The last 3 hours of my birthday this weekend were some of the worst hours of any birthday.
Let’s rewind 24 hours, though. That’s way too negative of a statement for me to make. Every moment of my birthday up to that point was fantastic. I had the best 26th birthday I could have asked for.
The day started at midnight (obviously), inside a really unique bar in downtown Chicago. I was surrounded by friends, one (Megan) I’d known for 12 years, and two (my brother and Chris) all my life.
After some sleep, we were on the Megabus to Milwaukee by lunchtime, where we met up Chris’s family. It was great to see them, great to see his brother Alex’s new house, and good to be back in Wisconsin – even if I was only there 7 hours. We went up to see a Brewers game, and it was a fun game that ended in a Brewers victory. It was so nice to have the Stelsel and Vant Hoff brothers together and we shared many laughs, mostly at the stark differences between the people Chris and I have become. We still remain best friends though.
By 9:00 p.m., Chris, David and I were back on the Megabus, headed back to Chicago. That’s when it started. It was a double decker bus, and we headed to the back. Little did we know, it was the perfect storm at the back of what became my jail cell on wheels for the next three hours.
The trip started off fine, with me dozing off. But when I woke up, to the sound of a screaming child, I never made it back to dream land. Two seats back, two very young parents had a child who was absolutely screaming at the top of her lungs, on and off, for the entire trip. They did nothing to stop it, other than yelling at her to shut up a few times. They used awful language, said naïve things, and spoke like they were the only ones around.
I could not believe nobody said anything to them, until people on all sides of me started to join in on the idiot party. To my left, a girl got on her cell phone and let loose like she was in private, and behind me a woman got on her phone and started using motherf*#@er approximately every 10 words, like it was the only qualifier she knew. At one point, she said “if that B*#$ch doesn’t show up, I’m going to punch her in her motherf*#@ing throat.” IN THE THROAT?!?! That’s pretty violent.
By the time we got off the bus from our trip down the River Styx, I had 10 minutes left of my birthday. I lamented for 5 of those, and took the last 5 to soak in the beauty of the Chicago skyline on our walk back to Chris’s apartment.
You know what, though? On second thought, I bet my actual birth day was way worse than those three hours. I was removed from my home for the past 8 1/2 months, slapped on the butt, cut away from my food source, and exposed to lights for the first time ever. That had to be pretty rough!
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Monday, July 20, 2009
Family Matters
I did a lot of thinking about family this past weekend. A no, not about the Winslows... sorry for the misleading title.
For starters, I spent the weekend in the great state of Wisconsin with my family. I traveled up there with my brother, sister-in-law and fiancé for a high school friend’s wedding. Spending time with my parents in Wisconsin is always different than when they come to visit us in Indianapolis. I think this is mostly because my brother and I always have eight million things we want them to help us with once they are here. My dad is Mr. Handyman, and has the drive of the Energize bunny, so we have him working on house projects with us all weekend.
Besides that, though, it’s just different being home – being in the place where you grew up. There is a greater sense of family there. No matter how many years I’m removed from my life in Waupun, there will always be a certain feeling I find there that can’t be found anywhere else. I don’t wish I was still there, but I do like going back and being there from time to time.
Along with the trip came the challenge of seeing my grandmother, the matriarch of the family, ailing from severe back pain. To see a family member in state of pain is a hard pill to swallow. I know, and fully accept, that with age comes health issues but it’s not easy being face-to-face with it.
On Saturday morning I had breakfast with a different friend from high school. He was a close friend, but at least two years had elapsed since we had last seen each other. At breakfast I learned, from the size of his wife’s belly, that there was a bun in the oven. To think of anyone you were friends with in high school, unless they were unusually paternal in their high school years, is a funny thought. I, of course, remember all of the crazy and fun things we did together, but it also opened my eyes to the way life is changing in a hurry.
On Saturday evening the wedding was the seventh of eight weddings Laura and I will attend this summer. This was, again, a constant reminder of how much life is changing for us and all of our friends. With my own wedding only nine months away, the mid-20’s wedding train is moving full speed ahead. This wedding was unique though, and brought about some new thoughts. The bride has gone/will undergo some major life changes all in a short period of time. She met a guy from Germany at a work event in late 2007. Since then she has fallen in love, become engaged, lost her job, gotten married and will soon move to Germany and start a new job. Mind you, she does not even speak fluent German yet, although that will come in a hurry when she is immersed. She will leave all she knows, all her friends and family, behind to start a new family, a new life, in a new country. I cannot imagine dealing with all of that at once, but she seems genuinely happy and I’m happy for her.
I also read a book, “There Are No Children Here,” that follows a family growing up in a Chicago project in the late 80’s. The mother faces an impossible task, and the family is so very different that anything I can relate to. I guess that’s what kept my eyes glued to the pages. That book threw a range of emotions my way.
The underlying factor in all of this, family, is so critical to everyone’s lives. Even in the absence of it, family plays a huge role in people’s lives. I’m thankful for the family I’ve been blessed with, and hope to look at the branches of the family tree that have sprouted below me some day with a feeling of pride, and the knowledge that I have left a positive mark on the world.
For starters, I spent the weekend in the great state of Wisconsin with my family. I traveled up there with my brother, sister-in-law and fiancé for a high school friend’s wedding. Spending time with my parents in Wisconsin is always different than when they come to visit us in Indianapolis. I think this is mostly because my brother and I always have eight million things we want them to help us with once they are here. My dad is Mr. Handyman, and has the drive of the Energize bunny, so we have him working on house projects with us all weekend.
Besides that, though, it’s just different being home – being in the place where you grew up. There is a greater sense of family there. No matter how many years I’m removed from my life in Waupun, there will always be a certain feeling I find there that can’t be found anywhere else. I don’t wish I was still there, but I do like going back and being there from time to time.
Along with the trip came the challenge of seeing my grandmother, the matriarch of the family, ailing from severe back pain. To see a family member in state of pain is a hard pill to swallow. I know, and fully accept, that with age comes health issues but it’s not easy being face-to-face with it.
On Saturday morning I had breakfast with a different friend from high school. He was a close friend, but at least two years had elapsed since we had last seen each other. At breakfast I learned, from the size of his wife’s belly, that there was a bun in the oven. To think of anyone you were friends with in high school, unless they were unusually paternal in their high school years, is a funny thought. I, of course, remember all of the crazy and fun things we did together, but it also opened my eyes to the way life is changing in a hurry.
On Saturday evening the wedding was the seventh of eight weddings Laura and I will attend this summer. This was, again, a constant reminder of how much life is changing for us and all of our friends. With my own wedding only nine months away, the mid-20’s wedding train is moving full speed ahead. This wedding was unique though, and brought about some new thoughts. The bride has gone/will undergo some major life changes all in a short period of time. She met a guy from Germany at a work event in late 2007. Since then she has fallen in love, become engaged, lost her job, gotten married and will soon move to Germany and start a new job. Mind you, she does not even speak fluent German yet, although that will come in a hurry when she is immersed. She will leave all she knows, all her friends and family, behind to start a new family, a new life, in a new country. I cannot imagine dealing with all of that at once, but she seems genuinely happy and I’m happy for her.
I also read a book, “There Are No Children Here,” that follows a family growing up in a Chicago project in the late 80’s. The mother faces an impossible task, and the family is so very different that anything I can relate to. I guess that’s what kept my eyes glued to the pages. That book threw a range of emotions my way.
The underlying factor in all of this, family, is so critical to everyone’s lives. Even in the absence of it, family plays a huge role in people’s lives. I’m thankful for the family I’ve been blessed with, and hope to look at the branches of the family tree that have sprouted below me some day with a feeling of pride, and the knowledge that I have left a positive mark on the world.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
I Think I’ll Give This a Tri
Anyone who knows me, knows I love to try new adventures.
On Saturday, I’ll take on my latest and greatest adventure when I set out to complete my first Triathlon. I’ve been training for about four months, particularly on the biking and swimming as they are new to me, and in that time I’ve realized some things.
The first is that Triathlons are somewhat of a subculture in America. Everyone has heard of them, but not many people know much else other than you swim, bike and run. To be honest, I knew nothing about them before I suddenly decided to try one out.
The number one reaction I have gotten from people after telling them what I’m training for is amazement. The feelings after I tell them the distances, however, are mixed. I’m only doing the shortest of the four races you can take on. My distance, called a Sprint Tri, can vary a little based on the race organizer’s preference and mine consists of a 500 meter swim, 10 mile bike, and three mile run. My more fit friends become a little less impressed once they hear that, and others are still amazed.
While training for three different events is no joke, and the race does take more than an hour to complete, it certainly is not an unattainable goal or a major feat. It’s more of a primer, and actually quite a great marketing tool for USA Triathlon. By offering up a distance any beginner can train for, and feel comfortable with, is like handing out free samples at the grocery store. They’re trying to get you hooked on their product so you come back for more.
If the only distances were the top three, Olympic, Half Iron and Iron, I doubt they would generate near the interest. I, for one, would have thought twice about taking on an Olympic-length tri for my first attempt, whereas the Sprint distance was a no brainer. On a side note, anyone who completes an Iron Man Tri is a true champ in my book. Imagine running a full marathon after swimming 2.4 miles and biking 112. That makes me hurt just thinking about it!
The sport is also much younger than I thought. The first sanctioned swim/bike/run tri was held a mere 35 years ago in 1974 in California. That’s quite a bit younger than any other sport that comes to my mind. It’s certainly gaining traction quick, though. An internet search is evidence of how popular the sport has become.
While I certainly can’t vouch for other people’s reasons for giving Tri's a shot, I know what inspired me. I’ve become somewhat of an avid runner the past couple of years, and frequently compete in 5k’s, my favorite distance. I plan on doing at least one 10k this summer, but I was often feeling lazy or unimpressive when my friends would talk about completing mini’s or marathons. The problem is that distance of running has no appeal to me. My knees aren’t up for that kind of stress, and I just get bored after about mile five. Tri’s, on the other hand, offer me the opportunity to complete a more challenging race, but spread the time out on different events. I’m exciting about getting out of the water and getting on a bike, and then trying to get my tired legs to pump for the run portion. It’s a whole new challenge, and if I enjoy it I plan on going for an Olympic-distance race in August.
I wont even get into the insane rule book, or incredible amount of money you can spend on Tri gear in this post. I visited a store aptly called T3 (the transitions between events are called T1 and T2) and left having spent $0 and my with my head spinning. For this race I’m forgoing expensive, sport-specific gear until I’m sure I like it. On Saturday I’ll be wearing a knee-length Speedo, not Tri shorts, swim goggles from TJ Maxx, and riding a 1970’s road bike inherited from my dad.
For anyone who loves competition, challenging themselves, cardio workouts and the outdoors, I highly recommend giving Triathlons a look. As my friend who is an avid Triathlete told me, though, be prepared to have a 60-year-old man whiz past you on the bike or a young kid breeze by you on the run. You may feel like you’re in great shape, but there are always people better, sometimes in unexpected forms.
On Saturday, I’ll take on my latest and greatest adventure when I set out to complete my first Triathlon. I’ve been training for about four months, particularly on the biking and swimming as they are new to me, and in that time I’ve realized some things.
The first is that Triathlons are somewhat of a subculture in America. Everyone has heard of them, but not many people know much else other than you swim, bike and run. To be honest, I knew nothing about them before I suddenly decided to try one out.
The number one reaction I have gotten from people after telling them what I’m training for is amazement. The feelings after I tell them the distances, however, are mixed. I’m only doing the shortest of the four races you can take on. My distance, called a Sprint Tri, can vary a little based on the race organizer’s preference and mine consists of a 500 meter swim, 10 mile bike, and three mile run. My more fit friends become a little less impressed once they hear that, and others are still amazed.
While training for three different events is no joke, and the race does take more than an hour to complete, it certainly is not an unattainable goal or a major feat. It’s more of a primer, and actually quite a great marketing tool for USA Triathlon. By offering up a distance any beginner can train for, and feel comfortable with, is like handing out free samples at the grocery store. They’re trying to get you hooked on their product so you come back for more.
If the only distances were the top three, Olympic, Half Iron and Iron, I doubt they would generate near the interest. I, for one, would have thought twice about taking on an Olympic-length tri for my first attempt, whereas the Sprint distance was a no brainer. On a side note, anyone who completes an Iron Man Tri is a true champ in my book. Imagine running a full marathon after swimming 2.4 miles and biking 112. That makes me hurt just thinking about it!
The sport is also much younger than I thought. The first sanctioned swim/bike/run tri was held a mere 35 years ago in 1974 in California. That’s quite a bit younger than any other sport that comes to my mind. It’s certainly gaining traction quick, though. An internet search is evidence of how popular the sport has become.
While I certainly can’t vouch for other people’s reasons for giving Tri's a shot, I know what inspired me. I’ve become somewhat of an avid runner the past couple of years, and frequently compete in 5k’s, my favorite distance. I plan on doing at least one 10k this summer, but I was often feeling lazy or unimpressive when my friends would talk about completing mini’s or marathons. The problem is that distance of running has no appeal to me. My knees aren’t up for that kind of stress, and I just get bored after about mile five. Tri’s, on the other hand, offer me the opportunity to complete a more challenging race, but spread the time out on different events. I’m exciting about getting out of the water and getting on a bike, and then trying to get my tired legs to pump for the run portion. It’s a whole new challenge, and if I enjoy it I plan on going for an Olympic-distance race in August.
I wont even get into the insane rule book, or incredible amount of money you can spend on Tri gear in this post. I visited a store aptly called T3 (the transitions between events are called T1 and T2) and left having spent $0 and my with my head spinning. For this race I’m forgoing expensive, sport-specific gear until I’m sure I like it. On Saturday I’ll be wearing a knee-length Speedo, not Tri shorts, swim goggles from TJ Maxx, and riding a 1970’s road bike inherited from my dad.
For anyone who loves competition, challenging themselves, cardio workouts and the outdoors, I highly recommend giving Triathlons a look. As my friend who is an avid Triathlete told me, though, be prepared to have a 60-year-old man whiz past you on the bike or a young kid breeze by you on the run. You may feel like you’re in great shape, but there are always people better, sometimes in unexpected forms.
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