Three quick things: November 13, 2008
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Weddings are OVER! (They were all wonderful, and I was happy to be a part of them all– but it did get to be a bit much after a while.)
Jimmy and me after Beth's wedding
Since I no longer had to worry about matching a bridesmaid’s dress I dyed my hair red.
Yay!
And, apparently, coffe makes you immortal. “A recent study has linked coffee drinking to a reduced risk of death, regardless of the cause.”
She’s going for speed! October 29, 2008
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Last weekend was the Second Empire 5k, where I cut down my time another 44 seconds and had a chiptime of 28:22. That’s a pace of just slightly over 9 minute miles. I’m pleased with myself.
You may wonder why I just talk about my chiptime, or what a chiptime is. When you race they give you a chip to put on your shoe. It’s activated when you cross the start line and stopped when you cross the finish. This gives you an accurate time if you start in the back of the pack (as I usually do, due to the fact that I’m not really confident to start up with the crazy Ironman runners). So there’s your FYI for the day. woo.
Also, I’ve added yoga to my repitoire. I have some major shoulder issues (they have trouble staying down and back, it’s where I keep my stress and thus they’re usually in pain) which I thought inproving my body awareness and flexibility would help. Cue yoga. I’ve always dabbled in it, either via video or short sections that were just part of another class, but I never went to a strictly yoga class before. Boy is itfun and wonderful! I had my second class yesterday and we did half handstands! (The kind where you climb up the wall.) I have found that even two classes have me more aware of keeping my body aligned properly in my waking hours (pilates has helped me with keeping my core and my back nice and strong, but doesn’t really address the limbs as much). I’ve also found that I feel a lot more quiet and peaceful inside, which is a wonderful bonus to it all.
I’ve found quite a nice little exercise routine these days, whcih keeps things interesting and fun. Pilates for core and other muscle strength, yoga to be in tune with myself more and add flexibility, running for fun and to compete against myself, weight training and cross training to mix things up and because they’re necessary, and boxing just because it’s fun to fight with my lack of coordination.
technical crap October 28, 2008
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nevermind, I’m staying just where I am.
Wedding #3 October 20, 2008
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This Saturday Jimmy and I went to the wedding of my friends from high school. It was beautiful, classy, and a ton of fun. I enjoyed getting to see people that I hadn’t seen in ages, as well as seeing how glowingly happy the bridal couple were. I love happiness.
Something that I’ve loved about all the weddings in the past three months is being able to compare them to one another. Not in a bitchy “oh his wedding was better than hers” kind of way (which is not the case for any of the weddings); but seeing how our friends are able to pull off a beautiful and elegant occasion that has so much of their personalities in it. None of the weddings have been the straight up boring traditional wedding, and all of them are unique and beautiful for the couple getting married. I love this. I love seeing the friend that introduced the couple perform the ceremony, or Hello Kitty place holders, or dancing all night to fantastic 80’s music.
I also love seeing people that are so obviously meant to be together FINALLY getting hitched. Congratulations you guys 
Amazing Pace October 20, 2008
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Two weekends ago I had my second 5k. I was slightly less nervous this time, and definately better rested. I am glad that I did this one second, since the first one had half (if not less) the amount of people, was on a flatter road, and was better organized.
This race was harder for me to find somebody to set my pace against, I would pick somebody but then realize that I needed to go just a little faster and have to pick somebody else. I also didn’t know the course at all for this race. I kept saying “oh! it’s downtown! it’ll be flat!” which was a huge lie to myself, there were some pretty hard hills that showed up in the middle and end of the race.
And yet? I still managed to beat my time by slightly over 2 minutes. My pace is now around 9:30 (Under 10 baby!), under 9:30 if you go with chiptime (which is really the only time worth noting). When I work on speed on the treadmill I’ve been able to run a flat mile in under 8:30, maybe some day I’ll be able to get in 3 (with hills..) in that time. Next race is on Sunday and then I take a break until November 16th. Right now I’m debating the 8K Turkey Trot that’s over near my old college on Thanksgiving, but I’m not sure that I want to tackle THOSE hills and 5 miles just yet.
Filler October 13, 2008
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I caught this quiz over at Abbey’s and I actually think it’s fairly accurate.
Your result for Are You a Jackie or a Marilyn? Or Someone Else? Mad Men-era Female Icon Quiz…
You Are an Audrey!
You are an Audrey — “I am at peace”
Audreys are receptive, good-natured, and supportive. They seek union with others and the world around them.
How to Get Along with Me
- * If you want me to do something, how you ask is important. I especially don’t like expectations or pressure
- * I like to listen and to be of service, but don’t take advantage of this
- * Listen until I finish speaking, even though I meander a bit
- * Give me time to finish things and make decisions. It’s OK to nudge me gently and nonjudgmentally
- * Ask me questions to help me get clear
- * Tell me when you like how I look. I’m not averse to flattery
- * Hug me, show physical affection. It opens me up to my feelings
- * I like a good discussion but not a confrontation
- * Let me know you like what I’ve done or said
- * Laugh with me and share in my enjoyment of life
What I Like About Being an Audrey
- * being nonjudgmental and accepting
- * caring for and being concerned about others
- * being able to relax and have a good time
- * knowing that most people enjoy my company; I’m easy to be around
- * my ability to see many different sides of an issue and to be a good mediator and facilitator
- * my heightened awareness of sensations, aesthetics, and the here and now
- * being able to go with the flow and feel one with the universe
What’s Hard About Being an Audrey
- * being judged and misunderstood for being placid and/or indecisive
- * being critical of myself for lacking initiative and discipline
- * being too sensitive to criticism; taking every raised eyebrow and twitch of the mouth personally
- * being confused about what I really want
- * caring too much about what others will think of me
- * not being listened to or taken seriously
Audreys as Children Often
- * feel ignored and that their wants, opinions, and feelings are unimportant
- * tune out a lot, especially when others argue
- * are “good” children: deny anger or keep it to themselves
Audreys as Parents
- * are supportive, kind, and warm
- * are sometimes overly permissive or nondirective
Take Are You a Jackie or a Marilyn? Or Someone Else? Mad Men-era Female Icon Quiz at HelloQuizzy
Make Your Own Kind of Music October 3, 2008
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Lately I’ve been extremely frustrated with my inability to move my life in a “forward” direction. I have goals for my life that I can’t meet without help from sombody else, or in some cases a few sombodies else. Some goals are even so vague that I don’t even really know what they are “do… something.. about… something…”. Perhaps they shouldn’t be labeled “goals”, but vauge visions of how I want the future to look like. Glimmers of… something.
Perhaps this is why running is so appealing to me. I can set goals and meet them, constantly setting bigger and better goals. I’ve mentioned before how it used to be a struggle to walk around the lake (ex-smoker and all), and that my goal was to run around the lake– which I’ve gotten to doing. I also mentioned a while back that my first 5K was going to be September 28. The Monday and Tuesday before the 5K (um, was that really just last week?) I pushed myself really hard and ended up hurting my hamstring, so I laid low the rest of the week (I hadn’t gotten to the part in my book about not pushing yourself hard the week before a race.. in fact I JUST got to the racing part this past week.. yes, I’m running with the help of a book).
When I got to the race my goal was very modest: not to hurt my leg furthur, not to walk at all if possible, and to do it in under 40 minutes (which is a very generous time, but I was concerned about my being slow and my being slightly injured).
I started out the race at a good pace, using Jim as my pace setter (I’d made him promise to run beside me since I was so nervous). After about a quarter mile my legs were feelnig nice and warm and I found myself using another runner in front of me as a pace setter, leaving Jim behind me slightly. She stopped to walk and we kept going, running along. At about the 2.5 Mile point the road was pretty clear in front of us, and I worried a bit about being the last ones in– but I knew it didn’t matter, all that matters is how I do for myself and that I was having FUN. Jim started singing “he’s going the distance… he’s going the speed…”, but I heard more runners behind me. Suddenly it was over. What? There were people yelling, my name on a loudspeaker, and a camera… what? Isn’t there more running? In my confusion Jimmy got 2 second ahead of me, the bastard.
I didn’t come in anywhere near first, but I also didn’t come in anywhere near last either. In fact, I was pretty much smack dab in the middle– which makes me proud. My chip time is 31:17, which I’m also proud of. It’s slightly over a 10 minute mile, and pretty awesome for a first 5K. I am so proud of myself, and my stupid free t-shirt. I know it seems silly, and that a 5K is an incredibly short distance, all things considered– but I’m amazed at the progress I’ve made.
Who would have thought that the girl that had to take a smoke break on the cross country trail in her required high school PE class’s trail run (and was already at least 10 minutes behind everybody with my friend) would be making marathon plans?
That’s right.
I know I mentioned Maui for my 30th, but I’m not sure how financially feasible that will be– plus I just don’t want to wait that long. The Las Vegas marathon is in December, and is supposed to be an easier marathon (it’s still 26.2 miles, just a flatter 26.2 miles). I’m planning on being there in 2009.
Bad Luck October 1, 2008
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In April of 2001 on the livejournal I kept in college (and wish I hadn’t deleted due to stupid “drama” at the time) I wrote about how I wanted to meet Joey Ramone. A few days later he died and I felt vaugely responsible, as though I’d reminded the cosmos that he was way overdue (due to a hard rocking punk lifestyle and all). I wore my black leather jacket in a commeratative spirit.
Later that month I wrote something in my livejournal (gak) about Douglas Adams, and how great he is. He died in May 11, 2001. I swore after (and probably have slipped up plenty as well) that I would try not to write about awesome celebritys, because I seemed to have a curse. However, I didn’t know that the curse extended to a celebrity’s salad dressing. I’m sorry Paul, I didn’t mean to.
I’m not saying I’m ACTUALLY a curse, but it does seem uncanny to me– but those sort of things always do. Just to make sure I’m not going to be writing anything about Tim Curry any time soon.
Living in the Dark Ages October 1, 2008
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I recently was inspired by Dotty, who went and cancelled her cable. I, however, went a step furthur and am disposing of my TVs entirely. My DVD player never really worked right, so I had to watch movies on the laptop anyway– so it’s not a big deal. What is a big deal is the change that not having a TV in the living room has made on my quality of life.
I used to get home from work, turn on the TV for “background noise” while I made dinner and then Jim and I would zone out in front of it while we ate. After dinner sometimes we would go for a walk, but more often than not we would watch something or I would watch one of “my” shows while he read– I claimed that it was a nice way to “decompress” after work. I worried briefly that lack of TV would be frustrating, but figured that any shows I’m really committed to I can get online or on Netflix (but really the only show that is a MUST watch lately is Mad Men).
The first night without TV I figured was going to be the biggest test, since it was a night that Jim was at his place. Usually I would spend my time alone catching up on the guilty pleasure shows that were just too terrible for Jim to enjoy (ANTM). Instead I spent the evening rearranging the furniture so that there is a dining area and a “conversation” area, and started reading a book I bought months ago. The next evening in Jim and I had dinner at the table, complete with conversation about how our days have been and general talkery. I noticed that we ate less than usual as well. Later, for relaxation, we sat on the sofa and read with some music playing– much better “background noise”.
Last Saturday night we were both a bit pooped from a busy Friday night, and were trying to prepare for an early Sunday 5k (there’s a post on that in the works), so we rented some really bad Sci-Fi movies and watched those– after a day of frolicing, talking, and general wonderfulness. Honestly, I feel like we’re connecting and appreciating one another more than before, when we were zombies zoning out after a long day of work (or on a weekend morning after a too long night out). He also seems to be paying more attention to what I make for dinner, which is a bonus for me; and I am paying more attention to how much of it I’m eating.
As for Mad Men, there has to be a night of guilty pleasure just the same (or not so guilty, because that show rocks). Last night we went to Jim’s place so I could get some laundry done (and because once or twice a week he likes seeing his townhouse, making sure it’s still there), we picked up delicious Indian Food (palak paneer! mmm!), and watched the On Demand. After the show, when he was flipping channels, we quickly realized that there was nothing on worth watching so we turned the TV back off and sat and talked the rest of the night– actually staying up past bedtime.
I guess all those crazy hippies with no TVs in their homes are right about something. (And it’s not tofu hotdogs.)
Guerrilla Joyfare Nationwide September 19, 2008
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Here is a letter that I recently wrote to Newman’s Own:
I was directed here by this site, but with a different intent:
http://www.freestufflinks.us/letterfrommysister.htmI was at work, fixing my usual lunch (with excellent salad dressing, when some offensive words on the back caught my eye (”Wishbone” and “Kraft”– ugh!). Doing a double-take, I read the story and had to laugh aloud. I love that you have a little whimsy hidden on the back of the bottle.
Thank you,
Elenor
What was it that brought the joy to my heart?
The great salad balloon race across the boot of Italy. An armada of balloons loaded with Light Italian. The starters gun - Bazoombah! They all rise majestically into the air. Newman’s Own Balloon, with fewer calories, more taste, and secretly propelled by charity, flies faster than Kraft and further than Wishbone. First across. First on the ground. El Piloto quaffs mucho quaffs of Newman’s Own in victory. A medium light Italian starlet, daughter of Butch Cassidini, named Bitch Cassidini, leaps into the balloon basket, kisses Piloto, her lips smeared with Newman’s Own Light, she murmurs, “You taste of Sicily, of Vesuvius, of Naples, baby”, and patting his fanny she whispers, “and no fat.”
Awesome.
