myviewthroughrosecoloredglasses

Adventure/Books and Daily Affirmations/Life/Uncategorized

Book Review—The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown

Posted on December 8, 2014 by Jeanine / 9 Comments

I know, I’m a rower, and you’re thinking “Really, you’re first book review for your blog is going to be about rowing!” No, actually, I’m going to review an amazing book that’s been on the NY Times bestseller list for over 25 weeks, most of the time in the top 5 in differing categories. It came out in hard cover in the Spring of 2013 and I downloaded it on my Kindle that summer after seeing a write up in Parade magazine. The book got all of this acclaim primarily through word of mouth. No big media blitz, just rowers and others sharing it with friends and family.

As the subtitle conveys, it’s the story of “Nine Americans and their epic quest for gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics.” I knew I’d probably like it due to the subject matter, but I had no idea how much I would LOVE it and learn from it. I’m not a huge history buff, but I learned so much from this book about what went on in Nazi Germany leading up to the 1936 Olympics—fascinating. One of the great things about the book is that it not only touches on the inhumanity of the Nazi’s, but it also teaches about perseverance and getting through life struggles in a positive way—with a little bit of physics thrown in too. Brown has such an incredible way of writing that his book keeps you captivated throughout. When I was done reading it, I went to my rowing team practice and told everyone, “We’re having a one-book, book club and everyone should read this book.” I was so excited for all of them to read what I had read. I’ve always been drawn to non-fiction, pull yourself up by the bootstraps, kind of books, but this is one of my all time favorites.

http://seattletimes.com/ABPub/zoom/html/2024064223.html — team pic

There’s one part of the book where they are going to go to the Poughkeepsie regatta and as soon as I read it I was so excited!! My daughter went to college at the beautiful campus of Marist College on the Hudson in Poughkeepsie, NY. For parents weekend her sophomore year (2009) they decided to do a re-enactment of the Poughkeepsie Regatta. Well, at the time I was just looking forward to seeing rowing on the Hudson and their newly renovated Cornell boathouse (it’s gorgeous, by the way!). Little did I know at the time that I’d be reading about the importance of the original regatta four years later in this book. So cool!

Here are a couple of quotes from the book that I really liked—

“Physiologists, in fact, have calculated that rowing a two-thousand-meter race – the Olympic standard ÔÇô takes the same physiological toll as playing two basketball games back-to-back. And it exacts that toll in about six minutes.” Now, we masters rowers take a little longer to get down a 2K course, but isn’t that an amazing statistic. I mean, my team totally ROCKS!!

The main character, Joe, says, “It takes energy to get angry. It eats you up inside. I can’t waste my energy like that and expect to get ahead.” —to that I say “AMEN!!” You have no idea how much I love that quote!!

I’m not exaggerating that I have over 10 excerpts highlighted on my Kindle from this book—and that’s probably because I exercised some restraint in my highlighting and didn’t want to totally bore my book group. My book club read it this past July and, although skeptical at first, everyone thoroughly enjoyed it and agreed that it’s not just about rowing. It’s been called the nautical “Chariots of Fire” by Publisher’s Weekly and the Weinstein brothers are working on a script, directed by Kenneth Branagh, for an upcoming movie.

If you’ve read it—let me know your thoughts—.and, if not, read it before the movie comes out (…and then let me know what you think!)

You cannot direct the wind, but you can adjust the sails!

Adventure/Life/Uncategorized

Catfishing

Posted on December 4, 2014 by Jeanine / 5 Comments

Catfishing: The phenomenon of internet predators that fabricate online identities and entire social circles to trick people into emotional/romantic relationships (over a long period of time).

Okay, so I’ve been dipping my toe into the online dating scene—.and not very successfully. Sure, I’ve had a few emails & a couple of coffee dates, but it seems so forced and un-natural for me. I know quite a few couples who have met online, so I’m not dissing online dating by any means. I know it works and is awesome for many, but I’m just not sure it fits my personality. I may eat those words someday, but right now it’s new and just a little weird. I equate it to playing dodge ball in 3^rd grade and I’m a captain. There are guys out there that are also captains—and you’re all saying “pick me, pick me!!” Sometimes you’re bummed that you didn’t get picked by one of the captains and sometimes you’re bummed you did get picked by one of the captains—.and sometimes you pick someone and they say “no, not interested in being on your team!”

So, a few days ago I got an email from a guy early in the morning. I checked out his profile—nice picture, lives locally, some things in common, same age—.so I emailed him back. We email a few more times and by the end of the day he asks if he can have my phone number to text me. Sure, what the hell! We text back & forth, then I have to go for dinner with a friend. When I’m done, I check my phone and had received another text. We text back & forth—and this is still the first day! The next morning I wake up to “Good morning, how are you doing?”, which is a nice way to wake up, right? We go back & forth for a couple of hours, asking questions, basic getting- to-know-you type questions (he works for the NSA!) —.then he asks what my favorite flower is, which is a little weird, but, again, what the hell. So, I tell him peonies & hydrangea. Okay, then he asks for my home address because he wants to send me flowers—he says he’s so “appreciative of my time and it’s his way of saying thank you”—REALLY?!! I say, no, and we banter a bit more. Now remember, it has barely been 24 hours since he emailed me the first time (first flag gets me a little suspicious.) So, we text back & forth and, honestly, it’s pretty fun & innocent. He starts calling me “babe”—”hey babe, how’s your day doing?” It’s a little odd, but he doesn’t have any real info on me and then he asks if he can call me tomorrow, ÔÇÿcause by now it’s a bit late. I say yes. When he calls it’s a really weird ring! Have you ever had a phone call on your cell that’s not your normal ring? (second red flag) When I answer it sounds like an almost synthesized voice and crackly connection. I hang up quickly and immediately get a text “what happened?” I say “weird connection” and he tells me to call him. I call right back and it rings at least 10 times, so he’s obviously not waiting for my call—3^rd red flag—I’m now thinking Catfishing. I hang up & text him that maybe it’s time we meet for coffee, to which he replies “sure! I have no problem with that. There is something going on in your mind—can you tell me what that is?” I just said “nothing, let’s plan to meet this weekend, goodnight.” The next morning he texts me at 11am—it’s very stilted and not the “good morning babe” of the last two days. I didn’t answer him and didn’t hear from him again.

Well, the whole thing lasted 3 days and was, honestly, kind of fun. The banter was cool & non-threatening—until it wasn’t. I’m a very secure person, with a lot of social interaction, but it was just a different kind of interaction. I’m also a little cynical and suspicious so it was easy to see the conversation take a turn—.starting with him asking for my address. I averted any true threat, though, cyber or otherwise, by asking him to meet in person. I can totally see, though, how someone—. a lonely, or bored, person, looking for that connection—.could get swept away by someone you never actually meet—.think Manti Te’o. I remember going in to see the movie “HER” thinking it was kind of a stupid premise, but it was up for some Academy Awards, so I thought I’d go. Well, it was very weird how I, and others I know whom I’ve discussed the movie with, got sucked in to believing the operating system, voiced by Scarlett Johansen, was human. Go see it!

It was a fascinating social experiment for me personally that, thankfully, only lasted three days.

—.And I learned that I kind of like being called “babe!” It seems kind of sexy!

You cannot direct the wind, but you can adjust the sails!

Adventure/Life

Rowing…Ballet on the Water

Posted on December 3, 2014 by Jeanine / 9 Comments

Mention that you’re on a women’s masters rowing team and the questions ensue.

“Why rowing?”

“Oh, did you row in college?”

“Do you go out in cold/rainy weather?”

“What time do you get up?”

I started rowing when I was 47. I’ve always thought of myself as a ÔÇÿwater’ person. I was on the swim team growing up and have always felt a certain pull towards, and energy from, the water…whether it’s looking out upon a crystal clear lake, a mesmerizing waterfall, the vast beauty and majesty of an ocean or just our backyard pool. On a side note—I also drink over my required 48 oz of water a day. There’s just something that I LOVE about water!

2012 long beach regatta…before the storm

So, when I realized I needed to “get a life” I happened to see an article in the local newspaper about a women’s masters rowing team not far from my home. I took a few private lessons, went to the “learn to row” camp and was then invited to join the team. I’ve also always been a morning person, which definitely helps. Yes, it was hard at first getting up at 5 am to be down at the boathouse by 6, but eventually it just became my normal waking time. —.and the sunrises, oh the sunrises!! It is honestly hard to put into words the awe, excitement and energy I get from sunrises. Most of the time I arrive at the boathouse in the dark, with the boat bays barely illuminated from within. The wash deck starts to come alive as the sun starts to rise above the mountains in the distance—.and if there are clouds involved it is spectacular! Just this morning I said to everyone, “Think of all the poor people still sleeping right now and we get to, not only enjoy the sunrise, but also the magnificent water!” The purples, oranges, pinks reflected on the glassy water is something I cannot adequately describe in words—so here are a few pics.

Okay, back to rowing! Yes, it is great exercise, but more than that I like to refer to it as ballet on the water. Eight people moving in unison, working together to propel a 200+ lb shell through the water, making it look effortless—.ballet! There are a multitude of things you have to remember when you’re rowing—.relax the slide; square up sooner; chin up, chest up; arms, body legs, legs, body arms; tight core; you’re skying; the dreaded ÔÇÿcrab’—.I could go on & on, but I’ll leave that up to the coaches out there. I rowed for 4 years until it was pretty clear that I didn’t have the mental toughness to “get comfortable with being uncomfortable” as we’d been instructed. My time on the erg (the rowers term for that machine you use at the gym) was always slower than most, I’m only 5′ 1” and most of my team members are over 5’7”, and I just couldn’t get past that mental part of going & going when you wanted to throw up, which some have done after a race. But I loved everything about rowing and our team really needed coxswains, so 2 ┬¢ years ago I switched to the role of coxswain. I still work out on the erg a couple of days a week for exercise, but mostly I sit in the stern of the boat, Madonna mike attached to my head, and, with instruction from our coach, steer and guide the team through practices and ultimately races. I may not have the mental toughness to get through the physical part of being a competitive rower, but line me up next to a row of competitors and I get a fire in my belly. Just imagine being lined up at the starting line, looking left and right at your competition, the starter yells “ATTENTION”, blades lock in the water and the flag goes down. The adrenaline is indescribable, as we battle other teams, hearing the shouts and encouragement from the shore as we all accelerate towards the finish line. I get excited just envisioning it!!

Again, I literally could go on and on, but this would be a ridiculously long post and you’d get bored—but, suffice it to say that if you’re ever with me and I happen to be with or meet another rower, we will talk incessantly about a sport that we love and the feeling we get from a good morning row. If you want to try it yourself, find a local boathouse at USRowing.org

—to be continued—there will be more rowing posts!

You cannot direct the wind, but you can adjust the sails!

Home & Food/Life

Thanksgiving…my favorite holiday!

Posted on November 30, 2014 by Jeanine / 5 Comments

Thanksgiving 2011 090[1] — The original Thanksgiving serving table…to die for!

The first two arrived last Saturday—.the other two on Wednesday. Both of my children and their fianc├®s came to SoCal from NY/NJ for the Thanksgiving holiday and I’ve been in heaven ever since. There is nothing like the comfort of having a full house, lots of activity, mayhem & games—and more food consumption than one person can handle! I also got the extra bonus of meeting and spending time with my future daughter-in-law’s entire family throughout the week—.who are all wonderful, fun people to hang out with.

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. It is not attached to any organized religion and it revolves around family, food & gratefulness. The year was 1992 and we had just moved into our new home. About 15 days after moving in, we hosted our first of what would be nineteen years of unforgettable Thanksgivings. We always had around 35 to 40 people, three turkeys and an amazing assortment of mouthwatering sides made by all who attended.

IMAG2888 — Cichetti/Brennan homemade raviolis and sauce

The torch was passed last year to my younger sister, JoAnn (check out her blog) and her family. This year we started the feast with homemade fried raviolis & marinara sauce that had been made by my future daughter-in-law’s family that morning—yummmo! JoAnn had brined the 28 lb. turkey & two large turkey breasts, for over 24 hours before baking it to a golden brown—.which was then carved quite skillfully by my older sister, Mariellen. There were 27 people this year enjoying the delectable turkey and the abundance of side dishes—.stuffing, garlic mashed potatoes, bleu cheese mashed potatoes, Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes with browned marshmallows, broccoli/cheese casserole, cheesy potato casserole, green beans, cranberry/pomegranate sauce, pumpkin Irish soda bread & tasty pretzel challah with olives. I get stuffed all over again just writing that list of food.

As if that wasn’t enough, my brother, Tim, & his wife, Ann—along with a few others—made scrumptious desserts. We also had the fabulous new additions of a game of flip-cup, family trivia— a-la-Jeopardy, and a family slide show, all courtesy of my brother-in-law, Doug, and my three computer savvy nieces, Goldie, Bun Bun and Miss T. I get so much joy from decorating the tables—the flowers, the candles, the tablecloths & seasonal decorations—.and thankfully my sister is more than happy to indulge my creative side and let me continue this portion of the prep. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but that is never truer than at the Thanksgiving feast.

I am extremely grateful for my children, Austin & Taylor, and their loving fianc├®s, Kate & Dan, who fit in so comfortably with the whole family; my extended family, as well as the addition of my future extended families, the Brennan/Cichetti & Collerys; my fun, creative siblings & their families; and my amazing, warm, supportive, friends.

Now that’s a beautiful view! How was your Thanksgiving this year?

You cannot direct the wind, but you can adjust the sails!

Home & Food

Comfort Food—.Whole Roasted Lemon Chicken

Posted on November 26, 2014 by Jeanine / 6 Comments

One of my favorite “go to” meals is a whole Roasted Lemon Chicken. When the kids were growing up it became the meal I’d make every Friday for Shabbat. I liked the smell that wafted through the house as the onions started to caramelize and the chicken started browning. It just felt like home to me and I loved the familiarity of the smell and that it meant “Shabbat.” It has since become my go to meal that I deliver to friends and neighbors in their time of need, whether a joyous occasion like the birth of a baby, or a friend who’s going through a hard time and just doesn’t have time to make dinner for the family. When delivered to their front door it is usually accompanied by rice pilaf and salad—and maybe a bottle of wine. Even though I live alone now, I still make it for myself at least once every two weeks and the leftovers last for days, providing many additional meals.

Here’s the recipe—.

One whole roasting chicken (usually around 4-5 lbs)
One sweet onion (Vidalia or Hawaiian), sliced
One to two lemons
Poultry seasoning
Garlic salt
White pepper (I almost only use white pepper because I prefer it to the large pieces of ground pepper)

Preheat oven to 400. Spray a pan with nonstick spray. Layer the sliced onion on the bottom of the pan. Place the whole chicken, breast up, on top of the onions (this way the skin doesn’t stick to the pan.) Quarter the lemons and squeeze over the chicken and then place in the cavity of the chicken. Season all over with poultry seasoning, garlic salt and white pepper.

Place in oven and baste every 15-30 minutes or so. Depending on the size of the chicken it usually takes around 1 hour to 1 ┬╝ hours and skin should be perfectly browned and the onions will be nicely caramelized too! Let it cool a bit and then carve into pieces.

So easy—and the leftovers can be used for other dishes during the week. I’ll post some of those at a later date.

IMAG2822 — I love the wings! …and I made cauliflower au gratin & salad to complete the meal.

IMAG2818 — Don’t forget to let the wishbone dry out and then grab someone to make a wish with!

Variation—I’ve also done a whole chicken using soy sauce, sesame oil & sesame seeds in place of lemons & poultry seasoning (I always use the garlic salt) to give it an Asian flair.

You cannot direct the wind, but you can adjust the sails!

Adventure/Life/Travel

I Love Paris in the Springtime

Posted on November 22, 2014 by Jeanine / 5 Comments

I love Paris, and every quintessential Parisian clich├® there is—warm baguettes, brie, Tour Eiffel, Notre Dame, The Louvre, Musee de’Orsay, croissants—the list goes on.

—But the thing I think I love most about Paris is getting lost in the little back streets, hidden promenades & gardens. I went to Paris by myself in April of 2012 to get away from my life at the time (cut to the scene in “The Sound of Music” where the Reverend Mother tells Maria something like “you can’t run away from your problems, you must face them!”). I just needed to get quiet, read our book club choice, “The Paris Wife”, continue my new-found love of journaling and really get away. Some thought I was crazy, but I can honestly say it’s one of the best things I did for myself at the time.

I wandered the streets endlessly, sometimes leaving my apartment at 10 a.m. and not returning until 10 at night. I was alone with my thoughts and I walked & walked & walked—and it was Heaven. It’s an incredible walking city, much like New York City or San Francisco. If you take the metro/subways or taxis you miss out on quintessential Paris. Walk along the promenade on the Seine!

Let’s dispel a myth, shall we—the French are not rude (in my humble opinion!). I found the Parisian people to be lovely & warm. The important thing is to make an effort to at least say “Bonjour!” (You gotta get that lilt in your voice just right). Whether you’re walking into a store or restaurant it is expected that you greet the shopkeeper or host. Sure, they may start speaking to you in French, but a simple, sheepish “Parlez-vous Anglais” and they’ll probably graciously switch over to English if they are able. Bonjour!—I don’t think that’s too much to ask—do you?

But, I digress—.back to Paris! Relax in the endless cafes and people watch. The Parisians will let you linger for hours. Read and meditate in the Tuileries. Take a cooking class on the Seine at La Cuisine Paris. See the winged victory at The Louvre. Get a hot chocolate at Les Deux Magots. Check out the charming Ile St. Louis across from Notre Dame. —and make the trip out to Versailles—it’s memorable!

But always leave a little time to get lost in the beauty & charm of the back streets of Paris—you’ll be so glad you did!

You cannot direct the wind, but you can adjust the sails!

Books and Daily Affirmations/Home & Food/Life

An Ode to Martha’s Bookstore

Posted on November 21, 2014 by Jeanine / 3 Comments

(Let me start by saying that I should have ÔÇÿpre-loaded’ each category on the blog with a couple of posts before launching, but I didn’t, so I apologize if you get quite a few posts in the next few days loading up your inbox. I hope you’ll come back here at your leisure and read any or all that interest you)

I’ve had the unenviable task of moving three times in the last three years. So, this last move was back to Balboa Island on my final leg of a full-circle journey back to where I started. I had to find a place pretty quickly and landed a little studio (240 sf + kitchen/bath) above the book store that is owned by my friend & teammate, Kathy & her sister, Stephanie. So, I move in and get settled and figure it’ll be fine for 10 months. The kitchen is adorable—all beachy aqua and the oven looks like an easy bake oven..so cute! But, let’s face it, it’s really small!

Small, yes, but I live on Balboa Island and that, in itself, is awesome—but living above a book store has been an unexpected, magical bonus. Martha’s Bookstore was opened by these two sisters 25 years ago and named after their mom, Martha Smock, who had a love of books and reading, had six books published and edited Daily Word magazine for 35 years. You walk through a quaint brick courtyard to get to the entrance of their adorable storefront. There are greeting cards, puzzles, & a ton of books. The inventory has changed over the years—there was that beanie baby craze back in the 90’s—but the focus has always been on the books. Every day around 10 am they turn on classical music on their outside speakers and I get to enjoy it all day. Right now they’re playing Christmas music and I love it! Sometimes it just feels like I’m on a movie set. Whether I’m reading a favorite book or just sitting at the computer, it’s kind of dreamlike to have the classical music playing in the background. When you walk in you’re asked “would you like some tea or chardonnay?”—who does that anymore—awesome! Around 5:00 the amazing smell of garlic starts wafting in from Amelia’s, a cute Italian restaurant across the street, and I know it’s just about closing time.

Kathy & Stephanie decided a couple of months ago that it was time to sell the store. It has been purchased and the new owners will maintain it as a bookstore, albeit exclusively for children’s books, I think. Come down before November 30^th for incredible discounts before it briefly closes for renovations. I just hope the new owners keep the classical music, tea & chardonnay—and retain the charm that everyone who stops by relishes and what makes this place so special. I’ve renamed my place the “bookstore tree house.”

You cannot direct the wind, but you can adjust the sails!

Books and Daily Affirmations/Life

Divorce, Choices and Daily Affirmations

Posted on November 19, 2014 by Jeanine / 10 Comments

I’d like to share a little of my history, which includes my divorce, however, this will be one of the few times I reference it because this is a positive blog and there’s not much positive to say about divorce. Two & a half years ago my husband moved everything out while I was out of town for the weekend, picked me up from the airport, and, well, we never slept in the same bed again. It was extremely painful. We tried for several months to work things out in therapy, but at some point it was clear that my 27 year marriage was over. Now I had to make a choice. I could choose to wallow and feel sorry for myself, or I could choose to be grateful for the 33 years (and two great kids) we had together. Of course, family & friends are the main reason I got through it, but daily affirmations & choosing happiness went a long way in making it easier to navigate.

In order to try to lift the fog from my life I started journaling, which I’ve never done before. It was so incredibly helpful to get my thoughts down on paper and out of my head. I highly recommend it when you’re at a crossroads in your life. I also started collecting daily affirmations. One of the first things I did was to put the serenity prayer on my desktop wallpaper—. “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference—.Reinhold Niebuhr” I, literally, read it and said it every morning when I sat down at my computer— and it’s still on here today. Very powerful words!

In choosing to be positive I had quite a revelation when friends, & family, questioned the end of our relationship. If it could happen to us, a very PDA couple, what about them? My answer was, & still is…”I hope you are lucky enough to have 33 great years with the same person—and two amazing kids. Some people have terrible marriages that last less than 5 yrs.” We weren’t just lucky; we worked at it, as you have to do in marriage. We had a great long run, but in the end choices are made that change the trajectory of lives. My kids are both healthy and in very happy relationships of their own—.and for that, I am very grateful.

In the end it’s how you choose to react to life’s changes (along with some help from the daily reading of positive affirmations) that become your own self fulfilling prophecy…at least that’s how it worked for me.

Here are two of my favorite daily affirmations— “If you’re grateful for what you have, you’ll always have enough—unknown.” and “You cannot direct the wind, but you can adjust the sails—.Albert Einstein” I’ve accumulated so many positive affirmations they could probably make for a really long blog post, but instead, I’m going to just randomly post them under the “daily affirmations” heading above and I truly hope that they strike a cord with you and help get you through some of your own crazy times.

PS— I’m new to the blogging world, so most of the categories above don’t have any content…YET. They will—as soon as I get some more posts going—.stay tuned!

You cannot direct the wind, but you can adjust the sails!

Adventure/Life

I like sharing…I like change!

Posted on November 12, 2014 by Jeanine / 13 Comments

I like sharing—.and I like change. Sometimes both of those get me in trouble, but most of the time I enjoy the adventure they take me on and the things I learn along the way. So, I decided to start a blog! I’ll share my love of rowing, photography, entertaining, cooking, travel, positive thinking (affirmations) and just the basic musings of my life as I go along.

I truly believe in the power of positive thinking, daily affirmations and the choices we make in life. I’ll be sharing some wacky things that have happened to me and how I got through them and also some great adventures I’ve had..some old, some new.

I come from a family of seven, two parents and four siblings. I can honestly say that I had the most idyllic childhood—probably because I’m the fourth of five and by the time our parents got to me & my younger sister they said “just raise yourselves, we’re tired!” We paid attention to how they raised the older three and tried to learn from their mishaps, their manners and their example. It’s weird how five people growing up in the same household can have completely different recollections of the same event—and I’m sure some of my “fabulous” memories will be disputed by my siblings as well! But I love our family stories and hope you’ll find some of them amusing too.

I also love photography—the composition you can get from looking through a lens and the moment in time that you can capture. I will share some amazing sunrises that I am honored to witness (by getting up at 5am to be on the water to row at 6am) and which so few get to enjoy. I’ll also be posting travel pics from my adventures around the globe. I’m not as well traveled as many, but I aspire to get there—and I’ll take you along for the ride.

One of the greatest joys I have in life is sharing my home with family & friends. I love cooking and entertaining, whether it’s just a friend dropping by for a quick chat and a glass of wine, or a dinner party for 12 or more. I’ve felt this way whether I’ve lived in less than 500 sf or almost 3000 sf. People coming together to share a meal and conversation is one of the greatest gifts we can give ourselves—.and our friends.

Travel—aaaahhhh travel!!! The anticipation of a place never visited is almost too much for me to comprehend. When I’m going to a new destination I love trolling the internet for all the information and “tips” I can get about a city/country. Some might say that it takes the spontaneity out of a trip, but I plan & get the lay of the land, and I always leave time to wander aimlessly through back alleys to discover unchartered territory that you can’t find in a guide book. I LOVE living like a local and almost never stay in a hotel—preferring a VRBO apartment or a home exchange to really feel like I belong.

Rowing! …an amazing sport…. ballet on water—the feel of water rushing underneath you—.I could go on and on (as my teammates & I do incessantly), but I’d like you to come back and read more posts so let’s just say that there will be at least one or two entries that include rowing…some coupled with travel & life lessons learned on the water and some just as the sun is rising in my own backyard.

Okay—so that’s my first blog post—YAY!! Come along as I delve & explore these and other topics that life throws my way.

You cannot direct the wind, but you can adjust the sails!