The Universe Smiles

My Universe is Smiling.

I Smile Back.

Just think...if I had actually trained...

I might have finished with Melanie? Maybe not, but I sure feel pretty good right now. Overall, Mel took 23 and I took 47 out of 146 women. Not too shabby if you ask me.

Socorro Chile Harvest Triathon
August 9, 2008

FEMALE AGE GROUP: 25 - 29
Place Name Age City/state Total Swim Trans1 Bike Trans2 Run Penalty No. ===== ========================== === =================== =========

1 Terry Moore 29 Las Cruces NM 1:08:44.1 5:50 1:19 36:07 0:47 24:45 23 2
Jamie Prochno 25 Albuquerque NM 1:11:55.6 7:36 1:26 38:29 0:49 23:38 100
3 Sara Eatman 26 Albuquerque NM 1:13:28.0 8:59 1:48 37:48 0:49 24:05 260
4 Melanie Locke 26 Albuquerque NM 1:13:58.6 6:46 1:50 39:17 1:25 24:44 366
5 Elisa Dimas 25 Albuquerque NM 1:21:24.5 8:16 1:54 41:33 1:51 27:53 154
6 Keri Burns 26 Thornton CO 1:21:49.5 10:37 1:41 41:38 1:03 26:52 252
7 Kristen Martinez 25 Albuquerque NM 1:22:47.4 9:14 2:15 43:18 1:26 26:37 220
8 Danielle Deupree 28 Alamogordo NM 1:23:01.0 8:08 2:36 41:39 1:22 29:19 192
9 Karen Lovato 28 Elephant Butte NM 1:26:43.5 9:33 3:15 42:59 0:54 30:06 303
10 Leslie Foltz 25 Albuquerque NM 1:28:10.3 9:35 2:21 42:40 1:54 31:44 261
11 Kate McCalmont 26 Gallup NM 1:28:18.2 8:46 2:38 45:23 1:35 29:59 203
12 Canisha Martin 28 El Paso TX 1:28:20.3 7:01 1:52 47:23 0:57 31:09 110
13 Nicolette Sigmon 27 Albuquerque NM 1:32:20.7 7:54 2:20 47:31 1:35 33:03 66
14 Christina Ortega 26 El Paso TX 1:32:31.6 9:05 1:41 47:48 1:17 32:42 294
15 Sheila Hickman 27 Albuquerque NM 1:36:00.5 10:31 2:53 51:23 1:50 29:27 354
16 Tiffany West-Schaub 27 Albuquerque NM 1:43:32.0 15:06 2:08 49:13 1:22 35:45 336
17 Courtney Benefiel 27 Rio Rancho NM 1:55:46.5 14:57 3:29 53:33 2:06 41:43 367


So, to make that easier to read:
Total time: 1:22:47.4
Swim time (400m pool): 9:14
Transition 1: 2:15
Bike time (40k): 43:18
Transition 2: 1:26
Run time (5k): 26:37

BTW, I think # 15 was a cheerleader...

Hooray for Boobies

Aside from being a great name for an album, it is also something I said yesterday...and meant, of course. That dollar that had been waiting in my purse to be donated...went to boobies. Well, it went to the Susan K. Koman fund for breast cancer. Just thought I'd letcha know. Thank you to whoever dropped their dollar. Thank you Aaron for being that kind of unique.

I'm no Batman

New Friend (Random Story)

There are five different trainers at Sports and Wellness that I have been shadowing for the summer to complete my internship. One of them is Aaron. For the last couple of weeks, every time I have come in to shadow him, somehow his clients decide not to show up...and never called him. This has happened four times now. One time, it was twice in a row. I need the hours, he has to be there...so we just hung out and talked shop. During one such conversation, he was telling me about the dollar that had been in the desk drawer for about a week now. Apparently he had found it on the floor and couldn't bring himself to pocket it...so he left it in the drawer. Said he didn't feel right taking it, even after a week. Aaron: 22, Personal Trainer/Student, fasts once a week, hates people who do crunches and/or attend night clubs. So yesterday, I took the dollar. Theoretically, the dollar went into buying him a frisbee and a set of three bouncy balls 'cause I thought it would be funny (came to .96 + tax)...the actual dollar, however, is in my purse...waiting to be given to charity. Don't I feel karmically balanced now?

New Juicer

I just read Skinny Bitch on the airplane on the way back from MD on Wednesday. On top of knowing that the authors are pretty darn right...I was feeling icky. My digestive tract has been giving me nightmares...SOOO, as everyone has seen on Facebook, I gave up high fructose corn syrup. Yesterday I spent way too much time and WAYY too much money on groceries, and a juicer. I've been eating salads, fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds, and cut out milk and a lot of processed simple sugars. It has been about 2 or 3 days now and I feel like I just quit smoking. Except, I already don't miss the sugar. The change in how I feel is absolutely phenomenal. I challenge every single one of you to buy some oranges and a juicer today.

Citrus juicer from Target $20

Oranges (and other foods to make tummies happy) $170

Feeling like even if I had a million dollars it wouldn't make me as happy: priceless...

New Family

Speaking of MD (Maryland-my birthplace), I took my first trip in 7 years to see my mom's side. My granny is 80 and I just recently reconnected with some cousins on myspace and thus was put in touch with cousins I've never met. So I thought, what the heck. We'll be there, let's meet them. They're great. Rest of our family is a little crazy...but both my brother and I felt like we finally knew where we belong in this family. 'Cause believe me...it was hard to figure out before. There is a youtube of Rich doing some kind of funky chicken "drunk dance." Effing hilarious.

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=38377158

Old Problems

So needless to say, after spending four days in a car, in a hotel, in a bed, on an airplane, at the park, with my snoring, loud, crazy, sometimes really crazy, extended and nuclear family...I got really tired of being around people. When I came home I was charged with taking over dog-sitting for the neighbors. Sleeping at my parents house, putting the dog in, taking the dog out, etc. In my eyes, this was my chance to decompress. All by myself. The neighbors put the dog in at 830pm and I felt bad getting in late and making them do it while I was in town. I did as much as I could, but having a life, just getting back to Abq., and having the girls still gone...it was hard to justify leaving home at 815pm to watch a dog. No hard feelings. It had nothing to do with anything but not being alone for any small amount of time for a long duration and being very sick of drama and people and getting zero sleep. I slept well at my parents house and all I had to worry about was my doggy. I ran with her and I played with her and I slept very well. For no other reason besides that I needed to. My body was finished with the way it was living. So, needless to say when I had the prospect of an open Sunday, I went grocery shopping. Alone. For my health. And I bought all the right things for me and my sanity...and all the wrong things for everyone else apparently. I've opened a new chapter on my life and on my outlook on my life. I'm weak. I can't take a lot of stress. I feel much better, but I've got a long way to go. I found some earplugs. Last night, they worked great. Slept well at home this time. Oh, and BTW...go see Batman. It rocked.

It's hard to believe that there's nobody out there...

It's hard to believe that, I'm all alone

At least I have her love...the city she loves me.

Lonely as I am...together we cry.


Life is full of loss. But in loss there is life...gain, beauty beyond that loss. Loss takes many shapes, as does beauty...they are shape shifters. With one loss you gain another. The first loss, be it painful, opens the veins to recieve beauty in ways we cannot perceive through the tears.

I wish I could have lived near him.
I wish I could have learned more.
I wish he had told me the truth.
We all knew the truth.
We never met
They loved her.
She was old.
He was a pushover.
He fought for us.
He should have gone a long time ago.
He should never have come into it.

I'm an not afraid
I will go beyond
I will destress
I do not know
I am in control
I am worried
For her
For us

Even now I cry for it...even now I am letting go of the stress...even now I am making my nest ready...even now I am completely alone.

But I am not afraid.
Nor should you be.

I love you

You are Beautiful

I thought the girls could use a little break from the stereotyping...

Self Help Awareness Week

My life has changed a lot in the past couple of weeks. Change comes faster and faster each day. I feel like I'm sheding that cocoon to take on another form. We are all in a process. We are always learning, creating, going somewhere. The thing most people forget is that it's up to you. I sometimes forget that the changes that are happening now are the result of some big decisions and a lot of hard work after that. There is more hard work, I'm welcoming it, to come from here on out.

I put in my two weeks notice at Mercedes Benz. Life feels odd once you know that the burden will be lifted. I'm really looking forward to making the change and working for CNM's fitness program. I'm grateful to be given the opportunaty to do this job. I just can't believe it.

My week vacation spent in North Carolina couldn't have been more perfect and came at the perfect time. It was my first real vacation...ever. And definately my first from MB. You don't have a clue how stress ruins your ability to live fully until you get out from under it to see a much nicer, calmer, more beautiful world. Jessica, you had a lot to do with this vacation going so well. I miss you already and I hope the rest of your time spent at Duke (and in NC) is all that you want it to be. Thank you for my stress free week.

And the week started as soon as I got back. Thanks to everyone who understood that their special day was only 1/3 of a day. Thanks to everyone who re-adjusted their schedules to suit mine. Second interview today for an internship with Sports and Wellness. Interview tomorrow to run a little jumper class for toddlers and their parents.

All I'm saying is that if you want it, you can have it. I'm saying that if you need a change, change it. It's definately easier said than done, but not impossible. Just remember that what you are experiencing now is a direct result of your work in the past (and present). Think about the things you do today and how "future you" will feel about what you are doing. Don't miss out on life.

I feel good about some things, great about others, like hell about still more, and very in love. For right now, I feel secure in what I do know, what I am, and that change is inevitable. I just have to influence it in the right direction. For the first time in my life I have a direction. I chose it.