Hello,
My name is Priska. I’m from Switzerland and I stay for 2 month with Kallista :D I’m very happy that I’m here…It is really funny here and I learn a lot of English. That good because English is my worst subject at home, I think. At home in Switzerland my parents homeschooled me. I found Kallista because we have a good Friend together (Homeschooler) and he gave me Kallista’s address.
It’s very interesting who Kallista live here. Seattle is very very very big town for me. The biggest town we have in Switzerland (Zurich) is so much smaller than Seattle. Kallista said to me that Seattle’s a little Town for Amerika. I can’t believe that!!! But I love Seattle, I love it very much.
For me it’s also new to see Cross Fit. It’s interesting but no sport for me. Yes, no sport for me…But I love the People who do that a lot. They are all so funny!!!! For Cross Fit Kallista eat a lot of Meat. In Switzerland we eat a lot of different things but not so much meat. I love meat but not so much…
I’m very happy that I’m here by Kallista. I love Kallista. She’s very funny and we can laugh a lot…I hope we will do a lot of adventures when I am here! Thank you Kallista!!!
Love Priska

Dodgeball Day!!!

silly:


sillier:




Such a good time. Love you guys!

Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might... Eccl 9:10

Photo courtesy Chet Hay


Regionals is over, and I'm feeling a bit aimless. What's next, Lord, what's next?

The event itself was a blast. Our team kicked major ass, Papa did much better than he expected. I'm really really proud of them all. I didn't place as well as I hoped, but I feel like I went out there and gave everything I had, I couldn't have given any more. So I am content. I have no regrets.

The Events.

3 rounds
10 Overhead Squats w/ 95 lbs
50 Double Unders
Time 7:25 Place 12th

As many reps as possible in 90sec
Deadlift, 2" bar w/ 213 lbs
Reps 19 Place 36th

Day 2
5 mile run (consisting of two miles uphill!)
Time 46:35 Place 38th

For time
Row 30 cal
30 Thrusters 65 lbs
3 Rope climbs 15'
30 Kettle bell swings 1pd

Row 20 cal
20 Thrusters 75 lbs
2 rope climbs 15'
20 Kettle bell swings
Row 10 cal

10 Thrusters 95 lbs
1 rope climb
10 Kettle bell swings
Time 21:36 Place 24th

Overall 23rd.


Especially after an event like this, I find myself questioning why? Not in the way of doubting my passion for CrossFit, but really just asking for whom I do it, what are my motives in wanting to go to the Games?

This weekend I felt an overwhelming pride in myself, what I do, and the manner in which I do it. By the end of the second day I felt a thorn in my chest, a pain piercing me deeply. People look up to me, many have said "You've been an incredible inspiration to me." I haven't guarded myself well. I'm 16, been to all three Games as the youngest competitor. The thorn is real, and it's there.

It's painful, but it's good to realize.

What really do I have to boast in, that was not given to me?

Shooting for 2011? Maybe. I haven't decided yet. Right now I'm thinking about going to school, and focusing on learning and loving life, loving God, serving people.
I'll be back, not sure when.

I delight in this body that was given to me, and I intend to use it to it's fullest capacity, whether that be in dancing or lifting.

Apparently, Ich bin verruckt.

Last week was pretty overwhelming. Preparing for Regionals, Priska's arrival... Is my home ready to receive her? More importantly, is my heart ready? I want her to feel loved and welcome and comfortable. Being thrust into this foreign environment, language, new home, strange people, and all. I consciously make an effort to make her feel comfortable and loved. I thought I knew how to love but realize it doesn't come from inside me. I find myself challenged to look to the Lord to show me how.

Needless to say, all is well. She is kind and smart and lovable. Her laugh in sweet, her English often inadequate. "I do not know in English the word, but in French 'herb'?" "Ah, yes. Spices. Of course." We get by. She has warmed up and we've become quite good friends. She tells me about her life in Switzerland. We've already been on many adventures. Shopping in Downtown, Pike's Place, riding the bus to Northgate, buying a table at IKEA, seeing the East side and Lake Washington, not to mention Regionals! (BTW we are not forcing her to do CrossFit or Zone, so don't worry family.) She loves Twilight and Taylor Swift, animals, the mountains, reading. We seem to be compatible in many ways. She says "Zurich is a big city, but much much smaller than Seattle!" I tell her Seattle is a "small" big city, and her eyes widen. It's so big! It's so big!

I kinda feel like a teenager. It's weird. So much giggling, teasing, talking about boys, dressing up. She tells me about her friends, I tell her about mine. It is quite pleasant. She takes care of me! "Kallista, eat your bread." "Kallista eat your chocolate!" "Kallista drink your tea" More More More. Companionship is so sweet. I've learned to say "the chair sits by the table" in German. "You're crazy!" she says. Ich bin verruckt.

Danke Danke.

esoterike harmonia

"The hardship of exercise is intended less to strengthen the back than to toughen the mind. The Spartans say that any army may win while it still has its legs under it; the real test comes when all strength is fled and the men must produce victory on will alone." Gates of Fire, Steven Pressfield

Ready for the weekend.

Haftime show at Key arena

A little vulgar, but extremely hilarious.










That's Seattle for you, folks.

fishnet tights and short skirts

Socket Wenches vs. Dirty Liberation Front:


Grave Danger vs. I forgot their name because they lost.


Roller Derby origins and rules. (Thank you Wikipedia, you are oh so reliable.)

Summer...In the jet city of love.

"In the jet city of love
Northwest in the evergreen state
People can't get enough
Of living in the darkness and the rain
But when the sun comes out
The streets are filled with songs
And people playing it loud
So the whole world can sing along, yeah."
-The Classic Crime

In a way I'm glad Seattle weather is crappy. It keeps the city from getting too crowded and traffic from getting too bad. But when the sun does come out, the whole energy of the city changes. It is pleasant and unusual. It does make me want to sing, though I miss my sunny California home sometimes.

I sit wondering these days what the future holds. I am overwhelmed with longing to go to school, to have peers in the academic sense, to have teachers, to come home everyday and be exhausted from the constant absorption of information, useful or not. I'm excited to be stimulated by being around people all day. Then coming home and sitting by myself to refuel and rejuvenate. I reflect on the past and look forward to the future, making plans but all the while wishing God to have his way in me.

This summer is going to be crazy.
Priska is coming in nine days! It's crazy how fast this time of anticipation is going. I'm looking forward to meeting her and being her big sister for two months. She's coming from the German speaking part of Switzerland, around Zurich. She says her English is very broken(we've only communicated by email, so it's hard to judge.) and she wants it to be better. I'm hoping that I will be helpful and a good guide to her as she learns. It's her first time on an aeroplane. First time out of her home country. I'm sure it will be quite an adventure for both of us. I'm going to take her around Seattle to the Space Needle, Museum of Flight, Golden Gardens, the Downtown Library... all those touristy places I would never go, but we want to show her the most of America as is within our scope. We'll be going down to Oregon and California on Memorial day weekend. Coach Burgener hired me and my first job is in Salem helping Sage out. I cannot say how excited I am to work with Sage! She's such a character. There'll be lots of laughs and fun and lots and lots of BURPEES, I'm sure. After that we'll head down to California with Priska.

Regionals is in 2 weeks. Wow, I'm a little nervous. It's going to be a huge event, possibly as big as the last Games, with nearly as many competitors and only 3 spots to qualify onto the Championships. I hardly know what my competition constitutes, but I'm sure there are some strong ladies out there. This is my first CrossFit competition that I've set my mind to win the thing. I have no impediments, like gym, to keep me from performing to my potential. But no pressure. CrossFit is my sport, and I am assured that I'm really freaking good at what I do, though I am humble, because I know there are many things I don't want to come out of the Hopper. The workouts will be announced in the next week or so.

We'll see. I'm more excited to see how my dad will do in the Master's division. He's a stud and I'm proud of him. No regrets, daddio.

The rest of the summer will be hustle and bustle in showing Priska around Seattle and California. Yosemite. San Francisco. And many places in between.

CrossFit Games July 16-18 in Los Angeles this year. At the Home Depot Center. In a real stadium. With a really big crowd.



I'll be 17 in August. Wow.



Hopefully start fall quarter at Seattle Central in September.



Maybe visit my mother in Oklahoma before that.