Saturday, February 13, 2010

Thrill of victory and agony of defeat

I just noticed it has been over a month since I updated my blog. I am not a fan of updating just to update so sometimes these log stretches are inevitable. Since the new year there has not been much going on. Work is crazy right now with a huge project I am working on that has forced me to work on weekends. I do not mind, it is still more engaging then my last job even with the drama involved.

Of course I have been snowboarding a ton and we had wonderful night away at the Mt. Washington Resort thanks to the best groupon ever. We took tons of pics which I posted on Facebook. Mel seems to have an issue with my camera where she thinks she is taking a picture but is really in video mode. Here is a perfect example. I have a lot of these little vignettes in my iPhoto library thanks to her technological prowess.



And of course we are all waiting anxiously for little nugget to appear. I have watched my friend Leigh get bigger and bigger each time I see her and get updates on what vegetable the nugget is each week according to her What to Expect When Expecting iPhone app. Based on how active the little tyke is in the womb I think s/he will keep JRro and Leigh very busy when s/he pops out.

(Vincenzo Pinto/AFP/Getty Images)

What I am most excited about these days is the Winter Olympics. I love watching the Olympics when they come around but the Winter Olympics is my favorite. Being a skater as a kid, skiing as a young adult and becoming obsessed with snowboarding this past year I am drawn to the Winter Olympics. The Olympics was really the only sporting event we watched as a family and for two weeks every four years we sat in front of our ONE Non- HD tv and got caught up in the pageantry, drama and excitement that is the winter games. The Winter Olympics gives me a chance to watch sports I usually do not follow or even hear about during the year. The events at the Winter games are all about speed and flight. The winter game athletes defy gravity and make racing down a mountain at 90 miles an hour or flying through the air look easy. I get much more excited about the luge, bobsledding, snow cross and skating then the 100 yard dash. I know the summer games are a bit more accessible, most people around the world can run, swim, and play those sports outside with out much gear, but watching athletes race on snow and ice is thrilling. While watching the opening ceremonies last night my friend Monica discussed the Winter Games not being as diverse, as a sea of white athletes who participate in events many people around the world do not have access to, parade into the ceremony venue. I do hope and think with the addition of many new winter sports this will slowly change the face of the Winter Games. Though I still do not understand why the women ski jumpers are not allowed to participate, definitely a black mark.

(Michael Kappeler/AFP/Getty Images)

I found the opening ceremonies to be beautiful and solemn as the death of a young Georgian luger hung over the crowd. I know each country puts on their best face when presenting to the world, but only Canada could give us Orca whales swimming across the floor, Sarah Mclaughlin, macho punk tap dancing fiddlers, Joni Mitchell and of course K.D. Lang in all her butchness singing an amazing rendition of Hallelujah. I know the grass always looks greener but I would be blown over if we would see that at a US opening ceremony. So let the games begin and I will be glued to the TV the next two weeks as I have been my whole life to celebrate "The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat".

Thursday, December 31, 2009

New Year, Let' s Go

It was a year ago today that I woke up and found all of my tires gone on my brand new car. We were heading out early to get ahead of a snowstorm on our way to a NYE weekend away with friends. Luckily we were still able to go and we had a great weekend ringing in 2009.
This year has had its ups and downs but for the most part it has been pretty good. I am ready for it to end but weary of what is ahead in 2010. This last month has thrown me some curve balls but I always find out how resilient we can be with the support of friends and family.

Some 2009 highlights:
- Completed my New Year's resolution and learned to snowboard, and became obsessed with it


- The family who lived above me moved out thus giving away to peace and quiet and a better quality of life

- FINALLY

- Puppies!!!

- Henry joined our little clan. Though Mel and I do not live together we have a traveling cat who we are in a love/hate relationship with, little bastard


- Traveled in Europe for the first time and it was amazing, cannot wait to go back
- Started a new job
- Watched as our new President try to mend relationships with the world
- Mom finally qualified for Medicare, one less thing to worry about
- GLEE- every time I watch I have a permanent smile on my face


- NUGGET!- cannot wait to welcome the little person in this crazy world

- Meeting new Friends

- The circle of friends who saw me through some rough spots and help me celebrate the good times

- Laughing a lot with my LF, I cannot wait until we can do it in the same space


Some Low lights:
- The passing of a friend's Dad, always hard.

- Helping friends through a breakup

- Not seeing some family members in over a year. Hopefully that will be rectified soon.

- Saying goodbye to the only Senator I have ever voted for, it affected me more then I thought it would

- Ramona's declining health

- Back pain that seems to be taking forever to go away. Just reminds me that I am turning the big 40 this year

Despite all of this I will be ringing in 2010 with old and new friends. Cannot beat that.
Happy New Year, wishing everyone the best.

Thursday, December 24, 2009

Old

Guess why I am in here instead of out enjoying the snow?
Because I am old.



Yes sitting by the fire is lovely but after being outside all day not instead of. This is not what I really wanted to do today but my body is not corperating. I have had a sore back all week from shoveling, but it has not been too crippling, so today I get up and get ready for some boarding, load the car pick up Jaime and Melanie. We have a easy ride to Bradford Mtn, we have free passes for the day. We actually had extra so I gave them out in parking lot before we hit the slopes. I made one family's day. Then all of a sudden my back started spasming. I managed to get my gear on and get outside then the pain became too much. I can barely walk. WTF. I have been looking forward to this all week. So that leaves me in the lodge trying to get comfortable in a lot of pain blogging on my iPhone. NERDS!!! (stolen from Liz Lemon).
I am surrounded by parents and grandparents reading books while their kids are enjoying the snow. What a great way to start the holiday weekend. Is it too early for a drink?

- Post From My iPhone