Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Baking Part II
Here is a pic of all the women for baking. Aunts, cousins, mom (taking the picture) and gram. This is the family I was almost raised with.
Monday, January 21, 2008
Better Late Than Never Part II
11 months after the wedding - I finally will have my honeymoon - so we decided to do it right and well with A LOT of assistance from our families and my boss (he's paying for airfare so we are going FIRST CLASS BABY!!!) Yes that was bragging, but really - if you are going to be in a plane for 12 hours, and someone else is paying and that someone uses his private jet to travel - wouldn't you think to yourself, self what would Athena do when presented with this generous offer from someone so wealthy......
Anywho with help this past year we are able to afford a vacation. And it just so happens that the place is having a sale at the time of booking!!! It also is all inclusive - including golf, scuba, drinks and more. We were going to do Hawaii - but the all inclusive was hard to find and well.....this just seemed better.
This will also be my first vacation in 4 years, 2nd vaca since college spring breaks. And I live in Seattle - so yes I need some sun.
Sandals Regency St Lucia
If I was cool - I would have scarfed some pics but their site is just much better.
Anywho with help this past year we are able to afford a vacation. And it just so happens that the place is having a sale at the time of booking!!! It also is all inclusive - including golf, scuba, drinks and more. We were going to do Hawaii - but the all inclusive was hard to find and well.....this just seemed better.
This will also be my first vacation in 4 years, 2nd vaca since college spring breaks. And I live in Seattle - so yes I need some sun.
Sandals Regency St Lucia
If I was cool - I would have scarfed some pics but their site is just much better.
Better late than never....
Ok so I finally got a couple pics that I can put up from the holidays. No they are nothing exciting and don't have my smiling face in them. :)
The first is the baking that I did while in Ohio the first week of December. Now mind you - I did not personally do all that baking - about 12 of us did. But yes - we had like 13 different recipes and the baking was all day long. That is my cousin Jesse in the back - she is two years younger than me (i'm the oldest grandchild). I still haven't figured out how to right the picture - sorry!
The second is my Xmas village - I do one every year and I love the village. Next year however I have a problem cause I won't have space and I don't want to put it on my table again - makes eating Xmas dinner a little tricky.
The third is - Look it does snow in Seattle! That would be my house with snow all around it. I believe this was Xmas day as well.
The first is the baking that I did while in Ohio the first week of December. Now mind you - I did not personally do all that baking - about 12 of us did. But yes - we had like 13 different recipes and the baking was all day long. That is my cousin Jesse in the back - she is two years younger than me (i'm the oldest grandchild). I still haven't figured out how to right the picture - sorry!
The second is my Xmas village - I do one every year and I love the village. Next year however I have a problem cause I won't have space and I don't want to put it on my table again - makes eating Xmas dinner a little tricky.
The third is - Look it does snow in Seattle! That would be my house with snow all around it. I believe this was Xmas day as well.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Boys vs Girls
So last Friday I had a new experience. It was a great experience however. On Fridays for 8 weeks Tony and I run Academy sessions for little kids (3 hours). I have 8 year olds. The first session is boys - I have 12 and the second session is girls - i have 10. It is in this scenario that I have 1) gotten to coach boys for the first time and 2) gotten to see the dynamics of boys vs girls in an even clearer light.
Let's just say it was fun and interesting and next week I will have a little better perspective on how to handle my groups. Out of both groups I have - half of the kids I think are fabulous - not necessarily because they are great little players though - and half that well would be good to push them off to another group. LOL
The biggest thing with kids is keeping them moving and interested. Keeping them interested takes some creativity however. It also kind of doesn't jive with how I "want" to coach (red light green light, sharks and minnows, cats and bulldogs, etc) - but, I don't coach young kids normally so it doesn't bother me much in these settings. But it is a good learning lesson for me. Starting any session with kids - my most frustrating thing is knowing their name. It is hard to give praise - if you don't know their name. It is hard to correct a problem or reprimand - if you don't know their name. In my boys group - half of them start with a C or Q - that whole "cuh" sound. So a little tricky. And next week they won't be wearing the same jersey or hats that helped me identify them like this last week - but luckily I can get names down pretty quickly.
As such I wanted to impart some noted differences between the sexes - cause I think it is an interesting dynamic. These are not listed in order of importance however.
Boy Vs Girl
#1 Asking them their name - Little girls will readily offer up their name and most of the time do it via one of two ways - they either are very proud of their name and bubbly and offer it up willing as in "you WANT to know MY name." Or they cock their head sideways and shyly look around and mutter their name - barely audible enough and since it isn't Amy - you usually have to ask twice. Boys - you ask them their name and all of a sudden they get quiet, pause for a moment and are pondering whether to tell you their name lest they be in trouble. It's like - what does she want to know my name for? What did I do? Is she going to tell my mom? but regardless - each group doesn't like it when you ask their name more than twice. And unfortuantely I have to in order to remember their names.
#2 Practical Application - boys may not 100% get what you asked them to do, but they got enough of a variation of it to try something out. So when teaching them how to do a scissor - which requires a step over and a cut - well, most did not execute properly - but they sure tried to pull something off that resembled what I showed them. So for example -the scissor is an inside out step over with one foot and a cut using the outside of your foot with the other foot. Half of my boys struggled with the cut - mainly because of the faint and most probably haven't been taught how to use the outside of their foot but so be it. On the step over - over half of them do an outside in step over or do some half flying concoction over the ball with a spin. It's in these instances that I just try to guide and correct some of them (while suppressing my laughter) and let the others just fly. After all - they are 8 and really, as long as they are trying that is good enough. With the girls - I don't think I got even one to try a step over. And cuts were tricky.
#3 Instructions - When giving instructions - boys want short instructions. After that, they take what you tell them and if they didn't quite understand - well who cares, I'll just improvise and pull something out of my 8 year old butt that seems good. This of course continues over time as they age. Girls - want to be told every last detail about the activity - lest they screw it up. Fear of failure or messing up is such a deterrent to little girls and their development. And even if you give them instructions - I gave them the same instructions as the boys - they struggled to even get the activity going. And of course because half of them like to be little chatty kathy things - they were talking while I was giving instructions and therefore continuously messed up the exercise and then got frustrated when I tried to correct them - because they didn't understand. (Talking while I am talking is a big pet peeve when I coach) And yes people, mean Coach Athena threatened kids in both of her groups with timeouts if they did not behave - Reece that would be you continuously kicking the ball against the backstop when I told you to stop - 12 times.
#4 Game time - little boys want to get the game on. It is where their competitive nature is able to come to the forefront and thrive. So as a consequence you always get asked are we going to scrimmage or when are we going to scrimmage or is it time to scrimmage yet. Little girls ask usually once - in the beginning. When game time does come around - different ball game. Boys are ready to play and play and play. There isn't any - I'm tired and bored with this now - when is it time to go home. With girls - half way through the scrimmage half of them are done and want to talk about Barbie. This is when the - how much longer do we have questions start.
#5 The push and pull - last night as I was falling asleep I was thinking about the dynamic of a group with young kids and this is how I felt. With boys - they have this unbridled energy that as long as you can harness and steer the ponies - you will get them to do what you want to do. There is that sort of let the wild pony be wild, but breaking them back in and then just kind of guiding them in the right directions. With girls - you have to push them to work. You have to push them to be motivated. You have to push them to try. You have to push them so they don't give up. You have too push them to have passion and motivation. You have to push them to be in shape. Boys - they will get in shape on their own by self motivating on a field of play.
My whole life anytime I have played or watched a guys team warm up - the boys always self motivate for warm up. They are out kicking a ball around, passing, juggling, moving. I saw a boys high school age team warm up a couple months ago and I loved it. The coach didn't have to interfere and structure a warm up - the boys just knew what needed to be done and went out and did it. They had balls flying all over the pitch to people all over the pitch - simply improvising with short passes and long balls to people. Girls - man I had rules with my girls teams and they still ignored them. The rule was you had to be juggling once you got your gear on. You could still talk - but you had to talk and juggle. Could be individual juggling or group juggling - i didn't care. Work on your first touch chickas. Well the majority of those times those slackers would be sitting on their butts when i drove up. Then comes the - oh no coach is here start juggling.
#6 Substitutions - I am going to use our girls team to illustrate this example best. Boys are much more win driven when it comes to sports. Girls turn into more it's all about me and my needs in sports. With boys - they have their own pecking order and their own pressure cooker. You can have a U14 boys team go out and play a game and do their own substituting. More so with indoor but still. If someone isn't pulling their weight or is too slow - out come the calls to get your ass off the field - you are now the last contributing member and you need to step off the pitch. And boys will do it. Girls - OMG - it's all about the amount of playing time and the quality of their time vs the team as a whole. I can't even tell you how many talks I had to have with my teams about the TEAM sport aspect. I once had a player come off after 20 minutes (I was just subbing so others could get playing time) and she got all pissy cause she didn't get to touch the ball once and she thought she should be in longer because of it. Our current girls team - Tony has trie the self subbing thing - doesn't really work with them. That whole - I didn't get as much playing time as so and so or why are you telling me to come off or I want to have more playing time. All about me me me me me me. This where that whole parity thing comes to bite us in the butt - as it relates to girls. Ok so i digress a little...........
So now you want to know who my favorites are of my 8 year olds don't you? Well that is easy. M two favorite boys. One is Ian and the other is Spencer. Ian reminds me of the child I may have and the boy I would probably pick if I could pick my kid. He is spunky and energetic. He gives a lot of effort - even if he doesn't execute great. He is one of the ponies I will have to bridle. he is a cutie pie with blond curly hair that is a little unruly. And Ian thinks I am great of course. Next would probably be Spencer. Spencer may not grow up to be a soccer play or an athlete. On the other hand - he just might. He is the kid that is a little stocky, doesn't seem to be quite a soccer player - but maybe he just needs coaching. Plain face with brown hair. But he has the most perfect disposition. This kid I think only said two words to me the whole time. he paid attention and was polite. he tried to execute what was taught and I didn't have to do anything to get this kid in line. He also picked up all my discs at the end and brought them to me without me asking. Now - I didn't ask cause I needed them for the girls sessions - but it was a very sweet 8 year old boy thing to do.
The girls - Lizzie is #1. Lizzie is going to grow up and be a fantastic soccer player. She is cute, smart, funny, motivated and determined. She also a a great 8 year old little player. Very coachable. I also dig how her mom does her bangs - does a little flip thing - so I kept looking at her hair trying to figure it out. Alex or Ace as I am supposed to call her is probably #2. Ace is Lizzie's friend. Both girls pay attention, are coachable and very bright. Ace is going to be a handful for somebody at some point however is my guess.
Let's just say it was fun and interesting and next week I will have a little better perspective on how to handle my groups. Out of both groups I have - half of the kids I think are fabulous - not necessarily because they are great little players though - and half that well would be good to push them off to another group. LOL
The biggest thing with kids is keeping them moving and interested. Keeping them interested takes some creativity however. It also kind of doesn't jive with how I "want" to coach (red light green light, sharks and minnows, cats and bulldogs, etc) - but, I don't coach young kids normally so it doesn't bother me much in these settings. But it is a good learning lesson for me. Starting any session with kids - my most frustrating thing is knowing their name. It is hard to give praise - if you don't know their name. It is hard to correct a problem or reprimand - if you don't know their name. In my boys group - half of them start with a C or Q - that whole "cuh" sound. So a little tricky. And next week they won't be wearing the same jersey or hats that helped me identify them like this last week - but luckily I can get names down pretty quickly.
As such I wanted to impart some noted differences between the sexes - cause I think it is an interesting dynamic. These are not listed in order of importance however.
Boy Vs Girl
#1 Asking them their name - Little girls will readily offer up their name and most of the time do it via one of two ways - they either are very proud of their name and bubbly and offer it up willing as in "you WANT to know MY name." Or they cock their head sideways and shyly look around and mutter their name - barely audible enough and since it isn't Amy - you usually have to ask twice. Boys - you ask them their name and all of a sudden they get quiet, pause for a moment and are pondering whether to tell you their name lest they be in trouble. It's like - what does she want to know my name for? What did I do? Is she going to tell my mom? but regardless - each group doesn't like it when you ask their name more than twice. And unfortuantely I have to in order to remember their names.
#2 Practical Application - boys may not 100% get what you asked them to do, but they got enough of a variation of it to try something out. So when teaching them how to do a scissor - which requires a step over and a cut - well, most did not execute properly - but they sure tried to pull something off that resembled what I showed them. So for example -the scissor is an inside out step over with one foot and a cut using the outside of your foot with the other foot. Half of my boys struggled with the cut - mainly because of the faint and most probably haven't been taught how to use the outside of their foot but so be it. On the step over - over half of them do an outside in step over or do some half flying concoction over the ball with a spin. It's in these instances that I just try to guide and correct some of them (while suppressing my laughter) and let the others just fly. After all - they are 8 and really, as long as they are trying that is good enough. With the girls - I don't think I got even one to try a step over. And cuts were tricky.
#3 Instructions - When giving instructions - boys want short instructions. After that, they take what you tell them and if they didn't quite understand - well who cares, I'll just improvise and pull something out of my 8 year old butt that seems good. This of course continues over time as they age. Girls - want to be told every last detail about the activity - lest they screw it up. Fear of failure or messing up is such a deterrent to little girls and their development. And even if you give them instructions - I gave them the same instructions as the boys - they struggled to even get the activity going. And of course because half of them like to be little chatty kathy things - they were talking while I was giving instructions and therefore continuously messed up the exercise and then got frustrated when I tried to correct them - because they didn't understand. (Talking while I am talking is a big pet peeve when I coach) And yes people, mean Coach Athena threatened kids in both of her groups with timeouts if they did not behave - Reece that would be you continuously kicking the ball against the backstop when I told you to stop - 12 times.
#4 Game time - little boys want to get the game on. It is where their competitive nature is able to come to the forefront and thrive. So as a consequence you always get asked are we going to scrimmage or when are we going to scrimmage or is it time to scrimmage yet. Little girls ask usually once - in the beginning. When game time does come around - different ball game. Boys are ready to play and play and play. There isn't any - I'm tired and bored with this now - when is it time to go home. With girls - half way through the scrimmage half of them are done and want to talk about Barbie. This is when the - how much longer do we have questions start.
#5 The push and pull - last night as I was falling asleep I was thinking about the dynamic of a group with young kids and this is how I felt. With boys - they have this unbridled energy that as long as you can harness and steer the ponies - you will get them to do what you want to do. There is that sort of let the wild pony be wild, but breaking them back in and then just kind of guiding them in the right directions. With girls - you have to push them to work. You have to push them to be motivated. You have to push them to try. You have to push them so they don't give up. You have too push them to have passion and motivation. You have to push them to be in shape. Boys - they will get in shape on their own by self motivating on a field of play.
My whole life anytime I have played or watched a guys team warm up - the boys always self motivate for warm up. They are out kicking a ball around, passing, juggling, moving. I saw a boys high school age team warm up a couple months ago and I loved it. The coach didn't have to interfere and structure a warm up - the boys just knew what needed to be done and went out and did it. They had balls flying all over the pitch to people all over the pitch - simply improvising with short passes and long balls to people. Girls - man I had rules with my girls teams and they still ignored them. The rule was you had to be juggling once you got your gear on. You could still talk - but you had to talk and juggle. Could be individual juggling or group juggling - i didn't care. Work on your first touch chickas. Well the majority of those times those slackers would be sitting on their butts when i drove up. Then comes the - oh no coach is here start juggling.
#6 Substitutions - I am going to use our girls team to illustrate this example best. Boys are much more win driven when it comes to sports. Girls turn into more it's all about me and my needs in sports. With boys - they have their own pecking order and their own pressure cooker. You can have a U14 boys team go out and play a game and do their own substituting. More so with indoor but still. If someone isn't pulling their weight or is too slow - out come the calls to get your ass off the field - you are now the last contributing member and you need to step off the pitch. And boys will do it. Girls - OMG - it's all about the amount of playing time and the quality of their time vs the team as a whole. I can't even tell you how many talks I had to have with my teams about the TEAM sport aspect. I once had a player come off after 20 minutes (I was just subbing so others could get playing time) and she got all pissy cause she didn't get to touch the ball once and she thought she should be in longer because of it. Our current girls team - Tony has trie the self subbing thing - doesn't really work with them. That whole - I didn't get as much playing time as so and so or why are you telling me to come off or I want to have more playing time. All about me me me me me me. This where that whole parity thing comes to bite us in the butt - as it relates to girls. Ok so i digress a little...........
So now you want to know who my favorites are of my 8 year olds don't you? Well that is easy. M two favorite boys. One is Ian and the other is Spencer. Ian reminds me of the child I may have and the boy I would probably pick if I could pick my kid. He is spunky and energetic. He gives a lot of effort - even if he doesn't execute great. He is one of the ponies I will have to bridle. he is a cutie pie with blond curly hair that is a little unruly. And Ian thinks I am great of course. Next would probably be Spencer. Spencer may not grow up to be a soccer play or an athlete. On the other hand - he just might. He is the kid that is a little stocky, doesn't seem to be quite a soccer player - but maybe he just needs coaching. Plain face with brown hair. But he has the most perfect disposition. This kid I think only said two words to me the whole time. he paid attention and was polite. he tried to execute what was taught and I didn't have to do anything to get this kid in line. He also picked up all my discs at the end and brought them to me without me asking. Now - I didn't ask cause I needed them for the girls sessions - but it was a very sweet 8 year old boy thing to do.
The girls - Lizzie is #1. Lizzie is going to grow up and be a fantastic soccer player. She is cute, smart, funny, motivated and determined. She also a a great 8 year old little player. Very coachable. I also dig how her mom does her bangs - does a little flip thing - so I kept looking at her hair trying to figure it out. Alex or Ace as I am supposed to call her is probably #2. Ace is Lizzie's friend. Both girls pay attention, are coachable and very bright. Ace is going to be a handful for somebody at some point however is my guess.
Friday, January 11, 2008
I've neglected the blog
I'm sorry. I actually have pictures from before Christmas that I want to share - but between my computer crashing and the holidays - I have just not gotten these things done. So until then, I want to harp on something else.
I think this is crap.....
Sports score blowout
I mean really, have we all gotten so soft in this country that we have forgotten that:
1. Sports are "meant" to be competitive - meaning somebody is going to win and someone is going to lose and you are supposed to give your best effort in the attempts of winning.
2. Not everything in life is fair and there is too much idealistic view that parity needs to happen at every turn when we deal with children (gee I can't imagine how that transcends to their adult life and implications stemming from that)
3. American sports are setup to always have a winner and a loser and have HIGH SCORING TYPES OF SPORTS COMPETITIONS. And people bitch about the low score of soccer .... "whatever"
Personally - I think it's good for teams from time to time to get their asses kicked. It's a good lesson in humility. it's a lesson that you aren't the best and if you want to be you have to work harder. It's a reminder of who is the best and what you need to aspire to. It's a reminder that sports is about winning. It's what fuels rivalries - which is a good fun positive aspect to sport.
Respect????? Honestly, there hasn't been a whole lot of people I respect when I have played against them. Heck there are people I have played with on my teams (and still do) that I don't respect. I tell my girls that I don't care if they respect even their teammates - as long as they get along. Respect is something that is earned. It isn't a birthright or automatic just because you are old or because you do something like play a game. Respect brings with it your character. And if everyone is going to be a big crybaby about getting humiliated in a game - that is poor sportsmanship IMO. That's when I cease to have respect. Hold your chin up high and do your best. Those are the people I have respect for.
Maybe I am too extreme you say. But you know what? I coach for the best club in the country - and we are hated. Hated because we are the best. Hated because we win. Hated because we basically have a FU attitude if you don't like how we approach the game. Hated because the ploayer contract states there is no guarantee of playing time. And at the end of the day it is OUR club that is sending kids to college on scholarships. It is OUR club that is sending kids to play on national teams for our country. It is OUR club that is teaching our kids how to play the game at the highest level and what will be required of them if they go to the next level. It is OUR club that is teaching kids how to deal with adversity in sports competitions. People hate the best - when THEY aren't the best.
Basketball wasn't designed to be a game where you can take the ball to the corner and play possession to run out the clock like you can with soccer. It's a game that encourages you to score within 30 seconds or less. Run down and score, run to the other end and score.
And the worst part of this that people seem to forget. It's the coach's ass that's on the line when the team FAILS and LOSES. It's the coach that gets FIRED when the team fails to perform or perform well. It's the coach that gets BLAMED for all the problems with a team. This guy even offered some solutions to help run out the clock - which the other coach turned down. The coach had every right to start whoever he wanted and play them for however long he wanted. He has season goals and he is coming up on state playoff implications.
And honestly - if you have ever been on the losing side like that and the team decides to not even play because the competition sucks so bad so they dilly dally and don't take it serious and are laughing half the time and all it does is become one big game of keep away at their 50% best. THAT is more humiliating than truly getting your ass handed to you matching your best against their best. THAT's when I actually have respect for the other team. Otherwise respect turns to hate in those scenarios and that is worse IMO.
I think this is crap.....
Sports score blowout
I mean really, have we all gotten so soft in this country that we have forgotten that:
1. Sports are "meant" to be competitive - meaning somebody is going to win and someone is going to lose and you are supposed to give your best effort in the attempts of winning.
2. Not everything in life is fair and there is too much idealistic view that parity needs to happen at every turn when we deal with children (gee I can't imagine how that transcends to their adult life and implications stemming from that)
3. American sports are setup to always have a winner and a loser and have HIGH SCORING TYPES OF SPORTS COMPETITIONS. And people bitch about the low score of soccer .... "whatever"
Personally - I think it's good for teams from time to time to get their asses kicked. It's a good lesson in humility. it's a lesson that you aren't the best and if you want to be you have to work harder. It's a reminder of who is the best and what you need to aspire to. It's a reminder that sports is about winning. It's what fuels rivalries - which is a good fun positive aspect to sport.
Respect????? Honestly, there hasn't been a whole lot of people I respect when I have played against them. Heck there are people I have played with on my teams (and still do) that I don't respect. I tell my girls that I don't care if they respect even their teammates - as long as they get along. Respect is something that is earned. It isn't a birthright or automatic just because you are old or because you do something like play a game. Respect brings with it your character. And if everyone is going to be a big crybaby about getting humiliated in a game - that is poor sportsmanship IMO. That's when I cease to have respect. Hold your chin up high and do your best. Those are the people I have respect for.
Maybe I am too extreme you say. But you know what? I coach for the best club in the country - and we are hated. Hated because we are the best. Hated because we win. Hated because we basically have a FU attitude if you don't like how we approach the game. Hated because the ploayer contract states there is no guarantee of playing time. And at the end of the day it is OUR club that is sending kids to college on scholarships. It is OUR club that is sending kids to play on national teams for our country. It is OUR club that is teaching our kids how to play the game at the highest level and what will be required of them if they go to the next level. It is OUR club that is teaching kids how to deal with adversity in sports competitions. People hate the best - when THEY aren't the best.
Basketball wasn't designed to be a game where you can take the ball to the corner and play possession to run out the clock like you can with soccer. It's a game that encourages you to score within 30 seconds or less. Run down and score, run to the other end and score.
And the worst part of this that people seem to forget. It's the coach's ass that's on the line when the team FAILS and LOSES. It's the coach that gets FIRED when the team fails to perform or perform well. It's the coach that gets BLAMED for all the problems with a team. This guy even offered some solutions to help run out the clock - which the other coach turned down. The coach had every right to start whoever he wanted and play them for however long he wanted. He has season goals and he is coming up on state playoff implications.
And honestly - if you have ever been on the losing side like that and the team decides to not even play because the competition sucks so bad so they dilly dally and don't take it serious and are laughing half the time and all it does is become one big game of keep away at their 50% best. THAT is more humiliating than truly getting your ass handed to you matching your best against their best. THAT's when I actually have respect for the other team. Otherwise respect turns to hate in those scenarios and that is worse IMO.
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Our first wedding since our wedding
This was taken by a friend at a coworker's wedding a few weeks ago. It was the first wedding Tony and I had been to since our wedding. She had a snowflake theme and imagine how happy she was when it snowed on her wedding day - it doesn't snow here.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Nederlandse iedereen?
I mean really, you don't even have to understand Dutch...
And just why was My Michael Bradley being interviewed?
That's because he got a hat trick! (3 goals in a game for those that don't know)
I know - he's amazing isn't he.........
And just why was My Michael Bradley being interviewed?
That's because he got a hat trick! (3 goals in a game for those that don't know)
I know - he's amazing isn't he.........
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Continuation
To help back up my previous post......
The Fed makes lending changes
And in case I wasn't clear earlier this is how I assess the blame:
The government
Pres Bush stood up on a campaign of home ownership about 7 years ago and mandated that everyone should be able to enjoy in the freedom of owning a home. As a result, they gave an open pass to wall street to be as capitalistic as they wish (remember as you read all this I am a capitalist at heart). As more and more people started getting in homes it worked well for the economy as they also had a push to get more minority home borrowers in homes. The irony is they let Wall Street dictate the money boom with no restrictions, regulations or foresight. In the end, foreclosures are at the highest point in a long time and minority home ownership failed to grow. I believe it is still hovering somewhere in the 9% range. When banks started going kaput earlier this year - the government failed to react in a timely manner until the realized just how bad it was going to ripple the economy. One would have thought we learned this lesson once before.....
MBS/Wall Street
In a capitalist society where the leader is a capitalist beacon, if you let the inmates run the asylum - they will - and without a conscious. Wall street with its go ahead pass allowed mid tier (mid tier only in classification between brokers and Wall Street - not size of portfolio) lenders to create creative loan packages that allowed homeowners to get in homes. One of the more famous loan programs were Stated Income and Pay Option arms. Stated Income as defined in the article is where you basically are self employed and you tell the broker I make X - without providing documentation to back it up. Pay Option is where you have 4 types of payments you can make. One being a minimum payment which is below the principal and interest one can afford in a month - resulting in negative amortization. Reason Wall Street allowed these loans??? Higher payments off risk loans due to subprime originations. Allows for greater money to be made in the stock market trading mortgage bonds and portfolios.
Mid tier-lenders
30 fixed mortgage - what's that? A loan program that was the staple of the past, now pushed to the back seat - cause it is actually more expensive....ahem... I mean less affordable.Mid-tier lenders trying to make sure they keep up or out pace the competition pushed various loan programs off to brokers to get people in homes. And since they sell the loan usually within 60 days of funding - let's pump those mortgage loans through like a checker at a grocery store. Who cares if the borrower can't really pay - we have to have X amount of millions originated in loans this year.
Brokers
Acting like junkies needing a fix - who cares about the borrower - these no licensed (now they are in the past year) walk off the street from any other job such as a school janitor were funding your loans. If the loan funds they get paid their $2500 (approx)and the liability falls back to the lender that funded the loan. And to brokers - who really cares about referrals anyway - they had so much low lying fruit they didn't even have to understand how to run a business to be profitable. I could talk for years about this group - but will spare you.......
Consumers
Some of this is their fault - the eyes too big for the pocket book got some of these borrowers in trouble. Others - well they just didn't understand the booklet of crap to sign or that 1.5% interest meant for 6 months then it jacks up to 9% after that with a prepayment penalty lasting up to 2 years before you can refi.
And FYI - I was one of those borrowers on my first loan that had a bad broker. He told me 2 weeks before closing I would pay $500 LESS a MONTH than what came down at closing. AND he failed to tell me that my property taxes were NOT included in the loan. You say - well why did you do the loan then? Hmmmm well I had my cats, plants and now husband in a car after a two day road trip half way across the country to a house we had the movers already lined up to show in a few hours...........luckily, I refied before my lock went up and right before this bust became so bad. Otherwise I might be in the same situation as millions of other people.
The Fed makes lending changes
And in case I wasn't clear earlier this is how I assess the blame:
The government
Pres Bush stood up on a campaign of home ownership about 7 years ago and mandated that everyone should be able to enjoy in the freedom of owning a home. As a result, they gave an open pass to wall street to be as capitalistic as they wish (remember as you read all this I am a capitalist at heart). As more and more people started getting in homes it worked well for the economy as they also had a push to get more minority home borrowers in homes. The irony is they let Wall Street dictate the money boom with no restrictions, regulations or foresight. In the end, foreclosures are at the highest point in a long time and minority home ownership failed to grow. I believe it is still hovering somewhere in the 9% range. When banks started going kaput earlier this year - the government failed to react in a timely manner until the realized just how bad it was going to ripple the economy. One would have thought we learned this lesson once before.....
MBS/Wall Street
In a capitalist society where the leader is a capitalist beacon, if you let the inmates run the asylum - they will - and without a conscious. Wall street with its go ahead pass allowed mid tier (mid tier only in classification between brokers and Wall Street - not size of portfolio) lenders to create creative loan packages that allowed homeowners to get in homes. One of the more famous loan programs were Stated Income and Pay Option arms. Stated Income as defined in the article is where you basically are self employed and you tell the broker I make X - without providing documentation to back it up. Pay Option is where you have 4 types of payments you can make. One being a minimum payment which is below the principal and interest one can afford in a month - resulting in negative amortization. Reason Wall Street allowed these loans??? Higher payments off risk loans due to subprime originations. Allows for greater money to be made in the stock market trading mortgage bonds and portfolios.
Mid tier-lenders
30 fixed mortgage - what's that? A loan program that was the staple of the past, now pushed to the back seat - cause it is actually more expensive....ahem... I mean less affordable.Mid-tier lenders trying to make sure they keep up or out pace the competition pushed various loan programs off to brokers to get people in homes. And since they sell the loan usually within 60 days of funding - let's pump those mortgage loans through like a checker at a grocery store. Who cares if the borrower can't really pay - we have to have X amount of millions originated in loans this year.
Brokers
Acting like junkies needing a fix - who cares about the borrower - these no licensed (now they are in the past year) walk off the street from any other job such as a school janitor were funding your loans. If the loan funds they get paid their $2500 (approx)and the liability falls back to the lender that funded the loan. And to brokers - who really cares about referrals anyway - they had so much low lying fruit they didn't even have to understand how to run a business to be profitable. I could talk for years about this group - but will spare you.......
Consumers
Some of this is their fault - the eyes too big for the pocket book got some of these borrowers in trouble. Others - well they just didn't understand the booklet of crap to sign or that 1.5% interest meant for 6 months then it jacks up to 9% after that with a prepayment penalty lasting up to 2 years before you can refi.
And FYI - I was one of those borrowers on my first loan that had a bad broker. He told me 2 weeks before closing I would pay $500 LESS a MONTH than what came down at closing. AND he failed to tell me that my property taxes were NOT included in the loan. You say - well why did you do the loan then? Hmmmm well I had my cats, plants and now husband in a car after a two day road trip half way across the country to a house we had the movers already lined up to show in a few hours...........luckily, I refied before my lock went up and right before this bust became so bad. Otherwise I might be in the same situation as millions of other people.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Foreclosures on the rise
A report came out today that said foreclosures were up 93% over last year. 93%!!! That's scary. Now I have a beef of this on both accounts. Many people will take the old school approach and say - well it is the borrower's fault - they should have known what they got themselves into before they signed anything.
Well being someone who is in this industry, I can tell you with certainly that that is a load of crap. Have you ever seen the documentation a loan officer puts in front of you to sign - not only for closing but prior to? Do you know how long it would take one to read and understand all the legalese?
Does a borrower understand what basis points are, how much the interest rate truly is for and what it means to have 2% plus prime? What is the prime rate? How can one find that number? What fees are paid to the broker, the lender, why does the appraisal have to be paid for up front and outside of the loan if in fact the rest of the settlement services can be included in the price of the loan? When will the loan reset? How much really does that equate to when it adjusts? Why would I have a prepayment penalty and how much is it? What does negative amortization mean? What is escrow? Impounds? How does Mortgage Insurance benefit me, do I need it and can I get out of it? What is RESPA? What is a kickback? Why is there 200 pages of crap I have to sign?
Is anyone lost yet? And that was basically the layman's terms I used. And really, what happens if a borrower objects to something in the document? It's not as if the bank is going to alter the language for the consumer to satisfy them, more like - if you don't like it then go somewhere else. meanwhile the borrower just wants the house.
SO I don't feel the issue is primarily on the side of the buyer and it is "buyer beware". How the heck is a buyer supposed to beware when the system is setup against the buyer in the first place......
And no the government should not be bailing out all these lenders either. Part of the irresponsiblity that the lender had getting wrapped up in too much greed and not enough fiscal responsibility. They should not be rewarded for bad management.
Well being someone who is in this industry, I can tell you with certainly that that is a load of crap. Have you ever seen the documentation a loan officer puts in front of you to sign - not only for closing but prior to? Do you know how long it would take one to read and understand all the legalese?
Does a borrower understand what basis points are, how much the interest rate truly is for and what it means to have 2% plus prime? What is the prime rate? How can one find that number? What fees are paid to the broker, the lender, why does the appraisal have to be paid for up front and outside of the loan if in fact the rest of the settlement services can be included in the price of the loan? When will the loan reset? How much really does that equate to when it adjusts? Why would I have a prepayment penalty and how much is it? What does negative amortization mean? What is escrow? Impounds? How does Mortgage Insurance benefit me, do I need it and can I get out of it? What is RESPA? What is a kickback? Why is there 200 pages of crap I have to sign?
Is anyone lost yet? And that was basically the layman's terms I used. And really, what happens if a borrower objects to something in the document? It's not as if the bank is going to alter the language for the consumer to satisfy them, more like - if you don't like it then go somewhere else. meanwhile the borrower just wants the house.
SO I don't feel the issue is primarily on the side of the buyer and it is "buyer beware". How the heck is a buyer supposed to beware when the system is setup against the buyer in the first place......
And no the government should not be bailing out all these lenders either. Part of the irresponsiblity that the lender had getting wrapped up in too much greed and not enough fiscal responsibility. They should not be rewarded for bad management.
Friday, November 30, 2007
A step up
There are times in every one's life where they get a leg up in life and feel the climb on the ladder. Today is one of those days. I recently got a title change at work. Now the reality is I didn't get promoted, receive a pay raise, change my job responsibilities or get in charge of actually managing people - although I sort of am by default already. And I really got the title change because my current title and that of the sales guy was the same and the CEO wanted to change mine - fine by me! I'm just being honest here. And there are only 6 people in my company now - so it's not like this is really a big deal.
But it is a big deal to me.
Because once you get a title bump - you get to then try applying for jobs with those kinds of titles. Not that I am going to - but just in case I will need to in the future - I can. It will look much better having that kind of title on my resume attached to the good work I have done - something I think has actually hurt me in my previous job pursuits is my title has not been reflective of all the responsibilities and accomplishments I have done. So what is my new title you ask? now that I have strung you along......
Director of Operations
Yes - Director baby! That's one step below a VP!!!!
:)
But it is a big deal to me.
Because once you get a title bump - you get to then try applying for jobs with those kinds of titles. Not that I am going to - but just in case I will need to in the future - I can. It will look much better having that kind of title on my resume attached to the good work I have done - something I think has actually hurt me in my previous job pursuits is my title has not been reflective of all the responsibilities and accomplishments I have done. So what is my new title you ask? now that I have strung you along......
Director of Operations
Yes - Director baby! That's one step below a VP!!!!
:)
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Because I just can't let it go......
Sooo you've read my gripe posts about the Women's National Team and the WC from this fall. I wanted to share one more thing with you because well, there just is too much irony in it for me. They were selling this and a hoody to fans as one of their promo pieces during the WC. And really.....I couldn't help feeling the need to send this to the WNT members (especially Lilly and Wambach) with a forged signature of Hope Solo on the back. But that would be a little too mean on my part.
BTW - they did hire a new coach Pia Sundhage from Sweden. Her contract goes through this summer's Olympics since there is no major competition until 2011.
BTW - they did hire a new coach Pia Sundhage from Sweden. Her contract goes through this summer's Olympics since there is no major competition until 2011.
Friday, November 16, 2007
Then and now....
As most people age - friends sometimes travel their own ways and many you lose touch with. Ironically one of my oldest and dearest friends still likes to talk to me. :) Some of you know the story - some don't, but I will recount it here because it is sort of appropriate. In third grade a new girl with brown hair walked into my classroom the first day of school. I remember telling her that day - we're going to be friends. It wasn't a question - would you be my friend? It was simply a statement of how things were going to be. (Doesn't sound like me at all does it?)
And ironically while her and I are in many ways polar opposites, it has been those opposites that has held us together. I have been lucky enough through the many moves that both her and I have done across the country to still remain friends. And I can't believe we have been friends for over 20 years. In fact, I was lucky enough that she came to see me a month ago while visiting in Seattle (not to mention be my matron of honor and a rock for me during my wedding 6 months ago). To give you a quick then and now stroll down memory lane take a peek...
High School Graduation.....only 12 and a half years ago...but who's counting???
Here we were still kids - living at home.......dreaming of the great adventurous days ahead of us..
A month ago at my house...(I was showing off my China - anyone surprised? LOL)
Here we have our own homes and she has a kid and I have kitties. Quite the change in 12 years of dependence to independence. We still look fabulous though don't we? Just like fine wine baby...just like fine wine!
And ironically while her and I are in many ways polar opposites, it has been those opposites that has held us together. I have been lucky enough through the many moves that both her and I have done across the country to still remain friends. And I can't believe we have been friends for over 20 years. In fact, I was lucky enough that she came to see me a month ago while visiting in Seattle (not to mention be my matron of honor and a rock for me during my wedding 6 months ago). To give you a quick then and now stroll down memory lane take a peek...
High School Graduation.....only 12 and a half years ago...but who's counting???
Here we were still kids - living at home.......dreaming of the great adventurous days ahead of us..
A month ago at my house...(I was showing off my China - anyone surprised? LOL)
Here we have our own homes and she has a kid and I have kitties. Quite the change in 12 years of dependence to independence. We still look fabulous though don't we? Just like fine wine baby...just like fine wine!
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Halloween is finally here!
A couple pics - I would post more - but for some reason the pics got stuck transferring from Tony's computer to mine. :(
My good steady costume is always a witch - which I wore to a costume party a couple weeks before. This was before I donned the black lipstick and the hair is actually sprayed blue - although it really looked grey - and you really can't tell at all in this pic - sorry! Sorry it's sideways too - I haven't figured out how to right the pic - Staci - some help?
My House - it really looked better at night as I had an orange porch light and the couldron looked much more intense in the window and the windows 20 feet above. There was a little ghost popping out of the cauldron to the left. A few headstones on the porch to the right - those gray things. A skeleton was sitting in some clothes - minus his head. :) The pumpkin to the right says Trick or Treat and those little black things all over the door.........those are plastic spiders. :) You probably also can't tell but there is a snake hanging off the small tree to the left and the porch to the right. That black thing standing on the green table to the right of the door - that is a fake black cat with a dead sticky mouse below. It really was cooler in person.
And for Halloween - here was my Goldilocks costume. Do you see the baby bear on the apron?
My good steady costume is always a witch - which I wore to a costume party a couple weeks before. This was before I donned the black lipstick and the hair is actually sprayed blue - although it really looked grey - and you really can't tell at all in this pic - sorry! Sorry it's sideways too - I haven't figured out how to right the pic - Staci - some help?
My House - it really looked better at night as I had an orange porch light and the couldron looked much more intense in the window and the windows 20 feet above. There was a little ghost popping out of the cauldron to the left. A few headstones on the porch to the right - those gray things. A skeleton was sitting in some clothes - minus his head. :) The pumpkin to the right says Trick or Treat and those little black things all over the door.........those are plastic spiders. :) You probably also can't tell but there is a snake hanging off the small tree to the left and the porch to the right. That black thing standing on the green table to the right of the door - that is a fake black cat with a dead sticky mouse below. It really was cooler in person.
And for Halloween - here was my Goldilocks costume. Do you see the baby bear on the apron?
Thursday, November 08, 2007
It's really hard to talk trash........
when your team is ALLLLL the way down at the bottom....
NFL Standings
I don't think we have had this bad a start...EVER!!!! Oh the woe!
Tony keeps trying to bring me over to the dark side of being a Broncos fan - BOOOOOOO!!!!!! No donkeys fan here! Give me some horns!!!! :)
NFL Standings
I don't think we have had this bad a start...EVER!!!! Oh the woe!
Tony keeps trying to bring me over to the dark side of being a Broncos fan - BOOOOOOO!!!!!! No donkeys fan here! Give me some horns!!!! :)
Thursday, November 01, 2007
How many trick or treaters did YOU get???
This will be the first of at least two posts.
I had 38 trick or treaters!!! I have the last house on the end of a street that those cutie pies have to walk UPHILL just to get to, so I like to decorate it and give them the GOOD candy - cause I want to be that lady!! In fact - I even had one kid tell me last night he remembered me from two years ago!!!! MADE MY NIGHT!!!! And another kid as she was walking away yelled "your house is decorated - that's cool!! Tony just laughed and said - that kid has no idea that she just made your night. LOL - Yes it is true. I remember remembering who the good houses were to go to.
Halloween happens to be one of my favorite holidays. Always has been. I love getting decked out in a costume. I love handing out candy to adorable little kids and seeing all the different creative outfits they go around in. I loved the candy when I was a kid too!!! Probably had something to do with all those cavities I had! And when I got older, I LOVED haunted houses.
Consequently - momma Lori loves Halloween too! Gotta love those apples! So we both are into the decorating the house kind of thing for Halloween. Personally - I am jealous of her mad decorating skills and amount of yard space she has - but it inspires me to be creative. I don't have my Halloween pics up yet - those will come over the next couple of days. But I did have some of my moms - which I would like to share with you.
SO momma Lori always does a cemetery in which she puts names of famous serial killers in history on her tombstones. She names her cemetery Plotters Field. This year her tombstones were even better than last year and to show off her mad skills - take a peek.
Do you see the little cherub has red horns on it!!
I told you she has mad skills!!!! I can't wait to show you my pics!!! One of the things you won't see on my pics though is that i have a fog machine. SO right before I open the door, I hit the fogger button, then open the door, and fog comes rolling out toward the little treaters!!! It's soo cool man! If only my black cat would hang out on the porch while those little kids came by - that would be even cooler!!
I had 38 trick or treaters!!! I have the last house on the end of a street that those cutie pies have to walk UPHILL just to get to, so I like to decorate it and give them the GOOD candy - cause I want to be that lady!! In fact - I even had one kid tell me last night he remembered me from two years ago!!!! MADE MY NIGHT!!!! And another kid as she was walking away yelled "your house is decorated - that's cool!! Tony just laughed and said - that kid has no idea that she just made your night. LOL - Yes it is true. I remember remembering who the good houses were to go to.
Halloween happens to be one of my favorite holidays. Always has been. I love getting decked out in a costume. I love handing out candy to adorable little kids and seeing all the different creative outfits they go around in. I loved the candy when I was a kid too!!! Probably had something to do with all those cavities I had! And when I got older, I LOVED haunted houses.
Consequently - momma Lori loves Halloween too! Gotta love those apples! So we both are into the decorating the house kind of thing for Halloween. Personally - I am jealous of her mad decorating skills and amount of yard space she has - but it inspires me to be creative. I don't have my Halloween pics up yet - those will come over the next couple of days. But I did have some of my moms - which I would like to share with you.
SO momma Lori always does a cemetery in which she puts names of famous serial killers in history on her tombstones. She names her cemetery Plotters Field. This year her tombstones were even better than last year and to show off her mad skills - take a peek.
Do you see the little cherub has red horns on it!!
I told you she has mad skills!!!! I can't wait to show you my pics!!! One of the things you won't see on my pics though is that i have a fog machine. SO right before I open the door, I hit the fogger button, then open the door, and fog comes rolling out toward the little treaters!!! It's soo cool man! If only my black cat would hang out on the porch while those little kids came by - that would be even cooler!!
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
A little Kumbayah...
Let's all stand together and hold hands while we sing to the joy of Greg Ryan getting fired for the US WNT!
Now Tony and I disagree a little bit on terminology so I feel the need to discuss it. In reality Ryan simply was told his coaching contract would not be renewed come Dec 31. So really - in my book he isn't fired - his contract is not renewed. Tony of course disagrees and thinks if your contract is not renewed, you are fired. I say getting fired is when they tell you to leave before your contract is up.
But at any rate - I am just so glad he is out....Here is to a brigher future - hopefully!
Now Tony and I disagree a little bit on terminology so I feel the need to discuss it. In reality Ryan simply was told his coaching contract would not be renewed come Dec 31. So really - in my book he isn't fired - his contract is not renewed. Tony of course disagrees and thinks if your contract is not renewed, you are fired. I say getting fired is when they tell you to leave before your contract is up.
But at any rate - I am just so glad he is out....Here is to a brigher future - hopefully!
Friday, October 19, 2007
A Serving of Swiss Please
Now see - this is one of the many reasons I am drawn to him...
Bradley scores to lead U.S. over Switzerland
BASEL, Switzerland -- Michael Bradley stopped the United States' longest losing streak in 13 years and gave the Americans a rare victory in Europe. Bradley scored his first international goal in the 86th minute and the United States beat Switzerland 1-0 Wednesday night in a sloppy game played in rain.
The coach's son knocked in a loose ball from close range after Clint Dempsey deflected a cross into the air from Danny Szetela, who entered two minutes earlier in his national team debut.
"That's soccer sometimes," said Bradley, who made his 13th international appearance. "It's not always beautiful. It's not always that you can play pretty all over the field."
"I think the spirit we have within the team is really good and it shows on a night like tonight," Michael Bradley said. "We come here, and it's a hard game, it's a fast, physical game. They were coming after us, we were coming after them and I think we showed that when it's not coming that easily for us we stick together, fight for one another, and in the end we're able to get a goal."
"It was a fast field and, with the rain, the ball was flying around," the 20-year-old Bradley said. "It was going to be about who would impose himself on the other team. They pressed us and we did the same to them. It's important you learn how to win those types of games."
In the thick of it
The celebration
Bradley scores to lead U.S. over Switzerland
BASEL, Switzerland -- Michael Bradley stopped the United States' longest losing streak in 13 years and gave the Americans a rare victory in Europe. Bradley scored his first international goal in the 86th minute and the United States beat Switzerland 1-0 Wednesday night in a sloppy game played in rain.
The coach's son knocked in a loose ball from close range after Clint Dempsey deflected a cross into the air from Danny Szetela, who entered two minutes earlier in his national team debut.
"That's soccer sometimes," said Bradley, who made his 13th international appearance. "It's not always beautiful. It's not always that you can play pretty all over the field."
"I think the spirit we have within the team is really good and it shows on a night like tonight," Michael Bradley said. "We come here, and it's a hard game, it's a fast, physical game. They were coming after us, we were coming after them and I think we showed that when it's not coming that easily for us we stick together, fight for one another, and in the end we're able to get a goal."
"It was a fast field and, with the rain, the ball was flying around," the 20-year-old Bradley said. "It was going to be about who would impose himself on the other team. They pressed us and we did the same to them. It's important you learn how to win those types of games."
In the thick of it
The celebration
Thursday, October 11, 2007
I am Rooney
LOL - When I read this - I thought of me. For my personal Rooney greatness - scroll to the bottom of my blog. :)
Tony - this is for you honey. Excerpts from a Fox News Article today.....
Aside from hitting the goal trail again - Rooney has also shown flashes of temper, which has threatened to land him in more trouble with referees.
Yet he insists any disciplinary problems are now a thing of the past, even if no-one should expect to see him smiling during Saturday's Wembley encounter with Estonia - at least until England are winning.
"I don't get fed up with people talking about my temperament because I don't think there is a problem," he said.
"If we are not winning I am not smiling, if we are winning I am.
"That tells you how much I want to win the game.
"Losing or drawing a game can cost us the league or a cup. I want to win all the time. If I don't, I am not happy."
Rooney Scores
Tony - this is for you honey. Excerpts from a Fox News Article today.....
Aside from hitting the goal trail again - Rooney has also shown flashes of temper, which has threatened to land him in more trouble with referees.
Yet he insists any disciplinary problems are now a thing of the past, even if no-one should expect to see him smiling during Saturday's Wembley encounter with Estonia - at least until England are winning.
"I don't get fed up with people talking about my temperament because I don't think there is a problem," he said.
"If we are not winning I am not smiling, if we are winning I am.
"That tells you how much I want to win the game.
"Losing or drawing a game can cost us the league or a cup. I want to win all the time. If I don't, I am not happy."
Rooney Scores
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
I bought my China
A big step in the world for a woman. :) I finally bought my wedding china thanks to the donations from people for our wedding. Take a look....
Waterford Ballet Ribbon China
I now feel cool! It has all been rinsed, inspected, packaged so carefully and placed in a safe location until the holidays.
Waterford Ballet Ribbon China
I now feel cool! It has all been rinsed, inspected, packaged so carefully and placed in a safe location until the holidays.
Thursday, October 04, 2007
The Beauty of a Blog
I'm still waiting for Greg Ryan to be fired. I am hoping it happens today or tomorrow. I will write a letter to US Soccer - probably will even post it here. I want to wait and see what they do however which will dictate my response.
The other day I tried to post on the US WNT Blog. I got censored. They didn't even put up any of my post. I didn't even swear - I simply had a "negative opinion". I was mad and astounded by that. So what did I do? Yes here it comes........I posted on another person's blog who is a media writer for soccer that I know wouldn't censor me and I also realized - I have my own blog that I can write on and tell the world what I think without getting censored. :) Some days I really do love myself. Throughout this process I a liken it to little Suzie playing on her rec team. When they are 8 and little Suzie loses 10-0 we still serve little Suzie her after game snack, give her a hug and a smile and tell her good job and how proud we are of her anyway (even though she got her ass handed to her).
Yes - when I become a parent -- it will be interesting for all to see how I fare. I know this. That concept is not lost on me. Tony will have to reign me back in a bit and he will ultimately be the good dad and I will probably be the mom in little Suzie's rec world that gives her the snack, tells her I love her (cause that is the truth) and then says nothing about her play - unless she did great and the rest of her team sucks. I have a real problem with that whole - lying bit. If Suzie really did suck why should I tell her that she did great and I was proud of her. I would rather say nothing and we all move past it. I digress on fictional Suzie however.....
So with the posting thing I realized something after reading other people's posts. The US WNT blog is very much the parent of little Suzie. We have to say nice things because we can't be afraid to say the truth and hurt some one's feelings. God forbid we tell the truth and someone can't deal with honesty. Staci - I know you are laughing at me right now. But the reality is in this country we have had an amazing personality shift over the last 50 years on how we are and are not supposed to deal with things. With our parents - their generation was hell bent on giving all the love and affection to their children that they ceased to feel having parents from post war eras. Eras where there were less emotional attachments due to the increased mortality rates of young children that we predominantly do not see these days due to advances in modern medicine. And in this age we are all about love and coddling. Which don't get me wrong - i think is a good thing.
And as it relates to this group of US WNT individuals - I find it disgusting that the ideology of team and standing up for one another seems to be a trait that has been lost in this progression of our society. You see it much more prevalent in male teams than female ones. I find the team sports dynamic of boys vs girls to be a fascinating topic seeing as I have competing on both sides of the fence. Boys understand team. They understand a collective unit coming together and standing up for that idea. They understand winning. Women in sports settings are more "me oriented". This group of women athletes are professionals. And yet they act like teenagers. What they should have done was stand up to their coach. Because sometimes that is a good thing. They should have stood behind their #1 keeper and said - this is the wrong thing to do for the team and to win. And last I checked - winning is the only goal of the World Cup. Winning is the only goal for a professional sports team. That's why they are called "professionals". It's what they do. It isn't little Suzie on her rec team that we have to coddle as she grows and matures into a woman. These are athletes that have already taken those many steps. And yet the character displayed by the "team leaders" and essentially all of the team is what has me appalled and disgusted. Telling your teammate you aren't even allowed to go with your team to the game. You aren't even allowed to sit in the locker room or the bench. I guess that flight home would be a lot of fun too.
To shun a teammate like that in the manner that they did makes me sick. Lilly and Wambach - you should be ashamed of yourselves. Your stock has dropped with me. And if I were Hope Solo - I would have done what everyone probably would think would be considered a poor sport. But I have had my moments in this life where it was me against the world. No one else was standing up for me and I could either let the world shit on me - or I could stand up to injustice. I chose to stand alone on my own and that is what allows me to sleep at night. It allows me to be proud of my strenght for standing up for myself when I truly believe i have been wronged. Don't Tread on Me.
As soon as my team had banished me to the hotel because "I" was the "distraction". I would have booked a plane ticket home on the next available flight. I would have folded and left all of my US Soccer gear in my hotel room. I would have called my agent and had him working on a contract for an initial one year deal in a Sweden or German league. I would have then called my mom and had a really good cry. Followed by a call to my brother. I then would have turned off my phone. My ipod would be turned on as I sat in the airport in China watching the 3rd place match and waiting for my flight. I would have smiled to the people who looked at me and kept giving me their support as they realized who I was. I would have been done playing for my country. Playing for your country is about pride. It isn't about money - it is strictly about pride and passion. I would from that point forward never play for the US WNT again until I had an apology from every one of my teammates and only after the coach had been fired. I would go pursue a professional career of my own liking. I would not have returned calls and emails from my teammates once they realized I left. As soon as I got back to Cali - I would have packed my shit and gone home for a couple weeks to figure out my next steps.
You may think this is bad behavior - well I don't agree with something. A year ago the US MNT team stood up on a marketing campaign for THEIR World Cup of Don't Tread on Me. And here we have an instance of an actual US NT player that was Tread On. And yet she is the asshole here? I don't think so. Hope Solo - I am proud that you stood up for yourself, sad that you got left out in the cold and are an emotional wreck because of all this. I wish you wouldn't have apologized. It's much harder to take a stand against people you care for but who are in the wrong, then to just take the abuse. But in the end I will never let anyone Tread On Me even if I have to take the walk alone.
The US WNT marketing campaign was The Greatest Team You Never Heard Of. Well ladies, you are definitely a team we all have heard of now, and not because you were great - you yourselves proved that you were not the Greatest Team, nor did you act like a team. If your play had been inspiring, most of this would all wash away - but you all let yourselves down on that field and in that locker room regardless of poor coaching. And that is not something to be proud of.
The other day I tried to post on the US WNT Blog. I got censored. They didn't even put up any of my post. I didn't even swear - I simply had a "negative opinion". I was mad and astounded by that. So what did I do? Yes here it comes........I posted on another person's blog who is a media writer for soccer that I know wouldn't censor me and I also realized - I have my own blog that I can write on and tell the world what I think without getting censored. :) Some days I really do love myself. Throughout this process I a liken it to little Suzie playing on her rec team. When they are 8 and little Suzie loses 10-0 we still serve little Suzie her after game snack, give her a hug and a smile and tell her good job and how proud we are of her anyway (even though she got her ass handed to her).
Yes - when I become a parent -- it will be interesting for all to see how I fare. I know this. That concept is not lost on me. Tony will have to reign me back in a bit and he will ultimately be the good dad and I will probably be the mom in little Suzie's rec world that gives her the snack, tells her I love her (cause that is the truth) and then says nothing about her play - unless she did great and the rest of her team sucks. I have a real problem with that whole - lying bit. If Suzie really did suck why should I tell her that she did great and I was proud of her. I would rather say nothing and we all move past it. I digress on fictional Suzie however.....
So with the posting thing I realized something after reading other people's posts. The US WNT blog is very much the parent of little Suzie. We have to say nice things because we can't be afraid to say the truth and hurt some one's feelings. God forbid we tell the truth and someone can't deal with honesty. Staci - I know you are laughing at me right now. But the reality is in this country we have had an amazing personality shift over the last 50 years on how we are and are not supposed to deal with things. With our parents - their generation was hell bent on giving all the love and affection to their children that they ceased to feel having parents from post war eras. Eras where there were less emotional attachments due to the increased mortality rates of young children that we predominantly do not see these days due to advances in modern medicine. And in this age we are all about love and coddling. Which don't get me wrong - i think is a good thing.
And as it relates to this group of US WNT individuals - I find it disgusting that the ideology of team and standing up for one another seems to be a trait that has been lost in this progression of our society. You see it much more prevalent in male teams than female ones. I find the team sports dynamic of boys vs girls to be a fascinating topic seeing as I have competing on both sides of the fence. Boys understand team. They understand a collective unit coming together and standing up for that idea. They understand winning. Women in sports settings are more "me oriented". This group of women athletes are professionals. And yet they act like teenagers. What they should have done was stand up to their coach. Because sometimes that is a good thing. They should have stood behind their #1 keeper and said - this is the wrong thing to do for the team and to win. And last I checked - winning is the only goal of the World Cup. Winning is the only goal for a professional sports team. That's why they are called "professionals". It's what they do. It isn't little Suzie on her rec team that we have to coddle as she grows and matures into a woman. These are athletes that have already taken those many steps. And yet the character displayed by the "team leaders" and essentially all of the team is what has me appalled and disgusted. Telling your teammate you aren't even allowed to go with your team to the game. You aren't even allowed to sit in the locker room or the bench. I guess that flight home would be a lot of fun too.
To shun a teammate like that in the manner that they did makes me sick. Lilly and Wambach - you should be ashamed of yourselves. Your stock has dropped with me. And if I were Hope Solo - I would have done what everyone probably would think would be considered a poor sport. But I have had my moments in this life where it was me against the world. No one else was standing up for me and I could either let the world shit on me - or I could stand up to injustice. I chose to stand alone on my own and that is what allows me to sleep at night. It allows me to be proud of my strenght for standing up for myself when I truly believe i have been wronged. Don't Tread on Me.
As soon as my team had banished me to the hotel because "I" was the "distraction". I would have booked a plane ticket home on the next available flight. I would have folded and left all of my US Soccer gear in my hotel room. I would have called my agent and had him working on a contract for an initial one year deal in a Sweden or German league. I would have then called my mom and had a really good cry. Followed by a call to my brother. I then would have turned off my phone. My ipod would be turned on as I sat in the airport in China watching the 3rd place match and waiting for my flight. I would have smiled to the people who looked at me and kept giving me their support as they realized who I was. I would have been done playing for my country. Playing for your country is about pride. It isn't about money - it is strictly about pride and passion. I would from that point forward never play for the US WNT again until I had an apology from every one of my teammates and only after the coach had been fired. I would go pursue a professional career of my own liking. I would not have returned calls and emails from my teammates once they realized I left. As soon as I got back to Cali - I would have packed my shit and gone home for a couple weeks to figure out my next steps.
You may think this is bad behavior - well I don't agree with something. A year ago the US MNT team stood up on a marketing campaign for THEIR World Cup of Don't Tread on Me. And here we have an instance of an actual US NT player that was Tread On. And yet she is the asshole here? I don't think so. Hope Solo - I am proud that you stood up for yourself, sad that you got left out in the cold and are an emotional wreck because of all this. I wish you wouldn't have apologized. It's much harder to take a stand against people you care for but who are in the wrong, then to just take the abuse. But in the end I will never let anyone Tread On Me even if I have to take the walk alone.
The US WNT marketing campaign was The Greatest Team You Never Heard Of. Well ladies, you are definitely a team we all have heard of now, and not because you were great - you yourselves proved that you were not the Greatest Team, nor did you act like a team. If your play had been inspiring, most of this would all wash away - but you all let yourselves down on that field and in that locker room regardless of poor coaching. And that is not something to be proud of.
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