Back to Blogging

I looked back over my favorites folder and realized that it has been a very, very long time since I’ve blogged. Between grad school, work, Porter, grad school (yes, it deserves a second mention), life and all the associated drama I really haven’t felt that blogging was very high on the priority list. But hopefully that will turn around.

I’m not going to even attempt to go back and recap the past year. Far much time has gone by and to many things have happened.  But I’m starting fresh and I am going to use this as a forum to express those things that I really shouldn’t verbalize.

5 things that are driving me crazy:

*The roommate. The roommate leave for vacation in just three days – it can’t come soon enough. We both need some space.

*Group Assignments. For one of the three classes I’m taking this semester I am involved in a group that just doesn’t give a damn and for which “good enough” is just that – good enough. Forget about actually performing to a grad school level. I’m sick to death of rewriting every single exercise that we have to turn in.

*Rainy weekends. Due to the demands of work and school I haven’t been able to mtn bike nearly as much as I would like or need. And thus my main riding days are Saturday and Sunday. Unfortunately, we have had a lot of rain in Dallas lately which seems to all be falling on the weekends. This is interfering with my ride time. I become quite cranky very quickly when I don’t get to mtn bike.

*Know-it-all People. It is okay to admit that there is new information in the universe which you haven’t learned yet…Life is about learning. When you talk a line I’m getting to the point where I will probably call you on it. Consider yourself warned.

*Coffee tremors. Why oh why can I not be one of those people who can drink cup after cup of coffee and not be bothered. I love coffee and tea. But after 1 measly cup I have been experiencing the worst tremors, heart palps and headaches. I miss coffee.

5 things that are making me happy.

*Mtn biking. My life would be colored in tones of black and gray if I didn’t have the opportunity to ride.

*Standup Paddling. My second love next to biking. How freeing, awe inspiring and rejuvenating  Plus I’m actually pretty good at it. I think it has a lot to do with a very low center of gravity. Yeah for being short.

*Yoga. Next to mtn biking and SUPing, power hot yoga is my next love. Yoga also receives bonus points for not being cancelled due to rain or cold weather.

*Grad School. I may be experiencing issues with the group members and feeling a lot of pressure due to the massive amounts of assignments for each course but the topics are fascinating. I love school.

*Porter. Yes, a spur of the moment decision to adopt a dog is not to be recommended. But in my situation it has been wonderful. Porter has certainly provided unconditional love and acceptance, he will run with me when I mtn bike (at least for a few miles and then he wants to go home and sit on the couch), and he is perfectly happy having the same food day in and day out – he never critiques my cooking. Plus the goof loves to walk in the rain. Really, if Porter was human I’d date him.

Chicago in February

Just curious how it is that I once again am in Chicago during the coldest part of the year. But the snow is beautiful and the view from the hotel room is spectacular!

My goal this week is to make some serious dents in my homework. Motivation this semester has been lacking and I’ve just been in a funk. Time to shake myself out of it and dedicate myself to the end goal – Librarianship.

Back in Chicagoland

Caught a flight to Chicago yesterday morning after a teary farewell to Porter. Who knew leaving a dog for a week would feel so similar (or what I imagine it would feel like) to leaving behind a child!

So the Sofitel Chicago it is until Friday – I’m hoping for some serious study time in the evenings, although if last night is anything to go by that might not be as productive as I hope. But dinner at Cafe des Architectes last night was delightful and the people watching simply fantastic. A table nearby to where I was sitting contained a mother and daughter who were in their 90’s and 70’s respectively. They were just the nicest elegant ladies having dinner. They started with a champagne apertif and then proceeded the enjoy a wonderful relaxed dinner. They had such style and elegance. I can only hope that one day my mom and I might be able to enjoy a similar dinner. That is if either one of us were elegant and refined and wealthy enough to be able to enjoy and 5 course dinner with wine pairing.

I wonder if after graduation I will end up moving back to WI? If so what will that mean for my familial relationships?

A Bike Ride, A Margarita and a Movie

Well after an extremely long hiatus – alright almost a year in length – I have now rejoined the land of blogging. Not that I have anything more exciting to say that I did previously but as always it is good to just put things out into the void and release them from the swirling chaos that are my thoughts.

Anyhow, yesterday was absolutely amazing. I biked 39 miles for the Weatherford, TX Peach Pedal/Festival. I loved every minute of it. Well, every minute up to mile 33 then the it was kind of hard biking for a while but I fully completed the ride under my own power and can emphatically state that I need to keep biking. I only wish that Texas wasn’t so bloody hot. It is hard to bike to work each day when the mere act of stepping outside leaves one drenched in sweat and wishing for a cool shower.

T and I went to Los Lupes for a late lunch during which I enjoyed a particularly fine margarita – the first in weeks while regaling her with the adventures of the Peach Pedal ride. I’m sure she could have cared less as some comments ranged from – “But that required you to be with nature” and “But biking makes you sweat”.  Nonetheless, T was a good sport about my ramblings and we had a change to catch up on the news that was news.

The evening was uneventful, caught a movie which was nice and just played it cool as after spending the rest of the afternoon out in the hayfield with Porter, I was once again hot and sweaty and by this time feeling the 39 miles biked plus two hours of hiking with Porter. But I realized while watching the movie that this thing with N just isn’t good for me. There is no consideration by him of my feelings, even though it is just a casual fling. Even a casual fling should have mutual respect. So I think that it is over. Although it may be another month before he and I talk again, at that point I shall simply have to be firm (both with him and my own crazy desires) and stay true to what I want. Where I can find what I want – who knows – I thought going to the dog parks, the nature preserve etc would be a good idea but thus far I’ve run into a lot of couples and a significant number of married guys out there by themselves and not so many single, outdoorsy, dog loving guys. Ah well, at least I’m seriously toning up and looking good due to all the time spent outdoors.

So on a fun note for today, Porter and I went to jack Carter Dog Park this morning and spent a few hours visiting with the dogs, their owners and a significant amount of time in the creek staying cool. Porter is such a water boy….he would be perfectly happy spending all his time chasing sticks paddling around in a creek, river or lake. And if it isn’t too warm yet this evening we will also head out to the hayfield for some quality grasshopper chasing time.  The bliss of a nothing-to-do Sunday.

Labor Day Weekend

I have completely enjoyed a quiet weekend at home. A few offers were extended to go and visit friends but as this was the first weekend of the month and also the first weekend that I’ve been home in awhile I felt I’d better stay home, bond with Porter and catch up on everything that had been left undone for the past few weeks.
I also need to finish up my application for UNT and wite thank you notes to all the profs who provided reference letters.
This past week was filled with new information as I began my roll as a GL Manager. While the position has a lot of benefits I can only hope that it lasts long enough for me to get my Masters in Library Science. here is to a new future.

Endings

3 more days as an ABL auditor and 5 more AEL audits to perform. So hard to believe that it is almost done. I’m excited for the transition on September 1st but at the same point sad to see it all end. Here is to a better future.

I want this…

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AE3gjLOIeDA&feature=player_embedded

Running at North York

Last night I ran 4.6 miles in 63.08 minutes. I felt great. Never before have I had that smooth of a run. 5 minutes to warm up. 10 minutes at 4.2mph. 7 minutes at 5.0mph. Back to 4.2mph, again up to 5.0mph for even longer, back down to 4.2 etc. I ran in the gym and not outside because although North York is supposed to be safe when I went for a short walk after dinner at 10pm there was a Iranian protest (Iranians protesting for the right to vote equally in Iran) and as I was walking past the square where the protest was being held, some man attending the protest said something incomprehensible and spat at me. Yes, I got scared and was thankful I was heading back to the hotel.
So I worked out in the hotel gym even though it was late and the gym was to close at 11pm. I worked out until 11:30pm and didn’t get kicked out.
Wish I was home. Wish I could be with Porter. Wish I knew I was transitioning at the end of the month.
Must go running again tonight (inside again). I hope I can repeat the results of last night.

Dare to dream

Don’t forget, refuse to let go, hold on tight with both hands….to those things, dreams and thoughts that keep you happy.

Life is filled with choices and at times the easier choice is to stay stuck in the mindlessness of doing what has always been done. Actually – not even the mindlessness of doing what has been done, rather in the chaos that is daily life but recognizing that the chaos only seems necessary because it is familiar. Not comfortable but familiar and thus manageable.

Dare to dream, dare to live. Even now when things appear to be going to hell in a handbasket there is still room out to there to pursue a dream or two.

Live.

A reminder of what is important

So this was one of the most heartwarming things I’ve seen in a long time. Enjoy.