Out of the Box With Unique June 13 Hi there!!! Although life has been pretty busy lately, it has been great for me. I hope that everybody out there accomplished everything they set out to do this week. On the flip side, I sure didn’t follow through with everything that I had planned. I slipped up on the easiest thing—to take my vitamins everyday. I know it sounds like I am stressing over nothing but my self discipline is important to me. Taking care of my body is very important if I want to live a healthy lifestyle and compete at a high level. This past off-season I started practicing mental fasting where I try to give up something that I enjoy for a period of time. I try to give up something that I often crave or that is visibly put in front of me due to my environment. For example, while I was in Spain this off-season I gave up alcoholic beverages for two months. After that two month period, I had some champagne at a gala only to give it up again the next day for another month! It’s not that I drink a lot but in the European culture they like to have wine or some other alcoholic beverage at each meal (except breakfast). I just didn’t want to pick up that habit even though I do like a glass of wine here and there (come on, I’m 27 years old). This practice of mental fasting really helps me strengthen my mind and discipline myself. I try to challenge myself constantly because it feels good to know what you have accomplished. I’m sure many of you saw us suffer a tough loss to Sacramento last Saturday on ABC. It was a tough loss for us but we learned a lot about ourselves from watching the tape of the game. We arrived back in L.A. around 8:30pm Saturday night and Coach Bibby made us meet at the practice facility to watch the tape as a team. As you know, tape doesn’t lie and boy, we were horrible! As we critiqued the tape we saw the areas in which we need to improve as a team and individually. After leaving the practice facility around 11:30pm, we were back in the lab at 9am the following morning. I can see how everyone has stepped up and is making a conscious effort to better themselves and the team. We played the Phoenix Mercury Wednesday night at home. We ended up suffering another loss - this time by three points. Yes, this was a tough loss but we have to keep fighting and pushing on. Things will turn around for us…We just have to keep our environment positive. Since we are struggling and not living up to the hype right now, people (outsiders) will start talking and pointing fingers. Believe me, we will get it together – I’m 100 percent sure about that. We just have to get our swagger back. Go Sparks!! After practice was over on Sunday, I felt like I needed a mental break. I went home and ate some lunch and then headed to Venice beach with my boy Mac. The weather was so nice! We just walked up and down the boardwalk talking about whatever. I ran into so many old friends it was unbelievable. I ran into Marcus Haislip (played at Tennessee and for the Milwaukee Bucks), Lem Fishburne (who I went to Queens Lutheran with for 6th,7th, and 8th grade—his brother is actor Laurence Fishburne), Otis Anderson (NFL player for my home team the NY Giants), and some Tennessee fans. These fans were all decked out in their Lady Vols gear because our softball team was competing in the College World Series. Go Lady Vols! It’s great to be a Tennessee Lady Vol!! I spent most of my time talking and enjoying the weather. It was nice to see so many old but familiar faces. Next stop was the Cheesecake Factory to celebrate Whit’s birthday. Whit (Tamika Whitmore) turned 27, so a few people got together to celebrate her born day. Oh! Before I forget, one the highlights this week was getting the chance to check out the hip hop artist Common at the House of Blues on Sunset. Oh boy was I in heaven. Common is one of my favorite hip hop artists – he is phenomenal. I enjoyed the show so much. It was great seeing his energy in person. Of course he did his thing and kept the crowd hyped. MC Lyte made a guest appearance, so of course that was a treat. What makes him so good is that he doesn’t talk about guns and shooting people – his style is more conscious hip hop and he does a great job of getting his point across. I will honestly remember his performance for the rest of my life. If you like hip hop you’ve got to check out his new CD called BE. It is his best work thus far and is rising on the charts this week (it’s #2 on the Billboard charts). It will definitely be a classic. Mark my word. Many people have come up to me and offered their experience with meditation since I mentioned it is something that helps me in my daily life. When I went to play in Korea in 2002, I was introduced to Buddhism. In Asia, many people are Buddhist and after being there for four months, I just became intrigued. Since then I have opened myself up to learning as much as possible about Buddhism. When I tell people I’m into Buddhism, the first thing they ask is “You don’t believe in God?” Yes, I‘m a Christian and I do believe in God. Even though Buddhism is a religion, I study it as a philosophy. It offers pointers on life that help me wake up and focus in my life so that I can live more completely. I want to thank Tyrone Terrill, the director of Human Rights in St. Paul, Minnesota, who gave me my first book on Buddhism, “Being Black,” by Angel Kyodo Williams. You were right, this was one of the greatest books ever written. It has given me a greater understanding of life. Now I know why Phil Jackson loves to use Zen in his coaching. It’s time for me to say goodbye until next week. Thanks for coming and checking me out again. Everyone have a great week and over the weekend try to do something fun that will make you smile. Peace and Blessings- Unique #1 Thought for the Week: Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumored by many. Do not believe in anything simply because it is found written in your religious books. Do not believe in anything merely on authority of your teachers and elders. Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations. But after observation, and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and the benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it. - Buddha http://www.wnba.com/sparks/news/outofbox_050613.html --

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