5 Lauren Wenger
#6 Natalie Golda
#7 Patty Cardenas
#8 Jessica Steffens
#9 Elsie Windes
#10 Alison Gregorka
#11 Moriah van Norman
#12 Kami Craig
#13 Jamie Hipp

Proud to be an American.

2008-07-04T15:46:00.000-07:00

Happy 4th of July!!!!

The Olympic Team roster was named earlier this week and I am so proud to represent America for the THIRD time come August! It makes it all the more poignant when all day today I have seen people wearing red, white and blue. Waving flags, adorning their houses and cars with patriotic flare. I see the enthusiasm that people at home have for our country and will carry those images with me to China for inspiration.

We have a game today against Australia on the base in Los Alamitos....... followed by a BBQ and fireworks above the pool!

What a great way to celebrate our Nation's birth!!!!

(a few hours later) We won the game! 13-12 :)

On the way home.

2008-06-28T12:07:00.000-07:00

I know. I know. It has been far too long since the last post.

I spent most of the last week trying to figure out......"Am I tired/hungry/delirious? What time/day is it right now?" Luckily, I have found my way out of the Ambien induced jet lag recovery plan I was on, just in time to start training again. (We have 38 days left till the Games start!!!! Back to work for us!) So my schedule has been quite messed up, leaving little time for downloading photos and blogging. Bad Petri. That will change now.

Here is a story from our trip home.....

We began our journey last Monday. 3:45 am Athens time.

Alarm went off. I thought it was a joke. Nope. Eyes still half closed we dragged our bags downstairs to the lobby to meet the team. We had stayed in the hotel across the street from the airport to make it easier to make our 6am flight. More dragging of bags and we were across the street and checking in. If you have ever been in a line in Europe you know that, well, lines do not exist in Europe. It is more of a crowd up to the front in a huge mass to see who can squeeze in first type of thing. Here is where traveling in a pack of 18 comes in handy. Begin a "line" while the rest of the people set picks and block the random people trying to cut in front of you. Throw a few dirty looks. Continue until your whole party has made it to the front. Doing that while sleepy is always entertaining. All checked in we had time to grab some juice, get through security and board. Now I thought that at that insane hour of morning I would sleep like a baby from Athens to Frankfurt. NOPE! Awake and becoming very delirious. I sat next to teammate Alison Gregorka who was just as loopy as I was. We found a few free postcards in the back of the plane and decided to write to people at home. I know you wish YOU had gotten one.....it would have brought tears of pure joy to your eyes....maybe.....but at the time we thought they were hilarious. Must have been the altitude, right? Who knows. Arriving in Frankfurt we realized that we had been awake for 8 hours and had not eaten enough. That for an athlete spells disaster so we headed for the nearest place selling food. Slightly disheveled, puffy eyed, matching bags and all we settled into some seats next to a cafe. Next we all pillaged our stuff for as many Euros we could find. You never like getting home with a dollar left. Can't use it at home and that amount is never worth the hassle of exchanging. The drill: Go purchase as much stuff as you can and then bring back the change. Deposit it on the table for re-evaluation. We had been through Round One. Coffee, pastries and sandwiches ingested, blood sugar rose and so did our voices. We were laughing and chatting away when we were interrupted by a man in line at the cafe. He asked us if we needed any money? Holding out a 20 Euro note. Us? Huh? We all looked around at each other trying to see ourselves as he did. Were we looking particularly skinny? Or in need? All at the same time our eyes fell on the small table we were surrounding. Jessica had been counting out our remaining change. Separating it into dollar amounts, to be used in Round Two, for spare water bottles or further snacks. It looked as if we were starving student travelers scraping together our last pennies to make it to the next destination. OOOPPS!!!! No, no, no we gushed. The offer was much appreciated but we explained that we were just trying to use up our last Euros before getting back to America. He smiled and continued on in line. About 5 minutes later he stopped by and laid about $20 in loose change and small bills on the table! He told us that he too was going to America, he would not be able to use all that money and that we should use it to get more snacks. We thanked him profusely and got in line for more snacks. (We can always eat more) Not before Jessica ran after him with a USA Water Polo pin for him to remember us by and another "thank you". As we ate the new pile of snacks we all commented on how incredibly giving some strangers can be. He did not know who we were, or of what nationality, or that we were a team when he offered to help us. That kind of blind generosity is rare. And when you are the recipient of that love it makes you feel special and hopeful. Happily full and lost in thoughts of appreciation, we looked up and there was our stranger again! Only this time he was pulling American money from his wallet. Saying he was proud of us and wanted to make a donation to our team. Oh my! Most people's mouths were hanging open. Dumbfounded. Again we thanked him but we could not accept this kind of money! We urged him to make a donation on the USA Water Polo website. He laughed and said he rarely used the computer. He told us he was a soldier coming from the Middle East. We told him his kindness and support was more than enough!!!! After many more thank-you's we all watched his back as he wandered off into the airport to find his gate.

At that point we still had a good 20 hours of travel to go and yet that man rejuvenated us all. I think now about how there are so few words to express to the people we love and the people we do not even know, how much their support means to us. We could not do what we do every day without them.

So one more time. THANK YOU!

Thoughts on a bus.

2008-06-20T04:42:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we left Chania and rode a bus with the Greek team along the coast of Crete to the town of Heraklion. We will be playing a four team tournament called the Thetis Cup in the coming days.

The drive was beautiful. The road followed the coast most of the way, making only a slight detour inland, once, over a forested rocky pass before opening back up to the blue Agean Sea and the sparsly inhabited shoreline. I found myself wondering about the houses that popped up here and there. Some were older. Almost worn right into the surrounding rusty red and white rocks. Vines of grapes or olive, creeping along the house rooting it to the spot. Who lived in those houses? Had it been passed down through generations of Greek families? Was it just a summer home or somone who had lived on this island their whole life? Occasionally, a brand new "modern" looking home would be proudly standing on a cliff with the most amazing ocean view, terraced vines planted adjacent to it in a square garden plot. These homes stood out to me. While beautiful and certainly of the calibur of someone's dream home, immediately I thought "Was it a wealthy American who built that?" I hoped that whoever did build it, lived in it and appreciated the amazing setting they had aquired for their home. It would be sad if it were just a possesion for some foreign person to say they have, but rarely use.

I have come to enjoy the atmosphere here on the European islands. While things are worn and used well beyond their intended years......you can tell that the land, homes, cars, churches, everything really, is loved. And that comes through in the locals hospitality and friendliness. For example, most people here do not understand our intrest in the internet. The hotel we are staying at does not have a computer or wireless connections. Things are simple. Bed. Toilet. AC. :) When we asked about internet they simply pointed to the left and said, "But the beach is only half a block away. Why do you need this?" We politely said ok and decided to go on down to the water to cool off before afternoon practice. It is HOT here and they were right, sitting inside is not where we wanted to be! When we got back to the hotel later that night, sitting in the corner of the lobby was a computer all set up and connected to the internet. So while I'm sure the owners of the hotel will never use the computer, for this hotel is what they love, it was incredibly generous of them to make us feel more at home. :)

Lucky for me so I can post while I am here!

Getting connected on the road.

2008-06-18T04:21:00.000-07:00

Lately I have had an overwhelming urge to just throw my computer against the wall. Stupid thing is not cooperating. All my teammates are writing e-mails, chatting on IM, posting on blogs or Facebook. While I battle with the Network Diagnostic settings and pray that this time the server will actually connect to the four strong bars of wireless nothing I am connected to. I feel like I have tried everything and am still no closer to my goal of contacting everyone at home.

That wall is looking enticing again.

I know the flying bits of plastic and computer innards would give me an instantaneous bit of joy, but then I would realize I no longer have my favorite toy and my ridiculous display of aggression had really accomplished nothing. For the internet gods will NEVER tango with a pile of broken computer parts.

So I bit the bullet. Swallowed my frustration over being unable to master the computer skills I needed to simply connect to the net on my own computer and borrowed my teammate's that is working like a charm. I guess that is the spectacular thing about traveling with 14 friends. There is always someone there to prevent you from doing something stupid. Like throw your computer at the wall.

We have been on the road for a little over a week now. Last post we had played one game of the Super Final. Loads have happened since then. With the "hit or miss" internet, games and travel I have fallen seriously behind. But here is a short recapitulation of our adventures since then.

1. Beat Russia, China, Canada, and Spain in the preliminary rounds of the tournament.

2. I turned 30!!!! (On Friday the 13th! It was a great day....no need to think that day is unlucky.)

3. Placed second in the tournament after loosing to Russia in the Final 8-7. :(

4. Visited Puerto De La Cruz, Tenerife. Highlights- black sand beaches and salt water pool resorts!

5. Spent half a day in Madrid, Spain.

6. Flew to Chania, Crete, Greece -where we will train against Greece for a few days.

So that about brings you to right now. I love to post pictures and will do that if I ever get my computer to cooperate with me again. I'll stop threatening to throw it at the wall and see if that helps! Back to training......

Ocean Views

2008-06-12T14:31:00.000-07:00

We are staying at a very nice hotel here in Tenerife. And much to my pleasure, when the keys got handed out to all the pairs of roommates, mine belonged to a room facing the Atlantic Ocean. So a deep blue band of water reflects and beckons to us from down the hill below us. We are not located beach side or anything.....but the glimpse of the sea in the morning is a treat. As you look out our window you can see the nice terrarium built full of sun loving plants and cacti, and in the distance the sweet band of blue.

It is hot here during the day. And cools off a bit in the afternoon when winds begin to pick up and bring cooler air from the ocean. Our games have been at 4pm or later every day. Good thing because without the breeze, warm-up (which happens next to the pool under the white tents-see below) would feel like being in a Bikram Yoga Class! But I suppose this is great preparation for being in China,in August. It will be sweltering then!

The pool is just a short walk from our hotel and also has a great view of the ocean!

Let the games begin!

2008-06-10T13:01:00.000-07:00

Our first game of the Super Final was today. We played Australia, and won 10-9! (If you would like to read a more
"play-by-play" version of our games, please visit the USA Water Polo Website or Brenda's blog) That style of writing is not my forte.....so I will stick to giving you all the other fun details.

Last night the city of Tenerife hosted an Opening Ceremonies extravaganza at the pool. They announced all the teams to be playing in the tournament this week and then presented a show of the local Carnival dancers. Words will not do these people justice. So you can watch a sampling!!! The energy, the costumes, the dance moves!

AHHHAAAHHH! The video is not uploading right now because the internet is sooooo slow.....check back and witness the spectacular!!!!

:)

28 hour travel day....

2008-06-09T04:24:00.000-07:00

LAX to Chicago. Chicago to Frankfurt, Germany. Fankfurt to Madrid, Spain. Madrid to Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain. One of our longest travel days to date! But I have never been here and the destination has turned out to be well worth the trip! We have come here to play in the World League Super Final. Which is just the final stage of a round robin tournament that is held every summer, to give the teams from around the world a chance to play against each other. Great place to hold the final....Thanks Spain for hosting it!

Right in the middle of our journey here, while some were passed out on the most uncomfortable of airport seating, the rest of us allowed the delirium to take over. Jamie got out her apple and we had some fun with photo booth.

The only way to get through a travel day like that is to laugh.....uncontrollably....even if everyone stares at you. :)

Bonding Bonfire

2008-06-06T22:30:00.000-07:00

Most of our days are filled with little else other than eating, sleeping and playing water polo. I am lucky if i get a load of laundry done once in a while. (A half an hour laying on the couch catching up on a recorded episode of CSI or Survivor seems way more appealing than sitting on a bench in a laundry mat watching clothes tumble round and round. Good thing I have at least 40 t-shirts to cylce through.) With a schedule like that, day after day, for months things can get a little monotinous. So it is imperiative that we stay focused on our goals of playing well come game time. In order to do that we MUST stay together as a group and enjoy what we do and each other. Good team chemisty does not just happen. We have to work at it and spend time getting to know each other away from the pool.

The latest team bonding session was a post practice bonfire. We roasted hot dogs and sausages on skewers, made smores (try an exotic flare and use reeses pb cups or butterfinger instead of plain chocolate!) and we wrapped bananas, with chocolate and marshmellows in the middle, in tin foil and roasted them in the flames! DELICIOUS! Try it!!!!

I'm a Lenovo Olympic Blogger!!!!

2008-06-04T22:20:00.000-07:00

I was recently asked to be a part of the Lenovo Olympic Blogger Program. What is that you ask?

Well, Lenovo (a Chinese company, based in Beijing, that mainly manufactures personal computers) has asked athletes from all over the world to blog about their experiences leading up to the Olympics. They will feature our posts on their "Voices of the Summer Games" site. So, everything I post here will automatically be posted there as well, allowing people from all over the world to read about my life leading to the Olympics! You can find athletes of many different countries and sports on the site as well. Giving everyone an unfiltered, real life account of what it is like to be an Olympic athlete.

You can easily find the website by going to the right hand side of my blog and clicking on Summer Games Blogger in the blue box, underneath the Olympic rings. (I also included the link in this post. But for future reference.....) Lenovo also sponsored a web page of all things Olympic. You can find that by clicking 2008.lenovo.com in the bottom of that same blue box.

I am really excited that my blog may be getting a little bit more traffic....thank all you family and friends who have been faithful readers of my randomness....and, WELCOME NEW FOLKS!!!!! To get ready for this I decided to enlist my good friend and computer/photo shop extraordinaire, Darcy Couch, to help me spruce up the look of my blog. She helped me....ok, she pretty much did it all...make a new header that looks AWESOME. All I did was offer a few creative ideas and send her the photos. In an hour or so she produced the masterpiece up see at the top of the page. Props to you my friend!!! She is Sports Information Director at USC and let me tell you she is the reason their media guide, websites and all things media are so FABULOUS. They are lucky to have her!

Thanks to Lenovo for letting me be a part of this! Happy reading to all of you!

Hello Conor!

2008-05-29T22:22:00.000-07:00

Hey there little man! Isn't he just adorably red and squishy! :)
This picture was just after he was born. Sleeping off the exhausting travel he made into this world from that warm and comfy water bed he inhabited for 9 months. I am heading to Seattle to hang out with him and his proud parents this weekend. Meaning there will be many more photos to follow!!! He is definitely a Petri.....look at the size of those feet!!!!!

IT'S A BOY!!!!

2008-05-27T22:32:00.000-07:00

My brother, Brandon and his wife, Susanne have welcomed a baby boy into the Petri family today!

Conor Brandon Petri
born at 4:20pm
8 lb 3 oz.
21 inches long
Big hands and feet!
Reddish hair!!!!

I can't wait to see the little guy! And I will post pictures as soon as they come in. I'm an AUNT!!!! I am going to spoil him rotten. It is my job. I HAVE to be the cool Aunt. :)

The Year Of The RAT

2008-05-02T17:26:00.000-07:00

It is a RARE occasion when a normally scheduled practice is cancelled. So you can imagine my surprise when i get a phone call on my way to practice. Caller ID says it is my coach.....what does he want, mear minutes before I am to arrive at the pool?

Coach- "Hi Pete, There was a rat found in the pool today. They shocked the pool(super chlorinated it) and the health department is here to inspectl, so they have officially closed the pool. Practice is cancelled. Will you call all the girls and let them know. So they don't show up."

Me-"Oh yes, sure. No problem. See you tomorrow then."

I hung up and started screaming. As did my two teammates(we car pool- saving the earth one trip to the pool at a time), yet they didn't know WHY yet. No practice. No practice! A mad dash to grab phone from purses, screams, three conversations at once, a rush of adrenaline- that certainly was not there as were headed back to the pool for practice #2, at the end of the week, of arguable the hardest week in training thus far. A whole three extra hours in our day, where we were not required to do any physical activity! This was a gift. A sign from the spirits.....and hey, maybe the Chinese are trying to tell us something. 2008 is the year of the Rat in the Chinese Zodiac. We needed a rest and the Rat gave us one!

How did I celebrate this monumental occasion? Got a large Pinkberry (green tea with mochi, strawberries and blueberries) and then went home to sit on the couch for a while. Followed by three loads of laundry, a vacum and dusting of my room. Finally, finishing off the day with an episode of Survivor. Exciting I know. :)

P.S. may there be no more rats in the pool because all the chlorine has now burned all the hair off my arms, given my skin a chemical peel and dyed my hair more blonde. i am scared of long term effects.

SoCal Sunsets

2008-04-30T20:45:00.000-07:00

100 degrees in April makes me want to move! Then I see one of these.....

The Bean

2008-04-30T19:13:00.000-07:00

Prior to my recent trip to Chicago when someone said "The Bean", I assumed they were referring to the glorious coffee chain The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf that sells those delicious things called "Ultimate Ice Blended Drinks".

I went to Chicago to attend an Olympic Media Summit where we spent 12 hours answering questions for journalists, filming short bits for the NBC Olympic telecast to be aired in August, doing still shots for the media and a few on-camera interviews. I have never done anything like this before and it made my head spin. We had our day scheduled from 7am to 9pm. Which room to be in and how many minutes for each interview/shoot. After fielding the same question (ie. What do you feel about the situation in China and the recent protests surrounding the Torch Relay?) multiple times, I realized that everyone wants you to slip and say something controversial or catch you in an awkward statement they can edit to use as they will. Meaning you had to be on it and focused the whole time. Exhausting!

Which is why I figured a little adventure outside the walls of our hotel was just what we needed. I googled the area and saw The Bean printed smack in the middle of the park two blocks from the hotel. I was curious. If it wasn't coffee, then what? This is what it is.......

It is a huge metallic structure made of highly polished stainless steel plates and it weighs 110 tons!

I went directly underneath the arch in the Bean and laid on my back, placing my camera on my stomach on timer. This is the result. See me- that tiny star fish shaped thing on the left. Find my reflections on the right. A hand here. Leg there.

WHO LIKES ICE-CREAM????

2008-04-29T20:31:00.001-07:00

I DO! And I am thinking you do too. So get yourself to a Baskin Robbins tomorrow, from 5-10pm for 31 cent scoops!!!!!! AND eating ice-cream is for a good cause tomorrow.....they are lowering prices to honor America's Firefighters!

This will rival the price of a Thrifty(or Rite-Aide now, i think) ice cream cones when I was little. We would go down to get triple scoops for less than a dollar every sunday night. Those were the days! And lets revist them. :)

Peanut Butter Chocolate Here I Come!!!!

China Slideshow

2008-04-16T21:42:00.001-07:00

China Recap

2008-04-11T22:25:00.000-07:00

Here is a belated picture montage of our trip to China last month. We went to Beijing to play in the Good Luck Beijing Tournament held in the Olympic venue we will use in a few months. The Chinese people were conducting a trial run of how the Games will be run. To work out the glitches. And we used it as a way to aquaint ourselves with the pool, and routine that we will use come competition time. Plus on days off we got to do some touristy things. We saw the Great Wall and then went on a scavenger hunt which encompassed almost all the rest of the major monuments.

Scavenger Hunt Highlights:
1. Taking out a person on a bike when our taxi pulled over in a bike lane. Opened the door to get out.....oops.
2. The Temple of Heaven is massive. (look for me in the bottom right of the picture....i look like a miniture.)
3. Playing a version of hacky-sac with some Chinese people in the gardens surrounding the Temple.
4. Going in a rickshaw through the Chinese "ghetto".
5. Bartering at the Pearl Street market.

I added a couple pictures of typical chinese things we saw while there.... the potty is just a hole ....the "Bird's Nest" is the stadium built for Track and Field and the Opening Ceremonies.......and does that guy not look like he and his pile of sticks are about to get strewn all over the highway?

An hour of darkness.

2008-03-30T02:07:00.000-07:00

Sydney started this trend a year ago. Trying to spark some interest in the green movement this city, in conjunction with the World Wildlife Fund, turned off their lights for just an hour. Resulting in a 10.2% energy reduction. Maybe numbers do nothing for you. This picture might make a bigger impact.
I have been to Sydney a few times and think the city has a magical charm. It may be because I experienced my first Olympic Games there. Those two weeks, in 2000, I was riding a natural sport-induced high that made everything sparkle....but it could have just been the lights! Look at the way the lights reflect off the cloud cover illuminating the whole area!

This year cities across the globe participated along with Sydney. Creating a tidal wave of darkness that crept across the world for a day. I wish I had been up north to see them turn the lights off on the Golden Gate Bridge. Hopefully I can catch it next year. :)

Here in Long Beach, my apartment remained dark. No lights. Not even for my roommate's boyfriend who wanted to take a shower after getting to our house after work. Hee hee.

After spending time in the dark for an hour, I am far more conscious of extraneous lights than I was before. You really don't need many. My parents have been aware of light usage since I was little. They would go around reprimanding us for leaving lights on. Even now when I go home, I often I think they are not home, only to find them watching TV with not a single light on in the house. I think they mainly wanted to save some cash for the family when I was a kid, but they were also ingraining in me the hippie vibe I carry around now as an adult.

I have jumped on the Green Train. I have bought a Prius, which was expensive but I believe worth it. My team and I recycle the plastic water bottles we use at practice. And now I use a lot less light at home. Leaving fewer carbon footprints every day......

Earth Hour

2008-03-29T00:25:00.000-07:00

Help save our earth! Participate in Earth Hour tonight. Just sixty minutes. Turn off your lights.

It is easy and free.

Click here for more info.

CHINA

2008-03-16T23:30:00.000-07:00

There were two things I was hoping to see on our trip to China this week. And I have seen them both!

1.Blue sky.

It does exist here! The day we flew in I was expecting haze, and smog far worse than LA. We exited the airport to find a light breeze, blue sky with little fluffy white clouds, and a clear view of the surrounding city scape. As far as first immpressions go this was first rate.

First observations from the bus were that while things are definetly still under construction here, it looks like the Chinese are well on their way to getting things in order for the Games. There are so many freshly potted trees and plants lining the higway and streets on the route from the airport. Thousands of baby plants are being protected and reinforced by sticks and netting. Just to make sure they make it through their first few months and are still growing come August. Could this be the reason the sky was so clear? All those plants pumping oxygen into the Beijing air has to help....but not enough to make it this nice.

It has been two days since we got here and the air quality has not stayed as pristine as the day we flew in. :( Today in the bus on the way to practice there was 10 times the traffice we experienced yesterday.....Ah! Today is a Monday. Back to work for everyone. Which means the factories were closed two days ago for the weekend and no one was driving. That definetely made a difference in the air. Some are now taking pictures everyday to mark how much worse the air gets every day. I have a feeling by Friday we will not be able to see the building across the street.

2.The Great Wall of China

Is truely impressive. The section we saw was in the Juyongguan Pass. It was about an hour outside of Beijing. We had an hour to climb as far up the steps as we wanted and explore the watch towers situated every so often along the wall. I think a really cool trip would be to back pack and hike the entire length of the wall. But I think the Chinese governement may throw you in jail for such things.

Pictures to follow....I didn't bring the cord to upload them to my computer!

Its WAR!

2008-03-04T12:06:00.000-08:00

In Novemeber, during a spectacular session of retail therapy at Target I brought home a beautiful $12 piece of floral flare for the front porch. Coming home to a drab cement wall was not boding well for the chi and I though this little number was just what we needed.

It was dark when I got home. I put the plant on the cement wall just outside our door while I took all the rest, of my probably unnessesary (you know how that $1 ailse can suck you in) purchases, inside. I came back out and saw there was a tag sticking out of the side of the plastic pot which was totally unsightly. Thinking the pot would be more substantial than it was, I tugged hard on the tag to break it off. Being that the pot turned out to be very flimsy plastic and I am SO strong, the backlash force as the tag broke free sent the pot over the cement wall falling 5 ft to the grass below. OOOPS! Looking down on it from above all I could see was dirt everywhere, plant parts in dissaray, and the stupid plastic pot sitting on top of it all.

In my training induced brain retardation it had taken me a good 20 minutes to pick out just that plant from all its friends in the garden center. I had picked it because it had the biggest and brightest red flower in the center of the pot. And that was now at the bottom of a big ol mess. I ran down there, and in the dark, scooped up the dirt and shoved the plant parts back in the pot. The next morning when I could see my hurried handywork, I realized that I hadn't done that bad a job at repotting the plant....but that beautiful big red flower in the center......was broken off where the stem met the plant. I vowed that this poor plant had had enough trama in its short stay at my house and I would do whatever I needed to help it flourish.

With regular grooming and lots of water it has done just that.....thus becoming a healthy plant beacon in our front yard. Which has attracted EVERY snail in the Long Beach area. They have taken up residence in my plant, feasting on it at will. Every morning I will check underneath all those pretty flowers and find at least six! At first I was nice to them, simply taking them out and dropping them the five feet to the grass below. I naively thought it would take them a long time to make their way back to the pot. HA! The next morning they would be back! Little poopers! Now I throw them into the yard next door. And one bounced off the neighbor's steps and bounced into the street. Maybe that will teach the darn gastropods to invade my plant.

I think I felt bad for the snails at first because I thought they did something good. If they had at least ONE redeeming quality, I still may. But no. I read up on them and they are just slimey, eat plants, and destroy gardens.

If there are a few casulaties of war as I throw them FAR away from my plants....well, it happens. Anyone have any other good strategies for ridding plants of snails....that aren't poisonous chemicals? Do tell green thumbs out there.

The Day of the LEAP

2008-02-29T22:55:00.000-08:00

It only occured to me this morning that while this day happens every four years, it happens to fall in every summer Olympic year. That will make it easier to remember in the future. Why in my 29 years, have I not noticed this before OR celebrated it earlier!

It was decided after this rediculously hard week that it was time to have some mexican food, a coronita or three and play some shuffle board to some spectaularly choosen juke box music. Here is to friends and 24 extra hours in our life every four years!

(the first photo was a 10 sec. timer shot we did on the corner of the street. it took us a few tries to get a majority jumping at the same time) :)

Random Acts of Kindness

2008-02-14T20:03:00.000-08:00

First off, I should apoligize for falling of the face of the earth for a month and a half. How did it get to be February 14th already?!?

Second, HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!!
I hope that you all have spread some love around and ate some chocolate today. :)

Because today is so centered on love I found myself thinking about those people in your life that just do incredibly generous and kind things for you just because they want to. For example, almost 5 years ago I met a chiropractor in the bar at the restaurant we went to for my birthday. He could tell we were athletes. Ten tall, muscular, extremely sunburned girls was not a tip off at all. When he found out we were Olympic water polo players training at the Armed Reserve Base in Los Alamitos, he said if we ever needed chiropractic work to come to his office which was right around the corner from the pool. He gave me the number to his office and told me to call and make an appointment.

So, he seemed like a really nice person....but I was still wary. I never called. A week later I stopped at 7-11 to grab a Gatorade before practice and who was in there?? The chiropractor! This was too much of a coincidence to ignore. I told him would come into the office the next day. I had been having problems with my back at the time and no amount of therapy had been working.

After the first visit my back felt better and he had me come in every day that week to keep working on things. After that I went in once a week for a while and then whenever I felt I needed a tune up. What he does has an incredible effect of how I feel physically during training. I can not imagine the last five years without his help. He has never asked us to pay for the treatments. Only a photo to hang in his office, next to the other athletes he helps. Plus he offered to help any of my teammates that may be hurting. Now at least six of us go in and see him on a regular basis. I never know how to thank him enough when I leave his office. I wish there was something more I could do or say. He makes a huge impact on my life and is so happy to help.

His name is Randall Stark. I would recomend him to anyone looking for a chiropractor in the Southern California area.
I just love him!

Happy New Year!

2007-12-31T13:28:00.000-08:00

The sky is the limit next year friends!

Make it spectacular.
May you all be healthy and happy tonight and for the next 365 days.

Traditions.

2007-12-25T20:57:00.000-08:00

A few years ago I decided to make a new Christmas tradition. My family had not had any big ones when i was growing up....other than having dinner together at some family members house....but that seems pretty normal to me.

Other families have train sets they set up every year around the tree.(My teammate Natalie Golda and her fiance Eric, liked this tradition. They bought a kick ass train that generates real steam this year.) Or some folks always go and cut down their own Christmas tree. (That would be real festive if you lived in a wintery, cold forest type land.....which Southern California is not....Target sold me a sweet tree. Who knew?)

But I was looking for something that my family and best friend's family could do together. Instead of sit at home and eat more and more and more.

So began our annual Christmas trip to the movies. In our pajamas. Yup....I said pj's. They are comfortable and cozy and great for watching movies in at home. Why not out in public? At first it was just me and my best friend Jamie braving the world in our sleepy time outfits. But then, I guess when we didn't get stoned to death or banned from public places for sporting fleece oversized pants striped like candy canes with white snowflakes, the trend caught on. My mom went out and bought special pajamas just to wear out last year. I am not going to lie....I am always on the look out for great festive pj's to wear, whenever I shop. Our first movie together was Harry Potter(the first one) and last year was DreamGirls. What about this year?

WE BROKE TRADITION!!!!! Sadly this year there was no movie. Logistically this year was a hard one. My mom had to work until 4pm. My best friend's sister had to catch a flight to San Diego at 5pm. People would be coming and going. Eating would end up being a little more potluck style and less formal sitdown style, leaving everyone on the move and unable to be in the same place at the same time.

But we had to do something together! So I got Cranium! The spectacular boardgame with a little of everything. Word puzzles, factual questions,acting, drawing, and sculpting with playdough(my favorite!). So all was not lost in terms of the real root of why I started this movie tradition in the first place....I just wanted everyone to do something together. We did and it was fun. :) Only we are really bad at spelling words backwards in groups. We will need to work on that if we play again next year. Brandon and Sus (and the growing niece/nephew) were missed as they stayed in Seattle this year. They would have been a great help on the Petri Cranium Team. :)

So next year....movie or Cranium????

Merry X-Mas!

2007-12-24T19:31:00.000-08:00

Almost. :)

I hope that you all have a wonderful holiday!

Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!

2007-12-01T17:39:00.000-08:00

The holiday season has arrived. Just after Thanksgiving Mom, Dad, Betsey and I went to Target....yes, you read that right....Target to get a tree. They were the only folks selling trees the day after Turkey Day!!!

We picked out a 6 ft. beauty and took it home. Let the decorating begin!!! I went crazy and purchased a million things for our lil apartment to make the atmosphere nice and festive. I wanted to get it all done because we left for Canada two days later.....now we can come home to a cozy place. Lets just hope the tree doesn't die while we are gone. :)

We got to Montreal on Tuesday. Canada, Russia and Australia are the other teams here and we will play five games before heading back home for our own tournament, the Holiday Cup, next week. Brenda has been giving regular updates about the games on her blog if you want to check that out. She is far better at recapping the games than I am! :)

How is Canada you ask? COLD!!!! It is snowing up here! Today it was -20 degrees C. We take the metro to the pool complex and it requires a little walking outside. Which means I wear all of the clothes that I brought with me to and from the pool. But despite the way the frigid air numbs your face it is rather refreshing to be out in the fresh air when you spend the rest of your time inside an indoor pool complex or a hotel.

Speaking of hotel rooms...Betsey is my roommate on this trip and we have embraced this winter wonderland. No....we do not go out and have snowball fights or make snow angels. Instead, we keep the curtins in our room wide open so we can watch the snow flakes floating down to cover all the buildings outside. And have a constant flow of Christmas tunes emitting from one of our computers, while we play Text Twist on the internet. Much warmer than the alternative plus we should conserve energey for our games. :)

Oh the life of a water polo player! I love my job.

NOTE: If you don't know what Text Twist is.....well it is a great way to pass time, procrastinate, or learn to spell, in my case. It is addicting! TRY IT! Just google it. It is a Yahoo game.

Our pet.

2007-11-20T20:06:00.000-08:00

Meet Bangkok. He is our beta. We acquired him after attending the wedding of our goalie Jamie. Her center pieces were beautiful glass vases with orchids and river rocks. And fish! Swimmin around while we ate and celebrated the night away. When we were leaving we were able to take the fish as little momentos. Brenda got Bangkok into a plastic bag, put the bag in the little bowl you see, and put him in my trunk. Then forgot to tell me! So the next morning when i was packing the trunk to go home I found him. He was alive and probably hungry and really wanted to be out of that bag. But we got him home and he has been quite happy on our book shelf.
Until recently. He has moved from his very tiny living space into a much bigger vase. Just like the one that we first met him in. Ever since we put him in this upgrade of a tank he has been quite agitated. Betas by nature are fighters. When they see other male Betas they puff out their gills and if they were in the same tanks they would fight till the death. Bangkok has never puffed up for us.....until today. We put him in his new home last night and when I came to feed him this morning he made a menacing shark-like swirl around the bowl and then faced me.....and PUFF. Out came his gills and he undulated backwards, in what I am sure he thought was a very intimadating fashion. When I fed him he snapped so fiercely at the food pellets it almost launched him out of the bowl. Dang....what aggression. Where the heck did it come from???

Do Betas hate space? Maybe he liked his teeny-tiny original bowl? This is a whole new persona our fish has adopted. I am thinking I liked the old one better. Geez.

Halloween lasts 24 whole hours.

2007-10-31T21:30:00.000-07:00

Just needed a little strech after the Dodgeball, 3000m swim, and some 6x5.
Aids in digestion. We ate breakfast at our favorite place in Long Beach. The Potholder Cafe. The waitresses are just as crazy as we are. They were Thing 1 and Thing 2 from Dr. Seuss. Some people had never heard of them. Where did those people grow up???

Costumes in Action!!!!!

2007-10-31T20:00:00.000-07:00

I LOVE Halloween. Spectacular holiday. You can be or wear anything you want. And you shouldn't feel stupid about it because it is a requirement of the day. I think that more places of business should look positively upon the wearing of costumes.....it promotes the act of smiling and that produces endorphins.....which make you feel good. So you would work better right?

Good thing I work where I do. :) We started our day off playing dodge ball. In costume. I was a ballerina. Was I ever one in real life? Maybe for a split second back in the eighties.... before i was seduced by the chlorine fumes, and my ballet teachers told me i was never going to be flexible if i kept up that swimming stuff. Well fine then.....off to the pool I went, and out the window went my opportunities to wear a tu-tu. Until Today. I made it out of an abundance of pink tulle, elastic sequins, and a lil ribbon. Thanks to Ali G's sweet old school sewing machine, my adult tu-tu is spectacular and will be around for years to come. Nat got her fantastic costume right off the back of the guy working at the Halloween store for only $10.

I got pegged in the tu-tu during the game....the dirt adds a little character to my costume. :) It was a sight to behold. All of us running around in costume. Bets demonstrated excelent technigue when battling for the ball. Squishing it away from the opponent works perfectly!

100% participation!!!

2007-10-31T12:52:00.000-07:00

I am very proud of our team and coaching staff!!! EVERYONE dressed up today for practice.

You be the judge.

2007-10-30T22:30:00.000-07:00

Does this look more like a skeletal vertebrae and ribs or a spider web?

Punkins

2007-10-30T22:23:00.000-07:00

Bought the pumpkins.
Carved em.

Ready for "Trick or Treat"er's!!!

2007-10-28T22:33:00.000-07:00

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

Citius. Altius. Fortius.

2007-10-19T22:42:00.000-07:00

The team spent the past week at the Colorado Olympic Training Center. A week of training, fitness tests, team building, and a few efforts to improve our program in the future by making teaching tools for younger athletes. Very productive!

DANCE.

2007-10-12T13:02:00.000-07:00

My roommate Brenda just texted me this saying....she saw it somewhere and thought I would like it.

And I do! It is very true.

"Life isn't about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain."

Get out there and DANCE!

Working Hard

2007-09-27T12:48:00.000-07:00

It is back to the grind. Weights. Run. Core Work. Agility Exercises. Swimming. Drills. More Drills. More Swimming.

Week three and we are starting to become brain dead, sore in places we never knew had muscles, and plagued by extreme muscle fatigue.

We still have over 300 days till the Olympics.....that equals many, many more hours of practice. What gets you through this???

LAUGHTER!!!
Here is an example for ya......

The End.

2007-09-13T20:56:00.000-07:00

A few reasons I know that my vacation is definitely over:

1. I had forgotten in my post major tournament haze what it felt like to be sore/out of shape. My leg muscles are now reminding me every time I try to walk up stairs, get out of the car, sit down on the couch, go to the bathroom.....that they do not like what I am doing to them. This is only day three! More advil please.

2. The clean clothes I made sure to have ready for the beginning of training are still sitting in piles on my floor. It will take way to much energy to put them in the closet.

3. The last time I bought milk was almost 2 months ago. I need to go to the store now that I will be staying in my apartment for longer than 36 hours at a time. Which was about the maximum time I spent in Long Beach between all my crazy adventures.

4. It is back to acting like the rest of the world that wakes up around the same time every morning to go to work. Alarm at 6:30? No likey.

Back to work for now....but I'm already dreaming up the next vacation spot to hit. :)

ORO!

2007-08-20T17:29:00.000-07:00

We have won the Pan American Gold Medal!

Which means we have qualified for a spot in the 2008 Bejing Olympics! China here we come!!!

Our Venue.

2007-07-18T17:54:00.000-07:00

Our venue here in Brazil is in the Maracana Sports Complex. Which has the large soccer stadium (from opening ceremonies), an arena (for volleyball) and our outdoor pool.

This was a picture of it the first day we got here. They had not finished decorating the pool deck and you can not see the huge stadium of seats that is behind me.

It seats about 2,700 people. In our game against Brazil last night 2000 people came to cheer on the home team.
They did not exactly look like this.....

(That was the opening ceremonies crowd)

But they were loud non the less......until we started beating the Brazilians. Then is was the quietest I have ever heard it at the pool. I love Brazilian sports fans. They are passionate and boisterous, waving flags and dancing around. Whether they are cheering or jeering. It doesn't matter. They make a super crowd. !!!!

Fun in the pool.

2007-07-18T17:30:00.000-07:00

I was trying to recall the last time I got in the pool to just fool around. Like.... no zipper suit. No whistles. No drills. No polo balls or goals.

Yesterday morning, instead of taking the hour long drive to the venue for practice, we made up our own circuit of dry-land exercises and then got in the pool to stretch out our legs and get the feel for the water since we had a game later in the day. This pool is right out in front of our apartment building.

Here is us having fun.

This is why we win.

2007-07-18T17:23:00.001-07:00

You want to mess with us?