Crushing Travel Plans

I had grand plans to break it to you that I wasn't going to be running the 10K in Taber and how disappointed I was about it, but that I was going to console myself with a trip to Trinidad and Tobago for my friend's wedding at the end of July.

That's an awesome consoluation prize!

Except that's not how it played out.

While I was looking at possible flights and dreaming of beautiful beaches, work was reviewing the projects coming down the pipe and how far along we were on the current ones. I came into work yesterday all ready to put my tickets on hold... and instead I got notification that a couple of project completion dates had been moved up and July is now a no-holiday month for me.

*sigh*

Looking on the bright side, I can still run the 10K in Taber!

And I'll get to enjoy some Taber corn. I would stab someone in a bar fight for an ear of Taber corn. To be fair, though, I'd probably stab someone in a bar fight for tickets to Trinidad so...

I decided I needed to subliment the running with some weight training so I've joined a gym. I'm trying to go before work so I can avoid the after work craziness. It's not so bad if I take the time to sort myself out the night before and get myself to bed at a decent hour. Who knows, I might even start to like it!

How to Get a Nerd to Run

I knew that I had to start running on Thursday but by lunch time, I had excuses out my wazoo. Well, one excuse, really. I wasn't over my cold so how could I go running? I spent my afternoon arguing with myself between going and not going. I was on the losing end of the battle when a friend texted me.

So, one of the newly painted poles in Fernwood has a TARDIS on it.

A week ago, our community of Fernwood held its annual pole painting day. One of the new poles had a TARDIS? My day was made! The only problem was that when I asked where it was, the response was "It's the one in front of the cool old house with a porch." That's as helpful as someone in Martha's Vineyard describing it as 'the house on the water'.

Obviously I had to go for a run to see if I could find the TARDIS pole.

Once I got out, I was so happy I had made the effort to get out the door. The evening was cool but dry, the running portions felt great, and although my cardio is not what it was I didn't feel like I was going to die. I even challenged myself with a couple of short but steep hills.

More importantly, I found the TARDIS pole. Wouldn't you know it, it was in front of a cool old house with a porch.

Tonight's run, sadly, didn't feel as great as Thursday's. That has less to do with running and more to do with two 2am nights in a row! I'm sure tomorrow's run will feel more like Thursday.

Stumbling Out of the Starting Blocks

I was supposed to go for a run tonight.

Actually, I was supposed to go for a run Monday night but then 106 - I should probably figure out a less confusing nickname for him, something using letters instead of numbers - heard about a board game night in town so plans got shifted around. In case you didn't get the memo: board game night > running.

Back to today, I was supposed to go for a run. I was also supposed to be over this stupid cold.

I took the stairs just one flight at work today and when I found myself only halfway up, stooped over from coughing, and hoping my lungs weren't suddenly going to dislodge themselves and tumble down to the bottom of stairwell, I cancelled my evening running plans.

No point starting the training plan with a call to the paramedics.

I still made a point to get out for a walk for a good 45 minutes. While it wasn't running, it was something.

I also haven't coughed in the last two hours so hopefully tomorrow (or Thursday at the latest) will see me back out on the running paths.

In the mean time, The Wire isn't going to watch itself!

Making Wise Decisions

I debated long and hard about starting my 10K training this week. Following the plan, this would have allowed for a week 'off' prior to the 10K when I'll be in Alberta visiting family. I told myself I would use that week doing more casual jogs than worrying about the training plan, allowing me to tailor the length of the runs around my family's schedule.

In the end, I decided that I know me too well and my week 'off' would just end up being a week off. "10K? What 10K? Pass me another Molson's while I reload the rifle!" (Full disclosure: neither of these are things I've done in Alberta, they just sound like things other Canadians would expect an Albertan to say. I can, however, tell from the cloud formations when a chinook is coming - thanks Grandpa - so I've got some Southern Alberta cred.) While I felt like I was taking the lazy way out by not jumping on the workout wagon right away, I need that training plan to keep me running during that week in Alberta. I assured myself that I was making the right choice.

Am I ever glad I reasoned that out.

Tonight is the first night I haven't had something planned all week (so I've decided to spend it making my first ever fondant cake). It's also my last week at my old job so there's the added work stress of training my replacement and cleaning out my cubicle. Add to that my cats and their 4am games of tag they've been having every night this week. If I had tried to add running there, well, this post would look like my cats had typed it.

Sometimes the lazy decision turns out to be the right decision.

 Not normally but sometimes.

A Recommit and FMM

Now that I'm pretty sure the reading list of this blog has been reduced to no one, it seems like a great time to start blogging again. That's how this whole thing works, right? Blog. Stop blogging. Start again when no one cares? No? Well, I've been going about this all wrong then.

I haven't been blogging because there's been nothing to tell. After injuring myself in November, I fell off the wagon (and the bump from the fall really didn't help with the whole back injury thing - *snort* I love bad puns) and while I kept telling myself to get back on it, it was so hard. The wagon was so tall. I had to, like, climb up on to it and shit. (If you read that in a really whiny voice... yeah, that's what I sound like about this whole thing.)

Then I returned to full time work. And then I had a couple of other time commitments. And then my dance class moved to a location I couldn't get to. And. And. And. And I rock at coming up with excuses. Seriously, school kids should hire me to create their "I wasn't in class today because..." notes. Instead of excuses, I needed a goal. Something simple. Something I know I can do. Something fun.

Like a 10K.

I missed the TC 10K in Victoria because [insert any previous excuse here]. Also, I don't really like doing the 10K: it's insanely crowded and I find myself wanting to punch people in the back of the head because slow moving people crowd into corrals well above their projected finish time. I needed a new 10K to do.

I have tentative plans to visit my family in Alberta this summer so I searched my preferred travel dates and found a 10K in Taber, AB. It's apparently part of the Taber Cornfest. While the Taber Cornfest website still shows 2011 information, a 2012 race is posted on a couple of Canadian running websites. so hopefully it's a go for this year.

If it's not a go, I'll plan my own 10K route through the cornfields of Southern Alberta and make my family stand on the side of the road and cheer me in at the end. Preferably while they wave homemade signs of encouragement. Right now they're reading this and thinking "Andrea's such a clown". We'll see who's laughing when I hand you my home made ticker tape I want to run through!

Training officially begins next Monday.

EEK!

What better way to jump back into blogging than with a Friend Makin' Monday?

Simplified guidelines: Answer questions, post and link up here, sit back and watch the accolades pour in. Or something like that.

FMM: Three Things

1. Three of your favorite movies:
-Casablanca
-Beauty and the Beast
-Monty Python's Life of Brian (super excited because the Victoria Film Festival is having a MPLOB Quote-Along in two weeks *squee*)

2. Three of your favorite things to drink:
-Tea
-Coffee
-Beer (really can't get much more specific than that, I just like beer)
(I know, I know, water should be on this list and I do actually enjoy drinking straight water but it's not a 'favourite')

3. Three of your favorite songs:
Just three? Ugh, this pains me.
-Who Knows How to Make Love Stay - Doug and the Slugs (oh, 80's Canadian pop, how I love you!)
-Rolling in the Deep - Adele (I will listen to anything this girl puts out)
-Maple Leaf Rag  - Scott Joplin
A friend once described my taste in music as 'a menagerie of sounds'. Yup, that pretty much sums it up.

4. Three people who have recently been a positive influence on your life (outside of your family):
-K from work: really pushed me to go after a new job opportunity and then helped guide me through the process. It worked. I've got a new (and awesome) job.
-T and 106 (friends): convinced me that regular board game nights are cool (and they totally are!)
-Walter Lewin: read For the Love of Physics and it really opened my eyes to the beauty of physics of the every day world. I find myself trying to recall the equation for wind velocity when I see breeze through the trees nowadays. My goodness, I sound like a giant nerd.

5. Three things you to do keep yourself entertained:
-Read
-Sing and dance in the privacy of my apartment/listen to music in general
-Watch TV/movies

6. Three things you’re attracted to in the opposite sex:
-Eyes and smile (I'm lumping these together because one of my favourite things about eyes are laugh lines and you only get those if you smile a lot. The frequency of the smiling is more important than the actual smile.)
-Someone who is kind
-Nice ass (Hey, I'm just being honest)

7. Three things you love about yourself:
-My sense of humour
-My smile
-My nerdy personality (it took me a while to own up to my true level of nerd and now that I have, I like who I am better as a person)

8. The last three people who text messaged you:
-106
-THR
-Trish

9. Three things you’re looking forward to this week:
-Baby shower for THR
-Drinks with the alumni band crew
-Talk on human rights I've helped organise

10. Three wishes specifically for yourself…What are they? (Be selfish, and be honest.)
-I wish I could snap my fingers and be the active, fit person I once was
-I wish I was independently wealthy so I could set off on a round-the-world trip tomorrow (in the active, fit body I used to have)
-I wish I had a maid

11. Three of your favorite quotes:
"Humuor is not a mood but a way of looking at the world." ~Ludwig Wittgenstein
"Who, being loved, is poor?" ~Oscar Wilde
"Oh, don't pay life the compliment to take it seriously." ~Robert Service (from his poem, Laughter)

12. Three of your biggest fears:
-Falling and breaking a bone (I've never done it and the thought of it terrifies me)
-Sharp items like axes, chainsaws or swords make me nervous. Surprising for most people as I own two swords and have used axes and chainsaws many times in my life.
-Moving scarecrows on TV
 
13. Three of your favorite TV shows:
At this moment:
-The Wire
-Game of Thrones
-New Tricks

14. Three of your favorite things to purchase when you’re shopping.
-Books.
-Books.
-Books (I don't actually like shopping. It's simply a necessary activity so the only time I really enjoy it is when I'm turned loose in a bookstore.)

15. Three things that you enjoyed last week:
-Board game and Pub night with T and 106
-Tea and a game of rummy with C
-It becoming official that I got the new job

16. Three things that you always have in your bag or close to you if you’re not a purse kind of person.
-Lipgloss
-Wallet
-Pen and notebook

17. Three types of food that you wouldn’t want to give up.
-Pretty much anything my mom cooks (save her occasional decision to cook liver and onions when I was growing up. She can keep that to herself)
-Pad Thai
-Cheese Fondue

18. Three things you do to enjoy burning calories:
-Walking/Hiking
-Running (when I was doing it regularly)
-West African Dance

19. Three things you dislike about blogging:
-I love my family but sometimes I wish I hadn't told them I blog because I censor myself more knowing that my mom will read any curse words I put on here.
-Glaring grammatical errors or spelling mistakes that I notice after I hit publish.
-It's not blogging specific, but my current laptop is a pain in the ass. It's old and slowing down which means that a simple post takes way too long to write. Trying to include photos is almost painful. I've found myself saying "fuck it" and just tossing half-finished posts because my laptop is making me want to punch it.

20. Three ways blogging has changed your life:
-I've met some really awesome people
-I always wanted to keep a diary but was kind of crap at it unless I was travelling (I am the travel diary queen!) but blogging fills that need
-I plan more because I need to for the blog

Pete and Repeat Went Into A Store...*

I sat down last year and set some very do-able goals. Then I had a knee problem so the TC 10K was not do-able. Then I decided to Ireland so I cut out the hiking one and the second running one. Then I was lazy so I cut out the weight-loss one.

In short, despite making sure that my goals were realistic, I failed to account for the fact that I like to use excuses as a reason to not do things. Well, I'm back to being able to run (I was actually back to that before Christmas but the holiday season is not a good time to try and set up good habits. It's a time-of-year-too-busy-thing, not a grandma-molasses-cookies-thing, I swear) and looking at my 2011 goals. Easy-peasy, they're going to be my 2012 goals.

Easiest yearly goals I've ever set. And in case you don't feel like actually going back to the old post:

1. Run the TC 10K in 1:15:00 - I'm going to change this to 'run a 10K'. I like the TC but it's stupid crowded and I don't know if I really want to be pushing myself through throngs of people for a time goal. Over the next few days, I'll research other 10Ks in the area and make a decision.

2. Run the Gunner Shaw 10K next November - The ultimate trail race in Victoria. Don't believe me? Read this. Doesn't that sound like ridiculously crazy fun times!

3. Hike the Juan de Fuca Trail - From last year's post: This one was put on hold last year due to other events. It won't be put on hold again. Hey, last year me, yes it will. But Ireland was worth it. Let's try this again, shall we?

4. End the year within 15 lbs of my weight goal - Totally do-able if I'm not a complete twat about it... again.

Now, who wants to start a pool to guess when I'll give up the first one?

*Anyone else remember that joke from yesteryear?
Pete and Repeat went into a shore. Pete came out. Who was left?
Repeat.
Pete and Repeat went into a store... and so it goes until  the recess bell goes or your friend walks away (or punches you).

Please Place Your Seats In the Upright Position...

...because the crazy is taking off.

Remember when I said "let's run a marathon in Donegal in 2013"? Yeah, I don't either but apparently I did. I think I was too busy listening to Ciaran McMenamin's sexy, sexy voice to pay attention to what I was typing. (That man needs to start doing books on tape STAT! It's probably the only way I'd ever make it past the first four chapters of Twilight.) I also mentioned it to a few people in real life, partially in jest and partially in "wouldn't that be fun" until three of them (serious runner types) challenged me back to make it happen. And could I plan a tour of Ireland while I'm at it?

With three actual runners interested in attending the race and two friends who just want to come along to cheer* (and drink in the pubs tour the island), I've started looking into what it would take to make this a possibility. While I know that September 2013 is a looooong way off, getting people thinking about it now (and possibly saving) will hopefully make it easier to get people to commit to it when the time comes. (If the time comes, there are still no guarantees at this time.)

For the reason why I picked Donegal of all the places in Ireland to do a marathon, it's all about the beautiful pub countryside and people. Plus the run looks like a fun, low-key event with hilarious race rules. Also, the eyes of the cow medal light up. They had me at "[a]nyone consistently getting in the way of cows behind them will be be beaten!" and now they've got a light up participation medal? My heart just skipped a beat!

If this does go ahead, please understand that non-runners will also be welcome. My hope is that we can find a nice balance between a small-ish group but making it large enough to be able to work out some travel deals so I'll probably aim for 12 people. Again, this is just to get you guys thinking about it.


As for my current state: back is getting better but it's still slow going. Legs are still very smooth considering what they were like after three weeks of no shaving. I have decided to rewatch all the extended Lord of the Rings** movies because I'm a giant dork and the nights are getting dark so early. This is after I finished watching the entire Underworld trilogy (even the crappy 2nd one which I only watch because Scott Speedman - who can't act, let's be honest - runs around shirtless for most of it). Sadly, that pretty much has you up to date on my life right now!

*and this isn't counting people who've expressed interest but not an actual commitment to coming.

**that's right, extended. I'm a hard-core nerd, yo!

Random Ramblings

Random One: About two years ago, I entered my first blog giveaway (on the now defunct Get Fit Chicks). Amazingly, I won. Amazingly because a) it was the first time I ever entered a blog give away and b) I never win anything. A few days later, I received The Ultimate Workout Log  in the mail. It looked pretty awesome. I put it to the side with the idea of starting it when I started my running program.

It just ended up collecting dust.

A few months later, I dusted it off and thought that I should really start using it. You know, I'll just wait until after my birthday when I can give it a good start.

More dust.

I've taken it out and dusted it off again. This time, no waiting until I'm ready to start or I have a program in place, I'm using it right away... starting Monday. It's divided into days of the week and I hate starting things in the middle. Plus, it gives me a chance to figure out how I'm going to go about sharing it on here. See, I'm doing all this for you guys ;)

Random Two: In an attempt to pretend I haven't left Ireland, I've been rewatching season four of Primeval on Space so I can listen to the rough 'good morning sunshine' sounds of Ciarán McMeanamin's voice. It was hearing his voice while watching season four last March that started me on my 'I have to go back to Ireland' kick.

I want this man to read me bedtime stories.

Random Three: I obviously need to check out my blogger stats more often. Four of the top seven google searches which have brought people to this site have some thing to do with the Italian football (soccer) team. I don't even LIKE the Italian soccer team. I made fun of them in that post.

Random Four: In searching for races in Ireland that I might want to be a part of I came across the Mooathon in Co. Donegal. Not only can you be kicked out because you wear something other than white and black but they encourage you to wear cow bells, cow horns, and any other cow-esque items you can find. Also, it ends at a beach... in Co. Donegal! It's quite possibly the greatest race possibility I've ever come across. I know that the 2012 race is too soon for me (both fitness and money-wise), but anyone interested in joining me for 2013? You get to dress up like a cow and run a marathon!

I Think I Have Too Much Time On My Hands

Okay, show of bloody hand prints: who took a couple of screen shots while watching Shaun of the Dead last night just so they could make one stupid visual joke on their blog?

Riiiiiight. Show of stabbed hands: who then decided to watch Hot Fuzz and also make screen shots 'just because'?

Of course, if you know me in real life then you know that when I watch Shaun of the Dead and/or Hot Fuzz I must eat a cornetto. (Except we don't have cornettos in Canada, we call them 'drumsticks' for some silly reason, but it's the same thing.)

Hmm, perhaps it is this tradition which keeps me looking more like Nick Frost and less like Simon Pegg (well, that and the whole ginger thing). At least Simon occasionally takes a break from the cornettos for a cuppa.

And why could I possibly think spending three hours just doing screen shots would be worth it? Because I wanted to say that despite the length of time it is taking for my hand to heal, at least I know that I won't turn into a zombie as a result of it.

*Spoiler Alert: Pete gets bitten on his hand in the same general area as my injury (except on the left, not right... hold on a tick...)

There we go. So, he's bitten in the same area as my injury. He turns into a zombie. I, after a week of pain in that area and no death of myself of which I'm aware, have yet to become a zombie and there is definite improvement in the pain level. We are safe from the zombie apocalypse for now. Also, it's okay that Pete turned into a zombie. He was a prick.

The great thing about my hand getting better is being able to run again. I know I've said this before but I never ever thought I'd be someone who would enjoy running, never mind, miss it when I can't do it. Whether it's running with a partner so we can get some good gossip time in, or if it's running by myself with my tunes cranked, I love running. Also, it's such a great and cheap way to get fit.

So while I still need to constantly work on making better choices and saying 'no' more often, being able to run makes the occasional indulgence of mom's chocolate-chip-coconut-cookies a little less guilt-ridden.

Oh, how I admire his ability to say 'no'.

If this journey has taught me anything, it's that there's no shortcuts to fitness and health.

(It's my blog and if I want to put in jokes which reference the film I'm taking pictures from, I can do that.)

Two little notes:
1) I have occasionally been asked what my obsession with the writing team of Edgar Wright-Simon Pegg is, and it boils down to this picture. There are two people with guns behind the bar. Read the sign. If that doesn't make you giggle, then I don't know if we can be friends.

2) This post is for Marie who is about to run her first half-marathon in October. She's one of the few people who loves these films as much as I do. Marie's parents are from Wells, where Hot Fuzz was filmed. At the time of filming, this was the only stop light in the entire town. (It might still be, I just don't know for sure.)

And thus concludes this edition of "Andrea Needs a Hobby so She Stops Doing Screen Shots". Cheers!

Thumbs Up to Running

It seemed like an innocuous event. I reached for my bag and my thumbnail, which needed trimming, hit the wall with such force that I used words which I can't repeat on this blog. If I had been at work, the words in question would have required another 'sensativity training' session.* Still, life must go on so I picked up my bag and continued about my day giving no more thought to the injury my left hand had sustained.

The next morning, I woke up to a really sharp pain where my thumb meets my hand. It was so bad that I couldn't do any yoga poses that required putting weight on it. Downward Facing Dog became Um, I Think I'll Skip That Step.

Still, the pain was gone by Friday evening and I had no problems lifting my glass of wine.

Saturday morning, the pain had returned during the night and when I went to pick up my cereal bowl with my left hand I almost dropped it. I felt a few twinges in my wrist. This is not good.

I used my left hand/arm as little as possible on Saturday. The most strenuous thing I did with it was lift my wine glass, hold my rummy cards and play some piano. Okay, maybe that last one wasn't a great idea with an injured hand. Sunday morning found my whole left arm in various states of numbness and pain. This is really not good.

I returned to Victoria after my weekend up island and tried to return to a normal schedule. I was still modifying my yoga but the numbness and pain from my elbow to wrist subsided. I only noticed my thumb when I picked something up.

I went for a run.

Ten minutes into my workout, my arm was tingling from my elbow to my wrist and my thumb had gone completely numb. I'm no doctor but I'm pretty sure that is a big STOP sign. So I did just that. I walked the rest of my route and by the time I returned home, my arm had returned to normal.

My thumb is getting better. Every day I have more movement and less pain so I know that it is mending but running is on hold for the week. Again, I'm not a doctor but that sort of tingling can not be good! I've given my thumb an ultimatum: it has until Monday to be able to handle running or I'm going to the doctor. I enjoy the doctor as much as my cats enjoy the vet** so I'm hoping that my body understands this on a molecular level and speeds up the healing.

In the meantime, more walking and modified yoga are in my future.

But this isn't just a post to let you know about my lack of movement this week, it's also a morality tale: cutting your nails is an important step in keeping up your running!

*I have only had to do one of these training sessions after one co-worker accused another of harassment. For the record, I was not involved in the incident but everyone in our department had to attend the session.

**My cats actually like the vet and her friendly, quiet office because there's lots of things to explore and she's very calm and quiet. It's the car ride that they despise. They yowl like I'm skinning them alive. Still, I stand by my analogy because they hate the overall experience.

Fitting in the Family Time

Once I finally came back from the I'm not 20 and can't drink like that anymore ledge, I had a good week. Conflicting work schedules have left me running on my own but it hasn't slowed me down. I think that's always my biggest fear when I'm responsible to myself... Myself can be pretty f*&#ing lazy.

I was hoping to work in some swimming this week but after being called into the office pretty much all week, I haven't been able to get out to the lake. It's a catch-22: work = money to play but not the time to play.

*sigh*

I think we can all agree that sometimes being a grown up sucks. Still, there's a few more weeks of outdoor swimming weather left. I know I'll make it out there for a relaxing dip!

I've been trying to incorporate more yoga into my routine mostly to help with flexibility. While I wasn't working, it was easy to wake up at 7:30, do a 30 minute session, and still have my day started by 9:00am. When I have to leave the house at 7:20 to get to the office on time, it's a bit more difficult. As a result, I've only had one session this week. I've only been doing it for three weeks but the lack of it on my third week is already making me a sad panda.

Y U No Yoga? And Y U Mix Memes?

In amongst all the working and running and yoga-ing (totally going to call that a word), I've been enjoying my summer. My stepdad's family is visiting from New York. They're originally from Northern Ireland so we enjoyed a wonderful evening of talking about the GAA, Armagh vs. Tyrone, and how we're all distantly related to each other (short story: my uncle's wife's mother is their father's cousin. Did you follow that?)

Apparently Armagh/Monaghan family trees look something like this.

This weekend, I'm heading up to Nanaimo for more family socializing. I debated bringing my running gear for all of five minutes before deciding against it. My stepmom lives in a very hilly area so my runs always turn into walks. I'll just plan on a longer walk, followed by a cuppa and a round of rummy.

My stepmom and I take our rummy games very, very seriously. There's a good chance at least one of our games will end in blood and gloating.

How dare you go out while I have two aces in my hand!

All in all, the summer has shaped up to be pretty awesome.

Summer Weekends and Belated FMM

I had a wonderful summer weekend. A day spent up island and Shawnigan Lake and another day spent lazing in my friend’s sunny backyard while we celebrated her 30th. As much as spring and fall are my favourite seasons, summer definitely does have its moments.

I made sure to go for a swim while up at Shawnigan (in amongst drinking the incredibly strong drinks our family friend poured. I don’t think the man knows what a short glass is) and it reminded me that a) swimming really is an awesome workout and b) I really love lake swimming. There’s not much left of summer but I’m motivated to try and make it out to Thetis for a few morning swims. (Early is the key for Thetis before the crowds descend on it.)

I was back to my scheduled workouts this morning and got a rude reminder halfway through my run why you should always make sure you're well hydrated. Both my calves cramped up and felt like they had turned into rocks. I stretched them out by walking the second run section but let this be a reminder to you: as much as you feel like hitting snooze, get up and drink that pint of water you planned on before going for a run!

Yesterday was Friend Makin’ Monday (guidelines here).

The theme was letter to your future self and as much as it made me giggle to contemplate leaving:
Dear Future Self,
I hope you got your shit together.
Sincerely,
Me
I figured a proper response with some thought behind it was the appropriate thing to do (no matter how much I like to giggle). As a result, I’m a day late but some thought actually went into this so I guess it was worth the wait.

Dear Me-Sometime-In-the-Future (let’s say 10 years),

I’m not going to lie, I’m struggling to be the person I know you deserve me to have been but I hope that you’re happy with where we ended up. Remember that 10 years ago from when I write this, this is not where I thought I would be either but the journey’s been awesome so I’m happy with it.

I hope the adoption went relatively smoothly. What country did we end up deciding upon? I’ll keep my fingers crossed for a West African Country to open up their adoption laws so you can keep the child immersed in their culture through Mohammed, Manimou, N’nato, Abouboucar and the extended MoonDance family. How about the possible plans for a second adoption? Yeah? Nay? Still debating?

I hope you’re the regular multi-day hiker that I want you to become. That’s something I always assumed I would become as a child, and it’s a dream that I don’t want to give up on. Not yet. Not until my knees give in. Or my back. Or some other required body part. And have we climbed Meru yet? Or at least made plans to head back that way?

Did we ever run that marathon? Even more important, did we travel somewhere for a really awesome marathon? I'm keeping my fingers cross that we've done the Drei Laender marathon. I mean, come on. Three countries in one race? Kind of awesome! Built in excuse to hangout with the Hostettlers, Fuchs and Villigers? All awesome!

This is Bodensee (or Lake Constance) that you run part way around for the Three Country Marathon.

My friend's adorable boys are not included in the race package.

And you know how much I love the apartment I’m in right now but please, please tell me you’ve got yourself sorted and have a house (rented or otherwise) with a yard and that you’ve gotten a chocolate lab from the SPCA and named him (or her) Murphy. Because Murphy is just the perfect name for a chocolate lab and beer drinkers will get the joke. Scratch him behind the ears for me. Oh, and maybe make some of those treats that Ian said Thompson loved so much. Don’t argue with me, just do it. And don’t let him terrorize the cats too much (if they’re still around in 10 years).

Doesn't the Chocolate Lab look like a tall pint of Murphy's?

Please don’t have lost your amazement at the wonders of the natural world. Does thunder still make you smile? Do pictures of lava flows still excite you? Does a starry night still take your breath away? Please say they do.

And please tell me that you still sing to yourself when you think no one can hear you and that you bust out the dance moves when the feeling strikes you. Don’t worry about embarrassing your children when you do this in front of their friends. You grew up with your dad doing that and you survived. So will they. In fact, it might even help to make them even more awesome.

Also, have you single-handily negotiated peace in the Middle East yet? No? You should get on that. I’m too busy to deal with it right now.

Sincerely,
Me (from 10 years ago, which is really right now when I write this, but not when you read it, you know what? I’m just going to assume that we’re all on the same page with this and close these parentheses.)

Observations

I’ve been waking up with the sniffles since Monday morning. A quick shower and a cup of coffee and the sniffles are usually gone but when I woke up Wednesday morning, the sniffles were there as well as a dull ache in my left ear. Along with the dull ache was a dulled ability to hear from that ear. I was supposed to go for a run at 9:00 but the idea of jostling my head around really didn’t appeal to me. I texted my running partner and we turned our run into a walk up and down a large hill instead.

I was proud of myself. Once upon a time, I would have just cancelled any sort of activity if I feel like I did that morning. But I didn’t. I changed what I was doing but I still got out there and worked hard enough that I was satisfied with my effort. I was also very happy that my ear cleared up by noon. One of my biggest rational fears is hearing loss. I will take losing my sight over losing my hearing any day of the week and twice on Sunday.*

I’ve been trying to take the stairs as often as possible in my apartment because four flights of stairs adds up, but sometimes you just don’t want to. Like last Tuesday. I took the elevator and ended up flirting my way up the four flights with an attractive young man. For the record, flirting with hot men is good motivation for getting in shape. Okay, so it wasn’t so much that he was hot but that he was observant enough to know that I must have had a stressful day at work.

(“Is it really that obvious?”

“Yes. You look like the day beat you down.”

Well, he was right. My unit is undergoing a re-org which means desk moves to a less than ideal location and leaving behind some wonderful friends, so Tuesday was a wee bit stressful. I would like to point out, however, that he told a complete stranger that they looked tired. Tact is obviously not his strong suit.)

I want to put his observation skills to the test and see if he can notice a change in my figure next time we meet (as we seem to ride the elevator together every few months). Also, he seems like a hockey guy and now that I don’t have cable or the Internet, a hockey guy just down the hallway who works roughly the same hours I do would be really convenient.

Just putting that out there, universe.

And did I mention that he’s easy on the eyes?**

*My biggest irrational fear is that a scarecrow is going to come through my TV screen and sing to me. Don’t laugh! I know it sounds silly. That’s why I called it irrational.***

**Plus he’s in construction which is a bit of a *rawr* factor for me. He can build and fix things! How attractive is that?

***I’m not making this up. There is a certain Doctor Who two-parter which I have to watch with all the lights on and my teddy bear held strategically in front of my face.

Stinky Travel

In case you missed my big announcement over on the other blog I'm going to Ireland* for three weeks in a little under two months. This is the first time I've been 'home' in 10 years. Prior to that, my visits averaged out to every three years (and usually about six weeks long) so to say I'm excited is an understatement. I'm euphoric at the thought of seeing my aunts, uncles, cousins and cousin's children.

For the first time ever in my travels, I want to make a concerted effort to remain active. I've researched a few gyms with drop in options near locations I know I'll be staying but I'm not really a gym person. What I really want to do is run at least five times while I'm gone (ideally more than that, but that's my minimum). Keeping that in mind, I hit up MapmyRun and plotted out a couple of 5K routes from the houses I'll be staying at. This way I'll have no excuse not to run while I'm there other than "I'm lazy". Well, and maybe "I'm hungover".

I purposely cut off my starting location so you can't stalk me in (Greater) Dublin ;)

PS. So Irish people don't laugh at you, Dun Laoghaire is pronounced 'Dun Leary'.

These plans are all fine and dandy but it brings me to another issue: I'm travelling, moving fairly often, and I don't want to have to do laundry every other day but I also don't want to bring five (or more) different shirts just for running. That's a lot of space in my bag (which is already being taken up by my dad). Also, all those stinky shirts will just make everything else stinky. My big question is: does anyone have any tips for handling workout clothes while travelling?

In the meantime, I'm off to enjoy the summer weather we've finally received and make the most of my August Long Weekend. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend whatever you get up to.

*For clarification, when I say 'Ireland' I am referring to the island and not the country despite the fact that I often say 'country' for ease of understanding by those I am talking to. My 'Ireland' is the north and south. This is not a political statement, it is merely a lazy person's way of saying 'the Republic and the North' when she has family on both sides of the border and always goes to both.

Like a Fish

I love Chicken Run.*

I've been floundering lately with being healthy. I feel like a fish out of water. I've been reeled onto the deck and I'm flopping all over the place to get back into the water but to no avail.

While I sat down in late January and made a plan for fitness goals this year, I then promptly injured my knee and all those plans went out the window. I gave myself a 'free pass' for the months I wasn't able to run. While I'm back into the running, I've taken my sweet time sorting out the other healthy aspects on my life. My plans for cross training have been spotty and my healthy eating has changed on a day-to-day basis.

After my run yesterday morning, I started formulating my get-fit plan. I went through all the workout plans I've downloaded over the years, tossed a bunch, kept a few, and started writing up a schedule for the workouts.

After a bit of thought about food, I decided to follow a six week eating plan. I'm not one to advocate following a 'diet' or strict eating plan because I don't think it teaches you a healthy relationship with food, but I need a kick in the butt right now. Hopefully this will give me the one I need.

Partially because I still have a few kinks to work out and partially because I like things to start on Mondays, I won't be starting all this until next Monday. Which is a good thing because it means I can have a beer while I listen to Justin** (and Ian) tonight at the Bard and Banker and that at some point this weekend I can get an ice cream cone and watch Chicken Run while lounging in my pajamas.

After that I'll stop flopping aimlessly on deck and start flopping towards the ocean.

*I was living in Germany when it was released there and it made me deliriously happy that in German it's called Hennen Rennen. It rhymes!!

**Someone needs to update his site to show tonight's performance...

A Cra(m)ppy Friday and FMM

I headed out for my run on Friday night but about halfway through I got a really bad cramp. Cramps in my legs or sides are nothing new and usually when it comes to my walking portion, I just take a moment to stretch it out and then carry on. This cramp, however, was different. It was in my tummy area. More specifically, it was around the uterus area so I quickly stopped the running and just walked the rest of my route.

TMI warning!

I have been very lucky in my adult life that I don't cramp at any point during my menstrual cycle. Having a few friends who are almost confined to bed for a day or two, I am very happy that I don't. But when I suddenly start cramping for no discernible reason, it gives me cause for concern. A friend had a cyst on her uterus about 8 months ago and this thought flashed through my mind when the cramping started. When my running partner mentions uterine cysts, I felt my stomach drop. Every possible worst case scenario went through my mind before I pulled myself together and rationalized that it probably just was a wayward cramp given that my period was to start in four days.

I returned home with some chocolate milk (because that makes everything better), made a hot water bottle and curled up on the couch for the evening. After a few hours, the pain subsided and by the next morning it was totally gone.

Here's to it just being an unusual blip on the radar!

Anyway, it's Monday so that means Friend Makin' Monday!

Guidelines, etc here!

1. What do you like most about yourself? I'm a positive person with a great sense of humour.
2. List three characteristics that you like to have in your friends. Kind, Loyal, Upbeat
3. How often do you brush your teeth? When I wake up and before I go to bed. I'll also brush if I'm about to go out for dinner or if I ate something stinky (I can't help it, I love garlic in everything!)
4. If you could travel anywhere today, where would you go? Now that Ireland's booked, I'd be willing to go anywhere I could get a ticket to. South-East Asia or back to Africa are high on my list.
5. Have you ever met anyone from the blog world in person? Yes.
6. What is the last show you watched on TV? I don't have cable so 'on TV' would be the Simpson's when I was at my mom's a week ago.
7. What kind of perfume/cologne do you wear? Puma Aqua
8. How long ago did you complete your last workout? Due to a busy weekend, it was my thwarted Friday run but I'm heading out shortly for a workout :)
9. What will you eat for dinner tonight? Stir fry probably. Honestly haven't gotten that far in my through process today!
10. Share something fun that you did over the weekend. I met someone from my dad's home county!! I went to see the new Winnie-the-Pooh movie (which was so cute!) with my friend, E.

How Out of Shape Am I?

I went to turn off my alarm clock yesterday morning and I pulled a muscle in my arm in the process.

I'll give you a minute to let that sink in.

Reached for the alarm clock...

...pulled a muscle.

Wow!

In my defence, I was facing away from said clock with two sizable kitties sleeping on my legs. (My cats are Maine Coons which means they are of the large-and-in-charge variety.) Rolling over wasn't really an option unless I wanted the hairball of death coughed up on the bedspread. Some slight hyperextension may have occurred. (It totally did; I felt it the exact moment when my elbow went that little bit too far.)

It was pretty much back to normal within a few hours but there were the occasional twinges when it reminds me of what I did. Usually when I go to lift something heavier than my jacket.

I've tried to explain to it that I'm sorry, could it please stop twinging? But it's having none of it. Maybe I should have just faced up to the hairball of death.

Summer arrived in Victoria, stuck around for about a week, and then decided it was vacation time. From a let's-go-do-sh!t point of view, I'm really bummed. From a hey-we're-running-outside-three-times-a-week point of view, I'm actually okay with it (just don't tell my fellow Victorians). I'm not a heat person and running with an overcast sky and a temperature that struggles to routinely hit 20C is fine by me.

Still, I would like to go camping at some point this summer (in the sense of "summer is a specific time of year", not "it's summer weather. Because it's totally not!) and for me camping = tent (because I'm old school, yo!). There's nothing fun about camping when the weather's like this.

Except maybe the built-in excuse to stay in your sleeping bag and just drink all day.

Worst Workout Partners Ever.

Meet Linden (light) and Tosio (dark).*

My little kitties recently turned 8 years old. As they get older, they're settling down. Their idea of activity is running to the food dish, eating three bits of kibble and then running back to sit beside me on the sofa while I type. Save for the occasional lap around the apartment while playing tag, they're very lazy cats.

Except for last Thursday night.

I went to bed later than I intended (thank you, Phil Plait) but was still on track for roughly six and a half hours of sleep... until the above innocent-looking-schadenfreude decided to play tag for twenty minutes at 4:00am. And this was no ordinary tag, this was hissing tag. They even hissed at me when I got out of bed to try and calm them down!

By the time they wrapped up the game at close to 4:30, I was wide awake and never did get back to sleep. I crawled out the door to work as the two little devils darlings decided to forgo their usual follow-the-food-lady-to-the-door routine and just sleep on my bed. I swear they were taunting me.

I texted my running partner and cancelled Friday's run. With only four hours of sleep, I was doubting my ability to walk home never mind going for a run. We did end up going for our run on Saturday morning, but Friday night was given over to sitting in a movie theatre instead. (I saw Super 8. I really enjoyed it and would recommend it but I don't know if it deserved all the rave reviews everyone was heaping on it.)

The only problem is that it's three days later and I still haven't really caught up on the sleep due to a busy weekend. Here's hoping I catch up tonight so I'm ready for tomorrow's run. If they wake me, I'm going to duct tape them to the wall.*

*They're named after hockey players. I almost named them Merry and Pippin. In hindsight, that would have been a better choice given their complete inability to comprehend what's going on around them.

**I'm not really going to do that.***

***I may, however, do something like wash their blanket because I know how much that pisses them off.

If My Unmarried Biological Mother Hadn't Gotten Knocked Up...

I've just returned from my completely unplanned over-a-week-long non-blogging holiday. In short, oops! I'd love to say that the lack of blogging was due to being insanely busy and always on the go and just not having enough time to sit down and put pen fingers to paper keyboard, but I've already admitted elsewhere that this is not the case.

I even missed this week's Friend Makin' Monday... which is okay because the question was about your fourth of July plans and I'm Canadian, so... my plan was to spend it like any other Monday (crying in a corner wishing I was 20 years younger and had no responsibilities).

I did, however, keep up with running. It's been nice to have a running partner again, both for the social aspect and the accountability. (Speaking of social, I should probably get her a blog name... I know tonight's topic of discussion!) During Monday's run she mentioned that she never would have believed a year ago that she'd be running. This got me thinking about the decisions I've made which have landed me at this point in my life.

(I'd like to say 'great minds think alike' but really, coincidences occur in the blogging world. Caitlin at Healthy Tipping Point wrote about this same idea this morning.)

Eventually, it became a fun game for me and I've started going back to look at some of the larger decisions in my life and things they have yielded which I may never would have otherwise discovered.

For example:
If I didn't decided to move to Tanzania four years ago then
I wouldn't have looked for an African community in Victoria to be apart of when I returned then
I wouldn't have found MoonDance then
I wouldn't have learned about Matoto then
I wouldn't have met AC then
I wouldn't be going to a baby shower in two weeks.

If I didn't accept an invitation to meet a guy in Switzerland (who ended up being my first real love) then
I wouldn't have studied German in university then
I wouldn't have met E then
I wouldn't have had someone to hike around Thetis with two weeks ago.

If I hadn't decided to blog then... well, the unknown results of that are still being discovered :)

How about you? What unexpected or interesting end results have your decisions brought you?

Rambling Thoughts and Friend Making Monday

First off, if you're not reading The Great Fitness Experiment Blog, you're missing out on healthy hilarity and I pity the life you must lead. Okay, maybe not quite, but still... At any rate, she had an interesting post last night about a To-Do List vs. a To-Be List. It got me thinking and right now I think you all should read it. And then when you're done that, just keep refreshing the page to see her hilarious pictures in the top right corner. (The tutu ones gets me every time.)

After a few days of miserable cloud and down right chilly temps, Summer appears to be back in Victoria. I have prematurely called it 'arrived' before so once bitten, twice shy. We are currently experiencing summer-like weather. Hopefully it will stay for longer than three days.

I officially start running with my new running partner tonight (assuming she gets my confirmation email. Come on, live online like I do guys!) which is exciting. It will just be nice for running to become a social activity again. I love listening to music while I run, but it kills me not to be able to dance along to it. I get enough looks when I run normally, I don't need to be known as that-slow-running-girl-who-does-jazz-hands-while-she-runs. Although now that I say it, a shirt with "I run AND I do jazz hands" would make me pretty darn happy.

So, it's Friend Making Monday over on All the Weigh so that means I've got a bunch of questions to answer :)

 

Rules are simple: answer, post, link here (more detailed rules are there as well), comment on other people's posts.

FMM: Yes or No?

Do you use coupons? Very rarely. I should really start using them more.
Do you like football? No. It's one of the few sports I honestly have no interest in.
Are you in a relationship? No, unless my cat purring sweet nothings in my ear counts.
Is your phone always within arm’s reach? Yes. Otherwise I lose it because I leave it on vibrate. It's next to impossible to find a phone that's on vibrate!
Do you like thunderstorms? Love 'em.
Can you cook? Yes.
Are you – or have you – lost weight? ::looks at blog banner:: Yes.
Do you know how to read a map? Yes. I'm old school when it comes to travelling; I have never used GPS or SatNav or any of those devices to find my way around. Never will if I can help it.
Do you wear makeup? Yes, but not every day.
Do you read regularly? Does CBC and BBC online news count? I've actually made it a goal to read more books and so far it's going very well.
Are you publicly affectionate? Sometimes. I'm very aware of where I am and that plays a big part in my willingness for PDAs.
Do you like picnics? Yes! Thankfully there's lots of parks in Victoria to picnic in!
Do you have a/c? No. Victoria's weather is fairly temperate so if I did have a/c I'd probably turn it on for two days out of the whole year.
Have you ever been out of the country? Yes, both to live and travel.
Do you know how to ride a bicycle? Yes.