Lilly Todd:  

Life Hi ya'all! I would love to hear from you. Well, I sure hope you guys that read this will spill some of your guts to me. It's a little painful to get personal, but it can't be any more embarrassing than I've made myself over the years. Share your story. Here's mine. The National Guard (8 yrs barely) did me some good. Taught me some discipline and made me grow up enough to get started on this journey. ARNG was a big party, though. Great friends that I'm back in touch with (and it feels good) Todd & Daniel & Sgt Venglass. Been to Mardi Gras - stinky dirty stay-up-all-night only-do-it-once kinda thing. The regular drill was in Los Alamitos & our annual weekend at Camp Pendleton - whoa! Now imagine BBQ over a sand pit fire and using generators to power massive speakers and subs for da-kine beach party on Red Beach. Not bad after a day at the firing range and then being ambushed with teargas. Shhh! Real life comprised of work (accounting), Some college here and there. Made it through LVN school & passed the boards in 1994 (just for proof), but didn't really fit into that profession. Had a daughter in there and then some more college. Haven't finished yet. Joining the ranks of parenthood was something I wanted, but wished I put more thought into. It was the most difficult change to my life (being slow to change and kicking and screaming against losing my freedom). It did change me, though. It took much longer than I would be proud to say, but I am better for it. Man, how difficult it is to meet challenging people and keep MY mouth shut. I can do it, finally. Funny, now I'm old enough that I can say what I want but I've controlled it for so long... Anyway, still doing accounting. Finally managing (1 gal who works independently - I know it's so hard). Made tons of mistakes over the years but have come to accept my imperfections and can actually chuckle here and there instead of beat myelf up (I know you're feeling me on that). Most important I've lost that 'know-it-all' thinking that held me back from progress. So, I was madly into Mountain biking for several years. I want to blame my fade on that controlling, mean spirited and unfaithful ex-boyfriend that wouldn't let me go to the gym or ride with the club anymore, but ultimately I gave in, so it really was my fault for letting that go. It was a real passion for me, though and I'm trying to condition myself for the single track once again. I had a bad spill when I took a bump that was way too big for me to handle. The burm had a rock at the top that I didn't dodge. It tipped my front tire and freaking out I grabbed both brakes - WRONG! - endo- (not like I haven't done that before) but flew several feet into the air, much like a stunt man being blown out of a cannon. I broke the fall partly with my face and the impact broke my collar bone. I was OK until I tried to get up and couldn't push myself up. That was scary. Looking back, I probably wouldn...Expand for more