Hello Stranger...

I have been absent.  Maybe not conspicuously so, since my readership is small, but absent nonetheless.  Life has been a bit crazy around these here parts.  I'm still sidelined with foot issues and it isn't looking good so far.  I've been doing TRX and started riding bike again (Hello, lady bits!  Ouch!).  This is very frustrating since I had three months training under my belt for the marathon.  I can defer, and have until November 2 to decide.  It isn't the end of the world, but it is disappointing just the same.  It has been a challenging year to say the least, not just with training.  However, I am keeping perspective and trying to remain positive.

Titus (just another of many nicknames my poor kid has been saddled with) started Kindergarten last week and that has comes with reams of paper to sign and hand in, events to volunteer for, committees to join, the extra set of clothes to send in, the snack week to sign up for, the kindergarten welcome dinner, the PTA meetings and on and on and on......

I am Titus's soccer coach this season.  That is something I did not plan for.  we were wait listed and if you volunteer to help out, you are moved up the list.  I am not sure if this is ethical or not, but since the league relies on parental volunteers (refs, coaches, etc.) they need every body they can get.  It also helps keep the cost down.  Titus was eager to play so I said I would volunteer in order to ensure a spot for him.  Next thing I know  I receive and email that I am head coach for his team.  I'm ok, with that, but there is a bit of disorganization in the organization.  They have been around for a long time so I was a bit surprised by this.  This forces me to filter information when I have to send it to the parents on my team.  I also went to a meeting of all of the Under 6 coaches this week.  24 of us in the room, I was the only female coach.  REALLY?  I guess we women do enough everywhere else, we might has well delegate the sports aspect of rearing to our husbands?  I know I would, but my hubby knows less than zero about soccer and his job forces him to travel a lot.  Got to find something else for him to do whether he likes it or not; Mama needs a break!  Saturday is our first game. Go team!

I was asked to be on my Co-op board.  I am thinking, no.  If you don't live in NYC (or any large city) you may not know what this is.  If you live in a co-op (cooperative) you own shares of the building you live in.  There is a board that decides what the building needs (repairs, renovations, etc.) and makes decisions regarding those needs (and sometimes with a vote from all the owners-not every owner is on the board).  I think I made that as clear as mud.

I am also working like mad to get a good collection of work for the NY Tabletop show at the end of October.  What this means is I am creating tons of dinnerware patterns with the hope of selling them to manufacturers. 

My plate is full (no pun intended) so you won't see much of me for the next month.  I'll just be popping in and out.

Lastly.  Because I don't have much training wise to write about these days, I found an idea floating around out there in the art/design blogs I read.  It's a 30 day challenge which I will NOT be completing in 30 days, but over an undetermined number of days.  Let's see how that goes.

1. Find ways to win your heart.
2.  Something you feel strongly about.

3. A book you love
4. Bullet your whole day
5. Things you want to say to an ex
6. Your view on mainstream music
7. Five pet peeves
8. What you ate today
9. How important you think education is
10. Put your music player on shuffle and write the first ten songs that play
11. Your Family
12. Five guys/girls you find attractive
13. Your opinion about your body and how comfortable you are with it
14. What you wore today
15. Your zodiac/horoscope and if you think it fits your personality
16. Something you always think "what if. . ." about
17. Something that you are proud of
18. A problem you have had
19. Five items you lust after
20. Your fears
21. How you hope your future will be like
22. Your Academics
23. Something that you miss
24. Five words/phrases that make you laugh
25. Something you are currently worrying about
26. Things that you like/dislike about yourself
27. A quote you try to live by
28. Somewhere you would like to move or visit
29. Five weird things that you like
30. One thing you are excited for