Congratulations, Votto!

Good Friday morning! Sara Celi, here.

I have to admit, I'm pretty much a huge Reds fan right now. I feel a little giddy inside when I think about how well they are doing in the NL Central at this moment. Yeah, they lost last their last, but they're still in the lead by three games! They're still in first place! Go Reds!

For me, this is a little personal.

My dad passed away when I was a kid, and he LOVED the Reds. He loved baseball. Every year, he'd look forward to opening day like it was Christmas, and he'd go to almost every game he could. He was there when they won the World Series. He was there when they had a bad season.

For me, whenever I watch the Reds, I think of him. It's a good memory for me, so this season has let me revisit how much I enjoyed going to games with him as a kid.

So Go Reds! Keep it up! And I'm glad you made it, Votto!

Not Quite The Tennis Champion

Maria Sharapova, I am not.

Good morning, Sara Celi here.

For years, maybe as long as I can remember, I’ve wanted to learn how to play tennis—really learn. Something about the game has always fascinated me, and intimated me. When Wimbledon or the US Open comes around each year, I’m always watching the professional players in awe. There’s something about the ease in which those players hit the ball, the simple sophistication of their swing.

So I finally decided that this year would be my year to learn. I’m not planning on being a competitive player, but I want to learn enough to keep the ball in play. I also would like to be skillful enough to play a game with my husband (he’s better than he thinks he is).
I had my first lesson this week at Sawyer Point. I’m sure Jonathan, the tennis pro, had to reach down to a special place to get the kind of patience it takes to work with me. Not only am I a beginner, I am a left-handed beginner.

He worked with me for an hour, and we focused on just the basics—forehand, backhand, and the serve. I watched many of the balls I hit go wilder than leaves in a hurricane. A few times I wondered if Jonathan wasn’t holding back a laugh. But soo, as he worked with me, I saw things start to get at least a little better. My swing got stronger, my speed got better, and I got more confident.

I think I’m going to like this tennis thing better than even I could have imagined. We’ll just have to see if I can keep it up.