Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Running 2011

Ok, I'm putting my running goals on paper (virtually) just to solidify them. I've agreed with a good deal of the end-of-the year commentary in that New Years Resolutions are self-defeating. So, I'm setting goals. Right now I'm just starting with running, but there are other areas of life that need goals too. But first thing first.

1. Get my 5k time under 30 minutes

2. Run 1000 miles this year (breaks down to roughly 20 miles a week)

3. Run a half marathon in 2 hrs and 15 mins - already registered for the Lake Placid marathon in June.

4. More yoga - gotta defend against IT band issues.


OK I think that covers all the major running goal areas - time, placement (finish), and fitness.

Happy Trails!

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

I heart volunteering

Dear MHRHS,
Over the past several weeks I have received several expressions of thanks from the organization in many forms – emails, personalized thank you notes, thank you notes to all at PSG, and the newsletter I just received in the mail. It appears, in no uncertain terms, that you are quite appreciative of our service. However, I’d like to take the time to thank YOU for all that you’ve given me.

My service at the Humane Society is something of a personal 180. I grew up terrified of most animals – particularly dogs, but cats in their curious ways always made me a bit uncomfortable. We didn’t grow up with pets in my house – an alleged “allergy” of my father’s - that seems to have disappeared now that they have a cat themselves. I got my cat during a difficult transition of my personal life. Not having been a “pet person” I was unfamiliar with shelters and the plight of shelter animals. That being said, I got my Dinah on craigslist. I don’t regret it though. She’s changed my life. I brought her home in late August 2007, and I guess you could say my “heart grew 2 sizes that day.” It wasn’t long before ASPCA commercials made me cry, and I was trying to catch the kittens living under my porch to bring to the shelter. After I completed graduate school, nights and weekends that used to be filled with crazy hours of reading and writing papers, now consisted of, well, nothing. I’d thought about getting another cat – trying to convince myself Dinah needed a friend – introducing her to other cats has never gone well, even those I didn’t purposely introduce her to, those wandering by outside, resulted in quite the display of frustration and anger on her part.

It was this past summer that I decided to volunteer. I’m not sure what prompted the decision really. One day I googled the Mohawk Hudson River Humane Society, clicked on the volunteer link, and the rest is history. I know it’s only been since July that I’ve been helping out – but what a difference a volunteer position makes! Stressful days melt away, as an innocent, lovey cat head butts my hand for a petting. Granted, my Dinah does wonders for stress level too, but there’s just something so great about how appreciative the PSG cats are. And something truly wonderful, when I let a cat out of his or her kennel and say “you’re going home today!”

There can never be enough “happy tails” on the MHRHS website, and it’s that thought that drives me. I enjoy chatting it up with people that have adopted cats from us while they are back at PSG getting cat food etc. Each sweet animal deserves a great home, and it fulfills a part of me, I didn’t know needed fulfilling, to be a part of that process.

So with that, I thank the MHRHS for giving me the opportunity to help out, and, perhaps without knowing, giving me the personal satisfaction that one can only get from giving selflessly to those in need.

Thank you, and happy holidays to the management and board of the Mohawk Hudson River Human Society!

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Can we please get over this wikileaks thing?

The latest Wikileaks story is the most unsensational sensational news story of the decade. Honestly, what have we learned (except apparently the military may need to tighten up its security clearance procedures)? A series of things we already knew, or suspected were confirmed, tossed in with a few things we don't really care about. For example:

1. Canadians are begining to distrust Washington. Who cares? It's Canada! Also, welcome to the party, Canadians - most Americans don't trust Washington either (thanks, Nixon - yea, I'm still going there).

2. Diplomats talk trash behind eachother's backs. Oh, because that hasn't been happening since the beginning of organized society.

3. A bunch of world leaders think Sarkozy is a weiner. SHOCKING!!!

4. Americans apparently think the Constitution of the United States of America applies to the whole world.

5. If you look like a perv, someone will accuse you of being one (sorry, Assange - you have that creepster look about you).

6. If you go after the most powerful government in the entire world, they will come back at you. You do yourself no favors by announcing you'll release corporate secrets either. Corporations are, in fact, more influential than the government (oh no, she didnt! I did, I did), and unless you have Bill Gates money and can run your own little world, you're going to need those corporations to keep it going.

In conclusion, can we PLEASE move on!

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

I have a new hobby

or a hobby... whatever.

It's running. I began "for serious" late this summer and ran my first 5k and two 10ks this year. I REALLY want to do a half marathon next year. like REALLY. However, my last 10K run sucked. bad. It was cold, I hadn't run enough the previous weeks due to other health issues, and about a mile before the end my IT band flared up and I pretty much wanted to die. I still knocked a minute and a half off my first 10K time. But still, when it was over I felt like crap. But when I read about running, I get really inspired. And when I miss a few days at the gym, I get anxious. I guess these are good signs. I want it - somewhere deep down.

Tomorrow begins my "winter training plan." I mostly made it up myself and honestly have no real idea what I'm doing. But, I'd like to drop 15-20lbs before the spring race season. And I seriously need to work on my speed issues. (I'm doing like a 10:50 mile right now, not gonna cut it). So, since I live in a cold, snowy, windy, icy climate - I'm trying to focus on what I can do inside, for the most part. I actually really enjoy weight lifting. So that part shouldn't be an issue. But running on the treadmill is B.O.R.I.N.G! So, I'm hoping some interval and tempo runs will keep me occupied on there. I should also start keeping a log. not really sure what i'm doing there either. But I'm moderately good at collecting data, so I imagine it will go fairly well.

We shall see!

Sunday, August 1, 2010

Laughing Alone

I found myself laughing, hard, at an episode of scrubs today. It was funny, I don't remember what it was about now. But this isn't the first time in the past few days that I've had some good hearty laughs in the presence of no one but my cat.

It's a pretty good feeling. Just to laugh. Outloud.

I've been feeling pretty good lately. I've been eating better and working out a lot. But I've been thinking too, not a ton, but just enough. Thinking about eliminating stress, and stop trying so hard. For what? Anything. Work hard, yes. But I've made a concerted effort to stop trying to make my life happen, and just live it. This is something that I think I've been trying to do for years. However, I keep slipping back into the black hole of "supposed to." How am I to know what I'm supposed to do in this life? I'm not. I"m just living. That's how it's got to be. Otherwise I will just continue to go insane, be stressed, and generally miserable.

On the whole, body and mind are feeling better. My mind's still a bit fuzzy though. I still haven't found the balance, I'm unfocused frequently. It's time to let a few things go. That's a process though. Especially as I am the type to believe that if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself. However, I need to settle, calm, peace.

I think I'll go to yoga this week.

Thursday, July 29, 2010

Free Reading

It's like I've forgotten what that phrase means.

I mean, I suppose it's reasonable after 2.5 years of grad school (as a history student, mind you) to be a bit "tired" of reading. But I think the hangover has worn off. I want to read. I like to read. I have like a bajillion books.

So why do I feel so intent on literally forcing myself to read certain books. I have several books on weighty, intellectual, acedemic-y type subjects. And while I am very interested to read them all, someday, that day certainly is not now.

I'm not sure why it has taken me so long to stop pushing myself, or punishing, as it now seems. Who cares if the first books I read after grad school are Harry Potter and my 9 millionth re-reading of The Hobbit? No one, that's who. And the 4 friends I have on goodreads.com aren't going to care either. I mean, one is reading Twilight for christ's sake.

Thus, it has been decided that tonight I will begin re-reading The Hobbit (I already finished HP7). And when I'm done with that, I will read the Lord of the Rings trilogy, because when I was younger I never finished it. SO THERE, pretentious self. I'm reading what I want. The heavy stuff can wait till I go back for my PhD. ;)

Sunday, July 18, 2010

here goes nothing

Well, I guess I'm jumping on the bandwagon. I'm starting a blog, along with the rest of them (you). I'm really just looking for an outlet to get my thoughts down on "paper" as it were. A place to reflect on this disaster that is my life. Late 20s and trying to figure out when life gets "easier" or at least manageable, when the second guessing becomes less prevalent, and why the heck the NYS legislature can't seem to do it's damn job. I don't know if anyone will ever read this, and frankly, could care less. It's kind of like starting a diary, except 21st century style - you know, where privacy is thrown to the wind. Well, here goes folks. Stay tuned for the ridiculous rantings of me, myself, and I.......