Actually, I was throwing wiffle balls. My only good roll was a spare pick-up on a split. For the first time, ever, in my life, I hit the 5 pin and sent it careening across the lane to hit the 7 pin. What's even better? I actually planned on doing that. I aimed that way. I set up the shot. Yeah, pretty hott.
However, even with my two disappointing 90-something games, my team pulled it out. Actually, had we been bowling last week, it wouldn't even have been a contest. A few of us were off our games tonight. But, I guess the other teachers in the area just aren't that good, because WE WON THE TOURNAMENT!!!!!
That's right, first place! We each got $25 bucks and a free game of bowling.
AND, because we've been bowling 2-3 times a week for the last month or so, all the employees were rooting for us. (Oh, and cause we're just generally awesome, friendly, super people.) We were on a broken lane, and Coriander (not her real name) even came and sat with us to fix the pins everytime it did a false re-set. Yeah, pretty sweet.
Oh, it gets even better. We get a trophy with our names on it. AND, they're going to come to the school to deliver it. AND we have a staff meeting on Thursday, so we're going to have them deliver it during the meeting. We'll be getting some mad props on this one. It is so cool.
Cinco Equis forever!
Monday, March 16, 2009
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Just a Cheeseburger
I really wanted a cheeseburger after my run. A cheeseburger with a coke. A sweet, fizzy, cold Coke. And some french fries. At a table. I imagined grading some papers while sipping on my Coke.
But alas, it was not to be. Three o'clock on a Sunday afternoon is not the time to go looking for cheeseburgers in this flour tortilla town. Not that I *really* know where to look, but I do know not to go back to First Awakenings. (That, and they close at 2:00.) I had to go to the grocery store, so while wandering among the fresh veggies, I decided I would just *make* my own burger. I picked up some potato chips, a bottle of Coke, and some organic, grass-fed ground beef. What can I say? I am not running to lose weight. I am running to obsess about something other than school. And to eat.
So I made myself a burger. I put cheese on top. I toasted some white bread and smothered it with Helman's mayo (there not many things better than a sandwich that begins with toasted white bread and Helman's mayo). I added some lettuce and some onion (the tomatoes were too sad looking to even try). And then I ate it. Can you tell how good it was?
But alas, it was not to be. Three o'clock on a Sunday afternoon is not the time to go looking for cheeseburgers in this flour tortilla town. Not that I *really* know where to look, but I do know not to go back to First Awakenings. (That, and they close at 2:00.) I had to go to the grocery store, so while wandering among the fresh veggies, I decided I would just *make* my own burger. I picked up some potato chips, a bottle of Coke, and some organic, grass-fed ground beef. What can I say? I am not running to lose weight. I am running to obsess about something other than school. And to eat.
So I made myself a burger. I put cheese on top. I toasted some white bread and smothered it with Helman's mayo (there not many things better than a sandwich that begins with toasted white bread and Helman's mayo). I added some lettuce and some onion (the tomatoes were too sad looking to even try). And then I ate it. Can you tell how good it was?
Shopping! *ding*
(You should be imagining the sound effects from WBLM's Morning Show when you read that title.)
I bought myself some running clothes today. I was actually amazed at the difficulty that I had in finding a pair of spandex. I mean, come on, spandex are the most common, simple item. They go great under my cute Terry skirts and they protect me against the infamous "chub rub".
We all know me (more or less), and we've all seen me. So we all know that I am not a tiny, hard-bodied chick. I'm more on the Rubenesque side of things, but even when I am at my most slender, most light-weight, my thighs still touch. I've seen the women (you see them on the covers of magazines all the time -- Hell, I saw one running down the trail ahead of me today) whose legs don't touch even when their feet do. They have what we call "skinny legs". If you have skinny legs, you can wear a pair of running shorts (that cover almost none of your legs) without any ill effects. However, when I wear running shorts (or any shorts) and then move my legs quickly, the flesh on my thighs invariably rubs together. Do this long enough, and it gets painful. This, my friends, is the aforementioned chub rub. Like rug burn, except you still have to run your aching muscles, burning lungs, and now smarting legs home before you can do anything about it. Fun, huh?
And it's never going to go away. Ever. I will always have chunky legs. It's just how I'm made. I am resigned to this fact. I will never wear skinny jeans. Pants from Forever 21 will never fit. That's just the way it is. I'm OK with this. But I need spandex to run in shorts. Otherwise, I don't run. Now, I had a pair back in high school. I had two pair, actually. One of them disappeared (my favorite pair, sadly -- damn, those things fit great) but I thought I still had the other pair. But, I couldn't find them yesterday. It seems that all my spandex shorts now how chamois in the crotch -- which is great for cycling, but a bit of an overkill for running.
So I took my 20% coupon and my dividend down to REI today to find a pair of spandex shorts. After canvassing the whole woman's section, I found one display of spandex shorts that had a chamois in the crotch (but really lightweight -- I guess they are for triathalons), one display of name brand capri spandex, and one display of REI-brand capri spandex. After tracking down a saleswoman who did find the correct size for me in the back, I opted for the REI version. They're prety sweet, actually. They have a zip pocket across the lower back and some reflective strips along the legs. But they are capris, so they will get warm come summer. Maybe I'm just too early, but it seems like now is the time to get the summer gear on the racks.
Anyway, I took my newly purchased capris over to my county park and hit the trails. (I also dusted off my super-cute Terry skirt with the black and red swirly design, finding $1 in the pocket while I was at it.) It was another run-walk. Lots of walking on the up, lots of running on the down. I was out for about 90 minutes and had some great views on the way down. I could see all the way to the ocean. It was very, very beautiful.
I think part of the reason (besides being out-of-shape and sheer laziness) why I walk on these runs is because I do enjoy hiking. When I hit the woods, I WANT to walk. Oh well. Gotta get over that if I'm going to RUN 13 miles.
I bought myself some running clothes today. I was actually amazed at the difficulty that I had in finding a pair of spandex. I mean, come on, spandex are the most common, simple item. They go great under my cute Terry skirts and they protect me against the infamous "chub rub".
We all know me (more or less), and we've all seen me. So we all know that I am not a tiny, hard-bodied chick. I'm more on the Rubenesque side of things, but even when I am at my most slender, most light-weight, my thighs still touch. I've seen the women (you see them on the covers of magazines all the time -- Hell, I saw one running down the trail ahead of me today) whose legs don't touch even when their feet do. They have what we call "skinny legs". If you have skinny legs, you can wear a pair of running shorts (that cover almost none of your legs) without any ill effects. However, when I wear running shorts (or any shorts) and then move my legs quickly, the flesh on my thighs invariably rubs together. Do this long enough, and it gets painful. This, my friends, is the aforementioned chub rub. Like rug burn, except you still have to run your aching muscles, burning lungs, and now smarting legs home before you can do anything about it. Fun, huh?
And it's never going to go away. Ever. I will always have chunky legs. It's just how I'm made. I am resigned to this fact. I will never wear skinny jeans. Pants from Forever 21 will never fit. That's just the way it is. I'm OK with this. But I need spandex to run in shorts. Otherwise, I don't run. Now, I had a pair back in high school. I had two pair, actually. One of them disappeared (my favorite pair, sadly -- damn, those things fit great) but I thought I still had the other pair. But, I couldn't find them yesterday. It seems that all my spandex shorts now how chamois in the crotch -- which is great for cycling, but a bit of an overkill for running.
So I took my 20% coupon and my dividend down to REI today to find a pair of spandex shorts. After canvassing the whole woman's section, I found one display of spandex shorts that had a chamois in the crotch (but really lightweight -- I guess they are for triathalons), one display of name brand capri spandex, and one display of REI-brand capri spandex. After tracking down a saleswoman who did find the correct size for me in the back, I opted for the REI version. They're prety sweet, actually. They have a zip pocket across the lower back and some reflective strips along the legs. But they are capris, so they will get warm come summer. Maybe I'm just too early, but it seems like now is the time to get the summer gear on the racks.
Anyway, I took my newly purchased capris over to my county park and hit the trails. (I also dusted off my super-cute Terry skirt with the black and red swirly design, finding $1 in the pocket while I was at it.) It was another run-walk. Lots of walking on the up, lots of running on the down. I was out for about 90 minutes and had some great views on the way down. I could see all the way to the ocean. It was very, very beautiful.
I think part of the reason (besides being out-of-shape and sheer laziness) why I walk on these runs is because I do enjoy hiking. When I hit the woods, I WANT to walk. Oh well. Gotta get over that if I'm going to RUN 13 miles.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
The Wheels on My Bike Go Round and Round
I hauled Lolita out of the garage today and took her out for a short spin. (Lolita is my touring bike, for those of you who don't know.) Since I ran yesterday, I figured I'd make today the cross-training day and tomorrow my running day. I had to put some air in her tires, but other than that, Lolita was good to go. She's as spunky as ever and I found everything I needed except for a water bottle. (And my floor pump--but I know I left that in Portland.)
The schedule says 40 minutes, so 40 minutes I did. I would have done more, but the nasty, nasty west wind was not cooperating. It's one thing to tire yourself out, but it's another thing to do it in the face of a 12mph head wind. (Yes, I looked up the wind speed.) That, and the roads around here are pretty lame for riding. I mean, I had a nice shoulder, but it's just no fun on the 55mph, 2-lane road that everyone takes to get to Hwy 1. However, to get to any other roads, you must first deal with this one.
Anyway, I made it about 7.5 miles in 40 minutes. I would give you a blow-by-blow of my cadence and speed, but the magnet on my crank is off, so I don't have that intel. I know you're disappointed.
The schedule says 40 minutes, so 40 minutes I did. I would have done more, but the nasty, nasty west wind was not cooperating. It's one thing to tire yourself out, but it's another thing to do it in the face of a 12mph head wind. (Yes, I looked up the wind speed.) That, and the roads around here are pretty lame for riding. I mean, I had a nice shoulder, but it's just no fun on the 55mph, 2-lane road that everyone takes to get to Hwy 1. However, to get to any other roads, you must first deal with this one.
Anyway, I made it about 7.5 miles in 40 minutes. I would give you a blow-by-blow of my cadence and speed, but the magnet on my crank is off, so I don't have that intel. I know you're disappointed.
Friday, March 13, 2009
Running Down a Dream
Went for a run today, and for the first time since I've begun this little ol' trip, I felt good both starting and stopping. The alarm went off at 5am, but after climbing into bed at 11, there was no way I was getting up, and I'm glad I didn't.
By this afternoon, the weather was mild and the sun was shining. I got home 4:30ish and changed into shorts and short-sleeved shirt. Yes, Ladies and Gentlemen, I got some Vitamin D this afternoon! It was a trifle breezy heading west, but I sucked it up. I don't know if it was the sun or the week of rest, but I felt pretty good even at the beginning. It was still just my 3.5 mile loop, but I felt like I could do the distance. I'm also getting better at ignoring my body and the pain and just focusing on the steps. Speaking of...
Way back when, 20 or so years ago, I used to sing songs in my head when I ran. I was slow, as slow as I am now, and I generally ended up running alone. I didn't mind, really, but I did sing to myself in order to pass the time. Sure, Walkmen existed, but they were heavy and large and skipped. In 1990, I sang a lot of "Englishman in New York" by Sting. It's got a good rhythm and I knew the words. What can I say? And I have continued this tradition while climbing: I have recited "The Cremation of Sam McGee" by Robert Service on about six mountains -- but all silently to myself (I start reciting when I get too winded to talk). I often forget the stanza in themiddle, but because I know enough of the rhymes, I can work out the whole poem. It makes it more interesting because I have to think about what comes next.
Well, I've noticed that when I start running (sans earbuds), those two works consume my brain power. Incidentally, I tried to recite "The Cremation of Sam McGee" for my friends the other day, and I got lost in the middle, but when I started running two days later, I remembered the whole thing. Maybe I'm just a creature of habit, but I also think that iPods have destroyed us. My iPod is tiny and has no moving parts -- it never skips -- making it ideal for exercise. But it also saddens me, because I'm sure that if I spent more time _without_ ear buds in my ears, I would force myself (from sheer boredom) to memorize more poems and songs. I still haven't mastered "Wet Dream" or "Alice's Restaurant" -- although I made big inroads back in the early 90s. I could also relearn Mark Antony's speech or polish off a few sonnets. Maybe I could fialize "Ozymandeus" or tackle "Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner" or "The Raven". The options are endless... except that I am tied to my iPod.
I read Fahrenheit 451 last year with my sophomores. I could see it in there, but I wasn't able to fully draw out the problems that Ray Bradbury foresaw with, well, earbuds (he calls them seashells). Those things cut us off from the world. They shut down our brains and shut down our communication. My kids don't get it, but it's why I don't let them use them in class. But there I am, plugged in, and disconnected from the world around me. Hey, at least I'm running.
And Katy, I *love*, love, love love your quotes. I need to put them all on a t-shirt. I am my own hero and it is a miracle that I've even started. And I love carbs -- all of them. And I want a blow-by-blow of your Disney run. Is this the Cali Disney park (I can't remember which is which)? If so, maybe we can meet up and hang out!!!!
By this afternoon, the weather was mild and the sun was shining. I got home 4:30ish and changed into shorts and short-sleeved shirt. Yes, Ladies and Gentlemen, I got some Vitamin D this afternoon! It was a trifle breezy heading west, but I sucked it up. I don't know if it was the sun or the week of rest, but I felt pretty good even at the beginning. It was still just my 3.5 mile loop, but I felt like I could do the distance. I'm also getting better at ignoring my body and the pain and just focusing on the steps. Speaking of...
Way back when, 20 or so years ago, I used to sing songs in my head when I ran. I was slow, as slow as I am now, and I generally ended up running alone. I didn't mind, really, but I did sing to myself in order to pass the time. Sure, Walkmen existed, but they were heavy and large and skipped. In 1990, I sang a lot of "Englishman in New York" by Sting. It's got a good rhythm and I knew the words. What can I say? And I have continued this tradition while climbing: I have recited "The Cremation of Sam McGee" by Robert Service on about six mountains -- but all silently to myself (I start reciting when I get too winded to talk). I often forget the stanza in themiddle, but because I know enough of the rhymes, I can work out the whole poem. It makes it more interesting because I have to think about what comes next.
Well, I've noticed that when I start running (sans earbuds), those two works consume my brain power. Incidentally, I tried to recite "The Cremation of Sam McGee" for my friends the other day, and I got lost in the middle, but when I started running two days later, I remembered the whole thing. Maybe I'm just a creature of habit, but I also think that iPods have destroyed us. My iPod is tiny and has no moving parts -- it never skips -- making it ideal for exercise. But it also saddens me, because I'm sure that if I spent more time _without_ ear buds in my ears, I would force myself (from sheer boredom) to memorize more poems and songs. I still haven't mastered "Wet Dream" or "Alice's Restaurant" -- although I made big inroads back in the early 90s. I could also relearn Mark Antony's speech or polish off a few sonnets. Maybe I could fialize "Ozymandeus" or tackle "Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner" or "The Raven". The options are endless... except that I am tied to my iPod.
I read Fahrenheit 451 last year with my sophomores. I could see it in there, but I wasn't able to fully draw out the problems that Ray Bradbury foresaw with, well, earbuds (he calls them seashells). Those things cut us off from the world. They shut down our brains and shut down our communication. My kids don't get it, but it's why I don't let them use them in class. But there I am, plugged in, and disconnected from the world around me. Hey, at least I'm running.
And Katy, I *love*, love, love love your quotes. I need to put them all on a t-shirt. I am my own hero and it is a miracle that I've even started. And I love carbs -- all of them. And I want a blow-by-blow of your Disney run. Is this the Cali Disney park (I can't remember which is which)? If so, maybe we can meet up and hang out!!!!
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Too Much Rest, Not Enough Running
I've been very bad this week. I took Monday off, which is OK. I woke up super-tired. Fine. Then I didn't run on Tuesday, either. I was again super-tired. Like, get home, take a nap, grade a few papers while eating, then go back to bed tired. On Tuesday, I had even more papers to grade (rough drafts of essays), so I was up until 11 doing those (and still wasn't finished). So, I didn't run Wednesday morning. I was determined to run Wednesday night, but when I got home, I went straight to bed and slept for two hours. Then I woke up, ate dinner, and went back to bed.
That is how exciting my life has been.
Today was gorgeous, so I decided to hit up my county park and try to get in some hills. Of course, I couldn't tell when it closed (because of crazy daylight savings time) so I only had about 40 minutes. I ran for about 20-25 of those minutes, which is something. I'm counting it as the 2 mi. "rest" day that should have been Wednesday. I need to get up tomorrow morning and hit the road, though. Which means I need to get to bed now. But after running and dinner, we headed out to the bowling alley. I rolled rather eratic games (nothing like a 10th frame 0 after a 9th frame strike), but I did win one game. yay!
So, running, not so much this week, but even with my work commitments I am managing to have much more of a social life.
That is how exciting my life has been.
Today was gorgeous, so I decided to hit up my county park and try to get in some hills. Of course, I couldn't tell when it closed (because of crazy daylight savings time) so I only had about 40 minutes. I ran for about 20-25 of those minutes, which is something. I'm counting it as the 2 mi. "rest" day that should have been Wednesday. I need to get up tomorrow morning and hit the road, though. Which means I need to get to bed now. But after running and dinner, we headed out to the bowling alley. I rolled rather eratic games (nothing like a 10th frame 0 after a 9th frame strike), but I did win one game. yay!
So, running, not so much this week, but even with my work commitments I am managing to have much more of a social life.
Monday, March 9, 2009
Not My Students
I'm not sure what has happened, but one of my HellClasses has calmed down. Now this is the exact same HellClass that was the the site of the observation that got me thinking about it all. The very same students who can't shut their traps and do some simple assignments.
Well, for the last two days, they've been pretty good. On Friday, they sat down and wrote essays. Quietly. Focused. I wondered what sprites had come in and changed bodies with them. The same thing today -- they sat down and started working. Then they quietly took notes. (I mean, some small craziness -- but I got them when I heard the balled up paper hit the floor when my back was turn and called them on it -- but nothing big or stupid.) I even got to talk to them a little bit -- I cracked a few jokes. They even thought they were new jokes (my joke about not having spellcheck on my white board is not new). I could tell them it was just the first time they were paying attention enough to hear it. And they laughed.
Again, I do not know who these kids are, but they are not mine. I still have work to go with my other two HellClasses, but right now, I'm more than half not hating my students. Not bad for a week's work and some cell phone confiscation.
Well, for the last two days, they've been pretty good. On Friday, they sat down and wrote essays. Quietly. Focused. I wondered what sprites had come in and changed bodies with them. The same thing today -- they sat down and started working. Then they quietly took notes. (I mean, some small craziness -- but I got them when I heard the balled up paper hit the floor when my back was turn and called them on it -- but nothing big or stupid.) I even got to talk to them a little bit -- I cracked a few jokes. They even thought they were new jokes (my joke about not having spellcheck on my white board is not new). I could tell them it was just the first time they were paying attention enough to hear it. And they laughed.
Again, I do not know who these kids are, but they are not mine. I still have work to go with my other two HellClasses, but right now, I'm more than half not hating my students. Not bad for a week's work and some cell phone confiscation.
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