Monica Log: Sunday

Hey!

I spoke with Mike this morning on our run, and he was telling me that my diet and sleep schedule is just as important as my running schedule. This is especially true, he says, when we start marathon training.

SO, I have decided to redouble my efforts to eat the way you want me to. Let me log for a week, and then, perhaps could you make another food plan for me?

You have my eating and activity log. I'm very tired since I went to bed at 1 last night and woke up at 6:30 to go running with Mike. My bad completely. I got censured for it this morning. Feeling tired but good. Drinking more water.

Thanks for everything you do, Monica!!

Sleep last night: 5.5 hours (not enough)
Water intake today so far: 64 oz
Coffee/pop intake: 8 oz. coffee

Sick on a Friday Night

Hello, all!

Now that Monica is having me log here we'll be learning quite a bit about how I feel. Feel free to ignore it if you want.

Well, we had parent-teacher conferences these last couple of days. We had a great turn out of ELL Parents compared to last year! Unfortunately, I've been told there's something going around at school. I'm pretty sure my body has decided to try and come down with it. Between that and cramps, I'm staying home tonight!

Everything is good though. I found this cool video on YouTube. It's a version of Pachelbel's Canon in D arranged by a taiwanese guitarist named Jerry C. In this verison, a guy plays it on a replica Brian May guitar. I love how mellow Brian May's guitar sounds! If you think you might like it, check it out. I know this is my sort of thing, though, so if you don't don't worry about it.



AND, while we're at it, why don't we see the master himself play a lovely little tune with Steve Vai? This is from the 1992 Guitar Legends concert in Seville. I love this little bit. Steve Vai cracks me up too! It's a lovely little part of a song called "Liberty." You can hardly hear Brian May's guitar while Brian is standing behind Steve but, trust me, it sounds beautiful! It has that lovely regal sound Brian is so well known for.



Mike and I ran nice and early before parent teacher conferences started today. Very little else to report. Just sick and working!

Ooo! Deniz sent me pregnant pictures! I can't wait until the babies are born! They're going to be precious!

:) Elisabeth

My Left Hamstring: My New Worst Enemy

My left hamstring has been signaling me since Monday and today it started hurting a little bit. I think I will stretch tonight. It hurts from right above my knee all around to right below my knee in the back. Argh. I'm not going to run today. Should I take an ice bath, Monica?

Elisabeth

Zeitgeist Completed!

Hey, all!

Well, today was the big day! I got up at 8:00 this morning, got some clothes on, and took off to the Optimists football field. There, I met Mike and Monica and, before long, Mike and I were running the race together.

I have provided the following map so you can follow along. Double click to make it bigger. The peaks are at mile 3 and at around mile 8.



The Zeitgeist is known as a pretty rough half-marathon. The first mile is pretty flat but there's a hill that starts somewhere after mile .75 and ends at mile 3. That first hill was pretty tough. Even though Mike kept assuring me that I had done hills just like this in training, the endless up, up, upness of it coupled with the knowledge that there were still ten miles to run after I reached this first peak really panicked me. Mike was great though. He helped me out, and, by looking straight at my feet instead of how far I had to run, we made it to the top with only like 5 minutes of walking.

Mike was AWESOME for coming out with me! He got sick last night and suspects he's coming down with the flu, but he still ran thirteen miles with me! Thanks, Mike!

When we reached the first peak, we were at mile three. The next part of the race was really pleasant! We ran downhill for a while and then through a little community. This part was super pleasant. We had made it to the first peak, there was a lot of downhill, the weather was beautiful, the scenery was majestic, there was a refreshing breeze, I was well within my regualar running distance, I had just taken off my shirt (my sports bra was plenty) and this was making me a lot more comfortable.

Everything was really pleasant to mile 6 or so. That's when the next ascent started. This time, I put my head down and watched my feet on my way up. Mike was right there so I could see his feet, too. This hill wasn't nearly so bad as the first one, except for a very short stint at the end which was VERY steep. This is where my training really seemed to come in handy. I had done hills this steep and this long in practice, so making it up that hill was not that bad, as long as I didn't look to see how much farther I had to go. I even missed the 8-mile marker.

Miles 8 1/2 through mile 10 or so were not bad. Mike and I were going along at a pretty good clip, though it seemed to me that he was too enthusiastic about getting to the finish line. I lagged just a tad behind him. He kept mentioning all the people who had passed us before who we were passing now. I was really starting to get tired, so extra conversation was extra energy. I didn't say much in return.

Miles 10-12 started getting rough because I started getting really tired. I could tell because my head seemed a bit foggy and I just wanted to slow down. It seemed like the road never ended! At about mile 11.5, we passed this girl who kept yelling at her friends, "Just 1.5 more miles!", "Just 1.4 more miles!" It was mild torture. This was not only because I tired, but because I had not adequately taken care of my bathroom needs before the race and I hadn't had us stop to wait in line for the bathroom as we went. (We couldn't! The timer was running and I was too tense to let anything needed out anyway!) I didn't know if I or my digestive system could make it 1.5 more miles, so, to have someone remind me how much distance there was left was just tough.

At mile 12, Monica and some good-looking friend she had brought from the finish line started running with us. I was really suffering at this point. My digestive system was screaming and was about to give way, I was tired, I was feeling a little sick, and Mike just kept running faster! On top of that, Monica was yelling encouraging reminders at me.

"Use those arms! Reel it in!"

I love Monica but I could have punched her. I could have punched Mike too. Conversation is energy at this point and I had no energy with which to listen or reply. I could have also punched Monica's cute friend for seeing me in this state.

We just kept going. It was awful: My digestive system had had enough, I was exhausted, and I couldn't punch any of the kind people who were running with me. I started to panic. Finally, we were right before the finish and . . .would you know it . . .someone put A HILL in the road! I walked a couple of steps and kind of whined Monica's name, and she just said that right after that hill it was all down hill to the finish line. I just wanted it to end, so I busted up the hill and ran down, straight into the finish line. As I was running in, I saw my mom at the side waving at me. The timer said 2 hours and 20 minutes. I crossed the finish line and BOOM! My entire digestive system let loose and provided me with an embarrassing, gross mess. I didn't even make it far enough down the finish line to give them my timing chip. I was so embarrassed! Even my shoes were all wet. Before the race, Monica had introduced me to a friend who had an RV he had parked near the finish line. There was an RV right there when I crossed the line. I didn't know if this was the one that the guy Monica knew owned, but I didn't care. I just went inside, rushed into the bathroom and shut the door.

Me approaching the finish line





Mike after the Race



I was in there for like 15 minutes. I was SO EMBARRASSED! Luckily, I had found the right RV and, pretty soon, Monica came in asking for me. At that moment, I was SO grateful to have a female trainer. I would have hated having to experience this with Mike.

Monica got me a couple of plastic bags and I cleaned myself up. It was gross. I put on my warm up pants. Emotionally, I was exhausted and hazy. I left the RV, found my mom, and kind of just rushed into her arms. I had regressed back to my early childhood and my mom was the only person I really wanted right then. She just hugged me tight and said how proud of me she was. I just so needed a hug right then! I told her how embarrassed I was. She said not to worry about it: I had just run 13 miles. We took a nice picture then she called my dad so I could talk to him. After we shared a bit of dessert, she had to go back to the retreat that my parents are helping with this weekend.



After some time at the after-party (my whole running group had by now gathered for their weekly Saturday run) I took Jennifer home and spent the next two hours in bed. I felt queasy and my stomach was definitely not cooperating. I washed my clothes and, finally, when I could get up with relative confidence, I looked on line. Yup. There was something called Runner's Trots and I had it!

I looked at the things they recommend to prevent it. I had broken like four of the cardinal RT prevention rules. For reference, here's what you shouldn't do that I did.

A) Don't eat a high-fat meal after 4 pm the day before the race.
B) Don't go to the race dehydrated and without your bathroom needs met
C) Don't eat within two hours before the race
D) Don't wear tight clothing while running
E) Don't eat within 3 hours after a race

There are others but those are the ones I screwed up on.

I was laying around with a queasy stomach for most of the day. It was only a half-hour or so that I started feeling good enough to come down and write this. I'm glad to be feeling better within five hours of coming home. That's nice!

Now it's dark, its almost 8 pm, and I haven't done a damn thing all day since I got home!

I'm supposed to take an ice bath tonight. I don't know! I've been through enough today!

I'll post more pictures when I get them.

Elisabeth

Rockin' Out Until Waaaayyyy Too Late!

So, Saturday I went to a couple of Halloween parties with my friend's sister and her friends. Fun. Kinda. I was out until 3 am and it nearly killed me for two days. It was, admittedly, pretty fun to see the costumes. But I could have done with more sleep, and without my friend's sisters garish nymphomaniacal tendencies and her uber-bawdy sense of humor. Here are a few pix from our evening. Check out some of the crazy costumes! I hope you enjoy them!

Jenn and I sitting at our table. Jenn is giving the "I'm a kitty with no soul" look.



Jen N., Me, and Jen D. (I LOVE light in my eyes!)



Dancing



Jen D. and Jeff



Jeff may have been a little bit drunk here.



Now for some Halloween Costumes:

Our Host, Scott A.K.A. 70s Tennis Star



Jen D., the Witch, and our Host, Mary, A.K.A. Sexy Dorothy, and Borat (He massaged my feet later in the evening!)



The Larry Craigs







A Fat Ballerina, A Beer Keg, and Dog







Other Crazy Costumes and a Fountain That Pees

Busting Out My New Muscle

Hey!

Here's the only picture I got from the Barber to Boise that I can post here. I'll admit to doing a lot of navel gazing right now. I'm just really proud of my new leg muscle. Check it out!

Sorry that all the posts have been about running lately. This is race season. It will calm down in a few weeks. The half-marathon is in one week, so there will be a burst of entries about that then it will taper off at least until we start training for the marathon.

Look at my new muscle in the photo below(the one in my left leg.) I'm proud of it! It will only get better from here!

Barber to Boise 10K and 5K Run and Walk

Hello!

I ran the Barber to Boise 10K run this morning with my running group! It was my first 10K, and I made it in 58 minutes and 49 seconds. Not a great time, but not too bad either for a first 10K. I found that I paced a bit slow for the first four miles, because I wasn't sure how much energy I would need to finish it and I wanted to conserve. Once I hit mile four, though, I knew I could go two more at a faster pace. I was quite a bit faster at the end.

Here's a picture of our group after the race! I ranked in the 200's somewhere, but my trainer, Monica, got third overall! (Jenn's not in the picture because she was sick today.)I'll include more pictures when I get more!

Hubert is 41!

So, on Friday I got to go to my friends' house to celebrate Hubert's 41st birthday! There were mostly Micron people and mothers there. I couldn't discuss the Micron layoffs nor could I discuss mothering, so I just held the baby and stayed quiet. :) It was fun! And it's nice to know that Hubert has made it safely through that turbulent 40th year!

CORRECTION FROM LAST POST

Hello!

I realized today that I had accidentally given you the wrong route on my last post. So, I decided to correct this misinformation post haste! The incline which we ran up on Camel's Back hill was not quite as lethal as the one I outlined earlier this week. A second perusal of the picture made the real route pop right out at me! So, please be informed that the route we ran is outlined in green instead of in pink. That's the real route. It was still darn taxing!

Runnin' Fools!

Hello!

Well, it rained like crazy today, and it was still raining at 5:00 when it was time for me to get dressed and head to the park for running group. Since it was raining like crazy, and since we were scheduled to run dirt hills today (or should I say mud hills) I had a slight suspicion that running group would be canceled. Just to make sure, though, I got my running gear on, got Wesley dressed in his sweet little yellow raincoat with the duckies, and set out for the park. My plan was to walk Wesley once I knew for sure that running group was cancelled. (I was secretly hoping it would be since I didn't feel like killing myself on hills today.)

Well, aren't we a bunch of die hards! Mike and Monica's van came rolling into the parking lot at 5:30 like always, and just about EVERYONE showed up! It was insane. To top it off, the rain stopped completely soon after the last person had arrived. Monica was ready to go. Apparently, I had not been rescued from hills today.

Then Monica showed me the route were going to take. (See the steep part? That was "up!")



"I want you to go up that hill, across the top, and back down three times," she told us.

I thought the last hill at this park had been steep! This one put my past pain to shame! Not only was it steep but progress was slow! By the time I reached the wood stairs that had been dug into the hillside I could barely climb them. My feet felt like lead and lifting them vertically got to be very hard. My breathing was heavy and labored, and, by the time I made it to the top, I just wanted to quit and start walking.

I've noticed that my emotions change as I climb really difficult hills. Deep inside I start to get angry: Angry at Monica for being able to do the hill faster than I can and for continually reminding me to "use my arms" as if someone is watching me and not allowing me to slow down. Angry at Jennifer for being up ahead of me and for being competitive. (When she's in front and I don't feel like I could go much faster than she could, I let her lead. That girl's got road rage.) Angry at my feet for being so heavy. Angry at the task. Angry at the hill for challenging me so much. The key is to just do each step. On some of these long hills you can't see the end from mid-way up, so you just have to look straight down and keep making tiny steps, even if they're slow and even though you're being taxed far beyond your comfort level.

I looked on the internet for a picture of the hill we climbed. I found one. I'm pretty sure I accurately outlined our route. Of course, this was the "short" route. The rain had rendered some of the trail kind of muddy, so Jennifer elected to go the "flat" way down the backside of the mountain, then back up, back down, back up again and back down to the front. Not for me. The one hill had been enough for me, at least by the third go-round.

After our hill workout, Jennifer and I attempted to get coffee. But, of course, the coffee shop closes at 6 pm. (What ridiculous hours!) I ended up coming home and working on my webquest for 11th grade English on "The Puritan Mindset." I'm trying to demystify Puritanism for my students by simplifying and clearly explaining some of the stuff from the text book. We'll see if I'm successful. It's going to take a lot of work!

More later. It's time for bed!

Women's Fitness Challenge Met!

Hey!

This morning my dear running group went and ran the Women's Fitness Challenge! Monica came in first with a time of about 20:00, then Jennifer, with a time of about 27:something, and then me. I came in between 30 seconds and 1.5 minutes after Jenn. So I did about 28:00 or 28 and something. (I didn't actually sign up for the event, so I'm just estimating.)

It was fun! I will have pictures soon! Mike took some, though he wasn't able to find Jenn nor I during the race. There are pictures of us from before and after. Mike hasn't posted them on the website yet so I can't upload them here yet. (C'mon, Mike! It's been, like, 2 hours since the race!)

Anyway, pictures here!

Our fearless leader, Monica, runs up the hill ahead of the crowd!




After the race, Jennifer, Monica, and I pose for the camera. (You like my blue skorts? I think they're hideous, but at least you know which runner I am!)



Monica tries to keep me modest as I change into a new shirt. (No one should see my sports bra! That wouldn't be prudent!)



After Kat hits the finish line, all us ladies get a photo!




At the after-reception, I get lost for a moment. They take pictures of me as I look around for them. What a great group of gals (and Mike!)






Elisabeth

'Nother Update

Hello!

Well, I guess "Team Apex" (my running group) is doing the Women's Fitness Challenge on Saturday! (All except for Mike. Everyone knows that men can't celebrate women's fitness!) Mike will be there, though, cheering us on at the top of the hill. Mike is so awesome! It's only a 5K, but it will be fun!

I met my baby! Little Helena was baptized two Sundays ago at Our Lady of the Rosary Parish. This last Sunday, I got to hold her all the way through mass. Here is a picture of her! (We haven't uploaded the ones of me holding her yet)



And, now that I'm at it, I may as well add some pictures of my other babies. Helena's big brothers, Abraham and Noah, are two years old and they're twins. Here are the three of them on their couch at home.



And here's Abraham . . .



. . .and Noah . . .



. . .eating their lunches.

What else? Very little. Just running, working hard and quite successfully stressing myself out! My friend, Joe, and I are going to the Young Dubliners concert on Friday. I don't know how many other people will tag along, but my guess is that there will be a couple of them.

Have a good day!
Elisabeth

Little Update No Biggie

Hey!

Very little to report, except that I got to talk to Misty yesterday. We're still running. The school year is still rolling, and I'm still trying to keep going so it doesn't bowl me over!

Elisabeth

My Own Digital Self

Hey!

I read about this cute web site on Shawn and Sara's Blog. Sara made a cute little picture of herself, and I thought I might do the same. Here I am!






Here I am with Wesley and Buddy. Buddy is a perfect match but Wesley is a stretch. It's not too too far off though.

Here's me with my man (hypothetically)



And here's Misty with Mia and her nursing books



For the record, all these images are stolen. I did not pay for them

We had a great run today!

Elisabeth

Harley High

No, that's not us. My camera jammed up and Mike forgot to bring his!

Today, I met my co-worker, Duke Staggs, after work so that I could get a ride on his Harley Davidson. It had never before occurred to me that I could just approach a Harley owner and ask if they would mind if I rode with them. I had never ridden on a motorcycle before, and I have been all about collecting novel experiences lately. (As long as they are a) fun, b) reasonably safe, and c) not totally compromising to my immortal soul.)

Duke showed up at school with his Harley and one helmet (which I got to wear)at about 4:10 pm. He showed me how to get on the bike behind him, how to put on the helmet, and he gave me a pair of goggles to wear. (It never occurred to me that you would need goggles, but I guess it makes sense with all that air rushing past.)

I held on to Duke as he took me past mint fields, corn fields, over the highway, and around. We did all the normal stuff: turned corners, sped up really fast, enjoyed the smell of mint. The only bad thing was that I kept accidentally bumping him in the head with my (his?) helmet when I was trying to listen to what he had to say. I guess it was okay, though. I didn't head-butt him too bad.

It was fun! I told Duke that if he ever wants to ride around again, just to ask. I suggested that we can do this again next year around my birthday, when I turn 29 again! (I'm turning 29 for the first time this Thursday)

All in all, it was fun.

Well, I shall go upstairs and join the fam!

Elisabeth

Friday: A Day of Great News!

Baby News

I just heard today that Deniz, my friend in Turkey, is pregnant with twins. She did not enlighten me about whether they were boys or girls, or one of each, but it's great to know such good news! It's too bad I won't be able to be there to see them grow up. :)

Also, Petra and Hubert gave birth to my new baby girl today! (I call her "mine" even though she really isn't) I went by the hospital to see if she was already in the little baby viewing room, but she wasn't and, since she was delivered by c-section, I didn't want to bother Petra and Hubert today. I will try again tomorrow and I will have more information then!


My Ride on a Harley

My coworker, Duke Staggs, has agreed to give me a ride on his Harley on Tuesday! More news forthcoming!

Elisabeth

Update: the first week of school

Work

It's going great! This is definitely the best first week I have ever had! I'm exhausted because of school -- and because of all the running I've been doing.

No Magic Bullet

This whole week, we've been doing a lot of "getting to know you" activities in the classroom. First we did "Where have I been and how did I get here?" Then the big question was, "Where would I like to go?" I asked the students to visualize where they would like to be in 10 years, who they would like to be with, etc., to aid in their goal setting. As an example, I did it myself. I was honest about the three things I would like to be different in 10 years:

A) I would like to live in Montreal (or in some S. American country) for a year
B) I would like to own a house in the North End.
C) I would like to have children.

All this talk about the future and about goals, as well as the reality that I am turning 29 next Thursday, has brought me to that melancholy place yet again.

Last year -- as you know -- I decided that I was done with the emotional relationship roller coaster. So, I entered a "man free" zone. Basically, that just meant that I was going to stop pursuing them: they would have to pursue me. (Though I'm never shy about being friendly and showing interest.) Well, over the past year, the "man free" part of that zone has eroded somewhat and now I'm in some hazy place I guess I'll call "the zone." Another word for it would be "limbo." Here's what its like:

It's like I'm trying to convince myself that men are superfluous, that I'm fine without them, while at the same time I have to be honest about one thing: I want a relationship! I've come to accept that this is not going to change. And there is nothing dearer to my heart than the will to have children. I don't think this is unhealthy or unnatural: I'm plenty old enough physically and many people have had children in less stable financial situations than I have now. Of course, though, I will not have children unless I'm married, and I'm not going to marry any old bozo just because the right someone never bothered to show up.

So, I'm kind of trying to walk this fine line. On the one hand, I'm trying to convince myself that marriage is not necessary for me. I do this to protect myself in case it doesn't happen and because I know that, in the past, I have acted in a way that I think made some men feel like I was targeting them. I've been trying really hard to change my behaviors, to back off, to live in that ambiguous place where you don't know what's going to happen or even who this person is, and to let them do their thing. I've actually gotten a lot better at letting men alone. I'm still trying to negotiate the boundaries and fine points, but I'm doing worlds better. It takes a lot of conscious decision-making, but I'm doing it.

And that takes a lot of letting go and letting slide. That's really hard for me. It's a source of concern for me, this whole relationship thing, and It's not in my nature to let things go their own way all the time, but I'm trying. I can't deny that the clock is ticking and that I hear it, but the Taoist response of non-action is kind of the only possible response right now. My actions always seem to screw things up.

Which brings up another point, even though I'm sure you'll read it and think, "It's silly of her to worry about this." There are just about literally a total of 3 young, single men at work (out of 100 people)(Male teachers tend to be married. I think it's because they are surrounded by so many female teachers that the pickings are quite good.) I just found out at the end of the summer that the administration had me moved into the portable classroom next to the youngest and most eligible of them all. This is kind of inherently a challenge for me: I find him attractive and it's awfully hard not to hope. I even think he's Catholic, which is a big deal. Unfortunately, he's a really private person and it seems to bug him if I go try to talk with him too much. I'm trying hard not push or target him, since I really don't even know him even as a friend. The problem is, considering his behavior, I don't know if I'll even get the chance. I talked with my mom about it and she said, "Stop caring." Ooookay. Stop caring. How? I can hold back, let him come to me (if he ever does) but I don't know that I can stop hoping. :)

So, anyway, That's where we are. I've had an anthem lately. It's "Big Girls Don't Cry" by Fergie. Maybe this is what's going on . . .

"I must go alone
I must take the baby steps 'til I'm full grown, full grown
Fairytales don't always have a happy ending, do they?
And I foresee the dark ahead if I stay."

Maybe I need to walk alone a while longer. The only question is: How much longer? And how alone?

On the other hand, this past year has seen the birth of a couple of great friendships with married men, who seem to be the only group I can really relate to. Mike and I have had lots of fun running together. And I've been enjoying my co-workers, both male and female. Everything is going well, but it's hard not to notice that yet another year has gone by and things still haven't worked themselves out in the relationship department, despite the work I've done. I guess I just need to keep working on myself and, hopefully, someday someone will notice!

:) Elisabeth

Running and My YouTube Habit

Hello!

The summer is finally over and school has arrived! I know it has been forever since my last post. Trust me, though, I haven't had too much to post. Well, that's not true, there has been some fun family stuff. :)

Family News
Accompanying photos forthcoming

My baby sister left last Friday to go to graduate school at the University of Washington! She's getting her masters in some sort of environmental engineering. Last I heard, she was very lonely and adjusting. Luckily, we got a web camera just for this occasion and we are able to talk with her live and see her too! We spoke with her last night. She said that she hasn't met anyone there yet except for a few of the other students. I think it's awesome that she is willing to do move away like this.

What's more exciting, though, is that she has been offered a partnership in the consulting firm where she worked in Boise for after she graduates! That's so cool! Also, all of her co-workers from here are taking off to Seattle this weekend to see the BSU/UW game and to visit her. That's pretty sweet for a bunch of old manly men. They're pretty attached to her. It's cute.

Also my baby cousin, Adam, got married last Friday! The crazy part about it was that he and his girlfriend went and decided to get married but they didn't tell anyone; I heard it from Grandma. I then called my aunt to see how to proceed: Should we come to the wedding? If we shouldn't, would it be all right to at least send a gift? (My cousin is the type to not tell anyone about his wedding but then be sad that nobody came.) My aunt said that we were welcome to come. So, two Fridays ago, all four of us went to the courthouse and witnessed the marriage of Adam and Jillian. Afterwards we had cheesecake and pictures in the park. Their baby, Gracie, was wearing a beautiful little blue dress and she kept giving me kisses. She's so precious!

My cousin, Angie, has moved back to Boise after four years with her husband and children in California. She came to my parents' for dinner last week. I got to meet her new baby, Kenny, and I got to hang out with her two-year-old, Ronnie Joe. He's pretty sweet. It was really nice to see her again.

My parents turned 60 this Summer! For my mom's birthday, we had a small family party. For my dad's birthday, though, my mom and my sister went all out! My mom rented a backhoe with attached frontloader, and my sister arranged it so that my dad would have two free hours at the site where her company is building a mall. My dad got free dirt access for two hours and he got to learn how to use the backhoe. It's been a dream of his for a long time to run one of those! It was tons of fun. My uncle Dennis and my cousin, Jonathon, came along and they had the time of their lives. Afterwards we had a lovely dinner at Outback steak house. Pictures of this will be coming shortly. I know I have access to those.

I'll post pictures of all these folks as soon as I can get some. Unfortunately, I still haven't solved the digital camera problem. (I'm kind of getting fed up with that, actually)

Running

It's going well! I've worked my way up to running between 5 and 6 miles. Mike was right when he told me that distance running is one of the hardest sports because it's you against yourself. Three times a week he has me run two miles fast. I run 5-7 miles on three other days. The two miles fast runs are actually harder than the 5-6 mile runs. Especially now since, when I run, my body wants to go faster and faster but the faster I go, the more my lungs hurt and the more uncomfortable I am! It's a struggle because I have to choose between being really uncomfortable and going really fast, or being more comfortable and running slower (when all my legs want to do is move!) It's really a balancing act and it's very mental. It's actually incredibly frustrating to have two opposing things happening in your body at once, as if my body can't agree with itself about what it wants to do. Tonight I opted to run the last two laps of my two miles more slowly because 1) it's less painful that way, and the juxtaposition between how fast my body wanted to go and how uncomfortable my lungs were was making me angry, and 2) if I associate running with consternation, I'm less likely to do it next time. It really is a struggle to get myself out for the 2-mile runs. I hate having lungs that hurt even if I know it's expanding them and that it's good for me.

More news forthcoming on that.

You-Tubing

Since my parents have recently acquired a high speed internet connection I have been able to catch up on all my favorite actors on You Tube! (Yes, I admit, I have been hanging out here a lot the last couple of weeks!) I have found some gems I want to share with you.

JULIE ANDREWS

I was her biggest fan as a child! I hadn't heard about her at all since I read in the news several years ago that she had lost her voice. So, when the cable guy came and fixed the internet last week, I decided to find out what she was up to. What I discovered from recent interviews is that she is healthier now than ever! She has really come in to her own as an older lady, I think. She's not afraid anymore to be who she is and to let her personality shine. She's an incredibly confident woman now, and I find that very inspiring!

She and her daughter, Emma, have launched a campaign to promote children's literacy. There is a lot on You Tube about that.

Here a couple of my favorite moments with the Dame herself:

Funny and Short! Julie Andrews responding to Steve Martin's joke. This is from the 75th Anniversary of the Oscars.



The Ellen show is great! I thought this was really funny.

And, of course, the history major must speak. This is her singing the British national anthem when she was 11, then it goes into some very early interviews.



There are some other really cute ones. But I think these three are especially nice.

ENRIQUE MURCIANO

I've been a fan of Without A Trace for a while. My favorite character on that show is Danny Taylor (played by Enrique Murciano.) When I looked up these interviews with Enrique Murciano, I was thoroughly amused. No one would be mistaken to call me silly and to call me a dreamer, but I don't think I'm this bad! It's pretty funny! Check these out!

The Ellen Show from whence Enrique Murciano earned the nickname "Ukelele Boy." (Switch to the last two minutes to see the Ukelele part. It's pretty cute.)



And the follow up appearance, which I think is even better



But, look at the last two minutes of this one to see Enrique, the hopeless romantic. I think it's pretty funny and pretty cute, too, in it's way!



I'll get to talking about work later. I've been working too much to talk about work!

Elisabeth

A Mish-Mash of Information

Business #1: Second Work-Out Update

CURRENT STATS

CURRENT BMI: 27%

SHORT-TERM GOALS:

1. Keep it up

LONG-TERM GOALS:

1. 20-22% on my BMI (7% to go!)
2. Run a half-marathon
3. World Peace

STUFF I WANNA DO:

1. Run with Misty
2. Buy a new dress
3. Get my dog's DNA tested
4. Have more money than I do
5. Run a half-marathon (not with Misty. She would leave me in the dust at this distance!)

Running is going great! I ran 45 minutes non-stop no breaks not even walking all alone on Sunday evening. It was awesome! I didn't think I could do it . . .and then I did!

Weight Lifting. Going great. Lifted today.

Planning for the Fall. Going better. But, at this point, I would rather you didn't ask.

Everything else is pretty good too!

I just found out that you can get your dog's DNA tested to find out which breeds he represents! That would be awesome. What a nice thing that will be someday when I have extra money!

Everything else is great!

Elisabeth

If you ever want to hurt my feelings . . .

And make me really angry at the same time, I will tell you exactly how to do it.



Step 1: Accept my invitation or my attendance to an evening where I will cook for you, make you a priority, or otherwise put thought and energy into spending time with you/supporting you/being there for you.

Step 2: Allow me to expend that energy by cleaning, cooking for you, clearing my schedule for the event, or putting myself into an uncomfortable situation to be with you or to support you.

Step 3: At the last minute, call and nonchalantly announce that you can't make it. Be sure to act like it's no big deal, and absolutely don't try to reschedule an appointment at another time to make up for the missed one.


That is exactly what happened this evening. A family I know had accepted my invitation to dessert, coffee, and games at my apartment. Then, after I had cleaned my apartment for two hours in anticipation of their arrival, they called and nonchalantly announced that they could not make it, as their sons had decided to go to a movie instead.

I know this ought to be no big deal, but I had cleared my schedule for them, anticipated their visit, turned down an afternoon with my family, and put extra energy forth in making sure they would have a comfortable evening at my home.

The upside is that I did get a clean apartment out of the deal!

Even so, it always feels like a rejection when this happens, as if my effort, presence, and energy are not important enough to the person in question to actually show up where they said they would be. I'm not sure why this insults and angers me so. I think loving actions must be my love language because it always feels as if my friendship has been rejected when this happens.

Mind you, its not only that they couldn't make it. You can always avoid hurting my feelings by apologizing for not making it, and by offering an idea for a different but equivalent get together at a later time to make up for it.

But nobody seems to think of that. I don't think most people understand my perspective on this. All I know is that this is my absolute first and unrivaled pet peeve at the moment, since it has happened a few times in the past few months with different people involved. And none of them ever understand why I get so upset about it.

I'll be sure to provide a very happy, positive post next time to make up for this negative, angry one. But that's how I'm feeling right now.

I wanted to disappear into my guacamole!

Hey!

So, I would like to pose you all a question.

Situation: I went with the ninth grade English teachers to lunch at Fiesta Guadalajara today. Usually, it's just me and the girls, but today Duke Staggs came along. Duke is one of our social studies teachers. He is Native American, has long hair, and is one of the myriad of men -- married and single -- who I find attractive. That fact alone may have added to my feeling of discomfort

At first the conversation was all about school, which was totally fine. Then, the English teachers switched to the only other topic they know how to discuss. (Can you guess what it is?) And, suddenly, I was at a table with five people all alluding to and asking each other advice about sex, and someone I find attractive was sitting right next to me . . .the only man at the table.

As you all know, I'm single and (for now) celibate, so this posed a pretty uncomfortable situation for me. (I was the only celibate person at the table) I found myself in the midst of a discussion I couldn't contribute to and to which everyone else was sure to contribute.

It could have been an uncomfortable situation for Duke, but, really, he seemed quite at ease with it.

So, what do you do? You're sitting at a table full of people who are vocally expressing experiences that you are uncomfortable sharing, and yet your silence in itself reveals more about you than anything.

It was weird, and I felt really on the spot. I hope Duke doesn't come with us to lunch again, because, for some reason, it's not as big a deal when it's just the ladies and me.

:) Elisabeth

Training Update 2

Hello all!

Well, I was at the gym today clad in the only cool (as in temperature) clothes I can find (a pair of plaid pajama pants and a ripped up T-shirt) and in walks the man. Well, one of the "men." Yup, I was standing there talking to the girl at the desk and up behind me walks Harry Connick, Jr.

Being not always so good at stifling my will to talk, I opened my mouth and out came:

Me: I knew a kid in high school who wanted to be you.

Him: Yeah?

Me: Yeah. He was the cutest guy in our school at the time. He was a crooner. But he has since faded into oblivion.

Him: Yeah. It happens to the best of us.

Then I related my story about "Muscle Milk", since he was buying one, but that's about it. Then he got onto the stationary bike and talked on his cell phone. He was still on it when I left.


That's the thing about my gym. You can be famous, but mostly nobody cares.

We saw Billy Currington (the country singer) once. The guy behind the desk had to point him out for me and tell me that he had once been on the cover of "Playgirl" magazine. My only thought about that was that he was pretty short to be so sought after. But Harry Connick, Jr. was tall. And he looked quite a bit like himself, really.

Enough about that.

This week has been great, work-out wise! Dan has me on a four day a week program now. I do it on my own, mostly. It's only supposed to take 45 minutes but right now I'm averaging 2 hours. I hope to get better. And, if I don't, o well. Summer is coming and I'll have the time.

Running is going great too. Mike and I had an awesome, brisk, 40-minute run yesterday morning. It was a lot of fun. I have really enjoyed the time I've had working with him.

That's about it. Have a good day!

A BRAVE NEW WORLD: TRAINING UPDATE 1

How should I explain this?

Since February, I have been lifting weights with my great trainer, Dan. It's been going really well, and we're about half way through our training course.

A couple of weeks ago, another teacher/trainer from work (Mike)approached me and asked if I had ever considered running for cardio. I told him "no" but that I was willing to start. Two Sundays ago, we met for a first run (I ran with him and my sister.) It was a rough run, but the next day he put me on a running program.

It's going so well so far! It's been over a week and I'm doing great! My ultimate goal is run a half-marathon. (Dan said that he would provide some incentive -- though we have not yet decided what -- if I manage to run 13 miles: a half-marathon.)

The BIG BUT though, is my diet. It stinks! As a matter of fact, I ran amok with the frosting-laden chocolate cake in the teacher's lounge today! I decided to post this so that I could record my progress, in the hopes that it will provide me with more motivation!

I have come to the conclusion now, after three months of weight-lifting, that motivation is motivation. If publishing my goings-on to the world is going to motivate me, then I will do it!!

WEEK 1

CURRENT STATS

CURRENT BMI: 29%

SHORT-TERM GOALS:

1. Spend one week without eating sweets (May 30-June 6)
2. Run at least four days this week
3. Lift weights at least two times this week

LONG-TERM GOALS:

1. 20-22% on my BMI (7% to go!)
2. Run a half-marathon

STUFF I WANNA DO:

1. Run with Misty
2. Buy a new dress

And it just so happened that the day I brought the camera to the gym was 80s day! Dan (my trainer. For reference, he is the one with the many tattoos), Brian (the gym's massage therapist and the guy with big fake moustache), and Tina (I don't know what her job is but she's an employee too) had a great old time with my camera and caught themselves in a bunch of poses. Here are a few of the pictures:

Dan looking tough and majestic at the same time.


Dan, Tina, and Brian


Brian and Tina take their own photo


What a big strong man you are!


Personally, I think Brian's moustache makes him look like Freddie Mercury from Queen. What do you all think?

Freddie with his cat