I woke up at 6:30 this morning. (yes, on Memorial Day - a day off from work.) I showered and was in the car by 7. By 8 I was at the starting line of the annual Ridge Run 10K in Beverly, Chicago. By 9:13 I had finished 6.3 miles and have never sweated more in my life. It was 88 degrees this morning and beyond muggy. But I did it! And so did Chase and Terry, who finished before I did, which was nice I had my own cheering section to give me that extra boost before crossing the finish line.
This was my second race and you know what I really like about the races? People like to stand along the side to cheer and watch and most people bring their adorable dogs, too! Which I enjoy thoroughly. On mile 6 while I was struggling a bit I still noticed all the cute dogs I was passing by and even told a man that his chocolate lab was beautiful as I passed by.
It was strange running in 88 degree weather when the first race I ran it was 35!
And now the pizza has arrived, which I deserve to enjoy after my morning!
Monday, May 31, 2010
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
What Not To Read
Angelology by Danielle Trussoni.
This was the latest book I've read and I was extremely disappointed by the ending. The beginning started out interesting enough. Then the majority of the book delved into the past that would help explain the present-day storyline. Trussoni kept my interest with her fictional history of angelology and her detailed account of what had happened so many years ago that was necessary to know in order to appreciate the importance of the present-day storyline.
The last few chapters of the book came back to the present and I couldn't put the book down because I wanted to know how it was all going to pan out. I tend to read quickly when I'm really into a book and just about to finish it. I could feel my heart beating because the protagonist was caught in the middle of a compromising situation. I wanted her to come out on top (no one wants the main character to not make it.)
And then everything came to a screeching halt when I read the last page of the book. It was the worst ending I've read in a long time. I was shocked that Trussoni had chose this way to end her novel, because the rest of the book was so well organized, creative, well-written and obviously thought out. It was as if she wrote the ending on a whim and never looked back.
I can't say the entire book was a waste of time. But the ending definitely left me disappointed and hoping there is a sequel that will make up for the abrupt, uncreative and, in my opinion, unpopular ending.
This was the latest book I've read and I was extremely disappointed by the ending. The beginning started out interesting enough. Then the majority of the book delved into the past that would help explain the present-day storyline. Trussoni kept my interest with her fictional history of angelology and her detailed account of what had happened so many years ago that was necessary to know in order to appreciate the importance of the present-day storyline.
The last few chapters of the book came back to the present and I couldn't put the book down because I wanted to know how it was all going to pan out. I tend to read quickly when I'm really into a book and just about to finish it. I could feel my heart beating because the protagonist was caught in the middle of a compromising situation. I wanted her to come out on top (no one wants the main character to not make it.)
And then everything came to a screeching halt when I read the last page of the book. It was the worst ending I've read in a long time. I was shocked that Trussoni had chose this way to end her novel, because the rest of the book was so well organized, creative, well-written and obviously thought out. It was as if she wrote the ending on a whim and never looked back.
I can't say the entire book was a waste of time. But the ending definitely left me disappointed and hoping there is a sequel that will make up for the abrupt, uncreative and, in my opinion, unpopular ending.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
This Blog Post Brought to You by a Request From a Friend
Lack of self motivation.
It can happen to anyone. And it can be about pretty much anything. For me it's been with making myself go running. I was doing really well for a while, but after my first 8K I fell out of my routine pretty quickly. I was giving myself a few days off ( 1. I was sore 2. I was tired 3. I deserved it gosh darnit!) but a few days turned into a week and you know how it goes from there. There are no excuses. We just stop caring about certain things for whatever reason.
Maybe it's been ingrained in our minds that instant gratification can be our only motivation. For example, I could go running today, but I really wouldn't feel the benefits of it until a few weeks of running consistently. Whereas if I go shopping or take a nap I reap the benefits instantly. Or do I?
If I go shopping, sure I'm excited about whatever object I buy, but in reality, that excitement fades, my wallet is a little lighter, and let's say I've missed my chance to go running that day, thus decreasing my energy and not helping my health in the long run.
The way we should be thinking (and by we I mean me) is "Hey, I should run now, get it out of the way, so then I can go shopping and not feel guilty for not running." That way, we exercise, thus promoting our health, stick to a routine, and at the same time on our day off from running we can go shopping or do whatever it is we wanted to do in the first place. I'm not ruling out instant gratification, but I'm suggesting pairing it with positive results that we will see over time.
Easier said than done. But I think it's all about controlling your mind. It's about tricking ourselves into doing something we don't really want to do and learning how to reap the benefits.
It's 7:17 as I'm sitting here writing this. I came home from work and got into comfy clothes right away. Now I could go see what's on TV and relax like I want to do. OR I could put on some gym shoes and go downstairs and run on the treadmill. See, I wouldn't even have to leave the house! So while I finish up this post, I'm going to think of ways to trick myself into thinking that I really want to go running right now.
I really want to go running. I really want to go running. I don't really want to go running....but I should want to go running...
It can happen to anyone. And it can be about pretty much anything. For me it's been with making myself go running. I was doing really well for a while, but after my first 8K I fell out of my routine pretty quickly. I was giving myself a few days off ( 1. I was sore 2. I was tired 3. I deserved it gosh darnit!) but a few days turned into a week and you know how it goes from there. There are no excuses. We just stop caring about certain things for whatever reason.
Maybe it's been ingrained in our minds that instant gratification can be our only motivation. For example, I could go running today, but I really wouldn't feel the benefits of it until a few weeks of running consistently. Whereas if I go shopping or take a nap I reap the benefits instantly. Or do I?
If I go shopping, sure I'm excited about whatever object I buy, but in reality, that excitement fades, my wallet is a little lighter, and let's say I've missed my chance to go running that day, thus decreasing my energy and not helping my health in the long run.
The way we should be thinking (and by we I mean me) is "Hey, I should run now, get it out of the way, so then I can go shopping and not feel guilty for not running." That way, we exercise, thus promoting our health, stick to a routine, and at the same time on our day off from running we can go shopping or do whatever it is we wanted to do in the first place. I'm not ruling out instant gratification, but I'm suggesting pairing it with positive results that we will see over time.
Easier said than done. But I think it's all about controlling your mind. It's about tricking ourselves into doing something we don't really want to do and learning how to reap the benefits.
It's 7:17 as I'm sitting here writing this. I came home from work and got into comfy clothes right away. Now I could go see what's on TV and relax like I want to do. OR I could put on some gym shoes and go downstairs and run on the treadmill. See, I wouldn't even have to leave the house! So while I finish up this post, I'm going to think of ways to trick myself into thinking that I really want to go running right now.
I really want to go running. I really want to go running. I don't really want to go running....but I should want to go running...
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
A Haunting...in My House
Yes. It's true. There is a ghost in our house. Or was. It all started a week and a half ago. I got home from babysitting and was the only one home. I went to use the bathroom upstairs and I heard foot steps in the hallway. They were so real I thought my mom must have been home but I didn't know it.
She wasn't home.
I stayed downstairs until my mom actually did come home and told her what I had heard. She had heard the same thing a few days before. Same footsteps. Same hallway. No one was walking in that hallway. No one we could see, anyway.
That night I went to sleep, putting the footsteps out of my mind. Until midnight, when I woke up hearing two knocks on my bedroom door. I froze. I didn't know what to do because I knew both my parents were asleep. I barely slept the rest of the night.
A few days went by and I hadn't heard anything strange so I convinced myself that what I heard really wasn't someone (or something) knocking on my bedroom door. That is, until I talked to my dad last night. We had told him what we had heard but he was pretty skeptical, not believing in spirits or ghosts or anything of that nature. His mind changed two nights ago at 4:45 a.m. He was in bed, awake, and distinctly heard two knocks on his bedroom door. The door was ajar, so he could see no one was there. But he said if the door was closed, he was so positive that someone was knocking on his door that he would have gotten up to open it and check.
So there you have it. Even the non-believer in our house thinks something is there.
She wasn't home.
I stayed downstairs until my mom actually did come home and told her what I had heard. She had heard the same thing a few days before. Same footsteps. Same hallway. No one was walking in that hallway. No one we could see, anyway.
That night I went to sleep, putting the footsteps out of my mind. Until midnight, when I woke up hearing two knocks on my bedroom door. I froze. I didn't know what to do because I knew both my parents were asleep. I barely slept the rest of the night.
A few days went by and I hadn't heard anything strange so I convinced myself that what I heard really wasn't someone (or something) knocking on my bedroom door. That is, until I talked to my dad last night. We had told him what we had heard but he was pretty skeptical, not believing in spirits or ghosts or anything of that nature. His mind changed two nights ago at 4:45 a.m. He was in bed, awake, and distinctly heard two knocks on his bedroom door. The door was ajar, so he could see no one was there. But he said if the door was closed, he was so positive that someone was knocking on his door that he would have gotten up to open it and check.
So there you have it. Even the non-believer in our house thinks something is there.
Sunday, May 9, 2010
And the Slacker Award Goes To...
Me. For neglecting my blogging duties. Let's see, let's see lots of random thoughts on my mind. Where to begin.
Well I need to update the name of my blog seeing as I'm no longer 22. I feel like a kid still but at the same time am wondering how time flew by so fast that I'm already 23.
The Facebook "poke." I'm surprised this feature is still around. And I wonder what the person was thinking when they thought it would be a good idea to include a virtual poke on Facebook. Not saying I've never poked someone (I'm currently in a poking war) but even though I do it I don't really know why. It's not like I poke people in real life. That would just be weird. But on Facebook it's not. Unless you get poked by someone you don't even know. Now that's weird.
Life news. I'm moving to France in September to teach English. My little cousin knows that Belle from Beauty and the Beast is from France and thinks I'll be going there to visit her. I wish. Ever since I saw that movie I've wanted a huge library in my house with ladders. I still maintain the fact that I will have a library with ladders in my house when I'm older. Much older than 23.
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Hurt people hurt people
Hurt people hurt people. It’s true. When we’re angry we find ourselves taking it out on other people. It makes sense that when you’re hurt, you tend to inflict the same upon those around you, whether you are aware of it or not.
I saw the movie Greenberg tonight with Ben Stiller. This was a serious role for him and I was pleasantly surprised at his performance. I expected to keep picturing him playing Zoolander throughout the movie, but I didn’t. I never forgot that it was Ben Stiller, but he played his character well. I think a mark of a great actor or actress is when you forget who they are and only think about who they are playing. Tom Hanks. Meryl Streep. Kevin Spacey.
Anyway, “hurt people hurt people” was a line from the movie. Roger (Ben Stiller) was hurting inside, for an unknown reason, and you could see him hurting those around him. Lashing out. Pushing people away. And then he would feel bad. But it would happen again because the hurt never went away inside of him.
He is just out of a mental hospital in the beginning of the movie, but we don’t know what he was in there for or whether he is actually “better” or not. It’s hard to say because it’s obvious he still has a lot to deal with.
There are a lot of themes/storylines/whatever you want to call them that could have been delved into further. But my verdict on the movie is that it was different, sad, funny at times and something that made me turn my head to the side and go “Hm” at the very end.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)