Well, after living indoors at my parent's house for nearly two months it's time I get moving again. I'm heading back to LA. The classes start this weekend and will be weekend-only through May. I'll be back working and trying to get by. Studying, training, living.
This means that nearly 5 years of my life, half my 20's, will have been spent living in my truck. Wild. A story, for sure. Something to tell potential offspring if I even have the audacity to reproduce, which is questionable.
Goodbye bedroom. So long kitchen, with all your neat cooking utensils and oven and stove. Later electricity. I'll miss you most private bathroom - I love how, within your confines I don't have my naked ass stared at by really hairy middle-aged guys. *sigh*
And thus the journey continues!
or
Boldly going to where no homeless guy has gone before: Chiropractic school!
or
On the road again...
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Tuesday, October 06, 2009
Accepted!
As of friday, 10/2, I have been accepted to Southern California University of Health Sciences to get my Doctor of Chiropractic and Master's of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine! I'm really excited!
And...
Back to the truck! I start a weekend-only intensive prerequisite program on 10/17. I'll be back living in the truck from 10/15 until probably August. So the adventure continues. I'll be working, studying, training, and taking my weekend classes. Then, in August, I'll be going full-time in my DC/MAOM program. At that point I'll have to live somewhere so I'm hoping to rent a room very close to the school, which is in Whittier, CA (South East LA county, right next to Fullerton - a familiar area).
Back to the truck! I guess I just can't seem to stay indoors too long, can I?
I am very excited for the future!
And...
Back to the truck! I start a weekend-only intensive prerequisite program on 10/17. I'll be back living in the truck from 10/15 until probably August. So the adventure continues. I'll be working, studying, training, and taking my weekend classes. Then, in August, I'll be going full-time in my DC/MAOM program. At that point I'll have to live somewhere so I'm hoping to rent a room very close to the school, which is in Whittier, CA (South East LA county, right next to Fullerton - a familiar area).
Back to the truck! I guess I just can't seem to stay indoors too long, can I?
I am very excited for the future!
Monday, October 05, 2009
Kayaking the Lower American River
The day after the race I was already really bored! I guess I have a hard time not doing anything. I took my kayak out down the Lower American river, from Sunrise Blvd down to the first rapid, the San Juan rapid (class 2). It was a blast! The hardest part was kayaking back up river for 2 miles at the end! That was a workout!
Tahoe 72... well, 30 miles of it.
On September 26-27th was supposed to be the Tahoe 72-mile run. Sadly the race director forgot to put that on the permit to CalTrans and, being the fat, lazy slobs that make up many overly comfortable government employees, he couldn't get them to amend it. So many of the registered runners decided to do the run anyway. I was one of those.
The race started at 10 PM and was to run through the night.
I ran with the front group for a while. Then I had to stop for a bathroom break at around mile 10. After that I began slowing a bit due to some preexisting conditions: I've been in the beginning stages of plantar fasciitis, had some Achilles tendon pain, and some anterior tibial tendinitis. All of that, especially the pain in my foot, was slowing me down a lot.
After 30 miles of running, at 4:30 AM, I decided to call it. The pain in my foot was getting pretty bad. This was to be my last run before a 2-month hiatus. My great crew, Jen and Ryan, were there with me the whole time. Ryan had even paced me the last 7 miles. But in the end my much needed time off came early. The worst part is that 30 miles of running didn't leave me sore or tired at all. Barely a workout! I guess I'm getting pretty burly.
At this point I haven't run in a little over a week. I've been active but I can't wait to get back out there.
The race started at 10 PM and was to run through the night.
I ran with the front group for a while. Then I had to stop for a bathroom break at around mile 10. After that I began slowing a bit due to some preexisting conditions: I've been in the beginning stages of plantar fasciitis, had some Achilles tendon pain, and some anterior tibial tendinitis. All of that, especially the pain in my foot, was slowing me down a lot.
After 30 miles of running, at 4:30 AM, I decided to call it. The pain in my foot was getting pretty bad. This was to be my last run before a 2-month hiatus. My great crew, Jen and Ryan, were there with me the whole time. Ryan had even paced me the last 7 miles. But in the end my much needed time off came early. The worst part is that 30 miles of running didn't leave me sore or tired at all. Barely a workout! I guess I'm getting pretty burly.
At this point I haven't run in a little over a week. I've been active but I can't wait to get back out there.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Application Process
Applying to a school is a silly process. Each school wants every transcript from every other school you've attended since high school. So I'm having to get my high school transcript, my transcripts from five community colleges, and the one from Cal State Fullerton. Seven! Do you know how much that costs?! And then there's the two applications, each costing $50! And if they accept me they'll want between $250-500 as a deposit! Ouch!
I know that in four years I'll be able to have a career that'll help me pay these things off and will feel rewarding but can't they charge me for all this stuff at that point and not now? They should assume that I'll be able to afford these fees when I'm, I don't know, A DOCTOR! But now?! I have lived in my truck for four years, much of that time doing alright because I wasn't paying rent. There's no secret money here. Yet still the processes of all these things suck my bank account dry.
I'm just saying...
Do you realize that in two weeks from this very moment I will be running around Lake Tahoe. This'll be hour 3 of my 72 mile run (hopefully to finish around 14-15 hours). I want it to be here already. I'm anxious and excited to run this race, anxious for the school to accept me, anxious to change things around again.
Ready...Future...GO!!!
...are we there yet?
I know that in four years I'll be able to have a career that'll help me pay these things off and will feel rewarding but can't they charge me for all this stuff at that point and not now? They should assume that I'll be able to afford these fees when I'm, I don't know, A DOCTOR! But now?! I have lived in my truck for four years, much of that time doing alright because I wasn't paying rent. There's no secret money here. Yet still the processes of all these things suck my bank account dry.
I'm just saying...
Do you realize that in two weeks from this very moment I will be running around Lake Tahoe. This'll be hour 3 of my 72 mile run (hopefully to finish around 14-15 hours). I want it to be here already. I'm anxious and excited to run this race, anxious for the school to accept me, anxious to change things around again.
Ready...Future...GO!!!
...are we there yet?
Friday, September 11, 2009
The Plan
So the last three weeks I've been back at my parent's house in Sacramento. I was up in Chico again for a few days. I ran around The Buttes, the world's smallest mountain range (wiki it). It was a 30-mile run through some beautiful farmland and almond orchards.
Last weekend I got my mom to do her first race: The Mather Mud Run (for Air Force week)! It was awesome! She and Jen did the 2-mile race, consisting of two loops around the park. There were obstacles and, as per the name, a big mud pit! Ryan and I did the 5-mile race, same course just with 5 laps. We came in 22nd and 23rd out of 179 people with a time of 32min15sec! Great!
In about 2 weeks comes my big race: 72-mile Midnight Express Lake Tahoe Ultramarathon! Running around Lake Tahoe, starting at 10 PM on 9/26! It's going to be wild (and tough)!
After that, though, comes the reason for this post's title: The Plan. I have decided, after a lot of thought, that I want to become a chiropractor. Well, actually a chiropractor/ART practitioner/massage therapist/trainer/coach. A far cry from my bachelor's degree in Film. I'll be taking accelerated weekend courses to cover my prerequisites that were not required for my film degree - biology, chemistry, physics, pre-calculus, psychology. I'm working on applying to Southern California University of Health Sciences, a great chiropractic school down in Southern California. Which means I'll be heading back down, as early as October. It also means I'll be back to living in the truck again for while. In a few years I'll be a doctor of chiropractic. This means I'm thinking about my future. Basically, I like helping people, being involved in the endurance sports world, and I would like to make a good living doing that. (I don't want to be poor forever).
So that's the plan! Exciting, nerve-wracking, expensive. But back in SoCal are some great friends. I just wish there were a few others that were with me (I'm not going to name names).
Last weekend I got my mom to do her first race: The Mather Mud Run (for Air Force week)! It was awesome! She and Jen did the 2-mile race, consisting of two loops around the park. There were obstacles and, as per the name, a big mud pit! Ryan and I did the 5-mile race, same course just with 5 laps. We came in 22nd and 23rd out of 179 people with a time of 32min15sec! Great!
In about 2 weeks comes my big race: 72-mile Midnight Express Lake Tahoe Ultramarathon! Running around Lake Tahoe, starting at 10 PM on 9/26! It's going to be wild (and tough)!
After that, though, comes the reason for this post's title: The Plan. I have decided, after a lot of thought, that I want to become a chiropractor. Well, actually a chiropractor/ART practitioner/massage therapist/trainer/coach. A far cry from my bachelor's degree in Film. I'll be taking accelerated weekend courses to cover my prerequisites that were not required for my film degree - biology, chemistry, physics, pre-calculus, psychology. I'm working on applying to Southern California University of Health Sciences, a great chiropractic school down in Southern California. Which means I'll be heading back down, as early as October. It also means I'll be back to living in the truck again for while. In a few years I'll be a doctor of chiropractic. This means I'm thinking about my future. Basically, I like helping people, being involved in the endurance sports world, and I would like to make a good living doing that. (I don't want to be poor forever).
So that's the plan! Exciting, nerve-wracking, expensive. But back in SoCal are some great friends. I just wish there were a few others that were with me (I'm not going to name names).
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Slimmons with Richard Simmons!
A few days ago we had the pleasure of going up to Beverly Hills to the Slimmons studio, Richard Simmons gym. Classes are $12. On saturday mornings Richard Simmons teaches the classes. When we found this out we knew we had to go.
The studio was packed! There were at least 60 people in there, all laughing and doing these silly dance moves. Richard is hilarious. He's very nice, genuine and truly cares about everyone there. He talks to everyone and listens and is just such a good person. And then the music starts, way too loud. We were sweating to the oldies (remixed with a beat) and he was just nuts. He yelled silly things and ran around and danced and screamed at the top of his lungs. He was a wild man. And at 61 years old he shows no sign of losing energy. If you live in the OC/LA area I highly suggest you get out there and go to Slimmons. It's really fun and you get a great ab workout from all the laughing!
And since we're on this topic here's me:
2003: 236 pounds
2009: 180 pounds
This is what ultrarunning, climbing and other exercise can do!
The studio was packed! There were at least 60 people in there, all laughing and doing these silly dance moves. Richard is hilarious. He's very nice, genuine and truly cares about everyone there. He talks to everyone and listens and is just such a good person. And then the music starts, way too loud. We were sweating to the oldies (remixed with a beat) and he was just nuts. He yelled silly things and ran around and danced and screamed at the top of his lungs. He was a wild man. And at 61 years old he shows no sign of losing energy. If you live in the OC/LA area I highly suggest you get out there and go to Slimmons. It's really fun and you get a great ab workout from all the laughing!
And since we're on this topic here's me:
2003: 236 pounds
2009: 180 pounds
This is what ultrarunning, climbing and other exercise can do!
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Time for a Change
After 4 years I've decided to stop for a while. I'm moving back to my parent's house for a while. I'll be in Sacramento getting some new massage and other certifications, helping out around the house, working on writing and training harder. So many friends have moved away. Most, in fact. And while I'll miss my friends that are still in Southern California I am excited to live indoors for a while. I get to cook normally again, which means I can try to perfect my sushi-making.
Don't feel like I'm abandoning the world of truck-dwellers and homeless fun-havers. I'm not. There will be road trips o'plenty and I'll sleep in my truck for those. And since I'm not wanting to permanently reside in Sacramento I'll probably live in my truck wherever I go next. I'm excited.
But I'm really excited to leave OC/LA. I really dislike the traffic.
Maybe I should have a party, coming and going!
Don't feel like I'm abandoning the world of truck-dwellers and homeless fun-havers. I'm not. There will be road trips o'plenty and I'll sleep in my truck for those. And since I'm not wanting to permanently reside in Sacramento I'll probably live in my truck wherever I go next. I'm excited.
But I'm really excited to leave OC/LA. I really dislike the traffic.
Maybe I should have a party, coming and going!
4-Year Anniversary of Living in the Truck!
Wow! Amazing! I have lived in my truck for 4 years now. Four years! Crazy!
To celebrate I had a couple beers last night with my friend John and tonight I'm going to my friend's Nathan and Meg's going away party (they're off to Portland in a few days). And, by-the-way, Nathan and Meg just got engaged a few days ago! Congratulations!
In four years I had the chance to help others work out logistics so that they could have an easier time living in their cars and trucks. I love it!
To celebrate I had a couple beers last night with my friend John and tonight I'm going to my friend's Nathan and Meg's going away party (they're off to Portland in a few days). And, by-the-way, Nathan and Meg just got engaged a few days ago! Congratulations!
In four years I had the chance to help others work out logistics so that they could have an easier time living in their cars and trucks. I love it!
Mt. Whitney
The day after Badwater I woke up early for my chance to summit Mt. Whitney. I did, in 5 hours 40 minutes (sorta fast). It was AWESOME! And I got to talk to some great people on the trail. Its a tough trail, especially with the section of 96 switchbacks. That part drags no matter how good you feel. Above 13,500 feet I started to feel the effects of altitude: seeing stars and breathing hard. I doubled my calorie intake and pushed for the summit. At the top, once I rested a little, I acclimated to being on top of the country. At 14,496 feet Mt. Whitney is the tallest peak in the lower 48 states. [Alaska has the tallest in the country in Denali National Park, Mount McKinley 20,320 feet.]
My camera battery was nearly dead so I didn't take many photos... but this is what I have:
My camera battery was nearly dead so I didn't take many photos... but this is what I have:
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