It's Not You ... It's Me

When I was a Senior in High School, nearing the end of the Alternative and Grunge era in music, a little band named Lit had the hit song "My Own Worst Enemy". It's a catchy tune. In fact, I'm humming it in my head now. Furthermore during the Rock Band craze I do believe it was an option. I recall this because Rock Band had the edited song version, which was impossible to follow with the edited lyrics when I knew the real lyrics. I digress.

As It Turns Out I Love Gibberish and Noise

The year 2002 was a pretty monumental year for me from beginning to end.

I began my year still recovering from my accident and going back to as normal of a life as I could. A life that was not like mine prior, a life that would never be the same. A life that would continue to change for me.

2002 marked my first surgery after my accident; some left knee interior clean up. 

2002 marked my second surgery after my accident, a torn right ACL. Both surgeries would lead to 7 others following them respectively.

2002 marked the year new suite mates moved in at college and despite one of their moms thinking my sister was me and urging her daughter to be friends with my sister rather than me (her suite mate) … life long friendships formed.

2002 marked a year where I met a guy through a mutual friend and we shortly thereafter began to date for several years. It wasn't meant to be.

2002 marked the year I had my left tragus pierced and aside from changing the ball on the hoop and taking the hoop out to occasionally clean it, it's been the same piece of jewelry since the day it was pierced. I often forget I even have it.

2002 marked the year I was surprised. I was awed. I was speechless. I fell in love with a band, their music. I became obsessed and still am.

Sigur Rós.

Make Way ... Half Marathoner Here!

I mean, I'm sorta a big deal. I'm a Half Marathoner now. Just sayin'.

I could end my post right there. That be it. Done. But it's so much more. SO.MUCH.MORE.

Glowing In the Dark

In November of 2010 I was promoted within the company I worked with at the time and I transferred locations. I was going to an unknown location with unknown people. I also knew from mutual connections that my coming in wasn't entirely welcomed at first by those I'd be overseeing. I tried to go in with an open mind knowing I could do the job, knowing I was chosen for the job. What I didn't know at the time is the life long friendships I would be forming.

When I first Nicole, Coco, I stepped into our now former office and respectively introduced myself as well, her new boss. She welcomed me. She was nice. She was working, wearing her winter coat and scarf. I worried that the office I was embarking into was cold. Turns out, it was a cold office. I had to wait 4 days until I met my other coworker, Dan Pham; he doesn't get a nickname, to this day I still call him Dan Pham.

Trying to TRI for the Second Time

In January I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I had no idea if I could do it. Once I completed the 60-Minute Indoor Triathlon I was on a high for days. Some would probably even say I became 'hooked'. I wouldn't go that far, I mean, after all it was 60 minutes, then again I did register for my first Sprint Distance Triathlon shortly there after. So fine, you win, I was 'hooked'.

I'm not sure what weighed out more, the fact that I was able to do the Indoor Tri, or the fact that I DID the Indoor Tri, didn't finish last, and didn't hurt myself; not necessarily in that order. When it came time to register for a Spring Indoor Tri, I did so pretty early on and counted down the days.

Adding To My Resume

A resume is a way of selling yourself. Showing what you know. Telling yourself what you know. What you can do. What you have done.

It should go without saying, but I'll say it anyway, my resume isn't exactly a 'by the book' layout or look. In fact the past two jobs I've had, it has been noted by both my former employer, as well as my current employer, that my resume caught their attention. I'd like to believe it was my skill set and accomplishments that caught their attention, which ultimately it may have been those qualifications along with my stunning self; but in reality it was that my resume stands out. It has large green lettering and bullet points that aren't exactly bullet points, but rather symbols. It doesn't state the boring "I like to interact with my coworkers in a rewarding environment". Instead in the 'Interests' section it says I like to brew my own beer and know how things work.

The Scarecrow Wanted A Brain

A longstanding joke in my family (there's a lot, I was an embarrassing child who turned to an embarrassingly confident adult) involves The Wizard of Oz. After my first viewing I would run and hide every time the Wicked Witch made her first appearance because I didn't want her to take Toto. It took years for me to get over that fear. And then my mindset changed.

I fell in love with The Wizard of Oz. It's magical. It's whimsical. And while it's not timeless, it has span so many decades it nearly appears as if it it timeless. I could go 'all film geek' and talk about the Technicolor process used in The Wizard of Oz, but that's not what this is about. Although the process was quite historic and fascinating.

In The Wizard of Oz, the Scarecrow wanted a brain. A brain, the most complex organ in a vertebrate's body. A brain. A brain, something that many take for granted. I'm not saying in the sense of not thinking for yourself, or thinking illogically. In the sense of ... what if your brain didn't work? What if you didn't know how your brain would work? What if you don't know how to explain to others how your brain works?