Coffee [wine] Talk #2

I've posted (and read) other "coffee talk" posts before, and now seems like a good time for another. What is "coffee talk"? Well, exactly what it sounds like - it's what we would talk about if we were having coffee (or wine... wine is good, too). Y'all know from WIAW that I love my coffee in the mornings, but I enjoy just as much to get together with someone on a morning or afternoon, and sip a cup, and chat. I don't get to do it very often (who has time for that?), but it is a nice treat. [Also, anyone want to meet for coffee in real life? I will make time :) ]

Sidenote: this post already has the most parentheses, ever. Hmm.

Grab your coffee (or your wine), sit back, and chat a while. Here’s what I would talk about…

• Like, um, everyone else, I can’t believe that Christmas is two weeks away. I have no idea how everything will get done before then. 
• My mom, my sister, and I are having a cookie baking party this weekend. By that, I mean, the three of us are getting together and baking approximately 37 types of cookies and I’m going to force them to listen to Christmas music for 12 solid hours and watch Elf 6 times in a row. Normal, right? 
• I hate to be like this, but… C & I have had some things going on behind-the-scenes lately that have been weighing heavily on me / us. It’s making it a little bit hard to write cheerful, happy holiday posts, because we’ve been dealing with some messes lately, but I’m trying. I truly hate to be cryptic like that (and other people’s posts / facebook statuses / tweets like that annoy the hell out of me), but, for safety reasons, I really can’t put it all out there. That said, this is coffee talk, and trust me, if we were together, I’d be talking about it. 
• I am probably one of the world’s worst gift givers. It’s not because I don’t like giving gifts – in fact, it’s the exact opposite. I love giving gifts SO MUCH that I really stress over what to give people, because I hate to give things that are useless or not what they really want or random junk. I want to give gifts that are meaningful, thoughtful, and a good use of money (for me and them). It’s very stressful. 
• Along the same line, I hate giving gift cards, because it seems so thoughtless and simple. At the same time, though, I know that that’s often the best method – giving someone the ability and funds to go buy something they really want is a nice gift. I fear, though, that it looks like I didn’t think about the person, and just grabbed a gift card, when really, I thought about it TOO MUCH. Ugh. It’s a conundrum. 
• I made meat sauce on Friday, and then C & I made lasagna with it on Friday night, and it was delicious. Like, sitting on the couch, shoveling it into our faces, telling each other how good it is, delicious. We make really good lasagna. 
• We are planning to see several movies around Christmas, and I’m really looking forward to them! Among the choices are “Saving Mr. Banks,” “The Book Thief,” “Anchorman 2,” and “American Hustle.” It’s been a while since I saw a movie in theaters. Any recommendations? 
• We had the worst kind of snow days on this week (at my house, anyway): rain, while everyone else got snow. Womp, womp. It wasn’t even pretty. Just wet. That said, I am very thankful for having a garage. And I enjoyed working from home in my sweatpants in front of the fire. That was delightful!
• I finally ordered our Christmas cards on Monday. Better late than never, right? If Shutterfly doesn’t produce and ship these quickly, our friends and family may be receiving New Year’s cards this year… whoops! I procrastinate with this every year because I just. Cannot. Make. A decision. Also, I stress over coupon codes because I am determined to get the absolute best deal possible. I placed my order on Monday, and, wouldn’t ya know, on Tuesday morning, an email pops up from Shutterfly with a code for 20% more off. Offffff course.

What's on your mind? Anything you want to chat about? I'm happy to share my coffee wine with you!

Here, have some.

I should probably stick to my day job...

Yesterday's Blogtember prompt was interesting: Write about a time you screwed up - a mistake you made. I read a smattering of posts from bloggers participating in the challenge, and I started to notice (what I felt was) an interesting theme. Most of the posts went something like this:

• Blurb about how everyone makes mistakes
• Blurb about how I (blogger) make mistakes
• Blurb about how what is important is learning from mistakes
• Optional: blurb about how God loves us anyway and thinks we are perfect no matter what

See the trend? Now, I'm not saying there is anything wrong with this kind of post - open-ended, non-committal, generalizations... I just found it really, really intriguing that, of the majority of posts that I read that went along with this prompt, none of the bloggers were willing to actually throw out a concrete example of a mistake that they've made. It's like no one wants to burst that bubble and admit to doing something wrong. The Sociologist in me found this fascinating. Anyone else notice a similar trend??

Anyway. I know I'm a day late with this, but I figured I'd go ahead and answer the prompt anyway - I'm more than willing to share a mistake, and I know there are about a million I could write about. (As someone with a horrible sense of direction, I could get lost trying to get out of a paper bag, and therefore have lots of wrong turn / missed exit / make a U-turn kind of stories...) The one I decided to go with is one that I still get shit for to this day... and it's probably well deserved!

Best I can do, because there is no photo proof that this occurred...

When C and I had just started dating, maybe 6ish months in, we were in college and he used to cut his own hair. It wasn't a big deal - he just took the clippers to it once a month or so and trimmed it all down. Once he decided he could trust me, he started asking me to do the back and clean up his neck for him... pretty simple. So, one fine day, he's cutting his hair, and yells for me to come into the bathroom. In I go, and he hands me the clippers and turns around. I notice that, on the back of his head, there are several patches where he missed chunks of hair because he couldn't see the back, so I think to myself, "self, you should go over those spots first and clean them up." What I fail to notice is that C has handed me the clippers with no guard on whatsoever, with the intention of doing his neck first... and (I see this in slow motion in my head now) I swipe those clippers straight up the back of his head, up from the hairline for about 4", before his reflexes (and mine) kick in and he jerks away, cursing. The damage is done, though....... I have created a giant bald spot right up the back of my sweet boyfriend's head. Ohhhhh jeez, he was mad. So mad! And so bald in that spot. There was absolutely no fixing it. I had removed all the hair from that section! There was no way to cover it up. In the end, he went to the barber, and had them cut all the rest of his hair suuuuper short, like as short as they could go without just shaving his head, and he wore a baseball hat for about a month while it grew back out. Lots of jokes were made on my and his behalf. Whoops!!!

More than five years later, I still hear about that one. (he kept me around, though, and married me in the end, so I think we're all good!)

Lessons learned from this mistake? 1) Check the guard on the clippers before I do anything. 2) C is now very, very clear with the instructions when he asks me to help with his hair (or he just goes to the barber!)

Anyone else want to 'fess up to a mistake? :)

Movin' on up!

Well, I guess it's about time that I spread the news via blog...

We bought a house!

We are positively beside ourselves with excitement about this gigantic piece of news. (If you follow via Instagram, Twitter, or my personal Facebook, you obvi already know... but still!)

This has been in the works for a long time - I'm talking since the end of April. Every cryptic post (...we had a busy weekend), every odd tweet (...so stressed!), has probably been related to the home-buying process. It has consumed our lives. It has consumed our time. It has created stress. It has caused arguments. It has caused happy dances. It has involved a lot of thinking, and number-crunching, and driving, and contemplating, and sleepless nights.

It has been one hell of a ride. But, in the end, it has been so incredibly worth it. We bought our "forever home." Not a home that we HAVE to live in forever, but a home we can see ourselves living in forever. The chips fell right on this one. We lucked out. And we are thrilled.

We are 10 days into the gigantic house-buying adventure. We are knee-deep in boxes. We are trying to remember where we put the plates and the silverware. But we are happy. We are home.

Fitness... Struggle city.

Day 20, Monday: Get real. Share something you're struggling with right now.

I'm going to put it out there for all to see - I'm struggling with my fitness routine. And I hate it. There has been so much going on in my life that I've been skipping a lot of workouts, and my work schedule has been a bit unpredictable, so there are many nights when I get home and have missed my "scheduled" class - so I skip the workout altogether. When that happens, I generally end up sitting on my butt on the couch with a several glasses of wine, so not only am I not getting the workout benefits, I'm negatively impacting the situation even more. And I ain't proud of it. This time last year, I was at the gym five or six days a week. I was pushing hard, and I felt great. Getting my workout in and ensuring my fitness was a priority. It was great! Now, I'm convincing myself more and more nights a week that it's cool to just skip it "once." It's never once, though - it's all the time! I like having time to watch TV and hang out with my husband and relax, but I can feel the difference that my lack of workouts is having. I'm not even following my own #1 rule, which is that anything is better than nothing. All too many times in the last few months, I've settled for nothing. And I have to stop that! It's a struggle, though. Anyone else feel my pain??

Someone help me get my sh%$ together!

'Fraidy cat.

Day 7: The thing(s) you're most afraid of.

I daresay that a better question would be "what are you NOT afraid of," as the list would probably be much shorter. Hmm.

It is not a giant secret that I am generally a big ol' 'fraidy cat. I am, as a rule, a jumpy, nervous, scared, anxiety-ridden worrier.  (Yet another character flaw.) In certain circumstances and situations, I am independent and a Big Girl, but that is usually not the case. 

In the interest of time, here is a short, off-the-top-of-my-head, list of things I can remember being afraid of at one time or am currently afraid of (points if you can guess old fears vs. new ones... you'd be surprised! ha):

• The dark
• Being murdered
• My family being murdered
• Silence
• Our house burning down
• Robbers
• Spiders
• Bugs in general
• Getting in a car accident
• My Peter Rabbit sheets when I was a toddler (explain that one)
• Scary movies (this includes movies that are not considered "scary" by most standards)
• Getting caught lying
• Getting in trouble
• Failure
• Public speaking
• Being put on-the-spot
• Not knowing the answer
• Unknown numbers calling me
• The bottom step of the basement stairs
• Monsters under my bed (yes, really)
• Thunder & lightening

I could go on and on. In addition to being scared of a number of mundane things, I am also the person who gasps constantly in the car (drives C insane) when other cars are coming too close (or not) and lets out a small shriek when doors slam.

Do not get me started on what happens when there is a spider in the house. It ain't pretty.

What are you afraid of? Physical things, or mental / emotional things? I clearly have a mix of both...

 

12 Things on 12-12-12

1. I ran a half-marathon. That is crazy to me - and clearly will get it's own post. But for now, that needs to be said. I ran a half-marathon!

2. Christmas has arrived at our house! The tree is decorated, the halls are decked, the stockings are hung. I adore this time of year. Everything is cozy.

Yes, the cat has a stocking. Don't worry about it.

3. I do not understand the hype surrounding this (or any, really) date. This afternoon, while I was heating up my lunch (leftovers FTW!), the TV was turned to CNN and there was a "breaking news!!" image on the screen... apparently it was 12:12 on 12/12/12. Breaking news? Seriously? Uhhhhh...

4. I was testing nail polish in CVS yesterday, which left me with 8 different polishes dispersed between my 5 nails. Apparently, this is not normal, because at least three different people looked at me and said in disbelief, "you TESTED the nail polishes?!" Uhh.... yes. How else do you know what they look like?! I wasn't aware this was a thing that other people did not do.

5. I finally mailed our Christmas cards yesterday! Can't wait for them to arrive in peoples' mailboxes. I'm quite pleased with them this year.

6. Now that it's December, I get to say things like, "it's almost my birthday!!" and buy myself "pre-birthday" presents. Normal.

7. I'm taking a break from running. Possibly through the end of the year, but it will just depend on how I feel. Can't stop for too long, because I've got races coming up in the spring, but I think a few weeks will do me good post-half. I'm going to focus on getting back into my usual routine of yoga, Pump, Combat, and the like. I miss that!

8. A certain cat has been suuuuper weird lately.

 9. My new job is going well. I've been there for just over a month now, and I'm starting to acclimate with my team and actually get real work to do. I'm using my BRAIN for a change - what a concept. My schedule is changing a bit and I'm getting settled into a new routine, but, so far, no complaints!

10. Here's a joke from C: Why can't a Tyrannosaurus Rex clap his hands? (Because his arms are too short?....) No, silly! Because he's extinct! ba-dum-cha.

11.  I particularly love this time of year because it's one of the few times when we get real mail instead of the constant stream of junk that comes the rest of the year. Cards and letters and postcards make me happy. We should all send more snail mail!

12. We made individual pizzas on garlic naan on Monday night, and they were amazing. Topped with pepperoni, mushrooms, black olives, and marinated artichoke hearts... mmm mmm mmmm. If you haven't tried this, you should!

The Liebster Award!

I was recently given the Liebster Award by Lisa at Sorority Life to Army Wife. Thanks, Lisa!

I’ve seen this award before, and even been given it once or twice (I think…) but have never actually followed through. WHOOPS. Bad blogger. I’m on board now, though, and excited to participate! There are two ways of looking at this award: more fun facts about someone super interesting (moi) or TMI. You choose. 

The Liebster award is given by bloggers to up and coming bloggers who have less than 200 followers. The meaning: Liebster is German and means sweetest, kindest, nicest, dearest, beloved, lovely, kind, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing, and welcome.

RULES:

1. Each person posts 11 things about themselves
2. Answer the questions the nominator made for you, and create 10 more questions for the blogs you nominate.
3. Choose nominations and link them to your post.
4. Go to their page and tell them.

11 Facts About Me:

1. I haven’t seen my natural hair color since I was in 8th grade. Seriously. Right now, it’s pretty close to normal, but since I don’t exactly remember what “normal” is, it’s still just a guess. I like to play with my hair color pretty regularly.
2. Virginia Tech was the only college I wanted to go to, and the only college I applied to. Good thing I got in!
3. My best friend’s name is also Lindsey (she spells it wrong!) and this adds a challenging uniqueness to our relationship.
4. I am definitely a cat person – I had three throughout my childhood, and now my husband and I have one of our own. However, I’ve always wanted a dog, and I’m pretty sure we will get one when we get a big enough yard.
5. I am truly the Queen of Procrastination. If it can be done later, it will be.
6. I generally dislike drinking water, but have gotten a lot better about it over the last year or so. It’s still a challenge – I’d always prefer something else. Along those same lines, I am a recovering Diet Coke addict.
7. I am terrified of having children. I know that I want to be a mom, and I know that C & I plan on having kids, but I can’t wrap my head around being pregnant and actually doing so.
8. I have a touch of wanderlust – I love travelling and exploring new places. I don’t get to travel nearly as much as I’d like to.
9. I have the worst sweet tooth. There is almost nothing that is candy or dessert or a treat that I don’t like.
10. I love presents – giving and receiving. I just think there’s something wonderful about picking something out for someone that you know they are going to love, or giving someone something that they’ve really wanted or maybe didn’t know they wanted. Obviously, I love Christmas time!

My Answers to Lisa's Questions:

1. Why did you start blogging? I started blogging because I felt like, since college, the amount of writing I was doing had really diminished - and I missed it! Plus, I really enjoyed reading other people's blogs. I think it's fun to get a snapshot of other people's lives (to a certain extent!).
2. What is your favorite dish at your favorite restaurant? This is actually a lot harder than I imagined it would be... I think my absolute favorite is the spinach ravioli in lemon cream sauce at Zeppoli's, an Italian restaurant in Blacksburg. It is so decadent, and so good.
3. Do you prefer shopping in brick-and-mortar stores or online? It depends - if I know exactly what I'm looking for, I like to just go online and get it (and it tends to keep me from buying other stuff, too!), but I do enjoy just going to shops and perusing.
4. Was your favorite college (or high school) class taught by your favorite instructor? What were they? My favorite high school class was actually a number of classes - I took a couple of different writing classes from the same instructor, who turned out to be one of my favorites of my whole college career. I got lucky!
5. Where did you last vacation? Outer Banks! We went in the beginning of October with C's family.
6. Tell me your family's most unique Thanksgiving tradition. We always bake pies the night before Thanksgiving. When my sister and I were little, we used to make a huge fort on the living room floor the night before Thanksgiving, and then we'd wake up and watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in our pajamas and eat pie for breakfast. It rocked! I still eat pie for breakfast on Thanksgiving.
7. If you could own any exotic animal as a pet, what would you choose? An otter! I don't know how exotic that is, but it's what I want.
8. How did you come up with your blog name? I thought for a while about various things that make me unique.. bahahahaha. I'm almost always late. Even when I truly try to be early. It's an issue. But it worked at the time, and I've stuck with it!
9. Who created the recipe you cook the most? The recipe I currently cook the most is probably Crockpot Salsa Chicken... and it's just one of those Pinterest/Interwebz thing.
10. You can ask any three historical figures (including those who are still alive) to dinner. Whom do you invite? Anne Frank, George Washington, and Britney Spears. (What a group.) (I really hate this question - so much pressure to pick the right people! I want to invite 100 people instead...)

My Nominees:

Lindsey @ From Virginia with Love
Elizabeth @ A Chronic Venture
Jordan @ Jordan in Pearls
Anna @ My Semi-Charmed Life
Kirstin @ Kiss, Laugh, & Dream

10 Questions for My Nominees:

1. What is your number one “comfort food” and why?
2. If you could move anywhere in the world tomorrow, where would you go?
3. What is your dream job?
4. Who would star as you in the movie of your life?
5. What did you eat for dinner last night?
6. What is the next movie that you want to see in theaters?
7. What is your favorite movie quote or song lyric?
8. Do you have a “go-to” recipe that you make all the time? What is it and why?
9. Describe your favorite way to de-stress or blow off steam.
10. What’s your favorite app (if you have a smartphone) or website, if you don’t?

It's OK!

Linking up today...


  It's totally OK...    ...to admit that I fell asleep during the majority of the election coverage on Tuesday night, but woke up just in time for the results.    ...to be seriously relieved that the election is over. Living in a swing state is rough - the amount of ads and calls and harassment has been ridiculous.    ...to know that there is laundry sitting in my dryer from Sunday.    ...to really want to figure out how to curl my hair, but be too lazy to actually do it.    ...to find re-runs of The Big Bang Theory absolutely hilarious.    ...to have bought new sweatpants from VS last Friday...and to have worn them every day since.    ...to have done work on a pan of lasagna that C made last night. It was SO GOOD.    ...to eat S'mores ice cream straight from the pint. Ben & Jerry, you're the best.    ...to be really, really excited that my chiropractor cleared me to get back to exercising full-effort again!    ...to be getting a bit nervous about my first half marathon, now that I've actually officially signed up.    ...to take candy from the bowl at my doctor's office every single week when I'm there for my allergy shots. Whatever - they've got the good stuff!

Letting the cat out of the bag

At this moment, I am getting settled into my first day of orientation at my new job!

That's right - I've been holding out with some big news. I haven't posted much lately, and it's because there's been a lot going on behind-the-scenes that I couldn't really share. The past few weeks have been a whirlwind - I've been looking for a new job for months, and had a few interviews that didn't pan out. I've been feeling a bit discouraged, but I really truly believe that everything happens for a reason - if something didn't work, it was because something better was going to come along. That's easier to say than to believe in sometimes, thought... Then, out of the blue, doors started opening and things started falling into place. I received a great job offer, and I'm making a move that, I think, will be very good for me career-wise in the long term (and is a good immediate change).

I took a week off between jobs, and fully intended to do lots of cleaning, cooking, organizing, etc. Instead, we got hit with a hurricane and then C got into a minor car accident (not his fault, he'd like to point out) and hurt his back - so he ended up home with me all week! I may not have gotten as many "things" done as I wanted to, but I spent a very relaxing week at home with my husband and my cat, watching movies, cleaning closets, and taking naps. I think it was just the recharge that my batteries needed before I start my new position.

So, here we are: Day One. I've been having some hilarious (-ish), anxiety-ridden dreams lately: forgetting to go to my new job, forgetting to wear pants, getting lost and showing up late.... thanks, brain. Here's hoping for a great first day. I'm sure I'm doing something thrilling like filling out paperwork. I'm the new girl with no friends again - super! Wish me luck.

I'm not sure what my schedule is going to be like just yet, or exactly what my new position entails - but I promise to get back to regular posting as I get settled. My blogging fingers have been itchy lately. I have some great mental posts written... time to actually get them out there.

Have a great Monday!

How to Get Out of Running a Race You Really Want to Run

Alternately titled, "I'm Too Stubborn for My Own Damn Good."

Follow these steps carefully:

1. Sign up for a race (for example, the Wicked 10K) months in advance (at least four. maybe five).
2. Injure your back, approximately two months before the race.
3. Ignore that injury, and continue exercising strenuously (for ideas, try lifting heavier weights than usual or running 11 miles...... just suggestions).
4. Complain a lot about said injury.
5. Finally see a chiropractor, who promptly tells you to ice your back 3-4 times daily and refrain from strenuous activity anything (like weight-lifting, or running) but the elliptical.
6. Rejoice in the glory that is being pain-free and gush about your chiropractor.
7. Ignore the chiropractor's advice - instead, ice one time daily and go for three runs.
8. Be confused when not only does your back hurt again, but it hurts worse.
9. See chiropractor again. He promptly yells at you for ignoring his advice and undoing the amazing work that he did on your back.
10. Decide to listen to chiropractor (he is a medical professional, after all) and finally start icing and stop exercising.
11. Heal - very, very slowly. Definitely not in time for your race. Which you could have run, had you:
1. Taken it easier when your back first started hurting.
2. See a doctor sooner.
3. Taken the doctor's advice.
4. Not been so freaking stubborn.
12. Be very, very sad about the fact that you will probably have to walk most of this race because there is an ice-cube's-chance-in-hell likelihood that the chiropractor will clear you to run 10k this weekend.

This is clearly a hypothetical suggestion, because obviously I would never be the person so dumb as to do all of these things. This is a horrible plan. Who would do these things??

Anyone else going to be at the Wicked 10K this weekend?? Wave to me as you run by. I'll be the crying dumb sad girl.

Confession: I'm a Cheater

On Monday, I determined that I needed some things from the mall - immediately (weird that I would be completely impulsive..... Not). I bribed C to come with me yesterday after work with the promise of a quick trip and dinner, and off we went.

Well. Kind of. We had to stop at 7-11 first, so that I could get a Slurpee since my throat currently feels like someone took a cheese grater to it. Blah. Slurpee = sore throat requirement.

Once we got to the mall, I bee-lined for the Limited. Just under an hour later, we were outta there with exactly what I needed, and having saved $200 through various sales and the student discount. So much win. C was a fantastic helper, retrieving sizes and colors with little-to-no eye rolling or complaining. He's so good to me. And has the patience of a saint...

We had a quick but delicious dinner at PF Chang's - we love that place. The food was yummy and the service was amazing, as usual. Seriously, I've never gone there and had anything but fantastic service, from the hostesses to the wait staff to the food runners. It makes the meal that much better. There are a lot of other restaurants that could really learn a lesson from PF Chang's! We even got good fortunes in our cookies:

Last but certainly not least was a quick trip to Pinkberry - froyo is my kryptonite. (Who am I kidding? SUGAR is my kryptonite!) It hit the spot - but seriously, I felt like I was cheating on Sweet Frog. Froyo guilt set in as i ordered and devoured my treat. It just wasn't the same!! I'm sorry, SF! You weren't around to entice me yourself. Pinkberry was just a temporary stand in...

But a really, really good one. Sorry I'm not sorry.

C & I enjoyed our impromptu date night - that is something we do ago rarely during the week! It was nice to get out of the house and spend some time together that didn't involve sitting on the couch watching bad TV. Though we do love our bad TV... ha!

Giving Myself Permission to Quit the #RWRunStreak

Alternatively, this post could be titled “Your Body is Talking… Are You Listening?” Part/Section/Version/Round 2. It seems like perhaps that’s becoming a theme around here – be on the lookout for a weekly column titled “YBITARL?”! (Joking. Hopefully that is not necessary.)

For some background information, Runner’s World is currently hosting a challenge on their website called the Runner’s World RunStreak, or #RWRunStreak on Twitter. The challenge is to run 1+ miles per day, every day from Memorial Day to the Fourth of July. I, along with some of my runner girlfriends, decided to participate, and I hit the roads hard. I take a challenge very seriously – so much so, in fact, that I got up at 4:45 AM one day to get my run in, because I knew I wouldn’t have any other time during the day. To put it lightly, I am not a morning person. That’s how intent I’ve been on successfully participating in #RWRunStreak. What can I say? I’m competitive.

But last week, a problem arose. The words that no runner wants to hear – the dreaded SS: shin splints. The nasty pain in my shins came back with a vengeance, and let me tell you, it ain’t been pretty. Every step I've taken lately hurts. My shins ache. My muscles are tight. It's not good. And I recognize it.

More background: When I was in high school, I was on the dance team at school, and took five studio dance classes at a time.

Throwback! Crappy picture-of-a-picture, sorry. I'm on the left!

It was intense, and I developed some pretty nasty shin splints. There reached a point during my junior year of high school when I could not walk from class to class without debilitating pain in my shins, and a few doctor visits and a bone scan later, the doctor told me what was pretty obvious: I had heavily overdone it, and was causing myself serious damage. That, combined with other factors, led to my decision to quit the dance team for my senior year of high school. It was a tough decision. However, my shins healed, and I’ve never really felt that pain again.

Until last week. I mentioned that on Wednesday, I had the worst run of my life. Part of what made it so was my having to stop approximately every half mile. It wasn’t because I was out of breath or anything like that, it was because my shins were screaming at me. The pain was awful, and, honestly, I probably shouldn’t have finished the run. I should have gone home. But I didn’t - bad Lindsay. I felt a bit better the next day, and went out for my run with my running partner (Hi Suzann!) after my class at the gym. My shins felt OK, much better than the day before, but still not great. That night, in the shower, I found myself having a serious conversation with myself. I knew that I needed a break. I knew that I needed a few days off running, to let my shins recover a little, and I know that I need my rest days.

So I convinced myself that it was OK to quit the #RWRunStreak. It was not easy. I have mentioned before that I have a very, very hard time giving myself a break. I don’t like to quit, and I don’t like to leave things that I’ve started unfinished. However, I do not need to win this.

Here’s why: I started running, and exercising in general, really, because it makes me feel good. I like it. I enjoy myself when I’m doing it, and I enjoy being healthy and fit. There is absolutely no reason that I should be in pain while I do it. If the whole point is for the benefits, and if I am sitting at home icing my shins and wincing every time I go up and down the steps, I’m not getting benefits – I’m injuring myself. For no reason whatsoever. I am no longer on a team. I do not have to win. I can take a break and let my body recover when it needs to. It should not hurt; it should be fun! And so, I didn’t run. On Friday, I went to yoga, which I’d been missing badly. On Saturday morning, I took BodyPump, and it felt good. I skipped the runs both days, I stretched my shins and calves, and I took it a little bit easy. 

On Sunday morning, I headed out for an early-morning run with Suzann, and we ended up doing 9 miles. Nine! We had a great time – it was hot and humid even though we were out by 7:30 AM, and it wasn’t easy, but it was enjoyable time spent with a friend. For me, that’s what running is supposed to be. It isn’t supposed to be pushing myself to do one single painful mile because a hashtag is compelling me to and because I don’t know when to stop. I would so much rather be able to go out for a long, happy run with a friend, than do one painful mile every day for a month.  I want to be able to run races. I want to run the races I'm registered for this year, and I want to complete my first half next year. If I'm going to do those things, I have to take the necessary breaks and rest & recovery days that I need. I realized in the shower on Thursday night that, if I continue with the Run Streak, I probably won’t be able to do my best in the 5K I’m registered for at the end of June, because I will be too worn out and in too much pain. And to me, that just isn’t worth it.

Happy running - aka what it should always be like!

And with that, I gave myself permission to quit. It was a good run (pun intended!) but it’s not for me – I’ll be running on my own schedule, and my own terms, with legs and shins that don’t hurt. I’m unhappy about it, but c’est la vie. Again, my body is talking to me, and I know I need to listen. (The ol’ body is getting pretty bossy, actually – or maybe I’m just becoming a better listener.) I do not have to win this competition. But I’m pretty sure that, in the long run, this is the winning decision. See ya, #RWRunStreak. It was good while it lasted.

A Guest Post! Hooray!

Today's post is something special.... C decided to put his English degree (professional writing AND creative writing, so it's really like TWO English degrees...) to use and write a guest post! Oooooh. Intriguing, right? Right.

When C said he wanted to put together something for the blog, I had no idea what to expect. The content could have been anything. What I did get surprised me, and made me laugh - so I consider that a win. Enjoy!

This picture is really just to give you a graphic example of a typical moment in our relationship.

~~~~~

So I found myself listening to Carly Rae Jepsen, this spunky little Canadian that’s infiltrating our blue-collar American Billboard Charts, and I found myself wondering two things:

1. When did I start to hate myself?
2. When did it become such a damn chore to listen to music?

The answer to my first question is pretty apparent. It was when I hit play on this URL*. Unfortunately, my second question is more difficult to answer. 

-->Editor's note: "Call Me Maybe" just came on via Shuffle on the playlist I'm currently listening to. Hilarious.

Discovering new, under-the-radar music used to be a fairly big part of my life. I loved getting my friends tuned into randoms that I found on TV shows, stumble, Genious suggestions, other friends’ collections, etc. I liked knowing that I was just wading into an ocean of untapped notes and lyrics. I’d find new bands seemingly every week and spend hours trying to find their music. I can’t pinpoint the moment this stopped, I just know that it did. 

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not upset by it; music is divisive. I spent an equal amount of time defending my music as I did gathering it. Because music is genre-oriented—how many cowboys do you see at rap shows, for example—people tend to associate themselves with the type best suited for their demographic. This leads to all-out music wars.

Basically, if music resembles the United States, most people settle in Kansas. They sample from all states. That being said, people in Oregon refuse to listen to music from Florida. They spend an insufferable amount of time defending their own music and crucifying others. During my musical heyday, I tried to hold conversations with people from every state. It was exhausting.

It’s never easy to sit back and tell someone, “I like what I like. You don’t have to like it too.” I like to think that humans, in general, are too gregarious for the opposite to be the norm. 

So back to Ms. Jepsen. While I find her music elementary, I can’t help but notice a surface-level charm. She’s not on the lyrical level of Bono or Dylan, but she’s miles ahead of Nicki Minaj and Rebecca Black. Carly’s song isn’t trying to overstep its bounds. It’s a summery, made-for-radio song that we’ll probably forget about by July. But honestly, it’s pretty catchy. And that brings me back to question one…

*Quick side note. My first impression upon seeing Ms. Jepsen, “Oh, she’s actually pretty cute.”

-->Editor-inserted photo:

Thanks, Google Images.

That led to the now-necessary Wiki search to verify that the law and my conscience allow me to have those thoughts. And remember that there’s a difference between those two**.  Good news, I’m safe and she’s older than me.

** Two quick formulas:

•  Law = 18+
•  Conscience = [(my age) / 2] + 7

~~~~~

I'm sure everyone has already seen this, but it is pretty funny....

[source]

Your body is talking... are you listening?

Y'all, our bodies talk to us. They tell us when we're hungry. Tired. Cold. Hot. Nervous. Our bodies are really very smart. And they usually make their statements known, loud and clear. You should listen to your body. It knows things.

But what happens when we don't listen to our bodies?

Well, that's when our bodies start screaming their messages, louder and louder, and eventually just whack us upside the head 'til we pay attention and listen.

I got whacked upside the head last night. So now I'm listening.

Confession: I have a water-drinking problem. As in, I don't drink enough of it. Not by far. Really, I never have. (Please refer back to the Diet Coke issue - clearly, not a water drinker!) I know all the tricks, about adding lime slices or Crystal Light packets or making green tea - but it's just not my thing. I just don't like it. However, I've been making a really concerted effort to be better. I have a water bottle that I keep at work, and I fill it up all the time. I try to drink lots at the gym, and drink a glass every night before I go to bed. But it's still not a habit, and it's not my favorite - I'd almost always prefer to be drinking something else.

This past weekend, I did a lot of "drinking something else" - beer, soda, margaritas, mojitos, beer... yeah. Not much water. In my defense, I did have some - a bottle here and there, but down by the dock, it was just too easy to grab a cold one from the cooler, rather than walk all the way back up to the house to fill my plastic bottle. I drank some after my workouts, but probably not enough to replace what I lost, given how hot it was. I drank a glass on Monday night after my run - but probably needed two or three, at least. And then, yesterday, the final straw - I forgot my water bottle at home, and, therefore, didn't drink any water all day at work.

By last night, my body had just had enough. It started by gently poking me - I noticed that I felt like my arms were cramping a little. And when I didn't listen, it started full on beating on me. Sitting on the couch last night while finishing up some work, my calves both started cramping. On and off, feeling so tight and tense and twisted. And I finally listened. I finally heard what my body was saying: "waaaatteerrrrrr. WWAAATTTTEERRRR. WATER! NOW!" Jeez. Yell a little, why don'tcha?

So I've been being good, and giving it what it wants. I drank two big glasses last night before bed, and made sure I had my water bottle with me at work today. And I've been practically drowning myself to provide my body with what it needs.

Keeping track.

I'm currently working my way through bottle #4. It ain't easy. I feel like I'm just going to float away. But I am listening to my body, and I am giving it what it wants. I guess what my mom has always told me is proving true yet again - I really am a "selective listener." I hear what I want to hear. Good thing my body knows when to whack me upside the head and make me pay attention.

What healthy habit do you knowingly get wrong? Do you listen when your body tells you something? Or are you more like me (not that that's a bad thing!)?

Confessions of a (Barely) Recovering Addict

I'm going to come right out and say it: I am an addict. (And we all know that the first step toward recovery is admitting you have a problem, right?)

Just what is this substance that is my Kryptonite? It's not that uncommon actually...

Yes, it's true. I am a barely recovering Diet Coke addict. I CAN'T HELP IT. I have done the research; I know the reasons why I shouldn't drink the stuff. But it doesn't stop me. (And yes, it's true that you really can be addicted to diet soda - evidence here) There is just something about an icy cold glass of DC that is like a siren's call to me - I have to have it.

Just like any addict, I have an idea in my head of the "perfect" fix. It's different for everyone. Mine is pretty simple. The perfect concoction is known as a "Wawa" in our house - because it's found at Wawa, obvi. Honestly, C doesn't bring me flowers; he brings me a Wawa. He knows that's the way to my heart. It's a 32 oz fountain cup, filled halfway with ice, with squirts of cherry and vanilla syrup, then filled to the brim with cold Diet Coke. FYI - the best Diet Coke is from a fountain. Canned/bottled is seriously just not the same. Be aware. It can also be caffeine-free DC, or Diet Dr. Pepper if I'm feeling frisky, but most days, it's regular ol' DC. The drink that's never let me down.

Now, I do have to give myself a bit of credit. I am truly in recovery mode. I am MUCH BETTER about this than I used to be. I am almost not embarrassed to admit how much of this stuff I used to drink. There was a time in college when I'm pretty sure I existed purely on Diet Coke and cheap beer. I could easily go through a 12-pack in two days or so. If I was pulling an all-nighter/studying/writing a paper/existing, I could probably drink a 12-pack in just one day. Not joking. There was always a can in my backpack (for "emergencies"). A lotttt of the money on my meal plan went to the vending machines in the buildings where my classrooms were - had to have a DC for every class! I didn't drink coffee in the morning, I went straight to the good stuff (which is funny, because DC has significantly less caffeine than coffee... so that rebuts anyone who says a diet soda addiction is actually a caffeine addiction - sort of). A good cold Diet Coke (or two or ten) is how I survived sorority recruitment multiple years in a row, how I got through boring classes and painful tests, and probably why I was a jittery, sleepless mess throughout much of college (also because I applied myself to way too many things and never had any down time, but that's another story). I truly would not have been surprised to have just found Diet Coke flowing through my veins. It was bad, y'all.

But, like I said, I'm better now. A lot better. I have made a huge, conscious decision to Cut The Coke. We don't keep it in the house anymore (usually). I keep a water bottle at my desk and force myself to drink H2O all day instead of DC. I don't have soda with lunch every day anymore. And we try to keep the "Wawas" to a minimum - just on weekends and as special treats. I know that it isn't good for me. I know about the chemicals and the risky ingredients and the artificial coloring. I know that, really, "diet" soda is probably just as bad, if not more so, for you than regular soda. I know all these things. And so I make a concerted effort to keep it out of my life, mostly. And I'm pretty sure that it has had positive effects on my overall health.

But sometimes the craving just hits. Sometimes, I just need a Diet Coke. And that sometimes is today. I woke up thinking about an icy cold fountain Diet Coke. I thought about it all the way to work. I thought about it most of the morning, and then I finally gave in. And that's why I have this:

Come to mama. All is right in the world. I'll try to do better tomorrow.

Also, just for laughs, we have this:

That would be a picture, which my office mate took, of me taking a picture of my soda. Normal Thursday morning activities. Ya know.

Do you have an addiction? Are you willing to admit it? Do you love DC as much as I do?? It's OK. You're safe here. Ha!