So here are the highlights of the past couple of weeks:

1.  I have collected more than 50% of the donations needed to reach my target of $1,500!  (I am not against surpassing it!)

2.  Those who have shown their support and donated have come from all areas, times in my life and it has been wonderful to reconnect.

3.  Making the switch to a road bike has made all the difference and now I can really fly on those central park hills!

4.  My right leg looks pretty bad ass right now with all the cuts, bruises, and scrapes I suffered upon a big wipe-out last weekend.

5.  I have a whole new understanding of what it means to be a biker facing annoyingly slow and unaware pedestrians!

For those of you who would like to learn more about why I am doing this…

Apart from the from the physical accomplishment of completing such a ride, in the last few years, particularly since the work I did at the Harlem Children’s Zone, I have been a very passionate advocate for the importance of health education for children and their families in order prevent such illnesses like Diabetes caused by poor health and fitness.  At the very least I hope that through my fundraising efforts I am able to spread more awareness and interest in these issues, if not more!

https://donations.diabetes.org/site/Donation2?idb=827129832&9851.donation=form1&df_id=9851&FR_ID=8033&PROXY_ID=7559989&PROXY_TYPE=20

https://donations.diabetes.org/site/Donation2?idb=827129832&9851.donation=form1&df_id=9851&FR_ID=8033&PROXY_ID=7559989&PROXY_TYPE=20

(And a more detailed post to come…)

Bike ride =100 miles

10 miles = $100

Basically it looks like I need to step up my game (there are 61 days until the ride) or before I know it, it will become crunch time and I will have to spend the hours before and after work setting my hat out in the subway station, maybe even breaking out my cello – although I’ve heard that real estate down there can be pretty hard to find…  Hopefully it will not come to that!

As for my actual mileage – this weekend was a great start despite the awful weather.  My inaugural ride through central park (and around about 5 times) totaled to about 30 miles – and not without some SERIOUS hills!  (It’s where a lot of the super serious, intense cyclers go to train)  I have to say I was feeling pretty left out without the super cool matching jerseys, bike shorts, and bikes that these guys had.  Not to mention their thigh and calf muscles…

The next day (Saturday) I went along the west side highway which was beautiful but it was cold, wet, and windy…And whichever way I was going you could be sure the wind was going against me!  Overall I am feeling pretty good about my chances for finishing this ride as long as I keep biking over the next couple of months.

And as long as I get myself those bike shorts with the padding…

Now don’t forget – donate! donate! donate!  (we all know it’s been too long since I’ve picked up the cello to really count on that as alternative form of fundraising…)

https://donations.diabetes.org/site/Donation2?idb=539366207&9851.donation=form1&df_id=9851&FR_ID=8033&PROXY_ID=7559989&PROXY_TYPE=20

Just signed up to do a 100 mile bike ride, Tour de Cure, with the American Diabetes Association on June 3rd, 2012! A bit nervous since I need to start training…two weeks ago! But I am ready for the challenge. Plus this cause allows me to do something and combine my love of fitness with my passion for health and health education! More information to come…

You didn’t think I’d forget to hit you up for money, did you? (I pledged to raise $1,000)

http://collegecandy.com/2012/02/11/one-month-challenge-eating-clean-week-2/

http://collegecandy.com/2012/02/04/one-month-challenge-eating-clean-week-1/

Hyperbole? Perhaps, but there is something to be said for artistic license – even if it only serves to feed into one’s delusions of self-importance and grandeur.  (Of which I only have a few)

The original Nerdy Girl blog (2009) chronicled the adventures of a bright-eyed, college junior studying in the city of Berlin as she navigated living abroad , speaking another language, and traveling around a continent.  Since then, that same junior has gone on to graduate from college, enter the workforce, and learn the importance of setting up a 401(K).  Determined to stay “hip and cool” despite evidence to the contrary, she has decided to stay living at home because it is de rigeur among her post-college peers.

As it turns out “home” is living in one of the most exciting cities in the world – which deserves to be rediscovered!

Nerdy Girl thinks it’s time she “traveled” at home, exploring the great cultural spots, experiences that NYC has to offer!

Now if only she understood how the streets worked below Houston Street…

“She knew what would happen if she started drinking. We all know that the more people drink, the less likely they are to make wise decisions. It is common sense.” (Duh. However, some of us make silly decisions while sober as well…)

I find that argument disturbing on many levels because not only does it pardon the “perpetrator’s” actions but it also assumes that men are incapable of holding themselves to a higher standard, all men both good and bad.  Now, while I am not suggesting that I think it’s okay for girls to get themselves so “shit-faced” that they are rendered incapacitated but responsible drinking, among other reasons, should merely be a precaution against violence such as rape – Not giving the guy the “go ahead.”

I was also disturbed by the writer’s vilification of the theoretical victim, sympathizing with the accused and equating such “trauma” with a girl’s unexpected pregnancy.  Yes, I did just write that.

“I understand that matters like this can be painful and even tragic for those involved. The consequences can be severe for both parties. For the girl, it might mean an unexpected pregnancy, while the guy could be charged with rape.”

Now, I am not suggesting that all cases should be treated equally, nor that a false accusation is not traumatic, but I do believe that it is ignorance and misinformed statements such as the one above that make it more difficult for “real” rape victims to come forward.  One of the biggest fears a rape victim faces is that no one is going to believe her or even if they do, they would presume she was at least partially responsible.  With articles released like Miss Neagu’s, wouldn’t you be afraid of that?

For those of you interested in reading the article here is the address:  http://www.dailyprincetonian.com/2010/02/22/25251/

p.s. Did anyone who read the article not find the judgment the writer passed on her “friend” a tad horrifying?

(side note:  how cute is this?)

Normally, I don’t write two posts in one day…in fact lately, I’ve had trouble writing more than one post per week (thanks schoolwork!) but I feel recent events are extremely important to address:

Team USA beat Team Canada in Men’s Hockey, 5-3.  Not cool.

Olympics can be a tough time because as anyone with dual citizenship knows, you have to choose who to root for.  Now, a lot of the time that is not much of an issue…that is until they are put head to head – like tonight.  Then you choose one, in this case I chose Canada, and they LOSE.  On their HOME turf.  It is especially hard knowing just how important hockey is there.  I have family whose basements double as a second-hand skate shop (thanks to the years of rapid growth) and even during those dark times when the NHL was on strike, one could still find themselves surrounded hundreds of thousands of Canadians chanting, “GO LEAFS GO!”  (I attended Live 8 in Barrie, Ontario and the set changes took an unusually long time.)

Anyways, to sum up this long rant, I found this and I think Cartman’s facial expression accurately shows how, I and many other Canadian fans are feeling right now…