I suck at this.

I'm disappointed in myself. I really wanted to start putting down my thoughts and keeping this blog up to date. But no. I think this is my fourth entry. Lame. I need to do better at this. I'm gonna try.

Yesterday I got sucked into a new fun website called "Pinterest". It's kinda like doing a blog in pictures. I love it. I can cruise around on the boards and see what cool things people have found, and I can pin them to my boards. It's a good reminder of where I've been, what I'm looking for, and what I like right this minute. It'll be interesting to see how it changes over time.

Today is my birthday. Sometimes birthdays have sucked in the past. But not today! My day started with a 2am text birthday message from the most important person in my life. Then many many more calls, texts, facebook posts and emails full of birthday messages! Awesome!! I've spent the day with my good friend Max, hanging out, eating, shopping, napping, talking about everything and anything. I'm lucky to have good friends. I'm getting rid of the bad friends in my life - who needs them?! Next up for today - dinner at Zia's with more pals, plus a fun night of bowling with a whole bunch of the gang!! Yay!

It's been a great year! Every year is getting better. More adventures on the horizon... =)

Besties!

Growing up, I had fun playing with my brothers: building forts, football in the cul-de-sac, climbing in the treehouse. But I realized there was always something missing - - I never had a sister. (Not that mom and dad had a choice in our genders!)

I feel lucky now, cuz I have some of the best girlfriends in the world - - they are there for me thru thick and thin. We laugh together and cry together. We gossip. We eat together and gain weight together. We diet together and lose weight together. We do crafty things together. We cross finish lines together. We read books together. We talk about politics, religion, sex - - all the "off limits" topics. We go thru dating drama, weddings, divorces, surgeries, births, and deaths together. We trust each other with secrets that we won't share with anyone else.

I don't have to name my besties, cuz they know who they are... Here's to you, girls - - you are more than just my besties... you are my sisters! :D

Losing It

One day in early January, I woke up and started losing weight. I dunno what was different that day, I just felt like doing it. I've lost 22 lbs. since January 6th. I'm not putting this out there to get recognition (cuz I'm probably not even gonna let anyone read this for a while). But I think it's interesting that I can count on one hand how many people have noticed and said something to me about it - 4 guys and 1 girl. I still have a lot to lose, but I know what I've lost is noticeable, so I think it's funny that certain people who for SURE have noticed, haven't mentioned it. Do they think I'd be offended if they said something? (I wouldn't!) Are they jealous cuz I've lost it faster than them, or I've lost more than them? (That's just silly, cuz I have a lot more to lose than they do!) Are they more secure in their own bodies when they're with me, because I make them look thinner?! Hmmmm.... I dunno.

But it sure means a lot when someone does say something - - don't get me wrong, I'm losing it for ME, no one else, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't care if people notice. It's not easy to lose (and so much easier to gain!), so it feels good when someone says something nice! =)

All the cool kids are doin' it...

Well, here it is. I've been meaning to do this for a long time - - kind of like I've wanted to write a book for a long time - - so maybe this will get me going, and maybe someday this blog will turn into a best-selling novel. Right? I've written a few travel blogs in the past, but most were from a part of my life I'd like to forget so I deleted them... but I'm including a link to my favorite, Gelato of the Day, which was written by my friend Kristin and I during our Italian adventure in late 2008. Good stuff (if I do say so myself) - go read it if you want a good laugh. So why "The Vertical Challenge"? A few reasons:

• I'm vertically challenged. Nuff said.
  


• I have a hill problem: (1) I've had 3 bad bike accidents on hills (both uphill and downhill) that resulted in broken bones, a bloody face, stitches, and some amazing bruises (see Gelato of the Day blog). But I still love a good downhill on my bike (although I haven't been on it in a while...). (2) A few years ago, I did the Nike Women's Half Marathon in San Francisco. The steep downhills really screwed up my knee - - getting an MRI is on my to-do list (no rush, cuz I'm pretty sure they'll wanna do something painful to me!). (3) Getting pinned under an ATV on a steep hill with gas pouring on me during my last Mexico trip really rubbed me the wrong way.

So you see, I have issues with "vertical" - both up and down. This won't stop me from future hilly adventures, but it definitely makes me think... :D