My overall time was 3:08:41, so I didn't quite make my 3:00:00 goal, but I wasn't too far off! And apparently I was actually 3rd out of 6 women in my age group, and 125th out of 158 people total in the Oympic distance triathlon. Just for comparison, last time I was 7th out of 7 in my division and 92nd out of 98 total. So... better!
My swim (1500m) took 32:21, which was 130th overall.
My first transition was 2:30.
My bike (40km) took 1:20:32, which was 119th overall. My average speed was 18.5 mph.
My second transition was 2:16.
My run (10km) took 1:11:02, which was 124th overall. I averaged 11:27 min./mi.
I'm satisfied with my swim. Last time, the swim was my best part: I was 52nd/98 while I was in the 90s for my bike and run. This time, the swim was the worst part. Weird. But since the only real difference was the wetsuit, I guess I learned that it helps immensely. O.k., well, good to know!
I'm very pleased with my bike. My goal for that part was 1:20, so, right on target. I also averaged 2.7 mph faster than last time. Not bad! Guess my time trials and training paid off.
I'm disappointed with my run. Granted, I was still two minutes faster than last year, even in the heat, but I was hoping to finish that leg in one hour. Still, I realize that the heat was a major determining factor in my run pace, and I'm o.k. with that. I did what I could; what more could I ask for? Plus, now I still have room for improvement for the next time!
So, there ya go!
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Monday, June 9, 2008
Deer Creek Triathlon
O.k., here's the story of my race. Warning: it's long. Only embark upon this journey if you're really interested in all the details...
I got up at 4:00 a.m. so that I could shower and pack everything up to meet my friends Honeylyn and Loy at 5:30. From there, we had about an hour-and-a-half drive to the race at Deer Creek State Park. Along the way, we passed many other cars with bikes attached, and at that obscene hour it was fairly safe to assume that they were also headed to the race. Already the sense of camaraderie began…
As we were sampling several free muffins from my first trip to Mimi’s Café for dinner the night before, we suddenly noticed a car with a bike heading the opposite direction. "Hey, he's going the wrong way," I thought. Momentarily confused, we then noticed mile marker 87, though we were supposed to have gotten off at Exit 84. Oops! I guess WE were the ones going the wrong way... So we found a turn-around and were soon back on track. Glitch number one of the day, but not a major problem.
We arrived at the park about 7:00, just as we’d planned. However, we soon discovered that the line to pick up race packets was very long and moving at a snail’s pace! We utilized the time in line, however, to take turns using the restrooms and to check the temperature of the lake water. I decided not to wear my wetsuit since I was already sweating just standing out there and since the water felt comfortably cool at 72 degrees. By 7:30, the line was longer than when we’d arrived and we realized that there was no way the race was going to start on time. Comforting on the one hand, because we’d have more time to get everything ready, but that also meant we’d be finishing later when it was even hotter… Glitch number two, but what could we do?
After we got our packets and timing chips, we went back to the car to collect our things. But, as I was pumping up my tires, I encountered my third glitch of the morning: a busted tube. (Funny, all week long I’d been saying that I hoped I didn’t get my first flat ever during the race; I figured I was about due, though, since I had put almost 1000 miles on the tires since I got the bike in August.) Fortunately, I had a spare tube, so Loy helped me change it. But… the tire itself was really stretched out apparently, because it kept coming off the rim as we pumped it up. So I had to go to the guys at the Wheelie Fun tent to get a new tire. Still, lucky all this happened before the race!
So then I ran over to the transition area to set up. There was no more room on my assigned rack, so I shifted a couple bikes a little to make room on the next rack over and hurriedly laid out all my gear. Meanwhile, everyone else had already gathered down at the lake for the start of the race. "This is the worst feeling ever!" I thought, to be so rushed. After one last pit stop I ran down to the lake to join my competitors. Fortunately, the sprint distance racers were starting first, in waves, so I really did have plenty of time. While I put on my cap and goggles, I met a few women from Columbus who were doing their first triathlon that day. But, since they weren’t in my age group, we could all be friends. :-)
Finally, it was time for the Olympic-distance women to begin. We lined up at the water’s edge and waited for the horn to blow. (That was a little different: last September we started out in the water, but this time we were still on shore to begin. The water last fall was also very low, so there was a nice beach, and really you could probably have stood up at any point if you needed to. This time, however, after all the rain we’d had in the preceding weeks, there was no beach, and as we ran through the mud into the lake, we could still feel the grass beneath our feet well out into the water. Weird…) As I began swimming, I felt so refreshed in the cool water, even though I was still getting kicked and grabbed. When I looked up a little later, I remember thinking that that first yellow buoy was still really far away! “And I have to do TWO laps?!? What was I thinking?” I thought to myself. People seemed to be passing me a lot more than last year, too, and I thought for a moment that perhaps I should have worn my wetsuit after all… But as I rounded the first corner, I had more room and got into a better rhythm of breathing, and just started to enjoy the swim. As I completed the first lap, I was shouting “Halfway!” to myself in my head. I finished the second lap with no problems and actually ran up the hill to the transition area (unlike last year), feeling pretty good about my start, though I had no idea how long the swim actually took.
My transition was much quicker, too, I could tell, in part because I didn’t have a wetsuit to shed, but also because this all felt somewhat familiar and therefore more comfortable than last time. So after I put on my socks, shoes, gloves, watch, and helmet, and grabbed my bottle of Hammer Gel, I slid my bike off the rack and ran out of transition. I mounted, clipped in, and was off! After pedaling hard for two miles, I was surprised to look down and see I’d only gone two miles! And I kept looking for that first turn to get out of the headwind… But I was passing a few people, so I felt pretty good about my speed, and the wind felt terrific! I actually wasn’t even hot at all. After the first turn finally came, I wondered why I’d looked forward to that since the second road was much rougher. Oh, yeah, I remembered that. Too bad I wasn’t riding a Roubaix like Loy! O.k., time for some gel. Mmm, raspberry… Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! Excellent. A couple more turns on the flat country roads, and then I came to the first of two small hills (which felt a lot bigger than they really were after racing along for ten miles!). I cruised downhill at 35 mph, and pushed up the other side, standing briefly. Then it flattened out and I quickly caught my breath before coming to the last little hill, just before completing the first lap. I looked up along the levee to see if I could happen to see Honeylyn and Loy on their run, but no such luck. “Halfway!” I again shouted in my mind as I came to the park entrance. The volunteer standing there said, “Sprint to the right, Olympic straight ahead.” I asked her to confirm, since last year we had to ride into the park, past transition, and back out again before beginning the second lap, but she said, “Yes, straight ahead,” so I kept right on riding! I checked my computer at that point and saw that I’d averaged 18.9 mph on the first lap. Awesome! And time-wise I was right on track to meet my three-hour goal as well. Second lap, same as the first. A few more swigs of gel and some water to wash it down just before finishing up the bike leg. Good stuff.
Back in transition, I racked my bike, tore off my helmet and gloves, changed shoes, threw on my hat, sunglasses, race number belt and nutrition belt, and was off! Suddenly, I felt the heat. I was tired. Immediately. I wanted to walk. Already. But I jogged along, hoping that I would pick up my pace as I continued, like I had in my training runs. Mile 1. Wow, it’s hot! Oh, man, and why’d we pick this course? I hate this stupid, grassy levee! O.k., onto the dam, much better. Water? Yes, please! I have my own, but only two 8-oz. bottles. I have a feeling I'm going to need more than that today… Mile 2. Keep going. What, NO shade? Not even a single, solitary tree? Wow… so… hot… Left turn down toward the boat ramp. Um, yeah, I’m definitely not maintaining the 10 min/mi. pace I need to finish in time. But I’m doing everything I can... Seriously, could it BE any hotter today?!? There’s the turnaround! “Halfway!” I need to walk. O.k., that’s enough. Go! (Then I started singing to myself.) “Just keep runnin’, just keep runnin’, just keep runnin’, runnin’, runnin’…” (Like the Finding Nemo “Just keep swimmin’” song.) Mile 4. Two… more… miles… So hot… Hmm, how should I narrate this race for my blog? Narrative? Thought processes? Will I write about thinking about what to write about? Will I write that? And that? O.k., enough. “Just keep runnin’, just keep runnin’, just keep…” Mile 5. Wow, I’m slow today. And I was so sure I’d shave the most time off my run… So hot… But look: there are still people just starting their run, so maybe I’m not doing SO bad… Or maybe everyone’s just really slow ‘cause it’s stupid hot out here... WHY are we doing this again? Oh, that’s right, it’s not supposed to be easy or everyone would do it. The dam, yea! The grassy levee... stupid levee… But that means I’m almost done! “Just keep runnin’, just keep runnin’…” Back into the park. Mile 6! Past the photographer guy. Past an ambulance and several people holding up a towel or something to create some shade for some poor, dehydrated, overheated runner. "God, be with that person. God... That's all I've got, just be with them..." I can hear the announcer at the finish line! I can SEE the finish line! Right then, that’s when I was finally able to pick up my pace to more than a slow jog. I sort of sprinted to the finish line, and there were Honeylyn and Loy cheering me on! Awesome, I made it!
A guy took off my timing chip. A lady told me I was second in my division. Seriously? I almost laughed. Oh, but then again, there might only be 2 ladies in my age group… Still, they put a medal around my neck. Honeylyn and Loy congratulated me. Someone else gave me water. Then I stood there and filled up my cup two more times. So thirsty… So hot… Honeylyn and Loy took my hat, sunglasses, belts, medal, etc. and I went back down to the lake for another quick dip to cool off. Back up the hill. Collect all my gear. Do I have to eat? ‘Cause I’m not really hungry, just thirsty. Nope, let’s just get going. Ah, air conditioning…
On the way home, we all talked about the race. Honeylyn and Loy did NOT care for the swim. They waited for each other at the transitions, though, and ran together. How sweet! Then we talked about the next one. Are we really gluttons for punishment? Perhaps. But it was so much fun! Except that stupid-hot run… (It’s kind of like when I used to go backpacking a lot: we’d get rained on, our feet would hurt from hiking, our backs would be sore from sleeping on the ground, we’d be dirty, and tired and, let’s be honest, a little grumpy. But as soon as we got back to the car, or maybe back home and showered up, all I could think was, “When can we go back?!?” It’s the same thing.) We also talked about trying a relay in the September Toyota Challenge tri. I’d swim, Loy would bike, and Honeylyn would run. Maybe we’d do the half-ironman distance, too, then, since we’d each only be doing one leg. Awesome…
I also called my apartment community office on the way home, to remind them not to give away the last room at the inn. It was mine! Since my air conditioner still wasn’t working, I told them they’d better give me a room there because the 90-degree apartment just wasn’t cutting it for me. After all, I had to get a few hours of sleep in before my two soccer games that night! Yeah, o.k., I guess I’m a little crazy…
(Just for the record, I wasn’t planning to play much at the games, but just to sub briefly if others were really tired. But when I arrived… One, two, three, I counted. Three? “No way!” I said, shaking my head. "I am NOT going to run around for two more hours!" We had to borrow players from other teams, and I ended up playing most of the first game. But I also got to score! Granted, the ball bounced off my leg into the goal, but still! Right time, right place. It was sweet. I played a good portion of the second game, too, but I was pretty much useless by then. Not to mention the fact that I messed up my toe somehow. I’m just really glad that that happened AFTER my race because I don’t think I’ll be running until the swelling and bruising go down!)
I got up at 4:00 a.m. so that I could shower and pack everything up to meet my friends Honeylyn and Loy at 5:30. From there, we had about an hour-and-a-half drive to the race at Deer Creek State Park. Along the way, we passed many other cars with bikes attached, and at that obscene hour it was fairly safe to assume that they were also headed to the race. Already the sense of camaraderie began…
As we were sampling several free muffins from my first trip to Mimi’s Café for dinner the night before, we suddenly noticed a car with a bike heading the opposite direction. "Hey, he's going the wrong way," I thought. Momentarily confused, we then noticed mile marker 87, though we were supposed to have gotten off at Exit 84. Oops! I guess WE were the ones going the wrong way... So we found a turn-around and were soon back on track. Glitch number one of the day, but not a major problem.
We arrived at the park about 7:00, just as we’d planned. However, we soon discovered that the line to pick up race packets was very long and moving at a snail’s pace! We utilized the time in line, however, to take turns using the restrooms and to check the temperature of the lake water. I decided not to wear my wetsuit since I was already sweating just standing out there and since the water felt comfortably cool at 72 degrees. By 7:30, the line was longer than when we’d arrived and we realized that there was no way the race was going to start on time. Comforting on the one hand, because we’d have more time to get everything ready, but that also meant we’d be finishing later when it was even hotter… Glitch number two, but what could we do?
After we got our packets and timing chips, we went back to the car to collect our things. But, as I was pumping up my tires, I encountered my third glitch of the morning: a busted tube. (Funny, all week long I’d been saying that I hoped I didn’t get my first flat ever during the race; I figured I was about due, though, since I had put almost 1000 miles on the tires since I got the bike in August.) Fortunately, I had a spare tube, so Loy helped me change it. But… the tire itself was really stretched out apparently, because it kept coming off the rim as we pumped it up. So I had to go to the guys at the Wheelie Fun tent to get a new tire. Still, lucky all this happened before the race!
So then I ran over to the transition area to set up. There was no more room on my assigned rack, so I shifted a couple bikes a little to make room on the next rack over and hurriedly laid out all my gear. Meanwhile, everyone else had already gathered down at the lake for the start of the race. "This is the worst feeling ever!" I thought, to be so rushed. After one last pit stop I ran down to the lake to join my competitors. Fortunately, the sprint distance racers were starting first, in waves, so I really did have plenty of time. While I put on my cap and goggles, I met a few women from Columbus who were doing their first triathlon that day. But, since they weren’t in my age group, we could all be friends. :-)
Finally, it was time for the Olympic-distance women to begin. We lined up at the water’s edge and waited for the horn to blow. (That was a little different: last September we started out in the water, but this time we were still on shore to begin. The water last fall was also very low, so there was a nice beach, and really you could probably have stood up at any point if you needed to. This time, however, after all the rain we’d had in the preceding weeks, there was no beach, and as we ran through the mud into the lake, we could still feel the grass beneath our feet well out into the water. Weird…) As I began swimming, I felt so refreshed in the cool water, even though I was still getting kicked and grabbed. When I looked up a little later, I remember thinking that that first yellow buoy was still really far away! “And I have to do TWO laps?!? What was I thinking?” I thought to myself. People seemed to be passing me a lot more than last year, too, and I thought for a moment that perhaps I should have worn my wetsuit after all… But as I rounded the first corner, I had more room and got into a better rhythm of breathing, and just started to enjoy the swim. As I completed the first lap, I was shouting “Halfway!” to myself in my head. I finished the second lap with no problems and actually ran up the hill to the transition area (unlike last year), feeling pretty good about my start, though I had no idea how long the swim actually took.
My transition was much quicker, too, I could tell, in part because I didn’t have a wetsuit to shed, but also because this all felt somewhat familiar and therefore more comfortable than last time. So after I put on my socks, shoes, gloves, watch, and helmet, and grabbed my bottle of Hammer Gel, I slid my bike off the rack and ran out of transition. I mounted, clipped in, and was off! After pedaling hard for two miles, I was surprised to look down and see I’d only gone two miles! And I kept looking for that first turn to get out of the headwind… But I was passing a few people, so I felt pretty good about my speed, and the wind felt terrific! I actually wasn’t even hot at all. After the first turn finally came, I wondered why I’d looked forward to that since the second road was much rougher. Oh, yeah, I remembered that. Too bad I wasn’t riding a Roubaix like Loy! O.k., time for some gel. Mmm, raspberry… Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! Excellent. A couple more turns on the flat country roads, and then I came to the first of two small hills (which felt a lot bigger than they really were after racing along for ten miles!). I cruised downhill at 35 mph, and pushed up the other side, standing briefly. Then it flattened out and I quickly caught my breath before coming to the last little hill, just before completing the first lap. I looked up along the levee to see if I could happen to see Honeylyn and Loy on their run, but no such luck. “Halfway!” I again shouted in my mind as I came to the park entrance. The volunteer standing there said, “Sprint to the right, Olympic straight ahead.” I asked her to confirm, since last year we had to ride into the park, past transition, and back out again before beginning the second lap, but she said, “Yes, straight ahead,” so I kept right on riding! I checked my computer at that point and saw that I’d averaged 18.9 mph on the first lap. Awesome! And time-wise I was right on track to meet my three-hour goal as well. Second lap, same as the first. A few more swigs of gel and some water to wash it down just before finishing up the bike leg. Good stuff.
Back in transition, I racked my bike, tore off my helmet and gloves, changed shoes, threw on my hat, sunglasses, race number belt and nutrition belt, and was off! Suddenly, I felt the heat. I was tired. Immediately. I wanted to walk. Already. But I jogged along, hoping that I would pick up my pace as I continued, like I had in my training runs. Mile 1. Wow, it’s hot! Oh, man, and why’d we pick this course? I hate this stupid, grassy levee! O.k., onto the dam, much better. Water? Yes, please! I have my own, but only two 8-oz. bottles. I have a feeling I'm going to need more than that today… Mile 2. Keep going. What, NO shade? Not even a single, solitary tree? Wow… so… hot… Left turn down toward the boat ramp. Um, yeah, I’m definitely not maintaining the 10 min/mi. pace I need to finish in time. But I’m doing everything I can... Seriously, could it BE any hotter today?!? There’s the turnaround! “Halfway!” I need to walk. O.k., that’s enough. Go! (Then I started singing to myself.) “Just keep runnin’, just keep runnin’, just keep runnin’, runnin’, runnin’…” (Like the Finding Nemo “Just keep swimmin’” song.) Mile 4. Two… more… miles… So hot… Hmm, how should I narrate this race for my blog? Narrative? Thought processes? Will I write about thinking about what to write about? Will I write that? And that? O.k., enough. “Just keep runnin’, just keep runnin’, just keep…” Mile 5. Wow, I’m slow today. And I was so sure I’d shave the most time off my run… So hot… But look: there are still people just starting their run, so maybe I’m not doing SO bad… Or maybe everyone’s just really slow ‘cause it’s stupid hot out here... WHY are we doing this again? Oh, that’s right, it’s not supposed to be easy or everyone would do it. The dam, yea! The grassy levee... stupid levee… But that means I’m almost done! “Just keep runnin’, just keep runnin’…” Back into the park. Mile 6! Past the photographer guy. Past an ambulance and several people holding up a towel or something to create some shade for some poor, dehydrated, overheated runner. "God, be with that person. God... That's all I've got, just be with them..." I can hear the announcer at the finish line! I can SEE the finish line! Right then, that’s when I was finally able to pick up my pace to more than a slow jog. I sort of sprinted to the finish line, and there were Honeylyn and Loy cheering me on! Awesome, I made it!
A guy took off my timing chip. A lady told me I was second in my division. Seriously? I almost laughed. Oh, but then again, there might only be 2 ladies in my age group… Still, they put a medal around my neck. Honeylyn and Loy congratulated me. Someone else gave me water. Then I stood there and filled up my cup two more times. So thirsty… So hot… Honeylyn and Loy took my hat, sunglasses, belts, medal, etc. and I went back down to the lake for another quick dip to cool off. Back up the hill. Collect all my gear. Do I have to eat? ‘Cause I’m not really hungry, just thirsty. Nope, let’s just get going. Ah, air conditioning…
On the way home, we all talked about the race. Honeylyn and Loy did NOT care for the swim. They waited for each other at the transitions, though, and ran together. How sweet! Then we talked about the next one. Are we really gluttons for punishment? Perhaps. But it was so much fun! Except that stupid-hot run… (It’s kind of like when I used to go backpacking a lot: we’d get rained on, our feet would hurt from hiking, our backs would be sore from sleeping on the ground, we’d be dirty, and tired and, let’s be honest, a little grumpy. But as soon as we got back to the car, or maybe back home and showered up, all I could think was, “When can we go back?!?” It’s the same thing.) We also talked about trying a relay in the September Toyota Challenge tri. I’d swim, Loy would bike, and Honeylyn would run. Maybe we’d do the half-ironman distance, too, then, since we’d each only be doing one leg. Awesome…
I also called my apartment community office on the way home, to remind them not to give away the last room at the inn. It was mine! Since my air conditioner still wasn’t working, I told them they’d better give me a room there because the 90-degree apartment just wasn’t cutting it for me. After all, I had to get a few hours of sleep in before my two soccer games that night! Yeah, o.k., I guess I’m a little crazy…
(Just for the record, I wasn’t planning to play much at the games, but just to sub briefly if others were really tired. But when I arrived… One, two, three, I counted. Three? “No way!” I said, shaking my head. "I am NOT going to run around for two more hours!" We had to borrow players from other teams, and I ended up playing most of the first game. But I also got to score! Granted, the ball bounced off my leg into the goal, but still! Right time, right place. It was sweet. I played a good portion of the second game, too, but I was pretty much useless by then. Not to mention the fact that I messed up my toe somehow. I’m just really glad that that happened AFTER my race because I don’t think I’ll be running until the swelling and bruising go down!)
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Second Place?
So I just got back from my first triathlon of the year. I've only done one before, last September, and was pleased to just finish then, but this time I actually set a time goal for myself: three hours. That would be 13 minutes faster than my last race, though the swim this time was longer, so I was actually hoping to shave about 25 minutes off my previous time. Well, I don't think I quite made it; I didn't hear my time when I crossed the finish line, but my friends thought they said 3:04 or so. Not bad. But the surprising thing, and the thing that makes me not care SO much about the time (besides the fact that it was just stupid hot today), is that they said I was second place in my division! Granted, there may have only been two or three women in my age group, but I still got a medal!
Anyway, I'll post more later about the crazy events of the day, and once I know my overall time and splits and rankings and things, but for now I'm going to take a nice long nap in my room at the inn (since my AC still doesn't work) so that I can be ready for our two soccer games tonight!
Anyway, I'll post more later about the crazy events of the day, and once I know my overall time and splits and rankings and things, but for now I'm going to take a nice long nap in my room at the inn (since my AC still doesn't work) so that I can be ready for our two soccer games tonight!
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Race Day Checklist
General
__ directions/map to race
__ course/transition map
__ photo ID
__ USAT membership card
__ money
__ sunscreen
__ sunglasses
__ towel for transition
__ camera
__ post-race clothes and shoes
__ pre- and post-race nutrition
Swim
__ tri shorts
__ tri top
__ wetsuit
__ Pam
__ swim cap(s)
__ goggles
Bike
__ bike
__ helmet
__ bike shoes
__ socks
__ Body Glide
__ gloves
__ watch/heart rate monitor
__ pump(s)
__ spare tube(s)
__ tools
__ water bottle(s)
__ gel and/or other nutrition
Run
__ running shoes
__ hat
__ race number belt
__ nutrition belt
__ directions/map to race
__ course/transition map
__ photo ID
__ USAT membership card
__ money
__ sunscreen
__ sunglasses
__ towel for transition
__ camera
__ post-race clothes and shoes
__ pre- and post-race nutrition
Swim
__ tri shorts
__ tri top
__ wetsuit
__ Pam
__ swim cap(s)
__ goggles
Bike
__ bike
__ helmet
__ bike shoes
__ socks
__ Body Glide
__ gloves
__ watch/heart rate monitor
__ pump(s)
__ spare tube(s)
__ tools
__ water bottle(s)
__ gel and/or other nutrition
Run
__ running shoes
__ hat
__ race number belt
__ nutrition belt
Friday, June 6, 2008
Grumpy
So I kinda feel like I'm in China again today, because I've got clothes lying out all over my apartment to dry. Only in China that was common and expected because they don't really have dryers, but here I'm just peeved because I wasted $2.50. (That's 2 dryers; the first one wouldn't even start after I put the quarters in.) I've had this happen before and it wasn't really a big deal, but this time I was already in a bad mood because my AC hasn't been fixed yet even though I called about it a week ago, and it's in the 90s. In fact, we're supposed to approach or maybe even break some records this weekend, which is terrible timing since I have my first triathlon of the year on Sunday. You know, it's a lot harder to run and bike in 95-degree weather than in 80-degree weather, which I discovered today. So my plan is to go into the office of my apartment complex tomorrow and demand they fix the AC or else give me a room in the inn on the premises, or just give me back my rent money for the month. 'Cause this is ridiculous.
O.k., enough complaining... But boy, I sure am missing my Harbin winters right about now!
O.k., enough complaining... But boy, I sure am missing my Harbin winters right about now!
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Pronoun Problems
Perhaps you've noticed a problem with my pronoun usage, specifically that I appear to use singular and plural first person pronouns interchangeably. You'd be correct. See, I still get confused about which to use when referring to the time in the past when I was part of a "we" unit, most notably when I'm talking about my China days. See, I wasn't in China, we were. But now there is no "we," so what's a girl to do? Anyway, I apologize for the confusion, but I still haven't figured out how to resolve this one... Oh yeah, and I also tend to just refer to him as "him," without a proper antecedent. Sorry, grammarians! But I promise it'll be o.k. :-)
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Television (Warning: Random Thoughts...)
So I've been feeling like I'm back in China recently.
Let me explain: See, we couldn't watch T.V. in China, or rather we could, but we just couldn't understand anything so we didn't bother. Instead, we watched a lot of Friends, CSI and Alias on DVD. Can't tell you how many times I've see each episode of Friends... Anyway, a couple months ago I fasted from T.V. for a month, which was fine, easy even. So much so that I'm not even sure when the fast ended because I never really started to watch it again. So then I figured, why pay for even the cheap-o $10 cable when I'm not using it? So I cancelled my service. Now, I get nothing. Not even your basic, local channels... nothing. You'd think that'd be great, that I'd get so much more done because I don't have that distraction anymore. And yet, it seems I'm more distracted now because of the vastness of this beast we call the internet. Before, I'd go to bed at about 11:30 because there was nothing else good on, (since I only had your basic, local channels,) but now I'm usually online till midnight, or 1:00, or 2:00... It's bad. And yet, not even as relaxing as just sitting back to watch a show on T.V.
So then last night, I got back from a really good workout, exhausted, and I really just wanted to watch an hour of T.V. before hitting the sack. But alas, I couldn't. Then I remembered that you can now watch T.V. online! Excited at the possibility, I opened up my web browser and started looking around for an episode of CSI. But I guess I'm not very tech-savvy, 'cause I couldn't for the life of me figure out how to go about finding a show to watch. Sure, I googled something like "watch TV online free" and found lots of websites offering something - news or sports channels, short clips from shows, etc. - but not what I was looking for. The only place I actually found where I could maybe watch an episode, tv-video.net, wouldn't actually play it. Don't know what's up with that...
Anyway, all this to say that I almost broke out the Friends DVDs again. I put in a movie instead, (which I promptly fell asleep in front of,) but I'm not sure how much longer I can hold out...
Let me explain: See, we couldn't watch T.V. in China, or rather we could, but we just couldn't understand anything so we didn't bother. Instead, we watched a lot of Friends, CSI and Alias on DVD. Can't tell you how many times I've see each episode of Friends... Anyway, a couple months ago I fasted from T.V. for a month, which was fine, easy even. So much so that I'm not even sure when the fast ended because I never really started to watch it again. So then I figured, why pay for even the cheap-o $10 cable when I'm not using it? So I cancelled my service. Now, I get nothing. Not even your basic, local channels... nothing. You'd think that'd be great, that I'd get so much more done because I don't have that distraction anymore. And yet, it seems I'm more distracted now because of the vastness of this beast we call the internet. Before, I'd go to bed at about 11:30 because there was nothing else good on, (since I only had your basic, local channels,) but now I'm usually online till midnight, or 1:00, or 2:00... It's bad. And yet, not even as relaxing as just sitting back to watch a show on T.V.
So then last night, I got back from a really good workout, exhausted, and I really just wanted to watch an hour of T.V. before hitting the sack. But alas, I couldn't. Then I remembered that you can now watch T.V. online! Excited at the possibility, I opened up my web browser and started looking around for an episode of CSI. But I guess I'm not very tech-savvy, 'cause I couldn't for the life of me figure out how to go about finding a show to watch. Sure, I googled something like "watch TV online free" and found lots of websites offering something - news or sports channels, short clips from shows, etc. - but not what I was looking for. The only place I actually found where I could maybe watch an episode, tv-video.net, wouldn't actually play it. Don't know what's up with that...
Anyway, all this to say that I almost broke out the Friends DVDs again. I put in a movie instead, (which I promptly fell asleep in front of,) but I'm not sure how much longer I can hold out...
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Not Without Risks
I got an email today through the Cincinnati Cycle Club ride line about a biking accident that happened recently in Mexico. Apparently, a drunk driver fell asleep at the wheel and ran into a line of racers. One cyclist died and ten more were injured.
We try to be smart when riding on roads - wearing bright clothes, obeying traffic laws, etc. - but there are still risks involved. Sobering...
We try to be smart when riding on roads - wearing bright clothes, obeying traffic laws, etc. - but there are still risks involved. Sobering...
Monday, June 2, 2008
Changes
Now, I'm pretty sure that my psychologist friends will disagree, but I think personalities can change quite dramatically over time or as the result of significant events or changes in a person's life. I say this because I think it's happened to me at several points.
When I first took the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (or some free knock-off available online) during my freshman year in college, I was an ENFP, which seemed accurate. But I changed quite a bit that year, and when I took the test again a few years later, I was an ISTJ, exactly the opposite. Again, it seemed accurate, though. Why the change? Well, I'll just look at one example:
When I was part of a "we," I was much more introverted, preferring to keep close to home and not interested in meeting new people. I'm sure part of that was because I was simply content spending most of my time with him, but I also think it had a lot to do with the fact that he was an extreme introvert, which I believe "rubbed off" on me a bit.
Even now that I'm just me again, I've continued to say things like, "I don't like big groups," or "I'm not good at meeting new people." But I'm realizing that that is no longer true. I love meeting new people! In fact, I've recently been getting to know quite a few cool new folks from Kenwood Baptist through my awesome friend Christy, and from Four Corners through playing soccer with Lance and those guys, and most recently friends of a friend (Grace) of a friend (Kristen)... (And, incidentally, when I took the Myers-Briggs again just now, it says I'm an E again, though the rest is the same. Hmm...)
Anyway, I'm so grateful to have all of you as friends! Thanks for being part of my adventure. :-)
When I first took the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (or some free knock-off available online) during my freshman year in college, I was an ENFP, which seemed accurate. But I changed quite a bit that year, and when I took the test again a few years later, I was an ISTJ, exactly the opposite. Again, it seemed accurate, though. Why the change? Well, I'll just look at one example:
When I was part of a "we," I was much more introverted, preferring to keep close to home and not interested in meeting new people. I'm sure part of that was because I was simply content spending most of my time with him, but I also think it had a lot to do with the fact that he was an extreme introvert, which I believe "rubbed off" on me a bit.
Even now that I'm just me again, I've continued to say things like, "I don't like big groups," or "I'm not good at meeting new people." But I'm realizing that that is no longer true. I love meeting new people! In fact, I've recently been getting to know quite a few cool new folks from Kenwood Baptist through my awesome friend Christy, and from Four Corners through playing soccer with Lance and those guys, and most recently friends of a friend (Grace) of a friend (Kristen)... (And, incidentally, when I took the Myers-Briggs again just now, it says I'm an E again, though the rest is the same. Hmm...)
Anyway, I'm so grateful to have all of you as friends! Thanks for being part of my adventure. :-)
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Positron Omega!
This is my favorite new game. Why? Several reasons: it requires few materials, so you can play it anywhere; it's different every time you play, so it never gets old; it utilizes different skills, so there's something for everyone; and it's just plain fun! But I'm warning you: it's addictive! (Fortunately, you need at least six people I'd say, so you can't get too carried away...) Anyway, check out the rules below, give it a try, and let me know what you think! If you like it, feel free to join our Facebook group, "Fans of Positron Omega."
A. PREPARATION
Each player is given 3-4 pieces of paper (depending on how long they want the game to last). Players must then write down one noun (proper or improper person, place, or thing) on each paper then place it in a box/hat. Next, players are divided into 2-3 equal teams and each team moves to sit together.
B. GAMEPLAY
The game is divided into four rounds. In each round, teams alternate one-minute turns until all of the papers in the box/hat have been guessed. During each one-minute turn, players pick papers out of the box/hat and try to get teammates to guess the word according to the rules for that round. When a word is guessed correctly, the paper is placed in the team's pile and the box is passed to the next player on the team. The box/hat rotates through the team continuously until the minute is up. Unguessed papers are placed back in the box/hat and it is then passed to the next team for their one-minute turn. Turns in each round alternate between teams until all of the papers in the box/hat are gone.
C. ROUNDS
At the end of each round, the papers in each team's pile are counted and the score for each team is recorded. The papers are then put back into the hat/box for the next round. The team with the most points at the conclusion of the fourth round is the winning team. A predetermined penalty (e.g. pushups, charlie horses) may then be given to the losing team.
If teams are tied at the end of the fourth round, a fifth tie-breaker round may be utilized to determine the winning team. This round, called Telepathy, requires that players guess the words on the papers without clues of any kind, basically shouting out the words they remember from previous rounds until the correct one is identified. Crazy, to be sure, but hilarious!
A. PREPARATION
Each player is given 3-4 pieces of paper (depending on how long they want the game to last). Players must then write down one noun (proper or improper person, place, or thing) on each paper then place it in a box/hat. Next, players are divided into 2-3 equal teams and each team moves to sit together.
B. GAMEPLAY
The game is divided into four rounds. In each round, teams alternate one-minute turns until all of the papers in the box/hat have been guessed. During each one-minute turn, players pick papers out of the box/hat and try to get teammates to guess the word according to the rules for that round. When a word is guessed correctly, the paper is placed in the team's pile and the box is passed to the next player on the team. The box/hat rotates through the team continuously until the minute is up. Unguessed papers are placed back in the box/hat and it is then passed to the next team for their one-minute turn. Turns in each round alternate between teams until all of the papers in the box/hat are gone.
C. ROUNDS
- Taboo - Players must get their teammates to guess the word through a verbal description. Gestures, spelling, sounds-like, or any form/variation of the word may not be used in this round.
- One Word- Players must get their teammates to guess the word through a single one-word clue. The first word that the player says after unfolding the paper is the chosen word ... so if the player says "um" or "well" first, that is the chosen word. The chosen word may be repeated indefinitely with different voices and intonations, but gestures may not be used in this round.
- Pictionary - Players must get their teammates to guess the word by drawing clues. Gestures, sounds, letters, numbers, and symbols may not be used in this round.
- Charades- Players must get their teammates to guess the word by acting out silent clues. Words, sounds, or drawings may not be used in this round ... but cameras are encouraged.
At the end of each round, the papers in each team's pile are counted and the score for each team is recorded. The papers are then put back into the hat/box for the next round. The team with the most points at the conclusion of the fourth round is the winning team. A predetermined penalty (e.g. pushups, charlie horses) may then be given to the losing team.
If teams are tied at the end of the fourth round, a fifth tie-breaker round may be utilized to determine the winning team. This round, called Telepathy, requires that players guess the words on the papers without clues of any kind, basically shouting out the words they remember from previous rounds until the correct one is identified. Crazy, to be sure, but hilarious!
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