Swimming ... and even more Swimming



Elizabeth Beisel with her Silver!!!

 

Women's Relay: Lia Neal, Allison Schmitt,
 Jessica Hardy & Missy Franklin



The United States has made out very well in the swimming races throughout the past few days and I couldn't be happier. Swimming is one of my favorite events in the summer olympics and I have been at the edge of my seat throughout all of the races.



As you see from the above picture, the women's relay team won a bronze, so happy for them!



Dana Vollmer with her Gold Medal


And then to see Dana Vollmer win the gold...the huge smile on her face followed by Missy Franklin also winning gold, her tearing up at the awards ceremony. Both races I was at the edge of my seat cheering them on. And to think that Missy Franklin is only 17 years, a junior in high school in Colorado. They showed a video of her at home with her family and friends. She is the most down to earth kid with a beaming personality and has the most infectious smile.

In the boys we have the relay team who won silver, just behind France. Michael Phelps was part of the relay team, and took home his silver. But in his indivudal race he came in 4th, not even getting on the podium. But Ryan Lochte took home gold. Matt Grevers also took home gold in his event.


Missy Franklin with her Gold


 But the real exciting news...19 year old Elizabeth Beisel took home the silver in her first race!!! Why is this so exciting you ask?? Well only the fact that Elizabeth is from my home town of North Kingstown, RI !! Yes folks, her real claim to fame is that fact! :) Although I don't know her and have never met her personally I am so proud of our hometown gal. Go Elizabeth! She swims her second race this coming thursday and I will cheer her on!! You should too! She's phenomenal!

I also hope that Missy Franklin wins the gold again in her 3rd race. She deserves it all. They all do. GO USA!


Missy Franklin with the flag.
 Look at that smile!!





Ryan Lochte with his Gold!







Women's Gymnastics



Gabby Douglas, Aly Raisman, Kyla Ross, Jordyn Wieber & McKayla Maroney

 I'm not entirely sure how they decide the rules on this. All five girls had their highs and lows in each of their routines...vault / uneven bars / floor & balance beam, some more than others. But they all did excellent, especially on vault! I am not too in the know about how they decide that only two per country who can compete in the all around.

Out of this group of girls my favorite is McKayla Maroney, and although she only competed in the vault she was just phenomenal in that event, and if you saw the height she had you would be shocked! She was so high!

I wish all five could compete but sadly Jordyn Wieber did not advance to the all around and her reaction to that news was devestating! I look forward to seeing more from Kyla, McKayla, Aly & Gabby as the compete for a medal.

London Olympics 2012

Not only did the Opening Ceremonies to the 2012 London Olympics entertain me, they thoroughly blew my mind! As Danny Boyle (director of Slumdog Millionaire) set out to do, to create a 'live movie', he did just that. With an epic beginning showcasing England's history, from the Industrial revolution to a breathtaking dance routine by the healthcare workers and children, featuring a 50' Voldemort being defeated by dozens of Mary Poppins. And let's not forget the hilarious opening skit involving Daniel Craig as 007 and the Queen herself, parachuting into the Olympic Stadium! And an appearance by Mr. Bean aka Rowan Atkinson in a skit that of course was comic genius.

This was all followed by the parade of nations, and the lighting of the torch, which was brought to the stadium on boat by David Beckham. And was passed onto another athlete and handed off to the 'next generation' of olympians to run the track and light the torch. Then as if all of that wasn't grand enough, it was topped off with the most spectacular display of fireworks and an epic performance by none other than Sir Paul McCartney singing Hey Jude. The Opening Ceremony was incredible and I was so excited for the olympics to begin.

My following blogs will cover my thoughts and excitement on the various winners and whatnot from the US and my thoughts on what has been shown to us. So here I will just state that I always enjoy watching these amazing athletes and they inspire me to want to swim or do gymnastics. (Not that I actually follow through with those but hey...)

So Welcome to London! :)

Damages

Damages. Who is watching? Is is the little show that could. Award winning, critically acclaimed, little viewership. F/X cancelled it after three seasons. DirecTV picked it up for a final two seasons.

The final season is airing now. We are three episodes into it. I was a little underwhelmed by season four, but they are knocking it out of the park with the fifth season.

Go back and watch the first season. Tell me you're not hooked after that pilot. And keep watching. This show deserves your attention.

Favorite Yogurt

Mojo Coffee
128 Charles Street

This is a quaint coffee shop in the West Village with my favorite yogurt. And try the banana chocolate chip bread! The bakery I work at has a fantastic banana chocolate chip bread too, but this place rivals it.

The best part of the place -- they discourage the use of cell phones and other technology during certain hours.

In Love With

She fell in love.  His name was Heroin. He was really bad to her, but could also make her feel really good. Because she was sad, eve though she had it all. She had the money, the personality and the talent to go far. But He wanted more. And He took whatever He wanted, whenever He wanted. It didn't start out that way. At first He wanted only thirty seconds from her. And then He only wanted her on weekends. And then He wanted her after work. And then He wanted her before work too. And then He wanted her on her lunch breaks. And she would have to think of a reason for why it took her thirty minutes to go to the bathroom. And why her arms were bruised. Makeup could only hide so much. And then she got lazy. And the track marks were visible. And the joy that she had, was gone. She was dead inside.

And I see her every five months now, to make sure she's alive and to be the friend to her that I know I would want to have. But you don't think when you're young that you'll encounter this. Heroin seems like a crazy idea. A bad people problem. Good people don't do drugs. Ok, maybe they do. But good people don't do Heroin.

Heroin is something else. But they do. Good people make bad decisions and can still be good people after that bad decision is made. Does she live or does she die? Is she already dead inside? We're all addicted to something. What's your drug of choice? Where does your rabbit hole begin and end? Or is every end a new beginning?

NK Drama 2012 / Aladdin Jr. / Evilution

NK Drama / My Kids

Melissa, Myself, Catie and Julie



Catie, Alanah, Andrea, Michaela and Melia

I won't go into full detail of how the performances of Aladdin Jr. went this past weekend, but I will say that both were incredible. The shows surpassed what I even expected. It was funny, it was energetic, it was heartwarming. My kids astound me.

Now, I love all of my kids, even though some of them may drive me crazy. They all mean something to me, something important. And yes, I am closer to some of them than I am others. That doesn't mean I play favorites...it just means that I become closer to some of them. It just so happens that these five girls licking the cake are those kids who have a special place in my heart.

Catie, who has been with the program since the second grade and at the age of 10 earned the role of Belle in "Beauty and the Beast". Alanah was in the program during "Cinderella" and then rejoined this year. Andrea was in the program during "Sound of Music", then came back for "Camp Rock." Unfortunately she was unable to do the show this year. She has an outrageous personality and makes me laugh so much. Michaela, has also been with us since the second grade and is one of the strongest people I know. Melia, whose first year with the program was this year has been a pleasure to work with. Both Catie and Melia played Jasmine in Aladdin Jr, and I could not be more proud of them.

Not only have were these girls incredible in Aladdin but they also shined in Evilution. (Catie as Cruella de Vil, Alanah as the Evil Queen, Michaela as the Fairy Godmother from Shrek, and Melia as Regina George from Mean Girls)

Sadly this was the last year for all of them as they are in 8th grade, the final year one is allowed to be in the production. Hopefully they will come and help out backstage next year.

And if that weren't sad enough Catie and her family are moving to New Jersey so will not be able to help out, and her younger sister Melissa is unable to be in the show as she has been the past three years. Their upcoming move is very sad for me as I have watched all three Calabrese girls grow up. Julie started off with us in Annie Jr. and continued on until her graduating year two years ago with Alice in Wonderland. As I already mentioned, Catie started off in her 2nd grade with Sound of Music and finished off this year as her graduating year with Aladdin. Melissa started off with Alice in Wonderland in 2nd grade and had to end off here with Aladdin Jr. in the 4th grade. Along with Catie playing Jasmine this year on the Saturday show - Melissa played Narrator 1. She was my upcoming rising star. I am going to miss all of them so much. (See photo up top)

Frank Ocean

Frank Ocean. He sings about unrequited love. Where was this song two years ago for me? This song got me looking at past blogs. Where I talked about him. And I thought I had figured it all out and was so together. I wasn't. But time healed that wound.

Frank Ocean sings about loving a man on his television debut. That would be exciting enough, if he wasn't so talented. Love his new album.

http://www.latenightwithjimmyfallon.com/video/frank-ocean-bad-religion/1408858/

Life Update

I always tell Lindsay... "I will see you in another life when we are both cats."  I think why cats? Besides the fact it's a line from Vanilla Sky. We are both more of a dog person. Have you seen her Gracie?

And then I tell her, every passing minute is a chance to change it all around.

I started work at the bakery just over two months ago. I passed my food handler's certification two days ago. I got a one dollar raise. I got the chance to work production today for the first time. I had always loved baking and now I am getting the opportunity to see if I am any good at it.

And then my friend's boyfriend, a chef at a downtown restaurant that is doing very well for itself, suggested maybe I'd want to work one day a week for the pastry chef there. Could my life be changing? It is. Change happens, regardless of whether you want it to or not. Maybe that apprenticeship won't happen, but it's something I am definitely going to look into.

You can be over 30 and change your life for the better. You just have to want too.