Santa Monica

I'm somewhat tardy with this post, but I want to share my most recent vacation with Tracy. Briefly, Tracy and I celebrated the end of our long-distance relationship, the end of the school year, and her cousin's wedding with a visit to Santa Monica, CA. I really enjoyed catching up with Tracy's family, and the time with tc was so relaxing-- farmer's market, rollerblading, and earthquakes. Instead of describing it further, I'll just post a few pictures:

Ice Cream at the Huntley

Rollerblading at Venice Beach

Gena, Dave, Kerry, me, and Trace at the Rehearsal Dinner

Up Next.... Naomi and Louie's Wedding!

The Velo Rouge Cafe

The last few days, more than any ever, have illustrated just how ephemeral the events of our life really are. 

On Saturday, I graduated college. Before I even had time to contemplate on the event, it was over. It seems time was just always out of reach. No matter how hard I tried to grasp on to the moment of hugging my good friends for the last time, the force that moves the second hand perpetually forward ripped them from my arms. 

On Sunday, Athens and I split ways with a fitting goodbye. As I ran the streets around campus one last time, the sun refused to stay in the same place, and the pressure from my footprints on the pavement lifted with each swift step. 

On Tuesday, Leo and I reunited after three months apart, to the day. That moment had been played out in both our daydreams over and over. Although the actual moment was anything but anticlimactic - it too was fleeting. Those moments of pure joy, when nothing can touch you, move on to find their next benefactor; they leave only the outline of their presence in your memories. 

The Velo Rouge Cafe is on the corner of Arguello and McAllister, one block down from Golden Gate Park, and just down the hill from USF. It is "Bike to Work" day, and many happy employees and bikers are flying down the street, hollering and fraternizing. The woman at the counter knows someone from Americus, Georgia, and my oatmeal has gone cold. 

I know that trying to hold on to these moments is fruitless. The past few days have taught me well. In one sense, it doesn't really matter. In another, it really does. 

2009 Present Tense Awards

So, it is time to hand out imaginary and worthless (yet worthy) awards for some recent accomplishments.

Louie was recently promoted to Head Bike Tech at REI. This ascent in employment comes with a sweet top hat and cane--no wait-- I'm thinking of Head Pimp Tech. Lou does get a sweet raise, more ownership of the shop, and the opportunity to better his trade for a few weeks in Colorado. Lou's also competing in his third 70.3 (Half Ironman) this weekend. Good luck and props to Lou.

My dad is retiring! This means that Dad will no longer be educating/cursing at the youth. Now, we are all wondering if he will pursue the arborist gig, privately contract jobs, or set the world-record for most consecutive mornings for waking up at 430am... To be determined. Congrats Dad. I should also say good luck to Dad at Skills USA.

Naomi and Tracy got diplomas too. While driving by Auburn University with their windows down, someone threw two degrees in their car! Congrats to Naomi and Tracy. Okay okay, I'm kidding. In actuality, both received degrees from the University of Georgia. Naomi just finished her Master's degree (while training for two marathons and teaching a whole lotta high school kids). Tracy finished her Bachelor's of Science in Pyschology, Magna Cum Laude (latin for serious badass). It seems that neither of them are stopping and will be heading towards higher degrees! Well done Naomi and Tracy.

So congrats to all. Reward yourself with a Tiger Woods fist pump. Also, stay tuned as there will be additional awards later including: best airport reunion, Century Club inductees, and the last senator to remain republican.

Adventures in Yard-Saleing

Until yesterday, the most experience I had with putting on a yard sale was selling Kool-aid and fruit roll ups at our neighborhood sales in Oklahoma. 

Who knew they required so much...effort?!

First, you have to go through all of your stuff to find what you want to put in. If you are me, this means you pick up the item and  toss it in the "keep" pile until you realize that your "sell" pile has nothing in it. You then proceed to move everything to the "sell" pile. 

I had to develop a new motto: Don't think. If you think, you might reflect on how much you paid for the item, or how much sentimental value it has. That's dangerous: thinking is bad.

Next, you buy yard sale signs and post on craigslist. This is generally pretty easy, unless a few hours after you put up the signs, huge gusts of wind and rain blow them all down. 

If it is a yard sale, you have to wake up super early to put the stuff outside. If you are me, you like it to look all pretty and organized. This never lasts long, of course. 

Then comes the interesting part: the yard sale go-ers. This is a diverse lot of people; many are just looking for a good deal and you are only an obstacle to this goal.

If you are me (aka inexperienced and lazy) and opt for a "name your own price" policy, you will soon discover the gravity of your mistake. It is wise to have a friend around who is less of a pushover. If you feel weak in your stance on a price, you just give them the look and they do the mean work for you. Done. Phew, glad that was settled...

Last, if you have your yard sale in the spring, you run the risk of rain. It will probably come at a most inopportune time, such as during the middle of a crucial sale. Nature will thus have dictated your income that day.

Don't get me wrong. Yard sales are good learning experiences. A few friendly folks will elicit that warm neighborly bonding feeling, and of course, you can't neglect that nice fat bag of cash. 

Plus, it's eco-friendly!!! Reduce, reuse, recycle, my friends :) 

Quick Bike Update

It's two weeks until the end of a crazy semester. This weekend should have been 2.5 days of hitting the books. Instead, JR, Oliver, and I spent Saturday in the saddle. We had an amazing ride from SF up the Northern Peninsula and back down the Pacific Coast Highway. The views (and the climbs) were breathtaking. Today was rough academically, but yesterday was bliss. No regrets! In fact, we'll be back out next weekend.

Oh, and I bought the wheelset...

JR and Oliver at Mile 1

Stinson Beach

My crotch hurts, but otherwise it feels great to be back.

One year ago, I was preparing for my first half ironman. Class was an afterthought, and I was putting in serious miles in Athens and Winder, GA. It's hard for me to admit, but my first year of grad school has crippled my cycling. After the MS150 in September, I hit the road only twice. I'm unsure whether school got in the way or Louie's absence caused it, but regardless, I shouldn't make excuses.

However, that has all changed! For the past three weeks, I have tackled some of the Bay Area's best hills and views. I have been riding Mt. Diablo and Berkeley's Three Bears with two other guys, JR and Oliver. JR, a fellow PhD student in the school of education, and Oliver, a Microsoft man who works in the city and boasts a killer British accent, are both incredibly enjoyable people with intimidating athletic resumes. Our rides have been a thrilling reprieve from academia and a much-needed return to saddle. And I've never been more proud to sit awkwardly in class because my butt hurts from the weekend ride.

For better or for worse, this rekindled love has also stoked my spending bug. On deck, I am upgrading my wheelset!

Not to be out done, Tc, Mom, and Newt have been logging serious miles of their own lately. And Lou and Naomi are racing in Birmingham this weekend... So until later, here's to the joy of cycling!

J.R. and Oliver on Mt. Diablo

"Yeah, like, I don't know, like..."

My father always gets on to me for saying the word "like". Our conversations typically proceed as so:

Tracy: "Okay, so I was riding my bike to class, and, like, I passed this like animal-thing in the road? [Question mark serves to denote inflection] I stopped and this, like, guy came over and, like, started screaming"

Dad: "Stop saying like"

T: "UHHH. Fine. Okay. I. was. riding. my. bike. to. class. and. I. passed this. animal. A. guy. came. over. and....[giggle giggle giggle giggle]"

I preface my attempt at "blogging" with that anecdote because it goes without mentioning all the positive opportunities "blogging" gives those who write and read them (or so I hear). I thought I would add a *NEW* pro: NO MORE "LIKES"! 

Obviously, I can't guarantee any insightfully complex and beautifully flowing pieces of art. I can't even guarantee grammor free postsies.  

In just a few weeks, I will detox myself of many material possessions and transport over to San Francisco. I will finally be geographically nea

r to Leo, after a long long long time on opposite coasts. New school, new friends, new neighborhood, new markets, new weather, new...doorknobs. Who knows. 

However, I AM SO EXCITED!  I would not be so ready for this life change if it wasn't for the support of many people in my life - each has (and is) helping me grow, be strong, learn to love and forgive. There will be "good" and "bad" times in SF, no doubt. What great practice for all the life lessons I have conjured up, and what great opportunity to gain more! When it gets really, bad, I can always call Leo:

Tracy: "Leo, like, I'm having, like a hard time..."

Leo: "I'll be right over!"

Dad in Tracy's head: DON'T SAY LIKE!!