Foto Friday: It’s Beginning to Look Like Christmas

 

The light display at “Symphony of Lights”

 

 

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

 

Beautiful decorations and floral arrangements at Homestead Gardens! A “must do” every Christmas season. Go check it out.

RANDOM: No Regrets, Unforgiving, Fit & Phabulous

I recently read an article about the Top 5 regrets of the dying and 2 of them stood out to me based on some recent things that have happened and/or been said to me:

 

1. I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me. ~~ Well, that won’t be one of my regrets. I won’t wish I had lived true to myself. I am who I am and I am doing all most of the things I want to do with my life. I live this life out loud; large and bodacious and I try to drag as many friends/family along with me on this most awesome journey called life. the only people who I have bent/adjusted to/for are my children & husband, but even still – I CHOSE – and The TravelDiva has managed to stay True North.

 

Are you living life true to you?

 

2. I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings. Ummm, DUH! I’ve always had “the courage” to say how I feel and to express myself. Maybe it’s more of a lacking a filter instead of courage, but I have managed to navigate the military, corporate career & entrepreneurship with enough of a common sense/decency filter to be pretty damn successful. What I have found; however, is that there will always be people who believe it is okay for them to say any damn thing they want any which way they want to you without so much as a by your leave and then get their panties in a bunch when you check them or you don’t allow them a pass. You mad…oh well.

 

Do you hold all of your feelings & thoughts inside? What’s that feel like, because I would suffocate.

 

No regrets.

 

I tried to extend an olive branch to a FB friend who ~ 2 YEARS AGO!! ~ internalized and made all about him something I wrote about on my blog regarding elite athlete snobbery. He promptly unfriended me and I hadn’t heard from him since until he commented on a mutual friends page. I sent a message holding my olive branch and flag of truce, hoping that time had soothed over this complete misunderstanding. NOPE. The door got slammed in my face. I was told that the way I hurt his feelings was “unforgivable” ~ PERIOD and that he was not going to reconcile ever…Like EVER.  WOW. Good thing I’m not dependent on man’s forgiveness to be absolved of my alleged sins. Glory to God. Funny thing though…since he hasn’t mastered privacy settings yet, I was able to see some one of his recent posts on forgiveness where he said he had learned a lot form being able to forgive.

Really, boo? I think you need to go over that lesson again.

 

Are you hanging on to a slight, a hurt, a hate? Are you unforgiving as if you NEVER EVER do/say anything that hurts or is wrong? You know the only person you are hurting is YOU right?

 

A complete stranger saw a picture of me running in a race. Her comment about someone she doesn’t know anything about was “Hmmm, I bet she comes in last a lot.” Wow! A friend of mine who heard the comment handled it superbly and the stranger didn’t speak to her for the rest of the day. My friend was so crushed – NOT! My thoughts…No dear, I have NEVER come in last in anything I have done, but I bet her narrow ass would or be laid out in the back of a rescue vehicle. SMDH. People need to stop it with projecting their issues, hang ups, insecurities and all those subjective notions of what beauty & fitness should looks like for evey one. STOP IT. STOP TSK TSK’ING EVERYBODY AROUND YOU AND WORRY ABOUT/FOCUS ON YOU! Seriously. Here’s what I know – I know who and what I am ~ made in God’s image. My issues are mine and yours are YOURS. Don’t mistake this Athena physique, red lipstick and a smile for weak & lazy. This Athena Goddess will rip your scrawny arm off with her bare hands, throw you out on the lawn to feed the zombies (or simply to feed those turkey vultures on my neighbors widow walk) and keep it moving. Thin does not necessarily equal fit/fast/beautiful. That ugliness that come of your mouth ~ all that snark & demeaning comments ~ make you look like the big fat pig you roll around with when you do that mess. TRUST ME. It’s ugly & you smell.

 

I hope you are not one of those people. Don’t be THAT person, mkay? Grow up.

Foto Friday: Columbia Turkey Trot 10K

Last Sunday, Princess Erin and I ran the Columbia Turkey Trot 10K and Princess Cara ran the Turkey Trot 1/2 mile Fun Run. Princess Cara even got her BGR Pink Pom Pom.

 

Fitness is the Family!

 

 

 

 

Princess Cara came in 2nd overall and 1st Female. I’m telling ya’ll ~ watch out for her on the podium. I hadn’t run since the Army 10 miler ~ yep, tree sloth after season syndrome had taken hold ~ so, I decided to do a 3:1 run:walk for this race AND I knocked off 2 min from my previous 10K with a 15 sec faster pace. WHO KNEW!?

 

 

Are you in the “off season”? Yeah, I got about I more week of total whatevzz before I have to get back on the job of keeping it tight and training for the Disney Princess Half-Marathon.

 

Who runs a half marathon for their birthday? *raises hand* Crazy Cakes.

A Blessed Thanksgiving

We are all lying about in various states of coma, watching football, drinking, sleeping, eating, drinking, stupor, wait~what happened? And so on...An awesome Thanksgiving!

There is so much to be thankful for. I pray that today was just as awesome and filled with good times and great friends.

The Death of the Target Christmas Champ

There have been lots of chatter about when the Target lady was going to show up ~ it IS Black Friday this week ~ and we should have at least seen her getting in shape.

Where is she? Inquiring minds and hard core fans wanted to know. I posted up on the Book of the Face, liked the Target Fan Page and asked THE question ~ WHERE IS THE TARGET LADY!?

The response I got left me saddened and feeling some kinda way about shopping this Holiday Season and Target was at the top of my hit list of for getting the first BiterGram. Yeah, let my walker gnaw on your ass for a bit. HUMPH!

RETIRED!!!! Da Hell!??? Best advertising campaign ever (next to Allstate's Mayhem, IMHO) and you retire her??? Has Target lost their minds? Guess so! And their current ad campaign ~ Blah, Yawn.

See the picture for the FB conversation.

Mad about it. How about you? Do you miss The Target Christmas Champ?

Foto Friday: Twilight Team Edward

Princess Erin, Princess Charlee and I went to see the “midnight” (it was actually at 10pm) showing of Twilight: Breaking Dawn Pt. 2

 

It was AWESOMMMMEEEE!!! If you’re not a fan, cool. Do you! I had a great time and this was the first time I have ever gone to an midnight opening of a movie. The audience was FUN!! The ladies in front of us brought the Edward cutout and people lined up to take a picture with him.

 

The battle sequence ~ BEST PART…and with the audience gasping, screaming and cheering just made it that more exciting. Without giving anything away, one of the best moments was when the entire theater, in unison, screamed “YEAH!!!! FEED HER TO THE WOLF!!”

 

Bella was straight up GANGSTER.

 

Some of my favorite lines:

Bella: “You knicknamed my daughter after the Loch Ness Monster?!!!!!”

Jacob: “C’MON!! Dracula 1&2…Creepy.”

 

I’ll leave you with this: It's all fun and games until Alice shows ya that your future is not so bright, huh?

2012 Thanksgiving Feast Menu

It’s that time of year again for giving thanks, sharing blessings with family & friends and feasting till you explode. Every year, the Queen Mum and I put out heads together to plan a menu for our Thanksgiving Day Feast featuring old favorites yet always adding in/trying something new.

 

Once again, I believe we are going to put our foot off in this dinner ~ of course, we are having help with the superior culinary turkey roasting skills of our BFF Joe Pollhein, Sr. (yeah, that turkey last year ~ finger lickin’, tryptophan inducing awesome). P.S. We are at 15 people so far. I LOVE IT!!! So, without further ado:

 

Thanksgiving 2012 @ True Blessings Estate

 

Appetizers

Avocado, Bacon & Tomato Crostini’s

Crab Rangoon Dip

 

Main Course

Cider Bourbon Glazed Roast Turkey w/Homemade Gravy

Crown Roast of Pork w/Fennel-Apple Stuffing & Cider Bourbon Sauce

Glazed Ham

 

Cranberry Sauce w/Pinot Noir

Three (or more) Cheese Macaroni & Cheese -Erin

Queen Mum Baked Beans

Balsamic Green Beans

Spiced Mashed Squash w/Marshmallow Meringue

Wilted Garlic Kale

Cornbread, Sausage & Pecan Dressing

 

Dessert

Pumpkin Cheesecake with Gingersnap Crust

Rum Raisin Bread Pudding

 

Libations

Pumpkin Spiced Mudslides

Coquito De Mami Morrillo

Wine

 

We gonna throw down. The doors to the Estate are open if you don't have a place to hang your hat & pull up a seat. Bring a bottle of wine and wear stretchy pants (or bring some sweats for the inevitable tryptophan coma). Give me a holla if ya wanna join us.

Do you plan a menu or go with the traditional staples? Do you have your menu planned yet?

Foto Friday

I thought I'd start something new here with a Foto Friday. I take a bunch if pics with my iPhone and don't always do anything with them.

Well here is the first of hopefully many Foto Fridays ~ sometimes wordless, sometimes not.

I added a gift last night to some memento's the FM and I received for our 25th Wedding Anniversary. It made my smile and I am thankful & blessed for the covenant we made.

WE VOTED!!!

                 

Over here at True Blessings Estate, ERRYBODY got in on this voting thing. Me,  the QueenMum and my Sis got it in early.

                      

My sister almost didn’t get to vote, but intervention by our Congressional Office made it possible. After all those years of black sheep kinda trouble, she got it together ~ is putting her life together ~ and it meant the world to her to get to vote for the 1st time in her life. Thank you to the Honorable Elijah Cummings office & staff that made sure that her paperwork & registration got certified. Why she running round my house yelling and giving hi-fives talking bout how her “paid her dues” vote gave the President the state of Maryland.

 

Maybe.

 

                 

            

Even more awesome was taking my Grandmother out to get her vote in. Since she is losing her eyesight, she needed someone to go with her to help read her ballot. My sister & Princess Cara went with her to help. Once again, my sister was so proud when they asked for her ID and if she was a registered voter (you have to be a registered voter to help another person with their ballot) and was going BOOYA! when they pulled her up on the screen. GmaWillie GOT IT IN!!!!

86 years old, yesterday and STILL FLY!!!

 

I hope you got out and voted. As my friend, my brother from another mother & classmate, @Preacher1987 said so eloquently this morning:

 

There are places in the world today where, if you have the audacity to question or criticize the policies of your leaders, the government can and will arrest you, harass you, detain you... or worse. The United States of America is NOT one of those places.

There are places in the world where everyone is not free to worship as they choose, if at all. There are places where worshippers must literally go underground to hear the Word, worship the Lord, and fellowship with other believers. There are places in the world today where professing faith in Christ is a dangerous and possibly fatal declaration. The United States of America is NOT one of those places.

There are places in the world where those who govern do not have to have the consent of those they govern. These places have "elections", but these displays are largely for appearances only, because if you don't "vote" for the powers that be, you and your family end up disappearing. Or worse. That doesn't happen here, in the United States of America.

There are places in the world where women are considered so poorly that they must cover their entire bodies all day long, they can't go to school to get an education, and they have no voice in how their lives will go in their communities. There are places, even in 2012, where the minorities in certain countries are still discriminated against, to the point where they are marginalized when it comes to the political process. That's not the case in the USA, where women and minorities shed blood, sweat, and a lot of tears to ensure that all of us would have a voice in this land and truly be the UNITED States of America and so it comes down to this. The sun rises this morning on one of the greatest things about the USA: our collective right to vote. We have discussed, argued, debated, and reasoned with each other (sometimes). We have placed pictures and banners and memes for and against our candidates of choice on our pages. It's been funny, and intense, and painful, and infuriating, and worrisome, and ironic, and at times quite entertaining. But all of that has no significance, no meaning, no POINT at all, if we don't finish the exercise and go vote today (if you haven't done so already).

WE DID!!! I hope you did too!

Cooking w/Love: Amazing Avocado House Party

Now this was a great time!

 

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Carving Pumpkins & Roasting Pumpkin Seeds

I had nothing to all day while waiting for THE PHONE CALL but drink champagne…and Carve Pumpkins! So, that’s what I did. In between glasses of mimosas (which really became more and more like orange colored champagne as time passed), I carved our pumpkins and separated the seeds out to roast.

 

 

 

Not too shabby for a tipsy carver, huh? I used the recipe below for my pumpkin seeds…and they are DELISH!!!

 

Sweet & Spicy Pumpkin Seeds

 

1 egg white
1/4 cup natural cane sugar
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
scant 1/2 teaspoon fine grained sea salt
1 cup fresh pumpkin seeds

 

Preheat oven to 375. In a medium-sized bowl whisk together the egg white, sugar, cayenne and salt. Add the pumpkin seeds and toss well. Drain off any excess egg white (using a strainer) and place seeds in a single layer across a baking sheet. Bake for about 12 minutes or until seeds are golden. Sprinkle with a bit more sugar and cayenne pepper when they come out of the oven. Taste and season with more salt if needed.

Makes one cup.

Live Beyond It

Yesterday, around 5pm, I received a text from my manager that I needed to cancel all appointments with customers and stay home by the phone. More information would be forth coming. I’ve heard that before. Twice. And each time I was laid off from my job during that “wait at home for the phone to ring” period. This would be the third time in 6 years that I had to do this. All I could think about was that I needed to get the HELL out of this industry (pharmaceuticals) and move on to something else. I held on to the fact that I was moving on and I couldn’t wait for classes to start so I could get these pesky pre-requisites out of the way and MOVE ON!

 

I then got a message from a friend to check out the “Daily Message” and it was RIGHT ON TIME. I’m disappointed, I’m worried. I’m afraid…but I’m going to LIVE BEYOND IT!

Don’t live with the disappointment. Live beyond it.

You cannot stop what has already happened. However, you can let it make you stronger and more determined.

Instead of dwelling on the pain or injustice of what has happened, imagine the best possible outcome. Then get busy moving yourself steadily and passionately toward that outcome.

Life has the power to disappoint. Yet you have the power of life, and the power to move on to bigger and better things.

When you have been disappointed, it means you truly care, and that’s a very positive thing. Zero in on what you care about, and put your energy into advancing those things in your life.

Look ahead, and look at all the good and valuable things you can do. Look ahead, and step confidently forward with a renewed sense of purpose and determination.

— Ralph Marston

I sat home today with a friend and colleague, drinking mimosas and chatting it up, trying to laugh our way through till the phone call came. At 10am I to the call…"You have been retained.” Then I was told to hang around for the message about a webinar at 4pm that would give me more information on the transformation. Seriously? My friend, she had to wait till 3pm (she was part of the contract field force so things are done differently) to hear what was happening with her. At 3pm, in a less than 5 min call, she was told – along with around 300+ other contract reps- “thanks for your service, but your contract has been terminated effective December 31st. We expect you to give the same commitment previously until December.” Really?

 

LIVE BEYOND IT. We honestly have no choice. I have cried for my friend and then got on the phone and started working that rolodex on her behalf. While I was retained, today was just a further wake up call that I need to continue looking ahead; stepping confidently forward toward my new goals/purpose…

 

Physician Assistant License and Masters in Public Health

 

I’m putting my energy into advancing bigger & better thing in my life. LIVING BEYOND my disappointments. LOOKING AHEAD!

Army 10 Miler 2012

Another awesome race day with team Usual Suspects. If you didn’t know, this race sells out in a matter of hours the day it opens ups and for the past 3 years, I have suckered found a group to run as a team with me, collected the money up front and registered us all in one fell swoop, getting all of us registered within minutes of registration opening (or before the server crashes).

Well, the ladies outdid themselves this year with some awesome training and Team  Usual Suspects (6 women) came in #10 in our division (Open Women)

Usual Suspects - Open Women - 7:37:13 – 10

AWESOME! I had a pretty respectable time(IMHO) of 2:06:04. Knocking 4 min of last years time and able to walk away from the race. Last year, I was in some kinda pain. This year…I felt like speedy gonzalez. Reviewing my runkeeper stats, I was able to maintain a 11:45 min pace for 5 miles and then, well, I guess I sloooowed down to an avg 13 min pace for the next five. Lesson: Work on being consistent over the entire distance. Something to work on/toward.

I love this race with all the people (30,000 of your closest friends) and spectators! Makes for an awesome day. I’ve been slacking since Sunday. Back at it, mmmm, Saturday. I have to get myself and Princess Cara (she is doing .4) ready for the Turkey Chase next month. 6.1 miles. Let’s see if I can maintain that 11:45 for 6 miles. WOO HOO!

Wordless Wednesday - Pumpkin Patch Edition

Perception IS Reality

…and the misconceptions, beliefs and opinions formed from a perception become so entrenched in that persons reality that NOTHING you say,NOTHING you do, no amount of proof will change that reality.

 

I had to learn it the hard way. AGAIN. A hard head = a soft ass.

 

 

I should have known that me saying anything – no matter how tongue in cheek – would be akin to me taking a stick to a hornets nest. Even The FireMarshall warned me “Lisa, leave it alone. Don’t say anything. You know what’s going to happen.”

 

I did it anyway…and down the rabbit hole I went.

 

Tuesday, one of my FB friends posted a plea to please refrain from posting any “obnoxious, pity, snide, partisan” comments on FB during the debates. I found that amusing. My thought was, well, if you don’t like all the posts, just don’t watch the newsfeed during the debates. By time they are over(or at least by the next morning), the newsfeed will have scrolled to the much more mundane. Shrugs. See, I have a lot of FB friends that wax eloquently about a lot of stuff that I find ridiculous, offensive, insane, funny, etc. etc. I also realize it’s a free country. Opinions are like assholes – everybody has one. I agree or I don’t. I seek to understand…and sometimes I can’t. Sometimes I make a point, enter into the discussion, banter – sometimes I don’t. I respect another person’s right to present their beliefs/opinions. We still have the 1st Amendment, right? AND the Book of the Face is free – where all your “friends” know your name and you are free to roam about the world and share and talk about whatever.

 

For others…I guess not. So, against better judgment; against the advice of the FM I chimed in with my tongue in cheek (at least I thought so) comment of “I do what I want.” All hell broke out. The response was basically –So, Can I expect that by 9:10 pm you will start commenting on how "awful", "despicable", "disgraceful", "unethical", "miserly", "disingenuous", "job shipping", "offshoring", Cayman hiding", "little people eating", "53% supporting", "racist", "homophobic", "misogynistic", "xenophobic", "dog whistling", "country club redneck" Romney is???? ;)

 

I missed that wink smile at the end and responded that I have not used any of the words above on any of my posts except maybe unethical and blatant liar and pointed out that he had, in fact, used some of those very words to describe people that he has disdain for. Then it got personal. Then it got twisted to be that I was talking about him – PERSONALLY. Say what? I was accused of refusing to have an honest debate. What were we debating about again. You asked me what would people say if you called the President a liar – I said probably nothing. I tried to agree to disagree and gracefully exit the room and then I’m I’m accused of passing some kind of judgment on  him. He asked me three times if I thought HIS discourse was dishonest. Three times I said NO! Not good enough. He just ignored it and went on with his dressing down. Despite the fact that I pointed out that I don’t name call & label people, went back over months of my time line to find where I did that and came up empty, he continued to accuse me of it saying “though some of your name-calling and labeling I find repugnant in its, at times, direct labeling and indirect insinuations that dissent with a politician you adore, is tantamount to some insidious undercurrent of "something" (racism).”

 

SAY WHAT??? Where/when have I ever said or implied that dissenting opinions with the President (I don’t adore any politician) is racist. I have had discussion with numerous people on my wall that have a different opinion than mine and NEVER have I resorted to calling or implying that they are racist. NEVER. During this whole political season, I have not slammed, insulted (well, maybe because I disagree – if that’s insulting), name called, labeled anybody. I haven’t called anyone a socialist, right wing nut job, racist, fat, ugly, communist, elitist…blah, blah, blah because they disagree. I have only unfriended one person without so much as a BOO because, when they posted a picture that I found very offensive along with a bunch of other VERY OFFENSIVE stuff – no need to try and argue them down – that’s what they believe and it was against everything I believed – nice knowing you but I don’t have to play with you everyday. CLICK, goodbye. What’s even more interesting, is that he has NEVER said one thing, NEVER commented with a “I disagree with your assertion because_______” on any of my posts – EVER. So, when were we supposed to have honest discourse? Silly me.

 

I made my case. I then asked “But calling someone a "ignoramus, complete idiot, racist, ignorant, pandering, self-serving, sycophant" is not name calling or labeling at all, right?” See he used those words to describe someone he has intense disdain for – whether it is justified  is another conversation – my point was to clarify. Is having a differing opinion and questioning what someone says/does name calling & labeling and what you do is not? I will admit that I do mock the Governor & the some of those in the GOP & Tea Party – especially when they say or do something mock worthy – say, like “binders of women”, legitimate rape, 47% of America are greedy victims…etc. But all the name calling you say I do – NOT.

 

IRRELEVANT. I was summarily dismissed with a long condescending diatribe closing with “I'll double check this post to ensure I didn't label you or call names. Sometimes I do it in my sleep and forget that's what I did.”

 

WOW. How was I supposed to take that? So you do call ME names – just not where anyone can see. In your sleep, huh? Just WOW.

 

I tried one last time to defend myself:

 

“What is the point in discussing anything with you when, if you are of a differing opinion you get slammed, insulted and labeled as some kind of ignorant road groupie- nothing more than a fool kneeling at the alter of the POTUS. As long as I disagree or find something wrong with the party you so adore and can do absolutely no wrong, you will continue to label me, cast me down as nothing more than that simpleton, incapable of rational thought but lucky enough to catch that classy guy...Lord, however, did she get in let alone graduate from WP? Who is doing the insulting? I’m so sorry that you believe everything I post is some kind of adoration statement. I don't mock, name call Republicans or people who don't believe in the President or his administration. How is calling out what some Republicans have said and done and questioning the veracity or sanity of it mocking? All I can do is shake my head knowing that I'm probably wasting my time writing this as you are entrenched in your belief that I am "something" only worthy of your disdain. I know for a fact I don't "adore" any politician. I know for a fact that I haven’t done the things you accuse me of or describe me as. I know who I am and it is not anything you imagine me to be. So, be it. I'm good……”

I closed by giving him the option of hiding my newsfeed or unfriending me since I offend him so and he has such disdain for me. Did he come back with a I don’t have disdain for you, I don’t think you are stupid, I’m just passionate about my position and let’s agree to disagree? NOPE!

 

He let the anvil drop and went in for the kill. He totally ignored everything I said, every point I made and brought up a disagreement we had back in 2009 where I had posted an article that asserted that the Rights animosity towards Obama was based in racism. I read the article and I felt that some of the points were quite valid based on my experience. I said “My sentiments exactly” as my comment regarding the article. I got a thrashing. The article title and tag line WAS incendiary. However, I felt that some of the authors points were true – I still do. I admitted that I should have been more verbose in my comments and explain what I thought was valid & not.

 

NOT GOOD ENOUGH. Basically, no matter what I said, no matter how many times I tried to clarify my position:

“I'm going to state my position once again - perhaps you will take the time to hear me now : While the article/author/tag line may have been very incendiary and offensive, some of his points about the the tone/attitude/disrespect/words towards the President & current administration being racist in nature I believe are true. I do. You don't. I see some of what is going on as blatantly disrespectful with some racial undertone. You see all of it as just normal discourse that has always gone on.
When you said that. Fine. I said "Okay". I don't want to fight you. You are entitled to your opinion as I am entitled to mine. Cool.

But you didn't let it be cool to disagree. Nope. You made it about YOU. You made it personal. I (emphasis) DID NOT call YOU, a racist. I DID NOT lump YOU in with anybody. I NEVER said ALL WHITE people were racists...that would be like me calling my own mother a racists...or worse, even myself. YOU made it personal and ABOUT YOU. Not I. And you didn't stop there. You then decided to ignore me, imply things about me and my character and to add insult to injury - you called me out by my name - disparaging my name & character in one fell swoop on your page. Why not just drive on down and slap me in the face. You were at least kind enough to use my maiden name and thereby not insulting the FM by association.”

FUTILE. Didn’t matter. I was told that several of my classmates thought I was a racist too and that I would “have to work harder to turn things around.”  I thought we had turned things around. I thought that after our phone conversation that the matter was behind us, the hatchet was buried, the misperception/misunderstanding was resolved.

 

UNTIL…(fast forward to Tuesday, 2012) – “I'm sorry, you forget that our FIRST disagreement on this medium was when you made the insane charges about the President's detractors after the 2009 SOTU Address. Yes, Lisa, you DID accuse the Tea Party and folks who disagreed with the POTUS of being racist. The classic case of isolating the FEW to smear the WHOLE.”

 

His PERCEPTION that I am “something” (racist, stupid, intellectually lazy, Obama idolater…insert what you will) when I’m in fact NOT is his REALITY. It never changed. He was just laying in the cut. Tolerating my presence only because he has the “utmost respect” for The FireMarshall and “our union”. When given the chance, POW! You’re still that ___________ (whatever he thinks I am). SO THERE. WOW.

 

I, on the other hand, did bury the hatchet and chalked it up to him being a very passionate man about politics and the “biased mainstream media”. I made no other assumptions – after all, he was supposed to be my classmate, our friend – the Long Grey Line and all that. We should be able to disagree and still be civil. Shouldn’t we?

 

Well, now my PERCEPTION HAS been formed of him – watch it, I’m about to “name call/label” - as an intolerant bully (maybe is just a woman thing, IDK) that will eviscerate you if you don’t use his pre-approved credible news outlets or talking heads, disagree or have a different opinion than his, present your thoughts/opinion in a manner that is not to his liking…etc. And that is MY REALITY.

 

He’s going to have to “work real hard to turn this around on me”…but MY PERCEPTION is that he probably doesn’t care and will come out swinging – or not.

Only One Way to Go….FASTER

I entered the AddIt to WinIt daily drawing on the Ironman FB page about a week ago and on the last day of the drawing (last Friday) I was looking at my newsfeed and saw “Friday night's winner of the myList Add it to Win it is Lisa S. from Elliot City, MD! Congratulation on winning a Vorttice Helment from Louis Garneau.”

 

HOLY COW! So now what? I now have a very expensive, elite aero helmet that “redefines speed”. Ummm…the helmet costs almost as much as my bike which now tells me something…time to get a new bike. This helmet and Diva Dawes combo is like me putting a pair of Christian Louboutin shoes with a K,Ma.rt house dress. Damn Shame.

 

I can’t wait to get my Vorttice Helmet.  I’ve laid these eyes on The Firemarshal…
GIFSoup

…and guess who is shopping for a new bike. Yep. ‘Cause, seriously, there is only one way to go --- FASTER!

Back in the Saddle

The past 6 weeks have been a whirl wind. I have traveled, had events and/or long training sessions every week for over a month leading up to IM70.3 Cozumel.

- Splash & Dash

- NYC Birthday Bash

- King of Prussia, PA for 3 day work meeting

- Mexico

- West Point Reunion

 

Boss, I sure is tired.

 

But I was geared up to go to NY this weekend to run the Diva Half Marathon and the universe either conspired against me or was telling me to sit my ass down somewhere and stop for a min. I got a call the day I was supposed to get my bus tickets with the Diva Crew that the hiring manager for a potential promotion wanted to spend some time in the field with me Thursday & possibly Friday (the day we were to leave for the Diva adventure) rendering me having to drive up on Saturday (or catch the train) and The FireMarshall and my coach put the cabash on that idea. “NO! Sit your ass down.”

 

That was the end of that.

 

Friday, after work, I was supposed to return the bike box. That would actually require me to finally take my bike OUT of the box and put it back together. I had not looked at the bike since I put it the box in Mexico for the trip home. TEN (10) days prior.

I chalked it up being busy with the reunion and work, but that was a lie. Truth of the matter, I was suffering from a little post race PTSD regarding my bike. Was I really that sick? Could I have tried/worked harder? Did I punk out? I knew the truth of the matter – I was sick – the aid stations/porta potties knew, but the mind is an incredible machine…and the devil is a liar.

 

I knew what I had to do. I had to get back in the saddle. I had to take Diva Dawes out for a spin or else I’d never get back on her. I girded my soul with my new Army Black Knights cycling kit, put ole girl back together and took her our for a little spin. I wasn’t planning on going too far, but I got out on the road and…I just kept going. I decided to put in a hill or two just for some psychotherapy measure…I rounded the corner and decided to tackle Mt. Albert – the hill of ill repute for the Columbia Tri/Iron Girl – and CRUSHED IT! I rolled down the hill by Glenelg Country Day, turned around and made the climb back up – CRUSHED IT! and I took it home.

 

The bike monkey was off my back. The devil IS a MFn LIAR!!! The Diva is back in the saddle.

 

The season is winding down for me.I have a couple of runs (Army 10 Miler & the Columbia Turkey 10k Chase) coming up, so the focus will be running right now. I’ve already started planning next years races:

• Feb 2013- Disney Princess Half Marathon & Princess Family 5K (Cara) – Princess Cara and I will be celebrating our Bdays with fitness & fun at Disney
• April 2013 – Derby Festival Half Marathon (a return performance with MsPattey and I’ve conned the Pollhein’s into running too – BOTH of them)
• June 2013 – IM70.3 Eagleman – REDEMPTION
• June 2013 – Philly Tri (Annual event with my Soror’s and I’m bringing my BFF & Classmate MikeB for his triathlon debut)

After that, I don’t know. I want to do the West Point Triathlon in August. I always do the Army 10 in Oct. Maybe, I’ll go back and do the IM70.3 Cozumel. Maybe some place else. Maybe not at all.

 

All I know right now, is that I’M BAAAAACCCCKKKK!!! and life is grand.

Politics 4 Dummies–Here’s What I Know

     Seems like this election has got EVERYBODIES panties all up in a bunch. What I notice most of all is -

 

1. People are just down right rude & can’t have a civil conversation, resorting to name calling & trolling when they realize they are not converting you to their twisted way of thinking or buying their brand of bullshit.

2. People are so entrenched in their ideology that even when they are waist deep in bullshyt, even when they are faced with a bold faced lie/hypocrisy/the outrageous or egregious – fugg it, this is what I think and damn the truth.

3. People hate (yes, I said hate) the President SO DAMN MUCH that they don’t give a damn when their elected officials block/filibuster/vote against everything and anything that comes out of the Oval Office.

 

The screaming & gnashing of teeth is astounding. “The worst President in history.” Seriously people? POTUS certainly isn’t the second coming to anything, but for real? – Worst EVER? Like FOREVER?

 

Get a damn grip.

 

I certainly am no where close to any type of political wonk. I don’t know every freaking statistic, every piece of political history off the top of my head. I don’t spend my waking hours searching for pieces of data & (often) out of context facts to support my argument why the Republicans or the Democrats are the next best thing since sliced bread no matter how much their diapers are filled with runny diarrhea. I’m busy. LIVING LIFE. I’m busy with my family and home. I’m busy focused on clawing my way back out of the valley that we (temporarily, I might add) slipped into when we survived 3 layoffs while starting our own company. When I do respond or enter into a conversation with someone about the current candidates, I do make an effort to google, read and make a valid attempt at backing up what I say with some TRUTH/FACTS. However, a lot of times my discussions/positions/beliefs on a topic are based on my LIFE EXPERIENCES.

 

Been there. EXPERIENCED THAT.

 

I’ve been to the mountain top and drank from the fountain of milk & honey - I’ve been that top % earner bracket (not hide my money in the Cayman’s rich – more like 40 acres & a mule, Hummer, 10day vacay’s 2x/year rich)…and I’ve been in the valley, laid off 3x collecting an unemployment check that wouldn’t even cover our electric bill, taking $50 and squeezing/twisting $300 out of it. HUMPH. So, I don’t need to be a tax attorney or know how many tax returns every candidate has released for the past 100 years to KNOW that the man who wants to be the LEADER OF THE FREE WORLD, but keeps most of his money in a foreign country is FULL OF SHYT. You want to tell us minions how much we gotta pay in taxes, what loop holes & deductions you gonna shut down – basically, with a straight smirk stick it to the middle class, working poor, and just plain poor (the 47% Victims). I don’t need to be a rocket scientist or break down who exactly you are talking about when you say “you are not concerned with those people…that’s not your job”.

 

I just throw a flag on the play and call BULLSHYT.

 

I have had some of the best health insurance possible, through an employer – cafeteria style, never had to pay a premium. We were “given” a certain amount per year and then picked everything from medical/dental/life/legal/disability and much more. If you went over the amount “given” then “your contribution” kicked in – never more than $20/month in my case. *cue the angles singing* I’ve also been part of that horrid group of people called the uninsured – you know them – the ones that just don’t want to PAY for insurance, too lazy to work to get insurance, or those working poor that can’t afford the high premium contribution to take their employers plan – CAUSE THEY WANT TO EAT – people. Laid off, kicked out of my Cadillac plan and can’t afford the $1800/month for a family of 4 COBRA premium – we went without health insurance. I tried to qualify us for medical assistance (at least for my kids) until we got back on the straight and narrow but my PAST 2 TAX RETURNS made us ineligible for assistance – even temporarily – even for just the kids. We hadn’t been poor long enough, you see. Then began a 6 month search for a job AND private insurance, getting rejected by 3 different companies for PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS. It took me finding us a broker to negotiate on our behalf and we were finally given the privilege of paying $800/month in premiums. Lucky us. So I don’t need to have read the entire AHC Act (although I’ve read most of it), be a doctor or an insurance company to know that neither Romney or Ryan give a rats ass about the health of anybody else but themselves.They can afford anything & everything that would ever come their way. Fugg the poor – “use the emergency room”, Fugg grandma/grandpa – figure out how to make that voucher work on a fixed/limited income.

 

I just throw a flag on the play and call BULLSHYT.

 

I am a woman, hear me roar. I have daughters. Women have had the right to vote for less than 100 years. Progress. Not so much. Why am I – in the 21st CENTURY – worried about my daughters ability to have easy access to birth control so they can make the choice of when to have children, while men have no problem getting Via,gr@, Ci@1is and the like (paid for) so they can get it on at will? Why does getting PSA’s & colonoscopy’s count toward preventative care, but Pap Smears & Mammograms are getting put on the back burner as not needed so much? Why, on God’s green earth, would I ever vote for a party that would allow the redefinition of “legitimate rape” (what the fugg is legitimate about rape- EVER) and at every turn deny a woman the right to determine what she can or can not do with her body. I don’t need to explain or prove anything to know that I don’t – I won’t support a party or a candidate that would be empowered to return women to the stone age.

 

I just throw a flag on the plan and call BULLSHYT.

 

I could go on regarding my EXPERIENCES. I am probably qualified to be Secretary of Transportation (at least) cause I can see I70, I95, I495 & I695 from my roof top. HUMPH. I’m qualified.

 

I may not know much about the political process or have all the data/stats. What I do know is what I have learned from my life experiences and I know I can spot BULLSHYT when I see & hear it. I’m not a label. I’m not a Republican or Democrat, Conservative or Liberal. Sticks & Stones. I am an INDEPENDENT thinker. Based on my experiences and thoughts on the rhetoric being spewed on all sides, I’ll take the devil I know over the skinnin & grinnin, say any damn thing with a smile or smirk cause you honestly believe we are too damn stupid to discern the truth or throw them up against rational thought or past experiences, Romney.

 

…and that is my right. And you have the right to do you. You may think that I am the poster child for Politics for Dummies. So be it. WHATEVER. What I know is that I won’t vote GOP because they DO NOT represent or support anything that is positive for me, my family or my experiences. NOT ONE DAMN THING. At this point, 5 weeks out from election day, all I can do is SMDH at people that simply don’t care that the GOP is lying in your face and will throw 98% of America under the bus to protect their own 1% as long as they get that **insert Socialist, Muslim, Kenyan, Boy, Un-American, Black, Other slur here** out of office.

 

I don’t know much. What I do know is who I’m going to vote for. …and for now, that is still my right.