Vecchio Venerdì... A Quadruple Scull

Just in case you didn't believe me when I said I was small for a rower...

I'm the small one.

Sitting bow was great...not only was I responsible for steering the boat, but I also got to tell everyone what to do. Very 'in charge.'

eXtra Large Marge In Charge

Now you have a visual to go with the joke :)

*photo from 1998 when I was 34*

Because that Shut Up and Run girl said to...

I was hanging out in my green bikini, enjoying Cheetos and NASCAR when I saw that I was tagged.

Thanks, Beth (and Tall Mom!). I know you know that I love these things. Except for all the linking you have to do, they are somewhat cathartic sometimes. Or embarrassing. Or sometimes just boring. Whatever... here it is...

A New Bunch of Random XL Crap in One Tidy, Long-ass Post

Here are the rules:

1. Post these rules
2. You must post 11 random things about yourself
3. Answer the questions set for you in their post
4. Create 11 new questions for the people you tag to answer
5. Go to their blog and tell them you’ve tagged them
6. No stuff in the tagging section about you are tagged if you are reading this. You legitimately have to tag 11 people!

Random Things About Me

1. I love practical jokes...simple or elaborate. 
2. Several times when I was rowing seriously, I skipped Christmas and/or Thanksgiving because Tuesday and Thursday evenings were weight workouts. Some may say "Wowza, XL! That was so hardcore!" And while I think it may have helped me mentally in the years I did that, it really shouts out "Whoa, chick...Get a life!" to me now. 
3. I struggle mightily with self-confidence. One friend in particular has been privy to my psycho, pre-race freak-outs this past year. It is not a pretty thing. 
4. When I was in Cuba for the PanAm Games, we went out for our first row on the course. We were in a pair which is what is called a 'blind' boat (no coxswain and facing backwards so one can't see where one is going). We headed up the course following the prescribed pattern and made our cut across the lanes at the prescribed point. What wasn't prescribed was crashing into a solid, immoveable starting platform. Yeah, I did it. It was my fault since I was steering. Yeah, we broke the brand-new boat...but fortunately the boat-builder was on hand and could fix it by the next day.
5. I have never broken a bone...except my nose...but I have collapsed a lung. I almost died.
6. I paid $8.50 for a dozen eggs last week because I believe that pasture-raised, 'happy' chickens will produce eggs that are better for you. I am a total believer in the energetics of food. They did taste better...even my 6-year old said so.
7. I pulled Q-Man's teeth out this week with my bare hands. They were his first two teeth to lose and were each dangling by a root. He was sick of them annoying him while he ate, so he asked me to pull them out. I obliged. It was a bloody mess.
8. I used to be able to do 15 pull-ups in 45 seconds. Now I can't even do one. I should get back on that.
9. I tried out for American Gladiators while pregnant. I didn't make the cut.
10. I f*ucking HATE ants. We are in the middle of dealing with a horrendous infestation. I f*ucking HATE ants. They warrant the f-word.
11. One of the stupidest things I have ever done is to hike down the Schilthorn (a big mountain in Switzerland) in the snow while pregnant and carrying a 5-year old in a frame-pack on my back. With a funky hip. We made it. It took us 6.5 hours to complete what was supposed to be a 2-hour hike. 

Beth's Questions for Me:

1. In five words or less, tell me your most embarrassing moment. Indoor balcony, vomiting, people below.
2. What’s one habit you need to break? Staying up too late...this was my New Years Resolution :(
3. What’s your favorite book of all time?  I have lots of favorites...Miss Rumphius is one. Joy Luck Club, Gone With the Wind, Pillars of the Earth, Les Misérables, Shibumi...and more.
4. Have you ever cheated on a test or a partner (don’t need to tell me which one)? Yes, sort of.
5. If you weren’t doing your current job, what would be your profession? Highly-paid creative genius whose talents are sought after by many.
6. Do you think Bob Harper is gay? No. He's secretly hoping that everyone is asking that question though.
7. What’s the best compliment you’ve ever received? My acupuncturist told me she'd want me in her lifeboat because I am the most resourceful survivor-type she has ever met.
8. Would you be able to run further or faster? Some days it's one, some days it's the other. If you make me pick one right now I'll say "faster."
9. What food gives you gas? Broccoli and garlic...either on their own or together.
10. Ever done a cleanse or had a colonic? Yes, both.
11. What’s your dream marathon? Even though it's only 23 kilometers, I'm going with the Napoleon Run in Corsica. 

Mel's Questions for Me...   

1. What is your favorite season for running and why? here in California I love running in the summer because it is cool. When I lived in Philadelphia, I loved running in the fall. I'm a cool weather runner :)
2. If you could meet any famous person, who would it be and why? Living – Steve Martin or Robin Williams. Both strike me as very intelligent, sensitive, insightful people who would also be a ton of fun to hang out with.
3. What is your mantra, favorite quote, and/or words you live by? 

   Everything will be all right in the end. If it's not all right, then it's not the end.

4. If you could have ANY ONE ITEM for free, what would it be? a new mattress.
5. How did your parents come up with your name? I am named after my paternal grandmother.
6. Do you collect anything? If so, what? Yes. One thing I collect is little cars from the Pixar/Disney movie "Cars."
7. How did you meet your significant other? we met at work and it was love at first sight.
8. If you could go on vacation anywhere in the world, where would it be and why? Côte d'Azur in France. It is beautiful and warm and friendly and interesting and I love it there.
9. What is your favorite fruit and vegetable? fruit – a perfect peach. vegetable – spinach!
10. What is your favorite color? Dark and brilliant green.
11. What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of me (Tall Mom)? amazingly and genuinely NICE... you're what my husband calls 'good people'...I am so glad to have met you in person :)

11 Questions for New Tag-ees...

1. What is your 'comfort food'?
2. Do you exercise better when you are angry or happy?
3. Have you ever done anything to the point of puking? What?
4. Any embarrassing nicknames in your past? Spill it.
5. Guilty movie pleasure?
6. Do you like or dislike these tagging memes?
7. Why do you run? (might seem like a stupid question, but I'm curious)
8. Would you rather be rich or famous?
9. If you could go anywhere tomorrow without any worries (everything would be taken care of perfectly for the duration) where would you go, 
10. with whom and 
11. for how long?

People Tagged  (yes, I realize my tag-ees are all women...well, except Kovas) :

1. Ali Mc...Running with Spatulas
2. TriMOEngr...Climbing those hills...
3. Michelle...Running with Attitude
4. Hiker Mom
5. Jess...who gets large numbers of people to run with her through cemeteries
6. Jolene (who I see was already tagged...so she's off the hook...go read about her!)
7. A So-Called Runner, Courtney
8. Nicole, who is Becoming a Mother Runner
9. Jamie...Chosen Chaos
10. Just Keep Running
11. Kovas who keeps two blogs...this one and that one.

If you've already been tagged, you don't need to do this again. But would you put a link to your tag post in a comment so we can read all about you? Thanks!

P.S. This is NOT like a chain-letter. Nothing bad will happen to you if you blow it off. So don't worry :)

Caroline Asks, I Answer... what she wanted to know...

When I was presented with this award... game... whatever it is... by Kovas over at Midwest Multisport Thingabob, I knew I would get a lot of weird questions, most of which would be related to my personal life and NOT athletics. That's cool. That's how I prefer it ;-)

I'll say right here and now that Caroline, my favorite Canadian runner in exile, wins a Nuun prize for the most questions. The woman wants to know everything about me. Just come on up and move in for awhile, woman... we'd have so much fun! And it would save me all this time typing :P

Her bazillion questions I will answer in order... not sure who else is interested in these answers, so please bear with me, my adoring fans, while I appease Mme. Caroline.


How did you end up with what I consider a French name?  I am named for my paternal grandmother. Everyone born after 1920 who has this name was also named after her grandmother... I have done the survey.

The answer to Beth's question is wedding night correct? (ha ha!!) incorrect. But I was over 21.

If you could live anywhere in the world where would that be? I really love where I live... not this house, but this area is perfect for me :)  But if I were to pick somewhere else... probably Villefranche-sur-mer in Southern France.

what did you study in College? if you knew what your life was going to be would you make the same choice? Floriculture and Ornamental Horticulture. I really wish I had gone with my original plan and studied Romance Languages.

how long was your longest relationship before your husband? 2.5 years... a year of which was cross-country long distance. 

did you have a big wedding? with bridesmaids and all the hoopla? small... no bridesmaids but did have a flower girl and ring guy... my youngest stepkids. Oh, matron of honor was my mom and best men were my oldest two stepsons. Only family was invited and about 10 very close friends... total was 40 people. But I did have a fancy real wedding dress.

Are you happy? I think you are..just want to be sure... I am fundamentally a happy person. I do have some areas of life and personality with which I struggle, but I am happy.

What is the one thing you wish the most for your kids? I want my kids to grow up feeling solid about themselves. I want them to be functional adults in functional relationships in all areas of life – love, friends, business... with the wisdom to know when that isn't happening and what to do about it. So I guess my one wish for them would be "functionality."


what has been the hardest part of motherhood for you so far? the fighting! I am an only child and their bickering and fighting is so incredibly hard for me to cope with. I just don't understand it.

what is the one thing you thought you would never say that did come out of your mouth one day..is it "because I said so"? I used the "f" word in front of them once. 

What poster was on your wall when you were a teenager? In high school, I think I had a poster of the tortoise and the hare. In college, I had a poster of a painting by John Waterhouse...

image source

how old were you when you left home? 18 years, 3.5 months

tatoo? if yes what? where? yes! and I love my tattoo. I got it when I was 37 and had always wanted one.

he's a gecko and the other side of the anklet is the four elements...

earth, air, wind and water... and it comes with a great story!

why do you run mostly at night? how is that safe? I have 4 kids who require supervision. My husband usually gets home around dinnertime. Then it is time to get everyone ready for bed. Sometimes he is up for doing it on his own, but that really isn't fair. He has a very physically demanding job. This means I usually have to wait until the kids are in bed... and it's dark. We live in a gated community so it is pretty safe. I feel comfortable doing it... most of the time.


what were your favorite running shoes ever? Nike Skylon circa 1995-1996. They changed it and thus began my frustration with the whole discontinued thing.


do you use cloth diapers or disposables for your babies? I used cloth diapers with the first 3 and disposable with the fourth.


did you breastfeed my children? for how long? why? Yes, I breastfed. I didn't know there was any other way, believe it or not! I am glad I did. I nursed them for 2.5 years, 3.3 years, 4 years and now 2.4 years, respectively. We did extended breastfeeding because it was what was working. I will say that when I weaned my then-four-year old and saw him next to the newborn, I understood why it weirds people out, but the continuity of doing it made it never seem weird. I have no judgement about breastfeeding one way or the other.


how on earth did YOU, at the age of 45, have a baby? and more importantly, why? She was a very wanted surprise! I wanted a big family... always. 

And Adam... skating in so last minute is NOT boring. You are out of form, dude. But because it's your birthday and you're THIRTY now, I will answer your questions here, too.  I am so freakin nice.

Do you ever make your kids dress up Brady style and sing the Brady bunch song? No!

Be honest – how many Cuban cigars did you bring back? None!

Can I have a Cuban cigar? No!

What does XL MIC stand for? eXtra Large Marge In Charge... there was a whole post on it, dude. Do your homework :P

If you could run with one person dead or alive, who would it be? Steve Martin. I think it would be so fun.

Now y'all go on up to that pink button and WHACK it... give me a little voterino... Top SF Bay Area Mom Blog... all the way, baby!

More than you bargained for... the answers

This Q & A game was such a great exercise. There were so many thought-provoking questions. Some of you really had me looking at myself and my life, trying to figure things out. And others of you asked such totally inane bulls***! Still, I am going to answer it ALL :)  But not all at once.

Caroline will get her own answer post. I think she wins some Nuun just for that ;-)

The answers will not be in the order asked. I am just wiped out tonight; it's been a busy day and I have had a migraine for 2 days and still cannot run because of that stupid man who rear-ended me :( So I am going to answer them in whatever order strikes my fancy...

Ashley asked:


*If you had to dye your hair a non-traditional color, what would it be?  Lime green.

*Did you always know you wanted to be a mother and to have a big family?  yes! I used to write stories about families with double-digits kids. When I saw The Sound of Music, I wanted to BE Maria... all those kids!  My favorite books were about big families.  Might have had something to do with the fact that I was an only child

*Any more bambinos in your future? sadly, no. I am 48 and think I've pretty much aged out. Also, I feel like 4 is good :)

*Celebrity crush? Robert Downey, Jr.  I have a think for good-looking bad boys. But I guess he's cleaned up his act... that makes it even better... so bad boys who've cleaned up their act.


Jenn asked:


Yes/No Spanking? Spanking of children not husbands. I do not think spanking is a good method of discipline. That said, I have spanked 2 of my kids at some point. I remember each time (there have been 6 times total). They all involved a situation that required a swift and effective and memorable consequence. 

Abstinence or BC/teenagers. Both... explain why abstinence is a great path to follow, but acknowledge the reality. Really would rather not bury my head in the sand. 

One thing you have ZERO tolerance for? intentionally cruelty.


~K~ asked:

Can you swim (ok, that part will be easy), bike and run in a swimsuit!? woman! I did this already! check out my triathlon video... 

Amanda@Runninghood asked:


What size are those jeans that make your ass look so damn hawt?? those are my awesome 7 for all mankind jeans that I got for $15 at the same place I got my $25 Moschino dress. They are a size 26, which I think translates into a 2 or 4.

Where is the craziest place you've ever had sex? ha! on the finish line on the awards dock of the Canadian Henley racecourse in St. Catharines, Ontario. Crazy, but not all that comfortable.

What do you eat for breakfast? my first breakfast is usually a fistful of raw almonds, a fistful of raw cashews and maybe some dried fruit in there. My second breakfast is either yogurt and fresh fruit or brown rice and 2 eggs... sometimes with spinach and/or goat cheese.


MissZippy asked:


So I want to know about Fidel--what's the story there?  here's a link to part of it. I rowed on the PanAm team in 1991 in Havana, Cuba. We placed second, and he happened to be presenting medals at that moment... he was only there for an hour or so. I actually jumped on him and his bodyguards totally freaked out. I doubt he remembers me :P


Kerrie asked:


What is something you regret...from high school? popping a mustard packet on a girl's white dress. what a crummy move. it was semi-intentional, but I really didn't think I could do it... and I really hoped I couldn't... but I did it anyway. She was super sweet. It was mean :(


Average A asked:


1.) What bad thing did you do as a kid that your parents never found about? nothing. I was perfect. Really. And my mom reads my blog. I waited until I left home to be bad.

2.) What bad thing has one of your kids done that you know about, but they think is still a secret?! LOL! I make sure my kids know that I know EVERYTHING! that way they are less inclined to try and hide stuff from me or try to pull one over on me. So far, so good ;-)


Rhonda asked:


What do you secretly wish for on your birthday?  A lovely spearmint green emerald ring set in platinum... just perfect, simple, sparkly green.


Kate asked:


What is it about Chris K that makes it so much fun to give him a hard time? he can take it... and he likes it... he begs for it!


Jeff and his dangling carrot asked:


How do you find time to like sleep, let alone run? Sleep? Sleep is overrated :P


And on that note, people, I need to get some... 


Come back later and find out all about what I am proud of, how I met my husband, what I struggle with, how big my biceps are when flexed, if I was the "other" woman... and lots, lots more...


And you may have noticed that an oooooo scary Circle of Moms badge has reappeared in my sidebar. This one is for Top SF Bay Area Mom Blogs... I fit that bill :) Go hit that pink button... you know how... you got all that practice back in May... remember? Don't let that training go to waste ;-)

Time to play Q & A... + NUUN giveaway!

It's time to play....

XLMIC

I was tagged by Kovas... who was tagged by Chris K, the Manly Runner... who pilfered the idea from Colleen of Iron Diva...

I am super excited to play because I love a good overshare. TMI could be my initials. Let's get cracking with a no-holds-barred interrogation ... no torture necessary. You ask. I answer. 

Ask away for the next several days... let's say Sunday sometime, and I'll post answers on Monday.

To make it super interesting and in the hopes of getting lots of inappropriately probing juicy good questions, there will be prizes! 

You can win 

A perfect prize for summer, n'est-ce pas? Adding Nuun to your hydration equation is super smart... lots of electrolyte goodness and no sugar. Drop it in your water bottle and you're good to go :) I want to share the NuunLove I've been getting from Team Nuun as a member of their Hood to Coast Relay team with all o' y'all, so here's how it'll work... and you know with me it is never simple ;-)

1. first of all, NO following is required... anyone can play... you just need to ask me a question.
2. secondly, if you are interested in being considered for a NuunPrize please say so in your comment (just a quick "want it" will suffice, but you can be more flowery if you wish) and tell me what flavor... you can pick any two... go to their site here to see what the choices are.
3. third, there will be three categories for the prizes... 1. most bizarre question asked... score points for creativity... but must be realistically answerable (fantasy inquiries are allowed). 2. most 'telling' question... score points for probing and digging for the true essence (or embarrassing past) of me. 3. most flattering question... score points for sucking up to my vanity. 

All will be judged by me, and all winners will win a Nuun-y prize... if desire is indicated in the comment. Yes, it is totally subjective... of course. No randomness here except in the questions. And if your question engenders a video or photographic response, giant bonus points for you.

Let's have some fun... 'cuz FUN is what it's all about :)

As part of this Q & A game, I am to tag five more players. I couldn't stop at just five. I picked more.

I am tagging a few people who are known over-sharers (even though they pretty much tell-all on their blogs already) because I think they will actually play along and invite challenging questions where others might simply blush or walk away.... and then some who I really want to know more about... for better or worse :P  

• Beth from Shut Up and Run
• Sandra from Absolutely Narcissism
• Jenn from Running Sane
• Caroline my favorite Canadian runner in exile
• Laurie who is The (Mis)Adventures of a Jogging Stroller Mom

and my big gigantic bonus pick... my entire gang that is Team Nuun Two... I wonder if they'll play?

• Tricia, who will show us Endurance Isn't Only Physical
• Average A of Diary of an Average Runner
• TMB who is Racing with Babes
• Kerrie from Mom vs. Marathon
• Margs, The Faster Bunny
• Lisa who is Discovering the Meaning of Stonehenge (a runner's journey)
• Jess who is THE Blonde Ponytail
• Susan, our Nurse on the Run
• Harmony of Keep On Keeping On

I know that not everyone is a fan of games like this. No worries if you've been tagged don't want to play. It's not like a chain letter where you'll go broke and have 25 years of bad luck... but you're missing out!  

To play, just grab that "Q & A" sign up top and set up shop :)

Go!

How XL can you be?

O.
Man.

I decided to hook up with some memers and make a vlog that actually shows my face... yikes. You can do it, too... and then maybe I won't be the only complete dipstick in the bunch :P Click that button if you are brave enough...






This is just about one of the scariest things I have ever seen. It was super fun to do but... whoa.

What is up with my neck? It looks so ... stringy.

And what a pinhead!

And the blinking! I swear I didn't have anything in my eyes... not even my contacts. Maybe that was the problem... I couldn't see farther than 2 feet away. Just freakin' shoot me...

Thank the Lord I had colored my hair the other day... but too bad it is sort of olive greenish... and no, I don't swim so it isn't from chlorine.

Did you ever meet a person who had NO LIPS before?

Can you believe I had NOT been drinking?

Yeah, you know it took a hefty darp to post this one ;-)

Body Image

I wasn't there when this picture was taken and haven't asked for the real story behind the image. She's only 9, so I don't think she is all kinds of head-hangin' sad because her body doesn't look like that thong model.

I think it's because she just finished her ice cream and daddy said, "no" to more.

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And in case you missed the "Vag Off"... you can check it out here (SUAR) and here (XLMIC).

**********************

As part of my Granny's Gadgets presentation yesterday, I opened up a Gadget Challenge! Read more here.... *click*

happy birthday to meeeeeeeee!!!! and the gadget giveaway winner announced!

In the GREAT GADGET GIVEAWAY featuring the amazing garlic peeler, it is:

Table for Seven....

being named the winner of said gadget by way of the Scrabble Method! I swear, I've got to get more creative with my random choosing methods... I almost fell asleep doing this one this time.

If you missed this awesome gadget, here is the instructional video... right here.

So Table for Seven, let me know where this sucker ... and the $15 Target gift card :)... are going by emailing me at:  xlmic.tio (at) gmail.com  and I shall hook you up!

And today is my birthday... I will write a whole narcissistic, attention-seeking post about myself later, but feel free to wish me a happy birthday, become a follower of my blog, go check out my Facebook page and click that lil ol' "LIKE" button... and if you want to see what 47 years, 363 days can look like in action, you will need to see my latest video creation:  Synchronized Carpet Swimming.

If you want to see this become an Olympic sport, you can help by making this video go viral. The IOC would have a hard time turning it down if the WHOLE WORLD was clamoring for it. And we could probably get them to consider the Going-Nowhere-Fast Triathlon also described in that post.

mommy goed RUNNING!

yeah...

that's cuz mommy goed poop!

lol... do you like how I made that brown? click on it if you missed the background story.

In my last running update, I mentioned that I would be trying to run on Tuesday.  Well, that didn't happen.  It was slated to be a tempo run... which I usually like.  But I just wasn't in the mood.  Not like I always have to be in the mood to go running when I go running, but on Tuesday .... "oh, excuses, excuses, XL. you just suck and are lame and have no biz being on this planet"..."oh, shut up, you." yes, I talk to myself. I can't remember what happened.


I went on Thursday.  Just a mellow 5.25.  I ran 7 of my little 0.75-mile loopy-doos inside The Gate.  It was all that... but we're skipping the side of chips ;-)  Very consistent laps... only a 6-second spread between the fastest and the slowest not counting the one lap where I was messing with the iPod... gotta stop doing that... never again in a run for time like my 5K two weeks ago... but it is hard to run to anything by Flight of the Conchords and not bust up laughing, and it is hard to run to In My Father's Eyes without crying, and the seminar on How to Listen to and Appreciate Great Music just wasn't working for me, nor were the little French pronunciation mp3 downloads from the kids' school... you see?  I had to search!  It still was a very relaxed and relaxing pace right around 9:40 per mile.

Next up... 8 to 9 miles tomorrow.  I'll be shooting for the 9 but knowing that, after nearly 2 weeks off, the 8 is probably more realistic.  I am a realist.  My husband is the optimist.

I know all you running readers doubt that I really run.  And those pics from my last 5K were in the dark and I run at night when no one is looking so there is really no proof... I know that is what you're thinking.  So here are some pictures of me running in the day a few long runs ago... maybe a month or so ago...

My biggest fans giving me the ol' high-five as I speed past...

Big G in typical fashion pissing me off trying to show me some "new" way to high-five... 

that he invented as part of some mythological alien body language based on the last 40 bazillion books he has read

LOVE THAT KID!

Approaching the halfway/turnaround...

this is near that portapotty I was telling you about ;-)

And there's my sweet Q!

I have to stop for hugs!

how can I not?

Tomorrow I am hoping to share the new core workout of the century.  I started it last week... in my own way... still waiting to see the results.  But this routine... if you can do it... guaranteed to give you the core strength of... of.... the guy who is in the video!

I'll let y'all know how that big run tomorrow goes... now that I'm 'going' there shouldn't be any problems ;-)
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And don't forget to vote for my picture in the sidebar
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
so WE can win the prize!
did you miss my post about the contest?
Here... click here.