basketball – The Good Stuff

So There’s That Vol. 15

April 28, 2016April 29, 2016 Amanda

{Sort of like a “Friday Five” or a “Life Lately” except it’s probably not Friday, and I gave up on the idea of a catchy alliteration. These are some bits and pieces of my glam #postgradlife. See past posts HERE}

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1. Hokie Country

Man, I am tired.
I was planning on getting this “So There’s That” out LAST Friday before my weekend started, but here I am on the following Thursday and struggling to wrap it up.
This past weekend I road tripped down to Blacksburg, VA, home to Virginia Tech, to visit my good friend Chelsea.
Chelsea and I lived together at Smurthwaite Scholarship House for two years at K-State and she was my “big sis” in the house. I have always felt so lucky because while some big and little sis pairs do not really connect, mine has turned into a life long friend. Chelsea is a PhD student and invited me and Katie, another K-State friend who lives in Baltimore, to come down for the spring football game. It was a FULL weekend, complete with girl talk, tailgating, complaining about undergrads, crab ragoons, watching an entire season of Archer and a REALLY bad sunburn for me.

katie and chelsea — Katie, Chelsea and me.

2. Proud Big Sister

Note to self, wathcing live golf scoring on a computer is almost just as nerve wracking as watching a live, fast-paced sport.

Last week my sister, a senior playing golf for the Lewis-Clark State Warriors, played in the Frontier Conference Championship. Although her team did win the regular season championship, they still had to win the tournament in order to go to nationals in Georgia (which I would to traveled to). Unfortunately they came up a little short and placed second. But I am still so proud of Janci. She attacked this season with hard work, commitment and a good attitude. I know she was pretty sad to have played her last tourney as a student-athlete, but I know she is so thankful that she pushed herself to that level.

And she didn’t lose by any means. She was an 2nd Team All-Conference player, a Academic All-Conference student-athlete and at the tournament she was recognized with the Champion of Character Award for the season.

My family cheering her on in Arizona. Really wish I could have been there.

3. Welcome to the World Robin Michelle!

One of my best friends and freshman roommate, Leah finally welcomed her little beautiful little girl into the world on April 4! I am so excited for her and Ryan, and can not wait to hold her when I visit Kansas at the end of May!

4. #WorkLife

I am always so excited and a bit relieved when I project that I put a lot of thought and hard work into turns out how I envisioned it. Two of the overseas offices for the organization that I work for are celebrating 50 and 50 years this year and these two commemorative programs were used at the celebrations that took place earlier this month.

5. Lip Sync Battle with Melissa McCarthy

In my next life, Melissa and I are going to be BEST FRIENDS.
I have been a super fan since her early days on my all-time favorite show Gilmore Girls and it has been fun to see her career take off. Her recent Lip Sync Battle with Jimmy Fallon officially replaces this one with Joseph Gordon Levitt as my FAVORITE.

6. Gilmore Girls Retro Poster

Speaking of Gilmore Girls, I am REALLY trying to convince myself that I do NOT need to buy this retro fan art for my new apartment. I am trying to downsize and simplify… but the jury is still out on this and the other two posters I stumbled upon on Etsy.

7. Bye Marilyn

Sometimes you just have to let go.
When I was maybe 15 or 16 my Aunt Michelle was recorating her living room and let me have this huge canvas of Marilyn Monroe. For whatever reason I always loved this picture, and so it hung in my room through high school and once I moved out of the scholarship house at K-State, Marilyn made her way across the country to become a part of our random college decor. My roommates pretty much hated her, saying that she was creepy. But over time she became the best conversation starter and a bit of a roommate joke (hence why we referred to the picture as another person and not an object.) When I moved to DC I did not really have room for her so she went into storage underneath my bed. I am getting ready to move again to a new apartment next month and decided that it was probably time to retire her.

8. Alex’s Snapchat

This should not be THAT funny.
But it was enough for me to screen shot it and send it to 5 other people.
Someone in grad school has way too much time on their hands…
#easilyamused

9. Disney Princesses Singing in Their Native Languages

Guys, maybe it is just because I grew up on most of these movies, but these videos are seriously really cool! I knew what countries quite a few of them were based in, but others were a bit of a surprise. Ariel in The Little Mermaid is Danish? Who knew!

10. Drink The District

A couple of weeks ago one of my new DC friends Elissa joined me, my co-worker and his group for a fun afternoon at Drink the District, a beer and wine festival.
Despite the chilly temps in April (love my new beanie!) fun was definitely had.
Lots of fun.

11. Carpool Karaoke

I’ve explained my love for James Corden before…

And now I am officially obsessed with his Carpool Karaoke segments. My favorites include Adele, Sia and both of the Biebs (#noshame). This link below features and ranks each of the guests that have participated so far:

https://www.thrillist.com/entertainment/nation/james-corden-carpool-karaoke-clips-ranking?ref=twitter-869

Yo James, when you are ready I have a list of requests for you to consider.

12. Word Love

Quotes that I have saved to my phone lately.

13. America Survives

I refuse to talk about the elections on my blog or social media. There are already enough people blabbing on and on about it. But regardless of who you are backing, you have to admit that this is at least a little amusing.

14. 50 Design Terms Explained Simply for Non-Designers

This is a great resource regardless of your level of expertise in design.
Read HERE.

15. On the Road with Wheat Foods Council

http://www.ontheroadwithwheatfoods.com/

This is fun way to learn about wheat foods in the United States!

16. Fire Away

Seriously. Though. Put. This. On. Repeat.
Of course I also loved his performance with his wife at the ACM Awards.

17. Prairie Star Tournament Champion

My office takes the Men’s NCAA March Madness tournament serious and yours truly ran away with the win. Thanks for the loss Michigan State.

18. Perspective

Source: Kansas Wheat

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So, There’s That.

Cheers!

Family

Get It? Got It… Good.

March 30, 2016March 30, 2016 Amanda

I meant to write this post a few weeks ago, but it got away from me and so I thought I would save it for today.

Yesterday was my Grampy’s birthday, but this post is about so much more than that.

10304343_10152455962286224_3941349490687158181_n — Photo by Josh Ego.

I was talking about March Madness the other day with someone, and after a few of my comments they said, “Wow, you know a lot about basketball, and love sports. What did you play?”

I responded, and then followed by saying, “But I never was very talented, so that’s not really where the love comes from.”

———-

My Grampy is truly one of a kind.
He’s witty, ornery and loves to push everyone’s buttons.
Last year when I moved to D.C., my grandparents flew to Kansas to help me pack up and drive my car and the U-Haul. Obviously I was pretty stressed about the quick move, and we hadn’t even left Kansas before my Mom called to ask how I was handling my Grampy…
I’m pretty sure I had at least three things to roll my eyes at and rant to her about.
But he also gives us quite a bit to laugh at.
We’re talking about a guy who has ran out of gas and been stranded more times than anyone in our family cares to count, and has knack for accidentally leaving and losing spendy items in public places.

But for as ornery as he is, my Grampy is also thoughtful and kind. When my mom was little, my grandparents were in charge a girls group home for a while, and over the years I have seen that kindness extended to so many people. He’s always there to help in any way he can.

33799_1563718888296_1143896_n — Photo by Shannon Boettcher, Fotonovella

My Grampy is adventurous and is always on the go.
He served in the army and is a world traveler.
When he was finishing up his degree after they had moved from Portland to Hermiston, he would hitch hike up and down the Gorge to attend class.
For many years he and my Grammy were known for their beautiful yard and rose garden, a labor of love that filled up the summer months between his job as a counselor and then high school principal. That focus eventually transferred to the family flower shop business after he retired from education, and now it has shifted to the family cabin. He can’t sit still, and has more energy than anyone I know.

———-

But what do any of these things have to do with sports?

Everything.

My Grampy grew up playing sports and has done some radio announcing for a variety of high sports over the years. Early on he coached high school boys’ basketball in Portland, before moving to Hermiston and becoming the head coach for many years. I know that he also spent time coaching youth teams that traveled overseas and assisted in other high school sports, like baseball. Then this past season, my Grampy had the unique opportunity to step back on the court as the head coach of the boys’ basketball team at Hermiston High School, for an interim season.

That influence sifted down to my uncles Jay and Josh, who were both college athletes and then became high school coaches in their respective sports, girls’ basketball and cross country.

But for my Grampy, I know that it has never the actual sport itself.
It’s about what sports can mean for people.

It is about practicing and teaching discipline, commitment and hard work. In a lot of small towns sports are often the key to keeping kids out of trouble and a stepping stone for them to see their potential to apply themselves. He wholeheartedly believes in the value of investing time and heart into students. I have always heard so many stories about his coaching days, and am so thankful that I was able to see that part of him come alive again for these kids.

(This post title comes from the question and response that he ends each huddle with.)

It is about chasing the science — studying the game and strengthening your sports IQ. Growing up, he called the high school football and basketball games on the local radio for a few years, and I loved to take stats for him because his live analysis and color comments helped me better understand the mechanics of the game. There is a thrill in the chase, countering strategy and risk, and the feeling of pay off when you succeed. My Grampy would tell you that you do not have to be into sports to understand that feeling, just replace sports with something that you are really passionate about, to fill your life with things that you make feel alive and that are worth chasing.

But most of all, it is about family and community.
Between my sister and me, we played quite a few different sports growing up, and our Grampy was always there to cheer us on and prepared to tell us afterward what we could do to improve next time. Even at our dance performances, he wanted to know the ins and outs of how everything worked. When my Uncle Josh stopped playing basketball in high school to focus on cross country and long distance track, something he continued into college, that became my Grampy’s new focus and he would run back and forth across the course shouting times. Similarly, when my Uncle Jay became a head basketball coach himself, my Grampy traveled to so many of his games that he might as well of become a (not so silent) extra coach in the stands. And of course, that support and interest extended past our family to our friends growing up.

I have always known that it is about investing time and finding things that he could do with us. Ever since my sister started taking golf seriously (she is finishing up her senior year at Lewis Clark State College), he was there every step of the way in whatever way she needed him. Because of that, they have played some awesome courses together and even attended the U.S. Open. For me, the past few years have been all about K-State sports for us. When I became a student at Kansas State University, he almost instantly became fan, taking the time to learn about its history and studying up on player’s stats, new recruits and more. He bought my season football and basketball passes each year so that I was always able to go and my friends knew that he was the only person that I would take the time to text while the games were still going on, or he was going to ask for a full summary afterward. Even with me being a news junkie, he would often find out about news before I did. Some of my favorite memories will always be the two football games he came to in Manhattan and going to watch K-State play Oregon in the Fiesta Bowl.

gramps — At the K-State vs. Miami game in 2012.

Grampy and I at the Auburn game. — Grampy and I at the K-State vs. Auburn game in 2013.

10802023_10203303533564503_4968908252865626860_n — Grampy and I at the K-State vs. Auburn game in 2013.

1797495_10202741651454707_2018484053_n — Grampy golfing with my sister Janci in Cabo in 2012.

301148_3852757472830_241472685_n — With Grampy, Mom and Dad at the K-State vs. Miami game in 2012.

537768_4349246444744_1628941756_n — With Janci, Grammy and Grampy at the Fiesta Bowl watching K-State play Oregon in 2013.

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I love sports because of how much I love my Grampy, and the memories and things I have learned about other things in life because of his own love for sports.

I know this was a long post, but when I lay it all out like this I hope you can see what special guy he is. He truly embodies the phrase, “for the love of the game,” in every way.

Happy Birthday old man!
And let me casually brag that my bracket definitely outdid yours this year.

Love,
Mandy

With my grandparents at my high school graduation in 2009.

With my grandparents at my college graduation in2013.

Family, Oregon

A Christmas Rewind.

January 3, 2016February 26, 2016 Amanda

Over the holidays I decided to step away from sharing on my blog and enjoy the vacation time I had at home in Oregon with my family. But before we got to far into the New Year I wanted to make sure that I documented and shared a bit about my trip home. This post will probably be pretty dull if you don’t know me or really care, just FYI 🙂

This year, I learned that cross country flights during the holidays need to be bought REALLY EARLY. Fortunately, my family was able to make it work for me to fly into Portland instead of Pasco, which helped cut down the costs. I flew into Portland the Friday before Christmas and was picked up by my Grammy. My Grampy is the interim head basketball coach at Hermiston High and they just happened to have a tournament in Portland that weekend. So my Grammy and I spent the afternoon together, getting lunch downtown with my Uncle Jay and walking around Powell’s book store. Powell’s has multiple floors, covering an entire city block and is an iconic part of Portland. My Grammy is a big reader like me — we are always sharing suggestions back and forth — so it was really fun to spend that time with her discussing books, authors and exploring Powell’s. That evening we went to the basketball game, where I freaked out just a little when I realized I had babysat a few of the players — it’s guess its easy to forget that little kids can grow up quite a bit in 6 to 7 years. After the game we made the late night 2.5 hour trip home to Hermiston.

As always my time at home was really busy and packed full of my favorite people. My Dad had his knee replaced at the beginning of December and was still limited in what he could and how much he could be out and about, so I spent a lot of time at home with him, taking him to PT and on a few outings, which always was a bit entertaining. It also meant that his truck was all mine for the week 🙂 I hung out at the flower shop and tried to stay out of the way (mostly), spent a few evenings catching up with my girlfriends and spent an afternoon shopping and catching up just with my sister. Josh and Sonia, my uncle and his fiance, just built a house and were just given the keys at the beginning of the week, so the rest of my week was spent helping them get everything moved in (or visiting while they worked) so that we could celebrate Christmas in their place. We did take a break though to watch the new Star Wars movie. Growing up, Josh babysat my sister and I in the summers and to say that we watched a lot of Star Wars is putting it lightly. I had texted Josh weeks before telling him that he better wait for me to go it, and I think we all but embarrassed Sonia by how excited we were.

This is also where I should probably add the only really bad part about my vacation. To go into details about HOW, its easier to describe using my hands, but the story is that I burned the outside of my right hand pretty bad with the curling iron wand. The area is about the size of a half dollar coin and well friends, IT REALLY FREAKING HURT. The first day it took me about 5 hours before I could stand to take it off the ice pack and I cried again the first time we put Neosporin on it, which is a bit out of character for me. It’s healing pretty well now, (evident by the insane itch) and going to leave me with a pretty good scar, which just aren’t nearly as cool as they were when I was a kid.

Christmas was laid back and wonderful. It was fun to celebrate in a new place, and their home is really beautiful! We ate my Dad, Grammy and sister’s delicious food, played a few hysterical rounds of the game HeadBanz and watched the movie Inside Out. The next day I traveled back to Portland with my Uncle Jay and Aunt Michelle, so that I could catch a red eye out of Portland Saturday night. It worked out perfectly though because the Trailblazers were playing the Cavs and my Uncle and I were able sit in my Grampy’s seats and watch the game before I had to go to the airport. I don’t really like Lebron James, but I still wanted to see him play in person. The Blazers had a HUGE game though, and James underwhelmed.

This was the first red eye that I ever took, and if you asked me how it was just based on the first flight I would have said it was great! I got a row to myself and was actually able to sleep the whole time. My connection in Minneapolis went fine and I thought from there it would be smooth sailing and I would be home and crawling into my bed for a long nap before noon eastern time. Long story short, that didn’t happen. Morning fog in D.C. didn’t allow us to land and after an extra hour in the air they diverted us to Baltimore and after MANY setbacks I was finally on a shuttle bus to D.C. and home before 5 pm.

My Christmas vacation was filled with fun and love, and I am always so thankful that I continue to get to be home with my family and that we can spend it all together.

Cheers!

So There's That Series

So There’s That Vol. 12

September 22, 2015September 22, 2015 Amanda

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1. One Day at a Time

The last two week’s since I returned home from Guatemala have been pretty stressful at work. Everything turned out great, they were just a bit stressful…
I was humored that the next page on my quote book knew exactly how I was feeling.

2. Happy 25th Birthday Megan

“Maybe our girlfriends are our soul mates and guys are just people to have fun with.”
– Carrie Bradshaw

From age 18 to 25, we’ve been asking ourselves lately “how did we get here?” Not sure that there’s an actual answer to that, but I know it involves a lot of cheesy memories.

3. Wheel of Musical Impressions

So I’m not really an Ariana Grande fan, but seriously, I have to admit that her musical impressions were really impressive, and funny.

4. T-Swift Love

Tonight my bestie Megan is going to the Taylor Swift concert in Kansas City with tickets that she won on the radio! The grand plan was that I was going to fly there and go with her. Unfortunately it didn’t work out, (but I am going to visit Kansas for a three-day weekend in October!) Over the last few months I have become a little obsessed with all of the guests that she continues to feature at each of her stops, and I can wait to hear about who shows up at this show!

The Complete Guide to All the Famous People Who Showed Up on Taylor Swift’s 1989 World Tour
(with Videos)

5. Curly Hair Problems

15 Things Girls Say When Their Hair Just Won’t Cooperate

#storyofmylife
#seriouslythough

6. K-State Football

People, college football is BACK!

So there is this…

…and then there is this guy.

7. Coach Ego

Hermiston hires Ego as interim boys basketball coach

Almost everything that I love about sports and particularly the game of basketball is because of my Grampy. No matter what it was that my sister and I were involved in from basketball, soccer, cross country and golf to even dance team and FFA, he always played the role of coach and cheerleader, investing in us the best way he could to make sure that we came …out on the other side as better people. When I decided to go to college at K-State he immediately became a Wildcats fan, learning stats and hearing big news even before I would hear it on campus. People usually knew that he was the only person whose texts I would respond to during games. Even living so far away from home it allowed us to remain close and share something we both loved. On the outside he’s super passionate about sports, and while I’m very excited to finally see him in the coach’s seat, its not really about that. My Grampy taught us that sports are about investing in other people and challenging yourself. They are about hard work, discipline and committing yourself to something you love.

These kids really don’t know what they are in for this season. I love you Gramps! I can’t wait to discuss your team for a change!

8. Ready for Fall

It’s slowly starting to feel like fall in D.C. and I am loving this candle that I picked up at Target. It has three layers: pumpkin nutmeg, bonfire nights and vanilla dolce. So far I’m loving it.

9. Basic

Just humor me, and take the quiz. I promise a good laugh.
You know you want to.

Quiz: How Basic Are You Really?

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So, There’s That.
Cheers!

Thoughts and Lessons Learned

The Good Stuff: Winter

December 8, 2014September 12, 2017 Amanda

To really know me, is to know that I hate winter.
Really “hate” isn’t even a harsh enough word.
I loathe, detest, despise, abhor and execrate it.

Yeah, I went there.

Sure, I might be a bit overdramatic, but at least you’re starting to get the picture
Sometimes I think it’s just because I love the other three seasons so much more, but alas, its not that simple.

I hate being cold, anything peppermint is gross and I’d rather dropkick the chipmunks than listen to them sing. I could write a whole other post just on the reasons that hate the snow, the static air drives me loony and I have this weird complex with cheesy Christmas anything. I don’t even have snow days and a true winter break to look forward too. And did I mention that I hate being cold?

Honestly, the list kind of drags on (as I’m already doing.) So if you still happen to be reading, I would like to share the things that I DO like about wintertime.
After all, that is what the title of this blog is all about.
And two months from now, being able to come back and read this list just might keep me warm enough to get me through until spring.

The Good Stuff about winter…

Wearing scarves. Starbucks #RedCupSeason Holiday Drinks. Giving presents. The smell of spices and evergreen. Basketball season. Getting cozy after being outside in the cold. Rich jewel tones. Christmas lights (NOT over done.) My Christmas traditions with Kayla and Richole. Sour dough cinnamon rolls on Christmas morning. Wrapping gifts with my mom. Fireplaces.

Irving Berlin’s movie “White Christmas”

Any Christmas music sung by Bing, Dean, Nat and Frank. They’re the exception to every terrible thing I have to say about Christmas music. And George Strait’s “Christmas Cookies.” Don’t ask me why I like it, I won’t be able to explain.

Snow…in the mountains. Or for the first five minutes, when it’s sparkly and I haven’t been out it in yet.

Making cookies with my Aunt Diane. Disney’s “Frozen”. Festival of Trees. The Christmas morning pact that I have with my sister. The yearly banter between my parents about getting the decoration out and putting them away. Celebrating a new year. Winter sunrises. Gingerbread houses. Hooded sweatshirts. Vacations to warm weather destinations (can I go back to Cabo please?)

My mom’s western Christmas decorations

The bustle of the flower shop. Egg nog. A child’s excitement. Bath & Body Works Vanilla Bean Noel. Receiving Christmas card and annual letters. My Carhartt jacket. When the tree is the only light in the room. Nativity scenes. Soup. Flannel everything. My sister’s baking. College memories. Chai. Mixed popcorn tins. My uncles’ creative gift wrapping tactics. National Finals Rodeo (I’ll watch it in person someday!)

And quiet, warm moments like this.

What are your favorite things about this time of year?
Hopefully you’re not as much of a Grinch as I am!

Music - What I'm Listening To

Friday Jam Session: March Madness

March 14, 2013December 12, 2014 Amanda

It’s finally here. The time of year when it is both acceptable and expected to watch basketball all day long. It’s time for March Madness.

Holy buckets do I love basketball.

Much to my dismay, I did not turn out to be the greatest athlete, but I did play up through my freshman year of high school and more importantly, I come from a basketball family. Among many players, my dad, grandpa and uncle all were, or still are coaches. I grew up on the sidelines watching my dad play city league and attended practice almost every day when he coached and became his stat book keeper. My grandpa has owned Blazers tickets for years, used to call high school games for the local radio station and expects a routine update and discussion on how our Wildcats are doing. I have learned to love the game inside and out.

Yes, March Madness is upon us. Between questionable refs and what I’m sure must be record for the amount of courts rushed, this sure has been an exciting season of college ball. This week’s jam session is dedicated to music that motivates us, gets up pumped up and reminds me of the hardwood.

More by Usher
This song was released to promote the 2010 NBA All-Star game. The coolest part….besides the fact that Usher and the song are just plain awesome? His dance moves in music video reflect moves on the court. So. cool. You’ll have to go directly to YouTube to watch it though, the settings wouldn’t allow the video to be embedded.

http://youtu.be/ZDzWQALFZKg

Hall of Fame by The Script ft. Will.i.am
Beautiful blend to two very different voices, beautiful piano and beautiful message. Everyone needs a little bit this from time to time. Personally I love the dancer’s story in the music video.

The Fighter by Gym Class Heroes ft. Ryan Tedder
This was one of my musical obsessions of 2012. Yes, basketball is by far my favorite, but I would consider myself an all around sports fan. I love the grit of this song and the story they weaved with U.S. gymnast in the music video gives me chills. Athlete, sports fan or just an average joe, I’d argue that everyone can find a way to connect with this one.

Lose Yourself by Eminem
Go ahead and get your raised eyebrows out of the way. I not so secretly love Eminem and this one takes me back to high school sports. And if you are going to judge me, don’t, and judge my sister instead. She can rap the whole thing. I’m so proud

The Champ by Nelly
This one was original released for college bowl week in 2012 but is featured here in a season highlight for the 2012-2013 K-State men’s team. You can view the original video here. I’ll admit, I have a hard time relating to people who look at sports and just don’t get it. So if I told you that I’ve lost count of how times I have watched this or that I might have teared up a bit, many of you would roll your eyes, but others, regardless of whether or not you are K-State fans, would understand.

Enjoy March Madness everyone! and Go Cats!

Go Cats!