Mud and More Mud

Halloween came and went quite quickly. Amy, Dave, Kresten and I lounged around in the living room drinking wine, giving out candy, and eating small appetizers that Amy was producing from the kitchen. It's what I call a pretty good Friday night, but hey, add wine to any event, and Schug at that, and I am pretty happy! I did not end up donning my gladiator costume for the evening however. Once again the lure of Halloween night has been eclipsed by the previous weekend's Halloween cross! However, that evening Dave and I decided, perhaps not smartly, to race the next day in Santa Rosa. There is a cross series being put on by Bike Monkey, and we thought it would be fun to go check it out.

Saturday morning came, rain included, and we left the house to head north. The more north we went, the more rain we encountered. Once we arrived at the venue, we were directed to park across the street and at the local high school. And, of course, just as the Subaru pulled into its parking space, the deluge truly began! A couple minutes to slip on my chamois and jersey, layer my heavy Velo Bella jacket, North Face jacket, and rain jacket over the top, and we were off across the street to register and pre-ride.

Everything was so wet I am not sure my signature would legally holdup in court. But I am sure they will cash the check, no matter its wet condition. Dave pinned my number on, he put my messenger bag over a shoulder, and then I was off to try things out. Let me put it this way, I made it about 1/4 of the way on the course and decided it might take me too long to pre-ride and make the start. Yes, it was that muddy. It was one of those courses you figure there's really no reason to make yourself suffer a whole other lap, other than the ones you have to race.

It would have been a very fast course had the rain not come. There was a creek crossing that was a little sketchy, and another small bridge crossing that came after a sharp left turn and 2 foot drop. But in the rain, it was slow. SUPER SLOW! Kicking my ass around that course was hard. Maybe not as hard as Watsonville, but that's only because there was no eroding run ups!! Nonetheless, it was fun. It's always fun to get muddy on your cross bike! And I was wearing the white velo bella jersey for effect.

I hope you all voted today!! I did (two weeks ago).

Sunday Racing and Studying

Sunday I raced at McLaren Park. The first race of the season, at least for me, is always interesting. You never really know what to expect. The course was really a mountain course. Lots of climbing and a lot of single track, and some bogged down wet grass (my favorite!!). I actually did pretty well for myself, considering how little I have been on my bike and how much climbing there was. I was proud of myself. I kicked my ass into gear and just went for it!

That is kind of how I feel my life has been lately! Having to just say I am going to something, and just doing it. At the end of last month, I was on the phone with my dad one night. He was asking me if I had started applications, my GRE studying, finishing my writing sample, etc. And all of a sudden I just started crying. I wasn't crying because my dad was hounding me, but because it finally the moment for me where I realized I was at a crossroads. I know it sounds banal, but I felt as though there was a fork in the road. One way, I would end up ten years older at a job a hated and not doing what I love, regretting that I never even tried. The other way, well at least I attempted to accomplish what I wanted to do. I hung up with my dad that night, still lachrymose, but with a little more determination. That weekend I went to the bookstore. I spent $70 on some GRE study materials. When I went back home, I got on my computer and just chose two dates. October 29th and November 8th. I said on those two days I am taking my GRE. (My GRE General Subject test is the first date, and my English Subject Test is the second date). I just kicked my ass into gear and said it's now or never.

Since then I have been steadily preparing for my GRE. I have my flashcards for verbal everywhere I go. Learning new words is a lot of work. And apparently my vocabulary sucks!! I am studying my math. Do you know how long it has been since I have done math? I mean multiplying exponents, dealing with fractions, long division math? I can tell you how much that $250 blazer will be if it is 35% off, but as far as figuring out if 5/3 = x/2, I am screwed. But it is coming along. With a week and a day to go, I am nervous, but hopeful. Because I guess that is the best that you really can be, is hopeful!

I have started my applications, which will come into full swing after the GREs. But for now I have to focus on them. And my Halloween Cross outfit, of course. Luckily, I think I am almost complete. And I pick up my bike from the shop tomorrow or Thursday, and then it's off to Surf City for the weekend.

Bingo & The Vice Presidential Debate

As the VP debate looms on the evening's horizon, the only positive part of the evening that I can discern is drinking to this political past time. And drinking in style! Along with my chardonnay, I believe the best display of patriotic pride that I have found is:

www.palinbingo.com

Oh yes, you saw that correctly...Palin Bingo. Pretty much the most glorious thing to happen to Sarah Palin since being named the GOP VP nominee.

So tonight, in honor of the most talked about vice presidential debates, that Sarah Palin attempted to put off until after the election, I will enjoy my patriotic game all the way to victory. I hope she prepared herself well, for she can see Russia from her house, and since that is the international dateline, she can also see into the future. I wonder if her predictions will come true? I guess we must all wait and see, and enjoy Palin Bingo.

The Olympics

I cannot believe that the Olympics are almost over. We are on Day 15. It ends on Sunday...tear! These Olympics have been pretty amazing! Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh winning gold, in the rain! Amazing! Michael Phelps swimming to victory like he was born half fish, half god! Women's soccer winning gold! Usain Bolt blowing away the fields in his races. The guy's winning their bronze in team gymnastics. Nastia Luikin and Shawn Johnson doing awesome in their routines! There has been controversy over age, judges, air quality, etc., but I have loved this Olympics!!! And I am sad it is almost over!


One of my favorite things about this Olympics has been yahoo! I refresh yahoo.com incessantly, seeing if there are new stories, new controversies, new medals, but most of all if there is a new post by the Fourth Place Medal Investigative Unit! Has anyone else seen this amazing little posting. It has revealed Kerri Walsh mysterious black tape on her shoulder, Michael Phelps' father, the supposed Olympic tv show curse, the very "serious" investigation into the age of some Chinese gymnasts, and so much more.

But my favorite Fourth Place Medal Investigative Unit story is as follows:

Leryn Franco is just your run-of-the-mill javelin thrower/pageant queen/model with her own calendar. But during the Beijing Olympics the 26-year old Paraguayan became so much more to the American people; she became our javelin thrower/pageant queen/model with her own calendar. So, my fellow Americans, it is with a heavy heart that I regret to inform you that our favorite Paraguayan athlete (sorry Jose Luis Chilavert) was eliminated from the Olympics on Tuesday after failing to qualify for the javelin finals. Take all the time you need.

Ms. Franco became the object of our attention after she was noticed by NBC cameras during the Parade of Nations at the Olympic Opening Ceremony. Fourth-Place Medal's fledgling Investigative Unit discovered her identity eight magical days ago and since then our schoolboy crush blossomed into unrequited love.

Leryn -- can we call you Leryn? -- didn't return our collective calls, but we didn't mind. We knew she was busy preparing for her event: the javelin throw. She competed this morning, finishing second-to-last in the qualifying round with a throw that was 12 meters short of her personal best. It was a disappointment, to be sure, but not altogether surprising. After all, Leryn's goal was never to medal; it was to win the hearts of men and women worldwide. And in that event, Leryn Franco won gold.

How fabulous is that story? Just thought I would share it with you! Hope you are enjoying the Olympics as much as I am!!!

Wednesday!

So it's hump day, and work isn't getting any more interesting! I spend a lot of time dealing with PG&E, which is practically a full-time job around here. It's amazing at the ridiculousness of that company. If they did provide something everybody needed, they would be out of business in a week. But alas, we bow to our public utilities companies, and just accept the fact that they've got us by the balls.

In other news, I did see some cute pictures today, of some very adorable animals.



I am loving, loving! the new Bella kits. I think they are adorable, and can't wait to wear my new Velo Bella jacket when it gets chilly. Which in San Francisco means tomorrow, or right now. As the summer breezes by, I am amazed by how fast things move when you are sitting at a desk all day. I need to get motivated and back into writing, researching, reading, and riding my bike. Any words of inspiration?

The Great Weather

So the gloomy weather in San Francisco, that everyone knows is crap in the summer, has been intermittently interrupted by a couple patches of good sunny weather. Last weekend I took a nice long ride over to the North Bay to enjoy the sunshine all over the bay. It was gorgeous.


Yesterday was amazing in the City, but because Amy and Dave took Kresten and I up to Navarro Winery in Philo, none of us got to soak up the sunshine here. So with today's overcast, Kresten and I escaped to Larkspur for a walk and lunch. And then we sat out on the water in Sausalito and read our books.

I hope everyone else is enjoying their weekends and getting such much needed rays.

Mamma Mia...

Mamma mia, here I go again
My my, how can I resist you?
Mamma mia, does it show again?
My my, just how much Ive missed you
Yes, Ive been brokenhearted
Blue since the day we parted
Why, why did I ever let you go?
Mamma mia, now I really know,
My my, I could never let you go.

I went and saw Mamma Mia yesterday afternoon. The entire theatre was laughing and dancing along to the music! It was hilarious. How great is it when people just break out into song at practically any moment!