Tall Tara

Ummm…mic check, one, two, one two…

So, right, sorry about my silence. Honestly though, things were a little crazy in February, with less days and my birthday and a comedic presentation and a blogging conference.

There are no good excuses to be made about the blog neglect. But hey, I’m back and attempting to be better than ever. And? I’m getting married tomorrow.

That being said, why in the hell am I writing a blog post on the eve of my elopement? Basically, I am a week overdue in posting my birthday list of what I want to do this year. By sharing it now,  I can cross at least one thing off the list the day after tomorrow. (And if you know me at all, then you know how much I really love crossing things off lists.)

1. more yoga
2. run another marathon
3. elope
4. work on improving my green thumb by growing beans and helping with the community garden
5. pay down credit card debt
6. write more letters
7. perform stand-up at least once a month
8. incorporate strength training into my workout routine
9. reach out to my old friends
10. play another season of Ultimate Frisbee
11. do more push-ups
12. explore new parts of Colorado
13. give more bodywork
14. roller derby!
15. experiment with video
16. get scuba certified
17. blog more
18. learn basics of Photoshop
19. buy more vintage clothing
20. get rid of unnecessary stuff
21. say yes more
22. reach outside of my comfort zone
23. swim
24. throw a kickass wedding party
25. volunteer my time with a cause close to my heart
26. get the tattoo on my ankle redone
27. be sure my loved ones know how I feel about them
28. dance more
29. put money in my savings account every month
30. acknowledge gratitude daily
31. practice compassion
32. forgive and forget
33. learn how to juggle

Let’s see how I do. I promise it will not be another month until my next post. Especially since I’ll have rad pictures of a mod wedding dress to share very soon. (If that’s not a teaser, I don’t know what is…)

*Thanks to Caroline for being a constant source of inspiration and for sharing her own list.

**Somewhat interesting tidbit…Caroline and I have six things in common on our lists (almost twenty percent), which helps to illustrate why we’re friends in the first place.

Argyle Spice

Slap happy Spice

Sporty Spice

Serious Spice

Talent Scout Spice

Just thought I’d share a bit of my own personal fantasy world. Still working on a name but many thanks to Aimee, Micah, Grace, and Jared for all your help in making the band!

Bike to Work Day was a few months ago.

While the sight of all those people on bicycles was one to behold, I didn’t really feel like celebrating. It made me a little sad that some people only got to do that once a year.

Riding my bike is something I do daily. It’s how I get to work and how I get home. Sometimes it’s how I get my groceries. Most often, it’s how I meet friends.

And I love it.

So, in true Letterman fashion and because lists are easy, I present you with the top ten reasons I adore bicycles.

Riding a bike…

1. reminds me how strong my body is, how much I love to move and how, in the grand scheme of things, my bike (and my life) are controlled by me.
2. is an easy way to get pumped up. Everything is better when approached via bike.
3. makes me feel younger. (As I overheard someone here in Boulder say, “Forget Botox, ride a bike”.) It takes me back to my childhood and forces me to smile. There’s just something about the wind in your hair (cheesy, I know) and the cruising wheels underneath you. (Look at me, posing on the big brown cruiser, kickstand engaged.)



4. reduces my carbon footprint. Since my car is a big ol’ SUV, I figure my daily bike-riding cancels out my once-a-week drive.



5. opens my eyes to details that I would miss in a car and allows me to go places you wouldn’t be able to in a car. Plus, it makes me more available for synchronicity to better find me. Not to mention shouting hello to the friends I pass on bikes.
6. has been a constant in all the different times of my life. I’ve been on a bike for twice the amount of time that I’ve been off it. No matter the situation, having my bike around has always been a good thing.
7. is an easy way to sort through ideas, issues, thoughts, and problems. And it’s much cheaper than therapy.



8. is good for all body shapes and types. It’s not about the speed or the destination, but really about the journey. (And if you can drink a glass of wine while riding, more power to you. Just don’t run into me on the bike trail…)
9. is the best way to get to know where you live. You begin to find shortcuts and special places that you wouldn’t be able to access via car. I’m lucky because I live in a town that is VERY bike friendly but I appreciate it because I used to live in a town that was VERY bike unfriendly.
10. forces you to be ready for anything. Especially if you’re bike commuting. You never know what you might run into and what you may need.

I agree with H.G. Wells who said, “When I see an adult on a bicycle, I do not despair for the future of the human race.”

Locally, I was inspired by Denver Mayor Hickenlooper’s bike-sharing program during the DNC. 1000 bicycles ridden over 8000 miles during the convention and there’s even a blog about it.

Globally, Kona (the maker of my beloved mountain bike) is involved in an amazing project called Bike Town Africa. This program aims to help health care workers in Africa deliver necessary medications to AIDS patients on a bike specially designed by Kona for just such a job. Making the world a better place yet again.

See? Now I’m just gushing…

Bikes are rad.

Love sonnet over.

I’m a sucker for bike rides; of course I said yes.

We rode for a bit and stopped at Settler’s Park, where we parked our bikes. He asked if I wanted to hike up the Red Rocks trail.

I’m a sucker for hikes; of course I said yes.

At the top of the trail, there were some rocks to scramble up. He asked if I wanted to climb the rocks for a better view.

I’m a sucker for rocks; of course I said yes.

As we were perched atop the rocks, watching the sun set behind us and all of Boulder spread out at our feet, he asked me to be his wife.

I’m a sucker for him; of course I said yes.

Here’s to many more bike rides together and a host of new adventures!