After a little more than five weeks, I am back in New York City. Just in time for the start of the college and NFL football seasons and the U.S. Open here in NYC. But I still can't stop thinking about the Olympics. Probably because that's what everyone is asking me about. They want to know, "What was your favorite moment? Favorite event? Favorite part of Beijing?" (My answers: Watching the 100- and 200-meter finals, and the 100-meter press conference; the men's indoor volleyball final; the people.)

During the week I spent in Shanghai, the Olympics was the topic of every dinner conversation. Folks who grew up in China wanted to know what I thought about their country, their covering of the Olympics and the Games themselves. They told me stories about how they heard little negative coverage of the Games through the Chinese media (what murder?) and how Liu Xian's house was vandalized after he withdrew from the Games with an injury. In China, these Games were more than mere games. Folks from the States wanted to know what events I attended and if I had any athlete gossip. (Of course I did!)

But most of all, they just wanted to talk about the Games. As did I. Because we all know that very soon talk of Michael Phelps and Usain Bolt and Chinese gymnasts will fade as the sports conversation turns to MLB playoffs and the BCS. And it won't return for another four years.

In the meantime, we have Vancouver to look forward to.

In five days, I say "See ya soon!" to New York City and all of the dear friends I've collected over the nine years I've lived in New York. (So much for that "three-year plan" when I moved here 10 days out of college.) I am certainly not saying good-bye to the Big Apple, because I plan to spend as much time in NYC while living on the West Coast (Santa Monica, to be exact. Sixth Street, to be more so.) as I have spent in LA while living here in New York. (Translation: A lot.)

Knowing that I only have a few days left as a Gotham resident, I've been cramming as much as I can into every day. (Not that this is much different from my usual M.O., but still.) Last weekend, I spent three days upstate in French Woods, NY, at trapeze camp. And when I say camp, I mean camp. Bunk beds, bring-your-own bedding and community meals. I met some really fantastic folks in French Woods, including trapeze icons Tony Steele and Peter Gold. (My new sports heroes.) I also ripped my hands to shreds, bloodied by lip and was sore as hell by the time I arrived home Sunday night. I was also addicted.

MY HANDS. (MY FRIEND MARISA'S HAND IS IN THE MIDDLE. SHE THOUGHT IT'D MAKE ME LOOK TOUGHER.)

The Monday after I returned home from camp, I drove to D.C. with three friends, and co-workers (Lindsay, Sarah and Elena) for the Washington Capitals' media day. Lindsay and Sarah skated in their media camp and Elena and I filmed them for mag.com and heckled from the sidelines.

SARAH AND LINDSAY DO THEIR OPENING STANDUP ...

My favorite part of the day was when we went into a film room and listened to coach Bruce Boudreau break down the power play on game film. I am a bit hockey illiterate, so I felt a little smarter after the session. I was impressed at what a down-to-earth, approachable, accessible guy Boudreau was. Then, I backpeddled on my gushing a bit when he told a few of us that, "That lady who's running for VP has my vote. She's a hockey mom. That's all I need to know." Fortunately, he's Canadian. They're still not allowed to vote.

I DROPPED BY THE STORE AND NOTICED THIS JERSEY BEING MADE. APPARENTLY A FAN CALLED UP AND PLACED THIS CUSTOM ORDER. SHE WAS GOING TO PRESENT IT TO PALIN AT A RALLY THAT NIGHT ...

Back from D.C., I spent the rest of the week in the office. On Thursday, Italian superstar Valentino Rossi dropped by the office. I didn't think I would have to tell anyone how cool it was to have the most famous athlete in Italy (and one of the biggest stars in Europe; he was also one of the highest-paid athletes in the world last year, bringing in $37 million) drop by our little 34th Street office. But unfortunately, I did. So I assume I have to do the same here. Rossi is a multiple Moto GP world champion motorcycle racer and just one of the coolest athletes on the planet. Check out his visit here.

ROSSI EXPLAINS TO OUR ESPNTHEMAG.COM FOLKS JUST HOW COOL HE IS ...

A $37 MILLION SIGNATURE

This weekend, I am spending my last Saturday and Sunday watching college and NFL football with friends. Pretty soon, I'll be doing that over breakfast.

Another day, another athlete visit. Today, light heavyweights Joe Calzaghe (of Wales) and Roy Jones, Jr. (of Florida) dropped by our 34th Street offices to promote their upcoming fight at Madison Square Garden. The two men sat in our garage for about a half hour today and answered questions from our staff. They joked, talked about the (gasp!) respect they have for each other and were just damn interesting/funny/smart. I could have listened to them gab all day.

They talked about MMA (Calzaghe thinks there is room in the sports world for both boxing and MMA; Jones doesn't see much difference between UFC and dog fighting), when it's time to retire (Calzaghe says after this match, he's fulfilled all his dreams; Jones says boxing is never about money—if it was, he says he'd fight de la Hoya instead of the "more masculine" Calzaghe—and he will take fights until it's not in him anymore) and life after boxing (Calzaghe wants kids; Jones wants a personal masseuse and makeup artist to "take care of my beautiful face"). Like I said, I wish they'd drop by more often.

ROY JONES. JR. AND JOE CALZAGHE CHAT (AMICABLY!) WITH OUR .COM FOLKS ...

ROY SIGNS MY GLOVES, RIGHT NEXT TO FLOYD MAYWEATHER, JR. CAN'T TAKE THESE TO BOXING CLASS ANYMORE ...

JOE SIGNS NEXT. DID YOU KNOW BOXERS ALWAYS SIGN BOTH GLOVES? ONE TO KEEP ... ONE TO E-BAY ...

I spent the past three days at the first Stone Clinic Women's Sports Conference in San Francisco, California, and had the opportunity to get to know some of the most remarkable women I've had the opportunity to meet in my years as a sports writer. I attended the conference to speak on a panel about women in the sports media, and to give advice to young athletes about how they can get their story out there, and how they can work more effectively with the media. I met big-mountain skiers, white water kayakers, cyclists, mountain bikers, snowboarders and rowers with incredible stories who felt they would never break through the noise or be able to make a difference for their sport.

The weekend made me a bit disappointed in the messages these athletes have been receiving in the current media, yet optimistic about the future of women's sports. I left thinking there has to be a way to make a better sports magazine for women. Conferences like this are a good start.

Today, I am off to Switzerland for my friends Lisa (you may know her from my Olympic posts) and John's (ditto) wedding in Leysin (as well as a week of wine tasting, golf, thermal spas and chocolate). But first, a stop at their apartment in Lausanne, home of the International Olympic Committee's HQ ... where we will not be talking about sports.