Top Ten: Moments.

  It was going to be ten things, but do you realize how hard it is to come up with a full set of ten things that are semi related? Not that hard? Oh… ok. Well… Shooooot.

I put this one off a little. My lists for September. Almost done with the month. I’ve got a couple more days! I’ll be more on top of it for October.

I’ll do better next time.

Let’s talk about moments.

Top ten moments of life—so far. Some of these might be further explained in future posts—I need to keep the ideas rolling for sure.

10. Meet Craig Mottrom at Prefontaine Classic.

Now those of you in the track and field world know, this guy’s got a steel set. He is one of the coolest racers I have ever watched. He fought hard for it. He knew it would take running hard to beat the East Africans in the distance races. And even though he may not have always succeeded, he truly opened the door. And the accent helped a little bit too.

9. Running the Las Vegas Marathon as my first marathon. Even though I was sick—the lights coming on as I entered the strip… The purple sky that backdropped the casinos, and watching the luxor beam shoot straight up in the sky, it kept my mind off the fact that I still had a whole half marathon to go.

8. Having an Olympic Medalist recognize you and know your name—and allow you to run alongside him every Friday morning. Well maybe not every Friday morning, but he still remembers me. And it is a complete and utter honor.

7. Every summer when I get to be a camp counselor.  Enough said. Those kids, those people keep me sane. I don’t know how I went a whole summer without them once. And now, never again. Talk about a place having restorative properties, that place does!

6. Camping in the Badlands during a thunderstorm. With all of our recent natural activity here in Spokane, it brings me back to that week I spent there. It was just to get away from it all and enjoy the serenity, the wilderness, the wide open spaces.

Badlands National Park

5. Winning the State Title as a senior in high school, and going on to place 7^th at Nationals. Yes, those are two things, but it was one season. The young women I got to run with are  now some of my best friends in the world. They are ones I wills still lean on and praise every step of the way. Once a Gig girl, Always a Gig girl.

4. This is a collection of moments that run together I am sure of that, but it would have to be any time I was able to go to the driving range with my Grandpa “Jack.” I laugh as I write this because he is probably yelling from wherever he is now saying I shouldn’t be writing about golfing, but actually golfing.  Although he never actually yelled, or even spoke sternly for that matter.  But the hours he spent with me as a young one, attempting to make me the next Annika Sorenstam. And while today it takes me a bucket or two to get the old swing back, the sound of that ball hitting the exact sweet spot on the club will never be missed or lost on me. I can still feel his large workman’s hands on my head, steadying my thoughts and movements. I had a tendency to fidget. Still do, but his hand is always there to guide me.

3. Speaking to the Western Literature Association and presenting my paper on Cormac McCarthy’s The Road, and having him ask a question about it. Gulp. How could you not be frightened out of your mind that the freaking author you just did an analysis on is asking you questions… about himself! He was far too kind to me, but liked my paper. That’s all that matters I guess.

2. Becoming an “Aunt” Even though I rarely get to see them, my cousins/ nieces and nephews are so special to me. I wish I could be with them more to teach them all the bad habits that their parents don’t want them to have… mostly just candy before dinner. I will always have gum you guys.

1. And all time, although to some it might not be that great it was a memorable and beautiful moment for me, climbing Tower Mountain in Spokane, at night and looking out over the world with hot chocolate in hand, underneath the stars.  Absolute perfection to me. If I could do it again and again, I would.

Tower Mountain view. 

 After writing and editing this I came up with so many more!! I'll do more moments in the future. 

MMM 

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