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- Short Track Mind -
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Thursday, February 17, 2005
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Which would be equal to a one-track mind ;)
It's a Short Track Extravaganza for the rest of the month.
Website updates:
The two lovely skaters I'm running sites for have been keeping busy and doing so well it's hard to keep up! Allison's been great through this whole process and she really wants her site to be interactive and comprehensive - even more so as the Olympic year approaches. Her site is still in progress - a few more tweeks to the layout, photo galleries to add, and the updated content.
And, of course, my girl B has been waiting so patiently (anxiously, even) for the debut of her site's new face. I've been working on Bridie's website redesign that's nearly finished and ready to put up. Trying to make it as sleek and professional as possible, since we're working hard to obtain some sponsors in the near future. Here's a look:
ST Gear will soon undergo a 'face-lift' as well. I've been doing my research and hopefully will make the site more user-friendly. Not to mention trying to give it an 'edgy, sporty' feel. Since obtaining Puma as an affiliate, my main concern has been setting the image and tone for ST Gear. This coming April will be the one-year mark for STG online, and it's given me a chance to see what skaters and fans alike are liking and wanting from a skating clothing line. I'll be taking products down, debuting new ones, and trying to fine-tune STG's international presence. It's been so great having skaters and skating equipment dealers take interest and enjoy ST Gear.
Since Short Track is more popular outside of the US, I knew that I had to take this global, and it's been so awesome. STG has been, if anything, a great way to stretch my business skills and allow me to be creative (which is what I live for)...of course, spreading the word about ST is always easier with a hoodie to back it up ;) A HUGE thank you to all (you know who you are) that have helped promote STG. Your enthusiasum has been touching and it's great to share in supporting the speedskating community. First and foremost, it's been a joy to do this project. I've always wanted to stretch myself and if I have the ability to enhance the speedskating personna, I'd jump at the chance. As much as this has been business, it will continue to be about creativity and fun.
I'm so bubbly about Milwaukee coming soon. Most of all, I miss my ST friends since we're scattered throughout the US. We always have a blast when we hook up...maybe more fun than we should have...but you girls make the short track experience even than much sweeter ;) And for those that can't make it, I've already cried like a baby and stamped my feet. It just ain't right to have anyone missing! I'm about due for another fill of skating and the ice chips from Madison have just now melted away. Again, being blessed to make it to this competition is something I'm so thankful for - almost to the point where I feel there's nobody more thankful to just enter the rink than this crazy nut.
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- Reunion Weekend -
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Tuesday, February 15, 2005
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As I mentioned, this passed weekend I was reunited with an old friend from 2nd grade that I haven't seen in almost 10 years.
Thanks to the power of Google, my friend Mandy found me and informed me that she lived a mere 70 miles north in Chico, CA. It's hard to believe we went from this...
San Jose, CA - 1994
to this...
Chico, CA - 2005
I drove to Chico, and as I drove up to her house, I called her on her cell phone. "April Shirshac?" she says on the other end. "I'm outside your house, Mandy!" I told her and I could see her bolt out her front door. The first thing you want to do is give this person a massive hug, but initially all we could do is look at each other in awe. How much has she changed since 14 years old? How much have I changed? After the shock, we went to a little coffee house nearby in attempt to fill each other in on nearly a decade of events. She went on to college and will be graduating this May, and I didn't even know where to start when filling her in on this "Apolo Ohno" thing, lol. All the exciting things in our lives, and here we were - sharing them as if we'd never missed a beat.
I never knew what a healing experience it would be to see this friend from my childhood. When you lose a close friend because of circumstance and not by choice, it leaves an empty feeling in your heart, one that I simply had to learn to except over the years.
On the car ride back to Sacramento, we talked - went to Downtown Sac for lunch, we talked some more. I was blessed with the opportunity to finally tell her what's been on my heart since we suddenly parted ways, and we cried - something that I never thought I'd have the chance to do.
I feel like a big hole in my past has been filled - complete, now. I've since this moment taken the internet and it's power for granted...you just never know who will come back into your life again.
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- Win the lottery, that's what -
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Friday, February 11, 2005
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I wish I could be in Slovakia right now watching the World Cup. From the pictures on the cup website, it really looks like a magnificant place. Our team is doing so well, I can already feel the 'olympic fever' beginning to build.
It's the beginning of a three-day weekend for me. I'm going to see my friend, Mandy, for the first time in 9 1/2 years on Saturday. I'm driving up to Chico, CA. in the morning to spend a few hours at her university campus and get to see what her life has been like these long years passed. What's even more amazing is that in our last email, I told her where I live, my address, and she said that her little brother (not so little anymore at almost 17 yrs old) lives down the street from me and she's been there a million times picking him up and visiting. I can't even wrap my head around that! She's been in my neighborhood regularly and I didn't even know it. I'm definitely excited about this weekend.
Speaking of weekends, LUPES! I need to call you, ya freak! And Milwaukee Championships are coming up soon here, which I'm super excited about as well. Haven't seen the team in a while, it will be nice to feel some ice chips in my face again.
Today's my dad's birthday, so I guess we're going to play the annunal "guess how old dad really is" game yet again. Must get battery for the camera and clean my car - sweet God, that's if I can find my car...
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- Easily Distracted -
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Wednesday, February 09, 2005
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I'm supposed to be studying right now - which I am - but I came across this search engine that is KILLIN' me.
Am I the last one on the bandwagon to know about Gizoogle? The Google inspired search engine that tranlates pages and searches into Gangsta-speak? This thing is frickin' hilarious! How 'bout dem spinnin' rims on the front page? ROFL!
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- Computer Virus Creators Beware -
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Tuesday, February 08, 2005
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I'm on a life mission to snatch you all, shove you into a mini-cooper, set the thing on fire as it's being driven straight into the Grand Canyon.
So, yeah, my laptop is still 'sick', and I'm about to go mad. My friend Eugene is suppose to meet with me later this week to see what he can do. I have a hunch it's that Sasser virus that was going around. Couldn't be some harmless yet annoying worm that just multiplies files or slows your computer down to a crawl...
no, it's got to shut the bitch down at random at any given moment, usually when I'm in the middle of something important. Luckily I have my desktop to save me, since I have so much to do on these sites. School's in full swing again, and I need to make another Starbucks run today to get some studying done. I'm not too thrilled about my professor, though. She's one of those college instructors that was probably a high school teacher previously, and she never fails to make you feel like you're back in 10th grade again. Obnoxious, loud, and bossy - plus, she assumes that you're gong to screw up like the other 9 classes she had last semester. Come on, we're adults here. We don't need to be threated by the possibility of a call to our parents.
Anyhow, there's a lot of new hot spots popping up in Sacramento lately, I think I may need to run downtown and shap some shots...
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- Never say never -
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Sunday, February 06, 2005
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..because in life, you just never know.
I got an email the other day that pretty much had me floored & amazed.
Great America, 1994
This is a picture that I've had in my wallet for years, simply because the memories of these happy times bring a smile to my face when I need it most. I was 13 1/2 at Paramounts Great America theme park with my best friend since the 2nd grade, Mandy. We went on rides until we got sick, eat WAY too much candy, and still found time to take this snap shot in a photo booth. From 1988-1995 we did it all - played barbies and My Little Pony for hours, went through the New Kids On The Block craze together (she owned almost every New Kid doll, and she also got to go to a New Kids concert), and we grew up together through good times and bad. We met in while going to the same school, and although we went to many different grade schools, we were never too far away. She lived with her dad in the Bay Area near Oakland, but on the weekends she would be in Sacramento.
The last time I saw Mandy was in 1996, on my 15th birthday. She invited me to come with her to Lincoln, CA. to watch the Beatle-impersonating group, Rain, perform at a concert in the park. We had a blast at that concert. Those were my "Beatle" years when that was pretty much all that was in my CD player. By the time we got back to my house, we were looking forward to seeing much more during that summer and with a big hug we said our good-byes.
I never thought that would be the last time I'd see her.
That fall, a tragedy happened in her life, and before I could even understand what happened or what I should do, she moved back to the Bay Area to live with her father. I was young and didn't grasp the gravity of what happened, but I did know that losing contact with my long time friend was almost the death of me. Despite not having the power nor the means to be there, I always had guilt about the friend that I just let - disappear. People move on in life and I would just have to except that we might not see each other again.
...that is until I checked my inbox after work on Saturday. The subject title was "Didn't we play barbies once?" and I proceeded to read the email that made me laugh and cry all at once. Mandy said while going through her old photos with a friend, she found a picture of us when we were 8 year old and it motivated her to try and locate me. In a casual attempt, she googled my name (thank GOD for google!) and found, of course, a ton of web pages on this lost April Shirshac. She told me that she had a dream she found old friends and that she was beside herself when she discovered my email address and how it was the biggest blessing to finally find me. She told me where she's living and finishing college, and if all goes right I'll be driving an hour and a half north of Sacramento to reunite with my 2nd grade friend after nearly 10 years of being apart.
Words can't describe how I feel. We have a lot of years to catch up on, but I'm just so amazed that it took me a few days to believe it. It's such a small world and I've learned never to say never - ever again.
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- My Annual Post -
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Thursday, February 03, 2005
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Ok, so my posting hasn't been up to par lately.
Well, to be honest, I'm going to try my best, but I may just be posting about the big stuff - like if my nose falls into my cherrios - that kind of thing.
With a new semester at school well underway, three websites to run, and ST Gear venturing into an exciting opportunity, regular blogging as I know it may drag a bit. When I find a way to make the computer my day job, I'll be much more 'available'.
Just recovering from losing my voice, which has turned into a full-blown cold. I've been on meds all day, and next time I'll be using my super literary skills to find the box that says "NON-drowsy". Yeah.
I am so excited for this year. I'm learning lessons that are actually helping me through, not to mention being able to be creative. My life feels really - full. And for once, I'm taking time to enjoy the journey...
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- Laughin' it up in Hollyweird -
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Tuesday, February 01, 2005
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This past weekend was outta control and so much fun.
Check out the recap at the Molla's blog!
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Name: April