Six Word Saturday - LoveWins Edition

nice day for a white wedding

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Want to play along? All that's necessary to participate is to describe your life (or something) in a phrase using just six words. For more information, try clicking here. Feel free to explain or not explain. Add an image, a video, a song, nothing. I love seeing what everyone does with their entries.

Each week (probably on Sunday or Monday), I use random.org to select a bunch of entries to visit.  Or I visit everyone. Or even numbered entries. Or odd numbered entries. Or multiples of three. Depends on what's going on that week.  In addition, please visit the person ahead of you on the list (or visit everyone if you like!). That way everyone receives at least one visit!

If you play along in your blog, please add a link to the Mr. Linky. I appreciate a link back (shiny code below if you like!). Otherwise, you're welcome to leave your six words in this post as a comment.

Please be sure to link either to your main page or (preferably) directly to the 6WS post. Links to blogs that do not contain a 6WS entry will be removed (sorry, just the button in the sidebar doesn't count as participating).

Six Word Saturday

need a final Christmas cheer boost

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Want to play along? All that's necessary to participate is to describe your life (or something) in a phrase using just six words. For more information, try clicking here. Feel free to explain or not explain. Add an image, a video, a song, nothing. I love seeing what everyone does with their entries.

Each week (probably on Sunday or Monday), I use random.org to select a bunch of entries to visit.  Or I visit everyone. Or even numbered entries. Or odd numbered entries. Or multiples of three. Depends on what's going on that week.  In addition, please visit the person ahead of you on the list (or visit everyone if you like!). That way everyone receives at least one visit!

If you play along in your blog, please add a link to the Mr. Linky. I appreciate a link back (shiny code below if you like!). Otherwise, you're welcome to leave your six words in this post as a comment.

Please be sure to link either to your main page or (preferably) directly to the 6WS post. Links to blogs that do not contain a 6WS entry will be removed (sorry, just the button in the sidebar doesn't count as participating).

<a href="http://www.showmyface.com/search/label/6WS"><img src="http://i395.photobucket.com/albums/pp35/showmyface/guts/6wsButton.jpg" ></a>

A few thoughts on Boston from the wife of a runner

The details emerging from Boston are still jumbled today. They continue to be a mix of horrifying, confusing, and sometimes incorrect. Like the photo of the little girl who was reportedly killed. Or the misreporting of the JFK library fire being connected. I’m glad sorting those details is up to someone else – and I hope they do an amazing job of reaching the proper conclusions, finding the responsible party, and keeping them from doing further harm.

But some things do stand out for me.

The main detail that caught my attention as I read the reports yesterday was this: “The explosions occurred approximately an hour after the first runners crossed the finish line.”

When you’re married to a runner, here’s what you learn from attending race after race after race – elite runners fly like the wind. They finish far ahead of the crowd. Indeed, the winner of the 2013 Boston Marathon finished in 2 hours and 10 minutes. The first female crossed shortly after (2 hours, 26 minutes). These are the people who run for a living. They do this competitively. Running IS their life.

And then there are the “regular” folks. The ones with day jobs. The ones who run as stress relief to survive those day jobs. They run a few miles several times a week or maybe even every day before or after work or on their lunch breaks. They do longer runs on the weekends. Don’t misunderstand me - they’re dedicated, serious runners to be able to run 26.2 miles. I certainly can’t do it. But these are regular people like you and me. Like my husband. A very common goal among this crowd is to finish a marathon in under 4 hours.

As I looked at photos of the finish line, post-explosion, the race clock displayed 4:09:44. At that time, a very steady stream of runners would've been coming through the crowded space. The timing of the explosions probably could not have been much worse.

The second detail sticking in my mind is a quote I read last night summarizing injuries. Apparently because of the nature and placement of the explosive device used, most damages sustained were low to the ground. There were a lot of amputated and severely injured lower limbs on that list.

My husband hasn't been able to run for the past six weeks due to a simple stress fracture. It’s healing well but he’s facing another four weeks without running. I’m not sure anything is more torturous to a runner than not being able to run. Permanent loss of a limb? I can’t imagine.

And the other details emerging from Boston and elsewhere since yesterday’s senseless incident are of another sort – the kind that actually give some feeling of hope. Stories of people helping, whether it’s medical assistance at the scene, offering local help in the form of a place to stay or a warm meal, strangers arranging donations for flight changes, or simple displays of support in the form of tweets or wearing race shirts today.

Those are the details I’m choosing to focus on.

Because I’m the wife of a runner. I've stood at the finish line. I've felt pride for my husband but I've also felt pride for complete strangers. I've also felt concern for other racers I don’t know as they've struggled over the finish line. I've cheered them on. I've cried for them. I've bonded with people I don’t know as we've waited for our racers and cheered for people none of us know. I've offered my phone and water and whatever other help I can in-person at the finish line and my heart is going out to those at the finish line in Boston yesterday.

The running community is tight. They won’t stand for this and they won’t be beaten by it. Joe’s in DC right now and even though he can’t run, he went for a walk on the Mall. There were a lot of runners out. There was a real atmosphere of respect and camaraderie. There were many around the Reflecting Pool. Reflecting. Praying. Talking. Angry. Sad. Hopeful.

I may only be the wife of a runner, but I’m glad to have a place in the community as a supporter. Sometimes it’s a fun role, sometimes it’s not. This is one of those times when it’s not a particularly happy time. But it’s also a time when I witness that spirit that keeps them going as individuals through each run, one foot in front of the other, and as a group, each person supporting the rest as they keep going to reach the finish line.

Holiday Greetings

With everything that's happened in the last month, I had to let go of a few ideas I had for making Christmas gifts and decorations. However, sending warm holiday greetings to my friends is always a priority and I made sure to mail out bunches of cards.

And of course, I had to uphold the tradition of creating a special greeting for my bloggy pals.





Whatever holiday you do or don't celebrate this time of year, I thank you all for the kindness you've shown me. Some of you wave in passing, others have become very dear friends. But I'm thankful for each of you and hope you all feel loved.

Diversity of Friends

This year hasn't been all sunshine and happiness for us (and for many others with much more serious issues). There has been job stress, my back pain, headaches, a frequently hospitalized father-in-law. I've shared bits here on the blog but I try to find humor when I write a post because I don't write to garner sympathy.

That's what Twitter is for! ;)

While technology has its drawbacks, I'm mostly grateful that it has made the world such a small place. I grew up in a sheltered out-of-touch environment where there was no diversity. The only non-Caucasian in our entire population was a Haitian girl adopted by one of the families in the church. I was taught that different was bad and we should avoid different at all costs. What a sad way to approach life!

And my Twitter pals are the best, partly because they are such a diverse bunch. Yesterday, for example, there was a fantastic discussion on the persecution of conservative Christians vs atheists. Friends from various backgrounds and beliefs talked about the issue with great respect for each other. It was the kind of conversation that benefits everyone by allowing for greater understanding.

I'm a better person for having access to such a diverse group of people. Among my group of friends are Christians, Buddhists, atheists, liberals, conservatives, singles, marrieds, polyamorists, students, professionals, mothers, fathers, artists, accountants, even a baby. They broaden how I see the world and how I relate to those around me. They give me a glimpse into their lives that are so different from my own and show me that we can connect based on commonalities and respect. They continually enrich my life with their amazing friendship.

This morning, I tweeted that my father-in-law is in the hospital yet again. Responses from my fabulous friends ranged from offers of prayer to positive thoughts to hugs to ears to listen to promises of distraction.

For a girl who suffers from anxiety and has a tough time making friends in-person, these friends are often my lifeline. And I thank them all for that.

P.S. #jazzhands

5 Reasons I Love Barcelona

Here's a really overdue post about our trip to Spain back in April. Rather than write 286 posts about why I loved Barcelona, I'm just going to do one nice list for you.

1. Diversity: I've never seen such a random bunch of people. Within five minutes of stepping onto La Rambla (a busy pedestrian mall full of tourists, locals, street entertainers and vendors), I had seen several families, a gay couple, a dude dressed up as a giant robot, and a woman wearing a tutu. I had also overheard at least seven different languages.

2. Plentiful wine: We saw a sign early on that said "Save water, drink wine" and laughed. Little did we know at the time that this was not a joke but a way of life. No matter what time of day, it is just assumed that you will be ordering at least one bottle of wine with your meal. Even better, the wines are affordable and delicious! Unlike the good ole USofA where restaurants mark up wine by 1834%, bottles of regional and local wines started around the equivalent of roughly $10. Yes, that's per BOTTLE, not glass. And they were amazing.

3. Jamón serrano and Chorizo: How did I go the first 30-some years of my life without making the acquaintance of these brilliant meats? Jamón serrano (mountain ham) is a dry-cured ham. It's served raw and in very thin slices. Think prosciutto but more delectable. And Spanish chorizo is a smoky lovely red sausage that gets most of its flavor and color from paprika. It comes in both hot and mild and is served both cold or cooked. My favorite way to eat chorizo? Who cares - just get it in my belly! The food in general was very good. Tapas-style (small plates meant to share) is an awesome way to eat!

4. Ed: 'Nuff said.

5. La Boqueria: Check this place out!. If you click to the map and then the shop map (they won't let me link directly there), you'll get a feel for just how huge this place is. It's what I think of as a Farmers' Market, but on crack (it's also beautiful). It dates all the way back to the 13th century and they sell fresh meats, fruits, veggies, sausages, eggs, seafood, candies, wine, cheeses... Anything delicious and local and fresh, they sell it at the market. It made me wish we weren't staying in a hotel because I wanted to take everything with me so I could cook it. (TMC - you would've LOVED this place!)

So there, just 5 of the reasons I love Barcelona. I could've made a list of 100 or more but then you'd all get bored. Plus, I probably lost most of you around #4 when you clicked back on the post about Ed and your drool short-circuited your keyboard so you couldn't return.

It's hard to pick a favorite city without adding a lot of qualifiers because we've been to some amazing places. Each one has its own unique charms and experiences. But the casual atmosphere, daunting architecture, and incredible foods definitely put Barcelona in a class of its own.

Pardon the Interruption

Please excuse this brief interruption in the "Blogging: How I'm Doing It Wrong" series. Mostly because I just didn't write anything last night.

Instead, I was taking care of other things. One of the many things making my life chaotic right now is that my mother is back in the hospital. For those of you unaware, her appendix burst early last week so they did emergency surgery to remove it and flush out infection. She went home on Thursday (I think) and was fine until Sunday night when she started feeling sick again. Dad took her back to the hospital Monday morning and the doctors confirmed a "pocket of infection" so they've been taking care of that and she should be going home again this morning.

Anyways, as a result, I was talking to my sister last night. Something that doesn't happen nearly as often as it ought to but it's one of those things I'm working on. At one point, Collin (my 2yo nephew) grabbed the phone to tell me his solution to world peace:

Hihihihihihihi! Ablahblahblahblahblah!!! Byebyebyebyebyebye!!!!!!!

Now, I just need to find an interpreter. Anyone out there able to translate toddler-ese?