graduation

We did it! We finished obedience training!

After five consecutive Tuesday nights of driving forty minutes, each way, to stand in a poorly lit parking lot for one hour, while practicing commands, walking on a leash, and not jumping on his classmates (which he accomplished with varying degrees of success) Calvin is now a bona fide graduate. Of course, this doesn't mean that our boy is perfect. Far from it, in fact - he is still an overly energetic, sock stealing and stubborn source of frustration and exhaustion. But he's also sweet, especially when he's tired, and when I call him he runs to me, full tilt, with that clumsy sidways gait of a dog who's legs are growing so fast his body can't keep up. He likes to sleep by my feet, and lean on me when I'm in the kitchen, and he's always happy to see me. He can sit, lay down, and shake paws on command, and he and Seamus have nearly torn the couch in half with their epic wrestling matches. In other words, Calvin is a puppy. A puppy with a diploma. A puppy with my love.

Good boy, Calvin!

goal setting and getting excited!

The Houston Marathon is January 30th, which means this week marks four months until race day. And since I'm using a 16 week training plan, marathon training has officially begun!

To be honest, I've been in a bit of a fitness slump. I've only been running three times a week, I have not been cross training at all, and I've skipped my last two long runs. (In my defense, I've been really dedicated to yoga, and have seen a big improvement in my strength and flexibility. All is not lost!) This is not a marathon state of mind, and the time to change that is now!

This week, I already have one thing working for me, and one thing working against me. In my favor is the fact that we have suddenly been hit with perfect running weather. Clear, cool (in the 50's at 6am when I'm hitting the streets) and 0% humidity. Amazing. The thing working against me? Plans to go canoe camping this weekend which, while fun and exciting and a different kind of workout, will not leave any time for my planned 11 miler. No worries though. I'm renewed and dedicated, remember? I'm planning to come into work an hour late on Friday and do my long run early in the morning. That way, I can enjoy the weekend with a clear conscious and the knowledge that my goals are still within reach.

And speaking of goals, I've got some! For the San Antonio Rock'n'Roll Half Marathon (November 14th) and the Houston Marathon, I'm going to employ the ABC technique of goal setting. I heard about this from the ever inspiring Queer Vegan Runner, who got it from Chic Runner.

For the half marathon:
A. Get a new PR, beating my previous PR of 1:58.
B. Finish in less than two hours.
C. Finish with a smile on my face, even if I'm faking it, and then drown my sorrows at Green Vegetarian Cuisine and Coffee. (Actually, I'll eat there no matter what. Probably more than once!)

For the marathon:
A. Finish in 4 hours, which would be ridiculous and amazing and semi-impossible.
B. Finish in 4:30 hours, which should definitely be do-able.
C. Beat my previous PR of 4:43. As Houston is much, much flatter than Austin, and as I'm a much more experienced runner now than I was last year, I am sure I can do this.

Okay, so I'm not so good at making ABC goals. The thing is, and this is going to sound corny, but I know the potential that lies within me! I know that one day, I will run a marathon in less than four hours. Will that day be January 30? Maybe. Maybe not. It depends on so many things, and so many of them outside my control. What if it rains during the race? What if it snows? What if I'm injured, or sick? The only thing I can control is my attitude and my training. And I am going to rock my training. I am going to run better, smarter and harder. I'm going to cross train and, strength train, eat less sugar, and drink less wine. I'm going to be a lean, mean, running machine. And come race day, I'll know that I've already done the best I could. The race will just be icing on the cake.

This morning I got up at 5:30am and was running by 5:45. I did a speed workout, and alternated a half mile of running full speed with half miles of recovery jogs, for a total of five miles. Kind of like Yasso 800's, but with more recovery, because I'm still new to this speed workout thing. It was my best attempt yet, and each half mile sprint was just under four minutes. This bodes well for the next four months, and I'm excited for the journey that lies ahead.

Are you training for a big event this year? Let's cheer each other on!

scooter fun

I have a real post coming soon, which will be about my renewed dedication to running, this morning's awesome speed workout, and my A,B and C goals for the half marathon in November and the Houston Marathon. Until then, enjoy this photo of me on my scooter, leaving yoga  few weeks ago, which Eralda snapped and kindly sent to me. I've really enjoyed riding my scooter this past month, even though I feel guilty about neglecting my bicycle. Now that I've got the confidence thing down, I need to add a rear basket and some plastic flowers (a la Simply Bike) and I'll be set!

Zoom, zoom. Back to work!

weekend adventures and 5k race report

Before I tell you about my exciting, busy and productive weekend, I would like to draw your attention to the weather. It is currently 52 degrees in East Texas. Yes, you read that correctly. Fifty. Two Degrees. Today's projected high? 80. I'm hoping this is the real deal and not a fake foray into fall, because a girl could get used to seasonably appropriate weather. But enough about the autumn.

I had a great weekend! And I even took a few photos! Let me show them to you.

We kicked things off Friday night by delivering a pizza to the MRTs and taking the opportunity to buy a second pizza for ourselves. We had actually stayed out late the previous evening (on a school night! scandalous!) and decided to stay in, eat pizza, and watch new episodes of Glee, 30 Rock and The Office. Needless to say, it was a very good night.

We woke up early on Saturday so we would have time to walk the dogs, eat breakfast, and digest before the Helping House 5K! Yes, it was the first 5K of the season - a local event to raise money for a school for autistic kids. We arrived on time, got our numbers pinned on, and milled about waiting for the event to start. This was the organizers' first race and they did a really good job of running a smooth event. The course was flat and well marked, there was plenty of food and water before and after the race, and the atmosphere was laid back and friendly. The only downside was that it was about 85 degrees and humid, and they didn't start the race until 9am. That's just too late for September in East Texas, and my pace definitely suffered. It didn't help that I started out way too fast (as usual) and ended up slowing down considerably in the second half. I was passed by one woman, and then another, but then I found my groove and stuck with it. I ended up finishing the race in 26.01 - an overall pace of 8:23. Not a PR, but a great way to start the season. Plus, I ended up finishing 3rd Overall Female, and won a large basket of random stuff donated by a local company. What? Yes! (Which also means, until I got passed by those two women, I was in first place. Crazy!)

I picked up fliers for a few more local 5K's and it appears that we can do one every month from now until December. I'm calling it the Local 5K Series, and I'm hoping to run a sub-25 minute race by the Jingle Bell 5K on December 4th. I love racing!

Third place! (Not pictured: basket o'crap.)

After the race, we showered and then went to Jalapeno Tree (despite my vow to never go there again). I made an exception because the local running group that I am sort of a part of was having a quarterly meeting. I say "sort of" because while I am a member of their message board, I had yet to attend a meeting, go on a group run, or jump in a pre-race photo. They're a really nice bunch of people and while they're all at different levels of ability, they all love running a lot. I'm hoping to be more involved with them, especially as marathon training takes my running (and resolve) up a notch.

When the meeting ended, I came home and got picked up by Sonnie. We had a Ladies' Date, and did some shopping in town and finished the afternoon with coffee and gossip. It was a really nice outing and so good to spend time with one of my favorite friends. And speaking of friends, after I left Sonnie, I went out again, this time to the SFA football game, to meet Eralda and her son Jack. It was my first ever college football game and I was surprised by the fact that I had a really good time. I still don't understand football all that well, but I'm pretty sure I could go pro as far as people watching goes.

We ended our very exciting, busy and social Saturday at Eralda's house, with Amy and David, where Eralda made us a delicious Thai coconut curry and I drank too much wine. And then it was time for bed.

Sunday was less busy, but no less exciting. It centered around the home - we managed to finish the stone path we've been building in the our "backyard," and make a ton of progress on the new linoleum in the kitchen. Here are some progress shots of the kitchen - I'll post a full unveiling, complete with before and afters, when the project is complete. Even at just 3/4 of the way done, the kitchen already looks amazing. I'm so happy!

All in all, a perfect weekend. The only disappointment was my lack of a long run on Sunday. I should have done at least ten, but I slept in (too much wine on Saturday, remember?) and then we were making too much progress on the floor to stop for an evening run. Neither of those are very good excuses (especially the hangover) and I know that, but this week marks four months until the Houston Marathon, so I plan to take my training more seriously than I have in recent weeks. Every day is a chance to start over, right? Right!

I hope y'all had a great weekend as well! I've got a busy week ahead of me, and I'm sure you'll hear all about it. Until then!

recipe: eralda's polenta and sausage salad

Here's something delicious to start your Friday!

My friend Eralda had a blog, which she updates not nearly often enough. I say this because, in addition to being a great writer and a wonderful friend, she is also a brilliant chef. In fact, one of my favorite recipes comes courtesy of her - I made it whenever I have the time to make vegan sausage at home (using the recipe from Vegan Brunch, but a similar recipe can be found here).

Eralda's recipe is quick and easy enough to make on a weeknight, which I love. You can cook the polenta and the sausage on the stove-top while the oven does the heavy lifting with the roasted veggies, and you can substitute fresh basil for oregano if you have two huge basil plants growing in your yard, as I do. Don't skip on the lemon, though. The lemon is key.

Do yourself a favor and make this as soon as you can. And then, check out the rest of The Split Pea for more deliciousness - a good number of Eralda's recipes are vegan/vegetarian, or can easily be tweaked to make them so (like this one). Yum!

existential crisis = falafel, of course

Yesterday, at about 4:30pm, Nathan sent me a series of increasingly desperate text messages.

"Do you have to go to yoga? Maybe you would rather do something different with me. And the dogs."

"Maybe get some takeout and have a picnic somewhere different. Just hang out. I know yoga is only an hour but by the time we are done with dinner there's only 1 1/2 hours before we go to bed."

"During which we usually watch something or read."

"Too much of the same."

"Days blurring!"

"Life is flying by!"

To which I replied:

"Okay. We can have a picnic."

I mean, who am I to choose yoga over my partner's latest existential crisis? Besides, he was right. I have a well-documented habit of over-scheduling myself and leaving little time for relaxation and romance. I love yoga, but missing one class wouldn't kill me. In fact, it might make me stronger. So, instead of dashing from work to a workout, I rode my scooter home, packed up the dogs, a blanket, and some beers, and piled into the car with Nathan, who drove us first to the burrito place in town that also makes halfway decent Greek food (Texas is weird.). (Also, we were doing something different, so we had to eat something other than sushi, our usual dining out option.) We ordered two falafel sandwiches and enough hummus to paint a house, then made our way to the park and enjoyed out dinner in the grass while the pups looked on hopefully. (Don't worry - they were not left disappointed.)

Nathan and I have been having a bit of a rough time lately. I hate to complain, because we both have good jobs, a great set of friends, supportive families, healthy dogs, and strong bodies that do just about everything we ask of them. We are damn lucky, and we know it. But we're also restless. We have big dreams and we're ready to begin pursuing them in earnest. But... we're in Nacogdoches, and we'll be here until next summer (assuming I get into the perfect MFA program, which will eagerly shower me with tuition waivers and stipends). Yes, there are things we can do to prepare for our exodus, opportunities we can still take advantage of, adventures that are still here to have, and we've been preparing, taking advantage, and adventuring, and truly, life is not terrible. Not even close!

I recognize that this year is a transitional one. Nathan just finished his degree and got his first real job. I switched jobs and am applying to school. We're figuring out where we want to live next, plotting and planning our course of action and waiting for the time when we can spring into motion. And that time is coming, but sometimes I wish that time was now. Falafel in the park can only fix so much.

being sick sucks

Every since I became a runner*, getting sick has taken on a whole new meaning.

One upon a time, catching a cold meant a few days of sniffling, sneezing, and mouth-breathing. Maybe I would stay home from work or school and watch six episodes of Gilmore Girls in a row. I would probably go to bed early - 9pm at the latest - drink tea, and eat endless slices of toast. Getting sick was sucky, of course, because no one likes to be sick, but it was also relaxing, a reason to play hooky from life, slow down, and take care of myself without feeling too terribly guilty.

Now? Getting sick is a whole new ball game. Last week, soon after we returned from our trip to Massachusetts, Nathan came down with a cold. He tried his hardest to keep his germs to himself, but as soon as he got over the worst of it, the worst seemed to settle on me. This wasn't an especially terrible sickness - I was not throwing up, I did not have a fever, and at no point was my life threatened. What is was, was annoying. I was exhausted. I couldn't breath through my nose. Walking to the mailbox and back felt like a ten mile run. Needless to say, I didn't workout while I was sick. In fact, I didn't run for eight whole days.

Eight. Days. No easy runs, no long runs, no tempo workouts, no speed sessions. I was irritable and restless, and not just because of the cold. Because I didn't want to sit on the couch and eat toast. I wanted to run, to log miles and follow my plan. Getting sick during training sucks, but getting sick right before a race (like, for example, getting bronchitis two weeks before your very first marathon - coughAustinMarathoncough) is heartbreaking. I won't let it happen this time, even if it means I have to wear a surgical mask for the whole month of January.

This morning, I finally felt well enough and rested enough to run an easy three miles. I have a 5K this weekend, and two half marathons on the horizon - one in October, and one in November. I don't have any grand plans for the 5K, though a PR is always appreciated, but since it's the first race of the season I'm just looking to see where I'm at and how much harder I need to work. I'm glad I got sick now and not later - I don't get sick often, so I'm hoping this bump in the road will mean I've got a good stretch of health before me.

My strategy for staying healthy is usually just lots of water, enough sleep, tons of fruit, and a multi-vitamin a few days a week. What are your stay-healthy secrets? I'm willing to try (almost) anything!

* I still have trouble thinking of myself a runner, even though I've got two half marathons and one full under my belt, and I have to keep reminding myself that one can be a runner, even if long ago one was chosen for remedial gym instead of the cross-country team.

weekend adventures

My weekend this time around was much calmer and much quieter than it has been in recent weeks. Which is good, since Nathan was at the tail-end of a cold and I caught the worst of it on Sunday night. (Consequently, I stayed home sick from work today - poor me.) I didn't take one photo this weekend, so I apologize in advance for a text heavy post!

I was already starting to feel congested on Friday, so I decided to skip my six mile tempo run and go straight home after work, which was a rare treat. Nathan and I took the dogs to the park and then made a pizza instead of going out for sushi (money = saved!). At the late hour of 9:00pm, we headed to campus to see Ironman II for $1.00 each (money = saved!). Despite missing the first 20 minutes of the film because the students working the desk told us it hadn't started yet when it was, in fact, playing in the theater, we were able to figure out was going on pretty quickly. Oh, the beauty of formulaic superhero action movies!

When I woke up on Saturday, I felt pretty good so I decided to go to yoga. We had a guest instructor from Longview who was teaching a 90 minute Vinyasa class, and I didn't want to miss it. While I love my yoga studio, I basically only take classes with one teacher (my friend Amy), and only practice Hatha yoga. Don't get me wrong - I adore my practice and consider myself very lucky to even have a local studio, but when given the chance for some variety, I take it! The class was really challenging and we did a bunch of new poses that I'd never attempted before, and I was very sore the next day, but in a good way.

I didn't do much else on Saturday until about 4pm, at which point I made a massive vegetable pot pie for the MRTs. Nathan and I took it to their place at dinner time and we ate with them while admiring their brand new son. At one point, I was sitting in a room with three women who were all actively nursing their children, and it was a little surreal. The human body is truly amazing.

After dinner with the new parents, we went to Nathan's co-worker's birthday party. When we got there, I saw that they had a large backyard and that there were three dogs partying hard in the grass. Since this co-worker was actually the one who originally rescued Calvin from Lanana Creek Trail, I asked if I could get my dogs and bring them over. They said yes, so I dashed home, grabbed the pups, and headed back to the party. The dogs were delighted and delightful, and we had a good time hanging out, drinking beer, and watching the dogs wear themselves out.

Sunday! Calvin and Seamus were still pooped, which meant we got to drink coffee in bed and finish Battlestar Galactica. I didn't mind the ending at all, and had sort of predicted the series finale, so that was satisfying. I was supposed to run 10 miles, but the cold which had been but an inkling the previous day fully bloomed and I was not feeling it. I even took a short nap around 4pm, and I am not a napper. I managed to make and eat dinner, and do a little homework, and blather incoherently on twitter, but by 9pm I felt like I'd been run over by a truck and went to bed with some hot tea. I didn't sleep well, despite Calvin snuggling with me (or maybe because of Calvin snuggling with me - he's been so affectionate lately!) and when the alarm went off at 6 I knew I was not going to work.

So today I'm home, catching up on reading, writing, and laundry, blowing my nose and hoping that this week I can run more than four miles. I hope you had a great weekend and that your week is off to an excellent start!

friday +/-

 

Amy took this photo of Calvin, and I love it! He looks so long and stretched out and floppy, probably because he is! 

Man, this week kicked my ass. I'm so glad it's Friday. Here's the rundown:

- After a perfect weekend in Massachusetts, we got back to town very late on Sunday and had to be up early for work on Monday... On Tuesday I had to rush to the food shopping and then take Calvin to doggie school... On Wednesday, I rushed to make and deliver dinner to Chay and co (a pleasure, as I got to meet and hold their new baby!)... On Thursday I rushed home from work and then back to the university for class... Are you seeing a pattern here? Too much rushing and not time to sit and recover from a weekend of travel and partying. But hey - that's what this weekend will be for!

- Calvin has been on a tear this week. He forgot what few manners he had while we were away and in the span of twelve hours, he found and wouldn't let go of a dead squirrel at the park, got peed on by Seamus, woke up at 4:00am and wouldn't go back to sleep, and tripped me on our morning walk, causing me to fall down onto the pavement and scrape my knee. Nathan has decided that he does not like Calvin, and I keep reminding him that he didn't like Seamus at first either, and now they're best friends for life. Nathan does not like puppies, and doesn't understand why Calvin won't just do what we say, when we say it. It's been a journey, friends, but I am determined that at the end we will have not one but TWO awesome dogs. (You hear that, Nathan!?)

- The high of the wedding weekend has made these last few days feel especially low. I'm ready for the next big adventure, but I have to wait another year for it to begin. Yes, there are daily adventures happening right now, and most of the time I can appreciate my life for what and where it is, but sometimes you just want to GO. You know?

- Training took a hit this week. That's all I'm going to say about that.

 And we can't forget Seamus. Photo compliments of the talented Amy, once more.

Lest you think all I do is complain, let's move on to the +'s!

+ Having two wonderful friends who are willing and able to take your two dogs for three days while you dash off to a wedding, and return them happy, tired and healthy when you get home.

+ The births of two wonderful new babies in one wonderful week. Congratulations again to the Rs and the MRTs!

+ On Monday night, I went to yoga, and in savasana I dreamed of sushi. We could order takeout and eat it on the couch while watching Battlestar Galactica. When I got home, I found that Nathan had read my mind and already had the sushi waiting and BSG in the DVD player. That, my friends, is love.

+ It's Friday, which means the weekend lies ahead, and what could be a bigger plus than that? Onward, my friends, and I'll see you on the other side, refreshed, renewed and ready to take on the world. Happy Friday!

baby week oh ten

 Little Miss O.

In the past year, three of my closest friends in Nacogdoches have had babies (two in the past week alone!). As we've welcomed new additions to our ranks - including Olivia, Ruby June and Andrew, not to mention Ruby's older sister, Rees - my friends (the Queens of Southern Hospitality) have made it a habit to organize a meal delivery service for the new parents. In the past, we've set up a shared Google document and invited friends and family to sign up for days, knowing that the dinners and desserts we deliver have given our friends time to rest and bond with their new babies.

A few weeks ago, my friend Sonnie found a website that has made this whole process a million times easier. It's called MealBaby and it's totally free. You create an account, complete a questionnaire about culinary likes, dislikes, allergies, etc., and then everyone can sign up for a day and note what they're bringing (because no one wants two solid weeks of mac and cheese - or do they?). MealBaby will also send you a reminder email the day before your dinner is due, which has been nice.

And even though it's called MealBaby, you can use it to organize meals for anyone going through a life change. A surgery, an illness, a death in the family. For someone who equates food with love, the chance to help a friend through a transition - whether it's the joyful welcoming of a new child or the sad goodbye to a loved one - is one I cannot pass up. And speaking of helping - do you have any other ideas or advice on how to support people who are juggling newborns? Having only had puppies, I know they need more than a baby gate and an extra bag of dog food, but as for specifics? I'd love some fresh ideas.

guilt, envy and bicycles

The Pineywoods Purgatory, a local bike ride that I've done for the past two years, is October 2nd. The first year I did the 25 mile ride, the second I did the 50. This year, I was going to attempt the 102 mile route, so as to complete my New Year's Goal (do a century ride) and redeem myself after calling it quits on the Hotter'N'Hell Hundred in August.

The Tyler Half Marathon, which I ran last year as my first half marathon, is the following weekend - October 10th. I also wanted to run this hilly, challenging route for a second time and beat my time from last year (2:10). Because of money issues (I'm on a frugal kick and rebuilding our budget - more on that later) and because I haven't ridden my bike since, oh, July, the choice seems simple. I should forgo the Purgatory, focus on the half, and enjoy the race guilt free.

But this is me we're talking about. And me? I'm the Queen of Guilt.

I can't do anything without feeling as if I should be doing something else, or something more. I feel guilty over eating pretzels instead of a banana. I feel guilty for hanging out with one set of friends instead of the other. I feel guilty for not making my bed in the morning, for not paying enough attention to Seamus, for forgetting to call my mother for the third week in a row, for not blogging five days a week. When I was a kid, I felt guilty for always putting on my right shoe first, and henceforth alternated right and left so the left foot wouldn't get jealous. Hey, I didn't say I was normal. I just said I was guilty. I'm also jealous of people who seem to breeze through life, making decisions without agonizing over the path not taken. People, what is your secret? Please tell me.

Until I learn those secrets, I know what I need to do. I need to stop feeling guilty and accept the fact that a century ride is not in my immediate future. I'm not ready, I don't want to risk injury, and I just don't have the time to devote to that kind of training. Maybe one day, but not now. Another thing I'm not ready for (since we're being all confessional here)? A triathlon. Remember in the spring, when I was regularly biking, swimming and running? I got to the point where I could swim a mile without stopping. I even did a few brick workouts - bike rides, followed immediately by a run. And then... nothing. My pool closed for the summer and driving to the Boys and Girls club was just the excuse I needed to stay in bed. I focused on a century ride instead, and we know how that turned out. And even though I feel immense guilt about having no immediate plans to complete a triathlon (guilt! again! of course!) the guilt is not enough to get me back in the pool, or recommit myself to working out twice a day. If I did that, so many other things would suffer. My dogs, my relationships, my cooking, my fiction class, my writing. Event though this quote is about living frugally, it applies to all the things I've been rambling about in this blog post.

Many of the biggest choices we make in our lives close a lot of them. The choice to get married (or not). The choice to have children (or not). The choice to chase a certain career path. The choice to leave college. Yes, sometimes those choices open a lot of other doors for us, but often, our regret is mired in the doors that we’ve closed.

I love races, new challenges, and fitness goals. But my life is more than how far I can ride my bike or how many workouts I can cram into one day. When I read all these blogs written by apparent Superwomen, the guilt begins to surface. I feel like I'm not doing enough. Eating enough quinoa, running enough miles, pushing myself hard enough. But of course comparing yourself to others never ends well. We all have different goals, different paths that we're traveling down. I want to run marathons, but I also want to write novels. I want to go to the lake on the weekends and bake cookies. I want to travel, and raise two happy, healthy dogs, and spend time with my friends, and practice yoga, and drink beers at the park. I need to remember that my fitness goals are only one part of my life, and that I don't let them eclipse all the other goals I have, which are just as important.

Short version: I'm not going to do the Purgatory this year. And I'm okay with that, even if I still feel guilty. And now you know why. :)

a marriage in the mountains

Once upon a time, in a freshman dorm called Crossroads, at a university called Purchase College, four 18 year old kids met - mostly because they all lived on the same hall. Over the years, this foursome went through breakups, hangovers, finals, parties, dining hall food, and countless other adventures. Then they all graduated, and they mostly moved away and apart.

Scott, one of these four kids, ended up traveling the world. I moved to Texas, and we all know how that turned out. Ella and Rachel stayed in New York and even lived together for a few years, and then Rachel left for Chicago. This past weekend, we were reunited in Massachusetts, for Scott's wedding. He married a kind, intelligent and beautiful woman named Melanie, and I could not be happier for the two of them.

Friendship is weird. In the case of Scott and Ella and Rachel, I saw them nearly every day for four solid years (except for the semester when Scott and I studied abroad in Ireland, which is a whole other list of adventures and hangovers). Since we graduated in 2004, I see them maybe twice a year. We've all changed so much since we walked across the stage and accepted our diplomas. Seen so many things, fallen in and out of love with so many people, had so many triumphs and failures and blossomed into the people we were just starting to discover all the years ago, on the second floor of Crossroads. I'm proud of each of us, and honored to know we are still - and will always be - a part of each others' lives.

Enough of the mushy stuff. Here's what you really need to know: this wedding was the best one I've ever been to. We arrived at the manor on Friday evening, just in time for the rehearsal dinner, an open bar, and a blazing bonfire. In the morning we woke up groggy and found breakfast downstairs. We went for a run on the Appalachian trail in the blessedly cool mountain air (six miles, which felt more like 15 and left me sore for days - oh, the elevations!). At lunch, more food appeared, which was delicious. Then there was the wedding, during which I cried steadily, then a cocktail hour, followed by dinner, followed by yet more drinking and a long night of dancing. In the morning? Yes. Brunch before we headed back to Texas and Scott and Melanie left for a ten day honeymoon in France and Spain.

The barn where we danced the night away. 

Ella made this cake beforehand and assembled it on site. 

These are my party shoes. 

I love this idea for place cards!

A friend's small child drew this and then a grown up tacked it to the wall.

This, my friends, is how weddings are done. You can bet I was taking notes for one day in the - dare I say it? - not-so-distant future.

Have you ever been to a unique and super fun wedding? Most of the weddings I've been to were family affairs, Catholic weddings which always feature a full mass. This type of wedding - personalized, with friends officiating, other friends telling the stories of how the couple met, and parents reading poems and original short stories - was so fun and personalized that it made me want to start planning a wedding immediately.

back from the edge

Sorry for the disappearance, but I just got back from a glorious weekend in the mountains of Massachusetts, celebrating the wedding and marriage of one of my oldest and dearest college friends. I'll post more about that later (three days away from town makes for a very busy Chrissy) but suffice to say: the wedding was perfect, the weather was breathtaking, and coming home was really, really hard.

And speaking of being busy, I wanted to quickly share something exciting with you! Last week I got an email from a woman who offered me a free copy of a new book that comes out tomorrow, in exchange for a review on my blog. Naturally, I was pretty excited, as my blog is not huge and I've never received anything of monetary value through it. (I blog for the love of blogging, y'all!) I was even more excited when I realized that the book was one which I had just that morning marked as "to read" on my Goodreads account. (Which is probably how the PR lady found me in the first place - the Internet is lovely!) The book should arrive next week and I'll let you know what I think after I've read, but I have a feeling I'm really going to like it. I mean, seriously - 9 Steps to Work Less and Do More?  That's pretty much my life's goal, so I'm very interested to see what advice, tips and guidance Mr. Robbins can offer me.

I hope you had a perfect weekend and are embarking on a productive week. Onward to Friday we go!

how to write less badly

Carleen linked to this great little article in the Chronicle of Higher Education: 10 Tips on How to Write Less Badly, by By Michael C. Munger. It's geared toward scholarly nonfiction, but a lot of the points make sense for any kind of writing. Here are two of my favorites.

4. Give Yourself Time. Writers sit at their desks for hours, wrestling with ideas. They ask questions, talk with other smart people over drinks or dinner, go on long walks. And then write a whole bunch more. Don't worry that what you write is not very good and isn't immediately usable. You get ideas when you write; you don't just write down ideas... Writing can be magic, if you give yourself time, because you can produce in the mind of some other person, distant from you in space or even time, an image of the ideas that exist in only your mind at this one instant.

We all know that writing well takes dedication, practice and patience. And yet, I still struggle with creating a regular writing habit. 500 words a day, five pages a week, one story a month, monthly writing goals - you name it, I've tried. They all work, for a little while, and I keep bouncing back from one trick to the next. As long as I'm producing something, then it's okay to switch things up. Currently, I'm writing once a week at the coffee shop. It's working, but I need to add more writing sessions to my week. One day out of seven is not nearly enough.

7. Write, then squeeze the other things in. Put your writing ahead of your other work. I happen to be a "morning person," so I write early in the day. Then I spend the rest of my day teaching, having meetings, or doing paperwork. You may be a "night person" or something in between. Just make sure you get in the habit of reserving your most productive time for writing. Don't do it as an afterthought or tell yourself you will write when you get a big block of time. Squeeze the other things in; the writing comes first.

This is my biggest issue. Balancing a 40 hour work week, marathon training, two dogs, and a relationship is tough enough. Adding a daily writing practice is even harder, but that doesn't mean it's not necessary. I need to stop complaining, stop making excuses, and make it a priority.

As I fine tune my MFA writing portfolio and contribute to my two writing workshops, writing will take it's rightful place at the top of my list. Deadlines help, and I've got a bunch of them looming. Onward and upward we go! 

labor day weekend adventures

I'm back, after a long and relaxing staycation here in good old Nacogdoches. We briefly considered a day trip to Houston, but them remembered that we're going to a wedding in Massachusetts this month and decided against it. It's all a part of my renewed effort to get my finances under control, pay off debt, and save money. Nathan and I have been talking about the future a lot lately, and saving money is much easier when you have tangible goals and a life plan.

So: no trip to Houston. Instead, we made our own adventure at home, socialized like veritable butterflies, shot guns, ran many miles, drank an extraordinary amount of coffee, and had a date at the park with mimosas and the two best dogs in the world. It was, in a word, perfect. In order, roughly:

Saw the First Friday Film Addicted to Plastic at the Cole Art Center and got depressed; brought some friends home from the film for beer drinking and music listening and felt better; went to Saturday morning yoga and got my stretch on; traveled to Lufkin in hopes of finding the perfect dress to wear to the Massachusetts wedding; did not find a perfect dress; baked chocolate chip cookies, black bean chili and cornbread and hosted game night; forgot that Belgium is a country and not a city that begins with B; came in second place at Scattergories; woke up early on Sunday and ran ten glorious miles in cool weather; drank mimosas at the park with Nathan and the dog after the run; realized I still needed to eat actual food and devoured a vegan pizza in about seven seconds; drove to Mark's land and shot guns at hand drawn targets; made vegan potato salad and rode bikes to E and G's little house, where they prepared a delicious feast on their homemade grill; had the best ever grilled bread; ate so much good food, I thought I would explode; became amazed at the fact that even after six years, we are still meeting good, interesting, funny, and kind people in this little town; slept until nearly 8am on Monday; went to yoga at 10 and then had coffee after with three wonderful girlfriends; rode my scooter a lot, and felt confident; borrowed a perfect dress for the wedding from Eralda; made a favorite dinner (chickpea cutlets, roasted potatoes, and asparagus); took the dogs for an evening walk; watched three episodes of Battlestar Galactica; went to sleep tired, happy, and in love with my weekends.

How was your holiday?

friday! friday! friday!

Guys! It's Friday, and Monday is Labor Day, and that means beginning at 5pm on the dot, I will be relishing a rare THREE DAY WEEKEND! This calls for celebration. This calls for projects (new linoleum in the kitchen? Perhaps!). This calls for rest and relaxation and a long run and lots of writing. But I'm getting ahead of myself. First things first!

 This is why I don't have too many photos of Calvin. He never stops moving!

Things about this past week that got me down:
- Despite planning out my dinners for the week, as usual, I didn't stick to the list at all. We had weird meals and even ordered a pizza last night. Must plan better next week!
- My procrastination is out of control. Scooter paperwork, getting books for class, ordering a wedding gift, finding a dress for the wedding, finishing the yoga newsletter. All in progress, and by progress, I mean totally stalled. Must break this habit soon.

I love weeks where the minus list is nice and short! Moving on to the good stuff.
+ Calvin's obedience training class is picking up! We're learning more tricks, he's doing really well, and class totally exhausts him. Plus the instructor said he would be "a great dog." I am so relieved, and so proud of the progress he's made these last few weeks.
+ Speaking of classes, I started my fiction workshop last night and I love it. There is nothing I like better than sitting in a room of people, talking about stories and writing. It was like coming home. 
+ Even though the scooter isn't quite street legal, I rode it to yoga on Wednesday evening and did not fall off or crash into the sidewalk. Progress!
+ We've had rain nearly every day this week, which translates to cozy evenings on the couch, with a glass of wine and the last season of Battlestar Galactica.

I guess that about sums it up. It's been a quietly busy week, for which I'm grateful. And now - onward to the weekend!

fall running goal: get faster!

Now that it's September, racing season is upon us! Over the last few weeks, I've been busy building up my mileage and establishing a solid running base. Last weekend's ten miler made me feel like I'm back in the game, so now my focus is turning to something that has always been a weakness: speed!

When I started seriously training for half marathons and marathons last year, I focused solely on distance. This year, I know that I can complete 13.1 and 26.2 miles, so I want to work at finishing them faster. This means I need to start doing speed work - specially, mile repeats.

What is a mile repeat, you ask? Allow me to explain. You begin by running one or two warm up miles. Then, you run a mile at a fast, predetermined pace (my plan called for 8:03), then do a half mile recovery jog, then repeat for as many times as your plan demands (mine demanded 3 miles, total, with recovery jogs in between each).  I had been nervous about this workout since Monday, when I saw it on my schedule. Even though it's September, it's still hot and humid, even at 6:00 am, and my pace has been frustratingly slow all summer. Did I really want to do this now? Couldn't I put it off a few more weeks, when the weather is a little more friendly?

No, I could not. I am running a local 5K on September 25 and I want to place in my age group. That requires speed. Plus, Claire from Will Run for Beer wrote about her mile repeats yesterday and she did ten. Ten! Surely I could muscle through three. I got dressed in the dark, took Calvin out to pee, and jogged one mile to the SFA track as slowly as I could. 

I lined up at the starting mile and took off at a fast clip. The first lap felt great, but naturally that did not last. By the time I was in the homestretch, my side ached, my heart felt like it was going to beat straight out of my chest, and my breath was hard and ragged. First mile: 8:04. I slowed to a recovery walk, grinned, and then paused to bend over and gag into the grass. That was hard.

I walked and jogged the half mile and then I considered just going home. I felt sick and it was so, so humid. But one mile does not a repeat make, so I told myself I could run one more and then call it a day. I lined up for my second mile and took off at a not-quick-as-fast clip. Second mile: 8:27, but ten times harder. I was spent. I started jogging home but half way there, met up with Nathan and the dogs and finished the morning out by walking with them. Total mileage: about four miles. How I felt: like I had just run a half marathon. Verdict: it is really hard to run fast, but every time I do these workouts I get a tiny bit faster. I deem this workout a success.

best show ever

I've only seen the first two episodes of season 3, as I don't have cable and my Mad Men watching friends are all extremely pregnant. That's okay. It means I have a whole season of amazing television to look forward to once it's out on DVD. Until then, this amazing slideshow from Rolling Stone will have to suffice.

september writing goals

Can I get a HELL YES for September? This August was pretty terrible, mostly because of the weather. The fact that I can type "September Writing Goals" somehow makes the continued 100 degree temperatures go down a little easier. Relief is right around the corner!

In addition to being so humid I could barely breathe, August wasn't a very productive month. Yes, my puppy is now housebroken and knows a number of semi-impressive tricks, but other than that? Most of my August writing goals didn't quite happen. Let's review.

• Finalize my list of schools to which I will apply for an MFA in creative writing. I made great progress on this. I have a list of 10 schools that I feel fairly confident about, which I'll post in a few days. The list may change slightly by the time I actually submit, of course, but I've got a solid base to work with. Whew! 
• Finish all unfinished drafts. I didn't touch any unfinished drafts. Bummer.
  
• Send in contest submission. I successfully entered the Barthelme Prize for Short Prose, hosted by Gulf Coast Journal. It cost $18 to enter, but you get a year's subscription to the journal. Pretty nice deal! 
• Reorganize home office. If moving stacks of papers from one surface to another counts as "reorganizing," then I was quite successful. What's that? It doesn't count? Double bummer. 

It's a good thing August is over. As for September, I'm excited for a lot of things and a lot of them are writing related. I have a feeling it's going to be a good month! Let's see what's on the agenda, shall we?

September Writing Goals  

• Begin two writing workshops and submit stories for critiques. I'm enrolled in the Graduate Fiction Workshop at the university where I work. I actually took this class over a year ago, but I loved it so much and it's taught by my favorite professor. Since the school pays for one class a semester, why not take it again? Why not indeed. I'm also taking part in another workshop that a friend is organizing, which will be run much like a class. I am aiming to submit a story to both workshops by the end of the month - stories that have a good chance of making into my MFA application portfolio. 
• Make a chart of deadlines, admission standards, and requirements. Speaking of MFA's, ten schools is a lot to keep straight. Excel will soon be my best friend.   
• Continue spending a few hours each Sunday at the coffee shop. It really is a good habit - I can focus better without the distractions of my apartment, such as puppies and laundry, plus their coffee is like crack. Good stuff. 
• Blog more about writing. I'm not going to turn this into a writing blog (just like I won't turn it into a running blog, or a foodie blog, or a photo blog) but writing about writing keeps me focused and holds me accountable. I want to visit this topic more than once a month, and I hope y'all don't mind. 

That may not seem like a lot of a goals, but it's not about a number. It's about spending quality time with writing and words, being an active practitioner of my craft, and living a life deeply devoted to improving my art. Here's to September, the month of fresh notebooks. academic daydreams, and more forgiving weather! Now get to writing!