Thu, Aug 28 2008 by Vanessa.

I love Terri. Who doesn’t love Terri? She’s absolutely crazy. One of the most beautiful crazy people I’ve ever met to be exact. And I’m so proud of her. Terri and I met at the gym. John and I had started personal training sessions many moons ago and my original trainer received a promotion which required a transfer to another gym. So, she passed me off onto a new trainer who just moved to town named Terri.

Skepticism filled me when I heard that Terri keeps her clients in the free weight area more than the fun free-motion machine area. I came to enjoy my workouts in the free-motion area where we played games and tossed balls around and in one way or another distracted me from the fact that a workout was in progress. Then, during one of my last workouts with my original trainer, Terri tagged along to see what I was all about and vice versa. I will never forget that day. John and I were Army-crawling underneath a stretched out rubber band and my body started to fatigue. Terri said “You can quit early if you want. I won’t tell.” That moment and those words solidified in my head that “this girl was going to be way too easy.” Open mouth, insert foot.

Terri wound up beating my butt every single day for 7 months until I stepped onto a stage in Panama City, FL wearing the skimpiest bikini I have ever seen along with 5 inch heels, a fake tan and makeup.  Did I mention I hadn’t been able to shower that morning and I wasn’t allowed to wear deodorant the day before because it would turn my armpits (which had fake tan in them) green?  Did I also mention that during the previous 3 months I ate less than 1500 calories a day due to a diet that included a vomit-inducing amount of Orange Roughy?    I’m sure I left out the part that required me to do TWO 45 minute cardio sessions a day plus 5 lifting sessions a week.  Yes, the girl who “was going to be way too easy” made me her victim.  You see, when you’re crazy enough to make Figure competition a major part of your life, as Terri has, you naturally seek out other “victims” to compete with you.  Who wants to traipse through the depths of hell alone?

Looking back, the decision to prepare for a Figure competition might just have been my first real decision that solidified my need for a new life, AKA Section 2.  Terri showed me a world that I never imagined existed.  Frankly, if you haven’t done it, you have no clue.  My personality did a 180.  Most people can’t believe that I would ever be hateful or spiteful on purpose.  Anyone who knows me knows how my dogs stick to my side, how I love on them all the time, and I how I truly try to be a good person.  My personality changed so much that my dedicated little Mimi dog, who follows me literally everywhere I go, started running away when I walked into a room.  John would only eat when I left the house to train.  I found myself being so incredibly mean, knowing in my head that it was wrong and yet I couldn’t quite stop myself.  I honestly felt what it was like to be someone else.  Anyway, the reason I tell this story is because Terri lives this life every year.  When dieting season comes along she’s right there eating Asparagus, Orange Roughy (I still can’t stand to look at it), plain rice cakes if she’s lucky … well, you get the idea.  She does her cardio, her lifting and still manages to train others.  I don’t know how or why she does it but she does.

Well, this year Terri took flight.  She is kicking butt and taking names.  She’s placed 1st in her last 3 competitions and missed her Pro card TWICE by only 1 point each time.  However, all that is about to change.  This Saturday, August 30, 2008, Terri is going Pro.  I have a feeling and I’m going to send out winning vibes for her all day.  Here’s a picture of her and by the way … again, I’m so proud … she’s wearing MY suit!!!!!

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Thu, Aug 28 2008 by Vanessa.

Our time of departure (in the RV) is approaching.  I’m not sure at what rate but I know it’s getting closer.  As such, I thought it a good idea to clean up the Mustang and try to help Ron sell it.  Off to the Wash Tub!  We dropped the car off, went to get some coffee and then returned to collect my newly cleaned automobile.  Driving home I thought to myself,”How pretty my car looks.  Someone’s going to love owning it.”  That’s when I realized that I actually have to part with my car.  Of course, the tears appeared.  I know it’s just a car.  A skillfully pieced together hunk of metal, plastic and glass that takes me from point A to point B.  Somehow, as is true form for yours truly, my Mustang has become more than that.

I bought my Mustang in CA while John was away for Officer Training.   My mom flew to Lompoc to visit me and became worried when she saw how much my Daytona was smoking.  So, we went car shopping.  I picked it out by myself, I got a 1.9% interest rate, I traded in my old car and drove off the lot with my new car.  Actually, I drove off in a dealer demo since I’ve always opposed buying a brand new car.  Anyway, good buddies we (my car and I) became.  I traveled all over the country in that car.  It was also the first car I bought all by myself and paid off all by myself.  There is a part of me that thinks “Oh, I can just store it in my mom’s garage in CO until we are done RVing!” but that defeats the point.  Section 2 is not a vacation.  The point is not to RV for a bit and then come back to this life.  No, in order to properly create a new Section 2 life I have to let go.  I need to change.  I want to cherish what I have and know that even if I separate from my car it still exists and hopefully brings someone else days, weeks, months and years of reliable transportation, just as it did for me.

I miss my Mustang already but I know our separation is for the best.  Replacements exist for most material possessions.  Section 2 embodies simplification and that requires parting with most of my material life.  So, craigslist here I come.

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Wed, Aug 27 2008 by Vanessa.

So the AC finally died.  Poor hardworking AC.  AC units in San Antonio really take a beating.  The heat and humidity that we experience each year takes its toll on everyone and everything.  Anyway, two days ago the unit that cools the downstairs went to AC Heaven.  I think it might actually still be on life support but only until tomorrow, at which time the Voss brothers will pull its plug.  The silver lining is that of all times for the AC unit to give out, this week was a great one.  We did not escape heat and humidity but it’s been rather rainy and overcast which made the entire experience bearable.  Plus, having two units ensures that some part of the house is livable.

More exciting than all that was the discovery of an RV with a patio!  Take a look at how wonderful it is!  I don’t think it’s quite right for us, but it’s nifty anyway!

Even more exciting is the fact that John is creating a website, as I type, to start selling off our stuff.  Listing in on Craigslist was a bit cumbersome so we’re creating our own online store!   Make sure to stop by a shop!

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Tue, Aug 19 2008 by Vanessa.

Do people not understand the definition of hypocrisy or do they just not abhor it to the same degree I do?  To clear the air and make sure we’re reading off the same page, my definition for hypocrisy is saying one thing and doing another.  For example, our President, the “leader” of the free world, along with his buddy Condie Rice have declared, publically, for all to hear, record and stare at, dumbfounded with their jaws resting on the floor because their jaws can’t fall any further, that Russia absolutely cannot invade Georgia, overtake its capital and overthrow its government in this day and age because Georgia is a sovereign state.  Apparently, Bush and Condie believe such actions to be barbaric and inappropriate in the 21st century.  REALLY?!?!?  REALLY??!?!?  The fact that the “leaders” of our nation can stand in front of television cameras and outright condemn another country for taking part in the EXACT same actions they themselves have taken in recent years astounds me.  What kind of example is that?  I no longer wonder why Americans walk around, acting like idiots, blaming everyone but themselves for the lives they live.  Our own President does the same exact thing on worldwide TV.  It truly is a sad day in America.

Everywhere I turn people flaunt their hypocrisy.  My former employer, John’s former business partners, random people on the street, family members of my dearest friends, and now our country’s leaders.  In my mind, hypocrisy is just another form of lying.   It seems that all of these hypocrites know, deep down, what is right and what is wrong.  They flat out tell you what is right and what is wrong when they so “honorably” profess how YOU should behave.  To me, that means there’s really no denying that they do in fact know HOW they SHOULD behave.  They expect the rest of the world to follow rules of common decency and they take every available opportunity to let you know they know this.  Yet, while still flapping their idiotic jaws, they take part in the very actions they condemn.  Seriously, is it just so hard to examine your own behavior that they can’t see what clowns they make of themselves?  I fail to understand.  Frankly, I’m not sure I want to understand.

Now, I know I’m not perfect either.  However, when someone points out to me that I’m wrong and they prove it, I will openly admit that I am wrong.  There is nothing wrong with being wrong.  I am human and therefore I cannot possibly be right all the time.  However, I also work very hard to make sure that I do not act in a hypocritic fashion.  I refuse to look someone in the face and say “Don’t worry, I’ll help you” and then turn around and stab them in the back.  I refuse to look at my employees and say “You must work 50 hours a week with 110% effort to be a hard worker” and then turn around and slack off. I also refuse to condemn hypocrisy and then take part.  Most importantly, if I do find myself in a position where I’ve become a hypocrite I will most happily apologize and make amends.   People make mistakes and I’m fine with that.  Openly declaring your hypocrisy and standing by your actions … not fine with that.

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Thu, Aug 14 2008 by Vanessa.

I do not like shopping.  Grocery shopping.  Clothes shopping.  Furniture shopping (obviously if you’ve seen our poor couch).  Car shopping.  Hate it all.  No real reason pops into to my mind which might explain why shopping always falls to the bottom of my entertainment list but nonetheless, it does.  You can only imagine how thankful I am to live in the same neighborhood as Ron, our car-buying/selling guru.  If ever you are in the market to buy/sell a vehicle check him out at www.ronGetsIt.com.  Ron helped us purchase our Pilot when we decided that it was finally time to get more of a “family” car that can tote more than 2 adults from point A to point B.  So a couple days ago, when John and I decided it’s time to sell off all our cars for a diesel SUV Ron received a phone call.

Poor Ron came by that night to examine our autos, gather basic information such as VIN, mileage, etc.. and the brave, brave man actually came in the house, with all our dogs, to figure out what our crazy brains were concocting this time.   I think he now possesses a full understanding of our sincerity to sell off everything for life in an RV because we have instructed him to find new homes for all three of our current vehicles in exchange for a Diesel SUV, capable of carrying at least 2 adults, 4 dogs, a vegetable oil filter kit and whatever else we may need in Section 2.  This new vehicle will be the only automobile we own while RVing.  Yes, two American adults plan to share one and only one vehicle for daily transportation.  They say less is more … we’re ready to find out if “they” are right.

We plan to make our first journey in this SUV to Colorado in order to convert its digestive system to accomodate vegetable oil.  Thanks to PhoundationForChange.com this should be a relatively simple process.  The drive home might prove interesting.  Maybe we should practice our “Would you give me your used veggie oil” request.   I have a feeling it’ll be a request we make a lot in the coming days!

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