Gatlinburg, Baltimore, Memphis. Oh my!

GATLINBURG

Last November, I took a trip to Gatlinburg with some of my nearest and dearest friends. We stayed in an awesome cabin up in the mountains, complete with a hot tub and a gorgeous view.

Not bad, Tennessee.

Morgan and I carpooled down a day late (and apparently, we missed a crazy night). Mostly, we stayed in the cabin, catching up, sitting in the hot tub, listening to music, and playing games. One night, we went down to the main strip, ate dinner at an Italian restaurant, and sampled some Ole Smoky Moonshine (yes, even me). The next night, some of us had dinner at the Hard Rock.

Some of the girls. For some reason, no group pictures were taken.

We also had a bit of a bear problem. The first night, a not-so baby bear showed up at the cabin, limping around. The next night, he came back with his mom and brother. It made for some awesome pictures and a close call for a couple friends who got a bit too close.

This was "baby bear."

On the way home, we stopped at Applewood Farmhouse for brunch. It was totally worth the hour-long wait for the fresh apple cider and apple fritters. Delicious. If you're ever near there, GO.

BALTIMORE

In June, Mom, Dad, Wheat, and I went to Baltimore for my cousin Tabitha's wedding. The day before the wedding was Wheat's birthday, so I bought him tickets to see the Orioles, his favorite team, play the Yankees. Unfortunately, it rained and batting practice was moved inside. Luckily, it stopped raining, so we could walk around the Inner Harbor for a bit before making our way to Camden Yards.

Nice beard.

The ballpark itself was awesome. We spent over an hour looking at all the cool quirks before finding our seats. There are statues of the players whose numbers have been retired and plaques on the ground commemorating the landing spot of every home run that has landed on Eutaw Street. At the 1993 Home Run Derby, Ken Griffey, Jr. hit a homer that bounced off the warehouse wall on the other side of the street. Unreal.

Wheat likes Cal Ripken more than he likes me.

Much to Wheat's (and therefore my) relief, the Orioles won, 4-3, after a huge home run from Nate McLouth. McLouth also broke up CC Sabathia's no-hitter late in the game.

At least I wore orange.

The next day, Wheat and I rode the golf cart around the neighborhood and played some baseball before the wedding. The ceremony, which was held outside at a nearby yacht club, was absolutely gorgeous. The weather was perfect, Tabitha looked beautiful, and everyone was so happy. I'm thrilled to have Keith in the family - everyone loves him, especially Cameron.

I may or may not have watched Cameron the whole time. I'll let you decide.

It was so great to see my family and spend time with them at the reception. I tried crab cake for the first time (and didn't like it) and even got Wheat to dance!

The best dancer I know.

MEMPHIS

For Fourth of July weekend, I went to Memphis with Wheat to meet his family. I was a little bit nervous, but they were all so sweet to me and have that irresistible, inviting southern charm.

I love Papaw.

Partially due to my obsession and partly because he hadn't been before, Wheat and I went to Graceland. Even if you aren't a huge fan of Elvis, Graceland is such a cool place to go. It's awesome to tour through the different rooms, his planes, his racquetball court, and his yard and imagine what it must have been like when he was living there. We also went through the car museum (with the famous pink Cadillac) and I successfully fought off tears at his grave.

Wheat wants to recreate the Jungle Room in our apartment. Nope.

After Graceland, Wheat took me to his special place, Memorial Park. We walked through the Crystal Shrine Grotto and sat in the most incredible hollowed-out tree while we waited for a thunderstorm to pass. Even though it's a cemetery, it felt like an absolute fairytale.

Perfect way to pass the time.

It doesn't seem real.

The next day, Wheat's parents took us downtown to eat at the Rendezvous. Everyone knows that Memphis has the best barbeque and I'm pretty sure Rendezvous might hold the title. Afterward, we saw the Peabody Ducks, walked down Beale Street, stopped by the Grizzlies shop at FedEx Forum, and visited the Lorraine Motel, where Martin Luther King, Jr. was shot.

One of my favorite places.

Witnessed a pretty cool moment.

That night, Wheat's cousin, Newman, threw a Civil War-themed birthday party, complete with the appropriate music and decorations. Hats off to the Memphis hipsters because they came dressed in period costumes and brought the most delicious Southern dishes ever, including corn pone, fried green tomatoes, and mint juleps.

Okay, enough for now. San Diego and Las Vegas to come.

Big News.

I have a lot of big, exciting news to share.

First, I was chosen as a contributing writer for Brandon Phillips' official website! When I first saw the posting on Twitter, I got really excited and applied with my resume and writing samples. After I made it to the second round, I had to write a sample story about @DatDudeBP and the hashtags he uses on Twitter. I found out a few days ago that they chose me as one of the writers and I can't wait to do something for the website!

Hey, guys. I'm joining the crew.

I was also chosen as the beat writer intern for the Cincinnati Cyclones! I'm obviously really excited about this because it will give me the hockey writing experience (both game and feature stories) I need to get a job later. As you know, I'm also a fan of the Cyclones and it's close to home, so this is a perfect fit. I'll have the creative freedom to pitch my own story ideas and some might even be picked up and run by the Cincinnati Enquirer. Is it hockey season yet?

Seriously. Can we start now?

Unfortunately, both of those opportunities are unpaid, but I've found that if you don't pay your dues, you'll never get the job you want in this industry. I'm the luckiest girl in the world because I have people who love me, support me, and actually want me to be happy. I'm thankful for them every single day.

Beautiful congratulations flowers from Wheat.

Lastly, I'm moving in with Wheat at the end of the month. When hockey season starts, that will mean a lot of driving on my part, but it's totally worth it. I'm really excited to move into a place with an actual bedroom separate from the living room, but I'll really miss my our tiny apartment. I'll miss being able to walk to Mass Ave, the awesome workout room, and the gorgeous view from my balcony at sunset. I'm excited to get started in our official first place together, but for me, Apartment 708 will always be the place I followed my dreams, fell in love, and found myself.

I got to see this every day. Rough life.

A One-Year Recap. Ha.

You know how your favorite TV show does the "Here's What You've Missed" thing before the season premiere begins? I'm going to attempt to do that now, except what you've missed is one year of my life and you probably won't like it as much as your favorite TV show.

After this, I might spend the rest of the week writing detailed recaps of certain events. I apologize in advance, but I want to have my memories in writing. If you already know what I've been doing (or never wanted to know in the first place), I suggest waiting until next week before you read my blog.

So, without any further ado, here is a brief recap of the last year of my life:

- I got my master's degree in sports journalism from Indiana University's National Sports Journalism Center. Although it hasn't paid any dividends yet (in terms of finding a job), I learned a lot, grew as a journalistic writer, had some pretty awesome opportunities, and met some incredible people. All that being said, I'm glad it's done. Here come the loan payments.

- While in school, I got to cover the NCAA Men's Basketball Midwest Regional in Indianapolis (in other words, the Sweet 16 and Elite 8). I watched Louisville beat Oregon, 77-69, and Duke defeat Michigan State, 71-61. Then, the next night, I watched in horror as Kevin Ware shattered his leg before his teammates trounced Duke, 85-63. I also got to cover the Indianapolis 500, an event I never thought I'd like in a million years, but really loved.

- My brother was deployed on the U.S.S. Boxer (the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit). He comes back in April and I'm already counting down the days.

- My sister graduated from Miami and I couldn't be more proud of her.

- I met the guy of my dreams, the one I've been waiting for and crying over for years. He was worth every second of the wait.

- I interned at USA Football, the sport's governing body. I wrote feature stories for the website (some of which were also run by official NFL team websites), created media releases, and did other odds and ends around the office. Through the internship, I also worked the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium.

- Jenn moved in with her boyfriend, some of my very best friends got engaged (CJ, Eric, TJ, Tasha, Sarah, Corbin), some of my friends had babies (Katie, Brad, Matt), and some of my friends/family got married (Sam, Tabitha, Matt). We're growing up, guys.

- I lost 26 pounds without really trying. Apparently, walking to class every day and being too lazy to cook for myself had its perks. Now that I'm unemployed and out of school, I'm forcing myself to work out, but it's tough. Encourage me.

- The Bengals lost the AFC Wild Card playoff game to the Houston Texans. Not even J.J. Watt's smile served as consolation. After winning the first two games, the Reds were defeated in the NLDS by the San Francisco Giants, 3-2. I blamed everyone. The Penguins were swept by the Boston Bruins in the Eastern Conference Finals and my boyfriend finally saw my true colors.

- I took awesome trips to Gatlinburg, Baltimore, Memphis, San Diego, and Las Vegas. Recaps to come.

- I experienced many memorable firsts, including my first UFC fight, MLS game, locker room interview, Indianapolis Indians game, viewing of Hoosiers, Butler basketball game, deep-fried Oreo, and Orioles game.

As you can see, it's been a busy year. I'm still kicking myself for not blogging about it all.

...and that's what you've missed on BLET.

Guess Who's Back.

About a year ago, I moved to Indianapolis, started graduate school, and applied for a part-time job.

After positive feedback, a phone interview, and a week of high hopes, I got an e-mail informing me that I didn't get the job. Disappointed, I thanked them for considering me and asked what I could do to improve my resume and interviewing skills for future opportunities. A week later, they still hadn't responded.

So, I approached the professor who recommended that I apply for the job in the first place. Her response absolutely crushed me.

She told me that the organization was impressed by my interview and resume and felt I was fully qualified for the position. Ultimately, they didn't hire me because I had "inappropriate social media use." In other words, they didn't hire me because of my beloved blog.*

After a couple hours of crying and loving consolation from Jenn, I made one of the hardest decisions of my entire life (clearly, my life has been pretty easy). I decided to stop blogging.

Now, one year later, I realize how foolish that was.

I understand that my blog didn't fit the standards of that organization. They felt my writing wasn't professional and didn't want it to reflect poorly on them. I respect their decision. However, now I see that I don't want to work for an organization that limits me like that. If they don't want me for being me, then I don't want them, either.

When I stopped blogging, I lost a piece of myself. For years, my blog has served as my favorite hobby, a vehicle for my creativity, a way to record my memories, and a cathartic release of my emotions. Suddenly, I found myself in a new place, surrounded by strangers and completely alone for the first time in my life. Even worse, my reliable outlet for connecting with friends, venting, and expressing myself was gone.

Now, a year later, I'm back where I started, searching for jobs all over again. Over the last two months, I've applied to at least 100 jobs and internships. At first, I applied to sports writing positions only, focusing particularly on hockey. Now, as my bank account threatens to dip into the red, I've applied to secretarial work, call centers, and other things I deem even less desirable than a root canal. I'm frustrated, discouraged, and half-convinced I'll never write for a living.

If that's the case, so be it. But, I'll never stop writing for me.

So, I'm bringing my blog back.** I've already missed out on chronicling one of the most exciting years of my life. I wouldn't hide an aspect of my personality from a prospective employer, why should I hide my blog? Your definition of 'inappropriate' might be stricter than mine, but I don't classify something that I let my grandparents read as 'inappropriate.'

I can't promise I'll blog with any regularity. I can't promise I'll be interesting, funny, enlightening, or even enjoyable. But, I do promise that I'll be here, sharing my unadulterated thoughts, pictures, and memories from now on. I don't even care if no one reads it. I'm back for me.

*Much to my humiliation, she even referred specifically to "Man Meat Monday." Imagine trying to explain that to a professor.

**I'm temporarily suspending Man Meat Monday. Not because I think it's inappropriate. Because I finally met my ultimate slice of Man Meat.

Man Meat Monday #42: Update

Lesson: Writing to your favorite athletes, like a 12-year-old fanboy, might just pay off.

In fear that he'd blow me off, I failed mention that I actually wrote a fan letter to Todd Frazier a couple weeks ago. Really. Hand-written, self-addressed envelope inside, in the mail, the whole deal.

I only told three human beings on planet Earth that I'd written to him (for fear of alienating even more people with my creepiness). After two weeks, I was beginning to lose hope. The Reds had just finished a long homestand and I figured, if he was going to write, he would have done it by now.

Then, on Saturday, this came in the mail.



Swoon.

I'm already deciding who to write to next...

City Living.

Although I've always considered myself to be a city girl at heart, I've never lived anywhere but the suburbs/country. I spent most of my formative years in a town where the high school band played at the grand opening of the new Super Wal-Mart. Some of my most memorable high school nights were spent at places affectionately named 'The Field' and 'Shaw's Bottoms.' I spent my college years in a tiny enclave of privileged white kids surrounded by nothing but cornfields and cow farms.

Needless to say, I've been a bit surprised by the realities of city living.

So, after nearly three full weeks of exploring downtown Indianapolis, here is what I've noticed about living alone in a city:

Walking. I have done more walking in the last three weeks than I've done in the last two years. Sadly, this is not an exaggeration.

Smells. Over the years, I've become quite accustomed to the smell of cow manure and skunks. City smells have these beat by a mile. The gag-inducing smells of human waste wafting from manhole covers or warm urine at the bus stop is something I may never accept.

Things to Do. I'm not saying I don't get bored here. I do. However, there are actual events, things to do, and places to go beyond the Wal-Mart parking lot at 2:00 AM. This, of course, is a very welcome change.

Creeps. I would never suggest there aren't creeps in the country. There are, but these city creeps come at you, no holds barred. A woman not-so-subtly asked me for drugs. I watched a man try to break into a car from my balcony and, when he saw me watching him, he waved.

Mail. I don't get any. I always knew this, but now, I'm more aware of it because I feel self-conscious when someone notices I didn't get any.

Bugs. Don't get me wrong. There are way more bugs in the country, but there are weird, different ones here. Cicadas are all over and I saw my very first centipede on the floor of my apartment. Lovely.

Friends. No, not the show (although I watch it almost every night). Making friends is hard. I think I forgot how to do it. Everyone in my program is really nice and cool, but how do you start hanging out outside of class? We're all in a fantasy football league and had a live draft, but last night, I watched the NFL Kick-Off Game by myself and wished I had someone with me.

SPORTS. I live walking distance from Lucas Oil Stadium (Colts), Bankers Life Fieldhouse (Pacers), Victory Field (minor league team Indianapolis Indians), and the NCAA headquarters. Not bad.

In fact, I went to the Bengals and Colts preseason game last week. Despite the outcome (Colts won, 20-16), it was an awesome time. Lucas Oil Stadium, the site of last year's Super Bowl, is incredible. It was also the perfect excuse for Jenn to visit and spend time with Morgan.

View from inside the stadium.

Awesome view...even from the stratosphere.

Seriously, though...the Colts are lucky that I'm not infatuated with any of their players...yet.

Man Meat Monday #42

It's been far too long since I've delivered some Man-Meaty goodness to you. So, here's some delicious man for you. Yes, he's an athlete, but I think you'll be pleased to know that he's only the second baseball player to ever receive the Man Meat treatment.

Todd Frazier

Claim to Fame: Utility player for the Cincinnati Reds

Birthday: February 12, 1986

As you know, I'm a football and hockey girl. Every summer, however, I make it to more than a few Reds games and I've really grown to love my hometown team. This year, while chipping away at a Lemon Chill at Great American Ballpark, I heard something out of the ordinary that drew my attention as quickly as a foul ball flying directly at my face. The sweet, sensual sound of Frank Sinatra's voice was playing in the stadium. In frenzied excitement, I looked to the jumbotron for an explanation.

Todd Frazier, a player who didn't make the team coming out of spring training, had chosen "Fly Me to the Moon" as his at-bat song. Instantly, I was his forever.

This season, Todd Frazier has been a jack-of-all-trades for the team. He's played in left field, helped out Scott Rolen at third base, and filled in for the injured (former Man Meat honoree) Joey Votto at first base. His offensive output has made him a frontrunner to be named Rookie of the Year.

Oh yeah - he's a 6'4", 220-pound, former Rutgers star that also won the 1998 Little League World Series.

Random Tidbit: If all of this isn't enough to win you over, Frazier saved someone's life earlier this year. While eating with teammate Ryan Ludwick at a Pittsburgh restaurant, he noticed that a nearby man was choking. Instantly, he rushed over and performed the Heimlich maneuver, dislodging the food from the man's throat and lodging himself even deeper into my heart.

Only downfall?: With Joey Votto's return to the lineup imminent, Frazier's role on the team is questionable. I have an idea: Brittany's new roommate. I even have a Rat Pack poster above my TV.

Kidnapping isn't out the question.

Bonus perk: He has the attractive Jersey accent without the obnoxious guido persona. Feast your ears.



So, readers: It's your turn. Would you fake a choking incident for some life-saving action from Mr. Frazier?

I don't know about the Heimlich so much, but I'm currently planning my Squints-style drowning episode for some CPR. Anyone know where Frazier swims?



...and every game, there he is, swinging and base-running, base-running and swinging...

The Times They are A-Changin'...

Well, it's happening.

School has started and I'm living in downtown Indianapolis. The last five days have been utter chaos, but I really like it here. I miss everyone back home already, but I feel really comfortable in my little studio apartment. My amazing mom has been staying with me to help me get settled in and I like how it has turned out.

Apartment sneak preview.

Still shocked I found a matching tissue box.

My classes seem really interesting, too. Unfortunately, no one here seems to like hockey, either. That's alright - I'll be the resident expert.

I live in a really cool section of town called the Mass Ave District. There are a ton of awesome restaurants and bars within walking distance, including possibly the best burger place I've ever been in my life. It has a bit of a hipster-y vibe to it, but that is a welcome change after the snobby aura of Miami.

I also found an incredible cupcake bakery nearby called The Flying Cupcake. My mom and I split the Red Velvet Elvis and Blueberry Cheesecake cupcakes. Heaven. Seriously. Keep me away from there.

Come visit. I'll buy you a cupcake.

Oh yeah - I have a pretty nice view from my balcony, too.

I'm not above bribing you to come with pretty pictures.

Is it working?

So, come visit.

Oh, hey.

I know. I've been distant, but this time, I have a perfectly good reason.

I move out on Sunday! So, I've been spending time with my family and friends, saying teary goodbyes, packing my life away, doing homework (yeah, I already have some), and shopping at Ikea.

Ikea is Sweden's second-best export. Am I right, ladies?

So much for the meatballs.

You haven't missed much. The Bengals have started the pre-season with a perfect 2-0 record, defeating the Falcons last night and the Jets last Friday. You know who plays for the Jets? That's right, America. Tim Tebow.

Smile for me, Daddy. - "Grillz" by Nelly

Of course I was there.

I begged my dad to take me and, due to some combination of sympathy and genuine love for the Jets (he's from Long Island and a huge Joe Namath fanboy), he did. Everyone around us must have been baffled. Despite my Bengals t-shirt, I wouldn't stop talking about Tim Tebow.

Healing someone on the sideline.

Having Tim Tebow and Mark Sanchez as quarterbacks on the same team shouldn't be allowed...

Yeah, I totally watched the fourth quarter.

...or it should. It really, really should.

Somehow, somewhere, this is happening every single day.

Seriously, if you're looking for any reason to get up in the morning, here it is: Baywatch for girls.



Mama like.

I'll be back with things that matter soon.

Olympic Euphoria.

It has taken me a couple days to digest all the craziness of the Olympics so far.

If you already think I'm crazy, just stop here.

I have been living and breathing Olympic coverage. I turn the TV on and six hours later, I find myself watching Greece battle Croatia in water polo. I track it online for live results, I watch the primetime coverage, I curse the execs at NBC for postponing the footage, I cry at emotional athletes and every other commercial, but mostly, I drool.

Some incredible things have happened in the first week of the games. Swimming world records have fallen, a local girl won the first American gold in judo, the US women's gymnastics team took the first team gold since 1996, the US men's basketball team decimated the single game point record, Gabby Douglas made me cry like a maniac, a 38-year-old American cyclist won her second consecutive gold medal, and Danell Leyva blew my mind by battling back for the bronze in the men's all-around, being so attractive while also being born in 1991 (I'm officially old), and looking exactly like a white/Cuban Drake.

But, let's be real. I'm here to talk about swimmers.

My boy (yes, MY boy), Michael Phelps, has become the most-decorated Olympian of all-time...and then some. Tonight, he placed first in the 200m IM, beating his fellow countryman and America's new golden boy, Ryan Lochte, and earning him his 20th Olympic medal (and 16th gold). Sweet, sweet victory.

I could not be happier for him. I keep hoping he'll get bored and come back for Rio in 2016, but he sounds pretty certain in his retirement. So, I'll cherish these two final events and save the crying for later.

The good news? The world of US swimming has plenty of candidates for new favorites. I decided on Nathan Adrian LONG ago. Check out my Man Meat Monday on him and his response to it.

Yes, America. I told Nathan Adrian that I wanted to lick honey off of him and he thanked me for it. Classy girls - 0. Blogger creeps - 1.

Nathan just won his first individual gold medal by beating world record holder Cesar Cielo and pre-race favorite James Magnussen in the 100m free. So, I'd like to cordially invite all the Olympic bandwagon fans to the Nathan Adrian love-train I've been conducting for a couple years now. Join me! There's plenty of room.

Seriously, I think I custom ordered Nathan Adrian. He's huge, incredibly smart, funny, athletic, humble, professional, and well-spoken. I might press charges against him for aiding and abetting in the creation of my unrealistic expectations for men. No single human being should possess so many positive qualities. Good thing he's so hideous - he can't have it all. Right?

My god. I laugh to keep from crying, folks.