A few things (since it is Sunday and all)...

Why are Amy Grant songs playing every time I'm in Dominick's?  Why?!?!?!  I despise her as much as Hottie & The Blowfish.  I'm about to stop shopping at Dominick's and only shop at Trader Joe's.  She must be stopped.  I think I might start a letter-writing campaign.

I just bought the new Kelly Clarkson CD.  I had to.  I feel slightly ashamed.  Listen, I'm sorry, but that Never Again song is awesome.  Might have something to do with my frame of mind as of late.  Maybe.

Watch this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NN-eGOtBGbg.  Then you'll understand the following comment of mine...

I'm done with this country.  I am so outta here.  My "freedoms" might be limited in another country, but I'd like to live in a nation that isn't run by a hypocrite.  In other countries, dictators call themselves dictators, kings call themselves kings.  Our president shouldn't be allowed to call himself a president when he doesn't feel the need to follow the fucking rules.  I'll step off my soapbox now.

I have my yearly physical tomorrow morning.  I'm really hoping my doctor will be able to do something about my heartburn problems.  It feels like I swallowed a razorblade and it's just sloshing around in my stomach.

I was supposed to volunteer on Saturday morning.  I overslept.  I'm really pissed at myself over that one.  I was totally looking forward to it.

Since I'm no longer doing the bike & run portions of the triathlon, I'm focusing my energies on swimming and trying to lose weight.  Two years ago, when I started this weight loss journey, I had a goal of losing 90 pounds.  So far I've lost 70 pounds and have pretty much stayed there for the last year.  I AM going to lose those last 20, and I'm giving myself to my 30th birthday in November to make it happen.  It's more about what I'd like to be able to do than it is about losing the weight.  I simply want to be really and truly in shape.  Enough to not be held back from doing any sort of physical activity I so choose (including rock climbing).

In light of my new goals, I'm going to be cutting back drastically on the amount of alcohol I drink.  I proved to myself this weekend that I can absolutely do it.  I had a beer & a shot last night when everyone else was getting drunk, and I was totally fine with it.  I woke up this morning and felt great.  I would've felt better if it wasn't 90 degrees outside, but, unfortunately, I can't control the weather.

I stopped eating meat & poultry a while back.  I'm going to start eating chicken again.  For me, it's too hard to be a vegetarian and lose weight at the same time.  Mainly because of my affinity for cheese products.  I'm going to try to eat only cage-free chicken products.  We'll see how that goes.

Have I ever told you how much I adore my lady friends?  They are all really & truly awesome in their own special ways.  My dude friends are cool too, just in a different and not as awesome way. hahahahaha.  There are a few exceptions to this rule.  You know who you are (at least I hope you do).  Word.  Thanks for being you.

I'm back from the abyss.  I like it here.  This is a good place.

I just got back last night from my mom's lake house in Michigan.  It was a great mini vacation.  I desperately needed a break.  I also played an absolutely hilarious game of Imaginiff with Niall (Bronzed Adonis), Von (Kitty Hawk), Kristin (Hell), & Clare. Laughing that hard is good medicine.

Having the time to relax and think was priceless.  What came out of all my thinking...

I'm only going to do the swim portion of the Chicago Triathlon.  I simply don't have the time to train for all three events.  I didn't get to complete the swim in last year's triathlon because of an injury.  If I can complete it this year, I'll still feel like I accomplished something pretty big. 

I need to find people who will teach me the following things:

- How to load & shoot a gun/rifle/shotgun
- How to drive a manual transmission
- How to catch & clean a fish
- Self-defense techniques
- Orienteering/outdoor survival skills
- Rock climbing
- Snorkeling

If you can think of anything else I might need to learn before I travel around South America next year, please let me know.

I'm also looking for someone to go skydiving with me before the summer's over.  I've already purchased my second jump, and I don't want to go alone.  I have to go before the end of September.

That's all for now.  I appreciate your help in advance.  

Thanks!

So, maybe once or twice a year, I have trouble sleeping.  Tonight's my night, folks.  My brain simply WILL NOT turn off. 

I shall take this time to track my triathlon training progress...

It's been going slower this year than I had hoped, but I am definitely making progress. 

I swam yesterday afternoon (30 laps in 47 minutes).  I was able to breath every fourth stroke (instead of every two) for the first time ever, and I did it for five laps!  I've been swimming alot.  I'm very concerned about that portion of the race, so that's what I'm concentrating most on right now.

I jogged two miles (27 minutes) with no walking breaks.  That is the longest stretch I've ever jogged.  I think I may finally be increasing my lung capacity.

I biked 3 miles on Saturday.  It was only the second time I've been on my bike so far this summer.  I got off the bike and my legs felt a little rubbery.  Not good. 

It's been tough working my regular job, bartending at Sid's, training, being a member of The Distractors, and still trying to have a fun social life this summer.  I'm worn out. 

I'm pretty sure I'm going to go to Guatemala for my 30th birthday.  My aunt has talked about taking me to the Christmas markets in Austria, but I'm not sure if that's going to happen.  So, my backup plan is to backpack through Central America (most likely Guatemala) solo for a week.  It's going to be a bit sad spending my 30th birthday either alone or with people I've just met, but I think it will be a fitting start to a very adventurous decade for me.  However, if you're reading this, and are interested in tagging along, the cost for 7 or 8 days down there (including airfare, hostels, food, etc) would be around $900.  If you think you could handle it, you let me know. 

1. What is more difficult for you, looking into someone's eyes when you are telling them how you feel, or looking into someone's eyes when they are telling you how they feel?
I have problems expressing my emotions.


2. Think of the last time you were REALLY angry.
Last night.  Apparently, tequila makes me angry. 

3. You are on a flight from Honolulu to Chicago non-stop. There is a fire in the back of the plane. You get enough time to make ONE phone call. Who would you call?
Niall.  I know he would answer the phone, and I'd trust him to pass along messages for me.

4. You are at the doctor's office and she has just informed you that you have approximately one month to live. (1) Do you tell anyone/everyone you are going to die? (2) What do you do with your remaining days? (3) Would you be afraid?

1) No.  I don't need people feeling sorry for me and ruining my remaining time.

2) Party.  Jump out of planes.  Be generally reckless and foolish.

3) Not if I kept myself busy.

5. You can have one of the following two things: trust/love. Which do you choose and why?  Love.   It's better.


6. You are walking down the street on your way to work. There is a dog drowning in the canal on the side of the street. Your boss has told you if you are late one more time you get fired. What do you do?

I'd save the dog.  Fuck the job.


8. Are you the kind of friend that you would want to have as a friend?  I throw awesome birthday parties, so yes, I'd love being my friend.

9. Does love = sex?
God, no.

10. Your boss tells your co-worker that they have to let them go because of work shortage, and they are the newest employee. You have been there much longer. Your co-worker has a family to support and no other means of income. Do you go to your boss and offer to leave the company?
No. 

11. When was the last time you told someone HONESTLY how you feel?   A few days ago. 


12. What would be harder for you, to tell someone you love them or that you do not love them back?
That I don't love them back would definitely be harder.  I'm not a big fan of hurting other people's feelings.

13. What do you think would be the hardest thing for you to give up? Why would it be hard to lose?
Faith in myself.  There's so much I want to do, but I need to believe in myself in order to make it happen.


14. Excluding family love, when was the last time you told someone you loved them?  I love every single member of the SSSFSC.  I'm sure I've drunkenly told them all so somewhat recently.


15. If you had to go back in time and change one thing, if you HAD to, even if you have "no regrets" what would you change?
I would never have gotten married.

16. Imagine: it is a dark night, you are alone, it is raining outside, you hear someone walking behind you. WHO do you wish was there with you?   My mom.  She'd kick some major ass.


17. Would you give a homeless person CPR if they were dying?
Probably not.  I'm pretty sure I wouldn't give anyone I didn't know CPR.  I would call 911 though.


18. You are holding onto your grandmother's hand and the hand of a newborn that you do not know as they hang over the edge of a cliff. You have to let one go to save the other which one would it be?
I'd figure out some sort of MacGyver move so I could save them both.

19. Are you old fashioned?
I like wearing skirts.


20. Which would you choose, true love with a guarantee of a heart break or having never loved before?
True love.  The only way to grow is to take chances and make mistakes.  You just have to make sure you learn from them.

and I will be bartending at Sid's Place on Saturday, March 24 beginning at 8pm.  If you have an idea for an awesome drink special, hit me up.  I'm runnin' low on ideas.  

If you love me like you say you do, you'll be there.

I'm fairly certain that I couldn't be more excited about this...

http://www.chicagoloopalliance.com/looptopia/looptopiainthenews.htm

There are times that I marvel at the awesomeness of Chicago.  This is one of them.

Also, the Chiditarod is fast approaching.  Who wants to be on my team?  I already have one person confirmed.  We just need three more.  Details on website below.  It's going to be in March.  They haven't confirmed a date just yet.

http://www.chiditarod.org/faq.php

I've given a few of you a xmas mix cd.  I did not have time to print out a playlist, so here it is included below.  Track #7 varies depending on the version you received.

Skin Is, My - Andrew Bird
Brotha - Jill Scott
Down On The River - Mike Doughty
Anytime - My Morning Jacket
Sum of Us - Jurassic 5
Crash The Party  - OK Go
This Poem Sucks - Mike Myers
or Steady As She Goes - The Raconteurs
They Never Got You - Spoon
One of These Days - Sunday Morning Chameleon
Drive - The Cars
Sailing - Christopher Cross
Fire & Rain - James Taylor
Chasing Dreams - Magnet
Chocolate - Snow Patrol
Glass Ceiling - Metric
Once Around The Block - Badly Drawn Boy
End Over End - Foo Fighters
Looking For You - Kirk Franklin
My Favourite Game - The Cardigans
Blankest Year - Nada Surf
That Was the Worst Christmas Ever - Sufjan Stevens

I just wanted to thank everyone who came out on Friday.  I couldn't think of a better way than to spend my birthday surrounded by super awesome people.  I really am very lucky. 

When I get my pics from Friday uploaded to Flickr, I'll send out the link - that is, if I can find my camera.  It's currently missing.  I shudder to think what may have become of it.