Gratitude is one of those ubiquitous topics at this time of year, and it probably should be more common, for me at least, on regular basis. Also, I'm always a bit late with my Thanksgiving post (see last year) and the beginning of December is such a fun time as well with Michael's birthday, so a later gratitude/Thanksgiving post seems appropriate.
But I do have so much to be thankful for right now, and it's nice to remember that and take stock. First of all, we had a fabulous Thanksgiving break. It was low-key, but just what we needed, a mix of social outings (we went out for Mexican food twice - how is that not a major win?!), plenty of fun activities and also some down-time. Thanksgiving day was busy early on, as I went and "oversaw" students who were making food that we then delivered to The Midnight Mission, an organization in Downtown LA that helps homeless families and individuals. I hate to admit this, but I was a bit grumbly before, not nearly as excited about helping out as I should have been. However, once I arrived on Thursday morning and the kids came, something *clicked* and I realized that I was so lucky to be able to help out in this very small way. Also, the kids really do most of the work - they just need an adult around in case there's an issue, like someone cuts off a finger (hasn't happened yet, knock on wood).
Once I returned home, we had a low-key Thanksgiving dinner, just the two of us, but then met at some friends' for dessert which was fantastic - a nice buffet of pies, bread pudding, cookies and we brought a pear and apple crisp with whipped cream. We followed up Thursday with a trip to West LA, looking for bike gear for me and finishing that outing at LACMA. We really enjoyed the two exhibits we saw - Samurai: Japanese Armor and Pierre Huyghe (I'd never heard of the latter, but apparently he is a big deal, at least according to the NYTimes, and so is this exhibit; I must admit that I looked up information about Pierre Huyghe after the exhibit, but maybe that's the point of going to a museum?).
Returning to work this week was a bit brutal, but knowing that we have Christmas break right around the corner has helped! Also, celebrating Michael's birthday gave us both something to look forward to. It was pretty low-key in terms of gift-giving, but we went out to dinner on Saturday at a new place that, as they say, knocked our socks off. I'd read good reviews of Bäco Mercat, but really had no idea what to expect. It's funny, when we lived in Silverlake, we rarely ate at places in Downtown and usually headed further west for a "fancy" night out. Now that we are further east, the idea of going so much further west seems ridiculous. Fortunately, a lot of great restaurants have opened up Downtown, so we are happy to explore at least one of those new, hip and happening places. And, holy crap, it was amazing - one of the best meals I've had. EVER, I think. It was that good. I don't even know what kind of food I would call it because some dishes had a Middle Eastern tang, like the fried squash blossoms and the sunchoke dish that we ordered (sunchokes are amazing, by the way, as I discovered last night), but then other dishes definitely leaned to Asian influences, like the peppers and kale and the duck confit, which I could only describe with superlative after superlative. And I don't mean to forget about the drinks and desserts. The drinks feature "shrub", which Jonathan Gold, the LA Times and LAWeekly food critic, describes here: "Shrub is an artisanal thing, the bartender's equivalent of the array of jams and preserves flooding Etsy at the moment." I also loved that it was a very casual place - and fantastic for people watching!
The other major gratitude this week? RAIN! Yes, it rained in Southern CA, like a real storm. While it certainly doesn't solve the drought, it came as welcome relief and we might even get some more rain this week (please, please, please). The best thing about the rain? Going for a run in the days following the storm. Southern CA is at its best following a storm.
And, finally, a nice social ride today. I've been trying to amp up training a bit, but haven't wanted to be TOO focused at this point about 2015. An easy, 90-minute ride just for fun was perfect.
So, lots of small moments to enjoy and take in and appreciate.
Showing posts with label gratitude. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gratitude. Show all posts
Sunday, December 7, 2014
Sunday, December 1, 2013
Belated gratitude, a bike fitting, and happy December!
With my students' late work, I often try to take the "better late than never"attitude (with some consequences, of course). I suppose that I'm using this same perspective to frame my belated Thanksgiving thoughts. And it's still November, for a few more short hours! (Okay, it was, when I started to put these thoughts together, but that time has passed!)
So, Thanksgiving - it was a wonderful break! Making it to this point in the academic year is even better because it gives me the sense that I can make it to the end of May, even though I really think that my AP kids are WAAAAAAY behind on the material. From here, we roll into the Christmas, and then January is quite a nice month for the teachers. But back to the Thanksgiving break, it was a good mix of work and play. Work involved house stuff, because we painted our kitchen over the break! I actually can't include myself in the painting process, but I helped in minor ways, like cleaning, dusting and figuring out our meals while the fridge was off-limits. Thanksgiving isn't the ideal moment to paint a kitchen, but since we had a quiet Thanksgiving dinner, it didn't matter that we moved everything portable (except major appliances) out of the kitchen, covered the surfaces and the appliances with drop cloth and sealed the area off for a few days. I also managed to grade, grade, grade! Not exactly good times, but I feel pretty accomplished as I start the work week tomorrow and begin the month with plenty of items crossed off.
In addition to being thankful for a longer weekend, I've appreciated a few things that did NOT happen. We did not travel, even though we looked into tickets to visit my family and also considered a trip to the desert. While both of those options would have been great, hunkering down and staying put ended up feeling like quite a gift, especially now that we finally made progress on the kitchen. We also avoided the Black Friday sales events that apparently did happen, just not in our world. I can't, however, claim that the weekend was extremely frugal because I ended up getting another bike fit on Friday and also started to actively plan my 2014 races ('actively plan' = registered for one of the races that are on the list).
The bike fit on Friday was pretty interesting. I've been torturing myself, looking at eye candy for a while:
So, Thanksgiving - it was a wonderful break! Making it to this point in the academic year is even better because it gives me the sense that I can make it to the end of May, even though I really think that my AP kids are WAAAAAAY behind on the material. From here, we roll into the Christmas, and then January is quite a nice month for the teachers. But back to the Thanksgiving break, it was a good mix of work and play. Work involved house stuff, because we painted our kitchen over the break! I actually can't include myself in the painting process, but I helped in minor ways, like cleaning, dusting and figuring out our meals while the fridge was off-limits. Thanksgiving isn't the ideal moment to paint a kitchen, but since we had a quiet Thanksgiving dinner, it didn't matter that we moved everything portable (except major appliances) out of the kitchen, covered the surfaces and the appliances with drop cloth and sealed the area off for a few days. I also managed to grade, grade, grade! Not exactly good times, but I feel pretty accomplished as I start the work week tomorrow and begin the month with plenty of items crossed off.
In addition to being thankful for a longer weekend, I've appreciated a few things that did NOT happen. We did not travel, even though we looked into tickets to visit my family and also considered a trip to the desert. While both of those options would have been great, hunkering down and staying put ended up feeling like quite a gift, especially now that we finally made progress on the kitchen. We also avoided the Black Friday sales events that apparently did happen, just not in our world. I can't, however, claim that the weekend was extremely frugal because I ended up getting another bike fit on Friday and also started to actively plan my 2014 races ('actively plan' = registered for one of the races that are on the list).
The bike fit on Friday was pretty interesting. I've been torturing myself, looking at eye candy for a while:
Imagining/hoping that I'd look something like this:
Okay, I haven't actually been looking at top-of-the-line bikes because that would be silly. But I have been admiring some considerable cheaper models and looking for deals. Fortunately, I also kept hearing the voice of reason bouncing around my head, the one that kept telling me that I have a great bike (which I do!) and that the last thing I really need around the house is another bike (very true!). I also read all sorts of threads on Slowtwitch and other forums about the fact that if you have a good road bike, the tri bike really won't be a HUGE advantage and that for someone who is not super competitive (that would be me), is it worth it spend thousands of dollars to improve by a few minutes. Additionally, I know that a tri bike can make a big difference on the run, but I've never had issues going from the bike to run. Knock on wood! The clincher was when several good friends who are excellent cyclists rolled their eyes about my wish for a new bike. One of these people just finished her 9th (!!!) Ironman, and she very matter-of-factly informed me that I could get way more bang for my buck in other ways.
With all of that, I decided to content myself with my little Trek and see if a new fit would make me feel a bit more aerodynamic on the bike. A member of the tri group was certified over the summer to do fittings, so I went over to his place on Friday afternoon and got a fitting! My last fitting was about 2 years ago, and I know that I told the bike guy that I wanted to be comfortable on the bike. Now, I'm okay sacrificing some comfort for speed. Anyway, this bike fit was great. I felt very "Bionic man" as he hooked up all these sensors to me. It was interesting that he didn't have to make MAJOR adjustments nor did he recommend any upgrades for me - he just tweaked a few things here and there which actually made a big difference. He also did not insult my bike or ask me when I was getting a tri bike in order to really compete, instead he said that he still missed his Trek Madone (he was hit by a car while riding it - yikes!). As for the 'aerodynamic' and aggressive fit, I do feel faster on the bike, although whether I am or not, remains to be seen! I'm definitely more forward and he lowered the handlebars a bit, but I really feel the changes in my legs which seem to have more snap.
So, I'm not getting a new bike this year or next, but I feel like a kid who just got a shiny new toy. My old bike feels better, and I'm excited to put in some saddle time (as evidenced by a nice easy ride yesterday morning)!
Monday, April 30, 2012
Just a quick meltdown and then I'll be fine
Welcome to what I thought would be a nice taper week, but it's turned into something quite different.
At least that has been the last 48 hours or so - bouncing between a possible meltdown and total confidence. And, yes, it's less than a week until Wildflower, which definitely contributes to the wonky state of being. I've hesitated to call this my priority race, but it really is just that. While I've certainly invested tons of money in other experiences and events, I would say that this is the one that I'd like to go all out - guts and glory and all that stuff.
Which is why I panicked on Friday morning after an achey-knee-run on Thursday and called my knee doctor so that I could get a cortisone shot before the race. I've now reconsidered but have yet to cancel the appointment.
But it is also why, when I woke up yesterday morning and could barely walk, I almost had a major freak out. Instead, I peed (the reason that I got up in the first place), and then I looked up every single configuration of "cramp + recovery" or "calf + cramp+ swimming+ treatment" to see if I could find some kernel of enlightenment about my delicate condition. Instead, I found a lot of crap on the interweb and discovered that I could possibly have a blood clot! Doubtful, but good to think about these days. To me, the irony of all of this sudden drama is that I've had a healthy training cycle for the past however-many months. Then this just bit me in the ass!
After a pretty perfect Saturday, Sunday was a day that could have been filled with anxiety and frustration as I sat around and obsessed over my sore calf. While there moments of that, especially as my mind kept turning to the final Sunday ride that I canceled, I decided to enjoy the fact that I could fully rest (third rest day of the week - luxury!), have a low-key morning and hang out with some friends at dinner, eating Mexican food and drinking a margarita (or two?). As the day progressed, I realized that the pain in my calf was very localized - it just hurt like a mother when I did certain exercises or movements, like going downstairs or after sitting for a while and then getting up to walk around.
Today has been more of the same - descending with trepidation the many staircases that I encounter at work, but feeling great while standing, pacing in class and definitely strong enough to go for a four-mile run. We'll see where this leaves me for the weekend, but I am fairly but please don't jinx me confident that Sunday's race will go well. "Going well" would be finishing at a certain time that I don't want to voice publicly. However, I would also like to remind myself on Sunday that two years ago, I was still recovering from knee surgery and a 2-mile run was an awesome accomplishment. Three years ago, I couldn't even run. So, I would like to not lose sight of the fact that all of "this" (running, swimming, biking, and having fun!) is a gift that I don't want to take for granted.
And I will try to remind myself of that thought regularly between now and Sunday morning.
At least that has been the last 48 hours or so - bouncing between a possible meltdown and total confidence. And, yes, it's less than a week until Wildflower, which definitely contributes to the wonky state of being. I've hesitated to call this my priority race, but it really is just that. While I've certainly invested tons of money in other experiences and events, I would say that this is the one that I'd like to go all out - guts and glory and all that stuff.
Which is why I panicked on Friday morning after an achey-knee-run on Thursday and called my knee doctor so that I could get a cortisone shot before the race. I've now reconsidered but have yet to cancel the appointment.
But it is also why, when I woke up yesterday morning and could barely walk, I almost had a major freak out. Instead, I peed (the reason that I got up in the first place), and then I looked up every single configuration of "cramp + recovery" or "calf + cramp+ swimming+ treatment" to see if I could find some kernel of enlightenment about my delicate condition. Instead, I found a lot of crap on the interweb and discovered that I could possibly have a blood clot! Doubtful, but good to think about these days. To me, the irony of all of this sudden drama is that I've had a healthy training cycle for the past however-many months. Then this just bit me in the ass!
After a pretty perfect Saturday, Sunday was a day that could have been filled with anxiety and frustration as I sat around and obsessed over my sore calf. While there moments of that, especially as my mind kept turning to the final Sunday ride that I canceled, I decided to enjoy the fact that I could fully rest (third rest day of the week - luxury!), have a low-key morning and hang out with some friends at dinner, eating Mexican food and drinking a margarita (or two?). As the day progressed, I realized that the pain in my calf was very localized - it just hurt like a mother when I did certain exercises or movements, like going downstairs or after sitting for a while and then getting up to walk around.
Today has been more of the same - descending with trepidation the many staircases that I encounter at work, but feeling great while standing, pacing in class and definitely strong enough to go for a four-mile run. We'll see where this leaves me for the weekend, but I am fairly but please don't jinx me confident that Sunday's race will go well. "Going well" would be finishing at a certain time that I don't want to voice publicly. However, I would also like to remind myself on Sunday that two years ago, I was still recovering from knee surgery and a 2-mile run was an awesome accomplishment. Three years ago, I couldn't even run. So, I would like to not lose sight of the fact that all of "this" (running, swimming, biking, and having fun!) is a gift that I don't want to take for granted.
And I will try to remind myself of that thought regularly between now and Sunday morning.
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Gobble gobble and gratitude!
So, our turkey arrived last week and it looks something like this:
We ordered it from this place in Tyler, Texas, Greenberg Turkeys that smokes turkeys. My parents turned us on to these smoked turkeys a few years ago, and we had already ordered our turkey (along with one for Michael's parents and the person who dog-sat for us all summer) when I read this article in the NYTimes. So, now I'm almost feeling hip, chic and cool.
Speaking of coolness, we actually leave town tomorrow, driving up to San Francisco, with the bird in tow. I always feel tragically unhip in that fair city, but it's also one of my favorite places to visit (and how I'd love to live there!). We'll be spending the afternoon/evening with friends, and we all opted for something fairly easy regarding the bird. We're also taking mashed potatoes, mashed yams (without marshmallows - that was never a part of my T-day experience), brussels sprouts (which we'll roast with bacon) and a fruit crumble-thingy. No pie. I'd like to learn to make pies one of these days, but this is not the moment.
I am excited to see lots of friends, be in San Francisco and also to travel with our mutts, Gus and Milo. They love road trips, and we enjoy spoiling them. We've rented a studio apartment for the weekend, so we will be in the Castro rather than a tourist-central area like Union Square. Other than stopping by the Ferry Terminal, Dynamo Donuts and the Doc Martens store, we will avoid the shopping frenzy like the plague.
In the meantime, I am grateful for many things this year. Just to name a few:
- The travel opportunities that I have enjoyed this year - the big trips and also the smaller weekend getaways.
- My health, in particular the fact that I can be active again!
- Family, friends and dogs.
- An amazing life partner (okay, husband). I know that it's cliche, but he really makes my life so much better than it would be otherwise.
- A short day today and two days off!
- Finally, the small moments that often present themselves everyday. For instance, we're listening to some great salsa music right now. Life's pretty good.
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