Pick your own title!

I'm never good at making titles... I even find it difficult while I'm writing feature stories and recaps for my job. It is always difficult because I try to make them too complex in order to make me sound smarter than I really am. Because, let's face it, I'm not nearly as smart as I make myself out to be! I'm as awesome as I make myself out to be, probably even more so (:-p), but not as smart.... sooooooooooo, anyway you get to make up your own title for my blog today.

Monday was interesting! I woke up and went to work and then went back to my hotel and heard about how awesome Beth's day was and then I went to sleep.

Interesting, huh? Nah. My routine on a day to day basis is this: get up at 7:30 am, get ready and go eat at the continental breakfast. Oh, by the way, eating it in Beijing definitely makes the word "continental" mean just a little bit more... and then we load the shuttle to head to the baseball stadium at 8:50 am. I get to the stadium and go through security -- which is exactly like airport security except you don't take off your shoes, which is fantastic for me because that is the part of the airport security I hate... sorry, if you haven't already noticed in all of my other posts, I am very likely to go on a tangent.

So, after I get to the stadium and get my work station set up, we kind of hang out and talk with the people that will be throwing out the first pitch. So, I have gotten to meet a lot of the Presidents of the different countries' baseball federations and some of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) members. It's been wild getting to meet all of these people. I'm quite the overload on new customs and accents since I've met so many different people. So, we go down for the first pitch and then the game begins.

So, we watch the game and I write my recap throughout the game and after I help run the press conference. That's pretty much it. So we have about four hours in between each game (at least) and then we do it all over again and then I go back to the hotel.

So, no, my days aren't nearly as exciting as they were at the beginning because my day is absolutely shot for the most part, but I still get to do some amazing things while I'm here and I'm loving every minute of it. I mean, growing up, sports were my passion, it was all I did while I lived in Illinois. I was always out playing something and we always got to participate in the pee-wee and little leagues around the area. I was a pretty good athlete but baseball was where I excelled. So, to be able to work and have a career in the area in which I am passionate about and with something that I love so much, I'm truly blessed and extremely spoiled! This experience has been fantastic thus far and I can't wait for it to get even better.

So yesterday my first game was between Canada and Japan. Both of whom are extremely, extremely talented and good teams. Japan beat Canada 1-0. Canada's record at this point became 1-4 and that is ridiculous because they are a phenomenal team. Their four losses, were by a total of four runs. It is truly disappointing to see a team like that in the press conferences near tears because their hopes at attaining a medal for heir country has pretty much been shot. Yes, unfortunately, there is no shot for Canada to compete in the medal round.

This is when I was finally first introduced to other side of representing your country. You always get to see the interviews of the people who are celebrating their wins and are truly patriotic and are praised for representing their country so well, but never really get to see the utter disappointment and sadness some of these athletes display when they aren't representing their countries as well as they were hoping to. They truly feel like disappointments to their homelands and it is through these interviews I see their true love for not only the sport, but for the place they come from.

I know that is kind of a serious post, which is totally unlike my other blog posts, almost. Haha, yes, Brad is serious and very sincere as well, I just have not displayed that side of my personality so much in the blog. But, this is a blog that is to display my experience and it was eye-opening to be on the other side of the Olympic games. You know, not just talking to the winners but talking to those who weren't as successful. It is a little heartbreaking.

Anyhow, my second game was between Cuba and the Netherlands and Cuba blew them out 14-3 in eight innings. The game was pretty quick -- which I was quite a fan of.

The USA faced team China last night in a game that was HIGHLY emotional and intense. There were a total of seven hit batters -- China hit five American batters, USA hit Chinese two -- and two plate collisions. I was told the game was highly on edge (I went back to the hotel to hang out with Boo Boo instead of staying for the finishing of that game). It got ugly, is what I was told. USA won 9-1 and have now clinched a berth into the medal rounds.

I'm freaking stoked about the medal rounds!!! On Friday (WHICH IS THE DAY AFTER MY BIRTHDAY ) the top four teams are put into a tournament style format where the No. 1 seed takes on the No. 4 and the 2 takes on the 3. Right now, Korea and Cuba are both undefeated and are taking each other on tonight in what is going to be an awesome baseball game and they will vie for the number 1 spot. While USA and Japan will compete for the number 3 spot on Friday as they face each other that night. It's going to be crazy. Each match-up possibility is going to be crazy to watch and I cannot wait! This is what I came to the Olympics for and this is why I chose to work in baseball!!! The games that I will be witnessing are going to be utterly phenomenal and gut-wrenching. And I'm going to love every. single. minute of it. WOOT! I can't wait!

Anyway, I got back to the hotel to hear about Beth's day, which was more awesome than mine and I found myself extremely jealous that she got to do all of the stuff that she did, and we hung out and watched some TV and talked and passed out!

That's all I did. Yesterday wasn't very exciting! I did order room service for the first time. It was an interesting experience! I was trying to ask what they put on their club sandwiches and it turned into an issue for the guy. I feel bad because the people in China have made such an effort to learn our language but Mandarin is ridiculously difficult to learn. So, it was a little difficult but I got my club sandwich and it was great! Haha!

Alright, well I'm going to go and watch this game. Canada is taking on the Netherlands and it is tied right now. It might be because it just started though! The weather is gorgeous again and I'm loving it. Beth may be right, she may have brought the sunshine with her. It's been great since she's been here but when she was sick it was rainy. Weird.

Alright, I hope all is going well for all of you and I will be talking with you soon. I can't believe that my trip is almost over! I'll be home in less than a week! WOW!

I can't wait to talk to you guys over the phone!

Oh, I would like to thank all of you for reading the blog. I was not aware that so many people that I do not know were reading my blog, especially up in Gallipolis, Ohio! I hope you've enjoyed the insight into my life. I apologize for my craziness and my insane personality! You're getting to know me pretty well so far! Haha!