Wrapping things up

Well graduation for all the undergrads was on Saturday, but that never hit me or mattered really since a.) I completed my time as an undergrad in March of 2007, b.) I'm essentially done with grad school for a bit (think about one year or more), c.) I was on the road with the baseball team in Northridge, Calif., and hanging out with Lisa in Santa Monica.

So while school is out, the athletics department at our university is still humming with activity. That includes yours truly, who has been quite busy. However, I only have one more week left of baseball! It's crazy to think that I'm almost through my first year here working in athletics. Even more crazy, I made it through baseball season with all kinds of compliments and requests for next year. Kind of related to that, I'm super ready for the summer! I'm going to be a back-up official scorer for the Ports here, who are the OAKLAND A'S Single-A minor league affiliate!!!

I start on Thursday night! This is big time, I'm semi-working in professional baseball now! How awesome is that?! Next up, Major League Baseball.

Also relating to work, I've officially started full time! Monday was my first day and I spent the majority of it moving from my three-way shared office into my own personal office alone! Let the decorating begin :) Well, my focus is going to be split between the new house and the new office. So it's going to be a busy summer, there is still much to do.

As for my class, I got an A! So I get to keep my all As streak alive from undergrad work. But again, I'm not sure how much this matters. Since I'm a full-time employee now and not a "graduate assistant" I'm actually getting a salary instead of tuition. And at a private university, tuition is NOT something I can afford to purchase all on my own right now. But on May 18, 2010, I will have been hired full-time for one full year, thus eligible for 90% tuition remission from the university. So that's like, what, $1,000 per semester if I take a full load? And I most likely won't be taking a full load ever, since I work three overlapping sports.

Which in 2009-01 are going to be (drumroll, please): soccer, women's basketball and baseball.

Bring it on!

French & Baseball: My two loves in life (Sorry J.D.)

Ah, French and baseball, two things I can't quite get enough of. And this weekend I got both!

It all started last week when I was messing around on facebook at work. I realized when I came back from the copy room that I had a couple of messages from my friend Ludo, who I went on a date or two with back in France. Anyways, it's been a while since I've spoken French really. But the entire time we messaged back and forth in a.) French slang and b.) shortened computer words. I nearly understood all of it, how easily it comes back.

Apparently Ludo's working in the Caribbean now and plans to come to the United States to practice his English, "since he knows someone living there." I thought he was joking and told him I planned to be living near a beach in California within the next two years. That's when he said, in French, "You better not be joking, I'm extremely serious about coming to visit." So apparently he wants to come hang out with la Californienne, practice his English, and continue my French education and get me back in the French-speaking groove for two weeks.

I'm really excited and hope he's serious! It'd be so fun to hang out for a few weeks and show him around my world, after he took me around his for a few months.

I would have had more French this weekend, because my family wanted to go to my favorite French crêperie out here in Stockton. It's owned by this recently-transplanted Breton, who always tries to get me to speak French with him. Since I'm always out with my boyfriend or coworkers, I get really nervous about speaking in French. I'm not sure why I've always been self-conscious about that, especially how everyone always complimented me on my French, even the administrators at my schools when I was living there, as well as my roommate and all her friends. Tant pis.... I'll get over it some day. But it's only open for Sunday brunch and since we had baseball until 4 p.m. last night, couldn't make it out in time to grab some crêpes. But I do have TONS of berries in the fridge, so maybe I'll make some of my own tonight! Those were the first thing I can recall learning how to cook, since my mémée (grandma) taught me how to make them when I was super young.

And while I briefly alluded to it, here comes the baseball part. We had a three-day home stand against the nation's No. 1 team this weekend: UC Irvine. It could have been better, could have been worse, but the best part for me was during Saturday's pre-game. I had just finished my radio broadcast for our softball game at noon (last game of the year, so it was my last broadcast of the year) and had everything in the press box/on the field set up and ready to go for the baseball game. Since it was three hours until go time, the players were starting to warm up before taking batting practice.

And I got to warm up and play catch out there!!! It was probably one of the best things ever. I felt so silly (being a girl playing out there with all the baseball boys), but I miss playing soooo bad. I'm really excited I got the chance to get a little catch and long-toss in before the game!

On moving, etc.

Well, I'm finally almost 100% moved into the condo in Stockton! And by that I mean, all my stuff is over there, not that I'm all situated and settled.

Far from it.

He has not yet moved his stuff in, so until that happens I'm in boxes awaiting the rest of the furniture before I can keep unpacking and start decorating. The kitchen and dining room are almost completely settled, however, so I've had some time to decorate there to distract me from the endless cleaning/unpacking that seems left to do.

I'm really excited to have my first place all to myself! Everyone keeps telling me it's like I'm finally a real adult :) Or something like that. Definitely far from it, that's for sure.

But I proooomise I'll put all kinds of pictures up once everything's all settled. I'm so excited! I come home every night and have to pinch myself because I can't believe that I'M the person who actually lives there.

Oh yeah, I'll be at USF (the University of San Francisco, not Southern Florida) all afternoon traveling with the Pacific baseball team to do radio and write the game story. I've never been to USF, despite frequenting the city of San Francisco at least 3-5 times a year, so I'm certainly looking forward to checking out the campus. And then instead of riding home on the bus with the team, I'm sticking around in the Bay Area and making my way towards Oakland, where I'll get to see the A's-Angels game.... my first A's game of 2009! Well, technically that's not true, I did go to a Stockton Ports game, the Single-A minor league affiliate of the Oakland A's. And I did get to see the Giants-Brewers game on opening night in San Francisco.

Lots to look forward to and keep me going/busy. Stay tuned for more!

Can I move yet?

I hate this city. After witnessing the brawl at denny's last month and then barely missing a bank robbery/shoot out on Monday, my woes continue right now. I'm driving back to the Bay Area (yay mobile blogging) but I'm pissed because I have to find an alternate route.

My closest two freeway onramps are barracaded down after two cop cars literally just passed me by. They joined up with a six car chase that terminated just before the freeway.

I hate this. I'm so sheltered btw.