Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Oh Yeah...

I was on TV Monday (Martin Luther King Day)

I was on Robin Swoboda....climbing for her University of Akron Day.

I am closer to the end of the clip, once you get through the first talking part I am the one with the tan chords, teal chalk bag, and the white helmet....YAY!!!

2008....

And so begins the long arduous task of beginning to work out continuously for the New Year. After injuries and frustrations...too much food and 5 lbs of weight gain (ouch). I am back on track for working out.

This year is a bit different then the last. First of all, I quit soccer.

Sadly, I had to say goodbye to the sport I love, after injuries were adding up and I was constantly "laid" up with one kink or another (After one bad kick would leave a charley horse for days, one bad trip would make the knee swell to the size of a tennis ball). I am getting older and perhaps a bit wiser about my body and that means to actually work out at a constant and steady rate---then soccer had to be put to bed. A decision that was not easy but that my body will thank me for...in more ways then one.

So now for the past two weeks I have put in 4 days a week of running and two days a week of climbing. Swimming and stationary biking will be put into the fold next week.
I already feel better. The run I had this morning in 10 degree weather was the best I have had in months. I felt energetic, realistic, quiet, and happy. Nothing hurt and I felt great. I wore no watch, and I just enjoyed it. I remember this feeling, now just the slow build up of health until I peak once again.


I will now leave you with some more pictures from Christmas...these of Paul and I playing in the water...

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Senior-itis

Phew, my last semester has begun with a fury. Being gone over Christmas break did not allow me to get as many things done as I had hoped but I had a blast in Florida over Christmas.

PICS from Florida
Paul and I- Self Pic Pensacola Beach, FL Christmas Day

Paul walking P'cola, FL
Family on the porch at Condo

Over the break I also had the opportunity to finish an eight day wilderness first responder course. So now I am a WFR (as they call it) and ready for any backcountry emergencies thrown my way. Which is very useful when I lead trips that have any type of risk.What can a WFR do? Well it is the ability to act in an emergency when you are too far from local EMS. Example, if someone happened to fracture their femur on a gnarly mountain bike ride- I am legally allowed to pull traction in line on that bone until it pops back with circulation restored and splint it up or if someone were to fall from a cliff, I have the tools to stabilize their head and build a backboard to carry them out in case of a spine injury. It was a very enjoyable class and another tool in my arsenal for job searching.



As for my last semester....I am BURNED out. Not with my teachers (who quite contrary have been nothing but amazing) but with the run around that University of Akron gives you when you need to get things done. For instance, the University College lost my folder...yep, the one with all of my paperwork since I have been there, and they lost my intercollegiate transfer form. What are these things to all of you? Probably not much, it just meant another 45 min wait to get the transfer form filled in again and a smartass university college advisor who tried to make a joke about the missing folder (sorry buddy my life for the last 6 years is not much of a joke to me).

Then he tried to sit me down and open up with a description of what my goals are...reality check, my goals are to graduate and hopefully make enough money so that my hubby and I aren't broke and poor and constantly trying to make ends meet. Plus the fact that I am irritated that you have an empty file of me in front of you. Not the time to be asking me my dreams.

I do have dreams and aspirations but they may not happen. That is life. I am going to school to make a better life for myself and that does not always mean that the perfect job will somehow fall into my lap. I watch my friends graduate and not get jobs; they become overly qualified bartenders and servers and whatever jobs they can get folks. That is the reality we have now and everyone seems to be skirting around what is truly happening to students once they graduate. All I can do is work hard, make connections, and hope. Hope that things will turn out in my favor


Man, I sound cynical. Maybe I am a bit, but things are not all bad. My College of Education adviser has been nothing but amazing, my bosses at the Rec Center have put their necks on the line for me (and in turn I have gained much), my classes at the UAkron have been great (with the exception of a few), and I am four months from graduating...not bad.