and speaking of snowboarding

I much loved Olympics snowboarding. Shaun (hot) White won, as did that annoying girlie from Vermont. Does she need to act so poser? I mean, I understand you're cool and all, but please, close your legs during the Star Spangled Banner instead of being practically spread eagled. OK, i'm going off, I wasn't really that upset.

But anyone notice the clothes the boarders wore? This is from today's NYTIMES style, I laughed out loud. Writer nailed it: "Since when did Ronald McDonald become a sportswear designer?"

great gym trips

I just had the greatest gym trip. Ran into an acquaintenance headed to March 5 Jersey marathon. She was 15 miles into a 21-mile run. I hopped on the treadmill next to her to bring her in. She said I was a Godsend; in return I had one of the easiest 6-mile runs of my life. Sweet!

I told her about this bowling fundraiser I was going to be part of, it's for Big Sisters/Big Brothers. Turns out she's a Big Sister. This week I'm calling the director to see about being a big sis myself. A few years ago, I unsuccessfully tried being in a similar program. For a number of reasons (mostly, that I suck) it didn’t work out.

I think I’m ready now. My one New Years Resolution was to start giving back. I figured it’d happen later in the year, after I’ve gotten myself in an emotionally and psychologically better place. That ain’t happening anytime soon as far as I can tell. But that doesn’t mean I won’t be a good and strong Big Sis. My life has felt so self-centered lately. I don’t like that feeling.

Because it’s Sunday and maybe you’ve got a few minutes to spare, do yourself a favor and check out Keith's blog. His having too much time on his hands means bloggers like us get a literary treat. I’ve laughed so hard so many times at various blog entries, people’s comments, etc. But this one I almost had to walk out of my office to gather myself. You simply must check it out.

Keith, what's it like to have so much time on your hands?

Sis's training.

Sissie has been seriously debating whether to do the San Diego Rock n Roll Marathon, joining half the blogging community. To that end, she's been running a bit more lately. Let's take a sneak peak at her most recent journal entry, dated Friday AM:

"I hate how I go running last night and then I eat pizza at midnight after drinking 3 cosmos. That's great isn't it. I am partyrunner's sister."

olympics fun

i love shaun white. i love shaun white. he is so, so, so hot.

could not stop crying about michelle kwan. why must the olympics always make me so emotional.

i can't think of a good title

Brit, over at running stitch, is helping me make some minor changes to my blog, mostly to make it a bit easier to read. I am learning about color charts and stuff. All that technicalness got me tired, so I thought I’d post.

A foot of snow means Kim and I, usually hard core, bad-to-the-bone runners, missed this morning’s scheduled 10K in Reading. So instead she and her hubbie came over to a friend’s yesterday afternoon and joined a core of leftover drinkers continuing Friday night’s party. I simply love how productive my weekends have been lately. After I post, I’m going to wash my dishes from Monday’s dinner.

Met all three of the people who responded to my running/fitness call. Had mixed results. Snowboarded with one, Owen, Wednesday. He’s a ski instructor and just has tons of patience. It wasn’t very crowded so we got a ton of runs in. That also meant I was getting tired and falling more and more as they day went on. I was starting to get frustrated and a little cranky. That’s usually when my boy would say “Let’s rest a bit. You need some hot chocolate.” So he says “I’m getting tired. Let’s take off and get some lunch.” He was nice, defined. We have much in common. We’re going again Wednesday.

The other two…Martina, the irish girl, canceled our gym date because she was tired but happily accepted my offer to meet for beers (she’s Irish you know). I invited Derek, the other guy, to meet us too. Martina drank beer after beer. Naturally I love her. Derek wasn’t very nice. I don’t mind if we don’t hang out again. I’m not sure what it was about him. I just didn’t get a very good vibe from him.

Martina emailed Friday about how hung over she was, and we rescheduled Friday’s gym workout for Tuesday. Which is also…

Valentine’s Day! My boy and I used to not celebrate the day mostly cause we just fought our first two then decided the aggravation and expectations just weren’t worth it. It’s never been a big deal but this year, my friend is having a party for “girls without boyfriends.” Sundaes and wine! In honor of a vday a few years ago, when a group of single girls belted at the top of their lungs a song, I’m going to hunt up Wilson Phillips “Hold on.”

Fun in the snow

I must admit, at home, from my computer, my banner looks exceedingly more fabulous than it did when I was at work. Susan, you’re a doll.

Tomorrow I head off to the slopes! A. maria recently spent some time there. She looks adorable face down in the snow ;-)
But like I told her, her left turn looked pretty pro – I mean, I spent an ENTIRE season learning to left turn.

I’m going with Owen, a guy who responded to my post looking for running/fitness partners. He won a coupla passes to a local ski resort. So I’ll snowboard and he’ll telemark ski. Yes, I’d never heard of it either but it means you lift your heel, whereas in regular skiing your heel is planted.

He seems very nice.

He’s got a minivan… Does anyone else feel me on that statement?

Anyway, like I said, he seems nice. It was rather nerve-wracking tonight, actually, I called the three people who’d emailed responding to my post about hanging out. I left messages with Irish girl and other dude. Hopefully, they will call back. Even when I called the girl, it felt like I was calling a guy I met at the bar. Weird.

Ah, online, so personal yet so far away…

This Sunday, Kim and I head out to our very first 10K. We’re excited to be back on the circuit. Our first race since early December/mid November. It’s in good ol’ Reading, Pa. Never been, but I always sought that Monopoly card.

Introducing...

Hey folks, just a quick post to introduce my new banner. Runnersusan, a darling of the blogging community for her fondness of writing about bodily functions and porn (oh, and just being charming) has created this.

I can’t really read the text beneath the banner so i’m gonna have to change the color but otherwise...

i can’t believe i have a new banner! i love it.

Thanks Susan! i’ve changed, temporarily, the name of my blog to reflect my life right now. I believe i’m sort of at this strange transition in my life...recently single, trying to figure out who exactly I want to be and do. The last few months I’ve been really flighty, confused and I’ve made decisions that make no sense; some good, some bad most odd. My sis doesn’t know what’s going on with me.

Yet through it all, there is my beloved running and of course, beer.

Thanks again, Susan, you rock!

That’s the difference between me (girl) and you (boy)

After months of thinking about it, i finally decided to post on a local web site. I was looking for running/training partners, I posted, nonromantic, gals and guys. I got three responses. All sounded rather interesting.

But here’s the thing. The girl, who responded last, two days after the guys, wrote something a little like this "Oh, great, Im new to the area too! I’ve been wanting to do tris, I go to your gym, I’m lots of fun!" She’s Irish, and likes beer (which I also mentioned in my post). She runs, she drinks, she runs, she drinks, great. So I write back “Great, let’s hang out. I work X times, I like to run here, do you snowboard?” An email later, we’ve made plans. Tada!

But these two guys....Oh the emails back and forth and back and forth. What do you do, when do you work, what do you like to do, what do you want to do, the questions the questions. I mean, come on, I’m easy (i mean that in all ways. ha ha. just kidding). But seriously, I like to do just about anything that’s outside. I'm super flexible, have a flexible schedule, and I'm looking for some non complicated training partners who maybe want to occasionally grab a beer. I have kept the emails focused on the activities and plans on hand.

I’m to call them next week when I return from out of town. I wonder if first I must answer several more "screening" questions.

I ask my buddy, what gives? Why is it with the girl we’re like "Ok, let’s meet!" And with the guys, it’s all guarded and oh, yada yada...
His response: "um,
1.) we only have one thing on our minds? (beer, of course)
2.) when we see an ad from a girl we think they must want to hook up.
3.) when we see an ad from a girl we think she must be crazy.
4.) see No. 1"

How predictable. I am hoping in the very near future to report three fun times with my three new friends. Wish me luck.