Exciting softball game

The VP for our department gave me a compliment today that surprised me, was unsolicited, and very validating.  I don't work much with him and I had no idea if he thought I was doing a good job in my new role or even if he thought I should have been given that role.  I guess I still don't know those things, but I do know that he values my leadership skills and notices that I do a lot for the department. 

In giving me that feedback, he also reminded me to give informal, spontaneous feedback to others - even to people who are outside of my staff group.  Please take this as a reminder for yourself, if you are so inclined.  Let someone else know that you notice what they do and appreciate it.  It's wonderful to get feedback.

I dragged myself out of bed a little early this morning and got in a quick 2 mile walk (16:00 and 15:16) before work.  I was still sleepy and a little stiff, so it took more of an effort to try to get my feet moving fast.

Day 25 of South Beach Diet:
Breakfast: egg over medium and two strips of bacon
Lunch: Chipotle salad with chicken guacamole, and hot sauce
Snack: cocoa roasted almonds
Dinner: spinach salad with steak and black beans and a sour cream/salsa dressing
Drinks: iced tea at lunch (2 of them) and water the rest of the day

Valerie had a great softball game tonight.  Two of her friends were visiting and watching the game, too.  Val was nervous about having them there, but it didn't show.  I was most impressed with how she kept her head in the game, listened to coaches (and her parents), and played smart and focused.  She showed mental toughness as the relief pitcher who was called in after the other team tied the score by rattling our best pitcher with obnoxious cheers and screams.  Val pitched that half inning and the last full inning.

She also batted 4th and got a hit every time she got up: One double and two singles.  Both singles were hard hit balls that good players knocked down but they didn't beat Val to the base.  Twice during the game, Val was up to bat with 2 outs and runners on base.

Overall the game was very exciting with lots of people making critical plays. Val's friend Sarah made several very impressive outs at shortstop, including a catch running backward with the ball way over her head.  The girl at the bottom of the order got a hit at the beginning of the last inning and scored.  In the end, the pitcher who got rattled by the cheers had a great hard hit to score a runner and win the game.