Thursday, February 28, 2008

I'd suggest you run fast, unless you want to be it

Apparently there's a game of tag going on here in Blog Land. And I couldn't outrun Teacherwoman, because she tagged me. So now I'm it.

The rules:
Link to the person who tagged you.
Post the rules on your blog.
Share seven random and/or weird facts about yourself on your blog.
Tag seven random people at the end of your post, and include links to their blogs.
Leave a comment on their blogs so that they know they have been tagged.

So those are the rules. Guess I know what I have to do.

Seven random things about me?
  1. I had a really bad cross bite when I was 4-years-old. So bad, my dentist made me wear a retainer. But once I was finished wearing it? My dentist let me choose a prize. I choose a Barbie wearing a red and white heart dress. I still have the Barbie.
  2. I broke my right wrist when I fell off a piece of playground equipment in kindergarten. Truthfully? I think I fell because I was impressed with the boys in my class who were jumping off the equipment. Me? I just lost my balance.
  3. I've lived in two states: Wisconsin and Indiana. But I only lasted 365 days in Indiana. I moved there on Halloween and promptly left the next Halloween.
  4. One of my favorite college classes? The Political History of the Modern Olympics. Seriously. It was this professor who just "lectured" by telling us all these cool Olympic stories. Best. History. Class. Ever. It was also the last time the class was offered.
  5. I'm a nail biter. I've tried to quit. Many times. But I can't.
  6. I thought about going to law school for about two minutes. Then I realized that was three extra years of school. Instead I've taken the opportunity to learn about criminal law through my job by sitting in many, many courtrooms as a crime and grime reporter.
  7. I had a fish once and I murdered him. It was a beta fish and his name was Felipe. I didn't want the fish. He was unfriendly. And unsocial. And refused to swim. Mostly, he'd sit and stare at the wall. So I "forgot" to feed him. But he wouldn't die. Then I "forgot" to clean the water. Still alive. I didn't want to flush the living Felipe down the toilet. What if he swam back up? So I admit. I killed my fish in a brutal fashion. I threw him, bowl and all, into the icy cold March waters of Lake Mendota. Who knows, maybe Felipe's still swimming around the lake six years later.
Now I've got to tag seven people huh? Let's see, how about Mandy, Crystal, Kritta, Miss Inside Girl, Milwaukee Buckeye, Mr. Outside Boy and Deloris.

There was food there too, but that wasn't the reason for the gathering

It was kind of a big night last night.

And I admit, I was a bit nervous about it all day. The hands on the clock? They couldn't reach 5 p.m. quick enough. Because once I was done with work? The Coach and I were hitting the road.

It was time for him to meet my family.

Mom had organized a little dinner get together for us. And while we were there, The Coach met my parents, my brother, his wife and The Rugrats in addition to my aunt and uncle and their two sons. So yes, it was a good sized chunk of family. Later on the way home, The Coach said it kind of felt like it was Meet The Coach night. I had to admit, it kind of was. But it was so much easier to meet a chunk at once rather than drag it out over a long, long time.

But The Coach? He held his own. He talked shed-building tactics with Dad, school stuff with my sister-in-law, even talked hunting stuff with the guys in my family (who ironically, don't hunt, yet Dad owns a shotgun). And the littlest Rugrat? He was fascinated by The Coach and kept giving him the "watch what kind of trouble I'm capable of getting into" eye that he's perfected.

A day later, I've had the chance to talk to my family. And so far, it sounds good. Mom and Dad obviously liked him (Mom had met him back in December when I was super sick) and I've even gotten a pair of thumbs up from my brother and his wife, who said he was a very nice young guy.

So I think it's safe to say The Coach passed the test last night. Just goes to show me again that he's a keeper.

Monday, February 25, 2008

Monday randomness

Random stuff today, so you get a list.

  • I had the day off since I'm scheduled to pull weekend reporter duty. That being said, I didn't have many plans for today. My list? It consisted of two tasks. I finished one.
  • The Focus needed an oil change. That got done.
  • I wanted to make a trip to the YMCA to run. Didn't make it there. I think it's because I'm still so tired from this weekend because I didn't get a whole lot of sleep. And being tired and trying to run? Doesn't usually work so well. So I didn't go. Plus, I had a headache.
  • Since I was in Appleton for an oil change, I went over and spent the afternoon at my parents' house. I got to spend time with Mom. And two of The Rugrats. That was good. I haven't seen them in a while.
  • While there, I ended up taking a two-hour nap. Very unlike me. I told you I was tired.
  • And I hate to admit this, but do you know what song is quite catchy? The Miley Cyrus/Hannah Montana song "See You Again." That my friends is why I try not to listen to the radio. But I had the radio on in the car most of the weekend and I heard the song. A lot. And like I said, it's catchy. Could make for a good song to put on a running play list. And while wandering around Amazon.com, I noticed I could download the track for a whopping 89 cents. So I did. Please don't shoot me. Or make fun of me.

Sunday, February 24, 2008

Is that a typo in the TV schedule?

It's a Sunday. Usually my Sundays are very low key. No big plans. No big list of things to do. Maybe throw some laundry in the wash so I have clean clothes to wear during the upcoming week.

But today? There's actually something to look forward to.

The highlight of my day?

Actually being able to watch a Wisconsin basketball game on TV rather than having to listen to play by play on the radio. Why?

Because for the first time in weeks, the game's not on that crappy Big Ten Network! Yeah! It's a good day. Even if we are traveling to Columbus, Ohio to take on those pesky Buckeyes.

But still. I get to watch basketball. And that makes me a happy Badgergirl.

Friday, February 22, 2008

I've been looking forward to Friday night forever

It's finally here. The moment I've been looking forward to all day.

No. All week. Nah. All month? Let's just put it this way, I've been looking forward to tonight's events for a long time.

My dear friend Krista's in town today. And plans involve Mexican food. And girl time. And there will be alcoholic beverages consumed. And we'll have fun.

Because I've missed her since she moved away. And I'm so excited she's here!

Thursday, February 21, 2008

There was one person missing at the slacker meeting tonight

I'm proud of myself. I resisted slacker mode today.

When I left for work this morning, I had good intentions. My gym bag was packed and it was thrown in the backseat of my car, ready to be utilized when I got done with the daily grind. It's been two weeks since I last visited the YMCA and gosh darn it, it was time I showed my face there again.

But then I worked. And most of the day I still had intentions to get to the YMCA. But all of a sudden quitting time came. And my intentions? They flew out the window or something. Because all of a sudden I was thinking of excuses.

It's cold outside. My gym bag has been sitting in my car all day, which means my gym clothes? They'll be ice cold. I'm going to watch The Coach play basketball in three hours. I have a few simple errands to run. It's cold outside.

So I left my office and I was pretty sure that gym bag was just going to sit in my car.

But then I got to the corner. And instead of turning right, I turned left. And I made it to the YMCA. Because it's been two weeks. And that's a long time. And I need to get back into a routine. And I miss how I feel after a decent workout.

So I ran. It was only a 2 mile run, and I did stop for a brief walk break somewhere in the middle. But still. The important thing is I ran. And I've missed it so much. And want to get back to the point where I was last summer. Because running for me? It relaxes me and gives me the opportunity to clear my head.

Today was a good day. I resisted the slacker urge. And hopefully today was the beginning of getting back on track. Because if I don't find that track, that Green Bay half marathon? It's really not going to happen. And there's a slim chance it might still be doable for me if I manage to find the motivation to run again and stick to a schedule.

I'm crossing my fingers.

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

That's a free meal for you

I like my family. I'm close to them, and enjoy spending time with them.

So after moving away for college, spending the worst 365 days of my life in Indiana for my first job and then a 3-year stint in Beaver Dam, I've been extremely thankful that I've was able to find a job I enjoy 30 minutes down the highway from where I grew up. It makes it easy to get home for family functions and I don't really think twice about driving up to my parents' house on a whim over the weekend.

As a result? I see my Mom a lot. About once a week. More some weeks. Let's just say we have a very close mother-daughter relationship, something that's only grown stronger over the past few years I think.

But she was out of town this last weekend, so I didn't get a chance to see her. Yes, it wasn't a big deal. It's not like I was heartbroken because I couldn't see my Mom. But still. I'm a creature of habit, so going almost two weeks without seeing Mom? It's different for me.

And I'm pretty sure she feels the same way. Because tonight? Mom made the drive down to the City on the Water and we met for dinner. We weren't very creative. We ended up going to get the buffet at Pizza Hut. I'm not usually a buffet person, because I can't justify the price considering the small amount of food I eat. But it was busy there tonight. And the buffet would be much easier, and faster, to order than an actual order.

Turns out it was cheaper too.

Apparently the manger lady thought we had never been to a Pizza Hut buffet before. What? Where do you think we come from? The sticks? Maybe it was because I was concerned about the availability of plain pizza on the buffet. But Mom and I ate. We found plain pizza. Although I do admit, I was disappointed in the breadstick selection. Really. How do you manage to run out of breadsticks during the dinner rush hour?

But the waitress brought our bill. And we were finishing up. And then the manager lady came over to our table. Asked us how our dinner was. We said it was good. And then the manager lady paused, picked up our bill and said our dinner was on her.

What?

Mom and I were confused. We didn't complain. We said the service was good. Yet the manager lady was telling us our dinner was free? Is that even legal at a Pizza Hut? Apparently so. We actually felt a little weird, walking out of the restaurant without having to deal with a bill. And even though I normally don't tip at a buffet-type restaurant, I scoured through my purse, looking for a tip. Unfortunately I had just cleaned it out the other day, so all I had was $1.50. And we made it a point to thank the manager lady, again, when we left.

But still. It was weird. Free pizza at the Pizza Hut buffet. And we didn't even have to complain.

Guess I might go back there someday.

Monday, February 18, 2008

I'm ready to cast my vote

It's voting day tomorrow.

And I think I've finally made up my mind.

It's taken me a little while to decide. There isn't a particular candidate that I'm gun ho about. I had it narrowed down to two candidates, and yes, I hemmed and hawed about which one I would end up marking the box that's next to their name. But honestly, there are just a few too many things about Candidate A that don't sit well with me. So I can't check that box.

At some point tomorrow I'll be making my way to the polls. And I'll check the box next to Candidate B's name. And I think I'll be happy with my decision. Because I like a good chunk of the things Candidate B stands for and I think they could be a good president.

And if Candidate B isn't an option in November, then I'll have this same problem. But that's November. It's still February and last I checked, Candidate B was an option. So that's the box I'm going to check.

Sunday, February 17, 2008

911? There's been an overdose. No, not drugs. Books.

Is it possible to read so much you overdose on books?

Because if it is, I think I might have hit that point this weekend.

After the week I had, I kind of wanted to be antisocial for a part of the weekend. Yes, I went out with some co-workers for a few beverages after work Friday night, but then I came home. And I think I read a bit before falling asleep. And yesterday? I stayed home. Made some cookies and read. In the evening I switched things up and watched a movie, but I still read a good portion of the day. And today? Well I thought I had plans, but Mother Nature decided to throw those in the garbage by giving us blizzard conditions and treacherous roads. So what'd I do? I read some more.

Blame on nothing on TV. Or my lack of attention span when it comes to TV lately. Yes, I putzed around on the Internet for a bit, played way too many games of Snood (which I firmly believe is the most addicting time waster available) and did talk to my mom and The Coach on the phone for a bit. But still, between changing loads of laundry, the majority of my day was spent reading.

And I love to read. So I'm happy with the progress that I've made this weekend in Love in the Time of Cholera. But honestly the thought of picking the book up again before I go to sleep tonight isn't all that appealing. I just want a break. And I'm at that point where I have like 130 pages left in the book, granted it's a long 130 pages. But still. I'm this close to being done. I'm hoping I'll at least be able to finish the chapter I'm in the middle of. Because my one gripe about this book? Chapters are like 60 pages long. And I don't really like that, because I'm the type of reader who likes to stop at the end of a chapter, or at least a break within the chapter. And this author? He doesn't like breaks, but loves writing long chapters.

So yeah, I think I OD'ed on reading this weekend. It might take me a while to finish those last 130 pages. Which makes me sad, because there are other books sitting in a pile that I want to read. But first I'll need to recover from my overdose.

Did I mention I'm glad I don't have to shovel?

I'm not going to lie. I like winter.

Until the end of February that is. And since today's actually Feb. 17, I'm sure you can guess that my love of winter is just about gone.

Especially since it's snowing. Again. And now just a few flakes. Nope. Lots of flakes. So many weathermen are warning us about possible blizzard conditions later this afternoon and how travel will be treacherous. And that we might get another foot of snow.

Hmmm. That doesn't sound good.

Granted I have no plans to leave the confines of my apartment today. But still. I'd like to see The Coach. Even though his truck has four-wheel drive, the roads are wicked. And he doesn't want to try driving. And he doesn't want me driving anywhere in my little Focus. So no chance for me to see The Coach today. Grr.

But then there's my Mom and sister-in-law who decided to fly out to Philadelphia this weekend with The Rugrats. They're flying back today and will be driving home from Milwaukee. I'm crossing my fingers that if they're flight gets in, they can manage the drive home OK.

Because blizzard conditions with treacherous travel conditions? Not so nice.

I think it's time for winter to be done.

Thursday, February 14, 2008

Who knew watching a TV show about pigs was what I needed

I don't want to get into it, but believe me when I say it's been a long week and not the best week.

And to top it off, it snowed today. Again. For like the 90th straight day. The weatherman told me we were supposed to get 3 inches of snow. I think they were wrong. Last time I looked outside, there was 11 inches of white fluffy snow on the ground. And covering my car.

So I spent the day, in a quasi-crabby mood, sitting at my desk writing. And writing more. And I just wasn't in the best mood. I needed a bit of a pick me up.

So I called The Coach.

Even though today was Valentine's Day, we weren't planning on seeing each other. He had a rec league basketball game tonight and I knew work was going to be kind of busy this week. But I was fine with not seeing him. We have plans for the weekend.

But like I said, with the week I've had, I needed a pick me up. And seeing him would be just what I needed. So I called him and after work I went over to his house for a bit. I wasn't there long, just long enough to watch a Modern Marvels episode on pigs (who knew pigs produce four times the amount of waste as humans?) before he had to tackle the 11 inches of snow that covered his driveway.

I was only there an hour, but it was exactly what I needed. There's something about him. Even if I'm in a slightly crabby mood, when I'm with him, I instantly feel better. The little hugs he gives me or just the looks. I feel comfortable.

And tonight? Sitting next to him on the couch, learning about pigs and why they qualify to be considered a Modern Marvel? That's exactly what I needed.

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Not every team in Indiana can beat the Badgers

Gotta love a 3-pointer from Brian Butch with 5 seconds remaining.

That gave my Badgers a 68-66 lead over Indiana, at Assembly Hall in Bloomington, and ultimately the win. Of course, it wasn't just Butch. We can't forget about the 18 points Jason Bohannon drained, all from beyond the arc.

Too bad I didn't actually get to witness any of this action. Because the game was broadcast on the Big Ten Network. So I was left listening to the game on the radio.

But the radio announcers? They did provide me with one gem when they were talking about the officiating crew.

"Even though this game isn't being broadcast on a real network like ESPN..."

Ha ha. Take that Big Ten Network.

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Could an early morning trip to the YMCA be in store for me?

Let's say I've been working long hours. And there really isn't anywhere during the rest of the week that I can sneak out of the office early. As a result, I get to head into the office later than usual tomorrow morning.

If I was smart, I'd still get up at my normal time. But instead of showering and heading into work, I'd eat a light breakfast and head downtown to the YMCA and run before I go to work. That would mean I could come home immediately after the work day was done and settle in to listen to the Badgers take on Indiana (notice I said listen since it's on that awful Big Ten Network, which oh yeah, I don't get).

But those first four words...

"If I was smart..."

I dunno if I'm smart enough to go to the YMCA early. Sure, I'd love to get into the morning workout habit. But I like my sleep. And I'm not sure how I'm going to feel in the morning. Because my head? It's kind of hurting tonight, although that's completely due to the fact that I couldn't eat dinner until after 8 p.m. tonight since I was stuck in a meeting all evening. And not eating? That's not a good thing.

I'm about to head off to bed now. Well, there's a book I'm going to read for a bit. But then I'll sleep. And even though I don't have to be to work at the normal time, I'll still set my regular alarm.

Because it might be kind of fun to be smart for a morning. Who knows, maybe an early morning run will make the day more tolerable.

Monday, February 11, 2008

Hey cupid, since you've got good aim, how about a little help

I've been lucky in the past.

When this date came around on the calendar, I was never in a situation where I had to figure out something.

I was never part of a couple when Valentine's Day rolled around. Wait, take that back. I was once. But that boyfriend was a jerk and I don't even think I got a card that day, much less any kind of acknowledgement. Guess it doesn't surprise me that he cheated on me with a Mormon a handful of months later.

Anyway. Back to my problem. This year? There's The Coach. So the cupid holiday? I guess it means something.

Which leaves my brain in overdrive. What do I do? I don't want to spend a ton of cash. At the moment, I'm thinking of making something. I'm just not sure what yet. Dinner? Dessert? Both? Some kind of homemade gift? My poor brain is confused. And yes, I'm a bit last minute since the holiday rolls around in less than 3 days. But in my defense, I don't think I'll see The Coach until the weekend, so I've secured a few extra days.

Anyone have any suggestions? Because I can't be That Girl that just ignores the holiday where cupid shoots an arrow at your butt. Because if I did? I have a feeling that wouldn't be pretty.

It was so cold I didn't want to leave my house

That 3-mile run I had planned for Saturday? Yeah, it never happened.

Instead of waking up and heading over to the YMCA to get it out of the way, I took my time when I got up. And then decided to head north and spend the day with my mom. By the time I made it back to the City on the Water, the YMCA was going to be closing in 30 minutes. Which wasn't enough time. And that's the one beef I have with the YMCA. The hours on the weekend? Not so convenient.

But I was OK with missing the run. I figured I'd do it Sunday afternoon at some point during the 4.5 hours the YMCA was open.

So I settled in for the night on Saturday. Which was fine by me since the winds were starting to pick up, the mercury in the thermometer was starting to drop and the windchillds were starting to plummet.

By Sunday it was just down right cold. Frigid. Bone-chilling cold. So bitter outside I didn't even want to think about opening my door. I cranked up my heat, added another layer or two and wrapped myself up in a blanket. Running at the YMCA? Yeah, that wasn't going to happen. It was too darn cold.

In fact, I wasn't planning on leaving my house. But I did end up driving over to The Coach's house. As I told him, he's lucky I like him or else I wouldn't have left. But still. That 7 minutes it took me to get there? I swear I turned into an icicle. And when I came home? I hate to admit it, but I jumped in the shower for five minutes. Just so I could warm up before crawling into bed. It was that cold.

I didn't run today either. I can't blame it on the cold, although it was a bit chilly today. Instead, I was battling a semi-nasty headache. I'm not talking a headache on the scale that I suffered through during December. But it's still one of the worst ones I've had since the whole head debacle. And I just didn't feel like myself. And work was crazy. In fact, it's going to be crazy all week, not a good sign for the head. So I opted out of the run.

Hopefully I'll feel a bit better tomorrow and I can finally log that 3-mile run at some point this week. It just wasn't going to happen this weekend or today.

Thursday, February 7, 2008

The numbers kept getting bigger

That felt good. And honestly, I didn't think I'd be able to say I accomplished this already.

But tonight? I logged a 2-mile run on the treadmill to nowhere before I had to stop for a brief walk break. And the best part? I probably could have kept going a bit longer if I really needed to.

The first mile went OK. I was aiming on squeezing in a mile and a half before I had to slow down the treadmill speed and briefly walk. But I kept the towel slung over the digital readout on the treadmill. And I just listened to my MP3 player.

"Stronger" by Kayne West was coming out of my headphones. It's about a 5 minute song. I told myself, just keep going until this one's done. Then you can walk. The song finished and yet I still didn't feel dead. So I kept going. Through a Kelly Clarkson song and then some My Chemical Romance. After that one, I admit, I peaked at the digital readout.

1.8 miles. I was almost done with the scheduled 2 miles I had to do for the day. And wouldn't it be nice if I could do it all at once with no breaks? That's what I was thinking. So I kept running. And I even cranked up the speed a notch or two.

Once the mileage hit 2 I did slow down and walk briefly. But I finished up my treadmill work with another three-tenths of a mile. And this time? I not only played with the speed, but I set the treadmill at a slight incline.

And even once I was done, I still felt good. That makes me think this running thing isn't going to take as long as I thought to get back into. And that makes me happy. Because I miss running and feeling good once the last steps are taken. Tonight I got a bit of that feeling. Here's hoping there's more on the way.

After tonight, the scheduled 3 miles I'm supposed to run Saturday don't look as scary as they did a week ago. I'll let you know how they go.

Wednesday, February 6, 2008

What can I do without?

I admit, I'm not a super, super religious person.

In other words, I don't spend my Sunday mornings in a church listening to a priest give a sermon. But that doesn't mean I don't believe. I just hold the belief that you don't necessarily have to be in a church each week to believe in God and the other stuff that goes along with religion.

And that's how the rest of my immediate family operates. Yes, I was raised Catholic, attended weekly religion classes, yet my Dad was still firm in his belief that he would never send his children to Catholic school (after he went through it himself) and we didn't necessarily have to spend each Sunday morning in church.

But we still believe. And I still participate in the traditions.

Which brings me to my problem. Today's Ash Wednesday. The beginning of Lent and I still haven't figured out what I'm going to give up for the next 40 days and 40 nights.

Last year I gave up soda. Yes, it was hard. And yes I was successful. I could do it again this year, but I don't drink much soda anymore. Maybe one a day. That doesn't seem like a big sacrifice to me. I could give up sweets or chocolate. But for some reason I've been craving them lately and I think it might be a slight side effect of the medication I'm on to treat the throbbing in my head I suffered in December. If so, I don't want to mess with that. My Mom's decided to give up fast food. I could. But I don't each much of it.

So what should I give up? I could give up the snooze button in the morning. Nah. That isn't a good option. There's always alcohol. But once again, I really don't drink that much so I wouldn't think of it as a big sacrifice.

What about the vending machine at work? Yes, I don't use it everyday, but I have been known to frequent it once or twice a week. It's a bit expensive and if I really need a snack, I could probably come up with better options if I remember to pack something from home. I don't need that bag of Cheetos in the mid-afternoon.

I think that sounds like a good idea to me. No more vending machine food at work for me. Unless of course I come up with something better in the next few hours.

Tuesday, February 5, 2008

It doesn't always take much to make me a happy girl

Sometimes it's the little things in life that make me happy.

Take tonight. I get to see The Coach. During the week. That doesn't happen very often since we're both pretty busy people. But he's coming over tonight and I'm making him dinner. Lasanga. Yum. So I've been counting down the hours all day at work. Until I can go home and whip up some delicious food.

And it doesn't stop there! I get to see him on Thursday too when I go to watch him play basketball. That's twice in three days. Can the week get any better?

So yeah. Little things like dinner with The Coach and sitting in the bleachers watching him during a basketball game. Those are the things that are making this a good week.

Monday, February 4, 2008

We still don't completely get along, but the treadmill and I are becoming better friends

The good news, it's getting a bit easier. The bad news, it's still kind of hard.

Yes. The running thing.

I made it to the YMCA after work tonight. My calendar told me I was supposed to run two miles. I ran the two miles, albeit with a brief walk break after 1.25 miles and another brief walk with a quarter of a mile remaining.

But I didn't feel like I was going to die either time I decided to take a break. More like I took the break because I felt like I was getting a small cramp in my calf. Probably because I was semi-stupid and didn't take a whole lot of time to stretch before I started running. But really. The treadmill? It was there and open. And I didn't have to wait for it.

So I ran.

And like I said, it was easier this time. Not a simple two miles. But not one of those, "Oh my god I'm going to die" two mile runs that I had a few weeks ago. It makes me think that if I could just get my butt to the YMCA a couple of times a week, maybe three, and step on that treadmill to nowhere and run, the running thing would come back to me.

So that's the plan. I'm hitting the YMCA Wednesday for some "cross training," although I might throw in a short run and I'll follow it up with another run on Thursday and Saturday. Because I want the running to get easier.

And did I mention before how cool it would be to run through Lambeau Field as part of the Green Bay Half Marathon in May?

Sunday, February 3, 2008

Not the Super Bowl I was expecting

Yes, I'm a sports fan. But no, I really wasn't all that hyped up about watching the Super Bowl tonight. For some reason I just didn't think it was going to be an intriguing match up. I mean, New England and the Giants?

Yes, there was the drama of could New England finish out the perfect season. And the commercials, which honestly, I wasn't all that impressed with the ones I saw.

But I wasn't expecting this outcome. A Giants victory.

Seriously. An Eli Manning touchdown with 35 seconds remaining to give the Giants an edge? And then the Patriots last drive? Including that monster sack Tom Brady took? The parts of the game I did see were good. And I do have to admit, it felt good watching the Patriots notch their first mark in the loss column.

But one question.

Why couldn't you have played like this consistently all season Eli? Seriously. If you had, you wouldn't have spent the majority of the season sitting on the bench for my fantasy league.

I didn't want to do anything

It was a long week at work last week. Therefore, I didn't have a whole lot of ambition this weekend. All I really wanted to do was...nothing.

So that's what I did.

Yes, I did chop my hair off. And I realized this morning in the shower just how much hair I lost at the salon yesterday. But really. My hair hadn't been that long since high school. And do I need to remind you that high school was 10 years ago? The new length is closer to what I had been wearing until I went on a haircutting hiatus about a year ago.

And I went to visit my mom for a bit yesterday. And followed that up with dinner and a movie with The Coach.

But today? Other than laundry, cleaning my bathroom and a quick trip out for errands, I did squat. That's right. I sat in my recliner and attempted to finish off "The Cider House Rules." There was a brief nap in there at some point, but a majority of the day was spent reading about Homer Wells.

And I'm still not done. I have about 50 pages left. And considering there's about an hour left before I go to bed, there's a chance I might be able to finish it. We'll see though. My eyes are already a bit sleepy.

But overall, these two days of doing nothing? I think it's exactly what I needed.

Friday, February 1, 2008

I actually read in January!

Remember how I didn't read a single page in December? And how I felt awful about it?

Well, I'm happy to report I'm back to my reading ways. As in, I spent a chunk of January actually reading and I can report a list of books that I finished. Yes folks. Books. As in more than one book. I'm a happy reader.

In January I finished four books. Granted one of those books I started way back in the middle of November, but still. I finally finished it. So anyway. Four books. And that was a total of 1,425 pages. Not too bad. In case I forgot to mention it at the beginning of the year, I think I'm shooting for reading 40 books again this year. The number of pages isn't important, just the number of books. But I'm thinking if I had to choose a how many pages I'd probably shoot for 15,000. That sounds like a good number. So I guess I'm on my way.

So what'd I finish? Here's what I read in January:

The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards
Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister by Gregory Maguire
Secret Society Girl: An Ivy League Novel by Diana Peterfreund
Under the Rose: Any Ivy League Novel by Diana Peterfreund

Not too bad. And I'm about halfway through The Cider House Rules. Maybe if I get into a really reading craze this weekend I might be able to finish it. It is getting a bit better than it was at the beginning though. And that makes me feel good. Knowing that I'll be able to work my way through the remaining 250 pages without it being too much of a chore. I'll let you know how it goes.

Girls night out at the lanes

"I need a girls night out. No men allowed. So we're all going to go bowling. And we might make it a monthly thing."

That was the e-mail I got earlier this month. A girls night, huh? Bowling? That's always fun. I said I was in. And so were about 24 other co-workers.

Last night was the big night. After the clock hit quitting time, a bunch of us headed over to one of the local bowling alleys for a girls night involving a spiffy pair of bowling shoes, pizza, soda, time with friends and, oh yeah, bowling.

I admit, I'm not an amazing bowler. Heck, most times I'm lucky if I break 70. The gutter and my bowling ball tend to be good friends. So knowing that, I wasn't expecting to record some amazing score. But surprisingly I did OK last night. My first game was a 92 and I even got better in game 2, finishing with a 106, although I attribute the improvement to the slices of very greasy pizza I ate between games. I was even lucky and recorded a few spares and at least two strikes. Although I did record two straight gutter balls to end my two-game bowling bonanza. All in all, a good night for bowling.

But it wasn't the bowling that was so much fun. OK, yes it was fun. However, it was spending time with my co-workers. The people who have become my friends. It was outside of a work setting and although we did get a tiny bit of work talk in, for the most part we talked about anything and everything not related to that place where we spend 40 hours a week.

And even though we did get a tad bit intimidated by the group of guys who occupied the lane next to us (and looked like they were about to throw a fastball anytime they stepped up for their frame), the "Last Thursday night of the month" bowling outing was a blast. Nothing beats a good time with a great group of women.

And I can't wait for our next outing at the end of February. Because I can totally do better than 106. It just involves getting rid of those pesky gutter balls. And who knows, maybe someday I'll even learn how to keep score. The possibilities for improvement are endless. And besides, the girls? They're a bunch of fun.