The longer I've had to get accustomed to our new place, the more I'm falling in love with it. It is incredibly beautiful, very comfortable, and small enough to keep focused on things that matter. Like reducing clutter, eliminating excessive storage/hoarding, more efficiency. Appreciating being outdoors again: tea, reading, writing, and sketching on the balcony in the mornings; grilling with company and eating dinner there in the evenings. Walking or (hopefully soon) bicycling to the store, the bank, the beach, downtown. Knowing and enjoying our neighbors. It's a good place to find peace and a little room to breathe.
And even beyond our new home and neighborhood, I'm pretty happy with life right now. I'm excited about getting married, the plans and details that go into it, and continuing to build a life together. I'm building a career working for myself with a great logic-meets-creativity profession. I'm still working in hockey (though it has been nice having a slow summer). I'm working with horses still, and at the Shea Center especially, where it's great to see the small but incredible changes taking place in peoples' lives. And I've been very encouraged to get more involved and to continue growing there. I'm thrilled to be working toward Instructor Certification (though it is yet another thing to do), and excited at the prospect of working a teaching capacity. And it's great to feel like a real part of that community, that family, and to be slowing building great friendships - the type that are deeper than just getting along in a professional capacity.
So I guess the moral of this short story is that I'm happy. Happy with where I am, and with where I'm going. And really, what more can a person really ask for?
Oh! And I just realized it's also my half birthday today!
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Monday, July 19, 2010
Wedding Dresses
Man, it has been an insane last four weeks. We moved for good (we've been taking small truckloads over about four weeks prior) from Aliso to Seal the first weekend, flew to NYC for the next (family time and 4th of July), skipped over to CO mid-week for some wedding details (6 photographers, the florist, the planner/coordinator, attending my best-friend-from-high-school's wedding, meeting the pastor, and fulfilling my annual Renaissance Festival tradition with my friend/bridesmaid Sarah), then coming back to CA and having family (my mom and dad, and Ant's mom and sister) visit for wedding dress shopping this weekend. Whew! That makes me tired just thinking about it. And as much as I like seeing family, constant social interactions really wear on me.
I'm sitting on the balcony now, just trying to steal a few quiet moments to get my head back on straight and think a little. We went dress shopping on Sat (it's now Monday), and I haven't had a moment to think and make any kind of decision. It's been clear there will be no super-emotional "this is THE dress!" moment, but at least we've narrowed down the options a lot. I had reviewed six salons before my family came, and picked my favorite dresses at four of them, leaving 11 options to show everyone else. We now have those 11 down to four final contenders, all drastically different from each other, and all incredibly amazing. So really, it comes down to how I want to look on The Day, and what tone I want to set.
One of the dresses, and I think it's close to off the list at this point, is very soft and romantic—almost airy, but still with enough structure and detail that I like it. It is also the best blend of vintage and contemporary, I think, with some great bead/applique details on the neckline at the one-shoulder strap, and on the opposite hip. It also has some really incredible detail on the train and back that will pull together beautifully in a traditional bustle.
Another somewhat similar (yet drastically different) one is from the same shop. It is a one-shoulder dress, as well, with great vintage-esque details on the neckline at that shoulder and the opposing hip. But this dress is made of charmeuse with a bubble hem, making it more solid (not whispy), but still very light and flowy, and it reflects so much light the whole dress just seems to glow (all the others really sparkle more than glow). This dress is by far the most "glamorous" of them all, and probably one of the top two most dramatic. The one thing I'm a little bummed about is that it's a zippered back, and I've really been loving the corseted ones. I'm kind of wondering if it's something that would be worth altering, or if that's just an insanely ambitious notion I should walk away from right now.
The other most dramatic dress is the closest to a ballgown skirt as I'd ever get, but is very fitted in the bodice down to a drop-waist under the hips. From there it goes into a fairly full but fun skirt with a bunch of pickups (I actually liked them on this dress, but usually don't), and some peek-a-boo lace that almost gives it a vague country-western vibe. This one could be done with or without lace&beaded cap sleeves, depending on the complexity of the veil used.
The last dress also has some great drama, but much more subtly done, and would take the most customizing and alterations (with the exception of putting a corset back in the second dress). It has a lot of beading and lace, with a true A-line waist rather than a drop (marks against, I think - I like the more fitted look), and I'd be able to bring in my dark purple color with a belted sash. Then in the back, it has a corset lace-up, and the sash would tie in a bow and trail almost the full length of the skirt. This dress would also make for the best French bustle (tucked under, giving a peek-a-boo effect), and I LOVE that.
There was also another dress that I could play with the color on, too. It was very similar to the last dress, though with a little more beading and a lot more lace, and the color would stitch in as an empire waist rather than at my "true waist." Everyone else seemed more excited about the other color-added-dress, though, so I'm not sure if this is a contender or not. It really had some phenomenal lacing in the train, though.
So there we have it. Do I want to look dramatic or subtle? Romantic, glam, fun/unique, or ultra elegant? I have no idea, and I'd thought I'd make my decision by today...
I'm sitting on the balcony now, just trying to steal a few quiet moments to get my head back on straight and think a little. We went dress shopping on Sat (it's now Monday), and I haven't had a moment to think and make any kind of decision. It's been clear there will be no super-emotional "this is THE dress!" moment, but at least we've narrowed down the options a lot. I had reviewed six salons before my family came, and picked my favorite dresses at four of them, leaving 11 options to show everyone else. We now have those 11 down to four final contenders, all drastically different from each other, and all incredibly amazing. So really, it comes down to how I want to look on The Day, and what tone I want to set.
*WARNING/SPOILER ALERT: if you are a guy who will attend my wedding, or for whatever reason don't want to know anything about how I'll look on The Day, stop reading now. The rest of this post describes in some detail the dresses I'm still considering for the wedding.*
One of the dresses, and I think it's close to off the list at this point, is very soft and romantic—almost airy, but still with enough structure and detail that I like it. It is also the best blend of vintage and contemporary, I think, with some great bead/applique details on the neckline at the one-shoulder strap, and on the opposite hip. It also has some really incredible detail on the train and back that will pull together beautifully in a traditional bustle.
Another somewhat similar (yet drastically different) one is from the same shop. It is a one-shoulder dress, as well, with great vintage-esque details on the neckline at that shoulder and the opposing hip. But this dress is made of charmeuse with a bubble hem, making it more solid (not whispy), but still very light and flowy, and it reflects so much light the whole dress just seems to glow (all the others really sparkle more than glow). This dress is by far the most "glamorous" of them all, and probably one of the top two most dramatic. The one thing I'm a little bummed about is that it's a zippered back, and I've really been loving the corseted ones. I'm kind of wondering if it's something that would be worth altering, or if that's just an insanely ambitious notion I should walk away from right now.
The other most dramatic dress is the closest to a ballgown skirt as I'd ever get, but is very fitted in the bodice down to a drop-waist under the hips. From there it goes into a fairly full but fun skirt with a bunch of pickups (I actually liked them on this dress, but usually don't), and some peek-a-boo lace that almost gives it a vague country-western vibe. This one could be done with or without lace&beaded cap sleeves, depending on the complexity of the veil used.
The last dress also has some great drama, but much more subtly done, and would take the most customizing and alterations (with the exception of putting a corset back in the second dress). It has a lot of beading and lace, with a true A-line waist rather than a drop (marks against, I think - I like the more fitted look), and I'd be able to bring in my dark purple color with a belted sash. Then in the back, it has a corset lace-up, and the sash would tie in a bow and trail almost the full length of the skirt. This dress would also make for the best French bustle (tucked under, giving a peek-a-boo effect), and I LOVE that.
There was also another dress that I could play with the color on, too. It was very similar to the last dress, though with a little more beading and a lot more lace, and the color would stitch in as an empire waist rather than at my "true waist." Everyone else seemed more excited about the other color-added-dress, though, so I'm not sure if this is a contender or not. It really had some phenomenal lacing in the train, though.
So there we have it. Do I want to look dramatic or subtle? Romantic, glam, fun/unique, or ultra elegant? I have no idea, and I'd thought I'd make my decision by today...
Monday, June 14, 2010
Wedding Planning
It seems I'm doing a fantastic job of staying distracted from work these days, between moving (oh so slowly) up to Seal Beach, wedding planning, and other little details in life. This weekend, however, was a BLAST going out shopping for dresses!
I went with a new friend of mine that I met through Meetup.com (it's a great social website, especially if you're new to an area or trying to extend your social circle), and we stopped in for lunch first at Pomodoro's. I'd done some research on Here Comes The Guide, and found 9 salons in Orange County that looked interesting and were recommended on The Guide. So, I picked 2 that were near each other, we met up for lunch (if you haven't tried Pomodoro's, you should - it was right next to Panera, which was our original plan, but I was feeling a little more adventurous than just going to an old stand-by), and then went shopping!
Our first stop was Ferndale's. Of course, we had a little trouble finding the salon, as this area distinguishes between North and South Tustin Ave, so we were doing circles on the north side trying in vain to find an address that didn't exist. When we finally arrived in their lot, we parked and walked right in through their back door... I would have expected it to be harder to make that mistake than it was. We were met by several confused staffers in the middle of their lunch, none of them looking too pleased to see us, and none really volunteering to help point us in the right direction. Overall, I wasn't terribly impressed with the shop and service - even David's Bridal had more helpful staff, and I would expect a dedicated salon to rank higher than a budget-friendly chain.
Once we'd finally found the correct entry and checked in, we grabbed a few dresses (with unexpectedly little help or direction from our consultant) and headed back to try them on. We worked through several dresses that I liked, but none that were just to die for. The beginning of the appointment went well, but once another appointment arrived, the space got very crowded, very quickly. They only had one room with mirrors, with 3 pedestals and one couch, so any overlapping appointments they had shared the same space. The woman who came in toward the end of my appointment was accompanied by about 6 people, so it became very difficult to have any discussions with my friend or even the consultant. So, we wrapped up pretty quickly and moved on to the next place. In the end, I had 3 'favorites' recorded in their log, but only one I think I'd go back to look at again (I'd rather see if another shop carried the same designer/gown, honestly).
So on to the next salon - Mary Me Bridal! This one I was very excited about visiting, as they had TONS of great pictures of amazing gowns on their site online. We made a short stop at Starbucks first since the first appointment had ended earlier than anticipated, and enjoyed about a half hour to chat about life and dresses before moving on.
When we walked in, the salon was more like I'd expect to see - beautiful cabinets filled with dresses and glittery accessories, and a friendly face behind the desk. After checking in, we were invited to go ahead and look around while they called up our consultant. This woman was absolutely fantastic. She listened to what I was looking for, pulled dresses fitting right within my budget, and was a great help in recommending dresses that pushed the envelope or tried something a little different (which I'd asked for). Whereas the last salon I only tried on about 4 or 5 dresses, we started here with at least 8 and continued on from there. Our consultant was great at helping guide our thoughts and decisions (I have a hard time eliminating dresses because I really do like most that I see), and we worked through some fantastic gowns. She was great at pulling a few accessories and such that helped visualize additions and alterations I want to have done, and really made the whole experience top notch. I left that salon with 4 great dresses I'll be going back to look at again.
So in the end, I have 5 dresses I really like, and I honestly don't feel like I need to look for any more. They essentially fall into 3 basic style categories, with three of the five being very similar in style yet distinct in execution. I'm looking forward to having my mom come out (and hopefully Ant's mom, my bridesmaids, and maybe my grandmas?) to go look at all the dresses again and make a final decision. No beating around the bush... just make a decision and run with it! Looking at dresses and feeling like I've found mine (even if it's somewhere in a list of 5 still), is making this whole getting married thing feel so much more real, and it's exciting!
I went with a new friend of mine that I met through Meetup.com (it's a great social website, especially if you're new to an area or trying to extend your social circle), and we stopped in for lunch first at Pomodoro's. I'd done some research on Here Comes The Guide, and found 9 salons in Orange County that looked interesting and were recommended on The Guide. So, I picked 2 that were near each other, we met up for lunch (if you haven't tried Pomodoro's, you should - it was right next to Panera, which was our original plan, but I was feeling a little more adventurous than just going to an old stand-by), and then went shopping!
Our first stop was Ferndale's. Of course, we had a little trouble finding the salon, as this area distinguishes between North and South Tustin Ave, so we were doing circles on the north side trying in vain to find an address that didn't exist. When we finally arrived in their lot, we parked and walked right in through their back door... I would have expected it to be harder to make that mistake than it was. We were met by several confused staffers in the middle of their lunch, none of them looking too pleased to see us, and none really volunteering to help point us in the right direction. Overall, I wasn't terribly impressed with the shop and service - even David's Bridal had more helpful staff, and I would expect a dedicated salon to rank higher than a budget-friendly chain.
Once we'd finally found the correct entry and checked in, we grabbed a few dresses (with unexpectedly little help or direction from our consultant) and headed back to try them on. We worked through several dresses that I liked, but none that were just to die for. The beginning of the appointment went well, but once another appointment arrived, the space got very crowded, very quickly. They only had one room with mirrors, with 3 pedestals and one couch, so any overlapping appointments they had shared the same space. The woman who came in toward the end of my appointment was accompanied by about 6 people, so it became very difficult to have any discussions with my friend or even the consultant. So, we wrapped up pretty quickly and moved on to the next place. In the end, I had 3 'favorites' recorded in their log, but only one I think I'd go back to look at again (I'd rather see if another shop carried the same designer/gown, honestly).
So on to the next salon - Mary Me Bridal! This one I was very excited about visiting, as they had TONS of great pictures of amazing gowns on their site online. We made a short stop at Starbucks first since the first appointment had ended earlier than anticipated, and enjoyed about a half hour to chat about life and dresses before moving on.
When we walked in, the salon was more like I'd expect to see - beautiful cabinets filled with dresses and glittery accessories, and a friendly face behind the desk. After checking in, we were invited to go ahead and look around while they called up our consultant. This woman was absolutely fantastic. She listened to what I was looking for, pulled dresses fitting right within my budget, and was a great help in recommending dresses that pushed the envelope or tried something a little different (which I'd asked for). Whereas the last salon I only tried on about 4 or 5 dresses, we started here with at least 8 and continued on from there. Our consultant was great at helping guide our thoughts and decisions (I have a hard time eliminating dresses because I really do like most that I see), and we worked through some fantastic gowns. She was great at pulling a few accessories and such that helped visualize additions and alterations I want to have done, and really made the whole experience top notch. I left that salon with 4 great dresses I'll be going back to look at again.
So in the end, I have 5 dresses I really like, and I honestly don't feel like I need to look for any more. They essentially fall into 3 basic style categories, with three of the five being very similar in style yet distinct in execution. I'm looking forward to having my mom come out (and hopefully Ant's mom, my bridesmaids, and maybe my grandmas?) to go look at all the dresses again and make a final decision. No beating around the bush... just make a decision and run with it! Looking at dresses and feeling like I've found mine (even if it's somewhere in a list of 5 still), is making this whole getting married thing feel so much more real, and it's exciting!
Monday, May 24, 2010
Major Life Changes
It's pretty much accepted that the time after graduating college is pretty much guaranteed to be full of big life changes. What I'd never really considered, though, is how much the life changes of those around me whom I'm close to and care greatly for can be almost as effective as my own personal adjustments (or am I just displaying my emotional hypersensitivity here?). Well, this last year and the one ahead (and I'm sure a few more even beyond that) are very much filled with change. Exciting changes, to be sure, but some scary ones, as well.
Just last weekend, my big brother took vows to love and cherish an incredible young woman for the rest of his life, and took her into his home, quite a distance from her family, friends, and everything familiar, promising to love and care for her there. I was so happy to be able to take 5 days and spend it with our combined families, enjoying an extended celebration with them in Nebraska. But it really is incredible to see how much change really takes place from an outside, yet still very close, perspective. I've grown very close to his wife over the past year (I met her a year ago now, almost to the day), and even closer to him over the last several months as well (we'll chalk that one up to both of our growing maturity and the realization of 'the real world' as we both left school). I've had the great pleasure of designing both the invitations and the programs for their wedding, so I've had ample opportunity to hear from both of them about the whole planning process and big deal of getting married. And, can you believe it, now that their wedding is over, it's time to actually buckle down and start planning my own. But that significant change in their lives feels like it's had a large impact on my own life, too, whether that's realistic or not.
But speaking of major changes in my own life, I've now been in California for almost a year (about 10 months I think), and it's already time to move. A little unexpected, but Anthony's had a great opportunity to change jobs to one that matches his interests even better than his last - he's now working for SpaceX, an independently funded space launch company that looks to be the real future of American space exploration. It's an incredibly exciting change, but requires about an hour and a half commute each direction for him from our current location in southern Orange County, so we're looking at moving a little closer to LA. It won't be a fast move; we're taking our time looking for places in Seal Beach, and can stay in our current place on month to month rates until we find one after our current lease expires in July. But, it's yet another change in life, and another place to get used to.
I'm incredibly excited to be heading up to Seal (and I do hope that location follows through), with its very small-town atmosphere, perfect beach location, and walk-everywhere downtown attitude. They also have a great number of beautiful art galleries that I'm excited to visit and keep an eye on, and Ant is thrilled about many mom-and-pop shops and cafes, as well as a very traditional Italian shop for some more unique food options. And most of the places we've been looking at are gorgeous, and usually in quaint little buildings/old houses. They are a little more on the expensive side, but both of us seem to agree that if we're not staying in California forever (which we're not), we might as well live a 'true California life' while we're here. I really think it'll be worth it to stay in a nice place with a nice location, especially as my business ramps up and brings us to a two-income household.
Speaking of business, that has been going rather well for me, too. Better than should probably be expected for a one year out of school, just starting a new business graduate. I've been thrilled that my greatest problems lately have been managing my time (and stress) for having too many projects at a time. It's not quite at the point I'd like as far as regular financial income, but it's getting very close, and I just need to buckle down and figure out how to streamline my processes to make the business more efficient. And, while we're speaking of news, I'm looking at officially registering the business very soon. I'm thinking to call it Grape Seed Designs. What do you think? I'll have to write more about the origination of the name later, but I like that it works well for both graphic design, but can also carry over to include handmade books and other items if I ever find the time to expand into that as well. Phew... think I've got enough going on right now?
Oh, right, that's not all. I'm also seriously considering getting certified as an instructor for therapeutic riding. As many of you know (and many others I'm sure don't), I've volunteered at therapeutic (horseback) riding centers all over the country, starting in CO, continuing during college in NY, and now again here in CA. There is the potential for me to pick up some part time hours working there starting this fall, basically coordinating volunteers and prepping horses for lessons (a job which I interview for this week, by the way), and it was suggested to me that I may be interested in pursuing instructor training, as well. The thought really piqued my interest, and so I've been seriously looking into it. I'm not looking for a career change, but I would love to get a little more deeply involved in the therapy process, have a more complete understanding of it, and maybe be able to work as a substitute instructor when others need some time off.
So, I think that's the bulk of my recent exciting news. At this point, it's just a lot of going with the flow and applying myself with drive and dedication in everything I do. But then again, I'd say that's kind of just who I am...
Just last weekend, my big brother took vows to love and cherish an incredible young woman for the rest of his life, and took her into his home, quite a distance from her family, friends, and everything familiar, promising to love and care for her there. I was so happy to be able to take 5 days and spend it with our combined families, enjoying an extended celebration with them in Nebraska. But it really is incredible to see how much change really takes place from an outside, yet still very close, perspective. I've grown very close to his wife over the past year (I met her a year ago now, almost to the day), and even closer to him over the last several months as well (we'll chalk that one up to both of our growing maturity and the realization of 'the real world' as we both left school). I've had the great pleasure of designing both the invitations and the programs for their wedding, so I've had ample opportunity to hear from both of them about the whole planning process and big deal of getting married. And, can you believe it, now that their wedding is over, it's time to actually buckle down and start planning my own. But that significant change in their lives feels like it's had a large impact on my own life, too, whether that's realistic or not.
But speaking of major changes in my own life, I've now been in California for almost a year (about 10 months I think), and it's already time to move. A little unexpected, but Anthony's had a great opportunity to change jobs to one that matches his interests even better than his last - he's now working for SpaceX, an independently funded space launch company that looks to be the real future of American space exploration. It's an incredibly exciting change, but requires about an hour and a half commute each direction for him from our current location in southern Orange County, so we're looking at moving a little closer to LA. It won't be a fast move; we're taking our time looking for places in Seal Beach, and can stay in our current place on month to month rates until we find one after our current lease expires in July. But, it's yet another change in life, and another place to get used to.
I'm incredibly excited to be heading up to Seal (and I do hope that location follows through), with its very small-town atmosphere, perfect beach location, and walk-everywhere downtown attitude. They also have a great number of beautiful art galleries that I'm excited to visit and keep an eye on, and Ant is thrilled about many mom-and-pop shops and cafes, as well as a very traditional Italian shop for some more unique food options. And most of the places we've been looking at are gorgeous, and usually in quaint little buildings/old houses. They are a little more on the expensive side, but both of us seem to agree that if we're not staying in California forever (which we're not), we might as well live a 'true California life' while we're here. I really think it'll be worth it to stay in a nice place with a nice location, especially as my business ramps up and brings us to a two-income household.
Speaking of business, that has been going rather well for me, too. Better than should probably be expected for a one year out of school, just starting a new business graduate. I've been thrilled that my greatest problems lately have been managing my time (and stress) for having too many projects at a time. It's not quite at the point I'd like as far as regular financial income, but it's getting very close, and I just need to buckle down and figure out how to streamline my processes to make the business more efficient. And, while we're speaking of news, I'm looking at officially registering the business very soon. I'm thinking to call it Grape Seed Designs. What do you think? I'll have to write more about the origination of the name later, but I like that it works well for both graphic design, but can also carry over to include handmade books and other items if I ever find the time to expand into that as well. Phew... think I've got enough going on right now?
Oh, right, that's not all. I'm also seriously considering getting certified as an instructor for therapeutic riding. As many of you know (and many others I'm sure don't), I've volunteered at therapeutic (horseback) riding centers all over the country, starting in CO, continuing during college in NY, and now again here in CA. There is the potential for me to pick up some part time hours working there starting this fall, basically coordinating volunteers and prepping horses for lessons (a job which I interview for this week, by the way), and it was suggested to me that I may be interested in pursuing instructor training, as well. The thought really piqued my interest, and so I've been seriously looking into it. I'm not looking for a career change, but I would love to get a little more deeply involved in the therapy process, have a more complete understanding of it, and maybe be able to work as a substitute instructor when others need some time off.
So, I think that's the bulk of my recent exciting news. At this point, it's just a lot of going with the flow and applying myself with drive and dedication in everything I do. But then again, I'd say that's kind of just who I am...
Monday, March 29, 2010
Hockey in Green Bay (Women's Nationals)
This weekend was just incredible. Really no other way to put it. It was supposed to be the culmination of the season, with Senior Women's Championships in Green Bay, WI, but you never REALLY know when the season is over. I may still be picking up a few straggler tournaments over the next couple weeks, but this was intended to be my big final of the season.
You know, as rough as a season in a new district can be, it's these tournaments that really keep me going - the reason I do what I do. There is absolutely nothing to be compared to the experience of coming together with some of the top officials (both female and male) around the country and really working hard for the final playoffs of the season. The camaraderie is incomparable, and it's always awesome to see how many different places people come from, and yet we're able to get together and work as seamless teams. It's just such a blast, and I can't even explain how hard it is to put that feeling into words.
These tournaments really bring back focus, too. I love that I have worked hard during the season and been selected to work at these high levels, and yet there are so many others to look up to there - many international officials, collegiate officials, and more. One of our supervisors (and she's AWESOME!) was Kelli Rolstad, lines(wo)man for this year's gold medal Olympic game between the US and Canada. Absolutely unreal being able to sit with her, hear her talk, and get her feedback on my game. I am just blown away and so grateful for these opportunities I've had. So, though I'm sure none of them are reading this, I just want to say thank you to everyone who put the tournament together and made it run as smoothly as it did.
And that includes more than just the top of USAHockey and our supervisors (not to mention the volunteers and tournament coordinators). But even the support and coordination of other officials was amazing. Coming off the ice from a game and getting incredibly enthusiastic, sincere reviews of my work, my presence, my skating... again there are just no words to explain how that can make you feel. And the support of so many officials - people I'd never met before this weekend. We come together for a few short days and walk away with lifelong contacts/friends. Many of these officials were even surprised I would not be returning for the girls' tournament in 2 weeks, and volunteered to put in a good word and recommend bringing me in again for that weekend. I'm thrilled just to have them feel that strongly about me and my work, and excited to see if it's a realistic opportunity. As much as I've been looking forward to the end of the season and having a little bit of a break for a while, I wouldn't pass up Girls'.
So with that, here's to the end of another season. To the officials and coordinators who make it happen, who work hard through the games, the injuries, the criticism and abuse during the season, who stick through to make the finals what they are. To incredible and dedicated players who come together to make a tournament happen (after all, it wouldn't exist without teams to come play). To my brother who got me into the sport (even if you did think I was nothing more than a copy cat), and my parents who were so supportive and never flinched at the thought of their daughter playing "the boys' game" (or at least never let me see if they did). To the game of hockey, truly the greatest sport around. This is what it's all about, and I'm so honored to be a part of it.
You know, as rough as a season in a new district can be, it's these tournaments that really keep me going - the reason I do what I do. There is absolutely nothing to be compared to the experience of coming together with some of the top officials (both female and male) around the country and really working hard for the final playoffs of the season. The camaraderie is incomparable, and it's always awesome to see how many different places people come from, and yet we're able to get together and work as seamless teams. It's just such a blast, and I can't even explain how hard it is to put that feeling into words.
These tournaments really bring back focus, too. I love that I have worked hard during the season and been selected to work at these high levels, and yet there are so many others to look up to there - many international officials, collegiate officials, and more. One of our supervisors (and she's AWESOME!) was Kelli Rolstad, lines(wo)man for this year's gold medal Olympic game between the US and Canada. Absolutely unreal being able to sit with her, hear her talk, and get her feedback on my game. I am just blown away and so grateful for these opportunities I've had. So, though I'm sure none of them are reading this, I just want to say thank you to everyone who put the tournament together and made it run as smoothly as it did.
And that includes more than just the top of USAHockey and our supervisors (not to mention the volunteers and tournament coordinators). But even the support and coordination of other officials was amazing. Coming off the ice from a game and getting incredibly enthusiastic, sincere reviews of my work, my presence, my skating... again there are just no words to explain how that can make you feel. And the support of so many officials - people I'd never met before this weekend. We come together for a few short days and walk away with lifelong contacts/friends. Many of these officials were even surprised I would not be returning for the girls' tournament in 2 weeks, and volunteered to put in a good word and recommend bringing me in again for that weekend. I'm thrilled just to have them feel that strongly about me and my work, and excited to see if it's a realistic opportunity. As much as I've been looking forward to the end of the season and having a little bit of a break for a while, I wouldn't pass up Girls'.
So with that, here's to the end of another season. To the officials and coordinators who make it happen, who work hard through the games, the injuries, the criticism and abuse during the season, who stick through to make the finals what they are. To incredible and dedicated players who come together to make a tournament happen (after all, it wouldn't exist without teams to come play). To my brother who got me into the sport (even if you did think I was nothing more than a copy cat), and my parents who were so supportive and never flinched at the thought of their daughter playing "the boys' game" (or at least never let me see if they did). To the game of hockey, truly the greatest sport around. This is what it's all about, and I'm so honored to be a part of it.
Monday, March 22, 2010
Keeping Busy
I realize it has been quite a while (over a month) since I last updated this blog. In all honesty, I have been so insanely busy during March that I've hardly kept up with design projects I'm working on, let alone having a chance to write. I have been out of town every single weekend this month - between traveling for pleasure, family/weddings, and end of season hockey tournaments, I've been stretched all over the place! So, many apologies, but you can look forward to some fun updates in April as I try to catch up and make sense of my own personal March Madness.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
I Couldn't Ask For More
You know what? Life is good. I'm 23, starting a business (and going pretty successfully in that direction, too), marrying the love of my life, we're already making an incredible life together and, though we're getting married, are in no rush to tie ourselves down, and I'm looking forward to the great adventure of my 20-something years. We have a comfortable life, if I make any money we'll have the security and flexibility to travel and really experience adventure. I have a reasonable chance of working as an international ice hockey referee in the next 4-5 years - how many people can say that? And I have so much promise in front of me! I am surrounded by people who love and support me, I'm making incredible friends here in California, both professionally and socially, I live in an incredible location, and am building a beautiful home. Who could really ask for more?
I've never had any obsession for inspirational quotes, but I certainly do have a few I can relate to, and even live by:
"Happiness is the sense that one matters." - Sarah Trimmer
"Love does not consist in gazing at each other, but in looking outward in the same direction." - Unknown
...and most importantly...
"Living without passion isn't living at all." - my own personal motto
I have spent a great deal of my life as a loner, or a floater, feeling as though I've missed out on the opportunity of great, truly close friendships. But as life goes on, I realize that those relationships ARE there. They're just a little slower (and so much sweeter) than what I've hoped to see, and it takes stopping for a moment and looking back to really see them. I am so excited to see where this adventure is going to take me, and so happy to have the peace to ride out the wave and see where it all goes.
So I guess this is a thank-you to all those who have been there for me, who have supported me, or just lent an ear. And it's a reminder to myself that, even in the rough patches when I get caught up in my perfectionism and stress out, I really could not ask for more.
I've never had any obsession for inspirational quotes, but I certainly do have a few I can relate to, and even live by:
"Happiness is the sense that one matters." - Sarah Trimmer
"Love does not consist in gazing at each other, but in looking outward in the same direction." - Unknown
...and most importantly...
"Living without passion isn't living at all." - my own personal motto
I have spent a great deal of my life as a loner, or a floater, feeling as though I've missed out on the opportunity of great, truly close friendships. But as life goes on, I realize that those relationships ARE there. They're just a little slower (and so much sweeter) than what I've hoped to see, and it takes stopping for a moment and looking back to really see them. I am so excited to see where this adventure is going to take me, and so happy to have the peace to ride out the wave and see where it all goes.
So I guess this is a thank-you to all those who have been there for me, who have supported me, or just lent an ear. And it's a reminder to myself that, even in the rough patches when I get caught up in my perfectionism and stress out, I really could not ask for more.
It's A Great Day For Hockey
Well, this last weekend was included Presidents' Day, so that meant a trip to DC for the JWHL Challenge Cup! Although we had a much smaller crew of imports (female officials from around the country), it was still everything you'd ever expect of the Challenge Cup.
It was great to see some old friends again, and we all had a lot to be excited about and celebrate. I got to show of my sparkly, Susan was enjoying her last weekend of hockey this season since she's now completed her first trimester of her first pregnancy, Jess just got her first Nationals invitation, and Charli is still kickin it with her awesome magazine (if you don't know about it, check it out - it's the first hockey magazines just for girls! Ice Magazine).
With everything going on, though, I think the most exciting part of this years' tournament was getting to watch the opening of the 2010 Winter Olympics with the best group of sports enthusiasts I could ask for. We all know the three American female officials (Leah Wrazidlo (refing), Megan Hishmeh and Kelly O'Brien (both working lines)), and Susan and I both went to camp with two other international officials representing Germany and Japan. On top of that, one of the men's linesmen representing the US (Pete Fiola) is from my area in New York, and I worked some similar circles with him while doing college hockey up there. So it was incredible getting to turn on hockey games and hear some familiar names on the officiating side of the game!
Of course every night before bed involved watching whatever games were on TV, be it skiing (I watched two Americans and a Canadian win women's moguls, and Canada winning their first gold on home soil with men's moguls), a handful of luge runs, or the opening ceremonies themselves. I have to say, the older I get, the more clear and exciting the Olympics really become. I look forward to knowing many more women who I count as friends putting on strips in front of the entire world at the premier demonstration of on-ice skill we know!
As far as the actual tournament in DC went, the officiating was well-received, and we all enjoyed the elite level of play and coaching. I returned home with a record (low) number of bruises and injuries, which of course made me appreciate the skill and awareness of these girls all the more. And despite all the insane weather happening in the DC area (airports were closed all week up until Thursday morning/afternoon), all the teams arrived safely on Thurs night and were ready to play on Friday. All I can say is, it's a great day for hockey, and after a long and tiresome season in a new district, I really feel my motivation for the game refreshed as we head into the end-season tournaments. I look forward to an exciting wrap-up of this year!
It was great to see some old friends again, and we all had a lot to be excited about and celebrate. I got to show of my sparkly, Susan was enjoying her last weekend of hockey this season since she's now completed her first trimester of her first pregnancy, Jess just got her first Nationals invitation, and Charli is still kickin it with her awesome magazine (if you don't know about it, check it out - it's the first hockey magazines just for girls! Ice Magazine).
With everything going on, though, I think the most exciting part of this years' tournament was getting to watch the opening of the 2010 Winter Olympics with the best group of sports enthusiasts I could ask for. We all know the three American female officials (Leah Wrazidlo (refing), Megan Hishmeh and Kelly O'Brien (both working lines)), and Susan and I both went to camp with two other international officials representing Germany and Japan. On top of that, one of the men's linesmen representing the US (Pete Fiola) is from my area in New York, and I worked some similar circles with him while doing college hockey up there. So it was incredible getting to turn on hockey games and hear some familiar names on the officiating side of the game!
Of course every night before bed involved watching whatever games were on TV, be it skiing (I watched two Americans and a Canadian win women's moguls, and Canada winning their first gold on home soil with men's moguls), a handful of luge runs, or the opening ceremonies themselves. I have to say, the older I get, the more clear and exciting the Olympics really become. I look forward to knowing many more women who I count as friends putting on strips in front of the entire world at the premier demonstration of on-ice skill we know!
As far as the actual tournament in DC went, the officiating was well-received, and we all enjoyed the elite level of play and coaching. I returned home with a record (low) number of bruises and injuries, which of course made me appreciate the skill and awareness of these girls all the more. And despite all the insane weather happening in the DC area (airports were closed all week up until Thursday morning/afternoon), all the teams arrived safely on Thurs night and were ready to play on Friday. All I can say is, it's a great day for hockey, and after a long and tiresome season in a new district, I really feel my motivation for the game refreshed as we head into the end-season tournaments. I look forward to an exciting wrap-up of this year!
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Another Slow Update
I realize that I go through these cycles on my blogging... I'll go a long time being quiet, stack up a bunch of topics I want to write on, and then spew out a bunch of entries in a short time and often don't even get to all the topics on my list. For this I do apologize, and here is a small recap on the month so far.
It has been a very busy month as far as business goes, though more on the building side and less on the profits. I've recently joined a business networking group called BNI that has been absolutely phenomenal. BNI is an international organization with local chapters all over the US and other countries; these chapters are career exclusive, meaning only one member of any particular profession or specialty may be represented in a chapter (for example, only one accident trial attorney, one family law practitioner, one life insurance rep, one florist, one auto repair shop, etc). This allows for each individual to operate within the group without competition, and essentially builds a large sales force for each person. We're all there supporting each other and sending business referrals to one another.
I have also been very impressed with the encouragement and even mentorship I've been able to find in BNI. Everyone there is either an entrepreneur or involved in a small business (often the owner), and as a new startup in the business world, their feedback and encouragement has been absolutely invaluable to me. We have weekly meetings at 7am every Wednesday where we get together, everyone gives a 30-second sales pitch (great practice for delivering my services in a quick, succinct message), and we discuss how to grow as individual businesses and as a group all together. We also have individual meetings throughout the week to get to know each others' jobs, as well, what we all do and how we can help each other. These meetings have also been incredibly beneficial in helping me to understand what points to address when marketing myself, and how to bring in new clients, not to mention giving my insatiable curiosity an outlet to learn about so many other professions out there.
So January has been very busy with settling in to this group. I was officially inducted into the chapter on Jan 6 and have been busy busy getting to know everyone in the group and outlining my own business to them, while also forming a more solid foundation for myself and my own practices. I have also started volunteering at the Shea Therapeutic Riding Center and have been enjoying working around horses again and helping a wide variety of individuals work through various conditions. I've done work with similar centers in Colorado and New York, but the Shea Center is certainly the largest and most diverse of these centers. It's been an interesting new experience, to be sure.
On another topic, the weather has been absolutely insane here over the last week. I haven't seen the sun since Sunday (I thought I left Rochester to get away from that...), and don't think I will again until Sat at the earliest. It has been raining to the point of serious flooding (closing down roads and damaging a lot of homes) all week, in addition to insane winds. Tuesday there were even tornado warnings in both northern and southern Orange County, and at least one of those developed into a tornado that touched down, destroying a good portion of a little league baseball field. One of my mentors in Huntington Beach actually had her daughter's school go into lockdown as parents were arriving to pick kids up, and the parents were ushered into their media center until their tornado passed. So, it has been crazy crazy lately.
With all of that said, that is a pretty solid recap of my new year so far! I hope you're all still enjoying following along, and as always, comments and feedback are appreciated!
It has been a very busy month as far as business goes, though more on the building side and less on the profits. I've recently joined a business networking group called BNI that has been absolutely phenomenal. BNI is an international organization with local chapters all over the US and other countries; these chapters are career exclusive, meaning only one member of any particular profession or specialty may be represented in a chapter (for example, only one accident trial attorney, one family law practitioner, one life insurance rep, one florist, one auto repair shop, etc). This allows for each individual to operate within the group without competition, and essentially builds a large sales force for each person. We're all there supporting each other and sending business referrals to one another.
I have also been very impressed with the encouragement and even mentorship I've been able to find in BNI. Everyone there is either an entrepreneur or involved in a small business (often the owner), and as a new startup in the business world, their feedback and encouragement has been absolutely invaluable to me. We have weekly meetings at 7am every Wednesday where we get together, everyone gives a 30-second sales pitch (great practice for delivering my services in a quick, succinct message), and we discuss how to grow as individual businesses and as a group all together. We also have individual meetings throughout the week to get to know each others' jobs, as well, what we all do and how we can help each other. These meetings have also been incredibly beneficial in helping me to understand what points to address when marketing myself, and how to bring in new clients, not to mention giving my insatiable curiosity an outlet to learn about so many other professions out there.
So January has been very busy with settling in to this group. I was officially inducted into the chapter on Jan 6 and have been busy busy getting to know everyone in the group and outlining my own business to them, while also forming a more solid foundation for myself and my own practices. I have also started volunteering at the Shea Therapeutic Riding Center and have been enjoying working around horses again and helping a wide variety of individuals work through various conditions. I've done work with similar centers in Colorado and New York, but the Shea Center is certainly the largest and most diverse of these centers. It's been an interesting new experience, to be sure.
On another topic, the weather has been absolutely insane here over the last week. I haven't seen the sun since Sunday (I thought I left Rochester to get away from that...), and don't think I will again until Sat at the earliest. It has been raining to the point of serious flooding (closing down roads and damaging a lot of homes) all week, in addition to insane winds. Tuesday there were even tornado warnings in both northern and southern Orange County, and at least one of those developed into a tornado that touched down, destroying a good portion of a little league baseball field. One of my mentors in Huntington Beach actually had her daughter's school go into lockdown as parents were arriving to pick kids up, and the parents were ushered into their media center until their tornado passed. So, it has been crazy crazy lately.
With all of that said, that is a pretty solid recap of my new year so far! I hope you're all still enjoying following along, and as always, comments and feedback are appreciated!
Monday, January 4, 2010
A New Year to Remember
They say you should spend New Year's Eve (and we'll extend this to New Year's Day) in the company and way you want to spend the rest of the year. If that's true, I couldn't have asked for a better New Year. Long story short, Anthony proposed, and now WE'RE ENGAGED!!So, after wanting to see the ring, the first question is usually, "How'd he do it?" So here's the story, with as many details as I can remember (perhaps more for my sake than anyone else's):
Since Anthony picked up skiing last year in Rochester, he has been dying to go in Colorado, so that was among our top priorities during his visit this year. So we left early Friday morning and drove up to the mountains for a half-day at Arapahoe Basin, with a reservation in Frisco at the Alpine Inn so we could enjoy the evening and not kill ourselves driving up and back in the same day.
Skiing itself didn't go quite as well as we'd hoped, as I had a miserable time with my rental boots and only made a single run (even with just one run, I'm still dealing with the pain from the boots 3 days later). But I made myself comfy at the lodge with a Dillon Dam Brown beer while Ant got a solid 4 or 5 runs amid the incredibly picturesque views of the highest altitude ski resort in Colorado. After the slopes and trading a car battery jump for a beer and some chat in the parking lot, it was off to Breckenridge for dinner.
For those of you who have never been to Breckenridge, it is in my mind the most perfect, quaint ski town. The main street has a little bit of an old-west mountain feel, and is always well lit and decorated around Christmas. Unfortunately, we didn't get any pictures of the town, but the image above is a pretty good summary of how it looked. We stopped to eat at Kenosha Steakhouse. It was very busy, so we enjoyed drinks at the upstairs bar while waiting for a table. For dinner, we shared their artichoke dip, an appetizer we always enjoy, followed by a chicken caesar salad for me and chicken-fried steak with beef gravy for him.
Unfortunately they were out of chocolate cake, so we got a good recommendation from the waiter and walked to The Crown Cafe just down the street for some tasty coffee and dessert. We sat and enjoyed the atmosphere for a while before heading out again to enjoy the lights, snow, and a little window shopping.
Once most of the stores had closed, we started back toward the car, which was parked on the other side of a cute little park right next to Kenosha. I don't know the name of the park , but it had a small playground, a creek nearby with a bridge across, and a big decorated Christmas tree. It was here that Anthony got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. And of course I said yes!
So now we're engaged, and I still can't believe I have such a beautiful diamond ring all for myself. There is still a lot to be considered before we pick a date, or even a location,
since his family is in NYC, my parents are in CO, and we live in CA, but I will certainly be keeping family and friends in the loop during the process. We do want a summer wedding, and 2010 is already filling up with others' weddings, including my brother's. So... now it's on to the planning!
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