Archive for "Life"
Updates are So Behind Because – Life
Posted on March 6, 2023 by Ching under Community, Events, Life.
Fifteen years ago today, we moved from the old Protection One building (now the LUX) on Main to the Ruffin Building on Douglas and Broadway. We have since moved again. Now we are at the old KGE building on East Central.
We left behind so much — my old whiteboard (which I am a little bit sad about), Zumba VHS tapes (I had donated them to our wellness center when we first moved and realized we would have our own fitness area — I didn’t want these back), and fax machines (who still uses these things, anyway) — but the memories we will forever take with us.
Besides moving offices, there was also the Leadership Wichita alumni reunion hosted by the Wichita Chamber at the IMA rooftop. I wish it hadn’t been cold that day so we could enjoy the rooftop terrace but, either way, it was nice to see some of my classmates. At least those who made it from the class of 2014.
Then there is the pickleball. Lots and lots of it.
So many DUPR sessions (because I try to squeeze them in whenever I can). We also had a Dream Team Doubles Over and Under event at Riverside, which I will write a separate post about but you can read about it some here. My friend Katie’s birthday weekend (also to be covered in a separate post). And then driving up to Kansas City to have some practice games with Parker yesterday.
I was coming up for a DUPR Waterfall event but they canceled the 4.5 Division because of lack of sign ups and they wouldn’t let Parker play down because he is too good. Anyway, I ended up going up and was able to get some good practice games in so it was a productive trip. The best part is Parker showed up with the exact same pickleball bag as me. He didn’t know I had this bag (I literally had just gotten it a few weeks ago) and he just got his two weeks ago also. We just happened to order the exact same bag. Crazy! All I can say is — great minds think alike!
If you want the exact same bag for yourself, you can order it from Just Paddles here. Then we can all be matchy matchy.
There’s so much to write about. I’m hoping to find some time this week to get caught up before life gets completely crazy again. Until then, GNG.
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We Are Officially THAT Age
Posted on February 28, 2023 by Ching under Health, Life.
I’d been suffering from some health issues this past year and so we decided it was probably time for a colonoscopy. Because Brian is the best husband ever, he decided to go through the procedure first so I would know what to expect. We scheduled our colonoscopies two weeks apart. Brian went first and these are pictures from his colonoscopy.
Brian got some sexy yellow socks.
Anyway, Brian wasn’t so concerned about the prep (which most people say is the worst part). He was more concerned about going under because of potential side effects from the anesthesia. But he really didn’t have anything to worry about. His procedure went smoothly from start to finish. Even his prep, which is a nightmare for most people, was a breeze. His colonoscopy came out completely clean and the doctor gave him a pass for 10 years.
Fast forward two weeks later when it was my turn. I wasn’t worried about the procedure because I knew that they would knock me out and I wouldn’t feel a thing but I was quite worried about the prep. The stuff they had you drink tasted disgusting. And, as someone who enjoys eating, I was not looking forward to not being able to eat for several hours.
They gave me fun blue socks and everyone was super nice. They even gave me multiple blankets to help keep me warm. It’s very cold at the surgery center and even coldest in the surgery room.
Unlike Brian, whose procedure was scheduled very first thing in the morning (lucky duck – his check in time was 7:30 AM), my check in time was 9:30 AM, so I was starving as you can imagine. To top it off, they were running a bit late so I think it was almost 11:00 AM by the time they got me in surgery.
Even though I was hungry, I somehow managed to not be hangry, because when we received the final report from the surgeon (I also had Dr. Sanchez, same doc who did Brian’s procedure) he made a point to describe me as a “pleasant 45 year old woman” – LOL. They had a pretty good playlist going in the surgery room which I think helped with my mood. Of course, I was out for the whole thing so I guess you really can’t be unpleasant when you’re unconscious so I suppose I was pleasant enough while I was awake.
So my procedure went smoothly but they did find some things. Some polyps had to be removed and they banded a couple of internal hemorrhoids which had me sidelined for a week. The doc said no workout or strenuous activity so as not to bust my bands before their work was done.
I felt fine overall but did follow instructions and didn’t play pickleball for at least one week. I had my procedure on a Friday and did have to teach my Aqua Zumba class on Wednesday night because I couldn’t find a sub but that didn’t bother me too much either. By the following Sunday I was playing again so I really only missed 10 days at best.
Although the polyps they removed were benign, they were pre-cancerous so the doctor recommends that I go in for another colonoscopy in five years time. That will be something fun to look forward to in 2028. LOL.
Anyway, this is the most recent development for both me and Brian on the health front. Until next time, GNG.
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Lesson with Kas at NPC
Posted on January 17, 2023 by Ching under Life.
Finally got to check out Newton Pickleball Club when my friends Janelle, Karen, and I took a “play with a pro” type lesson with Kasandra Gehrke while she was in Wichita conducting her Empowher pickleball camps at Chicken N Pickle.
Each of us took turns playing with Kas and all the while receiving nuggets of wisdom to help us take our pickleball game to the next level. Kas was informative and helpful and I thoroughly enjoyed the time we got to spend with her. But what I loved most of all was we got to have this experience in a private setting.
Laurie’s house is amazing and her backyard pickleball setup is probably the best I’d ever seen. It was the perfect setting for our lesson with Kas. It’s also a great party house and it’s no surprise that it is super popular with the picklers. It was cold and windy that day but I bet it’s a fantastic hangout spot all summer long.
Thank you to Laurie for opening her house up for Kas’ private group lessons and also to Kas for sharing her knowledge.
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New Year’s Day
Posted on January 11, 2023 by Ching under Life, Pickleball.
Last year, I was out of town playing in a pickleball tournament on New Year’s Day. This year I decided to have a purposefully relaxing NYD by not leaving town. I did play in a fun team tournament on NYE but nothing too serious.
Brian and I prepared a hearty breakfast, consisting of bacon, sausage, potatoes, eggs, and biscuits, the next morning for our house guests. We thought we were going to have three (Katie Merrill, Ramon Lozano, and Josh McAllister) but Josh decided to just make an up-and-back trip so we ended up with leftovers.
Ramon, Katie, and several other friends played in the Hangover pickleball tournament at Chicken N Pickle that day. Speaking of Chicken N Pickle, huge shout out to them for hooking Katie up with the blue dri-fit shirt from the last sponsored athletes box so that she could match me, Ramon, and Jared (Smart) for the team event. Lindsey Vermillion actually had to expedite the package so it would arrive in time for her to wear it to the team event.
I didn’t get any pictures at the tournament but I did livestream the championship match between Vi Dang and Mitch Spencer vs Molly Sager and Austin Corley. Interestingly, Molly and Cory Sager were supposed to play together but then Jenny and Austin Corley signed up for the tournament when we were all hanging out during NYE at the Egan’s. They made a game-time decision to swap partners because Austin and Molly and Cory and Jenny are playing together in the iPickle Nation January Jam this weekend. The four of them figured they would use the Hangover tournament for practice.
Despite this being Austin and Molly’s first time playing together, they played really well and had great on-court chemistry. I think the four of them will do really well at the iPN tournament in Kansas City this weekend.
I think the highlight of my day had to be taking Rosie (Katie’s dog) to Chicken N Pickle to watch her mama play pickleball but also to show her off because she is so stinkin’ cute. Anyway, I’ve always dreamed of taking my dog there but our dogs are not fit to be in public. Molly was always too amped and Saki is super jittery and afraid of people. Everyone was asking me about my dog. I wish she was mine because she is so good and well-behaved. And, she is super cuddly.
The weather was absolutely beautiful and the way NYD went was the perfect start to the year. I remember thinking, “If the rest of the year goes like this, it will be an amazing one!” It was just a super relaxing, fun day. Until next time, GNG.
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The Best of 2022
Posted on December 23, 2022 by Ching under Life, Pickleball.
Each year I take time to reflect on the best parts of the year and recall all of my favorite moments. This year it seems all of my best memories revolve around pickleball, which is not surprising considering I spent New Year’s Day playing pickleball. We always believed that whatever you are doing on New Year’s Day is what you will be doing all year long and so I ended up playing in a ton of tournaments this year, starting with the Vetta Dink in the New Year tournament.
I guess we can just start this recap with my most favorite tournaments this year (listed somewhat chronologically).
- Dink in the New Year – I played 3.5/4.0 singles, 4.0 mixed doubles with Devon Fuller, and 3.5 women’s doubles with Tiffany Lesperance. We traveled with Tiffany and Donnie to that tournament and had such a great time spending the weekend with them.
- Oak Tree – I played 3.5 singles, 4.0 mixed with Ramon Lozano, and 4.0 women’s with Jen Reifshneider. Even though this tournament was a complete shit show, it was a ton of fun. Not only did a learn so much, but I also met some people at that tournament that are really good friends now. I played against Katie Merrill and now we are thick as thieves. Also, I was going through some old tournament footage and found a Tanner Rice cameo. It’s so wild that he was in one of my YouTube videos before we actually knew each other.
- US Open – I played women’s doubles with my friend Erica Case and we won our first US Open gold medal. I only got to play in one event but Brian and I stayed the entire week and it was amazing. I can’t wait to try again next year!
- WPT Kansas City Classic – I played 3.5 singles, 3.5 mixed with Ryan Kellenbarger and 3.5 women’s with Kimberly Howe. This was a money tournament so I was hoping (and had a real shot at getting gold medals at both events). Kimberly and I finished in 3rd place and Ryan and I won gold and actually made money. One of best memories is getting stuck with some people during the rain delay who are good friends of mine now.
- ICT Classic – I played 3.5 singles, 5.0 mixed with Matt Nola, and 4.0 women’s with Jenny Corley. This is worth a mention because it was my first time playing 5.0 level and, even though we went 0-2, I actually didn’t suck and I didn’t feel out of place. Looking back, I feel like I was actually a lot better than some of the other players, as crazy as that sounds. This is the beginning of me realizing I can absolutely play any level I want to play.
- Middle States – I played 3.0 singles, 3.5 mixed with Ramon Lozano, and 3.0 women’s with Kendra Wicks. This is only my second time playing in this tournament (the first time I played with my friend Chris Wilson) and my first time winning triple gold. This tournament qualified me for the Diamond Amateur Championships (DAC) earlier this month in Florida.
- USAP Newport Beach – I played 3.0 singles, 3.5 mixed with Ramon Lozano, and 3.0 women’s doubles with Nancy Kaplan (blind date). I agreed to play in this tournament at the beginning of the year thinking I was going to try to qualify for Nationals but then, once I qualified for the DAC, I realized I couldn’t swing both trips so I was completely unmotivated. I couldn’t say no to Ramon, though. Around this time of the year, he was my #1 favorite mixed doubles partner. He could have asked me to play on Jupiter and I probably would’ve figured out a way to make it work. Anyway, it was a fun trip. Brian and I had a great time vacationing in California and it was nice to meet Ramon’s family.
- Tulsa Pickleball Classic – I played Intermediate 50/50 with Robert Mansfield, 4.5 mixed with Tanner Rice, and 4.0 women’s with Huyen Nguyen. This was my first tournament team up with my fake daughter who everyone thinks is my real daughter. Also, I ended up teaming up with Tanner completely by accident when I meant to send a message to Tanner Blaske on Facebook. Tanner and I chatted and, even though we didn’t really know each other in person at the time, we agreed to play a couple of tournaments together. This was our first one. I actually felt pretty special that Robert agreed to play with me because 50/50 was the same day as singles and he normally prefers to play singles over doubles.
- Bartlesville Pickleball Classic – I played Advanced 50/50 with Chris Wilson, 4.0 mixed with Michael Douglas, and 4.0 women’s with Jenny Corley. It felt so good to team up with Chris Wilson again. We actually did really well together. Fourth was not too shabby considering that draw. My other events didn’t go so well but it was my first time playing Bartlesville and I had an amazing time.
- PPA Championships – I played 3.5 mixed with Zach Nguyen and 4.0 women’s with Jen Reifschneider. This was actually not on the list for the year so it was a last minute addition. This format was double elimination with a consolation bracket (not an opportunity bracket) which means once you lose the best you can do is bronze. We lost in the semis in both events. Zach and I came so close to playing for gold and silver too. We were literally up 10-6 in the third game of our semi-final match. We ended up losing 10-12. It was a heart-breaker!
- Shangri-la Pickleball Open – I played 4.5 mixed with Devon Fuller and 3.5 women’s with Molly Sager. This was another tournament that wasn’t on the list but my friend Kumar Krishnan told me about it and offered to host me and Brian at his lake house so I couldn’t pass it up. I’d never been to this part of Oklahoma before so it was a great adventure for me and Brian and I’m actually looking forward to playing in this again next year.
- ICT Fall-out – I played 4.0 singles, 4.5 mixed with Tanner Rice, and 4.0 women’s doubles with Jenny Corley. The funny part of this is, I was originally signed up for 3.5 singles but then moved myself up to 4.0 singles when I only saw two players signed up but then apparently Chanell Nguyen and Fong Witte had the same idea and signed up for 4.0 singles also. Instead of getting a bronze medal handed to me, I actually had to work for it. Also, this is the tournament that Tanner took over as my #1 favorite mixed doubles partner.
- SMASH 5 – I played 4.5 mixed with Isaiah McAllister and 4.0 women’s with Nicole Mathis. I was originally signed up for 4.0 35+ with Jason Doll but then ended up grabbing another partner for mixed so he wouldn’t have to play on both days because he’s still nursing his knees. It worked out great because I ended up moving up to 4.5 19+ with Isaiah who I had such an amazing time playing with. Also, 4.0 35+ might have been too easy for Jason because he is so dang good! I think my most favorite part of this tournament is finally winning a match against Ramon who I always end up playing in the first round whenever we are signed up for the same division.
- Diamond Amateur Championships – I played 3.0 singles, 3.5 mixed with Ramon Lozano, and 3.0 women’s with Kendra Wicks. I qualified, played, and medaled in the first ever DAC. And, I punched my singles and women’s doubles tickets to 2023 USAP National Championships. I actually thought this was going to be my final tournament of the year but I ended up tacking on a couple of last minute team events at the end of the year.
- Mother’s Day Tournament – I played in a Mother’s Day pickleball tournament at Chicken N Pickle with Huyen. It was one of several little tournaments (most of them charity tournaments benefiting local non-profits) that I played this year.
Besides playing in tournaments, I actually organized and helped with several events this year. Here’s a few of them:
- It’s a Big Dill – This was my second time helping with this event and I feel like everything went so perfectly this year. We were right on schedule.
- Dream Team Doubles – We actually did two of them this year. So much fun!
- Picklemania MMXXII – Second tournament for my Rotary club. We made it a team event this time and it made the event so much for fun. I feel like team events are the way to go.
- Picklepalooza – I didn’t have much to do for this tournament actually other than help spread the board but I did join the Senior Services of Wichita board this year so I will probably have a lot more to do this next year.
- One Last Dink – This one isn’t until next weekend. I pitched the idea to the Pickle Club owners and they came up with the name for the event. I’m super excited for this team tournament, not just because it will my final event for the year, but because I’m part of a super awesome team. Also, it means that I’ve basically started and ended the entire year with pickleball.
This was also the year of the DUPRs. I started a digital club on DUPR so that I could help our local rec players (those who don’t normally play in tournaments) get official ratings. I hosted a bunch of DUPR match sessions over the summer and entered scores so everyone could get ratings.
Besides organizing DUPR play, I also participated in DUPR events myself — a couple in Oklahoma during my DUPR double dip weekend and a couple in Kansas City hosted by iPickleNation. I also brought back the Queen of Courts but beefed up because now they are DUPR QoCs.
Other notable things that happened this year… Nahola sold and then re-opened a few months later. It is now the Pickle Club. Other than being limited to two courts, it’s still hands down the best place to play in town. Except when the weather is nice, then my favorite spot is Wichita State where they have four lighted courts that you can use free of charge. The county also converted two of the tennis courts at Sedgwick County Park into pickleball courts this fall and it’s been quite popular with the players. We even had a couple of cookouts there already.
In terms of travel, we didn’t get to do much but we did go to Mexico in August to celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary slash crash Erica’s wedding. LOL. It was fun. I always enjoy and appreciate any time I can spend with my girlfriends. Brian and I stayed in our first Airbnb during Middle States Regional and now he’s not anti Airbnbs anymore.
And, finally, in non-pickleball news, grandma turned 100 this year. That pretty much sums up 2022 in a nutshell (or long post). Can’t wait to see what the new year will bring. Until then, GNG.
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