Lazy Fortune Writer

Went to go eat at Firebowl with my friend Chad and we both get our Fortune Cookies at the end of the meal. His reads: "It's not what your fortune cookie can do for you, but what you can do for your fortune cookie!" Let's stop just for a moment and think about this. Not cool at all. I mean, you eat this meal of Pad Thai and you anticipate breaking the cookie open wondering if it will say something to completely inspire you...AND THEN, it reads like the John F. Kennedy Inaugural speech in 1961 but with switching out the word FORTUNE COOKIE for COUNTRY. Seriously? Someone needs to investigate and get fired. I mean, if the person was going to go this far to make this a 'fortune', he/she should have taken it all the way...."ask not what your fortune cookie will do for you, but what together we can do for the fortune cookie." Don't leave the JFK speech hanging friend!!! At least then it would have given me reason to laugh really hard, but this was not fortune, this was someone lazy on the job. It is too much to ask for some substance when you unravel this tiny piece of paper?

On the flip side, my fortune was right on track (I just felt the need to empathize for Chad):


That's right, 2008 is all about this.....if you have been reading this blog, you are up on it all. I believe success is measured differently by everyone so I don't go by the world's definition. Here's mine: If you love what you are doing, then you are successful! Giddy up!!!

Just because....

Have you ever had one of those conversations or passing moments with an old love? What do you do when you talk to that person on the phone and this rush of emotion comes back and you wish you had an hour in a coffee shop with him/her to figure it all out? What do you do when you wish you could take back just a small piece of time in hopes that the outcome would be different between the two of you? What do you do when all you want to say is sorry but it won't come out? He is someone I will always care for, and someone I will always love. And today, by the sound of his voice, I missed him.

What do you do? Well, if you are Colleen, you remember the song that moved you through most of the heartache. Nikka Costa's Just Because..


I take you in and I hold my breath
Try to save the time that's passing by
And if you came to say goodbye
A thousand summers would never dry
Every tear that touched my face

And they don't laugh the way you do
And they don't smile the way you do
And their eyes don't shine the way yours do

I love
I love
I love you just because

Without the words to fall back on
I'm afraid it's hopeless to describe
And if I tried, I'd probably steer you wrong
Cause a thousand phrases would never say
How I feel today

And they don't laugh the way you do
And they don't smile the way you do
And their eyes don't shine the way yours do

I love
I love
I love you just because

In the Colors

I just love me some Ben Harper and today in all the rain I listened to a few of his tunes....I played In the Colors about 3 times. I love the lyrics. It was my day off from training (actually, I did some active recovery of Yoga, it felt good to breathe deep) It was about 1:30, and I could hear the rain outside on my bedroom window and this song just made me smile! There are days where I long to meet the person I will dance into dusk with....


When your whole world is shaken
from all the risks we have taken
dance with me into the colors
of the dusk

When you have awoken
from all the dreams broken
dance with me into the colors
of the dusk

The paths we're walking on
crumble behind us
but if we leave now they will
never find us
and if this crazy world spins itself
down to dust
i want to be with you
in the colors

When you again start hoping
with your arms wide open
dance with me into the colors
of the dusk

And all will be right
dancing like water with the light
dance with me into the colors
of the dusk

Truly Blessed.

Only a few weeks into 2008 and I had some good self-evaluation time. My therapist says I should learn to take 15 minutes each morning for me...and that has been really awesome. I am also learning to really love my Friday & Saturday nights at home, in bed early, ready to get up for training the next day. I am doing about 10 hours a week right now, and it will only go up from there. 2008 is about finding balance.

I am not a person who feels obligated to write out who I am; however in all the reflecting that has come my way lately I am going to blog on for the sake of my own bewitchment.

I am a truly blessed person. This isn't a new idea or something that I have just come to realize, but as I was talking to a good friend on the phone this past week I had this overwhelming surge of emotion in regards to the friends, the opportunities and travels. I want to learn to be more thankful for it all on a daily basis.

I have learned that the only way to live is Wild!! It is a deliberate act of revolution. And it means that each day I should choose to WAKE UP! I am finding that by embracing my true self and studying my patterns I am letting out my MOST alive self! I am seeing that when I wake up to other souls around me, they affect me and I live that much more.

Those that know me for even just a minute will be able to tell that I am an extremely emotional person. (right Josh?!) This can be good and this can be bad. I cry just as much as I laugh out loud. I feel deeper and have many tools that help navigate me through tough times. I am complex, stuffed FULL of feelings, memories, half-truths, denials, hopes and dreams. All of this 'stuff' is what drives me to create from my heart. And I have found, my deepest pain is often my highest muse.

I absolutely LOVE seeing my friends succeed, I embrace seeing them learn new things and grabbing onto change. It ignites me to see those around me LIVE life rather than EXIST in it. I write this only because I have recently had a time with someone who cannot be like this and chooses every day to get up and just be angry (and mean). Life will continue to be hard and questions will remain unanswered. Your life path will not be clear unless you can move away from jealousy. Jealousy is no more than feeling alone against smiling enemies. Rest assured, I will continue to smile.

I LOVE people that dare to be different and as I look at those that are close to me, I am blessed to have a great selection of outrageous friends! They are the one's that would never allow me to sleep walk through life and are ok with the WILD and when I am in a dark place, they sit with me and see me recover and then discover all those truths again.

"When you walk to the edge of all the light you have and take that first step into the darkness of the unknown you must believe one of two things will happen: There will be something solid for you to stand upon, or, you will be taught how to fly!!"

I am blessed because I have both. Those that provide the solid ground and others that move me to fly!!

The Mexican Martini- ain't no joke.

Where: Austin, Texas; Trudy's

Who I shared one with: Whitney (I just realized I said shared!! HAHAHAHA!! Me and Whit can handle our OWN.)

Why I love it so much: So cool and refreshing, the taste of lime and olives together, the salted rim of the martini glass–I’ve just never had another cocktail that comes close to how great this is!


Not drunk is he who from the floor
Can rise alone and still drink more;
But drunk is he who prostrate lies
Without the power to move or rise.

Thomas Love Peacock (English author)
(1785-1866)

Yeah, we both were fine....but there is a reason why they don't let you drink more than two!!

How to End the War

My friend Scotty posted this and I think it's a good read. I like this columnist. I like this article. I really wish we could "pull the troops out and leave some hope behind."

Take the time and go to this link and read on.

How to End the War

Why I live in the south

This picture was sent to me via a women's cycle team I used to ride with in Florida. BOBbies I grew up in the cold and snowy Midwest, went to college in Virginia where many times my old car would not start because it was too cold AND I absolutley love winter Sports....but I have been in the south (Florida and now Texas) for almost 10 years. I can't imagine walking outside to this kind of MESS.

I love it that even on a "cold" day in Texas you can get on your bike and run a few miles. I won't be applying for any jobs in the North, that's for sure.

I wonder if those bikes in the picture would even be the same after you thawed them?

New Job? Could Be? Who knows?

I got a really awesome call today. Backroads Travel Company....things are looking really good with this job. If you don't know this company, take a look at their website... BACKROADS I applied to be a Trip Leader/Research Specialist & have been going through the interview process. I have my official interview in a few weeks...flying out to Salt Lake. I can't wait.

Yes, I am looking for whatever may be next in the job avenue. I love TNT, and always will. But Momma gotta pay the bills, and she can't LIVE the way she really wants to on this paycheck. Reality check for 2008. Find a job where I can use all my fantastic skills, see the world and build community!!

Backroads it is.

I will know if it is official by the end of the month!

iRun

I had a great 10 mile run today....and I decided to make a very specific Playlist on the iPod for it.....

it was divine and just the right music!

Beautiful Day- U2
My New Acquaintance- Regina Spektor
Rio- Duran Duran
Hope For Me Yet- Marc Broussard
Smile- Lily Allen
SexyBack- Justin Timberlake (yeah, I did)
Girlfriend- Avril Lavigne
Turpentine- Brandi Carlile
Where the Streets Have No Name- U2 (you can't really ever have to much of them)
2+2=5- Radiohead
New Shoes- Paolo Nutini
Waiting on the World- John Mayer
There's Hope- India Arie
Travelin' Thru- Dolly Parton (this is a for sure theme song of mine)
Keep the Car Running- Arcade Fire
Sing- Annie Lennox (off her latest album, GET IT!!)

There were some moments I wanted to skip this Playlist was so good!! Sometimes I need super hard rock to keep me moving but I wanted to enjoy being outside and being alive....and this mixed moved that along!

Happy New Me!!!!

"A full race schedule is proof that I'm choosing to live in this world instead of on it. Each race is a guaranteed adventure for the heart, mind, and soul."

Hope is the thing with feathers, that perches in the soul - and sings the tune without words, and never stops - at all. - Emily Dickinson

A few quotes to start out the new year......

Get ready to race.....and wake up each day with HOPE...sometimes that is all you've got!!

Here's to 2008!!

(Thanks to my buds Mags and Amber that brought it in with me....full of laughter, health and goal setting!)