Team Spirit and Stolen Property

Living together as a team for a week is certainly an experience. So far we've been having a pretty good time, hanging out, eating a LOT of pizza, and of course, sailing. Today's practice was amazing - sailed with Mimi (best boat ever...and the hottest, obviously) and we had so much fun. The wind was solid, the waves were rolling, and I was able to get over my nerves and just enjoy the wind and waves. The best was planing - the 420's surf the waves really smoothly and we could just fly downwind. It was a little cold, and raining pretty hard, but it made it feel all that much more badass - and we were working so hard I was actually sweating, so I didn't mind the cold.

The only problem with practice week is the living situation. Cramped together for a week straight, tensions running high, not on a normal eating/sleeping/workout schedule - it gets overwhelming. Especially with everything going on in my life right now, it is trying for sure. But Mimi and I are enjoying living together and making a mess of our tiny room, so it's ok :)

Speaking of...this weekend as I was moving into our assigned housing on the Greens, almost half of my belongings were stolen. I left them on the back patio because I couldn't move in yet and I needed to go get another car load of stuff, and when I came back my stuff had been rummaged through. My clothes were all there, but my laundry basket, detergent and two huge containers of pots, pans, dishes, etc. were all gone. Along with these minor items, my two favorite pairs of heels were gone (super expensive, nice heels that are a staple to my wardrobe) as well as my entire movie collection (except for Forgetting Sarah Marshall which is in my backpack for some reason). The most tragic of all, however, is that all of my jewelry was taken. This wasn't cheap, or even new, but was antique and much of it had belonged to my dad's mother, who died when I was a baby. It also included earrings given to me by my grandmother, as well as a jewelry box that was given to me by my mom which had been given to her by her grandmother, who practically raised her. It was an antique from the 20's or 30's and was one of the only things in my room of sentimental value. The other, my mother's jade elephant pendant and chain from India, I had luckily thrown into my boat bag that day so I could wear it tomorrow, and was saved. This leaves me with my one pair of pearl studs given to me by my mom, my Cape Cod bracelet and Caribbean hook bracelet, and my jade elephant. That's everything. I feel like I've lost a piece of me :(

In all this, however, there was something good. I randomly ended up hanging out with a girl who I knew a little bit, but not very well, and she helped me move to the Greens on Saturday. She was there as I fell to pieces over my stolen property, and when I had moved my stuff in and broke down crying on the bed, she emerged with a Tiffany bean necklace that she had brought for me - she said she never wore it and thought I deserved to have at least one necklace to wear (I hadn't found the saved elephant at this point). It was one of the most beautiful moments I have seen - truly genuine in kindness, she realized what it meant to have so many precious items taken, probably to be pawned off somewhere. I don't think I will ever forget what a nice thing it was for her to do - I haven't taken the necklace off since: it reminds me that in all the dark chaos in the world, there are still people who see the good and look out for others before themselves.

It has been a very crazy few days, and it is about to get crazier. But I know that my friends will be there, and some light will shine through :)