no turning back

I just officially signed up for both the Tyler Half Marathon (October 17, 2009) and the Austin Marathon (February 14, 2010).

Oh god. I just signed up AND PAID FOR the Tyler Half Marathon and the Austin Marathon.

Oh. God.

To deal with my fears and contain my excitement, I also went ahead and created another blog. I figure y'all don't want to hear about the mundane details of my training, especially since I fully expect to become more and more mundane as the race dates approach. No, I'll report only the most thrilling stories here, for loyal readers of The New Me, because that's how much I care. For details, details and more details, check out Long Distance Vegan.

Oh, and wish me luck. I hear the Austin Marathon is basically one giant hill, so I'll definitely need it.

Oh god.

makeover: office edition

I am a very neat, compulsively organized person, who has created a place for everything and likes to put every single thing in it's place. (If a place is not, in fact, available, then a tidy pile will do in a pinch.) While my idea of heaven may be a colored coded, clearly labeled smorgasbord of cataloged pleasures, the fact of the matter is that I live on earth, and I live with a man.

Let me take you on a tour of our office.


In our defense, we had just gotten back from camping and hadn't gotten around to putting everything away yet. On the other hand, we own too much crap and don't have nearly enough closets.


When the room is already a wreck, it's hard to keep even my own area as neat and tidy as I like. I am so ashamed.


God! The horror! The agony! (But aren't the curtains cute?) What? You can't see the curtains due to all the CRAP? Crap. It's time to head to Lowe's and purchase an affordable and sensible solution to this problem.

Ahh. Much better.


A neat desk area! With a lazy boy, which is not buried under a pile of empty water bottles, which Nathan might need when the shit goes down!


Nathan's corner and computer and closet. Now you can fully appreciate the curtains.


The shelf, which made all of this possible. Yes, the shelf is now full of things that are exposed and visible (a pet peeve of mine). However, things are off the floor. I can reach both the camping stove AND the hammer without getting lost in a wilderness of pre-apocalypse supplies. And best of all, I feel calm, happy and centered when I walk into our office, instead of scared, frightened and ashamed.

Thanks for taking the tour!

where does the week go?

Seamus is doubly concerned by my lack of posts.

I realized today that I haven't posted anything of substance for weeks. Sure, there have been birthday parties, camping trips, and fake dance sessions galore, but as for thoughts, ideas, hopes dreams? I've been busy living, which means little time for reflection via blogging.

But never fear! Things appear to be slowing down, which is the perfect time for living deeply. The new semester starts on Monday, and even though it will remain in the upper 90's for another month or two, summer is, for all intents and purposes, over. I'll be eagerly continuing my career as a faux-graduate student by taking Creative Non-fiction this Fall. I'm very excited to be back in a workshop, and even more excited that the university has an employee scholarship program which pays for my passions. Working for the man is not without its perks.

This weekend will provide the perfect transition from laid back summer nights to productive autumn afternoons. Nathan is in Wichita Falls, riding the Hotter'N Hell 100, and I am here, home, with a dog and an apartment all to myself. Plans include cleaning the house, making delicious food, moving my body in a multitude of ways, finishing books, working on stories, and spending time with but a few of my very best friends. I'm going to start living deeply again, and it is going to be amazing.

record breaking weekend

Did you ever have one of those days where you accomplish something so huge, so amazing, so unlike anything you have ever accomplished before, that you wonder for a moment who you are and how you arrived at this moment? My weekend was full of those days.

On Saturday morning, I hopped on my road bike and headed to the Bike Shop for my weekly ride. They had promised me a long, gentle ride and that sounded good to me, as I hadn't gone more than to and from work for weeks. It turns out that while "long" was right, we seem to have a difference of opinion on the meaning of the word "gentle." We ended up riding from Nacogdoches to Garrison and back - a full 52 miles. Yes, that's right. 52 mother effing miles.

Things that went right: the weather was gorgeous (75 and breezy); I was wearing my new bike shorts; I had a solid breakfast, tons of water, and a good snack; and I've been running so much that my legs could handle everything until about mile 40. Things that went not so right: most of the hills seemed to congregate after mile 40, which made the last 10 miles incredibly tough; poor Bryan, who we invited to the ride, did not have breakfast or good snacks, and I hung back with him towards the end; 75 degree weather only lasts until about 11am, and we were trudging back until at least noon.

Lessons learned: pack more snacks, pace myself, and practice, practice, practice. Those hills aren't going to climb themselves. Oh, and also - I am a bad ass. 52 mother effing miles. I never thought I would see the day.

As if that weren't enough, on Sunday morning Nathan and I went for a long run. With my half marathon fast approaching (October 17th!) I realized that I really needed to start breaking 10 miles on a regular basis. To help achieve that, I've decided to do my long runs with Nathan - better than anyone, he challenges me to run faster and longer, and with him by my side (or ten feet in front of me) I managed to complete an 11 mile run at a 10 minute per mile pace. That's my longest run to date, and one of my better times in recent weeks. It's amazing what a supportive partner can help you accomplish. :)

I am telling you all of this, not to brag, but so that you can appreciate the sheer amazement I feel. As a person who started her athletic career in Remedial Gym (yes, it does exist, and yes, I had to go), who ran her first complete mile less than two years ago, I absolutely never thought that I would 1. wear bike shorts, 2. run long distances, or 3. enjoy any of the above. And I do enjoy it. And that is perhaps the most amazing thing of all!

enchanted rock backpacking trip

Photos from Enchanted Rock have been posted. To see the full set, visit my Flickr account. Enjoy!

enchanting

We're back from our long weekend in Enchanted Rock. I have over 100 photos, taken by myself and everyone else on the trip (my camera got passed around quite a bit) but I've yet to upload or edit them. Hopefully by the end of the week. Until then, here are the highlights, text edition.

+ 4 days with no phone, no Internet, no laptop, no civilization. Awesome!
+ Lots of hiking up and down the rock, which made my legs sore/strong.
+ Late night sing-alongs with Bryan's guitar.
+ Instant Indian food and cous cous - surprisingly delicious!
+ Crawling through a small, dark cave filled with spiders, and not freaking out (too much).
+ Taking tons of instant dance party photos, a la my birthday party.
+ 100 degrees, yes, but little to no humidity. Very important.
+ Some sight-seeing in Fredericksburg. The brewery is lovely.
+ Swimming at a nearby park to cool off.
+ Scrambling on rocks and finding a colony of sleeping bats! (I love bats.)
+ Short, quick showers to cool off before hiking back to our primitive site.

Of course there were some -'s too (hot, hot heat, one particularly nasty hangover, ants that got in everything), but I'm choosing not to dwell on those. Overall, it was a great trip, taken with some great friends, and I am, as always, very much looking forward to our next escape.

weekend plans

photo credit: casey morris

We are off for a camping and backpacking trip in the Texas Hill Country, at a charming spot known as Enchanted Rock. The above photo is not mine, but I will do my best to return with photos that are just as lovely. I plan on filling my weekend with hammock sleeping, hiking, reading, cooking and eating outside, and returning relaxed, rested and at one with nature. Until then!

i brake for breakfast

For as long as I can remember, cereal and milk (once regular, but soy for the last 10 years) has been my morning meal staple. Sometimes I change it up and go for toast with peanut butter. On the weekends, I get fancy with waffles or pancakes or scrambled tofu. But I always come back to cereal. There's something about a bowl of hearty grains and sweet milk that sets my day on the right track. It's filling without feeling heavy, tasty yet nutritious, easy to prepare (pour and serve!) and it gives me the energy to get started on the long to-do lists that linger on my desk and in my head. Cereal and soymilk - one of my life's simplest pleasures.

What's your favorite breakfast?

weekend - birthday edition

Firstly, many thanks to everyone who wished me happy birthday, gave me a present, attended my birthday party, and otherwise sent me happy hopeful wishes for a smashing year. I promise to do my best to make 27 worth our collective while!

Secondly, many more thanks to the wonderful friends who, in addition to showering me with love and gifts, took on the job of documenting my birthday party, leaving me free to socialize and play hostess, which mostly means misplacing my beverage 20 times an hour and having fleeting conversations with everyone I could reach. Hostessing is exhausting work, y'all! For photos, please see Mary T's flickr album and Ms. Momo's blog. For some of my favorites (courtesy of Mary T), please see below.

Amy and Phoenix surprised me with a bunch of balloons. They added quite a festive air to apartment, and Seamus only managed to pop one with his eager little teeth.

Yum yums! For my birthday, I wanted nothing more than to invite my friends over and feed them as much delicious food as possible. Kind of my birthday present to them, if that makes sense. I provided falafel balls, pigs-in-a-snuggie, cucumber rolls, and a variety of chips and dip. Even though I said I'd have snacks at the party, my friends couldn't help themselves and most arrived with even more party food. It was a good thing, too - by the end of the night we had not a leftover bite in sight.

One of the best parts of my weekend was seeing Phoenix. Pfunk, as I like to call her, is Kealy's daughter. Kealy was - and remains - one of the best things I got out of Texas. Unfortunately, she escaped back to Oregon two years ago and though we stay in touch, I haven't been able to visit her since. (I'm hoping to go to Oregon for spring break this year - cross your fingers!) Her daughter was visiting some friends in Texas and this lovely teenager made time for me! We had breakfast and she came to my party for a bit, and it was perfect. I can't believe how much she's grown, and how mature and lovely she's become. The only downside was that being around her made me miss her mother that much more.

I shared my birthday with little Rees, who turned two on August 8th. She is by far my favorite toddler! Her family is all right, too. ;)

Nathan and Travis pose for a fake dance party. I made a number of people do this and still think it's the funniest thing in the world. You should try it at your next party!

Nathan showered me with gifts, all of which he'd been hording away for a number of weeks and months. In the above photo, he is giving me a piece of original art from local legend Wally Knight. I can't really describe it, because it's so weird and strange and beautiful and awesome, but suffice to say I was touched and amazed that Nathan had kept it a secret for so long. Yay for presents and birthdays and love!

On Sunday, my actual birthday, we slept late and then headed to the park, where we laid on a blanket and drank mimosas. At home, I used my new copy of Vegan Brunch (thank you, Bobbie!) and made gingerbread waffles, which I do believe will forever more be a birthday tradition. All in all, it was a wonderful way to start a new year and I couldn't be happier to see 27.

Love to you all! <3

resolutions for a 27th year

Recently, the smart and talented Mia of Mint Jelly (run, don't walk!) mentioned the Cult of Done Manifesto on her blog. This manifesto was written by Bre Pettis and Kio Stark in 20 minutes, because 20 minutes was all they had.


Reading through this - the manifesto and Mia's blog - I was struck by how many of these items directly applied to me. I've decided to make this manifesto the battle cry of my 27th year.

Here is the thing - and for many of you, long time readers and old friends, this thing will sound familiar - I feel as if I have spent the last few years coasting along. I've had a lot of good luck and the universe has treated me well but, to be entirely honest, I haven't been working very hard. Things have been easy for me and I'm glad, because who doesn't like easy? Easy is good, and to say you are done with easy is silly. But I'm going to say it. I'm done with easy. I'm ready for the next big challenge, to push myself to the next level. I'm ready to stop coasting, to take bigger risks, to try things that really, truly scare me. Here are the promises I am making to my 27th year old self.

1. I will make the time to write. I find time to watch Mad Men. I find time to drink beer at the park. I find time to subscribe to 150 blogs via Google Reader. So why don't I find the time to write words, craft stories, research journals, send out submissions? Because I'm lazy. Or I should say, because I was lazy.

2. I will show the people I care about how much I care about them. I want to be the kind of person that calls you on your birthday instead of the one who sends late packages. I want to write lovely little thank you notes. I want to leave warm pies on your doorstep. This year, I will do all those things, and more.

3. I still want to run a marathon. And this year, I will.

4. I will be an awesome, talented, radical librarian. I want to create resources that will change the landscape of information. I want to champion access and education. I've made my start - now it's time to make my mark.

5. I will be the community for which I wish. I want to go to literary readings. I will host them. I want to join a book club. I'll start one. I want to share delicious, compassionate food with folks. I'll have more potlucks. I want to recycle. I'll find a way, or I'll do without things that can't reused. I want to lesson my footprint, and widen my reach. And I will.

I will get these things done, and when I look back at twenty-seven, I will say wow. Wow. Life is amazing, and I made it that way.

weekend - busy edition

Seamus wonders and worries about how we can possibly fit everything we have planned into one tiny little weekend.

This weekend was a busy one, but Seamus worried for no reason. We did indeed fit everything in, and even found time for some relaxing. Here are some pictures and stories:

Saturday evening was the Literary Reading and Vegan Bake Sale, which Amy and I organized and hosted at the yoga studio. I went a little overboard for the sale, and baked two chocolate cakes with raspberry frosting, a fudge pecan pie, blueberry bars, and peanut butter cookies. If I ever see a bag of sugar again, it will be too soon. In addition to my offerings, we received numerous donations, including more cookies, cupcakes and a bunch of other delicious and decadent dairy free desserts. It was pretty amazing.

As much as I love a vegan cupcake, the readings were the highlight of the evening for me. We had nine readers, each adding to a wonderful mix of fiction, poetry and creative nonfiction. I emceed the evening and read a short story, which went over pretty well. As much as reading in front of an audience scares the living daylights out of me, it's also exhilarating and inspiring.

Sunday morning I slept in just a little bit and then went for a ten mile run on Lanana Creek trail. I keep waiting for ten miles to become easy, but it never does. After I got home and cleaned up, we had coffee at the park with the dog, where mushrooms and rain lilies were sprouting up everywhere, due to the humidity and rain we've had the past week. Seamus ran around and we talked idly about what we wanted to do with our day. (One thing was for sure - I was not baking a damn thing.)

We finally decided to go see Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. I snuck homemade popcorn into the theater and we rode there on our bicycles. When we left the movie, it was raining again, but luckily we live less than a mile from the theater. My first reaction was to pout, but then I decided to embrace the rain and ended up having a fun, wet little ride home.

After the movie, we lazed around the house, ate a pot of spicy black bean chili, finished season two of Mad Men, and took the dog for a long walk. When we got back, we were all exhausted by the weekend. Seamus sums up this sentiment very well.

See, Seamus? I told you we could fit everything in and even have some time leftover to relax on the couch. You should learn to trust me. And I should learn to apply my weekend magic to my weekday life - Monday has brought an array of tasks and appointments for which I am less than prepared. So if you'll excuse me, I have work to do and cupcakes to dream of.

Happy Monday!