5FF - Places

Lisa asked for a post on my favorite places in MN. I thought it would be a great idea for this week's Five Favorites for Friday, so here you go (in no particular order).

Alexandria

Source

I'm probably partial to this place because it's my hometown. :) I lived there from mid-3rd grade through graduation. It has a cute downtown, lots of area lakes, parks, beaches. Big Ole makes an appearance at one of Broadway, and the Kensington Runestone isn't very far away.

Inspiration Peak

from the Ottertail County Website

This is a little wayside park north of Alexandria in Ottertail County. It is so beautiful up there! Growing up in Alex, my family hiked to the top several times in my youth. I always loved it and have such great memories of going there. One day I'd really like to go back again.

Big Lake Wilderness Lodge

from their website

We first took a family vacation here the summer of 2008. We had so much fun that the next summer, we convinced even more of my family to come along. I've been a bad blogger and I can't seem to find any pictures online from 2009. Oops! We all made the trek up to Ely again last summer.

Big Lake is about 20 or so miles outside of Ely. I love it there because they have free access to kayaks, canoes, and paddleboats. They also have free day passes into the Boundary Waters for canoeing/kayaking or hiking. It is so gorgeous in northern MN!

Minneapolis Chain of Lakes

Source

This series of lakes is so fun! You can circle them by walking, biking, blading. On Lake Calhoun, you can even rent kayaks, canoes, paddleboats and other fun non-motorized water toys. I think it's so beautiful! And I just enjoy being around so many people, outside, enjoying nature.

Downtown Minneapolis

Source

Even though I grew up in a small town, I grew into a city girl. I love the buildings and the parks and the people that come with living in a big city. I love the Minneapolis skyline. I love the skyway system. There is easy access to bike lanes, the light rail, and public transportation. There are museums and theaters and sports venues. The Mississippi river is at one end and Loring park at another.

In writing this post, I've realized that there is a lot to MN that I've never really explored. Hopefully, I'll have an opportunity to view and see more of this great state in the next year. :)

If you live in MN (or ever have), what are some areas/things I should put on my MN bucket list?

If you're not in MN, what are some of your favorite places where you live?

Thankful Thursday #10

I had a great day!

I'm thankful for frozen pizza! So fast. So easy. So tasty! Hitting just the right spot after my 17+ mile bike ride.

I'm thankful for google maps. Even though it sometimes creates the funkiest routes, it's still super helpful when navigating around on my bike.

That's it for now.

I'm off to finish enjoying my pizza and watch Megamind.

Ready...Set...Train!

Yesterday, I decided on a half marathon to run. Today, I planned out my training schedule.

I'm super excited! It'll be my first half since 2003.

My first training run was only two miles, and boy, were my legs tired during the run! I definitely have my work cut out for me.

But I can do it, right?!

I've got a few other races I'm hoping to run as well. :)

Ick!

Today I am feeling fat...and that just ain't right the day after a weekend of kayaking, running, biking, and hiking!

I ate like crap today.
I'm 99% sure that's why I feel so icky now.

I can't wait for our CSA deliveries to begin. Fresh veggies just sound sooooo gooood right about now.

Back home

Well I'm back from my adventure weekend, and it was an hilarious blast. So much fun and laughter. :)

Naturally, when I went to download my photos, our computer flipped out!

Hopefully we'll get it up and running soon. In the meantime, I'm safe and had a fabulous time (read: I'm totally exhausted now).

More on Pedal & Paddle coming soon.

Uff Teri Adaa I like You

Day 12

I first heard this song during an episdoe of Outsourced totally funny sitcom, if you haven't seen it. So sad it got cancelled. It is such a happy song. Makes me want to twirl and sing and dance.

Enjoy!

Apparently, the video can't be embedded, so go here to listen and watch and dance and sing.

Movies I've recently watched

Day 11

Hope you're all enjoying a beautiful Saturday! I'll be out kayaking 11 miles. I just hope I survive and the weather is clear. Warm would be terrific as well.

While I'm out enjoying the sunshine, here's a few brief movie reviews of flicks I've seen recently.

• Die Hard - Ok, I know I'm I couple decades behind in watching this, but I just saw it for the first time in the past couple weeks. I loved it! I don't honestly know why I hadn't watched it before (probably that whole R rating thing). It was fun of action and adventure. Mostly ridiculous, but it was fun to watch. Who doesn't like to watch Bruce Willis being a badass? Seriously. I would definitely watch this again.

• Jennifer's Body - I thoroughly enjoyed this movie! Maybe it was just the sexy Megan Fox, but I really like Amanda Seyfried, too. It captured my attention right away, and I really enjoyed the story. I thought it was going to be a lot scarier and give me bad dreams, but it didn't. Bonus!

• Green Hornet - I didn't really care for this movie much. It took too long to get going in the beginning, and a lot of the violence seemed ridiculous and unnecessary. My favorite character was the bad guy, Chudnofsky. He was hilarious - in a scary, mobster, bad guy kinda way. Overall, though, I didn't really care for the story or the way it was told. I wouldn't recommend it.

• Tangled - This was thoroughly enjoyable for me! I loved the unique telling of the story of Rampunzel. I loved the music and the animation. It was definitely a cute, feel-good movie! I would watch this again and definitely would recommend it.

If you've seen any of these, how would you rate them?

What movies have you seen recently? Are there any you would recommend?

Five Favorites for Friday

Day 10

Today's will be just a quick post. I just finished my final, and I'm pretty much all packed for my weekend Pedal and Paddle. Laura should be here soon to pick me up. I'm so excited. And nervous.

Confession: I haven't gone on a bike ride at all this month!

Five quick favorites:

• Color - To wear - green/orange. To admire - vibrant red, orange, yellow
• Car - Toss between my first real car ('89 Dodge Daytona, red. Oh, how I loved that car) and my most recent car ('08 Scion xB, RLS 5, gold)
• Author from my teenage years - Mary Higgins Clark
• Flower - gladiolas or lily of the valleys
• Race I've run - Earth Day Half Marathon in St Cloud, MN 2002

Have a beautiful weekend!

Send me all kinds of well wishes as I kayak and bike around northern MN tomorrow and Sunday!

Thankful Thursday #9

Day 9

Ok, so the first 8 TT weren't numbered, but I thought it might be fun to start numbering them, so here we are to #9 (pathetic considering I started this over a year ago) and my first numbered post.

Today I am grateful for:

Band-Aids - They help heal, and more importantly, they keep me from getting blood all over the carpet at work (see yesterday's post).



{source}



Pop-Tarts - Ok, so these are actually Wal-mart's brand, but they are so tasty and quick and easy and just perfect for when you're in a hurry and don't have time for an actual breakfast.



My husband - He has got to be one of THE most supportive, encouraging husbands out there. I am so grateful every.single.day. BUT I was especially grateful at how understanding he was during/after our first scuba lesson. He helped calm me down and even helped me not to give up but to get back in the pool the next day. He is nothing short of amazing. Last night, he helped me get ready for my Pedal & Paddle this weekend by finally installing the computer he gave me for my birthday last Aug on my bike

and attaching a mirror to my helmet.

I figure a 45-mile bike ride will be a good time way to get used to riding with a mirror. So, we'll see how that goes.

What are you thankful for today?

Are my feet fat?

Day 8

Seriously.

I bought these shoes back in Oct or Nov.

Super cute shoes from Marshalls

I thought buying shoes would be safe while I'm trying to lose weight. Something that would last and still fit even after a drop some pounds.

I know, I know. I should be working.
Or studying for my final.

I loved these shoes when I first brought them home and the first few times I wore them.

Now, they are T-I-G-H-T!
And painful.

Can you see the indentations? Ouch! :(

So, I ask again. What's the deal? Can feet get fat?

Oh, and I'm so desparately in need of a pedi, that my pinkie toe started bleeding this afternoon.

Ok, so maybe it wasn't completely spontaneous.

Target Tuesday #1

Day 7

I was flitting around blogland today, and I came across Target Tuesday.

It has been super summery hot the past couple days here in Minnesota, so I thought I'd see what summery things I could find.

Crisa Cancun Glassware

Summer Fields Bedding

Peita Flat Thong Sandal




Tiered Maxi Skirt

 

Halter Maxi Dress

And oh my goodness, I WANT THIS DRESS!! It's convertible into, like, a bajillion different styles.

Multi-Style Convertible Maxi Dress

Okay, shopping trip is over for now. I should really to get back to work.

Stay cool about there!

Oh, and why not stop over at Fabulous but Evil to see what else is hot at Target this week.

Yikes!

Day 6

I'm so not looking forward to this week. Yes, I know that Monday is nearly over. Well, the work day at least. I have so much to do this week!

I can't believe that my Pedal & Paddle weekend is already this coming weekend. Friday afternoon, I'll be heading up north for a weekend enjoying the outdoors. I'm super excited.

BUT!

Before I can go, I have to ...

Study for, and take, a final
Do Laundry
Pack
Schedule some blog posts

Hopefully get in a bike ride

Get a pre-weekend massage

(I think I'll be needing a post-weekend massage as well)

Which means it will be a very busy week!

But, the reward at the end will make it all worth it!

Provided I can make it through the week.

Successfully.

******

Just a a follow-up note on my post from Saturday. I did go back on Sunday for the 2nd pool session. I did feel a lot more comfortable in the pool, but I still didn't do all the exercises. In fact, I mostly hung out in the shallow end by myself just getting used to being surrounded by water and using the regulator. I did push my boundaries and felt good about it! I have a lot of practicing to do, but luckily, I also have a very patient, understanding husband that will encourage and help me. Not this week, though. Way too much else going on.

The Power of Words

Day 5

I'm not sure what I can really say to add to this video. It choked me all up when I watched it. Our words and outlook really can make a huge difference.

Being Super Excited About Something

Day 4

Doesn't mean you'll enjoy it.

Last night we started our scuba training.
Last night was review of what we learned during our self-study prior to the class.

I was super excited about all the possibilities that scuba could bring.
The feeling of weightlessness.
The fantastic sights to see - the fish, the coral.

This morning we were in the pool.

And.
It.
Was.
Trau-
matic.

I'm not very comfortable under the water, and I've never been able to do anything under water without physically plugging my nose. The first exercise we had to do under the water was breathe through the regulator without wearing a mask. For a full minute.

This was extremely difficult for me.

I did not like it.
It put me into total panic mode.

I was able to finish most of the other requirements during today's pool session, but I did have to skip one entirely. No mask-buddy drag.

It was all just a bit too much.

I've been on an emotional roller coaster ever since. I can't even count how many times I've fought back tears. ok actually cried.

Way too much stress!

Jeff and I have spent hours discussing this. What could have been different. How my reaction was normal/justified.

Now, I'm totally torn. Do I continue working toward my certification or do I quit? Most of what we're learning are emergency procedures that most likely I'll never need to do. Most likely, once in open water it will be a much easier, more enjoyable experience.

I've pushed myself immensely in the past year at riding a bike, so I'm *nearly* convinced I can push myself at this, too.

It will just take time.

Creature Comforts

Day 3

My friend, K, said she'd like to read a favorite things post, so....

Introducing...

drumroll, please

Five Favorites for Friday

In yesterday's post, I mentioned being grateful to live in a time with so many creature comforts, so I thought I'd share five of my favorite creature comforts with you!

1. Contact Lenses. They can be a HUGE pain what with all the care and maintenance, but they also make my life so. much. easier. I can see better and don't have to worry about pushing up my glasses or getting all sweaty underneath my glasses or dropping/stepping on/breaking my glasses. Of course, I'm grateful for glasses as well. They make great back-ups and allow me to rest my eyes from time to time.
2. Climate Control. Be it heat or air conditioning, I'm ultimately grateful for it. I get cold super easy, so I often complain about A/C, but there are definitely times when I appreciate it greatly. Now, if summer will just hurry up already!
3. Smartphones. Sure, these little buggers can be addicting, and maybe I shouldn't spend as much time on mine, but it definitely is nice to always have a way to contact someone in a variety of ways (phone, text, IM, email, blog, etc) or research something or whatever else to pass the time.
4. Social Media / Networking. I'll admit it. I'm terribly nosy. And probably a bit of a gossip. *shrug* I just like to keep up-to-date on the people I care about but don't have the chance to see very often. Enter email, Facebook, blogging, etc. Now I can spy on keep up with old friends, new friends, family, news, etc, etc, etc.
5. Indoor plumbing. I'm not just talking about the toilet, either. Though with as many times as I have to pee in a day, I sure am glad I don't have to slog myself outside every. single. time! Imagine life without a bathtub or shower. I definitely enjoy long, hot showers. Or a washing machine. Doing laundry on washboards? Um. No, thank you! Or kitchen sink. Or dishwasher, for those lucky ducks who have one. I have a hard enough time doing the dishes. They'd never get done if I had to lug buckets of water into the house first!

What about you? What are your favorite creature comforts?

*****
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Being Grateful

Day 2

Last summer, I was on a roll with posting a Thankful Thursday post each week. I'm not sure what happened, but they suddenly stopped in mid-July. I even had a post in draft that I never finished.

It was simply a link to a friend's post with a quotation from President Hinckley about gratitude. I still think it's a great quotation!

"Be grateful. How thankful we ought to be. How comfortably we live. How very easy is life compared to what it once was. . . . We have it so easy, so pleasant, so delightful. We ride in cars that are warm in the winter and cool in the summer. . . . [We have] the miracles of medicine, the miracles of science, the miracles of communication, transportation, education---what a wonderful time in which to live. Of all of these wondrous, challenging things with which we live, I hope you regard it a blessing to be alive in this great age of the world. . . . I hope you walk with gratitude in your hearts, really. Grateful people are respectful people. Grateful people are courteous people. Grateful people are kindly people."

Be grateful (The Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley, p. 250).

I am grateful for so many things in my life - especially to be living in a time with so many creature comforts!

The Challenge Begins...

Day 1

Last week, I mentioned that I was going to challenge myself to post something everyday for the next 30 days, beginning June 1st.

Thank you to those you gave me some blogging ideas! If/when I use your idea, I'll be use to link back to you. :)

I can't believe it's already after 4pm, and I'm just now finding time to put something together. To start the month off, here's some total randomness going through my head right now.

• I absolutely can NOT believe it's already June! Where did the first ½ of 2011 go?
• I am so tired of MN weather! This past winter was so cold and long and spring has been pretty nonexistent.
• I'm looking forward to moving some place where it feels like summer all year round.
• Even though it's 74°F and sunny outside, I'm wearing a sweater at my desk, and my fingers are little ice pops.
• I ♥ to complain, but I don't consider myself a negative person.
• One week from Friday, I head up north for my Pedal & Paddle weekend.
  11-mile kayak trip on Sat.
  45-mile bike ride on Sun.
  It is going to be T-O-U-G-H!
  But the weekend will be spent with my good friend, Laura, and I'm sure we'll have a blast with the other women. Did I mention it was a women's only weekend?
• SCUBA diving lessons this weekend! Fri, Sat, Sun. I'm so excited! I just hope I love it. :)
• I ♥ my MyTouch 4G phone, but I have to charge it 2-3x per DAY. That can get a bit annoying.
• Oh, this past weekend, I watched Die Hard for the very. first. time.

I think that's good for my first post. :)

Happy June!

Need Ideas!

I've been wanting to blog for the past few days, but everytime I think about it, my mind completely goes blank!

Do I really have nothing to say?
No opinions on life...or anything?
Nothing going on in my life?

C'mon now. I must have something to contribute to the blogosphere, right?

I saw on a friend's blog several weeks ago that she was doing a 30-day posting challenge, and I thought, hey, I want to see if I can do that, too! Since June has 30 days, I figured it would be a perfect time to start this challenge*.

Will I really find something to say every. single. day?
I'm hoping I'll find a good variety of things to share.
Some posts may be long and some may be very short, but I promise** to post something everyday in June.

Be it my thoughts, my goals, my experiences.
A quotation, a video, a song, a picture.

Like I said, hopefully I'll get a good variety.

Now, is where I may need your help.
Are there any particular topics you'd like me to discuss?
Anything I should steer away from?
Any meme you'd like me to revive? Tech Tuesdays? Thankful Thursdays? Flashback Fridays?

Any ideas at all would be most welcome.
Please leave me a comment on this post or send me an email.

*I have the most difficult time starting any new challenge on a day other than the first of the month or the beginning of a week. I just cannot start something in the middle! Just one of my loveable quirks, right?

**Take the word promise with a grain of salt. I will really, really try to keep this promise, but, well, you know....

24 - Unaired Pilot back from 1994

Even if you've never watched the show 24 (I've never even seen one episode), I'm sure you'll still find this hilarious! My boss was cracking up watching it at work a few weeks ago, so she sent me the link.

It's always good to laugh at work.

Happy Friday the 13th

In honor of Friday the 13th, I present you with a clip of Freaky Friday. The original. With a young Jodie Foster.

Watch "Freaky Friday(1976) Body Swap" on YouTube

Ah. 70s movies. Aren't they grand?!

Hope everyone had a fun and safe weekend! I'll be writing a paper and studying for a final. Exciting, I know.

Signs

It's actually quite warm out today. Way too warm for the skyways. I wish I'd had my bike, so I could ride home, but then I would've missed out on the following signs out on Nicollet.

A guy sitting on the sidewalk, eating a big slice of pizza, holding a sign that read:

"No food"

At first read, I thought, "Why? Because you're already eating a slice? What about later? Why would anyone turn down food?"

Then I read the rest of the sign:

"No money
Anything will help"

Oops! This poor man wasn't turning down food, he was simply stating he didn't have any. D'oh! (on my part)

A couple blocks later, there was a kid (late teens, early twenties), holding this sign:

"Wife Kidnapted Ransom .99"

I feel bad for his wife, if he has one. It would suck to be held with such little value by the one who should value you the most.

Then I glimpsed the other side of his sign:

"Will work half assed ... "

I'm not sure how he ended that sentence, but ...

I certainly hope the first guy gets more sympathy.

Why I'm Smiling Today...

It's FRIDAY!

The sun is shining brightly.

The temps are actually warm, too.

I got out of class early.

I walked outside to work. WITHOUT wearing a jacket.

The traffic lights were favorable in my route, so where I didn't have to stand and wait for too many.

I nicely zigzagged through downtown, coming across a really cool, old building in the midst of the modern skyscrapers.

I also stumbled upon and walked through a small park outside the government center.

My new ID arrived at work; my fidgeting hands broke my old one.

It's gonna be a great weekend!

Hope you all have something fun planned. :)

Goal Update

I know you've all been on the edge of your seats wondering if I achieved my fitness goal for the month of April.

Well, I DID IT!!!

Sadly, with very disappointing results:

Weight: 148.6 → 150.4
Body Fat %: 39.7 → 39.6
BMI: 25.1 → 25.4
Muscle %: 25 → 25.4

Actually, now that I write it down like that, it doesn't seem too bad. I gained a little weight but also muscle. :)

The most depressing was that it turns out we can't really afford even a small shopping spree right now. Boooo!!!

May's goal is to exercise 5-6 days per week, including two days in the weight room.
I should make a food goal, but I'll save that for June. ;)

On a slightly different note - Only SIX weeks until my Pedal 'n Paddle weekend!!! I'm getting excited.

Where Does the Time Go?

Spring has come and gone and will (hopefully) come again soon. I've been struggling a lot this spring. I blame SAD. I think getting a real taste a warmer weather made it so much more difficult to accept the relapse back into colder temps. I'm hopeful that it will not last long.

In an effort to overcome SAD, I've been attempting (the past few days) to brighten my outlook. I've been trying to wear brighter, more spring-like colors. While this has helped immensely, it has also been a part of the problem. Staring into my closet filled with browns, oranges, and reds, it's becoming more and more diffcult to decide on a cheery outfit.

And so, although April is nearly over, my workout goal for April has been to beef up my exercise schedule. It's kind of a complicated schedule, so let's just simplify it by saying my goal is to exercise 23 days from April 2nd to April 30. I've got it all scheduled out. It's a mix of running, biking, and swimming. So far, I've met this goal. Only one more week to go! :)

My prize for attaining this goal? A SHOPPING SPREE! I get to buy some fun, spring/summer clothes. It's been very motivating. I just know I'll meet this goal.

It had been awhile, so I also decided to update the look of my blog. Let me know what you think.

I'd especially like to point out the addition of a couple widgets in my right sidebar. I've joined a site called Daily Mile (basically a twitter-like site for althetes). I've added a widget that simply states the total miles I've done (since joining the site) and one that gives a snippet of my most recent workout. I only joined the site yesterday, but I'd already recommend it to anyone that wants a nice, easy way to track and reflect on their exercise routine.

For those of you that may celebrate it, HAPPY EASTER tomorrow!

Is Winter Over YET??

My clothing certainly seems to think so. :)

This past Saturday, the zipper broke on my (3-year-old) winter coat.

This morning, my boots have eaten another pair of my socks.

It just dawned on me today, that the holes in my socks must be from my boots. I have gone through so. many. pairs of socks this winter. It's ridiculous! Now, I've got to either trash them....or learn how to darn socks. Several of said ruined socks I just got this past Christmas from the Ugly Sock Fairy, and I'm just not ready to part with them yet.

Stupid boots!! :P

This is MN, afterall, so, although Spring is nearing calendar-wise, there is still a good chance we'll get more snow this season.

I need new boots, a new coat.
I don't want to buy them, though.
Especially knowing after this one, we'll only have one more winter.
It's so hard to buy new winter stuff knowing it will only get used for one season.
Guess time will tell if I buckle.

At least one post in March? Check!

Hot Yoga. Oh yeah!

I got a great deal on a yoga package at CorePowerYoga. Unlimited yoga for one month. I started last night.

Source

I gotta say, I wasn't very impressed with the class last night. It was so crowded. The music was too loud. I was at one end of the studio, and when the instructor was at the other end, I couldn't hear her. At all. It was very annoying! Especially for a novice yogi like me.

Today I went back during lunch (Gotta get my money's work, y'know.) for Hot Yoga Express. What an entirely different experience! I'd done hot yoga before, back in August, and really loved it. This was actually the same instructor. I'm sure he didn't remember me from 6+ months ago.

I checked in, changed, and waited in the studio. It was warm and comforting.

Partly into the practice, Patrick (the instructor) was walking us through a pose when he called one of the women by name. I thought, Wow, I wonder how long you have to come here before the instructor knows your name.

Then I heard him say something about it being her first time, so it was okay to say at stage 1.

A few minutes later, I heard him say MY name as he corrected my posture. Wow! I totally blown away. Very impressive to know my name after just checking me in minutes before class started.

In general hot yoga is more concentrated on strength and posture than on flow, which I really like. I think it's a great way to start yoga.

And Patrick makes you feel so comfortable with his slight corrections and helping you to focus.

If anyone wants to join me sometime, let me know!

Cold Enough for Ya?

I received this as a forward from my aunt in Arizona. I thought it was incredibly funny! Instead of forwarding it on to others, I thought I'd just post in up on my blog.

65°
Arizonans turn on the heat.
People in Minnesota plant gardens.

60°
Californians shiver uncontrollably.
People in Minnesota sunbathe.

50°
Italian & English cars won't start.
People in Minnesota drive with the windows down..

40°
Georgians don coats, thermal underwear, gloves, wool hats.
People in Minnesota throw on a flannel shirt.

35°
New York landlords finally turn up the heat.
People in Minnesota have the last cookout before it gets cold.

20°
People in Miami all die.
Minnesotans close the windows.

0°
Californians fly away to Mexico.
People in Minnesota get out their winter coats.

 - 10° below zero:
Hollywood disintegrates.
The Girl Scouts in Minnesota are selling cookies door to door.

 - 20° below zero:
Washington DC runs out of hot air. (Ya think? Nah.).
People in Minnesota let the dogs sleep indoors.

 - 30° below zero:
Santa Claus abandons the North Pole.
Minnesotans get upset because they can't start the snowmobile.

-40°  below zero:
ALL atomic motion stops.
People in Minnesota start saying..."Cold enough for ya?"

-50°  below zero:
Hell freezes over.
Minnesota public schools will open 2 hours late.

In some ways, I think this email forward is eerily accurate. It was relatively warm today; we actually approached 30°F!! In turn, I wore a skirt to work yesterday, and no long johns for a walk outside this afternoon. Guess I'm more Minnesotan than I like to admit. :))

Picky Eater

How lucky for you. Two posts in as many days!

Growing up, I was one of the pickiest eaters. I rarely liked to try anything new. And if I didn't like the look of something? Forget about it! Our closest neighbors were my aunt and uncle. When my mom tried to get me to eat something I didn't want to, I'm simply say that I'd had it before. Where? Aunt Judy's, of course. My mom didn't buy it. :)

I was pretty stubborn, too. I was told I couldn't leave the table until I'd finished what was on my plate. I would sit and sit and sit. Sometimes, I would sneak off to the bathroom to dispose of what I could down the toilet.

I've come a long way since then. I'm still not the most adventurous eater; I still judge food by the way it looks.

BUT compared to my husband, I am a regular [insert famous explorer of your choice].

We were eating dinner at the Persian restaurant in our hotel the last night of our stay in Costa Rica. I can't remember what was on my plate, but I asked Jeff if he'd like to try it.

"Are you kidding? I'm already pushing boundaries eating this salad."

He's kind of an "iceberg lettuce with ranch dressing" kind of salad-eating-guy. :)

Earlier in the trip, I saw Nutella on the shelf at the Mini-Super. Now you can't go camping (which is essentially what we were doing the 2nd have of our trip), without Nutella, as I learned at Girls Camp this past summer, so I bought some and some tortillas. Yum! They didn't have any bananas. Weird, I know, since Chiquita has a plantation in Costa Rica.

Jeff's response: "How is this not chocolate frosting?"

And that was about the extent of his dabbling with Nutella. Who doesn't ♥ Nutella?!

We also tried Tilapia (yum!), fried plantains with beans and rice for breakfast (double yum!), well, I guess that's about all I can think of right now.

Not in Costa Rica, but back here in St Paul, we recently tried a spearfish steak. My jury is still out a little on whether or not I actually liked it.

Neglect

My little corner of the world has been sadly neglected. I guess life just got in the way. I'm sure you all know how that goes.

Anyway, since it's already Jan 25th, I'm going to make some pretty loose goals for 2011 here at All Things Clarinda.

1. Post at least once each month! Lame post, funny post, serious post, re-post. I don't care. Just something, at least, to let you all know that I'm still here!

I guess that's really just about it. Anything more than that and I'm quite certain I'll just fall short. So, here's to my first post in 2011, my first post in Jan (and hopefully not my last).

Here's a few updates or things that have been on my mind recently.

Why do I live in MN??? It is WAY too cold here, and the winters seem to really be dragging these past couple of years. What does this mean? Well our plans for moving to the Mediterranean after we're finished with school have really intensified. We're anxiously anticipating the milder weather. Jeff has been investigating moving there for quite a long time, but we're really beginning the countdown now. After this winter, only one. more. to go! Yay!!

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My trip to Costa Rica was phenomenal! So much sun, so much fun! We don't do much for adventurous vacationing; it was mostly just relaxing in the hot tub or down at the beach or lounging in the hammocks. I even finished two books. It was lovely. Well, except that whole part about returning to MN just in time for temps not even breaking 0°F!

*****
I'm all registered for my class for the Spring term, which begins on Monday. Jeff took this course earlier in his St Thomas career, and I've been on a couple trips with the professor when Jeff was in the Geography department. I'm excited to learn more about Humans and the Environment and play in the GIS lab. Plus the class begins at 9:35am MWF, so I'll be able to sleep-in slightly before class. It's going to be great not having to leave my apt until 9:20 or so rather than by 7:10 (which I'll still have to do on TR. oh well.). I really think this new schedule will be good for me and that I'll enjoy it much more. I'll still be heading to work right after class.

*****
I just discovered that there is a Core Power Yoga only a few blocks from my work. I see lots more hot yoga in my future! I'm very excited about it. This studio will be so much more convenient than the two in St Paul that are relatively close to my apt but more difficult to get to during the winter.

*****
If you know me, you know I don't generally like fish or seafood, and I'm not the most daring or adventurous eater. I know that fish is much healthier for me (and the environment), so I'm trying to incorporate more into my diet. In Costa Rica, we tried some tilapia. It was so very tasty!! I do think I'll try to make some at home some time. Last night, I tried some spearfish at the restaurant in our building. It was good, but I wasn't too crazy about the texture. It was cooked med-rare, and looked more like an undercooked pork chop than a fish fillet. I know it's just my untrained eye, but it didn't look that appetizing to me. It was served with sticky rice, vegetables, and wasabi. I ate all the veggies and half of the fish. The waitress suggested eating the rest on top of a salad, so that's what we'll be dining on for dinner tonight. :)

*****
I think that's good for now. Hopefully I'll be back again soon. Perhaps this week. Definitely sometime in February. (I hope).

An Awesome Playlist Can Make ALL the Difference

Yesterday I was so excited to go to the gym. Probably more excited than I have been in a very long time.

You see, I created a new playlist for my run. The songs make me so happy! They make me wanna dance \:D/...and run.

Here's my playlist:

• 1234 by Feist
• Ok, It's Alright With Me by Eric Hutchinson
• Love Story by Taylor Swift
• Rock & Roll by Eric Hutchinson
• Dynamite by Taio Cruz
• Let's Go by Trick Daddy

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I probably looked a bit like a fool as I did my run on the treadmill. There was definitely a spring to my step and a bop to my head. I was having FUN! I didn't care if anyone was watching. I was just enjoying my music.

At the beginning of November, I made a goal to run at least 5 runs in a month at a pace faster than a 9 min/mile. This was a pretty aggressive goal for me - quite an improvement from my normal pace. I decided to stick to slightly shorter runs. I've refined this goal to maintain that pace for 20 minutes.

Yesterday was the FIRST run I've done that broke that 9'00" barrier. My average pace was 8'57" for slightly more than 20 min and a total of 2.29 min.

Yay, me!
Now, I just need to do this 4 more times by 12/2. Wish me luck. %%-

Memories of Halloween

Halloween has always been one of my favorite times of the year. I used to love to dress up!

I've been challenged by the wonderful ladies over at The Secret is in the Sauce (SITS) to write a post about my favorite Halloween memory. I couldn't decide on just one.

First up, flashback to 1990, 8th grade. I dressed as a banshee.

Halloween was so fun that year!

My costume was great!

My make-up was scary.

(It would've been better if I'd been able to take a pic

with a more stoic expression. Oh well.)

It took a lot of time and effort to tease my hair just right. I vaguely remember my sister spending some time on the bus ride to school teasing and teasing and teasing it some more.

The best part of that Halloween, though, was trick-or-treating. You might say that 8th grade is too old to go out trick-or-treating, but it was absolutely fun! I went with a group of friends from school, and we walked around their neighborhood.

I remember a lot of laughter and fun!

I also remember how I refused to wear my glasses (I hadn't discovered the wonders of contacts yet) because they would've ruined my make-up. I don't know how I was able to do that, but I do recall a near run-in with a tree branch!

Next up: 1999.

My boyfriend at the time and I dressed up as Neo and Trinity from The Matrix. 

I don't really recall any particularly exciting thing happen that year. I just love how great our costumes turned out.

Happy Halloween, everyone!

Hope it's safe and fabulous.

This post was written as an entry for a contest to win a Canon Rebel T2i camera. Hop on over to SITS for great blogging tips and more awesome Halloween memories. 

Come back, fall! I want to bask in your loveliness a little longer.

The weather this fall has been crazy warm! I'll have to check the actual stats later, but to my recollection, it's been one of the nicest, warmest falls.

Most days I've been able to enjoy going outside in T-shirts and flip flops. Jeans, too, of course. That would be terribly inappropriate to go out without them. Of course, many days campus was filled with girls sporting their short shorts. No shorts for me, though. I'd already packed them away for the season.

Anyway, I digress. Let's just leave it at it's been unusually warm. And beautiful.

The leaves paid no mind to the warmth and changed colors and fell to the ground all the same. Actually this added to the gloriousness (is that a word?) of this season.

All this came to an abrupt end a couple days ago.
The temps dropped.
The winds became fierce.
This morning, I awoke to falling snow.

I love the look of snow, and while it's not in the least bit unusual to have snow at the end of October, the fact it's been so unseasonably warm the past few months, makes today's weather unusual indeed.

Mostly I feel jipped of the gradual transition from summer to winter.

My hope for fall this year is gone. :-(
Today I dug out the winter coat and gloves.

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Have you been experiencing unusual weather this fall? What are your predictions for the weather this winter?

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What was I thinking?!

Remember my inspirational woman post?

Well, I've bitten the bullet and decided to join her next summer for a women's only pedal and paddle weekend excursion. It's a Friday through Monday experience with a 45 mile bike ride one day and a long kayaking trip another.

I've mailed in my registration form; I'm all set.

Well, except for that fact that to date, I don't think I've ever ridden more than 7 miles at once.

I DEFINITELY have some training to do!

Wish me luck!

Do you have the time?

I was walking home from work today when a passerby tapped his wrist to ask if I knew the time.

I was about to say No, because I knew I had no watch upon my wrist.

Then I remembered my cell phone was very easily accessible in the pocket of my hoodie!

I grabbed it and told him the time, but I was amazed at my reaction to this universally recognized symbol.

That tap to the wrist barely even registered as a valid question until AFTER I'd verbally heard the request as well.

With the ubiquity of the cell phone, has this simple gesture lost its meaning?

Or am I just old and losing my mind?

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Can sitting at your desk be harmful?

I never realized how dangerous working in an office could be. I mean I rarely even leave my desk.

Yesterday, I did explore the tunnels between the Grain Exchange and City Hall during lunch. I was hungry and wanted to avoid the rain. A few trips to the bathroom in the afternoon, but other than that, I was pretty much sitting the entire day.

And the day dragged and dragged and dragged.

Finally it was 4:30! Time to go home!!

OUCH!!

@#$%@#$!!

I didn't trip or twist or slip. Just all of a sudden my right ankle was in pain (at least that's how I recall it).

It started out as just a slow throb. I mean it HURT, but I was still able to maintain my regular pace (a little on the brisk side) as I walked to the shuttle.

The shuttle ride was a nice little respite, but the pain increased as I walked across campus back to my apartment. I even hobbled my way over to the auditorium on campus to listen to Roxana Saberi, the American journalist who was imprisoned in Iran in 2009.

I thought my right ankle even looked slightly swollen compared to my left, but my sweet husband assured me that my ankles are just naturally big. Nice.

So, I tried to sleep it off.

No go.

And naturally, I was in a rush this morning and left about 2 min late (which can make a huge difference), so I was forced to maintain a pretty healthy clip walking to the shuttle this A.M. I even made it with time to spare. In fact, I had to wait for the shuttle to arrive.

Guess I hadn't needed to walk that fast after all.

From the shuttle to work, I tried to take a slow, easy pace, but it was COLD and WINDY, so I walked slower, yet still a little briskly.

Now I'll try to take it easy throughout the day.

Hopefully it will just be a 24-hour thing (like a stomach bug) and will spontaneously stop hurting at 4:30 this afternoon.

Let's hope because I have a ward volleyball game in the morning, and I WANT TO PLAY!

Felt like Phoebe!

I hope I didn't look like her, too.

Remember this episode of Friends?



Well, last night I went for a run. Usually, what I do would only be considered jogging. I'm not that fast nor do I push myself too hard. Slow and steady wins (or at least finishes) the race is more my mindset.

But I'm doing the Reach Your Better Body workout from Fitness magazine. The cardio portion of the plan is running intervals. After a warm-up, last night I ran (really pushing myself) for 1 min, jogged for 2 min and repeated that 5 times.

In order to run faster and harder for that one minute, I really lengthened my stride and picked up the pace. I was running much faster than my usual pace, and I really felt like I looked a little like Phoebe Buffay.

Hopefully my arms didn't flail quite as much as hers.

Hopefully I looked ridiculous only in my head. :D

On another note, I usually run during the morning, when there are few cars and fewer people outside. Lately it's even still been dark. I found last night that I much prefer this. Hopefully it won't be raining in the morning, so I can run before work!!

Fabulous Birthday Week

My birthday week was kicked off on Sunday with a party at my parents house, where my nephew, Emillio, baked and decorated this gorgeous cake. He just graduated high school and is going to be a pâtissier someday. He does great work, right?

We enjoyed grilled pizzas and caesar salad for dinner. Delicious!

My sister gave me a food dehydrator, which I've already used to dried some fruits and make fruit leather. Yum!

Tuesday was the actual day of my birthday. I got to spend it with the Young Women of the White Bear Lake and Saint Paul wards at Girls Camp, where they serenaded me at breakfast with not one, but two, birthday songs. I love the WBL ward's version and need to get that from them. It was awesome.

We took a 10 mile canoe trip with the girls that was supposed to be 3-4 hours, but took us 5 hours. There was an incredible head wind for the last 2 miles that was killer! I'm a terrible canoer, but I still have fun doing it.

After dinner, the girls all did some skits. They were all great, but the YCL's was the best because it ended with them presenting a birthday cake to me! Yep, I definitely felt special...and loved. Thanks, girls! And Bre
(cuz I know you orchestrated the whole thing).

Since I was at camp on my actual birthday, Jeff surprised me at work on Thursday with these beautiful flowers.

I was totally shocked! It was such a sweet surprise.

My office also had my birthday lunch, so Jeff got to stay and meet all my co-workers. We had some delicious pasta, salad, and mini eclairs for dessert! After lunch, Jeff and I walked around the farmer's market where we bought some delicious chocolate! I also got some fruit to dry with my new dehydrator.

Not really part of any birthday celebration, but Friday night, we went to a Saints game. As always, it was super fun to hang with our friends Bre and R.Jay! After the game, we had some ice cream and played Ticket to Ride. It was a lot of fun!

Back to birthday celebrations on Saturday as Jeff and I joined my brother, Dan, and his girlfriend, Chelsea, for a session of Hot Yoga at Core Power Yoga. The class was intense, and I felt a little nauseated at times, but it was good. Jeff has now discovered that he really enjoys yoga. Who knew?!

After yoga, we went out to dinner at Subo in downtown Minneapolis. Dinner was their birthday gift to me. It was delicious! It's tapas-style dining, so what you order is shared with the whole table. I even tried Ahi. Yep, raw tuna. It wasn't too bad. Couldn't bring myself to try the scallops, though. Maybe next time. Jeff also discovered he's a natural with chopsticks. He was totally showing off. He'll be all set if we end up in China for the Peace Corps. 

New Lifestyle, New Hairstyle

You may or may not know, but Jeff and I have decided to make some changes in our lives. We're purging much of the clutter and materialistic things in our lives, including our car.

This is a big change. An all-encompassing change.

For me, I tend to change my hair. Sometimes a hair change will prompt life changes and sometimes it's the other way around.

Here's the progression of my hair changes this time around.

Before

After (from front)

After (from side)

After (from other side)

After (from back)

The above After shots are of a haircut I did myself. It turned out really cute! I was so pleased and proud that I could get nice layers and texture all on my own. I've enjoyed such satisfaction cutting my own hair the past few years.

I loved this haircut when my hair was still wet. It laid just right and looked super cute.

I never had (took?) the time to actually do my hair in the mornings before work, so the cuteness would often fade as it dried, and I would fall back into the habit of tucking my hair behind my ears, which I hate.

After (from front with hair tucked behind my ears)

The haircut above was done on July 24th. It was mostly prompted by how HOT it's been this summer. My neck was always too sweaty. It was gross and uncomfortable. So, out came the scissors.

Jeff really wanted me to go shorter, but I wasn't brave enough. I mentioned it to my step-mom, and she thought I could totally pull it off.

With making the switch to commuting by bike, I decided I'd push myself. I thought long and hard and decided I'd try shorter. It will be easier to maintain, easier to ride with a bike helmet. So much cooler in the summer!

I didn't think I'd be able to pull off a short haircut on my own, so I did a quick Google maps search for hair salons near my apartment. I found Püsch. They are only 4 blocks away, and they had some awesome specials, so I called them up and made an appointment.

I was so nervous...and yet so very excited!

I showed Kasey some pictures and let her go at it. When she was washing my hair, she commented on the nice texture of the cut. I couldn't help but brag that I'd done it myself.

Here's what she came up with.

I LOVE IT! JEFF LOVES IT!

I think it makes me look more mature; Jeff think it makes me look sexier.

What do you think?? Take my poll in the upper right.