Oh No, It's Happening

My 3 month old MacBook is having the Random Shutdown problem many people have been experiencing. Today it happened around 3 times and it doesn't start back up right away. It sucks! I have to bring it in to a store. I am extremely lucky to have one 10 minutes away. I think they will ship it to be repaired. Hopefully, I won't be without it for more than a week.

I didn't dance this morning but I did do 10 miles on my recumbant stationary cycle later in the day. I am still waiting to get the stairclimber; I won't hold my breath.

I took some pics of my Obie. I love when he lies on the sofa like this.










Gilmore Girls season premiere was last night and I thought it was good. I was disappointed with last season; the writing just wasn't the same. Season 6 is out on DVD; I'll wait until it's on sale at Target. They always have a super-low price.

I'm going to have a snack now - Apple Sauce and Mini Rice Cakes.


Ciao for Now.
Maria

Pizza Weekend & No Dancing Today

I've had 2 slices of Pizza for Lunch & Dinner yesterday and today. Not the best thing to eat but hey, not the worst.

I didn't dance today because I thought I should give my back and hip a rest. They have been bothering me for days. I will definitely dance tomorrow. I will also do the recumbent cycle and Total Gym a few times this week. I hope it doesn't rain on Wednesday so that I can play tennis against the wall.

I got the movie "Wimbledon" out of the library today. Not the greatest but Paul Bettany is hot! Great face and accent. I'm a sucker for an Englishman.

"Desperate Housewives" returns tonight; looking forward to that.

Oh yeah... I lost 2 pounds.


Ciao for Now.
Maria

The Room Is Done

It looks great. I'm concerned that the stair climber isn't going to fit through the doorway and about the electrical outlets. I mentioned it to Bill today, and he said he'd speak to his electrician. I may end up not taking it. It would be a waste to get it and it not be able to use it.

Boy, I worked hard all day long. I'm psyched that I finally did it. I have to connect cable to TV and find my old DVD player so that I can do my Pilates and Yoga DVDs. I also have to bring a lot of stuff downstairs and also go through a few bins to see what I can get rid of.

A very productive day!


Ciao for Now.
Maria

My Day Off

I ripped out the carpet from Joey's old room. (Soon to be my home gym.) The wood floors are really bad; stained from when my Mom hired someone to take the wallpaper of the walls. I just now took a break from removing the staples used to put down the padding. I'm going to put the rug from my room into the room for now. No word on when the stair climber is going to be delivered.

I was planning to play tennis today but I don't think I'll have time since I still have lots to do on the room. Hey, at least I'm not laying down watching TV all day. No more of that!

I feel great! Five days in a row of dancing in the morning. Not one thought of overeating. Yesterday I took "the Boy" out after his nap. It was 10:30 and I was due to eat something; my stomach started growling. So when I was getting gas, I thought I'll get something to drink to lessen the growl. There were 2 machines; one Snapple, one Coke. I wanted a Diet Peach but they had no Diet, so I got a Diet Coke. After I pushed the button, I realized there was Dasani water. I bought that too. Diet Coke still unopened in my car. Looks like I'm making better choices. Oh yeah!!

It's lunchtime: a little Pasta, Broccoli & Carrots, a little Soy Margarine


Ciao for Now.
Maria

The Sharapova Connection - Part One

On Saturday, Sept. 9, 2006, Maria Sharapova won the US Open in straight sets.

If I had to describe what I witnessed after she won in few words, they would be: Pure Joy & Happiness!

I saw a 19 year old girl who simply exuded those emotions after having achieved something she worked extremely hard for with focus & determination for many, many years with all eyes on her watching to see if she had it in her to win her 2nd Grand Slam. She showed us & most importantly herself, that she definitely did.

That night was inspirational to me! I felt that I had to figure out the way to focus on my goals & dreams and just go for them! I could no longer live the way I have been for way too long! The years just slipping through my fingers and things just remain the same. I simply thought that I cannot allow myself to continue like this. I felt like this was the time to finally change my life!

I have loved Tennis since I started playing when I was about 8. I played first doubles in 8th and 9th grade. I decided not to try out in High School because I wanted have more time to devote to my classes.

My love of the game continues through out all the years since. I don't play very often anymore (soon to change). I simply love having a racket in my hand and hitting balls. I just love the game! To me Tennis is simply the best sport ever! It is the perfect blend of the physical and the mental. You need both in order to find the way to consistently outplay your opponents. I remember the way it was when I played my matches. You could be winning one minute and the next, lose focus or get down on yourself for some bad shots and be down two breaks.

See a similarity to life?

It seems so appropriate then for me to get such inspiration from Maria's winning the Open. You could see her sheer focus & determination while she played that night. In spite of all the tons of shit she must have to deal with off the court, she stepped onto the biggest tennis stadium, in front of around 25,000 people and the millions watching all of the world and just played her game. Solely focused on one outcome... her winning the match and the US Open.

And boy was she psyched she did! She was so freakin' happy! I felt that I wanted & needed to feel that excitement & energy after accomplishing something I worked damn hard for!

It was kind an aha moment for me. This past week has been one filled with me thinking it could really be the time. Little things falling into place; a definite change in my attitude and I really felt that this is it! I will finally, once and for all, begin to make the much needed changes in my life so that I can be the person I truly want & feel I am meant to be.

Thank you Maria!


Ciao for Now.
Maria

The Sharapova Connection - Part Two

Some little things (others not so little) that I have noticed this week to make me want to believe this Sharapova Connection is going to help me make my live the life I want to live.


1. She looks like my best friend from 4th to 7th Grade - friendship ended suddenly

2. She speaks just like a friend I had from when I was 25 to 32: voice, inflections, hair tucking - friendship ended with no explanation

3. Same birthday as a friend I had - friendship ended suddenly with explanation in September 2001.

4. She's 19. This is how old I was when my Father died. I was a sophomore in college and my drive & focus disappeared. I continued for 2 more years but my heart just wasn't in it anymore. I was one 7 credit course from graduating. It was my last nursing course; total dedication was necessary and I just didn't have it anymore.

5. My name is also Maria.

6. I saw a photo of Maria at Bloomie's signing a poster of her for Tag Heuer watch. Same M and same S as me.

7. Saw her practicing during Qualifying Week at the Open the one day I went.

8. She has said she wants to be a Renaissance Woman. I've been called this on a few occasions. My friend once said "Damn, you know about a lot of shit."

9. She bought a house in Manhattan Beach, CA. I've been there 2 times and loved it. (to Manhattan Beach, not her house :) ) Not once or three times. Two is very significant with me. Numbers 2, 22, 222. Also, I have always dreamed about a waterfront home. I could never live more than 15 minutes from water.

10. This was her second (#2) Grand Slam in 2 years. Here at the US Open; 45 minutes from where I live.

Not directly related to Maria.

11. The talk with my employer, Lauren. Out of the blue... a deep conversation.

12. Music, Music, Music - I rarely listen to my car radio since I have my iPod. This week, it seem not holding the charge for too long so I've had to listen to the radio. I've heard many songs that have significant meaning to me; remembering times in my life. Others songs I heard this week now seem to have significance. Why hear them now? An example... "Let's Get Loud" by Jennifer Lopez.

If you wanna live your life
Live it all the way and don't you waste it
Every feelin' every beat
Can be so very sweet you gotta taste it
You gotta do it, you gotta do it your way
You gotta prove it
You gotta mean what you say
Life's a party, make it hot
Dance don't ever stop, whatever rhythm
Every minute, every day
Take them all the way, you gotta live 'em ('cause I'm going to live my life)



If these things make me think Hmmm......
I will use their perceived significance to keep me striving for the life I want.

My Journey Begins

How appropriate that this morning has begun with sunshine. Rain, Rain, Rain these past days and on the morning that I begin to focus on making the changes necessary to live the life I want, a beautiful day. Let The Sun Shine!

This morning I got up, put a neck strap on my iPod, plugged in my earphones and danced for 30 minutes. It felt great! It gets me going; starts my day on a positive vibe. I discovered a great song. It's called "Can You Feel It". Great to dance to, Rocky Theme in the background. It was the perfect first song.

I had my breakfast ---> 1 egg, scrambled with diced tomato, and veggie turkey, and water, water, water

I have started cleaning & organizing my room; next is my brother's old room.

Today, I refuse to plop on my bed, put the TV on and go online. Enough of that! I'm standing as I write this. Computer stays off my bed! That was how it used to be; No More! I must stay active. Get Movin'!


Ciao for Now,
Maria

The Time Is Now

I will begin my journey towards changing my life tomorrow. Saturday, Sept. 16, 2006.

I guess I had an aha moment last Saturday when Maria Sharapova won the US Open, her 2nd Grand Slam.

Witnessing this win & her infectious happiness afterward, unexpectedly had me once again face to face with the truth that I wasn't living the life I thought I would be. The life that I know I could be living. I will explain the "Sharapova Connection" in my next post.

All this past week, I have been walking around with a sense that this really could be it. The time when I could really do it! My days felt different as if I sensed that things were coming into place.

Then today, I had a unexpected heart to heart talk with my employer; the woman whose kids I nanny for. It was amazing really. She talked about her life and I about mine and how I truly want to change the way I'm living it. I'm not quite sure how it started but we talked and talked and talked. Deep stuff. Afterwards I felt like I could count on her support and again felt like things were lining up.

The only way to live the life I want is by changing the way I am living it now. Makes sense right?

I need a Major Life Overhaul. I need to make changes in the many aspects of my life.

I have to determine my goals by laying out what I want from my life and plan what I need to do in order to have it.

As I begin, I will set Weekly Goals and determine what I need to do everyday in order to achieve them.

The First Two Weeks will Focus on My Goal to Lose Weight & Get Fit - To Have a Physically Fit Body That Allows Me to Enjoy My Life to the Fullest, To Experience Things I Have Yet To & Long For. (I will get into this more in a post to come.)


WEEK ONE:

Dance Every Morning & Eat Veggies Every Day


Ciao for Now.
Maria

Federer Wins 3rd Straight US Open

6-2, 4-6, 7-5, 6-1
over Roddick. Wow! This man can sure play tennis. Lovely to watch!!

What They Say??

The clips I posted are all in French but I don't think it matters. The sheer exuberance is what I get from them. Pure Joy!!

God I love tennis!!!

P.S. Maria looks like a friend I had when I was 12.

And Continues

The Celebrating Continues

Maria Wins! - Match Point & the Celebrating Begins

Women's Final Starting Soon

Maria against Justine. I'm rooting for Maria. I'd like to see her win another Grand Slam and I don't care for Justine. She's a great player, but I don't want her to win.

Tomorrow it's Roddick against Federer.

Maria & Justine to Meet in Finals

Wow. I thought that was a way cool match between Sharapova and Mauresmo. 6-0 4-6 6-0

Justine beat Jankovic 4-6 6-4 6-0

So Maria and Justine in the Finals tomorrow night at 8 pm.

Men's Semi's tomorrow, Super Saturday, will be Federer against Davydenko and Roddick against Youzhny.

If the talk of Maria & Andy is true (I tend not to believe much the media tells me), wouldn't His & Hers US Open Trophies be cool? Has that ever happened before? Evert & Connors?

I may go Kayaking tomorrow with my brother. But hey, it's Super Saturday tomorrow! He loves tennis too. I could DVR it but I'd rather watch it live. Sunday would be better. Men's Finals is at 4 pm. Tomorrow starts at 12 pm. I'm calling him now...


Ciao for Now.
Maria

More Tennis

Sharapova into Semi-Finals; will play Amelie Mauresmo. I hope both play really well. I can't wait for this match.

Roddick beat Hewitt in straight sets. Blake beat Berdych. Youzhny beat Nadal. Haas beat Safin. Federer beat Gicquel. SO...

It's Federer vs Blake and Haas vs Davydenko in Quarters today. Roddick vs Youzhny in Semi's tomorrow.

Today is full of Doubles. Martina Navratilova in Womens & Mixed. She's turning 50 soon. She's looks fantastic!

Mom to Dr. in an hour. Gotta get ready.

Ciao for Now.
Maria

All Went Well

My Mom's surgery went well. Doctor's appointment tomorrow.

It looked like it could rain earlier this afternoon. But no... Tennis is On for Tonight!!

Maria Sharapova vs Tatiana Golovin is on now and Roddick vs Hewitt afterwards.

Lindsay lost to Justine; Amelie won against Safina.

Tomorrow, I'll play tennis in the morning.

Ciao for Now

I'm Off for 2 Days

Mom's cataract/glaucoma surgery is today; supposedly have to be there at 2pm. I want to confirm that time. I called at 9:15, no answer. I'm sure all will go well.

It's a cloudy day; was drizzling a bit but hopefully no more rain!! I want new tennis!!

I must clean up my car. It's a mess with water bottles strewn on the floor. I also must scoop, rather replace the cat litter. I tried the cheap stuff again; I guess the good stuff is worth it. It's a bit smelly in their room.

Speaking of cats. Here's an adorable kitty video I watched on YouTube.



Ciao for Now.

Today at the Open

Rain midday (I think that's when it started); night totally cancelled.

Jelena Jankovic defeated Elena Dementieva 6-2 6-1 in the Quarter Finals.

During Rain Delay, they showed Maria Sharapova's 4th Round match against Na Li from yesterday that I didn't see but heard she didn't play her best. Maria won 6-4 6-2

Two of my favs from the past are playing in the next round. Tommy Haas and Marat Safin.

This is my main fav. Roger Federer.














This is my all-time fav. Pete Sampras.

Andre's Farewell

Labor Day

Another day of Tennis at the US Open. A nice sunny day in NY. Should be another great day of tennis.

Agassi lost in yesterday's 3rd round match against Benjamin Becker. He was crying. I was crying. Very memorable.

I bought a new scanner on Saturday. An Epson. My other one wouldn't work with Macs. Finally scanned all the bills and yesterday, I did my payments.

Last night, I found $160 I had put in the software box that came with my MacBook. Very cool!

Going to play tennis soon.

Ciao for Now.