Friday, November 21, 2008

A Life Less Feral

It's little N's last day at daycare/preschool. I've told her about it, I think she gets it and it seems like she doesn't care. I hope so. I have fun plans for her so that she should be happy post-preschool.

Me? Well, I certainly haven't been hitting the trails much as of late. I've actually been doing things like baking, which is totally unlike me. I've also been doing some heavy duty home repair like refinishing walls and the deck. Makes me feel all macho and useful. And kind of domesticated...eeek.

But change is good and getting things done is good too. I'll post before and after pics when I'm done. As for the running - the more intense workouts I'll do in the early mornings and on track evenings. During the day I'll bust out the baby jogger for adventure with the N.

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Running today - A little run around the 'hood with some tempo in for good measure.

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Pirates?

How can there still be pirates?

You've probably heard about the pirates cruising off the coast of Africa. They've been big news since they took over a Saudi oil tanker.

I love cartoony pirates. Like
these guys - and this hunk. I'm sure I wouldn't like these guys at all.

A few years back I spent some time in Kenya. I stayed for a while in a city called Mombasa on the coast. I spent a lot of time throwing rocks at monkeys to keep them off my balcony and out of my food. I encountered the most spider infested public toilet there near the beach and I actually used it because I had no choice.

I remember going down to the beach for the first time when I got there and I encountered...NO ONE. Completely empty. Not a soul on a pristine white sands beach that met the bluest water imaginable. I walked up and down. No sunbathers. No fishing boats. There are lots of open spaces and wild places out there, even close to relatively large city like Mombasa. You could get away with a lot. Pirates are not out of the question.

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Great run around town with some of the trackmates. It was Trackarchy! My pace is improving. Did about 6 miles in the dark hills around town chatting with a few of my running friends. The weather was crisp and cool but I could have worn shorts instead of my tights (wimp).

Monday, November 17, 2008

Ditchin' Daycare



We chose this daycare because:



1. the facilities were beautiful, clean and safe.

2. the teachers were great

3. they served hot fresh lunch meals

4. the price was reasonable



We're leaving because:



1. I'm not working outside the home anymore (mostly this)

2. it's too darn far away

3. the administration is a bit harsh



The secretary at little N's daycare hates kids. She just can't hide it. We call her Ms. Sunshine. Why do people who hate kids work in schools and daycares? It's like why do people who can't manage become managers? The Peter Principle in action.


Ms. Sunshine scowls like the grim reaper and barks hello to every kid as they get to school in the mornings. If they don't say hello back she yells hello at them until they do. She's not happy to see them, so why does she bother to say hello?


Both Ms. Sunshine and The Director expect little kids to act like adults. This is my biggest complaint. But they are fiercely protective and watchful of the kids. So I've never been worried for either of my little tikes there and I've always felt that they were safe.


I called to give little N's required two-week notice. Ms. Sunshine was noticably surprised. Her voice jumped an octave and she nervously exchanged pleasantries with me. I'm sure that she's wondering why we're leaving and thinking the worst. It's just in her nature.

Ms. Sunshine amuses me in an ironic, dark way.

I wonder if Little N is going to miss her preschool and her friends, if she'll be sad. I'll sign her up for some classes and take her out to the parks and reading circles at the library and such. Hopefully we'll meet other kids. I also wonder if she'll miss some of her favorite teachers, heck I'll be kinda glum about not seeing them again.

Or maybe it'll be like the nummie. We thought it was going to be a battle royal to get her to kick the habit but it only took one evening. I'm hoping for a smooth transition.

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Went for a nice 3 miler in the sunshine this morning and then did a crossfit workout. I was too lazy to change the weight on the bar from when the hubby worked out. It was 10 lbs heavier than what I've been dealing with. So now I've upped the squats, thrusts and pushes by 10lbs. Go me.

Thursday, November 13, 2008


Go With the Flow


Words to live by.
I've been trying to force things into happening lately. We'd do well with my income...if I had one. But maybe that's NOT what I'm really supposed to be doing right now. The job hunt not only is exasperating and apparently futile...but it FEELS that it's that way for a reason. It's not meant to be. I ignored my intuition when I took that last crappy job from which I was laid off. Now when I search for jobs and send out resumes it just leaves me feeling more stressed than if I hadn't done anything at all. My intuition is banging me over the head with a hammer. Maybe I should listen this time?

It's not meant to be. Something ELSE is supposed to happen. I'm supposed to be doing something else. So I'm not going to continue doing what I think I should be doing. I'm going to to do what I'm lead to do. Again, that intuition thing that I've been too afraid to follow.

Ah fear...there's my old enemy again. Ignore fear and follow intuition. Easy to say, not so easy to follow through with.

This means taking little N out of daycare/preschool. That will free up a HEFTY amount of money that we've been paying to keep our spot there for when I got another job. We can use that money for so many other things. And I'm so tired of driving her there. Little N will be able to take some dance or art classes instead for a mere pittance in comparison to the cost of preschool. I miss her during the day anyway, it'll be nice to have her around.

Then I can shift my workouts back to early morning before everyone wakes up. A guarranteed way to get them done! And a way to get some valuable quiet me time.

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Time...and Large Cats



It's already 12:30pm and I've hardly accomplished a thing. I've updated my resume and added a few samples to it for easy sending and more visibility, so that's something at least. And I have sent out a few to some job prospects. But it's nothing that I can see or hold in my hand. And probably nothing will come of it but sadly I must keep at it or give up entirely. It such a dismal, time consuming process.


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Another large cat sighting in the area. This one is amazing. I Google mapped the intersection where said kitty was spotted crossing the street and leaping into a suburban yard. It is a quite well manicured area and not at all wild. Why don't I ever get to see anything like this? I'd probably pee my run shorts...but still it'd be worth it if I wasn't eaten.


Workout today - will be yesterday's CrossFit and CrossFit Endurance workout. Yeehaw.

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Veteran's Day



























It's 5pm and I think that this is going to end up being a rest day workout wise. Because of the holiday the girls were home and we had to get out and find something for them to do so that they wouldn't tear the house apart.

So we picked up Omi (grandma) and drove over to Princeton Harbor just north of Half Moon Bay. Omi and Opi own some property out there so Omi got to check out what was going on out there and we got to have fun at the seashore at the same time.

I've been going back and forth with two possible job prospects and waiting, waiting, waiting for them to get back to me. I'm at a point where I need an answer because I have to make some child care decisions pronto. I need an answer from them to get be able to make some changes that I've been wanting to make. Job prospects always take much longer than they estimate they will. I hate job hunting, it's terrible for the ego.

I'm looking forward to Thanksgiving. It's become my favorite holiday.

Thursday, November 06, 2008

Good Outcomes

Well, my guy won and I am happy. I hope if your guy didn't win that you're not too upset. It's going to be okay, really it is. I'm confident that this positive change will improve our standing in the world. As my mother, an emigrant, said, "This isn't the country that I fought so hard to come to." I'm looking forward to more diplomacy, less bombs. More thinking, less knee-jerk reactions. More oversight over institutions that need it. More work on infrastructure, education and health care. We need to clean up our own house. I'll pick up a broom and start, wanna help?

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On the workout front -

I'm now following CrossFit and CrossFit Endurance. Yesterday I did both WODs. They are ass-kickin' but fun. Today is a rest day for Endurance, and I'll do the main WOD for CrossFit in a little while. It is -

"Lynne"
Five rounds for max reps of:Body weight bench press & Pull-ups




I've been doing a lot of pull ups lately on these WODs. They are getting easier everyday plus I'm getting some pretty nifty definition in my arms. I like these short and explosive workouts. I'm done quickly and I'm seeing and feeling results quickly. It probably has something to do with my muscle make-up (I do think I have more fast-twitch fibers). I've also cut down on my sugar intake. That has made a dramatic difference in my appearance. I look much more cut. When I really paid attention to the garbage carbs that I was taking in and cut them way down I immediately lost five pounds. I'm adhering to more of a paleolithic style diet now, which isn't that tough because I love veggies and meat more than breads and sweets.



This is all an experiment of course (an experiment of one). We'll see how I react to it. I'm supposed to get my cholesterol checked soon. I'm very interested in how the "Caveman Diet" will effect my levels. From all of the research that I've read it should have a good effect on it. I'll report the results. I haven't had my cholesterol checked in years, I just remember that it was normal before. (Something like 170/53 I think. )

Tuesday, November 04, 2008




Votebama


obama - biden graphics








So now you know how I voted. Voted weeks ago by absentee. It's the only way to fly, seriously because I live in Murphy's Law Land. If I were voting today both my kids would have food poisoning and the roof would cave in on the polling place. I highly recommend voting absentee so that you can sit in the comfort of your own home, have a nice relaxing drink and figure out all of those damn propositions in private.




I can't believe that it's almost over. I'll probably be up all night watching election night coverage. Yes, I was a polisci major in college.




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The creepy little kid, my three year old, pitched the biggest fit this morning on the way to preschool (see what would have been happening if I had been going to the polling booth!). It was all about the lack of snacks in the car. I knew it was bad because both shoes and socks were yanked and thrown. Somehow this is a punishment or an indictment on me, whatever it means...it's BAD. I ended up having to leave her at preschool screaming at me barefoot in a hallway. I was shooed out by the teachers and directors who know (as I do too) that as soon as the parent is out of sight the kid calms down. It's tough, but they're right. She's such a bullheaded little thing. I'm hoping that she channels that righteous indignation to effective study methods for med school and effective training for the 2020 Olympics. It's possible.




Tonight is track night. 8 x 400m. I love 400 meter repeats. Really. It's like the perfect distance. And at some time today I'll do the CrossFit WOD. Maybe at the track. I know you're supposed to do them separately but who has the time???


Monday, November 03, 2008
















Post Halloween

Well, it's done. The girls had a great time although I think they were exhausted before we ever even got out to do the trick or treating. Maya feel asleep at dinner time and had to be poked awake.

Our neighborhood has a few blocks that go ALL OUT for Halloween. Every house does a haunted house thing. One of the haunted houses reported to me that they had over 1000 trick or treaters. They made multiple candy runs throughout the night.

Nadya was quite taken by the creepiest devil decoration I'd ever seen but terrified of the goofy cute skeletons. Go figure. She kept saying, "But I LOOVE the devil monster!" to everyone who would listen. I think she really freaked some moms out because they had to ask me, "Ummm, what is she saying?" So we had to go back to look at the devil monster that was up on one of the haunted houses' balconey. She proclaimed him her friend. She's a creepy little kid.

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So with all of the family stuff going on I'm woefully undertrained for ultras. There will be no Stinson 50k...and that's okay. I'm really enjoying the family things and the upcoming holidays. I just don't have the time or the inner drive for the training. I've started doing Crossfit and Crossfit Endurance. It seems to be doing something for me! I've lost about 8 lbs and firmed up. I' definitely have more definition in my arms and abs. And I have more time to do other things. I'm hoping that Crossfit Endurance will help me regain my lost speed as it involves a lot of interval type training. I'm going to do Crossfit workouts exclusively throughout the winter to see how it affects me. I'm banking on it being a good base that I could spring off of easily and do an ultra or two from it. I find the philosophy to be interesting and I'm predicting that it will do well for my body.

Since I'll probably regain some speed I'll try my hand at some shorter races again. I haven't done a 5k in many years. It might be fun, it will definitely be painful I'm sure. But at a 5k I won't be gone for hours and my kids can watch me barf at the finish line.