Hemisphere Dancer

Just another Saturday morning on Oahu.. there were giant pancakes again and some exploring at the beach. Henry found an old lady slipper on the jetty and was entirely too excited about it. Sky collected mermaid food (ulva, turbinaria, and sargassum, if my memory serves) and I caught her trying to eat the sea lettuce. 

At noon on Friday I realized I was about to hit 60 hours for the work week. So I hid my giant bag in my sweater (it's 40 degrees in my office) and went to the restroom.. and never came back. The benefit of the Friday run-commute is not having to sneak my bike out with me when I ditch. So what if I was limping a little and wearing compression socks with my heels? Katherine and I hit the beach. The water was an incredible color. It was one of the top five most gorgeous ocean-days I've seen in my life. But I had no cap or goggles. Then we remembered the paddleboards. It's kind of like paddling a hollow, super-long surfboard with a rounded bottom:

We looked just like these guys, only tippy. (Not tipsy - that was later - lemon drop martinis!) Off we went, into the deep stuff. We could see straight down to the coral heads through the turquoise water and kept stopping to marvel at the colors - and the pain. Seems that if your shoulders haven't been swimming, your shoulders aren't fit for paddling.  We paddled all the way across Waikiki in 20 minutes, about twice as fast as we can swim it. Then we beached ourselves at the Royal Hawaiian for a bit:

turned around and headed back. A turtle popped up to check us out, and I failed miserably at trying to paddle on my knees the way the cool guys who win Molokai do... The added bonus? A sore core, lats and shoulders today. I have found swimming.. without the swimming! I even got to wear a Splish. 

On the way back from the Royal Hawaiian we passed a boat named Hemisphere Dancer. Guess who is coming to town on Feb. 28th? I am so excited!

Me and the man himself, after a long brick a few weeks before Kona. Well, he didn't do the brick. Yes, I look like a total dork. But please note that Jimmy Buffett & I have the same sunglasses. 

All That TV Paid Off.

I came home tonight and found Henry's science test. He got 100%. I tried and got about 75%. And I have the word scientist on my business card. It's official, my third grader is smarter than I am. I knew it was coming, just not so soon. When he was three he developed an obsession with Steve Irwin. We watched The Crocodile Hunter twice a day for two years. He wore this shirt every day:

I got really sick of Terry Irwin's jeans. If only she didn't pull them up so high. But we loved Steve. We did feel a little bad that we didn't see Henry between 8-9 am and 2-3 pm, but now that those science grades are rolling in.. well, it must have been worth it.

Son 2.0, also known as Wyatt Odin, is very, very sweet. But the other day when he saw a bunch of kids in front of the Tae Kwon Do studio and yelled Hey look, those kids are taking a field trip to ninja school! I couldn't help but think of Ralph Wiggum. Hopefully he will be good at sports.

The Crocodile Hunter died on the day of the Waikiki Roughwater Swim. My friend Val called and said Don't tell him! He never has to know, it's the beauty of syndication! But we told him. And then we had our own little going away party for Steve and ate a cake shaped like a sting ray.

I rode my bike three times today. I figure it's safer to ride a bike blind than drive blind. The last ride was tempo intervals on the trainer at Boca, and it was really, really fun. Then I accidentally ate a McChicken sandwich. Oops. And I got in the water for a whole 1500 meters. In the pool, since I still can't really see. But life goes on...

The dolphin is sitting down.

This was the first thing out of Sky's mouth this morning: The dolphin is sitting down. It sounded like code. Perhaps it was code for Look out, mom, you're totally screwed. Because not an hour later, about 500 m offshore in my first swim in 3 months, I lost my vision. Just like I did November 1st. The last time I had this big moving blob in my sight, I didn't see right for 30 days. Welcome back, status migrainosus, I didn't miss you.

I did it to myself, I suppose. I have a Monday morning work deadline for the EIS water and geology sections. One of the people I work for was stressing me out by acting like an asshole. On Saturday I worked all day and well past midnight. I rode hard and forgot to re-hydrate well. I snacked all day, had an unhealthy dinner, and then got 4.5 hours of sleep before sneaking out for a swim before what was to be another 10+ hour work day today, on Sunday. I broke the healthy eating rule, the sleep rule, and the stress rule.. and now I have to pay. I slept all day, but the blob remains. There's no way of knowing when I will see again. There is still no paid time off, so I have no choice but to go to work.. but I don't think I can see well enough to ride my bike in, which sucks.

I thought I was getting things under control, but I guess I was wrong. The thing is, I wasn't worried. I knew I would make the deadline, and the extra work means a holiday or two later in the month, which I consider a good trade off. I was happy to be back in the water. I thought I was fine. On the plus side, I had a dark chocolate dove bar after it came on, because while a trigger for most, it's a remedy for some. It didn't work, but my first chocolate in three months was awesome. Not worth it, but awesome none the less.

In lighter news, here is something that made me laugh today: It seems Prince Harry found out he was dumped when his gf changed her facebook relationship status. 

New commute!

Here is something I wonder about: does an hour of spin class equal an hour of cycling? I do it once a year, when Raul (say Ha-ul), crazy leader of Boca Hawaii, does his annual spinfest fundraiser for epilepsy. As a general rule, I try not to pay to ride a bike, or drive anywhere to ride a bike.. except on this day. Raul spins for 12 hours straight, leading a different spin class every hour. Here he is, somewhere around hour 3:

And here we are.. me, going for the big 2 hours, with a half an hour of internals on a nearby treadmill at the hour mark, to break it up.. and a whole lot of other people riding a bike to nowhere.

Raul and four others went for the full 12 hours. And then he went to Gloria Estefan's show.

I couldn't ride my bike home yesterday because I was on baseball duty, which requires a vehicle. So it had a sleep over party in my office. I hope it had more fun there than I did today, where it was official Let's Have Meetings and Imply That Rachel Is Incompetent to Large Groups of People Day. It was SUPER fun. Especially since I had already completed all the work that was being explained to me as if I were learning to use the big girl potty. Nothing brings back 7th grade like getting passed WTF? notes from everyone else at the table while I draw cherry blossoms on my notepad and pretend to be learning something new and writing it down. But I digress. This is how I got to work today:

I have never run with stuff on my back before. I left heels, a bra and my wallet in my desk, so I didn't have to carry everything. Well, really there are four pairs of shoes under my desk right now. One never knows when they might need knee high flat boots, or four inch heels.. or running shoes, cycling shoes or steel toed boots! OK, five. I must say, I have a new respect for people who run with those camelback things. The backpack was light and totally tethered down, and you can't go wrong with Pata-gucci. But the bouncing never let up. I also forgot how vulnerable one is while running vs. riding. The homeless guy who sleeps in a spiderman mask next to the Waialae Ave. cemetary is much freakier at 8 mph than he is at 20 mph at 5 am. As is the cemetary. And it turns out it takes more than twice as long to run 15 miles as it does to ride it, and that lots of men with full neck tattoos hang out around King and Keeaoumoku at 6 am.

Just call me Perez

Because I am here to tell you that Matthew Fox surfs Kaikos. I noticed that Kaikos looked clean and pretty, not too big but just right, as the boca clinic rounded Diamond Head yesterday evening. Then as I was gossiping with Maggs, a car pulled up out of the neighborhood and stopped for us. I always try to make eye contact, just to be sure that we've been spotted. There were 25 of us, so I guess it was unnecessary, but my first thought upon catching his eye was I know that guy.. oh wait, no I don't, but it's Charlie! I don't watch Lost much, it's too confusing for my pea brain. But I was big on Party of Five back in the day. But every single time I go to a natural foods store, I see Hurley. He eats healthy stuff.. likely lots of it. And Sawyer is a neighbor, who recently hid out in the car, parked next to us, while sending his wife in to Longs. Today's Lost star was this guy:

But I doubt he wore that surfing. At least I hope he didn't, for his sake. He was driving a beater cherokee with a board on top and smiled at my double take.

Yesterday was not unlike Christmas. Except for the part where I had to go to work. But there was a hum of excitement in the air (or maybe in my brain) where ever I went.

It felt like a holiday, so we took a family portrait with the camera on the hood of the car and my neighbor's old washing machine in the background, just to fancy us up a little. Wyatt has developed a thing for old-man socks. Sky wore her Hope shirt. Henry used the ball more than me today, and this is how the family lounged around before school watching history.

Sky and Em didn't know what they were celebrating, but they're always down to celebrate! Later, when I tucked her in, she told me to get in and snuggle. I was still dirty from the ride, so I told her no, I'm dirty and stinky. She said no, you're just stinky. And I'm used to it by now. Thanks, sweetie.

Like I even have to tell you what I'm going to blather on about today.

This is the speech that catapulted Barryo from State Senator to National Superstah at the 2004 DNC. In case you haven't seen enough of him today. I am sitting here in stretchy clothes, calling in late to work in honor of the inauguration, in the American spirit of hard work. Or like my cousin in law Juan would say, in the lazy ass spirit of a true liberal. I skipped my bike commute to watch the swearing in and other related festivities. I wish I was there, but like my tone-deaf mother used to sing to me when I was a kid, you-uuu can't always ge-eht what you wa-aannt. And I certainly have all I need.

Since today we're bound to hear the word change six hundred billion times, I thought I would share some changes.

First off, the pool messed up. Four months after quitting the pool, I noticed the autodebit on my statement yesterday. I quit to save money, so it kind of sucks they charged me an extra $400+ (It's a pricey place to swim). And yes, I probably should have checked back in October, so I messed up too. I was so upset & stressed about our finances that I tossed and turned all night, then gave up and rode my bike to work at 4:15 am only to find that the YWCA was closed for the holiday that my racist company doesn't recognize and that I had to shower at my bathroom sink and had no wrinkle-glue (Lancome colleraser, ladies, it's worth every cent) or deoderant. I tried to keep the fact that the Oahu Club owners are very nice in mind when calling the office, as I knew it was just an expensive oversight.. I just hoped there was paperwork to back me up. There was. In addition to a big fat refund, she gave me a month free to use the pool as I pleased. Which, as we all know by now, would pretty much be never, if I took her literally. Seriously, does a 50 meter pool actually please anyone? I can almost see Jen Harrison jumping up and down waving her arms and saying me me, pick me! Instead of using it as I please, I'm going to use the pool as I should. Welcome to swim slacker rehab. Prepare yourselves for the bitching.

Another change for 2009: the Saucony. I love all things Saucony. Saucony was my first sponsor back in 2006. They put me on their tri team with only one international distance race to my name, as I prepped for my first Boston, my first half, and my first Kona. We drifted apart in 07 & 08 (translation: I ran in really, really old shoes because I'm poor) but now we have reunited. I get to wear they're stuff again, and won't break the bank or my IT bands by wearing old shoes! I swear I'm going to toss the silver fastwitches from 06 with 1500 miles on them.. after tomorrow's run.. maybe.

Also, I need this thing:

How cool is that? I always worry on my dark ride in - there are fewer cars at 5 am, which is why I ride when I do, but I wonder if half of the people that fly by on Kal Hwy. are commuters and the other half are still loaded from the night before and pretending they're at Chuck E. Cheese driving a video game. In which case, maybe I don't want this, as they might aim for it. Either way, awesome idea.

Going Blue.. and saying no.

The weekend started off perfectly - with this showing up on my doorstep. Thanks Doug and Tom!

Check out hot old guy in the funky safety goggles and suspenders.. and the blur of the self-proclaimed fastest girl in the world running by in the background. And my first ever road bike! 

I've begun to have some faith in my health again. The migraine triggers have been figured out, and I get hit once or twice a month now, and it resolves after a night's sleep. The health routine is not always easy. In addition to 8 hours of sleep a night, it requires that I don't eat chocolate, nuts (my beloved PB is out!), bananas, artificial colors, beer.. and a whole bunch of other stuff. Fluorescent lights kill me. All typical training food - gels, bars, bloks, drinks - are out, so all workouts are done on water. But I think the thing that's helping the most is the cutting back on what I expect myself to do. I leave the house at 5 am on my bike, and get home between 4 - 7 pm, depending on whether or not I train. And then I try to keep up around the house with the cleaning and the bills, catch up with the kids, and get everything I need to do done in time for another 8 hours. I've been saying no a lot. I can't help coach a team, I can't go out Thursday night, I can't take on that project that's going to run 60 hours a week, and I can't travel to that race. I've said no to friends that I would love to support, and I have had to ask Ramsey for help more than ever before. Sometimes I feel like a real bitch, but it's working. I feel better all the time. 

This morning I got up to do the Boca ride, but it was 64 degrees. That is too cold for my short shorts and my hawaii version of arm warmers that are actually made just to prevent sun burn. It suddenly felt like too much, so I went for a run instead. It was perfect the perfect day for a long run and then the beach.. I stand up paddled in a cashmere sweater.. cashmere + cold, clear, ocean = best combo ever. I took Wyatt out for a little paddle..

Wind day.

It's our equivalent of a snow day. Last time the schools shut down, I was in the tenth grade and Hurricane Iniki was rolling in to town. Jenny and I went to Sandys to watch the ocean crash across the highway - a close call with Darwinism. Tomorrow, the schools are closed for wind. I called my friend Derek, a meteorologist at NOAA. He said my bike commute in would be hard, because it's a westerly wind. But that it would be 15-30 mph as usual, with the occasional 60 mph gust. And that the school closures are a direct result of Katrina. It's howling on our hillside, and I may wuss out and take the bus in. Tonight was more up up up and less ow ow ow. Tantalus was beautiful, and it was a fun group of boca folks, but coming down in the dark was sketchy. This is the view from the first lookout on the second climb.

Sky's art wasn't porn. It was a photo of a hibiscus in a puddle on a bench and it's going to a state art competition. According to Wyatt, the winner gets a ten billion dollar scholarship. I'll never work again! I'm pretty sure he's full of crap. I was pretty impressed with her photo, but more impressed that someone let her hold their camera.

I found this from the marathon. I look like I'm about to rush the quarterback. I hit three months without swimming this week.. And that was the easiest four pounds of shoulder I've ever lost. I heart atrophy. Next week, I go back. Look out, LT. 

I was considering the pool, but blogland turned me off. I guess it's part of triathlon, but I don't know if we have pools like that here.  The ridiculous over-competitiveness, the splits, and the lane drama I've been reading about leave me with not a drop of motivation to swim. So to the ocean I'll go.. starting Tuesday. Really. That'll give me a few months of swimming before I consider a race, and bring back those lovely linebacker delts.

Back to usual.

My friend Julie is leaving the office. I am very sad that she's going - she is the kind of girl who orders Christmas in my Mouth at Starbucks. A kindred spirit! There is an essay contest going on amongst the more junior of us environmental scientists to determine who gets her office. In her excitement about American Idol's season premier, she declared herself Paula Abdul and sent the following note out: 

Whish one uf you wanz my offish? Maybee you the cute blurry one of the left.

I've been reading Time's Man of the Year issue. And I wasn't lying when my status said I am having dreams about going to the Inauguration. Last night I was watching it from the skate park. With Michelle. I think in reality she won't have to sit in the skate park. Damn money and all it's limiting moneyness.  It occurred to me, while spacing out on my bike commute, that my upcoming 15-year reunion this summer is Barry O's 30-year. At my 10-year, I had the most kids. Take that, mormons! But I don't think I have any completely irrelevant unrecognized accomplishments this time around. While I think he'll likely be too busy for the Punahou alumni luau, how cool would it be to go to your high school reunion as the President? Oahuan-committee geek makes good! I'm going to have to go, just in case.

The cycling clinic started this week, and on Thursday a couple of climbs up Tantalus will supplement the bike commute. I recovered from the hill hell in time to run some intervals last night. Today I rode in to town, paddled a little, rode to work, worked and then rode back home. Then I cleaned up the bike, because Maggs wants it back! I'm losing the road bike, but I'm ready to get back to the TTX.. and there's a road bike in the works for me... more details on that later! The kids started school again, the husband starts back next week, and life is back to hectic. Tomorrow morning I'll miss the ride in to go to a breakfast for some art award thingamajig Ms. Artsypants Sky won. Here's hoping it's not X-rated.

Ow ow ow.

Sunday started like this. Aiea hills. I have never done them before, so I said sure, I'm in.  This was the first climb, about 3 miles of up.. and the closest view I had of the boys all day.  I quickly realized I had forgotten my good legs at home. All I had with me was my shitty legs. There were four more ridges to climb after this, and I had no idea where I was, because the Oahu map in my head looks like this:

It's hard to bail out when you are totally lost. But after four ridges, my IT band was screaming so I did exactly that - I ditched and found my way home. Health before ego. I think the ridge repeats early in the season, the gutting it out without having the fitness for it, contributed to last year's chronic injury.

Saturday and Sunday were spent at the beach club, enjoying my new toy. I have a stand-up board, courtesy of Todd at C4 Waterman. It is a killer core and quad workout, and my legs were shakey after today's four hours on the bike. The air has been really cool, the tide has been extremely low, and the ocean has been glassy. We spent most of our weekend here, on the boards. Henry picked it up like an old pro, and was quickly adjusting his stance, making turns, and dodging swimmers, most of whom were the spawn of my high school classmates, as it turned out. I slowly got comfortable on the 10 foot board, and am already sore from the paddling. I wonder if this counts as swimming? There was water, and arm muscles.. it should totally count.

I am watching the Golden Globes. I have two comments. Penelope Cruz looks like a muppet. And famous should expire after five years or so - Kate Beckinsale probably works at Macys by now. Ok, three comments: I would like to be Cameron Diaz. That is all.

E-words.

In the morning I'll hit the track for the second time this week. Nothing breaks me like the track. But nothing pays off like the track. A month of weekly speed workouts is usually all it takes to feel like I'm running like me. But I must be held accountable, or I cheat the intervals down. I'll build into this one like a warm up. I don't want to sweat on the cheerleaders. Three is practically six! Tomorrow morning Tanya and Joe are coming to keep me honest.

I'm not going to the inauguration. Barack will have to just struggle through it without me. I had inauguration tickets lined up, official inaugural ball tickets, a free house to stay in, and the miles to get there. But I forgot about the thing. The job thing. It turns out you have to accrue vacation before you can actually take it. Who knew?

Another thing I learned recently: my brother is not getting a PhD in egyptology. Not that I ever believed that was really a word. He says my mother has been spreading that rumor for years. And that he's an environmental historian. I can see how she got confused, he lived in Egypt for a while. And environmental and egyptian both start with the letter e.

I bike commuted four days this week, making for 6 rides in 7 days for me. And I almost went swimming on Tuesday, which makes me almost a triathlete, in my opinion. I was at the track by 5:30 am, then home in time to head into the Tuesday morning Kaimana swim with Stefan. Once there, I decided to shower and sit on my ass eating pancakes with my kids while Ramsey did the swim workout, because that sounded like more fun. Also my feet always cramp when I swim after a hard run. And I've got this streak going.. it'll be three months in about ten days, if I start swimming now that's practically giving up.

I documented the near swim. Wyatt and the pancakes:

And the group - if you open the photo, they're the little dots to the left side. I took the two photos seconds apart. Apparently the sun was rising quickly!

If you're considering private school for your child, please read this. Hell, read it if you're considering having children. Or if you never, ever want kids and just feel like laughing.

Update..

I've been asked about what I'm doing this year by a few friends in blogland. Overly nice people wonder if I'm turning pro - when really, I forgot to even sign up for any races. I was too sick late in the year to even know if racing would be an option. I missed Oceanside, though I'll likely be there for Timex camp anyway, so Beth and I will make it a fun long run day of cheering/heckling the racers. In matching turquiose lululemon tights, because I was goober-enough to buy ones just like hers. I would like to go to Alcatraz. I might sign up for Honu, but I might not. I would like to race Chicago again. But the only thing I'm actually signed up for is the Great Aloha Run on President's Day. 8.15 miles with 20,000 of my closest friends.

I'm not training with Lifesport and Coach Paul this year. I learned a ton from and had a blast with Paul, and will take much of what I learned with me. I also learned that I am not actually interested in training like a pro. I'll do the work and enjoy the work, but my life will never allow for the recovery, the commitment or especially the huge expense required to train like a pro. I plan to do things the way I did in 2006 & 2007, with the local Boca Hawaii clinics whenever possible, and with a consistent weekly schedule of what I do and when I do it. There will be many fewer races, as travel funds are non-existant. But that's OK. 2008 was hard on me, and all I want from triathlon in 2009 is a little fun.

The training plan accounts for a minimum of three days per week of bike commuting. It's just a little cooler out, which makes the ride in nicer. Cheryl sent me this link to bail-out induced incentives for bike commuters that my fellow commuters should check out. I see something about bike purchase reimbursement on there.. and I've got a new frame coming that's going to need some parts. All the parts, actually, but then I will have my first ever road bike. With the bike commuting, I'll hit 200+ miles this week. My biggest week training for Kona last year? 144. I think I had a bike allergy last year.

At work I'm writing, researching, and editing things I find interesting. My boss does not have british corn-teeth or call himself Daddy in staff meetings, like some people I know. I am the first one in each morning and leave at 2:30 or 3 pm, which leaves me plenty of time to pull something in my lower back at the skate park (Monday) or go through all my old jewelry with my daughter (Tuesday) or run 1000 meter repeats with Katherine and Ingrid in Waikiki (today). I share an office with a 23 year-old named Bill who is much smarter than me, and who I flick things at when I get bored.

Winter break ends for all on Monday. My people have been doing stuff like this while I work all day:

I swear I'm not bitter/jealous. Pat & Natalie headed home on Monday after three weeks of free babysitting. They would be around a while, then disappear for a few days.. perfect houseguests.

So that's the news. And lastly, for all of Sky's friends, a little bit of Sky. Last night at bedtime I heard her calling me from the bathroom. I braced myself and went in, because you never know what you're going to see when a five year old summons you to the can. She was standing at the sink, playing Hello Kitty on her pink Nintendo DS. Will you brush my teeth for me while I play my DS? she asked, dead serious. I had a hard time not getting toothpaste on the screen.. just kidding. Still, I guess it couldn't hurt to ask.

First Sunday Ride of the year..

Everyone else is posting blogs about how he or she is so happy she started a month ago, or so glad they didn't get out of shape in the off season.. and I'm not here to do that. In off seasons-past, I ran daily and rode once a week. This year I did diddly squat. The migraines forced me to take two weeks off from all activity, followed by a week back to running (albeit poorly), followed by two weeks off from all activity.. rinse, repeat. For over two months. I'm not 100% better, but I've figured out the migraines. They're being managed. And I'm back to training.

Friday's Sierra repeats with the Rolleses were lonely. I could see I & S on some of the straights, but I was frustrated with my crappy legs and I set a new bike HR max of 190, while going about 3 mph. The difference between starting up after a couple months of easy training and a couple months of nothing is huge. It was the first 3h ride of the season, and I sucked - but I deserved it. 

Today was the first Sunday Boca ride of my season. I bribed my bike into going into the big ring (it didn't want to the past two rides) and rode into town to meet the group. It was small. And fortunately for me, some famous Tour guy named Daniel Thomason or Tom Danielson had kicked everyone's butt yesterday. Making it a small, mellow group. We rode over the Pali and into the rain. I was able to get up Old Pali in the same general vicinity as Ray.. 

The view everyone gets of Ray as we head up the Old Pali Rd tree tunnel.. though the blurry is usually just in my brain.

And then we descended the windward side of the Pali into the pouring rain and whipping wind, which stung like mad. Here's the hairpin, which I was smart enough not to attempt to photograph while riding 40 mph with foggy glasses.

The boys starting the race around Lanikai (which was mellow today.. phew!):

52 miles later, I was home. Just as I was starting to feel the tired in my quads and considering eating something made of gu/gel/sugary crap. It was a water-fueled ride today because I am not ready to ingest all that ick yet. Every minute of it was fun (well, the Pali descent was mostly freaky, but Auloa is always fun) and it reminded me, again, that I don't hate cycling.

Once home, I grabbed my trusty sidekick and headed to Maunawili Elementary. We joined the Ailani Gardens Community Supported Ag group. So each Sunday we'll pick up a week's worth of local organic fruits and veggies grown in Waianae. Today we got Kale (Sky's favorite!), headless broccoli (no heads grown here), green beans, salad greens, mini-kale for salads, starfruit and basil. I took this of my little helper carrying our veggies back to the car: 

I think it looks a little like a paparazzi pic. I need to get her some big sunglasses for next weekend. Or loan her mine. 

Afterwards I met Amy for a coffee at the beach. We had Sky take our pic - turns out she's not so hot on the other side of the camera.. Bet you can't guess which one is me. And yeah, I have other shirts. I swear.

At it.

I tried to chase the Rolles up Sierra. Just like last year - but not. Because last year I could hang on, right from the start, through the repeats as they built. Turns out that an off season with easy runs, bikes and swims, sets up a better start to the year. Go figure. An off season with where I get sick, then take 8 weeks to find my way back, many of them spent crying on a couch, sets up an entirely different start to the season. The kind where my heart is pounding in my ears at the six minute mark and Katherine and Ingrid are only in sight on the straighaways. 

Oh Henry.

Henry is 9 today. While I realize that this is not at all about me, the truth of the matter is that what I feel most about this birthday is this: I am as old as dirt. Nine years ago, I thought I was old enough to take care of another human. I was 23, craving a camel light, and standing on De Haro Street watching the millenium fireworks over SF, muttering out, parasite. In a maternal way, of course. I tried to jump rope him out on a busy Potrero Hill afternoon. Things get ugly at 42 weeks pregnant and 50 lbs overweight. Henry was not only two weeks overdue, he was a millenium overdue. And on January 2, he finally got out, and life changed forever.. for the better.

Henry chooses what we do to celebrate. Which means the Pearl Harbor Memorial, a whole lot of Total Drama Island and for his fancy dinner of choice? Papa John's delivery. He is both a geeky and cheap date.

Our 08 ended well - another week, another party at Kaui and Andy's. While the party was great, as always, there was another exciting moment in my day. Between work and the party, I snuck in an hour run  in my old neighborhood. Dog the Bounty Hunter lives two doors up from the house I grew up in.  It turns out he has a teenage daughter/niece or two who are just as overweight and underdressed as his wife. And they got segways for Christmas! Alas, they were not yet very good at driving them. So I witnessed a lot of fringe, skin, and bleached hair hitting the deck in the only segway crash I will likely ever see. I am so, so sorry. But I did not have my camera on me, and while the whole fleet of big black SUVs was there, there was no camera crew on hand. Reality TV, my eye.