It's Catch Up Time

Good Morning!!

I had a couple of posts planned for today but, I have to admit, the trip to NYC wiped me out. I still need one more day to recover! Age is setting in I am afraid! Haha!

What will I be catching up on to share with you?

Reviews

I am almost finished with reading Apolo Ohno's new book Zero Regrets and I will be sharing a short review. It may also tie in with more Olympian news...stay tuned!

Another review which is almost complete is that of the Pampered Chef live cooking show that aired on Nov. 11th. Great cooking tips were shared and I look forward to giving you the skinny!

Some great posts are in the pipe to take us through the holiday, but one I am really excited to share with you is:

Holiday Giveaway

Mom Got Blog has teamed up with the Fisher Nuts brand and will be having another giveaway!! The last time we had a giveaway it was so well received that I know this will be fun as well! Check back tomorrow for all the details!!

I hope you had a fabulous weekend!

Do You Have Zero Regrets? Olympic Gold Medalist Apolo Ohno In Albany, NY For Book Signing

Apolo Ohno: Zero Regrets

Olympic speedskating gold medalist Apolo Anton Ohno is coming to a bookstore near you! Well, at least he is on Saturday, November 6th if you live in the Albany, NY area! Apolo will be at Barnes & Noble in Colonie Center Mall at 11:00am to sign his latest book Zero Regrets: Be Greater Than Yesterday.

For those readers who are new to Mom Got Blog I will share with you one of my true passions in life: Speedskating. It is a sport like no other. I am extremely active and I have done every kind of sport I can think of, but this skating in circles really fast with 17" razor blades on my feet? Well, it brings me joy down to the core of my being. It's hard to explain...but that is the best way I think I can describe it. And I did not start this sport as a young whipper snapper (did I just say that?), I was already into my 30's, an age where most skaters have long since retired. One aspect that I have enjoyed as much as competing is meeting the people that are involved. For a wide-world sport, the community feels very small and tight knit. Everyone knows everyone. When you hear folks say that this is a life-time sport- they really mean it. If you are not skating, you are involved in some shape or form to keep yourself connected.

I have written many a post on my favorite sport, especially through the Vancouver Olympics, but there is one post that sticks with me. Apolo spoke in an interview about the "Perfect Race", and it inspired me to write about one of my perfect races. We both agree that to have a perfect race does not necessarily equal winning; it's about putting everything you have out there and knowing you did your very best.

Apolo has been NON-STOP since the conclusion of the winter games in Vancouver. He started his own company, is part of the CNN "Hero" Series where he speaks of See Your Impact , traveling for appearances and now has published his first book:

Zero Regrets: Be Greater Than Yesterday

If you live near Albany and would like to meet and receive an autographed copy of Apolo's latest book, please come out to support him at :

Barnes and Noble
Colonie Center
11:00am.

Just an FYI: He is only signing his book, no memorabilia. Time is short as he will be making his way to Syracuse and Buffalo on Saturday as well.

I just reserved my copy. I'm looking forward to reading and sharing my thoughts with you.

If you have read Apolo's book, what did you think?

Speedskating Goes Back to School

Yesterday I had the extreme pleasure of going back to the second grade and sharing my own version of Speedskating Show and Tell. 

Kids at this age are so eager to learn. They are full of wonder and soak everything in like little sponges. Knowledge is still exciting.

I was asked to come to this class to share information on speedskating and the Olympics and I have to admit, I was a little nervous going in. Second graders are eager to learn, but they are also a tough audience. If you don't know what you are talking about, they will smell the fear and eat you alive with questions.

I started by placing photos of a long track team pursuit (featuring the Italian Team) and a short track race (featuring Apolo Ohno).  We made our way through what differences they could see between the two pictures. When we finished with the comparisons, I pointed to Apolo and asked the class "Do you know who this is?" In unison "Nooooooooo." I had my work cut out for me.

I thought it would be a great idea to bring my gear with me so the kids could have something tangible to go with what they saw in the pictures and were hearing with my words. I passed around both a long track skinsuit, pointing out the hood and then a short track skin pulling half the suit inside out so they could see the cut proof material sewn in. They liked knocking on my helmet and ooh-ed over the pirate sticker that is stuck to the front. I then passed around my Marchese short track boots with "Whoa's!"  and then the long track boots where they enjoyed clapping the blade with giggles. I shared different medals that I have earned and started asking them questions about the Olympics.

We talked about Lake Placid (host to two Winter Olympic Games, 1932 and 1980) and tied in local talent Trevor Marsicano. We played a few YouTube videos of Trevor skating long track and Apolo skating short track. The buzz grew in the classroom to a fever pitch and it was great! One student came up to me and in a whisper said "I am Soooooooo glad you are here!"

In wrapping up I asked the kids to send their "Good Luck" message to Team USA and of course they obliged! The only problem with this was me being technologically challenged. I had my phone video set to the wrong setting, leaving the file too large to pass along to Trevor. So, it is saved for when he returns from Vancouver and I will play it for him.

The room was preparing to go to gym and the greatest thing happened; the entire class suddenly dropped into a squat and low walked their way down the hall!

Olympic fans are definitely evident in second grade and who knows, maybe a seed of inspiration was planted and a future speedskater will be making their way to the ice.