Support

I'm a little fed up with the business that I work in today. No, a lot fed up. A LOT. I have a letter to the industry mucky mucks brewing... boiling... burning in my brain. So today is wasted on lawyers and rhetoric and not on moving forward and growing business. It's infuriating.

Seeing the need for a laugh, this came my way via Jeff at 45 Degrees in Stillwater, MN. (Though he's in The Netherlands... or something.) Go there. (To the store...45 Degrees.... not the Netherlands.) Buy stuff. Support independent retailers. I guarantee you'll find something you can't live without at the store. Hell, buy something from the company that wants to stiff me for all I care. That way, the Karma wheel will come around and do it's crazy little thing. In the meantime, fry up some bacon.

Fall

Fall means getting ready for cooler temps, shorter days, and the impending hell of the bitter, bitter cold. Last year, I had the pleasure of splitting and stacking wood for my pal, Binner. Twice. Yes, I said pleasure. It has to be one of my favorite activities. I'm sure I wouldn't feel this way if I had to deal with it every day, but I do love it. The old codgers up here love the cliche, "Splittin' wood heats you twice! Har har har!" And they're right. I think I started off that day in November with the Duluth Tuxedo--- Arborwear pants and a wool shirt and one hour into it was down to a bikini whilst snowflakes tumbled from the gray skies. Of course, if you do it a la Binner, you invite a ton of people over and suddenly a few cords of wood is split and stacked in time for lunch. At 10 am.

Busted: Taking a nap under the wood pile. Flanked by Black Goose Chimney and stepped on by the host.

This year, Binner got herself a new wood stove. Since her only heat source is the stove, she upgraded to a newer, shinier, sparklier, more efficient stove that will cut down on the amount of wood she has to burn. In other words, she went from the Hummer (a stove I could literally crawl into) to a Prius. Sadly, the stove is black and not purple, Binner's signature color. Luckily, I did not pee on the new stove to christen it much like I did her new truck at her 40th birthday party. (I wonder what burning urine smells like?)

Grrrrr....men moving heavy things.... grrrrr

Saturday was moving day. I originally was LEFT OFF the invite list because I am not manly and burly enough. And something about her not wanting to put my gone-to-pot shoulder at risk... blah, blah, blah. I crashed that party anyway. I mean, fine-- leave me out of the heavy lifting-- but everyone needs a comedian for commentary at these kinds of things.

While others work, I polish my form: preparing for ski-jump season at Chester Bowl.

Public service announcement: have a cabin, shack, or even home that needs a good stove? Binner's got one for sale! It's a Fisher and it's a big boy. I'd be happy to stand off to the side and tell you how to move it.

Une Passoire

Fall Paddling. Cool air and warm sun. Paddling through the shipping canal under the famous Aerial Lift Bridge. Standing on the back of the OC-6 a la colander, forgetting about the crappy day and appreciating every moment on the water.

Management 101

Today, I was let go from a line. A line that has little impact on my bottom line, I just really like selling the stuff.

"Due to the current economy we are reorganizing many areas of the country to be more efficient and cost effective."

To which I really want to reply (BUT I DIDN'T): Due to the fact that you have no business managing outdoor retail reps because you are a phony, plastic, woman who wears too much make-up and olfactory paralyzing perfume out of touch with this industry and what independent reps in this do, I say, "whew, glad that's over".

The method in which the news was delivered to me? A freakin' ATTACHMENT in an EMAIL. Nothing about it in the body of the email. AN ATTACHMENT.

If you ever become on of THOSE people, those sales manager types, grow a set and pick up the phone. Oh, and if your rep is on the road, MIGHT WANT TO HAVE THEIR CELL PHONE WRITTEN DOWN SOMEWHERE. For the love of god, people. You don't need a degree from Harvard Business School to learn how to act like a decent human being.

Spellcheck

Collander or Colander? I am finding both versions in online dictionaries. Discuss.

Hey Trout, See Me Now?

A shout out to Trout Underground who requests that in future group photos, I wear the colander. Ask and you shall receive, Chandler.


I had one last coaching opportunity with my first favorite team, Team Survivor Madison. They're so kind to let me yell at them and motivate them on the water. They stuck around for the final races and medal ceremony for me. It's like having 20 instant fans. Talk about learning how to accept compliments when 20 women are clapping and yelling for you....oy!

Colander Fever Catches On!

Doing my best to influence youth worldwide.

Wiki Wiki Wahine.

Did the all girl thing this weekend for one last race. Results: 50 teams; 2nd place. 1/100th of a second off First Place to a team a mixed team with 8 women and 12 men. Pretty cool.

Hawaiian translation: Fast, Speedy Women.


Megan's Translation: A bunch of chicks with monster strength to weight ratio and impeccable timing. (Just don't look at the front page of the Oshkosh paper where I'm out of stroke with an excessive Canadian Top Hand extension. Hmmmm, wonder where I picked that up?)

Breakfast of Champions

Gettin' ready for one last race via a greasy spoon in Mad town. The amount of Bacon was roughly a whole pig.

What Can Brown Do For You?

Apparently not much.

Question: Why is it that the drivers are awesome, their service and candor refreshing while the main hub are a bunch of hags who hide behind phones and computers?

Brown is keeping me in place when I should be driving today. Even after I did my part to schedule picking up my parcel on the way out of town, in their window of time: 800 am - 845 am. Yeah. That's not a typo. 45 minutes.

Oh yeah, and Blue? Or Orange & Blue, or Blue & Green (ground?) or whatever.... you're not exempt.

Hmmph.

One Year Later

The I-35 Bridge opens tomorrow. All 10 lanes. Wow.

A little over a year ago on Aug 1, 2007, it went down.

Life just got a little easier getting to Midwest Mountaineering and through the city. Hopefully the lives of those who lost family, friends, and loved ones are growing more peaceful. Lots of metaphors, reflections, and commentary that could happen here involving time, the fragility of human life and the resilience to bounce back. I think I'll leave it at "wow".

Picture poached from my buddy Clint, again, at the DNT. Click HERE to see more photos.

Mobile Office- Mid September

Hanging out with Lissa Flemming of Silverwaves and Grant & Gail of Living Adventure. Soaking up the last of the summer and plucking away at pre-seasons while looking out at the Apostle Islands.

MK's Self-Help Post

I've got a little project in front of me. And it coincides nicely with a project I was asked to do some time ago and never did because I was more consumed with selling lip balm or something. The current project is about me learning how to take a compliment without making some wise-ass remark. I happen to think those wise-ass remarks are hilarious. Others, who shall go unnamed, call them deflection. I mean really, who doesn't love funny? I digress.

Part of my assignment is publicly sharing said compliments and perhaps with people I don't know. And since there's about 30 people who I don't know that read this blog, I figure this is the best place to start. Because then I don't have to look you in the eyes while I'm rolling mine. (That's funny-- that's not deflection!)

So I'll start with 12, yes 12, lovely and wonderful things that were said to me back in June by a friend. Then I will go throw up a little in my mouth. (Possibly a little pre-deflection here. I can't resist.)

1) MK is a leader. She has the desire to make the world better and is able to rally people to action.

2) MK is no respecter of persons. She treats everyone the same irrespective of social status and doesn’t care if they’re “important” or not.

3) MK has a generous heart. She shares what she has to give freely. If someone needs something, Megan will give it to him or her if she has it.

4) MK is not pretentious. She has no place for people who are stuck on themselves. She is down to earth and earthy.

5) MK loves being outside and active. She tries new activities regularly and strives to always be learning.

6) MK is wickedly funny. Although she sometimes uses her wit to deflect compliments, I think she’s doing that less and less. But her rapier wit remains.

7) Although she doesn’t believe she is smart, she is one of the smartest people I know in all the areas that matter. She understands people, and while she may be impatient with unenlightened souls, she is astute at reading people’s level of sincerity and will call b.s. on anyone who wanders into her line of fire.

8) MK has excellent taste in bacon, ham, and other smoked meats. This may seem trivial, but given the number of women that eat turkey bacon (which is no bacon), it’s a significant sign of quality.

9) MK is not afraid to speak her piece if she feels her friends are unjust or unfair. She is also quick to apologize when she says something in error.

10) MK has little interest in being important. She just wants good things to happen, and is little concerned for who receives credit. That doesn’t mean that she doesn’t mind being praised (much), but her real concern when working for or against a cause is the desired outcome, not a monument to her skills.

11) MK has really cool hair. It is really beautiful and thick (something I really appreciate). Ponytails should be the size of a broomstick. So cool. It may seem superficial, but hey…we can’t be all deep all the time.

12) MK is always quick to take the absurdity of a situation and turn it on its ear and make it positive, even if the only positive thing is that we can laugh at the absurdity.

There. I did it. Now I need to go stick my head in a bowl of ice water and scream out my extreme discomfort. Hope I don't inhale an ice cube and choke to death trying to be a better person.

The Last Flamingo

Last night I had my last official dragon boat practice with an all- women's team I'll be paddling with in Oshkosh in a week and a half. The practice sent me to the moon. A warm up followed by intervals of our super high stroke rate start. Then, two full on races of 350 meters. Which is all fast twitch sprint (aka try-to keep-your-lunch-down) action. I got home and was BOUNCING off the walls. This has to be what a runner's high is. I'll never know because I REFUSE to participate in such ridiculous forms of exercise.

The dragon boat is getting hauled out of the water this week after my solo paddle from the guest dock to the boat lift at the marina. I'm super sad about it. I'm just peaking and I'm fired up to do more. More time on the water, more competition, more gathering of like-minded folks. We'll paddle outrigger well into early winter but it's not the same even though I'd rather be in the outrigger. I am finding myself with a big giant death grip on summer the way a small child grips their parents leg begging them not to go and leave them with that horrible baby-sitter. Say it with me: "Attachment equals suffering. Attachement equals suffering. Attachement equals suffering." Now, breathe... and pose.


And so I give you, The Last Flamingo. Appropriately named by my coach who I sent this to this morning. He has us do a familiar stretch before racing that has been dubbed "Flamigo". It should be noted most of the burly boys on the team lack the finess to pull this one off with grace, like I'm demonstrating here. Yep. That's me. MK-- 100% grace and beauty in a compact, midget-like body. Don't ask why there's a colander on my head. That's a whole other blog post.

If You Insist On Wearing Underwear...


... May as well go Maple Leaf. Discuss. LINK

Pre- Race Calm

The opportunity to sit and think about what dragon boating has done for my life presented itself to me tonight on Lake Ontario. The winds died down just in time for practice and the sun was setting on the race course in the most dramatic of ways. Very apropos for a bunch of goofballs from Thunder Bay, and one odd Yank, that are finishing up their season as winter is on our heels.


Dragon boating is one part competition and a thousand parts community. It's a community that has taken me to places, to levels, I never would have considered. I think it's time to take it to the next step. My brain is working on a few pearls. I'll be in touch. For now, I think about all the work I've done this summer and making it all come together this weekend.

Signing off from Toronto.

~mk

I'm Baaaaccckk!

Yep. Back up north for a repeat of the GWN Invitational in Toronto this weekend. I was able to finally hang out with my clone last night. It's been a while. Though we are always at the same events, one of us is always working and coordinating. Coordinating and working. Hanging out was good. I'm getting better at not sounding like an American when I'm here. I hope. I love it here.

Beauty knows no borders, folks. (That's sarcasm, fyi)

Eating Local

My friend Scott Lynch got me thinking about eating local (in addition to or in place of organic) some time ago when he launched his blog, Eating in Place.

Last night I was totally local. I said LOCAL, not LOCO, freaks.

Thanks to Craig and Pammo being out of town, I got first dibs on their CSA Food Share from the Fisher-Merritt Farm just outside of Duluth. The meat is from a deer from some dude I know who shoots them in the fall. Even the napkin is local as it was a take home gift from a wedding I attended years ago where they made napkins out of fabric remnants for all the place settings.

Have you ever grilled a carrot? Highly recommend it.

Bottom line: Tasty; Healthy; Supports local business; good for my social conscious. Yeah. You heard me. Social conscious. I'm such a bleeding heart liberal. Paint a red star on my forehead.