Obsessions

Nail polish.  The other day I yelled at KK to come in here NOW!  (because I'm demanding like that...)  "I think I've become a girl who wears nail polish."  Yet imagine nail polish was said like it was a despicable terrible swear word or something.

But seriously I've been on a major nail polish kick lately and it's so bizarre because I am not a girly girl, and that just strikes me as something uber girly.  Current fave colors include:  a super duper soft pink which I've dubbed Barbie pink, some crazy sparkly gold that I've aptly named 14 Karat (the names of the polishes suck, so it's obvious that I had to rename them, right?), and a super deep dark almost black/deep red which is Wicked Witch Apple Red.

Painted gold for the superbowl. Obvs. Go Pack Go.

Showing off my Wisco beer while supporting my Wisco boys during the NFC Championship game.

Trying to channel some semblance of spring with the pretty pastel pink.

(P.S. Thoughts on the new Starbucks logo?  I kind of like it... gotta dig the excessive green! :D)

Our Target just got a grocery section, and they sent out a mailer for a free dozen eggs on Sunday.  Color me excited!  Go figure, I would walk away with two new nail polish colors with my free dozen.  Highlighter pink and muted moss green (again my made up names.... I need this job..)  P.S.  The yellow I got as a pedi before RnR Vegas marathon because it matched my race shirt.  Um...yeah.

Aaron Rodgers.  Being an avid Packers fan, it's really hard not to love Aaron Rodgers, but seriously.... he's kind of awesome.  After the season was over, he resumed tweeting (uh..thank GOD!) and the interviews I caught made me love the guy even more.  He's kind of hilarious.... and uh... attractive (don't ask me how I didn't notice this previously.... since he's clearly my "type.").  A few weeks before the Superbowl I ordered my 2nd Packers jersey, and although it wasn't here in time for the Superbowl (but to be honest I would've wore my lucky outfit: Jennings jersey, yellow sparkly hair ribbon, regardless) it's kind of awesome.

Starburst Jelly Beans.  About a month ago I had to accompany KK and his roommate to Menards for some crap or another.  I was kind of a grumpy gus about it, especially when no one laughed at my joke about being with "my kind" while in the light fixture section (only funny if you know my last name.  ok, possibly still not funny even if you know my last name.... whatever).  Upon checking out, I realized that there were STARBUST JELLY BEANS!!!!!!!  I first experienced these little treats of deliciousness after Easter last year when a co-worker brought in some leftover candy.  Of course, at this point it was too late to find them anywhere, and I have been counting down to purchase them.  Currently I'm on bag 6 of 6... so far.  Don't act like you're not impressed.

Greg Jennings YouTube Video.  This was a bit of a viral sensation this fall.  If you haven't seen it yet, please view now:

After the Superbowl, I obviously watched every interview and appearance for any Packers players.  My buddy Matt tweeted about an appearance by Greg Jennings where he is asked about the youtube video.  I laughed so hard at Jennings' impression of the guy in the video, I thought I was going to die.  I made Kyle experience the whole thing right along side me, and he enjoyed it just as much.

The other day I was having a crabby day and KK sent me a text:  greg gennings. puttin your team on yo back dog. ahhh s#!t dawrrrrrin shaperrrrrr. one of the best safties in the leeeague dog. greg jennings.

Needless to say I cheered up real quick.  Hi.lar.i.ous.

My nook.

So I know I bought my little nook to keep me company on my treadmill winter miles, but I must say... I really love the little bugger.  It's so nice to throw it in my purse instead of a heavy book (or two).  Plus the Kate Spade case is oh so chic.  I've read quite a few books on there, and while books are still my favorite thing evaaaaaaaaah, the nook might be #2. :)

___________________

Normally I have a rest day after a long run.  However, normally I do my LRs on a Saturday.  I know that if I start off my week with a rest day, I'm going to wish I had it back come Thursday when I *need* my couch and a bag of Starburst jellybeans in lieu of a run.  I had 6 easy miles to do.  Since it was snowing sideways (seriously Midwest....you're the best) I went to the gym.  Luckily I'm in the midst of another Sookie Stackhouse book on my nook, and could hunker down for the run.  I run pretty super de duper slow and slowly but surely felt all the junk leaving my legs.  Somehow I managed to knock out more pages on the 58 minute run then I did on my 60 minute lunch break.... riddle me that one..... TheRunningSpeedReader (I'm really in to creating faux twitter handles for myself...please ignore for now....)

Introducing: Madeline aka My Precious

A few months back I had pondered an e-reader purchase to keep me from blowing out my brains on the many many many treadmill runs I would encounter this winter.  A couple of you lovely faces mentioned that I should steer towards a Nook as they have the capabilities of downloading/checking out books from libraries.  Uh...sold!  I'd been holding off thus far (primarily because I get paid once a month so by the end of the month I'm surviving off of air), but when groupon had a Barnes and Noble deal I jumped right on it!  I spent all day on Friday freaking out at work over my new purchase.  Then I read the fine print and realized I couldn't use it until Friday night at midnight:  disappointment #1.

Last Saturday morning I jumped out of bed at 9:15 to head to my local Barnes and Noble to purchase my new nooky poo.  Armed with groupon + birthday present gift card (Thanks LC!) I was ready to go.  I brought it home, ready to download the 3rd book in the Sookie Stackhouse/True Blood series, only to realize it was checked out:  disappointment #2.  From there I set about finding any book that I could read, and settled on Wicked.  After spending an hour or so trying to download the proper stuff for my computer and Nook, I was ready to throw both the Nook and my MacBook against the wall.  Seriously, I'm pretty technologically savvy but I was feeling dummmmmmmmb:  disappointment #3.

After 2 1/2 hours messing around, I finally hit the gym (so of course what little I had for breakfast was gone out of my stomach causing me to be starving and have a sucky mcsucksuck run, cutting it short 7 miles).  Luckily the Nook comes with a few free books downloaded to it, but unfortunately Little Women was not the sort of "mindless reading" I was looking forward to while logging a long run.

I didn't have another chance to mess around with the Nook until Sunday afternoon pre-Superbowl.  At which point I stated, "I am SERIOUSLY going to cry slash throw a tantrum" at least 12-18 times.  Another hour and a half passed with no success.

Monday morning I didn't have to be to work until 11am (yes I planned to go in late the day after the Superbowl because I'm smart like that....) so I decided to mess around with it again.  Because... you know... I hadn't lost my mind enough about it.  I finally found in a forum that while there are definitely issues getting the Nook authorized with this specific program, there appear to be even more issues with Macs.  Ah HA!  So I'm not a dumby dumby head.

Monday night after work i decided to give it one more go around and restored my Nook to it's original factory settings and tried again to get it to work (with bated breath and crossed fingers)..... by God it WORKED.  It's ALIIIIIIIIIIIIIVE!  Total time spent:  6 1/2 hours.  For the record, I could've easily finished a book and a half in that time frame.

(P.S.  check out my sweet GOLD nail polish that I tracked down for the Superbowl.  GO PACK GO!)


I have decided on the name Madeline for her, after one of my favorite children's book characters, and am currently scouring the web for a super sweet sticker/cling that I can add to her backside.





Also, I received an email from Barnes and Noble on Friday advertising half off on their Kate Spade Nook covers.  I had originally wanted the pink one, but wasn't a huge fan of the orange on the inside, plus I didn't want to match Jenn.  :p  Jk, that wouldn't bother me at all.  But I loved this black and read one.  So chic.

I was hanging out with KK the other night (meaning he was playing Tiger Woods with his roomies...uh joy....) so I pulled out The Help from my purse in hardcover form (checked out from the library natch).  He just rolled his eyes at me for not using my new Nook that I spent all the monies on.  Traditionalist up in here.... don't hate. ;)

Edited to add:  Ok, since I original wrote this post I read and completed my first book via nook, Club Dead.  But in my defense, while being on my deathbed, I wasn't able to go to the library to renew my book stash.  And I kind of loved it.  So there.

Happy Valentine's Day to all of my lovely lovey loverfaces out there.  I love you all and hope you have a super sweet day. :D

2011 Goals

In lieu of resolutions, I much prefer to have goals. Yes, one could argue that they're roughly the same thing. But I seem to work better with the latter. So sue me. No really, don't. I have very little money, and that wouldn't do you any good, and would likely waste both of our time.

Running and Fitness

• Break 4 hours in the marathon
• Run a sub 1:50 half marathon
• Run a 5k in 22:xx
• Become a mentally tough runner
• Practice yoga more regularly (either alone or at a studio)
• Find new running buddies!
• Stay injury free
• Run 1600 miles for the year
• Lift regularly (regularly is a loose term here FYI)

Personal Goals

• Get in to a Master's program for Library Science
• Join a book club 
• Join a Stitch and Bitch group 
• (I swear to God it's harder to meet chickies to be friends with than it is to find boys to date.... where are all the good ladies at?!?!? :p) 
• Continue to find fun crafty ways to utilize my creative side 
• No more truck driver mouth (no offense to any (?) truck drivers who may read my blog)
• Take more photos (rekindle photo project:  Project 52!)
• Average more scarf sales per month than in 2010
• Live and love life

So Sunday night I took a little tumble on the ice.  After coming and going much of Sunday daytime, and being warned "be careful, don't slip!" every time I stepped outdoors, I became a bit cocky.  Even after slipping, I would point out that "I'm like a cat!  I always land on my feet!  I have an excellent center of gravity...... must be all the core work and yoga I do.  P.S.  Toot toot!"

Well wouldn't you know it, as soon as I'm by myself (thank GOD!) and hustling to get to my car I EAT $#!t hardcore.  We're talking my 120 pound frame coming down on that solid sheet of ice as if I were a 330 pound linebacker.  Naturally my left hip (precious precious hip that I've had issues with for roughly 13-14 years now) took the major brunt of the fall.  I totally get how old people break their hips!  Sweet jesus.  Monday morning I realized my thigh was in pain as well.  Monday afternoon rolled around and I could barely move my left arm/shoulder.  You know that deep muscle pain you have when you get a shot in your arm?  (I'm thinking that horrible meningitis shot I had to get pre-college enrollment... OUCH!)  That's what my arm feels like.  Anyway, I opted to take a rest day on Monday since I had to have someone help me into and out of my zip up hoody.  Oy.

Today I figured my arm couldn't hurt any worse, and perhaps the run would loosen it up.  I did an easy 5 miler on the treadmill at the gym because it's still balls cold out.  I am getting really good at reading while running at a slower pace.  I've knocked out 3 magazines cover to cover at the gym over the last 9 miles.  I think it's just a matter of time before I break down and by myself the Nook!!!  I can't wait.  But really... I will.  Because... money doesn't grow on trees and all... plus I kind of spoiled myself already for Christmas/birthday.

I did 5 miles in 47:40 for a pace of 9:32.

And just because.... I found this pic on my camera.  Apparently I carried my camera with me on a day where the snow was falling all beautiful like.  I look pretty joyous in the picture, but I can't for the life of me remember when it was taken.... the treadmill is eating my soul.... and brain.

Nook v. Kindle + Mankato Pacing Pictures

Some extreme weather the last few days has me at the gym logging my miles on the treadmill.  I can do cold (mid-30s) I can do wind (40+ mph), I can not do cold+wind.  Those of you that did....well....I bow down to you with my un-wind burnt face.

Tuesday I had an easy 6 miler today.  And I actually enjoyed running on the treadmill.  It was the darndest thing really.  I read a few trashy gossip magazines while flying through some miles, and before I knew it, I was done.  And drenched in sweat.  But that's beside the point. 

I did 6 miles in 56:50 for a pace of 9:29.

Wednesday I had originally had a 10 mile run w/8 miles at tempo pace, but knew I'd want to catapult myself through the window in front of the treadmill if I had to do it indoors, so I did my 7 miler from Thursday instead.  Again, I was really digging on the run.  Until mile 5.  Then I was o-v-e-r it.  And I had this really weird pain in my foot that I think resulted from tying my shoe tight, but also teetered on the possibility of being a seriously painful muscle/bone/something or other.  I'm going to go with bruise for now.  The good thing (or not so good thing, I guess technically) is that I bruise like a peach, so I'll know for sure before too long.

I did 7 miles in 1:06:00 for a pace of 9:26.

All of this treadmill running (and I know it's only the tip of the iceburg) has me thinking that I really want a Nook or a Kindle.  Now hear me out on this, I am a die hard book lover.  My greatest dream for my future home is to have an actual library inside of it (I plan on marrying a prince apparently).  We're talking floor to ceiling bookshelves with that sliding ladder that I will siiiiiiiiiiiiiing on whilst floating across my library gazing upon all my books.  But for the sake of running, it would be super/fabulous/amazingly awesome to have an electronic reading device so I can READ BOOKS WHILE I RUN.  I love to read.  I love to run.  To read while running might actually cause my world to spin out of orbit (don't worry this shouldn't effect you.  you may think that we're living in the same world, but I can assure you that I am very much so in my own), and that's a good thing.  I saw a gentleman walking on the treadmill last winter with the font at 48 and realized that I too could devour some books if I could crank up the font a bit (and not have to worry about holding a book and physically turning some pages.

Do any of you do this?  I am seriously thinking it may be my Christmas/Birthday present to myself.

And now some super fabulous photos from the Mankato race.

I'd like to say we're talking race/pace strategy, but more than likely we're discussing our dance moves.  Raaaaaaaaaage.

This is my stoic runner look.

Was unaware that there was an official photog ahead as I was fishing a GU out of my sports bra/GU holding receptacle.

Weeeeee........... downhill.

Excellent bug catching opportunities.

Being sweaty is neat-o.