... I figured I would just check in.

I spent a good portion of the first month away from Buffalo traveling to see some people and places that I don't get to see during the season... On my tour I was able to get to the west coast to see my brother play with Anaheim in their series against the Red Wings in games 3 and 4. I also was home in time to catch game 7 in Detroit. It was a great series and I thought the Wings were fortunate to escape.

Right now I am back in Michigan and slipping into a routine of going to the gym and spending some time with friends and family.

I was able to get back to Buffalo on May 21 for the Fan Award Network's show. I really liked the concept of rewarding the younger athletes in the community and recognizing their efforts. I remember being 17 years old when I received an award from USA hockey as the goaltender of the year. I wrote out a speech, got a suit and got to fly to Colorado to receive my award in front of a couple hundred people. It was nerve racking to be up in front of so many people, so when the kids came to the stage to receive their awards and say a few words all I could do was think back to that moment and smile at how nervous they all were. Nerves aside that moment made me feel a rush of confidence and I hope that the athletes recognized in Buffalo feel the same way.

As a side note... Since all of my friends have Facebook I am being made aware that there are several creepy people impersonating me. I understand that some people get a kick out of messing around but what concerns me is what these impersonators are telling people... I work hard to maintain a consistent public image, so not to ruin anyone's fun or burst any bubbles but I assure you that I am NOT on Facebook. I was on until I realized I was leaving my personal life wide open. I was even on MySpace for a little while until I got bombarded by friend requests... Not my style. I will stick to this blog because it allows me to simply give people some perspective on an athlete's life. If I feel the need to interact with fans there is always Wegmans. I always get solid hockey advice there... ;)