Homecoming '07

Adrian and I will be departing Auckland tomorrow morning for Nadi where the beautiful Fijian Islands await us. We will spend 10 days there until we arrive back in Los Angeles on December 11.

I've already been asked to reflect on my time here in New Zealand and how it has affected me, but I honestly believe it is to soon. I'm still running around trying to pack, sell my car and make sure all my loose ends are tied up before departing. I know my time here has helped me, but I'm not entirely sure how.

Most importantly, I know I will be happy to return home to family, friends, and familiar surroundings. No matter how much you travel you always appreciate the flight home the best.

One Love

Hola

It has been about a month since I last filled you in on my trips. The first half of November I spent on my dissertation that I wrote on the work of Sports NGOs in developing and conflict societies. The second half of November I have been travelling around the South Island of New Zealand. Some highlights have included jumping out of a plane, boogie boarding through a river and witness Adrian walk up to a glacier that I could hear cracking and echoing through the valley.

Other than that things have been great. I will be back December 11th. HOLLLA

A Plea from an Exiled Los Angeles Sports Fan

Dear Boston Fans,

It looks like our fates our inversely related at this point. My Angels flutter out of the first round your Red Sox win the world series, making it back to back for times they've won the world series while I've been abroad. Our respective football teams are both undefeated, as in the Patriots haven't lost and LA doesn't have a team (although my jags are stumbling to stay in contention). My Lakers are in shambles behind the latest Kobe mood swing (also eerily similar to last time I was abroad and the Lakers traded Shaq) while your Celtics have the new big three. My sporting enthusiasm is at an all time low, i can only hope for a brighter light at the end of the tunnel. Everytime I leave home the sporting franchises of Southern California amazingly wither away. My final plea, Kobe please stay and we'll surround you with the talent necessary to win a title. I can't watch the Lakers trade the greatest player touching a basketball for a shooting guard shorter than me, and two more big men who just aren't quite good enough, with a swing man who has yet to emerge as anything more than a role player.

Sincerely,
Exiled LA Sport Fan

Catch Me I'm Ballin in New Zealand

Here's a video that should entertain. Enjoy.

MIA

i'd like to say a special thank you to all those that take a lo0k at the blog. I apologize for being missing in action but i'm still in new zealand and still doing well. Writing a thesis on basketball NGOs and looking forward to comin home December 11. see you soon. 1 love

Ingredients for a bad day

A slight cold is always a great backdrop for a bad day. Not too sick though because that will just make you take the day off and focus on recovering. More suitable is a pesky running nose and low energy level as a result of being sick, thus you still try to accomplish everything, but can't.

Second mix in an overtime loss for the team your coaching. Such a loss becomes very frustrating and can add to the flavor of a bad day by when it occurs at the hands of a team you "should" have beat.

Third fill your down time with errands, such as calling the electric, internet and housing companies to sort out your new future living situation. These errands make sure you stay busy while cooking your favorite bad day.

And finally for presentation walk out to the parking lot where your car is supposed to be waiting for you and find it missing. For extra garnishment, make it a rent-a-car and make it happen when you obviously need to be somewhere else. That is surely to make your dish taste PHENOMENAL.

Yes, unfortunately, it has been one of those types of days. I try to put in perspective as I know that bad days happen and you just have to push through. Luckily for me I have had enough of them to know the sunsets on them just as the sunsets on good days. Another sunrise awaits me tommorow and hopefully I can cook something that is more to my liking.


'till next time
pEace

DIDDY

Diddy's Arrived in Auckland... thats it and a post and picture later to document my first tourny championship since high school