PCT

Just wanted to throw a shout out to my friends Rivka and Dan who have taken a 6 month (?) sabbatical to hike the Pacific Coast Trail. To any and all interested their exploits, they can be lived through vicariously here. I wish them well on their journey and a safe return home!

They give me inspiration for my 'Someday-soon-bike-trip-through-Europe-with-T-$-and-our-Surly-Travelers-Checks'...and I can scam some good ideas off their supply list :)

Happy trails, Guys - we miss you here at the ROC!

Cataclysm and Lights

The last few weeks have been more than eventful, to say the least, and as a result my blogging activities have been neglected. Since, well...since my life began, I have been running around with my head cut off and there seems to be no end in sight. I say this repetitively that most days I wouldn't have it any other way, but once in a while a girls gotta have a day off. Be careful what you wish for...yikes!

I was granted an involuntary day off last Friday as a result of a most unfortunate occurrence that morning. I wanted to write about it as well as the events which resulted in my declining mood throughout the entire day just to clear out my mind/conscience/etc. however, I chose to keep them all private as I felt (and still do) that best. No worries to those who are concerned - all is well in my realm. On the upside I did use the day to attend to some much needed housework and spend some quality time with my doggers as they have been completely abandoned now that it's biking season.

I sometimes think that I was some sort of horrible person in my past life. Why in the midst of such great times do most unfortunate events occur? Is it a test of one's mental stability or toughness? Are these just a random one time occurrences that have no purpose what so ever? Is this perhaps just how life is? Friday was a definite test of my emotional strength as I felt the entire day was collapsing slowly around me. I am not sure of how to put it other than that, but I kept forcing myself to realise that the next day would be better. It had to be.

Poor T had to deal with my cathartic release that night - not sure how, but he made me divert my thoughts to other things. Good, bad or other wise, it was much needed. Saturday was most assuredly a new day and I awoke feeling 100% better. I knew I would, but I think sometimes it is so hard to get past the severity of present events to actually believe that there is a point beyond them.

The public market was in order for the improvement upon my weekend as well as the replenishment of fresh food in my pantry (which had been as neglected as my poor animals lately). I find the market to be like a Saturday morning vacation. Usually I abhor crowds but the market is one of my few exceptions. I actually look forward to waiting in the coffee line at Boulder. Each weekend I crave to be amongst all of Rochester's denizens struggling through the crowds to get that perfect bunch of bananas or those sweet, fresh grapes. To wait for my egg and bagel sandwich to be cooked while I absorb all of the wonderful smells in the cheese shop (that in itself is a beautiful torture as I can't actually eat the cheeses). Of course, the best part of this weekly adventure, are the people I experience it with (you know who you are!).

After the market it was off to work at the bike shop - always a good time to be surrounded by beautiful two wheeled eye candy. The day ended with an amazing dinner and a roof deck chair 'party' in the warm summer breeze. There is always a light at the end of each tunnel, it's just that some tunnels seem to go on forever into endless darkness...but each time, without fail the impending light appears. I think sometimes in the midst of my personal misery it's easy to forget that and even easier to fall into the dismal spiral downward. As time goes by I just try and remember that those feelings are temporary. Sometimes it is easier to convince myself of that than others...and sometimes I need the help of friends and family to remind me. I am so thankful for the latter.

Memoirs of Maine

Ok, so it has been a crazy week and it is only about to become more so...I am leaving work in a few moments (provided no further world shattering events occur - it seems this is the theme today). I will go home and pack my gear (because I had more important things to attend to last evening). Then I will ride my bike for a distance of 10 miles in one direction to run 3.5 miles in a circle to bike home an additional 10 miles to shower to get into a car and drive roughly 630 miles to the inner depths of Maine. This is my life. I have chosen to live it this way. I therefore must accept full responsibility for the fact that I might lose my mind at some point in the (very) near future. Have an incredible weekend! If I am sane, I shall attempt to recap the past few weeks sometime in the next week. If I am in an institution, however...well...the ramblings and writings might be more interesting....

Car Shopping

I drive a Subaru. When purchasing a vehicle I often look for several pertinent aspects in said vehicle. These include but are not limited to: good gas mileage, storage space and cargo room, compatibility with a roof rack, "dog friendly" interior, and all wheel drive (for those I-feel-like-going-off-road moments on the mountains during a snow storm).

Many years ago I found that Subaru provided all of these necessities in one shiny, affordable package. Now it is time for me to trade 'up' or just get a newer car because poor El Fuego is reaching the end-of-his-useful-life span. Doing more research lately on different car manufacturers and models, I am firmly standing by the Subaru. Their wagons offer me exactly what I require in a vehicle. Several of my friends however had pointed out when I purchased my first Subaru that it is "Unofficially the Official Car of Lesbians"*. Sweet! I didn't believe them at first, but upon further research their claims have been (unofficially) affirmed. Hmmmmm, well, I am a single, early 30's female with two dogs in tow....YIKES!

*(Just a disclaimer, I have nothing against lesbians, in fact I have several people very close to me that are lesbians, however I am not a lesbian! I am, however, comfortable in my sexuality therefore I really find this more amusing than anything.)

Chatting with C.B. about my car troubles (by the way he used to drive a Subaru, as well - does that make him a lesbian?!?! - oh wait....) he found it amusing that I wanted another Subaru after all the flack I got about driving El Fuego. In order to solidify my decision in choosing to purchase another Subaru, C.B. sent me the picture below for encouragement. Good times.

32 Flavors

squint your eyes and look closer
I'm not between you and your ambition
I am a poster girl with no poster
I am thirty-two flavors and then some
and I'm beyond your peripheral vision
so you might want to turn your head
cause someday you're going to get hungry
and eat most of the words you just said

both my parents taught me about good will
and I have done well by their names
just the kindness I've lavished on strangers
is more than I can explain
still there's many who've turned out their porch lights
just so I would think they were not home
and hid in the dark of their windows
til I'd passed and left them alone

and god help you if you are an ugly girl
course too pretty is also your doom
cause everyone harbors a secret hatred
for the prettiest girl in the room
and god help you if you are a pheonix
and you dare to rise up from the ash
a thousand eyes will smolder with jealousy
while you are just flying back

I'm not trying to give my life meaning
by demeaning you
and I would like to state for the record
I did everything that I could do
I'm not saying that I'm a saint
I just don't want to live that way
no, I will never be a saint
but I will always say

squint your eyes and look closer
I'm not between you and your ambition
I am a poster girl with no poster
I am thirty-two flavors and then some
And I'm beyond your peripheral vision
So you might want to turn your head
Cause someday you might find you're starving
and eating all of the words you said

- Ani DiFranco

Happy Friday!

Work hard.

Play hard.

Safely, of course!

Drink. Repeat.