miles and miles to go!

Since I started running seriously, I've been religiously tracking my training on dailymile. While the social aspect of the site is nice, what I really love is being able to enter in my miles and see the awesome data that is spit back at me. The way the weather affects my pace (humid summer = much slower), the way my miles have increased month by month, the handy charts and graphs that show me my distances covered, calories burned, hours spent running. It just so happens that July was my best month for running yet, which is amazing considering how much I was on the road. See for yourself:

This month, I ran 88.22 miles! 88.22 MILES! I spent 13 hours and 37 minutes running (1337? Internet acronyms, ahoy!). I burned over 10,000 calories (now I don't feel bad for all that beer and bread). Basically, I kicked ass and you know what? It feels awesome.

Running is awesome. I can't believe that I just typed that sentence, and I can't believe I did it honestly, sincerely, and with a straight face. I was never a runner, never an athlete. Roller derby taught me how to use my body for movement, energy. And now running has taught me more about discipline and possibility then I ever imagined.

Dailymile has a game going around, where people are challenging themselves to run 100 miles during the month of August. I signed up and I'm almost positive I can do it. Running is amazing, and so are we!

i brought you flowers

Today feels like a Friday, even though it's Thursday. Thursday, however, is close enough, especially since this week has been pretty awesome.

• I've been super productive at work and appear to be getting the hang of this whole boss thing (IE, no one has cried in my office, yelled at me, or tendered their resignation).
• The Literary Reading and Vegan Bake Sale I'm organizing at the Yoga Studio is coming along nicely. (This Saturday at 7:30pm!)
  
• I did my first speed workout on Tuesday (hard, but fun) and this morning, I clocked 8 miles before work. I'll definitely be ready for the half marathon in October at this rate!
  
• It's been raining on and off all week. This might not seem like a good thing, but after 6 or7 weeks that were nearing drought conditions, rain falling from the sky is a welcome sight.
  
• I tested out a new recipe on some friends and it was a hit.
• And last but not least, I received a fantastic surprise package in the mail from a lovely friend (thank you again, Bobbie!).
  
  
• *EDIT!* Today, I had a wonderful lunch with the gorgeous and generous Sonnie, who shared her oranges with me because the bagel that I bought was ridiculously small and not at all filling. See how even bad things can be made better with the help of a good friend? It's true!
  

Now all I need to do is add "I wrote fifteen brilliant and witty pages of exquisite fiction" to that list and I'd be set. Oh well. That's what August is for. ;)

mad, mad world

The two sides of my Mad Men-self - home and business, cocktail and coffee.

As an early birthday present (August 9th - mark your calendars!) Nathan bought me season two of Mad Men. In case you don't know, Mad Men is a television show set in the 1960's, which focuses on the Sterling-Cooper advertising agency. The characters in the show either work at the agency or are married to men who do, and the story lines follow these people as they deal with business, pleasure, family, social pressures, gender expectations, secrets, and lies, all while drinking, smoking and cheating on their significant others like it's going out of style. (Maybe because it actually is?)

I love this show for so many reasons. First of all, it's one of the most well-written and literary television shows that I've seen in a while. The dialogue is artful, weighted - the silences between words tell you more about what the characters are thinking, doing, then the words they actually say out loud. This is a show that is all about subtext, which is artful and not easy, especially on television. For example, when my favorite character, Peggy Olson, calls her boss by his first name for the very first time, I gasped. A small gesture, yes, but when I thought about all she had gone through to get to where she was at that moment, all the history and change and strife that had come before her to pave the way for this simple, poignant and totally kick ass moment - it was amazing. It's what story telling should be.

There was a seven year period of my life (after high school and up until about two or three years ago) where I simply didn't watch television. Sure, I'd catch an episode of the Daily Show once or twice a week, and I watched movies and DVDs, but as for shows with ongoing plots and character development? Hardly anything. Part of this was because I did not (and still don't) have cable, and Internet television was not yet as accessible as it is now. But another part of it was because there wasn't anything on television that captured my imagination.

These days, that's changed. I still don't have cable. In fact, we don't even have a television, and instead watch things on my laptop or, when we're feeling fancy, on our sweet projector and screen setup. The change is that television is good again. Yes, there is still crappy television. There will always be crappy television. But now that I can stream things online and rent or buy series on DVD, it's easier to weed out the crap and make way for the good stuff. Mad Men, Lost, True Blood, 30 Rock, The Office. When I watch these shows, I get taken to a place that toys with my imagination, gives me a few hours of rest, makes me think, and keeps me engaged. And isn't that the point of television, good television? To provide an escape that makes you a better storyteller, a better listener, when you return? That, at least, is my story, and baby I'm sticking to it.

weekend happenings

+ Friday night I headed to Mary's for a small craft night. I embroidered for the first time in months and it came out not terribly. I missed embroidering, not to mention crafting with my lady friends.

+ We did not go riding on Saturday morning. I convinced Nathan that we should sleep in and make vegan french toast instead. The french toast was inedible (too soggy!) but the sleeping in was glorious.

+ After breakfast, we cleaned and cleaned and then cleaned some more. I now have a very clean apartment, and this makes me very happy.

+ Saturday night was Vicki's surprise birthday party. The party featured a scavenger hunt, an evil cat which had stolen her gifts, a heroic parrot which led us from bar to restaurant to bar on a hunt for the evil cat, and a lot of delicious drinks and food and company. I like silly, creative birthday adventures, and Vicki's definitely delivered.

+ I woke up Sunday at 5:45am slightly hungover, but determined to meet my running partner anyway. I was supposed to run ten miles, but as I had no time to eat before hand (and was, as I mentioned, slightly hungover) I decided to run five instead. Not too shabby, but also not ten. I didn't feel too badly about it.

+ By the time I got back from the run and had breakfast, my slight hangover had resurfaced with a vengeance. The rest of Sunday was dedicated to eating sourdough bread from the farmers' market and watching season two of Mad Men. The only time we were not completely slothful was when we went geo caching around town on our bicycles for about two hours. It was drizzling and cloudy, which was nice, and we found most of the caches, which was even better. Then it was back to toast and television.

That was my weekend - simple, sweet and restful. How was yours?

jerseyville and st. louis

After five days in Chicago, my next stop was twelve hours in Nacogdoches which were immediately followed by another plane ride, this time to southern Illinois and Saint Louis, for a visit with Nathan's parents. They live in Jerseyville, a small town that boasts itself as "close to the crowd... but not in it!" Can't argue with that. We'd previously only been to Jerseyville in December, and in the summer, when the fields are full (and I mean full) of corn and soybeans, it is a completely different place. Here are some photos.

The first night we were in town, we attended the county fair. The county fair was amazing. Yes, it had the usual rides, fried foods, and meats on sticks, but it also had an incredible array of contests. Locals had entered goods and foods in all manner of categories, and of course I was most fascinated by the fruits and vegetables. There were first, second and third place ribbons doled out for tomatoes, zucchini, rhubarb, and raspberries. Angel food cake, sponge cake, oatmeal raisin cookies and quick rising breads. Corn, wheat, rye and barley. It was amazing, and put Nacogdoches' blueberry pie contest to shame. Also, Nathan's mom's cucumbers came in first place and eating them all week long made me feel like a winner.


The first half of the trip was all about sight seeing in St. Louis. We went to the Missouri Botanical Garden and oohed and ahhed over plants and flowers and trees and more plants. Nathan and his mother knew the full scientific names for just about everything we saw. I mostly just sniffed the blooming buds and took lots of photos.


I was given the responsibility of choosing a spot for lunch. This was no small feat, as I had to find something that would accommodate both a vegan diet, and a low carb/high bacon way of life. Luckily, the Local Harvest Cafe came to the rescue! They even had vegan chocolate espresso cupcakes. Everyone was happy.


After lunch we headed to the Anheuser-Busch Brewery. Despite my distaste of all versions of Budweiser (one word: clamato) I thoroughly enjoyed the tour and left with a slightly better opinion of the Bud.


The real highlight of the trip, however, was chickens. Yes, chickens. Nathan's parents bought 10 acres of land and are in the process of building a home on it and starting up a little farm. So far, they have a large barn and house plans. While we were there, they added "chicken coop" to the list.

Nathan's dad wrote up plans for this coop and built it by hand. It is so fancy! When it's all put together the pen is attached to the coop and the little door on the end opens up with a ramp so the chicks can climb in and out at their leisure. Oh, to be a happy chicken!

And speaking of happy chickens, here is Nathan's mom holding one of her new babies. They should begin laying eggs in a month or two. She has 18 chickens in all and they will lay, on average, one egg per day. That's a lot of eggs and a lot chickens. Or is that a lot of chickens and a lot of eggs? I'm not sure which comes first. ;)

At any rate, I highly recommend Illinois in the summer time, and I thank you for reading about my travels!

this made me smile

It's quite a small thing, Chrissy, to begin wondering which beliefs of yours are limiting, which thoughts shut out others, and which philosophies need updating, but OMG, it makes for the BIGGEST life changes!

"And the people of Nacogdoches began to gossip..." -
The Universe

More Notes from the Universe here.

chicago recap

We arrived in Chicago on a Thursday and were immediately greeted by a cool breeze and 75 degree weather. Already, I was in love with Illinois. Here are the highlights.

1. Eating.

Yes, I have a problem. But when a problem is this delicious, it's hard to be too concerned. We ate a lot in Chicago. Every morning, I had a soy latte and vegan lemon poppy seed muffin at the cafe around the corner from hotel. Evenings were a smorgasbord of culinary delights and taste riots. From Thai food at the Big Bowl to vegan fare from the Chicago Diner to falafel such that my mouth had never before experienced - oh, was Chicago good to me!

2. The American Library Association's Annual Conference.

Since the conference was the whole reason for going to Chicago, I figure I should put it on my highlights list. ALA was a beast like none I have ever met before. The Exhibition hall was insane and intense, but I am proud to say that I walked away with at least 25 advanced reader's copies - one of which was Lorrie Moore's newest book, due out in September. I'm almost done with it and wow. Wow. More about Moore later.

3. City life.

The first day we were in Chicago, I found myself taking photos of tall buildings. Then I reminded myself that I am, in fact, a native of New York, and I had to represent. After my pep talk, I got a hold of myself and enjoyed a hustle and bustle that has never set foot in Nacogdoches. Sidewalk dining, every store you can name, organic smoothies, public transportation, parks and rivers and yes, tall buildings - I miss city life, and it was lovely to immerse myself in it for a few days.

4. Meeting old friends for the first time.

When I first started blogging over six years ago, Carleen was one of the first people who's blog I read, and who read mine. Over the years, we've both become librarians, I've befriended her husband, Mike, I've watched their son grow, and I've sent and received Christmas cards from them. At ALA I finally got to meet Carleen in person for the first time, and she was just as awesome as I'd suspected. The Internet surely is an amazing thing!

5. Running while traveling.

Most mornings, I'd wake up at 6am, slip into my sneakers, head down the street about five blocks, and emerge on the Chicago Lakefront Path. I didn't know how the path was laid out, so I just set my watch for 45 minutes and took off. I ran up the lake and I ran down the lake. I followed other runners who seemed like they knew where they were going. I watched the sun come up over the water and squinted at the bright light shining off the lake. I smiled at dogs and cyclists and other people who were pounding along at their own rhythms. I felt good, like I was a part of some secret society. I feel like maybe, finally, I could call myself a Runner. And that feeling was better than all the falafel in the world.

More photos on my flickr account. Thanks for looking!

count down

We fly back home tomorrow afternoon, and tomorrow evening I hope to upload, edit and post all the photos that I've been snapping these last two weeks. The sights! The view! The corn! It's going to be amazing, y'all. Also, I definitely want to live on a farm when I grow up. I even bought a copy of Hobby Farm Home magazine at the Farm and Home Supply Store, so you know I'm serious.

greetings from jerseyville!

If you don't follow my Twitter account, you might be wondering why I'm in Jerseyville or, better yet, where for love of all that is sacred and holy Jeseryville is. It just so happens that Jerseyville is located in Southern Illinois, close to St. Louis; that Nathan's parents live here, amid fields of corn and prize winning cucumbers; and that Nathan's mom worked out a way for us to fly to this strange and lovely place in order to surprise his father with a week long visit. His dad was indeed surprised, and now I am in the middle of enjoying Illinois again, this time from another angle. So far, we've been to a waterpark, a county fair, a botanical garden, and a brewery. Tomorrow, we're working on the land (my in-theory-laws own 10 acres four miles from their house and are beginning to grow and raise things on it) and on Sunday, I'm helping his mom choose baby chickens for their newly built hen house. I've been taking lots of photos and will be posting them to the 'net as soon as I return to Texas.

Until then, friends, until then!

i'm in chicago!

View from the 25th floor of the Omni Hotel. Gorgeous, 75 degree weather. Vegan lemon poppy muffins at the cafe around the block. Morning run on the Lakefront Path.

I might never come back to Texas.

on the road

Yesterday was my first unofficial day as Director of Digital Projects. (Officially, I started while on staycation, but I have a hard time counting that.) Today, I dealt with my first kerfuffle. Okay, my first three kerfuffles. I like the word kerfuffle. It makes any problem seem easier to handle, and you know what? I handled it all. I know it's still my first week as a Boss, but I have to say that I have a good feeling about this. I think everything is going to be okay.

It helps that during my first (un)official week as Director, I am officially leaving once again. This time, it is for a work related event - the American Library Association's Annual Conference, which will be held in fabulous Chicago. I don't know if Chicago is actually fabulous, as I've never been, but I fully intend to find out. I am also ridiculously excited about the conference itself. Speakers include Junot Diaz and Charlaine Harris (have I mentioned that I'm currently obsessed with the True Blood HBO series? So good); I've RSVP-ed to both a Caribbean themed dinner with free mojitos and fried plantains AND an evening of cocktails and live music on a rooftop; I'm having dinner at the Chicago Diner; I'm planning to run on the Chicago Lakefront Path; and oh yeah, there are a ton of ALA sessions I'm geeking out about, all having to do with digital resources, institutional repositories, and metadata. Nerd alert!

Posting will be intermittent during the next week or two as a result of my upcoming adventure, but you can always keep up to date via my Twitter. Until we blog again!

a week in pictures

Butterfly at the Cockrell Butterfly Center in Houston.

Perfect photo, compliments of Nathan.

Susan falls in love with the puppy that Amy rescued last week and for whom she is currently looking for a home. Any takers? Let me know!

Last minute family photo before heading to the airport on Friday. No one really looks very good in this photo, but I love it anyway.

And then there were three. Nathan, Seamus and I lounge in the grass, waiting for the fireworks display set to light up downtown Nacogdoches on July the 4th.

Happy 4th of July! Happy last day of vacation! Happy Sunday!

Happy.