OH MY GOD

Our first training walk of the season was HARD. Only six miles -- usually nothing to us -- but by the time it was over we were dragging. A lot. Part of the issue could be that we decided to walk to REI and back, and while we were in REI we walked around the store at least nine hundred times, adding considerable mileage. Not to mention that we bought heavy stuff and had to carry it home.

But still.

Yesterday was the official launch of Tax Season in our household. (Translation: I installed the software but haven't dug up last year's return yet.)

Tomorrow is the official launch of Training Season. (Translation: we're going on our first training walk and signing up for the 3-Day.)

Naturally, that means that today is Freak Out Season.

We took a technique class at the gym last night.

First we had to do climbs one at a time while our instructor filled out an enormous scorecard assessing our strengths and weaknesses. Yikes. Then, before we could see the results, we had to fill out our own SELF-evaluations. Yikes again! It turned out fine, though -- he didn't write anything that either of us didn't expect -- in fact, we we harder on ourselves than he was. More importantly, he taught us a very cool 'drop knee' technique for dealing with overhangs. Very slick and climber-y, so now we can't wait to show off our new skills to our gym buddies.

(I'm a bit smug that my main climbing fault was that I use my upper body strength too much. I guess all those push-ups and pull-ups are starting to show. Heh.)

Tired and annoyed. Lots of both. Here's a recap of our lives as we move toward spring 2004:

Trying to adjust to Gabe's 12-hour insulin schedule, which is a bit harder than expected. Meanwhile, Tony is B-U-S-Y, particularly with the impending release of CSI 2. He's also travelling a lot -- Montreal, LA, Paris, New York. I'm also B-U-S-Y working on my next book, which I hope to complete before the last one hits the bookstores in May. I'm also working on my personal trainer certification, which is so unexpectedly difficult that I was literally in tears yesterday puzzling over things like 'If a person's CRF were only 8 METs, the value for %VO2max would be 2% VO2max higher compared with 10 METs.'

In short:

* For Your Own Safety, Please Don't Tease the Animals. *

We have a big weekend planned. Climbing this morning (of course), many chores this afternoon, and the monster truck show tonight. (Yes, this is our THIRD monster truck show and not really our scene, but we keep getting these awesome free 'press pass' tickets because Tony's group is doing the game. And, after all, Loud Is Fun.)

Then more stuff planned tomorrow, lots of it.

Nice to be so busy, but we've both already been so busy during the week that a weekend of Sleeping In and Watching TiVo would have been good, too.

Cable internet connection... choking and... choking and dying again... email server even worse... sos...

Okay, not everything is so simple.

"Although maintenance of spine extension ROM is important, ballistic back extension movements shod be avoided and back extension should not exceed the exerciser's normal lumbar lordosis. I-T band and piriformis tightness also can have a deleterious effect on the biomechanics of the iliofemoral joint."

That's the summary of the current few pages of my certification textbook. The summary. That means it's the simplified version of how those pages actually read.

Yargh.

Life is simple. Delivery is good. Pick-up is bad. Chocolate is good. Mystery noodles are bad. Climbing is good. Neck pain is bad. Hugging is good. Bickering is bad. New Land Rover is good. Old Tracker is bad. Final Fantasy online is good. Final Fantasy online 'hint book' is bad.

See? Simple.

I don't usually post links, but a friend was asking about this and I'm too lazy to deal with email right now:

We Like the Moon

(That's for you, Heather)

The vet actually had to give our cat a house call. Last time I brought Gabe in, he went so berserk that his blood sugar spiked and they couldn't get a decent glucose measurement. So this time the doctor brought all his equipment here, and we ambushed Gabe and got the blood before he could get worked up.

Still no good. 360.

So that means that Tony and I have to start doing the insulin shots twice a day instead of once, which would be no big deal except that the shots have to be twelve hours apart, with very little wiggle room. Think about it. How do you arrange to always be at home and awake at exactly twelve hour intervals? It's complicated, but we think we have it worked out. Sort of.

Gabe better start making himself useful around here. Killing spiders would be a good start. Ha ha.

Tony and Rhonda Went Up the Wall
To Fetch a Pail of Water
Tony Fell Down and Broke His Crown
And Rhonda Came Tumbling After

...just kidding! The new climbing was no problem at all. We passed our new belay tests, using the non-locking device, and there was absolutely no slamming into the wall, falling, or yanking off of anyone's feet.

And the birthday dinner was fun also. TWO birthday cakes. Tony was happy. :)

My, my, what a weekend.

Big climbing yesterday. We're trying to tackle those 5.11 walls (that's a fairly tough rating, for those who need translation) but not quite there yet. Tony strained a muscle and I just about twisted my hand off its wrist. Darn. So no 5.11 yesterday for either of us, but we're getting a second chance today. We're heading off to a different gym (I need to sample a lot of them for the book) and will have to use an entirely different, non auto-locking, belay device. Again, for those who need translation, this means that when Tony is climbing and I'm managing the rope, I'll have to work a LOT harder not to be jerked off my feet or slammed into the wall if he falls.

Should be exciting.

Afterward we're going to Tony's belated birthday dinner with some of his family. This should be fine, except that it often turns out that the 'birthday dinners' end up not being at all to celebrate the actual birthday person. It's really just an excuse for a get-together, which is also fine, except that Tony deserves some celebration. A LOT of celebration. The man is amazing.

I hate talking about public events here, but I just have to say it:

It was just a BOOB, people. It didn't bite anyone. All of this weeping and fainting over one and one half seconds of nipple during halftime just makes us all look ridiculous.

Remember how I said that Santa surely brought my publisher COAL for xmas?

Well, I think the Easter Bunny might be planning on some coal-shaped eggs this year as well.

Half the universe saw my book cover before me because the only way *I* ever saw it was by discovering it on Amazon. And I still wouldn't know my own publication date if SuperAgent hadn't called the warehouse and pretended to be a bookseller who was interested in a shipment. And more and more ignored emails. Etc. Coal, coal, coal. Grrr.

Internet connection ... sputtering ... last few ... days .... Comcast is ... inept ... sorry to all ... people I owe emails ... to ... email server not ... working either ... send supplies ... major withdrawl ...