Amy Winehouse

I found out about this English singer from downloading, free from iTunes, her song "You Know I'm No Good". Loved it! I've found about 6 others songs and they're all really good. Here's the video for this song.

Serena Won!

Am I disappointed that Maria didn't win? No.
Am I disappointed that Maria didn't play well? Definitely !

The score was 6-1 6-2.

Serena outplayed Maria in every way. Match statistics:


Maria had tears in her eyes after the match. Her father didn't even stay for the trophy ceremony. Really schmucky, IMO. That made me feel sadder for her.

Congrats to Serena. She had an absolutely incredible tournament!


Ciao for Now.
Maria

Australian Open Women's Final Tonight

Maria Sharapova will play Serena Williams. I can't wait! I don't think Maria has been playing her best throughout the tournament. Serena however, is on fire! She's came to Australia ranked 81, with Maria at 2. Serena still made it to the finals beating Petrova, Jankovic, Peer, and Vaidisova. Serena only played 4 tournaments last year. Her run in Australia has been brilliant.

Whoever wins is fine by me. Maria winning back to back Majors would be awesome as would Serena winning her first Major, or for that matter, first tournament in 2 years... she won the 2005 Australian Open. Hmmm.

I just want a great match with both playing really well!

I love tennis!


Ciao for Now.
Maria

The Girls Are Back

No more repeats for Gilmore Girls. I love this show! Two of my favorite lines from last night's episode.

"Hockey Puck, Rattlesnake, Monkey Monkey, Underpants... It's a big bag of weird in there."

"Your grocery lists are like shimmering haikus."


Maria won last night, beating Chakvetadze in straight sets. Again, she wasn't serving well but she still managed the win. She meets Kim in the semi-final tonight, who beat Martina. The other semi is Serena vs Vaidisova. Tonight is going to be a great night for tennis. Also playing is Roger against Andy in the 1st semi-final. Vamos Maria; get your serve back!


Ciao for Now.
Maria

2nd Week Coverage

Damn, coverage starts at 10pm tonight and Maria's match starts at 7pm NY time. Sucks. I hope they show it in it's entirety! She plays Anna Chakvetdaze. I hope Maria comes out swinging. Hee Hee. She needs to dominate right from the get go. I don't think she's been playing her best. Vamos Maria!

Tuesday, January 23
3:30 am - 6:00 am - Australian Open, Melbourne: Second week - ESPN (L)
3:00 pm - 7:00 pm - Australian Open, Melbourne: Second week - ESPN2 (T)
10:00 pm - 2:00 am - Australian Open, Melbourne: Second week - ESPN2 (L)

Wednesday, January 24
3:30 am - 6:00 am - Australian Open, Melbourne: Second week - ESPN (L)
3:00 pm - 7:00 pm - Australian Open, Melbourne: Second week - ESPN2 (T)
9:30 pm - 11:30 pm - Australian Open, Melbourne: Second week - ESPN2 (L)

Thursday, January 25
3:30 am - 6:00 am - Australian Open, Melbourne: Second week - ESPN (L)
3:00 pm - 6:00 pm - Australian Open, Melbourne: Second week - ESPN2 (T)

Friday, January 26
12:00 am - 1:00 am - Australian Open, Melbourne: Second week - ESPN2 (L)
3:30 am - 6:00 am - Australian Open, Melbourne: Second week - ESPN (L)
3:00 pm - 6:00 pm - Australian Open, Melbourne: Second week - ESPN2 (T)
9:30 pm - 11:30 pm - Australian Open, Melbourne: Second week - ESPN2 (L)

Sunday, January 28
3:30 am - 6:30 pm - Australian Open, Melbourne: Final - ESPN2 (L)
12:00 pm - 3:00 pm - Australian Open, Melbourne: Final - ESPN2 (T)



Ciao for Now.
Maria

Maria Is Now #1

Officially next week when new rankings come out. When the Australian Open started, she would have had to reach the Semi Final to get #1 but since Amelie and other top seeds lost yesterday, Maria is assured the #1 as of now. Very nice! She was #1 in the summer of 2005 for only 7 weeks. I hope she will be able to hold it for longer this time.


Into the Second Week

Who I want to win in the next 4th Round Matches... Maria, Anna, Kim, Martina


Who I want to win in the next 4th Round Matches... Tommy, Tomas, James, Rafa


I am so psyched that Serena won against Jelena Jankovic. Great win!

ESPN2 coverage starts at 7pm tonight which is when play starts in Australia (their time 11am). Yahoo!


Ciao for Now.
Maria

Tennis Again

The Australian Open started on Monday, Sunday here in the U.S. ESPN/ESPN2 coverage is pretty decent although I don't think they start early enough. Matches start in Australia at 11 am, which is 7pm here.

First Week Coverage

Sun., Jan. 14
ESPN2 7 PM - Midnight (Live)

Mon., Jan. 15
ESPN 3:30 - 6 AM (Live)
ESPN2 3 - 7 PM
ESPN2 9 PM - 1 AM (Live)

Tues., Jan. 16
ESPN 3:30 - 6 AM (Live)
ESPN2 3 - 7 PM
ESPN2 11 PM - 2:30 AM (Live)

Wed., Jan. 17
ESPN 3:30 - 6 AM (Live)
ESPN2 3 - 7 PM
ESPN2 9 PM - 1 AM (Live)

Thurs. Jan. 18
ESPN 3:30 - 6 AM (Live)
ESPN2 3 - 7 PM
ESPN2 9 PM - 1:30 AM (Live)

Fri., Jan. 19
ESPN 3:30 - 6 AM (Live)
ESPN2 3 - 7 PM
ESPN2 10 PM - 1:30 AM (Live)

Sat., Jan. 20
ESPN 3:30 - 6 AM (Live)
ESPN2 Noon - 4:50 PM
ESPN2 10 PM - 1:30 AM (Live)

Sun., Jan. 21
ESPN 3:30 - 6:30 AM (Live)
ESPN2 10 AM - 2 PM
ESPN2 7 - 11 PM (Live)

Hey, at least they're showing tennis on TV!

I haven't been posting what I've been eating but I have been recording it in Word along with exercise done and keeping track of my weekly goals. I currently weigh 195, so since Jan. 1st, I've lost 5 pounds. Since September, I'm down 25 pounds.

My first goal, set at the start of this new year, is to lose 15 pounds by 2/22. I have my eye on the iPod Shuffle... my reward.

Ciao for Now.
Maria

Thinking About Going

It's on a Saturday; I could take Friday off... Hmmm.

Lunch Boxes

I bought these two options for bringing my lunch to work today. I got them at H Mart, about a 3o minute drive away.

This is the Windax Pique-Nique 150. I paid $14.99; a tremendous deal I think. This holds tons of food but I don't have to use all of the tiers. If I use less than the four, I can use an elastic band to secure them. I won't be using the bag for everyday use but will use it for picnics or the like.


This is a Lock & Lock Divided Rectangle #HPL832C. I paid $6.99. It has 3 removable dividers.


I have to wait until Tuesday because I'm off on Monday for MLK Day. I want to make some stuff from Vegan Lunch Box.

Boom Da Boy

Oh Lily

By BOB THOMAS

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Yvonne De Carlo, the beautiful star who played Moses' wife in "The Ten Commandments" but achieved her greatest popularity on TV's slapstick comedy "The Munsters," has died. She was 84.

De Carlo died of natural causes Monday at the Motion Picture & Television facility in suburban Los Angeles, longtime friend and television producer Kevin Burns said Wednesday.

De Carlo, whose shapely figure helped launch her career in B-movie desert adventures and Westerns, rose to more important roles in the 1950s. Later, she had a key role in a landmark Broadway musical, Stephen Sondheim's "Follies."

But for TV viewers, she will always be known as Lily Munster in the 1964-1966 horror-movie spoof "The Munsters." The series (the name allegedly derived from "fun-monsters") offered a gallery of Universal Pictures grotesques, including Dracula and Frankenstein's monster, in a cobwebbed gothic setting.

The Munsters was one of my favorite shows when I was kid. Loved it!

A line I will never forget, said by Eddie. "Nobody loves me. Nobody cares. I'm going to stay up here until I croak."

Thank you Yvonne for your brilliant Lily.

Well Hello There

I just took this photo of Chelsea with the camera on my MacBook. She's my Baby Girl.

I weighed in on Monday and I lost 3 pounds. That's a good start. My first goal is to lose 15 pounds by February 22nd. I'm on my way! I will get myself the iPod Shuffle if I achieve it. I will order it online so I can have it engraved. As of today, I want this:

Last Saturday was a gorgeous day. It probably got up to at least 70 degrees. I took advantage of the weather and played tennis against the wall for about an hour. Felt great but I really need a new grip.

So looking forward to the Australian Open which starts next week. In the past, I have always forgotten about this Slam. Always catching the tail end of it or missing it entirely. Not this year though!


Ciao for Now,
Maria

Silliness Is Good For the Soul