Mirinda Carfrae 2010 Iron Man World Champion my After Part 3

Mirinda Carfrae, the 2012 Iron Man World Champion, trains for Kona 2012. After her grueling training sessions, she refuels with low fat chocolate milk. Check the video below to watch her training sessions. I know that the next time I go out to eat I am going to order some chocolate milk.

New Year’s Eve Thoughts

It is New Year’s Eve, 2010 will soon pass, and 2011 will begin. It is time to appraise 2010 resolutions and make new resolution for 2011. It is time to look at the accomplishments, if one can remember them.

Looking back over 2010, I remember completing the NaNoWriMo Prep Challenge and writing a 50,000 word novel during NaNoWriMo. In 2010, I accomplished both in the same year, which was one of my writing goals. There were things I did not accomplish and some of those I need to focus on in 2011.

I sit down yesterday and wrote down nine goals for 2011. The first thing on that list is move 27 things in my house. I decided to make that the first goal because of this quote (from an unknown source): "If you want to change your life, move 27 things in your home." Looking around, I can see a lot I want to move, but I only have to focus on moving 27 things during 2011. I believe I can accomplish that task.

I am not going to list everything on my 2011 goal list today. I will wait to post my goal list until the New Year because I want to review the list again before I post it.

Four Days remaining in 2010

In four days another Gregorian year begins. Friday, December 31, is the last day of 2010. Saturday, January 1, is the first day of 2011. There are four days left to accomplish any 2010 resolutions that remain unaccomplished and to set new goals for a New Year.

I prefer to set goals rather then make resolutions. Resolutions seem to be things that people drop between January 1 and January 31, every year. Goals are a little more concrete and we can accomplish them in steps. Think of the year as a staircase with 12 landings and 365 steps divided into sections leading to each landing. Each stair step contains an action necessary to the accomplishment of the final goal.

I have my 2011 planning calendar set up with the important dates and writing deadlines, I know about inserted. The only I have to do now is decided on the daily steps to accomplish each writing project by the deadline. I know accomplishing my goals will not be easy, but I also know that if I “keep on keeping on” I can accomplish my goals.

The first quarter of 2010

The first quarter of 2010 is almost behind us and the second quarter will soon begin. It is time to regroup and reevaluate. It is time to take a good look at the goals set in January when the year was new and hopes were high.

There are three quarters left in 2010. There is still time to achieve this year's goals before throwing the towel into the washing machine or the trashcan. In three days, the second quarter of the year will begin. There are still nine months to achieve the goals set in January.

Nine months is the length of time it takes a child to grow in its mother's womb. In nine months, a woman gives birth to a child. In nine months, anything is possible. Therefore, now is the time to begin working harder to achieve the goals set in January or to change the goals to something more desirable.

More storms are on their way to Las Vegas

Rain appears to be the theme of the year. There are two more storms on their way to Las Vegas. We expect one to arrive Tuesday afternoon or evening. The second is predicted to arrive Friday or Saturday. This is only February and we've already had more rain then in all of 2009.

Rain and clouds make good theme for poems. I've written several rain poems over the past few weeks. Most of the rain poems were Haiku, so I think I will try using other poetry forms, since I'm using different poetry forms in February the rain will make a good subject.

The rain can get a bit tiresome, especially driving in it. I think I've written one poem about driving in the rain. It's about time I wrote another poem on that subject, especially since I probably going to drive in the rain to Henderson tomorrow afternoon. I have an appointment for an ultrasound of my left breast about 2:30 PM.

I can't change the appointment simply because I think it's going to rain. It may rain later in the evening rather then the afternoon. I'm not counting on if, of course, because in the past few weeks each time I've had important business to do, I end up driving in the rain; therefore, I may as well get used to driving in the rain.

The first full moon of 2010

The moon tonight is
full and bright, the biggest
and first of the year.

The first full moon of the year is called the wolf moon. According to an article by Robert Roy Britt, Biggest and Brightest Full Moon of 2010 Tonight, the moon tonight is 14% wider and 30% brighter then "lesser" full moons. In addition, to the left of the full moon look for Mars, which appears to be a red star; however, Mars won't twinkle like most stars.

The wolf moon shines bright
on this January night
to its left red Mars

February 12, 2010 the Winter Olympics Begins

It's approximately 26 days 4 hours and 39 minutes until the 2010 Winter Olympics begin in Vancouver, Canada. NBC, which is Channel 3 in Las Vegas, will be broadcasting the games. I, of course, will watch the games on TV and keep track of them online. My favorite event is figure skating; however, I always attempt to watch a little bit of all the events.

A lone figure skates
dancing on a frozen lake
the crowd is breathless

Wednesday Poem

Half way through the week
the New Year passes quickly
time's laughter echoes

The first Wednesday in 2010, passes into memory. Time moves at the speed of light, so there is no time to waste in achieving resolutions.

On January 4, 2010

All right, not the most creative blog title I ever written; however, it will have to do. Today, at 12:30 PM I have an appointment with a breast specialist. When I went in for my regular exam last year, my doctor found a lump in my breast.

I had a mammogram and ultrasound, both appear normal. My doctor wants me to see the breast specialist, so I am going to see her today. I am worried or perhaps I should say concerned about the lump. I have written one poem about the lump, which I am posting in my writing.com port later today or early tomorrow.

New Calendars for a New Year

We have five new calendars for 2010, so there won't be any excuse for not knowing what day it is. I hung the calendar with the large print in my mother's bedroom. The appointment calendar will go by the telephone. One calendar will hang above my desk, one by the entrance to the living room, but I'm not sure where to hang the last calendar, perhaps in the kitchen or the dining room.

I didn't buy any of the calendars because they were sent to us by business. All of them have beautiful pictures on them, it's almost a shame to throw them away at the end of the year. However, that's how it goes, unless one collects calendars and I don't collect calendars. I suppose a person could glue the pictures to a piece of card board and make a puzzle out of them.

At the end of the year, most people just throw away calendars with beautiful pictures and art work on them. I wonder if that says something about our civilization, about our society. That is an interesting thought, perhaps it could be incorporated in a story or poem.

Four new 2010 Calendars

I am ready for the New Year. I have four new 2010 calendars with beautiful pictures each month to inspire my muse. I have a Wildlife Calendar, an Americana Calendar, a Norman Rockwell Appointment Calendar, and a Water Smart Calendar. I have places to put the calendars; I just have not decided which calendar goes in which room yet.

A new calendar
a fresh start to 2010
my muse is singing.

Looking for a Newsletter theme

I'm looking for a theme for my edition of the writing.com fantasy newsletter. Last year I wrote about making a writer's plan. However, I'm not going to use that theme for the January 2010 newsletter.

I just submitted the December 2009 edition, so I could let this topic rest for a day or two, but I have to get started soon. I don't like waiting until the last minute because it's too stressful. I don't need any more stress in my life right now.

The only thing I can think of is reviewing. Maybe write something on the differences in reviewing science fiction and fantasy. That theme doesn't strike me, but at this point I can't think of anything else.