Morning Walk to the UN

HMMM going to bed late, getting up early.. how long can I keep this up? Woke at 8AM after going to sleep around 3. Arrived back at the hotel last night at one o’clock to find a call from my friend Kiwi Dave .. he’s a New Zealander..hence the nickname, Kiwi .. (which incidentally refers to a large bird in NZ rather than the small green fruit). “Let’s go out for a cocktail”. Never being one to say no to a little social activity, plus have been working hard so I thought I deserved a little refreshment, and headed to the specified bar.

But now.. back to this morning .. woke at eight, threw on my sweats and trainers, turned left out the door of the hotel, and headed for the East River. It’s a beautiful morning, the air is still refreshing, but it will get hot later. Wandering down First Ave, I come to the United Nations Plaza. Love all the flags, and stop to take a few snaps. I do a photo of myself reflected in the huge round sculpture in the plaza.

Seeing this building, and knowing what it stands for … United Nations .. think about it.. wouldn’t it be wonderful for nations to truly be united. Is it possible? Article two of the Charter states as their purpose, “To develop friendly relations among nations based on respect for the principle of equal rights and self-determination of peoples.”.

Thinking about this, I can relate it to the tennis tour. Aren’t we a small United Nations? Tennis is the most international sport in the world. Players, writers, photographers, tournament staff, agents, business people, from all nations and cultures, come together in cities from Shanghai to Indianapolis, Indiana, to Buenos Aires. We work, play, dine, drink, and travel the globe together. There can be conflicts, differences and competition, but somehow we work it out and in the end come together.

We’re like family, you may not always agree, but you know if you are in trouble, have a problem with a flight, computer, get sick, whatever, someone will help you out.

We are journalists. We are high profile players. We have a voice. Wouldn’t it be worthwhile to find a way to set an example of how people can forget the color of skin, hair, eyes, the language you speak, the religion you practice, and join together to accomplish a common goal? Shouldn’t we be talking about this, letting the world see how if we try as individuals, person to person, perhaps we can make a difference? Does this sound too idealistic? Does this sound too simple? Well, you know, one small voice can ignite the roar of a crowd.

I’ve always said, the thing I find most fulfilling about my work, is meeting people from all cultures, having friends in cities around the world. The travel has changed and enlarged my world view. I know I’m a very different person from the girl who grew up in a farming community in Illinois. I know that I’m very lucky to have had the opportunity to experience the world, and I hope that I can at least share a bit of the world as I see it through my photos and my writing.

Okay, I’ll step down from my soapbox, and talk a little about the matches today. The big story is Ivanovic going out to 188th ranked Julie Coin, who is playing in her first grand slam. I notice that Ivanovic has joined the mismatched wristband trend. Wonder if she has been influenced by her friend and countryman Novak Djokovic who has been doing this for the last year or so.

Andy Murray, the favorite son from Great Britian, pulled off a tough four setter against s Michael Llodra. In his post match press conference, he credited his win to mental toughness saying, “I thought that the whole match mentally was tough, and I dealt with it well.”.

I’m tuning out for now, because I want to watch Barack Obama’s speech. This is an historic moment for America, and I want to watch, li