Yesterday to Tomorrow

Happy New Year!


The holidays sure came and went so quickly.  I wish I had the time to bask in the joy of the season, but I felt as if we rushed right through Christmas, then on to New Year's Eve, and here I am, just about a week into the new year and wondering where December went.   I thought I would do a lot more blogging during the holidays, but with everyone except me off from work and school, I had very little computer time, unless I could check e-mails and Facebook on my iPhone.  

What a difference a year makes.


Last year I was not a happy camper at my former place of employment.  It was unnecessarily stressful, brought on by a uber micro managing business owner/boss who encouraged throwing your fellow coworkers under the bus.  I was constantly sick and dropped a solid 10 pounds, 15 if I count the week my weight dropped to a number I haven't seen in years.  It was not a healthy weight loss and I did not have 15 pounds to lose.  10 was OK, but losing weight without wanting to is scary, especially when I was eating high calorie foods (on purpose) to maintain weight.  I was constantly stressed working in a toxic environment - not only people toxic, but something (physically) there made me ill.  From Monday through Friday my eyes would feel dry and puffy, my head felt fuzzy,  and I always felt lethargic.  Saturday and Sunday (my days off) I felt clear-minded and healthy.  Monday it would start all over again. Running was my true refuge, no matter how crummy I felt. Running gave me clarity of mind and I could feel grounded again.  I don't know what I would have done without running since it kept me sane. I remember the few days after I left that office, sitting on the couch watching TV and realizing how amazingly good I felt for the first time in months.   

This year I am a very happy camper at my current place of employment, where I began working about a month after I left the toxic office. It may not be the fanciest or most up-to-date technical wonder of an office, we still use a DOS based program, but  it's great when your employer always says things like "thanks for being here today, " and means it.  We all share in each other's accomplishments and look out for each other when needed.  My only gripe about my current job is that I'm not working enough hours.  Oh, and the weight came back.  That's not really a gripe, though.  I was hoping to at least hang on to a 5 pound weight loss, but I'll take the happy + 5 pounds over the miserable -15 pounds any day.  My running has stayed the same, though.  I wish I could say that a happier workplace has lead to better running, but that keeps changing, regardless of what's going on in my professional/personal life. 


Other Stuff...


My son's band actually played a show at the House of Blues, Downtown, San Diego -- and got paid.

UNDEAD GARDEN performing "Grilled Cheese."  My son is on the drums.

Not bad for an iPhone/Facebook photo taken by a parent (me) trying to look inconspicuous. 

After the gig, and back at home with is band mates & friends, Hubs felt the need to make a few grilled cheese sandwiches for the band. 

 My son started out as a lead guitar player, and is quite talented with his guitar playing abilities, but there were always issues finding a reliable drummer.  They would find a drummer who would seem consistent for a few weeks, then suddenly be late, not show up, or move out of town without notice to anyone.  My son took a few drumming classes at the community college, and took it upon himself to sharpen his skills.  Now that he's THE drummer, the band has consistent practices with complete sets and are now booking gigs.  I'm floored.  They still need to sharpen their sound a bit, but the fact that they already have a following and are booking gigs is amazing.  Their sound is sort of punk-metal. 

New Year's Resolutions?

I don't really make New Year's resolutions, but I have been known to do some goal setting.  Once I am finished with prior race commitments, I'm going to take a break.  I have a few races planned up until June, and after that I'm going to just cruise and run without a particular race in mind.  I'll continue to run, but running won't be the sole focus. There's so much more out there, and maybe I need to refocus on my other passions that have been left in the dust.  

My current agenda includes the Carlsbad Half Marathon, which is taking place in a couple of weeks.  As much as I would love to say that I'm 100% prepared for this race, I'm not.  Regardless of how ill prepared I am, this is one of my favorite races.  Even though it starts off at a shopping mall, most of the half marathon is along the coast, and it's beautiful.  This is a race for the mind.  The two times I've run it I've been sick, and just ever so lucky to finish.  I'd say running along the coast kept me going.  My game plan for this time is to (again) just finish and I'm OK with that.  I don't need a PR to enjoy the ride. 

Song from Thursday, December 22, 2011:

(There's No Place) Like Home for the Holidays - Perry Como

PEACE

Unskinny Bop

Aside from having to re-learn a computer program that's still in DOS (really) and office flow, work is going well.  The first day I worked with the doctor  he commented, "The last time you worked here was when Seinfeld episodes weren't reruns!"  He also made a comment about my hair, that it's no longer curly.  12 years ago (just about) everyone had big hair.  I had long, super curly, big hair that became frizzy when I even thought about humidity.

Hubs and I,  1990-something...

 Holy Hair, Batman!  I'm also about 30 pounds heavier in this picture and rockin' the mom jeans.

It's not the best picture,  but you get the idea.  I had TONS of really big hair. Now I wear my hair somewhat straight with the help of technologically better styling products and a really great flat iron.*

The running continues. I've made an effort to show up at the Tuesday night track club workouts where we're doing 800 meter intervals, which is a two lap run around the track, then a recovery jog/walk. Lather, rinse, repeat. Last week was 800 x 6. This week I think it was 800 X 7. I lost count.  We always end the workout with some sort of abdominal exercises.  Good times.  I'm still putting in my Saturday long runs with the track club, and a shorter run in my 'hood just because it contains hill. I will be needing to keep hills in the equation since my next three half marathons are loaded with hills.

I was fortunate enough to be a part of the Runner's World wear test program again. I thought I had missed out this time due to scheduling conflicts. Luckily, for me, there were a few pairs of shoes left and coach Paul brought the extra shoes to a Saturday run. I just had to be extra EARLY. It was early.  I got up around 4:30 AM just so I could make it to the park at 5:45 AM. I scored a pair of Karhu's Flow Fulcrum Ride. I tried to look up my particular model on Karhu's website, but the shoes are scheduled to come out this summer. I must have an unintentional bright pink vibe about me, or something. My last pair of test shoes had screaming pink soles. These Karhu's scream PINK. Hubs calls them my "Rainbow Brite shoes." My first impression of these shoes was "Ow, my eyes!"

Once I got over the color, I began to pay attention how I felt while running. They're not as cushy as what I'm used to, and these are somewhat similar to a racing flat, but not quite as minimal. There's still a fair amount of cushion in the heel, decent arch support, and a little forefoot cushion, but (again) not as much cushion as what I'm used to. These shoes are perfect for track workouts. I might give them a road test and see how they do on the streets in my 'hood, perhaps an easy 3 mile jaunt. I don't think they'll get me through a 10 miler on asphalt, though. They fit smaller than the size indicates.  I took an entire size up from my regular shoe size so that they would fit properly.

Between getting our taxes done, starting a new job, the Easter holiday, the bathroom in rip-out/remodel mode, and real life, my house is beginning to take on the vibe of one of those houses you see on the show "Hoarders."  O.K, maybe not THAT bad, but I don't recognize my house right now. I need to spend a week reorganizing and cleaning without stopping.  I know what I NEED to do, but I just haven't done it.  I had to do this blog post first.  Priorities.

The last time I ran in the Nike Women's Half Marathon was 2007.  I've been trying to get back in every year since then.  I would always get the rejection e-mail or no e-mail at all and I'd have to search the site to see that I was actually rejected.

FINALLY

 Even though it says "marathon," I'm signed up for the half.  :)

I GOT IN! 

In addition, AKA Alice and the Heffers got in, too!  This time it's a girls trip! 

It looks like hills will continue to be on the training agenda...  There will be hills and plenty of sunscreen because it will be a summer training season.

Yay.

Song from Monday, April 18, 2011:
Rolling in the Deep - Adele

PEACE

*Thank goodness for advances in hair care!  Walking around with a head that looks like a Brill-o pad gets old.

Love Roller Coaster

Life has been one behemoth roller coaster, and this post is full of chiche's.

LAST WEEK

The Job 
In a nutshell, it's not all it's cracked up to be. 

Running
Running is my safety net.  It's amazing how great I feel after a run, even if I run around Fiesta Island, which is considered one of the least desirable routes to run, since it's mostly flat, either dusty or muddy and not much in the way of vegetation, even though it's at Mission Bay Park. After running a loop around Fiesta Island last Sunday, I felt rejuvenated and clear minded.  I think I save myself some big bucks and travel time by running instead of seeing a psychiatrist.

Last Week's Three Day Weekend
It sure didn't feel like a long weekend. I was looking forward to that extra day off, but I'm kind of wondering where all the time went.  So much for feeling rested!

THIS WEEK

Saying Good-bye
I found out, through Facebook of all places, that one of my childhood friends, Michelle, died. We were probably about 8 or 9 years old when she moved into the pink house across the street. She lived there for only two years, but we were inseparable.   I loved her long and flowing blond hair, that parents let her have puppies and kittens, and that she had an older brother and sister who were way cool and popular -- at least in my eyes.  She was equally envious that my parents let me join Brownies, that I had a stay-at-home mom, and that I had a little sister who we could play dress up with.  We were even a few days apart with our birthdays. We wrote letters to each other for years, and then the internet in recent years. She came back to California a few times and each time we got together. We've been through Barbies, roller skating in the driveway, wearing our first high heels, first kisses, favorite music, school happenings, boyfriends, college, jobs, marriage, children and grandchildren, even though a lot of it was in written letter form. Over the past year I found out that she was dealing with liver disease. This disease had nothing to do with lifestyle, but the doctors figured she contracted some sort of virus that happened to attack her liver. She was on a list for transplants, but she lost her battle on February 14, 2011. I found out about her death last Sunday, and felt horrible that I missed any of the services or memorials. I would have dropped everything and flown out to Oklahoma to attend. I posted an excerpt from a song called "Seasons in the Sun" on Facebook, sort of to remember her, even though the song is about wanting to die. It's a little bit cheesy of a song, but at age 13 or 14 we were really into it.  She liked that song just because her name was in it, but we were young teens when that song came out and had little clue to what the song really meant, even though the lyrics are rather plain. I will miss her terribly.

Michelle ~ June 5,1959 ~ February 14, 2011

Work
I gave my two week notice at work.  Yep.  I'm skydiving without a parachute, walking the high wire without a safety net, and  running with scissors.  My husband is freaking out over my decision, but I've been battling illness, a lot of unhealthy weight loss and tremendous stress since November, and it hasn't been what I call a good time.  It's not that the job is that hard, it's just that the way the office is managed is not very methodical.  There isn't the flow that it once had.  They've been through three four staff members since May 2010. No matter who they hire after me, the new person will not work out unless they fix their internal problems. There's a lot of "don't do as I do, do as I say."  I will miss working with my patients, though. I do have other "irons in the fire." I don't want to say anything about the other irons just yet.   I must admit that Michelle's death put a lot into perspective for me, and that life really is too short to be miserable.  I'm ready to turn over a new leaf.

Running
This morning it was raining.  A lot.  Staying in bed felt so good.  After a bit of coaxing, Hubs talked me into going to the track club run in Coronado.  Time was running out.  We hurried ourselves since we were behind schedule and made it out to Tidelands Park to meet up with the track club.  We made there, but missed any  of the warm up or stretching.  It wasn't raining hard, but it was raining enough.  If I were alone I would have run 3 miles and called it a day, but I saw friends who I had not seen in a long time, and  friends who I enjoy seeing every week.  I ran some of the miles with AKA Alice, which was nice because the conversation kept my mind off of how cold and wet it was. 

Running out to Silver Strand was OK, it was the return that was a little rough for most of us. The wind picked up and the sting of the rain was a somewhat brutal. I was wet, cold, my bones hurt, my hips were sore  and I just could not speed up to keep up with AKA Alice, who became a bright yellow spot on the horizon ahead of me.  I brought a change of clothing, but I was so cold that it took hours to warm up after returning home.

Finishing up.  I promise.
My next week is all about finishing up at work.  I don't want to leave behind the legacy of undone paper work that I inherited when I started, which was from two employees ago, and I'm glad to say that most of it IS in order. 

I had a job interview on Friday.  Whatever happens, happens.

Song From Sunday, February 13, 2011: 
Come On Eileen - Dexy's Midnight Runners - Run-DMZ


PEACE

Rattled

This is what the inside of my head looks like about now.

You know what happens when you don't check your reader or feed for a couple of weeks?  You end up with a zillion things to read and not enough time to read anything.  You end up just marking everything as "read" and start fresh. With one coworker off for two weeks, then another coworker getting sick, and the onslaught of patients using their flex spending plans before a certain date, work has been rather hectic. Once I get home and have some sort of dinner, I'm done for the day.  The hard part is that, no matter how worn out I am, my brain just won't shut off, thinking about all the things I did and all the things I need to do and other unimportant matters:  

"Did I set the coffee maker?
Did I call the lab to check on orders?
Was that guy a jerk or was that my imagination?
The dog is making too much noise snoring.
Oh, crap, I forgot to call the vet.  Something about the dog needing more meds. Great.
The Housewives of Beverly Hills gets on my nerves. 
Laundry.  I should have done a load.  No one will notice that I've worn the same scrubs for four days. 
What was I thinking going back to work full time?
Oh yeah, money.
Matthew McConaughey or Johnny Depp?
Did I turn off the faucet in the bathroom?
Creamer.  Buy creamer tomorrow.
Files.  Must pull files on Wednesday for Monday's patients.
OK.  Mind, please go to Hawaii or Ixtapa, even the park down the street would be good.
Mind, please shut off and go BACK to sleep.
Where did I put my name tag?
Do I have enough gas in my car to make it to work in the morning?
I really should get out and run in the morning, even if it is a mile.
Mind, go to sleep!"

The amazing thing is that running has been my release.  Once I run, my head is clear.  Unfortunately, I've been too tired to run and I haven't trained well.  I run on the weekends.  I also have a half marathon THIS weekend, the Carlsbad Half Marathon/Marathon.  I know I'll finish.  That's not an issue.  Will I run unscathed?  Probably not.  Will I PR?  Definitely not.  I'm just going for the ride and just enjoy.  I don't want a recap of last year.  *Positive thinking*

I'm still waiting for my new Keurig. With the snow storms in the rest of the country, Fed Ex sent me a nice note saying my Keruig will be delayed due to the weather. Which reminds me, I need to set the coffee maker.

Song from Saturday, January 8, 2011
Can't Find My Mind - The Cramps

PEACE

Can't Find My Mind

For everything I know, there's always something new to learn.  Such is life, right?  Just about everything I knew has changed.  I haven't been out of the loop all that long, but time and technology marches on, and a lot of the changes were made over the past three years.  Then there's the thing about having to remember everything I did know that still applies now.  My brain is on overload, and I haven't even begun to study for the certification tests. 

Today was the first day of the track club's Rockin' 'n' Runnin' program.  I'm perfectly fine being in the "C" group, which is the 9:30 m/m people and SLOWER.  Each year our groups (A, B and C) are named after Rock groups.  Last year "C" group was the Kinks. (I think)  The year before that we were Air Supply (which most of us were insulted by).  This year  "A" group is Tears For Fears,  "B" group is Kiss and "C" group is The Cramps.  Perfect.  Love it.  I'm proud to be a "C" grouper.  Turns out one of The Cramps songs is on my running play list, "Bikini Girls With Machine Guns."




The run wasn't anything to write home about.  Really.  I probably should have run with the B group (7:30m/m to 9m/m) only because they ran longer, about 6 to 8  miles.  Our group ran only 2.5 miles around the track, and that included the warm up run.  It took that brief run to start feeling like I had my groove, and it wasn't difficult.  The shins were a little twingey, but not bad. There's always tomorrow. I have a half marathon in a couple of weeks. This one month taper was a bit too long... 

Oh, yeah, the Garmin wasn't working.  Yes, it showed the time, but when I decided to hit the start button it went blank.  It turns out that it was hooked up to the charger, but not plugged in.  Go me.  Coach Paul shouted out times as we ran by, so I probably ran about a 9:45 m/m average, just cruising and chatting with a few of my fellow track club members.

In other news, my Keurig started doing things I didn't want it to do, such as making my cup runneth over, or not filling it at all.  After chatting with a lady in customer service*, they're sending me a new unit. No charge.  Sort of.  I have to send them the k-cup holder from inside the unit and an authorization number to receive full credit.  No biggie.  Postage is cheap.

I guess this is one of those instances where it was good to REGISTER my appliance.  Most people don't take the time to register their small appliances.  Oh, and Keurig's customer service person was easy to work with.  This was just an FYI, in case you run into this same issue, provided you own one of these or know someone who does.


Song from Saturday, January 1, 2011:
Good Riddance -Green Day - Katiefeldmom

PEACE

*...AND taking it apart per her instructions ala McGuyver, poking around a few "ports" with a paper clip, then turning it back on, only to find that it didn't heat the water and still overfilled my cup.

Good Riddance

I haven't fallen off the  face of the earth.  I'm still here. I survived my first two months of full time work with over time and the holidays.

This is an amazingly decent photo of Hubs and I back in November before I became chronically tired from working over time. I'm amazed that I don't have dark circles under my eyes in this picture, but this was the calm before the mayhem.  By the way, Hubs is no longer allowed to wear that hat because we discovered that it's actually signed by former Padres baseball player, Tony Gwynn.

Christmas Eve Hubs and I decided to hit the mall first thing, at 7 AM to finish up the Christmas shopping. We basically got out of bed,  threw on some clothes and went to the mall before it became mayhem.  By 10 AM we were done, but Hubs wandered off.  While I was sitting in front of Macy's at Fashion Valley by the Santa visiting area, trying to call Hubs, I hear, "Hey, that's Irene."  I look up and it's AKA Alice and family. AKA Alice looked fabulous, fresh, and coiffed. I looked like death warmed over.  Thank goodness (for me) there were no cameras involved.  It was fun catching up for a brief moment, and that gave Hubs time to wander back to where I was waiting.  It suddenly felt very Christmas-y.  Up until that very point of seeing AKA Alice and family, I had been stuck in a vortex of work and being on auto-pilot.  Yes, we put up the tree and various Christmas decorations, but I hadn't been able to enjoy any of it. I'm not sure why this was a turning point for me, but the whirlwind that is my life right now sort of calmed down at that point, perhaps it was seeing someone else actually enjoying the holiday, and I was finally able to relax and enjoy my Christmas holiday.  Christmas Eve night was pretty quiet, with dinner at Hub's sister's house and a few family members.  All was calm. All was (relatively) bright.

Christmas morning I was up early making holiday sticky buns.  No one else was up yet, and I was enjoying the silence of the morning.  After I get the sticky buns in the oven and the aroma permeates the house, Evan wakes up, runs right past the Christmas tree -- ignoring the loot Santa put under the tree, and wants to see what I'm making, and asks for a cup of hot cocoa.  It was priceless. He never once asked about opening gifts.

This was taken before the realization that Santa had visited our house, before the mayhem.  FYI, that's his 1969 Chevy Chevelle SS, that his uncle Jim and aunt Katie had given him the night before.  He asked me to put in the car's info.  Some kids sleep with stuffed animals.  Evan sleeps with his cars.

Just so you all know, my grandson was asking for the actual Polar Express train to stop by our house, and not a toy version. Santa hooked him up some great toys on his (ever expanding) list.

It's hard to see, but Santa brought a Razor Ground Force Drifter...

...and a lot of action figures, amongst other goodies.

It really isn't Christmas until the dog rolls in the gift wrap.

One of the best gifts of all is that we were able to spend Christmas with my sister and her husband, here, in San Diego, for the first time in YEARS.

Hubs, Me, my bro-in-law, my sister.

I worked half day on New Year's Eve, but I was able to participate in a rather off-beat office tradition that I forgot about.  We each write a list of things or people we'd like to forget about from the year, fold it, place it in a large tin and burn our lists.  I didn't have a list of people on my list, but a list of my injuries over the past year.  I'm not sure if this was therapeutic or not, but it was kind of funny to see my boss burn her list of former psycho employees.  I guess it's a release kind of thing, just to let go and start fresh in the new year.  The ashes were flushed down the toilet.  Yes, where I work is not typical and is (still) like being in a sit-com.

By the way, my boss hooked me up with a pair of Moeben sleeves in tye dye as one of my Christmas presents. 

Hubs and I had no plans or parties to attend, watched SNL reruns, and I struggled to stay awake to ring in the new year.  (When did I become an old fart, anyway?)  With less than 5 minutes to the new year, Hubs scrambled to find THE bottle of champagne from the back of the fridge and opened it just in time. Evan was with us and stayed awake long enough to ring in the new year, go outside and beat a couple of old pie tins together and yell "Happy New Year!"

The good thing about having a low keyed New Year's Eve is that there was no hangover to deal with.  It's not that I often find myself in a state of hangover-ness, it's just that it takes longer for me to bounce back than it did when I was in my 20s. 

I still have not run since I ran the Las Vegas Rock 'n' Roll half marathon at the beginning of December.   My shin splints aren't as bad any more, and I really need one more week off, but I have the Carlsbad Half Marathon at the end of January.  I've run a half marathon with 3 weeks of training and lived to tell about it, and I'll do it again.  My stats won't be great, but I'll get to run.  Then again, it's not my first half marathon, either.

Happy New Year, and may all your hopes and dreams for 2011 come true.

Song from Saturday, December 24, 2010:
What Child Is This? - Josh Groban, Carrie Underwood, Vince Guaraldi Trio, Vanessa Williams, Andrea Bocelli, Burl Ives, etc...

PEACE

D'yer Mak'er

Yee-haw!  One week back at work full time and I've already put in overtime.  Due to the actions of the ghosts of employees past, there's a lot of  corrections to be made, pick up the ball that was dropped, and bring everything up to speed.  I realize I have plenty of catching up to do, but it's coming back rather quickly.  Every night before I leave they say:

"No texting or e-mail messages, OK?"
"We know where you live!"
"We'll make you come back!" 

The reason being is that their last two employees quit by text message and e-mail.  I'm glad to be back, even though it seems overwhelming at times. I know everything will fall into place.  I've been to this rodeo before.

Running is happening, slow, but it's happening. I'm still dealing with shin splints, although they are less sore. My last run before the Las Vegas Rock 'n' Roll half was less than stellar, but I got it in, hills, shin splints and rain.

We were supposed to do a flat run out by the bay, but we had a social networking group join us for the run, and we met out at the RU facility in Sorrento Valley, and it was much easier for the group to meet indoors, especially since it had been raining that morning. This group handled their runs differently than what I'm used to. Instead of sending people out by pace (all the 8 to 9 minute milers take off, then the 9 to 10 minute milers, etc), they sent people out by how far they we running. I was running with a pretty nice group until we arrived to the intersection where the people running 6 miles went one way, and the people running 11 miles went another way. I suddenly found myself alone, since I was the only woman over age 40 running more than 6 miles at a much less than an 8 minute mile. I don't mind the alone time, though, but that's when I was going up hill. The shins weren't too happy with me. This had to be one of the slowest runs I've had lately, but I just wanted to get in the 11 miles without walking. The run up Coast Highway through Del Mar, to the "Welcome to Solana Beach" sign is actually a pleasant run, especially early in the morning. I didn't take pictures, but it was also quite damp out, and a camera would have been a moot point, unless it was waterproof. I avoided any heavy rain until I had only a half mile to go. You just can't outrun Mother Nature. A nice, steady shower hit. It's one of those rain showers that's great if you're indoors with a hot beverage in front of a fireplace. Alas, I was running underneath the I-5 at that point, watching the rain from the underneath the bridge and I really wanted to finish. It would have been easy to just stand there until the rain let up, but maybe it would rain for hours. I made myself run the half mile in the rain back to the warm confines of RU. It honestly wasn't a huge stretch or feat to run in the rain, it was actually kind of nice. Running in the rain gave me the excuse to explain my slow pace, but we all know better.

There's so much more to talk about, especially about work -- it's like a sit-com -- but my mind is toast. 'Nite.

Thursday's (November 11, 2010) Song:
Sweet Serendipity -  Lee DeWyze

PEACE

Sweet Serendipity

 It's sort of funny how life unfolds.

Running into my former coworker Darla at Sunday's 5k turned out to be quite a serendipitous thing.  Monday she left a message on my cell phone telling me that the office where I work (on call) had a Craigslist post for a full time optometric tech.  I had no idea.  It's either hit or miss with when they do need me and they have not needed me to fill this year thus far, and it's November.  When looked up the job posting I noticed that it was very recent and for a job position I already know quite well.  I took a chance and and e-mailed my boss, pleading my case and even offering to become ABO certified at my own expense.  Tuesday afternoon I received an e-mail from my boss saying they wanted to talk to me on Wednesday.  Amazingly enough, two weeks ago I had scheduled myself an eye exam for that Wednesday -- I'd be at the office anyway. I went in with an open mind.  The funny thing is that I had the eye exam first, before they would even talk to me. Fine, but, for the first time in YEARS I had a dilation exam, which meant my eyesight would be compromised during our chat following the exam.  Not only that, having my vision compromised made me feel queasy.  After pre testing, the exam, frame selection (yeah, I got new sunglasses and regular glasses) and a little chit chat with my coworkers, the grilling began.  They first wanted to know my motivation for coming back full time, then they wanted me to know that they changed their entire office dynamics, and if I could bring my roller skates because it would be that busy.  I plead my case (without being able to see and wanting to barf).  It must have been what they wanted to hear.  I start back Monday. They even offered to pay for my ABO certification.   They also went to wearing scrubs, which will save me a ton of money in not needing a career wardrobe, and they will pay for those as well.

Two of the reasons why they're bringing me back on is because they know I can be trained on all the new procedures/equipment/tools and I'm not a psychopath.  Yes, they actually used the word "psychopath."  Since another long-time coworker had to relocate 6 months ago, they have not been able to find anyone to replace her.  People interview well, but they become complacent after a short time and their performance falls apart, or their true nature comes out and they're just bizarre.  They've had 3 new hires who did not meet their standards in the past 6 months. 

Needless to say, I called Darla and thanked her profusely for the phone message about the job listing.  She is now working in another field, which is why she didn't go for it, herself.

Oh yeah, when I was in RU on Wednesday morning, Bryan asked me if I knew anyone who would want a front desk/general office job.  It seems they're having trouble finding decent office staff as well.  I said I was looking for work, but I was going in to my office later that same day to ask for full time.  Then he started asking me about my job experience and  rate of pay.  It felt like an interview while he was working on my shin.  I think he would have hired me based on our conversation.  I would have taken a job a RU if the full time job at my office fell through.

They say things happen in threes.  Dollars to doughnuts I start receiving calls from all the places I sent applications and resume's to over the past year. 

Now I must go and dust off my roller skates. Monday will be here soon enough.

Monday's Song:
There and Back Again - Daughtry

PEACE

Keep My Head High

I really wasn't planning a blog hiatus, but the past couple of weeks have been crazy busy.  Most of the crazy had to do with our rental house.  I'll go into details about the rental house later.  Right now I just need to catch up.

I'm still dealing with shin splints, however the soreness isn't as bad as it was just a couple of weeks ago.  I've only run once in the past two weeks, twice if we count the Run Fit class at RU last night, but that was not continuous running -- We did circuit training.  I've also  made a discovery that the custom orthotic for my left shoe is most likely a contributor to making my shins splints worse than they needed to be.  I took the orthotic out of my left shoe and replaced it with the original insole that the shoe came with.  Guess what?  I had little to no discomfort in my shin.   At the Run Fit class I was able to SPRINT for the first time since about August, and there's no next day overwhelming soreness or pain. *WHEW* I must add that I still can't do a lot of side to side movements, but when I run it's not side to side -- it's forward.  I like moving forward, and not just with running.

My dad left for for a Mediterranean cruise last week.  I'm not sure of all the ports, but Morocco and the Egyptian Pyramids are on the itinerary.  It's the perfect trip for him.  He's traveling with a group from his church.

The same day my dad left for his cruise was the same day my cousin came up from Ensenada, Baja California - Mexico.  The plan was for her to stay at my dad's house while he was away, but he forgot to leave the keys with us.  My cousin had a lot of business to take care of while she was here and she ended up staying with us until we could have a set of keys sent down from Fremont, CA where my brother lives. It was great catching up with my cousin, but she needed a lot of assistance with looking for particular businesses and agencies.  It's a long story, but her purse was stolen with all of her identifications in it, including her Military ID, California Driver's License, her Mexican residence ID, and so on.  She was planning to stay with us only one or two days until the keys arrived, but it turned into four since a couple of agencies required long waits in line, such as the DMV.  The advantage to my cousin's stay with us is that we were able to catch up on all of the relatives happenings and  incidental gossip in addition to a lot of thought provoking conversations about spirituality.

My cousin is a veterinarian.  It was funny that my cats and dog seemed to know she was an animal person.  My cat, Lumpy, would not leave hear alone at all. 

Computer companion

Since just before the end of September we were dealing with our rental house.  A friend of ours had lived there for over three years, but work was about an hour drive one way.  He decided to move closer to work.  He kept telling us that he was working on cleaning the house and getting it ready for the next renter.  Hubs and I figured all we needed to do was  paint and shampoo the carpets, plus some small repairs and a little yard work.  We were wrong.  So many things were broken or dirty beyond cleaning.  We were shocked.  Our friend hired a cleaning company to help him out, but it was so dirty that even the cleaning company charged him extra... and it was still not up to par when the cleaning company left.  Trash and rotten food were left behind in the driveway.  Some personal items were left behind, even though our friend said he took everything and that other stuff was ours.  In all fairness, we did keep a few things in the garage, but mostly Hubs' drafting equipment, a desk, a dresser, rolled up blueprints, and a few toys from when the kids were little, but that's all. These items were all off to the side and out of the way.   Our friend's kid's photo album, some of his furniture, bird care supplies and clothing items were definitely not ours.  We have a long list of things that were broken and needed to be replaced such as entire closet doors.  We really did not expect this since he rented another house from Hubs folks a few years back and everything was fine.  Our friend was expecting his security deposit back, but the cost of getting everything fixed and cleaned exceeded that dollar amount.  Needless to say, our friend is a bit miffed with us, but mostly with Hubs since they handled the agreement together. I'm not sure what will happen with this relationship, and I hope we can get past this mess.    

Hubs and my son worked at the house every singe day for the past two weeks painting and doing repairs.  My cousin even helped us a few hours hauling trash and cleaning cupboards.  I sanded and varnished the kitchen floor and part of the living room floor.  I also spent time scrubbing various things like greasy drawer pulls in the kitchen, the mold off of the ice and water dispenser on the refrigerator door, and the fireplace that was left full of soot, ashes, and wood.*  Since we didn't rent a dumpster, we put trash in receptacles where ever we could, which meant hauling bags of garbage to our house, my inlaw's house,  my sister-in-law's house, a neighbors house (she offered) and  my dad's house.  New carpet has been installed and everything is beyond ready for the renter, who should have moved in when our friend moved out.

*SIGH* 

 If that weren't enough, someone rear ended the back bumper of Hubs' car while he was idling at a stoplight after a trip to Home Depot, buying items to finish fixing up the rental.  No one was hurt, just the bumper.  Hubs had to laugh because it has been a draining past couple of weeks -- then the car gets bumped.  At some point you just have to laugh because it's so ridiculous.

If there's an upside, sanding and varnishing floors is a really good workout.

Now that we have some momentum going, we need to get back to caring for the house we live in.  I need to sand and refinish parts of the dining room floor where the dog likes to hang out.

My boss turned 60 last week.  She looks amazing for 60.  If you met her you would never guess that she's even close to 60.  There's something to be said about healthy living. Her family arranged a surprise party and had a small gathering.  I was quite touched to be included since I haven't been summoned to the office in several months due to a very stable staff. One of my former co-workers flew in from Texas to be here for the occasion.  It was so good to see her again.  This birthday event was somewhat like a family reunion, even though it was people I have worked with.  I guess it's a good thing when you can consider people you work with as family.   I thought Hubs brought a camera, but he didn't use it.  My boss was given a toga, crown and gold tone asps to wear at her party.  It was great.  I must explain that my boss is notorious for pranks, and you know what they say about payback.  It was awesome.

Good news.  My daughter finally got into San Diego State University.  SDSU was being a bit stingy with admissions, but recently let more students in. SDSU is only a 15 minute drive down the interstate, but it will take much longer just to find parking.

Saturday, October 16, is my daughter's 27th birthday.  Since she has a gig working behind the scenes at a college play on Saturday evening, we'll be taking her out for lunch.  She has plans to spend next  weekend  in Las Vegas to celebrate.
 

1983

2010

There's plenty of blog fodder ruminating in my head, but there's so much that it would quality as the longest blog post ever if I were to write it all down.  Two extremely busy and emotional weeks will fill a head.  I'll spare you all.  Besides, there's too much fodder to even process.  I'm exhausted.

Song from 9/29/2010:
It Happens - Sugarland

PEACE


*My cousin kept calling me "Cinderella."

That's The Breaks

My Peeps

I know. I've been a bad blogger. Part of it has to do with Spring Break, part of it has to do with our computer being buggy, and most of it has to do with the hubs working from home this week.

Speaking of Blogger, is anyone else finding the new photo upload option(s) s-l-o-w?

I had an ortho appointment this week. No surprise, but the foot is still busted. This time I had the where-with-all to bring a camera and take pictures of my x-ray.

Middle metatarsal bone... Not just a fracture, but the bone frayed. Yeah, when I break something, I break it good... *sigh* I guess the Costco incident* in addition to running did more damage than I thought. I wasn't planning to post the pic but, apparently, a lot of you are curious and asked me to show the pic -- so there it is!

I came into the appointment wearing my new Pearl Izumis. The doc busted me on not wearing the boot. The boot is hard and flat, and I have a really high arch, and it caused me to overcompensate through my ankle and knee. The doc pointed out that I need a lot more stability while I'm healing so that I don't cause more injury. The Pearl Izumis are relatively firm and stable, but they still bend -- the doc doesn't want my foot to bend. I've added an arch insert to the boot, which helps, but it still wears me out. I return to ortho in two weeks.

I also had an appointment at RU the following day. Bryan seemed a bit more sympathetic to me after seeing the pic of the x-ray -- not that he wasn't sympathetic before, but seeing how smooshed my foot is, he realized it wasn't as small a fracture as he thought. Sooooooo... instead of the usual workout routine, I got a nice foot massage, did some easy upper body dumbbell matrix exercises, and ankle mobility exercises. He also did casts of my feet for custom orthotics, finally. I return to RU in two weeks.

It was also suggested that I get a prescription for a bone stimulator**. [Feel free to insert an inappropriate joke here, because my mind is mush and can't think of one.] It doesn't feel much like anything when I use it for 20 minutes a day, but it's supposed to help the healing process, and according to the site, it says it "gets patients back to their normal activities 38% faster." I guess I'll find out, providing a trip to Costco is normal activity with steel toe boots. Maybe I'll be able to get in and out of Costco 38% faster. Maybe I'll be able to run 38% faster.

Since I can't run I've been doing other things to keep busy. My side and back yards have been quite neglected, and I decided to pull weeds and add some perennials and drought tolerant plants. I've been mindful of my foot and have been sitting for most of this gardening adventure. I've completed one side yard planter area and a small square in the center of the backyard with a new bird bath. Now, I need to slowly tackle the rest of the unruly backyard.

The strategically cropped photo -- So you can't see the rest of the unruly backyard.

I'm also trying to keep some kind of exercise routine going. I have yet to get into a pool, but that's on the list of things to do. I've been doing a lot of upper body exercises that don't require feet, like stability ball push-ups -- which are probably equivalent or equal to knee-down push-ups, bicep curls, tricep extensions, dumbbell flys, shoulder presses, abs exercises, etc. I've been trying to do modified squat and lung matrices, but I really have to pay attention to the foot with those.

In other news...

The hubs had some rather unexpected excitement earlier in the week. It was later in the day, probably about a half hour before closing when everyone in the office started smelling smoke. They went outside to figure out the source, and discovered that smoke was coming through their basement. 911 was called and they were soon surrounded by fire trucks, police and the local news. Luckily, the fire wasn't that big, the damage was confined to the basement, and they've hired a company to take care of the smoke smell. Oh, the news coverage was minimal. I tried to find a news link because the story aired on the 11 o'clock news on three local stations, but I guess it wasn't news worthy enough to keep the story since no one was injured and the building didn't burn down. As a precaution, SDG&E cut the power lines to the building. They actually went up in a cherry picker and physically CUT the lines. Hubs was more horrified with the cutting of the lines than the actual fire because that meant he wouldn't be able to work at the office with deadlines looming and picky clients wanting their projects done NOW. Hubs worked at home for three days. I pretty much stayed out of his way, since he was on the computer most of the time and had a phone stuck to his ear. By the way, everything at the office returned back to normal on Friday.


Last night we attended a party/reception/thing at RU. They were launching a new training program and had vendors with free goodies, plus food and drink. There were several people there who I hadn't seen since the Las Vegas Rock 'n' Roll Marathon/Half Marathon in December, and was able to catch up with all of their race plans for this year. I'm not sure what it is, but every time we go somewhere that is mostly my thing, my hubs almost always sees someone he knows there. This happens frequently. For example, at my 10 year high school reunion he knew someone I went to high school with, and I had no idea because when he referred to her it was by her married name. Their firms shared an office space together. At the RU thing, he saw a guy from Rotary, his former intern, and a contractors who he works closely with. I wish this would happen to me. I go to his industries receptions/parties/things and NEVER see anyone I know -- and at his things it's all about business. It's not a lot of fun for me to discuss square footage, drywall, lighting fixtures and flooring unless it's for my house. ANYWAY, back to the RU party... I had some explaining to do about my foot, and that's where everyone said they wanted to see the x-ray pic. Towards the end of the event, they had a drawing for some nice goodies like massages, hydrostatic body fat testing, shoes, etc. Hubs won a mesh bag with triathlon gear inside, which was a bib holder/belt, Glide, a sun visor, and a few other small items. I guess he'll have to take up doing tris now. Heh.

I'm not 100% sure what's happening for Easter, but I can venture to guess that my SIL will be hosting it. They ALWAYS plan these kinds of things to the last minute.


Whatever you're celebrating on Sunday, I hope you have a wonderful day!

Wednesday's Song:
California Sun - The Ramones


PEACE

* A lady ran over my foot with her full cart at Costco.
**Ultrasound bone healing system

What It Takes

Even though I ran the 5k on Sunday, Bryan at RU showed no sympathy on Monday. I had a hard, sweaty workout. Oh, don't get me wrong, it was good workout and it wasn't long before I ready to be done.

Speaking of working, I filled in at work on Monday. It was nice to be back, in spite of having to learn their new computer programs and fee schedule. It wasn't difficult, just different. Everything else was just like riding a bicycle and it was good to see some of our regular patients again. I keep hinting that I'm available to put in more hours when they need me, especially since my coworker (who is on maternity leave) may not want to return to work so quickly.

Monday was also another Runner's World wear test shoe event for March 2010 issue.* Even though this event is now (supposedly) by invitation only, people start lining up for this event at 3:00 PM, and it begins at 5:30 PM. There are always new people in line, hoping to get something after the people with invites go through, and sometimes they do score some running shoes. Since I worked I couldn't leave the office until 5:30 PM. I showed up at 6:00 PM, placing me at the back of the line. I am so thankful that they decided to check IDs a few times (I was on their list) and I moved up to the middle of the line. Whew. By the time I made it to the front of the line, there were only two pairs of my size left. I ended up with Brooks Switch 3.


I've never tried Brooks before, nor have I ever worn a stability shoe. I normally take a neutral or neutral plus. With my inserts for high arches, they seem to be OK. I took them for a test run on the gym treadmill today, and immediately noticed that they had a lot of heel cushion, and that's a good thing. Time will tell how these shoes will fare for my bones. Bonus points that these shoes aren't Easter egg colored. It's difficult to see in the picture, but the trim is royal blue and dark purple.

I'm also trying out a new sport's bottle.* It's from Smash Sports. The concept is similar to that of a Playtex nurser, which is what my husband immediately pointed out. The bottle holds the liquid inside a biodegradable liner. Just hold your finger over a small hole on the bottle and squeeze. It took me a few times of squeezing the bottle before I realized I had to cover the small hole, but once I did that, everything worked great. Since the bottle isn't super hard, it's ergonomic. There's also hand strap available to place on the bottle. I'm not sure if I'll go the strap route yet, until I become more familiar with this bottle. I'm also not 100% sold on the idea of the liners, since they have to be replaced, but it does prevent that sloshing liquid sound that can be rather annoying.

Today
Activity: Run
Date: 11/10/09 10:00 AM
Distance: 3.31 miles
Time: 0:32:00
Speed: 6.2 mph
Pace: 9'40 min/mile
Calories: 304

I put in my intervals on the gym treadmill. As sore as my body was from yesterday's workout, I felt really good on that treadmill. Being plugged into some really good tunes helps. I did pyramid intervals and took one minute walk breaks between sets. Walking pace was 4.2 mph and built up to a sprint pace was 7:50 mph. My goal for intervals is to get rid of the walk pace completely. I'm not quite there yet. I still need that walk pace to recoup from the sprint. At least I can now hold the sprint pace for a minute without wanting to pass out or throw up. I know, I'm still not super speedy, especially when compared to the women in my age group who can run 6 minute miles, but, hey, it's good for me at this moment.

Sunday's song:
Dancing In The Streets - Martha and the Vandellas - Run-DMZ

PEACE



*Disclaimer - I reviewed these on my own. Other than receiving the products for free, I didn't get paid to give my two cents.

Baby Got Back

Random Stuff

Last Friday we celebrated the birthday of one of my coworkers, Pinky. I think I've posted how crazy our office is, with some of the nick-names, silly pranks and overall goof ball stuff that happens. A while back, Pinky could not remember the words "garbanzo beans." She kept calling them "bolitas," which is a Spanish term for "little balls." We had no idea what she was talking about. She kept on saying "you know, bolitias, those little white things you put on salad." Huh??? At the Christmas party someone brought the fixings for a salad bar, and several bowls were put out on the buffet table with all kinds of fruits and vegetables for the salad. In one of the bowls were garbanzo beans. Pinky points out the garbanzo beans and exclaims: "Bolitas!" We all started busting up, and we just didn't let it go -- We never let stuff like that go... Fast forward to last Friday. We were enjoying being out celebrating, and it comes to gift time. This is what I did, I mean, GAVE to Pinky:


Since I don't have Photoshop, I just did some cutting and pasting, then photocopied the label onto photo quality paper, and put the reworked labels on the cans of garbanzo beans... I also found several recipes from the internet that included garbanzo beans but changed the words "garbanzo beans" to "bolitas." Pinky got a big kick out of it, and so did everyone else. Yeah, we're all dorks, but we always have a good time.

Wednesday at sports rehab I graduated to heavier weights. I don't remember how heavy (they were heavier than normal) but let's just say it was no longer just a 5, 8, 10 or 12 pound dumbbells. I did barbell squats, perhaps about 50 pounds worth, maybe more. Then B (my therapist) said my butt is gonna get big -- then something about muscles... Then I replied with "my husband is a butt man." Ha. After that workout my posture, stance and walk felt more straight, more normal, if that makes sense.

For those of you with critters, especially cats, you know that an empty box or bag is just the perfect place for a nap, even it it's too small... I try to keep my shoes in the boxes they came in, mostly for ease of storage, and I don't end up with a pile of shoes on the floor of my closet. Any way, this is what I came home to right after my big butt workout -- I couldn't put my shoes away for a short while:


Tomorrow is the train run with the track club. We take a 16 mile train ride up the coast and run back. I think I'll be just fine, as long as I take it easy and keep moving the whole way. Cooler weather is in the forecast, and that will make for a pleasant run.

Tuesday's song:
Heartbeat - Buddy Holly, Madonna, Paris Hilton, etc. - Barbie2be, She Do Run Run

PEACE

Girls

... and one guy.

Here's the pictures from the office birthday party last week.

Imagine my surprise when my entire office showed up at my house in a limo.

No, seriously, THAT was the limo...

Presents!

The birthday girls.

All of us! (The "Man Doctor" was taking the picture.)

Yesterday's song:
All Figured Out - Bowling For Soup

PEACE

Limp

Gimpy is my new nick name at work. 'Nuf said.


Yesterday's song:
Get Your Number - Mariah Carey and Jermaine Dupree



PEACE

My Friend Goo

Today a coworker had a surprise for me. She had two full, 24 count, boxes of Gu energy gels. Her boyfriend had purchased them a while back and he's not going to be using them any time soon, since he's deployed right now, and not training for any type of physical event soon, so she GAVE them to me. It was like Christmas! The boxes are assorted flavors, so I get to try some of the flavors I haven't tried yet. Hooray!

Yesterday's Song:
Old Man - Neil Young - Be A Good One

PEACE

Running

I'm not quite sure why, but I worked today. They really did not need me, but there's always things to do. We had a new tech start today and she jumped right in with everything, and that's a good sign. We didn't need to show her much, other than where things were kept. We're trying not to sing her praises yet, as it seems like we've been jinxed with the recent new hires we've been through, but there is always hope.

Tonight's track club run was run for 5 minutes, walk for 30 seconds and check our heart rates, for a total of 4 times. It was a really good workout and I felt good. We also did 3 sets of 20 crunches. I wore this t-shirt at the run today, it's the one from the Sue Krenn 15k I ran in last year. I hope they offer another cool t-shirt this year, on March 1. It's still one of my favorites.



Yesterday's Song:
Walk On By - Dionne Warwick - Baribe2be



Peace

What Goes Around Comes Around

Tonight's track workout was circuit training. We ran one lap around the track and did 25 of an exercise of our choice for a total of 8 laps. I did push-ups, sit-ups and, bicep dips using the curb, and jumping jacks. My husband showed up when we were finished with the run and we were all on the infield stretching. He stayed behind to run laps. I went on home to scrape up something for dinner.

Work is going OK. I'll be working more consistently this year, instead of the sporadic schedule I've had, due the on call status. I'll be job sharing with another lady. The other lady was someone they hired just to file for a few hours, twice a week. Turns out she's actually intellegent and has really come through for us in a pinch. That probably sounds a little weird, but we've had some people come through our office who just did not live up to their resumes. Who knew we had to hire someone with a college degree to do front desk stuff?

Yesterday's song:
Gonna Make You Sweat - C & C Music Factory - Be A Good One



Peace

You Spin Me Round

Last night's track workout:

Slow warm up run, about 3 laps, then stretches.

Jog 100
Run 100

Jog 100
Run 200

Jog 100
Run 300

Jog 100
Run 400

Jog 100
Run 400

Jog 100
Run 300

Jog 100
Run 200

Jog 100
Run 100

Cool down jog for several laps on the infield , probably about 5 or 6 laps, then stretches.

I opted for C group because my stomach was having issues before I even arrived at the track. People in C group seemed confused about this workout. Several just did whatever or did more walking instead of jogging due to fatigue. I paced myself behind a woman who knew the workout, and that helped with my overall workout. I didn't use my GPS for this workout, but I suppose I should have. Oh well. I really need to do this workout again, when I'm feeling better. I just didn't have the energy to really push myself, and my stomach was not being kind, either. Barfing was not an option!

I'm back at work tomorrow. One of the new hires walked off the job! We're really not that hard to work for, I swear!

Yesterday's Song:
The Information - Beck - Barbie2be



PEACE

Strange Fruit

This past week has been a bit busy between work and home. There was nothing really unusual this week, just a lot of the same old thing, especially at work. I think I'm finished with work for a little while, until someone else goes on vacation. I did order myself a pair of glasses. The frame is a purple Michael Kors. It's not like I NEED another pair of glasses, but this one will have my most current prescription, which really isn't much of a change. Besides, I got a sweet deal on the frame. No, it wasn't free, but close.

In a previous post I had mentioned that my dog had brought me avocados from under our tree. Every once in a while I would find avocados on my kitchen floor, in the same spot every time. I'm now thinking that my dog has grown fond of avocados because now she's bringing in the pits, unless it's some other animal eating the fruit and the dog is just bringing me what's left. She does like avocados, though.



Yesterday's Song:
Cinderella Under Cover - Oingo Boingo - Barbie2be


Peace



Picture from photbucket.com

Cinderella Undercover

It was a dark and stormy night... plus a long day at work!

This is a blog post with not much going on. I thought this picture was interesting:


Yesterday's Song:
Little Cream Soda - The White Stripes - Barbie2be


Peace