Say My Name

Oh Boy my name.  I was given this name.  Therese DiBartolo.  No accent on Therese no middle name.  A mouth full of words and letters and ethnicity.  What's a girl from Long Island to do?  Marry an Irishman with a more common last name-Phillips.  At least wit hone easy name everything flowed a little easier.

Then I moved to California.  Number 1-the Name DiBartolo belongs to the 49er family.  So when you say it people mostly know it.  Then there's this other thing-everyone here has hard to pronounce ethnic names.  And they have many many names.  Double last names triple first names middle names everything.

Plus there is this movement about pronouncing names correctly.  Its cultural insensitive not  to try and pronounce names correctly. and suddenly a name like Therese DiBartolo is cool.

I'm still Therese Phillips except on facebook where I have both names.  But a couple of summers ago I was able to go to Europe.  I was in Cannes.  Yes that one.  The one in France.  Yes and I was walking past a shop and in the window was an apron with my name.  Therese.

I was so excited.  There are no license plates in souvenir shops with my names or quizzes or anything.  My name.  THERESE. (rhymes with Perez if you aren't sure)

A Taste For Fashion

I love clothes.  I have always loved clothes.  It started with my mother and the amazing outfits she would dress me in.  I mean look at me in this picture-not only is the color and style on point but it's on point from head to toe.  

Then I went to Catholic School and wore a uniform for 8 years.  The best part was that in 7th grade I would get to change from the jumper to a skirt and vest combination.  I still wore these great short sets from Sears in the summer.  I still remember when they would come from the catalog all packaged so cool.

True story-I chose Holy Trinity as my high school because of all the catholic schools in Nassau County this was the only one without a uniform.  A dress code yes a uniform no.  Turned out to be a great school and experience -but I think they went back to uniforms.

There were my punk rock days closely followed by my prepster days followed by shoulder pads followed by mom sweats all the way to now and my 3 closets.

In another life I might have been a fashion designer.  So next time you notice or ask do you ever wear anything twice?  The answer is yes -I just know how to style.

2018

In trying to catch you up since the blog went dormant this is a picture of the top 9 from 2018.  That's right not last year but the year before.  So let's go from top to bottom

1-that's me after the San Francisco Rock and Roll Half Marathon.  I love this race because you get to run over the Golden Gate Bridge.  If you know my fear of bridges this is a big win.

2.  2018 kicked off with snowpocolipse and a visit to New York just after Joe and Kelly moved there.  This is the first of a gajillion trips top Brooklyn.  This is Time Square and it was 3 degrees.  

3.  This is me and Rob somewhere around when we got engaged.  I had a super Pat Benatar hair cut.  He still looks the same.  And she was robbed and should be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

4.  This is me and Leon Panetta.  I'm a political junky and he runs the Panetta institute and his volunteers read at my school.  Leon Panetta is a bonafide celebrity.

5.  Rob's 60th Birthday.  See?  Looks the same.

6.  Sunset out my front door.  We get crazy amazing sunsets in Hollister.

7.  Me and Kelly at her wedding shower.  I love this girl.

8.  This is us hanging with Danny and Kelly shortly after their wedding .

9.  This was a crepe and cappuccino in Mallorca.  I loved Mallorca.

Missing -Italy

2018 was a pretty good year.

Out of the Blue

Today I was going to tell you about what a great race I had yesterday at the Mission 10 race at San Juan.  10 miles.  Last time I ran this race it was during a very hard time and so this was quite a win in many ways.

I had just gotten back from today's run-also good-when the news came about Kobe.  I have no connection to Kobe none.  I'm not a big basketball fan, I'm not from LA so he's not part of a team I follow.  I rarely even think about him.  But for some reason -even before we found out his daughter was in the crash-this felt like a punch in the stomach.

You could envision what their morning was like as they rushed to get to basketball practice.  No big deal millions of families do this every day-not on a private helicopter but still.   Maybe because his name has popped up a little lately because of LeBron's record.  I vaguely remember a show on HBO about him...maybe.  

I looked through the blog for pictures thinking maybe I had referenced him at some point.  Nope...nothing.

But today we are all reminded that it's so random.  One day you think your life is on a projection and then just like that everything you knew or planned will never happen.  Something I think about all the time when I feel like I haven't bargained for something I'm going through.

I started out referring to going back to a race which marked a time when everything had changed from what I thought it was going to be-maybe it's that.  Lots of people have said the same thing.

Rest In peace Kobe and watch after your little girl.

Back to School

I always said I would never get my Masters Degree because it would cost more than it would be worth. Then  right about the time I ran that first marathon I decided I wanted to go into administration so I may as well get my Masters too.

So for two years I went to San Jose State.  It was supposed to be an online program.  It really wasn't and for two years I raced up to San Jose usually on a Friday night.  

The work was just that work.  And I was by far the oldest person in the class by far.  I was surrounded by ambitious and really smart 20 year olds and I became the camp mom.

These kids were always stressed about the assignments.  I really wasn't I was going for good enough not grey hairs.  But these kids grew on me and some are still my friends.

There aren't too many of us who actually became principals. And I didn't really enjoy the work.  There will be no PHD in my future.  But I have a masters and went to a fancy dinner and wore the robe and the collar and the hat.  Because 50 is the new 20 and if you bring snacks your classmates will help you in class when you aren't paying attention.

Central Park

If you add up all of the times I've raced my bicycle and all of the times I raced or run in Central Park on foot (you know-those parades I'm obsessed with) I can't imagine how many laps I've done.
When I raced my bike they were scary because you know- the 80s and Central Park.  Now Central Park is this beautiful oasis so not scary at all.
When I go to New York I don't like to run because the roads are so crappy.  So I try to go when I can race so I get one strong run in and then I just walk ...lots.
This was the Shape Women's half marathon last April.  I had the absolute best time.  Look at me running and smiling.  That never happens in my pictures.  
Being a Title Nine Mermaid Ambassador I run Lots of women only (men can run too) races.  I like them.  This one was fun.  Here's the thing though.  Central Park is a six mile loop so you do two-is of them.  I am not a fast runner.  I don't move fast.  I just move.  
At one point on the second lap the winner came running by on her way to the finish.  Yes I was lapped.  I'm amazed at the speed that elite runners run.  But me?  I get my money out of these.
In a month or so I'll be racing the NYC Half marathon.  I'm not sure if it goes through Central Park .  We'll see.  And look over there?  That guy in white?  He's cheering for me.  He's like a fan.  Maybe not.  He's probably like what's that girl wearing shorts for no-one else is.

26. plus .2

Since I turned 50 I had this crazy idea.  This crazy idea that this is the decade where I should run 26.2 miles.  So I did it on my 50th birthday.  But then I did it again and again and again and again and again and is that 4?  I'm going on 6.  What for you say?  No idea.  I just do.  Maybe I secretly always wanted to be in a parade and this is the only one I could get into.  Not that its free-it's super expensive.  Probably like 1000 dollars each time.

This time I ran in DC with the Marines.  Look at these Marines!  They stand at the end (actually they stand everywhere and give you water and donuts and stuff and cheer you on). at the end they give you a medal and then they take pictures of you .  Because why not?  They are heroes and it's a parade.

I look pretty good for the end of a parade don't I?  FYI a few months after this I had knee surgery for Meniscus Repair.  And then I ran two more marathons.

Hoo ra.