From Runner's World:
"I believed that whereas success in other sports depended on raw physicality- yur height in basketball or your weight and strength in football- distance running rewarded those who trained the hardest."
-Amby Burfoot
It's not strictly true. I'll never run a 2-hour half marathon, no matter how hard I try, because it's just not in me. But I like that one thing is true- even a big spaz like me can run. And that is reason no. 32432 why I like it.
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
popcorn
(no, not the totally awesome line dance that everyone lucky enough to grow up in Park Ridge learned in second grade. though I am still really pissed at myself for not having the DJ play that at the wedding.)
Every afternoon at this time, I get really hungry. I keep a stash of popcorn in my desk drawer, and right around this time, enjoy a lovely, chemical-laden bag of popcorn. However, because we have a seriously broke-ass microwave, the bag starts scorching before it's even halfway done popping. For some reason, I refuse to walk twenty yards to the nurse's breakroom, and instead scorch popcorn every day. (this seems to be exacerbated by bags that only fold in half- bags folded in thirds aren't as bad. Knowledge of this fact has displaced something really important in my brain.)
Sometimes, the popcorn scorches so badly it burns a hole in the bag. Once, it was smoking so furiously, I frantically carried it into the bathroom and poured water over it. Why? Because two years ago, I had scorched my usual popcorn bag, and about half an hour later, there was a knock at the door. The engineering department had come to confiscate my popcorn. I had set off the smoke alarm. (We'll just ignore the fact that it took them that long to respond, because I'd rather not think about what would happen if it were a real fire.) When I told the man from engineering that I had already finished the popcorn, he angrily informed me he needed to confiscate my garbage.
"Um, my garbage?" I said.
"YES. Your garbage. Go get it. The fumes will continue to set off the smoke detector."
"Um."
"..."
So I gave him my garbage. A few months ago, when I had the bad smoking, water-pouring incident? I actually called engineering to tell them, haha, just me again, no need to send out the troops! The man who answered talked to me like I was impossibly stupid and informed me that, had I set off the smoke detector, I would know, because they would have come running.
Um, ok. Sure.
Every afternoon at this time, I get really hungry. I keep a stash of popcorn in my desk drawer, and right around this time, enjoy a lovely, chemical-laden bag of popcorn. However, because we have a seriously broke-ass microwave, the bag starts scorching before it's even halfway done popping. For some reason, I refuse to walk twenty yards to the nurse's breakroom, and instead scorch popcorn every day. (this seems to be exacerbated by bags that only fold in half- bags folded in thirds aren't as bad. Knowledge of this fact has displaced something really important in my brain.)
Sometimes, the popcorn scorches so badly it burns a hole in the bag. Once, it was smoking so furiously, I frantically carried it into the bathroom and poured water over it. Why? Because two years ago, I had scorched my usual popcorn bag, and about half an hour later, there was a knock at the door. The engineering department had come to confiscate my popcorn. I had set off the smoke alarm. (We'll just ignore the fact that it took them that long to respond, because I'd rather not think about what would happen if it were a real fire.) When I told the man from engineering that I had already finished the popcorn, he angrily informed me he needed to confiscate my garbage.
"Um, my garbage?" I said.
"YES. Your garbage. Go get it. The fumes will continue to set off the smoke detector."
"Um."
"..."
So I gave him my garbage. A few months ago, when I had the bad smoking, water-pouring incident? I actually called engineering to tell them, haha, just me again, no need to send out the troops! The man who answered talked to me like I was impossibly stupid and informed me that, had I set off the smoke detector, I would know, because they would have come running.
Um, ok. Sure.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Books I want you to read:
(minorly copycatting Rae)
The Memory Keeper's Daughter Ok, I didn't LOVE it, but I liked it a lot. It dragged a bit, but I really loved the ending.
The Remains of the Day Me + This Book = LOVE. I resisted reading it for a long time, and finally bought it because I was at a bookstore in Germany with limited English selection. Soooo good.
Water For Elephants So very sad. Very, very sad. But also fascinating in the way that all books about Depression-era circus folk must be (are there others? If so, please tell me, I'd like to read them).
Promise Not To Tell Just to clarify, I lovd 90% of this book. It's a very fast read, it's very mindless, but it's really enthralling. The ending is lame as hell, but it's still worth it.
Now tell me your favorite books. All two of you who are reading, heh.
The Memory Keeper's Daughter Ok, I didn't LOVE it, but I liked it a lot. It dragged a bit, but I really loved the ending.
The Remains of the Day Me + This Book = LOVE. I resisted reading it for a long time, and finally bought it because I was at a bookstore in Germany with limited English selection. Soooo good.
Water For Elephants So very sad. Very, very sad. But also fascinating in the way that all books about Depression-era circus folk must be (are there others? If so, please tell me, I'd like to read them).
Promise Not To Tell Just to clarify, I lovd 90% of this book. It's a very fast read, it's very mindless, but it's really enthralling. The ending is lame as hell, but it's still worth it.
Now tell me your favorite books. All two of you who are reading, heh.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
I blame Maureen
A week ago, Maureen had this weird Not-Cold, where she lost her voice and that was it. I woke up this morning with a sore throat and my head is filled with cement.
I feel like I've had more colds/coughs/assorted illnesses this year than I had in the previous five years combined. I am also the whiniest sick person ever, so I've been a LOT of fun for everyone around me.
It's kind of hypocritical of me, because I really can't stand when people are dramatic about being sick. But here's the thing, it's also not hypocritical at all, because there's a difference. Drama queens insist they're dying. I am fully aware I'm not dying, I just really really want the world to know that I don't like it when my throat hurts.
I feel like I've had more colds/coughs/assorted illnesses this year than I had in the previous five years combined. I am also the whiniest sick person ever, so I've been a LOT of fun for everyone around me.
It's kind of hypocritical of me, because I really can't stand when people are dramatic about being sick. But here's the thing, it's also not hypocritical at all, because there's a difference. Drama queens insist they're dying. I am fully aware I'm not dying, I just really really want the world to know that I don't like it when my throat hurts.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
my bad.
The only possible explanation I can come up with for the entire world's assholish behavior when I was out today is that I accidentally wore my invisibility cloak when I left the house. How else can you explain the fact that everywhere I went, people did that THING where they walk right in front of you and then screech to a halt, as if you were never there? You know, the pedestrian equivalent of cutting someone off on the expressway and then slamming on the brakes, except infinitely more aggravating somehow? Seriously.
I'm not exactly a creeping kid. I'm kind of hard to miss.
I didn't do myself any favors, either. I went to DSW. All the other Sasquatches in America were sitting a home, comfortably in their Steve Maddens, shaking their heads and saying, "You cheap dumbass, why would you ever shop there? Do you REALLY think the shoe people ever make more than one size 10 shoe in any given style?" So yeah, I'll take the hit for that one. The rest, though? Is because people suck.
I'm not exactly a creeping kid. I'm kind of hard to miss.
I didn't do myself any favors, either. I went to DSW. All the other Sasquatches in America were sitting a home, comfortably in their Steve Maddens, shaking their heads and saying, "You cheap dumbass, why would you ever shop there? Do you REALLY think the shoe people ever make more than one size 10 shoe in any given style?" So yeah, I'll take the hit for that one. The rest, though? Is because people suck.
Kim Chee
When my father got sick of just making pickles, he decided he needed to start making Kim Chee. He also decided the best way to ferment his cabbage (in an open stone crock) was to store it on our screened-in porch in July.
Our whole front yard smelled like rotting garbage. It was mortifying.
So, fast forward tweny-some years, and my father insists that I try it after I enjoy some really really good spicy cabbage at a restaurant in Chinatown. Still can't stand it- the floppy cabbage is really more than my texture issues can handle. My dad is totally thrilled my this news and offers to make kakdugi, which is a misspelling of radish kim chee.
It was really good!!! The Boy refused to touch the stuff (it really doesn't smell very good), but I ate a whole small bowl (well, almost. I had to cut myself off to avoid side effects). He sent me home with a jar, and I actually like it!
But, you know, theoretically, if you're going to eat this? You probably should not eat it before you go to run on the treadmill in your crowded, very poorly ventilated gym. You really can't brush your teeth enough to make the smell go away, and it's really mortifying. Theoretically.
Our whole front yard smelled like rotting garbage. It was mortifying.
So, fast forward tweny-some years, and my father insists that I try it after I enjoy some really really good spicy cabbage at a restaurant in Chinatown. Still can't stand it- the floppy cabbage is really more than my texture issues can handle. My dad is totally thrilled my this news and offers to make kakdugi, which is a misspelling of radish kim chee.
It was really good!!! The Boy refused to touch the stuff (it really doesn't smell very good), but I ate a whole small bowl (well, almost. I had to cut myself off to avoid side effects). He sent me home with a jar, and I actually like it!
But, you know, theoretically, if you're going to eat this? You probably should not eat it before you go to run on the treadmill in your crowded, very poorly ventilated gym. You really can't brush your teeth enough to make the smell go away, and it's really mortifying. Theoretically.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Life is more interesting now
Now that the wedding and the honeymoon are over and done with, I feel like I'm maybe getting lose to being interesting enough to blog again.
now I have really interesting stories, like the story about how Sam is a complete pain in the ass who wakes up at 5am every day and expects to be taken out. And how he wouldn't wake up, except that Rosie is howling at the top of her lungs, requesting an invitation to jump up on the bed (no, I mean, really. She howls, I reach my hand out, she comes running and jumps up and shuts up. Stephen thinks she's senile.) We know we're totally out of luck when Sam shakes out, because that is his way of announcing "OK humans, get up and take me outside! I am NOT sleeping ANY MORE."
It's also a lot of fun once he's out of the crate, because then he tortures the cats and everyone makes a big noisy mess. Kind of like this, except at 5:15 in the morning and under the bed instead of in the bathroom:
now I have really interesting stories, like the story about how Sam is a complete pain in the ass who wakes up at 5am every day and expects to be taken out. And how he wouldn't wake up, except that Rosie is howling at the top of her lungs, requesting an invitation to jump up on the bed (no, I mean, really. She howls, I reach my hand out, she comes running and jumps up and shuts up. Stephen thinks she's senile.) We know we're totally out of luck when Sam shakes out, because that is his way of announcing "OK humans, get up and take me outside! I am NOT sleeping ANY MORE."
It's also a lot of fun once he's out of the crate, because then he tortures the cats and everyone makes a big noisy mess. Kind of like this, except at 5:15 in the morning and under the bed instead of in the bathroom:
Awesome.
It won't be so bad once it's consistently above freezing....some time around July. Well, yes it will, because 5:15 is too damn early, but really, once it's warmer, it'll be easier to take him outside when he's being like that.
But not too warm, because I have to be able to put a sweatshirt on over my pajamas, otherwise I have to put a bra on first.
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