BIG UPDATE: Warriors, 49ers, Piano + Life

Yes, I realize it's been almost a whole month of no-posting, please forgive me and I promise I can explain! With only 8 weeks - get this, EIGHT - left of the semester (and until I graduate with my Masters) my schedule is bottled up back to back, every day, from literally 8am (sometimes earlier) to about 11pm (often times much, much later).  Between class, rehearsals and work, my "workable hours" every day are covered - but then all the other "un-workable hours" I have to use for paperwork which comes from running your own small business, scheduling, practice, and everything else it takes to live! Though I have many fun things lined up, I had to take a break from regularly scheduled programming to address some big things that have been happening in the world of Bay Area sports:

1.  Warriors trade away MONTA ELLIS, Ekpe Udoh, and Kwame Brown for Andrew Bogut and Stephen Jackson.

Uhh, yeah, you read right.  Stephen Jackson.  I'm sorry but I have to flat out be honest - I would take ANY player in the entire league over Stephen Jackson.  You know the sad sorry chap sitting on the bench that we all wish we didn't have anymore - Andris Beidrins?  Yeah, I'd keep him over Stephen Jackson.  Jackson is a diva, a whiner, a P.I.T.A. (figure out the anagram guys, this blog has to stay S.F.W.) and POISON in the locker room.  I don't care what his stats or figures are or could be, he only ever wants money, and is unhappy everywhere.  Of all people, HE'S coming back to the Bay?! Do the new Warriors front office even remember when Jackson was doing everything he could to get AWAY from here?! And now he's coming back?!?!?! You've got to be kidding me!!!  PLEASE get rid of him before he gets to play a game here.

So that's really the part of the trade that bothers me the most.  Let's work on these issues in order of most to least severe shall we?

Here's the thing that bothers me second most.  Tied for second place:  Is Bogut going to stay healthy long enough to be worth it?  And really, Ekpe Udoh is gone?  Sure Bogut has been having only "freak" incidents, (as opposed to Curry with his perpetual Achilles ankle...) but how many freak incidents can a guy have?  The number one important thing in sports is to stay healthy so we can count on you.  Yeah I know he's a big guy and he can put up stats, but Bogut needs to prove it to me.  As for Udoh, I'm sad we don't get to see him develop more here in the Bay. He was really starting to show his colors, and I was liking it.

Lastly - Monta Ellis.  Don't get me wrong, emotionally this is a total downer for me.  Monta is EASILY my most favorite player on the Warriors team.  I don't own ANY "player" merchandise for the Warriors EXCEPT for Monta Ellis.  As he said in his iconic interview when he was new, "I'm a Warriors, I'll always be a Warriors."  I will wear my Ellis 8 Warriors shirt forever - in my heart, Ellis is a star, and he will always be my favorite Warrior.  I will miss him SORELY and it will be eternally strange seeing him come back with the opposing team.

Now, rationally speaking - I'm actually not entirely bummed about Ellis moving on.  Yes he's amazing, but we know and have always known that he's not enough for this team to be a winning team.  In order to get all the pieces needed, something had to give.  When Ellis spoke after the trade, he also wasn't bummed (the team on the other hand was morose, somber even), and mentioned that he felt it was time to move on.  I'm a little sad Ellis isn't going to a playoff team, for all he's capable of, I feel he truly deserves the recognition and opportunities that would come with belonging to a big team.  But I wish him all the best of course, and will continue to look for him in games.

Right now the team is doomed obviously, and everyone knows it.  Am I sold on the Warriors new front office? No.  They will have a lot of proving to do, and will have to win my trust and respect, and then maybe my love.

2.  49ers Sign Randy Moss to One-Year Contract.

A classmate jokingly asked me today if my Randy Moss Niner Jersey was in the mail and I unflinchingly said, "uhh, no."  My jury is still out on Moss.  I see it going either one of two ways - either next year the niners are a post-season dynamo again and Moss is the #1 Wide Receiver, or Moss is poisonous to the chemistry and dynamic of this team and he's out before regular season ends.  I actually don't really want either to happen, but I think one of them will, and though I unfortunately am leaning more towards the latter of the two, I hope that Harbaugh and the team saw something real and that Moss will pull through and learn to be a team player (ha) for the Niners.  (Plus he's old....sports is one field where you definitely DON'T get better with age.)


Well, that's my two cents on what's new around the bay, it's back to practice for me, and then later, more work documents to handle.

Be back soon!

Be Brave, Little One :)

This was a favorite of mine growing up, but its value has increased beyond measure as an adult.

A glimpse of spring...

So far I have to say that this year has been pretty great.  I started it off wonderfully with what was probably the most inspiring trip of my life thus far,  but besides that I'm not sure if the glow I see everything with now really exists, or whether it's just a change in my perspective.  More on that at a later time, perhaps.

(The only bump I've had in this beautiful year has been my beloved 49ers fumbling away a Super Bowl, which surprisingly has rocked my world almost as much as a break-up would I imagine.  I suppose the only thing that will take my mind off it until football returns is Buster Posey being back on the mound.  I couldn't imagine a more perfect rebound.)

Over this past weekend the sun came out full force and bumped up the temperature into the upper 60's.  With no clouds and no breeze, it felt entirely like spring had arrived!  Knowing that in true California fashion it would be short lived, on Friday I lived it up and got some ice cream at...

Smitten Ice Cream

432 Octavia (@Linden)

San Francisco, CA 94102

I ordered chocolate...

and it was sooooo incredibly creamy and rich.  *Almost* too much for me.  Next time I will try vanilla!

What's cool is that they don't make it until you order it, and you get to see the whole process.

It's hard to look at this and think that it's January here.

Beautiful day, beautiful city!

Speaking of beautiful city, I snapped this from my practice room window sometime last week as the sun was going down.  Gorgeous.  Just, gorgeous.

Post-Championship Sunday: Big Kids Can Cry Too

So it’s a bitter end to a sweet season.  Words can’t really describe how I feel right now, but the fact that I’m still up at 2:00am writing this would probably sum it up.  Are there good memories? Plenty.  Is there disappointment? Plenty.

I saw a tweet earlier from a fan saying that this game was like a haunting flashback to the January 20, 1991 NFC Championship Game at Candlestick against the Giants.  Noted, the similarities are uncanny.  The Niners had won against the Giants in the regular season, but a fumble by RB Roger Craig late in the 4^th led to a field goal from the Giants and a win by 2.  This fan then noted that the only difference was, in 1991 he was 8, and he cried.  Tonight he didn’t.

Well, while tears may not have been streaming down my face- at the risk of sounding melodramatic, I definitely cried a little on the inside, and I think it’s safe to say there are many Faithful who share my sentiment on this cold and wet January night.  To come so close, to almost be able to taste it, then have it all washed away with the rain. 

This season has certainly been defining for this team, and while tonight’s heart-wrenching loss will sting for a time, it doesn’t change what Coach Harbaugh has done for this team, and for the fans.  He’s definitely changed the tides around here, and this looks to be a promising return of The Dynasty. 

And as for tonight’s game…it’s easy to pick a hero and a villain.  In fact, it’s almost impossible for human nature to not automatically do so.  Tonight’s hero?  Probably Vernon Davis.  Tonight’s “villain”?  Without a doubt, Kyle Williams. 

Despite the bf disagreeing with me (we disagree on a few things about the Niners, Ginn and Smith two examples!) I’ve always stood by my case and loved Ted Ginn Jr. and the unique addition he brings to our special teams unit, but tonight, anyone who ever doubted what he did for the Niners -and made look so easy at that- had to mince their words. 

That’s fine and all, but it’s simply incorrect to place the entire weight of the loss on Kyle Williams’ shoulders.  Yes, he ran towards the ball (twice), it bounced off his knee, and he forgot that on slow-mo, magnified replay from a million different angles there would have been no way to deny that one. So he tried to get away with pretending like it didn’t happen.  Didn’t work.  Giants score a TD on what is essentially a turnover and with great field position at that.  Minus one, Kyle Williams.

Then in OT, he runs towards the ball, bobbles it, and loses it, leading to yet another turnover, and a Giants field goal that ended the game.  Minus two, Kyle Williams.

But what about ALL the plays on offense that just didn’t happen tonight?! 0 for 13 on 3^rd downs?  The fact that it felt at times like we had no receivers on the field?! Oh, and that one horrific “forward progress” call that essentially could have and should have been yet another turnover?! 

Sure maybe Kyle Williams didn’t bring it all the times he needed to tonight (and it’s true, in a championship game there is no room for error – not one, and certainly not two), but if we’re to be honest moving forward, many aspects of good game play from the 49ers simply wasn’t there.  Defense was pretty much the only third of the team that played consistently tonight.  Cold hard truth: 1/3 of a team isn’t enough to win a championship.

Point is, does it help any to hate on Kyle Williams? (or Alex Smith for that matter, who just a few short months ago stood in the very shoes Williams wears now) No.  Williams is getting bombarded on twitter by death threats and verbal assaults, racial slurs, things that include “You, your wife, and your kids should all die because that’s what you deserve.”  Who would write something like that? Those are the “fans” who shoot people after games, and who ruin it for the rest of us. These “fans” really have something to learn from the rest of the 49ers, who really are doing a good job keeping it together.  Hey everyone, remember when you hated Singletary for always airing his dirty laundry in public, on national tv? This is the exact same thing you’re doing when you attack Kyle Williams.

I even have to give props to Tynes, who – in the heat of the moment, right after his field goal won the game for his team – kept his head enough to remember to be classy and acknowledge that the 49ers are a great team and put up a great fight. (He said something to the effect of, the fact that we just won it by a field goal about 10 minutes into OT says a lot...which is true.)

I like classy things, classy people, and classy behavior.  Keep it classy, San Francisco.  We still love the 49ers, we love Coach Harbaugh, and we aren’t called the Niner Faithful for nothing.  As Harbaugh said to Williams post game, “Keep your head up.”  Rock that red and gold all summer long.  Be proud to let your colors shine. Keep your blood gold.  And after having all the time off to work and improve on what has honestly been an incredible season, let’s bring it all back for an even better run next year.  Call me a glass half-full person, but I believe it, and I stick to my guns—and my team.

(image (C) Yahoo Sports)

Who’s got it better than us?!  Noooooobody. ♥

HAPPY CHAMPIONSHIP SUNDAY!!!!

GO 49ers!!!!!!!

To celebrate, here's a sampling of how I've been showing my Niner Pride during post-season...

It's really difficult to pick a "favorite" player for me...I feel like it'd be being unfair to the others! Every Niner is a hero in his own way, and absolutely crucial for total success of the team.  But I love Frank Gore because he truly LIVES the game, on and off the field.  (Post on how much I love intensity coming after all the football stuff)  Also holds the record for most number of rushing yards in franchise history!! That's pretty darn special.

I rock my jersey on the Bart... Yay Bay Area!

::Red&Gold Nails::My beloved beanie::

::Niner gear at school::Niner gear everywhere!!::

Even when it's super cold wet and rainy, it's okay to be bundled up and warm but make sure to still let your red and gold shine!!

Sometimes I need to dress nicely and jerseys and t-shirts just won't cut it...but I still make sure to deck out in red & gold of course!!

And finally, this is a shot I took of everything I brought with me on my recent trip to New York.  It was a short trip but I made sure to wear my Victoria's Secret Pink 49ers shirt, Adapt 49ers shirt, and of course my 49ers beanie!!

  SF>NY!!!

Niners Forever!

Who's Got it Better Than Us?? NOOOOOOBODY!!!!

So, my year has gotten off to a fabulous start, and it is every bit as wonderful as I had hoped and planned that it would be!  I just have a feeling about 2012...it's going to be amazing, it will be everything that 2011 wasn't.

I'm back, and school is starting again next week - my last semester! I can't wait to grind and get some serious stuff done.

I'm still having health issues, but thankfully I've started treatment on it, so it's helpful to know that it's not just sitting there, but we're actually starting to make progress.  (Though it will be a long and slow road.)  As a minor issue, I'm also battling what I thought was a cold but now has turned more into a flu, but it wasn't enough to stop me from going to the 49ers NFC PLAYOFF GAME on Saturday!!!!!

And BOY WAS IT A GAME!!  Deemed an Instant Classic, the return of The Dynasty, and name suggestions are pouring in for that last Vernon Davis touchdown that gave the niners a 4 point lead with 9 seconds remaining.  Alex Smith was CLUTCH today, and though initially I was worried about our offense, all three parts of the team brought it today for a game-winning recipe!

Thanks to Mr. S for sponsoring my wildly incredible seat location as well... it was crazy being there - I kept having to remind myself that everything was real, that those shiny gold helmets dancing around on the field were real, that I was watching history in the making!  It was LOUD in the stick today, and the Niner Faithful sent the Saints marching down back home to New Orleans.

Definitely one of the most awesome things I've ever done in my life!  I could write three pages, but words really cannot describe!

Here are some pictures...

Yes, our seats WERE that amazing. 

Look at the beautiful glow! The weather was perfect, everything was perfect.  as Kanye would say...and the weather so breezy, man why can't life always be this easy :)

This is my favorite part of watching the niners play.  It's no secret that I am completely IN LOVE with our special teams, and it doesn't help that they rock it out to Future's Tony Montana before every kickoff! Swag baby swag!

Ahhh yes ♥

I will be faithfully rocking my Niner Faithful Gear all week long, in anticipation for Sunday's NFC Champtionship showdown where we will host the NY Giants at Candlestick!! Let's go Niners!! FTW!! WHO'S GOT IT BETTER THAN US?!  NOOOOOOOOBODY!!!!

Come Ye, Come Ye, 2012!!

Wow...I have really fallen off the blogosphere!

Beginning at the end of November I was hit with an extremely painful and unexpected health condition, and it affects every minute of my every day life to the greatest extent.  Hence, I never got around to "Thanksgiving Part 2" or much that came after.  So now, we are on the verge of 2012....

...and I, for one, CAN NOT WAIT.  2012 will bring some big changes to my life and I am ready to welcome them with open arms.

I don't like to set resolutions, I like to set goals.  For me, a resolution just implies something you resolve to do, but it doesn't infer anything at all about the process.  A goal is something that you need to actively work towards, and that is where the real joy comes from.  When you've worked hard at something and achieved your goal, that feeling is unbeatable.

My goals for 2012 are simple:

#1.  BE HEALTHY.  For me, right now, the first step to this is simply to recover.  In 2011 I've had two major health ailments that were both unexpected, could not have been prepared for or prevented, and they've taken a big toll on my body.  I would like to recover.  Then, I would like to maintain a measure of good health.  This means, eating the right things to keep my body happy and strong, as well as exercising regularly.  I have my eye on a program that I would like to join the second half of 2012 - it should be a fun exercise that will also hopefully become a much loved hobby for me.

#2.  BE PRODUCTIVE.  As opposed to being busy.  This is something I've always struggled with.  True, I get a lot accomplished just about every day, but my days really are mostly more busy than productive.  [Refer to the amazing linked post...]  Well, there's a lot I hope to get done in 2012, and I have all the tools needed to get me through.  [Finally converted to an iPhone due to medical purposes, and now am loving this app and this app and this app, and how they help me get through my day-to-day.]  I have three scheduled trips [NY, Maine, and China], I am finishing grad school, and I look forward to further developing my small business.  In order to have a successful year and hopefully look back at the end of 2012 and see much progress, I will need to learn to be productive, 24/7.

#3.  SIMPLIFY.  This will help in both being healthy, and being productive.  I've come to face the brutal truth that I simply have  Too.  Much.  Junk.  I hold on to things for sentimental value, and will do things like, buy another plain white t-shirt even though I already have 4 because, well, you just can't have too many white t's right?! Wrong.  Having too much stuff is a constant distraction, and it also slows you down both physically and mentally.  Besides getting rid of much of my non-essential objects, I also plan on being a much savvier shopper, streamlining my wardrobe, and creating a clean and healthy work environment - both room and studio.

Well, that's that!  I'll be away the first week of January but hope to be back with some great posts and updates.

Hope you all stay happy and healthy into the new year and that 2012 brings much positive change into your lives!

[image via sillygrrl.com, a favorite blog where I constantly find inspiration]