"The Windy City is Mighty Perty"

Now who can remember that line??!! Anyone Anyone? Bueller? Hahahaha...Lolo can! It is Calamity Jane signing (Doris Day) in the movie...such a great movie. Anyway, my first day in Chitown was awesome. I did some work and then broke that up with some site seeing adventures! And some shopping on Michigan AVE. NICE RIGHT?!

Ok, so my first lil adventure was to my FAVE museum (from the outside of course)...the Field. For those who did not know, I became obessed with the building when the movie "The Relic" came out. The building is SO capitvating. So I decided that had to be my first place to see. Well, our hotel (Hilton Garden Inn) is located next to the Red line and that goes to the museum campus. Well, I decided to get off a few exits before the museum area and walk through the Millenium and Grant parks. And WOW. Talk about a beautiful park area. So many sites there in the view...from the Navy Pier to the Grant Park fountain, to the HUGE Sears Tower, and finally leading to the "relic" of them all...THE FIELD! As I made my way closer, I saw the Shredd Aquarium (one day I will go there) and then walked around the Field and saw SOLDIER FIELD (da bears)! That was cool! I wanted to go inside the King Tut exhibit, but tickets were sold out so I just ventured inside the regular museum...which rocked! It is a natural history museum so they had animal exhibits, africa exhibits, an "underground" exhibit, and much more. The actually had a full size Whale Shark hanging and I just laughed because I saw the real thing in ATL!

From the museum I headed back to my hotel to work for a few hours and then decided to go up to Michigan Ave to go shopping! And let me tell you...good times! So many stores so little time! From the Hershey Store to Express...ummm...I was HAPPY! We did the entire "magnificent mile" and ended up at the River.....so pretty!!!

The next day I had the opportunity to see a once in a lifetime baseball game at the infamous Wrigley Field...with two legends pitching aganist each other. With both of there records put together they have the most wins in the history of the game...oh, did I mention is was Clemens vs. Maddox! The AVP marketing team went as a group...and we sure did have fun! And not to mention the awesome seats we had!

And let me finish this blog with a few pics from my clinic. Our AVP site was on North ave beach...So amazing! The Hancock building was so close you could "touch" it...and not to mention how beautiful Lake Michigan was!

From Hotlanta to Sweet Home Alabama...

Well, I must apologize for not writing sooner...but let me tell you...it is smoking HOT here in the Dirty South! Hahahaha!

Let's start with Hotlanta...I spent a week in midtown Atlanta...which was awesome. When I first got there I went downtown to the Junior Olympics. It was awesome to see my former players and coaches down there. And they have a great subway too...which was a bonus for me (can we say cheap fare!!!)! Anyways, I also got to see the GA aquarium...which is the largest in the world...and has WHALE SHARKS!! Freaking gorgeous too! The aquarium itself was bright, clean, crowded and very interesting!

Now I am in Birmingham, Alabama...actually I am in Hoover at the Hoover Metropolitian Stadium. The Barons play here...and this is the double A team that Micheal Jordan played for during his brief baseball stint. Kinda cool and yet very random! Hahaha! Actually, this area has been cool...but a soooooooooo hot. There are no words...except MISERABLE!! Hahaha! So it is off to Chi town in a few days...can't wait too! I am hearing that I might be going to the Cubs vs. Astros game...and maybe going to the Journey/Def Lep concert...now, that would be cool!!!!

A Has Been?

So I never thought that I would have been a "has been" or even anything! But...UTPA did a piece on me as part of their "Where are they now" series. Hahaha! Here is the link for the article...kinda cool!

http://utpabroncs.cstv.com/sports/w-volley/spec-rel/070706aaa.html

A Firedrill brings it all back!

So at 8:30A this morning we had a firedrill at the Sheraton hotel I am staying at. Mind you there are 25 floors in the hotel...so a slightly small hotel! I was not sure if it was real so I called the front desk and they said come down...so I grabbed my key (and not my new laptop or expensive camera or my purse) and headed for the stairs. Let me tell you...walking down 21 flights of stairs was definitely not fun. As we kept turning and turning, all I could think about was 9-11. Imagining those people in both towers running down 50 flights or more...or the fireman running up those stairs...and then what happened next... It was definitely a sombering moment. All this on the day after our nation's holiday (which was rained out due to a severe storm...but we had god's fireworks so I dealt...and DLAND fireworks will always be around).

And for those who are wondering what happened...well, there was a fire up above me on the 25th floor and there is flood damage in the hotel...on my floor...so guess who is relocating! hahahahaha! Welcome to Atlanta and have a nice day!

Moving onto Atlanta...aka Hotalanta!

Ok, one more time...

So I wrote this LONG blog about this weekend and it mysterious vanished!! ARG! Hahaha! So here goes again. This weekend was a blast in a couple of ways. First of all, if anyone has to the Jersey Shore...well, let me say that it is its own world!!! PERIOD! Wow. Imagine every funny stereotype tht you can make...I swear it is there! From Guido central, to wifebeaters galor, to gold chains/belts/etc, to mullets (oh yea...I am not talking about just one), to double E sized breasts in little tanks...oh yea, I can go on FOREVER!! Hahahaha! It was definitely interesting!





Seaside Heights, NJ is a beach town that has an extensive boardwalk, 2 different casino piers, tons of fried foods (fried oreos, fried PB&J, etc), tons of grease period, lots of BAD motels (thank goodness we stayed across the intercoastal in Tom's River), and more! CRAZY! The AVP site was located between the two casino piers so you know I had to ride something...and did we ever ride something! The four of us (Meg, Kat, Cheri, and me) rode the skyscraper...and let me tell you it was named that for a reason. It went about 800 ft in the area, while flipping over and over!!






On the same not as above...SH, NJ was awesome because my sis, Cheri, drove down from Syracuse, NY to spend a few days with me! Along with her, my cuz, Kat, and her boyfriend John came up from Baltimore for a day/night. It so totally rocked! They got VIP
on Sat night and Sunday (and hopefully loved it)! I was pretty stoked on that too! On top of that I got to spend some quali time with Misty and her dad, Butch. Me, Cheri, Butch, and Misty had sushi last night (in this amazing lightening storm too...YEA). It was night to eat with her and just be friends and not staff and player :)

So that was my weekend on the Jersey Shore...Good times!! Hahaha! Now I am off to hotlanta! Woohoo! So 3 more cities to go and then I am home!!! Woohoo! :)! And did I forgt to mention that Misty & Kerri won??!!

Good times with my new computer!

So yes, I am exploring my NEW laptop! YEA! And the coolest thing is on there...A PHOTO BOOTH!! CRAZINESS!!!





Did I mention that my sis is a couple of minutes away form my hotel...woohoo!!

Reno and Beyond

Wow...so one trip down and three to go! Woohoo! So last weekend was spent in Reno with 6 AVP players and one of my interns. Good times! I had half of the PBJ crew the first day...and night...can we say CRAZY! These boys are major up and comer's on the tour...and are VERY EASY on the eyes...hahaha...but too young so no thougts anyone! We did have fun...the "Talent" (the boys) , the "boss lady" (me), and the "intern"!


The next day I had Suzanne & Michelle come up. They actually played college ball at UN-Reno so it was not a bad thing for them.


And finally I had two of my friends, and great players, come up...Brittany Hochevar and Angela Lewis. It was cool hanging with them for the day that they spent up there.


On the last day I got to hang with my fave Cristy...CHAPPY! I never get to see her or the Laguna crew...so good times were definitely had on Tuesday night!!!


Flying out of Reno is always fun...let me tell you! But this time was absolutely AMAZING! I am a huge TAHOE person...ask anyone who knows me about my wedding plans..hahaha...the view from my window was breathtaking. Then flying into Newark was amazing too. I had the whole island of Manhattan in my window. So beautiful!

So now I am in Seaside Heights, NJ (where they did the MTV beach house a couple years back). It is really cool out there. Or at least it is cool for a few days! Woohoo! My sis, my cuz, her boyfriend, and potentially my bf from HS and her hubbie are coming!! YEA!

Next week...Hotalanta!!

So I am sorry...

So for all those who think I am ignoring them or forgot them or I just straight up forgot them....I AM SORRY! Things have been really crazy getting ready for my 5 week trek across the US! I will be going from Reno-Seaside Heights-Atlanta-Birmingham-Chicago. I have a new laptop so I should have updates on my blog and myspace...which is good. Come October I will have a life again!!! YEA!

From Hermosa to Sac to Dland...what a crazy past few weeks!

So, with the help from a friend (Jammers), I have been nudged to write a new blog!! Let's c...let's start with Hermosa AVP. One word for that tournament...CRAZY! The work was crazy, the beach scene was crazy, and the parties were crazy. Here is a pic from one of the parties that weekend. It was the Nautica party held at Sapphire. These are a few of my interns and a coworker...we clean up well! Hahaha!


Then, a couple days after the Hermosa Open we headed off to Sacramento. The Sac open was held at the Cal Expo. For those who know about that location you know how it is concrete city. Now add 100 degree weather and 16 hour days...yea...it was one LONG weekend. Here are some pics from this weekend...with some women's final action thrown in!


Me and Bruno...

Me and my fave golden girl...


And finally, on my day off this past monday I met up with my sis and my niece for some Disney action. Let's just talk about those crowds...FREAKING CRAZY! But hey, I got to talk to Stitch (who recognized me???), take my normal Tower of Terror tour, and watched my fave thing of all....the FIREWORKS! That show is absolutely amazing. So Jamie get you pass so that we can go in late July to watch...it is really breathtaking! "There are no windows and no doors..." That is all I keep saying!!!











And now, I am off to Reno this Sat for a promo at the Volleyball Festival! Woohoo! But the best part is my next month ahead...Reno to Seaside Heights, NJ to Atlanta, GA to Birmingham, AL to Chicago, IL, and then home...hahaha...I promise to keep this thing updated more too!!! I finally have a laptop!! YEA!