InnerTeub

We had to write essay’s detailing why we wanted to volunteer at the Warrior Games this week. That’s a fair request – my company is paying for the whole trip, including our time away from our clients, they had a right to ask us to detail why we think we should receive such an honor.

It was an easy essay for me to write. If the purpose of the Warrior Games is to promote rehabilitation through competition and athletics, well, I can relate to that. (I was a heart patient before I was a triathlete, right?). If it’s to honor our troops who have sacrificed greatly in service to our country, well, I look at my veteran husband and can relate to that, too. But the essay was about me, and what the games meant to me, and that was probably the first indication that I had no idea what I was doing here this week.

It’s only Wednesday. The games aren’t over, and I haven’t even begun to process the final outcome of what it means to be out here, doing this, for me, but especially for them. I’m not sure I can process how hard it was for me to look into the eyes of a 20 year old whose face was completely covered in bandages, as the skin had all been burned off, and how disappointed I was in myself for not being able to take it in stride. Or how I looked at a blind double amputee and thought, “He swims faster than me. Holy god.” Or how I see an athlete who appears to be able bodied, and know that the injuries I can’t see might be the worst of all.

I worked yesterday at the preliminary round of the seated volleyball competition. The Marines were killing it (of course they were), but all the athletes were amazing. The athletes with legs were complaining that their legs were getting in the way of their moving around the court, and they were right. There was one call I had to make, a serve that went juuuuuuust a bit outside, and I swear I thought the entire Army team, in addition to their 50 spectators, were going to rush the field and kick my everloving ass. It was the most intense sporting event I’ve ever been to, and I prayed for the game to be won definitively, not by a line judge call, so I could leave there without armed escort, and that’s pretty much the moment I stopped seeing the missing legs and fingers and started cheering for these athletes.

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Hi all! Just wanted to throw a gratutious self pimp out there to let you know that I’ll be contributing to the Waypoint Group’s blog, “Customer Insight= Revenue”. I’ve worked in the field of client satisfaction/quality programs for awhile, and the guys at Waypoint are doing some great thinking/writing regarding the field as a whole. I’m thrilled they asked me to contribute, and excited to have another outlet with which to complain about bad customer service (United Airlines, I am STILL looking at you.)

Oh, I’m just kidding, this field is more than just complaining – there are some really great school of thought regarding the best and most profitable ways to leverage customer feedback, and I’m glad to be included as a contributing mind.

I know this is interesting to exactly 1% of the population, but that 1% is you, feel free to go check it out!

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Fabulous:

1. The weather, God, the weather. It is summer here, and while I will reserve the right to bitch about the heat and humidity, for now, I enjoyed a long ride out in the sun with my friends, the type of ride I dreamed about way back in February when I was stuck under two feet of snow. It was, indeed, fabulous

2. My friend Emily, who is well on her way to being the most amazing massage therapist, is using me for homework. Her homework coincided with the end of the above long ride, and if a beautiful, fun bike ride with friends ending with an amazing full body massage doesn’t make for best Sunday ever, well, I just do not know what does.

3. TriComet is back! Love having Haley back home and in our lives. She is staying with us while her apartment is getting ready, and our weird little family is having the best time time catching up and hanging out.

4. The U.S. Paralympics! My company is one of the sponsors of the U.S. Paralympics/Warrior Games and they are sending me out there next week to volunteer and support. I am SO EXCITED to see these athletes up close. The official blurb for the Warrior Games is:

Wounded servicemen and women will compete in the inaugural Warrior Games May 10-14, 2010, through a joint effort between the U.S. Department of Defense and U.S. Olympic Committee. These inaugural games are part of an effort to inspire recovery, capitalize on physical fitness, and promote new opportunities for growth and achievement.

I mean, how amazing is that? Very excited to see it up close and personal, and to assist in anyway that I can.

(Interesting note: Included among the definition of “wounded” is those suffering from PTSD. I am extremely proud of the military for recognizing PTSD as a debilitating condition and supporting their people in recovery with the same enthusiasm as those with physical ailments. Very cool.)

Less Fabulous:

1. Actually, I had a whole list of not fabulous things to talk about, but my “Fabulous” list made me like life so much that I almost don’t want to start complaining.

2. ALMOST.

3. I suppose the only un-fabulous thing that is worth noting is the reason Haley is home from Iraq early: she has sustained a stress fracture in her femur (…ouch). So, that is hugely sucky, in that she’d rather be over there and functional, then back here and hobbling. I have been enjoying watching her render jerks speechless; you would be amazed at how many smart ass comments a cute little blond girl will get while hobbling along on crutches, and it’s awesomely satisfying to see the embarrassment those smart-asses experience when she shuts them up with a quick “I fractured my femur in Iraq. I got back yesterday. Thanks for your support”

Anyhoo, back to the grindstone; work, laundry, train, eat, laundry, eat, train, work, rinse, repeat!

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