So as I start this half-marathon training thing, I realize I should blog about it. Why? Because first of all, you are all so incredibly interested in the daily events of my life, I know you would be distraught if I didn't give you a blow-by-blow of every step taken and weight lifted. Also, it will be good for me to be publically responsible for training. It's one thing to lie to oneself, it's another thing entirely to lie to the Internet community.
But here is the problem: what words do I use to describe said run? Run, marathon, race, miles, exercise, workout... nothing starts with a "k"! Do I need to start up a whole new kblog, just so I don't mar the perfection of Krazy Karoline's Kozy Korner?
I am open for suggestions.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Child's Play
I ran 3.5 miles today, and I feel pretty good. Towards the end I was pretty amazed at how quickly my slack-ass body succombed to my physical demands. I mean, I've let my body get laaaaazy, and it's picking back up like it remembers what it means to exercise.
I guess it does remember, and even likes, what it means to exercise. Oh, I'm still slower than slow. The Mazamas would rank me as a "1", and I'm OK with that. It took me 45 minutes to run 3.5 miles -- that's about a 13 minute mile. Although, the half marathon I'm looking at only demands a 15 minute mile. Now *that* is slow.
So if I can just keep up my slow-ass pace for about 10 more miles, I'll finish within the alotted time. I might finish last, but at least they'll wait for me. Of course, I'm running on flat, and there are some hills on the race course. But there are also 10 weeks between now and then, and I should be able to get myself to something closer to a 10 minute mile. No, I am not trying to break any land-speed records. Viva la tortoise! is my motto.
Back to my run. I used Google Maps (again) to figure out a 3 mile loop, but with my crazy neighborhood, that means going up and down streets to work it out while avoiding stupid big roads with lots of stinky cars -- so I forgot one turn. Instead of running 3.1, it turned into 3.5. And I could still finish strong.
I can do this. I'm gonna do the whole 13 miles, damnit.
Oh, and I Google Mapped the Pizza Run, and it looks like it was about 13 miles. I thought 7 was too close to get from Biddo to South Portland. So, I just have to think of this as the Pizza Run that I never did, except this race is in wine country, so there will be wine waiting for me at the end.
I guess it does remember, and even likes, what it means to exercise. Oh, I'm still slower than slow. The Mazamas would rank me as a "1", and I'm OK with that. It took me 45 minutes to run 3.5 miles -- that's about a 13 minute mile. Although, the half marathon I'm looking at only demands a 15 minute mile. Now *that* is slow.
So if I can just keep up my slow-ass pace for about 10 more miles, I'll finish within the alotted time. I might finish last, but at least they'll wait for me. Of course, I'm running on flat, and there are some hills on the race course. But there are also 10 weeks between now and then, and I should be able to get myself to something closer to a 10 minute mile. No, I am not trying to break any land-speed records. Viva la tortoise! is my motto.
Back to my run. I used Google Maps (again) to figure out a 3 mile loop, but with my crazy neighborhood, that means going up and down streets to work it out while avoiding stupid big roads with lots of stinky cars -- so I forgot one turn. Instead of running 3.1, it turned into 3.5. And I could still finish strong.
I can do this. I'm gonna do the whole 13 miles, damnit.
Oh, and I Google Mapped the Pizza Run, and it looks like it was about 13 miles. I thought 7 was too close to get from Biddo to South Portland. So, I just have to think of this as the Pizza Run that I never did, except this race is in wine country, so there will be wine waiting for me at the end.
Friday, February 20, 2009
Starting with 5th Block
I'm taking a lesson out of CK's book, and calling all of my students' parents, starting with 5th block. I wavered between starting with 4th or 5th, but I think 5th is way more disrespectful. They're pretty competent, just rude. Fourth... well, they have issues all around.
I started during my prep yesterday -- well,the portion of the prep that I had left after I ran all my other errands. I thought I would finish after school, but I forgot about the staff meeting. (I thought it was next week, because it's *always* the day before grades are due -- a really great time to have a 2 hour meeting.) No prep today, and I left at a reasonable hour so I could actually run an errand or two before 5pm. (Rach -- your presents are in the mail.) Although I still need to make it to the district office before 5 sometime next week.
ANYWAY.
I've only made it up to the M's, but it is a start. Already one student is PISSED at me because of it. So, instead of straightening himself out and doing some work, he got mad, put his head down, and did absolutely NOTHING during class. Sure kid, that's a great way to get your toys back. Yeah, Dad's gonna want to hear about that. Sure, you're made at me, but suck it up. You are the one failing. Your parents and other teachers should know what's going on. He is very capable, just unmotivated. I'm just trying to help him find some motivation. If he stops doing any work, it's not like much will have changed.
I'll keep going on Monday. Once I'm done with 5th, I'll call 4th. Then I'll target the ones that really need it in the other classes.
Oh, and in case you were wondering. Yes, EVERYONE gets a phone call. The phone call might just be to say that the child is a pleasure to have in class, but everyone gets one.
I started during my prep yesterday -- well,the portion of the prep that I had left after I ran all my other errands. I thought I would finish after school, but I forgot about the staff meeting. (I thought it was next week, because it's *always* the day before grades are due -- a really great time to have a 2 hour meeting.) No prep today, and I left at a reasonable hour so I could actually run an errand or two before 5pm. (Rach -- your presents are in the mail.) Although I still need to make it to the district office before 5 sometime next week.
ANYWAY.
I've only made it up to the M's, but it is a start. Already one student is PISSED at me because of it. So, instead of straightening himself out and doing some work, he got mad, put his head down, and did absolutely NOTHING during class. Sure kid, that's a great way to get your toys back. Yeah, Dad's gonna want to hear about that. Sure, you're made at me, but suck it up. You are the one failing. Your parents and other teachers should know what's going on. He is very capable, just unmotivated. I'm just trying to help him find some motivation. If he stops doing any work, it's not like much will have changed.
I'll keep going on Monday. Once I'm done with 5th, I'll call 4th. Then I'll target the ones that really need it in the other classes.
Oh, and in case you were wondering. Yes, EVERYONE gets a phone call. The phone call might just be to say that the child is a pleasure to have in class, but everyone gets one.
Monday, February 16, 2009
Channeling my 16-Year-Old Self
Baby Mama has convinced me to run a half marathon. Well, a half of a half marathon, so that's really only a quarter marathon. And if you further consider that makes the distance between 6 1/2 and 7 1/2 miles -- which was just an average day back in high school -- it seems like a perfectly reasonable goal.
Of course, I haven't run seriously since high school, if you can call the running that I did in high school "serious". I have been getting slowly more sedentary as the years have gone by. Sure, there was the Summer of Six Summits when I was in pretty good shape. But since then, injury, grad school, work, and my own essential laziness have conspired to keep me from working out. So 6 1/2 miles seems like quite a long way. I'd love to be able to bust out the full 13 1/2 miles (or whatever approximation of "busting out" my running conjures up), but I don't know if that's really doable between now and Mother's Day.
So, I just did it. I used Google Maps to mark out a 2 mile loop near my house (I love Google Maps, it was sooooo much easier than driving around the neighborhood looking at my odometer) and I started running. (Along with channeling my 16-year-old self, I am also channeling the classic Nike commercials.) I'd run until I felt like I had to give up, and I'd walk the rest of the way back -- but I was at least getting 20 minutes of aerobic exercise regardless. This started just over a week ago. And today, I ran the full two miles. Well, if you can call a 12.5 minute mile "running".
I just channeled my young self, back when I was too stupid or idealistic to know when to give up, and kept putting down the other foot. And today I also had that feeling that I'd made it past the beginning bla's and was ready to start running. How to explain?
When I hike, I feel like crap for about the first 10 minutes. I get all out of breath instantly, my chest tightens up, my muscles get all hot, and I get insanely discouraged by the task ahead of me. I just want to turn around and take a nap with potato chip crumbs stuck to my chin. But after that 10 minutes, I get my wind and can keep going for a long time. Granted, I go slowly for a long time, but I can bust out the 10-12 mile, 3500'+ hikes/climbs. That is not insignificant.
So today, I was realizing that when I was stopping during those first two miles, I hadn't even made it past the crappy feeling yet. I was just giving in before my body had a chance to get used to the elevated heart and respiration rate and settled down in something resembling submission. So, I ran through it today and lo-and-behold, I ran the two mile loop.
Maybe it was just that I started running while it was raining, and I had forgotten how much I love running in the rain. It was a light rain, but a good rain. The air was clean and fresh, my shoes shouldn't glow in the dark anymore, and running through puddles is just fun.
I figure another week of feeling OK with the (short) distance, and I can start seriously working on getting ready for a half of a half marathon.
"I like to run; it makes me smile. I think I'll go another mile."
Of course, I haven't run seriously since high school, if you can call the running that I did in high school "serious". I have been getting slowly more sedentary as the years have gone by. Sure, there was the Summer of Six Summits when I was in pretty good shape. But since then, injury, grad school, work, and my own essential laziness have conspired to keep me from working out. So 6 1/2 miles seems like quite a long way. I'd love to be able to bust out the full 13 1/2 miles (or whatever approximation of "busting out" my running conjures up), but I don't know if that's really doable between now and Mother's Day.
So, I just did it. I used Google Maps to mark out a 2 mile loop near my house (I love Google Maps, it was sooooo much easier than driving around the neighborhood looking at my odometer) and I started running. (Along with channeling my 16-year-old self, I am also channeling the classic Nike commercials.) I'd run until I felt like I had to give up, and I'd walk the rest of the way back -- but I was at least getting 20 minutes of aerobic exercise regardless. This started just over a week ago. And today, I ran the full two miles. Well, if you can call a 12.5 minute mile "running".
I just channeled my young self, back when I was too stupid or idealistic to know when to give up, and kept putting down the other foot. And today I also had that feeling that I'd made it past the beginning bla's and was ready to start running. How to explain?
When I hike, I feel like crap for about the first 10 minutes. I get all out of breath instantly, my chest tightens up, my muscles get all hot, and I get insanely discouraged by the task ahead of me. I just want to turn around and take a nap with potato chip crumbs stuck to my chin. But after that 10 minutes, I get my wind and can keep going for a long time. Granted, I go slowly for a long time, but I can bust out the 10-12 mile, 3500'+ hikes/climbs. That is not insignificant.
So today, I was realizing that when I was stopping during those first two miles, I hadn't even made it past the crappy feeling yet. I was just giving in before my body had a chance to get used to the elevated heart and respiration rate and settled down in something resembling submission. So, I ran through it today and lo-and-behold, I ran the two mile loop.
Maybe it was just that I started running while it was raining, and I had forgotten how much I love running in the rain. It was a light rain, but a good rain. The air was clean and fresh, my shoes shouldn't glow in the dark anymore, and running through puddles is just fun.
I figure another week of feeling OK with the (short) distance, and I can start seriously working on getting ready for a half of a half marathon.
"I like to run; it makes me smile. I think I'll go another mile."
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Marinas
A quick aside. In He's Just Not That Into You, one of the characters goes to live on his boat for awhile. It's a gorgeous boat. Just, like, totally money boat. His ex goes to find him at one point, and she's wandering around the docks. It brought me back to warm summer mornings when Hollis and I used to go sit on his uncle's (?) boat back in K'Bunk Port. It was not the largest boat in the marina, and we looked pretty out of place, not being of the Boat Set, but it was fun.
I guess in Maine you have to make your own fun...
I guess in Maine you have to make your own fun...
He's Just Not That Into You
I know, I haven't seen a movie in a full-price movie theater in I don't know how long (seriously -- it was sometime in Portland, but even there I tend to go to the 2nd run theaters because although it still costs $20, it comes with beer and pizza), and I've now seen two movies this weekend. Blockbusters, both. What is the world coming to? Oh yeah: friends.
Anyway, my good friend Shells said that it was the story of her life. MDTS said he'd heard that it was all Hollywooded up and not as in-your-face as the book.
So let me say that I read the book. I doubted it at first, but it changed my life. The book is not rocket science -- far from it. It says everything that you already know, but it spells it out in a very clear, forthright, incontrovertible way. If he doesn't call... he's just not that into you. If he's still with his wife... he's just not that into you. If he doesn't want to marry you... he's just not that into you. If he's messed up emotionally... he's just not that into you. Greg (yeah, we're on a first-name basis) says that if a guy wants to be with you, he will do whatever crazy thing he has to to be with you. He will knock on doors; ask everyone he knows for your number, divorce his wife, go to counseling... anything. If he does't, well... he's just not that into you. It doesn't mean he's not into you at all, or that he doesn't like you, or find you attractive, it's just that he's not *that* into you. Period.
It's actually a very freeing concept. I realized the man that I hadn't been dating for five years wasn't that into me. It had been staring me in the face for 4 1/2 of those years, but there it was. If I was still unsure about his feelings, than he wasn't that into me. I emailed him that night and broke it off. (What? After 4 1/2 years of batting me around, yes, an email is all he got. We could've talked all night, but that wouldn't have gotten us anywhere.) I have not initiated conversation with him since. (He's emailed a few times. I finally told him -- again -- to stop it. Forever.)
So, is the movie brutally honest? Well, yes and no.
The thing is, the book is written by Greg and this other chick, Liz. She plays the role of the chick (duh), the "But what about..." and "I'm sure he just..." and "Maybe this time it will be different because...". So the book has this other voice, the voice that we hear all the time. The voice that gets our hopes up; the voice that has seen The Princess Bride, When Harry Met Sally, and every movie with Rock Hudson and Doris Day. So we hear those women's voices in the movie. But we do hear that he's just not that into us. And we see it -- which can be far more powerful than the words themselves. It becomes obvious when you see it played out for your viewing pleasure.
It's a good movie. It's well done. The characters have some depth. There is romance and there are break-ups. There are rules and there are exceptions. (Which is what does us ladies in all the time, we hear about exceptions and expect them. The thing is, when you are the exception -- you know it. Otherwise, you're the rule. You're the rule early, and you're the rule often.)
If you need a good chick flick that won't make you cry: see it. If you need some help to dump your man: see it. If you just want to see what all the fuss is about: see it. It's not an Oscar-winner (er, I don't pay attention -- please tell me it hasn't been nominated); it's not classic cinema. But it's a good movie. And the final song is "Fridays I'm in Love" by the Cure. I love that song. It reminds me of sophomore year -- and yet another man who just want't that into me. hee!
Anyway, my good friend Shells said that it was the story of her life. MDTS said he'd heard that it was all Hollywooded up and not as in-your-face as the book.
So let me say that I read the book. I doubted it at first, but it changed my life. The book is not rocket science -- far from it. It says everything that you already know, but it spells it out in a very clear, forthright, incontrovertible way. If he doesn't call... he's just not that into you. If he's still with his wife... he's just not that into you. If he doesn't want to marry you... he's just not that into you. If he's messed up emotionally... he's just not that into you. Greg (yeah, we're on a first-name basis) says that if a guy wants to be with you, he will do whatever crazy thing he has to to be with you. He will knock on doors; ask everyone he knows for your number, divorce his wife, go to counseling... anything. If he does't, well... he's just not that into you. It doesn't mean he's not into you at all, or that he doesn't like you, or find you attractive, it's just that he's not *that* into you. Period.
It's actually a very freeing concept. I realized the man that I hadn't been dating for five years wasn't that into me. It had been staring me in the face for 4 1/2 of those years, but there it was. If I was still unsure about his feelings, than he wasn't that into me. I emailed him that night and broke it off. (What? After 4 1/2 years of batting me around, yes, an email is all he got. We could've talked all night, but that wouldn't have gotten us anywhere.) I have not initiated conversation with him since. (He's emailed a few times. I finally told him -- again -- to stop it. Forever.)
So, is the movie brutally honest? Well, yes and no.
The thing is, the book is written by Greg and this other chick, Liz. She plays the role of the chick (duh), the "But what about..." and "I'm sure he just..." and "Maybe this time it will be different because...". So the book has this other voice, the voice that we hear all the time. The voice that gets our hopes up; the voice that has seen The Princess Bride, When Harry Met Sally, and every movie with Rock Hudson and Doris Day. So we hear those women's voices in the movie. But we do hear that he's just not that into us. And we see it -- which can be far more powerful than the words themselves. It becomes obvious when you see it played out for your viewing pleasure.
It's a good movie. It's well done. The characters have some depth. There is romance and there are break-ups. There are rules and there are exceptions. (Which is what does us ladies in all the time, we hear about exceptions and expect them. The thing is, when you are the exception -- you know it. Otherwise, you're the rule. You're the rule early, and you're the rule often.)
If you need a good chick flick that won't make you cry: see it. If you need some help to dump your man: see it. If you just want to see what all the fuss is about: see it. It's not an Oscar-winner (er, I don't pay attention -- please tell me it hasn't been nominated); it's not classic cinema. But it's a good movie. And the final song is "Fridays I'm in Love" by the Cure. I love that song. It reminds me of sophomore year -- and yet another man who just want't that into me. hee!
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Friday the 13th
I saw my first Friday the 13th movie last night. I know, it's a bit embarassing to be my age and NOT to have seen any of them. I did grow up in the 80s, after all. But, I've never been a huge fan of the horror genre, and as an adult, I've spent too many nights alone to really want to scare myself before bedtime. However, M&C have convinced me that there is some value in dabbling in the genre, so when my Spanish friend asked me if I would watch the new one with her, I agreed.
As I've said, I'm no expert in the genre, so here are a neophyte's musings on the subject.
All those years of being worried about being scared were unfounded. The does not, and really isn't designed, to scare. The movie relies on cheap tricks to shock the viewer, with some gruesome killings and a little T&A thrown in for good measure. While watching it, I couldn't help but notice how important the foley is to the movie. You're watching, lah-di-dah, when CRASH coincides with Jason jumping out from behind a tree with a machete. It's the actual sound that is shocking, not really the picture.
Of course, the filmmakers do a good job -- as it were -- of using off-screen space. Or, not allowing us to see anything. The movie is shot rather tightly, so even though you know, you KNOW, that Jason is lurking around a corner, you are not allowed to view the entire scene. When the angle does shift to where he is, along with another sound effect, you are duly surprised. Well, surprised physically, but not mentally. You know it's going to happen all along, it's just a question of which milisecond brings the knife.
This over-reliance on sound and cuts reminded me of an article that I read while teaching Fahrenheit 451 last year. Life is full of "technical events" or "jolts". This all technical TV speak, so the article tells me ("Culture Jam", btw, I'm unsure on the author at this point). Producers? Editors? Directors? refer to any shift in the picture as a "jolt". So a cut is a jolt. And, there are more and more jolts on television and in the movies these days. We are overwhelmed by the information -- so much that we stop paying attention and become zombies. (Ah, another, better, horror genre: the zombie flick.) And that's all Friday the 13th does; it relies on jolts. We try to find meaning, but we cannot because we are never given enough meaning. But the changes evoke a purely physical reaction: dilated pupils, elevated heart beat, higher respiration rate. We mistake it for fear, and it's a fun feeling, so we see the movies.
Oh, and tits don't hurt, either.
As I've said, I'm no expert in the genre, so here are a neophyte's musings on the subject.
All those years of being worried about being scared were unfounded. The does not, and really isn't designed, to scare. The movie relies on cheap tricks to shock the viewer, with some gruesome killings and a little T&A thrown in for good measure. While watching it, I couldn't help but notice how important the foley is to the movie. You're watching, lah-di-dah, when CRASH coincides with Jason jumping out from behind a tree with a machete. It's the actual sound that is shocking, not really the picture.
Of course, the filmmakers do a good job -- as it were -- of using off-screen space. Or, not allowing us to see anything. The movie is shot rather tightly, so even though you know, you KNOW, that Jason is lurking around a corner, you are not allowed to view the entire scene. When the angle does shift to where he is, along with another sound effect, you are duly surprised. Well, surprised physically, but not mentally. You know it's going to happen all along, it's just a question of which milisecond brings the knife.
This over-reliance on sound and cuts reminded me of an article that I read while teaching Fahrenheit 451 last year. Life is full of "technical events" or "jolts". This all technical TV speak, so the article tells me ("Culture Jam", btw, I'm unsure on the author at this point). Producers? Editors? Directors? refer to any shift in the picture as a "jolt". So a cut is a jolt. And, there are more and more jolts on television and in the movies these days. We are overwhelmed by the information -- so much that we stop paying attention and become zombies. (Ah, another, better, horror genre: the zombie flick.) And that's all Friday the 13th does; it relies on jolts. We try to find meaning, but we cannot because we are never given enough meaning. But the changes evoke a purely physical reaction: dilated pupils, elevated heart beat, higher respiration rate. We mistake it for fear, and it's a fun feeling, so we see the movies.
Oh, and tits don't hurt, either.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
