Tahoe snowshoeing...and a crossroads for me.

Hello to you, its been too long. I am writing as the 2009 holiday season ends, and the new year peeks around the corner. I have to admit, I'm thrilled that Christmas has come and gone. Not because it wasn't a great holiday, but because I'm MOST excited about the new year. I stand at a crossroads in my life. God has given me a chance to step up, challenge myself and trust enough in the process to let life take me in a new direction with zest! Why? I was laid off as the Marketing Director at Fortune Management, the company I've been with for most of my professional path.

Today, my mom and I went snowshoeing for the very first time. We caught one of the most beautiful winter days in Lake Tahoe - crystal blue sky, laced with white puffy clouds, a mild 35 degrees, topped off by 4 new inches of snow! We hiked to the top where our reward was a most gorgeous panoramic view of the lake. Well worth the black diamond trek up! On our journey to the top, we soaked up the snow covered trees, quiet serenity, and peace surrounding us. Wow! We stopped at this creek. It looked like a natural wishing well; a place to reflect on life and who I am. My mom and I took photos to capture the moment but also to pray. To ask for strength to let life flow and to let go of the control we tend to seek. And with that moment, came peace for me. I got it. I know in my heart that I'm exactly where I need to be. And more ready than ever to move forward to brighter and more passionate places that I ever thought possible before...and it's in the beauty of nature and snowshoeing that I found my light to move forward. Yay!

What's your passion!?

The word 'passion' was a reoccuring theme for me this past weekend. A great weekend in the city spent celebrating a girlfriend's birthday, eating great food and wine tasting in Ghiradelli Square. Amidst drinking wine, laughing with the girls and taking in the scene, I couldn't seem to get the word 'passion' out of my head. Whether it was the man playing the violin in Ghiradelli Square like no one else was in his presence or the wine makers we talked to who lived and breathed their product. Us girls joked about it but I couldn't help but think twice about what passion means to me...

After some thought, I keep coming back to my love for sports. I love the thrill of the game, the ultimate competition, and the 'natural high' I get from pushing myself physically. How can I not fall in love with an athletic activity that may actually make you live longer!? The journey I seek is to figure out how I can turn my passion for sports, athletics and the thrill of the game into something I live and breathe every day! I am inspired by those people who take great risks to make their passion a reality and do what they love each day. They think 'outside the box' and step aside from the standard way of life. Now that is something I seek and hope to find. Cheers to finding what you love to do...and to making it happen! That is my ultimate definition of success in this world.

Oh, to be grateful! Thanks Mom.

It's been a while since I've been here, my beloved sports corner. Not that I haven't been watching sports on a daily basis though (of course). The Celtics vs. Magic series has been keeping me on my toes as well as the Denver vs. Dallas Series. My prediction is that the Denver Nuggets are going to take the Championship. I know I'm really stretching here but they look unstoppable and have the heart...and tattoos to do so.

On another note, I spent this past weekend celebrating my mother for Mother's Day Weekend. She is a big part of why I love sports. To this day, our family outings are surrounded by sports; whether it be a game we are watching on television, us playing a round of tennis at our home's court, or us attending a sporting event such as the SF Giants. This past weekend, the entire family rented a condo down in Pajaro Dunes. And talk about a breathtaking sport that I've never experienced before...until now. Kayaking in the Monterey Bay! It couldn't have been a more phenomenal day at the beach; mid 60's with not cloud in the sky. It was a great workout for the arms, good for the soul and the scenery was amazing! Sea Otters were less than 50 feet away from us. Watching them turn and twirl was the highlight. Its just one more reminder of how grateful I am for my family, my life and all the beautiful things surrounding us. Sometimes we just have to look for the beautiful things. If you haven't gone kayaking before, I recommend you put it on your 'Bucket List' of things to do...Here's to adding to that list!

I've spent two of the last four nights glued to the television watching the NBA series playoffs between the Chicago Bulls and Boston Celtics. Who would have thought this series would be so good? Its been an amazing exciting few games!! Derrick Rose and Ben Gordon have been instrumental for the Bulls while Pierce, Allen and Davis have stepped up for the Celtics while Garnett is injured on the sidelines.

My first love goes with the Celtics. After hailing from Boston University for Undergraduate, I can't help but go back to the days of being young, caregree and studying public relations in such a cool city as Boston. I remember vividly my internship Junior Year. I worked for Children's Hospital, Boston in the Public Relations department. I thought this was the coolest thing ever! And I remember one day in particular, part of my job was to take some of the Celtics players, one being Paul Pierce, over to the hospital to visit with sick children. Wow this is part of my job, I remember thinking! I also painfully recall that in the 4 years in Boston, the Celtics were hardly a playoff team let alone Champions.

Today, I give Paul Pierce a lot of credit for his patience, determination, and most of all heart to believe that one day he would be part of the Celtics Dream Team that included Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett. It is this threesome that has given loyal fans the championship rights and hope for more to come. I look forward to a game 7 (yes I love the competition and excitement of a close series) and the ultimate win for the Celtics. Game on...

Here's to Good Looking!

It is a daily ritual for me to see good looking professional male athlete or broadcaster on ESPN as I'm running in the gym at 6am or as I'm reading the San Jose Mercury Newspaper. Thank God for this, its the best part of my day! I am a single gal in love with sports, yes, but put that aside and it is hard to deny that there are so many handsome man in this industry. What's not to love about the game when you have Tiger Woods playing golf? It must be a requirement to have a great smile and a tall, muscular build to go first or second round in Saturday's NFL draft. Take Mark Sanchez and Matt Stafford for example. They seem like well-rounded guys who have motivation, determination, discipline, intelligence and happen to be handsome. That sounds like the kind of guy I'm looking for...and will find! Here's to dreaming big and realizing that it will find me when it is supposed to!

April Fool's

Here's the exciting news about the month of April. There is no weekend that passes without an exciting sports event; we've reached the playoffs for the NBA and NHL and baseball is in full swing. The days of drinking beer, eating nachos, basking in the Sunday afternoon sun, watching Tim Lincecum pitch have just begun. But what's a game as a fan if your team doesn't win? Are you still on the band wagon? I will be the first to admit, I love winning and hate losing. It's hard to comprehend coming so close to victory but falling short. Goals are meant to be acheived, but how do you deal if you don't meet them? Professional athletes do. They get paid a lot of money to be mentally tough. The San Jose Sharks are down 0-2 in the Playoff Series to the Anaheim Ducks after losing 2 home games. So where are their heads at right now? How do you as a professional team mentally prepare to be the underdog? The way they handle the pressure will determine their result; and I hope that means a series win.

John Madden's retiring, really?

What can I say about John Madden? He is the staple for Monday Night Football. As he likes to say "Boom." I used to listen to him while i was working for the Ritz Carlton, Half Moon Bay about 7 years ago. I had to work each morning at 7am (ugh, I hated that) and commuted about one hour. His radio spot would come on every morning on 740 am and I would find comfort in hearing his thoughts on the world of football and life really. What a brillant man! I was sad to hear yesterday that he announced his retirement. At the age of 73, I get it. Did you know that he is so afraid of flying so he's spent his years traveling to professional football games every week by BUS! I too would retire because I hate road trips. The good news is that he hails from the East Bay so I'm certain that this isn't the last we've heard of this amazing man in the world of sports. What a role model for so many young men. An ordinary guy with extraordinary talent.

Welcome to HoopzGal!

Well hello there! I'm not going to lie, I have no idea what I'm doing here but I'm excited. This is my first blog ever and its about time! Hoopzgal will be a girl's thoughts on the real real passion in her life...sports, sports and more sports. I'll explore the latest and greatest in competitive sports including tourneys, nail biting games, the outdoors, and of course the hottest male athletes / announcers / broadcasters in the sport! Look forward to taking this ride with you. As my favorite motto in life is says, "Enjoy the Ride."