Define "writer"

While I usually write articles for the avp.com website -- WROTE, seeing as how today was our last tour stop!!! -- sometimes I was called upon to endorse the large sponsor checks out to the winners (see above photo from today's tournament).

Well, today after I signed the check and Matt Fuerbringer and Casey Jennings held it up over their heads, a fairly grizzled man looked over at me and laughed.

"That's the nicest handwriting I've ever seen. Seriously, you should consider going into caligraphy," he told me.

Now bear in mind, this is the same guy who apparently does absolutely nothing on site. He's always sitting in the media tent, checking emails and spouting off random obsenities over something. Then checks his "stocks and property values" and proceeds to make another obscenity-heavy phone call to someone important.

Or so he wants those of us listening to think.

Anyways, since I've established that he's fairly off kilter, WHO SAYS YOU SHOULD LOOK INTO CALIGRAPHY? It's not like we need scribes to write pretty ball invitations on scrolls anymore. But what do I know, because supposedly, according to him, there's good money in caligraphy.

Whatever.

Going back to today being my last day on tour, I'm not really sure how I feel yet. First, that means France is right around the corner, and I haven't even stopped to think about that, let alone what the heck I'm even going to pack for a year's worth of living.

But the AVP season has been a serious roller-coaster for me. At first I enjoyed it, then when I found out my boss and the other writer were quitting and I had to go to all 18 stops, I really wanted to shoot myself. And since I didn't know much about beach (or indoor for that matter) volleyball, I was almost convinced that I'd be fired for royally screwing up at some point in the season.

But I made it. And the second half has been much more pleasant. I don't know if I'd want to go back or not, partially because I think I enjoyed this half so much because I knew it was the tail end of the tour. And I didn't really get to say goodbye to all the people I wanted to properly -- people I've been busting my tail side-by-side with for six straight months. I don't think they really got to express any profound goodbyes either, running off to barely catch their flights back home.

With the internet being what it is, I'm fairly certain I'll still retain a good amount of contact with them. I'm just seriously enjoying the fact that I don't really have to do anything for a while now.

It's going to be great. And boring, which is perfect for now. I feel like I deserve a two-week break.

...13 jours!!!