Gratitude

I so appreciate a day like Thanksgiving. Not for the so called historical reasons, but for the regular reminder that we all have so much to be thankful for. Lately life has been particularly trying for me - I have given in to grief, fear, confusion and anger. Two dear friends died quite unexpectedly, one day apart; at the same time that my professional life demanded so much more than usual from me.

I have been at sea, but am used to navigating myelf back into port.

Difficult times serve many purposes. I do NOT subscribe to the philosophy of their necessity. But difficult times give you the opportunity to test not only yourself but those around you, and how you feel about them. It can also reinforce what is really important to you when all the bells and whistles are stripped away.

I am humbly thankful for

My incredible little family. There are so few of us - and I always wished there were more - but we all so totally rock.

Love: its daily manifestations, and my ability to comprehend and express it

My personal relationship with the Divine, and the unconditional love and acceptance I strive to understand and reflect

my parents. They both left here a long time ago but I still benefit daily from their wise teachings firm foundation and incredible love. They are the best

Gainful employment

My abundant health- thing one and thing two are out of control with Esther (Roll) and Bertha(Butt) in close second and third but you know what? They are strong beautiful get me where I am going and I love them! I just know they will help me accomplish amazing things this season

my warm and comfy bed, warm home, food in the fridge

my stupid arse dog

leisure time to blog,dream, train, read, think, create...

It's all love. It's all good. I am so much better for those who have already been here, and grateful for being part of their jouney.

NOW - off to my own version of a Turkey Trot!!

behold, the gigantor demon cricket. The picture does it no justice - this bad boy was HUGE. and very very oogly. And all day he didntstray very far from my treadmill, perfect excuse to not use it! Ugh, ugh, ugh.

This weather lately has been absolutely gorgi. Never mind the training widget thingie – I have been running. Short baby runs but I have been moving consistently and that is the point for now. I went to a huge park yesterday and got lost on a few of the trails running and had an absolute blast. It was so nice to be surrounded by nature and not going around on the track like the worlds largest hamster (although my knees miss the cushioned track surface and loudly reminded me of that once or twice).

Good things that I did at least that much yesterday, as my treadmill decided to spaz out and kill its power supply. I also found out that my beyootiful gym may be closing – yeah the one that is near my job that I haven’t been able to frequent at all in the past six months. Whatever. I have to start getting my bear arse out of bed at 5 am again so I can at least start swimming in the am – if I do get to rejoin Masters, I don’t want to drown in the first class; that is waaay too embarrassing. At my best I am slowest.

To keep things interesting I started the 100 pushup, situp and squat challenge with my kids. We had fun just doing the test! I regularly attempt to inspire them to achieve and maintain fitness and am really hoping this will help – both them and me!

Finally - CNN is doing sponsoring another Triathlon training team to participate in the NYC triathlon with Dr Sanjay Gupta. I would soooo love to participate with them - especially since CNN picks up the tab, and I think Sanjay rocks the house(I so appreciate his coverage of Haiti after the earthquake; not for the fainthearted and speaking truth to power) I will not however be submitting a video of myself so I will continue to be inspired from afar!

Random Ramblings

• I have been perfecting my bear impersonation this last two weeks. Slowing down, piling up things in my cave, and eating lik ethere is no tomorrow. Oh its all healthy, but its too much. And if I am not eating, I am SOOOoooo hungry. I just cannot sleep or eat enough...and no I am not pregnant, those arent even my pregnancy symptoms. These are my "its getting cold and dark outside" symptoms.

• Despite all of that I feel pretty good except for the widening expanse of my waist...

• I LOVE Modern Family. Love.It.

• I dont know how much longer I can afford all this organic clean eating. If I were single I would be set, but with a family of six and a fat dog, its s huge strain. Steel cut oats cost a grip! I shoudl just cave and go back to Kaboom cereal, and then I could afford a new snazzy bike and maybe a mid-winter vacation

• I had a Kashi Go Lean chewy bar the other day for lunch and it was GREAT

• I wish I werent so sleepy because I do love running in this cooler weather, heavy salty sweater that I am. I just cant seem to get up early enough during the week to get out, but at least I have the weekends. I will confine myself to the dreadmill twice a week....

• I want to add a sprint on either end of NYC and shoot for the half marathon in October again

• really really wish I could find a run, swim or bike buddy...I am so happy my son is now into cross country so at least I have company on the weekend, even though he easily dusts me!

Here we go again

Long story short, DH signed me up for the NYC Triathlon. Sweetheart! BECAUSE he did this, because HE did this, because he DID this,

I must "do it".

I am freaked out.

I volunteered for this race this summer, doing body marking and handing out timing chips. Let me tell you, there are some AMAZING looking athletes on the course- I think I notice them more as a volunteer without nerves than I would as a participant whose mind is racing. I enjoyed the experience, and would do it again if allowed.

Afterwards I spent an hour or so watching the swim leg in the Hudson right behind me, up close and personal. People were whizzing by! And yes, I did make one errant remark when I saw a guy with a noodle- I said something stupid like "If I could do it with a noodle, I will definitely participate".

But I don't want to swim with a noodle. I want to swim it, well. But I am terrified! There are so many reasons I am terrified I can't say exactly which fear is the biggest...Maybe it was being able to actually hear some people gasping as they went by. Maybe it is how fast the water was moving, how murky it looks and how deep it must really be. Maybe its because I can recall the guides in their kayaks screaming at the swimmers who went off course. Maybe its the idea of doing a whole mile when I haven't been to Masters swim in months. Maybe its the idea of even just jumping off that damn pontoon in the first place.


And, I know it is a challenging course. I am wary of the bike and the run, but the SWIM.........

Happy Halloween(ie)!

She Lives!

OK, about to get back on the carnival ride! Stay tuned...

Crabs in a barrell!

I am hardly the only one that gets annoyed with gym etiquette or the lack therof. There are however individuals less generous than I with their patience and inderstanding! Haha...the New York Times strikes again in this article called WORKOUT MISCREANTS . Enjoy!

Inspirational Me?

I had an interesting interlude the other day.





I had a conversation with an acquaintance whom I have not seen since a meeting I attended in October, one month after my triathlon. Not that she would have known, except the one person at work I did tell walked into the room of participants and announced that I am a triathlete (which prompted a barrage of questions and looks askance)




Anyway, I spoke with her the other day and she said "You have no idea how much you have inspired me, SingingElectric! You sounded like you love your training so much I signed up for swim classes. I started last week and it has changed my LIFE! "

yup, that is what she said.

Now I am so happy that someone else is inspired by me - I wish I could inspire my own damn self to go back to Masters but that is another story!-but really, I am happy that my struggles mean SOMETHING. You never know, I supppose, who is watching you.

My knee is starting to make more persistent noise. No pain, just crunchy noise. I have also been keeping up with my running albeit indoors as well as working on the drainer. I do anticipate that things at work shoud be leveling off in another month or so- so I can hopefully salvage some of the pre season! In the meantime, I have added the Danskin to my short list of tri endeavors this year.

One last Twilight Zone blast - I am actually thinking of rejoining the same training class that almost killed me last year. I think I will be able to keep up better this year if I do; I am just not sure that I can afford it. It is so worth the money however and the coach is really good.....hmmmm....