Desk Jockey

I tried to hold off as long as I could inputting this entry, as I wanted to get into the internship groove before I spouted off about it's validity. I am now finishing my second week as the Assistant Events Coordinator at the University of Washington. I work for Karen Baebler, the Assistant Athletic Director for Event Management. She and I seem to get along well and are on the same page about much of the work we do. I am currently finishing up with my first project of producing a participant's manual for the Pac-10 Cross Country Championships on Oct. 30th. It is a publication that will be given to head coaches of all 10 teams before they arrive in Seattle for the race. It has details on the course, hotel, restaurants, maps, and some technical information. I think it turned out pretty well and will hopefully be re-usable in the future (like when UW hosts again in 10 years! haha!). Check out my desk! Yes, it is purely coincidental that Cal Ripken is above my desk.... but what a great addition! The "perseverance" theme is so fitting too!

The other looming task that I have in front of me is the beginning of high school football season where I intend to officiate again this year. I will not have quite as much time as I did last year, limiting my game assignments, but I should be bale to work 3 days a week or so. Because I transferred to a new association (Pacific Northwest Football Officials Association), I am being placed back as a "first-year official". This means I will be back on sub-varsity games and will have to work my way up to varsity games again. I'm trying to look at the positive in it, and truthfully I just needs reps at any level. Hopefully most of my non-internship hours will be filled with officiating until the beginning of November.
Finally, I have been traveling every weekend since my classes ended and I have one more weekend until I can relax in Seattle. The first week I went back to Pennsylvania and New Jersey to see my family. I got to spend a few days with my mom, a couple with my dad, and an evening with my cousin, Max, at the Orioles/Mariners game (O's won in 11 innings).
Then last weekend I traveled to San Francisco to visit my friend/athlete Beth. She was racing my favorite race in the world, San Francisco Triathlon @ Alcatraz! Shout out to her winning her age group by 11 minutes and finishing sixth overall. It was odd to have raced that course for 7 straight years and then watch someone else do it. I miss racing, but I don't. :-) This weekend I am headed to Whistler, just outside of Vancouver, Canada to watch my friend Branden do an off-road triathlon. I will be there from Thursday night until Sunday.
I hope everyone is well and I hope to hear from you soon!