Rest: Going local

If I met me today, and I told myself all the cool things I did this weekend, I would think that I'm a pretty cool cat. Unfortunately, I typically fail to be as proactive as I was this weekend. Most days I would meet myself and think hey you're kinda lazy. But not today, no no. not. to.day. 

Friday: Drive to Tucson post-work. Mr. Wonderful cooked a delicious Pasta Marinara and then we walked to the Gold Nugget and played some pool. The Gold Nugget is a quaint, rustic dive bar with cheap drinks, a jukebox, three pool-tables and traditional bar decor consisting of leather, wood and neon lights.  I lost twice... it wasn't my night. But hey, I had fun anyways. If I try really, really hard, someday I'll be good at pool, right?

 

Saturday: Ran in the rain. It was cold. I was ill-prepared.

Then, headed to Monument camera where I bought a new camera lens. This place is epic. It's full of old cameras, film and equipment and the guy that works there knows pretty much EVERYTHING about camera. The building itself it horrific, but it's a gem inside:

  

Sadly, it was to rainy to take pictures. So we made lunch (YUMMY vegan burritos. Rocked my freaking world! Who knew Mr. Wonderful is such a good cook!?), and then headed to Bookman's for some camera books! 

Our last stop of the evening was the video rental store. I haven't been in a movie rental store in over 2 years... I think. They're kinda outdated... but it was awesome. Not only was their an epic amount of films to choose from, the store was employed with the nerdiest, most film-geek looking people I've ever seen. It was awesome. The movies were also organized in really helpful ways such as "Oscar-winners by year," "directors," "Criterion," "classic actors," etc. They also had free bags of popcorn. For dinner, we had Italian-style pizza at a cute little local bistro. It was delicious. I love pizza... MMmmm... now I want pizza.

We rented The Last Days of Disco. It was awesome. I think I have officially put it into my top ten favorite videos list. 

Sunday: I ran hills for practically the first time. 7 Miles. It was awesome. So much fun. And Gates Pass is beautiful. 

And we ended the wonderful weekend by taking pictures at the beautiful Mission San Xavier Del Bac. I can't even begin to articulate how ornately stunning the interior is, and how breathtaking the building itself is. So I won't even try. I took lots of pictures. Be patient and I'll post them for you soon. I have a an old film SLR, so I have to get them developed. I know, how archaic of me. It really was beautiful though. Ya, Europe? You think you got some fancy cathedrals? You aint got NOTHING on Tucson!

The moral of the weekend is: Be proactive with what you do and support local businesses.

Rate: The Nook: Evolution or a total sell-out?

Fer me berfday, Mr. Wonderful got me a Nook! Coolest present ever! I was pretty much shaking with excitement. And then I did a dance. I dance when I'm excited. 

The Nook came at perfect timing because my bookshelf has definitely reached full capacity. Like, there are books on top of the bookshelf, there are books on top of the books in the bookshelf, and there are books stuffed in a box on top of the bookshelf. I guess it's time for a new bookshelf.

So here's my predicament. I'm a English major nerd. I love books. I love literature. I love writing. If I had it my way I would do nothing but read and write all day long. Ok... I guess I'd throw a couple runs in there also... but if this was a magical world where I wouldn't get fat, I'd still have calf muscles and I had an endless supply of endorphins, then I may even skip the running. Please don't hate me for saying so.

Anyways, I have now officially converted to an E-book user. Which is great. I mean, I can download books on the fly, it's super light-weight and great for traveling and I can hold it with one hand so I can have a glass of wine in the other. What's not to love? However there's a part of me that feels like a lit major SELL OUT. I have abandoned my love for the written word... sort of. Or at least my love for the smell, feel and look of a real, tangible book. What have I done?! Am I a total sell out? Can you even take me seriously as someone who reads when you see me with that Nook?! Oh the turmoil.

Predicament number two is that my bookshelf is extremely cumbersome. I'm seriously tempted to ditch the shelf and sell all of my books. I mean I've read them all so they're just sitting there taking up space. They're like trophies. And I'm moving soon to a studio and I'll need all the space I can get, not to mention they're heavy. So what do I do? Do I sell the books? Do I abandon my loves?! I don't know if I can do it. I'm so attached. The thought just kills me. But sometimes you just have to rip off that Bandaid, right? Right? WHAT AM I TO DO?!

Rest: Confession and some optimism

Hello friends. Thanks for waiting for me as I sorted things out. So here it goes

To sum it up: I guess I'll admit it... I'm unemployed. The company I was working for, well, the stopped paying me. Why? The investor pulled out. It's supposed to be a temporary thing, but who wants to work for a company that pays you erratically? Either way, in the meantime I'm a bit SOL. And I've been pouting RELENTLESSLY. But it's a new day and it's time for a bit of optimism.
 

Optimistic point #1: I'm a writer. I am doing quite a bit of freelance writing and editing, and it's pretty cool to call myself a working writer.

Optimistic point #2: Self-improvement. I am going to try to look at this as an opportunity. I now have the time (and no money) to pursue many interests. I have the time to perfect my technical skills so that I will be a more invaluable employee. I have the time to run, ride and push my body to a physical condition I've never had the time to reach. I have time to read and learn and teach myself the things I have been wanting to learn but never had the time to pursue. I have the time too better myself. And that's an amazing opportunity.

In all my spare time, I am teaching myself all the Adobe Creative Suite programs, trying to get on a rehabilitation running plan, training to do a bike tour with Mr. Wonderful, learning photography, reading a ton about everything and perfecting my writing/editing/grammar skills... just to name a few. I'm also applying for a long lists of jobs... obviously. 

And below is the camera that my mother is letting me borrow! It's a little old and not digital, but I could care less. It will be fun to learn photography in it's pure form :)

I'm also reading this, and loving it.

And I applied to be a shoe tester for Brook Running. Everyone cross your fingers that they pick me for free shoes!

Annnnnnnnnnd, I went to a race this weekend! Well, I didn't really race.. I just ran the 2K with my Aunt. But it was a great time-- very casual-- and it was fun to see how these events work. It definitly motivated me to start racing once I'm off the injury list.

(more pics to come)

Talk to ya'll tomorrow!
Toodles!

Rate: Running makes you smarter

Holy asthma attack batman! I sound like a dying aardvark, or at least what I think one would sound like if it were dying: raspy, low, deep wheezes accompanied by low congested breathing out the nose.  It sounds more like growling then breathing. I blame the allergy count and pollution, which means I am indirectly blaming the bizarre amount of rain we’ve gotten this year.

Pollen Count Today: High—But I kept running anywayJ

I have a new running motivator that I think the whole world should know about. Running makes you smarter. In Brain Rules, the nonfiction book that I am currently reading, John Medina explains that exercise is our evolutionary instinct and right. If we aren’t exercising we aren’t living up to our full potential. He goes on to scientifically explain the effects that exercise has on neurons, cells, brain waves, glucose consumption and other scientific jibber jabber. Through scientific explanation that I won’t bore you with (and am fairly incompetent at explaining), Medina concludes that exercise actually improves our cognitive functions. “Physical activity is cognitive candy,” Medina states. Cool huh?

Today, I got a little smarter. Here’s my workout recap:

Run:  33 minutes, varying from a slow to moderate pace (varying due to the asthma), 3miles.
Other: I am on the look out for a practical and successful ab work out. I really need to work on my core for a variety of reasons, including vanity. Today however, I am going to lay out by the pool with my sister instead. Tonight’s her baby shower, so I’m sacrificing strength training for her special preggers day ;)
Emotions/Thoughts/Concerns: This is the second time this week that asthma has really affected my run. I am a little bit concerned about spring. However if 33 minutes is my new slowest time for 3 miles, I shouldn’t complain. But I’m excited to get faster! and to stop wheezing. 

Rate: Runner's first injury

Bad news. It hurts to walk. I have apparently strained and/or torn my achilles tendon... I think. However this is my own personal diagnosis and I have yet to visit the wise old doctor. After a bout of intense google searching, I have learned a bit about running injuries, Achilles tendonitis being one of the most common. Apparently, if I'm not careful this could become a major reoccurring problem. Sadly, I have to work tonight, which means I will be putting hours of strain on my ankles and their linking tendons. So let's hope that my next post won't consist of groans and sobs of how badly I am in pain and of how sad I am to cancel my first 5k. It's only three days away, you know?


They say that you can hurt your Achilles tendon by doing speed and/or hill work, by not stretching appropriately or by not warming up and cooling down properly. Unfortunately I'm guilty of all charges. So I've been icing, massaging, stretching and hoping for the best. I am also wearing my black Asics to work, which is something I thought I would never consider since tennis shoes are almost always a fashion disaster, especially when worn with a dress shirt and fancy necklaces. But I must give my ankles as much support as possible.


If anyone has any suggestions or tips on how to heal faster, or even a charming anecdote of similar experiences, then please share.


On a side note, I am 3/4 into Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov, and I have saturated myself in the writer's gradual climb into insanity. I feel like a bit of a weirdo for getting so enthralled with a book with such repulsive subject matter, but the thing is so well written and enticing that I can't help it. Consequently, it makes me feel a bit insane myself. So please forgive the abrupt sentences and any other change you see in my writing voice today. I am a Literature nerd at heart, you know.


Work Out:


Run: None :(
Resting: TONS
Thoughts/Emotions/Concerns: I do hope that I get better quickly!

Rate: Hey Giiiirl

There's nothing like a couple adolescent, wannabe gangsters politely hollering, chasing and rapping behind me as I run to really improve my pace.  What's more inspiring than "Hey giiiiirrrrl, you need me to run with you?" What I'm trying to say is I picked up the pace today, because I had to. Surprisingly it wasn't that difficult. I ended up really focusing on my stride and the ways in which I can move that produce a faster pace with little effort.


 I ended the work out with drills and strength training. Since I started running, I have based a lot of my training and work outs on the Runner's World Complete Book of Women's Running. It's a great book for novice runners who want an overview of everything. The strength training work out that I did today was taken directly out of this (I added some resistance band work outs and abdominal exercises).  The drills and strength combined have defiantly made my legs increasingly more sore as the day progresses, but they felt really good. I've heard that both drills and strength training can really improve ones speed and power.


By the way, drills are embarrassing. Seriously, do people really do lunges, sidewinders, butt-kicks, and high-knees alone anywhere but on a soccer/baseball/football field? I run in my neighborhood and nearby paths and trails, so I did them in my back yard, and yet I still felt like a lunatic.


Work Out Summary:
Run: 30 minutes, moderate pace
Drills: ten minutes
Strength: 30 minutes