In addition to being caught for my one-sided love affair, I’ve also been busted for not updating my running progress here by Hal himself.  According to some posters on his message board, this makes me an extremely “unreliable” girlfriend, and they may be right.  You don’t want to get yourself mixed up with a girl like me, Hal.  Not only am I unreliable, but I also don’t take off my socks before going to bed.  Yikes.  Hopefully we can still be friends…with benefits??

Not THOSE kind of benefits, people!  We’re talking about running here.  Get a hobby.

So just an update, I’m finishing week 5 on Hal’s novice training plan, though I should be closer to finishing week 6/starting week 7.  I blame being behind on my 26th birthday weekend, and also on the fact that it’s my life and I do what I want, so back up off me yo.  Additionally, I haven’t really felt like writing about running since over the past few weeks I’ve been completely confined to running at the gym due to craptastical weather.   My approach has been “get on the treadmill and get it over with.”  Tragic.  I also haven’t followed the plan exactly based on the days of the week, which is fine because Hal said I could.  I have at least been getting the right amount of total mileage and long runs per week, so I think that should at least count for something.

Today is exciting though, because I’m about to run outside for the first time in weeks!  Look at the weather:

Also excited, because back in January some nerd (you know who you are) told me to get Nike Plus for my iPod, because apparently you don’t have to have Nike shoes (which hate immensely) to use it.  This person was also nice enough to inform me that I’m basically the last person in America to find that out.  So thanks.  Anyway, I did buy Nike Plus in January, used it once, and then the weather was never good enough for me to run outside.  Or I’m just a baby.  Feel free to call it whatever you want.

Super excited to get my ass back out there in a few minutes, but I can hear the wind as I write this.  Oh, and the temp is now 42° and not 39° like in the picture.  Yay!

PS – OMG I still love Hal.  4-Eva.

After repeating myself 3 times because he can’t ever hear me the first time, he finally responded with:

“What is that, Pig Latin?”

Awesome.

I really wanted to have my camera with me today, so I could take pictures of what I’m eating, (SB’s huevos rancheros wrap + vanilla rooibos tea.  Fabulous.)  but I didn’t realize I forgot it until I got here.  So.  The guy next to me is far from impressed by my antics and clearly fighting the urge to tell me I’m a complete moron for what I’m about to do:

Whoa, brightest and worst picture ever, but it stays.  Directly in front of the window so I can people-watch though, so not a lot I can do about it.

Gah!  I have some great news!  But I have to wait to announce it!  Thinking about anything else is tough, so let’s discuss the fact that we’re supposed to get ANOTHER major snowstorm here in the great Philadelphia area.  Last time, I got two days off work.  So bring it, snow.  It’s a complete pain in the ass, but if it has to be winter I may as well get something out of it, right?

Time to catch up on GoogleReader.  213 posts.  Whoops.  Fingers crossed for me for snow, people!!

OK OK.  Hiatus ends this weekend.  This is not a drill.

image: missmoniker via etsy

watercolor and ink illustration

Scout.com even posted a full article on this madness:

The Eyes Have It

Mark Brennan, Fightonstate.com

The most famous eyewear in college football is a thing of the past.Sort of.

Penn State coach Joe Paterno, whose thick-lens glasses had become a trademark in his 44 years at the helm of the Nittany Lions, has had surgery to correct his vision.

“I had trouble reading for the last six months, so I went down to Philadelphia to the Penn Scheie Eye Institute,” the 83-year-old said. “And the guy says to me … I think we can fix that up. So they went in and did it. I don’t really need glasses any more.”

The ophthalmologist was Dr. Stuart Fine, who Paterno has known for more than four decades.

But anyone expecting the spectacle of major college football’s all-time wins leader showing up on the sideline with a completely new look next fall will be disappointed. Paterno said when he walks around without glasses, “I feel strange.”

“When I don’t wear ‘em, and I put on a sweater, I reach to take the glasses off and I don’t have them on,” he said.

So he had a set of glasses fashioned with similar frames to the ones he wore in the past, only with much thinner lenses.

Paterno discussed his vision at the Penn State Multi-Sport Facility Thursday, where he and his wife Sue were recognized for their roles as honorary coaches for the Centre County Volunteers in Medicine 2010 Boston Marathon Challenge.

The Challenge raises money to help uninsured citizens of the county receive free medical and dental care. Local runners who participate in the Boston Marathon generate the funds by soliciting donations on behalf of their efforts in the race.

Paterno said it is “nice to be a part of,” then added: “Obviously I’d prefer to be running a little bit, but at my age, those days are gone.”

Even at his age, however, he does have plenty to look forward to. And if he chooses, he can do it without his glasses. As if to prove it, he took them off and provided a demonstration.

“I can do everything now,” he said, rolling up his sleeve and looking at his wrist. “I can see my watch. I can tell you what time it is.”

Oh man.  I’ve had a few encounters with some really fantastic albums so far this year, and Fanfarlo’s Reservoir is by far my favorite (I do realize it’s only February, but who’s keeping track?).

A little Arcade Fire, a little Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, maybe throw in some Neutral Milk Hotel.  I could go on all night.  Normally I’d shun a band for sounding too much like something else, but somehow this just works.   Listen harder, and each arrangement and lyric becomes completely unique.  When else could you find yourself jamming out to a song inspired by a paranormal-obsessed British journalist, and loving every second of it?   Not the most groundbreaking sound ever, but when you love what you love, there’s no reason to mess with it.  Enjoy “Harold T. Wilkins, or How to Wait for a Very Long Time.”  No need to thank me.

A few days ago I mentioned that my sister started her first blog, and now it’s been officially announced to the world.

Create Today is a blog about art, jewelry, and making. Follow me as I chronicle upcoming projects and events and share with you my ups and downs along the way. Each day presents new opportunities to create – perhaps an object, a friendship, an idea, or a way of being. The possibilities are endless!

Create Today is still in its beginning stages, but keeping checking on it because it’s going to be fantastic.  Way to go, Trish!

I’ve been reading “how-to’s” a lot lately, mostly because I’m addicted to the internet and also because I think it’s important (and beneficial to your street cred) to know how to do really obscure things.

Where am I going with this?  Four words:  Kung Fu For Girls.

“How To Do An Inside Block to the Side of the Head” has to always be good to know, and it’s too bad I’m just finding out about this now.

Assume the guard position. With your front arm, perform a pseudomilitary salute. Now move the saluting hand six inches forward, away from your head. Execute the movement again but go immediately to the finishing position. Any attack to the side of the head can be absorbed on the forearm. Your arm hacks into your attacker’s like an ax hitting a tree branch.

My sister Tricia is a metalsmith and jeweler, dealing primarily with sterling silver and enamel, and she’s fantastic.  Check out her website and Etsy shop, if you haven’t already.

I live and die for getting packages in the mail, and luckily, Trish knows me very well and mailed her birthday gift to me:

Love it, obviously, and may have to come up with reasons to wear it every day.  And hey, Trish just started her own blog!  It’s not quite ready to go yet, but once it is you’ll be hearing allllll about it.

Happy Sunday night!

1st birthday

3. Tonight’s cup will be full.

Why this one? Why not?!?!

6, 20 years ago. That’s wack.

That’s it!  Half a day in, and 26 is great so far.  I think I’ll like it.

Enjoy your weekends!