(Editor's note: Tulane senior guard Grace Daley will share a weekly diary with ESPN.com throughout the season. For more information on the Green Wave, visit Tulane's official athletic site.)

Dec. 21, 1999

Greetings Green Wave fans. Sorry about the delay in getting this latest diary entry in! These last few days of school have been rather hectic.

	Daley

On a happier note, I feel great right now! I just took my last final and school is officially over for me this semester! On top of that we play Tuesday and everyone is headed home the next day! We have a Christmas tournament so we have to be back on the 26th to practice. It's a short break, but I don't mind.

Don't get me wrong -- I love being at home. It's just that I also love being on campus for the break until school starts again. It's the ideal life for me -- basketball and video games all day long! Tulane's campus will be my Garden of Eden. However, the forbidden fruit will have to be picked on January 12th (the day classes resume). The only obligation we'll have everyday until then is to practice or to play games. And to me -- that's not an obligation, that's a pleasure!

I have to run off to go to shoot-around in a few minutes, but I wanted to make sure I took the opportunity to wish you all a very Merry Christmas.

I'm going to tell you two words that I have heard as a basketball player at least sixteen million times, but they're very appropriate for the holiday season, too. STAY FOCUSED! Amidst all of the gift giving and the good eating, don't lose your focus and forget to take time to really appreciate and tell the people you're around how much you love them.

Christmas is such a wonderful time! If you lose your focus about the real reason for the season and just open your gifts and get sucked into the commercial aspect of the holiday, that'd be no different than shooting a free throw with your eyes closed! Unless you're Michael Jordan, we'd all be better off just opening our eyes and taking full advantage of this precious opportunity that has been placed before us.

During the holidays you're usually surrounded by the people you love the most and you may not see them again for a long time, so step up to the line with confidence and tell them or show them how you feel! I've never seen a player tell a ref, "No thank you, I'd rather not take this shot," and give the ball back at the free throw line.

TTFN!

Grace