#460 Sleepless In Seattle (Part 2) -- TCWT Stop 1

I had heard from several of my friends that Seattle had changed a lot.  To be honest, I didn’t remember a lot about the city, except for the areas I used to frequent and the downtown tourist district.  My apartment (formerly Avanti on the corner of Pike and Boren) is now a Homewood Suites.  The Washington State Convention Center takes up more of Pike Street after its 1999 expansion.  Gameworks and my movie theater are still there, as is the Nordstrom Rack and the Elephant Car Wash.  As much as some things change, others stay the same. 

I arrived in Seattle late evening on the last day of January.  Since my free hotel nights expired in July, I had to get moving.  Spring was too busy work-wise.  June looked to be busy personal-wise.  I decided on February, which, although not ideal weather-wise, turned out great as I avoided the summer rush and the cruise ship madness along the waterfront (another change from when I was there). 

I spent three full days in the city and flew home Super Bowl Sunday morning.  While in town, my mornings consisted of walking.  A lot.  I did some serious shopping Thursday morning, and straight-up walking along the waterfront Friday and Saturday mornings.  Even with the rain, being around the water was glorious.  I could even make out the mountains across Elliott Bay.  

I struck up a conversation with an off-duty ferry driver at the Bell Harbor Marina who offered to take my picture.  He then proceeded to take one with his phone (?!), before taking one with mine...

I continued to the Olympic Sculpture Park and stumbled upon the Pocket Beach, stopping to enjoy watching a man and his dog play fetch in the water.  I enjoy traveling with company, but I also delight in exploring places alone now and then.  It’s nice to be on your own schedule and truly do what you want to do.   

Olympic Sculpture Park walkway

Pocket Beach

This pup was having a blast!

Thursday afternoon I met up with Peter at Rival Fitness.  After a fun and informative workout, we had lunch nearby at Tentenyu Ramen.  Peter is the modern-day Jack LaLanne.  Simple, yet effective exercises.  Wise on all fronts.  And he continues to hold the title as the only person to get me to gain weight.  As I once told him, “A good-looking guy and a free dinner is my best motivator.” 

Friday night was scheduled for my Reign team reunion, or aptly named “Reigniacs Revisited.”  We met at Melinda and Mark’s house in Queen Anne.  Melinda was the Reign’s director of community relations.  We lost some of the reunion lineup due to kids' basketball games, illness and travel, but the final roster consisted of players Tara Davis, Kate Starbird, Val Whiting (and her two boys Joe and Victor) and myself.  And Melinda and Mark’s adorable and hilarious kids, Rees and Julia.  Missing was Karen Bryant (GM), Cindy Fester (director of media relations), Migee Han (coordinator of merchandising and community involvement), Robin Moore (trainer) and Rhonda Smith-Banchero (player). 

LG, Melinda (on a chair), Val, Kate, Tara

We had a fun, relaxed night telling stories, reminiscing and reminding each other what had happened.  I am sad that not everyone was able to join the fun.  I guess I will have to make a second trip to catch the rest of them.  Hopefully when the weather is warmer. 

Even though the ABL was short-lived, I feel blessed to have been a part of this league.  I am happy that women today have a place to play after college in their own country, but, for various reasons I won’t get into, I carry a tiny spec of “bitterness” for the WNBA and how the ABL was pushed aside.  Despite that little blip, I wouldn’t trade my time in the ABL for anything.  I don’t recall if it was just my team or for the entire league, but we were each given a small, gold wagon-wheel-like pendant with “ABL Pioneer” inscribed on the back.  I still wear it now and then.  No one knows what it is or what it means.  I do, and that’s all that matters.  

So the title of this blog is “Sleepless in Seattle” and I’ve not yet talked about my sleeplessness.  The time difference is “only” three hours, but I usually feel the effects more when I travel east to west.  The first night especially, I tossed and turned, and seemingly woke up (and had to use the toilet) every hour. 

In the movie of the same name, Meg Ryan’s character flies from New York City to Seattle to see Tom Hanks’ character, a widower who is sleepless after the death of his wife.  Yes, part of my sleeplessness was because of the time change.  The other part was because I was going to see Bryan.  I had no doubt we would have a good time.  I just had that “pre-date excitement-bordering-on-nausea” feeling.  Although, technically, it wasn’t a date.    

Bryan picked me up Friday afternoon at my hotel and we had lunch at Eve Fremont.  We met up Saturday as well, hitting Chihuly Garden and Glass, the Museum of Pop Culture and the Frye Art Museum.  The Indianapolis Children’s Museum has a 43-foot tall Chihuly piece, so I am somewhat familiar with Chihuly’s work.  So beautiful!  The Seattle museum was a bit smaller than I expected, but still very nice.  MoPOP was fun and huge.  It just kept going and going.  It was one of those museums where you can’t remember where you have and haven’t been.  (Where are we?!)  These first two museums are located close to one another at the Seattle Center.  Frye was a short drive away. It’s smaller and free, with more “regular” art.  There was one large room with paintings, and some other special exhibits.  Our afternoon ended at Homegrown in Queen Anne, where we grabbed a bite before bidding adieu. 

Chihuly's Mille Fiore (Italian for "a thousand flowers")

Bryan and me at Chihuly

Cool guitar sculpture at MoPOP

From one of my fav movies, Pet Sematary (MoPOP)

Also a fav, The Princess Bride (MoPOP)

Despite having no contact with Bryan for the past 20 years, we quickly fell into easy conversation.  I expected such, but was pleased to see he hasn't changed.  He's still intelligent, funny, handsome, and one of the nicest, if not the nicest, man I've ever known.  As I told him, his company was the best part our time together, but I relished being around a tall man.  He brought up the fact that we only experienced one comment about our height the entire day at the museums.  Alone, we get numerous comments.  Maybe we tall people are more intimidating in pairs?

If you have read my prior post about Bryan, you may be wondering what my prayer was this time around.  That, my friends, is between me and my God. 

The first stop on my Tall Chick World Tour was a huge success.  Where will I go next?  I have no idea.  But I have no doubt that the location will reveal itself to me when the time is right. 

#459 Sleepless In Seattle (Part 1) -- TCWT Stop 1

My Tall Chick Work Tour begins at the end of my career – Seattle.  My playing there was a long shot.  I retired in 1994 after playing four years overseas.  I loved that overall experience, but struggled with feelings of isolation, as I was usually the only foreigner on my team.  I was also 25 and ready to get a “real” job.  I fell into sporting goods sales and was happily on track for six months when I learned about the formation of a new U.S. women’s professional basketball league – the America Basketball League, which would play during the traditional basketball season.  During the next six months, I whipped myself back into shape, attended the Atlanta combine in May 1996 and entered the draft pool.  Draft day came that June, and I waited.  And waited.  By the time I left work, I hadn’t heard anything.  During my drive home I had accepted that my playing days were over.  As I pulled into my driveway, my mom ran out and told me the Seattle Reign had just called and drafted me in the 10^th and last round.  I’d made it! 

My excitement gave way to the realization that I would be playing 2,000 miles away from home.  I had hoped to be drafted by the Columbus Quest so I would be near my family and friends.  My reasoning was that I had spent the past four years in other countries and wanted to be as close to home as possible.  Looking back, I am thankful I played where I did, even if it was the furthest city.  Nothing personal against Columbus, Ohio, but I can’t imagine having lived there compared to Seattle.  And the team may not have had the best record, but I liked my teammates and we had the best front office in the league.

My dad joined me on a three-day cross-country drive to the Emerald City.  I grew up with road-trip vacations and, despite the long days, we had a blast, taking time out to see the Field of Dreams, the Corn Palace, Crazy Horse, Mount Rushmore and Wall Drug. 

I lived downtown at the corner of Boren and Pike, near what they call Pill Hill (lots of hospitals).  I was also close to Capitol Hill, which, to this naive Hoosier, was like another planet.  Very entertaining. 

My team experience was a roller coaster.  I was making good money for a 20-something and playing a game I enjoyed.  The season began and I found myself starting and playing well.  I won’t get into any details (you’ll have to hold out for my book), but my playing time and confidence soon took a hit.  I wasn’t the only one with issues.  It’s interesting as you go up each level (high school, college, pro) how egos can come out.  Add coach turmoil to the mix and it was not pretty.  

Program photo

We won our home opener.  It was quite the spectacle! 

That uniform is swallowing me!  

That's me, always stretching.  

We may not have all agreed on the court, but I enjoyed getting to know my teammates and I spent off-court time with a few.  Venus Williams (Louisiana Tech University) was a college nemesis at the 1988 and 1990 Final Fours.  We spent a fun afternoon shopping at a tall women’s clothing store.  Stanford University put a dagger in my heart in the 1990 Final Four and I managed to make friends with my Cardinal teammates Christy Hedgepeth, Kate Paye, Kate Starbird and Val Whiting.  Purdue University All-American Joy Holmes joined the team in its second year and brought her son Gary Jr. with her (then he was around three years old; he now plays for the Denver Nuggets).  Joy is one of the nicest people I have ever met (and fiercest competitors) and it was not lost on me that she went through all the stuff we did and then went home to be a mom. 

I don’t like to play favorites, but Angela Aycock (University of Kansas) was especially fun to be around and we had a lot of laughs together.  I went to my first gay-friendly bar with her (on New Year’s Eve no less) and quickly realized it was pointless for us to be there since all the good-looking men were there with other good-looking men. 

My personal experiences in Seattle were the polar opposite to my playing experiences.  No ups and downs, just calm.  I had fun going out and about, but still spent a good bit of time on my own.  When I wasn’t hanging at the Re-bar (I think Angela and I went there twice), I did some shopping (Nordstrom Rack!) and sightseeing (Roslyn, Washington and Victoria B.C.’s Butchart Gardens)  I loved walking along Alki Beach.  Yes, Seattle lived up to the legendary dreary, overcast days.  But when the sun came out, the gloriousness outweighed the suffering.  I remember driving down the highway on a sunny day thinking, “I could live here.” 

I played for two seasons (1996-97 and 1997-98) and loved it.  To this day, it was the best job I ever had.  Unfortunately, I didn’t get picked up for the third season, and in the middle of that season, the league went bankrupt.  Make way for the WNBA.  After that last stint, I was really done.  I was 29 and didn’t feel like trying out for a new league in a new city.  Peace, I’m out. 

Over the past 20 years I’ve thought about going back to Seattle.  But it’s far.  And expensive.  And I seemed to run out of vacation days after planning my other trips.  After dreaming up my World Tour, the idea was more on my radar.  And things started to slowly fall into place. 

About a year ago I got back in touch with our strength coach, Peter Shmock, after hearing about his Life Athlete movement (see Post No. 431).  Last summer I had a blast from the past, hearing from my weight-gaining and workout partner Bryan (see Post No. 415).  He had recently begun working out with Peter and eventually my name came up and, voila – he decided to contact me.  And thanks to Facebook, I realized that several players and front office staff still lived in the area. 

Armed with a fresh desire to go and combined with free hotel nights that dropped into my lap, fairly cheap (and direct) airfare, plus an increase in my PTO days, I decided to go for it. 

Stay tuned for Part 2! 

#458 Open Arms

As I chatted with a female co-worker the other day, she talked about the stress of her day and said, “I need a hug.”  Being the jokester (and good friend) that I am, I held my arms open and she got out of her chair and we exchanged a brief hug.  And it hit me – I haven’t had a full-body hug in a long time.

I like hugs.  I hug my family and some of my friends (a few are non-huggers).  Pretty much all the people I hug come up to my shoulders, therefore I give "squatty" hugs with no body contact except for the arms.  Or side hugs.  Otherwise, my chest would be in their face.  Which would be weird. 

Hugs provide numerous benefits.  They convey affection.  They offer comfort.  We use them in celebration.  

According to an article in U.S. News & World Report, hugs can provide several health benefits.  People who hug have a perceived greater social support and are less likely to get sick.  Hugging also reduces stress due to the release of oxytocin into the bloodstream.  Benefits of Hugging from US News Feb. 3, 2016

It’s no secret I prefer dating tall men.  Why?  Partly because I don’t want to bend over to hug a man.  I don’t like the feeling of not having that full physical contact with a man.    

I came across the photo of Dustin Hoffman and I saw myself in the dark-haired woman he’s dancing with.  (Although he’s not that much shorter than her.  I would actually be ok with that height comparison.) 

Some might argue that I’m missing all physical contact since I’m currently not hugging anyone.  Touché.  I’ll take my chances.  Somewhere out there a tall man has the same complaints I do about hugging.  When we find each other, we'll come together with open arms.   

#457 Unpretty

Whenever I hear the song “Unpretty” by TLC I get a little verklempt.  I mean, I love the song.  But it always makes me sad that there are women (me included) who feel unpretty at any time in their life.  Why is that?  

Magazines, movies, television.  That’s why.  We are bombarded with “perfect” images with no wrinkles or body fat, big boobs, perfect hair and an expensive outfit with a purse that costs as much as a car or house payment.  That is all we see. 

What are my unpretty thoughts?  I came to terms with my weight a long time ago but that has always been my biggest insecurity, not my height.  I don’t mind peoples saying, “You’re tall.” (Most of the time.) However, my self-esteem takes a hit when people say, “You’re so skinny!”  To me skinny = ugly.  I realize that most of the people who have called me skinny are the ones who always want to lose 10 pounds.  That doesn’t make me like it any better. 

A few of my friends have always joked about how small-breasted we are.  Then Krista spent several days scooping fat out of a cadaver during physical therapy school and was instantly thankful for hers.  I became thankful for mine when I noticed one of my basketball teammates wore two sports bras to keep her “girls” in place.  My breasts might be small to average, but they are real and probably won’t head south any time soon.

After college I decided to stop the negative thoughts.  I am healthy, I can do the things I want to do (bike, play tennis, etc.) and I can wear pretty much anything (ok, some pants are still too short).  Sure, I could use a few extra pounds and wear a somewhat enhancing bra, but who cares? 

As I get older, the wrinkles have become more pronounced and yes, I color my hair .  I’ve even started to slowly gain a little bit of weight.  (Woo hooo!)  You have to take the good with the bad, right?  I also have more common sense.  When I see the “perfect” photo in the magazine I know that took several hours of makeup and lots of lighting and photo re-touches. 

For any of you who have ever felt unpretty, I hope you realize the trap you have fallen into and stop being so hard on yourself.  You are pretty.  Amazing. 

#456 Worm Killer

I am a worm killer.  Or a worm-mutilator.  Let me explain. 

My gym is next door to my office.  Many years ago, our parking garage was a five-minute walk to the gym.  My neck/shoulders gave me fits carrying my gym bag every day, so I invested in a rolling bag.  This practice screams “elderly” but I was in my 30s at the time.  (I don’t care what I look like.  I don’t care that people make fun of my rolling gym bag, or think they are being followed by a skateboarder.  My neck and shoulders thank me and that’s all I care about.)

Even though our current staff garage is a bit closer, I have to walk a good distance from the gym to the other side of my office building, so I still use the rolling bag.  Where do the worms come in?  Stay with me. 

I have an affinity for worms, as they provide a valuable benefit to the soil.  And they seem very friendly.  Occasionally when I see one lying on concrete after the rain has stopped, I will pick it up and put it in the grass/soil so it won’t dry up and die. 

On rainy days when I walk from the gym to the office, there are seemingly hundreds of thin worms along the sidewalk.  I maneuver my bag so as not to roll over any and potentially cut them in half.  I look like an Indiana driver avoiding potholes in February.  And every time I cringe at what damage may be fall the worms.  If I do run over one with my wheel(s), will it regenerate or shrivel up and die? 

An interesting article in the Washington Post explains the rules of worm regeneration.  Whether or not they can regenerate after being cut into two (or more) pieces depends on several things, including the type of worm, and the location and cleanliness of the cut. 

This assuages my fears a tiny bit.  And there are a ton of them, so if I happen to crush one, there are a multitude of his family/friends to carry on the good work. 

Worm Killer

Qu'est-ce que c'est

#455 Tall Chick World Tour

I started playing organized basketball in the fifth grade and was fortunate to play in college, with USA Basketball and professionally.  While basketball was never my “life”, it was a big part of it and I am grateful for the lessons I learned, the people I met and the places I visited (and sometimes lived). 

Last year an idea popped into my head that I should re-visit all the places I played throughout my career.  My next stop after high school was Auburn, Alabama, which I have returned to frequently (and still do).  From there I played in several foreign countries, ending in Seattle, Washington. 

I traveled extensively until my final stop in Seattle, then started my “real” work career.  Yes, I still traveled, but only within the United States.  It wasn’t until 2014 that I finally ventured back to foreign soil, with a trip to Italy.  The bug nibbled at me.  Three years later I was determined to let the bug take a bigger bite and coined my Tall Chick World Tour.  How would it happen?  Who would want to go with me? 

Life is unpredictable, and it took a nudge to put the wheels into motion.  I recently returned from a long weekend in Seattle.  I had wanted to go back for a long time.  Things just seemed to fall into place:  Re-connecting with a friend from the past.  Free hotel nights.  Realizing that several of my teammates (and front-office staff) still lived there.  Let’s do this! 

Below is the back of my Tall Chick World Tour T-shirt.  I’ve listed all the places I played in alphabetical order by city, with the eventual travel dates TBD. 

Stay tuned for my first installment of my TCWT. 

Bon voyage! 

#454 To Russia With Love

The latter part of last year, my good friend, and twin tower, Tammy travelled to Russia.  She didn’t go on vacation.  She went to work there for the next two years. 

I first met Tammy in 1986 at a girls’ basketball camp at Purdue University.  The next time I saw her was the fall of 1992 at an Athlete’s in Action training camp in Cincinnati, Ohio.  Tammy was on the team and I was assigned to stay at her house before we left on our tour.  Well, it was her dad’s house, as we were in our early-20s.  We hadn’t kept in touch after the Purdue camp but quickly realized we had met before. 

Not long after our tour, Tammy moved to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, and has lived there ever since.  (Minus a couple years in India.)  Over the years we have visited each other.  We also talk on the phone now and then.  She’s 6’3” and we commiserate on clothes, shoes and men.  I tell her I don’t see many tall, good-looking men in Indianapolis.  She tells me she sees lots of tall, good-looking men in Ft. Lauderdale.  Unfortunately, most of them are gay. 

We’ve had lots of fun times together.  She met my friends and me in New York in 1999 and 2000, and in St. Louis for the 2015 Men’s Final Four. We ran the 2000 New York City Marathon together (hence, the twin towers). 

We have conflicting stories of how this came about, but one of us was walking down the street and a stranger commented on our height, as they are likely to do.  Instead of the usual, “How tall are you?” or the exclamatory, “You’re tall!”, this person referred to us as a goddess.  Wow!  It made quite an impression that one of us told the other, and for several years we have refereed to each other as the “Florida goddess” and the “Indiana goddess”. 

Tammy and her friend, Martha, visited me before Tammy left for Russia, and it was great to catch up in person again.  With technology, I hope we will be able to keep in touch as if she were still in the States.  Russia has never been on my list of places to visit, but I would love to visit her while she is there.  Finding a cheap/free place to stay overseas is half the battle! 

Bon voyage, Tammy!  Удачи and Бог благословил!  (That is my attempt at Russian translation.)