A bunch of random crap that you don’t really need gathered into one crowded area, but at least it’s cheap.
The days have been insanely busy lately, and I feel like the year is just screaming by. I haven’t had much in the way of spare time to post any blog updates lately. I’m sure my dad has missed reading them. (That probably isn’t true. He’s a very busy man, and he’s got better things to do than read this junk.)
Well, I’m here to do some catch-up now with a few highlights.
1. I’ve busted through a major plateau with my running. The secret? I’ve started incorporating speed intervals into my workouts. No more just setting out for a run at my usual poky pace. Now I crank it up until I’m panting, gasping, and shaking. Feeling miserable never felt so great! To keep the workouts interesting, I always vary it a bit…but basically I run about a mile at a 10:00 minute pace to warm up, then for the next mile and a half I do intervals at 7:30-10:00 minute pace with walk breaks in between, and then wrap up the next half mile with a 10:00 minute pace cool down. This usually leaves me sweating like a fat girl at her sister’s wedding, but the awesome news is that I’ve shaved 1:00-1:30 off my pace on longer weekend runs!
2. In semi-related news, I’ve lost about 10 pounds recently. This is doubtless due to the more strenuous workouts, but also because I’ve been trying to make some wiser food choices. (Newsflash: exercising more and eating less has been proven to cause weight loss!) I feel SO much better, and I think I look a lot nicer too. Running also seems to be a lot easier when I’m not schlepping around an extra 10 pounds. That’s how much a large bag of potatoes weighs, people! That’s heavy! I’m thinking about contacting Cream of Wheat to see if they are interested in a spokesperson. “I lost ten pounds, and all I did was substitute my usual donut for a bowl of tasty Cream of Wheat!” I’ll be like the next Jared.
3. My entire life, I’ve always thought I didn’t like beer. But a few months ago, I decided to make the commitment to learn to like it. I was willing to push through my initial aversion to acquire the taste. My commitment has paid off, and I absolutely love beer now. Similarly, I went through my early adulthood thinking I didn’t like Chinese food. Well as it turns out, I just don’t like bad Chinese food. But good Chinese food and good beer? (Not necessarily together, but they certainly could be…) That, I like.
4. I’ve planted my spring garden and it is thriving! This year, I’m looking forward to enjoying several varieties of tomatoes and peppers, cucumbers, zucchini, and some seriously robust-looking cauliflower. I might even say that I’ll have a plethora of cauliflowers.
5. I haven’t been reading very much at all this year. I attribute that to TV. I’ve started watching the Biggest Loser, which is an hour and a half or ridiculousness each week. And Joel and I are also watching Sons of Anarchy on DVD and I’m totally obsessed with that show. How I love those gun-running motorcycle gangsters. I love them so darn much that my poor Nook has been feeling lonely!
6. My baby boy is registered for Kindergarten, and he will be able to join the summer program offered by our school district. One of the best parts of all of this? Less than two months to go at Tutor Time!! My daycare bill will soon be dropping significantly!!
7. I would really love to invest said daycare savings on a fancy grown-up getaway to Santa Barbara to see my favorite group, the Zac Brown Band.
8. In all reality though, most of our extra pennies will be directly handed over to our good buddies at the IRS, who seem to get greedier and greedier each year. No matter how we adjust our withholdings for the upcoming year, we always seem to owe about a gazillion dollars. Who are you people that actually get money back from the government? I do not understand this strange concept. We’re seriously ready to put on some solar panels just so we can deduct a wee bit more…
9. Work. Oy. Work has been crazy lately. I started to write an update on work, but it got to be so boring that I almost fell asleep. And since no one has likely read this through to the end, what’s the point really?
Enough about me! How have you all been lately? Let’s go grab a beer and catch up!!
3 comments:
They're motorcycle enthusiasts not gangsters.
I wish my ramblings could be as concise and coherent as yours. Teach me, Yoda!
'Congrats' on the improved running thing, 'well done you' on the weight loss thing, 'yippee' for the cuts in daycare costs thing, 'man that really sucks' on the taxes thing, and 'I have a great cauliflower soup recipe I can send you' on the garden thing.
And you thought we wouldn't read your post to the end! ;-)
Great to get the update on you! You are rockin' your running (I got tired just reading that paragraph!). Your book reading will pick up soon enough, I'm guessing.
My tax refunds always go into my travel fund, which I'm just starting to utilize this year--and loving it! I definitely think you should prioritize that Santa Barbara trip!
And, if you're looking for someone to take some of those farm-fresh veggies off your hands, look no further. :)
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