To All The Mavs I’ve Ever Loved Before

Hello? Is this thing on?

It’s the year 2019. It’s hard to imagine that these trips started in 2003. That’s one Luka Doncic minus 4 years ago. I think today is the day. My official retirement from Mavs road trips after tonight’s game.

What started out going to see the Mavs play (still with Dirk and Steve) and a Dave Matthews concert in Boston will end with seeing the Mavs play (still with Dirk and Steve) and seeing the ballet in New York/Brooklyn. The ballet? What a refined lady I have become.

Eh, hem. Never mind that I also went to go see the Spiderverse cartoon “animated” movie and took a picture of the Central Park bridge from the Harry Potter prequel Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.

Look how this gangly girl has changed into a slightly less gangly girl (especially in the middle). So much has happen and so much is still left to happen. If you asked me what type of person I strived to be during these years. Maybe it would have been a mix of Cameron Diaz from There’s Something About Mary and Audrey Hepburn from Sabrina- a super cool sports loving person who traveled and then came back better than before.

But let’s move on to the Dirk part of this story for now.

One day in 2017, my boss called me into his office and said I have something for you. I opened up a bag at it was an autographed Dirk Nowitzki jersey that said “Keep Up The Fight.” I think I was almost finished with my chemotherapy treatments at the time. Tears started to run down my face. That day was important because I realized I didn’t cry anymore because I was sad all the time. I cried now because I was happy.

No worries. I’m doing great. And this trip is one I can say, I truly deserve to have some fun on.

Back in 2003, I couldn’t have imagined that I would travel to see Dirk and Steve Nash play in 15 different cities. That those trips would give me enough confidence to travel to Tokyo, London and Paris by myself. That they would give me the patience to handle most of life challenges because how you handle being lost and feeling out of place tell you a lot about yourself. That my life would have so many special memories of people, places and things because of them.

I was there when Dirk scored 42 points and made all his free throws during the Western Conference playoff game against Oklahoma. I was there in Utah, the next time the Mavs were there after Dirk was booed so badly for accidentally injuring Andre Kirilenko that Avery had to take him out of the game. (Geez, relax a little Utah) I was there at the Suns game when Dirk and Grant Hill got in a little tussle and I looked to see where Steve was and he was back at half court and wanted no part it. (I would have done the same thing, Steve.) I was there when the Mavs played their final game in Seattle. The Sonics! I’ve been there so many times.

It’s been a treat watch everything unfold into the person Dirk is now. It’s a delight to see how much people appreciate him in the different cities. I don’t think people are trying to retire him. I think they want to express how they feel before it’s too late. Imagine if you had terminal illness. Would you tell nobody or tell everybody? Imagined if you told nobody you could go on with your life without being fussed over and living the remaining days like all the rest before. It sounds pretty tempting. Then imagine you had a friend who didn’t tell you they had an illness and you treated them like all the days before and then they we’re gone. You would think of all the things you wished you would have said or done in order to show how much you cared. Retiring certainly isn’t dying, but it’s a type of conclusion. And I have learned sometimes you have to let someone do something nice for you because it makes them feel better. You’re giving them a gift, too.

Have you ever noticed there is no 13 floor in places? This seems a little overboard. The 14^th floor is technically the 13th floor. Let’s just all think of 13 as Steve Nash’s number and not some indicator of evil. Also, you know whose paths black cats cross, people who own black cats. Like every day. However, I’m not prepared to go as far as to say all cats aren’t evil.

My hope in my old age is to not say I remember back in the day in the NBA… Just like when everyone from the 80’s says back in the day that wasn’t a foul. Like do we really want to see people injured? Name one person who has got hit so badly that he never drove in the lane again. But I can feel it coming on. I don’t like super teams. I don’t like the same person winning every year. Maybe I should thank Lebron for going to LA because it won’t be the Warriors vs Cleveland again. I don’t like people breaking their contract. Have you ever gotten out of an apartment lease? It should be that hard. But I do love seeing amazing talent. I love seeing some kid trying to out do all the others before him. I love seeing Steph or Luka hitting a ridiculous shot. I love Giannis owning the paint. I love showing Dale at work a video of Nikola Jokic after he says Vlade was the best big man passer ever in the game. I hope I love the NBA 20 years from now when Kardashian kids become what we all fear the most, NBA players/rappers.

You wouldn’t believe that I just had a talk with my Uber driver on my way back from the Frida Kahlo exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum about NBA contracts. He was clearly on Anthony Davis’ side. We did manage to agree that rookies should be paid a starting salary that increases or decreases with their numbers over the seasons. (I’m now only realizing how coincidental it was that I was taking about “The Brow” while coming back from seeing the Original Brow. Halloween costume idea.) Only in New York…

New York is great. The amount of artistry and creativity the city contains is amazing. Take the NYC Ballet. Justin Peck is this young choreographer who produces my favorite pieces. There are points where the movements and the music blend perfectly in ways that I could never think of that are just beautiful. There also was a piece performed with Kayne West and James Blake songs that was so detailed and charming that put a smile on everyone’s face at the end. I don’t want to live here, but I can go to ballets and basketball games here forever.

Ok, maybe I don’t want to go to this particular basketball game forever. This game was a struggle for the Mavs right from the beginning. The only good things were Dwight Powell, Luka making a 3 from the backcourt and these guys in Dirk t-shirts. I don’t think the "D" was really committed though. He had his sweatshirt covering up his letter a lot of the time and his arms were always in front of his chest. Maybe this is coming from some type of childhood trauma, so I’ll try not to judge. But don’t be such a "D" and ruin all our pictures.

I’ll slightly take back my feelings of people trying to retire Dirk. I’ve never seen so many people routing for the Mavs at a road game. By the end of the game, the entire crowd was yelling “Dirk” every time the Mavs had the ball and anytime someone else on the Mavs shot, they would boo. I don’t think that is what Dirk wants. I can see how it’s a lot of pressure. Is it nice? Is it mean? I don’t know. I’m so confused. Home games must be kinda a relief.

Sitting next to me were Ahmad and Erika from Plano, who were visiting family. Ahmad said he thinks Dirk will come back next year. I don’t know, but I do know that you need to have a plan when you retire. At least, that’s what all the personal finance articles say. So my plan after my Mavs Road Trip retirement is to self-publish some children’s books (“The Art of Shooting Free Throws” coming to Amazon soon), go to Morocco and hopefully adopt/foster a kiddo that I can take to Spiderman movies and Mavs game. I’m not sure how I’m going to make that happen. It scares me thinking about it sometimes. But I’m pretty good now at reaching goals and this one will happen if it’s right. Traveling has taught me to feel the fear and do it anyways. If anyone has any single mom tips, let please me know.

I’m putting the following out into the universe: Luka is not a bad free throw shooter. He’s a great shooter. He needs a routine that suits his playful personality when he’s at the line. I’m not talking flashy. But a little showmanship. Something to take his mind off it being a free throw because his body language totally changes. It’s almost too easy for him. Like when smart kids act up in regular classes because they’re so bored.

Luka, if he stays with Mavs during his career, will probably break most of Dirk’s records. Ah, such is life. Michael Jordan was the best. Kobe Bryant was the best. Lebron is the best. So and so will be the best. Here’s hoping that some cool adventure-seeking girl who is a Twenty-One Pilots or Rainbow Kitten Surprise or whatever rap group I totally don’t get now fan will travel to see Luka play in an exciting  city and become the Yara Shahidi of Grownish mixed with the girl from All the Boys I’ve Loved Before. Go see the world and have the best of times.

Dirk, you’re great. Steve, you’re not so bad either. Mark, I will always be grateful.

Love,

Michelle

Songs für Dirk Nowitzki

Game winner – Vulfpeck (A smooth song, for a smooth shooter)

Skills To Pay The Bills – Beastie Boys (The three-man weave of rap)

Wonderwall – Oasis (You never know how someone effects your course)

Losing My Edge – LCD Soundsystem (A song for the 40+ community)

Party Up – DMX (This played before a Mavs playoff game and the entire arena got hype)

The More You Ignore Me, The Closer I Get – Morrissey (My fav basketball story to tell, you have to ask)

You’re Not 19 Forever – Courteeners (No one stays the same)

Hey, Hey What Can I Do – Led Zeppelin (Me having two favorite players on different teams)

Black Superman – Logic (If you sing a song about it, does it come true?)

Ants Marching (in Central Park) – Dave Matthews Band (Finishing how we started)

New York City: US Open 2014

I was jealous of Felicity when I first saw her. She was the girl who ditched being a pre-med student in California and moved to New York City in order to follow a crush and ended up majoring in art much to her parents’ chagrin. I thought she was so brave. But unlike Felicity, I would have chosen Noel instead of Ben. In youth, brooding hot guy working at a coffee shop, wearing a leather jacket sounds dreamy. However, with age all you really want is a nice, cute guy who says he likes your paintings. (“Felicity” being the late 90’s-00’s television show starring Keri Russell.) I, too, once had thoughts of New York. I envisioned attending the Fashion Institute of Technology, but practicality dismissed such ideas. New York City was first city that I wanted to travel to and yet it is the last great U.S. city to cross off my list. I’m not sure what has taken me this long; however, since I won two airlines tickets during the office Halloween contest (dressing up as Johnny Manziel), I am now able to cross of taking my mom to the US Open tennis tournament off my list. Show me New York City!

I didn’t think I would like New York City. I don’t like being in crowds all the time. I don’t like rude people. I don’t like traffic. We stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn near Central Park often described in reviews as quiet and family friendly, which it was. Only a five block walk to the park, we ate breakfast there Monday morning before journeying to the Open. It’s a nice oasis far away enough from the horns and hammer jack soundtrack of the streets. Maybe it was the area we were in or because my mom can make friends with almost anyone, but the people in New York are friendly. Sure there are strange things and people asking for money. Dallas has its share of that as well attested by the pregnant lady at CVS carrying a note asking for milk money who I saw at the same CVS the year earlier at the same stage in pregnancy with the same note. Traffic is avoidable using the subway system. It’s crowded and it’s hot underground, but worth it.

(Look, I created my very first picture .gif of Venus serving.)

I don’t play tennis. I watch tennis. Since I was a kid, I would get up, fix some waffles and have breakfast during Wimbledon. I tried playing once this year whiffing at balls left and right and getting dizzy 30 minutes later because of the heat – a reminder why I only played inside sports. Speaking of hot… It was sunny and humid at the US Open. We ended up watching Venus Williams in the shade of Arthur Ashe Stadium on Monday and Sloan Stephens there on Wednesday. My mom and I both avoided tans the whole summer in Texas and yet managed to turn two shades darker in New York. It’s a great event. The announcer on ESPN kept referring to the crowd during the broadcast as New Yorkers, but there are a fair share of domestic and international travelers who managed to make their way to Flushing Meadows. My mom got her picture taken with the Bryan Brothers. She is the only person I know who keeps up with doubles tennis.

My mom is afraid of heights. So much so that I offered to go to the top of the GE Building by myself, and she almost didn’t ride on the top of the open air water taxi. I in severe contrast love heights. In fact on our way to New York while flying amongst the clouds, I thought the sky must be the most peaceful place on Earth. There’s something about expansive views. They are so serene and majestic. I think I like staring off in the distance and having my thoughts cover miles of territory. I chose the Top of the Rock because I would rather see the view of Empire State Building than see the view from it, so I missed my “Affair to Remember”/”Sleepless in Seattle”/”Mindy Project” moment. Also, you have a clear view of Central Park. My mom ended up enjoying the water taxi. She was even proud of herself for walking to the bottom cabin from the top while the boat was moving. I would recommend that as well as $30 will take you around the harbor and Brooklyn and you can get on and off at the different spots.

The Verdict (now mentally think of Law & Order audio): I was left with a favorable impression of New York City. As we rode the number 7 train, I saw an empty warehouse, which reminded me of this awesome New York City Ballet program I saw once on TV. How neat it must be to be surrounded by so many different artistic and cultural things all the time. Eventually, I think I'll go back and explore a different side of the city. Maybe take an art photography class. Maybe meet someone on the top of a tall building. Maybe have drinks with three girlfriends wearing the craziest outfit you've ever seen. Maybe produce my on television show with the help of my mentor, a Republican businessman. (Okay, that one is really a stretch). Whatever it will be, I'll be back.

US Open Tips

1. Take the number 7 train to Flushing Meadows. It only costs $5 round trip.
2. If you buy tickets in advance, you can upgrade your tickets on site. I bought regular ground admission seats not knowing that Venus Williams would be playing at Arthur Ashe until the day before. I was able to exchange those tickets at the event for seats in the stadium.
3. Sitting at the top of Arthur Ashe Stadium is actually nice. We sat behind the baseline, which is awesome for not moving your head from side to side during play. We were able to see the play from a good distance and sit in the shade. We sat in section 340.
4. It is hot, at least when we went. On Wednesday, it was 90 degrees about 100 degrees on the court. We were worried about the rain not the sun. Drink water. Find shade. All those good things.
5. In the entrance for Louis Armstrong Stadium are concessions with hardly any lines and cover to walk underneath with fans. Use that for a break from the heat.

New York City Playlist on Spotify

Tokyo in the Springtime

Vacations vs. Trips

There is a difference between a vacation and a trip. This was a trip. Challenge myself and see something I’ve never seen before, those were the things that I accomplished. Certainly not rest and relaxation. Even the simple everyday things, I had to relearn again. How to turn on the shower. How to read a cash register. Walk on the left-hand side of the stairs instead of the right. I was a child all over again. Did I have fun? I’m not really sure how to answer that question. There was an article in The Atlantic saying happiness isn’t the most important thing in life. That having a purpose or meeting a goal deserved to have equal or more importance. So maybe the thing I’ll most take away from this trip is that I made a promise to myself to see the world, and I’m gradually making it happen. 

Stop It’s Hamani Time

Hamani is the Japanese word for going to see the sakura. Sakura is the Japanese word for cherry blossoms. The air is so sweet smelling. Not like the overbearing scent when someone has too much perfume on in the elevator. It’s much lighter than that. The blossoms come in light pink, pink pink and hot pink. The best is when the wind blows and the petals fall from the tree creating flurries in the air. You see a little boy and his mom trying to catch them in the breeze, and everything is perfect.

One of These Things is Not Like the Others

I can’t quite remember the last time I felt this out of place. I would think I would be used it by now always being tall, taking honors classes, liking rock bands and dressing the way I want. But the staring. The first days I was so uncomfortable. Over time it phased me less. The second day I was sitting in the window of my hotel room, and I saw a jogger below wearing a #51 shirt. Was he a fan of Ichiro? I’m a fan of Ichiro. We could talk and be friends. It made me appreciate the United States more. In the U.S., the majority of us are outsiders, yet we still believe we belong.

A Friend in Need

Nobby saved me. Nobby was my volunteer guide I had signed up for on the Internet. It’s just like me to travel over 10,000 miles from home to meet someone from over the Internet when I’ve never done that in my life. He turned out to be extremely nice. My first 24 hours in Tokyo, I kept asking myself what had I exactly gotten myself into. But by the end of our day, I thought I can do this. He took me to the Meiji shrine, Yoyogi park and vintage shopping in Koenji. Koenji, a part of Tokyo (like Oak Cliff would be to Dallas) seemed to be my type of place – laid back, not over running with people and smiles instead of long glances. Nobby said the next time in I'm in Tokyo I can meet his parents. My new motto – Michelle, wining one Japanese person over one trip at a time. My gift to him was a Yu Darvish t-shirt. He said he would be his treasure.

Electric Avenues

I would hate to get the light bill for Tokyo. In Dallas, most of the buildings have lights. In Tokyo, the signs light up the building. Both the hotels I stayed at had views of the Tokyo Tower. On Saturday, it’s was lit up in blue. For the rest of the days, it was in its customary yellow and red-orange. Such a lovely sight.

The Maze That is the Subway System

I’m beginning to think the secret to Japanese longevity isn’t green tea or living in zen. It’s walking or walking to the public transport. The amount of stairs is endless. When you see an escalator, it almost seems like a mirage, but don’t celebrate yet, there’s guaranteed to be another set of stairs right around the corner. I did pretty well with the purchasing of tickets. Maneuvering the stations was the hardest part. At one point I was in Tokyo Station, and I couldn’t figure out how to get out there for the life of me. Then once you’re out, you have to figure out how to get back in. In Asakusa Station, there’s entrance for the Tobu line, across the street there’s an entrance for the Ginza line and then somewhere 200m across the intersection by a police box is the Asakusa line, which I gave up finding. It’s not horrible, however, it does require some patience. My legs where in dire need of a soak each day. Is there an onsen where I can just take off my pants? I mean a hot spring where I can dip my calves in without having to expose myself. I did try taking a bath one night, which was the equivalent of me taking a bath because of my height.

Japanese Grannies

While on my Mt.Fuji tour, a group of little old Japanese grannies got off a bus. They saw me, said something in Japanese and started giggling. Ah, little ladies you’re so cute. But know this, I can crush you.

Stone Temple - Gardens

Going to the temples reminds me of the scene in Lost In Translation when ScarJo is crying on the phone to her friend saying, "I heard some Buddhist monks chanting, and I didn't feel anything." The larger temples are wonderful to look at, but they're surrounded by people. If you are looking for peacefulness and serenity, the gardens are the way to go. The park near the Imperial Palace was so vast and it had tons of places to sit and listen to the birds or flowing water. The flowers were beautiful. The leaves so fully defined. You may not find yourself, but for a few seconds you lose yourself to beauty.

Food, Fashion and Favorites

You may be disappointed I didn’t try a lot of foods. I am not. Food for me has never been a priority while traveling. I much rather see a sight or go shopping and then pick up something to eat in my hotel room. I did discover the greatness of the rice ball wrapped in nori (seaweed) with a little salmon in the middle. I stocked up on that. Kokeshi dolls are my newest addiction. There’s something about fashionably decorated woodcrafts that I find irresistible. And by my clothes selections at a vintage shop in Koenji, I too am now obsessed with the cherry blossom. I bought two kimonos that may eventually turn into dresses. At times I felt overdressed in my bright colors as I was staying in more business like areas of the city. The dress code was most noticeably black; however, towards the shopping district things lightened up a bit more. The two most useful things during my time there: the shared ride/solo ride from Narita airport to my hotel saved me from being tired and lost on the first day and the pocket WiFi I rented saved me from being less tired and less lost for the rest of the week. Also, you can call the U.S. for free using Google Talk. Sake party at my place!

   

Tokyo Playlist on Spotify