8.20.2007

08.2007: week 4

Kim and I were excited to spend a week at the beach with my family. It had been a long summer, and fall was right around the corner. We had been dating for seven months, and after spending 3 hours every other weekend on the road, long distance was taking its toll! This week together would be the most time we had spent together.

We had conversations throughout the summer about getting married, but Kim was under the impression that a ring would not come anytime soon. I had just changed jobs, graduate school tuition was due soon, and the timing did not seem good.

Monday night, we returned to the condo from dinner with my family and I asked if she wanted to take a walk on the beach. Not out of the ordinary by any means. As we started to walk down the beach, I asked what she was thinking. "Oh, about marrying you," she replied. What better timing?

We stopped walking and started talking. The sky was perfectly clear, the moon reflecting over the ocean. I decided this was the moment. I told her about a conversation I had with her Dad about marrying her, why I wanted to marry her. I reached down to my pocket to pull out the ring. She thought I had an itch, and still had no clue I was proposing. I stepped back and opened the ring. It took her a minute to realize what this was all about. Her jaw dropped, and I said, "Will you marry me?"

She thought about it for about a half-second. She said yes.

8.13.2007

08.2007: week 3

The start of the school year means college football season is right around the corner! The Spiders returned to the field this past week, so this week features another flashback.

In the fall of 2004, Coach Dave Clawson had just started his first season at the helm of the Richmond Spiders. The team lost its first week game at NC State, and made the trek during week 2 to Lexington, Virginia, to take on the Keydets of VMI. Perched atop the next-door arena, I had travelled with the team to film the game. During the pre-game festivities, including the procession of the Keydet students into the stadium, I snapped this panorama.

The Spiders went on to win this game for Coach Clawson's first win as Spider head coach.

8.09.2007

08.2007: week 2

It's been quite a busy summer, so I haven't had much time for digging into the 'ole archive.

It's back-to-school season over at UR, home of the Spiders. During the 2004-2005 basketball season, the Spiders women's basketball team cruised into the NCAA Tournament. They were to play Florida State at UConn. I got to travel along for a great weekend in Hartford, but a disappointing game. After a long night, our mascot decided to take a tour of the hotel. We joined up with Kate (left), the team's senior leader, for a visit to Coach Boyle's door -- at 2 AM. They knocked, she answered, and we had a little photo op.

And to all of you Florida State fans out there, remind your band that a spider is not an insect.

8.05.2007

08.2007: week 1

After a weekend at the beach and a few days in Greenville, I headed back to the beach for a few more days with Kim's family. Always good to have a little vacation time.