Motivational Monday: my inspiration. my women.

Do you ever hear a song that takes you back to a time or place or reminds you of a person? You do. Of course you do. Everyone does. They write songs about these kinds of songs. I have a bunch.

There are two in particular that remind me of two women in my life. They're played out and they actually annoy me, but they make me laugh and smile when I think of these women. 

And these women are my motivational Monday. Ok, that was a convoluted way to get to it, but every time I hear Macklemore "Ceiling Can't Hold Us," I think of Carol at my boot camps, who thought the lyrics to the song were "like the silly can holders" and I think of how I need to make a post in tribute to them. 

Carol is amazing. Short, spunky, football loving lady. She and her hubby travel the world and she's always posting amazing photos of their travels. Every class with Carol is more fun because she's always laughing. Her laugh is contagious and makes every workout seem easier. 

Also at boot camp is Miss Alice. She's a senior Olympian. Yea. She competes in the senior Olympics. This past weekend, she travelled back to D.C. for her college reunion. She said, "Class of '69!" I said, "Alice, that's when my dad graduated high school!" She said, "No... that's when I graduated college. I graduated high school in '65!" She's four years older than my father and only misses bootcamp to travel. She's incredible.

Finally, there's Ginger, my running buddy. Ginger is eight months out from a double knee surgery. She's the reason I hit the trail every week and, often, the reason I'll go one more mile whether I'm running with her or not. We talk about our aches and pains and she always jokes, "talk to me when you're my age." All I hope is that I'm still doing it in my 30's (which aren't so far away, Ging!)

I've got a MM that says to push yourself because no on else is going to do it for you. This is true. At the end of the day, I've laced up and lifted the weights or run the mileage. But these women... these women are the reason why. They're not the only ones, of course. There's Coach A, who runs marathons all over America and Carlene and Kelly who work daily to test the limits of their bodies. There's Lady Mumps, who kills it in crossfit competitions. There are a ton of them. Still, as I edit this I think of more. I don't think I'm anyone's inspiration, but I'm so glad to have these women in my life as mine. 

Here's to you, my Motivational Friends!

Motivational Monday: The Rally Cry

In light of last week's failed experiment to post an inspirational meme Monday through Friday, I felt this was an appropriate kick start for a new week. A rally cry, if you will. A determination not to stop even though I seem to have failed last week.

This proved to be a necessary proverb today when I took on my weekly trail run. I've done it a dozen times by now, but for whatever reason today was difficult. I don't know if my lead man was moving too fast or if maybe I was moving too slow, but I struggled to make it through. Every uphill was steeper than last week. The branches were more mischievous in the way they grabbed at my ankles. And the downhills twisted and wound more than I remembered. The path seemed more treacherous this week.

I found this meme before the run today and as I slowed climbing each root to the top of a hill and I felt I might never make it out of the trail, I remembered that no matter how slow or how weak I believed the run to measure up against last week or the week before, as long as I finished I will have succeeded. So, with heavy legs and belabored breathing I came out of the woods... only a minute slower than last week!

As long as you keep moving, you haven't failed. So keep moving... what's moving you this week?

Too Late for Tuesday

 

At times the list can be grandiose and burdensome. To do something great and magnificent everyday is asking too much of even the saintliest, most organized, most perfect beings of the world. When I made the list I built in easy days for work or travel, but when it comes right down to it, doing one thing from a list I made 200 days ago is a little nutty. How could I have known if I would have the finances or time to do the things I put on this list.

The thing is, even though I'm not likely to go to Canada or Las Vegas in the next few months, the List is serving it's purpose; I'm doing. I'm not always doing great things. Hell, I'm not always doing good things. But, by God if I'm up and I'm living and I'm doing something... I'm doing things. I'm getting my bills in order. Cleaning the kitchen. Writing on the blog. I'm doing. You can laugh and say, "that's life." You're living. You silly girl. That's life. And it's true. 

I'm coming from a place where the everyday was difficult. I went through a period of depression and it was the beginning of this blog. So, when I get up and I go and I pay a bill and brew some coffee and go to work and do my job the best I know how and then have drinks and conversation with amazing people, who I treat with respect and kindness, then it was a good day. And sometimes that has to be enough. And Tuesday, it was.

Wine All About It

The list includes experimenting and trying new things. I put “go to a wine tasting” on it. Not that I’ve never had wine before but that I’ve never been to a tasting in which the wine was broken down tannin by tannin and grape by grape to give the taster a better understanding of how the flavors are created. Also on the list, try a new food and treat one of my best friends to dinner – as he always thinks it necessary to pay for everything and I owe him for five years of meals, drinks and ten-dollar sunglasses from the gas station. The opportunity presented itself last month when Sapphire A Modern Bar and Restaurant held a wine tasting featuring North Berkeley Wines and food by their own Chefs Caleb Hawkins and Chip Meyer.

The sample of wines sparkled and bit. From Prosecco to Red Blends, each hailed from a region of one exotic country or another and represented the passion of their vintners. There were five courses paired with five bottles.

Prosecco is said to be the ice breaker of spirits. Like the “can I buy you a drink?” or “come here often?” at a bar, prosecco makes an introduction and brings people together. So, naturally the meal began with Ca’Vittoria Brut Rose Prosecco NV. A dry and refreshing Rose, it tasted of red berries and pepper spice. Hawkins and Meyer appropriately paired it with an arugula salad, topped with Benton’s bacon croutons and pomegranate seeds with a tomato vinaigrette drizzled on top. The pomegranate seeds burst with tart flavor and accentuated the crisp taste of the Brut Rose.

The second wine was Frederic Magnien Chablis 1er Cru Fourchaume 2009 (and, no, I’m still not sure how to say any of those words). This white wine had gusto. The jargon word for it is “energetic,” which means its flavors stuck with you from sip to swallow. Pear skin, lime rinds, apple, white flowers and white pepper mix to make this refined taste last. The flavors weren’t lost as we ate the second course, my favorite course; sliced pork belly with a goat cheese risotto cake, garnished with an apple jalapeno relish. It was the richest course, but neither the wine nor the dish outshined each other.

Next was Mattes Sabran Corbieres le Viala 2009 (I think, Mattes Sabran is the wine maker and “Le Viala” is what the Chateau has chosen to call this particular wine… I think). This pairing of food and wine was heavy and flavorful. Think of licorice and chocolate, mocha and blackberry. The wine is a blend of three grapes, Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre (GSM). They’re not nearly as well-known in name as Cabernet, but they are often blended to deliver a powerful flavor. Succulent black berry and licorice with Asian spices in the drink complimented the braised beef tongue atop a mocha crostini, dressed with a chocolate and clove veal reduction and ginger chips.

The fourth dish was matched with Le Clos du Caillou Cotes du Rhone Vielles Vignes Cuvee’ Unique 2009. Watermelon with feta and balsamic brought out the black cherry and raspberry flavor in this exclusive selection from North Berkeley. This wine was thick, what cultured wine tasters might call, “chewy,” which is why it went well with the light texture of the watermelon. And let’s all agree that feta makes everything betta. 

Finally, Jean Veselle Rose’ de Saignee Brut, a champagne, with seared Australian Seabass, a fennel and leek jam, cherry and Maytag cornelle. This last dish was amazing. “Maytag cornelles” are actually just a fancy way of saying bleu cheese-like garnishes. The entire pairing, from fish to garnish to bubbly was exquisite and the perfect way to wrap things up.

Having never been to a tasting before I had no idea what to expect. The names of the wines and the jargon to describe them were overwhelming, but so were the pairings of drink and food. Understanding became more of an anatomical experience than mental one. Taste and smell made the experience educational, prolific and rich (wine pun, intended).

Sapphire does these tasting bi-monthly and they do them quite well. Whether you go with a group or join a table of connoisseurs on your own, it’s like one big dinner party. I’m still not fluent in wine, as a language, but my tongue certainly has a knack for it.

Finally, I think I’ll add “write about wine” to the list. It was quite the challenge to put this together and I can only hope my readers enjoyed reading it… certainly not as much as I enjoyed drinking the wines, though, as my reading is not nearly as intoxicating. 

Motivational Monday: Day one of five

This week instead of simply one day of motivation, I'd like to try to post inspiration each day. So Motivational Monday will be just one of five days of motivations that I'll be posting. 

I find I am more motivated to act and perform when my posts hold me accountable. My Monday trail runs are the highlight of my week and, generally, the motivational post of the week is inspired by my experience prepping for or during that run.

I'm planning to find drive and inspiration from each workout or run and post them here for friends to - hopefully - find inspiration. 

So, here goes....

Today's motivation is my weekly trail run. As the days get shorter and the trail gets darker, we're running out of weeks to jump on our trail and challenge ourselves to be greater than the week before. Last week we set a PR, running the trail nearly 12 minutes faster than the first time we ran it three months ago. We'd love to shave two more minutes off our time, but felt like last week was the fastest we'd ever be able to go. 

I rolled my ankle. My back ached for days after. My breathing was surprisingly relaxed, but still we were booking it. I don't know if I'd be able to match last week's run, let alone beat it! I'm not even sure I want to - that's how taxing these runs can be.

However, winter is coming to steal our fitness fun away from us and I'd love to see us reach our goal before it does. So, today my motivation is the weather. To embrace the fall and enjoy it before it's gone away.

This is the best part of my week and I'll be so sad when the cruel winter takes it away from me, but in the mean time I'm going to push myself and love every branch that trips me up along the way!

Motivational Monday: what's next?

I've spent the whole day trying to come up with the most eloquent way to properly express the thoughts I have for my weekly kick-off this week and what follows still might not do it justice, but it's the best I could come up with.

It was a long weekend. Highly anticipated. With promises of great times with amazing people, friends and strangers alike. There would be laughter, football and all things great that a gathering of motley friends could promise.

As it approached, I had considered different opportunities and scenarios that the weekend might offer.
I thought about what I might wear each day. I considered how I might do my nails. Would I be able to fit everyone into my schedule? Where would I leave my car Friday night? Did I have enough money to accomplish all we had intended? I had no questions about my hair, though. My hair I had all figured out.

Now that it's Monday and the days came and went, as easily as friend's in their caravans in and out of town, I feel strangely vacant. I don't have anything immediate to ponder- I mean, except, of course the meaning of life but that's an everyday thing. I don't have anything pressing to plan. It's an odd feeling. I have nothing moving me.

Like how the gym fills up mere weeks before Memorial Day, with everyone pushing for bikini bods. Or watching all seven seasons of a television series because you want to know how it all ends and then when it all ends you feel a little sad inside. There was so much excitement and even anxiety leading up to this giant weekend and now that it's over and very little went the way I had imagined it, including my hair- even my hair fell a little flat, I'm left with no check lists or wants or needs. Just this question: "what's next"?

Well, reflecting on this weekend of the universe doing what it wanted with my plans, I had this strange, scary but calming thought. The answer: Tomorrow.

How freakin' Rhett Butler of me, right?! But for real, it's not always about the next thing or the next challenge. Yes, everyday I want to challenge myself to be better than I was yesterday. So, that's it, then.  Tomorrow is next. And I get to do with it whatever I please. I am next.

Repurposed happiness

Today's happiness is this Drive-Thru Records Starting Line t-shirt from 2002.

 My friend found in an old box last week and, knowing my sentimental attachment to the band, decided I should have it. It's a men's large so I could never wear it as anything but a night shirt unless I repurposed it so today I turned it into a gym shirt.

 I've been wanting to make a workout shirt like this for a while and I'm so excited I did it with this ole thing.

It got me thinking about repurposing old things and giving yourself new happiness from them. How in life, something may have reached it's capacity for being useful- like a friend or a job or a place you frequent that you've grown out of or too old for- but that doesn't always mean you should toss it aside.

Repurpose it.

Friends come into our lives for a reason, when they've served their purpose, sometimes it is best to let them ago, I'm just saying don't be so hastey about it. It's possible they have more to offer- even if it's just a life lesson. It's how I feel about this old shirt; my friend didn't want it, I couldn't wear it as it was, but I found a way to make it useful again.

Maybe I'm reaching, here. Maybe I just turned an old ratty tee into a razorback gym shirt and I'm grasping for some greater meaning. But I know it got my mind working and my body-- I worked out twice today (once in the shirt and once in something else). I dunno...  Here's hoping the new old shirt brings out the best of me!!