Let's Do It Again!

The Houston marathon is fiiiinally tomorrow, and I am equally nervous and excited!

Already the organization surrounding this marathon blows Dallas out of the water. The French Ninj and I went to the expo and retrieved our bibs today.

All Immodiumed up and READY TO RUN!

We also geeked out and made matching shirts for race day tomorrow, which makes me laugh and also motivates me to keep up with her because people will definitely not get the joke if we're not side by side (specifically with her running to the left of me).

The energy in downtown Houston today was unbelievable - the Olympic time trials added an extra crispness to the already gorgeous day.

Tomorrow is supposed to be 60's and cloudy. Just as long as there's no rain, I am pumped!

I don't want to put the cart before the horse (because I haven't even started let alone finished the dang thing), but I am so jazzed to be running another marathon, and to be running with friends, and to be running in a city I know. Our goal for tomorrow is a sub-5 hour with no walk breaks. I have no doubt in the Ninja, and I'm hopeful for myself. Assuming everything goes well, this will be my last marathon for the time being.

Anyways, God is good! So many things to be thankful for - so, so many things!

Until tomorrow! Wish me luck!

No Excuses!

Against all my better judgment I've gotten involved in the Biggest Loser saga again this season.

Dangit. 

I tuned in to one episode because I wanted to see who replaced Anna Kournikova, who replaced my beloved Jillian. Turns out Bob Harper's trainer-competitor this season is this guy:

Dolvett Quince

Well...who the heck are you?! You can't just show up on the Biggest Loser ranch and expect me to love you more than my second-best-to-Jillian, Bob!

Hello, you gorgeous blonde man (so not my type.)! 

Anyways, the theme this Spring is No Excuses, and I'm hooked already. Sometimes I have so many excuses for every possible issue in my life, I get tired of hearing myself talk. My favorites are hunger and boredom --- they are my quintessential excuses for some of the messes I get myself into.

I got invited to be a +1 to a wedding shower in New Braunfels in early February by someone I spent some time with in Colorado a few years back. Perfect reason to enact my own little Biggest Loser No Excuses ordeal.

If I could get as obsessed with my own healthy living as I do with these strangers, I'd be in great, great shape.

I'm off to see this little film tonight:

I lost a bet and he got to choose when, where and what movie we would go see. Otherwise I would NOT be seeing a Cold War movie...on a Wednesday night at 7...in a very cramped theater. ...But I'm also kind of not mad about it. ;)

Back to the Grind

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't sad about going back to work tomorrow. These past two weeks have FLOWN by, and every bit of the time off has been glorious.

They say all good things must come to an end, but I'm looking forward to the little sweet spots that come with the grind. Working isn't always my favorite thing, but obviously I have no choice, and I believe there's a lot of wisdom and growth to be found in doing the things you HAVE to do, rather than only the things you WANT to do.

Maybe someday my have to's and want to's will align. :)

To send off my vacation, I went to the dog park, the movies and the grocery store. Two of those things I really enjoyed. I worked out, I ate some delicious ice cream, I even meditated and now I'm winding down with some journaling and reading.

Five a.m. is gonna come way. too. fast.

Beginnings

Ahhh, Beginnings. Remember how I'm working on upping the sappy quality of my post titles? One point for me!

Okay, but...before we get into Beginnings, I think we need to have a word on Endings.

Yesterday was all around the best year ending I've ever had. I ran not a few miles. (Bonus: I think after all my runs this past year, all toenails remaining in tact, yesterday's run is going to claim not one toenail but two. I am that hardcore.) (I also have never chaffed so bad in my entire life. Hard. Core.)

I met up with some friends. Awesome, hilarious girlfriends. And then I went across town and met up with some more friends, who hosted a faboosh party. Then I went back across town and ended the night with that original group of awesome, hilarious girlfriends. And it was all good - very, very good! This was a New Year's Eve without stress, worry, any negative emotions or sadness. It was perfect, and it made me so, so thankful to end the year surrounded by all the best parts of 2011.

So that being said I'm just going to let these pictures speak for themselves and you can infer all the laughter, merriment and 2012 postulating that happened...

So THAT was a great night. And with that, I'm leaving behind 2011.

Today, I've lounged around and eaten a VERY cream cheese-y bagel and journaled and - most awesome thing ever alert - paid my last month's rent at my current apartment. Halleluuuu!

...And now it's time to get out of bed and get stuff done. LOTS to do in 2012, no time to spare! :)

All the best to you in this most wonderful New Beginning, First Day of the Year, Clean Slate, etc. This is our year. :)

The Best of 2011

I don't guess I've ever gotten to the end of a year and thought, "What a crock! That year sucked!" In fact, while the days may sometimes be longer than I'd like, the years are getting quicker and better. A lot quicker, and a lot better.

This year, however...this year has been extra special. Without further ado, here are the highlights (in order of how they come to my memory, which might be in order of importance, or impact...I don't know):

1. My first marathon

2. Going to Alaska

3. Post-Run Brunches

4. Meeting my 323 girls

5. Monthly Book Clubs

6. Going to Canada a couple times (pre-return to blogging)

7. Running with Kenyan Way

8. Having more time for these guys:

9. Going on some dates with a couple really cool guys...and deciding potential relationships aren't what I'm interested in right now.

10. All the fun people I've met by choosing single life

11. Finally getting my windshield fixed after, like, 2 years

12. Returning to the blogosphere

13. Having time for books. Lots and lots of glorious books

14. Getting a juicer

15. Getting into grad school (Oh yeah! I keep forgetting!)

16. Meeting my new therapist, Carole. So, so thankful for her!

17. My kindle

18. Bridesmaids

18. Breaking Bad, American Horror Story, Big Bang Theory and New Girl

19. Learning more and more and more about Houston

20. And last but not least...

                                                                             ....All the froyos in the world!

I hope your year has been everything and more you wished for, and I'll be wishing all the best for you in the new year!

Absences

Hello, friends and family!

Has everyone enjoyed the holidays? I've spent mine doing all my favorite things - hanging out with friends, reading, watching movies, cooking, journaling, napping, running, spending time with Jillian, prepping for 2012 and being with family.

In the spirit of soaking it all in, I haven't taken too many pictures, but I'd like to share with you some of the things I've been up to over the break...

First.

Okay, where to start? I haven't read the books. I don't plan to. I haven't seen the swedish versions. I don't plan to. And I probably won't see any of the sequels, especially not if they're 3 hours long too.

But good heavens, what an intense movie! There were a handful of scenes that I honestly couldn't handle, but in spite of myself I guess I really liked this movie. The hardest part of this franchise for me is knowing that really gruesome, grotesque stuff actually happens to people in real life. It's hard enough to watch in a fictional setting, but it's even harder knowing that that stuff really goes on. It's a little different watching Mission Impossible 4 or The Descendants (at least for me); I guess sexual crimes are just so appalling and on-another-level that I had a really hard time passively watching this film.

Um, and it was 3 hours.

Also, I really liked Rooney Mara's hair. I think I'm just getting way overly antsy for this Locks of Love do-goodery to come to an end. Chop, chop!

I also finished our book club book:

Loving Frank by Nancy Horan

A note about book club: I love it. It's been one of my favorite parts of 2011. But we do not read books I enjoy. If they're not about Nazi's, they're about medical minutia; if they're not about military history, they're about adultery (insert Loving Frank). That being said, I read this book like a champ because Ninja reminded me that book club serves as a horizon-expander, a culture-provider, a...reason for us girls to get together and drink wine. So I read through the adultery, through the abandonment of children, through to the ending of the book which astonishingly blew. my. mind. I hate to recommend a book based on the very, very end alone, but the conclusion of Frank Lloyd Wright's affair with Mamah was unusual to say the least. And the fact that it's historical makes it even more compelling. Good stuff, book club. You pull through again.

I've spent a good deal of time running, at the gym, and with this woman:

I love it when you're angry, Jill! Grrrr!

I spent Christmas eve at the San Marcos outlets in New Braunfels, Christmas day in San Antonio, and then we high-tailed it back to Houston. I'm just soaking up these next five days of freedom. I hope you've enjoyed the holidays as well!

A Massage for my Heart

I'm going to work on upping the sappy factor of my blog post titles next year. I feel I'm on the right track with this one.

Yesterday was my second to last work day of the year. That made it the second best day of the year so far. Can you guess where today ranks?

Yesterday was also the first time I've ever gotten a massage. I was nervous. I told everyone at the chiropractic office where I was getting it done. I kept on as many clothes as possible (eventually I had to take my scarf off). I asked the masseuse a lot of awkward questions. I didn't relax for the first 40 minutes of the hour-long thing. And...it was painful! I've been informed by experienced massagees that the pain is normal and good, but I was really shocked at just HOW painful it was! At one point he spent 5 minutes pinching and pulling and pounding my right tricep. My tricep!

All in all, I liked it. It's not my favorite thing, but it was probably something my body needed and appreciated. 

With my body all loose and relaxed, it was time for a massage of the heart with THE LADIES CHRISTMAS DINNER GIFT EXCHANGE 2011. 

These women... 

...have made...

...this year....

...a cut above the rest.

The food was amazing (wow, Damian's), the wine was amazing, and the presents - the Penzey's spices and homemade cranberry vodka and lemoncello and other adult beverage goodies - the presents were so special and perfect!

After dinner we rolled ourselves back to our prospective homes, where I tried to read but ended up passing out in no time. The first annual THE LADIES CHRISTMAS DINNER GIFT EXCHANGE 2011 was a major, major highlight of the holidays!

This is what I think I know.

this is what i think know:


its never going to be as bad as it was with [ex-boyfriend].

i know more about myself

and what i deserve

and i can handle it.

if i get hurt

i can handle it.

it doesnt make me less of a person.

it just makes me human.
 
 
Words of wisdom like these are why girls need girlfriends. I can't even imagine having a boyfriend again; I don't even remember how sharing a life with someone works - or maybe I've never really known. But I do know, like my friend, that come what may, I can handle it.
 
I'm having my first massage EVER tonight! And then THE LADIES do a fancy dinner and gift exchange. Bonus: tomorrow is my last work day of the year!
 
Please expect lots of Shredding and Running (let's talk about that 20 miler I'm supposed to do on Christmas Eve). And movies and reading. And hanging out. And dog cuddling.
 
Only 11 more days til 2012!

Planet Earth

I might be jumping the gun on this, but I figured I made it 11 months and 16 days with this guy before spilling a whole Nalgene full of water all over it. Today, a tsunami hit Planet Earth. Time to retire my 2011 calendar.

Of all calendar years, 2011 has seen the most action, the most highs and lows, the most losses and successes. I'm thankful for all the life experience and thicker skin and strength and tenderness, but I'm pretty happy to chuck the day-by-day reminders of every twist and turn.

On another note, book review time!

I'm obsessed.

Then Again by Diane Keaton

There are some books you want to read slowly so they don't end, but you can't help yourself because they're so good! To me, this is one of those books. I limit myself to tiny morsels every night.

It's part- her mother's journal entries, part- her own writing. She's so unabashedly honest, and I admire her for that. She writes very candidly about how much she loved and still loves Woody Allen.

You're so beautiful!

I've pretty much decided to take the Diane Keaton approach to life until otherwise inclined. She's been a bachelorette her entire life and then adopted kids at age 50. She clearly loved immensely and has had an amazing, adventurous, fulfilled, love-filled life. She's so eccentric and esteemed for her eccentricities.

I hope she writes a sequel. And I'm definitely watching Something's Gotta Give tonight. 

Book Burning

My lease is up next month on my apartment.

A bit of background: the night my ex and I broke up, I moved out of my apartment (he lived in another city). I moved back home. I've had a subleaser until now, and he took the place as is, which required from me minimal trips back to the apartment to get the heck out of there.

This happened to be the biggest blessing of my life because I didn't eat for 3 weeks after that breakup. I still don't know how I went to work. I don't know how I survived, except that my mom brought home Dove bars one night and I slowly came back to life, one bar at a time.

But the lease is up, so it's time to clear the remaining stuff out. While I still hate being there, at least I don't dissolve into a million pieces anymore. Right?

Today I went to the apartment already emotional. I went alone. I went hungry.

Mistakes one, two and three.

I came across letters the ex had written me a year ago. Pictures. Suddenly, it felt like that breakup that was back in April had happened only yesterday.

With no time to spare, I used my available resources to get myself back together. That's how this happened.

Fireplaces ALWAYS come in handy!

It started with letters and pictures. Then an old newspaper. A couple of magazines. Before I knew it and before I wanted it to, the fire was dying. (Disclaimer: burning polaroids might be toxic.)

I needed more fuel! Around that time, this happened.

So long, Happiness Project. You are worth more to me in ashes than space on my bookshelves!

And it was a glorious five minutes. But a quick five minutes...

Great, cheesy movie...but the book did nothing for me.

Well I went scavenging for more books I felt were worth more in warmth and emotional healing to me than effort to pack up and move out, but unfortunately books were some of the first things to be salvaged from this place. The buck (flame) stopped here:

You just dont disrespect Jillian like that. Time to go home.

My plan for the day is to watch as many hours of Carrie Bradshaw as I can before I pass out in a 3 hour nap, wake up, do some Jillian, then go back to bed.

It's an emokid day. It just is.

Thankful Thursday

1. Awkward moments. Always, always thankful for awkward moments.

About to plant a big wet one on Ms. Dale...when all of the sudden...



CAUGHT! Interrupted by a very embarrassed Logan's waiter. Obviously we snapped back as though everything was tooootally normal. Love akward moments!!

2. Jackie Evancho. Don't ask. When you're in a hotel in a foreign place against your will, strange things happen; in Odessa, I fell in love with peanuts and Jackie Evancho, this 10-year-old opera (?!) prodigy. Why do I love this? I don't know, but I listened to her on PBS for like an hour tonight. Here she is belting out Angel by Sarah McLachlan.  



3. Going home to boys in Christmas sweaters!

I really just want to kiss him on the lips right now!

Benny is busting out at the seams of his sweater. His is more of a cowl-neck. :) Hi squishy boy!

My mini-goal for the day - to eat a little less and leave a little food on the plate - was a success at lunch and dinner. For some semblance of a workout, I did three rounds of this Bodyrock circuit. It really did rain sweat!

Our flight doesn't land until around 7 tomorrow evening. This will be the first weekend in forever that I don't have to wake up at 5 am (or earlier) on Saturday morning for a run! Add that to the things-to-be-thankful-for list! My mom and I are going to do some work moving out of my apartment and then treat ourselves to something lovely and relaxing. A good weekend ensues, my friends!