... amen & amen ...

I wish there were a Project Innocence in Tennessee, so I could help.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/04/29/dna.exoneration.ap/index.html?iref=mpstoryview

Thank God for DNA testing and technology! Too bad it took 27 years for him.

... unfreakin' believeable ...

You gotta read this!

http://ac360.blogs.cnn.com/2008/04/29/they-gave-him-money-to-fix-his-house-now-they-want-it-back/

What is this country coming to? What an injustice!

... no news, really ...

So, you know that my boy has joined this competitive baseball team for the spring. Wow! What a shock to all of us. Uniforms, bat bags, traveling, etc. I think we all were prepared for all of it. But the part that blindsided us was the "click" that the team had before we joined. Unbeknownst that to us, there was a team. Contrary to what it seemed when we (Jake) "tried out."

Sidenote: I always say we because I consider every event in our children's lives something we all did. Grades, baseball, basketball, cheer leading, etc. Chris and I supported them through encouragement & of course, money. But they do the work. Back to the thought...

My boy, who has been rather successful at baseball until this team, is now being told that he's not in the "best 9" and doesn't always get to play...or bat. So we've spent the money to purchase these fancy uniforms, we travel either 25 or 70 miles each weekend to support the team, and he doesn't always get to play? What the heck? I'm venting here... bare with me.

He does play some, but not what he would like to...what we'd like to have him play. The thing that gets me is the promise to play when others make errors. And when errors are made, well...the coach isn't doing what he did at the beginning of the season. Now, I know I'm bellyaching, and venting, but it would be different if my boy was just a lunatic running around and making errors out on the field. Waaa, right? I sound totally like a mother. And I am a mother. This kid's mother. He's got skills that are being wasted.

Now, he is learning alot about stealing bases, which he hadn't had much experience with before this season. And maybe some other things that escape me at this weakened moment. But it's so frustrating for me, as his mother to watch him struggle to make these coaches happy. It's like putting out fires. He thinks he's doing alright for a while and then BAM!, they slug him with a "you could've done that better." I'm sure I'm totally blowing this out of proportion...actually I know I am. BUT, remember I'm venting.

There is gossiping behind people's back...the coaches' back actually. Questioning their judgments and calls. I listen. No comment. I'm usually one of the loudest that cheerers in the galley. But I'm having trouble. I'm stifled by my anger, disappointment with the adults leading this team and fear that I'm making a bad decision to allow my boy to stay on this team that won't give him the chance to shine.

I've seen the small victories though. Like the day that my boy got to play second base (his normal position) and shined like a new penny. Even got the game ball that the coach said he never gives out. But it seemed that after that, the tide turned ... something changed. I'm still trying to figure that one out.

Right field. Pitch a half an inning (the last out). A bone here, a scrap there.

I've got to search for some sort of speech to give myself. Because Jake doesn't seem too fazed by the whole thing. And I don't want to ruin his mindset. I encourage him. And I try not to complain in front of him. But it's hard not to when I think he's being done wrong.

Anyone lived this life? Send encouragement.

I'm moving on...the best I can.

Thanks for listening.

.. yep there are lady tigers ..

Welcome Melissa McFerrin to the UofM as the head coach of our Lady Tigers.

She looks good on paper and has some great experience.

This is what the CA said....

http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2008/apr/24/hit-the-ground-running/

Let's hope that she can make the women's team into as much as a gem as the men's.

GO TIGERS GO!

.. more tiger stuff ..

http://alumni.memphis.edu/flash_presentations/flash_ncaa.htm

Great slideshow put together by the UofM Alumni. ENJOY!

And... GO TIGERS GO!

... ...

http://g.dwgsee.com/wake/index.htm

Check out the video that was forwarded to me.

Support the troops. This was put together by 3 soldiers.

.. visitors ..

This morning our pup Daisy was barking "upa storm" when I let her out for her morning duty or dooty, if you will. I went to check things out. And look what I found.

Good job girl.

.. worried? .. me too ..

Okay, so earlier this week I told you (not that I'm your official UofM news outlet) that our beloved Derrick Rose is entering the NBA draft. Well, Thursday our treasured & "always there" CDR (Chris Douglas-Roberts) announced he'd go too. Dang! So if you're counting, that's Joey Dorsey & Andre Allen (both Seniors) Derrick Rose (early NBA) and now Chris. I don't want to sound like I'm surprised or disappointed, but I'm a bit of both. But I'm also proud and excited for them both. And I'm hopeful that someone will see Joey and Andre's talented even though the spotlight isn't blinding them. They're awesome guys/players.

GOOD LUCK TO THEM ALL. THEY'LL BE MISSED!

... First Farve, now ...

Well, folks seems as though it's out with the old and in with the new. It's happened again. Another great quarterback has announced he won't return for the NFL 2008 season. This time it's Steve McNair. In case your not up on football or you've been living under a rock, especially those from Tennessee, Steve McNair was our "leader of the team" (for The Titans) for 11 years. He was so easy to watch and he was exciting to watch. He wouldn't just drop back and throw the ball. He didn't just pass off the ball to the running back. He was the running back when the team was in a crunch! Would sacrifice his body to make the play any day. And that's why he's out. Shoulder, arm and groin pain plague him after 13 years. But he will always be a Titan!

I'll miss him. (wiping away a tear)

.. No suprise .. but exciting! ..

Tigers' Rose will declare for NBA draft this week.

GOOD LUCK #23 !

... Maybe I should start voting ...

Remember when I confessed that I watch "american idol" and how that I loved Michael Johns? Well.. he got the boot last night and everyone was shocked... even me. Look at that Smithson girl's face. She even knows he shouldn't have gone. I saw the clip of the Aerosmith song he did and he was pretty dog gone good. Maybe I should start voting in these things. But am I that invested in this that I'd call to vote? I hate it for him. I was really good. Hey Michael - Hold your head up, Dolly loved you. I bet she's penning a song for you right now! Reality shows suck!

check it out. he was good!

.. ELVIS ..

You gotta love Elvis.

This is one of the newly discovered/released photos.

Wonder what he would have been like had he lived?

... thoughts ...

So, one of the things I say is "I'm not very good at that." Usually it's about speaking to a crowd, gardening, fixing things, etc. I tend to limit myself in these areas. Really I've not tried to do them. If there's fixing to be done, that's Chris's job. And gardening is my mom or my brother. And speaking to a crowd, well my Dad has never met a stranger.

Today I opened my "thought for the day" from the Real Simple magazine email and this is what it says:

It's not who you are that holds you back, it's who you think you're not.
— Anonymous

So, maybe this spring I'll do alittle more gardening. And when we redo the kitchen later this year I participate and not just pay someone to do it. And in the Fall I'm taking a communications class...uh, sorry.... but I'll never be something different if I don't think I'm not.

thanks for listening.
c

.. Bartlett Royals ..

my boy's team...2nd row second from right.

Go Royals.

... Remembering a Great Season ...

http://web.commercialappeal.com/08/cusa/tigersseason/index.html

thanks to the commercial appeal for putting this together! It's a trip down memory lane.

GO TIGERS GO!

... you win 38 ... you lose 2 ...

Hold your head up Joey!

We feel the same way, Coach!

My University of Memphis Tigers fell to Kansas last night in the NCAA Championship game.

Coach Cal did all he could and so did the team...

I'm extremely proud to be an employee of the University and a Tiger fan! I can't wait until the 2008-2009 season.

GO TIGERS GO!!!

.... University of Memphis basketball ....

go tigers go !

come on...cross them!

... 1 to go ...

YYYEEESSS!!

(1) UCLA 63, (1) Memphis 78

GO TIGERS GO!

.. again I wonder, what would it had been like ...

April 3, 1968

... amazing ... sad ... inspiring ...

.. a cute mess ..

How cute is that? My nephew playing the drums...he'll be 4 later this month.

... a hot mess ...

What the heck? She's so talented. She needs to get it back together.

.. exactly ..

I have learned from experience that the greater part of our happiness or misery depends on our dispositions and not on our circumstances. — Martha Washington

... fill #2 ...

Not much change in my weight... 3lbs. Now I'm going to tell you that I feel like it's more just because I can tell in my clothes, but I was a bit disappointed. The doctor said though that she didn't expect any loss so three pounds was good. She said it will take at least three visits to find just the right tightness.

It's been a couple of days, and again I don't think it's tight enough, but I'm going to give it a week. And I don't think I'll wait a whole month to go back. The fill was much the same as last time. It was difficult to find the port and painful. Not like getting a tooth pull (even though I've not had that done, but have heard it's painful), but like getting an IV or blood drawn painful. Just uncomfortable.

Still no regrets. Still happy with my choice. However you want to say it. I'm going to be honest though, it's not going fast enough. I'm walking and trying to eat right. And although 3 pounds is good, I want 13. Faster would be better. But I'm optomistic and hopefilled!

And a big "shoutout" to one of my biggest cheerleader, My Mom. She held my hand. Thanks, Mom!

... another reason to love Coach Cal ...

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/ncaatourney08/columns/story?id=3327069

He looks at their eyes...that's deep.

GO TIGERS GO!

... chinese proverb ...

Words are just words and without heart they have no meaning.

... okay, so I watch ...

WARNING: ** IGNORE THE JUDGES AT THE END, THEY RUIN IT. **
So this guy, Michael Johns is amazing. I loved this performance of Dolly's song, It's all wrong but it's Alright. Listen to the last note he sings and try not to cry...I dare ya.

... have you ever noticed ? ...

... how cute this guy is ...

just wondering.