Tuesday, February 16, 2010

# 16) "Wouldn't if be cool if we had Yoda's Floating Chair?" and 28 other things...


Here we go... Enjoy!

1) Over the weekend, I turned 29! Yea!! I don't feel any older...yet. Perhaps I'll feel different when I hit the W30-34 age group, but no guarantees. I'm excited about my 29th year - WOO HOO!

2) The Olympics have been great, thus far. Totally distracting - but awesome. Every time I see someone earn a medal - at the finish line, after a performance, or on the podium - I tear up. Always have, always will...despite the age.

3) Anabelle loves Valentine's Day Candy. Her new favorite? Bright gummy-red candy hearts. I nearly killed myself slipping on one...luckily it was partially squished in the process. However, I could still discern the kitty-bite mark in said gummy-red candy. As the package was on the dining room table, and Tabbs is too hefty to lift her girth to that height, we've deduced that Anabelle is the culprit.

4) I stopped - in the middle of a tempo run - to watch the sun set on the Pacific's horizon. It was beautiful - and worth the :50 I spent watching it dip below the blue waves.

5) However, I didn't see the famed green flash.

6) Even though my new hiking boots are awesome, (mostly) comfy and super cool (looking), I've got a few gnarly blisters on the back of my heels. Apparently I grabbed the wrong socks for hiking - comfy (non-hiking) blue wool looked good... but were clearly not the blue socks I purchased specifically for hiking. Oops.

7) Ouch. Blisters are NOT fun.

8) I raced a 5k on Sunday in celebration of my birthday.

9) It was the most painful birthday start I've ever had. (But a great present to myself).

10) The first thing I said AFTER crossing the finish line was, "I think I want to go back to Ironman." People around me laughed - but I was totally serious. That sucker hurt! And the 3/4-mile long hill at the end certainly didn't help matters. Although I *think* I set a new heart rate max record. A race report is forthcoming (at some point).

11) My sinus surgery is scheduled for Wednesday (tomorrow)... cue nervous jitters... I don't know if I'm more annoyed/nervous about the surgery itself OR the fact that I'm not scheduled to go in until 11 am - a full eleven hours after my "fast".

12) Time to finish off the cupcakes! WOO HOO - hooray for birthdays!

13) Speaking of baked goods... this year we totally broke with tradition. I'm usually a Yellow Cake + Chocolate Frosting kind of gal. This year...I decided on... Red Velvet Cupcakes + Cream Cheese Frosting + Pink Sprinkles. I know...

14) Thankfully before we baked - we climbed Mount Woodson between Poway and Ramona. We failed to notice the 1500+ foot vertical gain in less than 1.5 miles on the map. Oops. As long as we didn't look UP to the steepest road EVER, things were okay.

15) The views at the top were fantastic - and it was the best Valentine's Moment that Nathaniel and I shared... sitting at the top of a giant rock on the top of a mountain. I'll never forget it - and I couldn't ask for a better birthday or Valentine's Day. I love you Sweetheart!

16) On the hike down, we overheard a bunch of young whippersnappers commenting about the mountain and how steep the gradient was. Their parents weren't far behind... but the funniest thing I heard ALL day was, when one Tabbitha-esque (meaning "hefty" and "big boned") kid proclaimed, "Wouldn't it be cool if we had Yoda's Floating Chair?"

17) It made me wish that I had had Yoda's Floating Chair in the last 3/4-mile uphill during the 5k.

18) Heck, it made me wish I had Yoda's Floating Chair for the ENTIRE 5k race.

19) And the nearly 2-mile long walk back to the car after finishing aforementioned 5k race.

20) However...post-race, post-hike (but pre-cupcakes), Nathaniel and I celebrated with a beer sampler. I love beer samplers - and Sunday's was no exception. WOO HOO!

21) Through everything, I've been practicing my violin like crazy - getting ready for an upcoming audition. Its been 10+ years since I auditioned for anything, and though I felt a bit rusty, I managed to perform and get through everything without a) tossing my cookies b) making a fool out of myself or c) dropping my violin.

22) My knees, though - adopted a mind of their own, and shook throughout my entire audition. I was grateful for the cargo pants and pink compression socks (a fantastic look, if I do say so myself... Especially compared to someone else auditioning for the same part, sporting a smart pantsuit and low heels. Yikes - I felt like myself...under-dressed....but myself). And in the end (in spite of the knocking-knees) - my fingers remembered where to go and I didn't drop my bow...

23) I am now the newest member of the La Jolla Symphony Orchestra!!! YEA! I can't believe it!! I'm super excited and so happy to be part of a professional orchestra - awesome! Yes...I'm sitting way in the back of the second violins (in fact, I made friends with the percussion section, as they are closer to me than the conductor) - but... I'm in! I'm playing violin! And I'm happy and excited to be doing it...

24) I have absolutely no formal concert attire. Somehow, I don't think my pink compression socks will cut it...although I did wear hot-pink socks once to perform on stage with my elementary-school orchestra. I was ten. And I swear to you - the audience laughed. Sadly, my fashion sense hasn't much changed.

25) My coach is evil: The bike force "spin ups" that I naively thought didn't sound "too bad" were nearly the hardest things ever. The carpet is still damp from sweat - in spite of the two towels I had in place. I nearly threw up afterwards...

26) But I didn't.

27) Nathaniel loves his latest Backpacking Stove: The Pocket Rocket. Seriously - I had a hard time pulling him away from the gadget. So I didn't protest when he insisted on cooking me Beef Stroganof with his new stove.

28) Even the kitties wanted to experience the wonders of The Pocket Rocket - but as they are flea free...and we want them to remain so...they had to experience the wonders from inside. They weren't happy. But they also don't have fleas - so we ALL win in the end.

29) I am SO HAPPY to be 29, and SUPER EXCITED about the next year! WOO HOO!!! (And the butt-shaped rock we found on the hike up...How cool is that? Isn't nature great?!? You never know what's coming around the next corner, butt rocks and all).

30 comments:

Maggs said...

Sounds like a great birthday weekend. I love it when a race falls on my birthday.

Courtenay said...

x3 for racing on birthdays!

but quick correction my dear... you are now in your 30th year! the 29th is complete :)

San said...

Though I'm a bit late. HAPPY Birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Marit, happy birthday to you. (Be glad that you can't hear me sing!)

And congrats on being part of a orchestra. Violin, wow. Incidently I just thought yesterday evening, that it's good that I didn't start out with violin a few years back (don't know what triggered that thought yesterday). Everyones ears within hearing range would have bled over the course, not that I would have stuck with it for long. ;-)

Butt rock, my a**.

Men and their gadgets, I don't get it. Just for the kicks, did he read the manual?

Good luck on the surgery. I hope everything works out fine.

ADC said...

Wow, that was some week for you. Yay for the orchestra - that is amazing, you must be really good.

Beth said...

MARIT!!! Wow - lots of great news! Thinking of you today during surgery. Hope it went well and you are feeling 100% ASAP! Remember Sept my friend - remember Sept!! :)

And HUGE congrats on being accepted into the orchestra!! How fun is that??? I totally need to come now to hear you play! :)

Either way, sounds like V-day and your b-day and your race and EVERYTHING was awesome. As it should be! YEAH!

Anonymous said...

The symphony! What a great balance! Congrats!

Anonymous said...

The symphony! What a great balance! Congrats!

Trigirlpink said...

Hey sister
HAPPY BIRTHDAY and QUICK recovery from that surgery today. Will be thinking about you throughout the day
xxx

cherelli said...

Congratulations on getting accepted into the La Jolla orchestra! I love watching/hearing people play music as I never got past the flute when I was young...good luck with the surgery, hope it goes smoothly.

Kim said...

MARIT! HAPPY BIRTHDAY! we are not in the same age group - thank god :)

by the way, we are super similiar - im a violinist too!! although i am not playing in an orchestra - CONGRATULATIONS! that is amazing!!

Jennifer Harrison said...

Good luck w/ your surgery today, Marit!!

And, again, congrats on the orchestra! I can NOT imagine that talent...very impresssive!!!

And, so glad you had a nice bday and hike and all that good stuff!!!

:)

Maria said...

1) Happy birthday!
2) Good luck on the surgery today!
3) The cupcakes looked great! (even if they are missing chocolate)
4) A floating chair would be awesome!
5) A BIG congrats on the Symphony, that is awesome!!

Molly said...

CONGRATULATIONS for the orchestra!!!!!!!!

And good luck on the surgery today!

Anonymous said...

I'm so psyched for you making the orchestra - congrats!!!

I thought at first you biked up that mountain road, I was like, "whoa, that's really impressive." The steepest thing I ever did was Iowa Hill Rd near Colfax, 1200 ft in 1.5 miles (ask Courtenay about that sometime ;-)). Although Tuna Canyon in Malibu would give that a run for its money.

Looking forward to the race report and keep those kitty pictures coming - I can't get enough of them!

Kim said...

So fun! What a week = 5k, birthday, kitties, orchestra (sp?), life, hiking! Awesome! So excited for you too.. you're almost ready for your 30-34...we'll get you the flying chair for that! Love ya M! Congrats on.. well all of it!

Amanda said...

Happy birthday! Hope the surgery is going well!
Sometimes yoda's flying chair sounds like a great idea... ha ha ha

Charisa said...

Soooo excited about your new job! Congrats :)

BriGaal said...

Oh man, I am a total yellow cake + chocolate frosting girl! But over the past couple of years I've become a sucker for red velvet (cream cheese frosting is sooo good). Sounds like you had a great birthday and Valentines day!

I liked the Azalea Festival sweatshirt :)

GoBigGreen said...

wow!
Congrats for 1) the natal anniversary! 2) The Orchestra pick! Wait was it Symphony or Orchestra?? either one is fabulous! 3) the cupcake pick..my favorite 4) getting up and downwithout buddha's chair, but that is funny!
5) and so hope your recovery is speedy!
Hugs!

GoBigGreen said...

oops Buddha, yoda...???!! whatever:)

Heidi Austin, PT, DPT said...

happy 29!!! 30-34 is scary!!! I'm right behind you...

Angela and David said...

Happy 29th! You are a baby. And congrats on the symphony. That's awesome.

And catchy title for this post, I had to read it to find out what the hell you were talking about.

ojs said...

Hope you had a great birthday and BIG CONGRATS on earning a spot in the symphony orchestra! That is awesome!

Teresa said...

Happy happy birthday! Fun weekend...and congrats on EVERYTHING (orchestra and all!) Your amazing!

tn

jennabul said...

5K, cupcakes and beer on your birthday...that pretty much rocks! I loved your 29 favorite things =). Glad the surgery went well. And yes, being NPO for 11-12 hours is not a lot of fun...

Mer! said...

HILARRRRIOUS about the stove..LOVE IT!!

Your Valentine's Day/Birthday sounded awesome..painful 5K..BEER..cupcakes..Nate..hike..perfect!!!

Still laughing about the butt shaped rock...HA!

Cannot believe you are a member of the SYMPHONY!!!!!!! Well, I can believe it, you're awesome and so proud of you for "going for it!"..we'll find you a cool outfit....Express has some nice pants called the "Editor" and they come in all colors and they're comfy but "professional" (I have about five pairs =0).....

Calling you now to check in on you!!

Lisa T said...

Is it wrong if I think of something totally different when I read "pocket rocket"? Heehee

Hope the surgery went well!

Nicole @ Geek Turned Athlete said...

That is so awesome about the orchestra! Congrats!

I hope your surgery went well!

Jennifer Yake Neuschwander said...

COngrats on the symphony. That is really cool. Happy birthday and hoping you are having a speedy recovery.

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