How the World Turns, and Turns

When you think you have something to worry about, look at someone else’s life and listen to their worries. They make yours seem so much less.

This past weekend my father called me from ‘The Twin Cities’ (Minneapolis/St. Paul). I assumed he was just up there visiting family. He called to console me about some bad news I had gotten at work (more to come on that when I have definite news). Turns out he was hanging out in a hospital with his brother and sister becoming a human pin cushion, seeing if he is an acceptable kidney donor for his brother.
If all goes well, next spring my father may be working with one less kidney and my uncle may have one perfectly good functioning one, chillin back on the beach at his home in Puerto Rico..
This will all happen after ski season of course. My father may be selfless enough to give a kidney, but don’t take away his passion of skiing. That is going too far, a man has to have his limits

At the same time as I am having this conversation with my dad, my best friend was visiting her mom for her birthday, while her mother is in a battle with the Big C.

All the while other family members and people I love are all battling their own wars with illness, disease, addiction and heartbreak.

Depressing?

Na, I am fortunate to have all these people in my life, only a phone call or a short visit away. We certainly laugh, cry and enjoy every day we have together. Because that is the thing about life, No one gets out alive.

I may have some big life changes lurking, but for now I have my health, happiness, and an abundance of friends and family that love and support me. Not to mention a crazy dog a homicidal cat that provides endless hours of entertainment.

Stay tuned for the next episode…

Finding Peace

Alarm blaring at 5:15 am is painful.

Once I get to see this view.


The pain is replaced.

To make this view tolerable

Current 1000 meter swim stat: 24:09

Quotes

My Quote for the day:
“The first step toward change is awareness. The second step is acceptance.”--Nathaniel Brandon

My Quote for the Coming Weeks:
“Change is the essence of life.Be willing to surrender what you are for what you could become.”--Unknown

My Quote for Life:
“We must become the change we want to see.”--Mahatma Gandhi

4 Years

I would have completely missed this day had it not been for an email sent to me by Colorado Quit Net
4 years ago I quit smoking…

The idea that I used to smoke at all is so foreign to me.
I can honestly say I would never ever smoke another cigarette.

Here are my stat’s:

Your Quit Date is: Monday, August 01, 2005 at 10:00:00 PM
Time Smoke-Free: 1460 days, 7 hours, 55 minutes and 35 seconds
Cigarettes NOT smoked: 21905
Lifetime Saved: 5 months, 17 days, 7 hours
Money Saved: $4,383.00

That is a lot of time, smokes and scrilla!

Food Ramble

In order to get out, enjoy the sunny weather and do as little walking as possible (because I am still recovering from my middle of the dawn, burn of frustration energy up the incline last week--new PR 48:12)

I decided to peddle my bike downtown to see the movie “Food, Inc.”

I knew this was a documentary on out food in this country and how it is produced. Being that since I went on the macro biotic diet when I was 19 for a short period of time (I missed dairy and cold no longer resist the call of cheese) and ever since been very interested in food, the decline of our culture when it comes to processed food and convenience. Also being a vegetarian, err I mean an “Lacto, ovo, Pescatarian” (if you want/need the correct label)---translation: I eat no meat other than fish, however I do eat dairy products and eggs…and really? Do you really care? Probably not…

I make a personal serious effort to avoid fast food, “chemical foods” and process foods in general, but I will also be the first to admit, I love a Taco Bell bean burrito from time to time and Kraft mac and cheese IS my favorite comfort food (soon to be replaced by Jan’s homemade mac and cheese which I was recently schooled in the art of preparing that pan of delicious goodness).

I may have strict food ‘rules’ for myself, but I will never tell someone else how to eat, I don’t care if you like high fructose corn syrup or you like to eat hamburger at every meal, to each their own. Heck, I LOVE sugar. LOVE LOVE LOVE it. Don’t even get near me with Sweet N low, or Splenda, I want good, old sugar!

That is where this movie lost me, I found it interesting the politics and the corporate control over our farmers. There was a level of guilt in the movie to the audience, man, had I been a carnivore. I would have felt awful walking out of the theater. As it was I already felt like a crappy American, buying , my food from the grocer, bananas from Chili, tomatoes from not here, year round. Without blinking an eye. I should have planted that garden I meant to this year, I should learn to can food…Whatever, I still like bananas in February, and Tomatoes in January…

However, there were some interesting points made in the movie and I did learn something. Like in the state I live, Colorado, it is a FELONY apparently to speak negatively against any meat produced in this state. Huh?

Really?

So the fact I have always said Greeley stinks like ass because of Monfort because Monfort stinks…
They labeled it the ‘Vegi-slander laws”
I need to research that some more. Because if I am going to jail by the meat police I need to know if it is because I choose not to eat meat, or if I insult meat in some way.
How does one go about insulting meat? Say it’s momma was a whore?
Hmmmm
As I rode my bike away from the theater I thought, “why am I feeling crappy, I eat healthy, I ride my bike as much as possible to avoid driving my car, plus it is fun, I try to be a good person. I am happy, nice, honest person…”
I turned the corner to realize there was a fireman party for the neighborhood…What? Firemen? In short sleeved shirts, serving cake? YAY!

What movie?

Pikes Peak 2009

Living in Colorado Springs for the past 11 years, I have climbed many mountains, some as far as South America and an attempt at one in Indonesia. But never the big one in my back yard. The mountain that greets me every morning when I leave my house to start my day.
Pikes Peak has provided me with many fun adventures, The Incline is my favorite workouts. I have taken endless tourist fiends and family up the peak by car and The Cog Railway. I have hiked the Crags to Devils Playground to spectate The Pikes Peak Hill Climb (and avoid paying the $40 entrance fee)
I have never walked all the way up Barr trail from parking lot to the summit. Until last weekend.

13 miles

one way.

Even though I have friends that run this on a regular basis--I call them insane, but I like crazy people.
This is not an easy hike.
Much less a much more difficult run. There were many people on the trail with me training for the upcoming Pikes Peak Accent race.

I started my journey at 4:22am

Once the sun started to rise I could see the city below...


A few miles up my goal came into view...

7 miles up I came up to Barr camp where a lovely doggy greeted me and the caretaker Teresa had some wholegrain pancakes to share. Those were DELICIOUS!


6 miles after Barr camp, and 7 hours, 37 minutes and 4 seconds after leaving my car at the trailhead, I was here


On the train down I sat next to Yvonne Carpenter, Matt Carpenters wife. She is training for The Accent and her time up was something like 3.5 hours. Honestly I could be wrong on that, it was too short for me to comprehend.
She is a super nice lady. Matt is also a nice man, I have had the pleasure of meeting him on a few occassins and running into him quite often on Barr trail.

That just isn't right.

I got home to celebrate with a gifted Cheyenne Canon Pinon Ale and a Pizza from Domino's. (My first pizza and Cheyenne Canyon Ale in months...)

I swear I heard angels sing

Then I went to sleep

Oh RHETT!!!

On Tuesday night the Old 97's played in Colorado Springs, even better, at Colorado College, a short hop from my house.

As always they put on an awesome show.

Afterwards, as we were heading to our bikes, we ran into Rhett Miller (If I had a rockstar crush, wait, I should say I DO have a rockstar crush. It is on Rhett Miller)

Dreamy!