Tour De Cure: Training Ride 1

I've registered to ride for American Diabetes with my company's team at one of the NJ Tour De Cure bicycle rides. I've elected to attempt the full 80-mile course, which must be completed within 8 hours (7am-3pm). Therefore I have begun training to make sure I don't thoroughly embarrass myself. Last weekend I intended to ride out to Port Washington but the ride did not materialize (and the bicycle required some maintenance, so I did that to make sure I would have no excuses the next time!). So today I rode 40 miles (in 5 hours, need to work on my speed). See ride:


View Route for 4/25/09 - Tour De Cure Training in a larger map

Juxtaposition: Atlantic/Pacific

We took Lizzy on her first international trip to visit my parents in Panama. The flights were a bit stressful but manageable. We had a great time with the grandparents - pool, beaches of the two oceans, the canal, Park Omar, Summit botanical gardens & zoo, food & drink, and we even crammed the Passover holiday into the mix! Lizzy loved it, as you can see:

Spring is here!

Lizzy is growing big and strong. She is eating solids, learning to sit up, and exercising her vocal chords... Exploring the world with her is fun (museums, day trips to nearby cultural centers, picnics, and play dates). She loves water. She likes the sounds of gushing water. She enjoyed the swing in the playground. So far she likes being around new people and in new environments. She happily wakes up from naps in new cities, new beds (crib in hotel, sleeping tent in VT house, car seat), and around new people.

We've been training her to fall asleep on her own (took some terrifying nights of screaming), so now she settles down when we dim or shut the lights and that has made weeknights more bearable and something we don't have to dread anymore... Work is still OK. Doing new things and working with friendly teammates. So far, so good.

Lizzy's First IMDB Credit

Had some extra time (where DOES it come from?) one night last week... The latest Picasa release has a new quick-and-dirty movie/slide show maker feature so I played around with it. Only thing that took a long time was picking the audio track...

Settling In, Digging Heels

I gotta just make some comments about Obama. Did I call his flakiness during the campaign? All this talk of changing politics and unity, etc. The congress is at its same old, his treasury secretary does not know how to pay taxes, and he has hired lobbyists for some key postings in his administration. Sure he is affecting some change (Gitmo, aid/abortion, transparent government), but anyone would have felt like a breath of fresh air after W... Not impressed.

Unrelatedly, I procrastinated until the last week before the deadline for this quarter's round of FSO tests only to find out that the whole section is booked solid. Globally! I guess foreign officer wannabes have been waiting in the wings, biding their time until the change in administration. Anyways, now I have to wait until June to restart the process. At least work has been pretty rewarding. Learning new things, keeping busy, collecting that pay check, and hammering away at the mortgage. I have been lucky to survive several rounds of job cuts but the future is still nerve-wrackingly uncertain.

Meanwhile, domestic life has been a delight - Elizabeth is growing (and growing; she is at the top of her age group in height... yes, height!) and getting more active. Play time is more staisfying with chuckles and smiley faces aplenty. Alas, sleep time is somewhat of a challenge. Especially in the last few weeks with her gums giving her a bit of grief. But she has been a sport about it - too cute! Speaking of which:

New Year Revolutions

It's a new year and just like every recent year, the Middle East is burning... No, not with the warm bright lights of Hannuka or the fireworks of the Gregorian new year, but with the artillery of many armies, insurgents, rebels and freedom fighters. I feel nothing but dread and apprehension when I contemplate Obama's first term... But he has Hillary by his side, and maybe I can help someday as well. I need to complete my registration for the February test ASAP. I have been short on time and long on wishful thinking.

Still, it has been an eventful month. Lizzy is going to be 4 months on Monday, and we just moved in with Connie's parents in our house in Brooklyn. The setup has pros (cooked meals, nannies and babysitters a-plenty, the comforts of a big family living together) and cons (little privacy, longer commute, and the horrors of a big family living together), but it'll have to do for the near future. And Lizzy seems to like the sich'. She's been practically sleeping through the night (~7 hours straight).

Speaking of which:

Clinton, Can I Work For You?

After the formal Secretary of State announcement today I feel it's more my destiny than ever to get on with this Foreign Service job. I love Clinton! Hope she stays around long enough while I make my way through another round.

Meanwhile, work is work. More or less what I expected, but not where I wish I was at this point. Paycheck is still a nice thing to look forward to again, and I have my baby daughter to keep me busy, happy, and hopeful for a better tomorrow. Speaking of which: