These are a few of my favorite things

Movie Memory

So I stole the title from the Sound of Music. Remember the days before cable, when this came on during the holidays? I still watch it when it comes on... I love Julie Andrews. Oh the age of innoncence .

Anyhoo, Ironbabe Jane tagged me to list the Five things about me. Like a dumb blond, at first i didn't know what she meant by tagging me. Then I figured it out. So here it goes (PG-13 version of course!)

Exclusive Admissions

1) I am an obsessive cleaner. And here's some evidence to prove it.

Even though I have a weekly lawn guy come to my home, the pine needles on my roof were bugging the crap out of me. Then I noticed gunk in my gutters. Then I blew them out. Who does this??

I saw a spot on my breakfast table and scrubbed it until it disappeared. OCD.

2) I sometimes pee in the shower. Too much information, but true.

3) I am generous with friends, but way cheap when it comes to me. I have been known to shop at either Buffalo Exchange (a resale shop) or Target for kids. Yes, I wear kids clothes. It's the only stuff that fits these days.

4) I sometimes act on impulse, like the time I decided within two days and bought a $750 airline ticket to see my parents because I missed them. And because I love a good deal, I gave up my seat and volunteered to take the next flight to get a $450 voucher. I'm convinced God gave me a break!

5) I am constantly 10-15 minutes late to everything, and that includes work, even when I am NOT pressed for time. I dawdle around the house. Or when I am in a rush, I bolt out the door like a hurricane. That's how my girlfriend Jessica so aptly describes me. She's right.

'Nuff said

Cheers and happy training!

"People grow through experience if they meet life honestly and courageously. This is how character is built. "

Eleanor Roosevelt

A "Tale's" End to 2007

Winding down December

Once again we are in the waning days of 2007, and I find myself perhaps in the best place in my life, never happier, never more optimistic.

Much like Trigreyhound's remarkable year (go read it, it will inspire you), 2007 has been a whirlwind journey. I forged intimate bonds, fulfilled a goal that seemed impossible and made an incredible life change thanks to courage and inspiration.

When 2007 started, I joked to a friend that this would be the year of me. I didn't mean that in an egocentric or arrogant way, I just promised myself this would be my turnaround year.

2005 and 2006 were personally challenging years for me in many ways, so I vowed a fresh start.

Family and Friends

God blessed me with many new and old friends this year. If home is where the heart is, there was a lot of heart at mine. Home became the tri commune. The door was always open. You never knew who would stop in and say hi. But they were always welcome.

And I inherited a family. How we laughed..and cried...and shared in the sauce, and just plain hung out. A bunch of 20 and 30 something singles, with a love of fitness and triathlons, good and decent people, who found each other. How rare and how special.

Acting on an Ironman

If you asked me three years ago if I would ever do an Ironman, much less know what one was, I probably would have replied... "huh?"

What a journey, shared by someone who became my best friend and sister soulmate Kelly, with whom I have an unbreakable girlfriend connection like no other. It was Kelly who had the impulsive idea on September 2006 and said "hey, let's sign up for the 2007 wisconsin ironman."

One year later, there was no turning back.

How great it felt.

And how it empowered me for the next major life change. And that's my....

Career coming to an end

I'm only a few weeks away from the end of a 15 year television news career. It seems like yesterday I was a young pup hoping to break it into this business. It was everything and more than I imagined.

I report during the week, but i anchor the Saturday morning news. This show is my baby, and the my cohorts have become my family as well. Let's hope I don't tear up when I sign off on december 29th.

How the Ironman plays into this has to simply do with courage. I know it takes guts. I know it's ballsy. But I know I'll be okay.

Fear is not a word that exists in my world, or at least it RARELY rears its head into my world.

Fortuitous Find

I am convinced serendipity played a role in this one. On November 1st, something happened that has again changed my life. And that is, I met He who shall not be named.

HWSNBN is Rob Todd, a friend for many years. A friend who has now become my best friend and more.

What a way to culminate my year.

Life is hills and valleys, and I know there will be valleys ahead. But I'm on my hill, and I'm going to embrace it.

My oh my. It doesn't get any better than 2007.

I chose to live this year, and I chose to follow my dreams. And I choose to keep doing that. I hope you do too.

To friends, family, relationships, experiences happiness and love.

Cheers and happy training!

"There's only one corner of the universe you can be certain of improving, and that's your own self."

Aldous Huxley

Boring Banter

Chew on this

Firstly, if you are not into reading about NOTHING, then I suggest STOPPING now...

The following post is completely trivial, and it's just my wired head putting inane thoughts down in writing. No patronizing needed. Stop now. I warn you. It's boring stuff

I have had so many random observations this week on life and just stuff, but my hurricane-like lifestyle never managed to sit down and write about them until yesterday.

Truth be told, I am just plain unorganized and live my life in controlled chaos. Lists help, but lately it seems little gets crossed out. But I have a good excuse. Sometimes I am so busy at work i don't have time to eat. yum...raw ramen noodles... try it sometimes. it's crunchy

Social Scenery

I noticed my calendar for the month of December and like many of us, the holiday parties seem to never end. Not that I mind getting dolled up and having fun, but I need a little down time and haven't given myself any lately. But mmmm... I am having fun.

Then again, I'll have plenty of downtime once January rolls around and I am unemployed and be who I really want to be, and that's a gypsy hippie chick ready to jetset the world. I can't wait to stop juggling and play. I vote play.

From fit to fun?

Scrolling down prior blogs I noticed my life has morphed from hard core ironman training to normality. I've hardly ever talk about training. In fact, it's just social everyday stuff...

And no it's not normalcy... that's a coined FDR word post world war two...that "return to normalcy" slogan.

I feel ambivalent about this one. On one hand, I love sleeping in and just "working out". Conversely, without a training plan I have no real focus and feel a little lost.

Marathon training? Well....at least i run 3 times a week and have done one long 14 mile run. Does that count? probably not.

Swimming? mmm... not taking a master's swimming class like Trigreyhound or Kelly or Liam...I've been in the pool i think once in the last two weeks.

Biking? Brrrr. I'm a wimp when it comes to cold. In fact, my roomie Liam and I rolled out the other day, and I was covered with arm warmers, leg warmers, a headband, gloves and toe warmers. And it was probably 60 degrees. I have, however, gotten out the good ole bike trainer.

I miss my long rides though. But I do love to sleep in on Sundays.

Technology Torment

So the other day i'm at Best Buy.Not to shop, but to cover one of those perfunctory "What TV should I buy?" stories. Lucky me.

All my years of scribbling on a reporter's notepad put me way behind the eight ball when it comes to keeping up with technology. I always feel so intimidated walking around. Camcorders, tv's, memory cards..agghh... what is all this???

You may think because I blog I know all the ins and outs of techonology. Not the case. This is all a work in progress.

Speaking of work in progress.... I hope you enjoy my slide show. I love pictures. They are memories of good times. I'm a major sentimentalist if you haven't already noticed.

AND... since the training season is on break, I thought this rainbow photo compliments my new music.

I love the Brother IZ song. I hope you do too!

Cheers and happy training!

"Happiness does not lie in happiness, but in the achievement of it."

Fyodor Dostoevsky

Rallying meets Racism

Can't we all get along?

Remember those words? The LA riots? Rodney King, beaten by police officers, caught on camera? I typically don't blog about my work. But in the waning weeks of the end of my television news career, I witnessed and covered an unusual and perhaps disturbing rally.

In the middle of this photo is Quannel X, a controversial black activist....controversial for his often public outcries of racial injustice. Some question his motive..others accuse him of being a demagogue...while others say he effects change in the black commmunity and exposes racism and oppression.

Here, Quannel and his entourage were marching to the Pasadena suburban home of Joe Horn, a man who recenty shot and killed two burglars who were walking out of his next door neighbor's home.

Not that it matters, but the next door neighbors are Vietnamese who have stayed out of this heated debate over whether Horn had the right to shoot to protect their property.

Quannel's planned protest was met by Joe Horn supporters, some of whom are neighors, and many of whom showed up through a biker's club. Their claim? Horn has the right to protect property (though keep in mind this was his neighbor's home)

Signs of the Times?

This group came armed with signs with all sorts of messages...

Ready to Rally

Things got out of hand. I mean really out of hand. It was nothing short of a melee. Quannel and his people walked no more than a block before being stopped short of Horn's home. They left, only to return with more of his people, and the pushing and shoving began.

Protecting the Public

Finally riot police (yes, riot police in a suburban neighborhood!) showed up to contain the crowd and ensure safety. Yours truly was squished in the middle of all this, next to Quannel. I couldn't help but think "if someone shoots, I may very well be the one"...

Thankfully, I'm alive to recount this

You know it's serious business when riot police arrive. But perhaps more telling about this story were the many racist rants heard. "n-g**er go home!" "Go home to the ghetto!" "Martin Luther King is nothing but a communist!" It was hardly believable. This was supposed to a rally to protest the shootings of two burglars, and a counter rally to support the right to bear arms. Instead racism reared its ugly head. This is a story that has stayed on mind for the last few days. Perhaps because I too have been the brunt of racism. And as evidenced here, racism is transparent. Sunday is supposed to be a day of rest. It's not supposed to be a day of unrest. "But suppose God is black? What if we go to Heaven and we, all our lives, have treated the Negro as an inferior, and God is there, and we look up and He is not white? What then is our response?" Robert F. Kennedy

PinkGurugal's Gracious Gift

Flower Flutters

Thank GOD it's another day. Sorry about that poor me blog from yesterday. I had a meltdown. And thanks to my fellow bloggers for those funny comments. It actually cheered me up.

Then today these came to my station.

"He who shall not be named" sent these unbelievably gorgeous roses.

And the card couldn't be more touching. Like a giggly girl, I have to share.

Privacy made Public

So I showed up to the station this afternoon, tried to rice paper walk my way to my desk, which incidentally is at the OTHER END of the newsroom.

Of course, I strolled in during our weekly open newsroom meeting.

Then the unexpected and embarrassing happened.

My boss: "Hey Chau, come on in. Ladies and gentlemen.... Chau Nguyen!"

Newsroom colleagues (about 50 of them): Clapping...

Me: "Hi??" (I start walking fast)

My boss: "Chau, we sent you flowers!"

Me: "Thanks Keith, just send me the bill."

I swear if I could blush, I would have. But I'm a brown Vietnamese girl, and we don't get so pink in the face.

I'm so lucky. Thank you HWSNBN. You know how to make a girl feel special!

Cheers and happy training!

"The way is not in the sky. The way is in the heart." Buddha

Blues blogging

A Pensive post I can't exactly pinpoint it, or maybe I don't really want to share it with the world, but I am in a melancholy mood today. Work was good...easy story. Colleagues are great...my favorite photographer worked with me. It was a beautiful day...blah blah blah... Every time the seasons change I get this way. And in part, it has to do with the fact that I have not seen Kelly in days, and I'm having Chelly withdrawels. Jane came over last night armed with a huge pot of gumbo. Thanks Jane. That was so yummy. But Kelly has not been around :( Maybe it's because it's just life, and in life, we have our moods. I often think about the ladies at Bonita House, a women's shelter for those who've hit rock bottom, whether through drugs or bad relationships. I've had the privilege of speaking and volunteering there on occasion. Their courage inspires me. I definitely feel a calling to help them. It's one of the career changes I am considering. There is nothing better than to see these women overcome adversity to start over. We all deserve that second chance. If you haven't had a chance to look at what they do, open the link. It's amazing. Now I may not feel their pain, but I think we all understand pain. I have a great life, a wonderful family, a great nitch of friends, not to mention a budding personal life. Still, I have the funk today and thought journaling would help. I'm not writing this to feel sorry for myself. I have much for which to be thankful. Just some thoughts. I'm having a drink with some work colleagues after work today. Then Kelly will come over. I'm so lucky I have girlfriends. This is Lisa. What a wonderful woman. Beautiful, successful, independent, kind, spiritual..the kind of girl you men would love to take home to mom. Aren't girlfriends the best? That's a bond unique to women. You men could never understand. I'm glad I'm a woman and not a man in these times. They are my rock, and I know they will be there when I need emotional support, and I too. I need to ride my bike. TriGreyHound, thanks for the offer to ride tonight, but I have yet to buy leg and toe warmers. It's on my increasingly growing "to do" list. My legs are sore from yesterday's run. I'm taking the night off. I need a martini. There I go again... my penchant for the sauce. Cheers (kind of) and happy training! "Inside myself is a place where I live all alone and that's where you renew your springs that never dry up. " Pearl Buck

Back to Biking, In rare running form

Indoor Agony It's official. Now that it's finally cold, I pulled out the bike trainer and started cycling. I hate cycling indoors, I miss heading to conroe for that quasi hilly 54 mile loop, but truth be told, I HATE the cold. And I need to buy toe warmers and leg warmers. On Saturday I cycled one hour and 15 minutes, then did my ab class on TV. It had been awhile since Pingurugal took pink for a spin. My only saving grace is the TV. I hardly ever watch TV, and the only shows I watch these days (on TIVO) are 60 minutes, Ugly Betty and the CBS Sundy Morning Show (an all time edifying favorite). Having said that, I began wondering why 1) My cable bill seems to be steadily rising every month (it's at $147!) 2) Why do I even bother with cable? Well, my only justification is that it's convenient. Probably not fiscally sensible. But choices are good when you have it. Making up for lost Marathon Training time Since I have hardly trained for the Houston Marathon, (okay I haven't trained AT ALL!) and it's seven weeks away, today I decided to get my butt out to the park and run 14 miles. Not that it was bad or hard, but I was sooooo bored, even with my Ipod. Not to mention there were cold breezes in the shade. Brrrr! One marathon year I didn't even train and ran my long run the week before the race. That was silly. So I figure I'll just do long runs coupled with short runs during the week until the race. I guess I've gotten bored with running. I still like the marathon, but one a year is more than enough for me. Triathlons are so much more fun. So many things go through my mind while running. From the mundane to the profound. Silly things like the clean laundry I still have to fold. And deeper things like reconciling fate over happenstance. Relationship Ruminations Can one be fated towards something or someone? Or is it just by mere coincidence? Einstein said "Coincidence is God's way of remaining anonymous." I resonate with that quote. I'm voting hope over happenstance....Serendipity... Kismet, and all the goodness that comes with Einstein's coined coincidence quote. I say go for God, whatever that means to you. I don't know why I'm rambling. Probably the delirium kicking in from that run. Or maybe my mind runs in circles about questions which I trust few can really emperically answer without that word we call faith. Anyhoo.... Cheers and happy training! "The happiness of a man in this life does not consist in the absence but in the mastery of his passions." -Alfred Lord Tennyson