I haven't blogged in almost a month. I've had ideas on what to write about but something is always getting in the way of getting it out....our schedule, writer's block, the desire to nap frequently....I guess I just haven't been feeling very inspired.
Since I resigned from our HOA board, I'd like to say that my stress level has gone down and I suppose in a few ways it has. It's nice to have that time free for other things, but I don't seem to be any less busy. We have managed to keep our schedule pretty full, and while a lot of it has been fun and great (I love my friends!!!), some things just seem like such a time-sucker. I'd love nothing more than 5 solid days of absolutely no distractions. Doesn't everyone!?
I think I'm going through a phase of just being very disconcerted, very disillusioned, and I guess downright depressed about things I see around me, in the news, in the world in general. It seems stupid to let a lot of little things (and I suppose some big things) just get me in the dumps, but I suppose that's what has happened. My faith in the human race is being tested. I'm appalled at the things I see not just in the news but even around me with people I know. It's disgusting to me that there is such a level of selfishness in people that they can think of no one else but themselves, that some have no regard for how they treat others or how their actions may effect others. It just seems like so many people's priorities are put into the wrong things....whether it's material, for pleasure, and even a sense of superiority over others. I'm seeing it all and I'm disturbed.
I admit that I'm not perfect....FAR FROM IT. I have moments of wanting to be purely selfish. But it always comes back down to my priority - MY FAMILY. They come first with me. That's part of the reason that I resigned from the board. I felt like they were getting shafted with my time and I needed to put a stop to that. Plus they needed a less stressed mom and more quality time. If I need time to myself, I take it, and it makes me a better mom when I circle back to them. It's not at their detriment.
Poor Greg keeps getting an earful from me about how things and people are just pissing me off, and luckily he totally understands and often feels the same way. I need to shake this resentment, however, and get back to focusing on happy things. Getting it out on the blog seems to be a good start. Maybe writing about my feelings will be a good start to moving onto more positive feelings.
So what else is up with me?
I think I'm injured.
For a few weeks now I've felt some discomfort in my right Achilles tendon after a run. A little bit of pain, some stiffness, a little inflexibility. I find it stiffens up when I've been immobile for a bit as well. Sure sounds like tendonitis to me, so I'm going with that. Of course, rest is one of the things that is recommended to "cure" it, but we all know that's not really going to happen. About the only thing that would force me to rest is a fracture. I'm stubborn like that. But I do know that I need to baby the tendon if the problem is going to go away. So for right now, I'm doing yoga for increased flexibility, doing extra stretching after runs, icing about 3 times per day, taking anti-inflammatories after my runs, and praying for healing. I'm going to look into accupressure as well.
My half marathon is in 7 weeks and I want to have a good time. I want to walk away from it uninjured and ready for my next marathon in January. I need this injury to be resolved.
I've resently felt a bit discouraged about my running. I had a very tough 10 miler two weeks ago that prompted a week-long rest from running. I had a hard time keeping up my usual pace, felt overheated, ended up taking walking breaks, and was stiff and sore afterwards. I focused on stretching, core, and flexibility for that rest week and it seemed to help me both physically and mentally. I've had good runs this week, including a really great speedwork session on Monday. Tomorrow I'm running a 10 miler outside - my first outside long run in quite awhile because of the heat. But I think my Achilles needs to feel something different than a treadmill, so outside I'm running. I know it will be slower and hotter than I'm used to, but I'll be just fine. I plan to run before sunrise, will do two 5 mile loops so I can switch out my hydration at my house and have an icy towel handy to cool off with. I think it will be good to change things up.
School starts on Tuesday and my training group - Round Rock Fit - officially starts up on the 27th. I'm a coach again this year and I'm thrilled to be getting back to what I love....training with some of the coolest people out there. And with training officially starting that means cooler temps are around the corner. After 65 triple digit days and dozens more above 90 degrees since April it seems hard to believe. But I have to grasp that hope or this heat really will make me absolutely insane. It's been AWFUL. It's really no fun to keep breaking heat records and now we've endured the hottest summer ever around here....EVER. Freezing temp runs will never feel better and I can't wait!
Friday, August 19, 2011
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Tough Decisions
Our lives are constantly filled with decisions that we need to make, some big, some small, some far reaching, some private. Some are easy ones to make...others require hours, days, even weeks of analyzing, deliberating, praying, and soul searching.
I've recently had to make such a decision. For over 2 years I served on our neighborhood's Board of Directors, an exciting position in the beginning, one I enjoyed as it offered me an outlet for some creativity (I started the website) and the ability to help out friends and neighbors by making our neighborhood even better. I knew there would be some uncomfortable tasks, and there were. But unfortunately there were also many things that we simply couldn't anticipate, particularly because it's a relatively new neighborhood, and these things consumed huge amounts of time, caused a lot of stress, and had implications beyond what we expected. It just wasn't too much fun. However, I made a commitment to serve until November of 2011.
There have been many, many times I've wanted to resign. To say being on an HOA Board is a thankless job is an understatement. People feel they can cut you down, insult you, and spew incorrect information without any thought to how it makes one feel. I've put up with a lot of crap the last 2+ years, but because I wanted to keep my integrity I refused to quit. Some people in particular felt like it was their life's calling to disagree with pretty much anything the Board said or wanted to do. Do you have any idea how hard it is to try to be fair, calm, and professional when all you want to do is tell someone to go to Hell and not come back?
Although the insults seem to have waned in the last several months, the job hasn't gotten easier. It's taken up a lot of my time and just wasn't filled with fun tasks. There were so many things we wanted to be able to do, but due to several different circumstances we just haven't been able to. Instead our time seemed to be filled with fixing problems, and not moving forward.
The last week has been particularly difficult. I was finding myself having to make some tough decisions but completely paralyzed from doing so. I felt I was put into some difficult circumstances and no matter what my decision was it wasn't going to be the "right" decision. It was heartbreaking to me that my emotions were getting the better of me, that the stress was overtaking my life and subsequently sucking the joy out of each day.
My family is the most important thing to me...but Mama wasn't happy. And when Mama isn't happy, it's hard to give the right amount of focus to the family and to truly give my husband and my kids what they deserved.
So I had a decision to make. Stick it out for 4 more months and commit to something that would take up hours upon hours of my time each week and certainly not be easy....OR I could resign, to hang my hat up for good and move on. It may on the surface seem like a very easy decision to make but it wasn't. I had two other board members to think about, people I had developed a friendship with, and I had my integrity to consider. Was I "giving up" or did I truly give it my best shot? Was I reneging on a commitment or doing what was best for everyone?
In the course of all this angst, we got some potentially bad news on Wednesday that Greg's job was in jeopardy because of company-wide layoffs. This is the first time he'd ever felt like he might be laid off in his 12 years with his company. Something his boss said just gave him a sinking feeling. He's a valuable employee and a true asset to his company, but if your position is eliminated there's really not much you can do but move on. To say this was even more stress-inducing is an understatement. I knew we'd be okay, that it could be a blessing in disguise, but the unknown was just overwhelming to me.
I did a lot of praying and entirely too much thinking over the course of a few days. To be frank, I was just plain miserable. I cried. I was exhausted. But then on Sunday, I had a moment of clarity. I realized I just couldn't do it anymore. I had other things that needed my focus, namely my family. Ultimately they are what I live for. A volunteer position is just that - a VOLUNTEER position. I had volunteered my time, I had served, but I had no true obligation to continue if it wasn't what I really wanted to focus my energy on.
What I DID want to do was to be with my family, to have a clear mind and clear heart, to spend my time doing things that brought me joy, to be SELFISH with my time for once. The only way I could do that was to give up my position, no matter what that could mean for others. I had to start thinking of myself and to stop being a martyr because I thought I was doing what was "right." Taking time away from my family was not what was right at all, however.
Once I hit the "send" button on my resignation email, I immediately felt so much better. A huge weight was suddenly off my shoulders. I felt free to give back to my family and to my husband. It was the right decision.
If there is something in your life that isn't what you want it to be, then see if you can change it. If it's something that you can let go, then maybe that's what you should do. There is no joy in life when we wake up everyday dreading what we need to do. There is no joy when we don't feel good about the tasks ahead of us. We must put ourselves and our loved ones first and foremost on our priority list. I want to be a good wife, a good mom, and a positive influence to others. I can't do that when I'm crying and tearing my hair out.
Yep, I feel better now.
I've recently had to make such a decision. For over 2 years I served on our neighborhood's Board of Directors, an exciting position in the beginning, one I enjoyed as it offered me an outlet for some creativity (I started the website) and the ability to help out friends and neighbors by making our neighborhood even better. I knew there would be some uncomfortable tasks, and there were. But unfortunately there were also many things that we simply couldn't anticipate, particularly because it's a relatively new neighborhood, and these things consumed huge amounts of time, caused a lot of stress, and had implications beyond what we expected. It just wasn't too much fun. However, I made a commitment to serve until November of 2011.
There have been many, many times I've wanted to resign. To say being on an HOA Board is a thankless job is an understatement. People feel they can cut you down, insult you, and spew incorrect information without any thought to how it makes one feel. I've put up with a lot of crap the last 2+ years, but because I wanted to keep my integrity I refused to quit. Some people in particular felt like it was their life's calling to disagree with pretty much anything the Board said or wanted to do. Do you have any idea how hard it is to try to be fair, calm, and professional when all you want to do is tell someone to go to Hell and not come back?
Although the insults seem to have waned in the last several months, the job hasn't gotten easier. It's taken up a lot of my time and just wasn't filled with fun tasks. There were so many things we wanted to be able to do, but due to several different circumstances we just haven't been able to. Instead our time seemed to be filled with fixing problems, and not moving forward.
The last week has been particularly difficult. I was finding myself having to make some tough decisions but completely paralyzed from doing so. I felt I was put into some difficult circumstances and no matter what my decision was it wasn't going to be the "right" decision. It was heartbreaking to me that my emotions were getting the better of me, that the stress was overtaking my life and subsequently sucking the joy out of each day.
My family is the most important thing to me...but Mama wasn't happy. And when Mama isn't happy, it's hard to give the right amount of focus to the family and to truly give my husband and my kids what they deserved.
So I had a decision to make. Stick it out for 4 more months and commit to something that would take up hours upon hours of my time each week and certainly not be easy....OR I could resign, to hang my hat up for good and move on. It may on the surface seem like a very easy decision to make but it wasn't. I had two other board members to think about, people I had developed a friendship with, and I had my integrity to consider. Was I "giving up" or did I truly give it my best shot? Was I reneging on a commitment or doing what was best for everyone?
In the course of all this angst, we got some potentially bad news on Wednesday that Greg's job was in jeopardy because of company-wide layoffs. This is the first time he'd ever felt like he might be laid off in his 12 years with his company. Something his boss said just gave him a sinking feeling. He's a valuable employee and a true asset to his company, but if your position is eliminated there's really not much you can do but move on. To say this was even more stress-inducing is an understatement. I knew we'd be okay, that it could be a blessing in disguise, but the unknown was just overwhelming to me.
I did a lot of praying and entirely too much thinking over the course of a few days. To be frank, I was just plain miserable. I cried. I was exhausted. But then on Sunday, I had a moment of clarity. I realized I just couldn't do it anymore. I had other things that needed my focus, namely my family. Ultimately they are what I live for. A volunteer position is just that - a VOLUNTEER position. I had volunteered my time, I had served, but I had no true obligation to continue if it wasn't what I really wanted to focus my energy on.
What I DID want to do was to be with my family, to have a clear mind and clear heart, to spend my time doing things that brought me joy, to be SELFISH with my time for once. The only way I could do that was to give up my position, no matter what that could mean for others. I had to start thinking of myself and to stop being a martyr because I thought I was doing what was "right." Taking time away from my family was not what was right at all, however.
Once I hit the "send" button on my resignation email, I immediately felt so much better. A huge weight was suddenly off my shoulders. I felt free to give back to my family and to my husband. It was the right decision.
If there is something in your life that isn't what you want it to be, then see if you can change it. If it's something that you can let go, then maybe that's what you should do. There is no joy in life when we wake up everyday dreading what we need to do. There is no joy when we don't feel good about the tasks ahead of us. We must put ourselves and our loved ones first and foremost on our priority list. I want to be a good wife, a good mom, and a positive influence to others. I can't do that when I'm crying and tearing my hair out.
Yep, I feel better now.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
The DREADMILL
Ever since I started running I have hated the idea of treadmills. Why run on a treadmill in a gym if you can enjoy the beautiful outdoors that God gave us? The trails around my house and neighborhood are peaceful, wonderful, relatively flat, and span several miles. The streets in the neighborhood offer countless different routes and a guarantee you'll see someone you know while on your run. There's really nothing NOT to love.
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HOWEVER.....
If you have ever been in Texas in the summer, you know it's pretty much like Hell on Earth. Even at 5am the humidity will hover at over 85% and the temp rarely dips below 75 degrees. It doesn't sound bad temperature-wise until you get about a mile into your run and realize you can't breathe and that's sweat dripping off your elbow. It's enough to make even a hardcore runner take pause and realize it doesn't feel good at all. Sure, a runner can slog through it and get those miles in, but is it enjoyable?
Two years ago I signed Greg and I up for the Napa-to-Sonoma Half Marathon, which would take place in mid-July. Temperatures at the race would probably be in the 50s and 60s, humidity hit or miss. Scenery: spectacular. Wine at the finish. A race meant for me and Greg to run together. Something I didn't really think too much about was TRAINING for said race. Training up until July in Texas. Doing a 12 mile run in 80 degrees, plus countless runs over 8 miles leading up to that. To put it bluntly, it was miserable. The race itself was pretty great, but I vowed that would be the last summertime half marathon I would ever train for in the hot Texas summer.
Last year I had a bout of exhaustion that derailed any quality summertime running. I struggled every time I was out there. I pretty much maxed out at 4 miles and it simply was not enjoyable for me at all. I was typically running at a 9:45 pace or slower, whereas my usual training pace is 9:15-9:30. I was dejected that I was getting slower and struggling so much. My marathon training season pace really wasn't much better, although I was able to enjoy some cooler and more comfortable, albeit slower than usual, runs during the fall and winter.
I knew I needed to make a change this season if I wanted to maintain my running shape. I had no choice but to embrace the dreaded TREADMILL, or as my running friends like to call it, THE DREADMILL. *cue foreboding music here*
Up until my first day in my gym my longest treadmill run was 4 miles, plus I had done a 5 mile run with a walking break at 3. I jumped right into my new routine, however, and was consistently posting 4 and 5 mile runs, and even a 10K, within the first month at the gym. I do strength training and core work before my treadmill runs so I'm already slightly fatigued before I even start. If someone, especially a dude, hops on the treadmill next to me, I usually crank up the speed and push myself more than usual. After I missed a 10k race because of traffic, I immediately headed to the gym and got my frustrations out on the treadmill. I posted a 44-minute 5 mile run, which is almost my 10k race pace. I do speed interval workouts consistently so I can continue to push my pace. I'm running harder, faster, more efficiently, and I'm not dreading every single run. I get to watchyoung buff dudes people during their workouts, or read the headlines on the TVs set up in front of the cardio equipment. I can sleep in later and not worry about how hot and sunny it's getting outside. If I want to run at 11am I can, when it's 95 degrees outside.
Today I posted my very first 10 mile non-stop treadmill run. Well, almost non-stop. You see, the treadmills at our gym max out at 60 minutes, so when that session was up (at 6.3 miles), I paused, took my shirt off (it gets warm in our gym! I still sweat a lot), reset the 'mill for another 3.7 miles and continued on my quest for double-digits. I ran it in 1:34, which is 9:25 pace. Last week I did 5 miles, then strength training, then another 5 miles for a total running time of 1:33, a 9:18 pace. It's a huge difference from how I felt running long runs last year.
Last week Greg and I did a couple of short runs outside during late morning. I'm running a 5K on September 5 and a half marathon on October 9 so I do need to stay slightly acclimated to outdoor running. It was already very hot when we started, but I just ran with what felt comfortable. I rarely looked at my Garmin to check my pace, but when I did I was consistently seeing sub-9 minute pace, and it felt easy. During the last mile of one of the runs, when I was definitely feeling the heat, I ended up running FASTER. I absolutely attribute it to my treadmill runs.
Color me shocked....I AM LOVING THE TREADMILL.
HOWEVER.....
If you have ever been in Texas in the summer, you know it's pretty much like Hell on Earth. Even at 5am the humidity will hover at over 85% and the temp rarely dips below 75 degrees. It doesn't sound bad temperature-wise until you get about a mile into your run and realize you can't breathe and that's sweat dripping off your elbow. It's enough to make even a hardcore runner take pause and realize it doesn't feel good at all. Sure, a runner can slog through it and get those miles in, but is it enjoyable?
Two years ago I signed Greg and I up for the Napa-to-Sonoma Half Marathon, which would take place in mid-July. Temperatures at the race would probably be in the 50s and 60s, humidity hit or miss. Scenery: spectacular. Wine at the finish. A race meant for me and Greg to run together. Something I didn't really think too much about was TRAINING for said race. Training up until July in Texas. Doing a 12 mile run in 80 degrees, plus countless runs over 8 miles leading up to that. To put it bluntly, it was miserable. The race itself was pretty great, but I vowed that would be the last summertime half marathon I would ever train for in the hot Texas summer.
Last year I had a bout of exhaustion that derailed any quality summertime running. I struggled every time I was out there. I pretty much maxed out at 4 miles and it simply was not enjoyable for me at all. I was typically running at a 9:45 pace or slower, whereas my usual training pace is 9:15-9:30. I was dejected that I was getting slower and struggling so much. My marathon training season pace really wasn't much better, although I was able to enjoy some cooler and more comfortable, albeit slower than usual, runs during the fall and winter.
I knew I needed to make a change this season if I wanted to maintain my running shape. I had no choice but to embrace the dreaded TREADMILL, or as my running friends like to call it, THE DREADMILL. *cue foreboding music here*
Up until my first day in my gym my longest treadmill run was 4 miles, plus I had done a 5 mile run with a walking break at 3. I jumped right into my new routine, however, and was consistently posting 4 and 5 mile runs, and even a 10K, within the first month at the gym. I do strength training and core work before my treadmill runs so I'm already slightly fatigued before I even start. If someone, especially a dude, hops on the treadmill next to me, I usually crank up the speed and push myself more than usual. After I missed a 10k race because of traffic, I immediately headed to the gym and got my frustrations out on the treadmill. I posted a 44-minute 5 mile run, which is almost my 10k race pace. I do speed interval workouts consistently so I can continue to push my pace. I'm running harder, faster, more efficiently, and I'm not dreading every single run. I get to watch
Today I posted my very first 10 mile non-stop treadmill run. Well, almost non-stop. You see, the treadmills at our gym max out at 60 minutes, so when that session was up (at 6.3 miles), I paused, took my shirt off (it gets warm in our gym! I still sweat a lot), reset the 'mill for another 3.7 miles and continued on my quest for double-digits. I ran it in 1:34, which is 9:25 pace. Last week I did 5 miles, then strength training, then another 5 miles for a total running time of 1:33, a 9:18 pace. It's a huge difference from how I felt running long runs last year.
Last week Greg and I did a couple of short runs outside during late morning. I'm running a 5K on September 5 and a half marathon on October 9 so I do need to stay slightly acclimated to outdoor running. It was already very hot when we started, but I just ran with what felt comfortable. I rarely looked at my Garmin to check my pace, but when I did I was consistently seeing sub-9 minute pace, and it felt easy. During the last mile of one of the runs, when I was definitely feeling the heat, I ended up running FASTER. I absolutely attribute it to my treadmill runs.
Color me shocked....I AM LOVING THE TREADMILL.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
I won! I won!!
One cool thing about getting into tweeting and blogging is finding those totally awesome friends who host giveaways on their blogs (although the best part is just finding great people who are supportive, inspirational, and completely fabulous). For example, my friend Tricia is always giving away awesome running stuff on her blog, Endurance Isn't Only Physical, and I've entered a couple of them...along with a billion other folks because Tricia is one popular chickie. She recently hosted a giveway for a medal display. Greg and I have been talking about how we really need to get some kind of medal holder because we now have 13 total between the two of us. It's getting kind of obnoxious how we're displaying them.
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When Tricia announced her Allied Medal Display giveaway I got super excited...not only because I could get a great solution for FREE, but because the displays are exactly what I'm looking for. I'll be adding at least 4 more medals to my collection in the next 8 months so I needed a display that was going to hold what I already had with room to add more.
And you know what??? I WON!!!! Here's the display I plan to order:
Pretty awesome, don't you think? Thanks Tricia and thanks Allied Medal Displays!
Friday, July 1, 2011
Which is worse? Watching The Bachelorette or getting shot in the head?
I will admit that I'm kind of a Bachelor junkie. I've watched most seasons of both The Bachelor and The Bachelorette, but do tend to skip the seasons of the people who just completely annoy the crap out of me. Take, for example, Bachelorette #6, Ali Fedotowsky. She's a pretty girl, but let's face it. She's ANNOYING. That little whine of hers? Holy cow, it makes me want to scream. When she whined and carried on when she had to leave during Jake's Bachelor season, I literally threw things at the TV. ABC then did the unthinkable - they cast her as the next Bachelorette. That was going to be one season I avoided. Weeks and weeks of non-stop Ali whining was not my cup of tea.
* side note - Greg made the mistake of turning it on during week 3 or 4 and we subsequently got totally sucked into it...of course. That may have had a lot to do with the beefcake on her season. Just saying.
ABC did it again. They cast the most annoying girl of Brad Womack's Bachelor season, Ashley Hebert, as the next Bachelorette. Now granted, most of the ladies on Brad's season were pretty awful, but Ashley? Miss Indecisive, Miss "I Can't Communicate"? Would there really be 25 men actually interested enough in her to want to be on the show? She may be perfectly fine in real life (who knows??), but as a TV reality star? Are you flipping kidding me? It stills boggles the mind that Mr. Womack even kept her around as long as he did.
I immediately told Greg that NO! We weren't watching the next season. He didn't listen. He invites people to our house to watch it. I'm forced into it.
So what's my solution? BLOGGING!! It's most definitely time for me to blog about my irritation. This will not be pretty, I'm sure.
One of the things that bugged the crap out of me about Ashley during Brad's season was that she was so wishy-washy about her feelings for him. When he confronted her about their "future", she didn't exactly get all giddy at the idea that in order to become his wife she'd have to move to Austin. Well, DUH. He owns bars in Austin. It's his life. You can't exactly move that somewhere else, now can you? But to be a dentist? Last I checked there are dentists in every city in America. And her insecurity was off the charts. Did you think you wouldn't be competing with other women on THE FREAKING BACHELOR? Well, there's another big DUH for you. So instead of getting all freaked out, insecure, bitchy, and annoying, just chill out, enjoy your dates, and take the opportunities as they come for time alone. You got the first one-on-one date, lady....CHILL OUT. She just got worse and worse as the season continued. What a mess.
It was painfully clear that this is one woman who is completely not ready for marriage, sacrifice, compromise, and anything that involves being selfless. To cast her as The Bachelorette certainly makes for dramatic (you knew I'd use that word) reality TV...but not GOOD reality TV, that's for sure.
I don't read up on spoilers, so I have no idea how the season will play out. I'm convinced she ends up with no one. If I'm wrong, don't ruin it for me. While I keep saying I'm not going to finish out this season, Greg has other ideas. But I still say she ends up with no one.
Before I continue my Ashley-bashing, I will point out a few good things about her. Because, let's face it, I'm not completely insensitive and mean. She is a decently pretty girl and of course she's in shape. Two completely pointless things in the long run. Anyone who bases everything on looks is just asking for disappointment in life. Actually, being in shape is kinda important. It's vital to be healthy and not a couch potato. But I digress. She's cute enough. She is apparently educated, as she's in the middle of dental school. She will be Dr. Ashley Hebert soon, supposedly, and it's good that she plans to have a rewarding career that will provide future stability for her family. Lastly, she obviously wants to be in a relationship, but I'm not sure if this is good or bad. Desperation breeds disappointment. I'm running out of good things to say. Oh...she has nice teeth.
Now let's start the long list of why Ashley sucks as The Bachelorette and why she is subsequently sucking the joy of watching the show out of every ounce of my being.
1. Worst Judge of Character EVER.
Okay, seriously, Ash, you were WARNED about Bentley. Now, mind you, it was from Michelle Money, the biggest freakshow on Brad's season. But still, YOU WERE WARNED. Had I been in her shoes, I just would've flat out confronted Bentley on Day 1 about what was said about him. If there's one thing I've learned after so many years of watching friends go through bad relationship crap, it's that if there's a warning about someone, IT'S USUALLY TRUE. At least in some capacity. And even if she hadn't been warned about him, Bentley has sleeze written all over him. Compared to some of the other guys on the season, he's a total slimebucket. The guy can't even carry on a meaninful conversation. And he spends entirely too much time on his hair. A guy who spends more time that I do in front of the mirror has got to go. Plus, this is the guy WHO WALKED AWAY! Yes, he told her it was for his daughter (which we all know was BS anyway) but still, HE WALKED AWAY! And left her hanging! If that didn't give her red flags to realize this guy was not worth it, then nothing was going to knock sense into her and her judgement (or lack thereof).
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2. Her Inability to Communicate
Watching Ashley and Bentley try to have a conversation is worse than having my fingernails pulled out one by one. Although that's never actually happened to me, I'm pretty sure it would suck worse than anything else ever. That's what it's like trying to sit through two communication-duds trying to get their feelings out. I tried to get Greg to fast forward through their last scene together but he's the remote Nazi and he wouldn't budge. I think he likes me to suffer.
And then there's the scene where she tells all the guys that she saw Bentley in Hong Kong. Really, could she have handled it any worse? "Hi guys, I totally fell for Bentley, and I had unresolved feelings, and I got to see him here in Hong Kong, but he's gone now, and everything is okay, and all you guys are better than him anyway." That's not really how she said it all, but that's the general idea. How easy would it have been to tell them she hadn't been able to shake him, although she was developing strong feelings for them as well, and she felt she needed more closure from him to truly move on and give the guys the attention they deserved. Did she have to mention she completely fell for him? And then to blow it all off like it was no big deal and not even give them an opportunity to say much to her about it. What does she then do? Walks away. Uh....okay. Yeah, that's a good problem solver right there.
Kudos to Mickey for taking off. He finally figured it out.
3. Her ridiculously annoying INSECURITY
Can this woman just get over it already? Insecurity breeds more insecurity. Look in the mirror, find some self-love, stop freaking out over every little thing. Yes, when William roasted her, that sucked, but he was a tool. I would have been pissed off, too, but MOVE ON ALREADY. Be secure in yourself, realize that you have things to offer, and get to know these guys on your own personal merits. Insecurity is incredibly unattractive. No man wants to spend his life trying to bolster up your sagging ego and reassuring you that you're swell. Talk about exhausting. And a relationship-killer. I've been insecure before and it's stupid. I like myself a lot now. I've been with Greg for 16 years. Yay! I got over it and found success.
4. Her choice of clothing....or lack thereof
Ashley, I'm going to let you in on a little secret: It's not necessary to constantly wear itty bitty little miniskirts and to show your abs in 90% of the scenes. As a matter of fact, it kinda makes you look easy. No, not just kinda. It REALLY makes you look easy. Of course you have a nice body, but why not leave just a little to the imagination? If you're always having to cross your legs when you sit so the guys aren't looking up your super short skirt, then maybe it's time to put some jeans on instead. And is it necessary for every dress to be skintight? And every shirt SEE THROUGH? I laughed out loud during the boxing group date when she was parading around in her sports bra. A tank wasn't good enough? seriously? We know you have good abs, my dear. But if you find it necessary to use your body to attract the guys' attention, then what does that truly say about what you have to offer them?
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5. Her lip biting
Okay, so we all have stupid little physical quirks that might be deemed unattractive and annoying to others. But Ashley's lip biting drives me batty. Sometimes it's her lip, sometimes the inside of her cheek, but she constantly does it. Especially when she's on the hot seat by one of the guys. It's like her nervous little tick. And you know what it says to me? That she resorts to it because the girl CAN'T COMMUNICATE! She has no idea how to get her feelings out in a constructive, meaningful way, so she bites her own face. Add to it her constant use of "uh huh" and you have yourself one irritating chick.
So now that I've shown my mean side in spades by trashing Ashley, what do I think about the guys? I really have no idea, because I've spend so much time focusing on my annoyance with the Bachelorette that I almost forget that there are worthy guys still on the show. Good looking worthy guys. I will say that I thought I liked Ryan, but if the other guys are that completely annoyed with him, it's likely I'd get fed up pretty quickly, too. Never mind that he's hot. I do like J.P. and Ben the winemaker. Well, duh, of course I'm going to like the winemaker. Maybe that's what I need to focus on in the next episode. Staring at the guys. Yeah.....
* side note - Greg made the mistake of turning it on during week 3 or 4 and we subsequently got totally sucked into it...of course. That may have had a lot to do with the beefcake on her season. Just saying.
ABC did it again. They cast the most annoying girl of Brad Womack's Bachelor season, Ashley Hebert, as the next Bachelorette. Now granted, most of the ladies on Brad's season were pretty awful, but Ashley? Miss Indecisive, Miss "I Can't Communicate"? Would there really be 25 men actually interested enough in her to want to be on the show? She may be perfectly fine in real life (who knows??), but as a TV reality star? Are you flipping kidding me? It stills boggles the mind that Mr. Womack even kept her around as long as he did.
I immediately told Greg that NO! We weren't watching the next season. He didn't listen. He invites people to our house to watch it. I'm forced into it.
So what's my solution? BLOGGING!! It's most definitely time for me to blog about my irritation. This will not be pretty, I'm sure.
One of the things that bugged the crap out of me about Ashley during Brad's season was that she was so wishy-washy about her feelings for him. When he confronted her about their "future", she didn't exactly get all giddy at the idea that in order to become his wife she'd have to move to Austin. Well, DUH. He owns bars in Austin. It's his life. You can't exactly move that somewhere else, now can you? But to be a dentist? Last I checked there are dentists in every city in America. And her insecurity was off the charts. Did you think you wouldn't be competing with other women on THE FREAKING BACHELOR? Well, there's another big DUH for you. So instead of getting all freaked out, insecure, bitchy, and annoying, just chill out, enjoy your dates, and take the opportunities as they come for time alone. You got the first one-on-one date, lady....CHILL OUT. She just got worse and worse as the season continued. What a mess.
It was painfully clear that this is one woman who is completely not ready for marriage, sacrifice, compromise, and anything that involves being selfless. To cast her as The Bachelorette certainly makes for dramatic (you knew I'd use that word) reality TV...but not GOOD reality TV, that's for sure.
I don't read up on spoilers, so I have no idea how the season will play out. I'm convinced she ends up with no one. If I'm wrong, don't ruin it for me. While I keep saying I'm not going to finish out this season, Greg has other ideas. But I still say she ends up with no one.
Before I continue my Ashley-bashing, I will point out a few good things about her. Because, let's face it, I'm not completely insensitive and mean. She is a decently pretty girl and of course she's in shape. Two completely pointless things in the long run. Anyone who bases everything on looks is just asking for disappointment in life. Actually, being in shape is kinda important. It's vital to be healthy and not a couch potato. But I digress. She's cute enough. She is apparently educated, as she's in the middle of dental school. She will be Dr. Ashley Hebert soon, supposedly, and it's good that she plans to have a rewarding career that will provide future stability for her family. Lastly, she obviously wants to be in a relationship, but I'm not sure if this is good or bad. Desperation breeds disappointment. I'm running out of good things to say. Oh...she has nice teeth.
Now let's start the long list of why Ashley sucks as The Bachelorette and why she is subsequently sucking the joy of watching the show out of every ounce of my being.
1. Worst Judge of Character EVER.
Okay, seriously, Ash, you were WARNED about Bentley. Now, mind you, it was from Michelle Money, the biggest freakshow on Brad's season. But still, YOU WERE WARNED. Had I been in her shoes, I just would've flat out confronted Bentley on Day 1 about what was said about him. If there's one thing I've learned after so many years of watching friends go through bad relationship crap, it's that if there's a warning about someone, IT'S USUALLY TRUE. At least in some capacity. And even if she hadn't been warned about him, Bentley has sleeze written all over him. Compared to some of the other guys on the season, he's a total slimebucket. The guy can't even carry on a meaninful conversation. And he spends entirely too much time on his hair. A guy who spends more time that I do in front of the mirror has got to go. Plus, this is the guy WHO WALKED AWAY! Yes, he told her it was for his daughter (which we all know was BS anyway) but still, HE WALKED AWAY! And left her hanging! If that didn't give her red flags to realize this guy was not worth it, then nothing was going to knock sense into her and her judgement (or lack thereof).
2. Her Inability to Communicate
Watching Ashley and Bentley try to have a conversation is worse than having my fingernails pulled out one by one. Although that's never actually happened to me, I'm pretty sure it would suck worse than anything else ever. That's what it's like trying to sit through two communication-duds trying to get their feelings out. I tried to get Greg to fast forward through their last scene together but he's the remote Nazi and he wouldn't budge. I think he likes me to suffer.
And then there's the scene where she tells all the guys that she saw Bentley in Hong Kong. Really, could she have handled it any worse? "Hi guys, I totally fell for Bentley, and I had unresolved feelings, and I got to see him here in Hong Kong, but he's gone now, and everything is okay, and all you guys are better than him anyway." That's not really how she said it all, but that's the general idea. How easy would it have been to tell them she hadn't been able to shake him, although she was developing strong feelings for them as well, and she felt she needed more closure from him to truly move on and give the guys the attention they deserved. Did she have to mention she completely fell for him? And then to blow it all off like it was no big deal and not even give them an opportunity to say much to her about it. What does she then do? Walks away. Uh....okay. Yeah, that's a good problem solver right there.
Kudos to Mickey for taking off. He finally figured it out.
3. Her ridiculously annoying INSECURITY
Can this woman just get over it already? Insecurity breeds more insecurity. Look in the mirror, find some self-love, stop freaking out over every little thing. Yes, when William roasted her, that sucked, but he was a tool. I would have been pissed off, too, but MOVE ON ALREADY. Be secure in yourself, realize that you have things to offer, and get to know these guys on your own personal merits. Insecurity is incredibly unattractive. No man wants to spend his life trying to bolster up your sagging ego and reassuring you that you're swell. Talk about exhausting. And a relationship-killer. I've been insecure before and it's stupid. I like myself a lot now. I've been with Greg for 16 years. Yay! I got over it and found success.
4. Her choice of clothing....or lack thereof
Ashley, I'm going to let you in on a little secret: It's not necessary to constantly wear itty bitty little miniskirts and to show your abs in 90% of the scenes. As a matter of fact, it kinda makes you look easy. No, not just kinda. It REALLY makes you look easy. Of course you have a nice body, but why not leave just a little to the imagination? If you're always having to cross your legs when you sit so the guys aren't looking up your super short skirt, then maybe it's time to put some jeans on instead. And is it necessary for every dress to be skintight? And every shirt SEE THROUGH? I laughed out loud during the boxing group date when she was parading around in her sports bra. A tank wasn't good enough? seriously? We know you have good abs, my dear. But if you find it necessary to use your body to attract the guys' attention, then what does that truly say about what you have to offer them?
5. Her lip biting
Okay, so we all have stupid little physical quirks that might be deemed unattractive and annoying to others. But Ashley's lip biting drives me batty. Sometimes it's her lip, sometimes the inside of her cheek, but she constantly does it. Especially when she's on the hot seat by one of the guys. It's like her nervous little tick. And you know what it says to me? That she resorts to it because the girl CAN'T COMMUNICATE! She has no idea how to get her feelings out in a constructive, meaningful way, so she bites her own face. Add to it her constant use of "uh huh" and you have yourself one irritating chick.
So now that I've shown my mean side in spades by trashing Ashley, what do I think about the guys? I really have no idea, because I've spend so much time focusing on my annoyance with the Bachelorette that I almost forget that there are worthy guys still on the show. Good looking worthy guys. I will say that I thought I liked Ryan, but if the other guys are that completely annoyed with him, it's likely I'd get fed up pretty quickly, too. Never mind that he's hot. I do like J.P. and Ben the winemaker. Well, duh, of course I'm going to like the winemaker. Maybe that's what I need to focus on in the next episode. Staring at the guys. Yeah.....
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Houston Marathon #2!
My 2011 marathon season wasn't exactly what I was hoping for. You can read about both my marathons here and here. The plan was to run Houston on January 30 and Austin on February 20. My training season was okay, but definitely my toughest. Race day weather was mediocre. It just didn't turn out like I had hoped.
I told my husband afterwards that I just wasn't sure what 2012 would bring me. I didn't know if I'd want to run another marathon or just stick to half marathons and wait until 2013 for my next full. I was pretty sure I was going to skip Houston or any other out of town race. If anything, I'd only do the Austin Marathon. But that decision would be made after our training season began in August (I'm an assistant coach with Round Rock Fit).
The off season has surprised me. I ran the Texas Indepedence Relay in March and was surprised at how good I felt, and then I joined a gym in order to use the treadmill rather than always having to run in the Texas summer heat. Whereas last summer I was suffering through every single run and really not enjoying it at all, I'm feeling very different this summer. I feel strong and fast. I'm not having trouble getting through runs at all. When I do run outside it's not always very pretty, but my treadmill runs are surprising me and giving me a huge boost in confidence. I started thinking that maybe Marathon Season 2012 was not out of the question.
Three things about the Houston Marathon in 2012 that are very appealing to me: first, I have other friends who planned to run it. Second, it coincides with the 2012 Olympic Marathon Trials, being held in Houston. And third, it's on my birthday. I knew if I decided to run Houston after all that I probably wouldn't have my family trek there to watch me this time, but rather just come to watch me in Austin. So having friends there would be a huge thing for me. I couldn't imagine starting and finishing a full marathon with zero support. And the idea of getting to see the elite athletes tough it out for a coveted Olympic marathon spot? How could I forgo that opportunity? Lastly, about my birthday....that's a more bittersweet reason....
I lost my older sister in 2009 at the age of 37. I was never one for celebrating my birthday much prior to her death, but since she passed it's been the absolute last thing I've wanted to do. I was 35 at the time of her death and the two birthdays I've had since have been extremely difficult to take. She was clearly too young to die, and as I crept up on her age it made the pain and guilt of being the "survivor" very unbearable. Birthday number 38 is on January 15, 2012, the day of the Houston Marathon, and my toughest birthday yet. My sister didn't live to see 38. I really will need the distraction of something big and grand to keep my emotions in check. To hit 38 years old with a bang seemed just the way to do it. I feel like it gives me a bigger purpose to my running, and makes the approaching date feel exciting rather than just dreaded.
Will it take away all the pain? Of course not. Grief doesn't disappear, but any self-therapy I can come up I'm going to take.
I was lucky enough to get selected in the Houston Marathon lottery, so it's definitely going to happen. I have several friends who got in as well, and at least a couple who plan to be in Houston for the Trials, too. It will be the perfect way for me to officially be the "older" sister that I never was growing up. Bittersweet, yes, but maybe a little sweeter than I thought it could be.
As a bonus.....the Austin Marathon will be on February 19, which just happens to be my daughter's 7th birthday. I couldn't have planned it better myself.
I told my husband afterwards that I just wasn't sure what 2012 would bring me. I didn't know if I'd want to run another marathon or just stick to half marathons and wait until 2013 for my next full. I was pretty sure I was going to skip Houston or any other out of town race. If anything, I'd only do the Austin Marathon. But that decision would be made after our training season began in August (I'm an assistant coach with Round Rock Fit).
The off season has surprised me. I ran the Texas Indepedence Relay in March and was surprised at how good I felt, and then I joined a gym in order to use the treadmill rather than always having to run in the Texas summer heat. Whereas last summer I was suffering through every single run and really not enjoying it at all, I'm feeling very different this summer. I feel strong and fast. I'm not having trouble getting through runs at all. When I do run outside it's not always very pretty, but my treadmill runs are surprising me and giving me a huge boost in confidence. I started thinking that maybe Marathon Season 2012 was not out of the question.
Three things about the Houston Marathon in 2012 that are very appealing to me: first, I have other friends who planned to run it. Second, it coincides with the 2012 Olympic Marathon Trials, being held in Houston. And third, it's on my birthday. I knew if I decided to run Houston after all that I probably wouldn't have my family trek there to watch me this time, but rather just come to watch me in Austin. So having friends there would be a huge thing for me. I couldn't imagine starting and finishing a full marathon with zero support. And the idea of getting to see the elite athletes tough it out for a coveted Olympic marathon spot? How could I forgo that opportunity? Lastly, about my birthday....that's a more bittersweet reason....
I lost my older sister in 2009 at the age of 37. I was never one for celebrating my birthday much prior to her death, but since she passed it's been the absolute last thing I've wanted to do. I was 35 at the time of her death and the two birthdays I've had since have been extremely difficult to take. She was clearly too young to die, and as I crept up on her age it made the pain and guilt of being the "survivor" very unbearable. Birthday number 38 is on January 15, 2012, the day of the Houston Marathon, and my toughest birthday yet. My sister didn't live to see 38. I really will need the distraction of something big and grand to keep my emotions in check. To hit 38 years old with a bang seemed just the way to do it. I feel like it gives me a bigger purpose to my running, and makes the approaching date feel exciting rather than just dreaded.
Will it take away all the pain? Of course not. Grief doesn't disappear, but any self-therapy I can come up I'm going to take.
I was lucky enough to get selected in the Houston Marathon lottery, so it's definitely going to happen. I have several friends who got in as well, and at least a couple who plan to be in Houston for the Trials, too. It will be the perfect way for me to officially be the "older" sister that I never was growing up. Bittersweet, yes, but maybe a little sweeter than I thought it could be.
As a bonus.....the Austin Marathon will be on February 19, which just happens to be my daughter's 7th birthday. I couldn't have planned it better myself.
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Don't miss out on opportunities....
I recently traveled to Italy with my husband and friends...my first time across the Atlantic and the only other country I'd ever visited besides Mexico. I have to admit - I was a bit freaked over what it would be like to be in another country. Excited (obviously, since Italy is one country in Europe that is an absolute must see for me) but nervous.
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I've always maintained the mantra that we must try new things in life, things we think we may not like or enjoy, and if we do this continually we're going to experience some unexpected joys and triumphs in life. One of my biggest leaps of faith was becoming a runner. I have always maintained that I hated running, that it was "bad for my knees." What a bunch of baloney! Running has become my lifesaver, my therapy, my key to good health, and don't even get me started on the whole "bad for my knees" BS! Additionally, my family took a huge leap of faith back in 2007 when we decided to get the heck out of California and move to a state that better fit our lifestyle. I had never lived outside California and Texas is a very different place. I was scared, but knew that in the long run it was best for us. I had no choice but to find the positive. I haven't looked back.
Back to Italy...
Being in a foreign country forces one to suck it up and just deal with the unexpected. It forces us outside our comfort zones. If we get caught up in the "but that's not how I usually do things" garbage we'll never experience the joy another culture and country can bring us.
As soon as we left the airport in Rome, I'm not gonna lie...I was a big freaked. The signs were so very different than how we mark things here in the U.S. We easily could have gotten frustrated and lost, but that would do no one any good. I had printed out the directions from the villa's website and had them with me. As I'm sitting in the passenger seat of the car (and mind you, this was at 8:30 in the morning local time after getting NO SLEEP on the plane!), I wished I had noticed just how obsure the details on the directions were. I'm the kind of girl who likes "turn right at Main Street, drive 1.2 miles, turn left at Lakeshore Drive, etc" - you know, SPECIFICS. The directions on the villa were of the "turn right at the first street on your left, then make a sharp left, and turn right at the third road" variety. Kind of like the directions you get from random folks at gas stations - "turn left at the old barn, then drive a few blocks, a make a left just past the house with the broken fence...." You get my point?
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Thankfully, we were meeting up with our friends at a hotel first (they arrived the day before) and then caravanning up to the villa about three hours north of Rome. My friend Susan gave us perfect directions to the hotel and we miraculously didn't make a wrong turn. Wait, I take that back....Greg didn't believe me when I said that we weren't supposed to turn into the hotel's first entrance but rather keep driving down the road to Building 2. He insisted on turning into Building 1's parking lot. Silly boy. Always trust your wife when it comes to directions. After making it to the hotel unscathed, with all our luggage, with Greg already expertly driving a Fiat with a stick shift, I was feeling a bit better. "Outside our Comfort Zone" Lesson 1 was a success!
As we drove up to the Villa I continually made mental notes on the signage used in Italy. Vastly different than how we use roadway signs in the US, but decipherable nonetheless if one puts on their thinking cap and looks for the logic. Funny enough, as we're following Susan and Bryan to the villa and are only about 5 km away (yes, I started thinking in kilometers!), I actually realized when they made a wrong turn. Lesson 1 success continues...
While in a foreign country, you're obviously going to be at the mercy of their diet for the most part. Sure, you can find "American" restaurants just about anywhere, right? Hmmm...not really in Tuscany, at least not where we were. It's Italian, Italian, Italian. Pure, authentic, fresh ingredients, ITALIAN cooking. If you're one who doesn't normally eat a lot of vegetables, who thinks of Italian as being "spaghetti and meatballs" and "pepperoni pizza", you're going to have to throw those thoughts out the window in a place like this. If you can't be willing to try new dishes or eat things you haven't necessarily tried before, don't bother traveling. I tried everything put in front of me. Did I like it all? Not necessarily, but that's okay.
Some of our most wonderful experiences in Italy involved cooking. Our first night there we were treated to some exquisite appetizers made by the villa's caretaker, Claudia, and housekeeper/chef, Monica. Ever had zucchini flower or fried sage? Me, neither! But I ate it and it was amazing. On our second night, we had Claudia and Monica hold a cooking class for us. I had never thought of using green tomatoes in anything before, but they made the most wonderful pasta using green tomatoes and zucchini squash. It's definitely something I want to duplicate at home.
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On our third day we traveled to a 1000 year old abbey to take a cooking class by a master chef. The first thing we see when we walk into the kitchen is the abundance of fresh ingredients. These Italians do not believe in anything processed (or low fat, for that matter!). It's all about being fresh and simple. But even with fresh and simple, the outcome is magnificent. Picky eaters have to throw caution to the wind! You just never know what you're going to get unless you just jump in and experience it. "Outside our Comfort Zone" Lesson 2 - SUCCESS!
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Greg and I took one side trip completely by ourselves while in Tuscany - our day trip to Pisa. I wrote out the directions, we hopped in the car, and off we went. Yes, we got lost once we hit the city of Pisa, but eventually found our way, parked our car, and hit Piazza del Duomo for some sightseeing. Pisa isn't really the nicest city, that's for sure, and I was a bit apprehensive about our surroundings, but I just HAD TO see the Torre di Pisa (Leaning Tower). We then decided to see the Mediterranean....a few consultations of the map and driving in that general direction got us to the coast. We even made it back to the villa 80+ km away without too many wrong turns. (as long as we remembered that left turn arrows at a roundabout actually mean to go straight, we were in business). So going off into a foreign country completely by ourselves wasn't too bad. "Outside our Comfort Zone" Lesson 3 - SUCCESS!
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When you're in a foreign country you can't be embarrassed about speaking their language, no matter how stupid you think you might sound. We took the time to learn a few important phrases, we constantly asked Claudia and Monica back at the villa and our fabulous wine tour guide, Donatella, how to pronounce things, and we had our handy Phrasefinder book. While in San Gimignano one day, Greg and I decided we would only speak Italian at the cafe where we ate lunch. I was kind of embarrassed because I sometimes got my accent and stress wrong, but I figured it didn't hurt to try. We managed to order all our food (including our acqua frizzante grande, of course!), ask where the bathroom was, and ask for the check completely in Italian without having to revert to English. And the waitress understood us. We did it again while in Pisa and in Rome later in the week. It really does make it a whole lot easier when you take them time to learn the common phrases and words in the country's language, even if most people do know English. How fun it was to become immersed in the culture and forget about any language barrier and to make the effort to understand the signs around the cities. I find it very disconcerting when Americans just assume another country will make concessions for them without any effort to conform to that country's customs. It's arrogant. WE should be conforming to THEM! The whole experience made me want to come home and learn Italian (I may do that!). "Outside our Comfort Zone" Lesson 4 - SUCCESS!
Our last day in Italy was going to consist of leaving the villa, driving to Rome, exploring for a few hours, spending the night in a hotel, and then heading home on a morning flight. Our hotel was near the airport, which is several kilometers from the city center and all the historical Roman sites. We knew driving into the city from our hotel was definitely not what we were going to do. Have I mentioned how Italians drive and how narrow the streets are? It's insane. It's one thing to do it in a Tuscan village, a whole other ballgame to try it a city the size of Rome. So we had a choice - take the hotel shuttle to the Ancient ruins and walk around Rome or hire a driver. The cost of a driver was astronomical so we didn't even really entertain that option for long. So the shuttle it was. Only there was one small hitch....Lady Gaga was in town for a concert during the Europride Roma parage, so the shuttles were not allowed to go into the city center. We'd have to take the Metro. Okay, a foreign subway - no problem! I've actually been okay taking subways and public transportation in strange cities. It's a little disconcerting - they aren't really very clean, there can be some strange folks on them, and they typically don't go through the best parts of town. But if it's really your only option, you have to get over your trepidation. Just get on the damn subway and go see the sights, right?! So we did! As we're traveling along the Metro, we are noticing all the graffitti and some of the odd folks riding. But we're getting the real Roman experience in the process - silver lining in the chaos, I suppose. Greg and I are in a completely foreign place, we have only a few hours to sightsee, and here we are experiencing it on a unique level, throwing our caution to the wind. It was pretty cool, I think. But don't get me started on our trek through the ancient ruins in the dark and then back to the hotel at midnight - not gonna lie, that experience was a bit much even for me! But we survived, we rode the Rome Metro, we explored Rome on foot, we survived a scary cab ride, and it was amazing all in all. "Outside our Comfort Zone" Lesson 5 - SUCCESS!!
So back to my original point. We all have our comfort zones, we all have our ways of doing things, but if we allow those rituals to define us to the point of paralyzing us from trying something different or new, we are completely selling ourselves short and missing out on life changing experiences. You truly never know what you're going to like or what's out there in the world if you force yourself in a small box, if you allow your "comfort" to dictate ALL of your decisions, if you follow only one known path. Try something different, take a different route, ride a subway, eat fried sage. It isn't going to kill you, and you just might embark upon something magnificent!
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I've always maintained the mantra that we must try new things in life, things we think we may not like or enjoy, and if we do this continually we're going to experience some unexpected joys and triumphs in life. One of my biggest leaps of faith was becoming a runner. I have always maintained that I hated running, that it was "bad for my knees." What a bunch of baloney! Running has become my lifesaver, my therapy, my key to good health, and don't even get me started on the whole "bad for my knees" BS! Additionally, my family took a huge leap of faith back in 2007 when we decided to get the heck out of California and move to a state that better fit our lifestyle. I had never lived outside California and Texas is a very different place. I was scared, but knew that in the long run it was best for us. I had no choice but to find the positive. I haven't looked back.
Back to Italy...
Being in a foreign country forces one to suck it up and just deal with the unexpected. It forces us outside our comfort zones. If we get caught up in the "but that's not how I usually do things" garbage we'll never experience the joy another culture and country can bring us.
As soon as we left the airport in Rome, I'm not gonna lie...I was a big freaked. The signs were so very different than how we mark things here in the U.S. We easily could have gotten frustrated and lost, but that would do no one any good. I had printed out the directions from the villa's website and had them with me. As I'm sitting in the passenger seat of the car (and mind you, this was at 8:30 in the morning local time after getting NO SLEEP on the plane!), I wished I had noticed just how obsure the details on the directions were. I'm the kind of girl who likes "turn right at Main Street, drive 1.2 miles, turn left at Lakeshore Drive, etc" - you know, SPECIFICS. The directions on the villa were of the "turn right at the first street on your left, then make a sharp left, and turn right at the third road" variety. Kind of like the directions you get from random folks at gas stations - "turn left at the old barn, then drive a few blocks, a make a left just past the house with the broken fence...." You get my point?
Thankfully, we were meeting up with our friends at a hotel first (they arrived the day before) and then caravanning up to the villa about three hours north of Rome. My friend Susan gave us perfect directions to the hotel and we miraculously didn't make a wrong turn. Wait, I take that back....Greg didn't believe me when I said that we weren't supposed to turn into the hotel's first entrance but rather keep driving down the road to Building 2. He insisted on turning into Building 1's parking lot. Silly boy. Always trust your wife when it comes to directions. After making it to the hotel unscathed, with all our luggage, with Greg already expertly driving a Fiat with a stick shift, I was feeling a bit better. "Outside our Comfort Zone" Lesson 1 was a success!
As we drove up to the Villa I continually made mental notes on the signage used in Italy. Vastly different than how we use roadway signs in the US, but decipherable nonetheless if one puts on their thinking cap and looks for the logic. Funny enough, as we're following Susan and Bryan to the villa and are only about 5 km away (yes, I started thinking in kilometers!), I actually realized when they made a wrong turn. Lesson 1 success continues...
While in a foreign country, you're obviously going to be at the mercy of their diet for the most part. Sure, you can find "American" restaurants just about anywhere, right? Hmmm...not really in Tuscany, at least not where we were. It's Italian, Italian, Italian. Pure, authentic, fresh ingredients, ITALIAN cooking. If you're one who doesn't normally eat a lot of vegetables, who thinks of Italian as being "spaghetti and meatballs" and "pepperoni pizza", you're going to have to throw those thoughts out the window in a place like this. If you can't be willing to try new dishes or eat things you haven't necessarily tried before, don't bother traveling. I tried everything put in front of me. Did I like it all? Not necessarily, but that's okay.
Some of our most wonderful experiences in Italy involved cooking. Our first night there we were treated to some exquisite appetizers made by the villa's caretaker, Claudia, and housekeeper/chef, Monica. Ever had zucchini flower or fried sage? Me, neither! But I ate it and it was amazing. On our second night, we had Claudia and Monica hold a cooking class for us. I had never thought of using green tomatoes in anything before, but they made the most wonderful pasta using green tomatoes and zucchini squash. It's definitely something I want to duplicate at home.
Greg and I took one side trip completely by ourselves while in Tuscany - our day trip to Pisa. I wrote out the directions, we hopped in the car, and off we went. Yes, we got lost once we hit the city of Pisa, but eventually found our way, parked our car, and hit Piazza del Duomo for some sightseeing. Pisa isn't really the nicest city, that's for sure, and I was a bit apprehensive about our surroundings, but I just HAD TO see the Torre di Pisa (Leaning Tower). We then decided to see the Mediterranean....a few consultations of the map and driving in that general direction got us to the coast. We even made it back to the villa 80+ km away without too many wrong turns. (as long as we remembered that left turn arrows at a roundabout actually mean to go straight, we were in business). So going off into a foreign country completely by ourselves wasn't too bad. "Outside our Comfort Zone" Lesson 3 - SUCCESS!
Our last day in Italy was going to consist of leaving the villa, driving to Rome, exploring for a few hours, spending the night in a hotel, and then heading home on a morning flight. Our hotel was near the airport, which is several kilometers from the city center and all the historical Roman sites. We knew driving into the city from our hotel was definitely not what we were going to do. Have I mentioned how Italians drive and how narrow the streets are? It's insane. It's one thing to do it in a Tuscan village, a whole other ballgame to try it a city the size of Rome. So we had a choice - take the hotel shuttle to the Ancient ruins and walk around Rome or hire a driver. The cost of a driver was astronomical so we didn't even really entertain that option for long. So the shuttle it was. Only there was one small hitch....Lady Gaga was in town for a concert during the Europride Roma parage, so the shuttles were not allowed to go into the city center. We'd have to take the Metro. Okay, a foreign subway - no problem! I've actually been okay taking subways and public transportation in strange cities. It's a little disconcerting - they aren't really very clean, there can be some strange folks on them, and they typically don't go through the best parts of town. But if it's really your only option, you have to get over your trepidation. Just get on the damn subway and go see the sights, right?! So we did! As we're traveling along the Metro, we are noticing all the graffitti and some of the odd folks riding. But we're getting the real Roman experience in the process - silver lining in the chaos, I suppose. Greg and I are in a completely foreign place, we have only a few hours to sightsee, and here we are experiencing it on a unique level, throwing our caution to the wind. It was pretty cool, I think. But don't get me started on our trek through the ancient ruins in the dark and then back to the hotel at midnight - not gonna lie, that experience was a bit much even for me! But we survived, we rode the Rome Metro, we explored Rome on foot, we survived a scary cab ride, and it was amazing all in all. "Outside our Comfort Zone" Lesson 5 - SUCCESS!!
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| (that's me cruising through the Metro station) |
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