Champions

" Champions -aren't made in gyms
Champions are made from something
they have deep inside them, a desire,
a dream, a vision.
They have to have the skill and will
but the will must be stronger than the skill"

Muhammad Ali

Choices

Three choices you always have

Wherever you are be there totally
If you find your here and now intolerable
and it makes you unhappy you have three options

1. Remove yourself from the situation
2. Change it
3. Or Accept it totally

Eckhart Tolle

The Winner Is

Notice the T-Shirt John Travolta
is wearing? It is a U.C. Santa Cruz
Banana Slug shirt and he wore this
in the movie Pulp Fiction,
we learned the reason he wore this T-shirt is
because at the time Pulp Fiction was being filmed
the director Quinton Tarrentino's girl friend was attending U.C. Santa Cruz!
and he wanted the shirt in the movie!!

This past Saturday my son attended a
reception from the chancellor of
U.C. Santa Cruz he had a very good
time,

Sunday we went up to the campus
for a backstage tour,
and well our son decided that this was going to be the college for
him for the next four years! we checked out the dorm rooms
wow! they are small he is going to ask for a double which means
it would be him and one other room mate and well it only has
two long twin beds, two 3 drawer dressers and 2 small desks and they each get a little
closet. ( this will be one of many real college experiences because he has had his own
bed room for quite some time!!!) each section of dorms ( or colleges as they call them )
are all coed, bathrooms, a little laundry room, they have a common area for T.V. etc a dining area and if they don't like that each college dorm area also has what they call an alternative eatery (better known as fast food) the freshman are guaranteed housing on campus for two years.

when we first toured this campus last year we had a feeling
our son was some how headed here. a few weeks ago when he
got his acceptance notice we had the same feeling but we did not
share this with our son as this was going to be his decision
we kind of knew this was were he was headed as it seems
to be a perfect fit for him. he is planning on being an Anthropology major with a minor in education. This weekend really helped him
to decide that this is where he is called to be.

After the tour we went into downtown Santa Cruz and ate at one of
many eateries called Pizza my Heart it was interesting to see all the college kids
and their families there. and the townsfolk as well. then we walked around and
found some of the quaint little shops. Our son was happy to find a big Trader Joe's
we stopped in the longs drug store and bought him banana slug merchandise
2 sweatshirts, a t-shirt( like John wore in the movie) and a hat. I think he is good
to go in that department( oh take that back he wants a pair of sweat pants!)

we are happy and excited, and support his decision and wow we will get to
visit the coast quite often in the next four years! He and his sister have begun
making plans to hang out, learn how to surf and some other fun stuff that
I don't think I am ready for!

The next step on this college journey we have to attend
orientation in July! then move him up there in Sept
as he begins his adventure on Sept 25th!!!

Lessons

Laugh at your mistakes
but learn from them

joke over your troubles
but gather strength from them

Have fun with your difficulties
but overcome them

these are lessons of life for you

what a child can teach us

" A Child can always teach an adult three things
. to be happy for no reason
. to always be busy with something
. and to know how to demand with all his
might that which he desires"

Paulo Coleho

Blessed

"Blessed are those who can give without
remembering and take without forgetting"

Elizabeth Bibesco

Back at the old Ball Game

Spring has Sprung!!
My daughter started her soft ball season on Monday
and she had a game on Tuesday so far her team
is 1-1 not a bad way to start the season off.
there was plenty of excitement at both games
last nights was a little bit more intense though
two of her team mates got injured one so serious
that she may have injured her wrist and may be out for the rest of the
season. but all in all it was fun to see all the parents and friends sitting on
the cold bleachers passing the sunflower seeds around bundled up in their blankets to keep warm hoping that this Thursdays game the snack bar will finally have the hot chocolate
for sale!!

in our little town softball and baseball season is a weekly highlight.
my daughter and her friends usually end up playing against each other
but the great thing about it is win or lose they know they are playing for fun!
normally she plays outfield or short but this year her coach is encouraging
her to try and pitch at least one game this season( she is thinking about it, she does
not know if she really wants the pressure but she is at least thinking about it)

My daughter also has a little job being an umpire this season
she seems to enjoy it.( making plans for the money she is earning)

from time to time I will post about this season of softball I hope
her team will make it all the way to the play offs.

like the line from the old songs goes

cause it's one, two, three strikes your out at the old ball game!!!