2018 is off to a great start. My Pastor proclaimed that is the year of “Pursuit”. Pursuit is an effort to secure or attain. One of my goals this year is to be a better/ more confident skier. So, I made plans to attend The CAMP- a four day intense ski lesson in Whistler Canada. My ski instructor I believed was trying to kill me on day two. After several lift chairs to the top of the mountain we started our way down. Visibility was horrible, but the snow was heavenly- powder. It was also steep terrain. I was like “Oh My God, what is this woman doing”. On groomed terrain, I am confident and fairly fast, but that was not the situation. My heart started to race- really. I made it down to area where I can see. Then came the lesson, well so I thought. The lesion was to keep doing what I had been doing turning, and facing down the hill, not leaning back. After I had calmed down, I could see I got back my form and the rest of the week was manageable not easy.
Fast forward to JaPow- reason it is called JaPow is it has some of the best powder in the world. The first day was easy , even the bumps did not jar me thanks to the CAMP. The second day we could barely see at the top of the mountain. I thought back to Whistler and took those points to heart and stayed calm, but we did cut our day short. Poor visibility with no guide, may have ended us off a cliff. So we lived to ski another day. Day 3 was the best day we skied most of the mountain. I even skied a double black- although I did not know that until so much later after the run. It was a true, bump run with an incline. I fell about four time but I was having so much fun despite the challenges. The last day again I could not see. This was the worse visibility during a run I had ever experienced. I did not freak out, I just followed one of the guys I was sking with and looked at the barriers on the side of the run. I kept facing down the hill and turning and we made it down. It was a short, but challenging day. See the reason I love skilling and my other hobbies is I love a challenge. If things are too easy what is the fun.
Another way that this trip took me out of my comfort zone is my usually ski crew was not in Japan. Yes, there were people I knew and who I had skied with, but not my usually people. I was forced to make sure new friends fast on the mountain as I got left by my original crew. This was my first day, because I have left something. I had to head back in. By the time I made it back up the gondola, everyone was gone. So I met an awesome crew from England who I skied with couple of days. I ended the week chasing the guys which always improved my skills.
Outside of the skiing which again was heavenly I meet so many new people. The Happy Hours were dope. My college classmate from the best university ever FAMU kept us moving on the dance floor after all the skiing. There is something special when great people get together just to have fun. It makes an EPIC experience. Something that is hard to put into words. It is quite a magical experience.
Check Out some Photos and videos from our EPIC. Also did I mention my team Philadelphia Eagles won their first Super Bowl which actually caused me to me a day later that the original plan.
2018 I have skied in two countries outside of United States, my team won its first Super Bowl ever .So far so good, and there is more to come. JaPow is cheaper than Therapy- my next book. Just kidding as powder is not abundant enough for me to get a regular fix unless I moved to Japan or something.
I recently read this article and thought has life passed me by. I love my life. I have a wonderful profession, awesome family and friends. Of course I want the hubby, and the 2.5 kids, and the million dollar salary, but oh well. It is like playing spades I deal with the hand that is dealt me and I make the best of it.
Well regarding my profession, I am sure I could make the million dollars but I would be working crazy hours, and not living in my favorite city. I made a choice to work where I work, because it is more life style friendly. My hobbies are a part of who I am. If I did not have the time to ski, run, bike, swim I would not be happy. After my parents died I realized that life is short, then you die. I take chances, and live my life. As I was skiing last week in Whistler in poor visibility, steep terrain, and in powder with my heart racing a mile a minute, I was literally was freaking out. I did make it down in one piece. Then the following day while swimming in the pool when I was trying” key word” trying to master freestyle comfortably. I was thinking I am a little beyond the age where I need to fight to master new skills. Then I thought no it is not . It is the perfect time. It keeps you young, intrigued , and always striving for improvement. So live your life to the fullest. Ask the cute guy out that you have a crush on. Take that trip you have been waiting to take for years. Run a race. Take up that hobby you never thought you could do. Start that business that you always wanted to. Write that book. Start that podcast. Live you life, no matter what you have In the words of Aaliyah who just had birthday ” Age Ain’t Nothing But a Number”
Some people dread getting old, I really don’t. I consider myself like wine, I get better with age. Each year, I grow, learn, meet new people, try new things, and make new memories. I truly believe the best is yet to come. Is my life perfect?Of course not, it is not. Does my life always go as planned? Again, of course it does not. I would be married with three kids living in Atlanta or California it thing went as I planned. Oh, well life happened. I am single women living in Chicago who loves her life, but would like the married part/kids part- which is another story.
The part about aging that I can’t get quite used to is people passing on. The worse day of my life was the day my mom died. She had terminal cancer, and lived a great life, but I was not ready.Over the last few years I have lost people my age, and younger. I still think we are young, so it always rocks my world a little. The last few years I have lost three college classmates, a high school classmate, and graduate school classmate. We are not supposed to be saying good-bye so soon.
Last weekend, we said good-bye to Leslie Clark Greg. She was a college classmate who I saw once or twice a year when she came home to Chicago. She was a friend, a fellow Florida A&M University Classmate ( FAMU), my Delta Soror, and I had pledged her. So I considered her my baby in Delta- as I do all her linesisters. The bonds run deep. Any who knows anything aboutFAMU knows we are a cult- a good one though. We are family- we bleed orange and green. We love each other.Well we said good-bye to Leslie in true Rattler style. Her FAMU BFF planned such a fitting ceremony. I am sure Leslie was looking down, smiling. I know she would have been pleased. Not because we were praising what I wonderful person she was, but they she brought us all together. Leslie smile lite up a room, she has such a sweet sprit. She touched so many people which she was her with us. The Rev Dr. Reginald Williams Jr’s words were so touching. He knew the right words to honor Leslie, and the right words to make us laugh when the mood was low. The story of about his sister graduating from high school- was right on. How we all walk about the stage and our name is called and we pass on. I know I am not doing his sermon justice, but we all will walk out of this life and our name will be called. He said that there were those who had already crossed waiting.I thought about how Leslie was not alone, she had people to greet her. She had our Soror Patricia Sherfield Polite, our Soror Lawanda Renee Henry She has our FAMU classmate Daryl Champion. She had my mom her Soror too. They had like spirits, and I know they would get along perfectly.
So as we all age, I know it is hard to say good-bye to yesterday. It is hard to say good-bye to love ones, but this is a part of life, unfortunately. I have peace in knowing that God has Leslie, God is always in control.
Rest well my friend, I love you and I loved celebrating your memory last weekend although with a few tears.
November is one of my favorite months. September and October are rough for me due to my parents birthday, and my mother passed in October. I love November because it is the start of the holiday season. It is simple, it is a month to be thankful. Thanksgiving is about family/friends, food, and football. I was reading an article out how holidays can be hard for people who have experienced the lost of a family member. I agree it can.The holidays are so different since both my parents passed. I miss them dearly, but I make the best of it. I realize that life is about change. This year will have another change. I had an on and off again friend who I always ended my Thanksgiving with after visiting the family since I have lived in Chicago. Well I decided it was better for us to stay off, and move on. So this year will be family, and some new friends. I try to concentrate on the good, and be thankful for all I have. I am truly blessed in spite of my life not being perfect. Now, who has a perfect life, anyway. So I ask that during this holiday season be thankful. Even when December comes around don’t get caught in the stress that it can be. Think about the reason for the season. Christmas is about Jesus’s birth, and again family. The gift giving is just a simple way to show family and friends how much they are appreciated.
So June after the following interaction that I blogged about before, I decided I was going to complete a Triathlon
So my 10 year old God son sent me a text
“They have a triathlon in Jackson on June 3rd. You have to swim in the reservoir, bike I think 24 miles, and run 10k what ever that means. It starts at 7:00 and ends at noon. That should be more than enough time for you!”
So I was tickled and thought he has more faith in me than I have in myself or he just wants me to come home. Well I messaged my best friend, his mom. She laughs and states that he thinks that I rock.
Well, I decided to go for it, I texted my God son and said next year I would come home and complete a Triathlon. So I bought a road bike, joined Major Taylor Cycling Club of Chicago (MTC3), and started taking swim classes. Well, my journey has not been easy, but I have enjoyed it. The most challenging thing has been the swimming. I have progressed to the deep end, but I still get nervous. Going from a hybrid to a road bike was such a learning curve and I am still learning. I have a great family who answers my questions and guides me along the way. My plan was to do my first triathlon next summer, but Fredricka who is also a member of MTC talked me into signing up for an indoor TRI. I only had to swim for 10 mins, and my swim coach got me ready with some extra practice
Race Day
So I drove to the facility. Fredericka has just arrived, too. We walked in and got our number placed on our arm. I think that is the coolest think the temporary number tattoo on the arm. We then headed to locker room and changed. I decided to wear my black triathlete (BTA) association TRI suit. It is dope, and the only one I have. We inspected the pool, it only goes to five feet which calmed me. We walked up to the bike area to see if the bike were stationary or a spin bike. I bought my cycling shoes for a spin bike. We also checked out the track.
It was 10 minutes before our wave started so we headed to pool. I got in to do my bobs in the pool, and superman drills to warm up and get comfortable. They go over the rules. We had a personal lap counter, they would let us know when we had a minute left then we would hear a whistle. I had to share a lane with someone. I told him it was my first race and hopefully I would not migrate over to his side. He smiled and said not to worry. We started he was a strong /fast swimmer so I did not have to worry about him being beside him much. I did a triple switch, and turn combination, and a back stroke when I got tired or to calm down. That was my strategy. My triple switch was sometimes a quadruple switch, etc. I was nervous so my goal was calm down , not freak out and to keep moving. I kept looking up to see if they had called time. I was in my own world trying to stay calm, and keep moving. Ten minutes passed, and I had made it. The worse was over, figured the rest would be easy.
We had 10 minutes for transition. I grabbed my running shoes, and put on my cycling shoes and put my swim cap away. We headed upstairs. I adjusted my bike. We rode for 20 minutes. I tried to maintain a good speed, and power. I tried to envision riding my road bike. Spin is a different feel, and I prefer my bike on a compu trainer if I had to chose.
Next is transition, I put on my running shoes, and get a number. We have another personal lap counter. Eight laps was a mile, I had my Garmin so I could pace myself, but I forgot my music. I thought good training as many Tri races they don’t allow them. I have not run in a week, as the following week I had run New York Marathon, and was still in recovery mode. My ankle was the only thing that was still bothering me, and they was an injury about three weeks before my marathon. It started bothering me a mile in, but just a twinge. We run 15 min, and that was it. We were done, I was a Triathlete. No medal for the race, but the experience was priceless. I can’t wait for he next one. I still plan to go to Mississippi and do a Tri there as I promised my Godson, but I will be a more seasoned Triathlete at that time. Plan is to do three prior to the one in Mississippi.
