Reborn Jewelry

I recently did something that I have been wanting to do for a long time. I took my mother's wedding set and a pair of diamond stud earrings to a local jewelry store and am having them reset into something I can wear. I am so excited about this process. Not only will I have very special pieces from my mother to wear, but I am having them restyled at a jewelry store where she went many, many years ago to have a piece redone from her grandmother. In a way, it is like a tradition.

My mother passed away in 1997. Since my father remarried and moved North, I have had most of her jewelry including her gorgeous wedding set - an oval center stone flanked by two tapered baguettes in the engagement ring and two more tapered baguettes on either side of a straight baguette in the wedding band. I have always loved this piece obviously as it is a symbol of my parent's love. It also has an amazing story. My father was serving in Vietnam when he decided my mother was the one. He had his mother shop for engagement rings and take pictures of the top contenders. My grandmother mailed the photos to my dad in Vietnam who picked the winner. My grandmother bought the ring for him, and mailed it to my mother. Can you imagine getting an engagement ring in the mail, then planning a wedding in the hopes that your intended is not killed in the war? Well, luckily, my father served out his tour, came home, and they were married about a month later.

I have had this amazing jewelry in a drawer for years. While the rings fit, there is really no way for me to wear them as I have my own gorgeous wedding set. I also have a pair of diamond studs that were given to me by my husband, so those were excess as well.

I took the jewelry to Jewelsmith and met Patrick. I arrived just before closing one afternoon, but Patrick was kind enough to talk to me about what I wanted and show my some pieces that they had custom made for other clients. While the work was beautiful, there was no idea that really spoke to me. We decided to have another appointment to discuss the transformation further. The next day, I have an idea (I was in the shower - it's weird that a lot of my great ideas come while I am showering). I was so excited, I could barely contain myself.

Patrick loved my idea - two pieces. We could not find a way to put all of the stones in one ring. It turns out that it is pretty tough to work with the tapered baguettes. I just didn't want to leave stones unused, but I also did not want to add additional stones. I felt like I would look at the ring and think "hmm - is that the original stone or a matched one?" Making two pieces, a pendant and a ring, would allow us to use all the stones without it looking like too much. And so, the design process began...

Daniel Tosh Live!

This past Saturday night, hubby and I went to see the comedian Daniel Tosh perform live. We have been fans of his ever since we started watching his show Tosh.0 on Comedy Central. We also rented a DVD of a stand up concert called Completely Serious that he did. I just think he has a wonderful sense of humor. He is so quick, and he can point out things that are really funny in everyday life. I thoroughly enjoyed his show Saturday night. I had tears in the corner of my eyes for the entire show.

I think the thing that impresses me most is that he seems to have no limits. He is frequently nude (with the appropriate areas blurred-darn it!) on his show. He has no problems dressing like a woman or a fairy, or pretty much anything else. He is also very good at everything. Viewers will send in challenges for him to do, and he always succeeds in fulfilling the challenge-running faster, jumping over more folding chairs, bicycle stunts - you name it. He seems to have so much confidence-something I lack. Of course, that being said, he could be a total manic depressive nut case who can only pull his sh*t together when on stage. Somehow, I doubt that is true.

On top of all of that praise, he is really good looking. I think I need to add him to my list. Yep, Jason Statham and Daniel Tosh. A strange combo, but it works for me.

Check out the new season of Tosh.0 in January and look for his new concert DVD, Happy Thoughts.

End of the Season

I did my final scheduled triathlon this past Sunday. I was mostly pleased with my performance. I did really well in the swim and the bike, but I continue to have issues with the run after bike. I just can't get my legs back after biking for so long. I am not a fast runner to begin with, but it is even more difficult after biking.

I can't believe triathlon season is almost over. I do have the option of one more race. I keep thinking about it because I just think I am not ready for it to be over. I have really enjoyed the races I have done this year. I have had far more diversity this year than in the past. I have been able to reflect on the season a little bit and already have ideas for next year.

I want to continue to do the one mile swim events. I really do enjoy swimming and these events are just fun. After doing the final series event in August, I wished I have participated in the first three races. I plan to follow through on that plan in 2011. I also need more practice in my wetsuit. By participating in the first mile swim of the series, I think I should get the chance.

I really do like the sprint distance of triathlon, but I was not satisfied with my performance in the International distance. I missed my goal by a few minutes, and I know I can do better. I want to try the International or Olympic distance again in 2011.

I have improved on the bicycle, but there is room for more improvement. That means more and more riding. I would like to keep up our weekly long group rides, but I may also need to so a mid week ride. I have been receiving e-mails from a local women's riding group for months now, but have never joined them for a ride. I want to pursue that option this coming year.

My run is my worst event. On Sunday, I finished 137 out of 510 in the swim, 100 on the bike, but 355 on the run. If I could get my running to the level on the other events, I could really impact my overall finishes. I need to figure out how to make these improvements. I have a feeling it might start with practice, practice, practice!

So, I leave this season feeling good about what I have accomplished, but knowing that there is more work to be done. I have improved in 2010 over 2009, and I am looking forward to an even better year in 2011.

No Time!

It used to be that at the end of a given month, I would have a lot of free time at work. I would have time to update my blog between projects and do other personal things that you just can't accomplish during non-work hours. Things seem to have changed.

I have been much busier lately. It seems like most of the day is filled with actual work. I know it makes the day go by quicker, but I don't think I like it. I miss updating my blog and other things. It seems like there is no time at home either. I feel like I am constantly on the move. I have piles of magazines on the floor waiting to be read, and it seems like such a long time since I read a book.

I hope this period of "no time" is just a passing phase. It may be selfish, but I want my "me" time back!

Nuclear Swim

I have been meaning to write this blog for about 2 weeks now, so here it is!

Hubby and I participated in a one mile open swim event called the Nuclear Swim on August 29. Our friends, G and K, have been participating in this series of swims all summer. We kid of thought they were crazy for doing a one mile open lake swim, but then decided it is probably a good idea. Hubby will have to swim just over a mile for the half Ironman race, and we both need to swim just under a mile for our upcoming International distance. So, we signed up to make sure we could handle the distance.

Our swim was in Harris Lake, home to the Shearon Harris Nuclear facility (hence the race name). Interestingly, the lake is not open to swimmers on a normal basis. This event was our second swim of the year at Harris as it is also the home to The Triangle Triathlon. Our day started bright and early as we drove out to Harris, late, of course. I was panicked that we would not be able to get our race numbers, but we made it (with little time to spare).

We found our friend, G, and it was time to race. The guys headed into the water, and the ladies followed 10 minutes behind them. I watched from the water as the guys took off, and tried to calm myself for the event ahead. The scary thing was that I could not even see the first swim buoy from where I was treading.

Soon, the horn sounded and the women were off. My race strategy was to remain calm, and not worry about the race part. I just wanted to make sure I finished. The water was warm (thank you, Mr. Reactor) and very cloudy. I didn't really worry about not seeing in the water as I was more worried about finding the first sighting buoy. Luckily, my strategy kept me behind the pack and it was easy to follow along. I was swimming along when suddenly the water was not as opaque. I could see the weeds in the water and they seemed to be about 6 inches below my face. I didn't panic, but I was pretty grossed out by swimming just over the weeds. I was also afraid I would get caught in them. I did get tangled in a few weeds, but they cam right off. I just hated knowing they were there. Luckily, I was distracted by a kick to the face. There was no blood, but it did make me stop for a few seconds.

I soon passed the sighting buoy and was at the first turn. The course was like a rectangle, so we turned 90 degrees and continued to a second turn buoy. I realized that I felt great (despite the kick). I was calm and doing what I planned to do. I actually felt confident. I even decided to try a barrel roll around the second turn buoy. I was please to see that I was no where near the last woman in the lake. I kept this confidence as I headed back to shore. Soon, I could see the lovely dancing blow up man beckoning me to the sand. I was out of the lake in 44:31.7. I felt fantastic.

I later found out that I beat both of the guys. I was so pleased with my race. I didn't come anywhere near winning, but I felt great during the swim. I wish I had participated in the events earlier in the year. At least I know I can do the distance this weekend. I am already looking forward to competing in mile swims next year.

Working is for Chumps

I know people who love their jobs. I know people who feel fulfilled and satisfied with their careers. I even know people who are of age to retire, but choose to continue to work. I am not one of those people.

I have never really liked working. I don't feel that work enhances my life or makes me feel good. The only real satisfaction I get from a job is the money I receive from it. I really find it to be more of a chore than anything else and I don't like to do chores.

I guess the best job I ever had was the first job I had. For the summer between my freshman and sophomore years in high school, I was an ice cream scooper. I worked at a local drug store (more like a small Target of today) where there was an ice cream counter. We didn't do anything fancy like shakes or sundaes, but we did do cones and cups or hand packed containers.

I don't know what made it such a great job. I guess we were busy - it was summer and we sold a single scoop of ice cream for 35 cents. Maybe it was the fun of being the first job and first paycheck I ever received. We did have a fun staff. Most of them were also high school students, so we knew of each other. It could have been the old fashioned cash register with the big buttons. You would have to push the 30 cent button, then the 5 cent button, then sub total, and then the big black key for final total to get the drawer to open. I even enjoyed the menial tasks like refilling the inventory and cleaning the utensils. The joys of youth.

Every job since then has become a little less enjoyable. I guess the youthful days of summer are gone. I don't hate my current job, but I can certainly think of other things I would rather be doing. I would retire tomorrow if I could. It is sad that those things that used to be such fun when you were a kid are not as much fun when you are a grown up. Oh well, I guess there is nothing that can be done now but wait for retirement. Then the fun will start again.

Pain Update

Update on my shoulder pain - there no longer is any pain!! I was shocked (and very happy) to recover most of my mobility just a few days after seeing the orthopaedist. Now, I have no pain at all. I am glad the Advil, heat, and rest did the trick. Now I know the recipe for muscle pain relief.

My shoulder felt so good that I participated in the Triangle Sportsplex Triathlon this past Saturday. It went fine. My results were not as good as I had hoped, but I don't think I can attribute any of it to the shoulder. It was the longest pool swim I have ever done in a tri - 400 meters. Luckily, the pool was really nice and had wide lanes. I only got passed once (by the 22 year old behind me). I had some bad turns off the wall, but I finished the swim in 10:10 which was 39th out of 54 competitors.

After a 2:03 T1, I was off on the bike. I really did not study the race course or even ride it beforehand (I wasn't sure I was even going to be able to race), so I didn't know what was in store. I should never participate in a race in a town that starts with the word "Hill". The bike course was one hill after another. I don't think there was a flat section of the course. It seemed that I was either going uphill or downhill for the full 12 miles. I am not a great uphill rider, so I finished in 46:45 - 42nd place.

I had a shorter transition in T2, and was off for the double loop run course. The uphills were not friendly to my legs. My calves felt like lead for probably the first 2 miles of the 3.1 mile course. I was planning to do 2 and 1's for the race, but I had to make adjustments for the big hill on the course. I was rounding the course to make the second loop when a water volunteer told me that I needed to start running now. It really upset me. He looked like he could run a marathon without breaking a sweat. It was my race, and if I wanted to walk, it was my business. I finished well, but my time was dead last for the run at 37:37. The sad part is that the time is very close to a PR for me. I don't know whether I should be happy that I ran close to a PR, or be sad because my near PR was the slowest run of the day.

I guess overall I am happy with the race. I was glad I could participate at all. It was nice to try a new race. I just wish it were in a flatter place.

No Mosque

It makes me very sad to see the protests around this country regarding the building of mosques. I understand that 9/11 was a great tragedy for this nation. I know how many lives were lost, and I understand that mourning needs to occur. Still, I wish it could be different.

The vast majority of people who practice Islam are not terrorists. Islam is a religion that preaches peace, however, there is a sect of Muslims who believe in terrorism. It is really not unlike other religions or groups. There are extremists everywhere. There are people who call themselves Christians, yet believe it is their duty to kill doctors who perform abortions. It just seems that many Americans can't see that not everyone who wants to build a mosque is an extremist who will bring terrorism to our nation.

I think these protests send such a bad message to the rest of the world. We are supposed to be the land of tolerance - a place that was founded on the notion of freedom of religion. Isn't that why the first settlers from Europe came here?

Perhaps a location so near to Ground Zero may not be the best place for a mosque or a Muslim Cultural Center. Maybe it is too soon. Still, I believe that we need to remember the principals that are the foundation of this great nation. We need to continue to exercise those freedoms that we hold so dear and allow these mosques to be built around the country. Perhaps then, and only then, the true healing of this nation can occur.

Pain

Just when things seemed to be falling into place, they pain came. I had gone to Boot Camp last Monday morning and all seemed to be fine. I came home and changed for work, but did have some problems getting my sports bra off. It had happened before. I guess the combination of sweat and a warm body doesn't make it easy to get the piece off. I struggled a bit with my arms and torso stuck, but I did get it off. I went about my day and thought nothing more of it. By Monday night, my left shoulder was really hurting.

I thought it was one of those "just getting older" type injuries. After two days of increasing pain, I knew it was more than that. I was lucky to have already scheduled an appointment with my doctor for an annual physical, so I went and told her about the pain. She referred me to an orthopaedic doctor.

I am glad to report that there was no damage according to the X rays. It seems I have a bit on tendinitis in my shoulder. The recommended treatment is Advil and heat (I had been doing Tylenol and ice - definitely not right!) After three days of treatment, I am pleased to say that I feel much, much better.

I am lucky that I have never had an injury before now. I did decide to drop out of boot camp until the next session (the coach actually wanted me to continue on with one arm), but I want to be 100% while I am there. It seems that I have come to enjoy boot camp. I do like the changing routines and challenges. I hope I will still be up for it in a few weeks.

It was a bad week. I was really depressed and feeling such discomfort all week. On top of it, my doctor told me I am too heavy and I need to lose weight. I know it to be true, but it is still hard to hear someone tell it to your face. All of this working out is fine, but without better control of eating habits, the weight will creep up. I wound up crying for a little bit Friday morning, but it is amazing what a few days can do to your attitude. I feel better now and ready to focus on trying to lose that weight. I know it will only help my sport.

It's funny how just a few days ago I felt like I had no control and things were spinning away from me. I guess that's what pain can do.

Boot Camp

Today was my first day of CrossFit Boot Camp. CrossFit is a gym that had a different approach to fitness. Each day is a different workout that may feature anything from running and kettlebells to rowing and push-ups. You never know what you are going to get, but each workout is designed to be a complete core workout, even if it only takes a few minutes. The key is intensity.

I am familiar with the concept of CrossFit. My sister-in-law's sister-in-law owns a CrossFit gym in Florida. My own hubby has been a member of this gym for probably about a year now. I have been to an open house, but I have never done the workout myself because I always thought it would be too hard. Hubby forwarded an e-mail announcing their latest edition of Boot Camp, and I decided to give it a try.

I had hoped today would be an orientation session. It was not. Our instructor, Ashley, introduced herself to us and got each of our names. She then sent us out to run 400 meters as part of a warm up. When we returned, she said that we would always warm up together. She got us started crossing back and forth the gym floor doing a variety of activities like high knee lifts in front, butt kicks to the back, and squats. She then demonstrated each move for the main workout. Our workout today was repetitions of three exercises - push-ups, air squats, and sit-ups. We were to do them as fast as possible starting the first round with 10 of each, the second round with 9 of each, continuing until we were to zero. When we finished, we were to yell "Time!" so she could record our times.

I can't do push-ups, so it was nice to see Ashley demonstrate several different options for movement including knees up or using a bar. She was more concerned with the posture of the push-up (straight back, chest down) that the leg position. I finished last among the girls, but strangely, sooner than both the guys. I was a sweaty mess when I finished, but I did my first workout. We finished with 30 seconds of plank, 30 seconds of rest for three rounds. I was not able to get my body off the ground, so she again showed a modification. Then, we were done.

On the drive home, I felt my right shoulder aching. I knew I would be sore, but I think I tweaked something during the push-ups or the plank. It brought to life my biggest fear - that this new workout could negatively impact my other training. I need to be able to use my shoulder for Masters swim and for the race I have on Sunday. I think it is just a fluke - a first time trying something new minor injury. I hope it feels better tomorrow.

I want upper body strength and core strength. I just don't want to have to work hard or hurt to get it.

It's Done

I finally did something that I have been wanting to do for a long time. I quit The Junior League.

I have been thinking about quitting for a really long time. I have never had the guts to do it until yesterday. It is time.

I feel what I stated in my resignation letter is true. My personal life focus does not mesh with the demands and duties of The Junior League. I have been thinking for months about just how little I could do this year just to get by. I enjoy very little of the things the JL does. I hate Bargain Sale, I have no interest in children, and I have very few friends in the League. I usually stand by the wall by myself during the meetings just waiting for it to end so I can leave. I am just not in the same place in life that my fellow League member are. Most of the women I came into the League with are now getting ready to have or have already had their second children. They go to play groups together. I have no mutual interests with young mothers.

I am excited about this change. It means I am free to go to Tri Club meetings and yoga, or to do anything else I want on a Wednesday night. I can also enjoy the two things I like about the League-Holiday Market and Home Roam-without being a member.

I am glad I finally made the right decision. In this instance, quitting is good.

Training Time

We are now in serious training mode for the International Triathlon. This past weekend, I ran 10 miles with my running group on Saturday, then went out to the lake with hubby and a friend on Sunday. We did some open water swimming in the lake, then went on a 23 miles bike loop, and finished with a 1 mile run to get our legs under us. It was a long, hot morning. Afterward, we had sandwiches, so we didn't even have coffee on Sunday. It was strange, but I think it will be the norm for the weeks to come.

It is tough getting out of bed so early on the weekends. Weekends used to be the time we slept in and had a nice, big breakfast before reading the paper. While I like getting out in the morning to finish the day's workout, it makes you so tired for the remainder of the day. I think I will have to start adding naps to my weekend routine.

I am also contemplating joining a local gym called CrossFit for a boot camp. The whole concept of CrossFit scares me, but it may be a good thing. I have no upper body strength and very little core strength. I know I need to work on these areas and that they will help my overall performance. So, do I dive into the unknown? I have until tomorrow to decide.

Triangle Triathlon x2

This past Sunday marked my second year of competing in The Triangle Triathlon. This race is the toughest and longest race I have done to this date. The Triangle Tri is a 750 meter open water swim in Harris Lake (home to the Shearon Harris Nuclear Reactor), a 17.5 mile bike ride, and a 3.1 mile run. It is a longer swim and bike than the normal sprint triathlon, so it is a great race to test your endurance and see if you really want to move to the next level of triathlon racing.

Of course, it was not the ideal time for a race. Hubby and I just finished a two week no holds barred vacation in Europe. There was plenty of eating and drinking (OK-lots and lots of drinking), but absolutely no training. I was a bit concerned about how I would fare in this race, but it all worked out fine. I would have probably done better without two weeks off, but that two weeks was worth it!!

We decided to do the Sunday edition of this race. Due to the popularity of the event, it was expanded to a full weekend this year. I am glad we chose the Sunday race as it was the smaller group of the two days. We arrived early at the race site, but had no problem getting a parking space inside the park. Soon, we had our race packets, our bodies marked, and our transition area set up. It was time to hang out with G & K and our good friend C who got up way too early in the morning to cheer the four of us in this race. G and Hubby were in the water soon, and K and I were waiting for our turn to take off.

I did my usual when starting the open water swim. I started in the rear of the group to the outside. The gun went off and we were off. The water was very warm (high 80s), but murky. The race course takes you out to a triangle buoy where you turn left and head to another triangle buoy before returning to the shore. The nice part about the first length of the swim is the electrical wires and poles in the lake. It makes for easy spotting while swimming. I felt that I held me own with the group and didn't get too far behind. My arms were aching, but I kept moving without getting run over by other swimmers. After what felt like a long time (really only 19:02 minutes), I was out of the water. I had trimmed over 3 minutes from my time last year and would later find out that I had beaten both G and Hubby in the swim.

There was a long run from the water to the transition, but again I bettered my time from last year. I changed as quickly as I could, and was off on the bike course. I was passed by a few folks heading out of the park. I think that biking may be the weakest area for me. The first few miles of the course are not too bad, with more rolling hills than steep hills. I did manage to pass a few people on my own, and played back and forth with a few others. I was nervous about what I knew was coming - the killer hill. It is a long steady incline a little over half way through the course. It wasn't as bad as I anticipated. I made the steady climb, and soon turned right onto Avent Ferry Road. I got some water and a GU packet, and was re-energized for the ride back to the park. I was picking up some really good speed when I saw something no athlete wants to see - a biker down of the side of the road. I heard later that he was clipped by a car and landed in a ditch. The police, a fire truck, and race officials were there with the athlete. I hope he was OK. I made it back to the transition area taking about 8 minutes off my ride from last year. I finished it in 1:08:49.

I started to have some problems at this point. My T2 time was slower than 2009 (must put the pull tabs on my running shoes!), and I knew I was tired. I headed out to the run course, but I knew what was waiting for me. It is a short run on asphalt leading to a trail. I am not a trail runner at all. I was having problems with my legs and had to take walk breaks more often that I wanted. I would count about 45 breaths running, then walk for about 30 breaths. I did improve over the course, but it was still difficult to run on the trail with little shade in July. It was getting hot. I would be sure to dump water on my head at every water stop. I finally reached one stop, and the volunteers told me I had about .2 miles left - thank goodness! I could hear the finish and I was heading home. I ran in from the trail to the finish (must look good crossing the finish line), but I was beat there by another triathlete - a 72 year old woman in a green tri suit! Oh well, she looked great. I finished the run in 42:07, a disappointing two minutes slower than last year. I blame the vacation.

Overall, I finished the race in 2:16:25, a better time than the 2:26:54 I posted in 2009. I hope 2011 will be even better. Now, it is time to hit the training hard. We have less that 2 months until the White Lake International race, and I want to be ready. Gotta run!!

Forgot one!!

I can't believe that I forgot this item on my travel list. It's a good one!

11. Chocolate for breakfast - Our innkeepers introduced us to this concept. One morning on the table was a box of dark chocolate sprinkles, like the kind you would put on an ice cream sundae. These sprinkles, however, are not for ice cream. They are for toast! Toast a piece of bread, spread butter or jelly on it, and top with chocolate. Brilliant!! Every day after that one, we enjoyed some form of chocolate with breakfast. As Martha would say, it's a good thing!

What I Learned while Travelling

Hubby and I recently returned from an amazing two week vacation in The Netherlands and Belgium. We have been to Europe before, but this trip was the biggest travel endeavor I have ever taken. I learned a lot about travel, trips, and Europe, so I thought I would share some tips here.

1. Don't be afraid to plan a big trip yourself - Initially, we contacted a travel agent because I was too scared to plan a trip like this one by ourselves. We wasted time and effort with the agent. She just did not have the same vision we did, so we went in our own direction.

2. Buy the guide book - There are so many great travel guidebooks for purchase. Even on short trips, I will go to the library and borrow a copy of the guide for our destination. They give great advice and tips for the best places to visit, to eat, to shop, and to stay. I usually go for a Fodor's book, but we used Rick Steves' book for this trip. It was a great guide and we used it throughout the trip.

3. Stay in a B&B if possible - We stayed in 3 different places on our trip, and used bed and breakfasts in 2 locations. It was wonderful to share someone's home for a few days. The service was outstanding and the locations were small (one had two rooms, the other three). The hosts were amazing and were so helpful to us during the trip. It was just such a treat to be able to stay in a ship's captain's home from 1667. We also met a great couple in one of the B&Bs and have planned to get together with them here in the states. B&Bs are usually less expensive than commercial hotels, but offer the same (or better) amenities.

4. Cash! - If you are travelling to Europe, it isn't going to be cheap. As our new friends said, "Bring a few clothes, take bags of cash." We found that it was much easier to pay as much as possible with Euros. It is also less expensive in the long run. Our ATM fees were 1% of the withdrawl amount plus a nominal fee for using the machine. Credit card purchases carry a 3% transaction fee and may require a European PIN to work in certain places. We also found that our bank have a foreign currency department. We were able to order Euros from the bank and pay only a delivery fee.

5. Prepurchase tickets - While we were in Amsterdam, I knew I really wanted to see The Anne Frank House. I prepurchased the admission tickets online a few weeks before our trip. I am so glad I did. We bypassed a huge line of people and walked right in to the museum with our paper tickets.

6. Trains - The trains really intimidated me, so we prepurchased the majority of our tickets before the trip. While it did save time standing in line, I think it was cheaper to buy the tickets at the station. I think in the future, I would buy day trip tickets in the stations. For major trips to big city central stations, I would buy those tickets online. I would also buy either Thalys (high speed with assigned seating) or first class tickets. On our train from Brussels to Bruges, we had to stand for the entire 45 minute journey. It was hot and uncomfortable. We almost had the same problem from Antwerp to Amsterdam (a 2 hour trip), but we did find out you can squat in first class if you don't have a ticket or you can buy an upgrade to first class on the train. That upgrade was worth every penny to not have to stand for 2 hours in a very hot area between two cars.

7. Europe is so laid back - I love the USA - please don't understand. While travelling to Europe, however, I realized just how restrictive the US can be. Land of "Yes, we can?" More like the land of "No, you can't because it is against federal regulation US527." We toured a medieval 13th century castle by ourselves. It was worn and have very steep stairs, but we know what we were going to be doing. I wonder if the various regulatory agencies would have allowed something like that in the US. There was no handicap access, no guiderails on the stairs, no screens or safety material on the windows - it was a fantastic "at your own risk" tour.

8. English spoken here - We never had any communication problems on our trip. Although English is not their first language, we met people who could speak at least a little English. Everyone was wonderful and had no problems translating menus or anything else we needed.

9. Go for it! - You are on vacation, so do things you would not do every day. We went for a hot air balloon ride over Bruges, and it was amazing! It was such a unique and wonderful experience, and a memory I will always cherish from this trip.

10. No goofy souvenirs - For once, I decided not to buy postcards, magnets, or other dust catchers. I bought a few pieces of jewelry and we got several Belgian beer glasses which we intended to purchase during our trip. Other than that, we have about 1500 amazing pictures to remind us of this great trip.

It truly was a wonderful trip. We were excited for months leading up to this trip, but we were both scared to hope it would be everything we wanted it to be. It was everything and more. It was the greatest vacation to date. We are already thinking about our next trip to Europe. Should it be Germany/Austria or Italy?

I Hate...

Last night, we were watching a new episode of Tosh.0 (if you don't know it, it is a weekly series on Comedy Central hosted by comedian Daniel Tosh where he shows and makes fun of various things posted on the Internet - love it!) One of the videos he featured was an I Hate rant. After watching a rant posted by a random person, Tosh did one of his own. I have decided to write my rant here. So, here goes:

I hate narrow minded people
I hate cigarette smoke
I hate disorganization
I hate poor grammar
I hate stubbing my toe
I hate vomiting
I hate being scared
I hate feeling insecure
I hate people who drive and talk on their cell phones
I hate that my best friends and family live so far from me
I hate reading about Heidi Montag all the time
I hate when my favorite sub shop puts too much mayo on my sandwich
I hate "sales" where you have to buy two or more things to get the deal
I hate season finale cliff hangers
I hate mosquitoes
I hate not remembering things as well as I used to
I hate that weekend are only two days
I hate paper cuts
I hate what the oil leak is doing to the Gulf
I hate war
I hate packing
I hate having to wait for the next book in a great series to be published
I hate people who cheat on their expense reports
I hate having to wait to get New Release DVDs
I hate unnecessary "Reply to All" E-mails
I hate traffic
I hate gray hairs
I hate when my printer says there is no paper when there is paper
I hate excessive amounts of staples in paper
I hate brown nosers

Aaah. I feel much better.

So, what do you hate?

Time to try something new

We like to challenge ourselves to doing at least one new thing a year. In the past few years, we have run half marathons, then marathons, then triathlons, then longer triathlons (still not done with that one yet!) We have also tried new classes and things we have just always wanted to do (Yes, I have a bucket list.) Well, I tried something new on Tuesday, sort of.

A few weeks ago, a website called Groupon (which I am now addicted to) featured a daily deal to a local indoor rock climbing center called The Vertical Edge. I was familiar with VE as hubby has climbed there on and off for many years. I have been there and I have watched people climb, but I have never done it myself. So, I used the deeply discounted deal as an excuse to go.

I signed up for the class and arrived at 7pm as an eager student. Of course, my eagerness waned after the instructor told us it was about a two hour class (I was expecting to be there about an hour so we could then head out to dinner). Since I was there, I tried to make the best of it. We first learned how to fasten the harness properly (see red and you are dead), and then we moved on to knots. We learned how to tie in to the climbing ropes safely. After learning how to be a safe climber, we learned how to tie in as a belayer (the person who stays on the ground to make sure the climber will not fall if he/she slips.) There were more knots, safety positions, and voice commands to learn. Soon, we were on the floor ready to belay with the instructor as backup.

Hubby got to be my climber. He headed up the wall and took a series of falls - some planned and some unplanned. I was able to belay him (after the initial jolt of weight - it is really not hard.) I took my test, and passed with flying colors. I am good to go.

Well, I did spend some more time belaying for Bill. It is actually kind of fun to focus on someone's climb and know you are there to catch them if they fall. It was nice to be able to hold up hubby's entire weight and lower him after he finished his climb. It made me feel strong (yes, there are pulleys, friction, and safety equipment so you are not holding all of their weight, but it still made me feel good.) The only thing I did not do is climb myself.

It seemed like a good idea until I got there, but then all sorts of things crossed my mind. What if I am too fat to climb? What if I get scared of the height and freeze? What if the rope breaks and I fall? What happens if I just can't do it? These thoughts kept me grounded this time, but I still had fun.

Luckily, the deal included a pass for a second session and equipment rental. I have a chance to go back when I am ready. I only hope that this time I don't keep my feet on the ground.

New Toy #3

We have finally come into the cell phone technology era. For years, hubby and I had just phones. Yes, the salespeople at the store would just stare at us when we requested a cell phone that just made phone calls-no camera, no data, no messaging. Well, with the end of our latest cellular contract, we decided to take the leap. Yes, that's right. We are Smartphone users with full plans.

It has been strange getting used to the new technology. I can text message now - so weird! I have to say that it come in handy. Just last night, I was able to send a message to a friend who was at a concert. He got the message - no screaming over the phone or disturbing those around him. The phone also has a calendar function. It has been fun getting all of my various events loaded into the phone. There has been a lot of syncing between the phone, my computer, and my ITouch. I have been working the past few days to update my "people" as well. I have been eliminating the duplicates and cleaning up my entries (finding those entries that make you say who is this person?) It has been a lot of work, but I think I am finally ready to get the most use out of the phone.

My biggest issue is with my ITouch. I love my ITouch. It is a great device, but lacks the phone and camera functions of my new Hero. For now, I am carrying both with me, but I am wondering how long it will last. I really don't need the ITouch any more -the phone does everything it does and more. I just don't want to part with it.

It is always fun to get a new toy. With the new toy, you also get to buy new accessories. I got a great hot pink case for my phone that makes it look less plain and helps to differentiate my phone from hubby's exact same model.

I am happy for now, but I wonder what the next great thing in cell phones may be. I hope we can just enjoy this one before it becomes obsolete.

Menthi

I had the great pleasure to be able to travel to one of my lifelong best friend's 40th birthday party this past weekend. My friend is of Indian descent and decided to throw herself a Goddess party. In true Goddess fashion, one of the traditions that my friend wanted all of her fellow goddesses to experience was menthi. Menthi is the process of putting henna designs on the hands (and sometimes the legs or other places). It was a unique experience.

The artist (and believe me, she is truly an artist) cleaned the back of my hands and used a small, fine point funnel to apply a mud colored paste to the hands. All of the designs were done completely freehand. The paste had a pleasant tingly feeling as it dried. After about 10-15 minutes, the paste started to turn black. The artist then used a lemon water mixture to apply to the black harden paste. We tried very hard to keep our hands stable and to not smudge the design. As it dried, it sometimes fell off in areas, like small scabs (gross, I know, but true). There were little pieces of menthi all over the condo - it was like a rampant rabbit pooped all over the place.

We kept the paste on our hands as long as we could, and eagerly awoke at about 7:30 am to see how our hands looked. Leaving black pieces all over our respective sheets, we went to the sink to wash off any remaining bits. Under the faucets, we got our first glimpse of the gorgeous work. I absolutely love my hands now. It looks like lace on my hands. I am sad to notice a difference already in the quality of the henna. I wish it would stay longer that the week or two, but it just gives me an excuse to do it again. Soon.

The other alternative is dying

It seems that this year, more than any other, I have really noticed that I am aging. It is not so much my mindset, but my physical body. In my mind, I am still the same person I have always been. I know that technically I am an adult, that I have a job, pay my bills, take care of a home, a husband, and two dogs. I still feel like a kid though, as if I am just playing at these things. My mind does not feel any different that it did 10 years ago.

The body is a totally different story. I noticed this week that I have a lot of silver hair growing near my scalp. I have been coloring my hair for years, but I have never noticed these hairs like I have this past week. It made me briefly wonder what my hair really looks likes under all this dye, but then it made me even more determined not to find out. I also have floaters in my eyes now. Every now and again, a lovely little black spot flies past my eye and there is nothing I can do about it. Some days, my body just feels like it is slowly breaking down - the knees are a little tight, the muscles are a little more tender. I went through a phase where I believed I was having heart issues. Every little twitch makes me think something could possibly be wrong. I was never like this before. I am middle aged. When the heck did that happen?