Yearly Review

It is that time of year again, yearly review time. Normal people do it on January 1, I do it on July 2 - it's my thing (and probably a billion other people's thing, but who cares about them, this is MY blog that I never write in anymore, but I digress).

So what can I really say about this last year. It was a year back to watching TV and movies, and I can honestly say that the year off totally changed the way I watch. I saw three movie this year worth my time and have not seen one show that I would spend once a week on (even Wipe Out, sorry Adam and the rest of the world). What are those three movies? Book of Eli, Henry Poole Is Here, and Toy Story 3. Thinking about going off of them again, but I think it would be hard to entertain Adam because I would have to start putting on skits - and I can only do so many one woman shows in a lifetime, and I think I used up 75% of my limit in high school.

I use to say that even numbered ages were the bad years and odd numbered ages were the good ones. And if you look at ages 18-29 you would have to agree with me. So entering 30 I was a little apprehensive. The first strike against me was that I was moving from St. Louis back to Stillwater, and that is enough to make the even numbered age the worst thing in the world. Going back to school and trying to get back into that groove without much support, leaving my best friends I have ever made behind. But something strange happened - I got married. So I guess the even/odd year curse is over (if you believe in that sort of thing). Let me repeat a crucial part of that last idea - I GOT MARRIED. A miracle in and of itself. Me. ME! Without weeping and gnashing of teeth, without months on end of daily vomiting and wondering if this was the right thing for me, without a year of counseling and prayer about what ifs and running thinking this all must be a mistake. I actually went into it quite naturally, and quite logically. I came, I saw, I conquered (so to speak). Every step we took from friends, to more than friends, to the first kiss, to the ring, to the altar seemed right and in the right time (even if that was only 9 months). We prayed about it and everything just seemed to fit, so if it fits why back up, and as I have always said "if you know let's go." It was a joke to me because I thought I would never know, so I could say that - well I guess I was wrong. The funny thing about marriage for me is this - fears I use to have a gone, only to be replaced by a different set. A set that seems more irrational than the original set.

The only event of 30 that might make it in the list of the 18-29 year cycle was loosing my granddad. I have said all I really want to say about that event. I miss him a lot and just when I think I am moving on I have a dream with him in it and I miss him like the first day all over again.

School is hard and it is only going to get harder. Time is short and this paper I'm writing is long. How long? Who knows yet? I do know this, if I spent half as much time working on it as I do waisting time (like blogging, or reading blogs, or looking at pictures on facebook) then I would be about done. It all boils down to time really. Not that any of it is hard, it is just finding the time to work on it when classes go on around me, or I am gone for 2 days with work, or Adam comes home and I would rather hang out with him then write 3 paragraphs on the perfect growing media for green roofs (80% lightweight inorganic material, 20% organic material, by the way).

On The Water

Background: I am working in the Zoology department this summer helping another masters student on their thesis. She has money in her budget to pay someone to help her collect data . . . I do not. Her research is something about nutrient loading in lakes and that consists of driving out to 25 or so lakes over the course of the summer, getting in a boat, going out to the middle, taking sediment and lake bottom samples and driving home. Yesterday was our practice run at Sooner Lake near Stillwater.

Actual Blog: A few minutes before 5am I got the call. Superman died. When you are a kid the adults in your life are sometimes seen as superhuman with their size, their power, and the way other people act when they walk in the room. I have several superheroes in my life, and yesterday one went home. My grandad was bigger than life, fishing, days on the boat water skiing, solving the worlds problems, sail boating, strong opinions, life lessons, strong hands, big love. I didn't really think about it much yesterday, I didn't really let myself. The funny thing is, at the end of the day I did the very thing that I remember most about him, I went out on the water. No skiing, or fishing, just boating. The end of the day, calm water, just boating. I think that was the best way to celebrate his life - and I didn't even set out to live my day that way.

Spoofs

Since Lady Gaga is up in arms over American Idol (don't know why, don't care just saw the headline) I thought I would post this:

Almost as good as Justin Timberlake on SNL spoofing Beyonce's Single Ladies:



Or you can have the kid that is crying because he ISN'T A SINGLE LADY:

Slowing Down

Why is it that when you have less to do it takes you the same amount of time as if you had a lot to do? I will never figure that out. I would have way more free time in my life if I would work as fast and diligently when I had 3 things to do than when I have 8 things to do. Maybe it is just me, but I'm going to take a stab that it isn't.

Another running day today. I'm sticking with my original plan that I had at the start of the week!!! Two miles this time but at a terrible pace. 24 minutes for the two miles. NOW, it was a trail run - but yeah, it is pretty bad. I did check my times from Tuesday to find that while I only did run 1.5 miles I did it at an under 11 minute mile pace - which is a bit fast for me, so I am using that as an excuse. Maybe I just need to build back up like I did before. Start all over with the Podrunner Intervals. Part of me thinks this would be best, but the other part knows that I can run at least two miles each time and maybe 3 if I was running on good fuel. Maybe I will have to pull that out after we get back from our trip.

I have decided that Ryan Hall is my favorite runner . . . or his wife Sara. What the heck, I will pick them both one male and one female, that is how it should be right? He has been touted as the best American marathon runner in a long time. The trick to that is, he hasn't really won many races. I think that is why I like him. He is picked to be the one to beat, and many do. I also read an article about him in the November Runner's World (I'm a bit behind) that talked about what organization he runs for. World Vision! WORLD VISION! I think that solidified it for me. Many thought he would win the New York Marathon. He didn't, but one of the men in his training camp did - Meb Keflezighi. In the article (written before the race) Meb said of Ryan, "Ryan understands that God has blessed him with a talent. His strong faith and commitment let him conquer the ultimate distance - the marathon." Oh, and he also takes 2 hour naps on his easy training days. That has to put him at the top of my list.

8 days. Not that I am counting.

Poor Showing

What a poor showing I had today on my run. I have been doing the school walk thing for the last couple of weeks - but that ends up being only about 2-3 days a week. So I decided that this week I would walk to school 3 days, run the other 2, and then run on Saturday. So I went to Boomer today do a little bit of a run. It is a 3 mile circuit and so I thought it would be nice to see how far I could go running compared to the 3 mile walk to school. 1.5 miles. That is IT! I had to walk the rest. When I was rested a bit I thought I would run again, but I was running into the wind. You know, the wind that comes sweeping down the plains - well it stinks.

To and Fro

After walking to and fro, and to and fro, and to school over the last three days, I decided to go for a run in my break between classes today. I know I said I wasn't going to walk fro school on Monday, but I did anyway. My class got out about 5 minutes early so I got to the bus stop just in time to see my bus leaving. The next bus, that I would have taken anyway, wasn't going to be leaving for another 30 minutes and then another 10 to get home, and as close as I was at that point I decided that I might as well walk. I got home just in time to see my bus drop people off at my apartment. Job done. I have started to really like the walk. The first time I did it I listened to my iPod, but the last few times I have just walked. Yesterday on my way home I saw a baby snake in a puddle. Maybe it was my run in's with three water moccasins this weekend that made me think it was a baby water moccasin, I don't know, but I tried to get it to slither off and instead it attacked my shoe. I decided it best to just walk on.

Anyway! My run today was really great. I forgot my hair tie so I ran hair down and in my face. I run like the wind (a 5 mph wind) so it wasn't that bad. I didn't know exactly how far I was running but I timed myself. When I got back into my office I checked it out on Google Earth. 2.37 miles in 26:38 (11:14 per mile). Not too shabby of a time for me.

For lunch today I brought some Craisins. I usually put the Craisins in my salad with goat cheese, spinach, and walnuts - I love it. The craisins sans all that stuff are TERRIBLE! I'm going back to my raisins if I am not going to eat something with it.

Today is my second to last Landscape Ecology class (or regular session). I motivate myself to go by buying a hot chocolate with a splash of hazelnut and steamed milk to drink on my way over. It may be too hot to drink it today, but I think I will keep it up simply because it is so hard to make myself go over there. I am part of the presentation today (AGAIN) so I have to go and be knowledgeable. The funny thing is the person I am presenting with told me today that she finds me very focused. I laughed because yesterday while trying to do the readings for the presentation I fell asleep for awhile. Then I woke up and stared at the ceiling for about an hour. I have hit a bit of a lull in the school work for a few days, which has been very nice, and it is the end of the semester so I know that I am lacking in focus - but this whole year I haven't felt focused at all. Maybe it is the way I handle life now that is different and it makes me feel like I am unfocused compared to how I use to be. She even told me that she listened to me in class more than the teacher because the way I said things about the readings and in response to his questions made more sense than anything he said. I think I have just learned over the years how to B.S. my way through life instead of being focused. That perception of me is hilarious, but who am I to correct her. I tried, but she still thinks I'm focused and driven and can't believe I am not going to go on and get my Phd. No thanks. One Dr. Morgan in the family is enough. I guess though in about 23 days I would be a Dr. Beitz!

I think I have rambled long enough. Now it is time to start gearing myself up for my class, making my way over to the hot chocolate place.

Walkabout

This morning I decided to walk to school. I don't know why, I just felt like doing that rather than taking the bus. My hip and knee have kind of been bothering me so I didn't think I would be running today, so I thought a walk would be good. It is only about 3 miles and it took me about 50 minutes. Not sure that is a good time or not but it is farther than I usually travel by foot these days. I guess I didn't tighten up my shoes enough this morning due to the 20 or so chigger bites on them so now my feet are a little road weary.

I can't really complain about this day. Sitting at about 60 outside and after 8 months of trying I finally have a desk in an office at the school. I now feel like an official grad student rather than a nomadic sheep herder. I will finally be able to move a lot of my books over here so that I don't have to carry them back and forth all the time and that will also clear my drafting table at home to gather other things like mail, trash, and other junk I just lay on top of it. I think this desk has been empty for quite some time so I came to it to discover it covered in Wal-Mart bags full of food and drinks. Either I will be having a snack later, or they are having an end of the year party and this is the food storage spot. I just moved it and sat down. I don't really have anything to mark my territory except to pee on the corners of the desk right now, so I suspect the stuff will all be back in it's place tomorrow when I come in again.

I will not be walking home today because my class gets out at 5 and I need to get dinner going by about 5:30. This domestic transition may kill me . . . not in a bad way, it has just been hard over the last few months to think about the fact that I can't just eat whenever I feel the whim to do so if that is at 5, 7, or midnight, there is someone else who wants to eat with me and comes over about 6ish to do so. So instead of eating egg and broccoli burritos for 10 nights in a row I have to think of something else to fix because I am the only person who can eat the same thing every day and not really care . . . until I grow tired of it and don't eat it again for 4 months. All this to say I will probably continue this trend of walking until the end of the semester (a whopping 2-3 weeks) until I move to about a mile and a half away where I WILL be waking for the most part unless it is a blizzard or monsoon outside and I will be taking the bus (that will stop a block away).

Catching A Trend

I ran this morning. 1.8 miles in 21:20 minutes. That is a poor showing of 11:51 per mile. The difference? Not on a treadmill. Treadmills lie. They are good for actually running when there is snow on the ground or you can't bring yourself to run when it is 20 outside or even the perfect 55, but they lie on how fast and far you are running. It is all about the movement. Outside you have to push up and forward, on a treadmill just up. Anyway, it was also poor because it has been over a week since I have run. Well it is time to start kicking into gear.

A bit of it all

Doing a little Google bombing for a car place in San Antonio. Why? Because it is fun for me and I need all the fun I can get out of life right at this moment. So click on the link or even put the link in your site and type the name just like this so that it links to his web page:

Kastis Automotive Repair in San Antonio

Now back to our regularly scheduled programming.

Biked on Monday. That was way harder than I thought. 30 minutes 10ish miles. Ran yesterday:

Run Time: 33:30

Run Distance: 3 miles

Feeling: Great! I ran about 6 minutes at 6 mph which I haven't done in . . . well probably ever. Maybe I did at the 5K last year but I lost track.

Sitting on 36 days left. Actually 35 days 20 hours 49 minutes. But who is really counting?

I did not

. . . work out at all last week after Monday. My plan is to work out at least 3 days this week. I knew the second I published that I would work out at least 4 days a week maybe 5 starting after my running study I would fail. Because that is how blogs like mine work.

Anyway, on my iGoogle I have a little count down and it looks a little something like this:

So soon, so excited, and still in awe that this is actually happening to me and that I actually had these feelings for another human being. I didn't think it was possible.

7 Year Itch

I really don't have a 7 year itch, but I do have an itch. And that is all I'm going to say about it, other than when the Dr. told me what it was I said "I wish you told me I had poison ivy" (which is what I went in thinking I had).

So I went running on Monday. I did 2.5 miles in 30 minutes. For those of you keeping track at home that is only a 12 minute mile. I might as well be walking. My running and working out has been on quite a slide since spring break. Part of that is my schedule to the end of school. There is a lot of lab work to be done this month for some guys in my department, so the time I would spend in the gym gets put in their lab instead. It's OK as long as I don't make it a habit. Today I thought I would be working in the lab all day, I was told I would be working in the lab all day - but now it seems that I'm not needed today - so I just got a three hour hole of time. Guess what, no workout clothes. I mean, why would I? I was going to be in the lab all day. Oh well, it will give me some time to read a book I have been putting off for my thesis. This weekend I have to go on a field trip - Friday through Saturday. It should be fun, but that puts a lot of work on me when I get back, and I have found that I don't do work well right now. Maybe it is the spring weather, maybe it is all the lab time, maybe it is the itching, but it just isn't going very fast.

In other news, I finished the rough draft of my extension paper on green roofs. A lot of work ahead on that, I'm sure, but it felt good to get that first part out of my computer and onto another persons computer for awhile.

Balance

I follow a blog on Runners World called Marathon Virgin. He wrot a funny article with workout a couple of weeks ago:
Hanging in the Balance Marathon Virgin

I planned on working out today, but then I found out I will probably have to work all day tomorrow and so all the homework I was going to finish up needed to be finished tonight! So I didn't go to the gym. Low and behold, I finished up the bulk of it by 8:15, and the part I still need to finish usually only takes me about an hour (just jinxed myself I think). So anyway, I remembered this workout I printed off a few weeks ago and wanted to try. I'm glad I tried it in the comfort of my own home. I think I would have been embarrassed to do these things in public, especially as bad as I am at some of these exercises. The surfing pop-ups didn't pop, and the Burpees didn't burp. I probably looked like an old woman trying to do these exercises, but I did them twice each. I will work up to the 3 times each in time, but man do I need to be a better burper and popper before I do that.

Back At It

Well, after over a week off my running was sub par to say the least. I did not get a chance to run on Thursday before break like I had hoped, and I didn't get ANY running in over break. Mostly I sat around and napped. The napping part was fun.

Run Time: 22:59
Run Distance: 2 miles
Feeling: like I wasn't going to even make 2 miles. I had to slow the machine down a couple of times to rest, it was a weak showing for sure
Soundtrack: Home Improvement the snake episode. An early episode about a snake getting into the house and the exterminator can't find it and assumes it went back outside. The exterminator was Stephen Root! I couldn't believe it!

New Jersey Flooding

Long story short of spring break - went to New Jersey, 20 minutes after we got there we were told to evacuate. Well, 26 hours in a car only to be told to evacuate isn't really going to happen. So we just watched the water level. This is as high as it got and it went down over our stay. Probably more about the trip later.

Run Time

Run distance: 3.66 miles
Run time: 40 min
I tried to read, but the words on my magazine were too small to follow while running. So I just used it to cover up the screen so I didn't obsess about time and distance. Note to self: larger print.

Running again on Thrusday before my trip to New Jersey. Hopefully I can get some kind of activity in while I am away, it will be a long road back to running if I take a week off.

Yet another reason to like the guy

I'm not on Twitter, but I do follow a couple of people there. One of them being Jim Gaffigan (http://twitter.com/JimGaffigan). I follow him mostly for his one liners and any updates on tour information. Anyway this was his twitter entry for today.

On Tuesday 9th March 2010, @JimGaffigan said:

This is the day I was given the most important gift of all, Jeannie. Calling Jeannie my wife feels a little like referring to Shakespeare as some English guy. She is the true unsung hero of my success, personally and professionally. Forget that “Woman behind the man” crap. Jeannie and I are one in everything. Jeannie is not just my writing partner, acting coach and spiritual leader. She is not just the smartest sexiest woman I’ve encountered. She is my best friend who I happen to crave with every ounce of my existence. She is there to pick me up when I am down and forgive me when even I was disgusted by my own selfishness and narcissism. I wonder at her beauty and caretaking I witness in our eldest daughter. In her passion and charm bursting out of our son. I get lost in her cuteness and sweetness beaming from our nine-month-old. I even received a glimpse to last a lifetime of Jeannie’s elegance in our baby Maria Lourdes we lost shortly after her birth. Forget that “Luckiest man on earth” crap. That guy obviously never met Jeannie. Happy Jeannie Day!

Row Row Row Your Boat

Rowing again today - 20 minutes. I'm not sure if I like it or not. I kind of miss running. I look longingly over at the people on the treadmills wishing I could go nowhere on my feet instead of on my butt. I think that the treadmill people don't like me looking longingly at the treadmills because they think I am looking longingly at them and that I am creepy. Well I am creepy, but I'm not looking at you. Leg weights and abs again today. Followed by a salad with goat cheese.

Reading Rainbow

Well, I read baseball news.

I figured the key to running without thinking about time, or how tired I am, or the distance. READING! I forgot my iPod today (it is in my coat pocket and it is too warm for a coat today), so I stationed myself in front of the ESPN TV because it has closed captioning. Today was all about baseball. No word on the Cardinals or the Indians, but I think that might have been in the next half hour I was lifting weights.

I did not run yesterday for a number of reasons - most importantly the way my schedule lined itself out yesterday did not give me the time in between obligations. So I put it off to today, the day I opted to take off in my schedule. That's OK, I think it actually made for a better run today.

Run Distance: 3 miles
Run Time: 32:45
Other Activity: Arm weights (least favorite)
Feeling: I don't remember
Soundtrack: The gym

I think I'm going to start bringing some reading for my runs. A way to keep up on my reading for class and a way to pass the time.

Water, Water, Everywhere . . .

but not a single drop to drink.

Switched up the ol' gym routine today. Switch up 1: I showed up today, not usually a Monday work outer. Switch up 2: I used the row machine - Oh, the humanity! Switch up 3: I did weights for my legs and then did some ab work.

Now? Well now I am enjoying a delightful salad I made with lettuce, spinach, walnuts, craisins, and feta. How is it that I HATE anything cranberry except craisins? I use to be able to buy a salad like this at Trader Joes. I was lamenting about that yesterday before I went to the store that I wished I could buy that salad. Then it dawned on me I could get the ingredients and make my own. The trick was remembering what was in it.

Tomorrow . . . RUNNING!

Moving Forward By Looking Back

I finished my running assignment on Saturday. She runs me ragged on the tests!! She tested me before the running assignment, then again after a month, and then again a week later. It was good to keep me accountable to running - and I had a running coach for 5 weeks telling me what distances to run and what to expect. That WAS nice, but now I am on my own again. Last week, due to the testing, I wasn't running as much as I had been before (part of the thesis experiment). So to add things to my workout that were not cardio (a no-no) I started doing a little weights. It has been a long time since weights have been a part of my workout - and I could totally tell!

So now I am moving forward by using what I learned over the last five weeks. First off I am going to keep up the running! Second I am adding a day at least to the week by going 4 days a week instead of 3 (not running all days mixing up the cardio). I might end up with 5 when it is all said and done because I may do a good run on Saturdays (but we will see). I am also going to start adding weights back into the mix. It is hard, and takes a bit more time, but it is worth it! I feel so much better when I go than when I don't. I have also crafted a great iPod mix for my runs - kicking off with July Flame and in one of the hard spots I hear The Distance by Cake!

Wrapped up the weekend with some biscuits and gravy, and then I kicked Adam out so I could finish up some homework. So I guess this means I have to finish it. He has such a hard life. I make him cook for me and then make him get out. I did let him eat with me though.

July Flame

Run Time: 39:30
Run Distance: 3.5
Feeling: About 2.5 miles I wasn't sure if I could do it. I was seriously considering a little bit of walking, but I know how I am once I walk - I rarely get started again and feel in the groove at all. So I stuck it out until mile 3. At mile 3 I was still thinking a walk would be good, so I just turned down the speed to 5 mph to take a break and see how I felt. I didn't feel good but I didn't walk either.
Soundtrack: I watched a little bit of Ellen on TV and then listened to a random mix of music I have right now. It was kicked off by July Flame by Laura Viers:



I don't know if this is the real video or not. I liked it . . . until the forest fire, but they all roasted marshmallows so I guess it all worked out.

The other song I love to run to (best toward the finish line, but it is the first song on the CD so I usually listen to it while warming up) is Sigur Ros's Gobbledigook:



Don't look up the real video for it . . . but now that I have told you not to, you will. But don't. Just don't.

Now leave me a lone, I have to go work on statistics! Gosh!

Pancakes

Yesterday we celebrated national pancake day. I found out today that it isn't until like the 23 or something like that. That's OK, it was a good night for pancakes. I made them from scratch, no Bisquick for me. It was a lot easier than I thought it would be. Slowly, over this semester I have been getting farther and farther behind. It started with just an hour or less of work that got missed and it has been building, along with the decisions that need to be made about the impending nuptials have made me a wreck. A wreck for no reason. So last night was my national pancake day dang it, so don't mess with me.

None

Running

Saturday:
Run Time: 26.45
Run Distance: 2.5

Today (Tuesday)
Run Time: 33.25
Run Distance: 3

I have two more runs before my running test on Saturday. A 3.5 mile run on Thursday and then another 3 mile run on Saturday. I guess I will run before the test?? It has been good to do this right now because I HAVE to run 3 days a week or I totally screw up someones thesis. Hopefully after it is all said and done I will continue. I need to continue.

Back up

I have been behind on my running reporting!

Monday:
Run time: 28min
Run distance: 2.5 miles
Feeling: good for a Monday
Soundtrack: Home Improvement (I love that treadmill on the end in the back(ish) room

Today:
Run time: 33 min
Run distance: 3 miles
Feeling: great, ran fast (for me)
Soundtrack: Sigur Ros, and some tv here and there - I was an ADD listener today

Also, new to the whole google buzz thing. Are they pretty much trying to incorporate every kind of application out there - facebook, blogging, twitter, etc? I mean I like it. I don't do facebook anymore, so with Buzz I can still let people know at all times what I am doing.

STATUS: going to take a shower

Now, isn't your day complete?

Well I Did Go Running

I did not run on Friday. Not sure why, I just didn't. I figured I could run on Saturday. My plan was to get up a little early and head over to the gym before going to Tulsa to meet up with my mom. Well the gym doesn't open until 10 on Saturday. I had to leave at 10. Needless to say I got up early and went for a run outside. I was so discombobulated. I forgot what it was like to run in the cold, forgot my watch, didn't really feel like I was in any running rhythm until about the time I finished, and I didn't listen to any music so I could listen for cars (running on no shoulder is a little nerve racking for me). But I did run.

Run Distance: 2
Run Time: ???
Feeling: see above
Soundtrack: the sound of my feet on pavement rather than a treadmill

Anyway, yesterday was a big meeting between the parents and Adam and I (sans my Dad who is down in Texas). I spent most of the day saying "I don't know". I am not sure when that answer will change, but when it does I'm sure they will be the first to know.

Oh, the humanity

Man, is it ever cold here right now. Snow is sticking around for a bit longer than usual, and I think we are suppose to have more on Friday.

Run Time: 5, 28, 5
Run Distance: 2.5
Feeling: good, but I forgot what it was like to run longer than about 20 minutes. Oh the days of the hour long runs I use to enjoy. Maybe someday I will be back at those (just not right now during thesis time).
Soundtrack: nothing. It was brutal. I forgot my iPod at home so I just looked outside while I ran and counted tennis balls in the pool. Why would there be tennis balls in the pool? Well because the tennis courts are right next to the pool, duh. I do enjoy watching tennis. But our players don't really play here much anymore. Any match that has been advertised has been in Tulsa or Oklahoma City. Maybe they will play more here in the spring. I can't wait.

ice . . . ing

corny, i know. you never expected that from me really. sarcasm - yes, corny - not so much.

anyway, i guess every cloud (me moving away from all my friends and my favorite city) has a silver lining:

last night i said yes! well first i said maybe but only to throw him off a bit. am i mean? i didn't earn the moniker "sarcastic and single" for nothing.

Day Whatever

Day Whatever:

I don't know why I put days on it other than I was trying to keep track of the running. But it's over . . . not the running the keeping track of the days, it is making me crazy.

Well big news over here - stay tuned.

Run time: 5, 22, 5

Run distance, .25, 2, .27

Feeling: Really good. I ran a good pace (for me) and felt like maybe I could have done a quicker pace. Maybe Wednesday . . . but Wednesday I have to run 2.5, so maybe Friday.

Soundtrack: I was listening to Jennifer Knapp, but I looked up and saw that they had Home Improvement on. I haven't seen that in a long time, so I plugged in and watched that. It was one of the later seasons so it wasn't as funny as the older ones, but still pretty funny. I almost laughed out loud a couple of times.

Pictures of snow:

Check

Day 27:

When you go to the grocery store before a big storm you will find people buying milk, eggs, and bread. Why? I can see granola bars, dried foods, canned foods, pop tarts, even the bread - but the milk and eggs? Don't you run a chance of them going bad? I don't know. The only reason I could think of for so many people buying the milk, eggs and bread was that they all really want French Toast when there is a snow storm.

Snow Day

Day 26:

Still going strong and it is just now coming to noon. Still finding it hard to believe I woke up at 7:50 and got out of bed!

It can't snow, I'm in short sleeves

Hard to believe we are going to have all the ice and snow that they are calling for when it is currently 67 outside. Prediction of at least an inch of ice followed by at least 4" of snow. Some call for more. Our resident meteorologist at OSU says it is going to be much worse than being predicted by the local media. His models show something more severe. Who knows. If I keep power and don't have to go to school it is all a bonus. If I loose power and don't have to go to school it will still be good, but not my favorite thing to do.

Day 24:

Run Time: 5:00, 22:45, 5:00
Run Distance: .25, 2, .25
Feeling: I love iron, it's my favorite
Soundtrack: Margin week 2. I know we are through week 3 but I like them all. http://www.lifechurch.tv/message-archive

When I Grow Old, I Shall Wear Purple

but I will retire when I say I will retire and stay retired and won't keep coming back. I'll be honest, I liked Bret Favre. I did. But I quit liking him when he left Green Bay and tried his hand in every other team that would take him. He DID have a really good season this season, but that season is finally over. Any time the Vikings played this year I rooted against them. I think a lot of people had that same feeling. Did the Saints deserve the win last night? Who knows, but the Vikings are not going to be in the Super Bowl and that makes me happy.

So, I have been absent for a few days. Why? Not really sure. Friday I found out I am anemic. That explains quite a bit. Why I am tired, why my last two weeks of running has been terrible, and why I feel like I could sleep all day everyday.

Day 22:
Run Time: 5, 17:20, 5
Run Distance: 1.5
Feeling: Better. After about 3 days of 150% of my daily supply of iron I feel better. Hoping that the feeling continues to get better. I am a part of a study being done for middle distance runners. It is starting this week.
Sound Track: The Killers, Hot Fuss. Always good to run to the Killers, those Mormons know how to sing rock.

Crazy Nights

I forgot last night to post. Probably because I was asleep. I got home after my night class (only about 7:30) ate dinner and pretty much fell asleep. I don't know if it was the day or the week, or what.

Day 17:

• In an effort to take a picture while walking back to my car after class I got the library. I need my camera with more functions on it to get a good picture of it I think. Or this may be the best I can do. So maybe in the future I will have more of these night ones that will turn out a little better.
• Run time: none
• Run distance: none
• Running on Friday. I was playing with running Tuesday and Thursday with a weekend day, but I think I am going to go back to Monday, Wednesday, Friday. Who knows where I will land for sure, because I sure am hating it right now.

Welcome Back

I am a bit overwhelmed today. Maybe it was the three day weekend where I did nothing school related.




Day 16:

• Yesterday I went to the library to pick up a book I requested from Inter Library Loan. While I was at the library I went up to my favorite spot in the library to show my visitor the view I love so much. The view that I can not sit in front of very often or I will not get any work done. Anyway, at one of the chairs was a plain gray book with no title on it. I put it to the side. While sitting there for a bit looking at my green roof book I decided to open the cover just to see what the nondescript book was all about. It was a C.S. Lewis book. I think I'm suppose to read it.
• Run time: 25 min (5, 10, 10)
• Run distance: no clue, another bad treadmill day.
• Feeling: I can't decide what is really up with me right now. I don't know if it is the sporadic schedule and not really knowing daily when I am going to work out and when I am going to get my studying done. I know it is all in my head.
• Soundtrack: Jennifer Knapp Live. I like to think she was putting on a concert for me in the gym, but she wasn't. She was in New Mexico like 10 years ago. OK, just 3 - or maybe that is when they actually released it. She is still working on her new album. Not that I keep checking or anything.

Introductions

I thought today would be as good a day as any to make an introduction.





Day 15:

• Internet meet Adam, Adam meet Internet. Adam has been a fixture here in Stillwater. Addie has taken quite a liking to him as have I. Not a good picture of him, but I was shocked that Addie got up on the couch to get him to pet her. She usually sits on the floor for attention.
• Run time: None
• Run distance: None

Walkabout

Day 14:

• Run time: None
• Run distance: None
• Hiking today, I think about 7 miles. I was exhausted.

Saturday! Not in the Park

Backdating is a beautiful thing! I had my first visitor this weekend so I didn't really spend much time on the computer.



Day 13:

• Spent the day picking up my apartment and getting ready. Addie pretty much did this all day, and I did some of the day.
• Spent some time deleting pictures from the rodeo last night. I probably took about 500 pictures, deleted some on the way home (too blurry, or empty shot, etc.). Then today I spent the morning/afternoon spent deleting more after looking at them on more than a small screen (more blurry, more off shots). Down to about 300 now. Still need to cut out more repeats.
• Run time: None
• Run distance: None
  

Friday At Last

Not Sleeping At Last, but Friday at last. This week has really flown by and wasn't that hard. Maybe because I am only working one job right now and all the classes were focused around getting started. Two of them are suppose to last about 3 hours and each lasted a little over an hour, so that added up to more free time than I am going to have next week (if you don't count my Monday day off).



Day 12:

• I did today what all good Oklahomans should do and went to a rodeo. I love the barrel racing the best. Probably because I am a girl and it is the only girl sport there. Don't see any barrel racing, much less rodeo-ing going on in this picture?
• Run time: 28 min
• Run distance: 1.75 mi (.25, 1, .5)
• Feeling: honestly I don't remember the exact time I ran/walked overall, but I do remember I only ran one mile before calling it a day. There are several excuses I could use for that and I will list them now: I gave blood yesterday and I had a blood giving hangover. the treadmill I was on was right in front of the TV that had MTV Real World D.C. on and while I was not listening to it there was no other place too look if I didn't look at D.C. than the counter on my treadmill. I had a semi stressful morning and I was trying to fit running in between working and my class and my head was not on the class or the running but on the morning before. It was Friday. I am lazy. I ran the mile much faster than I normally run (11.1 min - slow to most humans but fast for me).
• Soundtrack: Madonna Greatest Hits. I know, I am a heathen, but Papa Don't Preach she has a good beat.

Twilight

Day 11:

Not only do they want my time, my knowledge, and my money, they want my blood too.

Just a blood drive, no big deal. I just hadn't given any time in the last 5 or 6 years so I thought I would get back in the habit. Last time I tried to give I had low iron - go figure. The time before that I sat there and sat there and sat there and they could never get all the blood they needed. Since those two times I have been reluctant to give. Anyway, it was quick and pretty painless AND they gave me a pink bandage. This picture is taken in the library where I was studying for a bit. Trendy carpet. I made an executive decision NOT to work on my thesis today. Doing other reading for other classes today, I will pick up tomorrow with more reading and thesis work. I need someone to teach me how to write a thesis, I have this feeling I am walking around in the woods without a trail using a broken compass to find my way. In this feeling I think my head lamp is broken too.

• Running time: none
• Running distance: none
• Soundtrack: they were playing country at the blood drive, but I didn't bring any music today.
  

Wednesday

Day 10:

• Run time: 33 min (5, 23.5, 4.5)
• Run distance: 2.5 miles (.25, 2, .25)
• Feeling: I was able to run at my slower pace and bump it up a notch for about five minutes. On the treadmill again, I think I'm growing to really like it, I can control a lot of things and know at all times my pace.
• Soundtrack: Craig Groeschel intro message to Margin http://www.lifechurch.tv/message-archive. A good way to spend about 30 minutes, and I was running. I don't think that is what he meant by having margin, but I'm learning.

Tire-d

I got a new tire today! Always a fun when you get to buy new tires. I bought it's partner sometime in November . . . maybe, something like that. Anyway, I saved up enough for his friend. They are awesome tires. I don't know that I have ever felt that way about tires before, but I do about these.

Day 9:

• Run time: None
• Run distance: None
• Feeling: strangely fine. Thinking about doing a few sit ups before bed for my wimpy abs. And they offer Pilates at school on Saturdays so thinking about going to that as well. If my schedule will allow I would go during the week too, but I am still waiting to see how that will all pan out.
• Soundtrack: Music-less today.

Back At It

Day 8:

• Back to the grind today. Only one class but there is so much going on around the classes and work and thesis, gosh.
• Run time: 30 min
• Run distance: 2.2 (1.8 actual running)
• Feeling: My pace was all off. I was running pretty well about 11-12 minute miles, but I kept feeling myself pull back. It was odd. Also didn't run treadmill and I decided I actually like the treadmill because you HAVE to run that speed or you fall off the back of the machine (done that before, don't want a repeat).
• Soundtrack: Fatboy Slim album Halfway Between the Gutter and the Stars. It is alright, good to run to, but not a great CD. BUT it does have Weapon of Choice on it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMZwZiU0kKs because it won't allow embedding for this video.
  

Lazy Day

Today was a lazy day. Church yesterday, no work today, just nothing really going on. Tomorrow is school again. I was not nervous starting school last semester, but for some reason I am this time. Maybe it is the fewer hours and thought that I will use that spare time on my thesis, and knowing the way that I sometimes operate (as evidence from this last break) that I won't get done what I want to get done this semester. I do think though, that as I get more and more direction when it comes to my thesis that I will be able to work better because I will be writing and experimenting not just reading.

Day 7:

• Much warmer today. 40 felt down right balmy compared to the last weeks. I took this picture after dark and it was still 36! That, my friends, is amazing.


• Run time: None


• Run distance: None

You Sunk My Battleship

Tonight was the premiere night of Battleship. A game of strategery and mayhem.

Day 6:

Tonight was also the kickoff for a series at my church called Margin. I think it is going to be a really great series with the potential to really get people thinking about how we live our lives in this day and age and how, maybe, we can change. http://www.lifechurch.tv/current-series

• Run time: None
• Run distance: None

$75? For That?

First off - go here: 1979 Electronics Show



Day 5:

• Wishing I had on more layers, or maybe that I was in bed covered with two blankets laying on top of my heated throw (I'm old, I use it to make my back feel like a million bucks). Haven't really cracked the 30 mark all week and the cold front that is sweeping the nation set us back into the teens in the day and near 0 at night. Then there is the wind. OH THE HUMANITY! And you know the wind here just sweeps down the plains.
• Run time: 30 min
• Run distance: 2.2 miles
• Feeling: not as good as Wednesday, but loving the way my body feels when it is running. We will see how long that lasts before I am giving the running bee (the one in my bonnet) the boot.
• Soundtrack: Stavesacre, Album: Bull Takes Fighter EP. Man they are looking old and not so alternative anymore. Short so I got to listen to it twice. Driving beat helped me to stay on track when all the TVs around me were showing replay after replay of the Colt McCoy hit.

Another Day

Day 4:

• Run time: None
• Run distance: None

So Much To Say, So Much To Say, So Much To Say, So Much To Say

So many pictures could commemorate my day today. I started off by taking pictures of one of the cats at work. I was silly and thought that would be the most momentous thing.Well it was NOT! What followed next can only be called an adventure because each event was beaten by the following event in craziness.

First I made only the worst Pad Thai ever made. This, was not totally my fault. It was much better than the meal yesterday - but as with all experiments in the new rice cooker not all of them will be dead on the first time out of the gate. This time there were too many noodles so not enough liquid . . . and the list goes on from there. The bonus? I got a toy for my trouble.

=

Oh, but it doesn't stop there. We have been on the hunt for a Battleship game to play. Do you think we can find the Battleship we grew up with in the store? Heck no! They remade the game so now it looks weird and we don't even want to try and play it. The internet has everything, so we started a search. But then Addie had other plans for me. Instead of looking up the game (which, by the way is at a friend's house so we are going to get it in the next few days) I was cleaning up this . . . well I did take a picture but I figured I would spare you. She didn't just throw up a little she threw up a lot. Thankfully I have a lot of rice on hand!

Day 3:

• Back to the gym. Many more people there today, must mean school is getting closer!
• Run time: 30 min (5, 20, 5)
• Run distance: 2.2 miles (0.2, 1.7, 0.3)
• Feeling: I felt much better today about the decision to start running again. It just felt right to be running (even if it was on a treadmill). I am still sore, and I am feeling discomfort in my foot so I am watching that, but overall it was good. I was able to keep up a fairly good pace during my 20 minute run part instead of having to back down like Monday.
• Listening to: Sigur Rios, Album: Med sud i eyrum vid spilum endalaust. The first 5 songs on the album are really the key to a good run. Seriously! Instead of thinking about the running I was wondering what they are saying. Band history here.

Going Through the Phases

Phase 10 that is. That is one of my phase wins . . . no wait, I did get the phase but I lost the hand.

You might wonder what a woman like me does during her last week off before school starts back up. Well she might work on her thesis so she doesn't have to work so hard on it during the semester, or she might get in some extra fun reading in, or maybe she would even get up early and get some of her Christmas presents sent out that she hasn't mailed yet, or maybe her thank you cards out . . . this particular woman did none of those things today. As a mater of fact I did none of those things. I slept in until about 11 (not the record for this break though), worked on cleaning up my office and room, then I made one of the worst dinners on record and kicked booty on Phase 10 (for the first time ever to play, thank you very much). I did have a good teacher though and that makes the difference.

Day 2:

• Found my 3-D glasses from when we went to see "Avatar" before Christmas. They are the best! They look cool and they are so functional . . . if you are in a theater where you need 3-D glasses to see the show.
• Run time: None, doing an every other day thing for now. Thinking about going to the gym on the off days and doing weights. I haven't done that in a few years.
• Run distance: Unless you count the number of steps I took from my office to the living room all day there isn't any.
• Feeling: SORE! I forgot this phase of getting back into it all. I woke up this morning and my abs even hurt. That means I have some wimpy abs.

On The Road Again

As you know I am constantly dissatisfied with my blog. I write too much, not enough, talk too much on a video blog, don't really have anything to say and end up rambling . . . whatever I have said it all. Along with that dissatisfaction comes changes to the overall blog. So, if you see changes over the next couple of days just know it is all apart of the natural ebb and flow of my brain typed out on the internet machine.

Day 1:

• Said "hello" to a couple of old friends that I have kept in the dark for a month or two


• Run time: 30 minutes (5 warm up, 20 run, 5 cool down)


• Run distance: 2.10 (.20 warm up, 1.60 run, .30 cool down)


• Feeling: Good! I wanted to run a bit more, but I thought maybe since I have slacked off for so long it would be best to ramp things up slowly. Looking for a 5K to run in the spring and MAYBE I will get the guts to sign up for the Tulsa run in October. My original plans when I moved of running the OKC Memorial Marathon in April are long gone.