Monday, April 28, 2008

Metro East Regionals '08

This Sunday I had the opportunity to watch Pitt women (Danger) play in regional's back door bracket for nationals. It was awesome. On Saturday, I unfortunately had to work all day, but I drove down to Princeton and booked into the same hotel as Danger. From what they told me, they came in to Saturday's play strong. Ranked third, they stomped G-dub (ranked 14th) and Messiah (ranked 11th), but unfortunately lost to Maryland (ranked 2nd) 15-9 during the last game, putting them in the back-door bracket for Sunday. From what they were able to tell me about the Maryland game on Saturday, Pitt was just too tired and run-down to give it a good go. This was unfortunate, but apparently true. Now, on Sunday I saw nothing to confirm reports that Danger played with anything less than their very best.

First game Sunday was against Penn's Venus (ranked 8th going in and would end tied with Penn State for 5th). This was the first time I'd seen this years team play and I was very impressed. I came in a few points behind because I needed to catch a cup of coffee, but Pitt women kept a steady lead (I think) the entire game. One of the great things about the way Pitt was playing was that even thought they stayed a few points ahead of Venus most of the second half, they continued to play as if they were behind. This style of play I think really characterized all their games on Sunday. Anyways, the game ended 15-11 Danger.

Second game was against NYU (ranked 4th going in and would end holding seed). This game was really exciting. Alright, so the Venus game was great, but that may have just been my excitement, I'm not sure. The NYU game really was exciting though. The entire first half we were back and forth on points. Yeah, intense. After the half, though Danger came back to will 15-9.

So after playing NYU, Danger was in the position to move up and take 2nd place and the remaining spot at nationals. Third game was a rematch against Maryland (ranked 2nd going in). Maryland had played against Ottawa (ranked 1st and without real competition the whole weekend) for first place while we were up against NYU. There was really no contest in the match. Ottawa was winning 6-2 when Maryland decided to pull out their good players and just keep putting their rookies on. I can only imagine this strategy was meant to save their energy for the game against Danger. Maryland lost the game against Ottawa 15-2.

Good story, don't know if it's true: Maryland called a foul against Ottawa on Maryland's endzone. Instead of contesting it, the Ottawa girl just laughed and told her she wouldn't score anyway. What balls. Dude.

There had been an hour between the second and third games. At the end of the NYU game, Danger's adrenaline was up and I think that the hour between the games was more harmful than helpful, giving their body's time to rest, yes, but also lowering the adrenaline levels that allowed them to push their tired bodies as hard as they needed. As it was, Maryland took half 8-6 and came back after half to take the game 15-7. So Maryland is going to nationals and Danger held seed at third. Really, I think they played great and I've never been more excited on the sidelines.

Soon to come, a rundown on all the Danger girls.

You can find all the actual scores and final rankings here on the official upa scores website.

Friday, April 25, 2008

I only know that I'm sure I am hooked on the mem'ry of you

'97 Saturn SL - MUST SELL - $1200 or best offer

1997 Saturn 4-door

Must sell in next week!!!

Well maintained
Saturn bike rack on roof
Just passed PA inspection
AC and heat
CD player/radio/AUX hook-up

Asking $1200 or best offer

I love my car, but am moving out of the country and can't take her with me. Please contact me with any questions or to set up a time to look at her/take her for a drive. Thank you.

Monday, April 14, 2008

Springtime, running, and shorts

So springtime has finally come around to this quiet little Pennsylvania town. It is a time for change and rebirth. I decided that I am moving back to Japan. This is reason for excitement and anxiety, but goes well with the weather. One of the great things about going back to Japan is the possibility of playing ultimate on the regular again. In May alone there are at least two tournaments going on and I'm in terrible ultimate shape. Obscene amounts of coffee and french fries every day do something to a girl. With that in mind, I've decided to get back into shape beginning with a run yesterday.

Both of my roommates were track runners in high school and college, but I've never been much of a runner. The first spring I played ultimate I sprained both my ankles multiple times so that by the time sectionals rolled around I was waddling around on two kankles with my shoelaces off my sneakers. In fact, the following spring someone video taped our team playing during spring break when my shin splints laid me up for three months. Looking back on that footage, I'm surprised I was ever able to run again.

I digress; back to running now. My roommate was nice enough to let me go through some clothes she was giving to Goodwill and I came across a few runner's shorts. You know the kind: really short with built in undies (spankies). So yesterday, since it was such a fine day, I decided to pull a pair on and try them out. Immediately I was hit with a dilemma: um, is this underwear or not? With the roomies out at a tournament I decided to wing it and just go with what was most comfortable.

Thoughts on the "right" way to dress for running kept me company my entire run. I was quite comfortable on my lower half, but was coming to regret my choice to wear long-sleeved under armour. Why not go with the less-is-more tactic when it comes to running? More skin-to-air contact means a cooler body and doesn't that make more sense in the spring/summer? It slowly became clear to me that men competing in the Olympics went around in the buff not because they were all homosexuals, but because it really was just more comfortable that way. Unfortunately, I don't think running without a sports bra would be comfortable at all. Maybe running in a sports bra and runner's shorts is the way to go. So what if I got a little jiggle in my middle? It's my body, I do what I want.

Friday, April 11, 2008

Bold As Brass

[This post contains material of the intimate variety and should not be read by my family. Don't say I didn't warn you.]

I currently live with two very good friends of mine, Caley and Justin, who happen to be engaged to each other. This is a very good situation for me, but I understand their need for some personal space and try to make myself as scarce as possible at certain times. When they're out and I have the house to myself however, I do take the liberty of doing things I would not do otherwise such as walking around in my sports bra or taking a long, quiet bath.

It came to pass one day that I had the house to myself all morning. I took this opportunity to straighten up my room in anticipation of a visit from my dad in the evening. I washed all my clothes and bed linens and sorted through some papers I had lying around. Since I was cleaning everything in the room, I decided to take my boy toy out and give him a good cleaning too. (Of course these sorts of things should be cleaned as often as they're used, but some extra attention doesn't hurt either.) I recommenced the general cleaning, fixing the bed, straightening up the kitchen, etc. Finally the time came to go to work and I left the house with only the dirty bowls left to be washed and the dog left outside.

About an hour into work I realized that the house was not ready for my father to come visit. Aside from the dishes not being done and the dog now soaked from the sudden storm outside, I had left my boy toy on the bathroom counter to air dry and never put him away. Justin would be home already and my father would be there by the time I returned from work. Knowing that Justin was fond of using the guest bathroom for number two emergencies and my father would undoubtedly need to use the restroom after the drive, I was anticipating embarrassment all around. I called my roommate immediately. Justin didn't pick up so I couldn't warn him from entering the guest bathroom. I called Caley and gave her warning, but she was spending the weekend out of town and could do nothing to protect me from fate.

Fortunately, fate had my back. My father called to say that he was not going to come over that night. Still, Justin would be home. I awaited the end of my shift in a state of anxiety. There was a chance he would avoid using the guest bathroom altogether. If he did use it however, the strain on our relationship may be too much to bear. At 9:30 I rushed from work, rehearsing a light-hearted yet apologetic speech for my poor roommate to assuage any discomfort he may be feeling at the sight of my boy toy bold as brass on the front of the bathroom counter.

When I got home I immediately rushed into the bathroom and grabbed my boy toy from the counter and put him back in his place. Only after I had him safely and discretely stored again did I realize that my roommate was not in the house. His car was not in the garage, but the door had been unlocked, the lights had been on, and there was no note as to his whereabouts.

To this day, I don't know if he ever went in to that bathroom and saw that boy toy sitting there at a full salute on the counter or not. If he did, he has done a first class acting job keeping it to himself. Still though, he did run out of the house awful quick for no reason that evening. Eventually I learned he had gone to Home Depot and there will always be that suspicion in my mind that he went into that bathroom, looked at the counter, and immediately left the house in search of a place to reinforce his masculinity. Who's to say he didn't? He's not talking.

Friday, April 4, 2008

Paralyzer

Why would you make a song about not moving that's so darn fun to dance around to? If this song was really playing and some chic was really "standing still," I would say she's probably deaf and blind.