Five Things

Alright, I'll play. I've been tagged into disclosing 5 unknown things about myself. I suppose I have to tag 5 people but I don't know if I know that many people who would respond on this blogger thing...so perhaps I will use some of my non-blogging peoples. So if you're reading this (and I know you are) you better respond :) Stickboy, J.B., Jeffy, B-Horn, Jennie.

1. I am hypoglycemic. If my blood sugar drops so do I. It can get ugly - most of you who know me know I need to constantly have some sort of caloric intake at all times especially when I work out. Only the select few have seen my at my worst - it's not pretty.

2. I am addicted to exercise. I need the endorphin rush. It can come in the form of a run, bike, hike, swim, kayak, ski, play w/ doggies, climb - whatever. I need it! If I don't get out and do it on a regular basis I slip into a catatonic mental state which is almost as unattractive as hypoglycemic shock. This is the reason for me not having knee surgery yet. The thought of not being able to get my endorphin rush on a regular basis scares the crap out of me.

3. I danced ballet for 10 years. That's right the Ice Princess was a ballerina - if any of you ever make fun of me for it I will kick your posterior! If it weren't for that I would be the biggest klutz in the world. It was fun and it gave me what little flexibility, grace and balance I have to this day.

4. I really enjoy being alone. As social as I am and as much as I love my friends/fam/people around me - I equally love my solitude. My favourite times are hikes deep in the woods with Sergei (the only "person" I love to have around me even when I want to be alone).

5. I have an irrational fear of rats. Yes rats....just typing it in gives me the creeps. I once locked myself in my work truck and wouldn't make a delivery because a rat was outside of my truck. I even called my dispatchers - who got a great laugh out of it. I freaked out to the point where I thought the rat would try and open the door to the truck then subsequently try to climb in through the vents when it discovered the doors were locked. Yes, it's that bad.

So there it is in writing - I suppose I feel cleansed by putting it out there. Do with it what you will, but remember...don't make fun of the Ice Princess Ballerina!!!

Christmas Memoirs

I am back from my travels to Philadelphia, Sellersville, Bethlehem and Buffalo (yes, Buffalo). My travels over the holiday were filled with an excess of amazing food, meeting (lots) of new people, seeing "old" people, a new church experience, an old church experience, singing, music, sports, a motorcycle ride, running, great new towns, site seeing in old cities, parks, walks, talks, a movie and spiced wine...Yikes. To say it was overwhelming would be an understatement - to say it was just great would be a verbal injustice. I can not put into words what an amazing time I had.

The five days flew by so fast, my head was spinning and still is with all the activity. There was so much to absorb and process. At the end of each day I thought for certain I would collapse with exhaustion but instead my head kept going (and going) and as a result my sleep cycle suffered - so yesterday on my drive back, the fight to remain awake was only successfully achieved by the continuation of my mind running at an unimaginable speed. The past five days spinning and spinning. It was a good five hour period filled with reflective thoughts, defragmentation of my brain and lots of NPR. Only to get home to my crazy, cabin-fever filled animals...time to run. I don't know where I mustered up the energy but Sonia and I went on a great run (Sergei, poor guy, is getting to old for ass-kicking runs :( More time to think as we were gone for an hour - my knee woke me last night from the pain - good times. Then it was off to Buffalo for a hockey game and more family/friend time. I am exhausted mentally and physically. Emotionally I feel incredible - I just wish I could show it - but my body just hurts. Let me sleep and I will be back to my hyper-ridiculous self by New Year's Eve - promise!

Holiday Cheer

I am venturing to Parts Unknown, PA for Christmas therefore I will be out of blogging commission for the next 5 days...so I just wanted to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Fantastic Festivus, Killer Kwanzaa or whatever you do during those days off!

Eat, drink, and be merry - 'cause that's what I am planning on doing. Sock's going down to NYC to party with the ladies...and I see he has begun his festivities a bit early - go on with your bad self, Sock!

Stuck In My Head

"Don’t see elysium
Don’t see no fiery hell
Just the lights up bright baby
In the bay hotel
Next we're coming in
Like an ocean roar
Won’t you take my hand darling
On that old dancefloor..."

Brotherly Love

This is off of my brother's website...and his quote:

"My sister,'Big Red', is the founder and president of this franchise. Just ask her liver!"

Nice one, Alex!

Sock in London

"Learning to drive on the "Other Side" was a tedious task that often left him frustrated and driving to a pub."

Love and Snow

It has been snowing here for several days straight. For me it is heaven - at least heaven the way I would imagine it to be. To me there is nothing more beautiful than the world encased in the perfect brilliance of a snowfall. Running through the park the other day was affirmation of that belief. Not another soul was in this 900 acre oasis that day. In a way being alone in the park was amazing, but somehow in another way it kind of saddened me. Why are more people not loving this? Oh yeah it's because I live in Rottenchester. Hmmmm.

So the problem with this city (there are many - bear with me as I am about to focus only on one) is that most of the people here don't enjoy the climate. There's a loaded statement - the climate here pretty much sucks most of the year. It's too hot in the summer (that's why God invented kayaks and the Lake!), it's too cold and rainy in the spring and fall (best inventions ever = Goretex and Wellies), and it's way too cold and snows too much in the winter (OMG that's why we ski, snowshoe, run in the snow, have sheep shearling....AAARRRGGGGG).

So as I was shoveling my driveway - for the 5th time in two days - not that I need it shoveled as my bad ass Subaru can go pretty much into ~4' of snow (after 4' I def need to shovel) - those were the thoughts running through my head. Yes I will agree that Rochester is a far cry from a perfect city. I always said that if there was a 12,000 ft. mountain set right next to Lake Ontario I would never even consider leaving - but there isn't so I do. I just get so annoyed when people bitch about the snow and the cold and the rain and the....Fucking MOVE! Don't heat up my chill! For now I am stuck in this purgatory and all you guys are stuck in it with me...so make the best of it and stop wrecking my temporary glimpses of heaven!

Wanna Run

Today's the kind of day I just want to scream. Not from pain or anger or fright...just scream. For release. To get it out. It's the kind of day where all of these things, inexplicable things, are jumbled so tightly inside that you just have to get them out - and now! They can't be talked through or justified...they just need to manifest themselves in a scream...or a killer run...in the crazy snow storm that's going on right now. So I think I will do the latter, for fear of being seen as crazy if the former takes hold here at the office.

Only problem my right knee is a "little" fucked up...hmmm I think extra Ben-Gay, knee brace and some ibuprofen should do the trick. Perhaps afterwards the scream will come but in the form of actual pain - nothing like a little masochism to make you feel alive :-D Besides snow is cushy, right?

(*All rights to that photo belong to C.B. - Colorado Rock Star and Alpine Mountaineer Extraordinaire)

Mmmm Cheesecake

Sock's new love for cheesecake has manifested itself in a most disturbing display at the Cheesecake Factory in Dallas, TX.

Life & Guinness

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was. So the professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was. The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous "yes."

The professor then produced two cans of Guinness from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed. "Now," said the professor, as the laughter subsided, "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things -- your family, your children, your health, your friends, your favorite passions--things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. "The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house, your car. The sand is everything else--the small stuff. If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you. Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your partner out to dinner. Play another 18. There will always be time to clean the house, and fix the disposal. Take care of the golf balls first, the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand."

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the Guinness represented. The professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of beers."

WTF?!?!

Crazy stressful day here in sunny, warm, friendly Rottenchester. For those of you who feel my pain - check this:

http://www.cattlerange.com/stress-test/stress-test.html

Pure Luck

Did you ever wake up feeling like you are the luckiest person alive? Lucky for absolutely everything (except the bills that are stacked up by the fridge - we don't like those EVER!)? Lucky for the friends you have and for those you haven't even met yet? For your family as dysfunctional as they are they are all still incredible people that have shaped you today - whether you like it or not? Lucky for your health and the ability to go out and do all the crazy shit you want to do? Lucky for having time in the morning to play with the dogs in the snow while it's still dark out and world is still asleep? Lucky for the opportunities you are presented with?

I don't know why, perhaps its because I get a little nostalgic during the holidays (yes even the ice princess has a chink in her armor). I am usually aware that I have it pretty good compared to some and I admit I love my life the way it is - crazy shit, hard times and all. But today I guess it just became more vivid to me. It happens once in a while - I love those days! Do you think if you awoke each day feeling that lucky that you would begin to take it for granted? I hope not.

The Dangers of Over-Analysing

I am an over analyser - In everything I do - In every aspect of my life. I can’t help it. I try to stop but to no avail my mind just naturally drives itself to put all occurrences, experiences, thoughts, etc. under a figurative electron microscope. However, to say that I am detail oriented would be a completely false statement. One would think that with an overly analytical mind would come order and decorum. WRONG! I wish that were the case. For some bizarre reason I can’t keep things straight to save my life – either mentally or otherwise. Well, perhaps if a life were truly in jeopardy, I might be forced to clean my mental house…but that scenario has never (and hopefully will never) present itself.

With my job it is expected that we keep everything in order - in detailed, well documented and engineered order. I, on the other hand, am the equivalent of the absent- minded professor. (Well, to say I am of the intellect of a professor would be drastically over inflated). Anyway, I am a tornado when I work. My papers are scattered randomly across my entire workspace, spilling onto the floor and into adjacent cubicles. I work on multiple projects simultaneously only because I have to. I can not focus on only one task at a time – it is a futile attempt and nothing gets accomplished. I am a mess – or so it seems to the untrained eye. When in fact in this mayhem of documentation and flurry of pencils I find myself contently completing one mundane task at a time.

Back to the over analysation. So why is it that some people are in fact over-analysers while others just seem to drift along in their blissful acceptance of the way the world works? I can not comprehend the latter. While I am for the most part very optimistic, I tend to question everything and wonder why it is the way it is. Not because it’s just supposed to be. There must be a reason, a driving force, a theory, an alternate push to the pull…why sometimes it all works in symbiotic unison while other times it is in complete disarray? When I ask about it "all" or "it" I suppose I mean all of it, the world, life, everything. Ok, so this train of thought is quite possibly the direct result of not enough sleep, too much caffeine and an overwhelming workload. I just needed a 10-minute break from my day to ensure sanity. To all that are going to read this and wonder what drug I’m on…don’t wonder, most of you who do know me already know, I don’t require drugs for these things :)