BaylerBall

Growing up in South Carolina you realize you are in a small place. A country of its own. There are different regions and cultures but everyone is somehow linked. I've always found it amazing that everywhere I go I find a SC connection.

I grew up in an area of SC called the "PeeDee". I played softball all through my childhood and eventually made it onto a traveling all star team (I am pretty sure my Dad paid my way on because I wasnt very good). I made lifelong connections with the girls I spent that summer with. I still keep in touch with almost all of them. We bonded as a team and we carried that into high school and some of us even today. Now we are adults, we are no longer innocent 13 year olds playing softball across the southeast. Many of the girls are married and some have kids. One girl that was on my team recently had a family tragedy and her story has touched the hearts of the whole state.

My blood runs orange, its always has. I also am not an avid baseball fan. However, seeing facebook updates throughout the CWS about Bayler Teal inspired me to watch. I watched them beat Oklahoma. That was the night that little Bayler lost his battle with cancer. The USC head coach Ray Tanner starting crying on camera when asked about Bayler.

"(Bayler) really became a part of our program. And he was always in our thoughts and prayers . . . I've got to believe right now he's probably smiling right now and a happy camper looking down upon us."

 There are articles all over the internet about how this sweet little angel inspired the SC Gamecocks to win the national title. The article that I read that made tears swell in my eyes was this one by Travis Haney at the Post and Courier.  

Haney has followed the Teal's story for a long time and his article was posted all over facebook and spread like wildfire. Profile pictures started to change to this..

Practically everyone that had any ties to the Teal family has shown their support this week. With all of the careless mistakes made by UCLA in the championship games I really believe there was an Angel in the Outfield! I wanted to share this story because it has touched my heart and so many others. Even as I write this I get chills thinking about this little boy and how his story not only inspired a team but an entire state. I hope this story makes it across the country because we all need a little more inspiration and hope in our lives.

here is a photo and Video of the Teal Family when they went to Omaha this week with their other son. I hope the video works

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1404316919335&ref=mf

Music to make you smile

I was having bad day last week and went to lunch with a coworker. As we were sitting there Whitney Houston's "How Will I know" came on the radio. I started singing along and my coworker said "you dont seem in a bad mood now". She was right, that song always makes me happy. I have composed a list of 10 songs that make me insanely happy with links to their videos.

1. Whitney Houston "How Will I know"
2. Paul Simon "You can call me Al"
3. Wham! "Wake me up before you go go"
4. Ben Harper "Steal my Kisses"
5. The Beatles "Octopus' Garden"
6. The Temptations "The way you do the things you do"
7. CCR "Down on the Corner"
8. George Harrison "Got my mind set on you"
9. Jimmy Buffett "Pencil Thin Mustache"
10. Phish "Gin and Juice" (its debatable who actually sang this song. Some credit it to the Gourds)

Hope these make you as happy as they make me!

Spammers

I get excited when I see that someone has commented on my posts. I try to only write when I have something entertaining to say. I have recently noticed a wave of spammers commenting on my posts. Does anyone else get this? Its all in Chinese characters and is a link to a site that i dare not click on. Any clue how to get rid of this? I keep deleting them and then I get sad because I have NO comments. Are spammers my biggest fans?

What we have learned from Carrie and the girls

I have seen every episode of Sex and the City and after this weekend I can say that I've seen both movies also. I have a male acquaintance who thinks this show is nothing but a bunch of sluts wearing ugly clothes. I am trying to prove him wrong with this blog post. For those of you who are avid SATC fans you will agree that we have learned a lot about relationships and men from this show. I have done some research and picked lessons that each girl taught us. 

"I'm dating skid-marks guy. When your boyfriend is so comfortable that he cannot be bothered to wipe his ass, there's a problem."- Miranda Hobbes

Miranda is my least favorite of the characters. She takes her career way to seriously for my taste but I do respect her drive and know many girls who can relate to that lifestyle. Miranda teaches us that its hard to have it all. She has a great career as a lawyer but her fashion isnt always the best because there is no time to shop. When Steve came along she tried to control their relationship because that is what she was accustomed to. Steve was the best thing to happen to her. They were opposites and her brought out her fun side and allowed her to let loose. I think a defining moment in their relationship was when Steve entered the million dollar basket tournament at the lakers game and Miranda gave him a hard time and made him feel like he couldnt win. In the end she went out and supported him and learned that she shouldnt take advantage of her man. You can be the bread winner at the office and still be supportive of your family if you will let yourself relax and trust. 

"Allow me to get right to the point guys. After careful consideration, I have decided that I'm getting married this year"- Charlotte York

Charlotte is the character I am probably the most like when it comes to relationships. She knows that her life goal is to get married and have a family. Always adorning a string a pearls Charlotte was the classiest of all the girls. I always loved that she whispered things she felt inappropriate. Charlotte set her goals on getting married and when she found who she thought was Mr. Right he turned out to be a "downer", if you will. She tried hard to make the marriage work and told her mother in law that she was "worth a million" when it came time to settle the divorce. She found that the love of her life was a less than perfect jewish divorce attorney with a hairy back. Everything she was not looking for she found in Harry. But she also found a partner and a life of true love and happiness. From Charlotte we learn that even if you get what you want out of life it might have different and better plans for you.

"When men attempt bold gestures, generally it's considered romantic. When women do it, it's often considered desperate or psycho" Carrie Bradshaw

Carrie's little narrations offered excellent insight and made you go "ah, she's right". For a dating columnist we all thought she had it figured out. She made many mistakes but in the end realized her soulmate was Mr. Big and they made it work. Carrie taught us that love isnt perfect and its often very messy. While dating men from different walks of life she found herself and learned something from every relationship. 

"When I'm good, I'm very good. But when I'm bad I'm even better" Samantha Jones

Okay, Samantha is my favorite character because she is a badass. She speaks everything that is on her mind and everything that comes out of her mouth is an innuendo and that wit is something that impresses me. I dont see her as the "slut" I see her as the one who is open minded and brave. She knows what she is and isnt looking for and she gets exactly what she wants. She is brave enough to not worry about getting hurt or heart broken. She is brave when she beats cancer. She is brave when she allows herself to love Smith. Samantha teaches us that unless we truly know ourselves and what we want then we cant achieve it. 

.........

The most important thing that the girls taught us is that your girlfriends are your true Soul Mates and they will always be there for you while the men come and go. Here are some great SATC quotes. 

"Later that day I got to thinking about relationships. There are those that open you up to something new and exotic, those that are old and familiar, those that bring up lots of questions, those that bring you somewhere unexpected, those that bring you far from where you started, and those that bring you back. but the most exciting, challenging and significant relationship of all is the one you have with yourself. And if you can find something to love the you you love, well, that's just fabulous"

"When you're young, your whole life is about the pursuit of fun. Then, you grow up and learn to be cautious. You could break a bone or a heart. You look before you leap and sometimes you dont leap at all because there's not always someone there to catch you. An in life, there's no safety net. When did it stop being fun and start being scary?"

"Maybe some women aren't meant to be tamed. Maybe they just need to run free till they find someone just as wild to run with them"

"Maybe all men are a drug. Sometimes they bring you down and sometimes, like now, they get you so high"

"Sometimes we need to stop analyzing the past, stop planning he future, stop figuring out precisely how we feel, stop deciding exactly what we want, and just see what happens."

"So just love, make mistakes, and have wonderful times, but never second guess who you are, where you have been and most importantly, where it is you are going. 

"Eventually all the pieces fall into place. Until then, laugh at the confusion, live for the moment and know that everything happens for a reason"