Xmas, training and randomness

Okay so this is my second attempt to post this......blogger is a relatively easy site to use.....I guess that's relative to a user not screwing it up!
So in a moment of de juvu I will try to remember what I said last time starting with Xmas plans. Mum is flying over from NZ and her and I are going to Las Vegas for a week - this should be great fun. I managed to get a great deal, including flights and accommodation at the MGM Grand (right on the Strip for CSI followers), arriving Monday 21st and leaving on the 26th. As well as the varied and many "free" events I've booked us in to see Ka. For anyone that hasn't seen Cirque du Soleil in action it's a real must do - not only is the staging and costuming great but the athleticism of the performers is mindblowing. I've seen other shows including O (which is a water show) on a previous visit to Vegas and, way back when, under the bigtop in Auckland....although I can't remember the name of the show the standout in that one was a clown act, where I think for the first time I began to understand what clowing is actualy about. Going to other things of course (apart from play pokies, I'll let y'all know when we win), Hoover Dam, strip malls, maybe Grand Canyon (I've done that before, helicoptering to the bottom WOW, very cool). Other than that, randomness rules and we will see what the week brings.
I am off to an appointment to see about getting Lasik surgery so I can become a non-glasses wearing seeing eye person. I've been thinking about it for months and finally got my act together and made an appointment.
Mostly I've been training and now see my trainer three times a week....my new best friend, well that doesn't seem quite right given how hard he works me. Still I am loving it and the race is December 5, so not far away......gotta run faster......
Works quiet (which is both a blessing and a bore). Weathers changing, although it never gets really really cold here and it is lovely to have an autumn - I am sure Wellington only ever had summer and winter, okay maybe maybe a day or two of spring.

County Fair, adventuring and Untouchable Girls

Friday night Marcia, Michelle and I headed out to the Santa Cruz County Fair in Watsonville.  It was great fun and just what you would imagine, a very "All American" experience.  There was all the traditional rides, fair ground food and "competitions" for the largest squash, best apple pie and produce.  Arriving early evening we parked way way in back of the carpark and started walking only to have a tractor pulling a trailer (no hay bales sadly) pull up and ask us if we wanted a ride - sure we did, it was a fun way to start as we toured the carpark on the way to the fairground proper. They had a seal from the Monterey Aquarium there too and Marcia and Michelle each got a "kiss".  Personally I quite enjoyed watching the giant model train go around it's circuit....but then I would.  It was simple fun and we even did a couple of rides that had us all hysterically laughing, especially the one where we were hanging upside down for long periods of time.

Saturday I headed up to the city to go to a party with Dee.  We started in the Castro at a "tea dance".  I am not sure why they call it that, there is nothing "tea" like about it.  Eclectic crowd and all quite fun.  After that we headed out to the birthday party.  It was great fun, complete with mirror ball and lots and lots of dancing.  Met some nice folk and enjoyed myself.  Didn't get back to Santa Cruz until 2am so a little tired (I could have stayed in the city but waking up Sunday morning in my own bed seemed like a better option).  I drove us around SF and it still makes me giggle every time I remember that I really do live here and I am driving around San Francisco (does anyone remember The Streets of San Francisco?).

In a funny twist the roomie (Ruby) is at the Toronto Film Festival and was approached by organizers to interview the Topp Twins - she emailed Michelle and I and asked if she should....of course we both gave her a dozen reasons why, not to mention that we thought she would get a laugh out of it.  Now I see that their movie won best documentary - nice.

I'm still obsessively going to the gym and running.  I'm feeling fitter, losing weight and enjoying having a new goal.  I've set up a separate blog to track my progress.  It's only about running and training to run so not likely to be a "best seller" but a nice way for me to reflect back and chat about all things running (I'm even finding running buddies to talk to - although not run with, I like running alone and have no interest in pairing up, some people do but I prefer to go solo).

3 year anniversary and new obsessions

Well gee....I missed it! Sept 1 was my 3rd anniversary of being in the US.  I've always done something to "celebrate" and this year I just plain forgot.  I'll blame it on work, visitors and hmmm my own lack of attention.  

The last month flew by and was busy.  We survived our release remarkably well and, while I did do an all nighter, everything went in smoothly and we had limited issues to deal with - nice job. My team were fantastic.  We had a whole new set of tasks for this release and the team stepped up and did the job beautifully.  Q3 is a much bigger, more complicated release so this was a great practice run to see if our approach around the comms worked.  

Ruth and Karyn were here for four days which was grand - I didn't see alot of them (although they stayed at my house) but really enjoyed seeing them both when I could and felt very envious as they flew out for Barcelona.   

The gym is my new best friend.  I'm having a great time and feeling way fitter (even out running the streets and surprising myself with how good I feel - okay so I did have to battle through several weeks of aching muscles while my body adjusted).  I see my personal trainer twice a week and he keeps me honest!  I have signed on for a trail run in December, around the Marin Headlands just north of San Fran, which involves climbing to around 900ft (so 50% uphill) and includes spectacular views of the Golden Gate Bridge and the Bay area in general (of course that all assumes I am physically conscious enough to notice!).  It's only 10k (she's says lightly) although there are others doing 20, 40 and 50km runs (sure next time, not).  It's great to have a goal and I'm determined not to make a complete ass of myself.  The only other thing I've done that was comparable was Round the Mountain and then I was 19 and had the added incentive of an Army Sergeant reminding me it was my body and I controlled it!

It's Labour Weekend here so I have been enjoying some quite time - been out on the bike down to Moss Landing to check out the Antique Shops.  When I ride I like to have a destination so always decide where I'll go and then enjoy the journey in anticipation of the destination.

Beautiful sunny day here today too - going to walk downtime and check out bookshops...then off to the gym then....who knows, it's a day for unstructured adventures.