Epsom Salt Bath = Super duper soft skin
(although it could have just been that the scalding hot water burned off the top layers of my epidermis, leaving the soft stuff behind...)
Tuesday, January 31, 2006
Monday, January 30, 2006
Jackie Chan couldn't hurt me more.
I imagine that being beaten up by Jackie Chan would be pretty painful. He's a badass. Strong, and quick, and unrelenting. I still think I would feel slightly better if I'd somehow gotten on his bad side than I do at the moment.
We--some random yahoo mtn. bike guy and myself--rode 13 miles today, at South Mountain. Thirteen miles doesn't sound like much, really, until you think about the fact that at least half of that was up hill. And all of it was riddled with rocks. And sand. And some more rocks. And a few errant suicidal chipmunks. No crazed Javalinas, though, which is a plus.
Anyway, my body aches and I'm moving much more slowly than usual (much to Russell's delight, since he can now smack my ass with abandon, knowing I can neither get away nor beat him up for it). I'm also feeling, mentally, DAMN GOOD. It's such a nice thing to get out and DO stuff. Not that I'll be able to do anything much for the next day or so, but still. :D
Epsom Salt Bath FTW!
We--some random yahoo mtn. bike guy and myself--rode 13 miles today, at South Mountain. Thirteen miles doesn't sound like much, really, until you think about the fact that at least half of that was up hill. And all of it was riddled with rocks. And sand. And some more rocks. And a few errant suicidal chipmunks. No crazed Javalinas, though, which is a plus.
Anyway, my body aches and I'm moving much more slowly than usual (much to Russell's delight, since he can now smack my ass with abandon, knowing I can neither get away nor beat him up for it). I'm also feeling, mentally, DAMN GOOD. It's such a nice thing to get out and DO stuff. Not that I'll be able to do anything much for the next day or so, but still. :D
Epsom Salt Bath FTW!
Party Ducks?
Story of My Life: Poing!
No, I'm not a homicidal duck. I just get distracted easily.
Like now. I'm leaving in 15 minutes to go for a ride in S. Phoenix. I should eat, check my tires, load up my gear, finished getting dressed, take care of the hounds, and....stuff. Yeah. Poing.
No, I'm not a homicidal duck. I just get distracted easily.
Like now. I'm leaving in 15 minutes to go for a ride in S. Phoenix. I should eat, check my tires, load up my gear, finished getting dressed, take care of the hounds, and....stuff. Yeah. Poing.
Friday, January 27, 2006
Eleven Eleven
Delilah and I ran a mile today. Non stop. What a feat! Granted, it was a slow mile--between 10-11 minutes, but it was a mile run with no stopping save for the 10 seconds or so when I had to tie my shoe. The *really* exciting thing about it is that my heart rate barely broke the 160 mark. Two weeks ago when I started running, it would leap to 160+ within the first 15 feet out the door. I'm whippin this body into shape. If it doesn't fall apart on me, it'll all be good.
11:11 is when I logged into Blogger, in case you were worried by that cryptic title.
11:11 is when I logged into Blogger, in case you were worried by that cryptic title.
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
Nostalgia By Duststorm
Yesterday evening when I left work, the wind she was a howlin'. I had an immediate sense of joy and excitement, although I couldn't have told you why. I realised later that it reminded me of Oklahoma, where the wind really DOES come sweeping down the plain. Rarely a day passes there that there is not at least a gale-force breeze whipping things around. Driving is a fight for straight lines, ponytails and hats are the best bets for hair saving gestures, and rain and snow comes down nearly horizontally.
You couldn't have paid me to believe that I would miss any of that, yet when I walked out into the windy evening last night and my hair flew into my face, all I felt was glee. As I drove down the street, wrestling with the steering wheel and watching the "trees" whip around I felt so at home. I have missed the wind!
Today is proving to be as still as ever, but it's early yet. They are speculating rain by the end of the week, so perhaps we'll get a full on storm at some point. That would be icing!
You couldn't have paid me to believe that I would miss any of that, yet when I walked out into the windy evening last night and my hair flew into my face, all I felt was glee. As I drove down the street, wrestling with the steering wheel and watching the "trees" whip around I felt so at home. I have missed the wind!
Today is proving to be as still as ever, but it's early yet. They are speculating rain by the end of the week, so perhaps we'll get a full on storm at some point. That would be icing!
Friday, January 20, 2006
should I be concerned?
...that after two weeks of "running" (more like jog/walk/jog walk) ever other day, I've actually *gained* weight? Someone please reinforce my belief that the flab is being replaced by muscle, which we all know weighs more!
...about that wierd catch in my right knee? it just doesn't seem right that it feels like there is a rubber band snapping inside it with every other step.
...that after sitting at the computer for about 15 minutes, and stretching before that, my heart rate is still 85bpm, according to the Garmin?
I probably should be concerned about all of these things, but I'm not going to get too worked up about it. It's Friday, after all..
...about that wierd catch in my right knee? it just doesn't seem right that it feels like there is a rubber band snapping inside it with every other step.
...that after sitting at the computer for about 15 minutes, and stretching before that, my heart rate is still 85bpm, according to the Garmin?
I probably should be concerned about all of these things, but I'm not going to get too worked up about it. It's Friday, after all..
Monday, January 16, 2006
Why I love the Fat Cyclist
I've got nothing clever to say. Leave that to Fat Cyclist. Be sure to go back and read the original posts to get the full story.
genious comedy, Luxury body or no....
genious comedy, Luxury body or no....
Friday, January 13, 2006
Blogger vs. Paper Journal
I haven't been here in the past couple days because, well, I haven't really had anything to say. I feel that when I post here, I should have something funny or profound, or at the very least interesting to write. It's different with a paper journal--my brain sort of wanders and I write down whatever pops into my head. It's usually incredibly mundane stuff, but it sort of helps me sort through all the goo. I feel more on the spot here, and of course knowing that I have at least a handful of writers doesn't alleviate the pressure.
I tossed a paper journal into my xterra a few months ago, meaning to use it for jotting down random thoughts, grocery lists, etc. It got chucked into the back soon after, and I forgot about it until earlier this week. I pulled it out on my lunch break at work and scribbled for almost the entire 30 minutes. It's amazing the kind of crap that spews from my brain when I let down the gates. Probably for the best that you're not subjected to it! At any rate, this is just to say that as a sort of after-resolution, I plan to start journaling on paper more this year. Get my head straight. Maybe some of the more cohesive entries will be transposed here.
I tossed a paper journal into my xterra a few months ago, meaning to use it for jotting down random thoughts, grocery lists, etc. It got chucked into the back soon after, and I forgot about it until earlier this week. I pulled it out on my lunch break at work and scribbled for almost the entire 30 minutes. It's amazing the kind of crap that spews from my brain when I let down the gates. Probably for the best that you're not subjected to it! At any rate, this is just to say that as a sort of after-resolution, I plan to start journaling on paper more this year. Get my head straight. Maybe some of the more cohesive entries will be transposed here.
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
HGTV Dream Home 2006
I've gone so far as to make HGTV my internet home page for the next month or so, just so I'll remember to enter EVERY DAY to win the HGTV Dream Home 2006. It's yummy. I get a little misty-eyed thinking of all the wonderful singletrack mt. biking trails I would have access to!
Monday, January 09, 2006
Pet Owners!
Contaminated pet food kills dozens of dogs - Pet Health - MSNBC.com
Please read this article and spread the news to your pet loving friends! Their dogs may be having undiagnosed problems from eating this dog food.
Please read this article and spread the news to your pet loving friends! Their dogs may be having undiagnosed problems from eating this dog food.
Saturday, January 07, 2006
Go See The Ringer. Seriously.
Go see The Ringer.
I'm not kidding. I was appalled at the idea behind this movie when I first learned about it. I used to worked with developmentally disabled adults, and found the whole premise disgusting. Then, a few weeks ago, I was having my tires balanced and while I waited I chanced upon an article about the movie in one of the sports magazines laying around. Turns out the film is not only sanctioned by The Special Olympics, the Chairman of the Board of the SO was the Executive Producer. A great many MR athletes/actors are in the movie--including Leonard Flowers and The Kids of Widney High.
Go here and check out the "Behind the Scenes" featurette. One of the best bits is a SO Tech Advisor talking about athlete reactions to Johnny Knoxville playing the lead role of the film. They thought it was a great idea--because the people that watched Jackass were the most likely candidates to abuse people with mental retardation. They felt that if he could draw that crowd to a movie like this, those folks might learn to treat them with more respect.
I hope that is the case--and I think it might just work.
I'm not kidding. I was appalled at the idea behind this movie when I first learned about it. I used to worked with developmentally disabled adults, and found the whole premise disgusting. Then, a few weeks ago, I was having my tires balanced and while I waited I chanced upon an article about the movie in one of the sports magazines laying around. Turns out the film is not only sanctioned by The Special Olympics, the Chairman of the Board of the SO was the Executive Producer. A great many MR athletes/actors are in the movie--including Leonard Flowers and The Kids of Widney High.
Go here and check out the "Behind the Scenes" featurette. One of the best bits is a SO Tech Advisor talking about athlete reactions to Johnny Knoxville playing the lead role of the film. They thought it was a great idea--because the people that watched Jackass were the most likely candidates to abuse people with mental retardation. They felt that if he could draw that crowd to a movie like this, those folks might learn to treat them with more respect.
I hope that is the case--and I think it might just work.
Wednesday, January 04, 2006
If My Dogs Were Superheroes...
As you probably know if you are rl friend or just a regular reader, I have two dogs. They are both AMPB Terrier mixes, and are just as sweet as can be, as you can plainly see from this photo. Look at those faces! Angels, I tell you!
I do think, though that either of them could be great superheroes, fighting bad guys not with great agility and nasty growls, but with their own special skills.
Bucket (the white and black one) would stop bad guys in their tracks by projectile vomiting. He would then subdue them into admission of any crime by whining incessantly until they couldn't take it any longer.
Delilah (the tiger) would incapacitate the baddies by placing a tiny, well clawed paw directly on the tenderest part of their foot. She would then proceed to get confessions by licking that foot torture style until the crooks spilled their guts.
Yep. My dogs would make great superheroes. Problem is, they are currently wasting their talents on the good guys! *sigh*
I do think, though that either of them could be great superheroes, fighting bad guys not with great agility and nasty growls, but with their own special skills.
Bucket (the white and black one) would stop bad guys in their tracks by projectile vomiting. He would then subdue them into admission of any crime by whining incessantly until they couldn't take it any longer.
Delilah (the tiger) would incapacitate the baddies by placing a tiny, well clawed paw directly on the tenderest part of their foot. She would then proceed to get confessions by licking that foot torture style until the crooks spilled their guts.
Yep. My dogs would make great superheroes. Problem is, they are currently wasting their talents on the good guys! *sigh*
Monday, January 02, 2006
There are Days...
And there are days....
It's an unoriginal post title, apparently, but why not do some recycling? It does good across the board. It's not just for cardboard anymore!
But....I digress.
It's the second day of 2006 already. My how time flies. I will be 36 years old this year, so my list of resolutions has become something more akin to a "To Do" list. We have these books at work, admonishing the reader to do these 100 Things before they die, or see these 1000 Places. I think they have given me a complex of sorts, even though I refuse to open them for fear of finding out how much more I need to get done in the next 40 to 50 years.
So I've made my own little list of things to do in the next year, and it goes thusly:
1) Learn (again) how to knit. My mom tried to show me a couple of years ago, but I put it down for approximately 30 mintues and never figured out how to get started again... My friend Shannon writes endlessly about her newfound love of knitting, and posts pictures of yummy scarves that she apparently whips up in minutes. My mom makes these fabulous little cloths, and equally yummy scarves in addition to full-on afghans. As if I don't have enough half-finished projects laying about the house...I want to KNIT!
2) Go to Sedona/Grand Canyon/Flagstaff. I've lived here just over a year and haven't seen these places? Enough said.
3) Enter a mountain bike race and/or triathlon. Because if I enter, I will *have* to train for it. I'm much to cheap to pay the entry fee and then blow it off. And then there is my pride...
And then there are some other listy things that are not, strictly speaking, resolutions but yet somehow qualify.
1) Buy a road bike. (all the better to train and compete for that triathlon)
2) Buy bike racks. (for storing multitudes of bikes in the garage and for schlepping around said bikes to aforementioned races)
Finally, a serious committment to self-betterment, in the true spirit of resolutions:
Start treating food as fuel instead of a shoulder to cry on or bullhorn to shout about life's injustices. 80% of the time. A girl's gotta have her chocolate, after all....
Happy New Year!
It's an unoriginal post title, apparently, but why not do some recycling? It does good across the board. It's not just for cardboard anymore!
But....I digress.
It's the second day of 2006 already. My how time flies. I will be 36 years old this year, so my list of resolutions has become something more akin to a "To Do" list. We have these books at work, admonishing the reader to do these 100 Things before they die, or see these 1000 Places. I think they have given me a complex of sorts, even though I refuse to open them for fear of finding out how much more I need to get done in the next 40 to 50 years.
So I've made my own little list of things to do in the next year, and it goes thusly:
1) Learn (again) how to knit. My mom tried to show me a couple of years ago, but I put it down for approximately 30 mintues and never figured out how to get started again... My friend Shannon writes endlessly about her newfound love of knitting, and posts pictures of yummy scarves that she apparently whips up in minutes. My mom makes these fabulous little cloths, and equally yummy scarves in addition to full-on afghans. As if I don't have enough half-finished projects laying about the house...I want to KNIT!
2) Go to Sedona/Grand Canyon/Flagstaff. I've lived here just over a year and haven't seen these places? Enough said.
3) Enter a mountain bike race and/or triathlon. Because if I enter, I will *have* to train for it. I'm much to cheap to pay the entry fee and then blow it off. And then there is my pride...
And then there are some other listy things that are not, strictly speaking, resolutions but yet somehow qualify.
1) Buy a road bike. (all the better to train and compete for that triathlon)
2) Buy bike racks. (for storing multitudes of bikes in the garage and for schlepping around said bikes to aforementioned races)
Finally, a serious committment to self-betterment, in the true spirit of resolutions:
Start treating food as fuel instead of a shoulder to cry on or bullhorn to shout about life's injustices. 80% of the time. A girl's gotta have her chocolate, after all....
Happy New Year!
Tuesday, December 27, 2005
The Way of the Mountain Turtle
Not the single-speed part...maybe not the race part...but I want to ride this trail. If you don't read the story (but you should, because it's a good one), at least look at the photos. Wow.
Well, did you?
Did you click that link? Did you then click the big "WATCH THIS MOVIE" link? I don't think so. Because if you did, you would have surely posted here saying that that was the funniest, most clever thing you've seen in just *ages*. You would have wailed about the fact that you cannot find out how to get that song into your MP3 player. You would have lambasted me about the fact that you can't stop humming the tune, and rejoyced at realising after the umpteenth viewing that you can turn on subtitles and LEARN THE WORDS--Hooray!
Yeah. So go do that.
...
I haven't posted about the holidays because I've been feeling a little disgruntled at the whole working my ass off and people being dumb jerks bit. Now that that aspect of the holidays is mostly over, I can calmly say that I did have a lovely Christmas. At least the part that I spent at home with my honey and my furkids. We had a quiet evening Christmas eve, opening gifts and making the dogs sick with all manner of treats (Scotti Biscotti, Greenies, and carob-chip cookies). Christmas morning we opened our stockings (Santa always seems to deliver early to my parents house--why he can't just find ME is beyond reason--and my mom forwards the stockings here) and ate some yummy chocolate/crescent roll concoction I whipped up. We watched a few episodes of Firefly and had a great Christmas dinner consisting mainly of things I merely had to re-heat or boil and mash. Easy peasy.
It was a lovely, relaxing time, and the first entire day off together that Russell and I have had in longer than I care to remember. We need more of those!
Yeah. So go do that.
...
I haven't posted about the holidays because I've been feeling a little disgruntled at the whole working my ass off and people being dumb jerks bit. Now that that aspect of the holidays is mostly over, I can calmly say that I did have a lovely Christmas. At least the part that I spent at home with my honey and my furkids. We had a quiet evening Christmas eve, opening gifts and making the dogs sick with all manner of treats (Scotti Biscotti, Greenies, and carob-chip cookies). Christmas morning we opened our stockings (Santa always seems to deliver early to my parents house--why he can't just find ME is beyond reason--and my mom forwards the stockings here) and ate some yummy chocolate/crescent roll concoction I whipped up. We watched a few episodes of Firefly and had a great Christmas dinner consisting mainly of things I merely had to re-heat or boil and mash. Easy peasy.
It was a lovely, relaxing time, and the first entire day off together that Russell and I have had in longer than I care to remember. We need more of those!
Friday, December 23, 2005
Thursday, December 22, 2005
Chipmunks Haunt Me
Remember them? "Theodore, Simon...AAAAAAALLLLLLVIIIIIIINNNNNNN!!!!?" The Chipmunks!. Yeah. That's right. Scroll on down the page. Listen to the samples. You know you want to.
For some reason, when the holidays roll around, I always think of that song. The first one. The Chipmunk Song. I still have the vinyl LP. I used to listen to it over and over again when I was a kid; it's a wonder it still plays. My record player (I almost typed "phonograph player", but that would just show my age and pretentiousness in ways I don't want to face.) is still in storage, though, so I'll have to wait to hear the beautiful analog version another time. For now, though, I'm off to amazon or itunes to sample more.
Long live the Chipmunks!
For some reason, when the holidays roll around, I always think of that song. The first one. The Chipmunk Song. I still have the vinyl LP. I used to listen to it over and over again when I was a kid; it's a wonder it still plays. My record player (I almost typed "phonograph player", but that would just show my age and pretentiousness in ways I don't want to face.) is still in storage, though, so I'll have to wait to hear the beautiful analog version another time. For now, though, I'm off to amazon or itunes to sample more.
Long live the Chipmunks!
Tuesday, December 20, 2005
Wierd Things I do...
So I was laying (lying?) in bed last night, trying to fall asleep. As usual, I had the sheet/blanket pulled up over my mouth, just under my nose. I *must* sleep like this. It's better still if the sheet is tucked in and is kind of snug. How bizarre is that? I also cannot sleep unless my feet are covered...I have a theory that someone used to sneak into my room when was little and tickle my feet.
Another odd thing I noticed when I was at the two concerts we attended last week... When I take a drink of water, I tend to hold it in my mouth for a while before swallowing. I haven't noticed if this is just a concert thing or an all-the-time thing. Perhaps I'm trying to hydrate by osmosis? I do know that I tend to get sick to my stomach if I drink a lot of water when I'm working out or biking or whatever--maybe it's the same when dancing and I'm just subconciously drinking v e r y slowly?
Anyway. I'm sure I could write a book about the Wierd Things I do, so I'll pay more attention and post more as they reveal themselves to my consciousness.
good day!
Another odd thing I noticed when I was at the two concerts we attended last week... When I take a drink of water, I tend to hold it in my mouth for a while before swallowing. I haven't noticed if this is just a concert thing or an all-the-time thing. Perhaps I'm trying to hydrate by osmosis? I do know that I tend to get sick to my stomach if I drink a lot of water when I'm working out or biking or whatever--maybe it's the same when dancing and I'm just subconciously drinking v e r y slowly?
Anyway. I'm sure I could write a book about the Wierd Things I do, so I'll pay more attention and post more as they reveal themselves to my consciousness.
good day!
Monday, December 19, 2005
My body has a point to make....
And that point is: You are TOO OLD FOR THIS CRAP. SLOW DOWN!
I worked the "front" of the store on Saturday, meaning that for the full 8 hours I was there, I was at the registers conducting traffic, answering manager calls, answering general service calls, and ringing when necessary. I stocked PoP displays, schlepped many boxes of wine, and collected the trash. I was, almost literally, running the entire day. I mentioned being dog tired when I got home around 7:30, but managed to stay up until nearly 11pm.
I then proceeded to sleep until AFTER 1PM the next day. For those math-impaired readers, that's over 14 hours of sleep.
Granted, Russell has been sick for about the last week, and several folks at work are coming down with it as well. I'm sure I've gotten more than a touch of that. Mostly, though, I think I just ran myself ragged. It was hella fun and I loved (almost) every second of it, but man....
Anyway. Today was a day off and I did a lot of nothing. I still need to mail off some packages and send some holiday cards--perhaps pick up a last minute gift or two. Tomorrow is another day off and I think I'll get some more slacker time in and do a few errands. Woot! for weekends.
I worked the "front" of the store on Saturday, meaning that for the full 8 hours I was there, I was at the registers conducting traffic, answering manager calls, answering general service calls, and ringing when necessary. I stocked PoP displays, schlepped many boxes of wine, and collected the trash. I was, almost literally, running the entire day. I mentioned being dog tired when I got home around 7:30, but managed to stay up until nearly 11pm.
I then proceeded to sleep until AFTER 1PM the next day. For those math-impaired readers, that's over 14 hours of sleep.
Granted, Russell has been sick for about the last week, and several folks at work are coming down with it as well. I'm sure I've gotten more than a touch of that. Mostly, though, I think I just ran myself ragged. It was hella fun and I loved (almost) every second of it, but man....
Anyway. Today was a day off and I did a lot of nothing. I still need to mail off some packages and send some holiday cards--perhaps pick up a last minute gift or two. Tomorrow is another day off and I think I'll get some more slacker time in and do a few errands. Woot! for weekends.
Wednesday, December 14, 2005
How to make time stand still.
When I am very very busy, days last forever. My past two days off has felt like a week--I actually had a nervous fit about missing work today until I double-double checked the schedule--because I've been so busy and gotten so much done. It started, like it always does, with a list. I am a task lovin girl, and I make lists. Sometimes I add stuff I've done to a list just so it looks like I've accomplished more.
Lately I've made a lot of lists that have served only as "wish lists"...things I'd *like* to get done but have no real intention of doing. Things that won't cause the world to end if I put them off until next week or whenever. The to-do list I created for myself on Monday was really no different than those previous lists...I simply decided to follow through. I stayed on track and got just about every little thing done, and then some. And now that it's effectively my Sunday night, I can't believe that it's only 9:15pm. It really feels like it should be so much later, and that's because I've packed so much into a single day. I love days like this! I even took a fantastically long hot bath and read a book, and it's ONLY 9:15!
However, I do have to be at work at 7am, so bedtime fast approaches. I'll have to quickly make another list for tomorrow after work so I can make it last longer too!
Lately I've made a lot of lists that have served only as "wish lists"...things I'd *like* to get done but have no real intention of doing. Things that won't cause the world to end if I put them off until next week or whenever. The to-do list I created for myself on Monday was really no different than those previous lists...I simply decided to follow through. I stayed on track and got just about every little thing done, and then some. And now that it's effectively my Sunday night, I can't believe that it's only 9:15pm. It really feels like it should be so much later, and that's because I've packed so much into a single day. I love days like this! I even took a fantastically long hot bath and read a book, and it's ONLY 9:15!
However, I do have to be at work at 7am, so bedtime fast approaches. I'll have to quickly make another list for tomorrow after work so I can make it last longer too!
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