Derek Jeter, Thank You…Enough Said

Hello readers! It's fall and as the leaves turn brown and we bid farewell to the lust and love that was summer, we also bid farewell to a staple... an icon…a renowned figure. Tonight, September 25, 2014 marked the final appearance of my friend, and yours too, Derek Jeter in New York Yankee pinstripes. Effective as of Monday morning, Derek Jeter's tenure as a New York Yankee will be up and frankly, selfishly and childishly speaking, I don't want him to go.

As I've mentioned on numerous occasions, Derek Jeter is synonymous with the positivity that is my childhood. Growing up in the Bronx, I was fortunate to be able to use the eclectic and diverse surroundings to aid in my teachings outside of the classroom. Luckily enough, those surroundings included the famed Yankee Stadium. When you think of the Bronx and "splendor", there are four things that come to mind: The Bronx Zoo, The Botanical Garden, The Bronx Museum of the Arts and Yankee Stadium. If you were to poll people on where they've spent the majority of their time, it would be the latter. Now, don't get me wrong, these four institutions are credited with transforming the youth of the Bronx in various ways BUT, it is Yankee Stadium where the magic happens. For me, that magic was felt in 1995 when a wide-eyed/keen/observant/determined/hungry and all around pleasant lad by the name of Derek Jeter entered into the league. I thought another player had entered into the fray that was the professional arena but little did I know, Derek Jeter would have a profound effect one me.

At 7 years old, the concept of a "crush" was out of my reach and while I could not formally articulate my feelings with a concrete definition, I knew I liked that kid! Over the course of my aging, my affinity grew far beyond his smile to admiring things such as his tenacity for success, work ethic towards accomplishing a task at hand, his poise and his respect for the profession he chose and the people who shared the field with him. Ok, ok, so his baby blue eyes and freckles are a plus and his physique is a bonus but, let's not make this NSFW lol. Let's just say, there are a multitude of things to admire and to pick just one does this post minimal justice.

As I began to truly understand what my feelings were for Derek Jeter, I could not wait to share them with the world and during my adolescent years, I ran my affection into the ground! Whether it was spending my formidable high school years compiling a detailed scrapbook, acquiring apparel and/or spending waking moments at Yankee Stadium, every experience had a story and I made sure it was told. Heads up, I will recount these tales for years to come.

Matriculating to college and beyond, my love for Derek never faltered. Through the additions and subtractions of players from all realms on my "Favorites" list, Derek's spot was never usurped. No awe-inspiring/record breaking play could have made me demote Derek Jeter. Perhaps it was my bias or my stubbornness to change but Derek could never be replaced.

So, how do I end this folklore? Do I conclude with a good bye? I don't know. I know I'm not prepared to say good bye so I won't. I'll thank you, Derek Jeter, for providing this girl with memories many can only dream of. Thank you, for 19 years of laughs, tears, heated debates with fanatics of other teams and enough t-shirts to clothe my family 2x over. I've been listening to Sam Smith a lot and Derek, I'll be selfish one last time and say, why don't stay with me because you're all I need. Come on darling, stay with me…

XOXO,
Whitney

40 And Fabulous! Happy Birthday, Derek Jeter!

Hello readers! How has the long awaited summer been treating you thus far? Already fed up with the fluctuating heat and threats of thunderstorms? I hope not, because the best of this season is yet to come! Now that we've exchanged pleasantries, let's get into the post. Today, June 26, 2014, marks the 40th birthday of a icon, a legend, a captain at the helm and a storied hero…DEREK SANDERSON JETER! 

Always in reflective mode, it is difficult to grasp the idea that I was first introduced to Derek roughly 19 years ago. I was 7 and he was the wide-eyed, ever eager 21 year old starting SS for the New York Yankees. As I have always reiterated, through and through, time and time again, on multiple occasions, I was quickly enamored with Derek and have been ever since. He is without a doubt one of the most charismatic figures in sports and I cannot wait to see his post baseball endeavors soar to new heights!

Once again, Happy Birthday, Derek  and I wish you nothing but continued success and greatness as you enter your 40's. If orange is the new black, then 40 is the new age of thinking. The 40's are a decade of enlightenment and boy oh boy, are we fans certainly in for a delicious treat!

P.S. because no birthday greeting is complete without a reminder of the eye candy that has been bestowed upon us, here are a few pictures to keep you occupied:

XOXO,

Whitney

Season 2 Bid Farewell To Cristina

Hello readers. How has your 2014 been progressing since the last time I've written you in March? I know life happens and can throw you for a loop but, I will be the voice of reason and respond for you, "amazing!". Now that the formalities are out of the way, let's get into tonight's post.

If you're scratching your head about the title, do not be alarmed for I have not lost my creative touch and half-assed a heading. In a year that has began with major announcements of a retirement, specifically the retirement of New York Yankees captain, Derek Jeter and the final season of Sandra Oh's performance as Cardiothoracic's supernova, Cristina Yang, I decided to combine their respective departures and acknowledge what they've meant to me. Because there is still more than enough time to write a 4-page letter on Jeter, I'll reserve this space for Cristina Yang.

For 10 seasons, avid fans of Grey's Anatomy have been riding on a medical roller coaster. Since we fans have been introduced to Cristina, we've cried, laughed, thickened our skin, hardened our hearts and have been steadfast in the pursuit of achieving greatness. Although a character, Cristina Yang has played a pivotal role in ensuring that millions tune in every Thursday night at 9p to see what were about to be transported to next. I am proud to say that I have been a dedicated viewer and while Cristina's (Oh) departure can be seen as Grey's losing its luster, I know that Yang will thrive in Zurich. She's a shark so why would we expect anything less?

As I end this post, I wish nothing but the best for the brilliant Sandra Oh. May your next leg of your tour be just as memorable if not better than the last. We love you and cannot wait to see you on the screen again.

XOXO,
Whitney

Through & Through, We Fans Will Always Fight For Our Love of Duke U!

Hello readers. In between work, gearing up for baseball season and taking time to stop and smell the roses, a lot has happened in the world of sports and entertainment. While I am not going to rehash every moment, I will talk about the biggest event of the spring season. As you all are well aware of, March Madness is underway and since Tuesday and 3 days in, brackets are in shamble and we've all been screaming "Oy Vey!". Sadly, I have now joined the vacation pool of losing teams due to the Duke's exit in the first round. Ugh, give me a break!

Friday afternoon, at 12:15p, televisions, laptops and smartphones continued to be glued to CBS, Tru TV, TNT and TBS as games rolled full speed ahead. The Duke Blue Devils played The Mercer Bears and honestly speaking, the Blue Devils were slated to smoke the Bears. Oddly enough, the #3 Blue Devils were beat 78 - 71 by the #14 Bears and sent brackets across the globe into despair. I did not watch today's game because of a prior engagement and truthfully, I'm glad I didn't. My heart would have been torn into pieces watching eager freshmen and season seniors lose in such a fashion. I refuse to watch highlights because I know it'll only make me frown. As always readers, myself and my teams bounce back from failure but at this moment, I want to sulk.

So, as I close out this post, I want to take a moment to thank the Duke Blue Devils for consistently putting a smile on my face and taking me to new heights. To my squad and the wickedly talented Coach Michael Krzyzewski, thank you for all that you've done this season. It was arduous but we made it through. To my seniors, oh the places you'll go on your journey after college. To the freshmen, sophomores and juniors, let's keep working to bring home that 5th title.  My heart will forever bleed Duke blue and you'll never have to question my loyalty. I'll see you at graduation and then the fall.

XOXO,
Whitney

Derek Jeter Memories Light The Corners Of My Mind

Hello readers. As my fingers begin to type, I find myself at a loss for words because my emotions are well at work. I am trying to compose myself but as updated information crosses my path, all I want to do is curl up in a ball, stop time and watch past highlights. You all may be wondering, "What's going on?! Why is she about to have a breakdown?!" and well here's why: this afternoon, Derek Jeter announced that 2014 will be his last season in pinstripes. Yes, Derek Jeter has clued the world in on his impending retirement. It's the end of an era.

Due to me gathering my thoughts and taking in every bit of news available, I'll keep this post short. Also, I need to start purchasing as many home game available for the 2014 season. So, as I go, I'll leave you with Derek's official statement on the matter. Hugs for us all!

XOXO,
Whitney

On Mob Wives, There Is My Truth, Your Truth, & Twitter...

Hello readers, I hope 2014 has been treating you well thus far. As we continue to bid farewell to the 2013- 14 NFL season and we here in the Northeast brave the Polar Vortex & copious amounts of snow, I wanted to take your mind off of those stresses and provide a much needed recap of tonights episode of Mob Wives New Blood. Things are heating up as the "truth" finds its light. Let's begin!

As you all may be well aware of, Season 4of Mob Wives went through some dramatic changes. Karen Gravano, Carla Facciolo, and Ramona Rizzo are no longer apart of the cast and just when we thought their replacements would fall short, Philadelphia natives Alicia DiMichele Garofalo and Natalie Guercio have surpassed expectations. For the past 7 episodes of this season, we've watched intensely as Alicia and Natalie work to build a friendship with the other girls and although some feathers have been ruffled and fists have flew, it's safe to say that they've won us over. However, tonight, episode 8, things spiraled downward as Alicia and veteran Renee Graziano laid their pasts, presents, and futures on the table.

Alicia and Renee are familiar friends through their affiliation with Alicia's husband Edward. Eddie is one of Renee's childhood best friends and through Eddie she has come to love and respect Alicia. Edward unfortunately is in prison due to Mafia related charges and Alicia has been indicted on embezzlement charges connected to her husband. Scared, confused, and feeling betrayed, Alicia is wary of everyone and everything. Furthermore, listening to wiretaps that reference Renee, Eddie, and Eddie's ex-girlfriend Carla only heightens the situation. AND, as if things aren't already in a disarray, Alicia has discovered that Renee has been discussing her federal case amongst her Staten Island cronies. Mamma mia marrone! Alicia felt that it was time to get to the bottom of it!

Last episode, we ended with Alicia accusing the girls of leaking information to the press and that didn't sit well with any of them especially Renee. Fast forward to tonight and Renee expressed her disappointment to anyone who would listen, including Alicia's enemy, Carla. Carla is well aware of Alicia's dislike for her presence as well as the federal case against her. Rather than try to hash out the beef between them, Alicia and Carla would rather throw daggers and BAYBEE, Carla threw some digs tonight. The best dig to summarize why Alicia hates her was expressed during Renee and Carla's lunch date, "Eddie's family still loves me & they really don't approve of her. Also, I've been friends with Eddie for 30 years and he's even asked me to help him pick out her birthday gifts. She's just insecure because we're still friends". B-I-T-C-H! I nearly fell out when I heard that. Not only is your husband still friends with his ex, they used to go shopping together for you! I am too through! lol

While this is hilarious, it still doesn't crack the case of who is leaking information. Remember, Alicia is convinced Renee is talking about her and to prove it, she's decided to screenshot a Twitter rant of Renee's. I absolutely love Alicia DiMichele but, when 40 year old women rely on Twitter as a source of truth, I can't find the seriousness in your argument. Moving along, Alicia and Renee decided to have a lunch date to smooth things over. Lunch dates have proven to be ineffective because Renee read Alicia for filth. Renee made it clear she would forever be loyal to Eddie and Carla and that Alicia is only apart of her world because of her marriage. Aside from that, she has no credibility. Ouch! The day ended with Renee leaving the table and a preview of what's to come next Thursday.

If Mob Wives continues being this explosive this season, we fans will surely continue to pull in the ratings!

XOXO,
Whitney