Or, maybe I should title this "Holiday!!!" lol
I just found out last week that one of my cousins is getting married in July of next year. She still lives in the area of England where I grew up so I'm really excited that hubby and I get to go over there for the wedding! By that time it will have been 11 years since I've been and he has never been so it will be a great trip. I'm really looking forward to seeing everyone and showing hubby my roots :)
I'm sure we'll be spending lots of time over the next few months planning this! I have so much I want to do while I'm there...
Showing posts with label Vents and Stories. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Vents and Stories. Show all posts
Monday, September 10, 2007
Monday, September 3, 2007
Been MIA (or maybe AWOL!)
No I have not given up and quit running... I'm still going with that and still having a great time! :) I've just been really busy lately! I was in a class in August that pretty much ate my soul - 4 huge assignments due in one week along with other assignments during the rest of the month... ugh! Dang work horse instructors! Plus, I went back to work at the end of the month after my lovely summer off. Once that slows down a bit, I'll get back into the blogging!
My current goal is to make it up to 4 miles without stopping and then sign up to run a 5K sometime this fall (after it cools off a bit!)
Unfortunately I just had my wisdom teeth out on Friday and while it didn't bother me at all (yeay - no pain!), my dentist told me no running and no kung fu until it heals... boo! I generally heal very quickly so I'm planning to go out for a run on Wednesday after work (I think I would have been OK to go out today but thought it was best to wait until after my dentist appointment tomorrow - I can check with the doctor).
I'll check back in on Wednesday about my run that day.
Oh, on another workout note, I finally have a test date set for my tai chi purple fringe! woo hoo! October 1st is the day - can't wait :) I was sort of hoping to have it sooner but when I think about it, I really do need the next couple weeks to really polish my stuff! Will be really nice to learn some new stuff..!
My current goal is to make it up to 4 miles without stopping and then sign up to run a 5K sometime this fall (after it cools off a bit!)
Unfortunately I just had my wisdom teeth out on Friday and while it didn't bother me at all (yeay - no pain!), my dentist told me no running and no kung fu until it heals... boo! I generally heal very quickly so I'm planning to go out for a run on Wednesday after work (I think I would have been OK to go out today but thought it was best to wait until after my dentist appointment tomorrow - I can check with the doctor).
I'll check back in on Wednesday about my run that day.
Oh, on another workout note, I finally have a test date set for my tai chi purple fringe! woo hoo! October 1st is the day - can't wait :) I was sort of hoping to have it sooner but when I think about it, I really do need the next couple weeks to really polish my stuff! Will be really nice to learn some new stuff..!
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
FlyLady Progress
Wow, haven't written about this in a while! School is kicking my butt (I'm working on my MA in Teaching) this month and I'm also going back to work after my lovely summer off... is it just me or did this summer go by really quickly?! I blame being in school! lol ;)
I have been keeping up on the FlyLady stuff and the house is looking great! I've said this before but it was never a big mess to begin with. However, it's just so nice to not have to spend all weekend trying to power-clean the house! Doing a little each day is really helpful.
Here's what I've been working on:
*I quit doing the Baby Steps after about 2 weeks! Well, I thought they were a bit lame and decided to just concentrate on the actual cleaning stuff. I already know how to organize a calendar and plan my day so I really didn't need them!
*Worked on the kitchen last week. Cleaned out the pantry which was really nice! I had some stuff in there that expired a LONG time ago! I'm surprised some of that stuff hadn't grown legs and walked out! Also worked on thoroughly cleaning my countertops, cleaned out the fridge, and swept and mopped really well. I know I did more in there, just can't remember what it was now!
*This week I'm working on the master bathroom and one other room. Since I did the office last time I've chosen to tackle the guest bedroom. The guest bedroom looks OK on the surface - just don't open the closet! wow! What a mess... Since I work from home, I have all sorts of textbooks that I keep on-hand for students. Well, I have to put them somewhere and they had begun to over-populate the guest room closet. Went through those and decided which ones could be taken back to the school library and took them back. Looks better already, however, there is still a lot of work to be done in that closet! I've decided that's my focus for the week - just the closet (along with the bathroom).
I have this routine of cleaning my bathroom every Sunday so the bathroom weeks are usually pretty easy for me. There were some rather odd cleaning projects for this week, though, that I've started working on! Yesterday I cleaned the base and the back of the toilet. Icky, I know! My bathroom is carpeted which is a PITA since I can't just "mop" the toilet along with the floor. Just put gloves on and got back there with bathroom cleaner and a bunch of paper towels. Today's task was to clean the bathroom trash can (give it a good wipe out with soap and let it air dry).
Other things to do this week include:
*vacuuming the guest bedroom
*cleaning out the medicine cabinet
*continuing to work on that closet!
*cleaning the bathroom sinks and countertops really well
I've also been keeping up with the swish-and-swipe habit as well as shining my sinks. In addition, we are supposed to be doing a load of laundry daily (the new habit for August). Since I just don't create that much laundry I am just continuing to do the majority of it on one day and then picking one other day during the week to do a second load (usually darks since most of my workout stuff is dark-coloured). Seems to be working well for me. I've also been continuing with the weekly home blessing hour which works really well! I've added a couple things to that such as watering my plants (indoor and outdoor) which I also do a second time each week, sweeping the front porch/steps/walkway, and cleaning the glass doors on the living room cabinet, TV cabinet, and fireplace. Just that one hour a week makes a huge difference! And yes, I am able to run around and do most of the home blessing stuff in 1 hour!
I'll try to remember to check back in sometime next week! There is a board on the Nest where one of the ladies does a daily check-in for us. So helpful! :) I'm sure without her I would have said "screw this!" and quit this FlyLady stuff a while back! lol
I have been keeping up on the FlyLady stuff and the house is looking great! I've said this before but it was never a big mess to begin with. However, it's just so nice to not have to spend all weekend trying to power-clean the house! Doing a little each day is really helpful.
Here's what I've been working on:
*I quit doing the Baby Steps after about 2 weeks! Well, I thought they were a bit lame and decided to just concentrate on the actual cleaning stuff. I already know how to organize a calendar and plan my day so I really didn't need them!
*Worked on the kitchen last week. Cleaned out the pantry which was really nice! I had some stuff in there that expired a LONG time ago! I'm surprised some of that stuff hadn't grown legs and walked out! Also worked on thoroughly cleaning my countertops, cleaned out the fridge, and swept and mopped really well. I know I did more in there, just can't remember what it was now!
*This week I'm working on the master bathroom and one other room. Since I did the office last time I've chosen to tackle the guest bedroom. The guest bedroom looks OK on the surface - just don't open the closet! wow! What a mess... Since I work from home, I have all sorts of textbooks that I keep on-hand for students. Well, I have to put them somewhere and they had begun to over-populate the guest room closet. Went through those and decided which ones could be taken back to the school library and took them back. Looks better already, however, there is still a lot of work to be done in that closet! I've decided that's my focus for the week - just the closet (along with the bathroom).
I have this routine of cleaning my bathroom every Sunday so the bathroom weeks are usually pretty easy for me. There were some rather odd cleaning projects for this week, though, that I've started working on! Yesterday I cleaned the base and the back of the toilet. Icky, I know! My bathroom is carpeted which is a PITA since I can't just "mop" the toilet along with the floor. Just put gloves on and got back there with bathroom cleaner and a bunch of paper towels. Today's task was to clean the bathroom trash can (give it a good wipe out with soap and let it air dry).
Other things to do this week include:
*vacuuming the guest bedroom
*cleaning out the medicine cabinet
*continuing to work on that closet!
*cleaning the bathroom sinks and countertops really well
I've also been keeping up with the swish-and-swipe habit as well as shining my sinks. In addition, we are supposed to be doing a load of laundry daily (the new habit for August). Since I just don't create that much laundry I am just continuing to do the majority of it on one day and then picking one other day during the week to do a second load (usually darks since most of my workout stuff is dark-coloured). Seems to be working well for me. I've also been continuing with the weekly home blessing hour which works really well! I've added a couple things to that such as watering my plants (indoor and outdoor) which I also do a second time each week, sweeping the front porch/steps/walkway, and cleaning the glass doors on the living room cabinet, TV cabinet, and fireplace. Just that one hour a week makes a huge difference! And yes, I am able to run around and do most of the home blessing stuff in 1 hour!
I'll try to remember to check back in sometime next week! There is a board on the Nest where one of the ladies does a daily check-in for us. So helpful! :) I'm sure without her I would have said "screw this!" and quit this FlyLady stuff a while back! lol
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
Fly Lady - Week 4 Update
Well, this week we are working on the living room and entry way/front porch. I have decided to just say screw it to the BabySteps.. they were pretty lame anyway! I'm just doing the weekly room focus things (whatever those are called) and the swish/swipe/monthly focus things. Those seem to be keeping me on track with keeping the house clean (not like it was a huge disaster to begin with...)
Anyway, back to what I came in to actually write about! For the living room/entry way, here is what we are supposed to have been doing:
*Day 1 - Go couch and chair diving! lol Yes, we were supposed to pull the cushions off the couch/chairs and look for random junk in there - coins, socks, unmentionables ;) I didn't find anything... was hoping for some cash but no luck!
*Day 2 - Dust decorative items in the living room. Wow, I thought this would take me a small lifetime - I have a lot of little knick-knacks just sitting out on shelves and things! It was actually pretty quick. I just went around and attacked everything with a Swiffer cloth - worked well! Unfortunately, though, it did not inspire me to take some of the clutter and put it elsewhere...
*Day 3 - moving on to the front porch. We have to sweep the porch and shake out the welcome mat. We're also supposed to wipe down the front door but mine just got a fresh coat of paint so I'm just going to skip that part (shhh... don't tell!)
*Day 4 - Clean the walls and windows in the living room. Guess I'll be doing that today since I'll be out of town from tomorrow on... screw doing the walls but I will wipe down the windows/balcony door :)
*Day 5 - another thing to add to today's list - put crap away that's sitting out in the entryway. Oh well that's easy! We don't have anything out there that doesn't belong! yippee! :)
We're also supposed to start doing a load of laundry everyday! Excuse me... no! What a major disservice to the planet...! Ugh! I do laundry once a week so I can just fill up the washer and not feel like a huge waste of water/soap. I will continue with my once-a-week laundry, thank you very much! :) FlyLady works my last nerve sometimes...! Just in case you can't tell :) I really only do it so I'm not spending my entire weekend trying to clean everything at once!
I've done days 1 and 2; off to do days 3 and 4 now :) Have a great week! Wonder what I get to do next week...?
Anyway, back to what I came in to actually write about! For the living room/entry way, here is what we are supposed to have been doing:
*Day 1 - Go couch and chair diving! lol Yes, we were supposed to pull the cushions off the couch/chairs and look for random junk in there - coins, socks, unmentionables ;) I didn't find anything... was hoping for some cash but no luck!
*Day 2 - Dust decorative items in the living room. Wow, I thought this would take me a small lifetime - I have a lot of little knick-knacks just sitting out on shelves and things! It was actually pretty quick. I just went around and attacked everything with a Swiffer cloth - worked well! Unfortunately, though, it did not inspire me to take some of the clutter and put it elsewhere...
*Day 3 - moving on to the front porch. We have to sweep the porch and shake out the welcome mat. We're also supposed to wipe down the front door but mine just got a fresh coat of paint so I'm just going to skip that part (shhh... don't tell!)
*Day 4 - Clean the walls and windows in the living room. Guess I'll be doing that today since I'll be out of town from tomorrow on... screw doing the walls but I will wipe down the windows/balcony door :)
*Day 5 - another thing to add to today's list - put crap away that's sitting out in the entryway. Oh well that's easy! We don't have anything out there that doesn't belong! yippee! :)
We're also supposed to start doing a load of laundry everyday! Excuse me... no! What a major disservice to the planet...! Ugh! I do laundry once a week so I can just fill up the washer and not feel like a huge waste of water/soap. I will continue with my once-a-week laundry, thank you very much! :) FlyLady works my last nerve sometimes...! Just in case you can't tell :) I really only do it so I'm not spending my entire weekend trying to clean everything at once!
I've done days 1 and 2; off to do days 3 and 4 now :) Have a great week! Wonder what I get to do next week...?
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Run #2 and #3 (overachiever...!)
Those expensive shoes have been a great motivation to keep running! lol... for me it's good that it's been 3 days and I haven't fallen off the wagon yet! ;) The shoes are GREAT, by the way. I went out on Saturday for run #2 (details later) and no pain! I actually didn't feel like I was wearing shoes at all - they are so light. I had a little bit of shin splints from Thursday but just told myself to run through them (is that bad?! They are much better today!) but the nasty thing on the back of my heel barely hurt at all.
Week 1, Run #2: Saturday, July 28
So, after speaking with my dad on Friday I decided just to *sort of* follow the C25K guidelines. I'm not exactly going from being inactive (I work out a ton!) so it's a little easier for me to go a bit faster-paced on this. Plus, I just get into this groove while I'm running and don't want to get out of it! Well, except for a quick drink of water! Anyway, instead of doing the 60 seconds of jogging and 90 seconds of walking, I decided to start with the 5 minute warm-up walk then run as long as I could then do the 90 seconds of walking. I kept that going for the 20 minutes and it worked out really well. So much fun! I went to the gym on Saturday (pleased to find out my membership is still current!) and just did the workout on the treadmill. I ended up being able to do 1.93 miles in the 25 minutes (the first 5 of which was strictly walking). I think I got up to about 3 minutes of non-stop jogging before I stopped for a drink (bit hard to drink and run when you're on a treadmill - I'm a bit of a klutz so I tend to dribble!)
Week 1, Run #3: Sunday, July 29
Went back to the gym this afternoon after church, lunch, and painting a second coat on the inside of the front door (busy Sunday!) The gym was practically empty which was really lovely! I'm continuing with my "run as far as I can" thing which seems to be working well for me. I'm not pushing too hard since I know that has gotten me in trouble in the past, but it just feels good to keep going! I've noticed I only develop a cramp when I stop jogging and start walking! Nice motivation to keep going :)
Today I was able to do 1/10 of a mile more than I did yesterday! Woohoo! I know, that probably seems like nothing to seasoned runners but it was quite exciting to me. It means I'm doing a bit more running/less walking. Every little bit helps. So, I went 2.03 miles in the 25 minutes. The treadmill is nice since it tells me exactly how far I've gone and exactly how long it took! I know running on the street would be better experience for an actual 5K so I'll start working some of that in, too. My dad does some trail-type running so when I feel like I can keep up with him and the dog, I'll start joining them for some runs! That might be a while..! ;)
The shoes are still working well - no pain in the heel area again even though it still looks nasty. Hopefully I will eventually work up some harder skin back there which will help prevent it (that and my $20 socks! lol) I must be the only girl who *wishes* for calloused skin on her feet! The shin splints from Thursday (they were very mild) have also gone. I guess running through them on Saturday wasn't so bad! I've been stretching a ton before and after my runs - I really need to do some dynamic stretches before and just not care how goofy I look doing them - and save the static stuff for after the runs. Sure any stretching helps, though.
No run tomorrow - have to take a break to prevent more shin splints (or worse - stress fractures)! I do have 1.5 hours of tai chi tomorrow night, though, so it's not exactly a lazy day!
I actually have my tai chi lesson tomorrow so we'll see if I'm any closer to getting that test day set up!
Have a great week - I'll keep posting about my running progress! This week may be a bit *off* due to the fact I'm going out of town for a long weekend. Right now I'm planning on going out Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday before I leave. Maybe I'll take my shoes and squeeze in a run while I'm up in Santa Barbara so I'm not having to run 3 days in a row. Not sure my knees will like me so much after that! :)
Week 1, Run #2: Saturday, July 28
So, after speaking with my dad on Friday I decided just to *sort of* follow the C25K guidelines. I'm not exactly going from being inactive (I work out a ton!) so it's a little easier for me to go a bit faster-paced on this. Plus, I just get into this groove while I'm running and don't want to get out of it! Well, except for a quick drink of water! Anyway, instead of doing the 60 seconds of jogging and 90 seconds of walking, I decided to start with the 5 minute warm-up walk then run as long as I could then do the 90 seconds of walking. I kept that going for the 20 minutes and it worked out really well. So much fun! I went to the gym on Saturday (pleased to find out my membership is still current!) and just did the workout on the treadmill. I ended up being able to do 1.93 miles in the 25 minutes (the first 5 of which was strictly walking). I think I got up to about 3 minutes of non-stop jogging before I stopped for a drink (bit hard to drink and run when you're on a treadmill - I'm a bit of a klutz so I tend to dribble!)
Week 1, Run #3: Sunday, July 29
Went back to the gym this afternoon after church, lunch, and painting a second coat on the inside of the front door (busy Sunday!) The gym was practically empty which was really lovely! I'm continuing with my "run as far as I can" thing which seems to be working well for me. I'm not pushing too hard since I know that has gotten me in trouble in the past, but it just feels good to keep going! I've noticed I only develop a cramp when I stop jogging and start walking! Nice motivation to keep going :)
Today I was able to do 1/10 of a mile more than I did yesterday! Woohoo! I know, that probably seems like nothing to seasoned runners but it was quite exciting to me. It means I'm doing a bit more running/less walking. Every little bit helps. So, I went 2.03 miles in the 25 minutes. The treadmill is nice since it tells me exactly how far I've gone and exactly how long it took! I know running on the street would be better experience for an actual 5K so I'll start working some of that in, too. My dad does some trail-type running so when I feel like I can keep up with him and the dog, I'll start joining them for some runs! That might be a while..! ;)
The shoes are still working well - no pain in the heel area again even though it still looks nasty. Hopefully I will eventually work up some harder skin back there which will help prevent it (that and my $20 socks! lol) I must be the only girl who *wishes* for calloused skin on her feet! The shin splints from Thursday (they were very mild) have also gone. I guess running through them on Saturday wasn't so bad! I've been stretching a ton before and after my runs - I really need to do some dynamic stretches before and just not care how goofy I look doing them - and save the static stuff for after the runs. Sure any stretching helps, though.
No run tomorrow - have to take a break to prevent more shin splints (or worse - stress fractures)! I do have 1.5 hours of tai chi tomorrow night, though, so it's not exactly a lazy day!
I actually have my tai chi lesson tomorrow so we'll see if I'm any closer to getting that test day set up!
Have a great week - I'll keep posting about my running progress! This week may be a bit *off* due to the fact I'm going out of town for a long weekend. Right now I'm planning on going out Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday before I leave. Maybe I'll take my shoes and squeeze in a run while I'm up in Santa Barbara so I'm not having to run 3 days in a row. Not sure my knees will like me so much after that! :)
Friday, July 27, 2007
Run #1 and running shoe porn!
So I actually did it - I went out on my first "run" for the C25K plan :) It felt so good... not really "running" - more of a nice long walk that incorporated a bit of jogging. Guess I should start out with a bit of information on C25K...
Here's the website.
For Week One, I am supposed to do three workouts that are all the same. You go out and walk for 5 minutes at a brisk pace then alternate 60 seconds of jogging with 90 seconds of walking for 20 minutes.
I just went out and ran around my townhouse complex since I just didn't feel like driving to the gym! Besides, I'm not too crazy about the "gym culture" esp. not at the one I've been going to! The clientele are a bit much..!
It was really nice - I think I ran a bit more than I was supposed to because I kept getting into these little jogging "grooves" and didn't want to stop... that's a good thing, though! Plus, it was really hard to try to count seconds while doing my breathing exercises so I don't get a cramp in my side! Have to invest in a stop watch...
The only problem I had was that my old running shoes suck! :( They weren't cheap - New Balance - nice pair of shoes so I'm a bit pissed! I have had them a while (but they aren't worn out) and they've always rubbed at my heels (my heels have been slipping in them)...
I've been on this kick for the last couple years now that I'm going to start running. I always enjoy it but have just never been able to stick with it! I think these damn shoes have been part of the problem! lol... They hurt so much that I just haven't wanted to wear them...
Well, yesterday I just sucked it up and just kept going. When I got home I had rubbed a huge amount of skin off my right heel :( Left heel hurt a bit but was not badly "torn up." Immediately emailed my runner dad. The email went something like the following:
Hey,
I've decided to start running (again!). I went out this morning just for this little run following this plan I found but my shoes are killing my feet! I've rubbed all sorts of skin off my heel and it hurts like hell. Any suggestions on what I can do to help prevent this? Maybe some kind of insert/band-aid/wearing two pairs of socks/anything?!
I had a few more running shoe-related questions but can't quite remember what they were. Anyway, he actually ended up phoning me a couple hours later and spent 25/30 minutes going over shoes and feet with me! :) So great having runners in the family! Told me it was a size problem and that I might want to buy an insole to put under the shoe insole. Thought about that and then I asked him about this running shoe store that we have here in San Diego. His answer to the running shoe store was quite funny: "Oh, yes, well, I wasn't going to suggest that since you will end up paying a bit more there than you would anywhere else but I'm glad you brought it up!" He then proceeded to talk about this place and sing its praises for at least 15 minutes :) He told me all about pronating and that my feet were probably over-pronating (no idea how to spell that!) and that the Roadrunner place would do this whole diagnostic thing to help me find a pair of shoes that actually fit.
So, I decided to go down there today and explain what has been going on/try to find a decent pair of shoes. They were so helpful! My goodness - so nice to find a store full of people who actually have a clue as to what they are talking about! The diagnostic thing was fun :) They had you walk over this mat that showed where you were putting pressure on your feet (sure enough, I am a total over-pronator! lol) which is probably not helped by my dancer-esque frame (long legs, high arches, narrow feet)... Then I had to run on the treadmill for a bit so the machine could see how I run and do some more foot pressure things. Very cool all this technology! :) He then gave me three shoe recommendations and recommended some in-soles to go with them.
So, 1.5 hours and $160 later, I am the proud owner of a new pair of shoes! :) They feel great - even with my messed up heel! Oh, and I didn't spend the whole $160 on shoes - $30 of that was for the insoles and another $22 was for these blister-preventing socks... I'm sure I got suckered into buying the $22 socks but if they help this heel thing then oh well! And if they don't really work then it's no great loss :)
I can't wait to go out for a second run tomorrow with my new toys! lol I really want to go out tonight but my heel is still bothering me (I actually had to take my shoes off for tai chi last night - thank heavens we were inside on the mat!) so I think I'll give it a day off and go out in the morning :)
Oh! Here's some "running shoe porn" for you ;)
Don't say I never give you anything!
Here's the website.
For Week One, I am supposed to do three workouts that are all the same. You go out and walk for 5 minutes at a brisk pace then alternate 60 seconds of jogging with 90 seconds of walking for 20 minutes.
I just went out and ran around my townhouse complex since I just didn't feel like driving to the gym! Besides, I'm not too crazy about the "gym culture" esp. not at the one I've been going to! The clientele are a bit much..!
It was really nice - I think I ran a bit more than I was supposed to because I kept getting into these little jogging "grooves" and didn't want to stop... that's a good thing, though! Plus, it was really hard to try to count seconds while doing my breathing exercises so I don't get a cramp in my side! Have to invest in a stop watch...
The only problem I had was that my old running shoes suck! :( They weren't cheap - New Balance - nice pair of shoes so I'm a bit pissed! I have had them a while (but they aren't worn out) and they've always rubbed at my heels (my heels have been slipping in them)...
I've been on this kick for the last couple years now that I'm going to start running. I always enjoy it but have just never been able to stick with it! I think these damn shoes have been part of the problem! lol... They hurt so much that I just haven't wanted to wear them...
Well, yesterday I just sucked it up and just kept going. When I got home I had rubbed a huge amount of skin off my right heel :( Left heel hurt a bit but was not badly "torn up." Immediately emailed my runner dad. The email went something like the following:
Hey,
I've decided to start running (again!). I went out this morning just for this little run following this plan I found but my shoes are killing my feet! I've rubbed all sorts of skin off my heel and it hurts like hell. Any suggestions on what I can do to help prevent this? Maybe some kind of insert/band-aid/wearing two pairs of socks/anything?!
I had a few more running shoe-related questions but can't quite remember what they were. Anyway, he actually ended up phoning me a couple hours later and spent 25/30 minutes going over shoes and feet with me! :) So great having runners in the family! Told me it was a size problem and that I might want to buy an insole to put under the shoe insole. Thought about that and then I asked him about this running shoe store that we have here in San Diego. His answer to the running shoe store was quite funny: "Oh, yes, well, I wasn't going to suggest that since you will end up paying a bit more there than you would anywhere else but I'm glad you brought it up!" He then proceeded to talk about this place and sing its praises for at least 15 minutes :) He told me all about pronating and that my feet were probably over-pronating (no idea how to spell that!) and that the Roadrunner place would do this whole diagnostic thing to help me find a pair of shoes that actually fit.
So, I decided to go down there today and explain what has been going on/try to find a decent pair of shoes. They were so helpful! My goodness - so nice to find a store full of people who actually have a clue as to what they are talking about! The diagnostic thing was fun :) They had you walk over this mat that showed where you were putting pressure on your feet (sure enough, I am a total over-pronator! lol) which is probably not helped by my dancer-esque frame (long legs, high arches, narrow feet)... Then I had to run on the treadmill for a bit so the machine could see how I run and do some more foot pressure things. Very cool all this technology! :) He then gave me three shoe recommendations and recommended some in-soles to go with them.
So, 1.5 hours and $160 later, I am the proud owner of a new pair of shoes! :) They feel great - even with my messed up heel! Oh, and I didn't spend the whole $160 on shoes - $30 of that was for the insoles and another $22 was for these blister-preventing socks... I'm sure I got suckered into buying the $22 socks but if they help this heel thing then oh well! And if they don't really work then it's no great loss :)
I can't wait to go out for a second run tomorrow with my new toys! lol I really want to go out tonight but my heel is still bothering me (I actually had to take my shoes off for tai chi last night - thank heavens we were inside on the mat!) so I think I'll give it a day off and go out in the morning :)
Oh! Here's some "running shoe porn" for you ;)
Don't say I never give you anything!
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
New Hobby - Running!
So I'm sure you've heard of people who train to run marathons or half-marathons? Well, I'm training to run a 5K.. lol
Start small, right?! :) Babysteps as the FlyLady would say!
Little background:
My dad and younger sister are both runners. Dad has run many marathons, half-marathons, 10Ks, 5Ks, all kinds of stuff on all kinds of terrain. My sister was on varsity track and cross-country for long-distance running in high school and ran her first marathon a couple years ago. Me... not a runner! Apparently the running gene skips a child. ;) I do enjoy running, I'm just not very good at it. I think I just push myself to hard - trying to live up to the family name or something! lol
I, as you have heard, do kung fu and tai chi (well, tai chi really is a form of kung fu - just slowed down a bit!).. I have been doing a ton of that lately - going in 4-5 times a week and spending anywhere from 9-11 hours a week on it (including group classes, lessons, and independent practice). I know, more than some people work out in a year, right?! However; tai chi is not exactly known for it's cardiovascular health benefits so I figured I need to step that up a bit! I have a gym membership through work (it's one of the health benefits) but I just don't use it since I'm not paying for it (!) and I'm at kung fu so darn much!
I've been hearing on the Nest about this C25K program (Couch to 5K) and have been quite curious about it. I honestly just kept blowing it off since I've always thought I wouldn't be able to do it. Then I did some math and realized 5K is only 3 miles... I could do that! It's not like I want to come in first place or anything! So, after my Wednesday afternoon tai chi class (I will miss that when work starts up again!) I decided I needed another thing to do (!) and that I was going to start the program this week.
I got home and logged onto the website for it - Cool Running - to find out what it is really all about. Basically, you spend 9 weeks doing 3 workouts per week. They start out very slowly and gradually work up to 3 miles. It seems so do-able! I figure I can do some workouts at the gym on the treadmill and some I can do running around the townhouse complex just to get a feel for the road as opposed to some fake rubber thing! I'd run around the neighborhood/the block but it's full of steep hills so it's probably best not to start out there!
My goal is to complete the first 9 week session by mid-September then start it over again and plan on participating in a 5K early next year. Taking it slow but I think that's the whole point of this program. I'll keep posting on here about how I'm doing and what each of the workouts are.
I'm starting tomorrow - wish me luck!
Hmmm.. guess it's time to update the iPod!
Start small, right?! :) Babysteps as the FlyLady would say!
Little background:
My dad and younger sister are both runners. Dad has run many marathons, half-marathons, 10Ks, 5Ks, all kinds of stuff on all kinds of terrain. My sister was on varsity track and cross-country for long-distance running in high school and ran her first marathon a couple years ago. Me... not a runner! Apparently the running gene skips a child. ;) I do enjoy running, I'm just not very good at it. I think I just push myself to hard - trying to live up to the family name or something! lol
I, as you have heard, do kung fu and tai chi (well, tai chi really is a form of kung fu - just slowed down a bit!).. I have been doing a ton of that lately - going in 4-5 times a week and spending anywhere from 9-11 hours a week on it (including group classes, lessons, and independent practice). I know, more than some people work out in a year, right?! However; tai chi is not exactly known for it's cardiovascular health benefits so I figured I need to step that up a bit! I have a gym membership through work (it's one of the health benefits) but I just don't use it since I'm not paying for it (!) and I'm at kung fu so darn much!
I've been hearing on the Nest about this C25K program (Couch to 5K) and have been quite curious about it. I honestly just kept blowing it off since I've always thought I wouldn't be able to do it. Then I did some math and realized 5K is only 3 miles... I could do that! It's not like I want to come in first place or anything! So, after my Wednesday afternoon tai chi class (I will miss that when work starts up again!) I decided I needed another thing to do (!) and that I was going to start the program this week.
I got home and logged onto the website for it - Cool Running - to find out what it is really all about. Basically, you spend 9 weeks doing 3 workouts per week. They start out very slowly and gradually work up to 3 miles. It seems so do-able! I figure I can do some workouts at the gym on the treadmill and some I can do running around the townhouse complex just to get a feel for the road as opposed to some fake rubber thing! I'd run around the neighborhood/the block but it's full of steep hills so it's probably best not to start out there!
My goal is to complete the first 9 week session by mid-September then start it over again and plan on participating in a 5K early next year. Taking it slow but I think that's the whole point of this program. I'll keep posting on here about how I'm doing and what each of the workouts are.
I'm starting tomorrow - wish me luck!
Hmmm.. guess it's time to update the iPod!
FlyLady Week 3 Update
Can't really believe I'm still keeping up with this FlyLady stuff! I've been going with this for 3 weeks now which is a bit of a record for me. ;)
This week's focus has been the master bedroom which we are working on transforming from a huge heap of clothes to a "vacation retreat." Ooh, sounds so fancy! Our bedroom actually wasn't all that bad to begin with so it has been a pretty light week for me so far... that will be made up for if I ever have to do the guest bedroom! hee hee... that is far from a vacation retreat!
Here are some of the things I've been up to to make my room more "bed and breakfast-y":
Threw out a bunch of crap! I honestly don't know why I don't go into feng shui mode more often - it's really liberating! I tossed a couple purses and several pairs of shoes (hubby was quick to point out that I still have 44 pairs...); tossed a bunch of junk from the night-stand and head board; tossed some old make-up and stuff from the master bathroom. I've thoroughly dusted the room and have just been working on straightening things up. I've also been trying to toss some stuff from the guest bedroom and found a gazillion old photo frames! Some of the nicer ones were kept and I stuck some nice photos in those to go in the master bedroom. I have some candle things to put on the wall above the bed; just have to check with hubby first!
I really need to get in there and clean under the bed.. not sure what's lurking under there!
Oh, Wednesdays are Anti-Procrastination Days... lol, how appropriate for me! You're supposed to pick something that you have been procrastinating about and just do the dang thing. Today I had quite the list... here goes:
*Find a dentist (done - well, I found one right down the street who accepts my insurance! I just have to actually call them now!)
*Print passport application - done. I even filled it in! Woohoo! Quite the overachiever, aren't I? The funny part of this was when I came to look for my old passport which has to be returned with the application and I couldn't find it! Oh my God... panic mode set in! I seriously thought I'd just completely lost it but then found it - after taking half my house (and my car!) apart, I discovered it had been hiding on my desk the entire time... pesky passport!
*Start work on the final paper for my class... not actually due until August 4 and it's only 2 pages (nice!) so it's not really procrastinating... just wanted to motivate myself to actually start it! Oh, this was done - I actually got a huge chunk of the paper written so I should have no problems finishing it up tomorrow (I have 3 or 4 short paragraphs to write then I have to type it/edit it).
*Get back into some cardio workouts. OK, so I get more exercise in a week than a lot of people get in a year (right now I'd say I'm doing some kind of tai chi or kung fu 10-11 hours per week). That's great, but it's mostly all strength training; very little cardio. So... I have decided to take up running! I'll post more about this in a separate post but I actually checked out the Couch To 5K (C25K) program on the Cool Running website and printed out the schedule. It seems so do-able; I'm very excited :) Now to find a running buddy...
*I also have some painting projects I've been putting off - no real reason. I actually like painting - I find it quite therapeutic. So, I have added to my to-do lists for the next couple days some of these projects. Tomorrow, I will paint the baseboards in the master bedroom; Friday, I'll paint the door leading from the garage to the house; and Saturday, I think I'll tackle the inside of the front door. The outside was just painted a couple weeks ago and it has made the inside of the door look even more grody!
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Boots!
No, not the shoes... I don't get excited over that kind of boots until at least early October :) I'm talking about the British pharmacy shop with the same name...!
So exciting - I was at Target yesterday stocking up on cleaning supplies (and a couple random impulse buys! Target is dangerous..!) and found myself in the cosmetics aisle (I really did have a reason to be there!) Well, as I was leaving I walked down an aisle and found a whole row of Boots products. I actually had to pinch myself to make sure it wasn't fake.. lol The ones in England are a bit of a mini Sephora - they sell all kinds of items from other companies - but also have their own line. The Target aisle was all Boots-brand product.
So much good stuff; shame I didn't *need* any of it...
Here's a link to the British website.
and a link to Target's site with the products they stock.
Yippee!
So exciting - I was at Target yesterday stocking up on cleaning supplies (and a couple random impulse buys! Target is dangerous..!) and found myself in the cosmetics aisle (I really did have a reason to be there!) Well, as I was leaving I walked down an aisle and found a whole row of Boots products. I actually had to pinch myself to make sure it wasn't fake.. lol The ones in England are a bit of a mini Sephora - they sell all kinds of items from other companies - but also have their own line. The Target aisle was all Boots-brand product.
So much good stuff; shame I didn't *need* any of it...
Here's a link to the British website.
and a link to Target's site with the products they stock.
Yippee!
Monday, July 16, 2007
Fly Lady Progress
Well, I have survived my first week of "Flying lessons!" ;) I didn't do perfectly but I'm still getting the hang of this stuff so I'm not too concerned that I didn't get to it all. Besides, I started a master's degree class the same day I started this Fly Lady thing so I have a very valid excuse! So last week's focus was the kitchen. I'm pretty anal about keeping my kitchen clean to begin with so it wasn't really hard to do the stuff on the list. I thoroughly cleaned most of my counter-tops (there are still a couple I need to do!) - I got the nasty bleach cleaner out and used a scrubbing brush so you know those bad boys are clean! I can't stand using bleach - the smell just eeks me out and I always have to wonder just what exactly it is that I'm breathing in??? Can't be good, especially when you think that if you mix it with certain other cleaners it can kill you... always a pleasant thought! I really try to stay away from the harsh chemical stuff but once in a while I have to break it out for these darn white tile/white grout counter-tops I have! Can't wait until I can get new ones!
Anyway, small bleach vent over! :) Other than that I was able to clean out under my sink and clean out the fridge! I do still have to get in there and wipe down all the shelves and stuff...
This week's focus is the main bathroom (since hubby takes care of his own bathroom, I'll just do mine/the master bath) and one other room in the house. I think I might do the office... it could use some help! ;) I don't have a list of what all I'm supposed to do this week - should have an email about that soon (seriously, you get so much email from this FlyLady person! I had to start a whole new email address for it...! Helps me to not ignore it since I can't just tell myself "oops, that one got lost in with all the other mail... hee hee)
The Baby Steps things are going well - those are pretty easy, though! Today is Day 8 so I've set up my binder with the morning and evening routines. Those should help - I'm a list-maker so this will allow me to "check-off" what is done and keep me focused!
There is a woman on the Nest who started a daily check-in so that is also preventing me from falling off the wagon (which I'm sure I would have done by now!) I'll keep posting on here about it as well. Not the most exciting blog topic but if it helps Mrs. Distraction stay on task then it's all good!
Have a wonderful week!!! Hope it's not too humid where you are!
Tai Chi
Well, tonight is my second observation with the sifu (head instructor) before I get to test for my purple fringe... Pretty exciting! I just hope he doesn't ask to see my sabre (sword form) since I haven't practiced it in a while! oops! From what my instructor has been telling me, he should only want to see the fan form and the long form (maybe not even the whole 108 steps since sifu already saw part of it and the sabre during the last observation).
I am just so ready to test and start learning something new! I love tai chi - it's probably my favourite hobby - I am just started to get a bit bored with this material... Maybe if I actually practiced outside of the school I'd be done by now! lol ;) I've been working on the fan form and the long form since I got my green fringe so it's been about a year and a half now (yeah, yeah, I'm slow..) and I really want to do something different! I'm not even sure what I'll learn at purple fringe... I think it's another sword form - the longer gim (straight sword) form which should be fun - and a hand form (the 48 combo form or something like that).
Hopefully my observation tonight will go well and I won't have too many little details to fix!! ;)
I am just so ready to test and start learning something new! I love tai chi - it's probably my favourite hobby - I am just started to get a bit bored with this material... Maybe if I actually practiced outside of the school I'd be done by now! lol ;) I've been working on the fan form and the long form since I got my green fringe so it's been about a year and a half now (yeah, yeah, I'm slow..) and I really want to do something different! I'm not even sure what I'll learn at purple fringe... I think it's another sword form - the longer gim (straight sword) form which should be fun - and a hand form (the 48 combo form or something like that).
Hopefully my observation tonight will go well and I won't have too many little details to fix!! ;)
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Fly Lady
Ok, so I broke down and joined in the Fly Lady cleaning craze! My house really doesn't need it, it's generally very clean and organized but I figured it would help me not have to do all the cleaning and organizing on the weekends. So far it's going well, but it's only my second day with it so we'll see how long I can keep that up! :)
The beginning is just really easy stuff to help you get started. What they call Baby Steps.
So far, I've done all the Day 1 and Day 2 stuff which was as follows:
*Shining my sink - bit of a pain since I have this UGLY white ceramic sink (I really want a stainless steel one) so it took quite a bit of scrubbing. It looks great now! Hopefully I can keep it that way!
*"Get dressed to lace-up shoes" - well, since I live in San Diego and it's the middle of summer there was no way I was going to wear lace-up shoes (well, except for kung fu!). And anyway, I don't wear shoes around the house - I'm trying to keep it clean, not make it dirtier! But, I did set out clothes to wear today last night which I'm pretty sure was part of that...
I've also been working on the Weekly Focus which is Zone Two: The Kitchen. I love my kitchen (even if the tile, sink, and oven are all really ugly!) so it's nice to spend time showing it some of that love. :)
Here's the details/things I'm supposed to do this week:
*Empty and clean the fridge
*Clean the microwave (done)
*Clean the stove/oven (the stove is done; cleaning the oven intimidates me...)
*Wash canisters for knick-knacks
*Wash the inside windows (done)
*Scrub down the cabinet fronts
*Clean under the sink
For Day 3 (tomorrow), I'm supposed to just do what I've already been doing on Days 1 and 2... nice and easy! :)
Friday, June 29, 2007
Gorgeous Magnolia
Ahhh... I am so jealous of my neighbor's magnolia! I was just out on the balcony - apparently there was a bank robbery in the area (I do not live in a bad part of town!) and SD Police are flying over announcing it so I had to be nosy - and my favourite tree is totally blooming! Here's a photo:
Yes, I'm odd for taking photos of my neighbour's tree... but I have a macro setting on my camera! Not like I was on their property! And besides, it's on the "common ground" in the parking lot of the complex so technically it's not his anyway :) lol
Wish I could get up close enough to smell it - I've heard they smell amazing!
Yes, I'm odd for taking photos of my neighbour's tree... but I have a macro setting on my camera! Not like I was on their property! And besides, it's on the "common ground" in the parking lot of the complex so technically it's not his anyway :) lol
Wish I could get up close enough to smell it - I've heard they smell amazing!
The gas/electric bill
Normally I have no complaints about the gas/electric company here in San Diego. Well, except that I'm a bit miffed that they are really the only one we have available to us so it's a bit of a monopoly but whatever...
Anyway, I'm the one who pays the electric bill in our house (we have separate accounts and split up the bills when we first got married/I write him a check for my portion of the mortgage). This month we got this weird bill - $13! I thought.. "dang! That's nice! It's like being back in my little one-bedroom apartment when I didn't have cable and was rarely home" (my electric bill was TINY!) I actually drew a big smiley face (can't help it - I'm a teacher!) on the bill and stuck it on the fridge... lol
I was all happy about my cute little $13 electric bill, even if there was a rather odd note attached to it. Here's the basics of what the "odd note" had to say:
Dear Customer:
"Occasionally, our meter readers are not able to read our customers' meters due to locked gates, unrestrained dogs, or other circumstances preventing access. When this happens, bills are processed using estimated meter readings that are verified when we are able to obtain actual meter readings."
It blabs on to say something along the lines of we have estimated your bill based on previous readings/bills and have adjusted it to reflect on recent energy use.. blah blah blah
So, yesterday I got another bill! This second one was much more like our usual bills! Guess they took care of those "unrestrained dogs and locked gates" (neither of which we have since this is a townhouse complex!)
Kind of stinks that I have to pay them again... :( Oh well, it's not very expensive since we don't use too much power (I'm working on "training" DH to be a bit more of a greenie!)
Anyway, I'm the one who pays the electric bill in our house (we have separate accounts and split up the bills when we first got married/I write him a check for my portion of the mortgage). This month we got this weird bill - $13! I thought.. "dang! That's nice! It's like being back in my little one-bedroom apartment when I didn't have cable and was rarely home" (my electric bill was TINY!) I actually drew a big smiley face (can't help it - I'm a teacher!) on the bill and stuck it on the fridge... lol
I was all happy about my cute little $13 electric bill, even if there was a rather odd note attached to it. Here's the basics of what the "odd note" had to say:
Dear Customer:
"Occasionally, our meter readers are not able to read our customers' meters due to locked gates, unrestrained dogs, or other circumstances preventing access. When this happens, bills are processed using estimated meter readings that are verified when we are able to obtain actual meter readings."
It blabs on to say something along the lines of we have estimated your bill based on previous readings/bills and have adjusted it to reflect on recent energy use.. blah blah blah
So, yesterday I got another bill! This second one was much more like our usual bills! Guess they took care of those "unrestrained dogs and locked gates" (neither of which we have since this is a townhouse complex!)
Kind of stinks that I have to pay them again... :( Oh well, it's not very expensive since we don't use too much power (I'm working on "training" DH to be a bit more of a greenie!)
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Venting about destroyed shrub
grrr...
OK, so I'll start with the positive - the HOA's sent over some painters to do the front doors (that was a week ago) and the trim on each condo or town-house in the complex. They were here at our house on Monday. Well, around lunch time I'm in the kitchen and I hear this sound like a ladder scraping along the stucco and then a huge crash (ie: ladder falling on the pavement)... I thought "Oh my God!" and dashed downstairs to be nosy and make sure nobody was hurt. Couldn't see anything or anyone and I didn't hear any screams or ambulance sirens so it must have been OK.
Well, about an hour and a half or two hours later I went out to go get the mail - a fairly large section of the bush/shrub thing which lines the walkway up to my front door is completely squashed! It can only have happened from the falling ladder. Those painting people knew I was home - I helped them earlier in the day when they were trying to place a ladder against our balcony/I moved the patio furniture for them... why would you destroy someone's shrub and then not say anything?! grrr... it's like those punks in parking lots who ding your car with a cart and just leave the cart there/no note! I could never do that....
Hubby told me I'd better email the HOA people and send a bunch of photos. Did that, they told me the landscapers would look at it and, if necessary, bill the painting company (it's on "common property" so we won't have to pay to have it fixed). I honestly don't care that it looks awful or whatever, it's just the whole not saying anything part that got to me! Oh well...
Hubby usually parks his truck in the open space next to the shrub on the left (you can see it in some photos - this shrub was un-damaged)... he said "so, if my truck had been there, would it be damaged, too?" like I'm supposed to know exactly the angle the ladder fell at! He did bring up a good point, though - what if it had fallen and hit someone's car?
Just in case you are wondering, here are the photos I took. I did try to "fix" it, but there are lots of broken branches so there wasn't much I could do. Oh, it looks worse in person, by the way! :(
OK, so I'll start with the positive - the HOA's sent over some painters to do the front doors (that was a week ago) and the trim on each condo or town-house in the complex. They were here at our house on Monday. Well, around lunch time I'm in the kitchen and I hear this sound like a ladder scraping along the stucco and then a huge crash (ie: ladder falling on the pavement)... I thought "Oh my God!" and dashed downstairs to be nosy and make sure nobody was hurt. Couldn't see anything or anyone and I didn't hear any screams or ambulance sirens so it must have been OK.
Well, about an hour and a half or two hours later I went out to go get the mail - a fairly large section of the bush/shrub thing which lines the walkway up to my front door is completely squashed! It can only have happened from the falling ladder. Those painting people knew I was home - I helped them earlier in the day when they were trying to place a ladder against our balcony/I moved the patio furniture for them... why would you destroy someone's shrub and then not say anything?! grrr... it's like those punks in parking lots who ding your car with a cart and just leave the cart there/no note! I could never do that....
Hubby told me I'd better email the HOA people and send a bunch of photos. Did that, they told me the landscapers would look at it and, if necessary, bill the painting company (it's on "common property" so we won't have to pay to have it fixed). I honestly don't care that it looks awful or whatever, it's just the whole not saying anything part that got to me! Oh well...
Hubby usually parks his truck in the open space next to the shrub on the left (you can see it in some photos - this shrub was un-damaged)... he said "so, if my truck had been there, would it be damaged, too?" like I'm supposed to know exactly the angle the ladder fell at! He did bring up a good point, though - what if it had fallen and hit someone's car?
Just in case you are wondering, here are the photos I took. I did try to "fix" it, but there are lots of broken branches so there wasn't much I could do. Oh, it looks worse in person, by the way! :(
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