Well hello there!

Thought I would fill everyone in on what I have been up to in the last couple weeks! My birthday hoora felt like it had lasted for a whole week...well actually it did, considering the amount of times I blew out b-day candles, listened to b-day song messages, and the amount of flowers and phone calls I received. It's the day in the year when your close friends, and family tell you how much they love you, to the point where it's gets a bit ridiculous and you find yourself pressing the busy button on your phone. The birthday party itself was beautiful...very intimate ( unlike my 18th with sooo many people), great d�r, and funny funny times. It is very rare that most of my friends are in the same place at the same time...apart from a couple everyone was there to celebrate with me and that always gets REALLY entertaining! When I got back I had to do the few shoots that I couldn't do the week of Amelia, as I do every year after the Miami tournament. Of course on the 3rd day, ahead of an 8hr print shoot, I wake up feeling like I got run over by a bus...and have to call in a doctor on the shoot...only to hear that I got a really bad viral infection with a big fever and that I have to get on antibiotics...how original! I know I'm always against those things, but I kind of had no other choice because I haven't been that sick in a while. Quite ironic, as a few days before that I was trying to come up with some 'excuse' for pulling out of Berlin...next time I'll be careful what I wish for.

So now I'm back in training and boy oh boy do those things zap your energy out of you! But I'm getting better little by little, and going to play against some boys in the next few days...

I am sure many of you can tell that I am just a little frustrated with a couple of tour executives who don't ever listen to the players and want to do their own thing. For a sport that has so much potential to grow and get bigger, you would think that the players voice would be important but unfortunately that's not the case. They just do whatever they want and tell us what to do and how to do it. And on top of that walk around like they're the stars. I have tried to work with them, I have attended numerous amounts of meetings throughout the years, but they just do what they want and threaten to fine me. So since they will not listen to me, I am going to start giving my fans a behind the scenes look at life on tour...let the fun begin! I also want to thank everyone for voting...the number of people voting was way beyond our expectations.

Onto a few other notes:
 
In Amelia, I got my hands on the Wii bowling game. Not sure if it's had a worse player in the history of the game but after having the worst possible score, I somehow found a way to hit 4 strikes in a row!! After the second one Michael said he would go streaking on the streets along with his friends, after the third one he promised something else, none of which he did...thank God!

Quite a while ago ( but since I have not written much..) I saw a U2 concert in 3D at the I-Max theater....anyone that has one in the area must go see it! Highly recommend it!

After owning my house for the last 2 years, I have just realized I have a steamer unit on my stove. And now I can't stop making steamed artichoke...the small things in life..

Also not sure if I'm really behind but I just came across digital photo frames and being the gadget junky that I am, I think they are pretty awesome. You put your memory card inside and it just rotates all the pictures on that card.

Quote goes to Eric...at a hockey game he wasn't happy with the refs call and yelled 'go back to Footlocker' ( the store that's logo is a referee).

I am quite excited to be going to Rome, as I absolutely love Italy. Can't wait to get my hands on the gelato and mozzarella....and all the other amazing food (in small quantities of course!).

So bummed I can't go to the Met this year as I got 3 personal invitations ( the theme for this year is super heroes) and my friend is going....but of course work always comes first and I'm sure I'll have plenty of time once I'm retired!

But I will get to see the first couple games of Boston vs. Cleveland!! What a great series that will be! Go Cleveland!!

There is also one other thing that I am soo excited to report but have to keep my mouth shut...you just have to wait a couple weeks.

Xx Maria