Taper Madness

Taper madness presents itself differently in everyone. For me, it's typically sour mood and temperament (sorry friends and loved ones!). Also any anxiety I typically have is magnified a bazillion percent and my control freak nature ramps up a hundred fold. I was prepared for this part of taper madness (and so was Kyle, bless his heart). But the one part of taper madness I had forgotten about was the compulsive shopping.

Hi. My name is Jeri, and during taper, I shop like a maniac.

The first few days of taper were maintainable, I'd do some online shopping, put items in a check out bag, and then walk away from my computer. I do this...uh... frequently. But then came the "gateway" purchase. I needed arm sleeves or a long sleeved shirt for the marathon, so I started looking around. Many adorable green items were "added to cart" all over the world wide web. I finally snagged a pair of neon green Saucony arm sleeves for mega percent off.

And then, all shopping hell broke loose. Since then, I have purchased a j. crew button up with polka dots (second hand), Megan's birthday and Christmas presents, Jenn's Christmas and birthday presents, Kyle's Christmas presents, 2 pairs of green and pink shorts from J. Crew crazy on sale (because duh, why wouldn't you buy shorts as we're on the cusp of winter!??!), green earrings and a new cell phone case from Kate Spade, and a time turner necklace to complete my Hermione Granger Halloween costume (not to mention a Gryffendor tie and her wand, but those were costume necessities, right??)

Now this past weekend I get an email from Jenn letting me know that she found a cheaper version of a ring I've been obsessing over, and it was on sale. Attention checking account: Jenn is back in the states, your monies are no longer safe!

The good news is that everything I bought was crazy ridiculously mind blowingly on sale and then discounted. And the majority of things really were for gifts, and just some other little stuff for me, but STILL. OMG.

So now here are some small fruits of my shopping labors, Harry Potter Halloween pics!

Hermione and Ginny hanging out at Platform 9 3/4, waiting for their train.

We had these signs made for kids to take pictures in at the library on Halloween.

Dear Santa Slash Birthday Fairy + Taper MADNESS

Thanksgiving always signals the question.....So what do you want for Christmas and your birthday? (I'm a day after Christmas baby.)  And I always stumble around with a non-answer requesting money, because I'm lame like that.  Except that when I get money I end up putting it away in to my savings account, because I'm even MORE lame like that, and then when I end up using it way down the line for a race fee or clothes I no longer associate it with the giver.  Last year I decided to construct a Christmas Slash Birthday list for those folks that would be interested in it.... except...for the first time ever....  nobody asked.  What the heck??  (For the record:  I did end up buying myself a good chunk of the stuff on last year's list at some point in the year, so it probably evened out. :p)

It was so much fun compiling my wish list, I decided to do it again, even if it's only for the purpose of referencing on my birthday aka shopfest #27.  :)

I'm pretty much obsessed with this stocking hat.  I saw it online from Kohl's for crazy cheap a few months ago, but the shipping was more than the hat.  I just couldn't do it.  Then while Aaron and I were in the Cities for the Pack v. Vikes game I had MAJOR hat envy whenever I saw a chicky with it. :(

During the great HIMYM obsessfest of 2010, I purchased Seasons 3 and 4.  Random, I know.  I think they were crazy on sale?  Anyway, I'm missing 1, 2, and 5 from my collection.  Also Jason Segal is missing from life as my life partner.  So feel free to include him as well Jolly ol' Nick.

I've resigned to the fact that I will allow myself to get a Nook (per your guys' awesome suggestions and input on this post).  Granted, I've settled on the black and white version, but since this is a WISH list, I figured I could get away with the spendy colored version, no?

And why not get a case for the Nook that is almost as expensive as the actual Nook?  Why that's my thoughts exactly!  I have a special place in my heart for Kate Spade, and this quote is sooooooooooo Jerbear:  She kept her nose in a book, and her head in the clouds.  LOVE.

Last year I talked myself out of buying these G.D. Uggs convincing myself that I would be over them by this winter, thus making the price tag not worth it.  Well frugal Jeri, this one backfired on you.  I still covet these immensely.

As of right now this is the one race I am for sure doing in 2011.  And who wouldn't like to have a race fee scratched off their spreadsheet?  Wait...not everyone has a ridiculous race spreadsheet?  That's lame as well.  :)

I'm pretty much obsessed with everything that Nan Lawson creates.  At any moment in time I would be ecstatic with 20 different prints in her etsy shop.  Edited to add:  After creating this post, I ended up buying the two book nerdy prints.  Happy Christmas Slash Birthday to me. :)

I couldn't quite justify the Harry/Hermione/Ron set just yet.  But once I find a wall space they will work on, they are mine!  Oh, I mean... when Santa puts them in my stocking.... yup.  :)

And on to running.  When I was training for the Green Bay marathon I thought I was sooooooooo lucky.  I barely had any taper craziness going on.  My body felt great.  I wasn't that nervous about the race.  I wasn't losing my mind.  I thought I was a taper queen.  This time around, I feel like the taper has chewed me up and spit me out!  I spent week 1 of the taper sick and ran a whole 3-4 miles.  Last week ended with the crappiest of crappy 10 miles where my legs felt like lead.  I've had random knee pain in both knees, prompting me to ponder whether I should get a knee strap for the right (aka good) knee in addition to the one I wear on the left for Vegasssssssssss.  I have something horrendously out of place in my back that is making it difficult for me to breathe while I'm sitting on the couch let alone while I'm sucking wind running on the treadmill (rest assured I finally made a chiro appointment.  yay me!).  Oh and my legs just feel like garbage.

Today it all kind of hit me in the face.  Taper MADness fo sho.  I almost skipped my run this morning, because it seemed like more work to get to the gym to do three miles than it was worth.  Sweet attitude me.  When I got there my legs again felt like garbage.  Sigh.  (In case you are wondering, this is doing nothing for my race day confidence... gaaaaaaaaaaah!)  Luckily after about a minute or two of lead-legs, they got their pep back and the rest of the run was a-ok.  I did 3 miles in 28:28.  Just goes to show that you'll never regret going for a run.  ;)

And now I'm off to find my mind.  I'm sure it's around here somewhere!