Weekend Wrap Up: All I Did Was Eat Out For 72 Hours Edition

OPI Got The Blues For Red

Look at that paw!

Kimchi fried rice at Korea House.

Stats from 9 mile run.

Post-run carb load at Mitchell Deli.  Benton's bacon!

Shepard's pie.

More pics & info available on Flickr! & Instagram

FRIDAY

We walked next door to Korea House for dinner, then we came back home & watched Larry Crowne.  Meh...

SATURDAY

I got up Saturday morning & did a much needed 75 minutes class as Epic Yoga.  I ran around, did some errands, & got a bang trim.  That night, we met our friends Jeff & Ashlee for dinner at Tequila's.  Jeff & John talked about who knows what, while Ashlee & I talked about our new jobs & long distance running.  After dinner, John & I ran to Green Hills Mall because my friend Sarah works at Aveda & had hooked me up with a huge bottle of Shampure.  Score!  Thanks, Sarah!

SUNDAY

If you follow me on the Facebook, then you're probably over hearing about my 9-mile run yesterday, but SURPRISE, I'm still talking about it.  So yeah, Jaime & I ran 9 miles yesterday (Cara was sick).  It was the hardest run so far.  Jaime & I both had trouble.  I honestly don't think it was the distance because our bodies/legs felt fine; it was more mental.  I completely ran out of steam at the last 2 miles & had to will myself to finish.  My stomach clenched up & I thought I was going to be sick, but it passed. Who knows.  I have two thoughts:  1) the course was flat & I think I need more elevation/variety in these long runs; & 2) I need to re-fuel while I'm running.  Everyone has things that works for them, e.g. gu, roctane, hard candy, stinger waffles, etc.  I just need to figure out what works for me.

After the run, Jaime & I grabbed breakfast at Mitchell Deli.  That afternoon, John & I met my parents for a belated birthday lunch (both my mom & John have January birthdays).  Apparently after these long runs, I'm supposed to keep moving & not do what feels natural:  lay on the couch all day.  So in an effort to 'keep moving', I hobbled around the house, cleaning & doing laundry, & then I hobbled around Publix.  I do think it helps, it's just hard to do because my brain is SCREAMING, "Just sit down!"

I'm kind of obsessed with Anthony Bourdain's new show, The Layover & had watched the one where he's in London yesterday morning, so, naturally, I wanted shepard's pie for dinner.  And I totally made it.  It was so good!  But it put me into a coma & I feel asleep at like 8:30pm...

A History of Running: My Story

I'm a runner.  I haven't always been though.  Back in 2007, with no training, nor prior running experience, & easily 20 extra pounds on me, I started "training" for the Country Music Half Marathon.  I had no idea how to train & instead of taking it slow & gradually increasing my mileage, I immediately got up to 60-90 minute runs & stayed there.  Not surprisingly, I developed bursitis in my hip, spent months in physical therapy, missed the half marathon & quit running.

Two years later, in 2009, I did the Race For The Cure 5K with a friend & ended up running most of it.  Humph, I thought, maybe I'll try running again.  So I secretly started running on my own, just to see if I could.  When some of my friends found out I was running, they convinced me to join their Friday morning, 3-mile, group run.  I wasn't awesome, in fact, I was a 15-minute mile, but I was running.

In 2010, frustrated at my slow pace, I signed up for the Fleet Feet Summer Speed Session.  I paid a pretty penny for this workshop & planned on spending my summer improving my speed.  Unfortunately, because I'm me & because my body hates me, I sprained my ankle in the second session & per my doctor's orders, could not run for at least 6 weeks (it was a pretty severe sprain).

So I spent the summer of 2010 not running, but walking, & walking in an ankle brace.  When I was finally cleared to run again, my Friday morning running group decided to try a Wednesday night *East Nasty run.  It was love at first sight & I started spending every Wednesday night across the river running 3-6 miles.  I wasn't sure if it was necessary, but I was still wearing my ankle brace (this will be important later).

In January of 2011, with two-ish years of running under my belt, I decided to try training for a half marathon again.  East Nasty offered a training program, so I did that.  I think at this point, I had quit wearing the ankle brace.  I think...  The training went well.  I started slow & gradually built up my mileage, but again, I immediately got hurt.  This time it was my knee.  I went back into physical therapy & much to my chagrin, learned that running in that stupid ankle brace for so long weakened my muscles & ultimately caused my knee injury.  Awesome.

Because I had an AWESOME **physical therapist this time, I was up & running again in no time.  I did, however, decide to give up on the longer distance runs & to just focus on my weekly group runs.  I was in fairly good shape.  I was running 3 times a week & doing strength training & yoga in between.  Nothing hurt; all of my joints appeared to be happy, so when my friend asked me to start training for a half marathon with her, I thought, 'Well, 3rd time's a charm.'  And here we are.

We started MONTHS AGO (seriously, we started in like August/September) & have been slowly, very slowly, increasing our mileage.  We stayed at 5 miles for awhile before we moved on to 6 & then we did 6 a couple of times before we did 7, & we just did 8 last week.  Tomorrow we're doing 9.  That fact that I'm running 9 miles tomorrow kind of blows my mind, mostly because that means next week is 10 & being able to run 10 miles has been a goal of mine for oh, about 5 years.

So far, fingers crossed, my body is shockingly working for me.  Nothing hurts, no joints have gone on strike...  I am still doing my physical therapy exercises for my knee though (go CLAM!), which assuredly helps.  I've also been doing yoga pretty regularly this whole time.

I'm registered for the Tom King Half Marathon here in Nashville on Saturday, March 10th & so far, it looks like I will, in fact, be running it.  Crazy!

Stay tuned for a follow-up post on the specifics of how I've been training for this half marathon.  Also, see below for more information on the running group, East Nasty & my friend & physical therapist, Brittany, who saved my knee & got me running again.  Side note:  she's also an East Nasty.  ENFL!

*East Nasty:  http://eastnastyforlife.com/

**Brittany Endres, Results Physiotherapy:  http://www.resultsphysiotherapy.com/locations/middle-tn/green-hills

Weekend Wrap Up: Hamburger Cake Edition

Our friends Buckley & Shannon had us over for dinner on Tuesday & were so sweet to buy John a birthday cake!

This?  Is a ridiculous amount of fur.

Hamburger cake!  I was going to make hamburger cupcakes, but knew I wouldn't have time so my friend Lauren saved the day by telling me that Publix makes a hamburger cake and voila!

Birthday Baldwins.

Hilarious purple ape from John McCauley.

Amanda, me, & Jessica

More pics & info available on Flickr! & Instagram

FRIDAY

John & I got Indian take-out & watched two week's worth of recorded shows.  I know, thrilling.

SATURDAY

I got up early & ran 8 miles with Jaime & Cara.  It was cold, it was wet & it was FAR, but I ran the whole 8 miles.  I did it without really any trouble.  My knees were fine.  My feet started to ache a little in the last mile, but overall, the run felt good.  We rewarded ourselves with Star Bagel afterwards, then I spent the rest of the day getting ready for John's birthday party.

John's birthday was last Tuesday, so on Saturday, we invited a group of his friends over for meat snacks, music, & hourly wardrobe changes.  Thanks to everyone for coming.  John had a blast.  In fact, as he was eating a little more hamburger cake before bed, he said that this year's party was the best.  So, thank you!

SUNDAY

Since I ran on Saturday, I kind of had the day off on Sunday.  Of course, we treated ourselves to Cracker Barrel for brunch (thanks, Bairs!) & then spent a good majority of the day re-cleaning the house.  Why do I even bother cleaning before parties?  It's such a waste of time!

Weekend Wrap Up: I Ran 7 Miles Edition

Getting my hurrr did at Salon Nfuse on Saturday.

"Check out this hottie.  Oh, and Mark."

7 miles!!!  

And the subsequent breakfast bagel that assuredly contained more calories than the 853 I had just burned.  C'est la vie...

More pics & info available on Flickr! and Instagram.


FRIDAY

I stayed in & finished watching Season One of Downton Abbey.  This is officially my new favorite show.  The first season only has 7 episodes & it's on Netflix Instant, so you should all watch it!  It's so good!


SATURDAY

I ran around town & did some errands until my hair appointment.  For a few years now, I've been getting my hair highlighted at Trim, but sadly, my colorist (Gio!) up & moved to Mexico (like you do).  So my stylist, *Jordan, who's been cutting my hair for years, is now going to start coloring it, too.  My first color appointment with her was on Saturday.  I knew she'd do a good job because she does such a good job with my cuts, & she's blonde.  She did a great job!  My hair looks so good!  Hooray!

*Jordan is at Salon Nfuse for anyone looking for a stylist/colorist.  I highly recommend her.

That night, we met our friends Keith & Nicole (not Urban/Kidman) for dinner at Coco's Italian Market, where I continued my love affair with their meatball pizza.  Ya'll, it's so good, seriously.  Then we trekked over to Mercy Lounge for The Features show.  The Features played an awesome show (of course they did) & we had a blast.  My friend Jolie is married to one of the band members & she just moved to Chicago & couldn't make the show, so I took a picture of me & her husband & texted it to her with this message, "Check out this hottie.  Oh, and Mark."  I'm such a good friend.


SUNDAY

My entire Sunday can be summed up in two words:  7 miles.  I totally ran 7 miles yesterday.  It's my longest run to date & I'm pretty proud of myself.  My training partners, Jaime, Cara & I ran with East Nasty yesterday, which is awesome for a multitude of reasons, primarily due to Shelby Bottoms' proximity to Mitchell Deli.  Oh, hello Mitchell breakfast bagel, it's been a long time...

I did nothing else yesterday.  I couldn't really use my legs.  So I laid on the couch & watched the two-hour, first episode of Season Two of Downton Abbey online.  Episode two aired last night, but I recorded it to watch later because I was watching the Golden Globes.  And by watching, I mean sleeping through.

A Job! Finally, A Job!

I got a job!!!  It took 3 years of graduate school & 18 months of looking, but I got a job!!!  And a good job at that.  A big girl job.  A job I actually wanted.  I'm so happy & excited, I can't even process it.  I secretly started on Thursday & am happy to report that my first 2 days were awesome!  It's a big job & I've got a lot to learn in not a lot of time, but my god, it's so nice to be challenged & to be using my brain again.

I know 2011 was a shitty year for the majority of the human race & it was for me, as well.  Last year was the hardest year of my life, & that's including the year I lived in a city ATTACKED BY TERRORISTS.  So, thanks for nothing, 2011.  2012, we've only known each other a few weeks, but I already love you.

It's probably going to take me awhile (& possibly years of therapy) to figure out the lessons from this experience, but the one thing I've learned is that I am surrounded by truly amazing people, starting with my family, particularly the two people who brought me into this world.  Moms of the world, I daresay, the only thing worse than parenting a rebellious teenager is parenting an unemployed adult.  Coming in a close second is the poor, poor man married to an unemployed, depressed wife.  Let's just say, I've got a lot of making up to do.

Now onto my friends, my all-star group of friends.  You have listened, you have counseled, you have picked up the check, & you have loved me enough to give me a year off.  But I'm back, bitches!  Birthday presents for everyone!

It should go without saying that I have learned a lot about what does & does not work when you're looking for job.  Honestly, I could write a book about the entire process (among other things *ahem...). Speaking of which, my working title is The Devil Wears Velour...  I'm kidding (kind of), but seriously, if you have any questions about cover letters, thank you letters, what not to say in an interview, etc., I'm your girl.

Thanks again for sticking with me, especially if you're not tied to me by bloodline &/or marriage.  I'm so excited about this new job!!!  Here are some things you can look forward to in 2012:  seeing me in new clothes; seeing me in restaurants that don't have a dollar menu; seeing me run a half marathon; seeing me in a new (!!!) car (maybe...  realistically, it will probably be 2013, but whatever, a girl can dream).

I got a job!!!

Vampires, Tigers, & Weres -- Oh, My!

Sookie Stackhouse 7-Copy Boxed Set by Charlaine Harris

Publisher:  Ace

Genre:  Urban Fantasy, Mystery & Suspense, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Romance

My Reading Format:  Mass Market Paperback

Available Formats:  Kindle, Paperback

My Review

When Season Four of True Blood ended last September, my friend Claudia brought me her Sookie Stackhouse box set, so I could finally join the rest of the world in reading the books that inspired the HBO series.  I started reading the first book on Halloween, appropriately, & just finished the 7th book, All Together Dead, yesterday.  A few thoughts:

• Ya'll.  These books BLEW MY MIND.  I plowed through these 7 books in roughly 2 months.
• Because these are the books True Blood is based on, it should go without saying that if you can't stomach True Blood, you probably can't stomach these books.
• On that note, these books are different from the show.  There are characters that die in the books that don't die in the show, there are characters in the show that aren't in the books, & there are entire storylines in the show that aren't in the books.  That being said, the books are SO MUCH BETTER than the show.
• These books are short.  Most are around 250 pages, divided into a lot of short chapters, which always helps me read faster.

My Final Thoughts

I loved these books & can't wait to continue reading the rest of the series.  I'm also excited for Season Five of True Blood.  Apparently Chris Meloni from Law & Order SVU has been cast & I'm dying to find out which character he is.  Quinn?  Andre?

If you haven't read these books yet, read them.  Four stars!

Reading! Books! Setting A 2012 Reading Goal

Last year was my first year in a long time not spent reading grad school text books, so I took on a hefty reading challenge.  Through Goodreads, I challenged myself to read 30 books last year, roughly 1.73 books a week, or 2.5 books a month.  I didn't read 30 books last year, I read 32.  32!  That's insane.

If you're curious as to what those 32 books are, or how I rated them, you can see them here (I think).

So now the Goodreads 2012 reading challenge is starting & I'm trying to decide what to set my goal at this year.  Last year I was either sitting at home doing nothing, or sitting in an empty office, doing nothing, so I had a lot of reading time on my hands.  That will not be the case this year.  At least, I hope not.

I think 2 books a month is an obtainable goal.  So... 24?  For my fellow readers out there, I'd love to know both how you did last year, as well as your reading goals for 2012.  Report back!

Weekend Wrap Up

Saturday morning manicure & coffee out of my new favorite mug.  Team Taurus!

Only Gold For Me top coat over Tickle My France.  Possibly my new favorite combo.

The birthday girl inside her new Cinderella tent.

Mini Me.

I'm usually faster than this when I'm not running 6 miles ALL UPHILL.

More pics and info available on Flickr! and Instagram.

FRIDAY

Due to a very eventful week (that I will talk about later), we decided to stay in on Friday night & eat some of the groceries that had been rotting away in our fridge all week.  We made thai pork burritos, which were really good!  Thanks, Big Oven!

SATURDAY

I spent Saturday in Smyrna celebrating my niece's third birthday.  I got her this little pack & play Cinderella tent that was on sale at Target for $7.  It was a huge hit.  Because it's bottomless, they kept standing up & walking to another room, all while in the tent.  It was hilarious.

That night, John & I met our friends Mike & Chrissi for dinner at Cinco.  Obvi, the first 30 minutes were spent relaying my ridiculous week, but then we lapsed into our usual dinner conversation territory:  cops, ghosts, & UFO's.

SUNDAY

If you follow me on the Facebook, then you may have seen that I registered for the Tom King Half Marathon in March.  My friend Jaime & I are doing it together & we're doing our long runs on Sundays.  We've been doing it for awhile, but yesterday was our first 'official' long training run.  Our friend Cara joined us & we ran a 6 mile route from Sylvan Park, to West End/Vandy, then back to Sylvan Park.  Jaime & I ran 6 miles before Christmas, but we ran it at Shelby Bottoms, which is a flat, paved trail.  Yesterday was 6 road miles, partly on broken/uneven sidewalks, partly on the road & ALL UPHILL.  It was hard, ya'll.  But we did it.  And we're running 7 miles next week.  Oy...

Christmas in Maryland -- The Deleted Scenes

WHY DON'T THE JEWS HAVE CHRISTMAS SONGS?

We were at John's Dutch grandparents' house for Christmas when I overheard Nana ask John's grandpa, "Why don't the Jews have Christmas songs?"  Nana went on for a minute about how she's never known anyone Jewish to sing at all.  Poor Grandpa, so patient.  After he looked at Nana with a very confused look on his face, I heard him ask her, "You've seen Fiddler on the Roof?"  And...  scene.

ARE YOU CATHOLIC?  ARE YOU A REPUBLICAN?  DO THEY PREACH END TIMES AT YOUR CHURCH?

Nana, who attended my wedding, IN A CATHOLIC CHURCH, asks me every time she's sees me if I'm Catholic.  This year she asked me across the table, at a very nice dinner, in a very nice restaurant, followed by, "There's a Jehovah's Witness that comes over once a week.  I don't let her in, but I open the door."

If there's anything I enjoy discussing more than religion, it's politics.  Nana watches Fox and Friends with the glee usually reserved for *babies in a restaurant.  Nana asked me about a hundred times if I'm a Republican or a Democrat and who do I want to win the Iowa Caucus.  

*One night at dinner, again, at a very nice restaurant, Nana, who's as mobile as a concrete slab, makes this big, 5 minute production of getting up from the table, getting her walker, & going across the restaurant to see a baby.  Did she know this baby?  No.  Did she know anyone else at the table with the baby?  No.  Did she finally make her way back to our table & spend the subsequent 10 minutes talking about this baby?  Yes.

One morning, I came downstairs to get coffee & Nana's cousin was there visiting.  As I was pouring my coffee & slinking back upstairs undetected, I heard Nana ask her cousin, "Do they preach End Times at your church?"

WHY DOESN'T THE NFL HAVE MORE NICE, WHITE PLAYERS INSTEAD OF ALL THOSE NEGROES?

God, I shuttered just having to type that.

GOOD MORNING.  DAD WOKE ME UP BY DUMPING TWO GLASSES OF WATER ON MY HEAD AND NANA POOPED HER PANTS.  MERRY CHRISTMAS.

As I think I mentioned in my previous post, we rolled into town around 2am on Christmas Day.  We were awoken at 8am to 'get up & open your presents, man'.  I left John upstairs & went down to get coffee.  Sally was standing there with half wet, half dry hair.  In defense of the water thrower, Sally & John are both absolutely & unequivocally nocturnal & impossible to wake up.  So Sally informs me that Nana pooped her pants, stepped in it, tracked it all through the house, dad lost his mind, thus the water throwing, oh and "Merry Christmas."

"DIARRHEA!" $6.

Nana had an upset stomach the entire time she was there, but instead of saying 'upset stomach', she insisted on proclaiming everywhere we went that she had 'DIARRHEA!'  I told Sally that I'd give her a quarter every time Nana said the word 'diarrhea'.  We were up to $6 by the time we left.

Christmas Wrap Up: Belated Edition

My parents' Christmas tree.

Awesome blanket my mom made us!

Jessica & Abigail with Linda, who is clearly dog-smiling.

Basically the cutest picture ever.

Good morning, Maryland!

Happy iPad Christmas!

My swanky new Kindle.  Also, Chia Bart.

Crab cakes!

Pittsburgh, PA

United States Steel

More pics and info available on Flickr! and Instagram

We spent Christmas Eve with my family.  This year, all four of my nieces are old enough to get into Christmas.  The twins aren't quite old enough to understand what's going on, but they're really into pulling the tissue paper out of everything & running around with that.  They're also no longer scared of Linda.  In fact, they all kind of went crazy for Linda & followed her around petting & hugging her.  It was probably the best day of Linda's life.

Leaving Linda with her new pint-sized fan club, we made our annual pilgrimage to Maryland to see John's family.  We stayed in John's dad's house along with John's Nana & John's sister, Sally.  We got there in the middle of the night, slept about 5 minutes, then woke up & did Christmas.  We had a really nice Christmas.  We saw a lot of John's family, including Uncle John & Aunt Nancy, who we hadn't seen since our wedding.  We also got to see a lot of John's friends, which we usually don't have time to do.  Granted, John had to go it alone most nights after we had all gone to bed, but still, it means a lot to him to get to see his friends while he's home.

After 3 days in Maryland, we headed back home.  John asked if we could take a "detour" & go "through" Pittsburgh on the way home.  He said it would only add about 45 minutes to the trip.  Ha, 45 minutes!  Yeah, our "detour" "through" Pittsburgh added FOUR HOURS to our trip.  But hey, John got to see a steel factory, so there's that.

All in all, we had an awesome Christmas.  And yes, there may or may not be some deleted scenes that I may or may not get around to posting sometime in the immediate future....  Here's hoping Nana still doesn't know how to use the internet!

Happy New Year!