I'm feeling like Friday on this Tuesday because my email to Peter Bodo, Senior Editor at TENNIS Magazine and blogger for the TennisWorld blog on Tennis.com, was published today.
I had wrote Pete about how I thought Jelena Jankovic was breaking out of her shell as the Gril Who Might Have Been and is becoming the girl who can (and eventually, will).
Click here to read my letter and read Pete's savvy response. Back with more later this week!
A few weeks ago, when I was in New York, I took the Chinatown bus from New York to Boston and back again for the weekend. It was a fun adventure to be out on the East Coast traveling by myself, and along the way I met several fun characters on and off the bus.
One of those characters was a girl whose name I forget, but whose personality is unforgettable. She sat next to me on the ride back to New York, with her iPod in hand and her humming voice singing along - she was going to audition for a show. We got to chatting and she told me about how she was doing a show this summer at a theme park, something she didn't seem necessarily proud of, but deep down knew that it was a gig.
As the conversation turned to me, I told her about how I was moving to the City in September to try to make my way as a writer. I told her that my interested varied, but that I was particularly interested in the environmental movement and the professional tennis tour, which are two completely different things.
"Well," she replied. "They're both outdoors."
Yes, I thought, they are both outdoors - sometimes. Needless to say, she was being kind and trying to make a connection, something that I appreciated from her.
Those two issues - the environmental movement and tennis - are what my two most recent published writings include. My column at GreenforGood.com, "The Greener Grad" continues this week with a look at how the green movement is often seen as a competition when it shouldn't be. And, over at TENNIS.com, I wrote an article about my own school, Seattle University, going Division I and bringing back their storied tennis program.
Check both of them out when you have time, and get out and enjoy the outdoors when you get the chance! There's lot to do out there, separate from tennis and the environment, of course.
Love this. TENNIS.com has updated you on all the players you were wondering about on the men's side of the game.
Thursday they're running on women's special. Love, love, love it!
Now... I have a midterm to take :)
Believe it or not, the first slam of the year is nearly underway!
TENNIS.com has pulled out all the stops for the Aussie Open coverage.
The official AO web site also always has great material including video, audio and pictures. I love their live scoreboard and radio, both of which I use extensively since I'm a TV-less college student.
Erwin at Tennis Served Fresh. always has tremendous stuff on the slams (particularly the fashion, of course) and will bring in a contributor or two to give some different perspectives.
And don't forget the tour's official web sites (men's and women's).
Oh, and this is one of a few stories that the NYT is doing surrounding the tournament, as well.
Those are the sites I will be frequently, along with wherever the mouse might take me. Any other suggestions?
If any of you are clock watchers, you would be correct when you thought my mid-term was in 18 minutes.
Yet the cramming is over...is there anything I'm actually going to retain 20 minutes before the test? Probably not.
So in my post-cram and pre-test perusing of the internet, I found a surprising entry on TENNIS.com's homepage: one by fellow intern Troy Venechanos.
You all remember Troy, that guy that I carried manikins around Manhattan with, and more recently, our Madrid correspondent.
Well, he's all grown up now, writing for the big boys at TENNIS.
But don't worry, Troy sent me a message earlier this week promising a full wrap-up from Madrid including all the juicy gossip on Mirka he could get.
I'm getting a little scared for school to roll around. In just one week we start up fall quarter, and after a terrific summer at TENNIS that included blogging up a storm, I'm wondering if I can keep up with the pace both in the real world and the blogosphere.
My two best friends are visiting from Seattle before we head back for school, and yesterday we ventured to land I usually leave untouched: the Helena Valley. Now, Helena is a gorgeous town, one that I'm very thankful that I grew up in. My house is centrally located, however, so trips out to the Valley are few and far between; I prefer the downtown area with its old charm and pedestrian-only outdoor shopping mall.
(The view from Mt. Helena. Love it. Photo by Jon_Marshall via Flickr.)
But we were on a mission at Hasting's (think Barnes and Noble) to find the October issue of TENNIS Magazine. This month's issue of TENNIS is a double feature in the McCarvel category: my name is on the masthead again (am I bragging here?) and on page 66 you can find a yours truly demonstrating a workout for all our avid readers.
Sure, I'm tooting my own horn here, but it's rare to have the opportunity to work at a magazine...but to also have your picture in it? That's something I'll toot about.
(Ivanovic looks oh so good on the cover. AIPT photo.)
Meanwhile, I did a little scoping of the AOL sports section online today and was bitterly disappointed. I'm always trying to find new sources of news when it comes to tennis, and AOL quickly earned itself a "I'll-Never-Check-This-Site" label. Not only was "Davenport into Bali final" the main headline (which was from five days ago), Roger Federer holding his USO trophy was their second story (a ten-day old headline). The tennis person at AOL is AWOL.
I was telling one of my good friends last night how taxing blogging can be. When I first started to blog in January, I thought that it would be easy to put up content everyday that got reader's attention.
The ideas and execution take a lot of effort, I soon realized, and everyday blogging was as difficult as everyday working out. Over the past two weeks I did my best to keep up with the Open and all its goings on, but sometimes life calls in other ways.
TENNIS Magazine still churns out what I think is the best blog in the biz: Peter Bodo's TENNIS WORLD. Bodo himself posts intriguing and thoughtful entries about every two to three days, while 'TW Tribe Members' help with posting week in and week out.
I also want to give a shout out to Erwin Ong, over at Tennis Served Fresh. Erwin was a blogging maniac when it came to the US Open this year, keeping us all up to date on who looked best on the court and who just shouldn't have shown up (Bethanie Mattek, anyone?). Erwin's efforts earned him some recognition in a recent SacBee article, too.
And while talking about the blog arena, I can't help but mention Jon Wertheim, over at SI. Though Wertheim doesn't have what would be technically be called a blog, he does great tennis coverage, especially during Slam time. His mailbag at the end of each Major is always fun to read - check that out early this week.
Troy Venechanos was my fellow intern at TENNIS Magazine this past summer, and we had a great time together following the daily happenings of the men's and women's tours. The editors would always walk by our desks laughing because Troy and I had constant banter going on: he loved Hantuchova, I love to make fun of her. He worshipped the Williams sisters, I liked to tear them down. On and on.
Troy got quite talented on his fancy Mac toward the end of our internship at working on Photoshop. He created the lovable Federbear and Roger Federer's 2007 Christmas card, featuring my fave: Mirka.
Yet I had to save his best for last. Troy emailed me just yesterday, saying that he was doing well in France (where he's studying abroad and stalking Richard Gasquet). He informed me that (finally) he had started a blog. I saw it as the perfect opportunity to put up his masterpiece he calls "What If Mary Pierce Was One of Us?"
Mary Pierce is one of my favorite players on the women's tour. Along with Capriati and Seles, I'd really like to see the former champ return to play. Lately, however, I've heard she's turned to prayer and meditation to help her comeback, and thus, this picture:
(I always thought Mary Pierce was holy - it's in the eyes. This picture proves it. Illustration by Troy Venechanos.)
Getting up at 4:30 a.m. New York time means that I'm up at 1:30 Seattle time. If my math is correct, I've been up almost 21 hours now...so pardon any fractured sentences or misspelled words.
Travel days always take the wind out of you, but I find it also kick starts your body in a certain way. The excitement of being in a new place - even if it is a familiar one - always gets my blood bumping.
I've been trying to keep my head about the aftermath of the Ethicist column that ran in Sunday's NYT. I certainly didn't anticipate such reaction, but have also learned a great deal through the process. And what is life without character-building learning experiences? I will say this over and over again: TENNIS Magazine is a clean, professional and dignified publication - both online and in print. No ifs, ands or buts about it. I wrote that letter months ago, and the editor in question has since left for unrelated resasons.
In the real tennis world, something called the US Open is looming. Men's and women's draws were released today and there are some interesting match-ups early on and potential quarterfinal battles. I will chat more about this sometime over the weekend.
But for now I must put an end to the 21-hour day; sleep sounds good. Tomorrow: Montana bound.
The rain drops started on Tuesday and they never stopped. I hoped for most of the day that they would stop, that the Pilot Pen might get some play in before my train back to New York. Come mid-afternoon, however, the rain had hit a persistent level and I had lost all hope.
I boarded a train back to New York at 3 - about five hours earlier than I had planned - with a little bit of disappointment weighing on my shoulders. It was, no doubt, a great experience just to have the chance to utilize my press pass, see the behind-the-scenes happenings and get a glimpse of what the future might hold.
(I just hope the future doesn't involved washed-out Tuesdays. AIPT photo.)
If rain is out of fashion in Seattle then I know which city stole its style for the season: New Haven, Connecticut.
By 1:30 no tennis ball has been hit. And they don't even have grounds people working to keep the courts semi-dry: the rain has been upgraded to 'steady'.
(Look! An empty interview room. Which means no matches have been completed. Which means no matches have even started. AIPT photo.)
Oh what I'd give for a Ashley Harkleroad press conference right now. "So Ash, tell us about your MySpace quote..."
I know I live in Seattle most of the year, but does the weather really have to follow me cross country on the one day of the summer I get the chance to watch some pro tennis live?!? Bah humbug.
This morning my alarm rang at 6 a.m., which was about four to five hours earlier than I had been getting up the last four days with my brother in town from Montana.
My first order of business was to check the dang weather, which promised 40-50% chance of rain throughout the day. Part of me wanted to climb back into my comfy bed and forget the whole thing...but the other part of me couldn't stand not deciding to go and then finding out it had turned out to be a beautiful day in central Connecticut.
I hopped the 6:58 train to New Haven out of Grand Central Station and couldn't believe that some people do this - everyday. My daily commute in Seattle involves eight city blocks on foot, not miles upon miles of train tracks. And for some, that's just part of the journey!
My two-hour train rain concluded at Union Station in the grand city of New Haven. Exiting out of the station, I decided to forgoe the "Lucy's" taxi (in pink writing) and go with a more familiar breed - the Yellow Cab. My driver got me to where I had asked to be dropped off: the Yale Bowl. I, however, did not realize that when the tournament web site said "located near the Yale Bowl" that 'near' was a relative term.
Therefore, I walked back and forth, and forth and back for a good 20 minutes before finally finding a route that would lead me to the tennis. I found my media pass (no thanks to the friendly Pilot Pen staff that guided me to the Will Call line...) and then the media center.
And that's where I remain now. I've been up for nearly five hours and have yet to see a tennis ball struck. The rain, however, is hitting pretty hard. Will I get any live views at all today? Stay tuned to find out...
(A live shot from my cubicle in the press room! So official. AIPT photo.)
I grew up in a house built during the 1880s gold rush in Montana. It's brick, with white trim and has a romantic sense to it that my mom has brought out with her golden touch of decorating.
My favorite part of the house, however wasn't inside with the hardwood floors and intricate molding, instead, it was in the back alley, behind our garage. You see, the alley faced an old barn - yes, barn - that had the most perfect texture for hitting a ball against.
Starting at the age of 5, I would go out there most summer days, and some winter ones, too, and bash a ball against the wall until my forearm was numb. My neighbors were generous, never complaining about the noise or the wear-down on the wall I was guilty of. I became familiar with the drivers who used the alley as a short cut, and, remarkably, I won dozens of grand slam titles and thousands of adoring fans.
It had always been a dream of mine to be involved in professional tennis. Back in my wall-hitting days, I thought my role would be Wimbledon king and US Open prince, but past the age of 12, when I realized tennis was to Montana as water-skiing is to big cities, I turned my focus to my skill of the pen rather than my skill of the racquet.
This past summer, I have had the remarkable opportunity to work at TENNIS Magazine as an intern. It's been an opportunity that I at one point could've never dreamed of, and one that has taught me miles upon miles of lessons of the professional world.
For a boy from Montana, New York has no doubt been intimidating. The City has given me a lot, and hopefully I've been able to give back something through my taking. This all might sound cheesy and overdone, but it's given me a chance to see my future out of a pair of different lenses.
(The view from my intern cubicle. Well, actually this is from the top of Rockafeller. But a boy can dream, right? AIPT photo.)
Whether or not my future still lays in tennis or not, that I can't say, but I do know that I have a a good sense of where my ability stands, where my mind can take me and where my dreams still dwell.
A huge thanks to everyone at TENNIS, my summer savior Matt, Erwin for encouragement and all my family and friends keeping the emails and comments coming. Stay tuned to Talking Tennis for all your favorite updates from yours truly.
Disclaimer: the photoblog idea totally came from the brilliant mind of Matt Murphy. I always give credit where credit is due. So Matt, where'd you get the idea?
Though my real camera stopped working a few months ago (that's what I get for buying it at Costco), I still try to take (poor quality) pictures with my camera phone as often as possible.
This week, Troy and I were sent off on a task that only interns could complete: pick up the manikin legs. Yes, that's right, the manikin legs were done with their photo shoot and they needed us to move them. You see, manikin legs might be legs, but they don't necessarily move - hence us getting them.
So we set off to pick them up from Rainier, the German photographer (not the beer). And from here on out, I'll let the photos do (most) the talking:
(Troy and I lugged the manikins in body bags downstairs. Glares from passersby were numerous. AIPT photo.)
(Then the cab dropped us off almost a block away from our destination - the Land of Manikins. Troy did the carrying. I played paparazzi. AIPT photo.)
(We heard crying from inside of a building and what did we find? The Land of Manikins. Our legs were finally home. AIPT photo.)
(Once we returned the legs, we hit the streets again but were pulled into a dark alley by this mysterious du: Federelf and Mirkadeer. "Take this," they told us. Troy Venechanos illustration.)
(They handed us a minute piece of paper, and, alas! It was page 66 of the October issue of TENNIS Magazine. With me, a stamp-sized boy, rolling on a foam tube. AIPT photo.)
Our mission was complete. Our work as interns - done.
New York City has been the home of a lot of first-time experiences for me. This city has taught me a lot in the short two months that I've been here, and I'm sad to say I have just 10 more days before I depart for what could be eternity, or perhaps just a year. Only time will tell...
This week (my eighth at the internship) surprisingly brought three firsts of its own.
The Photo Shoot Delivery
On Thursday, David Rosenberg, our photo editor, asked Troy and I to make a little delivery for him. Another one of the photo editors was setting up a photo shoot just a few blocks from the magazine, and they needed props delivered from the office. So Troy and I took a little trot to W20th and 6th.
Upon entering the studio, I felt like I was walking into a scene from America's Next Top Model or some TV set. A vast space with shiny hardwood floors and a raised ceiling gave the room an air of importance. Tim, SMASH art director, showed us around the studio, giving us a peek at the manikins in which they were using for a shoe shoot.
We didn't get to stay for the shoot itself, but I'm guessing the manikins (and bottle of cologne) cooperated just fine.
(The giant umbrella protected the manikins from the fierce rays of sun coming from the ceiling. Photo by AIPT.)
Photo Shoot: More Than an Observer
The next day (Friday), I was enjoying my time looking for pictures on Getty for our player profile section when David approached me again. "Want to be in the magazine?" He asked.
I laughed him off as he walked by. Not really sure what he was asking, but all the while slightly embarrassed and slightly intrigued by his comment. Later during the day, he approached me with tennis shoes, shorts and a shirt and said, "Let's get you into these."
It seems as though a last-minute crunch for the October issue left them with one option for part of the fitness section: do an in-house shoot. For some reason, I was the chosen candidate. And soon I found myself rolling on a thigh-massaging device with the direction of our SMASH fitness editor and Mr. Rosenberg himself.
(My BlueSteel face was on for much of the shoot. AIPT photo.)
FederBear and the Photoshop Lesson
Friday afternoon also brought a little lesson for me: the art of Photoshop. Troy was kind (and patient) enough to show me little details of the program. I never will be much of an artist, especially a digital artist, but I've realized the more skills I can attain the more marketable I am as a 21st-Century journalist. Sound lame? It is.
However, Troy created the most not-lame picture of all-time to cap off a great week at the magazine.
(FederBear. Troy Venechanos illustration.)
I'm about to board a plane for Missoula, Mont., via Chicago in a few hours. This year, my parents are celebrating their 30th Wedding Anniversary, something not too many married couples get to experience together.
It's a special week for my family for many reasons: both my older sisters, Katie and Annie, are celebrating their one-year wedding anniversaries (Katie and Andrew on July 15 and Annie and Kevin on September 22) and not just that, but Annie and Kevin welcomed in SAM (already a blog superstar) on July 11 of this year.
It will be a grand affair. My youngest sister, Marcie just got her license, while my brother JP returned from a second stint in Ireland this year a few days ago. My older brother Michael (de San-Fran-cis-co) will bring along his girlfriend, Jennie, and Katie and Andrew their brand-new lab, Willy.
If you've lost count, there's 13 of us (Willy included)!
Mary's Place on Flathead Lake, Polson, Montana (photo via HighNotePress).
I will be enjoying my Harry Potter on the shores of Flathead Lake between family boating, rafting, hiking, tennis and eating. Though I am deeply saddened that I won't get to experience the wonders that are San Diego and DC, I look forward to returning to NYC for two more weeks at TENNIS and (of course) decades more of blogging.
Happy August all :)
New York smells. I mean really, it smells. For those of you that are Montanans, think Missoula, mix in a little garbage and throw in a dash of bad bathroom smell and voila! You have New York City.
Now you must understand, the entire city doesn't wreak, but the variety of wafts I get every morning on my way to (and inside of) the subway are enough to make you cringe a little. That's big city living though, right?
Creativity is always in the air in this city as well, and thanks to having one of the most well-informed artistic buffs as one of my best friends, I get to bypass the critics section in the New York Times and go straight to the good stuff.
Recently I joined my friend, Matt, for an uptown ride on the 6 train (always my favorite) to attend an outdoor display of art at The Met. The display included three over-sized movie screens, hung on the side of a building, with dancers of all different disciplines projected onto the screens.
These dancers were not ordinary performers, however, their 15-second dance sequences had been slowed down to dozens of frames per second, so that they move in the slowest of slow motion. The beauty of it - to me - was captivating. And though I'll never know a fouette as well as I know a forehand, the sight of it all was enough to make my mouth drop.
And while the aroma of art passed through my life this week, the fragrance of my future has been lingering in the air since I arrived in the City. New York appeals to so much of me - to my love of urbania, to my writing, to the dream of living here - yet I'm not sure if it's rubbed me the right way in my time here. I'm still undecided.
Come Saturday I'll board a plane for a week in Montana with my family, re-entering the world of pine trees and wildfires and get a little perspective on life. And, thank god, a little fresh air.
Lindsay Davenport had her baby just seven weeks ago and is already itching to get back on the tennis court. I had the opportunity to write a news feature on Davenport and her comeback on TENNIS.com. You can find it here.
Meanwhile, my sister Annie keeps sending me adorable pictures of her newborn, Samantha Ann, so I can't resist putting another shot of SAM up. She's 9 days old today.
Keeping with the baby theme, tennis balls are always amusing to children in one way or another. I'm not sure about this video here, where the little boy is inundated with a box of tennis balls bouncing down the stairs. He seems to enjoy himself though. Future tennis champion?
The last couple days have been pretty good to me, and I can't help the glow I feel surrounded by.
First there was the news of SAM, the newest addition to my already gigantic family.
Then, (on a smaller scale, of course) I got the opportunity to write for Peter Bodo's blog on TENNIS.com called TENNISWORLD. This is probably the most well-read tennis blog on the internet, and having Pete suggest I write something and him actually posting it is an incredible honor. Check it out.
Is tomorrow really Friday the 13th? For some reason I feel like I'll enjoy this one.
