Quick results

I want to write a huge blog post about the finish of RAAM, with pictures and all, but that will have to come this week for a few reasons. One, I'm exhausted right now and don't feel like it. Two, we're trying to get things packed up to leave tomorrow. And three, because we're leaving in an hour to go see TT2 at the finish.

I'm sure most of you have looked at the results by now, but TT1 won the 8 man division of Race Across America in 5 days, 9 hours and 5 minutes. They set a new course record for the finish time of the race and the speed in which they completed it (they averaged 23.41mph for the race). The finish was awesome, even though it was REALLY late - they crossed around 3:00am on Friday morning. I was super thrilled to see all the guys and have had a great time getting to know them and their families this weekend.

Tom's pretty exhausted. We've been told that the fatigue will really hit around Tuesday, but he felt it a lot today. he's struggling a bit with his blood sugars, simply because his body is kind of in freak out mode a little without being on the bike. It's nice to be around other guys that have the same struggles of highs and lows as Tom. They just get him and their families get what I deal with! :)

Thanks again for all of your support. Again, I'll post more pictures and whatnot sometime this coming week. We're driving home tomorrow, making a pit stop in Gettysburg (Tom rode through it Thursday night and wants to go back) and then I'm sure this coming week is going to be a bit hectic getting caught up.

Over and Out

Just wanted to post quickly and say that I'm off to Annapolis. Talked to Tom briefly this morning (well longer than usual as he was walking around a Wal-Mart) and he was in a really good mood. I think he's just ready to be in MD with everyone, drinking a beer if you ask me! :) They were in Athens this morning and were just switching riders so Tom was a little weary of what lies ahead - the climbing in West Virginia and the heat! UGH... his worst nightmare! Guess the guys have seen a huge improvement in Tom's climbing just over the last 4 days so he was happy. Had found some caffeine this morning and was raring to go. Tango has 2 more shifts, Cash has one and then they will ride in together sometime tonight. The RAAM website says it'll be sometimes after midnight!!! The record is still in reach, as long as they keep pushing today. I think their lead on ViaSat is upwards of 5.5 hours now!!!

Some of you asked what his transitions were like. Here's a good video of that.


I can't think you all enough for you constant support. When the days were getting long (for both of us because as had as he's working, it was quite lonely here without him) your constant support really meant so much to us. He worked so hard for this race and never expected it to be as draining emotionally and I know that all of your calls, emails, comments, blogs, facebook updates, etc. really helped!

Hopefully I'll have internet access in Maryland and will be able to post updates. We'll be back Sunday night late if not.

GO TEAM TYPE 1!!!

Wednesday update

It's hard to believe that the race will be over tomorrow (although I'm sure the guys are thinking that it'll never get here!!!!) I'm super excited to see all of the guys (especially the hubster) and congratulate them on a great race. I haven't heard from Tom yet today. He texted quickly this morning after his all nighter and said that he was dead tired and was going to try to sleep and would call me in 4-5 hours. I'll wait to hear from him today instead of calling him.

As far as the race is going... TT1 is stilling kicking ass! They have gone through the 36th Tim station which is Effingham, IL (2,154 miles into the race). They have a 4 hour and 15 minute lead on ViaSat so I think it's safe to say that they will win the 4 man division. The only question is if they can keep the pace up for a new course record!!! Keep going guys... you've got this!!!

Thought you'd enjoy some pictures that they've taken along the way... Here's the RV parked yesterday afternoon:

The lonely open roads of Kansas:

Getting sunscreened to "try" and avoid a burn on the hot days!

You gotta get laundry done where you can! (Notice the portable shower in the background)

And one of the best pictures of all... all of the guys couldn't do this race without the fabulous help of the volunteers! They are working a well oiled machine and it's definitely a team effort!

I'm exhausted

And I only biked 40 miles today! :) That's sad in comparison!

Tom's doing good. They are in MO now, leaving for their next shift in about an hour. He was actually off to find some caffeine and pizza - hey, you gotta go what you gotta do.

Team Tango rode through the heat of the day today in Kansas. Tom said that it was brutal - 100+ degrees and now the humidity is horrible. When they got to the transition, Dave Eldridge had arranged for the guys to go to a public pool and Tom said they were all in the pool within 3 minutes. Besides some cramping in his legs, Tom said that he's feeling alright - sugars are relatively under control and I think he's happy to be in more "normal" altitudes. He's sleepy now, as he only got about 2 hours of sleep so he thinks this next leg, in the dark is going to be tough. They are fighting on though.

He texted me tonight some highlights or thing's he'll never forget from the trip so far

• a near crash within the first 20 minutes of riding - would have gone over a guardrail and a cliff (which would have ended his race - lovely...)
• Rattle Snakes
• 3am hose showers
• Climbing the Rocky's at 3am in 40 degree temps and then crossing Kansas in 100+ temps during the very next day
• sleep deprivation
• more motivation each pull from the rider car and crew screaming

TT1 is up by about 3.5 hours I think (and at least 1 full time stop). I think they pretty much have a win in the bag and luckily their motivation isn't dwindling because they see that record in sight.

Thank you all so much for your continued support. I read Tom your comments and tell him when I talk to all of you. It means a lot to these guys!!!

Tuesday morning

Quick update as I haven't talked to Tom much. He texted me last night around 2am and it just said "Just finished and ate and need sleep bad". I called this morning since I hadn't heard from him and he got a good 6 hours of sleep and they were currently flying through Kansas!!! They have a HUGE lead - 2 hours and 40+ minutes and are WAY ahead of the record so as long as the weather holds up and the guys keep doing what they are doing, they are going to be in good shape. They hit time station 26 this morning already - 2542 miles into the race - more than half way there!!!

Keep it up guys! Can't wait to CELEBRATE on Friday early morning.

And...

HAPPY 60th BIRTHDAY MOM!!! I LOVE YOU!!!

I'm not sure any one's reading my updates, especially since I talk to so many people throughout the day and they ask how Tom's doing, but quickly -

The team is now up about 2 hours and 20 minutes. The second place team also has a 15 minute penalty which they haven't served yet so that just adds to the lead.

The guys are on track to break the record. They don't seem to be slowing down.

Talking to Tom today, he sounded tired, a little down and kind of just out of it. He told me he was conserving energy (it could have been that he just woke up). He was hoping that they hit Kansas soon... I being the dork that I am told him to keep an eye out for Toto and remember there's no place like home. :)

Finally - Tomorrow is my mom's 39th anniversary of her 21st birthday! :) HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAMA!

Here's a great video from RAAM yesterday!

Talked to Tom late last night. He was sleepy - there were mechanical issues with their RV so he didn't get much sleep and their 8 hour shift was starting around 1am and going through the Rockies. I'm hoping he calls anytime with an update. They have completed time station 16 (Chama, NM) and are averaging 24.09. Tom said last night that the only update they have been given is that they are ahead of last year's time by an hour and a half.

**Updated** Tom just called me and said that they had a tough night. Climbing all night and it was cold - low 40's and dark. They did great, but of course had some problems when about 18 miles out from the transition, the car ran out of gas. He said that they rode in twos the last 18 miles and have nothing left. He's in the middle of NM, just ate a big burrito (I feel bad for the guys in the RV later!!!) and that he's hoping to get some sleep. No showers because those were on the RV that broke down! (And being the good wifey that I am, bought him showerless wipes just in case he needed them and I think he was embarrassed to bring them so he left them behind. Team tango would be LOVIN' some Colleen right now if he had brought them!)

They are pumped - and feeling good!

I might be leaving earlier on Thursday so that I don't miss them at this rate! :)

Sunday Evening update

Talked to Tom for just a little bit tonight. He had just finished a hard long shift - he said lots of climbing and unfortunately no TT bikes for the flats due to a follow van catching on fire! Yikes! Luckily everyone was alright and although the van is destroyed, they were able to transfer the trailer with the TT bikes and keep the guys riding. Tom had just finished eating and was heading to sleep for a while. Hopefully he'll get some good shut eye before the next shift which will probably start around 2:00am Ohio time. He said that the volunteers have been amazing and that although it's definitely the hardest thing he's ever done, he's having a blast (that makes wifey happy... hopefully it keeps being fun for all of them!)

So far, they are still in the lead and by quite a bit (YAY!!!) Not that this will make a ton of sense, but as of 11:00pm my time, they had passed Time Stop #12 which is Montezuma Creet, UT at the 718.7 mile point of the race and are averaging 25.2 mph. The next team (ViaSat) has only hit TS #11 (which is 39.6 miles before at mile 679.1) and they hit that point 20 minutes before TT1 hit #12. ViaSat is averaging 24.14 mph. I don't know what they equals... like an hour lead or something. Come on guys... keep making that gap bigger and bigger!!! That's what we like to see!

I want to give a shout out to Team Type 2 as well. They are doing awesome! What an inspiration these guys are! They are through TS #8 and are averaging 17.38mph. Keep up the good work guys!

Sunday Morning Check in and shout out

Heard from Tom last night late through text. His pulls were going well. He had just averaged 45mph for 10-15 minutes on a flat because of a tailwind. Team Tango was working hard to get the lead which they took just before midnight. As of time stop #5 (Congress, AZ) they were in the lead by about 33 minutes. About 45 minutes so, he texted me again and sent some pictures of their RV and where they slept last night, as well as telling me that he's starting his next pull. I'm hoping to hear from him in about 7 hours or so.

I hate combining this with my RAAM post, but I wanted to just say happy Father's Day to all the wonderful dad's out there, mine especially. Dad, you have been there for me through so much. I know I tested you a bunch when I was "finding my way" in this crazy game of life, but I appreciate you letting me learn and grow and no matter how much of a brat I was being, you loved me with all your heart. You always make me laugh, encourage me to challenge myself, love my crazy husband with all of his traveling and racing, never question what we're doing with our lives and most importantly, have become a great friend to both of us. We look up to you and love you with all our hearts too! Hope you have a fabulous all-about-me day!

And they're off...

RAAM has officially started for Team Type 1 in Oceanside. Talked to Tom today and I think his nerves were getting to him a little. I think he wanted to just start the race and then he'll be fine. They broke the teams up today - "Cash" and "Tango". A nice salute to Mr. Sly Stallone. Tom's on Tango with Mark Suprenaut, Simon Bennett, and Jeff Bannink. They will be starting the race and doing the first shift of racing after the ceremonial start. From what Tom told me, it'll be a fast first shift as they are hoping to get a lead right out of the gate (they start staggered and I think TT1 is 4th so they have to get ahead of the other 3 teams quickly). Once they get the lead, they can just settle in and win this race! :)

A few things -

1. TT1 was written up in the New York Times Blog today. It's an awesome story! Here's the link.

2. This is kind of freaky, although SUPER cool. Google Latitude let's you see where TT1 is at all times along the race. They are carrying a cell phone that will show you where they are at on a google map. It's the most up to date information as the RAAM website only updates times when they hit a check point. Here's the link for that.

3. And finally, I'll leave you with some pictures that I stole from the TT1 website. :) These bikes are ready to FLY...

6 of the 8 members of TT1:

A little pre race ride:

TT1 and TT2:

Friday RAAM Report

I want to start my RAAM reports today even though the race doesn't start until tomorrow. I've talked to Tom, who has gotten to Oceanside and all is well there. He said that it's been a lot of meetings and just going over who's doing what. They got out yesterday for a ride and then again today. He said his hand is feeling good and that he's right in the mix of all the guys so he's feeling a little better about it all. Today they all have to go and have the official bike and uniform checks and then there is a mandatory race meeting for all of the athletes and volunteers. Two teammates had flights canceled yesterday due to the weather and are delayed today so that could cause problems and possibly penalties before the race even starts. Let's keep our fingers crossed that it's not the case.

So the race starts tomorrow for all team riders at 2:00 west coast time. The individuals are already out on the course (women starts a few days ago and the men started either yesterday or Wednesday... I forget). Here's the route if you are interested. You can also click here for the route and it will bring you to the bigger map which is easier to see. Here's the link for the climbing as well - YIKES! I do think it's amazing that the biggest climbs actually come in WV which happens to be about the last day for the riders... nice gut check if you ask me!

Thanks to everyone for their kind wishes and words of encouragement for Tom (and me) the last few days! It really meant a lot!

Race Report - Wendy's

Sunday's race went really well. It's local race called Wendy's International Tri (although it's not an international distance), but we do it every year and they always have a great turn out. Plus, it's only 10 minutes from our house which makes it even more alluring! :) Got to the lake early and my trusty bike mechanic with me (no dropped derailleurs this time that can't be fixed!). It was a beautiful morning - great day for a race!

Got checked in and everything racked in transition. We had probably 45 minutes to spare before my wave went off... always give myself plenty of time and of course, this race didn't start on time. Tom walked down with me to the water so that I could get a quick warm up in and hopefully avoid another panic attack once the bullhorn sounded! Tom did a great job getting pictures all day!

Water felt good and I really like how they do the start for this. You swim along the beach line, point to point for .5 miles. Since there are so many newbies that do this race, they stay closer to the shallow end making it empty and calm as you go deeper out. I found my place when my wave was called. I was only with about 5 other people treading water before the start. A girl swims up and asks a group of us if we are planning on putting our faces in the water when we swim. We all said yes and she decided that she might not be seeded at the right place (told you there were a lot of newbies). Anyway, the horn sounded and we were off. I felt comfortable right away, although I felt like I was pushing it. I kept right with the person in front of me the entire time and thought for sure I'd come out of the water with a PR. I felt like I was working and really swimming well. Get out of the water and look at my watch - not so much. I was out in 16 something. Really? I thought I was swimming so well. Grrrr... that's frustrating. Tom said that he saw me come out with a bunch of people in my group so I wasn't dead last, but I need to figure out why I feel like I'm working so hard and swimming so slow. Here's me running to transition
I hit the mat at 17:35 and had a good T1. In and out in 1:36 which isn't bad considering how big I thought transition was (and of course I was racked in the middle of it all) It was fun having Tom there to cheer for me though!

Onto the bike and my time to fly.

I had biked the course (18.6 miles) a few days before and it was a new course this year. A few rollers right in the beginning and then it was time to hunker down and get it done. I was hoping to average 21 for the ride, although that would have been a bit aggressive. I immediately start passing people (all the swimmers who are so much faster than me) and got into a groove quickly. I said "on your left" probably a hundred times which is a good sign. Only one big annoyance on the bike. The roads weren't closed and a young girl was driving on the left side of the road to pass bikers. She merged over to the right lane and stopped right in front of me an another biker. We had to swerve to get around her and she proceeded to lay on her horn and flick us both off. Nice. Came in off the bike in 54:06 (averaged 20.6) so a little shy of my goal. :(

T2 was uneventful. I saw a girl in my AG getting ready to run out and I thought that I would try to keep up with her. Out of T2 in 1:06. That girl took off and well, I was left to eat her dust. My hamstring is still giving me trouble and right out of the transition Tom asked how it was. It was super tight. He reminded me to take short steps and would see me at the finish. The run was an out and back over the dam - a run that I've done a hundred times. First mile was 8:29. Good pace, but I wanted something faster. I didn't get my final two mile splits (purely because I forgot to look), but I will say not a single girl passed me (yay!!!) and I finished the 5k with a time of 25:38 (8:16 pace). One of my goals is to run a sub 25 5k in a race and I was so close.

I finished with an overall time of 1:40:00 (my goal was to go sub 1:40 ha!) so I was thrilled. I waited around for them to post results and the unofficial results said 4th in my AG. 4th place is kind of a sucky place... don't get me wrong, it's a great position overall, but you are so close to 3rd (for me, it was like 2.5 minutes so I wasn't really that close)! That's alright, I had a good day.

Looking at the final results (which I must say are messed up a little), I ended up in 6th in my AG. The first place girl in my AG placed overall so she wasn't listed in the unofficial results (you can't double dip in awards) and then there was another girl who obviously started with the wrong swim wave because her swim time was 1:30. They don't have you go over a mat to start... it's purely based on your word that you start with the right wave and I'm thinking she didn't. That changed the results for me overall.

So here are the stats:

1:40:00 total time

Swim time - 17:35

T1 - 1:36

Bike - 54:06 (20.6 average)

T2 - 1:06

Run - 25:36 (8:16 average)

6th of 24 in AG

13th of 134 women

76th of 425 total

I'm happy with that!

RAAM Update - Tom got the cast off yesterday!!!! YIPPIE! It's a little sore, and tight and well, kind of weak, but he'll still be able to race Saturday. We both can't believe that it's almost here. I'll start my daily updates on Saturday afternoon. Check back then for updates!

Quick update

I want to write more, but my bike's a calling so I'll keep it short. A few things to note:

1. Raced yesterday. I will do a full report with pictures and all hopefully tomorrow. Did well... 6th in my AG (out of 24), but 13th overall in the women (out of 135 or something). I was happy. I was definitely in the top 10 in the bike for women and I ran 8:18's with a bum hammy so I was happy. Need to work on my swimming, but I'll get into the during the race report.
2. Tom gets his cast off tomorrow. I'm thinking that the doctor should get a warning call that he might want to wear bio-hazard gear when he saws the thing off. NASTY!
3. RAAM (Race Across America) starts on Saturday for Tom and Team Type 1. They will ride from Oceanside, CA to Annapolis MD (3,020 miles and 100,000 feet of total climbing). They are up against 9 other 8 man teams and are looking for not only a 1st place win, but also a new race record time wise. If all goes according to plan, they will finish in about 5 days and 10 hours or something crazy like that. I'll be updating my blog daily with updates about team type 1 and how the race is going.
4. Finally, a fellow blogger that I love following is doing a contest on his blog for a free $75 gift card to OnlineShoes.com. Visit his blog to enter and for a good laugh just about every day!!

Let the racing begin...

Yesterday was my first real tri of the season (I say real tri because it was outside... I did an indoor one in March, but that doesn't really count). It was at Deer Creek State Park which I usually race in September (although the half IM then) so it was a nice change of pace to race the Olympic distance this time around. I was feeling a little nervous though because I haven't been training much. I mean, I've been working out, but definitely not training. I figured I'd get my butt handed to me and I must say... I survived.

I went down on Saturday to get my race packet. This year they weren't doing bib numbers which I majorly love! They gave me two party bracelets (you know the ones that they give you at a private party that show you are a guest). One for me, one for my bike. Simple enough. I got in the water Saturday because I hadn't swam any open water since IMFL and panicked. Totally freaking panicked. I probably should have been swimming outside prior to the day before the race. Ugh... sometime else to totally worry about for the next 24 hours! Anyway, went home, relaxed, ate, slept and work to the alarm at 5:15. I got to the park with plenty of time and got everything unloaded (this was the first race without my personal bike mechanic so I was pretty proud of myself for getting there and setting up by myself). I take my bike and go for the short "are my gears right" test ride and realize that somehow my front derailleur is sitting ON my crank. Shit. I call Tom (poor guy was asleep in New Orleans) and totally freaked out. He calmly told me to find the mechanic tent and call me when they fix it. So much for being a big girl and being able to do everything by myself! Found the tent and the guy was awesome! Thanks so much Wheelie Fun. You saved my race! Got to transition, set everything up and met my mom and dad who came to watch me. We had a little bit of time so we walked to the water and just hung out. Here I am right before the swim (I was of course the LAST wave like always)

The horn goes off and I'm in the water. TOTAL FREAKING PANIC!!! I can't breath. What's up with this? I'm an Ironman. 2,500 people started when I did and I didn't panic. Why now? I literally flip to my back and have to catch my breath. I'm mortified and think maybe I should just call it a day. Then I slap some reality in myself, flip over and end up having a nice swim. Felt calm and comfortable. Yikes... hope that was a "first race of the season" thing! My swim was slow... as always... but that's fine.

T1 went fast. I've mastered the art of the transition. I'm not the fastest girl there, but I'm efficient! :)

Onto the bike. I love my bike. I rode my big girl wheels and hope that the winds wouldn't pick up. Right out of the park there's a bit of a head wind. I'm still breathing hard, but quickly settle in and pass a bunch of people. It's a great ride... two loops and the only really sucky thing is going into the park after the first look to turn around. I'm convinced it's an average killer! Got to see mom and dad after the first loop though. They always cheer so loud!!

T2 went fine. Got off the bike feeling fine.

Started running. Dad got this picture of me right at the beginning of the run

The first few steps I took and crap, my hamstring is in a knot. I've been having a ton of problems with it and thought that I would somehow be able to not have problems during the race (a girl can dream right?). First mile was 8:35. I'd LOVE to average 8:35's, but I knew that wasn't going to be the case. It was hot. There wasn't any shade. And it felt like I was being stabbed right below my right butt cheek. Lovely image huh? Ran the whole race, couldn't get a stupid song out of my head ("My trusty rusty had a flat. I borrowed my best friend's Cadillac. I'll be right back, going down to Wally World" - Sugarland) but the finish line came soon enough.

I finished in 2:51 and some change. I wasn't thrilled, but whatever. It was the first race of the season. I almost went home when I saw my derailleur problem, I panicked on the swim, and my hammy was killing me. I was happy it was over! Waked around for a little while and then headed up to the awards ceremony to watch my mother in law get her award (she did the du and came in first in her AG). They started calling out the award winners for my AG so I asked mom and dad to stay around) I saw 3 people in my AG group pass me on the run so I knew I didn't place, but I wanted to see how close I was. They call the 20-24 group and one of the said girls in my AG accepts her award. They must have mismarked her. They called my name for 3rd in my AG! YAY! My mom was so funny because none of us were expecting it and when they said my name she screamed "that's you". HAHAHA! Too cute! I got a medal and that totally made my day!

Overall, I was happy with things. I had fun and really, isn't that all that matters????

Sunday I'm racing at Wendy's International (although it's a sprint). It's a local race that I love, but they changed the course. Usually Tom and I do really well. He's not racing because of the hand, but as my friend Tracy says, I'm hoping to open a can of whoop ass (Tracy by the way will be there too and will inevitably win the entire race. I love her!) And if I can't open the can of whoop ass, I hope to just have fun!

I love this time of year!!!

When I grow up...

I just got off the phone with one of my best friends. She's having a little life crisis. Her birthday is this weekend and although she thinks she's old (um... girlfriend, you're 2 years YOUNGER than me... if you're old, what am I???) she's having a hard time answer the kindergarten question -

What do I want to be when I grow up?

After consoling her as best I could and telling her that happiness is the key to a good life (I know this because I walked away from a good paying cushie job to be my own boss and work with my hubby 2 weeks before my wedding), I began to wonder -

What do I want to be when I grow up?

If someone where to ask me, "Colleen, what's your dream job?" I honestly don't know that I could answer. I went to school with a starting major of biochemistry (dork, I know), but I had great intentions to find a cure for cancer. After a year of college chemistry and a summer internship with just my professor and a beaker with a chemical that I was trying to separate the atoms in, I decided maybe this wasn't my calling. I switched to a business major (aka, the "you can do anything with a business degree" route) and finished with a BS in Business Administration and a concentration in finance. But I never really thought that was my calling. It paid the bills for the first few years and put a good dent in the student loans that I owe. I threw around the idea of working on a college campus, but now I think I'm old and that wouldn't be as fun as I used to think. They kids would probably annoy me.

So now that I'm stuck wondering what it is that would make my life have purpose, I wonder how I could make a job out of my interests. Here are some thoughts...

1. A personal shopper - I love love love shopping and have a great time shopping with my mom, sister, mother-in-law, friends, etc. Spending someone else's money is great fun. But why would someone pay ME to pick out clothes that THEY have to pay for???
2. A personal travel agent - I get so annoyed when people don't shop for travel bargains and have been "hired" a few times (without pay of course) to help people get the best out of their vacation budget. I really love this kind of stuff. I wouldn't want to work for AAA or anything though. I guess people like me are called Orbitz, Expedia and Hotwire.
3. A weight watchers restaurant owner - I have books and books of meals that I think are really good and I know the points for all of them. I don't think people go to eat though with the intention of eating well. Plus I think people would see me and wonder why I don't get back to weight watchers.
4. A tri coach - except most days I feel like I need a tri coach and I don't think that tri coaches have tri coaches. Isn't that kind of backward?
5. Maybe a spin instructor. But I pant when I spin. I would be pathetic huffing and puffing and trying to tell someone that kicking your own ass is a good thing. They'd probably walk out.
6. A party planner - I loved planning my wedding. I think that kind of stuff is fun. I'd get a bridezilla though and hate it right away. I can see it now...

So, all in all, I guess I should just stick with what I'm doing. I love being my own boss. I love working from home. I love seeing my husband day in and day out and having my dogs around to keep me company and bark at everything that moves outside of our house. I love being able to train morning, noon, or night depending on the weather or how I feel. I love being able to be the chair of a great event for a great cause without the hassle of telling the boss man that I need to leave every 2nd Friday of the month for a few hours. I love that I can travel. I love that I don't look at carpet walls 9 hours a day. I love that I'm a woman, a business owner, a marking exec, a customer service person, THE account payable department.

There isn't a price tag on my happiness.

So my dear friend, as the next few weeks or months go on and you strive to answer what you want to do when you grow up, just remember what I told you.

You only live once.

Be happy. Enjoy finding yourself and you passion. You may never grow up to find out what you want to be, but grow up being happy of what you are! :)