I may have to borrow this...

Keeping my Pearls Before Swine theme, this blog entry nearly had me on the floor laughing. (and perhaps it gave me an idea...)
Enjoy!

Something I Know I’m Going To Regret Admitting About My Cell Phone

Two things seem to happen to me a whole lot when I use my cell phone in the car.

Either (1) The battery fails, or (2) I lose reception and the call is dropped.

Out of courtesy for the person on the other end of the phone, I try to warn them in advance that I might lose the call either because my battery is showing it’s down to one bar or the reception in the area I’m driving through is bad.

It happens so often that people inevitably ask me why I don’t get one of those chargers that plug into the cigarette lighter, or switch to a carrier with better reception in my area.

It’s a good question, because while I know these annoying things happen to everyone with a cell phone, I think they happen to me more.

The reason I think they happen to me more is that whenever the battery fails or I lose reception, it is caused by me pressing “end call.”

Hey. At least I was courteous.

Pig!!!

Yesterday I had a conversation about my favorite comic strip. Okay, maybe a more accurate version would be that I had a typical Erin "Oh my gosh this is the best comic strip ever it is so funny you have to read it because it is awesome - he he he he he - and I just love the characters and I think you will too because it's just so awesome and there's this pig and a rat and a guard duck - he he he he - and the crocs keep trying to eat the zebra and then there is this kitty who is so cute but so terrible and it's the best strip ever, OMG!" preaching session.

Pearls Before Swine is the best comic strip ever. Dad & I regularly discuss the merits of each daily strip. I also regularly cut out the strip and put it on my refrigerator. Yes, people still do that. Okay, I still do that. Please don't mock me.

Anyway, this inspired me to find the strip online, and then I found the artist's blog, and then I found out there is even an iGoogle template! There's even plush characters. If I could determine my favorite, I'd buy it.. but, um, I want all of them.

The artist, Stephen Pastis, has a very very inspiring story about how he quit his job as a lawyer to pursue his dream of being a comic illustrator. I'm so glad he went for it - not only does his story rock, but his comics make me smile every day.

Blessed

I think I might be the most blessed person on earth. I feel like it, that's for sure.

It's not news how much I adore my parents. But today they nearly brought me to tears...good ones... with their unconditional support and love. Everything that I am able to do in life is an immediate reflection on them, and I feel so privileged to be able to make them proud.
(I love this picture. I randomly took it during a trip to the Nasher Center... I think it's such a beautiful representation of what unconditional love and support looks like. Again, I am blessed.)

Two Things...

First, I think this cartoon is hilarious. (Thanks, Greg!)

Second, I really really really really really (did I mention really?) could use a few more hours each day. My life is in serious overdrive right now... and trust me I'm loving it... but... seriously I could use more time!

Generally, though, I can only describe my life at this moment as incredible. I have to stop and pinch myself to remind myself that I'm awake and everything is real.

Movie Rec.

"I've Loved You So Long" was awesome... and that's my recommendation of the weekend.

Confession Time...

"I... Erin... am a Project Person."

Everyone: "Hi Erin!"

Hi World. I am going public. I admit it. I need projects to make me happy, to give me something to do, to give me reason to wake up in the morning and take on the day. Right now I have a few *giant* projects in the works. My head looks about like this:
Yes, the wheels in my head are spinning like mad. And I am LOVING it.

Rewards Along the Way...

Owning & running a business is a pretty crazy thing. It certainly has ups and downs and headaches and rewards, but the rewards are amazing. My first business, Running Banana, had one of those rewards when Condoleezza Rice ordered a custom running shirt. (It said "Running the State" - so clever!) The U.S. Secretary of State was going to wear something I made!!!!

Now I co-own a company called Grease Monkey Wipes. You may have heard me go on & on about it, oh, all the time. :)

The story goes like this: In July of 2007, I was part of an idea to make an individually packaged degreasing wipe aimed at cyclists in need - i.e. cyclists who ended up completely greasy after changing a flat or fixing their chain. In July of 2009, this idea - turned company with sales nationwide and momentum growing each day - was one of the featured products in Triathlete Magazine's August issue.

With a great review I might add!! Go Grease Monkey Wipes!!!!

Triathlete Magazine - that is some reward. I'm all smiles about this one. (BTW, way to go, Tim!)

Back on the Wagon...

For the record, I am coming back from the dead (i.e. the land of sloth and laziness and recovery.) As I logged my first official comeback workout, I had to laugh at my training log for the past month. Seems like something significant happened on June 21, but not much else....I am pleased to say that I still spent my Saturday & Sunday mornings being active. Mom & Dad were in town, so Dad & I hit the trail on Saturday. His strides are so long that I have to run beside him to keep up! We also did a ton of walking Saturday night when we watched the fireworks at Auditorium Shores and then walked home. Sunday I took him for a more touristy route, and we headed up Congress to the Capitol and back down Nueces. Let me say for the record, walking is hard! I realized this, of course, when it took me nearly 7.5 hours to walk the Ironman marathon. But geez, I was sore after just 1 hour on Saturday!

On a somewhat related note, regarding things I love doing with Dad, the highlight of my weekend lasted all of three minutes: We played a duet on the piano that we used to play all the time when I was growing up. It's amazing how something so simple can be so significant.

I'm Ba-aa-aack!

I'm back now... sorry for the temporary interruption.... you couldn't have thought I'd be gone for long, could you? :)

So, just a little recap. June was fantastic. It was the hardest yet most satisfying month I have had since I can remember.

What I can say post Ironman is this - every morning I wake up and think "this is the first day of the rest of my life."