I guess you could say I am officially in training. I am registered for the Fox Cities Marathon (in Wisconsin) on September 23. That's about five months away, so I've got plenty of time to build up my mileage. In fact, I don't want to do to much too soon because I don't want to get burnt out and injured.
My running buddy Jessica and I are doing the Sturgis Falls Half Marathon (here in Cedar Falls) on June 26. We've been doing a long run together each weekend. We talk the whole time and it goes really fast. Yesterday we did 7.5 miles. Despite drinking on Friday night and less than stellar weather, I felt pretty good. Today's weather was sub-par as well, but I got out to do 6 miles a while ago.
Starting this week, my job will be a bit more flexible, so I am hoping to get a few more weekly runs in (I've only been running about 3-4 times a week). The weather will also start to cooperate more and more, which will be fantastic. To be honest, I don't mind when it's a little cooler. It's the wind in the spring that can sometimes be annoying. I've been running mostly on the weekends and minimally during the week. This week I will start to focus more on running Monday-Friday. I should add that I've been teaching five aerobics classes each week. Just because of that time commitment, I haven't been running very much during the work week.
On a related note (sort of), we are lucky to live in a place where we have a great trail system. I know I've said this before, but I am saying it again because Jessica and I went for a run yesterday that took us on a loop around Big Woods Lake. I've lived here almost six years and trained for several half marathons, but I had never been on this part of the trails before. I looked at the map of the trails the other day and realized there are a lot of parts of the trail that I have never explored.
That's all for now! Have a great week!
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Sunday, April 8, 2012
Sunday Sunday Sunday
Happy Easter! Bill and I had a great brunch this morning with friends and then took a nap. After that, we ran five miles. Our friends Pat and Bob then stopped over tonight to pick up their dog who we watched for the weekend. All in all, a good day.
Tomorrow I teach aerobics at 8 a.m. I am probably going to do a run from the Rec Center after that. I don't teach at the university on Mondays (well, until my night class at 5:30), so I can go in later unless I have meetings or student appointments. One of the best features of my job is my flexibility. I usually work at least 50-60 hours a week, but I can work some of those hours at home, on weekends, in the evenings, etc.
The dogs are pretty tired tonight after their weekend with our canine houseguest. That's good to see. They are pretty lazy usually, so I like to see them get some exercise. People think our house must be crazy because we have three dogs. However, they really don't have all that much energy most of the time. We are done with the puppy stage, for sure.
I am still in discussions with myself about which marathon I want to do. However, I have a feeling I will register for one soon. I've been feeling pretty good about my running. Don't get me wrong. I'm not getting faster or anything. When I say I've been feeling good about running, it's because I haven't had issues with injuries and aches/pains. I haven't even done much icing, and I have only taken one or two ice baths since Christmas. And ice baths are hell. If you have never taken a bath in, well, ice water, I don't recommend it for the relaxation value. It's great to avoid soreness from running, but it's not fun.
I also have to admit that the beautiful weather has helped me get into running this spring. We've had a warm winter and that trend has continued into spring. If only Iowa was like this every year...I have a feeling I could live here the rest of my life and we might never have a winter/spring like this. Winter here can be pretty brutal, but this year was fairly gentle.
In other random comments...
I've recently become somewhat obsessed with skincare. This is because I got a good deal on a facial at a place up in Waverly from Dealgarden.com. I had a great conversation about skincare with the esthetician. I learned a lot, and now I am into skincare. I've bought some new products, but one of the things I am committing to do is to wear waterproof sunscreen when I go running. I have always been a sunscreen person, but I'm sure I just sweat it off when I run--why didn't I think of this sooner? If I had thought of this 10 years ago, I would probably look 5 years younger! I'm also trying to wear sunglasses more. I've never been good about wearing sunglasses. I typically lose them, but I bought a more expensive pair (about $50) so hopefully the cost will motivate me to keep track of them.
Signing off for the night...Have a great week!
Tomorrow I teach aerobics at 8 a.m. I am probably going to do a run from the Rec Center after that. I don't teach at the university on Mondays (well, until my night class at 5:30), so I can go in later unless I have meetings or student appointments. One of the best features of my job is my flexibility. I usually work at least 50-60 hours a week, but I can work some of those hours at home, on weekends, in the evenings, etc.
The dogs are pretty tired tonight after their weekend with our canine houseguest. That's good to see. They are pretty lazy usually, so I like to see them get some exercise. People think our house must be crazy because we have three dogs. However, they really don't have all that much energy most of the time. We are done with the puppy stage, for sure.
I am still in discussions with myself about which marathon I want to do. However, I have a feeling I will register for one soon. I've been feeling pretty good about my running. Don't get me wrong. I'm not getting faster or anything. When I say I've been feeling good about running, it's because I haven't had issues with injuries and aches/pains. I haven't even done much icing, and I have only taken one or two ice baths since Christmas. And ice baths are hell. If you have never taken a bath in, well, ice water, I don't recommend it for the relaxation value. It's great to avoid soreness from running, but it's not fun.
I also have to admit that the beautiful weather has helped me get into running this spring. We've had a warm winter and that trend has continued into spring. If only Iowa was like this every year...I have a feeling I could live here the rest of my life and we might never have a winter/spring like this. Winter here can be pretty brutal, but this year was fairly gentle.
In other random comments...
I've recently become somewhat obsessed with skincare. This is because I got a good deal on a facial at a place up in Waverly from Dealgarden.com. I had a great conversation about skincare with the esthetician. I learned a lot, and now I am into skincare. I've bought some new products, but one of the things I am committing to do is to wear waterproof sunscreen when I go running. I have always been a sunscreen person, but I'm sure I just sweat it off when I run--why didn't I think of this sooner? If I had thought of this 10 years ago, I would probably look 5 years younger! I'm also trying to wear sunglasses more. I've never been good about wearing sunglasses. I typically lose them, but I bought a more expensive pair (about $50) so hopefully the cost will motivate me to keep track of them.
Signing off for the night...Have a great week!
Saturday, April 7, 2012
Happy Easter!
Why, hello there! It's Saturday night and I'm hanging out at home--just got done grading some online papers/assigments (more to do tomorrow) and watching some TV. Tomorrow is Easter Sunday. I am excited to say we are going out for brunch with our good friends Seth and Holly.
I had a great run today with Jessica, my weekend running buddy. We talked the whole time (she is a great conversationalist and a lot of fun) and time/miles went really fast. We did five miles. I could get used to this running friend thing. I typically only run with my husband and/or Murph the beagle mix, so this is a nice change of pace. It was a really enjoyable run despite the three glasses of wine I consumed last night!
I am in pretty good shape right now. I've lost a little weight, not a lot, and haven't had too many running or aerobics-related aches and pains. I can't ask for much more. I am teaching five aerobics classes a week at the Cedar Falls Rec (3 low impact, 1 boot camp, and 1 step). That's kept me in shape over the winter when I didn't do a lot of running, and more than that it has helped me to make some new friends and social connections (outside of the university). And, not to mention, it's some extra cash.
I wish I had a count of all the aerobics classes I've taught in the past 15 years (!!!!!) and how much income I have from my "hobby" job. I taught about 12-15 classes a week when I was in grad school. Can't imagine doing that now! Physically I could do it, but mentally I don't think I could anymore.
My friend Holly and I are in discussions about doing a trip to New York City in May. I've never been there before, and yes, this would be a trip without the husbands. Although my dad says I will hate NYC, I'm an American so I should experience it at least once. And Holly is a great traveler in terms of planning and finding good deals. I will be teaching online, but as long as I have internet access, I should be able to get away for a few days. Let's face it though, online class or no, I would not do well without internet. In fact, sometimes I struggle with not being on the internet during the twelve minute drive home from work. (Not good.)
So, I am hoping that this adventure may give me the opportunity to experience one of my favorite celebrities, Jimmy Fallon, in person. Tonight I did some checking on how to get tickets to his show, and it seems like a realistic possibility.
I am hoping to get in another decent and relatively long run tomorrow. My legs are tired tonight, but I think this is mostly due to all the squats and lunges I've done in aerobics this past week.
I had a great run today with Jessica, my weekend running buddy. We talked the whole time (she is a great conversationalist and a lot of fun) and time/miles went really fast. We did five miles. I could get used to this running friend thing. I typically only run with my husband and/or Murph the beagle mix, so this is a nice change of pace. It was a really enjoyable run despite the three glasses of wine I consumed last night!
I am in pretty good shape right now. I've lost a little weight, not a lot, and haven't had too many running or aerobics-related aches and pains. I can't ask for much more. I am teaching five aerobics classes a week at the Cedar Falls Rec (3 low impact, 1 boot camp, and 1 step). That's kept me in shape over the winter when I didn't do a lot of running, and more than that it has helped me to make some new friends and social connections (outside of the university). And, not to mention, it's some extra cash.
I wish I had a count of all the aerobics classes I've taught in the past 15 years (!!!!!) and how much income I have from my "hobby" job. I taught about 12-15 classes a week when I was in grad school. Can't imagine doing that now! Physically I could do it, but mentally I don't think I could anymore.
My friend Holly and I are in discussions about doing a trip to New York City in May. I've never been there before, and yes, this would be a trip without the husbands. Although my dad says I will hate NYC, I'm an American so I should experience it at least once. And Holly is a great traveler in terms of planning and finding good deals. I will be teaching online, but as long as I have internet access, I should be able to get away for a few days. Let's face it though, online class or no, I would not do well without internet. In fact, sometimes I struggle with not being on the internet during the twelve minute drive home from work. (Not good.)
So, I am hoping that this adventure may give me the opportunity to experience one of my favorite celebrities, Jimmy Fallon, in person. Tonight I did some checking on how to get tickets to his show, and it seems like a realistic possibility.
I am hoping to get in another decent and relatively long run tomorrow. My legs are tired tonight, but I think this is mostly due to all the squats and lunges I've done in aerobics this past week.
Sunday, April 1, 2012
Sunday Funday
Well, today was both lazy and productive. It was lazy because I didn't get up until almost 10 and then took at nap from 1 to 2. I got these new blackout curtains and they really help me to sleep late when I want to. Alternatively, they make it harder to get up.
It was productive because I subbed an indoor cycling class at the Rec Center at 4 and then went for a 4 mile run. After that, I did make it to the grocery store. I haven't taught indoor cycling for probably an entire year. I used to teach it regularly, but today I was just bailing out a friend who needed a sub. I am wondering how my legs will feel tomorrow.
Saturday I went running with a friend who is looking to run a half marathon. It was fun to have someone new to run with. I hope she enjoyed it as much as I did. I am hoping that we can make a regularly running "date" each weekend. Of course, this is subject to her approval, which is like real dating. I sent her a text after our run to let her know I thought it was fun. She reciprocated. I am used to running only with Bill and Murphy. This running partner thing is new. I guess I don't know the protocol, but maybe Jessica and I will be a couple...
Speaking of which, I just finished a book called MWF seeks BFF. It's about a 27 year old woman in Chicago who "friend dates" a new woman each week for a year. She's only been in Chicago a short time and doesn't feel like she has strong social connections. She meets potential friends lots of places (yoga, work, shopping, online) and the dates are sometimes smooth and sometimes awkward as heck. It's funny, and it's an interesting look at the role of friendship in women's lives. If there is a main point of the book, it might be that romantic partners can only meet so many of our social needs.
I also have a few others books on my nightstand. Most of them are aging-related. I plan to read them to see if they might be suitable options for books for my classes. I am thinking, however, that maybe I ought to read more books that are not related to gerontology. I love my field of study, but you can only contemplate the aging process so much. And, even though we are aging "better" than ever before, it's still not always the most positive topic.
I do enjoy reading but I sometimes feel "unproductive" when I read books that aren't related to work or to my field of study in some way. However, I get a lot out of other books I read, so I need to get over it. It's better than watching TV or surfing the internet, right?
I will add that I favor writing over reading. I really like writing and always have. As a kid, I wrote constantly. It was probably my #1 hobby outside of sports. It's strange to me that people don't like writing. Of course, I like some types of writing more than others. I can't say I did backflips everyday when I had to sit down and work on my dissertation. And I'm not much for fiction--although I loved writing fiction as a kid. (Now I don't even enjoy reading fiction for reasons I will save for another day.) I enjoy more blog-style, informal writing. I like to write when a secondary purpose (but probably not a primary purpose) is humor. But I digress...
I am still contemplating which marathon I want to do. I looked at some training plans, and the ones I looked at seemed very "light." The running during the week is less than I typically do in the summer, and it's just the one weekend run that is longer. They looked very do-able. Most marathon plans only recommend that you run up to 20 miles as a long run before the marathon. Obviously, not a short run, but reasonable. Maybe I'm being overconfident. The thing is that I don't care how fast I run a marathon, I just care that I run it.
In other news, students are now getting ready for fall registration, so this will be a busy week for me with advising. I don't mind it, although I don't expect to get much else done. It's also Careers in Aging Week. If you have any questions about careers in aging, you know who to call....but you may want to wait until next week!
Signing off....have a great week! (That is especially directed to you if you are one of my five followers!)
It was productive because I subbed an indoor cycling class at the Rec Center at 4 and then went for a 4 mile run. After that, I did make it to the grocery store. I haven't taught indoor cycling for probably an entire year. I used to teach it regularly, but today I was just bailing out a friend who needed a sub. I am wondering how my legs will feel tomorrow.
Saturday I went running with a friend who is looking to run a half marathon. It was fun to have someone new to run with. I hope she enjoyed it as much as I did. I am hoping that we can make a regularly running "date" each weekend. Of course, this is subject to her approval, which is like real dating. I sent her a text after our run to let her know I thought it was fun. She reciprocated. I am used to running only with Bill and Murphy. This running partner thing is new. I guess I don't know the protocol, but maybe Jessica and I will be a couple...
Speaking of which, I just finished a book called MWF seeks BFF. It's about a 27 year old woman in Chicago who "friend dates" a new woman each week for a year. She's only been in Chicago a short time and doesn't feel like she has strong social connections. She meets potential friends lots of places (yoga, work, shopping, online) and the dates are sometimes smooth and sometimes awkward as heck. It's funny, and it's an interesting look at the role of friendship in women's lives. If there is a main point of the book, it might be that romantic partners can only meet so many of our social needs.
I also have a few others books on my nightstand. Most of them are aging-related. I plan to read them to see if they might be suitable options for books for my classes. I am thinking, however, that maybe I ought to read more books that are not related to gerontology. I love my field of study, but you can only contemplate the aging process so much. And, even though we are aging "better" than ever before, it's still not always the most positive topic.
I do enjoy reading but I sometimes feel "unproductive" when I read books that aren't related to work or to my field of study in some way. However, I get a lot out of other books I read, so I need to get over it. It's better than watching TV or surfing the internet, right?
I will add that I favor writing over reading. I really like writing and always have. As a kid, I wrote constantly. It was probably my #1 hobby outside of sports. It's strange to me that people don't like writing. Of course, I like some types of writing more than others. I can't say I did backflips everyday when I had to sit down and work on my dissertation. And I'm not much for fiction--although I loved writing fiction as a kid. (Now I don't even enjoy reading fiction for reasons I will save for another day.) I enjoy more blog-style, informal writing. I like to write when a secondary purpose (but probably not a primary purpose) is humor. But I digress...
I am still contemplating which marathon I want to do. I looked at some training plans, and the ones I looked at seemed very "light." The running during the week is less than I typically do in the summer, and it's just the one weekend run that is longer. They looked very do-able. Most marathon plans only recommend that you run up to 20 miles as a long run before the marathon. Obviously, not a short run, but reasonable. Maybe I'm being overconfident. The thing is that I don't care how fast I run a marathon, I just care that I run it.
In other news, students are now getting ready for fall registration, so this will be a busy week for me with advising. I don't mind it, although I don't expect to get much else done. It's also Careers in Aging Week. If you have any questions about careers in aging, you know who to call....but you may want to wait until next week!
Signing off....have a great week! (That is especially directed to you if you are one of my five followers!)
Saturday, March 31, 2012
I'm Back!
I am back to blogging after an extended break. I decided to write a blog entry today because I am about 95% sure I am going to do a marathon this summer. I'm not sure which one I want to do and am hoping to decide that in the next week or so. I would like to do a September or early October marathon in the Midwest, so if you have a suggestion, let me know. Here are the options so far:
Sioux Falls, SD Sept. 8 http://siouxfallsmhm.allsportcentral.com/EventInfo.cfm?EventID=38828
Appleton, Wisconsin Sept. 23: http://www.foxcitiesmarathon.org/
Omaha Sept. 23 http://omahamarathon.com/
Quad Cities Sept. 23 http://www.qcmarathon.org/
Milwaukee Oct. 7 http://www.milwaukeelakefrontmarathon.org/lfm
Mason City, Iowa Oct. 14 http://www.ontheroad4edu.org/
Des Moines, Iowa Oct. 21: http://www.desmoinesmarathon.com/
The Chicago Marathon is full--so that's not an option--but I'm not sure if would be for other reasons anyway.
Any input?
Sioux Falls, SD Sept. 8 http://siouxfallsmhm.allsportcentral.com/EventInfo.cfm?EventID=38828
Appleton, Wisconsin Sept. 23: http://www.foxcitiesmarathon.org/
Omaha Sept. 23 http://omahamarathon.com/
Quad Cities Sept. 23 http://www.qcmarathon.org/
Milwaukee Oct. 7 http://www.milwaukeelakefrontmarathon.org/lfm
Mason City, Iowa Oct. 14 http://www.ontheroad4edu.org/
Des Moines, Iowa Oct. 21: http://www.desmoinesmarathon.com/
The Chicago Marathon is full--so that's not an option--but I'm not sure if would be for other reasons anyway.
Any input?
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Blah Heat Blah Blah Blah Running Blah Blah Soccer Blah Blah
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.
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.
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.
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