reflection

so today is ash wednesday, the start of lent* we had mass at school today, and monsignor hartnett said some really interesting things* what caught me the most was what commitment a person can make in this season leading to easter--it's not necessarily what you give up, but what you give* i'd already decided that i was going to forego soda; i'm trying to be a good steward of the body i've been given* but, in my mind, that was a fairly trite thing for a 27 yr old woman to commit to (sorry if i'm stepping on anyone's toes, but that's a thing for me)* so i thought and i thought and i thought and i thought, and as the congregation was moving up the aisle to receive ashes, there was a moment of clarity*

for those of you who know me well, you know that i have issues with church* those of you who really, really, really know me well, you know that i've had issues since my senior year in college* it's been eating at me, and my attempts to get past that have been abortive* and in this moment of clarity this afternoon, it occurred to me that the problem lies in trust* while i haven't abandoned what i believe, i have found it extremely difficult to be comfortable in a worship setting* EXTREMELY difficult* it would become claustrophobic and overwhelming and very uncomfortable* since that thing in college, i have had trouble trusting other christians, being very wary of betrayal*

--please let me make a note: i'm not making a blanket statement that all christians are like this, either scared of each other or not trustworthy* i'm just recounting my personal experience and the realizations that i had this afternoon*

anyway, in mass, i thought about being a good friend for lent, really being concerned about those around me, breaking out of a shell and being a friend to people i just know casually, and so on and so forth* eventually, it dawned on me that i should transfer that to the worship setting* i should dispel my fears and give some trust back to the christian community* i'll admit that it won't be easy* but that is what lent is about* it doesn't really mean so much if you can make your change without even thinking* it should take perseverence and patience* i'll just take one baby step at a time*

oh wow--this is embarrassing

with ~13 min to go in the 2nd half, boston college is losing to vtech 58-34*


wow*

CUTE!

setting my sights on--

a dozen or so goals for 2007:

1) catfish sprint triathlon in august
2) get lean muscle mass up and body fat down
3) apply to cornell, penn, columbia, berkeley (last true bastion of communism!), and harvard (my safety school--hahahahahaha!!! laugh with me, people)
4) get 5K times down to 8min/mile pace
5) get back w/ the pacemakers on weekends and the fleet feet people on thursdays
6) be brave and go back to second
7) get an iPod :P
8) start reading journals and thinking about concentrations
9) read for leisure for once
10) HIT THE BEACH!!! and if i can't do that, live poolside for the duration of the summer
11) find some way/place to throw my javelin again
12) learn to say "live and let die" (thanks, mccartney, for the kick-ass song, btw)

last reflection for valentine's day

so today was a snow day, and i was able to sleep in until 10:30* there are perks to being a teacher! anyway, not really being able to go out and about, i had a boatload of time to get things done* things done included doing laundry, walking toby a lot, cleaning the entire apartment, cooking some boring lunch, writing lesson plans, playing the piano, playing the guitar, watching ACC basketball (go Terps, beat the Wolfpack!) and making hershey's dark chocolate brownies* the brownies part was my favorite*

least favorite part of the day: not really being able to go out and about* i'm not cheesy-licious about valentine's day, but i have this thing about being with people on special days* or, more accurately put, being with my significant other on special days* so for that reason, today was a little tough* i love toby to pieces, but my valentine he did not make*

favorite part of the day: i was getting seriously bored after having cleaned and finished doing laundry* and i mean seriously* i couldn't have feigned interest in anything in my apartment* my mood began to decline* it's valentine's day after all! and just as i was about to get cranky, my phone rang* chris called me* i don't know how he does it, but he has such perfect timing* we didn't even talk about much, just snow and food* and somehow, that's enough* he doesn't need to shower me with roses, he doesn't need to go over-the-top with sweet nothings, and he doesn't need to lavish me with expensive gifts* what he does do is something that i couldn't have even thought to ask for--he makes me feel as though i'm the only woman in the world* thank you, chris*


xo, everybody!

i love (in no particular order)

Toby
my family
running
athletic challenges
music
medieval and early modern british literature
classical greek and hellenistic sculpture
spain and denmark
my fuzzy blanket
"in the secret" and "amazing grace"
intelligent socio-political discourse
calvin & hobbes
the color "ocean-y blue"
ACC men's basketball
teaching
friends
relaxing near water
cooking
silence
prayer
wisdom from anne lamott
lacrosse
shoes
workout partners
good coaches
fairness and social justice
V6 engine
world cup soccer


and



Chris :)

you have to love the ACC for valentine's day

a lot of people are talking about ACC basketball right now, and many are coming to the same conclusion; the ACC is the best conference that will get screwed by the NCAA tournament committee* (see previous post's note about periods and astericks) if you watched this past weekend's terps vs blue devils game, you'll start to see my point* everybody knows that the terps (male or female, at this point) aren't setting the world on fire with their success* and yet, the teams are good enough to take down the tough teams in the conference* as a result, on the surface, the in-conference records seem mediocre (see duke's 5-6 in the ACC)* that is what the NCAA tourney committee will see when they consider picks and rankings, so the likelihood is that fewer ACC teams will be selected for march madness* other conferences that have some teams always blowing out the bottom half will look like better fodder for the tournament, even if their in-house competition is terrible* am i making my point, or am i being a little bit convoluted (sp)?

anyway, the ACC is a quality conference, and because of a lack of all-out domination on the part of a few teams, it might get somewhat snubbed for march madness*

BUT WHO LOVES THE TERPS?!!!!!! when it comes to sports, there's no better valentine* nothing is more romantic than riots on rt 1*

:)

thank your parents for this one

today's valentine smidgen of randomness comes from the washington post*

(you'll have to excuse the lack of periods* that key on my laptop isn't working, so i just put an asterick (sp?) between sentences* sorry*)

anyway, apparently, our most immediate forebearers are somewhat responsible for our abilities to live and love* if they've loved us and nurtured us sufficiently to build our confidence, we're more likely to be successful in carrying on relationships that form a strong partnership* it's not that a traumatic childhood relationship with parents precludes the ability to love others well, but rather it's that each event with mom/dad/whomever pushes us in positive or negative directions* to me, it's very interesting that events can reverse or possibly undo that which comes before it*

are you expecting a positive valentine's day? i am, mostly because very good things have fallen into place* there's no need for a pricey dinner at the rusty scupper or anything like that* instead, i know that i am loved, and it's shown in very subtle and sweet ways* we can reach out to and are confident in each other* i guess i can, in part, thank mom and dad for that*

men, this is for the romantic gift-giver in you... maybe...

why not buy your sweetheart a cute teddy bear? you'll certainly win her heart with one of those. and if they fail, why not the embroidered towel set?


suggestion provided by Steve Handy. thank you for your public service, Steve. i'm sure women world-wide will love you once these gifts start pouring in.

men, here's a reason not to take a shower:

ladies, how many times has the man come home sweating like a hog? and how many times does he smell to high-heaven? well, CNN (they're going for broke this month!) brings us an article that exhorts us to get off their backs and enjoy some extra... doses of cortisol.

guys, it seems to tell us that you need to do all the manly manual labor that you can think of, stuff that will make you perspire gallons. you need to do double workouts at the gym, and you need to sit in saunas while wearing woolen sweatsuits. okay, maybe not the last one, but still. think of all the benefits listed in the article. yay for you!

back to ladies... please realize that there are amazing peripheral perks to the man dripping with sweat, with one of the main ones being big many manual labor things being done around the house/apartment/etc. not that i advocate us taking the whimpering woman stance of "i can't do it because i'm a girl," or the "i'm simply too lazy to get off my ass to do something that i certainly could do myself" attitude. far from it. what i am saying is that if you stop nagging him to be incredibly immaculate, everybody is happier for it, and he will be less inclined to give cold shoulders and ignore things. this is just my opinion, but i think that men like to feel needed and appreciated, especially for things that make them feel strong in whatever way. thus, he'd feel more inclined to do some of the heavier stuff.

so i've probably diluted my main points, and most likely i've put someone off by my perhaps mistaken generalizations. here's what it boils down to:

girls, let guys be sweaty, mucky, dirty, and smelly, all in time for valentine's day, and enjoy that extra jolt of cortisol!

happy valentine's day. here's a stolen survey. kim totally has me pegged....

Survey

Stolen from Kim who stole it from Sandra.

1. I've come to realize that my last kiss...

was really sweet, and, on the whole, they're getting even sweeter.

2. I am listening to.....

Beyonce, naughty girl

3. I talk.....
too much, apparently. but too bad.

4. I love.....
when toby snuggles up next to me and i'm under my fuzzy blanket, and we fall asleep, all nice and cozy.

5. My best friend.....
would have to be plural. i'm really bad at choosing who's the "best." that's kind of silly when it comes to friends, right?

6. My first real kiss.....
sucked. thanks, brian.

8. I hate it when people ask.....
me to redo things according to their directions, even though i've done things perfectly efficiently and correctly.

9. Love is.....
hard, but it's sure as hell worth it.

10. Marriage is.....
well, can be elusive.

11. Somewhere, someone is thinking.....
what to have for dinner.

12. I'll always.....
be a perfectionist, no matter how much i try to chill out.

13. I have a crush.....
on physical challenges (e.g., marathons and triathlons).

14. The last time I cried was because.....
a family issue. i don't want to talk about it.

15. My cell phone.....
is BRAND-SPANKIN' NEW, and i love it!!!

16. When I wake up in the morning.....
i'm semi-conscious until toby annoys me enough to take him out.

17. Before I go to bed.....
try to get toby to jump up next to me. see prompt #4.

18. Right now I am thinking about.....
how much cleaning i want to get done on my DAY OFF FROM SCHOOL!!! i love snow.

19. Babies are.....
scaring me, mostly because pregnancy might be a little dangerous for me.

20. I get on myspace.....
i get on myspace? are you kidding? i have no myspace page and never will.

21. Today I.....
got up, jumped up and down when wbal said SCHOOLS CLOSED, went back to bed until 11AM, went to the gym for 3 hours, got the oil in my car changed, and made lunch.

22. Tonight I will.....
be cleaning my entire apartment. i'm feeling ambitious.

23. Tomorrow it will be....
tough to keep the kids on track since they had a snow-day today.

24. I really want to be.....
able to conquer any athletic events that comes my way--considering some of the other health hurdles i deal with, surmounting physical challenges is such an intoxicating high.

25. Someone that will most likely repost this is.....
somebody that i don't know.

happy valentine's day, cave man

i think that i'll celebrate valentine's day on the blog for awhile. so, thanks to CNN once again for providing some interesting fodder; here's a neolithic example of love and affection. so far, there are no hypotheses as to who or how old they were or how they died. it's interesting how the author(s?) link the pair to romeo & juliet, as the site is not terribly far from verona, italy. i guess that's a logical and fun thing to do, although the pictorial evidence accompanying the article impels me to come to different conclusions.

first, shakespeare's lovers are caught in the web woven by their spiteful families and are unable to escape their predestined (as revealed by the prologue) fate. with the millenia-old lovers, however, there is nothing to indicate any sort of physical or social strife. their burial site is too isolated (as discovered so far) to assume any such fate. the other piece that makes me think differently is the manner in which the skeletons are found. it is most often interpreted that after romeo has died, juliet stabs herself, causing her lifeless body to fall atop her lover's. thus, the sudden bodily trauma prevents any sort of intimacy in death. our other pair, by contrast, were discovered in a frozen embrace. while it could be posited that they were placed that way by others following individual deaths, my bit of random knowledge of burial practices tells me that there is no precedent for such an assumption. i would tend to believe that there was some sort of simultaneous event causing death. most likely the pair was buried (above or below ground, i don't know) together without being moved much. there are no volcanos near verona or mantua, so it's not possible for a pompei-esque sort of demise, but there could always be other causes.

all of that is pure guesswork, but to me, it's always fun to challenge immediate and off-the-cuff conjectures, especially if they involve shakespeare. :)

oh--word of wisdom: i know that people love to do this, but please don't take romeo & juliet as your love model. pick a pair that doesn't end up dead. read the plays before you pick. : P

comments?

"Love comes first into the heart of the woman," explained Nananghe. "Once it's in the woman, only then can it jump into the man."

so what does that make our valentine's day?

Food and Fitness IQ

Thank you, CNN Health, for posting something useful. Below, I've provided links to their food and fitness IQ tests. Finding out correct answers can be really eye-opening and maybe shock you into changing a habit or two. I'm trying to stay on the healthy end of living as much as I can, given my family's double whammies of diabetes and heart disease in maternal and paternal grandparents, as well as breast cancer discovered in every generation of my mom's family.


First, figure out how much you really know about what you consume.

Second, get some tips on fitting exercise into your day.

Last, get going on making a successful transition to more a healthful lifestyle.


Okay, well, I've just finished reading a second article on CNN Health, and now I'm puzzled. It reports on a new study comparing dieting alone vs. exercise + diet, and some of the statements made both conflict and confuse things that I already know. Por ejemplo:

"And their carefully controlled study added to evidence that adding muscle mass does not somehow boost metabolism and help dieters take off even more weight."

But contrast this with an exerpt from an NIH study: "Sixteen weeks of high intensity strength training resulted in increased upper and lower body strength, improved muscle quality, and muscle fiber hypertrophy. This was paralleled by favorable metabolic changes in biochemical parameters known to influence insulin sensitivity including increased adiponectin levels and decreased FFA and CRP levels." Am I wrong in interpreting this to mean that metabolism does in fact increase? Could both articles possibly be right, in that boosted metabolism can influence insulin levels but not react with weight gain factors? Or is the former claim stating, which I believe it is, that additional muscle mass does not increase metabolism period, which would then put the two statements at odds?

I do put faith in Dr. Ravussin's (author of the study highlighted in the CNN article) statement that " 'This suggests that "individuals are genetically programmed for fat storage in a particular pattern and that this programming cannot easily be overcome.' " But does that in and of itself necessarily contradict the previously assumed link between increased metabolism due to lean muscle mass gain?

He suggests, as almost every other healthy living advocate does, an adoption of healthful diets and regular exercise as the solution to maintaining an appropriate weight. I do agree with this, and I've tried to make this a lifestyle goal. However, I know I'm not a scientist, but I still stand by a lot of the anecdotal and personal evidence that I've encountered. Sufficed to say, I'll stick to my guns, but I welcome anybody who can dispel my confusion. Thanks!

:)

kim's questions

there are so many that i could answer "neither," but in the spirit of the post, i'll do my best and choose.

Questions for my readers...

Feel free to answer in comments.

1. Barry Manilow or Neil Diamond? Barry Manilow--Copacabana puts him over the top
   
2. Jon Stewart or Stephen Colbert? Jon Stewart--i like how he's a *little* less over-the-top
   
3. Coldstone Creamery or Maggie Moos? Coldstone, hands down
   
4. Democrat or Republican? Dem
   
5. Jack Bauer or McGuyver? McGuyver--i prefer a non-killing hero, a la the A Team
   
6. Running or walking? running, soon to be triathlon-ing
   
7. The Beatles or Elvis? the beatles--lesser of two evils for me
   
8. Honda or Toyota? which one has the uglier hybrid? whichever one that is, i don't pick it
   
9. Ford or Chevy? which one is less likelier to fall apart? i'll pick that one
   
10. Harold and Kumar or Cheech and Chong? Harold and Kumar
    
11. Sirius or XM? XM--i laugh at sirius b/c they have an mp3 player called the "iPod killer," so named b/c it's "cheaper" and will thus sell better. and, it only costs $300, and the subscription is only $6/month. so that means, for one year only, the thing costs $372, and $72 every year after? and you don't even get to make up a playlist? are you serious? hehehehehehehehe.
    
12. Coke or Pepsi? coke. duh.
    
13. Diet Coke or Diet Pepsi? diet coke. duh.
    
14. Chipotle or Baja Fresh? chipotle, although i miss being able to go to noodles on a regular basis
    
15. Mountains or Beach? beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeach all the way--favorite is costa del sol, spain
    
16. Dilbert or The Office? i'm just going to take a stab at it, since i've never actually paid attention to either one, but i'll pick The Office, just b/c Dilbert seems so annoyingly ubiquitous.
    

Can i give my OWN answers that aren't part of the choices for the ones where i hate both equally?

1. Carol King
7. Elvis... Costello
8. Saab
9. Pontiac
14. Noodles
16. Office Space

check check check check it out

below right--"the norbert wiener center for harmonic analysis"

that's where chris slaves away.

hey buckeyes--

ha ha, ha ha ha ha, ha ha.

ha.

reason #1 why Ohio State should lose the BCS championship

their band played the love theme from 'titanic' at halftime.

how do things like this happen?

i have so many questions and defenses and accusations, and it all seems to me to be a bit... i don't know. but, there are some questions that i've been mulling over--
**at what point does a person accept disingenuity for the sake of keeping the peace? when does tact trump honesty?
**when or should someone censor him- or herself, if he or she has been able to enjoy an egalitarian arena of expression? criticism and negative response should come as no surprise. but, at the same time, if the medium is such that it paradoxically makes one voice heard and infinitesimal, should this person necessarily alter the nature and/or essence of the product?
**at what point does it become selfish to demand the writer or reader to change while the other remains unchanged? when is sacrifice and compromise reasonably expected of either party?
**why is it so much harder as adults?

whatever this is, it breaks my heart, largely because it is an indicator that there is a suddenly realized estrangement that has subconciously existed for a surprisingly long period of time. and it seems that things may get worse before they get better. that's not at all a way of saying that i don't want improvement and healing and detente, because i do want those things. rather, it is simply a statement of fact, as the layers meant to hide hurt have been irrevocably burned, and now everything is going to be revealed to the open air.

and, as hindsight is often wiser, let me recommend this--please don't try to discern who i am from reading a blog. it is spotty and incomplete and doesn't show all of me for who i am. it's hurtful to me to think that i must be so shallow and vapid as to be completely understandable from the words on a webpage. so just don't.

a brick in the face

oh geez.... after nearly two weeks off from school, the alarm at 5:30AM hit me hard. i was really surprised at how energetic i was, as i was able to throw a few improv things into the lessons, just to get the kids back into the swing of things. all of us were even able to avoid climbing the walls, which was something i was dreading. my mom's students were apparently insane and really hard to get under control. am i that much of a killjoy for my kids? :) at the end of the day, the girls had basketball practice, and joelle and i decided to try an experiment. we played "good coach/bad coach." i DARE you to guess which one i was. anyway, we tried it because the girls had a *really* bad, lazy game before this practice, and joelle and i were sick of the apathy. i think that some of the girls were a bit surprised because they didn't expect me to lay into them so much. i didn't yell, but i get really annoyed at not paying attention to the coach, especially talking while she's talking. so we worked on getting stronger and faster... by doing more suicides, crunches and push-ups. ha-HA! hopefully, it got the point across that joelle and i want them to do well, but they also need to work hard if they want to win. they'll do fine.

as soon as i got home--5:30PM--i bonked. for non-marathoners, that means that you hit the wall and hit it hella hard. you are done. you have no energy. you want to collapse and sleep for ten years. THAT is what it means to bonk. i suppose that's only to be expected on the first day back. but it's 2.5 hours later, and i still lack energy to boil water for any dinner. hopefully, i'll be able to throw something together before i pass out. that's going to be soon.

and just because i'm me, i refuse to drink red bull or anything of that ilk. so i'll be a slug instead.

banned words list

i think we all owe Lake Superior State University a big "thank you" for posting its annual banned words list. among the ones the provoke my hearty "AMEN!" are A) combined celebrity names ("bennifer," et al), B) chipotle--sorry, but it's a noun, not an adjective that can describe every food that needs to not taste gross all on its own, and C) the phrase "we're pregnant." that one is especially annoying to me. why do men feel the need to appropriate a world of pain owned by women? and why would women want to share the hard-earned "glow" and the pawing that they get from some irresistable magnetism that makes rude strangers want to touch their mid-section? maybe men feel left out of the "awww, beautiful mother" thing and the "no experience like the birth of your child" stuff, blah blah blah, puke puke puke. now it may seem like i'm cynical or whatever, and, believe it or not, i do hope for children of my own someday. but no matter how earth-shattering something is, and perhaps precisely because it is so momentus, it shouldn't be trivialized by such a non-sensical utterance just for the sake of showing that it's shared.

i'd love to hear any other words/phrases that need to be kicked out of our daily lexicon. are there any takers?

new year's, 2006-2007

this new year's eve, chris and i went to todd and kim's party out in who-knows-where-ville. small but sincere crowd, and i have never sucked at "asshole" like i did last night. usually, i'm president quite often. at least i wasn't beer bitch...

i have no idea what this very involved conversation was about. my attention span was shot by then.

mariano and jess

nick mason and friend

todd's cat bugsy

almost 12:00!! mary, kim, todd & dustin

chris

we're having a great time. and yes, chris is drinking a light mike's lemonade; feel free to make fun of him for this. but seriously, we did have fun, and we're excited about 2007!

new york 2006

so mom and dad and i took thomas to nyc the thursday after christmas. it was his first time there, so it was pretty funny when he realized, as we were traveling through the lincoln tunnel, that we were underwater. all in all, we had a good time, and thomas can't wait to go back.

a mecca for bibliophiles, the new york public library; i wish i could live there...

thomas in front of st. patrick's cathedral

thomas in the west side of times square

the hole at the wtc is being filled in...

dad and me in the world financial center

dad, thomas, and mom

squishy statue of liberty

pokey head

thomas at the nyse

dad and mom on wall street

thomas... on thomas street

brownies are my weakness

so i made brownies for kim & todd's new year's thing last night. they're very rich. and moist. i'm eating them right now... :)

here are some christmas 2006 pix:

grandma

thomas (my parents' exchange student) and toby

geoff and dad

i am so jealous of mia's kitchen...

mom is enjoying the food

benicio

manny

yeah, it's some gratuitous cleavage on my blog, but this is honestly the best picture of me and clara. deal with it.

somehow, saddam's execution fills me with more chills than relief. have we done more harm than good?

apparently, this is what *they* want for christmas:

the national zoo animals have asked both santa and John Q. Public for some toys for enrichment. they ask for kongs, so do you think they'd want any hand-me-downs from Toby? he needs to learn how to share...

all i want for new year's is... a new butt.

the tradition of stealing posts from kim continues, so after some thought (not much), here is my set of fitness goals for 2007:


Joanna's Fitness Goals for 2007

1. Fitness accomplishment - i plan on doing the catfish sprint triathlon in harrisburg in august. it's different, it's challenging, and i need something that will put me to the test again. i need something to get me back into the game. this should do it!
   
2. Diet - nothing earth-shattering here. i just want to be a little more thoughtful about what/when i eat, and i'd like to spend more time in the kitchen. yeah, that's right. i'd like to make some more interesting meals and try a bunch of new things..
   
3. Weight Loss - not such a huge deal for me, but i would like to drop to ~130-135. that would *feel* really good. i'm not worrying that i have to fit into a size 4 though. that's dumb. and i don't have the money to buy new clothes at a smaller size. and i like my curves. and so does chris. :)
   
4. Running - enjoy it again. i must have a love/hate thing going with the sport. i think it's because i get so injured and/or burn out every single season. hopefully that'll change because, starting tomorrow, larry at brick bodies is going to help me figure out what the hell is going on with my body (super-tight hams, crunchy hips, etc, etc)
   
5. Workouts - i'm going to try to get the necessary training for the tri. the nice thing about that is that it's essentially cross-training, so it'll help prevent both boredom and injury. also, once the gym's permanent site opens, i'm going to try a boxing or dance class, once a week. should be interesting.
   
6. Weights and Muscle Tone - the issue here is finding a workout that works. my upper-body is fine, and the tone is great; it's the lower-body that's giving me trouble. my chronically tight hams generally cause other problems when i try to compensate, and i'm not sure how to create a lifting workout that will help rather than hurt. but, that's what larry is here for, so hopefully the leg problems will eventually be a thing of the past.
   

so we'll see how this goes. i'm anxious to get this started, and i think that this will be good for me in so many other areas as well.

but, i have to go. i have a dog who needs to pee.

all i want for christmas is

so here i am in PA on Christmas Eve, ready to celebrate and love and be happy with my family. very nice. for some reason though, don't ask me why, all the crappy things of this year have been on my mind. at the forefront, and calling this crappy is an understatement, is losing my grandpa beatty. the fact that he isn't physically here this Christmas has hit me pretty hard, more than just a few times in the past weeks. i'm generally able to get myself to relax after a short cry, so that's good, but i realized today in church that, at times, i'm still angry about it. as much as i know that this is the way things go, blah blah blah, i still hate it that he's not here. he should be here. he's supposed to be here. that's not a very compassionate view, considering how sick and worn out his body was. in fact, it's pretty damn selfish. but, it's how i feel.

that's not to say that this year hasn't been without blessings. i think that if i hadn't been blessed with this teaching job in such a loving Christian community, getting through the grieving process would be much more difficult. the job in and of itself is a huge gift as well. as much as i grouse and get frustrated and exhausted, i love the work, and i love the kids. i'm so happy, and i love being in the classroom, this time in front of the desks instead of behind one. my niece clara also celebrated her first birthday, and i can't tell you how wonderful it is to have a lovely little girl in the family. and, to double that fun, a few months ago i found out that geoff & mia are expecting another baby girl in february. that makes two nephews and two nieces for me, and i can't get over the pure joy that these kids bring. it's something that is totally unasked for, and yet they constantly bring smiles and laughter.

and so does chris. this past year... dare i believe it's been more than a year? ~15 months, give or take a few weeks?! we never really had a "start" date anyway... but i digress. it's hard to explain the impact he's had. this past Easter was the first time i realized what kind of trouble i was in. and by trouble, i mean how deeply i could possibly love him. i didn't feel that way quite yet, and i wasn't going to dare to breathe the "L" word at all, but it occurred to me that i was sliding, and sliding fast. what put me over the top was the way he engaged his niece and nephew. i can't explain it. you had to have been there. but it was a beautiful thing to see. we worked so hard together to get through some rough spots, and we put in some major sweat to help each other move. we went to the beach with my family, spent a weekend with his family, and then did thanksgiving with the newells in atlanta.

he's in raleigh for Christmas with the flakes, and i miss him a lot right now. i hope i wasn't too maudlin about it, but i told him that i wanted so much for us to have a Christmas together. it didn't need to be on the 25th, but it would be nice just to have a morning, any morning, where we would have a lazy breakfast and exchange little tiny things together. to me, it's more about being with him on Christmas than having stuff from him on Christmas. i don't know if we'll have that when we each return to our respective homes.

all the same, i hope it happens someday. that is all i want for Christmas.

a very nickish christmas VI

so this may have been version 6.0 of *a very nickish christmas,* but it was my first time. in that spirit of newbie-ness, i'd like to share the pictures that nick mason (not our host nick fry) took. unfortunately, i have yet to find a picture of the turducken...

nick and beth

mariano and jesserika and truffer

ready for the book exchangelet's paint the 90's!
the most popular book from the exchange
gettin my learn on...

apparently we all need a little schoolin in that department...brendan is down for the count...

abby and me
duff, our canine host

and we lost...

so we lost our game today. we played maryvale prep, and we lost 15-11. our girls worked SO hard but we watched it slip away in the 4th quarter. it was painful to lose by only 4, especially after taking some hits and falls. i think that we have a lot of potential; of the 8 who haven't played before, there are easily 4 who are really coming through big-time. the other 4 are progressing and learning quite a lot. so i'll still say what i said on wednesday:

GO COUGARS!!!

:)

go cougars!

my girls won! and by won, i mean tied! you have no idea. first of all, of our 11 girls, only 3 have ever played organized ball before. second, the 05-06 team didn't win a thing, not even tie. so, only two games into 06-07, we're already better than last year!!! those girls worked so hard and kicked some ass on defense. we held glenelg scoreless in the 4th quarter and ended the game 22-22! and the best part? as tay took a fast break up the court to tie the game in the last few seconds, our gym erupted! screaming from the parents, friends, teachers, clergy (!), and even a bunch of high school kids just exploded all over the place. it was amazing. i am so proud of them.

:)

other than that, this has been a crazy month. i just want to curl up and sleep for another month. just so you know.

survey from kim

1. EVER BEEN GIVEN AN ENGAGEMENT RING? no. no comment regarding current relationship.

2. LONGEST RELATIONSHIP? ~3 years

3. LAST GIFT YOU RECEIVED? BLACK IBANEZ ELECTRIC GTAR w/AMP!!! i love my boyfriend. :)

4. EVER DROPPED YOUR CELL PHONE? so much so that i put the leather sleeve (?) around it so that it doesn't crack again.

5. WHEN'S THE LAST TIME YOU WORKED OUT? this morning--kim got my lazy ass out of the apt, and we ran 4 miles together, WITH toby. :)

6. THING(S) YOU SPEND A LOT OF MONEY ON? underwear.

7. LAST FOOD YOU ATE? pasta

8. FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT THE OPPOSITE SEX? two things--eyes and overall build

9. ONE FAVORITE SONG? hmmmm... "40," U2

10. WHERE DO YOU LIVE? Owings Mills, although i'm in College Park ALL the time

11. HIGH SCHOOL YOU ATTENDED? Cedar Crest

12. CELL PHONE SERVICE PROVIDER? Verizon.

13. FAVORITE MALL STORE? Victoria's Secret

14. LONGEST JOB YOU HAD? C2. i'd like to say that i hated that job, although without, i would not have met courtney (an awesome friend) or chris.

15. DO YOU OWN A PAIR OF DICE? yes, but they're not fuzzy, nor do they hang from my rear-view mirror.

16. DO YOU PRANK CALL PEOPLE? no

17. LAST WEDDING YOU ATTENDED? greg and leann's in november 2005

18. FIRST FRIEND YOU'D CALL IF YOU WON THE LOTTERY? i have no idea. i bet i'd have a bunch of brand new best friends really fast though....

19. LAST TIME YOU SAW YOUR BEST FRIEND? i hate to be cheesy, but i can really say that chris is my best friend, so that would be yesterday morning

20. FAVORITE FAST FOOD RESTAURANT? noodles. that counts as fast food, right? well, if not, i go with sonic, even though there aren't any up here.

21. BIGGEST LIE YOU HAVE EVER HEARD? "i love you," circa 1999. draw your own conclusions.

Question 22? There is no Question 22. Question 22 is a figment of your imagination.

23. WHERE'S YOUR FAVORITE PLACE TO EAT WITH FRIENDS? hasn't happened in a while, but at my place. i love cooking for friends.

24. CAN YOU COOK? yes

25. WHAT CAR DO YOU DRIVE? 2000 silver grand am

26. BEST KISSER? what does this mean? does this mean just from boyfriends? from random hookups that never led anywhere? imagined kisses with famous men? i guess if i had to say from experience, i can't remember. that's right, steve 1, steve 2, and derek, i have to be honest and say that i can't remember. but with chris, oh god. he sure knows how to seduce me if he wants to...

;)

27. LAST TIME YOU CRIED? yesterday

28. MOST DISLIKED FOODS? octopus, eggplant

29. THING YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT YOURSELF? i can be tremendously loving to people and thoroughly passionate about things.

30. THING YOU DISLIKE MOST ABOUT YOURSELF? i'm a perfectionist and tend to burn myself out.

Question 31 currently under investigation by the Bush Administration

32. LONGEST SHIFT YOU HAVE WORKED AT A JOB? at reznick, the 13 hour shift during tax season

33. FAVORITE MOVIE? hmm... toss-up between 'amelie,' 'big fish,' and 'the spanish prisoner'

34. CAN YOU SING? yup

35. LAST CONCERT ATTENDED? one of ainsley's shows awhile ago

36. LAST KISS? chris, yesterday

37. LAST MOVIE RENTED? i have no idea

38. ONE THING YOU NEVER LEAVE THE HOUSE WITHOUT? a sweet pair of shoes

39. FAVORITE VACATION SPOT? costa del sol, spain

Questions 40, 41, and 42 have moved to to upstate Oregon to start a free trade womyn's collective.

43. LAPTOP OR DESKTOP COMPUTER? laptop

44. FAVORITE COMEDIAN? don't really have one.

45. DO YOU SMOKE? nope. i'd never even seen or been around or smelled marijuana until last thanksgiving (2005). i'm so sheltered.

46. SLEEP WITH OR WITHOUT CLOTHES? depends on the air temperature, the season, whatever sheets and blankets are on my bed, and if there's another occupant in the bed.

47. WHO SLEEPS WITH YOU EVERY NIGHT? technically, it'd have to be toby, but he only stays in the bed until he thinks i'm asleep, and then he jumps off.

48. DO LONG DISTANCE RELATIONSHIPS WORK? not in my experience.

49. HOW MANY TIMES HAVE YOU BEEN PULLED OVER BY THE POLICE? three times. the two speeding tickets sucked, but i was able to charm my way out of a ticket for expired stickers on my plates.

:)

50. PANCAKES OR FRENCH TOAST? pancakes b/c french toast is a lot easier to make poorly. for me to like the french toast, it must be made with uber-thick bread and exquisite confectioner's sugar. otherwise, no dice.

51. DO YOU LIKE COFFEE? yes.

52. HOW DO YOU LIKE YOUR EGGS? omelette

53. DO YOU BELIEVE IN ASTROLOGY? no

54. LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? chris

55. LAST PERSON ON YOUR MISSED CALL LIST? chris

56. WHAT WAS THE LAST TEXT MESSAGE YOU RECIEVED? "where are you" from steve

The number 57 is a copyright of the Heinz Corporation and cannot be used without express written consent.

58. NUMBER OF PILLOWS? 4

59. WHAT ARE YOU WEARING RIGHT NOW? blue jeans and a blue top

60. PICK A LYRIC, ANY LYRIC? "And I miss you when you're not around,/I'm getting ready to leave the ground..." ('City of Blinding Lights,' U2)

61. WHAT KIND OF JELLY DO YOU LIKE ON YOUR PB & J? Strawberry Polaner's all-fruit. if you call it jelly again, i'll throttle you. i'm VERY picky about this.

62. CAN YOU PLAY POOL? yeah

63. CAN YOU SWIM? yeah

64. FAVORITE ICE CREAM? tin-roof sundae, although i haven't had that in quite a LONG time... mmmm....

65. DO YOU LIKE MAPS? is there a reason not to? although mapquest does suck.

66. TELL ME A RANDOM FACT ABOUT YOURSELF? i'm actually a blond. seriously. my stylist said that mine is the darkest blond that can still be considered blond. so there's your explanation for everything about me.

Question 67 was a redshirt who beamed down with Kirk, Bones, Spock, and Scotty. Never stood a chance.

68. EVER ATTEND A THEME PARTY? yes. my favorite was the hween party kate and i had--superheroes and super-villains! i was catwoman. apparently, that was hot.

69. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SEASON? late spring

70. LAST TIME YOU LAUGHED AT SOMETHING STUPID? today, at toby. sometimes, he's that something stupid

71. WHAT TIME DID YOU WAKE UP THIS MORNING? 6AM. and it's the weekend. i'm dumb.

72. BEST THING ABOUT WINTER? the temperature b/c it strongly encourages the curling up in a blanket and drinking hot cocoa. it also encourages the curling up with someone. i love that.

73. LAST TIME A COP GAVE YOU A TICKET? this past august. thanks, chris.

The 74th question about Fight Club is "Do you talk about the 74th question about Fight Club?" And the answer is no. No you don't.

75. NAME OF YOUR FIRST PET? Lulu, a jet black cat who was a bad-ass.

76. DO YOU THINK PIRATES ARE COOL OR OVERRATED? am i allowed to be ambivalent?

77. WHAT ARE YOU DOING THIS WEEKEND? well, since the weekend is over, i'll speculate on next weekend. supposedly, i'm going to try to hit two christmas parties on saturday, and then hopefully i can grab some of the girls and have a gift-wrapping party here at the apartment.

78. BIRTHDATE 9 Nov 1979

79. WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE? asleep

Questions 80 through 84 concerned Scientology, and Xu'ulta (the Thetan who lives inside my body) said it was in my best interest not to respond.

85. ARE YOU ON A LAPTOP? yes

Question 86 has been eighty-sixed. Funny how that works out.

87. ARE YOU SMILING? no b/c i'm almost asleep, but i have to stay awake so i can pick chris up from the airport

89. DO YOU MISS SOMEONE RIGHT NOW? my grandfather. it's the first christmas without him.

90. IF YOU COULD GO ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD WHERE WOULD YOU GO? costa del sol, spain, with chris.

Question 91 got tired of waiting around to be answered. Stop thinking so hard and just put something down.

92. ARE YOU IN HIGH SCHOOL? hells no!

93. DO YOU HAVE A CRUSH? um, no. 7th grade was a long time ago.

94. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE NAME? shaka khan

95. WHAT COLOR IS YOUR BATHING SUIT? my hottest bikini is flourescent blue with hot green borders. i have another bikini top that's black & white floral with an all-black scoop bottom. again, kinda hot.

96. DOES YOUR SCHOOL START IN AUGUST? yes, although as a teacher, i have to be there at the START of august. :(

97. DID YOU GO ON VACATION LAST MONTH? i don't think that driving for 15+ hours to atlanta qualifies as a vacation.....

98. HAVE YOU EVER BEEN ON A CRUISE? no, but the one that i do want to do (i don't know if this qualifies as a cruise) is a weeklong sailing vacation that goes up and down the east coast. you learn all the stuff about sailing and have a gourmet chef and all that. usually, it has about five couples working together, with guidance from a small crew. i'd love that, and i know chris would too.

99. DO YOU HAVE A SISTER? no, but i have a sister-in-law

100. ARE YOU UPSTAIRS? technically yes, but really, no. figure that one out.

101. ARE YOU IN LOVE? no, but i do love someone, and he loves me. i think that "in love" is an indicator of infatuation than real love. but that's just me.

102. HAVE YOU EVER BEEN IN THE HOSPITAL? yes. way too many times for my taste.

103. DO YOU WISH YOU COULD SEE ANYONE PARTICULAR RIGHT NOW? duh.

104. WHAT JEWELRY ARE YOU WEARING? a celtic cross necklace

105. WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO AFTER THIS SURVEY? take a nap before picking chris up at the airport

the saturday let-down

in this case, i don't think it's a bad thing when i say let-down. the past three weeks have been incredibly hectic, and this is the first chance i've had to breath and relax in my recliner. it's such a nice break. i still have a lot to do this weekend, but that's okay with me. i'll get to it.

one of the best things for me has been my music. my piano is now here, so i can play all the time. i've also become a little bit more than obsessed with my guitar, and i think it's calling to me right now...it's longing for me to cradle it...

anyway, i'd been debating as to how (or even if) i wanted to decorate my apartment for christmas. as it turns out, my parents have given me a bunch of things to use, so i'm now excited and glad that i have the opportunity to set an atmosphere for the holidays. as soon as i pulled my nativity out of its box, i knew that i needed to decorate. anyhow, i have the tree (fake) set up. i just have to fluff the branches before i hang the lights and ornaments. i also need to figure out how i'm going to suspend the stockings (one for me and one for toby) from the tv cabinet, and i need to put together an advent wreath.

ultimately, when it comes to emotions around the holidays, it's always hard for me, but it ends up being worth it...since it's not really about me anyway.

so i think it is now appropriately established that i have an awesome boyfriend. just don't tell him how many brownie points he has in the bank. that might go to his head.

right now, my face hurts. don't start with the jokes, please. toby and i were wrestling at my parents' house earlier today, and i got a heel to the nose. luckily, nothing's broken, blah, blah, blah, but it still stings. plus, i can't get anything done if i need to ice it.

so is anybody puking from all the holiday junk out already? don't get me wrong... i love Christmas. i really do. it's fun, it's beautiful, etc., etc. but it's just done all the wrong way, too much, too early. and so, a big opportunity befalls me this year; i have my OWN place to decorate however i want. i would like suggestions as to what route to go. one ground rule--it has to be the inexpensive route. here are some questions:

1) tree--real or fake?
2) candles in the windows?
3) where do i get a decent advent wreath?
4) what do i keep out and what do i put in storage?
5) secular vs sacred themes?
6) where do i put the stockings? i have no chimney, obviously.
7) where do i put my tree?
8) how much is too much?
9) does it make sense to make such a big deal about it if i'm the only person living here?

okay, so that's kind of something i don't want to go into, but if you want to leave some philosophical comment, go ahead.

now i'm depressed. i hate the holidays.

reason #237 why chris blows me away

check out my birthday present!!!

for all not in the loop, i have wanted to learn how to play guitar FOREVER, and lately, both chris and i have been seduced by the beauties that are Guitar Hero and Guitar Hero II. but i never expected this! never!!!

he even gave me a little amp. :)

wow.

recent pictures

so i almost forgot that i have some other pictures. some were taken with chris's chocolate. i love that phone. i want that phone...





































are you experienced?












i'm dating a thugmaster.









my favorite picture yet.

i's all growed up

Okay, so I used to say that I'd avoid surveys like the plague. But apparently, I want the plague.

The Grown up survey!
Meant to be completed by ADULTS (defined as graduating high school at least a year ago!).

Tired of all of those surveys made up by high school kids?
'Have you ever kissed someone?'
'Told someone you loved them?'
'Drank alcohol?'

Here are some questions for the people who are a little more mature.

1. What bill do you hate paying the most?
they all suck

2. What's the best place to eat a romantic dinner?
on the beach, Nazarae, Portugal

3. Last time you puked from drinking?
July--bar-hopping for shawn's birthday. let's just say that, thanks to him and rob, i am no longer a jaeger virgin. asshole.

4. When is the last time you got drunk and danced on a bar?
never danced on a bar. guess i'll have to work up to that. new year's resolution?

5. Name of your 2nd grade teacher.
Mrs. Katz

6. What do you really want to be doing right now?
Eating. I'm hungry and ready for lunch.

7. What did you want to be when you were growing up?
A teacher. Go figure.

8. How many colleges did you attend?
Two--UMBC (undergrad), UMD (grad)

9. Why did you wear the shirt that you have on right now?
i wore the collared blouse under a pink sweater because i wanted to look obnoxiously preppy.

10. GAS PRICES First thought?
suck

11. If you could be anywhere and take someone with you...Who & where?
Glacier National Park, Montana, with Chris, in our own cabin, in July

12. First thought when the alarm went off this morning?
shit, i have to get out of bed

13. Last thought before going to sleep last night?
my back hurts

14. What chore do you despise?
dusting. it's so inefficient

15. If you didn't have to work, would you volunteer at an art gallery?
not so much. i'd try to do as much as i could with travel and stuff.

16. Get up early or sleep in?
Sleep in, but not too late--i still like to have daylight when i'm out and about

17. What is your favorite cartoon character?
if i have to have one, i'd say stewie

20. Favorite NON sexual thing to do at night with a girl/guy?
actually sleeping (zzzz-sleeping) together

21. A secret that you wouldn't mind everyone knowing?
i don't know; i'm really bad at keeping useless secrets anyway. what's the point in keeping them if you don't care if people know?

22. Are you planning on remaining in your current field?
right now, all stars point to yes, mostly b/c getting the PhD doesn't look promising right now

23. If you are not married, do you see yourself married in the next five years?
married? i hope so. next five years? i have no idea.

24. Your favorite lunch meat?
honey-glazed ham

25. What do you get every time you go into a WalMart?
nothing b/c i don't go into walmart. saying this nicely, i have philosophical differences with company policies.

26. Beach or lake?
Beach

27. Do you think marriage is an outdated ritual that was invented by people who died at 20?
no, i don't. i think it's an excuse to not have to own up to the maturity level, to realize that marriage is a tough, real, everyday commitment. i don't think some people take "for *better* or for *worse*" completely seriously. the thing is, if you're willing to go into it with both eyes open and a desire to work at it, it's a beautiful, rewarding thing. hell, i'm not even married, but i still think i'm right.

28. Who do you stalk on MySpace?
i don't *do* myspace.

29. Favorite guilty pleasure?
justin timberlake

30. Favorite movie you wouldn't want anyone to find out about?
Last of the Mohicans

31. What's your drink?
beer--Carlsberg; wine--dry white; mixed--mai tais

32. Cowboys or Indians?
indians, simply out of spite toward dallas football

33. Cops or Robbers?
Robbers. they're the ones that make mysteries/crime shows more interesting.

34. Do you cheer for the bad guy?
depends on if you can always tell who the bad guy is.

35. What Hollywood star do you think resembles you best?
i have no idea, but i've been told that i remind people of jodie foster and helen hunt. woohoo... i guess...

36. If you had to pick one, which cast member of Lost would you be?
i don't watch Lost.

37. What do you want when you are sick?
a quality quilt or blanket, a big mug of tea or chicken noodle soup, and a cuddle

38. Who from high school would you like to run into?
probably brian clark. hilarious, brilliant guy.

39. What radio station is your car radio tuned to right now?
107.3FM

42. Norm or Cliff?
NOOOOOORM!

43. The Cosby Show or the Simpsons?
The Simpsons. i HATED the cosby show when raven came on; she was such a precocious little brat.

44. Worst relationship mistake that you wish you could take back?
well, not seeing the road ahead of me and pushing blindly in another way

45. Do you like the person who sits directly across from you at work?
that would be my kids, and i'd have to say yes.

46. If you could get away with it, whom would you kill?
i don't have anybody that i hate that much, but there is a personwho needs to stew in how much damage that he/she did.

47. What famous person would you like to have dinner with?
bonnie blair

48. What famous person would you like to sleep with?
ummmm...? i honestly don't know.

49. Have you ever had to use a fire extinguisher for its intended purpose?
No.

50. Last book you read for real?
_Hero with a Thousand Faces_

51. Do you have a teddy bear?
Y.O. was given to me the day i was born, and it's in my apt right now.

52. Strangest place you have ever brushed your teeth?
in culebra, puerto rico, our water supply went out, so we'd have to go outside in flash thunderstorms and get as much water in bowls as we could and use that. sufficed to say, we didn't have as much to use for our teeth, so there was some pretty nasty breath on that trip.

53. Somewhere in California you've never been and would like to go?
Death Valley

54. Number of texts in a day?
none today

55. At this point in your life would you rather start a new career or relationship?
Career.

57. Pencil or pen?
depends. i'm feeling non-committal today.

58. bueller??? bueller??? bueller???


59. How many jobs have you had?
i'm not counting high school or college, but after, i've had six

60. Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
well, i have no idea. hopefully, i'm working on the phd, starting/having a family, somewhere new, maybe outside of maryland.

61. What do you think of the person that took this survey before you?
i'm so glad that i've been getting to know kim! i can tell that girl anything, and we've had so much fun running! you're awesome, kim.

:)

oo! oo! i love it!

apparently, i share a birthday with Nick Lachey. wooo!

oh, and have i mentioned how *awesome* "the scorpion king" is?

favorite line--"I came for the woman! And your head..."

this is what ugly americans do when they finally realize how stupid they are

they blame somebody else for their boorish behavior and try to sue. not just sue. they sue borat.

i hope that you've seen the movie, and it shows exactly why it's hard for me to respect your standard frat boy. from the ever-lovable wash post, and i quote, 'The young men "engaged in behavior that they otherwise would not have engaged in," the lawsuit says.' And to continue, 'The lawsuit claims that in October 2005, a production crew took the students to a bar to drink and "loosen up" before participating in what they were told would be a documentary to be shown outside of the United States.'

you'll excuse me for screaming a giant

BULL SHIT!

it's hard for us realize that we're shit-heads sometimes, and dammit, let's blame borat for making us look like the idiots that we are. how dare he commit the crime of satorization! can't we at least enjoy the fact that the movie itself is hysterical and delightfully uncomfortable, especially with the naked male wrestling? i think we should be parodied on a regular basis, making us drink the acidic attitude that we pour down the throats of other people around the globe. then we wouldn't be so damn uptight and ridiculously puritanical about things like sexuality. and, deep down, we all like sex. it's true. don't deny it. let's just relax, try to amend our faults and just enjoy life for what it is. agreed? agreed. good.

now go make sexy-time.

hail the process

so of course. the year that i can't vote thanks to red tape and moving, yada yada yada, things actually go the way i want them to go. excellent. o'malley's in annapolis, cardin's still in dc, rummy is OUT OUT OUT, and all is right with the world, or at least we would like to think so. is iraq policy going to change much? are we going to ever figure out what the hell we're going to about immigration, if anything at all? is there going to be a major rewind on no child left behind?

probably not.

but, at least there's a different crowd. so maybe nancy pelosi, et al, can do something. we'll see. and in the meantime, here is a beautiful representation of change coming to the legislative branch:

http://www.rightwasright.us/

enjoy. :)

i forgot, forgot the fifth of november

but that's only because it's chris's birthday today! from now until thursday 8:10AM, chris and i will be the same age. so he can't say that i'm old just yet.

so if you see him, talk to him, send smoke signals to him, please wish the old man a happy birthday!!!!

running, etc.

so i didn't do a marathon this year. or a half marathon. or a ten-miler. that's disappointing after having reached the major running goal the previous year, and it's little comfort to say, "well, life happened, so it's no wonder i didn't get around to it." obviously, i don't find that to be a satisfying answer, even though a reasonable person would accept it. but, i've thrown my energy behind others, most specifically kim and other MCMers. kim was AWESOME! there's also some excitement for the New York City Marathon, as that one had some banner finishers (lance!). annoying thing--i had predicted that our cycling hero would not finish under 3 hrs, mostly because it was his first marathon, his build is all this that and the other thing, etc., etc. WRONG. he finished 2hr,59 min, 36 sec. dammit. but really, good for him. and, here's proof that the man is human:

the man who has scaled the alps on his bike, the man who has completed and WON a 2200+ mile race every year for seven years, the man who has overcome cancer says that the marathon is the hardest thing he's ever done!

!!!!

for some reason, i feel validated. kim, you should too.

hershey's kisses

i did this a long time ago, and now the Post is just spreading the word. the Chocolate Treatment at the Hershey Spa is one of the best experiences. ever. in the universe. this side of creation.

i got a gift certificate to the Hershey Spa as a graduation present, and i can't thank my parents enough. i got the scrub-down (my body exfoliated with ground cocoa bean shells) and the wrap (the chocolate fondue wrap, to be specific). the wrap was my favorite part: after a delicious massage, my lovely masseuse/chocolatier literally painted my body with chocolate. then, i was wrapped in this metallic "blanket" (i'm not sure exactly how you'd categorize it) and then wrapped again in a feather-touch blanket. the lights were dimmed, and i was left in peace and quiet. the only reason why i didn't sleep like a log was that i was too busy enjoying the feeling of being a bon-bon. after awhile, that ended, and i was treated with a mountain shower, to cleanse me of that now-hardened outer layer.

my favorite part of the whole experience was the after-effect; i smelled like dark chocolate for almost two days afterward. i would do it again in a heartbeat.

if i had $150...


OH WAIT! MY BIRTHDAY IS NEXT WEEK!

*hint*

:)