Life lessons, age 8

I remember that time I had just moved into a new house with all of our possessions fully boxed. I'm talking from one country to another, a serious packing job. This house had the ultimate basement as well. Huge in my 8 year old eyes. I created the ultimate play city. I had boxes which became ice cream shops, restaurants, you name it. I played in it everyday. This was the year 1991, the same year as hurricane Bob. We, up north, don't get storms like you do here in the south and when we do they are relatively mild. This was a big one. Houses, cars, boats...all destroyed. Places were flooded. This included the basement of our newly domesticated home. My city was destroyed. I remember wading through the water pleading with my father to save what we could. No, Caitlin...it's gone. I wanted nothing more than to dry out the boxes accepting the fact that they might not look as good but I couldn't. Devastated.

Boys Say the Stupidest Shit

Remember that show hosted by Bill Cosby "Kids Say the Darnedest Things"...so do I. My personal spin-off show, hosted by yours truely, will be called "Boys Say the Stupidest Shit". This concept all started a few years back when I was a young vixen and was hit on...fairly often. Although the story is not the same today (likely because of my encounters and now changed view of the male species) I still like to reminisce in the time that once was. From now on, when I don't have a good daily story, I will refer back to my collection of episodes from "Boys Say the Stupidest Shit".

Pilot episode:

Come on guys. The game isn't that hard, really. It is a careful balance but there are some obvious no-nos. For example: avoid hitting on me in front of you mother. So there I was playing foosball with some guy, just playing the game while another guy proceeds to move in. He starts asking me questions and I'm ignoring. If you have ever played foosball with me you'll realize the I get slightly intense. I'm concentrating. The guy, who I'm definitely not playing foosball with, continues to hit on me. "I want to like ... take you to the movies". Not a terrible job, but not good. He continues...finally, asking my name. My reply? Theresa. Whatever, I don't care, I'm not interested and I really want to play this game. "Theresa?" he replies "Yo, that's my mom's name...Hey, mom!!" He turns around "Her name is Theresa too!"

No, definitely not. Give at least a 10 foot radius from your mother while playing the pickup game. Not only was this terrible BUT he then called me the wrong name!! After getting so excited about me having the same name as his mother he then calls me the wrong name.

Lame sauce at the Locker room

Caitlin

Granted this isn't the best story but I plan to save that for the finale.

Welcome to the Gun Show II

Yeah, quite the gun show and true southern exposure. I went to Asheville, NC this weekend and it was....interesting. It was a number of adjectives lumped into "interesting". We arrived early in the afternoon and did the official walking tour. We followed the small footprints on a tourist map pulling it out every so often to assure we were headed in the right direction and to assure everyone else we weren't from around there. We ate lunch, continued touring, then the ladies had a few drinks. I'm not one to drink too much so I was kind of soda-ing it for the night, plus in case we decided that we wanted to sleep I would be there to drive. Needless to say, the night can still get pretty wild. We headed to about 5+ bars one of which we took a pedicab to, possibly by a pro biker however, the only reason I assume this much is because he dragged the three of us through the hills of the city. We ended the night at a dance club with totally bad classic rock which I totally cut a rug to no less. Afterwards I seemed to have stolen a pizza which I was sure someone forgot about and one of my friends was totally grossed out that I was eating it. Dangerously delicious. Me and the inebriated ladies headed to find a hotel because we were sure that would be easier than finding a camp site and setting up a tent. To my disappointment at the time, we found no such housing. Instead, around 3 am we found an RV campground which we decided to stay at. Since I was driving we let the two other ladies figure out the form (which took I would guess 20 minutes). During this time one continually made donut rounds with the golf cart. Once the form was finally filled in the two hopped back in the car and we were visited by a shirtless man pointing a rifle at my face. After explaining to him that we weren't messing around we were just looking for some lawn space at 3am he finally put the gun down and let us set up camp. Much to my surprise it was a quick process and once the intoxicated settled down I fell right asleep.




In the end I accomplished a few goals; (1) Touring Asheville; (2) A true southern experience. Unfortunately this experience was not drinking moonshine with a fried chicken dinner and some Big and Rich in the background, but a gun pointed at my face will do just the same.



Till next time.

Caitlin

Notable quotables

I miss the days of ol' back at UMass more than you can imagine. Yesterday, I reminisced through a sort of personal diary that I didn't personally write. These were the chronicles of the UMBRC, the UMBRC Minutes . Superbly written by a Mr. Dave "Lashes" Maynard and a one Jamie "MF'n" Lau .

Here is a notable quotable:

7:48
Justin Finn has left a large crumb from his burrito on the corner of his
mouth, distracting the likes of Caitlin.


8:13
Discussion on the peculiarities of field hockey.
...
Chris Kessler: "The goalies don't have a glove!"
Alex Duggan: "They do- my sister was a goalie. I used to shoot pucks
at her."
..."skirts"..."kilts"...
Then Sam fits the following clarification into conversation:
"-In the ideal World War."

Don't you get jokes?

Apparently I don't. And I can't make them either.

Always choosing quantity over quality,
Caitlin

Secret Training

The concept of secret training was first revolutionized when a one Mr. Colin Eggleton of IF bikes was blatantly caught turning in an assignment back at UMass from his home. Curious as we were to how pro cyclists were able to get so fast it was all to convenient to catch Colin....secretly training. Riding from Boston to Amherst is around 100 miles one way. Now you might be brushing off this feat saying "b..bu..but I can ride 100 miles, do me Caitlin" you must understand that Mr. Eggleton put in a full days work at the bike shop before beginning his ride and after turning in his paper he proceeded to turn right back around and go home. Incorporating cycling into our everyday lives provides great benefits all around. For those who race, commuting doesn't count as training, however, it still propels you towards the goal of winning, hence it is secret training.

Whether secret training involves taking out the trash, grocery shopping or tandem rides to parties on a one seater bike, you always look cooler when not in a car.



xoxo
caitlin

Caitlin T is Having the Weirdest Summer Ever

It was established today that August and June of 2008 have been the weirdest months ever (of my life). They have given me quite a struggle and I'm happy to say I survived. I'm hoping that they don't continue to make this the weirdest year ever. That one already goes out to 2001. I don't really feel that blogs are the most appropriate places for dishin' the dirt on Caitlin T's personal life but lately all I can really think about is grown up stuff. Such a bummer. Maybe it's about time. I've always been really good at ignoring issues that might cause me to lose sleep.

I'd give a lighter note for the day but I don't really have one. I did make an amazing loaf of bread yesterday but even that took an evil toll when too much of it forced it's way into my stomach and malevolently took what water I had in my system right to my digestive tract. Bitch.

Picture features Justin F of Team Caitlin Bom T Pro Cycling Team and I in Charlotte, NC 5/2007

Welcome to the Gun Show

Or check out these pythons!! These babies are sick! I went to the gym yesterday and it was pretty stellar. Sure I didn't lift that much weight and sure I didn't stay longer than 35 minutes but just going to the gym inflated my muscles and ego. I'm pretty sure that gyming it is a good idea all around. Not only am I still referred to as "gym friend #3" by the most notorious gym rats from UMass but I'm mildly positive that weight bearing exercise is more than good for a lady like me (yes, lady). I plan to rip curl twice a week and soon I'll be throwing my cross bike, hopping over the barriers and catching my bike all at one fell swoop.

Willing to open any jars,
Caitlin T-Bz

BDE

Today, plastic #7 is having the best day ever.

June 29, 2067

Yes, I had a glimpse into the future. It was....boring. As I stepped onto the bus this morning (yeah, totally lame and we apparently still all use them in the future), I looked up to check the time: June 29, 2067 8:37 am, I had stepped onto a bus from the future. Nothing had really physically changed which didn't upset me, however, since I was still on my way to complete my masters I realized that this daunting task may never be completed.

Men, I'm going to look smokin' hot at age 84,
Caitlin

- - College Kid - -

I think I'm trying to live out my last days as a college kid in the ultimate fashion....the college kid I never was. In the past few weeks I have spent more time out than I think I had collectively during the entire year past. Fortunately, I have been a college kid sans drinking (which I think may be the most uncollege-like trait possible) so that I can still function at school the following day.

Interestingly enough I think I'm learning a lot in the process. A friend of mine has recently been reading about body language and interactions among men and women..or men and men and women and women, whatever, but the art of flirting is the focus and now I have taken particular notice of trends. In my attempt to find 'the one' (or team, preferably -- Kona) I would like to enroll some of these tactics and work on my "game". Perhaps a sort of reel the fish in and let it go...no harm done.

The attempt last night failed miserably. After a mustache was drawn on me, I tried to give boys 'the eye'. This conversation piece landed as only that, a conversation piece. I thought it complimented my outfit well and matched the mood of the night even better. No numbers.

Any ideas
xoxo
caitlin

XcrossX

Day 1 for cross training. Thank goodness it is a rest day!! I'm pretty stoked about training and my old coach from UMass has posted a great plan for August
and September. Nice work Dave. Also, my xcoachx is going to help me out as well with some stuff a little more catered to my deathstyle.

Also this week I get to participate in 3 sensory evaluations costing companies 3 $20 gift cards to target. The kicker was you had to want to lose weight. These evaluations last all of 5 minutes. And, since they got me thinking about it, I decided with this $60 I'm going to buy something to help me lose weight. Since I am not quite a candidate for gastric bypass, I think I'll get something along the lines of a scale supplements. Plus (size) I think I'm only somewheres around the cutoff point to even be able to get the surgery.


I'll leave you with this: silver fillings are having the best day ever.

xoxo
caitlin

ps. I was carded for buying root beer yesterday and I slept 12 hours last night. I rule!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WWCD?

To all the non-readers out there:

I've been off the radar for a little while now and I'm trying to make a comeback, a comeback of epic proportions. I pretty much had a busy May, a terrible June and a hectic July. I don't really feel that things are calming down for me either, however, I'm prepared to fuel this stored anguish into 30 minutes of running and 2 hours of biking. It's cross time baby.


To heck with grammar;
Caitlin

ps. be prepared to hear from me when I feel like posting