Iron Girl Triathlon Training

Those who know me, know that I tend to get chilled rather easily. So it's no surprise that I took a break from triathlon training for the cold months. That break is over. It's not warm enough on the streets for regular biking, but Jason and I both need the extra time in the pool. If I had any doubt about it, our first swim proved the right of it.

Jason is a good swimmer. He knows how to swim. He's comfortable in the pool. But swimming long distance is different than messing around in the pool. It takes a few dips before you can breath comfortably at a steady pace.

It took me three swims my first year to get my stroke back. I thought that would be enough. But it didn't prepare me for the lake swim. I knew the visibility would bad, but knowing and experiencing are two different things. I wasn't expecting difficulties with the currents or the other swimmers.

Last year, I knew what to expect. I swam religiously every week with the group swim. I felt much more confident in my swim. The currents pushed me a bit, but I corrected my trajectory and stayed mostly on course. Although there were about a hundred more swimmers in my wave, I managed to navigate them with only a few incidents. All and all, I managed to shave over a minute off my time. Practice really made a difference.

This year, I'm hoping to shave another minute off my time. Which is another reason I wanted to start swimming so early in the year. So far, we're both off to a good start.

Snow in Columbus

Snow. In Columbus, GA. It was a bit wet, but it stuck to everything. Winkin didn't like the snow. Bert didn't either, but Winkin's picture was better.

Snow in the south is an experience, for the animals as well as the residents. Everything closed. Some waited for the storm to arrive, but they closed when the snow started falling. Many of my fellow residents panic at the thought of driving on the white stuff. They hurried home to batten down the hatches until the sky and ground cleared. And then there are those that took to the roads, tempting the fates by speeding or swerving onto the roadside.

Fear or trill, the snow was short lived, as it always is down here. Maybe next year we'll get snow that lasts for more than a day.

Best Laid Plans - College Update

In the time that I've been on break from college, some things have changed. One is that now students have a hold on their accounts and cannot register for classes until they meet with an advisor. This insures that students stay on track, what classes are necessary for their desired degrees and what classes will be a waste of time. This is a great idea. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to be doing me much good.

I talked to my advisor. We settled on a class (and even a backup class). And then it's time to register. Monday is for Seniors. Tuesday is for Freshmen. Wednesday is the rest of us.

I checked the pages Monday and my classes are already gone!! Son of a bitch. This is the second time this has happened. As luck would have it, the class I missed out on in the Fall, is open this Spring. It's even a class I want - Geology.

Maybe next Fall I'll be able to take the class I missed out on this Spring.

Kittens!!

So I've been feeding a stray siamese cat for the last month or so. Turns out, she's a mom. Five kittens. They are the cutest balls of fur you've ever seen.

Course, now I've got to find homes for the darlings. Anyone want a kitten?

Glen Beck is a Tool

Since my last post was successful in it's succinctness, I thought I would continue the trend. Although the title says it all, he's such a tool that I'm going to say it again. Glen Beck is a tool!

On Joss Whedon's success

Excerpt from the Variety article Whedon's Hit-free adventures ( http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118008965.html?categoryid=14&cs=1&nid=2565 ):

Some more seasoned TV producers seem perplexed merely by the level of hoopla surrounding Whedon. The guy's obviously talented, but if you aggregated the average audience for everything he's produced, it probably wouldn't equal an episode of "Dancing With the Stars."

I'll try to be succinct,... bite me.

Culture Diversity Class

I began this class with a few preconceptions. I assumed the class would focus on at least a few different cultures, maybe even discuss the key elements that are similar as well as where the cultures diverge. I was wrong.

The class focused on how Black Americana students learn differently than their white counterparts. What? My first reaction was to protest. Biology is the same regardless of race. As the class progressed, it became clear that the teacher used the class as an opportunity to push his agenda. He did manage to bring culture into the equation. His argument is that young Black Americana's have a culture against learning. To counter that attitude, teachers should amend their methods. Of course, from my view, the methods suggested would be applicable to all races, so I fail to see the need to resort to racial division.

But that wasn't my biggest shock. One day after class, I approached the teacher to clarify details about the final. The response was basically why worry about it, since I knew I was going to get an "A". In addition, the teacher frequently mentioned that this was a low level survey class. It is incredibly difficult to take a class seriously, when the teacher doesn't.