Tag: Sports

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.

Writing Prompts #15: Write about an event going in your life right now, but try to write about it in the past tense

Posted on by anele25

The idea of having to leave Stanford scared me a little bit because I said to myself how would I be able to find any other work. I got my notice on August 31st of 2018 and it did not come to as a shock to me. Dating back to September of 2017, I was told that I would be getting my time cut. I started applying to jobs left and right in March of 2018 and I had little luck at the beginning. I would get inquiries about certain jobs but the more I saw how the jobs themselves would work I would get hesitant at some of the positions. There was one day in June of 2018 where I spent most of my time just applying to jobs and I couldn’t get any hits. At times, I felt discouraged just because I felt betrayed and let down by this place that had been so kind to me throughout the three years that I was there. I started realizing as the time started getting closer that no job is going to come find me, I have to go find the job. I had two interviews with a recruiter in July of 2018 and then another in June of 2018. I had hope for both of the positions but neither panned out in the long run. I had lost most of my hope when one week I got a few calls from a few different people asking for interviews and I jumped on some of these opportunities.

 

One in particular that I thought would work out was the job I had heard about in Foster City which is a city near here. I also heard about a great opportunity closer to home which was a job as a community engagement representative for Western Dental. As the time to let me go started getting closer, I jumped on the opportunity to interview for the Western Dental position. I knew it would be something new for me and something that I wasn’t used to. Essentially, without getting too technical, it was a sales position but on a lower scale level where we would have to make appointments for potential patients. I heard about it from a colleague of mine who had referred me to the position. I interviewed that next day and during the process of the interview, I was a bit nervous because I didn’t know what would be thrown at me. Little did I know, the interviewers themselves were probably in the same position as I was a few months beforehand. The department itself was new and it would be a while before I actually knew what I was doing. In essence, my biggest problem from transitioning from one position to another was knowing that I wouldn’t be there in my former position to oversee the whole process of the study after. There were reports, tables, flow charts, and modules that would have to be created in order for the numbers to look as good as they were. Little did I know that after accepting the position at Western Dental, that the problem of not knowing was out of my hands and into the hands of people that made more money than I did. I also didn’t think about the repercussions this would have for my social life. I wouldn’t see my friends that I had made there and I look back at that time and I’m very happy to know that once you leave a work place you really find out who the real friends are. They reach out to you or you reach out to them and they reciprocate right back. One of the few problems that I had towards the end was when I taking down my things and I cleaned up my cubicle and I started shedding some tears. Sometimes, I know that things are out of my control and when that happens I do tend to get emotional. I saw this opportunity and I started working and Stanford was in the back of my mind. As the days went on and the date for my exit interview approached, I started feeling a bit more relaxed and started realizing that eventually everything works itself out. I need not worry about some reports that wouldn’t have any real bearing on my career. Did I make those reports? Yes I did and I put some hard work into it.

 

A long time ago, a colleague of mine told me that if you try your hardest and you put effort into it, you will see the results of what hard work is. I had the backing of most of my friends and family and also my colleagues that supported through that part of my life and I saw how much they supported me. I was also able to realize that the job you do in this life is reflective of how much people will vouch for you. I said to myself also that the person that referred me to the position I would be grateful towards him and that is one thing 2018 taught me was how to be grateful for the little things in life. We in the Latino community don’t have the most nor do we claim to. But, what we do have is pride and the word of who we are. Looking back, that hasn’t changed and I am glad that things worked out the way they did. I took the opportunity to take what was out of my hands (in this case being laid off) and I made the best out of it. I continued my work at Western Dental and the story there is still to be told as I will detail it more with due time. I had my exit interview and I had the best experiences at Stanford. I realized I couldn’t have done anything other than what was asked of me. I went and I found my numbers and with much luck was able to see that the work that you do is a reflection of how much effort I was able to put in.

300 Writing Prompts #10: Have you ever taken a huge risk? What was it, and was it worth it?

Posted on by anele25

Risks in my life have never been the way to go and nor have they ever been. I once did take a risk however and in the end it was worth it. I was thinking back to three years ago today and today is the anniversary of my graduation. There were events that led up to that that started with one risk that I felt was worth it at the end. I am pretty open about my past and one of the risks I took was transferring Target stores in 2014. At the beginning of the summer in 2014, I met with a friend of mine asking if I had ever thought of transferring stores. The store was closer to my house and it would save me more gas. I also thought about the long term ramifications as if I had left the store I would be not as sentimental about leaving. For example, if I had stayed my full seven years at the same Target store I would have felt the burden of leaving behind all my friends. I worked that summer with the thought in my head that it was time to transfer. I worked closely with my managers to make sure I had a smooth transition.

 

As the date got closer, I really started doubting the decision because now I would leave everyone behind. The friends that I did make there finally became apparent to me afterward. In retail, you make these acquaintances that you may think are your friends but then after you leave you start to see who your real friends are. I left that old Target store with my head held high but I also started getting emotional towards the end of my first night. I thanked everyone for the time they had spent with me and for their mentorship as well. I walked out knowing that I had made something good there and I started crying like a baby as I walked out. I sat in my car for close to 5 minutes thinking about the memories I had made there. I told myself right then and there that everything had been worth it. The hardships, the fun parts, the struggles, and everything in between. I remember driving to Smoke Eaters that night ready to eat something because I said to myself that would be my small meal that I would eat to celebrate this new phase in my life. No longer would I be commuting and struggling to get to work in San Jose and I would be closer to home. I sat at home and wondered about what the future would bring and thankfully I was off for the next 4 days. I started at my new store that Thursday and I realized right away how different everything was compared to my old Target store.

 

Everybody seemed older and there was a mix of younger as well. I started talking to a few team members and started getting my feet wet little by little. I saw this also as a new opportunity to learn with some new team members. I remember being approached if I ever wanted to enter an executive role as well and then I started seeing how everything was constructed and I realized that it was not worth it. The way that Target works is they like to recruit from within and see team members as being ready for that role as well. An executive is in charge of owning their area and making sure their team leaders have their planners up as well as making sure their aisles are full as well. I quickly learned at my new store that staying organized is one of the bigger problems at retail. You also learn to deal with people whether they are old or young. You see the good, bad, and the ugly. That was something that was worth it because you got to serve a completely new audience and a complete new kind of guest as well. No longer, were they the high strung client from Saratoga but now they were the working middle class from Sunnyvale. I had grown up in Sunnyvale so I knew a little about what the people were like there. As the months went by, I started to realize that my time to enter into the real world was rapidly approaching. I was close to being 27 years old and some of my friends at this age already had pretty stable jobs. I was going back and forth wondering what I was going to do next. I was working at Target one day and they implemented this new strategy where they wanted everything full at certain times of the day. One day, it was my turn and by all means it did not look the best. I got berated by one of our executives and it just so happens that is when I said this place may not be for me anymore. I started thinking what can come along or what can I do to change this new environment of mine. I did my best to keep my head up but everything just kept getting worst whether it was hours or the way we were all being treated. One day, I got a call from one of friends telling me about a position opening at Stanford and if you have read some of my previous posts, I ended up leaving Target soon thereafter.

 

In hindsight, this risk I took because my friend had told me about has led me to today. I would not be the same person I am today because I learned that going into new environments can be intimidating but that is what life if all about. Adapting and overcoming those obstacles and seeing what comes out of it. I can say for how my life is that I am grateful for what has happened because the ultimate lesson I learned from my transfer to another Target store was I learned those that stick by you pull through for you in the end. It doesn’t matter whether things are the best in the world or if they are the worst in the world, they will give the skin off their back in order for you to succeed. I saw the good in what happened and now I can look back and say my risk paid off. Yes, I did miss my co-workers but then I saw they are only that: co-workers. I made the analogy the other day with a good friend of mine “when in war, you only talk about war and then everything just ends”. I made my destiny with those changes and now I am looking forward to whatever life brings next.

300 writing prompts #6 Write about your first day at your current job:

Posted on by anele25

The current job where I work at is doing coordinator work for a research study at Stanford and it was almost exactly 3 years ago that I started my job there. I started working there first as a research assistant and slowly worked my way up to be a coordinator. My first day, however, I would describe as nerve racking because it was right before midterms were to happen. I had been studying frantically for 3 midterms that I had that week and I was also wondering if I would like the job at all. The night before, I had worked at Target and was a little tired because I had stayed till 2-3 in the morning talking with a friend of mine. We were talking about the changes that were happening at the store and what would happen now that I was leaving Target. The new position at Stanford had me wondering at what I would be doing and how I would be doing it. I got up pretty early day because I did not know how my first day would go. I got up and sat in traffic for a bit and walked in to see where I would be sitting. I asked the receptionist where to head to as I was confused as to where I should go. I remember the first I saw was a nice older lady who pointed me to where I could go and one of the people I still talk to to this day helped me out. I remember looking through something called a “screening form” and looking at all the details of that screen. I was excited for the opportunity but once I saw the form, I kind of hesitated because it was something new for me. The first day I remember doing some trainings about HIPPA compliance and looking through modules about different types of research that were examined through history. I also remember taking my time with these tarinings because it was something that was new to me at that time. The desk where was sitting at also

 

The one that sticks out in my mind were the experimental functions and the kind of research that we did actually did have some sort of impact upon people. I also remember getting told by my colleague that recommended me for the job that we were getting ready to go on a mini field trip. I also remember my boss telling my colleague to not take me on any joyrides while we went along on that field trip. That day during the ride I remember eating some burritos because I had not yet eaten lunch.  This mini field trip I feel was more of an introduction to what we were getting ready to do at these community centers that we were going to be at.

 

The funny part I remember about that trip is my friend in the back, saying he was tired from the weekend because he had just celebrated his daughter’s birthday. I call him my friend because he is someone from there on out taught me so much about life and the workplace. If it were not for him, I don’t think I would have the position I have right now.  He specifically referenced how much he had to drink and this really made me think how normal everyone in a job setting can be. I also remember having to ask embarrassingly where the microwave was and where the restroom was as well. The whole first day seemed like a dream because I had been used to working retail and moving so much throughout the day. I wasn’t used to looking over trainings or talking about research studies, the whole concept seemed foreign to me and here I am three years later and now people are amazed at how I can remember certain events and timelines of how things have gone. Anyway, the one memory I also have was that my friend who had recommended me was giving me pointers on how I should act around an office and introducing me to as many people as possible just so I could get a feel as to how things went around the place. This idea of networking was also something that was new to me and in retail you just got the runaround on how a store ran and that was the jist of it. That same day I met someone who had been working with my colleague beforehand and once again I got the feeling that this person was someone who was “normal”. I remember ending the day and thinking how amazing it was that now here I was and how awesome my first day had been. Since that first day, I have not looked back because in some way I have changed people’s lives for the better. It doesn’t matter whether it was someone who was there for a short time or someone who was there for a long time but what mattered was what kind of impact they had on my career at that point in time. For example, someone who was there for a short amount of time may have told me some information about themselves that they may otherwise have not told anyone else. The other fun part about that first day was the transition that I had made from working one job to another. The joy of having to not work weekends anymore and not having to leave my family anymore was quite the relief. No more leaving parties halfway to go and work for a few hours and wondering how it was going. The joy was real and this is something to this day that I take as a blessing because not many people get to experience this joy. The first day of my current job was once again something that I won’t forget because you remember many of your firsts and this was one of them.

 

Writing prompts #3: What is your favorite work of art? What do you love about it?

Posted on by anele25

The 300 writing prompts so far has given be 2 topics so far which have been thought provoking and made me reflect a bit on my past. This next one I see as a challenge because I am not the kind of person to express my words about art. This piece of art properly called “The Scream” is done by Edvard Munch. I’ve seen this piece of art before and I wanted to talk a bit about it. The reason I first like this piece of art is because it gives off the impression about a person (sex not described or indicated), who is in anguish or who has some sort of anxiety running through them. I can remember growing up or even through my adult years where I wasn’t feeling my best mentally because I was worried about something that was going on in my life or someone had just told me some shocking news that I had a hard time holding in.

I also really enjoy the painting because of the background that is in the painting. The skies are red with a blue and sort of black water. You kind of get the feeling from seeing the painting that if anything the colors provoke something within the viewer. When I see red, I think of blood or romance and in this essence it could be that it brings these two together to bring some sort of chaos where nothing is perfect in the world. I also notice that the red is mixed in with green as well and from my interpretation that can also be a sign of the green nature that is in and around our world. Now, to get into the characters within the painting itself. I notice that something I love about the painting is that the person that is screaming has eyes and his mouth open while the two characters in the back have no role. The two people in the background could be seen as observers who do not pay attention to what is going on around them. In fact, something that has been theorized about this painting is that artists were becoming more expressive during this time. Hence, this is why I make the connection to these two characters not being able to pay attention to what is going on around them. I can see what Munch means by his painting here is that artists have become afraid to express their opinions on social issues or the well-being of artists. Sometime back, I also read that art at this time was changing and was giving way for new artists in the field. It would be like today when artists from pop culture are starting to collaborate on projects such as movies, music, or even tv shows. I think back in those times it would seem almost impossible to bring so many artists together because everyone wants to have an input on what it is they do. One other thing I enjoy and love about this painting is that it paints a clearer picture of what else may be going in the background of this picture.

One article I read is that the person in the picture could be screaming at the horror of the slaughterhouse that is nearby. The main character that we see could be shouting at the horror that is going in during the actual proceeding where they are crossing. It goes back to what I said in the beginning, the main character is somewhat worried as to what is happening around him as he crosses the bridge. The artist also originally meant this to be a piece of how his friends had left him behind and he stopped to gaze at what was the red sky. Yet, he somehow stayed behind and he gazed on in fear. One other thing that needs to be pointed out about this piece of work is how Munch takes apart his work by not clearly explaining what gender the person in the work is. This is one of the parts of the painting because we who are viewing the painting could be in this painting. I sometimes think when we are not feeling our best we could be crying out for help. The sounds that is also covering up inside the main character is quite something to view as well because of how we may want to block out everyone else out. We may do this along these lines because we may cover up our ears with earphones when we are on the bus, airplane, on the train, or at our jobs. The idea of sound is also something that we tend to ignore in our lives because sounds can sometimes tell us something that we may or may not want to hear. When we hear directions, cues, or when we see something on a screen we tend to look for sounds that may trigger a certain emotion. I also feel the sounds when I may be reading a book that I really like.

1200px-The_Scream
The Scream

Once again, this idea of how we take sounds may sound far fetched, but sounds make a profound impact on our lives and it is one of the final reasons I really enjoy this piece. I sometimes wonder what one’s perspective may be about slaughterhouses or being near some sort of thing that they may dislike. For example, I am not the world’s biggest fan of people that are having drinking issues being near a bar.

I can imagine having them resist a drink is something that is difficult for them to resist. Anyway, these are just a few reasons I really love this painting because of the amount of effort that is put into the detail. One thing that I think I forgot to mention is that Munch does a fantastic job of expressing with this painting with the bridge that is covering apart of the painting. This was definitely one of the most difficult pieces to write because of how I had never written about a piece of art but I am happy to get this one in because it felt like I was back in school. I’d be curious to get across what this painting maybe meant for other people back in older times but now I will never get that chance because time travel does not exist. Anyway, this does it for this piece. I will continue on with this 300 writing prompts piece until I can no longer write about the awesome prompts in here. Till next time, signing off!

What happened when… Jose went to Tampa Bay Florida

Posted on by anele25

About two weeks, I wrote that I wanted to cover my trip to Tampa Bay in long form. The story as to why I went is simple. I had two weeks off from work and I’m also a huge fan of the hockey team the Tampa Bay Lightning. The goal was to catch two games from the Lightning on a Tuesday and Thursday. Last year around this time, I started planning out the trip and lo and behold, this is what happened when I went to Tampa Bay Florida.

 

The day of the trip is usually the most anticipated because you have to everything in order. First, you have that damn itinerary ready just in case you forget which airline you’re flying and which terminal you’re going to. Second, you have to have all your necessary items that you’re going to carry with you. The day of the trip I had everything ready. The night of December 19th 2016 I left wheels up for Tampa. I remember the majority of the flight I slept because it was a red eye and I was listening to the now highly acclaimed Something to Wrestle with… Bruce Prichard. We landed early that morning and I also had a connecting flight from Atlanta. The connecting flight, (known little to my knowledge) was on final boarding and I now rushed over. I just missed the flight and I felt rather devastated. I had never been in this situation and I was lost as to what I should do. I asked around and someone pointed me to services from Delta. I was gladly handed a new boarding pass and there I was on my way to Tampa Bay. I landed about 1 hour later than my original time. Once again, when I’m in a new city I try to look for new things to do and see. I’ve found that planning out a trip detail by detail beforehand can end up backfiring on you. Built on spontaneity, a trip can have so much more adventures and elusive stories.

 

Nevertheless, I went over to my rental counter for my car and asked which kind of car I had reserved. Knowing me, I said yes to upgrade a sports car. I ended up driving a Ford Mustang and that thing at first was hard to navigate. I grabbed my car and eventually went exploring around the city. The first thing I did was grab some food and I went shopping for some groceries as well to have for the next few days. I did that and also explored a little around the city. The city had some nice harbors and the beaches were wonderful to look at from afar (more about this in a bit). I ended up checking in later that day to my hotel. Whenever, I go to hotels I make sure that they are a Days Inn because usually they are pretty reliable. After some relaxation, I ended up making my way towards my first game of the trip. The first game was against the Detroit Red Wings and the atmosphere from Amalie Arena was quite interesting. I had heard that perhaps Tampa wasn’t a hockey town but it was quite a fun experience. I saw the passion in the fans and the amazing amount of support for the team was awesome. I went by myself on this trip and I was practically up on the top of the rafters. I was able to observe the game more closely and able to appreciate how shifts are happening and how the defensemen are able to guide the game for their team.  I had some Red Wings fans seated next to me and even there I said that hockey has the ability to bring fans from anywhere. This makes Hockey one of the premier sports for me because of the excitement, competiveness, and grit in the players. I had fun at my first hockey game in Tampa and we ended up winning 4-1 after some crazy plays happened involving the goalies going down for both teams. Afterwards, I came with the idea in my to head down to Miami. The Miami idea came about from the fact that I wouldn’t know when I would come back. I woke up the next day at 7AM ready to head out by 8AM. Once I headed out, I had little idea about the famous tolls in Florida.

 

As I went about on I-75, I had no cash and I saw the signs for the tolls. The drive itself was rather relaxing because I saw the swamps, could feel the humidity in the air, and was surprised that it was not raining as much as I thought. As I was going along paying my tolls, I wondered about what I would do on the way to Miami. I told myself I would probably catch a movie because the drive was quite long (about 4 hours to be exact). I ended up seeing Assassins Creed and the movie was great because I was curious as to how they would adapt a video game into a movie. The movies (if you have not seen it) had to do with Michael Fassbender’s retrieving the Apple of Eden which is being researched by a scientist because he wants to see wars and what not continue into the 21st century. It was panned by critics but I rather enjoyed it because it took the idea that revolutionaries can be created by going up against the system. After that was over, I decided to sit in traffic for a bit to head to Miami beach. Previously, I had been in South Miami but the trip to Miami Beach was worth it. I stopped by Miami Beach for a few hours and just sat on the beach taking in the time and effort I had put into making the trip happen. Everything that happened and everything that was to happen in the next few months had not come into my head. I think that’s what we forget sometimes is that we have to breath everything in. The ocean air and the sound of the ocean are enough to send me into a frenzy because that’s where I become one with the Earth. I sat on the beach for close to 20 minutes and afterwards headed back to where I was parked. Little did I know, it started raining and I said what the heck I’ll walk around in the rain. I just stopped by and saw all the little shops that were around. These shops give me the idea that someone will shill out enough money for a Miami Beach towel or a Miami Beach surfboard. The destination cities do a remarkable job at marketing these products and you can say they do well deserve it.

 

Afterwards, I headed back to Tampa around 6:30 in the evening. I found this drive to be much more adventurous than the first one. When I was driving back, I drove with the top down for a part of the drive. I just let the breeze blow through what hair I had left. I remember from some of the drive I had a semi-truck in front of me and I could feel the breeze getting colder. I wanted to drive with the top up again but the breeze was just too tempting to resist. I also remember when I was driving earlier in the drive that I was just zooming in and out of the lanes just trying to stay awake from all the driving that was happening. Once I got close to Tampa, I got a little bit more relaxed because I had done my driving and was ready for the next day’s adventure. The next day, I asked myself what else I could do? On this day, I decided to head up to St. Pete beach. Of course, the drive once again was wonderful and once I arrived I just laid on the beach for a few hours reading a book called ‘The Arm’. The book deals with Tommy John Surgery and what pitchers go through during the process. One pitcher in particular I remember they talked about in the book was Jon Lester. Lester himself talked about the mechanics of having to recover from Tommy John and what kinds of recovery that pitchers have to go through. I also found Todd Coffey’s comeback from Tommy John to be one of the most compelling pieces because of how he tried to come back and got hurt right away when he threw and he felt pain up his elbow. The author himself details how much money and how much stock into how these pitchers are developed from a young age into sensations at 19-20 and it all depends whether or not they can throw a 90 mile per hour fastball. I also found it fascinating while reading this that pitchers go out there every 5th day and are depended on for a 1 win or one quality start. It kind of reminds me of when a horse may just be gearing up for some races but he comes back on that day to run and he wins the big one.  If you’re not familiar with a quality start it’s usually 6 innings pitched, 3 earned runs, and maybe 5 or 6 strikeouts. I remember in particular on how kids in high school or in high school are scouted at a young age and eventually they are drafted into an organization. The development from these pitchers is worth looking into and I would be interested to see if another book such as this one dealing with maybe infielders or outfielders. The position players I feel can have just as a compelling story with pitchers because they understand what it takes to succeed. What I mean by this is that they have to have a good arm to throw out a runner or maybe even be willing to hit for power.

 

Anyway back to Florida. After I finished reading a good chunk of this book, I headed to look for some pizza and chicken. I settled on something and headed once more over to the hotel. I waited for a bit until the next game was to start. I headed out a bit early to check out the awesome downtown and see the arena and see a bit more. Once I was finished with that, I headed to the game ready for another showdown. This time we were playing the St. Louis Blues. This game I felt was a bigger challenge than the first one. The team of the Blues was much more talented and I was ready to see this one go down. After going down two goals, I said to myself ok we gotta find a way to come back. I also said once again I did not come all this way to see my boys lose. I had also that night bought a Lightning jacket which I really enjoy wearing these days as well.  After that, we never looked back and ended scoring up 5 unanswered goals (something about me and 5 unanswered goals really goes a long way). After the game was over, there is no doubt I felt there was definitely a sense that I would be back. I was planning to go back this year for my Christmas break but at this juncture it doesn’t look like it is going to happen because I have some surgery going on. I’m telling myself at this point that life is extensive and I do want to go back soon enough. I got back on the plan one day later and I sat there watching Jason Bourne and Dogs of War. I told myself there, ‘Life is Good’. I landed just in time for Christmas Day and had a very nice and relaxing rest of my break.

 

Now that I’ve written about my experience about traveling, I want to go back to something I haven’t written about in a while and that is wrestling. Recently, I listened to the Bret Hart 96/97 podcast with Bruce Prichard of Something to wrestle with fame. I am going to go ahead and write down some of my thoughts on one of my heroes and what he meant to me during that time almost 20 years ago. I’ll also take some snippets from the podcast and what I remember during that time. Hasta luego! (A little thing to remember this trip down below). IMG_2793

Hockey

Posted on by anele25

Hello again, this is me writing again into this lovely blog. I left off two weeks ago wondering what I would write about next. I’ve decided this time to jot a few notes down about hockey and the impact it has had on me. About 3 years ago, I had a friend of mine try and convince me to get into hockey. I told him that wasn’t the sport for me. Slowly but surely, I started watching the sport more and more. I got into the sport however because I feel I needed something new to watch. The excitement and thrill of the goal horn sounding is to much to turn down folks! I may not understand all the rules still but I do know what an icing call does (this will result in a team getting a face-off in their own zone). My friend told me to pick a team and I went with the Tampa Bay Lightning. What drew me to the team was their style of play and their players looking like stars. I also enjoyed the idea of rooting for a team outside of my local roots. No offense to the San Jose Sharks, just never been a big fan of their logo (if you’ve never seen it, it’s a shark chewing on a hockey stick). Hence, I was drawn to players like Steven Stamkos, Ryan Callahan, Tyler Johnson, and my personal favorite Victor Hedman. My first season was truly an incredible one. I saw the team I had chosen go to the playoffs my first season as a fan. I was thankful about the idea that this team had made it so far. That first round was a stressful one against the Detroit Red Wings.

The Lightning were about to go down 3-1 in the series. I knew that something was about to change because I wasn’t used to winning in sports. I had gotten used to my local teams, the Oakland Raiders and the Oakland A’s lose time after time. The fun part about being a sports fan is the sheer joy of winning and losing. You stick with them when they lose and you stick with them when you win. That game 4 changed everything as the Lightning pulled off a overtime win. They went on to win the series and the next two as well as they made it all the way to the Stanley Cup Final. We eventually lost (yes I said we) to the Chicago Blackhawks in the final 4-2 and this did make me think, the incredible joy of seeing a team win and lose all in the same season make me a fan because of the emotions it brings. It can either make or break your day depending on how much you are invested. I can say after that I said no matter how good or bad my teams may be you always have to support them. They work their asses off to stay competitive and to me hockey is that one sport where you can feel the energy of the fans. The next year, I caught as many games as I could on my NHL package and once again the Lightning played some competitive games. I had the joy of once again seeing my team play until the Conference final against the eventual champions Pittsburgh Penguins. However, these playoffs were truly incredible. They were missing their top player in Steven Stamkos and lost goalie Ben Bishop in the 1st game of the conference final. In theory, this team of players should have won the Stanley cup with those two players in the lineup. I once again told myself, you are now committed to a team that you have invested time and money in. Last season, I had the honor and privilege to see this team up close at home in Tampa. I had seen them two previous times play here in my hometown of San Jose. Both times, we had been successful in winning 5-2, and 4-3 respectively. These two games in December of last year were truly incredible. I told myself I did not come to Tampa just to see these group of players lose. Low and behold, I was greeted with two excellent games against the Red Wings and the Blues. The 2nd game was my favorite I have been to so far in my short time as a hockey fan. The final score of that game was 5-2 as we had gone down 2 goals early on. Eventually we came back and won the game 5-2.

Ever since then, I have been telling myself man if it weren’t for this I’d probably lose my mind. The nature and idea that there is a small puck that players battle for is incredible. I also enjoy the idea that players are on the ice anywhere from 90-120 seconds at a time. The shifts that players go between seems rather stressful and having to remember where to be in your zone or when to create a crease so that your teammate can make a shot is also something to ponder. I also enjoy that the defensemen (along withe the goalie) play a much bigger role on how a team performs. If your defenseman on one side is unable to penetrate against the opposition in your zone, you can pretty much say that you are at a disadvantage. As for the Lightning, we were not as successful last season. There were too many injuries and unavoidable games where we collapsed. This season, I’d be curious on how we match up against the rest of NHL. We have our captain, Steven Stamkos back and a couple of upgrades on defense as well. Gone are Jonathan Drouin and Ben Bishop. This season, to me will really depend on depth and how we respond to injuries. The team has young defensemen in Slater Koekkoek and Jake Dotchin. The other young forwards on the teams such as Vladislav Namestnikov and Brayden Point will also be there playing with a chance to reach the playoffs with a team that is rolling with experience at this point. The team is still relatively young and practically made it to the playoffs with half of it’s roster hurt or playing with pains and aches. I can for one say I am excited for the season and don’t be surprised if we are contending once again for a Stanley cup. Let’s go Lightning! Below I added a little link to the season preview 🙂

Going Mobile…

Posted on by anele25

The fun filled year of 2014  brought me some pain, joy, happiness, and sometimes frustration but I’ve began to discover new things about myself. I finally understand what I want out of life. Not that I have the meaning to life , but I have found some sense of purpose in my life moving forward. It wasn’t long ago that I was content just sitting at home and not doing much other than going back and forth doing the same thing 5-7 times a week. In the past month, I’ve transferred from my old work location and moved to a new store. The store isn’t as well staffed but the opportunity to work with new, younger talent is enticing. My schooling is going great and even though it may not be perfect (why should it be?), I’ve made new friends and have kept some of the same ones from previous years and semesters. I’ve said that being on your own can be kind of scary but when you’re moving from location to location and you know how to navigate yourself, what’s there to be afraid of? Not too long ago, I wrote a paper describing my mom’s struggles and her ability to move to a new country when she was 24. I can’t imagine the fear and the pain that goes through someone’s head when they are going through that phase of their life. I know that my mom was happy enough that she decided to stick it out and settle down here in the United States. Even speaking Spanish, and not any English must have been somewhat of a scary thought because you are thinking in the back of your head that what if I don’t make it here in the United States? My point here being that I’m no longer that afraid to approach new situations and new locations in life. Just in the past year, I’ve gone to places I wouldn’t have imagined I would go to. For example, in June my brother, mom, and niece went to Disneyland for my birthday which seemed out there but we did it anyway. I’ve also been to Seattle which at first sounded like a sedentary place to go on a trip but my friend and I said what the heck let’s give it a shot. The trip as you can see here was awesome:

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I found myself in this different type of mode because instead of being in my normal mood, I found it soothing that we were in a different city with different kinds of people. Case in point, instead of being quiet and not really talking to anybody, I was talking with anyone that seemed interested in having a conversation. I would talk to them about wrestling, football, and even baseball. Not taking anything away from the Bay Area, but having the opportunity to talk to people from another part of the country felt right. I told my friend Ricky that doing this was worth it because we got a different perspective from the northwest where I wouldn’t have even dreamed of going in my lifetime.

I also happened to go to Hawaii recently and here are some pictures that prove that our adventurous and raunchy style of living doesn’t hurt anybody in the end:

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In a way the trip that took place two weeks ago opened my eyes to a world that I’ve never known. I met people that were funny, witty, and smart. There were those I appreciated for their candid open spirit. I would want to go back and expand upon my social settings because I feel I haven’t scratched the surface yet when it comes to holding a conversation and bantering with people. One day I will go back and I can feel that growth is a part of life that never ends. I started this blog almost 5 years ago and though it has slowed down, I will continue to update with any crazy adventures I may have in the future. I am almost done with school and I feel that I have to focus on finding a real job once I am done. It is exciting yet wonderful because I can begin a career or continue my schooling with a master’s degree. With this, I see that my life has meaning because I have been given opportunities to do anything I want. I sometimes see others that have less than I and I truly am blessed that I am where I am because when something is given to you, you must take it and run with it as fast as possible but at some point you may slow down. Happy new year everyone and keep striving!

Day #184 12/10/11: When Steve meets Bob…

Posted on by anele25

A picture taken of one of my favorite joints where almost two years ago my buddy and I engaged in a great conversation about work, politics, love, sports, and many other topics. I think back to this day and I realize that it was a day where I started believing in myself as a person and as a friend and though things aren’t perfect in my life you should always strive for your best. The day was interesting as I came for my prescribed medicine and afterwards had some lunch with my dad as we talked about some stuff that happened the other day. Work was intense and welcoming as the departing member of our department had some strange moments and almost inside joke moments as well. My buddy also suggested that he should call me Bob and I will call him Steve which would make for very humorous situations so great day needless to say.