Sarah's Soapbox

Slow is Ok with Me

2009-10-23T22:47:00.000-07:00

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/23/sports/23marathon.html?em

I didn't even realize that there was a debate going on. But there is. I can understand the frustration of both sides. The slow runners want to participate just the same, but the speedy folks want to be able to differentiate themselves. If both sides get the race shirt, how are we all supposed to know that one person was faster? We aren't. Second place is the first loser anyways, right :)

I don't have a time I am aiming for. I don't have lingering hopes of breaking any sort of records. I want to finish and I want to run most of the time. It is not going to qualify me for the New York or the Boston. But, is that not the point of having marathons for which you must qualify before you can even participate? That makes more sense than saying the slow pokes should not even bother. The elite (ist) can still have their elite marathons and Joe Public can get his race shirt for running the Pocatello Community Marathon (if there is such a thing).

Gruyere and Self-Bribery

2009-10-23T22:23:00.001-07:00

I have a weakness for cheese. Gruyere is one of my all time favorite cheeses. My God. It is tasty cheese. Since gym workouts can be unpleasant, I decided to bribe myself. With cheese. There was a brick of gruyere at home just waiting. Waiting for Sarah to come home, get out the cheese knife and go nuts. But, I agreed with myself that I could only have said cheese if I did 30 minutes on the stair stepper followed by two miles. It worked, but it is a little rough having vague cheese fantasies while watching the Food Network while trying to get into tip top shape. Actually, something is a little perverse about it, but I don't really care. I just finished my cheese. The workout is still fresh on my bones. The wine adds a little something. Mmmm. I am also going to have some ice cream. Why? Because I like ice cream. I have lost five pounds this month. It is not much in the grand scheme, but considering my reduced workout time, stress, and good strong diet that includes ice cream, wine, cheese, all manner of fresh baked goods, etc., I am doing pretty well. I think I will work out a little more, but continue my eating habits. Life is pretty good when there is cheese.....and Lactaid.

Rough Few Weeks

2009-10-18T19:28:00.000-07:00

Do you know what is not conducive to running? Working 10-12 hour days. The feeling of being so burned out at the end of the day that all you really want to do is go to the Waffle House and drown your sorrows in waffle-y goodness. And, if you are from Juneau (or one of my out-of-town friends that I have dragged there), you know that includes ham and cheese. Right after the long days and weekend working, I went to Anchorage (for work) and worked out once. Then I got back and resumed 10 hour days. (I had to call it quits after 10). My boss was kind enough to let me actually work 4 10s this week instead of a regular 5-day week with 10-hour days. Monday (tomorrow) is Alaska Day...so no work. What does that mean? I got a 4 day weekend. Hell yeah. Did I work out? Once. I got a gym membership for the winter. Running on a treadmill is better than running in the shit. Juneau shit includes sideways rain, really hard rain, hail, freezing rain (Different than hail. Obviously.), sleet, frozen slush, regular slush, snow, wet snow, powder (If powder, will be skiing. Obviously), bitter cold, and the less threatening (and pleasant compared to the alternatives), mist. I guess I didn't even touch on wind. We get that too. Hopefully, after this weekend of a little relaxation, I will be back on the wagon in the running department.

Weight? 126. I lost 4 pounds, but let's be realistic. I haven't been working out much and I am guessing that the weight loss involves muscle loss. That might explain why the rowing machine felt a only a little bit better than running in the shit.

I have to be able to consistently and comfortably run 25 to 30 miles per week to be able to train for a marathon. It takes 4 months to train for the big 26.2. That means, if I want to run the Anchorage Mayor's in late June, I need to start training in late February. Here is the other schtick. The legislative session takes up a significant portion of said training time and I won't actually get out on the road (because the weather will be....guess....shit) until sometime in April. The taper will have to start early June. If I am not feeling it, I can always do the Douglas marathon in August. There is no harm in that, right?

Can't Run - Would Rather be Dry

2009-09-22T20:24:00.000-07:00

It is raining buckets. Today is just part of the string of rainy days. I am sore from yesterday anyhow. I also think I am full from yesterday. I think I must have overdosed on soup - as delicious as it was - I still had too much.

Yesterday I got the Larousse Gastronomique in the mail. It is a 1300 page (give or take) culinary encyclopedia with recipes throughout. It is actually quite awesome. I learned that a faggot is a type of sausage or meatball and read up on how to bone an eel. Which, was mostly just for the ick factor. I will not be boning an eel. Ick.

No running and no cooking today. Phew.

Italian Soup and Running in the Shit

2009-09-20T18:43:00.001-07:00

I slept in until 9:30 am today. It was really brilliant. I had plans to make some baguettes, some soup, and go for a run (not necessarily in that order). The rain was coming in sideways and wasn't going anywhere. I got all changed into my running garb and started my baguettes. My goal was to go run up the local ski mountain a bit, buy groceries for the soup, and then come back just in time to get the risen dough into the baguette pan. (Invest in a baguette pan, it is so freaking worth it) I spent 35 minutes running up and 25 minutes running down....it was not the most fun run. The rain hit me from all directions. The wind drove the drops into every pore; I was wearing a rain jacket and a hat, but that was apparently for show because I was still one wet monkey when it was all over. Luckily I had a sweatshirt to change into once I got back to the car. Since I wussed out after only an hour, I was ahead of schedule. The grocery store seemed much colder than usual since my running tights were now just a saturated cover and the supermarket shopping was a little less intense than running. I finally made it back home with some too expensive bacon, Italian sausage, chicken broth, garlic, onions, potatoes, red pepper, spinach, and heavy cream. Zuppa Toscana would go great with my bread.

There was no epic with the bread or the soup. It was all perfect. The only downside was that I had completely gorged on baguette and olive oil while cooking and the soup is probably one of the most fattening soups that I could possibly make. You cook sausage, put it aside (hoping it drains a little), cook bacon, and then add the onion and garlic right to the bacon - don't drain the fat because you will lose all the bacon-y goodness. I must add that when I checked on the potatoes cooking slowly in the broth, onions, garlic, bacon, and bacon fat, that they did taste like bacon. Come on. Bacon flavored potatoes? Mmmmm. I also cut up some parm rind and let it cook with the soup. It really gives it a little something. I don't know what, but something good. It went great with the merlot I got at Costco for 11 bucks.

Considering that I ran in the horrible weather, I feel like I deserved the soup and bread overdose, but I don't think I am closer to being in "killer shape" for a race. At this rate, it will take me almost a year to lose five pounds...and that is with the running uphill in the sideways rain.

Run more? Absolutely. Lose the bacon fat? Never.

One Week Post-Race, Two Months Sans Gallbladder

2009-09-19T17:54:00.001-07:00

Alright. So, I am not so good at updating my blog. A lot has happened. No sooner did I decide, "Yes, back to running!", did the health really start to take turn. I have been having tummy troubles a lot this past year, plenty of tests, drugs, etc., but no certain diagnosis. Slowly I started not being able to eat things. The list of offenders got long. The symptoms got more gnarly. Vomiting became a part of the afternoon. I kept thinking "I will get better. Hang in there". Before long, I was trying to balance almost constant low-grade nausea, followed by worse nausea, followed by vomiting, and running. After finally going to a wonderful surgeon, she knew just the right test for me to undergo. The one that would tell me that my gallbladder didn't work worth a damn. Well for $2700, her hunch was confirmed. But, I had to spend another $2000, for another test just to make sure. Two weeks later, my faulty gallbladder was removed (a mere $17,000) and I was really off running for awhile ( and thinking about the plusses of having health insurance, lucky me). I couldn't run, but I had four holes in my abdomen. My bellybutton was then not just pierced, but had a scar to remind me that an organ was sucked out of it. Two months after surgery, I still had the Klondike to run. I had attempted to start running two or three weeks after, but that ended with some weird bruising and the doctor strongly urging me to "take it easy". Once I got back to running, work was busy and two times a week was all I was able to squeeze in. Not even a good long hill run to prepare me for the 5.6 mile, uphill all the way, run that was coming down the pike. I wasn't about to bail. Besides, the ferry ticket was $100 bucks and I already paid. Once you buy the ferry ticket, there is no backing out.

The Klondike went well. I didn't end up having to walk and that was good enough for me. I did get passed by a guy who had to be 65. He cruised on past like he had been running uphill his whole life. Man. At some point I slept on the side of the road in the ick-van with two of my teammates (the very cool Skye and Becca, Legs 1 and 3, respectively) and when I woke in the morning realized that we were really only 20 minutes outside of Whitehorse. Coulda, woulda, shoulda. But, sleeping in a van isn't the worse thing I can think of.

Now it is mid-September, I am back to running, and thinking maybe I should do that Mayor's Marathon this June. But, I also have to engage in some cooking adventures which are rarely low fat these days (since now I can eat fat again) and will hardly help me train for anything except Iron Chef. Somehow I will find a way to be a foodie and train for a marathon. Realistically, I will not update this blog for awhile. But, stranger things have happened.

Sweat Session

2009-02-22T09:36:00.000-08:00

I ran 2.5 miles on a treadmill in 30 minutes. (This is a combination of running and 2 minutes warm up and 2 minutes cool down walking). Not too fast. Then, I switched to the eliptical trainer to do a 15 minute hill workout. At this point, my out of shape legs were getting tired. The old Sarah would have plowed trough another 30 -45 minutes of cardio, but since I am trying to be reasonable and gradual I decided it was time for abs. V-ups, crunches, side sit ups, bikers, pendulums - quite a little routine. It burns because it is working. :) I even had a healthy lunch - quinoa and sweet potatoes with brewers yeast....and a brownie (which I made from scratch so it can't be too bad, right?).

So I am starting this whole thing out as around at pushing a size 6 (on a good day, I am in a 4). There is a killer pair of jeans in the back of my closet that I need to be into by May for my own sanity). Wish me luck.

Running Again

2009-02-21T10:06:00.000-08:00

For those of you that know me from way back when, I am a runner at heart. I was running competitively even before middle school...which might be hard for some to understand. I stopped competing in high school, but kept running. And kept running. And kept running. I had periods in my life where I would be on a running vacation, but I always went back. The weight gain was a little annoying! Sadly, many months have been lost to injury or illness: mono, four months of repeated strep and staph infections followed by tonsilectomy, stress fractures in both feet (yes it is important to buy good shoes often), broken ankle, torn peroneal, turf toe, and general soreness. I have had more injuries from running than from skiing (sounds odd it a way), but I still miss being a runner. Right now, I am a "recreational and gym bound" jogger, which is a little depressing. This year, I have agreed to run the Klondike Road Relay (Skagway to Whitehorse, Yukon Territory with a relay team) and am slowly being convinced to run the Mayor's Half Marathon this June with my girlfriends. I woke up this morning with a thought. "There are going to be people that are faster than me." That is when it happened. The old Sarah kicked in.....

My sister is going to read this and think "There she goes again". She is all too familiar with the inevitable overtraining that occurs and the resulting injuries that make me depressed. This time, I will be careful. I will take it slow. I will try to blog about the gradual training method as proof. The Mayor's Half is not until June. I have the time to be gradual and relaxed. Off to the gym...

Haikus.....

2008-09-21T18:37:00.000-07:00

I have not been posting them regularly. This was the initial intent, but of course, I lack commitment. I did, however, actually write them almost daily for a time and am posting them for your enjoyment (or putting them out there for your ridicule). They are not all there and they are not in date order. They are in the order that they were in a stack of papers sitting next to my computer. You will have to cope if you find the infraction disturbing.

July 3, 2008
Theme: sky
Word: tutelage

I watch the heavens
Under nightly tutelage
When the stars come out.

July 14, 2008
Theme: paper, broadly
Word: cupidity

Fiat papyrus
Ambitious cupidity
Dreaming of fortune

July 8, 2008
Theme: marsupials
Word: troglodyte

Forgotten possum
Original troglodyte
Hiding in the dark

July 1, 2008
Theme: sky and related objects
Word: condign

Solstice sky so bright
No darkness to hide sorrow
Joy and sleeplessness

April 24, 2008
Theme: food
Word: winsome

Parched in the sun I sit
Sweet winsome watermelon
Brings me much relief

May 13, 2008
Theme: politics
Word: Umbrage

Walk the party line
Umbrages cast a shadow
Searching for the Truth

May 7, 2008
Theme: summer
Word: contrite

End of the summer
Contrite longing for the spring
To begin again

May 23, 2008
Theme: water
Word: aright

She laden aright
To face the Alaskan rain
Mustang lingerie

June 17, 2008
Theme: sports
Word: verdure

Verdure of the fresh pitch
Both sides taking formation
Clear the mind to win

Same theme, different day

Word: cogent

Cogent coach decrees
Victory comes through our sweat
Lost after red card

June 3, 2008
Theme: handwashing
Word: bagatelle

Ah! Sweet cleanliness
Bagatelle of washing bliss
The most gentle soap

May 9, 2008
Theme: summer
Word: sentient

Senses filled with sweet
Sentient aura of calm
Cut grass under foot

May 16, 2008
Theme: politics
Word: subfusc

Dark dreary office
Subfusc space for bribery's sake
To hide from our view

May 19, 2008
Theme: water
Word: obtrude

Please cleanse my dark soul
Oceanic obtrusion
Silence comes in waves

May 12, 2008
Theme: Politics
Word: parsimonious

Extravagant war
Parsimonious health care
What shall we become?

Here is one from my roommate Debbie - she can post the rest on her own blog, but this one was too funny not to share with the world:

May 14, 2008
Theme: Politics
Word: vandyke

Our hick president
Would look more respectable
Wearing a vandyke

You know what I love?

2008-09-05T18:13:00.000-07:00

Reproductive Freedom. My womb is my own!

Wow. Ted Stevens.

2008-08-27T07:46:00.001-07:00

Ted Stevens has been indicted and waits to stand trial, but yet, he still won the primaries. This is such an interesting place to live.

Things I don't like - Alaska Airlines (or Seattle Airlines)

2008-08-19T16:58:00.000-07:00

I only say Seattle Airlines because that is their nickname. They obviously don't have us Alaskans in mind when they price out tickets. I have no choice other than to fly Alaska Airlines out of Juneau. They are the only ones that make the trip into Anchorage and Seattle and they know it. That is why they charge more per mile to make the JNU-SEA run than they charge to make the SEA - NYC run..or any other far away place. On any given day there are 5 flights directly to Seattle. That 2.5 hour (est.) flight is going to cost you between 500-600. Additionally, there are maybe 8 that get you to Seattle by taking stopping along the way or looping through Anchorage. Sounds like they have quite the business going? It makes me a little mad that to get to Oregon to see family I have to pay so much, that for a couple extra hundred I can keep going and wake up in Zurich. What the Hell?! So, lets see here. My sister is getting a condo in Hawaii for a week in January. She is from Anchorage so there are other airlines that she can use and get a better deal. Me? I would love to go, but for the $1200 that it would cost me to fly from Juneau, I would rather go to Europe. Dublin seems to be a good idea and might even cost me less. I could even throw in a trip into Austria for some skiing. Bah humbug!

Things I don't like - Bad Weather Reporting

2008-08-12T23:52:00.000-07:00

Our weather report actually says that today, tomorrow and the next day call for sun. Odd. It was cloudy and rainy all day, which turned to extremely blustery and wet in the evening. It is now almost 11 and it sounds like a fall storm outside. It is almost 11 and it is windy and dreadful, but the weather report still says SUNNY for today. Maybe it will clear up in the next hour. My goodness. They really should not tease us Juneau-ites like that. Really, we have not see the sun in a month with all the rain and yet Google weather decides we need a good taunting?

Music for Living........

2008-08-12T19:44:00.000-07:00

I was listening to my pink iPod today at work and was put in an incredible mood. I was totally uplifted by some Yann Tiersen (French avant garde composer) piano and thought, "This music makes me want to cook feverishly!"

Which, gave me an idea for a blog post: Sarah's Music for Living (no particular order, list will be added to)

1. Caribbean Blue by Enya - for taking a brief nap on a couch in a beach house on the Oregon Coast.

2. Up in Here by DMX - for trying desperately to be happy that you are running on a treadmill, but are still irritated.

3. Beethoven's Pastoral (no. 6) Allegro ma non troppo (first movement) - for running blissfully through the Alps, finding yourself in a meadow and picking flowers. (You know you have thought about it too!)

4. Beethoven's "Tempest"- for doing anything requiring aggression and fast typing skills such as an angry email that must go out immediately before you lose your momentum.

5. Where are you Going by Dave Matthews - for riding on a train, certain that the conductor speaks faster than anyone you know, and are honest to goodness not sure where you are going, but you don't want to be anywhere else. (Think snowy train ride through the mountains thinking about your life)

6. Time to Move On by Tom Petty - for listening to in the car on your way home from your last day of that job you are glad you quit.

7. Crazy Bitch by Buckcherry - for listening to while you ski something that stretches your abilities where the outcome is either completely crazy brilliant or possibly catastrophic. The song sounds much better if you stick it and don't die.

8. Rare Ould Times by Flogging Molly - for drinking that last Car Bomb with your friends. I haven't actually heard this song while doing Car Bombs, but often think it would be nice.

9. Any Way You Want It by Journey - for road trips when the sun is shining and you are wearing trendy sunglasses. Sunroof must be open.

10. Colorblind by Counting Crows - perfect make out music. Although, it has never spontaneously started playing during any kissing adventures, I am sure it would suit the mood if it did!

Things I Don't Like: People that think Joyful Joyful are the words to Beethoven's Ninth

2008-07-19T08:30:00.001-07:00

This might not seem like something to get too upset about, but for some reason it really grates on my tolerance of humanity. (At least when I haven't had my morning coffee and someone comments about my musical preference and how they wonder when Joyful Joyful was released in English). My irritation started when a man said to me "Aren't Joyful Joyful and the Ninth the same thing?It is pretty cool that Beethoven wrote something in English."

Maybe I am overly intolerant.....

Joyful, Joyful is a hymn written in 1907/8 by Henry van Dyke, in Mass. Yes, is set to the Fourth Movement of the Ninth, but really, I am guessing Joyful Joyful was a classic match with Ode to Joy seeing as how they both contain the word joy...besides, the Forth Movement is quite catchy don't you think? Maybe there is some history I missed? Anyways, the real words to Fourth Movement are taken from an ode by Friedrich Schiller, An die Fruede, in German. Other compelling evidence is timing (1824 vs. 1907 ish). My goodness. Ok. That was a relatively short rant, but I had to get it out in the open anyways. Your homework? Go enjoy some music :)

Things I Don't Like - Australia vs. Austria

2008-07-11T23:46:00.000-07:00

I know how to spell Austria. A-U-S-T-R-I-A. I also know how to spell Australia. They are two different countries....and they are spelled completely different. Why the hell is it, when I search for anything with AUSTRIA in it, I get results that contain AUSTRALIA?????? This is starting to really rub me the wrong way. "Study in Austria" I get links to AUSTRALIA! Don't get me wrong, I still get plenty of links that contain Austria that come up, but I don't need Australia creeping in there. I mean, the Aussies must have some conspiracy going on. Why the hell? Ug. If I was looking up Australia, I would have typed A-U-S-T-R-A-L-I-A and not A-U-S-T-R-I-A. Frick!

Husbands and Cookies :)

2008-07-09T07:32:00.000-07:00

Well I'll be damned (or so the expression goes....)! I was up way too early this morning and there were two fun articles in the NYTimes: one on chocolate chip cookies and the other on the 'ideal' husband. Both were brilliant.

I have learned (from reading both articles one after the other) that no matter how good your cookies are, marriages can't work between two profoundly different people (especially if one has a porn and swinger addiction). I have pasted the links to both articles for your endless enjoyment.

The Ideal Husband:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/06/opinion/06dowd.html?em&ex=1215748800&en=fd7b516e55613dae&ei=5087%0A

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bliss:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/09/dining/09chip.html?8dpc

Book Review - The Yiddish Policemen's Union

2008-07-05T11:16:00.000-07:00

I only wish that I was more impassioned about this one. Oddly enough, I wanted to read it. I made sure it was on the book club list. I voted it for it. I encouraged others to vote for it. Now? I feel like an ass. Annie (the one who ALWAYS finished book club books before everyone else) said it gets good right at the end....that is the problem. It means you have to get through the first 300 pages to "really get into it". I grudgingly made it halfway and could not bring myself to trudge though the rest. Here is the gist:

Set in a fictional version of Sitka, Alaska. They used all the right names and places, but Sitka had several million people and was a Jewish settlement. I was thinking OK, Jews, murder mystery, and Alaska? How could this not be a good read. Throughout the portion of the book, the author made this possible. A Jewish kid is found murdered. An alcoholic cop is on the case. His ex-wife is his boss. The Jewish community is organized around various groups of Jews of varying degrees of power. Interesting, but I really can't get past the writing style to get into the story a whole lot. The following are examples of the writing found throughout:

"Shining skull edged with tufts of grayish hair like pocket lint"

"...prefers to see the man as distended with the gas of violence and corruption"

"naked as a giant bloodshot eyeball without a socket"

"...felt like a fogbound airplane buffeted by updrafts into the surprise of a mountain"

I don't know. I think it is one of those things that you either love or hate - like film noir - and there is no middle ground. Maybe if I was into the writing style, I would have found the book much more appealing. I didn't really get through enough of it to give any more of a synapsis. Too bad.

Spain and Losing Bets.

2008-07-01T20:32:00.000-07:00

It is not that I do not like the country of Spain, the Spanish, tapas, or the National Team, but the fact that they played skillfully and better than Germany really ticks me off. Germany is a team with some brutish, efficient staying power, but Sunday, that just was not enough. I now owe my friend Eric a bagel. Oi!

Things I don't like # 9 - Odd Personal Scratching

2008-06-24T22:41:00.000-07:00

People that take off their shoes and socks in public to make sure that they can give their feet a good scratch with their overgrown fingernails. Then, calmly put their shoes and socks back on and start touching things. I had to witness this and try not to vomit while on an airplane. And it went like this:

Man in his 50's takes of his shoes and socks. He aggressively digs in to those itchy feet and gives them a good scratch. I try not to cringe and attempt to keep reading my magazine. I am sitting directly behind him in the aisle seat. He is probably glad to have the aisle seat. Do you know how I can tell? Because he takes his bare foot and starts grinding it into the carpet, leg fully extended into the aisle, because his nails were insufficient scratching tools. He really got into this. His grunts of pleasure were really quite enough to freak me right the hell out. Finally, he is done molesting the carpet and gives his foot a little love tap before he covers them once more. I don't know about any of you, but this idea would never cross my mind as being good and odd personal itching definitely is something I don't like.

Sorrow and Surprises

2008-06-24T22:13:00.000-07:00

After the game between Italy and Spain the other day, I was feeling quite down....and a little lost. Spain just beat Italy. The words didn't even sound right in my head. After a typical defensive showing by Italy and a tied up (0-0) game (add on the extra 15's), I was certain that the penalty kicks were going to move Italy right along into the semi-finals. (This is something the Italians are good at....you can imagine my shock). It took a little soul searching, but I realized that there are still good things to come. Germany is still in and will be playing Turkey tomorrow. Then, Russia and Spain play Thursday. Germany! Oh Dearest Ones! And Russia! I would not say I started out as a Russian fan, but I am pleased as punch to see what they have been doing. The Russia vs. Netherlands game was a stunner and I really hope they continue to "throw down" with Spain (by God they will need it!) because seeing Germany (I am already assuming they pummel the Turks) play Russia in the final would be pretty freaking cool. (Does anyone see the humor in a possible Motherland vs. Fatherland showing?) My point of this brief blog post is to remind all of you soccer hooligans, that even if your team doesn't win, there is still something magic in the game. There is still that team that seems to come out of no where and play brilliantly. When that happens, it really doesn't matter if they are your team or not because you still get to watch some damn good playing. Yes, I prefer Italy, but at least I still have Germany. And, I get to watch Russia continue to improve with each game. I will take the sorrow and the surprises because for better or worse, this game is what dreams are made of. :)

#10 - Small women, big SUVs, recycling

2008-06-23T15:23:00.001-07:00

I am going to preface this rant with the fact that I recycle. I think it is totally necessary and I enjoy doing it. I will load up the Jetta with glass, aluminum, paper, tin, etc and spend 20 minutes on a Saturday helping the planet. Sure. And, I will do it knowing that this is not the only thing I do to reduce my ecological impact. It is not a trade-off. Which brings me to the rant......

Small Women with Big SUVs at the recycling center: Being into snowsports and living in Alaska, I realize that a car will not haul four snowmachines or take the entire ski team up the mountain. Indeed, many people do not even have driveways which can be accessed by vehicles without 4-wheel drive. I am sympathetic. But, there will always be those people who insist they need the space. There will always be those people who believe that if they only had the space to fit everything they own into one vehicle (even if they won't ever do it, they want to know they could if they wanted to) they would be happy. They are dying for that moment when someone says "I am moving this weekend and I just don't have the space with my little car". It is that moment that they live for - the instant justification of their Ford Excursion. I digress....

I happened upon this person at the recycling center unloading her two bags of wine bottles. I noticed an empty rig and no tow hitch (meaning she did not need to haul around 5 children nor did she have anything to tow). I was already annoyed with life and her presence was irritating. I also couldn't get over the American flags and Pro Bush trappings covering the back of her vehicle. Yeah...support our troops, but use as much gas as you can to continue to perpetuate our reliance on foreign oil. Good plan. She is talking on her Blue Tooth earpiece "Yeah, I am at the recycling center. I had to bring the Ford to fit all the bags. No. Just getting done...." blah blah blah. What bloody bags? There were two! I felt like I fit half of the recycling in Juneau in the trunk of my VW.

So...that is irritating. Those that drive the biggest possible vehicle that they can find for no other reason than the fact that it is huge. Get a car with better gas mileage if you really want to improve the ecological outlook..

Start of 10 Things I don't like.

2008-06-23T15:18:00.000-07:00

There are things that I don't like. Of course, there are more than 10, but I have to prioritize. This list is not going to be the "Top 10" because they are in no particular order. My level of dislike for things that make the list is subject to change. And, as I am perpetually stubborn, things will likely not be dropped from the list. This whole thing is an opportunity for me to rant....I enjoy ranting. :)

Holy shit. Finally a vacation post!

2008-05-18T20:31:00.000-07:00

The short version: I went to Europe. I had a good time. I took pictures. Go here to see them: http://grumpledumps.photoshop.com

A better version:

Some say that if one is in love, the object of their affection crosses their mind first thing in the morning and last thing before sleep. Well, that settles it. I am in love with the Alps. It seems mundane to merely recite all the places I went and all the things I saw because it was more a matter of "something coming over me" than just visuals. I will say that Switzerland, Liechtenstein (sweet little Liechtenstein), and Austria are some of the most beautiful places I have have experienced. I experienced culture shock and jet lag (jet lag being worst of the two). I won't even get into the whole experience with the doctor with the fluffy hair (that might be another post!).

The historical sites are absolutely breathtaking, but little things are what did it for me. I loved small markets packed with fresh food and no need for organic because nothing was a cocktail of fake sugar and transfats anyways. I loved the cheese. I loved how there was entire aisles full of chocolate, but only a few choices of cereal. I loved kasekreiner in the middle of the night from a street vendor. I loved cobbled streets. I loved small towns and random castles. I loved the trains. I loved the ease in which I found goods not made in China. I loved the little Viennese cafes and people watching. I loved feeling safe in a big city (Vienna). I loved the attitude of both working and playing hard. I loved that everything was cheaper than it is in Juneau, Alaska.

The best thing about the trip was being able to take time off and do some "nothing" in such a splendid place. I am a person who doesn't always know how to relax or stop and just enjoy the moment. I am constantly filling up all of my time (work, climbing, skiing, yoga, running, court sports, JMR, keeping up with soccer games, book club, creative writing club, studying for GREs, brushing up on Spanish, trying to learn German, oh, and friends (who help me take time out for beer and the like)). For the first time in ages, I was able to just chill out and not worry about filling every moment with something productive And really, taking a train through the Austrian countryside is the perfect way to enjoy the moment. Indeed, most of the time, I was so captivated, that I forgot about my camera (sorry to all those who wanted to see tons of photos). I spent my last moments in the airport in Zurich staring out onto the airstrip. I wondered what exactly would happen if I just never went home?

I hope to return as soon as possible....for as long as possible.

Creative Writing Club

2008-04-27T13:29:00.000-07:00

I have three months of posts to make soon. I have been an absolute lazy slacker not posting the writing club stories.......

Haiku: Theme undecided

2008-04-27T13:13:00.000-07:00

I am still catching up - then I will have regular entries and themes. These are the ones in the beginning which only used the word of the day, but was without theme.

Word: Noctilucent

By Debbie

Noctilicent white

Into the night my crane flies

Silent drifting down

By Sarah

Head craned out window

Rain drowns me in chilled silence

Cold keeps me awake

(I was being a smartass using the word "crane")

Noctilucent eyes

Penetrating kiss

Only for tonight

Bonus because I was, at the time, feeling poetic....

Hard saying goodbye

Shall we ever meet again?

Your scent fades from me

Damned the heart and mind

Catharsis lost on Sarah

Attachments cause grief

Response by Debbie:

If ever alone

Let my heart be ripped away

Allow me solitude

Response to Debbie by Sarah

Solitude in twos

Lonely twin souls shall comfort

Spared of lonely night?

We were a couple of cheerful women that day.....

Haiku Theme? None.

2008-04-25T08:03:00.000-07:00

These were the haikus which came first. We decided to have themes just to reel ourselves in a bit :)

Shit! Must go to work

I will continue this soon

More haikus to come!

Seriously folks, it is time for work....lost track of time.

Haiku Theme: Animals

2008-04-25T07:59:00.000-07:00

Word: salubrious

Salubrious grass

Breakfasting hedgehog delights

Run Fast! Lawnmower!

Contributed by Me.

Haiku

2008-04-25T07:52:00.000-07:00

Debbie (my glorious roommate) and I have been on a haiku bender. It all started on fateful day with an emotional stream of cathartic haiku action via email. Then, they took up the our "Word of the Day" which we both get in our inbox in the morning. Following this, we began one daily haiku using the vocabulary word and our assigned theme for the week. I am going to start posting these. I know what you are thinking. This will be yet another thing online that I should be updating and don't. I didn't do a thing much during the winter (sorry, I really do ski enough for it to affect what I have time for). Now I can make a new attempt with the haikus! I will post some or all of Debbie's as she gives me permission. There are quite a few for me to upload, so this will take a few days. :) Enjoy.

Too cold.

2008-01-28T18:32:00.000-08:00

I am too cold. Way too cold. One good solid reason to live in Southeast AK is the mild winters (relatively so). This is not mild. This is frigid madness. It is zero. I am too cold.

2008-01-13T22:55:00.000-08:00

Writing Club – January 10, 2007

Write about one who has left and regretted their departure.

His Levi's always fit perfectly. Shaping the curve of his bottom the way God would surely have intended. I loved the way he would paint all afternoon on Sundays. I would help him wash the brushes. He was a starving artist living on love, but somehow, I always thought he would grow out of it. He would grow tired of never having cash to spare and mooching of the woman who loved him too much. It was this free spirit that I loved, and loathed. I was jealous of his ability to break away from social constraints and fulfill his passion. I was the rigid cardigan wearing freak from New Hampshire. I wanted to be him, but instead of changing my ways, I tried to control him and he ran. I awoke to find him gone, having left only a painting.....of a caged bird being released. The only clothes he left behind were the ones I had given him. The ones I forced on him. That was the day. That was the day that I decided to start painting and take off the cardigan that would strangle me if I wasn't careful. I painted every day. I wore my hair down. I started reading Robert Frost on summer nights and wearing flip flops as much as I could. My freely wiggling toes were always grateful. I would write about him in my journal and wonder if I would ever see him again. I walked past a gallery on a Monday evening, wearing my new found Bohemian uniform. A collage of a all the trappings of a typical preppie existence was surrounded by flames. He was there. He was staring at me as he walked up to the window. His sweater vest and perfect hair? He came outside to join me. This was the moment. He would regret his departure. He said he had changed; this was his gallery. His new life. His new life with sweater vests and golf and BMWs and those people who buy really expensive paintings. He professed his regret; his love for me made him change. His world was now 'perfect' and he longed to have me in it. My life had turned into so much more than that; I will never regret leaving him standing outside his gallery.....

Write about someone who misinterprets a compliment

Internal monologue, troubled female youth 1986

What a bitch! Horrid mistress of malcontent! My step mother paid 200 dollars for me to look this way and she says in her snide bitchy-McBitcherson tone “Nice hair”. Wench. But alas, she is the most popular girl in school. Her approval will make or break my existence. I need a solution. Fight back the tears. Suck it up you weakling. Jessica probably thinks I am fat too. Whore. She is a whore with no soul. She is the one with the bad hair; those perfect and grotesque waves that frame her face like a princess happily waving to throngs of supporters. I'll show her. A perm! Where is the box? I put the box under the sink? Where is my fucking box of home perm!!!??? Get it together. What would Molly Ringwald do?? She would get it the fuck together and get the guy with a sports car. Focus. God damnit. These tiny rollers. I wonder if I should call Jessica? Who the hell does she think she is judging my hair? Winged beast of Satan with a stupid hat that she bought at that new store. The Gap? The gap of what? I can't believe she thinks I am fat. Scalp is burning. Oh my god, how long has it been. I left it in too long!!!! My life is ending. What can I do with this ball of frizz? OMG. FUCK FUCK FUCK. 200 dollars. My hair was great and I had to screw it up? JESSICA IS SUCH A BITCH. I should call her and ask what she is wearing tomorrow. I have to wear my hat (obviously) If she is going to wear her hat then I can't wear mine. Oh my god...I look horrible. Scissors. That is the only way. God I can't choose: wrists ? Hair ? Wrists? Hair? Wrists. Dumb ass! Don't go for the wrists. How can you live a spiteful existence and make Jessica wish she was you if you are dead? Leave the hair alone. Harden the fuck up you weakling. Go to bed. She is the one that is fat. “Nice hair” I will show you 'nice hair' Where is my Seventeen magazine? How can I sleep without reading my horoscope? All I have is fried hair and a fat ass.

Next morning, wake up to phone ringing:

Jessica! Hi! Oh my god!

No, I am wearing the legwarmers and my hat.

See you at school.

I hate that bitch.

When I first told my family about ------- they didn't believe me.

When I first told my family I was a lesbian they didn't believe me. Why wouldn't they? I am an AR-TEEST. I am a vegetarian. I like Birkenstocks....ALOT. I shop at REI. Ani Defranco wrote the soundtrack of my tortured life. At 19, I truly believe that I have matured much past my years. Could that be why? Could I have matured past men? I remember that day in human sexuality. I was reflecting on my organic shade-grown coffee wondering if the cotton shirt I was wearing was really made with sustainable, organic cotton. The professor blathering on and on about alternative lifestyles in the background. I was thinking “What does she know about alternative lifestyles? I am a vegan born and raised in the heartland. That is what my family believes is an 'alternative lifestyle.” I sat and pondered about the Indigo Girls and wondered what I would wear to the Blue Fems – the cover band. The homework assignment was to go to a place where you felt sexually outside of yourself – perhaps a gay bar if strait or a Catholic church if you are a drag queen homosexual. Two birds with one stone. The concert would likely be a hot spot for lesbians, right? My vegan team and I decked ourselves out in our finest broomstick skirts and sandals. I picked out my best handmade earrings. They were handmade with bones harvested from a deer that had died of natural causes in the forrest. A tribute to nature. My boyfriend called to see what I was up to and ask if I wanted to hang out. I obviously said no and that I would not respond to his insipid male need to repress me. Although I love being naked underneath him, I have no desire to have some man feel he is above me. My girlfriends and I were all in our first year and this was our first real college concert and we wanted to make sure we would fit in with all of the really unique people that attended our cozy liberal arts school. We walked in, long skirts flowing, tousled hair 2 days from a shampoo.....all these unique lesbians. They look so happy. I am special like them. I must be a lesbian.

Creative Writing Club Meeting - January 10, 2008 - Topic #1

2008-01-10T22:31:00.000-08:00

Ok. This is where my writing stuff would be if a could figure out why Blogger will not copy/past from NeoOffice. I will figure this out soon.

2008-01-10T22:25:00.000-08:00

Tonight I went to my first creative writing club meeting (yes, I know, I am in a book club and a writing club. Means I am cool as hell right?) at the waffle house. Ham and cheese waffle, hot cocoa, and creative writing exercises. Perfect. It will double as blog content. The method is that we pick a starter topic from a workbook and write for 20 minutes. Then, we read out loud. It was really good fun. Enjoy. I will be posting this stuff after each meeting.

A Whole New Way to Protect Your Valuables

2007-11-06T22:26:00.001-08:00

I have been waiting for a new calculator at work for a month. I was delighted to see my new HP graphing calculator arrive on my desk....no zippy case, but I won't even go into that. I wanted to use my new calculating friend ASAP. Someone, somewhere, had a different plan. I had to cut, tear, and pull the damn packaging until I broke a sweat. WTF. What are they protecting the calculator from? Terrorists? Geez. After much a way too much effort, I finally managed to pry my toy out of the packaging. I got the disk, the manual and the USB cord. Damn. The batteries were safely nestled in the opposite end of the package. At this point, I really had to use my ninja skills. The sharp edges almost ripped my flesh off, but eventually I was able to get the damn things out. A mere 20 minutes after its arrival, I was able to turn it on and take it for a test run. WTF. It was like some stupid game. Even now, I am sure some A-hole that calls himself the Package Master is sitting around thinking how a little fun thing called Number 3 plastic can be used to give innocent victims near-strokes and temper tantrums. Just take a valuable object, use the #3, and devise some space age method of sealing it together and you have got yourself a frustration device. Can't they just use some freaking cardboard?!?

Revolutionary Road by Yates (Fiction)

2007-11-04T19:13:00.000-08:00

This was the October selection for the bookclub I am in. I thought hmmm....looked hokey, but this book was not what I thought. It turned out to be a highly relevant social commentary.

Set in the 1950s it chronicles the marriage of April and Frank Wheeler. He works in "The City" (New York) and they reside in the country on Revolutionary Road. The central focus of the book is to create an "us and them". Both April and Frank once resided in The City and considered themselves thinkers, doers and idealists. Above all, they were not suburbanites. They were better. No one sat around having the intellectual conversations like they did-especially not those who live on Revolutionary Road. It was this supposed separation that plants the idea in April's head. She believes that uprooting the husband and kids and getting a new start in Europe is the only hope to truly separate themselves from them and that way of living; to get away from the gossip, topiaries, and the general trappings of the silly American Suburbanites. The Europeans would say "You are not like other Americans, you are so progressive and intellectual". The delusion of uniqueness enables the true form of their life and marriage to be hidden away in a dark corner; only the reader is the wiser. Frank is catastrophically (yes, I mean catastrophically) manipulative and they are both the the type of people they claim to despise. The intimacy of their marriage is, in large part, based on the constant manipulation of the other person. It is their delusions that bring about the tragic conclusion. (which I cannot tell you!)

This book highlights the lies that we tell ourselves to make us feel unique and special. (Or more correctly, the lies that you tell yourselves. I am not like that.....I am special. ) It is about the double standards, the manipulations, and the delusions of superiority that plague so many minds.

Eat Pray Love

2007-09-20T21:32:00.000-07:00

Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert (Non-fiction)
Humor-filled review (read on for something more serious):
This book is about a woman searching for her soul. (This is where the men-folk decide to check out a blog about something else, anything else.) The book is divided into three parts (see title). The first, she is in Italy gaining 25 pounds, next she is in India getting transcendent in an Ashram, and last, she checks out Bali for some unexpected lovin'. (I expect her intent for the latter was not carnal fulfillment, but more allowing herself to love again-blah blah blah.)
This book peaked early. I was completely into the story when she was in Italy surrounded by men and delicious food. She was going through the post-breakup, crazy woman, cry on the bathroom floor situation....she was in that place we have all been. I was thinking how close I felt to this writer. She found peace in learning Italian and indulging herself (my kind of healing).
Next she goes to an Ashram in India and begins 4 am meditations, a meat-free existence, and yoga. She does this for FOUR months. I am not that fond of 4 am. I would be more eager to be transcendent past 7 am. This book started to delve into hokey at this point. I was still hopeful I would get some sort of climax in the Love portion (pun intended), but mostly it was just on the downhill. The leading lady finally finds her inner love and is able to flirt again....I imagine after the eight months of celibacy she was quite frisky. It is in this last section that the proof of her healing is truly revealed.
A more serious look:
Liz was a serial monogamist who always morphed into whomever she was dating. She truly gave herself up. After a nasty divorce (while in a serious relationship with another man) she went through a nasty breakup. She decided to heal herself in an all encompassing way; by finding pleasure (Italy), experiencing God (India), and learning to find balance between the two (Bali). The book was well written and humorous. Liz is easy to find a piece of yourself in (even if it is just when she is gorging on Italian food or being crazy). She took a courageous journey into her mind to get herself past all the crazy. (most of us never get past it, we just get through an episode) She learned how to love without losing herself. I would recommend this book if you have recently been through a tragic breakup, enjoy long baths, or use the Alaska State Ferry as a method of travel.

MY NEW GOAL!

2007-09-20T21:25:00.000-07:00

As you may have notices from my extremely lazy blogging technique, I can't commit well to this thing. I think I might have a solution! I need a purpose. I am going to do literature reviews! I use this term very loosely. I run the gamut of books, but mostly stick to non-fiction. Although, I have read a few novels this summer. (A cast will do that do you) Feel free to comment...you can even disagree with me. This is not advisable as I will SPAM you for the rest of your natural life. Kidding. :) I love it when people disagree with me.

The Jinx

2007-07-23T21:18:00.000-07:00

So there I was, running on a treacherous trail............

Exactly. I was intent on not letting Torsten (for those of you who know who he is) get too far ahead this time. I had already fallen a few times, but the last fall was the worst. I stepped onto an incline and my ankle rolled right on down. I was on my hands and knees crying....my goodness. And, to make matters worse, we were 3 miles from the car on rugged terrain. Torsten mcguyvered (Sp?)some crutches, but still had to carry me quite a ways. On the plus side, we did get to see two black bear cubs and their mother munching on flowers in a meadow. I suppose I can also be grateful that it was sunny and not a more typical Juneau day (rain followed by showers and intermittent downpours). I am rambling, back to the injury part. We went to the ER to get some X-rays and the typical trappings of an ankle injury. I got lovely crutches and an aircast. I should never have written that last post! It was a true jinx. Lamenting about the lack of adventures surrounding an injury and what do I get? A torn ligament, 3 miles out, and an ER bill!

Middle Finger Madness

2007-07-20T21:08:00.000-07:00

Here is the tragedy: Injuries indirectly related to sports

I am wearing a brace around my middle finger because it hurts so much worse when I don't. I hurt it at the climbing gym. It could not be climbing outside or doing something awesome. Damn. Which leads me to my kayak injury from last year. You might ask yourself why I don't say kayaking. Because I the kayak just fell on me after kayaking. Funny, but too bad the story didn't start "So there I was in the raging waves, when suddenly....." It reminds me of my bike wreck. I was on my way to go mountain biking somewhere more interesting when I got HIT BY A FREAKING CAR. My biking injury just had to happen while still in town (and traffic) so again, no fun. Not really engaging in sport. Don't get me wrong, I have had my share of stress fractures, plantar fasciitis, and some weird ligament problems with my toes, but those are all from running (repetitive strain injuries which means boring and annoying). GRRRRR.

Caffeine Addiction

2007-06-13T21:17:00.000-07:00

I feel like death is just around the corner. Stomach upset led me to ditch the coffee on Monday. Tuesday morning I barely made it out of bed at 9 am (1.5 hours late to work). I could not believe how tired I felt. I swear it was just like mono. I stayed away from the coffee because I was feeling quite bad. SHITTY. Today was the same story. HELL. The initial stomach trouble was probably due to traveling and eating really bad food all weekend. Inadvertently giving up coffee only made me ill and life worse. SERIOUSLY. I dropped dead on my lunch break, slept after work, and still am suffering from a headache. I read an article about caffeine withdrawals on the John Hopkin's website. Symptoms range from headache to flu-like body aches and nausea! HOLY SHIT. The article also said that it can last from 2-9 days. TRAGEDY.
So here I am-in bed, weary, still tired after 10+ hours of snooze time. WITHDRAWAL FATIGUE. I am plagued with a decision: complete the detox or plummet back into addiction.

Fast Food Nation

2007-05-28T19:29:00.000-07:00

Yes Loki, I finally read it. ;)

I read the book Fast Food Nation. It is a searing vision into how the demand for fast food has not only influenced culture, but the quality of food in general. The chapters on meatpacking really got me. I was eating my raw cookie and reading about salmonella in eggs and chicken and poor sanitation practices in the large poultry plants. Good thing I bought cage-free organic. Whew. Back to business.....
I am a free market kind of gal, but granting the USDA more regulatory authority to prevent me from inadvertently consuming beef with shit (literally) in it seems like a top-notch plan.
Rant:
Somewhere along the line, livestock became a mere commodity and not living creatures. I am not a vegetarian by any means, but I believe that the conditions in which the animal is kept and the manner of its death should be humane and respectful of the relationship we have with them.
Grr.
I don't want to be serious much more tonight. :)

You Win.

2007-05-28T18:53:00.000-07:00

Regina said "We don't hear from you enough, you need to start a blog". (She also said many funny things because she was drinking) So, here is my blog, in all its resplendence. My last attempt at blogging failed. Blogs are nothing without entries....

This time will be different. I will share my Juneau experiences with friends. I will not go incognito for extended periods of time. I will do my absolute best to make blog entries :)

The greatest part is, oh dear friends, is that you can comment. That's right, you crazy kids can give your two bits. These comments may include, but are not limited to Matt's witty remarks, Regina's urgings to make a triumphant return, and Loki's links to BBC articles that I might have missed. :)

Miss ya!