Captain Cartwheel

I'm throwing in the hat and moving back to blogger.  I didn't put in the time necessary to learn to use the site to the fullest and rather than fight myself on it I'm going back to Blogger.

You can catch me at my old/new site.  I'm willing to bet I post more frequently. 

Thank you for following me! 

Kimmi

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Yosemite National Park may be one of the most beautiful places I have ever had the pleasure of visiting.  I have been here since Tuesday, taking a few days for vacation before working the weekend with my team.  We did some hiking on Wednesday and Thursday, seeing three different areas of the park.  I was stunned by the differences between the areas we visited, you would never know they were all part of the same park if you didn't see it on a map.  I have many pictures and it will likely be a long time until I can get through them all – a little thing called my brother's wedding is coming up next week.

I'm sitting here in my hotel room and I am feeling quite emotional.  The topics vary widely: my team, the beauty of nature, my work/travel schedule, the upcoming wedding and family time.  I feel totally unprepared for the wedding stuff – I'm in charge of the bachelorette party and have a reading in the wedding, along with a speech as the maid of honor.  I have been little help the last two months due to a hectic schedule.  The plane ride home will hopefully be productive. 

I am excited for my hikers who have their event day tomorrow.  The ending of the season is always bittersweet, as it is a time of celebration and also farewells.  Hopefully many will come back to the team or at least stay in touch, if not, we’ll always have Yosemite. 

I must head out and decorate some doors, so until later…Ciao.

Hello faithful reader(s)!  Life has been absolutely crazy the last month and will continue to be so well into July.  Most of the craziness is due to work, May and June seem to be the busiest time of year because our Fall Season kicks off and our Summer Season culminates in fabulous event weekends. It's a great time of year, it just leaves little time for much else.

I'm excited to announce that my mom and I are training for the Nike Women's Marathon & Half Marathon in October.  We've signed up with Team In Training and are raising money for blood cancer research and patient support programs.  I'm super excited to have my mom on the team and she seems to enjoy the running so far. 

It's important for me to return to the team as a participant this season.  Last week, as my co-worker and I prepared to take a team to San Diego, I received and email from a past participant's sister.  She was writing to inform me that her brother had suffered a relapse and was back in treatment for non-Hodgkins lymphoma.  I have a very vivid picture of this man and his daughter running by me at mile 22.5 of the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon last year.  They were all smiles and decked out in their TNT race day attire.  I read his most recent CaringBridge site and he looks like a very different man now.  =(

This is just the most recent of my connections to this cause, my list growing longer every day.  The silver lining on the news was the trip to San Diego - where 4,000 TNT participants took on the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon & Half Marathon in the name of blood cancer and raised a over $12 million!!  It's difficult to sit in a room full of heros - people who not only fight their own battles but also fight in the name of others - and not get teary. 

Please take a moment to check out our fundraising page and consider donating to help us reach the goal of finding better, less harmful treatment options, funding patient aid and ultimate goal of finding cures. All amounts are appreciated! If you cannot donate financially, please consider sending our web site onto others you know.

Thank you so much for your consideration. Go TEAM! 

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"Every oak tree started out as a couple of nuts who stood their ground."
Anonymous

A few weeks have passed and I am starting to feel like I am back on solid ground.  Here is the recap:

The same day I learned that my car was officially totaled is the day my car insurance company (State Farm) told me I no longer had access to the rental car unless I paid for it out of pocket.  These two discoveries took the wind out of me, largely because I had left three messages over three business days (five days passed if you count the weekend) inquiring the status of The Raptor from the claim agent.  Freaking pissed-off, angry and totally frustrated does not even begin to cover the way I felt.   I had yet to begin car searching because I am not the type to take such a huge purchase lightly – why would I start searching until I knew for sure the car was totaled (hence the three f'in messages I left to verify). 

Let me be clear, State Farm was reasonable in the settlement amount, and for that I am pleased.  However, they totally botched communicating with me about the situation.  The true test of an insurance company is how it interacts with consumers during a stressful, time-sensitive issue.  Congratulations State Farm, you got a big 'F' in my book; one guess for the phrase that grade represented in my mind.  I am currently searching for new car insurance.

For four days I was without a vehicle and relied on Metro Transit, friends and family members to get around.  Many people rely on public transit, however I happen to be reliant on my vehicle for work and it is peak recruitment season meaning lots of meetings in the 'burbs. 

My parents were nice enough to assist me in car shopping.  My only previous experience looking for a vehicle included me saying, 'I think I want to start looking for a new car' and Thork saying 'Hey, my neighbor is selling hers,' end of story.  True story.

I ended up purchasing The Roller Skate, which as of today I personalized more, calling her Skeeter. Why you ask?  It was my first impression of her.  She's pretty awesome and when I fully adjust to having a slightly higher car payment, I will likely love her even more.  Skeeter is a 2006 Toyota Matrix XR with 4WD.  She has an amazing sun roof – which has been opened every moment I have driven when it has not been actively raining.  Plus the biggest bonus: every morning I have woken up so far she has been exactly where I parked her.  Whew.

A huge debt of gratitude is owed to my friends and family for helping me through this shit-tastic situation.  Without their shoulders to cry on (literally), vehicles to borrow and complete empathy for my sense of violation and loss, I do not know how I would have coped.  As it was I felt out of sync, lost, and depressed – and those were my good days!  Thank you!

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Foot update: I am back in the walking boot thanks to a still painful right foot, the jury is still out on the recovery timeframe as of now.  This, apparently, is not my spring.

I somehow managed to get 3 tickets for the Brooks & Dunn concert at Xcel tonight (Friday).  Couple of awesome bonuses:

• I didn't really have any set plans when I headed into work and left with awesome tickets;
• Cheap tickets;
• Awesome seats in a suite!
• Spending time with friends I haven't spent much time with lately;
• Partaking in Douche Bag Watching.

We shared the suite with a group of young guys who were relatively pleasant but definitely beginner or low level douches.  It was hilarious to watch them operate up close in the wild. 

The show was pretty good with a few exceptions.  The faster songs seemed slower live than on the radio (yes, some people still do listen to radio stations, I am one of them).  Brooks has some mega bad hair issues and could use less self-tanner or tanning time in my opinion.  For being the Last Rodeo, it wasn't very rodeo like - it wasn't super high energy, there wasn't much production value.  I'd think for a last rodeo there would have been a BIG bang, but it was more of a fizzle than a pop.  One of the DB's was all "OMG they are just as amazing live as they are recorded!"  To my way of thinking, if they aren't better live than via radio/cd/recording why would I go see them live?  I might as well just head down to my dad's place and pump up the volume with his stereo equipment.   

It was a great way to spend the evening, I got to wear a cowboy hat and people watching was pretty fantastic.  All in all it was fun. 

I'm looking forward to seeing Lady Gaga in August.  Mostly because I cannot even image the spectacle that will occur on that evening.

Apparently it's relatively normal to feel like you want to throw up while purchasing a large ticket item.  The finance man at the dealership seemed relieved that I didn't actuallly throw up on his desk - only talked about it - but then again there is always tomorrow right?  Tomorrow is when I pick up my new-to-me vehicle. 

Drama ensued over the last week and I plan to write about it.  The upshot is I'm in the market for new car insurance, a cost effective alternative that has good, reliable customer service.  If anyone has any suggestions I would gladly accept recommendations, specifically if you have dealt with insurance from the claim standpoint and not just from the 'I pay them monthly/bi-annually and have never had to file a claim' perspective.

I got the call this morning while driving to work.  The Raptor was recovered.  The officer who called did not give me any details; I was told to call the Impound.

Introduce the glimmer of hope that dared blaze in my heart.  As I finished driving to work I felt relief and uncertainty.  Two days isn't too bad, right?  At least I don't have to go a full 30 days in limbo, right?  Closure.

The glimmer of hope quickly burst and fizzled when the first question I fielded from the Impound was "You have good insurance right?" Tears I didn't even know I was harboring sprung to my eyes as she described the shell of a vehicle I now owned. 

The car was found on a street in St. Paul by police officers on patrol.  They apparently approached the vehicle because it looked 'odd' as the car frame was sitting on donut wheels.  The interior of the car was stripped, the steering column, radio, entire back seat gone and trunk bare.  The locks were punched out, the battery gone.  The front of the car was scratched up and rusted - how it got rusted in just two days I have no idea - the back bumper scratched all to hell.  It was certainly not the same car I had when I went to bed on Monday.

I didn't even recognize the car, I walked by it twice before I realized it was mine.  It was difficult to look at, almost like I was looking at it through a stranger's eyes.  After the first look I was stunned and then numbness took over. 

That's really all I feel right now, numb. I feel so sad for the car, I know this is weird, but I felt like its innocence was lost and a shell of despair is left.  My despair.

I was pretty sure I was being punk'd this morning when I attempted to head to the gym before work.   I lugged my gym bag, water-jog belt and work bag outside, locked my apartment door and turned to go to my car.  Imagine my surprise when the driveway was empty. 

My thought process:

1. See empty driveway, 'Hmmm, that's odd.'

2. Turn around and look at street, 'I'm pretty sure I parked in the driveway...'

3. Turn back to look at the driveway, 'Still empty.'

4.  Lug bags down the block and peer around the corner, 'WTF.'

5.  Frantically hitting unlock botton and looking for my lights, 'I could have sworn I parked in the driveway.'

6.  'Fuck, shit, fuck, crap, where the frick is my car!?'

7.  Unlock apartment door and lug bags back upstairs.

8.  Call brother - the only other person with a key to my car - 'Sorry to wake you, you didn't happen to have an emergency and take my car in the middle of the night did you?  No?'

9.  Shit my car was stolen.

The Raptor is gone.  It wasn't the most beautiful car, lacked cruise control, and had crank windows, but it was my car.  A car I purchased on my own and had nearly paid off.  It was 10 years old and had less than 55,000 miles on it.  Did I mention it was mine!

Turns out the Honda Civic is the the second most stolen car in Saint Paul.  So now I wait for 30 days to see if my car is recovered.  If it is, I get my car back - hopefully in salvagable pieces (or dare I say 1 piece?!).  If it isn't, I'll be car shopping.  Either way, FRICK!  Not cool.

The best part of the day was realizing the likelihood of it getting worse after 6 a.m. was slim.  I now have rental Ford Focus stilling in my driveway, I sure hope it's there in the morning. 

Charity Date Auction to benefit The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, sounds entertaining right?  How can someone not even get a date at a charity event centered on getting a date?! It's actually relatively easy, especially of no one shows up to the event. 

One of my participants put together a charity date auction for this evening; each person being auctioned off supplied a date package.  There were packages ranging from Twins tickets and dinner for two, Lake Minnetonka cruise & dinner, golf outing, etc.  My date package included rock climbing and dinner. 

I told the organizer if he had trouble finding people to be auctioned off I would do it - being that it is for charity and all.  I should I have known that would mean I would be on the block.  So tonight I got all gussied up and headed out with a relatively open mind.  If I don't take chances I stand to get no reward right? Or something like that?

Anyway, I get there and chat with the other people.  We're all kind of nervous but chatting to pass the time, starting time rolls around and no guests; ten minutes in and no guests; 25 minutes in and no guests.  You see where this is going right?  If not you definitely did not read the third sentence in the first paragraph.  After 40 minutes we pack up the stuff and head to a nearby bar for drinks.

I was at a point where I didn't mind not having a date until, well until I didn't get on tonight.

Grrrr.

If you meet an attractive 30 yr old medical device rep named Keith, please tell him I am not an alcoholic. Point of fact - I am not.  Not a drunk either.  He was another person on the auction block and if I had any balls at all I would have walked away tonight with his number - ok, maybe not but you miss 100% of the shots you don't take right?  I couldn't afford his date package which would have a been a way to guarantee date - why does that statement seem sly and stalkerish to me?

Anyway, the volunteers were all joking - mostly about alcohol and how such an event definitely needs alcohol for people to show up and bid - among other stories and shared info, and I'm pretty sure he thinks I keep a bottle under my pillow.  I don't.  Oddly enough the only difference between my personality sober and intoxicated is vomiting.  Otherwise I have the same dirty mouth, inappropriate comments and relatively childish behavior.

Maybe I turned him off by telling this story:

The other night at was at a bar for a memorial fundraiser.  I had just been put in thiswalking boot so I was still relying on one crutch to get around.  I was placing a bid on a silent auction item when I guy came up to me and asked me what happened to my foot.  I looked at him, looked at my foot, back at him and said "Sex Swing, gets ya every time."

The guy's jaw dropped and he gazed at me with this wonderous look of awe, looked to my friend McEgo and says to him, "Dude, I have to shake your hand!"

To which McEgo puts his hand in the air and says 'It wasn't me."

The guy looks at another one of my friends and gets the same response.  He looks back at me and says, "That's so cool!"

True Story

The Dateless Wonder succeeds again.  I'm not above blind dates btw.  Just saying. 

A big thank you is owed to Ali, a friend of mine who is tackling a MPH*.  She forwarded me information about a film festival taking place at the U last week.  I'll spare you all the details of my inner mind - this time - and give you the Cliff's Notes verstion: I ended up whole-heartedly embrassing my inner geek and attended three of the five nights.  Inspired by Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution and the fact that I friggin' love eating, I attended Food, Nutrition, & the Environment and also Obesity.  In the interest of rewetting my appetite in the sexual health field, I was  lured by the promise of vintage sexual health films and attended the Sexual Health night as well. 

This isn't my typical outing, as you have probably guessed by my many fitness related posts compared to anything at all even remotely educational.  Not only did I attempt something new-ish, I attended the first night alone!  While I have gone to many a movie alone, I am excited to say I ventured to a lecture/film festival/educational activity alone.

While the Obesity and Sexual Health nights were interesting and company-filled with Gretchen & Kizzo, I must say I found the nutrition one to be particularly interesting/moving/thought provoking/educational.  It opened with a film created by a MPH student focusing on the food schools, particularly schools local to the Twin Cities.  I was struck by the stark difference between the Mpls school with no kitchen facilities and the Saint Paul school with not only a kitchen but a garden with fresh vegetables.  The Mpls school relied soley on reheating food - mostly pizza - while the Saint Paul school food looked practically gormet -although being it is still school lunch one can only guess how it actually tastes.    

The main portion of the evening centered around a documentary called Food Fight by Chris Taylor.  If you can get your hands on this film I highly recommend watching it for yourself.  It is an indepth look at the evolution of food over the last 60 years including the politics, mass-industrialization of food, and the true food revolution that has been taking place for many years.  

I found the film itself and the panel discussion following to be empowering.    It got me excited to hit up the farmer's market more often and try to buy more items - especially local items - at the co-op rather than the big box stores.  I've also decided to pick up Michale Pollan's In Defense of Food and further explore the food choices I make.

I want to write more about this, but am on a time crunch, so here are some resources mentioned in the film that I have been meaning to look into more:

Growing Power - started by Will Allen 
Edible School Yard - Chez Panisse Foundation
Edible School Yard - New Orleans
The Lunch Box - Resources for schools (a new face to the web site will be released in June)

To be continued... 

*MPH is not a speed limit sign, rather a Master's in Public Health.