Volleyball for Dummies

Volleyball is confusing. I needed a break from studying so I headed to Arizona's last home match/game/competition versus ASU. I've never played volleyball and it's not ubiquitous like football so I really was lost watching it. There was a player in a different colored shirt? All I know is that you score a point if the ball hits the other team's side or they hit it out or they touch the net or more than 3 hits are used to get the ball over the net. And the Wifi wasn't good in McKale so I couldn't even look up the rules or the roster. But all said and done, it was a great hour study break to see the Wildcats demolish our rivals, even if I left after the second set.

Thoughts on Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is similar to New Years in the sense that everyone is thankful and everyone makes a resolution. There's really no time like the present so why wait until Thanksgiving or January 1st?

But that being said, Thanksgiving does make you stop and consider all you have to be thankful for. The list goes on and on. I guess it was a couple weeks ago, when I was having a hard time, Dan told me to think of 3 positive things everyday--and I've been doing it as I get ready for bed. I guess it's something small to bring Thanksgiving to every day life.

This is my first Thanksgiving not at home. While I did have turkey and all the sides today, it was definitely the company I was missing. I guess you don't realize what you have until you don't have it anymore, you know? But I'm very appreciative of those people who reached out to me because it was very hard being in Arizona alone. In their busy day, people remembered that I was alone and for that I am thankful.

I'm thinking of all the changes that happened between last Thanksgiving and this Thanksgiving and it's unbelievable. I'm super glad I'm here in Arizona and even though I get my butt kicked every day, I know it'll be worth it soon enough. And one day it'll all come together. I have to just hang in there. But all the people I met here, and now friends who were once strangers, I'm very thankful for, because without them, I'd be feeling alone all the time. It's the very little things they do that I'm thankful for. They don't realize what an impact it has on me but I'm truly thankful for everyone here in Tucson. So here's to Thanksgiving and being thankful year round.

Eating In Albuquerque

I guess you were expecting running pictures from the race. I'll find some to share. But I ate a whole lot this weekend. On Friday, we stopped at a Walmart for Subway but I went to the deli/hot foods counter and ate my weight in chicken tenders, mozzarella sticks, and mashed potatoes. So much food for cheap. And we got a free pasta dinner from the UNM running club for dinner. Our hotel had a hot buffet for breakfast (maybe it was all the bacon I had for breakfast caused me to run bad).

For lunch on Saturday, we went to Frontier, a quick service restaurant serving breakfast, burgers, and Mexican food. They also had these delicious (and cheap) sweet rolls smothered in butter. For dinner, we went to another Albuquerque favorite, Dion's, for pizza. I got pesto pizza with artichokes and pine nuts and tomatoes. I probably could have eaten the bigger size!

Hello New Mexico

I really haven't seen much of the Southwest since I've been here. The farthest was probably Casa Grande for that 5k a few weeks ago. I haven't even been to Phoenix, although I've had a few layovers there. But this weekend, I'm in Albuquerque, New Mexico for a club cross country race. First, Albuquerque is super hard to spell--thank goodness for spell check. But otherwise, I'm excited to experience New Mexico. The drive from Tucson is 6.5 hours through the desert. Driving through PA, we always say we're in the middle of nowhere. Boy, you should drive through Arizona and New Mexico. Just desert everywhere. And mountains in the distance. We played the alphabet game and we were stuck for an hour. But it was awesome driving through that sea of desert. Anyone up for a road trip this summer?

Homecoming 2015

A literal homecoming. I think you don't realize how much you miss something until you come back. I didn't expect to see so many people I missed. I talked to everyone at the tent. It was definitely weird being back--just not having a place of my own or all my friends nearby or being a part of the community. But Dan and Elise and everyone made me feel welcome. So thank you everyone. In particular, Elise for letting me sleep in your bed, Cody for our nice chat on the bench and in Wister, Kaylie and Becca for the long run and brunch, Jimmy for braving Septa and North Philly to see me, and my family and everyone. It was a great weekend. I'll be back for Christmas!

Princeton for the Day

So I spent my first day home watching my (former) teammates at NCAA Regionals. We got up there early and I ran a workout on Princeton's track (8 quarters) and I was dying from my cold and the cold of New Jersey. Tucson has made me soft when it comes to the weather. The races were exciting and I loved running all around the course, creeping on the runners who were good in high school. But the best part was seeing everyone after a decently long time away. It's nice knowing I wasn't forgotten.

Flying is Cool

I am still amazed at how planes work. I don't understand but I think it is one heck of a miracle that I'm able to be thousands of feet/miles in the air and get from Arizona to the east coast in 4 hours. I can't even make a paper airplane and people can design and construct real airplanes to transport people miles and miles. Absolutely amazing. 

And I still love seeing desert stretched out before me and all the mountains rising in the distance. Arizona is cool. Please come visit.