"They can come down to me!"

Today was one of those days. If you are a fellow athlete, no further explanation is needed. If I didn't need food to survive I probably wouldn't even move from the exact spot I'm in now for the rest of the day, that's how tired my soul is. Yes, my soul. It's not just my physical body that is hurting, it goes waaaay deeper than that. When I saw my workout for today on the sheet at the beginning of the week, I knew I was in for an unpleasant day come Friday. The last time I did a similar workout, I had half the intervals I had today. But like coach always says, "you're better today then you were last time you did the workout." Yea, whatever. Personally, I prefer to let my body adapt slowly, but he very rarely agrees with me.

As I finished my last 300 of the workout, I immediately dropped to the ground and sprawled out on my back. You could have outlined me in white chalk right then and there because I had the silhouette spot on. Anyone who knows me or has ever practiced with me knows I'm an on the ground kind of person. Always. Some people say you shouldn't do this. Why? Well for starters because it's hard to recover like this. You need to keep moving and keep the blood from pooling and letting the lactic acid build up...yadda, yadda, yadda. But it's also because it might make you look weak and like you're broke down. Well guess what?! I'M BROKE!!! I happen to not care if every single competitor I'll ever race this season sees me in the fetal position after a hard workout, whimpering to myself and crying out to Jesus. I'm a beast when it comes to competition, but practice--I'm more like a cub. So be it.

So as usual, Coach comes over in his entirely too chipper voice and tells me to get up. I usually ignore the first two or three times because it's possible that I've also developed a bit of deafness during this ass-kicking of a workout. I groan and grunt a couple of times, then I open my mouth to actually protest and tell him that I actually can't move just yet because it's just not physically possible. Let me be! He then proceeds to ask me what I plan on doing after the Olympic Finals when they come to interview me after my race. My response: "They can come down to me."

Results: Pie Debate

After a week of having people take two seconds out of their day to vote on their preference in Thanksgiving pie (specifically Pumpkin and Sweet Potato), the results are in. A couple things I noticed that are worth mentioning:



-Many people did not vote. I don’t know why this is. You probably have a preference but you’d rather not be a factor and instead would like to continue on in your non-contributory ways. It was anonymous for goodness sake…there was no way I could tell your Grandma that you don’t really care for her homemade sweet potato pie but would rather run to Ralphs for a store bough Pumpkin.

-There are actually 6 more votes under “what are you” than “what kind of pie do you like”. This must be due to the fact that I am friends with many half breeds who have a problem categorizing themselves. That’s fine…except that it makes it hard to look at the results side by side. I should have made you choose—or just gave you (us) your own category.

-I never actually made a way for it to be known exactly who voted for what. It very well could have been black people voting for pumpkin pie and white people voting for sweet potato. So I am just going to make an educated guess. ☺

There are only 8 votes for pumpkin pie, but 19 total non-black votes tallied. Therefore, I conclude that these non-black people have been converted and are now extremely thankful that they have experienced just how wonderful sweet potato pie is! I have a few friends that would like to do a taste test over the Christmas holiday (they won’t just take my word for it), so if anybody has a great recipe, please pass it along. I am a great pie eater, but I’ve never gotten around to actually making them

Myspace Celebrity

When my friend Jennie asked me if I knew anything about making a myspace page because she finally wanted to create one of her own, I told her she needn’t look any further. I didn’t get my reputation by accident. In my own small way, I've made my presence known on Myspace. When I began to routinely be referred to as "B*Fabulous" by friends and strangers alike, I realized how this thing has completely transformed the way we interact with people. By no stretch of the imagination will I ever be on same level as someone like Tila Tequila (I don’t even like being bothered by strangers on there), but I became consumed with my space on the web. I would only accept friend requests from people I actually knew but I had many, many regular visitors....50,000 and counting in less than two years. I was constantly revamping my page, making slideshows of outings with friends and my various travels around the world, coming up with smart and sassy ways to introduce myself to the rest of the myspace community, doing my fair share of sending out comments and messages to the rest of my friends, and of course writing blogs. I've since directed my energy more towards my website and this blog that I've started so my presence is somewhat diminished and my page is a mere skeleton of what it once was. Nevertheless, I still consider myself somewhat of a guru and I am still the “go to” person on all things myspace related.

Now Jennie has her own little spot in the myspace universe and I'm sure all pre-teen softball players and men everywhere will thank me!

Oh yea...track.

When I first started this blog I had every intention of it being a blog that dealt mostly with my athletic career and all things related to track and field. But a month and a half in and some of you might not even be able to tell I’m an athlete! I suppose the biggest reason for that is that I started writing in my off-season and I’m just now getting into the swing of things with practice and so forth. There is only so much I can write about the monotonous training one does on the path back to fitness and that is what is taking place for at least another couple of months. But today I decided to get get back on track, so to speak.

Starting to train after a whole summer of competition with little actual training and subsequent time off where I act as if I’m actually allergic to working out is hard on both the body and the mind. The littlest things seem extremely difficult and you begin to wonder if this could possibly be the same body capable of running repeat 300’s when jogging two laps seems like such a laborious undertaking. I began “moving around” about two weeks before I moved out to Tucson but it was pretty much just child’s play and just enough so I wouldn’t feel guilty. My first week here was your basic welcome back activities where you begin to realize just how much the next few months are going to hurt. This second week is going to put a stamp on that.

Today was one of those days that I can never quite do justice to by just explaining. We had a mile run, stretching, drills, more drills, and build-ups…for the warm-up. I hate it when I feel as if I should be done after I’ve only done enough to say that I’m now ready to work out. Then it was ramp runs. Basically you run up the ramps of a football stadium, from the very bottom to the very top where people with nose bleed seats are located, and it twists and whatnot so it’s basically 8 different ramps you go up until you get to the top. Once you get to the top you don’t pretend you’re Rocky and stand with your chest pumped up as you breath heavily. You jog to the other side of the stadium to run down the other side so you can reach the bottom and turn around go back up. And that equals 1. Actually I’m not even sure why we count 1 since it’s not like we stop after we finish a set. The whole workout is continuous so you don’t stop at all until you are done with the workout. It’s an evil little trick my Coach plays on us.

It’s days like these where the idea of not having training partners and having to hurt all by myself makes things that much harder. Luckily, I was able to recruit my friend Jennie, who is a pro softball player, and another one of her teammates. Jen is always up for a good workout and even though she might never join me for a workout again after today, I am so glad I had her there today to push me and to know that I wasn’t the only one in pain. It makes all the difference in the world.

Sweet Potato vs Pumpkin: A Debate

I'm mixed. That's not a newsflash to most people but for some of you who might not know me, you might be surprised that I actually have blue eyed, blond haired siblings that share the same mother as me. That's really of no importance except for the fact that I have come to realize something over the past 10 years or so that has to do with pie selection at Thanksgiving. For as long as I can remember, I have split holidays between both sides of my family since my parents divorced at a very young age but both families reside in Southern California. It's a pretty sweet deal...two big meals (obviously we go to the black side later since they never eat early), two present openings at Christmas, and a chance to be around all your family that you love and care about.

One huge difference at Thanksgiving in particular, is the choice of pie at the end--namely the availability of either pumpkin or sweet potato. Growing up, I always thought I liked pumpkin. It's what I knew...I was more familiar with it...it seemed to be the Thanksgiving pie of choice for the majority of people I knew...whatever the reason, I liked pumpkin pie. But as I got older, I started giving sweet potato pie a chance and I realized something--it's soooo much better. I mean seriously, there is no comparison. And the reason that I am making a comparison between these two particular pies is because it's seems as if people always fall on one side of the fence or the other. You may also have pecan pie available, or pound cake, or whatever else, but you usually only have pumpkin or sweet potato. Not both. They are pitted against each other in a duel between the burnt orange colored pies that will serve as the final touch to your Thanksgiving feast.

To me, this decision falls clearly along color lines. Like I said, I'm mixed. There is always pumpkin pie at one family gathering and sweet potato at the other. I don't know how others do it beyond white and black but I'm curious. If you happen to be White or mixed like me and have spent your whole life thinking you like pumpkin pie, I urge you to give sweet potato a chance. However, make sure you entrust this pivotal event in your life to someone who knows what they're doing. Do not go to Albertsons and pick up one of their pies. (Do they even make sweet potato? I know they have pumpkin!) Find someone who knows what they are doing. I have a feeling you might end up a convert like myself.

PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO VOTE AT THE TOP RIGHT HAND CORNER OF THE PAGE...DO BOTH SURVEYS SO I CAN COLLECT RELEVANT DATA ON THE MATTER!!!

Giving Thanks

Thanksgiving is a day that you remember all the things you are thankful for. The premise might be a little flawed, seeing as how it originated from a day where we kicked Native Americans off their own land and claimed it for our own—just cuz we could—but why we celebrate it today and what it means in our hearts is something totally different. We give thanks for what we have been blessed with, and hopefully we thank the Man who has given us all those blessings. Of course this could and should be done last Monday or three Fridays from now, but today is the day we make a big hoopla about it.

Today I woke up and was a bit sad and melancholy. I’m away from my family and that’s not usually how I celebrate Thanksgiving and so I began the process of starting my day in a bit of a funk. But then I stopped because today is not the day to be unthankful. It’s sacrilegious. So I decided to start going over what I’m thankful for. First and foremost, my eyes are open. I woke up today a healthy human being and so I might as well start there. After that, the list is endless. I won’t bother writing it all out but I know we all have numerous things we are able to put in the “and thank you for that” column. Today that is the only column that matters.

Picture of the Week

This is my favorite little man...and when I say "man", I mean it. He looks like a grown-up trapped in a itty bitty body who still talks in a high-pitched minnie mouse voice. He's getting ready to go to his Thanksgiving day party at school and the reason why I like this picture is because even though at first glance he looks like a little white boy, Ty Ty still knows he has a little soul and that's why he's poppin' his collar. I love that kid to pieces. He made me realize that maybe I actually do like kids. Kinda. Sorta.

Now what???

Today, after I went to the movies by myself, I stopped by Ross...again. This makes three times since Sunday. I've also been to Target twice, Pier 1, Trader Joes, Walgreens, and Radio Shack. That's what I've done for the last three days in my efforts to not bore myself to death. Today, I remembered that I needed coasters. It was imperative that I get them now because who knows when a water ring will appear on my new coffee table and then I'd be really pissed that I didn't use a coaster. This impromptu trip killed almost 45 minutes and also netted me a nice welcome mat and some stainless steel containers for the counter top. Score! I think the reason I feel so bored is because I know that if I felt like hanging out with some friends back home or doing some of the things I normally do, I can't. If I was back in L.A. I very well might not be doing much of anything but the difference is I could if I wanted to.

I'm going to have to figure out this whole Tucson living thing in order not to drive myself crazy. I am definitely out recruiting friends and maybe even a date or two if I want to be really bold. I doubt that one though so I will settle for a buddy or two who likes to watch trashy reality t.v. and go out to eat every once in a while. I'm also going to try and volunteer somewhere. I already attempted to help serve food on Thanksgiving but can you believe that I can't find anywhere that needs help? I was so bummed. I did find a place that is still looking for people to donate frozen pies but that doesn't really do much for helping me feel like I am spreading a little joy in the community, nor does it kill any time. I can't even attempt to bake a pie...so basically I get nothing out of it. (I know, I know--totally the spirit of Thanksgiving). How rude of all those people with family to spend time with to volunteer and take the opportunity away from me when they should know I won't be able to be with my family. Ughhh. Some people, I tell ya.

I'm official!!!

Ladies and Gentlemen, I'd like to introduce you to my new WEBSITE!!!



For the past couple of weeks I have been working hard to put this together and make it something I could be proud of. For someone who is somewhat computer illiterate and knows nothing about that sort of thing, a lot of it was self-taught. Although I did work off a template, I learned a lot about making a visually appealing site that I hope you enjoy. This website would not have been possible without my beautiful best friend, Jasmine. Not only did she give me this website for $0, she is wholly responsible for the front page looking as professional as it does. My first attempts were nothing short of laughable but these are the perks of having a best friend who is photoshop savvy. Please take a second to stop by, look at 2,343,000 pictures of me (80% of which you have probably already seen if you are a myspace friend), read all about me, and let me know what you think. I am open to suggestions on how to improve it.

CLICK HERE FOR MY WEBSITE

loved

My big move was this weekend. I say “big” not in the sense that moving is anything new or unknown to me, because I’ve moved every year for the last five years…but more so in the emotional sense. This move means a lot to me and I’ve had so many emotions attached to it, which is why it seems so monumental. Let it be known that I hate moving. hate it. I despise the whole process…from packing, to finding movers, from all the crap you accumulate that you don’t even realize you have, to driving to your new destination, to unpacking all the crap and trying to make the new place feel like home. It’s exhausting to say the least.

For this move though, I had some of my most favorite people to help make this trek across the desert and when I say that it made all the difference in the world, its actually an understatement. For starters I had my Uncle Kevin and Aunt Ronnie help me pack up my stuff and drive it to Arizona. Did I mention that they already live in Arizona??? These are some stud family members I tell you. I was so unbelievably grateful for the assistance not only because of the help to my wallet (which was HUGE by the way), but because as movers they put Starving Students to shame. They are nothing short of amazing. I was actually relegated to carrying in the boxes of pillows because they made sure they had all the heavy stuff on lock. I also had my two best friends to come along on the road trip with me and help me unpack. They were most definitely my two little angels and I am so happy they were able to come with me and add to our already endless supply of memories and stories that we will forever carry close to our heart.

Our drive across the desert was spent in endless chatter. Not once did we turn on the radio or sit in silence. We sang. Well Mel really sung, and I hurt their eardrums when I would suddenly break out in something that slightly resembles singing for absolutely no reason. We took the time to decide the perfect partner for each one of us. Our thinking is that if we put it out in the universe, it’s that much more likely to become a reality. We decided to point out each other’s best and worst qualities. Why? I don’t know. For some reason I have this weird obsession with categorizing people. Supposedly I am stubborn and somewhat conceited. I am also not the funniest. But I don’t quite agree. My humor must be too far advanced for them. Before we knew it we had made it to Tucson, Arizona.


I actually wasn’t quite prepared for the way I would feel once I actually arrived. It’s a hard thing to explain but needless to say my mood did a couple of back flips mixed in with a few cartwheels on me. That’s why having my friends here was so critical because they kept me focused on the important stuff. And who besides your best friends would wake up and go get you starbucks and groceries for breakfast while you’re still sleeping and then take you on a surprise shopping spree at Target for all the things you realize you don’t have? I am blessed to have friends that love me so much. Unfortunately, they had to return home but I am so thankful for the time we spent together this weekend and just for having them in my life.

I am now officially a resident of Tucson, Arizona.

Boxes and Berries

So today is the day. 17 boxes, 10 luggage pieces, 6 throw pillows, 4 plastic bins, 2 televisions, and 1 roll of packing tape... we did it. Well, Bri did it, but I'm here for moral support ;)


We've packed up all the boxes and celebrated by going to Pinkberry (Bri, say goodbye to the fine eateries of Los Angeles. I'm sure they have like... Sonic and 31 Flavors that will be delicious).


Tomorrow we will be up early to take that wonderfully scenic drive to the beautiful oasis also known as Tucson, Arizona. 7 glorious hours of non-stop gossip, out of tune singing, and a couple games of out-of-state plates. Memories to last a lifetime...

Posted by: The BESTEST friend, Bianca

Happy Birthday Mel!

Melanie and I have been friends for what seems like forever. Ever since the days when Michael Jackson could still be considered half way normal, Forrest taught us that life is like a box of chocolates, and a gallon of gas was less than a dollar, this girl has been one of my closest friends. Today we were able to celebrate her 27th birthday, or as she likes to refer to it...her 1 year anniversary of turning 26. I think the closer we get to 30, the more creative we get with counting our age. After all, 26 is still 25's next door neighbor. 27 on the other hand...well that's when the knockin' begins. My best friends and I celebrated doing what girlfriends do best--shopping, pampering ourselves, and eating. What more can a girl ask for??? Mel, I love you more than a skinny girl with a six-pack but who still has the world's biggest sweet tooth loves
sprinkles cupcakes. That's a whole lot!





P.S. I planned on writing more extensively about the whole spa experience but I am beyond tired so somebody remind me in a few days. You know I'll forget...

Give me Fierce!

From time to time I do photo shoots. Sometimes they are for my own portfolio and when I get really lucky, somebody pays me. Well today, I was taking some pictures for my own benefit. Hopefully there will be some nice additions to my (under construction) website, or they will be used to entice companies to offer some exciting new endorsements, or maybe just have some cool pictures…because you can never have to many of those! Whatever the case, I woke up entirely too early this morning to make love to the camera and pray to God that it loved me back.

I used to think modeling was super easy. I mean, honestly, what is so hard about taking a picture and making it look good? When I first began to watch America’s Next Top Model I would think it was so ridiculous how the girls just couldn’t “get it” sometimes. Heeeellllooo….Jay said “give me fierce” and you are giving him the exact same boring look with nothing behind the eyes! My goodness, models must really be stupid. Well it turns out that’s not entirely true.

Taking good pictures is a lot harder then it looks. This is from someone who loves taking pictures mind you. I’m not camera shy—not in the least bit. But there is a huge difference in posing for your friend’s digital camera during a girls night out and looking hot/sexy/fierce/sad/beautiful/soft/fashiony/or whatever the particular photographer wants. There is so much effort put in to looking effortless and what you think you are giving the camera rarely shows up on film. It’s the weirdest thing. Suffice to say, it’s not that easy.

There are times, like today, when I take pictures out in public instead of in a studio. This adds a whole other dimension to things because all of your love making is on display for every Tom, Dick, and Harry walking by. This can be a tad bit embarrassing. People stare. I would too if I were them. Who is this girl and why is she prancing around and changing up her facial expressions like she has a mild case of turrets? You block it out as much as you can but taking pictures in the middle of UCLA campus can be a bit daunting.

I now have a much higher respect and understanding for the ladies on my favorite Wednesday night T.V. show. So when you watch the show tonight, keep all this in mind. Fierce ain’t as easy as it looks!

Date Night

For the past year or so I’ve been on a dating rollercoaster that has seen its fair share of highs and lows. But my one constant—my favorite dating partner that never fails me—is my best friend Bianca. Of course we still “hang out” as friends or do the whole group thing with our other friends, but we still have our dates. Why? Because sometimes it’s nice to be treated, or to treat, and to have those kind of outings that we usually wait for our tall, dark, and handsome to whisk us away on but sometimes we just don’t feel like waiting. Besides, oftentimes I prefer her company anyway.

Last night we went to a fantastic happy hour spot downtown, called Royale , where we sipped on some delicious cocktails, ate some scrumptious appetizers and snuck glances at the not so bad lookin’ D.J. behind the turntables. After that, we headed over to the Staples Center to watch the Lakers game. A friend of mine from college gave me tickets at the last minute and I knew that it would make a great date night for me and my bestest. So there we sat in the 8th row, cheering and shouting like we bleed purple and gold. She might actually be considered a fan…I am one of those “pretend” fans that enjoys the experience but doesn’t even know what Kobe is so unhappy about. All in all it was a great night with even greater company. Love you B!




***Don't tell anybody but Bianca has a secret crush on Chris Mihm...he's the big white guy.


***Bi and I with our lovely self-portrait


***Someone walked by with an icecream cone and we immediately got a craving for one. Lord knows I shouldn't be eating ice cream, but I couldn't resist!

The Wrong Foot

I expect a certain code of conduct when I first start hanging out with someone--things that I consider common courtesy and just an all around gentlemanly way of doing things. I would never call myself high maintenance. I realize that just because I don’t, doesn’t mean other people don’t see me that way, but hey, this is my blog and I call it like I see it! Back to my point…so if I’m interested in someone and they’re interested in me, then it is important that things get started on the right foot. What’s the wrong foot you ask? Well let me tell you…

Let me start off by saying that I am a huge fan of blockbuster nights. I’m also a fan of a plethora of t.v. shows and there is much enjoyment to be found in cuddling up on the couch in front of the tube. I might even be excited to cook, on occasion, one of the maybe five dishes I feel confident in making for company. But all of that comes later, or is at least mixed in with other outdoor activities. That’s not how we are going to start out. First off, it shows a lack of effort. If you are interested in dating me then guess what? Take me on a DATE! Honestly, I can watch t.v. just fine by myself, in fact it will probably be even more enjoyable because I am able to watch exactly what I want to watch and I have a sneaking suspicion it will probably differ from what you want to watch. But the main thing is that we shouldn’t have that comfort level yet and it just seems a little lazy to me.

Another point I want to add that is somewhat related is that it’s not o.k. to ask to come over really late. It gives me the wrong impression of you and makes me think you have the wrong impression of me. Of course, it could be completely innocent and maybe you would just love to see me and have been terribly busy all day, but I prefer to be penciled in soon after the sun sets, not when it is approaching midnight. That’s not too much to ask. I realize people have to work their way up in the priority status but if that’s the best you can do then it’s really not good enough. Call me when your schedule is a little less hectic.

When point number one is combined with point number two what we have is a match not made in heaven. My time is valuable, even when I’m not working out or doing anything productive with my days. I still like to feel as if someone is interested in getting to know me and doesn’t just view me as someone to pass some time with. I guess some people think that being in their presence is good enough. Not so.

Picture(s) of the Week

This weekend was my Hall of Fame Induction and Homecoming weekend. I'd like to take the opportunity to thank my family (and Deb!) for coming to Tucson and sharing this special time with me.



*My banner that is hanging in the Hall of Champions


*Giving my speech...which I don't really remember since I didn't bother to write it down beforehand.


*My super stud friend and I. We went to middle school and high school together, attended the same college, and were inducted into the Hall of Fame together. Who knew La Mirada turned out superstar athletes like that??!!


*At the homecoming game with Debbie. Afternoon game in Tucson...BAD IDEA.



*My introduction at half-time.

A Homecoming in more ways than one

This weekend I headed back to the A. Not the down south, let’s get crunk, Hotlanta A, but the cactus-lined, dust filled, there is no freakin reason it should be this hot in November A. Tucson, Arizona. I had three reasons to be in Tucson this weekend…

1. I got inducted into the Hall of Fame
2. It was Homecoming
3. I needed to find a place to live

That’s right folks, you heard right. This So Cal girl is going back to the desert. After weeks and weeks of thinking and deliberation…making a decision and then changing my mind—then changing it back, I finally decided that going back to Tucson was the right decision for me. In fact, it actually had a lot to do with my first reason for being in Arizona this weekend. More on that later…

I had actually decided a while back that I would probably be moving back to Tucson but put off telling a lot of people that was my actual decision because I have a problem with commitment. I don’t like when things are set in stone because then I can’t change my mind every five seconds and continue to keep worrying and stressing about it. Like I said before, I don’t do well with big decisions. In fact, I hadn’t told my Coach until this past Wednesday. Nothing like last minute, eh?. I finally realized though that the indecision was doing me no good and actually, it’s harmful. I need to believe that I’m doing the right thing and that I am 100% convinced that I will be successful and in order for me to adopt that mindset I can’t be filling my mind with doubt. So, Tucson it is. In all actuality, it comes down to a gut feeling. It feels right just like it felt right when I made the decision to go to school there 10 years ago and yet still agonized over that decision for months and months. But guess what? That was the smartest career decision I could have ever made and there has not been one millisecond of regret ever. EVER. I am banking on that being the case the second time around.

I mentioned that being inducted into the Hall of Fame had a lot to do with my decision to move back. When I first heard I was going to be inducted, I was pleasantly surprised. Not that I didn’t think it would happen sooner or later, but sooner came the first year I was eligible and that did surprise me a bit. It’s a huge honor—one that I don’t think I even fully grasped until I was out there this weekend. But what it made me do was really reflect. I was able to think about why I was receiving this honor and what made it possible for me to become that person that was deserving of it.

When I look at my career as it stands now, I wouldn’t necessarily say that I am extremely satisfied. I reached a certain level of success in college and I really haven’t come that close since. Because the last 5 years have been such a struggle, I really don’t ever take the time to remember what was, since I am so focused on what I have yet to accomplish. But being inducted made me reflect. I had to. I had to give a speech and tell all these people about my experience as an athlete at Arizona and how it contributed to my success and it’s during that thought process when I really realized that all that made me successful is right there in front of me. I didn’t start my collegiate career with these grandiose plans of being a star athlete, but I ended up being taught how to believe in myself and turn that belief into success. You will never be able to be a Champion until you see yourself as one. That’s exactly what I learned in college and that is what made me a great athlete. So why not go back to that? To the person who instilled that in me, to the program that I believe took me from mediocre to way above average, and to the place where it all began. So while I stood up there and talked about all my great experiences as a collegiate athlete and the reasons why I believe becoming a Wildcat was the best decision I ever made, I also reaffirmed to myself why it makes all the sense in the world to go back to that. So here’s to round two…Arizona here I come!