Mad Manatee Mentors 2013: CLOSED (exc/ Pop Tart bribes) (Page 348)

Originally posted by cdban66 Yanti, how have you been feeling? I was thinking about you this morning when I loaded the bike into the van. Today is my first real ride in a week and I felt bad about that. Then I thought about you not supposed to ride for quite a while and it made me a little sad. I hope you're getting through things OK.

Originally posted by TriAya

I'm not supposed to ride outdoors. I can grind (um, very easily) it out on a drainer like I always do

Of course, if anyone can find a way to fall off a trainer (and plenty of people have done it) it would be me ... good thing I don't have rollers! (Though I can ride them)

Unfortunately, I'm feeling awesome. I did have a (normal for a concussion and IME most kinds of significant recovery) few days of intense irritability--anger--and some depression (not just ordinary blues) ...

but now I'm feeling better and trying very hard to suppress bouncing up and being at 'em.

I go visit Kingsley in Perth for a week starting Thursday, then he's with me to Bali for a week. So he's on Yanti-sitting duty. Hopefully literally. Maybe he'll even have to tie me down.

Originally posted by StaceyK So who can tell me how to include photos in my training logs?

Originally posted by cdban66

So, You're back to normal

I'm glad you'll be getting time with Kingsley, that *may* keep you from doing anything that you shouldn't be doing.

Or maybe not

Originally posted by blueyedbikergirl

Tony starts his new job at the Wall Street Journal today!! 

I'm so happy for him and proud of him for taking this step - it was a LONG time in coming and I seriously hope this is will be a much happier work environment for him... other than the fact that apparently no one uses the coffee maker at his new place of work and he actually had to go out and BUY coffee this morning.  What the...? 

Erin... please make sure you have a phone with you on these rides and if you have to go through that area, already have 9-1-1 dialed and ready to send if needed.  Better yet... don't go that way until the arrest(s) have been made.

Jo - sending super speedy healing vibes your way - I hope the wrist is good to go this weekend! 

Kate - so happy to hear that your parents are okay and their usual selves, that's a good sign!

Randee - loved the video of you, you're an excellent spokesperson 

Salty - DUDE, that Aussie TV show looks AWESOME!

Chad - huge, HUGE Kudos to you for being strong and getting through all the financial issues, and I hope you've made the credit card companies very unhappy. 

Yantilicious - LOVE the pics of you and Mutti, you both look so happy

Mel/Hands Marie/anyone who wanted to know about pics - I just copy and paste them in there, though if there's another (or easier) way to do it, I hope someone else chimes in! 

Whomever I missed with the updates... I'm sorry, but know that you're in my thoughts.   

Originally posted by 4agoodlife

Late night check-in...

Had an awesome long ride this weekend. 66 miles and rained on us twice. Loved it!

We've set up a DD "date" ride route that may need to be adjusted based on some info DH heard today. A fellow triathlete and co-worker of DH's told him about a police call he had his wife make while he was on his long ride this weekend. He almost always rides alone and very early morning.  A gray truck stalked him for several miles along the road we normally ride. They drove by slowly and then u-turned several times. They stayed on main Rez road when he turned for the mountain. The cop that showed up as he was still riding said that they've been having issues along the Reservation roads for a few months. Similar gray truck has robbed bikers at gunpoint and taking bikes if nice enough. YIKES!

Jo-Ouchie! Hope that wrist is working out its issues. 5 days left, or 4 now?

Randee and Janyne- thank you for your MS work. My dad was diagnosed a few years ago. My first HM was the Phoenix RnR supporting MS last year. Quite an emotional run. Yesterday, my parents left for a visit with my brother. It was the first time my dad hasn't trusted himself to drive  

Salty- YAY! for Boston :D

Tom- I have no wetsuit advice. I live in SoAZ...the water temps never allow for wetsuit legal races

Jonathan- Welcome back! Has everyone already asked about little fuzzball? Pics soon, right? Happy you're getting settled in "new" life.

Well, DH just came downstairs...must be bedtime. Will catch up more tomorrow.

Originally posted by TriAya

Well, what about you? You still havin' to ... err ... WERK at WERK? (WTF, really?!)

Funny, people text me and ask me what I'm up to or what I'm going to do today ... it's really sweet ... except the answer is, work, what do you think I'm going to do?

Okay, I suppose with me, that's a fair question and they're probably just being polite, it's a filler question I guess.

Originally posted by rrrunner

Ooooh, be careful! I do some of my rides on state highways that pass thru rez land but they are pretty major highways. I don't know that I would do remote rez roads, especially alone. Mostly, though, because I read all the prosecution reports for involunary manslaughter charges for drunk driving related deaths on the rez.

Along those lines though... there is a Tour de Acoma coming up soon. It is a 25, 50, 100 mile ride on a beautiful section of one of the rez west of Albuquerque. I'm considering it. But it's the 22nd so I probably won't.

Originally posted by KansasMom

I remember being horrified at the time. I was never a Decker fan. She showed her true colors in that race, and it was disgraceful.

I watched part of the episode you are talking about, and I will give Decker credit. She seems to have reformed from her younger, bitchier self. But hey. We were all young once. I'm glad no one had a camera on me during my bitchy moments.

ETA: Adrienne -- where are your comments about the episode?

Originally posted by Asalzwed

Haha, my comments were pretty much the same as yours.

I totally fell in love with Zola.

But really, they were both there to run and to win. Very funny how we expect them to be all sorts of things (charismatic, political representation, non-b*tches etc. )

Originally posted by rrrunner

True, but... Zola was just an intimidated kid. Decker was her hero! I wonder how much of her dropping off the pace was due to what happened with Decker. As for Decker, I get it. Her biggest goal was ripped away. But to accuse the competitor who was in front? She even blamed letting Zola pass her on her coaches. Also, I think part of her attitude grew from the way she was treated, i.e. on a pedestal, being America's Sweetheart. I also agree that the "now" Decker was mostly different.

Originally posted by rrrunner

True, but... Zola was just an intimidated kid. Decker was her hero! I wonder how much of her dropping off the pace was due to what happened with Decker. As for Decker, I get it. Her biggest goal was ripped away. But to accuse the competitor who was in front? She even blamed letting Zola pass her on her coaches. Also, I think part of her attitude grew from the way she was treated, i.e. on a pedestal, being America's Sweetheart. I also agree that the "now" Decker was mostly different.

Originally posted by blueyedbikergirl

I didn't see the episode, and didn't stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night, but according to wiki:  "Writing in her autobiography^[9] years later, Budd stated that she deliberately slowed down to take herself out of contention, because she couldn't face collecting a medal in front of the hostile partisan crowd." 

Makes me sad to think that she took herself out of contention because she feared the repercussions of the crowd. 

Originally posted by Muskrat37

WOW - MANATEE'S GONE WILD!  I step away for a few days - and there are 12 new pages!  Holy crap.  No way I can catch up.  

New job is going good.  I've been busy, but the work is much more rewarding than what I was doing, and most importantly - my boss is waaaaay cool.  

I am starting a new marathon training program today.

I wanted to share something a touch personal.  You all know I am not flush with cash (my way of saying broke).  I have not always been that way.  At one point - I carried enough plastic in my wallet to by a nice house (no exaggeration), but that's a story for another day.  Lately, I've struggled to pay the rent on time the last 2 months, and haven't been able to buy groceries like normal.  My fridge has been a barren wasteland of late.  When I changed jobs, there was a 3 week gap in paychecks, which really hurt.  The new company did not pay me my mileage yet, even though it was pre-approved.  I think when the lady approved it, she didn't realize that the drive was over 1100 miles, one way!  

So - I had to tap my anorexic 401K.  The check for $3,850 arrived yesterday.  I immediately ran to the bank and deposited it.  My account was overdrawn by $185.  That left $3,665.  

I went home and put all my outstanding bills into an excel spreadsheet and totaled it up. $3,.600!!!  LOL

I am happy to say (and this is the part I really wanted to share) - I am now debt free!  I brought every monthly bill current, and I paid every credit card (4) off!  Well - almost off.  I paid 1 completely off (Amazon Account) - and paid the other 3 to less than a $75 balance each.  I'm trying to build my credit back up, so I left a small balance that I can make monthly payment on.  

It feels good.  I am broke again - but I do not owe any company any money.  Woo Hoo!  The best part(s)?  

• I have already made sales at my new job, so my next check will include commissions
• The company has approved the mileage, so I'll receive an additional $1,000 ish in the next couple weeks
• I have an additional office allowance of $500 being paid out, and I don't need to buy anything for my home office!
• I just landed a new client (on my personal website business) - a $1,500 project that will be done by the end of the month
• My billable invoices (for my website business) are due in a couple weeks - so I'll get paid that money 
• My brother is going to pay me the $275 he owes me out of his next check
• I get paid Friday AND
• There is another payday before the end of the month.  

All my bills are paid - and I have all that income within the next 3 1/2 weeks.  I think I've finally pulled myself out of "The Hole" 

As a footnote - I've setup 10% of my paychecks to be direct deposited into a savings account that I don't have access too (rainy day fund) and I'm depositing money back into a 401K.  I've elected medical and dental coverage - as well as several other benefits, and I also setup a life insurance program. 

I feel good.  My hard work is paying off.  

As you were.  

Originally posted by rrrunner

That's messed up. Unfortunately it was probably a good decision. That crowd was nutz.

Originally posted by MadMathemagician

Life has it's ups and downs.  Last Friday dad was told by the doctor that he has cancer.   Some form of skin cancer.  More test are ordered.    

Monday, someone dropped a cat off at the end of our street, where we live.    *I must live in a place where people feel comfortable dropping off their unwanted animals.  I digress.*

This cat has already captured my heart.  She is sweet natured with humans.  We sit together and purr and purr. 

I have named her Bagheera.  *Does anyone read Kipling anymore?*  She is jet black with nary a white blaze anywhere and has jade green eyes.

I love my conjure kitty. 

Originally posted by JJ- Ok I think we've talked about this before but I've had a few pop tarts since then so..... Hydration Setup What does everyone use? I currently use a 40 ounce speedfill on my down tube and 2 bottles behind my saddle. The speed fill is getting to be a pain because of having to remove it a clean it and reassemble nearly every ride. I am considering an bottle / straw between the aero bars. So what does everyone else use?