weekend adventures in photos

 Another perfect weekend, gone too soon.
Instead of the usual recap, here's a journey through photographs. 

 Friday evening: beers at the park with the dogs, sushi for dinner, and then an evening at the Pine Knot, where we listened to local music and tapped our feet in old church pews, Nathan's arm around me while we passed a beer back and forth. 

We spent more time working on the porch this weekend. This time, we laid broken stones we got for free from a local supplier and laid out a path that goes from the front porch to the back. It was like a game of Tetris and took a few tries to get all the pieces to fit just right. Photos of the finished product coming soon, so stay tuned! We also spent some more time at the lake with the dogs, wearing them out until they were so tired they barely made it back to the car.

Sunday was the real highlight of my weekend, a day that was close to perfect. I woke up early, had a piece of toast with peanut butter, and then headed out to finally conquer a ten mile run. After two weekends of sub-par long runs, it felt great to finally finish what I set out to do. That is not to say it was an easy run - my pace was about twenty seconds slower than called for, and as you can see I stopped at exactly ten miles. Not 10.01 or 10.2, but 10 on the dot. I love my Garmin!

After a huge plate of pancakes and two episodes of Battlestar Galactica, I packed up my laptop and headed to Java Jacks, where I entered a short prose contest and finished my list of grad school candidates. The list might change slightly by the time I actually submit applications, but for now it's fairly solid. I also changed my twitter handle to TheNewChrissy. I will miss being evilolive, but I was tired of seeing a million replies every weekend that were meant to be directed to a martini bar in Chicago, plus the new name shows a clearer connection to my blog. So if you're wondering who this stranger is in your twitter feed, fear not - it's just me!

And how exactly does one end a near-perfect Sunday? By being treated to a delicious dinner of chickpea curry, prepared by the lovely and talented Eralda. After our meal, we ate brownies and sipped wine and talked about the start of the semester. Eralda and her husband both teach freshman comp for the English department, and Amy teaches yoga, and they all told me I would make a great professor one day. And guess what? I believe them!

Today I'm on campus, at work, still staff for now. But that's okay - I've got a lot to do, and a lovely office in which to do it. Things could be much, much worse. 

How was your weekend?

sunday pupdate

We went back to Lake Nacogdoches yesterday, because it is the number one best way to beat the heat and wear out the pups. Seamus swam nonstop in his float coat, as usual, and Calvin is getting braver with every swim. After two hours of playing in the water, Calvin was completely exhausted and retreated to the blanket, on his own, and watched us from the shore. It was kind of adorable.

Even though we have finally discovered this oasis of cool water and pleasant times, I am still ready for summer to be over!

friday +/-

 Calvin thinks it has been a long week.

Friday! My favorite! This hasn't been the greatest week, but I think it's ending on a really good note. Let's get the run down under way, shall we? First, the not-so-good.

- This was not the best week for training. My schedule is about to change (obedience training started this week and my fiction workshop class starts next week) and when that happens, my mind does weird things. Like, convince itself that I should take advantage of a free Thursday evening, since I won't have another until December. Also, Nathan is the grumpiest morning person ever and doesn't have the patience at 6am to deal with Calvin on his own, which means morning runs have been put on hold. I still made it to two yoga classes and the week isn't quite over, so I might be able to salvage my mileage yet. Cross your fingers!

- I still haven't ridden my scooter. Getting all the documents in order, including registration and insurance, and getting my license reissued (I lost it in Oregon over spring break and still haven't gotten a new one. I know, I know, I'm terrible!) has taken a really long time. But I'm leaving work at 3pm today and hopefully by 5 I'll be street legal and ready to ride.

- Students are moving back to campus this week. While I usually like the first week of school - the excitement! the smell of new notebooks! a fresh start full of possibility! - I will miss the quiet. When you live in a college town, those three summer months when you never see anyone under the age of 20 are kind of nice. Zero traffic, easy parking, no waiting for a table at a restaurant. Alas, those days are over, as evidenced by the fact that it took me 20 minutes to get across campus yesterday. C'est la vie.

- General grumpiness and pouting. Sometimes you just need to, okay?

And now for my favorite part: the better!

+ The weather! I know what you're thinking - Chrissy must have meant to put this item where it belongs, on the not-so-good list. Not this week! This week, it has been in the 60's when we wake up, the low 90's in the day time, and the humidity has been negligible. I know that to normal people, low 90's are not really worth celebrating, or worth going on a five mile run outdoors, but we are not normal. We are Texans, dammit, and this kind of weather makes me want to pull out my scarves and bake an apple pie. Well, maybe not quite yet. But this week was the first time I could actually see an end to the horror that has been this summer's weather, and that is an amazing feeling!

+ Calvin started obedience training and so far, so good. We only covered basic commands during the first class, most of which Calvin already knows (good dog!) but I did notice that he's much more focused and well-behaved when Seamus is not around. Calvin just loves Seamus, and if they're in the same room all he wants to do is play with/harass/jump on/bite Seamus. Which is both cute and annoying, depending on whether you ask me or Seamus. At any rate, I think once Calvin learns some self control he'll be the second best dog ever. There is hope for him yet!

+ While I don't like the influx of freshman who can't drive currently taking over my town, I do love the first week of school. Yesterday I attended the President's address and met some new faculty, and it only solidified my resolve to be in their shoes one day. The more I consider my career options, the more sure I am that professorship is the way to go. It just feels right, in a way that nothing else ever quite has, and not in some nebulous, idealistic, and clueless way. I am friends with many professors. I work with faculty every day. I love school and working in academia and sharing my passions with others. And summers off would give me time to work on my own writing. This is the path I need to follow, and knowing that is a wonderful feeling.

+ The weekend is coming, the weekend is coming! On the agenda: cleaning out my closet, reconnecting with some friends, a trip to the lake with the dogs, a long run, finishing the porch project, and reading a book at the park. I can't wait!

How did your week pan out? Are you, too, using Friday as a catch-up day? What do you have planned for this weekend? Sharing is caring! And Happy Friday!

the perfect program

 Pull up a chair and pour a cup of coffee. This MFA thing is just beginning!

As you all know (and will continue to know, especially as deadlines loom) I am applying to MFA programs this year, for the second time. I have a solid list of possible schools and I thought I would share my criteria for two reasons. The first is to demonstrate the thought process currently spinning through my head as I attempt to make a decision that will affect the rest of my life. The second is because maybe you, Dear Reader, know of a school that fits my criteria perfectly, which I have overlooked. Feel free to share those in comments, along with advice, suggestions, and anything else you think would be useful.

Now, everyone is a unique and special snowflake, so my reasons and standards won't be universal. That said, my ideal MFA program:

Is located in the Eastern part of the United States.
I don't want to move back to New York, but I would like to be within a ten hour drive of home. I want the option of visiting on the weekend, attending weddings, birthdays and other special celebrations. I want to be a bigger part of my family, and moving a day closer will be a big help.

Offers tracks in both fiction and creative nonfiction.
I have always written fiction, and I don't think I'll ever stop. However, the creative nonfiction class I took last year (along with all the essays, memoirs, and nonfiction books I've read since) have really opened my eyes to the possibilities of other genres. I'd like the option of studying both genres and seeing where I end up.

Is a smaller program, with 10-15 students accepted each year. A writing community that extends beyond the classroom.
I like to feel special and have lots of attention paid to me. I want to work along side other writers who are also passionate, excited about their craft, who read books and go to readings and have pot lucks. I want to find comrades and cohorts, as well as mentors and muses.

Has a solid history of funding.
While I don't necessarily need a full ride, I do need at least part of my tuition paid. I don't want a repeat of last year, when Greensboro couldn't offer me a dime, because turning down one awesome school was hard enough.

Is located in a place where Nathan could easily find a job.
Not really sure about that right now, but I guess just somewhere with trees and things, that isn't being hit super hard by the recession.

Has a low to average cost of living. Is home to a smaller city, or a very big town. Has an active populace, art, music, culture, and a nice dog park.
I don't have any desire to live in a big city, but I need someplace larger than Nacogdoches. A vegetarian restaurant would be nice, or at least options for dining out that don't involve Tex Mex and fast food. Also, outdoorsy places - hiking, proximity to the ocean or the mountains, a running or cycling community, museums and coffee shops, a place that welcomes dogs and a small house with a big yard. Okay, so this last section is basically a dream list but I might as well shoot for the moon, right?

So that's my current criteria. Will I find a program that fulfills all these areas, and will they think I am just as perfect? Probably not, but the chances that I can find a program that comes close enough are good. I'm feeling excited. I'm feeling ambitious. I'm feeling inspired. And best of all, I'm feeling like this might just be my year. Sure, I've got a ways to go before I actually send in my applications, but I'm off to a good start, and way ahead of where I was at this time last year.

Fingers crossed, y'all. Fingers crossed!

recipe: easy mac and cheezy

What's this? A recipe? Yes, it is. As I've said before, the solid month of 100+ degree weather has zapped my will to cook anything new and exciting, and really, does the Internet need another post about stir fry? Not my boring variations. But this recipe? This recipe is so quick and simple that for a moment I didn't think it was worth posting. Then I remembered that quick and simple recipes are exactly what we all need to be sharing right now! And so, without further ado...

Easy Mac and Cheezy 

You will need: 

For Cheezy sauce:
2 cups vegetable broth or water (I used water)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
Pinch of dried thyme (crumbled in your fingers)
1/4 teaspoon salt
Several pinches of freshly ground pepper
1/8 teaspoon turmeric
3/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon prepared yellow mustard

8 oz pasta (macaroni is traditional, but you could use whatever you like)
10-16oz frozen broccoli florets 

Directions: 
1. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil.

2.. While the water is boiling, prepare Veganomicon's Cheezy Sauce recipe, which I found at Ali's Vegan Kitchen.

Combine the broth or water and flour in a measuring cup and whisk with a fork until dissolved (a couple of lumps are okay)
Preheat a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Place the oil and garlic in the pan and gently cook for about 2 minutes, stirring often and being careful not to burn the garlic.
Add the thyme, salt, and pepper, and cook for about 15 seconds. Add the broth, turmeric, and nutritional yeast, and raise the heat to medium. Use a whisk to stir constantly. The mixture should start bubbling and thickening in about 3 minutes; if it doesn't, turn the heat a bit higher.
Once the mixture is bubbling and thickening, stir and cook for about 2 more minutes. Add the lemon juice and mustard. The mixture should resemble a thick, melty cheese. Taste for salt, turn off the heat, and cover the pan to keep it warm until ready to use. The top might thicken a bit while it sits, but you can just stir it and it will be fine. 

3. By now, your water should be at a rolling boil. Add pasta and broccoli and return to a boil, cooking for as long as the pasta box tells you to.

4. When the pasta is done, drain and return to pot. Pour cheezy sauce on top of the pasta and broccoli and mix thoroughly, until everything is a nice, neon yellow coating. Serve in bowls, sprinkle liberally with pepper, and enjoy! 

weekend adventures: coffee and lakes

My weekend was one of highs and lows but, like most days, the good outweighed the bad. Let's recap, shall we?

Even though I'm usually worn out from the work week by the time Friday rolls around, doing something fun in the evening tends to make the weekend seem twice as long. This Friday was no exception. After getting home from work, eating dinner, and taking care of the dogs, we realized we had just enough time to catch the end of a friend's solo show at the art center. It was a good show, and after rounded up a nice mix of people and headed to the Fredonia for pitchers of beer and portobello fries. Since Nathan had just learned of his raise, he bought a round of drinks for the first time in his life, and was very proud. We got home around midnight and promptly passed out.

Saturday morning was quite productive. Yoga was canceled (power in the studio went out and no one likes accidental Bikram!) so Nathan and I spent the morning on the space off our back porch, adding supports to the dirt and building a flower bed. Our apartment has a nice porch area and backs up against a thicket of trees, which offers a lot of excellent privacy. Erosion destroyed the former supports, so we decided to replace them and get ourselves a little more space. We extended our flower bed and built a secure edge, plus I finally learned how to properly swing a hammer, which is an excellent skill to possess.

While we were building, we got a message from our new friends G. and E., inviting us to Lake Nacogdoches for an afternoon swim with the dogs. As you could tell from the Sunday Pupdate, we went and had a lovely time. In the evening, we headed to Mary T's home for an ice-cream social, where we celebrated our dear friend's birthday and wished her the best present ever - the birth of her son, due any day now! 

Sunday is where a perfectly pleasant weekend began to go terribly, terribly wrong. Nathan and I slept in (bad idea) and then headed out for a nine mile run (worse idea). It was already 85 degrees and an 89% humidity, but we would not be deterred. My goal was to run at a 10:10 pace, and I was on target for the first three miles. At mile four, I got nauseous - too much breakfast, too close to running time. I didn't bring enough water or any energy gels to eat out on the trail. I needed to take walking breaks, and right at mile six I fell down and banged up my knee. Stupid tree roots. I ended up running only eight miles at miserably slow pace and when I was done, my lower back was killing me! I get lower back pain often, and sometimes it's so bad I can't even bend over at the waist. Yesterday was one of those days. After a few hours, a hot shower, and some light yoga I loosened up, but it was not a fun time.

We were pretty exhausted for the rest of the day and basically hung around the house, hiding from the oppressive heat with a puppy too full of unexpendable energy. What do you do when it's too hot to go outside before 9pm, but your puppy needs exercise in order to be a functional member of your family? I'll tell you what you do. Rawhide bones. Desperate times, my friends. Desperate times.We did manage to hang out at Java Jacks for a few hours, where I busily researched MFA programs and found a solid handful that seem like they'll be a good fit. More on that later...

So that was my weekend! How was yours? Did you fall while running on a trail, or cook an especially delicious meal, or complete a rite of summer before the season ends? Let's celebrate our weekends together!

sunday pupdate - learning to swim

When every day is 100 degrees, the only way to cope is with a trip to the lake. Despite having lived in this town for six (six!) years, we have only just discovered the area of Lake Nacogdoches were dogs and beers are permitted. Better late than never!

The last time we took Calvin to swim, it was at an ugly lake with a big drop just off shore. He did not appreciate that. Lake Nacogdoches has a nice shallow area where he could get his feet wet and test the waters, so to speak.

After a few minutes of coaxing, and watching Seamus happily paddling around in his float coat, Calvin took the plunge!

Turns out pup is a great swimmer! The rest of Saturday was spent quietly napping on the couch - "quietly" being the key phrase here. I do believe weekend trips to Lake Nacogdoches will be a regular occurrence in these parts. Also, I can't wait for Calvin to get his own float coat, but we'll have to wait until he's full grown for that investment.

And with that, I'm off to bed. Hope you had a good weekend, too!

friday +/-

Friday already? This has been a fast week! Between training Calvin, getting my scooter, and reviving my MFA goals, I'm definitely ready for the weekend. But first, your weekly shakedown.

New friend on the railing!

In the not-so-hot:

- Running after work, on the treadmill. Listen. I am a morning runner. I love waking up in the dark and putting in my miles while the sun rises above me. I love finishing my workout while most people are just getting out of bed. But I am now the owner of not one, but two dogs, one of which requires a lengthy morning walk in order to keep him tired and better-behaved for the rest of the day. Miss that morning walk, and by lunch time we have a disaster on our hands. For the last two weeks, I've been walking the dogs for an hour each morning, and going to the rec center at night to run on the treadmill. Not ideal, and definitely cuts into my yoga practice, but you gotta do what you gotta do. Hopefully as Calvin gets older and the weather improves, I can transition back to running outside. Until then, I am lucky to have the treadmill option.

- I got my scooter, but I still need to get it registered, get insurance, update my license, and get an SFA parking sticker before I can drive it to work. I'm hoping to take care of all that by the middle of next week.

- I'm behind on my august writing goals, but I plan to spend some quality time at the coffee shop this Sunday (IE, away from wrestling, barking, playing dogs) and getting things done. Wish me luck!

- I work on a college campus. Right now, students and faculty are in the sweet space of time between semesters, know as intersession, while staff remain behind, toiling away at their desks. Maybe I want a coffee from the student center, or a snack. Well guess what? I can't have one. That's right - during these two weeks, everything shuts down, leaving staff high and dry, hungry and decaffeinated. While I have enjoyed the ease of parking and the peace and quiet, I am not convinced that this is a fair trade.

In the hot-hot-hotter list:

+ While I was typing this, I got a text from Nathan, informing me that he just got a big fat raise at work. We're already discussing how to best celebrate this evening. Yay, Nathan!

+ Despite being forced to run in the evenings, half marathon training is going pretty well. This time around, I am actually paying attention to things like tempo runs and speed workouts, instead of running solely for distance. I'm hoping this will make me a faster, stronger runner. We'll see!

+ Have you heard of Healthy Living Blogs? It is "a website designed to enhance the positive community of the healthy living blog world." I don't really consider my blog to be "healthy living," even though I touch on lots of topics that fall into that genre. I'm more of a "happy living blog," which is close enough. At any rate, I joined the directory and have been clicking through to new blogs whenever I get a spare few minutes. Lots of good stuff over there, so check it out!

+ A good weekend planned, which will include but is not limited to: a trip to Lufkin to finally get my iPhone fixed, a nine mile run, some home improvement projects, and ample time to relax and reconnect. I'm looking forward to it, and I hope the same for you. Until then!

and so it begins (again)

Last night, I came home to find the latest issue of Poets & Writers in my mailbox and, as if to remind me that I had not yet accomplished any of my august writing goals, it practically screamed "MFA" from the front cover. Okay, okay. I get the hint.

This month, I am supposed to finalize the list of schools to which I plan to apply for my MFA in creative writing. If you're new to The New Me, a brief recap: I have a BA in creative writing and a Masters in Library Science. Last year, I decided to apply to creative writing programs for my MFA, which has always been a dream. I applied to four schools, was accepted to the University of North Carolina-Greensboro, but had to turn them down because they couldn't offer me any funding. They were my first choice and it was a hard decision, but as I prepare for round two of MFA applications, I'm glad things turned out the way they did. The last few months have given me a chance to reevaluate my creative and professional goals, and this time I plan to be smarter and more strategic about where I apply and what I plan to get out of the MFA experience.

This year, I'm going to apply to 10-12 schools, which is the norm (albeit an expensive norm!). I'm going to focus on schools that offer both fiction and creative nonfiction, which I think might be the direction my writing is headed. And last but certainly not least, I want a school that will give me ample teaching opportunities so that I can eventually become a professor of creative writing.

Professor? Yes, professor. You see, I've worked in academia for the last four years. I've been a library assistant, a tenure-track librarian, and now a staff member in the grants office. I love working on a college campus - the rhythms of semesters suit me, and I love being around learning, research, ideas. And while I liked being a librarian, and while I like my current job, I know that I would like being a professor more. So that's the new life plan. Get an MFA, write a book, maybe get a PhD (maybe...) and then get a job teaching students the joys and pains of the written word. Sure, this plan will take a while. Years, maybe even a decade. I'm okay with that. In fact, I'm looking forward to it.

But first, the MFA. To be continued...

scooter commuter

As of Tuesday, I am the proud owner of a scooter!

If this seems sudden, it is, a little. About three weeks ago, Nathan said I should get a scooter. We're a one vehicle family, which was fine when we both worked at the college. Now that Nathan works across town, it's been a little harder, and he was feeling guilty about the fact that I have to ride my bike to and from work every day in the 107 degree heat, while he takes the car. A scooter, he reasoned, would be a perfect compromise in a town our size. I could zip to work and yoga and the grocery store with ease. Scooters are very fuel-friendly, not to mention fun! A perfect solution!

At first I resisted. "I am a bicycle commuter," I replied haughtily. But the more I thought about it, the more it seemed like a good idea. I could still bike whenever I wanted, but a scooter would give me more options, more freedom. A few days later, I tweeted that I was dreaming of a mint green scooter, to which my friend Sonnie replied that she was still selling hers. It was black, not green, but practically brand new and a damn good deal. I hemmed, I hawed, I wondered, I worried, and then - well, you can guess what happened next.

 Reader, I bought the scooter.

Before I can ride my little Mogi (mosquito in Korean - it's what Sonnie called the scooter, and what I shall continue to call her) I need to do a bunch of paperwork, get it registered, insured, and obtain a MOTORCYCLE LICENSE. Oh, yes. I am treading on the boundaries of bad ass territory, and it's a feeling that thrills. I did test drive it before sealing the deal, just up and down Sonnie's street, and even though I was a little nervous I did just fine. (Minus one little snafu that involved a curb, but who's counting?) Mostly, I'm excited to have a scooter, my own two motorized wheels, even though it means I'll only be a part time bicycle commuter. I can live with that, especially with a scooter this classy.

Thanks, Sonnie! Mogi sends her love. :)

the puppy love blues

He only looks innocent...

At this moment, many of my close friends, casual friends, former colleagues, old college buddies, Facebook acquaintances, and first cousins are having babies. That probably seems like a lot of babies, and it is. It is a veritable baby boom in these parts, and for the most part I'm okay with that. Yes, I'm seeing my friends a bit less, as both pregnancy and child-rearing are time consuming pursuits, but I'm okay with sharing. In fact, I may even be an attendant at one friend's home birth, which is pretty exciting. I'm interested in experiencing the process of child birth, but only from a comfortable distance. 

You see, I like children. I love the kids I know - they are often funny, entertaining, sweet, and better company than most adults. But just because I like kids, admire my friends who choose to become parents, and will gladly offer babysitting services when the time comes, I don't particularly want children of my own. I have some personal reasons for this decision, but I think it's weird that while you're expected to have a list of excuses for why you don't want your own children, no one questions you when you decide to become a parent. I don't want to say that I'd rather have a career, or the freedom to travel, or claim environmental reasons, because I know that I could still write a book, travel as much as I want, and save the world, even with a kid tagging along. I just don't feel like having one. Will I change my mind one day? Will my biological clock start an incessant ticking? Will the idea of pregnancy, parenthood, progeny, be more palatable as I grow older? Your guess is as good as mine. All I know is how I feel right now, and right now I just don't see myself ever becoming a mother. 

Which is an awkward way of segueing into the latest puppy drama, because in my world, dogs = children, and Calvin is turning out to be a problem child. You see, he has not yet learned that he's not, in fact, top dog. He is actually the lowest ranking member of our family, but try telling him that. I dare you. I don't remember Seamus being this strong-willed, this prone to crazy fits of jumping, barking and biting. It's kind of like that kid you see throwing a tantrum in the cereal aisle of the grocery store, except with really sharp teeth. I know he's capable of learning, obeying, and controlling himself. He has moments of pure sweetness, of doing exactly what I ask. But then, he gets in mood and goes on a tear, and Seamus is too passive to tell the puppy what's what, and then I find myself pulling Calvin into a corner, saying NO too loudly, too shrilly, and feeling like a failure of a dog parent. 

On the bright side, he is only four months old. We've had him for just three and a half weeks. We start obedience training next Tuesday. Puppy-hood is a stage, and the shortest part of a good dog's life. Hope is on the way. I just wish it would get here a little faster.

i won the lottery!

The Houston Marathon lottery, that is. ;)

This was the first year the Houston Marathon did a lottery system for registration, and also the first year I decided to sign up. First time's a charm! I'm really relieved to have gotten in, as my other choice would have been the San Antonio marathon in November, which means I would have had to start training last month. And with the weather we've been having, the thought of logging all those miles makes me feel just a little bit sick. 

The lowest temperature we've had in the last two weeks has been 97 degrees. And this is all before the humidity and the heat index are taken into account! With a January 30th marathon, I won't have to get serious about training until October, and that sounds perfect. Until then, I'm going to be working on my dreams of a 1:55 half marathon, walking my dogs at least an hour each day, and doing all the yoga that I can.

Houston or bust, y'all! Whee!

weekend adventures: finding balance

This is the first weekend in a long time where I actually feel a sense of balance. Not only was I social and productive, but I also worked out twice and cleaned my whole apartment. Also: the dogs are quietly sleeping at either end of the couch. How's that for success?

 Seamus and Calvin are on their way to being BFFs, big time. 

The weekend started on Friday night, when Nathan and I headed to the Fredonia Hotel for Comedy Night. Despite the lackluster performance of Pauly Shore last month, we decided to give comedy in East Texas a second chance, and I'm so glad we did. The headliner was Amy Schumer, who had us laughing from the moment she took the stage until the moment she left. She covered everything - race, religion, gays, abortion. And while I griped about Pauly Shore using racist jokes to get cheap laughs, Amy Schumer was different. She wasn't making fun of black people - she was making fun of us, for having only one black person in the audience. It's a subtle but important difference, and Amy Schumer walked the line beautifully. We ended the evening in Amy (the yoga instructor's) backyard, but not before getting Calvin and Seamus for a little late night partying. The dogs enjoyed themselves and do did we. Friday = Success! 

Despite staying out until past midnight, I got up pretty early on Saturday, made coffee and ate breakfast, and then headed to a 90 minute yoga class. I love the longer classes on Saturday's - such a good workout. After yoga, I went grocery shopping and then went on a cake baking spree in preparation for the Literary Reading at the Yoga Studio. Amy and I have been hosting the bi-monthly reading series since the inaugural event last August, so this was our one year anniversary. We decided to celebrate by stepping up the food and offering free champagne to attendees for a toast. Yeah, we're classy like that. We got to the studio an hour before showtime and arranged out the food, poured the drinks, and set up the chairs. Ready for business!

It was a good crowd (about 50 people, which is great for graduation night and intersession) and we had a phenomenal group of readers. Since I'm the host and emcee, I don't read at every event, mostly because that wouldn't be fair. But I wanted to read at the one year anniversary, and my contributor's copies of LIT Magazine had arrived in the mail THAT DAY. I couldn't pass up the chance to read my first published story directly from the journal in which it appears. It was a pretty great feeling.

 LIT: Now available at your local Barnes and Nobles! I'm on page 54.

On Sunday, I slept in until about 8am, which meant I missed the brief window for outdoor running. By the time I got out of bed, it was already 90 degrees and humid - not ideal conditions for my first long run of half marathon training. I was supposed to do 8 miles so I decided to suck it up, head to the campus rec center, and run on the treadmill while watching MTV True Story: I'm a Sports Fanatic. Trashy television helps pass the time and I ended up doing a slow 7.5 miles because my right knee started to bother me. It feels fine now, but I didn't want to push it. Plus my show was over, so, you know. ;)

We tried to play kickball in the evening, but it was 102 degrees and only a handful of people showed up. That was fine with me. Nathan and I came home, played with the dogs, and watched an episode of Battlestar Galactica Season 4 (nerd power!) before going to bed early. Yes, it was a good weekend.

I don't have anything super exciting planned for this week, but the weeks have a way of surprising me. I hope you had a good weekend and that your Monday is off to a brilliant start!

sunday pupdate - the evil vacuum

This is not the best photo, but I had to share it with y'all. Today I decided to vacuum the apartment. Little Calvin had never seen a vacuum before. (Which, if you do your math, means I only vacuum about once a month. It's true. Don't judge.) I turned on the vacuum and Calvin immediately freaked. First, he hid on the couch next to Seamus and watched me with a wary eye. When I went into the bedroom, he ran into the office - I guess to get further away. Little did he know the office was next! I pushed the vacuum into the room and as soon as he saw me coming towards him - he peed. Yes, Calvin was so scared he peed in fear. Then he ran to the kitchen, wedged himself behind the chairs, and would not come out until the vacuum was turned off and put back in the closet. We had a cuddle and some treats, and he calmed down pretty quickly, but not before I took a photo of his terror-stricken face.

I hope you're all having a calm and clean Sunday! I'm off to play kickball in 107 degree heat. Wish me luck - I'll need it!

friday +/-

Happy Friday! This week has been both long and good (that's what she said!) and while I have enjoyed nearly all of it I am, as always, glad to see Friday's beautiful face. Here's your weekly run down.

Sunset at the park.

In the minus column:

- Still with the 112 degree heat and soupy humidity! I think this weather will rank number one on the minus list until October, when it finally abates. As I cull my list of MFA school candidates, I am definitely leaning towards those with more moderate climates. I don't know how many more Texas summers I can survive. Alas, it could be worse. I could be pregnant! (Friends, have those babies soon!)

- Calvin is still going through his crazy puppy stage. His nickname is Animal, which is very fitting. Lots of shoe stealing, nipping, peeing in the house, and play fighting with Seamus. And by lots, I mean non-stop. It's exhausting, but I know it will be worth it in the end. All I have to say is puppies are lucky they're so damn cute, otherwise dogs would have become extinct a long time ago.

Beautiful birthday bouquet from the lovely Mary T!

A very short minus list this week, which is what I like to see. On to the plus column!

+ My official birthday was Monday, but it managed to spill over through most of the week. I got a few more gifts in the mail (including beautiful handmade soap from Jen in Austin, who is the most thoughtful person in the world) and not one by two birthday lunches from lady friends and library friends, respectively. Good food and good company is the best way to start any year!

+ The blogging community. Y'all were so sweet and supportive about my decision to quit the Hotter'N'Hell. Thanks for helping me see that I made the right choice, and helping me realize that changing my plans doesn't make me a failure. I am feeling better about this decision every day!

+ Half marathon training has begun! This fall I am planning to run two half marys - the Tyler Half Marathon on October 10, and the San Antonio Rock'N'Roll Half Marathon on November 14. The Tyler Half will be more of a practice run - it's very hill and my only goal is to beat last year's time of 2:09. I would like to PR at the San Antonio race, which means I will have to run a 1:58 or better. This plan is subject to change depending on whether I get into the Houston Marathon, which will be announced this Tuesday. Cross your fingers! No matter what happens, I feel like I'm back on track, exercise-wise. I love running, I love the variety of workouts (tempo runs! speedwork! hills!) and I love that most of my training can be done in an hour or less. Running! You are the best!

+ Calvin is registered for Obedience Training Classes, which will start on the 24th. In the meantime, I emailed the instructor for advice on how to get Calvin to stop harassing Seamus. She said I was right to recognize this as annoying and typical puppy behavior, and to get him one of those toys in which you can squirrel away treats to keep him busy and distracted. We went to the pet store last night and I dropped $42.00 on dog toys. Yes, I was ashamed, and yes, I am a crazy dog lady, but you know what? It worked. We were able to watch season 4 of Battlestar Galactica in relative peace and quiet while Calvin busily worked at removing the treats and Seamus slept in sweet relief on the couch. I think this two dog family thing might work out after all.

+ Super fun weekend planned, including a comedy show tonight, a Literary Reading tomorrow, an 8 mile run on Sunday, and a double does of Mad Men. Does it get any better than this? Maybe, but for now this is more than enough.

How did your week pan out? What fun things do you have planned for the weekend? Whatever you do, I hope it's the best ever. Happy Friday!

new haircut!

Today on my lunch break I got my hair cut. Nothing too exciting - just a trim to even out my overgrown layers. I want to have longer hair again, mostly so I can put it in a pony tail when I'm on a run. So even though my hair is now shorter than it was before lunch, it is better prepared to grow long and lovely.

Also, it's really nice to have my hair off my shoulders when it's 108 degrees out.

Oh, and Calvin says hello!

in which i fail - for now

If you read my weekend recap, you may have noticed the conspicuous absence of a long bike ride in preparation for the Hotter'N'Hell Hundred, which is just three weeks away. The plan was to ride 60 miles on Saturday morning. We came home early on Friday night, laid out our gear and filled our water bottles, and then made sure we were in bed by 11pm. Nathan fell asleep quickly; I, however, was not so lucky. I spent the whole night tossing and turning, worrying and wondering, about riding my bike 100 miles in 100 degrees of hot Texas heat. At around 3am, I had a sudden and inspiring realization - I did not have to do the Hotter'N'Hell. I could throw in the towel and quit. I finally fell asleep.

The alarm went off at 5:30am. I turned to Nathan and whispered my confession.

"I don't want to ride this morning."
"If we don't ride this morning," he whispered back, "then we can't do the Hotter'N'Hell."
"Okay."
"Are you sure?"
"I'm sure."

We turned off the alarm and went back to bed.

This was not an easy decision to make, and I'm still wondering if I gave up too easily. But I've not been excited for this event in some time. In July, I said that I would complete the 100 miles, but I wouldn't enjoy it. Last week, I confessed that my training had "gone downhill." The only reason I've looked forward to this event is because once done, it would be over. I could focus on running. I could have weekends free to do whatever I wanted. I could never look at my bicycle again. Somewhere along the way I stopped enjoying the training, the journey. I lost the love I had for my bike and each looming ride filled me with dread. While I could probably have physically muscled through these last few weeks and the event, I'm not there emotionally or mentally. You can't ride 100 miles unless you want to, and I just don't want to.

(And there are other logistics - the heat, the six hour drive there and back, taking a day off from work, sleeping on an acquaintance's floor, finding someone to take care of my dogs for three days, the amount of money I just spent on plane tickets for a September wedding, etc. But if I wanted to do this ride, really wanted to, then all those other things wouldn't have mattered. Because my heart already isn't in it, those things make it that much harder.)

Even though I know I'm making the right choice, I can't help but feel a sense of loss, a feeling of regret, and a burning shame. Listen: I don't give up. I make a goal, I complete that goal. Failure is not an option. And when I've announced a goal, talked it up, put in 3/4 of the training, written about my love of cycling extensively on this blog - it makes it that much harder to step down. Last week, No Meat Athlete posted about failure, and I commented that I had failed at both meeting my secret goal for the Austin Marathon, and that I receive weekly rejection letters from literary journals. But those aren't really failures - they're just falling short, with the idea that success is on the way. This is different. This is straight up not even trying.

Of course, I have a back up plan. I can still ride the Pineywoods Purgatory in October. Last year, I rode 72 miles without training and even though the course is harder than the HNH - think huge hills vs. flat as a pancake - it's familiar terrain. It's in my hometown. I know people at the rest stops. I won't have to travel but 20 minutes to get to the starting line. The weather will be 10x cooler. I might even - gasp - enjoy the ride! So, while I won't announce to the world that I will do the century in the Purgatory, the possibility is about the only thing making me feel better about quitting this time around. That, and all the time I now have for running. ;)

What about you? Have you ever fallen short of a fitness goal or had to back out of a race at the last minute? Let's commiserate in the comments!

guest post on (never home)maker!

One of my favorite blogs, (never home)maker, is celebrating Healthy Living Week by featuring "How I Got Fit" guest posts from their readers. I sent in a contribution and you can read it right now! (If you haven't guessed from the above photo, roller derby saved my soul.)

Didn't you know I used to be Madame Furie, rollergirl and captain of the Iron Maidens? True fact. I played from 2005 to 2007, until my league (The Nacogdoches Rollergirls) broke up, and my second league (Pineywoods Roller Derby) never quite got off the ground. I used to blog about it almost exclusively, which you can see by my label cloud in the sidebar, as "roller derby" is still the biggest/most used label.

And that is your bit of Chrissy Trivia for today! Now get thee to (never home)maker and get reading for lots of healthy inspiration!

recipe: golden vanilla cupcakes

In case you haven't noticed, I'm a big fan of birthdays. Between the attention, the presents, and the whistling telegrams delivered to my office door (oh yes, be jealous!) birthdays are something I look forward to each year. And yet! Because I'm a vegan, birthdays are always slightly awkward, as my co-workers want to bring a cake to work to celebrate, but they know I won't eat it if it's not vegan, and they would make a vegan cake but they don't know how, and also we live in Deep East Texas, where the closest thing to a vegan bakery is easily 120 miles away. To solve this problem and make everyone feel better, I like to bake something on my own behalf and share it with my well-meaning friends and colleagues. Everyone feels good, everyone enjoys dessert, and I get to spread the wonder of vegan baking just a little bit further.

For my first birthday at my new job, I decided to keep it simple and make vegan cupcakes for my small office. This recipe is from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World, and it's just like every recipe Isa and Terry create. Which is another way of saying: perfect.

  
Golden Vanilla Cupcakes, from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World
via Culinate

You Will Need: 
1 cup soy milk
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp cornstarch
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup non-hydrogenated margarine (I use Earth Balance)
3/4 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond extract 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin pan with cupcake liners.
2. Whisk the soy milk and vinegar in a measuring cup and set aside for a few minutes to get good and curdled.
3. If using margarine: Sift the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl and mix.
4. In a separate large bowl, use a handheld mixer at medium speed to cream the margarine and sugar for about 2 minutes until light and fluffy. (Don’t beat past 2 minutes.) Beat in the vanilla and other extract, if using, then alternate beating in the soy milk mixture and dry ingredients, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl a few times.
5. If using oil: Beat together the soy milk mixture, oil, sugar, vanilla, and other extracts, if using, in a large bowl. Sift in the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and mix until no large lumps remain.
6. Fill cupcake liners two-thirds of the way and bake for 20 to 22 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack, and let cool completely before frosting.

monday pupdate

In all the birthday excitement, I forgot to post a pupdate for y'all. Since Calvin has been getting a lot of playtime on the blog, I thought we'd return the spotlight to Seamus this week.

Last night, in an effort to extend the dogs' exhaustion for as long as possible, we took Seamus and Calvin to kickball. Bo, the tiniest puppy in the world, was also present. Seamus was very curious about Bo, and Bo pretty much loved Seamus. Watching them interact was about the funniest thing I've seen in a long time.

That's it until tomorrow, at which time I will share a cupcake recipe and my birthday loot. See you then!

(birthday) weekend adventures

Because my birthday this year falls on a Monday (28 today! Woot!) I took it upon myself to designate this weekend BIRTHDAY WEEKEND. Which really just means that I did as many of my favorite things as I could, which is really how I spend most weekends. I'm not complaining!

With the terrible heat wave, the plethora of pregnant friends, and the new puppy, leaving our house in the evenings has become an occurrence rarer than I care to admit. On Firday, we made up for lost time by first going out for sushi (addition is delicious!) and then heading to the Cole Art Center for the First Friday Film. This free monthly film series tends to show movies already sitting pretty on our Netflix queue, and Friday's showing was no exception. No Impact Man, in which a man (and his family) attempt to live in New York City, for one year, with no carbon footprint. It was a cute documentary, mostly because of the wife, who unabashedly loves reality TV and frappuccinos. Mostly though, the things the family does - eating locally, giving up meat, composting their food waste, commuting by bicycle or their own two feet - are things that I already do, so while I was amused I was not exactly impressed. Granted, it's harder to do those things in NYC, and also I would not turn off my electricity, so maybe I'm being too hard on them. I did enjoy the movie, and I think it's a good way to present sustainable living to a mainstream audience who might not otherwise consider worm composting in their apartment. If you haven't seen it, you should definitely check it out.

 I do not look good in glasses. Also, time for a haircut! Stat!

On Saturday morning, we slept in. I went to yoga and then we had a late breakfast at the Farmers' Market compliments of Merci's World Cuisine (black beans and plantains!) before heading to Lufkin, mostly to go to Target. Then we relaxed until it was time to head to my semi-surprise birthday party at Amy's. Even though I knew the time and place of the party, I did not know any of the details and - most importantly - I didn't have to lift a finger to make it happen. As someone who is notorious for throwing herself birthday parties, this was a welcome change of pace. And the party was lots of fun - tons of dogs, a pinata, delicious food, good friends, and a circle of folks holding sparklers while singing "Happy Birthday" in the backyard. Human candles?! Yes, please! It was a great night, and I'm grateful to everyone - especially Nathan and Amy - for making it happen.

Sunday was equally pleasant. I woke up hangover-free (yay for moderation and good gin!) and made pancakes while a still exhausted Calvin slept at my feet. Then Nathan and I walked the dogs and relaxed around the house. He watched a movie; I read the latest issue of Runners' World (with a huge feature about running with your dog!). At 3pm, we headed to Java Jacks for the monthly Scrabble club meeting. I played two games and lost both, but I'm definitely playing better than I used to. All that Words with Friends is working!

After Scrabble, it was time for kickball, during which I mostly stayed on the sidelines, disciplining socializing Calvin. The weather had cooled down to a breezy 92 and it was fun to watch the game and chat with my friends. All in all, a great ending to a fantastic birthday weekend.

Today is my real birthday and even though I had to go to work, I am still finding small ways to celebrate. Lunch with my favorite lady friends, vegan cupcakes at work (recipe coming tomorrow!), awesome presents from Nathan, and a good dinner all await me. So if you'll excuse me, I'm off to enjoy those things (and get some work done). Here's to 28!