Where to start? Well, training is going fine. I did a 4-mile run last weekend in 1:01.38. I was hoping to complete in an hour or under, but this time is still under the 16 minute/mile pace I need for the race. I had an epiphany of sorts on the treadmill yesterday. I realized I needed to start pushing myself more on my indoor run days, so that my stamina will be there for the longer runs. I also managed to increase my intervals to 25/35. I tried 30/30 a few weeks back and thought I was going to die, so I've been at 20/40 ever since.
Of course, with the longer runs, recovery time is starting to feel more important. I have fairly mild shin splints that were actually sensitive to the touch until yesterday. I still feel them with every running step I take. I'm going to the chiropractor today, and can't wait to see how misaligned I am.
This weekend's run is only two miles, and since Jackie is in town I plan to run around the resort we're staying at. It'll be weird to not have Scott biking down my heels, but I'm actually looking forward to going out solo. Next weekend: 5 miles.
Oh, and my new quirk: watching the Olympic track & field trials on TV and referring to the runners as "my people." Of course, the shot-putters are closer to my shape, but don't tell me that!
In non-runner news, I was covering another department's training while they were backfilling their training person who ran screaming to another position for all of April and May, and the beginning of June. It was challenging, and I wasn't amazing for their area. They needed more attention than I could give them, and their training scores suffered. I know I'm not really to blame for that, but it was still tough for me to deal with. I'm glad they are off my plate (except for the daily questions from the new training person, which I'm happy to answer) and am looking forward to starting a new and interesting project...once one comes along.
28 June, 2012
10 June, 2012
The Great Outdoors
I'm going to say something now that I never ever ever expected to say: I think I might enjoy running outside better than running on the treadmill.
Sure, the weather is difficult. 73 degrees first thing in the morning isn't that hot, but the 90% humidity is definitely oppressive. Outside, I also have bugs, people, cars, and an occasional pet to contend with. But I also have a changing view. I can focus on the running rather than on the treadmill timer telling me when my interval is ending. I can't actually see the exact distance traveled every second, or the speed I'm going, so I just focus on what feels right at the time.
Yesterday, we were planning on heading over to the 2.5 mile trail around Wilderness Lodge and Ft. Wilderness. We loaded up Scott's bike, and got out early enough to avoid the rain. It started sprinkling while we were driving, so instead of driving another 20 minutes, we decided to just go through Independence. We plotted a 1-mile course (yesterday's prescribed run was 2 miles - so this was an out & back) starting at the school. The area around the school was dead silent and picturesque, but that early in the morning the neighborhoods we went through weren't much different. We saw a really small alligator in a pond, some construction guys up on a roof, and not a whole lot of other creatures stirring.
Two miles is what I generally do in my 30-minute "conditioning runs" on Tuesdays and Thursdays, so I knew I'd be ok with that distance. I've been doing intervals of 20 seconds running/40 seconds walking, and this really seems to work the best for me. If I try longer running intervals, I can barely make it through 5 minutes before I'm winded and my face turns purple. Even at 20/40, I've never gone the full half hour on the treadmill without skipping a run interval or two on the second half. During yesterday's run, I hit every single interval, and really only half-assed the last one (which was up a pretty steep hill - I felt like I was jogging in place!). I did the entire run in 30.15, which even on the treadmill would be a decent time for me. My first mile was 15.05 minutes, which is almost a minute faster than my first outdoor mile last week.
Right now, I'd say realistically there's a 50-50 chance I'll complete all 10 miles of my race in time. But there's 17 weeks between now and then. Anything can happen. Next week's run is 3 miles, and Scott and I are both leaning toward going back to Independence. This will be my first more-than-a-half-hour run, and I'm really excited about it.
Sure, the weather is difficult. 73 degrees first thing in the morning isn't that hot, but the 90% humidity is definitely oppressive. Outside, I also have bugs, people, cars, and an occasional pet to contend with. But I also have a changing view. I can focus on the running rather than on the treadmill timer telling me when my interval is ending. I can't actually see the exact distance traveled every second, or the speed I'm going, so I just focus on what feels right at the time.
Yesterday, we were planning on heading over to the 2.5 mile trail around Wilderness Lodge and Ft. Wilderness. We loaded up Scott's bike, and got out early enough to avoid the rain. It started sprinkling while we were driving, so instead of driving another 20 minutes, we decided to just go through Independence. We plotted a 1-mile course (yesterday's prescribed run was 2 miles - so this was an out & back) starting at the school. The area around the school was dead silent and picturesque, but that early in the morning the neighborhoods we went through weren't much different. We saw a really small alligator in a pond, some construction guys up on a roof, and not a whole lot of other creatures stirring.
Two miles is what I generally do in my 30-minute "conditioning runs" on Tuesdays and Thursdays, so I knew I'd be ok with that distance. I've been doing intervals of 20 seconds running/40 seconds walking, and this really seems to work the best for me. If I try longer running intervals, I can barely make it through 5 minutes before I'm winded and my face turns purple. Even at 20/40, I've never gone the full half hour on the treadmill without skipping a run interval or two on the second half. During yesterday's run, I hit every single interval, and really only half-assed the last one (which was up a pretty steep hill - I felt like I was jogging in place!). I did the entire run in 30.15, which even on the treadmill would be a decent time for me. My first mile was 15.05 minutes, which is almost a minute faster than my first outdoor mile last week.
Right now, I'd say realistically there's a 50-50 chance I'll complete all 10 miles of my race in time. But there's 17 weeks between now and then. Anything can happen. Next week's run is 3 miles, and Scott and I are both leaning toward going back to Independence. This will be my first more-than-a-half-hour run, and I'm really excited about it.
01 June, 2012
MILEstone
Just a quick update for posterity:
Yesterday, I ran my first mile in 13.58 minutes.
Previously, my fastest mile was "14-something" in high school. Now I can definitely state that this was my fastest mile ever. Of course, I celebrated with shin splints and a blister on my in-step caused by my insoles shifting.
The official training plan started this week, which means tomorrow is my first Saturday outdoor run. It's only a mile, but I know "real" running is slower than treadmill running. I'll be happy to finish it in 15 minutes.
I need to grab my paperwork from the gym and start a progress chart. I started exercising the first week of April, and when I first started my interval training my mile time was right around 16 minutes. That means I dropped 2 minutes off my time in 2 months. I realize that's a progress curve that'll start to level off, but right now I'm pleasantly shocked at my progress.
Now I just need to string 9 more of those together and I'll be ready for my race! 18 weeks to go... yikes!
Yesterday, I ran my first mile in 13.58 minutes.
Previously, my fastest mile was "14-something" in high school. Now I can definitely state that this was my fastest mile ever. Of course, I celebrated with shin splints and a blister on my in-step caused by my insoles shifting.
The official training plan started this week, which means tomorrow is my first Saturday outdoor run. It's only a mile, but I know "real" running is slower than treadmill running. I'll be happy to finish it in 15 minutes.
I need to grab my paperwork from the gym and start a progress chart. I started exercising the first week of April, and when I first started my interval training my mile time was right around 16 minutes. That means I dropped 2 minutes off my time in 2 months. I realize that's a progress curve that'll start to level off, but right now I'm pleasantly shocked at my progress.
Now I just need to string 9 more of those together and I'll be ready for my race! 18 weeks to go... yikes!
21 May, 2012
Meet Huevo
Picture it: you're leaving a wedding reception in downtown Orlando, dressed in fancy clothes and full of lunch and sweets. You see a tiny baby bird on the sidewalk, flapping its wing stumps, mouth open wide with no sound coming out.
Welcome to the moment where my life temporarily turned on its ear.
I looked around for a frantic bird momma, and when I didn't see her I scooped up the baby. Scott and I eventually found the nest, about 10-15 feet up a tree. I left the chick with Scott and went back into the restaurant we had just left to see if they had access to a ladder. Apparently they did, but couldn't let me use it because of liability issues. I called Animal Control, but they were closed. We sat on a bench, Scott still holding the tiny (now sleeping) chick, and tried to come up with a game plan. We figured our only options were to put the bird back in the grass at the base of the tree and pretend the mother would realize it was there and take care of it, or take it with us and try to come up with a better plan. You know, one where the bird lived through the night.
It was a long car ride home, especially since every time I talked the little dude would start begging again! I texted my mom and got the recipe for baby bird food that we used when I was little and we raised wild baby birds. Recipe in hand, we stopped at the store and I sat in the car while Scott went in for the most random shopping list ever: hard-boiled egg, wheat germ, canned dog food, and liquid baby vitamins. We got him home, built him a nest (which he promptly pooped in), fed him, and then tried to figure out the next step.
Welcome to the moment where my life temporarily turned on its ear.
I looked around for a frantic bird momma, and when I didn't see her I scooped up the baby. Scott and I eventually found the nest, about 10-15 feet up a tree. I left the chick with Scott and went back into the restaurant we had just left to see if they had access to a ladder. Apparently they did, but couldn't let me use it because of liability issues. I called Animal Control, but they were closed. We sat on a bench, Scott still holding the tiny (now sleeping) chick, and tried to come up with a game plan. We figured our only options were to put the bird back in the grass at the base of the tree and pretend the mother would realize it was there and take care of it, or take it with us and try to come up with a better plan. You know, one where the bird lived through the night.
It was a long car ride home, especially since every time I talked the little dude would start begging again! I texted my mom and got the recipe for baby bird food that we used when I was little and we raised wild baby birds. Recipe in hand, we stopped at the store and I sat in the car while Scott went in for the most random shopping list ever: hard-boiled egg, wheat germ, canned dog food, and liquid baby vitamins. We got him home, built him a nest (which he promptly pooped in), fed him, and then tried to figure out the next step.
It's been two days, and we're still sort of dealing with him one day at a time. I named him Huevo, and since he's a blackbird (or some other type of black bird), Scott decided Huevo Negro was better. Mostly, he just answers to "PEEP!"
Huevo's left leg is either broken or dislocated (you can see the bump in the bottom picture), and judging by his lack of feathers and closed eyes, I'm pretty sure he's less than a week old. For this reason, I decided not to immediately try to research wildlife rehab centers. I have a pretty strong feeling that he would be too much work for a non-profit. If he survives to the point where his wings feather up and he gets a little mobility, then I'll find him a new foster family.
Realistically, I don't think he's going to make it. And I've been crying about that multiple times a day since we found him. But I'm certainly not going to give up on him. He eats enthusiastically, peeps when he's hungry, poops when he's not, and flaps his little wings when the food is too slow getting from the bowl to his mouth. It's pretty normal. So for now, I'll just be in love with this tiny, fuzzy, bug-eyed baby and worry about him 18 times a day.
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| he fell asleep sitting up after Scott fed him |
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| his wing feathers are sprouting |
10 May, 2012
Sidelined
First of all, you're welcome.
See, more than anything, I want to document in large-format digital photos the horrible wounds I have on my feet. But I'm not going to, so you're welcome.
...I didn't say I wasn't going to talk about them though, so feel free to click away now. If you leave, here's a random Classic Jamie political post instead.
Scott and I visited Typhoon Lagoon on Monday, and I took a wave in the wave pool... I guess you could say poorly. Somehow I got pushed a fair distance, dragging the tops of my feet along the concrete bottom. I got scrapes on the side of my left foot, and the outside of my right big toe. Since they were only scrapes, and since I was in a big old vat of chlorine, I ignored the stinging and kept on diving under the waves.
Tuesday morning, I bandaged up my wounds and headed off to run two miles at the gym (14.44 minute mile, my new PB). Wednesday, I skipped the gym because I had to work early, but then walked 2.5 miles outside with Scott at the Walking League. And then I came home and cried. It turns out I'd gotten very good at ignoring the scrapes on my feet and hadn't paid attention to the pain or the oozing.
The scrape on my big toe is long and ugly, but a bandage is keeping it covered and it doesn't look that bad. The one on my left foot, on the other hand, is about the size of a pencil eraser, and is currently a crater 1/2 full of green. It reminds me of every skinned knee or elbow I had in my entire childhood. The appearance icked Scott out enough that he actually smelled it tonight. Good news: my feet aren't too stinky, and my wound doesn't smell like the garbage can. That side of the foot feels badly bruised though, which is what worries me. I realized this afternoon that my normal work shoes have an edge right about where this non-scab is, which is probably why I was weepy all morning. Tomorrow I'm wearing my old shoes with a different shape.
Scott, upon having to baby me last night, suggested I skip the gym today. And I did, though I hated (not) doing it. He thinks my feet don't need to be squeezed in the shoes, and that my skin needs a few days off to actually scab over. I'm following orders, but I'm already feeling sluggish. I'm sidelining myself until Monday at the latest, unless this morphs into a doctor-worthy injury.
See, more than anything, I want to document in large-format digital photos the horrible wounds I have on my feet. But I'm not going to, so you're welcome.
...I didn't say I wasn't going to talk about them though, so feel free to click away now. If you leave, here's a random Classic Jamie political post instead.
Scott and I visited Typhoon Lagoon on Monday, and I took a wave in the wave pool... I guess you could say poorly. Somehow I got pushed a fair distance, dragging the tops of my feet along the concrete bottom. I got scrapes on the side of my left foot, and the outside of my right big toe. Since they were only scrapes, and since I was in a big old vat of chlorine, I ignored the stinging and kept on diving under the waves.
Tuesday morning, I bandaged up my wounds and headed off to run two miles at the gym (14.44 minute mile, my new PB). Wednesday, I skipped the gym because I had to work early, but then walked 2.5 miles outside with Scott at the Walking League. And then I came home and cried. It turns out I'd gotten very good at ignoring the scrapes on my feet and hadn't paid attention to the pain or the oozing.
The scrape on my big toe is long and ugly, but a bandage is keeping it covered and it doesn't look that bad. The one on my left foot, on the other hand, is about the size of a pencil eraser, and is currently a crater 1/2 full of green. It reminds me of every skinned knee or elbow I had in my entire childhood. The appearance icked Scott out enough that he actually smelled it tonight. Good news: my feet aren't too stinky, and my wound doesn't smell like the garbage can. That side of the foot feels badly bruised though, which is what worries me. I realized this afternoon that my normal work shoes have an edge right about where this non-scab is, which is probably why I was weepy all morning. Tomorrow I'm wearing my old shoes with a different shape.
Scott, upon having to baby me last night, suggested I skip the gym today. And I did, though I hated (not) doing it. He thinks my feet don't need to be squeezed in the shoes, and that my skin needs a few days off to actually scab over. I'm following orders, but I'm already feeling sluggish. I'm sidelining myself until Monday at the latest, unless this morphs into a doctor-worthy injury.
02 May, 2012
Looking Back and Looking Ahead
Spring 2012 GPA: 3.84
This is officially the highest GPA I've had in my collegiate life (previous part-time summer semesters were both in the 3.6 area), and I freaking earned it! I realized before I started my final labor class project that anything from a 76-100% was still going to earn me an A-, and that really took the pressure off. I admit that I phoned in that last project (I got an 83), but sometimes there's just no benefit to busting your butt. Oh, and my psychology final grade was a 96. I don't think I've ever rocked a class so hard! Speaking of busting my butt...
May 1: 2 Miles in 31m 33s
Sure that's a snail's pace for anyone in the moderate fitness range, but this was my first time doing run-walk intervals for a full 30 minutes (plus a little to finish that second mile). These were 10s run-50s walk intervals, and I finished feeling strong, like I could've done another mile before passing out and sliding off the treadmill. Oh, this time also averages less than a 16 minute mile, which is race pace. Not bad for just a month of pseudo-training! Two down, eight to go!
I'm not really losing any weight to speak of. As of this morning, I'm still down just 6 pounds from when I started. But I'm only really doing cardio two days a week right now, and since I'm doing two days of weight training, I'm buying into the "you're building muscle, which will burn more fat in the long run" propaganda. Who knows what the truth is? Some days I love it, other days I trudge through. Ironically enough, it's the running days I really enjoy. Who would've thought a month ago that would be the case?
February 2013: Where Will You Be?
I've been thinking for a while that if training for the 10-miler is going well in July, I'll probably sign up for the Princess 1/2 Marathon. (umm...registration starts in July...thought I should clarify the random month) My boss has run the Princess before, and said if I signed up she would do it too. And just by mentioning it to two high school friends last night on Facebook (and following it up with a picture of the finisher medal on Pinterest), I think I might actually have made two new running buddies. Who doesn't love the idea of running in a tiara??
So, it's been just about a month in the gym, 40-60 minutes per day, 4 days per week. I feel good and strong, I know my endurance has improved, and I have more confident days that I'll meet my goal than doubting days. I'm pretty sure that unless I really start dieting I won't meet my weight loss goal, but who knows what the next 5 months will bring? Here's some dates circled on my calendar:
First day of Summer semester: May 13
First "official" training day on the Galloway training plan: May 29
Registration opens for the Princess 1/2: July 10
Last day of Summer semester: August 8
Happy Birthday Scott: August 26
First day of Fall semester: August 27
Last day for $100 weight loss bonus: September 15
Tower of Terror 10-miler: September 29
This is officially the highest GPA I've had in my collegiate life (previous part-time summer semesters were both in the 3.6 area), and I freaking earned it! I realized before I started my final labor class project that anything from a 76-100% was still going to earn me an A-, and that really took the pressure off. I admit that I phoned in that last project (I got an 83), but sometimes there's just no benefit to busting your butt. Oh, and my psychology final grade was a 96. I don't think I've ever rocked a class so hard! Speaking of busting my butt...
May 1: 2 Miles in 31m 33s
Sure that's a snail's pace for anyone in the moderate fitness range, but this was my first time doing run-walk intervals for a full 30 minutes (plus a little to finish that second mile). These were 10s run-50s walk intervals, and I finished feeling strong, like I could've done another mile before passing out and sliding off the treadmill. Oh, this time also averages less than a 16 minute mile, which is race pace. Not bad for just a month of pseudo-training! Two down, eight to go!
I'm not really losing any weight to speak of. As of this morning, I'm still down just 6 pounds from when I started. But I'm only really doing cardio two days a week right now, and since I'm doing two days of weight training, I'm buying into the "you're building muscle, which will burn more fat in the long run" propaganda. Who knows what the truth is? Some days I love it, other days I trudge through. Ironically enough, it's the running days I really enjoy. Who would've thought a month ago that would be the case?
I've been thinking for a while that if training for the 10-miler is going well in July, I'll probably sign up for the Princess 1/2 Marathon. (umm...registration starts in July...thought I should clarify the random month) My boss has run the Princess before, and said if I signed up she would do it too. And just by mentioning it to two high school friends last night on Facebook (and following it up with a picture of the finisher medal on Pinterest), I think I might actually have made two new running buddies. Who doesn't love the idea of running in a tiara??
So, it's been just about a month in the gym, 40-60 minutes per day, 4 days per week. I feel good and strong, I know my endurance has improved, and I have more confident days that I'll meet my goal than doubting days. I'm pretty sure that unless I really start dieting I won't meet my weight loss goal, but who knows what the next 5 months will bring? Here's some dates circled on my calendar:
First day of Summer semester: May 13
First "official" training day on the Galloway training plan: May 29
Registration opens for the Princess 1/2: July 10
Last day of Summer semester: August 8
Happy Birthday Scott: August 26
First day of Fall semester: August 27
Last day for $100 weight loss bonus: September 15
Tower of Terror 10-miler: September 29
28 April, 2012
New Shoes
Scott's are New Balance, and look almost exactly like his current sneakers, but apparently feel like they were custom-made for his feet.
Mine are Brooks, which I had never heard of before, but are apparently a pretty decent and well-known company. They are definitely the shiniest shoes I've ever owned. Trust me - the flash washed out the color, but if you click on that link above you'll see a lot of different silvers in the shoe. I think they're going to work really well for me. I felt them pushing my feet the way they should be, and there's room in the toe and they're snug on the heel. I figure I'll wear them on my short theme park outing tomorrow, just to make sure they're not blistery (yes, for my feet this is a legitimate adjective to describe a shoe) before I hit the gym with them on Monday morning.
Woo...now running will be easier and I'll have more energy and I'll be thin!
...right?
Oh, ok. Well as long as my feet and ankles hurt less...
17 April, 2012
The Elusive "It"
"It" doesn't happen overnight. You don't see it or feel it right away. I knew that.
But somehow by week 3 I thought it would be more apparent.
Note: beyond the break is an extended whine. It's ok if you stop reading now.
But somehow by week 3 I thought it would be more apparent.
Note: beyond the break is an extended whine. It's ok if you stop reading now.
03 April, 2012
Breakfast for Dinner
I wish I had a picture...I think you'd be impressed. Somehow Scott and I both landed on the idea that we wanted fried egg sandwiches for dinner tonight...but with a twist: eggs over-easy.
For Scott: sandwiches with egg, cheese, bacon, tomato, and mayo on wheat burger buns; plus a green salad with blue cheese dressing and 1/2 piece of leftover bacon crumbled in. (because, frankly, if you're eating your salads without bacon and blue cheese you're doing it wrong! or you're just eating a normal pedestrian salad)
For me: egg, cheese, bacon, and tomato on wheat cooked like a grilled cheese. Oops...squished the sandwich and some yolk ran out and cooked on the outside. DON'T PRESS ON THE SANDWICH AFTER FLIPPING IT, STUPID! My salad was the same as Scott's...with the addition of another over-easy egg smashed into it.
People, you need to run out right now and make this for yourselves! Poached egg would be good, if you're capable of poaching. Use less dressing than you would otherwise, because the egg makes everything richer and creamier and WHY DO MORE PLACES NOT SERVE SALAD LIKE THIS? I mean, if you're going to put hard-boiled, fart-smelling egg on a salad, this is the same calories only awesome!
So...is it obvious from my stream of consciousness that my brain is fried? Maybe poached...I don't know! I'm still plugging along with school. It's the last month of the semester, so I'm keeping my eyes on the prize. My psychology grade is over 96%, which still makes me laugh when I think about it, and my labor grade is currently 92.66% (an A-without-the-minus is 93.1%, so that's my goal). I've blown a few essays for this class, so I'm not completely confident that I won't do something colossally stupid between now and the end of the month, but I'm cautiously optimistic.
Also? Started working out for real this week. In the morning before work. This morning we got out the door a little late, but I was able to do just under 40 minutes on the treadmill (including warm up/cool down) and walked a little over 2 miles. Add that to the leg weight workout I did on Monday, and I'm now having difficulty straightening my legs completely! It's ok though - it's not pain so much as annoyance. Tomorrow I'm learning the upper body circuit, which totally kicked Scott's ass the first time, so I'm hesitant. Then cardio/treadmill on Thursday, and Friday I'll either wake up at the same time and do homework or sleep in for an hour.
I changed my work schedule, and now don't start until 9. This means Scott and I get each other out the door to work out before work. Two days in, and our only problem seems to be underestimating the time it takes to get over there. Tomorrow my appointment with the trainer is at 6:40...and my alarm is set for 5. If you'll excuse me, I'm going to get a quick hot soak in before bed.
For Scott: sandwiches with egg, cheese, bacon, tomato, and mayo on wheat burger buns; plus a green salad with blue cheese dressing and 1/2 piece of leftover bacon crumbled in. (because, frankly, if you're eating your salads without bacon and blue cheese you're doing it wrong! or you're just eating a normal pedestrian salad)
For me: egg, cheese, bacon, and tomato on wheat cooked like a grilled cheese. Oops...squished the sandwich and some yolk ran out and cooked on the outside. DON'T PRESS ON THE SANDWICH AFTER FLIPPING IT, STUPID! My salad was the same as Scott's...with the addition of another over-easy egg smashed into it.
People, you need to run out right now and make this for yourselves! Poached egg would be good, if you're capable of poaching. Use less dressing than you would otherwise, because the egg makes everything richer and creamier and WHY DO MORE PLACES NOT SERVE SALAD LIKE THIS? I mean, if you're going to put hard-boiled, fart-smelling egg on a salad, this is the same calories only awesome!
So...is it obvious from my stream of consciousness that my brain is fried? Maybe poached...I don't know! I'm still plugging along with school. It's the last month of the semester, so I'm keeping my eyes on the prize. My psychology grade is over 96%, which still makes me laugh when I think about it, and my labor grade is currently 92.66% (an A-without-the-minus is 93.1%, so that's my goal). I've blown a few essays for this class, so I'm not completely confident that I won't do something colossally stupid between now and the end of the month, but I'm cautiously optimistic.
Also? Started working out for real this week. In the morning before work. This morning we got out the door a little late, but I was able to do just under 40 minutes on the treadmill (including warm up/cool down) and walked a little over 2 miles. Add that to the leg weight workout I did on Monday, and I'm now having difficulty straightening my legs completely! It's ok though - it's not pain so much as annoyance. Tomorrow I'm learning the upper body circuit, which totally kicked Scott's ass the first time, so I'm hesitant. Then cardio/treadmill on Thursday, and Friday I'll either wake up at the same time and do homework or sleep in for an hour.
I changed my work schedule, and now don't start until 9. This means Scott and I get each other out the door to work out before work. Two days in, and our only problem seems to be underestimating the time it takes to get over there. Tomorrow my appointment with the trainer is at 6:40...and my alarm is set for 5. If you'll excuse me, I'm going to get a quick hot soak in before bed.
15 March, 2012
Spam of a Different Color
Apparently registering online for a distance race gets you put on new and interesting mailing lists. This morning, I got an email for "Fitness Singles," where I can find someone to "ignite my passion." This is even funnier than the spam I get for Christian singles and singles over 50!
I'm sorry to tell all of the fit singles out there that I'm not available. Dry your tears...if you're on that website, more than likely you're not interested in me anyway!
I'm sorry to tell all of the fit singles out there that I'm not available. Dry your tears...if you're on that website, more than likely you're not interested in me anyway!
09 March, 2012
And So It Starts
Actually, I haven't done anything yet.
But I took the step before the first step.
This afternoon, I registered for a real honest-to-God distance race.
Before you ask, no I'm not on any mind-altering drugs... but I would like to be off of my other drugs!
I signed up for the less-than-a-half-marathon "Twilight Zone Tower of Terror 10-Miler" at the end of September.
Cool things about this race:
1. It's at night - 10pm to be specific
2. It's villains-themed
3. It's a distance that doesn't seem ridiculous to me. The half, which is on my bucket list, is 13.1 miles. For some reason, I can't wrap my mind around that. (but if I can handle this, I might consider doing one next year)
Going into the start of the Walking League, my goal was to walk for a whole hour without whining. (yes, I already told that story) After six weeks, I logged just over 13 miles (we skipped last week because I worked an overnight shift). I figure if I can walk 3 miles in an hour now, with no fitness level whatsoever, and without any muscle soreness or fatigue, then surely I can train over the next 6 months to be able to go 10 miles at a 15 minute mile pace. My doctor says I'm allowed, and gave me some good advice about blisters.
So I'm going to start next week. The training plan I'm following is 3 days per week (2 of which are only 30 minutes!) and start with a strategy of running 5 seconds, then walking 55 seconds. I can do THAT! I think some folks from work might be interested. If so, I'll be running with them. If not, Scott will go out with me early in the morning and pace me on the bike. Either way, I'm committed.
Updates to come!
it's a small world
I sent one of my trainers out today to do high reach training for a guy from another department, and it was sort of a cluster**** getting things organized and getting these two guys to the same place at the same time. When the trainer got back, he stopped in my office and told me that this training was like a "call from God," which was good...I thought he was going to give me a hard time because of the lousy communication.
He went on to tell me that his dad had passed away 10 years ago, and even before that they weren't close. Divorce, etc. etc. But the guy that I sent him out to train works in the department his dad used to work in, and had worked with his dad for many years. My trainer got to hear some old war stories about his dad, and got the other guy's phone number. He hopes they can get together for a beer so he can hear more.
Even people with great relationships with their parents rarely get to see them outside of the parent role. For him to have the chance to get to know his dad from a completely different perspective, it's really a gift. And he knows how lucky he was to have that chance meeting today, which makes it even more special.
He went on to tell me that his dad had passed away 10 years ago, and even before that they weren't close. Divorce, etc. etc. But the guy that I sent him out to train works in the department his dad used to work in, and had worked with his dad for many years. My trainer got to hear some old war stories about his dad, and got the other guy's phone number. He hopes they can get together for a beer so he can hear more.
Even people with great relationships with their parents rarely get to see them outside of the parent role. For him to have the chance to get to know his dad from a completely different perspective, it's really a gift. And he knows how lucky he was to have that chance meeting today, which makes it even more special.
06 March, 2012
Odd Ends
Here are a few things floating through my head today that are too long for Twitter and too short for their own blog posts.
* When I was in the fourth grade, my family took a vacation to England. I distinctly remember being disappointed when we returned to the US and not only did we not get to disembark the plane via staircase to the tarmac, but there was no marching band. Apparently my only exposure to international travel had been the evening news and seeing the President and/or US Military members returning to much fanfare. I thought of that today because this morning my friend Margaret floated into Port Canaveral aboard the Disney Fantasy, to a throng of well-wishers waving at the ship, plus media coverage and fireworks! My inner fourth grader is very jealous indeed! (the rest of me is jealous of the transatlantic voyage and the stop in NYC)
* Experiences (most) men don't understand: Forgetting that you're wearing high heels, until the toilet seat is 3" lower than you're expecting it to be. That might not sound like a great distance, but when you're falling bare-assed through space wondering who moved the toilet and bracing for impact with the ground, it's just enough for a mini adrenaline rush!
* We learned this morning that Robert Sherman died. Even if you don't know the name, you know his music. He and his brother Richard worked directly with Walt Disney to create music for movies from Mary Poppins to Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, plus the ol' theme park classics "It's a Small World" and the theme to the Tiki Room. The Disney Parks Blog had a lovely write-up that started with a Mary Poppins reference that made me tear up: "Today, the wind has changed and Disney Legend Robert B. Sherman has had to leave us. But the immeasurable gifts of song he has given — in that magical partnership with his surviving brother, Disney Legend Richard M. Sherman — will stay forever." It's true - their legacy will outlive all of ours!
* When I was in the fourth grade, my family took a vacation to England. I distinctly remember being disappointed when we returned to the US and not only did we not get to disembark the plane via staircase to the tarmac, but there was no marching band. Apparently my only exposure to international travel had been the evening news and seeing the President and/or US Military members returning to much fanfare. I thought of that today because this morning my friend Margaret floated into Port Canaveral aboard the Disney Fantasy, to a throng of well-wishers waving at the ship, plus media coverage and fireworks! My inner fourth grader is very jealous indeed! (the rest of me is jealous of the transatlantic voyage and the stop in NYC)
* Experiences (most) men don't understand: Forgetting that you're wearing high heels, until the toilet seat is 3" lower than you're expecting it to be. That might not sound like a great distance, but when you're falling bare-assed through space wondering who moved the toilet and bracing for impact with the ground, it's just enough for a mini adrenaline rush!
* We learned this morning that Robert Sherman died. Even if you don't know the name, you know his music. He and his brother Richard worked directly with Walt Disney to create music for movies from Mary Poppins to Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, plus the ol' theme park classics "It's a Small World" and the theme to the Tiki Room. The Disney Parks Blog had a lovely write-up that started with a Mary Poppins reference that made me tear up: "Today, the wind has changed and Disney Legend Robert B. Sherman has had to leave us. But the immeasurable gifts of song he has given — in that magical partnership with his surviving brother, Disney Legend Richard M. Sherman — will stay forever." It's true - their legacy will outlive all of ours!
01 March, 2012
Birthday Tradition
On my 30th birthday, my co-worker Donna bought me a big ol' mylar "30" balloon. When I got home that afternoon, I had Scott take my picture with the balloon. I don't know why I did it, probably because I'm kind of a sucker for balloons and this one was a definite record of where I was on the big 3-0.
For the past two years, I've continued the tradition in a less conspicuous way. Instead of balloons, I've used finger counting to mark the years. On birthday 31, I was in Animal Kingdom, and it was cold! On birthday 32, we were killing time in a mall in Tampa when we stumbled upon racks of prom dresses. For 33, because 3 is my lucky number (how could it not be? my birthday is 3-3 after all!), I made myself a prop.
The best thing about this picture, besides my sign, is the fact that it was taken in the Magic Kingdom at 1 am today, and I was wearing pajama bottoms. (nope, I wasn't the only one!) Scott and I went last night for the "One More Disney Day" promotion. MK was open for the "bonus" Leap Day for 24 hours (for some reason from 6 am to 6 am instead of midnight to midnight). We got there right after the fireworks, and the crowd was horrific. We waited in lines for food, bathrooms...even the never-has-a-line TTA! We were planning on staying until 2 or 3, but we gave up slightly after 1 when we looped back to Tomorrowland to see that lines had actually gotten longer than they were from 9-10! We really did have a wonderful time - it's so much more pleasant to wait in lines when you're not also suffering from sunstroke - but the congestion was disheartening. I'm glad we didn't stay and try to wait out the crowds. I read a tweet from 4:30 am saying the line for Haunted Mansion was "only" 20 minutes.
Lesson learned: never underestimate the Disney die-hards!
I'll be bringing my sign with me wherever we go for the rest of the weekend (including on my actual birthday). Hopefully it'll have some good stories to tell.
For the past two years, I've continued the tradition in a less conspicuous way. Instead of balloons, I've used finger counting to mark the years. On birthday 31, I was in Animal Kingdom, and it was cold! On birthday 32, we were killing time in a mall in Tampa when we stumbled upon racks of prom dresses. For 33, because 3 is my lucky number (how could it not be? my birthday is 3-3 after all!), I made myself a prop.
The best thing about this picture, besides my sign, is the fact that it was taken in the Magic Kingdom at 1 am today, and I was wearing pajama bottoms. (nope, I wasn't the only one!) Scott and I went last night for the "One More Disney Day" promotion. MK was open for the "bonus" Leap Day for 24 hours (for some reason from 6 am to 6 am instead of midnight to midnight). We got there right after the fireworks, and the crowd was horrific. We waited in lines for food, bathrooms...even the never-has-a-line TTA! We were planning on staying until 2 or 3, but we gave up slightly after 1 when we looped back to Tomorrowland to see that lines had actually gotten longer than they were from 9-10! We really did have a wonderful time - it's so much more pleasant to wait in lines when you're not also suffering from sunstroke - but the congestion was disheartening. I'm glad we didn't stay and try to wait out the crowds. I read a tweet from 4:30 am saying the line for Haunted Mansion was "only" 20 minutes.
Lesson learned: never underestimate the Disney die-hards!
I'll be bringing my sign with me wherever we go for the rest of the weekend (including on my actual birthday). Hopefully it'll have some good stories to tell.
17 February, 2012
Measles, Mumps, and Purple Bumps
Yesterday almost all day, I had a tickle in my throat. You know, the kind that makes you want to continuously make that "ehkkkkk" noise to dislodge whatever is tickling you? I finally figured it out around 3:00 when I looked in the mirror at work. There was a thing on my tonsil. It looked like a chicken pock. (also, is that the singular of pox?) I blamed Scott, and went back to drinking a record amount of water.
And then I sneezed.
Something flew out of my mouth and into my elbow pit. It was a piece of oatmeal. That's right, I spent about 8 hours with a cooked oat crusted onto my throat.
Not my finest hour(s).
At least it wasn't a raisin!
Post title inspired by the poem Sick, by Shel Silverstein
And then I sneezed.
Something flew out of my mouth and into my elbow pit. It was a piece of oatmeal. That's right, I spent about 8 hours with a cooked oat crusted onto my throat.
Not my finest hour(s).
At least it wasn't a raisin!
Post title inspired by the poem Sick, by Shel Silverstein
03 February, 2012
February $$AAA$$ Update
First of all, I would like to point out that I'm actually following through on the arbitrary goals I put on myself. That's a bigger deal for me than it should be. I'm also updating you so that I continue to hold myself accountable. So here's what's up:
$$ - Money - of all three goals, this is the one I've really done nothing with. That said, I did get a student loan refund and immediately put half of the money into my credit card (and haven't spent anything on the card in quite a while) and set the other half aside for Scott's inevitable new car loan. Blueberry is old, and Scott's been through multiple dealerships. No one does it like Saturn!
AA - Grades - As of right now, my average in my Psych class is 94% and my Labor Relations grade is 90.8%. That labor class has been a major culture shock for me. Weekly essays are more about condensing 5 pages of textbook (and citing it) in 250-350 words. It's hard for me to do that because it only allows about 2% creativity and I'm used to coming up with my own ideas. But the quizzes are open-book and a good portion of the grade revolves around discussion forums and group projects, so hopefully they continue to lift my mediocre essays. The Psych grade is currently based on only 4 un-timed open-book quizzes. The first exam (also open-note but with a time limit) is next week and worth 20% of my final grade. I'm concerned, but my study sheet is already mostly filled in and annotated. Plus, I'm awesome!
A$$ - The first night of the Walking League was this week, and my goal was simply to walk the whole hour without whining (to quote Juno, "woah, dream big!"). It was easier than I thought. Scott and I walked 2.5 miles, and probably could have done 3 if not for poor sock choices on both our parts. We'll probably do 3 next week, assuming our blisters heal satisfactorily! It was also more fun than I expected. My team has 15 people, 11 of whom made it this week, and I'm already looking forward to seeing more friendly faces next week.
Wish me good studying and good group work! I've never really been great at either.
$$ - Money - of all three goals, this is the one I've really done nothing with. That said, I did get a student loan refund and immediately put half of the money into my credit card (and haven't spent anything on the card in quite a while) and set the other half aside for Scott's inevitable new car loan. Blueberry is old, and Scott's been through multiple dealerships. No one does it like Saturn!
AA - Grades - As of right now, my average in my Psych class is 94% and my Labor Relations grade is 90.8%. That labor class has been a major culture shock for me. Weekly essays are more about condensing 5 pages of textbook (and citing it) in 250-350 words. It's hard for me to do that because it only allows about 2% creativity and I'm used to coming up with my own ideas. But the quizzes are open-book and a good portion of the grade revolves around discussion forums and group projects, so hopefully they continue to lift my mediocre essays. The Psych grade is currently based on only 4 un-timed open-book quizzes. The first exam (also open-note but with a time limit) is next week and worth 20% of my final grade. I'm concerned, but my study sheet is already mostly filled in and annotated. Plus, I'm awesome!
A$$ - The first night of the Walking League was this week, and my goal was simply to walk the whole hour without whining (to quote Juno, "woah, dream big!"). It was easier than I thought. Scott and I walked 2.5 miles, and probably could have done 3 if not for poor sock choices on both our parts. We'll probably do 3 next week, assuming our blisters heal satisfactorily! It was also more fun than I expected. My team has 15 people, 11 of whom made it this week, and I'm already looking forward to seeing more friendly faces next week.
Wish me good studying and good group work! I've never really been great at either.
22 January, 2012
Rest in Peace
"They ask me what I'd like written about me when I'm gone. I hope they write I made Penn State a better place, not just that I was a good football coach."
Joe, you made Penn State a better university in so many ways. Thank you for never forgetting that your players were students first, and athletes second. And thank you for your personal contributions to the university. Your memory will live forever, both as a football legend and as a great Penn Stater.
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| photo credit |
Joe, you made Penn State a better university in so many ways. Thank you for never forgetting that your players were students first, and athletes second. And thank you for your personal contributions to the university. Your memory will live forever, both as a football legend and as a great Penn Stater.
14 January, 2012
Out With the Old
I'll post a picture when it starts looking nasty and tattered like the one in the foreground, so we can see exactly how long it takes them to destroy one.
(and yes, the Christmas tree is still up. it's on today's agenda. Scott had a day of overtime last weekend so we didn't actually have a day off together.)
11 January, 2012
Student Loans
Did you know that student loans are intended to not only cover tuition, but also books, supplies and living expenses? I realized that this week when I received notification that I'm getting a check in the next few days.
My first thought: I'll just send the money back to the lender - that's less to pay later on.
My second thought: The interest on my credit card is WAY higher than the interest on the student loan. The money should go there.
My third thought was a rapid-fire slide show of all the electronic things, all the sparkly things, and all the needed things (oh man, you should see the worn-out pants I'm wearing right now!!) that I could buy with the money.
So...I'm leaning towards option #2. Can anyone tell me why that's not the best choice?
School Update:
I got an 80% on my first Psychology quiz, and I'm fairly annoyed about that because it was open book/open note. The questions I got wrong were mostly questions where the correct answer wasn't something from the lesson (but the other 3 answers were from the lesson and were wrong, so I guess my powers of deduction suck). I saw today that the average grade on the first quiz is a 75%, so I feel a little better about that. I'm also about 1/4 of the way through the reading for the first two weeks, so I'm right on track there.
I got a 100% on my first LER quiz. This one had questions that might as well have been "This class is offered in Mandarin. True/False." It was literally a 10-question review of the syllabus. I've been participating in the discussion forum, and have completed all of my reading and assignments (including an essay...can't wait to see how badly I did on THAT!) due between now and Sunday.
Oh, and Monday is a holiday, so I get a bonus study day this weekend. Yay, me!
My first thought: I'll just send the money back to the lender - that's less to pay later on.
My second thought: The interest on my credit card is WAY higher than the interest on the student loan. The money should go there.
My third thought was a rapid-fire slide show of all the electronic things, all the sparkly things, and all the needed things (oh man, you should see the worn-out pants I'm wearing right now!!) that I could buy with the money.
So...I'm leaning towards option #2. Can anyone tell me why that's not the best choice?
School Update:
I got an 80% on my first Psychology quiz, and I'm fairly annoyed about that because it was open book/open note. The questions I got wrong were mostly questions where the correct answer wasn't something from the lesson (but the other 3 answers were from the lesson and were wrong, so I guess my powers of deduction suck). I saw today that the average grade on the first quiz is a 75%, so I feel a little better about that. I'm also about 1/4 of the way through the reading for the first two weeks, so I'm right on track there.
I got a 100% on my first LER quiz. This one had questions that might as well have been "This class is offered in Mandarin. True/False." It was literally a 10-question review of the syllabus. I've been participating in the discussion forum, and have completed all of my reading and assignments (including an essay...can't wait to see how badly I did on THAT!) due between now and Sunday.
Oh, and Monday is a holiday, so I get a bonus study day this weekend. Yay, me!
04 January, 2012
Gloating
Last week, I had a bit of a snit with one of the managers I support. Here's the quick rundown:
Him: How are you today?
Me: I'd be better if there were more training forms in my mailbox.
Him: It's the holidays dear, every day we open on time we're lucky.
See, he is part of the department I refer to as my Bad News Bears or my Mighty Ducks, depending on how far behind they are on their training that week. And since about Thanksgiving, I've been warning them that they had a lot of training due in December and that "but it's the HOLIDAYS" was not going to be an accepted excuse for delinquency.
Yeah, I'm kind of a bitch sometimes.
OK, most times.
Anyway, needless to say, they got really behind on their training. Also in case you missed it, the man called me "dear" AND used the holiday excuse in the same sentence. I was foaming-at-the-mouth angry for the whole morning and my office mate has been calling me "dear" on and off ever since just to tick me off.
Since I knew the managers weren't on Team Jamie, I contacted every person with overdue training and told them what was due. I also e-mailed all of the trainers to tell them who needed what. And this morning when I stopped by my mailbox, I had 15 training forms filled out and ready to be recorded. That's right, on the busiest week of the year when the manager told me that there was no time for training, somehow the people actually doing the work found time to get it done.
Cookies are going in the oven shortly, and oh dear I think there's only going to be enough for my trainers and not for their bosses.
Mostly Unrelated...
My office mate brought me a bunch of back-to-school supplies today - a bin for my homework, some giant paperclips for my homework, pink and purple pens, Peanuts pencils, and a Mario Cart pencil case. She apparently thinks I'm going back to the 1st grade, but I totally love her for it!
Him: How are you today?
Me: I'd be better if there were more training forms in my mailbox.
Him: It's the holidays dear, every day we open on time we're lucky.
See, he is part of the department I refer to as my Bad News Bears or my Mighty Ducks, depending on how far behind they are on their training that week. And since about Thanksgiving, I've been warning them that they had a lot of training due in December and that "but it's the HOLIDAYS" was not going to be an accepted excuse for delinquency.
Yeah, I'm kind of a bitch sometimes.
OK, most times.
Anyway, needless to say, they got really behind on their training. Also in case you missed it, the man called me "dear" AND used the holiday excuse in the same sentence. I was foaming-at-the-mouth angry for the whole morning and my office mate has been calling me "dear" on and off ever since just to tick me off.
Since I knew the managers weren't on Team Jamie, I contacted every person with overdue training and told them what was due. I also e-mailed all of the trainers to tell them who needed what. And this morning when I stopped by my mailbox, I had 15 training forms filled out and ready to be recorded. That's right, on the busiest week of the year when the manager told me that there was no time for training, somehow the people actually doing the work found time to get it done.
Cookies are going in the oven shortly, and oh dear I think there's only going to be enough for my trainers and not for their bosses.
Mostly Unrelated...
My office mate brought me a bunch of back-to-school supplies today - a bin for my homework, some giant paperclips for my homework, pink and purple pens, Peanuts pencils, and a Mario Cart pencil case. She apparently thinks I'm going back to the 1st grade, but I totally love her for it!
01 January, 2012
Looking Ahead
I'm not making resolutions. They just don't work for me. But here are some things I expect from myself this year:
* Fiscal responsibility! It's hard, but necessary. I plan to limit spending on my credit card and to use any extra cash I get my hands on to pay down that balance.
* Straight A's! That's my goal and I'm sticking to it. I'm only taking two classes at a time, and there are no excuses for not doing my best. If I'm not going to take this seriously, then why bother doing it at all?
* Move my A$$! I'm not making some huge ridiculous goal of running a marathon. I'm starting small. I just bought myself a balance cushion for work. I know this isn't going to get me thin, but it should at least strengthen my core muscles (and save trips to the chiropractor). I'm also planning on doing a "walking league" at work with some friends. It's six weeks in February and March. I can commit to anything for six weeks...right? (that's why I roped in friends...if I can't motivate myself, maybe I can be peer pressured)
I just realized that I have a mantra for the year: $$AAA$$ (money, A's, ass). Mantra? Slogan? Symbol? Whatever it is, it's a palindrome and I like it!
Happy 2012, everyone! Let's make it a great one!
* Fiscal responsibility! It's hard, but necessary. I plan to limit spending on my credit card and to use any extra cash I get my hands on to pay down that balance.
* Straight A's! That's my goal and I'm sticking to it. I'm only taking two classes at a time, and there are no excuses for not doing my best. If I'm not going to take this seriously, then why bother doing it at all?
* Move my A$$! I'm not making some huge ridiculous goal of running a marathon. I'm starting small. I just bought myself a balance cushion for work. I know this isn't going to get me thin, but it should at least strengthen my core muscles (and save trips to the chiropractor). I'm also planning on doing a "walking league" at work with some friends. It's six weeks in February and March. I can commit to anything for six weeks...right? (that's why I roped in friends...if I can't motivate myself, maybe I can be peer pressured)
I just realized that I have a mantra for the year: $$AAA$$ (money, A's, ass). Mantra? Slogan? Symbol? Whatever it is, it's a palindrome and I like it!
Happy 2012, everyone! Let's make it a great one!
31 December, 2011
A More Legitimate Review of the Year
I haven't been really great about blogging this year, so you might not know what a great year it's really been around here.
Travels
We started the year with a quick weekend trip to Ft. Myers to visit the O'King side of the family, and then did a two-night mini cruise on Disney's newest cruise ship, the Dream.
Travels
We started the year with a quick weekend trip to Ft. Myers to visit the O'King side of the family, and then did a two-night mini cruise on Disney's newest cruise ship, the Dream. In September, we took a road trip that included the Georgia Aquarium, the Penn State campus, Philadelphia, the NJ shore, and Hilton Head. We had such a wonderful time... I can't believe I didn't blog about it.
We wrapped up the year with another cruise, this one our "last hurrah" before I start school. We celebrated our anniversary and Christmas in style, and got to see the new Muppets movie onboard rather than get off the ship in Nassau.
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| The Cousins doing "jazz hands" |
Family Visits
In addition to our January trip to FoMo, it seems like 2011 was the year to reconnect with family. Mary and Richard's 50th anniversary party in August turned into the biggest family reunion in probably 20 years. We spent two days in the parks with different groups of family and had a great time at the actual party as well.
I also got to spend Thanksgiving with Mom and Michael. This was the first "family" holiday we've had in what feels like a million years. Sadly, Scott had to work, but I brought home lots of leftovers for him.
Changes...in Shades of Blue
I got a new car, we painted an accent wall in our bedroom, and I decorated the garage. (well, I decorated half the garage. I really am planning on finishing that one day!) Blue was definitely the signature color of 2011.
Culinary Adventures
I'm getting much better at cooking big chunks of meat. My favorite cut of pork is the "butt shoulder," which is the butt or shoulder, and makes a darn fine spaghetti sauce and/or pork roast. I'm a huge fan of beef short ribs, and made a new cut - horseradish-crusted brisket - for Christmas. We also killed a pair of lobsters this year.
Entertainment
We finished up our second subscription series at the Straz Center in Tampa and decided to not renew for a third. Shrek and Billy Elliott were wonderful, but overall we were disappointed in the shows we saw and this season's shows were mostly outside our interest. We put some of our theater money into Sea World annual passes. We haven't really made use of them as much as I'd hoped, but I've used the time we spent practicing photography. I also got Scott a subscription to GameFly for his birthday and he's played about a million shoot-em-up games so far. He'll also get a lot of use out of it once I start school.
I think that's most of the highlights. I'm looking forward to finding out what 2012 will bring. I'm expecting big things...
2011 in Non-Sequitor
How did it get to be December 31st already? Did I miss Thanksgiving and Christmas? I really let the past few months fly past and barely looked around. Maybe that's because I've got so much change coming up next year. School? At my age? Bwahahaha! Anyway, before I leap into a new year, pardon me while I indulge myself in my annual look back...
Take the first sentence of the first post of every month this year on your blog and put them all together.
Milo took the opportunity to nap in the laundry room, which is generally off-limits, while I was packing up Christmas. I set out to take a picture of the birds on the light poles that I see every morning. Driving home feeling sleep-deprived after an overnight shift?
We painted the garage yesterday - a beautiful solid coat of white. The oven timer has about 45 minutes left on it, though dinner certainly isn't going to be before 5, since that's when Scott gets home from work. I just noticed that all of the pictures in the gallery at the top of the blog currently contain Scott.
The following happened between 7:00 and 8:00 this morning: Scott and I have an event to attend in New Jersey this fall. I spent August 24-27 in a whirlwind of family fun. We're in a bit of a money crunch right now. It's been a rough week for the Penn State faithful, myself included. Can you believe Scott had never made gingerbread (or graham cracker) houses before we decorated these beauties in 2008?
Take the first sentence of the first post of every month this year on your blog and put them all together.
Milo took the opportunity to nap in the laundry room, which is generally off-limits, while I was packing up Christmas. I set out to take a picture of the birds on the light poles that I see every morning. Driving home feeling sleep-deprived after an overnight shift?
We painted the garage yesterday - a beautiful solid coat of white. The oven timer has about 45 minutes left on it, though dinner certainly isn't going to be before 5, since that's when Scott gets home from work. I just noticed that all of the pictures in the gallery at the top of the blog currently contain Scott.
The following happened between 7:00 and 8:00 this morning: Scott and I have an event to attend in New Jersey this fall. I spent August 24-27 in a whirlwind of family fun. We're in a bit of a money crunch right now. It's been a rough week for the Penn State faithful, myself included. Can you believe Scott had never made gingerbread (or graham cracker) houses before we decorated these beauties in 2008?
25 December, 2011
Happy Christmas!
Here are a few pictures from this very morning. I was out and about, the cats were home, and Scott was at work. Very Merry Christmas from all of us to all of you!
24 December, 2011
Oh Baby Baby
I imagine based on the background that Santa visited his cousin Wilbur at his camper in the Florida Everglades. Santa, not used to moonshine, passed out just minutes before children arrived for their annual photos. So Wilbur grabbed Santa's suit, hung a piece of a sheepskin rug on his face, and stood in for the photos.
See how little Jamie is focused (rather unhappily) on something just off frame? That's Santa, stumbling into the room, hung over, wearing only his long underwear.
(the next year, Jamie's parents took her someplace else to meet Santa. good call, Mom and Dad. good call!)
23 December, 2011
You Would Cry Too
There was a great battle here...between a little girl and an old man...she fought to get away, but he held her mercilessly.
Seriously, look into the eyes. It's hard to tell which one of us is angrier! My money is on the old guy, who seems to hate children and desperately needs some spiked eggnog if he's going to make it through the end of his shift.
Although, judging by the way he's pinning my arms down, I'm guessing there was a mighty freak-out before the picture was taken. Think I kicked him in the shin?
20 December, 2011
Not Trustworthy
Aside from the look of suspicion (I'm sure Scott would be proud), this picture shows a problem with MANY of my childhood photos: overexposure. As a near-albino living in South Florida where everyone else is tan year-round, most of the time I looked like a marshmallow with eyes (but not eyebrows) in pictures.
Anyway, I'd bet money that I was told by my Dad to not cry and managed to suck it up for the picture. Because a sullen kid is a better photo subject than a screaming one. Or something like that.
17 December, 2011
Christmas Then and Now
2008: Kitten Elphie's first exposure to fake evergreen:
2011 (this morning): As I was up on the step ladder putting the angel on top of the tree, Elphie jumped up to help. She stayed there long enough for me to take this picture, and then when I carried the step ladder away from temptation.
Some things never change! (Except for her size, because man she is a GIANT!)
2011 (this morning): As I was up on the step ladder putting the angel on top of the tree, Elphie jumped up to help. She stayed there long enough for me to take this picture, and then when I carried the step ladder away from temptation.
Some things never change! (Except for her size, because man she is a GIANT!)
16 December, 2011
Christmas Miracle
I do have some current news to share, so I apologize to 4-year-old me for upstaging her.
My boss today gave me the excellent news that I'm being promoted. I'll be doing the same job, with with a different title and a new pay grade. Effective January 1, my current title becomes "senior
Now, 6% doesn't really sound like it would be enough to bring me near tears, but it's been a long time since I got more than 2-3% at once. In fact, two years ago my annual raise was a piddly 6 cents per hour (the tears that year were plentiful, and certainly not happy ones). This one raise literally equals the amounts of the past 4 or 5 years combined.
And aside from the money, there's also the fact that I've been promoted. Someone thinks I'm good at my job, and I can't adequately express what that means to me. I love this job. And apparently the job loves me. It's super-awesome!
15 December, 2011
1984, But Not in the Orwellian Sense
'84 was a big year for me. After all, it was my first year of school (first grade). Since we were living in Philly at the time, I'm going to assume that's where this photo was taken. I'm also going to assume that Santa was an alcoholic Italian (the dark hair on his hands and eyebrows and the big red nose - you know I'm right!).
I'm pretty sure I got a Cabbage Patch Kid this Christmas. Thanks for that, Santa!
14 December, 2011
26 Years Ago
* Burgundy velvet
* Ruffled collar
Something about this dress makes me think of a 50-year-old secretary in the 60's or 70's. 80's? Maybe from "9 to 5" or something. Whatever era, it just doesn't seem like a kid's dress. But knowing how much I still to this day enjoy wearing fuzzy clothes, I bet this was a favorite of mine.
10 December, 2011
Pigtails!
I formally request some teeth - I seem to be missing a few. I am also slightly concerned about the position of your left hand. Are you about to snap my tiny little neck? And why aren't you smiling at the camera? Your eyes seem to say "I hate little girls," but I'm sure that's not your true feeling. After all, who could possibly hate little girls? Especially one whose dress matches your outfit?
Thanks!
Seven-year-old Jamie
08 December, 2011
8 Going on 12
I have no idea what I got from the Jolly Elf this Christmas, but apparently I was quite excited to see him and ask for something. Was this the year of the tiny pastel boom box? Some form of Cabbage Patch product? LEGOs? Whatever it was, thanks Santa!
05 December, 2011
2005: The Casual Christmas Portrait
Actually, I really like this picture because I remember having a lot of fun that night. I actually sang in a Candlelight show and then we headed over to MK. We sat on the curb on Main Street watching the "snow" falling, and I was so tired and emotional that I got weepy and homesick for real snow.
Plus, look how YOUNG we both were! Apparently the last 6 years have been rough. Of course, I think we can all agree that the difference between 2005 and 2006 (one post below) is pretty jarring.
04 December, 2011
Oh Christmas Tree!
Scott and I went on a Disney cruise in December of 2006 to celebrate our anniversary and actually paid money for the photo below!
Oh 2006, why did you make my hair like that? Actually, this was after I donated Locks of Love, so I forgive myself for the hair. We won't discuss the arms-white-as-shawl or Scott's nearly-flesh-tone yellow shirt. Anyway, this was another of those pictures we bought but never put in a frame. Can you blame me?
02 December, 2011
Tip of the Hat(s)
We spent New Years Eve 2007 at the Grand Floridian, having dinner with Rose and Gary, followed by stupid hats and fireworks.
(there is a Christmas tree in the background, so this does count as a Christmas picture. Because I said so!)
01 December, 2011
2008: A Very Sweet Christmas
Yes, I'm poaching my own blog for posts now. No, I'm not ashamed!
29 November, 2011
Crusty
I accidentally used a different pie crust recipe for my Thanksgiving apple pie. "Accidentally," you ask? Yes. See, "my" pie crust recipe is from the little spiral-bound booklet that came with my stand mixer. Who'd have thunk that the recipe in the KitchenAid Best-Loved Recipes cookbook (a.k.a the official stand mixer cookbook) would be completely different?By the time I realized my error, I had 1/2 pound of butter cut into pieces and setting in the freezer. There was no turning back. It turns out that this recipe, along with my own special modifications, was pretty fan-damn-tastic. And so, I'd like to share it with the world (or the three of you who read this).
(adapted from the Pie Dough for a 2-Crust Pie, "KitchenAid Best-Loved Recipes")
makes 2 crusts for a 9-9.5" pie
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 cup unsalted butter, each stick cut into 16 pieces and chilled in the freezer for 10-30 minutes
1-2 shots vodka (limoncello, orangecello, or any other flavor-infused vodka may be substituted)
1/4 cup cold water
ice
1. In large mixing bowl, stir together flour, salt, and sugar. Using stand mixer paddle attachment (or food processor, pastry knife, fork, etc.) incorporate butter into flour mixture until pea-sized pieces of butter remain and flour has a coarse texture.
2. In rocks-style glass, combine vodka, water, and ice.
3. With mixer running, add liquid 1 tablespoon at a time until ingredients are moistened and dough begins to hold together. (generally 5-7 Tbs.)
4. Shape dough into a ball and divide in half. Shape each half into a disc and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes before rolling out. Finish as your pie recipe directs.
5. The rest of the cocktail is yours to enjoy. Go ahead, you've earned it!
Note: I used limoncello for Thanksgiving because we didn't have vodka in the house. The crust was incredibly sweet (after the cocktail, I kept referring to is as "a damn sugar cookie"). If you use limoncello for a pie with a sweet filling, I'd recommend leaving the sugar out.
Another note: I've heard that super-cold ingredients make a flakier crust, thus frozen butter and wet ingredients on the rocks. I've also heard that vodka makes a flakier crust because it has a lower evaporation point and therefore leaves less liquid in the crust. This crust was definitely flaky! I can also tell you for sure that there was plenty of dough for a 2-crust pie and it was easy to roll out, if slightly delicate.
Happy Pie-Making!!
Back to 2009
I love the Osborne Lights, but hate the crowds. It's telling that this photo was taken on a side street, with Scott leaning on a trash can. It's the only place we could go without being elbowed by a stranger or run over by a stroller! I'm pretty sure that 2009 was the first time we'd been back to see the lights since 2003. I'm also pretty sure we'll be skipping it again this year.
28 November, 2011
The Daily Christmas #1 (which is sort of #2)
Remember the Month of Holiday Cat Photos (otherwise known as December 2008)? I've decided to resurrect that this year, but instead use pictures from my own past Christmases. They're not going to be chronological, mostly because I have a big hole in my albums in the 90's and 00's, and partly because I'd hate to blow all of the adorable mini-Jamie with Santa pictures in the beginning.
I'm also starting today, knowing that I'll probably fall off the posting wagon once or twice. So without further adieu, I present Christmas morning, 2010:
We took this picture on the parking tram at Disney's Hollywood Studios on our way back to the car. We signed in Jackie and her family, and then (according to the caption on Facebook) went home for eggnog pancakes and presents. It was pretty darn chilly last year, but I won't complain. Better 60 than 90, right?
I'm also starting today, knowing that I'll probably fall off the posting wagon once or twice. So without further adieu, I present Christmas morning, 2010:
We took this picture on the parking tram at Disney's Hollywood Studios on our way back to the car. We signed in Jackie and her family, and then (according to the caption on Facebook) went home for eggnog pancakes and presents. It was pretty darn chilly last year, but I won't complain. Better 60 than 90, right?
26 November, 2011
An Open Letter to Santa Claus
Hi it's Jamie. You might remember me from this picture *cough cough* years ago. I was the little girl holding the red toy truck.
Anyway, I just wanted to let you know I won't be expecting any gifts this year. Scott and I have decided to celebrate our anniversary and Christmas "off the grid" with no gifts. Money is tight, and we have what we need and can wait for anything else we want.
Whatever extra money we do have this season is going to be donated to our two chosen charities. This year, we'll be giving to the Alzheimer's Association (and not just because their ribbon color is purple!) and the Wounded Warrior Project. We know our friends and family will understand our desire to "pay it forward" rather than give and receive trinkets, and we hope that they consider making a donation to a charity of their choosing instead of buying anything for us.
It's nice to know that our money will be helping those who deserve not only our help, but our gratitude. And I'm not going to lie - not having to fight the holiday shopping crowds is a gift in itself!
Merry Christmas to you and the Mrs., and feel free to stop by for some cookies. We'll be sure the save you some!
Love,
Jamie
25 November, 2011
I *Told* You Not to Do That!
Cassidy was born on Wednesday night, and she belongs to Matthew and Kristen. By now though, I think it's safe to say they belong to her. They let me come and visit today, though at 6:00 this morning I was really not sure I'd ever meet her or speak to her daddy again.
Perhaps you remember this post from last month where I gave
This morning, after waking up to another 8 updates, I tweeted to Matthew (with love) that for my own sanity I needed to unfollow him until if/when he stopped tweeting literal and figurative baby crap. He texted me a few hours later, "OMG!!! I had no idea it was doing that!!!" It turns out the iPhone app he bought to track baby crap (and did I mention breastfeeding?) asked for his Twitter ID and he thought he'd be able to pick which entries to tweet - smiling, rolling over, etc. He was so mortified over what happened that he logged into Twitter and deleted all of those posts before I even had a chance to get a screenshot to mock him with later!
Needless to say, Matthew turned off the auto-tweet and I followed him again. And I scored an invite to the hospital. How could I say no? So I brought lunch (I still suspect that's why I was invited. though the smooth "will you stop on your way?" was pretty classic) and held the baby, heard the story of how she was born and doled out some assvice (no, she doesn't need a Black Friday TV in her room to turn her brain to pudding; yes, she needs books that aren't on an iPad!) and talked to Cassidy about life. I also decided to snap a classic self-portrait while I was holding her:
She and I decided that we'd do this every time we see each other. It'll be our thing. Of course, while I was getting this picture just right, Matthew got the best behind-the-scenes picture ever. It's now my Facebook profile picture, though I'm not sure how long I can leave a hospital picture of me with a baby before it just confuses the crap out of everyone I know!
Welcome to the world, little one. I hope your life is filled with love and happiness. And don't worry - I'm sure your daddy deleted all of those tweets about poop before the Library of Congress had the chance to archive them!
10 November, 2011
The Cowardly Blogger
A few days before my twenty-second birthday, I found myself in a date rape situation. A bad combination of a recently prescribed antidepressant and a few shots of vodka with a girlfriend and two guys that I trusted resulted in a night that to this very day I can only remember in very short flashes.
I'm not going to share the details of the night, because they're not important anymore. But I did want to tell you what happened in the following days. The next morning, I woke up in my own bed in my dad's apartment undressed from the waist down. I walked over to my girlfriend's apartment to check on her because I genuinely believed at that point I'd been drugged. We had coffee and I eventually went home to shower and go to work. I ran into him in the cafeteria at lunchtime and when I asked him what happened he lied to me. When I called him out on his lie, he back-tracked and lied again in a different direction. I stopped listening. After work, I called my ex - the one person around me I thought could point me in the right direction - and we went out to dinner. He expected to hear a story about some silly boy troubles. When I told him what happened, he turned six shades of white and was the first one to say the "R"-word.
The next morning, after the girlfriend and I went to the apartment gym to jog on the treadmill and talk things through, I called my mom and told her. Then I went home and told my dad. The rest of the day was sort of a blur of witness statements, interviews, a pelvic exam, and uncomfortable drives.
I didn't want to press charges. The guy had a young kid and I couldn't bear the idea of the kid losing his dad, or the dad losing his job, because of me. I only wanted to tell my story in case it happened to someone else; maybe that person would have a stronger case.
They said it didn't work like that.
While trying to verify the name I had given them, they found a mug shot and showed it to me. It was the same guy, a few years earlier, charged with domestic battery. There's nothing quite so jarring as seeing the mug shot of someone you once viewed as a potential boyfriend and finding out the guy has a history of (at the very least) disrespecting women.
So I pressed charges.
As it so often happens, it turns out I went through all of that only to be on the wrong side of a very weak he-said-she-said situation. After the detective spoke with both of us, he was never even charged. I wasn't surprised. To this day, I sometimes question whether I was more responsible for his actions than I believed at the time. Obviously the guy was a scumbag, and in retrospect I missed some pretty obvious tells. Plus, I'm the one who didn't bother reading the alcohol warning on my prescription pills.
Anyway, why bring all this up now? Well, the same quote keeps coming up in the comments on stories about the Penn State incidents: "all that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing." Today I came across stories of multiple survivors of childhood sexual abuse who say that the acts against them were witnessed, and that the other adult did not intervene.
And while it's easy to point the finger at everyone who looked the other way and say "I would have intervened/called 911/beat the shit out of the guy," I wonder how many people really would have done any of those things. Doing the right thing is hard. Had it not been for one strong voice of reason in my life, I doubt I would have even reported an attack against me.
I lack courage. There are a lot of points in my life I could point to and say not just "I should have handled that differently," but simply "I should have handled that." (If that movie "Defending Your Life" is real, I am definitely coming back to Earth the next time around!) I have seen so many wrongs in my life and I don't think I've ever really stood up to any of them. The job Scott has? I never even pursued that career path because I didn't think I could handle people being fired or arrested because I caught them doing something wrong. I knew I'd blame myself.
But in place of courage, I've got an amazing ability to see the good where others don't. I think that people deserve a second chance. And I'd like to believe that Joe, misguided though he was, thought his friend of half a lifetime deserved a second chance. And until I hear something that changes my mind, I'm going to continue to believe that his legacy, while obviously tarnished, still shows a man deserving of the respect of the Penn State community. Let's not forget that that quote involves "good men." I'm not ready to give up on the idea that Joe is, for the most part, a good man.
Of course, the story seems to keep getting worse. If he was part of a cover-up that spanned three decades in order to save the University (or himself) from embarrassment... if he really did know about the allegations and continued to let Sandusky bring children to University-sponsored events... then maybe he wasn't a good man after all. But right now, as someone who knows how hard it is to report a crime - to stand up and say to a friend "what you did is NOT okay" - I'm going to continue to believe the best of him a little while longer.
I'm not going to share the details of the night, because they're not important anymore. But I did want to tell you what happened in the following days. The next morning, I woke up in my own bed in my dad's apartment undressed from the waist down. I walked over to my girlfriend's apartment to check on her because I genuinely believed at that point I'd been drugged. We had coffee and I eventually went home to shower and go to work. I ran into him in the cafeteria at lunchtime and when I asked him what happened he lied to me. When I called him out on his lie, he back-tracked and lied again in a different direction. I stopped listening. After work, I called my ex - the one person around me I thought could point me in the right direction - and we went out to dinner. He expected to hear a story about some silly boy troubles. When I told him what happened, he turned six shades of white and was the first one to say the "R"-word.
The next morning, after the girlfriend and I went to the apartment gym to jog on the treadmill and talk things through, I called my mom and told her. Then I went home and told my dad. The rest of the day was sort of a blur of witness statements, interviews, a pelvic exam, and uncomfortable drives.
I didn't want to press charges. The guy had a young kid and I couldn't bear the idea of the kid losing his dad, or the dad losing his job, because of me. I only wanted to tell my story in case it happened to someone else; maybe that person would have a stronger case.
They said it didn't work like that.
While trying to verify the name I had given them, they found a mug shot and showed it to me. It was the same guy, a few years earlier, charged with domestic battery. There's nothing quite so jarring as seeing the mug shot of someone you once viewed as a potential boyfriend and finding out the guy has a history of (at the very least) disrespecting women.
So I pressed charges.
As it so often happens, it turns out I went through all of that only to be on the wrong side of a very weak he-said-she-said situation. After the detective spoke with both of us, he was never even charged. I wasn't surprised. To this day, I sometimes question whether I was more responsible for his actions than I believed at the time. Obviously the guy was a scumbag, and in retrospect I missed some pretty obvious tells. Plus, I'm the one who didn't bother reading the alcohol warning on my prescription pills.
Anyway, why bring all this up now? Well, the same quote keeps coming up in the comments on stories about the Penn State incidents: "all that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing." Today I came across stories of multiple survivors of childhood sexual abuse who say that the acts against them were witnessed, and that the other adult did not intervene.
And while it's easy to point the finger at everyone who looked the other way and say "I would have intervened/called 911/beat the shit out of the guy," I wonder how many people really would have done any of those things. Doing the right thing is hard. Had it not been for one strong voice of reason in my life, I doubt I would have even reported an attack against me.
I lack courage. There are a lot of points in my life I could point to and say not just "I should have handled that differently," but simply "I should have handled that." (If that movie "Defending Your Life" is real, I am definitely coming back to Earth the next time around!) I have seen so many wrongs in my life and I don't think I've ever really stood up to any of them. The job Scott has? I never even pursued that career path because I didn't think I could handle people being fired or arrested because I caught them doing something wrong. I knew I'd blame myself.
But in place of courage, I've got an amazing ability to see the good where others don't. I think that people deserve a second chance. And I'd like to believe that Joe, misguided though he was, thought his friend of half a lifetime deserved a second chance. And until I hear something that changes my mind, I'm going to continue to believe that his legacy, while obviously tarnished, still shows a man deserving of the respect of the Penn State community. Let's not forget that that quote involves "good men." I'm not ready to give up on the idea that Joe is, for the most part, a good man.
Of course, the story seems to keep getting worse. If he was part of a cover-up that spanned three decades in order to save the University (or himself) from embarrassment... if he really did know about the allegations and continued to let Sandusky bring children to University-sponsored events... then maybe he wasn't a good man after all. But right now, as someone who knows how hard it is to report a crime - to stand up and say to a friend "what you did is NOT okay" - I'm going to continue to believe the best of him a little while longer.
09 November, 2011
Blue
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| Photo Credit |
Assuming that the allegations against Jerry Sandusky are true, there was a monster in our midst and none of us knew it. Assuming the reports are correct, Sandusky was caught doing horrible things to children at least twice by Penn State employees on the Penn State campus and the University failed to investigate. And now an attempt by the University to look the other way and pretend that nothing bad had happened has backfired in a way that none of those involved had anticipated.
This is probably a good time for me to make abundantly clear that I find Sandusky's alleged behavior disgusting and deplorable. There is nothing ok about using your position of power and authority to abuse children. There is nothing ok about a sexual predator being allowed to continue work with at-risk youth after the first allegation was raised.
And while I am sickened by Jerry Sandusky's decades of abuse, I find myself sad that Joe Paterno's career is ending because he only did what he had to and not what he should have done. Because Joe didn't stand up to his boss and his boss's boss based on the word of a graduate assistant, his entire legacy is tarnished.
Let's remember that Joe did not commit a crime. Frankly, if the coach at a school like Miami or Auburn found himself in the exact same situation, no one would be rounding up a lynch mob or even raising an eyebrow. Joe's big crime here is not living up to his own high standards.
And to those like Piers Morgan who think that Joe doesn't deserve to be remembered as anything but "a guy who helped cover up sickening child abuse," I ask you to consider whether you think you should be remembered by your biggest mistake. Do you think you should be forced out of a job you have done (and done well) for most of your life because you went along with the decisions of the person responsible for your employment? Have you ever looked back and thought, "yeah, I could have handled _____ better. I'm glad I got a second chance?"
Unfortunately, Penn State's failure to act in the first place changed the story from "former PSU assistant coach abused a child" to "Penn State Sex Scandal Cover-Up Involves Coach, Administration." I think Joe's decision to retire is what's best for the University community at this point. I think that Graham Spanier, Mike McQueary (who, amazingly, is exactly as "guilty" as Joe and possibly more considering he parlayed an assistant job to a coaching job at the exact time of these allegations), and whomever was running The Second Mile nine years ago should step down.
In the statement he released today, Joe said:
“I am absolutely devastated by the developments in this case. I grieve for the children and their families, and I pray for their comfort and relief...
This is a tragedy. It is one of the great sorrows of my life. With the benefit of hindsight, I wish I had done more."
To me as a once and future Penn State student, Joe Paterno will always be more than just a football coach with a lot of wins. He'll be the man whose personal donations doubled the size of the Penn State library. He'll be a class act - the coach with higher standards of conduct than anyone else coaching today. He'll be the ultimate Penn Stater. He's larger than life...a living legend. He is Penn State.
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