Sierra Nevada!!

This post is brought to you by my home town brew, Sierra Nevada. The reason for this is...I am home! In the Sierra Nevadas! (<------- PS if you have never been to the Sierras, click this link and look to see how beautiful they are. And then come and visit. You can stay with my Mom.) 

As you are reading this, I am probably stuffing my face and hanging out with friends. So, kick back, grab a beer and join me for Kim's Grab a Beer and Look What I Did Last Week series. 

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On Sunday Morning, I got up for a 6 am run.

Man was I glad I did, becuase THIS is a way better temperature for a run. 

(insert obligatory weekly picture of a car thermometer here)

It took this many hair dohickeys to keep my hair out of my face. 

But I ended up having a great run!

See those spikes? They are my water stops. 4 water stops, 4 spikes.

I tried to eat healthy.
This day I did good.

The last farmer's market tomato. Sad.

This day I did not. This was the day of the rodeo and...as much as I would like to blame the funnel cake, you can probably see that I had a few beers. And a glass of wine.  Just those alone were almost as much as the food calories I had that day. Eeek. AND I did not go running. Also, pay no attention to my strange meals. I was trying to clean out the fridge before going home.

Some coworkers and I went to the Current River to go tubing. On the way there we stopped at a gas station/mini mart/fishing tackle store/CASINO? Yes. Casino.

I got the nicest card from my friend which totally made my day. Also she drew this, which I think kind of looks like a butt. Yes, I am twelve. 

The time capsule item got finished (more on that later!) and wrapped and made it to California. 

I went to the rodeo. You can hear more about that HERE. 

I would like to be THAT photographer!

There was also a concert. 

This guy told me to "talk to the hand".
Step off, dude. 
I ain't playin'.

How was your week? Did you have a good one?

What a Difference a Day Makes

I run, but I am not a runner.

I wear a ratty old t-shirt; I don't have the newest lululemon quick-wicking, poly-propylene, fire-resistant $78 dollar t-shirt. I still struggle a lot. I lack motivation. I dread going out some days, even though I feel great once I am done. I still think, as I am running, about how much I would like to walk. This happens all the time. But I always tell myself, "just one more mile, just one more mile."

And that is how I run. One mile at a time, for 3 miles, or 6 miles, or 8 miles. Or 13.1 miles. And someday I will run for 26.2 miles. And then I might move to Turkey and lie on the beach all day eat dolmas and hummus and never move again.

On Saturday, my thermometer said it was 93 degrees. While this is hot, I have been running in the evenings most of the time and it is generally around 90 degrees then, so I thought nothing of it. I went out and did what Hal Higdon calls an "easy pace run", where you run only 3 miles at your half marathon pace. Sounds like a cinch, right? But I was dying. Literally. The sweat/humidity was dripping off of me; my face was the color of lobster bisque; I was panting like a Pomeranian. It was Hell.

So, my next day on the Hal Higdon schedule of Hell was Sunday, the long run day, and my goal was 8 miles. After my 3 mile "easy pace" run, I was sitting in the car crying/hating running with the AC blowing full speed on my face and as my brain cooled off a bit, I (got really smart and) decided that in order to not fall over dead of heat exhaustion and to keep myself from hating running completely from now on, the long run would have to be at a cooler time. So, along came the 5:30 am wake up plan. This is all well and good, except that Sunday is my ONE chance to sleep in. Out the window that went in the name of running. Ciao sleep (sorry mommies, I know you are thinking, "Dude, I never get any sleep and this girl is complaining about one little Sunday morning. Boo hoo her")!

Sunday morning I got up, had a cup of coffee and some breakfast and hit the trail running. Literally. It was 78 degrees outside. I ran. I kept waiting for the feeling to come back, you know, the one that I have had pretty much EVERY DAY that I have run in MO, but it didn't. I ran and was happy, not too sore, not too hot and not feeling like walking! One hour and 18 minutes later I was done. It wasn't even 8 o'clock yet. I was already done.

And I felt good. Not just physically good, and believe me, I felt physically GREAT, but mentally good. I felt confident that when my race comes in the fall, I am going to nail it. I am going to finish, not with dread in my heart but with a good feeling. I have been doubting that a lot. The runs I have been doing have been draining, even the short ones. And, while I may not be running at my goal pace (9 minute miles for a half marathon, which would bring me to a sub 2 hour half), I am feeling better about myself and my running.

Even if I am not yet a runner.

This post is a Fitness Friday linkup with Jill at: 

I have a couple of questions for the more seasoned runners (or smart people in general!). One: My iPod keeps dying. I think it's from the humidity. Does anybody know a way to protect it/fix it? Two: The strap that keeps my iPod on my arm is giving me chafe. Three: I have never used Gu or any of those supplements. What is your take on that? Any tips? 

This Ain't My First Rodeo

Oops. 

Actually it was. 

This week I am skipping Wine and Love with Nora (but you can still go and do it!) and giving you...The DOs and DON'Ts of the rodeo. Because now I am an expert.

DO wear a white hat. If it matches the one your significant other has, that's even better. 

If you do not have a white hat, this is an acceptable substitute (in MO). 

DO also wear plaid. Lots of it. A plaid dress. A plaid shirt. Whatever. Also, like the hat, if it matches your partner, you get bonus points. 

The most important trend is this. You can wear it at any age. At least from what I saw, that's what I assume. 

DON'T misbehave or you will wind up like this.

DO find yourself a cute cowboy. Or two. 

 

DO stop random people in the grandstands and make them pose for your photos. 

This girl was awesome.

DO bring binoculars. 

DON'T laugh when people catch you taking pictures of them and give you a mean mug face.

DO get a funnel cake. I got one. It was soooo good. 

(note: if you do not have a white hat, pink is also an option)

DO stay for the Big and Rich concert, even if it means you are going to be a grumpy puss the entire next day. DO cheer loudly to songs you have never heard before. DO ask people, "Is THIS Big and Rich?" DON'T get mad if they look at you funny.

DO find a cowboy in front of a light so you can get a good silhouette photo! 

I just realized I didn't put any photos of the bulls or bareback riding up. 

I guess I was too busy people watching! 

Have you ever been to a rodeo? 

If so, what was your favorite part? If not, would you go to one?

Olga, A Daughter's Tale

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Olga, A Daughter's Tale by Marie-Therese Browne

This is a story of both England and Jamaica, the people and cultures of both countries and the racism that existed there during the early 1900s. Olga, the daughter of a White English woman and a Black Jamaican man, goes to London to study dance and ends up living in London as a colored single woman during WWII. She has some hardships due to her race and her social status but gets through them in the end.

I liked this book. It is written in journal entry form, both from the viewpoint of Olga, who is the main character, as well as her mother, Becky and her Aunt Lucy. It also has a few newspaper articles and letters from others thrown in. It flows easily and I did keep turning the pages to find out what would happen next.

It talks about the prejudices of color in Jamaica, even between blacks and coloreds, who were the lighter skinned blacks. It speaks of obeha, or voodoo, and how it was outlawed in Jamaica for a long time. It talks about the war and some of the stresses there were being in London at the time.

This book was thought provoking. I always like hearing a story in a voice that I can understand. Olga’s voice was just right.

I give this book at 4 out of 5.

Disclaimer: I received this book for free from the LibraryThing Members Giveaway in return for a review. All opinions in this post are my own. I am not entitled to give a favorable review.

Have you read any good books lately?  Have you ever been to Jamaica?

Randoms: An Internet List

{1}

I have 161 subscriptions on my Reader. Don't worry. I am not Superman. I don't read any all of them. 59 of them are in a "favorites" folder, which I check most days. The other 102 I periodically check. My Reader has never been empty. It used to bother me because I am OCD and I like things sorted. Now, I don't really care. I will never be able to read them all. AND THAT'S OKAY. (repeating over and over)

{2}

Can someone please tell me what a favicon is? Am I the last to know again? Do I need to have one? Is it cool? Do all the other kids have one?

{3}

Here are a random few posts of note from the past week:

Decoybetty makes Gluten Free Lemon Cupcakes

My3LittleBirds talks about Accepting People as the Are

A Writing Prompt that I Love: My Most Memorable Vacation Was.... (you can link up until August 13th)

Peas and Crayons makes Pizza Rolls (with won-ton wrappers)

Gracie gave us a heads up on a New Malbec

Kate made an awesome DIY project that I am going to copy once I have a wall.

Lisa talks about how being alone is not the same as being lonely. I agree! Rock it!

{4}

You know about Groupon already, right? Just in case you don't, you need to get on it. It's a site where different businesses post a deal and if enough people buy into the deal, the deal is yours! Even if your city is not featured, there are internet deals. For example, I got this 30 dollar photo book for 10 dollars. Score! A great place to store all my photos from my last trip! 

How do you sort your Reader? How many subscriptions do you have? 

Do you have a blog post to recommend (even your own?) Post it in the comments!

Do you have any Internet sites or tips you want to share? 

This post is linked up with Monday Moos at:

P-I-L-S-N-E-R

What a week. This week's title is brought to you by my brother, who was playing WWF and scored this little number. Not bad, eh?

In Missouri, this is a common sight. There's a country song where the guy talks about taking a back road and how he hopes if there is a traffic jam it's becuase of a tractor. Well, usually it is!

I did a lot of running this week.

Long Run = 7 miles

And Shopping: 

Goodwill: Banana Republic skirt = $3, Mossimo sweater = $3

Asics Running shoes: Shoe Carnival = $59.99

I also went to the Farmer's Market, which for some reason is only from 2:30 to 6:30 on Thursday. Doesn't that seem like a strange time? I mean, if you work, when do you go!? (lunch break)

I ate these in about 5 minutes.

I love tiny potatoes!

I ate the tomatoes with olive oil and salt. Yummy!

I went to Walmart to buy a suitcase and spent a half an hour looking at stuff like this. 

What are these for?

Looks like condoms, but its...golf balls!

Strange name for a golf ball.

It was HOT. I sent this picture to my boyfriend and he said, "Why are you driving so slow?" He did not mention the temperature. This does not take the heat index into consideration.

Here's where I am, in case you were wondering. I bet you didn't realize that I was so close to Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee AND Mississippi!

See the bootheel? Isn't it cute!!?

I went to the library. Has anyone read this book? It looked interesting. 

This sign cracked me up. I mean, is this a common occurrence? People forgetting? 

There was a heavy rainstorm and a casualty. Don't worry; he was rescued shortly after the wind and rain let up.

I did a little crafting. Crafting = paper cutter, glue stick, photo paper and CHOCOLATE!! 

(72% dark)

But best of all, I tried on these shorts that I bought when I lived in Sacramento (about 13 years ago) and THEY STILL FIT!!! Score!

And on that (good) note, I will end this post. 

How was your week?

This post is part of these hops:

Why I Blog

I used to send emails.

Wait, let me back up a minute. Before that, I used to make phone calls. I would arrive in a new country and I would ask in bad French where I could find a phone card (un carte telephonique! telephonique!!?) and then I would take my 5 dollar phone card and find a telephone booth where I could spend 7.8 minutes yelling into the phone to my mother (YES! I am fine! No! I don't need any money!) 

That was how people knew I was alright. Then email got more popular and THAT was how I let people know I was okay while I was traveling. At first I was a good daughter/friend/sister. I would send each person a nice little note about what I was doing in New Zealand or wherever and how fun the skydiving/hiking/people watching/sheep was/were there. I would tailor it depending on the other person's interests.

Then it got to be too much. There were too many people to write to. There was not enough time to travel! So I started this blog. If people wanted to know what I was doing, they could read it. If they didn't care, they didn't have to get my periodic emails. And I could talk about what I wanted to talk about and what I was doing. Most importantly, I would have an online journal of my trip. It was a win-win situation.

But Me, and Who I Am, is not just about travel. I am a passionate hater of bad drivers; I am a money saver;  I am a lover of cooking and eating food; I am a reader of books and a taker of photos and I run (or try to run). I realize as a person who would love to have blogging or writing be my job and be able to make money from it that this is usually more easily done if you have a niche. But I don't have a niche. I am all over the place.

I like it that way. I can say what I want and be who I really am, in life and in the internet world. There is always someone on the other side of a computer who understands what I am going through, be it a travel situation or a life crisis. I love that there is such a community out there, of runners, of readers, of bloggers...of PEOPLE.

So...why I blog? I blog to let off steam, to write, to share, to meet, to understand and to learn.

Why do you blog?

This is a Dare to Share post with the subject of: Blogger Identity. The task was to write a post that reveals, discusses, or explores who you are as a blogger.