I haven't done a Then and Now post since last November! I have to admit, things have been a little different for me around these parts. I got a new job in August, and it has been a difficult learning curve. For the first couple of weeks, we did a basic training, and then we were put right in the hot seat and were dealing with clients and coworkers and other entities. Days were passing by and then weeks were falling away and then months were gone before I knew it. I was constantly on the move at work, and was always thinking, so when I got home, my brain was like mush.
Then I trained for a couple of big races and my legs were like mush. So basically I have been mush. I wouldn't say that this is necessarily a bad thing, but it has meant that I don't feel so in control of my life as I did at one point. Things like blogging, reading, cooking or thinking about what to eat (hello salad, potato & oatmeal) have gone to the back burner. Hence the lack of Then and Now posts (or my commenting in a timely manner to most people's posts).
But I like looking back and kind of seeing what I have done, because I feel that this makes me feel stronger, and makes me realize that I have done more than I thought I have, instead of focusing on what I did not do. So, here we have the Who, What and Where of May (better late than never).
Who:
What:
Due to the fact that I took a vacation, I read 6 books this month. This is one of my biggest reading months in a long time! I have to say as well, that they were all good! My favorites on the list were probably the first three.
Wild -- Cheryl Strayed: This book reminded me a bit of home, since I grew up near the PCT, and I loved the stories of the trail. However, I was not super fond of the main character and her issues and journey to self enlightenment.
The Thirteenth Tale -- Diane Setterfield: A woman biographer meets up with a famous author to finally get her true life story from her before she dies. The story ends up having many twists and turns and an intersting relationship develops between the two main characters.
A Thousand Splendid Suns -- Khalid Hosseini: A gut wrenching tale of the strife in Afghanistan and the trials and tribulations the characters go through to make it to the light at the end of the tunnel, this story kept me riveted for hours. I couldn't put it down.
Stuff White People Like -- Christian Lander
The Boleyn Inheritance -- Phillipa Gregory
I am a Stranger Here Myself -- Bill Bryson
In May I ran 160.1 miles, biked 16 miles, hiked/walked 35 miles and swam one mile. I am not quite ready for a tri, but it's kind of fun to add in a few extra activities besides running once in a while.
I ran 2 races: The Cinderella Trail Half and the Ohlone 50k .
Where:
In May, who did you hang out with? What did you do? Where did you go?
Then I trained for a couple of big races and my legs were like mush. So basically I have been mush. I wouldn't say that this is necessarily a bad thing, but it has meant that I don't feel so in control of my life as I did at one point. Things like blogging, reading, cooking or thinking about what to eat (hello salad, potato & oatmeal) have gone to the back burner. Hence the lack of Then and Now posts (or my commenting in a timely manner to most people's posts).
But I like looking back and kind of seeing what I have done, because I feel that this makes me feel stronger, and makes me realize that I have done more than I thought I have, instead of focusing on what I did not do. So, here we have the Who, What and Where of May (better late than never).
Who:
 |
| Girls Day. |
What:
Books:
Due to the fact that I took a vacation, I read 6 books this month. This is one of my biggest reading months in a long time! I have to say as well, that they were all good! My favorites on the list were probably the first three.
Wild -- Cheryl Strayed: This book reminded me a bit of home, since I grew up near the PCT, and I loved the stories of the trail. However, I was not super fond of the main character and her issues and journey to self enlightenment.
The Thirteenth Tale -- Diane Setterfield: A woman biographer meets up with a famous author to finally get her true life story from her before she dies. The story ends up having many twists and turns and an intersting relationship develops between the two main characters.
A Thousand Splendid Suns -- Khalid Hosseini: A gut wrenching tale of the strife in Afghanistan and the trials and tribulations the characters go through to make it to the light at the end of the tunnel, this story kept me riveted for hours. I couldn't put it down.
Stuff White People Like -- Christian Lander
The Boleyn Inheritance -- Phillipa Gregory
I am a Stranger Here Myself -- Bill Bryson
Miles:
In May I ran 160.1 miles, biked 16 miles, hiked/walked 35 miles and swam one mile. I am not quite ready for a tri, but it's kind of fun to add in a few extra activities besides running once in a while.
Races:
I ran 2 races: The Cinderella Trail Half and the Ohlone 50k .
Where:
 |
| Roatan |
 |
| Fort Point |
 |
| Berkeley |
In May, who did you hang out with? What did you do? Where did you go?
Ahhhh vacation! Glad you enjoyed! In May I basically hung out volunteering in the school cafeteria. SO glad school is out!
ReplyDeleteYou have been busy!! Those phases of life come, you'll find that control again, and less mush. :)
ReplyDeleteThose places look awesome!! You certainly have been a busy lady...just running 160+ miles alone would make me mush!! May was a month packed with races and enjoying being outside!
ReplyDeleteHahaha I love how you describe both your brain and body as being mush! Hopefully you start feeling less mushy soon :P May was a crazy busy month for me too. I can't believe it's June, aka SUMMER!
ReplyDeleteMay was uber busy for me since it was the last month of school and I had to do end of year tests/reports and conferences and all the other stuff that comes with the end of the school year. So basically I hung out with my students and my family. June has been good to me.
ReplyDeleteLove your post! So important to reflect then move on. BAWLED reading ...Thousand Slendid Suns! You have done a lot! Be proud. Happy for you. And yes, looks like another trail race in future!
ReplyDeleteWhen you told me you went to Honduras, it didn't even occur to me that you might be going to that magical little island off the mainland! My in-laws spent a week (more?) in Roatan a few years ago ... they helped clean/rebuild one of the schools and then enjoyed the beach for a few days!
ReplyDeleteTravelling and tourism to beautiful and calm places really helps alot to stay away from our routine works and refresh our mind. Hotwire promo codes and coupons are for the people who want to travel on holidays.
ReplyDeleteI loved "Wild" and "I'm a Stranger Here Myself." I read "A Walk in the Woods" on an almost annually basis. I'm more interested in doing the AT than PCT. I'm thinking when my daughter's a little older, summer vacations tackling the AT a few weeks at a time for several years. I feel the same way about Strayed. I loved the story but didn't love her "character" all that much.
ReplyDeleteI liked "Kite Runner" but haven't read anything else by the author. I'm reading so much nonfiction about Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India right now that I don't have the energy for any fiction about the region.
In May we crossed off the last of our "must see" list while in India, traveling to Darjeeling and Bhutan and finally seeing the Himalayas. We move one month from today!
Have a nice June!
I felt the exact same way about Wild. I really did not care for the main character but many were not bothered by it as much as I was I guess. I just found her infidelity totally inexcusable.
ReplyDeleteGosh May might go down as my most boring month ever. I didn't go anywhere. I didn't see anyone as I struggled to find people to do something as basic as going to dinner (I got turned down 4 weekends in a row when I asked people to have dinner on a weekend night). I felt like all I did was work, study, sleep, and curse the fact that I was in a walking boot. So I am VERY happy that May is over as it will probably go down as a pretty low point in my life.
Has it been that long? I love these Then and Now posts. I have to agree with you on Wild. I really did not like the main character much. Ugh. I didn't think the book was uplifting in any way and I don't think she changed much or learned much from her trip. I liked Thirteenth Tale but it's been a couple of years since I read it so I'm not sure I remember the whole story. May has been an awesome month but June has been better. I think I've been enjoying the summer too much to show up on the internet much. I love summer!
ReplyDeleteWow - vacation spot looks gorgeous. What do you do for your job?
ReplyDelete