Tag: Just another day

Sports during the Pandemic, an overview from my Point of View

Posted on by anele25

 

Today is August 9th 2020 and it has almost been 5 months since the Pandemic known as COVID-19 started around the world. It’s also been a few weeks since sports started back up with professional sports in 3 of the big 4 starting back up again. I wanted to cover just how different and even unique sports has been since it returned. At first, I was unsure on how to feel on sports making a return with families, players, owners, coaches, umpires, referees, and even announcers effected in each way. I was impressed at first by each sports’ respective response to players if they contacted COVID and how they handled those manners. I saw how different each league’s bubbles were and some have had some immediate impact. For example, in the NHL they have decided to go about in playing in hub cities which give or take has improved the quantity of players infected (to date no positive cases since the round robin and play-in rounds have started). In the NBA, they decided to move the rest of their season to Orlando where teams would play for seeding and even though some players there ended up contacting COVID early on, have done an excellent job in keeping the cases low and have gone 3 weeks without a reported case.

 

MLB on the other hand has had some bad luck with a number of cases affecting teams such as the St. Louis Cardinals and the Miami Marlins. If MLB wants to do a better job of keeping this virus under control, I think what would be best would be monitor certain protocols and if players are truly following them. I think this can be done with the help of a quality officer who deals in the public health field and keeps track of who is following these rules and who is not. This would security and safety to players and their families and would ensure a smoother transition to the playing field itself. This would be an added plus and would a better integrity on how the game is played. In my opinion, I hope this doesn’t lead to a major outbreak throughout the entire league and thus gives the green light for the season to be suspended. But what about the other factors for these teams and players?

 

During these times, I have seen first the effect of no fans in the stands. This is surprisingly added some intrigue in all sports where we can hear the coaches, players, and the announcers discussing things that come up during a sporting event. During hockey, we can hear when a team is making a shift from one line to the next and we may see a scuffle for the puck in the neutral zone or offensive zone and try to back it out their way to get one in the net. In baseball and basketball, we may hear when a player gets frustrated and curses up and down on how he should have gotten the ball out of his hands on time or perhaps a player in baseball misses a ball down and in when that was clearly ball 4. Another unique thing that I have noticed is how much may players adjust to not seeing their families as much being in a hub city or if a player is on during baseball season how do they adjust to not seeing their families for an extended period of time when they are on the road. The families and friends that are within a sports team may also be used to each other’s company and may miss that connection of checking up on each other and enjoying that camaraderie. The other thing that I was thinking about is how much are the equipment that players play with and is it sanitized properly before and after. I would think that there is some protocol where the basketballs, the pucks, and the baseballs get sanitized or dehumidified after play so they can be ready for use for the next day. I’m also curious to see how the NFL and college football handles this issue of using different balls throughout the course of a game but we’ll cross that bridge once we get there (more on that in a future blog hopefully). I had something that has popped in my mind the last few days, and that has been how much testing has been throughout the leagues in play. I myself have been tested 3 times in the past few months for COVID-19 and thankfully have been negative each time.

 

The one factor that comes into play is something as simple as catering or delivering food to a team. The person bringing the food has been in contact with so many people or someone who has a preexisting condition may come in contact and get even sicker so that in itself adds some fear. That person can be sick and in turn get a whole team sick. I also think sports though have brought some good for all of us who are fans. This also adds to the uniqueness of all these sports returning. For example, in the NHL four teams ended up making the playoffs themselves based on the play-in rounds and these teams were dead in the water at season’s end (although one can argue that the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Chicago Blackhawks still had a shot at a wildcard at least). The teams that ended up floundering were the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Edmonton Oilers, Nashville Predators, and the Pittsburgh Penguins. I think this gives the image that nothing is guaranteed in the playoffs and you better be on your best game whenever a best of 5 or 7 comes up. The major stars have been struck aside such as John Tavares, Auston Matthews, Sidney Crosby, Conor McDavid, Roman Josi, and Matt Murray all sit home and watch some other team take their glory.

 

I also have seen how the NBA has handled their seeding with some play in games as well and their scoring has been up like nobody’s business and I would imagine this would add some intrigue as well. MLB recently announced a few weeks ago that they would be expanding the playoffs to 8 teams per league and this gives the chance to below .500 teams to make the playoffs. I do enjoy this idea because it adds more viewership per market and gives the MLB a chance to expand to the casual fan. I have also seen that some players in baseball may have to get their bodies adjusted to a 60 game season. Some major names such as Mike Soroka, Corey Kluber, Giancarlo Stanton, and Tim Anderson have already gone down with injuries. This goes to show you that maybe having a 60 game season will not result in complete success. Players have to also adjust to staying firm and consistent with their approach at the plate as evidenced by some players getting off to slower than usual starts at the plate. These names include Christian Yelich, Anthony Rendon, Khris Davis, Jose Altuve, Francisco Lindor, and Pete Alonso. My friends and I have an increased awareness of how tickets, merchandise, and hardworking people have also been affected. I remember I usually attend anywhere between 7-10 sporting events per year but now that is all gone. The vendors that were there and the men and women at the merchandise stand working, it pains me to think that they too have had to go through hardships during the pandemic. We as people do end up missing the men and women there because to us, they may be complete strangers but they almost become a part of the team. I remember every time I go to a food stand how friendly and welcoming the people behind the register are. The identity of what the team is and their makeup. When I think of an Oakland A’s game, a Tampa Bay Lightning game, or a Las Vegas Raider game you think of all the merchandise stands and the food stands. You can also say that at sporting events you can end up tailgating with friends and family. The last tailgate I had was with my girlfriend’s family and little did I know it would be the last for a while. I remember also having a nacho helmet at an A’s game and some chicken tenders with fries at the Lightning game and this gives that resonance of being at a game and cheering on your team.

 

I didn’t touch on the Raiders because their case is unique in that the city of Las Vegas has embraced them but unfortunately, they won’t have a chance to have that same experience. I can only imagine that once sports with fans return we’ll have a chance to see that again. I want to end this blog by touching on one last thing. With sports back, I think this has brought me to appreciate these players more because yes they do this for a living but they are putting more than just their bodies on the line. I learned an important lesson from a friend this past February when I went to Fanfest for the Oakland Athletics. These players are human and they have families too that they feed. Now, add COVID-19 on top of that and they give us more than they should. I’m thankful that they are also doing their part by not giving high fives and instead elbow bumping. We see these men and women as superhuman but they are doing this for our entertainment and so far so good with some teams playing well and some teams playing not so well.

 

Either way, it’s fantastic to have sports back and it is going to be exciting to see how the rest of these seasons will be in every sport. I hope to come back and write a mini piece on football is when and if it returns. For now, I’m intrigued to see how my boys from the Tampa Bay Lightning do against the Columbus Blue Jackets for the 2nd year in a row and looking to avenge last year’s playoff upset. As for the Oakland A’s, it’s great to see that we have now won 9 in a row and maybe just maybe that speaks hope for what is ahead for not just the A’s but for everyone around the world that has been affected by COVID-19.

The winds of 2011 until the present:

Posted on by anele25

This blog, Just Another Day, has been on a hiatus for 2+ years now. I didn’t do it on purpose nor have I forgotten that the blog world exists. In fact, the original intent of the blog was to document a personal journey of sorts. Here I am 2 years later, you could say a different person. No longer am I young and rebellious (that is up for debate however). For myself, I could say I have grown more discipline and aware of the fact that I grew because I wanted to help myself. I have several avenues of people and ideals which have helped me along the way. School, well that ship I jumped on and finished with a BA in Psychology. The long tireless hours of writing papers, figuring out formulas, and generally socializing with classmates has come. It’s funny because I wrote a few years about how each year has taught me a lesson. This was back in 2013. jump in 4 years later. School took up a bulk of those years from 2013-2017. Now in the present I am a professional in the research world as a coordinator for a study which focuses on physical activity and nutrition. I asked myself this week, just how in the heck did I go from Sales Floor Team Member at Target to Social Science Research Coordinator at Stanford? I present to you the journey that all started back in 2011. That was a pivotal year in my growth and to this day I don’t know where I would be without it. Here is my story in 2011 and how it led me to today:

 

I was sitting at home one evening in 2011 after coming home from work, exhausted and getting ready to watch Monday Night Raw. This was during the buildup to WWE’s World Series WrestleMania. The Rock dazzling the audience, had just returned saying he was back. I had just finished a shift at Target where I was outside talking to a friend about life at work and life at home. The next day after being super excited from my conversation with my friend and the Rock’s return, I realized something was terribly wrong. The pain in my kidneys had returned and I knew what it was. I had kidney stones from a very early age. I made a doctor’s appointment for the next week and they referred me to a specialist thereafter. The nephrologist (name for a kidney specialist) had broken the news to me that I would need to just watch my diet and focus on exercise. Then she told me I had polycystic kidney disease. That day I learned the lesson that telling the brutal honest truth (even if it is coming from a doctor) to someone can be very heartbreaking and can do wonders for the unknown. This has helped me in my journey because I don’t want to be seen as being dishonest whether it is with a professional colleague, if it was during my time in school, or with any of my friends. Ever since, I have focused on keeping my diet steady and working on my physical activity.

 

I have never been shy also in the idea that I do not like asking for help. That year was also when I looked at myself in the mirror and said I had to bunker down and finish school. I have one or two friends who still to this day say “I want back to school” or “school is too hard”. There is that one famous Fight Club scene where Brad Pitt and Edward Norton go into the liquor store and the clerk says he wanted to become a veterinarian. The guy says there was too much school and Brad Pitt’s character says if he wants to die on his knees in the back of a liquor store. I watched that movie over ten years ago and it still sticks with me. The point is, I had nowhere to go but up. I always afraid of math. I would never ask professors for help. I said to myself all you have to do is ask for help. I talked to counselors, friends, and family on what I should do. That one friend who did end up helping me was Ricardo. I had met him almost 3 years prior. To this day on September 2nd 2017 we still talk. I talked about my decision to step away from school for a semester. I wrote about it in detail in the archives available here. The idea that he helped me is why I am forever grateful to him. I didn’t know where to go and how to do it. I know this isn’t the time or place to say so but I almost felt that him helping me on which classes I should take or where I should take those classes are why I succeeded, was almost like a calling card that this guy was meant to help me. I took the necessary classes at San Jose State all the way down to Mission College. To him, the important lesson I learned that it is ok to ask for help even if you don’t necessarily want it. Will you fail? Yes, and accepting that you tried with every bit of your willpower is what got me through. To this day, I have to remind myself that it is ok to ask for help at work, at home, or even from friends when I don’t want to seem pushy with them. I asked from help from a variety of sources that year and without them I am forever grateful.

 

The one thing that I have failed to mention along this long grueling journey is your friends will be there to support you. Whether they choose to see you and hang out with you is a different story. I had a friend named JB not too long ago. I thought the world of him and I can honestly say he knew several things that I did not. He helped me overcome my shyness and how to not be so unapproachable. We have not spoken in 6 years face to face. I’ll never know why or how it happened. I have reached out to him and I have gotten a lukewarm response of “we’ll see” or “I don’t know if I’m going to be busy”. This goes back to friends will see you if they want to see you. Even during this time frame from 2011-2017, I have gained a few friends back and some that I hadn’t heard from in years. I have two friends in particular who I think the world of. I saw them once or twice within this time frame and I never did see them again after. Friends, whether you like it or not have different priorities. One friend may be low priority or high priority depending on how both sides see it. With that I bring to you a story filled with excitement and joy that was brought about by a different source than usual.

 

I was finishing my senior year at San Jose State and during the week I had gotten a text from a friend of my brother’s. My brother had kept in contact with him from time to time. His name is Aldo and he had texted me about an opportunity to work at Stanford School of Medicine. It would be a temp position as a research assistant. I didn’t think much of it. I texted him back the next day that I would love the opportunity. That same weekend, I got the news that my Grandfather had succumbed to Parkinson’s disease and had passed away. I thought the world of him and I never got the chance to say goodbye. I remember driving to the airport (in Sacramento mind you), and my mind was racing with the idea of something new and fresh. A few months prior, I had transferred stores to another Target. The idea behind it was to first be closer to home and to finish out school easier. I also wanted to be close to a friend as well that had recently transferred there. The school year was coming to a close and my college endeavor as an undergrad was as well. Target does prepare you to deal with guests and personalities only a kindergartner could dream of. I still remember the many guest complaints we would get or the occasional obsessive personalities from one manager which I still admire to this day. However, I digress and say I was excited at having a chance at the idea. I fixed up my resume and filled out my application and sent it to my friend Aldo. I got the news the next week I didn’t get it and someone else had filled the position. I had started going to job fairs at school and said maybe that would be the answer. I couldn’t find anything that excited me (although that Walgreens manager did a really good job at selling me on the idea of being a shift leader). That year started off terrible with me being rejected at Stanford and the death of my Grandpa. But, the will of one never resists temptations to move on up. I got a call from Aldo that said I was being called up and I would need to freshen up my resume for an interview. I fixed that up and it was the first time I realized that it was going to take some courage to do this. I nailed the interview (or so I think) and the one thing that helped me was that how well you get along with others will take you far. You can be the smartest guy in the room and even that can get you some heat. I talked about some of the things that make me a good team player as well as the idea that I would need to be on board to help out. I said yes and off I went home. I didn’t think much of it and I went to my brother’s house. I got the e-mail right away that I got hired. I was elated and surprised at the same time. Two days later, I put in my two weeks at Target. As for the departure from Target, it was an experience that I’ll never forget and everybody (even if it’s for a few hours) should work retail. As a research assistant, I had the chance to recruit participants for a physical activity study on the telephone. It was really all about learning the ins and outs of eligibility. We had certain requirements (activity levels and little to no health issues). I did that for nine months and after I graduated I applied for a full time job with the same lab. I was more nervous for this position because of the added responsibilities and extra work load. However, that was not to be and I went in to interview for the position and I was told that I had gotten it a week and half later. For almost two years, I have been working on this study (with 338 participants) and now with the added knowledge that I have, I feel that it has been fulfilling, exciting, and I have made a few friends out of it. I have also gotten to see that help comes from the unknown sometimes and you may not even realize it. To my friend Aldo, I tell him from time to time that if it weren’t from I wouldn’t be where I’m at. I ultimately did it but help comes from the unexpected. Thank you my friend.

 

As I wind this down, I do want to touch on something that has brought me here from 2011 to 2017. My dog Paloma was also instrumental in helping me get here. Last year in July, she was run over and I could not save her. It was a Saturday night and I had decided to for a walk by the 101 freeway by my house. I had crossed the freeway for cars and I was very close to being hit. I barely dodged the car and I looked behind me to see her bloodied from the car that had just passed. My other dog Zorro was behind me and he thankfully survived. I remember being devastated and one person stopped to help. I did not get her name and for all I know she might have done it out of the goodness of her heart. To her I say thank you because she helped me get Paloma off the road. I vividly remember calling everyone from my mom and dad to my brother. My brother was devastated because he brought her in first to the house. She eventually had her son Zorro and I think I see so much of her in him. After I called everyone letting them know what happened, an ambulance stopped by to let me know that Paloma was no longer breathing. This was the hardest day of my life. My dad buried her the next day and I remember seeing a Paloma in the air that day and Zorro staring at it. RIP girl I miss you every day. If there’s anything that helped me get through that year of 2011 in my decision making it was that dog and her ability to cheer me up when things weren’t looking the brightest because of where my head was in terms of finishing school. She was my motivation to be loving and caring to those around me. It also helped me get outside more as well. I was close to her and I think it does help to have pets in your life. Zorro has carried on her legacy fairly well and I cherish that dog every day. I leave you with this everybody

 

I do want to continue writing on this blog and I just need to get my creative juices flowing again. I want to commit to writing at least once a month on here. Where I am now, I can’t say I am completely satisfied because I still want to travel to other places and also to explore more places. This is something that really gets me on my high horse. This has been a good reflective piece to where I am now. Till next time everyone!

Three years later… July 20th 2010-present

Posted on by anele25

Three years ago, I sat down at a now defunct Red Brick Pizza discussing the idea of a blog with a good friend of mine. In those three years, so much has happened and I have learned so much about myself and those around me. The idea behind the blog initially was to get my feelings out there about life, the world, and all the good and bad that was happening. I remember staring at my friend with a dumbfounded look with no clue as to how to start the blog. The blog seemed like a preposterous idea that really had no legs to it. Little by little, I realized that maybe if I started writing that maybe I could get pen to paper. In my case, hands to keyboard. My friend told me that the first post should be about my day (July 20th 2013). I heard some disturbing news that day about a certain friend and ever since then I have moved on. The blog has been split up into eras ranging from the venting era, the learning era, the acceptance era, the living high and mighty era, and the pinnacle era. I didn’t know if the blog would last for more than a year because once I’ve said one thing, I’ve pretty much said it all. However, so much has happened in my life, the world, and everything else. I remember after the first few blogs, I got praise from a few people calling my writing amazing and some even saying it was me just letting my feelings out there. I saw the blog as an alternative to FaceBook and Twitter, which are fine avenues in social media in amongst themselves. I slowly started seeing after about a year that writing about mostly a friend that had deceived me, that I had to go on a much more positive spin on the blog. There were so many possibilities from writing about one of my favorite TV shows, blogging about my dog, my bike rides, some walks that I had taken, experiences that had happened in my life, and also a few fun events. One of the coolest blogs that I remember writing was where I documented the post season of 2011 in baseball. That fall, I decided to take one semester away from school and take a break. This allowed a bit of time for me to relax and catch on some things I had been missing out on. One of them was the feeling of watching baseball one more time but without too many distractions. I had been busy with school and work which give or take can take up about 70 percent of your life. The post season in the fall of 2011 was simply amazing due to the idea of wild card Wednesday and all the crazy scenarios that happened on that fateful day. The fact that some teams were better than others simply had me glued to my TV and I also saw how much it can raise your awareness as to how the game is played the right way. One of the biggest contributors to this blog has been Project 365. If I haven’t really explained project 365 it really is just taking a picture for that day. Some of the places that have been apart of this are Mexico, Reno, Los Angeles, Oakland, San Francisco, Cupertino, Sunnyvale, San Jose, and a host of restaurants and locations. One of the many places I can remember taking pictures is when I decided to take a trip down to Los Gatos Creek Trail which has always been one of the few places where I can think and reflect on how great life is. The idea that it will not be the last time that I will go there always sticks out in my mind because most times when I do go I try to take a picture from a different vantage point. For most of the pictures in 365 this has been my goal. The project 365 was almost done as a way to store those memories that will forever be buried. We can’t go back to the past but we can look back on it and repeat it. Hell, you might even look at your past and make it even better the second time around. This is what my intention has been with the blog as I haven’t even scratched the surface with what has been presented on the blog. Sure, I have written about my journey in Community College but the time is nearing where I am very close to signing up for classes at San Jose State. That will surely be the experience of a life time as I plan to finish up in two years and then from there who knows where I’ll be. I also have a few places where I’d like to go within the next few years whether it’s domestic or foreign. I would like to go back to Mexico and maybe even take a trip down to Texas to visit family. I’ll be sure to write about these experiences and trips in the future. Recently, I started a top ten series which will be expanded upon in future posts. One of the many ideas I have for this is to post some my top ten movies. Another possibility is blogging about the top ten lessons learned from forming friendships in a retail environment. There are also a few other possibilities with this including top ten books ever read up to this point, top ten funniest things that ever happened to me, top ten lessons learned from the death of a loved one, and so many other possibilities. This blog has surely come a long way and I’d like to take this opportunity to thank my buddies, my family, my co-workers, and lastly myself for all the inspiration that has driven this blog. I can’t even begin to express my gratitude because when I first started this it meant very little but I kept it going. There have been stories and journeys and they will keep going on Just Another Day! (“From parts unknown” author’s note: 100th written blog post so celebrate!)