06 February 2007
My Subconscious is CRAZY
The most recent dream that I can make the most sense of was one I had the other night. C and I were in a very large room with a very large number of people in it. Somehow, C found his way to the front of the room and was playing the "air organ," you know, like the air guitar, but well, instead of the guitar he was playing an organ. (When relating this dream to a friend she asked how I knew it was the air organ and not the air piano. Duh. The organ has many different levels and I could tell that C was playing them all.) Of course I was mortified. I made my way to the front of the room and forcefully pulled him from his "act." I knew inside that I was somehow making it worse, that people felt more embarrassed for me instead of for him, but I didn't care. My husband was playing the air organ for goodness sakes. It was mortifying. Thank goodness some dreams don't come true.
02 February 2007
Matchmaker, Matchmaker...
For the most part, C and I are pretty well-matched. We are both extremely analytical and logical. We love problem solving. We are both left-brained. We are both math nerds who are proud to admit it. We both think we're smarter than the general population (please no comments on whether this is actually true). And we laugh at the same things. However, there are two places where we are polar opposites.
First: our palettes. I am sweet; he is salty. I am pesto and pine nuts; he is pepperoni and peanuts. I am half-a-can of soup; he is two bowls of chili. Surprisingly though, he has done very well being open-minded towards new things. Ground turkey tacos? He's fine with them. Ground turkey burgers? Well, not so fine. He will try most things (veggie burgers excluding). But he does have some food-phobias that I consider slightly elementary-school. He despises mushrooms, onions, cream of anything soup (and that includes things made with cream of anything soup), most vegetables (which is okay as I also despise most vegetables), and seafood. He won't try tofu or any other meat substitutes. As I don't mean to make this seem like a "C bashing" post, I'll admit that I really won't try most real meat. I am always trying to find fat-free or lower fat options, sometimes at the cost of better taste. After two years of being married, we've compromised on a lot of things. But it's still a struggle.
Second: motivational factors. I have them; C does not. This doesn't mean that he's a slacker at work. He seems to be really on top of things there and rarely has to bring work home. However, once home, he's done working. On the other hand, while I also never bring home work, I still find little jobs and projects to keep me busy around the house. Whether it's a designing new placemats, organizing files, getting lunches ready for the next day, filling the water bottles, planning our next vacation...I seem to be able to keep busy. But other than his daily chores, he seems to think the Wii is a better way to spend his time. Again, neither is right and neither is wrong. We're just different. And different is good.
First: our palettes. I am sweet; he is salty. I am pesto and pine nuts; he is pepperoni and peanuts. I am half-a-can of soup; he is two bowls of chili. Surprisingly though, he has done very well being open-minded towards new things. Ground turkey tacos? He's fine with them. Ground turkey burgers? Well, not so fine. He will try most things (veggie burgers excluding). But he does have some food-phobias that I consider slightly elementary-school. He despises mushrooms, onions, cream of anything soup (and that includes things made with cream of anything soup), most vegetables (which is okay as I also despise most vegetables), and seafood. He won't try tofu or any other meat substitutes. As I don't mean to make this seem like a "C bashing" post, I'll admit that I really won't try most real meat. I am always trying to find fat-free or lower fat options, sometimes at the cost of better taste. After two years of being married, we've compromised on a lot of things. But it's still a struggle.
Second: motivational factors. I have them; C does not. This doesn't mean that he's a slacker at work. He seems to be really on top of things there and rarely has to bring work home. However, once home, he's done working. On the other hand, while I also never bring home work, I still find little jobs and projects to keep me busy around the house. Whether it's a designing new placemats, organizing files, getting lunches ready for the next day, filling the water bottles, planning our next vacation...I seem to be able to keep busy. But other than his daily chores, he seems to think the Wii is a better way to spend his time. Again, neither is right and neither is wrong. We're just different. And different is good.
29 January 2007
I Run, Therefore...I'm a Runner???
I have now been running for four years. Four difficult-at-times yet always-rewarding years. But I'm still plagued by a simple question posed by my friend Lori about three and a half years ago: Do you consider yourself a runner? Back then the answer was simple: No. I run, but am not a runner. But now I'm not so sure. What is it that differentiates those who run from the runners?
Maybe it's the clothes. I usually run in some really old soccer shorts that are two sizes too large. On the top is always a tank top of some sort, but always made of cotton (I usually run indoors and the cotton isn't traumatic to my body). However, we all know that for my birthday last August, C bought me my first running skirt. And this past week, I purchased a "real" long-sleeved running shirt for cold days and a short-sleeved wicking tee for the chilly days. I definitely felt a little different wearing these types of clothes during my long run on Saturday. Don't worry. I haven't changed that much: I'm still not yet converted to the way of the "little socks."
Maybe it's belonging to a running club. C and I joined our local chapter of the Road Runners Club. We even joined a speed development program sponsored by the club. Standing on the track two weeks ago during our first training session, I looked around at all the runners and thought they all looked so "runner-ish." But maybe they all felt the same way I do?? Maybe they don't really feel like runners either. Maybe they looked around and didn't think I was anything but a runner.
Maybe it's the fact that I have been running consistently for four years (admittedly not that long, but at least it's been consistent). I usually run about 18-25 miles a week and have run a multitude of races. I even made a quilt with some of my race t-shirts!
Then again, maybe everybody who runs should call themselves runners, simply by definition.
Maybe it's the clothes. I usually run in some really old soccer shorts that are two sizes too large. On the top is always a tank top of some sort, but always made of cotton (I usually run indoors and the cotton isn't traumatic to my body). However, we all know that for my birthday last August, C bought me my first running skirt. And this past week, I purchased a "real" long-sleeved running shirt for cold days and a short-sleeved wicking tee for the chilly days. I definitely felt a little different wearing these types of clothes during my long run on Saturday. Don't worry. I haven't changed that much: I'm still not yet converted to the way of the "little socks."
Maybe it's belonging to a running club. C and I joined our local chapter of the Road Runners Club. We even joined a speed development program sponsored by the club. Standing on the track two weeks ago during our first training session, I looked around at all the runners and thought they all looked so "runner-ish." But maybe they all felt the same way I do?? Maybe they don't really feel like runners either. Maybe they looked around and didn't think I was anything but a runner.
Maybe it's the fact that I have been running consistently for four years (admittedly not that long, but at least it's been consistent). I usually run about 18-25 miles a week and have run a multitude of races. I even made a quilt with some of my race t-shirts!
Then again, maybe everybody who runs should call themselves runners, simply by definition.
24 January 2007
75 Things That Make Me Who I Am
I saw this on another blog, but that blogger had 100. I just couldn't come up with that many, so you get only 75.
1. I am ridiculously organized.
2. I love good newspapers.
3. I love moving into new places, but hate moving out.
4. I love teaching at the university level.
5. I dislike most kids.
6. I teach Primary in church, but am working on my attitude towards it.
7. I have little feet, which I love, but have a hard time finding shoes to shod them.
8. I hate most types of exercise.
9. I love the mountains.
10. Rivers are my favorite body of water.
11. While getting married was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, I’d make the same decision in a second.
12. I hated high school but loved college.
13. I love traveling.
14. I am a firm believer in “favorites” and “bests.” (For example, best pineapple ever: the one purchased on the side of the road in Jamaica.)
15. I am excessively left brained. In fact, I don’t think I have a right brain.
16. For those of you who think I’m creative, I’m not. I’m just really good at copying others’ creative works.
17. I am terrified of bridges.
18. Having a “straightened” house is more important to me that having a “clean” house.
19. I love my middle name.
20. I am not competitive when playing games but have an ultra-competitive husband.
21. I love French toast, Hot Tamales, and baked oatmeal.
22. I love sincere people.
23. I am motivated by schedules and love planning.
24. I love crossing things off lists.
25. I cried the day I arrived at my current apartment. The metal closet doors, horrible cabinets, and too-high bathroom mirrors just broke me.
26. I hate cats, but can’t wait until the day I own a pug.
27. I hate concerts: they’re too loud, too dark, and too people-filled.
28. Tanning beds completely freak me out. I feel like they’re zapping my bodily core with crazy rays of death.
29. My siblings make my laugh…in a good way.
30. I like cooking more than I ever thought I would.
31. I love Wallace Stegner.
32. My favorite flowers are gerber daisies.
33. I love big, clean, bright grocery stores with self-checkout lanes.
34. My favorite holidays are Christmas, Halloween, and Thanksgiving.
35. I want a haircut that I can run a pick through the wet hair and be done.
36. I HATE humidity.
37. My two nephews make me hopeful that I might actually like my own kids.
38. If I could have any job in the world, I’d love to be on Broadway or be a professional organizer.
39. I am 5 feet tall and 1/2 of an inch. I always round to 5’1”.
40. I hope I never drive a minivan. This is a motivating factor for having only two kids.
41. Sometimes I like to cry only because I haven’t done it in a while.
42. I am extremely expressive with my face. Therefore I will never be a professional poker player.
43. My favorite cold treat is a frozen yogurt cone (almost any flavor) from any Maverik store in Utah.
44. Ever since seeing the movie “Stand by Me,” leeches freak me out.
45. I have never mowed a lawn.
46. I love people who are on time and get frustrated with those that are late.
47. I would like to be able to say that I have run a marathon, but am not actually sure I want to run one.
48. I had to take a pottery class in college “pass or fail” because I was doing so poorly it would have messed up my GPA.
49. I love being in airplanes and practice my remote sensing skills every chance I can.
50. I love daytime TV: talk shows, not soap operas.
51. I dislike chain restaurants simply because they're chains.
52. I am curious about almost all jobs and would love to be a professional apprentice-for-a-day to almost all of them, except the dentist.
53. I am addicted to the Washington Post’s online chats.
54. Blogging is way easier for me than keeping a journal.
55. I love the internet and don’t know how I functioned without it.
56. I think that old-time radio programs are fun.
57. I didn’t serve a mission and don’t regret that decision.
58. I think I would make a fantastic secretary.
59. I think I have changed a lot since high school and secretly wish that those who knew me in high school would barely recognize me if they saw me today.
60. I love crosswords and Sudoko puzzles.
61. I hate movies in which animals talk. This excludes cartoons.
62. I used to say that I’d never marry a guy who wears ankle socks.
63. One reason that I am afraid to be a mother is because I don’t want to be just “Billy’s mom.” I like me and want to be a real person with real interests and real friends when I have kids.
64. I like supporting locally-owned establishments.
65. I always try to use proper grammar, and frequently judge others who don’t.
66. I believe in stereotypes.
67. I don’t believe in organic foods.
68. I love teaching myself things (HTML, LATEX, different sewing projects).
69. I have so little storage in my apartment that I have to use the spare bathroom’s shower to store extra detergent, toilet paper, and light bulbs.
70. I love email.
71. I can tolerate watching most sports on TV except for hockey.
72. I love being productive.
73. I love sewing, especially when I’m just making up the pattern and designs as I go along.
74. I often have my taxes done before February starts.
75. I HATE the dentist.
1. I am ridiculously organized.
2. I love good newspapers.
3. I love moving into new places, but hate moving out.
4. I love teaching at the university level.
5. I dislike most kids.
6. I teach Primary in church, but am working on my attitude towards it.
7. I have little feet, which I love, but have a hard time finding shoes to shod them.
8. I hate most types of exercise.
9. I love the mountains.
10. Rivers are my favorite body of water.
11. While getting married was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, I’d make the same decision in a second.
12. I hated high school but loved college.
13. I love traveling.
14. I am a firm believer in “favorites” and “bests.” (For example, best pineapple ever: the one purchased on the side of the road in Jamaica.)
15. I am excessively left brained. In fact, I don’t think I have a right brain.
16. For those of you who think I’m creative, I’m not. I’m just really good at copying others’ creative works.
17. I am terrified of bridges.
18. Having a “straightened” house is more important to me that having a “clean” house.
19. I love my middle name.
20. I am not competitive when playing games but have an ultra-competitive husband.
21. I love French toast, Hot Tamales, and baked oatmeal.
22. I love sincere people.
23. I am motivated by schedules and love planning.
24. I love crossing things off lists.
25. I cried the day I arrived at my current apartment. The metal closet doors, horrible cabinets, and too-high bathroom mirrors just broke me.
26. I hate cats, but can’t wait until the day I own a pug.
27. I hate concerts: they’re too loud, too dark, and too people-filled.
28. Tanning beds completely freak me out. I feel like they’re zapping my bodily core with crazy rays of death.
29. My siblings make my laugh…in a good way.
30. I like cooking more than I ever thought I would.
31. I love Wallace Stegner.
32. My favorite flowers are gerber daisies.
33. I love big, clean, bright grocery stores with self-checkout lanes.
34. My favorite holidays are Christmas, Halloween, and Thanksgiving.
35. I want a haircut that I can run a pick through the wet hair and be done.
36. I HATE humidity.
37. My two nephews make me hopeful that I might actually like my own kids.
38. If I could have any job in the world, I’d love to be on Broadway or be a professional organizer.
39. I am 5 feet tall and 1/2 of an inch. I always round to 5’1”.
40. I hope I never drive a minivan. This is a motivating factor for having only two kids.
41. Sometimes I like to cry only because I haven’t done it in a while.
42. I am extremely expressive with my face. Therefore I will never be a professional poker player.
43. My favorite cold treat is a frozen yogurt cone (almost any flavor) from any Maverik store in Utah.
44. Ever since seeing the movie “Stand by Me,” leeches freak me out.
45. I have never mowed a lawn.
46. I love people who are on time and get frustrated with those that are late.
47. I would like to be able to say that I have run a marathon, but am not actually sure I want to run one.
48. I had to take a pottery class in college “pass or fail” because I was doing so poorly it would have messed up my GPA.
49. I love being in airplanes and practice my remote sensing skills every chance I can.
50. I love daytime TV: talk shows, not soap operas.
51. I dislike chain restaurants simply because they're chains.
52. I am curious about almost all jobs and would love to be a professional apprentice-for-a-day to almost all of them, except the dentist.
53. I am addicted to the Washington Post’s online chats.
54. Blogging is way easier for me than keeping a journal.
55. I love the internet and don’t know how I functioned without it.
56. I think that old-time radio programs are fun.
57. I didn’t serve a mission and don’t regret that decision.
58. I think I would make a fantastic secretary.
59. I think I have changed a lot since high school and secretly wish that those who knew me in high school would barely recognize me if they saw me today.
60. I love crosswords and Sudoko puzzles.
61. I hate movies in which animals talk. This excludes cartoons.
62. I used to say that I’d never marry a guy who wears ankle socks.
63. One reason that I am afraid to be a mother is because I don’t want to be just “Billy’s mom.” I like me and want to be a real person with real interests and real friends when I have kids.
64. I like supporting locally-owned establishments.
65. I always try to use proper grammar, and frequently judge others who don’t.
66. I believe in stereotypes.
67. I don’t believe in organic foods.
68. I love teaching myself things (HTML, LATEX, different sewing projects).
69. I have so little storage in my apartment that I have to use the spare bathroom’s shower to store extra detergent, toilet paper, and light bulbs.
70. I love email.
71. I can tolerate watching most sports on TV except for hockey.
72. I love being productive.
73. I love sewing, especially when I’m just making up the pattern and designs as I go along.
74. I often have my taxes done before February starts.
75. I HATE the dentist.
18 January 2007
computer geek or just plain nerd?
Given that this blog is titled "c and e" or "candy" as e likes to call it, I figure it is about time for me to surface and actually say something. The only problem is, that when it comes to blogging, the whole thing is still too new for me.
About a year ago we were visiting r and a (this whole first letter instead of name thing e has going on will take me a while) a said something that I didn't quite understand. He talked about putting something on the blog. All I could do was think to myself, "what the blank is a blog?" Apparently I had missed the whole blog movement. In a single moment my perception of myself had been shattered.
My undergrad degree is in Computer Science and until that moment I really felt as though I was a total computer geek. But then I realized something, if I had missed out on blogging, were there other computer trends out there that I knew nothing about? Sure I can program (although I am sure that has evolved a ton since I graduated) but is that really enough to call myself a computer geek. I feel as though to truly be one, you have to be immersed in computer culture. I clearly am not. I feel like George Costanza when he had to take the IQ test. People think that I am a computer geek, but alas, it isn't the case.
I guess the only thing that I know for sure is that I am at least a nerd.
About a year ago we were visiting r and a (this whole first letter instead of name thing e has going on will take me a while) a said something that I didn't quite understand. He talked about putting something on the blog. All I could do was think to myself, "what the blank is a blog?" Apparently I had missed the whole blog movement. In a single moment my perception of myself had been shattered.
My undergrad degree is in Computer Science and until that moment I really felt as though I was a total computer geek. But then I realized something, if I had missed out on blogging, were there other computer trends out there that I knew nothing about? Sure I can program (although I am sure that has evolved a ton since I graduated) but is that really enough to call myself a computer geek. I feel as though to truly be one, you have to be immersed in computer culture. I clearly am not. I feel like George Costanza when he had to take the IQ test. People think that I am a computer geek, but alas, it isn't the case.
I guess the only thing that I know for sure is that I am at least a nerd.
Guess Who's Back...Back Again...
Well it has finally happened. I'm back in the classroom again. Last night marked the first night of class. I had the usual nervousness associated with the first day of school. My stomach was filled with the obligatory butterflies; my armpits filled with the obligatory sweat. (Nice, I know.) But once I got going, there was no stopping me! Discuss the syllabus---check! Discuss sampling---check! Make a lot of silly jokes at which I was the only one laughing---check!
I had been extremely anxious about last night, almost to the point of dreading it. I have a lot of things going on and all of them are causing me stress. But now that that one thing is over, I am a lot more relaxed and feel like I can get the rest done. (Can it please be Sunday afternoon already?!)
The class is an introductory statistics course, just like I taught at BYU. In fact, the textbooks are almost identical, which has made planning really manageable. The one bad thing about this course is that it is taught from 8:10 p.m. until 9:55 p.m. And, as many of you know, I go to sleep early, and I get up early. However, driving the DC roads after class last night proved to be no problem. In fact, I was at home and in bed by 10:33 p.m. In fact, I think I might actually like this time as it enables me to come home after my "day job," run, eat dinner with C, and then go. It's going to be much better than anticipated.
In addition, this is a "small" class for me. As I'm used to the 200 students per lecture, a classroom size of 28 is going to be really lovely. The students are young (no "continuing education" students nor graduate students). In fact, I have only one senior and five juniors. The classroom is obviously much smaller, and I don't think I'm going to have to "yell" as much as I did at BYU. Hopefully this means less sore throats.
In six words: I'm back in the saddle again.
(By the way, I posted on our Google page some new shots from our trip to Colorado. Check out the "home page" link to the right to see them.)
I had been extremely anxious about last night, almost to the point of dreading it. I have a lot of things going on and all of them are causing me stress. But now that that one thing is over, I am a lot more relaxed and feel like I can get the rest done. (Can it please be Sunday afternoon already?!)
The class is an introductory statistics course, just like I taught at BYU. In fact, the textbooks are almost identical, which has made planning really manageable. The one bad thing about this course is that it is taught from 8:10 p.m. until 9:55 p.m. And, as many of you know, I go to sleep early, and I get up early. However, driving the DC roads after class last night proved to be no problem. In fact, I was at home and in bed by 10:33 p.m. In fact, I think I might actually like this time as it enables me to come home after my "day job," run, eat dinner with C, and then go. It's going to be much better than anticipated.
In addition, this is a "small" class for me. As I'm used to the 200 students per lecture, a classroom size of 28 is going to be really lovely. The students are young (no "continuing education" students nor graduate students). In fact, I have only one senior and five juniors. The classroom is obviously much smaller, and I don't think I'm going to have to "yell" as much as I did at BYU. Hopefully this means less sore throats.
In six words: I'm back in the saddle again.
(By the way, I posted on our Google page some new shots from our trip to Colorado. Check out the "home page" link to the right to see them.)
08 January 2007
My New Favorite Thing
I get a yearly bonus at work. Last year C and I decided to give ourselves a present and then save the rest of the money. That worked so well that we did the same thing this year. C bought a new monitor for our computer (it's sooo big now), while I got myself my new favorite thing: a Bose SoundDock for my iPod.
Those of you who know the most-recent version of E, know that one of the reasons that I loved my job at BYU so much was because there was always something going on. Whether it was just the noise students make while going from class to class or it was other faculty members playing golf in the hallway. If I wanted quiet, I could shut my door...but honestly, why would I do that?! So when my current job proved to be the quietest workplace you could ever imagine, well let's just say I struggled.
However, with my new SoundDock this is no longer a problem. I can sit and listen to my playlists that contain music from the soundtrack of "Oliver!" all the way to my Eminem. It's great. And when I get tired of my own music, I have the beauty of podcasts! (Thanks A for converting me to the way of these beauties!)
I certainly don't mean this as a commercial for Bose, but dang. When something is as great as this is, how can I not?
Those of you who know the most-recent version of E, know that one of the reasons that I loved my job at BYU so much was because there was always something going on. Whether it was just the noise students make while going from class to class or it was other faculty members playing golf in the hallway. If I wanted quiet, I could shut my door...but honestly, why would I do that?! So when my current job proved to be the quietest workplace you could ever imagine, well let's just say I struggled.
However, with my new SoundDock this is no longer a problem. I can sit and listen to my playlists that contain music from the soundtrack of "Oliver!" all the way to my Eminem. It's great. And when I get tired of my own music, I have the beauty of podcasts! (Thanks A for converting me to the way of these beauties!)
I certainly don't mean this as a commercial for Bose, but dang. When something is as great as this is, how can I not?
05 January 2007
Resolutions
I love making resolutions. There's something about being able to look at a list of things I'm supposed to be doing, doing those listed things, and then crossing them off one year later. (Not that C and I were that successful last year, but that's what these are for, right?) So here they are:
- We won't watch any TV until after dinner (TV at the gym excluded, of course). This means that on days where we don't run and even when we do run, we will come home and find something else to do until we've eaten dinner (at our kitchen table, nonetheless) and cleaned up the dinner. Five days into the new year and we've been 100% on this. Although I'm not sure how Saturdays will work with this!
- We will be better about doing regular chores. I have become quite meticulous at keeping a "straightened" house, but that's very different from keeping a "clean" house. I received a book for Christmas from my sis on housekeeping and it gave me some fantastic ideas about schedules and weekly/monthly/quarterly/annual chores. So we used a free calendar to note the chores that should be done every day. Hopefully this will help us remember when we are supposed to dust those darn books. Yesterday I didn't do my oiling of my kitchen table, but don't worry, it will get done today.
- We will be better at being more spiritual during the 165 hours of the week when we aren't in church. How? As in most wards we have a specific topic during sacrament meeting. We will then use this topic throughout the week for discussions, scripture study, and just chatting. Hopefully this will help us a little in keeping out thoughts turned to the more spiritual aspects of our lives, an aspect that has been largely forgotten. As we didn't make it to church on Sunday, we haven't had an opportunity to practice this one yet.
- C's personal goal is to limit his video game playing to one hour a day. This is really only a problem when he gets a new game because once that new game is in our house, it will typically be played until it's been beaten (think: saving the princess in Mario Brothers). It's a good goal for him and he's been excellent at it so far.
- My personal goal is to work on having more virtuous thoughts. I know this seems vague, but it really isn't. It means that I will curtail road rage, less-than-appropriate language, and generally unkind thoughts toward others. I'm getting better. Think cheesecakes!
I think that these are attainable, and therefore good, goals for us. Already I'm loving the crossing-off of the chores!
03 January 2007
More Christmas Traditions
As this blog has become my journal, I wanted to post about the newly-established traditions that C and I put into place this Christmas season before I post about our New Year's resolutions. Here are the traditions that we started this year:
- Watching a different Christmas movie every Saturday night in December,
- Getting of the Christmas tree (about which has already been written),
- Giving of new pajamas to each other to be opened on Christmas Eve, and
- Eating a Christmas Eve dinner consisting of pizza on our lovely china.
And the one that I want to put into place for next year is the running of the "First Annual Family (and by family, I mean me and C) 5K" race! I would love to make silly t-shirts (yes, that would include puff paints) for us as part of the pajamas and then use them to race on New Year's Day. Am I missing any?
25 December 2006
Merry Christmas!
We thought we'd take a minute to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. C and I were asked to be Mary and Joseph at our temple's live nativity, and we had an enjoyable time. It was a really great way to spend Christmas Eve. Surprisingly, instead of thinking about being Mary with the Christ child, I spent more time thinking about me and C being parents one day. In one word...WHOA.
22 December 2006
Gym Rats
On our way to the gym the other day, C and I were discussing some of the people that we see on a consistent basis. As we have never really talked to any of these people, we had given them nicknames (much like stars-and-stripes bandana man from my previous post). Here are some of them:
- The Inclinators: two women who wear the heaviest clothing I've ever seen in a gym. This includes big sweatshirts, heavy sweatpants, and gloves. And these are not just lifting gloves, these are real, cold-weather gloves. These two women walk on the treadmill with it raised to a ridiculously high incline. It's pretty funny to watch. Do they really think that the water weight they're losing is really going to stay off of them?
- PinkSkin: named because the day before an important Redskins game she was wearing a pink Redskins jersey. She's there in the afternoons much like C and myself so we see her frequently. I actually think she's someone with whom I'd be friends.
- PinkSkin's mom: pretty obvious who she is. She is also often at the gym. She and her daughter will, of course, often chat and because of this I've learned quite a bit about PinkSkin. She has a boyfriend who is buying a gift for PinkSkin's parents, but doesn't know quite what to get them. Also, PinkSkin is a teacher, possibly of young kids.
- The Frenchy Friends: two women who insist on only watching Oprah while working out. They speak French to each other.
- Jar-Jar Binks: this crazy girl who has the craziest body movements while on the elliptical. If you saw her, you would totally understand the name. It's extremely awkward and you really just feel embarrassed for her.
Oh yeah, I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas!
19 December 2006
Enemies
Although I generally don't like people, I don't generally dislike them. In fact, I can only think of two people that I would consider my "enemies." Both of these people have no idea that I consider them thus; I think it would take the fun out of it if they knew.
My first enemy is the stars-and-stripes-bandana-wearing man from my old gym in Orem. He and I would get to the gym at about the same time every morning, but usually I would beat him by just a few minutes. (A note about this gym: There were about 15 treadmills that faced 10 televisions. You could get a remote control from the employees in order to change the channels on the TVs.) Usually there was one TV that was tuned into MTV. Before you judge me for watching this trash, have you ever watched TV at 5:30 in the morning? There is nothing on. So while I'm not generally an MTV watcher, I found it easy to run to the music. Enter the enemy. He would come into the gym, grab the remote from the front desk, and attempt to change my MTV to...KBYU, which was invariably showing some BYU devotional or reruns of conference talks. I certainly mean no offense to the brethren. But do you really expect me to run to Elder Scott preaching repentance? I don't think so! Enemy number 1 would ask me day after day if I was watching the MTV and day after day I would nod my head, "Yes." And then day after day, I would feel victorious as I won the war of the TV.
My second enemy is one that I have to deal with on a daily basis right now: the paperman. He is undoubtedly the worst paper deliverer I have ever had (and I've been getting the paper delivered to me since my freshman year in college...11 years). Why is he my enemy? His inconsistency. Some days the paper is by my door before I wake up (pre-5:32 a.m.) Other days it's not there when I leave for work (post-6:25 a.m.). This is the worst offense as I will then have to purchase a paper to read at work. I just don't understand why you can't get into a regular schedule and have the papers delivered at about the same time every day. Unfortunately I am definitely losing this paper war.
My first enemy is the stars-and-stripes-bandana-wearing man from my old gym in Orem. He and I would get to the gym at about the same time every morning, but usually I would beat him by just a few minutes. (A note about this gym: There were about 15 treadmills that faced 10 televisions. You could get a remote control from the employees in order to change the channels on the TVs.) Usually there was one TV that was tuned into MTV. Before you judge me for watching this trash, have you ever watched TV at 5:30 in the morning? There is nothing on. So while I'm not generally an MTV watcher, I found it easy to run to the music. Enter the enemy. He would come into the gym, grab the remote from the front desk, and attempt to change my MTV to...KBYU, which was invariably showing some BYU devotional or reruns of conference talks. I certainly mean no offense to the brethren. But do you really expect me to run to Elder Scott preaching repentance? I don't think so! Enemy number 1 would ask me day after day if I was watching the MTV and day after day I would nod my head, "Yes." And then day after day, I would feel victorious as I won the war of the TV.
My second enemy is one that I have to deal with on a daily basis right now: the paperman. He is undoubtedly the worst paper deliverer I have ever had (and I've been getting the paper delivered to me since my freshman year in college...11 years). Why is he my enemy? His inconsistency. Some days the paper is by my door before I wake up (pre-5:32 a.m.) Other days it's not there when I leave for work (post-6:25 a.m.). This is the worst offense as I will then have to purchase a paper to read at work. I just don't understand why you can't get into a regular schedule and have the papers delivered at about the same time every day. Unfortunately I am definitely losing this paper war.
15 December 2006
What's my Age Again?
I have had a couple of experiences lately where people with whom I was talking learned my age. Upon learning my age, they were a little taken aback, as they said that they didn't think I was the age that I am (29). When I asked them how old they thought I was, the answers tend to be around 24 or 25.
Fine. Great. Spectacular. I look younger than I am. I'm sure that "someday I'll be happy about it." Even right now, I guess it's not horrible. It's not like I'm tired of being carded when buying alcohol or tobacco, because, well, I don't buy alcohol or tobacco.
So here's the real problem: when people think that I am 24 or 25 and then learn that I've been married two years, it automatically puts me into that category that I'm proud to not be in. (Please, those of who you did marry "young" don't get mad. You all know that the erin of the late-90s, early-aughts would have loved to have been married at age 19.) But the fact is, I wasn't. Instead, I finished my undergraduate degree, finished a Master's degree, worked two "real" jobs, traveled a lot, and just plain had fun. (Again, had my life gone differently, that is, had I been married while still in college and had a couple of kids already that would have been fine too. I am sure that I would still be proud of that.) But I like being in this category of being an older (at least for Mormons), accomplished bride and so when people think I'm not in this category, it makes me sad.
I realize that this is simply a pride issue. Maybe having a kid would make me look older; but then I'd be in another category I am not quite ready to be in: a mother!
Fine. Great. Spectacular. I look younger than I am. I'm sure that "someday I'll be happy about it." Even right now, I guess it's not horrible. It's not like I'm tired of being carded when buying alcohol or tobacco, because, well, I don't buy alcohol or tobacco.
So here's the real problem: when people think that I am 24 or 25 and then learn that I've been married two years, it automatically puts me into that category that I'm proud to not be in. (Please, those of who you did marry "young" don't get mad. You all know that the erin of the late-90s, early-aughts would have loved to have been married at age 19.) But the fact is, I wasn't. Instead, I finished my undergraduate degree, finished a Master's degree, worked two "real" jobs, traveled a lot, and just plain had fun. (Again, had my life gone differently, that is, had I been married while still in college and had a couple of kids already that would have been fine too. I am sure that I would still be proud of that.) But I like being in this category of being an older (at least for Mormons), accomplished bride and so when people think I'm not in this category, it makes me sad.
I realize that this is simply a pride issue. Maybe having a kid would make me look older; but then I'd be in another category I am not quite ready to be in: a mother!
11 December 2006
A Christmas Tradition
After spending a loooong week in Kansas City I'm finally back to a computer. Thank goodness. As nothing write-worthy happened, I'll tell the story of the first Christmas tradition as celebrated by C and myself.
We spent last Christmas with my parents in Utah. Because of this, we decided not to have a real tree and opted to use my little decorative trees from Michaels instead. This year we are staying home and therefore had no excuse to not get a real tree. So I decided that I wanted to make a fun afternoon/evening of the whole event and at the same time, create our first holiday tradition. The first part of this new tradition was to get the tree. Now, I love to support the local merchants and try to do so at all opportunities, but when their trees were more than twice as expensive as the six-footer from the local Home Depot, well, you can guess where we bought the tree. Plus, the Home Depot had this cool pull-through thingy that wrapped the tree in plastic to keep it together. It was so COOL.
Next we thought we'd treat ourselves to a meal out. It's not often that we eat out, so we thought we'd go fancy: Taco Bell. YUM.
After dinner, we brought home the tree and pulled out the rest of the holiday decorations. C worked on the tree while I put up everything else. We listed to Harry Connick's Christmas CD while working. So fun.
Once everything was completed, we turned off all the lights except for those recently added to the tree, fixed a batch of rice krispie treats, and ate those treats directly from the bowl while watching "A Christmas Story." It was an awesome night! Long live this tradition!
We spent last Christmas with my parents in Utah. Because of this, we decided not to have a real tree and opted to use my little decorative trees from Michaels instead. This year we are staying home and therefore had no excuse to not get a real tree. So I decided that I wanted to make a fun afternoon/evening of the whole event and at the same time, create our first holiday tradition. The first part of this new tradition was to get the tree. Now, I love to support the local merchants and try to do so at all opportunities, but when their trees were more than twice as expensive as the six-footer from the local Home Depot, well, you can guess where we bought the tree. Plus, the Home Depot had this cool pull-through thingy that wrapped the tree in plastic to keep it together. It was so COOL.
Next we thought we'd treat ourselves to a meal out. It's not often that we eat out, so we thought we'd go fancy: Taco Bell. YUM.
After dinner, we brought home the tree and pulled out the rest of the holiday decorations. C worked on the tree while I put up everything else. We listed to Harry Connick's Christmas CD while working. So fun.
Once everything was completed, we turned off all the lights except for those recently added to the tree, fixed a batch of rice krispie treats, and ate those treats directly from the bowl while watching "A Christmas Story." It was an awesome night! Long live this tradition!
01 December 2006
Fun for Friday, part whatever
A new set of favorite websites I've found recently.
- Caveat: I am NOT pregnant. C and I have no plans to become so anytime soon. However, when I saw this stroller, I knew that when the day comes that I am pregnant, this stroller will be mine. Oh yes, it will be mine. I love everything about it. The company just makes beautiful objects! (Check out the others strollers too.)
- This site has some of the coolest little things I've seen in a long time. I recently purchased two magnets and could realistically purchase almost everything she has created. (If you feel overwhelmed by all the products, start by looking at the magnets. They give a good overview of what she's all about.)
- And someday when I have enough time to create a business selling my wares, I will use this company to create a stamp that I can use as my logo. They're just so pretty.
Happy Friday and happy December!
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