Mad Manatee Mentors 2013: CLOSED (exc/ Pop Tart bribes) (Page 145)

Originally posted by TriAya

Here's a picture of me with my AIDS Marathon shirt and marathon medals; Tammy is in the middle

Perspective indeed.

IM is no joke--some of you have probably noticed I haven't quite (but real close! ) managed to finish one ... but yeah, in the grand scheme of things, very small.

Also, to be most frank, the kind of endurance and pain to get through an IM is not comparable to the kind of endurance and pain needed to get through a day when you are very ill (mentally and physically and whatever--at that point it's ALL on) ... or worse, when a loved one is.

Also, the consistency and repeated training--which really is the hard part of an IM, getting there!--is also highly doable, and easy compared to what a lot of people face every day just as a matter of life.

Originally posted by TriAya

Just my random rambling rant thoughts. I so appreciate you putting up with them. I don't even put them in my blog, just because a lot of "outside" people read my blog as well.

Summer months are crazy--so many events and so many friendpiglets come into town. It's wonderful.

There's a good friend who always comes this time of year from Australia, with another one of our good friends (they're older single guys, not gay, just bro-mates). We rip around Bali, play practical jokes on each other, have a great time ... I'd tried to contact them a couple weeks ago to no avail. Sabai (one of them) called me when he got here, he'd changed his number ... and he had terrible news, our friend Keith had killed himself just that couple of weeks ago.

I'm shattered.

Sabai wanted to wait until he came to tell me himself. Keith had suffered from major depression for years, sometimes better, sometimes not--really tried with psychiatrists, different medication combos/etc., was really good about contacting friends and trying to stay involved despite his affliction. He also cared for his mother in her last year of life.

There are many horrible diseases that can be fatal, and I know so-called "mental" illnesses can be among them.

Here's the last pic of us together ... Keith's the one with glasses. RIP. Run free and happy now, my friend.

As for my friend Sarah I mentioned awhile back that had been a part of our close little Bali circle and passed away, and I was worried about her dogs--it looked like I'd be taking one of them, a Border collie whom I love, and that our good friend (the same one who just ditched me) would take Phoebe (it's just way too much for 3 dogs here, me gone all the time, even though the Hobbit Maid would be okay with it). Also because we're never sure if my psycho neighbor might do Phoebe in.

Not sure what's going to happen now.

Around Bali Tri also is the anniversary of the death of a couple whose family was good friends with ours. Our crazy family, it's very rare that an entire other family would be close to ours. But we were. Us kids all grew up together in the same school (where the father taught), the mother was a close friend of Mutti's and continued to be even after the Alzheimer's set in (many of her friends were not). In fact, they spent their the mother's last day on Earth together.

The parents were brutally slaughtered--as in, hundreds of stabs and slashes, and not quickly --in their home one evening. In their home which is close to ours. This was on June 26, 2009. And so this time of year is always difficult.

And my dad ... and Allen, my crazy U.N. worst-troubled-world-spots-worker friend who died of malaria earlier this year.

I feel like I'm seeing a lot of dead people.

My heart really hurts.

At the same time I want to share the story of a friend ...

I was in a trio of bestie-girl-friends, we ran around LA and chased boys and caused havoc. All three of us were overweight smokers. I got into endurance sports first, followed by Dolores, and as for Tammy ...

I don't remember the series of events exactly; I've just never seen someone suffer so much tragedy in such a short time. First, her son (who had two little boys himself) died in a motor vehicle crash. Then another girlfriend close to us, Lisa, killed herself (she was dying of AIDS as well). Then Tammy's only sibling, a real piglet and patriot who was serving stationed at the time Germany, died in a freak accident where he fell through a plate glass door and it slashed his femoral artery. Though her parents were elderly, and not in the best of health, they weren't in poor health either. Her father died of a heart attack; her mother died--pretty much of grief--not long after.

This all happened within the span of 10 months.

What did Tammy do?

She quit smoking. She signed up to do the AIDS Marathon with Dolores and I and raised money for AIDS Project LA in remembrance of our friend Lisa. We threw fundraising parties. We ran together. That year she finished the Honolulu Marathon for AIDS. She LIVED, in capital letters. I'm sure this all helped her cope and gave her some structure, too, but to this day, especially with any issues of grief, I always think of her ... and how were things were darkest and at their very worst, she kept thinking of how she could help GIVE life.

Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil, for Thou art with me.
Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.

Originally posted by TriAya

Omigwash omigwash omigwash!!!

I have a Monday breakfast date with Chris Lieto AND a Monday sunset date with a piglet that I mistook for Chris Lieto!!!

Chuckle. Someone inspired in my blog (of last week): you really go from 0 to 1000, don't you?

Yep. I may not be bipolar (just a little depressed and psychotic now and again), but I might have more poles than Ann-Marie has hands. ;)

Originally posted by TriAya

Just my random rambling rant thoughts. I so appreciate you putting up with them. I don't even put them in my blog, just because a lot of "outside" people read my blog as well.

Summer months are crazy--so many events and so many friendpiglets come into town. It's wonderful.

There's a good friend who always comes this time of year from Australia, with another one of our good friends (they're older single guys, not gay, just bro-mates). We rip around Bali, play practical jokes on each other, have a great time ... I'd tried to contact them a couple weeks ago to no avail. Sabai (one of them) called me when he got here, he'd changed his number ... and he had terrible news, our friend Keith had killed himself just that couple of weeks ago.

I'm shattered.

Sabai wanted to wait until he came to tell me himself. Keith had suffered from major depression for years, sometimes better, sometimes not--really tried with psychiatrists, different medication combos/etc., was really good about contacting friends and trying to stay involved despite his affliction. He also cared for his mother in her last year of life.

There are many horrible diseases that can be fatal, and I know so-called "mental" illnesses can be among them.

Here's the last pic of us together ... Keith's the one with glasses. RIP. Run free and happy now, my friend.

As for my friend Sarah I mentioned awhile back that had been a part of our close little Bali circle and passed away, and I was worried about her dogs--it looked like I'd be taking one of them, a Border collie whom I love, and that our good friend (the same one who just ditched me) would take Phoebe (it's just way too much for 3 dogs here, me gone all the time, even though the Hobbit Maid would be okay with it). Also because we're never sure if my psycho neighbor might do Phoebe in.

Not sure what's going to happen now.

Around Bali Tri also is the anniversary of the death of a couple whose family was good friends with ours. Our crazy family, it's very rare that an entire other family would be close to ours. But we were. Us kids all grew up together in the same school (where the father taught), the mother was a close friend of Mutti's and continued to be even after the Alzheimer's set in (many of her friends were not). In fact, they spent their the mother's last day on Earth together.

The parents were brutally slaughtered--as in, hundreds of stabs and slashes, and not quickly --in their home one evening. In their home which is close to ours. This was on June 26, 2009. And so this time of year is always difficult.

And my dad ... and Allen, my crazy U.N. worst-troubled-world-spots-worker friend who died of malaria earlier this year.

I feel like I'm seeing a lot of dead people.

My heart really hurts.

At the same time I want to share the story of a friend ...

I was in a trio of bestie-girl-friends, we ran around LA and chased boys and caused havoc. All three of us were overweight smokers. I got into endurance sports first, followed by Dolores, and as for Tammy ...

I don't remember the series of events exactly; I've just never seen someone suffer so much tragedy in such a short time. First, her son (who had two little boys himself) died in a motor vehicle crash. Then another girlfriend close to us, Lisa, killed herself (she was dying of AIDS as well). Then Tammy's only sibling, a real piglet and patriot who was serving stationed at the time Germany, died in a freak accident where he fell through a plate glass door and it slashed his femoral artery. Though her parents were elderly, and not in the best of health, they weren't in poor health either. Her father died of a heart attack; her mother died--pretty much of grief--not long after.

This all happened within the span of 10 months.

What did Tammy do?

She quit smoking. She signed up to do the AIDS Marathon with Dolores and I and raised money for AIDS Project LA in remembrance of our friend Lisa. We threw fundraising parties. We ran together. That year she finished the Honolulu Marathon for AIDS. She LIVED, in capital letters. I'm sure this all helped her cope and gave her some structure, too, but to this day, especially with any issues of grief, I always think of her ... and how were things were darkest and at their very worst, she kept thinking of how she could help GIVE life.

Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil, for Thou art with me.
Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.

Originally posted by KansasMom

I survived my ride today. I couldn't be in the aero bars much, so my hands are actually twitching from being on the horns for multiple hours. But I got some great saddle time in. I saw a lot of Austin. Did some much needed hill climbing and descending. So it was a win. (Even if I did get lost a few times. I comforted myself by saying, "You weren't really trying to get anywhere, so you're not really lost." But boy, I was completely turned around, and that's a tough thing for this Kansas girl to admit.)

My saddle is great. My "soft tissues" are feeling just fine.

It was 97F when I got back to the hotel. I don't think my helmet is ever going to dry out. I ordered food and drink inside of the restaurants  (Starbucks, Whole Foods, Panera Bread) I went to today, but had mercy on everyone and ate/drank outside. I was stinky.

Easy day planned for tomorrow -- I'm getting a mani-pedi -- a complete paradigm shift.

Oh, and talk about paradigm shifts. I had a beer a couple hours after my ride. I haven't had one in over five years. It tasted sooooo good.

Originally posted by TriAya

Omigwash omigwash omigwash!!!

I have a Monday breakfast date with Chris Lieto AND a Monday sunset date with a piglet that I mistook for Chris Lieto!!!

Chuckle. Someone inspired in my blog (of last week): you really go from 0 to 1000, don't you?

Yep. I may not be bipolar (just a little depressed and psychotic now and again), but I might have more poles than Ann-Marie has hands.

Originally posted by bcraht I learned a couple things on my bike and run today.  First, in the past couple weeks, I have finally started to 'get' the push and pull of my foot in my shoe when pedaling.  It definitely makes climbing easier.  The second thing I have learned, unfortunately, is that I think focusing on that aggravates my Achilles...  When I first injured it, I had recently done some ILT, so I wonder if pulling up on the pedal is the precipitating factor.  Doesn't totally bode well for my cycling... 

Originally posted by cdban66

Monday can not get here fast enough. I admire Lieto's desire to use his gifts to help others. He is quite a special guy. And he can flat out ride a bike!!!!! Enjoy your entire day.

Originally posted by cdban66

Ouch, please be careful. I know how much you fought through the hurt, and I hope you don't go back there.

Originally posted by TriAya

HEAR YE HEAR YE MANATEES ... AN INVITATION

As this edition of the Jogo Challenge comes to a close, I invite you all to participate in BT's annual Tour de France Challenge. That is where I met St. Jude (QueenZipp, Judi) 6 years ago and our team won. My team often does

It is an incredible way to keep up your cycling, meet new BT friends, and learn a lot about the amazing sport of cycling and this particular event, which is the 100th Tour de France.

You set your own goals so it can be as easy or hard as you like and anything that your legs make go around in circles (perhaps not other people, though) counts.

http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/discussion/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=492754&page=1&posts=2#M4781882

Originally posted by switch

Today's post the cute--the little weasel family from yesterday:

 

 

I  like to imagine this one saying ^^^"Ohhhhh, and I will cut him.  Girl, yes, I will. Mmmmhm." Bon Qui Qui style.

 

Originally posted by switch

Today's post the cute--the little weasel family from yesterday:

 

 

I  like to imagine this one saying ^^^"Ohhhhh, and I will cut him.  Girl, yes, I will. Mmmmhm." Bon Qui Qui style.

 

Originally posted by switch

Today's post the cute--the little weasel family from yesterday:

 

 

I  like to imagine this one saying ^^^"Ohhhhh, and I will cut him.  Girl, yes, I will. Mmmmhm." Bon Qui Qui style.

 

Originally posted by blueyedbikergirl

Oh super cuteness overload... For some reason I always think cats and weasels would talk with a French accent - no, I have no idea why, I just do. 

Originally posted by kgore

Those. Are. Adorable.

A running friend of mine is in Australia for a Spartan Race--he posted some photos of Australian Manatees! (aka Dugongs) I so wanted to squeal about manatees, but truthfully, he would not have understood...well maybe...he did start a running/racing team called the Weeple Army (of whom I am a proud member.... )

Originally posted by Artemis

Hiya Manatees!!  I am back from Wisconsin.  I don't think I'm going to catch up on everything I missed.

Had a good time. Took E swimming a bunch - she's a total water bug! She was putting her face under by herself and swimming from me to my mom.  We had to take her out because she was getting cold and she screamed.  Guess I'm going to have to spend a lot of time at the pool with her this summer. 

Still on the hunt for a good tri suit.  There were a bunch of responses in my Athena clothing thread while I was gone, so I'll sort through and try to order stuff today.