#43 - Snorkel Somewhere New

I had also forgotten that snorkeling somewhere new was on my list.  Thankfully, on day 2 of our trip to Catalina, Vanessa Vadnal brought it up as something she wanted to do.  Erin Gillespie and I jumped on board quickly.  Laura Masters thought she was just going to hang at the beach, but she ended up joining us in the water too.

Laura's wet suit was super awkward.

We suited up, snorkeled up, and awkwardly walked over the very rocky beach to the water.  Then we awkwardly put on our fins.

The water in Catalina is incredibly clear.  As soon as we put our faces in the water, we could see clear to the bottom as well as fish in every direction.  There were bright orange garibaldi, the California state marine fish everywhere.  We swam further to a kelp forest where bright and muted fish darted in and out everywhere.  I swear I saw a purple-ish orange angelfish in there somewhere.  It was definitely the deepest I'd ever swam in an ocean.  If that were still on my list, like it was last year, I would have checked yet another one off!  At one point we were probably swimming above water that was 16 or so feet deep.  (No, that's not that deep, but somehow the deep ocean really freaks me out even though I'm a strong swimmer.)  I had to turn back once we got to the clear, deep area because my motion sickness set in.  On the swim back there was this huge school of fish that was barely phased with 4 humans swimming around them.

I pulled myself through the rocks to a half wall, tried to keep myself from retching, and waited for the game.  I'm still really glad we went, and I hope I can find some motion sickness solution for snorkeling because it's so exhilarating!

#93 - Go to Catalina

I'd suspect the ladies who attended this year's birthday celebration of relentless competitive drives, but none of us remembered Catalina was on this list until we were heading home.

Seriously, how did we not take a picture of all 5 of s in the sunshine?

Every year for my birthday, I leave town.  It can come off as one of those indulgent, self-obsessed birthday things.  However, it started because I had 6 or 7 birthdays in a row (starting at 17) where someone made me cry.  (By the way, never pretend to forget a 17 year old's birthday, when her friends have all just moved off to college, only to throw her a surprise party over a week later.  I now appreciate the effort but, damn, I was devastated that all of my friends had moved off to college and forgotten all about me stuck back in high school.)  I still seem to have a lot of bad luck complicated by anxiety about bad luck leading up to my birthday.

After that series of bad birthdays, I became completely preoccupied with who showed up to my birthday... or really, who didn't show up.  I was so focused on who wasn't there or who showed up late or who left early, that I didn't appreciate the people who were there.  I was so afraid of being hurt by the people who had better things to do, more important people to see, that I couldn't be present and enjoy the company of those physically around me, the people who made time to just be with me.  Then I realized I was not just doing that around my birthday but in the rest of my life too.

In 2009, I decided to try to break my miserable tradition of being miserable.  That year, I planned a Vegas trip and invited anyone who wanted to come along.  My birthday is at an inconvenient time of year being so close to Thanksgiving, so I didn't expect many people to come.  Eventually the group became 2 friends and a friend of a friend, 4 ladies total.  We were already having a fantastic time when 2 of my favorite people of all time drove in from San Diego to surprise me.

The tour has included
2009 - Las Vegas: 4 of us
2010 - Louisville: 8 of us
2011 - Kalamazoo: 3 of us
2012 - Hollywood: 2 of us
2013 - San Juan: 5 of us
2014 - Catalina Island: 5 of us

Every trip has been filled with memories that are truly special to me.

This new tradition allowed me to truly release my expectations of all of my loved ones and at the same time truly enjoy the company of those who were around me right then, in that moment.  I have no trouble accepting that most people can't just take a weekend trip so close to Thanksgiving because of their family obligations coming up or work constraints or financial constraints or whatever.  So I never have any expectations that any one person should go.  In fact, no one person has always gone -- though Laura Masters has come close.  Once I let go of those expectations, I can just be present with the people I am with.  I am no longer preoccupied with people coming and going and having more important things to do.  I just am, exploring a new place, finding some new adventure, with new and old friends alike.

So back to the original intent of this post, this year we went to Catalina Island, 22 miles off the coast of Los Angeles.  It is a truly beautiful island that is apparently bumpin' in the summer with tourists but just as lovely in the late fall with tourists and townies.

I had my usual string of bad luck and was very concerned I wasn't going to enjoy the trip for once.  I wasn't able to leave work until around midnight and had to pick up Vanessa Vadnal at 6:30am to drive to Long Beach the next morning where we would be picking up Laura Masters, so we could catch the ferry.  I also get extremely motion sick, especially on very little sleep.

I eventually picked Vanessa up around 7:15am and we made it to the Long Beach airport about 30 minutes after Laura landed.  The 3 of us had a great brunch in Seal Beach before boarding the ferry.  It was a pretty rolling ride, but we managed thanks to Dramamine.  Oh, and the Catalina Express gives you a FREE ferry ride on your birthday!  Including the return trip!

We arrived on the beautiful island and checked into our place, which far surpassed my expectations.  The view was beautiful, we had plenty of room, and we had a roof deck.  Laura & I had a glass of wine on the roof deck while Vanessa walked around.  Then Tara Edberg arrived.  Then we started a puzzle.  Obviously.

We had a great dinner at the Lobster Trap and then headed out to the Marlin Club and the Locker Room, both outstanding establishments that reminded me of what Chicago dive bars would be on an island.  My kind of places.


Laura & I slept in the next day.  Tara & Vanessa went for a hike.  Erin Gillespie arrived.  Then we finished the puzzle.  Obviously.  Then Erin, Laura, Vanessa, & I went snorkeling while Tara shopped.  I have never seen water so clear.  I mean, I've only been snorkeling once before, in La Jolla Cove, but still.  It was incredible.  If only it weren't for that damn motion sickness, I could have drifted nervously in that water all day.  I say nervously because it's incredible, but I don't think I'll ever lose my awe of the ocean.

Then we had Bloody Marys, champagne, and watched the sun go down... or at least the shadow of the sun go down because the town of Avalon faces east.  The sky was still beautiful.  We then watched Step Brothers because you can't not watch Step Brothers if you're on Catalina.  We had a great dinner at the Seaport Bistro, where I had some really fantastic fried chicken -- oh, and you must specify that you want the LOBSTER mac and cheese, though the regular mac and cheese is super fantastic anyways.  Then back to the Marlin Club, obviously, El Galleon for some karaoke, obviously, and back to the Locker Room.  (We killed "Total Eclipse of the Heart," in case you were wondering.")


In the morning, we kind of went our separate ways.  Vanessa & I had breakfast with Erin and some friends nearby.  Tara and Laura shopped.

Laura, Vanessa, and I rode the ferry back together, and this time, we scored some clutch seats upstairs and outside.  I had forgotten how much I love boat rides.  I loved the wind, the ocean spray, the view, all of it.  We even lucked out with a great lunch at Alien Sandwiches, which is staffed by the greatest little group of people.  Next time you're in Long Beach, go there.  And take all of their suggestions, even if you have no idea what you're ordering.

This trip really lightened my heart after a stressful couple weeks.  I am very grateful.

Also, I really love McClure's pickles.  They are magic.

#8 - See Cristiano Ronaldo Play Live

When I added this to the list, I thought it was pretty far fetched.  I make a grad student salary (negative), so unless the best player in the world (yep) happened to find his way nearby with an affordable ticket, I was out of luck.

But then.  There was a rumor.  And then it wasn't a rumor, it was an announcement.  Real Madrid and Manchester United were playing

AT THE BIG HOUSE!

(That's Michigan Stadium for those of you who don't worship the gods of college football.)

Cristiano Ronaldo and friends would be playing against my team in my hometown, in my home stadium.

Then I feared I wouldn't be able to get tickets or they would be too expensive.

Wrong again.

Reiko, Nicole, & me loving life

$35 got me a seat with a chunk of friends who were as excited as I was.

Then there were the injury rumors and the absolute FAIL of a World Cup for both Spain and Portugal.  But I held on.  He'd be there.  Right?

Gareth Bale before his penalty kick.

Then the roster came out and there were a lot of names missing from the list...  Sergio Ramos, Casillais, Chicarito...  AND RONALDO.  NOOOOO!  I'd already seen Rooney  play.  I wasn't flying all the way to Michigan to see Rooney.

But then a few days later, an article came out that said he was injured but would be meeting the team in LA but not playing (good thing I didn't buy one of those tickets) and then would be off to Ann Arbor to play at the Big House.

Ann Arbor got pretty jazzed up, like it did for the NHL game in December.  Shut down Main Street.  Stages, bars, food...

The Krones had dinner at Aventura Friday night.  Our server told us they were on hold to host REAL MADRID later that night.  I freaked out a bit.  We gave up, knowing we'd get kicked out if they showed up anyways.  Rumor is they did eat there later that night.  I ate at the same restaurant as Ronaldo just an hour apart!

So happy that Billie & Steve made the trip too.  That was a nice surprise!

Saturday was magical.  I got up a little late, headed to the tailgate my lovely friend Nicole set up, played some games, saw some friends I didn't expect to see, and headed to the game, ignoring the texts from Al that Ronaldo would not be playing and what a "jerk" he was.  (I'm giving Al credit for being there even though I never saw him.  He texted me when he was outside my gate but I was already in the stadium and there was a line to get back into the section.  He didn't want to wait in the line and risk missing first touch.  I didn't want to go out and then have to wait in the line and miss first touch.  That's real friendship there.  Live on different coasts but would never expect the other to miss a minute of a soccer game at Michigan Stadium.)

Whatever.  Ronaldo was there.  In my stadium.  The closest I'd ever been to him.

Nicole and I were on Cloud 9 from the start.  I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw Ronaldo walk across the field.  Luckily my Ma lent me her binoculars...  which also made me look a little silly because I started freaking out about subs walking across the field until I could fully communicate that it was RONALDO.  He sat in the stands and I have to admit, I watched him almost as much as the game.  Whatever.  I was there to see him, playing or not.

Brother hug

The Fray played at half time.  That was random.

I walked down a few rows to visit the brother and friends.  Walked back up.

Then... it happened.  A cheer went across the crowd.

RONALDO WAS WARMING UP.

That's Ronaldo.  At midfield.  Ready to sub in.  At Michigan Stadium.  Ahhhhh!

And warm up he did.  For real.  I watched it.  Through the binoculars.  Oh, at this point, Rooney and Bale had scored some goals.

Then he was at midfield.  Then the referee let him in.

Ronaldo ran around.  Did a little fancy footwork.  Chicarito scored a goal.  Ronaldo jogged a bit.

It was bananas fun.  Life changing.

I miss him already.

Chicarito cooling down with the "winners" of the game.  I say "winners" because obviously I and the others freaking out all day were the real winners.

#61 - Don't Eat Out at All for at Least 7 Days

BONUS item!  I finished my list early this year, so I might as well check off some more.

This one isn't the most exciting to write about, but there was one fun event: Kassi invited me over for lunch and we cooked channa masala, rice, and creamy spinach.  And by "we," I mean "Kassi" while I listened to directions, chopped up a few things, and then cried for a good five minutes because I somehow got onion or something spicy in my eyes.  It hurt a lot.  

But, it was worth it.  Lunch was delicious and Kassi even sent me home with leftovers that I ate for dinner the next day.

I am hoping making myself cook at home and bring lunches/dinners to work/class helps me make that the norm and eating out an every now and then exception.  I'm giving myself a little slack with the World Cup but I have already been just assuming I'll eat at home or pack food these few days after this week.

#30 - Run a New Half Marathon

I cannot believe I am done with my list for 2014 already!  I had 12 done by April 27!

Nike Women's events usually have a wall with
everyone's names near Niketown.

While I'd love to just up my goal for the year, instead I'm going to focus on one of my big goals: nailing down a research question for my dissertation so I can take dissertation seminar in the spring.

So, if there was something on this list you really wanted to do this year, I'm probably still down... as long as it's free or you're paying.  I can't wait to be off this student budget!

Anyways, #12 was a fantastic time.

The start

A couple months ago, someone from this crew, I don't remember who, started an e-mail about entering the lottery for the Nike Women's Half Marathon in DC.  I was hesitant but then I remembered how much I like this gang of girls... and that instead of a medal, these races dole out unique Tiffany necklaces.

It took us 2 tries to get into the Nike Women's Half in San Francisco but 5 of us ran it in 2010 and it just this year got knocked down to 2nd on my list of favorite 9 and 2/3 races that were 10+ miles I've done (behind Ragnar, obviously).  (Sure, I'll tell you the story about the 2/3 sometime, but it's not a happy story.)

It just took us one try to get into DC.

I headed to DC from Nashville, still a little sore from climbing.  I met my old UM roomies Laura Masters and Andrea Meewes Sanchez out for what was supposed to be a chill night but ended up being fairly epic.  We even wound up playing Cards Against Humanities with some dudes we thought were random but just happened to be 5 other Michigan grads reuniting for the weekend.

After very little sleep, we met a high school friend of mine, Melissa, for a lovely brunch, and then picked up our packets.

The packet pick up was swift and easy and had some really cool features that probably aren't that exciting to read about but were REALLY COOL in person.

We had a nice dinner and made it to bed at a reasonable time.

The fast ladies got going way earlier than Andrea & me.  I have to admit I got a little nervous at one point but seriously, when you're slow, you're never late to these things.

That blue box :)

The course was flat and scenic.  I loved the start right past the Capitol as the sun was rising.  The bridge to Arlington and looping back to see the Lincoln Memorial was pretty special too.  I was really impressed at the number of people out cheering us on with silly signs, and I loved the drummers in what would have otherwise been a dismal tunnel.  Plus, the necklaces are pretty lovely.

We all finished, some of us (Andrea!) in record time (not me)!  Then we showered, considered napping, popped some bubbly instead, and headed to brunch...

On our way to "schmammered"

Epilogue: Brunch included bottomless mimosas and STRONG margaritas.  We followed brunch with bar hopping, including a whiskey flight for Andrea & me.  Somehow Masters, Andrea, & I stayed out until midnight or something.  Man, I love those girls.  But seriously, Andrea, let's not make unreasonably late nights our thing, even if we only see each other ever few years :)

"I thought he deserved a serious face."

Monday Masters & I got to do some sight seeing and then met Katie, Beth, and Sarah for brunch and some giggles about our Sunday Funday.

#54 - Climb Outdoors

The whole group.  I had a camera with a timer and one dude had a tripod.  Oh, the magic of the collective.

I counted this last year but I probably shouldn't have.  (Don't worry, I'll untag it.)  This day trip definitely counted for outdoor climbing though.

Getting ready for that 5.8

One of my favorite friends in the world, Nicole Green-Valentine, just so happens to be in the same profession as me.  (Okay, fine, it's not, like, just-so-happens, like some coincidence.  We met when she was officiating intramural soccer and I was supervising intramural soccer at the University of Michigan.  We both thought we were going to be teachers.  Then, the teaching market sucked the years we graduated, and so we were like, well, at least we have these officiating/recreation skills.  Let's use those for now.  Wait, what?  This is a profession?  Well, maybe we'll still be teachers.  No, actually not.  This is kinda sweet.  So we're Campus Rec-ers for life.  Or at least for the forseeable future.  And it's awesome.)  This year our annual conference was in Nashville (sweet!) and one of the pre-conferences was an outdoor climbing trip.  Nicole asked me if I wanted to go, and I was like, "um... yes."

We did have to sacrifice what was my only night to party it up in Nashville to be ready and willing at 6:30am.  We had one presentation together and I had two others on my own, so it was all professional for the actual conference.  (Fine, relatively professional.)  (Well, relative to past conferences.)  We did manage dinner on Broadway and a couple drinks on the strip, which was quite lively for a Tuesday night.

5:30am Wednesday morning came a few hours too soon, but we made it up with our required water and things.  We had a 45-min or so van ride to King's Bluff, which we spent chatting with some folks we knew and folks we didn't.

The outdoor staff from Vanderbilt, Western Kentucky, and Austin Peay did a fantastic job prepping the gear, teaching us how to use it, and making sure we were all situated before the quick hike down the bluff.  They set up 5 lines for us ranging from 5.4 to 5.8.

Nicole, Dan, and I elected to try the 5.8 first since no one else would.  Dan skimpered right up that thing.  I went next and, well, I put in some good effort to make it part way, as did Nicole right after me.  We downgraded to the less difficult spots and had much less difficulty with those.

After a couple climbs, I remembered that I was running a half marathon in 5 days time and should probably call it quits or I'd hate myself by mile 2 instead of the usual hating myself by mile 11.  Nicole took a few more routes and Dan did them all, I believe.

Our lovely hosts then provided us with quite the spread for lunch.  Some of the group headed back to the hotel to prepare for the conference and others stayed to climb more.  I forgot how much fun climbing is when I remember to trust the safety systems.  The scrapes and bruises are still healing but they were worth it!  Can't wait to go again sometime!

#49 - Run a Ragnar

When we were strangers.

I don't know what to say about this experience.  Mostly because, if you're not Van 2, does it even matter?  But here are some forced words about it:

We make good decisions together.  Sometimes.

Ragnar SoCal was 194 miles this year.  We ran from Huntington Beach to San Diego (the convention center), skipping Camp Pendleton (though driving through it on our way there).  12 people, 2 vans.  

I wanted to do a Ragnar.  Somehow Vanessa was easily convinced.  We tried to form our own team.  We failed.  We followed the Ragnar SoCal facebook page and found a nice, young gentleman named Terry looking for a couple more runners for his team.  So we joined them.  So 30ish hours in a van with 4 people we wouldn't know and another van of 6 people we also didn't know.  Then more people dropped out.  So Vanessa invited her friend Alex.  And then some magic happened and everything was eventually covered.

The leg lengths kept changing, so I expected something around 14/15 miles but ended up with around 12 spread out over 3 legs.  That was probably good because I'm already slow and I did not train appropriately.  I had that half-marathon attitude of "whatever, I know I can finish, so training just makes it hurt less," which was not the best tactic in a team event.  In team events, I tend to push myself a bit more, and that meant a bit more hurt.  And I still loved it.

Van 2 for Life

So back to the timeline.  I picked up VV and Alex around 9:00am on Friday.  We drove up to Encinitas to meet the van, arranged by our fearless captain Terry, and were introduced to our teammate AJ.  Much of the conversation for the next 20 minutes was about the movie Frozen, which Vanessa, Alex, and I had not yet seen.  We packed up then picked up our 12th / 6th of our van, Wes, at Pendleton.  He hadn't seen Frozen either.

Terry gettin' tatted up.

Inked

We got to the first major exchange around noon and hung out until our 6th runner, Lydia, from Van 1, arrived.  We mulled around, listened to a painful safety speech, saw some weird costumes, and confirmed we were just Not That Kind of Team (NTKOT).  We applied tattoos.  Some came off.  Some were reapplied.  Some more went on.

Van 1 coming in hot for the first major exchange.

Eventually around 2pm Wes took off for the 7th team leg of around 10 miles.  He killed 23 other runners and then passed off to Vanessa who passed off to me who passed off to AJ who passed off to Alex who passed off to Terry who passed it back to Van 1 at Doheny State Beach.  Somewhere in there I had a perfect life moment: We were in the van; I was already loving being part of a team, had had a nice first leg, then my favorite song came on the radio, then the view of strip malls melted into the hills and the ocean.  Beautiful.

Then we ate some Chipotle, drove to Oceanside, decided to sleep, failed, decided not sleep, had a total tease of a bedtime story, didn't sing Journey at the top of our lungs, learned some facts about the Paleo diet, learned some Disney theories, put on reflective equipment, and then Wes started us off again around 12:30am.  Then Vanessa (with guest star AJ).  My leg was through Vista at 2:30am.  It was sketchy and dark and lonely and had a few sprinkles.  Then AJ.  Then Alex.  Then Terry.

Second major exchange.

My night exchange.

Then we drove to the Gliderport in LaJolla.  And we slept.  Super uncomfortably.  For what, 2-3 hours?  Still without a bedtime story.

Waiting.  Again.

I was SO HAPPY to see AJ.

Then we meandered around.  Hung out.  Stretched, foam rolled, Tiger tailed.  Then Wes took off again.  Then Vanessa.  Then me (through PB, mostly on the crowded boardwalk).  Then my fav pics of the event happened during my hand off to AJ.  Then there was a pause for the not-currently-running folks to stretch and chill in Tecolote Park with Special Guest the String Cheese I Forgot I'd Brought, which ultimately earned me Saint status.  (Yes, women can be saints.  I learned so much this event.)  Then Alex, who had to run that flippin Narragansett hill from OB to Point Loma.  So mean.  Then Terry finished the whole team from Liberty Station to the Convention Center.

Last hand off!

We searched for our team.  Found them.  Fake finished as a group.  Took some photos.  Eventually had some beers.  Drove back to Encinitas.  Cleaned out the vans.  Drove back.  I dropped V & Alex off and then went out to Stone Liberty Station for some not-at-all-needed drinks.  Then Jessica & Elizabeth came by to finally bust open that scotch my bro sent me since I hadn't found a good-enough excuse for it before.

We finished 57 out of 510 Open Mixed Teams and 106 out of 724 total teams with a time of 29 hours, 18 minutes, and 10.6 seconds.  That includes the hour-ish van delay at one of the checkpoints that didn't have enough parking.  30 hours and 194 miles from Huntington Beach to San Diego: I am so proud of NTKOT.  

I'd try to convince you all that this was all way more fun than I can explain, but you'd never believe me if you aren't Van 2.  Van 2 4 life.

Winners (at Life)