Obsessed.

...or maybe addicted is more appropriate.


Cinnamon is great,

Excited on a Friday?

Well, I can't believe I'm saying this... but yes, the above title is true. Don't get me wrong though, I am still very much dreading my day at work, and even debating if I should stop somewhere and get a very large cookie to put some joy into my day of reading size 6 font numbers then typing them into a 1x1 cm box on the computer. 


But to the real reason I'm excited... I get to see my sister tonight!

Let's just hope she leaves the reindeer suit at home.....

Have a quick Friday,

Contagious

I saw on a blog once that sitting on the floor with your legs propped up against the wall is a good way to stretch your legs after a run... which is where I found myself Sunday afteroon:

Since I started running on a more regular basis a couple years ago, I have picked up countless tips, suggestions and inspiration from blogs, running groups, magazines and most influentially: people; but more specifically, friends. Enter into my blog: Connie Plungas. 

Connie has run 5 full marathons, multiple half marathons and even some triathalons. Yeah, she is amazing.... with really good arms.... and really good boobs.... I might have a slight girl crush on her....

But anyway, after hearing about all of her races, and her running stories, and just having the general desire to be Connie - I started running.

I started off with small runs around my neighborhood....twice around the block, 2 miles here, 3 miles there... which soon led to my first 5K as an adult runner (I ran cross country back in high school for 1 year.... and oddly enough I hated it), where I came in 2nd place in my age group and received a medal!

please ignore my skeletal frame here.

After my 5k, it was only appropriate to run a half marathon - I mean, come on, who doesn't want to tack on an extra 10 miles of running.....at least that is what Connie was thinking when she asked if I wanted to run the Air Force Half Marathon with her and her then boyfriend, Dan (they are now engaged!). Despite sitting in a 2 hour traffic jam, and crossing the starting line 15 minutes after the gun went off, it was a great race!

Moving along.... I'm sure you know where this post is leading.... yep, my next challenge was a whole marathon... aka 26.2 miles. I only suggest running this distance if you consider yourself crazy... which I do, hence my signing up for the Cincinnati Flying Pig Full Marathon, joining a running group, and committing to 4 or so months of training. I'm proud to say I completed the marathon last May in 4 hours and 8 minutes...in pouring rain.

My Nike ad. Man I wish my arms were still that skinny!

It wasn't until shortly after finishing my marathon that my good friend, and current roommate Annie, heard about my recent love of running and wanted the details. So through numerous text messages, e-mails and conversations about the sport I soon got her hooked, and guided her to her first race ever:

We ran the above race on Labor Day, and believe it or not, Annie ran her first half marathon later that October! Her sister even joined in on the 13.1 miles of craziness!

please ignore my freakishly large head and/or forehead and thunder thighs :)

Now, I'm not a scientist, nor a doctor, and I did get a B- in college, so please don't take my words or ideas to heart, but I think from the above information that I have pretty good reason to say that running is contagious. 

I caught the running bug from Connie.

Annie caught the running bug from me.

It's only a guess as to who will catch it next.....!

Always stretch,

The Way I Am

Good morning! 
I'm going to start your Tuesday off on a rather random note... mostly because I'm ready a tad early this morning and it would totally be inappropriate for me to be on time for work, and because who wouldn't want to open up my blog and see a picture of Eminem first thing in the morning??
I had a dream last night that I was doing a presentation in front of my 7th grade class and my instructions were to rap an Eminem song. Everyone started taunting me because I was notorious, innocent, cute little catholic school girl, and how could I possibly know an Eminem song, let alone rap every single word to perfection. To their surprise, I began a song and rapped the entire song with no slip up. I even had a bad-ass swagger. My classmates started cheering and then I woke up. 


I have a slight obsession with Eminem. So does my sister. So does my friend Lydia. We clearly have our heads on straight.

Have a rapptastic sort of Tuesday,

p.s. there is in fact some truth to this dream - I know at least 1/4 of Eminem's total song lyrics, however, I'm not sure if Eminem had entered the music world when I was in 7th grade...

Thoughts On A Sunday...

1. It's the 3rd day of March Madness and my bracket is still looking pretty good. 
2. Oh no, I just totally jinxed myself....
3. I miss my non-relation sister twin.
4. I would really love to go to Target today and buy this really cool zip up hoodie with white strings... but do I really need another article of clothing with a hood? It would be so comfortable for work... and with stretchy legging pants since I, yet again, have no jeans that fit!
5. I just looked at the weather forecast (see, I wasn't lying in this post when I said I check it every morning) and am about to cry.... 30's at the end of the week.
6. I probably should have read my MacBook instruction manual when I first got my book instead of having my motormouth of a sister show me how to use it - I just spent at least 15 minutes trying to get that above screenshot onto my blog
7. Bah. Back to work tomorrow... at least I get to see my sister this week - haven't seen her since CHRISTMAS!
8. I bought a $2 box of knock off cinnamon toast crunch last night at Kroger. It's supposed to be a natural, good for you, brand but I don't think eating half of it on a Saturday night is good for you. It's currently in a really high cupboard above my refrigerator along with an emergency bag of peanut butter swirled chocolate chips. I'm hoping being in an inconvenient spot will deter me from eating them..... hahaha - right.
9. It's almost 11:00 and my bed is still not made and I have lots of expensive laundry to do.
10. Oh. I'm pretty sure my ideal husband would be a basketball coach, well a winning basketball coach. I would be able to get court side seats all the time and get to go to March Madness. But he would have to look like Brad Stevens:

Yep. Now that you all now think that I'm a super shallow girl, since most of my thoughts on a Sunday morning are about buying sweatshirts at Target and hiding food so I don't eat it, I'm going to go make my bed. But I will quickly add that I have all week at work to ponder deep thoughts while I mindlessly copy numbers from a piece of paper onto a computer screen - so I don't feel nearly as lame dreaming about the perfect husband, right?!

Happy First Day of Spring,

Very Good News

Good news on a Friday is something that usually never happens, well, until today.

I just read an article that said dark chocolate has more antioxidants than fruit juice...

AND that it can help protect your heart....

AND it wards off depression!

Of course, we all know that we should only eat it on occassion, and downing an entire bag of special dark hersey kisses when you've had a bad day certainly will not do anything good for your heart... and then the added weight to your stomach may cause a case of slight depression... but a couple chunks of dark chocolate after dinner.... good for the heart, body and taste buds.... cheers!

Be safe,

I Am Thankful.

I've been in a nasty mood all day week. Nothing in particular, just having one of those weeks.... and today after work I snapped. Luckily, for my sake, it was my sister who caught the brunt of my outburst, and through text message none the less... so no feelings or household objects were destroyed in my moment of rage and frustration. 

Given my current mood, I would absolutely love to make a list of everything that I am mad/angry/frustrated/bitter about, but my little sister, for once, gave me some good advice: "Be positive! I realized today that I need to be more..." 

Considering most text messages I receive from my sister are about some nasty STD she picked up from the previous night's random hook up, or how her belly button ring is infected yet again (ha, only kidding - don't worry Mom!), I decided to take her advice and list for you, not the things that I am festering inside about, but the things I am thankful for...

me and my sister at Kenny Chesney

1. My sister. 
2. That Molly escaped the Japan Earthquake unharmed, and that she is safe in Seattle for the time being.
3. That I picked Richmond to beat Vanderbilt on my bracket. 
4. My mom suggesting a green beer would cheer me up.
5. 7 miles runs before the sun rises.
6. E-mailing my best friend in Minnesota during work. 

I apologize it's short, but that is all I have in me for a Thursday night. 

Have a great rest of the night: either watching basketball or Jersey Shore.

Be Thankful,