GAG!

Our vacuum has been dying for awhile now, it took a turn for the worst right around American Thanksgiving. Money was tight due to Christmas so we decided to make do with limited suction. This might work for “normal” people, but with 3 cats and 1 dog we returned from Christmas Vacation to a reeking house. Nothing could be identified as the stinky culprit and we concluded that it must be the collecting grim in the carpet. Last night we went to Wal-Mart and got a new vacuum. It sucks wonderfully! To our dismay, we now believe that the old vacuum may have been dying long prior to Thanksgiving. Last night I vacuumed not 1 or 2, not even 3, but 4, full to overflowing, canisters of dirt, animal fur, and grim from our living room carpet. GAG!

Christmas Presents

I was very blessed by my christmas presents. I got the regular soaps & lotions, and a horse calendar for the house and a great Ansel Adams one for my office. My parents got me a gift card for EMS, I think I'm going to get a backpacking cookset. They also got me monogramed towels, tres chic. Andrew's parents got me a ton of books that were on my list: Jane Austen, The Constant Gardner, The Time Traveler's Wife, and The City of Fallen Angels. So if any of you are reading these books or plan to, let me know and we can discuss them. Keep checking back, I may write a couple of reviews.

Andrew got me an amazing gift, a transition bag. What's a transition bag? Well it's a huge backpack with compartments for everything you need race day. Spaces for my wetsuit, water bottles, gatorade bottle, bike helmet, running shoes, bike shoes, etc. Most triathletes use a milk crate to carry all their stuff. Me, I'm not so coordinated at 7:00 in the morning, I just can't seem to balance my milk crate on my bike and carry whatever else happened to not fit in the milk crate that morning. I can't wait to use it.

California Update

California was awesome! The weather was beautiful, unfortunately I didn't get much time to spend in the sun as programs went from 8 am to 5 or 6 pm depending on the night, and then there were evening programs too. By the time Saturday came I was ready for a break. I had the opportunity to go to Laguna Beach and explored tidal pools with lots of mini-ecosystems, it was beautiful.

The seminars were very informative and now I have lots of books that I need to find online and different therapist I want to research and learn more about.

I must say that the most intense seminar I went to was Patch Adams. Yes, the same one the movie is about, although I haven't seen it, I'm sure they toned him down for the movie. He is very passionate about what he believes in. One of the things he does is take groups of clowns to struggling countries and try to give the children (and adults) a little bit of joy and escape from their problems. Then when he comes back he shares with others the things he saw there and encourages social change. He really got to me with his stories and pictures, esp. from Darfur. It will rip your heart out if you look into some of the things going on in the world that we just close our eyes and ears to. I encourage you all to learn more about Patch Adams projects by checking out his website. I'm sure revolutionary is what will come to mind.

www.patchadams.org

Conference in California

The rest of this week I will be attending a conference in California put on by the Erickson Foundation. The Evolution of Psychotherapy Conference has an large number of well known therapists, actually giants in the field of psychotherapy. Can't wait to meet some of these people I had to read in undergraduate and graduate school. I'm going with 3 other co-workers, very excited! No posts til I get back, although with my posting irregularity I'm sure it will not even be noticed.

World AIDS Day

According to UNAIDS estimates, there are 38 million adults and 2.3 million children living with HIV, and during 2005 some 4.9 million people became newly infected with the virus. Around half of all people who become infected with HIV do so before they are 25 and are killed by AIDS before they are 35.

Around 95% of people with HIV/AIDS live in developing nations. But HIV today is a threat to men, women and children on all continents around the world.

Listen to Bono & Alicia Keys as you watch the photo montage.

Danielle Peck

For those of you who like country, especially angry chick country, here is an awesome new and upcoming artist. And she has her new single available for free download on her website. Check her out here.

American Thanksgiving

Since we have a "bi-cultural" family we celebrate Canadian & American Thanksgiving. Personally, I kind of like it, I get to eat those great big meals twice, three times if you count Christmas and four times if we're with my family for New Year's Eve. We usually do a New Year's eve meal that is traditional Quebec food. My favorite foods for this time of year are: Tortiere (it's a meat pie which my mom has perfected into a vegetarian dish), Turnip (what Americans call Rutabaga), and Pumpkin Pie. And Magic Cookie Bars, if you've never had one email me, I'll send you the recipe. They are the BEST things in the whole world. I forgot to mention another favorite. For Christmas dinner if we are at my parents we go the The Tuckers. I don't remember how many years we have been doing this, I guess since my parents started staying in Michigan for Christmas & not traveling back to Quebec. Mrs. Tucker makes GREAT Christmas dinners, one of my favorites is her Twice Baked Potatoes and her Cranberry Bread. Want to know what got me on this topic...It's snowing. I'm so excited. It's windy and blustery and blowing and accumulating and I'm nice and toasty warm inside with my computer, a book & tea, of course. If the weather man's right there should be enough to cross country ski by this weekend. It's the most wonderful time of the year!

WC Grant

Cross your fingers for me. I am applying for a grant to put on a women's triathlon clinic in March. The USAT Women's Commision has a fund for people that are looking to expand local female participation and knowledge in triathlons. I saw the ad in the Triathlon Times last month, asked around to local female racers and wannabes what they would be interested in attending and now am trying to put it all together. Yes, I have procrastinated (deadline tomorrow at 6pm Central Time) but it is a very short and simple application. The most complicated part right now is wording it all correctly so that it sounds good enough to get consideration. I still plan on doing it even if I don't get the grant but it will have much cooler stuff if I do. They announce their choices on December 15th so I don't have to wait too long.

1 Soapbox of Many

Last night on my way home from work I was listening to the radio, as usual. The DJ was announcing that the station was sponsoring a concert this week and outside the concert doors they would be collecting donations to send to the troops. I got really angry. Why do they need donations? They're getting a PAYCHECK!!! If they are stationed at an actual base, even overseas, the base has a grocery store with AMERICAN food, they have AMERICAN restaurants and AMERICAN movie theaters & bowling alleys. Why do we need to sent them donations?!?! Those that are in areas without a local PX have internet access and can order online whatever they want and have it shipped to where ever they are stationed. Oh and I forgot, they have AMERICAN cable TV too!!! I have clients that don't know how they are going to get groceries next week, let alone Thanksgiving dinner or Christmas presents. There are people down south and in the northeast that have lost everything they own due to hurricanes and flooding, and then there are the thousands of people that have been devestated by earthquakes and tsunami's just this year. They have lost homes, jobs, pets, family & friends. They have lost EVERYTHING that define who they are. I think if we're going to give donations lets send them to people who really have nothing and didn't have a say in their fate.

Uribe for MVP

The White Sox's finally pulled it off after all of these years. I have to admit, I was one of the skeptics that made fun of friends and family that were die hard fans. They're such easy targets, every year "this will be the year", year after year after year. I must admit I didn't even watch the complete game 4 because I really didn't think they could SWEEP the Astro's. I did rouse myself from my "nap" to watch the last inning. This whole playoff season I have been talking about Uribe, he makes these amazing catches, consistently. And can accuratly make a toss, for an out at first, from his knees, falling face first and at a run. He's amazing. Last night he made a catch in the stands for the second out of the ninth inning and made a running throw to first base for the third out. He's awesome. Unfortunatly in baseball offense is more important that defense so Dye took the MVP. My vote: URIBE!

Lazy Ramblings

After taking a few weeks off after my last race I have spent this whole past week saying "tomorrow I've got to start training again". A whole week has gone by and I still have done nothing. I did go for a walk today during the 45 minutes of sun that we had. It has rained everyday for a week and a half and it is supposed to continue for another week or so, maybe longer but that is only as far out as the weather reporters will talk about. I hate fall.
Ironman Kona was today, I caught the last few minutes on their live online broadcast tonight. It's not on TV until the 12th of November. Motivation to get off my butt and start training...I am going to do a 10K turkey day run on American thanksgiving. I found a 6 week training plan that will just be the right time if I start now.

Dakota

Dakota has somehow injured himself, Tuesday night he was limping and we decided to give him a few days and see if it passed. Well Thursday it was worst so we called the vet and he came right out...as fast as "right out" vets come.
He did a few different tests and it seems that Dakota has some sort of soft tissue injury in his heel or tissues leading to his front left heel. One week of stall & small pasture rest, bute am/pm & warm epsom salt soaks am/pm. After a week if he is still not improved the vet will come back out and re-test and if necessary x-ray.
Having Dakota stick his foot into a bucket of warm water is no small feat. He is big and not to crazy about water in general. Thursday night was a disaster, this morning was so so and tonight he was almost perfect.

Cayuga Lake Triathlon

I completed the Cayuga Lake Triathlon the first weekend in August. Overall I was happy with how I did and now know some more areas that I need to work on. Have one more tri in September and then the season is over. Considering doing a few duathlons just to extend the season and training.

Confessions of a Closet Hippie

July 7....I turned on the TV to watch the Today Show (I NEVER watch the news) and felt my stomach drop. Why can't everyone get along? What needs to be done so it can happen? What can we do to make a difference?

Targeting peaceable people, are not condoned by Islam, and are indeed prohibited by our religion. Sheikh Abdul Aziz al-Sheikh

We know that these people act in the name of Islam. But we also know that the vast and overwhelming majority of Muslims here and abroad are decent and law-abiding people who abhor those who do this every bit as much as we do. Tony Blair

Lay down Lay down Lay your sweet lovely on the ground
Lay your love on the track We're gonna break the monster's back
Yes we are...Lay down your treasure Lay it down now brother
You don't have time For a jealous lover
As you enter this life I pray you depart
With a wrinkled face And a brand new heart
I don't know if I can take it I'm not easy on my knees
Here's my heart you can break it I need some release, release, release
We need Love and peace Love and peace
Lay down Lay down your guns
All your daughters of Zion All your Abraham sons
I don't know if I can make it I'm not easy on my knees
Here's my heart and you can break it
I need some release, release, release
We need Love and peace Love and peace U2

Hello, Hello

For my first post...in introduction to the things I do when I am not working. In September of 2003 I competed in my first triathlon with a team. We did the sprint distance and I was the runner. Well dispite not having trained we did not come in last and I became quickly hooked to the sport. Last summer, 2004, I competed in a couple of team sprints at the begining of the season and then branched off on my own. I am hoping that summer of 2005 I will begin doing olympic distances.
I have three horses. A 13 year old palamino arab-quarter cross. A 6 year old breeding stock paint and a 2 year old mustang. Currently trail riding. Paint did one show last year in showmanship and western pleasure, considering starting him on reining this summer. No for sure plans for the mustang but considering competive trail riding. He is pretty solid and leaning towards being bomb-proof.
Working hard to stay fluent in French, but when you don't use it you loose it. So I'm exploring ways to practise. I teach high school French but unfortunatly that does not require a very high level of skill.
It's the weekend. Work day's over.