Inauguration

Wow, I'm HORRIBLE at updating! :) I'll try to be better. I watched the inauguration yesterday, and I could not have been happier. It was truly a fabulous day! I wish I could have been there.

I knew I could record it and watch it later, or watch the replays, but I really wanted to watch it live. So at work I watched it streaming on my laptop. There's a part of me that thinks yea, big deal, an African-American in office. So? Because race has so little impact on MY valuing of people. But then I take a moment and really think. Really, truly think about what this means...and it makes me cry every time. I am so happy, and so proud and so...overwhelmed when I think about what this means. And the inauguration happening the day after MLK day....could not be more perfect.

Last week I had a third grade class visit the library, and the teacher had asked me to read a picture book about MLK day. I chose one of my absolute favourites: Martin's Big Words written by Doreen Rappaport and illustrated by Brian Collier. If you have not read it, you should. It is a wonderful book, and really reaches kids. I have a hard time reading it without tearing up. It's just wonderful. The kids I read to could not believe that MLK died, that he was murdered. This little girl asked me "Why would someone kill him? He was just trying to help people!" I could see that her teacher was as nonplussed at me. What can I answer to that? I think I just shook my head and shrugged my shoulders.

The other local third grade class came on Tuesday, and that teacher too wanted me to read a book about MLK. So, same book, same reaction from the kids, plus a question from one little boy who asked "Who made the laws in the first place that said black and white people couldn't be together". I LOVED that for these kids the idea of race being the reason you're not allowed to do something, that the color of your skin would make something you did illegal...they just cannot understand that.

I did try to make sure I said something along the lines that there still are people who think that way. They just could not understand that. Yet, they also DID understand the momentousness of Obama's presidency. One kid said that without MLK, Obama would probably not be our president. I was amazed by those kids. Gives me hope.

I loves myself an Adirondack Chair!

I just completed one of the funnest things I've done in a while, and I'm so proud of myself. My friend Ana and I took a woodworking class for women, where we made our own Adirondack chairs! :) It was super fun! We got to use all sorts of tools - table saw, chop saw, band saw, scroll saw, router, sanders ... and lots of things I'm now forgetting the names of. It was 5 weeks, and I had a lot more fun than I'd thought I would.

I want to take it again so I'll have matching chairs. So here's Ana doing some free-handed cutting on the table saw. All the machines made me a bit nervous at first, but you get used to them quickly. I think this one was my favourite, the router. It's what helps make these nice rounded edges on things. Here I am learning how to use it the first night. That's Mary Anne, the instructor showing me what to do.And here we are in our finished chairs! :) I'm so proud of us!
And here it is outside my front door. I want to paint "I made this chair" on it so that everyone looking at it knows that I made it!!! :) Have I said yet that I'm really proud of Ana and myself? I'm not really a tool-type girl...or at least I never thought I was. But now... I can see how you can get the woodworking bug.

Ankylosing Spondylitis and how to deal with it

Wow, really, I'll try to get better at updating! :) You know, it's been a really tough year medically. My back got all messed up when I was in Vancouver. In looking for a cause of that...well, we found out why. I've been diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis. Oh hooray.

It's a type of arthritis that affects usually the spine and causes inflammation which can lead, in severe cases, to a fused spine. But hopefully it won't get that bad for me. It does most likely mean chronic pain and flare-ups. And there's nothing they can do about it. Exercise, good posture and pain management...that's about it.

I've been thinking for a while about what I want for my third tattoo. For over a year I've been thinking about Randy Pausch and his comment about choosing to be a Tigger or an Eeyore. If you look two posts below this one you'll see my explanation. Well, this latest just made me want it even more. So this last Sunday, after careful research of artists, I got my third tattoo. :) I'm very happy with it.

Camping and Dirt Series...oh yea, and the HDO

Whooboy! What a busy weekend! It was the High Desert Omnium, the road bike race put on by the Bend Bella Cyclists this weekend. It went REALLY well, but it's always crazy busy. More so than the mtb races I've done, 'cause this was two days...and road races ARE just more complicated. Anyway, it went really well, I have some pics...but those will have to wait until I get back.

Back from where? :) Well, I leave tomorrow morning for a week's vacation, culminating in a Dirt Series clinic at Whistler! I'm really excited. We're also going to spend a couple days in Vancouver so I can meet my new niece...and have a memorial for my grandmother who passed away a couple weeks ago.

I'm looking forward to having a great vacation. I have pictures...but you'll have to wait until I get back.

Every day, I CHOOSE to be a Tigger

In the past year I've had quite a few people comment on how I've managed to stay positive despite all the physical and emotional setbacks that have come my way. It's because every day I choose to be a Tigger instead of an Eeyore. I've had a role model recently whom I would be lucky to emulate.

Have you heard about Randy Pausch. He was a professor who was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and was told in 2007 that he only had 3-6 months to live. He lived almost a year. He gave an amazing lecture, wrote a book...and he passed away this last Friday.

He said in his now famous speech that we all have a choice. We can choose to be a Tigger or an Eeyore. He has TRULY inspired me. I chose, every day, to be a Tigger. And I hope that when my time comes I can say what he did: "I don't know how to not have fun. I'm dying... and I'm having fun". It's been my mantra every time something comes up that challenges me...I choose to be a Tigger. Not I AM a Tigger...but I choose to be.

If you haven't listened to his lecture or read his book, check it out:
http://download.srv.cs.cmu.edu/~pausch/

Tomorrow when you wake up...what do you want to chose, Tigger or Eeyore?

What an honor!

My brother and sister-in-law have done me the ultimate honor. They've given my name to Mia as her middle name! Chandra's a GREAT name, and I hope she likes it too. I was so happy, and touched, when they told me, it made me cry. :)

Here's Kai being a great big brother. Gee, think he likes her?? :) :)

Mia's birth, from her daddy's perspective

I love my brother's story. Especially the part where he passes out...
"At 9:45 Saturday morning Jennifer produced a beautiful baby girl (or, to those without child-bearing experience, a squidgy caracature that turns from blue to pink faster than - and not completely unlike - a squid does.)

With my svelte build it was no surprise when she weighed in at a meagre (ahem) 8 lbs 9 oz. Yes the real father is quite possibly from the water buffalo family, but we love her just the same, of course.

Mom's in rehab after a drug mixing effort that would've earned her 'cred' in Hunter S Thompson's circles. She is, however fine and facing neither remission nor the shakes.

Possibly the best part (knowing you sadistic lot) was when, after a night of no sleep (nor Red Bull Vodkas) and little to eat, just when the anesthesiologist was preparing the epidural, dad fainted, plopped in his seat, out cold, and thereby provided mum's laughing gas with some brilliant material. We've named her Mia."

Welcome to the world Mia!

My new niece was born this morning...a week late! Her name is Mia... which in Italian means either "wished for child" or "rebellion". I think she's both, since she refused to be born when she was "supposed" to. Hee hee. Here are a couple pictures, but check out my Flickr site for more.

interesting book

I just finished Raw Shark Texts by Steven Hall. Wow. Now that's one mind-f*#k of a book! Here's what the description is: "When Eric Sanderson wakes from a lengthy unconsciousness, he has no memory. A letter from "The First Eric Sanderson" directs him to psychologist Dr. Randle, who tells Eric he is afflicted with a "dissociative condition." Eric learns about his former life—specifically a glorious romance with girlfriend Clio Aames, who drowned three years earlier—and is soon on the run from the Ludovician, a "species of purely conceptual fish" that "feeds on human memories and the intrinsic sense of self." Once he hooks up with Scout, a young woman on the run from her own metaphysical predator, the two trek through a subterranean labyrinth made of telephone directories (masses of words offer protection, as do Dictaphone recordings), decode encrypted communications and encounter a series of strange characters on the way to the big-bang showdown with the beast."

A conceptual shark???? What the hell? Interesting book...but I have no idea what i think about it. We're reading it for book club, so it will be very interesting to see what others think. I'm not sure it's amazing literature, or if it even succeeds in it's attempt...but it did keep me interested, so that's something at least.

I said I was going to blog more about the Cascade Cycling Classic...but to be honest I'm too tired. We did have our Story Stars program today with Todd Parr...I think he's my new favourite author! He's a great guy, and I really enjoyed getting to know him. If you haven't already, check out his books with your kids.

Some of my favourites are Underwear Do's and Don'ts, Reading Makes You Feel Good, the Otto series and It's Ok to be Different. Oh heck, I love all his work :)

It was great. the Staff all wore underwear on our heads like one of our characters! Hee hee. We had dinner with him, and I got some books autographed, which was great. Definitely check out his work.

Cascade Cycling Classic

Wow, busy but great weekend! I officiated for the CCC on Friday at the crit and Sat on the Cascade Lakes road stage and Sunday on the Awbrey Butte circuit. Sat and Sun I did the Cat 2's and on Friday I did them all except the pro men and pro women. I'll update more on another day when I'm not rushing off to a Board meeting.

It was super-fun. Stressful, but fun. I learned a lot in preparation for the High Desert Omnium which is in a couple weeks. If you want to check out the pictures I took of the CCC look at my Flickr site:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/chandravan