Monday, August 20, 2012

Fly


The last three weeks have flown by as if they were weightless.  I find myself immersed with life instead of at peace with it as I felt just a few weeks ago, during my extended summer break between jobs.  I can sense my fitness evaporating like an ice cube in death valley, what was once functional and confident is being replaced by what is now soft and uncertain.

A quick summary of life events since my trips to Badwater and Vermont.

  • I went to lunch after class with my lucky leprechaun, Ahlia, and that same day I received a job offer and met Sonja, who has become a serious contender for the title of "world's most patient female."
  • I accepted that job offer and then promptly received some Carlyssa energy bars in the mail from the Goddess.  THANKS!!!
  • I signed my coaching contract with Team Challenge.  I won't have a free Wednesday or Saturday morning until mid December.
  • I squared up plans for next week's wedding on Thursday and Hood to Coast relay on Friday.  I will be missing a company sponsored trip to the Dominican Republic but at least nobody will be in the office cursing me out for unfinished work.
  • I signed up for and started the extensions program at Core Power after a healthy dose of encouragement from a number of instructors.  I'm feeling overwhelmed by it because of what I'd like to put into it, and also somewhat bummed out that II had all sorts of free time before extensions started, but now with work and coaching I'm squeezed really tight.
  • I attended Yoga for Hope, my first big yoga gathering and my first taste of an event of that size.  It was enjoyable, eye opening, and meaningful.  I left feeling a wonderful buzz.
  • Jeff, Becky, Maya and I got our flight plans together for the Honolulu Marathon in December, immediately following the Vegas half.


So, my to do list looks like this:

  1. Spend 9 hours each weekday at work, learn a complex financial software application, and try to be useful for the rest of the team as a resource and solution provider as soon as possible.
  2. Attempt to court the new lady friend.  Fail by flailing miserably, but wake up each day and try again.
  3. Attempt to keep a 13 year old dog alive and happy, but frequently fail at keeping him entertained and receive phone calls from the neighbors when he wanders off after the yard guy leaves the gate open.
  4. Try to carve out time to spend with Cody, my little bro.  End up rescheduling him due to a double with the first attempt.
  5. Somehow figure out my fantasy football draft on Monday despite having no time to read anything.
  6. Enjoy a weekend in SF with my sister, Sonja, Kelly, Mike, and of course Trey, Mike, Page and Fishman on Sunday night.  I'm still kicking myself for giving Kelly and Mike my two tickets for Saturday.
  7. Enjoy a Thursday Napa wedding followed by Friday Hood to Coast.  Try to see my Portland friends that Sunday.
  8. Set up a full marathon schedule for the newest member of Team Challenge
  9. Attend Wednesday and Saturday practices for the foreseeable future.  Provide motivation, encouragement, suggestions, and assistance to everyone.
  10. Figure out some way to return the favor to my lucky leprechaun.  I have a plan, but it will take some scheduling to pull it off.
  11. Attend as much of the extensions program as I possibly can, be present, focused, absorb, learn, incorporate, practice.
  12. Read a book, observe 2 classes, assist in 4 other classes, and do a karma yoga volunteer project
  13. Finish reading the yoga book I'm halfway through, finish my final exam, submit my hours.
  14. Write about all of the above and various other questions such as "Why do you want to teach" which is sort of an ongoing thought process.
  15. Try to find time to run myself and make it to class.  I want to take Tabu's class more often, I want to experience Steve and Andre and it's been forever since I've gone to Fukumura or Miller.  Oh, and I do have a 50k coming up. I miss feeling fit.
  16. Get my deck rebuilt after I demo'd it so that it isn't a massive hazard like it is now.
  17. Get my commuter bike cleaned up and re-cabled (it hasn't seen the road since labor day 2010 when I rode SF to SD with Al.)  So I can ride with Sonja.  And get dropped of course.
  18. Keep a smile on my face because despite the massive shifts that continue to keep me on my toes, this is life, and life is about living.


I frequently think about the yogger and how adept he is with his transitions from a 6 hour trail yog to baby shower to work to bench press to life partner to baby daddy to sports statistician.  And I think of the Goddess who is training for 3 sports, started a new job recently herself, and doesn't complain one bit when Hillary dishes out a 10k swim set.  I admire my friends for how seamlessly they handle the load in their lives because just getting simple things done seems like an even greater challenge as I head towards my 40's.  

3 comments:

  1. 19. Qualify for WS lottery after shameful Leona Yog DNF...

    ReplyDelete
  2. Motto of the next few weeks: Lace 'em up, buttercup :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. what she said....
    the goddess inspires all of us, her coach included! :)
    GOOD THINGS HAPPENING, DOODER! but don't forget, running makes the DOODER.

    ReplyDelete