These are the worst lyrics I have heard in a long time. Lady GaGa, who I assume is a drag queen with a name like that, has this little number playing on the radio these days called "Just Dance". I know everyone who reads this blog is probably too good for the radio so they have not been subjected to it, but I still listen to the radio so I have unfortunately had to experience it a time or two. Basically it is about a drunk chick dancing at a club, a great song for any teenage girl to emulate. My favorite lines are:
"Can't find a drink, oh man Where are my keys? I lost my phone"
"I love this record baby but I can't see straight anymore"
"How'd I turn my shirt inside out?"
"And we're all getting hosed tonight"

Sadly, we have all met this girl but let's not praise this behavior by writing a dance song about it. If I were to set foot into a club (screaming and kicking) I imagine I would see a bunch of girls yelling "woooo!!!" when this song comes on, taking another shot, running out on the dance floor and saying things like "oh my god I love this song! I ALWAYS lose my phone and keys when I get drunk too!". *sigh*

Anyway here are all the lyrics and the video below if you can stomach it.

From LYRICSMODE.COM lyrics archive

Lyrics | Lady GaGa lyrics - Just Dance lyrics

Lady GaGa - Just Dance lyrics

[Feat. Colby O'Donis & Akon]

RedOne, Konvict
GaGa, oh-oh, eh

I've had a little bit too much, much
All of the people start to rush, start to rush by
How does he twist the dance? Can't find a drink, oh man
Where are my keys? I lost my phone, phone

What's going on on the floor?
I love this record baby but I can't see straight anymore
Keep it cool, what's the name of this club?
I can't remember but it's alright, a-alright

Just dance, gonna be okay, da da doo-doo-mmm
Just dance, spin that record babe, da da doo-doo-mmm
Just dance, gonna be okay, d-d-d-dance
Dance, dance, just, j-j-just dance

Wish I could shut my playboy mouth, oh oh oh-oh
How'd I turn my shirt inside out? Inside outright
Control your poison babe, roses have thorns they say
And we're all getting hosed tonight, oh oh oh-oh

What's going on on the floor?
I love this record baby but I can't see straight anymore
Keep it cool, what's the name of this club?
I can't remember but it's alright, a-alright

Just dance, gonna be okay, da da doo-doo-mmm
Just dance, spin that record babe, da da doo-doo-mmm
Just dance, gonna be okay, d-d-d-dance
Dance, dance, just, j-j-just

When I come through on the dance floor checkin' out that catalog
Can't believe my eyes, so many women without a flaw
And I ain't gon' give it up, steady tryin' to pick it up like a car
I'ma hit it, I'ma hit it and flex and do it until tomorr' yeah

Shawty I can see that you got so much energy
The way you're twirlin' up them hips 'round and 'round
And now there's no reason at all why you can't leave here with me
In the meantime stay and let me watch you break it down

And dance, gonna be okay, da da doo-doo-mmm
Just dance, spin that record babe, da da doo-doo-mmm

Just dance, gonna be okay, da da doo-doo-mmm
Just dance, spin that record babe, da da doo-doo-mmm
Just dance, gonna be okay, d-d-d-dance
Dance, dance, just, j-j-just dance

Woo! Let's go!

Half psychotic, sick, hypnotic
Got my blueprint, it's symphonic
Half psychotic, sick, hypnotic
Got my blueprint electronic

Half psychotic, sick, hypnotic
Got my blueprint, it's symphonic
Half psychotic, sick, hypnotic
Got my blueprint electronic

Go! Use your muscle, carve it out, work it, hustle
I got it, just stay close enough to get it
Don't slow! Drive it, clean it, lights out, bleed it
Spend the lasto
(I got it)
In your pocko
(I got it)

Just dance, gonna be okay, da da doo-doo-mmm
Just dance, spin that record babe, da da doo-doo-mmm

Just dance, gonna be okay, da da doo-doo-mmm
Just dance, spin that record babe, da da doo-doo-mmm
Just dance, gonna be okay, d-d-d-dance
Dance, dance, just, j-j-just dance



Lyrics | Lady GaGa lyrics - Just Dance lyrics

I may one of the very few people working today judging by the lack of traffic on the road and at Starbucks but it's cool because I have a couple of good incentives.

First, I only have to work a half day, woo hoo! I also won't have many interruptions since not many other people are working so I will be able to get a lot done.

Second, for our employee Christmas party we are going to go to QN4U this afternoon. Everyone raves about this place and I looooove BBQ so I am excited to get my eat on. Hopefully the bloat will go away by then or I will have to just bring a lot home with me and eat smaller portions throughout the rest of the day. I really just want to pig out but my digestive system punishes me when I do.

Third, I am just happy I have a job to go to, even if it is on Christmas Eve.

Feliz Navidad!

I feel I must warn you...

I may be bad luck. Yesterday as I am walking up to the gym an ambulance pulls up and takes someone away that was on a raquetball court. I didn't see who it was or in what condition he or she was in, but it warranted a stretcher.

Today I come home and there are 2 cop cars and an ambulance outside of my apartment. My first thought was the lady downstairs must have died. As I drove closer I could see the door to her apartment open and 4 cops standing outside with my landlord. A week ago my landlord had asked if I had seen Betty recently but I hadnt, I have seen her only a handful of times since I moved in here. According to my landlord her son will call her every once in awhile when Betty stops answering the phone. Bob couldnt get Betty to answer the door so he called the cops to make sure she was ok.

Bob was talking to the cops and looked busy so I didnt want to interrupt so I went to my apartment without talking to anyone. While walking up the stairs I got a whiff of her apartment though and it was putrid, the same smell I get up the heater every once in awhile. It smelled like a bunch of cats had been locked in there for months with no litter box. So I stood at the window to see if she was coming out on the stretcher and in what condition she was in.

A few minutes later Betty comes out on the stretcher looking incredibly frail but she was talking and more importantly alive. I always thought of her as a mean lady because the few times I did she her she was always scowling, but in the stretcher she looked like a sad little old lady, not mean at all.

I dont know if she is going to be ok or if she is coming back, but I hope she is getting the help that she needs now. No one should die alone in their own apartment surrounded by filth.

And that is why I felt the need to warn you. Wherever I go lately there seems to be an ambulance whisking someone away so you may not want to invite me over anytime soon.

Argg, The Bloat is Back

So this IBS thing is really annoying. I have been a lot better since the marathon and just yesterday I was thinking that I hadn't had the bloat in awhile, by far the worst symptom. Well I spoke too soon. My stomach has felt full the whole day and just about an hour ago the bloat returned, mking me look 6 months pregnant. It is incredibly uncomfortable. On the inside it feels like my intestines are all twisted up and knotted so nothing can get through. On the outside my stomach is all stretched out and I cant suck it in at all, or even stand up straight.

It is really difficult because it literally puts a cramp in my day. I just want to lay down on my stomach which must stretch it out or something because it is the only position I feel relief. I however have things to do and dont have the time to spend laying around. It also makes me feel gross and disgusting and I cannot figure out what causes it. When this happens there is no common food that I have eaten, it is different everytime.

Bah IBS, bah!

To The State of California

We are all sick and tired of your inability to do your jobs and pass a budget. Stop making excuses and stop pointing fingers. In fact don't open your mouths unless it is to talk about passing a budget. Businesses are suffering, people are suffering and a lot of employees that actually do their jobs are getting laid off. In fact the guilt of how much trouble you are causing should prevent you from getting a good nights sleep, but I predict you sleep quite soundly in a nice big bed in a nice big warm house and you dont have to think about where you are going to get money to pay your bills. See it is serious concerns like that which prevent people from sleeping soundly, serious concerns that you are causing. Figure it out and do your job before you cause more damage to the people of this state.

Oh yeah, one more thing. You totally suck and I kinda want to throw eggs at you.

Diesel came by to visit today!



Diesel is the Anatolian Sheppherd that is ginormous, the picture really doesnt do justice to the size of this dog. He outweighs me by 30 pounds and if were to stand up he would easily pass 6 feet. When he is next to me his head is past my waist. He is also incredibly sweet and someday when his dad finds him a girlfriend and fathers some pups I am so getting one.

More Gym Woes

I generally avoid talking to most people at the gym. There are a few people that I will say hello to and chat with briefly and then there are those that I avoid eye contact with because I know they will not keep things brief if I get stuck in a conversation with them.

There is one old man that I have been seeing with more regularity that is on my avoid making eye contact list. He wears the old school sweats with the hooded sweatshirt with a beanie and he always wears the hood up while he rides the bike. One day I was on the bike next to him and although I had my ipod on, he kept asking me questions. Each time I had to say "hold on" while I fumbled with my ipod to pause it and then asked him to repeat the question. This is how he got on my avoid eye contact list, he obviously doesnt care that I am listening to something so if I make eye contact he is likely to start talking.

Sunday I was doing my ab work and I knew he was walking by me so I made sure not to look up. He however stopped and leaned over and started talking, which is really hard to pretend to ignore. So I stopped, told him to hold on while I paused my ipod and then asked him top repeat himself. He then starts telling me that he hopes I am not trying to lose weight because he thinks I am a little too skinny. Well thank you for that sir, to think if I lost weight I might not have a chance to be with you, that would have been devestating. I did not say that of course, he wouldnt have picked up on my sarcasm, but I told him that no, I was not trying to lose weight I just like to be in good shape and went back to my ab work. As a matter of fact, I have gaind 5 pounds since the marathon which I suspect is mostly muscle growth since I have been hitting the weights really hard and can see more muscle, especially in my upper body. I love having muscle and seeing definition and I realize that not everyone likes that look on a woman but I could care less. I feel sexy when I feel strong and I love how athletic women look. Why some people feel compelled to tell other people what they find attractive without any prompting is beyond me. Believe it or not women are not always tring to please men, crazy I know.

There is always something interesting going on at the gym. I should start live blogging.

Um Ew

Just because you are labeled as a celebrity doesnt mean we want to hear the details of your sex life, Pete wentz. For the love your wife just had your first child, show a little respect and keep your trap shut instead of saying things like this:

On his first time with Ashlee: "It was the single best sexual encounter I've ever had. We were in the Soho Grand Hotel, and there was a mirror, and I was like, 'Oh my God, you're banging the girl of your dreams and you're watching it right now.' "

On comparing his lovers: "My wife will murder me if I go on the scale," Wentz said when asked by Stern to rate Trachtenberg's prowess. "I will say that Michelle was a blast. My wife is the ultimate, though."

*Sigh* Maybe someday I can meet a guy, fall in love and if I am really lucky he will go on the Howard Stern show and talk about banging me. Keeping my fingers crossed!

Is it just me or does Jennifer Connelly look like a mannequin?

And On a Brighter Note...

This always makes me happy:



And here is the backstory of the Peanuts dancers if you want a more in depth description of their dances.

People Really Piss Me Off Sometimes

Last week at one of our jobs a piece of machinery was parked overnight in one of the empty parking stalls. It was not a huge piece of equipment, about 5 feet in length and 5 feet high and had cones around it, but it fit within the confines of the stall. The next morning some stupid lady ran right into it. She didnt back into it, she literally ran into with the front of her new car and moved it back 18 inches. Her husband brought her car into the shop to get an estimate and the damage to her car was around $800, and for some reason he expects us to pay it.

My dad of course thinks that is a bit absurd so he involved the insurance company. The guy calls the office and tries to get my dad to just pay without going through the insurance company, which he declines. The guy then sends an email to another company that is one the job that we are working on (we were actually a sub to a General in this case) about the incident. The email gets forwarded to us and in it this guy whose wife ran into our machinery calls my dad a "chicken shit motherfucker" for going through the insurance company.

People like that piss me off beyond belief. First of all if I would have done that I would have been really embarassed that I ran into a parked piece of equipment and wouldnt even think of trying to get money from someone else for it. I ran into it, its my fault it is as simple as that. Personal responsibility however is a concept that apparently is lost on these people. Getting the quick pay off is obviously their goal but how can you not just feel like a jerk for doing that? This needs to go through our insurance because it was an accident on the job and not going through the proper channels can turn into a big problem. And really, chicken shit mother fucker? My dad is always more fair than he even should be in my opinion, he is not out to screw anyone over ever and calling someone a chicken shit motherfucker makes him sound like a ignorant hillbilly, which he probably is.

My dad of course remains calm and finds the humor in it, but he better hope he doesnt cross my path (or my moms path) anytime soon. What an asshole.

It's TUESDAY and I have nothing of interest to speak of so it is link time biatches!

Fuck You, Penguin - It's kinda like and angry version of Adam's Wednesday smile and it uses the word "fuck" like a lot.

Santa Vibe - Yup it is pretty much what you think it is, a santa vibrator. It is only $5 though and anyone who has ever bought a vibrator knows that is really cheap so it probably wont last long...

Sloths are scary when they arent sleeping in trees, dont let that cute face fool you!

No cake for Little Adolph Hitler? Yeah, some people just need to be sterilized, against their will if neccesary.

If you or anyone you know is thinking that a combover isnt that obvious, send them to this gallery. Just be bald, don't add you look like an idiot in the mix.

If you missed it last week, here is the UFC fighter breaking his leg. Definitely not for the faint of heart.

I need to read my receipts a little more closely from now on.

It's Monday, I thought everyone could use a giggle:

It's Friday Bitches!

Yup Kid, I Can Relate.

Let it be the weekend

My week has been unusually annoying and frustrating. Work has been chaotic and he theme of thwe week has been people are unbelievably stupid. Every little thing that could go wrong has. Of course I realize they are little minor things but I react more strongly when the little annoying things happen rather than the big major ones. It is the little things that make life great and it is also the little things that make life annoying. Keeping it in perspective though I am lucky to live the life that I do, even if I do complain about it.

What really set me over the edge though was finding out I have moths in my closet. I have at least 4 sweaters and 1 dress that are ruined and I havent had the opportunity to look at every piece of clothing yet plus I am also scared to look. I plan to do some research today about what the best method to get rid of them. The smell of moth balls makes me sick to my stomach though so I hope there are other solutions. This is seriously upsetting. Clothes are expensive and it is not like I have all this extra money to go shopping with to make up for the ruined clothes. And naturally the moths hit my favorite sweaters and my purple sweater dress that I loved. I have never even seen an effing moth in that closet. I hope they all die slow and painful deaths.

So to say I am looking forward to this weekend is an understatament. So what is going on?

Hiding Fail

Thanks for trying UPS.

So How Much Did You Drink Last Night?

We are all aware that alcohol has calories but have you ever really thought about how many calories you are consuming on a night out? BBC Radios Alcohol Experiment will tell you and also convert it into its caloric food equivilant. Seeing those calories in terms of food makes if more tangible for me at least.

For example if you have 4 beers you will be consuming approximately 715 calories. In terms of food that is equivilant to eating (1) hot dog, (1) burger, (1) slize of pizza and (1) Jaffa Cake (whatever the hell that is, it looked like a donut of some kind-crazy Brits). Thats a lot of food. And in case you were wondering you would have to run approximately 7 miles to burn that off.

So dont underestimate your boozin calories, they definitely add up.

Still peeved that Prop 8 passed like I am? If you havent done so already read the article that came out in Newsweek that makes an argument against the religious argument to ban same sex marriage a lot more articuately than I have previously read. Here is a passage:

"Religious objections to gay marriage are rooted not in the Bible at all, then, but in custom and tradition (and, to talk turkey for a minute, a personal discomfort with gay sex that transcends theological argument). Common prayers and rituals reflect our common practice: the Episcopal Book of Common Prayer describes the participants in a marriage as "the man and the woman." But common practice changes—and for the better, as the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. said, "The arc of history is long, but it bends toward justice." The Bible endorses slavery, a practice that Americans now universally consider shameful and barbaric. It recommends the death penalty for adulterers (and in Leviticus, for men who have sex with men, for that matter). It provides conceptual shelter for anti-Semites. A mature view of scriptural authority requires us, as we have in the past, to move beyond literalism. The Bible was written for a world so unlike our own, it's impossible to apply its rules, at face value, to ours."

They had to turn off the comment section because there was so much controversy about this article but it is an interesting perspective that I wish had come out before Prop 8 was passed. It may not change the mind of anyone who is extremely religious, but I think it does help add clarity to the religious mindset when it comes to same sex marriage. Many people reflexively state the Bible is why they oppose gay marriage but cant always be very specific if they are pressed. I think it is those people (my parents, ahem)that may benefit from reading it.

Long Work Rant

I have been completely slammed at work for about a month now and it is starting to wear on me. I like to be busy but it gets very frustrating when it seems like half of my time is spent fixing other peoples mistakes and a smaller portion of my time is spent dealing with computers or scanners that dont want to work properly.

Yesterday I had a stack of submittals to get through which are all time sensitive and even though I send a fax at the beginning of the project telling the subs how many copies they need and it is in their spec book, they cant seem to get that I need 8 copies. So I either waste my time making copies or I have to set it aside to wait for them to bring in the neccesary copies.

The best moment of yesterday though came when I got to one of the submittals and it was a mess. There were (4) concrete mix designs that were all mixed up unorganized and naturally there were not enough copies. So I make all the copies, organize it so there are 8 copies of each mix design that are clearly labeled with a cover page on each submittal as well as a review sheet the Architect requests each submittal have. It took me about 45 minutes to get it together and when I go to enter it in the log I see that this particular sub has already submitted their concrete mix design 2 months ago and it was already approved. Yes I could have checked the log before putting it together but why would a sub re-submit the same previously approved submittal? They were completely done with the process and since I am doing submittals for 5 projects I cant remember what was submitted 2 months ago and what the status of that submittal was. There are 80 separate submittals for that project alone. To spend 45 minutes fixing something that didnt even need to be submitted in the first place is incredibly annoying.

And since I have already ranted this muh, lets talk about Close Out Documents and what idiots people are. When a project is done we have to collect warranty and maintenance information to give to the Owner. The spec book is a huge document about 3 inches thick that gives detailed information for what documents are required for each area. So I go through this damn book page by page and write down what each sub is responsible for. This takes a half a day at least but because the subs are too lazy to look themselves and if I dont tell them what they need to submit they will just throw a vague warranty at me. If all of the close out documents are not recieved by the Owner exactly as requested, they will not pay us and we cant pay pur subs so it is crucial this is acurate.

So I type a fax to each sub individually telling them exactly what I need from them per the spec book. Seems pretty easy for them to just read an effing fax and do what it says but it isnt. One sub sent in their close outs and completely neglected half of what was requested (this is very common). I faxed them back and told them thank you for the warranties but I also need and requested maintenance instructions and I spelled out (again) what exactly I needed and in what format. What do they send, the same damn warranties they already sent again. WTF!! I cannot be more clear just follow the effing instructions.

This is why I am so slammed because idiots cant follow directions. I am doing all the hard work for them and they still cant get it right. You can only put up with morons making things difficult for so long without it just getting to you.

I So Know What I am Going To Be Doing Tonight...

My dad is the king of random gifts. Every Christmas I get the "Dad" gift that is usually a little off in some way. One year it was a leg lamp from the movie A Christmas Story and last year he got me a really cool down vest but it was a size Extra Large because he thought I would want something bigger to keep me warmer when I ran (I said nothing because its little thoughtful things like that - however off - that endear me to people).

Today he went to the store during work and came back with this for me:


He said the office needed a Gingerbread House so I get to do it. Sweet, I love projects like these. I havent made a Gingerbread House since elementary school so it should be fun. I will take a picture of the result. Hmmm I suddenly have the craving for hot chocolate...

Hangin' with Mr. Cooper

I saw this on animal planet and thought it was pretty cool. A couple wanted to know what their cat did all day and put a camera on his collar that took a picture every 2minutes.
This is what they developed, the world from a cats perspective.

Pizza Makeover

One of my favorite foods to eat is pizza. It is also one of the easiest foods to make which is good for me because cooking isnt something I am too motivated to do. Gourmet style pizzas are my favorite so like California Pizza Kitchen and will attempt to re-create their recipes at home, with a healthier twist. Last night I decided to do a version of a mexican pizza that is a combo of CPK southwestern pizza and that mexican pizza Me & Eds has and it turned out really good! So here is my recipe for anyone who wants to make a healtheir mexican pizza (oh yeah and since there is only one of me, I dont measure things but eyeball everything):

Ingredients
-ground turkey
-taco seasoning packet
-individual pizza shell such as Boboli's
-black beans
- 1 can rotel (or salsa)
-reduced fat mexican cheese
-pre-shredded iceburg lettuce
-fat free plain yogurt (or reduced fat sour cream)
-cilantro
-1 small avacado
-tortilla chips (mostly to snack on while you are making the pizza)

Directions
-pre-heat oven to whatever the pizza crust says, usually about 450
-brown turkey w/ taco seasoning in small pan (if you use 1/2 the package it is more than enough for 2 people or for 1 with leftovers the next day)
-when the turkey is almost browned, add 1 can of Rotel or salsa. Heat and stir and then set to the side to cool for about 5 minutes
-Put a small layer of black beans on the botom of pizza shell, smash with a fork or spoon so they are mashed together in a rough paste
-add a layer of the ground turkey
-top with a thin layer of cheese
-put in oven for 8-10 minutes until cheese is melted and crust is cooked yada, yada you know when pizza is ready
-take out of oven add lettuce to top of pizza, sprinkle on some crushed tortilla chips, dollop of yogurt or sour cream (Note: plain yogurt is a great substitute for sour cream since sour cream doesnt have much of a taste anyway), cilantro and diced avacado and eat.

I was going to take a picture because it looked really pretty too but I wanted to eat it more. There is a lower calorie version of everything and you seriously dont have to loose any taste. In fact I think this tastes better because it isnt so heavy on your stomach and ground turkey has a lot of flavor. You can add and subtract ingredients based on taste really easily too.

I know how crappy it is to cook for 1 person, it is really hard to get motivated to do all the work and the clean up for one meal and since I dont have a dishwasher I hate making meals that have a lot of dishes. This recipe had very few dishes and I have leftovers to have the same thing tonight with no dishes except my plate. Dish score, healthy score & flavor score.

Tales From The Gym

When I went to the gym today I was suprised to see the parking lot was full since it is usually pretty empty on the weekends. After I walked in I found out that Centerpoint was hosting a weight lighting competition. I have never seen a weight lifting competition so I was curious and ended up discovering just why weight lifters walk around looking like they cant put their arms down, which I will get into a little later.

They were doing the competition at the basketball court which is a closed off area so I didnt watch them doing their lifts but they were all hanging out in the weight room so I got to see them warming up and getting ready. The first odd thing I encountered when I turned down the hallway was a large man standing up in a tight little shorts with another guy on his knees in front of him with his hand up his shorts. He looked like he was trying to get them to fit appropriately and was pulling them down while he pushed the skin up in them. I mumbled an excuse me and walked past them. When I got into the weight room I was bombarded by more meaty man in tight little outfits that looked like this:

Unfortunately most of them looked like the guy in the blue and not so muich like this guy:

But I digress.
So these little outfits have got to be one of the most ridiculous looking uniforms of any sport. If you are as ripped as the guy above then yes I approve but the funny thing about weight lifters is that they are not always very cut but just big and burly. In fact a lot of these guys just looked fat and had big ol beer guts, but they are quite strong so it is a strange dichotomy.

They arent shy either, treating the weight room like a locker room. I saw at least 5 guys in their tightie whities when they were changing. But again since they didnt look like the guy above, not something that could get me very excited. Then there was the guy that needed 3 people and 10 minutes to get his tight undershirt on - I am not exaggerating. I will call him rolly polly since he looked about 7 months pregnant. He managed to get the shirt on his arms and over his chest but it was not wanting to be stretched over his belly. One guy was pulling and yanking for 5 minutes to no avail. Then a female weightlifter came over to try to help and it still took another 5 minutes before was finally pulled down. That wasnt the funny part though. The funny part came when they got it on and he was literally unable to put his arms down. He was walking around like a zombie with his arms out in front and his shoulders hunched over. Thats when I noticed a few other people walking around like that too. The only explanation I could come up with is that tight clothes like that around the arms offer some support during the lifts. Perhaps they act like a splint would so it is harder to fail, I really dont know but it was extremely funny to see.

And to continue with my strange day at the gym, I was on a mat doing ab work when all of the sudden there was a pitt bull right in my face. I was completely thrown off since obviously I was not expecting to see a dog while I was at the gym, let alone a pit but there it was giving me a friendly hello! I guess it was one of the guys dogs and it ran in through an open door to check everything out. His owner called him back over and the lady who was on the machine next to me thought it was the funniest thing in the world.

I always find it interesting to observe groups of people in cultures I am not all that familair with. Sure I lift weights but these guys are hard core and comptition mode is something I know nothing about. There were guys and girls of all sizes, some looked athletic, others did not. I wish I could have stayed and watched a bit of the lifts but I was starving so I left. All in all though, an interesting day at the gym.

Thurday Night Wrap Up

After somewhat reluctantly going to the Post ArtHop Show at Tokyo last night I have to say I had a great time. I got there a couple songs into Death To Anders and I really dug their music, kind of rock sound with a little bit of a twang, I say with about as much confidence as when I try to describe wine. Bottom line, I liked them.

Then I got to catch my first Sleepover Disatser show which also sounded great, although distinctly different from Death to Anders. It was a good contrast but I was a little jealous that everyone around me seemed to know the words and I didnt, cant blame anyone but myself for that though. I also felt their set was a bit short and I could have asily listened to more.

Unfortunately I had to get my old lady ass home and did not stay for Radamacher but I am sure they were stellar as well, as usual.

Another bonus, no one was burned or trampeled to death, woo hoo! And the place wasnt completely packed so I had enough personal space to not feel claustrophobic. I dont know if I will go out much more during the week than I usually do but I am glad I went and will definitely do it again.

How To (And Not To) Annoy People At The Gym

Found this "How to annoy people at the gym" video and found it amusing. Some people really are completely clueless as to what is appropriate gym behavior which this video humorously demonstrates.

I also found this post on pet peeves at the gym yesterday that was commented on by virtually all females and the most commonly reported pet peeves were:

1. Guys who stare at and oggle girls, especially when you are doing some sort of suggestive looking exercise that you are uncomfortable doing in public anyway (ie the butt blaster type machines)- and as a side note old men in my experience are the ogglers

2. People who do not wipe the sweat off the equipment, particularly the cardio machines (or just flick their sweat on you). All gyms provide anti bacterial spray or wipes of some kind for that specific purpose. It is truly disgusting to touch someone elses sweat.

3. Guys who grunt and loudly slam their weights - stupid meatheads

4. Women who come to the gym to socialize and dont do much working out or even break a sweat

5. People who do not put their equipment or weights away when they are done with them (Monday I had to take off (10) 45 pound weights from a leg press because some jack ass thought leaving them after he was done was appropriate, wtf?)

So if you find yourself at the gym sometime soon, just keep that in mind so you wont find yourself annoying everyone.

Soooo Tired

Even though I did not have one drop of alcohol last night, I am totally dragging ass today. Even a triple venti latte has not helped my hazy state. I am not stating this as an attempt to get out of tonight, I promised twice and apparantly Brian is going to run 6 miles with me(?) if I go so I will be there, but it is just ridiculous how tired I feel. I am obviously one of those people who need 8 hours of sleep every night.

I wonder if Tokyo would mind if I brought coffee in tonight...

I did however have a pretty cool dream last night which I suspect I only remember because I only got 5 hours of sleep and I was probably woken up during a REM cycle. Myself and all of us won a contest and the prize was this ginormous cabin in the woods that had 3 stories, a separate girls and boys wing that had multiple bedrooms and they were all completely furnished and decorated. It even had a pool that was heated in the winter and everyone had their own bathroom. But then I woke up and it was dark and cold and I had no swimming pool and I had to drag my ass to work.

For Monti

I found a Tyra clip that doesnt make Tyra look bad or annoying (just look past the teal painsuit).

Tyra was having a model search contest with past losers of American Top Model and the winner was announced with this really pitiful reaction rom the runner up who felt very sorry for herself for not winning. Apparantly being gracious in defeat is not something she has learned how to do just yet. And although Tyra's reaction was great when she told her "we don't have pity parties" that was basically thrown out the window when they ended up giving her some sort of consolation prize contract too.

I have some sympathy for the runner up, no one likes to be close to their dream and not get it, especially on national television but c'mon pull it together, be gracious and save the outburst for off stage because that is just embarassing.

I think I Will Keep Sleeping In On Sundays...

These Church Signs are definitely not going to get me on a pew but will most likely send me running in the opposite direction as quickly as possible. Some are funny (see below) but the majority are just disturbing. Anyway, take a look at a collection of effed up church signs from Holy Taco (btw Holy Taco has now made it to my sidebar).

Not Having a Remote is Going to Make Me Fat

I know I complained about my remote not working awhile ago and yet I still havent done anything to rectify the sitution. Instead I am going to complain about an unanticipated consequence of not being able to channel surf, eating more.

Before the remote failed I would happily watch 2-3 programs at once, never having to watch a single commercial. I always thought I had just been missing those awful, annoying and uncreative gems of commercials that marketing departments get paid way too much money to create, like this terrible, terrible milk commercial. Turns out though, I had also been missing all of the food commercials that makes things I have no desire to eat look absolutely irresistable. For example the Quiznos Flat Bread Sandwhich commercials make my mouth water and dont get me started on pizza commercials. There is something about the power of suggestion and even though I havent gone out to get the exact thing I saw a commercial for, I have definitely gotten a snack when I am not at all hungry just because it looked good and I was bored. It is much easier to say no to temptation when you dont actually see the temptation because I am not going to sit at home and daydream about cookies all on my own. Show me a Peppridge Farm Commercial and it is all over though.

This is a whole new level of will power I need to conjure up. Night is my time of weakness anyway so I may be in trouble. I am really good about eating healthy during the day and have virtually no cravings for high caloric/unhealthy food. When the sun goes down though and I am sitting at home, hungry from working out and I want to eat anything and everything that has sugar or salt. I may actually need to go down to Comcast and wait in line for 30 minutes to get a replacement remote. Either that or continue doing what I have been trying to do which is read during commercial breaks.

Oh lets be honest, I am not getting a new remote anytime soon. I am really quite bad at doing those little things that are so easy to procrastinate doing. If my pants start getting tight though, drastic action will have to be taken.

I am not a big product gal. I shop at Target and Avon for all of my hair, skin and make up products. Maybe if I had more money it would be something I would spend more on but as it is I shop for a bargain. In the process I have come across some really worthless products and occasionally really good ones. Recently I have found a few that I feel obligated to tell peole about (boys if you are still reading you may want to stop reading now, girl stuff).

Ok first, Avon Magic Skin Prefector. It is an air-light gel-powder colorless formula that is supposed to impove the appearance of your skin tone and you can wear it alone or under foundation. What I like best about this product is that it makes your skin feel flawless and really really soft. I just want to keep touching my face. I have freckles and uneven skin tone anyway so I didnt see a huge improvement there but my foundation go on better. It also has sn SPF of 20 so you are covered from at least some sun damage. Cost: $10.00

Second, Avon Clinincal Advance Wrinkle Corrector. I dont have too many wrinkles or fine lines but they are definitely there and this product really does seem to lessen their appearance quite a bit, especially around my eyes. Overall my face feels very moisturized as well and it smells good. Cost: $32 (this is a splurge for me)

Third, Pixi Eye Brightener. I looked at the price of another product when I got this otherwise I wouldnt have spent that much money but I am glad I did. You put this under your eyes to hide dark circles which I often get and it makes a HUGE difference. I have really thin light skin around my eyes so I tend to have a bluish tone but it is hardly noticable when I wear this, even when I dont wear concealer over it. I have tried many products to hide my circles but this is by far the best one I ever tried and no one has said I look tired in awhile.
Cost: $24.00 (Find it at Target)

Third, Loreal Sublime Bronze ProPerfect Airbrush self Tanning Mist. I love tan skin not so much skin cancer so I am a big fan of slelf tanners. This spray goes on really easily and you dont have to rub it in and get tan palms. It smells ok and doesnt last a long time but it is great to use if you want to show a little leg and not blind people. Cost: $10.00

Finally, Garnier Fructis Sleek & Shine Leave-In Conditioning Cream. I almost chopped off my hair a few weeks ago because it was really dry and tangled really easily. I have tried multiple products to deal with this problem including expensive salon products, but this product is far and away better than those. My hair is a lot softer and it doesnt feel or look dry anymore so now I can keep growing it out, wee! It also smells really good. Cost: $4.00

Ahh beauty products, one of the joys of being a woman.

Ramblings By Kasey

As I was having lunch with my friend this weekend, we started talking about getting older and all that comes with it. We werent talking about it in terms of wrinkles or things starting to sag or the physical aspects of aging though. Our conversation happily centered around how we feel more secure and confident with ourselves then we ever have before. It is the confidence that comes when you are aware of your own faults and willing to admit to them. It is the security that we may not be very cool or hip or enjoy cool and hip things but we also dont feel the need to try to be something that we are not. I am also considerably less concerned with what people think of me. It is an overall feeling of contentment that in my early 20s I didnt experience much.

It is also funny how we picture our lives will be when we are young. In high school my idea of my future was to have a high paying and exciting job, married to a successful man and we would be traveling the world right now until we started having children when I was 30. Well that didnt so much work out and but it is funny how life doesnt allow you to plan everything and thank goodness for that because life would be completely boring otherwise. I like not knowing what is next and not knowing what or who could walk around the corner at any moment and my life could take me in a different direction. When I am feeling down or lonely, which will happen from time to time, I no longer see it as some sort of punishment because there is something wrong with me. It is just life and everyone, even people in relationships, experience it and without it we wouldnt be able to appreciate the good things as much when they happen.

We also talked about the guys that we used to date or want to date. If I think about the kind of person I was interested in during my early 20s (think rocker bad boy) and what would have happened if I did marry someone like that, all signs would point to disaster. Not that I have ever really been close to being engaged or anything, but I have a much better idea now of what qualities and characteristics suit me and I have also evolved a lot as a person. I dont think I could have sustained a long term relationship because I have changed too much in the past 10 years.

I used to think that when women in their 30s would say how much better their lives are than when they were in their 20s, I thought they were full of shit. But as I continue to live this little life of mine and make both good and bad decisions I have realized that despite the events that occur in your life as you get older, it is the way you feel about them that changes. I am not yet 30 and I wont have everything figured out by then either but I know I will be ok with that. When I decided not to go back to finish my doctorate I struggled immensely with feeling like a failure because I didnt follow through. That was a turning point for me. That is when I decided that even if people didnt think I was smart enough or good enough then that was fine because I knew it was the best decision for me.

I dont always say or do the right thing and thats ok with me. The myth of life is that once you reach a certain age you will have figured it out. Realizing that will probably never happen it makes me see life as not something to be conquered but something to experience so I relax and try to just be happy.

Damn You Auto Format, Damn You

Dear Microsoft Word,

When I use numbers sometimes I am not numbering a list but am listing quantities so when your stupid autoformat comes on and keeps changing the numbers so they are sequential it really pisses me off. And when I change it back to the number I actually want 5 or more times, take a hint and let me do it. When you keep arguing with me about it I get even more pissed!

Thank you,
Annoyed Customer

Just Me, Myself And I

The Monday after having four days off is always a little rough so I am posting a video from waaaay back in the day that I came across in order to distract from the fact that it is Monday and we have a whole work week ahead of us, bah.

I remember this song as a kid, probably because I related to it since even back then I was a bit of a loner oh and lets be honest it rings true today as well. It has a catchy little beat that makes me want to groove a bit and De La Soul is one of those great old school hip hop groups. Oh and the fashion is awesomely bad, just reeks of the 80s from neon to kid n'play hair cuts.

Please to enjoy!

I was at the gym yesterday and I saw this commercial and although I couldnt hear it I thought it was super cute.

Fatherhood.org has been putting out these PSA's to get dads more involved with their kids but this was the first one I had seen. It reminds me of when I was a kid and my mom was gone my sister, dad and I would make monster masks out of paper plates and paper bags and we would run around trying to scare each other and building forts. Good times.

Work Vent!

It has been a little while since I vented about work, even longer since I vented about the old man (what I call my dad when I am annoyed) but sometimes he can just make no sense and be a bit of a diva.

Yesterday he asked me to make him copies of the various logs for a job that he was going to be attending a meeting for. Ok, no big deal. He told me the meeting would be at 2 today and that he didnt need them right away. Since I am slammed at work and have been for the past few weeks I wasnt able to get to them until this morning. I also was continually interrupted by phone calls etc so I wasnt able to get them copied at the same time but went back and forth. At about 9:30 he reminds me that he needs the logs. I had done about half of them at that point so I told him I was on it. I finish copying all the logs before I could hand them to him an issue with another project came up that I had to get to so they were sitting on my desk. The morning goes on and the old man leaves without telling me so I wasnt aware he was gone and by about 1:30 I ask my mom where he was because I had left the logs and a submittal on his desk to take to the meeting. She isnt sure and calls him and he is already on his way to the meeting and when she asks about getting the logs and he responds "no, she didnt have them ready".

WTF!!! I had them effing ready, they were just on my desk and not his. Does he want me to gift wrap them and leave them at his feet for fucks sake? And why would he not just ask me when he was leaving where they were? It would have taken 2 seconds for me to hand them to him. But because he is either too important to not be bothered by that or he forgot about the logs and blames me because I didnt shove them in his face to remind him. And how was I supposed to know he was leaving in the morning and wouldnt be back bfore his 2 o'clock meeting? It is just ridiculous and even if I tried to reason with him he would tell me to stop arguing with him and walk away. The old man is not dense but sometimes I think he has cotton between his ears.

Oh how I loathe WinCo. Everytime I go there I end up leaving in a bad mood because of how rude and obnoxious people are. Obviously they have good prices which is why I go but a ot of people who shop there could use a lesson on politeness and common curtesy.

Since WinCo is right by my work I go there on lunch breaks, which is what I did today. I knew it wasnt going to be pretty because schools are out and people are shopping for Thanksgiving but I needed grocceries so I braved it. Naturally it was a zoo. I am not sure what is worse the kids running around and not looking where they are going or whose way they are in or the old people who shuffle along completely unaware that there are even other people around them. And without fail everytime I go I will inevitibly end up trapped in an aisle. Today was fun because the person blocking me was on a cell phone and not paying any attention so she was distracted and trying to find something and not only blocking my way with her cart but also talking and cursing loudly on her phone with children around.

But my favorite moment was when a lady ran into me with her cart, nailing me right about where my achilles is and she didnt even apologize. She stopped and looked right at me when I looked back but said nothing. Thanks lady. Bah!

Does anyone know of any restaraunts that will be open for Thanksgiving, excluding fast food?

The Holidays

For Christmas this year I intend to make the majority of my Christmas presents as well as all of my Christmas cards. I usually think about doing this every year and by the time Christmas rolls around I will have procrastinated too much and end up buying something because it is easier. Hopefully I will be able to get my act together and follow through on that this year.
Not only can this be economical but I really enjoy [attempting] being crafty and making things. This is especially true around the holidays. It will give me something to do with my free time though since I am in need of another hobby besides going to the gym and then hanging out in front of the tv until I go to bed.

For Thanksgiving this year my family and I are nixing the turkey dinner. There are only 3 of us and we see each other everyday so holidays are not exactly special at the moment. So we decided to do something different instead and are volunteering at a retirement home. I assumed we will be serving dinner, but we are going to be getting there at 10:30. I know seniors like to eat early but thats a little ridiculous so I dont know what we are going to do. It will be nice to spend time with my parents in that setting though and to be able to hopefully bring a smile to someone who doesnt get to spend time with their own family. Of course they may just be grumpy and find me as charming as a rock and throw food at me. Either way it will give me something to blog about. And since I am not a huge fan of the turkey dinner, I doubt I will miss it.

Anyway thats what is going on with my holidays. Anyone have any cool plans or things they are looking forward to?

Oh and one last thing. I think it would be fun if we take a road trip up to Yosemite sometime over the winter. I don't think I have been there in the winter yet and I think it would be beautiful.

I love the fog. I had forgotten how much I love it until I woke up this morning and saw it settled in around the neighborhood. Like rainy days, foggy days change my mood. With a thick blanket of fog around me I feel unseen and unnoticed. Maybe because I can't look out and see the world through the thick fog, I see within myself more clearly too. I like that fog is completely silent and it comes in with stealth, sneaking in while we sleep or while we are inside and covering everything in a thick, wet soupy haze while we are completely unaware of its presence. I like that when you walk through it you can feel tiny little flecks of moisture hitting your face and exposed skin. When I was young, my aunt used to tell me that tiny little fairies were dancing around in the air and what you feel hitting your face are the fairies kissing you. I think about that every time I walk in the fog and it makes me happy and comforted. I like that everything looks different when it is foggy. The same things I see everyday of my life take on new shapes and shadows and it feels like a different world. Familiar landmarks fade into the fog and turns you have made thousands of times are easily passed by. I like that you can go one block in pea soup fog and the very next block it is sunny and bright. Fog is discerning and it goes where it wants to and not where it doesnt want to. I like fog at night and the way street lamps are eerily obscured by it. I like the way a lone person walking down the street looks walking in the fog, a dark mysterious silhouette. I like the fog, it reminds me of home.

This is absolutely the most disgusting thing I have ever heard of, Turbaconducken (Turducken Wrapped in Bacon). That’s right — a chicken stuffed in duck stuffed in a turkey, all wrapped in bacon. Otherwise known as a bacon-wrapped turducken. To all you Atkins dieters, you can have it, thats just too much meat for me.

The Best and the Worst

Bravo To Reese Witherspoon who absolutely nailed it at a party last night:

This is a very classy yet glamorous look and every detail is perfect. I love her hair, the dress and accessories are great and I adore the shoes. I actually saw these shoes at Banana Republic and wanted them but they were too expensive, go figure (but if anyone is feeling generous, Christmas is coming up). Reese isnt a celebrity I normally think of that is known for fashion but perhaps I have underestimated her style, she looks great.

And on the other hand:

For some reason Maggie Gyllenhaal always likes to dress like an old lady. She sort of has an older looking face anyway and this outfit is not helping her look any younger. She could pull off that classic glamourous look really well too but she is also very anti Hollywood so I guess this is just her style. Maybe she should just get away from the Golden Girls look every once in awhile.

It is Friday right, not Monday?

I woke up early today all bright eyed and bushy tailed so I decided to get ready so I could stop by Starbucks on my way to work. I attempted to do this yesterday but when I got there the line was too long so I had to bail. Since the weather is a little coolerand cloudy today I was really craving a hot chai latte which I havent had since last winter. So I left my apartment 15 minutes early so I had time to stop and when I got there the line was even longer then yesterday and they were understaffed. I stood there for about 5 minutes and they literally had helped 2 people so I did the math and realized I would be here 20 minutes easily and I would be late to work so once again I had to bail, which annoyed me. I was really craving that latte and I left 15 minutes early! Bah.

I also just gave myself a nasty ass paper cut. Why do I let the little things bother me, I dont know but they do. Oh and NPR is doing their pledge drive right now and let me just tell you it is so incredibly obnoxious. Every 20 minutes they give you a guilt trip and act really snarky. They even called someone the other day whose friend emailed and ratted on her and asked her why she hadnt joined yet and pressured her into doing it until she did. Not cool.

Maybe I should put on my Bob Marley and mellow out.

LIFE Photo Archive Hosted By Google

Google and Life Magazine have gotten together to release millions of photographs from the 1750's to today. I love looking at old photography so I could spend hours looking through all of the archives, here is just a taste:
This one is from the Civil War

.
Not sure the date, but I love the way the light looks(Ed this might be a cool painting)


I love how fancy people used to dress. I also really like how the top of this dress looks, it makes my mind whirl with how it could be updated for a more modern look. I could look at fashion photography for days though, especially vintage, they just look so impecable.



You can search for just about anything so if you have some time to waste, browse the archives. You can even order and frame any of the prints.

Hot Tamale!

The best part of my day so far was when the tamale lady came in with her fresh hot chicken tamales this morning. Every once in awhile she will come to our office and sell us homemade tamales which sounds sort of strange since she makes them in her house and most certainly does not have a business license but they are fresh and authentic and freakin good. I look forward to my lunch today.

Nooooooo!

More staches making men ugly:




When will it end?

I think I am going to try to train for my next marathon using this:

Tee Hee.

see more pwn and owned pictures

Mustaches: Ruining Previously Hot Celebrities

*sigh* And they used to be so dreamy...

Things I am enjoying right now:

1. Aveda comforting tea - The salon I now go to makes their own tea, nifty. I normally don't like any flavored teas but this one knocks my socks off. 100% organic and caffiene free it contains licorice root and peppermint flavor and just tastes really good. Since I have had a cough for a week now and have started losing my voice (I feel completely fine though) it is really soothing.

2. Beanie Wells-hurdler or football player? Either way I am impressed.


3.The weather. It's the best of both worlds right now, warm and the trees are changing color. Seriously take a moment to enjoy it. Very soon the weather will be crappy, cold and foggy and the trees will be bare, so depressing.

Thats it for now. Enjoy the day.

Here is a link to my lovely marathon photo. I feel like it needs a caption. I am not creative enough at the moment to think of one so feel free to do it for me.

Girls on The Run

After adding up all of thew donations that I recieved from my generous frinds and family I was able to raise $1,153 for Girls on the Run International! I think this is a very worthy organization and I am proud to be able to support it. Hopefully someday there can be a local chapter of Girls on The Run because I would love to be more involved in it and there are many girls in the Fresno area that could benefit from it. So thank you to everyone, I know the economy isn't great right now so the fact that you were willing to open your wallet to help young girls warms my heart.

I got an email from Girls on the Run that featured a story written by one of the coaches. I included it below because it illustrates what this organization does for girls and what your money is going to:


Sierra was in Girls on the Run. She was a big girl and some of her classmates called her fat.

Two-thirds of the way through the 12-week program the girls attempt their first 3.1 mile run or walk. Sierra did not believe she could do it. While the majority of girls in the group were running past her, I could see Sierra looking at them with envy. "My body can never do this."
While Sierra stubbornly trudged through two miles, all of the other girls had finished and were socializing at a nearby picnic table.
Among them was Jordan. Jordan was the fastest runner. She was a slender third-grader and always finished first. On this day, Jordan noticed something special. She noticed that Sierra had gone further than she ever had. She walked to the edge of the track. "Sierra, you've gone further than you ever have! Come on, you can do it," she yelled joyfully.

In that moment, I witnessed a light-THE light-sparkle in Sierra's eyes. The realization that "I CAN do this" transformed her trudging into a jog, her attitude into a kick and her body into a machine. With every ounce of her being, Sierra started to jog, then run, huffing and puffing every step of the way. She smiled with each step--moving her strong body effortlessly over the pavement.
Before the last lap was complete all 16 girls had joined her. She had done it. The body that never would--could. A smile, as big as California, stretched across Sierra's beautiful face; sweat glistened on her brow.

On that day, Sierra took her body back. She took it back from the magazines, from the movies and from the MTV images. She took her body back from the teacher that told her she was lazy and from the classmates who called her fat. Big. Strong. Beautiful. Bold. Her body was her body and she took it back.
Millions of people across our planet run and each has a unique motivation for doing so.. For me, thanks to Sierra and the other beautiful and diverse girls that I celebrate with at finish lines all across the country, I run for joy, wonder and gratitude for this remarkable thing we call the human spirit.

Swoon!

Oh my heart skipped a beat when I saw this dress:



It is a beautiful silk in a gorgeous color, I love the asymmetrical neckline and the way it is gathered and drapped at the waist is super flattering. I would definitely accessorize it differently. In the summer that dress with look great with yellow heels and a tan. For the winter, less chunky shoes, maybe tights and I dont do jewelry very much so something more dainty than that ugly necklace.

That 25% off card is just burning a hole through my pocket right now...

I Forgot

Last week Annie and I had dinner at Mr. Sushi and Amber Fry came in. I forgot to mention it probably because it was quite forgetable but it was one of those classic Fresno celebrity moments.

Fine.

Per Ed's request I am throwing up a new post. As fascinating as my bowels are to me, it is probably not something everyone else wants to keep reading. This I understand.
I just havent had much to say lately because I have been super busy at work. Typically I have one project closing out at a time and right now I have 5. The close out process is slow and painstaking and on top of that I have 2 projects starting up, which is also time consuming. It isnt such a bad deal though, I prefer being busy to being bored. It has prevented me from posting much though.

Here is what is on my mind:
-I really loathe those hippie headbands people are wearing. Very very few people can pull that off, and everyone else just look dumb (ahem Carrie Underwood and Miley Cyrus)


-Does anyone else think it is strange that Beyonce has an "alter ego" that she talks about frequently as if she is a real person different from herself? Sasha Fierce is the name of Beyonce's alter ego (or split personality, lets just be honest here) and she had this to say about her:
"I have someone else that takes over when it's time for me to work and when I'm on stage, this alter ego that I've created that kind of protects me and who I really am."
Ummm I think that if someone were not a celebrity and said crap like that about having a personality that protects them and talks about them and even creates a myspace page for them might be kindly escorted to the mental hosiptal. But since it is Beyonce, it's kinda cool. I think it might be the beginning of her own personal mental breakdown, watch out Britney, you may have some company on the crazy train.

-They changed the date of the LA Marathon this year to Memorial Day weekend. Still a little bothered by my last performance I cant say I am not tempted. I wouldnt have to start training until March and I really love running this race so I am considering it...

-Finally, a shout out to my very very good friend Melissa who is a doctor of Pharmacy and works and teaches at USC school of Pharmacy. She made the directory so she is official! She is the smartest and hardest working person that I know and I am very proud of her and her success. Bravo!

My Bowels Are Sooo Irritable

I went to my follow up appointment with my doctor yesterday and was told that after all the tests, I most likely have irritable bowel syndrome. It is a common condition, particularly with females my age (for reasons unknown) and also with runners. Since the onset of my stomach problems coincided with the start of my training, it might have been the catalyst.

There is no test to confirm IBS or any real treatment though, you just have to find what works for you. Increasing my fiber intake by taking fiber supplements has helped and not eating as many wheat products has also helped so I will keep doing that. Keeping tums, pepto bismol, gas-x etc. on hand is also a good idea to treat the symptoms.

I have to say I am relieved to hear it. I think your mind naturally thinks about the worst case scenarios so when you hear the disgnosis it is never as bad as you think. I could also be a bit of a hypochondriac thanks to WebMD. I will be interested to see if running less makes any difference too.

So if I am ever crabby just blame it on my bowels, they are irritable.

Post Marathon Recap

Yesterday I finally ran the marathon I had been training 3 months for. I am happy that it is over and I although I did improve my PR by 25 minutes and came in within the time frame I wanted, I am definitely not completely satisfied. I went out too fast, which is the mistake I always seem to make. I was feeling really good when I started out and for the first 13 miles so I got a little too big for my britches and around mile 17, I started slowing down and hit the notorious wall. That coupled with the wind prevented me from achieving my 4 hour goal and ended up with the time of 4:20.

I am not completely disapointed, but there is always room for improvement. I know that I put all the effort into it that I possibly could, but I wasnt smart and made mistakes. Overall, I am pleased but in the back of my mind I know I can do better and because of that I will most likely attempt 26.2 miles again in the future. But not anytime soon. I am looking forward to getting back to the gym and being able to workout without the pressure and rigidity of training. I would like to take some yoga classes and do some bike riding and try new weight training techniques. I will still run but for fun and not be so focused on hitting a certain mileage or speed. By next fall, I should feel ready to try it again.

I was also very impressed with the inagural marathon that Fresno put on. They did a superb job and I never encountered any hiccups that can occur in larger marathons. They had plenty of water and gatorade, a ton of volunteers and the course was clearly marked. And although in theory the hot breakfast and ice cream sundae sounds excellent, I was in no condition to enjoy that. There were a lot more spectators than I expected and that is always nice to see.

And speaking of spectators I am incredibly grateful that my parents, Kendall, Rob, Adam, Ed, Heather, Mike, Brian, Annie and Reagan all came out to support me. It really meant a lot to me to have everyone there to see what marathons are like and understand this aspect of my life. So thank you, it made my day:)

As far as how I am feeling today, I feel really great. The only thing that is sore are my calves and even that isnt very bad. I anticipated a better recovery but this was even better than I expected. Sometimes the soreness doesnt set in until 2 days later though so hopefully tomorrow I will still feel good.

Thanks again to all of you and next year, I will do even better. I may need some people at around mile 5 yelling at me to slow down though:)

More Marathon Stuff

Only 2 days away now and I am itching to run this thing. This is the first time I have trained for a race and didnt feel like I could use a few more weeks of training. I don't know if that will mean I will run it any faster, but I anticipate less pain during and after the race.

The race has sold out too, which is exciting. It shows that there is a bigger running community in Fresno and the surrounding areas than people may think. There will be 3,000 runners which is pretty small but they plan on expanding that to 10,000 by 2010. To put that into perspective when I ran the LA marathon, there were 30,000 runners and 1,000,000 spectators. I have only run big races so I am interested to see how a smaller race compares. I will probably miss the massive amounts of spectators in past races (they really help!) but I also wont have to weave through slower runners for the first 3 miles so that will be nice.

Tomorrow is the Expo and packet pick up day. I am volunteering there for a few hours, handing out packets to registered runners. Anyone can go to the expo, they set up food, beverage, clothing and other various booths that are running specific. Typically I just pick up my packet, grab a few free samples and leave but I am really interested in hearing the keynote speaker, Katherine Switzer. She snuck into the Boston Marathon when women werent allowed to run in 1967. When the race director found out and tried to physically remove her boyfriend body checked him and she finished the race unscathed. It baffles me that only 40 years ago, people didnt think women could run marathons and now more women run marathons than men.

I need to add up the total money I have fundraised for Girls on The Run, but I am over $1,000 so that makes me happy. I feel good that thanks to my generous friends and family, I will be able to give money to an organization that I really respect. Not a day goes by that young girl isnt subjected to unrealistic images of what they should look like so it is an uphill battle but I truly believe running and physical fitness cant help overcome that. Thank you again for everyone who donated.


Oh, there is also another map of street closures on the marathon website of you want to check that out.

Alright people,I am requesting your assistance at creating a marathon playlist for my ipod. I have been pretty much listening to the same playlists the entire time I have been training and after hearing the same songs over and over again, my enthusiasm for them has diminished and I need some new tunes. Anything that you can suggest from your varied musical backgrounds that you think might be a good song to run to I am willing to give a shot. I need at least 4 hours of music so bring it on!

This is why I love runners. They do crazy things like run a mile with a rapid fox clamped on their arm and then pry it off, throw it in the trunk and drive themselves to the hospital. You just gotta love that.

Politics

I am going to make this short and sweet as politics are not my forte. For two years I have been listening to the rhetoric of this Presedential campaign and I grew very tired of it. I grew tired of the nastiness, the twisting of facts and the heated discussions that arose. Frankly rhetoric only means so much to me because you can promise me the world but until its in my hand it doesn't much matter.

I did my job as an American citizen though and researched the platforms of each candidate, kept my ears open and made my decision. What I never fully considered though was just how historic Obama being elected would be.

I wasn't going to watch the coverage last night because 1) I dont have a working remote so I couldnt flip back and forth to see who the winner is and 2) I was again tired of hearing about it but at about 8:30 I started watching a live stream of the coverage online and quickly saw that Obama had won, which really wasnt a suprise. But as I kept watching it finally registered what this means. Looking at the faces of the people waiting for Obama to speak in Chicago, the crowds in NY, the young people, blacks, whites, hispanics etc all together and celebrating, you could see on their faces that this was not just another presidential election. This is a fundamental change in how people see politics in America. It is a changing of the guard from politics as usual to one that more fully represents this country and I was overcome with emotion that I didnt expect. It isnt just that he is the first black president and he has made his race believe that anything is possible, he has made everyone believe that anything is possible and is bringing

The hard work still lies ahead however and I am eager to see what Obama can do for this country in action and not just in rhetoric. But for now I just want to take it all in and fully understand what this means to the country and to me.

And yes, I did feel bad for McCain, but he gave a great concession speech and I think he knew it was coming. He was up against something bigger than just another candidate.

I Loathe Cosmo Magazine

This is the new cover of Cosmo magazine featuring Jessica Simpsons and includes a plethora of articles that are written with as much intellgence as Jessica Simpson herself. Actually that is probably insulting to Jessica, but she did try to make a career out of being a dumb blonde so she brought it on herself.

Looking at the featured articles this month, the first thing that stands out to me is an article titled "The Trick That Attracts Hot Guys Like Crazy" and next to that is the article "How To Outsmart Your Date Rapist". They must have put those in the same issue just in case the tricks to attract hot guys like crazy worked too well. Way to be thinking Cosmo!

Then you have the very important article "Your Orgasm Face: What He Is Thinking When He Sees It". How could this possible need an entire article to discuss. He is thinking, "Yes! I did a good job!" Do w really need to analyze that anymore?

And to continue on their obsession of appealing to men, you have "Sexy vs. Skanky" because you want to be able to trick guys into noticing how sexy you are but not be one of those girls. And finally, "Total Body Sex: Those Bed Shaking Techniques That Will Have Any Man Quivering With Pleasure From Head To Toe". Yes ladies, we need to please our men or they may cheat on you. But Cosmo thinks of everything because if you visit their website that are several articles on how to keep your man from cheating on you, phew.

How do you a keep a man from cheating you ask? Well it is very simple, you just need to do (3) things: 1) make friends with any possible girl he may hook up with so she will be more reluctant to screw your boy friend, 2) Ask him questions (but not too many questions or he will think you talk too much)so he doesnt emotionally get involved with someone else and then bang her and 3) Stay on his mind - put a picture of the two of you at his desk so he is reminded how awesome you guys are together.

It is crap articles like these that make women believe that love and relationships consist of nothing more than games that we play and tricking men to fall in love with us. I have had friends that obsessed over playing the game, always thinking of what their next move would be, how long they would wait before returning a text, what exactly they would say, and over analyzing the smallest of things. No matter how much I and others would insist that in real relationships, games arent going to matter but being yourself and being honest will, it fell on deaf ears. That is until they fell in love without playing games and finally got it. But for a lot of girls, reading Cosmo and other magazines like this shape how they view love and relationships. If you look at the types of articles these magazines boast you will find a great many articles on how to land a man, how to keep a man and how to make sure he is happy in bed. The trifecta of what should be most important to women everywhere. If you arent in love, it isnt tht you just havent met the right guy, women YOU are doing something wrong and here are the tricks on how to fix it.

For the love Cosmo, stop holding women to such an antiquated mindset!

Today starts my last week before the marathon, and it is going to be a tough week for me. I am used to spending about 2 hours out of my day at the gym, including walking to and from the gym. When I get home I am exhuasted and I eat dinner, take a shower watch a little tv and go to sleep.

I will run 3 times this week, a 4 miler and two 3 milers I believe. I cant do any leg exercises but I can do a little upper body and core work. In any case I seriously dont know what to do with myself when I dont go to the gym and I get depressed if I dont work out. I dont want to sit at home and watch tv so I was thinking I would read a new book. Can anyone suggest something that I may like? I just finished Water for Elephants which was ok, entertaining but somewhat predictable. I dont want anything too intense but something I can bring to the coffee shop and waste some extra time I have.

Suggestions?

UPDATE: I just checked the weather report again and now it is showing a high of 69 degrees and no rain. Perfection.