Think Thera Life

Visiting Tokyo: Part 4

2009-06-27T17:48:00.000-07:00

Nothing beats representing Japanese Culture more than a kimono. Because kimonos are made with exceptional skill from fine materials, they have been regarded as great works of art. I was told they can easily cost more than $10,000! I had no idea it was such a long process to even put one on; let alone making one.

During our Tokyo tour, we had the pleasure to each put on a kimono. When we entered the changing room, we were invited to have a cup of green tea together to celebrate good fortune. As we sipped away, we found tiny gold flakes floating in our tea. At this moment, I learned that gold is an ancient symbol of prosperity and adds significance to any special occasion. It was a wonderful way to begin the process.

With nine changing stations set up on the floor (accompanied by a licensed professional kimono dresser), each girl was able to choose the color they wanted to put on. Being a little on the short side, I had fewer options (one to be exact), but was pleased by the gorgeous teal color of the kimono I was going to wear.

Now, a kimono is something one cannot put on alone. Before even getting started, I could foresee the longevity of the process from the look of each station. The fun began as we started with the socks. After about an hour of layer after layer, the kimono process was completed with a flower in our hair. I lost count while getting dressed, but the typical woman's kimono outfit consists of twelve or more separate pieces that are worn, matched and secured in particular ways.

Although I felt twice as large with all the layering, it looked as beautiful as ever. I was most impressed by the implementation of the large bows on our backs.

When everyone was fully dressed, the picture taking began. How fun! Everyone looked so pretty in their kimonos! These are photos I will cherish forever.

Nowadays, kimonos are more often worn by women. But, few men still wear the garment at special events. I was told professional sumo wrestlers are often seen in kimonos because they are required to wear traditional Japanese attire when in public. Unfortunately, the sumo wrestlers we saw were not wearing kimonos. They were wearing Yukatas (what we wore at the hot springs), the more simple version. On the up side… we saw sumo wrestlers!

After changing out of our kimonos, we were on our way to Ryogoku Kokugikan where a grand sumo tournament was taking place! When we disembarked the train, it was only a two minute walk to the arena. As we briskly walked, we spotted a few sumo wrestlers, dressed in their yukatas, walking in the opposite direction. Most likely they were coming from the tournament. They did not look very large, but it got us more excited to see the bigger guys at the arena! With tickets waiting for us at will-call, we entered the building and was surprised at how large the event was. With about 10,000 attendees and refreshments and souvenir stands found throughout the arena, it almost felt like being at a basketball game!

We got there just in time to see the last couple of matches. They were incredible! Each match takes place within the sumo ring, called the, “dohyo.” Within the dohyo is a 15-foot diameter circle where the actual match, called a bout, takes place. A bout can be won in two ways: (1) forcing the opponent out of the inner circle or (2) forcing the opponent to touch the ground with any part of his body, other than his feet. Can you imagine how quick these run? Although the amount of time the opponents are in contact is very brief, the preparation beforehand feels like it takes forever! At the time, I had no idea what they were doing! After some research on Google, I found that a number of rituals are performed prior to each bout. After all the rituals are performed, both sumo wrestlers would get into position, stare at each other for a little bit, and if one is not ready, they will go back to their corners for more mental preparation and repeat the rituals again. It seemed like the more advanced the wrestlers were, the longer the preparation was. Sometimes it took about five minutes before they would start the bout. At times it got frustrating because we didn’t know when they would go at it, but when the initial charge took place, we watched in excitement. I was most nervous for those spectators sitting close to the dohyo. I wonder what kind of damage could be made if a sumo wrestler fell on you!

Our last night in Japan was coming to an end and just when I thought we couldn’t do anymore, there was still time to fit one more event in our schedule; the Tsukiji Fishi Market.

The Tsukiji Fish Market was known to be the largest wholesale fish and seafood market in the world. When I was told that, it became another “must-see” for me. I’m such a sucker for major attractions. We were told that most shops close by the early afternoon, but if we really wanted to get a good taste of the fish market, we needed to be there around 6:00am. After seven very short sleep-nights, I put myself to the challenge to have one more. Four other girls were on board as well, but when I made the 5:00am wake up call, we lost one to the enemy of sleep. It was a rough morning, but with a little pick me up at Starbucks, we were able to make it to the fish market by 6:30am. I will forever remember the smell on the day I visited the Tsukiji Fish Market.

With over 400 different types of seafood, and over 900 wholesale dealers, I was overwhelmed! Did you know Tuna can weigh up to 660 lbs?!? I had no idea! As we walked through the market, individual carts were being driven throughout the market, transporting fish between buyers and sellers. It was very quick to learn they do not slow down for pedestrians. At the market, an auction takes place around 5:30am. We were told that we had just missed the craziness. Yet, our timing was perfect because although people were not screaming numbers and throwing fish all over the place, we were able to see everything and even take pictures with a few workers without getting in anyone’s way. Yoshimi told us tourists are not normally welcomed in the fish market because they come to see the fish, but not buy anything. Yet, all the workmen seemed very friendly to our group of four girls.

As the hours went by, it was finally time to go home. Going to Tokyo was an amazing experience but it was the people that made it all worth while. From working with the Dance Clinic participants and all the BJ-League representatives, to Yoshimi’s family, my brother and traveling with a group of my closest friends, I have made memories that will last forever. Because of this experience, Japan has a special place in my heart.

Visiting Tokyo: Part 3

2009-06-26T16:50:00.000-07:00

Prior to leaving for Japan, the natural hot springs was a must do for some of us. Hot springs are found throughout the world, but Japan is one of the few countries who are most renowned for them. Because of our great interest, a night in Atami was on our schedule. In order to get there, we had to take a Shinkansen train (bullet train) which was also a “must see” for me.

These types of trains are found in very few parts of the world, but Japan was the very first to dedicate their railways for high-speed travel. In 1964, Japan developed the first bullet train which traveled up to 130mph. Now, although I couldn’t feel it, we were riding the N700 at a maximum speed of 168mph! To give you a better idea, the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) travels at a maximum speed of 80mph.

In less than 40 minutes (about 60 miles of travel) we had arrived in Atami. For one night, the girls were split into two Japanese-style rooms (Washitsus) with a beautiful ocean view. Each Washitsu had the custom tatami flooring and shoji doors and provided each guest with their own Yukata (a Japanese bathrobe) to wear around the hotel.

After all of us put on our Yukatas, a few girls went to get a full massage as the others experienced the natural hot springs (onsens) before dinner time. We decided to experience the outdoor onsen since the weather was beautiful. What a relaxing evening!

To finish up the evening, Yoshi and Yoshimi hosted a Japanese Kaiseki; a traditional, formal, multi-course dinner. A Kaiseki dinner can consist of anywhere from six to fifteen kinds of food. It was originally a vegetarian meal served during the traditional tea ceremony, but nowadays, it may also include both seafood and meat. Also, it is tradition for the host(s) to serve each course immediately after it is prepared to maintain the freshness of the meal.

After freshening up, our group of girls (dressed in our yukatas) was escorted to our dining room. In the middle of the room, we found an extremely long table with nine seats and an abundance of food on small plates in front of each setting. In our case, Yoshi and Yoshimi were the hosts and sat at the head of the table. To them, this was custom. To us, we felt spoiled. My tea glass was never empty because Yoshimi always filled it up when it was half full. I never had a cold piece of meat because Yoshi served one piece at a time and as soon as I ate mine, a fresh one was served to me. We must have had at least ten courses! I tried so many new things that night, including a few things I probably would never (and may never) order on my own will. I love food and everything about it (especially consuming it) and after the millions of restaurants I have been to, this was most likely the best food experience I have ever had. Not only was the food delicious, the service was impeccable. When you look up, “hospitality,” in the dictionary, it may as well say, “Japanese culture.”

Visiting Tokyo: Part 2

2009-06-25T16:14:00.000-07:00

For one night I strayed away from the group. It was the night I was able to spend a little time with my brother. Lucky for me, Yoshimi was willing to join me and help me return to the hotel after our outing. Both my brother and Yoshimi said I would enjoy Shibuya. The others had gone to Roppongi; Tokyo’s most popular nightlife district among foreigners. I needed a little extra quality time with my brother so we just did a little shopping and grabbed a bite to eat.

It was a perfect night to catch up and take lots of pictures. I have to say, I really enjoy the fact that green tea flavored ice cream is sold everywhere; even in the convenient stores. I had a mini Green Tea flavored Hagaan Daz ice cream for dessert!

As one of the 23 city wards, Shibuya is one of Tokyo’s most colorful and busy districts and birthplace to many of Japan's fashion and entertainment trends. It is definitely a place popular to the younger generations and I loved every bit of it. The neon lights and large screens on the buildings reminded me of Times Square in New York City. The most unbelievable sight was at this large intersection that was located in front of the train station. When all the traffic lights turned red, an abundance of pedestrians cross the intersection in every way possible! It was so crowded that you really couldn’t see the street for those few seconds because there were so many people!

After Okinawa’s winning championship, we were able to pack up all the Warrior Girl gear and focus on sightseeing for the rest of our time in Japan. I was ready for more tourist attractions and Kamakura offered just that. Because of the many temples, shrines and other historical structures, this beach town is sometimes called the Kyoto of Eastern Japan (Kyoto was a town we were all interested in seeing, but it was very far from us).

We were able to take a few photos in front of “The Great Buddah,” (the second largest bronze Buddah statue in Japan) and on the way to the Hasedera Temple, I couldn’t stop staring at all the rickshaws! I had only seen these man-powered vehicles in cartoons!

But, the best part about being in Kamakura was that we finished our afternoon there with a little dessert; green tea flavored soft serve!

Because of Gwen Stefani, Harajuku was an area we were all interested in seeing. Harajuku is known to be the center of Japan’s most extreme teenage cultures and fashion styles and we wanted to do some serious shopping! Takeshita Street was the perfect place to help accomplish that goal. There, we found a ton of trendy shops and clothing boutiques all lined up in a row. I had so much fun shopping with Natalie. She probably won the, “Who can buy the most for herself,” Award that day. Natalie + Japanese Shopping = Love.

We were also hoping to take home a couple pictures with people who were dressed much more differently than what we saw at home. Yet, I felt extremely apologetic when the few we approached did not seem so interested in taking pictures with us. I hope they will understand our intentions were driven by fascination and not mockery. It takes a lot of confidence to stand out (especially as much as they did) from the crowd. The outfits looked more like crazy costumes instead of daily wear. It inspired me to change my wardrobe. Leah said she was going to stop spending so much time thinking what went well with other pieces and just wear the first ten articles of clothing in sight. I hope she really does it! I think the hardest part in doing that is being about to walk down the street and get a, “Wow!” response, instead of a, “Wow…” response.

Visiting Tokyo: Part 1

2009-06-24T15:42:00.000-07:00

Tokyo, Japan's capital and the country's largest city, is one of Japan's 47 prefectures. It consists of 23 city wards, 26 cities, 5 towns and 8 villages. In the short amount of time we were there, I was amazed by how much we did. But, I was even more amazed by how much we didn’t see. With our two days of Dance Clinics and two days of games, we had about two and a half days, plus hours in between events, to fit in as much sightseeing as we can handle. Thanks to Yoshi, Yoshimi, Manabu and Ray for being patient with us and making it possible to see as much as we saw and do as much as we did!

Asakusa: One of the districts which still holds the atmosphere of old Tokyo. We entered the town through the Kaminari Gate, the first of two large entrance gates leading to Asakusa's main attraction, the Sensoji Temple (built in the 7th century). The gate was first built more than 1000 years ago and is the symbol of Asakusa. The second gate (the Hozoman Gate) was located just outside the Temple.

We had no idea the gate was going to lead us to the best souvenir shopping ever; Nakamise. With over 200 meters of souvenir and snack shops, shopping for gifts got overwhelming! As soon as one girl wanted to buy something from one store, another girl found something in another store. You would think it would be easy to spot the Americans, but with the streets being so crowded, it was easy to get lost from the group! After purchasing a gift for my dad, I stepped out of the store and felt like a lost puppy! I couldn’t even spot Leah, who seemed to be one of the few blonde people in the area!

Although the temple was the main attraction, there was something even better to see. Locals had raved about the best Tempura restaurant being found in Asakusa! As we weaved through the crowded streets, asking many people for directions, we finally found ourselves entering a small restaurant found at the end of an alley way. We walked up the stairs, took off our shoes, and sat on a few pillows that surrounded a very short table.

We let Yoshimi do all the ordering, for no one else could understand the menu! Tea was served and in no time, the waitress arrived with several covered little bowls. Without even looking at the food, I could smell the deliciousness! As Leah uncovered the meal in front of us, we found a bowl of rice topped with many pieces of fish and shrimp tempura. Yum! Each piece was fried to perfection and after the meal, I had to agree with the locals, this must have been the best place to have Tempura.

During one of our long breaks in between events, we were all invited to visit Yoshimi’s family at her house. In the city ward of Meguro, the group found themselves seated at the dining table of the Isohata family. “Nothing beats a home-cooked meal.”

I’m sure we couldn’t have found a more authentic meal in Japan. With the great-tasting food, wonderful hospitality, and even a personal calligrapher, this became one of my highlights of the trip. Next time you are invited to a meal at one of your Japanese friend’s home, please politely ask them to prepare, “Gomokugohan with Unagi,” and, “Yakisoba.”

The Final Four

2009-06-21T23:31:00.000-07:00

One of our biggest jobs as a Warrior Girl is to provide entertainment to the fans at all the home games. With practices three times a week, a lot of preparation goes into each time we perform at a game. I absolutely love the energy we get from the crowd each time we step onto the court. Being in Japan, it was our chance to show what we do best in another country. It was down to, “The Final Four” championships (BJ-League’s Playoffs) and the Warrior Girls were invited to be a part it all.

The first Japanese Professional Basketball League was inaugurated in November, 2005 with 6 teams. At the end of a 120-game season that year, Osaka Evessa became the very first BJ-League champions. Now, the BJ-League has expanded into 12 teams divided into two conferences; Eastern and Western, and each team plays a total of 52 games. What I like about the BJ-League playoffs is that "The Final 4" is held at one location. This eliminates the concept of “home court advantage.” But, all games are played in the same arena one after another by single-elimination format. Meaning, if a team loses once, there is no chance for the championship and after three in a row, Osaka Evessa, one of the final four teams, was still in the running for a 4th BJ-League Championship. This also means (which we didn’t know in advance) after two full days of Dance Clinics, were another two full days packed with games (two games per day).

8:45am, Saturday morning, we all met in the lobby of the Tokyo Dome Hotel to leave for the Ariake Coliseum (originally designed to be the Wimbledon of Tokyo). We all had attended a press conference with the coaches of the final four teams (Tokyo, Hamamatsu, Osaka and Okinawa) at the Coliseum the day before, so we were slightly familiar with where we were suppose to go when we arrived. One interesting fact I learned during that conference was that the coach of the Tokyo Apache team was none other than the father of Los Angeles Lakers’ Kobe Bryant; Joe Bryant. In fact, one of the BJ-League representatives shared with us that Kobe was names after the famous beef of Kobe, Japan.

As we entered our locker room, we were happily welcomed by two tables full of snacks. I must say, the Petit Kit Kats were the cutest things ever! The BJ-League had graciously posted a very detailed run-down of our schedule for the day on the wall. After noticing the schedule did not end until our 7:40pm performance with the Dance Clinic participants, it was our 11:45am call-time to practice on court. Boy, were we in for a busy day.

I’ll always remember the very first time I walked onto the court of the Oracle Arena. I had my camcorder in hand to remember that moment in my life. For years did I sit in the stands, entertained by those on the court and on that day, I was transformed from the one being entertained, to the one entertaining. From that day on, every home game reminded me of that moment, but never so clearly as it did the day we walked on the court of the Ariake Coliseum.

I was fortunate enough to travel with the team to Guangzhou and Beijing, China to perform at two of our pre-season games this year. Although those were two new arenas to me, I felt a little more connected with the audience in Tokyo. Maybe it was because Shania’s grandmother’s good friends were watching her dance for the very first time, or knowing that the Japanese intern we had been working with will be performing for the first time in front of all her friends and family with an NBA dance team. Yet, it is also very possible to feel more connected with the audience because my brother had moved to Japan three years ago and was going to be attending the games.

We walked through the hallways and down a few stairs, and found colorful lights beaming through the tunnel. As we slowly entered the arena, the lights added a dramatic effect to our first impression of the coliseum. At that moment, I felt like an international super star. One of the dance teams of the Final Four was scheduled to practice on the court before us and as they danced, the colored lights were used to make it more “concert-like”. We weren’t going to be just, “A Great Time Out,” here; we were going to put on an unbelievable 90-second concert.

As we watched the other dance team finish up their rehearsal, I noticed the two major things that made this arena feel so new and different. First of all, the Ariake Coliseum still seemed very large, but it only sat 15,000 people (the Oracle Arena has a maximum occupancy of 19,200 plus 72 luxury suites). Secondly, the flooring of the court was completely different from the hardwood flooring in Oakland. After some research, I found it was made of small, grey-colored pieces (250 x 250 x 12.7mm) of Polypropylene (Read more at: http://www.nihon-sportcourt.co.jp/sportcourt/index.html). Although the flooring was slightly shock absorbant, it didn’t affect our dancing. During our quick rehearsal, I almost forgot we were overseas. For ten minutes, we were so focused on practicing; it felt like home.

In addition to the older aged dance clinics we hosted on the previous days, two more were scheduled for the younger kids. Prior to each first game of the day, three groups of children (separated by age) were given 45 minutes to learn a routine they would perform during the pre-game. We definitely underestimated the talent in Japan. Even at a very young age, the participants were very disciplined! They picked up the dance moves so quickly I was worried it might have been too easy!

Pre-game: After each WG had gotten dressed and their hair and make-up done, we found ourselves waiting in the tunnel for our cue. It was time for our BJ-League debut! The announcer was speaking in Japanese but we knew when to run out when he said, “...Warrior Girls!”

What a crowd! From the moment we stepped onto the court, the cheering did not stop. After we performed, each girl was individually introduced to the fans. One by one, we waved to the audience as each name was called. A special introduction was made for Yoshimi (our Japanese intern). This was a big day for her. When her name was announced, I felt an abundance of inspiration. After much hard work and training, we were finally sharing the “stage”.

Let the games begin! Game 1: Osaka vs. Okinawa. Game 2: Tokyo vs. Hamamatsu. Not much differed from the game. Same concept, same equipment, and same rules. Well, there were a few additional rules to the game being in Japan:

1. No more than three (3) non-Asian players can enter the game at the same time.
2. No more than four (4) non-Japanese players can enter the game at the same time

Consequently, at least one player with Japanese nationality must stay on the court during the game (http://www.bj-league.com/html/en/index.html).

Because the playoffs were taking place at a mutual location, each team brought their own dance team. It must have been a field day for Game Operations! Every game is set up like a big production. So much work goes on behind the scenes and the games in Japan were no different. With three dance teams, our WG Dance Clinic participants, and all the sponsors, there was never a dull moment.

After Day 1 of games, Okinawa and Tokyo were moving on to the finals. So much for Osaka’s fourth championship in a row. As we cleaned up our locker room, each dance team came in to visit. It was our little meet and greet session. Tokyo actually has a second dance team of younger kids who would be the equivalent of Golden State’s Jr. Jam Squad. A few of them performed a short dance sequence for us because we didn’t get a chance to watch them during the game. I was definitely most impressed by them.

It had been a long day. We were exhausted but knew we had to do it all over again.

8:45am, Game Day 2, everyone was in the lobby, prepared for another long, but exciting day. When we arrived, we went to the locker room, practiced on court, danced with the children and then got dressed and ready for the games. At the end of the day, Okinawa came on top, but for me, the best part was still to come.

My brother had invited five of his friends to come with him and watch the games. It was now their turn to come visit the locker room.

“You girls were great!”

It was wonderful to see him and have him see how much I have grown since he moved. It meant so much when I discovered he attended his first BJ-League game because I was going to be there. In the end, one of my most memorable moments were created. I love being able to reach out in the community and share with those, what I love to do. Now, my community has extended internationally. Thank you.

WG Dance Clinics in Japan

2009-05-16T23:18:00.000-07:00

What I love about being a Warrior Girl is that it puts me in a position where I can be a positive role model in my community. When we host WG Dance Clinics, it gives people a chance to not only learn from professional dancers and perform on the NBA court, but it is also an opportunity for them to meet us and learn that we are fun, down-to-earth girls. How exciting was it when we were asked to host two clinics in Japan?

Before our first dance clinic, five girls were chosen to attend an interview about our trip to Japan. It was our moment to express our appreciation for being there as well as explain our intentions and expectations of our visit. We wanted to help promote professional basketball in Japan, but we were also very excited to share with others what we love to do and inspire those who share the same passion.

As we were walked through a building of a newspaper company, I felt slightly intimidated when were finally led to an empty room containing a long table with a row of six empty seats. But, as several other people followed after being seated, the interview had begun and we could not stop expressing our excitement for the trip. It was especially exciting for us to see Yoshimi be a part of this process. She was our prime example of someone pursuing her dreams to become a professional dancer.

The Dance clinics were held in a high school gym. One of the classrooms were set up as mini WG headquarters. It was where we could do our hair, make-up and review a few dances. I loved the group of boys watching us through the windows. They especially had a liking towards Leah. I’m sure a blonde-haired, blue-eyed girl doesn’t come around too often.

After Yoshimi was interviewed by one of the most popular anchors in Japan, we all went upstairs to their gym. In Japan, it is custom to have separate indoor and outdoor shoes. This I didn’t figure out until the second dance clinic! Two wet towels were placed on the floor for the Americans to wipe their shoes on because they were told we do not change shoes. But, no one was given direction to do so before entering and when I saw the two towels on the ground, it didn’t occur to me to wipe the bottoms of shoes. It was instinct for me (and everyone else) to step over them! I’m sure they wondered why the towels were so clean after the first clinic.

Everyone looked so excited when we walked into the gym. With a small applause from the group of participants in the middle of the room, each Warrior Girl entered and lined up in the front to welcome all the attendees to the clinic. After a small introduction, we stretched everyone out and performed the dances we were planning to teach. Everyone seemed to want to learn the same routine so we started the clinic off by teaching one large group.

I was so impressed by the talent! While there were a few that had a hard time learning the dance, there were also a few that were amazingly great! I was especially impressed by how well they picked up even after the language barrier! I’m sure a lot of them learned a few english words. I would be surprised if they could not count up to eight after the clinic. Three words I learned in Japanese: “Atsui” meaning “hot”, “kawaii” meaning “cute”, and “muzukashii” meaning “difficult.”

After the whole routine was taught, we split the group into smaller, more intimate groups. This gave me a chance to get the know a few of the participants on a more personal level. A few girls were extremely shy, but I tried my best to help them feel more comfortable around us. How could someone feel intimidated by little ol’ me? I find laughter to be the best tool to loosen up the nerves. Trust me, if you can’t laugh with me, I’m sure it’s easy to laugh at me.

Just like the WG Dance Clinics we host in America, Director, Susan Hovey, recorded the routines and emailed videos to the participants so they could practice on their own time. Boy, did they practice! Maybe it is in the Japanese culture to be very disciplined and diligint because not one girl looked like she didn’t practice.

We held our second dance clinic in the same location the next day. Half of the participants were girls who attended the first clinic. They needed to leave a little early, so we spent a little time cleaning their routine but, there wasn’t much to clean! It’s hard to believe that the participants were able to impress us even more after the first day but they did! Because of their hard work, we were able to teach them a few more shorter routines until it was time for them to leave.

For those who were staying the whole time, we taught a whole new routine that they picked up really fast. I personally stepped aside half way to help those who came to the clinic late. I find teaching very rewarding and as a Warrior Girl, I find myself with many opportunities to be a mentor to others. I love being able to teach those something I love to do and then see their interpretation of it. Sometimes, like in this case, it turns out better than I imagine!

Near the end of our second clinic, Director Hovey recorded the new dance routine in order to e-mail it to the participants later. After seeing how well the first group of girls did after one night’s practice, I was very excited to see the end results of the second group. I knew we had nothing to worry about. Because of their hard-working attitude, the dance clinic participants were sure to put on a great show during the games in the upcoming days. Watch out! Japan’s got talent!

A Day of Travel

2009-05-13T14:22:00.001-07:00

After much preparation, the day had finally come. It was the day seven Warrior Girls and their director were traveling overseas to inspire others and share their style of dance on the other side of the world, Japan.

At 9:30am, everyone met at SFO airport to check in at United Airlines for a trip of a lifetime. Because of the new weight rule of checked in luggage, we had to be smart with what and how we packed. Lucky for Tina, we were allowed two free bags to check in.

Our flight was delayed a little, but all it did was make each of us more anxious for the trip. On a Boeing 747, we were fortunate enough to all be sitting next to each other. We knew it would make the plane ride go by so much faster.

Something you will learn further along this trip; we never run out of things to talk about.

After a grueling 10 hours and 50 minutes filled with two meals, four movies and numerous amounts of conversation, we finally touched ground in Narita, Japan. But, our time in the plane wasn't over. Because of the H1N1 2009 influenza, Japan was taking extra precautions for every passenger entering the country. Each traveller was required to fill out a health form and go through their quarantine inspection. As health inspectors reviewed each passenger’s form, another inspector was walking through the isles with a handheld machine I had never seen before. This machine was actually a contraption used to measure each person’s temperature. It was my first time encountering such innovative technology!

Finally, after another half hour sitting in the plane, each of us passed the quarantine inspection and were given all a small gift. It was something very high in demand and in a few countries they were even sold out! But, lucky for us, we each got one for free. The infamous face masks!

But our day of travel was still not over! After unloading from the 747, picking up our luggage from the baggage claim and reuniting with Yoshimi (our Japanese Warrior Girl intern who opened the door to this amazing opportunity), an hour and a half bus ride to our hotel in Tokyo still awaited.

Because I was with a group of my closest friends, it was hard to believe we were over 5,000 miles away from home. With the amount of fun we have with each other, it still felt like home. But, as I looked out the window of the bus, the street signs written in Japanese, the smaller-sized cars, the fields of grass and trees off the highway, and then the tall, but narrow, buildings as we got closer to the city, really opened my eyes. we really were in Japan!

The Tokyo Dome Hotel is 43 stories tall, making it one of the tallest buildings in all of Japan. There are 10 restaurants, a child care facility, internet ready rooms, A/C, easy subway access, and everything else you need within a three block radius. More importantly, it is the hotel from the movie, “Lost in Translation,” so a few of the bars and hallways will look familiar to movie fans.

When we arrived at the hotel, we were greeted by Yoshi Okamoto. Mr. Okamoto is the BJ League representative who not only helped create the proposal for this trip, but also a great friend of WG Director, Susan Hovey.

“Rooms 3505 - 3509."

It was wonderful that all of us were in rooms next to each other. I was very excited and foresaw a dorm-like experience.

Each member of our group took the elevator to the 35th floor and entered each room with much anxiety. One of my favorite things to do is compare Hotel experiences and this was one to add to the list. The very first thing I noticed when we entered the room was how low everything was too the ground! Then beds were barely up to my knees! Yet, I was sure this 5’2” figure would fit just right.

The best part of the room when when we pulled the curtains open to see the view.

“Hello, Tokyo!”

With no time to settle, we were informed there was a meeting with the BJ League (Japan’s professional basketball league) on our schedule and we needed to quickly get refreshed and head over to its location. It was a short walk to the restaurant where we were seated in a private room fill with all the important people we would need to know throughout this experience. It was considerate of them to make it a short meeting after a long day of travel and concluded with an offer to feed us dinner. It was time for some authentic Japanese Cuisine.

Because Jen was feeling a little under the weather, we all agreed to find a place that served delicious Ramen; a common Japanese noodle soup. Yoshi was able to find the perfect place but it wasn’t a Japanese restaurant. Supposedly, we were eating at a Chinese restaurant, but the soups were unlike any Chinese noodle soups I had ever had in The States. It must have been a Japanese-influenced Chinese cuisine. Just like how I think Panda Express is American-influence Chinese cuisine. No matter what, we were eating good food, with great friends, in Tokyo, Japan.

After we finished our meal, It was 11:00pm (7:00am US-time) and we were ready to call it a night. It felt like one of the longest days of my life (being awake for 22 hours). Who would’ve thought the small knee-high bed would look so enticing.

“Good night, Tokyo.”

2009 NBA Dance Bracket

2009-03-19T11:38:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year again... where friends, family and fans go out of their way to vote for their favorite NBA Dance team!

There's no prize for winning... only bragging rights for the upcoming year (look at Miami Heat's webiste). Last year, we made it to Round 3 and would LOVE to not only to do it again this year, but go beyond!

The Voting has already started for previous teams since Monday, March 16th, but the first round for the Warrior Girls begins tomorrow, Friday, March 20th. We are competing against the other Northern California dance team... the Sacramento Kings.

Voting will start approximately around 11am tomorrow and will go all day until Monday morning (excluding the weekend). It's really easy to vote. Just register yourself with NBA.com (free of charge) and vote! Here is the website for voting:

http://www.nba.com/dancebracket/2009/

If you know how to clear your cookies, please feel free to vote multiple times! Unfortunately, the Warriors have a home game vs. the 76ers tomorrow so we can't sit in front of the computer all day, so we need your help! You can bet, though, we'll all have our laptops running in the locker room!

Also, if you are on Facebook, be sure to join our group!

http://www.nba.com/warriors/dance/Warrior_Girl_Index.html

Apples for Sale

2009-03-10T07:49:00.000-07:00

It's about time I consolidate. One person really doesn't need a desktop and a laptop. Especially if the only thing she uses it for is to surf the internet, blog, and upload pictures.

iMac G5 17" - $450
PowerPC G5 1.6 GHz
512 MB RAM
80 GB Hard Drive
Upgraded to 8x SuperDrive
Fresh Install of Mac OS X 10.5

iBook G4 12" - $350
PowerPC G4 1.2 GHz
256 MB RAM
30 GB Hard Drive
Combo Drive
Mac OS x 10.4 Installed

Once they're sold, I'm going to get myself a brand new laptop.
That is... after Lent.

"No shopping for 40 days."

Recap: China

2008-10-23T13:47:00.000-07:00

10/11/2008
18:00 - Drop off luggage at the Oracle Arena
19:30 - Attend Pre-Season Game, Warriors vs. Thunder
22:00 - Head over to Kaiser Air
23:59 - Flight leaves for Anchorage, Alaska

10/12/08
03:00 - Arrive in Alaska
04:30 - Flight leaves for Guangzhou, China

10/13/08
07:50 - Arrives in Guangzhou, China
10:00 - Arrive at the Grand Hyatt by bus
11:00 - Shopping in the Market (Beijing Road)
21:00 - Arrive back at the Hotel

10/14/08
09:00 - Workout at the hotel gym
10:30 - Pool and Spa
12:00 - Lunch at the Hotel
14:30 - Bus ride to the Guangzhou Gymnasium
16:00 - On court rehearsal
18:00 - Bus ride back to the hotel
20:00 - Finish shopping in the Market
23:00 - Room Service and pack

10/15/08
09:30 - Bus departs for Promo in Lougang
11:00 - Perform Dance
12:30 - Bus departs for Guangzhou Gymnasium
14:00 - On court rehearsal
18:00 - Doors open to public
20:00 - Tip-off, Warriors vs. Bucks
23:00 - Bus departs for airport

10/16/08
01:00 - Flight departs for Beijing
03:30 - Arrive at PEK
06:00 - Arrive at the Westin Hotel Beijing by bus
07:00 - Coffee
07:15 - Four part tour begins (Jade Factory, Ming Dynasty, Chinese Medicine, Great Wall)
08:00 - Return to the Hotel
09:00 - Dinner at TGIFs

10/17/08
07:00 - Breakfast
08:00 - Leave for the Pearl Market
11:30 - Leave for the Silk Market
13:00 - Forbidden City
14:30 - Arrive back at the Hotel
15:30 - Bus departs for Beijing Olympic Basketball Arena
18:00 - On court rehearsal
19:00 - Bus departs for Hotel
20:00 - Silk Market
21:30 - Chinese Dinner
23:00 - Arrive at hotel to pack

10/18/08
06:30 - Bring luggage to the Ritz for check-in
09:00 - Bus departs the Westin for the Arena
11:30 - Tip-Off, Warriors vs. Bucks
15:00 - Bus departs for the Airport
17:00 - Flight departs for Oakland
14:00 - Arrive at Oakland Airport

Travelling to China

2008-10-12T23:27:00.000-07:00

This week has been hectic. It has been so hard for me to focus at work (as an Electrical Engineer) when a trip to China with the Golden State Warriors is just around the corner. Not only did I need to get myself in a position at work where I could be on standby for a week, but I also needed to get packed for a week that had no final itinerary until Thursday. Yet, after a little extra focus, and calling in "sick" to take an extra day to pack, I finally felt truly excited for the trip.

2:00pm, Stanford University vs. ASU football game. After three quarters of grueling excitement, the game was tied at 17 and I needed to get on my way to Oracle Arena to drop off my luggage before tip-off of the first 08-09 pre-season game verses the brand new Oklahoma City Thunder, previously known as the Seattle Super Sonics.

At 7:00pm, all the Warrior Girls were together in the locker room (minus the three who arrived late) to distribute new warm-up jackets and pants and by 7:30pm, the 17 dressed up girls were seated in the back row of section 121 of the Oracle Arena.

"Brett wants us to leave before fourth quarter starts so we don't hit traffic on the way to the airport."

With that said, eleven of the girls got up from their seats at two minutes left in the third quarter and all reconvened in the overflow parking lot of Kaiser Air.

Each girl began to dig in their carry-on bags to search for some comfortable clothes to get changed into for the 16 hours and 50 minutes we would be on a chartered plane.

As we entered the lobby of Kaiser Air, a line was being formed for a security check. After being given our passport and boarding pass, each of our bags were thoroughly checked, followed by being given a little goodie bag before getting into a shuttle that drove us to our plane.

I was amazed by what were given; a china travel book, a survival bag containing wet wipes, hand sanitizer, Alka Seltzer, mints and a nutrition bar, and a special NBA customized "flip" video recorder! Now we had no excuse for not documenting any important memories that will be made during our trip to China.

Girls love taking photos and after being dropped off at the foot of the stairs that led to the cabin of our gigantic plane, we realized we had a good two hours to kill before take-off. Six of us definitely took advantage of this and used this time to take tons of photos in front of the aircraft (with help from a few airline staff members).

After already having so much fun (prior to even boarding the plane!), we all climbed up the stairs to our cabin and chose our row of seats to designate as our bed for the long flight. Some chose the three seats that sat next to a wall/window, but I chose the middle 4-seater, so I could completely extend my body while I slept. Sleep was something I seriously need to catch up on after a long week.

"Help yourselves to the taco bar."

A taco bar on board? In no time, everyone was surrounding the galley area. Not only were there make-your-own chicken and beef tacos, there were sliders, short ribs, chicken wings, chips, nuts, and candy. There was also an assortment of beverages and the bottled waters were definitely something we took advantage of as we packed a few in our carry-ons to drink while in China.

3:59am, Anchorage, Alaska. The 5-hour flight did not feel long at all. It may have been because I slept for at least 4 hours of it. We had ninety minutes before our 11-hour, 50-minutes flight to China, so we decided to spend that time off the plane, in the terminal.

Why did I feel like we skipped Alaska and went straight to China? All the signs were written in Chinese as a second language. Who would ever think that Alaska had such a high Asian population? It didn't occur to me then, that we would be spending time in the China Air Terminal.

A few people began to take photos of the extremely tall men that were unloading from our plane. How often do you see and NBA player walking through the terminals of China Air?

After waiting in a woman's bathroom line, brushing our teeth, and touching up on our make-up, we found ourselves back in our row of airplane seats, ready for take off (with a brand new crew). I didn't know if I was ready for the long flight, but I was sure that it wouldn't be hard for me to go back to sleep for at least half of the time.

After the cabin darkened, the plane was back in the air and I went back to extending my body on my "bed." The next thing I knew, I overheard someone state, "Five hours left until we land inn good old China."

After several games of "Family Feud," and "Catch Phrase", everyone started to feel really anxious.

"A few more hours?!?" It was time to watch a movie, read a book, snack some more or go back to sleep to make the time go by faster.

Today...

2008-10-02T12:45:00.000-07:00

Announcement: The Warriors will go to China

2008-09-02T10:31:00.000-07:00

.
"NBA China Games 2008 will tip-off in Guangzhou on Wednesday, October 15 when the Warriors will take on the Milwaukee Bucks at the Guangzhou Gymnasium (capacity 13,000) in the first-ever NBA game played in Guangzhou. The two teams then travel to Beijing to play on Saturday, October 18 at the Beijing Olympic Basketball Arena, which is an NBA-style arena with a capacity of 17,173."
-www.warriors.com

In addition, the Warriors will be bringing 11 Warrior Girls along to dance during both games! It's exciting to know I'll be halfway around the country for eight days with ten of my best friends.

We are scheduled to take a red eye flight on the night of October 11th and returning October 18th. It's amazing that Susan was able to keep this a secret from us all summer. August 22nd was our very first dance rehearsal and we all wondered why, Administrator of Game Operations, Brett Yamaguchi, was there (P.S., he's Kristi's brother).

"11 Warrior girls will be going to the NBA China Games 2008."

Silence. Complete astonishment. Throughout the whole season last year, we had the impression that the office didn't like the dance team so much. We were only allowed to dance once (instead of twice) during the games, the Hoop Troop had more floor time than us (even the NBA told them the WGs needed to be out more), our calendar was never displayed in the team store, and one time they even told us we couldn't sit on the sidelines during a game. Not until the end of rehearsal did we realize a trip to China was in our hands. The only obstacle for me is to find some vacation time from my full-time job after already taking a week off to go to New York City this summer.

No words can really express the excitement we all have, but every now and then a random text will go around saying, "China!" which says it all.