Month: March 2014

Music Monday: Introduction to Steve Moakler

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I get so tired of the drama of social networking and want to walk away and then someone sends out a tweet and introduces me to a new artist and I think “yeah” this is cool.

I’ve never heard of Steve Moakler.  I like his music. Nothing super complex and yet it’s not overly simple either. Pop it isn’t.  Thought you’d like him as well.

 

You can find him on ITunes here: STEVE MOAKLER ITUNES

FCC DISCLAIMER: No goods or services have been received as a result of this recommendation. I read about Steve on Twitter, like him and thought my readers would as well.

The Tulsa Tough Diva’s are Back!

DeanaLeave a comment

divas2Most of you dear readers remember my past stories and adventures while I ventured out into cycling back in 2011. I remember the thrill of doing my own research, going to Tom’s on Peoria and buying my very first street bike. My husband liked my bike so much he bought one as well. Personally, I think it’s because he was jealous that my new bike was faster than his.

Then I  did the Tulsa Tour de Cure on my own for the first time in 2012. I had so much fun I captained my own team in 2013.  Then my husband and I got our own dirt bikes, because you know dirt bikes are fun.

I even lamented on occasion about how I only know male cyclists (including my GYN and yes I posted snarky jokes about that. Hopefully he does not know this blog exists.), how even on the web there just weren’t that many women cyclist bloggers, and if I read one more story about man-scaping I was going to barf.

Well, things have changed.

Say hello to the Tulsa Diva’s.

I remember writing about how thrilled I was last year when the Tulsa Diva team started and how I was going to ride with them as soon as I got back from Nashville, only I didn’t because I fell and hurt my leg. Well, that and I totally wussed out because I was afraid I couldn’t keep up and that my leg would give out again. I totally regret that because they treat newbies like me so well and now, at least for this year, I’m not allowed to ride. — My tibia is in three pieces and I’m still working towards getting a full ankle replacement. I’m down for the whole 2014 season. I missed out.

Don’t be me.

There are a lot of great things to be had with the Tulsa Diva’s.

  1. Support – these women do a great job in including and encouraging riders. They have a Facebook group where they post up coming rides, tips and encouragement.
  2. Knowledge –– You don’t know anything about cycling? Great! Tulsa Diva’s host clinics for everyone on all aspects of riding. How to fix a bike, being properly fitted, rules of the road, how to ride with a group, mastering the three sisters,  racing and so much more.
  3. Fellowship — It’s not just the group rides. Everyone is included and invited to post ride fellowship, parties, and other events. Great friendships have already been built because of the Tulsa Diva’s. I’ve even made friends with a few on Facebook that I am looking forward to getting to know in real life.
  4. Events — the Tulsa Diva’s do more than just Tulsa Tough and weekly training rides. Throughout the year they participate in numerous rides like Tour de Cure, MS-150, Gran Frodos, biathlons, marathons, triathlons, CAT Races and whatever else they can come up with. When you sign up for any kind of cycling event or whatnot, you know you are not alone. There is a Diva Sister there with you for fun, encouragement, and support.

Women Cycling in Tulsa! Can you believe it?

Even though I haven’t made it to a group ride, these women (and the guys who help run it) have been wonderfully encouraging, passing on information, and giving me ideas on how I can still train while my leg heals. (Like swimming).

Oh, and their kits are awesome.

Check them out at TULSA  DIVAS

You can bet come next Spring, I WILL be riding with them. Hope you’ll join me.

Better yet, join now. You won’t regret it.

Music Monday: Don’t You Forget About Me, Simple Minds

Deana4 Comments

Do you know what scares me the most? Being forgotten.

My leg is broken. My ankle is shot. It will be over a year before I am well enough to perform again.  It’ll be 2015 before I’ll be allowed to ride with the Tulsa Diva’s.

All proof that I ever did comedy is in a video camera that was stolen last summer. I keep my Facebook page alive simply because I don’t want to be forgotten. I’m not alone.

Most authors, comics, actors,athletes,  hope for just some small piece of immortality. We want to know we make a difference. That we matter. This song is for us.

 

Coulda Woulda Shoulda Take Two

DeanaLeave a comment

ImageFor those who tried to click on this yesterday, I do apologize. A technical glitch (ie. ID10T error) caused this post to temporarily post prematurely.

———–

Nothing quite says “good morning” like walking outside and realizing your car has been stolen and nothing quite makes finding the car bittersweet like discovering that the thief kept all of your electronics.

Granted the whole issue is 90% my fault. If I hadn’t decided to unpack my car in the morning because I was “tired” from a road trip, I’d still have my camera, IPad, and laptop. Lesson learned.

And I’d still have my video footage of my comedy as well as the boys high school graduations if I’d backed my camera up to more than just my laptop. But I didn’t.

Oh well.

Coulda woulda shoulda does nothing for how I feel about the whole situation though. Truth is, I feel violated.

Feeling violated is a perfectly normal response. Staying stuck in that feeling however, is not.

Even though I wrote a rather funny comedy bit about how the police officer didn’t believe my car was actually stolen and even though I got to tell my bit on a nationally syndicated radio show (Thank you Daren Streblow for that wonderful chance), it was months before I could tell that bit without my voice shaking.

I kept telling myself “It’s just stuff, no big deal. At least we got my car back” but I didn’t really believe it.

My “stuff” – my tapes, my stories, my photos, were stolen in July 2013. It is now March 2014 and only now have I saved up enough money to replace my lap top and my camera. I even took that as forgive me for this “a sign from God” that maybe I shouldn’t do comedy ever again.

I mean let’s face it, all proof that I’d ever done comedy was now gone.

We let fear get the best of us during the in between stage of theft and recovery. I live in Fort Knox. I no longer keep my front door unlocked. I keep lights on in my house, I leave nothing in my car and I don’t go anywhere alone.

I really needed to take back my peace of mind. I made the decision to replace what was stolen once and for all.

This is my first post on my new laptop. This is me telling whomever stole my stuff that you can’t steal my heart.

Honestly, I could have probably found a way to replace it sooner, but I think I was punishing myself for allowing it to be stolen in the first place and put it off.

I convinced myself that my $299 Samsung tablet was good enough. It wasn’t. Not for what I do anyway.

I write.

I do stand up comedy.

I take amazing photographs.

I love sitting on my back porch, writing in the sunshine.

I’m doing that today.

I win.

Question for you dear readers. Have you ever had anything stolen? How did you deal with it?