Lovin' It!

Open your eyes, look within. Are you satisfied with the life you're living?
~Bob Marley

YES!

I love my life. I know I've been complaining a bit a lot about not having a job and the frustrations of trying to find one, but rationally, I know that it's just a minor blip. Things will work out. Despite those frustrations:

• I have a wonderfully supportive husband.
• I'm highly educated. While that sometimes hurts me while job hunting, it's something no one can ever take from me.
• I've had some terrific experiences - living in various regions of the US, traveling to the USVI and Costa Rica.
• I LIVE IN LAS VEGAS!
• I'm relatively healthy.
• I'm a certified Scuba diver.
• I've run (not raced) in MN, ND, MT, ID, WA, OR, CA, and NV. I really need to finish editing the other videos, so I can get them posted.
• I recently discovered this tiny little park that I love running past. Plus, I did some post-run yoga there the other day, and I think I'll definitely do it again. It's my new favorite place to exercise!

I think it's pretty obvious that I love my life!

I don't ever look back and see regrets but rather experiences. Everything I've done has led me to become the woman I am today - a woman I am very much proud to know.

Are you satisfied with the life you're living?
Where is your favorite place to workout?
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5-Mile Friday :-)

Last Friday, I made my first attempt to run the 5-mile option of the Labor Day Virtual Run.

Before I go into details, but let me just say there was some equip failure that led me to the decision to re-do this race.

The Monday before this race was my first time running since the middle of July. I'd hurt my knee and took some time six weeks off to recover be lazy. I ran Mon and Wed and felt pretty good about running 5 miles on Friday.

I planned my route using DailyMile, and then decided to plan a different route, so I could run past the building where I had an interview scheduled for the following Monday. Two birds, one stone, and all that.

A portion of my run was along the Strip. Running along the Strip is always an interesting experience. I love dodging through the crowds, like I'm a super speedy runner whipping past all the slower runners.

Plus it's fun to see all the tourists and the crazy people in outrageous costumes posing for pictures. There was even a guy with a huge lizard that people could pose with! Yikes!

The bad thing, of course, especially in the section I was running, is all the damn pedestrian bridges. This meant I had the lucky pleasure of adding a bit of stair-work to my run.

I stopped to take a quick pic on the Brooklyn Bridge!

Overall, I. felt. great! I had no tightness in my hamstrings! No pain in my knees or shins!

The last 1.4 miles, however, were really tough to get through. I blame this on two things really. 1) The abundance of stairs earlier in the run. 2) The fact I didn't start this run until nearly noon, which meant it was HOT! I know I should have headed out much earlier, but, well, I didn't.

By the end, I had pretty much convinced myself to do the 10-mile option for the Virtual Run another day, of course as well. I figured if I got an early enough start, I'd be able to beat some of the heat - making the run a breeze do-able.

My route planning was off a bit, and I ended my run about a mile from home. My attempt at doing a vlog was fun, but completely worthless as the wind had other ideas. I won't be upset with the wind too much, though, because it sure felt great during the run.

So, all-in-all, this was a terrific run! Unfortunately, when I logged it into DailyMile, it had the audacity to think my pace was 12:03min/mi. There was no way this was right! And so, I decided that this 5-miler would have to be revisited before I'd submit my time for the actual virtual run.

Have you ever run the Vegas Strip?
Would you re-do a Virtual race for a better time?
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Eye to Eye

It's inexplicable. Irrational.

But I really, really dislike talking on the phone.

I avoid it at all costs. I'm a HUGE call screener. If you're not in my contacts, I won't answer.  If you are, I'll wonder why you're calling and may or may not answer. Probably 8 out of 10 calls, I let go to voicemail. Yes, even family and close friends.

My husband and I have even been known to argue over who has to call to order delivery. I usually lose, which does not make me happy. At least the food mostly makes up for it.

If you were to ask me the following question:

When you are speaking with someone, do you prefer to look them in the eye or talk over the phone?

The answer would be a resounding IN THE EYE.

Unless it's a fake in the eye. Skype? Video chat? Uh. No, thank you.

All that being said, I LOVE MY PHONE! I love communicating via email, texting, blogging, social media. Sharing photos and stories from the palm of my hand.

Call me quirky. I guess it's why I enjoy being a blogger! I get to share my thoughts and hope someone reads them and interact with other lovely bloggers. Sometimes I even get to meet some in person. Yay!

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Fitness Cheerleader asks us today to describe a typical weekly training schedule.

I'm just getting back into things, so I don't really have a training schedule per se. I plan on running every other day between 3-7 miles with a long run on either Sat or Sun of 10-12 miles. I've started doing a wee bit of yoga after my runs. On my non-running days, I'll either rest or so some kind of core / strength training. I have a lot of difficulty motivating myself for those workouts, though. *shrug*

Which do you prefer - talking eye to eye or over the phone?
What's a typical training week look like for you?
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What Do You See?

Well, let me start my sharing what I don't see. Supplements. Vitamins.

I've gone through phases in my life when I've attempted to incorporate them into my diet, but the truth is - I have a lot of difficulty taking pills on a regular basis. Which is why I've never done well with THE pill, but that's a whole different story.

Are supplements necessary for athletes?

I found this article on the US Tennis Association's website very interesting.

Nutrition is an ever-changing science including much we don’t know. That’s why taking supplements, if you choose to do so, should be in addition to eating well. The “I take a vitamin pill for breakfast because I eat cookies for lunch” philosophy is short-sighted. So is the story “I don’t like to drink milk, so I take calcium pills instead.” Granted, taking a vitamin or mineral in a pill is better than eating none, but, pills are not the answer to protecting health. Most nutrients work in combinations and in the optimal balance found in natural foods. For example, milk contains far more than just calcium - it offers a myriad of nutrients that are integral to bone health. Bones need all these nutrients, not just calcium in a pill. Whole foods protect whole health.

The vitamin pill for breakfast comment made me laugh. I'd rather justify eating cookies for lunch by adding in some extra running. The article concludes with this paragraph, which seems very obvious, but, all-in-all, I find it to be great advice!

The safest bet for optimal nutrition is to chow down on nature’s powerhouses: broccoli, spinach, peppers, tomatoes, carrots, sweet potatoes, melon, strawberries, kiwi, bananas, oranges, and other citrus fits, lean meats, beans and legumes, lowfat dairy foods, and unrefined grain foods. If you don’t eat these foods every day, at least eat generous portions when you do eat them! They are proven health protectors.

It's pretty clear that the USTA isn't much in favor of using supplements, but choosing to eat a healthier, whole-foods based diet would be more beneficial. The Mayo Clinic agrees for the most part, but also points out that supplements might be necessary for some - especially adults over 50 and women who are pregnant or trying to be. Read this article for more info about when and which supplements you might want to consider.

But this post is supposed to be about WHAT I  DO see...

Like I've said, I'm not very good about taking a pill everyday. Well, I'm not much better about drinking water. It's not like I'm choosing other things over water, it's more that I simply don't think to drink. Period.

That's why I need to keep a water bottle handy - both as a reminder and to make it super convenient.

I like this water bottle because it holds 1L of water, so I don't have to refill it too often. Truth be told, I generally only get in one of these a day. I know I should drink more, but I'm going to count my wins wherever I can.

Do you take supplements/vitamins?
What are your tips/tricks for drinking more water?
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The topics for today's post came from Fitness Cheerleader's Sept Writing Challenge and Sept's NaBloPoMo. Feel free to join in the fun!

World Wide Rebel Song

Remember the other day when I mentioned free music from Google?

I thought I'd share one of the songs I downloaded recently.

While I've heard of Rage Against the Machine, I can't say I'm really familiar with their music. Am I missing out on something I shouldn't be? The intro to this song really made me smile, and the message is inspiring.

World Wide Rebel Songs by Tom Morello: The Nightwatchman

You should at least take a little listen to the intro. Why not download the free track as well? From the comments, this isn't really like the sound of RATM, so don't go into expecting that. :-)

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In other news, my husband started a blog that he'll be using to post some of his short stories. He shared it on Google+ as public, but not on Facebook. Weird. Since he shared it somewhere publicly, I figure I'm good in promoting it, right?

He just has one story up so far. I read it this morning after my 10-mile run. It was really good.

If you've got a few minutes, It's longer than a typical blog post, but I think you'll find it a quick, engaging read. why not head over and give it a read. I'd love to hear what you think. I'm sure he would, too. If you enjoy it, feel free to share it on FB, Twitter, or G+
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Routines

I used to be much more of a routine person. It's true. I like things and life to be organized and in order.

I don't know if it's because I've been out of work for awhile.
Or because I'm getting older.
Or because my husband keeps some unusual hours.

But, I'm becoming less and less routine-dependent. I've become a bit more spontaneous and go-with-the-flow.

Today, Fitness Cheerleader asks us about our pre and post workout routines. As you can imagine, I don't really have much of what I call a routine when it comes to this.

If I'm going for a run,

• I map my route
• Fill my water bottle or CamelBack
   
• Make sure I've got what I need - earphones, snack, sweat rag, etc
• Walk to the major intersection (about 1/4 mile) as a warm-up

If I'm working out at home,

• I decide on a workout (video, list of exercises, workout routine on my phone, etc)
• Grab a sweat rag and my 1L water bottle
• Get to it

Like I said, there's really not much to it. I should probably do more, but I don't.

After I've finished running or working out, I fight the urge record my activity on Dailymile. Sometimes, I'll take the time to stretch. Shower. Resume whatever activity I was either doing before working out or need  to do now that I'm finished.

Are you a routine person? What are you pre and post workout routines?

Are you on DailyMile?

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I'm a Total Sucker + Sept Goals

Even if it's not something I need or want or sometimes even like, if it's free - I WANT IT!

Yeah, I'm a total sucker for that 4-letter word.

If you're a Google fan and own an Android operated phone, you probably already know about Google Music. Well, did you know every day they feature at least one free song of the day? I've gotten some rather unusual great songs!

For today's run, I set my phone to randomly choose songs from the whole library, which led to an very interesting (read: very fun) run.

I'll do a full write-up on the run later, but as a teaser, let me just say - No knee discomfort though it is bothering me now. No shin pain. No hammie tightness. Plus fun times dodging the tourists on the Strip. Oh yeah, and LOTS of stairs and escalators.

I stopped midway to snap a pic of me at the Brooklyn Bridge the small one in Vegas bonus points if you can name the movie?

I even attempted an outdoors vlog during my cool down. Problem: It was really windy, which means lots of crackly feedback. Maybe I'll attempt to re-record the audio. Stay tuned.

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I'm not really a huge goal maker, but as the final day of the August's Writing Challenge, I figure why not make a couple goals for Sept?

• First and foremost, FIND A JOB! I realize this is somewhat out of my control, but I need to focus and re-double my efforts. Time is ticking. I do have an interview on Monday. Yay!
• Run 60 miles. That's just like 13-15 miles a week. Totally do-able, right?
• Incorporate more yoga and stretching and strength training.
• And a couple of challenges. I think I'll try to creatively combine Fitness Cheerleader's Sept Writing Challenge with NaBloPoMo Sept Theme: Eye. Should be a challenge to combine the two challenges. I'm also hoping to join Candace by posting a picture every day on Instagram, Twitter, and/or FB. 

What are your goals for Sept? Will you be joining in on any of these challenges?
Do you ever randomly download free music?
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3 Things Thurs

I've got about 10 minutes before it's Friday...

1. I just finished writing a completely different post, but I'm too nervous about publishing it. Maybe this weekend or next week? Maybe never.

2. I am seriously freaking out! If I don't find a job in the next couple weeks, we are in some very serious trouble. I'm talking serious! I've never been so worried about money. NEVER!

3. I've had two great runs so far this week, and I'm looking forward to running this virtual run over the weekend.

At least for 5 or 10 miles I'll be able to hopefully clear my head.
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Wednesday's Workout

This morning I woke up early for me and decided to try running before it got super hot.

Monday was my first time running in six weeks, and this morning was my 2nd. I did a little warm-up before heading out and then walked a few minutes before getting into my run.

Ooh! Could I ever feel this run in my hamstrings.
And then my shins.

Running so early in the morning made a HUGE difference breathing-wise. Like I said, I could definitely feel it in my legs, but cardiovascularly, I was FINE!

I never felt like I was dying.
I never had to stop for a walk break.

It was a glorious morning!

Of course, after stretching and showering, I zonked out on the couch for a couple hours. :-)

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Today's question is whether or not we work out at the gym or at home. As you know from here, I rarely work out at the gym. I'm either outside or doing yoga or weights at home. That said, my apartment complex has finally made the workout room available 24/7 instead of just during business hours. I set up our code this afternoon!

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A little update on the job front. We are about to be in some serious trouble! I need a job. PRONTO! Unfortunately, I found out yesterday that the company I'd been so happy about decided to continue interviewing at this time. What?! Not only did I not get the job. No one has.

So, now I'm back at square one with desperation quickly setting in.

This afternoon, I walked to the Strip to apply at a few restaurants - hoping to get a hostess position. Competition is fierce! Each restaurant had several people filling out applications when I arrived. I did manage to speak with a manager at one, so *fingers crossed*. It's difficult applying at restaurants since my restaurant experience is from more than 10 years ago. *sigh*

I'm trying to keep my spirits up and remain positive, but reality is quickly setting in.

All right. Time to go email some more resumes!

What did you do to workout today?
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Cardio vs Weights

I'll admit it.

I'm way more of a cardio junkie than a weights junkie.

I like to be outside - running or hiking or biking
I like to feel the wind on my face.
I like to see the beauty around me.
I like to smell the flowers and trees.

It's much more difficult to get those experiences being a weights junkie.

I want to be strong.
I want to be fit.

I know strength training is essential for achieving that.
Still, I always end up doing weights very grudgingly.

Which do you prefer? Cardio or weights?
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When I Retire...

I hope that blogging is still around, 'cuz I'd love to continue blogging.

BECAUSE...

What I'd really like to do is...

TRAVEL AND SEE THE WORLD!

I'd be sure and visit places like...

Plitvice Lakes, Croatia.

Source: all-that-is-interesting.com via Clarinda on Pinterest

Iguazu Falls, border of Argentina and Brazil.

Source: buzzfeed.com via Clarinda on Pinterest

Storseisundet Bridge on the "Atlantic Road" in Norway.

Source: oddstuffmagazine.com via Clarinda on Pinterest

And scores of other places, too.

Plus, I want to run on every continent (except maybe Antarctica).

I recognize I probably won't have the money to go all the places I'd like to visit, so maybe more realistically, I'd like to spend my retirement:

• Reading
• Blogging
• Visiting friends/family
• Laughing
• Staying active
• Baking
• Enjoying LIFE while I still can.

This was Day 27 of the August Healthy Living/Fitnes Blogger Writing Challenge.
So, tell me how do you plan on spending your retirement days?

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Myth Adventures, Volume 1

Robert Asprin's Myth Adventures Vol. 1 by Robert Lynn Asprin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This volume contains the first six books of Robert Asprin's Myth series. I'd read a few of the books before, but never all six and never in order. These books are fun, lighthearted and a nice easy read. It's the fascinating adventures of a magician's apprentice (Skeeve) whose master (Garkin) happens to be killed at the same time he conjures up a demon (Aahz). The demon takes on the apprentice as his own, and that is pretty much where the adventures begin. It's nonstop trouble and mayhem for these two, well, and their recruits from the Bazaar at Deva - a place where you can find anything.

Working together with a select group of beings, they get into as much trouble as they can handle. The stories are all told from Skeeve's point of view, and though being a relatively young guy, he's pretty dang smart. His entourage gets into some very interesting scrapes, and it's a delight to experience just how brilliantly they're able to conjure up plans to get them out of whatever sticky spot has come their way.

There are enough twists and turns and surprises to keep you interested, but that's not to say there's not a good deal of predictability in these stories. However, I think it's kind of fun to guess where the story is going ... and to be right (most of the time)! I think these books are really pretty funny - filled with lots of puns and plays on words and dorky jokes. You'll be sure to have a smile on your face the whole volume through.

The only reason this is only getting 4 stars instead of 5 is because of the blatant editing errors. There are a LOT of misplaced hyphens that distract from the flow of the story (at times). There are other errors as well, but the hyphens are definitely the most annoying. I think a ball must have been dropped when converting these books into the volume, because I can't see how they could have possibly been published originally with so many errors.

Still, if you can get past the editing gaffs, you're sure to enjoy this lighthearted volume. I can hardly wait to get started on Volume 2!

View all my reviews
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A few thoughts

In writing yesterday's post, I re-read my first post of 2012. It included 3 goals that I had made for the upcoming year. I really should have looked at it much earlier! One of my goals was to run 600 miles this year. That should have been easy-peasy, as I was planning on training for a marathon.

Well, I nixed the marathon and stopped training in May.
Then, I hurt my knee in July and haven't run at all in August.

Here's what my progress looks like so far:

I did the math.

263!!

That's not even halfway to my goal. Boo.

Instead of seeing this as a failure, I've decided to see it as a challenge. I was planning on trying to get back into running starting tomorrow, and this is just the push I need.

I figure if I run 60 miles in Sept, 80 in Oct, and 100 in each Nov and Dec, and I still make my goal!! While this is definitely a do-able challenge, it will be tough for me. Obviously, I'll be careful and listen to my body and be okay if I fall short because my body isn't up for the challenge in the same way my mind is. You see I've never run a 100-mile month. In. My. LIFE!

But, I'm looking forward to this challenge. Now, who's gonna help me keep on track?

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Today's challenge question is "What do you eat before you workout?"

I don't really have a good answer to this one. I usually don't eat anything different than I would on any other normal, given day. Sometimes, I'll grab a granola bar on my way out - especially if it's been awhile since I'd eaten. What do you eat before working out?

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With this increase in running/exercise, I think I really should try to eat a bit healthier as well. I'd like to try using the Portman Nutrition Calculator. Basically, you choose you exercise activity and then a few other variables, and VOILA!

A recommendation of how much fluid and nutrient you should replenish. I really like the idea of this great little tool. Have you ever used this tool? What's your favorite online tool?

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I had a great interview on Thurs, and I'll find out something either a 2nd interview or thanks for your interest tomorrow, but I neglected to send a thank-you email to the woman I interviewed with. Well, I sent one out this afternoon. I figured better late than never. What do you think about sending thank-you emails? Could one make or break you?
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Enjoying the Course

Today's challenge is to tell the story behind the name of our blogs. I thought I had explained it before on the blog, but looking back through some archives, I don't think I actually did.

So, what's in a name?

Well, a lot, I guess.

If you're new, you might not realize that this blog used to have a different name - All Things Clarinda. I didn't think it accurately captured the essence of what I wanted to blog, so I changed it to Enjoying the Course.

I knew I wanted to put a little more focus to my blog. I knew I wanted to try to focus more on exercise, fitness, and healthy living. I knew I wanted to become a running blog.

In general my running pace is about a 10:00min/mile. I could be wrong, but it seems to me that's a pretty average pace. I know a lot of people who run slower, and I know a lot of people who run faster.

I'd wanted to include average in my blog name, but nothing really sounded just right. I discussed it at length with my husband and even put it out to my readers.

I got a lot of push-back on the word average. You're not average. Don't sell yourself short. I'm actually happy being average. It doesn't mean that I don't push myself; it's more a recognition that there are others both better and worse than me.

Whoa. I think I went off on a little tangent there...

Being a not particularly fast runner, I don't really race or compete. Instead I try to just have fun with it. Push myself, of course, but also take my time and enjoy my surroundings and the beauty around me.

And ENJOYING THE COURSE was born.

I still kept the average part in the subtitle. I'm stubborn like that.
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What's in YOUR bag?

Today's challenge prompt is to describe the contents of my gym bag.

Well, as you know, I don't require a lot of things when working out. And, to make it even easier I don't have a gym membership. Truth is, I'm way to cheap to pay for a membership.

No gym membership = No gym bag

So, let's go theoretical on this one, okay?

If I had a gym bag, here are some things I'd want it to include:

A combination lock (no key to lose!)
"Master Lock Assorted Numeric Combination Locks, Assorted" (Google Affiliate Ad)

Some kind of protein bars (wrapped, obviously)
Kashi GoLean Fiber & Protein Bars - Chips, Pretzels & Snack Mixes (Google Affiliate Ad)

A sweat rag...or two (isn't this one adorable?)

A logbook ('cuz if I'm lifting at the gym, I want a record)
Weekly Workout Journal & Logbook (Google Affiliate Ad)

A water bottle (nothing worse that forgetting to bring one of those!)
"22 Oz Classic Glass Water Bottle in Black" (Google Affiliate Ad)

These would be the constants in my bag. Of course, I'd include whatever shoes, clothes, etc I'd need for the particular workout I was doing, but those wouldn't have a permanent home in my gym bag, per se.

What's in your bag (or what would you like in your bag)? What am I missing from mine you know, in case I suddenly get inspired to pay for the gym?
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The best thing ever. Well, this week, anyway.

Perhaps I was a little too boastful on Monday when I stated how pleased I was with myself for sticking to this month's writing challenge so well. Two days later, I missed posting. Again. Still, I'm going to take it as a win. With this post, I've posted nearly 70% of the days this month. Yay me!

Yesterday, I missed writing a letter to my former self, but I'm okay with that. I wasn't really sure what to say anyway. It seemed too similar to the What If post, and I didn't want to get at all negative.

Also, yesterday was a pretty crappy day all-around.

• Awoke to the knock of the repairman who came to fix our kitchen sink/dishwasher. Now at least I'll be able to wash dishes thereby making it easier to eat at home.
• Felt cheated out of sleep, so went back to bed after he left.
• Read with my husband for a couple hours.
• Felt sleepy and took yet another nap.

Since we both woke up at the same time due to the repairman coming, it threw off my whole schedule - which meant no exercising, no job searching, no me-time. I did clean the kitchen and make a delicious dinner, so I wasn't completely worthless all day.

But WAIT! This post is supposed to be about the best thing that happened this week.

If this post was yesterday, I'd say the best thing was receiving an email from a company on Monday requesting an interview.

Much to my surprise, the interview far exceeded receiving the email.

Yeah. You read that right.

This is probably the first ever interview that I walked away from actually excited and confident. I'll find out on Monday if they want me to come in for a 2nd interview with the owners, but I'd be really surprised if they didn't though I'm trying not to get my hopes up too high.

Knowing I'll get some kind of word on Monday, makes me free to enjoy the weekend. I don't have any plans really, but at least I won't have to worry and wait by the phone.

What's the best thing to happen to you this week?

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Why blog?

I have family scattered all around the country, and I've gone through spurts of trying to keep us connected through various outlets (newsletters, etc). Shortly after getting married, I attempted to create a family website. It never really took off for a variety of reasons.

When we were living in NYC in 2006 and neglecting said website, some friends of ours started a family blog for them to keep in contact with their far-away families. What's a blog? we asked.

They told us a little about it, and the Dodson Journal was born. We (read: I) updated it a few times a month with our adventures and experiences, but I wanted a space of my own to share my thoughts on cooking, reading, and whatever else came to mind.

A few months later, I started All Things Clarinda as my home on the web. Over the next several years, I sporadically posted here and there. There wasn't a ton of focus - more a mishmash of a lot of different things.

I thought I needed to find a niche. How about cooking? Well in Oct 2009, I started Tale of Two Sisters and Their Kitchens with one of my sisters. It didn't fill all my needs, so I kept rather inconsistently blogging at all three blogs.

Still, something was missing.

At the end of last year, I decided I needed further focus on my personal blog, so I decided to re-vamp it and focus more on running and fitness. I'd recently started running again, and I really wanted to become healthier and more fit. I thought focusing my blog in this manner would help motivate me to continue with my fitness goals, so I rolled into 2012 with a blog make-over - include a name change: Enjoying the Course - An Average Girl's Journey Through Life.

Life got a little crazy earlier this year, with student teaching and everything, and the ol' blog got a bit neglected again, but so far, I've already blogged more in 2012 than any previous year! Yay!

So, there's the long and short of the answer to today's challenge question: Why did you start blogging? :-)

Now, it's your turn.

Why did you start blogging (your own or reading others)?
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Must Have It!

I'm back again with Fitness Cheerleader's August Writing Challenge.

Side note: I'm really impressed with my participation of this challenge. Generally, my participation in challenges fades by the middle of the month, so yay! me for sticking with it as well as I have.

So, today we're talking about our ...

5 MUST HAVE FITNESS ITEMS

I'm pretty simple when it comes to working out. I don't need anything fancy or name brand. I could probably do better, but ... well, here is my list:

1. Shoes. But really only for running. Lots of times when I work-out at home, I do it barefoot.
2. Sweat rag. This is especially important when I'm working out at home or on a treadmill at the gym. When I'm running outside, I like to have a bandanna or something to help prevent the sweat dripping in my eyes.
3. Water. It needs to be handy. When outside, either my camelback or a handheld water bottle. When inside, it's my water bottle. I don't necessarily drink a lot, but I like having it available for small sips now and again, and then lots of gulps at the end.
4. Comfy clothes. Nothing fancy sometimes I don't even match. the horror!, but definitely comfort is key. 
5. MOTIVATION. In many ways, this is the most important. If I'm not motivated, I often skip it all together. If I do manage to force it, it's never as good as if I were actually wanting to do the work.

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A Day in My Life

Today, the Fitness Cheerleader challenged us to paint a picture of a typical day in our lives. Well, right now, it's not a very pretty picture. I'm unemployed. I don't even have kids to keep me busy. My days are relatively uneventful, but here goes...

• Wake up. No alarm! No specific time! Perks of not having a job. Sometimes to Sallie's intense, relentless gaze.
• Feed Sallie breakfast.
• Try to get a little more sleep. Usually another couple hours, if I'm able to fall back asleep.
• Get dressed love having short, muss-free hair! and take Sallie outside to do her biz.
• Eat breakfast.
• Watch General Hospital on Hulu from the previous day.
• Search for a job for a couple hours. Visit Casino websites and Craigslist. Submit resumes. Etc.
• Exercise. I've mostly been doing my StrongStride DVD lately.
• Blog for a few hours. Write posts. Tweet. Check FB. Read other blogs. Etc. Etc. Etc.
• Take Sallie out again.
• More blogging + watching TV + playing on my phone.
• Feed Sallie dinner.
• Go to bed whenever I feel too tired to concentrate i.e. hold my head up to keep watching TV.

Mixed in with the blogging/spending time on the computer/playing on my phone/watching TV, I occasionally will cook something some times just to have something to blog, wash some dishes, go to the pool, etc.

I've definitely been neglecting my apartment - quite possibly because my kitchen sink is quite eff'd up at the moment, making both using the dishwasher and washing by hand an unbelievably, huge chore.

No job = no $$$ to really do much of anything that is fun and outside of the apartment complex. :-( Though, I did drag Jeff to see a free Survivor concert last night. Fun!

So. Yeah. I need a job. If for nothing other than to add some stability to my life. Though that may result is neglecting the blog again, so it's kind of a trade-off. lol.

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Proudest Moment

"What was been the proudest moment in your life?" Today's question for the August Blogging Challenge.

As I think back on my life, I'm going to have to go with the most recent major accomplishment.

This past May I know, I know. I've mentioned it about a bazillion times on this blog. Sorry. I graduated with my Masters of Arts in Teaching.

When I finished my bachelor's back in 2000, I didn't walk the ceremony. I was just happy to be finished. I vowed never to go back to school. Seven years later, my husband had been back in school for awhile, and he convinced me to return to school, too.

It wasn't so bad!

Student teaching, however, was very challenging and very time consuming, to say the least. There were times when I really didn't think I could make it.

BUT I DID!!

What's your proudest moment?

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