The This, Words alisha sommer The This, Words alisha sommer

Ten.Two Thousand, Three Hundred & Fifty-Nine

  1. A few extra minutes.

  2. A thin white string of fog woven between the trees.

  3. The sense of peace brought on by the rain and the darkness. For every up, a down. For every down, an up.

  4. Clean.

  5. I manage to get dinner into the Instapot before I have to leave, which feels like a major feat compared to the last few weeks.

  6. I ask him if he’s joking or being serious. I’m just not used to hearing this kind of compliment from a teacher for them.

  7. But it doesn’t feel like we’re winning.

  8. If we could take the energy of one and combine it with the skill of the other…

  9. A double-cheeseburger with grilled onions, add ketchup and mustard. Yes, keep the secret sauce, too.

  10. Yes. One day, I’ll sleep again.

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The This, Words alisha sommer The This, Words alisha sommer

Ten.Two Thousand, Three Hundred & Fifty-Eight

  1. A Wednesday that feels like it should be a Friday.

  2. I sit down at the table and start to think about where we were at the end of last season and what we’ve already done. Do they believe me now? I believe it.

  3. I take my seat at the back again. I know it’s a bad look, but the seats are just so close—to close.

  4. Daydreams of what could be next.

  5. Not the kind of numbers you want the day before, but we press on.

  6. Picture day. We agree that time goes by so fast. Faster and faster every year.

  7. A good story.

  8. The sound of rain on the rooftop.

  9. He tells me that he’s happy that I’m so excited about cleaning my home and sitting in front of my fireplace.

  10. Ready.

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The This, Words alisha sommer The This, Words alisha sommer

Ten.Two Thousand, Three Hundred & Fifty-Seven

  1. Late start but I manage to get in a good session to steady myself for the day.

  2. I don’t think red falls in the parameters of the dress code, but it’s game day so I wear the red blazer anyway.

  3. It’s always so cold in this basement. A meeting room without windows is soul-sucking.

  4. I think everyone just wanted to eat lunch.

  5. Butterflies. The first time I’ve had butterflies so far this season. I take a few deep breaths and drink some water.

  6. “I feel a sweep,” I say. “Me too. But I always think I’m going to win,” he says. I turn to look at him. “My husband always says that every night, despite the length of our losing streak, I always said that we could win. You can always win.” “Even when I lose, I win.” I nod my head in agreement—lucky, lucky us.

  7. i see that we’re up by 10 points and take a time out to tell everyone to relax, slow the pace down.

  8. The last time we beat them was 2012.

  9. “And we did it with only seven girls,” I say to her. “It’s the right seven.” I agree.

  10. I tell him that I think the secret is the screaming.

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The This, Words alisha sommer The This, Words alisha sommer

Ten.Two Thousand, Three Hundred & Fifty-Six

  1. Monday. Monday.

  2. Staring longingly at my fireplace.

  3. This car locking and unlocking thing is getting to be a bit much.

  4. Fingers digging around the candy bowls for

  5. Shoulders up by my ears.

  6. New records.

  7. What happens tomorrow will be a result of what happens today.

  8. How is next week the last week of school before break? How is Christmas only two weeks away? I blame the sunshine and 70 degrees.

  9. If only he saw in himself what we see in him. And truly believed it.

  10. Lean into your strengths.

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The This, Words alisha sommer The This, Words alisha sommer

Ten.Two Thousand, Three Hundred & Fifty-Five

  1. I tell him that waking up after a win hits different.

  2. Slow Sunday. And I don’t have to make dinner.

  3. Mountain Lion. Leadership. “The first responsibility of leadership is to tell the truth.” “It is the understanding that all beings are potential leaders in their own way.” “Balance POWER, INTENTION, STRENGTH, and GRACE.”

    Bear. Introspection. “Regain your authority.” “Reclaim the power of knowing.” “Use your strengths to overcome your weaknesses and know that both are necessary for your evolution. “DREAM YOUR DREAMS and OWN THEM.”

    Coyote. Trickery. “When was the last time you did something just because it was crazy and fun?”

  4. Hot, hot fire.

  5. Scouting. Setting goals for us the week. I never don’t think we can win.

  6. I find the cacao because I am out of the decaf pods and just need something warm. I need my routine.

  7. Even he noticed it watching from thousands of miles away. Why isn’t he more aggressive? What is he afraid of?

  8. I grab a second plate because the thing about game days is that I have a hard time eating because of my nerves. And three straight days of games means very little for dinner and a very hungry woman.

  9. Maybe that kind of anger will fuel him.

  10. This is a thing I know I can do well.

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