June 8, 2003

First off, sorry about the lack of Derek Jeter updates these past few days...things got a little crazy!!

Today, i'm sharing an article from June 8,2003...the last time the New York Yankees played the Chicago Cubs, and quite possibly the most important game i've ever been to...

It was the last major league game I got to attend with my dad, and I remember it like it was yesterday. I remember having to park miles away because of the huge crowds around Wrigley Field. I remember sitting right behind home plate, seats away from Brian Urlacher and his brother. Laughing so hard about anything and everything with my dad, talking about baseball and having him explain every little detail to me about the game. Eating hotdogs, nachos, peanuts and most importantly, cotton candy ;) I remember being able to hear the collision of Kerry Wood and Hee Seop Choi which knocked Choi unconscious. But far more importantly, I remember being so ecstatic that I got to spend it all with my dad, the person who is responsible for my love of the game. Everytime I step into a baseball stadium now, I get butterflies, the way I did that very day, at age 13. It's a feeling I can't really describe, the joy that baseball brings to my life and the way I hold it so close to my heart.

I thought i'd share some memories of this game with all of you, not only because this weekend will be the first Cubs/Yankees series since then, but also because it just so happens to fall on Fathers Day :) I am so lucky and so blessed to have these memories with my dad. I hope everyday you guys make lasting memories with the ones you love...I can't stress the importance of that enough!

So check out this article and while you do, count your blessings
http://scores.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=230608116

Always Keep Your Dreams Alive!

This post is kind of a follow up of "finding balance," my last post. This is about finding where you belong and embracing it.

We all look for happiness, but the reality of it is, happiness should find us. It finds us when we are content being who we are, its when we are comfortable enough in our own skin to do our own thing- to live our life worry-free of what others think of us. To do what makes US happy.

I can say, for myself, I've always been happy with the person I am, its something I owe to my family, for making me believe in myself, and the beauty of my dreams. Making me feel like no matter what I do, I have worth. I have been a lot of places in the past few years- mentally and physically. I think about where I was 3 years ago when I moved to Los Angeles, and where I am, today, in New York, looking to turn the page of the next chapter in my life. Every day of the past few years has taught me more about what I want out of life, what I need out of life and most importantly, what i deserve.


What I've learned over the past 3 years is that sometimes hard work is noticed, sometimes it isn't. Regardless, never let that change how hard you work. Someday, someone will notice your hard work and drive and give you a chance.

Never change who you are for someone else. You are yourself; unique and beautiful. Nobody should ever tell you your not good enough, and if they do, chances are they are just miserable in their own skin that they have to put other people down. Feel bad for them, and hope that one day they find their calling.

Take time to just enjoy where your at, enjoy how far you've come and enjoy the beauty of living.

Dream big, dream huge...whatever you do, don't give up on your dreams!

Do your best, day in and day out. Don't take any moment for granted. Work hard, stay happy and breathe in fresh air.

One more final thought-don't ever get too comfortable in your everyday life that you forget what your real dreams and goals are. Continue to dream and persevere every single day, and you can't go wrong.

Finding Balance-

For anyone who knows me, you know I dream big...Okay, maybe big isn't the word...Huge. I've always been a dreamer, but now more than ever. Things are within my reach that I couldn't have even imagined a few weeks, months or even days ago. Some of these things aren't what I would have ever expected- but they're what I needed. The simplicity of combining your dreams with your realities. Finding Balance. Life moves fast, it doesn't stop for anyone or anything, so that's why it is important and up to us to find the balance between what we want, and what we deserve.

We have to find balance in our everyday lives; balance between work and fun, between eating healthy but giving our body what we want, between accepting and not giving up. More than we realize, we have to find balance.

One thing we should never have to second guess, though, is our happiness. So what makes you happy? Is it your career? Your family? A hobby? Just like this- we should all be able to find balance between life and living.

The difference is life is what we are given, it is a gift. Living, however, is what we make of our lives. Life is something we should never take for granted, that's something we have been told all of our lives, but another thing we should never take for granted is doing what makes us happy.

Just a little note to remind you that your life IS worth living! So go ahead and do something for yourself today, big or small, appreciate the life you have been given, and realize that you are worth something great!

You're in control of your destiny!

Por que, Jorge?

A simple question all of us Yankees fans have been asking ourselves since last night, "why?" Why would Jorge, a yankees star in his own right, a fan favorite and a 13 season Yankee starter, decide an hour before game time to take himself out of the line-up as a DH for no known reason? It's a tough thought for all of us to process when we think about the Yankees without Jorge, but Jorge hasn't even mentioned retiring, so why?

After being the Yankees starting catcher for so long, to only being able to DH, to being told your batting 9th? I'm sure it stings Jorge. It can't feel good. Which may be the reason he decided to "clear his head" last night. Which I believe was a good decision, however, a good decision that should have been made clear the night before the game and not an hour before game time. The major thing rubbing me the wrong way in this situation is that he didn't "take himself out of the lineup" until he was told he was batting 9th. Isn't baseball a TEAM sport? Every spot on that batting order counts, especially against the Red Sox.

Google News "Jorge Posada" today and read all of the 'he-said, she-said' comments made and thrown around since last night, in reality none of us know exactly what goes on behind closed clubhouse doors.

So here's just my opinion, I love Jorge, he, in my eyes, has always been one of my favorite players- hes been consistent (OK, well, up until last year) hes played through pain, hes been a part of the core-four and he has always been a stand-out man, are we really going to throw all of that away on one stupid decision? I would hope not, his decision last night effects his FUTURE with the Yankees, not his PAST.

I'll be back with more on this when more comes of it...until then, please feel free to leave your opinions and comments!

A Classless Exit for Jackson, L.A. Lakers.

(I'm going to start this off with stating that I am, indeed, a Lakers fan, so I'm writing this in all honesty of how I saw this game Sunday.)

Who knew such big men could act like such little babies? Since when are flagrant fouls (not to mention 1 minute apart from each other) an acceptable form of basketball? Well, its not, and I feel like the Lakers got what they deserved Sunday. A game is a game, which ever way you look at it. The reason it's a competitive sport if because noone has the upper hand. We may have had Phil Jackson, who through the years has coached the Chicago Bulls to six titles and the Los Angeles Lakers to five titles, but none of that matters when you hit the court. The Mavs came to win, and winning is what they did. Phil Jackson noted this will be the last game he coaches, after recieving a $35K fine from the NBA for making comments about the refs. I wish I could sit here and get into detail about the game, even the series, but this is what I took away from this series, a bunch of grown men who don't know how to handle losing. It's sad when these multi-million dollar salary players decide to take the low route and exit the game with an ejection because they can't handle losing. Trust me, I give them the benefit of the doubt that it's not easy to lose, let alone by that much and be swept in the series, but with the contract they sign, this isn't just a game, its their CAREER. Kobe Bryant said it simple and best by saying "You don't want to see that. You don't want any of their players getting hurt."

So rest up this off-season, Lakers. I look forward to seeing you next season. (Maybe minus a few of you ;) )

Let's Go Bulls!