Never disappoints. Always gets it right.

J. Crew always gets it right and never disappoints.

MAC playoffs begin tonight for Messiah.  As expected, both teams are at the top of the conference seeding and have home games tonight.  I do not expect anything less than 2 wins tonight and a chance to compete for the title on Saturday.  Unfortunately, I do not think that I will be able to make the game, given some prior events scheduled for that day (unless the game is later and I do a 'lil shady-dip).  I have faith though.  MWS never disappoints.  They always get it right.  NCAAs for sure.

The Life List 2010

Here is Outside Magazine's "51 dream trips, daring quests, essential skills, and exalted states of body and mind. Because you really can do it all."  yeah, it's from 2010...my responses are in red

51. NEVER STOP

50. Learn an Instrument | I was first chair trumpet in hs
49. Climb the Grand Teton | no
48. Build a School in a Foreign Country | no
47. Volunteer After a Disaster | ideal
46. Go on a Walking Safari | yessss, when I visit africa ?
45. Learn a Magic Trick | ??
44. Give Something Up | done.  i gave up sugar in my coffee.
43. Step on Antarctica | no
42. Follow up on a childhood dream | i did play college soccer.  that counts.
41. Ride l'Alpe d'Huez | no - this is in france
40. Raise $2,500 for a Cause | soon.
39. Live Abroad for a Year | doubtful
38. Travel the World on a Teacher's Salary | no, maybe on a baller salary
37. Sail Across an Ocean | um no
36. Get Bent (i.e. surfing a 20 ft wave) | doubtful
35. Lasso a Steer | yee-haw!!  i guess that's just the cowboy in me.
34. Wing It | everyday.
33. Beat the Train: race the Iron Horse Bicycle Classic | ooooooooooO
32. Ski-Bum for a winter | i wish!  maybe upon retirement
31. Go to New Zealand | I was so close to going this yr
30. Trek Torres del Paine. Alone. | no, seems dangerous.
29. Get in the Best Shape of Your Life | I doubt i will ever be in better shape then during college training for soccer.  completion of p90x is a close second.

28. Read Right: read a travel book | i hate reading
27. Become an Expert Hatchet Thrower | expert? um no. but throwing a hatchet looks super gnarly.
26. Watch the World Cup. live in Brazil. you have 4 years to plan. | doing it!
25. Learn to Kayak | yes, but you don't really have to learn.
24. Join the Circus | no and dumb.
23. Coin a Phrase | huh?  again, dumb.
22. Swim Naked | good idea.
21. Master a Surprising Cocktail | master? um no.  just follow the recipe.
20. Ski Powder | skiing is for dork-os.  i snowboarded powder in CO.
19. Win Your Age Group in a Race | for sure when i am 70
18. See a Tornado | whoah. prolly not, but would love to!

17. Trek in the Himalayas | um no
16. Make a Man Cave | no, i'm a woman.
15. Build a Cabin in the Mountains | um no - i cannot build a house.
14. Take Two Weeks Off | did that to go to Thailand, but much needed again.
12. Talk to a Wild Panda | they are in china right?
11. Take a Risk | relative.
10. Catch a Steelhead on a Spey Rod | too specific.  i like to fish though.
9. Overachieve | doing it.
8. Master a Second Language | fail
7. Get Tubed (surf) | doubtful
6. Learn a Constellation (other than the big dipper) | I know orion's belt
5. Become a Bush Pilot | um no
4. Chase Down Your Hero | my dad is my hero.
3. Start a Group Ride | perhaps
2. Self-Guide the Grand Canyon | prolly not.
1. Get a passport | got it. 

their bucket list seems a bit extreme, but it is expected for Outside Mag. things that i will add on there are to go skydiving and do a triathalon. big gulps, huh? welp, see ya later!

Something about the fall

There's just something that feels so right about the fall.  the great weather, soccer, football, the great weather.  wow, it was just been so beautiful recently on the mid-atlantic.  the air is brisk, the occasional sun, work is light...i was in NYC for work for 3 days.  it was a good trip.  got the things done that i needed to get done, ate some good food, checked out the new uniqlo on 5th ave.  not too shabby. 

i did forget my earphones this trip and so i made an effort to stop by the apple store to buy a pr for the train ride home.  ugh.  those babies were $30!  for some reason i was thinking they were like $10.  but whatever.  i was satisfied listening to my playlist on the ride back to bmore.  now this weekend, i'm in PA for the club soccer regionals.  i think we we are solid.  not good, not bad, but solid.  don't ask me what that means, but...we lost our first 2 games, which means that we have no chance of going to the playoffs.  tough one.  it is sooo difficult to stand on the sidelines and coach a mediocre team.  it just is.  i wanna be playing. competing.  i miss everything about playing soccer.  that high that you get when you win a ball in the air, when you slide to save a ball from going out of bounds, when you strike a ball on the "sweet spot." unbelievable.  maybe we will win tomorrow...maybe.

I fell asleep

so i fell asleep last night writing this...i played soccer last night and wow, I am so sore today! actually, just my foot was ridiculously achy.  random happenings: i packed my lunch today and didn't eat it. i ordered pad thai. it was huge, so i ate it for dinner too.  i downloaded an upgrade for my iphone. it kinda seems like an obvious upgrade, although not significant.  the backlight or whatever you call it is much clearer and brighter than the former version.  oh but maybe because i also changed the clear screen cover since my old one was dingy and scratched. i also did the homesharing thing since i picked up apple tv last weekend.  it's pretty gnarly. i ended up watching all of the music videos that i purchased through itunes that i forgot about. the bmore marathon is tomorrow! i kinda wish i was running could run. but good news...bff is coming to town to run it and so my sister is also coming to visit bmore.  parrrtay, actually no, just out to town for some sushi thereafter.  now, i'm about to fall asleep and its only 1109 on a friday night! ;alje;ofajfdma  (haha.  true story.)

next week i'm traveling to NYC on business.  i heard the new uniqlo on 5th ave is crazy!  i hope i have some time to check it out.  hotel (the jewel) and workplace is relatively close.  +J is the final collection.  it seems legit, but i hope they have a good selection at the store. sometimes, the online collection looks sooo good, but then at the store it's just like eh.  i guess i shouldn't get my hopes up either bc i prolly won't buy anything. i don't wanna have to walk around the clients office with a large shopping bag.

Today is homecoming for Messiah.  arg. i am not going bc i don't really feel like being chipper and also, bc my friends will be in town.  i would like to catch the MWS game.  I was informed that messiah has a new video stream. but leave it to the Christian schools to charge you a buttload of money just to watch the games...you know especially bc going to D3 athletic events is absolutely free.  lame.

The Messiah Method

This is amazing!  The Messiah Method - "How Excellence Happens...seven disciplines that propelled these teams from decent to dynasty..." I told you, Messiah soccer is legit.  Now read it for yourself!!  I am truly looking forward to reading it and reliving the best 4 soccer years of my life.

Playlist {10.8.11}

1. We Owned the Night | Lady Antebellum : love their new album, feel good music at its best
2. Soldier | Gavin DeGraw : love his jams.
3. No Lies | Jason Reeves (ft. Colbie Caillat) : good song. plus he has great harmony with CC.
4. I'm The Best | Nicki Minaj : bc she IS the best. rapper person. type. and coolest weirdo.
5. It Girl | Jason Derulo : ok. its a catchy tune.
6. I Don't Want This Night To End | Luke Bryan : "You've got your ha-aands up, you're rock'n in my truck, you've got the radio on, you're singing every song"
7. The Trouble With Girls | Scotty McCreary : not bad. still pretty cheesy, but better than the first.
8. Crawling Back to You | Daughtry : bout time for some new music rock'nroll style
9. This City | Patrick Stump (ft. Lupe Fiasco) : this city is my city...for life; Bmore pride (even though i'm a philly sports fan. i like them both OKAaaY)
10. Mr. Know It All | Kelly Clarkson : You don't know a thing about me.

Are you serious?

My weekend is now ruined.  one, the phillies lost AND two, they played terrible.  well, let me clarify, their offense sucked.  RoyH was dominant, but still allowed one run in the freaking first inning. ugh.  so frustrating...what did i tell you...i was not confident at all.  huge (yet expected) phailure.  if i had a punching bag, i would do a little boxing sesh like right now.  i feel like punting a ball to the ceiling.  i feel like punching someone in the face or stabbing a potato a zillion times...or bashing a car window in with a baseball bat.  uuggh!  TERRIBLE!!  TERRIBLE!! TERRRRIBLE!!

I'm a fan

I'm a fan of this cobalt blue color.

In general, I am a fan of anything blue, but i think it's a nice alternative color for fall.  we tend to wear red, orange, and brown in the fall and then transitions to black in the winter, which is fitting.  whatever.  i def like this color better.

that's kinda why i recently bought this belt. hot right?

A freaking wood bike - are you serious?  this is amazing.

those tote-like handbags.  yeah, i need this leather bag for work, but not one that's $300.

I'm a fan of October.  It's MLB playoffs, NFL, NHL, AND soccer season ALL AT THE SAME TIME!!

Last night, the mighty Yankees were defeated in game 5 to send the Detroit Tigers to the ALCS to face the Texas Rangers.  Tonight, we shall see what the NLCS matchup will be.  Please Phillies, PLEASE WIN!  If you do i'll give you a cookie.  I am a fan...perhaps slightly obsessed...although my experience being a Philadelphia fan, I have always been a pessimist.  Plus, the Cards are hot, which makes me nervous.

Our (Philly) teams never win when they are supposed to...but i do have confidence in RoyH.  He's the bomb.com.

The 7th Inning

One.

Two.

Three.

Phillies lead the series, 2-1 after Ben Francisco hit a 3-run hr as a pinch hitter.

Charlie - good decision to pull Hamels.

LaRussa - good decision to intentially walk Ruiz.

BF - way to hit it hard.

Garcia - way to make a terrible pitch.

Tonight's game at 6pm...love the earlier games these days.  Not loving that the games are on TBS = mlb.tv, which is not quality.

How bout this October weather?  It's super soccer amazing!!

A day off

...so not really feeling so hot right now.  i had to take the day off.  the first time i've ever taken a sick day from work.  actually, right now i feel ok...anyways, the weather was cold this past weekend and maybe i blame that for getting semi-sick.  saturday, i coached outside, then cheered on the Phillies at game 1.  Sunday, more coaching and then football practice.  this morning, curled up in the fetal position and thinking i was dying.  not a good start to the week, but at least i got to take the day off.  days like this with nothing to do, inspire me to bake something or perhaps make (in the DIY sense) something.  hmm.  This guy is inspiring. but i don't have random pieces of leather or a sewing machine. wish i did. and wish i was a nifty woodworker.  i think i might bake something or make some soup.  and when i say bake, i mean, mix water with a box of whatevers.  heh.  i'm lazy.  i'm gonna light a candle, eat lunch and watch a netflix series. start now.

Dear Phillies,

Heading to Game 1 tomorow after coaching.  My first experience going to playoffs - I am excited. Please don't let me down.  It's that simple.

soccer season is underway

Happy Friday!  It's ugly out today though.  rain and dark this morning.

I don't blog much anymore.  Soccer has taken over my life, well not really, only twice a week...and the weekends. so that counts.  but i also obsess about MWS.  you know last night, i was wearing a MWS shirt at LoyolaU and some guy pointed it out and said, "you must be good."  ahhh, made my night.  i shrugged it off though and said, "used to be..."  i was running with a bag of cones, to the field...so i couldn't chat.  but i overheard him talking to his friend.  he said, MWS is goooood.  they win national championships.  Yes they do and continue to do...team is legit this year AGAIN. 

I recently completed the Friday Night Lights series...tear.  so good.  so i've been trying to find another feel good series on Netflix to start.  (MadMen, yes - in the future when i have a little more time.)  I chose Felicity.

BALTIMORE GRAND PRIX 2011

BGP down on Pratt Street in Grandstand 27.

The city of Baltimore was crazy baby!  downtown was completely blocked off...for good reason.  the baltimore grand prix was in town this past weekend and that meant fast cars, loud engines and 3 days of straight partying.  it was a crazy scene down there.  mad cool.  saturday, i decided to ride my bike down to the race to try and avoid traffic; however, it was prolly a poor choice.  i had to walk all the way around the race track (with my bike) to get to the party i was going to.  i'm not complaining though - it was cool to see (and hear) the cars and race for the first time as i was walking around.  it was also equally cool to watch from the rooftop.  anyways, sunday i got tickets and sat in the Grandstand on the straight away, with my brother and some friends.  It was seriously awesome!  awesome!  i wish we would've taken a little more time to soak it all in and see all of the exhibits and everything, bc the event was just fantastic, fantastic for the city.  what is exciting is that Bmore put in a 5 yr contract, so it's coming back next year!  count me in; i'm def looking forward to it.  ok. well time for a little online shopping.  happy Labor Day off of work!

WPS Championship

Congrats W. New York Flash!

2011 Champs!

I wish I couldve watched, but 1. i don't have tv and 2. irene was in town.  enjoy your week!

I Love Simple Styles

I'm such a tomboy.  i could live life in sweatpants and t-shirts.  ok, maybe denim on occasion.  but we all know that in the real world people judge.  and i feel fresh and ready to get busy when i put together a great outfit.  fall is def my fave season for fashion.  and the weather.  gosh, autumn is so beautiful, leaves changing and crisp air.  cool mornings.  soccer season.  Ah.  i like the classic look.  clean lines. simple.

(j.crew and zara)

who loves madmen?  my sis tells me its an awesome show, and so it's next on my queue for netflix.  BR has a MadMen line.  legit, but prolly not practical for me.

Who's ready for Irene?  I heard its a category 2.  psht.  that earthquake was a 4.8 and i barely felt it.

Playlist {8.24.11}

Ok, so it has been awhile since i've shared the latest and greatest.  playlist time::check it.

1. Drunk on You - Luke Bryan (def high on summertime)
2. Ships In The Night - Mat Kearney (this album is awesome)
3. Just A Kiss - Lady Antebellum (can't wait till the new album comes out in Sept)
4. Cheers (Drink to That) - Rihanna (Avril? WTF)
5. What Means the Most - Colbie Callait (tix to her show with Mraz - stoked)
6. All Your Life - The Band Perry (cute song)
7. Count on Me - Mat Kearney (see #2)
8. Best Thing I Every Had - Beyonce (random R&B)
9. I'm Gonna Love You Through It - Martina McBride (such a powerful song and video - get it for free on iTunes!)
10. Country Must Be Country Wide - Brantley Gilbert (keep the country country)
11. Remind Me - Brad Paisley feat. Carrie Underwood (video is kinda cheesy, but Carrie Underwood makes Brad Paisley look hot)
i was thinking ahead and purchased some winter boots today.  excellent.
 
...and these:

don't worry, i got both of them on sale or should i say last chance clearance.
today i rode hills.  my quads are tired and i shall regret that choice tomorrow during my soccer game.
 still looking for a good chambray shirt, but at a reasonable price...is $98 too much?  argh.

Road Biking

I decided that I needed a new hobby and so i bought a road bike (and a helmet, etc.)  what do you think?

i wanna work in some bike workouts to my regiment this fall.  plus, soccer practices will be at ridley field which is only like a mile from my house.  well, perhaps i'll consider a bike commute, but then again, i'll be riding up that nasty hill in the dark on the way home, in sketch bmore.  ok, well, maybe not.  i do however, plan on doing some long rides on saturday or sunday mornings.  

today, i did my first ride.  went about 20 miles out to Quarry Lakes and i can tell that my quads will be sore tomorrow...and my one calf since i cramped up at the very end of the ride.  yay.

i think i'm going to purchase this sweet bike shelf/rack/holder thingy from Elevate.

Cliff Lee is so awesome.  he makes me cry.

Stay Sweet Summer

Doh!  It's mid August and unfortunately, the summer is winding down.  Not that i didn't get to do some fun things, but it was unfortunately an uneventful one.  No extravagant vacas or life changing events (from my perspective). 

let me think...hmm, here's how it went down:  to start everything off, my brother got married in OBX - mini vaca and hanging with the fam!  in June, my sister opened Glide Surf Co. in Normandy Beach, NJ, with her husband, so there were numerous parties and weekend beach visits to Jerz.  couple other weddings, including one in NYC which led to some epic eating and shopping experiences and seeing old faces.  U2 concert at M&T.  WWC 2011.  Dew Tour in OCMD.  many friends leaving baltimore and moving on with life, leading to a slew of goodbye dinners.  another failed softball tournament championship attempt, again so close.  soccer camp at Messiah.  phillies games like whoah and yay all at the same time...but:  not enough crabs, not enough soccer, and not enough icecream.  well, i was able to satisfy the first and last of these this past weekend.  back to OCMD one last time.  yess.  soccer?  well, ok, i did the camp.  and i played last week. once. co-ed rec starts this week.  yikes. super outta shape. but then again, so will everyone else be.  my foot is on fire today after a short run yesterday.  really?  why does it still hurt?  waaah.
i must be getting old.

This is hot.

This morning I had a cafe breakfast with a dear friend, outside on a chill morning with a cup of coffee and breakfast sammie.  It was pretty perfect.

The past 5 days were bitter sweet working soccer camp at Messiah College.  exhausting, yet exhilerating.  getting up early and challenging my body with runs with the young'ns, being on my feet in the sunny outdoors for many hours, but being surrounded by girls who love the game of soccer and respect you for your contributions to the game. (and getting the new 2011 MWS schedule magnet)  what an incredible atmosphere.  360+ girls at one time can however, be a bit overwhelming.  good thing i'm heading to the jersey shore this weekend (and hanging out with the gang at GlideSurfCo).

This outdoor lighting setup is hot.

wish i had a pad like this in the outdoors.

This head wrap is hot. 

but i would never wear one.

The Phillies are hot...esp new man on campus, Hunter Pence.

just bought playoff tix for 3 games.

DB - sooo hot.

(add for new H&M collection)

Super excited for the Baltimore Grand Prix on Labor Day weekend!

Hot off the press

Fall to a lot of people is great because of football.  and i always get asked about football, like the NFL, fantasy football, etc. - i even play a little flag football in the fall.  but my answer will always be...football season is soccer season, son.  so while i'm an eagles and ravens fan, i know nothing about their players and i really don't care about the games, unless it means going to the latest and greatest party on a Sunday afternoon.  My focus remains on MWS during those fall months.  i follow the website like a hawk and well, whatta you know...they finally updated it.  Look!  or wait, L@@K as ebay sellers put it, new team and new players.  Yessss.  too bad they are not in Bmore this year.  I hope i can make it out to a few this season, but i seem to have a lot on the sched already this year. 
designers, make it work.

(classic coach frey)

Hey MWS, you know I AM your biggest fan.

Speaking of soccer, how freaking awesome was the WWC2011?  

It.was.awesome.  I love twitter.

HOPE

It's ok...

It's ok...
1.  ...to not sleep in on a Saturday || don't waste your life
2.  ...to skip working out 2 days in a row ||  It's summertime
3.  ...to wanna go to the beach so bad || I've yet to this summer -  Nothing beats sand and surf on a hot sunny day
4.  ...to have an empty refrigerator || I have become too lazy to grocery shop
5.  ...to stand in line for over an hr to get food and then be informed that the food ran out || actually it's not ok
6.  ...to want to go to the Phils/Mets game while i'm in NYC next weekend || anyone wanna go?
7.  ...to eat icecream 3 days in a row ||  there's no "I" in team, but there's an "I" in icecream
8.  ...to lose against Sweden || because you will totes redeem yourself tomorrow v. BRA

 9.  ...to be strong and fierce, and maybe over competitive ||  i will always win

10. ...to only have 9 in a list || and not 10

don't you hate unreliable people?

Step it up USA

First of all, I'd like to apologize (to my 3 followers) for my lack of blog postings.  my b.  so sorry.  but i do post on tumblr and pinterest, so that kinda counts.

Summertime is so sweet.  specially when the WWC is here!  USA hasn't won since 1999.  I mean, really, how could you forget B. Chastain's epic pk to win it for us.  Let me remind you:

epic i tell you.

this time, there's no brandi, no mia, no lilly.  waah.  but...

some young talented personalities on the squad.

dude, but how come they lost today?  arg.  at least they are not out.  but they do have to play BRA.  Marta.  sick.  nasty.  will be a good game and for sure a test of the best.

btw, how do you like those uniforms?  my initial thought was ew, but now i think i may like them, slightly.

i can't wait to go to NYC in a few weeks.  i need a break from my boring life.

Time to rock 'n roll

Big day tomorrow...

All day softball tournament!

Chase, I hope I make you proud.

THANKS for the 7 game winning streak...keep it goin'.

Fiday Night Lights

I just got netflix and i was looking for a good series to marathon.  you know, i cut cable the other day, so it's annoying when you can't find anything to watch.  Luckily, one of my fave shows of all time is Friday Night Lights. 

Unfortunately, the last season (5) is airing now, so i can't watch the show in its entirely right now....but i'd figure that i'd start watching it from the beginning!  i love this show mainly because i can relate so well with it...the thoughts, motivations, passions, team, friends, love, emotion - it's all here.  it is quite awesome.  for anyone that has ever played a sport, this show will touch you deeply.  (and for those who have never experienced playing sports competitively, the dedication and emotion of the experience extends beyond just the physical, it is honestly indescribable).  friends, i am 7 episodes deep in season 1 and i have to admit that i at least tear up if not cry during each of the shows.  Arg.  i'm sad that it is near the end, but hopefully a similarly great show like this will follow...and not like this one. 

Right now...

I am satisfied.  I just ate at Miss Shirley's (with a froomate - i.e. future roommate) and am ready for a late Saturday morning nap.  listening to Adele on Pandora and hm... emailing/fbing/blogging/shopping/browsing/surfing.

Last night, I went to the Phillies game and it was a good one.  Polanco hit a grand slam and big dog Roy Halliday pitched a shutout through 7.  dumb relievers let in 5 in the 8th but at least kept it interesting.  i booed.  But then I decided to drive home late last night, which led to stopping at a rest stop for a nap at 130.  Don't worry i got home safely.  i def wish i was here.

with one of these

and listening to some relaxing tunes.  i will run those errands a lil later.

dozing off...yay for random no plans summer saturdays.

Pressure either breaks you or it makes you

Pressure makes us.
i remember when i worked that hard.  i wish i could go back...like yesterday.  but for now, it's motivation.  WWC at the end of this month.  what makes you?

i did the shoulders and arms P90X workout earlier today.  i presume i'll be rather sore tomorrow.  then hittn philly for the game later for the start of the weekend.  yay.
it's been so hot the last couple of days in bmore.  i feel nast.

Camper bike

How money would this be to have a freak'n camper bike?!

i would totes rock it!

i'm heading up to jersey shore this weekend to party with Glide.  what are your great plans?  i hope to bake in the sand.