Dr. Porkchop! Almost!

So, while it won't be officially official until I defend in July... last night was commencement.  I celebrated the completion of Doctoral work with a few of my classmates (they're colleagues now, I guess!), and was extremely happy to share the evening with Mr. Porkchop, his mom and stepdad, and my good friend and work colleague Brian.

It was a great evening.  There's something overwhelming about hearing someone introduce you to a room full of people as "Dr."

 Lily, Amy, Judith, Sophie, and Me - the Doctoral class of 2013

 We got to sit in the front row! 

 Getting ready to be called up on stage and hooded...and me telling Chuck that in order to get photos of the event, he actually had to be IN FRONT of the stage, not behind it!

 Hooding!  

 After the event!

Looking good! 

So, for now, I'm still plain old Mrs. Porkchop.  But, in EXACTLY 2 months from today, I hope to be able to officially introduce myself as Dr.  Wow...that's a little surreal!

Hooding Day!

OK - so, yesterday's post was a bit of a downer.  I know, I admit it.  But, I was in a bad place.  I broke down a bit at Physical Therapy yesterday, too...even though things are getting better.  And, my therapists just said, "It's totally understandable that you're tired and frustrated...we're going to get you through this."  Everyone's been saying that, and I'm trying to believe them.  I know that it's true, and I'm getting there.

But, no negativity today.  Why?  Because it's

HOODING DAY!!!

I'm not calling it "Graduation Day" as I'm technically not graduating until later in the summer.  But, I AM walking in Graduation tonight and getting "hooded" by one of my absolute favorite people.  I'm excited and a bit overwhelmed.

I mean, I'm not REALLY done.

What if they decide that my dissertation is shite and tell me to give back my regalia?!  

What if I completely flop my defense and they think, "Holy HELL, we can't give this woman a degree?!?!"

What if the incoming swarm of locusts eat my dissertation?

What if...

What if...

What if...

Wait... I said that this was going to be a positive post!!

YES!  I am going to finish this darned thing.

I will produce a brilliant manuscript, with wonderfully interesting interpretations of portraits of children.

I will perform a mind-boggling defense that leaves them thinking that they should just stop giving degrees, because what could be better than that?!

I will turn this puppy in EARLY, because there will be so few changes post defense that I can get them done in a 24 hour period.

I will...

I will...

I will...

Trying to Stay Positive...Not Really Working

Yesterday was tough.

Really tough.

Crying in the shower in frustration and pain kinda tough.

I went back to work this week, so I am essentially on my feet from when I wake up until I get home at 1:30 or 2:00.   I knew that this week would be hard.  But, it's taken a toll on my mental state much more quickly than I imagined.  Not to mention, my body.  By the time I got home on Monday, I felt ok.  By the time I got home yesterday, not so much.

The issue at this point isn't the bulging disk so much as my whole pelvis has shifted.  I'm all crooked.  I've been going to PT to fix the shift, and this is causing severe pain in my right hip.  Plus, I'm still crooked.  Certainly, I'm not as bad as I was a week ago, when I resembled Quasimodo or Igor more than a normal 30-something human being.  But, I'm still out of whack.  And, still in pain.  A lot of it.

I just want to be normal again.  I want to be able to bend down to pick up something I've dropped without worrying about how much it's going to hurt my hip.  I want to sleep in the same bed as my husband (something I've not been able to do in 4 weeks because I roll around constantly trying to get comfortable - which I rarely do).  I want to ride my bike.  Hell, I just want to be able to WALK normally.

To say that my morale is a bit low would be a severe understatement.  I am frustrated and scared.  What if this continues for another month.  Or two.  Or six.  Hell, with all the horror stories I've been told by other people with back problems, I could be like this forever.  A special thanks to those who decided to tell me to just give up all hope and accept the fact that I'll be in pain forever, you are certainly near and dear to my heart.  Jerks.

I just want my body back.  I know that in the grand scheme of things, physically, I'm dealing with something pretty freakin' minor.  I still have all my limbs, my legs still work, etc.  I have had the great good fortune to get to know and ride with some amazing physically disabled people, and I know that what I'm going through is absolutely insignificant in comparison to what they've dealt with.  But, I also know that the frustration I feel is natural and acceptable.

I'm trying to stay positive.  Yesterday, it wasn't really working.  Today, I'm going to try again... in the hopes that tomorrow night, when I graduate and get hooded, I can actually managed to walk, proud and upright, across the stage.

Fingers crossed.

Pelvis straight.

Happy Anniversary

Today marks our 9th Anniversary.

I try not to mention my partner in crime too much.  He doesn't really like it, and I've always found public mooshiness to be a bit corny.  But, it's our anniversary.  So, once a year, I feel that it's fitting to tell the world that I'm a pretty lucky gal.

Thank you, Mr. Anonymous-Poster, for putting up with all of my loony-ness.

I know that I am far from perfect.

I'm forgetful.  I make Porkchop-Piles.  I am easily distracted.  I am always trying to make you eat leafy green food.  I cook from the Evil Cookbook.  I like to shop at Wegman's.  I blame you for our house-full of cats (when I must admit that a few of them are my doing). I ride my bike too much.  I buy you underwear for Christmas.  I am always cold when you are hot.  I like to open the curtains.  I'm always making you get on planes.  I sometimes trick you into getting on little tiny planes.

I know that this list could continue on for days... but, there's one thing that I am perfect at...

Being Mrs. Anonymous-Poster.

Nothing has felt more natural and normal to me than being married to you.  You being in my life has given me everything that I always dreamed of having... a sweet and warm home, a wonderfully fulfilling job, friends that are true and honest, and a spouse that is my ideal match.

Thank you for sharing your life with me.  Thank you for making my life better.

Happy Anniversary, Booger.

The Post With the List

The easiest way to update everyone on my current life is through a list.  Here goes...

1.  Disk is still bulging.  Pain is still occurring.  PT will continue until the pain goes away or until it's hung around for 6 weeks, whichever comes first.  If it's the latter, a pain specialist might be needed to give me a shot in the butt (not really in my bum, but you get the idea).

2.  Look, Ma, no cavities!

3.  I am learning that 2013 will be known as the year that tested my patience.  Between my back and waiting on chapters to be reviewed and returned, I've learned that meditation and wine (lots and lots of wine) are the keys to increasing one's ability to be patient.

4.  I'm enjoying the fact that for the first time in the 12 years that I've lived in Philadelphia, we are actually having Spring weather.  It didn't go from 40 to 90 degrees overnight, but actually has lingered in the upper 50s and 60s for several weeks now.

5.  I get hooded in 9 days.  My dissertation defense will take place in approximately 64 days.  It is actually going to happen...I WILL be Dr. Porkchop in 2013.

6.  A portion of my dissertation might be published in 2014...the wheels are in motion.

That's it for now, I think...

Oh, and my hubby is the BOMB.  I mean it... the BOMB.

Updates and Such

So, I got an MRI this week... I go back to the Ortho tomorrow for an official reading, but the glance at the films by my Physical Therapist reveals a bulging disk (not herniated, like originally feared) and two disks (including the bulger) that are arthritic.  Geez... I'm only thirty-something-or-other years old... arthritis?!?  Yuckola.

Still, that's better than a herniated disk, I believe.

It's been rough.  I have ok days and I have really bad days.  On the really bad days, I can barely walk, it hurts to sit, lay down, walk, move, or otherwise do anything except drug myself into sleeping.  On ok days, I limp a bit, my back muscles get really tight, and I can sit, stand, walk, and essentially feel pretty ok.

I hope that the visit to the doc tomorrow puts some steps in place for treatment and such.  I'm really ready to get back to riding my bike - not to mention walking like a normal human... rather than like Igor.

So, fingers, toes, and eyes crossed for a good visit tomorrow!

For now... it's a wine and dissertation kind of night!  Bring it on!

To Ride... Or Not To Ride...

That is definitely the question on my mind right now.

So, last weekend's racing went pretty well for me.  I got 9th in the All American Road race on Saturday - complete with a 3rd place field sprint, and I took a flyer at Lower Providence and tested my attacking and TT-ing legs a bit.

All of this was done while I was reeling in pain from an unknown back issue.  Well, it was actually a butt issue...the pain emanating from my right behind, shooting down my leg, and causing me some serious discomfort.  But, not on the bike.  Glory Be, every time I got on the bike, the pain stopped and I felt good.

Then, I would get off the bike and hobble around like an invalid.  Sigh.

I went to the doctor, he sent me for an Xray.  The Xray didn't really tell us much, so I was off to my ortho again - he helped me with my shoulder, certainly he could help me with this.

In the few days it took to get in to see him, the pain went from bad to HOLY HELL, TAKE ME TO THE HOSPITAL... NOW!!!

There were literally a few times when I contemplated asking Chuck to take me to the ER.  I shed tears of pain and frustration more than once.

I requested an MRI through my primary doctor and my insurance denied it.  Of course, the Ortho wrote me a script for an MRI and we're now waiting to see if they'll deny a specialist, too.

The basic diagnosis prior to the MRI is that I have a herniated disc in my back.  Sigh.  Fantastic.  The MRI will help to determine exactly where the injury is and help us to fix it more quickly.  I'm praying for an authorization code to be sent my way today.

So, as any good athlete, I asked the inevitable question, "So, when can I ride again?"

The initial answer made my heart drop into my toes, "3-6 weeks."

And then, he said words that made me want to dance (if my back wouldn't go into spasms), "Well, no, actually... you can ride.  It might actually be good for you.  Just NO racing."

Needless to say, I was pretty happy to hear that.

Now, don't worry people... I'm not stupid.  I'm taking a break and I'm not going to go out and ride a double century or anything.  I'm not going to go do Greentree (after all, it's a ride not a race)!  I'm going to take it easy.  But, I am going to get back on my bike.  It makes me happy.  And everyone likes a happy Porkchop.  Well... almost everyone!

Chapter 3

Chapter 3 has left the building.

Draft #2 is on its way to the Boss.  And, no, contrary to popular belief, that does not mean that Bruce Springsteen is my dissertation advisor!  ;)

Anyway... looking forward to a fun weekend with some team stuff and my opening at the Fairmount Arts Crawl on Sunday!

If you're in the area and looking to buy the art of a starving artist in the Philly area, I suggest you check out the Fairmount Crawl on Sunday!  I'll be at Still Waters Holistic Health Therapies at 2305 Fairmount Ave with my friend Jen Britton from 2-6pm.

We'd love to see you!!

Quick Race Updates...

OK... I don't have much time... they're here and I must get this message out before they find m-



Just kidding.

So, I've had a few busy weeks and blogging took a back seat to many other fun and exciting things like reading and grading papers.  Wheeeee!!

Me, trying to ride Little D's bike.  Keep in mind that I ride a 54 and her bike is a 44!!

OK - so, a quick recap of the last two weekends of racing... from the perspective of a Porkchop.

Carl Dolan Circuit Race:

A team staple, we headed out in force to battle with the lovely ladies of MABRA-land!  We LOVE racing down there... lots of smiling faces, lots of strong legs, and lots of great riding.

It was very windy, so we knew early on that no one was going to be getting away solo or anything.  We did our best to cover everything that went and to play to our sprinters - we were setting Bad Kat up for the finish (she'd just taken 3rd at Soyoco on an uphill finish the day before!).  I channeled my inner Bernie (perhaps a bit too early in hindsight but... what can you do) and led the charge for the last 2K or so.  I got the ladies a bit of the way up the hill and my legs went out.  They came around and sprinted for the top with Kat taking 6th on the day.  Not a bad effort for us.  Not great, but we're still working on the tactics and it's only April!

All American Road Race:

A bit of frustration followed by a nice finish - pretty much sums this one up.

It was just me and Little D.  Our tactic was simple...watch the big guns for the inevitable break - hope to be in it.  If not, organize a chase and do what we could.  The break did happen.  We weren't in it.  I chased until I was about to puke (literally).  We were within reach, one major pull from another rider, and I think we would have caught them.  Unfortunately, that wasn't to be and they pulled away definitively.  Frustration followed.

Alas, I reset my brain to try for the sprint.  I figured, we'd shed so many riders that the group I was in was relatively small - maybe 10-12 riders.  Yeah, I can do that...

We came through the final turn and Chris of Kenda went to the front and gunned it for her sprinter Colleen.  I stayed in a good position in the line as it stretched out and just stayed patient.  I knew that it was a long way to the finish line and I wanted to really test my legs.  As we neared the 200 m point, people began to rev it up.  Two riders separated in front of me, and I took the chance.  I jumped up between them and pipped another rider at the line for 3rd in the field sprint.   ME!  3rd!  Totally crazy.  I ended up 9th overall and Little D was 12th.  Sweetness.

Lower Providence Criterium:

Ahhh, the utter love/hate relationship that I have with this event is palpable.  I've had the worst days of my life - and some of the best - at this race.  Every year I SWEAR that I'm never doing it again.  And, every year I come back for more.  There's really something wrong with me.

So, we were completely outgunned at this one.  Little D, BChan, me, and about 15 Peanut Butter and Co. riders, a handful of EPS riders, and two national champions lined up for the sunny start (at least it wasn't pouring rain).  We knew that our tactic had to be defensive.  No offensive moves.  If a break got free, we HAD to be in it (I was REALLY itching for that), and if not, we had to position BChan for the sprint.  

With 2 to go, I jumped up to a group ahead behind another rider.  As we neared them, I yelled that we should go past them.  So, I jumped again.  She didn't come with.  I was solo for a little over a lap before the field caught me with 3/4 of a lap to go.  While it was an unsuccessful attempt (and not even a purposeful one!), it was a glorious bit of time off the front.  I got a lot of compliments for a gutsy move and that means a lot.  I never want to be a racer who sits in complacently.

In the end, BChan sprinted for an AWESOME 4th place finish against a stacked field.  Little D and I came in with the same group at 18th and 21st.

All in all, I can't complain.  I am so happy to be racing again.  I am SO happy to be competing with some of my favorite women in the world (Dana, Theresa, Rhodesie, Barb, and too many others to name).

Most important, I am ECSTATIC about racing with the most amazing team of women.

Navy Yard Epiphanies

Yesterday was the Navy Yard Crit.  We had two ladies in the cat 4 race, with a 5th place finish for the Borda, and 4 ladies in the 1/2/3 race.  The 1/2/3 was wicked hard.  We were seriously outnumbered with a team of 6 Pro Fearless Femme riders, about 7 Riptide gals and at least that many Peanut Butters.  But, we raced hard, we made some jumps off of the front, and Kat pulled in a 14th place finish.  We missed the break, which sucked...but, it's only April.  Which brings me to epiphany #1...

1. It's only April.  My winter training has been lacking to say the least.  With so many more important things on my plate (dissertation, promotion dossier, life, etc.), training took a bit of a backseat.  But, no excuses... I actually felt ok at the race.  My jump is not quite there, but it's IN there.  I know that a few weeks of strong training, and I will be feeling good on the bike again.  Stong training...which, today, includes watching the Paris-Roubaix this morning, and riding when it gets warmer!!

2.  There are some wonderful women in cycling.  It was GREAT to see so many warm and friendly faces out there.  Hearing BChan scream, "I LOVE bike racing!!!" afterwards reminds me why we do this.  Because we get to socialize with incredible people, push ourselves to the physical limit, and play in the sun like little kids on the weekends!!

3.  A good day for one person is not always a good day for others.  Cass said something very important to me before the race... There are no expectations, she said.  Just get out there and be happy that you're out there.  And I know that those on the sidelines are rooting for us and proud of us...no matter what.

4.  Spring cleaning is an important annual rite of passage.  For me, it represents a chance to wipe away the grime from the last year and begin fresh.  I mean this literally - man, my windows needed a good Windexing - but also figuratively.  Letting go of the crap that has built up in my mind and in my heart.  Purging the negative and the negativity, the hurt feelings and the self-imposed flagellations for various missteps, and moving on.  Yesterday and today, for some reason, seemed like good days to do that.

Rough Week... Until...

To say that it started as a rough week would be an understatement.  Well, in some ways, it started with a few exciting bits of news...

One was that the woman that I hoped would be my outside reader for my dissertation is cleared to do so!  YAY!  Outside reader search = complete.  Now, if I can just say the same about the actual dissertation, I'll be good to go!

Unfortunately, it looked as though that bit of good news - delivered before 9 am on a Monday morning - would jinx the rest of my week.  It was long, it was tiring, it was great.  I was at work late on Monday for a meeting, which was a really good meeting, but getting home at 6 was tough.  And, I was already running tired from some great weekend riding and catching Chuck's cooties.

Tuesday was another late night and Wednesday took the top prize with me walking in the door from work at 9:15pm.  Ugh.

Thursday also included a fun event at work - the April is Art opening.  This is our student show, which is always fantastic.  This year was no exception.  I am always in love with the color design work that the students do.  One of these days, I'm going to try to purchase something from them.  Really, really awesome stuff.

I stayed at the opening for a bit and then hustled home (missing two trains by seconds...grrrr) to try to make it to Greentree.  On the train, I started to think that Greentree was out of the question, I was just tired, grumpy, and late.  But, then, my spirits were lifted, starting with a cryptic text from my colleague/chair... "Call me?!??!"  Ummm... okay.  So, I called him.

B: "Congratulations!"
Me: "Um, for what?"
B: "Your promotion!"
Me: "WHAT?"  (several people on the train turned around to glare at me for my outburst)
B: "Sharon just emailed us - you got the promotion!"
Me: "Oh, my God... that is awesome!"

I checked my email to make sure it was true.  It was!

Somebody (Associate Professor Porkchop) needs to get new business cards!  

Warming Up Helps

My first Greentree training crit of the year!  YAY! 

I really love this ride.  The guys that are out there are pretty great (except for the dude who kept taking his hands off the bars last night to "stretch" in the middle of the pack - bozo) and the riding is fast and smooth.  It usually takes me a few weeks to work up to jumping off the front or otherwise getting snarky with the boys, but I was excited to be out there for the first GT of the Spring!

And, I was thankfully not alone.  The ever-awesome Dana Hanchin was in the house, along with Barb "Super-legs" Statton, Victoria "RAWR" Hanks, and the entire Fearless Femme team (that would include TWO national Crit champions!!).  It was a GREAT night.... eventually!

I got there just before 6pm, knowing that the start time was 6pm.  Translation?  Not a second of warm up... unless you include the neutral lap (which I don't!).  Needless to say, my butt was popped off the back in the first 10 minutes.  I knew that it was only due to my cold legs and need for some opening up, so I did a quick spin around to loosen the legs and hopped back in. 

The rest of the night went swimmingly.  I surfed the back, moved up to the middle a few times, and generally felt confident both inside the field and cruising the edges.  It was a good night, with some great folks, and I'm very happy to be getting back into the swing of things.

This week was about facing reality.  The reality of what my season is going to look like due to Dissertation completion and defense, working during Summer I to rack up some cash to enjoy our 10 year anniversary somewhere WARM in 2014, and just trying to enjoy my life, my team, my friends, and my husband without going nuts.  My season is going to be marked by FUN.  My season is going to be marked by racing hard when I can and understanding that some things just aren't in the cards for this year.  There's a little sense of regret about that.  Very little.  But, I've already moved on from it.  I'm happy.  I'm content.  I'm riding my bike!  YAY!

Ooooommm!

So, a few days ago, I was down in D.C. with the department bus trip.  It was a beautiful day for walking around town and buying delicious goodies from Teaism!   I got a supply of my favorite Lavendar Lemon Mint tea and picked up a little Organic Earl Grey, too.  And, of course, some Salty-Oat cookies.  Mmmmm....

After the museum visit - which was great, by the way - I headed off to meet the Badger at her place of employment.  Have I mentioned that the Badger is, well, kind of a big deal?  She does incredible stuff as an Energy lawyer working with one of the major Republican Commissioners in Washington.  I am amazed that I know this woman, and I am in awe of her on a daily basis.

With the Borda coming down by car, we had planned a girl's night out at CorePower Yoga, dinner at Matchbox, and a ride with LJ and Zig on Saturday morning.  It was going to be fantastic.

Little did I know that I was about to be hooked.  I mean, really hooked.

I've done a few yoga classes in the past, and I've always enjoyed them.  But, I always shied away from the Power Yoga classes for fear that I wasn't ready for them.  Well, the class we did on Friday was POWER yoga.  I was sweating like a fiend within the first few moments, and was splendidly gross by the end.  And, I loved every second of it.

So, I found a studio nearby and decided to give it a try here at home.  Today was a nasty snowy/rainy/cold/windy/icky/yucky/terrible day, except for one redeeming thing.  The Honors crew decided to cancel our afternoon meeting.  :)  This meant that I could get off of campus earlier than expected and catch the 3:30 session at the studio.  It was GREAT!

So, while I'm a long way from doing this... ummm, OUCH...

I have come to a place of great peace with my inner tree pose.  :)

I am planning on making yoga an integral part of my training from here on out.  My hips are feeling better, my arms are already less chicken-like and more rawr-like.  And, I just generally feel great during and after a positive practice.  Yep... I'm hooked.

Good Boy, Quin!

Show that rug who's boss!

I think he taught it a mighty good lesson this evening.  

Glad That's Out of The Way

The first race of the season, that is.  I was on the fence about racing this early in the season.  It's always hard for me to get motivated in March, and I usually don't really hit the road until later in the month (of course, I guess it is already the 17th!)...

But, BChan and Borda convinced me to do a TRAINING race.  Yes, that's right... a TRAINING race. I had to keep telling myself - it's just like doing Greentree on Thursday.  It's the same guys, it's a simple little loop, it's gonna be a piece of cake.  Sit in.  Ride some wheels.  If I feel snarky, try a move.

No problem.

Enter really cold temps, a WICKED headwind, and a field with 30 men and 4 women.  Damn.

It started with a prime on the first lap.  Double Damn.

All three of us girls in the first turn - BChan at the left, then Borda, then me

It was super fast for the first two laps and I found myself hanging onto the field as riders were shelled out the back.  Of course, the gaps began to open.  And, I worked on closing them.  Eventually, I bridged up to a solid group of chasers - the first chasers behind the front group of 10, that eventually dropped to 6.  I was pretty stoked to be with a couple of the Viking guys that I've ridden with over the past few months, a Pro Pedaler (we picked up another PP rider a little later), a Somerset rider, and a Caffeinated Cyclist!  We had the lead group in our sights a few times - massive pulls by each of us might have closed it - but the elastic snapped and they started pulling away.

I have no sprint - surprise surprise - so I didn't really have much to say heading up to the line, except to be very happy to have finished 13th and had a safe, fun day in the saddle.

Nick from Caffeinated had a GoPro on the back of his bike.  And, I was behind him a lot!  Once he gets the video posted and I have the link, I'll put it up!

And, here it is.  I think it's great, I even got a shout out as one of the "stars!"  ;)  I especially love that I'm on camera doing snot-rockets at around the 16:10 mark.  Sorry, Mom.

 Great props to BChan who finished our race and then hopped in with Mr. Borda in the 3/4.  And kudos to Mrs. Borda for racing even though she was a bit under the weather.  It was AWESOME to be out there with my Wasabi Gals!

BTW - Congrats to Mr. Borda, who took an awesome 4th place in the 3/4 race after being in a 3 man break (one rider was off the front solo) for most of the race!  Yeah, baby!!

A Four Hour Tour

I am a crazy person.

Most people who are close enough to me to realize this, are also close enough to kinda-sorta-maybe like me for it.  I have a tendency to be really calm and collected for a few moments only to scream out, "Damn you, Mother Nature!" when trying to ride into a 30 mph headwind after 3 hours and 45 minutes in the saddle.  Not that this happened anytime recently or anything (cough...cough...Sunday..cough).

I went out for a ride with my dear friend, Dan.  He's still my dear friend, even after dragging me across most of Southern Jersey for a 4 hour tour.  This was our route.

Near the end, I became delirious and began singing a cycling version of the theme song to Gilligan's Island that went something like this:

Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale

A tale of a cycling trip

That started from this training center

Aboard my Mari ship

The mate was a lime green Choppahcorn

The skipper brave and sure

Two cyclists set off that day

For a 4 hour tour...a 4 hour tour

You don't really need to hear the rest, except that I kept repeating "4 hour tour" in my head for the last 15 miles.

Upon arriving home, I laid on the floor of the training center for about 5 minutes before the embrocation on my legs threatened to burn through my leg warmers.  I got up, and begged Mr. Anonymous-poster to take me out for a burger.  I was so tired that, upon pulling into a parking spot at the restaurant, I realized that I had forgotten to put on shoes and was still wearing my slippers.  Oh well... the burger was more important than my shoe selection.

All in all, it was a great day and a great weekend.  I had spent Saturday down in Baltimore with the Wasabi girls.  We weren't able to get outside for our training ride due to the cruddy weather, but we spent a couple of hours on the trainers in Little D's living room and then hit up the shop and an AWESOME little deli in Hampden for lunch.  It was a great day.

It's weekends like this that remind me how much I love being on my bike - no matter what the circumstances, no matter if I'm racing or just tooling around the state - and how much I adore the people that I get to spend time with.  They are great folks with big and humble hearts.  And, they make my life better.

Best Response Ever

So, this is the email response that I received from my father after he read my earlier blog post rant...

Subject line: The *ucket List - I'm sure that you can imagine a few options for replacing the asterisk with a letter.

"Read your blog list.  Mine would be a lot longer because I have more history, and have had more time to lear intolerance.

1.  There is a reason they are called UGGS.
2.  Don't see much spandex in town.  Doesn't go with cowboy boots. (They live in Wyoming, mind you!)
3.  You missed Bachelor/ette and Biggest Loser.  Two and a half real classics.
4, 5, 6. Don't know what Gangnam Style or Harlem Shake (vanilla or chocolate?) is, or who Cy Twinky is.

With understanding comes acceptance and tolerance - beware.

Love,
Dad"

Cy Twinky?!  LOL!!!  Oh, my good lord, I love my Dad!

Snark Alert! The List of Things that I Don't Understand

There are a lot of things that I don't understand... nuclear physics, for example.  And String Theory.  And the lyrics to most Nirvana songs. 

But, this is a list of current popular culture items that simply exist outside the range of my ability to comprehend.  And, yes, I know that it makes me sound like an old fuddy-duddy to make this list.  But, it's fun to question the "genius" of pop culture fads now and again.  I mean, things were so awesomely cool and hip when I was younger!  ;)  I don't mind being a cranky pants on a Monday morning, but these were just some things that I was considering on the train on the way in to work today...

1.  Uggs being worn as daily shoes - particularly in the summer.  This was never their intended function, and the thought of sweaty feet inside sheepskin on a 90 degree July day in Philadelphia is just... well... icky.

2.  Leggings and Jeggings and any other knit/spandex type of "pant" being worn without something covering the crotch and/or butt (unless you are working out at the gym).  I have never seen so many women (and the occasional man) with their pants sucked into their butt cracks or their camel-toed hoo-has hanging out before.  Ewww... no one wants to see that!!  Why do they think that this looks attractive? 

3.  Reality TV Shows.  In particular, I refer to the ones that PAY PEOPLE MONEY to behave like brain-addled idiots for "entertainment" purposes (Jersey Shore, Buck Wild, Honey Boo Boo, etc).  Why, excatly, is this conceived of as entertainment?  It's lowering the National IQ, you know.  And producing a culture of people who believe that they can get rich with a viral YouTube video.  Which brings me to #4

4.  Viral Videos.  Someone jumps off of their roof into a kiddy pool full of beer and a zillion people watch this, thinks it's hilarious, and the idiot who broke his face ends up on the national morning news.  Ummmm.... I just have nothing more to say on this.

5.  Gagnam Style.  Oy.  'Nuff said.

6.  The Harlem Shake.  See #5... And #4.

Now, please understand that I'm open to someone trying to help me to understand these things.  This isn't just randomly hating on them... they truly and honestly exist outside of my realm of understanding.  I find absolutely ZERO entertainment from a large majority of Reality Shows - this doesn't mean all of them, just the ones that capitalize on and pay people for their stupidity.  So, I'm interested in seeing if I can expand my comprehension of this stuff.

Look - I can't stand the art of Cy Twombley - I wouldn't hang it in my house if he hand delivered a work to my front door and paid ME for it, but I have an understanding and appreciation for it on an academic and artistic level.  Perhaps someone out there can do the same for me on this stuff?

The Post That Wasn't About Valentine's Day

So, while men and women the world over are keeping Hallmark and Godiva in business, I will give a quick shout out to my Booger and move on.  Love you!

OK - so... It's been nearly a month since I posted!  That's mainly because this last month has been so fun and so busy and so full of stuff that I've just been unable to sit down for three seconds to write something silly on here!

Alas... my three seconds arrived this morning.  So, here goes...

The trip to the Netherlands was amazing.  Leiden was such a lovely little town with the most amazing people.  The Dutch are truly wonderful.  They are kind, friendly, laid back, and welcoming.  When I got back home, I immediately started searching for Art History jobs in the Netherlands!  I'd live there in a heartbeat... even if it is cold in the winter!

Speaking of cold winters... the weather was typically Dutch.  The two days that I was in the conference were pretty... cold, but sunny and nice.  The two days that I spent wandering Amsterdam were snowy and rainy!  LOL!  Needless to say, I didn't even take my big camera out of the bag.  I did snap some shots with my point and shoot...

My talk went VERY well!  The folks at the conference were really interested in my topic and in my analysis of the photographs.  I got lots of questions and comments (ALWAYS a good sign at an academic event) and quite a few folks wanted to hear more about it afterward!  I'll be presenting the paper again at the PMA Symposium in April (VERY excited about that), so I look forward to another chance to get some feedback on it!

All in all, the trip was really amazing.  I feel so unbelievably lucky to have gone and to have had the chance to experience such an amazing international event.  The one night at dinner, I realized that I was sitting down to each with two Dutchmen, a Brit, a Spaniard (and yes, of course he was cute), an Israeli, a Bosnian, and a Pole.  They were all incredibly intelligent and so interesting to speak with.

So, a few final thoughts about the trip...

1.  Whenever possible - fly British Airways - they ROCK.
2.  I am so grateful to Laura for telling me about airbnb.com.  The flat in Leiden was a great find and it was so nice to have a "home" to go back to each night.
3.  Euro travel is expensive - thank god for work and school related reimbursements - come on, Dollar, get your act together!!
4.  Americans know SQUAT about traveling to Europe.  Even though I was assured by my credit card company that I would be able to use my credit card, it was USELESS on the continent sans handy-dandy little Euro-chip thingy.  Thank god my ATM card worked and I had pre-paid for the hotels!
5.  I LOVE the Netherlands.  I could live there in a heartbeat.  The vibe of the place is absolutely charming and... there are bikes EVERYWHERE!!
6.  I already hope to plan a return visit... Lindsay family, expect a visit from us one day!!
7.  I missed Chuck terribly during the trip.  Mainly because I know that he would have enjoyed it so much.  I look forward to the day that he and I wander the canals of Bruges, Utrecht, Rotterdam, and Amsterdam together!  :)

I am happy to be home.  The dissertation is coming along well.  I've applied for graduation, ordered my cap and gown, and made sure that all of the proper paperwork is filled out and filed.  The end is nigh, my friends.  Very, very nigh!

Another Year Older...

And, I'm now a Master.

That's right, I turned 35 this year and, according to USA Cycling, that makes me a Master's racer.  I remember a friend once saying, "Oh, yeah, I registered for the Master's race.  I figured that would be easier than racing against the 20 something's in the 3/4 field."  I nearly spit out my Gatorade.

The Master's women are probably some of the fastest, smartest, savviest, and nicest women out there.  There's a reason that they're Masters - they've been around the sport long enough to have made their way in it.  Racing in the Master's field pits you against amazing Cat 1 and 2 riders from the region and beyond.  I wish that it were easier just cause these ladies are "old" like me... but, it's not.  Still - I look forward to the opportunity to race a few events in a day (I will be able to do the 1/2/3 and then turn around and do the 35+) and to race against women that are mature, powerful, and safe riders.

I hope that I am able to learn from these ladies as I continue the endless journey of development in this sport.  Let me tell you something... anyone who tells you that they have this sport all figured out is either a delusional goofball or has been at it for decades.  That's part of the reason that I love this sport so much.

Ride on, friends... Ride on.