Life Outside the Lines

Although basketball is my passion, and the primary focus of my blogging, it is nice to know I can connect with people on a different level. I received the nicest email today from a female colleague who serves on our newsletter committee at work. Although we’re both on the committee, our paths rarely cross aside from the occasional mid-afternoon meeting by the microwave or a “Good Morning” smile and nod. However, I have always thought her to be an intelligent, sophisticated, and generally strong woman. She had told me once before that I was one of her heroes, of sorts, and I smiled and shrugged sheepishly, never sure quite how to respond to compliments of that nature.

This morning, we distributed our monthly departmental newsletter, in which I included an article about my adventures as the HP Insider, along with a link to the HP Insider blog, as well as this one. (Shameless self-promotion, I realize, but if I don’t do it, then who will? How else am I going to get my name out there and have people start taking notice?) Shortly after the newsletter was sent out, I received the following email:

I just read your article: That’s All, Folks: Final Thoughts…

Wow! I was really blown away! I say again that you are my heroine. I know that you thought I was just saying something when I told you that, but I really did mean it. It is funny how we, people, are the hardest on ourselves.

Reading what you wrote… it was as if I had written it. My fear of rejection keeps me from trying new things and building walls so that I won’t get hurt. I had finally made up my mind to make a change when I asked if you all still needed help with the newsletter. I am grateful that you allowed me to join the group; I have learned so much.

Thanks to you I think that I will try new things myself.

As I read her words, it dawned on me that I’m not the only one who feels the way I do, and it gave me a strange feeling of belonging, in a larger sense and on a grander scale, than I have ever felt. I realized we all have our own demons to stare down and obstacles to overcome, whether they are thrust upon us by society or, as is more often the case, we inflict them upon ourselves. I found it simultaneously encouraging, comforting, and empowering to know that others could identify with me and the struggle within myself to become a better me. And then it occurred to me that, just maybe, the words flying from my fingers were being read, digested, and taken to heart by others. Amazingly enough, taking a chance and putting myself out there and sharing my story was having a positive impact on others. That, to me, is the greatest reward of all, and the reason why I finally decided it was time to step outside of my comfort zone and take a chance on something new.

In the words of my colleague, It is okay to try and fail. It is just not okay to not try.

Off with Their (Double) Head(er)s!

Let me just say, I HATE DOUBLEHEADERS ON TNT! While I love Kenny and EJ and especially Chuck as much as anyone, it irks me to no end that I have to watch the end of a game I could care less about while my team starts playing their game on the West coast. And when TNT does eventually cut over to the late game, it’s over halfway through the first quarter! Because oh yeah, even after the Magic-Celtics game was over (and I must admit, it was a hell of an ending), we were still forced to endure a commercial break. Just get to the damn game already! The least they could do is split the screen between the two games in that same annoying fashion that they do when they interview coaches while the game is in progress. (I never really understood that either. Talk about distractions!) It's really annoying when I’ve stayed up ‘til nearly 10pm just to watch the tipoff and end up missing over six minutes of game action. Something about that is just fundamentally wrong...

Apparently, tonight was the night when the other shoe finally dropped as the Mavs lost a close and very winnable game at Phoenix. Up until halfway through the third quarter, the Suns’ largest lead had been one point, and for less than a minute of game time. But down the home stretch of the fourth quarter, when the boys in blue have been their best of late, the Mavs didn't play like themselves. Their defense was nearly nonexistent and turnovers wreaked havoc on their offensive game. When an under six-foot-tall point guard is the best offensive option you have in the final seconds of a close game, that's when you know you're in trouble. No offense, JJ, but where in the world did Dirk and Jet disappear to? Oh wait, I think I saw Dirk swarmed by a sea of white jerseys and extended arms.

Watching this game and the way my Mavs collapsed in crunch time left me full of nagging questions. Like who the heck is this Dragic kid and where did he come from? A young and more clean cut Steve Nash lookalike, he burned the Mavs while running backup for the aging Steve Nash. Why have I never head of him before? And who is Earl Clark? Had it not been for Amundsen’s cutesy little ponytail, I don’t know that I would have recognized most of the roster, aside from Nash, Stoudemire, and one of my all-time favorite players, Grant Hill. I don’t know if anyone else thought about it, but at one point I saw Hill and Jason Kidd going one on one and I was reminded of the fact that the two of them shared Rookie of the Year honors many years ago. Their careers have definitely taken different paths since that time, but there’s no denying that either one of them plays strictly for the love of the game.

And whatever happened to Josh Howard? Granted, injuries have plagued him the last few seasons, but he has become a shadow of the player he once was. Gone are the games where Josh lit it up in the first quarter, allowing Dirk and Jet the ability to save themselves for the second half, particularly clutch time when the game is on the line. Now, rather than disappearing in the second half, it's as if J-Ho never set foot on the court at all. One thing I noticed during my time as the HP Insider was that Josh seemed different, like he was distracted somehow. Although he was physically present at practices, film sessions, and even in games, it just seemed like his mind was a million miles away. It truly saddens me because just a few short years ago, it seemed like J-Ho was on the fast track to success after he earned his first All-Star bid, but now he has been reduced to a sometime starter, sometime bench player, leaving fans, media, and surely even Howard himself wondering about his future as a member of the Dallas Mavericks.

Too Close for Comfort

After racking up the largest margin of victory in franchise history on Sunday against the Knicks, the Mavs were back to their old ways last night as they returned home to face rookie sensation Brandon Jennings and the Milwaukee Bucks. The first half was a shootout reminiscent of the run and gun type games the Mavs and Suns played in years past. Defense was nearly nonexistent on both ends of the court, but the hustle was still there. And once again, Jason Kidd proved my point that he is still one of the most underrated players in the league as early in the first quarter he dove into the stands to retrieve a loose ball, which resulted in an eventual dunk by Shawn Marion. It is the intangibles like that, the things that can't be measured by the box score, that make Jason Kidd so invaluable to this team, not only as the playmaking point guard but as their leader on the hardwoods.

Although the Mavericks led for the majority of the game, the score got too close for comfort in the final twelve minutes. At one point, when Milwaukee hit a three to close the gap, the Mavs responded with back to back three pointers to again secure the lead. The Mavs were ahead, 108-104, with 27.6 seconds left when Carlos Delfino knocked down an "Oh my, God, how did he do that?" shot from several feet behind the three-point arc to trim the Mavs lead to one. It looked as if everything was going Dallas' way and the Mavs had the game under control until Dirk lost the ball with just three seconds left and Milwaukee called timeout.

No, no, no, not again, I thought as I slid to the edge of my seat. I don't know how many more of these down to the last second wins we can pull out. Eventually, the good guys have to lose one, right? Maybe so, but last night was not that night. Again, good defense by the Mavs and an unlucky bounce for the Bucks helped the Mavs seal the deal, 108-107, marking their 10th consecutive one-point victory, a streak that began in early 2007.

On the plus side, playing in (and winning) so many close games not only prepares the Mavericks for what could happen come playoff time, but it also builds confidence. Crunch time experience helps the team be better prepared and not panic when the game is on the line, as they have been through this many times before. On another positive note, rookie Roddy Beaubois earned some meaningful minutes in a close game, which will boost his confidence, as well as the willingness of Coach Carlisle to leave Roddy in the game. Beaubois has been working closely under the tutelage of future Hall of Famer Jason Kidd, which is beginning to have an impact on Roddy's play as well.

As much fun as these edge of your seat thriller victories can be, I'm looking forward to another Mavs blowout in the near future. Thursday night in Phoenix would be a great place to start...

The Cheap Seats

Life is what happens while you're making other plans.

No matter how much we may wish something to happen, or even try to will things to go our way, sometimes God sends us a little reminder that, believe it or not, we are not in charge. We like to believe that our fate is in our own hands, and although sometimes we do play a role in determining the outcome of our own lives, things don't always turn out the way we would like or the way we might have expected. I was reminded of this fact yesterday when we began looking into getting my season tickets to attend the remaining Mavericks home games. As it turned out, all of the least expensive seat packages had already been sold, and the cheapest remaining tickets available were nearly twice the amount my Dad had originally planned on investing.

As much as I was looking forward to attending the games in person, in no way, shape or form do I want to impose any financial hardships on my parents, who were already going out of their way to help make my dream come true. So I told Dad not to worry about it, that maybe we could just pick out tickets to a few individual games here and there the rest of the season instead; that way, he could go with me and sit beside me, and it would be even more enjoyable.

For now, I'll keep watching the games at home with Trystan (my four-year-old great niece) and grooming her to become the next Mavschick. She can already recognize Dirk anytime he steps on the court and she seems to have a built in calendar that lets her know when the Mavs are playing (or else she pays more attention to the clothes I am wearing than I realized). And on nights when the Mavs are playing at home and Dad is off work, if you look way up in the rafters, you just might find us there, watching the game and enjoying the view from the cheap seats. They may be able to put a price tag on season tickets, but spending time at a game with my Dad is priceless.

We Won By HOW MUCH??

Defense DOES win games. Just ask Shawn Marion, whose key block with a second left sealed the deal for the Mavs last week as they clung to a one point lead to beat the Washington Wizards, 94-93. While it looked like the Mavs had everything going their way on their last possession, with about 6 seconds left, Dirk made a quick move into the lane and was called for an offensive foul, turning the ball back to the Wizards and giving them the chance and the time to setup a game winning shot. Thankfully, our guys decided to play some killer defense, like they did in the second half against Boston last week, and it made all the difference.

Aside from their abysmal performance in Toronto (is it just me or do the Mavs always seem to have trouble showing up for the early games on Sundays?) and the who knows what happened game in Philly, this five game road trip, the longest of the season, turned out to be just what the Mavericks needed. And the storybook ending, a 50 point victory (yes, you read that right) over the New York Knicks in the legendary Madison Square Garden, without the services of Erick Dampier or future Hall of Fame point guard Jason Kidd, should prove to the team exactly what they are capable of when they play hard and work together.

I must confess, I'm not a fan of Sunday afternoon basketball games. But watching the Mavericks dominate the Knicks, 128-78, on Sunday, was super enjoyable. Winning in blowout fashion like that was great for the Mavericks on multiple levels. For one, it allowed the starters and heavy minute players to get some much needed rest. It also gave the role players and benchwarmers extended playing time which will only aid in their development down the road. For a team like the Mavericks which has played so many close games thus far, it was nice to have an afternoon off where the outcome of the game wasn’t riding on every single play. This victory gives the Mavericks more confidence in their roster from top to bottom, and it gave the team a chance to just play basketball and have fun doing it. Seeing Tim Thomas’ monster dunk and James Singleton flying high above the rim was not only a treat for all the Mavericks fans, but judging from the smiles radiating from the faces on the Mavericks bench, it was a joy for the team as well.

In fact, about the only people who didn’t benefit from the Mavericks’ monster win on Sunday were former Coach of the Year Mike D’Antoni and his New York Knicks. If I’m the coach, and I look up and see my team is down by 30 points (forget waiting until they get in a 40 or 50 point hole), I’m badmouthing the refs and getting myself tossed, just to spare me from the agony of the game. How do you motivate your team during timeouts? What can you say to take the sting out and make the frustration go away? In an 82 game season, we’re all gonna lay some eggs along the way, but you hope your guys don’t get the snot beat out of them to the tune of 50 points, especially in front of their home crowd.

All-Star Jam Session

Every day for the past two weeks, like a high school senior waiting for an acceptance letter, I've been checking the mailbox as I waited impatiently for my envelope to arrive. With each day that passed, I became more and more disappointed and nearly certain that my run of good fortune had come to its end and I would not be one of the chosen ones. But on Saturday, as I sifted through the stack of junk mail and bills, in the left hand corner I saw it: the familiar red and blue logo outlining the white silhouette of Jerry West, alongside the words National Basketball Association.

Barely unable to control my excitement, I tore through the envelope and skimmed the letter inside. Wow, this was even better than I had imagined, and most definitely worth the wait! Not only had I been approved as a volunteer for the NBA All-Star Jam Session next month, but they had selected me to work all four days! When I had initially read on nba.com over the summer that they were looking for volunteers, I jumped at the chance and signed up immediately. How cool would it be, I thought, to be up close and personal with NBA legends, both past and present? (At the time, I hadn't even heard of the HP Insider contest and had no idea of the adventure that awaited me in January.)

I talked to my friend Holly, who also signed up, and we attended the initial information meeting together in December. (We were even in the picture from the event that was posted in the Dallas Morning News!) As soon as I read my letter, I texted Holly and learned that we had been scheduled for all the same shifts on all four days. As I've said before, once in a lifetime experiences such as this are always more fun when you have someone with whom to share them.

Being able to be a part of this All-Star weekend is extremely special for me, because the last time All-Star festivities were held here in Dallas, in 1986, I hadn't started watching basketball yet. It wasn't until the following year that Dad introduced me to the NBA, and I developed my fascination, which would eventually grow into an obsession with all things basketball.

Even though the All-Star events take place over Valentine's Day weekend, my dear sweet husband Rickey has again agreed to let my basketball fixation override other aspects of our lives...maybe because he realized that if I didn't get to participate in the All-Star weekend festivities, there would be no Valentine's Day for us! Just kidding, babe, but thanks for tolerating my basketball addiction yet again!

By the time All-Star weekend has come to an end, and after the HP Insider experience, I will have burned nearly half of my vacation time for the entire year. But you know what? I really don't care, not this time. Because for me, 2010 has turned out to be the Year of the Maverick. Years like this only come around once in a lifetime, and a true basketball junkie like myself wouldn't miss this for the world.

An Offer I Cannot Refuse

Dad called last night, an edge of mischievous excitement to his voice.

"So you've got this new blog up and going, something about being a basketball junkie, right?" he asked. "Well, if you really want to blog about the Mavericks and do things right, then you need to be at as many games as you can in person, don't you, to cover things from the fan's perspective?"

"Yeah, I guess, "I said, not really sure where this line of questioning was leading.

"I checked it out today, and it really wouldn't cost all that much to get you a season ticket for the remaining home games," Dad replied. "Just think of it an investment in your future. Go to the games, write the blogs, and see what happens. Maybe something will come of it, maybe not. But I already talked to your Mom and she's on board with it, too," he finished.

My heart was pounding in my ears with excitement at just the thought of being able to attend the remaining 21 games and my first instinct was to jump at the opportunity. Until the little voice in the back of my head popped up and started trying to talk me out of it. Don't do it, the faceless fearful voice echoed. Just think of all the pressure you'll be putting on yourself to make something big happen. Then what if it doesn't, what if nothing comes of it? Sure, you've had a great time doing something you love and enjoy, but you'll have wasted Mom and Dad's money and again become a failure and a disappointment. Sometimes I'd like to just slap the snot out of that annoying little whinebag that hides inside my brain. It seems his only purpose is to stir up trouble.

"Just talk it over with Rickey," Dad continued, "and let me know what you decide. This could be a great stepping stone for you, a chance to get your name out there and have people follow you. It could be a springboard for your writing to really take off." Or not, came the retort from the pesky subconscious naysayer.

Rickey. My dear husband Rickey, the Spurs fan, who has so patiently endured my Mavericks obsession for so many years now -- I don't know why I hadn't thought of it sooner. Surely he would discourage the idea, as although it would be a labor of love, it would definitely be time consuming and might even take away from some of our quality time together. But much to my surprise, when I mentioned the idea to Rickey, he was not only supportive, but actually encouraged me to go for it, and for once in my life, just take a chance. If it turned into something bigger, fantastic; and if it didn't, just accept that it was a gift and enjoy the ride.

I've never been a big risktaker. I've been rebellious at times and gone against the grain, but I decided many years ago not to set my goals too high, because when I do, I inevitably fail. I don't want to set myself (or anyone else) up for disappointment down the road. My problem isn't just a fear of failure, but also a fear of success; once you prove that you can do something well, people begin to expect it from you consistently. As others' expectations climb higher and higher, you will eventually become unable to meet them. If no one expects anything from you, when you are able to do something extraordinary, everyone is pleasantly surprised and you are suddenly viewed as a success.

I've thought about it last night, and all day today, and even bounced the idea off several close friends, and their opinions have been unanimous: JUST DO IT! Lori, my best friend of nearly 29 years, summed it up best:

It might not turn into a career with Sports Illustrated, but who cares? You still get to put your thoughts and ideas out there for people to read. And by putting them out there you have the chance to affect people's lives...even if in a tiny way. At least they will stop their lives for a few minutes and consider your words. How flipping cool is that?????

So to answer your question, Dad...count me in. I think this is an offer I can't refuse. It's one of those rare golden opportunities that life (or your parents) only throw your way once in a lifetime, and despite the nagging little voice in my head, I'm not letting this one pass me by. Sometimes, you just have to take the first step and see where the road may lead...

Are You Freaking Kidding Me?

How in the world does Allen Iverson get to start the NBA All-Star game and Dirk Nowitzki doesn't? What is wrong with this picture? As much as I am a basketball junkie and it pains me to say this, the answer is plain and simple: the problem is the fans.

NBA fans, as a whole, don't apply logic or reason when choosing their All-Star candidates. They don't watch extra games or check the box scores or even compare player statistics. Generally, fans tend to vote for either their hometown heroes on the ballot or for their favorite players, regardless of whether or not said players actually deserve to play with the best of the best. Many of today's NBA fans, who are accustomed to the SportsCenter world where an entire game is summed up in a 90second sequence of highlights, have come to value flash and flair over style and substance. Showy players like LeBron and Kobe continually end up on the highlight reels, while consistent hardworking players like Dirk and Jason Kidd are all but forgotten.

I was stunned and heartbroken to learn that, even though he had been second among Western conference forwards in each of the preliminary voting results, Dirk once again fell short of being elected by the fans as an All-Star starter. I thought that for once, this would be his year, and he would finally get the recognition and fan love he deserved, right here in front of his home crowd. But again, NBA fans everywhere disappointed me. It's not that I have a problem with Tim Duncan beating out Dirk, but CARMELO ANTHONY? Seriously? Am I the only fan left in America who still cares what type of person a player is off the court? I find it hard to believe that I am, until I see men of questionable character being rewarded yet again, and all I can do is shake my head and sigh.

As much as it aggravates me to see Anthony elected over Nowitzki, it doesn't compare to my utter annoyance at the fact that Allen Iverson was chosen to start in the East. He played in only three games in Memphis before leaving town and heading back to Philadelphia, where he has averaged roughly 15 points and 4.5 assists through 16 games. Not even taking his less than stellar basketball statistics into account, Iverson is another player with a checkered past and questionable character, who the fans have yet again decided to reward with a starting role.

Although I am a self-procalimed basketball junkie and an extremely passionate fan who loves to have my voice be heard, as long as the starters are chosen strictly on the basis of fan voting, injustices such as this will continue to happen. Why not institute some sort of standards which require a player to appear in a minimum number of games in order to qualify to be an All-Star? Or a system that requires voters to demonstrate some degree of basketball knowledge before casting their votes? The All-Star game is supposed to be about showcasing the best the NBA has to offer, not just a giant popularity contest, which is essentially what it has become.

Fifteen Seconds

I never got my TV interview, which was perfectly fine with me, because as they say, I have a face made for radio. I did, however, get my fifteen seconds of fame on two separate occasions: at the Spurs game in San Antonio and again when my beloved Mavs lost to the Lakers last week. As much as I would have loved to see my Mavs to victory, I was much more excited to see Dirk score his 20,000th point, as it served a dual purpose: 1) it allowed me to be present as my all-time favorite athlete achieved another monumental milestone that will someday help land him in the Hall of Fame; and 2) it kept me from being on TV during the postgame show, as the focus was primarily on Dirk.

Before my experiences as the HP Insider even started, I spoke with several different PR people whose job it was to prepare me for any media exposure I might have, be it radio, live TV, or print interviews. The thought of being in front of a camera or asked to speak in front of a group of people terrifies me beyond belief. Radio or newspaper stories would have been fine, because there would still be some degree of anonymity, and if I did or said something ridiculous, it could easily be edited or eliminated in its entirety. After several conference calls, which even included mock interviews, I cannot express how relieved I was to have escaped this adventure without having to try to put the tips and tricks I learned into action while appearing on television, even for a short interview.

They say we all have our fifteen minutes of fame at some point in our lives; for me, it was more like fifteen seconds, as my freckled face flashed across the screen during the Spurs game, and again during the Lakers broadcast. (The second time wasn’t too bad as my partner in crime, my dear old Dad, was right there beside me). When I returned home after the Spurs game, it was nearly 3am, and my four year old goddaughter climbed out of bed just to come tell me she saw me waving to her from San Antonio and I couldn’t help but grin. Within minutes of the end of the Lakers game, my best friend’s son called me, all excited, to tell me he saw me on TV as well. He also called me at 7am the next morning, still as excited as ever, that he now knew a “celebrity.” It may not be paparazzi and red carpets, but I’ll take the love and adulation of the kids that know and love me any day of the week.

For One Night Only

Let me begin by saying that I am definitely not a Spurs fan, by any definition. I am, however, happily married to one, which makes it interesting around our house when the Mavs and Spurs play. So, as a diehard Mavs fan, why I was so enthralled in the Jazz vs. Spurs game tonight? Because, I realized, first and foremost, I am a fan of good basketball. And as much as it pains me to admit this (you'll never actually HEAR me utter these words), the Spurs consistently play good basketball. And they pretty much have, since the days of Larry Brown. It might not be the run and gun (not to mention fun) brand of basketball, but whatever it is that they're doing, it works. It's hard to argue with four championships in recent years, and a decade long string of 50-win seasons.

After watching Dirk cross the 20,000 point threshold against the Lakers last week at the AAC, I have to say I was just as excited at the prospect of seeing Timmy Duncan hit 20k tonight. And there's no better place for a superstar to reach a career milestone like that than in his arena, in front of his home crowd. When it got down to where Duncan was one point shy of his goal, I found myself hollering at the TV every possession for them to give Timmy the ball. But they didn't, and then with a little over 30 seconds left, he was called for his 6th personal foul, sufficiently ending the dream, at least for tonight. While I'm sure Tim was a bit disappointed, not only with his failure to reach 20,000 but with the Spurs' eventual 105-98 loss to the Jazz, I can guarantee you the AT&T Center was full of fans who were even more discouraged and upset.

In a way, I've been through that same frustration myself. I remember a few seasons ago when Dirk was just a few points shy of hitting 10,000. My dad and I were at the game, counting down the points he needed and cheering him on from the cheap seats, as usual. Dirk had scored around 30 points and the game was pretty much decided, so then coach Don Nelson pulled him from the game with a couple minutes left. Apparently, someone realized Dirk needed just two more points, and with less than a minute left, amid chants of "Dirk! Dirk! Dirk!", Nellie threw him back in the game to give him one last shot. Something happened and he couldn't get off the shot, so Nellie took Dirk back out, essentially squashing my dream of being at the AAC to see Dirk hit 10k. Even though we won that game, I still felt robbed that I hadn't seen point #10,000. The very next day, I went to work and bought two tickets to the Mavs next game and persuaded my colleague and cohort Holly to attend the game with me. We were there to see 10,000 and I was again there to see 15,000 and now 20,000 points for Dirk. And I hope to be in attendance when he scores 25k and 30k, as well.

But on Friday night, whenever the Mavs game cuts to commercial, I'm going to flip over to the Spurs game and see if Timmy has hit it yet or not. One shot, one point --that's all he needs. For one night only, I'll be a Spurs fan, because magical milestones like this are what make up great basketball, regardless of the color of the jersey.

You Asked For It...

From the time I wrote my first poem at age 6, with an assist from my dear old Mom, it seemed I’ve always had a way with words. Growing up, I wanted to be something different every day; an astronaut on Sunday and a ballerina on Wednesday, but the one thing that never changed was my desire to write. Even now, as I embark on year 34 of the awesome adventure that is my life, my passion for the written word is as strong as it has ever been.

Writing has been one of my two greatest passions in life, the other being basketball. I have other hobbies and interests, but nothing else has ever held my attention for an extended time the way these two things have. Two weeks ago, I was fortunate enough to be able to bring the two worlds together when I became the HP Insider and was able to spend a week behind the scenes with my all-time favorite basketball team, the Dallas Mavericks. As the HP Insider, my primary responsibility was to write about my experiences and post pictures on the blog at www.thehpinsider.com.

Initially, I was apprehensive about the blog and wondered if I would still be able to write well enough to keep people interested and coming back for more. When it comes to God-given gifts, like I have always felt my writing to be, I subscribe to the school of thought that says if you don't use it, you lose it; although I still write on special occasions or for specific purposes, I really haven't done much of anything with my writing since shortly after high school. However, once I started work on the Insider blog, I started to feel something change within myself. I began writing not so much for the audience, who I figured to be primarily my circle of friends and family, but more for myself. What started as a responsibility became a privelege, something I looked forward to and thoroughly enjoyed. I wrote not because I had to but because I wanted to; it felt like a part of me that had been hidden in the shadows for so long was finally heading back into the light.

And then, to my surprise, I started hearing from here, there, and everywhere, that people were actually reading the blog and enjoying what I had to say, just as much as I was enjoying writing it. I was asked on several occasions if I blogged regularly, and was always greeted with surprised faces when I replied no. Friends, family, colleagues, and those I came in contact with both at HP and within the Dallas Mavericks organization all encouraged me to keep writing and start up my own blog. Initially, I declined, but the more I thought about it, the more I decided this was something I really wanted to do; not for anyone else, but strictly for myself. I can't remember the last time I felt as complete and content as I did during my time as the HP Insider. I chalked it up to being surrounded by my beloved Mavericks, but I think writing the blog, and knowing people cared enough to take the time to follow it, was just as big a factor.

So here it is, good, bad and what will surely be ugly on some occasions, for all of you who requested it: my blog is officially up and running. Just remember, be careful what you wish for...you just might get it!