on being compulsively stupid

i can't help it. i can't sit at home this evening. i have to go to the gym. i can't stand not working out. my muscles twitch with irritation, saying, "why the hell haven't we been to our favorite place for MORE THAN TWO DAYS?!"

*sigh.*

i have crabby muscles.

BUT, on the up-side, I'M ORDERING BOTH TRI STUFF AND OTHER FUN STUFF THIS AFTERNOON!!!!!!!!

YEE-HAW!

i will post pix of the items once they arrive at my chateau. i don't want to ruin the surprise.

;)

on back pain and cleaning the apartment

just don't do it. seriously. if your lower back is causing you to scream and writhe, don't be consumed by the need to clean the kitchen and bathroom floors. and especially don't be so picky that you're not satisfied until you get down on your knees and scrub back into the tiniest corner.

come on. i had today all laid out as a keep the feet up, use the heating pad, do the lesson planning kind of day. instead, i feel compelled to make a run to towson and timonium to check out bikes and swimwear. then i take a nap in probably the most uncomfortable position on my recliner. then i wake up, have a totally unhealthful dinner (although chicken nuggets from trader joe's ARE really good), and feel no rest until i clean the floor so as to see my reflection. okay, well i didn't really get that far, but still. the question is:

WHY CAN I NOT LEAVE WELL ENOUGH ALONE AND GIVE MYSELF TIME TO RECOVER FROM INJURY?!

if somebody could be on my case about this, i'd really appreciate it.

|: (


oh and FYI--i am NEVER this anal about neatness...

it's a crummy rainy day, but i still did my hair.

some days, you just have to make your hair beautiful. today was one of those days. i'm not going anywhere special or trying to impress anybody. i just want to have silky hair today. i don't know why.

anyway. today is/was errands, cleaning house, cooking, reading, watching basketball and nursing my aching back. i'm so very tempted to go to the gym just to sit in the sauna, but i know that i would be the idiot. "oh two minutes on the bike wouldn't hurt. and some upper body lifts would help. and then some squats... and core work... and" then some screaming in excrutiating pain. i'm already extra sore from walking around for a few hours and toting groceries and library books this morning. so as miserable as it makes me to be benched with injuries, i've decided to be less miserable in the long term by parking my ass on the recliner for the rest of the day. bleh. it's a tough life.

can this misery have a little company please? and by company, i mean somebody willing to bring over some chinese and family guy dvds?

:)

how old is old?

my back hurts like hell. my hamstring had been bugging me since january, but i've been soldiering through. that's bad idea #1. bad idea #2 is me upping my workout frequency in order to get my base fitness in before moving to tri-specific sessions. good idea #1 was taking a break after sunday when i got sharp pains in my lower back muscles during core work. bad idea #3 was not taking a break for long enough and running last night.

i felt decent enough to run, even though part of me knew that i was being an idiot. so, i decided to just go with the idiot idea and ran harder than i normally do. consequently, my back hurts, my butt hurts, my hip hurts, my hamstrings hurt, and my whole right leg is up in arms and considering a mutiny to make me hop the plank. anyway, i'm making myself just lay here all evening in my favorite recliner, and i'll have to take at least another week off. part of me is tempted to hit up the pool and sauna next monday or so, but we'll see how idiotic i feel that day.

other stuff is fine. i have to stick a sock in brian's mouth because he's the one who said i should come over and workout. he's a great guy and an awesome friend. but seriously. don't encourage the idiot. HOWEVER, i can't come down on him too hard since he has availed his 60" HD obnoxiously complicated tv to me, and brian, rom, and i got to watch some serious family guy the other night. plus, he got me taco bell for dinner. awesome.

at this point, i'm riding out the school year (only ~50 days left, and that includes field trips and other no-class days) and getting more and more excited about the tri. if i can get some people to come up to PA with me, that would be ridiculously awesome. but i digress.

okay, i have to paint some more bengay on myself and scream and writhe as my muscles spasm and attack my spirit. hopefully, watching a butler upset of florida will make me feel worlds better.

i <3 turbo tax... and toby's new hedgehog.

i won't go into tacky details, but turbo tax helped me uncover deductions for which i didn't even know i was eligible. consequently, i can have a new little savings cushion, plus some left over to splurge on triathlon equipment and an iPod. YAY!

and maybe i can get toby some new toys. yesterday, i did gift him with a new hedgehog. this is not just any squeaky. this is the uber-hedgehog, the mutant version of the species. he loves it, tries to eat it, chases it when it's thrown, and sleeps on it.

fyi--if you haven't noticed already, toby is pretty damn spoiled.

:)

i wouldn't be surprised if there was such a thing as karma...

so after my mean-spirited gloats at duke's loss in the first round, i pay the price with maryland's loss in the second round. i couldn't watch the game as closely as i wanted because the only time i had to watch was also the only time i had to go to the gym. consequently, i ended up on the stationary bike for 45 minutes (yay, individual cardio theatre!) and in the free weights area (thank you, many inch flat screen tv!). that was the one time i tailored my workout around a basketball, but it was worth it, i think.

ANYWAY, i was impressed with butler's stingey defense and outside 3's. plus, i really wish that maryland would learn that it can't always rally. seriously. we don't need heart-attack wins every single time. get out in front with time to spare, and hold on like there's no tomorrow. i think mastering that would win the terps a little more respect. too bad that this was the end to strawberry's collegiate career. does anybody know what he'll be up to after graduation? is he a candidate for the pros? i don't follow the nba at all, so i have no idea.

this makes me sad. a little. until my pizza's done. i can be such a fickle fan.

:)

thoughts and sympathies

please use the comment option to leave a message for the duke blue devils. i'll post the best ones for all to see once i get a good number.

:)

awesome

for the record:

first round--VCU Rams 79, Duke Blue Devils 77

what going-away present should we get for the devils? any ideas? a "wish you were here" card?

today

duke had better lose... seriously. they probably won't. but i'll comment on today's games tomorrow since there's so much yet to come.

here's a random (and likely bizarre) question--if the nature of believing changes, does the belief itself necessarily change as well?

atencion!

so here's the thing, appointment-makers:

when you make an appointment, COME TO THE DAMN APPOINTMENT! please, if for any reason, you cannot make the appointment, i'd appreciate a heads-up. if, after you've made the appointment, write the appointment down the day that you make the appointment. i really need appointments to be met, especially when the appointment-makers are making said appointments for the benefit of someone else.

moral of the story: COME TO THE DAMN APPOINTMENT!

thank you.

so here's the thing, fellow gym-ers:

when you're done with a piece of equipment, WIPE IT DOWN! when you're around the equipment (in the middle of sets, around weights, etc.), GET OFF THE DAMN CELL PHONE! when you're using free weights, DON'T STAND IN FRONT OF THE MIRROR FOR AN HOUR CHECKING OUT HOW MANY WOMEN/MEN ARE CHECKING YOU OUT! when you're on the treadmill, don't stare at my console; JUST BE CONCERNED WITH YOUR OWN DAMN WORKOUT! when lifting near others, STICK WITH YOUR OWN DETERMINED WEIGHT AND REPS! do we understand that our fitness is not competition? do we understand that it's about well-being, not vanity? do we understand that we don't need to be reached at all times in all places? do we understand that you're being )*!@&$^!_(@*#!&@#E and seriously getting in other people's way?

moral of the story: HAVE A SENSE OF COURTESY FOR YOUR FELLOW GYM-ERS!

thank you.

un-garbled

i'm more than excited. first of all, triathlon gear will be easier to obtain than i previously figured. WOO! also, i ran the shamrock 5K (see earlier post), and i felt good through the whole run. WOO again! next, i did more diamond push-ups today! YEE-HAW!!! this tells me that i'm getting closer to my goal of being in shape for august's triathlon!!!!

i'm wondering what i'll do after that...or, for that matter, what i'll do before that. i'm definitely doing the VA 5K memorial day weekend. there's also the dreaded dru hills 10K. you'll have to shoot me afterward to put me out of my misery (see event name), but it's definitely an award-worthy race, very well done. other possibles:

Governor's Bay Bridge Run (5/6)
Lake Roland Rumble Trail Race (6/10)
Philadelphia Distance Run (9/16)
Army 10 (10/7)

pipe dream:
Valley of Fire Marathon, Half & 10K (las vegas, 11/?)

any suggestions?

garbled

lightning crashes, a new mother cries
her placenta falls to the floor
the angel opens her eyes
the confusion sets in
before the doctor can even close the door

lightning crashes, an old mother dies
her intentions fall to the floor
the angel closes her eyes
the confusion that was hers
belongs now, to the baby down the hall

oh now feel it comin' back again
like a rollin' thunder chasing the wind
forces pullin' from the center of the earth again
I can feel it.

lightning crashes, a new mother cries
this moment she's been waiting for
the angel opens her eyes
pale blue colored iris,
presents the circle
and puts the glory out to hide, hide

and this is how it feels with bipolar disorder sometimes, an alternate or sometimes simultaneous awareness of debilitating confusion and fierce clarity, both joined by unrelenting fear locking horns with impossible hope. don't be surprised if that makes no sense. that'd actually be a fairly accurate reaction. today is a day for no decisions, for robotic existence, rote errands, and pre-planned escape from pressure. otherwise, it all falls apart, and the mental sea becomes frighteningly destructive. it's only appropriate that i fear drowning above all things.

eeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

this little kid has just found her candy store!!!! courtesy of www.SportsIllustrated.com, we have our BRACKET!!!


you can count on seeing a much larger version on the chalkboard in my classroom, with frequent updates throughout game days.

even though i can't stand dicky v...

it's on, baby, yeah!

Shamrock 5K, 3/11/07... and i do have eyebrows.

today was good. dad and i did the shamrock 5K downtown, and we had fun. we had only a few gripes about the race this year, as opposed to the many gripes we had had before, so that was a marked improvement. the field was as big as ever (~3000 runners), and it took dad and i awhile to cross the start line. one of my two favorite things about the race is the descent down charles . as you make your way over the crest of the hill, there's this astonishing view of green flowing down the street. the mass of clover-clad runners boggles the mind. unfortunately, i couldn't obtain any pictures of the route around the harbor, but we basically went around to key highway with a turnaround at jackson and circled back to pratt and ended at Power Plant Live. had it not been for the sheer number of runners, it definitely could be a PR course.


afterward, there was food and fun to be had, with bananas, pretzels, chips, water, and--best of all--FREE BEER. SCORE! to be honest, i've never taken advantage of free alcohol after a race for two reasons. i need to hydrate, not de- after a race. plus, when it comes to drinking, i'm enough of a lightweight as it is. but today...well, it was nice today. because...

today was good.

favorite ways to mellow out

these are listed in no particular order:

1) napping on the couch--it's not the greatest piece of furniture in the world, but my couch is somehow perfect when i need that black-out kind of nap
2) getting psychologized by steve or kim--two fantastic friends who have refreshingly practical views of the world; they ever so gently smack me up side the head when it's too far up in the clouds
3) working out at the gym--i could go on forever about fitness; it's been a part of my life since i was 3 or 4, and i've always found that it can be a most cathartic experience.
4) candle-lit bubble bath--it's just one of those things
5) playing with the dog--messing around with toby brings me back to very simple nature. i throw the ball, he runs and gets it and tries to tackle me upon returning the ball: uncomplicated fun. that's the best.
6) losing track of time as i play the piano--this is where i can really get lost in my own little world. my fingers get swept up in the motion of the melody and harmony, and they pretty much take over, drowning out the din of my surroundings.
7) cleaning the kitchen--there's something about an assertion of order in one of the more chaotic rooms in the apartment.
8) reading/napping by a body of water--i'm not a tanner. i don't go outside with the intent to bake. i slather myself in sunblock and stay in the shade if the sun is wicked. that said, there's something about natural light and warmth in combination with a breeze coming off the water that i find incredibly soothing. that's why i'm so excited to be living across from my complex's pool! awesome.
9) running--this is one of my favorite ways to see the world, and i don't restrict that phrase to discovering new locations. running is simple and democratic. it can simultaneously provide solitude and comraderie. when approached with the intent to enjoy, it brings peace of mind, phsyical strength, and mental endurance. one of my strongest memories of awe and relaxation is my run in culebra, puerto rico. i ran the length of the tiny island in 45 minutes, and it was the first time i'd ever seen anything close to tropical paradise. there's a lot more to that run, but for the sake of brevity, you'll just have to trust that it was breathtaking and life-changing.
10) writing--whether they're in my blog, a journal, a letter (sent or not), words transposed allow my mind to make sense of that which had been plaguing me. they represent a liberty from and produced by my own thoughts. that's a rather complicated part of me, but it is an irrefutable truth that writing is essential to who i am.

underlying almost all of these is music. por ejemplo, jurassic 5 "freedom" is playing as i write this post. "live and let die" and "body rock" accompany my workouts. i fall asleep listening to jazz on npr. i pretty much have some form of music on at all times. this might be a completely ludicrous hypothesis, but i imagine that, when my left brain tries to assert itself with an unusual urgency, the right side protests the stress and thus seeks any and all forms of expression. as music is the most immediately available, it has become integral to my everyday life.

"Yo, raise the level, bass bottom to treble
Forever keep it ghetto
Funk and heavy metal
Fuck the devil
Unify the rebel
Whistle like a kettle
With a fly acapello
Smooth and mellow
Locked load and settle
Shine through times with rhymes bright like yellow
Taste and swallow, lead and never follow
Break it like a bottle
Inspire like a role model"

--"i am somebody," jurassic 5

al franken fans will have a field day with this one...and in other news

when there's not enough fuel for the fire, count on ann coulter to save the day!

and in other news, denmark has a 3rd consecutive night of unrest. while protests and violence are certainly regrettable everywhere, i'm particularly struck by the recent rottenness in this state*. in this case, it's the government vs. the anti-establishment, and it just goes against every image that i have of the Danes. it's such a beautiful country, with a very friendly, laid-back population, and its rather under-the-radar attitude allows for a relaxed flexibility when it comes to dealing with significant social and political issues. i really hope that this situation gets resolved quickly and peacefully.

as anti-american as some may see it, i do agree with critics' denunciation of the Pizza Hut Book-It program. it was implemented in one of the two elementary schools that i attended, and i honestly don't recall my parents ever taking advantage of the free pizza prize. it's not that they would never indulge us; rather, mom and dad had taught geoff and me something very, very important. by the time we were both able to read, my brother and i realized that it was a fun and enjoyable activity all its own. we didn't associate food with reading. that's the problem that i see with the pizza-based incentive program. by and large, youngsters are learning that everything worth doing comes with food attached. there is no emphasis on something being its own reward. i acknowledge that we adults do it too; it's the mentality that if i spend 30 minutes on the treadmill, than i can treat myself to the death by chocolate dessert at X restaurant. the difference comes with impressionability. adults should know better. but in first or second grade, children experience an onslaught of stimuli, and it's their first instinct to choose that which results in the optimal pleasure pay-off, whether or not it's good for them. Pizza Hut should be ashamed of itself (but of course it's not) for taking advantage of a young, captive audience, and this deplorable corporate sponsorship of childhood gluttony needs to end as quickly as possible.

what is going on with men's college basketball? there have been so many upsets of late, and it's made me even more excited about the possibilities for march madness. right now, i'm sitting on pins and needles waiting for both the AP poll update AND the tournament selection. according to an espn "bracketologist" (come on, are you serious?), maryland gets the #4 seed in the east bracket with first round play against gonzaga. with the terps on a hot streak and gonzaga trying to juggle a lot at home, it has the chance of being a really lop-sided game. on the other hand, this is basketball, where it's conceivable that basement-dweller Wake can beat likely season conference winner Virginia. all in all, this is going to be an exciting field this year. and hopefully florida with bite the big one early on. that'd make me pretty happy.

;)


*please excuse my blatant and probably inappropriate shakespeare reference. i just couldn't help myself.

Total K.O. for the Terrapins!

nobody gives UMD credit. people were predicting another NIT appearance, and even with that, a quick exit there. so, you'll understand when i say that this feels good. this feels sooooo good. maryland JUST finished a good old-fashioned beatin on nc state, to round out the thumping of duke and embarrassment of unc. the terps are going to roll into the ACC tournament with great momentum and most likely a #4 seed. i can't wait to see the unc/duke game tomorrow, and i especially can't wait to see the updated rankings.

now, i honestly admit that i really don't pay attention to much basketball outside of the ACC, so i don't know what teams would be a good match for the terps. i don't mean teams that would simply steamroll or anything; i mean those that would push the speed and strategy, one that would force an incredible game. so tell me this--in the ncaa at large, what team or teams would be a great match for the terps?

of course, with all of the upsets lately, top ranks aren't necessarily locked. am i right? it really could be, no pun intended, anybody's game. somebody help me on this. i don't know what i'll do once all the tournaments (conference and ncaa) are over. i think i would cry...

:P

review: Thirsty Dog Pub

Last night, I went to the Thirsty Dog Pub in Federal Hill. I hadn't been there since July of `06, so it was nice to head in again. I'm finding more and more people who have never been to a bunch of the fun places downtown, so in my effort to edimucate newly-planted Baltimoreans, here's a review.

1. Physical environment--rather narrow. I don't know for sure, but I'm assuming that T.Dog inserted itself into a former rowhouse, so the width (or lack thereof) can't really be helped. The drawback there is that it makes seating a pain. While they do have two floors, it's still tough to be lucky enough to snag a table or a booth. It's not super-cramped, as you can stand at the sides and everything, so it's not all bad. Grade--C

2. Waitstaff--very friendly, very attentive, and very cool. We basically had three people checking up on us periodically, clearing away the mugs and plates, as more beer arrived. One thing that I really appreciated was that, despite their numerous appreances at our table, they didn't try to jump into our conversations. One of my major pet-peeves is when waitstaff try to insert themselves into parties where they don't really belong. Kudos to T.Dog employees for great service and personality. Grade--A

3. Food--good and fantastic. I ordered the hot pretzel plate last night, per craving, and I got three generously sized servings. To my surprise, however, they were plain. No salt, no nothing. They did have sides of spicy mustard and salt in which to dip said pretzels, but you could only get one end of the bite salty. That was a bit too much for me, as I prefer the salt to be evenly spaced. Eating them plain was fine, and they tasted pretty good, but I wanted the salt format to be different. Now. Completely beyond the A+ grade of food is T.Dog pizza. I can't even describe it. So many flavors, so many intriguing combinations of toppings, so many possibilities for enjoyment (especially the Atomic Dog Pizza, which is two pizzas stacked on each other) that I just can't contain myself. That pushes the grade for food up. Grade--B+

4. Beer--most important. FANTASTIC. I'll admit that I'm not a beer connossieur (sp?), but the number of choices is refreshing. I expecially like the fact that there is no Bud, no Miller Lite, no Coors, no Heineken, no Beast, no nothing shitty. These are all inside jobs, and my order last night was the Black Dog, a nice, dark, smooth brew that is kind to a girl who doesn't drink much. I also like how they bring you two mugs at once. They're not a pint each, so it's not too much, but for some reason it makes more sense to have two. I have no idea why. That's just how I feel. It was good. Grade--A

5. Prices--very reasonable. $3.50 for a quality beer (two mugs) and ~$9 for an amazing pizza. Doesn't get much better than that in gentrified Federal Hill. Grade--A

6. Overall atmosphere--despite the small size, it's a relaxed and fun place. I daresay it's cozy. Everybody there is very chill and friendly, and striking up interesting conversation with other patrons (and I don't mean hitting on the opposite sex) is not unusual. Favorite part (you should not be surprised at this if you know me at all): you can bring your dog. He/she must be leashed, of course, and proper behavior is expected, but the staff is quite agile in navigating the bar with random canines laying around. It just makes the place that much more fun, and the dogs tend to be as relaxed as their human companions. They just lend a bit of ... how shall I put it... that nothing's-so-pressing-that-I-can't-lay-down-and-loosen-up-for-awhile attitude to the place. And that's a mindset that we could all afford to take on. Grade--A+

Overall grade--A. I highly recommend visiting the Thirsty Dog Pub if you've never been there, and I'd recommend revisits for those who haven't gone in a while. It's most definitely worth it!

Next to be reviewed: Little Havana's on Key Highway, Metropolitan Cafe, Vespa's, J. Patrick's, and some pub on Cross & Riddle whose name I can't remember. Look for those critiques sometime in the future.

Okay, now I'm hungry... must eat... :)

Re: Blue Devils Basketball

stick a fork in it--it's done*

terps knock out the tarheels*
terps knock out the blue devils*


wolfpack, your number's up


;)

to feel kim's pain, see below

so, kim has had a battle with shopping as of late* i can more than sympathize, as can most women* so, in order to solve our collective problem with the fashion world, i'm spreading the net to get more answers to her wardrobe update questions* PLEASE contribute!!!* gentlemen, it'd certainly be interesting (whether or not it's actually helpful) to hear your side as well* :)

Wardrobe Update: Questions

Please please answer, ladies!

1. Can you wear stockings with open toed shoes? Honestly?
2. Tights - not the footless kind (ick), but more like opaque tights/panty hose - are they in?
3. No stockings during the winter - is this appropriate?
4. Tan/nude stockings - out or in?
5. Are people actually wearing dress shorts with heels and whatever the cropped pants are called? I've seen these in the store, but I have to admit that I've seen no one actually wearing them.
6. Is a store like Talbots or Ann Taylor going to be too momish for me? I don't want to look like after work, I'm taking the kiddies to soccer.
7. Why is this so hard?

My own answers:

1) noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo* for some reason, this makes me think of the 80s in all its glory* let's not repeat history*

2) they are, but it can be really hard to get the look right* personally, even though i know it can be done, i've been too chicken to try it

3) if you're a very prim dresser, than there MUST be stockings in the winter* i ask myself one thing: is there is skin showing between the hem of my dress/skirt and the top of my shoe/boot? if yes, then i wear stockings, largely because i'm white as snow, and my legs look a little silly when they're that pale* if no, then i put on my warm socks under my boots and enjoy thumbing my nose as some ladies i knew when i was a girl in middle school* don't worry, THEY KNOW WHO THEY ARE!

:P

4) tan-out, nude-in; unless the stockings are hardcore opaque (see #2) or nude enough to match your natural skin color, they just look a bit odd*

5) women do wear this look, but it's really hard to pull off unless you have a specific body type (eg, tall and rail thin)* gauchos are almost impossible because they will simply drape over a woman's curves, and if that's not something you want to excentuate (sp?), you're screwed* what i have is a pair of cropped pants with structure and cut to them, and hot damn do they look smokin with a set of heels* look for some of those (got mine at Express or Limited, i think)

6) Talbot's, yes, Ann Taylor, no* Ann Taylor is great because the separates can be combined in really classy but modern looks* banana republic can be good for that too, but sometimes it's borderling too trendy* actually, target is going in the right direction, but the downfall with moderately priced clothing is that the tailoring isn't as great--some target pants have great potential, but they have a gap above the butt* too bad* i would HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY suggest hitting up Filene's Basement--it's a re-retail store for higher end stuff* i got a bcbg party top (originally priced at $80) for $20* it's not second hand but just last season* and from the vibe i'm getting, you don't care about the season* and that's perfect for filene's*

7) it's so hard because the reasonably priced clothes aren't always tailored that well and fall apart fairly quickly* a lot of the expensive clothing doesn't really match our age group and maintain a modern edge to it* or, the fashion out there is just plain slutty, matronly or weird* take your pick

now i dare you to explain THIS

now i know that tons of people (sometimes myself included) believe that U2 has jumped the shark, mostly because they feel that Bono might as well be jumping on Oprah's couch* and a LOT of people are tired of the aforementioned frontman's ubiquitous presence in the international-social-economic-free-trade-etc-etc conversation* but put that aside for a second, and just read his address at the 54th National Prayer Breakfast*

if you check out the "speaking of faith" web page, you'll see pictures of the singer smiling with jesse helms and president bush* what i REALLY want to bring attention to is this picture:



yes, that's Barak Obama, if you can't tell* AND, npr informed us that shortly after one of their reporters left after an interview, Bono was waiting at barak's door* there must be many possible explanations for his arrival, none of which i feel like debating* but--given Bono's equal popularity and, well, unpopularity, my question is this: if Obama was to strike up a partnership of sorts with the rock star, how would that affect his run for the white house?




please explain that to me*


picture courtesy of American Public Media, "Speaking of Faith" http://speakingoffaith.publicradio.org/programs/evangelicalevolution/bono-prayerbreakfast.shtml, accessed 28 Feb 07*

explain these to me

1) why my butt hurts after a workout that concentrated on my upper body

2) why, when it came time for dinner, i craved tuna like there was no tomorrow

3) why Tennessee is creaming Florida in men's basketball (8 min left in the 1st half)* is Florida really losing its magic?

4) why Maryland and Duke basically hold a tie in the ACC (Maryland is slightly ahead considering points for and points against)* how did this happen? (not that i'm complaining) did anyone see this in the stars?

5) why (to take a cue from WN) kevin federline doesn't have custody of his sons yet* clearly, since the divorce, britney has been all but screaming for help (see her cueball `do), and he actually comes off as the responsible one, bringing their boys to see her while she's in rehab

6) why they bother with the oscars at all anymore* the general public often does not agree or respect the decisions of the "academy," and they also usually go to bed before the end of the show* really, folks--2 hrs should be more than enough time to dole out the little statuettes* does anybody else feel that it's just an over-hyped, narcissistic (sp?), self-congratulatory night of excess?

7) why dick vitale hasn't had his mouth duct-taped shut yet

8) why al gore bothered to make a joke out of entering the `08 presidential race* with all the crap that's already present, do we really need to have somebody else jerking us around?

9) why your everyday educators get such crappy salaries* don't give me the economy reason, please* although, according to the inimitable Gary Rohrback, it's all economic*

10) why we don't all try to do jobs that we love* for me, i've putzed around enough and gotten enough experience teaching Every Single Age Group Around, and i've realized that i just have to bite the proverbial bullet* or, as in the case of graduate school, the financial bullet, the relocation bullet, the workload bullet, and the social life bullet* but, even with all of that, i know what i want* i know that i love phd level work, and i know that i love the material* so, i could get a job (theoretically) as a copywriter or some other such higher paying thing* but, i'd rather give all my energy and get smaller pay for something that i feel makes a difference for both myself and others* just an idea*

much love to Gary Rohrback! EIML, baby!

yum

hot chocolate makes everything so much better...

:)

long day

you'd think that a 2hr delay would make a school day zip by* well, you'd be wrong, you non-teachers* today was rather torturous* the students were out-of-hand, logically, because they didn't have the whole day off* also, classes were truncated by 20 minutes each because of the shortened day, so that basically screwed all of my lessons* when i got home, toby didn't want to have anything to do with me* that's unusual for him* he only changed his tune when he came over and sat on my foot* steve believes that this means, "hey ma! i have to poo!" as soon as i got up, toby started jumping over to the door like a crazy dog (although that's usually the kind of dog he is anyway)* and hoo boy, when we walked, he certainly (to put it in a sanitary way) did his thing* so, if you ever come to visit, watch out if toby tries to sit on your foot*

i went to the gym after walking toby, and it just seemed to drag on* normally, i'm there for at least 2-2 1/2 hours, but i just needed a rest* consequently, i only did 25 minutes (11 miles) on the bike and no free weights* instead of the free weights, i just kicked my own ass by doing the entire balance workout that larry taught me* now, larry is awesome* larry is very knowledgeable and enthusiastic* he's also incredibly gifted, athletically speaking* he's also a nice guy*

but anyway, the balance workout basically revolves around 2 half-cylinders about 5 or 6 inches in diameter and 4 to 5 feet in length each* the flat side is placed down on the floor, and the two half cylinders at placed end-to-end* i would walk to the end and back (backwards, of course), and then i'd walk to the end and back while picking up a medicine ball and then putting it back down on the floor* i'd do each twice for each leg/side, and if i lost my balance and fell, i'd start over* after doing those, i'd stand with one foot on the half cylinders and bring one foot to the inner thigh of the other* i'd bring it back down and step with the next foot* and so on and so forth* last, on those half cylinders, i would set my foot and then lower my upper body and raise my back leg, so as to look like superman who really wants to fly but is afraid to pick up both legs* the LAST things that i do involve these circular balloon-y things* i squat and do figure-eights around my legs with a medicine ball* then, sans ball, i just squat for 30 seconds*

larry is a wonderful person who exudes confidence and an uplifting spirit, but this workout made me hate him* it kills the ankles, the arches, the inner and outer thighs, the quads, the hams, and the butt* at least i know it's working though* the excellent part of the workout is that it demands total focus* shut out the miserable day, shut out a distracted day, shut out all the hoo-ha of the day, and center the mind soley on the placement of the body* it's a tremendous stress reliever*

all told, my gym outing relaxed and recentered me* for my students' sake, let's hope i stay that way tomorrow*

;)

YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

YEAH, MARYLAND!!!!!

EAT IT, HANSBOROUGH & co!

LOOK OUT, BLUE DEVILS!
LOOK OUT, WOLFPACK!

Y'ALL IN FOR SOME TROUBLE!!!!!!!

:)

again, another stolen quiz

Sandra's Variety Quiz

this may be sandra's, but i stole it from kim :)

1. Go to a bookshelf in your home, preferrably not filled with work-related stuff. Pick a shelf and go along, naming 5-10 books that are unrelated in topic. Whether you have even read them doesn't matter!

Grendel, Imperial Woman, An Unquiet Mind, Heretic's Heart, The Ground Beneath Her Feet

2. What is the proportion of people to TV viewing apparatus in your home?

1 TV, 1 person

3. Go to your drawer of crap. Name 5-10 different items.

kitchen towels, batteries, chinese take-out menus, a screw-driver, beer bottle opener

4. Look at your fingernails and describe.

nice, clean with no polish, rounded edges, making my fingers look slender and very feminine

5. Sinead or Britney?

Nooooothing compares to Sinead

6. Milk or dark chocolate?

dark, always dark

7. Kitchen utensil drawer inspections. Yep, pick an odd drawer and name 5-10 items.

copper measuring spoons, another beer bottle opener, non-matching numbers of knives, spoons and forks, straws, little baby wisk

8. Look at your IM list of friends etc. Name the occupation fo 5-10 people. Please do NOT share their handles or real names.

computer programmer, pr person, middle school math teacher, professor of fun, photographer

9. Do you recycle? Why or why not?

yes, and so committed that i'll drive 20 minutes to the nearest recycling center (my apt complex doesn't collect recycling)

10. Name the last 5-10 items you purchased.

necklace, bcbg top, groceries at trader joe's, dunkin donuts coffee, dog food

new mountain to climb

so i've pretty much had this decided since thanksgiving, but it's coming into focus more and more* my new physical challenge to conquer is the sprint triathlon* sure, many people have completed tris and do them all the time, so much so that, to them, tris are no more exciting then a spoonful of dirt* but for me, it's so much more*

years ago, i decided i wanted to try a marathon* i hemmed and hawwed (sp?) and finally fell into the training* i wasn't fully convinced of some of the philosophies behind stuff, and consequently, my heart wasn't completely in it* i finished, and i was really proud of myself, and i keep the medal and everything like that* but the tri is different* it's something i didn't expect to want, and there's something new and scary about it* i like that* when i run/crawl across the finish line, it will be mine* whether or not i ever do another one, i'll have accomplished something i didn't think i'd do*

with the marathon, i never had dreams of doing six or twenty or anything like that* i didn't have any visions of bumping things up to ultras (50-100+ mile marathons)* but, depending on how hooked i get (and i really think i could get hooked), it would be amazing to someday do an ironman* can you imagine? i don't know that i'd ever be good enough to qualify for the gatorade ironman in hawaii, but why not? how would that not be amazing? how unreal would that be to push my body to its limits? i so want to find out how that feels***


now can somebody get me a bike? :)

shout out!

No particular order:

m?
lray
camaral
khubbard
shubbard
mmolter
lbauer
bmartin (thanks for the email--i'll get back to you on that, seriously man, thank you)
amartin
mcarroll-mason
ctruffer, et al (umbc)
cjenkins
bhabecker
bhanrahan
nfry
cmeawad (the meatwad!)
dfisher
rjohnson
jskopp
m/d/m/k/gmbeatty
cwiley
kporter
fdierken
and--last, but DEFINITELY not least--shandy

many others, so if you're not listed, you're still not forgotten* i just have to leave for school NOW!* :)

oh! definitely not done* HUGE one to (drumroll please)-----

toby :)

*guys, consider yourselves awesome*

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!