(43-353) Nicky's Turn

Tonight was Nicky's turn at the swim team (Semi) Championships.  I guess I really should call it the championships because that's what the league refers to it as; but then what do you call the final meet that only the top 8 swimmers and two alternates qualify for?  I've heard someone refer to that meet as the finals, so if we're going with that, then tonight Nicky swam in the championships.  That sounds confusing to me and I WAS there, so I'm sure that must have caused a re-read or six, but hey - what's the name of this blog?

So the way that it worked was each swimmer could choose three strokes to swim in.  Then all of the people in the league that chose to swim that stroke, were put into heats and lanes based on their best time in that stroke.  They didn't call the places out, because the city of Glendale was kind enough to run our meet and brought with them, their electronic timing machines.  In addition to the machines, there were two time keepers on every lane, and they had to press a plunger like device when the swimmer reached the wall, as well as record a time per a stop watch that each lane duo was provided with.  Go ahead, ask me, you know you want to .  Here I'll help, "how is it that you know so much about the electronic score keeping and what's involved"?  AND you know you know the answer to that one, so just go ahead and say it, "I know because the coach requested that my friend Kailene and I be timers in exchange for a parking pass, which precluded us from having to park in East Jabib; AND free cold water."   Sorry, I know I was telling you about the meet and got carried away by my FREE stuff.  So anyway, after each of the heats, the kids went to the awards table so that they could be presented with their appropriate medal.  Afterwards, all of the times from each heat of a particular stroke were calculated and the kids with the eight fastest times in each stroke, were the ones who had qualified for "the finals" on Saturday. 

With this knowledge in his pocket, Nicky was nervous about today's meet.  Both Luis and I reassured him that this wasn't a big deal and that he'd be fine. But he's his mother's son and he worried.  Nicky's first race was the 50 meter Freestyle, for which he came in 5th and was very dissatisfied.  Nicky came over to us and he looked like he was on the verge of tears.  I tried to comfort him, and tell him how proud we were of him, but he was still too frustrated with himself to hear it.  A while later Luis decided to take a walk over to where Nicky was, to try and get him to think positively and try his best.  He came in third for breaststroke, and although he did better, he still wanted to come in first.  I explained that he had done beautifully, and he'd come so far, that he should be thrilled with himself; and I think that he wanted to be, but he just couldn't.  Not too long thereafter, we found out that Nicky had qualified for "the finals" by coming in 6th overall.  And finally he cracked a smile.

Feeling good about himself, Nicky swam in his last race - the butterfly.  He was doing very, very well and came in third, but they disqualified him for doing a Breaststroke kick at some point during his race; and that sent him right back into depression mode.  I implored Nicky to focus on the positive, and what he'd achieved, as opposed to concentrating on the negative, and what "might have been."  But sadly it's not his nature to do that.

When all was said and done, Nicky had qualified to swim in the finals for the Breaststroke, and that is a big (yes) HUGE accomplishment.  I'm so proud of him!  And while I'm busy being proud, I would be remiss if I didn't mention that Kelsie actually qualified as an alternate for her age group Breaststroke.  Kelsie had come in fifth for the race, but she had the tenth best time in the league, which is why she's an alternate. 

I think that we've all learned some valuable lessons during the course of this swim team season, and I can't wait to see Nicky (and possibly Kelsie) swim in "the finals."  No matter how they do.
Till next time...
Queen of EVERYTHING

(43-312) Where The Ride Takes You...

Even though I am the Queen of INDECISION when it comes to trivial, insignificant things, (like what to have for dinner), when it comes to big life decisions, I can handle them without any hesitation whatsoever.  I'm pretty sure that I've acknowledged this a time or six before, but I just thought that I'd mention it again, in case you'd forgotten or by some chance were a new Rider. Anyway, I'm actually a little surprised at myself, because when it came to making the decision to blog every day plus one for a year, there were so many things that I didn't consider.  I apologize, because it's definitely likely that I've mentioned this before, but as I couldn't find evidence of where, in my archive; I'm just gonna forge ahead at the risk of being redundant.

I suppose that I can say that I thought that the end would justify the means and that no matter what I'd have to do to get the blog done every day, it would be worth it. And I can say that I do believe this is true; BUT, perhaps I should have considered the time commitment a little bit more before plunging right in. I might have thought of how I was going to have to fit writing "The Ride" into each and every day, regardless of if I had to be somewhere, was going to come home late, didn't feel well, didn't have anything important or interesting to share, etc. etc. etc. In the past 312 days, I've managed to write a blog while I was in Las Vegas, Laughlin, and California. I got up extra early, so I could write a post the day that I was going to Disneyland, I've written while at Michelle' M's for a couple of barbecues, from the lake, while at the drive-in, and even from my friend Mari's house during a scrapbooking crop. I've blogged while at the Dentist's office and the Orthodontist's and next weekend I'll have to find a way to blog and publish while I'm camping in Payson. Truly, these were obstacles that I hadn't considered; but I'm proud to say that  I've overcome.

I guess it's true, if something was easy, every one would do it. And at least I can say that I rose to the challenge. I honored my commitment and I am a better person (and hopefully, a better writer) because of it. I have learned a lot about myself, and about others. I've gained insight, perspective, and appreciation. I may never be a paid writer, but knowing that there are people who enjoy what I share, is payment enough.
As always, I thank you for the time that you take when joining me on "The Bumpy Ride." And I'm really looking forward to sharing my next 54 days with you.
Till next time...
Queen of EVERYTHING

(43-300) Homestretch

I can hardly believe that this is my 300th consecutive post of "The Bumpy Ride."  It just doesn't seem possible.  I think I've exhausted the whole SNL cheerleader / milestone bit; but I'm gonna give myself a good ole pat on the back for this one.

I remember struggling to get to post 266, and thinking, "I'll only have 100 to go from there, and I can do this"; but quite honestly, I really doubted myself.  And now 34 posts past that, and I only have 66 to go, so just like the little engine that could, I actually "think I can, I think I can!" 

300 posts; I'm in the homestretch and that feels like something to celebrate.  Since no celebration of mine would be complete without dancing, I'm gonna share my new favorite song "Price Tag", with the hope that you'll listen and get yer groove on with me... (Go ahead, play it now, and then you can finish reading.)

Now that you've caught your breath; in the interest of (say it with me), "The Greater Good", I have one more song to share.  It's not a dance song, but one that I heard at my kid's school talent show of all places.  I found the message to be poignant and I hope that you will too. Even if you've never listened to any of the other songs that I've posted in previous blogs, PLEASE take a listen to  "Who says" by Selena Gomez; and celebrate who YOU are.
Till next time...
Queen of EVERYTHING

(43-258) CRAFT Beach Retreat

Don't let the title fool you.  Even if you're not a crafty guy or girl, this post isn't ALL about the CRAFT Beach Retreat per se.  In a nutshell, it's also about courage, fortitude, vision, entrepreneurship, and friendship.  It's about my AMAZING friend, Rachel K.

I have written about Rachel K numerous times, since "The Bumpy Ride" began; as we've been friends for almost 20 years, she was in the delivery room with Luis and I when I gave birth to my oldest daughter, Lyndzi, (and she is one of Lyndzi's Godmother's.)  Rachel helped me plan and execute my 40th Birthday Scrapbooking Extravaganza Weekend and she invited me to work with her when she developed her business, Scrapbooking From The Inside Out.  It's been my pleasure to watch Rachel fulfill her dream with her Scrapbooking kit club and online community and now she is ready to take her business to a new level, by offering an exclusive experience which she is calling CRAFT Beach Retreat.  

CRAFT is an acronym for Creating Reflective Art For Transformation, and the very first retreat will be held in beautiful, Santa Monica, California on November 11-13, 2011.  I'm so excited that Rachel has asked me to be a part of her Retreat team, and surely I'll have more information to follow. If you're already interested, you can sign up on CRAFT Beach Retreat so that you'll be updated with information as we share it.

I can tell you that this event will be like no other of its kind, because Rachel is one of the most thoughtful and thorough women that I know; and she likes to give people experiences that are nothing short of perfection.  I make these claims as someone who has been blessed to be on the receiving end of Rachel's gracious, generosity countless times; and someone who has been cheerleading her vision since inception.

I am so very proud of Rachel and all that she's accomplished thus far, and I feel privileged to be working with her on CRAFT.  Rachel has taught me many valuable lessons through the course of our friendship, and she was instrumental in my decision to start "The Bumpy Ride."  Rachel is a shining example of what one can accomplish when they dare to pursue their dream; and she inspires me on a daily basis.

I look forward to telling you more about CRAFT in the future and I encourage you to follow Rachel's example and pursue your passion.
Till next time...
Queen of EVERYTHING

(43-163) 300!

So here's how my brain works; remember when Will Ferrell (as Craig) and Cheri Oteri (as Arianna,) did the Spartan cheerleader skits on Saturday night live?

Well, if you do, then you know that a typical cheer format would be something like: (Craig): "Who's that Spartan in my teepee?" (Arianna): "It's me, it's me" (Craig): "Who's that Spartan in my teepee?" (Arianna): "It's me, it's me." (Together): "Uh-huh, uh-huh. Uh-huh, uh-huh, uh-huh!" "Native Americans!" 

Now, if you've ever seen the skits that I'm referring to, right about now you should have yourself a good visual goin on; so hold that thought... And if you've NEVER seen it; then once again I sound like a loon, but please indulge me this one more time.
Now, with the cheerleaders in mind, it should make PERFECT sense, when in Spartan style I say: "Who's reached another milestone today?"  "It's me, it's me."  "Yah, who's reached another milestone today?"  "IT'S ME, IT'S ME!"  "Uh-huh, uh-huh. Uh-huh, uh-huh, uh-huh!" "300th post!"

WHEW, like giving birth sometimes I tell ya; but when I get an idea stuck in my head, I just gotta go with it; and that's exactly what I've been doing for 300 posts now.  300, that number seems so unreal to me; and yet I am hopeful that in just a few short months, it's a landmark that I will celebrate for a second time this year.  First now, for 300 total posts and then when I have completed another 137 posts and I submit #300 in the 43 series. Whoa, so many numbers my head is spinning.  I think it's probably best that I don't think in such big leaps, but simply continue celebrating the achievements as they occur.  I want to recognize my small victories, as I take baby steps toward this enormous goal.

In honor of my 300th post; NO, it won't be a list of 300 random things; or 300 anything for that matter; but instead only 3 things.  2 quotes and 1 song.  First for the quotes.  Yesterday, Michelle M, had this quote as her status on Facebook.  It's a quote from Aunt Frances, in the movie "Practical Magic;" and although I saw the film, I hadn't recalled the quote: "My darling girl, when are you going to understand that being normal is not necessarily a virtue? It rather denotes a lack of courage."  Just mull that over for a sec; cause I LOVE it; and I think it is VERY me.

The second quote, is by Mary Anne Radmacher; and it also happens to be about courage.  This quote is on a magnet, on my refrigerator; and I look at it EVERY day; and it inspires me. 
"Courage does not always roar.
Sometimes courage is the quiet voice
at the end of the day saying
'I will try again tomorrow'."

And with that, I give you one of my new favorite songs. A song that makes me want to get up and CELEBRATE!  It's Pink's "Raise Your Glass."  So CHEERS!
Till next time...
Queen of EVERYTHING

(43-128) A Little Scare

The past few days have been particularly cold for Phoenix; so on Tuesday night we nearly froze our butts off at soccer practice. OK, my Northeast friends and readers from colder regions; I can hear your grumblings now; and I can assure you that I know what COLD is; AND I know that no matter how cold it is in Phoenix, it's nothing compared to what you guys go through.  HOWEVER, you must consider that when we're used to 120 degree weather and the temperature drops in half; OR LOWER; that IS cold for us.  Just like you're used to having your summers in the 80's, but when the temperature drops to the 40's, you've got your winter gear on; right??

ANYWAY, Tuesday night I was curled up in my sweatshirt as far as I could get and I was dreading the thought of being on the soccer field by 730 Saturday morning; but then tonight, it was gorgeous.  It was chilly but not windy; and sitting at the field while Lyndzi practiced was not nearly as difficult as it was the other night.  I was having a great time chatting away with my friends; when all of a sudden we all heard a loud SMACK!  It was the sound of a soccer ball hitting Lyndzi right in the face.  I held my breath for a second and everything seemed to be moving in slow motion; and then Lyndzi let out a cry; and I went running.  YES, I said running!  I don't think my girlfriends had ever seen me move so fast, but when you think that your child is hurt, your adrenaline kicks in and nothing can stop you from getting to them as quickly as possible; even if you're Wii thinks that you're an obese 65 year old in a 43 year old body.  As I was running to her, Lyndzi immediately turned toward me and started moving in my direction.  I had feared that the ball had hit her nose; but in all actuality it was her cheek.  The ball had been VERY cold and the boy that had kicked it, had an extremely powerful foot; but Lyndzi was fine.  I'm sure that it stung quite a bit, given the cold and the impact; but I think she just had a little scare more than an injury.  I held her and assured her that she was fine and that everything was going to be OK.  The coach and another dad came over to make sure that she was alright and check her out; and then once again my tough little girl got right back out there and continued playing goalie for the rest of the drill.  When the going gets tough, Lyndzi gets going and she always does so with a smile on her face.

Once again I am so proud of Lyndzi's never say die attitude; her resilience and her dedication.  I think that in fact we BOTH had a little scare; and I am so thankful that Lyndzi wasn't injured tonight.  She just never ceases to amaze me; and I am in absolute awe of her. 
Till next time...
Queen of EVERYTHING

(43-89) A Lil Pick Me Up

Throughout the course of "The Bumpy Ride," I've stated MANY times; that I want to become a professional writer.  And when I wrote "The Rules," I said that I didn't want to write a book at this point in time; because it seemed like such an arduous task.  So I ask you; what the heck was I thinking when I committed to writing a daily blog?  Like THAT wasn't going to be rigorous?  Don't get me wrong, I totally remember the reasons that I wanted to challenge myself to write daily.  I imagined that it would be monumental to record my daily thoughts, since it could possibly be the last year of my life.  I presumed that it might be compelling reading and at the very least; a keepsake for my children.  But the truth of the matter is, that extraordinary things don't happen to me on a daily basis and I don't always have the most fascinating thoughts and opinions to share.  Which leads me to fear that I am occasionally boring my readers; and that the people who previously liked reading my blog when I only posted a couple of times a week or less; will tire of me; and stop reading at all.  Whew!!

At 89 days in; I'm questioning my ability to go on with this challenge.  I feel like I'm floundering, and I second guess myself on a regular basis.  (OK, not much new there.)  I know that I can't please all of the people all of the time; but that's never stopped me from trying before. Certainly the positive feedback helps; but sometimes I just wonder if I'm wasting me time.  OK, I'll admit it; I  have PMS (yes, I know TMI; but the facts are the facts baby.) 

Because I'm not a quitter; I'm going to try and keep on truckin.  I'm going to endeavor to find new and interesting things to write about; and keep plugging away; because even if no one reads it; I know that it's important for me to do so.  In the 89 days that I've been writing daily; I think I've made some terrific discoveries about myself; and I've tried as always to provide recommendations for the (say it with me;) "Greater Good;"  and that's exactly what I set out to do.  I suppose that all I can say is; on days when my post doesn't float your boat; PLEASE don't give up on me.  Give me another chance; and let me know you're out there; because this really is a big (say it with me,) "HUGE;" undertaking.  It was one thing for me to try and write a witty anecdote once a week; but trying to entertain, inform and inspire you on a daily basis; now that's a completely different animal. 

Although they may not all have been the best posts that I've ever written, I'm proud of the work that I've done thus far; and I know that I shouldn't be so hard on myself; but hey, that's what I do.  You know, it's kind of funny.  I had originally planned to write only a blurb, and then post some links for some of my fave pick me up tunes; since I was feelin a lil down in the dumps; about "TBR."  But now, after venting and writing as much as I have; I actually feel better.  The tunes don't even feel necessary anymore; but I don't want to be a tease.  SO, let's listen to a few;  I'll brush myself off, and start all over again tomorrow.
Till next time...
Queen of EVERYTHING
 
Don't Bring Me Down - Electric Light Orchestra
Don't Do Me Like That - Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
Heartbreak Beat - The Psychedelic Furs
Modern Love - David Bowie
Love Train - The O'Jays

Uncommon Kindness

As the year is coming to an end, I want to tell you a story of an unusual act of kindness. I like to think of myself as a kind person; as are most of the people that I know; and on occasion I will go out of my way for someone, even if it means my own inconvenience; but I recently experienced an act of kindness that went far beyond that of what's common and as I was astounded by this person's generosity of spirit, I feel compelled to tell this story.

I have been working for my employer for approximately 12 years and although they've never paid me what I deserve, they have been very flexible with my schedule and they've even allowed me to work from home for the past 2 1/2 years; so I suppose you can say that I am sacrificing my pay for their adaptability. People often ask me why I don't get a different job and the truth of the matter is that I WANT TO BE A WRITER and until I can find a job as a paid writer, it doesn't make much sense for me to take something on that is just going to be another " JOB." Additionally, the hours that I would be available to work away from home would be limited, so it would have to be a very well paying JOB and in this economy such a position is hard to find.

Now, like I said a couple of posts ago, I've been sparing you the current woe is me of my life as I am acutely aware that my present situation is not unusual; but as it is pertinent to this story; I'm going to share:
In August all of the employees at my company were advised that business had not been going well; and therefore, we were all going to have to take a pay cut. I can't disclose the percentage of the cut; but suffice it to say that it meant hardship for my family.
In September Luis was told that he and all of the other managers at his hotel were going to have to take 8 days off without pay by December 31st.
And in October I was told that I needed to reduce my hours from 40 to 32 per week, as the company was having cash flow problems. The person who broke the news to me said "We're making reservations; we're just not collecting enough money for them." Now as the person who collects the money, this statement certainly left me to wonder "If I'm the person who collects the money, how can we afford for me to work any less?" I asked a question to this affect but regardless of the logic the company had decided that all 3 women in the accounting department were going to cut their hours and a number of other people were laid off. Ok, now I'm sure that some of you are thinking, "If the company claims to be having a problem collecting money, why aren't they firing Paige, if she's the one who collects the money?" And the answer my friends is simple; I am the Queen of COLLECTIONS! Not to toot my own horn, but I am EXTREMELY good at what I do and my employers know it; BUT, one person cannot be expected to collect money from 65,000 hotels worldwide, single handedly and that is exactly what they have been having me do. I should have a staff of at least 4 people; but instead it's just me and considering that it's just me; I've made them A LOT of money; just not ALL of their money.

The news of my new schedule immediately sent me into panic mode. My poor husband had already been working 2 jobs to try to earn some extra money, but between August and November our pay had decreased significantly and the money that he made at the pharmacy couldn't make up for all that was being lost. Much to his credit Luis remained positive and reassured me that we'd be OK; so I've been doing my best to refrain from acting like a nervous wreck.
My present deal with my company is that 3 days a week I work from home and 1 day a week I go into the office. I was in the office on December 17 and I was talking to my friend, (who for the sake of this blog I will refer to as DM;) and I told him that I got the distinct feeling that no matter how much money the company made they would never give my hours back nor restore my previous pay rate; and it saddens me to say that DM agreed. DM has been on my side for years. In fact he is probably the only person at my company who realizes how hard I work and what my contribution to the company has been. I shared my fear with him, he said "Well, I'll tell ya; after they cut your hours, I was thinking of going to the other guys and suggesting that we all take a little more of a pay cut so that you wouldn't have to lose a day. I realized that none of them were going to be willing to do it, so I thought that I would let them cut my pay enough to get your day back; but then I realized that if I let them do so, they'd never give my money back. So then I thought I would go to them and ask how much it cost to pay you for a day and offer to write them a check each pay period so that you could get your day back; and then after you, if I could, I would do this person and that person." And I don't think that I have to tell you that I almost cried. I think my jaw must have dropped to my desk because I couldn't believe how selfless DM was and what I was hearing. I thanked him profusely for even considering such an act, and assured him that I could never let him do so. We talked about how ridiculous it was that he recognized my value to the company while its owners did not and how his compassion surpassed theirs. And although his offer will never come to fruition, it is the fact that he even considered it that is extraordinary to me.

So often through the history of this blog, I have told you that I am all about the GREATER GOOD and THIS is a shining example of a man who in so many ways was exemplifying the greater good. He wanted the greater good for my family, and for our company and he was willing to try and contribute towards the greater good at his own expense. UNCOMMONLY KIND, is all that I can say.

We certainly don't all have the means to take on the financial burden of someone else, but we ALL can make a difference in someones life in one way or another. Whether it is to give a friend 5 extra minutes of your time when you really don't have it; or by volunteering, or extending a friendly greeting to a stranger ~ just because; we can all be facilitators of the greater good.
As we approach this new year, 2010; I hope that life continues to get better for all of you, in every way. May you all experience good health, both physically and emotionally, may you grow rich emotionally, spiritually, creatively and financially and may you put your dreams in motion and make them your reality.

As always I thank you for taking the time to take this journey with me. I thank you for your support and your encouragement, your laughter and your tears.
Till next time...
Queen of EVERYTHING