TGIM #3

I have shy friends. Friends who, when you bring out a camera with the friendly suggestion that they pose for a TGIM photo, scream and run away. Clearly, they are not grateful for my digital camera.

Anyhoo, today's TGIM is not just one shy person, but three of them. Four if you count Boyfriend who needs three days to think before answering my questions. These three friends came over on Sunday morning for an hour and a half basement bike ride followed by a delicious brunch. My butt hurts.

Name: Colette Hubner. Also known as Nicole, Michelle or Colleen by the people who can't remember her name.
Age: Old. (Her words, not mine.)
Occupation: Runs Wallace Galleries downtown with her mom.
Things You Can't Tell By Looking At Her: Has an earless cat, is a kick-ass climber, is the one person in my life who truly 'works to live' by traveling and adventuring all over the world at every chance she gets.
What are you grateful for?
My friends.
What is the most awesomest thing in your life right now?
The fact that I get to plan and organize a fundraising event for Peace Mexico. We're raising money for kids, cats and dogs. (And then she whipped off her sweatshirt to show us a t-shirt which had the words Spay On! on the back.)

Name: Lisa Stirling
Age: 29
Occupation: Post-grad super-smartie exercise scientist doing research for Adidas by making her friends run for long periods on treadmills while covered in electrodes. (We got free shoes!)
Things You Can't Tell By Looking At Her: Is the fastest, most bad-ass female cyclist I know, said 'Screw a Masters' and jumped from a BSc straight to a PhD.
What are you grateful for?
I'm grateful for this moment in my life where I feel settled. After my dad and PhD and stuff. I have a job, I got married – I'm in a period where I'm reaping the rewards of all the things I struggled with. (Her father was in a horrific motorcycle accident in 2005. When I say horrific, I mean three years of rehabilitation horrific.)
What's the most awesomest thing in your life right now?
Feeling like I belong somewhere.

Name: Ross Stirling
Age: I'm 3 times 3 times 3 plus 3 plus 3 plus 3. (Means he's 33.)
Things You Can't Tell By Looking At Him: Is a four or five time Ironman (I lost count), was my triathlon coach, loves superheroes and is my one non-writer friend who actually DOES have a novel in him...although he many not know it.
What are you grateful for?
Underdogs that beat the odds, high fives and the breakfast special. (Which breakfast special?) THE breakfast special. (Oh.)
What's the most awesomest thing in your life right now?
That I have the power to put my creative ideas into practice. I'm making it possible for people to invent things I haven't thought of. (Ross works for Garmin and designs crazy athletic testing devices.)

Name: Boyfriend
What are you grateful for?
I'll tell you later.
What are you grateful for?
I'll tell you later.
What are you grateful for?
I'll tell you later.
Sigh.