I'm continuing my picture of the week that I started this summer over here on my blog. Although the whole "week" part is a very loose term. It could be every other week...bi-weekly...basically just whenever I have a picture I want to post and something I want to write about. My life gets considerably less interesting when I am not travelling around the world so in order to not bore you with pictures of me eating, watching t.v., or surfing the web, I'll try to limit too many uninteresting pictures.

For this week, I am sharing a picture of my old college roommate and myself from my recent trip to Chicago. Debbie and I lived together for three years in Arizona and we've stayed close friends ever since. She happens to be the most "grown up" friend I know and I love that about her--the fact that she's independent, successful, and a real go-getter. One thing Debbie and I do well is take pictures of ourselves...lots and lots of pictures! So I figured I would pay tribute to our friendship and the thousands of images we have accumulated over the years.

In the next couple of weeks I have a huge decision to make. I have decided to switch coaches and now need to figure out who I will trust to help me get ready to make an Olympic team. No big deal, just the BIGGEST decision of my life is all. I remember what it felt like when it came time to choose a college to attend. The process started at the beginning of the year and it was so exciting getting phone calls from coaches and taking the time to visit universities I was interested in. But months later, when I was still undecided about where I should go and who I could entrust to develop me as an athlete, the process was no longer fun and exciting—it was excruciating. Well that’s how I feel now, except that agonizing feeling is tenfold.

I don’t make big decisions easily. In fact, I don’t make small decisions easily. I am a huge over-thinker. When I go to a restaurant and I don’t know what to order, I stress about it, ask the waiter for his opinion, and then spend the next 20 minutes worrying about not picking the other choice. I will spend hours buying a plane ticket. Literal hours. And then I will put multiple tickets on hold so I can have another 24 hours to think about it. So imagine the turmoil I am experiencing now when it concerns my career. And did I mention it’s the Olympic year? Yea. I’m screwed.

The fact of the matter is I know I need to be somewhere where I trust what I’m doing and I trust who is coaching me. You can have the best coach and program or the worst but what matters most is that you trust in it. I know that and I also know that it is one component that I have been missing for the past few years. That blind trust that allows you to be so confident that you are doing the right thing and that there is no need to question anything. The burden is not on your soldiers because you have entrusted someone who you believe in and who believes in you to guide you to success. That’s what I want. That’s what I NEED. So I am searching, and more importantly praying, that the right situation is revealed to me.

Welcome to my blog! I’ve decided to step it up a notch and take my blogging a little more serious because I have a strong desire to truly document this upcoming year. Not so much the calender year, but the 2008 season, which for me holds a lot of significance. I’m a track and field athlete, and just in case you don’t know me personally or don’t realize how important this year is for someone in my profession, I hope that by following my experiences on here you can begin to understand and appreciate my journey. Up to this point it’s been a rollercoaster—some of which you can familiarize yourself with from older entries, but suffice to say the past 5 years has been nothing like I had scripted when I graduated college and decided to become a professional athlete. Nevertheless, I am a firm believer that I have taken the path I have for a reason and that God is directing my steps.

Even though track and field is a huge part of my life and takes up a large part of the space between my ears, I also have plenty of other interests and musings that I like to write about. I thought it would be more interesting for both you and I if I use this blog to write about my whole life…or at least all the things I feel comfortable sharing with friends and strangers alike. I just hope to share in such a way that you are able to get an honest account of me and who I am and are entertained enough to check back regularly so that it doesn’t seem like everything I write gets lost in a deep black hole. I always welcome any questions or comments and would like for you all to experience this journey right along with me. Thanks for stopping by!


***For those of you who are interested and want a little background on my life and career over this past year, as well as other random topics I felt like writing about, please CLICK HERE to see past blogs from my myspace page. There are a couple of pictures there too...in case you're interested. ;)