Gosh, Me?

I'd like to thank you Allison and Karen, of 26 and 2 for this award tag!  For accepting this wonderful award I'm required to answer some questions and pick other recipients!

#1 Answer this question: If you could go back and change one thing in your life, would you, and what would it be?

Honestly, I wish I had stuck with athletics in high school and junior high.  I think that one aspect of my life would have changed my life's trajectory considerably.  Instead, I started smoking, decided I was too cool for athletics, then decided I was too cool for most things that are positive and would have served me well.  Because of the smoking, I developed asthma, which was barely noticeable before I started smoking.  Back then, I was a fast runner, but I never knew enough to get involved in track or cross-country. 

#2 Pick 6 other people to pass this award to, and then let them know that they're winners.

I'm going to pass this aware on to everyone who reads this and dares to do something that other people think is crazy, like a half marathon, or 5k, or their first triathlon - you're all winners!
 
#3 Thank the person that gave you the award: Done!

Taggedy tag tag.

I was tagged by DAWN.

1. How would you describe your running 10 years ago?
BWAHAHAHAHAHA. HAH. Sorry, it's just that-HAHAHAHA- I not only wasn't running, I was bragging about my non-running status and actively mocked runners.


2. What is your best and worst run/race experience?
My best: Las Vegas marathon. I was wearing a Pricilla Presley wig and a dress, but I wasn't trying for a particular time or anything, I was just running for the sheer enjoyment of it. The weather was nice, and I pulled a negative split.
My worst: the Grasslands marathon in Texas. Now, this is a GREAT race, but I was in significant pain due to IT Band issues and a cyst on each ovary (sorry, guys - I know, ew. That's the last of the girl stuff.) That's even including the painkillers I was taking. Maybe I'll go back and do it again sometime, without all the oxycodein. I think it took me more than 7 hours to finish.


3. Why do you run?
Because it makes me feel strong and clean, like I can do anything.


4. What is the best or worst piece of advice you've been given about running?
The worst advice I ever got was to roll on that stupid foam roller thing for my IT band. It didn't help and it hurt like hell. During the few weeks I was doing it, I was practically bleeding out my eyes from the pain and my IT Band stayed exactly the same. Only after I stopped doing it did my IT Band rapidly begin to get better.

I know there are those of you out there who love the foam roller. Want to marry the foam roller.
Keep it to yourself. Personally, I think it's a cult, and I will not be sucked in.

5. Tell us something surprising about yourself that not many people would know.
I will, at times, spend considerable effort avoiding cracks in the sidewalk. Other times I'll step on them on purpose, to show them who's boss.
What concerns me that I'm even taking the time to be aware that there are cracks in the sidewalk.

tagging others:
I'm going to break with convention and say, that if you're reading this, you're it! I know, it's a cop-out, but I'm going to fall back on the undeniable truth that I'm tired from Ironman training.

...

Tag-ged, I is.

I was tagged by Pirate. Here are the rules:
1) Write your own six word memoir.
2) Post it on your blog and include a visual illustration if you’d like.
3) Link to the person that tagged you in your post, and to the original post if possible so we can track it as it travels across the blogosphere.
4) Tag at least five more blogs with links.
5) Don’t forget to leave a comment on the tagged blogs with an invitation to play.
6) Have fun.

So, what to write about in writing about myself. Should I write about my love life?
Kissed some toads, found my prince.

Or, should I write about my professional life:
I clerked, then studied, then taught.

Maybe the whole motherhood thing:
I raised three kids. Oy, vey.

Actually, my 6-word meme won't be as fun as Pirate's were. I'm all introspective and serious and stuff lately as Ironman Coeur D'Alene approaches, like a roaring train in the distance. The whole triathlon/ultra running distance endurance craziness. Some people who know me know that I've had problems in the past with anxiety and that I'm riddled with insecurity. Little thoughts pop into my head from time to time, "You really aren't that special. You just got lucky" anytime I manage to achieve something, anything, that might be considered extraordinary.
If they knew, they'd be unimpressed.

I'm also a bit agoraphobic. I used to be a lot more. Like, I would avoid errands that were very close to my house. I don't think I realized what it was, I just knew that I didn't really feel like going to the cleaners two blocks away, or running an errand for Sweet Baboo that was a mile from home and would have taken all of 30 minutes after work. I was too tired, or just didn't feel like it.
I didn't go the gym. I would sit in bed, all day, on my day off, not even leaving my bedroom.
I don't feel like being outside.

Endurance sports have caused me to face those demons, my "buttons" head on. We talk about people or situations that push our buttons? Endurance sports stomp on on my buttons full force with both feet and I learn, as I deal with it, that it's not as scary as I thought to face them head-on. When I'm running in the woods or biking 100 miles I have to be outside my comfort zones for a long period of time an push, push, push onward even though I'm not all that convinced that I will succeed.

So here's my 6-word memoir, with respect to how I've tried to live my life so far:

Buttons were pushed; I pushed back.

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Anyone reading this: consider yourself tagged!

...

It's all About Me.

I got tagged by Di to enjoy the festival of narcisism that is this latest round of tagging.

This is one of the fun ones...enjoy!

Jobs I’ve Held
pre-college: Long John Silvers, Wendys, MacDonalds, the Dog Stop, Picadilly Cafeteria, Church Daycare center, Home office Insurance Reissue/GIO Clerk, Underwriting Assistant.

During College: Library Assistant, Laboratory Assistant, Upgrading computers and installing hardware, Workshop facilitator, computer applications trainer, tutorial writer, Computer applications Teaching Assistant

After College:Math and Science teacher (Mostly Algebra)

Movies I Can Watch Over & Over
Bridget Jones' Diary
The Shawshank Redemption
the Hours
Michael
Finding Nemo

My Guilty Pleasures
Margaritas
Whiskey sours
Pretty much anything batter-dipped and fried
Long, hot baths
Napping
Watching mindless TV for hours at a time
Kettle fried Potato chips
French fries dipped in green chili sauce

Places I Have Lived (in order)
Dallas, Texas (born)
Jacksonville, FL
Hoover, AL
Yokohama, Japan
Richardson, Tx, Garland, Tx
Volin, SD
Tuscaloosa, AL
Duncanville, Tx
Rio Rancho, NM

Shows I Enjoy (getting in touch with my inner nerd)
The Daily Show
Southpark (Mmmkay?)
The Colbert Report
CSI
House
Startrek
Quantum Leap

Places I Have Been on Vacation

As a kid: Disneyworld, Florida, Mt. Fuji, Hawaii, New York
As an adult: Portland, OrArizona (all over!)Most of the National Parks in the soutwestern US, including: Grand Canyon, Meteor crater, Petrified Forest, Death Valley, Yosimite National Park, Mono Lake, Volcanic National Parkand: Redwood National Forest, Squoia National Forest, Climbed Mt. Taylor and Wheeler PeakLots of backpacking in the mountains in New Mexico and a couple in Colorado with Sweet baboo...

Favorite Foods
Northern Indian Cuisine
Thai Noodle

Websites I Visit Daily
Lots of blogs at bloglines.com
cnn.com

Awards I’ve Won
1st place in a fall festival poster contest when I was in the 4th grade
2nd place in the Alabama State fair art show when I was 10
Some gymnastics stuff in elementary school
Scholarship for pre-service science teachers
Pre-service internship for science teachers
Teaching excellence award, 2002;
Award For encouraging students research, 2003

Sports...
Various sundry awards in the Athena Category 2005-2007
2nd place Athena in the Southwest Challenge Series, 2006

Body Parts I Have Injured
Broken finger
Burned hand and foot
Cut forehead/brow when I was two

Nicknames You’ve Been Called
Messy, mossy, mister, geekgirl, spazgirl

Now, I guess I get to tag 5 more people:

Sweet Baboo, because he thinks tagging is a woman thing AND to because I'm dying for him to list all the injuries he's had in his life (I'll leave it to him to explain his childhood nickname)

Pirate, because she LOOOOVES being tagged.

Lisa Tri-ing, becuase she doesn't have appendicitis (Yay!)

BikingBrady, because he's kinda out of the loop and is gearing up for the SD GutCheck

SWTriGal, because I'm wondering what all she's done (I already know she's been a lifeguard)

...

Tagged!

Linae tagged me as a Rockin' Girl Blogger. WahHoo!!

Now I get to betow the title on five others. I wish could pick more, but then who would everyone else tag? Hmmm. Lots of rockin' girl bloggers out there...and at least one or two rockin' guys who frequently refer to themselves as girly...but you know the rules are clear. Nope, no Y chromosomes allowed.

Okay, I'm starting with my favorite swim buddy Pirate. Then I should really include other local peeps: SWTriGal, and Lisa Tri-ing.

and, in no particular order, I'm going to tag not-so-local peeps Siren and Di. (Does Siren count as two?)

...