I Need Your Help!

Lost City of the Incas
Originally uploaded by flower_bee

Probably the biggest regret that I have about my travels this year is that I didn't have the time or money to go to South America. At the time I bought my plane tickets, I decided to skip that continent because I have plenty of frequent flier miles on American Airlines and can go any time I want.

Today the Wonderlust and Lipstick blog was brought to my attention. It's a site written by a woman who has traveled extensively and now writes travel books and is the definitive authority on how to travel solo for women. I wish I knew about this site before leaving for my trip and I really wish I read her book on India before going. But that's beside the point.

Currently, there's a contest on her site and the winner gets a trip to South America visiting the Amazon and traveling down the Inca Trail. How cool would it be to win that? All I have to do is write a travel story and submit it by 1/31/09. Even better is that the judges are all travel writers and editors and I'd so love to get their feedback on some of my writing!

So, what's your favorite entry that I posted on my trip? What place would you like me to write more about? And what posts should I just plain avoid for this contest? Please, I really need to know what stories you liked the most because I can't be objective. HELP ME!


And for those of you who didn't follow the trip, just check the blog archives starting back in July.

The Trainer

Today I just couldn't get myself out the door to go for a ride. It wasn't raining or anything, but it was cold when I rode yesterday and it was even colder today and I just didn't want to do it. And, of course, I kept procrastinating getting on the trainer because riding the trainer is just so much fun.

But then the postman came and brought me a couple of NetFlix rentals. There it was: Mamma Mia!. So I thought, "what the hell"? It has tunes to pedal by, after all. Before you know it, I was riding the trainer with the TV volume cranked singing at the top of my lungs. Proudly, I only knew a few of the songs and didn't know all of the lyrics to any of them. But I'm good at making them up. Yes, I was kinda boogying on the saddle through every song and nearly crashed during Dancing Queen. If I hadn't have set up next to the dining room table, I would have hit the carpet. "Dancing on the pedals" has a whole new meaning to me now. I made it through the entire movie and then did my crunches during the closing credits (which were better than the movie).

A few quick observations:

1. Pierce Brosnan, though fantastic eye candy, CANNOT SING. He should never do a musical again.
2. Meryl Streep needs to do Dancing with the Stars.
3. My sit bones are much happier when I'm sitting upright swinging my arms to the music.
4. Riding rollers would have put me in the hospital today.
5. I really need a job so that I stop doing stupid things like this.

My Favorite Time Trialist

I'm Pooped

For whatever reason, I've been on a roll since I woke up yesterday. Here's what I've gotten done in the last two days:

• Wrote the annual Christmas letter and sent out all cards
• Wrapped all Christmas presents and got the shipping done
• 4 loads of laundry
• Cleaned the entire house, including the oven and windows
• Reorganized the bike stuff in the garage
• Cleaned out the inside of the car, including vacuuming
• Mowed the back yard and weeded all the flower beds
• Raked all leaves from the damned willow tree
• Cut back morning glory, ginger and freesia in the yard
• Washed and lubed the road bike
• Completely reorganized my closets
• Cleaned out the fridge
• Balanced all bank accounts

So I rewarded myself by going to see a matinee showing of Milk this afternoon. Good movie. And I should finish the book I'm reading tonight. I really need to find a job soon, just to keep me from going crazy.

Gotta Love Saturday Night Live!

I Just Had to Post This

Just Passing the Days

Dog Park 074
Originally uploaded by susiebarber

OK, so I've been a little quiet. It's really because I haven't found much to say. My project list at the house is now very short and I look for things to do each morning when I get up. So what am I doing? Well, I'm riding my bike as much as my sit bones will allow. I'm cooking a lot. I'm cooking so much that I've even make frijoles from scratch for my post-ride burritos. And homemade desserts. Can you believe it? Me -- homemade desserts?

Oh, and I'm going around snapping photos. And this week, I'll be taking my friend's dog (Shasta -- she's a Great Pyrenees) to either the the dog park or beach each afternoon while Patti is in San Diego helping her mother move.

The big bright light on the horizon is that there's a possible job just down the street from where I live. That's right -- a web development shop on the beach in the building next to the Crow's Nest. I sent in a resume, got an email from the owner, but have to wait until he's back in the country (Dec 10th) to set up an interview. It'll probably be a fairly hefty pay cut from what I'm used to, but it's right down the street and at the beach. How sweet would that be? Assuming that he likes me and that the job sounds like a good opportunity for me, that is.

So, what's a girl to do with her time? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated (and possibly rewarded with some limoncello).