Playing Catch Up!

I know it's been a while, so first off I would like to say how awesome it was to watch Pete Weber win the US Open!  Congratulations to him, he deserves it.  Whether you like Pete or not, he displayed just exactly why he is one of the greatest this sport has ever seen.  He threw one of the most clutch shots in history to become the only bowler to win 5 US Open titles.  Hats off to him.

Next up for congratulations is my husband for winning his 5th PBA Regional Title at the Plamor Lanes Open Presented by Brunswick. He needed a strike in his last shot to win by one, and that's exactly what he did.  I'm so proud of him and I wished I could have been there to watch.  I was bowling Women's City tournament that weekend, so I wasn't able to go.  I did have a great time bowling with the girls though.  We bowled team event on Saturday, which scoring wise was ok.  Then I bowled doubles and singles on Sunday.  Got off to a good start with my first two games being a 224, but fell apart game 3 with a 138.  I didn't let that last game get to me as I headed into singles.  I shot 255 to start, then 236 and 238 for a 729 series.  I haven't bowled that good in a while, so it felt pretty good! 

Sean and I had a couple of days together at home before heading off to Detroit.  We bowled the Metro Detroit Open last week on Wednesday.  It was held in an old wood house. Sean led qualifying and I bowled pretty badly.  It was a lot tougher than I had imagine, but another learning experience.  Thursday night Sean found himself in the winner's circle again edging out Brian Waliczek, 206-196.  With that win, he earned an entry into the Proprietor's Cup in July (an $1100 value).  I wasn't there to watch him win in Iowa, but I was glad I got to see him win again at this tournament. 

Next up was the PBA Detroit Open held at Thunderbowl Lanes.  Sean bowled really well through qualifying on Saturday, ending up in 7th after 9 games.  Afterward Sean and I went to his friend, Jerad's salon called Daybreak Salon and Spa.  I needed to get my hair cut and colored and Sean went for a massage and hair cut. They did an awesome job, I love my hair!  So if you live around the Detroit area, I definitely recommend going there!  Back to bowling... Sunday was a day to do work and win matches.  Unfortunately, he went 7-6 in the round robin match play and that wasn't enough to get him into the final 4.  He finished 9th overall and we headed home. 

Currently, Sean is in Kuwait bowling the Kuwait Open and on Tuesday we meet in Paris.  I'm so excited for this trip!  I will be bowling a couple squads, so I definitely need to get practicing.  The best part is, a couple of the wives are going also, so we will be going sightseeing and it's just going to be a great time.  I can't wait! 

Home for a Week - The Highs

Well, Sean is back on the road again, but we had a great week together. Here are some of the week highlights:

Monday, Sean came home early in the morning and I made us some biscuits and gravy.  Yummm!  Later that evening I gave into Buffalo Wild Wings for dinner... We haven't had it in a very long time and that's one of his favorite places to eat.  Beer and wings, can't go wrong with that!

Tuesday was of course Valentine's Day.  We had breakfast and exchanged gifts.  I had gotten Sean a card and his favorite cologne and he gave me a very heartfelt card.  Honestly, I expected more, since it was our first Valentine's day as husband and wife. (As horrible as that sounds, I know I put waaay too much emphasis on this "holiday" than I should have, after all, he was home safely and that's more than I should ever ask for.)  I had also agreed to babysit my nephew during the day, so we weren't really able to do anything together until after.  He did take me to see The Vow, which I thought was cute, and then we went to league straight after.  Not quite the romantic day that I had hoped for, but.... I did have a bouquet of red, white, and pink roses on the table where we were bowling that night waiting for me. :)   My husband did remember to get flowers!  Well he ordered them at least and asked the kind ladies behind the counter to arrange them before we arrived for league that night.  He's such a sweetheart and I was such a brat thinking that I wouldn't even get flowers this year.

Friday was our date night, sort of for not being able to go out for dinner on Valentine's day.  We went to dinner at White Chocolate Grill, which was amazing!  I love their Four Cheese Spinach & Artichoke Dip.  Sean had prime rib and I had the grilled salmon, and to finish it off we shared a chocolate souffle cake.  I could barely move after such a great meal, but we had a show to catch.  We watched Safe House, which I thought was great, how could it not be with Denzel Washington??  I had such a great night, but I had such a bad cough and sore throat that I was feeling pretty miserable and just wanted to go home, take some Nyquil and try to get a good night's sleep.  So that's exactly what we did.  Between Sean being jet lagged and getting up with the dog to go potty and me coughing throughout the night, we hadn't gotten the best sleep that past few nights. 

Saturday we both got massages in the morning, ran a few errands, and practiced.  We met up with a few friends for drinks later that evening, which was a blast.  We both had a really good time catching up with everyone.  We couldn't stay out all night though, Sean had to pack since he was leaving Sunday morning. 

I'm so glad he didn't bowl the Ricart Ford Open in Columbus last weekend because we were able to spend that week together and his body needed the rest.  He had been on the road for 3 weeks straight, and having just flown back from Japan he needed to get his internal clock reset.  With the US Open being this week, it was also a smart decision because it is such a demanding tournament physically, he needs his body to be ready for it.  After his first 6 game qualifying block, he is at +121 and bowling great.  Two more days of qualifying ahead of him though, and on the fresh, so we can't get too excited yet.  There's still a ton of bowling left.  Wish him luck and words of encouragement on his fan page at http://www.facebook.com/SeanRashFanPage

Until next time, my friends! :)

Mini Eliminator Results!

I'm back home and finally settled in and getting back into my daily routine.  I had a good time in Vegas, but I'm so glad to be back in Chicago.  Although I was there for about 10 days, we still didn't have any time to go to the strip or catch a show.  Not a big deal since we go there about 2-3 times a year, for a minimum of 7 days at a time.  Maybe in April we'll get to see Zumanity.  After flying in Friday afternoon, I unpacked, freshened up, watched some matches for the USBC Masters, and went to dinner with Dan McCarty and his family.  We went to dinner at Outback Steakhouse and enjoyed the company and conversation of these new friends.  We found out the they will be moving to Massachusetts, which Dan isn't too excited about, but we know he will adjust well because he is charismatic and resilient.  Hopefully we will be able to visit them after the move.

As for the bowling part of my trip, it went well.  I enjoyed getting back on the lanes in a competitive scene, but I seemed to have forgotten how to settle my nerves.  With all the time I spent practicing before leaving, I felt pretty confident, especially knowing that I had Sean there along with all the Brunswick guys.  I ended up only bowling the International Mini because the scores for the International Open became extremely high and I would only receive 6 pins per game, whereas I received 14 pins per game in the Mini.  The reason for that is because women receive 6 pins in the Open and in the Mini there are 3 different divisions based on age and average amongst other factors.  I belonged to the Bronze division because my combined average for the past 3 years was 194.  Handicap was 90% of 210, thus giving me 56 pins for 4 games.  So here's the recap...

I bowled my first squad on Saturday at 3pm.  This was the squad to get most of the jitters out of my body.   I had a good start shooting 212, but then fell apart the second with a 145.  I couldn't quite settle down and in the third game I smashed my ankle with my ball.  Not only was it embarrassing, but it hurt like you-know-what... I moved onto the last game after shooting 169 and bounced back with a 205.  785 for the day, a little disappointing, but I had at least 4 more re-entries.
That evening, Sean was to fulfill Benjamin Doyle's wish granted by the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Wyoming.  Benjamin is a 16 year old battling brain cancer, but he doesn't let it get in the way of his dreams and goals.  He and his family came to Sunset Station and on the USBC Masters television set, Benjamin got to meet his favorite bowler, Sean.  Benjamin had bowled a 300 a few months ago and Sean was able to present Ben with his first 300 ring.  After a few pictures and interviews, Sean led Benjamin out to the PBA trucks to drill a Brunswick Nexus Solid for him.  They took the ball back to the TV pair and let Ben take a couple practice balls, and after making a few minor adjustments to the thumb hole, Benjamin proceeded to throw a 6-bagger!  It was so great to sit back and watch Sean and Benjamin work together and to see the smile across both their faces after each strike, simply amazing. 

I took Sunday off, only practiced.  I had also drilled the new C-System Versa Max and the Nexxus, so I wanted to get used to them .  I would have to say that I love the Nexxus and I'm still trying to get used to the Versa Max.  I have a difficult time trying to read that ball since it is all black and it's hard to tell the shape.  I know that it does go long though, that's for sure.  I had started using it for a few of my spares though.  Typically for the 2-8, the bucket, 3-6-10 and washouts.  (Spares that I typically chop with my plastic ball.)  The next squad I bowled was Monday morning.  I threw the Nexxus all 4 games, shooting 228, 219, 169, and  234.  Total with handicap was 906 and I thought that my score would be good enough to get me into the finals, but I was feeling pretty good and wanted to try to improve my score in the next squad.  Unfortunately, I didn't bowl as well on the burn.  I ended up with an 815, which was high for that squad, and I waited for the last squad of the day to finish up to see where I placed.  Both my scores were only good enough to get a free re-entry, since in the last squad a kid shot 941 earning him a spot in the finals.  I was bummed, but still grateful that I got those additional entries. 

Tuesday morning I went at it again.  I had a little bit of a slow start with a 181.  I felt like I was playing the right part of the lane, I just had a lot of ring 10's and knew I had to stay patient.  Next game was 256 and I was having fun!  Game 3 I shot 259 and game 4 was 203.  I had a really good feeling about this set and was pretty confident that it wouldn't be beat this time.  By the end of the day, I advanced to the finals and was so excited and proud of myself!  Celebration dinner at PF Changs with the Brunswick group was in order!  A side note here, the Kung Pao scallops were amazing!  Sooo good!

So after all that bowling, I figured my body deserved a massage, so that's exactly what I did Wednesday morning.  Called up Massage Envy, since I have a membership with them, and got a car service from our casino host.  I had a wonderful hour massage and since DSW was within walking distance, I couldn't resist.  I was in need of tan/brown flats and that's exactly what I got, plus a new black pair... :)  Back at the hotel, I grabbed lunch and went up to the room.  The night before I noticed that our door didn't lock shut and I had to pull it to hear the latch click.  I knew that housekeeping had already cleaned our room, so out of curiosity I tried opening the door without inserting my room key and it opened!  So I felt a bit uneasy knowing that our door doesn't completely close and lock, so I had maintenance come up and check out the door.  They open and closed the door about 20 times and of course it locked every time for them...  After about an hour of replacing a part and adjusting it, they finally had it fixed.  I didn't have enough time to get ready and bowl the last squad, so it turned out to be a complete day off for me. 

I had 3 more entries left, and now I was bowling to get into the bye tournament.  So Thursday morning I attempted to post a number, but was pretty unsuccessful.  I shot 757 and was pretty disappointed and confused.  I tried again the next day and didn't do much better with a 798.  I needed to bowl about even scratch to have a better chance of making it into the bye tournament.  Saturday morning was my last chance since I only had 1 entry left.  My 4 games consisted of a 194, 238, 150, and 216.  Game 3 was a let down, I got lost in the transition, but Robert Lawrence came over in the 10th frame and gave me some encouragement and told me what I needed to do.  So, I ended up with an 854 grand total and it was enough to get me into the bye tournament.  I was the 7th seed and later that night I had to bowl the 2nd seed.  I took some time to relax up in the room and get re-energized.

I was already guaranteed 1 bye in the finals, and I need to win matches in the bye tournament to gain more byes.  I was so nervous because I knew winning the bye tournament meant more money and a guarantee of at least $2000.  Through practice, I threw only a couple of shots that I felt confident in, and was unsure if I would be able to repeat those shots during the match.  I was feeling butterflies not just in my stomach but all throughout my body.  I tried calming down before each shot by taking a deep breath and going through my pre-shot routine, but as soon as I took that first step all those butterflies came fluttering back.  I was not consistent at all and the match was over before I knew it.  I lost the match, but my competitor also out bowled me... and he even had more handicap than me!  I was still in the finals though, and was still guaranteed $1000.

The finals came early at 8am on Sunday.  I watched the first round since I had the 1 bye.  Two people advanced and the 4 people who earned 1 bye, including me, joined in the 2nd round.  The top 3 bowlers after one game would move on to round 3.  Once again, my nerves got the best of me and I just could not put anything together.  I was checking my competitors scores throughout the game and about halfway through I just felt like I was out of it... especially since 4 out of 5 of my competitors had a higher handicap than me.  I didn't give up though, I was still determined to throw the best shots I possibly could. 

Overall, I am happy with the way I bowled and I definitely learned what I need to work on for some of my upcoming tournaments.  I'm extremely excited about throwing my new balls and practicing more with them.  I have the rest of this month to practice and half of March before I head to Paris and bowl the Euro Challenge.  So be on the lookout for a post on Paris!  This will be my second time going, but it will be a whole new experience for me.  I'm truly excited!

Anyway, that wraps up my Vegas trip.  Sean is currently in Japan and comes home Monday morning.  We've only been able to talk about 2 brief times a day, pretty much when I'm waking up, he's going to bed and vice versa.  We get to spend almost a week together before he heads off to New Jersey for the US Open.  Also, we get to spend Valentine's day together, which I think this will be the 2nd time we're actually together in our 5 year relationship.  He usually would send flowers and chocolates to me, this year I'm not sure what's in store for us.  We bowl league Tuesday nights, so I know for sure we will be bowling at night, but we do have all day together.  Hopefully he gets rid of his jet lag all day Monday!

I hope my readers have someone they care about to share Valentine's day with, or maybe even tell that someone you've been crushing over your true feelings.  Whatever the case may be, know that someone is out there thinking of you and take time to remember those that you may have lost that were near and dear to your heart, whether they were a friend, family member, loved one, or classmate.  

We will never forget our fallen Huskies 2/14/08.

Off to Vegas!

Wow, time has flown since my first post.  Well, I had a great two days with Sean while he was home.  I picked him up from the airport Monday night (the 16th), unfortunately he was delayed 3 hours because his plane diverted to London from Frankfurt due to a medical emergency on board.  Hopefully that person is okay, but I'm just glad he came home safely.  For dinner we went to his favorite restaurant, Carrabba's... Chicken parm and fettucini alfredo - his usual.

Tuesday and Wednesday we pretty much did laundry so he could have clean clothes for the 3 weeks he'll be on the road.  Sean and I both got pedicures and I got a mani as well - I absolutely love the fact that he is not afraid to tap into his feminine side!  We bowl league Tuesday night with my brother - always a fun time.  Wednesday we practiced,  went to the mall to get our rings inspected and cleaned, and got a couples massage.  We have a membership at Massage Envy, so we get a couples massage at least once a month, which is awesome time together.... sure we're on different tables and silent during the 60 minutes, but it's just therapeutic and releases some stress.  It definitely puts us both in a better mood too. 

Thursday morning he was off to the airport again.  He flew to LA and bowled the Cheetah Open.  Unfortunately, it was not a good weekend for him.  I wished he was home because we celebrated our nephew, Kyle's, 1st birthday.  I always miss him, but especially when we have family get-togethers. I watched my other nephew, Anthony, bowl league on Sunday and I practiced as well since I was there. 

I am bowling the Mini Eliminator and the International Open in Vegas next week, so I have been practicing everyday to gain more consistency in my game.  I tried tweaking a few things, but I don't want to change too much before a tournament.  Hopefully I bowl well.  I still love the competition and I'm continuing to learn the game, so it's all a learning experience for me, and if I bowl well, that's a huge bonus!  I'm also looking forward to seeing Dan McCarty and going to dinner with him and his family Friday night.  Sean and I met Dan at the World Series of Bowling in Vegas this past November and he is such an incredible kid.  If you're not familiar with his story, you can read about it here.

I fly to Vegas on Friday morning, so tomorrow is a day of packing, last day to practice and drop my dog, Dexter off with my brother and sis-in-law.  I am sooooo very thankful that they take him whenever Sean and I are out of town.  I'm sure Dexter loves the company too instead of being boarded at the animal hospital. 

Well, until next time... My next post will update you on how I bowled in Vegas, so check back soon!  (And wish me luck!!)

So it Begins Again...

2012 is here and my husband is not.  It's ok, that's normal for us.  We spent a good 8 days together to start the year, and then he was off again to the airport.  He is competing in the Brunswick Ballmaster Open in Helsinki, Finland, which is the first event for the 2012 World Bowling Tour.  Last year he finished 2nd in the WBT finals and the ranking points roll over to this year, so it's important for him to continue competing in these events, not to mention, it's a great event to bowl in preparation for the second half of the PBA season.  Enough about where he is and what he's up to, this blog is really to give you insight to the life of a tour wife - me!

So, here's just a little background info: I met Sean while I was at a college bowling tournament in 2006.  We were introduced to each other by a mutual friend and began dating 4 months later. After I graduated in 2008, I moved to Wichita where he was living and began working for Enterprise Rent-a-Car.  November 15, 2010 he popped the question and in December we made the move to Chicago, where I grew up and most of my family lives.  While I enjoyed earning a paycheck, I was completely miserable that I couldn't travel to watch Sean bowl, and when I did, I was flying out Friday after work and returning late Sunday night... not enough time to make up for the 2-3 weeks we spent apart at times.  I decided the car rental business was not for me, so I quit and began our August wedding planning instead.  Sean also wanted me to travel with him throughout the year, and that's what I did.  If there are any jobs out there that would allow as much flexibility as possible for me to travel whenever, wherever (other than a consulting job like Mary Kay), I'd be interested in hearing about it.  As of right now, I'm enjoying taking care of our home, our dog, and being available to watch my nephews and little brother whenever need be. 

So what do I do with my time?  Well, this is the beginning of a new year, and I have made a couple resolutions. 

1. Volunteer at least once a month
2. Create a workout plan and stick to it!

I've gotten a little late start to my resolutions due to family parties- and they continue through this weekend.  No excuses though.  I am competing later this month in the Mini Eliminator and the WTBA International Bowling Championship in Las Vegas, so I am practicing daily to get into shape for those tournaments. This weekend I'm heading up to Lake Geneva, WI with my family to celebrate a couple birthdays and spend some quality time with everyone.

Not to switch topics, but I also created this blog to share with other wives or girlfriends of men (or vice versa) who travel a lot for business or have a long distance relationship, some of the ways to cope with the absence of my other half and also tell me how you deal with the separation.  As a newly married couple, we could always use the advice.  Skype is our best friend when he's overseas.  Just today, after 2 days of him being gone, I finally got to see him on the computer and I just felt better.

As random as this post may seem right now, it will get better, I promise.  Feel free to comment,  I'd love to hear your opinions!