Merritr.com Blog

Influences

2012-01-14T09:26:00.000-08:00

Before I get too old and the memory gets too fuzzy I want to document some history. There have been many influences that have guided me through my life. It can be interesting to look back on them and see how much of today is shaped by those people, events, etc of yesterday.

My largest influences through the years were those that were closest to me. My brother and some of his friends were an ever present existence. It really began with my brother acquiring a '93 Mazda RX-7 from Peter Farrell Supercars. The funny thing about Mazda RX-7s were of course that they were rotary engine powered. That meant the car was loud and required constant tinkering. I am not so sure whether I would have been as influenced by a vehicle that required less maintenance or that didn't wake me up every time it was idling in the driveway. It required that my brother and his friends spend more time at the house poking around the car rather than out causing a ruckus (however, the still managed plenty of both). I enjoyed tagging along to the drag races at Maryland International Raceway (MIR) where of course more time was spent babying the RX-7 in the pits than waiting in the staging lanes or actually running passes. It helped me learn that racing was not all about developing one's driving skills, but knowing the machine.

As a sort of contradiction to my brother's loud and, at the time, pretty exotic looking RX-7 there was his best friend James Tate's Honda CRX. It was quite, understated and cute, which rather fit my tastes as a 13 year old girl. It is with this car that I learned about Hondas. It wasn't so much what was done with this vehicle either, but the potentials that were discussed ad nauseum. Eventually this CRX was morphed into something more beastly, but the early years of my developing automotive interest, it remained subdued. Although, upon reflection, I'm not certain whether this particular CRX was the base or whether it was wrecked or sold with a different CRX taking its place. Regardless, James always had a CRX. Because of the discussions surrounding it, I learned a lot about engine swaps and information resources before ever actually seeing the work occur. I heard all about Norris Prayoonto and his "hybrid" Civic, the first of its kind around the Washington DC area. I just knew that eventually, I wanted to do that too.

GM Design

2011-10-17T16:25:00.001-07:00

I can't help but notice that the folks at GM's Advanced Design Studio like to show their appreciation of forward design by driving vehicles that display such characteristics. Today's example is the Cadillac CTS V Sportwagon. Because you never know when you might need to tackle the Nurburgring while getting groceries or making a trip to Home Depot. And because you have to look good while doing it.

Travel

2011-10-16T22:20:00.001-07:00

I have been a terrible blogger for a good number of months. For that I am sorry. I will get better. These months can be summed up by the included image. Travel. I have been zooming around getting married, honeymooning, swimming, taking care of family obligations and working. I had the most amazing wedding in Virginia. Then I stopped by Spain for an FIA GT1 race. I have swum miles along Waikiki Beach in Hawaii. I have experienced the exhilarating launch of a new Chevrolet small car, the Sonic. I have seen a breath taking collection of American art and I have seen some of the amazing things the future holds. Since apparently so much excitement has passed with who knows how much or little to follow, perhaps I will do some revisiting.

I am finding more and more in life that sometimes there come moments where you have to take a little risk to seize an opportunity. So much has happened for me because of those moments. Don't let them pass you by!

Mission Viejo Masters SCM Meet

2010-10-03T14:10:00.001-07:00

I like competing in the pool. but I tend to let myself get rusty. Since I have been training short course meters for a few months I decided I needed to try and get at least a couple meets under my belt in the distance this season. The Mission Viejo meet happened to work nicely with my schedule. Since college I have tried to avoid the event combination of 50 free, 100 free and 100 breast, but I decided to forgo that rule for this meet. I wanted to do those events as a good gauge to see what short of shape I am in and because it worked out well in the event order for the day.

The 50 definitely felt rusty, I breathed way too much in my 100 free and I couldn't find my stroke in the 100 breast, but the times weren't too terrible. In the end I earned some national rankings in my age group (25-29), 6th in 50 free, 2nd 100 free and 100 breast. Next up will be the SCM Masters Regional meet right by home at Belmont Shore in Long Beach, CA. I plan on digging down a bit deeper to come out with some top national times and hopefully some world rankings.

Domestic Engineering

2010-05-08T20:04:00.001-07:00

Chevy Fuel Cell Equinoxes got new skin

2010-05-05T21:38:00.001-07:00

Fixing Up Airstreams

2010-05-01T12:59:00.001-07:00

Long Beach Grand Prix - World Challenge

2010-04-19T16:47:00.001-07:00

Easter Sand Sculpture

2010-04-04T19:51:00.001-07:00

Early Monday morning following Easter NASA scheduled a space shuttle launch. The launch from Cape Canaveral could be nicely viewed from the beach in Vero Beach. A sand sculpture was constructed to capture to the spirit of the two events (Easter and the shuttle launch). I particularly liked the alien in the upper left corner.

71 Degree H2O Temp in Vero Beach, Fl

2010-04-03T21:13:00.001-07:00

It is too cold on the West Coast for ocean swimming (without a wetsuit at least). I found the Atlantic Ocean to have perfect conditions though. Since I have to swim alone when I am on the East Coast visiting the parents, I just swim back and forth and do some fast ins and outs in the same general beach area. Boats tend to randomly cruise by fairly close to shore as well. I get nervous about boat encounters.

2010 CalTech Pentathlon

2010-03-09T09:08:00.000-08:00

After a 2 year absence due to shoulder problems and subsequent surgery I recently returned to compete at the annual CalTech Masters Pentathlon. It was not a pentathlon in the traditional sense (swimming, running, shooting, fencing and equestrian), but a mix of all strokes and individual medley. I won the overall female award in 2007, so I hoped to get out and have a decent come back. My return did amount in a 3 tenth total improvement, but I ended up 2nd in my age group and 2nd overall.

I was happy with one event, maybe two, but the disappointments were understandable considering my training. In the past couple years my butterfly training has been almost non existent. It possibly took about 3 years for my butterfly to come back from my first shoulder surgery, so I know I still have a ways to go. I am trying to add more fly into my workouts lately, since my shoulder feels very strong, but the turnover rate needed to sprint just doesn't happen. I need to start doing lots and lots of fly drill and work back into more full stroke. I know I can do a much faster 50 fly than I did at CalTech, but I guess I should be happy that despite my training I went a bit faster than 2007.

My real downfall comes with backstroke. I have never been a backstroker. I know my underwater stroke technique is not ideal. It puts a lot of stress on my shoulders and elbows. I hate it. Take that detail combined with training in a pool without backstroke flags or properly marked lane ropes and it makes for disaster. My backstroke turns are horrible! Not to mention my backstroke finishes and IM transitions. I guess my only hope is to supplement my normal training with some backstroke only workouts in a pool with flags! Lets just say that I most likely would have gone much faster in backstoke if I had done my normal routine of looking for the wall instead of pretending that I knew my stroke timing.

My breastroke wasn't completely horrible, but it wasn't great either. I have been pushing myself to add in a lot more breastroke to my workouts, which has paid off, but I still need a lot of work in feeling out the right stroke. In breastroke if you don't fall into your sprint stroke right off the bat, you are lost and your time with suffer. I do great in hitting my sprint stride in 25s off the block in warm up, but then I seem to loose the touch when I hit the water for a race. I'll will get the hang of it again eventually.

Freestyle was my best 50 of the event and it was far from perfect. I was happy with my time afterall the changes I have made over the years in my training (switching pools, coaches, surgeries, etc.). I just wish I had a better flipturn! I need to practice 50s sprint with a dive with my race standard breathing patten.

There was only one thing to say about my 100 IM and that word was backstroke. It killed me. I think I was laughing at myself during the way too long 25. The worst part was that my crappy backstroke killed my breastroke because I had no momentum to carry me into my best stroke. That is why I have the philosphy IM=death.

RESULTS

Chevrolet Volt at GM ATC Torrance, CA

2010-02-23T13:44:00.000-08:00

This Volt was at the Los Angeles Auto Show then made the trek up to Canada to haul around Olympians. It stopped by my facility when it returned from Vancouver. I call it Volty.

Steve McQueen

2010-02-19T13:18:00.000-08:00

Long Beach State AD and Water Polo Coach kick Shore Aquatics to the Curb

2010-01-29T17:49:00.000-08:00

I've got a whole rant stored up that I will spout later. Until then enjoy the Long Beach Post article on the situation:
http://www.lbpost.com/sports/general/8139

Gingerbread House

2009-12-12T18:42:00.000-08:00

Drinking in DC

2009-11-27T20:27:00.000-08:00

Pumpkins

2009-10-25T13:36:00.000-07:00

Formula D Final Round - Sam Hubinette

2009-10-17T15:16:00.000-07:00

My Review of H10013 Eco-Friendly Napper

2009-10-15T08:46:00.001-07:00

Originally submitted at FetchDog.com

Nothing makes a hard day's work easier than your trusty office dog. And nothing makes him more comfortable than our Eco-Friendly Napper Dog Bed. A FetchDog favorite, the Eco-Napper is lined with recycled IntelliLoft that's sewn to prevent bunching making it as easy on your dog as it is on ...

Good fit for a picky doggy

By Merritt from Long Beach, CA on 10/15/2009

Pros: Attractive Design, Comfortable For Pet, Easy To Clean, Soft

Best Uses: Large Pets, Medium Pet, Travel, Small Pets, Indoors

Describe Yourself: Long-time Pet Owner

I had previously bought my very tall German Shepherd mix a very squishy bed for him to lay on. However, he much preferred to plop down on a rug instead. He didn't like how the bed shifted around when he stepped on it. I got the eco-friendly napper for him try out because of its portability and its rug-like resemblance. After I placed it on the floor he knew right away it was the place for him. He curled up on it and folded his legs in to try and keep every part contained within the mat. I also like how easy it is to clean, just throw it in the wash.

(legalese)

Octoberfest Alpine Village Torrance, CA

2009-10-10T20:37:00.000-07:00

Every October brings Octoberfest to Apline Village in Torrance, CA. I happen to work in Torrance, so a few co-workers want to make a go of it one evening. We arrived fairly early, just after 7 pm, but it was already very busy. While walking to the big white tent from the parking lot I made the comment that it smelled like college. Stale beer does that... After $8 each we made it inside and we headed over the the beer and food ticket purchasing counter. Something like $20 each later we had enough for a plate of food and one beer. I got a super pretzel to split with friends and received many stares due to its large size. Unfortunately there was no space to be had at any table. We made due despite the lack of seating though. We watched the festivities on the stage, enjoyed all the people dressed up in Octoberfest attire and joined in on the roaming train of people. It works for once a year, but anymore than that, it makes more sense just to go to a bar.

LA Triathlon Swim

2009-10-04T08:50:00.000-07:00

Now I enjoy a good rough water swim. I like the challenge of timing my stroke and pace with the undulation of the ocean. However, I don't like fighting through constant surf, reaching 10 feet overhead at times, just to get around a bouy. That was the gist of the 2009 LA Triathlon swim leg. Getting out to the first bouy involved a lot of dolphing through the water, a lot of diving under waves and a lot of sprinting in between waves. It wasn't a smooth start. I was worn out by the time I reached the first bouy. Many rescuses were performed and many folks didn't even make it out through the surfline.

The water conditions were caused by storms way out in the Pacific as well as big winds. Big, predictable surf coming in nicely timed sets isn't a big challenge, but constant surf moving in every direction doesn't leave much room for swimming. It is something that is difficult to train for. I think next season I am going to try out some training techniques to improve my blast out from the beach to the bouy.

I did the swim in just over 23 minutes. That is quite a bit off of the under 20 minutes I was aiming for, that is until I saw the day's conditions. Fighting through the very croweded water the entire swim wasn't helpful either. In the end I wasn't slowed as much as I thought. I figured I easily waisted more than 3 minutes farting around in the waves. Rounding back home towards the beach I kept looking back for waves to ride into shore. I was in bad position when one finally did hit, breaking right on top of me, and I got pounded. My googles ended up somewhere out in the water of Venice Beach. After that I had to backstroke it in the rest of the way with some help from more waves. The good thing was I didn't have to worry about the googles anymore... I was lucky not to lose a contact lens.

LA Triathlon

2009-10-04T07:02:00.000-07:00

Today I participated in the Los Angeles Triathlon for the second time. 2007 was my first experience as a swim ringer on the Olympic Relay. I missed 2008 due to it coinciding with my shoulder surgery, so I came back strong for 2009. Maybe someday I will get a bike and do the whole thing. That day might have to wait until after I stop spending money on my house and cars... ha, like that will ever happen!

Alt Car Expo - Tango

2009-10-03T16:15:00.000-07:00

This electric car looks like it got squished between two semitrucks. If not for the massive weight sitting underneath it, I would think it would tip over at every turn.

Safety Glasses of Awesomeness

2009-09-12T09:41:00.000-07:00

I found these safety glasses at work. They are completely nerdy and so much more awesome than the sleak modern ones I usually wear.

Don Burns Corona del Mar 1 Mile Swim

2009-08-29T10:58:00.000-07:00

To finish off the SPMA open water series I participated in the Don Burns 1 Mile Swim at Corona del Mar in Newport Beach, CA. It was the first year I have done the swim and the first real 1 mile race I have done. After experiencing many ups and downs through the summer with a shoulder still recovering from last September's surgery, for once, I did not go into the swim already feeling fatigued from a week of training. I also went in pretty relaxed and open minded. I just wanted to do what I could with my arm while securing enough points to win the open water series in my age group.

There were 269 swimmers and everyone took off on the start together in a mad dash to swim out and around the first buoy. The course was an attempt at a rectangle with a buoy at each corner. I got off on a good start without any need to push my way through a crushing pack of swimmers. I kept up a good pace and was even able to summon a surge towards the finish. However, I did noticed that anytime another jostling swimmer interrupted my tempo I lost ground because it took me quite a few strokes to get my arms moving steadily again. Next summer I should be in a much better position, hopefully I can keep the injuries away.

In the end I finished 21st overall and 6th amongst the women, but I won my age group. I must note however, that I would have done much better if I had worn a speedsuit like the others ahead of me. Results can be found here.

Naples Island Swim 2009

2009-08-16T14:52:00.000-07:00

I told myself that I would have to stick to 2 miles or shorter this summer. However, I could not resist signing up for the 3 mile (really about 2.75) Naples Island Swim in the Los Alamitos Bay. I had been training in the bay all summer and I figured the relatively calm water wouldn't be too bad. I was also starting to feel very good in training leading up to the event. The only detail was that I managed to feel too good the week before the race and thus pushed my recovering shoulder too hard in practice. I did too much butterfly, pulling and laps around Treasure Island in the bay. I was extremely sore the morning of the swim, despite attempts at resting the shoulder the day before and trying active recovery in preceding practice sessions.

The water temperature dropped down in the bay the week of the race. It had been fairly comfortable for most of the summer, but some cloudy weather and changing tides led to chilly water. I made an attempt at a warm up swim, but after a couple strokes I knew that was a hopeless case. Instead I grabbed a towel to stay warm during the last few minutes before the start. I just wanted to get through the race, not do anything special.

Due to the length of the event it wasn't difficult to get out with the main pack on the start. I kept along smoothly, until the pack headed out across the main through way to the ocean. The water was more rough and I could not keep up a high arm tempo and hope to have my shoulder last through the race. In the end I know I could have done a lot better, but I was glad to make it through. I finished first in my age group, but overall results have not yet posted.

My shoulders were undoubtedly sore afterward. I took a week off of swimming, had a wisdom tooth removed, and spent a few days slowly recovering. I have now also reverted back to icing down the shoulders everyday, along with periodic icings while sitting at my desk at work if things feel particularly tight.

Looks like a house again, finally!

2009-08-13T21:18:00.000-07:00

Plug In 2009 Panel

2009-08-11T19:43:00.000-07:00

Billy Nye the Science Guy was there.

There's Lizard in the House

2009-07-26T17:32:00.000-07:00

I came across this lizard in the house while vacuuming. The dog wasn't interested in him. He hung around for a couple days before I found him sitting beside the door. I opened it up and he scurried away.

I went swimming and I got me some medals

2009-07-25T16:54:00.000-07:00

I started off the 2009 SPMA LCM Regionals meet with a second place in the women's 25-29 age group. Results can be found here and video can be seen here. I was in heat 11 lane 4 wearing a bright orange cap. I've been doing too much open water distance swimming as I defiantly took awhile to get moving. I held back way too much from the get go. Ah well, I just need to get experience again.

I won my age group in the 100 breast and 100 free as well. My stroke stayed consistent throughout the race in the breaststroke, however due to lack of actually training the stroke my speed was pretty off. I will have to try again after I start trying to work more breaststroke into my workouts. My gauge though is always the 100 free. I will never forget how to swim that race. I stayed strong over the entire 100 and wasn't much off the time I did two years ago. I will greatly improve when the shoulder gets more recovered for sure.

Cal Luthern Pool for LCM Regionals

2009-07-25T07:47:00.000-07:00

2007 SPMA LCM Regionals was the last meet I swam in before my recent shoulder problem flared up. I entered the 2009 meet because I figured it was time to try it again with the new shoulder repair. I switched up the events and left off the 200 IM in favor of the 400 free. I started entering IM as a masters swimmer since I never really did it much at all growing up. I figured I had a lot of room for improvement. However, right now my butterfly isn't there so I chose a 400 free to get warmed up. It is also an event in which I have had very little experience.

Police Interceptor Astro Van

2009-07-24T21:59:00.000-07:00

I was behind this Police Interceptor Astro Van at a traffic light. I really liked the spoiler.

Chicago Deep Dish Pizza Head

2009-07-22T20:11:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine from Chicago recently informed me that he had a couple hats to send my way. He simply stated that he had somehow come into a large supply of hats that were like the Chicago version of the Wisconsin Cheese Head. Now I pictured a hot dog hat, due the popularity of wieners in Chicago. However, when I finally got the hats in the mail I opened the box to find two slices of pizza. They are in fact Chicago deep dish pizza hats. I have no idea what I am going to do with them. The dog though, found them extremely disturbing.

Balboa-Newport Pier 2 Pier Swim

2009-07-11T14:44:00.000-07:00

On Saturday June 11th I showed up in Newport Beach to swim the 2 mile Balboa-Newport Pier 2 Pier swim for the third time. Back in 2006, it was the first ocean race I ever entered thanks to the prodding of my South Bay Swim Team teammates. I missed the 2008 event with a bum shoulder, so it was a test to see what kind of conditions my newly repaired shoulder could withstand. It survived half mile swims a few weeks ago. Since then it got even better conditioned and my stroke became more stretched out. I wanted to see if I could maintain it throughout the 2 miles.

The water temperature was comfortable for a swim. The waves were small, but getting larger every minute before the start. My main frustration with large open water swims has been getting out on the start. Unfortunately this race was probably my worst start experience yet. As the crowd ran towards the water someone got swept up by an incoming wave and went crashing into me knocking me over. I then got carried backwards by the wave while swarms of swimmers passed me by. I was stuck in a pile of people until well past the first buoy before I could start to break away.

I kept a smooth steady pace for the race. Just as the end pier was in good sight I started feeling a pinch in the left shoulder. I maintained the pace I was at to get through to the end, but I had hoped to be able to put down a final surge. I had enough energy to pick up the pace, but the shoulder couldn't do it. It won't be too much longer before the strength is there, some more training and it will get there.

License Plate of the Day

2009-06-29T21:45:00.000-07:00

Empty Gym, Thank You Summer Vacation

2009-06-24T18:48:00.000-07:00

Corvette Parking Only

2009-06-20T11:01:00.000-07:00

At work we now have designated Corvette parking spaces. They are marked by the Badboy Vettes logo spray painted on the ground.

Redondo Beach Triathlon 2009

2009-06-14T09:52:00.000-07:00

After making an appearance at the 2007 Redondo Beach Triathlon I got another chance at it in 2009. Once again I teamed up with Scott Webb as a relay. He did the whole bike, run thing while I just swam. I don't do triathlons myself because the biking thing involves too much equipment that I don't want to deal with. The swim was 1/2 mile along the beach south of King Harbor in Redondo. The weather was great for the race, the sun even came out early for a typical June morning. The water temperature was also very comfortable after swimming in Huntington Beach with no wetsuit. I kicked off the swim with a nice 6 minute lead and Scott finished it up with a strong win in the relay group.

I like triathlon swims because the crowd just kind of meanders into the water. It isn't the elbow flying fight to the death to get to the first buoy that is open water swimming. Plus it is the only time I can legally wear a wetsuit for a race. Although, if I was a pro triathlete that comfort would go away.

I was a bit surprised with my swim being the second day of competing in one weekend for the first time since shoulder surgery. During my warm up the shoulder was feeling rather tired, but the water temperature and the wetsuit kept me warm and comfortable. The shoulder loosened right up by halfway through the swim. The shoulder still has some time to go to get strong again, but my speed is still there. I just pay for it with a lot of soreness later.

Huntington Beach Pier Swim

2009-06-13T08:01:00.000-07:00

This morning I headed a few miles down the beach to Huntington Beach for the 59th Annual Pier Swim. This was my first swimming of the pier as during previous years I was a wuss about the cold. However, after a couple years of ocean swimming in Southern California I have gotten pretty acclimated to cold water. I was informed that the water temperature this morning was 65 degrees. Once I was wet there was really no thought about the water temperature, after all it didn't cause my pinky toes to freeze.

Laid out on Google Maps the swim equates to about 1/2 mile. It was my first official competition back after having shoulder surgery last September. The shoulder still gets sore during distance swims, but I push through it. It doesn't weaken however, which is key. There was a strong current pulling everyone into the pier during the return leg of the race. Getting pounded by a wave was a sure way to end up close to the pier footings. I caught a couple good waves, then got pummeled by one and had to get back out from the shadow of the pier. I guess I ended up 1st or 2nd for females in the end. I didn't stick around to see the results because my 2 hour parking meter used up all my change and expired well before everyone finished.

Cathedral in Christchurch, New Zealand

2009-05-13T15:27:00.000-07:00

Sean's dad was a choirboy at this cathedral. When he was about 10 years old a woman leaped from the tower to her death. She hit Sean's dad in the head with her foot on the way down. He was standing outside singing with the choir at the time. It must have been extremely traumatizing.

Giant Kiwi in Christchurch, New Zealand

2009-05-13T15:26:00.000-07:00

This photo actually contains two kiwis.

High School Reunion

2009-04-25T11:00:00.000-07:00

Long Beach Grand Prix

2009-04-18T23:23:00.000-07:00

Rusty is very entertained by cardboard

2009-04-17T22:28:00.000-07:00

Fast and Furious Movie Showing

2009-04-03T20:21:00.000-07:00

RB Wheels Has a Few Wheels

2009-03-30T19:15:00.000-07:00

Don't Piss Someone Off and Leave Your Car in their Possession

2009-03-28T19:26:00.000-07:00

ZR1 in the Wild

2009-03-28T16:31:00.000-07:00

People who race Mazdas like Corvettes apparently, the ZR1 in particular. I found this example parked in the Mazdaspeed pits at California Speedway during a NASA event. It would have been nice to see it on the track, but it was brand spanking new and shiny. I can understand the desire to let it break in a little bit longer before stretching its legs on the track.

NASA Racing, Its Been Awhile...

2009-03-28T11:32:00.000-07:00

Old E46 M3 Exhaust For Sale

2009-03-23T16:41:00.000-07:00

I finally got motivated and have listed the Hamann exhaust from my old E46 M3 on EBay. The exhaust is famous or something because it was in a tv show... scroll down to learn more on that.

We Brought a Dog in the Club

2009-03-21T23:23:00.000-07:00

Joe wanted to bring his pit bull Damien into the club. He had to prove to everyone he could make it happen. Damien made it inside. A dog in a club attracts a little attention... He didn't stay very long though.

Someone Needs to Make Direct Injection Upgrades

2009-03-19T15:26:00.001-07:00

I have a great desire for a 2010 Chevrolet Camaro 2LT. The reason is that I want to twin turbocharge the sucker. However, what will hold me back for awhile is the lack of upgradeability in the direct injection fueling system. I really want to see what kind of power can be pushed out of that motor though (the 3.6L V6 VVT DI). I want to take down Nissan's VQ37! In the meantime I suppose I could try and poke at the engineers who work on that engine to see what kind of numbers they think could be pushed out by the stock direct injection system.

Temescal Canyon Pool

2009-02-05T16:08:00.000-08:00

I just discovered this pool at the base of the hills in Temescal Canyon. I came upon it after I read an article about teenagers dying in car accidents speeding on Pacific Palisades Blvd (it doesn't look extremely curvy, just wide, teenagers can be stupid). I used the satellite view of Google Maps to check out the road, of course in satellite view I always check out the nearby pools as well. Upon discovery of this pool in its serene location I thought, "Hey I want to go check it out one day!" I inputted its location into Google and sadly I was confronted with an LA Times article describing the recent bulldozing of this swimming hole.

The Malibu/Western Valley area has a big lack of regulation size pools. I know because I searched far and wide to see what options I had for swimming after work when commuting through that area. Backyard pools are ok and all, but most are tiny and you don't meet anyone new in your own backyard. Community pools are wonderful and they are disappearing at a high rate due to their high maintenance costs. This pool's case is particularly disheartening because the true owners (the city) would not invest in its repair. The leasing operators (YMCA) said they would fork up for the repairs, but they wanted to make sure their investment would see many years of use which could not be promised by the true owners. I miss the East Coast at times, where many pools are private.

Import Racers

2009-02-02T20:51:00.000-08:00

Back in 2005 (or maybe it was 2006 when it aired) I did a tv show that aired briefly on ESPN2 called Import Racers. Only a few short years later it is very interesting to think about where everyone has gone since it happened. The host Sal Masekela is now all over E! on top of his duties hosting all that is the X-Games. Eric Hsu has gone onto work for the motorsports power name, Cosworth and Tanner Foust has become a superstar driver. Then there is myself who has moved on to engineer for General Motors. Progress is beautiful, eat that Audi! Check out the show below:

Windows Home Server

2009-01-31T18:14:00.001-08:00

DSC_0109, originally uploaded by merritr.

I got my boyfriend an HP Media Server for Christmas. It runs with the operating system Windows Home Server. I found the software PlayOn that can serve Netflix and Hulu to a PS3, XBox, other media boxes and coming soon, the Wii. Thanks to enterprising individuals before me I easily found directions on the web to get the program loaded onto the server in order to start feeding movies and tv shows to my PS3.

Upon getting the connection going I came to the realization that my cable internet BLOWS. I have always wanted to avoid using cable service of any sort, but for internet it was really my best bet. Now streaming video to the PS3 over wifi was not the ideal setup, I will fix that by running a Cat6 cable in the near future, but that ended up being the least of my issues. When video streaming, or using any significant amount of bandwidth, my cable modem disconnects. The modem log file is filled with synchronization and downstream pulse failures. Tired of all this I have realized that Verizon Fios internet is available in my area. I will be getting it installed soon and hopefully I will be satisfied. I am really excited about finally getting a package with fast upload speeds. I am getting the 20Mbps up and 20Mbps down pacakge. Finally website management won't hog so much time, something I can't spare.

Disney California Adventure

2009-01-10T18:29:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-25T10:24:00.000-08:00

Stuck in the LAX Hilton. F You American Airlines!

2008-12-24T01:47:00.000-08:00

American Airlines severely overbooked my flight home for Christmas. Not enough people wanted to take the $300 voucher and free hotel (imagine that, people actually wanted to get to their destination on the flight they had originally scheduled) so they had to keep people off the flight involuntarily. Of course, had I known that from the onset of the ticket purchase, I would have picked a different airline! Anyway, I got bumped from the flight and had to kick it for the night at the LAX Hilton. I also received an $800 voucher for an airline that I never want to fly again, fantastic.

Go Redskins!

2008-11-30T18:54:00.000-08:00

My father and I got a hold of field passes for the Redskins game against the Giants. It was pouring ran pretty much the whole time. We were only on the sidelines for a few minutes before the game started. Quite a few players seem to make it a habit to get pumped before the game by slapping hands with the folks on the side though. It is exciting to see them that close up, in their moment. It beats HDTV.

2008 Piedmont Thanksgiving Hunt

2008-11-27T20:26:00.000-08:00

Every Thanksgiving morning the Piedmont Hunt group organizes a fox hunt. They typically hunt every Thursday and Saturday, so of course Thanksgiving always overlaps that schedule. However, I think more folks come out for the turkey day chase. Today was a particularly good day. The weather was clear and brisk, my California butt was cold. It was a good hunt for spectating though, since the fox decided to run right by the spot I staked out.

This morning's event began at Oak Spring, the Mellon Estate which is apart of Rokeby Stables in Upperville, VA. The venue was conveniently just around the bend from my folk's farm. My father usually rides in the hunt too, but he's been sidelined with a shoulder injury like myself. He decided to fall off a horse and break his clavicle at the same time I opted for surgery. He claims he will be back at it next week...

I finally made use of a Flickr account and setup a set of pictures:
Piedmont Thanksgiving Day Hunt

IDRC Drag Racing

2008-11-23T08:51:00.000-08:00

Red Bull Drifting World Championship

2008-11-16T16:13:00.000-08:00

This was just a teaser. I will post up more photos when I get through the editing process. It was a busy weekend. I must sleep!

UPDATE:
I made a Flickr set:
Red Bull Drifting World Championship

Nissan 370Z Uncovered, Inside Line Puts Me on the Spot

2008-11-16T09:01:00.000-08:00

Last night Edmunds.com, Inside Line more specifically, and Nissan North America invited a few enthusiasts to check out the new 2009 Nissan 370Z ahead of its scheduled release at the upcoming Los Angeles Auto Show. Somewhere around two minutes after I arrived the crew from Inside Line walked over with their camera and requested a few thoughts on the sports coupe. I had hardly seen the car in person, no more than photos online, but I rolled with what I could. The result can be seen on the Inside Line 370Z Party Page.

Runts. Where are the limes?!

2008-11-13T09:46:00.000-08:00

6 Weeks Out, I Can Streamline

2008-11-09T19:44:00.000-08:00

I am just over 6 weeks out from shoulder surgery now. I can finally get my arms in a decent streamline position again. I still have 6 more weeks to go before full swimming again, however. Until then I keep it up with kicking and breaststroke. Right now is when it is really paying off to be a breaststroker. The ability to throw a bit of breaststroke in with the never ending kick sets is keeping my sanity in check.

Week of Change

2008-11-06T17:49:00.000-08:00

I am glad this election is over. I am extremely tired of the pessimistic attitude that this country has had for the past few years. No matter who your elected leader is, childish name calling is low. I can understand arguments backed up by substantial factual evidence, but the personal attacks have been infantile and demeaning. I was no fan of the Clinton regime, but I respected the man for his position. I have a lot of respect for Barack Obama as well, and I know that his powerful ability with words, along with his physical appearance, gave people a sense of new direction. However, no matter what the nature of the aura surrounding him, I never warmed up to any of the words coming out of his mouth. Working as an engineer at companies of very different sizes I have really come to understand that economics are at the center of EVERYTHING. For that reason I have failed to see how Obama's promises could lead to any sort of economic stabilization, much less growth. I currently don't see support for competitive world markets in his agenda. I am curious as to what a revised plan will look like from him and his chosen team, but with most of the names currently being thrown around, I think I might just be sitting back and holding on for a bumpy ride.

With the events of the past two years of campaigning I have at least been inspired. I am now driven to become even more active in my own community, especially since now I am a home owning and property tax paying individual. I also want to advance my education to enhance my engineering degree. I have been considering a masters in economics, but I think my current position in life is more conducive to getting an MBA. I feel that I have responsibilities later in life where I will need that education. I owe it to my parents to show that respect for their life's hard work.

Unfortunately all the uncertainty of this week is not yet over for me. Tomorrow morning the CEO of my employer is addressing the workforce with what will most likely be historically horrendous losses along with "important changes." There are all sorts of rumors flying around. I guess I will find out in the morning and hopefully GM can pull through... although there will most likely be enormous casualties.

I got NOS

2008-10-09T22:40:00.000-07:00

Important Presidential Election

2008-10-09T14:49:00.000-07:00

A very important Presidential election is less than a month away. This week has subsequently seen the Stock Market head off on a continued downward spiral. Given these events I tuned into the Presidential Debate on Tuesday night hoping to possibly see the candidates spout off some new plan adjustments to work with recent changes. However, it seems, that all the words that get spoken these days come from the same rhetoric that was written months ago. Both candidates need to sit down and really reevaluate what their policies mean for the world economy. Sadly though, I don't think the general public would understand it if they did reinvent themselves and it would likely give their advisers heart attacks. I think the world will have to wait out for a real plan until next year.

Mainly my concern is that Barack Obama keeps spouting off his same tax plan. While I could write a book about what further damage Obama's policies could mean for the economy, I don't have to. My father, and more recently his business partner, already took care of that. My father's views can be found in his academic works. To sum it up though, I found a good article from the Wall Street Journal that went up yesterday. Creating big tax increases for the top earners in this country will stifle the very investment needed to turn around the economy. With the government shoving money at failing company after company big investors are needed to keep fueling the market. The government will then get returns on their investments to keep this country running. That will promote growth, new businesses, more job, etc. More jobs then means more tax income for states and the country. Taking more taxes from the top end will only dampen investments in American business, discourage upward movement, and send tax revenue decreasing due to increased job losses. Somehow though, I don't think Obama will let go of his socialist leaning. All the signs I see around LA for Obama say hope, but with him, I honestly don't see it.

Go karts, but I can't drive

2008-10-08T20:58:00.000-07:00

My dad's business partner wrote a book

2008-10-01T17:34:00.000-07:00

My father's business partner, David Smick, has written a book about a bit of their adventures in economic advising on an international front. The publishers had impeccable timing on the book's release. I am over halfway through now and my only complaint is that I wish Dave had elaborated a bit more on the economics he discussed, through supporting examples of bad policy decisions, etc. However, that would have made it a massive read that, most likely, would have put me to sleep.
Find it on Amazon.com here: The World is Curved

Just a couple little stitches

2008-09-28T16:04:00.000-07:00

My right shoulder has three scars from surgical incisions. My left shoulder only got two. Hooray for improvements in technique! This time I didn't get a recording of the surgery either, not that I want to watch it... The Vicodin gave me terrible hiccups. I am not a big fan of pain killers, that just made me more apprehensive. Now I get to gradually start gaining back my range of motion. By the end of the week my arm should be able to reach over my head again.

I can't feel my arm

2008-09-24T14:18:00.000-07:00

This morning Dr. Neal ElAttrache poked into my left shoulder and cut out the bursa. He stated that I had impressive bursitis and old damage had left my shoulder beyond the ability to fully heal without the surgical cleansing. Everything went well and, thus far, it looks like the future is bright for my left shoulder. Now it just need to get the feeling back in it...

Andy Worhol in Troy, AL

2008-09-15T04:03:00.000-07:00

The first exhibit at the new Johnson Art Center in Troy, AL... Andy Worhol. I believe the new center will give many others to experience the inspiration I have felt through my many visits to Troy, AL. It deserves a distinction that proves it is a unique place unlike any other.

The only way to fly

2008-09-14T21:08:00.000-07:00

The easiest why to get to Troy, AL is to fly into its tiny air strip. They are working on a new terminal at the airport. Surprisingly it has more character than the cheap mass production steal structures that get used for every other new building around.

Building Dedication

2008-09-14T11:41:00.000-07:00

A new center for the arts just opened in my parent's hometown of Troy, AL. Thanks to a donation by my parent's foundation the center received its namesake after my grandparents, Holman and Ethel Johnson. Through my lifetime the downtown section of Troy, AL has seen the highway steal its thunder. With all the popular businesses like Wal-Mart building up along the main thoroughfare, there is no reason for passersby to visit downtown. With the old town post office, a spectacular Greek Revival building, sitting vacant, the mayor hopes to safe it and give it new life with the creation of a cultural draw. The idea for the Johnson art center is to bring new visitors into Troy. I really do hope it will be successful. The old downtown has so much potential to build a cafe and boutique filled downtown unique to rural Alabama.

Hydrogen Fuel Cell Equinox

2008-08-21T10:44:00.001-07:00

Hydrogen Fuel Cell Equinox

2008-08-21T10:44:00.000-07:00

Recently I finally got the chance to drive the Chevrolet Hydrogen Fuel Cell Equinox (try saying that 5 times fast). Sitting still in the parking lot the vehicle emitted noises one did not expect to hear from an automobile, at least not yet. It produced a quiet whir and a bit of clicking from the power electronics. All it all it wasn't very audible over the sound of traffic driving by. Once inside though, with the doors closed, the exterior noise was blocked out. I took the passenger side initially, while a coworker took the wheel. I used the opportunity to poke around at buttons and listen to the vehicle. Mostly the interior followed that of a normal Equinox. Although in place of a tachometer sat a kilowatt gauge. As a reminder that this wasn't a typical vehicle, or even a mundane hybrid, the shift knob featured the GM water droplet badge and the navigation screen displayed the fuel cell power flow. When leaving the parking lot the Equinox accelerated up to the speed of traffic with no drama. The ride was also very smooth, no jarring shift points. After a few minutes of driving I swapped spots with my coworker and took over the helm.

Being an Equinox the vehicle was significantly larger than what I am used to. For just that reason I did not expect it to perform anything like my BMW 335i. Pulling out into traffic I got on the accelerator and, while by far not the fastest thing I have driven, it wasn't the slowest either. It weighed somewhere in the range of a decent mid-sized sedan in terms of get up and go, meaning I wouldn't fear for my life merging onto the 405. I stayed on the pedal for a little bit and it hit me that I had lost a connection to the vehicle. I am tuned to feel for speed through gear changes and audible rpm. However, a fuel cell vehicle does not have such feedback. The sound of the electric motor was somewhat audible, but with music playing and people talking it just wasn't enough of a factor. I had to glance at the speedometer to get my bearings back straight. The smooth, uninturrupted, acceleration was a great experience though. The one possibel downside was that when coming to a stop, the brakes required more input that I was used to. The system transitions from regenerative braking to mechanical braking depending on the amount of depal depression. I probably would have been more comfortable with the braking if I had not come from mainly driving a sporty vehicle with a stiff and sensitive pedal. The brakes were in line with those of a standard Equinox, not that that is necessarily a good thing.

In the end I wish I could have had more drive time. Maybe then I could have found some Priui (plural for Prius) to drag race.

Shoulder Surgery

2008-08-09T10:16:00.001-07:00

Los Angeles Laker's player Kwame Brown has had the same shoulder problems as me. That is why I am going to see the same orthopedic surgeon for my procedure:
http://www.nba.com/lakers/news/Kwame_Shoulder_Surgery.html
If I don't do something about my left shoulder now, I will seriously regret it when I am 70. I already see the example with my aunt having enough shoulder problems without the athletic background. I should be go to go again come next year. I am eager to get to the rebuilding phase as opposed to the try not to break it worse and just hold out for a few more weeks phase...

Toyota Hilux

2008-08-07T09:47:00.000-07:00

Bad Shoulder

2008-07-30T22:50:00.000-07:00

I have been a bad blogger lately. That is my fault though because I push myself pretty hard and I have to let something give most of the time. I let the writing slip when I need a break because I would rather not spend my life stuck behind a computer or television. I feel guilty for only spending 9 hours at work most days. I also get down on myself when I am too drained to spend a couple hours at night scouring the internet for interesting automotive news to post on Autoblog. I am too busy during my day to keep up with all the posts and news going on, so I have to spend time catching up before I can even begin browsing for items that have yet to be covered. Now I also have two pets (the new one is pictured above) I don’t want to ignore. They grab my attention for a significant period every night. I have me time scheduled in everyday in the form of swimming or gymnastics after work though. Generally my workout time keeps me on my toes and re-energizes me for the evening. It is amazing though how everything can turn sour when things don’t go well in the pool anymore. For the entirety of the summer my left shoulder has been killing me. It has gotten me feeling a tad dejected.

My left shoulder problems first surfaced when I was 14 years old and a freshman in high school. It was hard to process the injury back then because the pain wasn’t so apparent. I just got to a point where I could hardly get my arm to keep turning over in order to make it through a 200 freestyle. My time kept going backwards and I was so devastated. The more I tried to push, the slower I would go. I was lucky enough to find a sympathetic physical therapist however. She had been a competitive swimmer herself. She was amazed I could even move my arm because my shoulder was so impinged and inflamed. Working long and hard though, we managed to get my left shoulder back into working order. In the end it ended up being my right shoulder that I eventually had surgery on in order to relieve inflammation (internal bleeding… no big deal…).

With all my shoulder experiences every doctor has commented on my shoulder geometry. I have pronounced protrusions coming out of my shoulders that are the connection points of my clavicles. This setup apparently naturally pulls my shoulders forward, reducing the size of the pocket available for joint rotation. Of course all that easily disposes me to impingement and inflammation. The fun part is that a tiny bit of inflammation can offset a chain reaction that takes weeks, even months to recover. Since having my right shoulder cleaned out in the middle of college, it has been going pretty strong. My left shoulder is a different story though. Lately it has been causing me agony. It seems that increasing my shoulder stretching, and thus increasing my shoulder flexibility, has awoken some old scar tissue. Tendons can’t move where they wanted to, they have become inflamed and of course that has created more scar tissue. Without taking action to break up the scar tissue I am stuck in an endless cycle. That is why, despite the cost, I have said screw this and have paid a few visits to various doctors.

I am currently in the midst of my 4th week of therapy on the shoulder. Thankfully I have been able to find the exact type of treatment I had hoped for, due to the recommendation of fellow Long Beach swimmers. Over this period I have been able to get back from crawling pace to cruising. I still have no speed though and that is very frustrating. Anytime I really try and grab the water pain shoots down the side of my shoulder. It takes a few strokes to recover from that jolt in order to find the right pace again. I had sights set on many ocean races this summer, but all have been put on hold for other years. I just want to glide through the water again without extreme calculation every time I place my left hand in the water. I am giving it until the end of August to further improve its condition. If not, then I think it is about time to send it under the knife. It wasn’t difficult for my right shoulder to recover, so I know what it involves. It just sucks getting dressed for a couple weeks and driving might be a tad difficult…

Article on FLUENT use for Speedo LZR Development

2008-07-13T10:21:00.001-07:00

ANSYS, the company that makes CFD (computational fluid dynamics) software FLUENT has an article in their promotional magazine on the development of the Speedo LZR. You can read the article for yourself here.

As I suspected Speedo utilized New Zealand's University of Otago for their water flume and NASA for use of a wind tunnel. The media likes to play up NASA's part though, which really casts shadows the real development effort behind the suits. Also, with all the suit controversy, many people need to understand that the only real controlled modeling that could be used for the suit development was of the body in the streamline position. All the drag benefits are maximized for that position because when a swimmer's moving arms and legs are brought into the equation things get very very complicated. Once a swimmer begins swimming, it can't be certain what is going on with the fluid flow. It will be interesting to see what sort of things can come about once people start tackling the modeling layout of the different strokes at different velocities. That could take a long time though, in the automotive world there are books of papers on the subject of modeling simple parts in CFD. Regardless, there may one day be a different suit for every stroke, that would make an IM suit very interesting...

First USA Swimming was acting rediculous, now its Formula D

2008-07-07T23:13:00.000-07:00

There is an on-going discussion on Drifting.com about the rules of the Formula D drift series. The discussion specifically revolves around the rules pertaining to suspension details. After an interested party submitted a link to the thread through the Autoblog suggestion e-mail I wrote up a post on the matter. As well, I have written my own reply on the issue. However, I chose to post it here and not within the original thread. I do so because I would rather not jump in on page 22 and get drowned out by the core posters.

The majority of replies in the thread have not grasped the real issue at hand. The issue is not the fact that Formula D determined the Skyline contained illegally modified suspension. It just happens to be the event that best exemplifies the ambiguity of Formula D’s rules and that is why it is referenced. Too many egos have taken hold and replies have become all about defensive measures to protect one’s character. The real discussion has gone by the way side. Use the thread was initially intended to be a call for competitors and fans to express their opinions on the vagueness of the current rule book. Formula D wasn’t established by seasoned racers, their formula isn’t perfect and there is no reason it can’t be improved upon. Their rules made sense when it was unknown what to expect from vehicles that would turn up to complete in the new series. However, now with a few seasons under the belt and most competitors returning from season to season the rules can be clarified to encompass the verity of cars the series has produced. No one may have the best answer on how to do this, but intelligent discussion can at least offer worthwhile solutions.

Anyone apart of a team that runs in the Formula D series, or even apart of a team that strives to participate in the future, should be very interested in the details of this matter. Currently the rules dictate that any aftermarket suspension components must be approved by Formula D. Any deviation from the OEM suspension design must also be approved. Therefore, according to the rules, every competing vehicle has received an approval from Formula D to run their setup. Going by the wording of the rules, any team wanting to swap parts between seasons, events, or even track sessions should get Formula D approval before doing so. If the organization is really tied up running events, how much time do they have to go around approving parts? In crunch time do you really think a team wants to deal with that hassle as well? If it only takes a phone call and a quick ok from a person on the other end, then what sort of approval system is that? How can a team be assured that their approved change is documented and communicated on the Formula D side? An approval shouldn’t happen in minutes. A suspension change request should be compared to other competitive allowances and evaluated by multiple parties before being accepted. How can a competitive field be maintained if an organization gives unbalanced, at the whim, allowances? The current means seem like an awful burden on the Formula D end, babysitting all the suspension modifications of every competing vehicle every second of every event. It doesn’t make sense that they wouldn’t want to put some effort into streamlining the process. Some people want to offer a less complicated solution for all parties and that is the intended purpose of the discussion.

No other motorsport series leaves all suspension modifications up to sanctioning body approval. From club racing like NASA and SCCA to established professional series like NHRA and Formula 1 there are guidelines to work around and any deviation from the published rule book is illegal. Any allowed exceptions, due to proven competitive hardship, are published in appendices to the rule book. It would really benefit Formula D and their tech inspection process to simply better define the setup of the vehicles running in their series. The inspectors would only have to learn one set of rules and enforce them via measurements or templates rather than digging through a mystery list of approved changes. A competitor could also better protect themselves as they would have the knowledge to catch a competing vehicle bending the rules to their advantage.

Again, the whole discussion is not meant to be a blow at anyone’s character. It isn’t an attempt to bring down the organization of Formula D. It is simply meant as a means to gather opinions about improving upon the flaws of a young series. Those that can best adapt to change will survive the longest.

Only in Southern California

2008-06-15T10:43:00.000-07:00

I am a nut for the Olympic Games. For so many athletes the ultimate goal is just to participate in this one international competition that only occurs every four years. There are very little to no financial incentives, it is simply the thrill of the challenge. The empowerment of knowing you can rise up over others and compete for the top place in the world is quality very few people can rightly posses. If you want to get close to the Olympics, no matter what the year, there is really no other place like Southern California. The area is the home to many of the best training centers in the world. It kind of boggles my mind how, in my typical week, I rub elbows with all sorts of world class athletes.

Southern California has been a swimming mecca forever. The competition level available here is the top at all age levels, from age group through masters. Growing up on the East Coast, there was the occasional swimmer to rise through the ranks and make it to the Olympic Trials, but it was an experience for so few that it all seemed unreal. There were not many examples of the path to the sport's ultimate goal, for that reason the education to lead athletes along the best path was not readily available. Los Angeles is a different story however. There are meets taking place year round with top levels of competition. Many club teams have taken multiple swimmers from average athlete, to Olympic Trial competitor. Just hopping in the pool for a master's swim practice you can find yourself surrounded by many folks with impressive swimming resumes. Swimming in Southern California keeps me on my toes, and training amongst so many top athletes reminds me that I could have achieved so much if only my health had been on my side.

Southern California isn't just a swimming mecca, it is also a haven for water polo. During the weekends, when I want do a pool workout of my own design, I stop by the local pool for a little lap swim session. The key element happens to be that the local pool is the U.S.A. Water Polo National Training Center. I've shared the water with the USA Olympic Women's and Men's Water Polo Team training squads. It is also interesting to note that many of the women happened to have attended USC. Thankfully they haven't taken up to stealing my towels again... It is inspirational to observe the team workouts in their run-up to Beijing. The passion and drive they emit makes you want to go out and work harder in all your everyday activities. I don't even know much about the rules to water polo, but it will be riveted by the games none the less.

The days of the week I am not in the pool I head to the gym. To satisfy my curiosity about what would of happened if I had stuck with gymnastics over swimming, I hit up an adult gymnastics class a couple times a week. I am just there to learn some new tricks, but many of the team girls training there have Olympic aspirations. After all, the name of the gym is All Olympia Gymnastics. The name derives from the fact that the head coaches are former Olympians (does that term make sense? are you a former Olympian or always an Olympian?) from Eastern European countries. Perfection is key in this gym. Watching the girl's team train is an illustration of the best form in action. Just getting a skill around isn't enough. The highlight is watching USA Gymnastics National Team members Mattie Larson and Samantha Shapiro train. While Samantha happens to be too young for an Olympic bid, Mattie has made it all the way to the final Olympic Team selection training camp. Her floor exercise at the Olympic Trials really got the media and audience's attention. I've been trying for a long time to do things as effortlessly as she makes them look. Her mom is wonderful as well, always inquires about how things are going. That family is riding on cloud nine right now. Go Mattie!
Check out her rocking FX:

Eff a Tumor

2008-06-02T23:41:00.000-07:00

With Senator Kennedy’s diagnosis all over the news, tumors have been getting a lot of attention lately. It has encouraged me to detail a bit of my own story. I hope my experiences can provide some insight for others, as well as educate people on a rather mysterious topic.

The other night I caught a bit of the Discovery Health special called 200 Pound Tumor. It got me thinking more about tumors and how the difference between a benign diagnosis and malignancy can be rather slim. A fast growing benign tumor may be self contained, and not spread out or eat away at other parts of the body, but it can grow like wild fire and steal resources from the rest of body just as well. Not to say that supposedly benign growths may also morph into malignant tumors without too much warning. The key part is, that regardless of the nature of the tumor, they are usually annoying, uncomfortable or quite painful. Having experienced a few surgeries to remove tumors from my own body already, the 200 lb tumor woman, Lori, peaked my interest. Her story reminded me that I still was not clear on what the final diagnosis was for one of my last surgeries in 2004. I decided to dig up my medical records and look more closely at the terminology.

Just a few months ago I had a very pesky swollen lymph node removed from the left side of my groin area. I had originally thought it was my second enlarged lymph node occurrence, the first being in my chest back in 2004. However, a knowledgeable doctor informed me that the location of the scar on the left side of my right breast was not in a spot with nodes. With that revelation I realized that I did not know what the mass was that was removed from my right breast in 2004. Making it a habit not to dwell too much on my life’s medical issues, it would make the day rather depressing, I kept putting off digging back into my medical reports to take the complicated terminology to heart (aka do some quick Google searches)

Having already previously experienced two incidences of fibroadenoma excisions in the right breast (one in 2001, one in 2002), I was already aware of how to distinguish that kind of benign breast tumor. Those masses showed up clearly during ultrasounds (as illustrated in the top image). Their edges appeared very smooth and they were easily distinguished from the surrounding tissue. They were both very fast growing and bothersome tumors though. The second one was even quite a bit of a pain at times. Unlike my past experiences though, the 2004 mass did not show up on ultrasound, indicating that it was not the tumor I expected. All I knew was that it had to go. Since fibroadenoma was ruled out, I chalked it up to a swollen lymph node at the time. However, I should have paid more attention to doctor’s words when I was still half drugged on anesthesia, as it seems the mass removed was actually intraductal papillomatosis. That is what is listed in my medical records, along with words like sclerosing adenosis, hyperplasia and microcalcifications. It really helps to keep copies of your own records, something I hadn’t been doing until more recently. It has really helped me understand my own issues and has given me the ability to articulate past experiences accurately to different doctors. Plus, then you can spell things correctly for Google research purposes.

Doing a bit of internet research on the subject I have seen that an intraductal papillomatosis tumor consists of benign growths in the milk ducts. Symptoms for the condition appear to consist mainly of nipple discharge, but I did not experience that part. I experienced the debilitating pain part, which isn’t really a noted symptom. I will touch more on that later though. Without my own body’s pesky warning system, and my acute athletic awareness, it was apparently a condition that might have turned sour if it had been left undetected for too long. I am glad my body insisted on nothing short of a surgical excision. I have also learned threefold on the importance of breast exams. You know your body best and if something feels off, then it probably is! Relying only on tests to find abnormalities is not an ideal method. In my time I have had to keep prodding in order to get straight answers to my ailments. With my enormous family history and all the complicated medical terms indicating that I have a significant increased risk for developing breast cancer, I know not to let any little bump go unquestioned. Also if anything prohibits me from functioning as I wish to on a day to day basis, I want it gone!

When it came to the intraductal papillomatosis, it was a pretty rough and tough experience. At the time I was in my senior year at USC and I was competing on the swim team. I was hoping to improve after coming back from shoulder surgery (one among a few others…). I had an extremely tight schedule between living off campus, training and studying mechanical engineering. The last thing I wanted was to deal with a significant health issue. Maybe I was being too selfish in wishing for my body to allow me to make it one year through college without sending me under the knife. Anyway, the first symptom I experienced was mild chest pain while breathing. The pain radiated all over my chest too, left and right sides. I had a lot of trouble pin-pointing its source, at least while the pain was in a fairly mild state.

After I felt the initial onset of pain, it did not go away within a couple days, so the USC trainers suggested I had an intercostal muscle strain. I started icing down my chest after workouts, but I only got worse. Chest x-rays revealed nothing wrong with my ribs or lungs. An MRI did not hold specific clues either. After all those angles turned up nothing, somehow I knew it was related to breast issues. I kept poking around, but I couldn’t find a mass. All the while, the more I swam, the more pain I took on. It eventually came to a point where I ended up curled into a ball on the pool deck after climbing out of the water because my chest felt like someone was stabbing me with knives. It was not how I wanted my last semester of NCAA eligibility to go down. I spent a lot of time bent over in the shower and in the training room with ice pilled on my chest. I could hardly sleep because any time I tried to slightly twist my torso, sharp pains radiated through my ribs. Driving my manual transmission Civic was also quite a challenge. Just breathing was uncomfortable.

I believe it took me about a month’s time to finally discover the pea size tumor in my right breast, just around the area where the ribs met the sternum. I couldn’t believe that relatively tiny thing could cause such discomfort. I had to completely lay off all activity for three weeks for the pain to subside. Then I had to maintain a minimal training level in order to manage the discomfort. Swimming breaststroke caused me great misery, but I got through it regardless, just not at the best speed. I eventually accepted the fact that there was nothing I could do to help my situation in any timely matter, so I enjoyed what little swimming I could get through.

It was January ’04 when I first experienced chest discomfort. In the end, it was May ’04 before surgery was scheduled. The months in between were filled with searching for answers, monitoring of the situation, scheduling availabilities and medical tests. Even though it compounded the situation, I found solace at the pool. The USC swim team was pretty great. For the shy new transfer that hadn’t spent much time with them, they were very understanding. I had teammates accompanying me to the doctor and a coach who forced me out of the pool when I was too beat down. I like to think that maybe my passion to continue was a bit of an inspiration… although, at the time, I really felt like I was letting everyone down.

I am still thankful for Mark Schubert for being a tough, but understanding coach when I really needed one. I went to USC from Kenyon College where the coach couldn’t seem to grasp my issues. He had discussed with me his desire that I leave the swim team due to my health issues, at that time the breast hadn’t even come up yet; I was just dealing with inflamed tonsils. When I walked on at USC Schubert had other swimmers to worry about. It was an Olympic year and there was a lot of medal potential in that pool. Regardless he could still see when I was pushing myself too much and when I needed stern encouragement. In the summer of ’04, when I was coming back from surgery, he still let me hop into his workouts even though my eligibility was done and I was still fighting through pain. The atmosphere in the build up to Athens really strung me along. In the end though I had to step back and slow down my recovery. It took about a year to get back to feeling normal. I watched a lot of people I once shared a pool with pick up a lot of hardware at the Athens games though, no tumor could ever take that away.

Save ASU Men's Swimming

2008-05-14T21:37:00.000-07:00

ASU Cuts Athletic Programs
Yesterday Arizona State University announced the end of three men's athletic programs. The sports on the chopping block were men's swimming, tennis and wrestling. However, they somehow managed to save diving despite dropping the men's swimming program. While budget reasons were given for the cutbacks, all removed programs had to be male due to Title IX regulations.

Too many men's Olympic sports have gone the way of the dodo bird. No prestigious program is safe either. UCLA knocked off its men's swimming and gymnastics programs, two teams consistently in the running for NCAA titles. I can see the appeal of pouring all of the men's athletic budgets into big media sports like football, basketball and baseball though. I am sure top performing teams in those areas equal greater general student interested and increased enrollment, meaning more money for the school. It just hurts to see schools stuck in a vicious cycle of funneling all revenue back into the same programs in order to make them grow, while in turn neglecting the real needs of an institution. Turning your back on the core structure that got you through to where to you stand, does not make for a lasting relationship. I don't see these economically challenged institutions sustaining high level programs in the future, since their ineptitude lead to improperly balanced athletic budgets in the first place.

I seriously feel great sorrow for the ASU program. For a bit of time I had a roommate who was an alumni of their men's swim team. In the past I visited friends at the school, swam in their pool and enjoyed the hospitality of their team. Aside from my own USC crew, I really enjoyed the ASU team atmosphere. This whole thing just blows chunks.

New House and Dog

2008-04-21T21:59:00.000-07:00

I have neglected blogging over the past few weeks due to the fact that I completely up rooted my life. It happened very quickly, from finding the perfect home, to moving in, straightening up and acquiring a pet. I found a well preserved mid-century modern that will now suck up a lot of my time. I am so very thrilled to finally have a stable residence I can decorate as I choose. I no longer have to wonder whether the furniture or items I want to purchase will work in the near future. I plan on staying put for a long time.

Now to ward off the neighbor cats I have a big German Shepherd protecting the property. His name is Rusty and he is a California rescue dog. He is extremely lovable but could really stand to put on more weight. I'm working on that... He thinks he is a lap dog though and that can get a bit difficult when you sit down on the couch only to find a 70lb dog pouncing on you.

Speedo LZR

2008-03-27T22:48:00.000-07:00

The LA Times ran a story today about the new Speedo LZR suit. The suit is a technological revolution a long time in the works. Its release coincides with the run-up to the summer games in Beijing of course. The suit is approved by FINA for competition use however, it is still causing a stir in the swimming world. A lot of people feel violated by the invasion of high technology into the sport, but I love it. I have yet to see this suit in person, but hopefully I will get to try it out in the not too distant future. In fact, I would love to try out/test all the new suits from the varying manufacturers. I find them fascinating. In future posts I will look into the details and engineering behind all the designs, but right now I don't have the spare time. One thing I do know though is that the LZR features ultrasonically welded seams. You might know those from the giant plastic bubble packaging you get when you buy anything from a memory card to an electric tooth brush. It is what makes those packages so damn hard to get open.

The Australia Olympic trials are currently in action and it is prominently featuring the suit. Swimmers are smashing world records left and right. It will interesting to see what happens at the U.S. trials although we have a good bit of time to wait.

Tired of Tendonitis

2008-03-26T22:00:00.000-07:00

Beginning about a month ago my left shoulder began giving me trouble. Actually, it wasn't so much the shoulder as the clavicle (collar bone). Having previously gone through two years of extensive physical therapy on the shoulder during my teenage years, I was prepared to handle it. I starting with icing the shoulder (unfortunately I am allergic to ibuprofen), but it still seemed to feel worse over time. I think a lot also had to do with the fact that I kept poking at the area. Sitting at work I kept cracking my sternum and shoulder. I finally made it to the doctor yesterday to see if my feelings of a manageable tendonitis flare were correct, or whether the problem was worse. X-rays confirmed no issue with cartilage and my pain was diagnosed as sternoclavicular tendonitis. Pretty much the joint where my clavicle meets the sternum is extremely pissed off. It has caused a lot of discomfort in my shoulder, pulling it forward and causing huge knots in my traps and neck as well. Now at least I also have some anti-inflammatory drugs to take that don't cause me to bust out in severe hives.

I kept out of the pool for a week while trying to rehab the shoulder/clavicle. I kept my workout going by running a lot. I've run many in mile in my day without issues, so I wasn't going overboard, at least I thought. It seems that now my right achilles tendon has decided to join the tendonitis club. I've had plenty of tendonitis issues with that foot, in the top of the foot and ankle, but the achilles has never before been too sore to function. Although, the tendon has always made me twinge a bit when doing calf raises. As of yesterday though the tendon is too uncomfortable to even attempt to stand on the tip toes of my right foot. I couldn't even stand the pressure of my shoe on my heel throughout the day. Not wanting to face the same fate as University of Georgia gymnast Courtney Kupets I have now decided to take a break from everything.

Right now I have too many issues that need to heal. I also have a lot going on with planning a move into a new house. Hopefully it all won't take too long to straighten out and I will come back stronger than before. It just isn't worth it when you have to compromise your technique for injuries. It causes much more harm than good.

Map of Southern California Pools

2008-03-18T23:53:00.001-07:00

I will be moving from Marina Del Rey to Long Beach in a few weeks. While researching potential places to swim in the area I decided to just record my findings with a Google Map. I know I have not encompassed every pool around, but thus far, I have listed ones that make sense for me. They all have lap swim times and/or masters swim teams. Scanning around with the satellite view of Google Maps makes finding new pools pretty easy as well, especially in Southern California where they are almost all outdoors.

View Larger Map

USA Swimming Needs a Wakeup Call

2008-03-09T13:24:00.000-07:00

In recent years Web 2.0 websites delivering new media content such as Blogger, My Space and You Tube have shaken up the status quo. Many traditional media outlets and corporations have been unsure how to react. Some have resisted change by shunning and criticizing new media sources, one example being NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams. Others have been quick to realize the monetary benefits and have thus acquired popular new sites, incorporating them into their existing methods, like AOL/Time Warner’s acquisition of Weblogs Inc.

More and more institutions are attempting to ride the Web 2.0 wave. However, the potentials of new media are still difficult to grasp for most. For that reason companies hoping to develop their own media presence are relying on consultants or other outside entities. The problem is that most deals are made simply for the money. The consulting companies might know a bit about marketing and media delivery, but they don’t necessarily know the inner-workings of the industry with which they are getting involved. They apply similar templates to each client without the core knowledge of what features their audience really wants. The most credible and successful new media sites have risen through the ranks because they are run by industry insiders. They are not journalists required to write about a wide array of topics, they are passionate individuals working at the heart of the topics they cover.

Recently there has been a deal made between USA Swimming and Wasserman Media Group. This union falls into the previously mentioned category of the miss guided institution teaming with the media consultant. Wasserman has a range of sports experience, but by no means are they swimming experts. Normally this sort of contract would not illicit much attention from the industry insiders, but the devil is in the details. As put forth in an interview with USA Swimming Executive Director, Chuck Wielgus, and SwimNews.com , the contract between USA Swimming and Wasserman gives the organization 50% of the revenue, but it also gives Wasserman 100% control. Traditionally communications groups, such as Wasserman, act as a middle man between the organization and the media. They package news items and deliver them to the right media outlets. This particular deal however, sees Wasserman become the one and only media outlet.

Resulting from the deal, Wasserman intends to produce a website where all swimming media content will be published. The site, SwimNetwork.com, has yet to be launched, but is currently available for viewing in alpha release. In the meantime USA Swimming is already receiving great flack for the handling of the union. Independent swimming media sources are feeling left out in the cold by the organization. Long existing news reporting entities such as Swimming World Magazine and SwimNews.com see a huge conflict of interest potential. New media entities such as bloggers like Tony Austin of the SCAQ Swim Club Blog and Garrett McCaffery of Floswimming.org, are even being sufficiently hindered in their reporting abilities due to shady tactics in the restriction of fair use laws.

During a the recent Missouri Grand Prix swim meet Mr. McCaffery received media credentials from USA Swimming to gather interview content. The issuance of the media credentials also came with severe restrictions. One of those restrictions was the taping of any swimming footage. It just so happened that while filming a poolside interview Natalie Coughlin chose that moment to break a world record in the 100 m backstroke during the preliminary heats. Part of the race was captured in the background of the interview. After the footage was uploaded to FloSwimming.org USA Swimming issued McCaffery a letter of cease and desist. They also revoked any future privilege of media credentials. The actual discourse is available for reading on the Floswimming.org blog .

Without a doubt USA Swimming believes their actions to be for the betterment of the sport. However, it seems that they are merely naive about new media technologies. Sports become mainstream successes because of their potential for many individuals to make money. The USA Swimming and Wasserman deal leaves potential for only two entities to generate significant revenue. There is no information provided as to whether any finances float down to the swimmers or national team members as well. A system that strong arms the competition and expects the team members to work for peanuts does not work, just ask the Soviet Union.

GM Next Gen Mild Hybrid

2008-03-04T22:40:00.000-08:00

Today in Geneva General Motors announced the second generation belted alternator starter mild hybrid system. Now I might just know a little bit about this project... or I might not... It is very interesting to read people's opinions on the announcement though. It seems that it is perhaps too early still for people to really grasp the concept of the system. I try and read everything I can when it comes to feelings about GM's mild hybrid systems and I also try and find all the information I can about competitors. Not to say though that it might have any effect on future developments... Perhaps I've said too much already.

Caution Wet Floor

2008-02-25T19:51:00.001-08:00

In case you didn't notice... showers make the floor wet.
I caught this picture in the locker room of the pool. I found it amusing that it was necessary to inform people that the floor might be wet in the vicinity of the showers.

Picking Apart and Putting Together R35 GT-R

2008-02-23T20:47:00.000-08:00

Today I had the opportunity to poke around at bit at two R35 Nissan GT-Rs. As far as I am aware they are the first two GT-Rs in consumer hands in the United States, they are JDM models that were shipped over from Japan. While the JDM models are interesting. There might be more changes in store for the US market (Nissan wants to make sure the car is ridiculously fast). Even still the Japanese get DOT glass and headlights. It looks like Nissan saved money on parts by making things to US standards from the get go.

Automotive Forums R34 GT-R at Time Attack

2008-02-21T21:29:00.000-08:00

Woo I was on tv... The piece aired on Redline TV which runs on the Speed Channel. The footage is over two years old.

This was also the event where I managed to brand my face with a brake rotor. Lesson learned... do not lean in too close when adjusting tie rod ends immediately after the car gets off the racetrack...

I Love Cookie Monster

2008-02-17T17:08:00.001-08:00

A friend sent me a link to an NPR interview with Cookie Monster. It was a cute video to watch. I have quite a bit of Cookie Monster related merchandise. I earned the nickname Cookie Monster in high school and he was always my favorite Sesame Street Character. I also call my blue BMW 335i the turbo Cookie Monster because the blue color reminds me of CM's blue fur.

Valentine's Gift

2008-02-15T20:20:00.001-08:00

My mom sent me a silly Valentine's Day gift. It is a fuzzy pink winged dragon thingy. I am a sucker for adorable stuffed animals so I find it to be a very cute present. When the left foot is squeezed the wings flap about as fast as a humming bird, it hums a little tune and blows kisses. Since I brought my USC Fight Song playing Traveler horse (another gift from the mom) to work in order to bug my UCLA graduate cubicle mate the dragon thing has taken its place atop my television.

Need More Time

2008-02-14T22:54:00.001-08:00

Between working, swimming, gymnastics, eating, writing and sleeping time is hard to come by. I particularly need to cut out some of the time spent sleeping, rearrange my swimming schedule slightly and spend more time on the work thing. I figure if I start waking up super early and hit up morning practice I can get more time in the pool and also spend more time at work which would show great commitment on my part. Maybe then I will need to bring a pillow to work to take naps during lunch time as well... My supervisor spends about 14 hours at work every weekday. It is hard to match his level of commitment. I think it is just my competitive nature to try.

Leaving the Gym

2008-02-08T08:26:00.001-08:00

This is one corner of the gym where I spend my Tuesday and Thursday nights each week. I snapped a quick pic when we all cleared out to close up for the night. This place is the training ground for some AMAZING gymnasts. So much extension and artistry it is very inspiring. Two junior elites on the National Team call this place home. However, one is now old enough for senior eligibility and thus is in potential running for the 2008 Olympic team. Rumor is that she impressed the national directors during a recent training camp. I hope she can put together a fantastic year and really give it a shot.

Fuel Cell Equinox

2008-02-05T22:34:00.001-08:00

The picture above features a Chevrolet Fuel Cell Equinox. The vehicle is part of GM's Project Driveway program. 100 fuel cell Equinoxes get to be tested by the hands of general consumers. The vehicle recipients are in varying parts of the United States, but at least have access to hydrogen fueling stations.

The fuel cell vehicles are interesting. The powertrain has significantly less moving parts than a traditional ICE powered vehicle. However, of course that means trades offs to more exotic materials and newly developing technology. I love improving emerging technology though. That is why I do what I do... I hope this Equinox will teach me some new things too.

7lbs of Cake

2008-02-04T20:38:00.001-08:00

Thank you Costco for the 7lb chocolate cake. I was told by the person that bought this that they got me a present that weighted 7lbs, it was liked by everyone and it was secured in the backseat of the car with the seatbelt. I thought it was something like a puppy. No, it was a big ass chocolate cake. Thanks!