From the other upstate NY

I can disobey the captain's direct orders no longer, so here it is: news from the other upstate. I'll be leaving in a few hours, actually, for the Outer Banks, NC. Everything I should be packing right now is strewn all over the house, but I don't know what kind of internet access I'll be getting down there, so I thought I'd update before the entire summer is over.

Training is going well, I'm working out in between work (as a technical writer for a medical diagnostics company) and trying to relax. I typically go for an easy 4 mile run during my lunch break, and then go for the real workout when I get home. We're only bringing one pair of rollerskis to NC, and they're my brother's brand new ones (my rusty clunkers will hopefully soon be replaced), so I'll have to fight him for them, but I look forward to attracting even more odd looks than I do now rollerskiing on beachside roads. At least people have heard of snow and nordic skiing up here.

And now for a story. I was running a few errands with my mom the other day, one of which was to get some pictures developed. Some of the pictures she wanted were on my camera, and some were on hers, so I let her borrow my flash drive to put them all in one place. Unbeknownst to me, a certain photoshopped carnie crush photo was still on said flash drive, left over from this winter. I didn't go into the store with her, but when we picked up the prints an hour later and I started to flip through them, there on the very top of the pile was the lovely, spandex-clad men's team, complete with captions, wishing me a happy Valentine's day. "Oh, I thought it was funny! I got it for you," was my mother's response to my unasked question. What she thought I would want with it, I have no idea, but when we got home, I forgot about it, and a few days went by.

Now, my mom keeps meticulously organized photo albums; we have a closet full of them. They are her pride and joy, and she unfailingly brings the most recent one along to show friends and family at every opportunity. The current album happened to be sitting out on our couch the other day, and I started to look through it. Yes: there, in between the pictures of a recent family reunion and ones of Steve and I getting Harry Potter at midnight, was The Photo. She shows these albums to my grandparents. I really don't think she noticed the caption at the bottom. I'd like to see the reaction of the first person who does notice it, and the awkward questions my mom would have to field, at which point I would probably have to flee the scene.

For those freshmen who have no idea what I'm talking about, here you go: http://harvard.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=32774511&id=30495. Enjoy.

So that's the news from this side of NY. Not as exciting as tales of being chased down by crazy birds, I know.

~Audrey