Sweet Blog o' Mine

Reminder

 This image is etched into my body in ink for a reason.

Eleanor Roosevelt

As we're approaching Memorial Day weekend, I've been thinking back to 2000, when I bought my first bike (well, my first bike as an adult).  I decided that weekend that I was going to attempt to ride my bike from Boston to New York as part of the AIDS Ride.  Now, I may be a fancy-pants triathlete now, but on my first training ride, from 72nd Street and Riverside up over the George Washington Bridge and back (about 12 miles), I thought I might keel over.  Nevertheless, I went to spin classes during the week and training rides on each weekend.  In September, I completed the three day ride, and felt an enormous sense of pride and accomplishment. 

In the fundraising letter I sent out that year (the ride raised money to provide medical and other services to people with AIDS and HIV), I started off with a quote from Eleanor Roosevelt, "Do the thing you think you cannot do."  This quote continues to inspire me, to push me beyond my limits, and has led me to do all sorts of things I initially never thought I could.  Since that ride I have ridden a bike from Montreal to Portland Maine and from New York to Washington DC.  I have completed two triathlons and am on my way to a third.  I created a job that I aspired to for years.  I sang the national anthem in front of thousands of people (and didn't forget the words).  I put on two one-woman shows, I graduated from a top five law school.  I traveled by myself.  I became a self-defense instructor.  I became a food writer.  I am proud of these things.  And whenever I have doubts, I turn to Eleanor for inspiration.

Counting the Days

The trip is booked -- a week cycling in Bordeaux and the Dordogne.  I absolutely can't wait to escape.

Salve for the Soul

- long runs
- good conversation
- family
- friends
- having things on the calendar to look forward to
- a hot shower
- flowers
- sweat
- tears
- belly laughs
- hugs
- hearing the words "I love you."
- singing at the top of your lungs
- even more hugs

Delicious

Tasty dumplings in hot oil from White Bear -- part of the Queens dim sum extravaganza.  Thanks to all for coming!

in Bloom

And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom. --Anais Nin

Music for your Mood

I've been listening to a lot of music lately -- to soothe, to inspire, to heal, to calm, to let go, to strengthen.  I've even revisited this, which does many of those things all at once.  I still find that, for me, Elvis Costello is the best balm out there, and I'm looking forward to seeing him live on June 10th.

One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

This was not a stellar week, generally, and in particular, training-wise.  Sure, I ran, swam, and went to a spin class, but that's not enough anymore.  Time to double up on workouts, throw in a brick or two (I did run for 10 minutes after spin, so I suppose that counts), and step up.  Something to focus on, if nothing else.

Behind the Bar

My first in a series of regular posts over at the Savory Cities blog. 

For all the Twitter Doubters

Twitter actually does have a place in the real world and serves a purpose beyond the screen.  Thanks to Twitter, no only did I meet interesting new people at our Brown Liquor Tweet-up earlier this week, but I now have several new cocktail recipes, which were inspired by that night -- The Ward Eight and The Clover Club.  Twitter -- the gift that keeps on giving.