Worth the watch

Just a little insight about where your cheap stuff comes from...

http://www.storyofstuff.com/

Where have I been?

Well... I have some good news and some bad news. Good first! Thursday I finished my Master's Degree in Electrical Engineering. I was elated to be done and relieved! I went out to lunch for sushi with my friend that afternoon, ignoring the sore throat I had gotten the night before. It was all downhill from there. I started getting a fever and could barely eat. On the way back to my car, I started shivering so hard I was convulsing and people were stopping in the street to see if I was ok. I managed to grab some Theraflu at the store and went home to check my temp. It was 100.6. I started feeling worse so I checked again. 101.5. I checked again 10 min later. 102.6. I checked in another 15 min. 103.5!!! I was delirious with fever, bawling, and really scared. The tylenol finally kicked in and kept my fever at a steady 101. I was doing everything I could to bring the fever down. As soon my medicine began to wear off, it'd come back in full force. I went to the doc the next morning and they said I didn't have StrepA, but some other type of bacterial throat infection. I was already spitting in a bowl b/c I couldn't really swallow, but I kept getting worse. I had to go back later to get something for the pain so I could take in fluids. A couple hours later, I noticed my throat was almost swollen shut. I hadn't been able to really speak since Thurs night. I went back to urgent care because I had difficulty breathing. They sent me to the hospital because I had an abscess on my right tonsil. My eyes popped out of my head when I saw the needle the doc was going to stick down my throat. Then he got out the scalpel and made a 1/2 inch incision and held it open with hemostats to drain out all the puss. It was pretty intense and I almost fainted.

so that's where I have been. Bedridden since Thursday, but finally showing some signs of improvement. It's going to take a few more days, but I'm getting there. I have never been this sick in my life. I wanted to thank all of my friends for taking care of me and checking on me. You guys are the best! And hey, I have my Master's Degree!! woooohoooo

We were celebrating Leslie's bday all last weekend, so I'll have to do a post on that when I have more energy. I'm going home in a couple days too. Can't wait! :)

Good quote

...from my friend Nick Martin. I could not have put it better myself.

"Bike racers are simple creatures, especially mountain bikers. In an effort to prolong the real world for as long as possible, we will literally work for next to nothing for the chance to wake up in the morning and simply ride. If wealth was measured by the amount of free time one has, then as a cyclist, I was one of the richest men alive."

A lot of my friends and family cannot understand my obsession. They especially can't understand why in 1 week, I will hold a Master's Degree of Science in Electrical Engineering, why I won't go get a full time job and make a boatload of money. I can't blame 'em for the confusion...but Nick has put it ever so succinctly. My wealth is measured by my free time to ride and to travel to ride. Call me crazy, or just call me Looney. :) My ability and time to train and be a professional mountain biker tops just about anything right now.

My dream bike

...that I will be riding next year. This is pretty much the sweetest bike you can get in my humble opinion. Some people have a dream car (and I do too..), but some people have dream bikes. I'd rather have my dream bike.




Gaze upon the Cannondale Team Scalpel. Cannondale Team Scalpel. http://www.cannondale.com/bikes/08/cusa/model-8VP0.html You gotta get it.

Electric Eel... ok or not?

http://www.metaefficient.com/renewable-power/electric-eel-used-to-power-christmas-tree.html

It's December...

That means it's time to start training for the 2008 race season. I'm really excited for next year. It's going to be my best one yet, I can feel it!! :) I'm going to keep my running regimen up for another month or two. Women build most of their bone density before the age of 26 or 27. Cycling isn't exactly the best sport for doing that, so I am trying to get as much going as I can. :) There is also a great crossover from running to cycling as far as strength. It doesn't work quite as well the other way, although overall fitness plays a huge part once you get over all the pounding. My next running race is a 10K on December 15. My goal is to break 40 min. I think I can do it as long as the course isn't super hilly.

Yesterday was the first ride I counted as new training. Dec-Jan means I have to go for long rides and go slow (meaning keeping my perceived exertion pretty low). It's important to let your body come back down after pushing it at high intensity for so long. Let the jets cool down so to speak. This phase of training is always the most challenging for me. I like to go hard. Specifically, I love going hard up hills and mountains on my mountain bike. Winter means training on flat roads at low intensity. Mentally, it's harder for me. Call me crazy! ;) Yesterday's ride was SUPER windy. I thought it was the apocalypse. ;) 40mph constant wind speed with gusts much greater than that. I almost got blown off the road a few times.

Today was the first day back in the weight room. I do weights for a couple months over the winter for general muscle strength, bone density, and also because it may help with power on the bike. I haven't determined if it actually helps, but I do it anyway. It actually felt pretty good to get back in there and avoid making eye contact with all the meatheads. :)

I have been spending some quality time with my friends. I am now cutting way way back on the drinking/partying. I'm going to keep it pretty dry for the next 2 weeks and then keep it pretty limited. In March, I'll eliminate it completely except for maybe 1-2 drinks a week (like red vino or a dark beer....!)

Jeff came up from ABQ to visit. I tried to show him Boulder a little bit-- we went hiking at Chautauqua, visited a couple of the Boulder breweries (hell yeah!), drove around in the mountains a little bit. I was bummed we didn't have time to ride so I could show him how cool the road riding is around here, and also make fun of the boulder coffee shop trustafarians. :) (I wish I was one!)


Several of my friends have said that Anne is the blonde version of me. :) We are two peas in a pod. I went down to Denver to cook dinner with her...good times.


She actually cut her tongue licking the cuisinart. You can see a drop of blood on her tongue... thats totally something I have done.

I love trail running. I like my sweet smartwool socks with capri length pants even more. :)

Albuquerque

YOWZA! I'm so behind on blog posts. I'll start with the Querque. It's always great going home. Jack and I rode down together and he always makes me laugh really hard. Sometimes it feels like I never left, and a lot of times I get deja vu. This time was particularly interesting because my brother has left the nest since the last time I was there. I got to my parents' house, and everyone was there to greet me except my brother. Awww.

haha. No, my brother is not retarded. But this picture is pretty funny. ;)

Now a real photo of me and my little brother. He just turned 22 on Sunday.

My parents always hooks me up with top notch meals. My mom cooks tons of good stuff and my dad looks forward to having someone to enjoy a big, fat juicy steak with.

and then he wanted to arm wrestle. I lost very badly. On Thanksgiving, my grandpa wanted to arm wrestle. I felt bad arm wrestling a 77 year old man, and he's so cool...but I couldn't let him win. ;)



In short, my photos will let you see what I was up to. I did some work for Sunflower in the mornings leading up to Thanksgiving. We are super busy. We have revamped our website a little- www.sunflowersolar.com.

I went mountain biking a lot, and I got to ride with my shero, Nina. I'm so excited that we are teammates this year!! I finally remembered to take my camera the last day I rode. I got lucky b/c the sun was setting with a killer view!

These are the wonderful Sandia mountains. Who said the desert is ugly? And for those of you out there who are a little "confused.." Albuquerque is a mile high. It is not low elevation. This is high desert. I can't tell you how many people here in Colorado think it's low.



tough girls gone wild? Not!



This photos was taken WHILE I was riding with my camera upside down. I was having fun with photography and taking shots while moving and not looking what I was shooting at. I was pretty damn happy about this one! :)




I got to spend a lot of time with the fam. We went to my grandma's house for Thanksgiving. This year, my aunt, uncle, cousin, and her husband came from Arizona. I don't get to see them much, so it was a great time! The Looneys know how to party. I'm really lucky to have such a fun family.

Me and my beautiful mommy who is a GREAT cook.


This is the dessert she made for Thanksgiving. Death by Chocolate... no wonder I can't shed my post-race 10 lbs. grrr.


My grandparents...the coolest ones ever. They sooo fun and lively!


Me behind the wheel of 500 HP and a 7 L engine. That's niiice!

Me and my cousin, Erica.

My dad, grandpa, and his brother. They look like twins. It completely freaks me out when they are both in the same room.

Jeff and I ran a 10K on Thanksgiving. I wanted to break 40 min, but all the partying and lack of resting my legs had them ridden with lactic acid from the gun. It was also a super hilly course. There was a huge mishap in my race, but I won the women's category and got 4th in the men. Not too shabby. :)

Jeff being all roadie excited about his number. ;) haha. He won his age group in the 10K.

I finally got to see my friend Jason. His ex-gf had him under house arrest (haaa) every time I came to town. He is one of the funniest people I know.


This is Jason...

I love to go to Chama Brewing. I love that place. My brother is in the "Mug club" Jeff is sad that his mug is inferior to my brothers. haha. And notice the guy in the background with his mouth agape.


And lastly, if you make out ridiculously in a bar. I will comment loudly if I have had beer. I have had multiple beers, I WILL take your picture.



This is just a random sweeeeet wagon I saw in the parking lot. I want one!!! hehe