Triathlon Sampler

Again I've switched gears: cycling to swimming to running. Maybe I should try a triathlon? That was my sister's input and I am liking that notion. I'm in an awesome phase of wanting to do things I previously hated, feared, or could care less about. For starters, I've committed myself to run in Bloomsday on May 3rd.

I haven't lost all interest in swimming, but the Christmas season turned the pools to ice (just kidding, I am not swimming outdoors). I have every intention of going hardcore back to swimming as my other cardio training because it feeds my motivation to run. My body and mind are still in the adaptation stages with my new goal. Running has always been a mental challenge I needed to overcome. I needed to learn to ignore the physical discomfort and struggles, and finally I am only beginning. That is why I'm running a 12k road race.
For all things active and outdoors I am in the land of opportunity. Moving here has inspired me to be active - especially outdoors. It's the norm to have sidewalks for running, see people bike to work or cross-country ski when conditions allow.
In such an unexpected way, I'm really loving life out here. Even without roots here, I missed being in Spokane during my Christmas vacation. It shocked me because I'd never felt that way towards any place (save my hometown of 20 years), and I've barely been here 5 months! But it's a blessing and treasure, and no matter where I'm at after June, I'll have loved this experience.



Recently I ate Romanian food at a potluck style cooking group. It was really delicious and I met someone from Florida there. It was nice to share a connection to Southern culture for a moment. We managed to agree on the definition of the word beach as well as celebrate the absence of large bugs, alligators, and venomous snakes (except rattlesnakes) in the area. Natives to this area refer to the beach as the sandy section at Lake Coeur D'Alene - that is to say that a body of water nestled by mountains with no salt, no waves, no undertow, no seaweed, no jellyfish is a beach. No kidding.
I've been meeting new people lately now that I'm finished applying to graduate school and mostly staying in town on the weekends. My off-days consist of errands, running, library outings, and knitting in coffee shops or bookstores. Somehow, in my jogging clothes, I manage to attract strangers to come over and start conversation. So even if it sounds creepy, it's not so much in a public place. Also, it brightens my day to meet new people quite frequently.
Big Al's
What images flicker when you hear that name in conjunction with a club? You should be thinking of Hope Floats. At least I did. My only reference to a country western club was watching Sandra Bullock dance with cowboys. Big Al's is much more colorful. I wanted to ride the mechanical bull, but didn't after noticing flashing cameras in the hands of many a random guy lining the pen. Most everyone had on tight jeans, not to be en vogue with skinny jeans of course. I had walked into another culture and was very entertained.



Now here is a brief lesson in local history: the white supremacy organization Aryan Nations was formed and headquartered in Hayden Lake, ID (45 minutes drive from my house) for nearly three decades until 2001. I always say everyone has their secret lives (credit to the fantastic Water Deep), but going to a place like Big Al's provoked questions of how many in the crowd upheld the same pro-segregation ideals. It hasn't even been a decade since this group held rallies and marches in downtown Coeur D'Alene and that blows my mind. I am ignorant of the happenings in different regions of the country - what morals, philosophies, beliefs, priorities, etc. dominate the different subcultures. I guess that's what makes traveling appealing to me - you never know who you could possibly meet or what you could learn.
I compare America's own running history of violent "terrorist" groups to extremist Islam terror groups. Both grow from the same seeds of hatred. Instead of focusing on fighting a group of a completely different culture, why not get to know the people around you. I believe the biggest way any person can affect change is through relationships.

To: Family & Friends

I love all of my relationships with everyone that is a part of my life! And if you're hundreds or thousands of miles away, I definitely miss you a lot right now, but I'm happy that distance only impacts the social aspect of our relationship. Geez, I think that I am so sappy from those Georgia pines. <<< please watch this video.. i love this song!!!

I cannot express how wonderful it is to have friends over the years... I don't care if I see you over holidays or breaks or even if you make an effort to visit - I understand that life happens. And I don't care if you ignore my "desperate I need you at 2:00am phone calls" - at age 25, my body has turned against my night owl habits. I don't care if we haven't talked in six months or if the last time we did it was like we were strangers - we all need personal moments.

And that's all I wanted to say for now - just wanted to express the sentiment inside.

Visual Aides

Apparently my camera tells the story that all I do is play in the snow with the boys...I'm working on my defense case.

{not yet} Six Feet Under

In three weeks, Spokane received a record five feet of snow for the month of December, and now I've seen enough distressed plowing trucks on the side of the road to turn my heart to the prowling, I mean plowing, yellow CATs. Prior to Christmas month I was ignorant, having only a mere appreciation for snow plows, but my feelings quickly matured and blossomed into love, yes, even before Spring - the season that brings about twitterpation. Just before snowfall reached two feet, I was leaving the house in the studded snow tire outfitted, four-wheel drive suburban when a knight in yellow armor came to clear the berm at end of the driveway. Oh, the savior of my hips, as I haven't yet managed to safely navigate the driveway on foot, and doing so while shoveling is even more a feat. My tribute to the city workers and volunteers that make my driving possible.

A funny thing has happened to me - acclimation. When I moved here I was sad that temperatures dipped into the 50s at night because that meant I couldn't convince too many people to go camping. However, now 50 degrees is quite a warm, unheard of, and uncomfortable winter day, not to mention the slush that would pour into the roads and sidewalks (though I am getting to experience the slushiness this week with temperatures in the 30s). Anyway, so going to D.C. for a week was like changing seasons with temperatures hardly going below freezing. So, I've come to like the cold weather which is good since this winter is filled with storms of late. Living in an area with a change of seasons is new to me and I quite like it. In fact, I think to have anything less breaks off a piece of my smile.
I like to count my life in terms of experiences and a new one for me today was snowshoeing. With snow shoes on in this type of snow [that I cannot describe or name because I have yet to be introduced to snow vocabulary other than the word berm], you do not stay completely atop. However, one benefit is that you do not sink all the way down and have to push your mid and/or upper body through the snow. Is this making any sense? Someone said it's like walking in the ocean, but somehow that was a lot easier for me... oh well, sandcastles - igloos. I enjoyed it though we hardly went any distance. It was more of "let's just try this because neither of us have gone" than to get a good workout or to go exploring.

In line with the weather yet again is my return to knitting. While visiting my parents, I retrieved my small stash of knitting materials and have since made a beanie that merits a generous B- and a coaster that gets an A. I feel ashamedly accomplished. My latest knitting adventures include wool socks!! Wool socks from a store are quite expensive, so knitting them is permitted within my budget. It falls under the areas of entertainment and necessities as my toes get quite cold tromping about. On a side note, the eldest of the boys I nanny has requested that I teach him to knit. As I am only an amateur this will be difficult for us both.




Some video from Christmas Holiday in Washington, D.C. with my parents, sister, and brother-in-law.

Brad and Julie thought they were taking a photograph.

More adventures at the bowling alley.