Girls Basketball

I've never coached boys basketball (though that is about to change when I begin coaching aydan's 6th grade team this year), but I did play in high school and college so I'm at least slightly familiar with that realm. Coaching girls has been an eye-opening experience, though. So today I will share with you the main differeneces between the two sides of this one sport.  

1) Blankets
Maybe this is a North v. South distinction here, but no guy on my team EVER brought/wore a blanket to a game. In Ohio where the season was always cold and the first few minutes on the bus could literally be freezing, we dressed warm and in layers. In Texas, people don't know how to dress against the cold, but even still a boys basketball player's response is either baggy sweats or the shorts-and-suck-it-up method. But girls? Fuzzy blankeys...with tassels. And I'm not even getting into pillow pets, over-sized slippers, etc. It's weird. 

2) Smell
This one is harder to communicate in text, so I will parenthetically give the expression. Perhaps the primary difference is noted when walks into the locker rooms of the two genders. 
Boys--"Do you smell that?" (Face scrunched, groan in the voice, feelings of disgusted revulsion)
Girls--"Do you smell that?" (Sigh of contentment and delight, feelings of refreshment)
Guys locker rooms smell like butthole. Girls locker rooms smell like a Bath and Body Works franchise. Huge difference. 

3) Giggling on the court
I'm not joking--girls literally giggle while playing. Guys are just more competitive and mean. 

4) Singing on the Bus
I do remember once singing "We Didn't Start the Fire" on a return trip from a game, but it was in Coach Harrison's car with 4 other guys, not the whole team. Besides, I guess I'm not really a typical guy in that sense. Typical guys MIGHT sing after a particularly big win if they are in unusually high spirits. But girls sing to and from, win or lose. 


I am very fortunate to coach these girls.  We are having a great season and they are awesome young ladies to work with.  Go Chargers!

Rest

I have spent nearly the entire day in bed.

I feel sort of bad about this, actually.  There is much to be done.  My garbage disposal is broken.  My washing machine is leaking.  My stove top refuses to turn on.  In addition to these major repairs/replacements, I have work to do for basketball, work to do for school, paintings I'd like to finish, paintings I'd like to start.....  But today I did...nothing.

And rest is a beautiful thing.  I went to bed last night at 8 pm; I'm probably going to try and sleep again as soon as I post this.  Not that it needs justifying, but I do so because of the many nights I have returned home from basketball games near midnight, only to get up at 4:30 or 5 am to go back to practice and start the madness all over again.  I need to catch up on sleep.  I need a break.  It is good to rest.

So I came home from practice this morning and took a nap while the rain drizzled down outside.  I finished a book ("Ender's Game"--it's a good sci-fi read).  I completed a project.  Not a wasted day by any means, but I really haven't done much.

What I have been doing over the past several days is enjoying the treats of the holidays.  One way has been through my own gift to myself this season: new music.  I figure I'll be a little lighter on presents this year, and so I took the liberty to buy new tunes.  I'm really enjoying Amos Lee's "Mission Bell" ("Learned A Lot" is particularly poignant), and The Civil War's "Barton Hollow" ("Poison and Wine" kills me).  Following my older brother's example, I will recommend an "off the beaten path" Christmas album.  It's by Duluth-based band, Low, and is entitled, simply, "Christmas" ("Just Like Christmas" with its Scandinavian references, and "Take the Long Way Around the Sea" are tops).  As for other Christmas-time treats, I have utilized the ubiquitous Starbucks gift cards I've received to indulge in my beloved Peppermint Mocha's.  And though it may cost me my baptist-based salvation, I will say that my favorite alcoholic drink is the White Russian, and it is only made better (and more festive) with the addition of peppermint mocha creamer.  I had my first one tonight and it was delightful.

Update.  Recommendations.  It's the most productive I've been all day.  Whew! I feel like I need a nap.

A Year for the History Books

I thought this birthday might be weird, what with an impending divorce and all, but it was actually one of my favorite birthdays in recent history.  As the Beatles have said, "I get by with a little help from my friends." 

It started with my lunch-time crew presenting me with this as I walked in the door.  To offer some explanation, Sissney (the head girls basketball coach) and Josh have taken to calling me "Beefcake" (in reference to my attempt to build muscle mass).  You may notice my face has been Photoshopped onto Taylor Lautner's body in the photograph, but what you may not see is that in the upper left hand corner of the cake there are some pieces of jerky...thereby making it a literal beef cake.  

How awesome is it to have friends that understand you?  They know you well enough to know what you really enjoy and they indulge your little quirks.  I received this gift from the Fab Four, which now hangs in my entryway.  It probably won't stay there for long--it's a little gaudy.  Still, I think it's fantastic.

While we adults opened the presents, my two glorious sons played in the lot next to Josh's house, where a new home is being built.  They produced this bunker for the war with the Japanese who, in their words, "almost killed Uncle Bucky" (my Uncle Jim, who really did get shot in Vietnam).  

If only they could be this precious all the time.  When we went to eat out for dinner, no sooner had I given my name to the hostess than I returned to find them fighting and yelling at each other in the entryway.  This was done within mere feet of other guests who were waiting to be seated.  So I immediately turned the buzzer back in, grabbed their hands, and left to go home.  All was not lost.  Even though they couldn't keep it together to eat in public, we enjoyed each other at home.  

I also received this awesome scarf from my friend Brandi.  Obviously, it is my new favorite.  What meant the most perhaps, were the encouraging words I received in cards from these friends.  Seriously, some of the best cards I've ever received.  Josh's words in my card almost made me cry.  He pointed out that this year has brought car collisions and relationship melt-downs, and yet I'm still standing.  It just means so much that people around me care, and--as silly as it may sound--that I'm doing something right.  The words in the cards reminded me that although my life is a bit screwed up right now, I am not a screw up; they are proud of me.  That is a fantastic present.  

Always

"The best mirror is a friend's eye"
-Irish Proverb

While our children played recently, my friend Brandi saw me yawn and told me I am always tired.  This is true.  By the end of the conversation, we had joked about several other things I am "always".  The list ended with:
1) Tired
2) Sore
3) Eating
Obviously, I see--from her perspective--that this transformation program I have undertaken has pretty much taken over my life.  It is a thought that has occurred to me before (and I think I've written about it).  I have desires to be a monk, a philosopher, a musician, an artist, a bodybuilder...., but to excel in any ONE of these pursuits would take single-minded focus.  That's why they're often all left behind in favor of "father" or "teacher."  Still I enjoy having elements of each of them in my life, and I'm thankful to have had this time to focus on the physical aspect of who I am.
Speaking of thankfulness, this episode reminds me just how thankful I am for my friends and family who are keeping up with me and helping me stay on track.  I guess this now serves as my Thanksgiving post as well.  Here's to enjoying the holiday season in a new way this year!

A Photo Essay

So life has become an endless stream of school days, basketball games, and a few stolen hours of relaxation here and there.  Knowing that a picture is worth a thousand words, and knowing that I would be too tired to write at any great length, I took my camera with me last weekend to document my life.

 For the past two weekends we have had tournaments, so each morning (Thursday, Friday and Saturday) I wake up early and go pick up the bus.

Fortunately it's been at least moderately cool here lately, so it's chilly and quiet when I go to the bus barn.  We're also in the middle of No-Shave November, so my beard is coming along nicely.  And while I wouldn't call driving a bus "fun," at least I get paid to do it.  I figure, since I'm already going to the game, why not?

Helping me through this interesting time in my life are my dearest friends.  Here are Josh, Taylor and Hervey, hanging out after the Friday games.  I also went to a wedding with my friend Brandi, who was a bridesmaid, the next night.  And finally, the new head coach of the girls program, Michael Sissney, is becoming a good friend and lifting partner.  I am thankful for them all.

 Speaking of lifting, before we left for Saturday's game I snuck in a quick workout up at school.  I am nine weeks into my 12-week transformation program, and today when I weighed myself I was 194 lbs.  It's exciting to near my goal (200 lbs.).  This is the biggest I've ever been in my life.

And finally, what would life be without weird and somewhat creepy photos?  This past Monday I played in our annual Turkey Tennis Mixer at school.  My doubles partner was a girl from my AP Art History class, and we did fairly well (despite the fact that I'm terrible at tennis and the fact that this was the first real test of my leg since the accident).  Here we have Wes Madis, coach of the CHS tennis team, and myself engaging in a European greeting.  Best part of the picture?  Our assistant principal looking on in the background.  It's hard to follow his gaze, but it's possible he is staring at my butt.  And that, my friends, is the perfect end to any day (no pun intended).

"Healed"

They say time heals all wounds.

Nearly six months ago I was hit by a car.

Nearly four months ago my wife left me.

According to the surgeon who saw me today, the fracture in my left leg has healed completely.  The pain I still feel in my knee is to be expected and may persist for up to a year or even indefinitely.  Still, those wounds are healing.

According to my therapist I'm handling my separation in a healthy, mature way.  The absence of someone I love is emotionally draining, and while I'd like to say that the wounds are healing, I know that the pain may persist indefinitely.

I haven't written about it in such a public forum before because I've been hoping and praying that she would return.  Last week she told me she does not want to, but would rather file for divorce.  It seems, then, that this is for real.  This is really it.

So here's to healing.  By God's grace, I pray it continues to come.

Three Words That Became Hard to Say

Load the car and write the note
Grab your bag and grab your coat
Tell the ones that need to know
we are headed north...