The following is a comment on a recent sports feature done on this season's superb play of Atlanta Braves outfielder Matt Diaz.
Here is a link to the story: http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=ap-braves-diaz&prov=ap&type=lgns&success=1#comments
Watch the replay or highlights of Sunday's game. In the at bat he hit the triple to right, he shifted his body in the box. Matt has an amazing swing. I love his speed, I love his heart. He legs out every play. I love Joe and Boog. Met em in LA July 4 a few years back.
I do love the outfield combination, with two lefties in Church and McLouth and a righty in Diaz. G.A was a great player with the Angels, but he can be the replacement to Terry down the line, in my eyes. Same style hitter as TP, just only hit leftie.
I don't wish to indentify them anymore, because that team has changed its name three times.
Been a Braves fan since i could remember.
Remember wearing Yankee stuff (I know, I Know), but that was younger than 8. I always had a love for the Braves. Maybe it was because they were always in the Series.
So what.
But what those Braves teams had was pitching. Smotlz, Glavine and Maddux.
I need not say more, if you catch my drift. Don't care what happened between management while handling Smotlz and Glavine.
Thought sometimes you do need to look at what works. Look at this pitching staff.
Derek Lowe can be the ace, but so can Javier Vasquez. Don't forget about the young Jair Jurrjens and of course, Tommy Hanson.
Tell me that rotation could be that way if we didn't let go of Glavine midseason.
And bringing up Kris Medlen to help shore up the long relief in the bullpen, letting Peter Moylan and sometimes the combination of Mike Gonzalez and Rafael Soriano.
The back end of the bullpen has been amazing of late. Closing down games, unlike one of the few I saw in L.A. this season when Soriano served up a 2-0 fastball to Andre Ethier, leading the Dodgers to a 5-4 walk-off win. The following series, they cleaned house, and the pitching staff shut the L.A. bats down as the offense awoke late in games two and three before getting to work early in the finale on a Sunday afternoon.
The lineup has had its ups and downs. McLouth is a great leadoff hitter, with a great combo of speend and power.
Prado, regardless of his health, has sparked the Brave offense many times ahead of Chipper Jones.
Jones has done his share this year. Sort of a drop off from last season's amazing batting average of .364, and his current .284 is below his career average, but he has done his job getting to McCann.
And have we got another baseball player. I have seen him go from his first game to handling the pitching staff without any calls from the dugout.
He handles the staff like I have seen only Jason Varitek of recent do so and succeed. David Ross is a strong armed backup that keeps Mac on his toes, but a catcher needs his rest, no doubt about it. even to a 25-year-old.
The bottom of the lineup has broken through. Yunel Escobar in the 5 hole followed by a slew of other formidale hitters, such as recently re-acquired Adam Laroche, Omar Infante, Kelly Johnson Diory Hernandez.
Bobby has known where to put each of these players in the lineup, sticking to a system that he has made work for years.
Don't get me wrong, Roger McDowell is not yet comparable to Leo Mazzone, but I still can't stop remembering Rock n' Jock where he always joked around and wore strange, distracting outfits while on the field.
Some talk earlier in the season said to replace Pendleton, but nothing has gone astray during the season. As far back as I remember, the Braves have been reluctant to release a coach during the season, especially if that area was slumping.
The Braves have been hit by the injury bug, and a few years back, even admitted it.
14 years of winning in a row, and people still expect them to win.
It is a winning tradition, a tradition that I have watched from early on.
And this year, that same bug has hit, but not as hard.
What the future holds for the Braves is extremely bright.
Oh yeah, and I forgot one more thing, Tim Hudson has started rehab.
If he can get back to his old self, that is 5 aces, on one staff, just like it was.
Soriano and Gonzalez are both free agents when the season is up, but the starting pitching staff is locked in for at least another year. There are options to pick up in the winter, and Wren will assess what is best for the Braves, as is his job.
Don't get mad at Frank for doing as he sees fit with the team. He is just like John Schuerholz, with a combination of young and veteran pitching and position players, this team can keep up with the best.
The Braves did fairly well against Boston, unable to take the series in a close third game finale, but the All-Star break saw new life, and the team is pushing forward.
This team has a great ora about it, and it brings back old memories.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Friday, July 31, 2009
Steroids can hurt those not taking them
It takes a lot to lose a persons respect, but in the case of David Ortiz, I really have no other feelings.
You take a guy, who just a few years back suggested a full-year ban, has reportedly been linked to a 2003 report from a former political leader, and you link his name to taking banned supplements by Major League Baseball.
SportsCenter found that Oritz had just 38 home runs in 1200 at bats with the Twins prior to him joining the Red Sox. The next few years, Ortiz hit more than 40 home runs while contributing to two World Champion Red Sox teams.
It really takes a lot for someone to take a piece of paper, and say that this man cheated. But did he? Look at the rules. They are constantly changing.
And as a player, especially one who might not completely understand, you are surrounded by such vices.
With Manny Ramirez recently serving a 50-game suspension, rumor spread that if one teammate tested positive during that time, maybe another would. In walks Ortiz.
Ramirez was a good young player with the Indians before signing a huge contract with Boston.
Ortiz probably didn't have any protection. And the Twins, after Ortiz left, built their way up.
The Twins are still building, but they are doing it right. Trade away Johan Santana and still be able to get players who will contribute and add to a lineup that thrives on speed and gap hitting.
But Ortiz went on to thrive in BeanTown. Along with Manny, they teamed up to form a very scary 3-4 setting.
And now lets turn our heads BACK to steroids.
Why? Because we must? Who says that any of these players really had no clue what they were taking? Who says the person giving it to them claimed it to be something else?
These players, especially foreign-born players, normally had an interpreter or a "friend" to help them through the transitions required in America.
And coming from another country, you had no idea what any of this stuff was, unless you did all of your homework.
Don't get me wrong, I am not sticking up for people who knowingly take steroids. But stuff like this breaks my heart.
Those were some VERY GOOD Red Sox teams. Pitching, hitting and defense were all there. The best thing about the first Red Sox team was having fun while they did it. Look at how Johnny Damon use to look, before shipping out to the Evil Empire Yankees. Comparisons to Jesus.
Damon came alive in the last four games of the 2004 ALCS, and that hair was flowing, as Boston became the first team to ever come back from a 3-0 deficit and win the series.
And the biggest part of the Red Sox winning the championship that year, was shipping Nomar Garciaparra to the Chicago Cubs for Doug Mientkiewic and Orlando Cabrera, who both thrived in Boston, just like Ortiz and Ramirez.
That team got hot, and they stayed hot.
With pitchers from the names of Schilling, Pedro, Wakefield, Arroyo and Lowe, with Keith Foulke closing the bullpen out, they figured out what to do.
But now, that cannot be looked at as true. Ramirez and Ortiz were apparently juiced, and you cannot feel any worse for the game of baseball right now.
Just think, Ted Williams may have turned over in his grave. Oh, wait, he is frozen in Arizona.
Oh yeah, let me remind you, while I am an Atlanta Braves fan, I still LOVE baseball, so I care. I would love to become a baseball historian. Just go to games, watch them, keep stats at every game. Witness history one game at a time. For a true baseball fan, there would be nothing better for me.
You take a guy, who just a few years back suggested a full-year ban, has reportedly been linked to a 2003 report from a former political leader, and you link his name to taking banned supplements by Major League Baseball.
SportsCenter found that Oritz had just 38 home runs in 1200 at bats with the Twins prior to him joining the Red Sox. The next few years, Ortiz hit more than 40 home runs while contributing to two World Champion Red Sox teams.
It really takes a lot for someone to take a piece of paper, and say that this man cheated. But did he? Look at the rules. They are constantly changing.
And as a player, especially one who might not completely understand, you are surrounded by such vices.
With Manny Ramirez recently serving a 50-game suspension, rumor spread that if one teammate tested positive during that time, maybe another would. In walks Ortiz.
Ramirez was a good young player with the Indians before signing a huge contract with Boston.
Ortiz probably didn't have any protection. And the Twins, after Ortiz left, built their way up.
The Twins are still building, but they are doing it right. Trade away Johan Santana and still be able to get players who will contribute and add to a lineup that thrives on speed and gap hitting.
But Ortiz went on to thrive in BeanTown. Along with Manny, they teamed up to form a very scary 3-4 setting.
And now lets turn our heads BACK to steroids.
Why? Because we must? Who says that any of these players really had no clue what they were taking? Who says the person giving it to them claimed it to be something else?
These players, especially foreign-born players, normally had an interpreter or a "friend" to help them through the transitions required in America.
And coming from another country, you had no idea what any of this stuff was, unless you did all of your homework.
Don't get me wrong, I am not sticking up for people who knowingly take steroids. But stuff like this breaks my heart.
Those were some VERY GOOD Red Sox teams. Pitching, hitting and defense were all there. The best thing about the first Red Sox team was having fun while they did it. Look at how Johnny Damon use to look, before shipping out to the Evil Empire Yankees. Comparisons to Jesus.
Damon came alive in the last four games of the 2004 ALCS, and that hair was flowing, as Boston became the first team to ever come back from a 3-0 deficit and win the series.
And the biggest part of the Red Sox winning the championship that year, was shipping Nomar Garciaparra to the Chicago Cubs for Doug Mientkiewic and Orlando Cabrera, who both thrived in Boston, just like Ortiz and Ramirez.
That team got hot, and they stayed hot.
With pitchers from the names of Schilling, Pedro, Wakefield, Arroyo and Lowe, with Keith Foulke closing the bullpen out, they figured out what to do.
But now, that cannot be looked at as true. Ramirez and Ortiz were apparently juiced, and you cannot feel any worse for the game of baseball right now.
Just think, Ted Williams may have turned over in his grave. Oh, wait, he is frozen in Arizona.
Oh yeah, let me remind you, while I am an Atlanta Braves fan, I still LOVE baseball, so I care. I would love to become a baseball historian. Just go to games, watch them, keep stats at every game. Witness history one game at a time. For a true baseball fan, there would be nothing better for me.
Friday, June 19, 2009
Can the Lakers benefit from the 2009 draft?
As the Los Angeles Lakers and their fans celebrate the 2008-09 NBA Championship, many other teams in the league are focused on something else: the NBA Draft June 25.
With Blake Griffin of Oklahoma, Ricky Rubio from Spain and many others headlining the upcoming draft, Laker fans are left to ponder, if they really do care, which player falls into the team and is sent off to the summer league team and possibly the D-fenders of the NBA's Development League.
But the Lakers seem to have a special knack from developing players quickly that show promise early. Andrew Bynum, despite his injuries, has been one of the biggest recent pieces in the Laker puzzle.
Analyzing the draft can be difficult, as not one player is assured to go to a specific team, especially Griffin, who has been speculated to be a No. 1 pick across the board. Griffin may be ready to go to the Los Angeles Clippers, this years first team on the clock.
The Lakers management needs to decide which area they need to address first.
Having Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol wrapped up for another two years and Derek Fisher and Andrew Bynum under contract until the end of next season, many are wondering if owner Dr. Jerry Buss and General Manager Mitch Kupchak attempt to re-sign Trevor Ariza and Lamar Odom.
But what if these two have a different mindset on how to build for next season, which would go against all hope that Ariza and Odom are offered worthy contracts after perfomances in the playoffs en route to their first NBA title.
With the economy being in disarray, many teams have tried to go away from offering luxurious short-term contracts, instead signing players for longer amounts of time. Luke Walton is signed through 2012, making more than $20 million, but he has shown signs of living up to this contract, especially in key situations in the finals.
One area the Lakers could strengthen would be at the center position. Finding a stable backup to Bynum and keeping Gasol at the power forward spot on a more frequent basis.
The web site DraftExpress.com had the Lakers taking Jonas Jerebko, a 6 foot 9, 22-year-old Swedish native in the first round and Slava Kravstov, a 7 foot, 21-year-old Ukranian, both of whom look like possible picks. Another web site, nbadraft.net, had the Lakers taking two players from Louisiana State, guard Marcus Thorton and forward Chris Johnson. These players might be speculated as possible picks due to their playing experience with former teammate and current Boston Celtic Glenn Davis.
The possibilities on draft day are endless. The Lakers could do what they did 13 years ago, trading an older player to a team looking for veteran experience and getting a steal like Bryant. Players such as Jordan Farmar, Adam Morrison, Sasha Vujacic and possibly Walton all can be used as trade bait in an attempt to gain a higher draft pick.
The names on the draft board have proven they can compete at the college level, but many have seen players never pan out that had such high expectations.
Morrison was just one of these players. So highly touted coming out of Gonzaga after leading his Bulldogs to the NCAA Final Four, he was a bust come draft day. Drafted by the Charlotte Bobcats, he never truly found his place before getting shipped to the Lakers and watching the finals from the bench in a suit.
Despite the speculation of whom the Lakers might or might not draft, it can be assured that Laker fans are not too concerned with the draft. They want to see how the 2008-09 NBA title is defended and whether or not a rematch with the Celtics is something to look forward to.
With Blake Griffin of Oklahoma, Ricky Rubio from Spain and many others headlining the upcoming draft, Laker fans are left to ponder, if they really do care, which player falls into the team and is sent off to the summer league team and possibly the D-fenders of the NBA's Development League.
But the Lakers seem to have a special knack from developing players quickly that show promise early. Andrew Bynum, despite his injuries, has been one of the biggest recent pieces in the Laker puzzle.
Analyzing the draft can be difficult, as not one player is assured to go to a specific team, especially Griffin, who has been speculated to be a No. 1 pick across the board. Griffin may be ready to go to the Los Angeles Clippers, this years first team on the clock.
The Lakers management needs to decide which area they need to address first.
Having Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol wrapped up for another two years and Derek Fisher and Andrew Bynum under contract until the end of next season, many are wondering if owner Dr. Jerry Buss and General Manager Mitch Kupchak attempt to re-sign Trevor Ariza and Lamar Odom.
But what if these two have a different mindset on how to build for next season, which would go against all hope that Ariza and Odom are offered worthy contracts after perfomances in the playoffs en route to their first NBA title.
With the economy being in disarray, many teams have tried to go away from offering luxurious short-term contracts, instead signing players for longer amounts of time. Luke Walton is signed through 2012, making more than $20 million, but he has shown signs of living up to this contract, especially in key situations in the finals.
One area the Lakers could strengthen would be at the center position. Finding a stable backup to Bynum and keeping Gasol at the power forward spot on a more frequent basis.
The web site DraftExpress.com had the Lakers taking Jonas Jerebko, a 6 foot 9, 22-year-old Swedish native in the first round and Slava Kravstov, a 7 foot, 21-year-old Ukranian, both of whom look like possible picks. Another web site, nbadraft.net, had the Lakers taking two players from Louisiana State, guard Marcus Thorton and forward Chris Johnson. These players might be speculated as possible picks due to their playing experience with former teammate and current Boston Celtic Glenn Davis.
The possibilities on draft day are endless. The Lakers could do what they did 13 years ago, trading an older player to a team looking for veteran experience and getting a steal like Bryant. Players such as Jordan Farmar, Adam Morrison, Sasha Vujacic and possibly Walton all can be used as trade bait in an attempt to gain a higher draft pick.
The names on the draft board have proven they can compete at the college level, but many have seen players never pan out that had such high expectations.
Morrison was just one of these players. So highly touted coming out of Gonzaga after leading his Bulldogs to the NCAA Final Four, he was a bust come draft day. Drafted by the Charlotte Bobcats, he never truly found his place before getting shipped to the Lakers and watching the finals from the bench in a suit.
Despite the speculation of whom the Lakers might or might not draft, it can be assured that Laker fans are not too concerned with the draft. They want to see how the 2008-09 NBA title is defended and whether or not a rematch with the Celtics is something to look forward to.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Laker blurb. Champions baby! But to all serious-ness.
This all starts last year. Trevor Ariza came to the Los Angeles Lakers and made an enormous impact, his defense smothering, his shooting getting better and better. But the best thing of all, is the Ariza is a local product of Southern California. Late in the 2007-2008, Ariza suffered an ankle injury, but came back early and still competed in the playoffs. To no avail, Ariza's presence did no help. Look at this years Finals. Orlando's Jameer Nelson had a breakout first half of the season, giving the Magic a starting point guard presence not found in the Finals. If you watches both Finals series, you could see the difference of performance with Ariza. Nelson did proove he could compete at a high level, as he earned himself an All-Star selection before separating his shoulder, leading to surgery. But this was early in the season. Injuries take even the best players out of their groove. Ariza's ankle. Nelson's shoulder. But what about Kobe Bryant's fingers? or Andrew Bynum's knee, still not fully healed? Or Kevin Garnett's injury, leaving the Celtics another man down, unable to repeat their performance of 2008? An injury can devastate any season, but the 2009 Lakers fought through injury and earned the NBA Championship. But look back at Nelson. His passion for the game. His willingness to push himself, and his body, back from a reconstructive shoulder surgery, to compete, and play big minutes, for the Magic. These same Magic will appear in many playoff series, just like the one just completed, but so will these same Lakers. The parody over the league is amazing. You still have the Celtics, the Cavaliers, the up and coming Nuggets, Hornets, Jazz, Heat, and every other team in the league poised at making a run. The Lakers had the mentality this year to get the job done. The Magic saw just what it takes to get the job done, although unsuccseful in their task. The Magic may not win the title in 2009-10, but they will be a strong contender as long as Dwight Howard is healthy and competing a high level of play. In the press conference after Game 5, Howard felt that Ariza and Lamar Odom were two huge factors in the Lakers 4-2 series victory over the Magic. Looking ahead to next year, as long as the core of the Laker roster remains healthy, and role players, depending on which are signed, resigned or traded, make a contribution, this team can still win championships with Bryant, Bynum (staying out of foul trouble), and Gasol at the helm. Each and every member of this 2009 Laker team was a contributor. Derek Fisher came through huge time after time. Ariza, offensively and defensively and Odom, who some analysts said was one factor as to if the Lakers would win or lose depending on his play. The bench was inconsistent, but still managed to get the job done when it mattered most. Sasha Vujacic, Jordan Farmar, Shannon Brown, Luke Walton, Josh Powell, the seldom used D.J. Mbengma, Sun Yue, and Adam Morrison (who the Lakers still have not found out what he can do). As Laker fans, we will cherish this win for days to come, but when next season starts, the hunger comes back, and it is time to dance, yet again.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Spring 2009 Final Blog
So procrastination gets you nowhere. I figured this out time after time this semester. I procrastinated in assigning stories, but always had stories to fill pages, although we had one too many ads each week. I procrastinated in doing my final, and I know I could have done a lot better on it. I procrastinated on writing this blog, and now, I am sitting here trying to reflect on the semester past and learn from it. With most of the editorial board I knew leaving and moving on, save for Miles, I do feel that me still being involved with the online and magazine editions will be a positive. I know Lori and Kate have the patience to deal with the new editors, but it will be a new adventure day after day. As for myself, I already feel like I am getting in over my head. I am venturing into two new worlds that I have not experienced, and I am scared for my own well-being. Well, not really, but I do know that it will be a learning experience and I will need all the help I can get from anyone who I can trust to help me. I must say though, it was a very interesting semester. I met a lot of people who changed my life in both positive and negative ways. I will continue to live my life the same way I have over the past year, keep my head up, and let each day happen as it happens.
Friday, May 8, 2009
Manny being Manny? Really?
Its funny. the other week we were talking about who would you rather face, Manny or Chipper. I said Chipper all the way. Manny's numbers have been right there with Chippers, but he hits for more power. I just think its funny that the dumbass dodgers spend all this money on a player, bring in all these fans, name a section "MannyWood" and then he gets suspended for taking women's fertility drugs. Its ironic. Every Yankee fan wishes he was still with the Red Sox. Every Red Sox fan is laughing at the Dodgers. I think it sucks for baseball, because one of its biggest faces just got axed for 50 games. I was happy with him saying he will live with his bad judgement, but what really sucks is the image you are sending to the children around hte country who look up to ball players. Its like, "Hey, you can take a drug to get better." That really just annoys me. A player like that, especially him, now I can really say it was just "Manny being Manny". He has had a great career, up until this point, where now all of his numbers will be questioned. It really was a sad day for baseball yesterday. Dodger fans really must have a sour taste in their mouth. On the same day their star player gets suspended, the bullpen blows a huge lead, allowing the Nationals to snap their record 13-game home winning streak. Of course, Dodger fans being the way they are, will have their heads still above the clouds, thinking that when Manny comes back, he will not be the same player as he was before the suspension. Look back at other players getting suspended early in the season, and see how their production tails off. The Dodgers still have three months with Manny after he returns, but even if he does show up to help, it may be a little too late. Torre will shuffle the lineup, players will go back to their old ways, not having the patience or having fun they did when Manny was on the field. All I can do is wait and see. And that we shall.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Seattle Mariners Baseball.
Ken Griffey Jr. and Ichiro Suzuki. Two players who achieved a milestone in the same game. Griffey his 400th homerun with the Mariners and another Japanese record broken by Ichiro. Talk about two players that mean a lot to Seattle and its baseball team. These two players have basically kept Seattle with a team, unlike its Basketball franchise that moved to Oklahoma City before the 2009 season. This team, which became an expansion franchise before I was born, played in the KingDome, which was like a palace from the outside, but inside I am sure it was a horrible place to be for an oposing pitcher. That stadium did provide a lot of help in Randy Johnson closed out the Yankees in '95, and I would have loved to see the Mariners play the Braves in the World Series that year. -Huge Braves Fan by the way!- Truth be told, I loved Griffey. He meant a lot to the Mariners success in the '90's, but he didn't have the complete team around him needed to get to the final step in the World Series. The team around him was solid, no question in mind: Edgar Martinez. Jay Buhner, Dan Wilson (solid/cluth player). Tino Martinez, Alex Rodriguez (rookie years), Randy Johnson (how could I forget him?), Jamie Moyer. But a lot of great players did travel through Seatlle. The fact is, Junior was THE BEST. Hands down, Ken Griffey Jr. was the best baseball player to ever reach Seattle. And the great thing about the team he played on, was that he started playing with his dad, Ken Griffey Sr. He wanted to do what his dad did in his career, just in his own way. Started his career in Seattle, went to Cincinatti, then mid 2008 to the White Sox and signed as a free agent with the Mariners in the 09 offseason. This just goes to show, in the midst of the so-called "Steroid Era", that great okayers can be unquestioned. Jr. is just one of those players, and I truly do believe that he is a no-questions asked first ballot Hall of Famers.
Monday, March 30, 2009
My whole weekend. Reader Beware - it's long.
As I sit here watching a "Family Guy" sploof of the original "Star Wars", now labeled "A New Hope", I can't help but think about how well the weekend has been.
It is now Monday. 12:15 a.m. A very good reason to look over the past weekend, with it being said and done.
I tested myself this weekend. And I succeeded. I found out what it takes to be a journalist in other fields besides just writing.
When we arrived Thursday afternoon, I found myself looking through our packages, planning out the weekend. Making sure I knew where I wanted to be at what time.
Night One was Page Design with Jorge Medina, enlightening me on how he designes a page.
The funny thing is that I thought our ideas were alike.
Little did I know that I can run stories down a page and run photos smaller. I looked at how other people design there pages, not make it so blank. Spice it up, don't run the same column format. Find a way to spread two stories with a photo.
Give the reader a chance to compare two stories at the top of your page. Run tall photos. Shrink the photo and find a way to fit it between two stories you feel are top of the page status.
The design competition was awkward. Putting myself in a competition like that gave me a good idea of what I need to do.
Some of the comments on my pages read: very clean dummy. bad photo placement. should use Tim Harrower Designers Hand Book. a lot of good cover design ideas. need a dominant photo.
From those comments is where I need to take criticism and run with it. Let it help me. Tell me just what I need to do.
Of course, we had El Torito earlier in the day for dinner.
Day two. The page design competition only took four designers. I was not chosen, but I was able to focus on other things at the time being.
A workshop with Marcus Thompson, beat writer for the Golden State Warriors at the Contra Costa Times. He informed us of where he came from and how risky his stories are.
The way he led into his story was amazing.
The sad part was it involved guns the same day four Oakland police officers were shot in a standoff. He had to change his lead, but it was a damn good one.
I was still trying to figure out the sporting event that we would be covering, but everyone stayed quiet about it, only telling me it would involved feet and a head. Soccer.
While still in the lecture, I learned that you cannot be boring. You need to do your research, learn your sports. And that is just what I did. When I found out just what we were covering, I got on my Iphone, but that was not until later.
Not knowing a sport is not a reason to not cover it! You can study stats. Find out who to look at before you begin. Take the time to look at what you need to know. Watch the game closely. Select your qotes wisely.
NEVER give the reader a reason to stop. I feel like I have already been taught this, but this lecture was an extreme reinforcement of what I learned.
You cant give up. Just what my family use to tell me.
You cant be afraid to criticize accurately, and do not be limited by ear of upsetting someone. TAKE A RISK! Critical analysis gives your story depth and your readers depend on that.
You can save a crappy story with a good ending, but end your story how you started it. Tie it all back in, and wrap it up.
But think before you write.
The ride to the sporting event was quiet. A 20 minute bus ride to Sacramento State. When we exited the bus, we were informed that the subject of the competition would be an intersquad scrimmage. The rules left me a lot to play with. Word for word, Paul McLeod said "You can take any angle you want."
GREAT! With soccer being in the offseason, and this even being a spring scrimmage, I had an idea of just what I wanted to talk about in my story, and I knew my questions before the event started, thanks to doing research.
While I care not to bore you with the soccer game (you can read my story if/when I get it back), I asked the questions I wanted and used information others gained to make my story that much better.
The bus ride back I stressed just a bit. Running out of batteries and a half hour of quotes to listen to. Trying to get down the good ones while I had time on the bus was key. I got just what I needed to, and when we got back to the hotel, I got batteries and calmed myself - bathroom break.
The competition was just like a test. Lets see what you can do. The typing maching I was using had a broken button that is key for this type of machine, a right arrow.
Editing with these things can be a pain. No excuses made I got to writing. It went just like an open note test. Use everything you learned and the information obtained to write a great story. And that is just what I did. I can write sports. I have complete faith in my sports writing, and I knew I would do great. I found out later in the weekend my passion for sports writing would pay off.
Sports took up most of my day Friday, but I ate enough to keep fed and drank a Red Bull during my day to keep myself awake. The night consisted of SportsCenter and sleep.
Day three was probably the most interesting day of the weekend.
Breakfast in the morning with PJ. With limited time, I ate as much as I could of what I knew would be good, with the opportunity to leave as quick as I could with a small buffet consisting of cereal, yogurt, hash browns, and pancakes (just the first day, not the second).
I found my way to a Broadcast News Writing Tutorial by a producer from Fox 40 News in Sacramento, Kate Eby.
I found out this weekend that broadcast is something I am very interested in. I wanted to find out what writing for broadcasting is all about, and now I want to practice more, but first I need to find a college that is good in broadcast.
I learned a lot of things that in the competition, but was unaware of how much shorter I needed to be. I am very glad my adviser Kate McLaughlin looked it over. I just need more practice, that's all. Find a way to get a class to write a broadcast story about a sporting event. Or turn it in and see how much better I can get.
Tell me what you think Kate!
The competition was interesting, seeing how we could cut down such a long story and turn it into a brief tidbit. The downer was no sports were involved and no notes.
That was the problem.
After the competition I mediated a student election. That was the most interesting part. Seeing how many people think from all parts of California, reassuring me that Northern and Southern California are two different states, but also reassuring me that the two sides can agree on many things. Met a very nice female at the meeting, she capped the weekend off greatly. That is a whole nother story. =)
From there, we got ready for the awards. Took a nap, freshened my self up, but not before what I felt was a mandatory editorial board meeting where we found out how our newspaper was thought of by Medina, who designes 160 pages per week for the Orange County Register.
The awards ceremony was slow to start. I knew sports was going to be the last award presented. With Kate's comments, I knew my chances were slim in the event, so I focused more on watching the others around win while I waited patiently and applauded after an untasteful chicken marsala.
The dinner, and conversation at the table was fun, but when the award for sports arrived, I sunk my head, closing my eyes, almost in a completely disengaged state, trying not to focus on the words out of the speakers mouth as he went down the list of four Honorable Mentions and up from fourth place to first. While I could hear every other winner being named, when my name was called, I could not hear a word.
First Place: Nick Ingram
That brings tears to my eyes.
Knowing that all the hard work is beginning to pay off. Working so hard and not knowing what I wanted to do, to being very good at something you always wanted to do.
How can I not feel happy for myself?
During the awards I was texting with the afore mentioned female. She kept me optimistic about the award, reminding me that I knew I did well, which was all that mattered.
If I didn't do well, I knew I tried my best, but to achieve first place is an extremely rewarding feeling.
I can hold my head high, and remind myself that I kick ass at sports writing.
I can write any sport, with research done.
AND SO CAN YOU!
After the awards ceremony I congratulated friends and talked, just reminding people that you can't give up.
Things happen and it takes you a while to figure out what you want to do, but you really need to give it your all.
The same can be applied to life.
Don't let the things you can't control alter drag you down.
Just go with it and take it as it comes. I did that in covering soccer. How would I feel if I didn't write a story about it, just because I have a small knowledge of soccer?
That award will give me reassurance that I can cover any sport and write a damn fine story.
It's not that I feel overconfident, but when you go up against more than 50 other writers, some of whom I have seen win before, I know that I have what it takes to compete for the top.
I loved how I got such huge amounts of positive reassurance before we left and while we were there. I loved how it felt to be rewarded for everything that I put on a two and a quarter pieces of paper.
The night was spent with acquaintances and the aforementioned female, spending the rest of the weekend with her before a 6 a.m. pickup on a 7:20 a.m. flight.
The cab we originally were waiting on was running 20 minutes late.
Great! Deathly tired and your ride is late, I just wanted to go to the airport and try and get aboard as quick as possible to go to sleep.
The funny thing to end the trip was catching the end of a "Smurfs" episode on the Boomerang channel, which mainly plays older cartoons, such as "The Flintstones", "The Jetsons", and "Tom & Jerry".
My experience on the plane was fast, as I slept the entire time. WHen I got home, I began my laundry, but was unable to finish it as I quickly went to sleep.
What I forgot to do was set my alarm!
I was scheduled to work at 3 p.m., but I slept too late.
Waking up at 4:41 p.m. was not what I planned on doing. Two hours late! Never have I done that. But all is well. I arrived at work shortly after 5 and began a 5:40 minute shift.
After getting home at just after 11, I found myself on the couch, unable to move as I fell asleep.
After waking up a little bit after 12 a.m. I knew I had to go into my room and begin my homework.
Lori -I know you asked for just one page, but I had an amazing time at JACC and I would love to do it again if i could be involved with the magazine and somehow compete in broadcast with some help-
It is now Monday. 12:15 a.m. A very good reason to look over the past weekend, with it being said and done.
I tested myself this weekend. And I succeeded. I found out what it takes to be a journalist in other fields besides just writing.
When we arrived Thursday afternoon, I found myself looking through our packages, planning out the weekend. Making sure I knew where I wanted to be at what time.
Night One was Page Design with Jorge Medina, enlightening me on how he designes a page.
The funny thing is that I thought our ideas were alike.
Little did I know that I can run stories down a page and run photos smaller. I looked at how other people design there pages, not make it so blank. Spice it up, don't run the same column format. Find a way to spread two stories with a photo.
Give the reader a chance to compare two stories at the top of your page. Run tall photos. Shrink the photo and find a way to fit it between two stories you feel are top of the page status.
The design competition was awkward. Putting myself in a competition like that gave me a good idea of what I need to do.
Some of the comments on my pages read: very clean dummy. bad photo placement. should use Tim Harrower Designers Hand Book. a lot of good cover design ideas. need a dominant photo.
From those comments is where I need to take criticism and run with it. Let it help me. Tell me just what I need to do.
Of course, we had El Torito earlier in the day for dinner.
Day two. The page design competition only took four designers. I was not chosen, but I was able to focus on other things at the time being.
A workshop with Marcus Thompson, beat writer for the Golden State Warriors at the Contra Costa Times. He informed us of where he came from and how risky his stories are.
The way he led into his story was amazing.
The sad part was it involved guns the same day four Oakland police officers were shot in a standoff. He had to change his lead, but it was a damn good one.
I was still trying to figure out the sporting event that we would be covering, but everyone stayed quiet about it, only telling me it would involved feet and a head. Soccer.
While still in the lecture, I learned that you cannot be boring. You need to do your research, learn your sports. And that is just what I did. When I found out just what we were covering, I got on my Iphone, but that was not until later.
Not knowing a sport is not a reason to not cover it! You can study stats. Find out who to look at before you begin. Take the time to look at what you need to know. Watch the game closely. Select your qotes wisely.
NEVER give the reader a reason to stop. I feel like I have already been taught this, but this lecture was an extreme reinforcement of what I learned.
You cant give up. Just what my family use to tell me.
You cant be afraid to criticize accurately, and do not be limited by ear of upsetting someone. TAKE A RISK! Critical analysis gives your story depth and your readers depend on that.
You can save a crappy story with a good ending, but end your story how you started it. Tie it all back in, and wrap it up.
But think before you write.
The ride to the sporting event was quiet. A 20 minute bus ride to Sacramento State. When we exited the bus, we were informed that the subject of the competition would be an intersquad scrimmage. The rules left me a lot to play with. Word for word, Paul McLeod said "You can take any angle you want."
GREAT! With soccer being in the offseason, and this even being a spring scrimmage, I had an idea of just what I wanted to talk about in my story, and I knew my questions before the event started, thanks to doing research.
While I care not to bore you with the soccer game (you can read my story if/when I get it back), I asked the questions I wanted and used information others gained to make my story that much better.
The bus ride back I stressed just a bit. Running out of batteries and a half hour of quotes to listen to. Trying to get down the good ones while I had time on the bus was key. I got just what I needed to, and when we got back to the hotel, I got batteries and calmed myself - bathroom break.
The competition was just like a test. Lets see what you can do. The typing maching I was using had a broken button that is key for this type of machine, a right arrow.
Editing with these things can be a pain. No excuses made I got to writing. It went just like an open note test. Use everything you learned and the information obtained to write a great story. And that is just what I did. I can write sports. I have complete faith in my sports writing, and I knew I would do great. I found out later in the weekend my passion for sports writing would pay off.
Sports took up most of my day Friday, but I ate enough to keep fed and drank a Red Bull during my day to keep myself awake. The night consisted of SportsCenter and sleep.
Day three was probably the most interesting day of the weekend.
Breakfast in the morning with PJ. With limited time, I ate as much as I could of what I knew would be good, with the opportunity to leave as quick as I could with a small buffet consisting of cereal, yogurt, hash browns, and pancakes (just the first day, not the second).
I found my way to a Broadcast News Writing Tutorial by a producer from Fox 40 News in Sacramento, Kate Eby.
I found out this weekend that broadcast is something I am very interested in. I wanted to find out what writing for broadcasting is all about, and now I want to practice more, but first I need to find a college that is good in broadcast.
I learned a lot of things that in the competition, but was unaware of how much shorter I needed to be. I am very glad my adviser Kate McLaughlin looked it over. I just need more practice, that's all. Find a way to get a class to write a broadcast story about a sporting event. Or turn it in and see how much better I can get.
Tell me what you think Kate!
The competition was interesting, seeing how we could cut down such a long story and turn it into a brief tidbit. The downer was no sports were involved and no notes.
That was the problem.
After the competition I mediated a student election. That was the most interesting part. Seeing how many people think from all parts of California, reassuring me that Northern and Southern California are two different states, but also reassuring me that the two sides can agree on many things. Met a very nice female at the meeting, she capped the weekend off greatly. That is a whole nother story. =)
From there, we got ready for the awards. Took a nap, freshened my self up, but not before what I felt was a mandatory editorial board meeting where we found out how our newspaper was thought of by Medina, who designes 160 pages per week for the Orange County Register.
The awards ceremony was slow to start. I knew sports was going to be the last award presented. With Kate's comments, I knew my chances were slim in the event, so I focused more on watching the others around win while I waited patiently and applauded after an untasteful chicken marsala.
The dinner, and conversation at the table was fun, but when the award for sports arrived, I sunk my head, closing my eyes, almost in a completely disengaged state, trying not to focus on the words out of the speakers mouth as he went down the list of four Honorable Mentions and up from fourth place to first. While I could hear every other winner being named, when my name was called, I could not hear a word.
First Place: Nick Ingram
That brings tears to my eyes.
Knowing that all the hard work is beginning to pay off. Working so hard and not knowing what I wanted to do, to being very good at something you always wanted to do.
How can I not feel happy for myself?
During the awards I was texting with the afore mentioned female. She kept me optimistic about the award, reminding me that I knew I did well, which was all that mattered.
If I didn't do well, I knew I tried my best, but to achieve first place is an extremely rewarding feeling.
I can hold my head high, and remind myself that I kick ass at sports writing.
I can write any sport, with research done.
AND SO CAN YOU!
After the awards ceremony I congratulated friends and talked, just reminding people that you can't give up.
Things happen and it takes you a while to figure out what you want to do, but you really need to give it your all.
The same can be applied to life.
Don't let the things you can't control alter drag you down.
Just go with it and take it as it comes. I did that in covering soccer. How would I feel if I didn't write a story about it, just because I have a small knowledge of soccer?
That award will give me reassurance that I can cover any sport and write a damn fine story.
It's not that I feel overconfident, but when you go up against more than 50 other writers, some of whom I have seen win before, I know that I have what it takes to compete for the top.
I loved how I got such huge amounts of positive reassurance before we left and while we were there. I loved how it felt to be rewarded for everything that I put on a two and a quarter pieces of paper.
The night was spent with acquaintances and the aforementioned female, spending the rest of the weekend with her before a 6 a.m. pickup on a 7:20 a.m. flight.
The cab we originally were waiting on was running 20 minutes late.
Great! Deathly tired and your ride is late, I just wanted to go to the airport and try and get aboard as quick as possible to go to sleep.
The funny thing to end the trip was catching the end of a "Smurfs" episode on the Boomerang channel, which mainly plays older cartoons, such as "The Flintstones", "The Jetsons", and "Tom & Jerry".
My experience on the plane was fast, as I slept the entire time. WHen I got home, I began my laundry, but was unable to finish it as I quickly went to sleep.
What I forgot to do was set my alarm!
I was scheduled to work at 3 p.m., but I slept too late.
Waking up at 4:41 p.m. was not what I planned on doing. Two hours late! Never have I done that. But all is well. I arrived at work shortly after 5 and began a 5:40 minute shift.
After getting home at just after 11, I found myself on the couch, unable to move as I fell asleep.
After waking up a little bit after 12 a.m. I knew I had to go into my room and begin my homework.
Lori -I know you asked for just one page, but I had an amazing time at JACC and I would love to do it again if i could be involved with the magazine and somehow compete in broadcast with some help-
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Issue Two - Inspired to pull through.
So issue two is being sent to the printer as we speak, but the process did not happen without a few mishaps. Our original intention was to run ten pages, with a photo essay for the arts page and three sports pages. The final result ended with the photo essay page cut and a features page cut, and each sports page wound up having a half page ad.
After Issue One, I felt comfortable. I felt as if the writers under me had everything they needed to get stories in early. Apparently I was wrong, except for a few writers. I received text messages from each new writer, informing me that their respective stories would not be in until after the original deadline. Hoping it would not be too far past the deadline, I remained calm, knowing that I could edit stories and get them on pages, ready to design and get edited more.
But when these stories did not reach me until, at the earliest, noon on Wednesday, I was freaking out inside.
I do remember being a new writer on staff, and I do remember turning my stories in late, but I knew that it had to get done. I see a lot of potential in these writers, but one thing they need is to work A LOT harder on these stories, getting started quickly and getting the interviews done early while knowing what angle to write their stories about.
It takes a lot to be a dedicated journalist. I had no idea what journalism was all about, until my second semester on the staff when I took on three different sports beats, men's and women's water polo and football.
But I stuck through it. I knew what had to get done. I set up my interviews at a set time every day, went from one office to another, one practice to another, sometimes staying on campus until 9 p.m. on Mondays just to get a single interview because I knew my stories had to be in that night.
When I got home, I would make something to eat, transpose my notes (before I found a much easier way), watch SportsCenter and write each of my stories. When I got to school on Wednesday after working all day Tuesday, I would either work on a few things or start on another story.
This was a method I grew very fond of. Setting my interviews in stone so that I could budget my time; making sure people knew who I was on campus; making sure the athletes and coaches knew who I was and what my purpose was at their respective practices.
The funny thing is I don't remember how I was able to budget my time so well, but it happened.
Now, in my second sememster as Sports Editor, I recall how dedicated I was, not wanting to give up.
Today was one of those days that I reflected back on why I am so dedicated to what I am doing: I want to make my family proud.
Growing up, always watching sports, my family told me I would be great for a job in sports, but I always wanted to play, not knowing what else was there for me. Now, I am very happy to be a part of sports, especially covering the games that I love.
Death, Family,
This may be tough to stomach, but I am not afraid of death.
Throughout my life, I have seen death all around me. Less than three weeks after my 14th birthday, my mom died of gastric cancer. After graduating college, a few good friends from high school died in car accidents.
The death that struck me the hardest occurred in 2005. A very good friend of mine, someone I thought of as a brother to me, killed himself. Reason still unknown, but able to imagine how Bronson could have done such a thing still remind me of what might have went on in his mind before he took his life.
After Bronson, both of my grandmothers died just over a year apart, one a few days before my 23rd birthday and the other almost a year later.
After 2006, death has been something I have used to try and make friends and others feel better about their situation.
March 5, 2009, death crept its way back into my life. This time, taking a great uncle of mine, Paul Schustek.
Uncle Paul’s death was not something that took the family by surprise. His health was declining slowly, but surely. You could see a slow progression over the course of 20 years in his health. Multiple open-heart surgeries and still the man lived his life to the age of 82.
Recently I caught myself mourning Uncle Paul’s death. What I have tried to drill into my head time after time, especially after my mom passed on, is knowing that it is better think of things in a positive aspect.
We should not mourn our dead relatives, but we should enjoy their life, knowing that in their time on this earth, they enjoyed themselves and lived their life the best way possible.
If I was to die today, I would know that I lived my last few days working the hardest I could, doing everything I could knowing my time was not wasted.
But this was not always my outlook on life.
Not until quitting a job and starting another did I realize this, but I could have used it earlier in my life.
For four years, I feel as if I slaved away, working at a family owned pizzeria in Torrance. Overworked and underpayed, I wore my emotions on my sleeve. I was cranky, unhappy, upset with myself, upset with my life, and found myself having nightmares about my job.
My boss and I got along fairly well at the beginning of the four years, but with both of us being as stubborn as we were, we constantly butted heads on numerous things, from the pizzeria to sports to politics.
As time went on, we agreed less and less, as I was unhappy with the situation months before I took my leave. For reasons that will remain unknown to the reader, I left my post as manager, choosing to take a pay cut instead and begin working for Trader Joe’s.
I didn't mind the pay cut one bit. I am now in a job with great benefits, tons of room for advancement, and a schedule that allows me to keep going all the time. Nine months into it, and my second semester as Sports Editor for El Camino's Union newspaper, I feel confident that I am handling everything on my plate, and death is just something that would stop that.
I try and keep a positive outlook on things. I get a lot of negative people coming into my line at work. It is tough when they try and drag you down, but you cant let them.
I often ask myself, "Is it that hard to just be nice?" I know, I know, a bold statement, but seriously? Why the f**k do people have to be so rude sometimes?
Take a deep breath and deal with the things that matter more.
Family.
Thats what it all boils down to. They push you and they push you, but to tell you to keep going. Dont give up. Keep up the good work.
Loving words of encouragement from family, one who just recently passed away.
Paul Schustek was a great uncle of mine. Full blood Irish marries a full blood Sicilian.
I smiled at the thought of times spent watching football or basketball at Uncle Paul's house, while Aunt Loretta cooked. After Christmas, on the way home. Anytime, when mom was alive, we would stop by. She is like another mother to me.
With Uncle Paul's passing I got to think more of Aunt Loretta. And my two grandfathers whose spouses passed away in 2005 and 2006.
They have lived a long life. Seen many things during their time. Shared many joys and many sorrys. And through the years, they stook by each other, creating a family. Creating people who interact well with others. (Maybe now I am just babbling, but this is my blog!)
My mom always put family first. I knew this looking back at how she was when she was alive. Every other weekend we were doing something. Our grandparents lived closed, so it was easy to do this. Our grandparents were involved in our lives at a very early age. Always picking us up from school, helping us with sporting events, letting us stay at their houses for extended periods of time and other stuff.
Family is a vital part of my life. I know it is time for more death, but I know that those close enjoyed their time on earth, in every way they wanted to. As Frank Sinatra once sang, "I did it my way!"
Frank just so happens to be my grandfather Nick's favorite singer. I could go on and on about him, and I want to. Always able to talk baseball with me, no matter what. Got me really interested in baseball movies with my mom, such as "The Natural", "Field of Dreams", and others.
The memories are vast, and the times with grandpa Nick, full blooded Nablidan (grandparents born in Naples, Italy), were great. Camping memories. Sleeping at his mom's house on the floor in Arizona. San Fransisco. The Gilroy Garlic Festival. Cherry picking out somewhere near Antelope Valley. Fishing on a little boat on Lake Isabella. Watching countless amounts of Atlanta Braves baseball, because he didnt care for the Dodgers, like grandma Jay loved.
She was born in Massachusetts, and I dont know how she got to New York. Full blooded Sicilian, older sister to my aunt Loretta. I dont recall how many siblings she had, but it was at least 4 total. She apparently was a really good bowler. Dont recall an average, but I did see a lot of trophies in the garage and on the wall when I was a kid. I did hear that grandpa did roll a 300 once.
-End-
Throughout my life, I have seen death all around me. Less than three weeks after my 14th birthday, my mom died of gastric cancer. After graduating college, a few good friends from high school died in car accidents.
The death that struck me the hardest occurred in 2005. A very good friend of mine, someone I thought of as a brother to me, killed himself. Reason still unknown, but able to imagine how Bronson could have done such a thing still remind me of what might have went on in his mind before he took his life.
After Bronson, both of my grandmothers died just over a year apart, one a few days before my 23rd birthday and the other almost a year later.
After 2006, death has been something I have used to try and make friends and others feel better about their situation.
March 5, 2009, death crept its way back into my life. This time, taking a great uncle of mine, Paul Schustek.
Uncle Paul’s death was not something that took the family by surprise. His health was declining slowly, but surely. You could see a slow progression over the course of 20 years in his health. Multiple open-heart surgeries and still the man lived his life to the age of 82.
Recently I caught myself mourning Uncle Paul’s death. What I have tried to drill into my head time after time, especially after my mom passed on, is knowing that it is better think of things in a positive aspect.
We should not mourn our dead relatives, but we should enjoy their life, knowing that in their time on this earth, they enjoyed themselves and lived their life the best way possible.
If I was to die today, I would know that I lived my last few days working the hardest I could, doing everything I could knowing my time was not wasted.
But this was not always my outlook on life.
Not until quitting a job and starting another did I realize this, but I could have used it earlier in my life.
For four years, I feel as if I slaved away, working at a family owned pizzeria in Torrance. Overworked and underpayed, I wore my emotions on my sleeve. I was cranky, unhappy, upset with myself, upset with my life, and found myself having nightmares about my job.
My boss and I got along fairly well at the beginning of the four years, but with both of us being as stubborn as we were, we constantly butted heads on numerous things, from the pizzeria to sports to politics.
As time went on, we agreed less and less, as I was unhappy with the situation months before I took my leave. For reasons that will remain unknown to the reader, I left my post as manager, choosing to take a pay cut instead and begin working for Trader Joe’s.
I didn't mind the pay cut one bit. I am now in a job with great benefits, tons of room for advancement, and a schedule that allows me to keep going all the time. Nine months into it, and my second semester as Sports Editor for El Camino's Union newspaper, I feel confident that I am handling everything on my plate, and death is just something that would stop that.
I try and keep a positive outlook on things. I get a lot of negative people coming into my line at work. It is tough when they try and drag you down, but you cant let them.
I often ask myself, "Is it that hard to just be nice?" I know, I know, a bold statement, but seriously? Why the f**k do people have to be so rude sometimes?
Take a deep breath and deal with the things that matter more.
Family.
Thats what it all boils down to. They push you and they push you, but to tell you to keep going. Dont give up. Keep up the good work.
Loving words of encouragement from family, one who just recently passed away.
Paul Schustek was a great uncle of mine. Full blood Irish marries a full blood Sicilian.
I smiled at the thought of times spent watching football or basketball at Uncle Paul's house, while Aunt Loretta cooked. After Christmas, on the way home. Anytime, when mom was alive, we would stop by. She is like another mother to me.
With Uncle Paul's passing I got to think more of Aunt Loretta. And my two grandfathers whose spouses passed away in 2005 and 2006.
They have lived a long life. Seen many things during their time. Shared many joys and many sorrys. And through the years, they stook by each other, creating a family. Creating people who interact well with others. (Maybe now I am just babbling, but this is my blog!)
My mom always put family first. I knew this looking back at how she was when she was alive. Every other weekend we were doing something. Our grandparents lived closed, so it was easy to do this. Our grandparents were involved in our lives at a very early age. Always picking us up from school, helping us with sporting events, letting us stay at their houses for extended periods of time and other stuff.
Family is a vital part of my life. I know it is time for more death, but I know that those close enjoyed their time on earth, in every way they wanted to. As Frank Sinatra once sang, "I did it my way!"
Frank just so happens to be my grandfather Nick's favorite singer. I could go on and on about him, and I want to. Always able to talk baseball with me, no matter what. Got me really interested in baseball movies with my mom, such as "The Natural", "Field of Dreams", and others.
The memories are vast, and the times with grandpa Nick, full blooded Nablidan (grandparents born in Naples, Italy), were great. Camping memories. Sleeping at his mom's house on the floor in Arizona. San Fransisco. The Gilroy Garlic Festival. Cherry picking out somewhere near Antelope Valley. Fishing on a little boat on Lake Isabella. Watching countless amounts of Atlanta Braves baseball, because he didnt care for the Dodgers, like grandma Jay loved.
She was born in Massachusetts, and I dont know how she got to New York. Full blooded Sicilian, older sister to my aunt Loretta. I dont recall how many siblings she had, but it was at least 4 total. She apparently was a really good bowler. Dont recall an average, but I did see a lot of trophies in the garage and on the wall when I was a kid. I did hear that grandpa did roll a 300 once.
-End-
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Issue one, said and done!
I never thought I would get it done. When I was told I had three pages to do, I thought it would be cakework. Then I thought of all the work I had to do. It was not easy at all. Editing stories, making sure my writers were on the same page as I was, covering a Softball game tuesday, designing pages, placing ads, placing pictures (we had ideas but only one made it). The one question is why I procrastinated? I know exactly why. I know how to push myself. I know when it is time to get it done. Of course, I waited until the last minute to do it, but somehow it got done. Over the past two days, I could see my body reacting to the tension I was putting on myself. Going to sleep around 3 a.m., waking up around 9 a.m., only to hit the snooze button and sleep for another hour, which really did not make a difference. I thought math class in the morning would be easy, but its tougher than I expected. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention, the last time I took a math class was FIVE years ago! It doesn't get easier. When I finished around 8:30 p.m. wednesday night, I was relieved. Just like last semester, I view the first issue as the hardest. Of course, three pages is a new step for me, and it got done. The only thing I dread is knowing that I did not get to publish all of the spring athletics with all of the pages I had. Two stories did not come in, and I had one extra story. Somehow I had taken on more ads, and I had to use them. It is a good thing I took them all, because I really needed them.
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