Brian and Patrick tried on old halloween costumes earlier this week. It was very comical... so of course I took pictures! Enjoy!
Have a safe & Happy Halloween!
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10.31.2008
10.23.2008
10.21.2008
Sports-filled Weekend
Brian and I had a blast this weekend...
On Saturday, we went to game 6 of the ALCS playoffs. We tailgated for a few hours before the game. I've never tailgated for a baseball game, but it was cool. It was exciting to see the fans supporting the Rays team. Unfortunately, the Tampa Bay Rays lost 4-2 that night - but, the good news is they won game 7 on Sunday. GO RAYS!
Brian went to both game 1 and game 6 - both of which the Rays lost. So, given that, he's forbidden to attend any of the World Series games! :-) We didn't get home from the game till 2 a.m.! We were so tired on Sunday, but had more plans for Sunday...
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Sunday night we went to see the Bucs vs. Seahawks game. The weather was a bit chilly - but perfect for a football game. Throughout the game, the Bucs honored my FAVORITE Bucs player of all time - #40 Mike Alstott - with shout outs from various sports personnel and celebrities. During half-time, they retired his number #40. It was quite emotional. I'm so happy I was able to be there for the tribute. He was truly a fantastic player and I'm so sad he had to retire. GO BUCS! The Bucs played well. The Seahawks not so much... I felt bad for Brian. His team has only won one game so far this season... We left after the half-time tribute, so that we can get home at a reasonable hour (11:30 p.m.). I mean, both Brian and I had to work on Monday (and I was scheduled to conduct interviews till 8 p.m.)
Pictures from the Bucs game to come soon!
On Saturday, we went to game 6 of the ALCS playoffs. We tailgated for a few hours before the game. I've never tailgated for a baseball game, but it was cool. It was exciting to see the fans supporting the Rays team. Unfortunately, the Tampa Bay Rays lost 4-2 that night - but, the good news is they won game 7 on Sunday. GO RAYS!
Brian went to both game 1 and game 6 - both of which the Rays lost. So, given that, he's forbidden to attend any of the World Series games! :-) We didn't get home from the game till 2 a.m.! We were so tired on Sunday, but had more plans for Sunday...
Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.
Sunday night we went to see the Bucs vs. Seahawks game. The weather was a bit chilly - but perfect for a football game. Throughout the game, the Bucs honored my FAVORITE Bucs player of all time - #40 Mike Alstott - with shout outs from various sports personnel and celebrities. During half-time, they retired his number #40. It was quite emotional. I'm so happy I was able to be there for the tribute. He was truly a fantastic player and I'm so sad he had to retire. GO BUCS! The Bucs played well. The Seahawks not so much... I felt bad for Brian. His team has only won one game so far this season... We left after the half-time tribute, so that we can get home at a reasonable hour (11:30 p.m.). I mean, both Brian and I had to work on Monday (and I was scheduled to conduct interviews till 8 p.m.)
Pictures from the Bucs game to come soon!
10.12.2008
UF 51, LSU 21
What a great football game yesterday. UF played much better than Brian or I (or anyone else) had anticipated. It was such an exciting game to watch... I just had to share some gator love...
GO GATORS!
GO GATORS!
10.04.2008
Remembering Alex
I met Alejandro "Alex" Ferrera in 1st grade. We both attended Tampa Bay Elementary and we were both good friends with my neighbors across the street - Jenelle and Albert. He was buds with Albert; I with Albert's older sis Jenelle. We spent countless hours there - hanging out, playing Nintendo, playing outside and acting goofy.
We were more than best friends, we were more like siblings. He was my protector and I his. Don't know how many talks we had about our individual love interests. We gave each other advice frequently. We were so close, I used to tell him he was my "local" brother - since my brother lived in Atlanta with my dad.
Sadly, on Sat., 10/4/1997, my best bud died in a car accident. I was at UF and vividly remember how I heard the news... Monica and I were up really early that morning and were out running errands - grocery shopping and hitting Wal-Mart. When we returned, Melissa told us that Lucy called the apartment wanting to talk to either me or Monica. Lucy always called Monica (never me), so I was confused why she'd want to talk to me. So, Monica called Lucy while I stood nearby... all I heard Monica say was "Alex? Oh my God!" and I immediately thought Monica was speaking of her cousin Alex. As Lucy relayed the details of car accident to Monica, Monica passed the info along to me. When I learned that my Alex died in a car accident earlier that morning - I sat on the floor stunned. I couldn't believe it (and didn't want to). Alex was just 20 years old. It didn't seem fair. After hearing the heartbreaking news, I wanted to get to Tampa immediately, but first had to break the news to my mom, pack, shower, etc. I couldn't leave fast enough!
Alex was killed in a head-on collision about 4:15 a.m. that Saturday near the intersection of Florida & Fowler Avenues. His red 1995 Toyota Tercel was twisted by the impact that killed him instantly. Based on witness accounts, Alex was driving south in a northbound lane of Florida Avenue and did not have his headlights on at the time of the crash. Deputies estimate he was driving about 50 mph when he slammed head-on into a 1989 Chevrolet full-size van. No one knew why Alex was driving on the wrong side of the street, but as far as I know alcohol was not a factor.
Words can't describe how terrible I felt for Alex's family. Earlier that year in March they lost their only daughter in a car accident. Crista was a passenger in a vehicle that was hit by a drunk driver. She was hospitalized for a few weeks before passing. Crista was 21. Only the eldest sibling - Paolo - was alive. It was such a terrible, heartbreaking year for the Ferrera family.
On my drive home to Tampa, I cried and cried... I wondered how all this could be true? My Alex? The Alex I just hung out with two weeks prior? I remembered our last time together - I stopped by his house before returning to Gville, and we talked on his porch while we watched Buccaneer fans head toward the stadium for the football game. He talked about how much his missed Crista and how badly he wanted to be with her. We had a deep conversation about life and then I left back to UF. I wrote him a letter the week before he passed telling him how much he meant to me and even though he missed Crista that he needed to be here with his family and friends. We needed him here. He should have received the letter a day or two before the accident. I'm still baffled about it all. And I still wonder if he ever read the letter I mailed to him.
Alex was always cool and always stood out in a crowd... he was the center of attention and everyone gravitated towards him. He had a way of making everyone smile and have a good time. He was the life of the party. He loved Marvin the Martian and spent many hours drawing the cartoon. He also gave the BEST hugs! Hugs so tight and full of love, they would take your breath away. No one has ever been able to replicate his hugs. After he passed, I told myself that I didn't want to forget the sound of his voice or his infectious laughter. As time went on, I regretfully have forgotten them. All I want is to remember his voice and it pains me that I can't.
Eleven years have passed and I still miss my best friend, Alex... dearly. I miss our talks... I miss his hugs... I miss his laughter... and most of all, I miss the sound of his voice.
The photo below is from 1994 - after a pep rally - Class of 1995
The photo below is from 1996 - when a group of us were getting ready to go clubbing in Ybor City
The photo below is from Summer 1997 when I had friends over my house for a summer gathering.
Alejandro "Alex" Ferrera
8/11/77 - 10/4/97
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