Don't think you're better than us ? EH?

Six pounds of coffee later... Thank you to everyone who sent packages. Pretty awesome. I think I'm good with coffee for the rest of the year now. So, if anyone needs other ideas, I mean, I guess I can make a list:

Gummy bears Peanut Butter Fluff Easter candy Double stuffed oreos

(I know, I know, I'm such a health nut!)

Anyway, the blog has suffered due to my new extensive social life. Usually, I'm not one to socialize much. I don't like that many people. Yeah, big secret there. But I have friends here. Shocking!

Last weekend we (Lydia, me, the Aussies and one of our Danish teammates) took a trip to Copenhagen and Malmo. There we met up with Alyssa Naeher  (who somehow has more Twitter followers than me, so please don't give her any extra) - but she took a plane in from Potsdam for the weekend to hang out with me.

After a night out in Copenhagen, we went to Malmo to see Canada vs. Sweden and enjoy a mini Penn State reunion with Carmelina Moscato and Erin McLeod. Super fun. Even though Sweden beat Canada, it was still cool to see an international game live. Even if it was freezing. And Carm didn't get us box seats. Still awesome.

Regardless, the weekend was eventful. More so than the usual daily musings from Hjorring anyway.  Lots of travel, lots of laughs. Mostly laughing at the weird shit the Aussies say.

A few things I learned from the weekend: 

1. If I never learn how to drive stick, I'll never have to drive while I'm here :) (sorry Lyds)

2. Subway ingredients are the same here as back home

3. If you see a skum, you must distinguish them (easy enough)

4. I also learned more about this

old law

that I'm not really good at following (oops)

 After the weekend, we had to come back to run the Beep Test.

Which was like so fun.

We had a few training sessions and now two days off for the holiday weekend here. Apparently the whole town shuts down, so I had to stock up on Cup O Noodles and Coke. So, yeah, Mom, don't worry, I'm good.

What else?

We have our first big game on Monday. We travel to Copenhagen to play Brondby (the No. 1 team in the league). There might even be a stream to watch the game. Not to get anyone's hopes up. But if that's the case I'll post it on Twitter or Facebook for everyone.

(I'll be the one wearing a headband)

That's all for now. Don't miss me too much.

Peace, I'm outta here!

They see me ridin', they laughin'

Readers, forgive me, for I have not blogged. It has been seven days since my last blog. The events leading up to our first game are pretty insignificant. So, let's skip to the game and then come back to the other stuff if there's room.

Our first game was yesterday against Vejle. (Don't worry, I can't pronounce it either) The game was at 1pm and with Daylight Savings Time we had to be on top of our game, and we were. Promptly arriving to our meeting at 11:30am, we we made it through one of the toughest days of the year for any foreigner.

Aside from having to bike to the match for the first time in my life, up hill both ways, it was a gorgeous day in Hjorring. We even wore shirtsleeves during the game. (TAN! WOOH) In front of an amazing crowd of about 30 people, we didn't really put on the show we were expected to.

It's hard to say disappointing in the same sentence as win, but this one just wasn't good enough. I personally had enough chances to give a cheating ex-boyfriend an ulcer. I don't even know what if that makes sense.

But I definitely need to work on my finishing this week. And definitely need to adjust to the Danish style of play, which is extremely physical. Lydia was body slammed several times, in what resembled more of a UFC fight than a soccer match. She even had the dirt in her teeth to prove it. Instead of getting the wind knocked out of her, she got an entire hurricane knocked into her. (Again, no clue if that makes sense, but I don't like deleting anything in these blogs).

We have two weeks until our next game... plenty of time to work it out.

A few more things...

I am not bad at many things. Truly. I can count them on one hand.

1. Long-distance running

2. Short-distance running

3. Playing musical instruments

...and now we can add one more to that list - riding bikes. 

In the last two weeks I have fallen off my bike five times. You know that saying "fall 8 times get up 9"? Yeah well I don't know if I can make it that many more times. Like, if I fall again I don't think I will be getting back up on that bike. I am sure Lydia can attest to how bad I am, but after the game yesterday I got too close to a curb that was too high and had my worst fall with several tumbles, a couple screams, an ouch, ripped pants and a knee scrape. Like for real? I went the entire 90 minutes without getting a bruise or scratch, then on the ride home that happens.

Fail is right my friends.

Well, I guess that's all for now. I am hoping to ride in a car today, give my pride a break.  Ya dig?

Tak!

Tuesdays with Tiff? On a Monday?

Since I've gotten several requests to blog more often because some people lay around under the covers all day waiting for me to blog, I've decided to please my crowd.

But I will say this, you're welcome Simba, you big complainer you.

Last time I wrote, I told you about all that crazy things I've been doing while I've been here. And this one won't be much different. We had a scrimmage on Saturday against one of the top teams in Sweden, Linkopings FC, and we beat them 1-0. It was cool to get a win against a quality team, especially considering it was the first time we all played together.

What else?

Lydia and I have hung out with the Australians quite a bit the last few days. They have thick accents that are very difficult to understand. I think I'll have a better chance learning Danish before I can understand them. But nevertheless, when I do understand them, they're pretty funny and let me say, they are in desperate need of Twitter followers. Please donate your time by clicking "follow" for these two: Leena Khamis and Kim Carroll.

If they don't live up to being funny, feel free to unfollow.

Anyway, I finished reading Tuesdays with Morrie this morning before my nap and after shedding a few tears, quickly started to reevaluate.

What did I learn from reading this book?

1. Don't work your life away.

2. Put time into people who are worth putting time into and make their lives better.

3. Enjoy the little things (this is something I am a firm believer in anyway, but wanted to reiterate it) But what does it really mean? Well, honestly, I don't need trips to Bali Bali to have a smile on my face. I've been known to get extra super happy just by the sound of my mom's car pulling in the driveway or when Rock the Casbah randomly comes on the radio. You can actually make your own day by making things big enough in your heart to make your day.

4. Let love in. Don't close people off. Not everyone deserves your love, I agree, but there are many who do, and they deserve at least a chance.

5. Forgive. Morrie says forgive yourself for not doing things the way you wanted to do them and forgive others. Don't hold on to that anger. It will eat you up.

And I have something to add to this. Just my own bit.

I know that it's easy for someone to sit behind a blog and lecture. Or give opinions on the way life is supposed to be lived. But truly I just like to make people think. That's something I've done my whole life. Because I myself am a big thinker and I love what it does for my life.

The cool thing about life is there is no right answer. If I were to describe my perfect day, it won't look anything like yours. But it's about each person finding their perfect everything  - day, month, year, life. Their perfect person, place to live, job. And finally, the perfect dream to dream. If you can find that and not give a shit about what anyone else thinks, I think you've done very well for yourself. Not that it matters what I think. But what I should have said is, I bet you're pretty damn happy. And let's be honest, that is all that really matters.

You've got the whole world in your hands (yes, I was watching Con Air while I was writing this"

What's your perfect world? And what do you have to do to get there?

So many activities... well, not really.

Since the last time you joined me, a lot but not a lot has happened. If that makes sense. Training has been pretty intense. We have actually done quite a bit of running. Though most of it involves a ball. My trainer Mike LeGates once told me, "I could get you to run to China if there's a shot waiting at the end of it." Pretty true.

So there's that.

I have made several feline friends including a neighborhood filled with cats, which is amazing, and a Bernese Mountain dog that lives behind us. His name is Elvis. And he rocks. 

I told you a lot has happened!

I purchased what I thought was macaroni and cheese but actually turned out to be macaroni and WTF is this shit. That got thrown out. Then I had to bike to the gas station to get an oven-ready pizza. Failed dinner. So I drank a cider and went to bed.

Let's see. Oh. We went to the town swimming pool. Lydia and I. And I will definitely take pictures next time, because it's a beautiful place. With a freakin water slide. And no sharks. Which I'm pumped about.

Today we're going to do a coaching appearance for a club an hour away, which will be interesting because I'm sure not many of these kids have been coached in english before. And of course never by the wonderful Ocho of the U.S. Will for sure be updating about that.

For now I will leave you with this bit of info:

Landlyst 8 Box 151 9800 Hjørring Danmark

This is the club's address. If you care about me, this is where the presents should be sent.

Lastly, I'm reading Tuesdays With Morrie right now. Yes, for the first time. Fantastic book so far with a lot of great messages. My favorite though: "Let love in"  - it's okay to have walls. But make sure they're made of cardboard.

Ciao for now my little brown cows.

What's worse than snow? One thing.

Let's see, what do I have for you today.

Yesterday we had the day off. And I needed groceries. And couldn't get in touch with the Norwegian with the car, also known as Lisa Marie Woods. So, Lydia and I biked it to Fakta and had to lug our stuff back. I really felt bad for myself. I thought, oh life, why are you so difficult sometimes? Then I saw a photo of someone who had it a little worse, and changed my tune.

After we got our groceries, the snow began to pile up. I thought it was a joke, naturally. But it was real.

Eh, it wasn't that bad. We went out to shop a little. Found some new sweats. For those of you who know me, you know how happy new sweats make me. And for those of you who didn't know... now you know, reader.

After shopping we went home ... where I was able to wear my new sweats, light my new candle, and chill at my little work station.

I find it extremely peaceful here and even though I miss my mom yelling at me to make my bed sometimes, I kind of forgot what it's like to hear my own thoughts so often.

Like " Tiff, brush your damn teeth you lazy shit" or "No one else is going to do the dishes, you do realize this right?" ... ahh. Yeah, I definitely miss my mom yelling!

No, but on the serious. It's amazing to be able to reevaluate your life from time to time. A change of scenery totally does this for me. People probably don't realize how much they do from day to day until they are able to step out of it for a bit. Definitely something worth trying if you are more of a routine person. It's very, what's the word, reinvigorating.

Okay what else? This morning we had lifting with our trainer, Ashley. He is a very limber older man who reminds me much of a fitter, cooler Mr. Rogers. Except I'm not really digging his neighborhood. The gym isn't my favorite place. It's just not. I'd rather be on the field with the ball.

So, he was speaking Danish to one of the girls and I don't even try to listen when this is happening. As one can imagine I was off in my own world thinking about what I was having for breakfast... and their convo went something like "kadjfkdah;gajeiwjfdkfjdalkj beep test akfjdlkafjal;sfjdsal;"

Ermm. Excuse me?

My heart. My poor, poor heart.

So I asked one of the girls what exactly was going on... and lo and behold, we will be running that damn thing here. When I escaped from the U.S. I thought it was over between us. But nah.

Anyway, I won't dwell on it... today.

Moving forward. Oh, wait. Moving backward. It was pretty cold the other night after training. I showered and didn't want to take the towel off my head. So, I didn't.

Brrr. (btw how cool is my bike!?)

Okay. Today is nicer and the snow is probably going to melt. Which rules. Because we practice outside.

And I bought a coffee maker. So, if anyone wants to send me some Dunkin Donuts, I will accept.

That's all for now brown cow.

Swag? What dat?

Back again? Yep. How much more is there to say after a day?

Oh, there's always so much my friends.

Yesterday I woke up at 6am and realized how much more I can get done if I wake up earlier. I know, I know, most people do that on the regular, well, you know what, I'm impressed. It's not easy, but it is worth it.

So then I had more time for Yoga!!

Okay, I'll be honest. When I do my Yoga DVD (Yoga Conditioning for Athletes) I really have no idea if I'm doing it right. Oh well. I just like counting it as a workout.

So I have been doing the Yoga thing more often. Feels nice. And dennn. I didn't have to go to register as a citizen or whatever it's called. So, that freed up my already pretty free day even more. I was able to do a number on Our Game Magazine and girlsCAN Football, you know, my other jobs outside of football.  And if you didn't know, what the hall?

And denn. I have another American here. Her name is Lydia Vandenbergh. She probs needs some followers, so hook it up. It's nice to have someone who gets my jokes. And company I guess. But I'm sure she will be in this adventurous blog a bit. So, maybe I'll let her introduce herself one day.

And denn. We had training!

It was fabulous. We played for most of it. 4v2, 4v4, 5v5 ... just playing. It felt good. The air was a bit colder than I'm used to (well, I've been training indoors most of the winter, so a lot colder) but I'm getting used to it. We are still missing most of our players and will be until the weekend. Will be cool to see the whole team together.

And denn. (I think that is Danish for "and then" btw) (haha, just kidding. It's from the movie Dude, Where's My Car)

I met with the coach after. He was pretty awesome. Asked me questions like how do I like to be yelled at on the field and what I can bring to the team. He then mentioned how he wants the team to play like Barcelona, which I loved and I told him quickly I was the Xavi he was looking for.

We then talked a bit about confidence and having that edge to win and he asked about mine and I said "I'm American, winning is all I know... and confidence, have you ever heard of swag?"

He hadn't heard of it but said he would look it up and he was very interested in it! ;)

After the meeting it was a blistering cold bike ride back to the apartment. Luckily Lydia led the way, because obviously direction is not my thing. (while traveling, not in life)

No more and den!

Anozer New Country

I think it's time I start writing some more. So here's an introduction.

I just finished my first week in Denmark. Hjorring to be exact. With the line through the "o" and all. It has been somewhat uneventful in terms of physical activity. But you know that always means more mental activity! Yay! Thoughts!

I actually saw a quote on Twitter that I really enjoyed, but can't remember it word for word. Something about preferring to be alone with your own intelligent thoughts than in the company of stupidity. 

I hope some of my friends take offense to this and become smarter. Haha, just kidding. I don't think anyone I hang out with is stupid, but that's because a staple in my life is not being in situations I don't want to be in. People are always saying "ugh, I don't want to go to lunch with so and so" or "I have to go to this thing for a friend that I promised I'd go to" ... ahhh, insanity. I know we always have to do stuff we don't want to do, but people, it's okay to say no and not put yourself in situations where you don't want to be!

Okay, enough lecturing. Back to my thoughts.

I have been alone most of the time here. We've only had one training session. All the players are either at Algarve or with youth national teams. So, it's been nice to adjust at my own pace. I've had time to unpack and clean my apartment, cook some meals, get lost on my bike, drink instant coffee, take pictures of the gym equipment to plan workouts (got a lot of looks during that), enjoy my Yoga DVD, watch soccer for hours and hours on TV, use Danish words as American swear words (grocery store called Fakta = motha fakta), cringe while receiving texts from home (they're not free my friends, and I'm not responding), see the fees on my debit card from using it as if I was home and tons of other stupid shit.

Today, I will be getting some of the important things taken care of ... like registering as a citizen and stuff. I heard as soon as you register you are able to speak Danish. I am hoping this is true.

We have training tonight which is the highlight of every day. Soccer is the thing that makes the world go round. Well, my world anyway.

There will be more where this came from.

Ps. Forgot to mention that if you're trying to bring an electric/heated blanket overseas and think the converter will do the trick, no.

Sparks flew.

Electric blanket has become, simply, blanket.

Ciao for now brown cow.

Party Time: You Pick the Theme

As I've gotten older, I've  realized how much of life is to be analyzed. It's not just a case of oh, that person is mad so they must be mean. It's more of, that person is mad or sad, maybe something is bothering them; maybe they are dealing with something other people can't understand. Makes you rethink how you treat people...

I have also found that there are a lot of people who are mad or sad and really there isn't anything wrong with them. All that is wrong with them is the pity party that is inside their head. They feel sorry for themselves for whatever reason. And this, in my opinion, is a choice.

Well, soccer, for me, made that pity party non-existent.

When you're on a team, everyone has their own issues. Some players aren't happy with what position they play, some players aren't happy with how much playing time they are getting, some players just aren't happy no matter what.

We've all been there. I've been there.

It's easy to sit there and feel sorry for yourself. To complain to the player sitting next to you and so on. Happens with parents too. Complaining about your kid not getting the playing time they "deserve" and feeling sorry for yourself and for them.

I remember one moment in my career very well. A player on the team was complaining because she wasn't named player of the year. She was complaining to a player who hardly played all season. Now, even though most teammates are also friends and are there for each other, you gotta wonder... does that player EVER stop and think about the big picture?

That other player would kill to just be on the field... and you're complaining about player of the year?

Of course you can argue that it's all relative. And so much of life is obviously. But soccer brought this to my attention like nothing else in my life.

I've been in both situations in my career. I've been on the bench and I've been the MVP. I know what it's like. But being on the bench also is a dream for someone who is injured. Shagging balls at practice to help the team out, but not being able to participate.

How does that person feel?

It just makes you think. About your own situation within the team and how other players might feel.

Taking this over to life is a no brainer.

When things aren't going your way, it's very easy to feel sorry for yourself. Trying to get other people in on the game is even easier.

But where does that really get you at the end of the day? Probably a pity party of one in your head and people who think you're selfish.

What can you do instead?

Host a BAMF party in your head. Think about all the great things about yourself that have made you happy and confident and proud in the past. Think about the people in your life and the shit they are going through. (That takes about 10 minutes of your time) (Depending on how many friends you have). Make their day better not worse.

Because at the end of the day no one really cares if you were the MVP or not. They care about how you treated them when they were in the dumps.

"Mom, if you ever have to make me go to practice, that's how I know I'm done playing."

"...it's a choice you make." This is the end of a conversation I had with a young soccer player recently. She told me she wanted to play professional soccer when she was older. And I told her what it takes.

Well, I told her one thing that I thought it took. And one decision I made without knowing I made it.  And I guess it was something soccer taught me without knowing it for a long time... but now I see what I have learned.

I was young. So young I wasn't in control of what I wore or where I went or anything. But I had the choice to play a sport. I chose soccer. And from the minute I made that choice, I made another choice. Soccer was my life.

Now, honestly, people say that shit all the time. "Soccer is my life." It's your life because you have practice three times a week and games on the weekends and can't go on all the vacations you want because you have tournaments in the summer.

That's not your life.

When I say soccer is my life, I mean, I wake up and find the latest youtube soccer video. Every piece of food I take in is dependent on when my workouts, trainings or games are. I schedule my life around games in the afternoon for Champions League and then wake up early on the weekends to watch EPL. I kick anything that rolls. And even things that don't roll. I like Sting a little more than other artists because he likes soccer and sometimes kicks balls out at his concerts. I'd rather wear a jersey than anything in the world. Eh, I don't know. I'm consumed. And soccer really is my life. And it has always been like this.

I was different when I was younger. I have a picture at a party in 8th grade and I had my full uniform on, shinguards and everything. Darkness was the only thing that got me to go inside from kicking the ball around. My Christmas list was straight out of Eurosport. I wanted my birthday party to be an indoor soccer game. I watched black and white videos of World Cups for hours and hours. By the time I was 10 years old, I not only knew how to do the Zico and a Cruyff, but I could pick them out of a crowd if I had to.

I was immersed in the game. In the same way that H.G. Bissinger had to be immersed in Odessa, Texas to write Friday Night Lights. I was taken out of whatever normal life I was in and put into a new one. That's the only way you can truly understand something to the fullest. You have to become a part of it.

In order to do this, you have to miss out on some other parts of your life. It takes a big sacrifice to immerse yourself into something. But it also gives big rewards.

Here's what I've learned. I'm a soccer nerd. I've always been a soccer nerd. In a way that rolling a golf ball through my cats legs makes me giggle. But it's gotten me some where. And I'm not talking about playing professionally and having experiences with the USWNT. I know what it's like to be different. To not follow the crowd. My whole life I wasn't doing what everyone else was doing, and because I was so caught up in soccer, I didn't even notice it.

I guess what I'm trying to say is this. That choice you make to play soccer or to do something you think is fun is a small decision in the grand scheme of life. How far you take the commitment to that decision will determine what comes from it.

I made my commitment to soccer when I was 5 years old and I never looked back. I never doubted how I felt about it. I was in. And I was in deep. And 23 years later, I'm still there.

Bissinger moved his wife and kids to Odessa to live the life of a football-crazed town in Texas to write a book about it. That was the only way he would ever fully grasp what that lifestyle was like.

How far will you go to get to where you want to be?

I Still Believe

Life is interesting being a female. All your life you're told that you can do anything.

But is it true?

It's funny because I think I went through phases. When I was little I believed I could truly do anything. I could go to the moon, play professional soccer, invent the next greatest thing and become a millionaire.  As I got older, the thought became that I could do some things, but probably not everything. I could possibly play professional soccer, if there was a league. The moon didn't seem too realistic and the only thing I might be able to invent was myself. And now, in my late 20s, I have fallen back to the beliefs of my youth and think anything is possible.

I'm not sure if this is the case for everyone. And I don't know that I would have ever had this realization had I not kicked a soccer ball for 23 years.

Here's the thing. I've been coaching a lot of little girls lately. Every time we work on a new skill I tell them they can do it. Three quarters of them look at me like I'm crazy. Like juggling is the most impossible task in the world. The others look at me as though I have all the answers, and one of them is knowing that they CAN do it.

The ones that believe are okay. What scares me are the ones that don't.

Why would I be scared? Well, I guess the time to believe in anything is when you're young. You don't know any better than to think anything is possible. So why wouldn't these girls believe me when I tell them they can do it? I can go right ahead and say parenting or teachers or coaches. Because these are the people influencing kids. Right? But I just can't imagine these people telling girls they can't do it.

What could it be?

I'm not even really sure I have an answer. But I do know what a lifetime of playing soccer can do for someone's confidence. And for someone's belief in the seemingly impossible.

I started kindergarten a year too early. According to the book Outliers by Maclcom Gladwell, if I had continued on the path of being a really young starter, I would have fallen behind significantly. My parents held me back to a transitional grade before entering first grade. This way, I was actually one of the older kids in my grade. And it changed my life forever.

I was able to accomplish small things. But I'm not talking about just the classroom. I'm talking about on the field. Every time I was able to do one thing, I moved on to the next. By the time I was 10 I could juggle over 200 times. And when I was 15 I was up to 740. I saw the progression. Not just in juggling but in everything I did on the field.

I have always used juggling as a bench mark in my life. The older I've gotten, the more I'm able to do. Because I've been working on it, yes, but also because I believe that I can do it. I know that I'm capable. I know that I've always been able to improve on my self, regardless of the circumstances in my life.

I dreamt of going to college and getting a scholarship so my parents didn't have to pay. I dreamt of being a professional soccer player. I dreamt of playing on TV and traveling around the world. I dreamt of being a writer and of one day writing a book. And I continue to dream and believe.

This is something I take pride in and I want to pass on to others.

Anything is possible. Not because I'm some corny optimist. I'm definitely not. I've just learned that if you want something and you have that almost-arrogant self-belief, anything really is possible.

Soccer has done a lot of things for me, but instilling the belief that there is no limit to your life is something I value more than most others.

This is why every December 5, when I turn a year older, I know that the 365 days ahead of me can be jam packed with absolutely anything I want.

And one of those days, NASA is going to call for me to be the first woman to juggle a soccer ball on the moon.

Hey, why not??