in a pickle

Last Christmas K got me the most amazing present - Country Wisdom & Know How, Everything You Need To Know To Live Off The Land. Seriously, people. It's a wonderful resource for EVERYTHING, including building chicken coops, gardening, home repair, and of course, canning.

At the farmer's market this weekend we got a ton of pickling cucumbers for CHEAP (hello, end of season abundance!) and here's what we did with them:

Materials
(6) 1 PINT mason jars. We always use Ball jars and get them from the local hardware store.
1 large pot (like you use to make spaghetti)

Ingredients
4 pounds cucumbers, 2-4 inches long
4-5 small jalepeños, sliced (optional)
1/2 onion, sliced
3 1/2 tablespoons pickling salt
1 1/2 tablespoons mustard seeds
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
3 cups water
3 cups white vinegar
6 bay leaves
6 cloves garlic
6 fresh dill heads
1 teaspoon DILL seed

First things first, clean your jars with soap and water, then rinse them off and put them in the oven (with lids, but make sure the lids aren't screwed on there, just set on top) at 200F for at least 20 minutes to sterilize them. Just leave them in there while you do the following:

Fill your large pot about halfway with water and start it boiling 'cos it'll take awhile.

Wash cucumbers and slice them into spears or discs.

Combine salt, mustard seeds, water, vinegar, onions, and peppercorns in a saucepan. Heat to boil.

Carefully remove your sterilized jars from the oven and in them put 1 bay leaf, 1 tsp celery seed, a piece of garlic clove, some jalepeños, and a piece of fresh dill.

Pack with cucumbers.

Using tongs, take the onions out of the boiling liquid and put it in your jars. Fill each jar with the hot liquid, leaving 1/4 inch headspace.

Seal the jars. Submerge in the water in the large pot for 10 minutes, and make sure all jars are covered with boiling water.

Remove the jars at once when the 10 minutes are up. At this point, you should be able to store them in the pantry but just to make sure nobody dies of botulism, we keep ours in the fridge. Let them hang out for about 2-3 weeks and then enjoy!

an amrazing adventure

so, we went to the Dallas Jason Mraz show last week for my mom's birthday and had a BLAST! Here are some highlights:

Kat getting some serious hoop-on back stage! Apparently they band & crew are really into hula hooping for its core-working workout. There were tons of hula hoops laying around, and Kat was all over 'em.

Jason & Carlos at rehearsal (from my phone)

Kat & uncle Carlos. Seeing as the show started at 9pm, we got to go to rehearsal so Kat could see Carlos play. She was a little more interested in hula hooping (when she and uncle C went off to look for them, she ran into Jason and was all "Where's the hula hoops?") and doing some improvisational dance while Carlos was warming up than the actual rehearsal, so I told her that in 10 years she's going to think that this was the COOLEST THING EVER.

Some guy ;) named Reggie on the big screen

Carlos on the big screen.

the guys at the "end" before the encore

My cousin is an incredible musician - everyone on that stage is, but hey, I'm partial to the Grooveline guys :) - and I'm fully aware of how blessed and lucky our family is to experience the cool stuff and amazing music that he's a part of. There's a lot of other stuff that happened at that concert that was totally surreal, and maybe I'll blog about it later, but I don't know yet. One of those times in your life where you feel something Creative tugging at your heart in the direction you should be going. Just not sure where exactly it's going to lead me.

And, if you're still reading and thinking to yourself "UGH Mraz is such a tool!" I encourage you to go see a live show. You might be surprised with the crazy amount of talent all the musicians on that stage have to offer you.

Grooveline Horns with Jason Mraz 09/09 from singmetheblues on Vimeo.

Something to think about.

Why is it that when I have anxiety about not being good enough to effect the people I'm going to go do therapy with almost to the point of wanting to fake an illness, those sessions end up being the most amazing?

Afterword.

So, what the heck am I up to now? Well, I took a week off from working out and just did some yoga, relaxed, got back into the groove of Life and then last week I started over on my Couch 2 5K plan because (you might want to sit down for this) I don't really have a specific goal ahead of me, I just want to make running a more regular part of my life.

I know. WTF.

I need to get the back tire of my bike looked at, will buy a new bike lock, and am going to reattach my rack & milk crate so I can make responsible grocery runs. Fitness is something that takes a mindset shift, and eating well is important, but so is getting out there and moving. I think I might also take a dance class. More importantly though, I've started conquering my unending abyss of unfinished craft projects that has very nearly culminated in a Longhorn Band t-shirt (between me and K we had like 30+) quilt that all I need to do is quilt and then I'll be done and will take photos for you all to enjoy. Then I've got loads of yarn to get through before I will allow myself to buy any more, and some baby presents that are like 2.5 years overdue.

So yeah, back to crafting and gardening and musically therapizing the masses :)

The Bike. And the (totally craptacular) Run.

Okay. So I've been lazybones and have taken a good like three weeks to post the whole thing about this triathlon. Thing is, people are still asking me about it, which means that I'm still verbally processing it without having really internally processing it so usually I wouldn't be ready to write about it but now it's hanging over my head because I've got a million other things to write about and I feel like I can't do that until I finish this.

Seriously y'all, I haven't even Emailed my supporters to shower them with love and kisses and gratitude and let them know that I BAWLED MY EYES OUT FOR THEM at the pain during the 6 mile run. But more on that later.

So. The bike course went up Cesar Chavez, UP Congress to Mary Street, down (then back up a false flat) to the Capitol (kind of awesome, wish I had my camera on me but Kyle was busy being my papparrazzo), then hang a right down CC, go around by the Town Lake hike & bike over by Austin High, UP THE HILL at Run Tex, then back over to CC. And around again. Three times.

The first time going up the Congress hill I was all YEAH! OLYMPIC TRI! and then, I fumbled my water bottle. To the ground. The only one I'd brought and strapped to my bike, which is of course the moment that the MOMENT I decided to only take one water bottle flashed into my brain and I hated life. So, I had 24.5 more miles to go and had no water. And no aid stations on the bike. I was honestly afraid to push it because I had the sinking feeling that I started out with less hydration than was necessary, so I just ambled along, getting passed by HUNDREDS of bikers. On the second pass of Congress I stopped and picked up my water bottle, very nearly taking out a couple elite bikers behind me (yeah, that was me getting LAPPED, not beating them) but I didn't so much care because I had my WATER! but of course by then it was too late. And I had already started my very long, very scathing list of things to think about the Sprint distance triathletes, see, because on the bike we had to do 3 loops of the track, whilst they did 2.

So demoralized and dehydrated, I started the run, which was really bad news to my legs, who were all YEAH! GOOD GAME! WAIT...WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?!?!?!. PLUS, every time I started even thinking about running, chills started rolling over my body in mid 90-degree heat, which I found out later was early signs of heat stress. Which leads to heat stroke. Um, yeah. Super suck.

The sprinters got to do one loop of the run course, and we had to do two, which I mostly walked, and by the second round, I'm pretty sure I was one of like 20 people left on the course. So there I am, shivering, feeling quite low, and TOTALLY doing the Ugly Cry because 1) holy crap my body hurt so much and whose idea was this ANYWAY?!?! Oh right. Mine. and 2) I really, really started missing my grandfather. These uncontrolled images of him were flooding my brain and I remembered everything about the 6 months between him being diagnosed with cancer and then dying. So, that sucked, but it was also kind of therapeutic because I have never cried about him like that. I realized just how much I miss him. I miss both my granddads. Some girls are daddy's girls, I was my granddads' girl through and through.

So anyway, the only thought that pulled me through all of that was the realization that all the pain I was inflicting on myself was my CHOICE. However, I was racing not for myself but for all the people who have gone through pain that they didn't want to choose. I ran for those who could not run, and somehow that made me own all of that pain that I had felt over the years and make finishing like I really had conquered something. The cancer that has taken my family from me and plagued my friends and mentors has broken my heart repeatedly, and I finally felt like I gave it the good punch in the face it deserved.

P.S. Happy Birthday Mom I love you! Cancer free for like, 26 years now :)

The Swim.

Really, the swim was the least eventful part of this race. I am entirely comfortable and confident in my swimming abilities, and managed to swim the mile in about 40 minutes, which is what my average was in the pool.

The lead-up to the swim though, hooo-boy. First off, we woke up around 5am, and Ian was there at Kate's door at about 5:07am, his knock freaking us all out because really, we thought he was going to show up at 5:45. Love you, Ian. Seeing as the transition area closed at 6:40am and I am a control freak, after unpacking and repacking all my stuff, we were out the door at 5:30am after a breakfast of coffee (have to get in the PRP if you know what I mean), scrambled eggs, and peanut butter and jelly with bananas. Yes we sang the "peanut butter jelly time!" song because we were, uh, delirious.

K was kind enough to drive us down to the race in the predawn hours and dropped us off. Again, things mostly uneventful. Ran into our college TBS sponsor, Jean, who was racing in her 20th triathlon. Amazing. I loved walking around and seeing the Livestrong jerseys...often times there would be no words, just big smiles and high-fives. The butterflies flopped and beat themselves to death in my stomach as we waited. Finally, it was time to go and we all hopped into the questionably clean waters, treaded water, and we were off. The only interesting things that happened during the swim was me getting COMPLETELY FREAKED OUT by the shallow rocks not once but twice and my lack of control over the radio in my head, which led to "I'm Yours" playing on repeat for 3/4 of the swim, though it is neither energizing nor has a good beat to swim to. Oh well.

(next: The Perilous Bike)

Before.

I was going to wait until I had all the pictures to upload before posting but I decided that since it's 11pm-ish and I cannot for the life of me get to sleep, I'll start writing about my Austin Triathlon experience.

Saturday K and I drove down to Austin, did the football game thing at the alumni center, then crashed pretty early. Sunday was a flurry of activity, what with first attending the tri expo at the Hyatt in the morning to which I didn't wear any workout clothes or spandex and therefore felt rather inadequate. I wish I had taken a picture. The number of fit, muscley, spandexed individuals in one room before 10am was almost too much. I picked up my race packet and threw my bike in the back of the car instead of turning it in because we were going to be late to District 9 which was at once intense, depressing, and fabulous. I finally got my bike turned in after lunch where I ran into Kate & Ian and got my bike lock cut off (yes, I lost the keys. Surprised?). Then, K and I hit Amy's Ice Cream and Waterloo Records, where I checked out the new Gomez and Paolo Nutini but didn't actually commit.

Sunday night was the dinner at the Lance Armstrong Foundation in East Austin and short of Lance himself showing up (he didn't :(), it was a really amazing time. I saw his yellow jerseys, marveled at the minimalist, green construction of the building, totally chowed on some delicious pasta & lasagna, and was moved to tears several times. The first was when the LAF folks played the Manifesto video. I was also sitting next to a woman who not only worked for the LAF but had survived cervical cancer THREE TIMES in her lifetime and was just so vibrant and wonderful to speak to. I was nearly in tears just because I was blessed by her being alive and having a nice conversation with me.

The speaker of the evening was an ex-Texas basketball player that has an amazing story and really brought things into perspective as to why I wanted to do this. My abuelo was heavy on my heart and mind this past weekend, because it's been about 10 years since he passed away from pancreatic cancer. He went to all my football games in high school and I found myself thinking that if he was still alive, he would've had a blast going to UT games. I would've bought him one of those classy Mexican burnt-orange button up T-shirts you can get at Co-op for his birthday and he would wear them to every game. He would've loved seeing Vince play, would have loved that the Spurs made it to the playoffs YET again. He would've loved. LOVED. Kyle, and vice versa.

I remember being in such shock when he died - at the same time my parents were getting a divorce and mom was still really sick, so after school when we would leave NB to go fret either at grandma's house or at a hospital, I would without fail pass out somewhere. Not like faint, but just be out like a light if I sat for a moment. Looking back, it really was shock, because I didn't cry at his funeral. I look back surprised I survived all of that. What I do remember is saying goodbye to him at the hospital for the last time, not thinking he could hear me, and the tears when he squeezed my hand. It's weird that he's been gone for almost 10 years.

Anyway, I think I made up for the crying this weekend. I'll put pictures up soon, I promise.

(next: the swim)

IT'SHEREIT'SHEREIT'SHEREIT'SHEREIT'SHERE!!!!

Seriously, ya'll I have been looking forward to this weekend for MONTHS AND MONTHS and not just because it's the Wallner's 4th anniversary of wedded bliss but also because it's Labor Day weekend and that means UT football kicks off at precisely 6pm and we're going to be IN AUSTIN for it (but not actually AT the game - $60 for face value tickets for Louisiana-Monroe? Please.) and most importantly the Austin Triathlon is on MONDAY!!! I follow L*nce Armstr*ng on Twitter and have the sneaking suspicion I'll be taking a picture with him this weekend at the Sunday night LiveSTRONG team dinner. I'll try to keep it together.

The question is, do I be that girl (grammar police, anyone?) and take my copy of It's Not About The Bike and get him to sign it or do I act cool?

Speaking of cool, I can't even explain to you the awesomeness that's lined up for the weekend. I'll take lots of pictures, watch for voluminous tweets.

The Cooler Side of Texas

Seriously y'all - I can almost hear my tomatoes shouting HALLELUJAH! Because we're having a cold snap here in North Texas! It hasn't gotten over 100 degrees in about a week and the mornings have been in the 60s.

ONE MORE WEEK!

It's been a strange week, what with doing a triathlon in NB last weekend and doing another one next weekend. I felt like I didn't have the days to take off to recover because I'd have to just get right back out there and seriously ramp up my miles. Hence, I jumped in the pool on Monday and did a 1700 meter workout because my body was just driving me crazy, all itching to get moving again. In the end I took Tuesday and Wednesday off because WOW was my rear end feeling the effects of those crazy hills in NB, but then ran 2 miles on Thursday, biked 20 miles on Friday, swam the 1500 meters on Saturday and this morning did a brick.

What's a brick you say? I can't remember if I've explained this yet but it's where you bike then run, and "bruike" and "bikrun" aren't words. Anyway, it was a special brick because I have a "team" down in Austin that is doing the olympic distance with me, Kate and Ian, and I got the idea from Kate because she mentioned that they would be doing the long brick and it was going to be FUN! so I volunteered to do my own long brick up here. It was nice because I train a lot for this stuff by myself, but this morning I wasn't so much by myself. I also ran into the Plano cycling club so for a little while I really wasn't by myself, but the little Plano peloton kept on moving and left me to my thoughts on the White Rock Trail.

The bike was mostly uneventful - I was pumped to get a bike in on my new triathlon shorts. The ones I purchased for the Danskin last year were a MEDIUM and, um, I don't know if you've met me but there is nothing medium about my lower body so I have NO IDEA what I was thinking. Wishful thinking that all these crazy workouts would earn me a medium. HA! No dice :) So, I went to the local bike mart and picked up some shorter, more appropriately sized ones and WOW have they made a difference. They're cooler and lighter than the last pair, feel awesome. The only drawbacks are that I'm going to need some extra chafe-proof gel around the thighs because the seams rub, and there's generally a squishy part in the part of the pants where one sits whilst biking and that is quite a bit lighter, but it's only 24 miles, and instead of looking like a stuffed sausage I actually look really cute.

Because cute matters when you're swimming half a mile, biking 24, and running 6.2.

The RUN though today, oh my goodness was it AWESOME. MAGICAL, even. I know. Who is the person who's writing this blog and what have you done with Christina?! Well, in the first mile things got crazy in the stomach cramp department, so I took a pit stop at my house after which upon running again I hit this little spot of zen. The only way I can describe it is that I felt sort of like I was above myself, watching me run. I observed the pain in my calves (yowza), the overall exhaustion, but my breathing was really, REALLY great and I knew that no matter what I could keep running and be just fine. This was a big deal because running during races is really glorified walking. In fact, at my first tri this summer I was "running" and getting PASSED by WALKERS. Then at the tri last week I would run for a set amount of time, then walk. I've determined that it's not going to be like that this race. I need to suck it up and run the darn thing, even if I'm getting passed by power walkers, and even if it is only "running." I want to become a better runner before doing another triathlon so I've decided to start over from total scratch on the Couch-to-5k program after this tri is over.

I realized something important. I've been blessed to have grown up in a town where open water swimming was so readily available and where I HAD to learn to swim really early and have had a love for it all my life because I know for many people the swim is the toughest part. It's the best part for me, and I also really love to bike, so I think that if there were two events that I struggled with I think I'd not have such great time doing these races. The running part for me puts everything into perspective though because I have the time to think, to pray for the people who are supporting me through their funds and encouraging words and who have all fought the good fight against cancer, and no matter what I'm going through during the training or the races, it's nothing compared to what people who have actually battled the disease themselves have dealt with.

So, there's a little more time left to reach my goal. Please donate here: http://www.livestrong.org/grassroots2009/christinaaustri09

I'll be sure and take lots of pictures next weekend - it's going to be so fun, a football game in Austin and then the triathlon AND the weather has FINALLY had a break in the heat. It's going to be awesome. Thank y'all so much for your support on this adventure and keep livin' strong :)

much love,
Christina

wart are you talking about?

note to self: don't get blister beetle juice applied to a plantar's wart on your feet a couple days before a race. It feels like burning. No, this isn't the first time I've had this treatment done, and yes, it goes away after a couple days but let me just say OUCH!

I'm really getting excited about this triathlon, especially because I can RIDE MY BIKE from the house I grew up in down to the start on Saturday morning. I also noticed on the list of signups that there are lots of people in their 40s and 50s who signed up which means a) I'm not going to come in last or b) I'm going to get hosed by a bunch of middle aged folks.

I'm pushing for a but won't be surprised by b.

My current dilemma is that my hubs has taken my camera on a manly hiking trip to Colorado and I'm trying to decide if I want to tweet/take pictures during the race. Thoughts?

Speaking of the hubs and his manly adventure, here's the map he sent me to assuage my fears about being out of contact for 4 days.

RAWR.

You know what? Screw the eye infection - I'm going to do the Wurst Tri this coming Sunday.

Check out the first 40 seconds of the video. Hill.

thoughts for the evening

“Spread love everywhere you go: First of all in your own house… let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God’s kindness; kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile. Kindness.”

Mother Teresa of Calcutta

Triathlon Update

So, I just realized that the Austin tri is in like, less than a month. I also would like to do the Wurst Tri Ever in NB, but I'm battling an eye infection and the day before, I'm scheduled back to see my beloved optometrist who now knows me by name. I would, however, like to get in one last sprint tri warmup before the big mamba jamba.

At camp I had two cancer-related things happen. First, one of my campers lost her mother to cancer, which she hardly spoke about. The next thing that happened was that a dear friend lost her mother to cancer. It seriously broke my heart when I heard because I know how much hope there had been for her to survive.

I have to admit that I've been slacking on training. I rolled my ankle in the garden a couple weeks ago and then did something stupid to my bike and I just a couple weeks ago got my ankle worked on and then last week went to camp and was in no way ready to wake up the required EARLY! to get out there on the road. This morning, though, I woke up with determination. I signed up for the Olympic Distance, which is a 1-mile swim, 24-mile bike ride, and a 10k run. It's due nearly entirely to peer pressure, and I'm really, really scared that I'm going to a) not finish or b) come in last. I figured that signing up for the longer distance would kick my bootie into gear. I was right.

This morning as I ran I thought and prayed a lot for my friend and her family, and thought a lot about strength and endurance both as they apply to racing a tri and to fighting cancer. I didn't come to any profound conclusions, just sent all the positive thoughts and strength I could muster and I recognized that the two were somehow connected. I'm glad that I can be doing something to feel empowered against the disease that's taken so much from me, my friends, and my family.

I have $625 more to raise, which is making me nervous, even though I know I have about two more months (ish) to get it together. I'm so blessed by the folks who've already donated and have sent along words of encouragement. Thanks for believing in me and in believing in the cause.

I'll be posting a lot more about the tri and training now that it's mere weeks (EEK!) away.

gardening in the shade

we've been amending soil and have now picked out plants - some of which we know where we want them. Others, not so much.  Here's some pics:

from left to right we've got cast iron plants, crimson azalea, another kind of azalea, two acubas, a hosta (R front) and gardenia

 

Here's cast iron again, then oxalis, and coleus all mixed up.

and because I love Martha, one little hydrangea and some sweet potato vines

and then in these last two you can see a baby elephant ear, mahonia, and callas.

any thoughts out there regarding garden design?

Reflections on Camp...

I miss it - all of it. Despite the triple-digit heat we had for six days, I miss:

singing blessings before every meal

braiding hair

making daisy chains

painting rocks

busting kitchen raids

swimming every day

"top secret" excursions to stargaze, and that whole adventure being a bust due to mosquitoes and some unidentifiable screeching animal 

sitting quietly while a camper pours her heart, her fears, her angry out, and finding something to do about it.

does a body good

Seriously, if there's one thing I'm looking forward to getting pregnant sometime in the future, it's the excuse to get a massage at least once a month. I have a dear friend Scott who is an absolute MIRACLE WORKER in the massage department. Here's his website. If you're in the DFW area or just planning to visit soon, you should schedule an appointment with him.

I rolled my ankle two weeks ago while working in the garden, which has put a big, sad, damper on my triathlon training. I scheduled a one-hour session with him this morning at 9am, and was greeted with this sign:

Definitely something I needed to take to heart today. When I was checking in with my therapist before the massage, I complained of my ankle and then said, "I don't know if this is relevant information, but I feel like I've been holding on to a whole lot of negativity lately." Instead of looking at me like I was cuckoo, he said, "That can certainly exacerbate the issue." 

See why I go to this guy?

Anyhow, throughout the session, I had to keep reminding myself to BREATHE and let everything GO and just enjoy the moment.

I walked out of there with an incredible lightness of being and sense of balance. I am a huge advocate of self-care, and tend to over-tell people to check in with themselves and treat themselves, even if it's just figuring out where your happy place is and trying to focus on that place for just a solid minute every so often throughout the day, maybe even say a prayer of gratitude or asking for help, without taking the time to do such things myself.
I'm going to try this next week, though, to do just that. I'm going to be off on Saturday morning for a week of summer grief camp and I know that self-care for me will be of utmost importance. I see it as a vessel of water - the more I pour out, the more that I have to be sure to fill myself up with, whether it be crochet or photography, playing music or working in the garden.

You don't have to be a therapist to need this stuff in your day though - like I said, that solid one minute of checking in with yourself can totally change your day. Give it a try and let me know how it goes. I'll do it too.

It Ain't Good

Last weekend I hung out with some friends in New Braunfels, tubing and just generally relaxing. I was pleased to find out that there was a Bob Schneider show going on at Whitewater, and I was thrilled at the prospect of spending a lovely Texas evening under the stars with good music.

The venue did not disappoint - the stage's backdrop is the Guadalupe river, the grounds are beautifully landscaped with native Texas plants, and we were quite literally tucked in between some hills. Another plus to the place was that their food was reasonably priced. I got two tasty vegetarian (rice, black beans, veggies, pico) tacos for $5, and the drink prices were pretty much standard for a music venue. 

Since I turned 25 I realized that I've seen more Bob shows in the form of his solo act or with The SCABS than I have of any other musician. The SCABS were my first Austin show - it was my 15th birthday (we lied and said I was 16 just so I could get in to the venue), I know all his songs, even worked for his PA for a little bit once upon a time when I wanted to be a music business maven, yet I can't say that I'm a big fan of his. There really used to be nothing like a live SCABS or Bob Schneider show. I remember when they would all dress up in marching band uniforms or their sharp black suits, and miscellaneous undergarments would get thrown on the stage, and every show was new, exciting, different. About 5 or so years ago, the shows became canned - everything the same, every time, with the variety being only in "It Ain't Good" (where members of the band can improvise) or his encore song (and even then only sometimes).

I appreciate his music and the lyrics and the scathing cleverness behind a lot of what he does, but this show...I don't know. Maybe because I was exhausted from a big day of being on the river, but I think lackluster is a good word to describe it. I found myself wishing that the last Bob show I went to at Lakeway last summer was the last show of his I'd ever seen, because it was amazing, lighthearted, and a heck of a party (plus, free!). Candace even said that she felt like everyone else was in on something that we were totally missing. There were so many things about the show that turned us off (from the T-shirts, the whole FAYM concept, and the first four really low-energy songs) I described it to her as a whole new generation of college kids who thinks the sun shines out of his behind, and we just happen to know better, or have grown up. We now know way too much about him and how he treats people to like him as a person, but still have to admit that his songs are quality. He is indeed a talented songwriter, and from what I hear, an inspiration to many in the singer/songwriter world. If you listen to Bob's ramblings on his website, you can tell - something is different. Things just ain't what they used be.

At any rate, after 11 years of enjoying his music live, though I will probably still use his songs in my lyric analysis for music therapy, I don't need to see him live ever again.

#sigh

today, the morning I get rid of my ACL 3 day pass, of which all are sold out, I found out that the company trip has been...

...wait for it.

r

e

s

c

h

e

d

l

e

d

*update: I had a long chat with my cousin last night, he helped put things into perspective. I'm disappointed that everything worked out like this, but it's just a music festival, and I trust God has his reasons. It was just a kick in the ribs after a really awful day. BUT, today is already better :)

oops, Monday? again?

So, in lieu of a made-up interview or one whereas I interview myself (and have time to make up startlingly witty answers), I've decided to take a gamble - how 'bout you guys ask me questions, and I'll answer them.  Feel free to ask more than one.

Ready go.

From Daina: What is your favorite instrument?

This is a really tough call. I love learning how to play new instruments and am blessed that I have a good ear and learn really quickly on any instrument.  I always say that piano is my first love in that I started playing when I was about 3, and therefore the range of expression on it is just mind-blowing. In fact, it's probably where my ear training and talent is based. The piano is at the center of why I decided to become a music therapist - I leaned on my piano (sometimes quite literally) when I was going through my mom's illness or my parents' divorce, all those things. My mom even said when I moved off to college she was most going to miss my 3am "recitals." I just love playing whatever instruments I can get my hands on. The trick is picking them up on a regular basis to get fluent with each.

From Daina: What is your favorite thing about music therapy?
This is really, really kind of tough for me to answer, but the first thought that came to mind is that music therapists work with all populations from mothers who are giving birth to hospice patients who wish to have the aid of music as they take their leave from life, and everything in between.

There's job security, especially when you work with the mental health populations.

Last week I was reminded of another favorite thing about music therapy - that the inherent things about music: the rhythm, the fun, its improvisational quality, are all things that change the lives of people every day. Where once there was an old lady sitting, screaming obscenities at someone, she is now playing drums, singing, reminiscing, dancing. Where once there was a child scared of everyone who came into their hospital room is now someone smiling, playing drums, creating songs.

I guess overall I'm just thankful that I get to use my favorite thing in the world to change peoples' lives, and that in turn changes and blesses me.

Yum, Drugs.

I've always been a proponent of remedying what ails my body in the most natural way possible. It was, after all, local honey that saved my poor bronchials from defeat several times while growing up in South Texas aka The Cedar Capital of the World (turns out I'm allergic to all things Juniper, something I learned during my senior Biology of Plants class in college). I even snuggle up close with my Neti-Pot when the weather turns to wheezing and general feelings of death-by-mucus.

However, I recently did some investigative work into my bloodwork history and discovered that my thyroid stimulating hormone levels have been teetering on the edge of screwy. "AHA!" I thought. I knew all the symptoms 'cos all the ladies in my family are plagued with various twists of thyroid tumult, including cancer and a fun little thing called Hashimoto's. In fact, at a bridal shower, I distinctly recall not only that the cake was super tasty but that every woman in my family sat around the table discussing what dosage of Synthroid they were on.  Kinda spooky.

So, I finally hauled my hair-falling-out, family-history-of-thyroid-issues, mildly depressed, foggy-brained, sleepy-from-the-time-I-wake-up-'til-I'm-asleep-again, can't-lose-weight-even-though-training/racing-triathlons-and-eating-really-healthy, to the doc, armed with bloodwork results and I'm glad to report that I've been on Synthroid for four days. You can say what you want about placebo effect, but oooh I feel the stormcloud lifting from my head. It started small, tiny rays of sunshine peeking through. It's almost overwhelming, the amount of energy I have throughout the day. I found myself wondering if they'd prescribed some kind of street-drug upper for me. Nope, just getting ye 'ole thyroid tweaked. I had even lost 5lbs as of this morning, and that's with some beers with dinner, ice cream from Sonic, and not working out as I twisted my ankle working in the garden last weekend.

Added bonus: the pills for the next two weeks are not only chewable but kinda citrusy. Nom.

Whew. I feel like I'm back, after who knows how long of not being so. Eesh. Good to be back.

Sweaty & Dirty in the Garden

I know, I know, it was 100+F this past weekend. However, the hubs had plans other than sitting around eating ice cream in the air conditioning. We quite literally worked outside all day, both days. Since resolving to get chickens, we've started a list of things we need to do, including getting a coop built, but also remedying the issue of the shady part of the garden where nothing ever grows. Here's what we did, in pictures: 

K is far more of a morning person than I am and when I woke up on Saturday morning, he'd gotten most of the trench for the brick wall dug out. I'm glad in our relationship we've got a good balance of detail oriented and, um, the complete opposite, especially during this project. I learned a lot about building garden walls, including the importance of paver base, and how incomplete our lives were without an 8x8 tamper. No end of jokes there, my favorite being Kyle's while resuming work: "You ready to get your tamp - on?"

We've got the brick part done (I'll take some more pictures tomorrow), and I've bought a tiller to break up the beautiful, sticky clay that plagues Richardson.

Next step: Soil amending!

Josh Rosenthal Interview

I recently had the super cool opportunity to interview a musician named Josh Rosenthal. He's the husband of my friend Becky,  who I met on a Campus Crusade summer project in Spain. If y'all know anything about me, you know that I'm a die-hard for live music and supporting up-and-coming musicians, so when Becky approached me about doing the interview I was so excited! She sent me three of his CDs and they spent a week in my car on repeat. What I found was a refreshing depth of character that made me think and some really good guitar playing. You can get his music on iTunes, and from his website. In fact, before reading the interview, you should go dip your toes in at his MySpace page.

So here you go, the very first Monday's Mellifluous Music interview:

What in the world made you want to become a musician in the first place?

I either wanted to be a doctor, pastor or musician.  Oddly enough I found the things I desired in medicine and ministry to come together as one in music.  I can write songs and use them as instruments of healing in the lives of the people I love.

I met Becky on a Campus Crusade trip to Spain when we were in college and next thing I heard, she was marrying you! I enjoyed the songs on your CDs that were obviously about your relationship because they were honest. What’s y’alls story?

We dated for three months before getting engaged.  But we knew of each other for years.  We went to junior high and high school together but never noticed.  She was the hot popular girl who drove a Jeep Wrangler and I was the punk kid who drove 1984 Mercury.  We didn’t really run in the same circles.  Once we were both home for the holidays.  It was love at 3,872^nd sight.  We don’t notice each other until exactly the right time and we got married within the year.

You’re right.  A lot of my songs start from Becky and me.  We’ve got a great marriage, but we work hard at it.  We want to use our mistakes to teach other people what to avoid if at all possible.

A family member once described his songwriting process as “someone turning a radio on in his head.” How does your songwriting process go?

It’s funny; it really has little to do with music.  My greatest inspiration comes from, but isn’t limited to, things like Grey’s Anatomy.  Its writers are geniuses.  Their story lines are so specific yet so universal.  That’s what I want to do with my songs.  If a circumstance in life strikes me and makes me feel a strong emotion, I try to capture it in a song.  If music didn’t move me the way it does, I’d be content in any profession that provides people cathartic outlets for healing.

On a scale of 1-100, how much do you like playing live shows? What’s your favorite and least favorite part?

100.  Some guys I know love the studio and play shows out of necessity.  I’m the opposite.  I’m intrigued by moments.  So far I’ve only been able to capture so much in the studio.  But at a concert you can create a moment with a song that moves people.  There is something special about a live show that allows for emotional moments. 

My least favorite part?  Setting up gear and tearing it down.

How do you think your style has evolved since you started recording? What have been your biggest influences in this?

One listen to each album shows a pretty major evolution in the sound. But, more than anything, my style has changed because I know what I want to say. Every artist has to have a message. Early on, for me, it was “hey, listen to me.” Now it has more to do with truly singing meaningful things to people. I try to tap into those universal pains and bring hope to them.

Where do you want to be personally and professionally in the next 5 years?

I hope to have strong followings outside the Rocky Mountain region. I’d like to double the amount of albums I sell every year. If a label opportunity comes along, I’ll explore it, but it will not be a barometer of my success.

Because I’m also from a small town and can totally relate to “Gotta Get Out” I was wondering, how do you think coming from a small town has shaped your worldview?

Great question. Yes, I give Lubbock a hard time in the same manner I give Ben Robie a hard time. Jokes at his expense are entertaining but ultimately I love the guy. I owe my ability to hold meaningful conversations to my Lubbock upbringing. I used to joke that people from larger towns have more to entertain them.  In Lubbock, all we had was conversations. We sit in a room and talk for hours on end. That would be our evening activity. To answer your question, it shaped my worldview by helping value conversations with people.

Why Utah?

Google it and look at the pictures.

On the back of Renaissance, there’s a peek of a tattoo on the inside of your right arm. What is it and what does it signify?

It says “ALIVE”. My friend Asher and I got tattoos together in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. The whole time I got mine, he was singing Pearl Jam’s song by the same name. A lot of people survive or barely get by, but how many people are truly alive? I want to be fully alive.

How would you classify your music genre-wise and how do you set yourself apart from other “boys-and-their-guitars”?

I’m Americana/Folk. Those who subscribe to he “boys and their guitars” image don’t have long careers. They may get popular, but they burn out quickly. The longest lasting careers are usually tied to the meaningful message of the artist. Any popular song in my genre has lyrics that resonate with people. I like to think the marriage of my message and my live show set me apart from the average singer/songwriter.

What was your inspiration for “Bless the Fire”?

I complain a lot when life is difficult. Once the difficulty passes and I’m stronger for it, I speak highly of life’s challenges. Bless the Fire was my attempt at loving a really challenging situation while in the middle of it. It’s easy to look back and say hard times are good. But it’s another to say they’re good if you’re living through the death of a loved one or something equally as tragic. I want to joyfully accept what life gives me when it gives it to me.

I think you’ve got a lot going for you in the talented and inspired department and am excited for whatever you’re going to put out next. What do you have coming up next for you musically?

Thanks. I’m releasing four new albums this year – August 18, September 15, October 13 and November 27. I’ll be doing a lot of traveling in the fall to support their releases.

Jakers

This is what happens the day after you take your dog for a run in the morning, to daycare all day, and let him play with his girlfriend (the Hower's dog, Nutmeg) all night:

Speaking of pets, I know we've been talking a lot about getting a second dog, but...um...we really want chickens. K has found a really cute design for a chicken coop, and with the plans we have to start in on some sweet flowerbeds in the back yard and the recent research I've done regarding the awesomely nitrogenous-ness of chicken poo and how good it is for plants, well...we're getting chickens first.

Luckily, our local nursery is quite progressive and is not only hosting chicken how-tos AND a local farmer who raises chickens for just such purposes, so we're kind of excited. The next month we'll be putting in some new flower beds and constructing the coop, the earliest we'd be getting chickens will be around August 9th (coincidentally the same time they'll be showing "Mad City Chickens" at NHG).

We've decided to start with 3 chickens that lay brown eggs and then once we get the hang of things, we'll add an Americana/Auracana chicken. Why? Well, because this kind of chicken lays green and blue eggs, of course!

Dang...

So, I definitely got 3-day ACL tickets a few months back, and have been looking forward to it ever since. Last night, I found out that my hubs' company trip in Dallas (staying at a swank hotel) is going to be that exact same weekend. At first blanch I have no clue what to do. Ideas, anyone? What would you do?

How does my garden grow? Haphazardly.

One of the good memories I have of my dad from growing up was our annual attempts at tomato and cucumber farming. If I couldn't grow anything else, I knew I could grow tomatoes. In fact, one recent father's day, I gave him a huge palette of tomatoes I had grown from seed on the back porch of our (former) apartment, because I had started them from seed, not thinking all the seeds would take, and ending up with like, 50 little seedlings.

This year, I decided to veer from the cherry tomato variety and try my hand at some big momma beefsteaks. Of course, I get them planted and then 3 weeks later my sweet elderly neighbor who's been here forever informed me that they wouldn't fruit 'cos it gets too hot here.

I held up hope for months though, marveling at how quickly they grew from 1' to 5' in a matter of weeks, carefully perusing the internet for tips on pruning and staking, dutifully fertilizing with Garrett Juice.

A couple weeks ago, we witnessed the (ahem) fruits of our labors, so to speak...Sadly, though, the neighbor was correct. Although there are loads of blooms on my plants, they are dropping off like crazy. 

Luckily, a local gal from North Haven Gardensblogs and just this morning guided me on what to do next...looks like the tomato plant on the right is headed for the compost pile. You can't really tell from the photo, but there are pepper plants in there that are probably aching for some face time with the sun. The plant with fruit on it we're going to keep until the four tomatoes we have ripen.

This year has been a really big education for me in gardening. I told K at the beginning that I wanted to take a "more haphazard" approach to my garden, to which he replied, "MORE haphazard? How is that even possible?" I have to say that it's been a really magical way to garden...I was pleasantly surprised when even though I planted my pretty little violas and they immediately fried in the sun, they reappeared several weeks later about 1-2 feet from where they had originally been planted. Then yesterday, upon returning home from a wedding in Houston, I saw this pretty little surprise tucked up in next to my germander! I don't know what it is or how it got there, but it's little things like that (and the two frogs who have taken up residence in various pots and plants) that keep me gardening and realize the importance of going with nature's flow.

mobile update!

I am blogging from my hubs's phone so this won't be too lengthy as posting is kinda arduous with just using one's thumbs. I had an interesting week - it ended in a score of Autistic Kids: 3, Christina: 0. I don't know what it is but every time I go to assess an autistic chikd, there is usually screaming involved. I know I still have much to learn about this population, but it gets discouraging real quick. In other news. Kids with CP and DS love me.

ugh.

"Ours is a Family Run by Women"

The title quote came from my cousin recently while we were in San Antonio celebrating my grandmother's 88th birthday (or, grandmapalooza, as it was officially christened). It is QUITE rare that we all get together, even for Thanksgiving or Christmas, because I have one fabulous sister who lives in LA (who if you've not met by now, you need to) and a cousin who is generally galavanting around the world.

Even more rare are moments when the women in our family get together to laugh and tell stories. I was struck one morning when we gathered in my grandmother's enclosed patio: the glorious matriarch and all her ladies - my mother, my step-aunt, my sisters, my niece, and me. We truly are a family of mostly women...my grandfather passed away nearly 10 years ago, leaving my uncle, my step-uncle, my brother and my cousin. But oh, what a lush, eclectic, glamorous bunch of women I have as role models!

It's funny, then, that I am also doing Beth Moore's "Esther" Bible study and the very first week was all about the fact that "it's tough being a woman in another woman's shadow." This of course made me think about all the wonderful women in my life who have influenced me in one way or another. I know that I am now myself emerging from the shadows of influence - not that they were necessarily oppressive in any way, but as the youngest for a very, very long time, one can find herself struggling to find her own independence in a family of influential women.

So anyway, I've been thinking about this a lot over the last few weeks as I have slowly started realizing my own strengths and deep passions, that have all been crafted over the course of my life and led me to who I am. This has all been a product of finishing graduate school and suddenly hitting the wall of WHAT'S NEXT!? and being generally floundery in any sort of decision forward. But this morning, the last line of week 1's study was this: "it's tough being a woman in another's shadow, but sometimes, there in the hiddenness, God builds a woman she'd never otherwise become."

Huh.

Happy 3rd Anniversary!

Okay, so we have been married 3 years but have pretty much been together(ish, depending on how you calculate time spent together, then apart, then together ;) for 8. Right? Let's see. We went to a movie in Spring '02, spent the summer Emailing madly, and went on our first date that fall. Shakespeare in Zilker Park. We'll just count that as the beginning. So then, about 7ish.

Every once in awhile I pull out this book that Kyle made for me one Christmas that has all the Emails we've ever sent to each other. What I like about it is that it's a true chronicle of the bumpy road we went down to find, then lose, then find each other again. See, 'cos when I met Kyle I thought he was cute and all, and then we started dating and he downright scared me. I didn't have to prove anything, do anything, be anything other than myself and he loved me. Even a couple times when I ran helter-skelter and put up all these roadblocks to my heart, he was right there. Loving me. Unconditionally.

It was a long time before I could come to terms with that, and actually like the fact that I had truly found the most steadfast, faithful, Godly, hilarious, and way into me guy in the whole world.

Here, let me get you a barf bag.

I seriously am blown out of the water by the brains, the creativity, and the love my husband shows every day. And he's SUPER HOT to boot, so...yeah. Lucky me :)

And then four years later...

Reading Nook

I sent my husband's frustration with my flights of fancy quite nearly into the upper limits yesterday when he came home and saw that I had been, um, playing in the dirt all day. By the way, if you're stopping in from the germinatrix, welcome! Stay awhile!

What you're seeing is the beginnings of what I like to refer to as the "reading nook." On the East side of our house we have a long stretch of shady nothingness where pretty much nothing grows and nothing gets done except Jake running the fence and the composting. So, naturally, I want to overhaul it. This past weekend while spending quality face-to-face time with my sweet sister I pitched the idea to her and we came up with ideas and she threw all kinds of plant names at me to find and plant.

The basic idea is this: I want to have a space where someone can go to sit, relax, have a glass of tea, and read or listen to music. I'm a therapist, and I want a happy place. I have this idea in my head that I really really want to come to fruition, so yesterday I pulled out the gardening tools and went to town. There's a LOT of dirt to be moved, people. I'm planning to paint the fence a funky shade, probably a soothing blue-ish green or maybe even a lively reddish orange. It's going to be covered over in passion flower vines. There will be a long walkway that will open up into the nook, which will have a deck and be a little reminiscent of Casa De Luz in Austin.

I'll post pictures as I slog through this mess - there's a bunch of bamboo and did I mention a MOUNTAIN of dirt that needs to be moved around, but I'm really excited. The idea is to have the side of the house double as reading nook and built-in entertaining. So far I need to focus right now on the end of the path, but the rest will have a graded wall with all kinds of fun grasses, flowers, and low-growing groundcover like moss rose and moneywort.

So yeah, if you want to get a little sweaty and a little dirty, I need help in my garden! ;)

First Tri of the Season

I think Summer will be my favorite time of year forever, especially now that I've been bitten by the tri bug and there are tons of races each month! I have committed to two more: the Wurst Tri Ever in August, and the big mama Austin Tri in September.

This past Sunday was my sophomore experience at the Danskin Women's Triathlon and it was SUCH a different experience from the first. I was really annoying and kept saying "last year...." and comparing the races. First of all, we got there JUST as the transition area was closing, then had maybe 30 minutes 'til our respective waves took off and even then quite nearly missed them. This year I committed to partaking in some Clif Gu shots, which I have to say weren't all that bad. I had one before the swim and one during the bike, then I couldn't find my third between the bike and the run until AFTER the race. Burn on me.

The swim was SO difficult this time. I don't remember it being so hard to catch my breath - I expected the adrenaline rush at the beginning but even halfway through the swim I struggled to catch a deep breath. As much as I love swimming, I really didn't feel good about this swim. I felt different about a lot of parts of the race - like when I ran all the way (uphill, mind you) from the swim to the bike transition. That was when I was like "hey! I'm stronger!" and I thanked myself for those months of training even when I didn't want to. The bike - oh my. I only remember there being two really wicked hills on the course. My memory is completely jacked,  because the course is like a rollercoaster! The good news though was last year I walked two hills, but this time I walked NO hills. I also have about 50 more gears on this bike than I did on my old bike, and blasted down the hills as well as up them. The bike-to-run transition was killer again. My legs are just absolute jelly when I get off the bike. I have a plan to work on that over the next couple months - adding leg strengthening exercises, do some 5Ks, work bricks more diligently. 

So, here's my time & transition breakdowns:

Overall Rank: 1241 of 1976

Class Rank: 159 of 218

Swim: 00:22:46

Swim Rank: 596

Transition 1: 5:01

Bike: 00:49:32

Bike Rank: 975

MPH: 14.5

Transition 2: 3:33

Run: 00:46:09

Run Rank: 1664

Pace: 00:14:53

Final: 02:07:03

I'm surprised I did that well on the swim considering all the breathing problems I had. The breakdown clearly shows the areas I have to work on - the first transition, the bike, but especially the run. My goal for August is to shave some time off the bike time, but especially the run. I know that everything depends on the biking course, and knowing NB it'll be nothing like Austin, but still. I'm just really glad that I came in close to 2 hours - I wanted to beat last year's time of 2:30hrs and I did! Go me.

Afterward, I didn't feel nearly as spent as the last time...I mean, I was exhausted, but I didn't sleep for hours and hours. Instead, I went to Home Slice and Hey, Cupcake! with my cousin, then napped for about an hour, then dug into some barbecue. Yesterday I was overall pretty tired and moving slowly due to a sharp pain in the outside of my right foot but today I woke up at about 7am and am slowly working out the residual kinks. I think getting a massage immediately after the race also aided in my recovery.

SPEAKING of recovery, I've decided to put triathlon tips on here, just little notes of what I've learned along the way.

TRIATHLON LESSON #1: If you have clips, practice clipping out. A lot. This leads us directly to...

TRI LESSON #2: If you go biking two days before your tri, don't clip out on your right and then try to make a left turn in gravel.

So yeah! One down, two to go in this glorious season of tri, tri-ing again. Next up in August will be my very first co-ed race, and I am excited not only for that but also because it's going to be in fabulous NB!

Bloom Bloom Pow

So, in the front yard it looks like we're growing aliens. Aliens and blackberries which by the way I am in a constant race with the birds to see who can get to the ripe ones first. Right now the score is Christina: 2, Birds: 4. 

I took a gamble on some gorgeous looking Dahlias because I had never planted bulbs before and really didn't quite know what to do with them but hey they were on sale at Home Depot and I LOVE Dahlias. They were one of the main flowers in my bridal bouquet, including Chocolate Callas and Ranunculus. I love lush, interesting flowers, and am now starting to get excited about putting them into my garden and learning about what makes them grow.

The first photos are of flowers that have yet to bloom, and OH! the anticipation waiting for them to bloom!

And it is so worth the wait! Don't delay, get Dahlias in your yard next year!

Good Thing We're Training A Smart Dog

So, a few weeks ago I mentioned that we wouldn't be getting a puppy yet because we had to figure things out with Jake first. Well, after a couple visits to the Dallas Dog Trainer, Jake is doing GREAT! He's a very, very smart dog, and picks things up ridiculously fast. Especially if there's hot dogs involved. Apparently we had our roles of the pack all screwed up and have been working on who's in charge of who in the house. His behavior has improved dramatically. Anyone who needs help with their dogs, I suggest you go to the Dallas Dog Trainer because we learned a LOT about dog behavior that has changed the way we interact with Jake.

We've been working every day on heeling and walking and we've gotten to the point where I can drop his leash and sprint off ahead of him and he'll not only catch and keep up with me, he slows down when I slow down. 

So, this video is probably evidence that when we have kids, I'll be all ZOMG! HE/SHE BLINKED! and then blog all about it but I have to tell you that when we started working on this, Jake just looked at the shut door like "wtf?" and in 2 minutes, figured it out without my help.

Untitled from christina stock on Vimeo.