27 Days.

Tonight I got off of work and needed some serious bonding with my best friend. We live up the street from each other and sometimes I feel like I never spend time with her even though we go on random fast food trips together. I picked her up from her house, ate at Denny's, then proceeded to Wendy's where I got myself a chocolate frosty. The night couldn't be any better, especially singing a long to Blink 181, doing half ass donuts in the parking lot of her old work, and doing 10 laps around the Dos Lagos round about at 50 mph. Needless to say, my Denny's value slam almost slammed to the concrete after going in so many circles.

A lot of things have been on my mind lately, mainly things that have to do with cycling. Things like how am I going to afford a new bike, what bike should I get... Then thinking into the future as well. What club do I want to join for racing? Which club has a strong women's field? Which club has woman racing in the Cat 4's? Not only am I'm constantly thinking about racing and training, I'm also thinking about this position at Performance bikes I might be getting. I went in on Sunday and talked with the area manager, or whatever he's called. I guess he really liked me because my friend who is trying to hook me up with this job said he came into the store after meeting me and said a lot of positive things. He liked how interested in cycling I was and how eager I was to learn. This put me in such a great mood, despite the fact that I had learned that the store manager "wasn't sure" about me. And I can totally imagine him thinking that too. I came into the store with teal hair, a pink & black plaid flannel, and shoes that had holes in them. He probably thought, "Oh. This chick is trying to get a job so she gets cool points with all her friends who ride fixed gears." 

No. That's hardly the case. 

I really honestly cannot stand people, mainly adults, who judge me before even getting to know me. Yes, I have tattoos and piercings, yes I have.. er... had green hair. Big deal! I know a thing or two about the cycling world, and I am admitting to the fact that I have a whole lot more to learn. And that's the thing: I want to know everything. I want to continuously learn everything there is when it comes to the industry. Don't stand there and judge me because my bike has one gear or because my hair isn't a natural color, because that's unfair. 

I have no one else to impress but myself. 

And as I sat there listening to the employee tell me how the manager felt about me, I thought to myself, "Here I am talking to someone who has been working with the company for almost two years now and she has no idea what a prime lap is, what a soigneur is, or what the Dana Point Grand Prix is." I mean, I don't think I'm above her (because I'm definitely not) but, honestly, you've worked at a well-known shop for two years with a manager who has raced for Jelly Belly and you have no idea what the Dana Point Grand Prix is?!

*palm-to-face*