I won't apologize for not writing in my blog for a while...just haven't done it. Various reasons but nothing worth mentioning. It's hard to believe it's mid July. I say this every summer, and it's very cliche. School will start soon. I actually started working on one of my syllabi today. I am not teaching any new classes in the fall, but am making some changes to classes. I haven't taught any new classes in about a year now.
I have increased my running mileage just as the temperature has increased. I've run a few times when the heat index was over 100. If you are wondering why I didn't wait until the evening to run, I did! I haven't been running fast (with the exception of a sad excuse for speedwork I did last week), but I've been running. Good enough for me. Bill and I did an early morning run today. The heat and humidity were ridiculous when we started out at 6:30. I felt like we deserved more of a reward for getting up early to run.
Today the US women's soccer team has a big World Cup game. I admit that I don't care much for soccer. I wish I liked it more. I just can't get into it. However, I'll at least tune in for the 2nd half. I hope the US wins, and I hope it's an exciting game.
In other news, I've sort of discovered Twitter. I'm not sure what I think of it yet. Having only 140 characters in which to type my message is challenging for me but in a fun way. And, interestingly, Yoko Ono is following me on Twitter.
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Saturday, July 9, 2011
Update
It's been awhile. Here is my update:
- I have a cyst on my hand. I am supposed to immobilize it (which is not easy). If that doesn't work, I will have x-rays done, and a possibly surgery. The problem is not actually where my cyst is. It's down in my wrist.
- We are watching Buttons again for a couple of weeks. Her parents are on vacation. She's a fun little dog with lots of energy.
- Murphy has jumped the fence two times in three days. Tomorrow we are making fence modifications.
- Gus got poked in the eye by Murphy. He had to wear the cone of shame for a few days, but he's fine now.
- I subbed for lots of aerobics classes last week. So many that I barely ran.
- I ran 5 miles today in awful heat. I waited too late---I could have run at 7 a.m. but waited until 10:30 instead.
- Bill's parents bought us a cappucino/espresso maker. I am trying to like coffee. Right now I can do frappes and cappucino, but not real coffee. Baby steps.
- Bill's summer classes are over, which means he is home a bit more, which means he is cooking a bit more. Last night he made tilapia and baked potatoes. I am not going to lie. He's a good cook. I lucked out.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Good Days and Bad Days
I ran for an hour today before teaching step class. It was a good run. Not good as in fast, but I felt pretty good the whole time.
If you do any running, you understand that there are good and bad days, and often you cannot attribute this to any known cause. There are beautiful days when I am well-rested and go out for a run...only to feel like crap within a mile. Sometimes I feel like I could run forever. And I don't know why.
Having a bad run or a run I have to cut short used to upset me. Now I just go with it and understand there will be better days. I also give myself credit for going on a run even if it isn't as long or as fast as I wanted it to be. Even a short run or a run that turns into a walk is better than sitting on the couch.
Last year I had a bad run at the Chicago Half Marathon. The funny thing was that my time wasn't really much slower than I expected. It wasn't fast for me, but it wasn't horrible. Yet, in my mind, I remember it as an awful run. At mile 3, I was thinking about how I was going to get through it. I did get through it. I did lots of looking at my GPS, thinking about how I was ONLY at mile 5, ONLY at mile 8, ONLY at mile 9. I just didn't have it. And it didn't have to do with being slow. It just wasn't that much fun. I usually like to run, and that day I didn't like to run.
If you are just starting to run for the first time or after a hiatus, don't get down about the bad days. You won't always feel great, and that's just part of it. Having a bad day doesn't mean you should panic because your fitness level isn't where you thought it was. Maybe it just means your body needs an easy or recovery day. You can't be at the top of your game all the time.
Today my run was on the trails in Cedar Falls. I am fortunate that the community I live in makes biking/running/walking/nature trails a priority. Many of my routes follow the river, which is nice. And I don't have to worry about traffic--just cyclists who don't let me know they are coming and startle me as they pass. Most of the people I pass out on the trails, whether they are on foot or bike, are friendly and conscientious. I would enjoy a few more drinking fountains, but you can't have everything, and I only really care about that when I am running more than 8-9 miles in the summer. Oh, and more restrooms would be good, too.
We are still watching little Buttons. She is a cute thing. She's been a good playmate for Murphy and Gus-Gus, although she has more energy than both of them put together. Most of her time is spent searching for a playmate. If Murphy doesn't want to play, she tries Gus. If Gus doesn't want to play, she tries Karl. Then the cats. Then Bill and me. It's so cute. She just wants someone, anyone, to play with.
If you do any running, you understand that there are good and bad days, and often you cannot attribute this to any known cause. There are beautiful days when I am well-rested and go out for a run...only to feel like crap within a mile. Sometimes I feel like I could run forever. And I don't know why.
Having a bad run or a run I have to cut short used to upset me. Now I just go with it and understand there will be better days. I also give myself credit for going on a run even if it isn't as long or as fast as I wanted it to be. Even a short run or a run that turns into a walk is better than sitting on the couch.
Last year I had a bad run at the Chicago Half Marathon. The funny thing was that my time wasn't really much slower than I expected. It wasn't fast for me, but it wasn't horrible. Yet, in my mind, I remember it as an awful run. At mile 3, I was thinking about how I was going to get through it. I did get through it. I did lots of looking at my GPS, thinking about how I was ONLY at mile 5, ONLY at mile 8, ONLY at mile 9. I just didn't have it. And it didn't have to do with being slow. It just wasn't that much fun. I usually like to run, and that day I didn't like to run.
If you are just starting to run for the first time or after a hiatus, don't get down about the bad days. You won't always feel great, and that's just part of it. Having a bad day doesn't mean you should panic because your fitness level isn't where you thought it was. Maybe it just means your body needs an easy or recovery day. You can't be at the top of your game all the time.
Today my run was on the trails in Cedar Falls. I am fortunate that the community I live in makes biking/running/walking/nature trails a priority. Many of my routes follow the river, which is nice. And I don't have to worry about traffic--just cyclists who don't let me know they are coming and startle me as they pass. Most of the people I pass out on the trails, whether they are on foot or bike, are friendly and conscientious. I would enjoy a few more drinking fountains, but you can't have everything, and I only really care about that when I am running more than 8-9 miles in the summer. Oh, and more restrooms would be good, too.
We are still watching little Buttons. She is a cute thing. She's been a good playmate for Murphy and Gus-Gus, although she has more energy than both of them put together. Most of her time is spent searching for a playmate. If Murphy doesn't want to play, she tries Gus. If Gus doesn't want to play, she tries Karl. Then the cats. Then Bill and me. It's so cute. She just wants someone, anyone, to play with.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
It's rainy and gloomy. I didn't run today, nor did I teach aerobics. It was my first day off from summer orientation for several weeks because we didn't have a session today. I did a little bit of cleaning up the house and a minimal amount of grading, but I wasn't very productive. I've just felt like I can't get going. All in all, a blah day. I won't say I was feeling depressed, but I didn't get excited about anything and felt like I was just dragging myself around.
It occured to me about 10 minutes ago--I haven't had any caffeine all day! Am I really that addicted to caffeine? I guess so...it seems odd because I despise coffee and have never had a cup of coffee in my life, but between my caffeineted Crystal Light packets and my soda--I must be more dependent on caffeine than I thought. I debate on whether this is something I should try to "fix" (e.g., get OFF caffeine) or something I should just own (e.g., realize that I need caffeine at certain times during the day and plan accordingly). There are worse things to be addicted to. I don't drink very much. I've never had a cigarette or smoked pot. I hate gambling. Maybe I should just go with this caffeine deal rather than fight it...
We are dog sitting. Our friends' dog, Buttons, is with us for a few days. She is a Jack Russell/Chihuahua mix, and lives up to the breed. Actually, she is not much of a barker, but she does go and go and go. You would think her little legs would get tired after a while, but she pushes on. She's fun to have around. She's tolerant, too. Gus-Gus was humping her earlier and she was completely unfazed.
That's all for tonight. I am probably headed for an early bedtime. Take care, friends.
It occured to me about 10 minutes ago--I haven't had any caffeine all day! Am I really that addicted to caffeine? I guess so...it seems odd because I despise coffee and have never had a cup of coffee in my life, but between my caffeineted Crystal Light packets and my soda--I must be more dependent on caffeine than I thought. I debate on whether this is something I should try to "fix" (e.g., get OFF caffeine) or something I should just own (e.g., realize that I need caffeine at certain times during the day and plan accordingly). There are worse things to be addicted to. I don't drink very much. I've never had a cigarette or smoked pot. I hate gambling. Maybe I should just go with this caffeine deal rather than fight it...
We are dog sitting. Our friends' dog, Buttons, is with us for a few days. She is a Jack Russell/Chihuahua mix, and lives up to the breed. Actually, she is not much of a barker, but she does go and go and go. You would think her little legs would get tired after a while, but she pushes on. She's fun to have around. She's tolerant, too. Gus-Gus was humping her earlier and she was completely unfazed.
That's all for tonight. I am probably headed for an early bedtime. Take care, friends.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Grapefruitus Vomitus
Let's talk about grapefruit. Grapefruit is awful.
A couple of weeks ago, a traveling fruit salesman came to our front door. Yes, true story. The sucker that I am, I bought a large crate of fruit. If you want to know more about the traveling fruit salesman, ask my husband. Bill was not that thrilled with my impulse decision to buy a boatload of fruit.
He had apples, oranges, and grapefruit. I could mix them in the crate as I wished. For some reason, I thought that Bill loved grapefruit, so I included them in our crate.
I was wrong. Bill doesn't enjoy grapefruit at all. And neither do I. So we've got quite a few grapefruit that are desirable to neither of us.
There are some foods that I don't like but I can understand why they appeal to other people. However, I just don't get how people can eat grapefruit. They are so bitter.
Since I can't just sit down and eat a grapefruit, I thought tonight I'd give a grapefruit smoothie a shot. I made a smoothie with grapefruit and frozen strawberries. I added two Crystal Light packets to sweeten it a bit. It was still ridiculously bitter. So I started added Splenda. And more Splenda. And more Splenda.
I honestly think I probably added about 1/2 a cup of Splenda. And now, as I sit here trying to drink this thing, I am completely nauseated by the aftertaste.
I hate wasting food. I will choke just about anything down to avoid wasting food, but I just don't think I can do it. I think I'm going to have to pour this one down the drain. It's just terrible. And no amount of Splenda could save it.
If anyone has any ideas of any ways I can prepare grapefruit so it is tolerable, please let me know. Or, if anyone enjoys grapefruit and would like a dozen or so, tell me when you want to come by my house and pick them up.
I discovered tonight that Karl really will eat anything. He's eaten socks, t-shirts, underwear...and tonight he tried a piece of grapefruit. Yes, he seemed to like that as well.
A couple of weeks ago, a traveling fruit salesman came to our front door. Yes, true story. The sucker that I am, I bought a large crate of fruit. If you want to know more about the traveling fruit salesman, ask my husband. Bill was not that thrilled with my impulse decision to buy a boatload of fruit.
He had apples, oranges, and grapefruit. I could mix them in the crate as I wished. For some reason, I thought that Bill loved grapefruit, so I included them in our crate.
I was wrong. Bill doesn't enjoy grapefruit at all. And neither do I. So we've got quite a few grapefruit that are desirable to neither of us.
There are some foods that I don't like but I can understand why they appeal to other people. However, I just don't get how people can eat grapefruit. They are so bitter.
Since I can't just sit down and eat a grapefruit, I thought tonight I'd give a grapefruit smoothie a shot. I made a smoothie with grapefruit and frozen strawberries. I added two Crystal Light packets to sweeten it a bit. It was still ridiculously bitter. So I started added Splenda. And more Splenda. And more Splenda.
I honestly think I probably added about 1/2 a cup of Splenda. And now, as I sit here trying to drink this thing, I am completely nauseated by the aftertaste.
I hate wasting food. I will choke just about anything down to avoid wasting food, but I just don't think I can do it. I think I'm going to have to pour this one down the drain. It's just terrible. And no amount of Splenda could save it.
If anyone has any ideas of any ways I can prepare grapefruit so it is tolerable, please let me know. Or, if anyone enjoys grapefruit and would like a dozen or so, tell me when you want to come by my house and pick them up.
I discovered tonight that Karl really will eat anything. He's eaten socks, t-shirts, underwear...and tonight he tried a piece of grapefruit. Yes, he seemed to like that as well.
Monday, June 20, 2011
Working Out and About
Today I did something new (for me). I decided to pack up my laptop and head to Panera Bread to work. I have never needed complete silence to work, and sometimes silence is a detriment to me getting stuff done. So a few hours working outside of my office sounded appealing.
I got a lot done. The only problem is the 30 minute internet limit during lunch time. I managed to work around that by saving everything I needed to my desktop before my time limit ran out. I also managed to spend $9.50 on a lunch of a small veggie sandwich, broccoli cheddar soup, a soda, and a cookie. If that’s not overpriced….But I will consider it money spent on getting a few hours of productive and enjoyable work done in a pleasant environment. Next time I’ll have a lighter lunch, forget the cookie, and have a snack at home later.
It’s ironic to me that as I sat working on a research article in the area of gerontology, I was surrounded by older adults. They were not quietly reading the paper, but rather chatting and laughing loudly. I heard a lot of older men making fun of each other for things like being bald and having a spare tire. The women were often talking about shopping, new clothes, and the fitness classes they attend (Pilates, yoga, spinning, etc.). It was fun to listen to. There was an older couple sitting by the window having coffee. They had on identical fanny packs and seemed to be having a nice time. It seems that Panera is a hang out for the lively retired bunch.
A group of three older people sat down in a booth close to me. I wasn’t paying a whole lot of attention, but they seemed very quiet after being very boisterous, so I looked up. At first glance, I thought they were praying before their meal. They were all sitting silently with their heads bowed. Then I looked up again a moment later. They were all texting.
One of my new summer goals is to work more and have more fun. This sounds counterintuitive, but it’s not. I don’t feel like I’ve been being very productive. Sure, I work summer orientation, but I could be putting more into my research and academic writing. I also don’t feel like I have enough fun. Although I’m not working full time right now, I’m not really replacing that time with anything enjoyable. I’m not really sure what I’m doing, but I feel like I could do a better job putting more into both work and fun.
I was proud of myself today for working at Panera for a while. I know it sounds like a small thing, but I typically see taking myself to Panera and spending money on food and drink while I work to be frivolous. I tell myself that if I want to work, I can work either at home or from my office for less money and less effort.
I need to find some other pleasant places around here that have wireless internet to park myself for a few hours and get some stuff done.
I got a lot done. The only problem is the 30 minute internet limit during lunch time. I managed to work around that by saving everything I needed to my desktop before my time limit ran out. I also managed to spend $9.50 on a lunch of a small veggie sandwich, broccoli cheddar soup, a soda, and a cookie. If that’s not overpriced….But I will consider it money spent on getting a few hours of productive and enjoyable work done in a pleasant environment. Next time I’ll have a lighter lunch, forget the cookie, and have a snack at home later.
It’s ironic to me that as I sat working on a research article in the area of gerontology, I was surrounded by older adults. They were not quietly reading the paper, but rather chatting and laughing loudly. I heard a lot of older men making fun of each other for things like being bald and having a spare tire. The women were often talking about shopping, new clothes, and the fitness classes they attend (Pilates, yoga, spinning, etc.). It was fun to listen to. There was an older couple sitting by the window having coffee. They had on identical fanny packs and seemed to be having a nice time. It seems that Panera is a hang out for the lively retired bunch.
A group of three older people sat down in a booth close to me. I wasn’t paying a whole lot of attention, but they seemed very quiet after being very boisterous, so I looked up. At first glance, I thought they were praying before their meal. They were all sitting silently with their heads bowed. Then I looked up again a moment later. They were all texting.
One of my new summer goals is to work more and have more fun. This sounds counterintuitive, but it’s not. I don’t feel like I’ve been being very productive. Sure, I work summer orientation, but I could be putting more into my research and academic writing. I also don’t feel like I have enough fun. Although I’m not working full time right now, I’m not really replacing that time with anything enjoyable. I’m not really sure what I’m doing, but I feel like I could do a better job putting more into both work and fun.
I was proud of myself today for working at Panera for a while. I know it sounds like a small thing, but I typically see taking myself to Panera and spending money on food and drink while I work to be frivolous. I tell myself that if I want to work, I can work either at home or from my office for less money and less effort.
I need to find some other pleasant places around here that have wireless internet to park myself for a few hours and get some stuff done.
Sunday, June 19, 2011
5 Things...
Today I have gone back to my list-making ways. Here goes:
5 Things in My Purse:
1. Crystal Light packets
2. Ibuprofen
3. Aveda Lip Tint
4. A check I’ve been meaning to deposit
5. A mini-brush
5 TV Shows I Watch:
1. Coal
2. Parks & Rec
3. The Office
4. The Bachelorette
5. 16 & Pregnant
5 Places I Would Like to Visit:
1. Sydney, Australia
2. Rome, Italy
3. Cancun
4. New Zealand
5. Belize
5 Things I Use Nearly Everyday:
1. Hair dryer
2. DVR
3. Toaster
4. Magic Bullet
5. Running shoes
5 Things I Have Been Meaning to do But Haven’t Done:
1. Make a dentist’s appointment (long overdue)
2. Make a doctor’s appointment for cyst on hand
3. Pull weeds
4. Register for a few races
5. Find a way to buy Crystal Light packets at lower prices
5 Things I Have Done in the Last Few Days:
1. Ordered a larger battery for my laptop
2. Scoped out free online training plans for half marathons
3. Bought a white denim skirt on sale at OldNavy.com
4. Took Murphy running out on the trails
5. Cleaned out the filter on my vacuum
5 Things I Will Do in the Next Few Days:
1. Advise incoming freshmen at orientation
2. Meet with colleagues about a research project
3. Run
4. Receive the next Netflix DVD on our list
5. Grade papers
5 Things I Am Grateful For (this excludes people):
1. New washer
2. Flat screen TV
3. Summer weather
4. New lawn mower
5. Windtunnel vacuum
5 Things I Don’t Like:
1. Malted milk balls
2. Romance novels
3. Fleas
4. NASCAR
5. Golf
5 Sports I Enjoy:
1. Basketball (college, not pro)
2. Gymnastics
3. Track and field
4. Swimming
5. Triathlon
5 Schools I Have Attended:
1. Muscatine High School
2. University of Northern Iowa
3. Mulberry Elementary
4. West Middle School
5. Iowa State University
5 Places I Have Worked:
1. University of Northern Iowa
2. Ankeny YMCA
3. Metro Health and Fitness
4. Hon Furniture
5. Hy-Vee
5 Things I Consume Almost Everyday:
1. Waffles
2. Peanut butter
3. Crystal Light
4. Soda
5. Smoothie
5 Things I Love to Eat:
1. Tuna steak
2. Red Vines licorice
3. Ice cream
4. Cupcakes
5. Cheesecake
5 Vehicles I Have Owned:
1. Ford Escort
2. Toyota Tacoma
3. Mazda 5
4. Chevy Lumina
5. Honda Civic
5 Things I Can Make:
1. Bean soup
2. Pasta bake
3. Garlic-cheese biscuits
4. Cornbread muffins
5. Apple butter
5 Favorite Diet Sodas:
1. Diet 7-Up
2. Diet A & W Cream Soda
3. Coke Zero Cherry
4. Diet Barq’s Root Beer
5. Diet Mountain Dew
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Bloggers
This morning I had some free time and decided to do some online blog exploring. There are so many blogs out there. They are as unique as people are. Some are funny. Some are sad. Some are stupid. Some are entertaining, and some are boring. Some are all of the above.
There are people out there who make a living from writing their blog. I cannot imagine this is easy to do, so I really admire people who can make this work. Apparently, "blogger" is a career title. There are people who classify themselves as "food bloggers," "health bloggers," "news bloggers," etc. I see myself as a college professor who happens to blog. Blogging is certainly not something I would identify myself by--although recently it is something I do on a daily basis and one of my main (and only) hobbies otuside of running.
One thing I have noticed is that some of the most popular blogs tend to rely less on text and more on photos. Obviously, photos, graphics, etc. make things more visually appealing. I don't usually post too many pictures on here. I know that's one thing I could work on to make my blog a little more interesting. Of course, when I do post pictures, they tend to be pictures of my pets. There are only so many cat and dog photos one can post.
I put together a list of some of the interesting blogs I came across. You'll see that they represent some of my areas of interest: food, running, health and diseases, Alzheimer's, gerontology, and budget living.
http://www.americancupcakeinlondon.com/ Food blog with lots of photos
http://alsboy.com/ Chronicles of a guy dealing with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease)
http://agingparents.com/blog/ This is related to my field of study (gerontology)
http://www.keeprunningirl.com/ A fun blog about a woman who is a runner
http://runtrails.blogspot.com/ Blog of a hard core trail runner
http://alzheimersdad.blogspot.com/ A woman’s experiences after her father was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s
http://www.creatingmemories.blogspot.com/ Blog of a women affected by early Alzheimer’s
http://dogblog.dogster.com// Quirky blog related to dogs
http://www.suddenlyfrugal.com/ Ways to save money
http://www.makeupandbeautyblog.com// Sort of self-explanatory
http://frugaltraveler.blogs.nytimes.com/ A blog about traveling on the cheap
http://mamamarathoner.com/ Another running blog by a woman
http://amerrylife.com/ A blog about a woman trying to start on a path to a healthier lifestyle
There are people out there who make a living from writing their blog. I cannot imagine this is easy to do, so I really admire people who can make this work. Apparently, "blogger" is a career title. There are people who classify themselves as "food bloggers," "health bloggers," "news bloggers," etc. I see myself as a college professor who happens to blog. Blogging is certainly not something I would identify myself by--although recently it is something I do on a daily basis and one of my main (and only) hobbies otuside of running.
One thing I have noticed is that some of the most popular blogs tend to rely less on text and more on photos. Obviously, photos, graphics, etc. make things more visually appealing. I don't usually post too many pictures on here. I know that's one thing I could work on to make my blog a little more interesting. Of course, when I do post pictures, they tend to be pictures of my pets. There are only so many cat and dog photos one can post.
I put together a list of some of the interesting blogs I came across. You'll see that they represent some of my areas of interest: food, running, health and diseases, Alzheimer's, gerontology, and budget living.
http://www.americancupcakeinlondon.com/ Food blog with lots of photos
http://alsboy.com/ Chronicles of a guy dealing with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease)
http://agingparents.com/blog/ This is related to my field of study (gerontology)
http://www.keeprunningirl.com/ A fun blog about a woman who is a runner
http://runtrails.blogspot.com/ Blog of a hard core trail runner
http://alzheimersdad.blogspot.com/ A woman’s experiences after her father was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s
http://www.creatingmemories.blogspot.com/ Blog of a women affected by early Alzheimer’s
http://dogblog.dogster.com// Quirky blog related to dogs
http://www.suddenlyfrugal.com/ Ways to save money
http://www.makeupandbeautyblog.com// Sort of self-explanatory
http://frugaltraveler.blogs.nytimes.com/ A blog about traveling on the cheap
http://mamamarathoner.com/ Another running blog by a woman
http://amerrylife.com/ A blog about a woman trying to start on a path to a healthier lifestyle
Friday, June 17, 2011
Big Love
Bill and I are catching up on one of our favorite TV series: Big Love. Big Love is an HBO series which ended recently after the 5th season. However, we are currently watching the 4th season on Netflix. We watched one episode yesterday and two tonight. There are three to four episodes on each DVD.
It's a well-done series, which is pretty typical for HBO. (My all time favorite was probably Six Feet Under, which centered on a family's business that just happened to be small funeral home.) Big Love focuses on a family practicing polygamy in Utah. It's a fictional version of Sister Wives, the current TLC series which follows the lives of a real polygymist family and has been somewhat controversial.
I think it's interesting that as a society we seem to find polygamy fascinating. I have to admit that it does interest me. Most people in America think polygamy is wrong, unethical, immoral, etc. However, when I watch Sister Wives, I realize that in some odd way the family is not that different from my own. Obviously, there are four wives and one husband. In that way, we are different.
Yet, the struggles they have and the issues that they face are things that I relate to. It reminds me that people who seem very different from me on the surface still have things in common with me. I think this lesson is an important one when it comes to understanding and showing empathy for others. This may be particularly important for me because I tend to error on the side of being judgmental. It's good for me to remember that everyone is similar to me in some way. I just have to figure out how they are similar to me.
In other news...I am looking forward to a weekend with some time to work on a research article that is in process and do some running. And, of course, spend some quality time with my husband and the dogs.
It's a well-done series, which is pretty typical for HBO. (My all time favorite was probably Six Feet Under, which centered on a family's business that just happened to be small funeral home.) Big Love focuses on a family practicing polygamy in Utah. It's a fictional version of Sister Wives, the current TLC series which follows the lives of a real polygymist family and has been somewhat controversial.
I think it's interesting that as a society we seem to find polygamy fascinating. I have to admit that it does interest me. Most people in America think polygamy is wrong, unethical, immoral, etc. However, when I watch Sister Wives, I realize that in some odd way the family is not that different from my own. Obviously, there are four wives and one husband. In that way, we are different.
Yet, the struggles they have and the issues that they face are things that I relate to. It reminds me that people who seem very different from me on the surface still have things in common with me. I think this lesson is an important one when it comes to understanding and showing empathy for others. This may be particularly important for me because I tend to error on the side of being judgmental. It's good for me to remember that everyone is similar to me in some way. I just have to figure out how they are similar to me.
In other news...I am looking forward to a weekend with some time to work on a research article that is in process and do some running. And, of course, spend some quality time with my husband and the dogs.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
What I Did Today
I usually play Scrabble online with my dad in the evening. Not every night, but maybe five nights a week. One of the questions my dad often asks me while we play is, “What did you do today?” My typical answer is “Not much,” or “Nothing.” Bill often asks the same question and gets a similar answer.
So this evening I decided to sit down and make a list of what I did today. The funny thing is that I didn’t really think I did anything today, but I came up with 49 things. I just think most of them are not interesting enough to share when people ask what I did today.There are three possible exceptions on the list. You can decide which three.
What I did today:
1. Made a smoothie.
2. Taught step aerobics.
3. Gave a presentation with a colleague at freshmen orientation on campus.
4. Talked to my dad on the phone.
5. Watched a little of the Casey Anthony trial.
6. Made a grilled cheese on the George Foreman grill.
7. Ordered stamps online.
8. Ate a Gala apple.
9. Closed the windows and turned on the air conditioning.
10. Chatted with a colleague from the math department about how people adjust to retirement.
11. Put blondish highlights in my hair.
12. Wore a pair of jeans for the first time.
13. Remembered, at the very last minute, to blow out a candle before leaving the house.
14. Received a text message from my Uncle Neil, whose house burnt to the ground yesterday.
15. Watched part of the episode of Sex and the City where Miranda meets Steve for the first time.
16. Talked to my mom on the phone.
17. Wore a white sweater with a tiny, subtle stain and hoped no one noticed.
18. Admired the flowers that my dad sent me yesterday.
19. Ate generic Special K red berries (aka Strawberry Awake) cereal.
20. Checked the TV listings and realized there was nothing on tonight.
21. Spent about 10-15 minutes on Facebook.
22. Paid $1.15 at McDonald’s for a vanilla cone.
23. Signed up for our credit card company’s quarterly rebate program via text message.
24. Reviewed a health insurance statement I received in the mail.
25. Watched about half of an ancient episode of Unsolved Mysteries.
26. Found a $20 bill on the sidewalk on campus.
27. Ate pretzels.
28. Got invited to a party.
29. Refilled the pets’ water.
30. Learned that my mom has a broken foot.
31. Got a summary of my medical experiences in at Mayo Clinic in the mail.
32. Felt sorry for myself because I didn’t have time to take a nap.
33. Parked in metered parking on campus, let the meter expire, and got away with it.
34. Put away clean dishes.
35. Loaded dirty dishes.
36. Thought about mowing the grass but didn’t actually do it.
37. Fed the dogs.
38. Considered whether or not the glitter nail polish I am wearing makes me look too juvenile.
39. Discussed the Casey Anthony trial and joked about Zanny the Nanny with my husband.
40. Considered calling the doctor to make an appointment about this strange cyst-type thing that has surfaced on the back of my hand (but put it off).
41. Answered emails from students.
42. Experienced a ringing sensation in my ears.
43. Used a new black eyeliner that I bought for 99 cents last night at Walgreens.
44. Accidentally wrote on my dog with a blue marker.
45. Graded about 4-5 student papers.
46. Noticed how bad my English Mastiff’s breath really is.
47. Scoped out half marathon training plans online.
48. Did laundry but didn’t put it away (yet).
49. Ate the last of the pretzels that Bill bought at Dollar Tree as a snack for a class he is teaching.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Uncles
I heard just a bit ago that my Uncle Neil's house burned down today in a fire. He is fine, and his dog (Cloudy) is fine, but he has lost everything. He will live with his sister for now. I am waiting to hear more details. Not a good day for him.
My dad has three brothers and my mom has two brothers. So I have a total of five uncles. Growing up, I perceived Neil to be my "coolest" uncle. He was cool for two reasons. First, he is deaf. In school, we learned sign language, and I was a pretty neat kid because I had a deaf uncle who actually used sign language. Second, he is extremely tall. About 6 foot 8 or so. No one else had an uncle this tall. This made me really special.
When talking about how cool I always thought my Uncle Neil was, I should add that I was terrified of two of my five uncles for reasons I cannot explain while I was growing up. I honestly cannot articulate why they were so frightening.
Bill just got home from teaching his course and has brought some terrific left-over snacks (frosted animal crackers, licorice, pretzels!). I am pretty excited about this.
My dad has three brothers and my mom has two brothers. So I have a total of five uncles. Growing up, I perceived Neil to be my "coolest" uncle. He was cool for two reasons. First, he is deaf. In school, we learned sign language, and I was a pretty neat kid because I had a deaf uncle who actually used sign language. Second, he is extremely tall. About 6 foot 8 or so. No one else had an uncle this tall. This made me really special.
When talking about how cool I always thought my Uncle Neil was, I should add that I was terrified of two of my five uncles for reasons I cannot explain while I was growing up. I honestly cannot articulate why they were so frightening.
Bill just got home from teaching his course and has brought some terrific left-over snacks (frosted animal crackers, licorice, pretzels!). I am pretty excited about this.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Tips for Motivation
Happy Tuesday!
For runners or anyone looking for a kick in the pants to get motivated to work out, Runner's World has this list to help you get going:
http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-243-297--11733-1-1X2X3-4,00.html
It doesn't list my favorite trick--caffeine! My other trick is to buy something new (a pair of running shoes, a running top, etc.). I don't know if this is the most budget-friendly tip, but I really feel guilty not running and letting my new gear just sit around unused. I also feel motivated after I register for a race. This is mostly because I know that if I don't go running I will make a fool of myself on race day. I guess fear is a good motivator.
Well, that's all for today. I am off in a little while to meet with some students about how to get into grad school!
For runners or anyone looking for a kick in the pants to get motivated to work out, Runner's World has this list to help you get going:
http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-243-297--11733-1-1X2X3-4,00.html
It doesn't list my favorite trick--caffeine! My other trick is to buy something new (a pair of running shoes, a running top, etc.). I don't know if this is the most budget-friendly tip, but I really feel guilty not running and letting my new gear just sit around unused. I also feel motivated after I register for a race. This is mostly because I know that if I don't go running I will make a fool of myself on race day. I guess fear is a good motivator.
Well, that's all for today. I am off in a little while to meet with some students about how to get into grad school!
Monday, June 13, 2011
Online Training Plans?
I am about 90% sure I am going to run the Des Moines IMT Half Marathon in October. As for the other 10%, there is a 5% chance I will do the full marathon and about a 5% chance I won't do anything at all. I'm kicking it around for a few days before committing.
When I've trained for half marathons in the past, I used a free tool on Runnersworld.com to generate a free training plan. It would generate how many miles per day I should be running along with the ideal pace for me to train. It also allowed me to choose training plans that were easy, hard, or very hard. I found their site to be very useful and it helped me get ready for several half marathons over the last 5-6 years. The last time I went to this website, I realized that they were charging for these training plans. I am unwilling to pay.
I would like to find a similar online tool to create an individualized training plan. Can anyone suggest the best ones? I want something where I put in my previous race times and set a time goal rather than just a standard sheet that I print out without putting in any information about myself. Which sites have you used in the past? Which do you prefer? What features do you like and not like? Fill me in.
I am ready to stop just running and start training. I need a goal. If anyone wants to talk me into pursuing the full marathon, here's your chance. I may be persuaded. I've done plenty of half marathons in the past. I would guess about 10 to 15. I've walked a marathon but never run one. (I would like to argue that speed walking a marathon might be harder than running one, but that's an argument for another day.) Maybe it's time for a new challenge. Maybe I should order some new running shoes.
Have a great week and get out for a walk, run, bike ride, or whatever it is that you!
When I've trained for half marathons in the past, I used a free tool on Runnersworld.com to generate a free training plan. It would generate how many miles per day I should be running along with the ideal pace for me to train. It also allowed me to choose training plans that were easy, hard, or very hard. I found their site to be very useful and it helped me get ready for several half marathons over the last 5-6 years. The last time I went to this website, I realized that they were charging for these training plans. I am unwilling to pay.
I would like to find a similar online tool to create an individualized training plan. Can anyone suggest the best ones? I want something where I put in my previous race times and set a time goal rather than just a standard sheet that I print out without putting in any information about myself. Which sites have you used in the past? Which do you prefer? What features do you like and not like? Fill me in.
I am ready to stop just running and start training. I need a goal. If anyone wants to talk me into pursuing the full marathon, here's your chance. I may be persuaded. I've done plenty of half marathons in the past. I would guess about 10 to 15. I've walked a marathon but never run one. (I would like to argue that speed walking a marathon might be harder than running one, but that's an argument for another day.) Maybe it's time for a new challenge. Maybe I should order some new running shoes.
Have a great week and get out for a walk, run, bike ride, or whatever it is that you!
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Coal Miner vs. College Professor
Tonight Bill and I watched Coal on Spike TV. It's a reality show about coal miners that we've been following. I have always known that coal mining was tough, but the show really brings home that point. When I have a bad day at work, I can still thank God I am not a coal miner. Of course, the trapped Chilean miners a while back probably also contributed to my perspective.
In addition to being incredibly dangerous and hard on the body, coal mining is stressful. If you don't bring in enough coal, you are in trouble. It's all about quantities--not effort. It doesn't matter if your equipment goes down. You still have to find a way to bring in your quota. Sometimes I get nervous for these guys just watching.
As I watched tonight, I kept thinking about how glad I was that my job is not that stressful. Then I wondered what these guys would think if they watched a reality show about my job--being a college professor. I wondered if they'd think I was lucky I didn't have to go underground and risk my life every day to make a living. I wondered if they'd think I was spoiled because I don't punch a time clock and can often take off early on a Friday. Or maybe they'd be glad that they didn't have to work at home on weekends, as I often to do finish grading papers or edit a research article. I would guess coal miners generally can't take work home.
But then I wondered if they would think that lecturing to over 100 students, presenting my research at conferences, and giving the welcome speech at orientation were stressful tasks. Coal mining seems stressful to me, but maybe certain parts of my job would seem stressful to other people.
Of course, public speaking (which I do quite a bit of) isn't a life or death situation. However, I often read that more people fear public speaking than death. In general, I like public speaking. I don't find it nerve-wracking. (I do find other aspects of communication nerve-wracking, such as ordering a pizza by phone, but I'll explain this another day.) As a high school and college student in speech classes, I never expected speaking to crowds to be such as large part of what I do. Somewhere along the line, I became comfortable with it. This makes me wonder if coal miners somewhere along the line become comfortable with risking life and death in the mine on a daily basis.
The educational opportunities I have been given (along with some hard work, of course) allow me in many ways to have an "easy" job. I see my job as easier than jobs that require little education, such as coal mining, detasseling (if you don't know what this is, you have never lived in Iowa), and even waitressing.
I will make my case. There is a temperature problem in the building where my office and classrooms are. My office has occasionally been over 80 degrees in the summer. I came home from teaching in a very warm classroom this spring and told my husband that it was just "unreasonable" and "I didn't know how I could be expected to effectively teach in such conditions." I've also complained that I have to keep a sweater in my office for days when it's ridiculously cold. What would the coal miners say if they heard me complain about this? If they were to call me spoiled and unappreciative, they would have a point.
I am a college professor who is glad she is not a coal miner. It seems obvious to me that my job is more desirable than working in the mines. However, are coal miners glad they are not college professors? Or do they envy me and agree that being a college professor is more appealing than being a coal miner?
I'd like to think that there are no good or bad jobs, just jobs that are and aren't good fits for individuals, but I'm not sure that's the case. There are some jobs in this world that I just can't imagine are a good fit for anyone. I think coal miner might be one of these jobs just due to the danger involved. I can't say that I think being a prostitute is a good fit for any person.
In sum, the good news is that I think my job is superior in many ways to other jobs. I say this not because I'm smug and see myself as better than others. I think I have a great job, and I hope that others think the same about their own jobs rather than about my job. If you are a retail clerk and think that's the best job in the world, that's ideal.
The next time you hear me complain about my job, which will probably be within the next 72 hours, please remind me that I am not a coal miner and refer me to this blog.
In addition to being incredibly dangerous and hard on the body, coal mining is stressful. If you don't bring in enough coal, you are in trouble. It's all about quantities--not effort. It doesn't matter if your equipment goes down. You still have to find a way to bring in your quota. Sometimes I get nervous for these guys just watching.
As I watched tonight, I kept thinking about how glad I was that my job is not that stressful. Then I wondered what these guys would think if they watched a reality show about my job--being a college professor. I wondered if they'd think I was lucky I didn't have to go underground and risk my life every day to make a living. I wondered if they'd think I was spoiled because I don't punch a time clock and can often take off early on a Friday. Or maybe they'd be glad that they didn't have to work at home on weekends, as I often to do finish grading papers or edit a research article. I would guess coal miners generally can't take work home.
But then I wondered if they would think that lecturing to over 100 students, presenting my research at conferences, and giving the welcome speech at orientation were stressful tasks. Coal mining seems stressful to me, but maybe certain parts of my job would seem stressful to other people.
Of course, public speaking (which I do quite a bit of) isn't a life or death situation. However, I often read that more people fear public speaking than death. In general, I like public speaking. I don't find it nerve-wracking. (I do find other aspects of communication nerve-wracking, such as ordering a pizza by phone, but I'll explain this another day.) As a high school and college student in speech classes, I never expected speaking to crowds to be such as large part of what I do. Somewhere along the line, I became comfortable with it. This makes me wonder if coal miners somewhere along the line become comfortable with risking life and death in the mine on a daily basis.
The educational opportunities I have been given (along with some hard work, of course) allow me in many ways to have an "easy" job. I see my job as easier than jobs that require little education, such as coal mining, detasseling (if you don't know what this is, you have never lived in Iowa), and even waitressing.
I will make my case. There is a temperature problem in the building where my office and classrooms are. My office has occasionally been over 80 degrees in the summer. I came home from teaching in a very warm classroom this spring and told my husband that it was just "unreasonable" and "I didn't know how I could be expected to effectively teach in such conditions." I've also complained that I have to keep a sweater in my office for days when it's ridiculously cold. What would the coal miners say if they heard me complain about this? If they were to call me spoiled and unappreciative, they would have a point.
I am a college professor who is glad she is not a coal miner. It seems obvious to me that my job is more desirable than working in the mines. However, are coal miners glad they are not college professors? Or do they envy me and agree that being a college professor is more appealing than being a coal miner?
I'd like to think that there are no good or bad jobs, just jobs that are and aren't good fits for individuals, but I'm not sure that's the case. There are some jobs in this world that I just can't imagine are a good fit for anyone. I think coal miner might be one of these jobs just due to the danger involved. I can't say that I think being a prostitute is a good fit for any person.
In sum, the good news is that I think my job is superior in many ways to other jobs. I say this not because I'm smug and see myself as better than others. I think I have a great job, and I hope that others think the same about their own jobs rather than about my job. If you are a retail clerk and think that's the best job in the world, that's ideal.
The next time you hear me complain about my job, which will probably be within the next 72 hours, please remind me that I am not a coal miner and refer me to this blog.
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