"We Go Together" (GREASE)

I want to make one more entry in 2007 since it was the year of this blog. I can't believe how fast it has gone but reading back on some previous entries, I'm very happy with where it has been and I look forward to what the future holds. December went by a lot faster than I thought. We had to deal with a Broadway stagehands strike which shut down most of Broadway for 19 days. It happened right in the middle of our fall fundraising period so we extended a couple of weeks of fundraising when the shows came back on after the strike. It pushed us into the holiday season which is especially hard for us because we have other events to produce and a lot more other end of the year logistics to go over and the busy holiday time did not help. We finished with an actual record-breaking amount of $3.9 million so the strike actually helped but none of us want to go through that again.

We also finished our Big City season and I'm totally excited that is over. Our Urban team ended the season by being on the top of the list and as we go into playoffs later this week, we hope to capture the division title again. We all just want to make it to the playoffs to get another sweatshirt. Then we start another season and I'll just make it one team for the winter but if another team asks I'll probably play with them. I have to contact Jim and try to get on some games as a referee which reminds me that I need to send him another email.

I spent 10 days down in Texas for the Christmas holiday and experienced a bad Christmas day with sickness and slept through most of it. I got to spend time with family but it was a lot more drama there than I wanted to deal with but I did and it did sadden me. It was a less than Happy Holiday for me. I was able to work on a photo album while I was home and got my pics organized for a mid-Oct to mid-Dec album which turned out to be 500 photos. And I actually found an album down there to hold that and decorated it with volleyball signs. I did a simple family one too. I was just happy to spend time with my parents and brother and all their pets (3 dogs and one cat). I'm going to spend a very low-key New Years with friends having dinner, watching a movie, and hanging out at a friend's apartment. I was at work earlier today and Times Square is a complete zoo. I just need a break from that for a year and I might return back there next year (at least in my office). I have one of the best views in the city for a Times Square New Year's celebration but tonight it will remain empty.

I toast a New Year filled with new starts, strong gains, and lots of laughs. Thanks 2007 for memories and here's to 2008, may it be fruitful and adventurous.

"So Much Better" (LEGALLY BLONDE)

It has been a nice full week. Last Saturday, I went out to Long Island to be a guest at the wedding of an old volleyball friend, Anne Tam. She was mentioned in the first entry of this blog and now the time had come for her wedding to Harry Woo, whom she truly met at Brandeis open play. Her sister was matron of honor and during her toast talked about the story of how they first met and it really made me choke up, more than the tears I had during the ceremony. Fellow Team Rez teammate, Barbara, was my guest and we were so happy for our girl, and we had a blast because we both just love weddings especially wedding cake!!!

Then the stuff yourself holiday, Thanksgiving, came and went. It was filled with a lot of food and great times with friends. Normally I'm busy with collections for work but it was just mild this season since the strike is still going on and I probably could have gone home to Texas but I enjoy NY during the holidays. I'll be home for Christmas for like 10 days so I'll just wait. I also got back into my movie-going mode by catching four movies over the holiday break.

I capped off the weekend by playing at open play. I was walking back to the gym after we had signed up and just waiting around for the 1pm play time, I could see warm-up happening right on the sidewalk with about 6 volleyballs going up in the air. It was a beautiful sight. I am a simple player, nothing flashy about any part of my game, and I continue to want to improve my game, and I've gotten to a point where I can bounce back from a missed point. But I swear my passing is so atrocious that I just need to find a wall and work on that technique. Remember: continue to learn and improve, that's all I can offer.

"There's No Business Like Show Business" (ANNIE GET YOUR GUN)

Are there not days when your game is so off, you wonder how on earth you ever learned to play the game? When basic skills seem gone and it just gets worse and worse. I felt like that Sunday when I was at open play at Brandeis. I was on a good team but my passing was atrocious. Passing has always been my weakness, and I keep trying to work on my passing but I have such a hard time bending into the pass on my knees that I can sometimes lose it. There are days when I'm totally okay with passing and getting it to the setter is fine, high and in his direction. Like Sunday, there are days when I'm so helpless in the passing department, and it's all about getting under the ball and I'm trying to pass with a bump. But a lot of times I feel more control with overhand passes but tend to overjudge those and make a screwy pass. It's a part of the game that I have to continue to work on more and more. Sunday was just so disappointing for me because I was letting the team down even though we all had our share of mistakes. There's always something to work on to continue to improve your game is how I spin it.

I do not have any games this week. Well my Big City team does not have a game this week because of the holiday and I have an Urban game on Wednesday but missing that to go to a concert. Normally that would not happen but it's for one of my favorite current groups, Sugarland.

On the work front, we are in the midst of a strike that has completed halted 27 Broadway shows and affected our fundraising collections for the fall season. Let's hope for a quick resolution.

"My Body" (THE LIFE)

So it has been quite some time again since I've blogged. I've written notes on the subway, had pages drafted out but they never quite made it on the blog. There have been some really great developments with my teams this season. The Big City team is doing better yet we're still adjusting to one minor issue but as long as we isolate it and minimize it then we do okay. I won't go into details but let's just say that we're working on it and I'm feeling a lot better about it. My Urban team is still in first place. We had a rough game last week, Halloween to be exact, when the candy was flying and the costumes were worn, and we faced a decent team but we had a couple of players who got lost finding the gym. It was a little hard for people to find but we also knew the other team playing before us so we were there super early. Anyway, with some key players not there we kind of fell apart in the first game and lost a lot of our confidence. These players are good but they do not make the whole team but many other players just had a rough start and we had to get back on focus. We did by the second game and gave the other team a good fight, barely losing it 16-17. We totally decimated them in the third game once we got our bearings back in place with a score of 15-4. We knew we had the just stay focus and have fun. But there's always one game that just gets away from you and there's nothing you can really do about it but just let it go. This week we had another great game where the referee commented to us that we have a lot of fun on the court. It's never at the expense of the other team because we always keep it on our side with the laughter and "cutting-up" romp that goes on. So it is a bit of a mind game on the court and as long as we stay focus, talk to each other, and have fun then we're doing the best we can.

I'm also happy to say that next week I'll be attending the wedding of my old teammate Anne Tam to Harry. I wrote my first blog entry about Anne and how she was the first person I met in my "volleyball" career. Now I can't believe that she is getting married to Harry, another volleyball player. I can't wait and will take a lot of pictures.

Last week was the fourth anniversary of attending Brandeis Open Play. It was actually Sunday when I started but this time the date (Nov 2) fell on Friday night play. It's still a changing scene, six months of new faces and rotation but there have been some great people to walk through those doors along with a lot of good play.

So the crew I've been hanging around for the last year or so has come up with some really crazy stuff. But lately they've been doing something for pictures that began when a few of them took a trip to Canada. They "jump" in the pictures and they did it through a lot of Canada, a short four day trip produced about 750 pictures and mostly it was of them jumping. So we've been doing a few jumps in random places but one night over the weekend we decided to jumps in front of NYC famous places. We covered just a few places but we're trying to cover regions of the city. It's totally stupid and I was simply the photographer (it takes good timing to catch them in the air), but when they jumped people would smile and laugh, so we made people happy. That's the best part of it. Having fun and making fun. This is a photo of Belinda, Vanessa, and Rich jumping near Rockefeller Center in front of the GE Building.

"Written in the Stars" (AIDA)

WE WON THE QUADS!!!!!! Give it up for the Dinkin' Do-Nots of Summer '07!!We had our quads last Friday night but it has been so busy with collections and things that I forgot to mention in my blog. How crazy is that, the one place I should announce it. Anyway, for the Urban divisions 13-16, our little team took the competition by the horns and had a lot of fun. They put up a good fight and the guys tried real hard but with the majority of our team being girls, they whooped on their ass so bad that the guys on the other side of the net were a little scared and big time intimidated after just a few points. Of course, they started off tough but when our girls started to block them and totally hit the ball solidly at the net, there was little cheering from the other side. Our side, on the other hand, kept the kind of attitude we've had all season, TO HAVE FUN!!! We had several of our regular guys who couldn't make it or completely forgot about it so we had our back-ups ready like Mary and Claire who came to cheer us on. They're on our roster anyway so they suited up and played the game. We laughed a lot and were happy to win the quads. We also throw out congratulations to our friends who took another quads at another gym, Go DFA for taking Divisions 5-8. We got a nice little plague but we also got these ugly-ass ORANGE sweatshirts but at least they say "Urban Volleyball Champions." I might wear it if I can fit into mine. Our fall season is going well and we remain in first place with one loss and a few different faces. But we're still having a lot of fun with just a few slight adjustments. My Big City team, on the other hand, is something that just needs a lot of work and I'm dealing with that. Anyway, here's to another great week and another week down of collections.

"Don't Cry For Me, Argentina" (EVITA)

My goodness, another week has gone by so quickly. I didn't even have a game last week but I did manage to line up to watch a few friends play. Wednesday is our normal league game night but we had a bye last week so I was going to watch friends play at 7pm at John Jay then walk over to LaGuardia HS for a 9:00pm game. When I got to the first gym, I knew another team that was playing on the other court so watching two matches at the same time is always a good time. Then when I went over to LaGuardia, I walked in during the 8:00pm games and knew two teams playing, and by the third match there I knew someone the referees and three teams playing, all Brandeis-related. It was a community feeling (at least to me) and that's why I love about playing volleyball--the spirit, the camaraderie, and the warmth (well, not all the time).

Thursday night was my night to indulge in my other hobby--theatre. I ventured out to Milburn, NJ and the Papermill Playhouse to see a new musical, HAPPY DAYS: THE NEW MUSICAL. It was a nice fluff piece that I enjoyed. Felicia Finley, a good friend of Broadway Cares, is an extraordinary stand-out. There was several giggle moments that only if you grew up with the show you would get them like references to an not-seen-friend named Jenny Piccolo and the "Laverne & Shirley" entrance dance. Added bonus was seeing the writer Garry Marshall, director of "Pretty Woman," "Princess Diairies," and a slew of others, and also the other creator, Paul Williams, award-winning songwriter who I remember in a slew of TV shows from the 1970s (yes, I'm that old), at the theatre. I don't see it coming to Broadway anytime soon but there is a lot of potential.

I spent the weekend doing several things. After lounging most of Saturday around my apartment, I trekked over to Water Taxi Beach in Queens for the final weekend of its season. It has been a lot of fun there and I will miss the beautiful city view we got there. Then one of the guys, David, held a cook-out at a place nearby so that we could toast out the final weekend of WTB. I went back into the city for a friend's birthday party and then after that met back up with some of the WTB people for some billiards fun. It was another late night/early morning ending.

My Big City team needs more practice time as we prepare for our first game this Thurday so on Sunday we met up in Queens at a park with a free "foam" court. It was not concrete but it had a tough texture, not quite astro-turf but not really sand. Anyway, we did several drills thanks to our friend Rich and we got a lot accomplished so I'm looking forward to our first game this week. Then we cleaned up, picked up a few things, and headed over to the restaurant where our friend Mary Z. was having her birthday dinner. The place is near her apartment so, obviously, she picked it and Claire did all the invitations and reservations. The restaurant was so cute and they were ready for us even when we arrived early especially since we had a reservation for 22. We had a room all to ourselves and the wait staff was excellent and so was the food. We even did a mini-show of what we learned in class on Tuesday (side note: already planning to bring more people to class next Tuesday) with me, Mary, and Claire stepping up to the task with no music, just a lot of eyes watching. Mary enjoyed herself and all the people who came out to Brooklyn for her birthday on a late Sunday evening. Of course, I think only three of us had the day off on Monday. But it was a lot of laughter and a great way to start the week.

As for today, a day off, our policy is that if the post office close then we close. So I slept in really late and got up and did some photo edits from the weekend. I finally got them all up late this evening. I was also cleaning out my DVR queue, and I moved several things to DVD like a bunch of "Hairspray" clips, Reba appearances, and Drum Corps World Championships, and caught up on last week's episodes of "Ugly Betty," "Aliens in America," "Friday Night Lights," "Private Practice," "Grey's Anatomy," "Brothers & Sisters," "Desperate Housewives," "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," and "Gossip Girl" (and I watched a lot last week, I thought). I also did the usual laundry and a bit of clean-up for my room as I'm going home for a quick visit this weekend before we start fall collections next weekend. Six weeks of theatre visits. Hooray for a four-day week!!!

"You Can't Stop The Beat" (HAIRSPRAY)

Well, I got a few volleyball friends into hip-hop class with me tonight. And they had a lot of fun. I didn't tell them that I took the class with Bev last night. That means I knew the combination but doesn't mean I knew it well. I could help them with instruction but there were parts toward the end of the combination that I could not "pop." They stood in the back of the studio and I told them to follow the lead from the people she placed in the front during warm-up and the combination. Bev kept picking on them but she does it out of love because she wants them to dance the combination correctly. I always think of what Bev says at the end of each class--"Love yourself when you're learning." So true. Oh, well, they had a fun time and look to take more classes with me. I got some new converts. I've been with Broadway Dance Center since January and I remember my first class and I went by myself--it kicked my butt. So they did totally fine.

"Bitch of Living" (SPRING AWAKENING)

Well, it was a great weekend. But let me go back a week or so to mention the somewhat packed weekend I had. Last Saturday was my friends' Zach and Anna's wedding in Upstate NY. It was a beautiful event and the two are just a joy to see together. A believer in love is what you would call me after that wedding. It was special and a lot of fun just like the two of them. The best man's (Zach's childhood friend) speech had me wanting to cry, his words were so moving. And his father had so much energy at the reception dancing all over the place that I was totally jealous. I drove up there by myself and for the four hour trek, I played full CDs of my favorite shows. The car stereo had an amazing sound so I just cranked up the volume and belted away. You would be amazed at how that makes the trip go faster. The drive up there had Hairspray, Rent, Dreamgirls, and on the way back it was Les Miz, Miss Saigon, and Legally Blonde. I got back really late and had to get up super early for our annual Flea Market and Grand Auction. I probably got about 3 hours of sleep so I was trying not to show my tiredness when I made my call time. This was my 9th time (8th year as an employee) working this event and I think we've done it enough times that it runs like a machine. Even being on my feet for 14 hours, I was trying to show no pain, well maybe a little. We are always ready to handle any problem or situation as it comes with level-heads and a lot of patience. We are a non-profit that prides itself on working with the theatre community to give back to it while assisting others because without their help we couldn't raise funds for those in need. From the photo booth with people like Frankie Valli and the acting clain, The Redgraves (Corin, Lynn, and Vanessa) to the live auction with walk-on roles to the tables where shows sold related items, we were able to raise $560,000. This was the last event of our fiscal year, and as we go over the figures we hope to make it another record-breaking year.

I wasn't able to rest the next day because the new Urban season started and our first game was that Monday at 9:15pm. I almost missed it because I took a nap at the office after work and overslept. I ran into the gym just as the team was warming up. We moved up a few divisions and we started off nervous but we adjusted fine to do a good first game showing (2-1). Then on Tuesday, I finally hit the wall and just wanted to go home and crawl into bed. I did exactly that and talked to different cousins all night. It was great.

Wednesday had me cheering on friends at their games and somehow by Thursday ended up on a Big City team. One of the guys on our Urban team is on a team in Big City and needed a few extra players. So three of us joined him and we joined him and some other guys from Water Taxi Beach to create this team. We played a ranking scrimmage on Thursday and let me just say and I've said this many times, that beach volleyball is different than indoor volleyball and adjustments have to be made. These guys play at Water Taxi Beach which has very lax rules and not really played indoors before but they are very raw with the basic skills. It is like a molding project where we have to sculpt them to a level of competitive play. First off, one of them got confused when doing a rotation with substitution. Second, they needed help in positioning. And third, they have to learn to talk, listen, and trust their teammates. At first, I was really concerned with what I had gotten myself into but the team is a lot of fun and there is a lot of potential. We met up on Saturday to practice at the Chinatown YMCA where one of the guys knew there was an open play session. We were able to demonstrate, walk through, and put into play things we had taught them. I tried not to get frustrated because I was in their place at one time. I learned by watching and wish someone had explained positioning early on to me.

The rest of Saturday was a mixture of friends and unexpected plans which is always great. We rejoiced in upcoming birthdays (Mary Z, the encourager behind this blog), the approaching fall chilliness, and a lot of gossiping. It's hard to find a fault in friendships, but even the best friendships has at some point, a rift. I don't want to go into details but it's nice to know that more openness is taking place and hopefully we can reach a resolution. At the end of the night when we hugged and said goodbye at 4:00am, I eventually found myself walking on the street to my apartment as the early morning light was breaking at 5:30am, I had thankfulness in my mind and heart to know great people.

Then on Sunday, after a nice sleeping in period I got up and tended to some errands for the apartment. My only agenda for the day was to meet Mary to go watch Claire's Zogsports soccer game on Roosevelt Island in the evening. With a little time to kill before meeting Mary, I got in some karaoke time. Yes, I'm crazy but it had been a few weeks and I was urging for a karaoke shout. Later on, Mary and I made it over to Roosevelt Island and I had never been there and it's a little scary. It's a creepy planned community where we felt encased in a bubble in that we could see the city but not be affected by it. It just gave us a weird feeling. Anyway, Claire played a great game while they were a man short, but her team lost. Mary did most of the cheering while I clapped loudly. And yes, Mary, "someday your prince will come--and be at least 6'3"." We ended up at Claire's apartment for some Sunday night ABC drama (better to see something other than our own) because we got some great conversation and cookies.

Well that was my previous week in a quasi-nutshell. We don't have any games this week so we're already scheduling to watch friends' games. Tonight I took hip-hop class with Bev to prepare for tomorrow because I finally talked some volleyball people to come take class with me. Get ready Broadway Dance Center for some volleyball crazies. Report to come next time.

"Out Tonight" (RENT)

Well, I just got in from a very long night of playing. I just popped an Aleve and waiting for it to kick in. It has been busy at work as we prepare for an event this Sunday and I've just been making sure that people need the supplies they will need and also setting up all the items the finance department will need to process all the money that will be coming in that day. Last year we just reached over $505,000 for the one day flea market and auction we have in the heart of the theatre district. Also I've been trying to plan things I need in preparation for my drive up to Cooperstown for my friends' wedding on Saturday. Zach is part of the far backcourt Brandeis crew of three years ago and over the past couple of years I've gotten to know his fiancee, Anna. I remember how smitten Zach was about her when he brought her to a birthday party for one of the girls from the Brandeis backcourt group. Then just last December, I remember Zach telling me his plans for a special date with her after she got back from a trip and just a few days later I got a message saying that they got engaged. So today when Vanessa was hitting me up on gchat asking about rotations and stuff my mind had not gotten around to the fact that we had a playoff game.

See tonight we made it to the playoffs after finishing the regular season at the top of the list of the Rock & Roll Division. So we met up against Vandalay Industries, our first opponent of the season, in the semi-finals of the night. We were happy to have two great cheerleaders, Trisha and Claire, who somehow managed to irritate her bum ankle while sitting on the sidelines and not even moving. We had a few subs as a couple of our regular players couldn't make it, so we welcomed John, Lisa, and Mary. Our first game was relatively okay and we took that one but we had a few problems with our second game. We were literally serving for the game in six rotations without closing out the game at game point, and the other team came back to take the game. I was not a happy camper since we got forced into a third deciding game. This game went a little smoother but people were more cautious with their plays, trying to play smart rather than with power. We were able to settle down and take this game to advance to the finals. Well, the other team had a good amount of time to rest while we had to start the finals game immediately because we were running behind schedule. We were trying to fix the rotation problems we had in the semi-finals and we thought we did until we realized that we had our shortest line on the front and all three of our guys on the backline. Our competitors for the finals were the Rejects and even though we played them in the regular season just a couple of weeks ago, I could not remember playing this team. They came out pretty fast in the beginning with their consistent passing and solid hits that left us a little disoriented. We were trying to adjust to the new team while trying to catch our breath from the last three-game match. They ended up taking the first game from us with a score of 15-8. It was like we were scared of this team. We needed to approach them differently than the last team but I know that fatigue played a bit of a factor. So we got into the second game and I was getting a little frustrated and my boiling point was at its highest when the score got to be 7-14. They needed just one more point to win the finals. I had pretty much written off our team as losing this match and even if we were not going to win we needed to at least play tough on the last points. I was watching from the sidelines and I somehow witnessed our team with John serving go from being down 7-14 to taking the lead at 15-14. When the other team took a time-out, the Dinkin' Do-Nots had a lot of reasons to have huge grins on their faces. No matter how the game turned out, we had put up a great fight and the large guys on the other side were all of a sudden scared. I still couldn't believe it but it was a new game. I rotated in at the next serve and it soon became 15-15. The tension was so high on that court. It didn't help that the gym was completely empty and the gym was so still in silence. Both teams fought for each point and we finally reached 16-16 with us serving for the point cap. And the unimaginable happened, we won THAT second game from sure defeat (at least to me). The Do-Nots had arrived and the emotion that had propelled us all season had returned--TO HAVE FUN. We laughed, cheered, and stayed positive for the third game and we were able to jump into the lead and never lost it. Our errors were brushed aside and some of them became hilarious moments like Dee taking a pass with her "chicken wings" and Vanessa losing her shoe when she went for a dink. We were playing in top form in our 6th game of the evening and came out victorious. This team was created to have fun, sort of a good way to spend a weeknight where we could hang out with friends. For myself there were moments when I did lose it but I was always reminded that it was ALL FOR FUN. Congratulations to the Dinkin' Do-Nots, now onto the Quads.

"Hell No!" (THE COLOR PURPLE)

Well, the Dinkin' Do-Nots were in top form last night. We had a small cheering section, well three people still counts as a section. It was down at the Chelsea School which has no space behind the end line and the ceiling is kind of low but they just had the floors redone and it was pretty slick. We kept sliding but it was nice that they finally got the floors done. We took all three games against the team that we had been waiting for the last half of the season, ever since they called our team names (in Spanish). They were good competitors last night and they were very calm and nice to us. We even came back in game two to beat them and they had a complete self-destruct moment. One of their teammates proceeded to holler at another one and it was not a pretty situation. We kept our usual demeanor throughout the entire match and that was to HAVE FUN. That was what this team was formed for, to have fun and play a good game of volleyball. We've had a game or two where we stopped laughing and let the other team get to us and we start going at each other which is not a good thing. We've learned how to deal with that and hopefully we'll continue to improve and still keep our sense of humor on the court. So now we finished the season in the Number 1 spot. The playoffs are on Thursday night so we might see this team again and we will be ready. Also a new season starts next week and we have a scrimmage on Wednesday night for that one. We're losing a few people and gaining some really great people so I'm looking forward to the new season. Also I'm still waiting to hear about any possible games to referee. Actually our referee last night is the assignor for the Urban league and he knows who I am and has my application but I haven't received any calls. He said he would let me know if anything opens up. He knows I'm ready.

"Popular" (WICKED)

Oh my, my, my, my!!! I have truly been neglectful. Accuse me and abuse me for totally being neglectful of this blog. I can't believe so much time has slipped away from me. I was also reminded of how quickly time can get away from you when we ended the summer of beach volleyball just a couple of weeks ago and yet it seemed like months ago. But there have been a lot of going-ons and I've just been trying to keep up. I tell people that if I don't stay active then I feel like I'm not doing something right. I need to be out there and it doesn't have to be anything large in scope but at least something that I support or believe in. I'm afraid that if I slow down too much it will be that much harder to get back on track.

So let me back up a few weeks. I just finished a summer season with my friend Mel's team in the Big City league. Now this is the league that started it all for me so it was a little strange to get back, it was 4 years ago that I walked into that open scrimmage and met a few people such as Veronica and my good friend, Anne Tam. Anyway, Mel called me one day and asked me to sub on her team so I agreed. I went and played with her team and they were such a good group of people. They asked if I could be a permanent sub so I played with them for the rest of the season. It was a lot of fun and it was great to just hang out with Mel. She is busy starting her own company and don't get a chance to see her at all but she kept such a positive attitude on the court even in the face of glooming defeat that it was a lesson to always keep hold of.

I also spent a lot of Saturdays in Queens at the Water Taxi Beach. We had met some people out at Long Beach who mentioned the place so we checked it out one Saturday and continued to hang out over there. It has one court for sand volleyball but the sand is so coarse and just about a foot above concrete so it is really tough on the body especially if you dive into the sand. I didn't play on that court, I choose to just sit and watch, relaxing mostly. It's still open until Columbus Day weekend but I don't know if I'll get a chance to get out there. Also it has an amazing view of the skyline and at dusk it is just breathtaking.

Well spent the last weekend of summer out at Long Beach. It was beautiful weather and it was spent playing ball, hanging out with friends, and just enjoying the beach. And of course the Friday nights at Brandeis are still going on and we've had updates on that front. We've had weddings and also break-ups but we finally had our first baby from the Brandeis crowd. Jon and Mae met at Brandeis open play and just had a little girl last week and I've yet to meet her but the pictures I've received have been absolutely adorable. I love babies and just the smell of them makes me want one but that feeling goes away real quickly once they start crying or make a stink.

Tonight is a rescheduled match from the summer season. We are tied for first place with this team and the playoffs are this Thursday. We really want to beat them because in our last meeting things were not very pleasant. Our referee was in an accident and didn't make it to the gym so the teams on that court were just left to play around during the scheduled times. So we started playing around with this team and I acted as a referee by doing calls from the stand. It was all done in fun but the other team had a few members who were talking about our team in Spanish. One of our team members was doing the translations and they were not very nice things, pretty derogatory. We ended up beating them in a little three game match just as a practice and we look forward to this re-match. So I'm on my way to that game now. If we play like we have been and working together as a team and remember to HAVE FUN. We'll be fine.

"And I Am Telling You (I'm Not Going)" (DREAMGIRLS)

Okay, I've been pretty bad about not updating. I've got no excuse because it's not like I got busy schedule or anything.

For work it is a slow period for us. In fact, this is the month where so many people take vacation time that the office seems so empty. We have more people out of the office than we do in the office. With a staff of just about 40, we have more than 20 people out of the office. It's been very relaxing being in the office, but this is the month where we can take a breath the whole year because every other month is crazy with some type of event or planning. Next month, we have our annual Flea Market and Grand Auction and also my office has to prep for end of the fiscal year. Then everything steamrolls after that until next July. So for now, I'm just enjoying playing my iPod in the office and singing along. Nothing beats a little Gretchen Wilson, Linda Eder, and Stevie Wonder on a nice day like today.

Well, I've certainly been playing this summer season, just not that great. I've got to remember basic skills and continue to develop those. My passing is the most inconsistent thing with me. Hitting, not always going to be a power one, but I attempt to play the hit against the blocker. As for blocking, still working on timing with that, sometimes I get it, other times I don't. My serves are decent, just need to be a little more consistent with it.

A friend of mine from the old Brandeis backcourt days, Mel, asked me to sub for her Big City league team. I said sure. They are a good fun group and their team name says it, "Just For Fun." They asked me to continue with them for the rest of the season so I said sure. It is great to hang around with Mel because it reminds me of a time of new adventures in a new place. It was Sunday at Brandeis on the far backcourt when a few people would show up to play a little volleyball for four hours. That was a new adventure because there were these people starting out playing volleyball and by the end of that spring season we had become friends. Not too many from that backcourt crew still play volleyball, many have moved onto different things and that is so great. I don't get to see them anymore but they remain in my hearts because it was a special time for all of us. We were brought together at that point in our lives to fulfill something, simple and complete, that is all. Now Mel is running her own company, Zach is getting married, among other things. But I"M STILL THERE.

This next month will mark my fourth anniversary of playing volleyball. I started with a team in Big City in September 2003. Don't know where those original folks are but it has been such a crazy ride since then. I'm still trying to get assigned some games through NYUrban but haven't heard anything from the assignor yet. I do have a NYC board of officials meeting next week for the new school year so maybe I'll start doing some games as a replacement. They do their scheduling months in advance and I wasn't sure how my schedule would be especially leaving work early and stuff during busy event time. So I'll just go and see how it is and trying to figure something out. I did have a chance to try my skills out when one of our league games had no referee show up. We later found out that the referee had been in a car accident. He's okay but it was on his way to the game and there was no one to replace him. So teams scheduled to play used the court during their time to practice and scrimmage. So when it was time for us to play, I asked the other team if I could act as a referee and do a scrimmage match. They agreed and I got up on the stand. My own team was doing a lot of laughing but they stopped when I called them on their first fault. But I was fair to both sides and I may have missed a call and should have re-played it but it was nice to do. The other team we scrimmaged was not very kind to my team and they kept speaking in Spanish so I had no clue on what they were saying. But they were calling my teammates names and they weren't very pleasant, luckily one of our subs knew Spanish and surprised them when he started speaking. So when we get the rescheduled match, we're going to have a whole crew there to support us and make sure we give them a really good match with translators.

We also heard about this other place for beach volleyball, Water Taxi Beach over in Queens. It's been open a couple of years and we heard about it last year but just didn't ever get over there. So we ventured over there on Saturday and found it to be a nice place. They only have one court and you get on the court by putting your shirt on the pole marking your spot in the line-up. When I got there, my friends had been playing around and we ended up just sitting on the sand enjoying the evening. It was a gorgeous evening with perfect temperatures and a wonderful view on the Manhattan skyline. But they had okay music (house music, not so much of a fan) and after it got dark it turned into somewhat of a bar just in the open air. A nice venue for a change of pace.

And so excited because this weekend we are heading out to Brooklyn for the AVP Tour stop there. We have tickets for Saturday and can't wait to watch the men's finals.

"You Can't Stop The Beat" (HAIRSPRAY)

I have been completely terrrible because I've neglected the blog for almost a month. I can't believe time slipped by so fast. It seems like summer is almost over and yet it feels like it just started. Well, I've been doing a few things since my last entry. I had friends who made it to the spring quads which is basically playoffs for the winners of different division levels and they play a division below or above them. I knew two teams that made it to the quads and hoped that they would make it to that final but both failed in the semi-finals. They both gave a hard fight. My Urban team is still having a fun team even if we suffered our first loss, we still won the other two games but it was such an effort with this one loss. We basically lost the game from our own errors because we were lacking in the service department. We went through five rotations where we could not get the serve in and the other team took advantage of that which is how it should be. But we were able to bounce back and take the next game. The other team also had an undefeated record before that game and we gave them the spot below us after this game. We are still having fun except for that tense game. We've started plans to make shirts for our team and since we are called the Dinkin' Do-Nots we are playing around with the Dunkin' Donuts logo. Our teammate Ty has come up with a team logo using that corporate logo and we've come up with donut names for all of the players including the subs on our roster because we wanted to included everyone on this idea. It has been hilarious trying to come up with names for everyone. We looked at the list of products from the Dunkin' Donuts website and played around with the various donuts to make a name that sort of fits our personality. I came up with "Cackle 'n Spice Donut" after the Apple 'n Spice Donut because if you have ever played with me you know that I cackle, not laugh, a lot. I tried another place for dance classes, Alvin Ailey Dance Center. I took a jazz class as a part of their extension program and it was so cool. They have great studios but they sort of look out over the street so people can watch you which is a little weird but you tend to block them out. It's great to have an option for classes now. Still hitting Long Beach every Sunday and just enjoying resting out there. They laugh at me because I spend money to go out there and just nap all day. Hey, it's my time to just rest and take it easy but still be around my friends. We also heard about a seafood place that we tried out and have been going back again for the awesome food there. It's called Jordan's Lobster Farms and it has some really good fried shrimp, from what I heard amazing lobster, great corn chowder in a cool, casual setting.

P.S. Today is the fifth anniversary of the musical HAIRSPRAY opening on Broadway. I can't believe so much time has passed but it is such a favorite of mine. Seen the show 33 times to date and that number will increase. It just puts me in such a great mood that you certainly can't deny its infectious score and message.

"Mama Who Bore Me" (SPRING AWAKENING)

Yesterday was the anniversary of when I saw the musical MISS SAIGON. Yet I would not have discovered it had it not been for the Santa Clara Vanguard. They are a competing drum and bugle corps from California. Their 1991 program was titled "Selections from MISS SAIGON." I saw it on the PBS taped broadcast of the Drum Corps International's World Championships held in Dallas that summer. I was captivated by the music in their program and I watched that videotape over and over again. I was in love with the music of that show.

What is a drum and bugle corps? Well, it's another one of those hobbies that I absolutely adore but I would mostly call it a viewing hobby of mine for years, just something that I never really actually participated it. Drum and bugle corps, according to Wikipedia, "is a musical marching unit consisting of brass instruments, percussion instruments, and color guard..typically operating as non-profit organizations they perform on-field competitions, parades, festivals, and other civic functions. The prime age for participation is 14-22." I went to see my first drum corps show in Houston in the summer 1990 at Rice University Stadium, and I was amazed at the pageantry and talent on a football, telling a story through music while displaying designs moving at a fast-pace at the same time. I was in high school at the time and I was also in the marching band but it was nothing like this or even close to it. Over the years it would become a summer activitiy to follow and there are a few favorite corps that I like to watch out for. But it was that one show in 1991 that lead me to Broadway (and I have that show on my video iPod to this day) and for that I've always believed that things do come into our lives for a reason--to bridge us to the next piece.

"I Still Believe" (MISS SAIGON)

Well today marked an anniversary for me. It's a silly marker but I do recognize it because it was a very emotional and momentous day. On Sunday, July 23, 1995, I saw MISS SAIGON for the first time. It was the 2nd national tour playing in Houston, starring people that I would come to know years later, Deedee Lynn Magno and Matt Bogart. For over two years I had listened to the audio tapes of the cast recording from London and tried to learn as much as I could about the show. So that day I went with my college best friends, Anne and Bing. From the moment the theatre went dark and the sounds of a helicopter started, I literally jumped out of my seat and they held my hands as they knew it was the start of dreams to come true for me. As I've said before, this is the show that changed my life, its direction and definition. Since there is no production for me to actually see of MISS SAIGON, I went for a pick-me-up because of the nasty rain outside and saw the HAIRSPRAY movie (yes, again!). It's something that just puts me in a happy mood, some people have alcohol and I have this.

"Written In The Stars" (AIDA)

What a beautiful weekend. I spent it doing a lot of time on subways, trains, shuttles, ferries, and a couple of cars. Saturday morning I met up with my co-worker Rose to travel to Fire Island Pines. We were going there for the first time to DRA's 13th Annual Fire Island Dance Festival. It took about three hours to get out there and the experience was wonderful and the weather could not have been better. The stage was set against the bay where different dance companies presented pieces, some commissioned especially for the festival, and hosted by Whoopi Goldberg. A lot of the co-workers call this event the closest thing to a staff retreat we have. I simply went out there for the afternoon to enjoy the performance and get back for a friend's birthday party in the city. Belinda is a dear friend from open play, obviously. She had her birthday on Friday and had prior commitments so she was not able to play with us at open play. So we had a gathering for her on Saturday evenin and it is times like these, surrounded by friends and laughter, that I feel blessed. Blessed that people in my life care about me when sometimes I feel like there is no one. Belinda has a beautiful soul and an infectious laugh. She has a quiet appearance when you first meet her but she can be a rambunctious voice if given the chance.

Then today was another day of relaxing on Long Beach. I have been extremely tired lately and just want to sleep and sleep some more. So I laid out my blanket and pillow and slept a great deal today. It was a special day because our friend Jordi was leaving us and it was his last day at the beach. Jordi is a gifted player and I called him a few times to sub for me when I was captain of a men's team. He really shines on the beach with his agility, good humor, and exemplary sportsmanship. He's going to be traveling and spending time in India so we hope to see him back on these shores.

"Good Morning Baltimore" (HAIRSPRAY)

A melding of two loves--Broadway and movies--done right. I saw the midnight screening on opening day of HAIRSPRAY. It was a last minute decision. I had planned on seeing it Friday morning before work, but our boss gave us the day off at the last minute today so my plans changed. So I ran up to the Ziegfeld Theatre (where I saw CHICAGO, RENT, and DREAMGIRLS and really the only place in the city to see a movie musical) to grab tickets for me and Trisha.

So to kill time before the movie, I met up with Vanessa and Dee to cheer our friends on two teams playing each other. I had intended to just watch but one team was short a player so they asked me to play in my loose pants and sneakers. Not my normal play attire but I moved around well enough. It's always fun to play friends because we know each other's playing style and tend to play tougher because of that. We lost the first game but took the next two and had a good time. The sad part was in the second game was when I ripped my pants in between my legs, luckily I had a long shirt. We sat around in the gym to watch the next game and I basically cooled down.

So I met up with Trisha and we waited in line to go in for the movie. Thankfully it was not raining because we were standing outside. They were selling Tracy foam wigs for charity and Trisha bought one for me so it would go with the hardcover movie companion book I picked up earlier. We got into our seats in a very spread out crowd in the theater which was great. From the first beats of the score, I had a smile on my face from ear to ear for the entire movie. I LOVED IT!!!! I've seen the musical on Broadway 33 times so far and fall in love with it every time. The movie captured the musical's enthusiasm and innocence and every actor was cast so well. John Travolta made the character of Edna Turnblad his own interpretation because to follow in the lines of the original's Divine and Broadway's Harvey Fierstein was a big task and surprisingly he shined in the movie. Truly he's a musicals man. I loved the homage to the original--John Waters, Jerry Stiller, and Ricki Lake--appearing in cameos. The breakout star is Tracy Turnblad herself, Nikki Blonsky, who captures the essence of Tracy as an eager teenager ready to change the world and dance along the way. The movie changed a few plot points and dropped/added songs, but it still remained a solid replica of the Broadway version. Much like the Broadway version, it brings joy to my life--dancing, singing, and a message about equality--things I wish I had more of in my life. I'll be returning to see the movie just a few more times, I think, Duh!!

"Positive" (LEGALLY BLONDE)

Well, last night's first league match of the summer season ended on a good note--we took all three games. Like I said before, we all wanted wanted a lower division because of the varied skills on the team and also to have fun. Again, we had a lot of fun and I did my usual crazy stuff on the court--cheers on the aces, a little dance step and turn on a good play, and basically a lot of giggles. Even when we were behind in score in all three games, we continued to play with zany comfort. But we know it's the first match and they may not always be like that yet it's a nice way to start the season.

After I went to the LEGALLY BLONDE CD signing at Virgin Megastore a little earli, tonight was a chance to chat over some amazing banana pudding at my friend Judy's restaurant on the Lower East Side called Tides, also the calamari awesome. There I met up with Dee, who has been a Brandeis regular for just about as long as I have been. I knew her on the court but did not get to know her as a friend until about a year and a half back. We've definitely seen our fair share of friends leave us and go to California, the most popular place. She's a New York native raised in Chinatown and still lives there. She has been my teacher in the world of Chinese cuisine because I'm still hesitant with most Asian foods but I'm steadily trying. We've been through a lot in the past but we still share a connection of slight bitchiness. She knows I'm one and I know she can be one if pushed. She is the same age as I am and she has realized through life lessons what she wants and what she can't stand. And believe me, she'll let you know too. We joke with each other about how old we are getting and yet we still remain active and try to keep up. Hey, we have to keep trying until we totally get wiped out.

Tomorrow a few of the volleyball crew will be venturing into New Jersey to go to Six Flags Great Adventure. My love for rollercoasters will be very evident and I can't wait.

"Any Dream Will Do" (JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT)

Well last week was NY Urban League's playoff week. I knew a couple of teams that made into those slots so I checked out the action. On Wednesday, I knew two teams in the same co-ed division that competed in the semi-finals on adjacent courts. So I stood in between both courts as I looked funny as my head would go back and forth to both games like I was watching a tennis match. I get nervous in any close game situation, and I was a complete basketcase for both of those games but they made it into the finals. That meant that they would be playing each other and it was time to watch my friends compete. This definitely made it a more interesting match and they each took a game, fight for each point to the end. In the third deciding game, one team jumped ahead and it was hard for the other team to catch up. It was a well-played match.

Then on Thursday, a few of us cheered on our boys in the D2 men's playoffs. They took the first game with little problem, and by the second game, the other team took it a step up and captured that one. As they went into the third game, we knew they could take it if they just took it one point at a time. They bounced back from a small deficit and made it to match point (24-22). But in rally scoring each point matters and they weren't able to put the ball down for that one point and the other team scored 4 points in a row to take the match and advance to the finals. It was the end of their season and a damn good one.

Tonight I return to league play with a group of friends who wanted to have a "fun" team. I said okay and judging by the scrimmage we had the other night it's going to be a hilarious season. We have varied skills on the team so we wanted a lower division which we got. From a serve to a pass to a set, we will be the giggling hitting team.

"I Could Have Danced All Night" (MY FAIR LADY)

Well, on Monday night I did something else that I love to do--take dance class. I've always loved to dance at large gatherings like weddings and parties. It's a hidden hobby until this year. I used to be scared to dance in public, I cared too much about what other people thought that I inhibited myself. I could only blame myself for that. I retreated into my own world known as my room to try and learn dance steps where I felt free. The beat and rhythm moved the body, the body becoming an expressive form, uniquely your own. Over the years, I grew to be comfortable with dancing in public, no matter how weird I looked but still never fully realizing the true release. As a heavy person, I knew I would never be considered a dancer but I finally stopped saying that to myself and started taking dance classes back in January. Here is excerpts of my experience from that first night:
"OH MY GOSH!!!!! I have rekindled an old love just in a new form--hip-hop dance. Okay I've never had extensive dance training, just a few classes here and there in jazz and ballet. And those were really minor including a little incident with splitting pants. Don't ask, well let me just say that doing a ballet position and bending doesn't go well with me in pants. And, of course, dancing in clubs here in the city is so crowded, people totally up in my business.
But tonight, after knocking the idea around for months and a lot of ribbing from my co-worker Dennis, an experienced hip-hop dancer/instructor, I finally took a hip-hop dance class at Broadway Dance Center. Let me tell you how much fun I had. I took the basics class, and we started off with what I thought would be a nice, slow warm-up. I mean it's been years since I've taken a dance class and I didn't remember it being like that. What it was--was a lot of pushing that my body hadn't felt in a long time. And I'm sure I will feel it tomorrow, all the muscles in my body will ache.
Then we started learning steps and to feel that structure and teaching of choreography is something I so love, embracing the steps as they move your body, each a personal expression of yourself. To feel that emotion, sense of releasing and freeing of yourself in dance is exhilarating. I sweated more in that class than in any game of volleyball. I may not remember all the steps, but in those movements when the music's beats pound in the air, my muscles lead my body and I went on an amazing ride. I forgot how releasing it felt to just dance. I've always loved to dance but nothing was ever structured about it, no training or anything. I was trying to follow their steps as they did it being the perfection I am. But in hip-hop it is not simply about the steps but it's also about the attitude. And you all know I have plenty of that. I'm already thinking about when to go again. But the love has returned that has been gone far too long."

These last few months in dance classes have been amazing. I might not always get the steps right but at least I'm trying. I also love the saying that one of the instructors says that I have to keep reminding myself--"love yourself when you're learning." I forget that too many times. I also got to experience my first dance convention. One of our programs at Broadway Cares is Dancers Responding to AIDS. They were having a benefit at Broadway Dance Center's Summer Fest where kids from around the country come and take dance classes with professionals in all disciplines. That was an eye-opener because it is a world of types--the prima donna dancer, the pushy parent, the kid pushing around their parent, the naive dancer, and the ones who will not make it past their teens in dance. I'll be helping out more at these conventions to experience more of the dance world.

"Children Will Listen" (INTO THE WOODS)

Oh my, the day was a HOT one!! And since it was the end of a holiday week the train out to Long Beach was completely crowded for the first time this season. I thought that it was okay and that it would all kind of be spread out once we got to the beach. Well, when we arrived at the boardwalk it was completely covered with vendors for their annual bazaar. It was a trek just to get to the beach because we had to squirm through the crowd on the boardwalk, not a good sign. Anyway, with the blazing sun coming down, we parked it under the boardwalk where we had shade and relief. I was particularly happy about that because I had planned to park my big booty under shade and just relax. I did not sleep well the night before so I was already drained and knew I could just take it easy. They were going to try a doubles tournament like last week but a little more organized. It was not entirely the same group of people playing and we were spread out so it was going to be a problem to get it going, I could see that from the onset. They started sort of late because they needed to wait for a certain number of people to play and also the lines for the court. Once they got started, they ran into problems with people not being ready to play or not around the area so it got a little frustrating for Dee and Jay. Finally they just gave up on it and everyone just played in fours or doubles. People got tired a lot faster because of the sun and the really burning sand. For me, I just took a few pictures and sat my big booty on my neat sheet and slept. It was a good day. I'm such a loser because I did not even exert an ounce of energy doing any physical activity. Maybe I just needed a little break.

I'm passionate about volleyball and with the recent playing of softball and tennis which have been passionate past-times, I thought I would explore some of the other hobbies that make me happy and examine their origins. This entry I'll discuss the fascination I have with pictures. I discussed this a couple of entries back in a small paragraph but I'll elaborate a little bit more on it. Just simple photographs of loved ones and places of significance. I actually started a sort of semi-biography in pictures on my flickr page. I'm not exactly sure where my love for taking pictures, very amateurish as they are, but more importantly being in the actual pictures. I've always loved having photos around me whether in frames or albums. I even love looking at other people's frames and albums. This was before the digital age where film processing took days and yet I would sort through photos and put them in albums and/or display them. This is certainly not a family trait or hobby that was passed down. I absolutely love "posing" for a photo and have been doing that since I was a toddler as evidenced by some of the pictures in that pictorial biography. As a person who is not comfortable with their looks, I somehow found a way to feel a little special in pictures because it was your own individual mark captured in time. How could I not take advantage of that? I may not be a stand-out in the picture but at least I'm in the picture. As I got into high school, I started to take more pictures and realized how much I liked doing that, capturing people like I would want to captured. I take a picture with a little candidness but also with an idea of how it could be framed if I wanted it to. When I moved to New York, I kept a lot of pictures of my family around my apartment so I could feel like they were with me even though we were thousands of miles apart. I eventually got more frames and more photo albums as the years went by. I LOVE frames and buy them just to have them in stock in my apartment so that when I do have a photo I want to use, I will have a frame ready. I'm running out of shelf and wall space so I will need to figure out something. But with the digital age, I'm loving the fact that I can experiment with picture-taking and capture a little something special. Nowadays, I will snap about 120 pictures in a day of activities and go through them, edit, and then post them with some cropping and captions on my flickr page by the end of the evening. I have a quick turn-around with my pictures as far as getting them posted because I love working with the photos. Again, I love capturing that moment. I would not have considered it a hobby, it's just something that I do, second-nature and I love doing it. It makes me happy.

"You Could Drive A Person Crazy" (COMPANY)

Today I trekked out to Brooklyn to play softball. We'll call it Brandeis volleyball invades Brooklyn for Softball. Vanessa, the ultimate organizer, had put together a day for us to play softball complete with rules, schedule, team names and captains, scorebook, and refreshments. She is the best at this kind of thing. It was a nice WARM day for this and it filled up our afternoon with good times. For me it was a little trip down memory lane.

Softball, I say, would be my family's choice of sport. I grew up with the sport every summer as it was a family affair. Cousins, uncles, and aunts filled teams, sometimes traveling to tournaments around Texas and in Oklahoma, Kansas, and Louisiana. We would even go to the Softball Hall of Fame in OKC as a huge family. Fastpitch softball was our fanatical way of life during the summers, and though it was a family pasttime and I gave it a try on the field, it was not a strong passion like I have felt with tennis, dance, and volleyball. Don't get me wrong, I love a good game and watch softball games on TV especially the Women's College World Series but it's not a sport that I actively play. Today being the exception. Hopefully we'll get to do a few more dates before the summer ends. Touching and throwing a softball brought back so many memories.

Following afternoon play, a few of us moved over to Queens to celebrate our friend Claire's birthday. She was away at a wedding during her actual birthday so we were celebrating it a week later. Claire is a known carnivore and just does not do well with vegetables, so we took her to a Brazilian BBQ restaurant. This was like heaven for her because they brought out all kinds of meat to the table and she got to pick and choose. The selections were delicious and the entire table of 13 was completely in a food coma in less than an hour including me. Claire is a no-nonsense gale who cracks me up with her appropriate subtleness yet her straightforward manner when the matters calls for it. She's a force to be reckoned with on the volleyball court even if it's all guys, she's still not scared. She's one person who always comments about how she loves the diversity of our group and I would have to agree.

People are brought into our lives for a purpose that I truly trust God does. I might not always know their purpose right away but they may help me through a struggling time or just provide a laugh at the proper moment. Either way that person is in my life for a reason. I'm better for knowing them and I hope that I enrich their lives in return. I must include lyrics to two songs that put it best.

"FOR GOOD" (musical WICKED)
ELPHABA
I'm limited:
(Spoken)Just look at me –
I'm limited
And just look at you -
You can do all I couldn't do, Glinda
So now it's up to you
(spoken) For both of us
(sung) Now it's up to you:

GLINDA
I've heard it said
That people come into our lives for a reason
Bringing something we must learn
And we are led
To those who help us most to grow
If we let them
And we help them in return
Well, I don't know if I believe that's true
But I know I'm who I am today
Because I knew you:

Like a comet pulled from orbit
As it passes a sun
Like a stream that meets a boulder
Halfway through the wood
Who can say if I've been changed for the better?
But because I knew you
I have been changed for good

ELPHABA
It well may be
That we will never meet again
In this lifetime
So let me say before we part
So much of me
Is made of what I learned from you
You'll be with me
Like a handprint on my heart
And now whatever way our stories end
I know you have re-written mine
By being my friend:
Like a ship blown from its mooring
By a wind off the sea
Like a seed dropped by a skybird
In a distant wood
Who can say if I've been changed for the better?
But because I knew you:

GLINDA
Because I knew you:

BOTH
I have been changed for good

ELPHABA
And just to clear the air
I ask forgiveness
For the things I've done you blame me for

GLINDA
But then, I guess we know
There's blame to share

BOTH
And none of it seems to matter anymore

GLINDA (overlapping Elphaba)
Like a comet pulled from orbit as it passes the sun.
Like a stream the meets a boulder halfway through the wood.

ELPHABA (overlapping Glinda)
Like a ship blown from its mooring by a wind off the sea.
Like a seed dropped by a bird in the wood.

BOTH
Who can say if I've been changed for the better?
I do believe I have been changed for the better?

GLINDA
And because I knew you:

ELPHABA
Because I knew you:

BOTH
Because I knew you:
I have been changed for good.
**************************************
"I BELIEVE" (musical ALTAR BOYZ)
[Abe]
One beam of light, is enough to see where you're going
One wrong turn, is enough to loose your way
One choice, is all you have to make
One ounce of faith could save the day
I believe, that I came to know you for a reason
I believe, that the things that you say will come true
I believe that with you in my life I'll make it
I believe in you .stlyrics

[Juan]
One Mistake, doesn't have to mean that it's over

[Luke]
One bad day, only means there's work to do

[Mark]
One night, is sometimes all it takes

[All]
To realize one thing is true
I believe, that I came to know you for a reason
I believe, that the things that you say will come true
I believe that with you in my life I'll make it
I believe in you

[Matthew]
Take a picture of me now, take a look at who I am
Yesterday I wasn't half as strong

[Abe, Juan, Luke, and Mark]
Take a picture of us all, what we've been and what we are
Look at that, and tell me I'm wrong

[Matthew]
I BELIEVE!

[Abe, Juan, Luke, Mark]
That I came to know you for a reason

[All]
I believe, that the things that you say will come true

[Matthew}
Oooohhh

[All]
I believe that with you in my life I'll make it
I believe in you
I believe in

[Matthew]
You

[Abe, Juan, Luke, Mark]
I believe in

[All]
You-ooh-hoo

"As Long As He Needs Me" (OLIVER)

A beautiful weekend was fast and slow at the same time. It was definitely packed with a lot of activities but there was also time for relaxation in a cool atmosphere. I enjoyed time playing tennis and maybe played just a little too much on Saturday and did a little pampering later that day. Then on Sunday I ventured out to our usual locale where there was plenty of people to do a mini-tournament. I did not participate or even touch a volleyball. They had about 40 people from the Brandeis pool that had come out to the beach so it was an entertaining thing to watch. Jay, our beach coordinator as we will call him, did an impromptu tournament of doubles, taking records of each wins and losses and was going to give the title of "King of the Beach" to the person with the most wins. Well, some people didn't get to play as many times and we only had two courts to work with so there was no clear title winner. But we will be continuing to do this type of tournament through the summer although I might have to run it and let Jay just play. He was pretty wiped out from trying to keep track of everything and try to play. I wanted to relax so I just sat in a beach chair and watched some games, chatted with other people, and basically enjoyed the cool air blowing over the beach (although I could have done without the sand blowing all over the place). Anyway, I just watched people play and I was very content. I took a bunch of pictures and actually posted them on my flickr page. I'm not a photographer but I do love taking pictures. It's like a hobby of mine, not only taking pictures but also being in pictures and then framing and hanging pictures or putting them in albums. I go crazy for pictures because they are a captured essence of your history. The picture can tell a story, help you keep track of your memory. Remind you of good times. Pictures are a great storyteller. So tomorrow another day at the beach to celebrate the 4th of July. I hope everyone has a great holiday and that you remember the freedom in your life and your freedom to think and love.

"Masquerade" (THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA)

I'm not an athletic person by any stretch of the imagination, just look at me and you can tell that. But I do love being active. I do a few other things besides volleyball even though it may not seem like it by reading these entries. Besides volleyball and tennis and I wish softball, I love taking dance classes. I took a leap about six months ago in taking classes at Broadway Dance Center. And from the first class, basic hip-hop, it was like finding a glove that fit my hand perfectly, it was just something so fitting for me, a re-awakening of an old love. I've taken hip-hop, jazz, jazz funk, and with each one I'm aware of how athletic dancers have to be, their bodies fit for beauty in lines and form. Again, what am I doing dancing with my body type? But I was happy to take classes in the new facilities of BDC because it was so spacious and close to work. They've been holding classes in various studios around midtown while they renovated their new location, and they did such a great job. I might have to take some classes on my lunch break. I usually stand in the back of the class and go through the routine but the instructor likes to pick on someone and move them to the front, and that's what she did to me tonight. I had to move up right behind her and in front of the class so I had to really execute the moves well. The funny part of this evening was that the Divine Miss M, Bette Midler, was also taking the class, standing at the back. Only in New York could something like that happen.

At one point, we had brought in some speakers to open play at Brandeis to give the gym a little more atmosphere. It was so great to play with music, just as a background. I feel so comfortable playing with music, but that's not exactly how you play the game of volleyball. But it was a nice experiment we tried for a few weeks last year when our friend, Brian "Go-Go," had his iPod and speakers blaring out. On my daily commute, I enjoy my music through headphones like most New Yorkers, but my taste in music is probably not what you would think just by looking at me. Obviously my love of Broadway would be present but I'm heavily influenced by country music. I'm noticing that more and more as I realize how much I connect with older country songs and the era of Motown mainly because that is what my parents listened to while I was growing up. Loretta Lynn and The Four Tops are artists I love to listen to, and as I watched CMT's "Crossroads" tonight with Reba McEntire and Kelly Clarkson, I'm more aware of how much of an influence country music has in my life. I know this is such a random entry but I was thinking more about that after having just finished watching that CMT special.

"Some Fun Now" (LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS)

Group dynamics are intriguing, and I continue to witness their actions in various volleyball groups. There are cliques within the larger volleyball group and that is to be expected, but what is so fascinating to me is that the cohesiveness of those cliques grow stronger through experiences and stories. Those experiences may be travels, games, or dinners, and during those times, stories are told, repeated, and become a fixture of their history. Stories may be about people they've encountered--the outliers, so to speak, individuals who play the game and circle the group but remain on the "outside." Though they provide a minimal function to the group, it's the stories that somehow bring the group closer together simply by some storytelling. Stories can also tell personal experiences which may be humorous and get repeated because of their content. That content can sometimes become part of the language of the group. One example is the pop-culture influenced saying "that's what she said..." after some sexually-inclined comment. Another example are stories that provide so much laughter, some of which can be attributed to the storyteller and their re-enactment, that they become a defining factor of the group. This past Friday night after open play, a story was told that has circulated for weeks but it's best heard from the source. Here is that story being told. Since this story was first told the group has made this expression, complete with exaggeration, part of their vernacular.

The rest of the weekend had a sort of "me time" theme to it. Well, actually that was Saturday. There should always be a day where you just do things for yourself that make you happy, no questions asked, just a good feeling kind of day. I started my day off playing tennis and I swear if I could play tennis everyday I would be so happy. I started playing again last year and I forgot how much I love playing it. I've been an avid follower for years but watching it and playing it are two different things. Later I took in a movie which was a family/teen-focused kind of film but that was what I wanted to watch and so far of the summer movies I've seen it was actually pretty good. There have been some real stinkers in the summer blockbusters so far this year. But I still have three more movies on my list to catch up on the current line-up about to it with "Transformer" coming up soon and I totally cannot wait for that one. After I saw the movie, I jotted down to my favorite karaoke place and proceeded to belt out a few songs, some new stuff that I wanted to try out. Then I whisked back uptown to catch HAIRSPRAY (yes, I know, again) but there was a recent cast change and I wanted to check out that and also the "Edna" understudy was on. I have to admit that sometimes I love watching understudies because they add a different take on the characters. I also wanted to check the show out once more because I probably won't get a chance to see it again before the movie comes out in mid-July. Now that is another one I cannot wait to see. A multiple viewing kind of movie if you get my drift. HAIRSPRAY always puts me in a great mood and Saturday was no exception.

Sunday was the most gorgeous day for the beach. So loads of people showed up at Long Beach and we had a lot of playing time for beach volleyball. I played for about an hour and then just took pictures and watched. I just enjoyed soaking up a little sun and feeling the breeze go through my hair. It was just nice to be around people and enjoy the beach. I'm not really a beach person but it's all in how you spend your time at the beach.

"Use What You Got" (THE LIFE)

Well the last three nights have been spent watching volleyball games (what else is new?). Last night I finally got to see some friends from my early teams play. Two of them, Carlos and Barbara, were on my team the second season when I started playing with the Big City league. Now the memories from those days really take me back. Barbara and I had a long history after having known each other since freshman year in college (Spring 1993), and she was interested in joining a team after my first season playing. We picked up Carlos at the league open scrimmage and the rest is history as they say. They became part of the backcourt Brandeis crew. Now that is a crew I truly miss, I'm still there, it's just they have moved on. I want to try and arrange a dinner with some of that old crew, but that might be a huge task.

Tonight I went to watch a D10 co-ed match. I was talking to the referee and observing how to set up the net system and stuff. I need to learn how to do that because it is the one thing I have yet to really look at and observe. My friends' team had a full line-up but their opponents only had two people show up so they had to forfeit. So I got to play around like it was open gym. I stayed and watched another match that my friends had after that one and saw them take the match 2-1. These two teams in the same division have their spot in the playoffs so now it's just a matter of getting practice in before the playoff date. Then to cap off the evening, I got to fill my stomach with some awesome "soupy buns" down in Chinatown. A very calm night with small observations.